The Old Testament of the King James Version of the Bible

The First Book of Moses:  Called Genesis

1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon
the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters.

1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light
from the darkness.

1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night.
And the evening and the morning were the first day.

1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters,
and let it divide the waters from the waters.

1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were
under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament:
and it was so.

1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the
morning were the second day.

1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together
unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of
the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.

1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding
seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is
in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after
his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after
his kind: and God saw that it was good.

1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.

1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven
to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for
seasons, and for days, and years: 1:15 And let them be for lights in
the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was
so.

1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day,
and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light
upon the earth, 1:18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and
to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving
creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the
open firmament of heaven.

1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that
moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind,
and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill
the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.

1:23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.

1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after
his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his
kind: and it was so.

1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle
after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after
his kind: and God saw that it was good.

1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl
of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over
every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created
he him; male and female created he them.

1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and
multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
living thing that moveth upon the earth.

1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which
is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air,
and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is
life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.

1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was
very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of
them.

2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and
he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that
in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when
they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the
heavens, 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth,
and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not
caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the
ground.

2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole
face of the ground.

2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living
soul.

2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he
put the man whom he had formed.

2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is
pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the
midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence
it was parted, and became into four heads.

2:11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the
whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 2:12 And the gold of that
land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.

2:13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that
compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.

2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which
goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.

2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of
Eden to dress it and to keep it.

2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the
garden thou mayest freely eat: 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be
alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the
field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see
what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living
creature, that was the name thereof.

2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air,
and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an
help meet for him.

2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he
slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead
thereof; 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made
he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my
flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall
cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not
ashamed.

3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which
the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said,
Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?  3:2 And the woman said
unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden,
God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest
ye die.

3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 3:5
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall
be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that
it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one
wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto
her husband with her; and he did eat.

3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they
were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves
aprons.

3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in
the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the
presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art
thou?  3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was
afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten
of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she
gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast
done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done
this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the
field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the
days of thy life: 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the
woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel.

3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and
thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy
desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice
of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee,
saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake;
in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 3:18 Thorns
also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the
herb of the field; 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread,
till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for
dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother
of all living.

3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of
skins, and clothed them.

3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to
know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also
of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 3:23 Therefore the
LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground
from whence he was taken.

3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden
of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep
the way of the tree of life.

4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and
said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of
sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the
fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of
the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his
offering: 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.
And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
countenance fallen?  4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be
accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto
thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when
they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother,
and slew him.

4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he
said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?  4:10 And he said, What
hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from
the ground.

4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her
mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 4:12 When thou
tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her
strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can
bear.

4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the
earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and
a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one
that findeth me shall slay me.

4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain,
vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark
upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the
land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he
builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his
son, Enoch.

4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and
Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah,
and the name of the other Zillah.

4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents,
and of such as have cattle.

4:21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such
as handle the harp and organ.

4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every
artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice;
ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to
my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and
sevenfold.

4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his
name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead
of Abel, whom Cain slew.

4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his
name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God
created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 5:2 Male and female
created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the
day when they were created.

5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his
own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth: 5:4 And
the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years:
and he begat sons and daughters: 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived
were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

5:6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: 5:7 And
Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and
begat sons and daughters: 5:8 And all the days of Seth were nine
hundred and twelve years: and he died.

5:9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: 5:10 And Enos lived
after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons
and daughters: 5:11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and
five years: and he died.

5:12 And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel: 5:13 And
Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years,
and begat sons and daughters: 5:14 And all the days of Cainan were
nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: 5:16
And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty
years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:17 And all the days of
Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

5:18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat
Enoch: 5:19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years,
and begat sons and daughters: 5:20 And all the days of Jared were nine
hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

5:21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 5:22
And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred
years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:23 And all the days of Enoch
were three hundred sixty and five years: 5:24 And Enoch walked with
God: and he was not; for God took him.

5:25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat
Lamech.

5:26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty
and two years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:27 And all the days of
Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

5:28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a
son: 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort
us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground
which the LORD hath cursed.

5:30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five
years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:31 And all the days of Lamech
were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham,
and Japheth.

6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the
earth, and daughters were born unto them, 6:2 That the sons of God saw
the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of
all which they chose.

6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for
that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty
years.

6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that,
when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare
children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of
renown.

6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and
that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually.

6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it
grieved him at his heart.

6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and
the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.

6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect
in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

6:10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled
with violence.

6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for
all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.

6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me;
for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I
will destroy them with the earth.

6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the
ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.

6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length
of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty
cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.

6:16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou
finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side
thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.

6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the
earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under
heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

6:18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come
into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives
with thee.

6:19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt
thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be
male and female.

6:20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of
every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort
shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.

6:21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt
gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.

6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did
he.

7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the
ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male
and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and
his female.

7:3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to
keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth
forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have
made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.

7:5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.

7:6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was
upon the earth.

7:7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives
with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.

7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls,
and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 7:9 There went in two
and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had
commanded Noah.

7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the
flood were upon the earth.

7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month,
the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains
of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.

7:12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

7:13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth,
the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons
with them, into the ark; 7:14 They, and every beast after his kind,
and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that
creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind,
every bird of every sort.

7:15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all
flesh, wherein is the breath of life.

7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as
God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.

7:17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters
increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.

7:18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the
earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.

7:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the
high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.

7:20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains
were covered.

7:21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and
of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth
upon the earth, and every man: 7:22 All in whose nostrils was the
breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.

7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face
of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the
fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah
only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.

7:24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty
days.

8:1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the
cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over
the earth, and the waters asswaged; 8:2 The fountains also of the deep
and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was
restrained; 8:3 And the waters returned from off the earth
continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the
waters were abated.

8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of
the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.

8:5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the
tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the
mountains seen.

8:6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the
window of the ark which he had made: 8:7 And he sent forth a raven,
which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off
the earth.

8:8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were
abated from off the face of the ground; 8:9 But the dove found no rest
for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for
the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his
hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.

8:10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the
dove out of the ark; 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening;
and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that
the waters were abated from off the earth.

8:12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove;
which returned not again unto him any more.

8:13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the
first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from
off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked,
and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.

8:14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the
month, was the earth dried.

8:15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 8:16 Go forth of the ark, thou,
and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.

8:17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of
all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing
that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the
earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.

8:18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons'
wives with him: 8:19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every
fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went
forth out of the ark.

8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean
beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the
altar.

8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his
heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for
the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I
again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and
heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be
fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.

9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast
of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth
upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are
they delivered.

9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the
green herb have I given you all things.

9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall
ye not eat.

9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of
every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of
every man's brother will I require the life of man.

9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in
the image of God made he man.

9:7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in
the earth, and multiply therein.

9:8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9:9 And
I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after
you; 9:10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the
fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from
all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.

9:11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all
flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall
there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.

9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make
between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for
perpetual generations: 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall
be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.

9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth,
that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 9:15 And I will remember my
covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all
flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all
flesh.

9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that
I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living
creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

9:17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which
I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.

9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and
Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.

9:19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth
overspread.

9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:
9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered
within his tent.

9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father,
and told his two brethren without.

9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their
shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their
father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's
nakedness.

9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had
done unto him.

9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be
unto his brethren.

9:26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be
his servant.

9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of
Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.

9:28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.

9:29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and
he died.

10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and
Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.

10:2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and
Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

10:3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

10:4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and
Dodanim.

10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands;
every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.

10:6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.

10:7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah,
and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.

10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said,
Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.

10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and
Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

10:11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the
city Rehoboth, and Calah, 10:12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah:
the same is a great city.

10:13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
10:14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and
Caphtorim.

10:15 And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth, 10:16 And the
Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 10:17 And the Hivite,
and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 10:18 And the Arvadite, and the
Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the
Canaanites spread abroad.

10:19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest
to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and
Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.

10:20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their
tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.

10:21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the
brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud,
and Aram.

10:23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

10:24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

10:25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for
in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.

10:26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and
Jerah, 10:27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 10:28 And Obal, and
Abimael, and Sheba, 10:29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these
were the sons of Joktan.

10:30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a
mount of the east.

10:31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their
tongues, in their lands, after their nations.

10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their
generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided
in the earth after the flood.

11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

11:2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they
found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn
them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for
morter.

11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose
top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be
scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

11:5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the
children of men builded.

11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all
one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be
restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that
they may not understand one another's speech.

11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of
all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did
there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the
LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

11:10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years
old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: 11:11 And Shem
lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and
daughters.

11:12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 11:13
And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years,
and begat sons and daughters.

11:14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 11:15 And Salah
lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons
and daughters.

11:16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: 11:17 And
Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and
begat sons and daughters.

11:18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 11:19 And Peleg
lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons
and daughters.

11:20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: 11:21 And
Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat
sons and daughters.

11:22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: 11:23 And Serug
lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and
daughters.

11:24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 11:25
And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years,
and begat sons and daughters.

11:26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and
Haran.

11:27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram,
Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his
nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife
was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of
Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's
son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they
went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of
Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

11:32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah
died in Haran.

12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I
will shew thee: 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I
will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a
blessing: 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him
that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be
blessed.

12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went
with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed
out of Haran.

12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all
their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had
gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan;
and into the land of Canaan they came.

12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto
the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.

12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I
give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who
appeared unto him.

12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel,
and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east:
and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name
of the LORD.

12:9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.

12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into
Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.

12:11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt,
that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a
fair woman to look upon: 12:12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when
the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife:
and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.

12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with
me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.

12:14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the
Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.

12:15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before
Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.

12:16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and
oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses,
and camels.

12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues
because of Sarai Abram's wife.

12:18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast
done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?  12:19
Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to
wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.

12:20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him
away, and his wife, and all that he had.

13:1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he
had, and Lot with him, into the south.

13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.

13:3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto
the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and
Hai; 13:4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the
first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.

13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and
tents.

13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell
together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell
together.

13:7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and
the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite
dwelled then in the land.

13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee,
between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be
brethren.

13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee,
from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right;
or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.

13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan,
that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom
and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt,
as thou comest unto Zoar.

13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed
east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.

13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the
cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD
exceedingly.

13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from
him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art
northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 13:15 For all
the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for
ever.

13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a
man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be
numbered.

13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the
breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.

13:18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of
Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.

14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar,
Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of
nations; 14:2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with
Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of
Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.

14:3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is
the salt sea.

14:4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year
they rebelled.

14:5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that
were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the
Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 And the
Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.

14:7 And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and
smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that
dwelt in Hazezontamar.

14:8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah,
and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela
(the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of
Siddim; 14:9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king
of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar;
four kings with five.

14:10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of
Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled
to the mountain.

14:11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their
victuals, and went their way.

14:12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom,
and his goods, and departed.

14:13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew;
for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and
brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.

14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he
armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and
eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

14:15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by
night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the
left hand of Damascus.

14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his
brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from
the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at
the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.

14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and
he was the priest of the most high God.

14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high
God, possessor of heaven and earth: 14:20 And blessed be the most high
God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him
tithes of all.

14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and
take the goods to thyself.

14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand
unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,
14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and
that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say,
I have made Abram rich: 14:24 Save only that which the young men have
eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol,
and Mamre; let them take their portion.

15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a
vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding
great reward.

15:2 And Abram said, LORD God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go
childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
15:3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo,
one born in my house is mine heir.

15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This
shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own
bowels shall be thine heir.

15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward
heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he
said unto him, So shall thy seed be.

15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for
righteousness.

15:7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur
of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.

15:8 And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit
it?  15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old,
and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a
turtledove, and a young pigeon.

15:10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst,
and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.

15:11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them
away.

15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram;
and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be
a stranger in a land that is not their's, and shall serve them; and
they shall afflict them four hundred years; 15:14 And also that
nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they
come out with great substance.

15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried
in a good old age.

15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for
the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

15:17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was
dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between
those pieces.

15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying,
Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the
great river, the river Euphrates: 15:19 The Kenites, and the
Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 15:20 And the Hittites, and the
Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 15:21 And the Amorites, and the
Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an
handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained
me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may
obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after
Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her
husband Abram to be his wife.

16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw
that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my
maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was
despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

16:6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do
to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she
fled from her face.

16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the
wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

16:8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither
wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

16:9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress,
and submit thyself under her hands.

16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy
seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with
child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because
the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man,
and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence
of all his brethren.

16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou
God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that
seeth me?  16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold,
it is between Kadesh and Bered.

16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name,
which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

16:16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare
Ishmael to Abram.

17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared
to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me,
and be thou perfect.

17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will
multiply thee exceedingly.

17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 17:4
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a
father of many nations.

17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name
shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations
of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed
after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a
God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land
wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an
everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore,
thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and
thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall
be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you,
every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or
bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy
money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your
flesh for an everlasting covenant.

17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is
not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath
broken my covenant.

17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not
call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I
will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people
shall be of her.

17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his
heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old?
and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?  17:18 And Abraham
said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!  17:19 And God
said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call
his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an
everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed
him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly;
twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall
bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

17:22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

17:23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his
house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the
men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in
the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

17:24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

17:25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

17:26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his
son.

17:27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with
money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat
in the tent door in the heat of the day; 18:2 And he lift up his eyes
and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he
ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the
ground, 18:3 And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy
sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 18:4 Let a little
water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves
under the tree: 18:5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort
ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come
to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.

18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make
ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes
upon the hearth.

18:7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good,
and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.

18:8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed,
and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they
did eat.

18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said,
Behold, in the tent.

18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the
time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah
heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it
ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed
old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?  18:13 And the LORD
said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a
surety bear a child, which am old?  18:14 Is any thing too hard for
the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to
the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid.
And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and
Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.

18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I
do; 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty
nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his
household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do
justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which
he hath spoken of him.

18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very grievous; 18:21 I will go down
now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of
it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.

18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward
Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.

18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the
righteous with the wicked?  18:24 Peradventure there be fifty
righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the
place for the fifty righteous that are therein?  18:25 That be far
from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the
wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far
from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?  18:26 And
the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city,
then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me
to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes: 18:28
Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou
destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there
forty and five, I will not destroy it.

18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there
shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's
sake.

18:30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will
speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I
will not do it, if I find thirty there.

18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the
LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I
will not destroy it for twenty's sake.

18:32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet
but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I
will not destroy it for ten's sake.

18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with
Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.

19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the
gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed
himself with his face toward the ground; 19:2 And he said, Behold now,
my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry
all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on
your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all
night.

19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him,
and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake
unleavened bread, and they did eat.

19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of
Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people
from every quarter: 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him,
Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out
unto us, that we may know them.

19:6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after
him, 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

19:8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let
me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good
in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they
under the shadow of my roof.

19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow
came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal
worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man,
even Lot, and came near to break the door.

19:10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house
to them, and shut to the door.

19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with
blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to
find the door.

19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in
law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the
city, bring them out of this place: 19:13 For we will destroy this
place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the
LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.

19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married
his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD
will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons
in law.

19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot,
saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here;
lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon
the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD
being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him
without the city.

19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad,
that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay
thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.

19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD: 19:19 Behold now,
thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy
mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot
escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 19:20
Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one:
Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall
live.

19:21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this
thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou
hast spoken.

19:22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou
be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.

19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.

19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and
fire from the LORD out of heaven; 19:25 And he overthrew those cities,
and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that
which grew upon the ground.

19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a
pillar of salt.

19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he
stood before the LORD: 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah,
and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke
of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.

19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain,
that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the
overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.

19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his
two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt
in a cave, he and his two daughters.

19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and
there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of
all the earth: 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we
will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.

19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the
firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when
she lay down, nor when she arose.

19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto
the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him
drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we
may preserve seed of our father.

19:35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the
younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay
down, nor when she arose.

19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

19:37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the
same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.

19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name
Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this
day.

20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and
dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.

20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and
Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.

20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him,
Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken;
for she is a man's wife.

20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou
slay also a righteous nation?  20:5 Said he not unto me, She is my
sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the
integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.

20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst
this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from
sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and
he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her
not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are
thine.

20:8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his
servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were
sore afraid.

20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou
done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on
me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that
ought not to be done.

20:10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou
hast done this thing?  20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought,
Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for
my wife's sake.

20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my
father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.

20:13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my
father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou
shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me,
He is my brother.

20:14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and
womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his
wife.

20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where
it pleaseth thee.

20:16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a
thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the
eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was
reproved.

20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his
wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.

20:18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of
Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto
Sarah as he had spoken.

21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at
the set time of which God had spoken to him.

21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him,
whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as
God had commanded him.

21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born
unto him.

21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear
will laugh with me.

21:7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should
have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great
feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born
unto Abraham, mocking.

21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her
son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even
with Isaac.

21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of
his son.

21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight
because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah
hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy
seed be called.

21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation,
because he is thy seed.

21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a
bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder,
and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in
the wilderness of Beersheba.

21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child
under one of the shrubs.

21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off,
as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the
child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called
to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar?
fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

21:18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will
make him a great nation.

21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she
went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

21:20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the
wilderness, and became an archer.

21:21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him
a wife out of the land of Egypt.

21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the
chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee
in all that thou doest: 21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God
that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my
son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee,
thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.

21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.

21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which
Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

21:26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither
didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

21:27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech;
and both of them made a covenant.

21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

21:29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs
which thou hast set by themselves?  21:30 And he said, For these seven
ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto
me, that I have digged this well.

21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they
sware both of them.

21:32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up,
and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the
land of the Philistines.

21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on
the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt
Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou
lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for
a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass,
and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave
the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place
of which God had told him.

22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the
place afar off.

22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass;
and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon
Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they
went both of them together.

22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and
he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood:
but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?  22:8 And Abraham said, My
son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they
went both of them together.

22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham
built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his
son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay
his son.

22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and
said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou
any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou
hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind
him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took
the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his
son.

22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is
said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the
second time, 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD,
for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son,
thine only son: 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in
multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and
as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess
the gate of his enemies; 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations
of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and
went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

22:20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told
Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy
brother Nahor; 22:21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and
Kemuel the father of Aram, 22:22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash,
and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.

22:23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor,
Abraham's brother.

22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah,
and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.

23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these
were the years of the life of Sarah.

23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of
Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.

23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the
sons of Heth, saying, 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you:
give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my
dead out of my sight.

23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, 23:6
Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of
our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his
sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the
land, even to the children of Heth.

23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I
should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to
Ephron the son of Zohar, 23:9 That he may give me the cave of
Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as
much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a
buryingplace amongst you.

23:10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the
Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even
of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, 23:11 Nay, my
lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I
give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee:
bury thy dead.

23:12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.

23:13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the
land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will
give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead
there.

23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, 23:15 My lord,
hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver;
what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.

23:16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron
the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth,
four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.

23:17 And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before
Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees
that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were
made sure 23:18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the
children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the
field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of
Canaan.

23:20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto
Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.

24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had
blessed Abraham in all things.

24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled
over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 24:3
And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God
of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the
daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 24:4 But thou shalt
go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son
Isaac.

24:5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be
willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again
unto the land from whence thou camest?  24:6 And Abraham said unto
him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.

24:7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and
from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware
unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send
his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from
thence.

24:8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou
shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.

24:9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his
master, and sware to him concerning that matter.

24:10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and
departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he
arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well
of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out
to draw water.

24:12 And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send
me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.

24:13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of
the men of the city come out to draw water: 24:14 And let it come to
pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I
pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give
thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed
for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed
kindness unto my master.

24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold,
Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of
Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had
any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her
pitcher, and came up.

24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee,
drink a little water of thy pitcher.

24:18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her
pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.

24:19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw
water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.

24:20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran
again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.

24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the
LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the
man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets
for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; 24:23 And said, Whose
daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's
house for us to lodge in?  24:24 And she said unto him, I am the
daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.

24:25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender
enough, and room to lodge in.

24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.

24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who
hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being
in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.

24:28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these
things.

24:29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran
out unto the man, unto the well.

24:30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon
his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister,
saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and,
behold, he stood by the camels at the well.

24:31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore
standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the
camels.

24:32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and
gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet,
and the men's feet that were with him.

24:33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will
not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.

24:34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.

24:35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become
great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold,
and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.

24:36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was
old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.

24:37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife
to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell:
24:38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and
take a wife unto my son.

24:39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not
follow me.

24:40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his
angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for
my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: 24:41 Then shalt thou
be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if
they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.

24:42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my
master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: 24:43
Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that
when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me,
I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; 24:44 And she say
to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the
same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's
son.

24:45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah
came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto
the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray
thee.

24:46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder,
and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank,
and she made the camels drink also.

24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she
said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him:
and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

24:48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed
the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way
to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.

24:49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell
me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the
left.

24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth
from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.

24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be
thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

24:52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their
words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.

24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of
gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her
brother and to her mother precious things.

24:54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him,
and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said,
Send me away unto my master.

24:55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with
us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.

24:56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath
prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.

24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her
mouth.

24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with
this man? And she said, I will go.

24:59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and
Abraham's servant, and his men.

24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our
sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed
possess the gate of those which hate them.

24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the
camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went
his way.

24:62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt
in the south country.

24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and
he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she
lighted off the camel.

24:65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh
in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master:
therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.

24:66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.

24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took
Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was
comforted after his mother's death.

25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.

25:2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and
Ishbak, and Shuah.

25:3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were
Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.

25:4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah,
and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.

25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.

25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham
gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived,
eastward, unto the east country.

25:7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he
lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.

25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an
old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of
Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which
is before Mamre; 25:10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons
of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

25:11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed
his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

25:12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom
Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: 25:13 And
these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according
to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar,
and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 25:14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 25:15
Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: 25:16 These are the sons
of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their
castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

25:17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and
thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was
gathered unto his people.

25:18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as
thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his
brethren.

25:19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham
begat Isaac: 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah
to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister
to Laban the Syrian.

25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was
barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife
conceived.

25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If
it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two
manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one
people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall
serve the younger.

25:24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there
were twins in her womb.

25:25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and
they called his name Esau.

25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on
Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore
years old when she bare them.

25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the
field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.

25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but
Rebekah loved Jacob.

25:29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was
faint: 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that
same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit
shall this birthright do to me?  25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me
this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto
Jacob.

25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did
eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his
birthright.

26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that
was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the
Philistines unto Gerar.

26:2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt;
dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 26:3 Sojourn in this
land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and
unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the
oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 26:4 And I will make thy
seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed
all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed; 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept
my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

26:6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 26:7 And the men of the place asked him
of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She
is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for
Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.

26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that
Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw,
and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

26:9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is
thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto
him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

26:10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of
the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest
have brought guiltiness upon us.

26:11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth
this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.

26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an
hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.

26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he
became very great: 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and
possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines
envied him.

26:15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the
days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and
filled them with earth.

26:16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much
mightier than we.

26:17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of
Gerar, and dwelt there.

26:18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged
in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped
them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the
names by which his father had called them.

26:19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a
well of springing water.

26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen,
saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek;
because they strove with him.

26:21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he
called the name of it Sitnah.

26:22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for
that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he
said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful
in the land.

26:23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.

26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am
the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will
bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.

26:25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the
LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a
well.

26:26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his
friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.

26:27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye
hate me, and have sent me away from you?  26:28 And they said, We saw
certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now
an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a
covenant with thee; 26:29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not
touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have
sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.

26:30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.

26:31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to
another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in
peace.

26:32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came,
and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto
him, We have found water.

26:33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is
Beersheba unto this day.

26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the
daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the
Hittite: 26:35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.

27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were
dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said
unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.

27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my
death: 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver
and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 27:4
And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I
may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went
to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.

27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy
father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 27:7 Bring me venison, and
make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD
before my death.

27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I
command thee.

27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of
the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as
he loveth: 27:10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may
eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.

27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is
a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 27:12 My father peradventure will
feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a
curse upon me, and not a blessing.

27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only
obey my voice, and go fetch me them.

27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and
his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.

27:15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which
were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:
27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands,
and upon the smooth of his neck: 27:17 And she gave the savoury meat
and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.

27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said,
Here am I; who art thou, my son?  27:19 And Jacob said unto his
father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest
me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may
bless me.

27:20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it
so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it
to me.

27:21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may
feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.

27:22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and
said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.

27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his
brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.

27:24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.

27:25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's
venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him,
and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.

27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me,
my son.

27:27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of
his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as
the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: 27:28 Therefore God
give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and
plenty of corn and wine: 27:29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow
down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow
down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he
that blesseth thee.

27:30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of
blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of
Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

27:31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his
father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his
son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.

27:32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I
am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.

27:33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he
that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all
before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be
blessed.

27:34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a
great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me,
even me also, O my father.

27:35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away
thy blessing.

27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath
supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and,
behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not
reserved a blessing for me?  27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto
Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I
given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained
him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son?  27:38 And Esau said
unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even
me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.

27:39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy
dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven
from above; 27:40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve
thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the
dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.

27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his
father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning
for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

27:42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and
she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold,
thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to
kill thee.

27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban
my brother to Haran; 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy
brother's fury turn away; 27:45 Until thy brother's anger turn away
from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will
send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you
both in one day?  27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my
life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the
daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the
land, what good shall my life do me?  28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and
blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a
wife of the daughters of Canaan.

28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's
father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy
mother's brother.

28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply
thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 28:4 And give thee
the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou
mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave
unto Abraham.

28:5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban,
son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's
mother.

28:6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to
Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him
he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the
daughers of Canaan; 28:7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his
mother, and was gone to Padanaram; 28:8 And Esau seeing that the
daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 28:9 Then went Esau
unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the
daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his
wife.

28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all
night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that
place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to
sleep.

28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the
top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending
and descending on it.

28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD
God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou
liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 28:14 And thy seed
shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the
west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee
and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places
whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I
will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to
thee of.

28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD
is in this place; and I knew it not.

28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is
none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that
he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil
upon the top of it.

28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of
that city was called Luz at the first.

28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will
keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and
raiment to put on, 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in
peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 28:22 And this stone, which I
have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou
shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.

29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the
people of the east.

29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there
were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they
watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.

29:3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the
stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone
again upon the well's mouth in his place.

29:4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they
said, Of Haran are we.

29:5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they
said, We know him.

29:6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well:
and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.

29:7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the
cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and
feed them.

29:8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered
together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we
water the sheep.

29:9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's
sheep; for she kept them.

29:10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban
his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother,
that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and
watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

29:11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

29:12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that
he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.

29:13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his
sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed
him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.

29:14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And
he abode with him the space of a month.

29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother,
shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy
wages be?  29:16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder
was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

29:17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well
favoured.

29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years
for Rachel thy younger daughter.

29:19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that
I should give her to another man: abide with me.

29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto
him but a few days, for the love he had to her.

29:21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are
fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.

29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a
feast.

29:23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his
daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.

29:24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an
handmaid.

29:25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah:
and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I
serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me?
29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give
the younger before the firstborn.

29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service
which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.

29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel
his daughter to wife also.

29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be
her maid.

29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more
than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.

29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb:
but Rachel was barren.

29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name
Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction;
now therefore my husband will love me.

29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the
LORD hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also:
and she called his name Simeon.

29:34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time
will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons:
therefore was his name called Levi.

29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will
I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left
bearing.

30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel
envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I
die.

30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I
in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?
30:3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she
shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.

30:4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in
unto her.

30:5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.

30:6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my
voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.

30:7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second
son.

30:8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my
sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.

30:9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her
maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

30:10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.

30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.

30:12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.

30:13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me
blessed: and she called his name Asher.

30:14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found
mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then
Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.

30:15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken
my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And
Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's
mandrakes.

30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went
out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I
have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that
night.

30:17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob
the fifth son.

30:18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given
my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.

30:19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.

30:20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my
husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she
called his name Zebulun.

30:21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.

30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened
her womb.

30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away
my reproach: 30:24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD
shall add to me another son.

30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob
said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and
to my country.

30:26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee,
and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.

30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in
thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath
blessed me for thy sake.

30:28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.

30:29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and
how thy cattle was with me.

30:30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now
increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my
coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?  30:31
And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not
give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again
feed and keep thy flock.

30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence
all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among
the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such
shall be my hire.

30:33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it
shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled
and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be
counted stolen with me.

30:34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy
word.

30:35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and
spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and
every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the
sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.

30:36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and
Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.

30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and
chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white
appear which was in the rods.

30:38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the
gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that
they should conceive when they came to drink.

30:39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth
cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.

30:40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the
flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of
Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto
Laban's cattle.

30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did
conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in
the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.

30:42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the
feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.

30:43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and
maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

31:1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken
away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's
hath he gotten all this glory.

31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was
not toward him as before.

31:3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy
fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.

31:4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his
flock, 31:5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that
it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with
me.

31:6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.

31:7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times;
but God suffered him not to hurt me.

31:8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the
cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be
thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.

31:9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given
them to me.

31:10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that
I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which
leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.

31:11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob:
And I said, Here am I.

31:12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which
leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I
have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.

31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and
where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this
land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.

31:14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any
portion or inheritance for us in our father's house?  31:15 Are we not
counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured
also our money.

31:16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is
ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto
thee, do.

31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels;
31:18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he
had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in
Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.

31:19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the
images that were her father's.

31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he
told him not that he fled.

31:21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over
the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.

31:22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.

31:23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven
days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.

31:24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said
unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the
mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.

31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast
stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives
taken with the sword?  31:27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly,
and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent
thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp?
31:28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou
hast now done foolishly in so doing.

31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of
your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that
thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.

31:30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore
longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my
gods?  31:31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was
afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy
daughters from me.

31:32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before
our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee.
For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.

31:33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into
the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out
of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.

31:34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's
furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but
found them not.

31:35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I
cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he
searched but found not the images.

31:36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered
and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast
so hotly pursued after me?  31:37 Whereas thou hast searched all my
stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here
before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us
both.

31:38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she
goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not
eaten.

31:39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare
the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by
day, or stolen by night.

31:40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by
night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.

31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee
fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle:
and thou hast changed my wages ten times.

31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of
Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God
hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee
yesternight.

31:43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my
daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my
cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day
unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born?
31:44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and
let it be for a witness between me and thee.

31:45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.

31:46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took
stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.

31:47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.

31:48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this
day.

Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 31:49 And Mizpah; for he
said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from
another.

31:50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other
wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness
betwixt me and thee.

31:51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this
pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee: 31:52 This heap be
witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this
heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this
pillar unto me, for harm.

31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their
father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father
Isaac.

31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his
brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night
in the mount.

31:55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and
his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto
his place.

32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.

32:2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he
called the name of that place Mahanaim.

32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the
land of Seir, the country of Edom.

32:4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord
Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and
stayed there until now: 32:5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and
menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that
I may find grace in thy sight.

32:6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy
brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men
with him.

32:7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the
people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels,
into two bands; 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and
smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.

32:9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father
Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to
thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 32:10 I am not worthy of
the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast
shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan;
and now I am become two bands.

32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the
hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the
mother with the children.

32:12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed
as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

32:13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came
to his hand a present for Esau his brother; 32:14 Two hundred she
goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 32:15
Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls,
twenty she asses, and ten foals.

32:16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove
by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and
put a space betwixt drove and drove.

32:17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother
meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither
goest thou? and whose are these before thee?  32:18 Then thou shalt
say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord
Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.

32:19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that
followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau,
when ye find him.

32:20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For
he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and
afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.

32:21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that
night in the company.

32:22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two
womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.

32:23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over
that he had.

32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him
until the breaking of the day.

32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched
the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of
joint, as he wrestled with him.

32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I
will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.

32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel:
for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast
prevailed.

32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.
And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he
blessed him there.

32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen
God face to face, and my life is preserved.

32:31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he
halted upon his thigh.

32:32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which
shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because
he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.

33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came,
and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah,
and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah
and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

33:3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground
seven times, until he came near to his brother.

33:4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck,
and kissed him: and they wept.

33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children;
and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God
hath graciously given thy servant.

33:6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they
bowed themselves.

33:7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves:
and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.

33:8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And
he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.

33:9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast
unto thyself.

33:10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in
thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have
seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast
pleased with me.

33:11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because
God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he
urged him, and he took it.

33:12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will
go before thee.

33:13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are
tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men
should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.

33:14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I
will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and
the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.

33:15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that
are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the
sight of my lord.

33:16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.

33:17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made
booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called
Succoth.

33:18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the
land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent
before the city.

33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent,
at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred
pieces of money.

33:20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went
out to see the daughters of the land.

34:2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the
country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.

34:3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved
the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.

34:4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this
damsel to wife.

34:5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his
sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until
they were come.

34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune
with him.

34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it:
and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had
wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing
ought not to be done.

34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem
longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.

34:9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us,
and take our daughters unto you.

34:10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you;
dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.

34:11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me
find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.

34:12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according
as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.

34:13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father
deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister:
34:14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our
sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us:
34:15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be,
that every male of you be circumcised; 34:16 Then will we give our
daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will
dwell with you, and we will become one people.

34:17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will
we take our daughter, and we will be gone.

34:18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.

34:19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had
delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the
house of his father.

34:20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city,
and communed with the men of their city, saying, 34:21 These men are
peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade
therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us
take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our
daughters.

34:22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us,
to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are
circumcised.

34:23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of
their's be our's? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell
with us.

34:24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went
out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that
went out of the gate of his city.

34:25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that
two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each
man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.

34:26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the
sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.

34:27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city,
because they had defiled their sister.

34:28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that
which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 34:29 And all
their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they
captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.

34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make
me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites
and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather
themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed,
I and my house.

34:31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot?
35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there:
and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou
fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.

35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with
him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and
change your garments: 35:3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and
I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my
distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

35:4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their
hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid
them under the oak which was by Shechem.

35:5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities
that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of
Jacob.

35:6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is,
Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.

35:7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel:
because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his
brother.

35:8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath
Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.

35:9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram,
and blessed him.

35:10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be
called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his
name Israel.

35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and
multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and
kings shall come out of thy loins; 35:12 And the land which I gave
Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee
will I give the land.

35:13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.

35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him,
even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he
poured oil thereon.

35:15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him,
Bethel.

35:16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way
to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.

35:17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the
midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.

35:18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she
died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him
Benjamin.

35:19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is
Bethlehem.

35:20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of
Rachel's grave unto this day.

35:21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of
Edar.

35:22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben
went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it.
Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 35:23 The sons of Leah; Reuben,
Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and
Zebulun: 35:24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: 35:25 And the
sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: 35:26 And the
sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of
Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.

35:27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city
of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.

35:28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.

35:29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his
people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried
him.

36:1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.

36:2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter
of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter
of Zibeon the Hivite; 36:3 And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of
Nebajoth.

36:4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 36:5 And
Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of
Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.

36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all
the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all
his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into
the country from the face of his brother Jacob.

36:7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together;
and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because
of their cattle.

36:8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.

36:9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites
in mount Seir: 36:10 These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the
son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of
Esau.

36:11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and
Kenaz.

36:12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to
Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife.

36:13 And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and
Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.

36:14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the
daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and
Jaalam, and Korah.

36:15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the
firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,
36:16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes
that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.

36:17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke
Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of
Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's
wife.

36:18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush,
duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah
the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.

36:19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their
dukes.

36:20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land;
Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, 36:21 And Dishon, and Ezer,
and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir
in the land of Edom.

36:22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's
sister was Timna.

36:23 And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and
Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.

36:24 And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this
was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the
asses of Zibeon his father.

36:25 And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the
daughter of Anah.

36:26 And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and
Ithran, and Cheran.

36:27 The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.

36:28 The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.

36:29 These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke
Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 36:30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke
Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in
the land of Seir.

36:31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before
there reigned any king over the children of Israel.

36:32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his
city was Dinhabah.

36:33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in
his stead.

36:34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his
stead.

36:35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in
the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was
Avith.

36:36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

36:37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in
his stead.

36:38 And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his
stead.

36:39 And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his
stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was
Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

36:40 And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau,
according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke
Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, 36:41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah,
duke Pinon, 36:42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 36:43 Duke
Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their
habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of
the Edomites.

37:1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in
the land of Canaan.

37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years
old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the
sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and
Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.

37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he
was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than
all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto
him.

37:5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they
hated him yet the more.

37:6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have
dreamed: 37:7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and,
lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves
stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.

37:8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or
shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the
more for his dreams, and for his words.

37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and
said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and
the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his
father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou
hast dreamed?  Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to
bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?  37:11 And his brethren
envied him; but his father observed the saying.

37:12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.

37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock
in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him,
Here am I.

37:14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with
thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he
sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.

37:15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in
the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou?  37:16
And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed
their flocks.

37:17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say,
Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found
them in Dothan.

37:18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto
them, they conspired against him to slay him.

37:19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.

37:20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some
pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall
see what will become of his dreams.

37:21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands;
and said, Let us not kill him.

37:22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this
pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might
rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.

37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren,
that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that
was on him; 37:24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the
pit was empty, there was no water in it.

37:25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes
and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead
with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry
it down to Egypt.

37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay
our brother, and conceal his blood?  37:27 Come, and let us sell him
to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our
brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.

37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and
lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites
for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

37:29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in
the pit; and he rent his clothes.

37:30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not;
and I, whither shall I go?  37:31 And they took Joseph's coat, and
killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 37:32 And
they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their
father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's
coat or no.

37:33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast
hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.

37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins,
and mourned for his son many days.

37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him;
but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into
the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer
of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.

38:1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his
brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.

38:2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name
was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.

38:3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.

38:4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name
Onan.

38:5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name
Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.

38:6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.

38:7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD;
and the LORD slew him.

38:8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and
marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.

38:9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to
pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on
the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.

38:10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he
slew him also.

38:11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at
thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest
peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and
dwelt in her father's house.

38:12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died;
and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to
Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.

38:13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up
to Timnath to shear his sheep.

38:14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her
with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is
by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was
not given unto him to wife.

38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she
had covered her face.

38:16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee,
let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter
in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come
in unto me?  38:17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock.
And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?  38:18
And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet,
and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it
her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.

38:19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and
put on the garments of her widowhood.

38:20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite,
to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.

38:21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the
harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no
harlot in this place.

38:22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also
the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.

38:23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed:
behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.

38:24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told
Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and
also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her
forth, and let her be burnt.

38:25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law,
saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said,
Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and
staff.

38:26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more
righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he
knew her again no more.

38:27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold,
twins were in her womb.

38:28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out
his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet
thread, saying, This came out first.

38:29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his
brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this
breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.

38:30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread
upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.

39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of
Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of
the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.

39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he
was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

39:3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD
made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he
made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his
hand.

39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer
in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the
Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was
upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.

39:6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not
ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly
person, and well favoured.

39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife
cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.

39:8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my
master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed
all that he hath to my hand; 39:9 There is none greater in this house
than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because
thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin
against God?  39:10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by
day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.

39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the
house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house
there within.

39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he
left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.

39:13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment
in her hand, and was fled forth, 39:14 That she called unto the men of
her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an
Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I
cried with a loud voice: 39:15 And it came to pass, when he heard that
I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and
fled, and got him out.

39:16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.

39:17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The
Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to
mock me: 39:18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried,
that he left his garment with me, and fled out.

39:19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his
wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy
servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.

39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a
place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the
prison.

39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him
favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

39:22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the
prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he
was the doer of it.

39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under
his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the
LORD made it to prosper.

40:1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the
king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.

40:2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the
chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.

40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard,
into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.

40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he
served them: and they continued a season in ward.

40:5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one
night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the
butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the
prison.

40:6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon
them, and, behold, they were sad.

40:7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of
his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day?  40:8 And
they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no
interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations
belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.

40:9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him,
In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 40:10 And in the vine were
three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot
forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: 40:11 And
Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them
into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.

40:12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The
three branches are three days: 40:13 Yet within three days shall
Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou
shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner
when thou wast his butler.

40:14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew
kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh,
and bring me out of this house: 40:15 For indeed I was stolen away out
of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that
they should put me into the dungeon.

40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he
said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three
white baskets on my head: 40:17 And in the uppermost basket there was
of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out
of the basket upon my head.

40:18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation
thereof: The three baskets are three days: 40:19 Yet within three days
shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a
tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.

40:20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday,
that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head
of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.

40:21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and
he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: 40:22 But he hanged the chief
baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.

40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.

41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh
dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.

41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured
kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.

41:3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the
river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon
the brink of the river.

41:4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven
well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.

41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears
of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.

41:6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind
sprung up after them.

41:7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears.
And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

41:8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled;
and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the
wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none
that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.

41:9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember
my faults this day: 41:10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put
me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief
baker: 41:11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed
each man according to the interpretation of his dream.

41:12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to
the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us
our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.

41:13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he
restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.

41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him
hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his
raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

41:15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there
is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou
canst understand a dream to interpret it.

41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall
give Pharaoh an answer of peace.

41:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon
the bank of the river: 41:18 And, behold, there came up out of the
river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a
meadow: 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor
and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the
land of Egypt for badness: 41:20 And the lean and the ill favoured
kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: 41:21 And when they had
eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but
they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.

41:22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one
stalk, full and good: 41:23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin,
and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 41:24 And the
thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the
magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.

41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God
hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.

41:26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are
seven years: the dream is one.

41:27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them
are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind
shall be seven years of famine.

41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is
about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.

41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all
the land of Egypt: 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years
of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt;
and the famine shall consume the land; 41:31 And the plenty shall not
be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall
be very grievous.

41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is
because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it
to pass.

41:33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and
set him over the land of Egypt.

41:34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land,
and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous
years.

41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come,
and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in
the cities.

41:36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven
years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land
perish not through the famine.

41:37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes
of all his servants.

41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as
this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?  41:39 And Pharaoh said
unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none
so discreet and wise as thou art: 41:40 Thou shalt be over my house,
and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the
throne will I be greater than thou.

41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the
land of Egypt.

41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon
Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a
gold chain about his neck; 41:43 And he made him to ride in the second
chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he
made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

41:44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee
shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave
him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And
Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.

41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh
king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and
went throughout all the land of Egypt.

41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by
handfuls.

41:48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were
in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of
the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.

41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much,
until he left numbering; for it was without number.

41:50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine
came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto
him.

41:51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God,
said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

41:52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath
caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.

41:53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of
Egypt, were ended.

41:54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph
had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of
Egypt there was bread.

41:55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to
Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto
Joseph; what he saith to you, do.

41:56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph
opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the
famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.

41:57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn;
because that the famine was so sore in all lands.

42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto
his sons, Why do ye look one upon another?  42:2 And he said, Behold,
I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and
buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.

42:3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.

42:4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren;
for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.

42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came:
for the famine was in the land of Canaan.

42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that
sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and
bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.

42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself
strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them,
Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.

42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.

42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and
said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are
come.

42:10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy
servants come.

42:11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no
spies.

42:12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land
ye are come.

42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one
man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with
our father, and one is not.

42:14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you,
saying, Ye are spies: 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of
Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come
hither.

42:16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be
kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any
truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.

42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days.

42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for
I fear God: 42:19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound
in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your
houses: 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your
words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.

42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning
our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought
us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.

42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying,
Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore,
behold, also his blood is required.

42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto
them by an interpreter.

42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to
them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and
bound him before their eyes.

42:25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to
restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision
for the way: and thus did he unto them.

42:26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.

42:27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in
the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.

42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it
is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid,
saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us?  42:29
And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and
told him all that befell unto them; saying, 42:30 The man, who is the
lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the
country.

42:31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: 42:32 We
be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest
is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.

42:33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall
I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me,
and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: 42:34
And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are
no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your
brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.

42:35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold,
every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and
their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.

42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my
children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin
away: all these things are against me.

42:37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I
bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him
to thee again.

42:38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother
is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in
the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to
the grave.

43:1 And the famine was sore in the land.

43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they
had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy
us a little food.

43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest
unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with
you.

43:4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy
thee food: 43:5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down:
for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your
brother be with you.

43:6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell
the man whether ye had yet a brother?  43:7 And they said, The man
asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your
father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according
to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would
say, Bring your brother down?  43:8 And Judah said unto Israel his
father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may
live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.

43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I
bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the
blame for ever: 43:10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had
returned this second time.

43:11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do
this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry
down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and
myrrh, nuts, and almonds: 43:12 And take double money in your hand;
and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry
it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: 43:13 Take
also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: 43:14 And God
Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your
other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am
bereaved.

43:15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in
their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and
stood before Joseph.

43:16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of
his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these
men shall dine with me at noon.

43:17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into
Joseph's house.

43:18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's
house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our
sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion
against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.

43:19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they
communed with him at the door of the house, 43:20 And said, O sir, we
came indeed down at the first time to buy food: 43:21 And it came to
pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold,
every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full
weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.

43:22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food:
we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.

43:23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of
your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money.
And he brought Simeon out unto them.

43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them
water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.

43:25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for
they heard that they should eat bread there.

43:26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which
was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the
earth.

43:27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father
well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive?  43:28 And they
answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive.
And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his
mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake
unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.

43:30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his
brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber,
and wept there.

43:31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and
said, Set on bread.

43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves,
and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because
the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an
abomination unto the Egyptians.

43:33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his
birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men
marvelled one at another.

43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but
Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they
drank, and were merry with him.

44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's
sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money
in his sack's mouth.

44:2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the
youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that
Joseph had spoken.

44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they
and their asses.

44:4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off,
Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou
dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for
good?  44:5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby
indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.

44:6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.

44:7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God
forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: 44:8
Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought
again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal
out of thy lord's house silver or gold?  44:9 With whomsoever of thy
servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's
bondmen.

44:10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he
with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.

44:11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground,
and opened every man his sack.

44:12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the
youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.

44:13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and
returned to the city.

44:14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was
yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.

44:15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done?
wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?  44:16 And Judah
said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak?  or how
shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy
servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with
whom the cup is found.

44:17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in
whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you,
get you up in peace unto your father.

44:18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy
servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not
thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.

44:19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a
brother?  44:20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old
man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is
dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.

44:21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that
I may set mine eyes upon him.

44:22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for
if he should leave his father, his father would die.

44:23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother
come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.

44:24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father,
we told him the words of my lord.

44:25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.

44:26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with
us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except
our youngest brother be with us.

44:27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife
bare me two sons: 44:28 And the one went out from me, and I said,
Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 44:29 And if ye
take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down
my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.

44:30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad
be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life;
44:31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with
us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs
of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.

44:32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father,
saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to
my father for ever.

44:33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the
lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.

44:34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me?
lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood
by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there
stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his
brethren.

45:2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh
heard.

45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father
yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were
troubled at his presence.

45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you.
And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye
sold into Egypt.

45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye
sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.

45:6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet
there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor
harvest.

45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the
earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

45:8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath
made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler
throughout all the land of Egypt.

45:9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith
thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me,
tarry not: 45:10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou
shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's
children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 45:11
And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine;
lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.

45:12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin,
that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.

45:13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all
that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.

45:14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and
Benjamin wept upon his neck.

45:15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and
after that his brethren talked with him.

45:16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying,
Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his
servants.

45:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye;
lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; 45:18 And
take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will
give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of
the land.

45:19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the
land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your
father, and come.

45:20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of
Egypt is your's.

45:21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons,
according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for
the way.

45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to
Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of
raiment.

45:23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden
with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and
bread and meat for his father by the way.

45:24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said
unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.

45:25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan
unto Jacob their father, 45:26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet
alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's
heart fainted, for he believed them not.

45:27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said
unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry
him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 45:28 And Israel said,
It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before
I die.

46:1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to
Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.

46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said,
Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.

46:3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down
into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 46:4 I will
go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up
again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.

46:5 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried
Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the
wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.

46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had
gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his
seed with him: 46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his
daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with
him into Egypt.

46:8 And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came
into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.

46:9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and
Carmi.

46:10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin,
and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.

46:11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

46:12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and
Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of
Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.

46:13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and
Shimron.

46:14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.

46:15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in
Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his
daughters were thirty and three.

46:16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri,
and Arodi, and Areli.

46:17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah,
and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.

46:18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his
daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.

46:19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.

46:20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and
Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare
unto him.

46:21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel,
Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.

46:22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the
souls were fourteen.

46:23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim.

46:24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and
Shillem.

46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his
daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.

46:26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of
his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore
and six; 46:27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt,
were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into
Egypt, were threescore and ten.

46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face
unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

46:29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel
his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on
his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.

46:30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen
thy face, because thou art yet alive.

46:31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house,
I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my
father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me;
46:32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed
cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all
that they have.

46:33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and
shall say, What is your occupation?  46:34 That ye shall say, Thy
servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now,
both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of
Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.

47:1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my
brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have,
are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land
of Goshen.

47:2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented
them unto Pharaoh.

47:3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And
they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also
our fathers.

47:4 They said morever unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we
come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the
famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let
thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.

47:5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy
brethren are come unto thee: 47:6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in
the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the
land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity
among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.

47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before
Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.

47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou?  47:9 And Jacob
said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an
hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of
my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the
life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.

47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a
possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land
of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.

47:12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his
father's household, with bread, according to their families.

47:13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very
sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by
reason of the famine.

47:14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land
of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought:
and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.

47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of
Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread:
for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.

47:16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your
cattle, if money fail.

47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them
bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle
of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all
their cattle for that year.

47:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year,
and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our
money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not
ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands:
47:19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land?
buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants
unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that
the land be not desolate.

47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the
Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over
them: so the land became Pharaoh's.

47:21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of
the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.

47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had
a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which
Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.

47:23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this
day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall
sow the land.

47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give
the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for
seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households,
and for food for your little ones.

47:25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in
the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.

47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day,
that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the
priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.

47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen;
and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied
exceedingly.

47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the
whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.

47:29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his
son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight,
put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly
with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 47:30 But I will lie with
my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their
buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.

47:31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel
bowed himself upon the bed's head.

48:1 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph,
Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons,
Manasseh and Ephraim.

48:2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto
thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.

48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz
in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 48:4 And said unto me, Behold,
I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee
a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee
for an everlasting possession.

48:5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto
thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are
mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.

48:6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine,
and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their
inheritance.

48:7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the
land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come
unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same
is Bethlehem.

48:8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?  48:9
And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given
me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I
will bless them.

48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not
see.

And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced
them.

48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face:
and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.

48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed
himself with his face to the earth.

48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward
Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's
right hand, and brought them near unto him.

48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon
Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's
head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.

48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers
Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto
this day, 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the
lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers
Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of
the earth.

48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the
head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand,
to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.

48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is
the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.

48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it:
he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly
his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall
become a multitude of nations.

48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel
bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set
Ephraim before Manasseh.

48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be
with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.

48:22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren,
which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my
bow.

49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last
days.

49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and
hearken unto Israel your father.

49:3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my
strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 49:4
Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to
thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.

49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their
habitations.

49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly,
mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man,
and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.

49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it
was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.

49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall
be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down
before thee.

49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall
rouse him up?  49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a
lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall
the gathering of the people be.

49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the
choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the
blood of grapes: 49:12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth
white with milk.

49:13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for
an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

49:14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens:
49:15 And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was
pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto
tribute.

49:16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.

49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that
biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.

49:18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.

49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the
last.

49:20 Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal
dainties.

49:21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.

49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well;
whose branches run over the wall: 49:23 The archers have sorely
grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 49:24 But his bow abode
in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands
of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of
Israel:) 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and
by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above,
blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and
of the womb: 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above
the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the
everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the
crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

49:27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour
the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.

49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that
their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to
his blessing he blessed them.

49:29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered
unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the
field of Ephron the Hittite, 49:30 In the cave that is in the field of
Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham
bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a
buryingplace.

49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried
Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.

49:32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was
from the children of Heth.

49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he
gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was
gathered unto his people.

50:1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and
kissed him.

50:2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his
father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

50:3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the
days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him
threescore and ten days.

50:4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto
the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes,
speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 50:5 My father made
me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in
the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go
up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.

50:6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he
made thee swear.

50:7 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all
the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders
of the land of Egypt, 50:8 And all the house of Joseph, and his
brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their
flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.

50:9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was
a very great company.

50:10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond
Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation:
and he made a mourning for his father seven days.

50:11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the
mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning
to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim,
which is beyond Jordan.

50:12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: 50:13
For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in
the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the
field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before
Mamre.

50:14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all
that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his
father.

50:15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they
said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us
all the evil which we did unto him.

50:16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did
command before he died, saying, 50:17 So shall ye say unto Joseph,
Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin;
for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the
trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept
when they spake unto him.

50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and
they said, Behold, we be thy servants.

50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of
God?  50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant
it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people
alive.

50:21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little
ones.

And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

50:22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and
Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

50:23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the
children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon
Joseph's knees.

50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely
visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware
to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God
will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.

50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they
embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.




The Second Book of Moses:  Called Exodus


1:1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came
into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.

1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and
Benjamin, 1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy
souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.

1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased
abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land
was filled with them.

1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.

1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of
Israel are more and mightier than we: 1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely
with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there
falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight
against us, and so get them up out of the land.

1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with
their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and
Raamses.

1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and
grew.

And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.

1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with
rigour: 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in
morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all
their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.

1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the
name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 1:16 And
he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and
see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but
if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt
commanded them, but saved the men children alive.

1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto
them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children
alive?  1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew
women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are
delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.

1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people
multiplied, and waxed very mighty.

1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he
made them houses.

1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is
born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save
alive.

2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a
daughter of Levi.

2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that
he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.

2:3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of
bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child
therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

2:4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.

2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the
river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she
saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.

2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the
babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the
Hebrews' children.

2:7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to
thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for
thee?  2:8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went
and called the child's mother.

2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and
nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took
the child, and nursed it.

2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter,
and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said,
Because I drew him out of the water.

2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he
went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied
an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there
was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

2:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the
Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong,
Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?  2:14 And he said, Who made thee a
prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou
killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing
is known.

2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But
Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian:
and he sat down by a well.

2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and
drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up
and helped them, and watered their flock.

2:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that
ye are come so soon to day?  2:19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered
us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for
us, and watered the flock.

2:20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that
ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.

2:21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses
Zipporah his daughter.

2:22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he
said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.

2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt
died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and
they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant
with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

2:25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect
unto them.

3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest
of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and
came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out
of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned
with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight,
why the bush is not burnt.

3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto
him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said,
Here am I.

3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy
feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he
was afraid to look upon God.

3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people
which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their
taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 3:8 And I am come down to
deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up
out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing
with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and
the Jebusites.

3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come
unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians
oppress them.

3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou
mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,
and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a
token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth
the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of
Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me
unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say
unto them?  3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said,
Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me
unto you.

3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the
children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is
my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them,
The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of
Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen
that which is done to you in Egypt: 3:17 And I have said, I will bring
you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites,
and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the
Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.

3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou
and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say
unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us
go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we
may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not
by a mighty hand.

3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my
wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will
let you go.

3:21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians:
and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that
sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and
raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your
daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe
me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not
appeared unto thee.

4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he
said, A rod.

4:3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground,
and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

4:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by
the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a
rod in his hand: 4:5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their
fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
hath appeared unto thee.

4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into
thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it
out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

4:7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his
hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and,
behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither
hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the
voice of the latter sign.

4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two
signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the
water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which
thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent,
neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I
am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who
maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the
LORD?  4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach
thee what thou shalt say.

4:13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him
whom thou wilt send.

4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said,
Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well.
And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth
thee, he will be glad in his heart.

4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I
will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye
shall do.

4:16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be,
even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him
instead of God.

4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt
do signs.

4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said
unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which
are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to
Moses, Go in peace.

4:19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt:
for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

4:20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass,
and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in
his hand.

4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into
Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have
put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let
the people go.

4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is
my son, even my firstborn: 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go,
that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will
slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him,
and sought to kill him.

4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her
son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art
thou to me.

4:26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art,
because of the circumcision.

4:27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.
And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him,
and all the signs which he had commanded him.

4:29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of
the children of Israel: 4:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the
LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the
people.

4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had
visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their
affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a
feast unto me in the wilderness.

5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to
let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go,
we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto
the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the
sword.

5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and
Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.

5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and
ye make them rest from their burdens.

5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people,
and their officers, saying, 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw
to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for
themselves.

5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye
shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be
idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour
therein; and let them not regard vain words.

5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers,
and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not
give you straw.

5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your
work shall be diminished.

5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of
Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.

5:13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your
daily tasks, as when there was straw.

5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's
taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore
have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to
day, as heretofore?  5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel
came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with
thy servants?  5:16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and
they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but
the fault is in thine own people.

5:17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us
go and do sacrifice to the LORD.

5:18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given
you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.

5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were
in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your
bricks of your daily task.

5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came
forth from Pharaoh: 5:21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon
you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the
eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in
their hand to slay us.

5:22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast
thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?
5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done
evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.

6:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do
to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a
strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 6:3
And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name
of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them
the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were
strangers.

6:5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom
the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I
will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will
rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched
out arm, and with great judgments: 6:7 And I will take you to me for a
people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the
LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the
Egyptians.

6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did
swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give
it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened
not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

6:10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:11 Go in, speak unto
Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of
his land.

6:12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of
Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who
am of uncircumcised lips?  6:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto
Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto
Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land
of Egypt.

6:14 These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben
the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these
be the families of Reuben.

6:15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin,
and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the
families of Simeon.

6:16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their
generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the
life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.

6:17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their
families.

6:18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel:
and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three
years.

6:19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families
of Levi according to their generations.

6:20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she
bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an
hundred and thirty and seven years.

6:21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

6:22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.

6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of
Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and
Ithamar.

6:24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these
are the families of the Korhites.

6:25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel
to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers
of the Levites according to their families.

6:26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out
the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their
armies.

6:27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out
the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.

6:28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in
the land of Egypt, 6:29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am
the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto
thee.

6:30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised
lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?  7:1 And the LORD said
unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy
brother shall be thy prophet.

7:2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother
shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of
his land.

7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my
wonders in the land of Egypt.

7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand
upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of
Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch
forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from
among them.

7:6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.

7:7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three
years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

7:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 7:9 When
Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then
thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh,
and it shall become a serpent.

7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the
LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and
before his servants, and it became a serpent.

7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their
enchantments.

7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents:
but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.

7:13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them;
as the LORD had said.

7:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he
refuseth to let the people go.

7:15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the
water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and
the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.

7:16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath
sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in
the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

7:17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD:
behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters
which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.

7:18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall
stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the
river.

7:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and
stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams,
upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of
water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood
throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in
vessels of stone.

7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted
up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight
of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that
were in the river were turned to blood.

7:21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and
the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was
blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and
Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the
LORD had said.

7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set
his heart to this also.

7:24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to
drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.

7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten
the river.

8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him,
Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy
borders with frogs: 8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs
abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy
bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and
upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:
8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and
upon all thy servants.

8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine
hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the
ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.

8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the
frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up
frogs upon the land of Egypt.

8:8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the
LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and
I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.

8:9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat
for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the
frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river
only?  8:10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to
thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD
our God.

8:11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and
from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river
only.

8:12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto
the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.

8:13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs
died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.

8:14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.

8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his
heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.

8:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy
rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice
throughout all the land of Egypt.

8:17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod,
and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in
beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of
Egypt.

8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth
lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.

8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God:
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as
the LORD had said.

8:20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto
him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

8:21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send
swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people,
and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of
swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

8:22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my
people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou
mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

8:23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to
morrow shall this sign be.

8:24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies
into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all
the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of
flies.

8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye,
sacrifice to your God in the land.

8:26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice
the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we
sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will
they not stone us?  8:27 We will go three days' journey into the
wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.

8:28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the
LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away:
intreat for me.

8:29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat
the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his
servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal
deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the
LORD.

8:30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

8:31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed
the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his
people; there remained not one.

8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would
he let the people go.

9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him,
Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they
may serve me.

9:2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 9:3
Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field,
upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and
upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the
cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the
children's of Israel.

9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD
shall do this thing in the land.

9:6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of
Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

9:7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of
the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did
not let the people go.

9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls
of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven
in the sight of Pharaoh.

9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall
be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast,
throughout all the land of Egypt.

9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and
Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking
forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the
boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the
Egyptians.

9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not
unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.

9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the
Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and
upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that
there is none like me in all the earth.

9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy
people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to
shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all
the earth.

9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt
not let them go?  9:18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause
it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since
the foundation thereof even until now.

9:19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast
in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the
field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon
them, and they shall die.

9:20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh
made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 9:21 And he
that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his
cattle in the field.

9:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward
heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and
upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of
Egypt.

9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD
sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the
LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous,
such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it
became a nation.

9:25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was
in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the
field, and brake every tree of the field.

9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were,
was there no hail.

9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto
them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my
people are wicked.

9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty
thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no
longer.

9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I
will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall
cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how
that the earth is the LORD's.

9:30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet
fear the LORD God.

9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in
the ear, and the flax was bolled.

9:32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not
grown up.

9:33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad
his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the
rain was not poured upon the earth.

9:34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders
were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his
servants.

9:35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the
children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have
hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew
these my signs before him: 10:2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears
of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt,
and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I
am the LORD.

10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus
saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble
thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.

10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will
I bring the locusts into thy coast: 10:5 And they shall cover the face
of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall
eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you
from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of
the field: 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all
thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy
fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they
were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out
from Pharaoh.

10:7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be
a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their
God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?  10:8 And Moses and
Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go,
serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?  10:9 And
Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons
and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go;
for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.

10:10 And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will
let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.

10:11 Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye
did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

10:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the
land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of
Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath
left.

10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and
the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that
night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

10:14 And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in
all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there
were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land
was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the
fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any
green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all
the land of Egypt.

10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I
have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.

10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and
intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death
only.

10:18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.

10:19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away
the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one
locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let
the children of Israel go.

10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward
heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even
darkness which may be felt.

10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was
a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 10:23 They saw
not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but
all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD;
only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones
also go with you.

10:25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt
offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.

10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be
left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and
we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.

10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them
go.

10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to
thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou
shalt die.

10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again
no more.

11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more
upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence:
when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence
altogether.

11:2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of
his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver and
jewels of gold.

11:3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the
Egyptians.

Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the
sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

11:4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out
into the midst of Egypt: 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of
Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his
throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the
mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.

11:6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt,
such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

11:7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move
his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD
doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

11:8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down
themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that
follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from
Pharaoh in a great anger.

11:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you;
that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

11:10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and
the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the
children of Israel go out of his land.

12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt
saying, 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it
shall be the first month of the year to you.

12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the
tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb,
according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 12:4 And
if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour
next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls;
every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye
shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 12:6 And ye shall
keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole
assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side
posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat
it.

12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and
unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with
fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and
that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on
your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste:
it is the LORD's passover.

12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will
smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and
against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.

12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where
ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague
shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep
it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a
feast by an ordinance for ever.

12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye
shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth
leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul
shall be cut off from Israel.

12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in
the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner
of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat,
that only may be done of you.

12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this
selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt:
therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an
ordinance for ever.

12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even,
ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the
month at even.

12:19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for
whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut
off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born
in the land.

12:20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye
eat unleavened bread.

12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto
them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and
kill the passover.

12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood
that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts
with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at
the door of his house until the morning.

12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when
he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the
LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to
come in unto your houses to smite you.

12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to
thy sons for ever.

12:25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the
LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep
this service.

12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto
you, What mean ye by this service?  12:27 That ye shall say, It is the
sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the
children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and
delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

12:28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had
commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat
on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the
dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

12:30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and
all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was
not a house where there was not one dead.

12:31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up,
and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of
Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.

12:32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be
gone; and bless me also.

12:33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might
send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

12:34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their
kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.

12:35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses;
and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of
gold, and raiment: 12:36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the
sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as
they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

12:37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth,
about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.

12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and
herds, even very much cattle.

12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought
forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust
out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for
themselves any victual.

12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in
Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.

12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty
years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of
the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.

12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing
them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be
observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.

12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of
the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 12:44 But every
man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised
him, then shall he eat thereof.

12:45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.

12:46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought
of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone
thereof.

12:47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.

12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the
passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let
him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the
land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.

12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger
that sojourneth among you.

12:50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses
and Aaron, so did they.

12:51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring
the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13:2 Sanctify unto me all
the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of
Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.

13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye
came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of
hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened
bread be eaten.

13:4 This day came ye out in the month Abib.

13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of
the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites,
and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a
land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in
this month.

13:6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh
day shall be a feast to the LORD.

13:7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no
leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen
with thee in all thy quarters.

13:8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done
because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of
Egypt.

13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a
memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth:
for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

13:10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year
to year.

13:11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of
the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall
give it thee, 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that
openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which
thou hast; the males shall be the LORD's.

13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and
if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all
the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.

13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come,
saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of
hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage:
13:15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that
the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the
firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to
the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the
firstborn of my children I redeem.

13:16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets
between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth
out of Egypt.

13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that
God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines,
although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people
repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 13:18 But God led
the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea:
and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.

13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly
sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and
ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.

13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham,
in the edge of the wilderness.

13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to
lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them
light; to go by day and night: 13:22 He took not away the pillar of
the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the
people.

14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 14:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth,
between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall
ye encamp by the sea.

14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are
entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after
them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that
the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

14:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the
heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people,
and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from
serving us?  14:6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people
with him: 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the
chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.

14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he
pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went
out with an high hand.

14:9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots
of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them
encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.

14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up
their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they
were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

14:11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt,
hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou
dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?  14:12 Is not this
the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we
may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the
Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and
see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for
the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no
more for ever.

14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

14:15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?
speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 14:16 But
lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and
divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through
the midst of the sea.

14:17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and
they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and
upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have
gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his
horsemen.

14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel,
removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from
before their face, and stood behind them: 14:20 And it came between
the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud
and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the
one came not near the other all the night.

14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD
caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and
made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon
the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right
hand, and on their left.

14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst
of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked
unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the
cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 14:25 And took off
their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the
Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD
fighteth for them against the Egyptians.

14:26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the
sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their
chariots, and upon their horsemen.

14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea
returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians
fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of
the sea.

14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the
horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after
them; there remained not so much as one of them.

14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of
the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and
on their left.

14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the
Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.

14:31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the
Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and
his servant Moses.

15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the
LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath
triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the
sea.

15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation:
he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God,
and I will exalt him.

15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his
chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a
stone.

15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right
hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.

15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown
them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which
consumed them as stubble.

15:8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered
together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were
congealed in the heart of the sea.

15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the
spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my
hand shall destroy them.

15:10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank
as lead in the mighty waters.

15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee,
glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?  15:12 Thou
stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.

15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast
redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy
habitation.

15:14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on
the inhabitants of Palestina.

15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab,
trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan
shall melt away.

15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine
arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O
LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.

15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of
thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee
to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands have
established.

15:18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.

15:19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his
horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the
sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the
midst of the sea.

15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel
in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and
with dances.

15:21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath
triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the
sea.

15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into
the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness,
and found no water.

15:23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters
of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called
Marah.

15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we
drink?  15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a
tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made
sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he
proved them, 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the
voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his
sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his
statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have
brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and
threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

16:1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation
of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is
between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after
their departing out of the land of Egypt.

16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured
against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 16:3 And the children of
Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the
LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we
did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this
wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from
heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate
every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or
no.

16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall
prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as
they gather daily.

16:6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At
even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the
land of Egypt: 16:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of
the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and
what are we, that ye murmur against us?  16:8 And Moses said, This
shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat,
and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your
murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your
murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.

16:9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the
children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your
murmurings.

16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation
of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness,
and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.

16:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:12 I have heard the
murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even
ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread;
and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.

16:13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and
covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.

16:14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of
the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar
frost on the ground.

16:15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to
another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said
unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.

16:16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it
every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to
the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in
his tents.

16:17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some
less.

16:18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much
had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they
gathered every man according to his eating.

16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.

16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them
left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses
was wroth with them.

16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his
eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

16:22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice
as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the
congregation came and told Moses.

16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To
morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which
ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which
remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.

16:24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did
not stink, neither was there any worm therein.

16:25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto
the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.

16:26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is
the sabbath, in it there shall be none.

16:27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on
the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.

16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my
commandments and my laws?  16:29 See, for that the LORD hath given you
the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two
days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place
on the seventh day.

16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.

16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it
was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers
made with honey.

16:32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth,
Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see
the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought
you forth from the land of Egypt.

16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of
manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your
generations.

16:34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the
Testimony, to be kept.

16:35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they
came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the
borders of the land of Canaan.

16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.

17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from
the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the
commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no
water for the people to drink.

17:2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us
water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with
me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?  17:3 And the people thirsted
there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said,
Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill
us and our children and our cattle with thirst?  17:4 And Moses cried
unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be
almost ready to stone me.

17:5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take
with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest
the river, take in thine hand, and go.

17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb;
and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it,
that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders
of Israel.

17:7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because
of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the
LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?  17:8 Then came Amalek,
and fought with Israel in Rephidim.

17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight
with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the
rod of God in mine hand.

17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek:
and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.

17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel
prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

17:12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it
under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands,
the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his
hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

17:13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of
the sword.

17:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a
book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put
out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

17:15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it
Jehovahnissi: 17:16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the
LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.

18:1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of
all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that
the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; 18:2 Then Jethro, Moses'
father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back,
18:3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for
he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 18:4 And the name of
the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine
help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: 18:5 And Jethro,
Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into
the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: 18:6 And he
said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy
wife, and her two sons with her.

18:7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance,
and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they
came into the tent.

18:8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto
Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail
that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.

18:9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done
to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.

18:10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out
of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath
delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.

18:11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the
thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.

18:12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and
sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to
eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.

18:13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the
people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the
evening.

18:14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people,
he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest
thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto
even?  18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people
come unto me to enquire of God: 18:16 When they have a matter, they
come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them
know the statutes of God, and his laws.

18:17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou
doest is not good.

18:18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is
with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to
perform it thyself alone.

18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God
shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou
mayest bring the causes unto God: 18:20 And thou shalt teach them
ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must
walk, and the work that they must do.

18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such
as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over
them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of
fifties, and rulers of tens: 18:22 And let them judge the people at
all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring
unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be
easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.

18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou
shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their
place in peace.

18:24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did
all that he had said.

18:25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads
over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of
fifties, and rulers of tens.

18:26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they
brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

18:27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into
his own land.

19:1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth
out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness
of Sinai.

19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert
of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped
before the mount.

19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of
the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and
tell the children of Israel; 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the
Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto
myself.

19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all
people: for all the earth is mine: 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a
kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.

These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of
Israel.

19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid
before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.

19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD
hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people
unto the LORD.

19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick
cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe
thee for ever.

And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.

19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify
them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 19:11 And
be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come
down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.

19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying,
Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch
the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to
death: 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be
stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not
live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.

19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and
sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.

19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day:
come not at your wives.

19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there
were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and
the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that
was in the camp trembled.

19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with
God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.

19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD
descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke
of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.

19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder
and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.

19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the
mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses
went up.

19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest
they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.

19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify
themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.

19:23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount
Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and
sanctify it.

19:24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt
come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the
people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth
upon them.

19:25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.

20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 20:2 I am the LORD thy
God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the
house of bondage.

20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness
of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth.

20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I
the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them
that hate me; 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love
me, and keep my commandments.

20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the
LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 20:10 But the
seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor
thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy
gates: 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea,
and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the
LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon
the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

20:13 Thou shalt not kill.

20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

20:15 Thou shalt not steal.

20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet
thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his
ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and
the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the
people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.

20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear:
but let not God speak with us, lest we die.

20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to
prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin
not.

20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the
thick darkness where God was.

20:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the
children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from
heaven.

20:23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make
unto you gods of gold.

20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice
thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and
thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto
thee, and I will bless thee.

20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build
it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast
polluted it.

20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy
nakedness be not discovered thereon.

21:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.

21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in
the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.

21:3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were
married, then his wife shall go out with him.

21:4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons
or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he
shall go out by himself.

21:5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife,
and my children; I will not go out free: 21:6 Then his master shall
bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or
unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an
aul; and he shall serve him for ever.

21:7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not
go out as the menservants do.

21:8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself,
then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation
he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.

21:9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her
after the manner of daughters.

21:10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty
of marriage, shall he not diminish.

21:11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out
free without money.

21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to
death.

21:13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand;
then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.

21:14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him
with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.

21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely
put to death.

21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found
in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.

21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be
put to death.

21:18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone,
or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 21:19 If he
rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote
him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall
cause him to be thoroughly healed.

21:20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he
die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.

21:21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be
punished: for he is his money.

21:22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit
depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely
punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he
shall pay as the judges determine.

21:23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,
21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,
21:25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

21:26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his
maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.

21:27 And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's
tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.

21:28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall
be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of
the ox shall be quit.

21:29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and
it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but
that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his
owner also shall be put to death.

21:30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for
the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.

21:31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according
to this judgment shall it be done unto him.

21:32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall
give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be
stoned.

21:33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and
not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 21:34 The owner of the
pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the
dead beast shall be his.

21:35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall
sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also
they shall divide.

21:36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past,
and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and
the dead shall be his own.

22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it;
he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.

22:2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die,
there shall no blood be shed for him.

22:3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him;
for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall
be sold for his theft.

22:4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be
ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.

22:5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall
put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best
of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make
restitution.

22:6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of
corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he
that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.

22:7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep,
and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let
him pay double.

22:8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be
brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his
neighbour's goods.

22:9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for
sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another
challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the
judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto
his neighbour.

22:10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a
sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away,
no man seeing it: 22:11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them
both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and
the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.

22:12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the
owner thereof.

22:13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and
he shall not make good that which was torn.

22:14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or
die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it
good.

22:15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good:
if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.

22:16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with
her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.

22:17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay
money according to the dowry of virgins.

22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.

22:19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.

22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he
shall be utterly destroyed.

22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt.

22:22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

22:23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I
will surely hear their cry; 22:24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I
will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your
children fatherless.

22:25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee,
thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him
usury.

22:26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou
shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 22:27 For that
is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he
sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will
hear; for I am gracious.

22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy
people.

22:29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and
of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.

22:30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep:
seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give
it me.

22:31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh
that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.

23:1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the
wicked to be an unrighteous witness.

23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou
speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: 23:3 Neither
shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.

23:4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt
surely bring it back to him again.

23:5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his
burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with
him.

23:6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.

23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous
slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.

23:8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and
perverteth the words of the righteous.

23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of
a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

23:10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the
fruits thereof: 23:11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and
lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave
the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with
thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.

23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou
shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy
handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.

23:13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and
make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out
of thy mouth.

23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.

23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat
unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time
appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and
none shall appear before me empty:) 23:16 And the feast of harvest,
the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and
the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou
hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.

23:17 Three items in the year all thy males shall appear before the
LORD God.

23:18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened
bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.

23:19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into
the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his
mother's milk.

23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way,
and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will
not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

23:22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I
speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary
unto thine adversaries.

23:23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the
Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites,
the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do
after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite
break down their images.

23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy
bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of
thee.

23:26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy
land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.

23:27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people
to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their
backs unto thee.

23:28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the
Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the
land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against
thee.

23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee,
until thou be increased, and inherit the land.

23:31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of
the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will
deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt
drive them out before thee.

23:32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

23:33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin
against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare
unto thee.

24:1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron,
Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye
afar off.

24:2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come
nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.

24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and
all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and
said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.

24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in
the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars,
according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered
burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.

24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half
of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.

24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of
the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and
be obedient.

24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and
said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with
you concerning all these words.

24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of
the elders of Israel: 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there
was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as
it were the body of heaven in his clearness.

24:11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his
hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.

24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and
be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and
commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.

24:13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up
into the mount of God.

24:14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come
again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man
have any matters to do, let him come unto them.

24:15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.

24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud
covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of
the midst of the cloud.

24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire
on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.

24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into
the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that
giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.

25:3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and
silver, and brass, 25:4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen, and goats' hair, 25:5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers'
skins, and shittim wood, 25:6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing
oil, and for sweet incense, 25:7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in
the ephod, and in the breastplate.

25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.

25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the
tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so
shall ye make it.

25:10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a
half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth
thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.

25:11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without
shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round
about.

25:12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in
the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of
it, and two rings in the other side of it.

25:13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them
with gold.

25:14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the
ark, that the ark may be borne with them.

25:15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be
taken from it.

25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give
thee.

25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a
half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth
thereof.

25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt
thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

25:19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the
other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the
two ends thereof.

25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high,
covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look
one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims
be.

25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the
ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.

25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee
from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are
upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in
commandment unto the children of Israel.

25:23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall
be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit
and a half the height thereof.

25:24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a
crown of gold round about.

25:25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round
about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round
about.

25:26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings
in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.

25:27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the
staves to bear the table.

25:28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them
with gold, that the table may be borne with them.

25:29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and
covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt
thou make them.

25:30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.

25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work
shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls,
his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.

25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three
branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of
the candlestick out of the other side: 25:33 Three bowls made like
unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls
made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in
the six branches that come out of the candlestick.

25:34 And in the candlesticks shall be four bowls made like unto
almonds, with their knops and their flowers.

25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a
knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of
the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the
candlestick.

25:36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it
shall be one beaten work of pure gold.

25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall
light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of
pure gold.

25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these
vessels.

25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was
shewed thee in the mount.

26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine
twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of
cunning work shalt thou make them.

26:2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and
the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains
shall have one measure.

26:3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and
other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.

26:4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one
curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou
make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the
second.

26:5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops
shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of
the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.

26:6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains
together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.

26:7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon
the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.

26:8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth
of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of
one measure.

26:9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six
curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the
forefront of the tabernacle.

26:10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain
that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the
curtain which coupleth the second.

26:11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches
into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.

26:12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the
half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the
tabernacle.

26:13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of
that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it
shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that
side, to cover it.

26:14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed
red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.

26:15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood
standing up.

26:16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a
half shall be the breadth of one board.

26:17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against
another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

26:18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards
on the south side southward.

26:19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty
boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two
sockets under another board for his two tenons.

26:20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side
there shall be twenty boards: 26:21 And their forty sockets of silver;
two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.

26:22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six
boards.

26:23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle
in the two sides.

26:24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be
coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be
for them both; they shall be for the two corners.

26:25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver,
sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under
another board.

26:26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of
the one side of the tabernacle, 26:27 And five bars for the boards of
the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the
side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.

26:28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from
end to end.

26:29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their
rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars
with gold.

26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion
thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.

26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood
overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four
sockets of silver.

26:33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou
mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and
the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most
holy.

26:34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony
in the most holy place.

26:35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the
candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle
toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.

26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with
needlework.

26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim
wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold:
and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.

27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long,
and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height
thereof shall be three cubits.

27:2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners
thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it
with brass.

27:3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his
shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the
vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.

27:4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon
the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.

27:5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath,
that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.

27:6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood,
and overlay them with brass.

27:7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall
be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.

27:8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in
the mount, so shall they make it.

27:9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south
side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined
linen of an hundred cubits long for one side: 27:10 And the twenty
pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks
of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.

27:11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be
hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their
twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of
silver.

27:12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be
hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.

27:13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be
fifty cubits.

27:14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits:
their pillars three, and their sockets three.

27:15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their
pillars three, and their sockets three.

27:16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty
cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen,
wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their
sockets four.

27:17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with
silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.

27:18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the
breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined
linen, and their sockets of brass.

27:19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof,
and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of
brass.

27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring
thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn
always.

27:21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is
before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening
to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their
generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.

28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him,
from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the
priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar,
Aaron's sons.

28:2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory
and for beauty.

28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have
filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments
to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's
office.

28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate,
and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle:
and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons,
that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

28:5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine linen.

28:6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of
scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.

28:7 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two
edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.

28:8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be
of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

28:9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names
of the children of Israel: 28:10 Six of their names on one stone, and
the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their
birth.

28:11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a
signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the
children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.

28:12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the
ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron
shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a
memorial.

28:13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold; 28:14 And two chains of pure
gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten
the wreathen chains to the ouches.

28:15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning
work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of
blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt
thou make it.

28:16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length
thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.

28:17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of
stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle:
this shall be the first row.

28:18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a
diamond.

28:19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

28:20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they
shall be set in gold in their inclosings.

28:21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of
Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a
signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve
tribes.

28:22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of
wreathen work of pure gold.

28:23 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and
shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.

28:24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two
rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.

28:25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt
fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the
ephod before it.

28:26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them
upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is
in the side of the ephod inward.

28:27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them
on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof,
over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of
the ephod.

28:28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto
the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the
curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed
from the ephod.

28:29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the
breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy
place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.

28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and
the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in
before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of
Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.

28:31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.

28:32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst
thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of
it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.

28:33 And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of
blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and
bells of gold between them round about: 28:34 A golden bell and a
pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe
round about.

28:35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be
heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when
he cometh out, that he die not.

28:36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it,
like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

28:37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the
mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.

28:38 And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the
iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow
in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead,
that they may be accepted before the LORD.

28:39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt
make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of
needlework.

28:40 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make
for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and
for beauty.

28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons
with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify
them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their
nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: 28:43
And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in
unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto
the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity,
and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after
him.

29:1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow
them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young
bullock, and two rams without blemish, 29:2 And unleavened bread, and
cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed
with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.

29:3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the
basket, with the bullock and the two rams.

29:4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.

29:5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat,
and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and
gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: 29:6 And thou shalt put
the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.

29:7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his
head, and anoint him.

29:8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.

29:9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and
put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a
perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

29:10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the
tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their
hands upon the head of the bullock.

29:11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation.

29:12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon
the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside
the bottom of the altar.

29:13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and
the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat
that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.

29:14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt
thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

29:15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put
their hands upon the head of the ram.

29:16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and
sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

29:17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of
him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.

29:18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt
offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire
unto the LORD.

29:19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall
put their hands upon the head of the ram.

29:20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it
upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right
ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the
great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar
round about.

29:21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of
the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments,
and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he
shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons'
garments with him.

29:22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the
fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the
two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder;
for it is a ram of consecration: 29:23 And one loaf of bread, and one
cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened
bread that is before the LORD: 29:24 And thou shalt put all in the
hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for
a wave offering before the LORD.

29:25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon
the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it
is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

29:26 And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's
consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it
shall be thy part.

29:27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the
shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved
up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron,
and of that which is for his sons: 29:28 And it shall be Aaron's and
his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is
an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children
of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave
offering unto the LORD.

29:29 And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to
be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.

29:30 And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven
days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to
minister in the holy place.

29:31 And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his
flesh in the holy place.

29:32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the
bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.

29:33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was
made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat
thereof, because they are holy.

29:34 And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread,
remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire:
it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

29:35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to
all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou
consecrate them.

29:36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for
atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an
atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.

29:37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and
sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth
the altar shall be holy.

29:38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two
lambs of the first year day by day continually.

29:39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb
thou shalt offer at even: 29:40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of
flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the
fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.

29:41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do
thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according
to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by
fire unto the LORD.

29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your
generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before
the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.

29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the
tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

29:44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the
altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me
in the priest's office.

29:45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their
God.

29:46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought
them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am
the LORD their God.

30:1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim
wood shalt thou make it.

30:2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth
thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height
thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.

30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and
the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt
make unto it a crown of gold round about.

30:4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it,
by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make
it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.

30:5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them
with gold.

30:6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the
testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I
will meet with thee.

30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he
dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.

30:8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense
upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your
generations.

30:9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice,
nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.

30:10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a
year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the
year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it
is most holy unto the LORD.

30:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 30:12 When thou takest
the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they
give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou
numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou
numberest them.

30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are
numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel
is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.

30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty
years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.

30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less
than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make
an atonement for your souls.

30:16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of
Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel
before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

30:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 30:18 Thou shalt also
make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and
thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the
altar, and thou shalt put water therein.

30:19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet
thereat: 30:20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation,
they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near
to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die
not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to
his seed throughout their generations.

30:22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 30:23 Take thou also
unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of
sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and
of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 30:24 And of cassia
five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil
olive an hin: 30:25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an
ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy
anointing oil.

30:26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation
therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 30:27 And the table and all
his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of
incense, 30:28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels,
and the laver and his foot.

30:29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy:
whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.

30:30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them,
that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

30:31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This
shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.

30:32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make
any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it
shall be holy unto you.

30:33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of
it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

30:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices,
stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure
frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: 30:35 And thou
shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary,
tempered together, pure and holy: 30:36 And thou shalt beat some of it
very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of
the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you
most holy.

30:37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make
to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto
thee holy for the LORD.

30:38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall
even be cut off from his people.

31:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:2 See, I have called by
name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah:
31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in
understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
31:4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in
brass, 31:5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of
timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.

31:6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of
Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise
hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have
commanded thee; 31:7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark
of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the
furniture of the tabernacle, 31:8 And the table and his furniture, and
the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense,
31:9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the
laver and his foot, 31:10 And the cloths of service, and the holy
garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to
minister in the priest's office, 31:11 And the anointing oil, and
sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have
commanded thee shall they do.

31:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:13 Speak thou also
unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep:
for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that
ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you:
every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever
doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his
people.

31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of
rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day,
he shall surely be put to death.

31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to
observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual
covenant.

31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for
in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he
rested, and was refreshed.

31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing
with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone,
written with the finger of God.

32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of
the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and
said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for
this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we
wot not what is become of him.

32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which
are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters,
and bring them unto me.

32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in
their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a
graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These
be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron
made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.

32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt
offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat
and to drink, and rose up to play.

32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people,
which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted
themselves: 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I
commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped
it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O
Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and,
behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 32:10 Now therefore let me alone,
that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them:
and I will make of thee a great nation.

32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth
thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth
out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
32:12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did
he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them
from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of
this evil against thy people.

32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou
swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your
seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of
will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto
his people.

32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two
tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on
both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the
writing of God, graven upon the tables.

32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted,
he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

32:18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery,
neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the
noise of them that sing do I hear.

32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that
he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he
cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the
fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made
the children of Israel drink of it.

32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that
thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?  32:22 And Aaron said, Let
not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they
are set on mischief.

32:23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us:
for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of
Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

32:24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it
off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came
out this calf.

32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had
made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) 32:26 Then
Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's
side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered
themselves together unto him.

32:27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put
every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate
throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his
companion, and every man his neighbour.

32:28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and
there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

32:29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD,
even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow
upon you a blessing this day.

32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the
people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the
LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have
sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me,
I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me,
him will I blot out of my book.

32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have
spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee:
nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.

32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf,
which Aaron made.

33:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and
the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto
the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying,
Unto thy seed will I give it: 33:2 And I will send an angel before
thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the
Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 33:3 Unto a
land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of
thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the
way.

33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and
no man did put on him his ornaments.

33:5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of
Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of
thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy
ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

33:6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments
by the mount Horeb.

33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp,
afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the
congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the
LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was
without the camp.

33:8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle,
that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and
looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.

33:9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the
cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and
the Lord talked with Moses.

33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle
door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent
door.

33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh
unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant
Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the
tabernacle.

33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up
this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with
me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found
grace in my sight.

33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight,
shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in
thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.

33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give
thee rest.

33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us
not up hence.

33:16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have
found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so
shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are
upon the face of the earth.

33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that
thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know
thee by name.

33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I
will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious
to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew
mercy.

33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man
see me, and live.

33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou
shalt stand upon a rock: 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my
glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and
will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 33:23 And I will take
away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall
not be seen.

34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like
unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were
in the first tables, which thou brakest.

34:2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto
mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.

34:3 And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen
throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before
that mount.

34:4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses
rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the
LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.

34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there,
and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The
LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth, 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving
iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear
the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children,
and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth
generation.

34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and
worshipped.

34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O LORD, let
my LORD, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and
pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.

34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I
will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in
any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work
of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive
out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and
the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the
inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in
the midst of thee: 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break
their images, and cut down their groves: 34:14 For thou shalt worship
no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and
they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods,
and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 34:16 And thou take
of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring
after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.

34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou
shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the
month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.

34:19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among
thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.

34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and
if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the
firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before
me empty.

34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt
rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.

34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of
wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.

34:23 Thrice in the year shall all your menchildren appear before the
LORD God, the God of Israel.

34:24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy
borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up
to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.

34:25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven;
neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto
the morning.

34:26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto
the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his
mother's milk.

34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after
the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with
Israel.

34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he
did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables
the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.

34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with
the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the
mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he
talked with him.

34:30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold,
the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

34:31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the
congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.

34:32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave
them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount
Sinai.

34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his
face.

34:34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he
took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto
the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

34:35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin
of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again,
until he went in to speak with him.

35:1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel
together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath
commanded, that ye should do them.

35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall
be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth
work therein shall be put to death.

35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the
sabbath day.

35:4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of
Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying,
35:5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of
a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and
silver, and brass, 35:6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
linen, and goats' hair, 35:7 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers'
skins, and shittim wood, 35:8 And oil for the light, and spices for
anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, 35:9 And onyx stones, and
stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.

35:10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that
the LORD hath commanded; 35:11 The tabernacle, his tent, and his
covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his
sockets, 35:12 The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat,
and the vail of the covering, 35:13 The table, and his staves, and all
his vessels, and the shewbread, 35:14 The candlestick also for the
light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,
35:15 And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil,
and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in
of the tabernacle, 35:16 The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen
grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 35:17
The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the
hanging for the door of the court, 35:18 The pins of the tabernacle,
and the pins of the court, and their cords, 35:19 The cloths of
service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron
the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's
office.

35:20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from
the presence of Moses.

35:21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every
one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering
to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his
service, and for the holy garments.

35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing
hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets,
all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of
gold unto the LORD.

35:23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and
scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and
badgers' skins, brought them.

35:24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought
the LORD's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood
for any work of the service, brought it.

35:25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their
hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of
purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

35:26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun
goats' hair.

35:27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for
the ephod, and for the breastplate; 35:28 And spice, and oil for the
light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.

35:29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD,
every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all
manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of
Moses.

35:30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath
called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe
of Judah; 35:31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in
wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of
workmanship; 35:32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and
in silver, and in brass, 35:33 And in the cutting of stones, to set
them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.

35:34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and
Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.

35:35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of
work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the
embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen,
and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that
devise cunning work.

36:1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in
whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all
manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that
the LORD had commanded.

36:2 And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted
man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose
heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: 36:3 And they
received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had
brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it
withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.

36:4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary,
came every man from his work which they made; 36:5 And they spake unto
Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service
of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.

36:6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed
throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more
work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained
from bringing.

36:7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make
it, and too much.

36:8 And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of
the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and
purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.

36:9 The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the
breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.

36:10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other
five curtains he coupled one unto another.

36:11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the
selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of
another curtain, in the coupling of the second.

36:12 Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in
the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the
loops held one curtain to another.

36:13 And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one
unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.

36:14 And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the
tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.

36:15 The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was
the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size.

36:16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by
themselves.

36:17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain
in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain
which coupleth the second.

36:18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together,
that it might be one.

36:19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and
a covering of badgers' skins above that.

36:20 And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing
up.

36:21 The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board
one cubit and a half.

36:22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus
did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.

36:23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the
south side southward: 36:24 And forty sockets of silver he made under
the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and
two sockets under another board for his two tenons.

36:25 And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the
north corner, he made twenty boards, 36:26 And their forty sockets of
silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another
board.

36:27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.

36:28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the
two sides.

36:29 And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head
thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners.

36:30 And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen
sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.

36:31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one
side of the tabernacle, 36:32 And five bars for the boards of the
other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the
tabernacle for the sides westward.

36:33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the
one end to the other.

36:34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of
gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

36:35 And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine
twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.

36:36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid
them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four
sockets of silver.

36:37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and
purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework; 36:38 And
the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their
chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of
brass.

37:1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half
was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a
cubit and a half the height of it: 37:2 And he overlaid it with pure
gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.

37:3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four
corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings
upon the other side of it.

37:4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.

37:5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to
bear the ark.

37:6 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half
was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.

37:7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made
he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; 37:8 One cherub on the end
on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of
the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.

37:9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered
with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another;
even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.

37:10 And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length
thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the
height thereof: 37:11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made
thereunto a crown of gold round about.

37:12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about;
and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.

37:13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon
the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.

37:14 Over against the border were the rings, the places for the
staves to bear the table.

37:15 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with
gold, to bear the table.

37:16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes,
and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure
gold.

37:17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he
the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and
his flowers, were of the same: 37:18 And six branches going out of the
sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side
thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side
thereof: 37:19 Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one
branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in
another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches
going out of the candlestick.

37:20 And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his
knops, and his flowers: 37:21 And a knop under two branches of the
same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two
branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.

37:22 Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was
one beaten work of pure gold.

37:23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his
snuffdishes, of pure gold.

37:24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels
thereof.

37:25 And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it
was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two
cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.

37:26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the
sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a
crown of gold round about.

37:27 And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by
the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for
the staves to bear it withal.

37:28 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with
gold.

37:29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of
sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.

38:1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five
cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it
was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.

38:2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the
horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.

38:3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the
shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the
vessels thereof made he of brass.

38:4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the
compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.

38:5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass,
to be places for the staves.

38:6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with
brass.

38:7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar,
to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.

38:8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of
the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

38:9 And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings
of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits: 38:10 Their
pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the
pillars and their fillets were of silver.

38:11 And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits,
their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the
hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.

38:12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their
pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their
fillets of silver.

38:13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.

38:14 The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits;
their pillars three, and their sockets three.

38:15 And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that
hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their
sockets three.

38:16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined
linen.

38:17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the
pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their
chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted
with silver.

38:18 And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of
blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty
cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits,
answerable to the hangings of the court.

38:19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four;
their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their
fillets of silver.

38:20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round
about, were of brass.

38:21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of
testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses,
for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron
the priest.

38:22 And Bezaleel the son Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,
made all that the LORD commanded Moses.

38:23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan,
an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in
purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.

38:24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of
the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine
talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the
sanctuary.

38:25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation
was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore
and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 38:26 A bekah
for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the
sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years
old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five
hundred and fifty men.

38:27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of
the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the
hundred talents, a talent for a socket.

38:28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he
made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted
them.

38:29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two
thousand and four hundred shekels.

38:30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle
of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for
it, and all the vessels of the altar, 38:31 And the sockets of the
court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins
of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.

39:1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of
service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments
for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.

39:2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and
fine twined linen.

39:3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into
wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet,
and in the fine linen, with cunning work.

39:4 They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the
two edges was it coupled together.

39:5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the
same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and
scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.

39:6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven,
as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.

39:7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should
be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD
commanded Moses.

39:8 And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the
ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

39:9 It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was
the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.

39:10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a
sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.

39:11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.

39:12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.

39:13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were
inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.

39:14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of
Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a
signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.

39:15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of
wreathen work of pure gold.

39:16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put
the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.

39:17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on
the ends of the breastplate.

39:18 And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the
two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before
it.

39:19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of
the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the
ephod inward.

39:20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two
sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against
the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.

39:21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of
the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious
girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from
the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.

39:22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.

39:23 And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of
an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not
rend.

39:24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.

39:25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the
pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the
pomegranates; 39:26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a
pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the
LORD commanded Moses.

39:27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and
for his sons, 39:28 And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of
fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen, 39:29 And a
girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of
needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.

39:30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and
wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS
TO THE LORD.

39:31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon
the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.

39:32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the
congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all
that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.

39:33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all
his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and
his sockets, 39:34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the
covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, 39:35 The
ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat,
39:36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread, 39:37
The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to
be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light,
39:38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet
incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, 39:39 The brasen
altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the
laver and his foot, 39:40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and
his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his
pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the
tent of the congregation, 39:41 The cloths of service to do service in
the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his
sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office.

39:42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children
of Israel made all the work.

39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done
it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses
blessed them.

40:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 40:2 On the first day of
the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the
congregation.

40:3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover
the ark with the vail.

40:4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things
that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the
candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.

40:5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the
ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the
tabernacle.

40:6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the
door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.

40:7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation
and the altar, and shalt put water therein.

40:8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the
hanging at the court gate.

40:9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle,
and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels
thereof: and it shall be holy.

40:10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all
his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most
holy.

40:11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.

40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.

40:13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him,
and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

40:14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 40:15
And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that
they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing
shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their
generations.

40:16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so
did he.

40:17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on
the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.

40:18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets,
and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared
up his pillars.

40:19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the
covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the
staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 40:21
And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the
covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded
Moses.

40:22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the
side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.

40:23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the
LORD had commanded Moses.

40:24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over
against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.

40:25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded
Moses.

40:26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation
before the vail: 40:27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD
commanded Moses.

40:28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.

40:29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the
tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the
burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.

40:30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and
the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.

40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their
feet thereat: 40:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation,
and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD
commanded Moses.

40:33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the
altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the
work.

40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory
of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the
congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the
LORD filled the tabernacle.

40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the
children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: 40:37 But if the
cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it
was taken up.

40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and
fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel,
throughout all their journeys.




The Third Book of Moses:  Called Leviticus


1:1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the
tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 1:2 Speak unto the children of
Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto
the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the
herd, and of the flock.

1:3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a
male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and
it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

1:5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests,
Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round
about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.

1:6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.

1:7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar,
and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 1:8 And the priests, Aaron's
sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the
wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 1:9 But his inwards
and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on
the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a
sweet savour unto the LORD.

1:10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of
the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without
blemish.

1:11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before
the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood
round about upon the altar.

1:12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat:
and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire
which is upon the altar: 1:13 But he shall wash the inwards and the
legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon
the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a
sweet savour unto the LORD.

1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of
fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young
pigeons.

1:15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his
head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung
out at the side of the altar: 1:16 And he shall pluck away his crop
with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by
the place of the ashes: 1:17 And he shall cleave it with the wings
thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it
upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt
sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

2:1 And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his
offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and
put frankincense thereon: 2:2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons
the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour
thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof;
and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: 2:3 And the
remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a
thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

2:4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the
oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or
unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

2:5 And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be
of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.

2:6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat
offering.

2:7 And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it
shall be made of fine flour with oil.

2:8 And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these
things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he
shall bring it unto the altar.

2:9 And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial
thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by
fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

2:10 And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and
his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made
by fire.

2:11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be
made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any
offering of the LORD made by fire.

2:12 As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto
the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.

2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with
salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to
be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt
offer salt.

2:14 And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the
LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green
ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.

2:15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it
is a meat offering.

2:16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten
corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense
thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

3:1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer
it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it
without blemish before the LORD.

3:2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill
it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons
the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

3:3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an
offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the
inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 3:4 And the two
kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the
caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

3:5 And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt
sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an
offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

3:6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the
LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without
blemish.

3:7 If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before
the LORD.

3:8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill
it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall
sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.

3:9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an
offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole
rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that
covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 3:10
And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the
flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he
take away.

3:11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of
the offering made by fire unto the LORD.

3:12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the
LORD.

3:13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before
the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall
sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

3:14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by
fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat
that is upon the inwards, 3:15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that
is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver,
with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

3:16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of
the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the
LORD's.

3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout
all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

4:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 4:2 Speak unto the children
of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any
of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to
be done, and shall do against any of them: 4:3 If the priest that is
anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring
for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish
unto the LORD for a sin offering.

4:4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the
bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.

4:5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood,
and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: 4:6 And the priest
shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven
times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.

4:7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the
altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of
the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the
bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation.

4:8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the
sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that
is upon the inwards, 4:9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon
them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the
kidneys, it shall he take away, 4:10 As it was taken off from the
bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn
them upon the altar of the burnt offering.

4:11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head,
and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, 4:12 Even the whole
bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place,
where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire:
where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.

4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance,
and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done
somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things
which should not be done, and are guilty; 4:14 When the sin, which
they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall
offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle
of the congregation.

4:15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the
head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed
before the LORD.

4:16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's
blood to the tabernacle of the congregation: 4:17 And the priest shall
dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times
before the LORD, even before the vail.

4:18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar
which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the
congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the
altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation.

4:19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the
altar.

4:20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a
sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an
atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.

4:21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn
him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the
congregation.

4:22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance
against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things
which should not be done, and is guilty; 4:23 Or if his sin, wherein
he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a
kid of the goats, a male without blemish: 4:24 And he shall lay his
hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they
kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.

4:25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with
his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering,
and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt
offering.

4:26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the
sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement
for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.

4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while
he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD
concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 4:28 Or
if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall
bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for
his sin which he hath sinned.

4:29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and
slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.

4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger,
and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall
pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

4:31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken
away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall
burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the
priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.

4:32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a
female without blemish.

4:33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and
slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt
offering.

4:34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with
his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering,
and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar:
4:35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the
lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the
priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made
by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his
sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.

5:1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a
witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it,
then he shall bear his iniquity.

5:2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of
an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of
unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall
be unclean, and guilty.

5:3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it
be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he
knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.

5:4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do
good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it
be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one
of these.

5:5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things,
that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: 5:6 And he
shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he
hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats,
for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him
concerning his sin.

5:7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his
trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young
pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a
burnt offering.

5:8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that
which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his
neck, but shall not divide it asunder: 5:9 And he shall sprinkle of
the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest
of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a
sin offering.

5:10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to
the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin
which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.

5:11 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young
pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth
part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil
upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a
sin offering.

5:12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take
his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar,
according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin
offering.

5:13 And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his
sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him:
and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.

5:14 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:15 If a soul commit a
trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD;
then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without
blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver,
after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.

5:16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the
holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the
priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of
the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.

5:17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are
forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist
it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.

5:18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with
thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the
priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance
wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.

5:19 It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against
the LORD.

6:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:2 If a soul sin, and
commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that
which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken
away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; 6:3 Or have found
that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in
any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 6:4 Then it shall
be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that
which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully
gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing
which he found, 6:5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he
shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part
more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day
of his trespass offering.

6:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram
without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass
offering, unto the priest: 6:7 And the priest shall make an atonement
for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of
all that he hath done in trespassing therein.

6:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:9 Command Aaron and his
sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt
offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the
morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.

6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen
breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the
fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall
put them beside the altar.

6:11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and
carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.

6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not
be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and
lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the
fat of the peace offerings.

6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go
out.

6:14 And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall
offer it before the LORD, before the altar.

6:15 And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat
offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is
upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet
savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.

6:16 And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with
unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of
the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.

6:17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for
their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the
sin offering, and as the trespass offering.

6:18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It
shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the
offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall
be holy.

6:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:20 This is the offering
of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the
day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for
a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof
at night.

6:21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou
shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt
thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

6:22 And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall
offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly
burnt.

6:23 For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it
shall not be eaten.

6:24 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:25 Speak unto Aaron and
to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place
where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed
before the LORD: it is most holy.

6:26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy
place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the
congregation.

6:27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when
there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt
wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.

6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and
if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed
in water.

6:29 All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most
holy.

6:30 And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the
tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place,
shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.

7:1 Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most
holy.

7:2 In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill
the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round
about upon the altar.

7:3 And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the
fat that covereth the inwards, 7:4 And the two kidneys, and the fat
that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above
the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away: 7:5 And the priest
shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the
LORD: it is a trespass offering.

7:6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten
in the holy place: it is most holy.

7:7 As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there is one
law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have
it.

7:8 And the priest that offereth any man's burnt offering, even the
priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he
hath offered.

7:9 And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that
is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's
that offereth it.

7:10 And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the
sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.

7:11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he
shall offer unto the LORD.

7:12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the
sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and
unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of
fine flour, fried.

7:13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread
with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.

7:14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an
heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that
sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.

7:15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for
thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall
not leave any of it until the morning.

7:16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary
offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his
sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:
7:17 But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day
shall be burnt with fire.

7:18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings
be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither
shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an
abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.

7:19 And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten;
it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean
shall eat thereof.

7:20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace
offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon
him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

7:21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the
uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean
thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which
pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his
people.

7:22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7:23 Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or
of sheep, or of goat.

7:24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of
that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye
shall in no wise eat of it.

7:25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an
offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it
shall be cut off from his people.

7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl
or of beast, in any of your dwellings.

7:27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that
soul shall be cut off from his people.

7:28 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7:29 Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his
peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD
of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.

7:30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire,
the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be
waved for a wave offering before the LORD.

7:31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast
shall be Aaron's and his sons'.

7:32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave
offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.

7:33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace
offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.

7:34 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the
children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings,
and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a
statute for ever from among the children of Israel.

7:35 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the
anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire,
in the day when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the
priest's office; 7:36 Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the
children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for
ever throughout their generations.

7:37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and
of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the
consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; 7:38 Which
the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded
the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the
wilderness of Sinai.

8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:2 Take Aaron and his sons
with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for
the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 8:3
And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation.

8:4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was
gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

8:5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the
LORD commanded to be done.

8:6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

8:7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and
clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded
him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him
therewith.

8:8 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the
breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.

8:9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon
his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the
LORD commanded Moses.

8:10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and
all that was therein, and sanctified them.

8:11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed
the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to
sanctify them.

8:12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and
anointed him, to sanctify him.

8:13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and
girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD
commanded Moses.

8:14 And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and
his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin
offering.

8:15 And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the
horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the
altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified
it, to make reconciliation upon it.

8:16 And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul
above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned
it upon the altar.

8:17 But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt
with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses.

8:18 And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his
sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

8:19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar
round about.

8:20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the
pieces, and the fat.

8:21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt
the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet
savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD
commanded Moses.

8:22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron
and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

8:23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it
upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right
hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

8:24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the
tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and
upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood
upon the altar round about.

8:25 And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon
the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and
their fat, and the right shoulder: 8:26 And out of the basket of
unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened
cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the
fat, and upon the right shoulder: 8:27 And he put all upon Aaron's
hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering
before the LORD.

8:28 And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the
altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet
savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

8:29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering
before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as
the LORD commanded Moses.

8:30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was
upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments,
and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and
sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons'
garments with him.

8:31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the
bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying,
Aaron and his sons shall eat it.

8:32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye
burn with fire.

8:33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at
an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.

8:34 As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to
make an atonement for you.

8:35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the
LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.

8:36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by
the hand of Moses.

9:1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and
his sons, and the elders of Israel; 9:2 And he said unto Aaron, Take
thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering,
without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.

9:3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye
a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of
the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 9:4 Also a
bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD;
and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear
unto you.

9:5 And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle
of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood
before the LORD.

9:6 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye
should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.

9:7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin
offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself,
and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an
atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.

9:8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin
offering, which was for himself.

9:9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped
his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and
poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar: 9:10 But the fat, and
the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he
burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.

9:11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.

9:12 And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto
him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.

9:13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces
thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.

9:14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the
burnt offering on the altar.

9:15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which
was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for
sin, as the first.

9:16 And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to
the manner.

9:17 And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof,
and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the
morning.

9:18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto
him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about, 9:19 And
the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which
covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
9:20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon
the altar: 9:21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for
a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded.

9:22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them,
and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt
offering, and peace offerings.

9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation,
and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD
appeared unto all the people.

9:24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon
the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people
saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his
censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered
strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and
they died before the LORD.

10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake,
saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all
the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

10:4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the
uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren
from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

10:5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the
camp; as Moses had said.

10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his
sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die,
and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the
whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

10:7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon
you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 10:9 Do not drink wine nor
strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for
ever throughout your generations: 10:10 And that ye may put difference
between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 10:11 And that
ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD
hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

10:12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar,
his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the
offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside
the altar: for it is most holy: 10:13 And ye shall eat it in the holy
place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of
the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.

10:14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean
place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be
thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of
peace offerings of the children of Israel.

10:15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the
offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering
before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a
statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.

10:16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and,
behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the
sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying, 10:17 Wherefore have ye
not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy,
and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to
make atonement for them before the LORD?  10:18 Behold, the blood of
it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have
eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

10:19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered
their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such
things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day,
should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?  10:20 And when
Moses heard that, he was content.

11:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
11:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts
which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.

11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the
cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.

11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or
of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the
cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

11:5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the
hoof; he is unclean unto you.

11:6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the
hoof; he is unclean unto you.

11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted,
yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not
touch; they are unclean to you.

11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath
fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them
shall ye eat.

11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the
rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which
is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11:11 They
shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their
flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.

11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be
an abomination unto you.

11:13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the
fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle,
and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 11:14 And the vulture, and the kite
after his kind; 11:15 Every raven after his kind; 11:16 And the owl,
and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 11:17
And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 11:18 And
the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 11:19 And the stork,
the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an
abomination unto you.

11:21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth
upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon
the earth; 11:22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his
kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his
kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.

11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet,
shall be an abomination unto you.

11:24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the
carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.

11:25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash
his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

11:26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not
clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one
that toucheth them shall be unclean.

11:27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts
that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their
carcase shall be unclean until the even.

11:28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes,
and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.

11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things
that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise
after his kind, 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the
lizard, and the snail, and the mole.

11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth
touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.

11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall,
it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or
skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it
must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it
shall be cleansed.

11:33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth,
whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.

11:34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh
shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel
shall be unclean.

11:35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth
shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall
be broken down: for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you.

11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of
water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be
unclean.

11:37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which
is to be sown, it shall be clean.

11:38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their
carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.

11:39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the
carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.

11:40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes,
and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it
shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.

11:41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be
an abomination; it shall not be eaten.

11:42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all
four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that
creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an
abomination.

11:43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing
that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them,
that ye should be defiled thereby.

11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify
yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye
defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon
the earth.

11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt,
to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.

11:46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every
living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that
creepeth upon the earth: 11:47 To make a difference between the
unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the
beast that may not be eaten.

12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a
man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days
of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised.

12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three
and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the
sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

12:5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two
weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of
her purifying threescore and six days.

12:6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or
for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt
offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering,
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for
her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is
the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two
turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the
other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for
her, and she shall be clean.

13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, 13:2 When a man
shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot,
and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he
shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the
priests: 13:3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of
the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the
plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague
of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him
unclean.

13:4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in
sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned
white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven
days: 13:5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and,
behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread
not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more:
13:6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and,
behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in
the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and
he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.

13:7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he
hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of
the priest again.

13:8 And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the
skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.

13:9 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought
unto the priest; 13:10 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if
the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white,
and there be quick raw flesh in the rising; 13:11 It is an old leprosy
in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean,
and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.

13:12 And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy
cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to
his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh; 13:13 Then the priest shall
consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he
shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned
white: he is clean.

13:14 But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.

13:15 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be
unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.

13:16 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he
shall come unto the priest; 13:17 And the priest shall see him: and,
behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall
pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.

13:18 The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil,
and is healed, 13:19 And in the place of the boil there be a white
rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be
shewed to the priest; 13:20 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold,
it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned
white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of
leprosy broken out of the boil.

13:21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white
hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat
dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days: 13:22 And if it
spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it is a plague.

13:23 But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is
a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

13:24 Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot
burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot,
somewhat reddish, or white; 13:25 Then the priest shall look upon it:
and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be
in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the
burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the
plague of leprosy.

13:26 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white
hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but
be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days: 13:27
And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be
spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him
unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.

13:28 And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the
skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the
priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the
burning.

13:29 If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard;
13:30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in
sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair;
then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a
leprosy upon the head or beard.

13:31 And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold,
it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black
hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of
the scall seven days: 13:32 And in the seventh day the priest shall
look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be
in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the
skin; 13:33 He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and
the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more:
13:34 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and,
behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper
than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall
wash his clothes, and be clean.

13:35 But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing;
13:36 Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be
spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is
unclean.

13:37 But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is
black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the
priest shall pronounce him clean.

13:38 If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright
spots, even white bright spots; 13:39 Then the priest shall look: and,
behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish
white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.

13:40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet
is he clean.

13:41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head
toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.

13:42 And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white
reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald
forehead.

13:43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising
of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald
forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; 13:44 He
is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him
utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.

13:45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent,
and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and
shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

13:46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be
defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall
his habitation be.

13:47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be
a woollen garment, or a linen garment; 13:48 Whether it be in the
warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any
thing made of skin; 13:49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in
the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in
any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto
the priest: 13:50 And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut
up it that hath the plague seven days: 13:51 And he shall look on the
plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment,
either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that
is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.

13:52 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in
woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for
it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.

13:53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not
spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any
thing of skin; 13:54 Then the priest shall command that they wash the
thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
13:55 And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is
washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and
the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the
fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.

13:56 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark
after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or
out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof: 13:57 And if
it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or
in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that
wherein the plague is with fire.

13:58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of
skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from
them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.

13:59 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen
or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to
pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 14:2 This shall be the law
of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the
priest: 14:3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the
priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in
the leper; 14:4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is
to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet,
and hyssop: 14:5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be
killed in an earthen vessel over running water: 14:6 As for the living
bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the
hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the
bird that was killed over the running water: 14:7 And he shall
sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times,
and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose
into the open field.

14:8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave
off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and
after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of
his tent seven days.

14:9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his
hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he
shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his
flesh in water, and he shall be clean.

14:10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without
blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three
tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and
one log of oil.

14:11 And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that
is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation: 14:12 And the priest shall take
one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of
oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: 14:13 And he
shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering
and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is
the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy: 14:14 And
the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and
the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is
to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the
great toe of his right foot: 14:15 And the priest shall take some of
the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: 14:16
And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his
left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times
before the LORD: 14:17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand
shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to
be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great
toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering: 14:18
And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour
upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make
an atonement for him before the LORD.

14:19 And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an
atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and
afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: 14:20 And the priest shall
offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the
priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

14:21 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take
one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for
him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering, and a log of oil; 14:22 And two turtledoves, or two young
pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin
offering, and the other a burnt offering.

14:23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto
the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
before the LORD.

14:24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and
the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering
before the LORD: 14:25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass
offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass
offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to
be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great
toe of his right foot: 14:26 And the priest shall pour of the oil into
the palm of his own left hand: 14:27 And the priest shall sprinkle
with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven
times before the LORD: 14:28 And the priest shall put of the oil that
is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be
cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe
of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass
offering: 14:29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand
he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an
atonement for him before the LORD.

14:30 And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young
pigeons, such as he can get; 14:31 Even such as he is able to get, the
one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the
meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is
to be cleansed before the LORD.

14:32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose
hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.

14:33 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 14:34 When
ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a
possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of
your possession; 14:35 And he that owneth the house shall come and
tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague
in the house: 14:36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the
house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that
is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go
in to see the house: 14:37 And he shall look on the plague, and,
behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow
strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall;
14:38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the
house, and shut up the house seven days: 14:39 And the priest shall
come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague
be spread in the walls of the house; 14:40 Then the priest shall
command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and
they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city: 14:41 And
he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they
shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an
unclean place: 14:42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in
the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall
plaister the house.

14:43 And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after
that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the
house, and after it is plaistered; 14:44 Then the priest shall come
and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a
fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean.

14:45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the
timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry
them forth out of the city into an unclean place.

14:46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is
shut up shall be unclean until the even.

14:47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he
that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.

14:48 And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold,
the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was
plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because
the plague is healed.

14:49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar
wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 14:50 And he shall kill the one of the
birds in an earthen vessel over running water: 14:51 And he shall take
the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird,
and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water,
and sprinkle the house seven times: 14:52 And he shall cleanse the
house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with
the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and
with the scarlet: 14:53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the
city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it
shall be clean.

14:54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,
14:55 And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house, 14:56 And for
a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot: 14:57 To teach when
it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

15:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 15:2 Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a
running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.

15:3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh
run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his
uncleanness.

15:4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and
every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.

15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

15:6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the
issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be
unclean until the even.

15:7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
even.

15:8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then
he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean
until the even.

15:9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall
be unclean.

15:10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be
unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
even.

15:11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not
rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

15:12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue,
shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

15:13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he
shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his
clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.

15:14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or
two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest: 15:15
And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the
other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for
him before the LORD for his issue.

15:16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he
shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.

15:17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of
copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.

15:18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation,
they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the
even.

15:19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be
blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her
shall be unclean until the even.

15:20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be
unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.

15:21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe
himself in water, and be unclean until the even.

15:22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash
his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
even.

15:23 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth,
when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.

15:24 And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him,
he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall
be unclean.

15:25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the
time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her
separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as
the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.

15:26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be
unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon
shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.

15:27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the
even.

15:28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to
herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.

15:29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or
two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation.

15:30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the
other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for
her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.

15:31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their
uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile
my tabernacle that is among them.

15:32 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed
goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; 15:33 And of her that is
sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of
the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.

16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of
Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; 16:2 And the LORD
said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all
times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which
is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon
the mercy seat.

16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock
for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen
breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and
with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments;
therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

16:5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel
two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt
offering.

16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is
for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD
at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the
LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell,
and offer him for a sin offering.

16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall
be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and
to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.

16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is
for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his
house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for
himself: 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of
fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet
incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 16:13 And he shall
put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the
incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he
die not: 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and
sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before
the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven
times.

16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the
people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as
he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy
seat, and before the mercy seat: 16:16 And he shall make an atonement
for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of
Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so
shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth
among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation
when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come
out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household,
and for all the congregation of Israel.

16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and
make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock,
and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar
round about.

16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven
times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the
children of Israel.

16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and
the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the
live goat: 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of
the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children
of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting
them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of
a fit man into the wilderness: 16:22 And the goat shall bear upon him
all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go
the goat in the wilderness.

16:23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation,
and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went
into the holy place, and shall leave them there: 16:24 And he shall
wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments,
and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering
of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.

16:25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his
clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the
camp.

16:27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin
offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy
place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in
the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.

16:28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his
flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the
seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your
souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country,
or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 16:30 For on that day shall
the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be
clean from all your sins before the LORD.

16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict
your souls, by a statute for ever.

16:32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall
consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead,
shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the
holy garments: 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy
sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the
congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for
the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.

16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an
atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.
And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

17:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17:2 Speak unto Aaron, and
unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them;
This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying, 17:3 What man
soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb,
or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, 17:4 And
bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD;
blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man
shall be cut off from among his people: 17:5 To the end that the
children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the
open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door
of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them
for peace offerings unto the LORD.

17:6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the
LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the
fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

17:7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after
whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto
them throughout their generations.

17:8 And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the
house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that
offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, 17:9 And bringeth it not unto
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the
LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.

17:10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the
strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I
will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will
cut him off from among his people.

17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it
to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is
the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

17:12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you
shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you
eat blood.

17:13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the
strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast
or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof,
and cover it with dust.

17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life
thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat
the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the
blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

17:15 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that
which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or
a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in
water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean.

17:16 But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear
his iniquity.

18:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.

18:3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye
not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring
you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.

18:4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk
therein: I am the LORD your God.

18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a
man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

18:6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to
uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

18:7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother,
shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her
nakedness.

18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is
thy father's nakedness.

18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or
daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad,
even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

18:10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's
daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is
thine own nakedness.

18:11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy
father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

18:12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she
is thy father's near kinswoman.

18:13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for
she is thy mother's near kinswoman.

18:14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother,
thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

18:15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she
is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

18:16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it
is thy brother's nakedness.

18:17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her
daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her
daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near
kinswomen: it is wickedness.

18:18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to
uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

18:19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her
nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.

18:20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife,
to defile thyself with her.

18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to
Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is
abomination.

18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself
therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down
thereto: it is confusion.

18:24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all
these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 18:25 And
the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon
it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall
not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation,
nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 18:27 (For all these
abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and
the land is defiled;) 18:28 That the land spue not you out also, when
ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.

18:29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the
souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.

18:30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any
one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and
that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.

19:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 19:2 Speak unto all the
congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be
holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.

19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my
sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

19:4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am
the LORD your God.

19:5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye
shall offer it at your own will.

19:6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow:
and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the
fire.

19:7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it
shall not be accepted.

19:8 Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity,
because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul
shall be cut off from among his people.

19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly
reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings
of thy harvest.

19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather
every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and
stranger: I am the LORD your God.

19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to
another.

19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou
profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages
of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the
morning.

19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before
the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.

19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not
respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty:
but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people:
neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the
LORD.

19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in
any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children
of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the
LORD.

19:19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender
with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed:
neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

19:20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid,
betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given
her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because
she was not free.

19:21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass
offering.

19:22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of
the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done:
and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.

19:23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all
manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as
uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it
shall not be eaten of.

19:24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to
praise the LORD withal.

19:25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it
may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.

19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use
enchantment, nor observe times.

19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou
mar the corners of thy beard.

19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor
print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest
the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.

19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the
LORD.

19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after
wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of
the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.

19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not
vex him.

19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one
born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were
strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in
weight, or in measure.

19:36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall
ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of
Egypt.

19:37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my
judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.

20:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20:2 Again, thou shalt say
to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel,
or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his
seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the
land shall stone him with stones.

20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off
from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech,
to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

20:4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from
the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:
20:5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family,
and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit
whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits,
and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face
against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.

20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD
your God.

20:8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which
sanctify you.

20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be
surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his
blood shall be upon him.

20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife,
even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the
adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.

20:11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his
father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their
blood shall be upon them.

20:12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall
surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall
be upon them.

20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both
of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to
death; their blood shall be upon them.

20:14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they
shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no
wickedness among you.

20:15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death:
and ye shall slay the beast.

20:16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto,
thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to
death; their blood shall be upon them.

20:17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or
his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his
nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the
sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he
shall bear his iniquity.

20:18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and
shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she
hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be
cut off from among their people.

20:19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister,
nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall
bear their iniquity.

20:20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered
his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die
childless.

20:21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean
thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be
childless.

20:22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments,
and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue
you not out.

20:23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast
out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I
abhorred them.

20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I
will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and
honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other
people.

20:25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and
unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make
your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living
thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as
unclean.

20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have
severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.

20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a
wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with
stones: their blood shall be upon them.

21:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of
Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead
among his people: 21:2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, that
is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his
daughter, and for his brother.

21:3 And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath
had no husband; for her may he be defiled.

21:4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his
people, to profane himself.

21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they
shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their
flesh.

21:6 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of
their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread
of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.

21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither
shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto
his God.

21:8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of
thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify
you, am holy.

21:9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing
the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.

21:10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose
head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on
the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; 21:11
Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his
father, or for his mother; 21:12 Neither shall he go out of the
sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the
anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.

21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.

21:14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these
shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to
wife.

21:15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the
LORD do sanctify him.

21:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 21:17 Speak unto Aaron,
saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any
blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.

21:18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not
approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any
thing superfluous, 21:19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or
brokenhanded, 21:20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish
in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; 21:21
No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come
nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a
blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.

21:22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of
the holy.

21:23 Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the
altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries:
for I the LORD do sanctify them.

21:24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the
children of Israel.

22:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22:2 Speak unto Aaron and
to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the
children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those
things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.

22:3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your
generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of
Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that
soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.

22:4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a
running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean.
And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man
whose seed goeth from him; 22:5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping
thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take
uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; 22:6 The soul which hath
touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the
holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

22:7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward
eat of the holy things; because it is his food.

22:8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not
eat to defile himself therewith; I am the LORD.

22:9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for
it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify
them.

22:10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of
the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

22:11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of
it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

22:12 If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she
may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

22:13 But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have
no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth,
she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall be no stranger eat
thereof.

22:14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall
put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest
with the holy thing.

22:15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of
Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; 22:16 Or suffer them to bear
the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the
LORD do sanctify them.

22:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22:18 Speak unto Aaron,
and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto
them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in
Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his
freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt
offering; 22:19 Ye shall offer at your own will a male without
blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

22:20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it
shall not be acceptable for you.

22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the
LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep,
it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

22:22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or
scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering
by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.

22:23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or
lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering;
but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

22:24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or
crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof
in your land.

22:25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your
God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and
blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

22:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22:27 When a bullock, or
a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days
under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be
accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

22:28 And whether it be cow, or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her
young both in one day.

22:29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the
LORD, offer it at your own will.

22:30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it
until the morrow: I am the LORD.

22:31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the
LORD.

22:32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed
among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, 22:33
That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the
LORD.

23:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the
LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are
my feasts.

23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath
of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the
sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.

23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which
ye shall proclaim in their seasons.

23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's
passover.

23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of
unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened
bread.

23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do
no servile work therein.

23:8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven
days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no
servile work therein.

23:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:10 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land
which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye
shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the
priest: 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be
accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall
wave it.

23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb
without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.

23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine
flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a
sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the
fourth part of an hin.

23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green
ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto
your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations
in all your dwellings.

23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath,
from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven
sabbaths shall be complete: 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the
seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new
meat offering unto the LORD.

23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two
tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with
leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.

23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of
the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for
a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their
drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto
the LORD.

23:19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering,
and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.

23:20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits
for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be
holy to the LORD for the priest.

23:21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an
holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it
shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your
generations.

23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make
clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither
shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them
unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

23:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:24 Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of
the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets,
an holy convocation.

23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an
offering made by fire unto the LORD.

23:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:27 Also on the tenth
day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall
be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and
offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of
atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.

23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that
same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.

23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day,
the same soul will I destroy from among his people.

23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever
throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict
your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto
even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

23:33 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:34 Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month
shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.

23:35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no
servile work therein.

23:36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the
LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye
shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn
assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.

23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be
holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a
burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings,
every thing upon his day: 23:38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and
beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your
freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.

23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have
gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD
seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day
shall be a sabbath.

23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly
trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and
willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God
seven days.

23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the
year.

It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate
it in the seventh month.

23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites
born shall dwell in booths: 23:43 That your generations may know that
I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them
out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the
LORD.

24:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24:2 Command the children
of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the
light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.

24:3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the
congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning
before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your
generations.

24:4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the
LORD continually.

24:5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof:
two tenth deals shall be in one cake.

24:6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure
table before the LORD.

24:7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may
be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the
LORD.

24:8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD
continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting
covenant.

24:9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in
the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the
LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.

24:10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an
Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the
Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp;
24:11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord,
and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name
was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) 24:12 And
they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.

24:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24:14 Bring forth him
that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay
their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.

24:15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying,
Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.

24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be
put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as
well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth
the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.

24:17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.

24:18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.

24:19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done,
so shall it be done to him; 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye,
tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be
done to him again.

24:21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that
killeth a man, he shall be put to death.

24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as
for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.

24:23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should
bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with
stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.

25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, 25:2 Speak
unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the
land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the
LORD.

25:3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt
prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; 25:4 But in the
seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for
the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.

25:5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt
not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a
year of rest unto the land.

25:6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and
for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for
thy stranger that sojourneth with thee.

25:7 And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall
all the increase thereof be meat.

25:8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven
times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall
be unto thee forty and nine years.

25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the
tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make
the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty
throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be
a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession,
and ye shall return every man unto his family.

25:11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow,
neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes
in it of thy vine undressed.

25:12 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat
the increase thereof out of the field.

25:13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his
possession.

25:14 And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of
thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another: 25:15
According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of
thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he
shall sell unto thee: 25:16 According to the multitude of years thou
shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of
years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number
of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.

25:17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear
thy God:for I am the LORD your God.

25:18 Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do
them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.

25:19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill,
and dwell therein in safety.

25:20 And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold,
we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: 25:21 Then I will
command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring
forth fruit for three years.

25:22 And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until
the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old
store.

25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine, for
ye are strangers and sojourners with me.

25:24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a
redemption for the land.

25:25 If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his
possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he
redeem that which his brother sold.

25:26 And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to
redeem it; 25:27 Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and
restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may
return unto his possession.

25:28 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is
sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the
year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return
unto his possession.

25:29 And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may
redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may
he redeem it.

25:30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then
the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to
him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in
the jubile.

25:31 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about
them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be
redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubile.

25:32 Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the
cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.

25:33 And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was
sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of
jubile: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their
possession among the children of Israel.

25:34 But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold;
for it is their perpetual possession.

25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee;
then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a
sojourner; that he may live with thee.

25:36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that
thy brother may live with thee.

25:37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy
victuals for increase.

25:38 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land
of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.

25:39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be
sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant:
25:40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with
thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile.

25:41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children
with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the
possession of his fathers shall he return.

25:42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land
of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.

25:43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy
God.

25:44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have,
shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy
bondmen and bondmaids.

25:45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among
you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you,
which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.

25:46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after
you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for
ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule
one over another with rigour.

25:47 And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother
that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or
sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: 25:48
After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren
may redeem him: 25:49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem
him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him;
or if he be able, he may redeem himself.

25:50 And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that
he was sold to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his sale
shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of
an hired servant shall it be with him.

25:51 If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall
give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was
bought for.

25:52 And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then
he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give
him again the price of his redemption.

25:53 And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the
other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.

25:54 And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out
in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him.

25:55 For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my
servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD
your God.

26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up
a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your
land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

26:2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the
LORD.

26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield
her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

26:5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage
shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the
full, and dwell in your land safely.

26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and
none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the
land, neither shall the sword go through your land.

26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you
by the sword.

26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you
shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before
you by the sword.

26:9 For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and
multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.

26:10 And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of
the new.

26:11 And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor
you.

26:12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be
my people.

26:13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land
of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the
bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.

26:14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these
commandments; 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your
soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments,
but that ye break my covenant: 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I
will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague,
that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall
sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before
your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall
flee when none pursueth you.

26:18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will
punish you seven times more for your sins.

26:19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your
heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: 26:20 And your strength shall
be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither
shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.

26:21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I
will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.

26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of
your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number;
and your high ways shall be desolate.

26:23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will
walk contrary unto me; 26:24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you,
and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.

26:25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel
of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities,
I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into
the hand of the enemy.

26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall
bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread
again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.

26:27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk
contrary unto me; 26:28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in
fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.

26:29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your
daughters shall ye eat.

26:30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images,
and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul
shall abhor you.

26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries
unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

26:32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies
which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.

26:33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a
sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities
waste.

26:34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth
desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land
rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.

26:35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not
rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.

26:36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness
into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a
shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a
sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.

26:37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword,
when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your
enemies.

26:38 And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your
enemies shall eat you up.

26:39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity
in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers
shall they pine away with them.

26:40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their
fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and
that also they have walked contrary unto me; 26:41 And that I also
have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of
their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they
then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 26:42 Then will I
remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and
also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the
land.

26:43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her
sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept
of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they
despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.

26:44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies,
I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them
utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their
God.

26:45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their
ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight
of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.

26:46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD
made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand
of Moses.

27:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a
singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.

27:3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old
even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels
of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.

27:4 And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty
shekels.

27:5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then
thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female
ten shekels.

27:6 And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy
estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the
female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.

27:7 And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male,
then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten
shekels.

27:8 But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present
himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according
to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.

27:9 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the
LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.

27:10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad
for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and
the exchange thereof shall be holy.

27:11 And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a
sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the
priest: 27:12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or
bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.

27:13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part
thereof unto thy estimation.

27:14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the
LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as
the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.

27:15 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he
shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and
it shall be his.

27:16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field
of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed
thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of
silver.

27:17 If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to
thy estimation it shall stand.

27:18 But if he sanctify his field after the jubile, then the priest
shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain,
even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy
estimation.

27:19 And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it,
then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto
it, and it shall be assured to him.

27:20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the
field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.

27:21 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy
unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the
priest's.

27:22 And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath
bought, which is not of the fields of his possession; 27:23 Then the
priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto
the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that
day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.

27:24 In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of
whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did
belong.

27:25 And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the
sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.

27:26 Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD's
firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is
the LORD's.

27:27 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it
according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it
thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to
thy estimation.

27:28 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto
the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field
of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is
most holy unto the LORD.

27:29 None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed;
but shall surely be put to death.

27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land,
or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.

27:31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall
add thereto the fifth part thereof.

27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of
whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the
LORD.

27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he
change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change
thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.

27:34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for
the children of Israel in mount Sinai.




The Fourth Book of Moses:  Called Numbers


1:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the
tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month,
in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt,
saying, 1:2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of
Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the
number of their names, every male by their polls; 1:3 From twenty
years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel:
thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.

1:4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head
of the house of his fathers.

1:5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of
the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.

1:6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

1:7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.

1:8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

1:9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.

1:10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of
Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

1:11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.

1:12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

1:13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.

1:14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

1:15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.

1:16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the
tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.

1:17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their
names: 1:18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the
first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after
their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number
of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.

1:19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the
wilderness of Sinai.

1:20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their
generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from
twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war;
1:21 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben,
were forty and six thousand and five hundred.

1:22 Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of
them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male
from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to
war; 1:23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of
Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.

1:24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.

1:26 Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

1:28 Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.

1:30 Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:31 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.

1:32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by
their generations, after their families, by the house of their
fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old
and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:33 Those that
were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty
thousand and five hundred.

1:34 Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.

1:36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.

1:38 Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

1:40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of
the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go
forth to war; 1:41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe
of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.

1:42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after
their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number
of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to
go forth to war; 1:43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the
tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.

1:44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron
numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was
for the house of his fathers.

1:45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel,
by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all
that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 1:46 Even all they that
were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five
hundred and fifty.

1:47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not
numbered among them.

1:48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 1:49 Only thou shalt
not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the
children of Israel: 1:50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the
tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over
all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all
the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp
round about the tabernacle.

1:51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take
it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall
set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

1:52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by
his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their
hosts.

1:53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of
testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the
children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the
tabernacle of testimony.

1:54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD
commanded Moses, so did they.

2:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2:2 Every
man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with
the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of
the congregation shall they pitch.

2:3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of
the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and
Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of
Judah.

2:4 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were
threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.

2:5 And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of
Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the
children of Issachar.

2:6 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and
four thousand and four hundred.

2:7 Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be
captain of the children of Zebulun.

2:8 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and
seven thousand and four hundred.

2:9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred
thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred,
throughout their armies. These shall first set forth.

2:10 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben
according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben
shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.

2:11 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty
and six thousand and five hundred.

2:12 And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and
the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of
Zurishaddai.

2:13 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty
and nine thousand and three hundred.

2:14 Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall
be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.

2:15 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty
and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.

2:16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred
thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty,
throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.

2:17 Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with
the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so
shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.

2:18 On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim
according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim
shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.

2:19 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty
thousand and five hundred.

2:20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the
children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

2:21 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty
and two thousand and two hundred.

2:22 Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of
Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.

2:23 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty
and five thousand and four hundred.

2:24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred
thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies.
And they shall go forward in the third rank.

2:25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by
their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer
the son of Ammishaddai.

2:26 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were
threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.

2:27 And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the
captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.

2:28 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty
and one thousand and five hundred.

2:29 Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of
Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.

2:30 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty
and three thousand and four hundred.

2:31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred
thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go
hindmost with their standards.

2:32 These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by
the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps
throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand
and five hundred and fifty.

2:33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel;
as the LORD commanded Moses.

2:34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD
commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set
forward, every one after their families, according to the house of
their fathers.

3:1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that
the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.

3:2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn,
and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

3:3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were
anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.

3:4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered
strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had
no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office
in the sight of Aaron their father.

3:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 3:6 Bring the tribe of Levi
near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister
unto him.

3:7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole
congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the
service of the tabernacle.

3:8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the
service of the tabernacle.

3:9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they
are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.

3:10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on
their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put
to death.

3:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 3:12 And I, behold, I have
taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the
firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel:
therefore the Levites shall be mine; 3:13 Because all the firstborn
are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of
Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and
beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.

3:14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
3:15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by
their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou
number them.

3:16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he
was commanded.

3:17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and
Kohath, and Merari.

3:18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families;
Libni, and Shimei.

3:19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar,
Hebron, and Uzziel.

3:20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These
are the families of the Levites according to the house of their
fathers.

3:21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the
Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.

3:22 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all
the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered
of them were seven thousand and five hundred.

3:23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle
westward.

3:24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall
be Eliasaph the son of Lael.

3:25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the
congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering
thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation, 3:26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for
the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar
round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.

3:27 And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of
the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of
the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.

3:28 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were
eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.

3:29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the
tabernacle southward.

3:30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the
Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.

3:31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the
candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary
wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.

3:32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the
chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the
charge of the sanctuary.

3:33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the
Mushites: these are the families of Merari.

3:34 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of
all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two
hundred.

3:35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of
Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of
the tabernacle northward.

3:36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be
the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars
thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all
that serveth thereto, 3:37 And the pillars of the court round about,
and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.

3:38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even
before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses,
and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the
charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh
shall be put to death.

3:39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron
numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families,
all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two
thousand.

3:40 And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the
males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take
the number of their names.

3:41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of
all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the
Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children
of Israel.

3:42 And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn
among the children of Israel.

3:43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month
old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and
two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.

3:44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 3:45 Take the Levites
instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the
cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall
be mine: I am the LORD.

3:46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and
threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel,
which are more than the Levites; 3:47 Thou shalt even take five
shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt
thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) 3:48 And thou shalt
give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed,
unto Aaron and to his sons.

3:49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and
above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 3:50 Of the firstborn of
the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and
threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 3:51
And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to
his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded
Moses.

4:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 4:2 Take the
sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their
families, by the house of their fathers, 4:3 From thirty years old and
upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do
the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

4:4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle
of the congregation, about the most holy things: 4:5 And when the camp
setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take
down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: 4:6
And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread
over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.

4:7 And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue,
and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers
to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: 4:8 And
they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same
with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves
thereof.

4:9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of
the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all
the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 4:10 And
they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of
badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.

4:11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and
cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the
staves thereof: 4:12 And they shall take all the instruments of
ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a
cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and
shall put them on a bar: 4:13 And they shall take away the ashes from
the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 4:14 And they shall put
upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it,
even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all
the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of
badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.

4:15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the
sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set
forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but
they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are
the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the
congregation.

4:16 And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest
pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily
meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the
tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the
vessels thereof.

4:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying, 4:18 Cut ye
not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the
Levites: 4:19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die,
when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall
go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
4:20 But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered,
lest they die.

4:21 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 4:22 Take also the sum of
the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their
families; 4:23 From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old
shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to
do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

4:24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve,
and for burdens: 4:25 And they shall bear the curtains of the
tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and
the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the
hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 4:26 And
the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of
the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about,
and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all
that is made for them: so shall they serve.

4:27 At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service
of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their
service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.

4:28 This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the
tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the
hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

4:29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their
families, by the house of their fathers; 4:30 From thirty years old
and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one
that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of
the congregation.

4:31 And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their
service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the
tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets
thereof, 4:32 And the pillars of the court round about, and their
sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments,
and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the
instruments of the charge of their burden.

4:33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari,
according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation,
under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

4:34 And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered
the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house
of their fathers, 4:35 From thirty years old and upward even unto
fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the
work in the tabernacle of the congregation: 4:36 And those that were
numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and
fifty.

4:37 These were they that were numbered of the families of the
Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the
congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the
commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

4:38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout
their families, and by the house of their fathers, 4:39 From thirty
years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that
entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the
congregation, 4:40 Even those that were numbered of them, throughout
their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and
six hundred and thirty.

4:41 These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of
Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the
congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the
commandment of the LORD.

4:42 And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of
Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, 4:43
From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one
that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the
congregation, 4:44 Even those that were numbered of them after their
families, were three thousand and two hundred.

4:45 These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of
Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the
LORD by the hand of Moses.

4:46 All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron
and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the
house of their fathers, 4:47 From thirty years old and upward even
unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the
ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the
congregation.

4:48 Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and
five hundred and fourscore, 4:49 According to the commandment of the
LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to
his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of
him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

5:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:2 Command the children of
Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that
hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: 5:3 Both male and
female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they
defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

5:4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the
camp: as the LORD spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.

5:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:6 Speak unto the children
of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit,
to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; 5:7 Then
they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall
recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it
the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath
trespassed.

5:8 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto,
let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest;
beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made
for him.

5:9 And every offering of all the holy things of the children of
Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.

5:10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man
giveth the priest, it shall be his.

5:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:12 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and
commit a trespass against him, 5:13 And a man lie with her carnally,
and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she
be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken
with the manner; 5:14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he
be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of
jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not
defiled: 5:15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and
he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of
barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense
thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial,
bringing iniquity to remembrance.

5:16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD:
5:17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of
the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take,
and put it into the water: 5:18 And the priest shall set the woman
before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of
memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest
shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse: 5:19
And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If
no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to
uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from
this bitter water that causeth the curse: 5:20 But if thou hast gone
aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and
some man have lain with thee beside thine husband: 5:21 Then the
priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest
shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among
thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to
swell; 5:22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy
bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the
woman shall say, Amen, amen.

5:23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall
blot them out with the bitter water: 5:24 And he shall cause the woman
to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that
causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.

5:25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the
woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer
it upon the altar: 5:26 And the priest shall take an handful of the
offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and
afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.

5:27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come
to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her
husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her,
and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot:
and the woman shall be a curse among her people.

5:28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be
free, and shall conceive seed.

5:29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another
instead of her husband, and is defiled; 5:30 Or when the spirit of
jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall
set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her
all this law.

5:31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman
shall bear her iniquity.

6:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:2 Speak unto the children
of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate
themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the
LORD: 6:3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and
shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither
shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.

6:4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made
of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.

6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor
come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he
separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the
locks of the hair of his head grow.

6:6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall
come at no dead body.

6:7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his
mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the
consecration of his God is upon his head.

6:8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.

6:9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the
head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of
his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.

6:10 And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young
pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation: 6:11 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin
offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement
for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head
that same day.

6:12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation,
and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but
the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was
defiled.

6:13 And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his
separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation: 6:14 And he shall offer his offering
unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a
burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for
a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 6:15
And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with
oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat
offering, and their drink offerings.

6:16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer
his sin offering, and his burnt offering: 6:17 And he shall offer the
ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket
of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering,
and his drink offering.

6:18 And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of
the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the
sacrifice of the peace offerings.

6:19 And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one
unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall
put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his
separation is shaven: 6:20 And the priest shall wave them for a wave
offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave
breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.

6:21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his
offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand
shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after
the law of his separation.

6:22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and
unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of
Israel, saying unto them, 6:24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
6:25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto
thee: 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee
peace.

6:27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I
will bless them.

7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the
tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the
instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and
had anointed them, and sanctified them; 7:2 That the princes of
Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of
the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: 7:3 And
they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and
twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox:
and they brought them before the tabernacle.

7:4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7:5 Take it of them, that
they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation;
and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to
his service.

7:6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the
Levites.

7:7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon,
according to their service: 7:8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave
unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand
of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

7:9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of
the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their
shoulders.

7:10 And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day
that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before
the altar.

7:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering,
each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.

7:12 And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the
son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: 7:13 And his offering was one
silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels,
one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary;
both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering: 7:14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense: 7:15
One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt
offering: 7:16 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:17 And for a
sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five
lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of
Amminadab.

7:18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar,
did offer: 7:19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the
weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full
of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:20 One spoon of
gold of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:21 One young bullock, one ram,
one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:22 One kid of the
goats for a sin offering: 7:23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings,
two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this
was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

7:24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children
of Zebulun, did offer: 7:25 His offering was one silver charger, the
weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full
of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:26 One golden
spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:27 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:28 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 7:29 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.

7:30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the
children of Reuben, did offer: 7:31 His offering was one silver
charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver
bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of
them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:32 One
golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:33 One young bullock,
one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:34 One
kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:35 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.

7:36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the
children of Simeon, did offer: 7:37 His offering was one silver
charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one
silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary;
both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
7:38 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:39 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
7:40 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:41 And for a sacrifice
of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of
the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of
Zurishaddai.

7:42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the
children of Gad, offered: 7:43 His offering was one silver charger of
the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy
shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine
flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:44 One golden spoon of
ten shekels, full of incense: 7:45 One young bullock, one ram, one
lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:46 One kid of the
goats for a sin offering: 7:47 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings,
two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this
was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

7:48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the
children of Ephraim, offered: 7:49 His offering was one silver
charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one
silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary;
both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
7:50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:51 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
7:52 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:53 And for a sacrifice
of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of
the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.

7:54 On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of
the children of Manasseh: 7:55 His offering was one silver charger of
the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full
of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:56 One golden
spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:57 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:58 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 7:59 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

7:60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the
children of Benjamin, offered: 7:61 His offering was one silver
charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one
silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary;
both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering:
7:62 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:63 One young
bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
7:64 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:65 And for a sacrifice
of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of
the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.

7:66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the
children of Dan, offered: 7:67 His offering was one silver charger,
the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl
of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them
full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:68 One
golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:69 One young bullock,
one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:70 One
kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:71 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

7:72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the
children of Asher, offered: 7:73 His offering was one silver charger,
the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl
of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them
full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:74 One
golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:75 One young bullock,
one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:76 One
kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:77 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.

7:78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children
of Naphtali, offered: 7:79 His offering was one silver charger, the
weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of
seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full
of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:80 One golden
spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:81 One young bullock, one
ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:82 One kid of
the goats for a sin offering: 7:83 And for a sacrifice of peace
offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first
year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.

7:84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was
anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve
silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold: 7:85 Each charger of silver
weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the
silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after
the shekel of the sanctuary: 7:86 The golden spoons were twelve, full
of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the
sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty
shekels.

7:87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the
rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat
offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.

7:88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were
twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the
lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar,
after that it was anointed.

7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation
to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him
from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from
between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.

8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:2 Speak unto Aaron and
say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give
light over against the candlestick.

8:3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the
candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.

8:4 And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the
shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according
unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the
candlestick.

8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:6 Take the Levites from
among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.

8:7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water
of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let
them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.

8:8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even
fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take
for a sin offering.

8:9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the
congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children
of Israel together: 8:10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the
LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the
Levites: 8:11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an
offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service
of the LORD.

8:12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the
bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the
other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for
the Levites.

8:13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons,
and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

8:14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of
Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.

8:15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the
tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer
them for an offering.

8:16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of
Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the
firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.

8:17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both
man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of
Egypt I sanctified them for myself.

8:18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the
children of Israel.

8:19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons
from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children
of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an
atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among
the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the
sanctuary.

8:20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of
Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded
Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.

8:21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and
Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an
atonement for them to cleanse them.

8:22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the
tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as
the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto
them.

8:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:24 This is it that
belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward
they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation: 8:25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease
waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 8:26 But
shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the
congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt
thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.

9:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the
first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of
Egypt, saying, 9:2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover
at his appointed season.

9:3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in
his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according
to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.

9:4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep
the passover.

9:5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first
month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the
LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.

9:6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a
man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came
before Moses and before Aaron on that day: 9:7 And those men said unto
him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept
back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed
season among the children of Israel?  9:8 And Moses said unto them,
Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning
you.

9:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 9:10 Speak unto the
children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity
shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar
off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.

9:11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep
it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

9:12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone
of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep
it.

9:13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and
forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off
from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD
in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.

9:14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the
passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover,
and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one
ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the
land.

9:15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud
covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even
there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until
the morning.

9:16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance
of fire by night.

9:17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after
that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the
cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.

9:18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed,
and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud
abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.

9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days,
then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed
not.

9:20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle;
according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents,
and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.

9:21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning,
and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed:
whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they
journeyed.

9:22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the
cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of
Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken
up, they journeyed.

9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at
the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of
the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

10:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10:2 Make thee two
trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou
mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the
journeying of the camps.

10:3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall
assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation.

10:4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which
are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto
thee.

10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts
shall go forward.

10:6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on
the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for
their journeys.

10:7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall
blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.

10:8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets;
and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your
generations.

10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that
oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye
shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved
from your enemies.

10:10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and
in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over
your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings;
that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD
your God.

10:11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in
the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle
of the testimony.

10:12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the
wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

10:13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment
of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

10:14 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children
of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the
son of Amminadab.

10:15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was
Nethaneel the son of Zuar.

10:16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was
Eliab the son of Helon.

10:17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and
the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.

10:18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to
their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.

10:19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was
Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.

10:20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was
Eliasaph the son of Deuel.

10:21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the
other did set up the tabernacle against they came.

10:22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set
forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the
son of Ammihud.

10:23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was
Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.

10:24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was
Abidan the son of Gideoni.

10:25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward,
which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and
over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.

10:26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was
Pagiel the son of Ocran.

10:27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was
Ahira the son of Enan.

10:28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to
their armies, when they set forward.

10:29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite,
Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the
LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee
good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.

10:30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine
own land, and to my kindred.

10:31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou
knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to
us instead of eyes.

10:32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what
goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.

10:33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days'
journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in
the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

10:34 And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went
out of the camp.

10:35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said,
Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that
hate thee flee before thee.

10:36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many
thousands of Israel.

11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the
LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD
burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts
of the camp.

11:2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the
LORD, the fire was quenched.

11:3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of
the LORD burnt among them.

11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and
the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us
flesh to eat?  11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt
freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions,
and the garlick: 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing
at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.

11:7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as
the colour of bdellium.

11:8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in
mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of
it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.

11:9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell
upon it.

11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families,
every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was
kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.

11:11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy
servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou
layest the burden of all this people upon me?  11:12 Have I conceived
all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto
me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking
child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?  11:13
Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep
unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.

11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too
heavy for me.

11:15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of
hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my
wretchedness.

11:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the
elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people,
and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the
congregation, that they may stand there with thee.

11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take
of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they
shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not
thyself alone.

11:18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the
LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us
in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.

11:19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither
ten days, nor twenty days; 11:20 But even a whole month, until it come
out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye
have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him,
saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt?  11:21 And Moses said, The
people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou
hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.

11:22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice
them?  or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them,
to suffice them?  11:23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's
hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to
pass unto thee or not.

11:24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD,
and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them
round about the tabernacle.

11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took
of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders:
and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they
prophesied, and did not cease.

11:26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the
one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested
upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out
unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.

11:27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and
Medad do prophesy in the camp.

11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his
young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.

11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God
that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put
his spirit upon them!  11:30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and
the elders of Israel.

11:31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails
from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's
journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other
side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the
face of the earth.

11:32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and
all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least
gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves
round about the camp.

11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was
chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the
LORD smote the people with a very great plague.

11:34 And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because
there they buried the people that lusted.

11:35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth;
and abode at Hazeroth.

12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian
woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he
not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.

12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were
upon the face of the earth.)  12:4 And the LORD spake suddenly unto
Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the
tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

12:5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in
the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both
came forth.

12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you,
I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak
unto him in a dream.

12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in
dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold:
wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
12:9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he
departed.

12:10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold,
Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam,
and, behold, she was leprous.

12:11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay
not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we
have sinned.

12:12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed
when he cometh out of his mother's womb.

12:13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I
beseech thee.

12:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her
face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from
the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.

12:15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people
journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.

12:16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in
the wilderness of Paran.

13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13:2 Send thou men, that
they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of
Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one
a ruler among them.

13:3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the
wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of
Israel.

13:4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the
son of Zaccur.

13:5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.

13:6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

13:7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.

13:8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.

13:9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.

13:10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.

13:11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi
the son of Susi.

13:12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.

13:13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.

13:14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.

13:15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.

13:16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the
land.

And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.

13:17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto
them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain:
13:18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth
therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 13:19 And what
the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what
cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong
holds; 13:20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether
there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of
the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe
grapes.

13:21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of
Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.

13:22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where
Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron
was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.)  13:23 And they came unto
the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one
cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they
brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.

13:24 The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of
grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.

13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.

13:26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the
congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran,
to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the
congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.

13:27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou
sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the
fruit of it.

13:28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and
the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the
children of Anak there.

13:29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites,
and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the
Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go
up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.

13:31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up
against the people; for they are stronger than we.

13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had
searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which
we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants
thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great
stature.

13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the
giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were
in their sight.

14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and
the people wept that night.

14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against
Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we
had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this
wilderness!  14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this
land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be
a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?  14:4 And they
said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into
Egypt.

14:5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly
of the congregation of the children of Israel.

14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which
were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 14:7 And they
spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The
land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.

14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land,
and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of
the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from
them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.

14:10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the
glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation
before all the children of Israel.

14:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke
me?  and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs
which I have shewed among them?  14:12 I will smite them with the
pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater
nation and mightier than they.

14:13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it,
(for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14:14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they
have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art
seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that
thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a
pillar of fire by night.

14:15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the
nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 14:16
Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which
he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.

14:17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my LORD be great,
according as thou hast spoken, saying, 14:18 The LORD is
longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and
transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth
generation.

14:19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according
unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this
people, from Egypt even until now.

14:20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 14:21
But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory
of the LORD.

14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles,
which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now
these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 14:23 Surely they
shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall
any of them that provoked me see it: 14:24 But my servant Caleb,
because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully,
him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall
possess it.

14:25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.)
Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the
Red sea.

14:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 14:27 How
long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against
me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they
murmur against me.

14:28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have
spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 14:29 Your carcases shall
fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according
to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have
murmured against me.

14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I
sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and
Joshua the son of Nun.

14:31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will
I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.

14:32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this
wilderness.

14:33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years,
and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the
wilderness.

14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even
forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even
forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

14:35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil
congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this
wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.

14:36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned,
and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a
slander upon the land, 14:37 Even those men that did bring up the evil
report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.

14:38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which
were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.

14:39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel:
and the people mourned greatly.

14:40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the
top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the
place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.

14:41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment
of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.

14:42 Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten
before your enemies.

14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and
ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD,
therefore the LORD will not be with you.

14:44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the
ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the
camp.

14:45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in
that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.

15:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land
of your habitations, which I give unto you, 15:3 And will make an
offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in
performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts,
to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd or of the flock:
15:4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a
meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of
an hin of oil.

15:5 And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt
thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.

15:6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth
deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.

15:7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an
hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

15:8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a
sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD: 15:9
Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth
deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.

15:10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine,
for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

15:11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a
lamb, or a kid.

15:12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to
every one according to their number.

15:13 All that are born of the country shall do these things after
this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour
unto the LORD.

15:14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in
your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet
savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.

15:15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and
also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever
in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the
LORD.

15:16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger
that sojourneth with you.

15:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15:18 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land
whither I bring you, 15:19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the
bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.

15:20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave
offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall
ye heave it.

15:21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave
offering in your generations.

15:22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments,
which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, 15:23 Even all that the LORD
hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD
commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; 15:24 Then
it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge
of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young
bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with
his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner,
and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.

15:25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation
of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is
ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by
fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their
ignorance: 15:26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the
children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them;
seeing all the people were in ignorance.

15:27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she
goat of the first year for a sin offering.

15:28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth
ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an
atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.

15:29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance,
both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the
stranger that sojourneth among them.

15:30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born
in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that
soul shall be cut off from among his people.

15:31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken
his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity
shall be upon him.

15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they
found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses
and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.

15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what
should be done to him.

15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to
death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the
camp.

15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and
stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.

15:37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15:38 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the
borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they
put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: 15:39 And it
shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember
all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not
after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a
whoring: 15:40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and
be holy unto your God.

15:41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of
Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi,
and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth,
sons of Reuben, took men: 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with
certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of
the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 16:3 And they
gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said
unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are
holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then
lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?  16:4 And
when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 16:5 And he spake unto
Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will
shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near
unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto
him.

16:6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 16:7 And
put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow:
and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be
holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.

16:8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi:
16:9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel
hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near
to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to
stand before the congregation to minister unto them?  16:10 And he
hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi
with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also?  16:11 For which cause
both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD:
and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him?  16:12 And Moses sent
to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not
come up: 16:13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of
a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness,
except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?  16:14 Moreover
thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey,
or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the
eyes of these men? we will not come up.

16:15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not
thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have
I hurt one of them.

16:16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before
the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: 16:17 And take every
man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD
every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and
Aaron, each of you his censer.

16:18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and
laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the
congregation with Moses and Aaron.

16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the
door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD
appeared unto all the congregation.

16:20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 16:21
Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume
them in a moment.

16:22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the
spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with
all the congregation?  16:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
16:24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the
tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.

16:25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the
elders of Israel followed him.

16:26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you,
from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest
ye be consumed in all their sins.

16:27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,
on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door
of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little
children.

16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me
to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.

16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be
visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent
me.

16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth,
and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go
down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have
provoked the LORD.

16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these
words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 16:32 And
the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses,
and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.

16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the
pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the
congregation.

16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of
them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

16:35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two
hundred and fifty men that offered incense.

16:36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:37 Speak unto Eleazar
the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the
burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.

16:38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them
make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered
them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a
sign unto the children of Israel.

16:39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they
that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a
covering of the altar: 16:40 To be a memorial unto the children of
Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near
to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his
company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.

16:41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel
murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the
people of the LORD.

16:42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against
Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the
congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the
LORD appeared.

16:43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the
congregation.

16:44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:45 Get you up from
among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And
they fell upon their faces.

16:46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein
from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the
congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone
out from the LORD; the plague is begun.

16:47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the
congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and
he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.

16:48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was
stayed.

16:49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and
seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.

16:50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation: and the plague was stayed.

17:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17:2 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to
the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the
house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon
his rod.

17:3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one
rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.

17:4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation
before the testimony, where I will meet with you.

17:5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall
choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings
of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.

17:6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of
their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to
their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was
among their rods.

17:7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of
witness.

17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the
tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of
Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and
yielded almonds.

17:9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all
the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.

17:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the
testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt
quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.

17:11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.

17:12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we
die, we perish, we all perish.

17:13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD
shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?  18:1 And the LORD said
unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall
bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee
shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.

18:2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy
father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and
minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister
before the tabernacle of witness.

18:3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the
tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary
and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.

18:4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the
tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle:
and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.

18:5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of
the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of
Israel.

18:6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among
the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD,
to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

18:7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's
office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall
serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of
gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.

18:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the
charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the
children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the
anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.

18:9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the
fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and
every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs
which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for
thy sons.

18:10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat
it: it shall be holy unto thee.

18:11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all
the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto
thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for
ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.

18:12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of
the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the
LORD, them have I given thee.

18:13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring
unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house
shall eat of it.

18:14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.

18:15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they
bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine:
nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the
firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.

18:16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou
redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels,
after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.

18:17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the
firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt
sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an
offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

18:18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as
the right shoulder are thine.

18:19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children
of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy
daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt
for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.

18:20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in
their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part
and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.

18:21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in
Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even
the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.

18:22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the
tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.

18:23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the
congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a
statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children
of Israel they have no inheritance.

18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an
heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit:
therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they
shall have no inheritance.

18:25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18:26 Thus speak unto the
Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the
tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye
shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part
of the tithe.

18:27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as
though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of
the winepress.

18:28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all
your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall
give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.

18:29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the
LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of
it.

18:30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best
thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the
increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.

18:31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for
it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the
congregation.

18:32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved
from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of
the children of Israel, lest ye die.

19:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 19:2 This
is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying,
Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer
without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke:
19:3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring
her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face:
19:4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger,
and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the
congregation seven times: 19:5 And one shall burn the heifer in his
sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he
burn: 19:6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and
scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

19:7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his
flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the
priest shall be unclean until the even.

19:8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and
bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.

19:9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer,
and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be
kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of
separation: it is a purification for sin.

19:10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his
clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the
children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them,
for a statute for ever.

19:11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven
days.

19:12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the
seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third
day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.

19:13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and
purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that
soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was
not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet
upon him.

19:14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into
the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.

19:15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is
unclean.

19:16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the
open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be
unclean seven days.

19:17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the
burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put
thereto in a vessel: 19:18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and
dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the
vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that
touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: 19:19 And the
clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on
the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and
wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at
even.

19:20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself,
that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he
hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath
not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.

19:21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that
sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that
toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.

19:22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and
the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.

20:1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation,
into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in
Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.

20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered
themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.

20:3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God
that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD!  20:4 And why
have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness,
that we and our cattle should die there?  20:5 And wherefore have ye
made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place?
it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates;
neither is there any water to drink.

20:6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto
the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon
their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.

20:7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20:8 Take the rod, and
gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and
speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his
water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so
thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.

20:9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before
the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch
you water out of this rock?  20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and
with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out
abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.

20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me
not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore
ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given
them.

20:13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel
strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.

20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom,
Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath
befallen us: 20:15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have
dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our
fathers: 20:16 And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice,
and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and,
behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: 20:17
Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass
through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of
the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not
turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy
borders.

20:18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come
out against thee with the sword.

20:19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high
way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for
it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.

20:20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out
against him with much people, and with a strong hand.

20:21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border:
wherefore Israel turned away from him.

20:22 And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation,
journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.

20:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the
coast of the land of Edom, saying, 20:24 Aaron shall be gathered unto
his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given
unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at
the water of Meribah.

20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount
Hor: 20:26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar
his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die
there.

20:27 And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount
Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

20:28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon
Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and
Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.

20:29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they
mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

21:1 And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard
tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against
Israel, and took some of them prisoners.

21:2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt
indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy
their cities.

21:3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up
the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and
he called the name of the place Hormah.

21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to
compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much
discouraged because of the way.

21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore
have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there
is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this
light bread.

21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit
the people; and much people of Israel died.

21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for
we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD,
that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the
people.

21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set
it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is
bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it
came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the
serpent of brass, he lived.

21:10 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.

21:11 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the
wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.

21:12 From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.

21:13 From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of
Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the
Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the
Amorites.

21:14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What
he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, 21:15 And at the
stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth
upon the border of Moab.

21:16 And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the
LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give
them water.

21:17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it:
21:18 The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it,
by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the
wilderness they went to Mattanah: 21:19 And from Mattanah to Nahaliel:
and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: 21:20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that
is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward
Jeshimon.

21:21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites,
saying, 21:22 Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the
fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the
well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past
thy borders.

21:23 And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border:
but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against
Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against
Israel.

21:24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed
his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for
the border of the children of Ammon was strong.

21:25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the
cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.

21:26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who
had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out
of his hand, even unto Arnon.

21:27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon,
let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: 21:28 For there is a fire
gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed
Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.

21:29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath
given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto
Sihon king of the Amorites.

21:30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and
we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.

21:31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.

21:32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages
thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.

21:33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the
king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the
battle at Edrei.

21:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered
him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do
to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at
Heshbon.

21:35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there
was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.

22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains
of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

22:2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the
Amorites.

22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many:
and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company
lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of
the field.

And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

22:5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to
Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his
people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from
Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over
against me: 22:6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this
people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail,
that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for
I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest
is cursed.

22:7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the
rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and
spake unto him the words of Balak.

22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring
you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of
Moab abode with Balaam.

22:9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?
22:10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab,
hath sent unto me, saying, 22:11 Behold, there is a people come out of
Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them;
peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

22:12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou
shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

22:13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of
Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave
to go with you.

22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and
said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than
they.

22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the
son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto
me: 22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will
do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse
me this people.

22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If
Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go
beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I
may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men
come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I
shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went
with the princes of Moab.

22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of
the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was
riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and
his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way,
and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into
the way.

22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a
wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself
unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he
smote her again.

22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow
place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the
left.

22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under
Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a
staff.

22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto
Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these
three times?  22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast
mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I
kill thee.

22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which
thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont
to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of
the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he
bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou
smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand
thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 22:33 And the ass saw me,
and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me,
surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

22:34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I
knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if
it displease thee, I will get me back again.

22:35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but
only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So
Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

22:36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet
him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in
the utmost coast.

22:37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee
to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed
to promote thee to honour?  22:38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am
come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word
that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.

22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.

22:40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the
princes that were with him.

22:41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and
brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see
the utmost part of the people.

23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and
prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.

23:2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered
on every altar a bullock and a ram.

23:3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I
will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he
sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.

23:4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven
altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.

23:5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto
Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.

23:6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt
sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.

23:7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath
brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come,
curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

23:8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy,
whom the LORD hath not defied?  23:9 For from the top of the rocks I
see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell
alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.

23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth
part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last
end be like his!  23:11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou
done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou
hast blessed them altogether.

23:12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that
which the LORD hath put in my mouth?  23:13 And Balak said unto him,
Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest
see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not
see them all: and curse me them from thence.

23:14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of
Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on
every altar.

23:15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while
I meet the LORD yonder.

23:16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said,
Go again unto Balak, and say thus.

23:17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering,
and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath
the LORD spoken?  23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up,
Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: 23:19 God is not
a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should
repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and
shall he not make it good?  23:20 Behold, I have received commandment
to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen
perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of
a king is among them.

23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength
of an unicorn.

23:23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there
any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said
of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!  23:24 Behold, the
people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young
lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the
blood of the slain.

23:25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless
them at all.

23:26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee,
saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?  23:27 And Balak
said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another
place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them
from thence.

23:28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh
toward Jeshimon.

23:29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and
prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.

23:30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a
ram on every altar.

24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he
went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his
face toward the wilderness.

24:2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his
tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

24:3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath
said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 24:4 He hath said,
which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty,
falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 24:5 How goodly are
thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!  24:6 As the
valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the
trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees
beside the waters.

24:7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be
in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his
kingdom shall be exalted.

24:8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the
strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and
shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

24:9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall
stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that
curseth thee.

24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his
hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse
mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these
three times.

24:11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee
unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.

24:12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers
which thou sentest unto me, saying, 24:13 If Balak would give me his
house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of
the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD
saith, that will I speak?  24:14 And now, behold, I go unto my people:
come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to
thy people in the latter days.

24:15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor
hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 24:16 He hath
said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most
High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but
having his eyes open: 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall
behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a
Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab,
and destroy all the children of Sheth.

24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession
for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

24:19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall
destroy him that remaineth of the city.

24:20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said,
Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that
he perish for ever.

24:21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said,
Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.

24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall
carry thee away captive.

24:23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when
God doeth this!  24:24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim,
and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall
perish for ever.

24:25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and
Balak also went his way.

25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit
whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and
the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the
LORD was kindled against Israel.

25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people,
and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce
anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.

25:5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his
men that were joined unto Baalpeor.

25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto
his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the
sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were
weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the
priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a
javelin in his hand; 25:8 And he went after the man of Israel into the
tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the
woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of
Israel.

25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.

25:10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25:11 Phinehas, the son
of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away
from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among
them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.

25:12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace:
25:13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant
of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and
made an atonement for the children of Israel.

25:14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was
slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince
of a chief house among the Simeonites.

25:15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi,
the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house
in Midian.

25:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25:17 Vex the Midianites,
and smite them: 25:18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith
they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of
Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was
slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.

26:1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto
Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 26:2 Take
the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty
years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are
able to go to war in Israel.

26:3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of
Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 26:4 Take the sum of the people,
from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the
children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.

26:5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch,
of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of
the Palluites: 26:6 Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi,
the family of the Carmites.

26:7 These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were
numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and
thirty.

26:8 And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.

26:9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is
that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who
strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when
they strove against the LORD: 26:10 And the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died,
what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became
a sign.

26:11 Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.

26:12 The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family
of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin,
the family of the Jachinites: 26:13 Of Zerah, the family of the
Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.

26:14 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two
thousand and two hundred.

26:15 The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family
of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the
family of the Shunites: 26:16 Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of
Eri, the family of the Erites: 26:17 Of Arod, the family of the
Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.

26:18 These are the families of the children of Gad according to those
that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.

26:19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the
land of Canaan.

26:20 And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the
family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of
Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.

26:21 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the
Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.

26:22 These are the families of Judah according to those that were
numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.

26:23 Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the
family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites: 26:24 Of
Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the
Shimronites.

26:25 These are the families of Issachar according to those that were
numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.

26:26 Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the
family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of
Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.

26:27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those
that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.

26:28 The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and
Ephraim.

26:29 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the
Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the
Gileadites.

26:30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the
Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites: 26:31 And of
Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of
the Shechemites: 26:32 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites:
and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.

26:33 And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and
the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah,
Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.

26:34 These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered
of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.

26:35 These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of
Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of
the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.

26:36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the
Eranites.

26:37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those
that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred.
These are the sons of Joseph after their families.

26:38 The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family
of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram,
the family of the Ahiramites: 26:39 Of Shupham, the family of the
Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.

26:40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of
the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.

26:41 These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they
that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six
hundred.

26:42 These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the
family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their
families.

26:43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were
numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.

26:44 Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the
family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of
Beriah, the family of the Beriites.

26:45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of
Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.

26:46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.

26:47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those
that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four
hundred.

26:48 Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the
family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites: 26:49
Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the
Shillemites.

26:50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families:
and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and
four hundred.

26:51 These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred
thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.

26:52 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26:53 Unto these the land
shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.

26:54 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou
shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be
given according to those that were numbered of him.

26:55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to
the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.

26:56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided
between many and few.

26:57 And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their
families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the
family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.

26:58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the
Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites,
the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath
begat Amram.

26:59 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi,
whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron
and Moses, and Miriam their sister.

26:60 And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

26:61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before
the LORD.

26:62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three
thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not
numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no
inheritance given them among the children of Israel.

26:63 These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the
priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by
Jordan near Jericho.

26:64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron
the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the
wilderness of Sinai.

26:65 For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the
wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son
of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

27:1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son
of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of
Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters;
Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.

27:2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and
before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the
tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 27:3 Our father died in the
wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered
themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died
in his own sin, and had no sons.

27:4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his
family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession
among the brethren of our father.

27:5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.

27:6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27:7 The daughters of
Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an
inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the
inheritance of their father to pass unto them.

27:8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a
man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass
unto his daughter.

27:9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance
unto his brethren.

27:10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance
unto his father's brethren.

27:11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his
inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he
shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a
statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.

27:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount
Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of
Israel.

27:13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy
people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.

27:14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in
the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before
their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness
of Zin.

27:15 And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, 27:16 Let the LORD, the
God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation,
27:17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them,
and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the
congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.

27:18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a
man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 27:19 And set
him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and
give him a charge in their sight.

27:20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the
congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.

27:21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask
counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his
word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he,
and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.

27:22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and
set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation:
27:23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the
LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

28:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 28:2 Command the children
of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my
sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe
to offer unto me in their due season.

28:3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire
which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year
without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.

28:4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb
shalt thou offer at even; 28:5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour
for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten
oil.

28:6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount
Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

28:7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin
for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine
to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering.

28:8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering
of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer
it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

28:9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot,
and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil,
and the drink offering thereof: 28:10 This is the burnt offering of
every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink
offering.

28:11 And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt
offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs
of the first year without spot; 28:12 And three tenth deals of flour
for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth
deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram;
28:13 And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat
offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a
sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

28:14 And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a
bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of
an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month
throughout the months of the year.

28:15 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall
be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink
offering.

28:16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of
the LORD.

28:17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days
shall unleavened bread be eaten.

28:18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no
manner of servile work therein: 28:19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice
made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks,
and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you
without blemish: 28:20 And their meat offering shall be of flour
mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and
two tenth deals for a ram; 28:21 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer
for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 28:22 And one goat for a
sin offering, to make an atonement for you.

28:23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning,
which is for a continual burnt offering.

28:24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven
days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto
the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and
his drink offering.

28:25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye
shall do no servile work.

28:26 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat
offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy
convocation; ye shall do no servile work: 28:27 But ye shall offer the
burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks,
one ram, seven lambs of the first year; 28:28 And their meat offering
of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two
tenth deals unto one ram, 28:29 A several tenth deal unto one lamb,
throughout the seven lambs; 28:30 And one kid of the goats, to make an
atonement for you.

28:31 Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his
meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their
drink offerings.

29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall
have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of
blowing the trumpets unto you.

29:2 And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the
LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year
without blemish: 29:3 And their meat offering shall be of flour
mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals
for a ram, 29:4 And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven
lambs: 29:5 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an
atonement for you: 29:6 Beside the burnt offering of the month, and
his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat
offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for
a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.

29:7 And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy
convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work
therein: 29:8 But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a
sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first
year; they shall be unto you without blemish: 29:9 And their meat
offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a
bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram, 29:10 A several tenth deal
for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 29:11 One kid of the goats
for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the
continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink
offerings.

29:12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an
holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a
feast unto the LORD seven days: 29:13 And ye shall offer a burnt
offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD;
thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first
year; they shall be without blemish: 29:14 And their meat offering
shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every
bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the
two rams, 29:15 And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen
lambs: 29:16 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the
continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:17 And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two
rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 29:18 And their
meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the
rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the
manner: 29:19 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the
continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their
drink offerings.

29:20 And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs
of the first year without blemish; 29:21 And their meat offering and
their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:22 And
one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and
his meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:23 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs
of the first year without blemish: 29:24 Their meat offering and their
drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs,
shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:25 And one
kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt
offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:26 And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs
of the first year without spot: 29:27 And their meat offering and
their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:28 And
one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and
his meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:29 And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen
lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:30 And their meat offering
and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:31 And
one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his
meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:32 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen
lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:33 And their meat offering
and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the
lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:34 And
one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his
meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:35 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do
no servile work therein: 29:36 But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a
sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock,
one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:37 Their
meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram,
and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the
manner: 29:38 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual
burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.

29:39 These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts,
beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt
offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings,
and for your peace offerings.

29:40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the
LORD commanded Moses.

30:1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the
children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath
commanded.

30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his
soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according
to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

30:3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a
bond, being in her father's house in her youth; 30:4 And her father
hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her
father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and
every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.

30:5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not
any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul,
shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father
disallowed her.

30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered
ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; 30:7 And her
husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard
it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her
soul shall stand.

30:8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it;
then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered
with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the
LORD shall forgive her.

30:9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith
they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.

30:10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a
bond with an oath; 30:11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace
at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and
every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.

30:12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he
heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her
vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband
hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.

30:13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her
husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.

30:14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to
day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are
upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the
day that he heard them.

30:15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard
them; then he shall bear her iniquity.

30:16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between
a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in
her youth in her father's house.

31:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:2 Avenge the children
of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy
people.

31:3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves
unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the
LORD of Midian.

31:4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel,
shall ye send to the war.

31:5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a
thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.

31:6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them
and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy
instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.

31:7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded
Moses; and they slew all the males.

31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that
were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five
kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

31:9 And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives,
and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all
their flocks, and all their goods.

31:10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all
their goodly castles, with fire.

31:11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and
of beasts.

31:12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto
Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the
children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by
Jordan near Jericho.

31:13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the
congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.

31:14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the
captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from
the battle.

31:15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?
31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel
of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor,
and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.

31:17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill
every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

31:18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying
with him, keep alive for yourselves.

31:19 And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath
killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both
yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.

31:20 And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and
all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.

31:21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to
the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded
Moses; 31:22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the
tin, and the lead, 31:23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall
make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it
shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth
not the fire ye shall make go through the water.

31:24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall
be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.

31:25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:26 Take the sum of the
prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the
priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation: 31:27 And divide
the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who
went out to battle, and between all the congregation: 31:28 And levy a
tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one
soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of
the asses, and of the sheep: 31:29 Take it of their half, and give it
unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.

31:30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one
portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of
the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites,
which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.

31:31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded
Moses.

31:32 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war
had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five
thousand sheep, 31:33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, 31:34
And threescore and one thousand asses, 31:35 And thirty and two
thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with
him.

31:36 And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to
war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty
thousand and five hundred sheep: 31:37 And the LORD's tribute of the
sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.

31:38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD's
tribute was threescore and twelve.

31:39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which
the LORD's tribute was threescore and one.

31:40 And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the LORD's
tribute was thirty and two persons.

31:41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD's heave offering,
unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.

31:42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from
the men that warred, 31:43 (Now the half that pertained unto the
congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven
thousand and five hundred sheep, 31:44 And thirty and six thousand
beeves, 31:45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred, 31:46 And
sixteen thousand persons;) 31:47 Even of the children of Israel's
half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and
gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of
the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.

31:48 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the
captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses:
31:49 And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the
men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man
of us.

31:50 We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every
man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings,
earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the
LORD.

31:51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all
wrought jewels.

31:52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the
LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds,
was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.

31:53 (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.)
31:54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains
of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of
the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the
LORD.

32:1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very
great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and
the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle;
32:2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake
unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the
congregation, saying, 32:3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah,
and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 32:4 Even
the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is
a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle: 32:5 Wherefore, said
they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto
thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

32:6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of
Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here?  32:7
And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from
going over into the land which the LORD hath given them?  32:8 Thus
did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.

32:9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the
land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they
should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.

32:10 And the LORD's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware,
saying, 32:11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from
twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly
followed me: 32:12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and
Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.

32:13 And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made
them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation,
that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

32:14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase
of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward
Israel.

32:15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them
in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

32:16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds
here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: 32:17 But we
ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we
have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in
the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.

32:18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel
have inherited every man his inheritance.

32:19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or
forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan
eastward.

32:20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will
go armed before the LORD to war, 32:21 And will go all of you armed
over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from
before him, 32:22 And the land be subdued before the LORD: then
afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and
before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.

32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the
LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

32:24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep;
and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.

32:25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto
Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.

32:26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle,
shall be there in the cities of Gilead: 32:27 But thy servants will
pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my
lord saith.

32:28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and
Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the
children of Israel: 32:29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of
Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every
man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued
before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a
possession: 32:30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they
shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.

32:31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered,
saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.

32:32 We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan,
that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be
ours.

32:33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to
the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of
Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of
Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts,
even the cities of the country round about.

32:34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer,
32:35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah, 32:36 And
Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.

32:37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and
Kirjathaim, 32:38 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,)
and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.

32:39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead,
and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.

32:40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he
dwelt therein.

32:41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns
thereof, and called them Havothjair.

32:42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and
called it Nobah, after his own name.

33:1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went
forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of
Moses and Aaron.

33:2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by
the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to
their goings out.

33:3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the
fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the
children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the
Egyptians.

33:4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had
smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.

33:5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in
Succoth.

33:6 And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in
the edge of the wilderness.

33:7 And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth,
which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol.

33:8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the
midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in
the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.

33:9 And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were
twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they
pitched there.

33:10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea.

33:11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the
wilderness of Sin.

33:12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and
encamped in Dophkah.

33:13 And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.

33:14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was
no water for the people to drink.

33:15 And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness
of Sinai.

33:16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at
Kibrothhattaavah.

33:17 And they departed from Kibrothhattaavah, and encamped at
Hazeroth.

33:18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.

33:19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmonparez.

33:20 And they departed from Rimmonparez, and pitched in Libnah.

33:21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah.

33:22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah.

33:23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher.

33:24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.

33:25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.

33:26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath.

33:27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah.

33:28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.

33:29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.

33:30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth.

33:31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Benejaakan.

33:32 And they removed from Benejaakan, and encamped at Horhagidgad.

33:33 And they went from Horhagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.

33:34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah.

33:35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Eziongaber.

33:36 And they removed from Eziongaber, and pitched in the wilderness
of Zin, which is Kadesh.

33:37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the
edge of the land of Edom.

33:38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment
of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children
of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the
fifth month.

33:39 And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he
died in mount Hor.

33:40 And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the
land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.

33:41 And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.

33:42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.

33:43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth.

33:44 And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the
border of Moab.

33:45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibongad.

33:46 And they removed from Dibongad, and encamped in Almondiblathaim.

33:47 And they removed from Almondiblathaim, and pitched in the
mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.

33:48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in
the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.

33:49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Bethjesimoth even unto
Abelshittim in the plains of Moab.

33:50 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan
near Jericho, saying, 33:51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say
unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from
before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their
molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: 33:53 And
ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein:
for I have given you the land to possess it.

33:54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among
your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and
to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's
inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to
the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.

33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from
before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain
of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and
shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

33:56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I
thought to do unto them.

34:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34:2 Command the children
of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan;
(this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even
the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) 34:3 Then your south
quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of
Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea
eastward: 34:4 And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent
of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be
from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and
pass on to Azmon: 34:5 And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon
unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.

34:6 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea
for a border: this shall be your west border.

34:7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall
point out for you mount Hor: 34:8 From mount Hor ye shall point out
your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the
border shall be to Zedad: 34:9 And the border shall go on to Ziphron,
and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your
north border.

34:10 And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to
Shepham: 34:11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on
the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach
unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: 34:12 And the border
shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt
sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

34:13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the
land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give
unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: 34:14 For the tribe of
the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and
the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their
fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of
Manasseh have received their inheritance: 34:15 The two tribes and the
half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near
Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.

34:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34:17 These are the names
of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest,
and Joshua the son of Nun.

34:18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land
by inheritance.

34:19 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb
the son of Jephunneh.

34:20 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of
Ammihud.

34:21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.

34:22 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the
son of Jogli.

34:23 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the
children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.

34:24 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel
the son of Shiphtan.

34:25 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun,
Elizaphan the son of Parnach.

34:26 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel
the son of Azzan.

34:27 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the
son of Shelomi.

34:28 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel
the son of Ammihud.

34:29 These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance
unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

35:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan
near Jericho, saying, 35:2 Command the children of Israel, that they
give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to
dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the
cities round about them.

35:3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of
them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their
beasts.

35:4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the
Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand
cubits round about.

35:5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two
thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the
west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand
cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the
suburbs of the cities.

35:6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there
shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the
manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty
and two cities.

35:7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be
forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.

35:8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of
the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many;
but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of
his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he
inheriteth.

35:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 35:10 Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan
into the land of Canaan; 35:11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be
cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which
killeth any person at unawares.

35:12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger;
that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in
judgment.

35:13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have
for refuge.

35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities
shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.

35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of
Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that
every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

35:16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die,
he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.

35:17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die,
and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to
death.

35:18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may
die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to
death.

35:19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he
meeteth him, he shall slay him.

35:20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of
wait, that he die; 35:21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he
die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a
murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he
meeteth him.

35:22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon
him any thing without laying of wait, 35:23 Or with any stone,
wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he
die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: 35:24 Then the
congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood
according to these judgments: 35:25 And the congregation shall deliver
the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the
congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he
was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest,
which was anointed with the holy oil.

35:26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of
the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 35:27 And the revenger of
blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the
revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood:
35:28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until
the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest
the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.

35:29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you
throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

35:30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by
the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any
person to cause him to die.

35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a
murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to
death.

35:32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the
city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land,
until the death of the priest.

35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it
defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that
is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

35:34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I
dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.

36:1 And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead,
the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of
Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the
chief fathers of the children of Israel: 36:2 And they said, The LORD
commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the
children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the
inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.

36:3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of
the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the
inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the
tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot
of our inheritance.

36:4 And when the jubile of the children of Israel shall be, then
shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe
whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away
from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.

36:5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word
of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.

36:6 This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the
daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think
best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they
marry.

36:7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove
from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall
keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.

36:8 And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe
of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the
tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man
the inheritance of his fathers.

36:9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another
tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall
keep himself to his own inheritance.

36:10 Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of
Zelophehad: 36:11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and
Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's
brothers' sons: 36:12 And they were married into the families of the
sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in
the tribe of the family of their father.

36:13 These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD
commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the
plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.




The Fifth Book of Moses:  Called Deuteronomy


1:1 These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side
Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea,
between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

1:2 (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount
Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)  1:3 And it came to pass in the fortieth
year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses
spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD
had given him in commandment unto them; 1:4 After he had slain Sihon
the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of
Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: 1:5 On this side Jordan, in
the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, 1:6 The
LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough
in this mount: 1:7 Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the
mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the
plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea
side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great
river, the river Euphrates.

1:8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land
which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to
give unto them and to their seed after them.

1:9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear
you myself alone: 1:10 The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and,
behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

1:11 (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many
more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)  1:12 How can
I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?
1:13 Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your
tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

1:14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is
good for us to do.

1:15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made
them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over
hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and
officers among your tribes.

1:16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes
between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his
brother, and the stranger that is with him.

1:17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the
small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man;
for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you,
bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

1:18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should
do.

1:19 And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great
and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of
the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to
Kadeshbarnea.

1:20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the
Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.

1:21 Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and
possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear
not, neither be discouraged.

1:22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send
men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us
word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall
come.

1:23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one
of a tribe: 1:24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and
came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.

1:25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and
brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a
good land which the LORD our God doth give us.

1:26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the
commandment of the LORD your God: 1:27 And ye murmured in your tents,
and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of
the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to
destroy us.

1:28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart,
saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great
and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the
Anakims there.

1:29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.

1:30 The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you,
according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 1:31
And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God
bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went,
until ye came into this place.

1:32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, 1:33 Who
went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your
tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and
in a cloud by day.

1:34 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and
sware, saying, 1:35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this
evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your
fathers.

1:36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will
I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children,
because he hath wholly followed the LORD.

1:37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also
shalt not go in thither.

1:38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall
go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.

1:39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and
your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and
evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they
shall possess it.

1:40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the
wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

1:41 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the
LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God
commanded us.

And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready
to go up into the hill.

1:42 And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them. Go not up, neither
fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.

1:43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against
the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill.

1:44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against
you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto
Hormah.

1:45 And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not
hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.

1:46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye
abode there.

2:1 Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the
way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount
Seir many days.

2:2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying, 2:3 Ye have compassed this
mountain long enough: turn you northward.

2:4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the
coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and
they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves
therefore: 2:5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their
land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount
Seir unto Esau for a possession.

2:6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall
also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.

2:7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy
hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these
forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked
nothing.

2:8 And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau,
which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from
Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.

2:9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither
contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land
for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for
a possession.

2:10 The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many,
and tall, as the Anakims; 2:11 Which also were accounted giants, as
the Anakims; but the Moabites called them Emims.

2:12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of
Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them,
and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his
possession, which the LORD gave unto them.

2:13 Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we
went over the brook Zered.

2:14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were
come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the
generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as
the LORD sware unto them.

2:15 For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them
from among the host, until they were consumed.

2:16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and
dead from among the people, 2:17 That the LORD spake unto me, saying,
2:18 Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day:
2:19 And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon,
distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of
the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given
it unto the children of Lot for a possession.

2:20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein
in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 2:21 A people
great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them
before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: 2:22
As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he
destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and
dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 2:23 And the Avims which
dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth
out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.)  2:24 Rise
ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I
have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his
land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

2:25 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of
thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear
report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.

2:26 And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto
Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 2:27 Let me pass
through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn
unto the right hand nor to the left.

2:28 Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me
water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my
feet; 2:29 (As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the
Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over
Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.

2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the
LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that
he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.

2:31 And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and
his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his
land.

2:32 Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight
at Jahaz.

2:33 And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him,
and his sons, and all his people.

2:34 And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed
the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left
none to remain: 2:35 Only the cattle we took for a prey unto
ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.

2:36 From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from
the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one
city too strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us: 2:37
Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto
any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains,
nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.

3:1 Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of
Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.

3:2 And the LORD said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him,
and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do
unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at
Heshbon.

3:3 So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of
Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to
him remaining.

3:4 And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city
which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of
Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.

3:5 All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars;
beside unwalled towns a great many.

3:6 And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of
Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every
city.

3:7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a
prey to ourselves.

3:8 And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the
Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of
Arnon unto mount Hermon; 3:9 (Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion;
and the Amorites call it Shenir;) 3:10 All the cities of the plain,
and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the
kingdom of Og in Bashan.

3:11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants;
behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of
the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four
cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.

3:12 And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which
is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof,
gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites.

3:13 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og,
gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with
all Bashan, which was called the land of giants.

3:14 Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the
coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name,
Bashanhavothjair, unto this day.

3:15 And I gave Gilead unto Machir.

3:16 And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead
even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto
the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 3:17
The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth
even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah
eastward.

3:18 And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath
given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before
your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.

3:19 But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I
know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I
have given you; 3:20 Until the LORD have given rest unto your
brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land
which the LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall
ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.

3:21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen
all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall
the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest.

3:22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for
you.

3:23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, 3:24 O Lord GOD,
thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty
hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do
according to thy works, and according to thy might?  3:25 I pray thee,
let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that
goodly mountain, and Lebanon.

3:26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear
me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto
me of this matter.

3:27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes
westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it
with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

3:28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he
shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit
the land which thou shalt see.

3:29 So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.

4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the
judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go
in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.

4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall
ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the
LORD your God which I command you.

4:3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all
the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them
from among you.

4:4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one
of you this day.

4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD
my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to
possess it.

4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your
understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these
statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and
understanding people.

4:7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them,
as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for?  4:8
And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so
righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?  4:9 Only
take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget
the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy
heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons'
sons; 4:10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy
God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people
together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to
fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that
they may teach their children.

4:11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain
burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and
thick darkness.

4:12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye
heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a
voice.

4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to
perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of
stone.

4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and
judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to
possess it.

4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner
of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of
the midst of the fire: 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a
graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or
female, 4:17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the
likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 4:18 The likeness
of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish
that is in the waters beneath the earth: 4:19 And lest thou lift up
thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and
the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship
them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all
nations under the whole heaven.

4:20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the
iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of
inheritance, as ye are this day.

4:21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware
that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto
that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance:
4:22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye
shall go over, and possess that good land.

4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the
LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or
the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.

4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.

4:25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye
shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves,
and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do
evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: 4:26 I
call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall
soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to
possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly
be destroyed.

4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be
left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.

4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and
stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.

4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt
find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon
thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and
shalt be obedient unto his voice; 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a
merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor
forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.

4:32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee,
since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the
one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such
thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?  4:33 Did
ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the
fire, as thou hast heard, and live?  4:34 Or hath God assayed to go
and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by
temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty
hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to
all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes?
4:35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he
is God; there is none else beside him.

4:36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might
instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou
heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.

4:37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed
after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power
out of Egypt; 4:38 To drive out nations from before thee greater and
mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for
an inheritance, as it is this day.

4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the
LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is
none else.

4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments,
which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with
thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon
the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.

4:41 Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the
sunrising; 4:42 That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill
his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that
fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 4:43 Namely, Bezer in
the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in
Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.

4:44 And this is the law which Moses set before the children of
Israel: 4:45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the
judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they
came forth out of Egypt.

4:46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the
land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses
and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of
Egypt: 4:47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of
Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan
toward the sunrising; 4:48 From Aroer, which is by the bank of the
river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon, 4:49 And all the
plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain,
under the springs of Pisgah.

5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel,
the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that
ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.

5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us,
even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

5:4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the
midst of the fire, 5:5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time,
to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the
fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying, 5:6 I am the LORD thy
God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of
bondage.

5:7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.

5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any
thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or
that is in the waters beneath the earth: 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down
thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the
third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 5:10 And shewing
mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the
LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath
commanded thee.

5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 5:14 But the
seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not
do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant,
nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy
cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant
and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.

5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and
that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand
and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee
to keep the sabbath day.

5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath
commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go
well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

5:17 Thou shalt not kill.

5:18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.

5:19 Neither shalt thou steal.

5:20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.

5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt
thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his
maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.

5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount
out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness,
with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two
tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.

5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of
the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near
unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 5:24 And
ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his
greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire:
we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.

5:25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume
us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall
die.

5:26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the
living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and
lived?  5:27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall
say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto
thee; and we will hear it, and do it.

5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto
me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of
this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all
that they have spoken.

5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me,
and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them,
and with their children for ever!  5:30 Go say to them, Get you into
your tents again.

5:31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto
thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which
thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give
them to possess it.

5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath
commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the
left.

5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath
commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and
that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.

6:1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments,
which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them
in the land whither ye go to possess it: 6:2 That thou mightest fear
the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which
I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of
thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be
well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of
thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and
honey.

6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 6:5 And thou shalt
love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy might.

6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine
heart: 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and
shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou
walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they
shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy
gates.

6:10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee
into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou
buildedst not, 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou
filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and
olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and
be full; 6:12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought
thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

6:13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear
by his name.

6:14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which
are round about you; 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among
you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and
destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in
Massah.

6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God,
and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.

6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of
the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in
and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers.

6:19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath
spoken.

6:20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean
the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD
our God hath commanded you?  6:21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We
were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt
with a mighty hand: 6:22 And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great
and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before
our eyes: 6:23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring
us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.

6:24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the
LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as
it is at this day.

6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these
commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou
goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the
Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites,
and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations
greater and mightier than thou; 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall
deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy
them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou
shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy
son.

7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may
serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against
you, and destroy thee suddenly.

7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars,
and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their
graven images with fire.

7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy
God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all
people that are upon the face of the earth.

7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye
were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all
people: 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep
the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought
you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of
bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God,
which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his
commandments to a thousand generations; 7:10 And repayeth them that
hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him
that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.

7:11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and
the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

7:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these
judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep
unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
7:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will
also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn,
and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks
of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give
thee.

7:14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male
or female barren among you, or among your cattle.

7:15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put
none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but
will lay them upon all them that hate thee.

7:16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God
shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither
shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.

7:17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I;
how can I dispossess them?  7:18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but
shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto
all Egypt; 7:19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the
signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out
arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy
God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.

7:20 Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until
they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.

7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is
among you, a mighty God and terrible.

7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by
little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the
beasts of the field increase upon thee.

7:23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall
destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.

7:24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt
destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to
stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.

7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou
shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto
thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the LORD
thy God.

7:26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest
thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and
thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

8:1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye
observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess
the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.

8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led
thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove
thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his
commandments, or no.

8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee
with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that
he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell,
these forty years.

8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth
his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to
walk in his ways, and to fear him.

8:7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of
brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys
and hills; 8:8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees,
and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 8:9 A land wherein
thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing
in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou
mayest dig brass.

8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD
thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.

8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his
commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command
thee this day: 8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast
built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 8:13 And when thy herds and
thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and
all that thou hast is multiplied; 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up,
and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the
land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 8:15 Who led thee through
that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and
scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee
forth water out of the rock of flint; 8:16 Who fed thee in the
wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might
humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy
latter end; 8:17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might
of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.

8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that
giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant
which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and
walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify
against you this day that ye shall surely perish.

8:20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so
shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of
the LORD your God.

9:1 Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to
possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and
fenced up to heaven, 9:2 A people great and tall, the children of the
Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can
stand before the children of Anak!  9:3 Understand therefore this day,
that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a
consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down
before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them
quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.

9:4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath
cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD
hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of
these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.

9:5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart,
dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these
nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and
that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

9:6 Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this
good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a
stiffnecked people.

9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to
wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of
the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been
rebellious against the LORD.

9:8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was
angry with you to have destroyed you.

9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone,
even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I
abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat
bread nor drink water: 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables
of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written
according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount
out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

9:11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights,
that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the
covenant.

9:12 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from
hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have
corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way
which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.

9:13 Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this
people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 9:14 Let me alone,
that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven:
and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

9:15 So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned
with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.

9:16 And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your
God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out
of the way which the LORD had commanded you.

9:17 And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and
brake them before your eyes.

9:18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and
forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all
your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD,
to provoke him to anger.

9:19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the
LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto
me at that time also.

9:20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and
I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

9:21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it
with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was
as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that
descended out of the mount.

9:22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye
provoked the LORD to wrath.

9:23 Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up
and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against
the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor
hearkened to his voice.

9:24 Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew
you.

9:25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as
I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he would destroy
you.

9:26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy
not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through
thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a
mighty hand.

9:27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto
the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their
sin: 9:28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the
LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them,
and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in
the wilderness.

9:29 Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou
broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.

10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone
like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee
an ark of wood.

10:2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first
tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.

10:3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone
like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables
in mine hand.

10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the
ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of
the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave
them unto me.

10:5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the
tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD
commanded me.

10:6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the
children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was
buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his
stead.

10:7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to
Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.

10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the
ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister
unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

10:9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren;
the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised
him.

10:10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty
days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time
also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.

10:11 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the
people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto
their fathers to give unto them.

10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but
to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him,
and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy
soul, 10:13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes,
which I command thee this day for thy good?  10:14 Behold, the heaven
and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with
all that therein is.

10:15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he
chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this
day.

10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more
stiffnecked.

10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great
God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh
reward: 10:18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and
widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.

10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the
land of Egypt.

10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to
him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.

10:21 He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee
these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.

10:22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten
persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of
heaven for multitude.

11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge,
and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.

11:2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which
have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD
your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,
11:3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of
Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land; 11:4 And
what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their
chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as
they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this
day; 11:5 And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came
into this place; 11:6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons
of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the
substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:
11:7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he
did.

11:8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you
this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land,
whither ye go to possess it; 11:9 And that ye may prolong your days in
the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and
to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

11:10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the
land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed,
and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: 11:11 But the
land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and
drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 11:12 A land which the LORD thy
God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from
the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto
my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your
God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season,
the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy
corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

11:15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou
mayest eat and be full.

11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye
turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 11:17 And then the
LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that
there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye
perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.

11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in
your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be
as frontlets between your eyes.

11:19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when
thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when
thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

11:20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house,
and upon thy gates: 11:21 That your days may be multiplied, and the
days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your
fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.

11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I
command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his
ways, and to cleave unto him; 11:23 Then will the LORD drive out all
these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations
and mightier than yourselves.

11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be
yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river
Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

11:25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD
your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the
land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.

11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 11:27
A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I
command you this day: 11:28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the
commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which
I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not
known.

11:29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought
thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou
shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount
Ebal.

11:30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun
goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the
champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?  11:31 For
ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD
your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.

11:32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which
I set before you this day.

12:1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to
do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to
possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.

12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations
which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and
upon the hills, and under every green tree: 12:3 And ye shall
overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves
with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and
destroy the names of them out of that place.

12:4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.

12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of
all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall
ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 12:6 And thither ye shall bring
your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave
offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings,
and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: 12:7 And there ye
shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that
ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy
God hath blessed thee.

12:8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day,
every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.

12:9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance,
which the LORD your God giveth you.

12:10 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD
your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all
your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; 12:11 Then there
shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his
name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you;
your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave
offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the
LORD: 12:12 And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and
your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your
maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as
he hath no part nor inheritance with you.

12:13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in
every place that thou seest: 12:14 But in the place which the LORD
shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt
offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.

12:15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates,
whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the
LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may
eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.

12:16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth
as water.

12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or
of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy
flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill
offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: 12:18 But thou must eat
them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall
choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and
thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou
shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine
hands unto.

12:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as
thou livest upon the earth.

12:20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath
promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul
longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul
lusteth after.

12:21 If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name
there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of
thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee,
and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

12:22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat
them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.

12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the
life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

12:24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as
water.

12:25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with
thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the
sight of the LORD.

12:26 Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt
take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose: 12:27 And
thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon
the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall
be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat
the flesh.

12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it
may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when
thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy
God.

12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before
thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them,
and dwellest in their land; 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be
not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before
thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did
these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.

12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every
abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their
gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the
fire to their gods.

12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt
not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and
giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come
to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other
gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 13:3 Thou
shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of
dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his
commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave
unto him.

13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to
death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God,
which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of
the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy
God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from
the midst of thee.

13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy
daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine
own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other
gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 13:7 Namely,
of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee,
or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the
other end of the earth; 13:8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor
hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou
spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 13:9 But thou shalt surely kill
him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and
afterwards the hand of all the people.

13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he
hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought
thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

13:11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any
such wickedness as this is among you.

13:12 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy
God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, 13:13 Certain men, the
children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn
the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods,
which ye have not known; 13:14 Then shalt thou enquire, and make
search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing
certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; 13:15 Thou shalt
surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword,
destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle
thereof, with the edge of the sword.

13:16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the
street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil
thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for
ever; it shall not be built again.

13:17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand:
that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee
mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath
sworn unto thy fathers; 13:18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of
the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee
this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.

14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut
yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD
hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the
nations that are upon the earth.

14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.

14:4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and
the goat, 14:5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the
wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.

14:6 And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft
into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall
eat.

14:7 Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or
of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and
the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore
they are unclean unto you.

14:8 And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the
cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor
touch their dead carcase.

14:9 These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have
fins and scales shall ye eat: 14:10 And whatsoever hath not fins and
scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.

14:11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.

14:12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the
ossifrage, and the ospray, 14:13 And the glede, and the kite, and the
vulture after his kind, 14:14 And every raven after his kind, 14:15
And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after
his kind, 14:16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, 14:17
And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, 14:18 And the
stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.

14:19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they
shall not be eaten.

14:20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.

14:21 Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself: thou shalt
give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or
thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto
the LORD thy God.

Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.

14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the
field bringeth forth year by year.

14:23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which
he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy
wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy
flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.

14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able
to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy
God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath
blessed thee: 14:25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up
the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD
thy God shall choose: 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for
whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for
wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and
thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice,
thou, and thine household, 14:27 And the Levite that is within thy
gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance
with thee.

14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe
of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates:
14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with
thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are
within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the
LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou
doest.

15:1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.

15:2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that
lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact
it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the
LORD's release.

15:3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is
thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 15:4 Save when there
shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in
the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to
possess it: 15:5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the
LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command
thee this day.

15:6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou
shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou
shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.

15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within
any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou
shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor
brother: 15:8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt
surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.

15:9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying,
The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be
evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry
unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.

15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved
when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy
God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest
thine hand unto.

15:11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I
command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.

15:12 And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold
unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou
shalt let him go free from thee.

15:13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let
him go away empty: 15:14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy
flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that
wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

15:15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of
Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee
this thing to day.

15:16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from
thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with
thee; 15:17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear
unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy
maidservant thou shalt do likewise.

15:18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away
free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee,
in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in
all that thou doest.

15:19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock
thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with
the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.

15:20 Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the
place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.

15:21 And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind,
or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy
God.

15:22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean
person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.

15:23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it
upon the ground as water.

16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD
thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth
out of Egypt by night.

16:2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy
God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall
choose to place his name there.

16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou
eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou
camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest
remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all
the days of thy life.

16:4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy
coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which
thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the
morning.

16:5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee: 16:6 But at the place which the
LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt
sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the
season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.

16:7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy
God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy
tents.

16:8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day
shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work
therein.

16:9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the
seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the
corn.

16:10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God
with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt
give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed
thee: 16:11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and
thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant,
and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the
fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the
LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.

16:12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and
thou shalt observe and do these statutes.

16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after
that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 16:14 And thou shalt
rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy
manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the
fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

16:15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God
in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God
shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine
hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.

16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD
thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened
bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and
they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 16:17 Every man shall
give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God
which he hath given thee.

16:18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which
the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall
judge the people with just judgment.

16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons,
neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and
pervert the words of the righteous.

16:20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou
mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

16:21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the
altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.

16:22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God
hateth.

17:1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or
sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an
abomination unto the LORD thy God.

17:2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the
LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness
in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 17:3
And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the
sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not
commanded; 17:4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and
enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain,
that such abomination is wrought in Israel: 17:5 Then shalt thou bring
forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing,
unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with
stones, till they die.

17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that
is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he
shall not be put to death.

17:7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to
death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put
the evil away from among you.

17:8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between
blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke,
being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise,
and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;
17:9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the
judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew
thee the sentence of judgment: 17:10 And thou shalt do according to
the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose
shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that
they inform thee: 17:11 According to the sentence of the law which
they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall
tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence
which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.

17:12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken
unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy
God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put
away the evil from Israel.

17:13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more
presumptuously.

17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I
will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me;
17:15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy
God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over
thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy
brother.

17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the
people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses:
forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return
no more that way.

17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn
not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and
gold.

17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom,
that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which
is before the priests the Levites: 17:19 And it shall be with him, and
he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to
fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these
statutes, to do them: 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his
brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the
right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in
his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

18:1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no
part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the
LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.

18:2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren:
the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.

18:3 And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them
that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give
unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.

18:4 The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil,
and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.

18:5 For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to
stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.

18:6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel,
where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the
place which the LORD shall choose; 18:7 Then he shall minister in the
name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which
stand there before the LORD.

18:8 They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of
the sale of his patrimony.

18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those
nations.

18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son
or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or
an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard,
or a necromancer.

18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD:
and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out
from before thee.

18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto
observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy
God hath not suffered thee so to do.

18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the
midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall
hearken; 18:16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy
God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again
the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any
more, that I die not.

18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they
have spoken.

18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like
unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto
them all that I shall command him.

18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto
my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name,
which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the
name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which
the LORD hath not spoken?  18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name
of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the
thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

19:1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the
LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in
their cities, and in their houses; 19:2 Thou shalt separate three
cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God
giveth thee to possess it.

19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that
every slayer may flee thither.

19:4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither,
that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he
hated not in time past; 19:5 As when a man goeth into the wood with
his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe
to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and
lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of
those cities, and live: 19:6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the
slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is
long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he
hated him not in time past.

19:7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three
cities for thee.

19:8 And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto
thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto
thy fathers; 19:9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do
them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to
walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee,
beside these three: 19:10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land,
which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be
upon thee.

19:11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and
rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth
into one of these cities: 19:12 Then the elders of his city shall send
and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of
blood, that he may die.

19:13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt
of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.

19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of
old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in
the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.

19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or
for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two
witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be
established.

19:16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against
him that which is wrong; 19:17 Then both the men, between whom the
controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and
the judges, which shall be in those days; 19:18 And the judges shall
make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false
witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19:19 Then
shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother:
so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.

19:20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall
henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.

19:21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye
for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

20:1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest
horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of
them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of
the land of Egypt.

20:2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the
priest shall approach and speak unto the people, 20:3 And shall say
unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against
your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble,
neither be ye terrified because of them; 20:4 For the LORD your God is
he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save
you.

20:5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is
there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him
go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man
dedicate it.

20:6 And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet
eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in
the battle, and another man eat of it.

20:7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not
taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the
battle, and another man take her.

20:8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they
shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him
go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well
as his heart.

20:9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking
unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead
the people.

20:10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then
proclaim peace unto it.

20:11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto
thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein
shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.

20:12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war
against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: 20:13 And when the LORD thy
God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male
thereof with the edge of the sword: 20:14 But the women, and the
little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the
spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the
spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

20:15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off
from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.

20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth
give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that
breatheth: 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the
Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:
20:18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations,
which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the
LORD your God.

20:19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war
against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by
forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou
shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to
employ them in the siege: 20:20 Only the trees which thou knowest that
they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and
thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee,
until it be subdued.

21:1 If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath
slain him: 21:2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and
they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is
slain: 21:3 And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the
slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which
hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; 21:4
And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough
valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the
heifer's neck there in the valley: 21:5 And the priests the sons of
Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to
minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their
word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: 21:6 And all
the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash
their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: 21:7 And
they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither
have our eyes seen it.

21:8 Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast
redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's
charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.

21:9 So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among
you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

21:10 When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD
thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them
captive, 21:11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and
hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 21:12
Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house, and she shall shave her
head, and pare her nails; 21:13 And she shall put the raiment of her
captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail
her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go
in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.

21:14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt
let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for
money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast
humbled her.

21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and
they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if
the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 21:16 Then it shall be, when
he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make
the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is
indeed the firstborn: 21:17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the
hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he
hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the
firstborn is his.

21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey
the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when
they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 21:19 Then shall
his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the
elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 21:20 And they
shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and
rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a
drunkard.

21:21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he
die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall
hear, and fear.

21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to
be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 21:23 His body shall not
remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him
that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be
not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

22:1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and
hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto
thy brother.

22:2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him
not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be
with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it
to him again.

22:3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do
with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he
hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest
not hide thyself.

22:4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the
way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift
them up again.

22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man,
neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are
abomination unto the LORD thy God.

22:6 If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree,
or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam
sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam
with the young: 22:7 But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and
take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou
mayest prolong thy days.

22:8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement
for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man
fall from thence.

22:9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit
of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be
defiled.

22:10 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.

22:11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and
linen together.

22:12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy
vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.

22:13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 22:14
And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name
upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found
her not a maid: 22:15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her
mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto
the elders of the city in the gate: 22:16 And the damsel's father
shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife,
and he hateth her; 22:17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech
against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these
are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the
cloth before the elders of the city.

22:18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise
him; 22:19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver,
and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought
up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he
may not put her away all his days.

22:20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not
found for the damsel: 22:21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to
the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone
her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in
Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put
evil away from among you.

22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then
they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and
the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.

22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a
man find her in the city, and lie with her; 22:24 Then ye shall bring
them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with
stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the
city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so
thou shalt put away evil from among you.

22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man
force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall
die.

22:26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the
damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his
neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 22:27 For he found
her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none
to save her.

22:28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed,
and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 22:29 Then
the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty
shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled
her, he may not put her away all his days.

22:30 A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his
father's skirt.

23:1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut
off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.

23:2 A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even
to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of
the LORD.

23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of
the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the
congregation of the LORD for ever: 23:4 Because they met you not with
bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and
because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of
Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

23:5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but
the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because
the LORD thy God loved thee.

23:6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days
for ever.

23:7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou
shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.

23:8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the
congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

23:9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee
from every wicked thing.

23:10 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of
uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of
the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 23:11 But it shall be,
when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the
sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.

23:12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou
shalt go forth abroad: 23:13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy
weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou
shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh
from thee: 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy
camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee;
therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in
thee, and turn away from thee.

23:15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is
escaped from his master unto thee: 23:16 He shall dwell with thee,
even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy
gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.

23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a
sodomite of the sons of Israel.

23:18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog,
into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these
are abomination unto the LORD thy God.

23:19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money,
usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: 23:20
Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou
shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all
that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to
possess it.

23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not
slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee;
and it would be sin in thee.

23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.

23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform;
even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD
thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.

23:24 When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest
eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any
in thy vessel.

23:25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then
thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a
sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.

24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to
pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some
uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and
give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

24:2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be
another man's wife.

24:3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of
divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his
house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;
24:4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again
to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination
before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the
LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

24:5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war,
neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at
home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.

24:6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge:
for he taketh a man's life to pledge.

24:7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of
Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief
shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

24:8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently,
and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you:
as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do.

24:9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after
that ye were come forth out of Egypt.

24:10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go
into his house to fetch his pledge.

24:11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend
shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.

24:12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge:
24:13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun
goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and
it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.

24:14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy,
whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy
land within thy gates: 24:15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire,
neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his
heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin
unto thee.

24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither
shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be
put to death for his own sin.

24:17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the
fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: 24:18 But thou shalt
remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God
redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

24:19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast
forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it
shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that
the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.

24:20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the
boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and
for the widow.

24:21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not
glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless,
and for the widow.

24:22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of
Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

25:1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto
judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the
righteous, and condemn the wicked.

25:2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that
the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his
face, according to his fault, by a certain number.

25:3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should
exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother
should seem vile unto thee.

25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no
child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger:
her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to
wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.

25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall
succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not
put out of Israel.

25:7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his
brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My
husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in
Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.

25:8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him:
and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 25:9 Then
shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders,
and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall
answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build
up his brother's house.

25:10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that
hath his shoe loosed.

25:11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the
one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him
that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the
secrets: 25:12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not
pity her.

25:13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a
small.

25:14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and
a small.

25:15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and
just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the
land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

25:16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are
an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come
forth out of Egypt; 25:18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the
hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou
wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.

25:19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee
rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD
thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt
blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not
forget it.

26:1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the
LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and
dwellest therein; 26:2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the
fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD
thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto
the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.

26:3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days,
and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am
come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to
give us.

26:4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set
it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.

26:5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian
ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and
sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty,
and populous: 26:6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted
us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 26:7 And when we cried unto the
LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our
affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: 26:8 And the LORD
brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an
outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and
with wonders: 26:9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath
given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.

26:10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land,
which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the
LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: 26:11 And thou
shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given
unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the
stranger that is among you.

26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine
increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given
it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that
they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; 26:13 Then thou shalt
say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things
out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto
the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all
thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed
thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.

26:14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken
away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for
the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and
have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.

26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy
people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest
unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.

26:16 This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these
statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all
thine heart, and with all thy soul.

26:17 Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk
in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his
judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: 26:18 And the LORD hath
avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised
thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 26:19 And to
make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in
name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the
LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.

27:1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying,
Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.

27:2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto
the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee
up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: 27:3 And thou shalt
write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over,
that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy
fathers hath promised thee.

27:4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall
set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and
thou shalt plaister them with plaister.

27:5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an
altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.

27:6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones:
and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God:
27:7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and
rejoice before the LORD thy God.

27:8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law
very plainly.

27:9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel,
saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the
people of the LORD thy God.

27:10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do
his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.

27:11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 27:12 These
shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come
over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph,
and Benjamin: 27:13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse;
Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

27:14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel
with a loud voice, 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or
molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of
the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people
shall answer and say, Amen.

27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And
all the people shall say, Amen.

27:17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the
people shall say, Amen.

27:18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And
all the people shall say, Amen.

27:19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger,
fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

27:20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he
uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.

27:21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the
people shall say, Amen.

27:22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his
father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say,
Amen.

27:23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the
people shall say, Amen.

27:24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the
people shall say, Amen.

27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And
all the people shall say, Amen.

27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do
them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto
the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his
commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will
set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 28:2 And all these
blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken
unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

28:3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in
the field.

28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy
ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the
flocks of thy sheep.

28:5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.

28:6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou
be when thou goest out.

28:7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to
be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way,
and flee before thee seven ways.

28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses,
and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee
in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

28:9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he
hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD
thy God, and walk in his ways.

28:10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by
the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.

28:11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of
thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy
ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give
thee.

28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to
give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work
of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt
not borrow.

28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and
thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou
hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command
thee this day, to observe and to do them: 28:14 And thou shalt not go
aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the
right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the
voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and
his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses
shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 28:16 Cursed shalt thou be in
the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.

28:17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

28:18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy
land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.

28:19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou
be when thou goest out.

28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in
all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be
destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of
thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.

28:21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he
have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess
it.

28:22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever,
and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the
sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee
until thou perish.

28:23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the
earth that is under thee shall be iron.

28:24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from
heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.

28:25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies:
thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before
them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

28:26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and
unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

28:27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the
emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not
be healed.

28:28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and
astonishment of heart: 28:29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the
blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and
thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall
save thee.

28:30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her:
thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou
shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.

28:31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not
eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy
face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto
thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.

28:32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people,
and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day
long; and there shall be no might in thine hand.

28:33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which
thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed
alway: 28:34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes
which thou shalt see.

28:35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a
sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the
top of thy head.

28:36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set
over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have
known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.

28:37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword,
among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.

28:38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather
but little in; for the locust shall consume it.

28:39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither
drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat
them.

28:40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou
shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his
fruit.

28:41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy
them; for they shall go into captivity.

28:42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.

28:43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very
high; and thou shalt come down very low.

28:44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall
be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.

28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue
thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou
hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his
commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 28:46 And they
shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for
ever.

28:47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and
with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 28:48
Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send
against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want
of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he
have destroyed thee.

28:49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the
end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue
thou shalt not understand; 28:50 A nation of fierce countenance, which
shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:
28:51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy
land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either
corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy
sheep, until he have destroyed thee.

28:52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and
fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy
land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy
land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.

28:53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy
sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in
the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall
distress thee: 28:54 So that the man that is tender among you, and
very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward
the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he
shall leave: 28:55 So that he will not give to any of them of the
flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left
him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall
distress thee in all thy gates.

28:56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not
adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness
and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom,
and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 28:57 And toward her
young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her
children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all
things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy
shall distress thee in thy gates.

28:58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that
are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and
fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 28:59 Then the LORD will make thy
plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues,
and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.

28:60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt,
which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.

28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in
the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou
be destroyed.

28:62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars
of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of
the LORD thy God.

28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to
do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to
destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from
off the land whither thou goest to possess it.

28:64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one
end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other
gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and
stone.

28:65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall
the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a
trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 28:66 And
thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and
night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: 28:67 In the morning
thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say,
Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou
shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

28:68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by
the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again:
and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and
bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.

29:1 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded
Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside
the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.

29:2 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have
seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto
Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; 29:3 The
great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those
great miracles: 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to
perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.

29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes
are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy
foot.

29:6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong
drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.

29:7 And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and
Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote
them: 29:8 And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto
the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh.

29:9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye
may prosper in all that ye do.

29:10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your
captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the
men of Israel, 29:11 Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger
that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy
water: 29:12 That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy
God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this
day: 29:13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto
himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto
thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and
to Jacob.

29:14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath;
29:15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD
our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: 29:16
(For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came
through the nations which ye passed by; 29:17 And ye have seen their
abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which
were among them:) 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman,
or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD
our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should
be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 29:19 And it come
to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless
himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the
imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: 29:20 The
LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his
jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are
written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out
his name from under heaven.

29:21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes
of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are
written in this book of the law: 29:22 So that the generation to come
of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that
shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of
that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; 29:23
And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning,
that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like
the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the
LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 29:24 Even all nations
shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what
meaneth the heat of this great anger?  29:25 Then men shall say,
Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their
fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the
land of Egypt: 29:26 For they went and served other gods, and
worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given
unto them: 29:27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this
land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
29:28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in
wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as
it is this day.

29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things
which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that
we may do all the words of this law.

30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon
thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and
thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD
thy God hath driven thee, 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God,
and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this
day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy
soul; 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and
have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all
the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.

30:4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven,
from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he
fetch thee: 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land
which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do
thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.

30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart
of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with
all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

30:7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine
enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.

30:8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all
his commandments which I command thee this day.

30:9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of
thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle,
and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again
rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 30:10 If
thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his
commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the
law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and
with all thy soul.

30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not
hidden from thee, neither is it far off.

30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up
for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do
it?  30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who
shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear
it, and do it?  30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy
mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death
and evil; 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy
God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his
statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and
the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to
possess it.

30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but
shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 30:18 I
denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye
shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over
Jordan to go to possess it.

30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I
have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore
choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 30:20 That thou
mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and
that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length
of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware
unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

31:1 And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.

31:2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this
day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto
me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

31:3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will
destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them:
and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.

31:4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og,
kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.

31:5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do
unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded
you.

31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them:
for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not
fail thee, nor forsake thee.

31:7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of
all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with
this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers
to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.

31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with
thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither
be dismayed.

31:9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the
sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto
all the elders of Israel.

31:10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven
years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of
tabernacles, 31:11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD
thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law
before all Israel in their hearing.

31:12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy
stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they
may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words
of this law: 31:13 And that their children, which have not known any
thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye
live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

31:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that
thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle
of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and
Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the
congregation.

31:15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud:
and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.

31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods
of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and
will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.

31:17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I
will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall
be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that
they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because
our God is not among us?  31:18 And I will surely hide my face in that
day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are
turned unto other gods.

31:19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the
children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a
witness for me against the children of Israel.

31:20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware
unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall
have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn
unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my
covenant.

31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are
befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness;
for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I
know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have
brought them into the land which I sware.

31:22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the
children of Israel.

31:23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong
and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel
into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.

31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the
words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 31:25 That
Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the
LORD, saying, 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side
of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there
for a witness against thee.

31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am
yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD;
and how much more after my death?  31:28 Gather unto me all the elders
of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in
their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.

31:29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt
yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you;
and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil
in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of
your hands.

31:30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel
the words of this song, until they were ended.

32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the
words of my mouth.

32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the
dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon
the grass: 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe
ye greatness unto our God.

32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are
judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his
children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not
he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and
established thee?  32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years
of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy
elders, and they will tell thee.

32:8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when
he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people
according to the number of the children of Israel.

32:9 For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his
inheritance.

32:10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling
wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the
apple of his eye.

32:11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young,
spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:
32:12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god
with him.

32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might
eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of
the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 32:14 Butter of kine, and
milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and
goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure
blood of the grape.

32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art
grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which
made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with
abominations provoked they him to anger.

32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew
not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.

32:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast
forgotten God that formed thee.

32:19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the
provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.

32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what
their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children
in whom is no faith.

32:21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they
have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to
jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to
anger with a foolish nation.

32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the
lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on
fire the foundations of the mountains.

32:23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon
them.

32:24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat,
and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon
them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.

32:25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the
young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray
hairs.

32:26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the
remembrance of them to cease from among men: 32:27 Were it not that I
feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave
themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and
the LORD hath not done all this.

32:28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any
understanding in them.

32:29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they
would consider their latter end!  32:30 How should one chase a
thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had
sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?  32:31 For their rock is not
as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.

32:32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of
Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter:
32:33 Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of
asps.

32:34 Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my
treasures?  32:35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot
shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and
the things that shall come upon them make haste.

32:36 For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his
servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none
shut up, or left.

32:37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they
trusted, 32:38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank
the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and
be your protection.

32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I
kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that
can deliver out of my hand.

32:40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.

32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on
judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward
them that hate me.

32:42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall
devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the
captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.

32:43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the
blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries,
and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

32:44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears
of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.

32:45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel:
32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which
I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to
observe to do, all the words of this law.

32:47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and
through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye
go over Jordan to possess it.

32:48 And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 32:49
Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in
the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of
Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession:
32:50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto
thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered
unto his people: 32:51 Because ye trespassed against me among the
children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness
of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of
Israel.

32:52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go
thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.

33:1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed
the children of Israel before his death.

33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto
them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands
of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.

33:3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and
they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.

33:4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the
congregation of Jacob.

33:5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the
tribes of Israel were gathered together.

33:6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

33:7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the
voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be
sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.

33:8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy
holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst
strive at the waters of Meribah; 33:9 Who said unto his father and to
his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his
brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word,
and kept thy covenant.

33:10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they
shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine
altar.

33:11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands;
smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them
that hate him, that they rise not again.

33:12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in
safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he
shall dwell between his shoulders.

33:13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the
precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth
beneath, 33:14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun,
and for the precious things put forth by the moon, 33:15 And for the
chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of
the lasting hills, 33:16 And for the precious things of the earth and
fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush:
let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the
head of him that was separated from his brethren.

33:17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns
are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people
together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of
Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

33:18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and,
Issachar, in thy tents.

33:19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall
offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the
abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

33:20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he
dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.

33:21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a
portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of
the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments
with Israel.

33:22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from
Bashan.

33:23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and
full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the
south.

33:24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let
him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.

33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy
strength be.

33:26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the
heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the
everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee;
and shall say, Destroy them.

33:28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob
shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop
down dew.

33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved
by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy
excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou
shalt tread upon their high places.

34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of
Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD
shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 34:2 And all Naphtali,
and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto
the utmost sea, 34:3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of
Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

34:4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto
Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy
seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not
go over thither.

34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab,
according to the word of the LORD.

34:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against
Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his
eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

34:8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab
thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for
Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel
hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

34:10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses,
whom the LORD knew face to face, 34:11 In all the signs and the
wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to
Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, 34:12 And in
all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed
in the sight of all Israel.




The Book of Joshua


1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to
pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister,
saying, 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over
this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give
to them, even to the children of Israel.

1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have
I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.

1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river,
the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great
sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.

1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days
of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not
fail thee, nor forsake thee.

1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou
divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers
to give them.

1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe
to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee:
turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest
prosper withersoever thou goest.

1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou
shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do
according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy
way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not
afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest.

1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 1:11
Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you
victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go
in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess
it.

1:12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe
of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 1:13 Remember the word which Moses
the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath
given you rest, and hath given you this land.

1:14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in
the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass
before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help
them; 1:15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath
given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your
God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your
possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on
this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

1:16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we
will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.

1:17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we
hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with
Moses.

1:18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will
not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall
be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy
secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and
came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

2:2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came
men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the
country.

2:3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the
men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for
they be come to search out all the country.

2:4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There
came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 2:5 And it came to
pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that
the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them
quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them
with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof.

2:7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords:
and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut
the gate.

2:8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the
roof; 2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given
you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the
inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea
for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings
of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og,
whom ye utterly destroyed.

2:11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt,
neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you:
for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth
beneath.

2:12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I
have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my
father's house, and give me a true token: 2:13 And that ye will save
alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and
all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

2:14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not
this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the
land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her
house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.

2:16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the
pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the
pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.

2:17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine
oath which thou hast made us swear.

2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of
scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou
shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy
father's household, home unto thee.

2:19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy
house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will
be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood
shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.

2:20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of
thine oath which thou hast made us to swear.

2:21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent
them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the
window.

2:22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three
days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them
throughout all the way, but found them not.

2:23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and
passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all
things that befell them: 2:24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the
LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the
inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from
Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and
lodged there before they passed over.

3:2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went
through the host; 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye
see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the
Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after
it.

3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand
cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by
which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to
morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

3:6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the
covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of
the covenant, and went before the people.

3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify
thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was
with Moses, so I will be with thee.

3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the
covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of
Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.

3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear
the words of the LORD your God.

3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is
among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and
the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.

3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth
passeth over before you into Jordan.

3:12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel,
out of every tribe a man.

3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of
the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth,
shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be
cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall
stand upon an heap.

3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to
pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant
before the people; 3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto
Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in
the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the
time of harvest,) 3:16 That the waters which came down from above
stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is
beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain,
even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed
over right against Jericho.

3:17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD
stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the
Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed
clean over Jordan.

4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over
Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 4:2 Take you twelve
men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 4:3 And command ye
them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the
place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall
carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where
ye shall lodge this night.

4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the
children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 4:5 And Joshua said unto
them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of
Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder,
according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: 4:6
That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their
fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?  4:7
Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off
before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over
Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be
for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

4:8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up
twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto
Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of
Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they
lodged, and laid them down there.

4:9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the
place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant
stood: and they are there unto this day.

4:10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan,
until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak
unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the
people hasted and passed over.

4:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over,
that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence
of the people.

4:12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the
tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as
Moses spake unto them: 4:13 About forty thousand prepared for war
passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.

4:14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel;
and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.

4:15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 4:16 Command the priests
that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan.

4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of
Jordan.

4:18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the
covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the
soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the
waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his
banks, as they did before.

4:19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the
first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did
Joshua pitch in Gilgal.

4:21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your
children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean
these stones?  4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying,
Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.

4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before
you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red
sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: 4:24
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that
it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

5:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which
were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the
Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up
the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were
passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them
any more, because of the children of Israel.

5:2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives,
and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.

5:3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of
Israel at the hill of the foreskins.

5:4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people
that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died
in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.

5:5 Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the
people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth
out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.

5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness,
till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt,
were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto
whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the
LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that
floweth with milk and honey.

5:7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua
circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not
circumcised them by the way.

5:8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the
people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were
whole.

5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the
reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is
called Gilgal unto this day.

5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the
passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of
Jericho.

5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after
the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day.

5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the
old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any
more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted
up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against
him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and
said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?  5:14 And he
said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And
Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto
him, What saith my Lord unto his servant?  5:15 And the captain of the
LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for
the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of
Israel: none went out, and none came in.

6:2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand
Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.

6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round
about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.

6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of
rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven
times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with
the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall
fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight
before him.

6:6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them,
Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven
trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD.

6:7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and
let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.

6:8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that
the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on
before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the
covenant of the LORD followed them.

6:9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the
trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on,
and blowing with the trumpets.

6:10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout,
nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out
of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

6:11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once:
and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.

6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the
ark of the LORD.

6:13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before
the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets:
and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the
ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.

6:14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned
into the camp: so they did six days.

6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early
about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same
manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven
times.

6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew
with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD
hath given you the city.

6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are
therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all
that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we
sent.

6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest
ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and
make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are
consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the
LORD.

6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets:
and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet,
and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down
flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight
before him, and they took the city.

6:21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and
woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the
sword.

6:22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the
country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman,
and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her.

6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab,
and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she
had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the
camp of Israel.

6:24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only
the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they
put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's
household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto
this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out
Jericho.

6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man
before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he
shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest
son shall he set up the gates of it.

6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout
all the country.

7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed
thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of
Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the
anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven,
on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the
country.

And the men went up and viewed Ai.

7:3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the
people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite
Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but
few.

7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men:
and they fled before the men of Ai.

7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they
chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in
the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became
as water.

7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face
before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of
Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast thou at all
brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the
Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt
on the other side Jordan!  7:8 O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel
turneth their backs before their enemies!  7:9 For the Canaanites and
all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us
round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto
thy great name?  7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up;
wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?  7:11 Israel hath sinned, and
they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for
they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and
dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

7:12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their
enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they
were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy
the accursed from among you.

7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to
morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed
thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before
thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.

7:14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your
tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall
come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD
shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD
shall take shall come man by man.

7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing
shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath
transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought
folly in Israel.

7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by
their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 7:17 And he brought
the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he
brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
7:18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of
Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was
taken.

7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to
the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now
what thou hast done; hide it not from me.

7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against
the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 7:21 When I saw
among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels
of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted
them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the
midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

7:22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and,
behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.

7:23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them
unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out
before the LORD.

7:24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah,
and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons,
and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his
tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of
Achor.

7:25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall
trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and
burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.

7:26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So
the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name
of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

8:1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed:
take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I
have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city,
and his land: 8:2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst
unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle
thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush
for the city behind it.

8:3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai:
and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent
them away by night.

8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait
against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city,
but be ye all ready: 8:5 And I, and all the people that are with me,
will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come
out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 8:6
(For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the
city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first:
therefore we will flee before them.

8:7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city:
for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set
the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye
do. See, I have commanded you.

8:9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush,
and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua
lodged that night among the people.

8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people,
and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

8:11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him,
went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the
north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.

8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in
ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

8:13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on
the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the
city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

8:14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted
and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to
battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain;
but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the
city.

8:15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before
them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

8:16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue
after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from
the city.

8:17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out
after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

8:18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in
thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua
stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.

8:19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as
soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city,
and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

8:20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold,
the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to
flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness
turned back upon the pursuers.

8:21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the
city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again,
and slew the men of Ai.

8:22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were
in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and
they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

8:23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

8:24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all
the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they
chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword,
until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai,
and smote it with the edge of the sword.

8:25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and
women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.

8:26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the
spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

8:27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey
unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he
commanded Joshua.

8:28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a
desolation unto this day.

8:29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as
soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his
carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of
the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth
unto this day.

8:30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount
Ebal, 8:31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of
Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of
whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they
offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace
offerings.

8:32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses,
which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.

8:33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges,
stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the
Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the
stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against
mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the
servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the
people of Israel.

8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and
cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.

8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua
read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and
the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.

9:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side
Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the
great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the
Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and
with Israel, with one accord.

9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto
Jericho and to Ai, 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if
they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and
wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; 9:5 And old shoes and
clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread
of their provision was dry and mouldy.

9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto
him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now
therefore make ye a league with us.

9:7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell
among us; and how shall we make a league with you?  9:8 And they said
unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are
ye? and from whence come ye?  9:9 And they said unto him, From a very
far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy
God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,
9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were
beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan,
which was at Ashtaroth.

9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake
to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet
them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a
league with us.

9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on
the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and
it is mouldy: 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were
new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes
are become old by reason of the very long journey.

9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the
mouth of the LORD.

9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to
let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made
a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours,
and that they dwelt among them.

9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities
on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and
Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.

9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of
the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And
all the congregation murmured against the princes.

9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn
unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch
them.

9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath
be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.

9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be
hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the
princes had promised them.

9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying,
Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when
ye dwell among us?  9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall
none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and
drawers of water for the house of my God.

9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told
thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to
give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land
from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of
you, and have done this thing.

9:25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and
right unto thee to do unto us, do.

9:26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of
the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

9:27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water
for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this
day, in the place which he should choose.

10:1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard
how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done
to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how
the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among
them; 10:2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city,
as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and
all the men thereof were mighty.

10:3 Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham king of
Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of
Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 10:4 Come up unto me,
and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with
Joshua and with the children of Israel.

10:5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem,
the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king
of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all
their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

10:6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal,
saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly,
and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell
in the mountains are gathered together against us.

10:7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war
with him, and all the mighty men of valour.

10:8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have
delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand
before thee.

10:9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal
all night.

10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with
a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth
up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.

10:11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were
in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones
from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which
died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with
the sword.

10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered
up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the
sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in
the valley of Ajalon.

10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people
had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the
book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and
hasted not to go down about a whole day.

10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the
LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for
Israel.

10:15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to
Gilgal.

10:16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at
Makkedah.

10:17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in
a cave at Makkedah.

10:18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave,
and set men by it for to keep them: 10:19 And stay ye not, but pursue
after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to
enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them
into your hand.

10:20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had
made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they
were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into
fenced cities.

10:21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in
peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.

10:22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out
those five kings unto me out of the cave.

10:23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out
of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of
Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.

10:24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto
Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto
the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put
your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put
their feet upon the necks of them.

10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong
and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies
against whom ye fight.

10:26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them
on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

10:27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun,
that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast
them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in
the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.

10:28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of
the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all
the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the
king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

10:29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto
Libnah, and fought against Libnah: 10:30 And the LORD delivered it
also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it
with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he
let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto
the king of Jericho.

10:31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto
Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: 10:32 And the
LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the
second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls
that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.

10:33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua
smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

10:34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with
him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: 10:35 And
they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and
all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day,
according to all that he had done to Lachish.

10:36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto
Hebron; and they fought against it: 10:37 And they took it, and smote
it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the
cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none
remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed
it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.

10:38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and
fought against it: 10:39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all
the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword,
and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none
remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the
king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.

10:40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south,
and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none
remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of
Israel commanded.

10:41 And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all
the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.

10:42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time,
because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.

10:43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to
Gilgal.

11:1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those
things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of
Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 11:2 And to the kings that were
on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth,
and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, 11:3 And to
the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the
Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to
the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.

11:4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much
people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with
horses and chariots very many.

11:5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched
together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

11:6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for
to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before
Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with
fire.

11:7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them
by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.

11:8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote
them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and
unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they
left them none remaining.

11:9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their
horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

11:10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote
the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of
all those kingdoms.

11:11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of
the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe:
and he burnt Hazor with fire.

11:12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them,
did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he
utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.

11:13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel
burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.

11:14 And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children
of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote
with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither
left they any to breathe.

11:15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command
Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD
commanded Moses.

11:16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south
country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain,
and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; 11:17 Even
from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the
valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and
smote them, and slew them.

11:18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.

11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of
Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they
took in battle.

11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should
come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and
that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the
LORD commanded Moses.

11:21 And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the
mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the
mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua
destroyed them utterly with their cities.

11:22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children
of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.

11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD
said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel
according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from
war.

12:1 Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel
smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the
rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the
plain on the east: 12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in
Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river
Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even
unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
12:3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto
the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to
Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah: 12:4 And the
coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants,
that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 12:5 And reigned in mount
Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the
Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon
king of Heshbon.

12:6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel
smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto
the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

12:7 And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the
children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad
in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to
Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession
according to their divisions; 12:8 In the mountains, and in the
valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness,
and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the
Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: 12:9 The
king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one;
12:10 The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 12:11 The
king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12:12 The king of
Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one; 12:13 The king of Debir, one; the
king of Geder, one; 12:14 The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad,
one; 12:15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; 12:16
The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one; 12:17 The king of
Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 12:18 The king of Aphek, one;
the king of Lasharon, one; 12:19 The king of Madon, one; the king of
Hazor, one; 12:20 The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph,
one; 12:21 The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 12:22
The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneam of Carmel, one; 12:23 The
king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of
Gilgal, one; 12:24 The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and
one.

13:1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto
him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very
much land to be possessed.

13:2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the
Philistines, and all Geshuri, 13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt,
even unto the borders of Ekron northward, which is counted to the
Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazathites, and the
Ashdothites, the Eshkalonites, the Gittites, and the Ekronites; also
the Avites: 13:4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and
Mearah that is beside the Sidonians unto Aphek, to the borders of the
Amorites: 13:5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward
the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into
Hamath.

13:6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto
Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from
before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the
Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.

13:7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine
tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 13:8 With whom the Reubenites
and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave
them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD
gave them; 13:9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon,
and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of
Medeba unto Dibon; 13:10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the
Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of
Ammon; 13:11 And Gilead, and the border of the Geshurites and
Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah; 13:12
All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in
Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses
smite, and cast them out.

13:13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites,
nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell
among the Israelites until this day.

13:14 Only unto the tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the
sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their
inheritance, as he said unto them.

13:15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben
inheritance according to their families.

13:16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river
Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the
plain by Medeba; 13:17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the
plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon, 13:18 And Jahaza, and
Kedemoth, and Mephaath, 13:19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and
Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley, 13:20 And Bethpeor, and
Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth, 13:21 And all the cities of the
plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which
reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi,
and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon,
dwelling in the country.

13:22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of
Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

13:23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the
border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben
after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.

13:24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the
children of Gad according to their families.

13:25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and
half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before
Rabbah; 13:26 And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and
from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; 13:27 And in the valley,
Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the
kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the
edge of the sea of Chinnereth on the other side Jordan eastward.

13:28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their
families, the cities, and their villages.

13:29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and
this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh
by their families.

13:30 And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan, all the kingdom
of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan,
threescore cities: 13:31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei,
cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the
children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the
children of Machir by their families.

13:32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for
inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by
Jericho, eastward.

13:33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the
LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

14:1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel
inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua
the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the
children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them.

14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand
of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe.

14:3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half
tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none
inheritance among them.

14:4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim:
therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities
to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their
substance.

14:5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and
they divided the land.

14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb
the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the
thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and
thee in Kadeshbarnea.

14:7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me
from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again
as it was in mine heart.

14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of
the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God.

14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy
feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for
ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.

14:10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these
forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses,
while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo,
I am this day fourscore and five years old.

14:11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses
sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war,
both to go out, and to come in.

14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in
that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there,
and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be
with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.

14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh
Hebron for an inheritance.

14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of
Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed
the LORD God of Israel.

14:15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a
great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.

15:1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by
their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin
southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.

15:2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from
the bay that looketh southward: 15:3 And it went out to the south side
to Maalehacrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the
south side unto Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up
to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa: 15:4 From thence it passed
toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out
of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast.

15:5 And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of
Jordan.

And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at
the uttermost part of Jordan: 15:6 And the border went up to
Bethhogla, and passed along by the north of Betharabah; and the border
went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben: 15:7 And the border
went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward,
looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which
is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the
waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel: 15:8
And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the
south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went
up to the top of the mountain that lieth before the valley of Hinnom
westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward:
15:9 And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the
fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount
Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjathjearim:
15:10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir,
and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on
the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah:
15:11 And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and
the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and
went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the
sea.

15:12 And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof.

This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to
their families.

15:13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the
children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua,
even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron.

15:14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and
Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak.

15:15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name
of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.

15:16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to
him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.

15:17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and
he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

15:18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to
ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said
unto her, What wouldest thou?  15:19 Who answered, Give me a blessing;
for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water.
And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.

15:20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah
according to their families.

15:21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah
toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
15:22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 15:23 And Kedesh, and Hazor,
and Ithnan, 15:24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth, 15:25 And Hazor,
Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor, 15:26 Amam, and
Shema, and Moladah, 15:27 And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpalet,
15:28 And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah, 15:29 Baalah, and
Iim, and Azem, 15:30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 15:31 And
Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, 15:32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim,
and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their
villages: 15:33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
15:34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 15:35 Jarmuth, and
Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 15:36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and
Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages: 15:37
Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad, 15:38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and
Joktheel, 15:39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 15:40 And Cabbon, and
Lahmam, and Kithlish, 15:41 And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and
Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages: 15:42 Libnah, and Ether,
and Ashan, 15:43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 15:44 And Keilah,
and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages: 15:45
Ekron, with her towns and her villages: 15:46 From Ekron even unto the
sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages: 15:47 Ashdod with
her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto
the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof: 15:48
And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 15:49 And Dannah,
and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir, 15:50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and
Anim, 15:51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their
villages: 15:52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, 15:53 And Janum, and
Bethtappuah, and Aphekah, 15:54 And Humtah, and Kirjatharba, which is
Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages: 15:55 Maon, Carmel,
and Ziph, and Juttah, 15:56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah,
15:57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages: 15:58
Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor, 15:59 And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and
Eltekon; six cities with their villages: 15:60 Kirjathbaal, which is
Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages: 15:61 In
the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah, 15:62 And Nibshan,
and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages.

15:63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children
of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the
children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

16:1 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by
Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that
goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel, 16:2 And goeth out from
Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth,
16:3 And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast
of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer; and the goings out thereof are
at the sea.

16:4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their
inheritance.

16:5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their
families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east
side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper; 16:6 And the border
went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the
border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the
east to Janohah; 16:7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to
Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan.

16:8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah;
and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of
the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.

16:9 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among
the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their
villages.

16:10 And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but
the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve
under tribute.

17:1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the
firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the
father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead
and Bashan.

17:2 There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by
their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of
Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of
Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of
Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by
their families.

17:3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of
Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are
the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and
Tirzah.

17:4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua
the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded
Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore
according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance
among the brethren of their father.

17:5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of
Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other side Jordan; 17:6 Because
the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the
rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.

17:7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that
lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto
the inhabitants of Entappuah.

17:8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border
of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; 17:9 And the coast
descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities
of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh
also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were
at the sea: 17:10 Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was
Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher
on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

17:11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her
towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her
towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants
of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her
towns, even three countries.

17:12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants
of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.

17:13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen
strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly
drive them out.

17:14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast
thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a
great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?  17:15
And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up
to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the
Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

17:16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us:
and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have
chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and
they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

17:17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and
to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power:
thou shalt not have one lot only: 17:18 But the mountain shall be
thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings
of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though
they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled
together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation
there. And the land was subdued before them.

18:2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes,
which had not yet received their inheritance.

18:3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye
slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers
hath given you?  18:4 Give out from among you three men for each
tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the
land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they
shall come again to me.

18:5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in
their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their
coasts on the north.

18:6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring
the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before
the LORD our God.

18:7 But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the
LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of
Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east,
which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.

18:8 And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that
went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and
describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you
before the LORD in Shiloh.

18:9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by
cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the
host at Shiloh.

18:10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and
there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to
their divisions.

18:11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up
according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth
between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph.

18:12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the
border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up
through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the
wilderness of Bethaven.

18:13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of
Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to
Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether
Bethhoron.

18:14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the
sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward;
and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is
Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west
quarter.

18:15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the
border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of
Nephtoah: 18:16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain
that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the
valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of
Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,
18:17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and
went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of
Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, 18:18
And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and
went down unto Arabah: 18:19 And the border passed along to the side
of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the
north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the
south coast.

18:20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the
inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round
about, according to their families.

18:21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin
according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the
valley of Keziz, 18:22 And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel, 18:23
And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah, 18:24 And Chepharhaammonai, and
Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: 18:25 Gibeon, and
Ramah, and Beeroth, 18:26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, 18:27
And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, 18:28 And Zelah, Eleph, and
Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with
their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin
according to their families.

19:1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of
the children of Simeon according to their families: and their
inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

19:2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and
Moladah, 19:3 And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem, 19:4 And Eltolad,
and Bethul, and Hormah, 19:5 And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and
Hazarsusah, 19:6 And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and
their villages: 19:7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities
and their villages: 19:8 And all the villages that were round about
these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the
inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their
families.

19:9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance
of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was
too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their
inheritance within the inheritance of them.

19:10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according
to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid:
19:11 And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and
reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before
Jokneam; 19:12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising
unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and
goeth up to Japhia, 19:13 And from thence passeth on along on the east
to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Remmonmethoar to
Neah; 19:14 And the border compasseth it on the north side to
Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel:
19:15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and
Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.

19:16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to
their families, these cities with their villages.

19:17 And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of
Issachar according to their families.

19:18 And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,
19:19 And Haphraim, and Shihon, and Anaharath, 19:20 And Rabbith, and
Kishion, and Abez, 19:21 And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and
Bethpazzez; 19:22 And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and
Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen
cities with their villages.

19:23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar
according to their families, the cities and their villages.

19:24 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of
Asher according to their families.

19:25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph,
19:26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel
westward, and to Shihorlibnath; 19:27 And turneth toward the sunrising
to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel
toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul
on the left hand, 19:28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah,
even unto great Zidon; 19:29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and
to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the
outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib: 19:30 Ummah
also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages.

19:31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher
according to their families, these cities with their villages.

19:32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the
children of Naphtali according to their families.

19:33 And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and
Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were
at Jordan: 19:34 And then the coast turneth westward to Aznothtabor,
and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the
south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon
Jordan toward the sunrising.

19:35 And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and
Chinnereth, 19:36 And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, 19:37 And Kedesh,
and Edrei, and Enhazor, 19:38 And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and
Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages.

19:39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali
according to their families, the cities and their villages.

19:40 And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of
Dan according to their families.

19:41 And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and
Irshemesh, 19:42 And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah, 19:43 And
Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron, 19:44 And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and
Baalath, 19:45 And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon, 19:46 And
Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.

19:47 And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for
them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem,
and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed
it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan
their father.

19:48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan
according to their families, these cities with their villages.

19:49 When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance
by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua
the son of Nun among them: 19:50 According to the word of the LORD
they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount
Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.

19:51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua
the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the
children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before
the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they
made an end of dividing the country.

20:1 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, 20:2 Speak to the
children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge,
whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: 20:3 That the slayer
that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and
they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

20:4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand
at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause
in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the
city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.

20:5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not
deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour
unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.

20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the
congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that
shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto
his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he
fled.

20:7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and
Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the
mountain of Judah.

20:8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned
Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and
Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of
the tribe of Manasseh.

20:9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel,
and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever
killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the
hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

21:1 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto
Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads
of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; 21:2 And they
spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD
commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the
suburbs thereof for our cattle.

21:3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their
inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their
suburbs.

21:4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the
children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot
out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of
the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.

21:5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the
families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan, and out
of the half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.

21:6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the
tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe
of Naphtali, and out of the half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen
cities.

21:7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of
Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun,
twelve cities.

21:8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these
cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

21:9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out
of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here
mentioned by name.

21:10 Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the
Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the
first lot.

21:11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which
city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof
round about it.

21:12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they
to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.

21:13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with
her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with
her suburbs, 21:14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and Eshtemoa with her
suburbs, 21:15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs,
21:16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and
Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes.

21:17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, Geba
with her suburbs, 21:18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her
suburbs; four cities.

21:19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were
thirteen cities with their suburbs.

21:20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which
remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their
lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.

21:21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to
be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, 21:22
And Kibzaim with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four
cities.

21:23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon
with her suburbs, 21:24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her
suburbs; four cities.

21:25 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs,
and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities.

21:26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of
the children of Kohath that remained.

21:27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the
Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in
Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and
Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.

21:28 And out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs,
Dabareh with her suburbs, 21:29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim
with her suburbs; four cities.

21:30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon
with her suburbs, 21:31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her
suburbs; four cities.

21:32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her
suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with
her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.

21:33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families
were thirteen cities with their suburbs.

21:34 And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the
Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneam with her suburbs, and
Kartah with her suburbs, 21:35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with
her suburbs; four cities.

21:36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and
Jahazah with her suburbs, 21:37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and
Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities.

21:38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs,
to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaim with her suburbs,
21:39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in
all.

21:40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families,
which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot
twelve cities.

21:41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the
children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.

21:42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them:
thus were all these cities.

21:43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to
give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.

21:44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that
he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their
enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their
hand.

21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had
spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

22:1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half
tribe of Manasseh, 22:2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that
Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice
in all that I commanded you: 22:3 Ye have not left your brethren these
many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment
of the LORD your God.

22:4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as
he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your
tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant
of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which
Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God,
and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to
cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all
your soul.

22:6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto
their tents.

22:7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given
possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua
among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua
sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, 22:8 And
he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents,
and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass,
and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your
enemies with your brethren.

22:9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half
tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel
out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country
of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were
possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

22:10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the
land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the
half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar
to see to.

22:11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of
Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have
built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of
Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel.

22:12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole
congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at
Shiloh, to go up to war against them.

22:13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and
to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the
land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 22:14 And with
him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the
tribes of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their
fathers among the thousands of Israel.

22:15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children
of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead,
and they spake with them, saying, 22:16 Thus saith the whole
congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed
against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the
LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this
day against the LORD?  22:17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for
us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was
a plague in the congregation of the LORD, 22:18 But that ye must turn
away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel
to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the
whole congregation of Israel.

22:19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then
pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the
LORD's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel
not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar
beside the altar of the LORD our God.

22:20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed
thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man
perished not alone in his iniquity.

22:21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half
tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands
of Israel, 22:22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he
knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in
transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day,) 22:23 That we
have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer
thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace
offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it; 22:24 And if we
have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to
come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye
to do with the LORD God of Israel?  22:25 For the LORD hath made
Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children
of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our
children cease from fearing the LORD.

22:26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not
for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 22:27 But that it may be a
witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we
might do the service of the LORD before him with our burnt offerings,
and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your
children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part
in the LORD.

22:28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to
us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again,
Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made,
not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness
between us and you.

22:29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this
day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings,
for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD
our God that is before his tabernacle.

22:30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the
congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him,
heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad
and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them.

22:31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the
children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of
Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye
have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have
delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.

22:32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes,
returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad,
out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of
Israel, and brought them word again.

22:33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children
of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in
battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad
dwelt.

22:34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the
altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.

23:1 And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given
rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed
old and stricken in age.

23:2 And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for
their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said
unto them, I am old and stricken in age: 23:3 And ye have seen all
that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of
you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.

23:4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain,
to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the
nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.

23:5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and
drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as
the LORD your God hath promised unto you.

23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is
written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside
therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 23:7 That ye come not
among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention
of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve
them, nor bow yourselves unto them: 23:8 But cleave unto the LORD your
God, as ye have done unto this day.

23:9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and
strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto
this day.

23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he
it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.

23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD
your God.

23:12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant
of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make
marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you: 23:13 Know
for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of
these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto
you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye
perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and
ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing
hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake
concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath
failed thereof.

23:15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are
come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD
bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off
this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

23:16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God,
which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed
yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled
against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which
he hath given unto you.

24:1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and
called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their
judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before
God.

24:2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time,
even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they
served other gods.

24:3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood,
and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his
seed, and gave him Isaac.

24:4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount
Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

24:5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to
that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.

24:6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the
sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and
horsemen unto the Red sea.

24:7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you
and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them;
and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the
wilderness a long season.

24:8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on
the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into
your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from
before you.

24:9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred
against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse
you: 24:10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed
you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.

24:11 And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of
Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the
Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and
the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.

24:12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from
before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy
sword, nor with thy bow.

24:13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and
cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and
oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.

24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in
truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other
side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.

24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this
day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served
that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD.

24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should
forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; 24:17 For the LORD our God, he
it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt,
from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our
sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all
the people through whom we passed: 24:18 And the LORD drave out from
before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land:
therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.

24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for
he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your
transgressions nor your sins.

24:20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will
turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you
good.

24:21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the
LORD.

24:22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against
yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they
said, We are witnesses.

24:23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are
among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.

24:24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve,
and his voice will we obey.

24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them
a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

24:26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and
took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the
sanctuary of the LORD.

24:27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be
a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which
he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye
deny your God.

24:28 So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.

24:29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of
Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years
old.

24:30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill
of Gaash.

24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the
days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the
works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.

24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up
out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which
Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred
pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of
Joseph.

24:33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill
that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount
Ephraim.




The Book of Judges


1:1 Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children
of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the
Canaanites first, to fight against them?  1:2 And the LORD said, Judah
shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.

1:3 And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my
lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go
with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.

1:4 And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the
Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten
thousand men.

1:5 And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him,
and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

1:6 But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him,
and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.

1:7 And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs
and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I
have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem,
and there he died.

1:8 Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had
taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city
on fire.

1:9 And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the
Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the
valley.

1:10 And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now
the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and
Ahiman, and Talmai.

1:11 And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the
name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher: 1:12 And Caleb said, He that
smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my
daughter to wife.

1:13 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother, took it:
and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.

1:14 And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to
ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb
said unto her, What wilt thou?  1:15 And she said unto him, Give me a
blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of
water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.

1:16 And the children of the Kenite, Moses' father in law, went up out
of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the
wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went
and dwelt among the people.

1:17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the
Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the
name of the city was called Hormah.

1:18 Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the
coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.

1:19 And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of
the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley,
because they had chariots of iron.

1:20 And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled
thence the three sons of Anak.

1:21 And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that
inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of
Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.

1:22 And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and
the LORD was with them.

1:23 And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of
the city before was Luz.)  1:24 And the spies saw a man come forth out
of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the
entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.

1:25 And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote
the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all
his family.

1:26 And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city,
and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this
day.

1:27 Neither did Manasseh drive out the inhabitants of Bethshean and
her towns, nor Taanach and her towns, nor the inhabitants of Dor and
her towns, nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns, nor the
inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns: but the Canaanites would dwell
in that land.

1:28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the
Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out.

1:29 Neither did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer;
but the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.

1:30 Neither did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, nor the
inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites dwelt among them, and
became tributaries.

1:31 Neither did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Accho, nor the
inhabitants of Zidon, nor of Ahlab, nor of Achzib, nor of Helbah, nor
of Aphik, nor of Rehob: 1:32 But the Asherites dwelt among the
Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land: for they did not drive them
out.

1:33 Neither did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Bethshemesh,
nor the inhabitants of Bethanath; but he dwelt among the Canaanites,
the inhabitants of the land: nevertheless the inhabitants of
Bethshemesh and of Bethanath became tributaries unto them.

1:34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain:
for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley: 1:35 But
the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim:
yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became
tributaries.

1:36 And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim,
from the rock, and upward.

2:1 And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said,
I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land
which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my
covenant with you.

2:2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye
shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why
have ye done this?  2:3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them
out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and
their gods shall be a snare unto you.

2:4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words
unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their
voice, and wept.

2:5 And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed
there unto the LORD.

2:6 And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went
every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.

2:7 And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the
days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great
works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

2:8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an
hundred and ten years old.

2:9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in
Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill
Gaash.

2:10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers:
and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the
LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.

2:11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and
served Baalim: 2:12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers,
which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods,
of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed
themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.

2:14 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he
sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they
could not any longer stand before their enemies.

2:15 Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against
them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto
them: and they were greatly distressed.

2:16 Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out
of the hand of those that spoiled them.

2:17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a
whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned
quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the
commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.

2:18 And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with
the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the
days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings
by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

2:19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned,
and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other
gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from
their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

2:20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said,
Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I
commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice; 2:21 I
also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations
which Joshua left when he died: 2:22 That through them I may prove
Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as
their fathers did keep it, or not.

2:23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out
hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

3:1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by
them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to
teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; 3:3
Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the
Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount
Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

3:4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would
hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their
fathers by the hand of Moses.

3:5 And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites,
and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites: 3:6 And they
took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to
their sons, and served their gods.

3:7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and
forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves.

3:8 Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he
sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and
the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years.

3:9 And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD
raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel, who delivered them,
even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

3:10 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel,
and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim king of
Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against
Chushanrishathaim.

3:11 And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz
died.

3:12 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel,
because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD.

3:13 And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and
went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

3:14 So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen
years.

3:15 But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD
raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man
lefthanded: and by him the children of Israel sent a present unto
Eglon the king of Moab.

3:16 But Ehud made him a dagger which had two edges, of a cubit
length; and he did gird it under his raiment upon his right thigh.

3:17 And he brought the present unto Eglon king of Moab: and Eglon was
a very fat man.

3:18 And when he had made an end to offer the present, he sent away
the people that bare the present.

3:19 But he himself turned again from the quarries that were by
Gilgal, and said, I have a secret errand unto thee, O king: who said,
Keep silence. And all that stood by him went out from him.

3:20 And Ehud came unto him; and he was sitting in a summer parlour,
which he had for himself alone. And Ehud said, I have a message from
God unto thee.

And he arose out of his seat.

3:21 And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his
right thigh, and thrust it into his belly: 3:22 And the haft also went
in after the blade; and the fat closed upon the blade, so that he
could not draw the dagger out of his belly; and the dirt came out.

3:23 Then Ehud went forth through the porch, and shut the doors of the
parlour upon him, and locked them.

3:24 When he was gone out, his servants came; and when they saw that,
behold, the doors of the parlour were locked, they said, Surely he
covereth his feet in his summer chamber.

3:25 And they tarried till they were ashamed: and, behold, he opened
not the doors of the parlour; therefore they took a key, and opened
them: and, behold, their lord was fallen down dead on the earth.

3:26 And Ehud escaped while they tarried, and passed beyond the
quarries, and escaped unto Seirath.

3:27 And it came to pass, when he was come, that he blew a trumpet in
the mountain of Ephraim, and the children of Israel went down with him
from the mount, and he before them.

3:28 And he said unto them, Follow after me: for the LORD hath
delivered your enemies the Moabites into your hand. And they went down
after him, and took the fords of Jordan toward Moab, and suffered not
a man to pass over.

3:29 And they slew of Moab at that time about ten thousand men, all
lusty, and all men of valour; and there escaped not a man.

3:30 So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the
land had rest fourscore years.

3:31 And after him was Shamgar the son of Anath, which slew of the
Philistines six hundred men with an ox goad: and he also delivered
Israel.

4:1 And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the
LORD, when Ehud was dead.

4:2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that
reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in
Harosheth of the Gentiles.

4:3 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD: for he had nine
hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the
children of Israel.

4:4 And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel
at that time.

4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and
Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for
judgment.

4:6 And she sent and called Barak the son of Abinoam out of
Kedeshnaphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the LORD God of Israel
commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee
ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of
Zebulun?  4:7 And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera,
the captain of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude; and
I will deliver him into thine hand.

4:8 And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go:
but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.

4:9 And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the
journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the LORD
shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and
went with Barak to Kedesh.

4:10 And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up
with ten thousand men at his feet: and Deborah went up with him.

4:11 Now Heber the Kenite, which was of the children of Hobab the
father in law of Moses, had severed himself from the Kenites, and
pitched his tent unto the plain of Zaanaim, which is by Kedesh.

4:12 And they shewed Sisera that Barak the son of Abinoam was gone up
to mount Tabor.

4:13 And Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred
chariots of iron, and all the people that were with him, from
Harosheth of the Gentiles unto the river of Kishon.

4:14 And Deborah said unto Barak, Up; for this is the day in which the
LORD hath delivered Sisera into thine hand: is not the LORD gone out
before thee? So Barak went down from mount Tabor, and ten thousand men
after him.

4:15 And the LORD discomfited Sisera, and all his chariots, and all
his host, with the edge of the sword before Barak; so that Sisera
lighted down off his chariot, and fled away on his feet.

4:16 But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto
Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the
edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.

4:17 Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife
of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of
Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite.

4:18 And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my
lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into
the tent, she covered him with a mantle.

4:19 And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to
drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him
drink, and covered him.

4:20 Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it
shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is
there any man here? that thou shalt say, No.

4:21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an
hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into
his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep
and weary. So he died.

4:22 And, behold, as Barak pursued Sisera, Jael came out to meet him,
and said unto him, Come, and I will shew thee the man whom thou
seekest. And when he came into her tent, behold, Sisera lay dead, and
the nail was in his temples.

4:23 So God subdued on that day Jabin the king of Canaan before the
children of Israel.

4:24 And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed
against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king
of Canaan.

5:1 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day,
saying, 5:2 Praise ye the LORD for the avenging of Israel, when the
people willingly offered themselves.

5:3 Hear, O ye kings; give ear, O ye princes; I, even I, will sing
unto the LORD; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel.

5:4 LORD, when thou wentest out of Seir, when thou marchedst out of
the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped, the
clouds also dropped water.

5:5 The mountains melted from before the LORD, even that Sinai from
before the LORD God of Israel.

5:6 In the days of Shamgar the son of Anath, in the days of Jael, the
highways were unoccupied, and the travellers walked through byways.

5:7 The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel,
until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.

5:8 They chose new gods; then was war in the gates: was there a shield
or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?  5:9 My heart is toward
the governors of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the
people. Bless ye the LORD.

5:10 Speak, ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and
walk by the way.

5:11 They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places
of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the
LORD, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages
in Israel: then shall the people of the LORD go down to the gates.

5:12 Awake, awake, Deborah: awake, awake, utter a song: arise, Barak,
and lead thy captivity captive, thou son of Abinoam.

5:13 Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles
among the people: the LORD made me have dominion over the mighty.

5:14 Out of Ephraim was there a root of them against Amalek; after
thee, Benjamin, among thy people; out of Machir came down governors,
and out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer.

5:15 And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; even Issachar, and
also Barak: he was sent on foot into the valley. For the divisions of
Reuben there were great thoughts of heart.

5:16 Why abodest thou among the sheepfolds, to hear the bleatings of
the flocks? For the divisions of Reuben there were great searchings of
heart.

5:17 Gilead abode beyond Jordan: and why did Dan remain in ships?
Asher continued on the sea shore, and abode in his breaches.

5:18 Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives
unto the death in the high places of the field.

5:19 The kings came and fought, then fought the kings of Canaan in
Taanach by the waters of Megiddo; they took no gain of money.

5:20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought
against Sisera.

5:21 The river of Kishon swept them away, that ancient river, the
river Kishon. O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.

5:22 Then were the horsehoofs broken by the means of the pransings,
the pransings of their mighty ones.

5:23 Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the LORD, curse ye bitterly the
inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the LORD, to
the help of the LORD against the mighty.

5:24 Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be,
blessed shall she be above women in the tent.

5:25 He asked water, and she gave him milk; she brought forth butter
in a lordly dish.

5:26 She put her hand to the nail, and her right hand to the workmen's
hammer; and with the hammer she smote Sisera, she smote off his head,
when she had pierced and stricken through his temples.

5:27 At her feet he bowed, he fell, he lay down: at her feet he bowed,
he fell: where he bowed, there he fell down dead.

5:28 The mother of Sisera looked out at a window, and cried through
the lattice, Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the
wheels of his chariots?  5:29 Her wise ladies answered her, yea, she
returned answer to herself, 5:30 Have they not sped? have they not
divided the prey; to every man a damsel or two; to Sisera a prey of
divers colours, a prey of divers colours of needlework, of divers
colours of needlework on both sides, meet for the necks of them that
take the spoil?  5:31 So let all thine enemies perish, O LORD: but let
them that love him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. And
the land had rest forty years.

6:1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD: and
the LORD delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years.

6:2 And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel: and because of
the Midianites the children of Israel made them the dens which are in
the mountains, and caves, and strong holds.

6:3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up,
and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up
against them; 6:4 And they encamped against them, and destroyed the
increase of the earth, till thou come unto Gaza, and left no
sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass.

6:5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came
as grasshoppers for multitude; for both they and their camels were
without number: and they entered into the land to destroy it.

6:6 And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and
the children of Israel cried unto the LORD.

6:7 And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the
LORD because of the Midianites, 6:8 That the LORD sent a prophet unto
the children of Israel, which said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God
of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of
the house of bondage; 6:9 And I delivered you out of the hand of the
Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave
them out from before you, and gave you their land; 6:10 And I said
unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed my voice.

6:11 And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which
was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son
Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the
Midianites.

6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him,
The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.

6:13 And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why
then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our
fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?
but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of
the Midianites.

6:14 And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and
thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I
sent thee?  6:15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I
save Israel?  behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the
least in my father's house.

6:16 And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou
shalt smite the Midianites as one man.

6:17 And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight,
then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.

6:18 Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring
forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry
until thou come again.

6:19 And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of
an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth
in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.

6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the
unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth.
And he did so.

6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that
was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and
there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the
unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his
sight.

6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD,
Gideon said, Alas, O LORD God! for because I have seen an angel of the
LORD face to face.

6:23 And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou
shalt not die.

6:24 Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it
Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

6:25 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him,
Take thy father's young bullock, even the second bullock of seven
years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and
cut down the grove that is by it: 6:26 And build an altar unto the
LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take
the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the
grove which thou shalt cut down.

6:27 Then Gideon took ten men of his servants, and did as the LORD had
said unto him: and so it was, because he feared his father's
household, and the men of the city, that he could not do it by day,
that he did it by night.

6:28 And when the men of the city arose early in the morning, behold,
the altar of Baal was cast down, and the grove was cut down that was
by it, and the second bullock was offered upon the altar that was
built.

6:29 And they said one to another, Who hath done this thing? And when
they enquired and asked, they said, Gideon the son of Joash hath done
this thing.

6:30 Then the men of the city said unto Joash, Bring out thy son, that
he may die: because he hath cast down the altar of Baal, and because
he hath cut down the grove that was by it.

6:31 And Joash said unto all that stood against him, Will ye plead for
Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to
death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for
himself, because one hath cast down his altar.

6:32 Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, saying, Let Baal
plead against him, because he hath thrown down his altar.

6:33 Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the children of
the east were gathered together, and went over, and pitched in the
valley of Jezreel.

6:34 But the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a
trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered after him.

6:35 And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was
gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto
Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them.

6:36 And Gideon said unto God, If thou wilt save Israel by mine hand,
as thou hast said, 6:37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the
floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all
the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine
hand, as thou hast said.

6:38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the
fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of
water.

6:39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me,
and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this
once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon
all the ground let there be dew.

6:40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only,
and there was dew on all the ground.

7:1 Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that were with
him, rose up early, and pitched beside the well of Harod: so that the
host of the Midianites were on the north side of them, by the hill of
Moreh, in the valley.

7:2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are
too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel
vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

7:3 Now therefore go to, proclaim in the ears of the people, saying,
Whosoever is fearful and afraid, let him return and depart early from
mount Gilead. And there returned of the people twenty and two
thousand; and there remained ten thousand.

7:4 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people are yet too many; bring
them down unto the water, and I will try them for thee there: and it
shall be, that of whom I say unto thee, This shall go with thee, the
same shall go with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall
not go with thee, the same shall not go.

7:5 So he brought down the people unto the water: and the LORD said
unto Gideon, Every one that lappeth of the water with his tongue, as a
dog lappeth, him shalt thou set by himself; likewise every one that
boweth down upon his knees to drink.

7:6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their
mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed
down upon their knees to drink water.

7:7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that
lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand:
and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

7:8 So the people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets: and
he sent all the rest of Israel every man unto his tent, and retained
those three hundred men: and the host of Midian was beneath him in the
valley.

7:9 And it came to pass the same night, that the LORD said unto him,
Arise, get thee down unto the host; for I have delivered it into thine
hand.

7:10 But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Phurah thy servant down
to the host: 7:11 And thou shalt hear what they say; and afterward
shall thine hands be strengthened to go down unto the host. Then went
he down with Phurah his servant unto the outside of the armed men that
were in the host.

7:12 And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the children of the
east lay along in the valley like grasshoppers for multitude; and
their camels were without number, as the sand by the sea side for
multitude.

7:13 And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man that told a
dream unto his fellow, and said, Behold, I dreamed a dream, and, lo, a
cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a
tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay
along.

7:14 And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the
sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand
hath God delivered Midian, and all the host.

7:15 And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and
the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the
host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the LORD hath delivered into your
hand the host of Midian.

7:16 And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he
put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps
within the pitchers.

7:17 And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold,
when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so
shall ye do.

7:18 When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow
ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword
of the LORD, and of Gideon.

7:19 So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the
outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had
but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the
pitchers that were in their hands.

7:20 And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the
pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in
their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the
LORD, and of Gideon.

7:21 And they stood every man in his place round about the camp; and
all the host ran, and cried, and fled.

7:22 And the three hundred blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every
man's sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host: and the
host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of
Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

7:23 And the men of Israel gathered themselves together out of
Naphtali, and out of Asher, and out of all Manasseh, and pursued after
the Midianites.

7:24 And Gideon sent messengers throughout all mount Ephraim, saying,
come down against the Midianites, and take before them the waters unto
Bethbarah and Jordan. Then all the men of Ephraim gathered themselves
together, and took the waters unto Bethbarah and Jordan.

7:25 And they took two princes of the Midianites, Oreb and Zeeb; and
they slew Oreb upon the rock Oreb, and Zeeb they slew at the winepress
of Zeeb, and pursued Midian, and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to
Gideon on the other side Jordan.

8:1 And the men of Ephraim said unto him, Why hast thou served us
thus, that thou calledst us not, when thou wentest to fight with the
Midianites?  And they did chide with him sharply.

8:2 And he said unto them, What have I done now in comparison of you?
Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage
of Abiezer?  8:3 God hath delivered into your hands the princes of
Midian, Oreb and Zeeb: and what was I able to do in comparison of you?
Then their anger was abated toward him, when he had said that.

8:4 And Gideon came to Jordan, and passed over, he, and the three
hundred men that were with him, faint, yet pursuing them.

8:5 And he said unto the men of Succoth, Give, I pray you, loaves of
bread unto the people that follow me; for they be faint, and I am
pursuing after Zebah and Zalmunna, kings of Midian.

8:6 And the princes of Succoth said, Are the hands of Zebah and
Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thine army?
8:7 And Gideon said, Therefore when the LORD hath delivered Zebah and
Zalmunna into mine hand, then I will tear your flesh with the thorns
of the wilderness and with briers.

8:8 And he went up thence to Penuel, and spake unto them likewise: and
the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered him.

8:9 And he spake also unto the men of Penuel, saying, When I come
again in peace, I will break down this tower.

8:10 Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor, and their hosts with them,
about fifteen thousand men, all that were left of all the hosts of the
children of the east: for there fell an hundred and twenty thousand
men that drew sword.

8:11 And Gideon went up by the way of them that dwelt in tents on the
east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and smote the host; for the host was
secure.

8:12 And when Zebah and Zalmunna fled, he pursued after them, and took
the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and discomfited all the
host.

8:13 And Gideon the son of Joash returned from battle before the sun
was up, 8:14 And caught a young man of the men of Succoth, and
enquired of him: and he described unto him the princes of Succoth, and
the elders thereof, even threescore and seventeen men.

8:15 And he came unto the men of Succoth, and said, Behold Zebah and
Zalmunna, with whom ye did upbraid me, saying, Are the hands of Zebah
and Zalmunna now in thine hand, that we should give bread unto thy men
that are weary?  8:16 And he took the elders of the city, and thorns
of the wilderness and briers, and with them he taught the men of
Succoth.

8:17 And he beat down the tower of Penuel, and slew the men of the
city.

8:18 Then said he unto Zebah and Zalmunna, What manner of men were
they whom ye slew at Tabor? And they answered, As thou art, so were
they; each one resembled the children of a king.

8:19 And he said, They were my brethren, even the sons of my mother:
as the LORD liveth, if ye had saved them alive, I would not slay you.

8:20 And he said unto Jether his firstborn, Up, and slay them. But the
youth drew not his sword: for he feared, because he was yet a youth.

8:21 Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, Rise thou, and fall upon us: for as
the man is, so is his strength. And Gideon arose, and slew Zebah and
Zalmunna, and took away the ornaments that were on their camels'
necks.

8:22 Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both
thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also: for thou hast delivered us
from the hand of Midian.

8:23 And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither
shall my son rule over you: the LORD shall rule over you.

8:24 And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that
ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had
golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)  8:25 And they
answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and
did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.

8:26 And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a
thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and
collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and
beside the chains that were about their camels' necks.

8:27 And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in
Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing
became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

8:28 Thus was Midian subdued before the children of Israel, so that
they lifted up their heads no more. And the country was in quietness
forty years in the days of Gideon.

8:29 And Jerubbaal the son of Joash went and dwelt in his own house.

8:30 And Gideon had threescore and ten sons of his body begotten: for
he had many wives.

8:31 And his concubine that was in Shechem, she also bare him a son,
whose name he called Abimelech.

8:32 And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was
buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the
Abiezrites.

8:33 And it came to pass, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the
children of Israel turned again, and went a whoring after Baalim, and
made Baalberith their god.

8:34 And the children of Israel remembered not the LORD their God, who
had delivered them out of the hands of all their enemies on every
side: 8:35 Neither shewed they kindness to the house of Jerubbaal,
namely, Gideon, according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto
Israel.

9:1 And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his
mother's brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of
the house of his mother's father, saying, 9:2 Speak, I pray you, in
the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either
that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons,
reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am
your bone and your flesh.

9:3 And his mother's brethren spake of him in the ears of all the men
of Shechem all these words: and their hearts inclined to follow
Abimelech; for they said, He is our brother.

9:4 And they gave him threescore and ten pieces of silver out of the
house of Baalberith, wherewith Abimelech hired vain and light persons,
which followed him.

9:5 And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his
brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon
one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal
was left; for he hid himself.

9:6 And all the men of Shechem gathered together, and all the house of
Millo, and went, and made Abimelech king, by the plain of the pillar
that was in Shechem.

9:7 And when they told it to Jotham, he went and stood in the top of
mount Gerizim, and lifted up his voice, and cried, and said unto them,
Hearken unto me, ye men of Shechem, that God may hearken unto you.

9:8 The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and
they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

9:9 But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness,
wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over
the trees?  9:10 And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and
reign over us.

9:11 But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness,
and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?  9:12 Then
said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

9:13 And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which
cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?  9:14 Then
said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

9:15 And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me
king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not,
let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

9:16 Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye
have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and
his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his
hands; 9:17 (For my father fought for you, and adventured his life
far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian: 9:18 And ye are
risen up against my father's house this day, and have slain his sons,
threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech,
the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he
is your brother;) 9:19 If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with
Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech,
and let him also rejoice in you: 9:20 But if not, let fire come out
from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo;
and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of
Millo, and devour Abimelech.

9:21 And Jotham ran away, and fled, and went to Beer, and dwelt there,
for fear of Abimelech his brother.

9:22 When Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, 9:23 Then God
sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the
men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech: 9:24 That the
cruelty done to the threescore and ten sons of Jerubbaal might come,
and their blood be laid upon Abimelech their brother, which slew them;
and upon the men of Shechem, which aided him in the killing of his
brethren.

9:25 And the men of Shechem set liers in wait for him in the top of
the mountains, and they robbed all that came along that way by them:
and it was told Abimelech.

9:26 And Gaal the son of Ebed came with his brethren, and went over to
Shechem: and the men of Shechem put their confidence in him.

9:27 And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards,
and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their
god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.

9:28 And Gaal the son of Ebed said, Who is Abimelech, and who is
Shechem, that we should serve him? is not he the son of Jerubbaal? and
Zebul his officer? serve the men of Hamor the father of Shechem: for
why should we serve him?  9:29 And would to God this people were under
my hand! then would I remove Abimelech. And he said to Abimelech,
Increase thine army, and come out.

9:30 And when Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal the
son of Ebed, his anger was kindled.

9:31 And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold,
Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold,
they fortify the city against thee.

9:32 Now therefore up by night, thou and the people that is with thee,
and lie in wait in the field: 9:33 And it shall be, that in the
morning, as soon as the sun is up, thou shalt rise early, and set upon
the city: and, behold, when he and the people that is with him come
out against thee, then mayest thou do to them as thou shalt find
occasion.

9:34 And Abimelech rose up, and all the people that were with him, by
night, and they laid wait against Shechem in four companies.

9:35 And Gaal the son of Ebed went out, and stood in the entering of
the gate of the city: and Abimelech rose up, and the people that were
with him, from lying in wait.

9:36 And when Gaal saw the people, he said to Zebul, Behold, there
come people down from the top of the mountains. And Zebul said unto
him, Thou seest the shadow of the mountains as if they were men.

9:37 And Gaal spake again, and said, See there come people down by the
middle of the land, and another company come along by the plain of
Meonenim.

9:38 Then said Zebul unto him, Where is now thy mouth, wherewith thou
saidst, Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him? is not this the
people that thou hast despised? go out, I pray now, and fight with
them.

9:39 And Gaal went out before the men of Shechem, and fought with
Abimelech.

9:40 And Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him, and many were
overthrown and wounded, even unto the entering of the gate.

9:41 And Abimelech dwelt at Arumah: and Zebul thrust out Gaal and his
brethren, that they should not dwell in Shechem.

9:42 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the people went out into
the field; and they told Abimelech.

9:43 And he took the people, and divided them into three companies,
and laid wait in the field, and looked, and, behold, the people were
come forth out of the city; and he rose up against them, and smote
them.

9:44 And Abimelech, and the company that was with him, rushed forward,
and stood in the entering of the gate of the city: and the two other
companies ran upon all the people that were in the fields, and slew
them.

9:45 And Abimelech fought against the city all that day; and he took
the city, and slew the people that was therein, and beat down the
city, and sowed it with salt.

9:46 And when all the men of the tower of Shechem heard that, they
entered into an hold of the house of the god Berith.

9:47 And it was told Abimelech, that all the men of the tower of
Shechem were gathered together.

9:48 And Abimelech gat him up to mount Zalmon, he and all the people
that were with him; and Abimelech took an axe in his hand, and cut
down a bough from the trees, and took it, and laid it on his shoulder,
and said unto the people that were with him, What ye have seen me do,
make haste, and do as I have done.

9:49 And all the people likewise cut down every man his bough, and
followed Abimelech, and put them to the hold, and set the hold on fire
upon them; so that all the men of the tower of Shechem died also,
about a thousand men and women.

9:50 Then went Abimelech to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and
took it.

9:51 But there was a strong tower within the city, and thither fled
all the men and women, and all they of the city, and shut it to them,
and gat them up to the top of the tower.

9:52 And Abimelech came unto the tower, and fought against it, and
went hard unto the door of the tower to burn it with fire.

9:53 And a certain woman cast a piece of a millstone upon Abimelech's
head, and all to brake his skull.

9:54 Then he called hastily unto the young man his armourbearer, and
said unto him, Draw thy sword, and slay me, that men say not of me, A
women slew him. And his young man thrust him through, and he died.

9:55 And when the men of Israel saw that Abimelech was dead, they
departed every man unto his place.

9:56 Thus God rendered the wickedness of Abimelech, which he did unto
his father, in slaying his seventy brethren: 9:57 And all the evil of
the men of Shechem did God render upon their heads: and upon them came
the curse of Jotham the son of Jerubbaal.

10:1 And after Abimelech there arose to defend Israel Tola the son of
Puah, the son of Dodo, a man of Issachar; and he dwelt in Shamir in
mount Ephraim.

10:2 And he judged Israel twenty and three years, and died, and was
buried in Shamir.

10:3 And after him arose Jair, a Gileadite, and judged Israel twenty
and two years.

10:4 And he had thirty sons that rode on thirty ass colts, and they
had thirty cities, which are called Havothjair unto this day, which
are in the land of Gilead.

10:5 And Jair died, and was buried in Camon.

10:6 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
LORD, and served Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and the gods of Syria, and the
gods of Zidon, and the gods of Moab, and the gods of the children of
Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines, and forsook the LORD, and
served not him.

10:7 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold
them into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hands of the
children of Ammon.

10:8 And that year they vexed and oppressed the children of Israel:
eighteen years, all the children of Israel that were on the other side
Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead.

10:9 Moreover the children of Ammon passed over Jordan to fight also
against Judah, and against Benjamin, and against the house of Ephraim;
so that Israel was sore distressed.

10:10 And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have
sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also
served Baalim.

10:11 And the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Did not I deliver
you from the Egyptians, and from the Amorites, from the children of
Ammon, and from the Philistines?  10:12 The Zidonians also, and the
Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and
I delivered you out of their hand.

10:13 Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will
deliver you no more.

10:14 Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver
you in the time of your tribulation.

10:15 And the children of Israel said unto the LORD, We have sinned:
do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee; deliver us only, we
pray thee, this day.

10:16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served
the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.

10:17 Then the children of Ammon were gathered together, and encamped
in Gilead. And the children of Israel assembled themselves together,
and encamped in Mizpeh.

10:18 And the people and princes of Gilead said one to another, What
man is he that will begin to fight against the children of Ammon? he
shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.

11:1 Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valour, and he was
the son of an harlot: and Gilead begat Jephthah.

11:2 And Gilead's wife bare him sons; and his wife's sons grew up, and
they thrust out Jephthah, and said unto him, Thou shalt not inherit in
our father's house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.

11:3 Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and dwelt in the land of
Tob: and there were gathered vain men to Jephthah, and went out with
him.

11:4 And it came to pass in process of time, that the children of
Ammon made war against Israel.

11:5 And it was so, that when the children of Ammon made war against
Israel, the elders of Gilead went to fetch Jephthah out of the land of
Tob: 11:6 And they said unto Jephthah, Come, and be our captain, that
we may fight with the children of Ammon.

11:7 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, Did not ye hate me,
and expel me out of my father's house? and why are ye come unto me now
when ye are in distress?  11:8 And the elders of Gilead said unto
Jephthah, Therefore we turn again to thee now, that thou mayest go
with us, and fight against the children of Ammon, and be our head over
all the inhabitants of Gilead.

11:9 And Jephthah said unto the elders of Gilead, If ye bring me home
again to fight against the children of Ammon, and the LORD deliver
them before me, shall I be your head?  11:10 And the elders of Gilead
said unto Jephthah, The LORD be witness between us, if we do not so
according to thy words.

11:11 Then Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people
made him head and captain over them: and Jephthah uttered all his
words before the LORD in Mizpeh.

11:12 And Jephthah sent messengers unto the king of the children of
Ammon, saying, What hast thou to do with me, that thou art come
against me to fight in my land?  11:13 And the king of the children of
Ammon answered unto the messengers of Jephthah, Because Israel took
away my land, when they came up out of Egypt, from Arnon even unto
Jabbok, and unto Jordan: now therefore restore those lands again
peaceably.

11:14 And Jephthah sent messengers again unto the king of the children
of Ammon: 11:15 And said unto him, Thus saith Jephthah, Israel took
not away the land of Moab, nor the land of the children of Ammon:
11:16 But when Israel came up from Egypt, and walked through the
wilderness unto the Red sea, and came to Kadesh; 11:17 Then Israel
sent messengers unto the king of Edom, saying, Let me, I pray thee,
pass through thy land: but the king of Edom would not hearken thereto.
And in like manner they sent unto the king of Moab: but he would not
consent: and Israel abode in Kadesh.

11:18 Then they went along through the wilderness, and compassed the
land of Edom, and the land of Moab, and came by the east side of the
land of Moab, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, but came not
within the border of Moab: for Arnon was the border of Moab.

11:19 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, the
king of Heshbon; and Israel said unto him, Let us pass, we pray thee,
through thy land into my place.

11:20 But Sihon trusted not Israel to pass through his coast: but
Sihon gathered all his people together, and pitched in Jahaz, and
fought against Israel.

11:21 And the LORD God of Israel delivered Sihon and all his people
into the hand of Israel, and they smote them: so Israel possessed all
the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country.

11:22 And they possessed all the coasts of the Amorites, from Arnon
even unto Jabbok, and from the wilderness even unto Jordan.

11:23 So now the LORD God of Israel hath dispossessed the Amorites
from before his people Israel, and shouldest thou possess it?  11:24
Wilt not thou possess that which Chemosh thy god giveth thee to
possess? So whomsoever the LORD our God shall drive out from before
us, them will we possess.

11:25 And now art thou any thing better than Balak the son of Zippor,
king of Moab? did he ever strive against Israel, or did he ever fight
against them, 11:26 While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and her towns, and
in Aroer and her towns, and in all the cities that be along by the
coasts of Arnon, three hundred years? why therefore did ye not recover
them within that time?  11:27 Wherefore I have not sinned against
thee, but thou doest me wrong to war against me: the LORD the Judge be
judge this day between the children of Israel and the children of
Ammon.

11:28 Howbeit the king of the children of Ammon hearkened not unto the
words of Jephthah which he sent him.

11:29 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed
over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from
Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.

11:30 And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt
without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, 11:31 Then
it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to
meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall
surely be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.

11:32 So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight
against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.

11:33 And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith,
even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very
great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the
children of Israel.

11:34 And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his
daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she
was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.

11:35 And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes,
and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou
art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the
LORD, and I cannot go back.

11:36 And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth
unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of
thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of
thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.

11:37 And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let
me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and
bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.

11:38 And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she
went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the
mountains.

11:39 And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned
unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had
vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel, 11:40 That
the daughters of Israel went yearly to lament the daughter of Jephthah
the Gileadite four days in a year.

12:1 And the men of Ephraim gathered themselves together, and went
northward, and said unto Jephthah, Wherefore passedst thou over to
fight against the children of Ammon, and didst not call us to go with
thee? we will burn thine house upon thee with fire.

12:2 And Jephthah said unto them, I and my people were at great strife
with the children of Ammon; and when I called you, ye delivered me not
out of their hands.

12:3 And when I saw that ye delivered me not, I put my life in my
hands, and passed over against the children of Ammon, and the LORD
delivered them into my hand: wherefore then are ye come up unto me
this day, to fight against me?  12:4 Then Jephthah gathered together
all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead
smote Ephraim, because they said, Ye Gileadites are fugitives of
Ephraim among the Ephraimites, and among the Manassites.

12:5 And the Gileadites took the passages of Jordan before the
Ephraimites: and it was so, that when those Ephraimites which were
escaped said, Let me go over; that the men of Gilead said unto him,
Art thou an Ephraimite? If he said, Nay; 12:6 Then said they unto him,
Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to
pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages
of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and
two thousand.

12:7 And Jephthah judged Israel six years. Then died Jephthah the
Gileadite, and was buried in one of the cities of Gilead.

12:8 And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

12:9 And he had thirty sons, and thirty daughters, whom he sent
abroad, and took in thirty daughters from abroad for his sons. And he
judged Israel seven years.

12:10 Then died Ibzan, and was buried at Bethlehem.

12:11 And after him Elon, a Zebulonite, judged Israel; and he judged
Israel ten years.

12:12 And Elon the Zebulonite died, and was buried in Aijalon in the
country of Zebulun.

12:13 And after him Abdon the son of Hillel, a Pirathonite, judged
Israel.

12:14 And he had forty sons and thirty nephews, that rode on
threescore and ten ass colts: and he judged Israel eight years.

12:15 And Abdon the son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried
in Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the mount of the Amalekites.

13:1 And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the
LORD; and the LORD delivered them into the hand of the Philistines
forty years.

13:2 And there was a certain man of Zorah, of the family of the
Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren, and bare not.

13:3 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto the woman, and said unto
her, Behold now, thou art barren, and bearest not: but thou shalt
conceive, and bear a son.

13:4 Now therefore beware, I pray thee, and drink not wine nor strong
drink, and eat not any unclean thing: 13:5 For, lo, thou shalt
conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the
child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin
to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

13:6 Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God
came unto me, and his countenance was like the countenance of an angel
of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he was, neither told
he me his name: 13:7 But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive,
and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat
any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the
womb to the day of his death.

13:8 Then Manoah intreated the LORD, and said, O my Lord, let the man
of God which thou didst send come again unto us, and teach us what we
shall do unto the child that shall be born.

13:9 And God hearkened to the voice of Manoah; and the angel of God
came again unto the woman as she sat in the field: but Manoah her
husband was not with her.

13:10 And the woman made haste, and ran, and shewed her husband, and
said unto him, Behold, the man hath appeared unto me, that came unto
me the other day.

13:11 And Manoah arose, and went after his wife, and came to the man,
and said unto him, Art thou the man that spakest unto the woman? And
he said, I am.

13:12 And Manoah said, Now let thy words come to pass. How shall we
order the child, and how shall we do unto him?  13:13 And the angel of
the LORD said unto Manoah, Of all that I said unto the woman let her
beware.

13:14 She may not eat of any thing that cometh of the vine, neither
let her drink wine or strong drink, nor eat any unclean thing: all
that I commanded her let her observe.

13:15 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, I pray thee, let us
detain thee, until we shall have made ready a kid for thee.

13:16 And the angel of the LORD said unto Manoah, Though thou detain
me, I will not eat of thy bread: and if thou wilt offer a burnt
offering, thou must offer it unto the LORD. For Manoah knew not that
he was an angel of the LORD.

13:17 And Manoah said unto the angel of the LORD, What is thy name,
that when thy sayings come to pass we may do thee honour?  13:18 And
the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my
name, seeing it is secret?  13:19 So Manoah took a kid with a meat
offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did
wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on.

13:20 For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from
off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the
altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces
to the ground.

13:21 But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to
his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD.

13:22 And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we
have seen God.

13:23 But his wife said unto him, If the LORD were pleased to kill us,
he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our
hands, neither would he have shewed us all these things, nor would as
at this time have told us such things as these.

13:24 And the woman bare a son, and called his name Samson: and the
child grew, and the LORD blessed him.

13:25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to move him at times in the
camp of Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of
the daughters of the Philistines.

14:2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I
have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now
therefore get her for me to wife.

14:3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, Is there never a
woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people,
that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And
Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well.

14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of the LORD,
that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time
the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

14:5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath,
and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared
against him.

14:6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent
him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but
he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

14:7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased
Samson well.

14:8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to
see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees
and honey in the carcase of the lion.

14:9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to
his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told
not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.

14:10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a
feast; for so used the young men to do.

14:11 And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty
companions to be with him.

14:12 And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto
you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the
feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty
change of garments: 14:13 But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall
ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said
unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it.

14:14 And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out
of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days
expound the riddle.

14:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto
Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the
riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye
called us to take that we have? is it not so?  14:16 And Samson's wife
wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not:
thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast
not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my
father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee?  14:17 And she wept
before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to
pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon
him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people.

14:18 And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before
the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? And what is stronger
than a lion?  and he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my
heifer, ye had not found out my riddle.

14:19 And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to
Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave
change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger
was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.

14:20 But Samson's wife was given to his companion, whom he had used
as his friend.

15:1 But it came to pass within a while after, in the time of wheat
harvest, that Samson visited his wife with a kid; and he said, I will
go in to my wife into the chamber. But her father would not suffer him
to go in.

15:2 And her father said, I verily thought that thou hadst utterly
hated her; therefore I gave her to thy companion: is not her younger
sister fairer than she? take her, I pray thee, instead of her.

15:3 And Samson said concerning them, Now shall I be more blameless
than the Philistines, though I do them a displeasure.

15:4 And Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took
firebrands, and turned tail to tail, and put a firebrand in the midst
between two tails.

15:5 And when he had set the brands on fire, he let them go into the
standing corn of the Philistines, and burnt up both the shocks, and
also the standing corn, with the vineyards and olives.

15:6 Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered,
Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife,
and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt
her and her father with fire.

15:7 And Samson said unto them, Though ye have done this, yet will I
be avenged of you, and after that I will cease.

15:8 And he smote them hip and thigh with a great slaughter: and he
went down and dwelt in the top of the rock Etam.

15:9 Then the Philistines went up, and pitched in Judah, and spread
themselves in Lehi.

15:10 And the men of Judah said, Why are ye come up against us? And
they answered, To bind Samson are we come up, to do to him as he hath
done to us.

15:11 Then three thousand men of Judah went to the top of the rock
Etam, and said to Samson, Knowest thou not that the Philistines are
rulers over us? what is this that thou hast done unto us? And he said
unto them, As they did unto me, so have I done unto them.

15:12 And they said unto him, We are come down to bind thee, that we
may deliver thee into the hand of the Philistines. And Samson said
unto them, Swear unto me, that ye will not fall upon me yourselves.

15:13 And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast,
and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee.
And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the
rock.

15:14 And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him:
and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that
were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his
bands loosed from off his hands.

15:15 And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand,
and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

15:16 And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps,
with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

15:17 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that
he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place
Ramathlehi.

15:18 And he was sore athirst, and called on the LORD, and said, Thou
hast given this great deliverance into the hand of thy servant: and
now shall I die for thirst, and fall into the hand of the
uncircumcised?  15:19 But God clave an hollow place that was in the
jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit
came again, and he revived: wherefore he called the name thereof
Enhakkore, which is in Lehi unto this day.

15:20 And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines twenty
years.

16:1 Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in
unto her.

16:2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And
they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of
the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when
it is day, we shall kill him.

16:3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the
doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with
them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them
up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.

16:4 And it came to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the
valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah.

16:5 And the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and said unto
her, Entice him, and see wherein his great strength lieth, and by what
means we may prevail against him, that we may bind him to afflict him;
and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred pieces of silver.

16:6 And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy
great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict
thee.

16:7 And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs
that were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

16:8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up to her seven green
withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.

16:9 Now there were men lying in wait, abiding with her in the
chamber.

And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he
brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it toucheth the
fire. So his strength was not known.

16:10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou hast mocked me, and
told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou mightest be
bound.

16:11 And he said unto her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that
never were occupied, then shall I be weak, and be as another man.

16:12 Delilah therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and
said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were
liers in wait abiding in the chamber. And he brake them from off his
arms like a thread.

16:13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou hast mocked me, and
told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And he said
unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.

16:14 And she fastened it with the pin, and said unto him, The
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his sleep, and
went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web.

16:15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I love thee, when
thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three times, and
hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.

16:16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him daily with her words,
and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death; 16:17 That he
told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor
upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's
womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall
become weak, and be like any other man.

16:18 And when Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she
sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this
once, for he hath shewed me all his heart. Then the lords of the
Philistines came up unto her, and brought money in their hand.

16:19 And she made him sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man,
and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head; and she
began to afflict him, and his strength went from him.

16:20 And she said, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke
out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before,
and shake myself. And he wist not that the LORD was departed from him.

16:21 But the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought
him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did
grind in the prison house.

16:22 Howbeit the hair of his head began to grow again after he was
shaven.

16:23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered them together for to
offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to rejoice: for they
said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.

16:24 And when the people saw him, they praised their god: for they
said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our enemy, and the
destroyer of our country, which slew many of us.

16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they
said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for
Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set
him between the pillars.

16:26 And Samson said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer
me that I may feel the pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I
may lean upon them.

16:27 Now the house was full of men and women; and all the lords of
the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about three
thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport.

16:28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember
me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O
God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.

16:29 And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the
house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right
hand, and of the other with his left.

16:30 And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed
himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and
upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at
his death were more than they which he slew in his life.

16:31 Then his brethren and all the house of his father came down, and
took him, and brought him up, and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol
in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged Israel twenty
years.

17:1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.

17:2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver
that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of
also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his
mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.

17:3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to
his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto
the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten
image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.

17:4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took
two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made
thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house
of Micah.

17:5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and
teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.

17:7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of
Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.

17:8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to
sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to
the house of Micah, as he journeyed.

17:9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto
him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may
find a place.

17:10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father
and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year,
and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.

17:11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young
man was unto him as one of his sons.

17:12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his
priest, and was in the house of Micah.

17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good,
seeing I have a Levite to my priest.

18:1 In those days there was no king in Israel: and in those days the
tribe of the Danites sought them an inheritance to dwell in; for unto
that day all their inheritance had not fallen unto them among the
tribes of Israel.

18:2 And the children of Dan sent of their family five men from their
coasts, men of valour, from Zorah, and from Eshtaol, to spy out the
land, and to search it; and they said unto them, Go, search the land:
who when they came to mount Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they
lodged there.

18:3 When they were by the house of Micah, they knew the voice of the
young man the Levite: and they turned in thither, and said unto him,
Who brought thee hither? and what makest thou in this place? and what
hast thou here?  18:4 And he said unto them, Thus and thus dealeth
Micah with me, and hath hired me, and I am his priest.

18:5 And they said unto him, Ask counsel, we pray thee, of God, that
we may know whether our way which we go shall be prosperous.

18:6 And the priest said unto them, Go in peace: before the LORD is
your way wherein ye go.

18:7 Then the five men departed, and came to Laish, and saw the people
that were therein, how they dwelt careless, after the manner of the
Zidonians, quiet and secure; and there was no magistrate in the land,
that might put them to shame in any thing; and they were far from the
Zidonians, and had no business with any man.

18:8 And they came unto their brethren to Zorah and Eshtaol: and their
brethren said unto them, What say ye?  18:9 And they said, Arise, that
we may go up against them: for we have seen the land, and, behold, it
is very good: and are ye still? be not slothful to go, and to enter to
possess the land.

18:10 When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and to a large
land: for God hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no
want of any thing that is in the earth.

18:11 And there went from thence of the family of the Danites, out of
Zorah and out of Eshtaol, six hundred men appointed with weapons of
war.

18:12 And they went up, and pitched in Kirjathjearim, in Judah:
wherefore they called that place Mahanehdan unto this day: behold, it
is behind Kirjathjearim.

18:13 And they passed thence unto mount Ephraim, and came unto the
house of Micah.

18:14 Then answered the five men that went to spy out the country of
Laish, and said unto their brethren, Do ye know that there is in these
houses an ephod, and teraphim, and a graven image, and a molten image?
now therefore consider what ye have to do.

18:15 And they turned thitherward, and came to the house of the young
man the Levite, even unto the house of Micah, and saluted him.

18:16 And the six hundred men appointed with their weapons of war,
which were of the children of Dan, stood by the entering of the gate.

18:17 And the five men that went to spy out the land went up, and came
in thither, and took the graven image, and the ephod, and the
teraphim, and the molten image: and the priest stood in the entering
of the gate with the six hundred men that were appointed with weapons
of war.

18:18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image,
the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the
priest unto them, What do ye?  18:19 And they said unto him, Hold thy
peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a
father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the
house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family
in Israel?  18:20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the
ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst
of the people.

18:21 So they turned and departed, and put the little ones and the
cattle and the carriage before them.

18:22 And when they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men
that were in the houses near to Micah's house were gathered together,
and overtook the children of Dan.

18:23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their
faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with
such a company?  18:24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I
made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and
what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?  18:25 And the
children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us,
lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the
lives of thy household.

18:26 And the children of Dan went their way: and when Micah saw that
they were too strong for him, he turned and went back unto his house.

18:27 And they took the things which Micah had made, and the priest
which he had, and came unto Laish, unto a people that were at quiet
and secure: and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and burnt
the city with fire.

18:28 And there was no deliverer, because it was far from Zidon, and
they had no business with any man; and it was in the valley that lieth
by Bethrehob. And they built a city, and dwelt therein.

18:29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan
their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city
was Laish at the first.

18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan,
the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests
to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

18:31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all
the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

19:1 And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in
Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the side of
mount Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Bethlehemjudah.

19:2 And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away
from him unto her father's house to Bethlehemjudah, and was there four
whole months.

19:3 And her husband arose, and went after her, to speak friendly unto
her, and to bring her again, having his servant with him, and a couple
of asses: and she brought him into her father's house: and when the
father of the damsel saw him, he rejoiced to meet him.

19:4 And his father in law, the damsel's father, retained him; and he
abode with him three days: so they did eat and drink, and lodged
there.

19:5 And it came to pass on the fourth day, when they arose early in
the morning, that he rose up to depart: and the damsel's father said
unto his son in law, Comfort thine heart with a morsel of bread, and
afterward go your way.

19:6 And they sat down, and did eat and drink both of them together:
for the damsel's father had said unto the man, Be content, I pray
thee, and tarry all night, and let thine heart be merry.

19:7 And when the man rose up to depart, his father in law urged him:
therefore he lodged there again.

19:8 And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; and
the damsel's father said, Comfort thine heart, I pray thee. And they
tarried until afternoon, and they did eat both of them.

19:9 And when the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and
his servant, his father in law, the damsel's father, said unto him,
Behold, now the day draweth toward evening, I pray you tarry all
night: behold, the day groweth to an end, lodge here, that thine heart
may be merry; and to morrow get you early on your way, that thou
mayest go home.

19:10 But the man would not tarry that night, but he rose up and
departed, and came over against Jebus, which is Jerusalem; and there
were with him two asses saddled, his concubine also was with him.

19:11 And when they were by Jebus, the day was far spent; and the
servant said unto his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn in
into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.

19:12 And his master said unto him, We will not turn aside hither into
the city of a stranger, that is not of the children of Israel; we will
pass over to Gibeah.

19:13 And he said unto his servant, Come, and let us draw near to one
of these places to lodge all night, in Gibeah, or in Ramah.

19:14 And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down
upon them when they were by Gibeah, which belongeth to Benjamin.

19:15 And they turned aside thither, to go in and to lodge in Gibeah:
and when he went in, he sat him down in a street of the city: for
there was no man that took them into his house to lodging.

19:16 And, behold, there came an old man from his work out of the
field at even, which was also of mount Ephraim; and he sojourned in
Gibeah: but the men of the place were Benjamites.

19:17 And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw a wayfaring man in
the street of the city: and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and
whence comest thou?  19:18 And he said unto him, We are passing from
Bethlehemjudah toward the side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I: and
I went to Bethlehemjudah, but I am now going to the house of the LORD;
and there is no man that receiveth me to house.

19:19 Yet there is both straw and provender for our asses; and there
is bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young
man which is with thy servants: there is no want of any thing.

19:20 And the old man said, Peace be with thee; howsoever let all thy
wants lie upon me; only lodge not in the street.

19:21 So he brought him into his house, and gave provender unto the
asses: and they washed their feet, and did eat and drink.

19:22 Now as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of
the city, certain sons of Belial, beset the house round about, and
beat at the door, and spake to the master of the house, the old man,
saying, Bring forth the man that came into thine house, that we may
know him.

19:23 And the man, the master of the house, went out unto them, and
said unto them, Nay, my brethren, nay, I pray you, do not so wickedly;
seeing that this man is come into mine house, do not this folly.

19:24 Behold, here is my daughter a maiden, and his concubine; them I
will bring out now, and humble ye them, and do with them what seemeth
good unto you: but unto this man do not so vile a thing.

19:25 But the men would not hearken to him: so the man took his
concubine, and brought her forth unto them; and they knew her, and
abused her all the night until the morning: and when the day began to
spring, they let her go.

19:26 Then came the woman in the dawning of the day, and fell down at
the door of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.

19:27 And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the doors of the
house, and went out to go his way: and, behold, the woman his
concubine was fallen down at the door of the house, and her hands were
upon the threshold.

19:28 And he said unto her, Up, and let us be going. But none
answered.

Then the man took her up upon an ass, and the man rose up, and gat him
unto his place.

19:29 And when he was come into his house, he took a knife, and laid
hold on his concubine, and divided her, together with her bones, into
twelve pieces, and sent her into all the coasts of Israel.

19:30 And it was so, that all that saw it said, There was no such deed
done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of
the land of Egypt unto this day: consider of it, take advice, and
speak your minds.

20:1 Then all the children of Israel went out, and the congregation
was gathered together as one man, from Dan even to Beersheba, with the
land of Gilead, unto the LORD in Mizpeh.

20:2 And the chief of all the people, even of all the tribes of
Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God,
four hundred thousand footmen that drew sword.

20:3 (Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel
were gone up to Mizpeh.) Then said the children of Israel, Tell us,
how was this wickedness?  20:4 And the Levite, the husband of the
woman that was slain, answered and said, I came into Gibeah that
belongeth to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to lodge.

20:5 And the men of Gibeah rose against me, and beset the house round
about upon me by night, and thought to have slain me: and my concubine
have they forced, that she is dead.

20:6 And I took my concubine, and cut her in pieces, and sent her
throughout all the country of the inheritance of Israel: for they have
committed lewdness and folly in Israel.

20:7 Behold, ye are all children of Israel; give here your advice and
counsel.

20:8 And all the people arose as one man, saying, We will not any of
us go to his tent, neither will we any of us turn into his house.

20:9 But now this shall be the thing which we will do to Gibeah; we
will go up by lot against it; 20:10 And we will take ten men of an
hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and an hundred of a
thousand, and a thousand out of ten thousand, to fetch victual for the
people, that they may do, when they come to Gibeah of Benjamin,
according to all the folly that they have wrought in Israel.

20:11 So all the men of Israel were gathered against the city, knit
together as one man.

20:12 And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of
Benjamin, saying, What wickedness is this that is done among you?
20:13 Now therefore deliver us the men, the children of Belial, which
are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from
Israel. But the children of Benjamin would not hearken to the voice of
their brethren the children of Israel.

20:14 But the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of
the cities unto Gibeah, to go out to battle against the children of
Israel.

20:15 And the children of Benjamin were numbered at that time out of
the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew sword, beside the
inhabitants of Gibeah, which were numbered seven hundred chosen men.

20:16 Among all this people there were seven hundred chosen men
lefthanded; every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, and not
miss.

20:17 And the men of Israel, beside Benjamin, were numbered four
hundred thousand men that drew sword: all these were men of war.

20:18 And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of
God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first
to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said,
Judah shall go up first.

20:19 And the children of Israel rose up in the morning, and encamped
against Gibeah.

20:20 And the men of Israel went out to battle against Benjamin; and
the men of Israel put themselves in array to fight against them at
Gibeah.

20:21 And the children of Benjamin came forth out of Gibeah, and
destroyed down to the ground of the Israelites that day twenty and two
thousand men.

20:22 And the people the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set
their battle again in array in the place where they put themselves in
array the first day.

20:23 (And the children of Israel went up and wept before the LORD
until even, and asked counsel of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up again
to battle against the children of Benjamin my brother? And the LORD
said, Go up against him.)  20:24 And the children of Israel came near
against the children of Benjamin the second day.

20:25 And Benjamin went forth against them out of Gibeah the second
day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again
eighteen thousand men; all these drew the sword.

20:26 Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up,
and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the
LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and
peace offerings before the LORD.

20:27 And the children of Israel enquired of the LORD, (for the ark of
the covenant of God was there in those days, 20:28 And Phinehas, the
son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, stood before it in those days,)
saying, Shall I yet again go out to battle against the children of
Benjamin my brother, or shall I cease? And the LORD said, Go up; for
to morrow I will deliver them into thine hand.

20:29 And Israel set liers in wait round about Gibeah.

20:30 And the children of Israel went up against the children of
Benjamin on the third day, and put themselves in array against Gibeah,
as at other times.

20:31 And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and
were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people,
and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to
the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty
men of Israel.

20:32 And the children of Benjamin said, They are smitten down before
us, as at the first. But the children of Israel said, Let us flee, and
draw them from the city unto the highways.

20:33 And all the men of Israel rose up out of their place, and put
themselves in array at Baaltamar: and the liers in wait of Israel came
forth out of their places, even out of the meadows of Gibeah.

20:34 And there came against Gibeah ten thousand chosen men out of all
Israel, and the battle was sore: but they knew not that evil was near
them.

20:35 And the LORD smote Benjamin before Israel: and the children of
Israel destroyed of the Benjamites that day twenty and five thousand
and an hundred men: all these drew the sword.

20:36 So the children of Benjamin saw that they were smitten: for the
men of Israel gave place to the Benjamites, because they trusted unto
the liers in wait which they had set beside Gibeah.

20:37 And the liers in wait hasted, and rushed upon Gibeah; and the
liers in wait drew themselves along, and smote all the city with the
edge of the sword.

20:38 Now there was an appointed sign between the men of Israel and
the liers in wait, that they should make a great flame with smoke rise
up out of the city.

20:39 And when the men of Israel retired in the battle, Benjamin began
to smite and kill of the men of Israel about thirty persons: for they
said, Surely they are smitten down before us, as in the first battle.

20:40 But when the flame began to arise up out of the city with a
pillar of smoke, the Benjamites looked behind them, and, behold, the
flame of the city ascended up to heaven.

20:41 And when the men of Israel turned again, the men of Benjamin
were amazed: for they saw that evil was come upon them.

20:42 Therefore they turned their backs before the men of Israel unto
the way of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them; and them
which came out of the cities they destroyed in the midst of them.

20:43 Thus they inclosed the Benjamites round about, and chased them,
and trode them down with ease over against Gibeah toward the
sunrising.

20:44 And there fell of Benjamin eighteen thousand men; all these were
men of valour.

20:45 And they turned and fled toward the wilderness unto the rock of
Rimmon: and they gleaned of them in the highways five thousand men;
and pursued hard after them unto Gidom, and slew two thousand men of
them.

20:46 So that all which fell that day of Benjamin were twenty and five
thousand men that drew the sword; all these were men of valour.

20:47 But six hundred men turned and fled to the wilderness unto the
rock Rimmon, and abode in the rock Rimmon four months.

20:48 And the men of Israel turned again upon the children of
Benjamin, and smote them with the edge of the sword, as well the men
of every city, as the beast, and all that came to hand: also they set
on fire all the cities that they came to.

21:1 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpeh, saying, There shall
not any of us give his daughter unto Benjamin to wife.

21:2 And the people came to the house of God, and abode there till
even before God, and lifted up their voices, and wept sore; 21:3 And
said, O LORD God of Israel, why is this come to pass in Israel, that
there should be to day one tribe lacking in Israel?  21:4 And it came
to pass on the morrow, that the people rose early, and built there an
altar, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.

21:5 And the children of Israel said, Who is there among all the
tribes of Israel that came not up with the congregation unto the LORD?
For they had made a great oath concerning him that came not up to the
LORD to Mizpeh, saying, He shall surely be put to death.

21:6 And the children of Israel repented them for Benjamin their
brother, and said, There is one tribe cut off from Israel this day.

21:7 How shall we do for wives for them that remain, seeing we have
sworn by the LORD that we will not give them of our daughters to
wives?  21:8 And they said, What one is there of the tribes of Israel
that came not up to Mizpeh to the LORD? And, behold, there came none
to the camp from Jabeshgilead to the assembly.

21:9 For the people were numbered, and, behold, there were none of the
inhabitants of Jabeshgilead there.

21:10 And the congregation sent thither twelve thousand men of the
valiantest, and commanded them, saying, Go and smite the inhabitants
of Jabeshgilead with the edge of the sword, with the women and the
children.

21:11 And this is the thing that ye shall do, Ye shall utterly destroy
every male, and every woman that hath lain by man.

21:12 And they found among the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead four
hundred young virgins, that had known no man by lying with any male:
and they brought them unto the camp to Shiloh, which is in the land of
Canaan.

21:13 And the whole congregation sent some to speak to the children of
Benjamin that were in the rock Rimmon, and to call peaceably unto
them.

21:14 And Benjamin came again at that time; and they gave them wives
which they had saved alive of the women of Jabeshgilead: and yet so
they sufficed them not.

21:15 And the people repented them for Benjamin, because that the LORD
had made a breach in the tribes of Israel.

21:16 Then the elders of the congregation said, How shall we do for
wives for them that remain, seeing the women are destroyed out of
Benjamin?  21:17 And they said, There must be an inheritance for them
that be escaped of Benjamin, that a tribe be not destroyed out of
Israel.

21:18 Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the
children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife
to Benjamin.

21:19 Then they said, Behold, there is a feast of the LORD in Shiloh
yearly in a place which is on the north side of Bethel, on the east
side of the highway that goeth up from Bethel to Shechem, and on the
south of Lebonah.

21:20 Therefore they commanded the children of Benjamin, saying, Go
and lie in wait in the vineyards; 21:21 And see, and, behold, if the
daughters of Shiloh come out to dance in dances, then come ye out of
the vineyards, and catch you every man his wife of the daughters of
Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.

21:22 And it shall be, when their fathers or their brethren come unto
us to complain, that we will say unto them, Be favourable unto them
for our sakes: because we reserved not to each man his wife in the
war: for ye did not give unto them at this time, that ye should be
guilty.

21:23 And the children of Benjamin did so, and took them wives,
according to their number, of them that danced, whom they caught: and
they went and returned unto their inheritance, and repaired the
cities, and dwelt in them.

21:24 And the children of Israel departed thence at that time, every
man to his tribe and to his family, and they went out from thence
every man to his inheritance.

21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that
which was right in his own eyes.




The Book of Ruth


1:1 Now it came to pass in the days when the judges ruled, that there
was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehemjudah went to
sojourn in the country of Moab, he, and his wife, and his two sons.

1:2 And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife
Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of
Bethlehemjudah. And they came into the country of Moab, and continued
there.

1:3 And Elimelech Naomi's husband died; and she was left, and her two
sons.

1:4 And they took them wives of the women of Moab; the name of the one
was Orpah, and the name of the other Ruth: and they dwelled there
about ten years.

1:5 And Mahlon and Chilion died also both of them; and the woman was
left of her two sons and her husband.

1:6 Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return
from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how
that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.

1:7 Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her
two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto
the land of Judah.

1:8 And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to
her mother's house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt
with the dead, and with me.

1:9 The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house
of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice,
and wept.

1:10 And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy
people.

1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me?
are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your
husbands?  1:12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too
old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have
an husband also to night, and should also bear sons; 1:13 Would ye
tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from
having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your
sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.

1:14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed
her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

1:15 And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her
people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

1:16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from
following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where
thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God
my God: 1:17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried:
the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and
me.

1:18 When she saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her, then
she left speaking unto her.

1:19 So they two went until they came to Bethlehem. And it came to
pass, when they were come to Bethlehem, that all the city was moved
about them, and they said, Is this Naomi?  1:20 And she said unto
them, Call me not Naomi, call me Mara: for the Almighty hath dealt
very bitterly with me.

1:21 I went out full and the LORD hath brought me home again empty:
why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the LORD hath testified against me,
and the Almighty hath afflicted me?  1:22 So Naomi returned, and Ruth
the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of
the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of
barley harvest.

2:1 And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband's, a mighty man of wealth,
of the family of Elimelech; and his name was Boaz.

2:2 And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, Let me now go to the
field, and glean ears of corn after him in whose sight I shall find
grace.

And she said unto her, Go, my daughter.

2:3 And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the
reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging
unto Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.

2:4 And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers,
The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.

2:5 Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the reapers,
Whose damsel is this?  2:6 And the servant that was set over the
reapers answered and said, It is the Moabitish damsel that came back
with Naomi out of the country of Moab: 2:7 And she said, I pray you,
let me glean and gather after the reapers among the sheaves: so she
came, and hath continued even from the morning until now, that she
tarried a little in the house.

2:8 Then said Boaz unto Ruth, Hearest thou not, my daughter? Go not to
glean in another field, neither go from hence, but abide here fast by
my maidens: 2:9 Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and
go thou after them: have I not charged the young men that they shall
not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto the vessels, and
drink of that which the young men have drawn.

2:10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and
said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou
shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?  2:11 And Boaz
answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that
thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine
husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the
land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest
not heretofore.

2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of
the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

2:13 Then she said, Let me find favour in thy sight, my lord; for that
thou hast comforted me, and for that thou hast spoken friendly unto
thine handmaid, though I be not like unto one of thine handmaidens.

2:14 And Boaz said unto her, At mealtime come thou hither, and eat of
the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar. And she sat beside the
reapers: and he reached her parched corn, and she did eat, and was
sufficed, and left.

2:15 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men,
saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not:
2:16 And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and
leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.

2:17 So she gleaned in the field until even, and beat out that she had
gleaned: and it was about an ephah of barley.

2:18 And she took it up, and went into the city: and her mother in law
saw what she had gleaned: and she brought forth, and gave to her that
she had reserved after she was sufficed.

2:19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to
day?  and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge
of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought,
and said, The man's name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.

2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the
LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the
dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of
our next kinsmen.

2:21 And Ruth the Moabitess said, He said unto me also, Thou shalt
keep fast by my young men, until they have ended all my harvest.

2:22 And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter in law, It is good, my
daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, that they meet thee not
in any other field.

2:23 So she kept fast by the maidens of Boaz to glean unto the end of
barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and dwelt with her mother in law.

3:1 Then Naomi her mother in law said unto her, My daughter, shall I
not seek rest for thee, that it may be well with thee?  3:2 And now is
not Boaz of our kindred, with whose maidens thou wast?  Behold, he
winnoweth barley to night in the threshingfloor.

3:3 Wash thyself therefore, and anoint thee, and put thy raiment upon
thee, and get thee down to the floor: but make not thyself known unto
the man, until he shall have done eating and drinking.

3:4 And it shall be, when he lieth down, that thou shalt mark the
place where he shall lie, and thou shalt go in, and uncover his feet,
and lay thee down; and he will tell thee what thou shalt do.

3:5 And she said unto her, All that thou sayest unto me I will do.

3:6 And she went down unto the floor, and did according to all that
her mother in law bade her.

3:7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he
went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly,
and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

3:8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and
turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.

3:9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine
handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art
a near kinsman.

3:10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou
hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning,
inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou
requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a
virtuous woman.

3:12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a
kinsman nearer than I.

3:13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will
perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the
kinsman's part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee,
then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie
down until the morning.

3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before
one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman
came into the floor.

3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold
it.

And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it
on her: and she went into the city.

3:16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou,
my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.

3:17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he
said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.

3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the
matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have
finished the thing this day.

4:1 Then went Boaz up to the gate, and sat him down there: and,
behold, the kinsman of whom Boaz spake came by; unto whom he said, Ho,
such a one! turn aside, sit down here. And he turned aside, and sat
down.

4:2 And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, Sit ye
down here. And they sat down.

4:3 And he said unto the kinsman, Naomi, that is come again out of the
country of Moab, selleth a parcel of land, which was our brother
Elimelech's: 4:4 And I thought to advertise thee, saying, Buy it
before the inhabitants, and before the elders of my people. If thou
wilt redeem it, redeem it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell
me, that I may know: for there is none to redeem it beside thee; and I
am after thee. And he said, I will redeem it.

4:5 Then said Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of the hand of
Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of the
dead, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance.

4:6 And the kinsman said, I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar
mine own inheritance: redeem thou my right to thyself; for I cannot
redeem it.

4:7 Now this was the manner in former time in Israel concerning
redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man
plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour: and this was a
testimony in Israel.

4:8 Therefore the kinsman said unto Boaz, Buy it for thee. So he drew
off his shoe.

4:9 And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are
witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech's, and
all that was Chilion's and Mahlon's, of the hand of Naomi.

4:10 Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have I purchased
to be my wife, to raise up the name of the dead upon his inheritance,
that the name of the dead be not cut off from among his brethren, and
from the gate of his place: ye are witnesses this day.

4:11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said,
We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine
house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of
Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
4:12 And let thy house be like the house of Pharez, whom Tamar bare
unto Judah, of the seed which the LORD shall give thee of this young
woman.

4:13 So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto
her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

4:14 And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath
not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous
in Israel.

4:15 And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher
of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is
better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

4:16 And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became
nurse unto it.

4:17 And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a
son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of
Jesse, the father of David.

4:18 Now these are the generations of Pharez: Pharez begat Hezron,
4:19 And Hezron begat Ram, and Ram begat Amminadab, 4:20 And Amminadab
begat Nahshon, and Nahshon begat Salmon, 4:21 And Salmon begat Boaz,
and Boaz begat Obed, 4:22 And Obed begat Jesse, and Jesse begat David.




The First Book of Samuel

Otherwise Called:

The First Book of the Kings


1:1 Now there was a certain man of Ramathaimzophim, of mount Ephraim,
and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the
son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite: 1:2 And he had two wives;
the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah:
and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to
sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli,
Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

1:4 And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah
his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions: 1:5 But
unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the
LORD had shut up her womb.

1:6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret,
because the LORD had shut up her womb.

1:7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of
the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.

1:8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou?
and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better
to thee than ten sons?  1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in
Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat
by a post of the temple of the LORD.

1:10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and
wept sore.

1:11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt
indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and
not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man
child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life,
and there shall no razor come upon his head.

1:12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD,
that Eli marked her mouth.

1:13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her
voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

1:14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away
thy wine from thee.

1:15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a
sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have
poured out my soul before the LORD.

1:16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the
abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.

1:17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel
grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.

1:18 And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the
woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.

1:19 And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the
LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew
Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.

1:20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after
Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel,
saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

1:21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the
LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.

1:22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not
go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he
may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.

1:23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good;
tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So
the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.

1:24 And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three
bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought
him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.

1:25 And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.

1:26 And she said, Oh my lord, as thy soul liveth, my lord, I am the
woman that stood by thee here, praying unto the LORD.

1:27 For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition
which I asked of him: 1:28 Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD;
as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD. And he worshipped
the LORD there.

2:1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine
horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies;
because I rejoice in thy salvation.

2:2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee:
neither is there any rock like our God.

2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of
your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are
weighed.

2:4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are
girded with strength.

2:5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they
that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she
that hath many children is waxed feeble.

2:6 The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave,
and bringeth up.

2:7 The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and
lifteth up.

2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar
from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit
the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and
he hath set the world upon them.

2:9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be
silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.

2:10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of
heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of
the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the
horn of his anointed.

2:11 And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did
minister unto the LORD before Eli the priest.

2:12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.

2:13 And the priest's custom with the people was, that, when any man
offered sacrifice, the priest's servant came, while the flesh was in
seething, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand; 2:14 And he
struck it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the
fleshhook brought up the priest took for himself. So they did in
Shiloh unto all the Israelites that came thither.

2:15 Also before they burnt the fat, the priest's servant came, and
said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest;
for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw.

2:16 And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat
presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would
answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will
take it by force.

2:17 Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the
LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.

2:18 But Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with
a linen ephod.

2:19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him
from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the
yearly sacrifice.

2:20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give
thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And
they went unto their own home.

2:21 And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare
three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the
LORD.

2:22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all
Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation.

2:23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your
evil dealings by all this people.

2:24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the
LORD's people to transgress.

2:25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if
a man sin against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding
they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the LORD
would slay them.

2:26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the
LORD, and also with men.

2:27 And there came a man of God unto Eli, and said unto him, Thus
saith the LORD, Did I plainly appear unto the house of thy father,
when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh's house?  2:28 And did I choose him
out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to offer upon mine
altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? and did I give
unto the house of thy father all the offerings made by fire of the
children of Israel?  2:29 Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at
mine offering, which I have commanded in my habitation; and honourest
thy sons above me, to make yourselves fat with the chiefest of all the
offerings of Israel my people?  2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel
saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father,
should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from
me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me
shall be lightly esteemed.

2:31 Behold, the days come, that I will cut off thine arm, and the arm
of thy father's house, that there shall not be an old man in thine
house.

2:32 And thou shalt see an enemy in my habitation, in all the wealth
which God shall give Israel: and there shall not be an old man in
thine house for ever.

2:33 And the man of thine, whom I shall not cut off from mine altar,
shall be to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thine heart: and all the
increase of thine house shall die in the flower of their age.

2:34 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two
sons, on Hophni and Phinehas; in one day they shall die both of them.

2:35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according
to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a
sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.

2:36 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thine
house shall come and crouch to him for a piece of silver and a morsel
of bread, and shall say, Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests'
offices, that I may eat a piece of bread.

3:1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the
word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.

3:2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his
place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; 3:3 And
ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark
of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; 3:4 That the LORD
called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

3:5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me.
And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.

3:6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went
to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered,
I called not, my son; lie down again.

3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the
LORD yet revealed unto him.

3:8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and
went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli
perceived that the LORD had called the child.

3:9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if
he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant
heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

3:10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times,
Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

3:11 And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel,
at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.

3:12 In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have
spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.

3:13 For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the
iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and
he restrained them not.

3:14 And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the
iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor
offering for ever.

3:15 And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the
house of the LORD. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision.

3:16 Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he
answered, Here am I.

3:17 And he said, What is the thing that the LORD hath said unto thee?
I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if
thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee.

3:18 And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he
said, It is the LORD: let him do what seemeth him good.

3:19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of
his words fall to the ground.

3:20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was
established to be a prophet of the LORD.

3:21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed
himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD.

4:1 And the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now Israel went out
against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and
the Philistines pitched in Aphek.

4:2 And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and
when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines:
and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.

4:3 And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel
said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the
Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of
Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of
the hand of our enemies.

4:4 So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence
the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between
the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were
there with the ark of the covenant of God.

4:5 And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp,
all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.

4:6 And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said,
What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews?
And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.

4:7 And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into
the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a
thing heretofore.

4:8 Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty
Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues
in the wilderness.

4:9 Be strong and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye
be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit
yourselves like men, and fight.

4:10 And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled
every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for
there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.

4:11 And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and
Phinehas, were slain.

4:12 And there ran a man of Benjamin out of the army, and came to
Shiloh the same day with his clothes rent, and with earth upon his
head.

4:13 And when he came, lo, Eli sat upon a seat by the wayside
watching: for his heart trembled for the ark of God. And when the man
came into the city, and told it, all the city cried out.

4:14 And when Eli heard the noise of the crying, he said, What meaneth
the noise of this tumult? And the man came in hastily, and told Eli.

4:15 Now Eli was ninety and eight years old; and his eyes were dim,
that he could not see.

4:16 And the man said unto Eli, I am he that came out of the army, and
I fled to day out of the army. And he said, What is there done, my
son?  4:17 And the messenger answered and said, Israel is fled before
the Philistines, and there hath been also a great slaughter among the
people, and thy two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the
ark of God is taken.

4:18 And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that
he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his
neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had
judged Israel forty years.

4:19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to
be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was
taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed
herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her.

4:20 And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said
unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not,
neither did she regard it.

4:21 And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed
from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her
father in law and her husband.

4:22 And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of
God is taken.

5:1 And the Philistines took the ark of God, and brought it from
Ebenezer unto Ashdod.

5:2 When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the
house of Dagon, and set it by Dagon.

5:3 And when they of Ashdod arose early on the morrow, behold, Dagon
was fallen upon his face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. And
they took Dagon, and set him in his place again.

5:4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was
fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD; and the
head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the
threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him.

5:5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon, nor any that come into
Dagon's house, tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod unto this
day.

5:6 But the hand of the LORD was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he
destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the
coasts thereof.

5:7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark
of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore
upon us, and upon Dagon our god.

5:8 They sent therefore and gathered all the lords of the Philistines
unto them, and said, What shall we do with the ark of the God of
Israel? And they answered, Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried
about unto Gath. And they carried the ark of the God of Israel about
thither.

5:9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of
the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction: and he
smote the men of the city, both small and great, and they had emerods
in their secret parts.

5:10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass,
as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying,
They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us
and our people.

5:11 So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the
Philistines, and said, Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let
it go again to his own place, that it slay us not, and our people: for
there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of
God was very heavy there.

5:12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the
cry of the city went up to heaven.

6:1 And the ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines
seven months.

6:2 And the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners,
saying, What shall we do to the ark of the LORD? tell us wherewith we
shall send it to his place.

6:3 And they said, If ye send away the ark of the God of Israel, send
it not empty; but in any wise return him a trespass offering: then ye
shall be healed, and it shall be known to you why his hand is not
removed from you.

6:4 Then said they, What shall be the trespass offering which we shall
return to him? They answered, Five golden emerods, and five golden
mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines: for one
plague was on you all, and on your lords.

6:5 Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your
mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of
Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from
off your gods, and from off your land.

6:6 Wherefore then do ye harden your hearts, as the Egyptians and
Pharaoh hardened their hearts? when he had wrought wonderfully among
them, did they not let the people go, and they departed?  6:7 Now
therefore make a new cart, and take two milch kine, on which there
hath come no yoke, and tie the kine to the cart, and bring their
calves home from them: 6:8 And take the ark of the LORD, and lay it
upon the cart; and put the jewels of gold, which ye return him for a
trespass offering, in a coffer by the side thereof; and send it away,
that it may go.

6:9 And see, if it goeth up by the way of his own coast to
Bethshemesh, then he hath done us this great evil: but if not, then we
shall know that it is not his hand that smote us: it was a chance that
happened to us.

6:10 And the men did so; and took two milch kine, and tied them to the
cart, and shut up their calves at home: 6:11 And they laid the ark of
the LORD upon the cart, and the coffer with the mice of gold and the
images of their emerods.

6:12 And the kine took the straight way to the way of Bethshemesh, and
went along the highway, lowing as they went, and turned not aside to
the right hand or to the left; and the lords of the Philistines went
after them unto the border of Bethshemesh.

6:13 And they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the
valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced
to see it.

6:14 And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and
stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of
the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD.

6:15 And the Levites took down the ark of the LORD, and the coffer
that was with it, wherein the jewels of gold were, and put them on the
great stone: and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and
sacrificed sacrifices the same day unto the LORD.

6:16 And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they
returned to Ekron the same day.

6:17 And these are the golden emerods which the Philistines returned
for a trespass offering unto the LORD; for Ashdod one, for Gaza one,
for Askelon one, for Gath one, for Ekron one; 6:18 And the golden
mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines
belonging to the five lords, both of fenced cities, and of country
villages, even unto the great stone of Abel, whereon they set down the
ark of the LORD: which stone remaineth unto this day in the field of
Joshua, the Bethshemite.

6:19 And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into
the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and
threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had
smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

6:20 And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this
holy LORD God? and to whom shall he go up from us?  6:21 And they sent
messengers to the inhabitants of Kirjathjearim, saying, The
Philistines have brought again the ark of the LORD; come ye down, and
fetch it up to you.

7:1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the
LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and
sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.

7:2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that
the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of
Israel lamented after the LORD.

7:3 And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do
return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange
gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the
LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of
the Philistines.

7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and
served the LORD only.

7:5 And Samuel said, Gather all Israel to Mizpeh, and I will pray for
you unto the LORD.

7:6 And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured
it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We
have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel
in Mizpeh.

7:7 And when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel were
gathered together to Mizpeh, the lords of the Philistines went up
against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were
afraid of the Philistines.

7:8 And the children of Israel said to Samuel, Cease not to cry unto
the LORD our God for us, that he will save us out of the hand of the
Philistines.

7:9 And Samuel took a sucking lamb, and offered it for a burnt
offering wholly unto the LORD: and Samuel cried unto the LORD for
Israel; and the LORD heard him.

7:10 And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines
drew near to battle against Israel: but the LORD thundered with a
great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them;
and they were smitten before Israel.

7:11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the
Philistines, and smote them, until they came under Bethcar.

7:12 Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and
called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped
us.

7:13 So the Philistines were subdued, and they came no more into the
coast of Israel: and the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines
all the days of Samuel.

7:14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were
restored to Israel, from Ekron even unto Gath; and the coasts thereof
did Israel deliver out of the hands of the Philistines. And there was
peace between Israel and the Amorites.

7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

7:16 And he went from year to year in circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal,
and Mizpeh, and judged Israel in all those places.

7:17 And his return was to Ramah; for there was his house; and there
he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

8:1 And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons
judges over Israel.

8:2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his
second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba.

8:3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre,
and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

8:4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and
came to Samuel unto Ramah, 8:5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art
old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us
like all the nations.

8:6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to
judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the LORD.

8:7 And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the
people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected
thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8:8 According to all the works which they have done since the day that
I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have
forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

8:9 Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest
solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall
reign over them.

8:10 And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that
asked of him a king.

8:11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign
over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for
his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his
chariots.

8:12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains
over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his
harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his
chariots.

8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be
cooks, and to be bakers.

8:14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your
oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

8:15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards,
and give to his officers, and to his servants.

8:16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and
your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work.

8:17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his
servants.

8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye
shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

8:19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and
they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 8:20 That we also may
be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out
before us, and fight our battles.

8:21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed
them in the ears of the LORD.

8:22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make
them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man
unto his city.

9:1 Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of
Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a
Benjamite, a mighty man of power.

9:2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a
goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier
person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any
of the people.

9:3 And the asses of Kish Saul's father were lost. And Kish said to
Saul his son, Take now one of the servants with thee, and arise, go
seek the asses.

9:4 And he passed through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land
of Shalisha, but they found them not: then they passed through the
land of Shalim, and there they were not: and he passed through the
land of the Benjamites, but they found them not.

9:5 And when they were come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his
servant that was with him, Come, and let us return; lest my father
leave caring for the asses, and take thought for us.

9:6 And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of
God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to
pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that
we should go.

9:7 Then said Saul to his servant, But, behold, if we go, what shall
we bring the man? for the bread is spent in our vessels, and there is
not a present to bring to the man of God: what have we?  9:8 And the
servant answered Saul again, and said, Behold, I have here at hand the
fourth part of a shekel of silver: that will I give to the man of God,
to tell us our way.

9:9 (Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he
spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a
Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)  9:10 Then said Saul to his
servant, Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where
the man of God was.

9:11 And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young
maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?
9:12 And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before
you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a
sacrifice of the people to day in the high place: 9:13 As soon as ye
be come into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up
to the high place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come,
because he doth bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be
bidden. Now therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find
him.

9:14 And they went up into the city: and when they were come into the
city, behold, Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high
place.

9:15 Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came,
saying, 9:16 To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of
the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my
people Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the
Philistines: for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is
come unto me.

9:17 And when Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man
whom I spake to thee of! this same shall reign over my people.

9:18 Then Saul drew near to Samuel in the gate, and said, Tell me, I
pray thee, where the seer's house is.

9:19 And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up before
me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow
I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

9:20 And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy
mind on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of
Israel? Is it not on thee, and on all thy father's house?  9:21 And
Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the
tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?  9:22 And
Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour,
and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden,
which were about thirty persons.

9:23 And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave
thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

9:24 And the cook took up the shoulder, and that which was upon it,
and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left!
set it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept for
thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with
Samuel that day.

9:25 And when they were come down from the high place into the city,
Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

9:26 And they arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the
day, that Samuel called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that
I may send thee away. And Saul arose, and they went out both of them,
he and Samuel, abroad.

9:27 And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said
to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on), but
stand thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.

10:1 Then Samuel took a vial of oil, and poured it upon his head, and
kissed him, and said, Is it not because the LORD hath anointed thee to
be captain over his inheritance?  10:2 When thou art departed from me
to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the
border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses
which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left
the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do
for my son?  10:3 Then shalt thou go on forward from thence, and thou
shalt come to the plain of Tabor, and there shall meet thee three men
going up to God to Bethel, one carrying three kids, and another
carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a bottle of wine:
10:4 And they will salute thee, and give thee two loaves of bread;
which thou shalt receive of their hands.

10:5 After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the
garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art
come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets
coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a
pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy: 10:6 And the
Spirit of the LORD will come upon thee, and thou shalt prophesy with
them, and shalt be turned into another man.

10:7 And let it be, when these signs are come unto thee, that thou do
as occasion serve thee; for God is with thee.

10:8 And thou shalt go down before me to Gilgal; and, behold, I will
come down unto thee, to offer burnt offerings, and to sacrifice
sacrifices of peace offerings: seven days shalt thou tarry, till I
come to thee, and shew thee what thou shalt do.

10:9 And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from
Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass
that day.

10:10 And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of
prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he
prophesied among them.

10:11 And it came to pass, when all that knew him beforetime saw that,
behold, he prophesied among the prophets, then the people said one to
another, What is this that is come unto the son of Kish? Is Saul also
among the prophets?  10:12 And one of the same place answered and
said, But who is their father? Therefore it became a proverb, Is Saul
also among the prophets?  10:13 And when he had made an end of
prophesying, he came to the high place.

10:14 And Saul's uncle said unto him and to his servant, Whither went
ye?  And he said, To seek the asses: and when we saw that they were no
where, we came to Samuel.

10:15 And Saul's uncle said, Tell me, I pray thee, what Samuel said
unto you.

10:16 And Saul said unto his uncle, He told us plainly that the asses
were found. But of the matter of the kingdom, whereof Samuel spake, he
told him not.

10:17 And Samuel called the people together unto the LORD to Mizpeh;
10:18 And said unto the children of Israel, Thus saith the LORD God of
Israel, I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and delivered you out of the
hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all kingdoms, and of
them that oppressed you: 10:19 And ye have this day rejected your God,
who himself saved you out of all your adversities and your
tribulations; and ye have said unto him, Nay, but set a king over us.
Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes, and
by your thousands.

10:20 And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come
near, the tribe of Benjamin was taken.

10:21 When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their
families, the family of Matri was taken, and Saul the son of Kish was
taken: and when they sought him, he could not be found.

10:22 Therefore they enquired of the LORD further, if the man should
yet come thither. And the LORD answered, Behold he hath hid himself
among the stuff.

10:23 And they ran and fetched him thence: and when he stood among the
people, he was higher than any of the people from his shoulders and
upward.

10:24 And Samuel said to all the people, See ye him whom the LORD hath
chosen, that there is none like him among all the people? And all the
people shouted, and said, God save the king.

10:25 Then Samuel told the people the manner of the kingdom, and wrote
it in a book, and laid it up before the LORD. And Samuel sent all the
people away, every man to his house.

10:26 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and there went with him a
band of men, whose hearts God had touched.

10:27 But the children of Belial said, How shall this man save us? And
they despised him, and brought no presents. But he held his peace.

11:1 Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against
Jabeshgilead: and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash, Make a
covenant with us, and we will serve thee.

11:2 And Nahash the Ammonite answered them, On this condition will I
make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes,
and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.

11:3 And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, Give us seven days'
respite, that we may send messengers unto all the coasts of Israel:
and then, if there be no man to save us, we will come out to thee.

11:4 Then came the messengers to Gibeah of Saul, and told the tidings
in the ears of the people: and all the people lifted up their voices,
and wept.

11:5 And, behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and Saul
said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him the
tidings of the men of Jabesh.

11:6 And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard those tidings,
and his anger was kindled greatly.

11:7 And he took a yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, and sent
them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers,
saying, Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so
shall it be done unto his oxen. And the fear of the LORD fell on the
people, and they came out with one consent.

11:8 And when he numbered them in Bezek, the children of Israel were
three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.

11:9 And they said unto the messengers that came, Thus shall ye say
unto the men of Jabeshgilead, To morrow, by that time the sun be hot,
ye shall have help. And the messengers came and shewed it to the men
of Jabesh; and they were glad.

11:10 Therefore the men of Jabesh said, To morrow we will come out
unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.

11:11 And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three
companies; and they came into the midst of the host in the morning
watch, and slew the Ammonites until the heat of the day: and it came
to pass, that they which remained were scattered, so that two of them
were not left together.

11:12 And the people said unto Samuel, Who is he that said, Shall Saul
reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.

11:13 And Saul said, There shall not a man be put to death this day:
for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel.

11:14 Then said Samuel to the people, Come, and let us go to Gilgal,
and renew the kingdom there.

11:15 And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king
before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of
peace offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of
Israel rejoiced greatly.

12:1 And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto
your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

12:2 And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and
grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked
before you from my childhood unto this day.

12:3 Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before
his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or
whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I
received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it
you.

12:4 And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us,
neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

12:5 And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his
anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand.
And they answered, He is witness.

12:6 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced
Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of
Egypt.

12:7 Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the
LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to
your fathers.

12:8 When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the
LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your
fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

12:9 And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the
hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the
Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought
against them.

12:10 And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because
we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but
now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

12:11 And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and
Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every
side, and ye dwelled safe.

12:12 And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon
came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over
us: when the LORD your God was your king.

12:13 Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye
have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.

12:14 If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and
not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and
also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your
God: 12:15 But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel
against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD
be against you, as it was against your fathers.

12:16 Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD
will do before your eyes.

12:17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and
he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your
wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in
asking you a king.

12:18 So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and
rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

12:19 And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto
the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins
this evil, to ask us a king.

12:20 And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this
wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the
LORD with all your heart; 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should
ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are
vain.

12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's
sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the
LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the
right way: 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all
your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

12:25 But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye
and your king.

13:1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over
Israel, 13:2 Saul chose him three thousand men of Israel; whereof two
thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in mount Bethel, and a
thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin: and the rest of the
people he sent every man to his tent.

13:3 And Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in
Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet
throughout all the land, saying, Let the Hebrews hear.

13:4 And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the
Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the
Philistines. And the people were called together after Saul to Gilgal.

13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with
Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and
people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they
came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.

13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the
people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves,
and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits.

13:7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and
Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed
him trembling.

13:8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel
had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were
scattered from him.

13:9 And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace
offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.

13:10 And it came to pass, that as soon as he had made an end of
offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came; and Saul went out to
meet him, that he might salute him.

13:11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I
saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not
within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered
themselves together at Michmash; 13:12 Therefore said I, The
Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made
supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a
burnt offering.

13:13 And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not
kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for
now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him
a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be
captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the
LORD commanded thee.

13:15 And Samuel arose, and gat him up from Gilgal unto Gibeah of
Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people that were present with him,
about six hundred men.

13:16 And Saul, and Jonathan his son, and the people that were present
with them, abode in Gibeah of Benjamin: but the Philistines encamped
in Michmash.

13:17 And the spoilers came out of the camp of the Philistines in
three companies: one company turned unto the way that leadeth to
Ophrah, unto the land of Shual: 13:18 And another company turned the
way to Bethhoron: and another company turned to the way of the border
that looketh to the valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.

13:19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel:
for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:
13:20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen
every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock.

13:21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and
for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads.

13:22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither
sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with
Saul and Jonathan: but with Saul and with Jonathan his son was there
found.

13:23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the passage of
Michmash.

14:1 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul
said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over
to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told
not his father.

14:2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a
pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him
were about six hundred men; 14:3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub,
Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the LORD's
priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that
Jonathan was gone.

14:4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over
unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one
side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was
Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh.

14:5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against
Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah.

14:6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come,
and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be
that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD
to save by many or by few.

14:7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine
heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

14:8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and
we will discover ourselves unto them.

14:9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we
will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.

14:10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for
the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign
unto us.

14:11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the
Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth
out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

14:12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his
armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing.
And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the
LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.

14:13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and
his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his
armourbearer slew after him.

14:14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer
made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land,
which a yoke of oxen might plow.

14:15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all
the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and
the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

14:16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and,
behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one
another.

14:17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now,
and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold,
Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there.

14:18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the
ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel.

14:19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the
noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased:
and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand.

14:20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled
themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's
sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture.

14:21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that
time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round
about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with
Saul and Jonathan.

14:22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount
Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also
followed hard after them in the battle.

14:23 So the LORD saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over
unto Bethaven.

14:24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had
adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food
until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the
people tasted any food.

14:25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey
upon the ground.

14:26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey
dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared
the oath.

14:27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with
the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his
hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth;
and his eyes were enlightened.

14:28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly
charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth
any food this day. And the people were faint.

14:29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I
pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a
little of this honey.

14:30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of
the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been
now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?  14:31 And they
smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the
people were very faint.

14:32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen,
and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them
with the blood.

14:33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the
LORD, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have
transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day.

14:34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say
unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep,
and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the LORD in eating
with the blood.

And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and
slew them there.

14:35 And Saul built an altar unto the LORD: the same was the first
altar that he built unto the LORD.

14:36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night,
and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of
them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said
the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God.

14:37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the
Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he
answered him not that day.

14:38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people:
and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day.

14:39 For, as the LORD liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in
Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among
all the people that answered him.

14:40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and
Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto
Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee.

14:41 Therefore Saul said unto the LORD God of Israel, Give a perfect
lot.

And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped.

14:42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And
Jonathan was taken.

14:43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And
Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the
end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die.

14:44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt
surely die, Jonathan.

14:45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath
wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the LORD
liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for
he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan,
that he died not.

14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the
Philistines went to their own place.

14:47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his
enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of
Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against
the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them.

14:48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered
Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

14:49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua:
and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the
firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 14:50 And the
name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name
of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

14:51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was
the son of Abiel.

14:52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of
Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took
him unto him.

15:1 Samuel also said unto Saul, The LORD sent me to anoint thee to be
king over his people, over Israel: now therefore hearken thou unto the
voice of the words of the LORD.

15:2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I remember that which Amalek did to
Israel, how he laid wait for him in the way, when he came up from
Egypt.

15:3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have,
and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling,
ox and sheep, camel and ass.

15:4 And Saul gathered the people together, and numbered them in
Telaim, two hundred thousand footmen, and ten thousand men of Judah.

15:5 And Saul came to a city of Amalek, and laid wait in the valley.

15:6 And Saul said unto the Kenites, Go, depart, get you down from
among the Amalekites, lest I destroy you with them: for ye shewed
kindness to all the children of Israel, when they came up out of
Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites.

15:7 And Saul smote the Amalekites from Havilah until thou comest to
Shur, that is over against Egypt.

15:8 And he took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly
destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword.

15:9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep,
and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was
good, and would not utterly destroy them: but every thing that was
vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly.

15:10 Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, 15:11 It
repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back
from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it
grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.

15:12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was
told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a
place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.

15:13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou
of the LORD: I have performed the commandment of the LORD.

15:14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in
mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?  15:15 And Saul
said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people
spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the
LORD thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.

15:16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the
LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.

15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast
thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed
thee king over Israel?  15:18 And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and
said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight
against them until they be consumed.

15:19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but
didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?
15:20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the
LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought
Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.

15:21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of
the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto
the LORD thy God in Gilgal.

15:22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt
offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold,
to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.

15:23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is
as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the
LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

15:24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have
transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I
feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

15:25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with
me, that I may worship the LORD.

15:26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou
hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee
from being king over Israel.

15:27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the
skirt of his mantle, and it rent.

15:28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of
Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbour of thine,
that is better than thou.

15:29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he
is not a man, that he should repent.

15:30 Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee,
before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with
me, that I may worship the LORD thy God.

15:31 So Samuel turned again after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

15:32 Then said Samuel, Bring ye hither to me Agag the king of the
Amalekites. And Agag came unto him delicately. And Agag said, Surely
the bitterness of death is past.

15:33 And Samuel said, As the sword hath made women childless, so
shall thy mother be childless among women. And Samuel hewed Agag in
pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

15:34 Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to
Gibeah of Saul.

15:35 And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death:
nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul: and the LORD repented that he
had made Saul king over Israel.

16:1 And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul,
seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn
with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I
have provided me a king among his sons.

16:2 And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.
And the LORD said, Take an heifer with thee, and say, I am come to
sacrifice to the LORD.

16:3 And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will shew thee what thou
shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

16:4 And Samuel did that which the LORD spake, and came to Bethlehem.
And the elders of the town trembled at his coming, and said, Comest
thou peaceably?  16:5 And he said, Peaceably: I am come to sacrifice
unto the LORD: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.
And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the
sacrifice.

16:6 And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on
Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before him.

16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on
the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD
seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but
the LORD looketh on the heart.

16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And
he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.

16:9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the
LORD chosen this.

16:10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And
Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these.

16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he
said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the
sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not
sit down till he come hither.

16:12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of
a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said,
Arise, anoint him: for this is he.

16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst
of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that
day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil
spirit from the LORD troubled him.

16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit
from God troubleth thee.

16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to
seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come
to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall
play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.

16:17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can
play well, and bring him to me.

16:18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen
a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a
mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a
comely person, and the LORD is with him.

16:19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me
David thy son, which is with the sheep.

16:20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine,
and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

16:21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him
greatly; and he became his armourbearer.

16:22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand
before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.

16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon
Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was
refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

17:1 Now the Philistines gathered together their armies to battle, and
were gathered together at Shochoh, which belongeth to Judah, and
pitched between Shochoh and Azekah, in Ephesdammim.

17:2 And Saul and the men of Israel were gathered together, and
pitched by the valley of Elah, and set the battle in array against the
Philistines.

17:3 And the Philistines stood on a mountain on the one side, and
Israel stood on a mountain on the other side: and there was a valley
between them.

17:4 And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines,
named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

17:5 And he had an helmet of brass upon his head, and he was armed
with a coat of mail; and the weight of the coat was five thousand
shekels of brass.

17:6 And he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a target of brass
between his shoulders.

17:7 And the staff of his spear was like a weaver's beam; and his
spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron: and one bearing a
shield went before him.

17:8 And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto
them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a
Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let
him come down to me.

17:9 If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be
your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall
ye be our servants, and serve us.

17:10 And the Philistine said, I defy the armies of Israel this day;
give me a man, that we may fight together.

17:11 When Saul and all Israel heard those words of the Philistine,
they were dismayed, and greatly afraid.

17:12 Now David was the son of that Ephrathite of Bethlehemjudah,
whose name was Jesse; and he had eight sons: and the man went among
men for an old man in the days of Saul.

17:13 And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the
battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were
Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third
Shammah.

17:14 And David was the youngest: and the three eldest followed Saul.

17:15 But David went and returned from Saul to feed his father's sheep
at Bethlehem.

17:16 And the Philistine drew near morning and evening, and presented
himself forty days.

17:17 And Jesse said unto David his son, Take now for thy brethren an
ephah of this parched corn, and these ten loaves, and run to the camp
of thy brethren; 17:18 And carry these ten cheeses unto the captain of
their thousand, and look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.

17:19 Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the
valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.

17:20 And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with
a keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; and he came
to the trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted
for the battle.

17:21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army
against army.

17:22 And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the
carriage, and ran into the army, and came and saluted his brethren.

17:23 And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion,
the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the
Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard
them.

17:24 And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him,
and were sore afraid.

17:25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come
up?  surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the
man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and
will give him his daughter, and make his father's house free in
Israel.

17:26 And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall
be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, and taketh away the
reproach from Israel? for who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that
he should defy the armies of the living God?  17:27 And the people
answered him after this manner, saying, So shall it be done to the man
that killeth him.

17:28 And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men;
and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest
thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the
wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for
thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.

17:29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause?
17:30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same
manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.

17:31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed
them before Saul: and he sent for him.

17:32 And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him;
thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

17:33 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this
Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man
of war from his youth.

17:34 And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father's sheep,
and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock:
17:35 And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of
his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard,
and smote him, and slew him.

17:36 Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this
uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath
defied the armies of the living God.

17:37 David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw
of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of
the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the
LORD be with thee.

17:38 And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of
brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail.

17:39 And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to
go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go
with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.

17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth
stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he
had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near
to the Philistine.

17:41 And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man
that bare the shield went before him.

17:42 And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he
disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair
countenance.

17:43 And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest
to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.

17:44 And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give
thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a
sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the
name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou
hast defied.

17:46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will
smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the
carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the
air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know
that there is a God in Israel.

17:47 And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with
sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you
into our hands.

17:48 And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came, and
drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran toward the army
to meet the Philistine.

17:49 And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and
slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone
sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.

17:50 So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a
stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword
in the hand of David.

17:51 Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his
sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut
off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion
was dead, they fled.

17:52 And the men of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and
pursued the Philistines, until thou come to the valley, and to the
gates of Ekron.

And the wounded of the Philistines fell down by the way to Shaaraim,
even unto Gath, and unto Ekron.

17:53 And the children of Israel returned from chasing after the
Philistines, and they spoiled their tents.

17:54 And David took the head of the Philistine, and brought it to
Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

17:55 And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said
unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth?
And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell.

17:56 And the king said, Enquire thou whose son the stripling is.

17:57 And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine,
Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the
Philistine in his hand.

17:58 And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And
David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.

18:1 And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto
Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

18:2 And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to
his father's house.

18:3 Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as
his own soul.

18:4 And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and
gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow,
and to his girdle.

18:5 And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, and behaved
himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was
accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of
Saul's servants.

18:6 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from
the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities
of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with
joy, and with instruments of musick.

18:7 And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul
hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

18:8 And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he
said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have
ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom?
18:9 And Saul eyed David from that day and forward.

18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God
came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David
played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in
Saul's hand.

18:11 And Saul cast the javelin; for he said, I will smite David even
to the wall with it. And David avoided out of his presence twice.

18:12 And Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him, and
was departed from Saul.

18:13 Therefore Saul removed him from him, and made him his captain
over a thousand; and he went out and came in before the people.

18:14 And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the LORD
was with him.

18:15 Wherefore when Saul saw that he behaved himself very wisely, he
was afraid of him.

18:16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, because he went out and
came in before them.

18:17 And Saul said to David, Behold my elder daughter Merab, her will
I give thee to wife: only be thou valiant for me, and fight the LORD's
battles.

For Saul said, Let not mine hand be upon him, but let the hand of the
Philistines be upon him.

18:18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my
father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
18:19 But it came to pass at the time when Merab Saul's daughter
should have been given to David, that she was given unto Adriel the
Meholathite to wife.

18:20 And Michal Saul's daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and
the thing pleased him.

18:21 And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to
him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.
Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in
the one of the twain.

18:22 And Saul commanded his servants, saying, Commune with David
secretly, and say, Behold, the king hath delight in thee, and all his
servants love thee: now therefore be the king's son in law.

18:23 And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And
David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king's son in law,
seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?  18:24 And the
servants of Saul told him, saying, On this manner spake David.

18:25 And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not
any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged
of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand
of the Philistines.

18:26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David
well to be the king's son in law: and the days were not expired.

18:27 Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the
Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and
they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's
son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.

18:28 And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that
Michal Saul's daughter loved him.

18:29 And Saul was yet the more afraid of David; and Saul became
David's enemy continually.

18:30 Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to
pass, after they went forth, that David behaved himself more wisely
than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.

19:1 And Saul spake to Jonathan his son, and to all his servants, that
they should kill David.

19:2 But Jonathan Saul's son delighted much in David: and Jonathan
told David, saying, Saul my father seeketh to kill thee: now
therefore, I pray thee, take heed to thyself until the morning, and
abide in a secret place, and hide thyself: 19:3 And I will go out and
stand beside my father in the field where thou art, and I will commune
with my father of thee; and what I see, that I will tell thee.

19:4 And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said
unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David;
because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have
been to thee-ward very good: 19:5 For he did put his life in his hand,
and slew the Philistine, and the LORD wrought a great salvation for
all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt
thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?  19:6
And Saul hearkened unto the voice of Jonathan: and Saul sware, As the
LORD liveth, he shall not be slain.

19:7 And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan shewed him all those
things.

And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence, as in
times past.

19:8 And there was war again: and David went out, and fought with the
Philistines, and slew them with a great slaughter; and they fled from
him.

19:9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his
house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.

19:10 And Saul sought to smite David even to the wall with the
javelin: but he slipped away out of Saul's presence, and he smote the
javelin into the wall: and David fled, and escaped that night.

19:11 Saul also sent messengers unto David's house, to watch him, and
to slay him in the morning: and Michal David's wife told him, saying,
If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain.

19:12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and
fled, and escaped.

19:13 And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a
pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth.

19:14 And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He is
sick.

19:15 And Saul sent the messengers again to see David, saying, Bring
him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.

19:16 And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image
in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster.

19:17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and
sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He
said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?  19:18 So David fled,
and escaped, and came to Samuel to Ramah, and told him all that Saul
had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt in Naioth.

19:19 And it was told Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naioth in
Ramah.

19:20 And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the
company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed
over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they
also prophesied.

19:21 And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they
prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time,
and they prophesied also.

19:22 Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in
Sechu: and he asked and said, Where are Samuel and David? And one
said, Behold, they be at Naioth in Ramah.

19:23 And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God
was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to
Naioth in Ramah.

19:24 And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before
Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that
night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?  20:1 And
David fled from Naioth in Ramah, and came and said before Jonathan,
What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy
father, that he seeketh my life?  20:2 And he said unto him, God
forbid; thou shalt not die: behold, my father will do nothing either
great or small, but that he will shew it me: and why should my father
hide this thing from me? it is not so.

20:3 And David sware moreover, and said, Thy father certainly knoweth
that I have found grace in thine eyes; and he saith, Let not Jonathan
know this, lest he be grieved: but truly as the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, there is but a step between me and death.

20:4 Then said Jonathan unto David, Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I
will even do it for thee.

20:5 And David said unto Jonathan, Behold, to morrow is the new moon,
and I should not fail to sit with the king at meat: but let me go,
that I may hide myself in the field unto the third day at even.

20:6 If thy father at all miss me, then say, David earnestly asked
leave of me that he might run to Bethlehem his city: for there is a
yearly sacrifice there for all the family.

20:7 If he say thus, It is well; thy servant shall have peace: but if
he be very wroth, then be sure that evil is determined by him.

20:8 Therefore thou shalt deal kindly with thy servant; for thou hast
brought thy servant into a covenant of the LORD with thee:
notwithstanding, if there be in me iniquity, slay me thyself; for why
shouldest thou bring me to thy father?  20:9 And Jonathan said, Far be
it from thee: for if I knew certainly that evil were determined by my
father to come upon thee, then would not I tell it thee?  20:10 Then
said David to Jonathan, Who shall tell me? or what if thy father
answer thee roughly?  20:11 And Jonathan said unto David, Come, and
let us go out into the field. And they went out both of them into the
field.

20:12 And Jonathan said unto David, O LORD God of Israel, when I have
sounded my father about to morrow any time, or the third day, and,
behold, if there be good toward David, and I then send not unto thee,
and shew it thee; 20:13 The LORD do so and much more to Jonathan: but
if it please my father to do thee evil, then I will shew it thee, and
send thee away, that thou mayest go in peace: and the LORD be with
thee, as he hath been with my father.

20:14 And thou shalt not only while yet I live shew me the kindness of
the LORD, that I die not: 20:15 But also thou shalt not cut off thy
kindness from my house for ever: no, not when the LORD hath cut off
the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.

20:16 So Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, Let
the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.

20:17 And Jonathan caused David to swear again, because he loved him:
for he loved him as he loved his own soul.

20:18 Then Jonathan said to David, To morrow is the new moon: and thou
shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

20:19 And when thou hast stayed three days, then thou shalt go down
quickly, and come to the place where thou didst hide thyself when the
business was in hand, and shalt remain by the stone Ezel.

20:20 And I will shoot three arrows on the side thereof, as though I
shot at a mark.

20:21 And, behold, I will send a lad, saying, Go, find out the arrows.
If I expressly say unto the lad, Behold, the arrows are on this side
of thee, take them; then come thou: for there is peace to thee, and no
hurt; as the LORD liveth.

20:22 But if I say thus unto the young man, Behold, the arrows are
beyond thee; go thy way: for the LORD hath sent thee away.

20:23 And as touching the matter which thou and I have spoken of,
behold, the LORD be between thee and me for ever.

20:24 So David hid himself in the field: and when the new moon was
come, the king sat him down to eat meat.

20:25 And the king sat upon his seat, as at other times, even upon a
seat by the wall: and Jonathan arose, and Abner sat by Saul's side,
and David's place was empty.

20:26 Nevertheless Saul spake not any thing that day: for he thought,
Something hath befallen him, he is not clean; surely he is not clean.

20:27 And it came to pass on the morrow, which was the second day of
the month, that David's place was empty: and Saul said unto Jonathan
his son, Wherefore cometh not the son of Jesse to meat, neither
yesterday, nor to day?  20:28 And Jonathan answered Saul, David
earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem: 20:29 And he said, Let
me go, I pray thee; for our family hath a sacrifice in the city; and
my brother, he hath commanded me to be there: and now, if I have found
favour in thine eyes, let me get away, I pray thee, and see my
brethren. Therefore he cometh not unto the king's table.

20:30 Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto
him, Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman, do not I know that
thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the
confusion of thy mother's nakedness?  20:31 For as long as the son of
Jesse liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be established, nor thy
kingdom. Wherefore now send and fetch him unto me, for he shall surely
die.

20:32 And Jonathan answered Saul his father, and said unto him,
Wherefore shall he be slain? what hath he done?  20:33 And Saul cast a
javelin at him to smite him: whereby Jonathan knew that it was
determined of his father to slay David.

20:34 So Jonathan arose from the table in fierce anger, and did eat no
meat the second day of the month: for he was grieved for David,
because his father had done him shame.

20:35 And it came to pass in the morning, that Jonathan went out into
the field at the time appointed with David, and a little lad with him.

20:36 And he said unto his lad, Run, find out now the arrows which I
shoot. And as the lad ran, he shot an arrow beyond him.

20:37 And when the lad was come to the place of the arrow which
Jonathan had shot, Jonathan cried after the lad, and said, Is not the
arrow beyond thee?  20:38 And Jonathan cried after the lad, Make
speed, haste, stay not. And Jonathan's lad gathered up the arrows, and
came to his master.

20:39 But the lad knew not any thing: only Jonathan and David knew the
matter.

20:40 And Jonathan gave his artillery unto his lad, and said unto him,
Go, carry them to the city.

20:41 And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place
toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed
himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with
another, until David exceeded.

20:42 And Jonathan said to David, Go in peace, forasmuch as we have
sworn both of us in the name of the LORD, saying, The LORD be between
me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever. And he arose
and departed: and Jonathan went into the city.

21:1 Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech the priest: and Ahimelech was
afraid at the meeting of David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone,
and no man with thee?  21:2 And David said unto Ahimelech the priest,
The king hath commanded me a business, and hath said unto me, Let no
man know any thing of the business whereabout I send thee, and what I
have commanded thee: and I have appointed my servants to such and such
a place.

21:3 Now therefore what is under thine hand? give me five loaves of
bread in mine hand, or what there is present.

21:4 And the priest answered David, and said, There is no common bread
under mine hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have
kept themselves at least from women.

21:5 And David answered the priest, and said unto him, Of a truth
women have been kept from us about these three days, since I came out,
and the vessels of the young men are holy, and the bread is in a
manner common, yea, though it were sanctified this day in the vessel.

21:6 So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread
there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put
hot bread in the day when it was taken away.

21:7 Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day,
detained before the LORD; and his name was Doeg, an Edomite, the
chiefest of the herdmen that belonged to Saul.

21:8 And David said unto Ahimelech, And is there not here under thine
hand spear or sword? for I have neither brought my sword nor my
weapons with me, because the king's business required haste.

21:9 And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom
thou slewest in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped in a
cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that, take it: for there is
no other save that here. And David said, There is none like that; give
it me.

21:10 And David arose and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to
Achish the king of Gath.

21:11 And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the
king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances,
saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
21:12 And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid
of Achish the king of Gath.

21:13 And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself
mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let
his spittle fall down upon his beard.

21:14 Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad:
wherefore then have ye brought him to me?  21:15 Have I need of mad
men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my
presence? shall this fellow come into my house?  22:1 David therefore
departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his
brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither
to him.

22:2 And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in
debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto
him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about
four hundred men.

22:3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said unto the
king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come forth,
and be with you, till I know what God will do for me.

22:4 And he brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with
him all the while that David was in the hold.

22:5 And the prophet Gad said unto David, Abide not in the hold;
depart, and get thee into the land of Judah. Then David departed, and
came into the forest of Hareth.

22:6 When Saul heard that David was discovered, and the men that were
with him, (now Saul abode in Gibeah under a tree in Ramah, having his
spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing about him;) 22:7
Then Saul said unto his servants that stood about him, Hear now, ye
Benjamites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and
vineyards, and make you all captains of thousands, and captains of
hundreds; 22:8 That all of you have conspired against me, and there is
none that sheweth me that my son hath made a league with the son of
Jesse, and there is none of you that is sorry for me, or sheweth unto
me that my son hath stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait,
as at this day?  22:9 Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set
over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to
Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub.

22:10 And he enquired of the LORD for him, and gave him victuals, and
gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.

22:11 Then the king sent to call Ahimelech the priest, the son of
Ahitub, and all his father's house, the priests that were in Nob: and
they came all of them to the king.

22:12 And Saul said, Hear now, thou son of Ahitub. And he answered,
Here I am, my lord.

22:13 And Saul said unto him, Why have ye conspired against me, thou
and the son of Jesse, in that thou hast given him bread, and a sword,
and hast enquired of God for him, that he should rise against me, to
lie in wait, as at this day?  22:14 Then Ahimelech answered the king,
and said, And who is so faithful among all thy servants as David,
which is the king's son in law, and goeth at thy bidding, and is
honourable in thine house?  22:15 Did I then begin to enquire of God
for him? be it far from me: let not the king impute any thing unto his
servant, nor to all the house of my father: for thy servant knew
nothing of all this, less or more.

22:16 And the king said, Thou shalt surely die, Ahimelech, thou, and
all thy father's house.

22:17 And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn,
and slay the priests of the LORD: because their hand also is with
David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me.
But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall
upon the priests of the LORD.

22:18 And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests.
And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on
that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

22:19 And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the
sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and
asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.

22:20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, named
Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David.

22:21 And Abiathar shewed David that Saul had slain the LORD's
priests.

22:22 And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the
Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned
the death of all the persons of thy father's house.

22:23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life
seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.

23:1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight
against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors.

23:2 Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and
smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite
the Philistines, and save Keilah.

23:3 And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in
Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of
the Philistines?  23:4 Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And
the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will
deliver the Philistines into thine hand.

23:5 So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the
Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a
great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

23:6 And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to
David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand.

23:7 And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul
said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by
entering into a town that hath gates and bars.

23:8 And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to
Keilah, to besiege David and his men.

23:9 And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him;
and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod.

23:10 Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath
certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the
city for my sake.

23:11 Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul
come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech
thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down.

23:12 Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men
into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up.

23:13 Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and
departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it
was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go
forth.

23:14 And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained
in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every
day, but God delivered him not into his hand.

23:15 And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David
was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood.

23:16 And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood,
and strengthened his hand in God.

23:17 And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father
shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall
be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth.

23:18 And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in
the wood, and Jonathan went to his house.

23:19 Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not
David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of
Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?  23:20 Now therefore, O
king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down;
and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand.

23:21 And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion
on me.

23:22 Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where
his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he
dealeth very subtilly.

23:23 See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places
where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty,
and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the
land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of
Judah.

23:24 And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his
men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of
Jeshimon.

23:25 Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David;
wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of
Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the
wilderness of Maon.

23:26 And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his
men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for
fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round
about to take them.

23:27 But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and
come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.

23:28 Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went
against the Philistines: therefore they called that place
Selahammahlekoth.

23:29 And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at
Engedi.

24:1 And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the
Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the
wilderness of Engedi.

24:2 Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and
went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats.

24:3 And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and
Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the
sides of the cave.

24:4 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the
LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine
hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then
David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.

24:5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him,
because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

24:6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this
thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand
against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.

24:7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them
not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went
on his way.

24:8 David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried
after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him,
David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.

24:9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words,
saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?  24:10 Behold, this day thine
eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine
hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared
thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for
he is the LORD's anointed.

24:11 Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my
hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee
not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in
mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my
soul to take it.

24:12 The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of
thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

24:13 As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from
the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.

24:14 After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou
pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.

24:15 The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and
see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

24:16 And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking
these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son
David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

24:17 And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou
hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.

24:18 And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with
me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou
killedst me not.

24:19 For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away?
wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me
this day.

24:20 And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and
that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.

24:21 Swear now therefore unto me by the LORD, that thou wilt not cut
off my seed after me, and that thou wilt not destroy my name out of my
father's house.

24:22 And David sware unto Saul. And Saul went home; but David and his
men gat them up unto the hold.

25:1 And Samuel died; and all the Israelites were gathered together,
and lamented him, and buried him in his house at Ramah. And David
arose, and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

25:2 And there was a man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel;
and the man was very great, and he had three thousand sheep, and a
thousand goats: and he was shearing his sheep in Carmel.

25:3 Now the name of the man was Nabal; and the name of his wife
Abigail: and she was a woman of good understanding, and of a beautiful
countenance: but the man was churlish and evil in his doings; and he
was of the house of Caleb.

25:4 And David heard in the wilderness that Nabal did shear his sheep.

25:5 And David sent out ten young men, and David said unto the young
men, Get you up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name:
25:6 And thus shall ye say to him that liveth in prosperity, Peace be
both to thee, and peace be to thine house, and peace be unto all that
thou hast.

25:7 And now I have heard that thou hast shearers: now thy shepherds
which were with us, we hurt them not, neither was there ought missing
unto them, all the while they were in Carmel.

25:8 Ask thy young men, and they will shew thee. Wherefore let the
young men find favour in thine eyes: for we come in a good day: give,
I pray thee, whatsoever cometh to thine hand unto thy servants, and to
thy son David.

25:9 And when David's young men came, they spake to Nabal according to
all those words in the name of David, and ceased.

25:10 And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and
who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break
away every man from his master.

25:11 Shall I then take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that I
have killed for my shearers, and give it unto men, whom I know not
whence they be?  25:12 So David's young men turned their way, and went
again, and came and told him all those sayings.

25:13 And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And
they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his
sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two
hundred abode by the stuff.

25:14 But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal's wife, saying,
Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our
master; and he railed on them.

25:15 But the men were very good unto us, and we were not hurt,
neither missed we any thing, as long as we were conversant with them,
when we were in the fields: 25:16 They were a wall unto us both by
night and day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep.

25:17 Now therefore know and consider what thou wilt do; for evil is
determined against our master, and against all his household: for he
is such a son of Belial, that a man cannot speak to him.

25:18 Then Abigail made haste, and took two hundred loaves, and two
bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and five measures of
parched corn, and an hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred
cakes of figs, and laid them on asses.

25:19 And she said unto her servants, Go on before me; behold, I come
after you. But she told not her husband Nabal.

25:20 And it was so, as she rode on the ass, that she came down by the
covert on the hill, and, behold, David and his men came down against
her; and she met them.

25:21 Now David had said, Surely in vain have I kept all that this
fellow hath in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that
pertained unto him: and he hath requited me evil for good.

25:22 So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of
all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against
the wall.

25:23 And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass,
and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
25:24 And fell at his feet, and said, Upon me, my lord, upon me let
this iniquity be: and let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak in thine
audience, and hear the words of thine handmaid.

25:25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even
Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is
with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom
thou didst send.

25:26 Now therefore, my lord, as the LORD liveth, and as thy soul
liveth, seeing the LORD hath withholden thee from coming to shed
blood, and from avenging thyself with thine own hand, now let thine
enemies, and they that seek evil to my lord, be as Nabal.

25:27 And now this blessing which thine handmaid hath brought unto my
lord, let it even be given unto the young men that follow my lord.

25:28 I pray thee, forgive the trespass of thine handmaid: for the
LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house; because my lord
fighteth the battles of the LORD, and evil hath not been found in thee
all thy days.

25:29 Yet a man is risen to pursue thee, and to seek thy soul: but the
soul of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the LORD thy
God; and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as out
of the middle of a sling.

25:30 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD shall have done to my
lord according to all the good that he hath spoken concerning thee,
and shall have appointed thee ruler over Israel; 25:31 That this shall
be no grief unto thee, nor offence of heart unto my lord, either that
thou hast shed blood causeless, or that my lord hath avenged himself:
but when the LORD shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember
thine handmaid.

25:32 And David said to Abigail, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,
which sent thee this day to meet me: 25:33 And blessed be thy advice,
and blessed be thou, which hast kept me this day from coming to shed
blood, and from avenging myself with mine own hand.

25:34 For in very deed, as the LORD God of Israel liveth, which hath
kept me back from hurting thee, except thou hadst hasted and come to
meet me, surely there had not been left unto Nabal by the morning
light any that pisseth against the wall.

25:35 So David received of her hand that which she had brought him,
and said unto her, Go up in peace to thine house; see, I have
hearkened to thy voice, and have accepted thy person.

25:36 And Abigail came to Nabal; and, behold, he held a feast in his
house, like the feast of a king; and Nabal's heart was merry within
him, for he was very drunken: wherefore she told him nothing, less or
more, until the morning light.

25:37 But it came to pass in the morning, when the wine was gone out
of Nabal, and his wife had told him these things, that his heart died
within him, and he became as a stone.

25:38 And it came to pass about ten days after, that the LORD smote
Nabal, that he died.

25:39 And when David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, Blessed be
the LORD, that hath pleaded the cause of my reproach from the hand of
Nabal, and hath kept his servant from evil: for the LORD hath returned
the wickedness of Nabal upon his own head. And David sent and communed
with Abigail, to take her to him to wife.

25:40 And when the servants of David were come to Abigail to Carmel,
they spake unto her, saying, David sent us unto thee, to take thee to
him to wife.

25:41 And she arose, and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and
said, Behold, let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the
servants of my lord.

25:42 And Abigail hasted, and arose and rode upon an ass, with five
damsels of hers that went after her; and she went after the messengers
of David, and became his wife.

25:43 David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel; and they were also both of
them his wives.

25:44 But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David's wife, to Phalti
the son of Laish, which was of Gallim.

26:1 And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David
hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?  26:2
Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three
thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the
wilderness of Ziph.

26:3 And Saul pitched in the hill of Hachilah, which is before
Jeshimon, by the way. But David abode in the wilderness, and he saw
that Saul came after him into the wilderness.

26:4 David therefore sent out spies, and understood that Saul was come
in very deed.

26:5 And David arose, and came to the place where Saul had pitched:
and David beheld the place where Saul lay, and Abner the son of Ner,
the captain of his host: and Saul lay in the trench, and the people
pitched round about him.

26:6 Then answered David and said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to
Abishai the son of Zeruiah, brother to Joab, saying, Who will go down
with me to Saul to the camp? And Abishai said, I will go down with
thee.

26:7 So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold,
Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground
at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.

26:8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into
thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with
the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the
second time.

26:9 And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch
forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless?  26:10
David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him;
or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and
perish.

26:11 The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against
the LORD's anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is
at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go.

26:12 So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul's
bolster; and they gat them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it,
neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from
the LORD was fallen upon them.

26:13 Then David went over to the other side, and stood on the top of
an hill afar off; a great space being between them: 26:14 And David
cried to the people, and to Abner the son of Ner, saying, Answerest
thou not, Abner? Then Abner answered and said, Who art thou that
criest to the king?  26:15 And David said to Abner, Art not thou a
valiant man? and who is like to thee in Israel? wherefore then hast
thou not kept thy lord the king? for there came one of the people in
to destroy the king thy lord.

26:16 This thing is not good that thou hast done. As the LORD liveth,
ye are worthy to die, because ye have not kept your master, the LORD's
anointed.

And now see where the king's spear is, and the cruse of water that was
at his bolster.

26:17 And Saul knew David's voice, and said, Is this thy voice, my son
David? And David said, It is my voice, my lord, O king.

26:18 And he said, Wherefore doth my lord thus pursue after his
servant?  for what have I done? or what evil is in mine hand?  26:19
Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his
servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept
an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before
the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the
inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

26:20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the
face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea,
as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

26:21 Then said Saul, I have sinned: return, my son David: for I will
no more do thee harm, because my soul was precious in thine eyes this
day: behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.

26:22 And David answered and said, Behold the king's spear! and let
one of the young men come over and fetch it.

26:23 The LORD render to every man his righteousness and his
faithfulness; for the LORD delivered thee into my hand to day, but I
would not stretch forth mine hand against the LORD's anointed.

26:24 And, behold, as thy life was much set by this day in mine eyes,
so let my life be much set by in the eyes of the LORD, and let him
deliver me out of all tribulation.

26:25 Then Saul said to David, Blessed be thou, my son David: thou
shalt both do great things, and also shalt still prevail. So David
went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

27:1 And David said in his heart, I shall now perish one day by the
hand of Saul: there is nothing better for me than that I should
speedily escape into the land of the Philistines; and Saul shall
despair of me, to seek me any more in any coast of Israel: so shall I
escape out of his hand.

27:2 And David arose, and he passed over with the six hundred men that
were with him unto Achish, the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

27:3 And David dwelt with Achish at Gath, he and his men, every man
with his household, even David with his two wives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the Carmelitess, Nabal's wife.

27:4 And it was told Saul that David was fled to Gath: and he sought
no more again for him.

27:5 And David said unto Achish, If I have now found grace in thine
eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may
dwell there: for why should thy servant dwell in the royal city with
thee?  27:6 Then Achish gave him Ziklag that day: wherefore Ziklag
pertaineth unto the kings of Judah unto this day.

27:7 And the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines
was a full year and four months.

27:8 And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and
the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the
inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of
Egypt.

27:9 And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive,
and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels,
and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.

27:10 And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David
said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the
Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.

27:11 And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to
Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and
so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the
Philistines.

27:12 And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people
Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for
ever.

28:1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered
their armies together for warfare, to fight with Israel. And Achish
said unto David, Know thou assuredly, that thou shalt go out with me
to battle, thou and thy men.

28:2 And David said to Achish, Surely thou shalt know what thy servant
can do. And Achish said to David, Therefore will I make thee keeper of
mine head for ever.

28:3 Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had lamented him, and buried
him in Ramah, even in his own city. And Saul had put away those that
had familiar spirits, and the wizards, out of the land.

28:4 And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and
pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they
pitched in Gilboa.

28:5 And when Saul saw the host of the Philistines, he was afraid, and
his heart greatly trembled.

28:6 And when Saul enquired of the LORD, the LORD answered him not,
neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets.

28:7 Then said Saul unto his servants, Seek me a woman that hath a
familiar spirit, that I may go to her, and enquire of her. And his
servants said to him, Behold, there is a woman that hath a familiar
spirit at Endor.

28:8 And Saul disguised himself, and put on other raiment, and he
went, and two men with him, and they came to the woman by night: and
he said, I pray thee, divine unto me by the familiar spirit, and bring
me him up, whom I shall name unto thee.

28:9 And the woman said unto him, Behold, thou knowest what Saul hath
done, how he hath cut off those that have familiar spirits, and the
wizards, out of the land: wherefore then layest thou a snare for my
life, to cause me to die?  28:10 And Saul sware to her by the LORD,
saying, As the LORD liveth, there shall no punishment happen to thee
for this thing.

28:11 Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he
said, Bring me up Samuel.

28:12 And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and
the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou
art Saul.

28:13 And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou?
And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth.

28:14 And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old
man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived
that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and
bowed himself.

28:15 And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring
me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines
make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no
more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called
thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do.

28:16 Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the
LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?  28:17 And the
LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the
kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to
David: 28:18 Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor
executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done
this thing unto thee this day.

28:19 Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the
hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with
me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of
the Philistines.

28:20 Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore
afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in
him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.

28:21 And the woman came unto Saul, and saw that he was sore troubled,
and said unto him, Behold, thine handmaid hath obeyed thy voice, and I
have put my life in my hand, and have hearkened unto thy words which
thou spakest unto me.

28:22 Now therefore, I pray thee, hearken thou also unto the voice of
thine handmaid, and let me set a morsel of bread before thee; and eat,
that thou mayest have strength, when thou goest on thy way.

28:23 But he refused, and said, I will not eat. But his servants,
together with the woman, compelled him; and he hearkened unto their
voice. So he arose from the earth, and sat upon the bed.

28:24 And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hasted, and
killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened
bread thereof: 28:25 And she brought it before Saul, and before his
servants; and they did eat. Then they rose up, and went away that
night.

29:1 Now the Philistines gathered together all their armies to Aphek:
and the Israelites pitched by a fountain which is in Jezreel.

29:2 And the lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds, and by
thousands: but David and his men passed on in the rereward with
Achish.

29:3 Then said the princes of the Philistines, What do these Hebrews
here?  And Achish said unto the princes of the Philistines, Is not
this David, the servant of Saul the king of Israel, which hath been
with me these days, or these years, and I have found no fault in him
since he fell unto me unto this day?  29:4 And the princes of the
Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines
said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his
place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us
to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary to us: for wherewith
should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the
heads of these men?  29:5 Is not this David, of whom they sang one to
another in dances, saying, Saul slew his thousands, and David his ten
thousands?  29:6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely,
as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy
coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not
found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day:
nevertheless the lords favour thee not.

29:7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not
the lords of the Philistines.

29:8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast
thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this
day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?
29:9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good
in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the
Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle.

29:10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's
servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the
morning, and have light, depart.

29:11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to
return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up
to Jezreel.

30:1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag
on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and
Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 30:2 And had
taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either
great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

30:3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned
with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were
taken captives.

30:4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their
voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

30:5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning
him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his
sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD
his God.

30:7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son, I pray
thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the
ephod to David.

30:8 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this
troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou
shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

30:9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and
came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

30:10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred
abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the
brook Besor.

30:11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to
David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink
water; 30:12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two
clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to
him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and
three nights.

30:13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art
thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite;
and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.

30:14 We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, and upon
the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and
we burned Ziklag with fire.

30:15 And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company?
And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor
deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to
this company.

30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread
abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because
of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the
Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

30:17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of
the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred
young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

30:18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away:
and David rescued his two wives.

30:19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great,
neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had
taken to them: David recovered all.

30:20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave
before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

30:21 And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that
they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the
brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people
that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted
them.

30:22 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those
that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will
not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every
man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and
depart.

30:23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that
which the LORD hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the
company that came against us into our hand.

30:24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is
that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by
the stuff: they shall part alike.

30:25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute
and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

30:26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the
elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you
of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD; 30:27 To them which were in
Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were
in Jattir, 30:28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which
were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, 30:29 And to
them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the
Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites,
30:30 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in
Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach, 30:31 And to them which
were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men
were wont to haunt.

31:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel
fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

31:2 And the Philistines followed hard upon Saul and upon his sons;
and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchishua,
Saul's sons.

31:3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him;
and he was sore wounded of the archers.

31:4 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust
me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me
through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore
afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

31:5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell
likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

31:6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all
his men, that same day together.

31:7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the
valley, and they that were on the other side Jordan, saw that the men
of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the
cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

31:8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to
strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in
mount Gilboa.

31:9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armour, and sent
into the land of the Philistines round about, to publish it in the
house of their idols, and among the people.

31:10 And they put his armour in the house of Ashtaroth: and they
fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

31:11 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the
Philistines had done to Saul; 31:12 All the valiant men arose, and
went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons
from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

31:13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at
Jabesh, and fasted seven days.




The Second Book of Samuel

Otherwise Called:

The Second Book of the Kings


1:1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was
returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two
days in Ziklag; 1:2 It came even to pass on the third day, that,
behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent,
and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he
fell to the earth, and did obeisance.

1:3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto
him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped.

1:4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell
me.

And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of
the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are
dead also.

1:5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou
that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead?  1:6 And the young man that
told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul
leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed
hard after him.

1:7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And
I answered, Here am I.

1:8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an
Amalekite.

1:9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me:
for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.

1:10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he
could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was
upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought
them hither unto my lord.

1:11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise
all the men that were with him: 1:12 And they mourned, and wept, and
fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the
people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were
fallen by the sword.

1:13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou?
And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite.

1:14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch
forth thine hand to destroy the LORD's anointed?  1:15 And David
called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And
he smote him that he died.

1:16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy
mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's
anointed.

1:17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over
Jonathan his son: 1:18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah
the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.)
1:19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the
mighty fallen!  1:20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the
streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph.

1:21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be
rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the
mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not
been anointed with oil.

1:22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow
of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty.

1:23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in
their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they
were stronger than lions.

1:24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in
scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your
apparel.

1:25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan,
thou wast slain in thine high places.

1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast
thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of
women.

1:27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!  2:1
And it came to pass after this, that David enquired of the LORD,
saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah? And the LORD
said unto him, Go up. And David said, Whither shall I go up? And he
said, Unto Hebron.

2:2 So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the
Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal's wife the Carmelite.

2:3 And his men that were with him did David bring up, every man with
his household: and they dwelt in the cities of Hebron.

2:4 And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over
the house of Judah. And they told David, saying, That the men of
Jabeshgilead were they that buried Saul.

2:5 And David sent messengers unto the men of Jabeshgilead, and said
unto them, Blessed be ye of the LORD, that ye have shewed this
kindness unto your lord, even unto Saul, and have buried him.

2:6 And now the LORD shew kindness and truth unto you: and I also will
requite you this kindness, because ye have done this thing.

2:7 Therefore now let your hands be strengthened, and be ye valiant:
for your master Saul is dead, and also the house of Judah have
anointed me king over them.

2:8 But Abner the son of Ner, captain of Saul's host, took Ishbosheth
the son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim; 2:9 And made him
king over Gilead, and over the Ashurites, and over Jezreel, and over
Ephraim, and over Benjamin, and over all Israel.

2:10 Ishbosheth Saul's son was forty years old when he began to reign
over Israel, and reigned two years. But the house of Judah followed
David.

2:11 And the time that David was king in Hebron over the house of
Judah was seven years and six months.

2:12 And Abner the son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbosheth the son
of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon.

2:13 And Joab the son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out,
and met together by the pool of Gibeon: and they sat down, the one on
the one side of the pool, and the other on the other side of the pool.

2:14 And Abner said to Joab, Let the young men now arise, and play
before us. And Joab said, Let them arise.

2:15 Then there arose and went over by number twelve of Benjamin,
which pertained to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of the
servants of David.

2:16 And they caught every one his fellow by the head, and thrust his
sword in his fellow's side; so they fell down together: wherefore that
place was called Helkathhazzurim, which is in Gibeon.

2:17 And there was a very sore battle that day; and Abner was beaten,
and the men of Israel, before the servants of David.

2:18 And there were three sons of Zeruiah there, Joab, and Abishai,
and Asahel: and Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe.

2:19 And Asahel pursued after Abner; and in going he turned not to the
right hand nor to the left from following Abner.

2:20 Then Abner looked behind him, and said, Art thou Asahel? And he
answered, I am.

2:21 And Abner said to him, Turn thee aside to thy right hand or to
thy left, and lay thee hold on one of the young men, and take thee his
armour.

But Asahel would not turn aside from following of him.

2:22 And Abner said again to Asahel, Turn thee aside from following
me: wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? how then should I
hold up my face to Joab thy brother?  2:23 Howbeit he refused to turn
aside: wherefore Abner with the hinder end of the spear smote him
under the fifth rib, that the spear came out behind him; and he fell
down there, and died in the same place: and it came to pass, that as
many as came to the place where Asahel fell down and died stood still.

2:24 Joab also and Abishai pursued after Abner: and the sun went down
when they were come to the hill of Ammah, that lieth before Giah by
the way of the wilderness of Gibeon.

2:25 And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together after
Abner, and became one troop, and stood on the top of an hill.

2:26 Then Abner called to Joab, and said, Shall the sword devour for
ever?  knowest thou not that it will be bitterness in the latter end?
how long shall it be then, ere thou bid the people return from
following their brethren?  2:27 And Joab said, As God liveth, unless
thou hadst spoken, surely then in the morning the people had gone up
every one from following his brother.

2:28 So Joab blew a trumpet, and all the people stood still, and
pursued after Israel no more, neither fought they any more.

2:29 And Abner and his men walked all that night through the plain,
and passed over Jordan, and went through all Bithron, and they came to
Mahanaim.

2:30 And Joab returned from following Abner: and when he had gathered
all the people together, there lacked of David's servants nineteen men
and Asahel.

2:31 But the servants of David had smitten of Benjamin, and of Abner's
men, so that three hundred and threescore men died.

2:32 And they took up Asahel, and buried him in the sepulchre of his
father, which was in Bethlehem. And Joab and his men went all night,
and they came to Hebron at break of day.

3:1 Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of
David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul
waxed weaker and weaker.

3:2 And unto David were sons born in Hebron: and his firstborn was
Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; 3:3 And his second, Chileab, of
Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the
son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; 3:4 And the
fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son
of Abital; 3:5 And the sixth, Ithream, by Eglah David's wife. These
were born to David in Hebron.

3:6 And it came to pass, while there was war between the house of Saul
and the house of David, that Abner made himself strong for the house
of Saul.

3:7 And Saul had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah, the daughter of
Aiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in unto
my father's concubine?  3:8 Then was Abner very wroth for the words of
Ishbosheth, and said, Am I a dog's head, which against Judah do shew
kindness this day unto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren,
and to his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of
David, that thou chargest me to day with a fault concerning this
woman?  3:9 So do God to Abner, and more also, except, as the LORD
hath sworn to David, even so I do to him; 3:10 To translate the
kingdom from the house of Saul, and to set up the throne of David over
Israel and over Judah, from Dan even to Beersheba.

3:11 And he could not answer Abner a word again, because he feared
him.

3:12 And Abner sent messengers to David on his behalf, saying, Whose
is the land? saying also, Make thy league with me, and, behold, my
hand shall be with thee, to bring about all Israel unto thee.

3:13 And he said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing
I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou
first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.

3:14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth Saul's son, saying,
Deliver me my wife Michal, which I espoused to me for an hundred
foreskins of the Philistines.

3:15 And Ishbosheth sent, and took her from her husband, even from
Phaltiel the son of Laish.

3:16 And her husband went with her along weeping behind her to
Bahurim.

Then said Abner unto him, Go, return. And he returned.

3:17 And Abner had communication with the elders of Israel, saying, Ye
sought for David in times past to be king over you: 3:18 Now then do
it: for the LORD hath spoken of David, saying, By the hand of my
servant David I will save my people Israel out of the hand of the
Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

3:19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also
to speak in the ears of David in Hebron all that seemed good to
Israel, and that seemed good to the whole house of Benjamin.

3:20 So Abner came to David to Hebron, and twenty men with him. And
David made Abner and the men that were with him a feast.

3:21 And Abner said unto David, I will arise and go, and will gather
all Israel unto my lord the king, that they may make a league with
thee, and that thou mayest reign over all that thine heart desireth.
And David sent Abner away; and he went in peace.

3:22 And, behold, the servants of David and Joab came from pursuing a
troop, and brought in a great spoil with them: but Abner was not with
David in Hebron; for he had sent him away, and he was gone in peace.

3:23 When Joab and all the host that was with him were come, they told
Joab, saying, Abner the son of Ner came to the king, and he hath sent
him away, and he is gone in peace.

3:24 Then Joab came to the king, and said, What hast thou done?
behold, Abner came unto thee; why is it that thou hast sent him away,
and he is quite gone?  3:25 Thou knowest Abner the son of Ner, that he
came to deceive thee, and to know thy going out and thy coming in, and
to know all that thou doest.

3:26 And when Joab was come out from David, he sent messengers after
Abner, which brought him again from the well of Sirah: but David knew
it not.

3:27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the
gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth
rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother.

3:28 And afterward when David heard it, he said, I and my kingdom are
guiltless before the LORD for ever from the blood of Abner the son of
Ner: 3:29 Let it rest on the head of Joab, and on all his father's
house; and let there not fail from the house of Joab one that hath an
issue, or that is a leper, or that leaneth on a staff, or that falleth
on the sword, or that lacketh bread.

3:30 So Joab, and Abishai his brother slew Abner, because he had slain
their brother Asahel at Gibeon in the battle.

3:31 And David said to Joab, and to all the people that were with him,
Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and mourn before
Abner. And king David himself followed the bier.

3:32 And they buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his
voice, and wept at the grave of Abner; and all the people wept.

3:33 And the king lamented over Abner, and said, Died Abner as a fool
dieth?  3:34 Thy hands were not bound, nor thy feet put into fetters:
as a man falleth before wicked men, so fellest thou. And all the
people wept again over him.

3:35 And when all the people came to cause David to eat meat while it
was yet day, David sware, saying, So do God to me, and more also, if I
taste bread, or ought else, till the sun be down.

3:36 And all the people took notice of it, and it pleased them: as
whatsoever the king did pleased all the people.

3:37 For all the people and all Israel understood that day that it was
not of the king to slay Abner the son of Ner.

3:38 And the king said unto his servants, Know ye not that there is a
prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?  3:39 And I am this
day weak, though anointed king; and these men the sons of Zeruiah be
too hard for me: the LORD shall reward the doer of evil according to
his wickedness.

4:1 And when Saul's son heard that Abner was dead in Hebron, his hands
were feeble, and all the Israelites were troubled.

4:2 And Saul's son had two men that were captains of bands: the name
of the one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab, the sons of
Rimmon a Beerothite, of the children of Benjamin: (for Beeroth also
was reckoned to Benjamin.

4:3 And the Beerothites fled to Gittaim, and were sojourners there
until this day.)  4:4 And Jonathan, Saul's son, had a son that was
lame of his feet. He was five years old when the tidings came of Saul
and Jonathan out of Jezreel, and his nurse took him up, and fled: and
it came to pass, as she made haste to flee, that he fell, and became
lame. And his name was Mephibosheth.

4:5 And the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, went,
and came about the heat of the day to the house of Ishbosheth, who lay
on a bed at noon.

4:6 And they came thither into the midst of the house, as though they
would have fetched wheat; and they smote him under the fifth rib: and
Rechab and Baanah his brother escaped.

4:7 For when they came into the house, he lay on his bed in his
bedchamber, and they smote him, and slew him, and beheaded him, and
took his head, and gat them away through the plain all night.

4:8 And they brought the head of Ishbosheth unto David to Hebron, and
said to the king, Behold the head of Ishbosheth the son of Saul thine
enemy, which sought thy life; and the LORD hath avenged my lord the
king this day of Saul, and of his seed.

4:9 And David answered Rechab and Baanah his brother, the sons of
Rimmon the Beerothite, and said unto them, As the LORD liveth, who
hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity, 4:10 When one told me,
saying, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking to have brought good tidings, I
took hold of him, and slew him in Ziklag, who thought that I would
have given him a reward for his tidings: 4:11 How much more, when
wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his
bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and
take you away from the earth?  4:12 And David commanded his young men,
and they slew them, and cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged
them up over the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ishbosheth,
and buried it in the sepulchre of Abner in Hebron.

5:1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David unto Hebron, and
spake, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

5:2 Also in time past, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that
leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD said to thee, Thou
shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be a captain over Israel.

5:3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king
David made a league with them in Hebron before the LORD: and they
anointed David king over Israel.

5:4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
forty years.

5:5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months: and in
Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years over all Israel and Judah.

5:6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the
inhabitants of the land: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou
take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither:
thinking, David cannot come in hither.

5:7 Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion: the same is the
city of David.

5:8 And David said on that day, Whosoever getteth up to the gutter,
and smiteth the Jebusites, and the lame and the blind that are hated
of David's soul, he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said,
The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.

5:9 So David dwelt in the fort, and called it the city of David. And
David built round about from Millo and inward.

5:10 And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was
with him.

5:11 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees,
and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.

5:12 And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over
Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's
sake.

5:13 And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem,
after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters
born to David.

5:14 And these be the names of those that were born unto him in
Jerusalem; Shammuah, and Shobab, and Nathan, and Solomon, 5:15 Ibhar
also, and Elishua, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 5:16 And Elishama, and
Eliada, and Eliphalet.

5:17 But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king
over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David
heard of it, and went down to the hold.

5:18 The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of
Rephaim.

5:19 And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the
Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said
unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into
thine hand.

5:20 And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and
said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the
breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place
Baalperazim.

5:21 And there they left their images, and David and his men burned
them.

5:22 And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in
the valley of Rephaim.

5:23 And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go
up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against
the mulberry trees.

5:24 And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops
of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then
shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the
Philistines.

5:25 And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the
Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer.

6:1 Again, David gathered together all the chosen men of Israel,
thirty thousand.

6:2 And David arose, and went with all the people that were with him
from Baale of Judah, to bring up from thence the ark of God, whose
name is called by the name of the LORD of hosts that dwelleth between
the cherubims.

6:3 And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of
the house of Abinadab that was in Gibeah: and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons
of Abinadab, drave the new cart.

6:4 And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab which was at
Gibeah, accompanying the ark of God: and Ahio went before the ark.

6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on
all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on
psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.

6:6 And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his
hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it.

6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote
him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God.

6:8 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon
Uzzah: and he called the name of the place Perezuzzah to this day.

6:9 And David was afraid of the LORD that day, and said, How shall the
ark of the LORD come to me?  6:10 So David would not remove the ark of
the LORD unto him into the city of David: but David carried it aside
into the house of Obededom the Gittite.

6:11 And the ark of the LORD continued in the house of Obededom the
Gittite three months: and the LORD blessed Obededom, and all his
household.

6:12 And it was told king David, saying, The LORD hath blessed the
house of Obededom, and all that pertaineth unto him, because of the
ark of God. So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house
of Obededom into the city of David with gladness.

6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had
gone six paces, he sacrificed oxen and fatlings.

6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David
was girded with a linen ephod.

6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the
LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal
Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping
and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place,
in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and
David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

6:18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings
and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of
hosts.

6:19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude
of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread,
and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people
departed every one to his house.

6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the
daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was
the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of
the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly
uncovereth himself!  6:21 And David said unto Michal, It was before
the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house,
to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel:
therefore will I play before the LORD.

6:22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine
own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them
shall I be had in honour.

6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day
of her death.

7:1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD
had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 7:2 That the king
said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar,
but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

7:3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart;
for the LORD is with thee.

7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came
unto Nathan, saying, 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the
LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?  7:6 Whereas I
have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the
children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in
a tent and in a tabernacle.

7:7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of
Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I
commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an
house of cedar?  7:8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant
David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote,
from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 7:9
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all
thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like
unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will
plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no
more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more,
as beforetime, 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to
be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine
enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy
fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of
thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the
throne of his kingdom for ever.

7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit
iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes
of the children of men: 7:15 But my mercy shall not depart away from
him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever
before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision,
so did Nathan speak unto David.

7:18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said,
Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me
hitherto?  7:19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord
GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great
while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?  7:20 And
what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy
servant.

7:21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou
done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

7:22 Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like
thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we
have heard with our ears.

7:23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like
Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make
him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land,
before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the
nations and their gods?  7:24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy
people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art
become their God.

7:25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning
thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do
as thou hast said.

7:26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts
is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be
established before thee.

7:27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy
servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy
servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true,
and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: 7:29 Therefore
now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may
continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it:
and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for
ever.

8:1 And after this it came to pass that David smote the Philistines,
and subdued them: and David took Methegammah out of the hand of the
Philistines.

8:2 And he smote Moab, and measured them with a line, casting them
down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death,
and with one full line to keep alive. And so the Moabites became
David's servants, and brought gifts.

8:3 David smote also Hadadezer, the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he
went to recover his border at the river Euphrates.

8:4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven hundred
horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: and David houghed all the
chariot horses, but reserved of them for an hundred chariots.

8:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to succour Hadadezer king of
Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

8:6 Then David put garrisons in Syria of Damascus: and the Syrians
became servants to David, and brought gifts. And the LORD preserved
David whithersoever he went.

8:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of
Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

8:8 And from Betah, and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, king David
took exceeding much brass.

8:9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had smitten all the host
of Hadadezer, 8:10 Then Toi sent Joram his son unto king David, to
salute him, and to bless him, because he had fought against Hadadezer,
and smitten him: for Hadadezer had wars with Toi. And Joram brought
with him vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and vessels of brass:
8:11 Which also king David did dedicate unto the LORD, with the silver
and gold that he had dedicated of all nations which he subdued; 8:12
Of Syria, and of Moab, and of the children of Ammon, and of the
Philistines, and of Amalek, and of the spoil of Hadadezer, son of
Rehob, king of Zobah.

8:13 And David gat him a name when he returned from smiting of the
Syrians in the valley of salt, being eighteen thousand men.

8:14 And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he
garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants. And the LORD
preserved David whithersoever he went.

8:15 And David reigned over all Israel; and David executed judgment
and justice unto all his people.

8:16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat
the son of Ahilud was recorder; 8:17 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and
Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the
scribe; 8:18 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the
Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were chief rulers.

9:1 And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of
Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake?  9:2 And there
was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they
had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba?  And
he said, Thy servant is he.

9:3 And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that
I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king,
Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet.

9:4 And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the
king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in
Lodebar.

9:5 Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir,
the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar.

9:6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was
come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David
said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!  9:7 And
David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness
for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of
Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually.

9:8 And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou
shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?  9:9 Then the king called
to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said unto him, I have given unto thy
master's son all that pertained to Saul and to all his house.

9:10 Thou therefore, and thy sons, and thy servants, shall till the
land for him, and thou shalt bring in the fruits, that thy master's
son may have food to eat: but Mephibosheth thy master's son shall eat
bread alway at my table. Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty
servants.

9:11 Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the
king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for
Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the
king's sons.

9:12 And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all
that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth.

9:13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at
the king's table; and was lame on both his feet.

10:1 And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of
Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

10:2 Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of
Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to
comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's
servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

10:3 And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their
lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath
sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants
unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?
10:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one
half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even
to their buttocks, and sent them away.

10:5 When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the
men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until
your beards be grown, and then return.

10:6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David,
the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob and the
Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a
thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

10:7 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the
mighty men.

10:8 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array
at the entering in of the gate: and the Syrians of Zoba, and of Rehob,
and Ishtob, and Maacah, were by themselves in the field.

10:9 When Joab saw that the front of the battle was against him before
and behind, he chose of all the choice men of Israel, and put them in
array against the Syrians: 10:10 And the rest of the people he
delivered into the hand of Abishai his brother, that he might put them
in array against the children of Ammon.

10:11 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou
shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee,
then I will come and help thee.

10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and
for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him
good.

10:13 And Joab drew nigh, and the people that were with him, unto the
battle against the Syrians: and they fled before him.

10:14 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
then fled they also before Abishai, and entered into the city. So Joab
returned from the children of Ammon, and came to Jerusalem.

10:15 And when the Syrians saw that they were smitten before Israel,
they gathered themselves together.

10:16 And Hadarezer sent, and brought out the Syrians that were beyond
the river: and they came to Helam; and Shobach the captain of the host
of Hadarezer went before them.

10:17 And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and
passed over Jordan, and came to Helam. And the Syrians set themselves
in array against David, and fought with him.

10:18 And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew the men of
seven hundred chariots of the Syrians, and forty thousand horsemen,
and smote Shobach the captain of their host, who died there.

10:19 And when all the kings that were servants to Hadarezer saw that
they were smitten before Israel, they made peace with Israel, and
served them. So the Syrians feared to help the children of Ammon any
more.

11:1 And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when
kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with
him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and
besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.

11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off
his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the
roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful
to look upon.

11:3 And David sent and enquired after the woman. And one said, Is not
this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
11:4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto
him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness:
and she returned unto her house.

11:5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am
with child.

11:6 And David sent to Joab, saying, Send me Uriah the Hittite. And
Joab sent Uriah to David.

11:7 And when Uriah was come unto him, David demanded of him how Joab
did, and how the people did, and how the war prospered.

11:8 And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet.
And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a
mess of meat from the king.

11:9 But Uriah slept at the door of the king's house with all the
servants of his lord, and went not down to his house.

11:10 And when they had told David, saying, Uriah went not down unto
his house, David said unto Uriah, Camest thou not from thy journey?
why then didst thou not go down unto thine house?  11:11 And Uriah
said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and
my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open
fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to
lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not
do this thing.

11:12 And David said to Uriah, Tarry here to day also, and to morrow I
will let thee depart. So Uriah abode in Jerusalem that day, and the
morrow.

11:13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him;
and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with
the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

11:14 And it came to pass in the morning, that David wrote a letter to
Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah.

11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the
forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may
be smitten, and die.

11:16 And it came to pass, when Joab observed the city, that he
assigned Uriah unto a place where he knew that valiant men were.

11:17 And the men of the city went out, and fought with Joab: and
there fell some of the people of the servants of David; and Uriah the
Hittite died also.

11:18 Then Joab sent and told David all the things concerning the war;
11:19 And charged the messenger, saying, When thou hast made an end of
telling the matters of the war unto the king, 11:20 And if so be that
the king's wrath arise, and he say unto thee, Wherefore approached ye
so nigh unto the city when ye did fight? knew ye not that they would
shoot from the wall?  11:21 Who smote Abimelech the son of
Jerubbesheth? did not a woman cast a piece of a millstone upon him
from the wall, that he died in Thebez? why went ye nigh the wall? then
say thou, Thy servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.

11:22 So the messenger went, and came and shewed David all that Joab
had sent him for.

11:23 And the messenger said unto David, Surely the men prevailed
against us, and came out unto us into the field, and we were upon them
even unto the entering of the gate.

11:24 And the shooters shot from off the wall upon thy servants; and
some of the king's servants be dead, and thy servant Uriah the Hittite
is dead also.

11:25 Then David said unto the messenger, Thus shalt thou say unto
Joab, Let not this thing displease thee, for the sword devoureth one
as well as another: make thy battle more strong against the city, and
overthrow it: and encourage thou him.

11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was
dead, she mourned for her husband.

11:27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to
his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing
that David had done displeased the LORD.

12:1 And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and
said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the
other poor.

12:2 The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: 12:3 But the
poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought
and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his
children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and
lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

12:4 And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to
take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring
man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed
it for the man that was come to him.

12:5 And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he
said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing
shall surely die: 12:6 And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because
he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

12:7 And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD
God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee
out of the hand of Saul; 12:8 And I gave thee thy master's house, and
thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel
and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have
given unto thee such and such things.

12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do
evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword,
and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the
sword of the children of Ammon.

12:10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house;
because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the
Hittite to be thy wife.

12:11 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee
out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes,
and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in
the sight of this sun.

12:12 For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all
Israel, and before the sun.

12:13 And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And
Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou
shalt not die.

12:14 Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to
the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto
thee shall surely die.

12:15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the
child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

12:16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted,
and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.

12:17 And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him
up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with
them.

12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And
the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for
they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him,
and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself,
if we tell him that the child is dead?  12:19 But when David saw that
his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead:
therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they
said, He is dead.

12:20 Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed
himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD,
and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required,
they set bread before him, and he did eat.

12:21 Then said his servants unto him, What thing is this that thou
hast done? thou didst fast and weep for the child, while it was alive;
but when the child was dead, thou didst rise and eat bread.

12:22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept:
for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the
child may live?  12:23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast?
can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return
to me.

12:24 And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her,
and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon:
and the LORD loved him.

12:25 And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his
name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

12:26 And Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and
took the royal city.

12:27 And Joab sent messengers to David, and said, I have fought
against Rabbah, and have taken the city of waters.

12:28 Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp
against the city, and take it: lest I take the city, and it be called
after my name.

12:29 And David gathered all the people together, and went to Rabbah,
and fought against it, and took it.

12:30 And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight
whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set
on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great
abundance.

12:31 And he brought forth the people that were therein, and put them
under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes of iron, and
made them pass through the brick-kiln: and thus did he unto all the
cities of the children of Ammon. So David and all the people returned
unto Jerusalem.

13:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had
a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved
her.

13:2 And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar;
for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do anything
to her.

13:3 But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of
Shimeah David's brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man.

13:4 And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king's son, lean
from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I
love Tamar, my brother Absalom's sister.

13:5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make
thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I
pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the
meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand.

13:6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was
come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my
sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat
at her hand.

13:7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother
Amnon's house, and dress him meat.

13:8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down.
And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and
did bake the cakes.

13:9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he
refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they
went out every man from him.

13:10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that
I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made,
and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother.

13:11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of
her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister.

13:12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no
such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly.

13:13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee,
thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray
thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee.

13:14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger
than she, forced her, and lay with her.

13:15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith
he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And
Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone.

13:16 And she said unto him, There is no cause: this evil in sending
me away is greater than the other that thou didst unto me. But he
would not hearken unto her.

13:17 Then he called his servant that ministered unto him, and said,
Put now this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.

13:18 And she had a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such
robes were the king's daughters that were virgins apparelled. Then his
servant brought her out, and bolted the door after her.

13:19 And Tamar put ashes on her head, and rent her garment of divers
colours that was on her, and laid her hand on her head, and went on
crying.

13:20 And Absalom her brother said unto her, Hath Amnon thy brother
been with thee? but hold now thy peace, my sister: he is thy brother;
regard not this thing. So Tamar remained desolate in her brother
Absalom's house.

13:21 But when king David heard of all these things, he was very
wroth.

13:22 And Absalom spake unto his brother Amnon neither good nor bad:
for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.

13:23 And it came to pass after two full years, that Absalom had
sheepshearers in Baalhazor, which is beside Ephraim: and Absalom
invited all the king's sons.

13:24 And Absalom came to the king, and said, Behold now, thy servant
hath sheepshearers; let the king, I beseech thee, and his servants go
with thy servant.

13:25 And the king said to Absalom, Nay, my son, let us not all now
go, lest we be chargeable unto thee. And he pressed him: howbeit he
would not go, but blessed him.

13:26 Then said Absalom, If not, I pray thee, let my brother Amnon go
with us. And the king said unto him, Why should he go with thee?
13:27 But Absalom pressed him, that he let Amnon and all the king's
sons go with him.

13:28 Now Absalom had commanded his servants, saying, Mark ye now when
Amnon's heart is merry with wine, and when I say unto you, Smite
Amnon; then kill him, fear not: have not I commanded you? be
courageous, and be valiant.

13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had
commanded.

Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his
mule, and fled.

13:30 And it came to pass, while they were in the way, that tidings
came to David, saying, Absalom hath slain all the king's sons, and
there is not one of them left.

13:31 Then the king arose, and tare his garments, and lay on the
earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes rent.

13:32 And Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David's brother, answered and
said, Let not my lord suppose that they have slain all the young men
the king's sons; for Amnon only is dead: for by the appointment of
Absalom this hath been determined from the day that he forced his
sister Tamar.

13:33 Now therefore let not my lord the king take the thing to his
heart, to think that all the king's sons are dead: for Amnon only is
dead.

13:34 But Absalom fled. And the young man that kept the watch lifted
up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came much people by the
way of the hill side behind him.

13:35 And Jonadab said unto the king, Behold, the king's sons come: as
thy servant said, so it is.

13:36 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of speaking,
that, behold, the king's sons came, and lifted up their voice and
wept: and the king also and all his servants wept very sore.

13:37 But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai, the son of Ammihud, king
of Geshur. And David mourned for his son every day.

13:38 So Absalom fled, and went to Geshur, and was there three years.

13:39 And the soul of king David longed to go forth unto Absalom: for
he was comforted concerning Amnon, seeing he was dead.

14:1 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king's heart was
toward Absalom.

14:2 And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and
said unto her, I pray thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on
now mourning apparel, and anoint not thyself with oil, but be as a
woman that had a long time mourned for the dead: 14:3 And come to the
king, and speak on this manner unto him. So Joab put the words in her
mouth.

14:4 And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her
face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king.

14:5 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, I
am indeed a widow woman, and mine husband is dead.

14:6 And thy handmaid had two sons, and they two strove together in
the field, and there was none to part them, but the one smote the
other, and slew him.

14:7 And, behold, the whole family is risen against thine handmaid,
and they said, Deliver him that smote his brother, that we may kill
him, for the life of his brother whom he slew; and we will destroy the
heir also: and so they shall quench my coal which is left, and shall
not leave to my husband neither name nor remainder upon the earth.

14:8 And the king said unto the woman, Go to thine house, and I will
give charge concerning thee.

14:9 And the woman of Tekoah said unto the king, My lord, O king, the
iniquity be on me, and on my father's house: and the king and his
throne be guiltless.

14:10 And the king said, Whoever saith ought unto thee, bring him to
me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

14:11 Then said she, I pray thee, let the king remember the LORD thy
God, that thou wouldest not suffer the revengers of blood to destroy
any more, lest they destroy my son. And he said, As the LORD liveth,
there shall not one hair of thy son fall to the earth.

14:12 Then the woman said, Let thine handmaid, I pray thee, speak one
word unto my lord the king. And he said, Say on.

14:13 And the woman said, Wherefore then hast thou thought such a
thing against the people of God? for the king doth speak this thing as
one which is faulty, in that the king doth not fetch home again his
banished.

14:14 For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground,
which cannot be gathered up again; neither doth God respect any
person: yet doth he devise means, that his banished be not expelled
from him.

14:15 Now therefore that I am come to speak of this thing unto my lord
the king, it is because the people have made me afraid: and thy
handmaid said, I will now speak unto the king; it may be that the king
will perform the request of his handmaid.

14:16 For the king will hear, to deliver his handmaid out of the hand
of the man that would destroy me and my son together out of the
inheritance of God.

14:17 Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now
be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to
discern good and bad: therefore the LORD thy God will be with thee.

14:18 Then the king answered and said unto the woman, Hide not from
me, I pray thee, the thing that I shall ask thee. And the woman said,
Let my lord the king now speak.

14:19 And the king said, Is not the hand of Joab with thee in all
this?  And the woman answered and said, As thy soul liveth, my lord
the king, none can turn to the right hand or to the left from ought
that my lord the king hath spoken: for thy servant Joab, he bade me,
and he put all these words in the mouth of thine handmaid: 14:20 To
fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing:
and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to
know all things that are in the earth.

14:21 And the king said unto Joab, Behold now, I have done this thing:
go therefore, bring the young man Absalom again.

14:22 And Joab fell to the ground on his face, and bowed himself, and
thanked the king: and Joab said, To day thy servant knoweth that I
have found grace in thy sight, my lord, O king, in that the king hath
fulfilled the request of his servant.

14:23 So Joab arose and went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to
Jerusalem.

14:24 And the king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him
not see my face. So Absalom returned to his own house, and saw not the
king's face.

14:25 But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as
Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of
his head there was no blemish in him.

14:26 And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end
that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he
polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels
after the king's weight.

14:27 And unto Absalom there were born three sons, and one daughter,
whose name was Tamar: she was a woman of a fair countenance.

14:28 So Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, and saw not the
king's face.

14:29 Therefore Absalom sent for Joab, to have sent him to the king;
but he would not come to him: and when he sent again the second time,
he would not come.

14:30 Therefore he said unto his servants, See, Joab's field is near
mine, and he hath barley there; go and set it on fire. And Absalom's
servants set the field on fire.

14:31 Then Joab arose, and came to Absalom unto his house, and said
unto him, Wherefore have thy servants set my field on fire?  14:32 And
Absalom answered Joab, Behold, I sent unto thee, saying, Come hither,
that I may send thee to the king, to say, Wherefore am I come from
Geshur? it had been good for me to have been there still: now
therefore let me see the king's face; and if there be any iniquity in
me, let him kill me.

14:33 So Joab came to the king, and told him: and when he had called
for Absalom, he came to the king, and bowed himself on his face to the
ground before the king: and the king kissed Absalom.

15:1 And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him
chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

15:2 And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate:
and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the
king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what
city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of
Israel.

15:3 And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right;
but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.

15:4 Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land,
that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I
would do him justice!  15:5 And it was so, that when any man came nigh
to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and
kissed him.

15:6 And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the
king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

15:7 And it came to pass after forty years, that Absalom said unto the
king, I pray thee, let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed unto
the LORD, in Hebron.

15:8 For thy servant vowed a vow while I abode at Geshur in Syria,
saying, If the LORD shall bring me again indeed to Jerusalem, then I
will serve the LORD.

15:9 And the king said unto him, Go in peace. So he arose, and went to
Hebron.

15:10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel,
saying, As soon as ye hear the sound of the trumpet, then ye shall
say, Absalom reigneth in Hebron.

15:11 And with Absalom went two hundred men out of Jerusalem, that
were called; and they went in their simplicity, and they knew not any
thing.

15:12 And Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's
counsellor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered
sacrifices. And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased
continually with Absalom.

15:13 And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the
men of Israel are after Absalom.

15:14 And David said unto all his servants that were with him at
Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from
Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring
evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword.

15:15 And the king's servants said unto the king, Behold, thy servants
are ready to do whatsoever my lord the king shall appoint.

15:16 And the king went forth, and all his household after him. And
the king left ten women, which were concubines, to keep the house.

15:17 And the king went forth, and all the people after him, and
tarried in a place that was far off.

15:18 And all his servants passed on beside him; and all the
Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred
men which came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

15:19 Then said the king to Ittai the Gittite, Wherefore goest thou
also with us? return to thy place, and abide with the king: for thou
art a stranger, and also an exile.

15:20 Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee
go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and
take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.

15:21 And Ittai answered the king, and said, As the LORD liveth, and
as my lord the king liveth, surely in what place my lord the king
shall be, whether in death or life, even there also will thy servant
be.

15:22 And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite
passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that were with
him.

15:23 And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people
passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and
all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.

15:24 And lo Zadok also, and all the Levites were with him, bearing
the ark of the covenant of God: and they set down the ark of God; and
Abiathar went up, until all the people had done passing out of the
city.

15:25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the
city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me
again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: 15:26 But if he thus
say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as
seemeth good unto him.

15:27 The king said also unto Zadok the priest, Art not thou a seer?
return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz thy
son, and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

15:28 See, I will tarry in the plain of the wilderness, until there
come word from you to certify me.

15:29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God again to
Jerusalem: and they tarried there.

15:30 And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he
went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the
people that was with him covered every man his head, and they went up,
weeping as they went up.

15:31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators
with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of
Ahithophel into foolishness.

15:32 And it came to pass, that when David was come to the top of the
mount, where he worshipped God, behold, Hushai the Archite came to
meet him with his coat rent, and earth upon his head: 15:33 Unto whom
David said, If thou passest on with me, then thou shalt be a burden
unto me: 15:34 But if thou return to the city, and say unto Absalom, I
will be thy servant, O king; as I have been thy father's servant
hitherto, so will I now also be thy servant: then mayest thou for me
defeat the counsel of Ahithophel.

15:35 And hast thou not there with thee Zadok and Abiathar the
priests?  therefore it shall be, that what thing soever thou shalt
hear out of the king's house, thou shalt tell it to Zadok and Abiathar
the priests.

15:36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz
Zadok's son, and Jonathan Abiathar's son; and by them ye shall send
unto me every thing that ye can hear.

15:37 So Hushai David's friend came into the city, and Absalom came
into Jerusalem.

16:1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold,
Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses
saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred
bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of
wine.

16:2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba
said, The asses be for the king's household to ride on; and the bread
and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as
be faint in the wilderness may drink.

16:3 And the king said, And where is thy master's son? And Ziba said
unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day
shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.

16:4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained
unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may
find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.

16:5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a
man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son
of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.

16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king
David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right
hand and on his left.

16:7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou
bloody man, and thou man of Belial: 16:8 The LORD hath returned upon
thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast
reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of
Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because
thou art a bloody man.

16:9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should
this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and
take off his head.

16:10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of
Zeruiah?  so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse
David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?  16:11 And
David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which
came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this
Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath
bidden him.

16:12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that
the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.

16:13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on
the hill's side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw
stones at him, and cast dust.

16:14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary,
and refreshed themselves there.

16:15 And Absalom, and all the people the men of Israel, came to
Jerusalem, and Ahithophel with him.

16:16 And it came to pass, when Hushai the Archite, David's friend,
was come unto Absalom, that Hushai said unto Absalom, God save the
king, God save the king.

16:17 And Absalom said to Hushai, Is this thy kindness to thy friend?
why wentest thou not with thy friend?  16:18 And Hushai said unto
Absalom, Nay; but whom the LORD, and this people, and all the men of
Israel, choose, his will I be, and with him will I abide.

16:19 And again, whom should I serve? should I not serve in the
presence of his son? as I have served in thy father's presence, so
will I be in thy presence.

16:20 Then said Absalom to Ahithophel, Give counsel among you what we
shall do.

16:21 And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Go in unto thy father's
concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall
hear that thou art abhorred of thy father: then shall the hands of all
that are with thee be strong.

16:22 So they spread Absalom a tent upon the top of the house; and
Absalom went in unto his father's concubines in the sight of all
Israel.

16:23 And the counsel of Ahithophel, which he counselled in those
days, was as if a man had enquired at the oracle of God: so was all
the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom.

17:1 Moreover Ahithophel said unto Absalom, Let me now choose out
twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this
night: 17:2 And I will come upon him while he is weary and weak
handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him
shall flee; and I will smite the king only: 17:3 And I will bring back
all the people unto thee: the man whom thou seekest is as if all
returned: so all the people shall be in peace.

17:4 And the saying pleased Absalom well, and all the elders of
Israel.

17:5 Then said Absalom, Call now Hushai the Archite also, and let us
hear likewise what he saith.

17:6 And when Hushai was come to Absalom, Absalom spake unto him,
saying, Ahithophel hath spoken after this manner: shall we do after
his saying? if not; speak thou.

17:7 And Hushai said unto Absalom, The counsel that Ahithophel hath
given is not good at this time.

17:8 For, said Hushai, thou knowest thy father and his men, that they
be mighty men, and they be chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of
her whelps in the field: and thy father is a man of war, and will not
lodge with the people.

17:9 Behold, he is hid now in some pit, or in some other place: and it
will come to pass, when some of them be overthrown at the first, that
whosoever heareth it will say, There is a slaughter among the people
that follow Absalom.

17:10 And he also that is valiant, whose heart is as the heart of a
lion, shall utterly melt: for all Israel knoweth that thy father is a
mighty man, and they which be with him are valiant men.

17:11 Therefore I counsel that all Israel be generally gathered unto
thee, from Dan even to Beersheba, as the sand that is by the sea for
multitude; and that thou go to battle in thine own person.

17:12 So shall we come upon him in some place where he shall be found,
and we will light upon him as the dew falleth on the ground: and of
him and of all the men that are with him there shall not be left so
much as one.

17:13 Moreover, if he be gotten into a city, then shall all Israel
bring ropes to that city, and we will draw it into the river, until
there be not one small stone found there.

17:14 And Absalom and all the men of Israel said, The counsel of
Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel. For the
LORD had appointed to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the
intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

17:15 Then said Hushai unto Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, Thus
and thus did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and
thus and thus have I counselled.

17:16 Now therefore send quickly, and tell David, saying, Lodge not
this night in the plains of the wilderness, but speedily pass over;
lest the king be swallowed up, and all the people that are with him.

17:17 Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed by Enrogel; for they might not
be seen to come into the city: and a wench went and told them; and
they went and told king David.

17:18 Nevertheless a lad saw them, and told Absalom: but they went
both of them away quickly, and came to a man's house in Bahurim, which
had a well in his court; whither they went down.

17:19 And the woman took and spread a covering over the well's mouth,
and spread ground corn thereon; and the thing was not known.

17:20 And when Absalom's servants came to the woman to the house, they
said, Where is Ahimaaz and Jonathan? And the woman said unto them,
They be gone over the brook of water. And when they had sought and
could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

17:21 And it came to pass, after they were departed, that they came up
out of the well, and went and told king David, and said unto David,
Arise, and pass quickly over the water: for thus hath Ahithophel
counselled against you.

17:22 Then David arose, and all the people that were with him, and
they passed over Jordan: by the morning light there lacked not one of
them that was not gone over Jordan.

17:23 And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he
saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his
city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died,
and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

17:24 Then David came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed over Jordan, he
and all the men of Israel with him.

17:25 And Absalom made Amasa captain of the host instead of Joab:
which Amasa was a man's son, whose name was Ithra an Israelite, that
went in to Abigail the daughter of Nahash, sister to Zeruiah Joab's
mother.

17:26 So Israel and Absalom pitched in the land of Gilead.

17:27 And it came to pass, when David was come to Mahanaim, that Shobi
the son of Nahash of Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and Machir the
son of Ammiel of Lodebar, and Barzillai the Gileadite of Rogelim,
17:28 Brought beds, and basons, and earthen vessels, and wheat, and
barley, and flour, and parched corn, and beans, and lentiles, and
parched pulse, 17:29 And honey, and butter, and sheep, and cheese of
kine, for David, and for the people that were with him, to eat: for
they said, The people is hungry, and weary, and thirsty, in the
wilderness.

18:1 And David numbered the people that were with him, and set
captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds over them.

18:2 And David sent forth a third part of the people under the hand of
Joab, and a third part under the hand of Abishai the son of Zeruiah,
Joab's brother, and a third part under the hand of Ittai the Gittite.
And the king said unto the people, I will surely go forth with you
myself also.

18:3 But the people answered, Thou shalt not go forth: for if we flee
away, they will not care for us; neither if half of us die, will they
care for us: but now thou art worth ten thousand of us: therefore now
it is better that thou succour us out of the city.

18:4 And the king said unto them, What seemeth you best I will do. And
the king stood by the gate side, and all the people came out by
hundreds and by thousands.

18:5 And the king commanded Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal
gently for my sake with the young man, even with Absalom. And all the
people heard when the king gave all the captains charge concerning
Absalom.

18:6 So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the
battle was in the wood of Ephraim; 18:7 Where the people of Israel
were slain before the servants of David, and there was there a great
slaughter that day of twenty thousand men.

18:8 For the battle was there scattered over the face of all the
country: and the wood devoured more people that day than the sword
devoured.

18:9 And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a
mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his
head caught hold of the oak, and he was taken up between the heaven
and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away.

18:10 And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw
Absalom hanged in an oak.

18:11 And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou
sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground? and
I would have given thee ten shekels of silver, and a girdle.

18:12 And the man said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand
shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth mine hand
against the king's son: for in our hearing the king charged thee and
Abishai and Ittai, saying, Beware that none touch the young man
Absalom.

18:13 Otherwise I should have wrought falsehood against mine own life:
for there is no matter hid from the king, and thou thyself wouldest
have set thyself against me.

18:14 Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took
three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom,
while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.

18:15 And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and
smote Absalom, and slew him.

18:16 And Joab blew the trumpet, and the people returned from pursuing
after Israel: for Joab held back the people.

18:17 And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the
wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel
fled every one to his tent.

18:18 Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and reared up for himself
a pillar, which is in the king's dale: for he said, I have no son to
keep my name in remembrance: and he called the pillar after his own
name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom's place.

18:19 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok, Let me now run, and bear the
king tidings, how that the LORD hath avenged him of his enemies.

18:20 And Joab said unto him, Thou shalt not bear tidings this day,
but thou shalt bear tidings another day: but this day thou shalt bear
no tidings, because the king's son is dead.

18:21 Then said Joab to Cushi, Go tell the king what thou hast seen.
And Cushi bowed himself unto Joab, and ran.

18:22 Then said Ahimaaz the son of Zadok yet again to Joab, But
howsoever, let me, I pray thee, also run after Cushi. And Joab said,
Wherefore wilt thou run, my son, seeing that thou hast no tidings
ready?  18:23 But howsoever, said he, let me run. And he said unto
him, Run. Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the plain, and overran Cushi.

18:24 And David sat between the two gates: and the watchman went up to
the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and
looked, and behold a man running alone.

18:25 And the watchman cried, and told the king. And the king said, If
he be alone, there is tidings in his mouth. And he came apace, and
drew near.

18:26 And the watchman saw another man running: and the watchman
called unto the porter, and said, Behold another man running alone.
And the king said, He also bringeth tidings.

18:27 And the watchman said, Me thinketh the running of the foremost
is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok. And the king said, He
is a good man, and cometh with good tidings.

18:28 And Ahimaaz called, and said unto the king, All is well. And he
fell down to the earth upon his face before the king, and said,
Blessed be the LORD thy God, which hath delivered up the men that
lifted up their hand against my lord the king.

18:29 And the king said, Is the young man Absalom safe? And Ahimaaz
answered, When Joab sent the king's servant, and me thy servant, I saw
a great tumult, but I knew not what it was.

18:30 And the king said unto him, Turn aside, and stand here. And he
turned aside, and stood still.

18:31 And, behold, Cushi came; and Cushi said, Tidings, my lord the
king: for the LORD hath avenged thee this day of all them that rose up
against thee.

18:32 And the king said unto Cushi, Is the young man Absalom safe? And
Cushi answered, The enemies of my lord the king, and all that rise
against thee to do thee hurt, be as that young man is.

18:33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the
gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my
son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son,
my son!  19:1 And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and
mourneth for Absalom.

19:2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the
people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for
his son.

19:3 And the people gat them by stealth that day into the city, as
people being ashamed steal away when they flee in battle.

19:4 But the king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud
voice, O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!  19:5 And Joab
came into the house to the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day
the faces of all thy servants, which this day have saved thy life, and
the lives of thy sons and of thy daughters, and the lives of thy
wives, and the lives of thy concubines; 19:6 In that thou lovest thine
enemies, and hatest thy friends. For thou hast declared this day, that
thou regardest neither princes nor servants: for this day I perceive,
that if Absalom had lived, and all we had died this day, then it had
pleased thee well.

19:7 Now therefore arise, go forth, and speak comfortably unto thy
servants: for I swear by the LORD, if thou go not forth, there will
not tarry one with thee this night: and that will be worse unto thee
than all the evil that befell thee from thy youth until now.

19:8 Then the king arose, and sat in the gate. And they told unto all
the people, saying, Behold, the king doth sit in the gate. And all the
people came before the king: for Israel had fled every man to his
tent.

19:9 And all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of
Israel, saying, The king saved us out of the hand of our enemies, and
he delivered us out of the hand of the Philistines; and now he is fled
out of the land for Absalom.

19:10 And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now
therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?  19:11
And king David sent to Zadok and to Abiathar the priests, saying,
Speak unto the elders of Judah, saying, Why are ye the last to bring
the king back to his house? seeing the speech of all Israel is come to
the king, even to his house.

19:12 Ye are my brethren, ye are my bones and my flesh: wherefore then
are ye the last to bring back the king?  19:13 And say ye to Amasa,
Art thou not of my bone, and of my flesh? God do so to me, and more
also, if thou be not captain of the host before me continually in the
room of Joab.

19:14 And he bowed the heart of all the men of Judah, even as the
heart of one man; so that they sent this word unto the king, Return
thou, and all thy servants.

19:15 So the king returned, and came to Jordan. And Judah came to
Gilgal, to go to meet the king, to conduct the king over Jordan.

19:16 And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, which was of Bahurim,
hasted and came down with the men of Judah to meet king David.

19:17 And there were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the
servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty
servants with him; and they went over Jordan before the king.

19:18 And there went over a ferry boat to carry over the king's
household, and to do what he thought good. And Shimei the son of Gera
fell down before the king, as he was come over Jordan; 19:19 And said
unto the king, Let not my lord impute iniquity unto me, neither do
thou remember that which thy servant did perversely the day that my
lord the king went out of Jerusalem, that the king should take it to
his heart.

19:20 For thy servant doth know that I have sinned: therefore, behold,
I am come the first this day of all the house of Joseph to go down to
meet my lord the king.

19:21 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not
Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD's
anointed?  19:22 And David said, What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? shall
there any man be put to death this day in Israel? for do not I know
that I am this day king over Israel?  19:23 Therefore the king said
unto Shimei, Thou shalt not die. And the king sware unto him.

19:24 And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and
had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his
clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in
peace.

19:25 And it came to pass, when he was come to Jerusalem to meet the
king, that the king said unto him, Wherefore wentest not thou with me,
Mephibosheth?  19:26 And he answered, My lord, O king, my servant
deceived me: for thy servant said, I will saddle me an ass, that I may
ride thereon, and go to the king; because thy servant is lame.

19:27 And he hath slandered thy servant unto my lord the king; but my
lord the king is as an angel of God: do therefore what is good in
thine eyes.

19:28 For all of my father's house were but dead men before my lord
the king: yet didst thou set thy servant among them that did eat at
thine own table. What right therefore have I yet to cry any more unto
the king?  19:29 And the king said unto him, Why speakest thou any
more of thy matters? I have said, Thou and Ziba divide the land.

19:30 And Mephibosheth said unto the king, Yea, let him take all,
forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own
house.

19:31 And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim, and went
over Jordan with the king, to conduct him over Jordan.

19:32 Now Barzillai was a very aged man, even fourscore years old: and
he had provided the king of sustenance while he lay at Mahanaim; for
he was a very great man.

19:33 And the king said unto Barzillai, Come thou over with me, and I
will feed thee with me in Jerusalem.

19:34 And Barzillai said unto the king, How long have I to live, that
I should go up with the king unto Jerusalem?  19:35 I am this day
fourscore years old: and can I discern between good and evil? can thy
servant taste what I eat or what I drink? can I hear any more the
voice of singing men and singing women? wherefore then should thy
servant be yet a burden unto my lord the king?  19:36 Thy servant will
go a little way over Jordan with the king: and why should the king
recompense it me with such a reward?  19:37 Let thy servant, I pray
thee, turn back again, that I may die in mine own city, and be buried
by the grave of my father and of my mother. But behold thy servant
Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do to him what
shall seem good unto thee.

19:38 And the king answered, Chimham shall go over with me, and I will
do to him that which shall seem good unto thee: and whatsoever thou
shalt require of me, that will I do for thee.

19:39 And all the people went over Jordan. And when the king was come
over, the king kissed Barzillai, and blessed him; and he returned unto
his own place.

19:40 Then the king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him:
and all the people of Judah conducted the king, and also half the
people of Israel.

19:41 And, behold, all the men of Israel came to the king, and said
unto the king, Why have our brethren the men of Judah stolen thee
away, and have brought the king, and his household, and all David's
men with him, over Jordan?  19:42 And all the men of Judah answered
the men of Israel, Because the king is near of kin to us: wherefore
then be ye angry for this matter? have we eaten at all of the king's
cost? or hath he given us any gift?  19:43 And the men of Israel
answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king,
and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise
us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king?
And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the
men of Israel.

20:1 And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name was
Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and
said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son
of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.

20:2 So every man of Israel went up from after David, and followed
Sheba the son of Bichri: but the men of Judah clave unto their king,
from Jordan even to Jerusalem.

20:3 And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the
ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put
them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were
shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.

20:4 Then said the king to Amasa, Assemble me the men of Judah within
three days, and be thou here present.

20:5 So Amasa went to assemble the men of Judah: but he tarried longer
than the set time which he had appointed him.

20:6 And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do
us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and
pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

20:7 And there went out after him Joab's men, and the Cherethites, and
the Pelethites, and all the mighty men: and they went out of
Jerusalem, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:8 When they were at the great stone which is in Gibeon, Amasa went
before them. And Joab's garment that he had put on was girded unto
him, and upon it a girdle with a sword fastened upon his loins in the
sheath thereof; and as he went forth it fell out.

20:9 And Joab said to Amasa, Art thou in health, my brother? And Joab
took Amasa by the beard with the right hand to kiss him.

20:10 But Amasa took no heed to the sword that was in Joab's hand: so
he smote him therewith in the fifth rib, and shed out his bowels to
the ground, and struck him not again; and he died. So Joab and Abishai
his brother pursued after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:11 And one of Joab's men stood by him, and said, He that favoureth
Joab, and he that is for David, let him go after Joab.

20:12 And Amasa wallowed in blood in the midst of the highway. And
when the man saw that all the people stood still, he removed Amasa out
of the highway into the field, and cast a cloth upon him, when he saw
that every one that came by him stood still.

20:13 When he was removed out of the highway, all the people went on
after Joab, to pursue after Sheba the son of Bichri.

20:14 And he went through all the tribes of Israel unto Abel, and to
Bethmaachah, and all the Berites: and they were gathered together, and
went also after him.

20:15 And they came and besieged him in Abel of Bethmaachah, and they
cast up a bank against the city, and it stood in the trench: and all
the people that were with Joab battered the wall, to throw it down.

20:16 Then cried a wise woman out of the city, Hear, hear; say, I pray
you, unto Joab, Come near hither, that I may speak with thee.

20:17 And when he was come near unto her, the woman said, Art thou
Joab?  And he answered, I am he. Then she said unto him, Hear the
words of thine handmaid. And he answered, I do hear.

20:18 Then she spake, saying, They were wont to speak in old time,
saying, They shall surely ask counsel at Abel: and so they ended the
matter.

20:19 I am one of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel: thou
seekest to destroy a city and a mother in Israel: why wilt thou
swallow up the inheritance of the LORD?  20:20 And Joab answered and
said, Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or
destroy.

20:21 The matter is not so: but a man of mount Ephraim, Sheba the son
of Bichri by name, hath lifted up his hand against the king, even
against David: deliver him only, and I will depart from the city. And
the woman said unto Joab, Behold, his head shall be thrown to thee
over the wall.

20:22 Then the woman went unto all the people in her wisdom. And they
cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and cast it out to Joab.
And he blew a trumpet, and they retired from the city, every man to
his tent. And Joab returned to Jerusalem unto the king.

20:23 Now Joab was over all the host of Israel: and Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites: 20:24 And
Adoram was over the tribute: and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was
recorder: 20:25 And Sheva was scribe: and Zadok and Abiathar were the
priests: 20:26 And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler about David.

21:1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year
after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It
is for Saul, and for his bloody house, because he slew the Gibeonites.

21:2 And the king called the Gibeonites, and said unto them; (now the
Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of
the Amorites; and the children of Israel had sworn unto them: and Saul
sought to slay them in his zeal to the children of Israel and Judah.)
21:3 Wherefore David said unto the Gibeonites, What shall I do for
you?  and wherewith shall I make the atonement, that ye may bless the
inheritance of the LORD?  21:4 And the Gibeonites said unto him, We
will have no silver nor gold of Saul, nor of his house; neither for us
shalt thou kill any man in Israel. And he said, What ye shall say,
that will I do for you.

21:5 And they answered the king, The man that consumed us, and that
devised against us that we should be destroyed from remaining in any
of the coasts of Israel, 21:6 Let seven men of his sons be delivered
unto us, and we will hang them up unto the LORD in Gibeah of Saul,
whom the LORD did choose. And the king said, I will give them.

21:7 But the king spared Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan the son of
Saul, because of the LORD's oath that was between them, between David
and Jonathan the son of Saul.

21:8 But the king took the two sons of Rizpah the daughter of Aiah,
whom she bare unto Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth; and the five sons of
Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she brought up for Adriel the son of
Barzillai the Meholathite: 21:9 And he delivered them into the hands
of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them in the hill before the LORD:
and they fell all seven together, and were put to death in the days of
harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.

21:10 And Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it
for her upon the rock, from the beginning of harvest until water
dropped upon them out of heaven, and suffered neither the birds of the
air to rest on them by day, nor the beasts of the field by night.

21:11 And it was told David what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the
concubine of Saul, had done.

21:12 And David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of
Jonathan his son from the men of Jabeshgilead, which had stolen them
from the street of Bethshan, where the Philistines had hanged them,
when the Philistines had slain Saul in Gilboa: 21:13 And he brought up
from thence the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son; and
they gathered the bones of them that were hanged.

21:14 And the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son buried they in the
country of Benjamin in Zelah, in the sepulchre of Kish his father: and
they performed all that the king commanded. And after that God was
intreated for the land.

21:15 Moreover the Philistines had yet war again with Israel; and
David went down, and his servants with him, and fought against the
Philistines: and David waxed faint.

21:16 And Ishbibenob, which was of the sons of the giant, the weight
of whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of brass in weight, he
being girded with a new sword, thought to have slain David.

21:17 But Abishai the son of Zeruiah succoured him, and smote the
Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David sware unto him,
saying, Thou shalt go no more out with us to battle, that thou quench
not the light of Israel.

21:18 And it came to pass after this, that there was again a battle
with the Philistines at Gob: then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph,
which was of the sons of the giant.

21:19 And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where
Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of
Goliath the Gittite, the staff of whose spear was like a weaver's
beam.

21:20 And there was yet a battle in Gath, where was a man of great
stature, that had on every hand six fingers, and on every foot six
toes, four and twenty in number; and he also was born to the giant.

21:21 And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the
brother of David slew him.

21:22 These four were born to the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand
of David, and by the hand of his servants.

22:1 And David spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day
that the LORD had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies,
and out of the hand of Saul: 22:2 And he said, The LORD is my rock,
and my fortress, and my deliverer; 22:3 The God of my rock; in him
will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high
tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence.

22:4 I will call on the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I
be saved from mine enemies.

22:5 When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men
made me afraid; 22:6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the
snares of death prevented me; 22:7 In my distress I called upon the
LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple,
and my cry did enter into his ears.

22:8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven
moved and shook, because he was wroth.

22:9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his
mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

22:10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under
his feet.

22:11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the
wings of the wind.

22:12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and
thick clouds of the skies.

22:13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

22:14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his
voice.

22:15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and
discomfited them.

22:16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the
world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast of
the breath of his nostrils.

22:17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters;
22:18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated
me: for they were too strong for me.

22:19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my
stay.

22:20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me,
because he delighted in me.

22:21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to
the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

22:22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly
departed from my God.

22:23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I
did not depart from them.

22:24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine
iniquity.

22:25 Therefore the LORD hath recompensed me according to my
righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.

22:26 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the
upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

22:27 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward
thou wilt shew thyself unsavoury.

22:28 And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon
the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.

22:29 For thou art my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my
darkness.

22:30 For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped
over a wall.

22:31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

22:32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
22:33 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

22:34 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high
places.

22:35 He teacheth my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by
mine arms.

22:36 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy
gentleness hath made me great.

22:37 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not
slip.

22:38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not
again until I had consumed them.

22:39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not
arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.

22:40 For thou hast girded me with strength to battle: them that rose
up against me hast thou subdued under me.

22:41 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might
destroy them that hate me.

22:42 They looked, but there was none to save; even unto the LORD, but
he answered them not.

22:43 Then did I beat them as small as the dust of the earth, I did
stamp them as the mire of the street, and did spread them abroad.

22:44 Thou also hast delivered me from the strivings of my people,
thou hast kept me to be head of the heathen: a people which I knew not
shall serve me.

22:45 Strangers shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear,
they shall be obedient unto me.

22:46 Strangers shall fade away, and they shall be afraid out of their
close places.

22:47 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and exalted be the God
of the rock of my salvation.

22:48 It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people
under me.

22:49 And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast
lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast
delivered me from the violent man.

22:50 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the
heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name.

22:51 He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to
his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.

23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse
said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God
of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 23:2 The Spirit of
the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that
ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

23:4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth,
even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of
the earth by clear shining after rain.

23:5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an
everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all
my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

23:6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust
away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 23:7 But the man that
shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear;
and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

23:8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The
Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same
was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom
he slew at one time.

23:9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the
three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that
were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were
gone away: 23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand
was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a
great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to
spoil.

23:11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the
Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of
ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and
slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

23:13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in
the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the
Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

23:14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the
Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

23:15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of
the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!  23:16 And
the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and
drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and
took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink
thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.

23:17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this:
is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?
therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty
men.

23:18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief
among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and
slew them, and had the name among three.

23:19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their
captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

23:20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of
Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he
went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
23:21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a
spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked
the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

23:22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name
among three mighty men.

23:23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to
the first three. And David set him over his guard.

23:24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the
son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the
Harodite, 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
23:27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 23:28 Zalmon
the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 23:29 Heleb the son of Baanah,
a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children
of Benjamin, 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of
Gaash, 23:31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 23:32
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 23:33
Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 23:34
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the
son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the
Arbite, 23:36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 23:37
Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the
son of Zeruiah, 23:38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 23:39 Uriah
the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

24:1 And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and
he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah.

24:2 For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with
him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to
Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the
people.

24:3 And Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the
people, how many soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of
my lord the king may see it: but why doth my lord the king delight in
this thing?  24:4 Notwithstanding the king's word prevailed against
Joab, and against the captains of the host. And Joab and the captains
of the host went out from the presence of the king, to number the
people of Israel.

24:5 And they passed over Jordan, and pitched in Aroer, on the right
side of the city that lieth in the midst of the river of Gad, and
toward Jazer: 24:6 Then they came to Gilead, and to the land of
Tahtimhodshi; and they came to Danjaan, and about to Zidon, 24:7 And
came to the strong hold of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites,
and of the Canaanites: and they went out to the south of Judah, even
to Beersheba.

24:8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to
Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

24:9 And Joab gave up the sum of the number of the people unto the
king: and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men that
drew the sword; and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

24:10 And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the
people.

And David said unto the LORD, I have sinned greatly in that I have
done: and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, take away the iniquity of thy
servant; for I have done very foolishly.

24:11 For when David was up in the morning, the word of the LORD came
unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying, 24:12 Go and say unto
David, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things; choose thee one
of them, that I may do it unto thee.

24:13 So Gad came to David, and told him, and said unto him, Shall
seven years of famine come unto thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee
three months before thine enemies, while they pursue thee? or that
there be three days' pestilence in thy land? now advise, and see what
answer I shall return to him that sent me.

24:14 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now
into the hand of the LORD; for his mercies are great: and let me not
fall into the hand of man.

24:15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even
to the time appointed: and there died of the people from Dan even to
Beersheba seventy thousand men.

24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to
destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel
that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the
angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:17 And David spake unto the LORD when he saw the angel that smote
the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but
these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be
against me, and against my father's house.

24:18 And Gad came that day to David, and said unto him, Go up, rear
an altar unto the LORD in the threshingfloor of Araunah the Jebusite.

24:19 And David, according to the saying of Gad, went up as the LORD
commanded.

24:20 And Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming on
toward him: and Araunah went out, and bowed himself before the king on
his face upon the ground.

24:21 And Araunah said, Wherefore is my lord the king come to his
servant?  And David said, To buy the threshingfloor of thee, to build
an altar unto the LORD, that the plague may be stayed from the people.

24:22 And Araunah said unto David, Let my lord the king take and offer
up what seemeth good unto him: behold, here be oxen for burnt
sacrifice, and threshing instruments and other instruments of the oxen
for wood.

24:23 All these things did Araunah, as a king, give unto the king. And
Araunah said unto the king, The LORD thy God accept thee.

24:24 And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of
thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my
God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the
threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

24:25 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings. So the LORD was intreated for the land,
and the plague was stayed from Israel.




The First Book of the Kings

Commonly Called:

The Third Book of the Kings


1:1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered
him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

1:2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my
lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and
let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the
king may get heat.

1:3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of
Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

1:4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and
ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

1:5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will
be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to
run before him.

1:6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why
hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother
bare him after Absalom.

1:7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar
the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

1:8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan
the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to
David, were not with Adonijah.

1:9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of
Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's
sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants: 1:10 But Nathan
the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother,
he called not.

1:11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,
saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth
reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?  1:12 Now therefore come,
let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine
own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

1:13 Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not
thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
why then doth Adonijah reign?  1:14 Behold, while thou yet talkest
there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy
words.

1:15 And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the
king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the
king.

1:16 And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the
king said, What wouldest thou?  1:17 And she said unto him, My lord,
thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying,
Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon
my throne.

1:18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king,
thou knowest it not: 1:19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and
sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and
Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy
servant hath he not called.

1:20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee,
that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord
the king after him.

1:21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall
sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted
offenders.

1:22 And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet
also came in.

1:23 And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And
when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king
with his face to the ground.

1:24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall
reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?  1:25 For he is gone
down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in
abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of
the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink
before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

1:26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

1:27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed
it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king
after him?  1:28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba.
And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

1:29 And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath
redeemed my soul out of all distress, 1:30 Even as I sware unto thee
by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall
reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so
will I certainly do this day.

1:31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did
reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

1:32 And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the
king.

1:33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your
lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring
him down to Gihon: 1:34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the
prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the
trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

1:35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my
throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to
be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

1:36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said,
Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

1:37 As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with
Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king
David.

1:38 So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and
caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to
Gihon.

1:39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle,
and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people
said, God save king Solomon.

1:40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with
pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the
sound of them.

1:41 And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as
they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the
trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an
uproar?  1:42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of
Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for
thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

1:43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king
David hath made Solomon king.

1:44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the
Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:
1:45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him
king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the
city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

1:46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

1:47 And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king
David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and
make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself
upon the bed.

1:48 And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,
which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even
seeing it.

1:49 And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose
up, and went every man his way.

1:50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and
caught hold on the horns of the altar.

1:51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king
Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar,
saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his
servant with the sword.

1:52 And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there
shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be
found in him, he shall die.

1:53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar.
And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto
him, Go to thine house.

2:1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged
Solomon his son, saying, 2:2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou
strong therefore, and shew thyself a man; 2:3 And keep the charge of
the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his
commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written
in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest,
and whithersoever thou turnest thyself: 2:4 That the LORD may continue
his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take
heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and
with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the
throne of Israel.

2:5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me,
and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner
the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and
shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his
girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his
feet.

2:6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go
down to the grave in peace.

2:7 But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and
let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me
when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

2:8 And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a
Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day
when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I
sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with
the sword.

2:9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and
knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring
thou down to the grave with blood.

2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of
David.

2:11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years:
seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned
he in Jerusalem.

2:12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his
kingdom was established greatly.

2:13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of
Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

2:14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said,
Say on.

2:15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all
Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom
is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the
LORD.

2:16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said
unto him, Say on.

2:17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he
will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to
wife.

2:18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

2:19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for
Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto
her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the
king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.

2:20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee,
say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I
will not say thee nay.

2:21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy
brother to wife.

2:22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost
thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom
also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the
priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

2:23 Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and
more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

2:24 Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and
set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an
house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

2:25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada;
and he fell upon him that he died.

2:26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth,
unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at
this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD
God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in
all wherein my father was afflicted.

2:27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD;
that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning
the house of Eli in Shiloh.

2:28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah,
though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle
of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

2:29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the
tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon
sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

2:30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto
him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die
here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab,
and thus he answered me.

2:31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon
him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood,
which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

2:32 And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell
upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the
sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of
Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether,
captain of the host of Judah.

2:33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and
upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed,
and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever
from the LORD.

2:34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and
slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

2:35 And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the
host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.

2:36 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build
thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence
any whither.

2:37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over
the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely
die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

2:38 And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the
king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem
many days.

2:39 And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the
servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath.
And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

2:40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish
to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from
Gath.

2:41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to
Gath, and was come again.

2:42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I
not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying,
Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any
whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word
that I have heard is good.

2:43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the
commandment that I have charged thee with?  2:44 The king said
moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart
is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD
shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; 2:45 And king Solomon
shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before
the LORD for ever.

2:46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went
out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established
in the hand of Solomon.

3:1 And Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh king of Egypt, and took
Pharaoh's daughter, and brought her into the city of David, until he
had made an end of building his own house, and the house of the LORD,
and the wall of Jerusalem round about.

3:2 Only the people sacrificed in high places, because there was no
house built unto the name of the LORD, until those days.

3:3 And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his
father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places.

3:4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the
great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon
that altar.

3:5 In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and
God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

3:6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my
father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and
in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast
kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to
sit on his throne, as it is this day.

3:7 And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of
David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out
or come in.

3:8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast
chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for
multitude.

3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy
people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to
judge this thy so great a people?  3:10 And the speech pleased the
LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing.

3:11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and
hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for
thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for
thyself understanding to discern judgment; 3:12 Behold, I have done
according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an
understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee,
neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

3:13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both
riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings
like unto thee all thy days.

3:14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my
commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy
days.

3:15 And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to
Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and
offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a
feast to all his servants.

3:16 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and
stood before him.

3:17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one
house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house.

3:18 And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered,
that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no
stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house.

3:19 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid
it.

3:20 And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while
thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead
child in my bosom.

3:21 And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it
was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was
not my son, which I did bear.

3:22 And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the
dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the
living is my son. Thus they spake before the king.

3:23 Then said the king, The one saith, This is my son that liveth,
and thy son is the dead: and the other saith, Nay; but thy son is the
dead, and my son is the living.

3:24 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword
before the king.

3:25 And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half
to the one, and half to the other.

3:26 Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king,
for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her
the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it
be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

3:27 Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and
in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.

3:28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged;
and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in
him, to do judgment.

4:1 So king Solomon was king over all Israel.

4:2 And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok
the priest, 4:3 Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes;
Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.

4:4 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and
Abiathar were the priests: 4:5 And Azariah the son of Nathan was over
the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and
the king's friend: 4:6 And Ahishar was over the household: and
Adoniram the son of Abda was over the tribute.

4:7 And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided
victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year
made provision.

4:8 And these are their names: The son of Hur, in mount Ephraim: 4:9
The son of Dekar, in Makaz, and in Shaalbim, and Bethshemesh, and
Elonbethhanan: 4:10 The son of Hesed, in Aruboth; to him pertained
Sochoh, and all the land of Hepher: 4:11 The son of Abinadab, in all
the region of Dor; which had Taphath the daughter of Solomon to wife:
4:12 Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained Taanach and Megiddo,
and all Bethshean, which is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel, from
Bethshean to Abelmeholah, even unto the place that is beyond Jokneam:
4:13 The son of Geber, in Ramothgilead; to him pertained the towns of
Jair the son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead; to him also pertained
the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, threescore great cities with
walls and brasen bars: 4:14 Ahinadab the son of Iddo had Mahanaim:
4:15 Ahimaaz was in Naphtali; he also took Basmath the daughter of
Solomon to wife: 4:16 Baanah the son of Hushai was in Asher and in
Aloth: 4:17 Jehoshaphat the son of Paruah, in Issachar: 4:18 Shimei
the son of Elah, in Benjamin: 4:19 Geber the son of Uri was in the
country of Gilead, in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites, and
of Og king of Bashan; and he was the only officer which was in the
land.

4:20 Judah and Israel were many, as the sand which is by the sea in
multitude, eating and drinking, and making merry.

4:21 And Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the river unto the
land of the Philistines, and unto the border of Egypt: they brought
presents, and served Solomon all the days of his life.

4:22 And Solomon's provision for one day was thirty measures of fine
flour, and threescore measures of meal, 4:23 Ten fat oxen, and twenty
oxen out of the pastures, and an hundred sheep, beside harts, and
roebucks, and fallowdeer, and fatted fowl.

4:24 For he had dominion over all the region on this side the river,
from Tiphsah even to Azzah, over all the kings on this side the river:
and he had peace on all sides round about him.

4:25 And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and
under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of
Solomon.

4:26 And Solomon had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots,
and twelve thousand horsemen.

4:27 And those officers provided victual for king Solomon, and for all
that came unto king Solomon's table, every man in his month: they
lacked nothing.

4:28 Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they
unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his
charge.

4:29 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and
largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore.

4:30 And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of
the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

4:31 For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and
Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in
all nations round about.

4:32 And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a
thousand and five.

4:33 And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon
even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of
beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

4:34 And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from
all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.

5:1 And Hiram king of Tyre sent his servants unto Solomon; for he had
heard that they had anointed him king in the room of his father: for
Hiram was ever a lover of David.

5:2 And Solomon sent to Hiram, saying, 5:3 Thou knowest how that David
my father could not build an house unto the name of the LORD his God
for the wars which were about him on every side, until the LORD put
them under the soles of his feet.

5:4 But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that
there is neither adversary nor evil occurrent.

5:5 And, behold, I purpose to build an house unto the name of the LORD
my God, as the LORD spake unto David my father, saying, Thy son, whom
I will set upon thy throne in thy room, he shall build an house unto
my name.

5:6 Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of
Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee
will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt
appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can
skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

5:7 And it came to pass, when Hiram heard the words of Solomon, that
he rejoiced greatly, and said, Blessed be the LORD this day, which
hath given unto David a wise son over this great people.

5:8 And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things
which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning
timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

5:9 My servants shall bring them down from Lebanon unto the sea: and I
will convey them by sea in floats unto the place that thou shalt
appoint me, and will cause them to be discharged there, and thou shalt
receive them: and thou shalt accomplish my desire, in giving food for
my household.

5:10 So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all
his desire.

5:11 And Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat for food
to his household, and twenty measures of pure oil: thus gave Solomon
to Hiram year by year.

5:12 And the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him: and there
was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and they two made a league
together.

5:13 And king Solomon raised a levy out of all Israel; and the levy
was thirty thousand men.

5:14 And he sent them to Lebanon, ten thousand a month by courses: a
month they were in Lebanon, and two months at home: and Adoniram was
over the levy.

5:15 And Solomon had threescore and ten thousand that bare burdens,
and fourscore thousand hewers in the mountains; 5:16 Beside the chief
of Solomon's officers which were over the work, three thousand and
three hundred, which ruled over the people that wrought in the work.

5:17 And the king commanded, and they brought great stones, costly
stones, and hewed stones, to lay the foundation of the house.

5:18 And Solomon's builders and Hiram's builders did hew them, and the
stonesquarers: so they prepared timber and stones to build the house.

6:1 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after
the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the
fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is
the second month, that he began to build the house of the LORD.

6:2 And the house which king Solomon built for the LORD, the length
thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits,
and the height thereof thirty cubits.

6:3 And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was
the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten
cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.

6:4 And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

6:5 And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about,
against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of
the oracle: and he made chambers round about: 6:6 The nethermost
chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad,
and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the
house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be
fastened in the walls of the house.

6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made
ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer
nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in
building.

6:8 The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the
house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber,
and out of the middle into the third.

6:9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with
beams and boards of cedar.

6:10 And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits
high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

6:11 And the word of the LORD came to Solomon, saying, 6:12 Concerning
this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my
statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to
walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake
unto David thy father: 6:13 And I will dwell among the children of
Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

6:14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

6:15 And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar,
both the floor of the house, and the walls of the ceiling: and he
covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the
house with planks of fir.

6:16 And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the
floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it
within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

6:17 And the house, that is, the temple before it, was forty cubits
long.

6:18 And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open
flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.

6:19 And the oracle he prepared in the house within, to set there the
ark of the covenant of the LORD.

6:20 And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and
twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and
he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of
cedar.

6:21 So Solomon overlaid the house within with pure gold: and he made
a partition by the chains of gold before the oracle; and he overlaid
it with gold.

6:22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until he had finished
all the house: also the whole altar that was by the oracle he overlaid
with gold.

6:23 And within the oracle he made two cherubims of olive tree, each
ten cubits high.

6:24 And five cubits was the one wing of the cherub, and five cubits
the other wing of the cherub: from the uttermost part of the one wing
unto the uttermost part of the other were ten cubits.

6:25 And the other cherub was ten cubits: both the cherubims were of
one measure and one size.

6:26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was it of the
other cherub.

6:27 And he set the cherubims within the inner house: and they
stretched forth the wings of the cherubims, so that the wing of the
one touched the one wall, and the wing of the other cherub touched the
other wall; and their wings touched one another in the midst of the
house.

6:28 And he overlaid the cherubims with gold.

6:29 And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved
figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and
without.

6:30 And the floors of the house he overlaid with gold, within and
without.

6:31 And for the entering of the oracle he made doors of olive tree:
the lintel and side posts were a fifth part of the wall.

6:32 The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them
carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid
them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm
trees.

6:33 So also made he for the door of the temple posts of olive tree, a
fourth part of the wall.

6:34 And the two doors were of fir tree: the two leaves of the one
door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.

6:35 And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers:
and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

6:36 And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and
a row of cedar beams.

6:37 In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD
laid, in the month Zif: 6:38 And in the eleventh year, in the month
Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all
the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he
seven years in building it.

7:1 But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he
finished all his house.

7:2 He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length
thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits,
and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars,
with cedar beams upon the pillars.

7:3 And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on
forty five pillars, fifteen in a row.

7:4 And there were windows in three rows, and light was against light
in three ranks.

7:5 And all the doors and posts were square, with the windows: and
light was against light in three ranks.

7:6 And he made a porch of pillars; the length thereof was fifty
cubits, and the breadth thereof thirty cubits: and the porch was
before them: and the other pillars and the thick beam were before
them.

7:7 Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the
porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the
floor to the other.

7:8 And his house where he dwelt had another court within the porch,
which was of the like work. Solomon made also an house for Pharaoh's
daughter, whom he had taken to wife, like unto this porch.

7:9 All these were of costly stones, according to the measures of
hewed stones, sawed with saws, within and without, even from the
foundation unto the coping, and so on the outside toward the great
court.

7:10 And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones,
stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.

7:11 And above were costly stones, after the measures of hewed stones,
and cedars.

7:12 And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed
stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the
house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.

7:13 And king Solomon sent and fetched Hiram out of Tyre.

7:14 He was a widow's son of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was
a man of Tyre, a worker in brass: and he was filled with wisdom, and
understanding, and cunning to work all works in brass. And he came to
king Solomon, and wrought all his work.

7:15 For he cast two pillars of brass, of eighteen cubits high apiece:
and a line of twelve cubits did compass either of them about.

7:16 And he made two chapiters of molten brass, to set upon the tops
of the pillars: the height of the one chapiter was five cubits, and
the height of the other chapiter was five cubits: 7:17 And nets of
checker work, and wreaths of chain work, for the chapiters which were
upon the top of the pillars; seven for the one chapiter, and seven for
the other chapiter.

7:18 And he made the pillars, and two rows round about upon the one
network, to cover the chapiters that were upon the top, with
pomegranates: and so did he for the other chapiter.

7:19 And the chapiters that were upon the top of the pillars were of
lily work in the porch, four cubits.

7:20 And the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also
above, over against the belly which was by the network: and the
pomegranates were two hundred in rows round about upon the other
chapiter.

7:21 And he set up the pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set
up the right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin: and he set up
the left pillar, and called the name thereof Boaz.

7:22 And upon the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the work of
the pillars finished.

7:23 And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the
other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a
line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.

7:24 And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing
it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were
cast in two rows, when it was cast.

7:25 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and
three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and
three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them,
and all their hinder parts were inward.

7:26 And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was
wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained
two thousand baths.

7:27 And he made ten bases of brass; four cubits was the length of one
base, and four cubits the breadth thereof, and three cubits the height
of it.

7:28 And the work of the bases was on this manner: they had borders,
and the borders were between the ledges: 7:29 And on the borders that
were between the ledges were lions, oxen, and cherubims: and upon the
ledges there was a base above: and beneath the lions and oxen were
certain additions made of thin work.

7:30 And every base had four brasen wheels, and plates of brass: and
the four corners thereof had undersetters: under the laver were
undersetters molten, at the side of every addition.

7:31 And the mouth of it within the chapiter and above was a cubit:
but the mouth thereof was round after the work of the base, a cubit
and an half: and also upon the mouth of it were gravings with their
borders, foursquare, not round.

7:32 And under the borders were four wheels; and the axletrees of the
wheels were joined to the base: and the height of a wheel was a cubit
and half a cubit.

7:33 And the work of the wheels was like the work of a chariot wheel:
their axletrees, and their naves, and their felloes, and their spokes,
were all molten.

7:34 And there were four undersetters to the four corners of one base:
and the undersetters were of the very base itself.

7:35 And in the top of the base was there a round compass of half a
cubit high: and on the top of the base the ledges thereof and the
borders thereof were of the same.

7:36 For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders
thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the
proportion of every one, and additions round about.

7:37 After this manner he made the ten bases: all of them had one
casting, one measure, and one size.

7:38 Then made he ten lavers of brass: one laver contained forty
baths: and every laver was four cubits: and upon every one of the ten
bases one laver.

7:39 And he put five bases on the right side of the house, and five on
the left side of the house: and he set the sea on the right side of
the house eastward over against the south.

7:40 And Hiram made the lavers, and the shovels, and the basons. So
Hiram made an end of doing all the work that he made king Solomon for
the house of the LORD: 7:41 The two pillars, and the two bowls of the
chapiters that were on the top of the two pillars; and the two
networks, to cover the two bowls of the chapiters which were upon the
top of the pillars; 7:42 And four hundred pomegranates for the two
networks, even two rows of pomegranates for one network, to cover the
two bowls of the chapiters that were upon the pillars; 7:43 And the
ten bases, and ten lavers on the bases; 7:44 And one sea, and twelve
oxen under the sea; 7:45 And the pots, and the shovels, and the
basons: and all these vessels, which Hiram made to king Solomon for
the house of the LORD, were of bright brass.

7:46 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground
between Succoth and Zarthan.

7:47 And Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because they were
exceeding many: neither was the weight of the brass found out.

7:48 And Solomon made all the vessels that pertained unto the house of
the LORD: the altar of gold, and the table of gold, whereupon the
shewbread was, 7:49 And the candlesticks of pure gold, five on the
right side, and five on the left, before the oracle, with the flowers,
and the lamps, and the tongs of gold, 7:50 And the bowls, and the
snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons, and the censers of pure
gold; and the hinges of gold, both for the doors of the inner house,
the most holy place, and for the doors of the house, to wit, of the
temple.

7:51 So was ended all the work that king Solomon made for the house of
the LORD. And Solomon brought in the things which David his father had
dedicated; even the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, did he put
among the treasures of the house of the LORD.

8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of
the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto
king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the
covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

8:2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon
at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

8:3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the
ark.

8:4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle,
even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.

8:5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were
assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep
and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

8:6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD
unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place,
even under the wings of the cherubims.

8:7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of
the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof
above.

8:8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were
seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen
without: and there they are unto this day.

8:9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which
Moses put there at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the
children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

8:10 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy
place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, 8:11 So that the
priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the
glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.

8:12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would dwell in the
thick darkness.

8:13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place
for thee to abide in for ever.

8:14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the
congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
8:15 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which spake with
his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it,
saying, 8:16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out
of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an
house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my
people Israel.

8:17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for
the name of the LORD God of Israel.

8:18 And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine
heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in
thine heart.

8:19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that
shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my
name.

8:20 And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am
risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of
Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of
the LORD God of Israel.

8:21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant
of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out
of the land of Egypt.

8:22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of
all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward
heaven: 8:23 And he said, LORD God of Israel, there is no God like
thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and
mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
8:24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou
promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled
it with thine hand, as it is this day.

8:25 Therefore now, LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my
father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a
man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children
take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked
before me.

8:26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified,
which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.

8:27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and
heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I
have builded?  8:28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy
servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the
cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
8:29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even
toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that
thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make
toward this place.

8:30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy
people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou
in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.

8:31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid
upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar
in this house: 8:32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy
servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and
justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

8:33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because
they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and
confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this
house: 8:34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest
unto their fathers.

8:35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have
sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy
name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: 8:36 Then
hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy
people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should
walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people
for an inheritance.

8:37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting,
mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege
them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever
sickness there be; 8:38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by
any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the
plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
8:39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do,
and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest;
(for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of
men;) 8:40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the
land which thou gavest unto our fathers.

8:41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel,
but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake; 8:42 (For they
shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy
stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
8:43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all
that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth
may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that
they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy
name.

8:44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever
thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city
which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy
name: 8:45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their
supplication, and maintain their cause.

8:46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,)
and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that
they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
8:47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they
were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in
the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned,
and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; 8:48 And so
return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the
land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee
toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city
which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
8:49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy
dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 8:50 And forgive thy people
that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein
they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before
them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
8:51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou
broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
8:52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant,
and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them
in all that they call for unto thee.

8:53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the
earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses
thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O LORD
God.

8:54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all
this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the
altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up
to heaven.

8:55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a
loud voice, saying, 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest
unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath
not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the
hand of Moses his servant.

8:57 The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him
not leave us, nor forsake us: 8:58 That he may incline our hearts unto
him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his
statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.

8:59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before
the LORD, be nigh unto the LORD our God day and night, that he
maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel
at all times, as the matter shall require: 8:60 That all the people of
the earth may know that the LORD is God, and that there is none else.

8:61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to
walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

8:62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before
the LORD.

8:63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he
offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred
and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel
dedicated the house of the LORD.

8:64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was
before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings,
and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the
brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the
burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace
offerings.

8:65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a
great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of
Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days and seven days, even
fourteen days.

8:66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the
king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the
goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel
his people.

9:1 And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the
house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire
which he was pleased to do, 9:2 That the LORD appeared to Solomon the
second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.

9:3 And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy
supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this
house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine
eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

9:4 And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in
integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I
have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: 9:5
Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever,
as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a
man upon the throne of Israel.

9:6 But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your
children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I
have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:
9:7 Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given
them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast
out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all
people: 9:8 And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth
by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why
hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house?  9:9 And
they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who
brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken
hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them:
therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil.

9:10 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, when Solomon had
built the two houses, the house of the LORD, and the king's house,
9:11 (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar
trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that
then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

9:12 And Hiram came out from Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had
given him; and they pleased him not.

9:13 And he said, What cities are these which thou hast given me, my
brother? And he called them the land of Cabul unto this day.

9:14 And Hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold.

9:15 And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for
to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the
wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer.

9:16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up, and taken Gezer, and burnt
it with fire, and slain the Canaanites that dwelt in the city, and
given it for a present unto his daughter, Solomon's wife.

9:17 And Solomon built Gezer, and Bethhoron the nether, 9:18 And
Baalath, and Tadmor in the wilderness, in the land, 9:19 And all the
cities of store that Solomon had, and cities for his chariots, and
cities for his horsemen, and that which Solomon desired to build in
Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion.

9:20 And all the people that were left of the Amorites, Hittites,
Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, which were not of the children of
Israel, 9:21 Their children that were left after them in the land,
whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy,
upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.

9:22 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no bondmen: but
they were men of war, and his servants, and his princes, and his
captains, and rulers of his chariots, and his horsemen.

9:23 These were the chief of the officers that were over Solomon's
work, five hundred and fifty, which bare rule over the people that
wrought in the work.

9:24 But Pharaoh's daughter came up out of the city of David unto her
house which Solomon had built for her: then did he build Millo.

9:25 And three times in a year did Solomon offer burnt offerings and
peace offerings upon the altar which he built unto the LORD, and he
burnt incense upon the altar that was before the LORD. So he finished
the house.

9:26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is
beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom.

9:27 And Hiram sent in the navy his servants, shipmen that had
knowledge of the sea, with the servants of Solomon.

9:28 And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four
hundred and twenty talents, and brought it to king Solomon.

10:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon
concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard
questions.

10:2 And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels
that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when
she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her
heart.

10:3 And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing
hid from the king, which he told her not.

10:4 And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and
the house that he had built, 10:5 And the meat of his table, and the
sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and
their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up
unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

10:6 And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in
mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

10:7 Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had
seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and
prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

10:8 Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand
continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

10:9 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee
on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever,
therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

10:10 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and
of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more
such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to
king Solomon.

10:11 And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir,
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious
stones.

10:12 And the king made of the almug trees pillars for the house of
the LORD, and for the king's house, harps also and psalteries for
singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.

10:13 And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal
bounty.

So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants.

10:14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred threescore and six talents of gold, 10:15 Beside that he had
of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of the spice merchants, and of
all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country.

10:16 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six
hundred shekels of gold went to one target.

10:17 And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of
gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the
forest of Lebanon.

10:18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it
with the best gold.

10:19 The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round
behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat,
and two lions stood beside the stays.

10:20 And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other
upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.

10:21 And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all
the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold;
none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of
Solomon.

10:22 For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of
Hiram: once in three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold,
and silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

10:23 So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches
and for wisdom.

10:24 And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which
God had put in his heart.

10:25 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and
vessels of gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses, and
mules, a rate year by year.

10:26 And Solomon gathered together chariots and horsemen: and he had
a thousand and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen,
whom he bestowed in the cities for chariots, and with the king at
Jerusalem.

10:27 And the king made silver to be in Jerusalem as stones, and
cedars made he to be as the sycomore trees that are in the vale, for
abundance.

10:28 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the
king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

10:29 And a chariot came up and went out of Egypt for six hundred
shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty: and so for
all the kings of the Hittites, and for the kings of Syria, did they
bring them out by their means.

11:1 But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the
daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites,
Zidonians, and Hittites: 11:2 Of the nations concerning which the LORD
said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither
shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart
after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love.

11:3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred
concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.

11:4 For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned
away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with
the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father.

11:5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians,
and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.

11:6 And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully
after the LORD, as did David his father.

11:7 Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination
of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the
abomination of the children of Ammon.

11:8 And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt
incense and sacrificed unto their gods.

11:9 And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned
from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 11:10
And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go
after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.

11:11 Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done
of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I
have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and
will give it to thy servant.

11:12 Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy
father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

11:13 Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one
tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake
which I have chosen.

11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the
Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom.

11:15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the
captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had
smitten every male in Edom; 11:16 (For six months did Joab remain
there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:) 11:17
That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with
him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child.

11:18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took
men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king
of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and
gave him land.

11:19 And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he
gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes
the queen.

11:20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom
Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's
household among the sons of Pharaoh.

11:21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers,
and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh,
Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country.

11:22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me,
that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he
answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.

11:23 And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of
Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: 11:24 And
he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David
slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and
reigned in Damascus.

11:25 And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon,
beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and
reigned over Syria.

11:26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda,
Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even
he lifted up his hand against the king.

11:27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the
king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of
David his father.

11:28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon
seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over
all the charge of the house of Joseph.

11:29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of
Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way;
and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in
the field: 11:30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him,
and rent it in twelve pieces: 11:31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee
ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will
rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes
to thee: 11:32 (But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's
sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of
all the tribes of Israel:) 11:33 Because that they have forsaken me,
and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh
the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon,
and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine
eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his
father.

11:34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I
will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's
sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:
11:35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give
it unto thee, even ten tribes.

11:36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant
may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have
chosen me to put my name there.

11:37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that
thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.

11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command
thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to
keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I
will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David,
and will give Israel unto thee.

11:39 And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever.

11:40 Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam. And Jeroboam arose,
and fled into Egypt, unto Shishak king of Egypt, and was in Egypt
until the death of Solomon.

11:41 And the rest of the acts of Solomon, and all that he did, and
his wisdom, are they not written in the book of the acts of Solomon?
11:42 And the time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel
was forty years.

11:43 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

12:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem
to make him king.

12:2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was yet
in Egypt, heard of it, (for he was fled from the presence of king
Solomon, and Jeroboam dwelt in Egypt;) 12:3 That they sent and called
him. And Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came, and spake
unto Rehoboam, saying, 12:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now
therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy
yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

12:5 And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again
to me. And the people departed.

12:6 And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before
Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that
I may answer this people?  12:7 And they spake unto him, saying, If
thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them,
and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy
servants for ever.

12:8 But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given
him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and
which stood before him: 12:9 And he said unto them, What counsel give
ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make
the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?  12:10 And the
young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus
shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy
father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus
shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my
father's loins.

12:11 And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will
add to your yoke: my father hath chastised you with whips, but I will
chastise you with scorpions.

12:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day,
as the king had appointed, saying, Come to me again the third day.

12:13 And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old
men's counsel that they gave him; 12:14 And spake to them after the
counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and
I will add to your yoke: my father also chastised you with whips, but
I will chastise you with scorpions.

12:15 Wherefore the king hearkened not unto the people; for the cause
was from the LORD, that he might perform his saying, which the LORD
spake by Ahijah the Shilonite unto Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

12:16 So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them,
the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David?
neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O
Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto
their tents.

12:17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

12:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was over the tribute; and
all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king
Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to
Jerusalem.

12:19 So Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

12:20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was
come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and
made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house
of David, but the tribe of Judah only.

12:21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the
house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore
thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house
of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

12:22 But the word of God came unto Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
12:23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto
all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people,
saying, 12:24 Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight
against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his
house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word
of the LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the
LORD.

12:25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein;
and went out from thence, and built Penuel.

12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to
the house of David: 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the
house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people
turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they
shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold,
and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem:
behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of
Egypt.

12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.

12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship
before the one, even unto Dan.

12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the
lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the
fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and
he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the
calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the
high places which he had made.

12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the
fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had
devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of
Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

13:1 And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of
the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.

13:2 And he cried against the altar in the word of the LORD, and said,
O altar, altar, thus saith the LORD; Behold, a child shall be born
unto the house of David, Josiah by name; and upon thee shall he offer
the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, and men's
bones shall be burnt upon thee.

13:3 And he gave a sign the same day, saying, This is the sign which
the LORD hath spoken; Behold, the altar shall be rent, and the ashes
that are upon it shall be poured out.

13:4 And it came to pass, when king Jeroboam heard the saying of the
man of God, which had cried against the altar in Bethel, that he put
forth his hand from the altar, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand,
which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not pull it
in again to him.

13:5 The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar,
according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of
the LORD.

13:6 And the king answered and said unto the man of God, Intreat now
the face of the LORD thy God, and pray for me, that my hand may be
restored me again. And the man of God besought the LORD, and the
king's hand was restored him again, and became as it was before.

13:7 And the king said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and
refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward.

13:8 And the man of God said unto the king, If thou wilt give me half
thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat bread nor
drink water in this place: 13:9 For so was it charged me by the word
of the LORD, saying, Eat no bread, nor drink water, nor turn again by
the same way that thou camest.

13:10 So he went another way, and returned not by the way that he came
to Bethel.

13:11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and
told him all the works that the man of God had done that day in
Bethel: the words which he had spoken unto the king, them they told
also to their father.

13:12 And their father said unto them, What way went he? For his sons
had seen what way the man of God went, which came from Judah.

13:13 And he said unto his sons, Saddle me the ass. So they saddled
him the ass: and he rode thereon, 13:14 And went after the man of God,
and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the
man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

13:15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread.

13:16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee:
neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place:
13:17 For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no
bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou
camest.

13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel
spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with
thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he
lied unto him.

13:19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and
drank water.

13:20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of
the LORD came unto the prophet that brought him back: 13:21 And he
cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the
LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast
not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee, 13:22
But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of
the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water;
thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

13:23 And it came to pass, after he had eaten bread, and after he had
drunk, that he saddled for him the ass, to wit, for the prophet whom
he had brought back.

13:24 And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him:
and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion
also stood by the carcase.

13:25 And, behold, men passed by, and saw the carcase cast in the way,
and the lion standing by the carcase: and they came and told it in the
city where the old prophet dwelt.

13:26 And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard
thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the
word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion,
which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD,
which he spake unto him.

13:27 And he spake to his sons, saying, Saddle me the ass. And they
saddled him.

13:28 And he went and found his carcase cast in the way, and the ass
and the lion standing by the carcase: the lion had not eaten the
carcase, nor torn the ass.

13:29 And the prophet took up the carcase of the man of God, and laid
it upon the ass, and brought it back: and the old prophet came to the
city, to mourn and to bury him.

13:30 And he laid his carcase in his own grave; and they mourned over
him, saying, Alas, my brother!  13:31 And it came to pass, after he
had buried him, that he spake to his sons, saying, When I am dead,
then bury me in the sepulchre wherein the man of God is buried; lay my
bones beside his bones: 13:32 For the saying which he cried by the
word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the
houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall
surely come to pass.

13:33 After this thing Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but
made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places:
whosoever would, he consecrated him, and he became one of the priests
of the high places.

13:34 And this thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, even to
cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth.

14:1 At that time Abijah the son of Jeroboam fell sick.

14:2 And Jeroboam said to his wife, Arise, I pray thee, and disguise
thyself, that thou be not known to be the wife of Jeroboam; and get
thee to Shiloh: behold, there is Ahijah the prophet, which told me
that I should be king over this people.

14:3 And take with thee ten loaves, and cracknels, and a cruse of
honey, and go to him: he shall tell thee what shall become of the
child.

14:4 And Jeroboam's wife did so, and arose, and went to Shiloh, and
came to the house of Ahijah. But Ahijah could not see; for his eyes
were set by reason of his age.

14:5 And the LORD said unto Ahijah, Behold, the wife of Jeroboam
cometh to ask a thing of thee for her son; for he is sick: thus and
thus shalt thou say unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in,
that she shall feign herself to be another woman.

14:6 And it was so, when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she
came in at the door, that he said, Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam; why
feignest thou thyself to be another? for I am sent to thee with heavy
tidings.

14:7 Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch
as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my
people Israel, 14:8 And rent the kingdom away from the house of David,
and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who
kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do
that only which was right in mine eyes; 14:9 But hast done evil above
all that were before thee: for thou hast gone and made thee other
gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me
behind thy back: 14:10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the
house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth
against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will
take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away
dung, till it be all gone.

14:11 Him that dieth of Jeroboam in the city shall the dogs eat; and
him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat: for the
LORD hath spoken it.

14:12 Arise thou therefore, get thee to thine own house: and when thy
feet enter into the city, the child shall die.

14:13 And all Israel shall mourn for him, and bury him: for he only of
Jeroboam shall come to the grave, because in him there is found some
good thing toward the LORD God of Israel in the house of Jeroboam.

14:14 Moreover the LORD shall raise him up a king over Israel, who
shall cut off the house of Jeroboam that day: but what? even now.

14:15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the
water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he
gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river,
because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.

14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who
did sin, and who made Israel to sin.

14:17 And Jeroboam's wife arose, and departed, and came to Tirzah: and
when she came to the threshold of the door, the child died; 14:18 And
they buried him; and all Israel mourned for him, according to the word
of the LORD, which he spake by the hand of his servant Ahijah the
prophet.

14:19 And the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred, and how he
reigned, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel.

14:20 And the days which Jeroboam reigned were two and twenty years:
and he slept with his fathers, and Nadab his son reigned in his stead.

14:21 And Rehoboam the son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was
forty and one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD did choose out
of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his mother's
name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

14:22 And Judah did evil in the sight of the LORD, and they provoked
him to jealousy with their sins which they had committed, above all
that their fathers had done.

14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on
every high hill, and under every green tree.

14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did
according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast
out before the children of Israel.

14:25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: 14:26 And he took
away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the
king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields
of gold which Solomon had made.

14:27 And king Rehoboam made in their stead brasen shields, and
committed them unto the hands of the chief of the guard, which kept
the door of the king's house.

14:28 And it was so, when the king went into the house of the LORD,
that the guard bare them, and brought them back into the guard
chamber.

14:29 Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
14:30 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all their days.

14:31 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David. And his mother's name was Naamah an
Ammonitess. And Abijam his son reigned in his stead.

15:1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam the son of Nebat
reigned Abijam over Judah.

15:2 Three years reigned he in Jerusalem. and his mother's name was
Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

15:3 And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done
before him: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as
the heart of David his father.

15:4 Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a
lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish
Jerusalem: 15:5 Because David did that which was right in the eyes of
the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him
all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the
Hittite.

15:6 And there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of
his life.

15:7 Now the rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And
there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam.

15:8 And Abijam slept with his fathers; and they buried him in the
city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead.

15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa
over Judah.

15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did
David his father.

15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all
the idols that his fathers had made.

15:13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being
queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her
idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.

15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa's heart
was perfect with the LORD all his days.

15:15 And he brought in the things which his father had dedicated, and
the things which himself had dedicated, into the house of the LORD,
silver, and gold, and vessels.

15:16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all
their days.

15:17 And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built
Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king
of Judah.

15:18 Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the
treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's
house, and delivered them into the hand of his servants: and king Asa
sent them to Benhadad, the son of Tabrimon, the son of Hezion, king of
Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 15:19 There is a league between
me and thee, and between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent
unto thee a present of silver and gold; come and break thy league with
Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

15:20 So Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of
the hosts which he had against the cities of Israel, and smote Ijon,
and Dan, and Abelbethmaachah, and all Cinneroth, with all the land of
Naphtali.

15:21 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard thereof, that he left off
building of Ramah, and dwelt in Tirzah.

15:22 Then king Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was
exempted: and they took away the stones of Ramah, and the timber
thereof, wherewith Baasha had builded; and king Asa built with them
Geba of Benjamin, and Mizpah.

15:23 The rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that
he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Nevertheless in the time
of his old age he was diseased in his feet.

15:24 And Asa slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers
in the city of David his father: and Jehoshaphat his son reigned in
his stead.

15:25 And Nadab the son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the
second year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned over Israel two years.

15:26 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way
of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

15:27 And Baasha the son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar,
conspired against him; and Baasha smote him at Gibbethon, which
belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel laid siege to
Gibbethon.

15:28 Even in the third year of Asa king of Judah did Baasha slay him,
and reigned in his stead.

15:29 And it came to pass, when he reigned, that he smote all the
house of Jeroboam; he left not to Jeroboam any that breathed, until he
had destroyed him, according unto the saying of the LORD, which he
spake by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite: 15:30 Because of the sins
of Jeroboam which he sinned, and which he made Israel sin, by his
provocation wherewith he provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.

15:31 Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
15:32 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all
their days.

15:33 In the third year of Asa king of Judah began Baasha the son of
Ahijah to reign over all Israel in Tirzah, twenty and four years.

15:34 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way
of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin.

16:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jehu the son of Hanani against
Baasha, saying, 16:2 Forasmuch as I exalted thee out of the dust, and
made thee prince over my people Israel; and thou hast walked in the
way of Jeroboam, and hast made my people Israel to sin, to provoke me
to anger with their sins; 16:3 Behold, I will take away the posterity
of Baasha, and the posterity of his house; and will make thy house
like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

16:4 Him that dieth of Baasha in the city shall the dogs eat; and him
that dieth of his in the fields shall the fowls of the air eat.

16:5 Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, and what he did, and his
might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Israel?  16:6 So Baasha slept with his fathers, and was buried in
Tirzah: and Elah his son reigned in his stead.

16:7 And also by the hand of the prophet Jehu the son of Hanani came
the word of the LORD against Baasha, and against his house, even for
all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, in provoking him to
anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam;
and because he killed him.

16:8 In the twenty and sixth year of Asa king of Judah began Elah the
son of Baasha to reign over Israel in Tirzah, two years.

16:9 And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired
against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house
of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.

16:10 And Zimri went in and smote him, and killed him, in the twenty
and seventh year of Asa king of Judah, and reigned in his stead.

16:11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat
on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not
one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his
friends.

16:12 Thus did Zimri destroy all the house of Baasha, according to the
word of the LORD, which he spake against Baasha by Jehu the prophet.

16:13 For all the sins of Baasha, and the sins of Elah his son, by
which they sinned, and by which they made Israel to sin, in provoking
the LORD God of Israel to anger with their vanities.

16:14 Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
16:15 In the twenty and seventh year of Asa king of Judah did Zimri
reign seven days in Tirzah. And the people were encamped against
Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines.

16:16 And the people that were encamped heard say, Zimri hath
conspired, and hath also slain the king: wherefore all Israel made
Omri, the captain of the host, king over Israel that day in the camp.

16:17 And Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and
they besieged Tirzah.

16:18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city was taken,
that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's
house over him with fire, and died.

16:19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the
LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did,
to make Israel to sin.

16:20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he
wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?  16:21 Then were the people of Israel divided into
two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to
make him king; and half followed Omri.

16:22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people
that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri
reigned.

16:23 In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to
reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

16:24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of
silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which
he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

16:25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse
than all that were before him.

16:26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and
in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of
Israel to anger with their vanities.

16:27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might
that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of
the kings of Israel?  16:28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was
buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

16:29 And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began
Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri
reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

16:30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above
all that were before him.

16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to
walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife
Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and
served Baal, and worshipped him.

16:32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which
he had built in Samaria.

16:33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God
of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

16:34 In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the
foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates
thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD,
which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.

17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead,
said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand,
there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

17:2 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 17:3 Get thee
hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith,
that is before Jordan.

17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have
commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he
went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and
bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

17:7 And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up,
because there had been no rain in the land.

17:8 And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, 17:9 Arise, get
thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold,
I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

17:10 So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate
of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks:
and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water
in a vessel, that I may drink.

17:11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said,
Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

17:12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but
an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and,
behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for
me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

17:13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said:
but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and
after make for thee and for thy son.

17:14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall
not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the
LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

17:15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she,
and he, and her house, did eat many days.

17:16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil
fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

17:17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the
woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so
sore, that there was no breath left in him.

17:18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou
man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and
to slay my son?  17:19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he
took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he
abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

17:20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou
also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her
son?  17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and
cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this
child's soul come into him again.

17:22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the
child came into him again, and he revived.

17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the
chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah
said, See, thy son liveth.

17:24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a
man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD
came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab;
and I will send rain upon the earth.

18:2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore
famine in Samaria.

18:3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house.
(Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: 18:4 For it was so, when Jezebel
cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred
prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and
water.)  18:5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all
fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find
grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the
beasts.

18:6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab
went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

18:7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he
knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord
Elijah?  18:8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold,
Elijah is here.

18:9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy
servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?  18:10 As the LORD thy God
liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent
to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of
the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

18:11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

18:12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that
the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so
when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me:
but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

18:13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the
prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets
by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?  18:14 And now
thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall
slay me.

18:15 And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I
stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

18:16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to
meet Elijah.

18:17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto
him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?  18:18 And he answered, I have
not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have
forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount
Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the
prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

18:20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the
prophets together unto mount Carmel.

18:21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye
between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal,
then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a
prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty
men.

18:23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one
bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and
put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on
wood, and put no fire under: 18:24 And call ye on the name of your
gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that
answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and
said, It is well spoken.

18:25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one
bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call
on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

18:26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed
it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon,
saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that
answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

18:27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said,
Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing,
or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be
awaked.

18:28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with
knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied
until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there
was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

18:30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all
the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD
that was broken down.

18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the
tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came,
saying, Israel shall be thy name: 18:32 And with the stones he built
an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the
altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

18:33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and
laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour
it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

18:34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second
time.

And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

18:35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the
trench also with water.

18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of
Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art
God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all
these things at thy word.

18:37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou
art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt
sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up
the water that was in the trench.

18:39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and
they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

18:40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not
one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down
to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

18:41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there
is a sound of abundance of rain.

18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the
top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his
face between his knees, 18:43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look
toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is
nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

18:44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold,
there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he
said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down
that the rain stop thee not.

18:45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black
with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and
went to Jezreel.

18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his
loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

19:1 And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he
had slain all the prophets with the sword.

19:2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the
gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of
one of them by to morrow about this time.

19:3 And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came
to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came
and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that
he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life;
for I am not better than my fathers.

19:5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an
angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.

19:6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals,
and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid
him down again.

19:7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched
him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for
thee.

19:8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of
that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

19:9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold,
the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest
thou here, Elijah?  19:10 And he said, I have been very jealous for
the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the
sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it
away.

19:11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.

And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the
mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD
was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD
was not in the earthquake: 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but
the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

19:13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in
his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.
And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou
here, Elijah?  19:14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the
LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy
covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the
sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it
away.

19:15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the
wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king
over Syria: 19:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be
king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt
thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

19:17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of
Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu
shall Elisha slay.

19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which
have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

19:19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who
was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the
twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him.

19:20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I
pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.
And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?
19:21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew
them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and
gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after
Elijah, and ministered unto him.

20:1 And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together:
and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and
chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.

20:2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and
said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad, 20:3 Thy silver and thy gold is
mine; thy wives also and thy children, even the goodliest, are mine.

20:4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king,
according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have.

20:5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speaketh Benhadad,
saying, Although I have sent unto thee, saying, Thou shalt deliver me
thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; 20:6 Yet I
will send my servants unto thee to morrow about this time, and they
shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; and it shall
be, that whatsoever is pleasant in thine eyes, they shall put it in
their hand, and take it away.

20:7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and
said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief: for he
sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and
for my gold; and I denied him not.

20:8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not
unto him, nor consent.

20:9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord
the king, All that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I
will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and
brought him word again.

20:10 And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me,
and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for
all the people that follow me.

20:11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him
that girdeth on his harness boast himself as he that putteth it off.

20:12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he
was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his
servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array
against the city.

20:13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel,
saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou seen all this great multitude?
behold, I will deliver it into thine hand this day; and thou shalt
know that I am the LORD.

20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even
by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who
shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.

20:15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces,
and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered
all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.

20:16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself
drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings
that helped him.

20:17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out
first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men
come out of Samaria.

20:18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them
alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.

20:19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of
the city, and the army which followed them.

20:20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and
Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an
horse with the horsemen.

20:21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and
chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.

20:22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him,
Go, strengthen thyself, and mark, and see what thou doest: for at the
return of the year the king of Syria will come up against thee.

20:23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods
are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let
us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger
than they.

20:24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his
place, and put captains in their rooms: 20:25 And number thee an army,
like the army that thou hast lost, horse for horse, and chariot for
chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we
shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and
did so.

20:26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad
numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel.

20:27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present,
and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them
like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.

20:28 And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel,
and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD
is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will
I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know
that I am the LORD.

20:29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so
it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the
children of Israel slew of the Syrians an hundred thousand footmen in
one day.

20:30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell
upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad
fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.

20:31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that
the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray
thee, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out
to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save thy life.

20:32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their
heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad
saith, I pray thee, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is
my brother.

20:33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come
from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Thy brother
Benhadad. Then he said, Go ye, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to
him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.

20:34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took
from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee
in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send
thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent
him away.

20:35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his
neighbour in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man
refused to smite him.

20:36 Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of
the LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall
slay thee.

And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew
him.

20:37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And
the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

20:38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and
disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

20:39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said,
Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man
turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if
by any means he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or
else thou shalt pay a talent of silver.

20:40 And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the
king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast
decided it.

20:41 And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the
king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

20:42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let
go out of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction,
therefore thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his
people.

20:43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased,
and came to Samaria.

21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the
Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of
Ahab king of Samaria.

21:2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I
may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house:
and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem
good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

21:3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should
give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

21:4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the
word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I
will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down
upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

21:5 But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy
spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?  21:6 And he said unto her,
Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me
thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee
another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my
vineyard.

21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the
kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry:
I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his
seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were
in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

21:9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set
Naboth on high among the people: 21:10 And set two men, sons of
Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst
blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him,
that he may die.

21:11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were
the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as
it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.

21:12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

21:13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before
him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth,
in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and
the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him
with stones, that he died.

21:14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is
dead.

21:15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned,
and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the
vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for
money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

21:16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that
Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to
take possession of it.

21:17 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria:
behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to
possess it.

21:19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast
thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him,
saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood
of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

21:20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And
he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work
evil in the sight of the LORD.

21:21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy
posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the
wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, 21:22 And will make
thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the
house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou
hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

21:23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat
Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

21:24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him
that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to
work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife
stirred up.

21:26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all
things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children
of Israel.

21:27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent
his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in
sackcloth, and went softly.

21:28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
21:29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he
humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but
in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

22:1 And they continued three years without war between Syria and
Israel.

22:2 And it came to pass in the third year, that Jehoshaphat the king
of Judah came down to the king of Israel.

22:3 And the king of Israel said unto his servants, Know ye that
Ramoth in Gilead is ours, and we be still, and take it not out of the
hand of the king of Syria?  22:4 And he said unto Jehoshaphat, Wilt
thou go with me to battle to Ramothgilead? And Jehoshaphat said to the
king of Israel, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses
as thy horses.

22:5 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray
thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

22:6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about
four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead
to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the LORD
shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

22:7 And Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD
besides, that we might enquire of him?  22:8 And the king of Israel
said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah,
by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not
prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not
the king say so.

22:9 Then the king of Israel called an officer, and said, Hasten
hither Micaiah the son of Imlah.

22:10 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah sat
each on his throne, having put on their robes, in a void place in the
entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets prophesied
before them.

22:11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he
said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians,
until thou have consumed them.

22:12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to
Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the
king's hand.

22:13 And the messenger that was gone to call Micaiah spake unto him,
saying, Behold now, the words of the prophets declare good unto the
king with one mouth: let thy word, I pray thee, be like the word of
one of them, and speak that which is good.

22:14 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, what the LORD saith unto
me, that will I speak.

22:15 So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah,
shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And
he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into
the hand of the king.

22:16 And the king said unto him, How many times shall I adjure thee
that thou tell me nothing but that which is true in the name of the
LORD?  22:17 And he said, I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills,
as sheep that have not a shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no
master: let them return every man to his house in peace.

22:18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell
thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?  22:19
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD
sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on
his right hand and on his left.

22:20 And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up
and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another
said on that manner.

22:21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and
said, I will persuade him.

22:22 And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go
forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.
And he said, Thou shalt persude him, and prevail also: go forth, and
do so.

22:23 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the
mouth of all these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil
concerning thee.

22:24 But Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near, and smote Micaiah
on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me
to speak unto thee?  22:25 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see in
that day, when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

22:26 And the king of Israel said, Take Micaiah, and carry him back
unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son; 22:27
And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed
him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I
come in peace.

22:28 And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath
not spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, O people, every one of you.

22:29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up
to Ramothgilead.

22:30 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise
myself, and enter into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the
king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle.

22:31 But the king of Syria commanded his thirty and two captains that
had rule over his chariots, saying, Fight neither with small nor
great, save only with the king of Israel.

22:32 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel. And they
turned aside to fight against him: and Jehoshaphat cried out.

22:33 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots perceived
that it was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from
pursuing him.

22:34 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of
Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the
driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host;
for I am wounded.

22:35 And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in
his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran
out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.

22:36 And there went a proclamation throughout the host about the
going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to
his own country.

22:37 So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; and they buried
the king in Samaria.

22:38 And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs
licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the
word of the LORD which he spake.

22:39 Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the
ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
22:40 So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in
his stead.

22:41 And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the
fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

22:42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he began to
reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

22:43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not
aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD:
nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people
offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

22:44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel.

22:45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he
shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah?  22:46 And the remnant of the
sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out
of the land.

22:47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

22:48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tharshish to go to Ophir for gold: but
they went not; for the ships were broken at Eziongeber.

22:49 Then said Ahaziah the son of Ahab unto Jehoshaphat, Let my
servants go with thy servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not.

22:50 And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David his father: and Jehoram his son reigned
in his stead.

22:51 Ahaziah the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria
the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned two
years over Israel.

22:52 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way
of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin: 22:53 For he served
Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger the LORD God of
Israel, according to all that his father had done.




The Second Book of the Kings

Commonly Called:

The Fourth Book of the Kings


1:1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that
was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto
them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall
recover of this disease.

1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go
up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them,
Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire
of Baalzebub the god of Ekron?  1:4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD,
Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but
shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.

1:5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them,
Why are ye now turned back?  1:6 And they said unto him, There came a
man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that
sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because
there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of
Baalzebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from
that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

1:7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to
meet you, and told you these words?  1:8 And they answered him, He was
an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And
he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.

1:9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And
he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he
spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a
man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and
thy fifty.

And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

1:11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his
fifty.

And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king
said, Come down quickly.

1:12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let
fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the
fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

1:13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty.
And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees
before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I
pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be
precious in thy sight.

1:14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two
captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my
life now be precious in thy sight.

1:15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be
not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.

1:16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast
sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron, is it not
because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word? therefore
thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but
shalt surely die.

1:17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had
spoken.

And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son
of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.

1:18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  2:1 And
it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a
whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD
hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD liveth,
and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to
Bethel.

2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to
Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away
thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye
your peace.

2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the
LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as
thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

2:5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha,
and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy
master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye
your peace.

2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD
hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

2:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view
afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the
waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two
went over on dry ground.

2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said
unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from
thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit
be upon me.

2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou
see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if
not, it shall not be so.

2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that,
behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and
parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into
heaven.

2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the
chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more:
and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went
back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 2:14 And he took the mantle of
Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is
the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they
parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.

2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho
saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they
came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.

2:16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants
fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest
peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him
upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not
send.

2:17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They
sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him
not.

2:18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he
said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?  2:19 And the men of
the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this
city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the
ground barren.

2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they
brought it to him.

2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the
salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these
waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.

2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying
of Elisha which he spake.

2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by
the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked
him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the
name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood,
and tare forty and two children of them.

2:25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he
returned to Samaria.

3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria
the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve
years.

3:2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his
father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that
his father had made.

3:3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

3:4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the
king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand
rams, with the wool.

3:5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab
rebelled against the king of Israel.

3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered
all Israel.

3:7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The
king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against
Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people
as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

3:8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way
through the wilderness of Edom.

3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of
Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was
no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.

3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called
these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD,
that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of
Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of
Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the
king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

3:13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with
thee?  get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of
thy mother.

And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called
these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.

3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I
stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat
the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the
minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of
ditches.

3:17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye
see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may
drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will
deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

3:19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and
shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every
good piece of land with stones.

3:20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was
offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the
country was filled with water.

3:21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to
fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour,
and upward, and stood in the border.

3:22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the
water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as
blood: 3:23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain,
and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up
and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went
forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

3:25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land
cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the
wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth
left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and
smote it.

3:26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for
him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break
through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

3:27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his
stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there
was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and
returned to their own land.

4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the
prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou
knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come
to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what
hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any
thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy
neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and
upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou
shalt set aside that which is full.

4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her
sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said
unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is
not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the
oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a
great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that
as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is
an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let
us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a
candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn
in thither.

4:11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into
the chamber, and lay there.

4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when
he had called her, she stood before him.

4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been
careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee?
wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the
host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi
answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in
the door.

4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life,
thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God,
do not lie unto thine handmaid.

4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that
Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out
to his father to the reapers.

4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a
lad, Carry him to his mother.

4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat
on her knees till noon, and then died.

4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and
shut the door upon him, and went out.

4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee,
one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man
of God, and come again.

4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither
new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go
forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it
came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to
Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 4:26 Run now, I
pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it
well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It
is well: 4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she
caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And
the man of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her:
and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

4:28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do
not deceive me?  4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and
take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man,
salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay
my staff upon the face of the child.

4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy
soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the
face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore
he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not
awaked.

4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was
dead, and laid upon his bed.

4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and
prayed unto the LORD.

4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon
his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands:
and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed
warm.

4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went
up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times,
and the child opened his eyes.

4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he
called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy
son.

4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the
ground, and took up her son, and went out.

4:38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the
land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he
said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for
the sons of the prophets.

4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild
vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and
shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.

4:40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as
they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou
man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof.

4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he
said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no
harm in the pot.

4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of
God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears
of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that
they may eat.

4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred
men?  He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus
saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.

4:44 So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof,
according to the word of the LORD.

5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great
man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given
deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was
a leper.

5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away
captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on
Naaman's wife.

5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the
prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.

5:4 And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the
maid that is of the land of Israel.

5:5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter
unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten
talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of
raiment.

5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when
this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my
servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

5:7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter,
that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make
alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his
leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a
quarrel against me.

5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king
of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying,
Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he
shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at
the door of the house of Elisha.

5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in
Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou
shalt be clean.

5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought,
He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the
LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the
leper.

5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all
the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he
turned and went away in a rage.

5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My
father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou
not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash,
and be clean?  5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times
in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh
came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and
came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there
is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee,
take a blessing of thy servant.

5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will
receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to
thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will
henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods,
but unto the LORD.

5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master
goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my
hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself
in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing.

5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a
little way.

5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold,
my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his
hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after
him, and take somewhat of him.

5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running
after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is
all well?  5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me,
saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two
young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a
talent of silver, and two changes of garments.

5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him,
and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of
garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them
before him.

5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and
bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.

5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto
him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no
whither.

5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man
turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive
money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and
sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?  5:27 The leprosy
therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for
ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the
place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

6:2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a
beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he
answered, Go ye.

6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants.
And he answered, I will go.

6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down
wood.

6:5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water:
and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the
place.

And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did
swim.

6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand,
and took it.

6:8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel
with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

6:9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware
that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come
down.

6:10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God
told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor
twice.

6:11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for
this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye
not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?  6:12 And one of
his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that
is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest
in thy bedchamber.

6:13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch
him.

And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

6:14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host:
and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

6:15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone
forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and
chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we
do?  6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more
than they that be with them.

6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes,
that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he
saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire
round about Elisha.

6:18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and
said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote
them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

6:19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this
the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But
he led them to Samaria.

6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that
Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And
the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in
the midst of Samaria.

6:21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My
father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?  6:22 And he answered,
Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast
taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water
before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

6:23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten
and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the
bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

6:24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria
gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

6:25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they
besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of
silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of
silver.

6:26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there
cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

6:27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help
thee?  out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?  6:28 And the
king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman
said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will
eat my son to morrow.

6:29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the
next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

6:30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman,
that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the
people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

6:31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of
Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

6:32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the
king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he
said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to
take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door,
and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet
behind him?  6:33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the
messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the
LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?  7:1 Then Elisha
said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow
about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel,
and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God,
and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this
thing be?  And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but
shalt not eat thereof.

7:3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate:
and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?  7:4 If we
say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and
we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now
therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they
save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

7:5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the
Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of
Syria, behold, there was no man there.

7:6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of
chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and
they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us
the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come
upon us.

7:7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their
tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and
fled for their life.

7:8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they
went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver,
and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and
entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid
it.

7:9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day
of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning
light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we
may go and tell the king's household.

7:10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they
told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold,
there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and
asses tied, and the tents as they were.

7:11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house
within.

7:12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I
will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we
be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves
in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch
them alive, and get into the city.

7:13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray
thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city,
(behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it:
behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites
that are consumed:) and let us send and see.

7:14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after
the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.

7:15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was
full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their
haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

7:16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So
a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of
barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

7:17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have
the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and
he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down
to him.

7:18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king,
saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine
flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of
Samaria: 7:19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now,
behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing
be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt
not eat thereof.

7:20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the
gate, and he died.

8:1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to
life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn
wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine;
and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

8:2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God:
and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the
Philistines seven years.

8:3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman
returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry
unto the king for her house and for her land.

8:4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God,
saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath
done.

8:5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had
restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he
had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her
land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is
her son, whom Elisha restored to life.

8:6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king
appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was
hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the
land, even until now.

8:7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was
sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.

8:8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and
go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall
I recover of this disease?  8:9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a
present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels'
burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king
of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this
disease?  8:10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest
certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall
surely die.

8:11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed:
and the man of God wept.

8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I
know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their
strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay
with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women
with child.

8:13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should
do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that
thou shalt be king over Syria.

8:14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to
him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou
shouldest surely recover.

8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth,
and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died:
and Hazael reigned in his stead.

8:16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel,
Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Je hoshaphat
king of Judah began to reign.

8:17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he
reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

8:18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house
of Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the
sight of the LORD.

8:19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant's
sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his
children.

8:20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made
a king over themselves.

8:21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he
rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and
the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents.

8:22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.
Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

8:23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?  8:24
And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in
the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did
Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.

8:26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and
he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah,
the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

8:27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in
the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in
law of the house of Ahab.

8:28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael
king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.

8:29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against
Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah
went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was
sick.

9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets,
and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in
thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead: 9:2 And when thou comest thither,
look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go
in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an
inner chamber; 9:3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head,
and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.
Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to
Ramothgilead.

9:5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting;
and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto
which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

9:6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on
his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have
anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

9:7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may
avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the
servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

9:8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from
Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and
left in Israel: 9:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house
of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of
Ahijah: 9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel,
and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

9:11 Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said
unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he
said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

9:12 And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and
thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee
king over Israel.

9:13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it
under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with trumpets, saying,
Jehu is king.

9:14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired
against Joram. (Now Joram had kept Ramothgilead, he and all Israel,
because of Hazael king of Syria.

9:15 But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds
which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of
Syria.)  And Jehu said, If it be your minds, then let none go forth
nor escape out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel.

9:16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay
there.

And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

9:17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied
the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram
said, Take an horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it
peace?  9:18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said,
Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do
with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The
messenger came to them, but he cometh not again.

9:19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and
said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast
thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.

9:20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh
not again: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of
Nimshi; for he driveth furiously.

9:21 And Joram said, Make ready. And his chariot was made ready. And
Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his
chariot, and they went out against Jehu, and met him in the portion of
Naboth the Jezreelite.

9:22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it
peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of
thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?  9:23 And Joram
turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O
Ahaziah.

9:24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram
between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk
down in his chariot.

9:25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in
the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how
that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD
laid this burden upon him; 9:26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood
of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will
requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast
him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD.

9:27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way
of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him
also in the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is
by Ibleam.

And he fled to Megiddo, and died there.

9:28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and
buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of David.

9:29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah
to reign over Judah.

9:30 And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she
painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.

9:31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, Had Zimri peace,
who slew his master?  9:32 And he lifted up his face to the window,
and said, Who is on my side?  who? And there looked out to him two or
three eunuchs.

9:33 And he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down: and some of
her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode
her under foot.

9:34 And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see
now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king's daughter.

9:35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the
skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.

9:36 Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the
word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel:
9:37 And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the
field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is
Jezebel.

10:1 And Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and
sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to
them that brought up Ahab's children, saying, 10:2 Now as soon as this
letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and
there are with you chariots and horses, a fenced city also, and
armour; 10:3 Look even out the best and meetest of your master's sons,
and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's house.

10:4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings
stood not before him: how then shall we stand?  10:5 And he that was
over the house, and he that was over the city, the elders also, and
the bringers up of the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy
servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any
king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes.

10:6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be
mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the
men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to morrow this
time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great
men of the city, which brought them up.

10:7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took
the king's sons, and slew seventy persons, and put their heads in
baskets, and sent him them to Jezreel.

10:8 And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have
brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two
heaps at the entering in of the gate until the morning.

10:9 And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood,
and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired
against my master, and slew him: but who slew all these?  10:10 Know
now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the
LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD
hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.

10:11 So Jehu slew all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel,
and all his great men, and his kinsfolks, and his priests, until he
left him none remaining.

10:12 And he arose and departed, and came to Samaria. And as he was at
the shearing house in the way, 10:13 Jehu met with the brethren of
Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are
the brethren of Ahaziah; and we go down to salute the children of the
king and the children of the queen.

10:14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew
them at the pit of the shearing house, even two and forty men; neither
left he any of them.

10:15 And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son
of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is
thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab
answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his
hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.

10:16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they
made him ride in his chariot.

10:17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab
in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the saying of the
LORD, which he spake to Elijah.

10:18 And Jehu gathered all the people together, and said unto them,
Ahab served Baal a little; but Jehu shall serve him much.

10:19 Now therefore call unto me all the prophets of Baal, all his
servants, and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great
sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not
live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy
the worshippers of Baal.

10:20 And Jehu said, Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal. And they
proclaimed it.

10:21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of
Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they
came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was full from one
end to another.

10:22 And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth
vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he brought them forth
vestments.

10:23 And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house
of Baal, and said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that
there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the
worshippers of Baal only.

10:24 And when they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings,
Jehu appointed fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom
I have brought into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his
life shall be for the life of him.

10:25 And it came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering
the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains,
Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with
the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out,
and went to the city of the house of Baal.

10:26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and
burned them.

10:27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house
of Baal, and made it a draught house unto this day.

10:28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel.

10:29 Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden
calves that were in Bethel, and that were in Dan.

10:30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast done well in
executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the
house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy children of
the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.

10:31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of
Israel with all his heart: for he departed not from the sins of
Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin.

10:32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael
smote them in all the coasts of Israel; 10:33 From Jordan eastward,
all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the
Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and
Bashan.

10:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all
his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?  10:35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they
buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.

10:36 And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty
and eight years.

11:1 And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was
dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

11:2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah,
took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's
sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in
the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

11:3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And
Athaliah did reign over the land.

11:4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over
hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him
into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an
oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's son.

11:5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall
do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be
keepers of the watch of the king's house; 11:6 And a third part shall
be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard:
so shall ye keep the watch of the house, that it be not broken down.

11:7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they
shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.

11:8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his
weapons in his hand: and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be
slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.

11:9 And the captains over the hundreds did according to all things
that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men
that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on
the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

11:10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king
David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.

11:11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand,
round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left
corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

11:12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him,
and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him;
and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king.

11:13 And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the
people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.

11:14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the
manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all
the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets: and Athaliah
rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.

11:15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds,
the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without
the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the
priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.

11:16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which
the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.

11:17 And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and
the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king
also and the people.

11:18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and
brake it down; his altars and his images brake they in pieces
thoroughly, and slew Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And
the priest appointed officers over the house of the LORD.

11:19 And he took the rulers over hundreds, and the captains, and the
guard, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king
from the house of the LORD, and came by the way of the gate of the
guard to the king's house. And he sat on the throne of the kings.

11:20 And all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was in
quiet: and they slew Athaliah with the sword beside the king's house.

11:21 Seven years old was Jehoash when he began to reign.

12:1 In the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty
years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of
Beersheba.

12:2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all
his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

12:3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still
sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

12:4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated
things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of
every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set
at, and all the money that cometh into any man's heart to bring into
the house of the LORD, 12:5 Let the priests take it to them, every man
of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house,
wheresoever any breach shall be found.

12:6 But it was so, that in the three and twentieth year of king
Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.

12:7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other
priests, and said unto them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the
house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but
deliver it for the breaches of the house.

12:8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people,
neither to repair the breaches of the house.

12:9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid
of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh
into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put
therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.

12:10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the
chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they
put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the
LORD.

12:11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that
did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and
they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the
house of the LORD, 12:12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to
buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the
LORD, and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it.

12:13 Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of
silver, snuffers, basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of
silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:
12:14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the
house of the LORD.

12:15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they
delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt
faithfully.

12:16 The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house
of the LORD: it was the priests'.

12:17 Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and
took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

12:18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that
Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah,
had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was
found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king's
house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from
Jerusalem.

12:19 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they
not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
12:20 And his servants arose, and made a conspiracy, and slew Joash in
the house of Millo, which goeth down to Silla.

12:21 For Jozachar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of
Shomer, his servants, smote him, and he died; and they buried him with
his fathers in the city of David: and Amaziah his son reigned in his
stead.

13:1 In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king
of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in
Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

13:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and
followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to
sin; he departed not therefrom.

13:3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he
delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the
hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

13:4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him:
for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria
oppressed them.

13:5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from
under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in
their tents, as beforetime.

13:6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of
Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained
the grove also in Samaria.)  13:7 Neither did he leave of the people
to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand
footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them
like the dust by threshing.

13:8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and
his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel?  13:9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they
buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

13:10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and
reigned sixteen years.

13:11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he
departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel sin: but he walked therein.

13:12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his
might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  13:13
And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne:
and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

13:14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And
Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face,
and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the
horsemen thereof.

13:15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto
him bow and arrows.

13:16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow.
And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's
hands.

13:17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then
Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's
deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt
smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

13:18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto
the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and
stayed.

13:19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest
have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till
thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

13:20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the
Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

13:21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold,
they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of
Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of
Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

13:22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of
Jehoahaz.

13:23 And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them,
and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them
from his presence as yet.

13:24 So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in
his stead.

13:25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of
Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the
hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him,
and recovered the cities of Israel.

14:1 In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel
reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.

14:2 He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

14:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not
like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his
father did.

14:4 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people
did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.

14:5 And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his
hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.

14:6 But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto
that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the
LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the
children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every
man shall be put to death for his own sin.

14:7 He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took
Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day.

14:8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son
of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the
face.

14:9 And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah,
saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in
Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed
by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

14:10 Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee
up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to
thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?
14:11 But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel
went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the
face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.

14:12 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel; and they fled
every man to their tents.

14:13 And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son
of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem,
and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the
corner gate, four hundred cubits.

14:14 And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that
were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the
king's house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

14:15 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might,
and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in
the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  14:16 And Jehoash
slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of
Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.

14:17 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death
of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

14:18 And the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the
book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?  14:19 Now they made a
conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they
sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.

14:20 And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem
with his fathers in the city of David.

14:21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen
years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

14:22 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king
slept with his fathers.

14:23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah
Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria,
and reigned forty and one years.

14:24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin.

14:25 He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto
the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel,
which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai,
the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.

14:26 For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very
bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper
for Israel.

14:27 And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel
from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son
of Joash.

14:28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and
his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath,
which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book
of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?  14:29 And Jeroboam slept
with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son
reigned in his stead.

15:1 In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began
Azariah son of Amaziah king of Judah to reign.

15:2 Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned
two and fifty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jecholiah
of Jerusalem.

15:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Amaziah had done; 15:4 Save that the
high places were not removed: the people sacrificed and burnt incense
still on the high places.

15:5 And the LORD smote the king, so that he was a leper unto the day
of his death, and dwelt in a several house. And Jotham the king's son
was over the house, judging the people of the land.

15:6 And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
15:7 So Azariah slept with his fathers; and they buried him with his
fathers in the city of David: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

15:8 In the thirty and eighth year of Azariah king of Judah did
Zachariah the son of Jeroboam reign over Israel in Samaria six months.

15:9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his
fathers had done: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, who made Israel to sin.

15:10 And Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and smote
him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead.

15:11 And the rest of the acts of Zachariah, behold, they are written
in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

15:12 This was the word of the LORD which he spake unto Jehu, saying,
Thy sons shall sit on the throne of Israel unto the fourth generation.
And so it came to pass.

15:13 Shallum the son of Jabesh began to reign in the nine and
thirtieth year of Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in
Samaria.

15:14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah, and came to
Samaria, and smote Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and slew him,
and reigned in his stead.

15:15 And the rest of the acts of Shallum, and his conspiracy which he
made, behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the
kings of Israel.

15:16 Then Menahem smote Tiphsah, and all that were therein, and the
coasts thereof from Tirzah: because they opened not to him, therefore
he smote it; and all the women therein that were with child he ripped
up.

15:17 In the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah king of Judah began
Menahem the son of Gadi to reign over Israel, and reigned ten years in
Samaria.

15:18 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,
who made Israel to sin.

15:19 And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem
gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him
to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

15:20 And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty
men of wealth, of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the
king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and stayed not
there in the land.

15:21 And the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
15:22 And Menahem slept with his fathers; and Pekahiah his son reigned
in his stead.

15:23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekahiah the son
of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two
years.

15:24 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin.

15:25 But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his, conspired
against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's
house, with Argob and Arieh, and with him fifty men of the Gileadites:
and he killed him, and reigned in his room.

15:26 And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did,
behold, they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Israel.

15:27 In the two and fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah Pekah the
son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned
twenty years.

15:28 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he
departed not from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made
Israel to sin.

15:29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of
Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh,
and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and
carried them captive to Assyria.

15:30 And Hoshea the son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah the
son of Remaliah, and smote him, and slew him, and reigned in his
stead, in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

15:31 And the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, behold,
they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

15:32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah king of Israel
began Jotham the son of Uzziah king of Judah to reign.

15:33 Five and twenty years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jerusha,
the daughter of Zadok.

15:34 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD: he did
according to all that his father Uzziah had done.

15:35 Howbeit the high places were not removed: the people sacrificed
and burned incense still in the high places. He built the higher gate
of the house of the LORD.

15:36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the
king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.

15:38 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David his father: and Ahaz his son reigned in
his stead.

16:1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah Ahaz the son
of Jotham king of Judah began to reign.

16:2 Twenty years old was Ahaz when he began to reign, and reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem, and did not that which was right in the
sight of the LORD his God, like David his father.

16:3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made
his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the
heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

16:4 And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on
the hills, and under every green tree.

16:5 Then Rezin king of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel
came up to Jerusalem to war: and they besieged Ahaz, but could not
overcome him.

16:6 At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and
drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt
there unto this day.

16:7 So Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglathpileser king of Assyria,
saying, I am thy servant and thy son: come up, and save me out of the
hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel,
which rise up against me.

16:8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of
the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and sent it for a
present to the king of Assyria.

16:9 And the king of Assyria hearkened unto him: for the king of
Assyria went up against Damascus, and took it, and carried the people
of it captive to Kir, and slew Rezin.

16:10 And king Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglathpileser king of
Assyria, and saw an altar that was at Damascus: and king Ahaz sent to
Urijah the priest the fashion of the altar, and the pattern of it,
according to all the workmanship thereof.

16:11 And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king
Ahaz had sent from Damascus: so Urijah the priest made it against king
Ahaz came from Damascus.

16:12 And when the king was come from Damascus, the king saw the
altar: and the king approached to the altar, and offered thereon.

16:13 And he burnt his burnt offering and his meat offering, and
poured his drink offering, and sprinkled the blood of his peace
offerings, upon the altar.

16:14 And he brought also the brasen altar, which was before the LORD,
from the forefront of the house, from between the altar and the house
of the LORD, and put it on the north side of the altar.

16:15 And king Ahaz commanded Urijah the priest, saying, Upon the
great altar burn the morning burnt offering, and the evening meat
offering, and the king's burnt sacrifice, and his meat offering, with
the burnt offering of all the people of the land, and their meat
offering, and their drink offerings; and sprinkle upon it all the
blood of the burnt offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice: and
the brasen altar shall be for me to enquire by.

16:16 Thus did Urijah the priest, according to all that king Ahaz
commanded.

16:17 And king Ahaz cut off the borders of the bases, and removed the
laver from off them; and took down the sea from off the brasen oxen
that were under it, and put it upon the pavement of stones.

16:18 And the covert for the sabbath that they had built in the house,
and the king's entry without, turned he from the house of the LORD for
the king of Assyria.

16:19 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?  16:20
And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in
the city of David: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

17:1 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of
Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years.

17:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not
as the kings of Israel that were before him.

17:3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea
became his servant, and gave him presents.

17:4 And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had
sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the
king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of
Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison.

17:5 Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and
went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years.

17:6 In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and
carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in
Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

17:7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the
LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt,
from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other
gods, 17:8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD
cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of
Israel, which they had made.

17:9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were
not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places
in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced
city.

17:10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and
under every green tree: 17:11 And there they burnt incense in all the
high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before
them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 17:12
For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall
not do this thing.

17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all
the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil
ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the
law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my
servants the prophets.

17:14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks,
like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD
their God.

17:15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made
with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against
them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the
heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had
charged them, that they should not do like them.

17:16 And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and
made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and
worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

17:17 And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through
the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to
do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

17:18 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them
out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

17:19 Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but
walked in the statutes of Israel which they made.

17:20 And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted
them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast
them out of his sight.

17:21 For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made
Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from
following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin.

17:22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam
which he did; they departed not from them; 17:23 Until the LORD
removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants
the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to
Assyria unto this day.

17:24 And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from
Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed
them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and
they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof.

17:25 And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that
they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them,
which slew some of them.

17:26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations
which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not
the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among
them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of
the God of the land.

17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of
the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell
there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.

17:28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria
came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the
LORD.

17:29 Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the
houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation
in their cities wherein they dwelt.

17:30 And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth
made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 17:31 And the Avites
made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in
fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim.

17:32 So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest
of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the
houses of the high places.

17:33 They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the
manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence.

17:34 Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not
the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their
ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded
the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 17:35 With whom the LORD
had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other
gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to
them: 17:36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt
with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him
shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.

17:37 And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the
commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for
evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods.

17:38 And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget;
neither shall ye fear other gods.

17:39 But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you
out of the hand of all your enemies.

17:40 Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former
manner.

17:41 So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven
images, both their children, and their children's children: as did
their fathers, so do they unto this day.

18:1 Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king
of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

18:2 Twenty and five years old was he when he began to reign; and he
reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was
Abi, the daughter of Zachariah.

18:3 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that David his father did.

18:4 He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down
the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had
made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to
it: and he called it Nehushtan.

18:5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none
like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

18:6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him,
but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.

18:7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went
forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him
not.

18:8 He smote the Philistines, even unto Gaza, and the borders
thereof, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

18:9 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Hezekiah, which
was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that
Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria, and besieged it.

18:10 And at the end of three years they took it: even in the sixth
year of Hezekiah, that is in the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel,
Samaria was taken.

18:11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and
put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the
cities of the Medes: 18:12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the
LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the
servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

18:13 Now in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah did Sennacherib king
of Assyria come up against all the fenced cities of Judah, and took
them.

18:14 And Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria to
Lachish, saying, I have offended; return from me: that which thou
puttest on me will I bear. And the king of Assyria appointed unto
Hezekiah king of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty
talents of gold.

18:15 And Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house
of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house.

18:16 At that time did Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the
temple of the LORD, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah
had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.

18:17 And the king of Assyria sent Tartan and Rabsaris and Rabshakeh
from Lachish to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem. And
they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they were come up, they
came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is in the
highway of the fuller's field.

18:18 And when they had called to the king, there came out to them
Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the household, and Shebna
the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.

18:19 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Speak ye now to Hezekiah, Thus
saith the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this
wherein thou trustest?  18:20 Thou sayest, (but they are but vain
words,) I have counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou
trust, that thou rebellest against me?  18:21 Now, behold, thou
trustest upon the staff of this bruised reed, even upon Egypt, on
which if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it: so is
Pharaoh king of Egypt unto all that trust on him.

18:22 But if ye say unto me, We trust in the LORD our God: is not that
he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and
hath said to Judah and Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar
in Jerusalem?  18:23 Now therefore, I pray thee, give pledges to my
lord the king of Assyria, and I will deliver thee two thousand horses,
if thou be able on thy part to set riders upon them.

18:24 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the
least of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots
and for horsemen?  18:25 Am I now come up without the LORD against
this place to destroy it?  The LORD said to me, Go up against this
land, and destroy it.

18:26 Then said Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and Shebna, and Joah, unto
Rabshakeh, Speak, I pray thee, to thy servants in the Syrian language;
for we understand it: and talk not with us in the Jews' language in
the ears of the people that are on the wall.

18:27 But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy
master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the
men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink
their own piss with you?  18:28 Then Rabshakeh stood and cried with a
loud voice in the Jews' language, and spake, saying, Hear the word of
the great king, the king of Assyria: 18:29 Thus saith the king, Let
not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall not be able to deliver you out
of his hand: 18:30 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD,
saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be
delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

18:31 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria,
Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me, and then
eat ye every man of his own vine, and every one of his fig tree, and
drink ye every one the waters of his cistern: 18:32 Until I come and
take you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a
land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil olive and of honey, that ye
may live, and not die: and hearken not unto Hezekiah, when he
persuadeth you, saying, The LORD will deliver us.

18:33 Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered at all his land
out of the hand of the king of Assyria?  18:34 Where are the gods of
Hamath, and of Arpad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and
Ivah? have they delivered Samaria out of mine hand?  18:35 Who are
they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their
country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out
of mine hand?  18:36 But the people held their peace, and answered him
not a word: for the king's commandment was, saying, Answer him not.

18:37 Then came Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, which was over the
household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the
recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words
of Rabshakeh.

19:1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent
his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the
house of the LORD.

19:2 And he sent Eliakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the
scribe, and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to
Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

19:3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of
trouble, and of rebuke, and blasphemy; for the children are come to
the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

19:4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh,
whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living
God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard:
wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.

19:5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

19:6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say to your master, Thus
saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, with
which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

19:7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour,
and shall return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the
sword in his own land.

19:8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring
against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

19:9 And when he heard say of Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, Behold, he is
come out to fight against thee: he sent messengers again unto
Hezekiah, saying, 19:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of Judah,
saying, Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, saying,
Jerusalem shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.

19:11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to
all lands, by destroying them utterly: and shalt thou be delivered?
19:12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers
have destroyed; as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of
Eden which were in Thelasar?  19:13 Where is the king of Hamath, and
the king of Arpad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, of Hena,
and Ivah?  19:14 And Hezekiah received the letter of the hand of the
messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up into the house of the
LORD, and spread it before the LORD.

19:15 And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said, O LORD God of
Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even
thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; thou hast made heaven
and earth.

19:16 LORD, bow down thine ear, and hear: open, LORD, thine eyes, and
see: and hear the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent him to
reproach the living God.

19:17 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have destroyed the
nations and their lands, 19:18 And have cast their gods into the fire:
for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone:
therefore they have destroyed them.

19:19 Now therefore, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out
of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art
the LORD God, even thou only.

19:20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, Thus saith
the LORD God of Israel, That which thou hast prayed to me against
Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard.

19:21 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning him; The
virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to
scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee.

19:22 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast
thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against
the Holy One of Israel.

19:23 By thy messengers thou hast reproached the LORD, and hast said,
With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the
mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar
trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into
the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

19:24 I have digged and drunk strange waters, and with the sole of my
feet have I dried up all the rivers of besieged places.

19:25 Hast thou not heard long ago how I have done it, and of ancient
times that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou
shouldest be to lay waste fenced cities into ruinous heaps.

19:26 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were
dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as
the green herb, as the grass on the house tops, and as corn blasted
before it be grown up.

19:27 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and
thy rage against me.

19:28 Because thy rage against me and thy tumult is come up into mine
ears, therefore I will put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in thy
lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

19:29 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such
things as grow of themselves, and in the second year that which
springeth of the same; and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and
plant vineyards, and eat the fruits thereof.

19:30 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet
again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.

19:31 For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that
escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

19:32 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He
shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come
before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it.

19:33 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall
not come into this city, saith the LORD.

19:34 For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and
for my servant David's sake.

19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went
out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and
five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they
were all dead corpses.

19:36 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned,
and dwelt at Nineveh.

19:37 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of
Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with
the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon
his son reigned in his stead.

20:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And the prophet
Isaiah the son of Amoz came to him, and said unto him, Thus saith the
LORD, Set thine house in order; for thou shalt die, and not live.

20:2 Then he turned his face to the wall, and prayed unto the LORD,
saying, 20:3 I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked
before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that
which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

20:4 And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle
court, that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 20:5 Turn again,
and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the
God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy
tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up
unto the house of the LORD.

20:6 And I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver
thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will
defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake.

20:7 And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs. And they took and laid it
on the boil, and he recovered.

20:8 And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the
LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the LORD
the third day?  20:9 And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the
LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the
shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees?  20:10 And
Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten
degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.

20:11 And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD: and he brought the
shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of
Ahaz.

20:12 At that time Berodachbaladan, the son of Baladan, king of
Babylon, sent letters and a present unto Hezekiah: for he had heard
that Hezekiah had been sick.

20:13 And Hezekiah hearkened unto them, and shewed them all the house
of his precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and
the precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that
was found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all
his dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

20:14 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto
him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country, even from Babylon.

20:15 And he said, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah
answered, All the things that are in mine house have they seen: there
is nothing among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

20:16 And Isaiah said unto Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD.

20:17 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that
which thy fathers have laid up in store unto this day, shall be
carried into Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

20:18 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt
beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace
of the king of Babylon.

20:19 Then said Hezekiah unto Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD
which thou hast spoken. And he said, Is it not good, if peace and
truth be in my days?  20:20 And the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and
all his might, and how he made a pool, and a conduit, and brought
water into the city, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah?  20:21 And Hezekiah slept with his
fathers: and Manasseh his son reigned in his stead.

21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned
fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Hephzibah.

21:2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, after
the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out before the
children of Israel.

21:3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father
had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as
did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and
served them.

21:4 And he built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD
said, In Jerusalem will I put my name.

21:5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts
of the house of the LORD.

21:6 And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times,
and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he
wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to
anger.

21:7 And he set a graven image of the grove that he had made in the
house, of which the LORD said to David, and to Solomon his son, In
this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all tribes of
Israel, will I put my name for ever: 21:8 Neither will I make the feet
of Israel move any more out of the land which I gave their fathers;
only if they will observe to do according to all that I have commanded
them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded
them.

21:9 But they hearkened not: and Manasseh seduced them to do more evil
than did the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the children of
Israel.

21:10 And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying, 21:11
Because Manasseh king of Judah hath done these abominations, and hath
done wickedly above all that the Amorites did, which were before him,
and hath made Judah also to sin with his idols: 21:12 Therefore thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, Behold, I am bringing such evil upon
Jerusalem and Judah, that whosoever heareth of it, both his ears shall
tingle.

21:13 And I will stretch over Jerusalem the line of Samaria, and the
plummet of the house of Ahab: and I will wipe Jerusalem as a man
wipeth a dish, wiping it, and turning it upside down.

21:14 And I will forsake the remnant of mine inheritance, and deliver
them into the hand of their enemies; and they shall become a prey and
a spoil to all their enemies; 21:15 Because they have done that which
was evil in my sight, and have provoked me to anger, since the day
their fathers came forth out of Egypt, even unto this day.

21:16 Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had
filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he
made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the
LORD.

21:17 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and all that he did, and
his sin that he sinned, are they not written in the book of the
chronicles of the kings of Judah?  21:18 And Manasseh slept with his
fathers, and was buried in the garden of his own house, in the garden
of Uzza: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

21:19 Amon was twenty and two years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned two years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Meshullemeth, the daughter of Haruz of Jotbah.

21:20 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his
father Manasseh did.

21:21 And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and
served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them: 21:22
And he forsook the LORD God of his fathers, and walked not in the way
of the LORD.

21:23 And the servants of Amon conspired against him, and slew the
king in his own house.

21:24 And the people of the land slew all them that had conspired
against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king
in his stead.

21:25 Now the rest of the acts of Amon which he did, are they not
written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?  21:26
And he was buried in his sepulchre in the garden of Uzza: and Josiah
his son reigned in his stead.

22:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jedidah,
the daughter of Adaiah of Boscath.

22:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and
walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the
right hand or to the left.

22:3 And it came to pass in the eighteenth year of king Josiah, that
the king sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, the son of Meshullam, the
scribe, to the house of the LORD, saying, 22:4 Go up to Hilkiah the
high priest, that he may sum the silver which is brought into the
house of the LORD, which the keepers of the door have gathered of the
people: 22:5 And let them deliver it into the hand of the doers of the
work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD: and let them
give it to the doers of the work which is in the house of the LORD, to
repair the breaches of the house, 22:6 Unto carpenters, and builders,
and masons, and to buy timber and hewn stone to repair the house.

22:7 Howbeit there was no reckoning made with them of the money that
was delivered into their hand, because they dealt faithfully.

22:8 And Hilkiah the high priest said unto Shaphan the scribe, I have
found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah gave
the book to Shaphan, and he read it.

22:9 And Shaphan the scribe came to the king, and brought the king
word again, and said, Thy servants have gathered the money that was
found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of them that
do the work, that have the oversight of the house of the LORD.

22:10 And Shaphan the scribe shewed the king, saying, Hilkiah the
priest hath delivered me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

22:11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the
book of the law, that he rent his clothes.

22:12 And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of
Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and
Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, 22:13 Go ye, enquire of the
LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the
words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD
that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened
unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is
written concerning us.

22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and
Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son
of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt
in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her.

22:15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell
the man that sent you to me, 22:16 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will
bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all
the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read: 22:17 Because
they have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, that
they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands;
therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not
be quenched.

22:18 But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the LORD,
thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, As
touching the words which thou hast heard; 22:19 Because thine heart
was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the LORD, when thou
heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants
thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast
rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith
the LORD.

22:20 Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou
shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not
see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought
the king word again.

23:1 And the king sent, and they gathered unto him all the elders of
Judah and of Jerusalem.

23:2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men
of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the
priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great:
and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant
which was found in the house of the LORD.

23:3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the
LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his
testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul,
to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book.
And all the people stood to the covenant.

23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests
of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out
of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and
for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them
without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of
them unto Bethel.

23:5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah
had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of
Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned
incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets,
and to all the host of heaven.

23:6 And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without
Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron,
and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the
graves of the children of the people.

23:7 And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the
house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

23:8 And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and
defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from
Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that
were in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the
city, which were on a man's left hand at the gate of the city.

23:9 Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the
altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened
bread among their brethren.

23:10 And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children
of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass
through the fire to Molech.

23:11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to
the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber
of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned
the chariots of the sun with fire.

23:12 And the altars that were on the top of the upper chamber of
Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh
had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat
down, and brake them down from thence, and cast the dust of them into
the brook Kidron.

23:13 And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on
the right hand of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of
Israel had builded for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, and
for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the
abomination of the children of Ammon, did the king defile.

23:14 And he brake in pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and
filled their places with the bones of men.

23:15 Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that
altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and
stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove.

23:16 And as Josiah turned himself, he spied the sepulchres that were
there in the mount, and sent, and took the bones out of the
sepulchres, and burned them upon the altar, and polluted it, according
to the word of the LORD which the man of God proclaimed, who
proclaimed these words.

23:17 Then he said, What title is that that I see? And the men of the
city told him, It is the sepulchre of the man of God, which came from
Judah, and proclaimed these things that thou hast done against the
altar of Bethel.

23:18 And he said, Let him alone; let no man move his bones. So they
let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet that came out of
Samaria.

23:19 And all the houses also of the high places that were in the
cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke the
Lord to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the
acts that he had done in Bethel.

23:20 And he slew all the priests of the high places that were there
upon the altars, and burned men's bones upon them, and returned to
Jerusalem.

23:21 And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the passover
unto the LORD your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant.

23:22 Surely there was not holden such a passover from the days of the
judges that judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel,
nor of the kings of Judah; 23:23 But in the eighteenth year of king
Josiah, wherein this passover was holden to the LORD in Jerusalem.

23:24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and
the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in
the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might
perform the words of the law which were written in the book that
Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

23:25 And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to
the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his
might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose
there any like him.

23:26 Notwithstanding the LORD turned not from the fierceness of his
great wrath, wherewith his anger was kindled against Judah, because of
all the provocations that Manasseh had provoked him withal.

23:27 And the LORD said, I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as
I have removed Israel, and will cast off this city Jerusalem which I
have chosen, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.

23:28 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
23:29 In his days Pharaohnechoh king of Egypt went up against the king
of Assyria to the river Euphrates: and king Josiah went against him;
and he slew him at Megiddo, when he had seen him.

23:30 And his servants carried him in a chariot dead from Megiddo, and
brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own sepulchre. And the
people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and anointed him,
and made him king in his father's stead.

23:31 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

23:32 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his fathers had done.

23:33 And Pharaohnechoh put him in bands at Riblah in the land of
Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a
tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold.

23:34 And Pharaohnechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the
room of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took
Jehoahaz away: and he came to Egypt, and died there.

23:35 And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he
taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of
Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land,
of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaohnechoh.

23:36 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign;
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah.

23:37 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his fathers had done.

24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim
became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against
him.

24:2 And the LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of
the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of
Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the
word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets.

24:3 Surely at the commandment of the LORD came this upon Judah, to
remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to
all that he did; 24:4 And also for the innocent blood that he shed:
for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; which the LORD would not
pardon.

24:5 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are
they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
24:6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers: and Jehoiachin his son
reigned in his stead.

24:7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land:
for the king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the
river Euphrates all that pertained to the king of Egypt.

24:8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta,
the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem.

24:9 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father had done.

24:10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came
up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.

24:11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came against the city, and
his servants did besiege it.

24:12 And Jehoiachin the king of Judah went out to the king of
Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and
his officers: and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of
his reign.

24:13 And he carried out thence all the treasures of the house of the
LORD, and the treasures of the king's house, and cut in pieces all the
vessels of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of
the LORD, as the LORD had said.

24:14 And he carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all
the mighty men of valour, even ten thousand captives, and all the
craftsmen and smiths: none remained, save the poorest sort of the
people of the land.

24:15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's
mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the
land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.

24:16 And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and
smiths a thousand, all that were strong and apt for war, even them the
king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.

24:17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his father's brother king
in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

24:18 Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

24:19 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

24:20 For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem
and Judah, until he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah
rebelled against the king of Babylon.

25:1 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth
month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of
Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched
against it; and they built forts against it round about.

25:2 And the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king
Zedekiah.

25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in
the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

25:4 And the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled by night
by the way of the gate between two walls, which is by the king's
garden: (now the Chaldees were against the city round about:) and the
king went the way toward the plain.

25:5 And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook
him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from
him.

25:6 So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon
to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him.

25:7 And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out
the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried
him to Babylon.

25:8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is
the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came
Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon,
unto Jerusalem: 25:9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the
king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's
house burnt he with fire.

25:10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of
the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about.

25:11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the
fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of
the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away.

25:12 But the captain of the guard left of the door of the poor of the
land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

25:13 And the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and
the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, did
the Chaldees break in pieces, and carried the brass of them to
Babylon.

25:14 And the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the spoons,
and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they
away.

25:15 And the firepans, and the bowls, and such things as were of
gold, in gold, and of silver, in silver, the captain of the guard took
away.

25:16 The two pillars, one sea, and the bases which Solomon had made
for the house of the LORD; the brass of all these vessels was without
weight.

25:17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and the
chapiter upon it was brass: and the height of the chapiter three
cubits; and the wreathen work, and pomegranates upon the chapiter
round about, all of brass: and like unto these had the second pillar
with wreathen work.

25:18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and
Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 25:19
And out of the city he took an officer that was set over the men of
war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, which were
found in the city, and the principal scribe of the host, which
mustered the people of the land, and threescore men of the people of
the land that were found in the city: 25:20 And Nebuzaradan captain of
the guard took these, and brought them to the king of Babylon to
Riblah: 25:21 And the king of Babylon smote them, and slew them at
Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was carried away out of their
land.

25:22 And as for the people that remained in the land of Judah, whom
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, even over them he made
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ruler.

25:23 And when all the captains of the armies, they and their men,
heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah governor, there came
to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan
the son of Careah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite,
and Jaazaniah the son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

25:24 And Gedaliah sware to them, and to their men, and said unto
them, Fear not to be the servants of the Chaldees: dwell in the land,
and serve the king of Babylon; and it shall be well with you.

25:25 But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten
men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the
Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.

25:26 And all the people, both small and great, and the captains of
the armies, arose, and came to Egypt: for they were afraid of the
Chaldees.

25:27 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the
captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the
seven and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of
Babylon in the year that he began to reign did lift up the head of
Jehoiachin king of Judah out of prison; 25:28 And he spake kindly to
him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with
him in Babylon; 25:29 And changed his prison garments: and he did eat
bread continually before him all the days of his life.

25:30 And his allowance was a continual allowance given him of the
king, a daily rate for every day, all the days of his life.




The First Book of the Chronicles


1:1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh, 1:2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered, 1:3 Henoch,
Methuselah, Lamech, 1:4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

1:5 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and
Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.

1:6 And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.

1:7 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.

1:8 The sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, Put, and Canaan.

1:9 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabta, and Raamah,
and Sabtecha. And the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.

1:10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.

1:11 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,
1:12 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (of whom came the Philistines,) and
Caphthorim.

1:13 And Canaan begat Zidon his firstborn, and Heth, 1:14 The Jebusite
also, and the Amorite, and the Girgashite, 1:15 And the Hivite, and
the Arkite, and the Sinite, 1:16 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite,
and the Hamathite.

1:17 The sons of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and
Aram, and Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Meshech.

1:18 And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber.

1:19 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of the one was Peleg;
because in his days the earth was divided: and his brother's name was
Joktan.

1:20 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and
Jerah, 1:21 Hadoram also, and Uzal, and Diklah, 1:22 And Ebal, and
Abimael, and Sheba, 1:23 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab. All these
were the sons of Joktan.

1:24 Shem, Arphaxad, Shelah, 1:25 Eber, Peleg, Reu, 1:26 Serug, Nahor,
Terah, 1:27 Abram; the same is Abraham.

1:28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael.

1:29 These are their generations: The firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth;
then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 1:30 Mishma, and Dumah, Massa,
Hadad, and Tema, 1:31 Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons
of Ishmael.

1:32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran,
and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And the
sons of Jokshan; Sheba, and Dedan.

1:33 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Henoch, and Abida,
and Eldaah. All these are the sons of Keturah.

1:34 And Abraham begat Isaac. The sons of Isaac; Esau and Israel.

1:35 The sons of Esau; Eliphaz, Reuel, and Jeush, and Jaalam, and
Korah.

1:36 The sons of Eliphaz; Teman, and Omar, Zephi, and Gatam, Kenaz,
and Timna, and Amalek.

1:37 The sons of Reuel; Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

1:38 And the sons of Seir; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah,
and Dishon, and Ezar, and Dishan.

1:39 And the sons of Lotan; Hori, and Homam: and Timna was Lotan's
sister.

1:40 The sons of Shobal; Alian, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shephi, and
Onam.

and the sons of Zibeon; Aiah, and Anah.

1:41 The sons of Anah; Dishon. And the sons of Dishon; Amram, and
Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.

1:42 The sons of Ezer; Bilhan, and Zavan, and Jakan. The sons of
Dishan; Uz, and Aran.

1:43 Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before
any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor:
and the name of his city was Dinhabah.

1:44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned
in his stead.

1:45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites
reigned in his stead.

1:46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote
Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his
city was Avith.

1:47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.

1:48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned
in his stead.

1:49 And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in
his stead.

1:50 And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the
name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the
daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

1:51 Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke
Aliah, duke Jetheth, 1:52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 1:53
Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 1:54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram.
These are the dukes of Edom.

2:1 These are the sons of Israel; Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,
Issachar, and Zebulun, 2:2 Dan, Joseph, and Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad,
and Asher.

2:3 The sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah: which three were born
unto him of the daughter of Shua the Canaanitess. And Er, the
firstborn of Judah, was evil in the sight of the LORD; and he slew
him.

2:4 And Tamar his daughter in law bore him Pharez and Zerah. All the
sons of Judah were five.

2:5 The sons of Pharez; Hezron, and Hamul.

2:6 And the sons of Zerah; Zimri, and Ethan, and Heman, and Calcol,
and Dara: five of them in all.

2:7 And the sons of Carmi; Achar, the troubler of Israel, who
transgressed in the thing accursed.

2:8 And the sons of Ethan; Azariah.

2:9 The sons also of Hezron, that were born unto him; Jerahmeel, and
Ram, and Chelubai.

2:10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of
the children of Judah; 2:11 And Nahshon begat Salma, and Salma begat
Boaz, 2:12 And Boaz begat Obed, and Obed begat Jesse, 2:13 And Jesse
begat his firstborn Eliab, and Abinadab the second, and Shimma the
third, 2:14 Nethaneel the fourth, Raddai the fifth, 2:15 Ozem the
sixth, David the seventh: 2:16 Whose sisters were Zeruiah, and
Abigail. And the sons of Zeruiah; Abishai, and Joab, and Asahel,
three.

2:17 And Abigail bare Amasa: and the father of Amasa was Jether the
Ishmeelite.

2:18 And Caleb the son of Hezron begat children of Azubah his wife,
and of Jerioth: her sons are these; Jesher, and Shobab, and Ardon.

2:19 And when Azubah was dead, Caleb took unto him Ephrath, which bare
him Hur.

2:20 And Hur begat Uri, and Uri begat Bezaleel.

2:21 And afterward Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir the father
of Gilead, whom he married when he was threescore years old; and she
bare him Segub.

2:22 And Segub begat Jair, who had three and twenty cities in the land
of Gilead.

2:23 And he took Geshur, and Aram, with the towns of Jair, from them,
with Kenath, and the towns thereof, even threescore cities. All these
belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.

2:24 And after that Hezron was dead in Calebephratah, then Abiah
Hezron's wife bare him Ashur the father of Tekoa.

2:25 And the sons of Jerahmeel the firstborn of Hezron were, Ram the
firstborn, and Bunah, and Oren, and Ozem, and Ahijah.

2:26 Jerahmeel had also another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was
the mother of Onam.

2:27 And the sons of Ram the firstborn of Jerahmeel were, Maaz, and
Jamin, and Eker.

2:28 And the sons of Onam were, Shammai, and Jada. And the sons of
Shammai; Nadab and Abishur.

2:29 And the name of the wife of Abishur was Abihail, and she bare him
Ahban, and Molid.

2:30 And the sons of Nadab; Seled, and Appaim: but Seled died without
children.

2:31 And the sons of Appaim; Ishi. And the sons of Ishi; Sheshan. And
the children of Sheshan; Ahlai.

2:32 And the sons of Jada the brother of Shammai; Jether, and
Jonathan: and Jether died without children.

2:33 And the sons of Jonathan; Peleth, and Zaza. These were the sons
of Jerahmeel.

2:34 Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters. And Sheshan had a
servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.

2:35 And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife; and
she bare him Attai.

2:36 And Attai begat Nathan, and Nathan begat Zabad, 2:37 And Zabad
begat Ephlal, and Ephlal begat Obed, 2:38 And Obed begat Jehu, and
Jehu begat Azariah, 2:39 And Azariah begat Helez, and Helez begat
Eleasah, 2:40 And Eleasah begat Sisamai, and Sisamai begat Shallum,
2:41 And Shallum begat Jekamiah, and Jekamiah begat Elishama.

2:42 Now the sons of Caleb the brother of Jerahmeel were, Mesha his
firstborn, which was the father of Ziph; and the sons of Mareshah the
father of Hebron.

2:43 And the sons of Hebron; Korah, and Tappuah, and Rekem, and Shema.

2:44 And Shema begat Raham, the father of Jorkoam: and Rekem begat
Shammai.

2:45 And the son of Shammai was Maon: and Maon was the father of
Bethzur.

2:46 And Ephah, Caleb's concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez:
and Haran begat Gazez.

2:47 And the sons of Jahdai; Regem, and Jotham, and Gesham, and Pelet,
and Ephah, and Shaaph.

2:48 Maachah, Caleb's concubine, bare Sheber, and Tirhanah.

2:49 She bare also Shaaph the father of Madmannah, Sheva the father of
Machbenah, and the father of Gibea: and the daughter of Caleb was
Achsa.

2:50 These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur, the firstborn of
Ephratah; Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim.

2:51 Salma the father of Bethlehem, Hareph the father of Bethgader.

2:52 And Shobal the father of Kirjathjearim had sons; Haroeh, and half
of the Manahethites.

2:53 And the families of Kirjathjearim; the Ithrites, and the Puhites,
and the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; of them came the Zareathites,
and the Eshtaulites, 2:54 The sons of Salma; Bethlehem, and the
Netophathites, Ataroth, the house of Joab, and half of the
Manahethites, the Zorites.

2:55 And the families of the scribes which dwelt at Jabez; the
Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and Suchathites. These are the Kenites
that came of Hemath, the father of the house of Rechab.

3:1 Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in
Hebron; the firstborn Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second
Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess: 3:2 The third, Absalom the son of
Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah
the son of Haggith: 3:3 The fifth, Shephatiah of Abital: the sixth,
Ithream by Eglah his wife.

3:4 These six were born unto him in Hebron; and there he reigned seven
years and six months: and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three
years.

3:5 And these were born unto him in Jerusalem; Shimea, and Shobab, and
Nathan, and Solomon, four, of Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel: 3:6
Ibhar also, and Elishama, and Eliphelet, 3:7 And Nogah, and Nepheg,
and Japhia, 3:8 And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.

3:9 These were all the sons of David, beside the sons of the
concubines, and Tamar their sister.

3:10 And Solomon's son was Rehoboam, Abia his son, Asa his son,
Jehoshaphat his son, 3:11 Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his
son, 3:12 Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, 3:13 Ahaz
his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, 3:14 Amon his son, Josiah
his son.

3:15 And the sons of Josiah were, the firstborn Johanan, the second
Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum.

3:16 And the sons of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son.

3:17 And the sons of Jeconiah; Assir, Salathiel his son, 3:18
Malchiram also, and Pedaiah, and Shenazar, Jecamiah, Hoshama, and
Nedabiah.

3:19 And the sons of Pedaiah were, Zerubbabel, and Shimei: and the
sons of Zerubbabel; Meshullam, and Hananiah, and Shelomith their
sister: 3:20 And Hashubah, and Ohel, and Berechiah, and Hasadiah,
Jushabhesed, five.

3:21 And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of
Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of
Shechaniah.

3:22 And the sons of Shechaniah; Shemaiah: and the sons of Shemaiah;
Hattush, and Igeal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.

3:23 And the sons of Neariah; Elioenai, and Hezekiah, and Azrikam,
three.

3:24 And the sons of Elioenai were, Hodaiah, and Eliashib, and
Pelaiah, and Akkub, and Johanan, and Dalaiah, and Anani, seven.

4:1 The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal.

4:2 And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat
Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites.

4:3 And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and
Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi: 4:4 And Penuel
the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons
of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem.

4:5 And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah.

4:6 And Naarah bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and
Haahashtari.

These were the sons of Naarah.

4:7 And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan.

4:8 And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the
son of Harum.

4:9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother
called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

4:10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou
wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand
might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it
may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.

4:11 And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father
of Eshton.

4:12 And Eshton begat Bethrapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father
of Irnahash. These are the men of Rechah.

4:13 And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of
Othniel; Hathath.

4:14 And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of
the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen.

4:15 And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam:
and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz.

4:16 And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel.

4:17 And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and
Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of
Eshtemoa.

4:18 And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber
the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are
the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took.

4:19 And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father
of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite.

4:20 And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Benhanan, and
Tilon.

And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Benzoheth.

4:21 The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah,
and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of
them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea, 4:22 And Jokim,
and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in
Moab, and Jashubilehem. And these are ancient things.

4:23 These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and
hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.

4:24 The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and
Shaul: 4:25 Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son.

4:26 And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei
his son.

4:27 And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters: but his brethren
had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like to
the children of Judah.

4:28 And they dwelt at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual, 4:29
And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad, 4:30 And at Bethuel, and at
Hormah, and at Ziklag, 4:31 And at Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusim, and
at Bethbirei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign
of David.

4:32 And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and
Ashan, five cities: 4:33 And all their villages that were round about
the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their
genealogy.

4:34 And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah, 4:35
And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of
Asiel, 4:36 And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah,
and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah, 4:37 And Ziza the son of Shiphi,
the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of
Shemaiah; 4:38 These mentioned by their names were princes in their
families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly.

4:39 And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side
of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks.

4:40 And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and
quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old.

4:41 And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of
Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found
there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their
rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.

4:42 And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men,
went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah,
and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi.

4:43 And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and
dwelt there unto this day.

5:1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, (for he was the
firstborn; but forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his
birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and
the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright.

5:2 For Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of him came the chief
ruler; but the birthright was Joseph's:) 5:3 The sons, I say, of
Reuben the firstborn of Israel were, Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and
Carmi.

5:4 The sons of Joel; Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son,
5:5 Micah his son, Reaia his son, Baal his son, 5:6 Beerah his son,
whom Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria carried away captive: he was
prince of the Reubenites.

5:7 And his brethren by their families, when the genealogy of their
generations was reckoned, were the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, 5:8
And Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who dwelt
in Aroer, even unto Nebo and Baalmeon: 5:9 And eastward he inhabited
unto the entering in of the wilderness from the river Euphrates:
because their cattle were multiplied in the land of Gilead.

5:10 And in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagarites, who
fell by their hand: and they dwelt in their tents throughout all the
east land of Gilead.

5:11 And the children of Gad dwelt over against them, in the land of
Bashan unto Salcah: 5:12 Joel the chief, and Shapham the next, and
Jaanai, and Shaphat in Bashan.

5:13 And their brethren of the house of their fathers were, Michael,
and Meshullam, and Sheba, and Jorai, and Jachan, and Zia, and Heber,
seven.

5:14 These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of
Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai,
the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 5:15 Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son
of Guni, chief of the house of their fathers.

5:16 And they dwelt in Gilead in Bashan, and in her towns, and in all
the suburbs of Sharon, upon their borders.

5:17 All these were reckoned by genealogies in the days of Jotham king
of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

5:18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of
Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to
shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven
hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.

5:19 And they made war with the Hagarites, with Jetur, and Nephish,
and Nodab.

5:20 And they were helped against them, and the Hagarites were
delivered into their hand, and all that were with them: for they cried
to God in the battle, and he was intreated of them; because they put
their trust in him.

5:21 And they took away their cattle; of their camels fifty thousand,
and of sheep two hundred and fifty thousand, and of asses two
thousand, and of men an hundred thousand.

5:22 For there fell down many slain, because the war was of God. And
they dwelt in their steads until the captivity.

5:23 And the children of the half tribe of Manasseh dwelt in the land:
they increased from Bashan unto Baalhermon and Senir, and unto mount
Hermon.

5:24 And these were the heads of the house of their fathers, even
Epher, and Ishi, and Eliel, and Azriel, and Jeremiah, and Hodaviah,
and Jahdiel, mighty men of valour, famous men, and heads of the house
of their fathers.

5:25 And they transgressed against the God of their fathers, and went
a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed
before them.

5:26 And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of
Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he
carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half
tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara,
and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

6:1 The sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

6:2 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel.

6:3 And the children of Amram; Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. The sons
also of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

6:4 Eleazar begat Phinehas, Phinehas begat Abishua, 6:5 And Abishua
begat Bukki, and Bukki begat Uzzi, 6:6 And Uzzi begat Zerahiah, and
Zerahiah begat Meraioth, 6:7 Meraioth begat Amariah, and Amariah begat
Ahitub, 6:8 And Ahitub begat Zadok, and Zadok begat Ahimaaz, 6:9 And
Ahimaaz begat Azariah, and Azariah begat Johanan, 6:10 And Johanan
begat Azariah, (he it is that executed the priest's office in the
temple that Solomon built in Jerusalem:) 6:11 And Azariah begat
Amariah, and Amariah begat Ahitub, 6:12 And Ahitub begat Zadok, and
Zadok begat Shallum, 6:13 And Shallum begat Hilkiah, and Hilkiah begat
Azariah, 6:14 And Azariah begat Seraiah, and Seraiah begat Jehozadak,
6:15 And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away
Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

6:16 The sons of Levi; Gershom, Kohath, and Merari.

6:17 And these be the names of the sons of Gershom; Libni, and Shimei.

6:18 And the sons of Kohath were, Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and
Uzziel.

6:19 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. And these are the families
of the Levites according to their fathers.

6:20 Of Gershom; Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, 6:21
Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeaterai his son.

6:22 The sons of Kohath; Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his
son, 6:23 Elkanah his son, and Ebiasaph his son, and Assir his son,
6:24 Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son.

6:25 And the sons of Elkanah; Amasai, and Ahimoth.

6:26 As for Elkanah: the sons of Elkanah; Zophai his son, and Nahath
his son, 6:27 Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son.

6:28 And the sons of Samuel; the firstborn Vashni, and Abiah.

6:29 The sons of Merari; Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzza
his son, 6:30 Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, Asaiah his son.

6:31 And these are they whom David set over the service of song in the
house of the LORD, after that the ark had rest.

6:32 And they ministered before the dwelling place of the tabernacle
of the congregation with singing, until Solomon had built the house of
the LORD in Jerusalem: and then they waited on their office according
to their order.

6:33 And these are they that waited with their children. Of the sons
of the Kohathites: Heman a singer, the son of Joel, the son of
Shemuel, 6:34 The son of Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of
Eliel, the son of Toah, 6:35 The son of Zuph, the son of Elkanah, the
son of Mahath, the son of Amasai, 6:36 The son of Elkanah, the son of
Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, 6:37 The son of
Tahath, the son of Assir, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, 6:38
The son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, the son of
Israel.

6:39 And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph
the son of Berachiah, the son of Shimea, 6:40 The son of Michael, the
son of Baaseiah, the son of Malchiah, 6:41 The son of Ethni, the son
of Zerah, the son of Adaiah, 6:42 The son of Ethan, the son of Zimmah,
the son of Shimei, 6:43 The son of Jahath, the son of Gershom, the son
of Levi.

6:44 And their brethren the sons of Merari stood on the left hand:
Ethan the son of Kishi, the son of Abdi, the son of Malluch, 6:45 The
son of Hashabiah, the son of Amaziah, the son of Hilkiah, 6:46 The son
of Amzi, the son of Bani, the son of Shamer, 6:47 The son of Mahli,
the son of Mushi, the son of Merari, the son of Levi.

6:48 Their brethren also the Levites were appointed unto all manner of
service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

6:49 But Aaron and his sons offered upon the altar of the burnt
offering, and on the altar of incense, and were appointed for all the
work of the place most holy, and to make an atonement for Israel,
according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded.

6:50 And these are the sons of Aaron; Eleazar his son, Phinehas his
son, Abishua his son, 6:51 Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his
son, 6:52 Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, 6:53
Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

6:54 Now these are their dwelling places throughout their castles in
their coasts, of the sons of Aaron, of the families of the Kohathites:
for theirs was the lot.

6:55 And they gave them Hebron in the land of Judah, and the suburbs
thereof round about it.

6:56 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, they gave
to Caleb the son of Jephunneh.

6:57 And to the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of Judah, namely,
Hebron, the city of refuge, and Libnah with her suburbs, and Jattir,
and Eshtemoa, with their suburbs, 6:58 And Hilen with her suburbs,
Debir with her suburbs, 6:59 And Ashan with her suburbs, and
Bethshemesh with her suburbs: 6:60 And out of the tribe of Benjamin;
Geba with her suburbs, and Alemeth with her suburbs, and Anathoth with
her suburbs. All their cities throughout their families were thirteen
cities.

6:61 And unto the sons of Kohath, which were left of the family of
that tribe, were cities given out of the half tribe, namely, out of
the half tribe of Manasseh, by lot, ten cities.

6:62 And to the sons of Gershom throughout their families out of the
tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe
of Naphtali, and out of the tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen
cities.

6:63 Unto the sons of Merari were given by lot, throughout their
families, out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and
out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.

6:64 And the children of Israel gave to the Levites these cities with
their suburbs.

6:65 And they gave by lot out of the tribe of the children of Judah,
and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, and out of the tribe
of the children of Benjamin, these cities, which are called by their
names.

6:66 And the residue of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities
of their coasts out of the tribe of Ephraim.

6:67 And they gave unto them, of the cities of refuge, Shechem in
mount Ephraim with her suburbs; they gave also Gezer with her suburbs,
6:68 And Jokmeam with her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs,
6:69 And Aijalon with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs:
6:70 And out of the half tribe of Manasseh; Aner with her suburbs, and
Bileam with her suburbs, for the family of the remnant of the sons of
Kohath.

6:71 Unto the sons of Gershom were given out of the family of the half
tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, and Ashtaroth
with her suburbs: 6:72 And out of the tribe of Issachar; Kedesh with
her suburbs, Daberath with her suburbs, 6:73 And Ramoth with her
suburbs, and Anem with her suburbs: 6:74 And out of the tribe of
Asher; Mashal with her suburbs, and Abdon with her suburbs, 6:75 And
Hukok with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs: 6:76 And out of
the tribe of Naphtali; Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, and Hammon
with her suburbs, and Kirjathaim with her suburbs.

6:77 Unto the rest of the children of Merari were given out of the
tribe of Zebulun, Rimmon with her suburbs, Tabor with her suburbs:
6:78 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho, on the east side of
Jordan, were given them out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer in the
wilderness with her suburbs, and Jahzah with her suburbs, 6:79
Kedemoth also with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs: 6:80
And out of the tribe of Gad; Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, and
Mahanaim with her suburbs, 6:81 And Heshbon with her suburbs, and
Jazer with her suburbs.

7:1 Now the sons of Issachar were, Tola, and Puah, Jashub, and
Shimrom, four.

7:2 And the sons of Tola; Uzzi, and Rephaiah, and Jeriel, and Jahmai,
and Jibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their father's house, to wit, of
Tola: they were valiant men of might in their generations; whose
number was in the days of David two and twenty thousand and six
hundred.

7:3 And the sons of Uzzi; Izrahiah: and the sons of Izrahiah; Michael,
and Obadiah, and Joel, Ishiah, five: all of them chief men.

7:4 And with them, by their generations, after the house of their
fathers, were bands of soldiers for war, six and thirty thousand men:
for they had many wives and sons.

7:5 And their brethren among all the families of Issachar were valiant
men of might, reckoned in all by their genealogies fourscore and seven
thousand.

7:6 The sons of Benjamin; Bela, and Becher, and Jediael, three.

7:7 And the sons of Bela; Ezbon, and Uzzi, and Uzziel, and Jerimoth,
and Iri, five; heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of
valour; and were reckoned by their genealogies twenty and two thousand
and thirty and four.

7:8 And the sons of Becher; Zemira, and Joash, and Eliezer, and
Elioenai, and Omri, and Jerimoth, and Abiah, and Anathoth, and
Alameth. All these are the sons of Becher.

7:9 And the number of them, after their genealogy by their
generations, heads of the house of their fathers, mighty men of
valour, was twenty thousand and two hundred.

7:10 The sons also of Jediael; Bilhan: and the sons of Bilhan; Jeush,
and Benjamin, and Ehud, and Chenaanah, and Zethan, and Tharshish, and
Ahishahar.

7:11 All these the sons of Jediael, by the heads of their fathers,
mighty men of valour, were seventeen thousand and two hundred
soldiers, fit to go out for war and battle.

7:12 Shuppim also, and Huppim, the children of Ir, and Hushim, the
sons of Aher.

7:13 The sons of Naphtali; Jahziel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shallum,
the sons of Bilhah.

7:14 The sons of Manasseh; Ashriel, whom she bare: (but his concubine
the Aramitess bare Machir the father of Gilead: 7:15 And Machir took
to wife the sister of Huppim and Shuppim, whose sister's name was
Maachah;) and the name of the second was Zelophehad: and Zelophehad
had daughters.

7:16 And Maachah the wife of Machir bare a son, and she called his
name Peresh; and the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons
were Ulam and Rakem.

7:17 And the sons of Ulam; Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead, the
son of Machir, the son of Manasseh.

7:18 And his sister Hammoleketh bare Ishod, and Abiezer, and Mahalah.

7:19 And the sons of Shemidah were, Ahian, and Shechem, and Likhi, and
Aniam.

7:20 And the sons of Ephraim; Shuthelah, and Bered his son, and Tahath
his son, and Eladah his son, and Tahath his son, 7:21 And Zabad his
son, and Shuthelah his son, and Ezer, and Elead, whom the men of Gath
that were born in that land slew, because they came down to take away
their cattle.

7:22 And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brethren came
to comfort him.

7:23 And when he went in to his wife, she conceived, and bare a son,
and he called his name Beriah, because it went evil with his house.

7:24 (And his daughter was Sherah, who built Bethhoron the nether, and
the upper, and Uzzensherah.)  7:25 And Rephah was his son, also
Resheph, and Telah his son, and Tahan his son.

7:26 Laadan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son.

7:27 Non his son, Jehoshuah his son.

7:28 And their possessions and habitations were, Bethel and the towns
thereof, and eastward Naaran, and westward Gezer, with the towns
thereof; Shechem also and the towns thereof, unto Gaza and the towns
thereof: 7:29 And by the borders of the children of Manasseh,
Bethshean and her towns, Taanach and her towns, Megiddo and her towns,
Dor and her towns. In these dwelt the children of Joseph the son of
Israel.

7:30 The sons of Asher; Imnah, and Isuah, and Ishuai, and Beriah, and
Serah their sister.

7:31 And the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel, who is the father of
Birzavith.

7:32 And Heber begat Japhlet, and Shomer, and Hotham, and Shua their
sister.

7:33 And the sons of Japhlet; Pasach, and Bimhal, and Ashvath. These
are the children of Japhlet.

7:34 And the sons of Shamer; Ahi, and Rohgah, Jehubbah, and Aram.

7:35 And the sons of his brother Helem; Zophah, and Imna, and Shelesh,
and Amal.

7:36 The sons of Zophah; Suah, and Harnepher, and Shual, and Beri, and
Imrah, 7:37 Bezer, and Hod, and Shamma, and Shilshah, and Ithran, and
Beera.

7:38 And the sons of Jether; Jephunneh, and Pispah, and Ara.

7:39 And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia.

7:40 All these were the children of Asher, heads of their father's
house, choice and mighty men of valour, chief of the princes. And the
number throughout the genealogy of them that were apt to the war and
to battle was twenty and six thousand men.

8:1 Now Benjamin begat Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, and
Aharah the third, 8:2 Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth.

8:3 And the sons of Bela were, Addar, and Gera, and Abihud, 8:4 And
Abishua, and Naaman, and Ahoah, 8:5 And Gera, and Shephuphan, and
Huram.

8:6 And these are the sons of Ehud: these are the heads of the fathers
of the inhabitants of Geba, and they removed them to Manahath: 8:7 And
Naaman, and Ahiah, and Gera, he removed them, and begat Uzza, and
Ahihud.

8:8 And Shaharaim begat children in the country of Moab, after he had
sent them away; Hushim and Baara were his wives.

8:9 And he begat of Hodesh his wife, Jobab, and Zibia, and Mesha, and
Malcham, 8:10 And Jeuz, and Shachia, and Mirma. These were his sons,
heads of the fathers.

8:11 And of Hushim he begat Abitub, and Elpaal.

8:12 The sons of Elpaal; Eber, and Misham, and Shamed, who built Ono,
and Lod, with the towns thereof: 8:13 Beriah also, and Shema, who were
heads of the fathers of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who drove away the
inhabitants of Gath: 8:14 And Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth, 8:15 And
Zebadiah, and Arad, and Ader, 8:16 And Michael, and Ispah, and Joha,
the sons of Beriah; 8:17 And Zebadiah, and Meshullam, and Hezeki, and
Heber, 8:18 Ishmerai also, and Jezliah, and Jobab, the sons of Elpaal;
8:19 And Jakim, and Zichri, and Zabdi, 8:20 And Elienai, and Zilthai,
and Eliel, 8:21 And Adaiah, and Beraiah, and Shimrath, the sons of
Shimhi; 8:22 And Ishpan, and Heber, and Eliel, 8:23 And Abdon, and
Zichri, and Hanan, 8:24 And Hananiah, and Elam, and Antothijah, 8:25
And Iphedeiah, and Penuel, the sons of Shashak; 8:26 And Shamsherai,
and Shehariah, and Athaliah, 8:27 And Jaresiah, and Eliah, and Zichri,
the sons of Jeroham.

8:28 These were heads of the fathers, by their generations, chief men.

These dwelt in Jerusalem.

8:29 And at Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon; whose wife's name was
Maachah: 8:30 And his firstborn son Abdon, and Zur, and Kish, and
Baal, and Nadab, 8:31 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zacher.

8:32 And Mikloth begat Shimeah. And these also dwelt with their
brethren in Jerusalem, over against them.

8:33 And Ner begat Kish, and Kish begat Saul, and Saul begat Jonathan,
and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

8:34 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal; and Meribbaal begat Micah.

8:35 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tarea, and
Ahaz.

8:36 And Ahaz begat Jehoadah; and Jehoadah begat Alemeth, and
Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza, 8:37 And Moza begat Binea:
Rapha was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son: 8:38 And Azel had
six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru, and Ishmael, and
Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan. All these were the sons of Azel.

8:39 And the sons of Eshek his brother were, Ulam his firstborn,
Jehush the second, and Eliphelet the third.

8:40 And the sons of Ulam were mighty men of valour, archers, and had
many sons, and sons' sons, an hundred and fifty. All these are of the
sons of Benjamin.

9:1 So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were
written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were carried
away to Babylon for their transgression.

9:2 Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in their
cities were, the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.

9:3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Judah, and of the
children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim, and Manasseh;
9:4 Uthai the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the
son of Bani, of the children of Pharez the son of Judah.

9:5 And of the Shilonites; Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons.

9:6 And of the sons of Zerah; Jeuel, and their brethren, six hundred
and ninety.

9:7 And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son
of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah, 9:8 And Ibneiah the son of Jeroham,
and Elah the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam the son of
Shephathiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah; 9:9 And their
brethren, according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty and
six. All these men were chief of the fathers in the house of their
fathers.

9:10 And of the priests; Jedaiah, and Jehoiarib, and Jachin, 9:11 And
Azariah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok,
the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;
9:12 And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of
Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son
of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer; 9:13 And
their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and
seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the
service of the house of God.

9:14 And of the Levites; Shemaiah the son of Hasshub, the son of
Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; 9:15 And
Bakbakkar, Heresh, and Galal, and Mattaniah the son of Micah, the son
of Zichri, the son of Asaph; 9:16 And Obadiah the son of Shemaiah, the
son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah the son of Asa, the
son of Elkanah, that dwelt in the villages of the Netophathites.

9:17 And the porters were, Shallum, and Akkub, and Talmon, and Ahiman,
and their brethren: Shallum was the chief; 9:18 Who hitherto waited in
the king's gate eastward: they were porters in the companies of the
children of Levi.

9:19 And Shallum the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of
Korah, and his brethren, of the house of his father, the Korahites,
were over the work of the service, keepers of the gates of the
tabernacle: and their fathers, being over the host of the LORD, were
keepers of the entry.

9:20 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar was the ruler over them in time
past, and the LORD was with him.

9:21 And Zechariah the son of Meshelemiah was porter of the door of
the tabernacle of the congregation.

9:22 All these which were chosen to be porters in the gates were two
hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their
villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set
office.

9:23 So they and their children had the oversight of the gates of the
house of the LORD, namely, the house of the tabernacle, by wards.

9:24 In four quarters were the porters, toward the east, west, north,
and south.

9:25 And their brethren, which were in their villages, were to come
after seven days from time to time with them.

9:26 For these Levites, the four chief porters, were in their set
office, and were over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God.

9:27 And they lodged round about the house of God, because the charge
was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to
them.

9:28 And certain of them had the charge of the ministering vessels,
that they should bring them in and out by tale.

9:29 Some of them also were appointed to oversee the vessels, and all
the instruments of the sanctuary, and the fine flour, and the wine,
and the oil, and the frankincense, and the spices.

9:30 And some of the sons of the priests made the ointment of the
spices.

9:31 And Mattithiah, one of the Levites, who was the firstborn of
Shallum the Korahite, had the set office over the things that were
made in the pans.

9:32 And other of their brethren, of the sons of the Kohathites, were
over the shewbread, to prepare it every sabbath.

9:33 And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites,
who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in
that work day and night.

9:34 These chief fathers of the Levites were chief throughout their
generations; these dwelt at Jerusalem.

9:35 And in Gibeon dwelt the father of Gibeon, Jehiel, whose wife's
name was Maachah: 9:36 And his firstborn son Abdon, then Zur, and
Kish, and Baal, and Ner, and Nadab.

9:37 And Gedor, and Ahio, and Zechariah, and Mikloth.

9:38 And Mikloth begat Shimeam. And they also dwelt with their
brethren at Jerusalem, over against their brethren.

9:39 And Ner begat Kish; and Kish begat Saul; and Saul begat Jonathan,
and Malchishua, and Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

9:40 And the son of Jonathan was Meribbaal: and Meribbaal begat Micah.

9:41 And the sons of Micah were, Pithon, and Melech, and Tahrea, and
Ahaz.

9:42 And Ahaz begat Jarah; and Jarah begat Alemeth, and Azmaveth, and
Zimri; and Zimri begat Moza; 9:43 And Moza begat Binea; and Rephaiah
his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son.

9:44 And Azel had six sons, whose names are these, Azrikam, Bocheru,
and Ishmael, and Sheariah, and Obadiah, and Hanan: these were the sons
of Azel.

10:1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel
fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

10:2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons;
and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, the
sons of Saul.

10:3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him,
and he was wounded of the archers.

10:4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me
through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his
armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword,
and fell upon it.

10:5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell
likewise on the sword, and died.

10:6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died
together.

10:7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that
they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook
their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

10:8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to
strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount
Gilboa.

10:9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his
armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to
carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people.

10:10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened
his head in the temple of Dagon.

10:11 And when all Jabeshgilead heard all that the Philistines had
done to Saul, 10:12 They arose, all the valiant men, and took away the
body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh,
and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

10:13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against
the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and
also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire
of it; 10:14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and
turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.

11:1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying,
Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

11:2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he
that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said
unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler
over my people Israel.

11:3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron;
and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and
they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the
LORD by Samuel.

11:4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where
the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

11:5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come
hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city
of David.

11:6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be
chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was
chief.

11:7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city
of David.

11:8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about:
and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

11:9 So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was
with him.

11:10 These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who
strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel,
to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

11:11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had;
Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his
spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.

11:12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was
one of the three mighties.

11:13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were
gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of
barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

11:14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and
delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a
great deliverance.

11:15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David,
into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in
the valley of Rephaim.

11:16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison
was then at Bethlehem.

11:17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of
the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!  11:18 And
the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water
out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and
brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it
out to the LORD.

11:19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing:
shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in
jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it.
Therefore he would not drink it.

These things did these three mightiest.

11:20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for
lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a
name among the three.

11:21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was
their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

11:22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of
Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab:
also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

11:23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits
high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and
he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the
Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

11:24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name
among the three mighties.

11:25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to
the first three: and David set him over his guard.

11:26 Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of
Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 11:27 Shammoth the
Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 11:28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Abiezer the Antothite, 11:29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the
Ahohite, 11:30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the
Netophathite, 11:31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained
to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 11:32 Hurai of
the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 11:33 Azmaveth the
Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 11:34 The sons of Hashem the
Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, 11:35 Ahiam the son
of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 11:36 Hepher the
Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 11:37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai
the son of Ezbai, 11:38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of
Haggeri, 11:39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the
armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 11:40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb
the Ithrite, 11:41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 11:42
Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and
thirty with him, 11:43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the
Mithnite, 11:44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of
Hothan the Aroerite, 11:45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his
brother, the Tizite, 11:46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and
Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 11:47 Eliel,
and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

12:1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet
kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were
among the mighty men, helpers of the war.

12:2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and
the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of
Saul's brethren of Benjamin.

12:3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the
Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah,
and Jehu the Antothite.

12:4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and
over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad
the Gederathite, 12:5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and
Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 12:6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and
Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 12:7 And Joelah, and
Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

12:8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the
hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the
battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like
the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
12:9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 12:10
Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 12:11 Attai the sixth,
Eliel the seventh, 12:12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 12:13
Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

12:14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the
least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

12:15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it
had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the
valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

12:16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold
unto David.

12:17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto
them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be
knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing
there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon,
and rebuke it.

12:18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains,
and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse:
peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God
helpeth thee.

Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

12:19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the
Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the
lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He
will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.

12:20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and
Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and
Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

12:21 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they
were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.

12:22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him,
until it was a great host, like the host of God.

12:23 And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to
the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to
him, according to the word of the LORD.

12:24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six
thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.

12:25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war,
seven thousand and one hundred.

12:26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

12:27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were
three thousand and seven hundred; 12:28 And Zadok, a young man mighty
of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.

12:29 And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three
thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of
the house of Saul.

12:30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight
hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their
fathers.

12:31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were
expressed by name, to come and make David king.

12:32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had
understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads
of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their
commandment.

12:33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with
all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they
were not of double heart.

12:34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield
and spear thirty and seven thousand.

12:35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and
six hundred.

12:36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty
thousand.

12:37 And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the
Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of
instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.

12:38 All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect
heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest
also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.

12:39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking:
for their brethren had prepared for them.

12:40 Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and
Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on
mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of
raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there
was joy in Israel.

13:1 And David consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds,
and with every leader.

13:2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem
good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad
unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of
Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in
their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired
not at it in the days of Saul.

13:4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the
thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

13:5 So David gathered all Israel together, from Shihor of Egypt even
unto the entering of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from
Kirjathjearim.

13:6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to
Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of
God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is
called on it.

13:7 And they carried the ark of God in a new cart out of the house of
Abinadab: and Uzza and Ahio drave the cart.

13:8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might,
and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with
timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

13:9 And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put
forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled.

13:10 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote
him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God.

13:11 And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach
upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day.

13:12 And David was afraid of God that day, saying, How shall I bring
the ark of God home to me?  13:13 So David brought not the ark home to
himself to the city of David, but carried it aside into the house of
Obededom the Gittite.

13:14 And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his
house three months. And the LORD blessed the house of Obededom, and
all that he had.

14:1 Now Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and timber of
cedars, with masons and carpenters, to build him an house.

14:2 And David perceived that the LORD had confirmed him king over
Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people
Israel.

14:3 And David took more wives at Jerusalem: and David begat more sons
and daughters.

14:4 Now these are the names of his children which he had in
Jerusalem; Shammua, and Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, 14:5 And Ibhar,
and Elishua, and Elpalet, 14:6 And Nogah, and Nepheg, and Japhia, 14:7
And Elishama, and Beeliada, and Eliphalet.

14:8 And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over
all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David. And David heard
of it, and went out against them.

14:9 And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of
Rephaim.

14:10 And David enquired of God, saying, Shall I go up against the
Philistines? And wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD
said unto him, Go up; for I will deliver them into thine hand.

14:11 So they came up to Baalperazim; and David smote them there. Then
David said, God hath broken in upon mine enemies by mine hand like the
breaking forth of waters: therefore they called the name of that place
Baalperazim.

14:12 And when they had left their gods there, David gave a
commandment, and they were burned with fire.

14:13 And the Philistines yet again spread themselves abroad in the
valley.

14:14 Therefore David enquired again of God; and God said unto him, Go
not up after them; turn away from them, and come upon them over
against the mulberry trees.

14:15 And it shall be, when thou shalt hear a sound of going in the
tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt go out to battle: for
God is gone forth before thee to smite the host of the Philistines.

14:16 David therefore did as God commanded him: and they smote the
host of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gazer.

14:17 And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD
brought the fear of him upon all nations.

15:1 And David made him houses in the city of David, and prepared a
place for the ark of God, and pitched for it a tent.

15:2 Then David said, None ought to carry the ark of God but the
Levites: for them hath the LORD chosen to carry the ark of God, and to
minister unto him for ever.

15:3 And David gathered all Israel together to Jerusalem, to bring up
the ark of the LORD unto his place, which he had prepared for it.

15:4 And David assembled the children of Aaron, and the Levites: 15:5
Of the sons of Kohath; Uriel the chief, and his brethren an hundred
and twenty: 15:6 Of the sons of Merari; Asaiah the chief, and his
brethren two hundred and twenty: 15:7 Of the sons of Gershom; Joel the
chief and his brethren an hundred and thirty: 15:8 Of the sons of
Elizaphan; Shemaiah the chief, and his brethren two hundred: 15:9 Of
the sons of Hebron; Eliel the chief, and his brethren fourscore: 15:10
Of the sons of Uzziel; Amminadab the chief, and his brethren an
hundred and twelve.

15:11 And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests, and for the
Levites, for Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Shemaiah, and Eliel, and
Amminadab, 15:12 And said unto them, Ye are the chief of the fathers
of the Levites: sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that
ye may bring up the ark of the LORD God of Israel unto the place that
I have prepared for it.

15:13 For because ye did it not at the first, the LORD our God made a
breach upon us, for that we sought him not after the due order.

15:14 So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up
the ark of the LORD God of Israel.

15:15 And the children of the Levites bare the ark of God upon their
shoulders with the staves thereon, as Moses commanded according to the
word of the LORD.

15:16 And David spake to the chief of the Levites to appoint their
brethren to be the singers with instruments of musick, psalteries and
harps and cymbals, sounding, by lifting up the voice with joy.

15:17 So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his
brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their
brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah; 15:18 And with them their
brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and
Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah,
and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel,
the porters.

15:19 So the singers, Heman, Asaph, and Ethan, were appointed to sound
with cymbals of brass; 15:20 And Zechariah, and Aziel, and
Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and
Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth; 15:21 And Mattithiah, and
Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, and Azaziah, with
harps on the Sheminith to excel.

15:22 And Chenaniah, chief of the Levites, was for song: he instructed
about the song, because he was skilful.

15:23 And Berechiah and Elkanah were doorkeepers for the ark.

15:24 And Shebaniah, and Jehoshaphat, and Nethaneel, and Amasai, and
Zechariah, and Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, did blow with the
trumpets before the ark of God: and Obededom and Jehiah were
doorkeepers for the ark.

15:25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over
thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of
the house of Obededom with joy.

15:26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the
ark of the covenant of the LORD, that they offered seven bullocks and
seven rams.

15:27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the
Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master
of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of
linen.

15:28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD
with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and
with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

15:29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came
to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at
a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in
her heart.

16:1 So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the
tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices
and peace offerings before God.

16:2 And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings
and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the
LORD.

16:3 And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every
one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.

16:4 And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the
ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God
of Israel: 16:5 Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and
Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and
Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a
sound with cymbals; 16:6 Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with
trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.

16:7 Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the
LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.

16:8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his
deeds among the people.

16:9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous
works.

16:10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that
seek the LORD.

16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.

16:12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders,
and the judgments of his mouth; 16:13 O ye seed of Israel his servant,
ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

16:14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

16:15 Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he
commanded to a thousand generations; 16:16 Even of the covenant which
he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; 16:17 And hath
confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an
everlasting covenant, 16:18 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of
Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; 16:19 When ye were but few, even
a few, and strangers in it.

16:20 And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom
to another people; 16:21 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he
reproved kings for their sakes, 16:22 Saying, Touch not mine anointed,
and do my prophets no harm.

16:23 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day
his salvation.

16:24 Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among
all nations.

16:25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to
be feared above all gods.

16:26 For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the
heavens.

16:27 Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are
in his place.

16:28 Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the
LORD glory and strength.

16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an
offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of
holiness.

16:30 Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable,
that it be not moved.

16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men
say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

16:32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields
rejoice, and all that is therein.

16:33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the
LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.

16:34 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever.

16:35 And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us
together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to
thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.

16:36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the
people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

16:37 So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD
Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as
every day's work required: 16:38 And Obededom with their brethren,
threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to
be porters: 16:39 And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests,
before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at
Gibeon, 16:40 To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of
the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do
according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he
commanded Israel; 16:41 And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest
that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the
LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever; 16:42 And with them Heman
and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a
sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun
were porters.

16:43 And all the people departed every man to his house: and David
returned to bless his house.

17:1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said
to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark
of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.

17:2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for
God is with thee.

17:3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to
Nathan, saying, 17:4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the
LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 17:5 For I have
not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this
day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to
another.

17:6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any
of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying,
Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?  17:7 Now therefore thus
shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I
took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou
shouldest be ruler over my people Israel: 17:8 And I have been with
thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine
enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of
the great men that are in the earth.

17:9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant
them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more;
neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at
the beginning, 17:10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be
over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies.
Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.

17:11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou
must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after
thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

17:12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for
ever.

17:13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not
take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before
thee: 17:14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for
ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

17:15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision,
so did Nathan speak unto David.

17:16 And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who
am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me
hitherto?  17:17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God;
for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to
come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high
degree, O LORD God.

17:18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant?
for thou knowest thy servant.

17:19 O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own
heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these
great things.

17:20 O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside
thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

17:21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom
God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of
greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy
people whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?  17:22 For thy people
Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD,
becamest their God.

17:23 Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken
concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for
ever, and do as thou hast said.

17:24 Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for
ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to
Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before
thee.

17:25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build
him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray
before thee.

17:26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness
unto thy servant: 17:27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the
house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou
blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.

18:1 Now after this it came to pass, that David smote the Philistines,
and subdued them, and took Gath and her towns out of the hand of the
Philistines.

18:2 And he smote Moab; and the Moabites became David's servants, and
brought gifts.

18:3 And David smote Hadarezer king of Zobah unto Hamath, as he went
to stablish his dominion by the river Euphrates.

18:4 And David took from him a thousand chariots, and seven thousand
horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen: David also houghed all the
chariot horses, but reserved of them an hundred chariots.

18:5 And when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadarezer king of
Zobah, David slew of the Syrians two and twenty thousand men.

18:6 Then David put garrisons in Syriadamascus; and the Syrians became
David's servants, and brought gifts. Thus the LORD preserved David
whithersoever he went.

18:7 And David took the shields of gold that were on the servants of
Hadarezer, and brought them to Jerusalem.

18:8 Likewise from Tibhath, and from Chun, cities of Hadarezer,
brought David very much brass, wherewith Solomon made the brasen sea,
and the pillars, and the vessels of brass.

18:9 Now when Tou king of Hamath heard how David had smitten all the
host of Hadarezer king of Zobah; 18:10 He sent Hadoram his son to king
David, to enquire of his welfare, and to congratulate him, because he
had fought against Hadarezer, and smitten him; (for Hadarezer had war
with Tou;) and with him all manner of vessels of gold and silver and
brass.

18:11 Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver
and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and
from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines,
and from Amalek.

18:12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the
valley of salt eighteen thousand.

18:13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became
David's servants. Thus the LORD preserved David whithersoever he went.

18:14 So David reigned over all Israel, and executed judgment and
justice among all his people.

18:15 And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat
the son of Ahilud, recorder.

18:16 And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Abimelech the son of Abiathar,
were the priests; and Shavsha was scribe; 18:17 And Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of
David were chief about the king.

19:1 Now it came to pass after this, that Nahash the king of the
children of Ammon died, and his son reigned in his stead.

19:2 And David said, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of
Nahash, because his father shewed kindness to me. And David sent
messengers to comfort him concerning his father. So the servants of
David came into the land of the children of Ammon to Hanun, to comfort
him.

19:3 But the princes of the children of Ammon said to Hanun, Thinkest
thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters
unto thee?  are not his servants come unto thee for to search, and to
overthrow, and to spy out the land?  19:4 Wherefore Hanun took David's
servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the midst
hard by their buttocks, and sent them away.

19:5 Then there went certain, and told David how the men were served.
And he sent to meet them: for the men were greatly ashamed. And the
king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then
return.

19:6 And when the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves
odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent a thousand
talents of silver to hire them chariots and horsemen out of
Mesopotamia, and out of Syriamaachah, and out of Zobah.

19:7 So they hired thirty and two thousand chariots, and the king of
Maachah and his people; who came and pitched before Medeba. And the
children of Ammon gathered themselves together from their cities, and
came to battle.

19:8 And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the
mighty men.

19:9 And the children of Ammon came out, and put the battle in array
before the gate of the city: and the kings that were come were by
themselves in the field.

19:10 Now when Joab saw that the battle was set against him before and
behind, he chose out of all the choice of Israel, and put them in
array against the Syrians.

19:11 And the rest of the people he delivered unto the hand of Abishai
his brother, and they set themselves in array against the children of
Ammon.

19:12 And he said, If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou
shalt help me: but if the children of Ammon be too strong for thee,
then I will help thee.

19:13 Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for
our people, and for the cities of our God: and let the LORD do that
which is good in his sight.

19:14 So Joab and the people that were with him drew nigh before the
Syrians unto the battle; and they fled before him.

19:15 And when the children of Ammon saw that the Syrians were fled,
they likewise fled before Abishai his brother, and entered into the
city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

19:16 And when the Syrians saw that they were put to the worse before
Israel, they sent messengers, and drew forth the Syrians that were
beyond the river: and Shophach the captain of the host of Hadarezer
went before them.

19:17 And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed
over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against
them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians,
they fought with him.

19:18 But the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the
Syrians seven thousand men which fought in chariots, and forty
thousand footmen, and killed Shophach the captain of the host.

19:19 And when the servants of Hadarezer saw that they were put to the
worse before Israel, they made peace with David, and became his
servants: neither would the Syrians help the children of Ammon any
more.

20:1 And it came to pass, that after the year was expired, at the time
that kings go out to battle, Joab led forth the power of the army, and
wasted the country of the children of Ammon, and came and besieged
Rabbah. But David tarried at Jerusalem. And Joab smote Rabbah, and
destroyed it.

20:2 And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and
found it to weigh a talent of gold, and there were precious stones in
it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding
much spoil out of the city.

20:3 And he brought out the people that were in it, and cut them with
saws, and with harrows of iron, and with axes. Even so dealt David
with all the cities of the children of Ammon. And David and all the
people returned to Jerusalem.

20:4 And it came to pass after this, that there arose war at Gezer
with the Philistines; at which time Sibbechai the Hushathite slew
Sippai, that was of the children of the giant: and they were subdued.

20:5 And there was war again with the Philistines; and Elhanan the son
of Jair slew Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, whose spear
staff was like a weaver's beam.

20:6 And yet again there was war at Gath, where was a man of great
stature, whose fingers and toes were four and twenty, six on each
hand, and six on each foot and he also was the son of the giant.

20:7 But when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimea David's
brother slew him.

20:8 These were born unto the giant in Gath; and they fell by the hand
of David, and by the hand of his servants.

21:1 And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number
Israel.

21:2 And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go,
number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them
to me, that I may know it.

21:3 And Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so
many more as they be: but, my lord the king, are they not all my
lord's servants?  why then doth my lord require this thing? why will
he be a cause of trespass to Israel?  21:4 Nevertheless the king's
word prevailed against Joab. Wherefore Joab departed, and went
throughout all Israel, and came to Jerusalem.

21:5 And Joab gave the sum of the number of the people unto David. And
all they of Israel were a thousand thousand and an hundred thousand
men that drew sword: and Judah was four hundred threescore and ten
thousand men that drew sword.

21:6 But Levi and Benjamin counted he not among them: for the king's
word was abominable to Joab.

21:7 And God was displeased with this thing; therefore he smote
Israel.

21:8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have
done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy
servant; for I have done very foolishly.

21:9 And the LORD spake unto Gad, David's seer, saying, 21:10 Go and
tell David, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I offer thee three things:
choose thee one of them, that I may do it unto thee.

21:11 So Gad came to David, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD,
Choose thee 21:12 Either three years' famine; or three months to be
destroyed before thy foes, while that the sword of thine enemies
overtaketh thee; or else three days the sword of the LORD, even the
pestilence, in the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying
throughout all the coasts of Israel. Now therefore advise thyself what
word I shall bring again to him that sent me.

21:13 And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let me fall now
into the hand of the LORD; for very great are his mercies: but let me
not fall into the hand of man.

21:14 So the LORD sent pestilence upon Israel: and there fell of
Israel seventy thousand men.

21:15 And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he
was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and
said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand.
And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the
Jebusite.

21:16 And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD
stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his
hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of
Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.

21:17 And David said unto God, Is it not I that commanded the people
to be numbered? even I it is that have sinned and done evil indeed;
but as for these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray
thee, O LORD my God, be on me, and on my father's house; but not on
thy people, that they should be plagued.

21:18 Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to say to David, that
David should go up, and set up an altar unto the LORD in the
threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

21:19 And David went up at the saying of Gad, which he spake in the
name of the LORD.

21:20 And Ornan turned back, and saw the angel; and his four sons with
him hid themselves. Now Ornan was threshing wheat.

21:21 And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went
out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to
the ground.

21:22 Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this
threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou
shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed
from the people.

21:23 And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the
king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also
for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the
wheat for the meat offering; I give it all.

21:24 And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for
the full price: for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD,
nor offer burnt offerings without cost.

21:25 So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold
by weight.

21:26 And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt
offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; and he
answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

21:27 And the LORD commanded the angel; and he put up his sword again
into the sheath thereof.

21:28 At that time when David saw that the LORD had answered him in
the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there.

21:29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the
wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season
in the high place at Gibeon.

21:30 But David could not go before it to enquire of God: for he was
afraid because of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

22:1 Then David said, This is the house of the LORD God, and this is
the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.

22:2 And David commanded to gather together the strangers that were in
the land of Israel; and he set masons to hew wrought stones to build
the house of God.

22:3 And David prepared iron in abundance for the nails for the doors
of the gates, and for the joinings; and brass in abundance without
weight; 22:4 Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they
of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

22:5 And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house
that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of
fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make
preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

22:6 Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an
house for the LORD God of Israel.

22:7 And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind
to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: 22:8 But the word
of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and
hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name,
because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight.

22:9 Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest;
and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his
name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel
in his days.

22:10 He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and
I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom
over Israel for ever.

22:11 Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build
the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee.

22:12 Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee
charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD
thy God.

22:13 Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the
statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning
Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

22:14 Now, behold, in my trouble I have prepared for the house of the
LORD an hundred thousand talents of gold, and a thousand thousand
talents of silver; and of brass and iron without weight; for it is in
abundance: timber also and stone have I prepared; and thou mayest add
thereto.

22:15 Moreover there are workmen with thee in abundance, hewers and
workers of stone and timber, and all manner of cunning men for every
manner of work.

22:16 Of the gold, the silver, and the brass, and the iron, there is
no number. Arise therefore, and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.

22:17 David also commanded all the princes of Israel to help Solomon
his son, saying, 22:18 Is not the LORD your God with you? and hath he
not given you rest on every side? for he hath given the inhabitants of
the land into mine hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD, and
before his people.

22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God;
arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring
the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into
the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.

23:1 So when David was old and full of days, he made Solomon his son
king over Israel.

23:2 And he gathered together all the princes of Israel, with the
priests and the Levites.

23:3 Now the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and
upward: and their number by their polls, man by man, was thirty and
eight thousand.

23:4 Of which, twenty and four thousand were to set forward the work
of the house of the LORD; and six thousand were officers and judges:
23:5 Moreover four thousand were porters; and four thousand praised
the LORD with the instruments which I made, said David, to praise
therewith.

23:6 And David divided them into courses among the sons of Levi,
namely, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

23:7 Of the Gershonites were, Laadan, and Shimei.

23:8 The sons of Laadan; the chief was Jehiel, and Zetham, and Joel,
three.

23:9 The sons of Shimei; Shelomith, and Haziel, and Haran, three.
These were the chief of the fathers of Laadan.

23:10 And the sons of Shimei were, Jahath, Zina, and Jeush, and
Beriah.

These four were the sons of Shimei.

23:11 And Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second: but Jeush and
Beriah had not many sons; therefore they were in one reckoning,
according to their father's house.

23:12 The sons of Kohath; Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four.

23:13 The sons of Amram; Aaron and Moses: and Aaron was separated,
that he should sanctify the most holy things, he and his sons for
ever, to burn incense before the LORD, to minister unto him, and to
bless in his name for ever.

23:14 Now concerning Moses the man of God, his sons were named of the
tribe of Levi.

23:15 The sons of Moses were, Gershom, and Eliezer.

23:16 Of the sons of Gershom, Shebuel was the chief.

23:17 And the sons of Eliezer were, Rehabiah the chief. And Eliezer
had none other sons; but the sons of Rehabiah were very many.

23:18 Of the sons of Izhar; Shelomith the chief.

23:19 Of the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second,
Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth.

23:20 Of the sons of Uzziel; Micah the first and Jesiah the second.

23:21 The sons of Merari; Mahli, and Mushi. The sons of Mahli;
Eleazar, and Kish.

23:22 And Eleazar died, and had no sons, but daughters: and their
brethren the sons of Kish took them.

23:23 The sons of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

23:24 These were the sons of Levi after the house of their fathers;
even the chief of the fathers, as they were counted by number of names
by their polls, that did the work for the service of the house of the
LORD, from the age of twenty years and upward.

23:25 For David said, The LORD God of Israel hath given rest unto his
people, that they may dwell in Jerusalem for ever: 23:26 And also unto
the Levites; they shall no more carry the tabernacle, nor any vessels
of it for the service thereof.

23:27 For by the last words of David the Levites were numbered from
twenty years old and above: 23:28 Because their office was to wait on
the sons of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, in the
courts, and in the chambers, and in the purifying of all holy things,
and the work of the service of the house of God; 23:29 Both for the
shewbread, and for the fine flour for meat offering, and for the
unleavened cakes, and for that which is baked in the pan, and for that
which is fried, and for all manner of measure and size; 23:30 And to
stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD, and likewise at
even: 23:31 And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the LORD in the
sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number,
according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the
LORD: 23:32 And that they should keep the charge of the tabernacle of
the congregation, and the charge of the holy place, and the charge of
the sons of Aaron their brethren, in the service of the house of the
LORD.

24:1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of
Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

24:2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no
children: therefore Eleazar and Ithamar executed the priest's office.

24:3 And David distributed them, both Zadok of the sons of Eleazar,
and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their offices in
their service.

24:4 And there were more chief men found of the sons of Eleazar than
of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of
Eleazar there were sixteen chief men of the house of their fathers,
and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their
fathers.

24:5 Thus were they divided by lot, one sort with another; for the
governors of the sanctuary, and governors of the house of God, were of
the sons of Eleazar, and of the sons of Ithamar.

24:6 And Shemaiah the son of Nethaneel the scribe, one of the Levites,
wrote them before the king, and the princes, and Zadok the priest, and
Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, and before the chief of the fathers of
the priests and Levites: one principal household being taken for
Eleazar, and one taken for Ithamar.

24:7 Now the first lot came forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,
24:8 The third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, 24:9 The fifth to
Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, 24:10 The seventh to Hakkoz, the
eighth to Abijah, 24:11 The ninth to Jeshuah, the tenth to Shecaniah,
24:12 The eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, 24:13 The
thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, 24:14 The fifteenth
to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, 24:15 The seventeenth to Hezir, the
eighteenth to Aphses, 24:16 The nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth
to Jehezekel, 24:17 The one and twentieth to Jachin, the two and
twentieth to Gamul, 24:18 The three and twentieth to Delaiah, the four
and twentieth to Maaziah.

24:19 These were the orderings of them in their service to come into
the house of the LORD, according to their manner, under Aaron their
father, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

24:20 And the rest of the sons of Levi were these: Of the sons of
Amram; Shubael: of the sons of Shubael; Jehdeiah.

24:21 Concerning Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, the first was
Isshiah.

24:22 Of the Izharites; Shelomoth: of the sons of Shelomoth; Jahath.

24:23 And the sons of Hebron; Jeriah the first, Amariah the second,
Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24:24 Of the sons of Uzziel; Michah: of the sons of Michah; Shamir.

24:25 The brother of Michah was Isshiah: of the sons of Isshiah;
Zechariah.

24:26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi: the sons of Jaaziah;
Beno.

24:27 The sons of Merari by Jaaziah; Beno, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and
Ibri.

24:28 Of Mahli came Eleazar, who had no sons.

24:29 Concerning Kish: the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.

24:30 The sons also of Mushi; Mahli, and Eder, and Jerimoth. These
were the sons of the Levites after the house of their fathers.

24:31 These likewise cast lots over against their brethren the sons of
Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and
the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the
principal fathers over against their younger brethren.

25:1 Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the
service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who
should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the
number of the workmen according to their service was: 25:2 Of the sons
of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of
Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the
order of the king.

25:3 Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and
Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their
father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to
praise the LORD.

25:4 Of Heman: the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel,
and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer,
Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth: 25:5 All these were the
sons of Heman the king's seer in the words of God, to lift up the
horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

25:6 All these were under the hands of their father for song in the
house of the LORD, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the
service of the house of God, according to the king's order to Asaph,
Jeduthun, and Heman.

25:7 So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed
in the songs of the LORD, even all that were cunning, was two hundred
fourscore and eight.

25:8 And they cast lots, ward against ward, as well the small as the
great, the teacher as the scholar.

25:9 Now the first lot came forth for Asaph to Joseph: the second to
Gedaliah, who with his brethren and sons were twelve: 25:10 The third
to Zaccur, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:11 The
fourth to Izri, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:12 The
fifth to Nethaniah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:13
The sixth to Bukkiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
25:14 The seventh to Jesharelah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve: 25:15 The eighth to Jeshaiah, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve: 25:16 The ninth to Mattaniah, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve: 25:17 The tenth to Shimei, he, his sons, and
his brethren, were twelve: 25:18 The eleventh to Azareel, he, his
sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:19 The twelfth to Hashabiah,
he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:20 The thirteenth to
Shubael, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:21 The
fourteenth to Mattithiah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
25:22 The fifteenth to Jeremoth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve: 25:23 The sixteenth to Hananiah, he, his sons, and his
brethren, were twelve: 25:24 The seventeenth to Joshbekashah, he, his
sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:25 The eighteenth to Hanani,
he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:26 The nineteenth to
Mallothi, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:27 The
twentieth to Eliathah, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve:
25:28 The one and twentieth to Hothir, he, his sons, and his brethren,
were twelve: 25:29 The two and twentieth to Giddalti, he, his sons,
and his brethren, were twelve: 25:30 The three and twentieth to
Mahazioth, he, his sons, and his brethren, were twelve: 25:31 The four
and twentieth to Romamtiezer, he, his sons, and his brethren, were
twelve.

26:1 Concerning the divisions of the porters: Of the Korhites was
Meshelemiah the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

26:2 And the sons of Meshelemiah were, Zechariah the firstborn,
Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, 26:3 Elam
the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Elioenai the seventh.

26:4 Moreover the sons of Obededom were, Shemaiah the firstborn,
Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, and Sacar the fourth, and
Nethaneel the fifth.

26:5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peulthai the eighth: for
God blessed him.

26:6 Also unto Shemaiah his son were sons born, that ruled throughout
the house of their father: for they were mighty men of valour.

26:7 The sons of Shemaiah; Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad,
whose brethren were strong men, Elihu, and Semachiah.

26:8 All these of the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and their
brethren, able men for strength for the service, were threescore and
two of Obededom.

26:9 And Meshelemiah had sons and brethren, strong men, eighteen.

26:10 Also Hosah, of the children of Merari, had sons; Simri the
chief, (for though he was not the firstborn, yet his father made him
the chief;) 26:11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah
the fourth: all the sons and brethren of Hosah were thirteen.

26:12 Among these were the divisions of the porters, even among the
chief men, having wards one against another, to minister in the house
of the LORD.

26:13 And they cast lots, as well the small as the great, according to
the house of their fathers, for every gate.

26:14 And the lot eastward fell to Shelemiah. Then for Zechariah his
son, a wise counsellor, they cast lots; and his lot came out
northward.

26:15 To Obededom southward; and to his sons the house of Asuppim.

26:16 To Shuppim and Hosah the lot came forth westward, with the gate
Shallecheth, by the causeway of the going up, ward against ward.

26:17 Eastward were six Levites, northward four a day, southward four
a day, and toward Asuppim two and two.

26:18 At Parbar westward, four at the causeway, and two at Parbar.

26:19 These are the divisions of the porters among the sons of Kore,
and among the sons of Merari.

26:20 And of the Levites, Ahijah was over the treasures of the house
of God, and over the treasures of the dedicated things.

26:21 As concerning the sons of Laadan; the sons of the Gershonite
Laadan, chief fathers, even of Laadan the Gershonite, were Jehieli.

26:22 The sons of Jehieli; Zetham, and Joel his brother, which were
over the treasures of the house of the LORD.

26:23 Of the Amramites, and the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the
Uzzielites: 26:24 And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses,
was ruler of the treasures.

26:25 And his brethren by Eliezer; Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his
son, and Joram his son, and Zichri his son, and Shelomith his son.

26:26 Which Shelomith and his brethren were over all the treasures of
the dedicated things, which David the king, and the chief fathers, the
captains over thousands and hundreds, and the captains of the host,
had dedicated.

26:27 Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain
the house of the LORD.

26:28 And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and
Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah, had dedicated; and
whosoever had dedicated any thing, it was under the hand of Shelomith,
and of his brethren.

26:29 Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were for the outward
business over Israel, for officers and judges.

26:30 And of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brethren, men of
valour, a thousand and seven hundred, were officers among them of
Israel on this side Jordan westward in all the business of the LORD,
and in the service of the king.

26:31 Among the Hebronites was Jerijah the chief, even among the
Hebronites, according to the generations of his fathers. In the
fortieth year of the reign of David they were sought for, and there
were found among them mighty men of valour at Jazer of Gilead.

26:32 And his brethren, men of valour, were two thousand and seven
hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the
Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every
matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.

27:1 Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief
fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers
that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and
went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of
every course were twenty and four thousand.

27:2 Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son
of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.

27:3 Of the children of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the
host for the first month.

27:4 And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and
of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were
twenty and four thousand.

27:5 The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, a chief priest: and in his course were twenty and
four thousand.

27:6 This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among the thirty, and above
the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.

27:7 The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of
Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty
and four thousand.

27:8 The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite:
and in his course were twenty and four thousand.

27:9 The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh
the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.

27:10 The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the
Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty
and four thousand.

27:11 The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the
Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand.

27:12 The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abiezer the
Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand.

27:13 The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the
Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand.

27:14 The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the
Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty
and four thousand.

27:15 The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the
Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four
thousand.

27:16 Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the
Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites,
Shephatiah the son of Maachah: 27:17 Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son
of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok: 27:18 Of Judah, Elihu, one of the
brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael: 27:19 Of
Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of
Azriel: 27:20 Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah:
of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah: 27:21 Of the
half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of
Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner: 27:22 Of Dan, Azareel the son of
Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.

27:23 But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and
under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the
stars of the heavens.

27:24 Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not,
because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number
put in the account of the chronicles of king David.

27:25 And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and
over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the
villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah: 27:26
And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground
was Ezri the son of Chelub: 27:27 And over the vineyards was Shimei
the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars
was Zabdi the Shiphmite: 27:28 And over the olive trees and the
sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baalhanan the Gederite:
and over the cellars of oil was Joash: 27:29 And over the herds that
fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were
in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai: 27:30 Over the camels
also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the
Meronothite: 27:31 And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All
these were the rulers of the substance which was king David's.

27:32 Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a
scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king's sons: 27:33
And Ahithophel was the king's counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was
the king's companion: 27:34 And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son
of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king's army was Joab.

28:1 And David assembled all the princes of Israel, the princes of the
tribes, and the captains of the companies that ministered to the king
by course, and the captains over the thousands, and captains over the
hundreds, and the stewards over all the substance and possession of
the king, and of his sons, with the officers, and with the mighty men,
and with all the valiant men, unto Jerusalem.

28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my
brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an
house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the
footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 28:3 But
God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because
thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.

28:4 Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of
my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to
be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and
among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all
Israel: 28:5 And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many
sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the
kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

28:6 And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and
my courts: for I have chosen him to be my son, and I will be his
father.

28:7 Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever, if he be constant
to do my commandments and my judgments, as at this day.

28:8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the
LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the
commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land,
and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and
serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD
searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the
thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou
forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

28:10 Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house
for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it.

28:11 Then David gave to Solomon his son the pattern of the porch, and
of the houses thereof, and of the treasuries thereof, and of the upper
chambers thereof, and of the inner parlours thereof, and of the place
of the mercy seat, 28:12 And the pattern of all that he had by the
spirit, of the courts of the house of the LORD, and of all the
chambers round about, of the treasuries of the house of God, and of
the treasuries of the dedicated things: 28:13 Also for the courses of
the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of
the house of the LORD, and for all the vessels of service in the house
of the LORD.

28:14 He gave of gold by weight for things of gold, for all
instruments of all manner of service; silver also for all instruments
of silver by weight, for all instruments of every kind of service:
28:15 Even the weight for the candlesticks of gold, and for their
lamps of gold, by weight for every candlestick, and for the lamps
thereof: and for the candlesticks of silver by weight, both for the
candlestick, and also for the lamps thereof, according to the use of
every candlestick.

28:16 And by weight he gave gold for the tables of shewbread, for
every table; and likewise silver for the tables of silver: 28:17 Also
pure gold for the fleshhooks, and the bowls, and the cups: and for the
golden basons he gave gold by weight for every bason; and likewise
silver by weight for every bason of silver: 28:18 And for the altar of
incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the pattern of the
chariot of the cherubims, that spread out their wings, and covered the
ark of the covenant of the LORD.

28:19 All this, said David, the LORD made me understand in writing by
his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.

28:20 And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good
courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even
my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee,
until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of
the LORD.

28:21 And, behold, the courses of the priests and the Levites, even
they shall be with thee for all the service of the house of God: and
there shall be with thee for all manner of workmanship every willing
skilful man, for any manner of service: also the princes and all the
people will be wholly at thy commandment.

29:1 Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation,
Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender,
and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD
God.

29:2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the
gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of
silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of
iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set,
glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious
stones, and marble stones in abundance.

29:3 Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God,
I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given
to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for
the holy house.

29:4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and
seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the
houses withal: 29:5 The gold for things of gold, and the silver for
things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands
of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this
day unto the LORD?  29:6 Then the chief of the fathers and princes of
the tribes of Israel and the captains of thousands and of hundreds,
with the rulers of the king's work, offered willingly, 29:7 And gave
for the service of the house of God of gold five thousand talents and
ten thousand drams, and of silver ten thousand talents, and of brass
eighteen thousand talents, and one hundred thousand talents of iron.

29:8 And they with whom precious stones were found gave them to the
treasure of the house of the LORD, by the hand of Jehiel the
Gershonite.

29:9 Then the people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly,
because with perfect heart they offered willingly to the LORD: and
David the king also rejoiced with great joy.

29:10 Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation:
and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for
ever and ever.

29:11 Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory,
and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in
the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted
as head above all.

29:12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all;
and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make
great, and to give strength unto all.

29:13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious
name.

29:14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to
offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and
of thine own have we given thee.

29:15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all
our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none
abiding.

29:16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build
thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all
thine own.

29:17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast
pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I
have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy
thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

29:18 O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep
this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy
people, and prepare their heart unto thee: 29:19 And give unto Solomon
my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and
thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for
the which I have made provision.

29:20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your
God.

And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and
bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.

29:21 And they sacrificed sacrifices unto the LORD, and offered burnt
offerings unto the LORD, on the morrow after that day, even a thousand
bullocks, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their drink
offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel: 29:22 And did
eat and drink before the LORD on that day with great gladness. And
they made Solomon the son of David king the second time, and anointed
him unto the LORD to be the chief governor, and Zadok to be priest.

29:23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of
David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.

29:24 And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all the sons
likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king.

29:25 And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all
Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on
any king before him in Israel.

29:26 Thus David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel.

29:27 And the time that he reigned over Israel was forty years; seven
years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in
Jerusalem.

29:28 And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour:
and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.

29:29 Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are
written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the
prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 29:30 With all his reign and
his might, and the times that went over him, and over Israel, and over
all the kingdoms of the countries.




The Second Book of the Chronicles


1:1 And Solomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, and
the LORD his God was with him, and magnified him exceedingly.

1:2 Then Solomon spake unto all Israel, to the captains of thousands
and of hundreds, and to the judges, and to every governor in all
Israel, the chief of the fathers.

1:3 So Solomon, and all the congregation with him, went to the high
place that was at Gibeon; for there was the tabernacle of the
congregation of God, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in
the wilderness.

1:4 But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjathjearim to the
place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for
it at Jerusalem.

1:5 Moreover the brasen altar, that Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son
of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of the LORD: and
Solomon and the congregation sought unto it.

1:6 And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD,
which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a
thousand burnt offerings upon it.

1:7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask
what I shall give thee.

1:8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David
my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.

1:9 Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be
established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of
the earth in multitude.

1:10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in
before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so
great?  1:11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart,
and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of
thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom
and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom
I have made thee king: 1:12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee;
and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of
the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any
after thee have the like.

1:13 Then Solomon came from his journey to the high place that was at
Gibeon to Jerusalem, from before the tabernacle of the congregation,
and reigned over Israel.

1:14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen: and he had a thousand
and four hundred chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen, which he
placed in the chariot cities, and with the king at Jerusalem.

1:15 And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as
stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the
vale for abundance.

1:16 And Solomon had horses brought out of Egypt, and linen yarn: the
king's merchants received the linen yarn at a price.

1:17 And they fetched up, and brought forth out of Egypt a chariot for
six hundred shekels of silver, and an horse for an hundred and fifty:
and so brought they out horses for all the kings of the Hittites, and
for the kings of Syria, by their means.

2:1 And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD,
and an house for his kingdom.

2:2 And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear
burdens, and fourscore thousand to hew in the mountain, and three
thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

2:3 And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst
deal with David my father, and didst send him cedars to build him an
house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.

2:4 Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to
dedicate it to him, and to burn before him sweet incense, and for the
continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening,
on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the
LORD our God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

2:5 And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above
all gods.

2:6 But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and
heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should
build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?  2:7 Send
me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in
brass, and in iron, and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can
skill to grave with the cunning men that are with me in Judah and in
Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.

2:8 Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of
Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in
Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants, 2:9 Even
to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to
build shall be wonderful great.

2:10 And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut
timber, twenty thousand measures of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand
measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine, and twenty
thousand baths of oil.

2:11 Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to
Solomon, Because the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee
king over them.

2:12 Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made
heaven and earth, who hath given to David the king a wise son, endued
with prudence and understanding, that might build an house for the
LORD, and an house for his kingdom.

2:13 And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of
Huram my father's, 2:14 The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan,
and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work in gold, and in
silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in
blue, and in fine linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of
graving, and to find out every device which shall be put to him, with
thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy father.

2:15 Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine,
which my lord hath spoken of, let him send unto his servants: 2:16 And
we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we
will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry
it up to Jerusalem.

2:17 And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of
Israel, after the numbering wherewith David his father had numbered
them; and they were found an hundred and fifty thousand and three
thousand and six hundred.

2:18 And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of
burdens, and fourscore thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and
three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the people a work.

3:1 Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in
mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the
place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the
Jebusite.

3:2 And he began to build in the second day of the second month, in
the fourth year of his reign.

3:3 Now these are the things wherein Solomon was instructed for the
building of the house of God. The length by cubits after the first
measure was threescore cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits.

3:4 And the porch that was in the front of the house, the length of it
was according to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the
height was an hundred and twenty: and he overlaid it within with pure
gold.

3:5 And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid
with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.

3:6 And he garnished the house with precious stones for beauty: and
the gold was gold of Parvaim.

3:7 He overlaid also the house, the beams, the posts, and the walls
thereof, and the doors thereof, with gold; and graved cherubims on the
walls.

3:8 And he made the most holy house, the length whereof was according
to the breadth of the house, twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof
twenty cubits: and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six
hundred talents.

3:9 And the weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. And he
overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

3:10 And in the most holy house he made two cherubims of image work,
and overlaid them with gold.

3:11 And the wings of the cherubims were twenty cubits long: one wing
of the one cherub was five cubits, reaching to the wall of the house:
and the other wing was likewise five cubits, reaching to the wing of
the other cherub.

3:12 And one wing of the other cherub was five cubits, reaching to the
wall of the house: and the other wing was five cubits also, joining to
the wing of the other cherub.

3:13 The wings of these cherubims spread themselves forth twenty
cubits: and they stood on their feet, and their faces were inward.

3:14 And he made the vail of blue, and purple, and crimson, and fine
linen, and wrought cherubims thereon.

3:15 Also he made before the house two pillars of thirty and five
cubits high, and the chapiter that was on the top of each of them was
five cubits.

3:16 And he made chains, as in the oracle, and put them on the heads
of the pillars; and made an hundred pomegranates, and put them on the
chains.

3:17 And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right
hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the
right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.

4:1 Moreover he made an altar of brass, twenty cubits the length
thereof, and twenty cubits the breadth thereof, and ten cubits the
height thereof.

4:2 Also he made a molten sea of ten cubits from brim to brim, round
in compass, and five cubits the height thereof; and a line of thirty
cubits did compass it round about.

4:3 And under it was the similitude of oxen, which did compass it
round about: ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about. Two rows
of oxen were cast, when it was cast.

4:4 It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and
three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and
three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them,
and all their hinder parts were inward.

4:5 And the thickness of it was an handbreadth, and the brim of it
like the work of the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies; and it
received and held three thousand baths.

4:6 He made also ten lavers, and put five on the right hand, and five
on the left, to wash in them: such things as they offered for the
burnt offering they washed in them; but the sea was for the priests to
wash in.

4:7 And he made ten candlesticks of gold according to their form, and
set them in the temple, five on the right hand, and five on the left.

4:8 He made also ten tables, and placed them in the temple, five on
the right side, and five on the left. And he made an hundred basons of
gold.

4:9 Furthermore he made the court of the priests, and the great court,
and doors for the court, and overlaid the doors of them with brass.

4:10 And he set the sea on the right side of the east end, over
against the south.

4:11 And Huram made the pots, and the shovels, and the basons. And
Huram finished the work that he was to make for king Solomon for the
house of God; 4:12 To wit, the two pillars, and the pommels, and the
chapiters which were on the top of the two pillars, and the two
wreaths to cover the two pommels of the chapiters which were on the
top of the pillars; 4:13 And four hundred pomegranates on the two
wreaths; two rows of pomegranates on each wreath, to cover the two
pommels of the chapiters which were upon the pillars.

4:14 He made also bases, and lavers made he upon the bases; 4:15 One
sea, and twelve oxen under it.

4:16 The pots also, and the shovels, and the fleshhooks, and all their
instruments, did Huram his father make to king Solomon for the house
of the LORD of bright brass.

4:17 In the plain of Jordan did the king cast them, in the clay ground
between Succoth and Zeredathah.

4:18 Thus Solomon made all these vessels in great abundance: for the
weight of the brass could not be found out.

4:19 And Solomon made all the vessels that were for the house of God,
the golden altar also, and the tables whereon the shewbread was set;
4:20 Moreover the candlesticks with their lamps, that they should burn
after the manner before the oracle, of pure gold; 4:21 And the
flowers, and the lamps, and the tongs, made he of gold, and that
perfect gold; 4:22 And the snuffers, and the basons, and the spoons,
and the censers, of pure gold: and the entry of the house, the inner
doors thereof for the most holy place, and the doors of the house of
the temple, were of gold.

5:1 Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was
finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father
had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments,
put he among the treasures of the house of God.

5:2 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of
the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto
Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the
city of David, which is Zion.

5:3 Wherefore all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto the king
in the feast which was in the seventh month.

5:4 And all the elders of Israel came; and the Levites took up the
ark.

5:5 And they brought up the ark, and the tabernacle of the
congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle,
these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

5:6 Also king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel that were
assembled unto him before the ark, sacrificed sheep and oxen, which
could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

5:7 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the LORD
unto his place, to the oracle of the house, into the most holy place,
even under the wings of the cherubims: 5:8 For the cherubims spread
forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered
the ark and the staves thereof above.

5:9 And they drew out the staves of the ark, that the ends of the
staves were seen from the ark before the oracle; but they were not
seen without. And there it is unto this day.

5:10 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put
therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of
Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

5:11 And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy
place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did
not then wait by course: 5:12 Also the Levites which were the singers,
all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their
brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries
and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an
hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 5:13 It came even
to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound
to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up
their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick,
and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth
for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house
of the LORD; 5:14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by
reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of
God.

6:1 Then said Solomon, The LORD hath said that he would dwell in the
thick darkness.

6:2 But I have built an house of habitation for thee, and a place for
thy dwelling for ever.

6:3 And the king turned his face, and blessed the whole congregation
of Israel: and all the congregation of Israel stood.

6:4 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who hath with his
hands fulfilled that which he spake with his mouth to my father David,
saying, 6:5 Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the
land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build
an house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to
be a ruler over my people Israel: 6:6 But I have chosen Jerusalem,
that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my
people Israel.

6:7 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for
the name of the LORD God of Israel.

6:8 But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine
heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in
thine heart: 6:9 Notwithstanding thou shalt not build the house; but
thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the
house for my name.

6:10 The LORD therefore hath performed his word that he hath spoken:
for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the
throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for
the name of the LORD God of Israel.

6:11 And in it have I put the ark, wherein is the covenant of the
LORD, that he made with the children of Israel.

6:12 And he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all
the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands: 6:13 For
Solomon had made a brasen scaffold of five cubits long, and five
cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of
the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees
before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands
toward heaven.

6:14 And said, O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the
heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy
unto thy servants, that walk before thee with all their hearts: 6:15
Thou which hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou
hast promised him; and spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it
with thine hand, as it is this day.

6:16 Now therefore, O LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David
my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not
fail thee a man in my sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so
that thy children take heed to their way to walk in my law, as thou
hast walked before me.

6:17 Now then, O LORD God of Israel, let thy word be verified, which
thou hast spoken unto thy servant David.

6:18 But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold,
heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less
this house which I have built!  6:19 Have respect therefore to the
prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to
hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before
thee: 6:20 That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night,
upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name
there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward
this place.

6:21 Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of
thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou
from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest,
forgive.

6:22 If a man sin against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him
to make him swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house;
6:23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by
requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and
by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his
righteousness.

6:24 And if thy people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy,
because they have sinned against thee; and shall return and confess
thy name, and pray and make supplication before thee in this house;
6:25 Then hear thou from the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy
people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest to
them and to their fathers.

6:26 When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they
have sinned against thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and
confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict
them; 6:27 Then hear thou from heaven, and forgive the sin of thy
servants, and of thy people Israel, when thou hast taught them the
good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon thy land, which
thou hast given unto thy people for an inheritance.

6:28 If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there
be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies
besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or
whatsoever sickness there be: 6:29 Then what prayer or what
supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people
Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and
shall spread forth his hands in this house: 6:30 Then hear thou from
heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man
according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only
knowest the hearts of the children of men:) 6:31 That they may fear
thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou
gavest unto our fathers.

6:32 Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of thy people
Israel, but is come from a far country for thy great name's sake, and
thy mighty hand, and thy stretched out arm; if they come and pray in
this house; 6:33 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy
dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to
thee for; that all people of the earth may know thy name, and fear
thee, as doth thy people Israel, and may know that this house which I
have built is called by thy name.

6:34 If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that
thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which
thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; 6:35
Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication,
and maintain their cause.

6:36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth
not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their
enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or
near; 6:37 Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are
carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their
captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt
wickedly; 6:38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with
all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have
carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest
unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and
toward the house which I have built for thy name: 6:39 Then hear thou
from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their
supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which
have sinned against thee.

6:40 Now, my God, let, I beseech thee, thine eyes be open, and let
thine ears be attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

6:41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou,
and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed
with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness.

6:42 O LORD God, turn not away the face of thine anointed: remember
the mercies of David thy servant.

7:1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down
from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and
the glory of the LORD filled the house.

7:2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD,
because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD's house.

7:3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,
and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with
their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and
praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for
ever.

7:4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the
LORD.

7:5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand
oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all
the people dedicated the house of God.

7:6 And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with
instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to
praise the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever, when David
praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before
them, and all Israel stood.

7:7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before
the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and the
fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had
made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat
offerings, and the fat.

7:8 Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all
Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of
Hamath unto the river of Egypt.

7:9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept
the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.

7:10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent
the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the
goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to
Israel his people.

7:11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD, and the king's
house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of
the LORD, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.

7:12 And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I
have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an
house of sacrifice.

7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the
locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble
themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked
ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land.

7:15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer
that is made in this place.

7:16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may
be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there
perpetually.

7:17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father
walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt
observe my statutes and my judgments; 7:18 Then will I stablish the
throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy
father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

7:19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments,
which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and
worship them; 7:20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my
land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified
for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a
proverb and a byword among all nations.

7:21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every
one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the LORD done
thus unto this land, and unto this house?  7:22 And it shall be
answered, Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which
brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other
gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought
all this evil upon them.

8:1 And it came to pass at the end of twenty years, wherein Solomon
had built the house of the LORD, and his own house, 8:2 That the
cities which Huram had restored to Solomon, Solomon built them, and
caused the children of Israel to dwell there.

8:3 And Solomon went to Hamathzobah, and prevailed against it.

8:4 And he built Tadmor in the wilderness, and all the store cities,
which he built in Hamath.

8:5 Also he built Bethhoron the upper, and Bethhoron the nether,
fenced cities, with walls, gates, and bars; 8:6 And Baalath, and all
the store cities that Solomon had, and all the chariot cities, and the
cities of the horsemen, and all that Solomon desired to build in
Jerusalem, and in Lebanon, and throughout all the land of his
dominion.

8:7 As for all the people that were left of the Hittites, and the
Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites,
which were not of Israel, 8:8 But of their children, who were left
after them in the land, whom the children of Israel consumed not, them
did Solomon make to pay tribute until this day.

8:9 But of the children of Israel did Solomon make no servants for his
work; but they were men of war, and chief of his captains, and
captains of his chariots and horsemen.

8:10 And these were the chief of king Solomon's officers, even two
hundred and fifty, that bare rule over the people.

8:11 And Solomon brought up the daughter of Pharaoh out of the city of
David unto the house that he had built for her: for he said, My wife
shall not dwell in the house of David king of Israel, because the
places are holy, whereunto the ark of the LORD hath come.

8:12 Then Solomon offered burnt offerings unto the LORD on the altar
of the LORD, which he had built before the porch, 8:13 Even after a
certain rate every day, offering according to the commandment of
Moses, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn
feasts, three times in the year, even in the feast of unleavened
bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles.

8:14 And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the
courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their
charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of
every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate:
for so had David the man of God commanded.

8:15 And they departed not from the commandment of the king unto the
priests and Levites concerning any matter, or concerning the
treasures.

8:16 Now all the work of Solomon was prepared unto the day of the
foundation of the house of the LORD, and until it was finished. So the
house of the LORD was perfected.

8:17 Then went Solomon to Eziongeber, and to Eloth, at the sea side in
the land of Edom.

8:18 And Huram sent him by the hands of his servants ships, and
servants that had knowledge of the sea; and they went with the
servants of Solomon to Ophir, and took thence four hundred and fifty
talents of gold, and brought them to king Solomon.

9:1 And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came
to prove Solomon with hard questions at Jerusalem, with a very great
company, and camels that bare spices, and gold in abundance, and
precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with
him of all that was in her heart.

9:2 And Solomon told her all her questions: and there was nothing hid
from Solomon which he told her not.

9:3 And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, and
the house that he had built, 9:4 And the meat of his table, and the
sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and
their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent
by which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more
spirit in her.

9:5 And she said to the king, It was a true report which I heard in
mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom: 9:6 Howbeit I believed
not their words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold,
the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me: for thou
exceedest the fame that I heard.

9:7 Happy are thy men, and happy are these thy servants, which stand
continually before thee, and hear thy wisdom.

9:8 Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee to set thee
on his throne, to be king for the LORD thy God: because thy God loved
Israel, to establish them for ever, therefore made he thee king over
them, to do judgment and justice.

9:9 And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and
of spices great abundance, and precious stones: neither was there any
such spice as the queen of Sheba gave king Solomon.

9:10 And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon,
which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious
stones.

9:11 And the king made of the algum trees terraces to the house of the
LORD, and to the king's palace, and harps and psalteries for singers:
and there were none such seen before in the land of Judah.

9:12 And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her desire,
whatsoever she asked, beside that which she had brought unto the king.
So she turned, and went away to her own land, she and her servants.

9:13 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six
hundred and threescore and six talents of gold; 9:14 Beside that which
chapmen and merchants brought. And all the kings of Arabia and
governors of the country brought gold and silver to Solomon.

9:15 And king Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six
hundred shekels of beaten gold went to one target.

9:16 And three hundred shields made he of beaten gold: three hundred
shekels of gold went to one shield. And the king put them in the house
of the forest of Lebanon.

9:17 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it
with pure gold.

9:18 And there were six steps to the throne, with a footstool of gold,
which were fastened to the throne, and stays on each side of the
sitting place, and two lions standing by the stays: 9:19 And twelve
lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps.
There was not the like made in any kingdom.

9:20 And all the drinking vessels of king Solomon were of gold, and
all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure
gold: none were of silver; it was not any thing accounted of in the
days of Solomon.

9:21 For the king's ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram:
every three years once came the ships of Tarshish bringing gold, and
silver, ivory, and apes, and peacocks.

9:22 And king Solomon passed all the kings of the earth in riches and
wisdom.

9:23 And all the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon, to
hear his wisdom, that God had put in his heart.

9:24 And they brought every man his present, vessels of silver, and
vessels of gold, and raiment, harness, and spices, horses, and mules,
a rate year by year.

9:25 And Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and
twelve thousand horsemen; whom he bestowed in the chariot cities, and
with the king at Jerusalem.

9:26 And he reigned over all the kings from the river even unto the
land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt.

9:27 And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees
made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

9:28 And they brought unto Solomon horses out of Egypt, and out of all
lands.

9:29 Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, first and last, are they not
written in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the prophecy of
Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of Iddo the seer against
Jeroboam the son of Nebat?  9:30 And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over
all Israel forty years.

9:31 And Solomon slept with his fathers, and he was buried in the city
of David his father: and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead.

10:1 And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for to Shechem were all Israel come
to make him king.

10:2 And it came to pass, when Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who was in
Egypt, whither he fled from the presence of Solomon the king, heard
it, that Jeroboam returned out of Egypt.

10:3 And they sent and called him. So Jeroboam and all Israel came and
spake to Rehoboam, saying, 10:4 Thy father made our yoke grievous: now
therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and
his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

10:5 And he said unto them, Come again unto me after three days. And
the people departed.

10:6 And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood
before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel
give ye me to return answer to this people?  10:7 And they spake unto
him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and
speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.

10:8 But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took
counsel with the young men that were brought up with him, that stood
before him.

10:9 And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return
answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat
the yoke that thy father did put upon us?  10:10 And the young men
that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou
answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our
yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou
say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's
loins.

10:11 For whereas my father put a heavy yoke upon you, I will put more
to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise
you with scorpions.

10:12 So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third
day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day.

10:13 And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook
the counsel of the old men, 10:14 And answered them after the advice
of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will
add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise
you with scorpions.

10:15 So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of
God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand
of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.

10:16 And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto
them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in
David?  and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to
your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all
Israel went to their tents.

10:17 But as for the children of Israel that dwelt in the cities of
Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

10:18 Then king Rehoboam sent Hadoram that was over the tribute; and
the children of Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. But king
Rehoboam made speed to get him up to his chariot, to flee to
Jerusalem.

10:19 And Israel rebelled against the house of David unto this day.

11:1 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he gathered of the house
of Judah and Benjamin an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men,
which were warriors, to fight against Israel, that he might bring the
kingdom again to Rehoboam.

11:2 But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God, saying,
11:3 Speak unto Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all
Israel in Judah and Benjamin, saying, 11:4 Thus saith the LORD, Ye
shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to
his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of
the LORD, and returned from going against Jeroboam.

11:5 And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defence in
Judah.

11:6 He built even Bethlehem, and Etam, and Tekoa, 11:7 And Bethzur,
and Shoco, and Adullam, 11:8 And Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph, 11:9
And Adoraim, and Lachish, and Azekah, 11:10 And Zorah, and Aijalon,
and Hebron, which are in Judah and in Benjamin fenced cities.

11:11 And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and
store of victual, and of oil and wine.

11:12 And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made
them exceeding strong, having Judah and Benjamin on his side.

11:13 And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted
to him out of all their coasts.

11:14 For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and
came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them
off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: 11:15 And he
ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for
the calves which he had made.

11:16 And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their
hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice
unto the LORD God of their fathers.

11:17 So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the
son of Solomon strong, three years: for three years they walked in the
way of David and Solomon.

11:18 And Rehoboam took him Mahalath the daughter of Jerimoth the son
of David to wife, and Abihail the daughter of Eliab the son of Jesse;
11:19 Which bare him children; Jeush, and Shamariah, and Zaham.

11:20 And after her he took Maachah the daughter of Absalom; which
bare him Abijah, and Attai, and Ziza, and Shelomith.

11:21 And Rehoboam loved Maachah the daughter of Absalom above all his
wives and his concubines: (for he took eighteen wives, and threescore
concubines; and begat twenty and eight sons, and threescore
daughters.)  11:22 And Rehoboam made Abijah the son of Maachah the
chief, to be ruler among his brethren: for he thought to make him
king.

11:23 And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children
throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced
city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many
wives.

12:1 And it came to pass, when Rehoboam had established the kingdom,
and had strengthened himself, he forsook the law of the LORD, and all
Israel with him.

12:2 And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam
Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, because they had
transgressed against the LORD, 12:3 With twelve hundred chariots, and
threescore thousand horsemen: and the people were without number that
came with him out of Egypt; the Lubims, the Sukkiims, and the
Ethiopians.

12:4 And he took the fenced cities which pertained to Judah, and came
to Jerusalem.

12:5 Then came Shemaiah the prophet to Rehoboam, and to the princes of
Judah, that were gathered together to Jerusalem because of Shishak,
and said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, Ye have forsaken me, and
therefore have I also left you in the hand of Shishak.

12:6 Whereupon the princes of Israel and the king humbled themselves;
and they said, The LORD is righteous.

12:7 And when the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of
the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves;
therefore I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some
deliverance; and my wrath shall not be poured out upon Jerusalem by
the hand of Shishak.

12:8 Nevertheless they shall be his servants; that they may know my
service, and the service of the kingdoms of the countries.

12:9 So Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem, and took away
the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the
king's house; he took all: he carried away also the shields of gold
which Solomon had made.

12:10 Instead of which king Rehoboam made shields of brass, and
committed them to the hands of the chief of the guard, that kept the
entrance of the king's house.

12:11 And when the king entered into the house of the LORD, the guard
came and fetched them, and brought them again into the guard chamber.

12:12 And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the LORD turned from
him, that he would not destroy him altogether: and also in Judah
things went well.

12:13 So king Rehoboam strengthened himself in Jerusalem, and reigned:
for Rehoboam was one and forty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city which the LORD had
chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. And his
mother's name was Naamah an Ammonitess.

12:14 And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the
LORD.

12:15 Now the acts of Rehoboam, first and last, are they not written
in the book of Shemaiah the prophet, and of Iddo the seer concerning
genealogies? And there were wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam
continually.

12:16 And Rehoboam slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city
of David: and Abijah his son reigned in his stead.

13:1 Now in the eighteenth year of king Jeroboam began Abijah to reign
over Judah.

13:2 He reigned three years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was
Michaiah the daughter of Uriel of Gibeah. And there was war between
Abijah and Jeroboam.

13:3 And Abijah set the battle in array with an army of valiant men of
war, even four hundred thousand chosen men: Jeroboam also set the
battle in array against him with eight hundred thousand chosen men,
being mighty men of valour.

13:4 And Abijah stood up upon mount Zemaraim, which is in mount
Ephraim, and said, Hear me, thou Jeroboam, and all Israel; 13:5 Ought
ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over
Israel to David for ever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of
salt?  13:6 Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the servant of Solomon the
son of David, is risen up, and hath rebelled against his lord.

13:7 And there are gathered unto him vain men, the children of Belial,
and have strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon,
when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand
them.

13:8 And now ye think to withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand
of the sons of David; and ye be a great multitude, and there are with
your golden calves, which Jeroboam made you for gods.

13:9 Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron,
and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the
nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself
with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them
that are no gods.

13:10 But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not forsaken
him; and the priests, which minister unto the LORD, are the sons of
Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their business: 13:11 And they burn
unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and
sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure
table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn
every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have
forsaken him.

13:12 And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his
priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of
Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye
shall not prosper.

13:13 But Jeroboam caused an ambushment to come about behind them: so
they were before Judah, and the ambushment was behind them.

13:14 And when Judah looked back, behold, the battle was before and
behind: and they cried unto the LORD, and the priests sounded with the
trumpets.

13:15 Then the men of Judah gave a shout: and as the men of Judah
shouted, it came to pass, that God smote Jeroboam and all Israel
before Abijah and Judah.

13:16 And the children of Israel fled before Judah: and God delivered
them into their hand.

13:17 And Abijah and his people slew them with a great slaughter: so
there fell down slain of Israel five hundred thousand chosen men.

13:18 Thus the children of Israel were brought under at that time, and
the children of Judah prevailed, because they relied upon the LORD God
of their fathers.

13:19 And Abijah pursued after Jeroboam, and took cities from him,
Bethel with the towns thereof, and Jeshanah with the towns thereof,
and Ephraim with the towns thereof.

13:20 Neither did Jeroboam recover strength again in the days of
Abijah: and the LORD struck him, and he died.

13:21 But Abijah waxed mighty, and married fourteen wives, and begat
twenty and two sons, and sixteen daughters.

13:22 And the rest of the acts of Abijah, and his ways, and his
sayings, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

14:1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city
of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land
was quiet ten years.

14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD
his God: 14:3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the
high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves: 14:4
And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do
the law and the commandment.

14:5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places
and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

14:6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and
he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

14:7 Therefore he said unto Judah, Let us build these cities, and make
about them walls, and towers, gates, and bars, while the land is yet
before us; because we have sought the LORD our God, we have sought
him, and he hath given us rest on every side. So they built and
prospered.

14:8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of
Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields
and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were
mighty men of valour.

14:9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host
of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto
Mareshah.

14:10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array
in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

14:11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is
nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have
no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy
name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no
man prevail against thee.

14:12 So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah;
and the Ethiopians fled.

14:13 And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them unto
Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover
themselves; for they were destroyed before the LORD, and before his
host; and they carried away very much spoil.

14:14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of
the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there
was exceeding much spoil in them.

14:15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and
camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

15:1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: 15:2 And
he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all
Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if
ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will
forsake you.

15:3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and
without a teaching priest, and without law.

15:4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of
Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

15:5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor
to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants
of the countries.

15:6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did
vex them with all adversity.

15:7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your
work shall be rewarded.

15:8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the
prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all
the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had
taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was
before the porch of the LORD.

15:9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with
them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to
him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God
was with him.

15:10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third
month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

15:11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which
they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

15:12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their
fathers with all their heart and with all their soul; 15:13 That
whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to
death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

15:14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with
shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

15:15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all
their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found
of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

15:16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he
removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove:
and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook
Kidron.

15:17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel:
nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

15:18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father
had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold,
and vessels.

15:19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of
the reign of Asa.

16:1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of
Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he
might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

16:2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the
house of the LORD and of the king's house, and sent to Benhadad king
of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying, 16:3 There is a league
between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father:
behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with
Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

16:4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of
his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan,
and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

16:5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off
building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

16:6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the
stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was
building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

16:7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and
said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not
relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria
escaped out of thine hand.

16:8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very
many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD,
he delivered them into thine hand.

16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole
earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is
perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from
henceforth thou shalt have wars.

16:10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house;
for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed
some of the people the same time.

16:11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are
written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

16:12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased
in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease
he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

16:13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth
year of his reign.

16:14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for
himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled
with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the
apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him.

17:1 And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened
himself against Israel.

17:2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set
garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which
Asa his father had taken.

17:3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first
ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim; 17:4 But sought
to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not
after the doings of Israel.

17:5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all
Judah brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in
abundance.

17:6 And his heart was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he
took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

17:7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even
to Benhail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to
Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

17:8 And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and
Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah,
and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and
Jehoram, priests.

17:9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD
with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and
taught the people.

17:10 And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands
that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against
Jehoshaphat.

17:11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and
tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him flocks, seven thousand
and seven hundred rams, and seven thousand and seven hundred he goats.

17:12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he built in Judah
castles, and cities of store.

17:13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of
war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.

17:14 And these are the numbers of them according to the house of
their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief,
and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.

17:15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two
hundred and fourscore thousand.

17:16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly
offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand
mighty men of valour.

17:17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him
armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

17:18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and
fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war.

17:19 These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the
fenced cities throughout all Judah.

18:1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined
affinity with Ahab.

18:2 And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab
killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he
had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramothgilead.

18:3 And Ahab king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Wilt
thou go with me to Ramothgilead? And he answered him, I am as thou
art, and my people as thy people; and we will be with thee in the war.

18:4 And Jehoshaphat said unto the king of Israel, Enquire, I pray
thee, at the word of the LORD to day.

18:5 Therefore the king of Israel gathered together of prophets four
hundred men, and said unto them, Shall we go to Ramothgilead to
battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for God will deliver
it into the king's hand.

18:6 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD
besides, that we might enquire of him?  18:7 And the king of Israel
said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man, by whom we may enquire of
the LORD: but I hate him; for he never prophesied good unto me, but
always evil: the same is Micaiah the son of Imla. And Jehoshaphat
said, Let not the king say so.

18:8 And the king of Israel called for one of his officers, and said,
Fetch quickly Micaiah the son of Imla.

18:9 And the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah sat either
of them on his throne, clothed in their robes, and they sat in a void
place at the entering in of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets
prophesied before them.

18:10 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made him horns of iron,
and said, Thus saith the LORD, With these thou shalt push Syria until
they be consumed.

18:11 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to
Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand
of the king.

18:12 And the messenger that went to call Micaiah spake to him,
saying, Behold, the words of the prophets declare good to the king
with one assent; let thy word therefore, I pray thee, be like one of
their's, and speak thou good.

18:13 And Micaiah said, As the LORD liveth, even what my God saith,
that will I speak.

18:14 And when he was come to the king, the king said unto him,
Micaiah, shall we go to Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear?
And he said, Go ye up, and prosper, and they shall be delivered into
your hand.

18:15 And the king said to him, How many times shall I adjure thee
that thou say nothing but the truth to me in the name of the LORD?
18:16 Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains,
as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no
master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace.

18:17 And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee
that he would not prophesy good unto me, but evil?  18:18 Again he
said, Therefore hear the word of the LORD; I saw the LORD sitting upon
his throne, and all the host of heaven standing on his right hand and
on his left.

18:19 And the LORD said, Who shall entice Ahab king of Israel, that he
may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one spake saying after this
manner, and another saying after that manner.

18:20 Then there came out a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and
said, I will entice him. And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith?  18:21
And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all
his prophets. And the Lord said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt
also prevail: go out, and do even so.

18:22 Now therefore, behold, the LORD hath put a lying spirit in the
mouth of these thy prophets, and the LORD hath spoken evil against
thee.

18:23 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and smote Micaiah
upon the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from
me to speak unto thee?  18:24 And Micaiah said, Behold, thou shalt see
on that day when thou shalt go into an inner chamber to hide thyself.

18:25 Then the king of Israel said, Take ye Micaiah, and carry him
back to Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son;
18:26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and
feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until
I return in peace.

18:27 And Micaiah said, If thou certainly return in peace, then hath
not the LORD spoken by me. And he said, Hearken, all ye people.

18:28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah went up
to Ramothgilead.

18:29 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise
myself, and I will go to the battle; but put thou on thy robes. So the
king of Israel disguised himself; and they went to the battle.

18:30 Now the king of Syria had commanded the captains of the chariots
that were with him, saying, Fight ye not with small or great, save
only with the king of Israel.

18:31 And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw
Jehoshaphat, that they said, It is the king of Israel. Therefore they
compassed about him to fight: but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD
helped him; and God moved them to depart from him.

18:32 For it came to pass, that, when the captains of the chariots
perceived that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back again
from pursuing him.

18:33 And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of
Israel between the joints of the harness: therefore he said to his
chariot man, Turn thine hand, that thou mayest carry me out of the
host; for I am wounded.

18:34 And the battle increased that day: howbeit the king of Israel
stayed himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the even:
and about the time of the sun going down he died.

19:1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace
to Jerusalem.

19:2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and
said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love
them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the
LORD.

19:3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou
hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine
heart to seek God.

19:4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through
the people from Beersheba to mount Ephraim, and brought them back unto
the LORD God of their fathers.

19:5 And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of
Judah, city by city, 19:6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye
do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the
judgment.

19:7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take heed and
do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of
persons, nor taking of gifts.

19:8 Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of
the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the
judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to
Jerusalem.

19:9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the
LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

19:10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that
dwell in your cities, between blood and blood, between law and
commandment, statutes and judgments, ye shall even warn them that they
trespass not against the LORD, and so wrath come upon you, and upon
your brethren: this do, and ye shall not trespass.

19:11 And, behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters
of the LORD; and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house
of Judah, for all the king's matters: also the Levites shall be
officers before you. Deal courageously, and the LORD shall be with the
good.

20:1 It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and
the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came
against Jehoshaphat to battle.

20:2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh
a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria;
and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

20:3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and
proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

20:4 And Judah gathered themselves together, to ask help of the LORD:
even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

20:5 And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem,
in the house of the LORD, before the new court, 20:6 And said, O LORD
God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou
over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not
power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee?  20:7 Art not
thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before
thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for
ever?  20:8 And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary
therein for thy name, saying, 20:9 If, when evil cometh upon us, as
the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this
house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry
unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.

20:10 And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir,
whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade, when they came out of the
land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;
20:11 Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy
possession, which thou hast given us to inherit.

20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might
against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we
what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.

20:13 And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones,
their wives, and their children.

20:14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the
son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph,
came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; 20:15
And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid
nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not
yours, but God's.

20:16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the
cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before
the wilderness of Jeruel.

20:17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand
ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and
Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them:
for the LORD will be with you.

20:18 And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and
all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD,
worshipping the LORD.

20:19 And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the
children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel
with a loud voice on high.

20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the
wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and
said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in
the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets,
so shall ye prosper.

20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers
unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they
went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy
endureth for ever.

20:22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set
ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which
were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

20:23 For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the
inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when
they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to
destroy another.

20:24 And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness,
they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies
fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

20:25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil
of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead
bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves,
more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering
of the spoil, it was so much.

20:26 And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of
Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the
same place was called, The valley of Berachah, unto this day.

20:27 Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and
Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with
joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies.

20:28 And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and
trumpets unto the house of the LORD.

20:29 And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries,
when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of
Israel.

20:30 So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet: for his God gave him rest
round about.

20:31 And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years
old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and five years in
Jerusalem.

And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi.

20:32 And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not
from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD.

20:33 Howbeit the high places were not taken away: for as yet the
people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers.

20:34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold,
they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is
mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel.

20:35 And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with
Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly: 20:36 And he joined
himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the
ships in Eziongaber.

20:37 Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against
Jehoshaphat, saying, Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah,
the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken, that they
were not able to go to Tarshish.

21:1 Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his
stead.

21:2 And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel,
and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these
were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.

21:3 And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold,
and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom
gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn.

21:4 Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he
strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and
divers also of the princes of Israel.

21:5 Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

21:6 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the
house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought
that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD.

21:7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of
the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a
light to him and to his sons for ever.

21:8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of
Judah, and made themselves a king.

21:9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots
with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which
compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots.

21:10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this
day.

The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he
had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers.

21:11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah and
caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and
compelled Judah thereto.

21:12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,
Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not
walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa
king of Judah, 21:13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of
Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a
whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast
slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than
thyself: 21:14 Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy
people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: 21:15 And
thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy
bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.

21:16 Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the
Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: 21:17
And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all
the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also,
and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz,
the youngest of his sons.

21:18 And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an
incurable disease.

21:19 And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of
two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died
of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the
burning of his fathers.

21:20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he
reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired.
Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the
sepulchres of the kings.

22:1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son
king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to
the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king
of Judah reigned.

22:2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign, and
he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah
the daughter of Omri.

22:3 He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother
was his counsellor to do wickedly.

22:4 Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of
Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to
his destruction.

22:5 He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son
of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at
Ramothgilead: and the Syrians smote Joram.

22:6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds
which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of
Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see
Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.

22:7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for
when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of
Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

22:8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon
the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the
brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

22:9 And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in
Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they
buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who
sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no
power to keep still the kingdom.

22:10 But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was
dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of
Judah.

22:11 But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son
of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain,
and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the
daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she
was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew
him not.

22:12 And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and
Athaliah reigned over the land.

23:1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took
the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jeroham, and Ishmael the
son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of
Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him.

23:2 And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all
the cities of Judah, and the chief of the fathers of Israel, and they
came to Jerusalem.

23:3 And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the
house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king's son shall
reign, as the LORD hath said of the sons of David.

23:4 This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you entering
on the sabbath, of the priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of
the doors; 23:5 And a third part shall be at the king's house; and a
third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be
in the courts of the house of the LORD.

23:6 But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests,
and they that minister of the Levites; they shall go in, for they are
holy: but all the people shall keep the watch of the LORD.

23:7 And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man
with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever else cometh into the
house, he shall be put to death: but be ye with the king when he
cometh in, and when he goeth out.

23:8 So the Levites and all Judah did according to all things that
Jehoiada the priest had commanded, and took every man his men that
were to come in on the sabbath, with them that were to go out on the
sabbath: for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses.

23:9 Moreover Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of
hundreds spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had been king
David's, which were in the house of God.

23:10 And he set all the people, every man having his weapon in his
hand, from the right side of the temple to the left side of the
temple, along by the altar and the temple, by the king round about.

23:11 Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the
crown, and gave him the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and
his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king.

23:12 Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and
praising the king, she came to the people into the house of the LORD:
23:13 And she looked, and, behold, the king stood at his pillar at the
entering in, and the princes and the trumpets by the king: and all the
people of the land rejoiced, and sounded with trumpets, also the
singers with instruments of musick, and such as taught to sing praise.
Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, Treason.

23:14 Then Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds
that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth of the
ranges: and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword. For
the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD.

23:15 So they laid hands on her; and when she was come to the entering
of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there.

23:16 And Jehoiada made a covenant between him, and between all the
people, and between the king, that they should be the LORD's people.

23:17 Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and brake it
down, and brake his altars and his images in pieces, and slew Mattan
the priest of Baal before the altars.

23:18 Also Jehoiada appointed the offices of the house of the LORD by
the hand of the priests the Levites, whom David had distributed in the
house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is
written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, as it
was ordained by David.

23:19 And he set the porters at the gates of the house of the LORD,
that none which was unclean in any thing should enter in.

23:20 And he took the captains of hundreds, and the nobles, and the
governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought
down the king from the house of the LORD: and they came through the
high gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of
the kingdom.

23:21 And all the people of the land rejoiced: and the city was quiet,
after that they had slain Athaliah with the sword.

24:1 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Zibiah of
Beersheba.

24:2 And Joash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all
the days of Jehoiada the priest.

24:3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and
daughters.

24:4 And it came to pass after this, that Joash was minded to repair
the house of the LORD.

24:5 And he gathered together the priests and the Levites, and said to
them, Go out unto the cities of Judah, and gather of all Israel money
to repair the house of your God from year to year, and see that ye
hasten the matter. Howbeit the Levites hastened it not.

24:6 And the king called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him,
Why hast thou not required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and
out of Jerusalem the collection, according to the commandment of Moses
the servant of the LORD, and of the congregation of Israel, for the
tabernacle of witness?  24:7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked
woman, had broken up the house of God; and also all the dedicated
things of the house of the LORD did they bestow upon Baalim.

24:8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest, and set it
without at the gate of the house of the LORD.

24:9 And they made a proclamation through Judah and Jerusalem, to
bring in to the LORD the collection that Moses the servant of God laid
upon Israel in the wilderness.

24:10 And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in,
and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.

24:11 Now it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought
unto the king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw
that there was much money, the king's scribe and the high priest's
officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to his
place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in
abundance.

24:12 And the king and Jehoiada gave it to such as did the work of the
service of the house of the LORD, and hired masons and carpenters to
repair the house of the LORD, and also such as wrought iron and brass
to mend the house of the LORD.

24:13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and
they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.

24:14 And when they had finished it, they brought the rest of the
money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels for the
house of the LORD, even vessels to minister, and to offer withal, and
spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt
offerings in the house of the LORD continually all the days of
Jehoiada.

24:15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days when he died; an
hundred and thirty years old was he when he died.

24:16 And they buried him in the city of David among the kings,
because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and toward his
house.

24:17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah, and
made obeisance to the king. Then the king hearkened unto them.

24:18 And they left the house of the LORD God of their fathers, and
served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for
this their trespass.

24:19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD;
and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

24:20 And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada
the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus
saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye
cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also
forsaken you.

24:21 And they conspired against him, and stoned him with stones at
the commandment of the king in the court of the house of the LORD.

24:22 Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada
his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he
said, The LORD look upon it, and require it.

24:23 And it came to pass at the end of the year, that the host of
Syria came up against him: and they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and
destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people, and
sent all the spoil of them unto the king of Damascus.

24:24 For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men,
and the LORD delivered a very great host into their hand, because they
had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. So they executed judgment
against Joash.

24:25 And when they were departed from him, (for they left him in
great diseases,) his own servants conspired against him for the blood
of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he
died: and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him
not in the sepulchres of the kings.

24:26 And these are they that conspired against him; Zabad the son of
Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of Shimrith a Moabitess.

24:27 Now concerning his sons, and the greatness of the burdens laid
upon him, and the repairing of the house of God, behold, they are
written in the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son
reigned in his stead.

25:1 Amaziah was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name
was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

25:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not
with a perfect heart.

25:3 Now it came to pass, when the kingdom was established to him,
that he slew his servants that had killed the king his father.

25:4 But he slew not their children, but did as it is written in the
law in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, saying, The
fathers shall not die for the children, neither shall the children die
for the fathers, but every man shall die for his own sin.

25:5 Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains
over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of
their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them
from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand
choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and
shield.

25:6 He hired also an hundred thousand mighty men of valour out of
Israel for an hundred talents of silver.

25:7 But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the
army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit,
with all the children of Ephraim.

25:8 But if thou wilt go, do it; be strong for the battle: God shall
make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to
cast down.

25:9 And Amaziah said to the man of God, But what shall we do for the
hundred talents which I have given to the army of Israel? And the man
of God answered, The LORD is able to give thee much more than this.

25:10 Then Amaziah separated them, to wit, the army that was come to
him out of Ephraim, to go home again: wherefore their anger was
greatly kindled against Judah, and they returned home in great anger.

25:11 And Amaziah strengthened himself, and led forth his people, and
went to the valley of salt, and smote of the children of Seir ten
thousand.

25:12 And other ten thousand left alive did the children of Judah
carry away captive, and brought them unto the top of the rock, and
cast them down from the top of the rock, that they all were broken in
pieces.

25:13 But the soldiers of the army which Amaziah sent back, that they
should not go with him to battle, fell upon the cities of Judah, from
Samaria even unto Bethhoron, and smote three thousand of them, and
took much spoil.

25:14 Now it came to pass, after that Amaziah was come from the
slaughter of the Edomites, that he brought the gods of the children of
Seir, and set them up to be his gods, and bowed down himself before
them, and burned incense unto them.

25:15 Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and
he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought
after the gods of the people, which could not deliver their own people
out of thine hand?  25:16 And it came to pass, as he talked with him,
that the king said unto him, Art thou made of the king's counsel?
forbear; why shouldest thou be smitten? Then the prophet forbare, and
said, I know that God hath determined to destroy thee, because thou
hast done this, and hast not hearkened unto my counsel.

25:17 Then Amaziah king of Judah took advice, and sent to Joash, the
son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us
see one another in the face.

25:18 And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying,
The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon,
saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a
wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

25:19 Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites; and thine heart
lifteth thee up to boast: abide now at home; why shouldest thou meddle
to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with
thee?  25:20 But Amaziah would not hear; for it came of God, that he
might deliver them into the hand of their enemies, because they sought
after the gods of Edom.

25:21 So Joash the king of Israel went up; and they saw one another in
the face, both he and Amaziah king of Judah, at Bethshemesh, which
belongeth to Judah.

25:22 And Judah was put to the worse before Israel, and they fled
every man to his tent.

25:23 And Joash the king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son
of Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, at Bethshemesh, and brought him to
Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of
Ephraim to the corner gate, four hundred cubits.

25:24 And he took all the gold and the silver, and all the vessels
that were found in the house of God with Obededom, and the treasures
of the king's house, the hostages also, and returned to Samaria.

25:25 And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death
of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.

25:26 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, are
they not written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel?  25:27
Now after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the LORD
they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem; and he fled to
Lachish: but they sent to Lachish after him, and slew him there.

25:28 And they brought him upon horses, and buried him with his
fathers in the city of Judah.

26:1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years
old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah.

26:2 He built Eloth, and restored it to Judah, after that the king
slept with his fathers.

26:3 Sixteen years old was Uzziah when he began to reign, and he
reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was
Jecoliah of Jerusalem.

26:4 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Amaziah did.

26:5 And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding
in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him
to prosper.

26:6 And he went forth and warred against the Philistines, and brake
down the wall of Gath, and the wall of Jabneh, and the wall of Ashdod,
and built cities about Ashdod, and among the Philistines.

26:7 And God helped him against the Philistines, and against the
Arabians that dwelt in Gurbaal, and the Mehunims.

26:8 And the Ammonites gave gifts to Uzziah: and his name spread
abroad even to the entering in of Egypt; for he strengthened himself
exceedingly.

26:9 Moreover Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the corner gate, and
at the valley gate, and at the turning of the wall, and fortified
them.

26:10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for
he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains:
husbandmen also, and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel:
for he loved husbandry.

26:11 Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to
war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of
Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah,
one of the king's captains.

26:12 The whole number of the chief of the fathers of the mighty men
of valour were two thousand and six hundred.

26:13 And under their hand was an army, three hundred thousand and
seven thousand and five hundred, that made war with mighty power, to
help the king against the enemy.

26:14 And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields,
and spears, and helmets, and habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast
stones.

26:15 And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be
on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones
withal.

And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till
he was strong.

26:16 But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his
destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went
into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.

26:17 And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore
priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 26:18 And they withstood
Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee,
Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of
Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary;
for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from
the LORD God.

26:19 Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn
incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even
rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD,
from beside the incense altar.

26:20 And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon
him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him
out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD
had smitten him.

26:21 And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and
dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the
house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house,
judging the people of the land.

26:22 Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah
the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.

26:23 So Uzziah slept with his fathers, and they buried him with his
fathers in the field of the burial which belonged to the kings; for
they said, He is a leper: and Jotham his son reigned in his stead.

27:1 Jotham was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was
Jerushah, the daughter of Zadok.

27:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not
into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.

27:3 He built the high gate of the house of the LORD, and on the wall
of Ophel he built much.

27:4 Moreover he built cities in the mountains of Judah, and in the
forests he built castles and towers.

27:5 He fought also with the king of the Ammonites, and prevailed
against them. And the children of Ammon gave him the same year an
hundred talents of silver, and ten thousand measures of wheat, and ten
thousand of barley. So much did the children of Ammon pay unto him,
both the second year, and the third.

27:6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the
LORD his God.

27:7 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his
ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and
Judah.

27:8 He was five and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem.

27:9 And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead.

28:1 Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the
sight of the LORD, like David his father: 28:2 For he walked in the
ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim.

28:3 Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and
burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen
whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

28:4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on
the hills, and under every green tree.

28:5 Wherefore the LORD his God delivered him into the hand of the
king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude
of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also
delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a
great slaughter.

28:6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty
thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had
forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.

28:7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's
son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next
to the king.

28:8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren
two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away
much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria.

28:9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he
went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them,
Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he
hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage
that reacheth up unto heaven.

28:10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and
Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with
you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God?  28:11 Now hear me
therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive
of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.

28:12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah
the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah
the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them
that came from the war, 28:13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring
in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD
already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for
our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.

28:14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the
princes and all the congregation.

28:15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the
captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them,
and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink,
and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and
brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren:
then they returned to Samaria.

28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to
help him.

28:17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried
away captives.

28:18 The Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country,
and of the south of Judah, and had taken Bethshemesh, and Ajalon, and
Gederoth, and Shocho with the villages thereof, and Timnah with the
villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt
there.

28:19 For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel;
for he made Judah naked, and transgressed sore against the LORD.

28:20 And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and
distressed him, but strengthened him not.

28:21 For Ahaz took away a portion out of the house of the LORD, and
out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the
king of Assyria: but he helped him not.

28:22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against
the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.

28:23 For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him:
and he said, Because the gods of the kings of Syria help them,
therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me. But they
were the ruin of him, and of all Israel.

28:24 And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and
cut in pieces the vessels of the house of God, and shut up the doors
of the house of the LORD, and he made him altars in every corner of
Jerusalem.

28:25 And in every several city of Judah he made high places to burn
incense unto other gods, and provoked to anger the LORD God of his
fathers.

28:26 Now the rest of his acts and of all his ways, first and last,
behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

28:27 And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
city, even in Jerusalem: but they brought him not into the sepulchres
of the kings of Israel: and Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead.

29:1 Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old,
and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's
name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah.

29:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD,
according to all that David his father had done.

29:3 He in the first year of his reign, in the first month, opened the
doors of the house of the LORD, and repaired them.

29:4 And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them
together into the east street, 29:5 And said unto them, Hear me, ye
Levites, sanctify now yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD
God of your fathers, and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy
place.

29:6 For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in
the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned
away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their
backs.

29:7 Also they have shut up the doors of the porch, and put out the
lamps, and have not burned incense nor offered burnt offerings in the
holy place unto the God of Israel.

29:8 Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and
he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as
ye see with your eyes.

29:9 For, lo, our fathers have fallen by the sword, and our sons and
our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this.

29:10 Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with the LORD God of
Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from us.

29:11 My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to
stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him,
and burn incense.

29:12 Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the
son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of
Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of
the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:
29:13 And of the sons of Elizaphan; Shimri, and Jeiel: and of the sons
of Asaph; Zechariah, and Mattaniah: 29:14 And of the sons of Heman;
Jehiel, and Shimei: and of the sons of Jeduthun; Shemaiah, and Uzziel.

29:15 And they gathered their brethren, and sanctified themselves, and
came, according to the commandment of the king, by the words of the
LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD.

29:16 And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the
LORD, to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they
found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the
LORD. And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad into the brook
Kidron.

29:17 Now they began on the first day of the first month to sanctify,
and on the eighth day of the month came they to the porch of the LORD:
so they sanctified the house of the LORD in eight days; and in the
sixteenth day of the first month they made an end.

29:18 Then they went in to Hezekiah the king, and said, We have
cleansed all the house of the LORD, and the altar of burnt offering,
with all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread table, with all the
vessels thereof.

29:19 Moreover all the vessels, which king Ahaz in his reign did cast
away in his transgression, have we prepared and sanctified, and,
behold, they are before the altar of the LORD.

29:20 Then Hezekiah the king rose early, and gathered the rulers of
the city, and went up to the house of the LORD.

29:21 And they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven
lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for
the sanctuary, and for Judah. And he commanded the priests the sons of
Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD.

29:22 So they killed the bullocks, and the priests received the blood,
and sprinkled it on the altar: likewise, when they had killed the
rams, they sprinkled the blood upon the altar: they killed also the
lambs, and they sprinkled the blood upon the altar.

29:23 And they brought forth the he goats for the sin offering before
the king and the congregation; and they laid their hands upon them:
29:24 And the priests killed them, and they made reconciliation with
their blood upon the altar, to make an atonement for all Israel: for
the king commanded that the burnt offering and the sin offering should
be made for all Israel.

29:25 And he set the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals,
with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of
David, and of Gad the king's seer, and Nathan the prophet: for so was
the commandment of the LORD by his prophets.

29:26 And the Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the
priests with the trumpets.

29:27 And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt offering upon the
altar.

And when the burnt offering began, the song of the LORD began also
with the trumpets, and with the instruments ordained by David king of
Israel.

29:28 And all the congregation worshipped, and the singers sang, and
the trumpeters sounded: and all this continued until the burnt
offering was finished.

29:29 And when they had made an end of offering, the king and all that
were present with him bowed themselves, and worshipped.

29:30 Moreover Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites
to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the
seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads
and worshipped.

29:31 Then Hezekiah answered and said, Now ye have consecrated
yourselves unto the LORD, come near and bring sacrifices and thank
offerings into the house of the LORD. And the congregation brought in
sacrifices and thank offerings; and as many as were of a free heart
burnt offerings.

29:32 And the number of the burnt offerings, which the congregation
brought, was threescore and ten bullocks, an hundred rams, and two
hundred lambs: all these were for a burnt offering to the LORD.

29:33 And the consecrated things were six hundred oxen and three
thousand sheep.

29:34 But the priests were too few, so that they could not flay all
the burnt offerings: wherefore their brethren the Levites did help
them, till the work was ended, and until the other priests had
sanctified themselves: for the Levites were more upright in heart to
sanctify themselves than the priests.

29:35 And also the burnt offerings were in abundance, with the fat of
the peace offerings, and the drink offerings for every burnt offering.
So the service of the house of the LORD was set in order.

29:36 And Hezekiah rejoiced, and all the people, that God had prepared
the people: for the thing was done suddenly.

30:1 And Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also
to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the
LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover unto the LORD God of Israel.

30:2 For the king had taken counsel, and his princes, and all the
congregation in Jerusalem, to keep the passover in the second month.

30:3 For they could not keep it at that time, because the priests had
not sanctified themselves sufficiently, neither had the people
gathered themselves together to Jerusalem.

30:4 And the thing pleased the king and all the congregation.

30:5 So they established a decree to make proclamation throughout all
Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan, that they should come to keep the
passover unto the LORD God of Israel at Jerusalem: for they had not
done it of a long time in such sort as it was written.

30:6 So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes
throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of
the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God
of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of
you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

30:7 And be not ye like your fathers, and like your brethren, which
trespassed against the LORD God of their fathers, who therefore gave
them up to desolation, as ye see.

30:8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield
yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, which he hath
sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness
of his wrath may turn away from you.

30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your
children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so
that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is
gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye
return unto him.

30:10 So the posts passed from city to city through the country of
Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to
scorn, and mocked them.

30:11 Nevertheless divers of Asher and Manasseh and of Zebulun humbled
themselves, and came to Jerusalem.

30:12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do
the commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the
LORD.

30:13 And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast
of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation.

30:14 And they arose and took away the altars that were in Jerusalem,
and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast them into the
brook Kidron.

30:15 Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the
second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and
sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the
house of the LORD.

30:16 And they stood in their place after their manner, according to
the law of Moses the man of God: the priests sprinkled the blood,
which they received of the hand of the Levites.

30:17 For there were many in the congregation that were not
sanctified: therefore the Levites had the charge of the killing of the
passovers for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the
LORD.

30:18 For a multitude of the people, even many of Ephraim, and
Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet did
they eat the passover otherwise than it was written. But Hezekiah
prayed for them, saying, The good LORD pardon every one 30:19 That
prepareth his heart to seek God, the LORD God of his fathers, though
he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary.

30:20 And the LORD hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.

30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept
the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the
Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud
instruments unto the LORD.

30:22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught
the good knowledge of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast
seven days, offering peace offerings, and making confession to the
LORD God of their fathers.

30:23 And the whole assembly took counsel to keep other seven days:
and they kept other seven days with gladness.

30:24 For Hezekiah king of Judah did give to the congregation a
thousand bullocks and seven thousand sheep; and the princes gave to
the congregation a thousand bullocks and ten thousand sheep: and a
great number of priests sanctified themselves.

30:25 And all the congregation of Judah, with the priests and the
Levites, and all the congregation that came out of Israel, and the
strangers that came out of the land of Israel, and that dwelt in
Judah, rejoiced.

30:26 So there was great joy in Jerusalem: for since the time of
Solomon the son of David king of Israel there was not the like in
Jerusalem.

30:27 Then the priests the Levites arose and blessed the people: and
their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling
place, even unto heaven.

31:1 Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went
out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut
down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of
all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had
utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned,
every man to his possession, into their own cities.

31:2 And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites
after their courses, every man according to his service, the priests
and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister,
and to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the tents of the
LORD.

31:3 He appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the
burnt offerings, to wit, for the morning and evening burnt offerings,
and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths, and for the new moons, and
for the set feasts, as it is written in the law of the LORD.

31:4 Moreover he commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give
the portion of the priests and the Levites, that they might be
encouraged in the law of the LORD.

31:5 And as soon as the commandment came abroad, the children of
Israel brought in abundance the firstfruits of corn, wine, and oil,
and honey, and of all the increase of the field; and the tithe of all
things brought they in abundantly.

31:6 And concerning the children of Israel and Judah, that dwelt in
the cities of Judah, they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep,
and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the LORD
their God, and laid them by heaps.

31:7 In the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps,
and finished them in the seventh month.

31:8 And when Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they
blessed the LORD, and his people Israel.

31:9 Then Hezekiah questioned with the priests and the Levites
concerning the heaps.

31:10 And Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok answered him,
and said, Since the people began to bring the offerings into the house
of the LORD, we have had enough to eat, and have left plenty: for the
LORD hath blessed his people; and that which is left is this great
store.

31:11 Then Hezekiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the
LORD; and they prepared them, 31:12 And brought in the offerings and
the tithes and the dedicated things faithfully: over which Cononiah
the Levite was ruler, and Shimei his brother was the next.

31:13 And Jehiel, and Azaziah, and Nahath, and Asahel, and Jerimoth,
and Jozabad, and Eliel, and Ismachiah, and Mahath, and Benaiah, were
overseers under the hand of Cononiah and Shimei his brother, at the
commandment of Hezekiah the king, and Azariah the ruler of the house
of God.

31:14 And Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the porter toward the
east, was over the freewill offerings of God, to distribute the
oblations of the LORD, and the most holy things.

31:15 And next him were Eden, and Miniamin, and Jeshua, and Shemaiah,
Amariah, and Shecaniah, in the cities of the priests, in their set
office, to give to their brethren by courses, as well to the great as
to the small: 31:16 Beside their genealogy of males, from three years
old and upward, even unto every one that entereth into the house of
the LORD, his daily portion for their service in their charges
according to their courses; 31:17 Both to the genealogy of the priests
by the house of their fathers, and the Levites from twenty years old
and upward, in their charges by their courses; 31:18 And to the
genealogy of all their little ones, their wives, and their sons, and
their daughters, through all the congregation: for in their set office
they sanctified themselves in holiness: 31:19 Also of the sons of
Aaron the priests, which were in the fields of the suburbs of their
cities, in every several city, the men that were expressed by name, to
give portions to all the males among the priests, and to all that were
reckoned by genealogies among the Levites.

31:20 And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that
which was good and right and truth before the LORD his God.

31:21 And in every work that he began in the service of the house of
God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did
it with all his heart, and prospered.

32:1 After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib
king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the
fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself.

32:2 And when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib was come, and that he was
purposed to fight against Jerusalem, 32:3 He took counsel with his
princes and his mighty men to stop the waters of the fountains which
were without the city: and they did help him.

32:4 So there was gathered much people together, who stopped all the
fountains, and the brook that ran through the midst of the land,
saying, Why should the kings of Assyria come, and find much water?
32:5 Also he strengthened himself, and built up all the wall that was
broken, and raised it up to the towers, and another wall without, and
repaired Millo in the city of David, and made darts and shields in
abundance.

32:6 And he set captains of war over the people, and gathered them
together to him in the street of the gate of the city, and spake
comfortably to them, saying, 32:7 Be strong and courageous, be not
afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude
that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 32:8 With
him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us,
and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the
words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

32:9 After this did Sennacherib king of Assyria send his servants to
Jerusalem, (but he himself laid siege against Lachish, and all his
power with him,) unto Hezekiah king of Judah, and unto all Judah that
were at Jerusalem, saying, 32:10 Thus saith Sennacherib king of
Assyria, Whereon do ye trust, that ye abide in the siege in Jerusalem?
32:11 Doth not Hezekiah persuade you to give over yourselves to die by
famine and by thirst, saying, The LORD our God shall deliver us out of
the hand of the king of Assyria?  32:12 Hath not the same Hezekiah
taken away his high places and his altars, and commanded Judah and
Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall worship before one altar, and burn incense
upon it?  32:13 Know ye not what I and my fathers have done unto all
the people of other lands? were the gods of the nations of those lands
any ways able to deliver their lands out of mine hand?  32:14 Who was
there among all the gods of those nations that my fathers utterly
destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your
God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand?  32:15 Now
therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this
manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom
was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand
of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine
hand?  32:16 And his servants spake yet more against the LORD God, and
against his servant Hezekiah.

32:17 He wrote also letters to rail on the LORD God of Israel, and to
speak against him, saying, As the gods of the nations of other lands
have not delivered their people out of mine hand, so shall not the God
of Hezekiah deliver his people out of mine hand.

32:18 Then they cried with a loud voice in the Jews' speech unto the
people of Jerusalem that were on the wall, to affright them, and to
trouble them; that they might take the city.

32:19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods
of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.

32:20 And for this cause Hezekiah the king, and the prophet Isaiah the
son of Amoz, prayed and cried to heaven.

32:21 And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of
valour, and the leaders and captains in the camp of the king of
Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when
he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own
bowels slew him there with the sword.

32:22 Thus the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria, and from the hand of
all other, and guided them on every side.

32:23 And many brought gifts unto the LORD to Jerusalem, and presents
to Hezekiah king of Judah: so that he was magnified in the sight of
all nations from thenceforth.

32:24 In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto
the LORD: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign.

32:25 But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done
unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon
him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem.

32:26 Notwithstanding Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his
heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of
the LORD came not upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

32:27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches and honour: and he made
himself treasuries for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones,
and for spices, and for shields, and for all manner of pleasant
jewels; 32:28 Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and
oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks.

32:29 Moreover he provided him cities, and possessions of flocks and
herds in abundance: for God had given him substance very much.

32:30 This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon,
and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David.
And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

32:31 Howbeit in the business of the ambassadors of the princes of
Babylon, who sent unto him to enquire of the wonder that was done in
the land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in
his heart.

32:32 Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his goodness, behold,
they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz,
and in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

32:33 And Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the
chiefest of the sepulchres of the sons of David: and all Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. And Manasseh his
son reigned in his stead.

33:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 33:2 But did that which was
evil in the sight of the LORD, like unto the abominations of the
heathen, whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

33:3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had
broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and
worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.

33:4 Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD
had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.

33:5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts
of the house of the LORD.

33:6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley
of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments,
and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with
wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him
to anger.

33:7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the
house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son,
In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the
tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 33:8 Neither will I any
more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have
appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that
I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and
the ordinances by the hand of Moses.

33:9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err,
and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before
the children of Israel.

33:10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they
would not hearken.

33:11 Wherefore the LORD brought upon them the captains of the host of
the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound
him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon.

33:12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and
humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 33:13 And
prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his
supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.
Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.

33:14 Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the
west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish
gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height,
and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah.

33:15 And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house
of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the
house of the LORD, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city.

33:16 And he repaired the altar of the LORD, and sacrificed thereon
peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the
LORD God of Israel.

33:17 Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places,
yet unto the LORD their God only.

33:18 Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his
God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the
LORD God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings
of Israel.

33:19 His prayer also, and how God was intreated of him, and all his
sins, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places,
and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold,
they are written among the sayings of the seers.

33:20 So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his
own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead.

33:21 Amon was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
reigned two years in Jerusalem.

33:22 But he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did
Manasseh his father: for Amon sacrificed unto all the carved images
which Manasseh his father had made, and served them; 33:23 And humbled
not himself before the LORD, as Manasseh his father had humbled
himself; but Amon trespassed more and more.

33:24 And his servants conspired against him, and slew him in his own
house.

33:25 But the people of the land slew all them that had conspired
against king Amon; and the people of the land made Josiah his son king
in his stead.

34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned
in Jerusalem one and thirty years.

34:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and
walked in the ways of David his father, and declined neither to the
right hand, nor to the left.

34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he
began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth
year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and
the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images.

34:4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the
images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and
the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made
dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had
sacrificed unto them.

34:5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and
cleansed Judah and Jerusalem.

34:6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon,
even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about.

34:7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had
beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols
throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

34:8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the
land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah
the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to
repair the house of the LORD his God.

34:9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the
money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that
kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and
of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they
returned to Jerusalem.

34:10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the
oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen
that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house:
34:11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn
stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the
kings of Judah had destroyed.

34:12 And the men did the work faithfully: and the overseers of them
were Jahath and Obadiah, the Levites, of the sons of Merari; and
Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to set it
forward; and other of the Levites, all that could skill of instruments
of musick.

34:13 Also they were over the bearers of burdens, and were overseers
of all that wrought the work in any manner of service: and of the
Levites there were scribes, and officers, and porters.

34:14 And when they brought out the money that was brought into the
house of the LORD, Hilkiah the priest found a book of the law of the
LORD given by Moses.

34:15 And Hilkiah answered and said to Shaphan the scribe, I have
found the book of the law in the house of the LORD. And Hilkiah
delivered the book to Shaphan.

34:16 And Shaphan carried the book to the king, and brought the king
word back again, saying, All that was committed to thy servants, they
do it.

34:17 And they have gathered together the money that was found in the
house of the LORD, and have delivered it into the hand of the
overseers, and to the hand of the workmen.

34:18 Then Shaphan the scribe told the king, saying, Hilkiah the
priest hath given me a book. And Shaphan read it before the king.

34:19 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the
law, that he rent his clothes.

34:20 And the king commanded Hilkiah, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan,
and Abdon the son of Micah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah a
servant of the king's, saying, 34:21 Go, enquire of the LORD for me,
and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the
words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD
that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word
of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.

34:22 And Hilkiah, and they that the king had appointed, went to
Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvath, the son
of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the
college:) and they spake to her to that effect.

34:23 And she answered them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell
ye the man that sent you to me, 34:24 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I
will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof,
even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read
before the king of Judah: 34:25 Because they have forsaken me, and
have burned incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to
anger with all the works of their hands; therefore my wrath shall be
poured out upon this place, and shall not be quenched.

34:26 And as for the king of Judah, who sent you to enquire of the
LORD, so shall ye say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel
concerning the words which thou hast heard; 34:27 Because thine heart
was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou
heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants
thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes,
and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.

34:28 Behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be
gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the
evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the inhabitants of
the same. So they brought the king word again.

34:29 Then the king sent and gathered together all the elders of Judah
and Jerusalem.

34:30 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men
of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the priests, and the
Levites, and all the people, great and small: and he read in their
ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the
house of the LORD.

34:31 And the king stood in his place, and made a covenant before the
LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments, and his
testimonies, and his statutes, with all his heart, and with all his
soul, to perform the words of the covenant which are written in this
book.

34:32 And he caused all that were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin to
stand to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the
covenant of God, the God of their fathers.

34:33 And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the
countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that
were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And
all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of
their fathers.

35:1 Moreover Josiah kept a passover unto the LORD in Jerusalem: and
they killed the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month.

35:2 And he set the priests in their charges, and encouraged them to
the service of the house of the LORD, 35:3 And said unto the Levites
that taught all Israel, which were holy unto the LORD, Put the holy
ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel did
build; it shall not be a burden upon your shoulders: serve now the
LORD your God, and his people Israel, 35:4 And prepare yourselves by
the houses of your fathers, after your courses, according to the
writing of David king of Israel, and according to the writing of
Solomon his son.

35:5 And stand in the holy place according to the divisions of the
families of the fathers of your brethren the people, and after the
division of the families of the Levites.

35:6 So kill the passover, and sanctify yourselves, and prepare your
brethren, that they may do according to the word of the LORD by the
hand of Moses.

35:7 And Josiah gave to the people, of the flock, lambs and kids, all
for the passover offerings, for all that were present, to the number
of thirty thousand, and three thousand bullocks: these were of the
king's substance.

35:8 And his princes gave willingly unto the people, to the priests,
and to the Levites: Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, rulers of the
house of God, gave unto the priests for the passover offerings two
thousand and six hundred small cattle and three hundred oxen.

35:9 Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethaneel, his brethren, and
Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, chief of the Levites, gave unto the
Levites for passover offerings five thousand small cattle, and five
hundred oxen.

35:10 So the service was prepared, and the priests stood in their
place, and the Levites in their courses, according to the king's
commandment.

35:11 And they killed the passover, and the priests sprinkled the
blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed them.

35:12 And they removed the burnt offerings, that they might give
according to the divisions of the families of the people, to offer
unto the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And so did they
with the oxen.

35:13 And they roasted the passover with fire according to the
ordinance: but the other holy offerings sod they in pots, and in
caldrons, and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people.

35:14 And afterward they made ready for themselves, and for the
priests: because the priests the sons of Aaron were busied in offering
of burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites
prepared for themselves, and for the priests the sons of Aaron.

35:15 And the singers the sons of Asaph were in their place, according
to the commandment of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and Jeduthun the
king's seer; and the porters waited at every gate; they might not
depart from their service; for their brethren the Levites prepared for
them.

35:16 So all the service of the LORD was prepared the same day, to
keep the passover, and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar of the
LORD, according to the commandment of king Josiah.

35:17 And the children of Israel that were present kept the passover
at that time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days.

35:18 And there was no passover like to that kept in Israel from the
days of Samuel the prophet; neither did all the kings of Israel keep
such a passover as Josiah kept, and the priests, and the Levites, and
all Judah and Israel that were present, and the inhabitants of
Jerusalem.

35:19 In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah was this passover
kept.

35:20 After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king
of Egypt came up to fight against Charchemish by Euphrates: and Josiah
went out against him.

35:21 But he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with
thee, thou king of Judah? I come not against thee this day, but
against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded me to make
haste: forbear thee from meddling with God, who is with me, that he
destroy thee not.

35:22 Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but
disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not
unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in
the valley of Megiddo.

35:23 And the archers shot at king Josiah; and the king said to his
servants, Have me away; for I am sore wounded.

35:24 His servants therefore took him out of that chariot, and put him
in the second chariot that he had; and they brought him to Jerusalem,
and he died, and was buried in one of the sepulchres of his fathers.
And all Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah.

35:25 And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and
the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day,
and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they are written in
the lamentations.

35:26 Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and his goodness, according
to that which was written in the law of the LORD, 35:27 And his deeds,
first and last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of
Israel and Judah.

36:1 Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and
made him king in his father's stead in Jerusalem.

36:2 Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned three months in Jerusalem.

36:3 And the king of Egypt put him down at Jerusalem, and condemned
the land in an hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

36:4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah
and Jerusalem, and turned his name to Jehoiakim. And Necho took
Jehoahaz his brother, and carried him to Egypt.

36:5 Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign,
and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and he did that which was
evil in the sight of the LORD his God.

36:6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and bound him
in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

36:7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of the
LORD to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.

36:8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and his abominations which
he did, and that which was found in him, behold, they are written in
the book of the kings of Israel and Judah: and Jehoiachin his son
reigned in his stead.

36:9 Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign, and he
reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem: and he did that which
was evil in the sight of the LORD.

36:10 And when the year was expired, king Nebuchadnezzar sent, and
brought him to Babylon, with the goodly vessels of the house of the
LORD, and made Zedekiah his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem.

36:11 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign,
and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem.

36:12 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD his God,
and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the
mouth of the LORD.

36:13 And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made
him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart
from turning unto the LORD God of Israel.

36:14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people,
transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and
polluted the house of the LORD which he had hallowed in Jerusalem.

36:15 And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his
messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion
on his people, and on his dwelling place: 36:16 But they mocked the
messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets,
until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was
no remedy.

36:17 Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who
slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary,
and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that
stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand.

36:18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and
the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king,
and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon.

36:19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of
Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed
all the goodly vessels thereof.

36:20 And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to
Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign
of the kingdom of Persia: 36:21 To fulfil the word of the LORD by the
mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as
long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and
ten years.

36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of
the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the
LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a
proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing,
saying, 36:23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the
earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to
build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among
you of all his people?  The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.




Ezra


1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of
the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred
up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation
throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 1:2
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me
all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an
house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

1:3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and
let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of
the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

1:4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the
men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods,
and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God
that is in Jerusalem.

1:5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and
the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had
raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

1:6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with
vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with
precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

1:7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the
LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had
put them in the house of his gods; 1:8 Even those did Cyrus king of
Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and
numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

1:9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a
thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives, 1:10 Thirty
basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten,
and other vessels a thousand.

1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four
hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity
that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

2:1 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the
captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar
the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto
Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; 2:2 Which came with
Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan,
Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of
Israel: 2:3 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy
and two.

2:4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

2:5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.

2:6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab,
two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

2:7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

2:8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

2:9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

2:10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.

2:11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.

2:12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.

2:13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

2:14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

2:15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

2:16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

2:17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

2:18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

2:19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

2:20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.

2:21 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

2:22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.

2:23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

2:24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.

2:25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven
hundred and forty and three.

2:26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

2:27 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

2:28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

2:29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.

2:30 The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

2:31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and
four.

2:32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

2:33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and
five.

2:34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

2:35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and
thirty.

2:36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua,
nine hundred seventy and three.

2:37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

2:38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

2:39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

2:40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children
of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

2:41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

2:42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the
children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the
children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty
and nine.

2:43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the
children of Tabbaoth, 2:44 The children of Keros, the children of
Siaha, the children of Padon, 2:45 The children of Lebanah, the
children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, 2:46 The children of
Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, 2:47 The
children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
2:48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of
Gazzam, 2:49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the
children of Besai, 2:50 The children of Asnah, the children of
Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, 2:51 The children of Bakbuk, the
children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 2:52 The children of
Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 2:53 The
children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
2:54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

2:55 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the
children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda, 2:56 The children of
Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 2:57 The
children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of
Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

2:58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were
three hundred ninety and two.

2:59 And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa,
Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's
house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: 2:60 The children
of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six
hundred fifty and two.

2:61 And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the
children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the
daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
2:62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by
genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted,
put from the priesthood.

2:63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the
most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with
Thummim.

2:64 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three
hundred and threescore, 2:65 Beside their servants and their maids, of
whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and
there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.

2:66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two
hundred forty and five; 2:67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and
five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

2:68 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house
of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God
to set it up in his place: 2:69 They gave after their ability unto the
treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and
five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.

2:70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the
singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities,
and all Israel in their cities.

3:1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel
were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man
to Jerusalem.

3:2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the
priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and
builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings
thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

3:3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them
because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt
offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and
evening.

3:4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and
offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom,
as the duty of every day required; 3:5 And afterward offered the
continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set
feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that
willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.

3:6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt
offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD
was not yet laid.

3:7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and
meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to
bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the
grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

3:8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at
Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel,
and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the
priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the
captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years
old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.

3:9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his
sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the
house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren
the Levites.

3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the
LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the
Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the
ordinance of David king of Israel.

3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks
unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever
toward Israel.

And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the
LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

3:12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who
were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation
of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and
many shouted aloud for joy: 3:13 So that the people could not discern
the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the
people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was
heard afar off.

4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the
children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of
Israel; 4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the
fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your
God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of
Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the
fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to
build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto
the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath
commanded us.

4:4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of
Judah, and troubled them in building, 4:5 And hired counsellors
against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king
of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

4:6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign,
wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and
Jerusalem.

4:7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel,
and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and
the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and
interpreted in the Syrian tongue.

4:8 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter
against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort: 4:9 Then wrote
Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their
companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the
Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the
Dehavites, and the Elamites, 4:10 And the rest of the nations whom the
great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of
Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a
time.

4:11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto
Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and
at such a time.

4:12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee
to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad
city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.

4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and
the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and
custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

4:14 Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it
was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we
sent and certified the king; 4:15 That search may be made in the book
of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the
records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful
unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the
same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.

4:16 We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the
walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this
side the river.

4:17 Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to
Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in
Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a
time.

4:18 The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before
me.

4:19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that
this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that
rebellion and sedition have been made therein.

4:20 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have
ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and
custom, was paid unto them.

4:21 Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that
this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given
from me.

4:22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow
to the hurt of the kings?  4:23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes'
letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their
companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made
them to cease by force and power.

4:24 Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem.
So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of
Persia.

5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of
Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the
name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

5:2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son
of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem:
and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

5:3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the
river, and Shetharboznai and their companions, and said thus unto
them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this
wall?  5:4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the
names of the men that make this building?  5:5 But the eye of their
God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to
cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer
by letter concerning this matter.

5:6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the
river, and Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, which
were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: 5:7 They sent
a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all
peace.

5:8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of
Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great
stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on,
and prospereth in their hands.

5:9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded
you to build this house, and to make up these walls?  5:10 We asked
their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of
the men that were the chief of them.

5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of
the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded
these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

5:12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto
wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the
people away into Babylon.

5:13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king
Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

5:14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God,
which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and
brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take
out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose
name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; 5:15 And said unto
him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in
Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

5:16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the
house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now
hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

5:17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search
made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether
it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house
of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us
concerning this matter.

6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the
house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

6:2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the
province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a
decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be
builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the
foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore
cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; 6:4 With three rows
of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be
given out of the king's house: 6:5 And also let the golden and silver
vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of
the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be
restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem,
every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

6:6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai,
and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be
ye far from thence: 6:7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let
the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house
of God in his place.

6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these
Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods,
even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto
these men, that they be not hindered.

6:9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams,
and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt,
wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are
at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: 6:10 That
they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and
pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word,
let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be
hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all
kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy
this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree;
let it be done with speed.

6:13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and
their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so
they did speedily.

6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through
the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo.
And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the
God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius,
and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar,
which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

6:16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the
rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this
house of God with joy.

6:17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred
bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering
for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes
of Israel.

6:18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in
their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is
written in the book of Moses.

6:19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the
fourteenth day of the first month.

6:20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of
them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the
captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of
captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the
filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel,
did eat, 6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with
joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the
king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of
the house of God, the God of Israel.

7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia,
Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, 7:2
The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, 7:3 The son
of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, 7:4 The son of
Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, 7:5 The son of Abishua,
the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief
priest: 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe
in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the
king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD
his God upon him.

7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the
priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the
Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

7:8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the
seventh year of the king.

7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from
Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem,
according to the good hand of his God upon him.

7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and
to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave
unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the
commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the
law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of
his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own
freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven
counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to
the law of thy God which is in thine hand; 7:15 And to carry the
silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely
offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, 7:16
And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province
of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the
priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in
Jerusalem: 7:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money
bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink
offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God
which is in Jerusalem.

7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to
do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of
your God.

7:19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house
of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem.

7:20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God,
which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king's
treasure house.

7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the
treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the
priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of
you, it be done speedily, 7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and
to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and
to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.

7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be
diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should
there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?  7:24 Also
we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers,
porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be
lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.

7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine
hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that
are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach
ye them that know them not.

7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the
king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto
death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to
imprisonment.

7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, which hath put such a
thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD
which is in Jerusalem: 7:28 And hath extended mercy unto me before the
king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes.
And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and
I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

8:1 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the
genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of
Artaxerxes the king.

8:2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel:
of the sons of David; Hattush.

8:3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and
with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.

8:4 Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with
him two hundred males.

8:5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three
hundred males.

8:6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him
fifty males.

8:7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with
him seventy males.

8:8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and
with him fourscore males.

8:9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two
hundred and eighteen males.

8:10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him
an hundred and threescore males.

8:11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with
him twenty and eight males.

8:12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with
him an hundred and ten males.

8:13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these,
Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.

8:14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them
seventy males.

8:15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava;
and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and
the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.

8:16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for
Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for
Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for
Elnathan, men of understanding.

8:17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place
Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his
brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring
unto us ministers for the house of our God.

8:18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of
understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of
Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; 8:19
And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his
brethren and their sons, twenty; 8:20 Also of the Nethinims, whom
David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites,
two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

8:21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we
might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for
us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.

8:22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and
horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had
spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for
good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them
that forsake him.

8:23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated
of us.

8:24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah,
Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, 8:25 And weighed unto
them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of
the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his
lords, and all Israel there present, had offered: 8:26 I even weighed
unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver
vessels an hundred talents, and of gold an hundred talents; 8:27 Also
twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine
copper, precious as gold.

8:28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the vessels are
holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto
the LORD God of your fathers.

8:29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of
the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at
Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.

8:30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and
the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house
of our God.

8:31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of
the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was
upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such
as lay in wait by the way.

8:32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.

8:33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels
weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of
Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and
with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of
Binnui, Levites; 8:34 By number and by weight of every one: and all
the weight was written at that time.

8:35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were
come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of
Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy
and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a
burnt offering unto the LORD.

8:36 And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's
lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they
furthered the people, and the house of God.

9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying,
The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not
separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to
their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the
Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians,
and the Amorites.

9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for
their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the
people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath
been chief in this trespass.

9:3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and
plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down
astonied.

9:4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words
of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had
been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.

9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and
having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread
out my hands unto the LORD my God, 9:6 And said, O my God, I am
ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our
iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up
unto the heavens.

9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass
unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our
priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to
the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as
it is this day.

9:8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD
our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his
holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little
reviving in our bondage.

9:9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our
bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of
Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to
repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in
Jerusalem.

9:10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have
forsaken thy commandments, 9:11 Which thou hast commanded by thy
servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess
it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands,
with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another
with their uncleanness.

9:12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither
take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their
wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land,
and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.

9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for
our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less
than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as
this; 9:14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in
affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be
angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no
remnant nor escaping?  9:15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous:
for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before
thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of
this.

10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and
casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him
out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children:
for the people wept very sore.

10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam,
answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and
have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is
hope in Israel concerning this thing.

10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all
the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of
my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and
let it be done according to the law.

10:4 Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with
thee: be of good courage, and do it.

10:5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all
Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they
sware.

10:6 Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the
chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he
did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the
transgression of them that had been carried away.

10:7 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto
all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves
together unto Jerusalem; 10:8 And that whosoever would not come within
three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders,
all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the
congregation of those that had been carried away.

10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves
together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on
the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street
of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the
great rain.

10:10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have
transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass
of Israel.

10:11 Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers,
and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the
land, and from the strange wives.

10:12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice,
As thou hast said, so must we do.

10:13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we
are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or
two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.

10:14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all
them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed
times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof,
until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.

10:15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah
were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the
Levite helped them.

10:16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest,
with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers,
and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the
first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.

10:17 And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange
wives by the first day of the first month.

10:18 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had
taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak,
and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.

10:19 And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives;
and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass.

10:20 And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah.

10:21 And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah,
and Jehiel, and Uzziah.

10:22 And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael,
Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

10:23 Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same
is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.

10:24 Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and
Telem, and Uri.

10:25 Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; Ramiah, and Jeziah,
and Malchiah, and Miamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.

10:26 And of the sons of Elam; Mattaniah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, and
Abdi, and Jeremoth, and Eliah.

10:27 And of the sons of Zattu; Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, and
Jeremoth, and Zabad, and Aziza.

10:28 Of the sons also of Bebai; Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and
Athlai.

10:29 And of the sons of Bani; Meshullam, Malluch, and Adaiah, Jashub,
and Sheal, and Ramoth.

10:30 And of the sons of Pahathmoab; Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah,
Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezaleel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.

10:31 And of the sons of Harim; Eliezer, Ishijah, Malchiah, Shemaiah,
Shimeon, 10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.

10:33 Of the sons of Hashum; Mattenai, Mattathah, Zabad, Eliphelet,
Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.

10:34 Of the sons of Bani; Maadai, Amram, and Uel, 10:35 Benaiah,
Bedeiah, Chelluh, 10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 10:37 Mattaniah,
Mattenai, and Jaasau, 10:38 And Bani, and Binnui, Shimei, 10:39 And
Shelemiah, and Nathan, and Adaiah, 10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
10:41 Azareel, and Shelemiah, Shemariah, 10:42 Shallum, Amariah, and
Joseph.

10:43 Of the sons of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jadau,
and Joel, Benaiah.

10:44 All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by
whom they had children.




The Book of Nehemiah


1:1 The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass
in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the
palace, 1:2 That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men
of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which
were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

1:3 And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity
there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall
of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned
with fire.

1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and
wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God
of heaven, 1:5 And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the
great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that
love him and observe his commandments: 1:6 Let thine ear now be
attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of
thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the
children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children
of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's
house have sinned.

1:7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the
commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou
commandedst thy servant Moses.

1:8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy
servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad
among the nations: 1:9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my
commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the
uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and
will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name
there.

1:10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast
redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

1:11 O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the
prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire
to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and
grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's
cupbearer.

2:1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of
Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine,
and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his
presence.

2:2 Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad,
seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart.
Then I was very sore afraid, 2:3 And said unto the king, Let the king
live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city,
the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates
thereof are consumed with fire?  2:4 Then the king said unto me, For
what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

2:5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy
servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me
unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build
it.

2:6 And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For
how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it
pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.

2:7 Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the king, let letters
be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may convey me
over till I come into Judah; 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of
the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the
gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall
of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king
granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

2:9 Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the
king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and
horsemen with me.

2:10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the
Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come
a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.

2:11 So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.

2:12 And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither
told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem:
neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.

2:13 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before
the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of
Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed
with fire.

2:14 Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's
pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass.

2:15 Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall,
and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so
returned.

2:16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither
had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the
nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.

2:17 Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how
Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire:
come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a
reproach.

2:18 Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as
also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let
us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good
work.

2:19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the
Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn,
and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye
rebel against the king?  2:20 Then answered I them, and said unto
them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants
will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial,
in Jerusalem.

3:1 Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the
priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they sanctified it, and set
up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it,
unto the tower of Hananeel.

3:2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them
builded Zaccur the son of Imri.

3:3 But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid
the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof,
and the bars thereof.

3:4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of
Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the
son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of
Baana.

3:5 And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not
their necks to the work of their LORD.

3:6 Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and
Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set
up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

3:7 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the
Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah, unto the throne of the
governor on this side the river.

3:8 Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the
goldsmiths.

Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the
apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall.

3:9 And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, the ruler of
the half part of Jerusalem.

3:10 And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even
over against his house. And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of
Hashabniah.

3:11 Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab,
repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.

3:12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler
of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.

3:13 The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah;
they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and
the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung
gate.

3:14 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler
of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof,
the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.

3:15 But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of
Colhozeh, the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it,
and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof,
and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the
stairs that go down from the city of David.

3:16 After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the
half part of Bethzur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of
David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the house of the
mighty.

3:17 After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto
him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his
part.

3:18 After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the
ruler of the half part of Keilah.

3:19 And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of
Mizpah, another piece over against the going up to the armoury at the
turning of the wall.

3:20 After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other
piece, from the turning of the wall unto the door of the house of
Eliashib the high priest.

3:21 After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz
another piece, from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end
of the house of Eliashib.

3:22 And after him repaired the priests, the men of the plain.

3:23 After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house.

After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by
his house.

3:24 After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from
the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the
corner.

3:25 Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and
the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the
court of the prison. After him Pedaiah the son of Parosh.

3:26 Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place over
against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.

3:27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the
great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.

3:28 From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over
against his house.

3:29 After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his
house.

After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of
the east gate.

3:30 After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the
sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the
son of Berechiah over against his chamber.

3:31 After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of
the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad,
and to the going up of the corner.

3:32 And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate
repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.

4:1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the
wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews.

4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and
said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will
they sacrifice?  will they make an end in a day? will they revive the
stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?  4:3 Now
Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they
build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.

4:4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon
their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 4:5
And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out
from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the
builders.

4:6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto
the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

4:7 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the
Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls
of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped,
then they were very wroth, 4:8 And conspired all of them together to
come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it.

4:9 Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch
against them day and night, because of them.

4:10 And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is
decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build
the wall.

4:11 And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till
we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to
cease.

4:12 And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came,
they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return
unto us they will be upon you.

4:13 Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the
higher places, I even set the people after their families with their
swords, their spears, and their bows.

4:14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the
rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them:
remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and fight for your
brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.

4:15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known
unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned
all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.

4:16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my
servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the
spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers
were behind all the house of Judah.

4:17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with
those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work,
and with the other hand held a weapon.

4:18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and
so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.

4:19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of
the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the
wall, one far from another.

4:20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort
ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

4:21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from
the rising of the morning till the stars appeared.

4:22 Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one
with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the night they may be
a guard to us, and labour on the day.

4:23 So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of
the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving
that every one put them off for washing.

5:1 And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against
their brethren the Jews.

5:2 For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are
many: therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live.

5:3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands,
vineyards, and houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth.

5:4 There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's
tribute, and that upon our lands and vineyards.

5:5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as
their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our
daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto
bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other
men have our lands and vineyards.

5:6 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.

5:7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the
rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother.
And I set a great assembly against them.

5:8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our
brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even
sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they
their peace, and found nothing to answer.

5:9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in
the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our
enemies?  5:10 I likewise, and my brethren, and my servants, might
exact of them money and corn: I pray you, let us leave off this usury.

5:11 Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their lands, their
vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part
of the money, and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of
them.

5:12 Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of
them; so will we do as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and
took an oath of them, that they should do according to this promise.

5:13 Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from
his house, and from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even
thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the congregation said,
Amen, and praised the LORD. And the people did according to this
promise.

5:14 Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor
in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even unto the two and
thirtieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that is, twelve years, I and my
brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.

5:15 But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable
unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty
shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people:
but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

5:16 Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we
any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

5:17 Moreover there were at my table an hundred and fifty of the Jews
and rulers, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen that
are about us.

5:18 Now that which was prepared for me daily was one ox and six
choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once in ten days
store of all sorts of wine: yet for all this required not I the bread
of the governor, because the bondage was heavy upon this people.

5:19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have
done for this people.

6:1 Now it came to pass when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the
Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the
wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time
I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) 6:2 That Sanballat and
Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of
the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

6:3 And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work,
so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave
it, and come down to you?  6:4 Yet they sent unto me four times after
this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.

6:5 Then sent Sanballat his servant unto me in like manner the fifth
time with an open letter in his hand; 6:6 Wherein was written, It is
reported among the heathen, and Gashmu saith it, that thou and the
Jews think to rebel: for which cause thou buildest the wall, that thou
mayest be their king, according to these words.

6:7 And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at
Jerusalem, saying, There is a king in Judah: and now shall it be
reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and
let us take counsel together.

6:8 Then I sent unto him, saying, There are no such things done as
thou sayest, but thou feignest them out of thine own heart.

6:9 For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened
from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen
my hands.

6:10 Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah
the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet
together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the
doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the
night will they come to slay thee.

6:11 And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that,
being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not
go in.

6:12 And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he
pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had
hired him.

6:13 Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and
sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they
might reproach me.

6:14 My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these
their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the
prophets, that would have put me in fear.

6:15 So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month
Elul, in fifty and two days.

6:16 And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and
all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much
cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was
wrought of our God.

6:17 Moreover in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters unto
Tobiah, and the letters of Tobiah came unto them.

6:18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the
son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had
taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

6:19 Also they reported his good deeds before me, and uttered my words
to him. And Tobiah sent letters to put me in fear.

7:1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the
doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
7:2 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the
palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared
God above many.

7:3 And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened
until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the
doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against
his house.

7:4 Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein,
and the houses were not builded.

7:5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and
the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy.
And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the
first, and found written therein, 7:6 These are the children of the
province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been
carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried
away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his
city; 7:7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah,
Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum,
Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was
this; 7:8 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and
two.

7:9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

7:10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.

7:11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab,
two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.

7:12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

7:13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.

7:14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

7:15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.

7:16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.

7:17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.

7:18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.

7:19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.

7:20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.

7:21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

7:22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.

7:23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.

7:24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.

7:25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.

7:26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and
eight.

7:27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

7:28 The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two.

7:29 The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred
forty and three.

7:30 The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

7:31 The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.

7:32 The men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.

7:33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.

7:34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and
four.

7:35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

7:36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

7:37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and
one.

7:38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

7:39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua,
nine hundred seventy and three.

7:40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

7:41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

7:42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

7:43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the
children of Hodevah, seventy and four.

7:44 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.

7:45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the
children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the
children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

7:46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha,
the children of Tabbaoth, 7:47 The children of Keros, the children of
Sia, the children of Padon, 7:48 The children of Lebana, the children
of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai, 7:49 The children of Hanan, the
children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, 7:50 The children of
Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, 7:51 The
children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
7:52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of
Nephishesim, 7:53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the
children of Harhur, 7:54 The children of Bazlith, the children of
Mehida, the children of Harsha, 7:55 The children of Barkos, the
children of Sisera, the children of Tamah, 7:56 The children of
Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

7:57 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the
children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, 7:58 The children of
Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 7:59 The
children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of
Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.

7:60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were
three hundred ninety and two.

7:61 And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha,
Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's
house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.

7:62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of
Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.

7:63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz,
the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of
Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

7:64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by
genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put
from the priesthood.

7:65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the
most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

7:66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three
hundred and threescore, 7:67 Beside their manservants and their
maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty
and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and
singing women.

7:68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two
hundred forty and five: 7:69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and
five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.

7:70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The
Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons,
five hundred and thirty priests' garments.

7:71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the
work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred
pound of silver.

7:72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand
drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and
seven priests' garments.

7:73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the
singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel,
dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children
of Israel were in their cities.

8:1 And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into
the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra
the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had
commanded to Israel.

8:2 And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both
of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the
first day of the seventh month.

8:3 And he read therein before the street that was before the water
gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and
those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were
attentive unto the book of the law.

8:4 And Ezra the scribe stood upon a pulpit of wood, which they had
made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, and Shema, and
Anaiah, and Urijah, and Hilkiah, and Maaseiah, on his right hand; and
on his left hand, Pedaiah, and Mishael, and Malchiah, and Hashum, and
Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam.

8:5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people; (for he
was above all the people;) and when he opened it, all the people stood
up: 8:6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. And all the people
answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed
their heads, and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

8:7 Also Jeshua, and Bani, and Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai,
Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the
Levites, caused the people to understand the law: and the people stood
in their place.

8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave
the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the
scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the
people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep.
For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the
sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for
this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of
the LORD is your strength.

8:11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace,
for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

8:12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to
send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood
the words that were declared unto them.

8:13 And on the second day were gathered together the chief of the
fathers of all the people, the priests, and the Levites, unto Ezra the
scribe, even to understand the words of the law.

8:14 And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by
Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast
of the seventh month: 8:15 And that they should publish and proclaim
in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the
mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle
branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make
booths, as it is written.

8:16 So the people went forth, and brought them, and made themselves
booths, every one upon the roof of his house, and in their courts, and
in the courts of the house of God, and in the street of the water
gate, and in the street of the gate of Ephraim.

8:17 And all the congregation of them that were come again out of the
captivity made booths, and sat under the booths: for since the days of
Jeshua the son of Nun unto that day had not the children of Israel
done so. And there was very great gladness.

8:18 Also day by day, from the first day unto the last day, he read in
the book of the law of God. And they kept the feast seven days; and on
the eighth day was a solemn assembly, according unto the manner.

9:1 Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of
Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth
upon them.

9:2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers,
and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their
fathers.

9:3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law
of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth
part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.

9:4 Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani,
Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried
with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.

9:5 Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah,
Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless
the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name,
which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

9:6 Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven
of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are
therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them
all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

9:7 Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest
him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of
Abraham; 9:8 And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a
covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites,
the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the
Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy
words; for thou art righteous: 9:9 And didst see the affliction of our
fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea; 9:10 And
shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and
on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt
proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this
day.

9:11 And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went
through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors
thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

9:12 Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in
the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein
they should go.

9:13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them
from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good
statutes and commandments: 9:14 And madest known unto them thy holy
sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the
hand of Moses thy servant: 9:15 And gavest them bread from heaven for
their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for
their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess
the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

9:16 But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks,
and hearkened not to thy commandments, 9:17 And refused to obey,
neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but
hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to
return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious
and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest
them not.

9:18 Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy
God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great
provocations; 9:19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them
not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them
by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night,
to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

9:20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and
withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for
their thirst.

9:21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so
that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet
swelled not.

9:22 Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide
them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land
of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

9:23 Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and
broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to
their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

9:24 So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou
subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and
gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the
land, that they might do with them as they would.

9:25 And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses
full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit
trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat,
and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

9:26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee,
and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which
testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great
provocations.

9:27 Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies,
who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto
thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold
mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of
their enemies.

9:28 But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee:
therefore leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they
had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto
thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou
deliver them according to thy mercies; 9:29 And testifiedst against
them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt
proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against
thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and
withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

9:30 Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against
them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear:
therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

9:31 Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly
consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful
God.

9:32 Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible
God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem
little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our
princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers,
and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto
this day.

9:33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou
hast done right, but we have done wickedly: 9:34 Neither have our
kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor
hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou
didst testify against them.

9:35 For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great
goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which
thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

9:36 Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou
gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof,
behold, we are servants in it: 9:37 And it yieldeth much increase unto
the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they
have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure,
and we are in great distress.

9:38 And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it;
and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

10:1 Now those that sealed were, Nehemiah, the Tirshatha, the son of
Hachaliah, and Zidkijah, 10:2 Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, 10:3 Pashur,
Amariah, Malchijah, 10:4 Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, 10:5 Harim,
Meremoth, Obadiah, 10:6 Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, 10:7 Meshullam,
Abijah, Mijamin, 10:8 Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah: these were the
priests.

10:9 And the Levites: both Jeshua the son of Azaniah, Binnui of the
sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; 10:10 And their brethren, Shebaniah,
Hodijah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, 10:11 Micha, Rehob, Hashabiah, 10:12
Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, 10:13 Hodijah, Bani, Beninu.

10:14 The chief of the people; Parosh, Pahathmoab, Elam, Zatthu, Bani,
10:15 Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, 10:16 Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, 10:17 Ater,
Hizkijah, Azzur, 10:18 Hodijah, Hashum, Bezai, 10:19 Hariph, Anathoth,
Nebai, 10:20 Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, 10:21 Meshezabeel, Zadok,
Jaddua, 10:22 Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, 10:23 Hoshea, Hananiah, Hashub,
10:24 Hallohesh, Pileha, Shobek, 10:25 Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah,
10:26 And Ahijah, Hanan, Anan, 10:27 Malluch, Harim, Baanah.

10:28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the
porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they that had separated
themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God, their
wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge,
and having understanding; 10:29 They clave to their brethren, their
nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's
law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and
do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord, and his judgments and
his statutes; 10:30 And that we would not give our daughters unto the
people of the land, not take their daughters for our sons: 10:31 And
if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath
day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on
the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the
exaction of every debt.

10:32 Also we made ordinances for us, to charge ourselves yearly with
the third part of a shekel for the service of the house of our God;
10:33 For the shewbread, and for the continual meat offering, and for
the continual burnt offering, of the sabbaths, of the new moons, for
the set feasts, and for the holy things, and for the sin offerings to
make an atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our
God.

10:34 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the
people, for the wood offering, to bring it into the house of our God,
after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to
burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law:
10:35 And to bring the firstfruits of our ground, and the firstfruits
of all fruit of all trees, year by year, unto the house of the LORD:
10:36 Also the firstborn of our sons, and of our cattle, as it is
written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks,
to bring to the house of our God, unto the priests that minister in
the house of our God: 10:37 And that we should bring the firstfruits
of our dough, and our offerings, and the fruit of all manner of trees,
of wine and of oil, unto the priests, to the chambers of the house of
our God; and the tithes of our ground unto the Levites, that the same
Levites might have the tithes in all the cities of our tillage.

10:38 And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when
the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of
the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the
treasure house.

10:39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring
the offering of the corn, of the new wine, and the oil, unto the
chambers, where are the vessels of the sanctuary, and the priests that
minister, and the porters, and the singers: and we will not forsake
the house of our God.

11:1 And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: the rest of the
people also cast lots, to bring one of ten to dwell in Jerusalem the
holy city, and nine parts to dwell in other cities.

11:2 And the people blessed all the men, that willingly offered
themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.

11:3 Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem:
but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their
cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the
Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants.

11:4 And at Jerusalem dwelt certain of the children of Judah, and of
the children of Benjamin. Of the children of Judah; Athaiah the son of
Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of
Shephatiah, the son of Mahalaleel, of the children of Perez; 11:5 And
Maaseiah the son of Baruch, the son of Colhozeh, the son of Hazaiah,
the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son
of Shiloni.

11:6 All the sons of Perez that dwelt at Jerusalem were four hundred
threescore and eight valiant men.

11:7 And these are the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam,
the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of
Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jesaiah.

11:8 And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.

11:9 And Joel the son of Zichri was their overseer: and Judah the son
of Senuah was second over the city.

11:10 Of the priests: Jedaiah the son of Joiarib, Jachin.

11:11 Seraiah the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of
Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, was the ruler of the
house of God.

11:12 And their brethren that did the work of the house were eight
hundred twenty and two: and Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of
Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashur,
the son of Malchiah.

11:13 And his brethren, chief of the fathers, two hundred forty and
two: and Amashai the son of Azareel, the son of Ahasai, the son of
Meshillemoth, the son of Immer, 11:14 And their brethren, mighty men
of valour, an hundred twenty and eight: and their overseer was
Zabdiel, the son of one of the great men.

11:15 Also of the Levites: Shemaiah the son of Hashub, the son of
Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni; 11:16 And Shabbethai
and Jozabad, of the chief of the Levites, had the oversight of the
outward business of the house of God.

11:17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of
Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and
Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua,
the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

11:18 All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred fourscore and
four.

11:19 Moreover the porters, Akkub, Talmon, and their brethren that
kept the gates, were an hundred seventy and two.

11:20 And the residue of Israel, of the priests, and the Levites, were
in all the cities of Judah, every one in his inheritance.

11:21 But the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel: and Ziha and Gispa were over
the Nethinims.

11:22 The overseer also of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son
of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Micha.
Of the sons of Asaph, the singers were over the business of the house
of God.

11:23 For it was the king's commandment concerning them, that a
certain portion should be for the singers, due for every day.

11:24 And Pethahiah the son of Meshezabeel, of the children of Zerah
the son of Judah, was at the king's hand in all matters concerning the
people.

11:25 And for the villages, with their fields, some of the children of
Judah dwelt at Kirjatharba, and in the villages thereof, and at Dibon,
and in the villages thereof, and at Jekabzeel, and in the villages
thereof, 11:26 And at Jeshua, and at Moladah, and at Bethphelet, 11:27
And at Hazarshual, and at Beersheba, and in the villages thereof,
11:28 And at Ziklag, and at Mekonah, and in the villages thereof,
11:29 And at Enrimmon, and at Zareah, and at Jarmuth, 11:30 Zanoah,
Adullam, and in their villages, at Lachish, and the fields thereof, at
Azekah, and in the villages thereof. And they dwelt from Beersheba
unto the valley of Hinnom.

11:31 The children also of Benjamin from Geba dwelt at Michmash, and
Aija, and Bethel, and in their villages.

11:32 And at Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, 11:33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,
11:34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, 11:35 Lod, and Ono, the valley of
craftsmen.

11:36 And of the Levites were divisions in Judah, and in Benjamin.

12:1 Now these are the priests and the Levites that went up with
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,
12:2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, 12:3 Shechaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, 12:4
Iddo, Ginnetho, Abijah, 12:5 Miamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, 12:6 Shemaiah,
and Joiarib, Jedaiah, 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were
the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

12:8 Moreover the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah,
and Mattaniah, which was over the thanksgiving, he and his brethren.

12:9 Also Bakbukiah and Unni, their brethren, were over against them
in the watches.

12:10 And Jeshua begat Joiakim, Joiakim also begat Eliashib, and
Eliashib begat Joiada, 12:11 And Joiada begat Jonathan, and Jonathan
begat Jaddua.

12:12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, the chief of the
fathers: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; 12:13 Of Ezra,
Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; 12:14 Of Melicu, Jonathan; of
Shebaniah, Joseph; 12:15 Of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; 12:16 Of
Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; 12:17 Of Abijah, Zichri; of
Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai: 12:18 Of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah,
Jehonathan; 12:19 And of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; 12:20 Of
Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; 12:21 Of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of
Jedaiah, Nethaneel.

12:22 The Levites in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, and Johanan, and
Jaddua, were recorded chief of the fathers: also the priests, to the
reign of Darius the Persian.

12:23 The sons of Levi, the chief of the fathers, were written in the
book of the chronicles, even until the days of Johanan the son of
Eliashib.

12:24 And the chief of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua
the son of Kadmiel, with their brethren over against them, to praise
and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of
God, ward over against ward.

12:25 Mattaniah, and Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, Akkub,
were porters keeping the ward at the thresholds of the gates.

12:26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua, the son of
Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor, and of Ezra the
priest, the scribe.

12:27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the
Levites out of all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem, to keep
the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgivings, and with
singing, with cymbals, psalteries, and with harps.

12:28 And the sons of the singers gathered themselves together, both
out of the plain country round about Jerusalem, and from the villages
of Netophathi; 12:29 Also from the house of Gilgal, and out of the
fields of Geba and Azmaveth: for the singers had builded them villages
round about Jerusalem.

12:30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and
purified the people, and the gates, and the wall.

12:31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and
appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one
went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate: 12:32 And
after them went Hoshaiah, and half of the princes of Judah, 12:33 And
Azariah, Ezra, and Meshullam, 12:34 Judah, and Benjamin, and Shemaiah,
and Jeremiah, 12:35 And certain of the priests' sons with trumpets;
namely, Zechariah the son of Jonathan, the son of Shemaiah, the son of
Mattaniah, the son of Michaiah, the son of Zaccur, the son of Asaph:
12:36 And his brethren, Shemaiah, and Azarael, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai,
Nethaneel, and Judah, Hanani, with the musical instruments of David
the man of God, and Ezra the scribe before them.

12:37 And at the fountain gate, which was over against them, they went
up by the stairs of the city of David, at the going up of the wall,
above the house of David, even unto the water gate eastward.

12:38 And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against
them, and I after them, and the half of the people upon the wall, from
beyond the tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall; 12:39 And
from above the gate of Ephraim, and above the old gate, and above the
fish gate, and the tower of Hananeel, and the tower of Meah, even unto
the sheep gate: and they stood still in the prison gate.

12:40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house
of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me: 12:41 And the
priests; Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Michaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah,
and Hananiah, with trumpets; 12:42 And Maaseiah, and Shemaiah, and
Eleazar, and Uzzi, and Jehohanan, and Malchijah, and Elam, and Ezer.
And the singers sang loud, with Jezrahiah their overseer.

12:43 Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for
God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the
children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar
off.

12:44 And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the
treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes,
to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of
the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the
priests and for the Levites that waited.

12:45 And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God,
and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of
David, and of Solomon his son.

12:46 For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of
the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.

12:47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of
Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day
his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the
Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.

13:1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the
people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the
Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; 13:2
Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water,
but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our
God turned the curse into a blessing.

13:3 Now it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they
separated from Israel all the mixed multitude.

13:4 And before this, Eliashib the priest, having the oversight of the
chamber of the house of our God, was allied unto Tobiah: 13:5 And he
had prepared for him a great chamber, where aforetime they laid the
meat offerings, the frankincense, and the vessels, and the tithes of
the corn, the new wine, and the oil, which was commanded to be given
to the Levites, and the singers, and the porters; and the offerings of
the priests.

13:6 But in all this time was not I at Jerusalem: for in the two and
thirtieth year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon came I unto the king, and
after certain days obtained I leave of the king: 13:7 And I came to
Jerusalem, and understood of the evil that Eliashib did for Tobiah, in
preparing him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

13:8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household
stuff to Tobiah out of the chamber.

13:9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither
brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat
offering and the frankincense.

13:10 And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been
given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were
fled every one to his field.

13:11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of
God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their
place.

13:12 Then brought all Judah the tithe of the corn and the new wine
and the oil unto the treasuries.

13:13 And I made treasurers over the treasuries, Shelemiah the priest,
and Zadok the scribe, and of the Levites, Pedaiah: and next to them
was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah: for they were
counted faithful, and their office was to distribute unto their
brethren.

13:14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good
deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices
thereof.

13:15 In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the
sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine,
grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into
Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day
wherein they sold victuals.

13:16 There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and
all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of
Judah, and in Jerusalem.

13:17 Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them,
What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day?
13:18 Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this
evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel
by profaning the sabbath.

13:19 And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to
be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut,
and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and
some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be
brought in on the sabbath day.

13:20 So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without
Jerusalem once or twice.

13:21 Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye
about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that
time forth came they no more on the sabbath.

13:22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves,
and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath
day.

Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to
the greatness of thy mercy.

13:23 In those days also saw I Jews that had married wives of Ashdod,
of Ammon, and of Moab: 13:24 And their children spake half in the
speech of Ashdod, and could not speak in the Jews' language, but
according to the language of each people.

13:25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of
them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying,
Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their
daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.

13:26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? yet among
many nations was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God,
and God made him king over all Israel: nevertheless even him did
outlandish women cause to sin.

13:27 Shall we then hearken unto you to do all this great evil, to
transgress against our God in marrying strange wives?  13:28 And one
of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in
law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.

13:29 Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the
priesthood, and the covenant of the priesthood, and of the Levites.

13:30 Thus cleansed I them from all strangers, and appointed the wards
of the priests and the Levites, every one in his business; 13:31 And
for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits.
Remember me, O my God, for good.




The Book of Esther


1:1 Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus
which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and
seven and twenty provinces:) 1:2 That in those days, when the king
Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the
palace, 1:3 In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all
his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the
nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him: 1:4 When he
shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his
excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

1:5 And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all
the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great
and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king's
palace; 1:6 Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with
cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble:
the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue,
and white, and black, marble.

1:7 And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being
diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to
the state of the king.

1:8 And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so
the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they
should do according to every man's pleasure.

1:9 Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal
house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

1:10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with
wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha,
Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence
of Ahasuerus the king, 1:11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king
with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty:
for she was fair to look on.

1:12 But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by
his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger
burned in him.

1:13 Then the king said to the wise men, which knew the times, (for so
was the king's manner toward all that knew law and judgment: 1:14 And
the next unto him was Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres,
Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, which saw
the king's face, and which sat the first in the kingdom;) 1:15 What
shall we do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she hath
not performed the commandment of the king Ahasuerus by the
chamberlains?  1:16 And Memucan answered before the king and the
princes, Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the king only, but
also to all the princes, and to all the people that are in all the
provinces of the king Ahasuerus.

1:17 For this deed of the queen shall come abroad unto all women, so
that they shall despise their husbands in their eyes, when it shall be
reported, The king Ahasuerus commanded Vashti the queen to be brought
in before him, but she came not.

1:18 Likewise shall the ladies of Persia and Media say this day unto
all the king's princes, which have heard of the deed of the queen.
Thus shall there arise too much contempt and wrath.

1:19 If it please the king, let there go a royal commandment from him,
and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes,
that it be not altered, That Vashti come no more before king
Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal estate unto another that is
better than she.

1:20 And when the king's decree which he shall make shall be published
throughout all his empire, (for it is great,) all the wives shall give
to their husbands honour, both to great and small.

1:21 And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and the king did
according to the word of Memucan: 1:22 For he sent letters into all
the king's provinces, into every province according to the writing
thereof, and to every people after their language, that every man
should bear rule in his own house, and that it should be published
according to the language of every people.

2:1 After these things, when the wrath of king Ahasuerus was appeased,
he remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what was decreed
against her.

2:2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there
be fair young virgins sought for the king: 2:3 And let the king
appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may
gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to
the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's
chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for
purification be given them: 2:4 And let the maiden which pleaseth the
king be queen instead of Vashti.

And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

2:5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a certain Jew, whose name was
Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a
Benjamite; 2:6 Who had been carried away from Jerusalem with the
captivity which had been carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah,
whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away.

2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter:
for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and
beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took
for his own daughter.

2:8 So it came to pass, when the king's commandment and his decree was
heard, and when many maidens were gathered together unto Shushan the
palace, to the custody of Hegai, that Esther was brought also unto the
king's house, to the custody of Hegai, keeper of the women.

2:9 And the maiden pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and
he speedily gave her her things for purification, with such things as
belonged to her, and seven maidens, which were meet to be given her,
out of the king's house: and he preferred her and her maids unto the
best place of the house of the women.

2:10 Esther had not shewed her people nor her kindred: for Mordecai
had charged her that she should not shew it.

2:11 And Mordecai walked every day before the court of the women's
house, to know how Esther did, and what should become of her.

2:12 Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus,
after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the
women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to
wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours,
and with other things for the purifying of the women;) 2:13 Then thus
came every maiden unto the king; whatsoever she desired was given her
to go with her out of the house of the women unto the king's house.

2:14 In the evening she went, and on the morrow she returned into the
second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king's
chamberlain, which kept the concubines: she came in unto the king no
more, except the king delighted in her, and that she were called by
name.

2:15 Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of
Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto
the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain,
the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the
sight of all them that looked upon her.

2:16 So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in
the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his
reign.

2:17 And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained
grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he
set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of
Vashti.

2:18 Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his
servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces,
and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.

2:19 And when the virgins were gathered together the second time, then
Mordecai sat in the king's gate.

2:20 Esther had not yet shewed her kindred nor her people; as Mordecai
had charged her: for Esther did the commandment of Mordecai, like as
when she was brought up with him.

2:21 In those days, while Mordecai sat in the king's gate, two of the
king's chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, of those which kept the door,
were wroth, and sought to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus.

2:22 And the thing was known to Mordecai, who told it unto Esther the
queen; and Esther certified the king thereof in Mordecai's name.

2:23 And when inquisition was made of the matter, it was found out;
therefore they were both hanged on a tree: and it was written in the
book of the chronicles before the king.

3:1 After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of
Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all
the princes that were with him.

3:2 And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed,
and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him.
But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.

3:3 Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto
Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?  3:4 Now it
came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not
unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters
would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.

3:5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence,
then was Haman full of wrath.

3:6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had
shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy
all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even
the people of Mordecai.

3:7 In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year
of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from
day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is,
the month Adar.

3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people
scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces
of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither
keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit
to suffer them.

3:9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be
destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands
of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the
king's treasuries.

3:10 And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it unto Haman
the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the Jews' enemy.

3:11 And the king said unto Haman, The silver is given to thee, the
people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.

3:12 Then were the king's scribes called on the thirteenth day of the
first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had
commanded unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors that were
over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every
province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after
their language; in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and
sealed with the king's ring.

3:13 And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces,
to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and
old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth
day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the
spoil of them for a prey.

3:14 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every
province was published unto all people, that they should be ready
against that day.

3:15 The posts went out, being hastened by the king's commandment, and
the decree was given in Shushan the palace. And the king and Haman sat
down to drink; but the city Shushan was perplexed.

4:1 When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his
clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst
of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry; 4:2 And came even
before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate
clothed with sackcloth.

4:3 And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and
his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting,
and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

4:4 So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then
was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe
Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it
not.

4:5 Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains,
whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment
to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.

4:6 So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city,
which was before the king's gate.

4:7 And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of
the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's
treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.

4:8 Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was
given at Shushan to destroy them, to shew it unto Esther, and to
declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the
king, to make supplication unto him, and to make request before him
for her people.

4:9 And Hatach came and told Esther the words of Mordecai.

4:10 Again Esther spake unto Hatach, and gave him commandment unto
Mordecai; 4:11 All the king's servants, and the people of the king's
provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or women, shall come
unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one
law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall
hold out the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been
called to come in unto the king these thirty days.

4:12 And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.

4:13 Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself
that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.

4:14 For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall
there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another
place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who
knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
4:15 Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer, 4:16 Go,
gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye
for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and
my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king,
which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.

4:17 So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther
had commanded him.

5:1 Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal
apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over
against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in
the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

5:2 And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the
court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to
Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near,
and touched the top of the sceptre.

5:3 Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and
what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the
kingdom.

5:4 And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king
and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.

5:5 Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as
Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that
Esther had prepared.

5:6 And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy
petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even
to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.

5:7 Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is; 5:8
If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the
king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and
Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do
to morrow as the king hath said.

5:9 Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but
when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor
moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.

5:10 Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he
sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife.

5:11 And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude
of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him,
and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the
king.

5:12 Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in
with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and
to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king.

5:13 Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the
Jew sitting at the king's gate.

5:14 Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a
gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto
the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily
with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he
caused the gallows to be made.

6:1 On that night could not the king sleep, and he commanded to bring
the book of records of the chronicles; and they were read before the
king.

6:2 And it was found written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and
Teresh, two of the king's chamberlains, the keepers of the door, who
sought to lay hand on the king Ahasuerus.

6:3 And the king said, What honour and dignity hath been done to
Mordecai for this? Then said the king's servants that ministered unto
him, There is nothing done for him.

6:4 And the king said, Who is in the court? Now Haman was come into
the outward court of the king's house, to speak unto the king to hang
Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

6:5 And the king's servants said unto him, Behold, Haman standeth in
the court. And the king said, Let him come in.

6:6 So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done
unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in
his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to
myself?  6:7 And Haman answered the king, For the man whom the king
delighteth to honour, 6:8 Let the royal apparel be brought which the
king useth to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the
crown royal which is set upon his head: 6:9 And let this apparel and
horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble
princes, that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth
to honour, and bring him on horseback through the street of the city,
and proclaim before him, Thus shall it be done to the man whom the
king delighteth to honour.

6:10 Then the king said to Haman, Make haste, and take the apparel and
the horse, as thou hast said, and do even so to Mordecai the Jew, that
sitteth at the king's gate: let nothing fail of all that thou hast
spoken.

6:11 Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and arrayed Mordecai,
and brought him on horseback through the street of the city, and
proclaimed before him, Thus shall it be done unto the man whom the
king delighteth to honour.

6:12 And Mordecai came again to the king's gate. But Haman hasted to
his house mourning, and having his head covered.

6:13 And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends every thing
that had befallen him. Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto
him, If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast
begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely
fall before him.

6:14 And while they were yet talking with him, came the king's
chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the banquet that Esther
had prepared.

7:1 So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

7:2 And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the
banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be
granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even
to the half of the kingdom.

7:3 Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in
thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me
at my petition, and my people at my request: 7:4 For we are sold, I
and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we
had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue,
although the enemy could not countervail the king's damage.

7:5 Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen,
Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
7:6 And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.
Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.

7:7 And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went
into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his
life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined
against him by the king.

7:8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of
the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther
was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the
house? As the word went out of king's mouth, they covered Haman's
face.

7:9 And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king,
Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for
Mordecai, who spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of
Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.

7:10 So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for
Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

8:1 On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of Haman the
Jews' enemy unto Esther the queen. And Mordecai came before the king;
for Esther had told what he was unto her.

8:2 And the king took off his ring, which he had taken from Haman, and
gave it unto Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of
Haman.

8:3 And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell down at his
feet, and besought him with tears to put away the mischief of Haman
the Agagite, and his device that he had devised against the Jews.

8:4 Then the king held out the golden sceptre toward Esther. So Esther
arose, and stood before the king, 8:5 And said, If it please the king,
and if I have favour in his sight, and the thing seem right before the
king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to reverse the
letters devised by Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he
wrote to destroy the Jews which are in all the king's provinces: 8:6
For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people?
or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?  8:7 Then
the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen and to Mordecai the Jew,
Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and him they have
hanged upon the gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews.

8:8 Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name,
and seal it with the king's ring: for the writing which is written in
the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.

8:9 Then were the king's scribes called at that time in the third
month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day
thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded
unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of
the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty
and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing
thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews
according to their writing, and according to their language.

8:10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the
king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on
mules, camels, and young dromedaries: 8:11 Wherein the king granted
the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and
to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay and to cause to perish,
all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both
little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey, 8:12
Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.

8:13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every
province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be
ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

8:14 So the posts that rode upon mules and camels went out, being
hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was
given at Shushan the palace.

8:15 And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal
apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a
garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and
was glad.

8:16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.

8:17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the
king's commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness,
a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became
Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them.

9:1 Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar, on the
thirteenth day of the same, when the king's commandment and his decree
drew near to be put in execution, in the day that the enemies of the
Jews hoped to have power over them, (though it was turned to the
contrary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them;) 9:2 The
Jews gathered themselves together in their cities throughout all the
provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay hand on such as sought their
hurt: and no man could withstand them; for the fear of them fell upon
all people.

9:3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the
deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear
of Mordecai fell upon them.

9:4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame went out
throughout all the provinces: for this man Mordecai waxed greater and
greater.

9:5 Thus the Jews smote all their enemies with the stroke of the
sword, and slaughter, and destruction, and did what they would unto
those that hated them.

9:6 And in Shushan the palace the Jews slew and destroyed five hundred
men.

9:7 And Parshandatha, and Dalphon, and Aspatha, 9:8 And Poratha, and
Adalia, and Aridatha, 9:9 And Parmashta, and Arisai, and Aridai, and
Vajezatha, 9:10 The ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy
of the Jews, slew they; but on the spoil laid they not their hand.

9:11 On that day the number of those that were slain in Shushan the
palace was brought before the king.

9:12 And the king said unto Esther the queen, The Jews have slain and
destroyed five hundred men in Shushan the palace, and the ten sons of
Haman; what have they done in the rest of the king's provinces? now
what is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: or what is thy
request further? and it shall be done.

9:13 Then said Esther, If it please the king, let it be granted to the
Jews which are in Shushan to do to morrow also according unto this
day's decree, and let Haman's ten sons be hanged upon the gallows.

9:14 And the king commanded it so to be done: and the decree was given
at Shushan; and they hanged Haman's ten sons.

9:15 For the Jews that were in Shushan gathered themselves together on
the fourteenth day also of the month Adar, and slew three hundred men
at Shushan; but on the prey they laid not their hand.

9:16 But the other Jews that were in the king's provinces gathered
themselves together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from
their enemies, and slew of their foes seventy and five thousand, but
they laid not their hands on the prey, 9:17 On the thirteenth day of
the month Adar; and on the fourteenth day of the same rested they, and
made it a day of feasting and gladness.

9:18 But the Jews that were at Shushan assembled together on the
thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth thereof; and on the
fifteenth day of the same they rested, and made it a day of feasting
and gladness.

9:19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, that dwelt in the unwalled
towns, made the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day of gladness and
feasting, and a good day, and of sending portions one to another.

9:20 And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the
Jews that were in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, both nigh
and far, 9:21 To stablish this among them, that they should keep the
fourteenth day of the month Adar, and the fifteenth day of the same,
yearly, 9:22 As the days wherein the Jews rested from their enemies,
and the month which was turned unto them from sorrow to joy, and from
mourning into a good day: that they should make them days of feasting
and joy, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the
poor.

9:23 And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai
had written unto them; 9:24 Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the
Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to
destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and
to destroy them; 9:25 But when Esther came before the king, he
commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against
the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons
should be hanged on the gallows.

9:26 Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur.

Therefore for all the words of this letter, and of that which they had
seen concerning this matter, and which had come unto them, 9:27 The
Jews ordained, and took upon them, and upon their seed, and upon all
such as joined themselves unto them, so as it should not fail, that
they would keep these two days according to their writing, and
according to their appointed time every year; 9:28 And that these days
should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, every
family, every province, and every city; and that these days of Purim
should not fail from among the Jews, nor the memorial of them perish
from their seed.

9:29 Then Esther the queen, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the
Jew, wrote with all authority, to confirm this second letter of Purim.

9:30 And he sent the letters unto all the Jews, to the hundred twenty
and seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, with words of peace
and truth, 9:31 To confirm these days of Purim in their times
appointed, according as Mordecai the Jew and Esther the queen had
enjoined them, and as they had decreed for themselves and for their
seed, the matters of the fastings and their cry.

9:32 And the decree of Esther confirmed these matters of Purim; and it
was written in the book.

10:1 And the king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land, and upon the
isles of the sea.

10:2 And all the acts of his power and of his might, and the
declaration of the greatness of Mordecai, whereunto the king advanced
him, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings
of Media and Persia?  10:3 For Mordecai the Jew was next unto king
Ahasuerus, and great among the Jews, and accepted of the multitude of
his brethren, seeking the wealth of his people, and speaking peace to
all his seed.




The Book of Job


1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that
man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

1:2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

1:3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand
camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and
a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the
men of the east.

1:4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day;
and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with
them.

1:5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about,
that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning,
and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for
Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their
hearts. Thus did Job continually.

1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

1:7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan
answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and
from walking up and down in it.

1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job,
that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright
man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?  1:9 Then Satan
answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?  1:10 Hast
not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all
that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands,
and his substance is increased in the land.

1:11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he
will curse thee to thy face.

1:12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy
power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth
from the presence of the LORD.

1:13 And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating
and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house: 1:14 And there came
a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses
feeding beside them: 1:15 And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took
them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the
sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

1:16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The
fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and
the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell
thee.

1:17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The
Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have
carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the
sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

1:18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy
sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest
brother's house: 1:19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the
wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon
the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell
thee.

1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and
fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 1:21 And said, Naked came I
out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD
gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

1:22 In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present
themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present
himself before the LORD.

2:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan
answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and
from walking up and down in it.

2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job,
that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright
man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth
fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy
him without cause.

2:4 And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all
that a man hath will he give for his life.

2:5 But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh,
and he will curse thee to thy face.

2:6 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but
save his life.

2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job
with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

2:8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat
down among the ashes.

2:9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine
integrity?  curse God, and die.

2:10 But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women
speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we
not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

2:11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come
upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the
Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they
had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to
comfort him.

2:12 And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not,
they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his
mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

2:13 So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven
nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief
was very great.

3:1 After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

3:2 And Job spake, and said, 3:3 Let the day perish wherein I was
born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child
conceived.

3:4 Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above,
neither let the light shine upon it.

3:5 Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell
upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

3:6 As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be
joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of
the months.

3:7 Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

3:8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up
their mourning.

3:9 Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for
light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day: 3:10
Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow
from mine eyes.

3:11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost
when I came out of the belly?  3:12 Why did the knees prevent me? or
why the breasts that I should suck?  3:13 For now should I have lain
still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
3:14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, which build desolate
places for themselves; 3:15 Or with princes that had gold, who filled
their houses with silver: 3:16 Or as an hidden untimely birth I had
not been; as infants which never saw light.

3:17 There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at
rest.

3:18 There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the
oppressor.

3:19 The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his
master.

3:20 Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto
the bitter in soul; 3:21 Which long for death, but it cometh not; and
dig for it more than for hid treasures; 3:22 Which rejoice
exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?  3:23 Why is
light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?
3:24 For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured
out like the waters.

3:25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that
which I was afraid of is come unto me.

3:26 I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet
trouble came.

4:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 4:2 If we assay to
commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself
from speaking?  4:3 Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast
strengthened the weak hands.

4:4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast
strengthened the feeble knees.

4:5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee,
and thou art troubled.

4:6 Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the
uprightness of thy ways?  4:7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever
perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?  4:8
Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap
the same.

4:9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils
are they consumed.

4:10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and
the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

4:11 The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's
whelps are scattered abroad.

4:12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a
little thereof.

4:13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep
falleth on men, 4:14 Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all
my bones to shake.

4:15 Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood
up: 4:16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an
image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice,
saying, 4:17 Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be
more pure than his maker?  4:18 Behold, he put no trust in his
servants; and his angels he charged with folly: 4:19 How much less in
them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust,
which are crushed before the moth?  4:20 They are destroyed from
morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

4:21 Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die,
even without wisdom.

5:1 Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of
the saints wilt thou turn?  5:2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and
envy slayeth the silly one.

5:3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his
habitation.

5:4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the
gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

5:5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the
thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

5:6 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth
trouble spring out of the ground; 5:7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as
the sparks fly upward.

5:8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: 5:9
Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without
number: 5:10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon
the fields: 5:11 To set up on high those that be low; that those which
mourn may be exalted to safety.

5:12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands
cannot perform their enterprise.

5:13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of
the froward is carried headlong.

5:14 They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday
as in the night.

5:15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from
the hand of the mighty.

5:16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise
not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 5:18 For he maketh sore, and
bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

5:19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall
no evil touch thee.

5:20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the
power of the sword.

5:21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt
thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

5:22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be
afraid of the beasts of the earth.

5:23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the
beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

5:24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and
thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

5:25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine
offspring as the grass of the earth.

5:26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of
corn cometh in in his season.

5:27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it
for thy good.

6:1 But Job answered and said, 6:2 Oh that my grief were throughly
weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!  6:3 For now
it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are
swallowed up.

6:4 For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof
drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array
against me.

6:5 Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over
his fodder?  6:6 Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or
is there any taste in the white of an egg?  6:7 The things that my
soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

6:8 Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the
thing that I long for!  6:9 Even that it would please God to destroy
me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!  6:10 Then
should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let
him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

6:11 What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end,
that I should prolong my life?  6:12 Is my strength the strength of
stones? or is my flesh of brass?  6:13 Is not my help in me? and is
wisdom driven quite from me?  6:14 To him that is afflicted pity
should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the
Almighty.

6:15 My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream
of brooks they pass away; 6:16 Which are blackish by reason of the
ice, and wherein the snow is hid: 6:17 What time they wax warm, they
vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

6:18 The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and
perish.

6:19 The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for
them.

6:20 They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither,
and were ashamed.

6:21 For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

6:22 Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your
substance?  6:23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me
from the hand of the mighty?  6:24 Teach me, and I will hold my
tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

6:25 How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
6:26 Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is
desperate, which are as wind?  6:27 Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless,
and ye dig a pit for your friend.

6:28 Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto
you if I lie.

6:29 Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my
righteousness is in it.

6:30 Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse
things?  7:1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not
his days also like the days of an hireling?  7:2 As a servant
earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the
reward of his work: 7:3 So am I made to possess months of vanity, and
wearisome nights are appointed to me.

7:4 When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone?
and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

7:5 My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is
broken, and become loathsome.

7:6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without
hope.

7:7 O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.

7:8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes
are upon me, and I am not.

7:9 As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down
to the grave shall come up no more.

7:10 He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place
know him any more.

7:11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the
anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

7:12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?  7:13
When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my
complaints; 7:14 Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me
through visions: 7:15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death
rather than my life.

7:16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days
are vanity.

7:17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou
shouldest set thine heart upon him?  7:18 And that thou shouldest
visit him every morning, and try him every moment?  7:19 How long wilt
thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my
spittle?  7:20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou
preserver of men?  why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so
that I am a burden to myself?  7:21 And why dost thou not pardon my
transgression, and take away my iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the
dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

8:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 8:2 How long wilt thou
speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like
a strong wind?  8:3 Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty
pervert justice?  8:4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he
have cast them away for their transgression; 8:5 If thou wouldest seek
unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 8:6 If
thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and
make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

8:7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly
increase.

8:8 For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself
to the search of their fathers: 8:9 (For we are but of yesterday, and
know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:) 8:10 Shall
not they teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their
heart?  8:11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can the flag grow
without water?  8:12 Whilst it is yet in his greenness, and not cut
down, it withereth before any other herb.

8:13 So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope
shall perish: 8:14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall
be a spider's web.

8:15 He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand: he shall
hold it fast, but it shall not endure.

8:16 He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his
garden.

8:17 His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of
stones.

8:18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying,
I have not seen thee.

8:19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall
others grow.

8:20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he
help the evil doers: 8:21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and
thy lips with rejoicing.

8:22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling
place of the wicked shall come to nought.

9:1 Then Job answered and said, 9:2 I know it is so of a truth: but
how should man be just with God?  9:3 If he will contend with him, he
cannot answer him one of a thousand.

9:4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened
himself against him, and hath prospered?  9:5 Which removeth the
mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

9:6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof
tremble.

9:7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the
stars.

9:8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves
of the sea.

9:9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of
the south.

9:10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders
without number.

9:11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I
perceive him not.

9:12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto
him, What doest thou?  9:13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the
proud helpers do stoop under him.

9:14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to
reason with him?  9:15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not
answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

9:16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe
that he had hearkened unto my voice.

9:17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds
without cause.

9:18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with
bitterness.

9:19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who
shall set me a time to plead?  9:20 If I justify myself, mine own
mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me
perverse.

9:21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would
despise my life.

9:22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect
and the wicked.

9:23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the
innocent.

9:24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the
faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?  9:25 Now
my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

9:26 They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that
hasteth to the prey.

9:27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my
heaviness, and comfort myself: 9:28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I
know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

9:29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?  9:30 If I wash myself
with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; 9:31 Yet shalt thou
plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

9:32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we
should come together in judgment.

9:33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand
upon us both.

9:34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify
me: 9:35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with
me.

10:1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon
myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

10:2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou
contendest with me.

10:3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou
shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel
of the wicked?  10:4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man
seeth?  10:5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's
days, 10:6 That thou enquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest
after my sin?  10:7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is
none that can deliver out of thine hand.

10:8 Thine hands have made me and fashioned me together round about;
yet thou dost destroy me.

10:9 Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and
wilt thou bring me into dust again?  10:10 Hast thou not poured me out
as milk, and curdled me like cheese?  10:11 Thou hast clothed me with
skin and flesh, and hast fenced me with bones and sinews.

10:12 Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy visitation hath
preserved my spirit.

10:13 And these things hast thou hid in thine heart: I know that this
is with thee.

10:14 If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from
mine iniquity.

10:15 If I be wicked, woe unto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I
not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou mine
affliction; 10:16 For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion:
and again thou shewest thyself marvellous upon me.

10:17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me, and increasest thine
indignation upon me; changes and war are against me.

10:18 Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh
that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!  10:19 I should
have been as though I had not been; I should have been carried from
the womb to the grave.

10:20 Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may
take comfort a little, 10:21 Before I go whence I shall not return,
even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death; 10:22 A land of
darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any
order, and where the light is as darkness.

11:1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 11:2 Should not
the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be
justified?  11:3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when
thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?  11:4 For thou hast
said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

11:5 But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; 11:6
And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are
double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less
than thine iniquity deserveth.

11:7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the
Almighty unto perfection?  11:8 It is as high as heaven; what canst
thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?  11:9 The measure
thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

11:10 If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can
hinder him?  11:11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also;
will he not then consider it?  11:12 For vain men would be wise,
though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

11:13 If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward
him; 11:14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not
wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

11:15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou
shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: 11:16 Because thou shalt forget
thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: 11:17 And thine
age shall be clearer than the noonday: thou shalt shine forth, thou
shalt be as the morning.

11:18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt
dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

11:19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea,
many shall make suit unto thee.

11:20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not
escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.

12:1 And Job answered and said, 12:2 No doubt but ye are the people,
and wisdom shall die with you.

12:3 But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to
you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?  12:4 I am as one
mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him:
the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

12:5 He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in
the thought of him that is at ease.

12:6 The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are
secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

12:7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls
of the air, and they shall tell thee: 12:8 Or speak to the earth, and
it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto
thee.

12:9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath
wrought this?  12:10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
and the breath of all mankind.

12:11 Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?  12:12
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

12:13 With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and
understanding.

12:14 Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he
shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

12:15 Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he
sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

12:16 With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver
are his.

12:17 He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges
fools.

12:18 He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a
girdle.

12:19 He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

12:20 He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the
understanding of the aged.

12:21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of
the mighty.

12:22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to
light the shadow of death.

12:23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the
nations, and straiteneth them again.

12:24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the
earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no
way.

12:25 They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to
stagger like a drunken man.

13:1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all this, mine ear hath heard and
understood it.

13:2 What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior unto
you.

13:3 Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with
God.

13:4 But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value.

13:5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your
wisdom.

13:6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

13:7 Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?
13:8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend for God?  13:9 Is it
good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do
ye so mock him?  13:10 He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly
accept persons.

13:11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid? and his dread fall
upon you?  13:12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to
bodies of clay.

13:13 Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on
me what will.

13:14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in
mine hand?  13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I
will maintain mine own ways before him.

13:16 He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come
before him.

13:17 Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

13:18 Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be
justified.

13:19 Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue,
I shall give up the ghost.

13:20 Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from
thee.

13:21 Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me
afraid.

13:22 Then call thou, and I will answer: or let me speak, and answer
thou me.

13:23 How many are mine iniquities and sins? make me to know my
transgression and my sin.

13:24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
13:25 Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue
the dry stubble?  13:26 For thou writest bitter things against me, and
makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

13:27 Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly
unto all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

13:28 And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth
eaten.

14:1 Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble.

14:2 He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as
a shadow, and continueth not.

14:3 And doth thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me
into judgment with thee?  14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an
unclean? not one.

14:5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with
thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; 14:6 Turn
from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling,
his day.

14:7 For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will
sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease.

14:8 Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock
thereof die in the ground; 14:9 Yet through the scent of water it will
bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

14:10 But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost,
and where is he?  14:11 As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood
decayeth and drieth up: 14:12 So man lieth down, and riseth not: till
the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of
their sleep.

14:13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest
keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me
a set time, and remember me!  14:14 If a man die, shall he live again?
all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.

14:15 Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire
to the work of thine hands.

14:16 For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my
sin?  14:17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up
mine iniquity.

14:18 And surely the mountains falling cometh to nought, and the rock
is removed out of his place.

14:19 The waters wear the stones: thou washest away the things which
grow out of the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of
man.

14:20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou
changest his countenance, and sendest him away.

14:21 His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not; and they are
brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

14:22 But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him
shall mourn.

15:1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 15:2 Should a wise
man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?  15:3
Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he
can do no good?  15:4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest
prayer before God.

15:5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the
tongue of the crafty.

15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips
testify against thee.

15:7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before
the hills?  15:8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou
restrain wisdom to thyself?  15:9 What knowest thou, that we know not?
what understandest thou, which is not in us?  15:10 With us are both
the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

15:11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret
thing with thee?  15:12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what
do thy eyes wink at, 15:13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God,
and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?  15:14 What is man, that
he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be
righteous?  15:15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the
heavens are not clean in his sight.

15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh
iniquity like water?  15:17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which
I have seen I will declare; 15:18 Which wise men have told from their
fathers, and have not hid it: 15:19 Unto whom alone the earth was
given, and no stranger passed among them.

15:20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number
of years is hidden to the oppressor.

15:21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer
shall come upon him.

15:22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is
waited for of the sword.

15:23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth
that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

15:24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail
against him, as a king ready to the battle.

15:25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth
himself against the Almighty.

15:26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of
his bucklers: 15:27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and
maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

15:28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man
inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

15:29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue,
neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

15:30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his
branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

15:31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall
be his recompence.

15:32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall
not be green.

15:33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast
off his flower as the olive.

15:34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire
shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

15:35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly
prepareth deceit.

16:1 Then Job answered and said, 16:2 I have heard many such things:
miserable comforters are ye all.

16:3 Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou
answerest?  16:4 I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my
soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake mine head
at you.

16:5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my
lips should asswage your grief.

16:6 Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged: and though I forbear,
what am I eased?  16:7 But now he hath made me weary: thou hast made
desolate all my company.

16:8 And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against
me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

16:9 He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me
with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

16:10 They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me
upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together
against me.

16:11 God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into
the hands of the wicked.

16:12 I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken
me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

16:13 His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins
asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground.

16:14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach, he runneth upon me like
a giant.

16:15 I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the
dust.

16:16 My face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of
death; 16:17 Not for any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer is
pure.

16:18 O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.

16:19 Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on
high.

16:20 My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.

16:21 O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for
his neighbour!  16:22 When a few years are come, then I shall go the
way whence I shall not return.

17:1 My breath is corrupt, my days are extinct, the graves are ready
for me.

17:2 Are there not mockers with me? and doth not mine eye continue in
their provocation?  17:3 Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee;
who is he that will strike hands with me?  17:4 For thou hast hid
their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

17:5 He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his
children shall fail.

17:6 He hath made me also a byword of the people; and aforetime I was
as a tabret.

17:7 Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are
as a shadow.

17:8 Upright men shall be astonied at this, and the innocent shall
stir up himself against the hypocrite.

17:9 The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean
hands shall be stronger and stronger.

17:10 But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot
find one wise man among you.

17:11 My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts
of my heart.

17:12 They change the night into day: the light is short because of
darkness.

17:13 If I wait, the grave is mine house: I have made my bed in the
darkness.

17:14 I have said to corruption, Thou art my father: to the worm, Thou
art my mother, and my sister.

17:15 And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it?
17:16 They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest
together is in the dust.

18:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said, 18:2 How long will it
be ere ye make an end of words? mark, and afterwards we will speak.

18:3 Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and reputed vile in your
sight?  18:4 He teareth himself in his anger: shall the earth be
forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place?
18:5 Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of
his fire shall not shine.

18:6 The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall
be put out with him.

18:7 The steps of his strength shall be straitened, and his own
counsel shall cast him down.

18:8 For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a
snare.

18:9 The gin shall take him by the heel, and the robber shall prevail
against him.

18:10 The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in
the way.

18:11 Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him
to his feet.

18:12 His strength shall be hungerbitten, and destruction shall be
ready at his side.

18:13 It shall devour the strength of his skin: even the firstborn of
death shall devour his strength.

18:14 His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, and it
shall bring him to the king of terrors.

18:15 It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his:
brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.

18:16 His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch
be cut off.

18:17 His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall have
no name in the street.

18:18 He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased out of
the world.

18:19 He shall neither have son nor nephew among his people, nor any
remaining in his dwellings.

18:20 They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they
that went before were affrighted.

18:21 Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the
place of him that knoweth not God.

19:1 Then Job answered and said, 19:2 How long will ye vex my soul,
and break me in pieces with words?  19:3 These ten times have ye
reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to
me.

19:4 And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with
myself.

19:5 If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead
against me my reproach: 19:6 Know now that God hath overthrown me, and
hath compassed me with his net.

19:7 Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but
there is no judgment.

19:8 He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set
darkness in my paths.

19:9 He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my
head.

19:10 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope
hath he removed like a tree.

19:11 He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me
unto him as one of his enemies.

19:12 His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and
encamp round about my tabernacle.

19:13 He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are
verily estranged from me.

19:14 My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten
me.

19:15 They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a
stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

19:16 I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him
with my mouth.

19:17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the
children's sake of mine own body.

19:18 Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against
me.

19:19 All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are
turned against me.

19:20 My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped
with the skin of my teeth.

19:21 Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the
hand of God hath touched me.

19:22 Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my
flesh?  19:23 Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were
printed in a book!  19:24 That they were graven with an iron pen and
lead in the rock for ever!  19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 19:26 And
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I
see God: 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall
behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

19:28 But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the
matter is found in me?  19:29 Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath
bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a
judgment.

20:1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, 20:2 Therefore do
my thoughts cause me to answer, and for this I make haste.

20:3 I have heard the check of my reproach, and the spirit of my
understanding causeth me to answer.

20:4 Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
20:5 That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the
hypocrite but for a moment?  20:6 Though his excellency mount up to
the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds; 20:7 Yet he shall
perish for ever like his own dung: they which have seen him shall say,
Where is he?  20:8 He shall fly away as a dream, and shall not be
found: yea, he shall be chased away as a vision of the night.

20:9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more; neither shall
his place any more behold him.

20:10 His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall
restore their goods.

20:11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down
with him in the dust.

20:12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth, though he hide it under
his tongue; 20:13 Though he spare it, and forsake it not; but keep it
still within his mouth: 20:14 Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it
is the gall of asps within him.

20:15 He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again:
God shall cast them out of his belly.

20:16 He shall suck the poison of asps: the viper's tongue shall slay
him.

20:17 He shall not see the rivers, the floods, the brooks of honey and
butter.

20:18 That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not
swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be,
and he shall not rejoice therein.

20:19 Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor; because he
hath violently taken away an house which he builded not; 20:20 Surely
he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that
which he desired.

20:21 There shall none of his meat be left; therefore shall no man
look for his goods.

20:22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits: every
hand of the wicked shall come upon him.

20:23 When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of
his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

20:24 He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall
strike him through.

20:25 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body; yea, the glittering
sword cometh out of his gall: terrors are upon him.

20:26 All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown
shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his
tabernacle.

20:27 The heaven shall reveal his iniquity; and the earth shall rise
up against him.

20:28 The increase of his house shall depart, and his goods shall flow
away in the day of his wrath.

20:29 This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage
appointed unto him by God.

21:1 But Job answered and said, 21:2 Hear diligently my speech, and
let this be your consolations.

21:3 Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock
on.

21:4 As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should
not my spirit be troubled?  21:5 Mark me, and be astonished, and lay
your hand upon your mouth.

21:6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my
flesh.

21:7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in
power?  21:8 Their seed is established in their sight with them, and
their offspring before their eyes.

21:9 Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon
them.

21:10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and
casteth not her calf.

21:11 They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their
children dance.

21:12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the
organ.

21:13 They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the
grave.

21:14 Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not
the knowledge of thy ways.

21:15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit
should we have, if we pray unto him?  21:16 Lo, their good is not in
their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

21:17 How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh
their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

21:18 They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm
carrieth away.

21:19 God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him,
and he shall know it.

21:20 His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the
wrath of the Almighty.

21:21 For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the
number of his months is cut off in the midst?  21:22 Shall any teach
God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.

21:23 One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

21:24 His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with
marrow.

21:25 And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never
eateth with pleasure.

21:26 They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover
them.

21:27 Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye
wrongfully imagine against me.

21:28 For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the
dwelling places of the wicked?  21:29 Have ye not asked them that go
by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, 21:30 That the wicked is
reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the
day of wrath.

21:31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him
what he hath done?  21:32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and
shall remain in the tomb.

21:33 The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man
shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

21:34 How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there
remaineth falsehood?  22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and
said, 22:2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be
profitable unto himself?  22:3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty,
that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy
ways perfect?  22:4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he
enter with thee into judgment?  22:5 Is not thy wickedness great? and
thine iniquities infinite?  22:6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy
brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast
withholden bread from the hungry.

22:8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable
man dwelt in it.

22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless
have been broken.

22:10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth
thee; 22:11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of
waters cover thee.

22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the
stars, how high they are!  22:13 And thou sayest, How doth God know?
can he judge through the dark cloud?  22:14 Thick clouds are a
covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of
heaven.

22:15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?
22:16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown
with a flood: 22:17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can
the Almighty do for them?  22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good
things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

22:19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them
to scorn.

22:20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them
the fire consumeth.

22:21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good
shall come unto thee.

22:22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his
words in thine heart.

22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou
shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as
the stones of the brooks.

22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have
plenty of silver.

22:26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt
lift up thy face unto God.

22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and
thou shalt pay thy vows.

22:28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto
thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

22:29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting
up; and he shall save the humble person.

22:30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered
by the pureness of thine hands.

23:1 Then Job answered and said, 23:2 Even to day is my complaint
bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

23:3 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to
his seat!  23:4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth
with arguments.

23:5 I would know the words which he would answer me, and understand
what he would say unto me.

23:6 Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would
put strength in me.

23:7 There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be
delivered for ever from my judge.

23:8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I
cannot perceive him: 23:9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I
cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot
see him: 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried
me, I shall come forth as gold.

23:11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not
declined.

23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I
have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul
desireth, even that he doeth.

23:14 For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me: and many
such things are with him.

23:15 Therefore am I troubled at his presence: when I consider, I am
afraid of him.

23:16 For God maketh my heart soft, and the Almighty troubleth me:
23:17 Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither hath he
covered the darkness from my face.

24:1 Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that
know him not see his days?  24:2 Some remove the landmarks; they
violently take away flocks, and feed thereof.

24:3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's
ox for a pledge.

24:4 They turn the needy out of the way: the poor of the earth hide
themselves together.

24:5 Behold, as wild asses in the desert, go they forth to their work;
rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and
for their children.

24:6 They reap every one his corn in the field: and they gather the
vintage of the wicked.

24:7 They cause the naked to lodge without clothing, that they have no
covering in the cold.

24:8 They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and embrace the
rock for want of a shelter.

24:9 They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of
the poor.

24:10 They cause him to go naked without clothing, and they take away
the sheaf from the hungry; 24:11 Which make oil within their walls,
and tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.

24:12 Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded
crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.

24:13 They are of those that rebel against the light; they know not
the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.

24:14 The murderer rising with the light killeth the poor and needy,
and in the night is as a thief.

24:15 The eye also of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying,
No eye shall see me: and disguiseth his face.

24:16 In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for
themselves in the daytime: they know not the light.

24:17 For the morning is to them even as the shadow of death: if one
know them, they are in the terrors of the shadow of death.

24:18 He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth:
he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

24:19 Drought and heat consume the snow waters: so doth the grave
those which have sinned.

24:20 The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him;
he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a
tree.

24:21 He evil entreateth the barren that beareth not: and doeth not
good to the widow.

24:22 He draweth also the mighty with his power: he riseth up, and no
man is sure of life.

24:23 Though it be given him to be in safety, whereon he resteth; yet
his eyes are upon their ways.

24:24 They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought
low; they are taken out of the way as all other, and cut off as the
tops of the ears of corn.

24:25 And if it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my
speech nothing worth?  25:1 Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and
said, 25:2 Dominion and fear are with him, he maketh peace in his high
places.

25:3 Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his
light arise?  25:4 How then can man be justified with God? or how can
he be clean that is born of a woman?  25:5 Behold even to the moon,
and it shineth not; yea, the stars are not pure in his sight.

25:6 How much less man, that is a worm? and the son of man, which is a
worm?  26:1 But Job answered and said, 26:2 How hast thou helped him
that is without power? how savest thou the arm that hath no strength?
26:3 How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? and how hast
thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?  26:4 To whom hast thou
uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee?  26:5 Dead things are
formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

26:6 Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering.

26:7 He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the
earth upon nothing.

26:8 He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is
not rent under them.

26:9 He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud
upon it.

26:10 He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and
night come to an end.

26:11 The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.

26:12 He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he
smiteth through the proud.

26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath
formed the crooked serpent.

26:14 Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is
heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?  27:1
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, 27:2 As God liveth, who
hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;
27:3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my
nostrils; 27:4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter
deceit.

27:5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not
remove mine integrity from me.

27:6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart
shall not reproach me so long as I live.

27:7 Let mine enemy be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me
as the unrighteous.

27:8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained,
when God taketh away his soul?  27:9 Will God hear his cry when
trouble cometh upon him?  27:10 Will he delight himself in the
Almighty? will he always call upon God?  27:11 I will teach you by the
hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

27:12 Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus
altogether vain?  27:13 This is the portion of a wicked man with God,
and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the
Almighty.

27:14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword: and his
offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.

27:15 Those that remain of him shall be buried in death: and his
widows shall not weep.

27:16 Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the
clay; 27:17 He may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the
innocent shall divide the silver.

27:18 He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper
maketh.

27:19 The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he
openeth his eyes, and he is not.

27:20 Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away
in the night.

27:21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a
storm hurleth him out of his place.

27:22 For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would fain flee
out of his hand.

27:23 Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his
place.

28:1 Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where
they fine it.

28:2 Iron is taken out of the earth, and brass is molten out of the
stone.

28:3 He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection:
the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.

28:4 The flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters
forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.

28:5 As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned
up as it were fire.

28:6 The stones of it are the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of
gold.

28:7 There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's
eye hath not seen: 28:8 The lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the
fierce lion passed by it.

28:9 He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the
mountains by the roots.

28:10 He cutteth out rivers among the rocks; and his eye seeth every
precious thing.

28:11 He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is
hid bringeth he forth to light.

28:12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of
understanding?  28:13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it
found in the land of the living.

28:14 The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not
with me.

28:15 It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed
for the price thereof.

28:16 It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious
onyx, or the sapphire.

28:17 The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it
shall not be for jewels of fine gold.

28:18 No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price
of wisdom is above rubies.

28:19 The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be
valued with pure gold.

28:20 Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of
understanding?  28:21 Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living,
and kept close from the fowls of the air.

28:22 Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with
our ears.

28:23 God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place
thereof.

28:24 For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the
whole heaven; 28:25 To make the weight for the winds; and he weigheth
the waters by measure.

28:26 When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning
of the thunder: 28:27 Then did he see it, and declare it; he prepared
it, yea, and searched it out.

28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is
wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

29:1 Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, 29:2 Oh that I were
as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me; 29:3 When his
candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through
darkness; 29:4 As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of
God was upon my tabernacle; 29:5 When the Almighty was yet with me,
when my children were about me; 29:6 When I washed my steps with
butter, and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; 29:7 When I went out
to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!
29:8 The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and
stood up.

29:9 The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their
mouth.

29:10 The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the
roof of their mouth.

29:11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw
me, it gave witness to me: 29:12 Because I delivered the poor that
cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him.

29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I
caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a
robe and a diadem.

29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.

29:16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I
searched out.

29:17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of
his teeth.

29:18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my
days as the sand.

29:19 My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night
upon my branch.

29:20 My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.

29:21 Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my
counsel.

29:22 After my words they spake not again; and my speech dropped upon
them.

29:23 And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their
mouth wide as for the latter rain.

29:24 If I laughed on them, they believed it not; and the light of my
countenance they cast not down.

29:25 I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the
army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

30:1 But now they that are younger than I have me in derision, whose
fathers I would have disdained to have set with the dogs of my flock.

30:2 Yea, whereto might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom
old age was perished?  30:3 For want and famine they were solitary;
fleeing into the wilderness in former time desolate and waste.

30:4 Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their
meat.

30:5 They were driven forth from among men, (they cried after them as
after a thief;) 30:6 To dwell in the cliffs of the valleys, in caves
of the earth, and in the rocks.

30:7 Among the bushes they brayed; under the nettles they were
gathered together.

30:8 They were children of fools, yea, children of base men: they were
viler than the earth.

30:9 And now am I their song, yea, I am their byword.

30:10 They abhor me, they flee far from me, and spare not to spit in
my face.

30:11 Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also
let loose the bridle before me.

30:12 Upon my right hand rise the youth; they push away my feet, and
they raise up against me the ways of their destruction.

30:13 They mar my path, they set forward my calamity, they have no
helper.

30:14 They came upon me as a wide breaking in of waters: in the
desolation they rolled themselves upon me.

30:15 Terrors are turned upon me: they pursue my soul as the wind: and
my welfare passeth away as a cloud.

30:16 And now my soul is poured out upon me; the days of affliction
have taken hold upon me.

30:17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews
take no rest.

30:18 By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it
bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

30:19 He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and
ashes.

30:20 I cry unto thee, and thou dost not hear me: I stand up, and thou
regardest me not.

30:21 Thou art become cruel to me: with thy strong hand thou opposest
thyself against me.

30:22 Thou liftest me up to the wind; thou causest me to ride upon it,
and dissolvest my substance.

30:23 For I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house
appointed for all living.

30:24 Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though
they cry in his destruction.

30:25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul
grieved for the poor?  30:26 When I looked for good, then evil came
unto me: and when I waited for light, there came darkness.

30:27 My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction
prevented me.

30:28 I went mourning without the sun: I stood up, and I cried in the
congregation.

30:29 I am a brother to dragons, and a companion to owls.

30:30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

30:31 My harp also is turned to mourning, and my organ into the voice
of them that weep.

31:1 I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a
maid?  31:2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what
inheritance of the Almighty from on high?  31:3 Is not destruction to
the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?  31:4
Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?  31:5 If I have
walked with vanity, or if my foot hath hasted to deceit; 31:6 Let me
be weighed in an even balance that God may know mine integrity.

31:7 If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked
after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands; 31:8 Then
let me sow, and let another eat; yea, let my offspring be rooted out.

31:9 If mine heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid
wait at my neighbour's door; 31:10 Then let my wife grind unto
another, and let others bow down upon her.

31:11 For this is an heinous crime; yea, it is an iniquity to be
punished by the judges.

31:12 For it is a fire that consumeth to destruction, and would root
out all mine increase.

31:13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my
maidservant, when they contended with me; 31:14 What then shall I do
when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
31:15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one
fashion us in the womb?  31:16 If I have withheld the poor from their
desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail; 31:17 Or have
eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten
thereof; 31:18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a
father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;) 31:19 If I have
seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
31:20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with
the fleece of my sheep; 31:21 If I have lifted up my hand against the
fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate: 31:22 Then let mine arm
fall from my shoulder blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone.

31:23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of
his highness I could not endure.

31:24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, Thou
art my confidence; 31:25 If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and
because mine hand had gotten much; 31:26 If I beheld the sun when it
shined, or the moon walking in brightness; 31:27 And my heart hath
been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand: 31:28 This
also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have
denied the God that is above.

31:29 If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted
up myself when evil found him: 31:30 Neither have I suffered my mouth
to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

31:31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his
flesh!  we cannot be satisfied.

31:32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors
to the traveller.

31:33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity
in my bosom: 31:34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt
of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the
door?  31:35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the
Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

31:36 Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown
to me.

31:37 I would declare unto him the number of my steps; as a prince
would I go near unto him.

31:38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof
complain; 31:39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or
have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: 31:40 Let thistles
grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley.

The words of Job are ended.

32:1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous
in his own eyes.

32:2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the
Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled,
because he justified himself rather than God.

32:3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because
they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

32:4 Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder
than he.

32:5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these
three men, then his wrath was kindled.

32:6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am
young, and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew
you mine opinion.

32:7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach
wisdom.

32:8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty
giveth them understanding.

32:9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand
judgment.

32:10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.

32:11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons,
whilst ye searched out what to say.

32:12 Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you
that convinced Job, or that answered his words: 32:13 Lest ye should
say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.

32:14 Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I
answer him with your speeches.

32:15 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking.

32:16 When I had waited, (for they spake not, but stood still, and
answered no more;) 32:17 I said, I will answer also my part, I also
will shew mine opinion.

32:18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.

32:19 Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to
burst like new bottles.

32:20 I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and
answer.

32:21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me
give flattering titles unto man.

32:22 For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my maker
would soon take me away.

33:1 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all
my words.

33:2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my
mouth.

33:3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips
shall utter knowledge clearly.

33:4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty
hath given me life.

33:5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand
up.

33:6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am
formed out of the clay.

33:7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my
hand be heavy upon thee.

33:8 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the
voice of thy words, saying, 33:9 I am clean without transgression, I
am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

33:10 Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his
enemy, 33:11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my
paths.

33:12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God
is greater than man.

33:13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of
any of his matters.

33:14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

33:15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth
upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; 33:16 Then he openeth the ears
of men, and sealeth their instruction, 33:17 That he may withdraw man
from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

33:18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from
perishing by the sword.

33:19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude
of his bones with strong pain: 33:20 So that his life abhorreth bread,
and his soul dainty meat.

33:21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his
bones that were not seen stick out.

33:22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the
destroyers.

33:23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a
thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: 33:24 Then he is gracious
unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have
found a ransom.

33:25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to
the days of his youth: 33:26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be
favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will
render unto man his righteousness.

33:27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and
perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; 33:28 He will
deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the
light.

33:29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, 33:30 To
bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of
the living.

33:31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will
speak.

33:32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to
justify thee.

33:33 If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee
wisdom.

34:1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said, 34:2 Hear my words, O ye
wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

34:3 For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

34:4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is
good.

34:5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my
judgment.

34:6 Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without
transgression.

34:7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?  34:8
Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with
wicked men.

34:9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should
delight himself with God.

34:10 Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be it
from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he
should commit iniquity.

34:11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every
man to find according to his ways.

34:12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty
pervert judgment.

34:13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed
the whole world?  34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather
unto himself his spirit and his breath; 34:15 All flesh shall perish
together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

34:16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice
of my words.

34:17 Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn
him that is most just?  34:18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art
wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?  34:19 How much less to him
that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more
than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

34:20 In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at
midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without
hand.

34:21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his
goings.

34:22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of
iniquity may hide themselves.

34:23 For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should
enter into judgment with God.

34:24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set
others in their stead.

34:25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the
night, so that they are destroyed.

34:26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
34:27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of
his ways: 34:28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto
him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

34:29 When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he
hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a
nation, or against a man only: 34:30 That the hypocrite reign not,
lest the people be ensnared.

34:31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne
chastisement, I will not offend any more: 34:32 That which I see not
teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

34:33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it,
whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore
speak what thou knowest.

34:34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken
unto me.

34:35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without
wisdom.

34:36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his
answers for wicked men.

34:37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands
among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

35:1 Elihu spake moreover, and said, 35:2 Thinkest thou this to be
right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?  35:3
For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit
shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?  35:4 I will answer thee,
and thy companions with thee.

35:5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are
higher than thou.

35:6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy
transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?  35:7 If thou
be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine
hand?  35:8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy
righteousness may profit the son of man.

35:9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed
to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

35:10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the
night; 35:11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and
maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?  35:12 There they cry, but
none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

35:13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty
regard it.

35:14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is
before him; therefore trust thou in him.

35:15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet
he knoweth it not in great extremity: 35:16 Therefore doth Job open
his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

36:1 Elihu also proceeded, and said, 36:2 Suffer me a little, and I
will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.

36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe
righteousness to my Maker.

36:4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in
knowledge is with thee.

36:5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in
strength and wisdom.

36:6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the
poor.

36:7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings
are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they
are exalted.

36:8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of
affliction; 36:9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their
transgressions that they have exceeded.

36:10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that
they return from iniquity.

36:11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in
prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

36:12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they
shall die without knowledge.

36:13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he
bindeth them.

36:14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

36:15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears
in oppression.

36:16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a
broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be
set on thy table should be full of fatness.

36:17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and
justice take hold on thee.

36:18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his
stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

36:19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of
strength.

36:20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

36:21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather
than affliction.

36:22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?  36:23
Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought
iniquity?  36:24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men
behold.

36:25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

36:26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the
number of his years be searched out.

36:27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain
according to the vapour thereof: 36:28 Which the clouds do drop and
distil upon man abundantly.

36:29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the
noise of his tabernacle?  36:30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon
it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

36:31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

36:32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to
shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

36:33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also
concerning the vapour.

37:1 At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place.

37:2 Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth
out of his mouth.

37:3 He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto
the ends of the earth.

37:4 After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his
excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard.

37:5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth
he, which we cannot comprehend.

37:6 For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the
small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.

37:7 He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his
work.

37:8 Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.

37:9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.

37:10 By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the
waters is straitened.

37:11 Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his
bright cloud: 37:12 And it is turned round about by his counsels: that
they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world
in the earth.

37:13 He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land,
or for mercy.

37:14 Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous
works of God.

37:15 Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of
his cloud to shine?  37:16 Dost thou know the balancings of the
clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge?
37:17 How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the
south wind?  37:18 Hast thou with him spread out the sky, which is
strong, and as a molten looking glass?  37:19 Teach us what we shall
say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

37:20 Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he
shall be swallowed up.

37:21 And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but
the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.

37:22 Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God is terrible
majesty.

37:23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent
in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not
afflict.

37:24 Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any that are wise
of heart.

38:1 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, 38:2
Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?  38:3
Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and
answer thou me.

38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
declare, if thou hast understanding.

38:5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath
stretched the line upon it?  38:6 Whereupon are the foundations
thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 38:7 When the
morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
38:8 Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it
had issued out of the womb?  38:9 When I made the cloud the garment
thereof, and thick darkness a swaddlingband for it, 38:10 And brake up
for it my decreed place, and set bars and doors, 38:11 And said,
Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud
waves be stayed?  38:12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy
days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; 38:13 That it might
take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken
out of it?  38:14 It is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as
a garment.

38:15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm
shall be broken.

38:16 Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea? or hast thou
walked in the search of the depth?  38:17 Have the gates of death been
opened unto thee? or hast thou seen the doors of the shadow of death?
38:18 Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare if thou
knowest it all.

38:19 Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkness,
where is the place thereof, 38:20 That thou shouldest take it to the
bound thereof, and that thou shouldest know the paths to the house
thereof?  38:21 Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born? or
because the number of thy days is great?  38:22 Hast thou entered into
the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the
hail, 38:23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against
the day of battle and war?  38:24 By what way is the light parted,
which scattereth the east wind upon the earth?  38:25 Who hath divided
a watercourse for the overflowing of waters, or a way for the
lightning of thunder; 38:26 To cause it to rain on the earth, where no
man is; on the wilderness, wherein there is no man; 38:27 To satisfy
the desolate and waste ground; and to cause the bud of the tender herb
to spring forth?  38:28 Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten
the drops of dew?  38:29 Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary
frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?  38:30 The waters are hid as
with a stone, and the face of the deep is frozen.

38:31 Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the
bands of Orion?  38:32 Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season?
or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons?  38:33 Knowest thou the
ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion thereof in the
earth?  38:34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that
abundance of waters may cover thee?  38:35 Canst thou send lightnings,
that they may go and say unto thee, Here we are?  38:36 Who hath put
wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the
heart?  38:37 Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the
bottles of heaven, 38:38 When the dust groweth into hardness, and the
clods cleave fast together?  38:39 Wilt thou hunt the prey for the
lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions, 38:40 When they couch
in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?  38:41 Who
provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God,
they wander for lack of meat.

39:1 Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring
forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?  39:2 Canst thou
number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they
bring forth?  39:3 They bow themselves, they bring forth their young
ones, they cast out their sorrows.

39:4 Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they
go forth, and return not unto them.

39:5 Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands
of the wild ass?  39:6 Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the
barren land his dwellings.

39:7 He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the
crying of the driver.

39:8 The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after
every green thing.

39:9 Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?
39:10 Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will
he harrow the valleys after thee?  39:11 Wilt thou trust him, because
his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?  39:12
Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it
into thy barn?  39:13 Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks?
or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?  39:14 Which leaveth her eggs
in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, 39:15 And forgetteth that the
foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.

39:16 She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not
her's: her labour is in vain without fear; 39:17 Because God hath
deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

39:18 What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse
and his rider.

39:19 Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck
with thunder?  39:20 Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the
glory of his nostrils is terrible.

39:21 He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth
on to meet the armed men.

39:22 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he
back from the sword.

39:23 The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the
shield.

39:24 He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither
believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

39:25 He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle
afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

39:26 Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward
the south?  39:27 Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her
nest on high?  39:28 She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the
crag of the rock, and the strong place.

39:29 From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

39:30 Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are,
there is she.

40:1 Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 40:2 Shall he that
contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let
him answer it.

40:3 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 40:4 Behold, I am vile;
what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

40:5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will
proceed no further.

40:6 Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,
40:7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and
declare thou unto me.

40:8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that
thou mayest be righteous?  40:9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst
thou thunder with a voice like him?  40:10 Deck thyself now with
majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

40:11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is
proud, and abase him.

40:12 Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread
down the wicked in their place.

40:13 Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.

40:14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can
save thee.

40:15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as
an ox.

40:16 Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the
navel of his belly.

40:17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are
wrapped together.

40:18 His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars
of iron.

40:19 He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make
his sword to approach unto him.

40:20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts
of the field play.

40:21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and
fens.

40:22 The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the
brook compass him about.

40:23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth
that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

40:24 He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.

41:1 Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a
cord which thou lettest down?  41:2 Canst thou put an hook into his
nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn?  41:3 Will he make many
supplications unto thee? will he speak soft words unto thee?  41:4
Will he make a covenant with thee? wilt thou take him for a servant
for ever?  41:5 Wilt thou play with him as with a bird? or wilt thou
bind him for thy maidens?  41:6 Shall the companions make a banquet of
him? shall they part him among the merchants?  41:7 Canst thou fill
his skin with barbed irons? or his head with fish spears?  41:8 Lay
thine hand upon him, remember the battle, do no more.

41:9 Behold, the hope of him is in vain: shall not one be cast down
even at the sight of him?  41:10 None is so fierce that dare stir him
up: who then is able to stand before me?  41:11 Who hath prevented me,
that I should repay him? whatsoever is under the whole heaven is mine.

41:12 I will not conceal his parts, nor his power, nor his comely
proportion.

41:13 Who can discover the face of his garment? or who can come to him
with his double bridle?  41:14 Who can open the doors of his face? his
teeth are terrible round about.

41:15 His scales are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal.

41:16 One is so near to another, that no air can come between them.

41:17 They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they
cannot be sundered.

41:18 By his neesings a light doth shine, and his eyes are like the
eyelids of the morning.

41:19 Out of his mouth go burning lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

41:20 Out of his nostrils goeth smoke, as out of a seething pot or
caldron.

41:21 His breath kindleth coals, and a flame goeth out of his mouth.

41:22 In his neck remaineth strength, and sorrow is turned into joy
before him.

41:23 The flakes of his flesh are joined together: they are firm in
themselves; they cannot be moved.

41:24 His heart is as firm as a stone; yea, as hard as a piece of the
nether millstone.

41:25 When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of
breakings they purify themselves.

41:26 The sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold: the spear, the
dart, nor the habergeon.

41:27 He esteemeth iron as straw, and brass as rotten wood.

41:28 The arrow cannot make him flee: slingstones are turned with him
into stubble.

41:29 Darts are counted as stubble: he laugheth at the shaking of a
spear.

41:30 Sharp stones are under him: he spreadeth sharp pointed things
upon the mire.

41:31 He maketh the deep to boil like a pot: he maketh the sea like a
pot of ointment.

41:32 He maketh a path to shine after him; one would think the deep to
be hoary.

41:33 Upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear.

41:34 He beholdeth all high things: he is a king over all the children
of pride.

42:1 Then Job answered the LORD, and said, 42:2 I know that thou canst
do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.

42:3 Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I
uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I
knew not.

42:4 Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee,
and declare thou unto me.

42:5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye
seeth thee.

42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

42:7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto
Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled
against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of
me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go
to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and
my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal
with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing
which is right, like my servant Job.

42:9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the
Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the
LORD also accepted Job.

42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his
friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

42:11 Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters,
and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat
bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him
over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also
gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.

42:12 So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his
beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand
camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

42:13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.

42:14 And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the
second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch.

42:15 And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters
of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren.

42:16 After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his
sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.

42:17 So Job died, being old and full of days.




The Book of Psalms


1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful.

1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he
meditate day and night.

1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that
bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not
wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind
driveth away.

1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners
in the congregation of the righteous.

1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the
ungodly shall perish.



2:1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying,

2:3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from
us.

2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have
them in derision.

2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his
sore displeasure.

2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my
Son; this day have I begotten thee.

2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in
pieces like a potter's vessel.

2:10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of
the earth.

2:11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when
his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their
trust in him.



3:1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that
rise up against me.

3:2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in
God.

Selah.

3:3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up
of mine head.

3:4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his
holy hill. Selah.

3:5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

3:6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set
themselves against me round about.

3:7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine
enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the
ungodly.

3:8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy
people.

Selah.



4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged
me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

4:2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how
long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

4:3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for
himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your
bed, and be still. Selah.

4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the
LORD.

4:6 There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou
up the light of thy countenance upon us.

4:7 Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that
their corn and their wine increased.

4:8 I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only
makest me dwell in safety.



5:1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.

5:2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto
thee will I pray.

5:3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning
will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

5:4 For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither
shall evil dwell with thee.

5:5 The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers
of iniquity.

5:6 Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor
the bloody and deceitful man.

5:7 But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy
mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.

5:8 Lead me, O LORD, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies;
make thy way straight before my face.

5:9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is
very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with
their tongue.

5:10 Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels;
cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have
rebelled against thee.

5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them
ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that
love thy name be joyful in thee.

5:12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou
compass him as with a shield.



6:1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy
hot displeasure.

6:2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my
bones are vexed.

6:3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

6:4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who
shall give thee thanks?

6:6 I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim;
I water my couch with my tears.

6:7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of
all mine enemies.

6:8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath
heard the voice of my weeping.

6:9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my
prayer.

6:10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return
and be ashamed suddenly.



7:1 O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them
that persecute me, and deliver me:

7:2 Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while
there is none to deliver.

7:3 O LORD my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my
hands;

7:4 If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea,
I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)

7:5 Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread
down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.

7:6 Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage
of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast
commanded.

7:7 So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for
their sakes therefore return thou on high.

7:8 The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my
righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish
the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.

7:10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every
day.

7:12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and
made it ready.

7:13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he
ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.

7:14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief,
and brought forth falsehood.

7:15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which
he made.

7:16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent
dealing shall come down upon his own pate.

7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will
sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.



8:1 O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who
hast set thy glory above the heavens.

8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained
strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy
and the avenger.

8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and
the stars, which thou hast ordained;

8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man,
that thou visitest him?

8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast
crowned him with glory and honour.

8:6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou
hast put all things under his feet:

8:7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8:8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever
passeth through the paths of the seas.

8:9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!


9:1 I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth
all thy marvellous works.

9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy
name, O thou most High.

9:3 When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at
thy presence.

9:4 For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the
throne judging right.

9:5 Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked,
thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.

9:6 O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou
hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.

9:7 But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne
for judgment.

9:8 And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister
judgment to the people in uprightness.

9:9 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in
times of trouble.

9:10 And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for
thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

9:11 Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among
the people his doings.

9:12 When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he
forgetteth not the cry of the humble.

9:13 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of
them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:

9:14 That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter
of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.

9:15 The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net
which they hid is their own foot taken.

9:16 The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked
is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.

9:17 The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that
forget God.

9:18 For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of
the poor shall not perish for ever.

9:19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in
thy sight.

9:20 Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to
be but men. Selah.



10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in
times of trouble?

10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be
taken in the devices that they have imagined.

10:3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the
covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth.

10:4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek
after God: God is not in all his thoughts.

10:5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of
his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.

10:6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall
never be in adversity.

10:7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his
tongue is mischief and vanity.

10:8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret
places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against
the poor.

10:9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait
to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into
his net.

10:10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by
his strong ones.

10:11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his
face; he will never see it.

10:12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

10:13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his
heart, Thou wilt not require it.

10:14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to
requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou
art the helper of the fatherless.

10:15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his
wickedness till thou find none.

10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out
of his land.

10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt
prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

10:18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the
earth may no more oppress.



11:1 In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird
to your mountain?

11:2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow
upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.

11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?

11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD's throne is in heaven:
his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.

11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth
violence his soul hateth.

11:6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an
horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.

11:7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth
behold the upright.



12:1 Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from
among the children of men.

12:2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering
lips and with a double heart do they speak.

12:3 The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that
speaketh proud things:

12:4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our
own: who is lord over us?

12:5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now
will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that
puffeth at him.

12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a
furnace of earth, purified seven times.

12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this
generation for ever.

12:8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.



13:1 How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt
thou hide thy face from me?

13:2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my
heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?

13:3 Consider and hear me, O LORD my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I
sleep the sleep of death;

13:4 Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that
trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

13:5 But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy
salvation.

13:6 I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with
me.



14:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are
corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth
good.

14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see
if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy:
there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

14:4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my
people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD.

14:5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of
the righteous.

14:6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his
refuge.

14:7 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when the
LORD bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice,
and Israel shall be glad.



15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy
holy hill?

15:2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and
speaketh the truth in his heart.

15:3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his
neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

15:4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them
that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth
not.

15:5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward
against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.



16:1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

16:2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my
goodness extendeth not to thee;

16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in
whom is all my delight.

16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god:
their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their
names into my lips.

16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou
maintainest my lot.

16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a
goodly heritage.

16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also
instruct me in the night seasons.

16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right
hand, I shall not be moved.

16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also
shall rest in hope.

16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou
suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness
of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.



17:1 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my
prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.

17:2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes
behold the things that are equal.

17:3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night;
thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my
mouth shall not transgress.

17:4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept
me from the paths of the destroyer.

17:5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

17:6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline
thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.

17:7 Shew thy marvellous lovingkindness, O thou that savest by thy
right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up
against them.

17:8 Keep me as the apple of the eye, hide me under the shadow of thy
wings,

17:9 From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who
compass me about.

17:10 They are inclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak
proudly.

17:11 They have now compassed us in our steps: they have set their
eyes bowing down to the earth;

17:12 Like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, and as it were a
young lion lurking in secret places.

17:13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul
from the wicked, which is thy sword:

17:14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world,
which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest
with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest
of their substance to their babes.

17:15 As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be
satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.



18:1 I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.

18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God,
my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my
salvation, and my high tower.

18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall
I be saved from mine enemies.

18:4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men
made me afraid.

18:5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death
prevented me.

18:6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he
heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even
into his ears.

18:7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the
hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.

18:8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his
mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

18:9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under
his feet.

18:10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the
wings of the wind.

18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him
were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

18:12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed,
hail stones and coals of fire.

18:13 The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his
voice; hail stones and coals of fire.

18:14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out
lightnings, and discomfited them.

18:15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of
the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the
breath of thy nostrils.

18:16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.

18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated
me: for they were too strong for me.

18:18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my
stay.

18:19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me,
because he delighted in me.

18:20 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to
the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.

18:21 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly
departed from my God.

18:22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his
statutes from me.

18:23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine
iniquity.

18:24 Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my
righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.

18:25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an
upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;

18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward
thou wilt shew thyself froward.

18:27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down
high looks.

18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my
darkness.

18:29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I
leaped over a wall.

18:30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:
he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?

18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way
perfect.

18:33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high
places.

18:34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by
mine arms.

18:35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy
right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.

18:36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.

18:37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I
turn again till they were consumed.

18:38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are
fallen under my feet.

18:39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast
subdued under me those that rose up against me.

18:40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might
destroy them that hate me.

18:41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD,
but he answered them not.

18:42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did
cast them out as the dirt in the streets.

18:43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and
thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not
known shall serve me.

18:44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers
shall submit themselves unto me.

18:45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close
places.

18:46 The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my
salvation be exalted.

18:47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.

18:48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up
above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the
violent man.

18:49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the
heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

18:50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to
his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.



19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth
his handywork.

19:2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth
knowledge.

19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

19:4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to
the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

19:5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth
as a strong man to run a race.

19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit
unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the
testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the
commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments
of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:
sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them
there is great reward.

19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret
faults.

19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not
have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be
innocent from the great transgression.

19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.



20:1 The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of
Jacob defend thee;

20:2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of
Zion;

20:3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice;
Selah.

20:4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy
counsel.

20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we
will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.

20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him
from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.

20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember
the name of the LORD our God.

20:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand
upright.

20:9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.



21:1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O LORD; and in thy salvation
how greatly shall he rejoice!

21:2 Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden
the request of his lips. Selah.

21:3 For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou
settest a crown of pure gold on his head.

21:4 He asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of
days for ever and ever.

21:5 His glory is great in thy salvation: honour and majesty hast thou
laid upon him.

21:6 For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him
exceeding glad with thy countenance.

21:7 For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the
most High he shall not be moved.

21:8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall
find out those that hate thee.

21:9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger:
the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour
them.

21:10 Their fruit shalt thou destroy from the earth, and their seed
from among the children of men.

21:11 For they intended evil against thee: they imagined a mischievous
device, which they are not able to perform.

21:12 Therefore shalt thou make them turn their back, when thou shalt
make ready thine arrows upon thy strings against the face of them.

21:13 Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing
and praise thy power.



22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far
from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

22:2 O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the
night season, and am not silent.

22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

22:4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver
them.

22:5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee,
and were not confounded.

22:6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of
the people.

22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip,
they shake the head, saying,

22:8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver
him, seeing he delighted in him.

22:9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me
hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.

22:10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my
mother's belly.

22:11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to
help.

22:12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset
me round.

22:13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a
roaring lion.

22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint:
my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth
to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have
inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

22:17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

22:19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee
to help me.

22:20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the
dog.

22:21 Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the
horns of the unicorns.

22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the
congregation will I praise thee.

22:23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob,
glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

22:24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the
afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried
unto him, he heard.

22:25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay
my vows before them that fear him.

22:26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD
that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

22:27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD:
and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

22:28 For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the
nations.

22:29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they
that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive
his own soul.

22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a
generation.

22:31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a
people that shall be born, that he hath done this.



23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside
the still waters.

23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.

23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me.

23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my
life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.



24:1 The earth is the LORD's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and
they that dwell therein.

24:2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the
floods.

24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in
his holy place?

24:4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted
up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

24:5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness
from the God of his salvation.

24:6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face,
O Jacob. Selah.

24:7 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting
doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

24:8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD
mighty in battle.

24:9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting
doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

24:10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of
glory. Selah.



25:1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.

25:2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine
enemies triumph over me.

25:3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed
which transgress without cause.

25:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my
salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

25:6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses;
for they have been ever of old.

25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:
according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O
LORD.

25:8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in
the way.

25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach
his way.

25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep
his covenant and his testimonies.

25:11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is
great.

25:12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the
way that he shall choose.

25:13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the
earth.

25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will
shew them his covenant.

25:15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet
out of the net.

25:16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and
afflicted.

25:17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my
distresses.

25:18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.

25:19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with
cruel hatred.

25:20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put
my trust in thee.

25:21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.

25:22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.



26:1 Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have
trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

26:3 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in
thy truth.

26:4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with
dissemblers.

26:5 I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit
with the wicked.

26:6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine
altar, O LORD:

26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of
all thy wondrous works.

26:8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place
where thine honour dwelleth.

26:9 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

26:10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of
bribes.

26:11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be
merciful unto me.

26:12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I
bless the LORD.



27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the
LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to
eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear:
though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after;
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to
behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in
the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon
a rock.

27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round
about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy;
I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

27:7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me,
and answer me.

27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy
face, LORD, will I seek.

27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger:
thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my
salvation.

27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take
me up.

27:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because
of mine enemies.

27:12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false
witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the
LORD in the land of the living.

27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen
thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.



28:1 Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest,
if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.

28:2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I
lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.

28:3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of
iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in
their hearts.

28:4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the
wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their
hands; render to them their desert.

28:5 Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation
of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

28:6 Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my
supplications.

28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him,
and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my
song will I praise him.

28:8 The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his
anointed.

28:9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and
lift them up for ever.



29:1 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and
strength.

29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD
in the beauty of holiness.

29:3 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory
thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.

29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full
of majesty.

29:5 The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh
the cedars of Lebanon.

29:6 He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like
a young unicorn.

29:7 The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.

29:8 The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh
the wilderness of Kadesh.

29:9 The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth
the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.

29:10 The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for
ever.

29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless
his people with peace.



30:1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast
not made my foes to rejoice over me.

30:2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

30:3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast
kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the
remembrance of his holiness.

30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life:
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

30:6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.

30:7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong:
thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.

30:8 I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication.

30:9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit?
Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth?

30:10 Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

30:11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put
off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

30:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be
silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.



31:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed:
deliver me in thy righteousness.

31:2 Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong
rock, for an house of defence to save me.

31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's
sake lead me, and guide me.

31:4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for
thou art my strength.

31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD
God of truth.

31:6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the
LORD.

31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered
my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;

31:8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set
my feet in a large room.

31:9 Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is
consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.

31:10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my
strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.

31:11 I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my
neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me
without fled from me.

31:12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken
vessel.

31:13 For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side:
while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away
my life.

31:14 But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.

31:15 My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine
enemies, and from them that persecute me.

31:16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy
mercies' sake.

31:17 Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let
the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave.

31:18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous
things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

31:19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them
that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee
before the sons of men!

31:20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the
pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the
strife of tongues.

31:21 Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous
kindness in a strong city.

31:22 For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes:
nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried
unto thee.

31:23 O love the LORD, all ye his saints: for the LORD preserveth the
faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.

31:24 Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye
that hope in the LORD.



32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is
covered.

32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and
in whose spirit there is no guile.

32:3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all
the day long.

32:4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is
turned into the drought of summer. Selah.

32:5 I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.
I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou
forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

32:6 For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time
when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they
shall not come nigh unto him.

32:7 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble;
thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt
go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no
understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest
they come near unto thee.

32:10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the
LORD, mercy shall compass him about.

32:11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for
joy, all ye that are upright in heart.



33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the
upright.

33:2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an
instrument of ten strings.

33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

33:4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in
truth.

33:5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the
goodness of the LORD.

33:6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host
of them by the breath of his mouth.

33:7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth
up the depth in storehouses.

33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the
world stand in awe of him.

33:9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

33:10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he
maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

33:11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his
heart to all generations.

33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom
he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

33:13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

33:14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the
inhabitants of the earth.

33:15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their
works.

33:16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man
is not delivered by much strength.

33:17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver
any by his great strength.

33:18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon
them that hope in his mercy;

33:19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in
famine.

33:20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

33:21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in
his holy name.

33:22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.



34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually
be in my mouth.

34:2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear
thereof, and be glad.

34:3 O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

34:4 I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my
fears.

34:5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were
not ashamed.

34:6 This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of
all his troubles.

34:7 The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him,
and delivereth them.

34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that
trusteth in him.

34:9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that
fear him.

34:10 The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek
the LORD shall not want any good thing.

34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of
the LORD.

34:12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he
may see good?

34:13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their cry.

34:16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off
the remembrance of them from the earth.

34:17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out
of all their troubles.

34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and
saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD
delivereth him out of them all.

34:20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.

34:21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous
shall be desolate.

34:22 The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them
that trust in him shall be desolate.



35:1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight
against them that fight against me.

35:2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.

35:3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that
persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.

35:4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul:
let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.

35:5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the
LORD chase them.

35:6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD
persecute them.

35:7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which
without cause they have digged for my soul.

35:8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that
he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.

35:9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his
salvation.

35:10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which
deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor
and the needy from him that spoileth him?

35:11 False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that
I knew not.

35:12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.

35:13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I
humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own
bosom.

35:14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I
bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

35:15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves
together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me,
and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:

35:16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with
their teeth.

35:17 Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their
destructions, my darling from the lions.

35:18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise
thee among much people.

35:19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me:
neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.

35:20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters
against them that are quiet in the land.

35:21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha,
aha, our eye hath seen it.

35:22 This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not
far from me.

35:23 Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause,
my God and my Lord.

35:24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let
them not rejoice over me.

35:25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let
them not say, We have swallowed him up.

35:26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that
rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour
that magnify themselves against me.

35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous
cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which
hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

35:28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise
all the day long.



36:1 The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there
is no fear of God before his eyes.

36:2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be
found to be hateful.

36:3 The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off
to be wise, and to do good.

36:4 He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way
that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

36:5 Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness
reacheth unto the clouds.

36:6 Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are
a great deep: O LORD, thou preservest man and beast.

36:7 How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the
children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house;
and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.

36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see
light.

36:10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy
righteousness to the upright in heart.

36:11 Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand
of the wicked remove me.

36:12 There are the workers of iniquity fallen: they are cast down,
and shall not be able to rise.



37:1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious
against the workers of iniquity.

37:2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the
green herb.

37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed.

37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the
desires of thine heart.

37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall
bring it to pass.

37:6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy
judgment as the noonday.

37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself
because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who
bringeth wicked devices to pass.

37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise
to do evil.

37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the
LORD, they shall inherit the earth.

37:10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou
shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.

37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight
themselves in the abundance of peace.

37:12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with
his teeth.

37:13 The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is
coming.

37:14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to
cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright
conversation.

37:15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows
shall be broken.

37:16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of
many wicked.

37:17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD
upholdeth the righteous.

37:18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance
shall be for ever.

37:19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of
famine they shall be satisfied.

37:20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall
be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they
consume away.

37:21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous
sheweth mercy, and giveth.

37:22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they
that be cursed of him shall be cut off.

37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he
delighteth in his way.

37:24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD
upholdeth him with his hand.

37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

37:26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.

37:27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.

37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they
are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

37:29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for
ever.

37:30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue
talketh of judgment.

37:31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall
slide.

37:32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.

37:33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he
is judged.

37:34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to
inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.

37:35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself
like a green bay tree.

37:36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but
he could not be found.

37:37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of
that man is peace.

37:38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of
the wicked shall be cut off.

37:39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their
strength in the time of trouble.

37:40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver
them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.



38:1 O lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot
displeasure.

38:2 For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.

38:3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither
is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.

38:4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden
they are too heavy for me.

38:5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

38:6 I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day
long.

38:7 For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no
soundness in my flesh.

38:8 I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the
disquietness of my heart.

38:9 Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid
from thee.

38:10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of
mine eyes, it also is gone from me.

38:11 My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my
kinsmen stand afar off.

38:12 They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they
that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all
the day long.

38:13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that
openeth not his mouth.

38:14 Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no
reproofs.

38:15 For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

38:16 For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me:
when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.

38:17 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.

38:18 For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

38:19 But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that
hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

38:20 They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries;
because I follow the thing that good is.

38:21 Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.

38:22 Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.



39:1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my
tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before
me.

39:2 I was dumb with silence, I held my peace, even from good; and my
sorrow was stirred.

39:3 My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned:
then spake I with my tongue,

39:4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what
it is: that I may know how frail I am.

39:5 Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is
as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is
altogether vanity.

Selah.

39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are
disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall
gather them.

39:7 And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.

39:8 Deliver me from all my transgressions: make me not the reproach
of the foolish.

39:9 I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.

39:10 Remove thy stroke away from me: I am consumed by the blow of
thine hand.

39:11 When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou
makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is
vanity. Selah.

39:12 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy
peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as
all my fathers were.

39:13 O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and
be no more.



40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and
heard my cry.

40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry
clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:
many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and
respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast
done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned
up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are
more than can be numbered.

40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou
opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written
of me,

40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my
heart.

40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I
have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.

40:10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have
declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy
lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy
lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

40:12 For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities
have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are
more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

40:13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help
me.

40:14 Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my
soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that
wish me evil.

40:15 Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto
me, Aha, aha.

40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let
such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.

40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art
my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.



41:1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver
him in time of trouble.

41:2 The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be
blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of
his enemies.

41:3 The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou
wilt make all his bed in his sickness.

41:4 I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have
sinned against thee.

41:5 Mine enemies speak evil of me, When shall he die, and his name
perish?

41:6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth
iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it.

41:7 All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do they
devise my hurt.

41:8 An evil disease, say they, cleaveth fast unto him: and now that
he lieth he shall rise up no more.

41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat
of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

41:10 But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I
may requite them.

41:11 By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth
not triumph over me.

41:12 And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settest
me before thy face for ever.

41:13 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting, and to
everlasting. Amen, and Amen.



42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul
after thee, O God.

42:2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come
and appear before God?

42:3 My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually
say unto me, Where is thy God?

42:4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had
gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with
the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in
me?  hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his
countenance.

42:6 O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I
remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the
hill Mizar.

42:7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy
waves and thy billows are gone over me.

42:8 Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and
in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of
my life.

42:9 I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I
mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

42:10 As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while
they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted
within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the
health of my countenance, and my God.



43:1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O
deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

43:2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off?
why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them
bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.

43:4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy:
yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

43:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted
within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health
of my countenance, and my God.



44:1 We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us,
what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.

44:2 How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst
them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.

44:3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword,
neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine
arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour
unto them.

44:4 Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.

44:5 Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will
we tread them under that rise up against us.

44:6 For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.

44:7 But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to
shame that hated us.

44:8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever.

Selah.

44:9 But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth
with our armies.

44:10 Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate
us spoil for themselves.

44:11 Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast
scattered us among the heathen.

44:12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy
wealth by their price.

44:13 Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a
derision to them that are round about us.

44:14 Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head
among the people.

44:15 My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face
hath covered me,

44:16 For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason
of the enemy and avenger.

44:17 All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee,
neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.

44:18 Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined
from thy way;

44:19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and
covered us with the shadow of death.

44:20 If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our
hands to a strange god;

44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the
heart.

44:22 Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted
as sheep for the slaughter.

44:23 Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for
ever.

44:24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction
and our oppression?

44:25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto
the earth.

44:26 Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.



45:1 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I
have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

45:2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into
thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

45:3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and
thy majesty.

45:4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and
meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee
terrible things.

45:5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies;
whereby the people fall under thee.

45:6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy
kingdom is a right sceptre.

45:7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God,
thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

45:8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of
the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

45:9 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right
hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

45:10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget
also thine own people, and thy father's house;

45:11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord;
and worship thou him.

45:12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the
rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.

45:13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of
wrought gold.

45:14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the
virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

45:15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall
enter into the king's palace.

45:16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest
make princes in all the earth.

45:17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations:
therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.



46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

46:2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and
though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

46:3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the
mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

46:4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of
God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall
help her, and that right early.

46:6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice,
the earth melted.

46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah.

46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made
in the earth.

46:9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh
the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in
the fire.

46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the
heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.
Selah.



47:1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice
of triumph.

47:2 For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all
the earth.

47:3 He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our
feet.

47:4 He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob
whom he loved. Selah.

47:5 God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a
trumpet.

47:6 Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King,
sing praises.

47:7 For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with
understanding.

47:8 God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his
holiness.

47:9 The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people
of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God:
he is greatly exalted.



48:1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our
God, in the mountain of his holiness.

48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount
Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

48:3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

48:4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.

48:5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and
hasted away.

48:6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in
travail.

48:7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.

48:8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of
hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.

48:9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy
temple.

48:10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of
the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.

48:11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad,
because of thy judgments.

48:12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers
thereof.

48:13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may
tell it to the generation following.

48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide
even unto death.



49:1 Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the
world:

49:2 Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

49:3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart
shall be of understanding.

49:4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying
upon the harp.

49:5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of
my heels shall compass me about?

49:6 They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the
multitude of their riches;

49:7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God
a ransom for him:

49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for
ever:)

49:9 That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

49:10 For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the
brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

49:11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for
ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their
lands after their own names.

49:12 Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the
beasts that perish.

49:13 This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their
sayings. Selah.

49:14 Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them;
and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and
their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he
shall receive me. Selah.

49:16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his
house is increased;

49:17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall
not descend after him.

49:18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise
thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

49:19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never
see light.

49:20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts
that perish.



50:1 The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth
from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.

50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.

50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall
devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.

50:4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that
he may judge his people.

50:5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a
covenant with me by sacrifice.

50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge
himself. Selah.

50:7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify
against thee: I am God, even thy God.

50:8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt
offerings, to have been continually before me.

50:9 I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy
folds.

50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a
thousand hills.

50:11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of
the field are mine.

50:12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine,
and the fulness thereof.

50:13 Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?

50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most
High:

50:15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and
thou shalt glorify me.

50:16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare
my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?

50:17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and casteth my words behind
thee.

50:18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and
hast been partaker with adulterers.

50:19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.

50:20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest
thine own mother's son.

50:21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest
that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee,
and set them in order before thine eyes.

50:22 Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in
pieces, and there be none to deliver.

50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth
his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.



51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my
transgressions.

51:2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before
me.

51:4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy
sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be
clear when thou judgest.

51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother
conceive me.

51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the
hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall
be whiter than snow.

51:8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast
broken may rejoice.

51:9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit
within me.

51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit
from me.

51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy
free spirit.

51:13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be
converted unto thee.

51:14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my
salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

51:15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy
praise.

51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou
delightest not in burnt offering.

51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of
Jerusalem.

51:19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer
bullocks upon thine altar.



52:1 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness
of God endureth continually.

52:2 The tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working
deceitfully.

52:3 Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak
righteousness. Selah.

52:4 Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.

52:5 God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee
away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of
the land of the living. Selah.

52:6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

52:7 Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted
in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his
wickedness.

52:8 But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in
the mercy of God for ever and ever.

52:9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I
will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints.



53:1 The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are
they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth
good.

53:2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if
there were any that did understand, that did seek God.

53:3 Every one of them is gone back: they are altogether become
filthy; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

53:4 Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people
as they eat bread: they have not called upon God.

53:5 There were they in great fear, where no fear was: for God hath
scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee: thou hast put
them to shame, because God hath despised them.

53:6 Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! When God
bringeth back the captivity of his people, Jacob shall rejoice, and
Israel shall be glad.



54:1 Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.

54:2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.

54:3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after
my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.

54:4 Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my
soul.

54:5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy
truth.

54:6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O
LORD; for it is good.

54:7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath
seen his desire upon mine enemies.



55:1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my
supplication.

55:2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a
noise;

55:3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of
the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.

55:4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are
fallen upon me.

55:5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath
overwhelmed me.

55:6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly
away, and be at rest.

55:7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness.
Selah.

55:8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.

55:9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen
violence and strife in the city.

55:10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief
also and sorrow are in the midst of it.

55:11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not
from her streets.

55:12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have
borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself
against me; then I would have hid myself from him:

55:13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine
acquaintance.

55:14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God
in company.

55:15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell:
for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.

55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud:
and he shall hear my voice.

55:18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was
against me: for there were many with me.

55:19 God shall hear, and afflict them, even he that abideth of old.

Selah. Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.

55:20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with
him: he hath broken his covenant.

55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in
his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he
shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

55:23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of
destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their
days; but I will trust in thee.



56:1 Be merciful unto me, O God: for man would swallow me up; he
fighting daily oppresseth me.

56:2 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that
fight against me, O thou most High.

56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

56:4 In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will
not fear what flesh can do unto me.

56:5 Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me
for evil.

56:6 They gather themselves together, they hide themselves, they mark
my steps, when they wait for my soul.

56:7 Shall they escape by iniquity? in thine anger cast down the
people, O God.

56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle:
are they not in thy book?

56:9 When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I
know; for God is for me.

56:10 In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his
word.

56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do
unto me.

56:12 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou
deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light
of the living?



57:1 Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul
trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my
refuge, until these calamities be overpast.

57:2 I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all
things for me.

57:3 He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him
that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and
his truth.

57:4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on
fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and
their tongue a sharp sword.

57:5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above
all the earth.

57:6 They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down:
they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are
fallen themselves. Selah.

57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give
praise.

57:8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake
early.

57:9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto
thee among the nations.

57:10 For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the
clouds.

57:11 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be
above all the earth.



58:1 Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge
uprightly, O ye sons of men?

58:2 Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your
hands in the earth.

58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as
they be born, speaking lies.

58:4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the
deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;

58:5 Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never
so wisely.

58:6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great
teeth of the young lions, O LORD.

58:7 Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he
bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.

58:8 As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like
the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.

58:9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as
with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.

58:10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he
shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

58:11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the
righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.



59:1 Deliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that
rise up against me.

59:2 Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody
men.

59:3 For, lo, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered
against me; not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O LORD.

59:4 They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help
me, and behold.

59:5 Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to
visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors.
Selah.

59:6 They return at evening: they make a noise like a dog, and go
round about the city.

59:7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their
lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

59:8 But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them; thou shalt have all the
heathen in derision.

59:9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my
defence.

59:10 The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my
desire upon mine enemies.

59:11 Slay them not, lest my people forget: scatter them by thy power;
and bring them down, O Lord our shield.

59:12 For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips let them
even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they
speak.

59:13 Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and
let them know that God ruleth in Jacob unto the ends of the earth.
Selah.

59:14 And at evening let them return; and let them make a noise like a
dog, and go round about the city.

59:15 Let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not
satisfied.

59:16 But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy
mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the
day of my trouble.

59:17 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence,
and the God of my mercy.



60:1 O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast
been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.

60:2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal
the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

60:3 Thou hast shewed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to
drink the wine of astonishment.

60:4 Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be
displayed because of the truth. Selah.

60:5 That thy beloved may be delivered; save with thy right hand, and
hear me.

60:6 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide
Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

60:7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the
strength of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

60:8 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia,
triumph thou because of me.

60:9 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into
Edom?

60:10 Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God,
which didst not go out with our armies?

60:11 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

60:12 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread
down our enemies.



61:1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

61:2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is
overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

61:3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the
enemy.

61:4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the
covert of thy wings. Selah.

61:5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the
heritage of those that fear thy name.

61:6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many
generations.

61:7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth,
which may preserve him.

61:8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily
perform my vows.



62:1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.

62:2 He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I shall
not be greatly moved.

62:3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be
slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering
fence.

62:4 They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they
delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.
Selah.

62:5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.

62:6 He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall
not be moved.

62:7 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and
my refuge, is in God.

62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before
him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

62:9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a
lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than
vanity.

62:10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if
riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

62:11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power
belongeth unto God.

62:12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to
every man according to his work.



63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth
for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where
no water is;

63:2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the
sanctuary.

63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall
praise thee.

63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in
thy name.

63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my
mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the
night watches.

63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy
wings will I rejoice.

63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

63:9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the
lower parts of the earth.

63:10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.

63:11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by
him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be
stopped.



64:1 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of
the enemy.

64:2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the
insurrection of the workers of iniquity:

64:3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot
their arrows, even bitter words:

64:4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they
shoot at him, and fear not.

64:5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of
laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?

64:6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search:
both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.

64:7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be
wounded.

64:8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all
that see them shall flee away.

64:9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for
they shall wisely consider of his doing.

64:10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him;
and all the upright in heart shall glory.



65:1 Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the
vow be performed.

65:2 O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

65:3 Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou
shalt purge them away.

65:4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach
unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with
the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

65:5 By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of
our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth,
and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

65:6 Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded
with power:

65:7 Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves,
and the tumult of the people.

65:8 They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy
tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to
rejoice.

65:9 Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest
it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them
corn, when thou hast so provided for it.

65:10 Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the
furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the
springing thereof.

65:11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop
fatness.

65:12 They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little
hills rejoice on every side.

65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are
covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.



66:1 Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands:

66:2 Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

66:3 Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works! through the
greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto
thee.

66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they
shall sing to thy name. Selah.

66:5 Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward
the children of men.

66:6 He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on
foot: there did we rejoice in him.

66:7 He ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations: let
not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

66:8 O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to
be heard:

66:9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be
moved.

66:10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver
is tried.

66:11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our
loins.

66:12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through
fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy
place.

66:13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee
my vows,

66:14 Which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was
in trouble.

66:15 I will offer unto thee burnt sacrifices of fatlings, with the
incense of rams; I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.

66:16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he
hath done for my soul.

66:17 I cried unto him with my mouth, and he was extolled with my
tongue.

66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

66:19 But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of
my prayer.

66:20 Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his
mercy from me.



67:1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to
shine upon us; Selah.

67:2 That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all
nations.

67:3 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise
thee.

67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge
the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

67:5 Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise
thee.

67:6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own
God, shall bless us.

67:7 God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.



68:1 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that
hate him flee before him.

68:2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth
before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

68:3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea,
let them exceedingly rejoice.

68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth
upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

68:5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in
his holy habitation.

68:6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which
are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

68:7 O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst
march through the wilderness; Selah:

68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God:
even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

68:9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst
confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

68:10 Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared
of thy goodness for the poor.

68:11 The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that
published it.

68:12 Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home
divided the spoil.

68:13 Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings
of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.

68:14 When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in
Salmon.

68:15 The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the
hill of Bashan.

68:16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth
to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.

68:17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of
angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive:
thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that
the LORD God might dwell among them.

68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even
the God of our salvation. Selah.

68:20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the
Lord belong the issues from death.

68:21 But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp
of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.

68:22 The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my
people again from the depths of the sea:

68:23 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and
the tongue of thy dogs in the same.

68:24 They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my
King, in the sanctuary.

68:25 The singers went before, the players on instruments followed
after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.

68:26 Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the
fountain of Israel.

68:27 There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah
and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of
Naphtali.

68:28 Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that
which thou hast wrought for us.

68:29 Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents
unto thee.

68:30 Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with
the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of
silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.

68:31 Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out
her hands unto God.

68:32 Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the
Lord; Selah:

68:33 To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of
old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.

68:34 Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and
his strength is in the clouds.

68:35 O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of
Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed
be God.



69:1 Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.

69:2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into
deep waters, where the floods overflow me.

69:3 I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while
I wait for my God.

69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine
head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are
mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.

69:5 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from
thee.

69:6 Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed
for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O
God of Israel.

69:7 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my
face.

69:8 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my
mother's children.

69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches
of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

69:10 When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my
reproach.

69:11 I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to
them.

69:12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song
of the drunkards.

69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable
time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of
thy salvation.

69:14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be
delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

69:15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow
me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.

69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me
according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.

69:17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble:
hear me speedily.

69:18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of
mine enemies.

69:19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour:
mine adversaries are all before thee.

69:20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I
looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters,
but I found none.

69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave
me vinegar to drink.

69:22 Let their table become a snare before them: and that which
should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.

69:23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their
loins continually to shake.

69:24 Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger
take hold of them.

69:25 Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their
tents.

69:26 For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to
the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.

69:27 Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy
righteousness.

69:28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be
written with the righteous.

69:29 But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up
on high.

69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him
with thanksgiving.

69:31 This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock
that hath horns and hoofs.

69:32 The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall
live that seek God.

69:33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

69:34 Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing
that moveth therein.

69:35 For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that
they may dwell there, and have it in possession.

69:36 The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that
love his name shall dwell therein.



70:1 Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord.

70:2 Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let
them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.

70:3 Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say,
Aha, aha.

70:4 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let
such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified.

70:5 But I am poor and needy: make haste unto me, O God: thou art my
help and my deliverer; O LORD, make no tarrying.



71:1 In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to
confusion.

71:2 Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline
thine ear unto me, and save me.

71:3 Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort:
thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my
fortress.

71:4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the
hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

71:5 For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my
youth.

71:6 By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that
took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of
thee.

71:7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all
the day.

71:9 Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my
strength faileth.

71:10 For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my
soul take counsel together,

71:11 Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there
is none to deliver him.

71:12 O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

71:13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my
soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my
hurt.

71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and
more.

71:15 My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation
all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

71:16 I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention
of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

71:17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I
declared thy wondrous works.

71:18 Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not;
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power
to every one that is to come.

71:19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great
things: O God, who is like unto thee!

71:20 Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt
quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the
earth.

71:21 Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

71:22 I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my
God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

71:23 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my
soul, which thou hast redeemed.

71:24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long:
for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my
hurt.



72:1 Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto
the king's son.

72:2 He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with
judgment.

72:3 The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little
hills, by righteousness.

72:4 He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children
of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

72:5 They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure,
throughout all generations.

72:6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that
water the earth.

72:7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace
so long as the moon endureth.

72:8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river
unto the ends of the earth.

72:9 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his
enemies shall lick the dust.

72:10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the
kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

72:11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall
serve him.

72:12 For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also,
and him that hath no helper.

72:13 He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of
the needy.

72:14 He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and
precious shall their blood be in his sight.

72:15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of
Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall
he be praised.

72:16 There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of
the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of
the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

72:17 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as
long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall
call him blessed.

72:18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth
wondrous things.

72:19 And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole
earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

72:20 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.



73:1 Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean
heart.

73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh
slipped.

73:3 For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of
the wicked.

73:4 For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is
firm.

73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued
like other men.

73:6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence
covereth them as a garment.

73:7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart
could wish.

73:8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they
speak loftily.

73:9 They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue
walketh through the earth.

73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are
wrung out to them.

73:11 And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the
most High?

73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they
increase in riches.

73:13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in
innocency.

73:14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every
morning.

73:15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the
generation of thy children.

73:16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;

73:17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their
end.

73:18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst
them down into destruction.

73:19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are
utterly consumed with terrors.

73:20 As a dream when one awaketh; so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou
shalt despise their image.

73:21 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.

73:22 So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

73:23 Nevertheless I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by
my right hand.

73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me
to glory.

73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth
that I desire beside thee.

73:26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my
heart, and my portion for ever.

73:27 For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast
destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust
in the Lord GOD, that I may declare all thy works.



74:1 O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger
smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?

74:2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the
rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion,
wherein thou hast dwelt.

74:3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that
the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

74:4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up
their ensigns for signs.

74:5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the
thick trees.

74:6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes
and hammers.

74:7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by
casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground.

74:8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they
have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land.

74:9 We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is
there among us any that knoweth how long.

74:10 O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy
blaspheme thy name for ever?

74:11 Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out
of thy bosom.

74:12 For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the
earth.

74:13 Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the
heads of the dragons in the waters.

74:14 Thou brakest the heads of leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to
be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness.

74:15 Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up
mighty rivers.

74:16 The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared
the light and the sun.

74:17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made
summer and winter.

74:18 Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O LORD, and that
the foolish people have blasphemed thy name.

74:19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of
the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

74:20 Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth
are full of the habitations of cruelty.

74:21 O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy
praise thy name.

74:22 Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember how the foolish
man reproacheth thee daily.

74:23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that
rise up against thee increaseth continually.



75:1 Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks:
for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

75:2 When I shall receive the congregation I will judge uprightly.

75:3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear
up the pillars of it. Selah.

75:4 I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly: and to the wicked,
Lift not up the horn:

75:5 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.

75:6 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west,
nor from the south.

75:7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up
another.

75:8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red;
it is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs
thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink
them.

75:9 But I will declare for ever; I will sing praises to the God of
Jacob.

75:10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns
of the righteous shall be exalted.



76:1 In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel.

76:2 In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.

76:3 There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword,
and the battle. Selah.

76:4 Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey.

76:5 The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and
none of the men of might have found their hands.

76:6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are
cast into a dead sleep.

76:7 Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight
when once thou art angry?

76:8 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth
feared, and was still,

76:9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.
Selah.

76:10 Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of
wrath shalt thou restrain.

76:11 Vow, and pay unto the LORD your God: let all that be round about
him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared.

76:12 He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the
kings of the earth.



77:1 I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and
he gave ear unto me.

77:2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the
night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.

77:3 I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit
was overwhelmed. Selah.

77:4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot
speak.

77:5 I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.

77:6 I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine
own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

77:7 Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no
more?

77:8 Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for
evermore?

77:9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his
tender mercies? Selah.

77:10 And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years
of the right hand of the most High.

77:11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember
thy wonders of old.

77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

77:13 Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as
our God?

77:14 Thou art the God that doest wonders: thou hast declared thy
strength among the people.

77:15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob
and Joseph. Selah.

77:16 The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee; they were
afraid: the depths also were troubled.

77:17 The clouds poured out water: the skies sent out a sound: thine
arrows also went abroad.

77:18 The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings
lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook.

77:19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy
footsteps are not known.

77:20 Thou leddest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and
Aaron.



78:1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words
of my mouth.

78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of
old:

78:3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

78:4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the
generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his
wonderful works that he hath done.

78:5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in
Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them
known to their children:

78:6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children
which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their
children:

78:7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works
of God, but keep his commandments:

78:8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious
generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose
spirit was not stedfast with God.

78:9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned
back in the day of battle.

78:10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his
law;

78:11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

78:12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the
land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.

78:13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made
the waters to stand as an heap.

78:14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night
with a light of fire.

78:15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out
of the great depths.

78:16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to
run down like rivers.

78:17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High
in the wilderness.

78:18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their
lust.

78:19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table
in the wilderness?

78:20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the
streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for
his people?

78:21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was
kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;

78:22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his
salvation:

78:23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the
doors of heaven,

78:24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them
of the corn of heaven.

78:25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.

78:26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power
he brought in the south wind.

78:27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like
as the sand of the sea:

78:28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their
habitations.

78:29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their
own desire;

78:30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat
was yet in their mouths,

78:31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them,
and smote down the chosen men of Israel.

78:32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his
wondrous works.

78:33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years
in trouble.

78:34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and
enquired early after God.

78:35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God
their redeemer.

78:36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they
lied unto him with their tongues.

78:37 For their heart was not right with him, neither were they
stedfast in his covenant.

78:38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and
destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did
not stir up all his wrath.

78:39 For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth
away, and cometh not again.

78:40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him
in the desert!

78:41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One
of Israel.

78:42 They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them
from the enemy.

78:43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the
field of Zoan.

78:44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that
they could not drink.

78:45 He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them;
and frogs, which destroyed them.

78:46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their
labour unto the locust.

78:47 He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees
with frost.

78:48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to
hot thunderbolts.

78:49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and
indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

78:50 He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death,
but gave their life over to the pestilence;

78:51 And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their
strength in the tabernacles of Ham:

78:52 But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them
in the wilderness like a flock.

78:53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea
overwhelmed their enemies.

78:54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this
mountain, which his right hand had purchased.

78:55 He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an
inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their
tents.

78:56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not
his testimonies:

78:57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they
were turned aside like a deceitful bow.

78:58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved
him to jealousy with their graven images.

78:59 When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:

78:60 So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he
placed among men;

78:61 And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into
the enemy's hand.

78:62 He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with
his inheritance.

78:63 The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not
given to marriage.

78:64 Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no
lamentation.

78:65 Then the LORD awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man
that shouteth by reason of wine.

78:66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a
perpetual reproach.

78:67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the
tribe of Ephraim:

78:68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.

78:69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth
which he hath established for ever.

78:70 He chose David also his servant, and took him from the
sheepfolds:

78:71 From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed
Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.

78:72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and
guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.



79:1 O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy
temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.

79:2 The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto
the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of
the earth.

79:3 Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and
there was none to bury them.

79:4 We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision
to them that are round about us.

79:5 How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy
burn like fire?

79:6 Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and
upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.

79:7 For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.

79:8 O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender
mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.

79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and
deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.

79:10 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be
known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of
thy servants which is shed.

79:11 Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to
the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to
die;

79:12 And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their
reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.

79:13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks
for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.



80:1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph like a
flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.

80:2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength,
and come and save us.

80:3 Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall
be saved.

80:4 O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the
prayer of thy people?

80:5 Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears
to drink in great measure.

80:6 Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies
laugh among themselves.

80:7 Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and
we shall be saved.

80:8 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the
heathen, and planted it.

80:9 Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep
root, and it filled the land.

80:10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs
thereof were like the goodly cedars.

80:11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the
river.

80:12 Why hast thou then broken down her hedges, so that all they
which pass by the way do pluck her?

80:13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of
the field doth devour it.

80:14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven,
and behold, and visit this vine;

80:15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the
branch that thou madest strong for thyself.

80:16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the
rebuke of thy countenance.

80:17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of
man whom thou madest strong for thyself.

80:18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call
upon thy name.

80:19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and
we shall be saved.



81:1 Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the
God of Jacob.

81:2 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp
with the psaltery.

81:3 Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on
our solemn feast day.

81:4 For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.

81:5 This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out
through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood
not.

81:6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered
from the pots.

81:7 Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee
in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of
Meribah.

Selah.

81:8 Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if
thou wilt hearken unto me;

81:9 There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship
any strange god.

81:10 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of
Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

81:11 But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would
none of me.

81:12 So I gave them up unto their own hearts' lust: and they walked
in their own counsels.

81:13 Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked
in my ways!

81:14 I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand
against their adversaries.

81:15 The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto
him: but their time should have endured for ever.

81:16 He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and
with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.



82:1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among
the gods.

82:2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the
wicked? Selah.

82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and
needy.

82:4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the
wicked.

82:5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in
darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.

82:6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most
High.

82:7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.

82:8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all
nations.



83:1 Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not
still, O God.

83:2 For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee
have lifted up the head.

83:3 They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted
against thy hidden ones.

83:4 They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a
nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.

83:5 For they have consulted together with one consent: they are
confederate against thee:

83:6 The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the
Hagarenes;

83:7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the
inhabitants of Tyre;

83:8 Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of
Lot.

Selah.

83:9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites; as to Sisera, as to Jabin,
at the brook of Kison:

83:10 Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.

83:11 Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their
princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna:

83:12 Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in
possession.

83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the
wind.

83:14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the
mountains on fire;

83:15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with
thy storm.

83:16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O
LORD.

83:17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be
put to shame, and perish:

83:18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art
the most high over all the earth.



84:1 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts!

84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD:
my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for
herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of
hosts, my King, and my God.

84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still
praising thee. Selah.

84:5 Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; in whose heart are
the ways of them.

84:6 Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; the rain
also filleth the pools.

84:7 They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion
appeareth before God.

84:8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob.
Selah.

84:9 Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine
anointed.

84:10 For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather
be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of
wickedness.

84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace
and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk
uprightly.

84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.



85:1 Lord, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought
back the captivity of Jacob.

85:2 Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered
all their sin. Selah.

85:3 Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from
the fierceness of thine anger.

85:4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us
to cease.

85:5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine
anger to all generations?

85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in
thee?

85:7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.

85:8 I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace
unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to
folly.

85:9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may
dwell in our land.

85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have
kissed each other.

85:11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall
look down from heaven.

85:12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall
yield her increase.

85:13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way
of his steps.



86:1 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

86:2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant
that trusteth in thee.

86:3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

86:4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift
up my soul.

86:5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in
mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

86:6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my
supplications.

86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt
answer me.

86:8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are
there any works like unto thy works.

86:9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before
thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

86:10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God
alone.

86:11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my
heart to fear thy name.

86:12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will
glorify thy name for evermore.

86:13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my
soul from the lowest hell.

86:14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of
violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before
them.

86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious,
long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

86:16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto
thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

86:17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it,
and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.



87:1 His foundation is in the holy mountains.

87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of
Jacob.

87:3 Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.

87:4 I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me:
behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia; this man was born there.

87:5 And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her:
and the highest himself shall establish her.

87:6 The LORD shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this
man was born there. Selah.

87:7 As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there:
all my springs are in thee.



88:1 O lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before
thee:

88:2 Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;

88:3 For my soul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto
the grave.

88:4 I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man
that hath no strength:

88:5 Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom
thou rememberest no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.

88:6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.

88:7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all
thy waves. Selah.

88:8 Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made
me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

88:9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called
daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee.

88:10 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and
praise thee? Selah.

88:11 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy
faithfulness in destruction?

88:12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in
the land of forgetfulness?

88:13 But unto thee have I cried, O LORD; and in the morning shall my
prayer prevent thee.

88:14 LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face
from me?

88:15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: while I suffer
thy terrors I am distracted.

88:16 Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off.

88:17 They came round about me daily like water; they compassed me
about together.

88:18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, and mine
acquaintance into darkness.



89:1 I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth
will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.

89:2 For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy
faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.

89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my
servant,

89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to
all generations. Selah.

89:5 And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy
faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.

89:6 For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among
the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?

89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to
be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

89:8 O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to
thy faithfulness round about thee?

89:9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise,
thou stillest them.

89:10 Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou
hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.

89:11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world
and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.

89:12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon
shall rejoice in thy name.

89:13 Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy
right hand.

89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and
truth shall go before thy face.

89:15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall
walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.

89:16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy
righteousness shall they be exalted.

89:17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our
horn shall be exalted.

89:18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our
king.

89:19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have
laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of
the people.

89:20 I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed
him:

89:21 With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall
strengthen him.

89:22 The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness
afflict him.

89:23 And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them
that hate him.

89:24 But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my
name shall his horn be exalted.

89:25 I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the
rivers.

89:26 He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock
of my salvation.

89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the
earth.

89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall
stand fast with him.

89:29 His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as
the days of heaven.

89:30 If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;

89:31 If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments;

89:32 Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their
iniquity with stripes.

89:33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him,
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.

89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone
out of my lips.

89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.

89:36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before
me.

89:37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful
witness in heaven. Selah.

89:38 But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with
thine anointed.

89:39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast
profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.

89:40 Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his
strong holds to ruin.

89:41 All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his
neighbours.

89:42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast
made all his enemies to rejoice.

89:43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made
him to stand in the battle.

89:44 Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to
the ground.

89:45 The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him
with shame. Selah.

89:46 How long, LORD? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath
burn like fire?

89:47 Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men
in vain?

89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he
deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

89:49 Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest
unto David in thy truth?

89:50 Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in
my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;

89:51 Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they
have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.

89:52 Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen, and Amen.



90:1 Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

90:2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst
formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting,
thou art God.

90:3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children
of men.

90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is
past, and as a watch in the night.

90:5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in
the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

90:6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it
is cut down, and withereth.

90:7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we
troubled.

90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the
light of thy countenance.

90:9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years
as a tale that is told.

90:10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by
reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength
labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

90:11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy
fear, so is thy wrath.

90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts
unto wisdom.

90:13 Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy
servants.

90:14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be
glad all our days.

90:15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted
us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

90:16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their
children.

90:17 And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish
thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands
establish thou it.



91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty.

91:2 I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God;
in him will I trust.

91:3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and
from the noisome pestilence.

91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt
thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the
arrow that flieth by day;

91:6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the
destruction that wasteth at noonday.

91:7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right
hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

91:8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the
wicked.

91:9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the
most High, thy habitation;

91:10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come
nigh thy dwelling.

91:11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in
all thy ways.

91:12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot
against a stone.

91:13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the
dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

91:14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver
him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

91:15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him
in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

91:16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.



92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing
praises unto thy name, O most High:

92:2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy
faithfulness every night,

92:3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon
the harp with a solemn sound.

92:4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will
triumph in the works of thy hands.

92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

92:6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.

92:7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of
iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:

92:8 But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.

92:9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall
perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.

92:10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I
shall be anointed with fresh oil.

92:11 Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears
shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.

92:12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow
like a cedar in Lebanon.

92:13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in
the courts of our God.

92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat
and flourishing;

92:15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no
unrighteousness in him.



93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is
clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world
also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.

93:2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.

93:3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up
their voice; the floods lift up their waves.

93:4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea,
than the mighty waves of the sea.

93:5 Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O
LORD, for ever.



94:1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance
belongeth, shew thyself.

94:2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: render a reward to the
proud.

94:3 LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked
triumph?

94:4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the
workers of iniquity boast themselves?

94:5 They break in pieces thy people, O LORD, and afflict thine
heritage.

94:6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.

94:7 Yet they say, The LORD shall not see, neither shall the God of
Jacob regard it.

94:8 Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will
ye be wise?

94:9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the
eye, shall he not see?

94:10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that
teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

94:11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.

94:12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest
him out of thy law;

94:13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until
the pit be digged for the wicked.

94:14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he
forsake his inheritance.

94:15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the
upright in heart shall follow it.

94:16 Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand
up for me against the workers of iniquity?

94:17 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in
silence.

94:18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.

94:19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight
my soul.

94:20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which
frameth mischief by a law?

94:21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the
righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

94:22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

94:23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut
them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them
off.



95:1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to
the rock of our salvation.

95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a
joyful noise unto him with psalms.

95:3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the
hills is his also.

95:5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry
land.

95:6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD
our maker.

95:7 For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the
sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day
of temptation in the wilderness:

95:9 When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work.

95:10 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said,
It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my
ways:

95:11 Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my
rest.



96:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the
earth.

96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from
day to day.

96:3 Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all
people.

96:4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be
feared above all gods.

96:5 For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the
heavens.

96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his
sanctuary.

96:7 Give unto the LORD, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the
LORD glory and strength.

96:8 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an
offering, and come into his courts.

96:9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him,
all the earth.

96:10 Say among the heathen that the LORD reigneth: the world also
shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the
people righteously.

96:11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea
roar, and the fulness thereof.

96:12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all
the trees of the wood rejoice

96:13 Before the LORD: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the
earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people
with his truth.



97:1 The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of
isles be glad thereof.

97:2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and
judgment are the habitation of his throne.

97:3 A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

97:4 His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and
trembled.

97:5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the
presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

97:6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his
glory.

97:7 Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast
themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

97:8 Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced
because of thy judgments, O LORD.

97:9 For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted
far above all gods.

97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his
saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

97:11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in
heart.

97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the
remembrance of his holiness.



98:1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous
things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

98:2 The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he
openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

98:3 He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of
Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud
noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.

98:5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of
a psalm.

98:6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the
LORD, the King.

98:7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they
that dwell therein.

98:8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together

98:9 Before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with
righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.



99:1 The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the
cherubims; let the earth be moved.

99:2 The LORD is great in Zion; and he is high above all the people.

99:3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy.

99:4 The king's strength also loveth judgment; thou dost establish
equity, thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob.

99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he
is holy.

99:6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among them that
call upon his name; they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.

99:7 He spake unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his
testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.

99:8 Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that
forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

99:9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the
LORD our God is holy.



100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with
singing.

100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and
not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with
praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth
endureth to all generations.



101:1 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I
sing.

101:2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou
come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

101:3 I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of
them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.

101:4 A froward heart shall depart from me: I will not know a wicked
person.

101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him
that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.

101:6 Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may
dwell with me: he that walketh in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

101:7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that
telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.

101:8 I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut
off all wicked doers from the city of the LORD.



102:1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

102:2 Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble;
incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.

102:3 For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as
an hearth.

102:4 My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget
to eat my bread.

102:5 By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my
skin.

102:6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the
desert.

102:7 I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.

102:8 Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad
against me are sworn against me.

102:9 For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with
weeping.

102:10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast
lifted me up, and cast me down.

102:11 My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered
like grass.

102:12 But thou, O LORD, shall endure for ever; and thy remembrance
unto all generations.

102:13 Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to
favour her, yea, the set time, is come.

102:14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the
dust thereof.

102:15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the
kings of the earth thy glory.

102:16 When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his
glory.

102:17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise
their prayer.

102:18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the
people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

102:19 For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from
heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are
appointed to death;

102:21 To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in
Jerusalem;

102:22 When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to
serve the LORD.

102:23 He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.

102:24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy
years are throughout all generations.

102:25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the
heavens are the work of thy hands.

102:26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them
shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and
they shall be changed:

102:27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

102:28 The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed
shall be established before thee.



103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his
holy name.

103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

103:3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy
diseases;

103:4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with
lovingkindness and tender mercies;

103:5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is
renewed like the eagle's.

103:6 The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are
oppressed.

103:7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of
Israel.

103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous
in mercy.

103:9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for
ever.

103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us
according to our iniquities.

103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his
mercy toward them that fear him.

103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our
transgressions from us.

103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them
that fear him.

103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

103:15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so
he flourisheth.

103:16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place
thereof shall know it no more.

103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's
children;

103:18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his
commandments to do them.

103:19 The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his
kingdom ruleth over all.

103:20 Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do
his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

103:21 Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that
do his pleasure.

103:22 Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion:
bless the LORD, O my soul.



104:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great;
thou art clothed with honour and majesty.

104:2 Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who
stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:

104:3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh
the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:

104:4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

104:5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be
removed for ever.

104:6 Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters
stood above the mountains.

104:7 At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted
away.

104:8 They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto
the place which thou hast founded for them.

104:9 Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they
turn not again to cover the earth.

104:10 He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the
hills.

104:11 They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses
quench their thirst.

104:12 By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation,
which sing among the branches.

104:13 He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied
with the fruit of thy works.

104:14 He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the
service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

104:15 And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his
face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

104:16 The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon,
which he hath planted;

104:17 Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir
trees are her house.

104:18 The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks
for the conies.

104:19 He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going
down.

104:20 Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts
of the forest do creep forth.

104:21 The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from
God.

104:22 The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them
down in their dens.

104:23 Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the
evening.

104:24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made
them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

104:25 So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping
innumerable, both small and great beasts.

104:26 There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast
made to play therein.

104:27 These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat
in due season.

104:28 That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand,
they are filled with good.

104:29 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their
breath, they die, and return to their dust.

104:30 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou
renewest the face of the earth.

104:31 The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall
rejoice in his works.

104:32 He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the
hills, and they smoke.

104:33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise
to my God while I have my being.

104:34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the
LORD.

104:35 Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the
wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.



105:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his
deeds among the people.

105:2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous
works.

105:3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that
seek the LORD.

105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.

105:5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders,
and the judgments of his mouth;

105:6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his
chosen.

105:7 He is the LORD our God: his judgments are in all the earth.

105:8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he
commanded to a thousand generations.

105:9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;

105:10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for
an everlasting covenant:

105:11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of
your inheritance:

105:12 When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and
strangers in it.

105:13 When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to
another people;

105:14 He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for
their sakes;

105:15 Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.

105:16 Moreover he called for a famine upon the land: he brake the
whole staff of bread.

105:17 He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a
servant:

105:18 Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:

105:19 Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried
him.

105:20 The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and
let him go free.

105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance:

105:22 To bind his princes at his pleasure; and teach his senators
wisdom.

105:23 Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of
Ham.

105:24 And he increased his people greatly; and made them stronger
than their enemies.

105:25 He turned their heart to hate his people, to deal subtilly with
his servants.

105:26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.

105:27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of
Ham.

105:28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not
against his word.

105:29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

105:30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of
their kings.

105:31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all
their coasts.

105:32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.

105:33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the
trees of their coasts.

105:34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that
without number,

105:35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the
fruit of their ground.

105:36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all
their strength.

105:37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was
not one feeble person among their tribes.

105:38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell
upon them.

105:39 He spread a cloud for a covering; and fire to give light in the
night.

105:40 The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them
with the bread of heaven.

105:41 He opened the rock, and the waters gushed out; they ran in the
dry places like a river.

105:42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

105:43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with
gladness:

105:44 And gave them the lands of the heathen: and they inherited the
labour of the people;

105:45 That they might observe his statutes, and keep his laws. Praise
ye the LORD.



106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:
for his mercy endureth for ever.

106:2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth
all his praise?

106:3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth
righteousness at all times.

106:4 Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy
people: O visit me with thy salvation;

106:5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the
gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.

106:6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we
have done wickedly.

106:7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered
not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at
the Red sea.

106:8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might
make his mighty power to be known.

106:9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them
through the depths, as through the wilderness.

106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and
redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

106:11 And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them
left.

106:12 Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.

106:13 They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

106:14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in
the desert.

106:15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their
soul.

106:16 They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the
LORD.

106:17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan and covered the
company of Abiram.

106:18 And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up
the wicked.

106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.

106:20 Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that
eateth grass.

106:21 They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in
Egypt;

106:22 Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the
Red sea.

106:23 Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his
chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he
should destroy them.

106:24 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his
word:

106:25 But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice
of the LORD.

106:26 Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them
in the wilderness:

106:27 To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter
them in the lands.

106:28 They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the
sacrifices of the dead.

106:29 Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the
plague brake in upon them.

106:30 Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the
plague was stayed.

106:31 And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all
generations for evermore.

106:32 They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went
ill with Moses for their sakes:

106:33 Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly
with his lips.

106:34 They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD
commanded them:

106:35 But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.

106:36 And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.

106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto
devils,

106:38 And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of
their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and
the land was polluted with blood.

106:39 Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring
with their own inventions.

106:40 Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people,
insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

106:41 And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that
hated them ruled over them.

106:42 Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into
subjection under their hand.

106:43 Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with
their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.

106:44 Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their
cry:

106:45 And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according
to the multitude of his mercies.

106:46 He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them
captives.

106:47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen,
to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.

106:48 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to
everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.



107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy
endureth for ever.

107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from
the hand of the enemy;

107:3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the
west, from the north, and from the south.

107:4 They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no
city to dwell in.

107:5 Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

107:6 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered
them out of their distresses.

107:7 And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a
city of habitation.

107:8 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!

107:9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul
with goodness.

107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound
in affliction and iron;

107:11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned
the counsel of the most High:

107:12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell
down, and there was none to help.

107:13 Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved
them out of their distresses.

107:14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and
brake their bands in sunder.

107:15 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!

107:16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron
in sunder.

107:17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their
iniquities, are afflicted.

107:18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near
unto the gates of death.

107:19 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth
them out of their distresses.

107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from
their destructions.

107:21 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!

107:22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and
declare his works with rejoicing.

107:23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in
great waters;

107:24 These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

107:25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth
up the waves thereof.

107:26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths:
their soul is melted because of trouble.

107:27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are
at their wit's end.

107:28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth
them out of their distresses.

107:29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are
still.

107:30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them
unto their desired haven.

107:31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!

107:32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and
praise him in the assembly of the elders.

107:33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into
dry ground;

107:34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them
that dwell therein.

107:35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground
into watersprings.

107:36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare
a city for habitation;

107:37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits
of increase.

107:38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and
suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

107:39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression,
affliction, and sorrow.

107:40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in
the wilderness, where there is no way.

107:41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him
families like a flock.

107:42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall
stop her mouth.

107:43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall
understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.



108:1 O god, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, even with
my glory.

108:2 Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.

108:3 I will praise thee, O LORD, among the people: and I will sing
praises unto thee among the nations.

108:4 For thy mercy is great above the heavens: and thy truth reacheth
unto the clouds.

108:5 Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: and thy glory above
all the earth;

108:6 That thy beloved may be delivered: save with thy right hand, and
answer me.

108:7 God hath spoken in his holiness; I will rejoice, I will divide
Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth.

108:8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the strength
of mine head; Judah is my lawgiver;

108:9 Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I cast out my shoe; over
Philistia will I triumph.

108:10 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into
Edom?

108:11 Wilt not thou, O God, who hast cast us off? and wilt not thou,
O God, go forth with our hosts?

108:12 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.

108:13 Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall
tread down our enemies.



109:1 Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise;

109:2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are
opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

109:3 They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought
against me without a cause.

109:4 For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto
prayer.

109:5 And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.

109:6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right
hand.

109:7 When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his
prayer become sin.

109:8 Let his days be few; and let another take his office.

109:9 Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

109:10 Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them
seek their bread also out of their desolate places.

109:11 Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the
strangers spoil his labour.

109:12 Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there
be any to favour his fatherless children.

109:13 Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following
let their name be blotted out.

109:14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the LORD;
and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.

109:15 Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off
the memory of them from the earth.

109:16 Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted
the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

109:17 As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted
not in blessing, so let it be far from him.

109:18 As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so
let it come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

109:19 Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a
girdle wherewith he is girded continually.

109:20 Let this be the reward of mine adversaries from the LORD, and
of them that speak evil against my soul.

109:21 But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name's sake:
because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

109:22 For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.

109:23 I am gone like the shadow when it declineth: I am tossed up and
down as the locust.

109:24 My knees are weak through fasting; and my flesh faileth of
fatness.

109:25 I became also a reproach unto them: when they looked upon me
they shaked their heads.

109:26 Help me, O LORD my God: O save me according to thy mercy:

109:27 That they may know that this is thy hand; that thou, LORD, hast
done it.

109:28 Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be
ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.

109:29 Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover
themselves with their own confusion, as with a mantle.

109:30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will
praise him among the multitude.

109:31 For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him
from those that condemn his soul.



110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I
make thine enemies thy footstool.

110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule
thou in the midst of thine enemies.

110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew
of thy youth.

110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for
ever after the order of Melchizedek.

110:5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day
of his wrath.

110:6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with
the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.

110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift
up the head.



111:1 Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

111:2 The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that
have pleasure therein.

111:3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness
endureth for ever.

111:4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is
gracious and full of compassion.

111:5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be
mindful of his covenant.

111:6 He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may
give them the heritage of the heathen.

111:7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his
commandments are sure.

111:8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and
uprightness.

111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his
covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good
understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise
endureth for ever.



112:1 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD,
that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

112:2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the
upright shall be blessed.

112:3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness
endureth for ever.

112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is
gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

112:5 A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his
affairs with discretion.

112:6 Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in
everlasting remembrance.

112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed,
trusting in the LORD.

112:8 His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see
his desire upon his enemies.

112:9 He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness
endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

112:10 The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with
his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.



113:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise
the name of the LORD.

113:2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for
evermore.

113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the
LORD's name is to be praised.

113:4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the
heavens.

113:5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,

113:6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven,
and in the earth!

113:7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy
out of the dunghill;

113:8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his
people.

113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful
mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.



114:1 When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people
of strange language;

114:2 Judah was his sanctuary, and Israel his dominion.

114:3 The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.

114:4 The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like
lambs.

114:5 What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan,
that thou wast driven back?

114:6 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills,
like lambs?

114:7 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the
presence of the God of Jacob;

114:8 Which turned the rock into a standing water, the flint into a
fountain of waters.



115:1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory,
for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

115:3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath
pleased.

115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they
see not:

115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they
smell not:

115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they
walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that
trusteth in them.

115:9 O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their
shield.

115:10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their
shield.

115:11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and
their shield.

115:12 The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will
bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.

115:13 He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

115:14 The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your
children.

115:15 Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.

115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth
hath he given to the children of men.

115:17 The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into
silence.

115:18 But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for
evermore.

Praise the LORD.



116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my
supplications.

116:2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call
upon him as long as I live.

116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat
hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

116:4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee,
deliver my soul.

116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

116:6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped
me.

116:7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt
bountifully with thee.

116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from
tears, and my feet from falling.

116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

116:10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:

116:11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.

116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward
me?

116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the
LORD.

116:14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his
people.

116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

116:16 O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son
of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

116:17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will
call upon the name of the LORD.

116:18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his
people.

116:19 In the courts of the LORD's house, in the midst of thee, O
Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.



117:1 O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of
the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.



118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy
endureth for ever.

118:2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

118:3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for
ever.

118:4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for
ever.

118:5 I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and
set me in a large place.

118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto
me?

118:7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall
I see my desire upon them that hate me.

118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

118:9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in
princes.

118:10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD
will I destroy them.

118:11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in
the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

118:12 They compassed me about like bees: they are quenched as the
fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

118:13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD
helped me.

118:14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

118:15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of
the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

118:16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the
LORD doeth valiantly.

118:17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

118:18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over
unto death.

118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and
I will praise the LORD:

118:20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

118:21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my
salvation.

118:22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone
of the corner.

118:23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

118:24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and
be glad in it.

118:25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send
now prosperity.

118:26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have
blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

118:27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice
with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

118:28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I
will exalt thee.

118:29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy
endureth for ever.



119:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the
LORD.

119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him
with the whole heart.

119:3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

119:4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

119:5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

119:6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy
commandments.

119:7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have
learned thy righteous judgments.

119:8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed
thereto according to thy word.

119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander
from thy commandments.

119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against
thee.

119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

119:14 I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in
all riches.

119:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy
ways.

119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy
word.

119:17 Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep
thy word.

119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of
thy law.

119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from
me.

119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy
judgments at all times.

119:21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from
thy commandments.

119:22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy
testimonies.

119:23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did
meditate in thy statutes.

119:24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

119:25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to
thy word.

119:26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy
statutes.

119:27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk
of thy wondrous works.

119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according
unto thy word.

119:29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law
graciously.

119:30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid
before me.

119:31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.

119:32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge
my heart.

119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it
unto the end.

119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall
observe it with my whole heart.

119:35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I
delight.

119:36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me
in thy way.

119:38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

119:39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.

119:40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy
righteousness.

119:41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation,
according to thy word.

119:42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me:
for I trust in thy word.

119:43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I
have hoped in thy judgments.

119:44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.

119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

119:46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not
be ashamed.

119:47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have
loved.

119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I
have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

119:49 Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused
me to hope.

119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath
quickened me.

119:51 The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not
declined from thy law.

119:52 I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted
myself.

119:53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that
forsake thy law.

119:54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

119:55 I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept
thy law.

119:56 This I had, because I kept thy precepts.

119:57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy
words.

119:58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me
according to thy word.

119:59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

119:60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

119:61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not
forgotten thy law.

119:62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy
righteous judgments.

119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that
keep thy precepts.

119:64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

119:65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto
thy word.

119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy
commandments.

119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy
word.

119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

119:69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy
precepts with my whole heart.

119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might
learn thy statutes.

119:72 The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold
and silver.

119:73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding,
that I may learn thy commandments.

119:74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I
have hoped in thy word.

119:75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in
faithfulness hast afflicted me.

119:76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort,
according to thy word unto thy servant.

119:77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy
law is my delight.

119:78 Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me
without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

119:79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have
known thy testimonies.

119:80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

119:81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.

119:82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?

119:83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget
thy statutes.

119:84 How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute
judgment on them that persecute me?

119:85 The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.

119:86 All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me
wrongfully; help thou me.

119:87 They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy
precepts.

119:88 Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the
testimony of thy mouth.

119:89 For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

119:90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established
the earth, and it abideth.

119:91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all
are thy servants.

119:92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have
perished in mine affliction.

119:93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast
quickened me.

119:94 I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts.

119:95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will
consider thy testimonies.

119:96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is
exceeding broad.

119:97 O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine
enemies: for they are ever with me.

119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy
testimonies are my meditation.

119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy
precepts.

119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might
keep thy word.

119:102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught
me.

119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey
to my mouth!

119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate
every false way.

119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

119:106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy
righteous judgments.

119:107 I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto
thy word.

119:108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O
LORD, and teach me thy judgments.

119:109 My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy
law.

119:110 The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy
precepts.

119:111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they
are the rejoicing of my heart.

119:112 I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even
unto the end.

119:113 I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

119:114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

119:115 Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments
of my God.

119:116 Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me
not be ashamed of my hope.

119:117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect
unto thy statutes continually.

119:118 Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes:
for their deceit is falsehood.

119:119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross:
therefore I love thy testimonies.

119:120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy
judgments.

119:121 I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine
oppressors.

119:122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress
me.

119:123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy
righteousness.

119:124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me
thy statutes.

119:125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy
testimonies.

119:126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void
thy law.

119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine
gold.

119:128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to
be right; and I hate every false way.

119:129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep
them.

119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth
understanding unto the simple.

119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy
commandments.

119:132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to
do unto those that love thy name.

119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have
dominion over me.

119:134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy
precepts.

119:135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy
statutes.

119:136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy
law.

119:137 Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.

119:138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and
very faithful.

119:139 My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten
thy words.

119:140 Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.

119:141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.

119:142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law
is the truth.

119:143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy
commandments are my delights.

119:144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me
understanding, and I shall live.

119:145 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy
statutes.

119:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.

119:147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in
thy word.

119:148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in
thy word.

119:149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD,
quicken me according to thy judgment.

119:150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from
thy law.

119:151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.

119:152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast
founded them for ever.

119:153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget
thy law.

119:154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy
word.

119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy
statutes.

119:156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to
thy judgments.

119:157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline
from thy testimonies.

119:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept
not thy word.

119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD,
according to thy lovingkindness.

119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy
righteous judgments endureth for ever.

119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart
standeth in awe of thy word.

119:162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.

119:163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous
judgments.

119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall
offend them.

119:166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy
commandments.

119:167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them
exceedingly.

119:168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways
are before thee.

119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me
understanding according to thy word.

119:170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to
thy word.

119:171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy
statutes.

119:172 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments
are righteousness.

119:173 Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.

119:174 I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my
delight.

119:175 Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy
judgments help me.

119:176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I
do not forget thy commandments.



120:1 In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.

120:2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful
tongue.

120:3 What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee,
thou false tongue?

120:4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.

120:5 Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents
of Kedar!

120:6 My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.

120:7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.



121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my
help.

121:2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

121:3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee
will not slumber.

121:4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right
hand.

121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

121:7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve
thy soul.

121:8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from
this time forth, and even for evermore.



122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of
the LORD.

122:2 Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.

122:3 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together:

122:4 Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the
testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD.

122:5 For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house
of David.

122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love
thee.

122:7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

122:8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be
within thee.

122:9 Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.



123:1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the
heavens.

123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their
masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so
our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

123:3 Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are
exceedingly filled with contempt.

123:4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that
are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.



124:1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, now may Israel
say;

124:2 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose
up against us:

124:3 Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was
kindled against us:

124:4 Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our
soul:

124:5 Then the proud waters had gone over our soul.

124:6 Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their
teeth.

124:7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers:
the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

124:8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.



125:1 They that trust in the LORD shall be as mount Zion, which cannot
be removed, but abideth for ever.

125:2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, so the LORD is round
about his people from henceforth even for ever.

125:3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the
righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

125:4 Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are
upright in their hearts.

125:5 As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD
shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be
upon Israel.



126:1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like
them that dream.

126:2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with
singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great
things for them.

126:3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

126:4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.



127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build
it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the
bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the
womb is his reward.

127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of
the youth.

127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall
not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.



128:1 Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his
ways.

128:2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou
be, and it shall be well with thee.

128:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine
house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

128:4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the
LORD.

128:5 The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the
good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

128:6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon
Israel.



129:1 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel now
say:

129:2 Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth: yet they have
not prevailed against me.

129:3 The plowers plowed upon my back: they made long their furrows.

129:4 The LORD is righteous: he hath cut asunder the cords of the
wicked.

129:5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Zion.

129:6 Let them be as the grass upon the housetops, which withereth
afore it groweth up:

129:7 Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand; nor he that bindeth
sheaves his bosom.

129:8 Neither do they which go by say, The blessing of the LORD be
upon you: we bless you in the name of the LORD.



130:1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

130:2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of
my supplications.

130:3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall
stand?

130:4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

130:5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I
hope.

130:6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the
morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.

130:7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy,
and with him is plenteous redemption.

130:8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.



131:1 Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I
exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.

131:2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is
weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.

131:3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.



132:1 Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions:

132:2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of
Jacob;

132:3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go
up into my bed;

132:4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,

132:5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the
mighty God of Jacob.

132:6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the
wood.

132:7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his
footstool.

132:8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.

132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy
saints shout for joy.

132:10 For thy servant David's sake turn not away the face of thine
anointed.

132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from
it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.

132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I
shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for
evermore.

132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his
habitation.

132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired
it.

132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor
with bread.

132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints
shall shout aloud for joy.

132:17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a
lamp for mine anointed.

132:18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall
his crown flourish.



133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell
together in unity!

133:2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down
upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of
his garments;

133:3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the
mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even
life for evermore.



134:1 Behold, bless ye the LORD, all ye servants of the LORD, which by
night stand in the house of the LORD.

134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.

134:3 The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.



135:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him,
O ye servants of the LORD.

135:2 Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the
house of our God.

135:3 Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his
name; for it is pleasant.

135:4 For the LORD hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his
peculiar treasure.

135:5 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above
all gods.

135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in
earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

135:7 He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he
maketh lightnings for the rain; he bringeth the wind out of his
treasuries.

135:8 Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.

135:9 Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee, O Egypt,
upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants.

135:10 Who smote great nations, and slew mighty kings;

135:11 Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the
kingdoms of Canaan:

135:12 And gave their land for an heritage, an heritage unto Israel
his people.

135:13 Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD,
throughout all generations.

135:14 For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself
concerning his servants.

135:15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's
hands.

135:16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they
see not;

135:17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath
in their mouths.

135:18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that
trusteth in them.

135:19 Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of
Aaron:

135:20 Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless
the LORD.

135:21 Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem.

Praise ye the LORD.



136:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy
endureth for ever.

136:2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for
ever.

136:3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for
ever.

136:4 To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for
ever.

136:5 To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth
for ever.

136:6 To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his
mercy endureth for ever.

136:7 To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

136:8 The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

136:9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for
ever.

136:10 To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy
endureth for ever:

136:11 And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth
for ever:

136:12 With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy
endureth for ever.

136:13 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy
endureth for ever:

136:14 And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy
endureth for ever:

136:15 But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his
mercy endureth for ever.

136:16 To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his
mercy endureth for ever.

136:17 To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for
ever:

136:18 And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

136:19 Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

136:20 And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

136:21 And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for
ever:

136:22 Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy
endureth for ever.

136:23 Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for
ever:

136:24 And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth
for ever.

136:25 Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

136:26 O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth
for ever.



137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when
we remembered Zion.

137:2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

137:3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a
song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us
one of the songs of Zion.

137:4 How shall we sing the LORD's song in a strange land?

137:5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her
cunning.

137:6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of
my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

137:7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem;
who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

137:8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he
be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.

137:9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones
against the stones.



138:1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I
sing praise unto thee.

138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for
thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name.

138:3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst
me with strength in my soul.

138:4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they
hear the words of thy mouth.

138:5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the
glory of the LORD.

138:6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but
the proud he knoweth afar off.

138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou
shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and
thy right hand shall save me.

138:8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O
LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.



139:1 O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.

139:2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou
understandest my thought afar off.

139:3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted
with all my ways.

139:4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou
knowest it altogether.

139:5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon
me.

139:6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot
attain unto it.

139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from
thy presence?

139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in
hell, behold, thou art there.

139:9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea;

139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall
hold me.

139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night
shall be light about me.

139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth
as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my
mother's womb.

139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:
marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret,
and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in
thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were
fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is
the sum of them!

139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand:
when I awake, I am still with thee.

139:19 Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me
therefore, ye bloody men.

139:20 For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take
thy name in vain.

139:21 Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I
grieved with those that rise up against thee?

139:22 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my
thoughts:

139:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the
way everlasting.



140:1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the
violent man;

140:2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they
gathered together for war.

140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison
is under their lips. Selah.

140:4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from
the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

140:5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a
net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

140:6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my
supplications, O LORD.

140:7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered
my head in the day of battle.

140:8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his
wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

140:9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief
of their own lips cover them.

140:10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the
fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

140:11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall
hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

140:12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and the right of the poor.

140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the
upright shall dwell in thy presence.



141:1 Lord, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my
voice, when I cry unto thee.

141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the
lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.

141:3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.

141:4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works
with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.

141:5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him
reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my
head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.

141:6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall
hear my words; for they are sweet.

141:7 Our bones are scattered at the grave's mouth, as when one
cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.

141:8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my
trust; leave not my soul destitute.

141:9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the
gins of the workers of iniquity.

141:10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal
escape.



142:1 I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD
did I make my supplication.

142:2 I poured out my complaint before him; I shewed before him my
trouble.

142:3 When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my
path.

In the way wherein I walked have they privily laid a snare for me.

142:4 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that
would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul.

142:5 I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my
portion in the land of the living.

142:6 Attend unto my cry; for I am brought very low: deliver me from
my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.

142:7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the
righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with
me.



143:1 Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in thy
faithfulness answer me, and in thy righteousness.

143:2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant: for in thy sight
shall no man living be justified.

143:3 For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten my life
down to the ground; he hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those
that have been long dead.

143:4 Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; my heart within me
is desolate.

143:5 I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse
on the work of thy hands.

143:6 I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after
thee, as a thirsty land. Selah.

143:7 Hear me speedily, O LORD: my spirit faileth: hide not thy face
from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

143:8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee
do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift
up my soul unto thee.

143:9 Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide
me.

143:10 Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is
good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

143:11 Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name's sake: for thy righteousness'
sake bring my soul out of trouble.

143:12 And of thy mercy cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them
that afflict my soul: for I am thy servant.



144:1 Blessed be the LORD my strength which teacheth my hands to war,
and my fingers to fight:

144:2 My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer;
my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me.

144:3 LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son
of man, that thou makest account of him!

144:4 Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth
away.

144:5 Bow thy heavens, O LORD, and come down: touch the mountains, and
they shall smoke.

144:6 Cast forth lightning, and scatter them: shoot out thine arrows,
and destroy them.

144:7 Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great
waters, from the hand of strange children;

144:8 Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right
hand of falsehood.

144:9 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an
instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

144:10 It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David
his servant from the hurtful sword.

144:11 Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose
mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of
falsehood:

144:12 That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth; that
our daughters may be as corner stones, polished after the similitude
of a palace:

144:13 That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store:
that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our
streets:

144:14 That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no
breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our
streets.

144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is
that people, whose God is the LORD.



145:1 I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for
ever and ever.

145:2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever
and ever.

145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness
is unsearchable.

145:4 One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall
declare thy mighty acts.

145:5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy
wondrous works.

145:6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I
will declare thy greatness.

145:7 They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness,
and shall sing of thy righteousness.

145:8 The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and
of great mercy.

145:9 The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his
works.

145:10 All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall
bless thee.

145:11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy
power;

145:12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the
glorious majesty of his kingdom.

145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion
endureth throughout all generations.

145:14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that
be bowed down.

145:15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat
in due season.

145:16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every
living thing.

145:17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his
works.

145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that
call upon him in truth.

145:19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will
hear their cry, and will save them.

145:20 The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked
will he destroy.

145:21 My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh
bless his holy name for ever and ever.



146:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.

146:2 While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my
God while I have any being.

146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom
there is no help.

146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very
day his thoughts perish.

146:5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope
is in the LORD his God:

146:6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is:
which keepeth truth for ever:

146:7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to
the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:

146:8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them
that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless
and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

146:10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all
generations. Praise ye the LORD.



147:1 Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God;
for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.

147:2 The LORD doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the
outcasts of Israel.

147:3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

147:4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their
names.

147:5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is
infinite.

147:6 The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the
ground.

147:7 Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp
unto our God:

147:8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the
earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

147:9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which
cry.

147:10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not
pleasure in the legs of a man.

147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that
hope in his mercy.

147:12 Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion.

147:13 For he hath strengthened the bars of thy gates; he hath blessed
thy children within thee.

147:14 He maketh peace in thy borders, and filleth thee with the
finest of the wheat.

147:15 He sendeth forth his commandment upon earth: his word runneth
very swiftly.

147:16 He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like
ashes.

147:17 He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his
cold?

147:18 He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind
to blow, and the waters flow.

147:19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments
unto Israel.

147:20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments,
they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.



148:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise
him in the heights.

148:2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

148:3 Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.

148:4 Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above
the heavens.

148:5 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they
were created.

148:6 He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a
decree which shall not pass.

148:7 Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:

148:8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his
word:

148:9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:

148:10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:

148:11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of
the earth:

148:12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:

148:13 Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is
excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.

148:14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his
saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise
ye the LORD.



149:1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his
praise in the congregation of saints.

149:2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of
Zion be joyful in their King.

149:3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises
unto him with the timbrel and harp.

149:4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the
meek with salvation.

149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon
their beds.

149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged
sword in their hand;

149:7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the
people;

149:8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters
of iron;

149:9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all
his saints. Praise ye the LORD.



150:1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in
the firmament of his power.

150:2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his
excellent greatness.

150:3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the
psaltery and harp.

150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed
instruments and organs.

150:5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high
sounding cymbals.

150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.




The Proverbs


1:1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 1:2 To
know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and
equity; 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge
and discretion.

1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of
understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 1:6 To understand a
proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark
sayings.

1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools
despise wisdom and instruction.

1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the
law of thy mother: 1:9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy
head, and chains about thy neck.

1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.

1:11 If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk
privily for the innocent without cause: 1:12 Let us swallow them up
alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
1:13 We shall find all precious substance, we shall fill our houses
with spoil: 1:14 Cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse:
1:15 My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from
their path: 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed
blood.

1:17 Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.

1:18 And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for
their own lives.

1:19 So are the ways of every one that is greedy of gain; which taketh
away the life of the owners thereof.

1:20 Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:
1:21 She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of
the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, 1:22 How long,
ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in
their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?  1:23 Turn you at my
reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known
my words unto you.

1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my
hand, and no man regarded; 1:25 But ye have set at nought all my
counsel, and would none of my reproof: 1:26 I also will laugh at your
calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; 1:27 When your fear
cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when
distress and anguish cometh upon you.

1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall
seek me early, but they shall not find me: 1:29 For that they hated
knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: 1:30 They would
none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.

1:31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be
filled with their own devices.

1:32 For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the
prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

1:33 But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be
quiet from fear of evil.

2:1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments
with thee; 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply
thine heart to understanding; 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,
and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 2:4 If thou seekest her as
silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 2:5 Then shalt
thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and
understanding.

2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to
them that walk uprightly.

2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his
saints.

2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and
equity; yea, every good path.

2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant
unto thy soul; 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding
shall keep thee: 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man,
from the man that speaketh froward things; 2:13 Who leave the paths of
uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; 2:14 Who rejoice to do
evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked; 2:15 Whose ways
are crooked, and they froward in their paths: 2:16 To deliver thee
from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with
her words; 2:17 Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth
the covenant of her God.

2:18 For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

2:19 None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the
paths of life.

2:20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths
of the righteous.

2:21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall
remain in it.

2:22 But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the
transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my
commandments: 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall
they add to thee.

3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck;
write them upon the table of thine heart: 3:4 So shalt thou find
favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine
own understanding.

3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from
evil.

3:8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

3:9 Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of
all thine increase: 3:10 So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and
thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary
of his correction: 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even
as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding.

3:14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of
silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.

3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst
desire are not to be compared unto her.

3:16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches
and honour.

3:17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.

3:18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy
is every one that retaineth her.

3:19 The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath
he established the heavens.

3:20 By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop
down the dew.

3:21 My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom
and discretion: 3:22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to
thy neck.

3:23 Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not
stumble.

3:24 When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt
lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.

3:25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the
wicked, when it cometh.

3:26 For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot
from being taken.

3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the
power of thine hand to do it.

3:28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I
will give; when thou hast it by thee.

3:29 Devise not evil against thy neighbour, seeing he dwelleth
securely by thee.

3:30 Strive not with a man without cause, if he have done thee no
harm.

3:31 Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.

3:32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is
with the righteous.

3:33 The curse of the LORD is in the house of the wicked: but he
blesseth the habitation of the just.

3:34 Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the
lowly.

3:35 The wise shall inherit glory: but shame shall be the promotion of
fools.

4:1 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know
understanding.

4:2 For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

4:3 For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of
my mother.

4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my
words: keep my commandments, and live.

4:5 Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from
the words of my mouth.

4:6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she
shall keep thee.

4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all
thy getting get understanding.

4:8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to
honour, when thou dost embrace her.

4:9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of
glory shall she deliver to thee.

4:10 Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life
shall be many.

4:11 I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right
paths.

4:12 When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou
runnest, thou shalt not stumble.

4:13 Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she
is thy life.

4:14 Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of
evil men.

4:15 Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.

4:16 For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their
sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.

4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of
violence.

4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth
more and more unto the perfect day.

4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they
stumble.

4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.

4:21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of
thine heart.

4:22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all
their flesh.

4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues
of life.

4:24 Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far
from thee.

4:25 Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight
before thee.

4:26 Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

4:27 Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from
evil.

5:1 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my
understanding: 5:2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy
lips may keep knowledge.

5:3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her
mouth is smoother than oil: 5:4 But her end is bitter as wormwood,
sharp as a two-edged sword.

5:5 Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.

5:6 Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are
moveable, that thou canst not know them.

5:7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the
words of my mouth.

5:8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her
house: 5:9 Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto
the cruel: 5:10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy
labours be in the house of a stranger; 5:11 And thou mourn at the
last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed, 5:12 And say, How have
I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof; 5:13 And have not
obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that
instructed me!  5:14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the
congregation and assembly.

5:15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of
thine own well.

5:16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in
the streets.

5:17 Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.

5:18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy
youth.

5:19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts
satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.

5:20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and
embrace the bosom of a stranger?  5:21 For the ways of man are before
the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

5:22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be
holden with the cords of his sins.

5:23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his
folly he shall go astray.

6:1 My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken
thy hand with a stranger, 6:2 Thou art snared with the words of thy
mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

6:3 Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into
the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

6:4 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

6:5 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a
bird from the hand of the fowler.

6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 6:7
Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, 6:8 Provideth her meat in
the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.

6:9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of
thy sleep?  6:10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little
folding of the hands to sleep: 6:11 So shall thy poverty come as one
that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

6:12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

6:13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth
with his fingers; 6:14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth
mischief continually; he soweth discord.

6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be
broken without remedy.

6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an
abomination unto him: 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands
that shed innocent blood, 6:18 An heart that deviseth wicked
imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 6:19 A false
witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of
thy mother: 6:21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them
about thy neck.

6:22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall
keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.

6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs
of instruction are the way of life: 6:24 To keep thee from the evil
woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.

6:25 Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take
thee with her eyelids.

6:26 For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of
bread: and the adultress will hunt for the precious life.

6:27 Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned?  6:29 So
he that goeth in to his neighbour's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall
not be innocent.

6:30 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when
he is hungry; 6:31 But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he
shall give all the substance of his house.

6:32 But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding:
he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

6:33 A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be
wiped away.

6:34 For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in
the day of vengeance.

6:35 He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content,
though thou givest many gifts.

7:1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine
eye.

7:3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine
heart.

7:4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy
kinswoman: 7:5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from
the stranger which flattereth with her words.

7:6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, 7:7
And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a
young man void of understanding, 7:8 Passing through the street near
her corner; and he went the way to her house, 7:9 In the twilight, in
the evening, in the black and dark night: 7:10 And, behold, there met
him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

7:11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 7:12
Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every
corner.)  7:13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent
face said unto him, 7:14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have
I payed my vows.

7:15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face,
and I have found thee.

7:16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved
works, with fine linen of Egypt.

7:17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us
solace ourselves with loves.

7:19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 7:20
He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day
appointed.

7:21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the
flattering of her lips she forced him.

7:22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter,
or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 7:23 Till a dart strike
through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not
that it is for his life.

7:24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the
words of my mouth.

7:25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her
paths.

7:26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have
been slain by her.

7:27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of
death.

8:1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?  8:2
She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of
the paths.

8:3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming
in at the doors.

8:4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.

8:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an
understanding heart.

8:6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my
lips shall be right things.

8:7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination
to my lips.

8:8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing
froward or perverse in them.

8:9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them
that find knowledge.

8:10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than
choice gold.

8:11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be
desired are not to be compared to it.

8:12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty
inventions.

8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and
the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.

8:14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have
strength.

8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

8:16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.

8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find
me.

8:18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and
righteousness.

8:19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue
than choice silver.

8:20 I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of
judgment: 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit
substance; and I will fill their treasures.

8:22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his
works of old.

8:23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the
earth was.

8:24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were
no fountains abounding with water.

8:25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought
forth: 8:26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
nor the highest part of the dust of the world.

8:27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass
upon the face of the depth: 8:28 When he established the clouds above:
when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 8:29 When he gave to
the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment:
when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 8:30 Then I was by
him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight,
rejoicing always before him; 8:31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of
his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.

8:32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are
they that keep my ways.

8:33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

8:34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates,
waiting at the posts of my doors.

8:35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the
LORD.

8:36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they
that hate me love death.

9:1 Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven
pillars: 9:2 She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine;
she hath also furnished her table.

9:3 She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest
places of the city, 9:4 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as
for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 9:5 Come, eat of
my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled.

9:6 Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding.

9:7 He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that
rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot.

9:8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and
he will love thee.

9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a
just man, and he will increase in learning.

9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the
knowledge of the holy is understanding.

9:11 For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life
shall be increased.

9:12 If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou
scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.

9:13 A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.

9:14 For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high
places of the city, 9:15 To call passengers who go right on their
ways: 9:16 Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him
that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 9:17 Stolen waters are
sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.

9:18 But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests
are in the depths of hell.

10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a
foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

10:2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness
delivereth from death.

10:3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but
he casteth away the substance of the wicked.

10:4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of
the diligent maketh rich.

10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth
in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

10:6 Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth
the mouth of the wicked.

10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked
shall rot.

10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool
shall fall.

10:9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth
his ways shall be known.

10:10 He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool
shall fall.

10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence
covereth the mouth of the wicked.

10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

10:13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but
a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

10:14 Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near
destruction.

10:15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the
poor is their poverty.

10:16 The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the
wicked to sin.

10:17 He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that
refuseth reproof erreth.

10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a
slander, is a fool.

10:19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that
refraineth his lips is wise.

10:20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the
wicked is little worth.

10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of
wisdom.

10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no
sorrow with it.

10:23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of
understanding hath wisdom.

10:24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire
of the righteous shall be granted.

10:25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the
righteous is an everlasting foundation.

10:26 As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the
sluggard to them that send him.

10:27 The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the
wicked shall be shortened.

10:28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation
of the wicked shall perish.

10:29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction
shall be to the workers of iniquity.

10:30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not
inhabit the earth.

10:31 The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward
tongue shall be cut out.

10:32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth
of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is
his delight.

11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is
wisdom.

11:3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the
perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.

11:4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness
delivereth from death.

11:5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the
wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.

11:6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but
transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.

11:7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the
hope of unjust men perisheth.

11:8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh
in his stead.

11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through
knowledge shall the just be delivered.

11:10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and
when the wicked perish, there is shouting.

11:11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is
overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

11:12 He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of
understanding holdeth his peace.

11:13 A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful
spirit concealeth the matter.

11:14 Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of
counsellors there is safety.

11:15 He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that
hateth suretiship is sure.

11:16 A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.

11:17 The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is
cruel troubleth his own flesh.

11:18 The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth
righteousness shall be a sure reward.

11:19 As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil
pursueth it to his own death.

11:20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD:
but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

11:21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished:
but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.

11:22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which
is without discretion.

11:23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of
the wicked is wrath.

11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that
withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.

11:25 The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall
be watered also himself.

11:26 He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but
blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.

11:27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that
seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.

11:28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous
shall flourish as a branch.

11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the
fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that
winneth souls is wise.

11:31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much
more the wicked and the sinner.

12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth
reproof is brutish.

12:2 A good man obtaineth favour of the LORD: but a man of wicked
devices will he condemn.

12:3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the
righteous shall not be moved.

12:4 A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh
ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

12:5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the
wicked are deceit.

12:6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the
mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

12:7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the
righteous shall stand.

12:8 A man shall be commended according to his wisdom: but he that is
of a perverse heart shall be despised.

12:9 He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than he that
honoureth himself, and lacketh bread.

12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender
mercies of the wicked are cruel.

12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he
that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.

12:12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the
righteous yieldeth fruit.

12:13 The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the
just shall come out of trouble.

12:14 A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit of his mouth:
and the recompence of a man's hands shall be rendered unto him.

12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that
hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.

12:16 A fool's wrath is presently known: but a prudent man covereth
shame.

12:17 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false
witness deceit.

12:18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the
tongue of the wise is health.

12:19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying
tongue is but for a moment.

12:20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the
counsellors of peace is joy.

12:21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be
filled with mischief.

12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly
are his delight.

12:23 A prudent man concealeth knowledge: but the heart of fools
proclaimeth foolishness.

12:24 The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall
be under tribute.

12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word
maketh it glad.

12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way
of the wicked seduceth them.

12:27 The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but
the substance of a diligent man is precious.

12:28 In the way of righteousness is life: and in the pathway thereof
there is no death.

13:1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner
heareth not rebuke.

13:2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth: but the soul of
the transgressors shall eat violence.

13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth
wide his lips shall have destruction.

13:4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul
of the diligent shall be made fat.

13:5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and
cometh to shame.

13:6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but
wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

13:7 There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is
that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.

13:8 The ransom of a man's life are his riches: but the poor heareth
not rebuke.

13:9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked
shall be put out.

13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is
wisdom.

13:11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that
gathereth by labour shall increase.

13:12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh,
it is a tree of life.

13:13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth
the commandment shall be rewarded.

13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the
snares of death.

13:15 Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors
is hard.

13:16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge: but a fool layeth open
his folly.

13:17 A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful
ambassador is health.

13:18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but
he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.

13:19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul: but it is
abomination to fools to depart from evil.

13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of
fools shall be destroyed.

13:21 Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be
repayed.

13:22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children:
and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.

13:23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor: but there is that is
destroyed for want of judgment.

13:24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him
chasteneth him betimes.

13:25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the
belly of the wicked shall want.

14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it
down with her hands.

14:2 He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that
is perverse in his ways despiseth him.

14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of
the wise shall preserve them.

14:4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the
strength of the ox.

14:5 A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter
lies.

14:6 A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is
easy unto him that understandeth.

14:7 Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not
in him the lips of knowledge.

14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly
of fools is deceit.

14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is
favour.

14:10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not
intermeddle with his joy.

14:11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle
of the upright shall flourish.

14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death.

14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that
mirth is heaviness.

14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a
good man shall be satisfied from himself.

14:15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh
well to his going.

14:16 A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool
rageth, and is confident.

14:17 He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked
devices is hated.

14:18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with
knowledge.

14:19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the
righteous.

14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath
many friends.

14:21 He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy
on the poor, happy is he.

14:22 Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be
to them that devise good.

14:23 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth
only to penury.

14:24 The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of
fools is folly.

14:25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness
speaketh lies.

14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children
shall have a place of refuge.

14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the
snares of death.

14:28 In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want
of people is the destruction of the prince.

14:29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that
is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

14:30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness
of the bones.

14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that
honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

14:32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous
hath hope in his death.

14:33 Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but
that which is in the midst of fools is made known.

14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any
people.

14:35 The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is
against him that causeth shame.

15:1 A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up
anger.

15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of
fools poureth out foolishness.

15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and
the good.

15:4 A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is
a breach in the spirit.

15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth
reproof is prudent.

15:6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the
revenues of the wicked is trouble.

15:7 The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the
foolish doeth not so.

15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but
the prayer of the upright is his delight.

15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he
loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he
that hateth reproof shall die.

15:11 Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the
hearts of the children of men?  15:12 A scorner loveth not one that
reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.

15:13 A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of
the heart the spirit is broken.

15:14 The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but
the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness.

15:15 All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a
merry heart hath a continual feast.

15:16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure
and trouble therewith.

15:17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and
hatred therewith.

15:18 A wrathful man stirreth up strife: but he that is slow to anger
appeaseth strife.

15:19 The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the
way of the righteous is made plain.

15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his
mother.

15:21 Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of
understanding walketh uprightly.

15:22 Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude
of counsellors they are established.

15:23 A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in
due season, how good is it!  15:24 The way of life is above to the
wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

15:25 The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will
establish the border of the widow.

15:26 The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but
the words of the pure are pleasant words.

15:27 He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that
hateth gifts shall live.

15:28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of
the wicked poureth out evil things.

15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of
the righteous.

15:30 The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report
maketh the bones fat.

15:31 The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.

15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that
heareth reproof getteth understanding.

15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before
honour is humility.

16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the
tongue, is from the LORD.

16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD
weigheth the spirits.

16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be
established.

16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked
for the day of evil.

16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD:
though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.

16:6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the
LORD men depart from evil.

16:7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to
be at peace with him.

16:8 Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without
right.

16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.

16:10 A divine sentence is in the lips of the king: his mouth
transgresseth not in judgment.

16:11 A just weight and balance are the LORD's: all the weights of the
bag are his work.

16:12 It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the
throne is established by righteousness.

16:13 Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that
speaketh right.

16:14 The wrath of a king is as messengers of death: but a wise man
will pacify it.

16:15 In the light of the king's countenance is life; and his favour
is as a cloud of the latter rain.

16:16 How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get
understanding rather to be chosen than silver!  16:17 The highway of
the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth
his soul.

16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a
fall.

16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to
divide the spoil with the proud.

16:20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso
trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.

16:21 The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of
the lips increaseth learning.

16:22 Understanding is a wellspring of life unto him that hath it: but
the instruction of fools is folly.

16:23 The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to
his lips.

16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and
health to the bones.

16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end
thereof are the ways of death.

16:26 He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth
it of him.

16:27 An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a
burning fire.

16:28 A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief
friends.

16:29 A violent man enticeth his neighbour, and leadeth him into the
way that is not good.

16:30 He shutteth his eyes to devise froward things: moving his lips
he bringeth evil to pass.

16:31 The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of
righteousness.

16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that
ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is
of the LORD.

17:1 Better is a dry morsel, and quietness therewith, than an house
full of sacrifices with strife.

17:2 A wise servant shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, and
shall have part of the inheritance among the brethren.

17:3 The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the
LORD trieth the hearts.

17:4 A wicked doer giveth heed to false lips; and a liar giveth ear to
a naughty tongue.

17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker: and he that is glad
at calamities shall not be unpunished.

17:6 Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of
children are their fathers.

17:7 Excellent speech becometh not a fool: much less do lying lips a
prince.

17:8 A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it:
whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth.

17:9 He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that
repeateth a matter separateth very friends.

17:10 A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes
into a fool.

17:11 An evil man seeketh only rebellion: therefore a cruel messenger
shall be sent against him.

17:12 Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool
in his folly.

17:13 Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from his
house.

17:14 The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water:
therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just,
even they both are abomination to the LORD.

17:16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom,
seeing he hath no heart to it?  17:17 A friend loveth at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.

17:18 A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety
in the presence of his friend.

17:19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth
his gate seeketh destruction.

17:20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a
perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

17:21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father
of a fool hath no joy.

17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit
drieth the bones.

17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways
of judgment.

17:24 Wisdom is before him that hath understanding; but the eyes of a
fool are in the ends of the earth.

17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her
that bare him.

17:26 Also to punish the just is not good, nor to strike princes for
equity.

17:27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of
understanding is of an excellent spirit.

17:28 Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he
that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

18:1 Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and
intermeddleth with all wisdom.

18:2 A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may
discover itself.

18:3 When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with
ignominy reproach.

18:4 The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring
of wisdom as a flowing brook.

18:5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow
the righteous in judgment.

18:6 A fool's lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for
strokes.

18:7 A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of
his soul.

18:8 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into
the innermost parts of the belly.

18:9 He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a
great waster.

18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth
into it, and is safe.

18:11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in
his own conceit.

18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before
honour is humility.

18:13 He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and
shame unto him.

18:14 The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded
spirit who can bear?  18:15 The heart of the prudent getteth
knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.

18:16 A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great
men.

18:17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his
neighbour cometh and searcheth him.

18:18 The lot causeth contentions to cease, and parteth between the
mighty.

18:19 A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and
their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

18:20 A man's belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth;
and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled.

18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that
love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

18:22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour
of the LORD.

18:23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is
a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is
perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

19:2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, it is not good; and he
that hasteth with his feet sinneth.

19:3 The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth
against the LORD.

19:4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his
neighbour.

19:5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh
lies shall not escape.

19:6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a
friend to him that giveth gifts.

19:7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his
friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are
wanting to him.

19:8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth
understanding shall find good.

19:9 A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh
lies shall perish.

19:10 Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to
have rule over princes.

19:11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory
to pass over a transgression.

19:12 The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion; but his favour is
as dew upon the grass.

19:13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions
of a wife are a continual dropping.

19:14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent
wife is from the LORD.

19:15 Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall
suffer hunger.

19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he
that despiseth his ways shall die.

19:17 He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that
which he hath given will he pay him again.

19:18 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare
for his crying.

19:19 A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou
deliver him, yet thou must do it again.

19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise
in thy latter end.

19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the
counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

19:22 The desire of a man is his kindness: and a poor man is better
than a liar.

19:23 The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall
abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.

19:24 A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so
much as bring it to his mouth again.

19:25 Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one
that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.

19:26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a
son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach.

19:27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from
the words of knowledge.

19:28 An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the
wicked devoureth iniquity.

19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of
fools.

20:1 Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is
deceived thereby is not wise.

20:2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh
him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

20:3 It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool
will be meddling.

20:4 The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall
he beg in harvest, and have nothing.

20:5 Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of
understanding will draw it out.

20:6 Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful
man who can find?  20:7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his
children are blessed after him.

20:8 A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all
evil with his eyes.

20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
20:10 Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike
abomination to the LORD.

20:11 Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure,
and whether it be right.

20:12 The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even
both of them.

20:13 Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and
thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

20:14 It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone
his way, then he boasteth.

20:15 There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of
knowledge are a precious jewel.

20:16 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a
pledge of him for a strange woman.

20:17 Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth
shall be filled with gravel.

20:18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice
make war.

20:19 He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore
meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips.

20:20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put
out in obscure darkness.

20:21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the
end thereof shall not be blessed.

20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and
he shall save thee.

20:23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false
balance is not good.

20:24 Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his
own way?  20:25 It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is
holy, and after vows to make enquiry.

20:26 A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over
them.

20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the
inward parts of the belly.

20:28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by
mercy.

20:29 The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old
men is the grey head.

20:30 The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the
inward parts of the belly.

21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of
water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD
pondereth the hearts.

21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than
sacrifice.

21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked,
is sin.

21:5 The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness; but of
every one that is hasty only to want.

21:6 The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to
and fro of them that seek death.

21:7 The robbery of the wicked shall destroy them; because they refuse
to do judgment.

21:8 The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his
work is right.

21:9 It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop, than with a
brawling woman in a wide house.

21:10 The soul of the wicked desireth evil: his neighbour findeth no
favour in his eyes.

21:11 When the scorner is punished, the simple is made wise: and when
the wise is instructed, he receiveth knowledge.

21:12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked:
but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.

21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall
cry himself, but shall not be heard.

21:14 A gift in secret pacifieth anger: and a reward in the bosom
strong wrath.

21:15 It is joy to the just to do judgment: but destruction shall be
to the workers of iniquity.

21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall
remain in the congregation of the dead.

21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine
and oil shall not be rich.

21:18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the
transgressor for the upright.

21:19 It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious
and an angry woman.

21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the
wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.

21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life,
righteousness, and honour.

21:22 A wise man scaleth the city of the mighty, and casteth down the
strength of the confidence thereof.

21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from
troubles.

21:24 Proud and haughty scorner is his name, who dealeth in proud
wrath.

21:25 The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to
labour.

21:26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth
and spareth not.

21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when
he bringeth it with a wicked mind?  21:28 A false witness shall
perish: but the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

21:29 A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he
directeth his way.

21:30 There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the
LORD.

21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is
of the LORD.

22:1 A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving
favour rather than silver and gold.

22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them
all.

22:3 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the
simple pass on, and are punished.

22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and
life.

22:5 Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward: he that doth
keep his soul shall be far from them.

22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he
will not depart from it.

22:7 The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the
lender.

22:8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity: and the rod of his
anger shall fail.

22:9 He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of
his bread to the poor.

22:10 Cast out the scorner, and contention shall go out; yea, strife
and reproach shall cease.

22:11 He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the
king shall be his friend.

22:12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, and he overthroweth the
words of the transgressor.

22:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be
slain in the streets.

22:14 The mouth of strange women is a deep pit: he that is abhorred of
the LORD shall fall therein.

22:15 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of
correction shall drive it far from him.

22:16 He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that
giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want.

22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply
thine heart unto my knowledge.

22:18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they
shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

22:19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee
this day, even to thee.

22:20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and
knowledge, 22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the
words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them
that send unto thee?  22:22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor:
neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 22:23 For the LORD will
plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

22:24 Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man
thou shalt not go: 22:25 Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to
thy soul.

22:26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands, or of them that are
sureties for debts.

22:27 If thou hast nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed
from under thee?  22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy
fathers have set.

22:29 Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before
kings; he shall not stand before mean men.

23:1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what
is before thee: 23:2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man
given to appetite.

23:3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.

23:4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

23:5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches
certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward
heaven.

23:6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither
desire thou his dainty meats: 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so
is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with
thee.

23:8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose
thy sweet words.

23:9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom
of thy words.

23:10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of
the fatherless: 23:11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead
their cause with thee.

23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words
of knowledge.

23:13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him
with the rod, he shall not die.

23:14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul
from hell.

23:15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even
mine.

23:16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.

23:17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the
LORD all the day long.

23:18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be
cut off.

23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the
way.

23:20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 23:21
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness
shall clothe a man with rags.

23:22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy
mother when she is old.

23:23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction,
and understanding.

23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that
begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

23:25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee
shall rejoice.

23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

23:27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow
pit.

23:28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the
transgressors among men.

23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath
babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
23:30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed
wine.

23:31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his
colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.

23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an
adder.

23:33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall
utter perverse things.

23:34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the
sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.

23:35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they
have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it
yet again.

24:1 Be not thou envious against evil men, neither desire to be with
them.

24:2 For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of
mischief.

24:3 Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is
established: 24:4 And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with
all precious and pleasant riches.

24:5 A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth
strength.

24:6 For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of
counsellors there is safety.

24:7 Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the
gate.

24:8 He that deviseth to do evil shall be called a mischievous person.

24:9 The thought of foolishness is sin: and the scorner is an
abomination to men.

24:10 If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.

24:11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, and
those that are ready to be slain; 24:12 If thou sayest, Behold, we
knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he
that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to
every man according to his works?  24:13 My son, eat thou honey,
because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste:
24:14 So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou
hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall
not be cut off.

24:15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the
righteous; spoil not his resting place: 24:16 For a just man falleth
seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into
mischief.

24:17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be
glad when he stumbleth: 24:18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease
him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

24:19 Fret not thyself because of evil men, neither be thou envious at
the wicked: 24:20 For there shall be no reward to the evil man; the
candle of the wicked shall be put out.

24:21 My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with
them that are given to change: 24:22 For their calamity shall rise
suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both?  24:23 These things
also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in
judgment.

24:24 He that saith unto the wicked, Thou are righteous; him shall the
people curse, nations shall abhor him: 24:25 But to them that rebuke
him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.

24:26 Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer.

24:27 Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the
field; and afterwards build thine house.

24:28 Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and
deceive not with thy lips.

24:29 Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will
render to the man according to his work.

24:30 I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the
man void of understanding; 24:31 And, lo, it was all grown over with
thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall
thereof was broken down.

24:32 Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and
received instruction.

24:33 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the
hands to sleep: 24:34 So shall thy poverty come as one that
travelleth; and thy want as an armed man.

25:1 These are also proverbs of Solomon, which the men of Hezekiah
king of Judah copied out.

25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of
kings is to search out a matter.

25:3 The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of
kings is unsearchable.

25:4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a
vessel for the finer.

25:5 Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne shall
be established in righteousness.

25:6 Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not
in the place of great men: 25:7 For better it is that it be said unto
thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the
presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.

25:8 Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in
the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

25:9 Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a
secret to another: 25:10 Lest he that heareth it put thee to shame,
and thine infamy turn not away.

25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of
silver.

25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a
wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

25:13 As the cold of snow in the time of harvest, so is a faithful
messenger to them that send him: for he refresheth the soul of his
masters.

25:14 Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind
without rain.

25:15 By long forbearing is a prince persuaded, and a soft tongue
breaketh the bone.

25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee,
lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.

25:17 Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbour's house; lest he be weary
of thee, and so hate thee.

25:18 A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a
maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.

25:19 Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a
broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.

25:20 As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar
upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart.

25:21 If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be
thirsty, give him water to drink: 25:22 For thou shalt heap coals of
fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee.

25:23 The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a
backbiting tongue.

25:24 It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a
brawling woman and in a wide house.

25:25 As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far
country.

25:26 A righteous man falling down before the wicked is as a troubled
fountain, and a corrupt spring.

25:27 It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own
glory is not glory.

25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is
broken down, and without walls.

26:1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not
seemly for a fool.

26:2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse
causeless shall not come.

26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the
fool's back.

26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like
unto him.

26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own
conceit.

26:6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the
feet, and drinketh damage.

26:7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth
of fools.

26:8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth
honour to a fool.

26:9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable
in the mouths of fools.

26:10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool,
and rewardeth transgressors.

26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his
folly.

26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of
a fool than of him.

26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in
the streets.

26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon
his bed.

26:15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to
bring it again to his mouth.

26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can
render a reason.

26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to
him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.

26:18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, 26:19 So
is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no
talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

26:21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a
contentious man to kindle strife.

26:22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into
the innermost parts of the belly.

26:23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with
silver dross.

26:24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit
within him; 26:25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there
are seven abominations in his heart.

26:26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be
shewed before the whole congregation.

26:27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a
stone, it will return upon him.

26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a
flattering mouth worketh ruin.

27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day
may bring forth.

27:2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger,
and not thine own lips.

27:3 A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty; but a fool's wrath is
heavier than them both.

27:4 Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand
before envy?  27:5 Open rebuke is better than secret love.

27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy
are deceitful.

27:7 The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every
bitter thing is sweet.

27:8 As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that
wandereth from his place.

27:9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of
a man's friend by hearty counsel.

27:10 Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither
go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is
a neighbour that is near than a brother far off.

27:11 My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, that I may answer him
that reproacheth me.

27:12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the
simple pass on, and are punished.

27:13 Take his garment that is surety for a stranger, and take a
pledge of him for a strange woman.

27:14 He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in
the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.

27:15 A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman
are alike.

27:16 Whosoever hideth her hideth the wind, and the ointment of his
right hand, which bewrayeth itself.

27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his
friend.

27:18 Whoso keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof: so he
that waiteth on his master shall be honoured.

27:19 As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man to man.

27:20 Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are
never satisfied.

27:21 As the fining pot for silver, and the furnace for gold; so is a
man to his praise.

27:22 Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a
pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.

27:23 Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well
to thy herds.

27:24 For riches are not for ever: and doth the crown endure to every
generation?  27:25 The hay appeareth, and the tender grass sheweth
itself, and herbs of the mountains are gathered.

27:26 The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of
the field.

27:27 And thou shalt have goats' milk enough for thy food, for the
food of thy household, and for the maintenance for thy maidens.

28:1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold
as a lion.

28:2 For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but
by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be
prolonged.

28:3 A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which
leaveth no food.

28:4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the
law contend with them.

28:5 Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD
understand all things.

28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that
is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

28:7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion
of riotous men shameth his father.

28:8 He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he
shall gather it for him that will pity the poor.

28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his
prayer shall be abomination.

28:10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he
shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good
things in possession.

28:11 The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath
understanding searcheth him out.

28:12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when
the wicked rise, a man is hidden.

28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his
heart shall fall into mischief.

28:15 As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over
the poor people.

28:16 The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor:
but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days.

28:17 A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee
to the pit; let no man stay him.

28:18 Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse
in his ways shall fall at once.

28:19 He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that
followeth after vain persons shall have poverty enough.

28:20 A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh
haste to be rich shall not be innocent.

28:21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread
that man will transgress.

28:22 He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not
that poverty shall come upon him.

28:23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he
that flattereth with the tongue.

28:24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no
transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.

28:25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that
putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh
wisely, he shall be delivered.

28:27 He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth
his eyes shall have many a curse.

28:28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish,
the righteous increase.

29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly
be destroyed, and that without remedy.

29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when
the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

29:3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth
company with harlots spendeth his substance.

29:4 The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth
gifts overthroweth it.

29:5 A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.

29:6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the
righteous doth sing and rejoice.

29:7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked
regardeth not to know it.

29:8 Scornful men bring a city into a snare: but wise men turn away
wrath.

29:9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or
laugh, there is no rest.

29:10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.

29:11 A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till
afterwards.

29:12 If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked.

29:13 The poor and the deceitful man meet together: the LORD
lighteneth both their eyes.

29:14 The king that faithfully judgeth the poor, his throne shall be
established for ever.

29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself
bringeth his mother to shame.

29:16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but
the righteous shall see their fall.

29:17 Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give
delight unto thy soul.

29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth
the law, happy is he.

29:19 A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he
understand he will not answer.

29:20 Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope
of a fool than of him.

29:21 He that delicately bringeth up his servant from a child shall
have him become his son at the length.

29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in
transgression.

29:23 A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the
humble in spirit.

29:24 Whoso is partner with a thief hateth his own soul: he heareth
cursing, and bewrayeth it not.

29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in
the LORD shall be safe.

29:26 Many seek the ruler's favour; but every man's judgment cometh
from the LORD.

29:27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is
upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

30:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the prophecy: the man
spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal, 30:2 Surely I am more
brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.

30:3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered
the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who
hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what
is his son's name, if thou canst tell?  30:5 Every word of God is
pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

30:6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be
found a liar.

30:7 Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I
die: 30:8 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty
nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 30:9 Lest I be full,
and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal,
and take the name of my God in vain.

30:10 Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and
thou be found guilty.

30:11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not
bless their mother.

30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet
is not washed from their filthiness.

30:13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their
eyelids are lifted up.

30:14 There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw
teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy
from among men.

30:15 The horseleach hath two daughters, crying, Give, give. There are
three things that are never satisfied, yea, four things say not, It is
enough: 30:16 The grave; and the barren womb; the earth that is not
filled with water; and the fire that saith not, It is enough.

30:17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his
mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young
eagles shall eat it.

30:18 There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four
which I know not: 30:19 The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a
serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and
the way of a man with a maid.

30:20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth
her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

30:21 For three things the earth is disquieted, and for four which it
cannot bear: 30:22 For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he
is filled with meat; 30:23 For an odious woman when she is married;
and an handmaid that is heir to her mistress.

30:24 There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they
are exceeding wise: 30:25 The ants are a people not strong, yet they
prepare their meat in the summer; 30:26 The conies are but a feeble
folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 30:27 The locusts have
no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 30:28 The spider
taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces.

30:29 There be three things which go well, yea, four are comely in
going: 30:30 A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not
away for any; 30:31 A greyhound; an he goat also; and a king, against
whom there is no rising up.

30:32 If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou
hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth.

30:33 Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the
wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath
bringeth forth strife.

31:1 The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught
him.

31:2 What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? and what, the son of
my vows?  31:3 Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that
which destroyeth kings.

31:4 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine;
nor for princes strong drink: 31:5 Lest they drink, and forget the
law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.

31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto
those that be of heavy hearts.

31:7 Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no
more.

31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are
appointed to destruction.

31:9 Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the
poor and needy.

31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above
rubies.

31:11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he
shall have no need of spoil.

31:12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

31:13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her
hands.

31:14 She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from
afar.

31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her
household, and a portion to her maidens.

31:16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her
hands she planteth a vineyard.

31:17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

31:18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth
not out by night.

31:19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the
distaff.

31:20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth
her hands to the needy.

31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her
household are clothed with scarlet.

31:22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk
and purple.

31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the
elders of the land.

31:24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles
unto the merchant.

31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in
time to come.

31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law
of kindness.

31:27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not
the bread of idleness.

31:28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also,
and he praiseth her.

31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them
all.

31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that
feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise
her in the gates.




Ecclesiastes

or

The Preacher


1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is
vanity.

1:3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the
sun?  1:4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth for ever.

1:5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his
place where he arose.

1:6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north;
it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according
to his circuits.

1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the
place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

1:8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not
satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that
which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing
under the sun.

1:10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it
hath been already of old time, which was before us.

1:11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be
any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come
after.

1:12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning
all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God
given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and,
behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

1:15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is
wanting cannot be numbered.

1:16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great
estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been
before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom
and knowledge.

1:17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and
folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth
knowledge increaseth sorrow.

2:1 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth,
therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

2:2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?  2:3 I
sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine
heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was
that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven
all the days of their life.

2:4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me
vineyards: 2:5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in
them of all kind of fruits: 2:6 I made me pools of water, to water
therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 2:7 I got me servants
and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great
possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem
before me: 2:8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar
treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women
singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments,
and that of all sorts.

2:9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in
Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

2:10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld
not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and
this was my portion of all my labour.

2:11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on
the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and
vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

2:12 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for
what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that which hath
been already done.

2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth
darkness.

2:14 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in
darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them
all.

2:15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it
happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my
heart, that this also is vanity.

2:16 For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for
ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be
forgotten.

And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

2:17 Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under
the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

2:18 Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun:
because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

2:19 And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet
shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and
wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

2:20 Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the
labour which I took under the sun.

2:21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge,
and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he
leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

2:22 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his
heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?  2:23 For all his days
are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in
the night. This is also vanity.

2:24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and
drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This
also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

2:25 For who can eat, or who else can hasten hereunto, more than I?
2:26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and
knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and
to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also
is vanity and vexation of spirit.

3:1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose
under the heaven: 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to
plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3:3 A time to
kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build
up; 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a
time to dance; 3:5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather
stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from
embracing; 3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and
a time to cast away; 3:7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to
keep silence, and a time to speak; 3:8 A time to love, and a time to
hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

3:9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
3:10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men
to be exercised in it.

3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set
the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that
God maketh from the beginning to the end.

3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice,
and to do good in his life.

3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good
of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

3:14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing
can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that
men should fear before him.

3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already
been; and God requireth that which is past.

3:16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that
wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity
was there.

3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the
wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every
work.

3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men,
that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they
themselves are beasts.

3:19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even
one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea,
they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a
beast: for all is vanity.

3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust
again.

3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit
of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?  3:22 Wherefore I
perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice
in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to
see what shall be after him?  4:1 So I returned, and considered all
the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of
such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of
their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.

4:2 Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the
living which are yet alive.

4:3 Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who
hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

4:4 Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for
this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and
vexation of spirit.

4:5 The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.

4:6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with
travail and vexation of spirit.

4:7 Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

4:8 There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath
neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour;
neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom
do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it
is a sore travail.

4:9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their
labour.

4:10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him
that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

4:11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one
be warm alone?  4:12 And if one prevail against him, two shall
withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

4:13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king,
who will no more be admonished.

4:14 For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is
born in his kingdom becometh poor.

4:15 I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the
second child that shall stand up in his stead.

4:16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been
before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him.
Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

5:1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more
ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider
not that they do evil.

5:2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to
utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth:
therefore let thy words be few.

5:3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's
voice is known by multitude of words.

5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath
no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5:5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest
vow and not pay.

5:6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou
before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry
at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?  5:7 For in the
multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but
fear thou God.

5:8 If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting
of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for
he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than
they.

5:9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is
served by the field.

5:10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he
that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

5:11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what
good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with
their eyes?  5:12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he
eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him
to sleep.

5:13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely,
riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

5:14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son,
and there is nothing in his hand.

5:15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to
go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may
carry away in his hand.

5:16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so
shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?
5:17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow
and wrath with his sickness.

5:18 Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to
eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he
taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him:
for it is his portion.

5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath
given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to
rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

5:20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God
answereth him in the joy of his heart.

6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common
among men: 6:2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and
honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he
desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger
eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

6:3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that
the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good,
and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is
better than he.

6:4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his
name shall be covered with darkness.

6:5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath
more rest than the other.

6:6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen
no good: do not all go to one place?  6:7 All the labour of man is for
his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

6:8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor,
that knoweth to walk before the living?  6:9 Better is the sight of
the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and
vexation of spirit.

6:10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is
man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

6:11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the
better?  6:12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all
the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can
tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?  7:1 A good name is
better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of
one's birth.

7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the
house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will
lay it to his heart.

7:3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the
countenance the heart is made better.

7:4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart
of fools is in the house of mirth.

7:5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to
hear the song of fools.

7:6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of
the fool: this also is vanity.

7:7 Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the
heart.

7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the
patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

7:9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the
bosom of fools.

7:10 Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better
than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

7:11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to
them that see the sun.

7:12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the
excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have
it.

7:13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which
he hath made crooked?  7:14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in
the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against
the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

7:15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just
man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man
that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

7:16 Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why
shouldest thou destroy thyself ?  7:17 Be not over much wicked,
neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?  7:18
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this
withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of
them all.

7:19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are
in the city.

7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and
sinneth not.

7:21 Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear
thy servant curse thee: 7:22 For oftentimes also thine own heart
knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

7:23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it
was far from me.

7:24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
7:25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out
wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly,
even of foolishness and madness: 7:26 And I find more bitter than
death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as
bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall
be taken by her.

7:27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by
one, to find out the account: 7:28 Which yet my soul seeketh, but I
find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all
those have I not found.

7:29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but
they have sought out many inventions.

8:1 Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a
thing?  a man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of
his face shall be changed.

8:2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that in regard
of the oath of God.

8:3 Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing;
for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

8:4 Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto
him, What doest thou?  8:5 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no
evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment.

8:6 Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the
misery of man is great upon him.

8:7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when
it shall be?  8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to
retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and
there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver
those that are given to it.

8:9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is
done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over
another to his own hurt.

8:10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the
place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had
so done: this is also vanity.

8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily,
therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do
evil.

8:12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be
prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear
God, which fear before him: 8:13 But it shall not be well with the
wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow;
because he feareth not before God.

8:14 There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be
just men, unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked;
again, there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the work
of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under
the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall
abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth
him under the sun.

8:16 When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business
that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor
night seeth sleep with his eyes:) 8:17 Then I beheld all the work of
God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun:
because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it;
yea farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be
able to find it.

9:1 For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this,
that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of
God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.

9:2 All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous,
and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean;
to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the
good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an
oath.

9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that
there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is
full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after
that they go to the dead.

9:4 For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a
living dog is better than a dead lion.

9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any
thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is
forgotten.

9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now
perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing
that is done under the sun.

9:7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a
merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

9:8 Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no
ointment.

9:9 Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the
life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the
days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy
labour which thou takest under the sun.

9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave,
whither thou goest.

9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the
swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise,
nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of
skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

9:12 For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken
in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are
the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon
them.

9:13 This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great
unto me: 9:14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and
there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great
bulwarks against it: 9:15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man,
and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that
same poor man.

9:16 Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the
poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

9:17 The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him
that ruleth among fools.

9:18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth
much good.

10:1 Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a
stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for
wisdom and honour.

10:2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at
his left.

10:3 Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom
faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.

10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy
place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

10:5 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error
which proceedeth from the ruler: 10:6 Folly is set in great dignity,
and the rich sit in low place.

10:7 I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants
upon the earth.

10:8 He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an
hedge, a serpent shall bite him.

10:9 Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that
cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.

10:10 If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he
put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.

10:11 Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler
is no better.

10:12 The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a
fool will swallow up himself.

10:13 The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the
end of his talk is mischievous madness.

10:14 A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be;
and what shall be after him, who can tell him?  10:15 The labour of
the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to
go to the city.

10:16 Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes
eat in the morning!  10:17 Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is
the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength,
and not for drunkenness!  10:18 By much slothfulness the building
decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth
through.

10:19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money
answereth all things.

10:20 Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the
rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice,
and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

11:1 Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many
days.

11:2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not
what evil shall be upon the earth.

11:3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the
earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in
the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.

11:4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth
the clouds shall not reap.

11:5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the
bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou
knowest not the works of God who maketh all.

11:6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not
thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or
that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

11:7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes
to behold the sun: 11:8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in
them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be
many. All that cometh is vanity.

11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee
in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in
the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God
will bring thee into judgment.

11:10 Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from
thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil
days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no
pleasure in them; 12:2 While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or
the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: 12:3
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong
men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few,
and those that look out of the windows be darkened, 12:4 And the doors
shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low,
and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters
of musick shall be brought low; 12:5 Also when they shall be afraid of
that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree
shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire
shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go
about the streets: 12:6 Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the
golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or
the wheel broken at the cistern.

12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit
shall return unto God who gave it.

12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

12:9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the
people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in
order many proverbs.

12:10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which
was written was upright, even words of truth.

12:11 The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the
masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

12:12 And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many
books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and
keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret
thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.




The Song of Solomon


1:1 The song of songs, which is Solomon's.

1:2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is
better than wine.

1:3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as
ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

1:4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his
chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy
love more than wine: the upright love thee.

1:5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents
of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

1:6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked
upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the
keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

1:7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where
thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that
turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?  1:8 If thou know not,
O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the
flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

1:9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in
Pharaoh's chariots.

1:10 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains
of gold.

1:11 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

1:12 While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth
the smell thereof.

1:13 A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all
night betwixt my breasts.

1:14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards
of Engedi.

1:15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast
doves' eyes.

1:16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is
green.

1:17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

2:1 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

2:2 As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

2:3 As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved
among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and
his fruit was sweet to my taste.

2:4 He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was
love.

2:5 Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of
love.

2:6 His left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace
me.

2:7 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the
hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he
please.

2:8 The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the
mountains, skipping upon the hills.

2:9 My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth
behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself
through the lattice.

2:10 My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair
one, and come away.

2:11 For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; 2:12 The
flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; 2:13 The fig tree
putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give
a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

2:14 O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret
places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy
voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.

2:15 Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for
our vines have tender grapes.

2:16 My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.

2:17 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved,
and be thou like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether.

3:1 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him,
but I found him not.

3:2 I will rise now, and go about the city in the streets, and in the
broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I
found him not.

3:3 The watchmen that go about the city found me: to whom I said, Saw
ye him whom my soul loveth?  3:4 It was but a little that I passed
from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would
not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house, and
into the chamber of her that conceived me.

3:5 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the
hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till he
please.

3:6 Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of
smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the
merchant?  3:7 Behold his bed, which is Solomon's; threescore valiant
men are about it, of the valiant of Israel.

3:8 They all hold swords, being expert in war: every man hath his
sword upon his thigh because of fear in the night.

3:9 King Solomon made himself a chariot of the wood of Lebanon.

3:10 He made the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom thereof of
gold, the covering of it of purple, the midst thereof being paved with
love, for the daughters of Jerusalem.

3:11 Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with
the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his
espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.

4:1 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast
doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that
appear from mount Gilead.

4:2 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep that are even shorn, which
came up from the washing; whereof every one bear twins, and none is
barren among them.

4:3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely:
thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks.

4:4 Thy neck is like the tower of David builded for an armoury,
whereon there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty men.

4:5 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins, which feed
among the lilies.

4:6 Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to
the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense.

4:7 Thou art all fair, my love; there is no spot in thee.

4:8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse, with me from Lebanon: look
from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon, from the
lions' dens, from the mountains of the leopards.

4:9 Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast
ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.

4:10 How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! how much better is
thy love than wine! and the smell of thine ointments than all spices!
4:11 Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are
under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of
Lebanon.

4:12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a
fountain sealed.

4:13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits;
camphire, with spikenard, 4:14 Spikenard and saffron; calamus and
cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all
the chief spices: 4:15 A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters,
and streams from Lebanon.

4:16 Awake, O north wind; and come, thou south; blow upon my garden,
that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his
garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.

5:1 I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my
myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey; I have
drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink
abundantly, O beloved.

5:2 I sleep, but my heart waketh: it is the voice of my beloved that
knocketh, saying, Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my
undefiled: for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops
of the night.

5:3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my
feet; how shall I defile them?  5:4 My beloved put in his hand by the
hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him.

5:5 I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh,
and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the
lock.

5:6 I opened to my beloved; but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and
was gone: my soul failed when he spake: I sought him, but I could not
find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer.

5:7 The watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me,
they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me.

5:8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved,
that ye tell him, that I am sick of love.

5:9 What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest
among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou
dost so charge us?  5:10 My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest
among ten thousand.

5:11 His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black
as a raven.

5:12 His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed
with milk, and fitly set.

5:13 His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips
like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.

5:14 His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as
bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.

5:15 His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold:
his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.

5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my
beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

6:1 Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither
is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee.

6:2 My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to
feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.

6:3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the
lilies.

6:4 Thou art beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem,
terrible as an army with banners.

6:5 Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair
is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead.

6:6 Thy teeth are as a flock of sheep which go up from the washing,
whereof every one beareth twins, and there is not one barren among
them.

6:7 As a piece of a pomegranate are thy temples within thy locks.

6:8 There are threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virgins
without number.

6:9 My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her
mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw
her, and blessed her; yea, the queens and the concubines, and they
praised her.

6:10 Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon,
clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?  6:11 I went
down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to
see whether the vine flourished and the pomegranates budded.

6:12 Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of
Amminadib.

6:13 Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look
upon thee. What will ye see in the Shulamite? As it were the company
of two armies.

7:1 How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter! the
joints of thy thighs are like jewels, the work of the hands of a
cunning workman.

7:2 Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor: thy
belly is like an heap of wheat set about with lilies.

7:3 Thy two breasts are like two young roes that are twins.

7:4 Thy neck is as a tower of ivory; thine eyes like the fishpools in
Heshbon, by the gate of Bathrabbim: thy nose is as the tower of
Lebanon which looketh toward Damascus.

7:5 Thine head upon thee is like Carmel, and the hair of thine head
like purple; the king is held in the galleries.

7:6 How fair and how pleasant art thou, O love, for delights!  7:7
This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters
of grapes.

7:8 I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the
boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine,
and the smell of thy nose like apples; 7:9 And the roof of thy mouth
like the best wine for my beloved, that goeth down sweetly, causing
the lips of those that are asleep to speak.

7:10 I am my beloved's, and his desire is toward me.

7:11 Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in
the villages.

7:12 Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine
flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud
forth: there will I give thee my loves.

7:13 The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates are all manner of
pleasant fruits, new and old, which I have laid up for thee, O my
beloved.

8:1 O that thou wert as my brother, that sucked the breasts of my
mother!  when I should find thee without, I would kiss thee; yea, I
should not be despised.

8:2 I would lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house, who
would instruct me: I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine of the
juice of my pomegranate.

8:3 His left hand should be under my head, and his right hand should
embrace me.

8:4 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, that ye stir not up, nor
awake my love, until he please.

8:5 Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her
beloved? I raised thee up under the apple tree: there thy mother
brought thee forth: there she brought thee forth that bare thee.

8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for
love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals
thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it:
if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would
utterly be contemned.

8:8 We have a little sister, and she hath no breasts: what shall we do
for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?  8:9 If she be
a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a
door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.

8:10 I am a wall, and my breasts like towers: then was I in his eyes
as one that found favour.

8:11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto
keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand
pieces of silver.

8:12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: thou, O Solomon, must
have a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.

8:13 Thou that dwellest in the gardens, the companions hearken to thy
voice: cause me to hear it.

8:14 Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young
hart upon the mountains of spices.




The Book of the Prophet Isaiah


1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning
Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,
kings of Judah.

1:2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken,
I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled
against me.

1:3 The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but
Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.

1:4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of
evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD,
they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone
away backward.

1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more:
the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness
in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not
been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.

1:7 Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your
land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as
overthrown by strangers.

1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a
lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city.

1:9 Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we
should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

1:10 Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the
law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah.

1:11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?
saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat
of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of
lambs, or of he goats.

1:12 When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your
hand, to tread my courts?  1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense
is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of
assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn
meeting.

1:14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are
a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.

1:15 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from
you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are
full of blood.

1:16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from
before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 1:17 Learn to do well; seek
judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the
widow.

1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red
like crimson, they shall be as wool.

1:19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
1:20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword:
for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of
judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

1:22 Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 1:23 Thy
princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth
gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless,
neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

1:24 Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of
Israel, Ah, I will ease me of mine adversaries, and avenge me of mine
enemies: 1:25 And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away
thy dross, and take away all thy tin: 1:26 And I will restore thy
judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning:
afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the
faithful city.

1:27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with
righteousness.

1:28 And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall
be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

1:29 For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and
ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen.

1:30 For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that
hath no water.

1:31 And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark,
and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.

2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and
Jerusalem.

2:2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of
the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and
shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the
mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion
shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many
people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

2:5 O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the
LORD.

2:6 Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob,
because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like
the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of
strangers.

2:7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there any
end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither is
there any end of their chariots: 2:8 Their land also is full of idols;
they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers
have made: 2:9 And the mean man boweth down, and the great man
humbleth himself: therefore forgive them not.

2:10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the
LORD, and for the glory of his majesty.

2:11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of
men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that
day.

2:12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is
proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be
brought low: 2:13 And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high
and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 2:14 And upon all the
high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 2:15 And
upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall, 2:16 And upon all
the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

2:17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness
of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that
day.

2:18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

2:19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves
of the earth, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty,
when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

2:20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols
of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles
and to the bats; 2:21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the
tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of
his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.

2:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein
is he to be accounted of ?  3:1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of
hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the
staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water.

3:2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet,
and the prudent, and the ancient, 3:3 The captain of fifty, and the
honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the
eloquent orator.

3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule
over them.

3:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every
one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against
the ancient, and the base against the honourable.

3:6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his
father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this
ruin be under thy hand: 3:7 In that day shall he swear, saying, I will
not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make
me not a ruler of the people.

3:8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue
and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his
glory.

3:9 The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they
declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for
they have rewarded evil unto themselves.

3:10 Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they
shall eat the fruit of their doings.

3:11 Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of
his hands shall be given him.

3:12 As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule
over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and
destroy the way of thy paths.

3:13 The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people.

3:14 The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his
people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard;
the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

3:15 What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the
faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

3:16 Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are
haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking
and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: 3:17
Therefore the LORD will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the
daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.

3:18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling
ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires
like the moon, 3:19 The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,
3:20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands,
and the tablets, and the earrings, 3:21 The rings, and nose jewels,
3:22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the
wimples, and the crisping pins, 3:23 The glasses, and the fine linen,
and the hoods, and the vails.

3:24 And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there
shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well
set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth;
and burning instead of beauty.

3:25 Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.

3:26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate
shall sit upon the ground.

4:1 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We
will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be
called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

4:2 In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and
glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for
them that are escaped of Israel.

4:3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he
that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that
is written among the living in Jerusalem: 4:4 When the Lord shall have
washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged
the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of
judgment, and by the spirit of burning.

4:5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion,
and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of
a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.

4:6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from
the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and
from rain.

5:1 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching
his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
5:2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted
it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and
also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring
forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

5:3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I
pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

5:4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not
done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth
grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?  5:5 And now go to; I will tell
you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof,
and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it
shall be trodden down: 5:6 And I will lay it waste: it shall not be
pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will
also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and
the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but
behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

5:8 Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field,
till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of
the earth!  5:9 In mine ears said the LORD of hosts, Of a truth many
houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.

5:10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed of
an homer shall yield an ephah.

5:11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may
follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame
them!  5:12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and
wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD,
neither consider the operation of his hands.

5:13 Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no
knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude
dried up with thirst.

5:14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth
without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp,
and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

5:15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall
be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: 5:16 But the
LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall
be sanctified in righteousness.

5:17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste
places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

5:18 Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as
it were with a cart rope: 5:19 That say, Let him make speed, and
hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy
One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it!  5:20 Woe unto
them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light,
and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for
bitter!  5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and
prudent in their own sight!  5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to
drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 5:23 Which
justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the
righteous from him!  5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble,
and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as
rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have
cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the
Holy One of Israel.

5:25 Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people,
and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and hath smitten
them: and the hills did tremble, and their carcases were torn in the
midst of the streets.

For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched
out still.

5:26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and will
hiss unto them from the end of the earth: and, behold, they shall come
with speed swiftly: 5:27 None shall be weary nor stumble among them;
none shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of their loins
be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken: 5:28 Whose arrows
are sharp, and all their bows bent, their horses' hoofs shall be
counted like flint, and their wheels like a whirlwind: 5:29 Their
roaring shall be like a lion, they shall roar like young lions: yea,
they shall roar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away
safe, and none shall deliver it.

5:30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring of
the sea: and if one look unto the land, behold darkness and sorrow,
and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon
a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

6:2 Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain
he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with
twain he did fly.

6:3 And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the
LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

6:4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried,
and the house was filled with smoke.

6:5 Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips:
for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6:6 Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his
hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: 6:7 And he
laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and
thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and
who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but
understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

6:10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and
shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

6:11 Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be
wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be
utterly desolate, 6:12 And the LORD have removed men far away, and
there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

6:13 But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be
eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when
they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance
thereof.

7:1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son
of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the
son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war
against it, but could not prevail against it.

7:2 And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate
with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as
the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

7:3 Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou,
and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool
in the highway of the fuller's field; 7:4 And say unto him, Take heed,
and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of
these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria,
and of the son of Remaliah.

7:5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil
counsel against thee, saying, 7:6 Let us go up against Judah, and vex
it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the
midst of it, even the son of Tabeal: 7:7 Thus saith the Lord GOD, It
shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.

7:8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is
Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken,
that it be not a people.

7:9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is
Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be
established.

7:10 Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying, 7:11 Ask thee a
sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height
above.

7:12 But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.

7:13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing
for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?  7:14 Therefore
the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

7:15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the
evil, and choose the good.

7:16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose
the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her
kings.

7:17 The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy
father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim
departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.

7:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss
for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and
for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

7:19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate
valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon
all bushes.

7:20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired,
namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head,
and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.

7:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a
young cow, and two sheep; 7:22 And it shall come to pass, for the
abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter
and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.

7:23 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be,
where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall
even be for briers and thorns.

7:24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the
land shall become briers and thorns.

7:25 And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there
shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be
for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.

8:1 Moreover the LORD said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write
in it with a man's pen concerning Mahershalalhashbaz.

8:2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest,
and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

8:3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived, and bare a son.

Then said the LORD to me, Call his name Mahershalalhashbaz.

8:4 For before the child shall have knowledge to cry, My father, and
my mother, the riches of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria shall be
taken away before the king of Assyria.

8:5 The LORD spake also unto me again, saying, 8:6 Forasmuch as this
people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in
Rezin and Remaliah's son; 8:7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth
up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king
of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up over all his
channels, and go over all his banks: 8:8 And he shall pass through
Judah; he shall overflow and go over, he shall reach even to the neck;
and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy
land, O Immanuel.

8:9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in
pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye
shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in
pieces.

8:10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the
word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us.

8:11 For the LORD spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed
me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, 8:12 Say
ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A
confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

8:13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and
let him be your dread.

8:14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and
for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for
a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

8:15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and
be snared, and be taken.

8:16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

8:17 And I will wait upon the LORD, that hideth his face from the
house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for
signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth
in mount Zion.

8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should
not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?  8:20 To
the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this
word, it is because there is no light in them.

8:21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it
shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret
themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

8:22 And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and
darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.

9:1 Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation,
when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the
land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the
way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

9:2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they
that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the
light shined.

9:3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they
joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice
when they divide the spoil.

9:4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his
shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

9:5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and
garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of
fire.

9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the
government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The
Prince of Peace.

9:7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end,
upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for
ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

9:8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.

9:9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of
Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, 9:10 The bricks
are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are
cut down, but we will change them into cedars.

9:11 Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against
him, and join his enemies together; 9:12 The Syrians before, and the
Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For
all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out
still.

9:13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do
they seek the LORD of hosts.

9:14 Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch
and rush, in one day.

9:15 The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that
teacheth lies, he is the tail.

9:16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that
are led of them are destroyed.

9:17 Therefore the LORD shall have no joy in their young men, neither
shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an
hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all
this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out
still.

9:18 For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers
and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they
shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

9:19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and
the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his
brother.

9:20 And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he
shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they
shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm: 9:21 Manasseh, Ephraim;
and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For
all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out
still.

10:1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write
grievousness which they have prescribed; 10:2 To turn aside the needy
from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people,
that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
10:3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the
desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help?
and where will ye leave your glory?  10:4 Without me they shall bow
down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all
this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out
still.

10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is
mine indignation.

10:6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the
people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to
take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

10:7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but
it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

10:8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings?  10:9 Is not
Calno as Carchemish? is not Hamath as Arpad? is not Samaria as
Damascus?  10:10 As my hand hath found the kingdoms of the idols, and
whose graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria; 10:11
Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to
Jerusalem and her idols?  10:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that
when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on
Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of
Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

10:13 For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by
my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bounds of the
people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the
inhabitants like a valiant man: 10:14 And my hand hath found as a nest
the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left,
have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing,
or opened the mouth, or peeped.

10:15 Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or
shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the
rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the
staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

10:16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat
ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the
burning of a fire.

10:17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One
for a flame: and it shall burn and devour his thorns and his briers in
one day; 10:18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his
fruitful field, both soul and body: and they shall be as when a
standard-bearer fainteth.

10:19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a
child may write them.

10:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of
Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more
again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the
Holy One of Israel, in truth.

10:21 The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the
mighty God.

10:22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a
remnant of them shall return: the consumption decreed shall overflow
with righteousness.

10:23 For the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even
determined, in the midst of all the land.

10:24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that
dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee
with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner
of Egypt.

10:25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease,
and mine anger in their destruction.

10:26 And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him according
to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as his rod was
upon the sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt.

10:27 And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be
taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and
the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

10:28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he hath
laid up his carriages: 10:29 They are gone over the passage: they have
taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is
fled.

10:30 Lift up thy voice, O daughter of Gallim: cause it to be heard
unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

10:31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather themselves
to flee.

10:32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand
against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

10:33 Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with
terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, and the
haughty shall be humbled.

10:34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and
Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots: 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD
shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear
of the LORD; 11:3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the
fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes,
neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 11:4 But with
righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the
meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his
mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

11:5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

11:6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall
lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling
together; and a little child shall lead them.

11:7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie
down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

11:8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the
weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

11:9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the
earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover
the sea.

11:10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall
stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and
his rest shall be glorious.

11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set
his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,
which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros,
and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and
from the islands of the sea.

11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of
Judah from the four corners of the earth.

11:13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of
Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall
not vex Ephraim.

11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward
the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay
their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey
them.

11:15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian
sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river,
and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.

11:16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people,
which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day
that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

12:1 And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee:
though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou
comfortedst me.

12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for
the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my
salvation.

12:3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation.

12:4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his
name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name
is exalted.

12:5 Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is
known in all the earth.

12:6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy
One of Israel in the midst of thee.

13:1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

13:2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto
them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the nobles.

13:3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty
ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness.

13:4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great
people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered
together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.

13:5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the
LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.

13:6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a
destruction from the Almighty.

13:7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall
melt: 13:8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold
of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall
be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames.

13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and
fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the
sinners thereof out of it.

13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not
give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and
the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for
their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than
the golden wedge of Ophir.

13:13 Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove
out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of
his fierce anger.

13:14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man
taketh up: they shall every man turn to his own people, and flee every
one into his own land.

13:15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one
that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword.

13:16 Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished.

13:17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall not
regard silver; and as for gold, they shall not delight in it.

13:18 Their bows also shall dash the young men to pieces; and they
shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not
spare children.

13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees'
excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

13:20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from
generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there;
neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

13:21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses
shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and
satyrs shall dance there.

13:22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate
houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to
come, and her days shall not be prolonged.

14:1 For the LORD will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be
joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

14:2 And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place:
and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the LORD for
servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose
captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

14:3 And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give
thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard
bondage wherein thou wast made to serve, 14:4 That thou shalt take up
this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the
oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!  14:5 The LORD hath broken
the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.

14:6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that
ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.

14:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into
singing.

14:8 Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon,
saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.

14:9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming:
it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the
earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the
nations.

14:10 All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become
weak as we? art thou become like unto us?  14:11 Thy pomp is brought
down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread
under thee, and the worms cover thee.

14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!
how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the
mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14:14 I will
ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider
thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did
shake kingdoms; 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and
destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his
prisoners?  14:18 All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie
in glory, every one in his own house.

14:19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch,
and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a
sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden
under feet.

14:20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast
destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall
never be renowned.

14:21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their
fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the
face of the world with cities.

14:22 For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and
cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith
the LORD.

14:23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of
water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the
LORD of hosts.

14:24 The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought,
so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand:
14:25 That I will break the Assyrian in my land, and upon my mountains
tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and
his burden depart from off their shoulders.

14:26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and
this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

14:27 For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it?
and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?  14:28 In
the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

14:29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that
smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a
cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.

14:30 And the firstborn of the poor shall feed, and the needy shall
lie down in safety: and I will kill thy root with famine, and he shall
slay thy remnant.

14:31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved:
for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone
in his appointed times.

14:32 What shall one then answer the messengers of the nation? That
the LORD hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in
it.

15:1 The burden of Moab. Because in the night Ar of Moab is laid
waste, and brought to silence; because in the night Kir of Moab is
laid waste, and brought to silence; 15:2 He is gone up to Bajith, and
to Dibon, the high places, to weep: Moab shall howl over Nebo, and
over Medeba: on all their heads shall be baldness, and every beard cut
off.

15:3 In their streets they shall gird themselves with sackcloth: on
the tops of their houses, and in their streets, every one shall howl,
weeping abundantly.

15:4 And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard
even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out;
his life shall be grievous unto him.

15:5 My heart shall cry out for Moab; his fugitives shall flee unto
Zoar, an heifer of three years old: for by the mounting up of Luhith
with weeping shall they go it up; for in the way of Horonaim they
shall raise up a cry of destruction.

15:6 For the waters of Nimrim shall be desolate: for the hay is
withered away, the grass faileth, there is no green thing.

15:7 Therefore the abundance they have gotten, and that which they
have laid up, shall they carry away to the brook of the willows.

15:8 For the cry is gone round about the borders of Moab; the howling
thereof unto Eglaim, and the howling thereof unto Beerelim.

15:9 For the waters of Dimon shall be full of blood: for I will bring
more upon Dimon, lions upon him that escapeth of Moab, and upon the
remnant of the land.

16:1 Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the
wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.

16:2 For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest,
so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.

16:3 Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in
the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that
wandereth.

16:4 Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them
from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the
spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.

16:5 And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit
upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking
judgment, and hasting righteousness.

16:6 We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his
haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be
so.

16:7 Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the
foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.

16:8 For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the
lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof,
they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness:
her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.

16:9 Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of
Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for
the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.

16:10 And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field;
and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be
shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I
have made their vintage shouting to cease.

16:11 Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine
inward parts for Kirharesh.

16:12 And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on
the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he
shall not prevail.

16:13 This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since
that time.

16:14 But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the
years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with
all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and
feeble.

17:1 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being
a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

17:2 The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which
shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

17:3 The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from
Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the
children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts.

17:4 And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob
shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean.

17:5 And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and
reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth
ears in the valley of Rephaim.

17:6 Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an
olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough,
four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD
God of Israel.

17:7 At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall
have respect to the Holy One of Israel.

17:8 And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands,
neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the
groves, or the images.

17:9 In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and
an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of
Israel: and there shall be desolation.

17:10 Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast
not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou
plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: 17:11 In
the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt
thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the
day of grief and of desperate sorrow.

17:12 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the
noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing
like the rushing of mighty waters!  17:13 The nations shall rush like
the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall
flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before
the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.

17:14 And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is
not.

This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that
rob us.

18:1 Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers
of Ethiopia: 18:2 That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels
of bulrushes upon the waters, saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a
nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning
hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden down, whose land the rivers
have spoiled!  18:3 All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on
the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and
when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye.

18:4 For so the LORD said unto me, I will take my rest, and I will
consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a
cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

18:5 For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour
grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with
pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches.

18:6 They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and
to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and
all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them.

18:7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts
of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from
their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot,
whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the
LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

19:1 The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud,
and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at
his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.

19:2 And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they
shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his
neighbour; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.

19:3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I
will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols,
and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to
the wizards.

19:4 And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord;
and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of
hosts.

19:5 And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be
wasted and dried up.

19:6 And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of
defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall
wither.

19:7 The paper reeds by the brooks, by the mouth of the brooks, and
every thing sown by the brooks, shall wither, be driven away, and be
no more.

19:8 The fishers also shall mourn, and all they that cast angle into
the brooks shall lament, and they that spread nets upon the waters
shall languish.

19:9 Moreover they that work in fine flax, and they that weave
networks, shall be confounded.

19:10 And they shall be broken in the purposes thereof, all that make
sluices and ponds for fish.

19:11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise
counsellors of Pharaoh is become brutish: how say ye unto Pharaoh, I
am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings?  19:12 Where are
they? where are thy wise men? and let them tell thee now, and let them
know what the LORD of hosts hath purposed upon Egypt.

19:13 The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are
deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of
the tribes thereof.

19:14 The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof:
and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken
man staggereth in his vomit.

19:15 Neither shall there be any work for Egypt, which the head or
tail, branch or rush, may do.

19:16 In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be
afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the LORD of
hosts, which he shaketh over it.

19:17 And the land of Judah shall be a terror unto Egypt, every one
that maketh mention thereof shall be afraid in himself, because of the
counsel of the LORD of hosts, which he hath determined against it.

19:18 In that day shall five cities in the land of Egypt speak the
language of Canaan, and swear to the LORD of hosts; one shall be
called, The city of destruction.

19:19 In that day shall there be an altar to the LORD in the midst of
the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to the LORD.

19:20 And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the LORD of
hosts in the land of Egypt: for they shall cry unto the LORD because
of the oppressors, and he shall send them a saviour, and a great one,
and he shall deliver them.

19:21 And the LORD shall be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians shall
know the LORD in that day, and shall do sacrifice and oblation; yea,
they shall vow a vow unto the LORD, and perform it.

19:22 And the LORD shall smite Egypt: he shall smite and heal it: and
they shall return even to the LORD, and he shall be intreated of them,
and shall heal them.

19:23 In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria,
and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria,
and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians.

19:24 In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with
Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: 19:25 Whom the LORD
of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria
the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance.

20:1 In the year that Tartan came unto Ashdod, (when Sargon the king
of Assyria sent him,) and fought against Ashdod, and took it; 20:2 At
the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and
loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy
foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.

20:3 And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked
and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon
Ethiopia; 20:4 So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians
prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and
barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.

20:5 And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their
expectation, and of Egypt their glory.

20:6 And the inhabitant of this isle shall say in that day, Behold,
such is our expectation, whither we flee for help to be delivered from
the king of Assyria: and how shall we escape?  21:1 The burden of the
desert of the sea. As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it
cometh from the desert, from a terrible land.

21:2 A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer
dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam:
besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease.

21:3 Therefore are my loins filled with pain: pangs have taken hold
upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth: I was bowed down at
the hearing of it; I was dismayed at the seeing of it.

21:4 My heart panted, fearfulness affrighted me: the night of my
pleasure hath he turned into fear unto me.

21:5 Prepare the table, watch in the watchtower, eat, drink: arise, ye
princes, and anoint the shield.

21:6 For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him
declare what he seeth.

21:7 And he saw a chariot with a couple of horsemen, a chariot of
asses, and a chariot of camels; and he hearkened diligently with much
heed: 21:8 And he cried, A lion: My lord, I stand continually upon the
watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights: 21:9
And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen.

And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the
graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground.

21:10 O my threshing, and the corn of my floor: that which I have
heard of the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto
you.

21:11 The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman,
what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?  21:12 The watchman
said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire,
enquire ye: return, come.

21:13 The burden upon Arabia. In the forest in Arabia shall ye lodge,
O ye travelling companies of Dedanim.

21:14 The inhabitants of the land of Tema brought water to him that
was thirsty, they prevented with their bread him that fled.

21:15 For they fled from the swords, from the drawn sword, and from
the bent bow, and from the grievousness of war.

21:16 For thus hath the LORD said unto me, Within a year, according to
the years of an hireling, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail: 21:17
And the residue of the number of archers, the mighty men of the
children of Kedar, shall be diminished: for the LORD God of Israel
hath spoken it.

22:1 The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that
thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?  22:2 Thou that art full of
stirs, a tumultuous city, joyous city: thy slain men are not slain
with the sword, nor dead in battle.

22:3 All thy rulers are fled together, they are bound by the archers:
all that are found in thee are bound together, which have fled from
far.

22:4 Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour
not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my
people.

22:5 For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of
perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking
down the walls, and of crying to the mountains.

22:6 And Elam bare the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen, and
Kir uncovered the shield.

22:7 And it shall come to pass, that thy choicest valleys shall be
full of chariots, and the horsemen shall set themselves in array at
the gate.

22:8 And he discovered the covering of Judah, and thou didst look in
that day to the armour of the house of the forest.

22:9 Ye have seen also the breaches of the city of David, that they
are many: and ye gathered together the waters of the lower pool.

22:10 And ye have numbered the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses
have ye broken down to fortify the wall.

22:11 Ye made also a ditch between the two walls for the water of the
old pool: but ye have not looked unto the maker thereof, neither had
respect unto him that fashioned it long ago.

22:12 And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and
to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: 22:13 And
behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating
flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall
die.

22:14 And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely
this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord
GOD of hosts.

22:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, Go, get thee unto this
treasurer, even unto Shebna, which is over the house, and say, 22:16
What hast thou here? and whom hast thou here, that thou hast hewed
thee out a sepulchre here, as he that heweth him out a sepulchre on
high, and that graveth an habitation for himself in a rock?  22:17
Behold, the LORD will carry thee away with a mighty captivity, and
will surely cover thee.

22:18 He will surely violently turn and toss thee like a ball into a
large country: there shalt thou die, and there the chariots of thy
glory shall be the shame of thy lord's house.

22:19 And I will drive thee from thy station, and from thy state shall
he pull thee down.

22:20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my
servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: 22:21 And I will clothe him with
thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy
government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder;
so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none
shall open.

22:23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be
for a glorious throne to his father's house.

22:24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's
house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity,
from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

22:25 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall the nail that is
fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and
the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the LORD hath spoken
it.

23:1 The burden of Tyre. Howl, ye ships of Tarshish; for it is laid
waste, so that there is no house, no entering in: from the land of
Chittim it is revealed to them.

23:2 Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou whom the merchants of
Zidon, that pass over the sea, have replenished.

23:3 And by great waters the seed of Sihor, the harvest of the river,
is her revenue; and she is a mart of nations.

23:4 Be thou ashamed, O Zidon: for the sea hath spoken, even the
strength of the sea, saying, I travail not, nor bring forth children,
neither do I nourish up young men, nor bring up virgins.

23:5 As at the report concerning Egypt, so shall they be sorely pained
at the report of Tyre.

23:6 Pass ye over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle.

23:7 Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her
own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn.

23:8 Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city,
whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of
the earth?  23:9 The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the
pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of
the earth.

23:10 Pass through thy land as a river, O daughter of Tarshish: there
is no more strength.

23:11 He stretched out his hand over the sea, he shook the kingdoms:
the LORD hath given a commandment against the merchant city, to
destroy the strong holds thereof.

23:12 And he said, Thou shalt no more rejoice, O thou oppressed
virgin, daughter of Zidon: arise, pass over to Chittim; there also
shalt thou have no rest.

23:13 Behold the land of the Chaldeans; this people was not, till the
Assyrian founded it for them that dwell in the wilderness: they set up
the towers thereof, they raised up the palaces thereof; and he brought
it to ruin.

23:14 Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste.

23:15 And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be
forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the
end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot.

23:16 Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been
forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be
remembered.

23:17 And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that
the LORD will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire, and shall
commit fornication with all the kingdoms of the world upon the face of
the earth.

23:18 And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD:
it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be
for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for
durable clothing.

24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and
turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

24:2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with
the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her
mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender,
so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of
usury to him.

24:3 The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the
LORD hath spoken this word.

24:4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world languisheth and
fadeth away, the haughty people of the earth do languish.

24:5 The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because
they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the
everlasting covenant.

24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell
therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are
burned, and few men left.

24:7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merryhearted
do sigh.

24:8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice
endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth.

24:9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be
bitter to them that drink it.

24:10 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up,
that no man may come in.

24:11 There is a crying for wine in the streets; all joy is darkened,
the mirth of the land is gone.

24:12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with
destruction.

24:13 When thus it shall be in the midst of the land among the people,
there shall be as the shaking of an olive tree, and as the gleaning
grapes when the vintage is done.

24:14 They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing for the majesty
of the LORD, they shall cry aloud from the sea.

24:15 Wherefore glorify ye the LORD in the fires, even the name of the
LORD God of Israel in the isles of the sea.

24:16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even
glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto
me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the
treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

24:17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of
the earth.

24:18 And it shall come to pass, that he who fleeth from the noise of
the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the
midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows from on
high are open, and the foundations of the earth do shake.

24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved,
the earth is moved exceedingly.

24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be
removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy
upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

24:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall
punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of
the earth upon the earth.

24:22 And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered
in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days
shall they be visited.

24:23 Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when the
LORD of hosts shall reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before
his ancients gloriously.

25:1 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy
name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are
faithfulness and truth.

25:2 For thou hast made of a city an heap; of a defenced city a ruin:
a palace of strangers to be no city; it shall never be built.

25:3 Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the
terrible nations shall fear thee.

25:4 For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the
needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the
heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the
wall.

25:5 Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers, as the heat in a
dry place; even the heat with the shadow of a cloud: the branch of the
terrible ones shall be brought low.

25:6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people
a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things
full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

25:7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering
cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.

25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe
away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he
take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

25:9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have
waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited
for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

25:10 For in this mountain shall the hand of the LORD rest, and Moab
shall be trodden down under him, even as straw is trodden down for the
dunghill.

25:11 And he shall spread forth his hands in the midst of them, as he
that swimmeth spreadeth forth his hands to swim: and he shall bring
down their pride together with the spoils of their hands.

25:12 And the fortress of the high fort of thy walls shall he bring
down, lay low, and bring to the ground, even to the dust.

26:1 In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have
a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks.

26:2 Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the
truth may enter in.

26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on
thee: because he trusteth in thee.

26:4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is
everlasting strength: 26:5 For he bringeth down them that dwell on
high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the
ground; he bringeth it even to the dust.

26:6 The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the
steps of the needy.

26:7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost
weigh the path of the just.

26:8 Yea, in the way of thy judgments, O LORD, have we waited for
thee; the desire of our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of
thee.

26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my
spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in
the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

26:10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn
righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and
will not behold the majesty of the LORD.

26:11 LORD, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see: but they
shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; yea, the fire
of thine enemies shall devour them.

26:12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought
all our works in us.

26:13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over
us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

26:14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they
shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and
made all their memory to perish.

26:15 Thou hast increased the nation, O LORD, thou hast increased the
nation: thou art glorified: thou hadst removed it far unto all the
ends of the earth.

26:16 LORD, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a
prayer when thy chastening was upon them.

26:17 Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her
delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs; so have we been in
thy sight, O LORD.

26:18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it
were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the
earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.

26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they
arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the
dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

26:20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy
doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until
the indignation be overpast.

26:21 For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the
inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall
disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

27:1 In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword
shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that
crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.

27:2 In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine.

27:3 I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any
hurt it, I will keep it night and day.

27:4 Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me
in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together.

27:5 Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with
me; and he shall make peace with me.

27:6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall
blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit.

27:7 Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he
slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him?  27:8
In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: he
stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind.

27:9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this
is all the fruit to take away his sin; when he maketh all the stones
of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, the groves and
images shall not stand up.

27:10 Yet the defenced city shall be desolate, and the habitation
forsaken, and left like a wilderness: there shall the calf feed, and
there shall he lie down, and consume the branches thereof.

27:11 When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off:
the women come, and set them on fire: for it is a people of no
understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on
them, and he that formed them will shew them no favour.

27:12 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall beat
off from the channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye
shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel.

27:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet
shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the
land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall
worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem.

28:1 Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose
glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat
valleys of them that are overcome with wine!  28:2 Behold, the Lord
hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a
destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast
down to the earth with the hand.

28:3 The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden
under feet: 28:4 And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the
fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before
the summer; which when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet
in his hand he eateth it up.

28:5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and
for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, 28:6 And for a
spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength
to them that turn the battle to the gate.

28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink
are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through
strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way
through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

28:8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is
no place clean.

28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to
understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn
from the breasts.

28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line
upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 28:11
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this
people.

28:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the
weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.

28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept,
precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little,
and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be
broken, and snared, and taken.

28:14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule
this people which is in Jerusalem.

28:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and
with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass
through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge,
and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 28:16 Therefore thus saith
the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried
stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth
shall not make haste.

28:17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the
plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the
waters shall overflow the hiding place.

28:18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your
agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge
shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.

28:19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning
by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a
vexation only to understand the report.

28:20 For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on
it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it.

28:21 For the LORD shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be
wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange
work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act.

28:22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong:
for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even
determined upon the whole earth.

28:23 Give ye ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech.

28:24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the
clods of his ground?  28:25 When he hath made plain the face thereof,
doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast
in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rie in their
place?  28:26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth
teach him.

28:27 For the fitches are not threshed with a threshing instrument,
neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin; but the fitches
are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod.

28:28 Bread corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it,
nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his
horsemen.

28:29 This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is
wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.

29:1 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year
to year; let them kill sacrifices.

29:2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and
sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.

29:3 And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege
against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.

29:4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the
ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice
shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground,
and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.

29:5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust,
and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth
away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.

29:6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with
earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of
devouring fire.

29:7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel,
even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress
her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.

29:8 It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he
eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty
man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold,
he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all
the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.

29:9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are
drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.

29:10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep,
and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers
hath he covered.

29:11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book
that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read
this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: 29:12 And
the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I
pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.

29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me
with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed
their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the
precept of men: 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a
marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a
wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the
understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.

29:15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the
LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and
who knoweth us?  29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall
be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that
made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that
framed it, He had no understanding?  29:17 Is it not yet a very little
while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the
fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?  29:18 And in that day
shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind
shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.

29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor
among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

29:20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is
consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off: 29:21 That make
a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth
in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.

29:22 Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning
the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his
face now wax pale.

29:23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the
midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One
of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

29:24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and
they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take
counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my
spirit, that they may add sin to sin: 30:2 That walk to go down into
Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the
strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!  30:3
Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust
in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

30:4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.

30:5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor
be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.

30:6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble
and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and
fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders
of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a
people that shall not profit them.

30:7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose:
therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit
still.

30:8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book,
that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever: 30:9 That this
is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear
the law of the LORD: 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the
prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth
things, prophesy deceits: 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out
of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.

30:12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise
this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
30:13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to
fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at
an instant.

30:14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel
that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not
be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth,
or to take water withal out of the pit.

30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In
returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence
shall be your strength: and ye would not.

30:16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall
ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that
pursue you be swift.

30:17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of
five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a
mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.

30:18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto
you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon
you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait
for him.

30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep
no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry;
when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the
water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a
corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 30:21 And
thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way,
walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the
left.

30:22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of
silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast
them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee
hence.

30:23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the
ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be
fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large
pastures.

30:24 The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall
eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with
the fan.

30:25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high
hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall.

30:26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun,
and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven
days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people,
and healeth the stroke of their wound.

30:27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his
anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of
indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: 30:28 And his breath,
as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to
sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle
in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.

30:29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is
kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come
into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.

30:30 And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and
shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his
anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and
tempest, and hailstones.

30:31 For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten
down, which smote with a rod.

30:32 And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which
the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and
in battles of shaking will he fight with it.

30:33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared;
he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much
wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle
it.

31:1 Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses,
and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because
they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel,
neither seek the LORD!  31:2 Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil,
and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of
the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity.

31:3 Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh,
and not spirit. When the LORD shall stretch out his hand, both he that
helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they
all shall fail together.

31:4 For thus hath the LORD spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the
young lion roaring on his prey, when a multitude of shepherds is
called forth against him, he will not be afraid of their voice, nor
abase himself for the noise of them: so shall the LORD of hosts come
down to fight for mount Zion, and for the hill thereof.

31:5 As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem;
defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve
it.

31:6 Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply
revolted.

31:7 For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver,
and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a
sin.

31:8 Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man;
and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee
from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited.

31:9 And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his
princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, whose fire is
in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem.

32:1 Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall
rule in judgment.

32:2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert
from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of
a great rock in a weary land.

32:3 And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of
them that hear shall hearken.

32:4 The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge, and the
tongue of the stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly.

32:5 The vile person shall be no more called liberal, nor the churl
said to be bountiful.

32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work
iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD,
to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of
the thirsty to fail.

32:7 The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked
devices to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy
speaketh right.

32:8 But the liberal deviseth liberal things; and by liberal things
shall he stand.

32:9 Rise up, ye women that are at ease; hear my voice, ye careless
daughters; give ear unto my speech.

32:10 Many days and years shall ye be troubled, ye careless women: for
the vintage shall fail, the gathering shall not come.

32:11 Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless
ones: strip you, and make you bare, and gird sackcloth upon your
loins.

32:12 They shall lament for the teats, for the pleasant fields, for
the fruitful vine.

32:13 Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers; yea,
upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city: 32:14 Because the
palaces shall be forsaken; the multitude of the city shall be left;
the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses,
a pasture of flocks; 32:15 Until the spirit be poured upon us from on
high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field, and the fruitful field
be counted for a forest.

32:16 Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness
remain in the fruitful field.

32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of
righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

32:18 And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure
dwellings, and in quiet resting places; 32:19 When it shall hail,
coming down on the forest; and the city shall be low in a low place.

32:20 Blessed are ye that sow beside all waters, that send forth
thither the feet of the ox and the ass.

33:1 Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou wast not spoiled; and dealest
treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! when thou
shalt cease to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled; and when thou shalt make
an end to deal treacherously, they shall deal treacherously with thee.

33:2 O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou
their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.

33:3 At the noise of the tumult the people fled; at the lifting up of
thyself the nations were scattered.

33:4 And your spoil shall be gathered like the gathering of the
caterpiller: as the running to and fro of locusts shall he run upon
them.

33:5 The LORD is exalted; for he dwelleth on high: he hath filled Zion
with judgment and righteousness.

33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and
strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.

33:7 Behold, their valiant ones shall cry without: the ambassadors of
peace shall weep bitterly.

33:8 The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth: he hath broken
the covenant, he hath despised the cities, he regardeth no man.

33:9 The earth mourneth and languisheth: Lebanon is ashamed and hewn
down: Sharon is like a wilderness; and Bashan and Carmel shake off
their fruits.

33:10 Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will
I lift up myself.

33:11 Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your
breath, as fire, shall devour you.

33:12 And the people shall be as the burnings of lime: as thorns cut
up shall they be burned in the fire.

33:13 Hear, ye that are far off, what I have done; and, ye that are
near, acknowledge my might.

33:14 The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the
hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who
among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?  33:15 He that walketh
righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of
oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that
stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from
seeing evil; 33:16 He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall
be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him; his waters shall
be sure.

33:17 Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold
the land that is very far off.

33:18 Thine heart shall meditate terror. Where is the scribe? where is
the receiver? where is he that counted the towers?  33:19 Thou shalt
not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst
perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.

33:20 Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities: thine eyes shall
see Jerusalem a quiet habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken
down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither
shall any of the cords thereof be broken.

33:21 But there the glorious LORD will be unto us a place of broad
rivers and streams; wherein shall go no galley with oars, neither
shall gallant ship pass thereby.

33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is
our king; he will save us.

33:23 Thy tacklings are loosed; they could not well strengthen their
mast, they could not spread the sail: then is the prey of a great
spoil divided; the lame take the prey.

33:24 And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that
dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.

34:1 Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people: let the
earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that
come forth of it.

34:2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury
upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath
delivered them to the slaughter.

34:3 Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up
out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their
blood.

34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens
shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall
down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from
the fig tree.

34:5 For my sword shall be bathed in heaven: behold, it shall come
down upon Idumea, and upon the people of my curse, to judgment.

34:6 The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, it is made fat with
fatness, and with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the
kidneys of rams: for the LORD hath a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great
slaughter in the land of Idumea.

34:7 And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with
the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust
made fat with fatness.

34:8 For it is the day of the LORD's vengeance, and the year of
recompences for the controversy of Zion.

34:9 And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust
thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning
pitch.

34:10 It shall not be quenched night nor day; the smoke thereof shall
go up for ever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none
shall pass through it for ever and ever.

34:11 But the cormorant and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also
and the raven shall dwell in it: and he shall stretch out upon it the
line of confusion, and the stones of emptiness.

34:12 They shall call the nobles thereof to the kingdom, but none
shall be there, and all her princes shall be nothing.

34:13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and brambles in
the fortresses thereof: and it shall be an habitation of dragons, and
a court for owls.

34:14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the wild
beasts of the island, and the satyr shall cry to his fellow; the
screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of
rest.

34:15 There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay, and hatch, and
gather under her shadow: there shall the vultures also be gathered,
every one with her mate.

34:16 Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these
shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded,
and his spirit it hath gathered them.

34:17 And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it
unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to
generation shall they dwell therein.

35:1 The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and
the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

35:2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and
singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency
of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the
excellency of our God.

35:3 Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.

35:4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not:
behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence;
he will come and save you.

35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the
deaf shall be unstopped.

35:6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the
dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams
in the desert.

35:7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land
springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall
be grass with reeds and rushes.

35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called
The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall
be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

35:9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up
thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk
there: 35:10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to
Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall
obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

36:1 Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that
Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of
Judah, and took them.

36:2 And the king of Assyria sent Rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem
unto king Hezekiah with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of
the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field.

36:3 Then came forth unto him Eliakim, Hilkiah's son, which was over
the house, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, Asaph's son, the recorder.

36:4 And Rabshakeh said unto them, Say ye now to Hezekiah, Thus saith
the great king, the king of Assyria, What confidence is this wherein
thou trustest?  36:5 I say, sayest thou, (but they are but vain words)
I have counsel and strength for war: now on whom dost thou trust, that
thou rebellest against me?  36:6 Lo, thou trustest in the staff of
this broken reed, on Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his
hand, and pierce it: so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in
him.

36:7 But if thou say to me, We trust in the LORD our God: is it not
he, whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah hath taken away, and
said to Judah and to Jerusalem, Ye shall worship before this altar?
36:8 Now therefore give pledges, I pray thee, to my master the king of
Assyria, and I will give thee two thousand horses, if thou be able on
thy part to set riders upon them.

36:9 How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least
of my master's servants, and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots and
for horsemen?  36:10 And am I now come up without the LORD against
this land to destroy it? the LORD said unto me, Go up against this
land, and destroy it.

36:11 Then said Eliakim and Shebna and Joah unto Rabshakeh, Speak, I
pray thee, unto thy servants in the Syrian language; for we understand
it: and speak not to us in the Jews' language, in the ears of the
people that are on the wall.

36:12 But Rabshakeh said, Hath my master sent me to thy master and to
thee to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men that sit
upon the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own
piss with you?  36:13 Then Rabshakeh stood, and cried with a loud
voice in the Jews' language, and said, Hear ye the words of the great
king, the king of Assyria.

36:14 Thus saith the king, Let not Hezekiah deceive you: for he shall
not be able to deliver you.

36:15 Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the LORD, saying, The
LORD will surely deliver us: this city shall not be delivered into the
hand of the king of Assyria.

36:16 Hearken not to Hezekiah: for thus saith the king of Assyria,
Make an agreement with me by a present, and come out to me: and eat ye
every one of his vine, and every one of his fig tree, and drink ye
every one the waters of his own cistern; 36:17 Until I come and take
you away to a land like your own land, a land of corn and wine, a land
of bread and vineyards.

36:18 Beware lest Hezekiah persuade you, saying, the LORD will deliver
us.

Hath any of the gods of the nations delivered his land out of the hand
of the king of Assyria?  36:19 Where are the gods of Hamath and
Arphad? where are the gods of Sepharvaim? and have they delivered
Samaria out of my hand?  36:20 Who are they among all the gods of
these lands, that have delivered their land out of my hand, that the
LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?  36:21 But they held
their peace, and answered him not a word: for the king's commandment
was, saying, Answer him not.

36:22 Then came Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, that was over the
household, and Shebna the scribe, and Joah, the son of Asaph, the
recorder, to Hezekiah with their clothes rent, and told him the words
of Rabshakeh.

37:1 And it came to pass, when king Hezekiah heard it, that he rent
his clothes, and covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the
house of the LORD.

37:2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the
scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto
Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.

37:3 And they said unto him, Thus saith Hezekiah, This day is a day of
trouble, and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children are come to
the birth, and there is not strength to bring forth.

37:4 It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom
the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God,
and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard:
wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.

37:5 So the servants of king Hezekiah came to Isaiah.

37:6 And Isaiah said unto them, Thus shall ye say unto your master,
Thus saith the LORD, Be not afraid of the words that thou hast heard,
wherewith the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me.

37:7 Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour,
and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword
in his own land.

37:8 So Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria warring
against Libnah: for he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.

37:9 And he heard say concerning Tirhakah king of Ethiopia, He is come
forth to make war with thee. And when he heard it, he sent messengers
to Hezekiah, saying, 37:10 Thus shall ye speak to Hezekiah king of
Judah, saying, Let not thy God, in whom thou trustest, deceive thee,
saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of
Assyria.

37:11 Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria have done to
all lands by destroying them utterly; and shalt thou be delivered?
37:12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers
have destroyed, as Gozan, and Haran, and Rezeph, and the children of
Eden which were in Telassar?  37:13 Where is the king of Hamath, and
the king of Arphad, and the king of the city of Sepharvaim, Hena, and
Ivah?  37:14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the
messengers, and read it: and Hezekiah went up unto the house of the
LORD, and spread it before the LORD.

37:15 And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, 37:16 O LORD of
hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art
the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast
made heaven and earth.

37:17 Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD,
and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to
reproach the living God.

37:18 Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the
nations, and their countries, 37:19 And have cast their gods into the
fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and
stone: therefore they have destroyed them.

37:20 Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all
the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou
only.

37:21 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent unto Hezekiah, saying, Thus
saith the LORD God of Israel, Whereas thou hast prayed to me against
Sennacherib king of Assyria: 37:22 This is the word which the LORD
hath spoken concerning him; The virgin, the daughter of Zion, hath
despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem
hath shaken her head at thee.

37:23 Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed? and against whom hast
thou exalted thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against
the Holy One of Israel.

37:24 By thy servants hast thou reproached the Lord, and hast said, By
the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the
mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall
cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter
into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.

37:25 I have digged, and drunk water; and with the sole of my feet
have I dried up all the rivers of the besieged places.

37:26 Hast thou not heard long ago, how I have done it; and of ancient
times, that I have formed it? now have I brought it to pass, that thou
shouldest be to lay waste defenced cities into ruinous heaps.

37:27 Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, they were
dismayed and confounded: they were as the grass of the field, and as
the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted
before it be grown up.

37:28 But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and
thy rage against me.

37:29 Because thy rage against me, and thy tumult, is come up into
mine ears, therefore will I put my hook in thy nose, and my bridle in
thy lips, and I will turn thee back by the way by which thou camest.

37:30 And this shall be a sign unto thee, Ye shall eat this year such
as groweth of itself; and the second year that which springeth of the
same: and in the third year sow ye, and reap, and plant vineyards, and
eat the fruit thereof.

37:31 And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall
again take root downward, and bear fruit upward: 37:32 For out of
Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount
Zion: the zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this.

37:33 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He
shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come
before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it.

37:34 By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall
not come into this city, saith the LORD.

37:35 For I will defend this city to save it for mine own sake, and
for my servant David's sake.

37:36 Then the angel of the LORD went forth, and smote in the camp of
the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they
arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

37:37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned,
and dwelt at Nineveh.

37:38 And it came to pass, as he was worshipping in the house of
Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with
the sword; and they escaped into the land of Armenia: and Esarhaddon
his son reigned in his stead.

38:1 In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the
prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith
the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live.

38:2 Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto
the LORD, 38:3 And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I
have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have
done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore.

38:4 Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, 38:5 Go, and
say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I
have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto
thy days fifteen years.

38:6 And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king
of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

38:7 And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD
will do this thing that he hath spoken; 38:8 Behold, I will bring
again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of
Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which
degrees it was gone down.

38:9 The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and
was recovered of his sickness: 38:10 I said in the cutting off of my
days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the
residue of my years.

38:11 I said, I shall not see the LORD, even the LORD, in the land of
the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the
world.

38:12 Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd's
tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with
pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

38:13 I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all
my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

38:14 Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a
dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O LORD, I am oppressed;
undertake for me.

38:15 What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath
done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

38:16 O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the
life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.

38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love
to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast
all my sins behind thy back.

38:18 For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee:
they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

38:19 The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day:
the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

38:20 The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs
to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of
the LORD.

38:21 For Isaiah had said, Let them take a lump of figs, and lay it
for a plaister upon the boil, and he shall recover.

38:22 Hezekiah also had said, What is the sign that I shall go up to
the house of the LORD?  39:1 At that time Merodachbaladan, the son of
Baladan, king of Babylon, sent letters and a present to Hezekiah: for
he had heard that he had been sick, and was recovered.

39:2 And Hezekiah was glad of them, and shewed them the house of his
precious things, the silver, and the gold, and the spices, and the
precious ointment, and all the house of his armour, and all that was
found in his treasures: there was nothing in his house, nor in all his
dominion, that Hezekiah shewed them not.

39:3 Then came Isaiah the prophet unto king Hezekiah, and said unto
him, What said these men? and from whence came they unto thee? And
Hezekiah said, They are come from a far country unto me, even from
Babylon.

39:4 Then said he, What have they seen in thine house? And Hezekiah
answered, All that is in mine house have they seen: there is nothing
among my treasures that I have not shewed them.

39:5 Then said Isaiah to Hezekiah, Hear the word of the LORD of hosts:
39:6 Behold, the days come, that all that is in thine house, and that
which thy fathers have laid up in store until this day, shall be
carried to Babylon: nothing shall be left, saith the LORD.

39:7 And of thy sons that shall issue from thee, which thou shalt
beget, shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace
of the king of Babylon.

39:8 Then said Hezekiah to Isaiah, Good is the word of the LORD which
thou hast spoken. He said moreover, For there shall be peace and truth
in my days.

40:1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.

40:2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her
warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath
received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the
way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall
be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
places plain: 40:5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and
all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken
it.

40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is
grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the
LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God
shall stand for ever.

40:9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high
mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice
with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of
Judah, Behold your God!  40:10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with
strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is
with him, and his work before him.

40:11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the
lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead
those that are with young.

40:12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and
meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth
in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a
balance?  40:13 Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his
counsellor hath taught him?  40:14 With whom took he counsel, and who
instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him
knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?  40:15 Behold,
the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small
dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little
thing.

40:16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof
sufficient for a burnt offering.

40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to
him less than nothing, and vanity.

40:18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare
unto him?  40:19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith
spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains.

40:20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a
tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to
prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved.

40:21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you
from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the
earth?  40:22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and
the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the
heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:
40:23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of
the earth as vanity.

40:24 Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown:
yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also
blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take
them away as stubble.

40:25 To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the
Holy One.

40:26 Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these
things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by
names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power;
not one faileth.

40:27 Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid
from the LORD, and my judgment is passed over from my God?  40:28 Hast
thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the
LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is
weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

40:29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he
increaseth strength.

40:30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men
shall utterly fall: 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew
their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall
run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

41:1 Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their
strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near
together to judgment.

41:2 Who raised up the righteous man from the east, called him to his
foot, gave the nations before him, and made him rule over kings? he
gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

41:3 He pursued them, and passed safely; even by the way that he had
not gone with his feet.

41:4 Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the
beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.

41:5 The isles saw it, and feared; the ends of the earth were afraid,
drew near, and came.

41:6 They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his
brother, Be of good courage.

41:7 So the carpenter encouraged the goldsmith, and he that smootheth
with the hammer him that smote the anvil, saying, It is ready for the
sodering: and he fastened it with nails, that it should not be moved.

41:8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the
seed of Abraham my friend.

41:9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called
thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my
servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy
God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

41:11 Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be
ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive
with thee shall perish.

41:12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that
contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing,
and as a thing of nought.

41:13 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto
thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

41:14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I will help
thee, saith the LORD, and thy redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

41:15 Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing instrument having
teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt
make the hills as chaff.

41:16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the
whirlwind shall scatter them: and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and
shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.

41:17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their
tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of
Israel will not forsake them.

41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of
the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry
land springs of water.

41:19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and
the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree,
and the pine, and the box tree together: 41:20 That they may see, and
know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD
hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

41:21 Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong
reasons, saith the King of Jacob.

41:22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let
them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them,
and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come.

41:23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know
that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed,
and behold it together.

41:24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an
abomination is he that chooseth you.

41:25 I have raised up one from the north, and he shall come: from the
rising of the sun shall he call upon my name: and he shall come upon
princes as upon morter, and as the potter treadeth clay.

41:26 Who hath declared from the beginning, that we may know? and
beforetime, that we may say, He is righteous? yea, there is none that
sheweth, yea, there is none that declareth, yea, there is none that
heareth your words.

41:27 The first shall say to Zion, Behold, behold them: and I will
give to Jerusalem one that bringeth good tidings.

41:28 For I beheld, and there was no man; even among them, and there
was no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word.

41:29 Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their
molten images are wind and confusion.

42:1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth
judgment to the Gentiles.

42:2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in
the street.

42:3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he
not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

42:4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment
in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and
stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which
cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and
spirit to them that walk therein: 42:6 I the LORD have called thee in
righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give
thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 42:7
To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison,
and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to
another, neither my praise to graven images.

42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I
declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

42:10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of
the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the
isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

42:11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice,
the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock
sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.

42:12 Let them give glory unto the LORD, and declare his praise in the
islands.

42:13 The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up
jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail
against his enemies.

42:14 I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and
refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will
destroy and devour at once.

42:15 I will make waste mountains and hills, and dry up all their
herbs; and I will make the rivers islands, and I will dry up the
pools.

42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will
lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness
light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do
unto them, and not forsake them.

42:17 They shall be turned back, they shall be greatly ashamed, that
trust in graven images, that say to the molten images, Ye are our
gods.

42:18 Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see.

42:19 Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I
sent?  who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD's
servant?  42:20 Seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening
the ears, but he heareth not.

42:21 The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will
magnify the law, and make it honourable.

42:22 But this is a people robbed and spoiled; they are all of them
snared in holes, and they are hid in prison houses: they are for a
prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore.

42:23 Who among you will give ear to this? who will hearken and hear
for the time to come?  42:24 Who gave Jacob for a spoil, and Israel to
the robbers? did not the LORD, he against whom we have sinned? for
they would not walk in his ways, neither were they obedient unto his
law.

42:25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of his anger, and the
strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round about, yet he
knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to heart.

43:1 But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he
that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have
called thee by thy name; thou art mine.

43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest
through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame
kindle upon thee.

43:3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I
gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable,
and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people
for thy life.

43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the
east, and gather thee from the west; 43:6 I will say to the north,
Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and
my daughters from the ends of the earth; 43:7 Even every one that is
called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed
him; yea, I have made him.

43:8 Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that
have ears.

43:9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be
assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things?
let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or
let them hear, and say, It is truth.

43:10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have
chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he:
before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.

43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there
was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the
LORD, that I am God.

43:13 Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can
deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?  43:14 Thus
saith the LORD, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; For your sake I
have sent to Babylon, and have brought down all their nobles, and the
Chaldeans, whose cry is in the ships.

43:15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King.

43:16 Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path
in the mighty waters; 43:17 Which bringeth forth the chariot and
horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they
shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.

43:18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things
of old.

43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall
ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers
in the desert.

43:20 The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the
owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the
desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.

43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my
praise.

43:22 But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been
weary of me, O Israel.

43:23 Thou hast not brought me the small cattle of thy burnt
offerings; neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices. I have
not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with
incense.

43:24 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou
filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to
serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine
own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

43:26 Put me in remembrance: let us plead together: declare thou, that
thou mayest be justified.

43:27 Thy first father hath sinned, and thy teachers have transgressed
against me.

43:28 Therefore I have profaned the princes of the sanctuary, and have
given Jacob to the curse, and Israel to reproaches.

44:1 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen:
44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the
womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou,
Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon
the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing
upon thine offspring: 44:4 And they shall spring up as among the
grass, as willows by the water courses.

44:5 One shall say, I am the LORD's; and another shall call himself by
the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the
LORD, and surname himself by the name of Israel.

44:6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD
of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no
God.

44:7 And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in
order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things
that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

44:8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that
time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God
beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their
delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses;
they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is
profitable for nothing?  44:11 Behold, all his fellows shall be
ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered
together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be
ashamed together.

44:12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and
fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his
arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no
water, and is faint.

44:13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a
line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the
compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the
beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

44:14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak,
which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he
planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

44:15 Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof,
and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he
maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and
falleth down thereto.

44:16 He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth
flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself,
and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: 44:17 And the residue
thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto
it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me;
for thou art my god.

44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes,
that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

44:19 And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge
nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea,
also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh,
and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination?
shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?  44:20 He feedeth on ashes:
a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his
soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?  44:21 Remember
these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art my servant: I have formed
thee; thou art my servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of
me.

44:22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and,
as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.

44:23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower
parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest,
and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and
glorified himself in Israel.

44:24 Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from
the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth
the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; 44:25
That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad;
that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish;
44:26 That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the
counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be
inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will
raise up the decayed places thereof: 44:27 That saith to the deep, Be
dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my
shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem,
Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

45:1 Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I
have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins
of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall
not be shut; 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places
straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder
the bars of iron: 45:3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness,
and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the
LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

45:4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even
called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not
known me.

45:5 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me:
I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: 45:6 That they may know
from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none
beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.

45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create
evil: I the LORD do all these things.

45:8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down
righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation,
and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.

45:9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd
strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that
fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?  45:10
Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to
the woman, What hast thou brought forth?  45:11 Thus saith the LORD,
the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come
concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

45:12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my
hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I
commanded.

45:13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his
ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for
price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts.

45:14 Thus saith the LORD, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of
Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto
thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains
they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall
make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there
is none else, there is no God.

45:15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the
Saviour.

45:16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they
shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

45:17 But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting
salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself
that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created
it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there
is none else.

45:19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I
said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak
righteousness, I declare things that are right.

45:20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are
escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of
their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

45:21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel
together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it
from that time?  have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside
me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

45:22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I
am God, and there is none else.

45:23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in
righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall
bow, every tongue shall swear.

45:24 Surely, shall one say, in the LORD have I righteousness and
strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed
against him shall be ashamed.

45:25 In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall
glory.

46:1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts,
and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a
burden to the weary beast.

46:2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the
burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.

46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the
house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are
carried from the womb: 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even
to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I
will carry, and will deliver you.

46:5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that
we may be like?  46:6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh
silver in the balance, and hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god:
they fall down, yea, they worship.

46:7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in
his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea,
one shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his
trouble.

46:8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O
ye transgressors.

46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is
none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 46:10 Declaring the
end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not
yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my
pleasure: 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that
executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will
also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.

46:12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from
righteousness: 46:13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be
far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation
in Zion for Israel my glory.

47:1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit
on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for
thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.

47:2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare
the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.

47:3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I
will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man.

47:4 As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One
of Israel.

47:5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the
Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms.

47:6 I was wroth with my people, I have polluted mine inheritance, and
given them into thine hand: thou didst shew them no mercy; upon the
ancient hast thou very heavily laid thy yoke.

47:7 And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst
not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter
end of it.

47:8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that
dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else
beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss
of children: 47:9 But these two things shall come to thee in a moment
in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon
thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for
the great abundance of thine enchantments.

47:10 For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None
seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and
thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.

47:11 Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from
whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be
able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly,
which thou shalt not know.

47:12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy
sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; if so be thou
shalt be able to profit, if so be thou mayest prevail.

47:13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the
astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up,
and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.

47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they
shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall
not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it.

47:15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even
thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his
quarter; none shall save thee.

48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of
Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by
the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not
in truth, nor in righteousness.

48:2 For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves
upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name.

48:3 I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they
went forth out of my mouth, and I shewed them; I did them suddenly,
and they came to pass.

48:4 Because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron
sinew, and thy brow brass; 48:5 I have even from the beginning
declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest
thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and
my molten image, hath commanded them.

48:6 Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have
shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou
didst not know them.

48:7 They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the
day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I
knew them.

48:8 Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that
time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal
very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

48:9 For my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise
will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen
thee in the furnace of affliction.

48:11 For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how
should my name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another.

48:12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am
the first, I also am the last.

48:13 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my
right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand
up together.

48:14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; which among them hath
declared these things? The LORD hath loved him: he will do his
pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall be on the Chaldeans.

48:15 I, even I, have spoken; yea, I have called him: I have brought
him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

48:16 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret
from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I: and now the
Lord GOD, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

48:17 Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am
the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by
the way that thou shouldest go.

48:18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:
48:19 Thy seed also had been as the sand, and the offspring of thy
bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off
nor destroyed from before me.

48:20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice
of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the
earth; say ye, The LORD hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

48:21 And they thirsted not when he led them through the deserts: he
caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock
also, and the waters gushed out.

48:22 There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked.

49:1 Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The
LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath
he made mention of my name.

49:2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of
his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver
hath he hid me; 49:3 And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel,
in whom I will be glorified.

49:4 Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength
for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the LORD, and
my work with my God.

49:5 And now, saith the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his
servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered,
yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be
my strength.

49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved
of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that
thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to
him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant
of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship,
because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and
he shall choose thee.

49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and
in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee,
and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to
cause to inherit the desolate heritages; 49:9 That thou mayest say to
the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew
yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be
in all high places.

49:10 They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun
smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by
the springs of water shall he guide them.

49:11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be
exalted.

49:12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north
and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

49:13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into
singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will
have mercy upon his afflicted.

49:14 But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath
forgotten me.

49:15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have
compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I
not forget thee.

49:16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls
are continually before me.

49:17 Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made
thee waste shall go forth of thee.

49:18 Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather
themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the LORD, thou
shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind
them on thee, as a bride doeth.

49:19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy
destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the
inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

49:20 The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the
other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me:
give place to me that I may dwell.

49:21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these,
seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and
removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left
alone; these, where had they been?  49:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD,
Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my
standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms,
and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

49:23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers: they shall bow down to thee with their face toward
the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that
I am the LORD: for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive
delivered?  49:25 But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the
mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be
delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and
I will save thy children.

49:26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and
they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and
all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer,
the mighty One of Jacob.

50:1 Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's
divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to
whom I have sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold
yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

50:2 Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was
there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot
redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up
the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because
there is no water, and dieth for thirst.

50:3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their
covering.

50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I
should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he
wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the
learned.

50:5 The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back.

50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked
off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be
confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that
I shall not be ashamed.

50:8 He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us
stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.

50:9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn
me?  lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them
up.

50:10 Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice
of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him
trust in the name of the LORD, and stay upon his God.

50:11 Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about
with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye
have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in
sorrow.

51:1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek
the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of
the pit whence ye are digged.

51:2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for
I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like
the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein,
thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

51:4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation:
for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest
for a light of the people.

51:5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine
arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine
arm shall they trust.

51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth
beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth
shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in
like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness
shall not be abolished.

51:7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose
heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid
of their revilings.

51:8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall
eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my
salvation from generation to generation.

51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in
the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath
cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?  51:10 Art thou not it which hath
dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths
of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?  51:11 Therefore the
redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion;
and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain
gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

51:12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou
shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man
which shall be made as grass; 51:13 And forgettest the LORD thy maker,
that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the
earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of
the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury
of the oppressor?  51:14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be
loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread
should fail.

51:15 But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves
roared: The LORD of hosts is his name.

51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in
the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the
foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the
hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of
the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

51:18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath
brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all
the sons that she hath brought up.

51:19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for
thee?  desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by
whom shall I comfort thee?  51:20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at
the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of
the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God.

51:21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not
with wine: 51:22 Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that
pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine
hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou
shalt no more drink it again: 51:23 But I will put it into the hand of
them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we
may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the
street, to them that went over.

52:1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful
garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no
more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

52:2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem:
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion.

52:3 For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and
ye shall be redeemed without money.

52:4 For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into
Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.

52:5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people
is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl,
saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.

52:6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know
in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.

52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that
bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good
tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy
God reigneth!  52:8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the
voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when
the LORD shall bring again Zion.

52:9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of
Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed
Jerusalem.

52:10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our
God.

52:11 Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean
thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the
vessels of the LORD.

52:12 For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the
LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and
extolled, and be very high.

52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more
than any man, and his form more than the sons of men: 52:15 So shall
he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him:
for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which
they had not heard shall they consider.

53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD
revealed?  53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and
as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and
when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he
was despised, and we esteemed him not.

53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we
did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed.

53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to
his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare
his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for
the transgression of my people was he stricken.

53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his
death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his
mouth.

53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief:
when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his
seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall
prosper in his hand.

53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied:
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall
bear their iniquities.

53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he
shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his
soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he
bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

54:1 Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into
singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for
more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married
wife, saith the LORD.

54:2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the
curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and
strengthen thy stakes; 54:3 For thou shalt break forth on the right
hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and
make the desolate cities to be inhabited.

54:4 Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou
confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget
the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy
widowhood any more.

54:5 For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is his name;
and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth
shall he be called.

54:6 For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in
spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies
will I gather thee.

54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with
everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy
Redeemer.

54:9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn
that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I
sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee.

54:10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my
kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my
peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

54:11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted,
behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy
foundations with sapphires.

54:12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of
carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

54:13 And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great
shall be the peace of thy children.

54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far
from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it
shall not come near thee.

54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me:
whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.

54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the
fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have
created the waster to destroy.

54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every
tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their
righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that
hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.

55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your
labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and
eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in
fatness.

55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall
live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure
mercies of David.

55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader
and commander to the people.

55:5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and
nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy
God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.

55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he
is near: 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the LORD.

55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

55:10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and
returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring
forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the
eater: 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it
shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I
please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

55:12 For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the
mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and
all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

55:13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of
the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD
for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

56:1 Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for my
salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

56:2 Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that
layeth hold on it; that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and
keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

56:3 Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to
the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his
people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.

56:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths,
and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
56:5 Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a
place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give
them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.

56:6 Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD,
to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants,
every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold
of my covenant; 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and
make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and
their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house
shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

56:8 The Lord GOD, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet
will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

56:9 All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in
the forest.

56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb
dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.

56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they
are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way,
every one for his gain, from his quarter.

56:12 Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves
with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more
abundant.

57:1 The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and
merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is
taken away from the evil to come.

57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each
one walking in his uprightness.

57:3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the
adulterer and the whore.

57:4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide
mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression,
a seed of falsehood.

57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying
the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?  57:6 Among
the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy
lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered
a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?  57:7 Upon a lofty
and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up
to offer sacrifice.

57:8 Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy
remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and
art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with
them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

57:9 And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase
thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase
thyself even unto hell.

57:10 Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou
not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand;
therefore thou wast not grieved.

57:11 And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast
lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I
held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?  57:12 I will
declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit
thee.

57:13 When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind
shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth
his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy
mountain; 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the
way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.

57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,
whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also
that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the
humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

57:16 For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth:
for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.

57:17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him:
I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his
heart.

57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also,
and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

57:19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far
off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest,
whose waters cast up mire and dirt.

57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.

58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew
my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.

58:2 Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation
that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God:
they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in
approaching to God.

58:3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore
have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in
the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.

58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist
of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice
to be heard on high.

58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict
his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread
sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an
acceptable day to the LORD?  58:6 Is not this the fast that I have
chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?  58:7
Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the
poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that
thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health
shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before
thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.

58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry,
and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee
the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; 58:10
And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted
soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as
the noon day: 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and
satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be
like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail
not.

58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places:
thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou
shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to
dwell in.

58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy
pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of
the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways,
nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 58:14
Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to
ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the
heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken
it.

59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;
neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 59:2 But your iniquities
have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his
face from you, that he will not hear.

59:3 For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with
iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered
perverseness.

59:4 None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust
in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth
iniquity.

59:5 They hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that
eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out
into a viper.

59:6 Their webs shall not become garments, neither shall they cover
themselves with their works: their works are works of iniquity, and
the act of violence is in their hands.

59:7 Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent
blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and
destruction are in their paths.

59:8 The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their
goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein
shall not know peace.

59:9 Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake
us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we
walk in darkness.

59:10 We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had
no eyes: we stumble at noon day as in the night; we are in desolate
places as dead men.

59:11 We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for
judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us.

59:12 For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins
testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our
iniquities, we know them; 59:13 In transgressing and lying against the
LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt,
conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

59:14 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar
off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.

59:15 Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh
himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there
was no judgment.

59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no
intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his
righteousness, it sustained him.

59:17 For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of
salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for
clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak.

59:18 According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his
adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay
recompence.

59:19 So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his
glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a
flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him.

59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn
from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My
spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth,
shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed,
nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from
henceforth and for ever.

60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is
risen upon thee.

60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross
darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory
shall be seen upon thee.

60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the
brightness of thy rising.

60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather
themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far,
and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

60:5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall
fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be
converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of
Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring
gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.

60:7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the
rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with
acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

60:8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their
windows?  60:9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of
Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their
gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One
of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.

60:10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their
kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in
my favour have I had mercy on thee.

60:11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be
shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the
Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.

60:12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall
perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

60:13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the
pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my
sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending
unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down
at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee; The city of the
LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

60:15 Whereas thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went
through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many
generations.

60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck
the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy
Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver,
and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers
peace, and thine exactors righteousness.

60:18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor
destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls
Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

60:19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for
brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be
unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.

60:20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw
itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of
thy mourning shall be ended.

60:21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the
land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I
may be glorified.

60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong
nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath
anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to
bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and
the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 61:2 To proclaim the
acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to
comfort all that mourn; 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,
to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be
called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might
be glorified.

61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the
former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the
desolations of many generations.

61:5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of
the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers.

61:6 But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you
the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and
in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

61:7 For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall
rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess
the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering;
and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting
covenant with them.

61:9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their
offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them,
that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed.

61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in
my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath
covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh
himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her
jewels.

61:11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden
causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord
GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the
nations.

62:1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's
sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as
brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy
glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the
LORD shall name.

62:3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and
a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

62:4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any
more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy
land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be
married.

62:5 For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry
thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God
rejoice over thee.

62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall
never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the
LORD, keep not silence, 62:7 And give him no rest, till he establish,
and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

62:8 The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his
strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine
enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for
the which thou hast laboured: 62:9 But they that have gathered it
shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it
together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.

62:10 Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the
people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a
standard for the people.

62:11 Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say
ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his
reward is with him, and his work before him.

62:12 And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the
LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.

63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from
Bozrah?  this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the
greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to
save.

63:2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like
him that treadeth in the winefat?  63:3 I have trodden the winepress
alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them
in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be
sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

63:4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my
redeemed is come.

63:5 And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that
there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation
unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.

63:6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them
drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

63:7 I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises
of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and
the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed
on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of
his lovingkindnesses.

63:8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not
lie: so he was their Saviour.

63:9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his
presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and
he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

63:10 But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was
turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.

63:11 Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people,
saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the
shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within
him?  63:12 That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious
arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting
name?  63:13 That led them through the deep, as an horse in the
wilderness, that they should not stumble?  63:14 As a beast goeth down
into the valley, the Spirit of the LORD caused him to rest: so didst
thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.

63:15 Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy
holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the
sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they
restrained?  63:16 Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be
ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O LORD, art our
father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

63:17 O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened
our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of
thine inheritance.

63:18 The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while:
our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary.

63:19 We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not
called by thy name.

64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come
down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, 64:2 As when
the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make
thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at
thy presence!  64:3 When thou didst terrible things which we looked
not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.

64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor
perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee,
what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

64:5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those
that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have
sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.

64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses
are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities,
like the wind, have taken us away.

64:7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up
himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and
hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.

64:8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou
our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

64:9 Be not wroth very sore, O LORD, neither remember iniquity for
ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.

64:10 Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness,
Jerusalem a desolation.

64:11 Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised
thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid
waste.

64:12 Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O LORD? wilt thou
hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?  65:1 I am sought of them
that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said,
Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people,
which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
65:3 A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that
sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; 65:4
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, which eat
swine's flesh, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels;
65:5 Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier
than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the
day.

65:6 Behold, it is written before me: I will not keep silence, but
will recompense, even recompense into their bosom, 65:7 Your
iniquities, and the iniquities of your fathers together, saith the
LORD, which have burned incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me
upon the hills: therefore will I measure their former work into their
bosom.

65:8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and
one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for
my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

65:9 And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an
inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my
servants shall dwell there.

65:10 And Sharon shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a
place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me.

65:11 But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy
mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the
drink offering unto that number.

65:12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow
down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when
I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did
choose that wherein I delighted not.

65:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall
eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye
shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be
ashamed: 65:14 Behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye
shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.

65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the
Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: 65:16
That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the
God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God
of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they
are hid from mine eyes.

65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the
former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

65:18 But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for,
behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

65:19 And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the
voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of
crying.

65:20 There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man
that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred
years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be
accursed.

65:21 And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall
plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

65:22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant,
and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people,
and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

65:23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for
they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, and their offspring with
them.

65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer;
and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.

65:25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall
eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They
shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.

66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my
footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the
place of my rest?  66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and
all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I
look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth
at my word.

66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth
a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation,
as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he
blessed an idol.

Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in
their abominations.

66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears
upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they
did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in
which I delighted not.

66:5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your
brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said,
Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they
shall be ashamed.

66:6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from the temple, a voice
of the LORD that rendereth recompence to his enemies.

66:7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came,
she was delivered of a man child.

66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the
earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at
once?  for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

66:9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith
the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy
God.

66:10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that
love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 66:11
That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her
consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the
abundance of her glory.

66:12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will extend peace to her like
a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then
shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon
her knees.

66:13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye
shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

66:14 And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones
shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known
toward his servants, and his indignation toward his enemies.

66:15 For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots
like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with
flames of fire.

66:16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh:
and the slain of the LORD shall be many.

66:17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the
gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the
abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the
LORD.

66:18 For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I
will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my
glory.

66:19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that
escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw
the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not
heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my
glory among the Gentiles.

66:20 And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the
LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters,
and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem,
saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean
vessel into the house of the LORD.

66:21 And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith
the LORD.

66:22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make,
shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your
name remain.

66:23 And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another,
and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship
before me, saith the LORD.

66:24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men
that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die,
neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring
unto all flesh.




The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah


1:1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that
were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 1:2 To whom the word of the
LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the
thirteenth year of his reign.

1:3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of
Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah
king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive in the
fifth month.

1:4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 1:5 Before I
formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out
of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the
nations.

1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a
child.

1:7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt
go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou
shalt speak.

1:8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee,
saith the LORD.

1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the
LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

1:10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the
kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw
down, to build, and to plant.

1:11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah,
what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

1:12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will
hasten my word to perform it.

1:13 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face
thereof is toward the north.

1:14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break
forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

1:15 For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the
north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every
one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against
all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of
Judah.

1:16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their
wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other
gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

1:17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them
all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I
confound thee before them.

1:18 For, behold, I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an
iron pillar, and brasen walls against the whole land, against the
kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests
thereof, and against the people of the land.

1:19 And they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail
against thee; for I am with thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee.

2:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2:2 Go and cry
in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember
thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when
thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

2:3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his
increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them,
saith the LORD.

2:4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the
families of the house of Israel: 2:5 Thus saith the LORD, What
iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from
me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?  2:6 Neither
said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of
Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts
and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death,
through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
2:7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit
thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my
land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the
law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the
prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not
profit.

2:9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your
children's children will I plead.

2:10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar,
and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

2:11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my
people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

2:12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be
ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the
fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken
cisterns, that can hold no water.

2:14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
2:15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his
land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

2:16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of
thy head.

2:17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast
forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?  2:18 And now
what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of
Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the
waters of the river?  2:19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee,
and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that
it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy
God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

2:20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and
thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and
under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

2:21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how
then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto
me?  2:22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much
soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

2:23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after
Baalim?  see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art
a swift dromedary traversing her ways; 2:24 A wild ass used to the
wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion
who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary
themselves; in her month they shall find her.

2:25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst:
but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and
after them will I go.

2:26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of
Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests,
and their prophets.

2:27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast
brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not
their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and
save us.

2:28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise,
if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the
number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

2:29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against
me, saith the LORD.

2:30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no
correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a
destroying lion.

2:31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a
wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people,
We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?  2:32 Can a maid forget
her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me
days without number.

2:33 Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also
taught the wicked ones thy ways.

2:34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor
innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

2:35 Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall
turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I
have not sinned.

2:36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt
be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

2:37 Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine
head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not
prosper in them.

3:1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and
become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that
land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many
lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.

3:2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast
not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian
in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms
and with thy wickedness.

3:3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no
latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be
ashamed.

3:4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the
guide of my youth?  3:5 Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he
keep it to the end?  Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as
thou couldest.

3:6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast
thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon
every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played
the harlot.

3:7 And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me.
But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

3:8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel
committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of
divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and
played the harlot also.

3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that
she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with
stocks.

3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned
unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.

3:11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified
herself more than treacherous Judah.

3:12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return,
thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine
anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will
not keep anger for ever.

3:13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed
against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers
under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the
LORD.

3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married
unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and
I will bring you to Zion: 3:15 And I will give you pastors according
to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

3:16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in
the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The
ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind:
neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither
shall that be done any more.

3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD;
and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the
LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the
imagination of their evil heart.

3:18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of
Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to
the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.

3:19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give
thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I
said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.

3:20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so
have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the
LORD.

3:21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications
of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they
have forgotten the LORD their God.

3:22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your
backslidings.

Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God.

3:23 Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the
multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of
Israel.

3:24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth;
their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

3:25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we
have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our
youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD
our God.

4:1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and
if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt
thou not remove.

4:2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and
in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and
in him shall they glory.

4:3 For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break
up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.

4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of
your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury
come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the
evil of your doings.

4:5 Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye
the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble
yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.

4:6 Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will
bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

4:7 The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the
Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy
land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an
inhabitant.

4:8 For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and howl: for the fierce
anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.

4:9 And it shall come to pass at that day, saith the LORD, that the
heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the
priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.

4:10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou hast greatly deceived this
people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword
reacheth unto the soul.

4:11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A
dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of
my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse, 4:12 Even a full wind from
those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against
them.

4:13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as
a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we
are spoiled.

4:14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest
be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?  4:15
For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount
Ephraim.

4:16 Make ye mention to the nations; behold, publish against
Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their
voice against the cities of Judah.

4:17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because
she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD.

4:18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this
is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto
thine heart.

4:19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart
maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard,
O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

4:20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is
spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.

4:21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the
trumpet?  4:22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they
are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise
to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

4:23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and
the heavens, and they had no light.

4:24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills
moved lightly.

4:25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the
heavens were fled.

4:26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all
the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and
by his fierce anger.

4:27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate;
yet will I not make a full end.

4:28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black;
because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent,
neither will I turn back from it.

4:29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and
bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks:
every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

4:30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou
clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments
of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt
thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek
thy life.

4:31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the
anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of
the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her
hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of
murderers.

5:1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now,
and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man,
if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I
will pardon it.

5:2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.

5:3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken
them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they
have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder
than a rock; they have refused to return.

5:4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for
they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.

5:5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for
they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God:
but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.

5:6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of
the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their
cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces:
because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are
increased.

5:7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me,
and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full,
they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in
the harlots' houses.

5:8 They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after
his neighbour's wife.

5:9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not
my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?  5:10 Go ye up upon her
walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her
battlements; for they are not the LORD's.

5:11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very
treacherously against me, saith the LORD.

5:12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall
evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: 5:13 And the
prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it
be done unto them.

5:14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this
word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people
wood, and it shall devour them.

5:15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel,
saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a
nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what
they say.

5:16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

5:17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy
sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and
thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall
impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

5:18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a
full end with you.

5:19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the
LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them,
Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so
shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not your's.

5:20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah,
saying, 5:21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without
understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear
not: 5:22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my
presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a
perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof
toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can
they not pass over it?  5:23 But this people hath a revolting and a
rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our
God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season:
he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have
withholden good things from you.

5:26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he
that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

5:27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit:
therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

5:28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of
the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet
they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.

5:29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my
soul be avenged on such a nation as this?  5:30 A wonderful and
horrible thing is committed in the land; 5:31 The prophets prophesy
falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love
to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?  6:1 O ye
children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of
Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in
Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great
destruction.

6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate
woman.

6:3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall
pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one
in his place.

6:4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe
unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are
stretched out.

6:5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

6:6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast
a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is
wholly oppression in the midst of her.

6:7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her
wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually
is grief and wounds.

6:8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee;
lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

6:9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the
remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer
into the baskets.

6:10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear?
behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold,
the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in
it.

6:11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with
holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the
assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife
shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.

6:12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields
and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the
inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.

6:13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every
one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the
priest every one dealeth falsely.

6:14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people
slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

6:15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they
were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they
shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they
shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for
the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall
find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the
trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

6:18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is
among them.

6:19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even
the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my
words, nor to my law, but rejected it.

6:20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the
sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not
acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.

6:21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks
before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall
upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

6:22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north
country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the
earth.

6:23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no
mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses,
set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

6:24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish
hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.

6:25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword
of the enemy and fear is on every side.

6:26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow
thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter
lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

6:27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that
thou mayest know and try their way.

6:28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are
brass and iron; they are all corrupters.

6:29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the
founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

6:30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath
rejected them.

7:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 7:2 Stand in
the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say,
Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these
gates to worship the LORD.

7:3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways
and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

7:4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The
temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.

7:5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye
throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 7:6 If ye
oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not
innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your
hurt: 7:7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land
that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

7:8 Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

7:9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and
burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
7:10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my
name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?  7:11 Is
this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in
your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

7:12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my
name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my
people Israel.

7:13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD,
and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not;
and I called you, but ye answered not; 7:14 Therefore will I do unto
this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the
place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to
Shiloh.

7:15 And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your
brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.

7:16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor
prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear
thee.

7:17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the
streets of Jerusalem?  7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers
kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the
queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that
they may provoke me to anger.

7:19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke
themselves to the confusion of their own faces?  7:20 Therefore thus
saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out
upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the
field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall
not be quenched.

7:21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt
offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

7:22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day
that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt
offerings or sacrifices: 7:23 But this thing commanded I them, saying,
Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and
walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well
unto you.

7:24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the
counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went
backward, and not forward.

7:25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of
Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the
prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: 7:26 Yet they
hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their
neck: they did worse than their fathers.

7:27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they
will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they
will not answer thee.

7:28 But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not
the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is
perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

7:29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a
lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken
the generation of his wrath.

7:30 For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the
LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by
my name, to pollute it.

7:31 And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the
valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in
the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.

7:32 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall
no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the
valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no
place.

7:33 And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of
the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them
away.

7:34 Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the
streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness,
the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land
shall be desolate.

8:1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of
the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the
priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 8:2 And they shall
spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven,
whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they
have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped:
they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon
the face of the earth.

8:3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of
them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places
whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

8:4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they
fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?  8:5 Why then
is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding?
they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

8:6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented
him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to
his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

8:7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the
turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming;
but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

8:8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us?
Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

8:9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they
have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?  8:10
Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to
them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto
the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the
priest every one dealeth falsely.

8:11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people
slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

8:12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they
were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall
they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they
shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

8:13 I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no
grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade;
and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

8:14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into
the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God
hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because
we have sinned against the LORD.

8:15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health,
and behold trouble!  8:16 The snorting of his horses was heard from
Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his
strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all
that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

8:17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which
will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

8:18 When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in
me.

8:19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because
of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not
her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven
images, and with strange vanities?  8:20 The harvest is past, the
summer is ended, and we are not saved.

8:21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black;
astonishment hath taken hold on me.

8:22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then
is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?  9:1 Oh that
my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might
weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!  9:2 Oh
that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I
might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers,
an assembly of treacherous men.

9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are
not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil
to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

9:4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any
brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour
will walk with slanders.

9:5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak
the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary
themselves to commit iniquity.

9:6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they
refuse to know me, saith the LORD.

9:7 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them,
and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?  9:8
Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh
peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his
wait.

9:9 Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not
my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?  9:10 For the mountains
will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the
wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can
pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both
the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.

9:11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will
make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

9:12 Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to
whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for
what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none
passeth through?  9:13 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken
my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither
walked therein; 9:14 But have walked after the imagination of their
own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them: 9:15
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I
will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water
of gall to drink.

9:16 I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor
their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I
have consumed them.

9:17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the
mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that
they may come: 9:18 And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for
us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out
with waters.

9:19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled!
we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because
our dwellings have cast us out.

9:20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear
receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and
every one her neighbour lamentation.

9:21 For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our
palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from
the streets.

9:22 Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall
as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman,
and none shall gather them.

9:23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man
glory in his riches: 9:24 But let him that glorieth glory in this,
that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which
exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth:
for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

9:25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all
them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised; 9:26 Egypt, and
Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are
in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these
nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are
uncircumcised in the heart.

10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of
Israel: 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen,
and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are
dismayed at them.

10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree
out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails
and with hammers, that it move not.

10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs
be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they
cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

10:6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art
great, and thy name is great in might.

10:7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it
appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in
all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.

10:8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a
doctrine of vanities.

10:9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from
Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue
and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an
everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the
nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

10:11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the
heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from
under these heavens.

10:12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the
world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his
discretion.

10:13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in
the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the
earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out
of his treasures.

10:14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is
confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and
there is no breath in them.

10:15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their
visitation they shall perish.

10:16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of
all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of
hosts is his name.

10:17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the
fortress.

10:18 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the
inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that
they may find it so.

10:19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly
this is a grief, and I must bear it.

10:20 My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my
children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to
stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the
LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be
scattered.

10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion
out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a
den of dragons.

10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not
in man that walketh to direct his steps.

10:24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest
thou bring me to nothing.

10:25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon
the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob,
and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation
desolate.

11:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying, 11:2 Hear ye
the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to
the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 11:3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith
the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words
of this covenant, 11:4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that
I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace,
saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command
you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: 11:5 That I may
perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a
land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I,
and said, So be it, O LORD.

11:6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the
cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the
words of this covenant, and do them.

11:7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I
brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising
early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

11:8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one
in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon
them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do: but
they did them not.

11:9 And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of
Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

11:10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers,
which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to
serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my
covenant which I made with their fathers.

11:11 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon
them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall
cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

11:12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go,
and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not
save them at all in the time of their trouble.

11:13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O
Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye
set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto
Baal.

11:14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry
or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry
unto me for their trouble.

11:15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath
wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee?
when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

11:16 The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of
goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire
upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

11:17 For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil
against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of
Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger
in offering incense unto Baal.

11:18 And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then
thou shewedst me their doings.

11:19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter;
and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let
us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off
from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

11:20 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the
reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee
have I revealed my cause.

11:21 Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek
thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die
not by our hand: 11:22 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold,
I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons
and their daughters shall die by famine: 11:23 And there shall be no
remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even
the year of their visitation.

12:1 Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I plead with thee: yet let me
talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked
prosper?  wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?
12:2 Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root: they grow,
yea, they bring forth fruit: thou art near in their mouth, and far
from their reins.

12:3 But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine
heart toward thee: pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and
prepare them for the day of slaughter.

12:4 How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field
wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are
consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last
end.

12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee,
then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace,
wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in
the swelling of Jordan?  12:6 For even thy brethren, and the house of
thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; yea, they
have called a multitude after thee: believe them not, though they
speak fair words unto thee.

12:7 I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have
given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

12:8 Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out
against me: therefore have I hated it.

12:9 Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round
about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field,
come to devour.

12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my
portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate
wilderness.

12:11 They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto
me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to
heart.

12:12 The spoilers are come upon all high places through the
wilderness: for the sword of the LORD shall devour from the one end of
the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh shall have peace.

12:13 They have sown wheat, but shall reap thorns: they have put
themselves to pain, but shall not profit: and they shall be ashamed of
your revenues because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

12:14 Thus saith the LORD against all mine evil neighbours, that touch
the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit;
Behold, I will pluck them out of their land, and pluck out the house
of Judah from among them.

12:15 And it shall come to pass, after that I have plucked them out I
will return, and have compassion on them, and will bring them again,
every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

12:16 And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the
ways of my people, to swear by my name, The LORD liveth; as they
taught my people to swear by Baal; then shall they be built in the
midst of my people.

12:17 But if they will not obey, I will utterly pluck up and destroy
that nation, saith the LORD.

13:1 Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and
put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

13:2 So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it
on my loins.

13:3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
13:4 Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and
arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.

13:5 So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.

13:6 And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me,
Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I
commanded thee to hide there.

13:7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from
the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it
was profitable for nothing.

13:8 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 13:9 Thus saith
the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the
great pride of Jerusalem.

13:10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in
the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve
them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good
for nothing.

13:11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I
caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house
of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and
for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not
hear.

13:12 Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the
LORD God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they
shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall
be filled with wine?  13:13 Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith
the LORD, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even
the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the
prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

13:14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and
the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor
have mercy, but destroy them.

13:15 Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the LORD hath spoken.

13:16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he cause darkness, and
before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look
for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross
darkness.

13:17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places
for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears,
because the LORD's flock is carried away captive.

13:18 Say unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down:
for your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory.

13:19 The cities of the south shall be shut up, and none shall open
them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be
wholly carried away captive.

13:20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north:
where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?  13:21
What wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught
them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take
thee, as a woman in travail?  13:22 And if thou say in thine heart,
Wherefore come these things upon me?  For the greatness of thine
iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.

13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots?
then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

13:24 Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away
by the wind of the wilderness.

13:25 This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the
LORD; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

13:26 Therefore will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy
shame may appear.

13:27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of
thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe
unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it
once be?  14:1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning
the dearth.

14:2 Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black
unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

14:3 And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they
came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels
empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

14:4 Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth,
the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

14:5 Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because
there was no grass.

14:6 And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up
the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because there was no
grass.

14:7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for
thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against
thee.

14:8 O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why
shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man
that turneth aside to tarry for a night?  14:9 Why shouldest thou be
as a man astonied, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou, O LORD,
art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

14:10 Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to
wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth
not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their
sins.

14:11 Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their
good.

14:12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer
burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will
consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

14:13 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them,
Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will
give you assured peace in this place.

14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my
name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake
unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a
thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

14:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that
prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and
famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those
prophets be consumed.

14:16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the
streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they
shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor
their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

14:17 Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run
down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin
daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very
grievous blow.

14:18 If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the
sword!  and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick
with famine!  yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a
land that they know not.

14:19 Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why
hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for
peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold
trouble!  14:20 We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the
iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

14:21 Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne
of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

14:22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause
rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our
God?  therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these
things.

15:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before
me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my
sight, and let them go forth.

15:2 And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall
we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as
are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword;
and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the
captivity, to the captivity.

15:3 And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the
sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and
the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.

15:4 And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the
earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that
which he did in Jerusalem.

15:5 For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall
bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?  15:6 Thou
hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore
will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary
with repenting.

15:7 And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will
bereave them of children, I will destroy my people since they return
not from their ways.

15:8 Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I
have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler
at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors
upon the city.

15:9 She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the
ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been
ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the
sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.

15:10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife
and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on
usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth
curse me.

15:11 The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily
I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in
the time of affliction.

15:12 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?  15:13 Thy
substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price,
and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.

15:14 And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land
which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which
shall burn upon you.

15:15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me
of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that
for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto
me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O
LORD God of hosts.

15:17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat
alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

15:18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth
to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters
that fail?  15:19 Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then
will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou
take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let
them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.

15:20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and
they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against
thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the
LORD.

15:21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I
will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

16:1 The word of the LORD came also unto me, saying, 16:2 Thou shalt
not take thee a wife, neither shalt thou have sons or daughters in
this place.

16:3 For thus saith the LORD concerning the sons and concerning the
daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers
that bare them, and concerning their fathers that begat them in this
land; 16:4 They shall die of grievous deaths; they shall not be
lamented; neither shall they be buried; but they shall be as dung upon
the face of the earth: and they shall be consumed by the sword, and by
famine; and their carcases shall be meat for the fowls of heaven, and
for the beasts of the earth.

16:5 For thus saith the LORD, Enter not into the house of mourning,
neither go to lament nor bemoan them: for I have taken away my peace
from this people, saith the LORD, even lovingkindness and mercies.

16:6 Both the great and the small shall die in this land: they shall
not be buried, neither shall men lament for them, nor cut themselves,
nor make themselves bald for them: 16:7 Neither shall men tear
themselves for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead; neither
shall men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father
or for their mother.

16:8 Thou shalt not also go into the house of feasting, to sit with
them to eat and to drink.

16:9 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I
will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days,
the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the
bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

16:10 And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all
these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD
pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or
what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?
16:11 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have
forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and
have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and
have not kept my law; 16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers;
for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil
heart, that they may not hearken unto me: 16:13 Therefore will I cast
you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your
fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I
will not shew you favour.

16:14 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall
no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of
Israel out of the land of Egypt; 16:15 But, The LORD liveth, that
brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from
all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again
into their land that I gave unto their fathers.

16:16 Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they
shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they
shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of
the holes of the rocks.

16:17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my
face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

16:18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double;
because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance
with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.

16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day
of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the
earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity,
and things wherein there is no profit.

16:20 Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods?  16:21
Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause
them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name
is The LORD.

17:1 The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the
point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and
upon the horns of your altars; 17:2 Whilst their children remember
their altars and their groves by the green trees upon the high hills.

17:3 O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy
treasures to the spoil, and thy high places for sin, throughout all
thy borders.

17:4 And thou, even thyself, shalt discontinue from thine heritage
that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the
land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger,
which shall burn for ever.

17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and
maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.

17:6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see
when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the
wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.

17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the
LORD is.

17:8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that
spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat
cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the
year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked:
who can know it?  17:10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins,
even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the
fruit of his doings.

17:11 As the partridge sitteth on eggs, and hatcheth them not; so he
that getteth riches, and not by right, shall leave them in the midst
of his days, and at his end shall be a fool.

17:12 A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our
sanctuary.

17:13 O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be
ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth,
because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

17:14 Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be
saved: for thou art my praise.

17:15 Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of the LORD? let it
come now.

17:16 As for me, I have not hastened from being a pastor to follow
thee: neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which
came out of my lips was right before thee.

17:17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.

17:18 Let them be confounded that persecute me, but let not me be
confounded: let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed: bring
upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

17:19 Thus said the LORD unto me; Go and stand in the gate of the
children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the
which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; 17:20 And say
unto them, Hear ye the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and all
Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these
gates: 17:21 Thus saith the LORD; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no
burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;
17:22 Neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath
day, neither do ye any work, but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I
commanded your fathers.

17:23 But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their
neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction.

17:24 And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me,
saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city
on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;
17:25 Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and
princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on
horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem: and this city shall remain for ever.

17:26 And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the
places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the
plain, and from the mountains, and from the south, bringing burnt
offerings, and sacrifices, and meat offerings, and incense, and
bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the LORD.

17:27 But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day,
and not to bear a burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem
on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof,
and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be
quenched.

18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 18:2
Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee
to hear my words.

18:3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a
work on the wheels.

18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the
potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the
potter to make it.

18:5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 18:6 O house of
Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold,
as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house
of Israel.

18:7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning
a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 18:8 If
that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I
will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

18:9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and
concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 18:10 If it do evil in
my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good,
wherewith I said I would benefit them.

18:11 Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame
evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every
one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

18:12 And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own
devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

18:13 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who
hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible
thing.

18:14 Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock
of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another
place be forsaken?  18:15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they
have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in
their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast
up; 18:16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every
one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

18:17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I
will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their
calamity.

18:18 Then said they, Come and let us devise devices against Jeremiah;
for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the
wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with
the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

18:19 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that
contend with me.

18:20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit
for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them,
and to turn away thy wrath from them.

18:21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out
their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved
of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death;
let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

18:22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a
troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and
hid snares for my feet.

18:23 Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me:
forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight,
but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the
time of thine anger.

19:1 Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and
take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the
priests; 19:2 And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which
is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I
shall tell thee, 19:3 And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings
of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts,
the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the
which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.

19:4 Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and
have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their
fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place
with the blood of innocents; 19:5 They have built also the high places
of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal,
which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:
19:6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place
shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom,
but The valley of slaughter.

19:7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this
place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their
enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their
carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for
the beasts of the earth.

19:8 And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one
that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the
plagues thereof.

19:9 And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the
flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of
his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and
they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.

19:10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go
with thee, 19:11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of
hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh
a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall
bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury.

19:12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the
inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet: 19:13 And the
houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be
defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose
roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have
poured out drink offerings unto other gods.

19:14 Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to
prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD's house; and said to
all the people, 19:15 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;
Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the
evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened
their necks, that they might not hear my words.

20:1 Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief
governor in the house of the LORD, heard that Jeremiah prophesied
these things.

20:2 Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks
that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the
LORD.

20:3 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth
Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath
not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.

20:4 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will make thee a terror to
thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of
their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all
Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them
captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

20:5 Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all
the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the
treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their
enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to
Babylon.

20:6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into
captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die,
and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou
hast prophesied lies.

20:7 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art
stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one
mocketh me.

20:8 For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil;
because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a
derision, daily.

20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more
in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up
in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

20:10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report,
say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my
halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail
against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

20:11 But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my
persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be
greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting
confusion shall never be forgotten.

20:12 But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the
reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee
have I opened my cause.

20:13 Sing unto the LORD, praise ye the LORD: for he hath delivered
the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

20:14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my
mother bare me be blessed.

20:15 Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A
man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

20:16 And let that man be as the cities which the LORD overthrew, and
repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the
shouting at noontide; 20:17 Because he slew me not from the womb; or
that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always
great with me.

20:18 Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow,
that my days should be consumed with shame?  21:1 The word which came
unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur
the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest,
saying, 21:2 Enquire, I pray thee, of the LORD for us; for
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon maketh war against us; if so be that
the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that
he may go up from us.

21:3 Then said Jeremiah unto them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah: 21:4
Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the
weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the
king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without
the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.

21:5 And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and
with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath.

21:6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and
beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.

21:7 And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of
Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this
city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into
the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their
enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall
smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them,
neither have pity, nor have mercy.

21:8 And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold,
I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

21:9 He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the
famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to
the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be
unto him for a prey.

21:10 For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for
good, saith the LORD: it shall be given into the hand of the king of
Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

21:11 And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the
word of the LORD; 21:12 O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute
judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the
hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that
none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

21:13 Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock
of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against
us? or who shall enter into our habitations?  21:14 But I will punish
you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the LORD: and I will
kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things
round about it.

22:1 Thus saith the LORD; Go down to the house of the king of Judah,
and speak there this word, 22:2 And say, Hear the word of the LORD, O
king of Judah, that sittest upon the throne of David, thou, and thy
servants, and thy people that enter in by these gates: 22:3 Thus saith
the LORD; Execute ye judgment and righteousness, and deliver the
spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor: and do no wrong, do no
violence to the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed
innocent blood in this place.

22:4 For if ye do this thing indeed, then shall there enter in by the
gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in
chariots and on horses, he, and his servants, and his people.

22:5 But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the
LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.

22:6 For thus saith the LORD unto the king's house of Judah; Thou art
Gilead unto me, and the head of Lebanon: yet surely I will make thee a
wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.

22:7 And I will prepare destroyers against thee, every one with his
weapons: and they shall cut down thy choice cedars, and cast them into
the fire.

22:8 And many nations shall pass by this city, and they shall say
every man to his neighbour, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto
this great city?  22:9 Then they shall answer, Because they have
forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other
gods, and served them.

22:10 Weep ye not for the dead, neither bemoan him: but weep sore for
him that goeth away: for he shall return no more, nor see his native
country.

22:11 For thus saith the LORD touching Shallum the son of Josiah king
of Judah, which reigned instead of Josiah his father, which went forth
out of this place; He shall not return thither any more: 22:12 But he
shall die in the place whither they have led him captive, and shall
see this land no more.

22:13 Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his
chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages,
and giveth him not for his work; 22:14 That saith, I will build me a
wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is
cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.

22:15 Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not
thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was
well with him?  22:16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then
it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.

22:17 But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness,
and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, and for violence,
to do it.

22:18 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah king of Judah; They shall not lament for him, saying, Ah my
brother! or, Ah sister! they shall not lament for him, saying, Ah
lord! or, Ah his glory!  22:19 He shall be buried with the burial of
an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

22:20 Go up to Lebanon, and cry; and lift up thy voice in Bashan, and
cry from the passages: for all thy lovers are destroyed.

22:21 I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not
hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not
my voice.

22:22 The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go
into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for
all thy wickedness.

22:23 O inhabitant of Lebanon, that makest thy nest in the cedars, how
gracious shalt thou be when pangs come upon thee, the pain as of a
woman in travail!  22:24 As I live, saith the LORD, though Coniah the
son of Jehoiakim king of Judah were the signet upon my right hand, yet
would I pluck thee thence; 22:25 And I will give thee into the hand of
them that seek thy life, and into the hand of them whose face thou
fearest, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and
into the hand of the Chaldeans.

22:26 And I will cast thee out, and thy mother that bare thee, into
another country, where ye were not born; and there shall ye die.

22:27 But to the land whereunto they desire to return, thither shall
they not return.

22:28 Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel
wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed,
and are cast into a land which they know not?  22:29 O earth, earth,
earth, hear the word of the LORD.

22:30 Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that
shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper,
sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah.

23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my
pasture! saith the LORD.

23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors
that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away,
and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of
your doings, saith the LORD.

23:3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries
whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds;
and they shall be fruitful and increase.

23:4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and
they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be
lacking, saith the LORD.

23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto
David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and
shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely:
and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.

23:7 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall
no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt; 23:8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought up
and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north
country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they
shall dwell in their own land.

23:9 Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my
bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath
overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his
holiness.

23:10 For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the
land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up, and
their course is evil, and their force is not right.

23:11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I
found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

23:12 Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the
darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring
evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

23:13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they
prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

23:14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing:
they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands
of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all
of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

23:15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets;
Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water
of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth
into all the land.

23:16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the
prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a
vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

23:17 They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye
shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the
imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.

23:18 For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath
perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
23:19 Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD is gone forth in fury, even a
grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the
wicked.

23:20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed,
and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter
days ye shall consider it perfectly.

23:21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken
to them, yet they prophesied.

23:22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to
hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way,
and from the evil of their doings.

23:23 Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
23:24 Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?
saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

23:25 I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my
name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

23:26 How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that
prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own
heart; 23:27 Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their
dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers
have forgotten my name for Baal.

23:28 The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that
hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to
the wheat? saith the LORD.

23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer
that breaketh the rock in pieces?  23:30 Therefore, behold, I am
against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one
from his neighbour.

23:31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use
their tongues, and say, He saith.

23:32 Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the
LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and
by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore
they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

23:33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask
thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? thou shalt then say unto
them, What burden? I will even forsake you, saith the LORD.

23:34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that
shall say, The burden of the LORD, I will even punish that man and his
house.

23:35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to
his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD
spoken?  23:36 And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more:
for every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the
words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God.

23:37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered
thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken?  23:38 But since ye say, The
burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this
word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye
shall not say, The burden of the LORD; 23:39 Therefore, behold, I,
even I, will utterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the city
that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:
23:40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a
perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

24:1 The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set
before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of
Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of
Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from
Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

24:2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first
ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be
eaten, they were so bad.

24:3 Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I
said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that
cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

24:4 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24:5 Thus saith
the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I
acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have
sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

24:6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring
them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them
down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and
they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall
return unto me with their whole heart.

24:8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil;
surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah,
and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this
land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: 24:9 And I will
deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for
their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in
all places whither I shall drive them.

24:10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among
them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them
and to their fathers.

25:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah
in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that
was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; 25:2 The which
Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 25:3 From the thirteenth year of
Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the
three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and
I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not
hearkened.

25:4 And the LORD hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets,
rising early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined
your ear to hear.

25:5 They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and
from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath
given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: 25:6 And go not
after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me
not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.

25:7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might
provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

25:8 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard
my words, 25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the
north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my
servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the
inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and
will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an
hissing, and perpetual desolations.

25:10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice
of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride,
the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.

25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment;
and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

25:12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished,
that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the
LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make
it perpetual desolations.

25:13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have
pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which
Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.

25:14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them
also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and
according to the works of their own hands.

25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup
of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send
thee, to drink it.

25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the
sword that I will send among them.

25:17 Then took I the cup at the LORD's hand, and made all the nations
to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me: 25:18 To wit, Jerusalem, and
the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof,
to make them a desolation, an astonishment, an hissing, and a curse;
as it is this day; 25:19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and
his princes, and all his people; 25:20 And all the mingled people, and
all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the
Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and Ekron, and the remnant of
Ashdod, 25:21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, 25:22 And all
the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the
isles which are beyond the sea, 25:23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and
all that are in the utmost corners, 25:24 And all the kings of Arabia,
and all the kings of the mingled people that dwell in the desert,
25:25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all
the kings of the Medes, 25:26 And all the kings of the north, far and
near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are
upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after
them.

25:27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of
hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and
fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among
you.

25:28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to
drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye
shall certainly drink.

25:29 For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my
name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished:
for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
saith the LORD of hosts.

25:30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say
unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from
his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he
shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the
inhabitants of the earth.

25:31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD
hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he
will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.

25:32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from
nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the
coasts of the earth.

25:33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from one end of
the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be
lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the
ground.

25:34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes,
ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your
dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant
vessel.

25:35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal
of the flock to escape.

25:36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the
principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled
their pasture.

25:37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce
anger of the LORD.

25:38 He hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is
desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of
his fierce anger.

26:1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king
of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying, 26:2 Thus saith the
LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the
cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the
words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:
26:3 If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way,
that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them
because of the evil of their doings.

26:4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not
hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you, 26:5 To
hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto
you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not
hearkened; 26:6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make
this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

26:7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah
speaking these words in the house of the LORD.

26:8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking
all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that
the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou
shalt surely die.

26:9 Why hast thou prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, This
house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate without an
inhabitant?  And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the
house of the LORD.

26:10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, then they came up
from the king's house unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the
entry of the new gate of the LORD's house.

26:11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the princes and to
all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath
prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears.

26:12 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes and to all the people,
saying, The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and against
this city all the words that ye have heard.

26:13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the
voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil
that he hath pronounced against you.

26:14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good
and meet unto you.

26:15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall
surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and
upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD hath sent me
unto you to speak all these words in your ears.

26:16 Then said the princes and all the people unto the priests and to
the prophets; This man is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us
in the name of the LORD our God.

26:17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the land, and spake to all
the assembly of the people, saying, 26:18 Micah the Morasthite
prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the
people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be
plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the
mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

26:19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to
death?  did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD
repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus
might we procure great evil against our souls.

26:20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the
LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied
against this city and against this land according to all the words of
Jeremiah.

26:21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all
the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but
when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt;
26:22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the
son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

26:23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto
Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead
body into the graves of the common people.

26:24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with
Jeremiah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to
put him to death.

27:1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king
of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 27:2 Thus
saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy
neck, 27:3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab,
and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the
king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers which come to Jerusalem
unto Zedekiah king of Judah; 27:4 And command them to say unto their
masters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall
ye say unto your masters; 27:5 I have made the earth, the man and the
beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my
outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.

27:6 And now have I given all these lands into the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the
field have I given him also to serve him.

27:7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son's son,
until the very time of his land come: and then many nations and great
kings shall serve themselves of him.

27:8 And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will
not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will
not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation
will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine,
and with the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand.

27:9 Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners,
nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers,
which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon:
27:10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your
land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.

27:11 But the nations that bring their neck under the yoke of the king
of Babylon, and serve him, those will I let remain still in their own
land, saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.

27:12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these
words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon,
and serve him and his people, and live.

27:13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the
famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the
nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?  27:14 Therefore
hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you,
saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a
lie unto you.

27:15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a
lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish,
ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you.

27:16 Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus
saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that
prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house
shall now shortly be brought again from Babylon: for they prophesy a
lie unto you.

27:17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live:
wherefore should this city be laid waste?  27:18 But if they be
prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make
intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in
the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at
Jerusalem, go not to Babylon.

27:19 For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and
concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the
residue of the vessels that remain in this city.

27:20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried
away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from
Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem; 27:21
Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the
vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the
king of Judah and of Jerusalem; 27:22 They shall be carried to
Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them,
saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this
place.

28:1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign
of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month,
that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake
unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and
of all the people, saying, 28:2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the
God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

28:3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the
vessels of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took
away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: 28:4 And I will
bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah,
with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the
LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the
presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that
stood in the house of the LORD, 28:6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said,
Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast
prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD's house, and all
that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

28:7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears,
and in the ears of all the people; 28:8 The prophets that have been
before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many
countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of
pestilence.

28:9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the
prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the
LORD hath truly sent him.

28:10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet
Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.

28:11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying,
Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar
king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two
full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

28:12 Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after
that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the
prophet Jeremiah, saying, 28:13 Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus
saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt
make for them yokes of iron.

28:14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put
a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have
given him the beasts of the field also.

28:15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear
now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this
people to trust in a lie.

28:16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off
the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast
taught rebellion against the LORD.

28:17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

29:1 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet
sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried
away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the
people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to
Babylon; 29:2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the
eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and
the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) 29:3 By the hand of Elasah
the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah
king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon)
saying, 29:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all
that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away
from Jerusalem unto Babylon; 29:5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them;
and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; 29:6 Take ye wives, and
beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your
daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye
may be increased there, and not diminished.

29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be
carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace
thereof shall ye have peace.

29:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your
prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you,
neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

29:9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent
them, saith the LORD.

29:10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be
accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word
toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD,
thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

29:12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me,
and I will hearken unto you.

29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me
with all your heart.

29:14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away
your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from
all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will
bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away
captive.

29:15 Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in
Babylon; 29:16 Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth
upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this
city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into
captivity; 29:17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send
upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make
them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.

29:18 And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and
with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the
kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an
hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven
them: 29:19 Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the
LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up
early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.

29:20 Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity,
whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon: 29:21 Thus saith the LORD
of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of
Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my
name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king
of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes; 29:22 And of them
shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in
Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom
the king of Babylon roasted in the fire; 29:23 Because they have
committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their
neighbours' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I
have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the
LORD.

29:24 Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
29:25 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying,
Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that
are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and
to all the priests, saying, 29:26 The LORD hath made thee priest in
the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the
house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a
prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.

29:27 Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth,
which maketh himself a prophet to you?  29:28 For therefore he sent
unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses,
and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

29:29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of
Jeremiah the prophet.

29:30 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 29:31 Send
to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning
Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto
you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie: 29:32
Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the
Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this
people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people,
saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD.

30:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 30:2 Thus
speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that
I have spoken unto thee in a book.

30:3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again
the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I
will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers,
and they shall possess it.

30:4 And these are the words that the LORD spake concerning Israel and
concerning Judah.

30:5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of
fear, and not of peace.

30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child?
wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman
in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?  30:7 Alas! for
that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of
Jacob's trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.

30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts,
that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy
bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him: 30:9 But
they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will
raise up unto them.

30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD;
neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar,
and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return,
and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

30:11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee: though I make
a full end of all nations whither I have scattered thee, yet I will
not make a full end of thee: but I will correct thee in measure, and
will not leave thee altogether unpunished.

30:12 For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound
is grievous.

30:13 There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up:
thou hast no healing medicines.

30:14 All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I
have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of
a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins
were increased.

30:15 Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable
for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased,
I have done these things unto thee.

30:16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all
thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and
they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee
will I give for a prey.

30:17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy
wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying,
This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.

30:18 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of
Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city
shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after
the manner thereof.

30:19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them
that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few;
I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

30:20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their
congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all
that oppress them.

30:21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor
shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw
near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his
heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

30:22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

30:23 Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a
continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the
wicked.

30:24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until he hath
done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the
latter days ye shall consider it.

31:1 At the same time, saith the LORD, will I be the God of all the
families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

31:2 Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword
found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him
to rest.

31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved
thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I
drawn thee.

31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of
Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go
forth in the dances of them that make merry.

31:5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the
planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.

31:6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount
Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD
our God.

31:7 For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout
among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O
LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

31:8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them
from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame,
the woman with child and her that travaileth with child together: a
great company shall return thither.

31:9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead
them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight
way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and
Ephraim is my firstborn.

31:10 Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the
isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and
keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.

31:11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand
of him that was stronger than he.

31:12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and
shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for
wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and
their soul shall be as a watered garden; and they shall not sorrow any
more at all.

31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and
old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will
comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

31:14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my
people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

31:15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation,
and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be
comforted for her children, because they were not.

31:16 Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine
eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and
they shall come again from the land of the enemy.

31:17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy
children shall come again to their own border.

31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast
chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the
yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my
God.

31:19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was
instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even
confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.

31:20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I
spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my
bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith
the LORD.

31:21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart
toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O
virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

31:22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for
the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass
a man.

31:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they
shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof,
when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O
habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.

31:24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities
thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.

31:25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every
sorrowful soul.

31:26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.

31:27 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house
of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the
seed of beast.

31:28 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over
them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to
destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to
plant, saith the LORD.

31:29 In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a
sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.

31:30 But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that
eateth the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge.

31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new
covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 31:32
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the
day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of
Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto
them, saith the LORD: 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will
make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I
will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

31:34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me,
from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for
I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

31:35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day,
and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night,
which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts
is his name: 31:36 If those ordinances depart from before me, saith
the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation
before me for ever.

31:37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above can be measured, and the
foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off
all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the LORD.

31:38 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be
built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the
corner.

31:39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon
the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath.

31:40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and
all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse
gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be
plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.

32:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of
Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of
Nebuchadrezzar.

32:2 For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and
Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was
in the king of Judah's house.

32:3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore
dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give
this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
32:4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of
the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king
of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes
shall behold his eyes; 32:5 And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and
there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight
with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.

32:6 And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
32:7 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto
thee saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of
redemption is thine to buy it.

32:8 So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the
prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my
field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of
Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is
thine; buy it for thyself.

Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

32:9 And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in
Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.

32:10 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took
witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.

32:11 So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was
sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: 32:12
And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah,
the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in
the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the
purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

32:13 And I charged Baruch before them, saying, 32:14 Thus saith the
LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence
of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is
open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many
days.

32:15 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and
fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.

32:16 Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto
Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, 32:17 Ah
Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great
power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
32:18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the
iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them:
the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, 32:19 Great
in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the
ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and
according to the fruit of his doings: 32:20 Which hast set signs and
wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and
among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day; 32:21 And
hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with
signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched
out arm, and with great terror; 32:22 And hast given them this land,
which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing
with milk and honey; 32:23 And they came in, and possessed it; but
they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done
nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast
caused all this evil to come upon them: 32:24 Behold the mounts, they
are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand
of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of
the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come
to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.

32:25 And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for
money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the
Chaldeans.

32:26 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 32:27
Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too
hard for me?  32:28 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give
this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it: 32:29 And the
Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on
this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have
offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other
gods, to provoke me to anger.

32:30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only
done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have
only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the
LORD.

32:31 For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and
of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I
should remove it from before my face, 32:32 Because of all the evil of
the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have
done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their
priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants
of Jerusalem.

32:33 And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though
I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not
hearkened to receive instruction.

32:34 But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by
my name, to defile it.

32:35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley
of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass
through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came
it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah
to sin.

32:36 And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel,
concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the
hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by
the pestilence; 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries,
whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great
wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause
them to dwell safely: 32:38 And they shall be my people, and I will be
their God: 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that
they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children
after them: 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them,
that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put
my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

32:41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant
them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole
soul.

32:42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great
evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I
have promised them.

32:43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is
desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the
Chaldeans.

32:44 Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and
seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the
places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities
of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities
of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the
LORD.

33:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time,
while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 33:2 Thus
saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to
establish it; the LORD is his name; 33:3 Call unto me, and I will
answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest
not.

33:4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses
of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, which
are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword; 33:5 They come to
fight with the Chaldeans, but it is to fill them with the dead bodies
of men, whom I have slain in mine anger and in my fury, and for all
whose wickedness I have hid my face from this city.

33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them,
and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

33:7 And I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of
Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.

33:8 And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they
have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities,
whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against
me.

33:9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour
before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good
that I do unto them: and they shall fear and tremble for all the
goodness and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it.

33:10 Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place,
which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in
the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are
desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,
33:11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the
bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall
say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy
endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of
praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the
captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.

33:12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is
desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof,
shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

33:13 In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the vale, and
in the cities of the south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the
places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, shall the flocks
pass again under the hands of him that telleth them, saith the LORD.

33:14 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will perform that
good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the
house of Judah.

33:15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of
righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and
righteousness in the land.

33:16 In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell
safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD
our righteousness.

33:17 For thus saith the LORD; David shall never want a man to sit
upon the throne of the house of Israel; 33:18 Neither shall the
priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and
to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

33:19 And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, 33:20 Thus
saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my
covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in
their season; 33:21 Then may also my covenant be broken with David my
servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and
with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

33:22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of
the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and
the Levites that minister unto me.

33:23 Moreover the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 33:24
Considerest thou not what this people have spoken, saying, The two
families which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even cast them off? thus
they have despised my people, that they should be no more a nation
before them.

33:25 Thus saith the LORD; If my covenant be not with day and night,
and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; 33:26
Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob and David my servant, so that
I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have
mercy on them.

34:1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms
of the earth of his dominion, and all the people, fought against
Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying, 34:2 Thus saith
the LORD, the God of Israel; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah,
and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into
the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire: 34:3
And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken,
and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of
the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and
thou shalt go to Babylon.

34:4 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus
saith the LORD of thee, Thou shalt not die by the sword: 34:5 But thou
shalt die in peace: and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former
kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and
they will lament thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pronounced the
word, saith the LORD.

34:6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all these words unto Zedekiah
king of Judah in Jerusalem, 34:7 When the king of Babylon's army
fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that
were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these defenced
cities remained of the cities of Judah.

34:8 This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after
that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which
were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them; 34:9 That every man
should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an
Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of
them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.

34:10 Now when all the princes, and all the people, which had entered
into the covenant, heard that every one should let his manservant, and
every one his maidservant, go free, that none should serve themselves
of them any more, then they obeyed, and let them go.

34:11 But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the
handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into
subjection for servants and for handmaids.

34:12 Therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD,
saying, 34:13 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; I made a
covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of
the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondmen, saying, 34:14 At the
end of seven years let ye go every man his brother an Hebrew, which
hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served thee six years, thou
shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers hearkened not unto
me, neither inclined their ear.

34:15 And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in
proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a
covenant before me in the house which is called by my name: 34:16 But
ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and
every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure,
to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for
servants and for handmaids.

34:17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in
proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his
neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to
the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you
to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

34:18 And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant,
which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made
before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the
parts thereof, 34:19 The princes of Judah, and the princes of
Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the
land, which passed between the parts of the calf; 34:20 I will even
give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them
that seek their life: and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the
fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.

34:21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the
hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life,
and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which are gone up
from you.

34:22 Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return
to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn
it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without
an inhabitant.

35:1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of
Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, 35:2 Go unto the
house of the Rechabites, and speak unto them, and bring them into the
house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to
drink.

35:3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, the son of Habaziniah,
and his brethren, and all his sons, and the whole house of the
Rechabites; 35:4 And I brought them into the house of the LORD, into
the chamber of the sons of Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God,
which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber
of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door: 35:5 And I set
before the sons of the house of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and
cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine.

35:6 But they said, We will drink no wine: for Jonadab the son of
Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine,
neither ye, nor your sons for ever: 35:7 Neither shall ye build house,
nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days ye
shall dwell in tents; that ye may live many days in the land where ye
be strangers.

35:8 Thus have we obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab our
father in all that he hath charged us, to drink no wine all our days,
we, our wives, our sons, nor our daughters; 35:9 Nor to build houses
for us to dwell in: neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
35:10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed, and done according
to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

35:11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up
into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear
of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians:
so we dwell at Jerusalem.

35:12 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 35:13 Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of
Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive
instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD.

35:14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his
sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink
none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have
spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto
me.

35:15 I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising
up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his
evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve
them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to
your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto
me.

35:16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the
commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people
hath not hearkened unto me: 35:17 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of
hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all
the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced
against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not
heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

35:18 And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the
commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and
done according unto all that he hath commanded you: 35:19 Therefore
thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of
Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

36:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD,
saying, 36:2 Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the
words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah,
and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the
days of Josiah, even unto this day.

36:3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I
purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil
way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

36:4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote
from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had
spoken unto him, upon a roll of a book.

36:5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am shut up; I cannot go
into the house of the LORD: 36:6 Therefore go thou, and read in the
roll, which thou hast written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in
the ears of the people in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: and
also thou shalt read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of
their cities.

36:7 It may be they will present their supplication before the LORD,
and will return every one from his evil way: for great is the anger
and the fury that the LORD hath pronounced against this people.

36:8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah
the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD
in the LORD's house.

36:9 And it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of
Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast
before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people
that came from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.

36:10 Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house
of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe,
in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house,
in the ears of all the people.

36:11 When Michaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard
out of the book all the words of the LORD, 36:12 Then he went down
into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the
princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of
Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of
Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

36:13 Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had
heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

36:14 Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the
son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in thine
hand the roll wherein thou hast read in the ears of the people, and
come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came
unto them.

36:15 And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears.
So Baruch read it in their ears.

36:16 Now it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, they
were afraid both one and other, and said unto Baruch, We will surely
tell the king of all these words.

36:17 And they asked Baruch, saying, Tell us now, How didst thou write
all these words at his mouth?  36:18 Then Baruch answered them, He
pronounced all these words unto me with his mouth, and I wrote them
with ink in the book.

36:19 Then said the princes unto Baruch, Go, hide thee, thou and
Jeremiah; and let no man know where ye be.

36:20 And they went in to the king into the court, but they laid up
the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and told all the words
in the ears of the king.

36:21 So the king sent Jehudi to fetch the roll: and he took it out of
Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the
king, and in the ears of all the princes which stood beside the king.

36:22 Now the king sat in the winterhouse in the ninth month: and
there was a fire on the hearth burning before him.

36:23 And it came to pass, that when Jehudi had read three or four
leaves, he cut it with the penknife, and cast it into the fire that
was on the hearth, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that
was on the hearth.

36:24 Yet they were not afraid, nor rent their garments, neither the
king, nor any of his servants that heard all these words.

36:25 Nevertheless Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah had made
intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll: but he would
not hear them.

36:26 But the king commanded Jerahmeel the son of Hammelech, and
Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel, to take
Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet: but the LORD hid them.

36:27 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after that the king
had burned the roll, and the words which Baruch wrote at the mouth of
Jeremiah, saying, 36:28 Take thee again another roll, and write in it
all the former words that were in the first roll, which Jehoiakim the
king of Judah hath burned.

36:29 And thou shalt say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus saith the
LORD; Thou hast burned this roll, saying, Why hast thou written
therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy
this land, and shall cause to cease from thence man and beast?  36:30
Therefore thus saith the LORD of Jehoiakim king of Judah; He shall
have none to sit upon the throne of David: and his dead body shall be
cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

36:31 And I will punish him and his seed and his servants for their
iniquity; and I will bring upon them, and upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, and upon the men of Judah, all the evil that I have
pronounced against them; but they hearkened not.

36:32 Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the
scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of
Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had
burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like
words.

37:1 And king Zedekiah the son of Josiah reigned instead of Coniah the
son of Jehoiakim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the
land of Judah.

37:2 But neither he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, did
hearken unto the words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet
Jeremiah.

37:3 And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and
Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah,
saying, Pray now unto the LORD our God for us.

37:4 Now Jeremiah came in and went out among the people: for they had
not put him into prison.

37:5 Then Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt: and when the
Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed
from Jerusalem.

37:6 Then came the word of the LORD unto the prophet Jeremiah saying,
37:7 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say to the
king of Judah, that sent you unto me to enquire of me; Behold,
Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt
into their own land.

37:8 And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city,
and take it, and burn it with fire.

37:9 Thus saith the LORD; Deceive not yourselves, saying, The
Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart.

37:10 For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that
fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet
should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with
fire.

37:11 And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans was
broken up from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army, 37:12 Then
Jeremiah went forth out of Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin,
to separate himself thence in the midst of the people.

37:13 And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward
was there, whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of
Hananiah; and he took Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Thou fallest away
to the Chaldeans.

37:14 Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I fall not away to the
Chaldeans.

But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him
to the princes.

37:15 Wherefore the princes were wroth with Jeremiah, and smote him,
and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they
had made that the prison.

37:16 When Jeremiah was entered into the dungeon, and into the cabins,
and Jeremiah had remained there many days; 37:17 Then Zedekiah the
king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his
house, and said, Is there any word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said,
There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the
king of Babylon.

37:18 Moreover Jeremiah said unto king Zedekiah, What have I offended
against thee, or against thy servants, or against this people, that ye
have put me in prison?  37:19 Where are now your prophets which
prophesied unto you, saying, The king of Babylon shall not come
against you, nor against this land?  37:20 Therefore hear now, I pray
thee, O my lord the king: let my supplication, I pray thee, be
accepted before thee; that thou cause me not to return to the house of
Jonathan the scribe, lest I die there.

37:21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit
Jeremiah into the court of the prison, and that they should give him
daily a piece of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread
in the city were spent.

Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

38:1 Then Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of
Pashur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashur the son of
Malchiah, heard the words that Jeremiah had spoken unto all the
people, saying, 38:2 Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this
city shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but
he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his
life for a prey, and shall live.

38:3 Thus saith the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the
hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.

38:4 Therefore the princes said unto the king, We beseech thee, let
this man be put to death: for thus he weakeneth the hands of the men
of war that remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in
speaking such words unto them: for this man seeketh not the welfare of
this people, but the hurt.

38:5 Then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the
king is not he that can do any thing against you.

38:6 Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the dungeon of
Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison:
and they let down Jeremiah with cords. And in the dungeon there was no
water, but mire: so Jeremiah sunk in the mire.

38:7 Now when Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs which was
in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the dungeon;
the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin; 38:8 Ebedmelech went
forth out of the king's house, and spake to the king saying, 38:9 My
lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have done to
Jeremiah the prophet, whom they have cast into the dungeon; and he is
like to die for hunger in the place where he is: for there is no more
bread in the city.

38:10 Then the king commanded Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Take
from hence thirty men with thee, and take up Jeremiah the prophet out
of the dungeon, before he die.

38:11 So Ebedmelech took the men with him, and went into the house of
the king under the treasury, and took thence old cast clouts and old
rotten rags, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to Jeremiah.

38:12 And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these
old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes under the cords.
And Jeremiah did so.

38:13 So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the
dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

38:14 Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took Jeremiah the prophet unto
him into the third entry that is in the house of the LORD: and the
king said unto Jeremiah, I will ask thee a thing; hide nothing from
me.

38:15 Then Jeremiah said unto Zedekiah, If I declare it unto thee,
wilt thou not surely put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, wilt
thou not hearken unto me?  38:16 So Zedekiah the king sware secretly
unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD liveth, that made us this soul, I
will not put thee to death, neither will I give thee into the hand of
these men that seek thy life.

38:17 Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God
of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the
king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city
shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house:
38:18 But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes,
then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they
shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand.

38:19 And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the
Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their
hand, and they mock me.

38:20 But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech
thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be
well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.

38:21 But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD
hath shewed me: 38:22 And, behold, all the women that are left in the
king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's
princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and
have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they
are turned away back.

38:23 So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the
Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be
taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this
city to be burned with fire.

38:24 Then said Zedekiah unto Jeremiah, Let no man know of these
words, and thou shalt not die.

38:25 But if the princes hear that I have talked with thee, and they
come unto thee, and say unto thee, Declare unto us now what thou hast
said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to
death; also what the king said unto thee: 38:26 Then thou shalt say
unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would
not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

38:27 Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he
told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So
they left off speaking with him; for the matter was not perceived.

38:28 So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that
Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

39:1 In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month,
came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against
Jerusalem, and they besieged it.

39:2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, the
ninth day of the month, the city was broken up.

39:3 And all the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in
the middle gate, even Nergalsharezer, Samgarnebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris,
Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, with all the residue of the princes of the
king of Babylon.

39:4 And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw
them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of
the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate
betwixt the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

39:5 But the Chaldeans' army pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiah
in the plains of Jericho: and when they had taken him, they brought
him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of
Hamath, where he gave judgment upon him.

39:6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah
before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of
Judah.

39:7 Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains,
to carry him to Babylon.

39:8 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the
people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem.

39:9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive
into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and
those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people
that remained.

39:10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the
people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them
vineyards and fields at the same time.

39:11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning
Jeremiah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying, 39:12 Take
him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as
he shall say unto thee.

39:13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushasban,
Rabsaris, and Nergalsharezer, Rabmag, and all the king of Babylon's
princes; 39:14 Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of
the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son
of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the
people.

39:15 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut
up in the court of the prison, saying, 39:16 Go and speak to
Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the
God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil,
and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before
thee.

39:17 But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou
shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.

39:18 For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the
sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast
put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.

40:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when
he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried
away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive
unto Babylon.

40:2 And the captain of the guard took Jeremiah, and said unto him,
The LORD thy God hath pronounced this evil upon this place.

40:3 Now the LORD hath brought it, and done according as he hath said:
because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed his
voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

40:4 And now, behold, I loose thee this day from the chains which were
upon thine hand. If it seem good unto thee to come with me into
Babylon, come; and I will look well unto thee: but if it seem ill unto
thee to come with me into Babylon, forbear: behold, all the land is
before thee: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go,
thither go.

40:5 Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of
Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with
him among the people: or go wheresoever it seemeth convenient unto
thee to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals and a
reward, and let him go.

40:6 Then went Jeremiah unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah; and
dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

40:7 Now when all the captains of the forces which were in the fields,
even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed
unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of
them that were not carried away captive to Babylon; 40:8 Then they
came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, even Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and
Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of
Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the
son of a Maachathite, they and their men.

40:9 And Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan sware unto them
and to their men, saying, Fear not to serve the Chaldeans: dwell in
the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with
you.

40:10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to serve the
Chaldeans, which will come unto us: but ye, gather ye wine, and summer
fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your
cities that ye have taken.

40:11 Likewise when all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the
Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that
the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set
over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan; 40:12 Even
all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and
came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine
and summer fruits very much.

40:13 Moreover Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces that were in the fields, came to Gedaliah to Mizpah, 40:14 And
said unto him, Dost thou certainly know that Baalis the king of the
Ammonites hath sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to slay thee? But
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam believed them not.

40:15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spake to Gedaliah in Mizpah
secretly saying, Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ishmael the
son of Nethaniah, and no man shall know it: wherefore should he slay
thee, that all the Jews which are gathered unto thee should be
scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?  40:16 But Gedaliah the
son of Ahikam said unto Johanan the son of Kareah, Thou shalt not do
this thing: for thou speakest falsely of Ishmael.

41:1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, and the princes of
the king, even ten men with him, came unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam
to Mizpah; and there they did eat bread together in Mizpah.

41:2 Then arose Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and the ten men that
were with him, and smote Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan
with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made
governor over the land.

41:3 Ishmael also slew all the Jews that were with him, even with
Gedaliah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans that were found there, and the
men of war.

41:4 And it came to pass the second day after he had slain Gedaliah,
and no man knew it, 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from
Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards
shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with
offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the
LORD.

41:6 And Ishmael the son of Nethaniah went forth from Mizpah to meet
them, weeping all along as he went: and it came to pass, as he met
them, he said unto them, Come to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam.

41:7 And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that
Ishmael the son of Nethaniah slew them, and cast them into the midst
of the pit, he, and the men that were with him.

41:8 But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us
not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and
of oil, and of honey. So he forbare, and slew them not among their
brethren.

41:9 Now the pit wherein Ishmael had cast all the dead bodies of the
men, whom he had slain because of Gedaliah, was it which Asa the king
had made for fear of Baasha king of Israel: and Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah filled it with them that were slain.

41:10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people
that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people
that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had
committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of
Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the
Ammonites.

41:11 But when Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces that were with him, heard of all the evil that Ishmael the son
of Nethaniah had done, 41:12 Then they took all the men, and went to
fight with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and found him by the great
waters that are in Gibeon.

41:13 Now it came to pass, that when all the people which were with
Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces that were with him, then they were glad.

41:14 So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from
Mizpah cast about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of
Kareah.

41:15 But Ishmael the son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight
men, and went to the Ammonites.

41:16 Then took Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces that were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he had
recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, from Mizpah, after that
he had slain Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, even mighty men of war, and
the women, and the children, and the eunuchs, whom he had brought
again from Gibeon: 41:17 And they departed, and dwelt in the
habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into
Egypt, 41:18 Because of the Chaldeans: for they were afraid of them,
because Ishmael the son of Nethaniah had slain Gedaliah the son of
Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor in the land.

42:1 Then all the captains of the forces, and Johanan the son of
Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the
least even unto the greatest, came near, 42:2 And said unto Jeremiah
the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our supplication be accepted before
thee, and pray for us unto the LORD thy God, even for all this
remnant; (for we are left but a few of many, as thine eyes do behold
us:) 42:3 That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may
walk, and the thing that we may do.

42:4 Then Jeremiah the prophet said unto them, I have heard you;
behold, I will pray unto the LORD your God according to your words;
and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the LORD shall answer
you, I will declare it unto you; I will keep nothing back from you.

42:5 Then they said to Jeremiah, The LORD be a true and faithful
witness between us, if we do not even according to all things for the
which the LORD thy God shall send thee to us.

42:6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will obey the voice
of the LORD our God, to whom we send thee; that it may be well with
us, when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.

42:7 And it came to pass after ten days, that the word of the LORD
came unto Jeremiah.

42:8 Then called he Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of
the forces which were with him, and all the people from the least even
to the greatest, 42:9 And said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God
of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your supplication before
him; 42:10 If ye will still abide in this land, then will I build you,
and not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up: for
I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you.

42:11 Be not afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid; be
not afraid of him, saith the LORD: for I am with you to save you, and
to deliver you from his hand.

42:12 And I will shew mercies unto you, that he may have mercy upon
you, and cause you to return to your own land.

42:13 But if ye say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the
voice of the LORD your God, 42:14 Saying, No; but we will go into the
land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the
trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell: 42:15 And
now therefore hear the word of the LORD, ye remnant of Judah; Thus
saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; If ye wholly set your
faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there; 42:16 Then it
shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake
you there in the land of Egypt, and the famine, whereof ye were
afraid, shall follow close after you there in Egypt; and there ye
shall die.

42:17 So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into
Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine,
and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from
the evil that I will bring upon them.

42:18 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As mine
anger and my fury hath been poured forth upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when ye shall
enter into Egypt: and ye shall be an execration, and an astonishment,
and a curse, and a reproach; and ye shall see this place no more.

42:19 The LORD hath said concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah; Go ye
not into Egypt: know certainly that I have admonished you this day.

42:20 For ye dissembled in your hearts, when ye sent me unto the LORD
your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according
unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we
will do it.

42:21 And now I have this day declared it to you; but ye have not
obeyed the voice of the LORD your God, nor any thing for the which he
hath sent me unto you.

42:22 Now therefore know certainly that ye shall die by the sword, by
the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to
go and to sojourn.

43:1 And it came to pass, that when Jeremiah had made an end of
speaking unto all the people all the words of the LORD their God, for
which the LORD their God had sent him to them, even all these words,
43:2 Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of
Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest
falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt
to sojourn there: 43:3 But Baruch the son of Neriah setteth thee on
against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that
they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon.

43:4 So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces,
and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the
land of Judah.

43:5 But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the
forces, took all the remnant of Judah, that were returned from all
nations, whither they had been driven, to dwell in the land of Judah;
43:6 Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and
every person that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with
Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the
prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.

43:7 So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the
voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.

43:8 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah in Tahpanhes,
saying, 43:9 Take great stones in thine hand, and hide them in the
clay in the brickkiln, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in
Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah; 43:10 And say unto them,
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send
and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set
his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his
royal pavilion over them.

43:11 And when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and
deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity
to captivity; and such as are for the sword to the sword.

43:12 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and
he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array
himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment;
and he shall go forth from thence in peace.

43:13 He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the
land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he
burn with fire.

44:1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews which
dwell in the land of Egypt, which dwell at Migdol, and at Tahpanhes,
and at Noph, and in the country of Pathros, saying, 44:2 Thus saith
the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Ye have seen all the evil that I
have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah; and,
behold, this day they are a desolation, and no man dwelleth therein,
44:3 Because of their wickedness which they have committed to provoke
me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve other
gods, whom they knew not, neither they, ye, nor your fathers.

44:4 Howbeit I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, rising
early and sending them, saying, Oh, do not this abominable thing that
I hate.

44:5 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their
wickedness, to burn no incense unto other gods.

44:6 Wherefore my fury and mine anger was poured forth, and was
kindled in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and
they are wasted and desolate, as at this day.

44:7 Therefore now thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of
Israel; Wherefore commit ye this great evil against your souls, to cut
off from you man and woman, child and suckling, out of Judah, to leave
you none to remain; 44:8 In that ye provoke me unto wrath with the
works of your hands, burning incense unto other gods in the land of
Egypt, whither ye be gone to dwell, that ye might cut yourselves off,
and that ye might be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of
the earth?  44:9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and
the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their
wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives,
which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem?  44:10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither
have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set
before you and before your fathers.

44:11 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;
Behold, I will set my face against you for evil, and to cut off all
Judah.

44:12 And I will take the remnant of Judah, that have set their faces
to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be
consumed, and fall in the land of Egypt; they shall even be consumed
by the sword and by the famine: they shall die, from the least even
unto the greatest, by the sword and by the famine: and they shall be
an execration, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach.

44:13 For I will punish them that dwell in the land of Egypt, as I
have punished Jerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the
pestilence: 44:14 So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone
into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that
they should return into the land of Judah, to the which they have a
desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but such as
shall escape.

44:15 Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense
unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude,
even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros,
answered Jeremiah, saying, 44:16 As for the word that thou hast spoken
unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.

44:17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our
own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out
drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our
kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw
no evil.

44:18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven,
and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things,
and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.

44:19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured
out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her,
and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?  44:20 Then
Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and
to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, 44:21 The
incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the
people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not
into his mind?  44:22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because
of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye
have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an
astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day.

44:23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned
against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor
walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies;
therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

44:24 Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the
women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of
Egypt: 44:25 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying;
Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled
with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have
vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink
offerings unto her: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely
perform your vows.

44:26 Therefore hear ye the word of the LORD, all Judah that dwell in
the land of Egypt; Behold, I have sworn by my great name, saith the
LORD, that my name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of
Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, The Lord GOD liveth.

44:27 Behold, I will watch over them for evil, and not for good: and
all the men of Judah that are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed
by the sword and by the famine, until there be an end of them.

44:28 Yet a small number that escape the sword shall return out of the
land of Egypt into the land of Judah, and all the remnant of Judah,
that are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall know
whose words shall stand, mine, or their's.

44:29 And this shall be a sign unto you, saith the LORD, that I will
punish you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely
stand against you for evil: 44:30 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will
give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and
into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of
Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and
that sought his life.

45:1 The word that Jeremiah the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of
Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the mouth of
Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of
Judah, saying, 45:2 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, unto thee,
O Baruch: 45:3 Thou didst say, Woe is me now! for the LORD hath added
grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.

45:4 Thus shalt thou say unto him, The LORD saith thus; Behold, that
which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I
will pluck up, even this whole land.

45:5 And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for,
behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life
will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.

46:1 The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet against
the Gentiles; 46:2 Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho
king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim
the son of Josiah king of Judah.

46:3 Order ye the buckler and shield, and draw near to battle.

46:4 Harness the horses; and get up, ye horsemen, and stand forth with
your helmets; furbish the spears, and put on the brigandines.

46:5 Wherefore have I seen them dismayed and turned away back? and
their mighty ones are beaten down, and are fled apace, and look not
back: for fear was round about, saith the LORD.

46:6 Let not the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape; they
shall stumble, and fall toward the north by the river Euphrates.

46:7 Who is this that cometh up as a flood, whose waters are moved as
the rivers?  46:8 Egypt riseth up like a flood, and his waters are
moved like the rivers; and he saith, I will go up, and will cover the
earth; I will destroy the city and the inhabitants thereof.

46:9 Come up, ye horses; and rage, ye chariots; and let the mighty men
come forth; the Ethiopians and the Libyans, that handle the shield;
and the Lydians, that handle and bend the bow.

46:10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of
vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword
shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood:
for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the
river Euphrates.

46:11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin, the daughter of
Egypt: in vain shalt thou use many medicines; for thou shalt not be
cured.

46:12 The nations have heard of thy shame, and thy cry hath filled the
land: for the mighty man hath stumbled against the mighty, and they
are fallen both together.

46:13 The word that the LORD spake to Jeremiah the prophet, how
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of
Egypt.

46:14 Declare ye in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Noph
and in Tahpanhes: say ye, Stand fast, and prepare thee; for the sword
shall devour round about thee.

46:15 Why are thy valiant men swept away? they stood not, because the
LORD did drive them.

46:16 He made many to fall, yea, one fell upon another: and they said,
Arise, and let us go again to our own people, and to the land of our
nativity, from the oppressing sword.

46:17 They did cry there, Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise; he
hath passed the time appointed.

46:18 As I live, saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts,
Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so
shall he come.

46:19 O thou daughter dwelling in Egypt, furnish thyself to go into
captivity: for Noph shall be waste and desolate without an inhabitant.

46:20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it
cometh out of the north.

46:21 Also her hired men are in the midst of her like fatted bullocks;
for they also are turned back, and are fled away together: they did
not stand, because the day of their calamity was come upon them, and
the time of their visitation.

46:22 The voice thereof shall go like a serpent; for they shall march
with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.

46:23 They shall cut down her forest, saith the LORD, though it cannot
be searched; because they are more than the grasshoppers, and are
innumerable.

46:24 The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded; she shall be
delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

46:25 The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saith; Behold, I will
punish the multitude of No, and Pharaoh, and Egypt, with their gods,
and their kings; even Pharaoh, and all them that trust in him: 46:26
And I will deliver them into the hand of those that seek their lives,
and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand
of his servants: and afterward it shall be inhabited, as in the days
of old, saith the LORD.

46:27 But fear not thou, O my servant Jacob, and be not dismayed, O
Israel: for, behold, I will save thee from afar off, and thy seed from
the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and be in rest
and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

46:28 Fear thou not, O Jacob my servant, saith the LORD: for I am with
thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have
driven thee: but I will not make a full end of thee, but correct thee
in measure; yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

47:1 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against
the Philistines, before that Pharaoh smote Gaza.

47:2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and
shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all
that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men
shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.

47:3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses,
at the rushing of his chariots, and at the rumbling of his wheels, the
fathers shall not look back to their children for feebleness of hands;
47:4 Because of the day that cometh to spoil all the Philistines, and
to cut off from Tyrus and Zidon every helper that remaineth: for the
LORD will spoil the Philistines, the remnant of the country of
Caphtor.

47:5 Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ashkelon is cut off with the remnant
of their valley: how long wilt thou cut thyself?  47:6 O thou sword of
the LORD, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself into
thy scabbard, rest, and be still.

47:7 How can it be quiet, seeing the LORD hath given it a charge
against Ashkelon, and against the sea shore? there hath he appointed
it.

48:1 Against Moab thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Woe
unto Nebo! for it is spoiled: Kiriathaim is confounded and taken:
Misgab is confounded and dismayed.

48:2 There shall be no more praise of Moab: in Heshbon they have
devised evil against it; come, and let us cut it off from being a
nation. Also thou shalt be cut down, O Madmen; the sword shall pursue
thee.

48:3 A voice of crying shall be from Horonaim, spoiling and great
destruction.

48:4 Moab is destroyed; her little ones have caused a cry to be heard.

48:5 For in the going up of Luhith continual weeping shall go up; for
in the going down of Horonaim the enemies have heard a cry of
destruction.

48:6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.

48:7 For because thou hast trusted in thy works and in thy treasures,
thou shalt also be taken: and Chemosh shall go forth into captivity
with his priests and his princes together.

48:8 And the spoiler shall come upon every city, and no city shall
escape: the valley also shall perish, and the plain shall be
destroyed, as the LORD hath spoken.

48:9 Give wings unto Moab, that it may flee and get away: for the
cities thereof shall be desolate, without any to dwell therein.

48:10 Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and
cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.

48:11 Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on
his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither
hath he gone into captivity: therefore his taste remained in him, and
his scent is not changed.

48:12 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will
send unto him wanderers, that shall cause him to wander, and shall
empty his vessels, and break their bottles.

48:13 And Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was
ashamed of Bethel their confidence.

48:14 How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war?  48:15
Moab is spoiled, and gone up out of her cities, and his chosen young
men are gone down to the slaughter, saith the King, whose name is the
LORD of hosts.

48:16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hasteth
fast.

48:17 All ye that are about him, bemoan him; and all ye that know his
name, say, How is the strong staff broken, and the beautiful rod!
48:18 Thou daughter that dost inhabit Dibon, come down from thy glory,
and sit in thirst; for the spoiler of Moab shall come upon thee, and
he shall destroy thy strong holds.

48:19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and espy; ask him that
fleeth, and her that escapeth, and say, What is done?  48:20 Moab is
confounded; for it is broken down: howl and cry; tell ye it in Arnon,
that Moab is spoiled, 48:21 And judgment is come upon the plain
country; upon Holon, and upon Jahazah, and upon Mephaath, 48:22 And
upon Dibon, and upon Nebo, and upon Bethdiblathaim, 48:23 And upon
Kiriathaim, and upon Bethgamul, and upon Bethmeon, 48:24 And upon
Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab,
far or near.

48:25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, saith the
LORD.

48:26 Make ye him drunken: for he magnified himself against the LORD:
Moab also shall wallow in his vomit, and he also shall be in derision.

48:27 For was not Israel a derision unto thee? was he found among
thieves?  for since thou spakest of him, thou skippedst for joy.

48:28 O ye that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the
rock, and be like the dove that maketh her nest in the sides of the
hole's mouth.

48:29 We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his
loftiness, and his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of
his heart.

48:30 I know his wrath, saith the LORD; but it shall not be so; his
lies shall not so effect it.

48:31 Therefore will I howl for Moab, and I will cry out for all Moab;
mine heart shall mourn for the men of Kirheres.

48:32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of
Jazer: thy plants are gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of
Jazer: the spoiler is fallen upon thy summer fruits and upon thy
vintage.

48:33 And joy and gladness is taken from the plentiful field, and from
the land of Moab, and I have caused wine to fail from the winepresses:
none shall tread with shouting; their shouting shall be no shouting.

48:34 From the cry of Heshbon even unto Elealeh, and even unto Jahaz,
have they uttered their voice, from Zoar even unto Horonaim, as an
heifer of three years old: for the waters also of Nimrim shall be
desolate.

48:35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab, saith the LORD, him that
offereth in the high places, and him that burneth incense to his gods.

48:36 Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine
heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the
riches that he hath gotten are perished.

48:37 For every head shall be bald, and every beard clipped: upon all
the hands shall be cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

48:38 There shall be lamentation generally upon all the housetops of
Moab, and in the streets thereof: for I have broken Moab like a vessel
wherein is no pleasure, saith the LORD.

48:39 They shall howl, saying, How is it broken down! how hath Moab
turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a
dismaying to all them about him.

48:40 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and
shall spread his wings over Moab.

48:41 Kerioth is taken, and the strong holds are surprised, and the
mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a
woman in her pangs.

48:42 And Moab shall be destroyed from being a people, because he hath
magnified himself against the LORD.

48:43 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, shall be upon thee, O
inhabitant of Moab, saith the LORD.

48:44 He that fleeth from the fear shall fall into the pit; and he
that getteth up out of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for I will
bring upon it, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation, saith the
LORD.

48:45 They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the
force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from
the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown
of the head of the tumultuous ones.

48:46 Woe be unto thee, O Moab! the people of Chemosh perisheth: for
thy sons are taken captives, and thy daughters captives.

48:47 Yet will I bring again the captivity of Moab in the latter days,
saith the LORD. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

49:1 Concerning the Ammonites, thus saith the LORD; Hath Israel no
sons?  hath he no heir? why then doth their king inherit Gad, and his
people dwell in his cities?  49:2 Therefore, behold, the days come,
saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard in
Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her
daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto
them that were his heirs, saith the LORD.

49:3 Howl, O Heshbon, for Ai is spoiled: cry, ye daughters of Rabbah,
gird you with sackcloth; lament, and run to and fro by the hedges; for
their king shall go into captivity, and his priests and his princes
together.

49:4 Wherefore gloriest thou in the valleys, thy flowing valley, O
backsliding daughter? that trusted in her treasures, saying, Who shall
come unto me?  49:5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, saith the
Lord GOD of hosts, from all those that be about thee; and ye shall be
driven out every man right forth; and none shall gather up him that
wandereth.

49:6 And afterward I will bring again the captivity of the children of
Ammon, saith the LORD.

49:7 Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more
in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom
vanished?  49:8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of
Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I
will visit him.

49:9 If grapegatherers come to thee, would they not leave some
gleaning grapes? if thieves by night, they will destroy till they have
enough.

49:10 But I have made Esau bare, I have uncovered his secret places,
and he shall not be able to hide himself: his seed is spoiled, and his
brethren, and his neighbours, and he is not.

49:11 Leave thy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and
let thy widows trust in me.

49:12 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, they whose judgment was not to
drink of the cup have assuredly drunken; and art thou he that shall
altogether go unpunished? thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt
surely drink of it.

49:13 For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall
become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the
cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes.

49:14 I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent
unto the heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her,
and rise up to the battle.

49:15 For, lo, I will make thee small among the heathen, and despised
among men.

49:16 Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine
heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest
the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as
the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.

49:17 Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it
shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

49:18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour
cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither
shall a son of man dwell in it.

49:19 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan
against the habitation of the strong: but I will suddenly make him run
away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her?
for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that
shepherd that will stand before me?  49:20 Therefore hear the counsel
of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that
he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of
the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations
desolate with them.

49:21 The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the
noise thereof was heard in the Red sea.

49:22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his
wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men
of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

49:23 Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they
have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the
sea; it cannot be quiet.

49:24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear
hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in
travail.

49:25 How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy!  49:26
Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of
war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts.

49:27 And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall
consume the palaces of Benhadad.

49:28 Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD; Arise
ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the east.

49:29 Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall
take to themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their
camels; and they shall cry unto them, Fear is on every side.

49:30 Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor,
saith the LORD; for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel
against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you.

49:31 Arise, get you up unto the wealthy nation, that dwelleth without
care, saith the LORD, which have neither gates nor bars, which dwell
alone.

49:32 And their camels shall be a booty, and the multitude of their
cattle a spoil: and I will scatter into all winds them that are in the
utmost corners; and I will bring their calamity from all sides
thereof, saith the LORD.

49:33 And Hazor shall be a dwelling for dragons, and a desolation for
ever: there shall no man abide there, nor any son of man dwell in it.

49:34 The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against
Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
49:35 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of
Elam, the chief of their might.

49:36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters
of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there
shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

49:37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and
before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them,
even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after
them, till I have consumed them: 49:38 And I will set my throne in
Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the
LORD.

49:39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring
again the captivity of Elam, saith the LORD.

50:1 The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land
of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.

50:2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded,
Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are
broken in pieces.

50:3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which
shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall
remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.

50:4 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of
Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and
weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.

50:5 They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward,
saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual
covenant that shall not be forgotten.

50:6 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them
to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have
gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

50:7 All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries
said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the
habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.

50:8 Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land
of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.

50:9 For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an
assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set
themselves in array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their
arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man; none shall return in vain.

50:10 And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be
satisfied, saith the LORD.

50:11 Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of
mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and
bellow as bulls; 50:12 Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that
bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall
be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

50:13 Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but
it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be
astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

50:14 Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that
bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned
against the LORD.

50:15 Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her
foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the
vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do
unto her.

50:16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle
in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall
turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own
land.

50:17 Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away:
first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

50:18 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel;
Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have
punished the king of Assyria.

50:19 And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall
feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon mount
Ephraim and Gilead.

50:20 In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the iniquity of
Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of
Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I
reserve.

50:21 Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and
against the inhabitants of Pekod: waste and utterly destroy after
them, saith the LORD, and do according to all that I have commanded
thee.

50:22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

50:23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how
is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!  50:24 I have laid a
snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not
aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven
against the LORD.

50:25 The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the
weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of
hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

50:26 Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses:
cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be
left.

50:27 Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe
unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

50:28 The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of
Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the
vengeance of his temple.

50:29 Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the
bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense
her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do
unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy
One of Israel.

50:30 Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her
men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD.

50:31 Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD
of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.

50:32 And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise
him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour
all round about him.

50:33 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The children of Israel and the
children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them
captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

50:34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name: he
shall throughly plead their cause, that he may give rest to the land,
and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

50:35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the LORD, and upon the
inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

50:36 A sword is upon the liars; and they shall dote: a sword is upon
her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.

50:37 A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon
all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall
become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be
robbed.

50:38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it
is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

50:39 Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of
the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and
it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in
from generation to generation.

50:40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities
thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall
any son of man dwell therein.

50:41 Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation,
and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

50:42 They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will
not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall
ride upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle,
against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

50:43 The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands
waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in
travail.

50:44 Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan
unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run
away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her?
for who is like me? and who will appoint me the time? and who is that
shepherd that will stand before me?  50:45 Therefore hear ye the
counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Babylon; and his
purposes, that he hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans:
Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall
make their habitation desolate with them.

50:46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and
the cry is heard among the nations.

51:1 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and
against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me,
a destroying wind; 51:2 And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall
fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they
shall be against her round about.

51:3 Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against
him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her
young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.

51:4 Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they
that are thrust through in her streets.

51:5 For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the
LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy
One of Israel.

51:6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul:
be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD's
vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence.

51:7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD's hand, that made all
the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the
nations are mad.

51:8 Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm
for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

51:9 We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her,
and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment
reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.

51:10 The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us
declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

51:11 Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised
up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against
Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the
vengeance of his temple.

51:12 Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch
strong, set up the watchmen, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath
both devised and done that which he spake against the inhabitants of
Babylon.

51:13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures,
thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.

51:14 The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, saying, Surely I will
fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a
shout against thee.

51:15 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the
world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his
understanding.

51:16 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in
the heavens; and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the
earth: he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out
of his treasures.

51:17 Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is
confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and
there is no breath in them.

51:18 They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their
visitation they shall perish.

51:19 The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of
all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of
hosts is his name.

51:20 Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I
break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;
51:21 And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider;
and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; 51:22
With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee
will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in
pieces the young man and the maid; 51:23 I will also break in pieces
with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in
pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break
in pieces captains and rulers.

51:24 And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of
Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight,
saith the LORD.

51:25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the
LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand
upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a
burnt mountain.

51:26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a
stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the
LORD.

51:27 Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the
nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her
the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain
against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.

51:28 Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the
captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his
dominion.

51:29 And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the
LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a
desolation without an inhabitant.

51:30 The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have
remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as
women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.

51:31 One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet
another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one
end, 51:32 And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have
burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.

51:33 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; The
daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh
her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.

51:34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath
crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up
like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath
cast me out.

51:35 The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall
the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of
Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.

51:36 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will plead thy cause,
and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her
springs dry.

51:37 And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an
astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

51:38 They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions'
whelps.

51:39 In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them
drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not
wake, saith the LORD.

51:40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams
with he goats.

51:41 How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth
surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
51:42 The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the
multitude of the waves thereof.

51:43 Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a
land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass
thereby.

51:44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of
his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not
flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

51:45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every
man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.

51:46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall
be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after
that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land,
ruler against ruler.

51:47 Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon
the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded,
and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

51:48 Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall
sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north,
saith the LORD.

51:49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at
Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.

51:50 Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still:
remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.

51:51 We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath
covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the
LORD's house.

51:52 Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do
judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded
shall groan.

51:53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should
fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come
unto her, saith the LORD.

51:54 A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from
the land of the Chaldeans: 51:55 Because the LORD hath spoiled
Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do
roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: 51:56
Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her
mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD
God of recompences shall surely requite.

51:57 And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her
captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a
perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is the LORD
of hosts.

51:58 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; The broad walls of Babylon shall
be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and
the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they
shall be weary.

51:59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of
Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of
Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah
was a quiet prince.

51:60 So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon
Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.

51:61 And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and
shalt see, and shalt read all these words; 51:62 Then shalt thou say,
O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none
shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be
desolate for ever.

51:63 And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this
book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst
of Euphrates: 51:64 And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and
shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they
shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

52:1 Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and
he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was
Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

52:2 And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according
to all that Jehoiakim had done.

52:3 For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem
and Judah, till he had cast them out from his presence, that Zedekiah
rebelled against the king of Babylon.

52:4 And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth
month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of
Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched
against it, and built forts against it round about.

52:5 So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of king Zedekiah.

52:6 And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the
famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people
of the land.

52:7 Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and
went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the
two walls, which was by the king's garden; (now the Chaldeans were by
the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.

52:8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and
overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was
scattered from him.

52:9 Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of
Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon
him.

52:10 And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his
eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

52:11 Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon
bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison
till the day of his death.

52:12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was
the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came
Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon,
into Jerusalem, 52:13 And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's
house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the
great men, burned he with fire: 52:14 And all the army of the
Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the
walls of Jerusalem round about.

52:15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive
certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that
remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king
of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.

52:16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left certain of the
poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.

52:17 Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD,
and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD,
the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.

52:18 The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the
bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they
ministered, took they away.

52:19 And the basons, and the firepans, and the bowls, and the
caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that
which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver,
took the captain of the guard away.

52:20 The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were
under the bases, which king Solomon had made in the house of the LORD:
the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

52:21 And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was
eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the
thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.

52:22 And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one
chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the
chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the
pomegranates were like unto these.

52:23 And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all
the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.

52:24 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and
Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 52:25
He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the
men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person,
which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host,
who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people
of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.

52:26 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought
them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

52:27 And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in
Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out
of his own land.

52:28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in
the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty: 52:29 In
the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from
Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons: 52:30 In the three and
twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard
carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons:
all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

52:31 And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the
captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the
five and twentieth day of the month, that Evilmerodach king of Babylon
in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king
of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison.

52:32 And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne
of the kings that were with him in Babylon, 52:33 And changed his
prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the
days of his life.

52:34 And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the
king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all
the days of his life.




The Lamentations of Jeremiah


1:1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! how is
she become as a widow! she that was great among the nations, and
princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!  1:2 She
weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all
her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt
treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

1:3 Judah is gone into captivity because of affliction, and because of
great servitude: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest:
all her persecutors overtook her between the straits.

1:4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts:
all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are
afflicted, and she is in bitterness.

1:5 Her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper; for the LORD
hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her
children are gone into captivity before the enemy.

1:6 And from the daughter of Zion all her beauty is departed: her
princes are become like harts that find no pasture, and they are gone
without strength before the pursuer.

1:7 Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her
miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when
her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the
adversaries saw her, and did mock at her sabbaths.

1:8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all
that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness:
yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.

1:9 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end;
therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD,
behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself.

1:10 The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant
things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary,
whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy
congregation.

1:11 All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their
pleasant things for meat to relieve the soul: see, O LORD, and
consider; for I am become vile.

1:12 Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if
there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me,
wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger.

1:13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth
against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me
back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.

1:14 The yoke of my transgressions is bound by his hand: they are
wreathed, and come up upon my neck: he hath made my strength to fall,
the LORD hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able
to rise up.

1:15 The LORD hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst
of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men:
the LORD hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a
winepress.

1:16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with
water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from
me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.

1:17 Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her:
the LORD hath commanded concerning Jacob, that his adversaries should
be round about him: Jerusalem is as a menstruous woman among them.

1:18 The LORD is righteous; for I have rebelled against his
commandment: hear, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorrow: my
virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

1:19 I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine
elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to
relieve their souls.

1:20 Behold, O LORD; for I am in distress: my bowels are troubled;
mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad
the sword bereaveth, at home there is as death.

1:21 They have heard that I sigh: there is none to comfort me: all
mine enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast
done it: thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called, and they shall
be like unto me.

1:22 Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them, as
thou hast done unto me for all my transgressions: for my sighs are
many, and my heart is faint.

2:1 How hath the LORD covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his
anger, and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel,
and remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger!  2:2 The
LORD hath swallowed up all the habitations of Jacob, and hath not
pitied: he hath thrown down in his wrath the strong holds of the
daughter of Judah; he hath brought them down to the ground: he hath
polluted the kingdom and the princes thereof.

2:3 He hath cut off in his fierce anger all the horn of Israel: he
hath drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he burned
against Jacob like a flaming fire, which devoureth round about.

2:4 He hath bent his bow like an enemy: he stood with his right hand
as an adversary, and slew all that were pleasant to the eye in the
tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he poured out his fury like fire.

2:5 The LORD was as an enemy: he hath swallowed up Israel, he hath
swallowed up all her palaces: he hath destroyed his strong holds, and
hath increased in the daughter of Judah mourning and lamentation.

2:6 And he hath violently taken away his tabernacle, as if it were of
a garden: he hath destroyed his places of the assembly: the LORD hath
caused the solemn feasts and sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion, and
hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest.

2:7 The LORD hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary,
he hath given up into the hand of the enemy the walls of her palaces;
they have made a noise in the house of the LORD, as in the day of a
solemn feast.

2:8 The LORD hath purposed to destroy the wall of the daughter of
Zion: he hath stretched out a line, he hath not withdrawn his hand
from destroying: therefore he made the rampart and the wall to lament;
they languished together.

2:9 Her gates are sunk into the ground; he hath destroyed and broken
her bars: her king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is
no more; her prophets also find no vision from the LORD.

2:10 The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep
silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded
themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their
heads to the ground.

2:11 Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled, my liver is
poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my
people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of
the city.

2:12 They say to their mothers, Where is corn and wine? when they
swooned as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul was
poured out into their mothers' bosom.

2:13 What thing shall I take to witness for thee? what thing shall I
liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? what shall I equal to thee,
that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? for thy breach is
great like the sea: who can heal thee?  2:14 Thy prophets have seen
vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine
iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false
burdens and causes of banishment.

2:15 All that pass by clap their hands at thee; they hiss and wag
their head at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying, Is this the city that
men call The perfection of beauty, The joy of the whole earth?  2:16
All thine enemies have opened their mouth against thee: they hiss and
gnash the teeth: they say, We have swallowed her up: certainly this is
the day that we looked for; we have found, we have seen it.

2:17 The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled
his word that he had commanded in the days of old: he hath thrown
down, and hath not pitied: and he hath caused thine enemy to rejoice
over thee, he hath set up the horn of thine adversaries.

2:18 Their heart cried unto the LORD, O wall of the daughter of Zion,
let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest;
let not the apple of thine eye cease.

2:19 Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour
out thine heart like water before the face of the LORD: lift up thy
hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for
hunger in the top of every street.

2:20 Behold, O LORD, and consider to whom thou hast done this. Shall
the women eat their fruit, and children of a span long? shall the
priest and the prophet be slain in the sanctuary of the Lord?  2:21
The young and the old lie on the ground in the streets: my virgins and
my young men are fallen by the sword; thou hast slain them in the day
of thine anger; thou hast killed, and not pitied.

2:22 Thou hast called as in a solemn day my terrors round about, so
that in the day of the LORD's anger none escaped nor remained: those
that I have swaddled and brought up hath mine enemy consumed.

3:1 I AM the man that hath seen affliction by the rod of his wrath.

3:2 He hath led me, and brought me into darkness, but not into light.

3:3 Surely against me is he turned; he turneth his hand against me all
the day.

3:4 My flesh and my skin hath he made old; he hath broken my bones.

3:5 He hath builded against me, and compassed me with gall and
travail.

3:6 He hath set me in dark places, as they that be dead of old.

3:7 He hath hedged me about, that I cannot get out: he hath made my
chain heavy.

3:8 Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer.

3:9 He hath inclosed my ways with hewn stone, he hath made my paths
crooked.

3:10 He was unto me as a bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret
places.

3:11 He hath turned aside my ways, and pulled me in pieces: he hath
made me desolate.

3:12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

3:13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

3:14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.

3:15 He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with
wormwood.

3:16 He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered
me with ashes.

3:17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat
prosperity.

3:18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD:
3:19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the
gall.

3:20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

3:21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

3:22 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his
compassions fail not.

3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in
him.

3:25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that
seeketh him.

3:26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the
salvation of the LORD.

3:27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke of his youth.

3:28 He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it
upon him.

3:29 He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope.

3:30 He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full
with reproach.

3:31 For the LORD will not cast off for ever: 3:32 But though he cause
grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his
mercies.

3:33 For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men.

3:34 To crush under his feet all the prisoners of the earth.

3:35 To turn aside the right of a man before the face of the most
High, 3:36 To subvert a man in his cause, the LORD approveth not.

3:37 Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord
commandeth it not?  3:38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth
not evil and good?  3:39 Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man
for the punishment of his sins?  3:40 Let us search and try our ways,
and turn again to the LORD.

3:41 Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.

3:42 We have transgressed and have rebelled: thou hast not pardoned.

3:43 Thou hast covered with anger, and persecuted us: thou hast slain,
thou hast not pitied.

3:44 Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should
not pass through.

3:45 Thou hast made us as the offscouring and refuse in the midst of
the people.

3:46 All our enemies have opened their mouths against us.

3:47 Fear and a snare is come upon us, desolation and destruction.

3:48 Mine eye runneth down with rivers of water for the destruction of
the daughter of my people.

3:49 Mine eye trickleth down, and ceaseth not, without any
intermission.

3:50 Till the LORD look down, and behold from heaven.

3:51 Mine eye affecteth mine heart because of all the daughters of my
city.

3:52 Mine enemies chased me sore, like a bird, without cause.

3:53 They have cut off my life in the dungeon, and cast a stone upon
me.

3:54 Waters flowed over mine head; then I said, I am cut off.

3:55 I called upon thy name, O LORD, out of the low dungeon.

3:56 Thou hast heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at
my cry.

3:57 Thou drewest near in the day that I called upon thee: thou
saidst, Fear not.

3:58 O LORD, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast
redeemed my life.

3:59 O LORD, thou hast seen my wrong: judge thou my cause.

3:60 Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their imaginations
against me.

3:61 Thou hast heard their reproach, O LORD, and all their
imaginations against me; 3:62 The lips of those that rose up against
me, and their device against me all the day.

3:63 Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their
musick.

3:64 Render unto them a recompence, O LORD, according to the work of
their hands.

3:65 Give them sorrow of heart, thy curse unto them.

3:66 Persecute and destroy them in anger from under the heavens of the
LORD.

4:1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the
stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.

4:2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they
esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
4:3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their
young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the
ostriches in the wilderness.

4:4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth
for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto
them.

4:5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they
that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

4:6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is
greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown
as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

4:7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk,
they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of
sapphire: 4:8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known
in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it
is become like a stick.

4:9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be
slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of
the fruits of the field.

4:10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children:
they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

4:11 The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his
fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured
the foundations thereof.

4:12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world,
would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have
entered into the gates of Jerusalem.

4:13 For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests,
that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, 4:14 They
have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted
themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

4:15 They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart,
touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the
heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.

4:16 The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard
them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not
the elders.

4:17 As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our
watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.

4:18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is
near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

4:19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they
pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the
wilderness.

4:20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken
in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among
the heathen.

4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the
land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be
drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

4:22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of
Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit
thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.

5:1 Remember, O LORD, what is come upon us: consider, and behold our
reproach.

5:2 Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.

5:3 We are orphans and fatherless, our mothers are as widows.

5:4 We have drunken our water for money; our wood is sold unto us.

5:5 Our necks are under persecution: we labour, and have no rest.

5:6 We have given the hand to the Egyptians, and to the Assyrians, to
be satisfied with bread.

5:7 Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their
iniquities.

5:8 Servants have ruled over us: there is none that doth deliver us
out of their hand.

5:9 We gat our bread with the peril of our lives because of the sword
of the wilderness.

5:10 Our skin was black like an oven because of the terrible famine.

5:11 They ravished the women in Zion, and the maids in the cities of
Judah.

5:12 Princes are hanged up by their hand: the faces of elders were not
honoured.

5:13 They took the young men to grind, and the children fell under the
wood.

5:14 The elders have ceased from the gate, the young men from their
musick.

5:15 The joy of our heart is ceased; our dance is turned into
mourning.

5:16 The crown is fallen from our head: woe unto us, that we have
sinned!  5:17 For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes
are dim.

5:18 Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes
walk upon it.

5:19 Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to
generation.

5:20 Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long
time?  5:21 Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned;
renew our days as of old.

5:22 But thou hast utterly rejected us; thou art very wroth against us.




The Book of the Prophet Ezekiel


1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month,
in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river
of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

1:2 In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king
Jehoiachin's captivity, 1:3 The word of the LORD came expressly unto
Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by
the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.

1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a
great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about
it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the
midst of the fire.

1:5 Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living
creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a
man.

1:6 And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.

1:7 And their feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was
like the sole of a calf's foot: and they sparkled like the colour of
burnished brass.

1:8 And they had the hands of a man under their wings on their four
sides; and they four had their faces and their wings.

1:9 Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they
went; they went every one straight forward.

1:10 As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a
man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the
face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an
eagle.

1:11 Thus were their faces: and their wings were stretched upward; two
wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their
bodies.

1:12 And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was
to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.

1:13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was
like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went
up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and
out of the fire went forth lightning.

1:14 And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a
flash of lightning.

1:15 Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the
earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.

1:16 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the
colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their
appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a
wheel.

1:17 When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned
not when they went.

1:18 As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful;
and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.

1:19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and
when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels
were lifted up.

1:20 Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went, thither was their
spirit to go; and the wheels were lifted up over against them: for the
spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.

1:21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood;
and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted
up over against them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the
wheels.

1:22 And the likeness of the firmament upon the heads of the living
creature was as the colour of the terrible crystal, stretched forth
over their heads above.

1:23 And under the firmament were their wings straight, the one toward
the other: every one had two, which covered on this side, and every
one had two, which covered on that side, their bodies.

1:24 And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the
noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of
speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their
wings.

1:25 And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their
heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.

1:26 And above the firmament that was over their heads was the
likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon
the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man
above upon it.

1:27 And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round
about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and
from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the
appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.

1:28 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of
rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was
the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I
saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

2:1 And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will
speak unto thee.

2:2 And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me
upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me.

2:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of
Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and
their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.

2:4 For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee
unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.

2:5 And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear,
(for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been
a prophet among them.

2:6 And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of
their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost
dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed
at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.

2:7 And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear,
or whether they will forbear: for they are most rebellious.

2:8 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou
rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I
give thee.

2:9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a
roll of a book was therein; 2:10 And he spread it before me; and it
was written within and without: and there was written therein
lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

3:1 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat
this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.

3:2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.

3:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill
thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it
was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

3:4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of
Israel, and speak with my words unto them.

3:5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an
hard language, but to the house of Israel; 3:6 Not to many people of a
strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not
understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened
unto thee.

3:7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will
not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and
hardhearted.

3:8 Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy
forehead strong against their foreheads.

3:9 As an adamant harder than flint have I made thy forehead: fear
them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a
rebellious house.

3:10 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, all my words that I shall
speak unto thee receive in thine heart, and hear with thine ears.

3:11 And go, get thee to them of the captivity, unto the children of
thy people, and speak unto them, and tell them, Thus saith the Lord
GOD; whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.

3:12 Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a
great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the LORD from his
place.

3:13 I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that
touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them,
and a noise of a great rushing.

3:14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in
bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was
strong upon me.

3:15 Then I came to them of the captivity at Telabib, that dwelt by
the river of Chebar, and I sat where they sat, and remained there
astonished among them seven days.

3:16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of
the LORD came unto me, saying, 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a
watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my
mouth, and give them warning from me.

3:18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou
givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his
wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his
iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

3:19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness,
nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast
delivered thy soul.

3:20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and
commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die:
because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and
his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his
blood will I require at thine hand.

3:21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous
sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is
warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

3:22 And the hand of the LORD was there upon me; and he said unto me,
Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.

3:23 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and, behold, the
glory of the LORD stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river
of Chebar: and I fell on my face.

3:24 Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and
spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house.

3:25 But thou, O son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee,
and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them:
3:26 And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that
thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are
a rebellious house.

3:27 But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt
say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; He that heareth, let him hear;
and he that forbeareth, let him forbear: for they are a rebellious
house.

4:1 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee,
and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: 4:2 And lay siege
against it, and build a fort against it, and cast a mount against it;
set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round
about.

4:3 Moreover take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of
iron between thee and the city: and set thy face against it, and it
shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be
a sign to the house of Israel.

4:4 Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the
house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou
shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity.

4:5 For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according
to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt
thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.

4:6 And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side,
and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I
have appointed thee each day for a year.

4:7 Therefore thou shalt set thy face toward the siege of Jerusalem,
and thine arm shall be uncovered, and thou shalt prophesy against it.

4:8 And, behold, I will lay bands upon thee, and thou shalt not turn
thee from one side to another, till thou hast ended the days of thy
siege.

4:9 Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and
lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and
make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou
shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat
thereof.

4:10 And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty
shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.

4:11 Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin:
from time to time shalt thou drink.

4:12 And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it
with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.

4:13 And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat
their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.

4:14 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted:
for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which
dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable
flesh into my mouth.

4:15 Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow's dung for man's
dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.

4:16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the
staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and
with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with
astonishment: 4:17 That they may want bread and water, and be astonied
one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.

5:1 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a
barber's razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy
beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

5:2 Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city,
when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third
part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt
scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

5:3 Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy
skirts.

5:4 Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire,
and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into
all the house of Israel.

5:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the
midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.

5:6 And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the
nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about
her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not
walked in them.

5:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than
the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my
statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according
to the judgments of the nations that are round about you; 5:8
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee,
and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the
nations.

5:9 And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I
will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

5:10 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee,
and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in
thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

5:11 Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou
hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all
thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall
mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

5:12 A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with
famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part
shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third
part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

5:13 Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury
to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I
the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury
in them.

5:14 Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations
that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

5:15 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an
astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall
execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes.
I the LORD have spoken it.

5:16 When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which
shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you:
and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of
bread: 5:17 So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they
shall bereave thee: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee;
and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

6:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 6:2 Son of man, set
thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them,
6:3 And say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD;
Thus saith the Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the
rivers, and to the valleys; Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon
you, and I will destroy your high places.

6:4 And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be
broken: and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.

6:5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before
their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars.

6:6 In all your dwellingplaces the cities shall be laid waste, and the
high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and
made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your images
may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.

6:7 And the slain shall fall in the midst of you, and ye shall know
that I am the LORD.

6:8 Yet will I leave a remnant, that ye may have some that shall
escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through
the countries.

6:9 And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations
whither they shall be carried captives, because I am broken with their
whorish heart, which hath departed from me, and with their eyes, which
go a whoring after their idols: and they shall lothe themselves for
the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.

6:10 And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said
in vain that I would do this evil unto them.

6:11 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Smite with thine hand, and stamp with
thy foot, and say, Alas for all the evil abominations of the house of
Israel! for they shall fall by the sword, by the famine, and by the
pestilence.

6:12 He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is
near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged
shall die by the famine: thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.

6:13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall
be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill,
in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and
under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savour to
all their idols.

6:14 So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land
desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in
all their habitations: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

7:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 7:2 Also, thou
son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD unto the land of Israel; An end,
the end is come upon the four corners of the land.

7:3 Now is the end come upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon
thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense
upon thee all thine abominations.

7:4 And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity: but I
will recompense thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in
the midst of thee: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

7:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD; An evil, an only evil, behold, is come.

7:6 An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it
is come.

7:7 The morning is come unto thee, O thou that dwellest in the land:
the time is come, the day of trouble is near, and not the sounding
again of the mountains.

7:8 Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine
anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will
recompense thee for all thine abominations.

7:9 And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will
recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are
in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that
smiteth.

7:10 Behold the day, behold, it is come: the morning is gone forth;
the rod hath blossomed, pride hath budded.

7:11 Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness: none of them shall
remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of their's: neither shall
there be wailing for them.

7:12 The time is come, the day draweth near: let not the buyer
rejoice, nor the seller mourn: for wrath is upon all the multitude
thereof.

7:13 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although
they were yet alive: for the vision is touching the whole multitude
thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself
in the iniquity of his life.

7:14 They have blown the trumpet, even to make all ready; but none
goeth to the battle: for my wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.

7:15 The sword is without, and the pestilence and the famine within:
he that is in the field shall die with the sword; and he that is in
the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.

7:16 But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the
mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one
for his iniquity.

7:17 All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water.

7:18 They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall
cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all
their heads.

7:19 They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall
be removed: their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver
them in the day of the wrath of the LORD: they shall not satisfy their
souls, neither fill their bowels: because it is the stumblingblock of
their iniquity.

7:20 As for the beauty of his ornament, he set it in majesty: but they
made the images of their abominations and of their detestable things
therein: therefore have I set it far from them.

7:21 And I will give it into the hands of the strangers for a prey,
and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall pollute it.

7:22 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall pollute my
secret place: for the robbers shall enter into it, and defile it.

7:23 Make a chain: for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city
is full of violence.

7:24 Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen, and they shall
possess their houses: I will also make the pomp of the strong to
cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.

7:25 Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be
none.

7:26 Mischief shall come upon mischief, and rumour shall be upon
rumour; then shall they seek a vision of the prophet; but the law
shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients.

7:27 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with
desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled:
I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts
will I judge them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

8:1 And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the
fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of
Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord GOD fell there upon me.

8:2 Then I beheld, and lo a likeness as the appearance of fire: from
the appearance of his loins even downward, fire; and from his loins
even upward, as the appearance of brightness, as the colour of amber.

8:3 And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of
mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the
heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door
of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where was the seat of
the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

8:4 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according
to the vision that I saw in the plain.

8:5 Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way
toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north,
and behold northward at the gate of the altar this image of jealousy
in the entry.

8:6 He said furthermore unto me, Son of man, seest thou what they do?
even the great abominations that the house of Israel committeth here,
that I should go far off from my sanctuary? but turn thee yet again,
and thou shalt see greater abominations.

8:7 And he brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked,
behold a hole in the wall.

8:8 Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I
had digged in the wall, behold a door.

8:9 And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations
that they do here.

8:10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things,
and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel,
pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

8:11 And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients of the
house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of
Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of
incense went up.

8:12 Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the
ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the
chambers of his imagery? for they say, the LORD seeth us not; the LORD
hath forsaken the earth.

8:13 He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see
greater abominations that they do.

8:14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house
which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for
Tammuz.

8:15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn
thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.

8:16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and,
behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and
the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the
temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they
worshipped the sun toward the east.

8:17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a
light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations
which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence,
and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch
to their nose.

8:18 Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare,
neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud
voice, yet will I not hear them.

9:1 He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them
that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his
destroying weapon in his hand.

9:2 And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which
lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand;
and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn
by his side: and they went in, and stood beside the brasen altar.

9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub,
whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the
man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;
9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city,
through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of
the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done
in the midst thereof.

9:5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through
the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 9:6
Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and
women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at
my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the
house.

9:7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with
the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

9:8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left,
that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou
destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon
Jerusalem?  9:9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of
Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood,
and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath
forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

9:10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have
pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

9:11 And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by
his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast
commanded me.

10:1 Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the
head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire
stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.

10:2 And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in
between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with
coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the
city. And he went in in my sight.

10:3 Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the
man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.

10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood
over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the
cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD's glory.

10:5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer
court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

10:6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed
with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between
the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

10:7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the
cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took
thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen:
who took it, and went out.

10:8 And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand
under their wings.

10:9 And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one
wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the
appearance of the wheels was as the colour of a beryl stone.

10:10 And as for their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if
a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

10:11 When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not
as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed
it; they turned not as they went.

10:12 And their whole body, and their backs, and their hands, and
their wings, and the wheels, were full of eyes round about, even the
wheels that they four had.

10:13 As for the wheels, it was cried unto them in my hearing, O
wheel.

10:14 And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a
cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the
face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

10:15 And the cherubims were lifted up. This is the living creature
that I saw by the river of Chebar.

10:16 And when the cherubims went, the wheels went by them: and when
the cherubims lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the
same wheels also turned not from beside them.

10:17 When they stood, these stood; and when they were lifted up,
these lifted up themselves also: for the spirit of the living creature
was in them.

10:18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from off the threshold of
the house, and stood over the cherubims.

10:19 And the cherubims lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the
earth in my sight: when they went out, the wheels also were beside
them, and every one stood at the door of the east gate of the LORD's
house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

10:20 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel
by the river of Chebar; and I knew that they were the cherubims.

10:21 Every one had four faces apiece, and every one four wings; and
the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.

10:22 And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw
by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went
every one straight forward.

11:1 Moreover the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east
gate of the LORD's house, which looketh eastward: and behold at the
door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the
son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.

11:2 Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise
mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city: 11:3 Which say, It is
not near; let us build houses: this city is the caldron, and we be the
flesh.

11:4 Therefore prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man.

11:5 And the Spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak;
Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know
the things that come into your mind, every one of them.

11:6 Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled
the streets thereof with the slain.

11:7 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Your slain whom ye have laid
in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron:
but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it.

11:8 Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you,
saith the Lord GOD.

11:9 And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you
into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you.

11:10 Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of
Israel; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

11:11 This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the
flesh in the midst thereof; but I will judge you in the border of
Israel: 11:12 And ye shall know that I am the LORD: for ye have not
walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done
after the manners of the heathen that are round about you.

11:13 And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of
Benaiah died. Then fell I down upon my face, and cried with a loud
voice, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant
of Israel?  11:14 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
11:15 Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy
kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the
inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the LORD: unto us
is this land given in possession.

11:16 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Although I have cast
them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them
among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in
the countries where they shall come.

11:17 Therefore say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even gather you
from the people, and assemble you out of the countries where ye have
been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.

11:18 And they shall come thither, and they shall take away all the
detestable things thereof and all the abominations thereof from
thence.

11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit
within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and
will give them an heart of flesh: 11:20 That they may walk in my
statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my
people, and I will be their God.

11:21 But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their
detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way
upon their own heads, saith the Lord GOD.

11:22 Then did the cherubims lift up their wings, and the wheels
beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.

11:23 And the glory of the LORD went up from the midst of the city,
and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city.

11:24 Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by
the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the
vision that I had seen went up from me.

11:25 Then I spake unto them of the captivity all the things that the
LORD had shewed me.

12:1 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, 12:2 Son of man,
thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to
see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a
rebellious house.

12:3 Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, and
remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to
another place in their sight: it may be they will consider, though
they be a rebellious house.

12:4 Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as
stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as
they that go forth into captivity.

12:5 Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby.

12:6 In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry
it forth in the twilight: thou shalt cover thy face, that thou see not
the ground: for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel.

12:7 And I did so as I was commanded: I brought forth my stuff by day,
as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with
mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my
shoulder in their sight.

12:8 And in the morning came the word of the LORD unto me, saying,
12:9 Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house,
said unto thee, What doest thou?  12:10 Say thou unto them, Thus saith
the Lord GOD; This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all
the house of Israel that are among them.

12:11 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done
unto them: they shall remove and go into captivity.

12:12 And the prince that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder
in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall
to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the
ground with his eyes.

12:13 My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my
snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans;
yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.

12:14 And I will scatter toward every wind all that are about him to
help him, and all his bands; and I will draw out the sword after them.

12:15 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall scatter
them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.

12:16 But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the
famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their
abominations among the heathen whither they come; and they shall know
that I am the LORD.

12:17 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 12:18 Son of
man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling
and with carefulness; 12:19 And say unto the people of the land, Thus
saith the Lord GOD of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of
Israel; They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their
water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that
is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein.

12:20 And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the
land shall be desolate; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

12:21 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 12:22 Son of man,
what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The
days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?  12:23 Tell them
therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease,
and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto
them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision.

12:24 For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering
divination within the house of Israel.

12:25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak
shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O
rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the
Lord GOD.

12:26 Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying.

12:27 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision
that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the
times that are far off.

12:28 Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; There shall
none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have
spoken shall be done, saith the Lord GOD.

13:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 13:2 Son of man,
prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou
unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of
the LORD; 13:3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets,
that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!  13:4 O Israel,
thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.

13:5 Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for
the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.

13:6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD
saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to
hope that they would confirm the word.

13:7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying
divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not
spoken?  13:8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have
spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you,
saith the Lord GOD.

13:9 And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and
that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people,
neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel,
neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know
that I am the Lord GOD.

13:10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying,
Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo,
others daubed it with untempered morter: 13:11 Say unto them which
daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall: there shall be an
overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a
stormy wind shall rend it.

13:12 Lo, when the wall is fallen, shall it not be said unto you,
Where is the daubing wherewith ye have daubed it?  13:13 Therefore
thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my
fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and
great hailstones in my fury to consume it.

13:14 So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with
untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the
foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye
shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am
the LORD.

13:15 Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them
that have daubed it with untempered morter, and will say unto you, The
wall is no more, neither they that daubed it; 13:16 To wit, the
prophets of Israel which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see
visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord GOD.

13:17 Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of
thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou
against them, 13:18 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the women
that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of
every stature to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and
will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?  13:19 And will ye
pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of
bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls
alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your
lies?  13:20 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against
your pillows, wherewith ye there hunt the souls to make them fly, and
I will tear them from your arms, and will let the souls go, even the
souls that ye hunt to make them fly.

13:21 Your kerchiefs also will I tear, and deliver my people out of
your hand, and they shall be no more in your hand to be hunted; and ye
shall know that I am the LORD.

13:22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad,
whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked,
that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:
13:23 Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations:
for I will deliver my people out of your hand: and ye shall know that
I am the LORD.

14:1 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before
me.

14:2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 14:3 Son of man,
these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the
stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be
enquired of at all by them?  14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel
that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock
of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD
will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because
they are all estranged from me through their idols.

14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces
from all your abominations.

14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that
sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up
his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity
before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning
me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: 14:8 And I will set my face
against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will
cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am
the LORD.

14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the
LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon
him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

14:10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the
punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that
seeketh unto him; 14:11 That the house of Israel may go no more astray
from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions;
but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord
GOD.

14:12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, 14:13 Son of man,
when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will
I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread
thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast
from it: 14:14 Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in
it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness,
saith the Lord GOD.

14:15 If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they
spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because
of the beasts: 14:16 Though these three men were in it, as I live,
saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters;
they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.

14:17 Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through
the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: 14:18 Though these
three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall
deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered
themselves.

14:19 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury
upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: 14:20 Though Noah,
Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall
deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own
souls by their righteousness.

14:21 For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four
sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the
noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?
14:22 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be
brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth
unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be
comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even
concerning all that I have brought upon it.

14:23 And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their
doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that
I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

15:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 15:2 Son of man,
what is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is
among the trees of the forest?  15:3 Shall wood be taken thereof to do
any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
15:4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth
both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any
work?  15:5 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how
much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath
devoured it, and it is burned?  15:6 Therefore thus saith the Lord
GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have
given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of
Jerusalem.

15:7 And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one
fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am
the LORD, when I set my face against them.

15:8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a
trespass, saith the Lord GOD.

16:1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 16:2 Son of man,
cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, 16:3 And say, Thus saith the
Lord GOD unto Jerusalem; Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of
Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.

16:4 And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born thy navel was
not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast
not salted at all, nor swaddled at all.

16:5 None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have
compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the
lothing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

16:6 And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own
blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said
unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

16:7 I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou
hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent
ornaments: thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas
thou wast naked and bare.

16:8 Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time
was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy
nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with
thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

16:9 Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy
blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

16:10 I clothed thee also with broidered work, and shod thee with
badgers' skin, and I girded thee about with fine linen, and I covered
thee with silk.

16:11 I decked thee also with ornaments, and I put bracelets upon thy
hands, and a chain on thy neck.

16:12 And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears,
and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

16:13 Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was
of fine linen, and silk, and broidered work; thou didst eat fine
flour, and honey, and oil: and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou
didst prosper into a kingdom.

16:14 And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for
it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith
the Lord GOD.

16:15 But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the
harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on
every one that passed by; his it was.

16:16 And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high
places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the
like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.

16:17 Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my
silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men,
and didst commit whoredom with them, 16:18 And tookest thy broidered
garments, and coveredst them: and thou hast set mine oil and mine
incense before them.

16:19 My meat also which I gave thee, fine flour, and oil, and honey,
wherewith I fed thee, thou hast even set it before them for a sweet
savour: and thus it was, saith the Lord GOD.

16:20 Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou
hast borne unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be
devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, 16:21 That thou
hast slain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pass
through the fire for them?  16:22 And in all thine abominations and
thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when
thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.

16:23 And it came to pass after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto
thee!  saith the LORD GOD;) 16:24 That thou hast also built unto thee
an eminent place, and hast made thee an high place in every street.

16:25 Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and
hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every
one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.

16:26 Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy
neighbours, great of flesh; and hast increased thy whoredoms, to
provoke me to anger.

16:27 Behold, therefore I have stretched out my hand over thee, and
have diminished thine ordinary food, and delivered thee unto the will
of them that hate thee, the daughters of the Philistines, which are
ashamed of thy lewd way.

16:28 Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou
wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet
couldest not be satisfied.

16:29 Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of
Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied therewith.

16:30 How weak is thine heart, saith the LORD GOD, seeing thou doest
all these things, the work of an imperious whorish woman; 16:31 In
that thou buildest thine eminent place in the head of every way, and
makest thine high place in every street; and hast not been as an
harlot, in that thou scornest hire; 16:32 But as a wife that
committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!
16:33 They give gifts to all whores: but thou givest thy gifts to all
thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every
side for thy whoredom.

16:34 And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms,
whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms: and in that thou
givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee, therefore thou art
contrary.

16:35 Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD: 16:36 Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness
discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the
idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which
thou didst give unto them; 16:37 Behold, therefore I will gather all
thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou
hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather
them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto
them, that they may see all thy nakedness.

16:38 And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed
blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.

16:39 And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw
down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they
shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels,
and leave thee naked and bare.

16:40 They shall also bring up a company against thee, and they shall
stone thee with stones, and thrust thee through with their swords.

16:41 And they shall burn thine houses with fire, and execute
judgments upon thee in the sight of many women: and I will cause thee
to cease from playing the harlot, and thou also shalt give no hire any
more.

16:42 So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy
shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more
angry.

16:43 Because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast
fretted me in all these things; behold, therefore I also will
recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord GOD: and thou shalt
not commit this lewdness above all thine abominations.

16:44 Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb
against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.

16:45 Thou art thy mother's daughter, that lotheth her husband and her
children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which lothed their
husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your
father an Amorite.

16:46 And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that
dwell at thy left hand: and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy
right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.

16:47 Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their
abominations: but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast
corrupted more than they in all thy ways.

16:48 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, Sodom thy sister hath not done,
she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters.

16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride,
fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her
daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

16:50 And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me:
therefore I took them away as I saw good.

16:51 Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast
multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy
sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.

16:52 Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame
for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they
are more righteous than thou: yea, be thou confounded also, and bear
thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters.

16:53 When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom
and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters,
then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of
them: 16:54 That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be
confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto
them.

16:55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their
former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their
former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former
estate.

16:56 For thy sister Sodom was not mentioned by thy mouth in the day
of thy pride, 16:57 Before thy wickedness was discovered, as at the
time of thy reproach of the daughters of Syria, and all that are round
about her, the daughters of the Philistines, which despise thee round
about.

16:58 Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the
LORD.

16:59 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even deal with thee as thou
hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.

16:60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days
of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.

16:61 Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou
shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will
give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.

16:62 And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know
that I am the LORD: 16:63 That thou mayest remember, and be
confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame,
when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the
Lord GOD.

17:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 17:2 Son of man,
put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; 17:3
And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings,
longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto
Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: 17:4 He cropped off
the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he
set it in a city of merchants.

17:5 He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a
fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow
tree.

17:6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose
branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so
it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.

17:7 There was also another great eagle with great wings and many
feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and
shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the
furrows of her plantation.

17:8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might
bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a
goodly vine.

17:9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not
pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it
wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without
great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.

17:10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not
utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the
furrows where it grew.

17:11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 17:12 Say
now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean?  tell
them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken
the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to
Babylon; 17:13 And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant
with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty
of the land: 17:14 That the kingdom might be base, that it might not
lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.

17:15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into
Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he
prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the
covenant, and be delivered?  17:16 As I live, saith the Lord GOD,
surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose
oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the
midst of Babylon he shall die.

17:17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company
make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to
cut off many persons: 17:18 Seeing he despised the oath by breaking
the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these
things, he shall not escape.

17:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath
that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it
will I recompense upon his own head.

17:20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my
snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there
for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

17:21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the
sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and
ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it.

17:22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch
of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of
his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain
and eminent: 17:23 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I
plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a
goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the
shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.

17:24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have
brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up
the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD
have spoken and have done it.

18:1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 18:2 What mean
ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying,
The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set
on edge?  18:3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have
occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also
the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

18:5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, 18:6
And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes
to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his
neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 18:7
And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his
pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the
hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 18:8 He that hath
not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath
withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between
man and man, 18:9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my
judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the
Lord GOD.

18:10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that
doeth the like to any one of these things, 18:11 And that doeth not
any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and
defiled his neighbour's wife, 18:12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy,
hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath
lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 18:13
Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then
live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall
surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

18:14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins
which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 18:15
That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his
eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his
neighbour's wife, 18:16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not
withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath
given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a
garment, 18:17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath
not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath
walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his
father, he shall surely live.

18:18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his
brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people,
lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

18:19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the
father?  When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and
hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the
iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of
the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the
wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath
committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and
right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

18:22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be
mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall
live.

18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the
Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that
the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he
hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath
trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

18:25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house
of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?  18:26 When
a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth
iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall
he die.

18:27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that
he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall
save his soul alive.

18:28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his
transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall
not die.

18:29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal.
O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one
according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves
from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have
transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will
ye die, O house of Israel?  18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death
of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and
live ye.

19:1 Moreover take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
19:2 And say, What is thy mother? A lioness: she lay down among lions,
she nourished her whelps among young lions.

19:3 And she brought up one of her whelps: it became a young lion, and
it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.

19:4 The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and
they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.

19:5 Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then
she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.

19:6 And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion,
and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men.

19:7 And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their
cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the
noise of his roaring.

19:8 Then the nations set against him on every side from the
provinces, and spread their net over him: he was taken in their pit.

19:9 And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king
of Babylon: they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more
be heard upon the mountains of Israel.

19:10 Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters:
she was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.

19:11 And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule,
and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared
in her height with the multitude of her branches.

19:12 But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground,
and the east wind dried up her fruit: her strong rods were broken and
withered; the fire consumed them.

19:13 And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty
ground.

19:14 And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath
devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to
rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.

20:1 And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the
tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to
enquire of the LORD, and sat before me.

20:2 Then came the word of the LORD unto me, saying, 20:3 Son of man,
speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the
Lord GOD; Are ye come to enquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord GOD,
I will not be enquired of by you.

20:4 Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause
them to know the abominations of their fathers: 20:5 And say unto
them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when I chose Israel, and
lifted up mine hand unto the seed of the house of Jacob, and made
myself known unto them in the land of Egypt, when I lifted up mine
hand unto them, saying, I am the LORD your God; 20:6 In the day that I
lifted up mine hand unto them, to bring them forth of the land of
Egypt into a land that I had espied for them, flowing with milk and
honey, which is the glory of all lands: 20:7 Then said I unto them,
Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not
yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

20:8 But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me: they
did not every man cast away the abominations of their eyes, neither
did they forsake the idols of Egypt: then I said, I will pour out my
fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the midst of
the land of Egypt.

20:9 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted
before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself
known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.

20:10 Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt,
and brought them into the wilderness.

20:11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which
if a man do, he shall even live in them.

20:12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me
and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them.

20:13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness:
they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which
if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly
polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the
wilderness, to consume them.

20:14 But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted
before the heathen, in whose sight I brought them out.

20:15 Yet also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I
would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing
with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands; 20:16 Because
they despised my judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but
polluted my sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.

20:17 Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither
did I make an end of them in the wilderness.

20:18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in
the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor
defile yourselves with their idols: 20:19 I am the LORD your God; walk
in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; 20:20 And hallow
my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may
know that I am the LORD your God.

20:21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked
not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a
man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I
said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger
against them in the wilderness.

20:22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's
sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in
whose sight I brought them forth.

20:23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I
would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the
countries; 20:24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had
despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes
were after their fathers' idols.

20:25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and
judgments whereby they should not live; 20:26 And I polluted them in
their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that
openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that
they might know that I am the LORD.

20:27 Therefore, son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, and say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Yet in this your fathers have
blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.

20:28 For when I had brought them into the land, for the which I
lifted up mine hand to give it to them, then they saw every high hill,
and all the thick trees, and they offered there their sacrifices, and
there they presented the provocation of their offering: there also
they made their sweet savour, and poured out there their drink
offerings.

20:29 Then I said unto them, What is the high place whereunto ye go?
And the name whereof is called Bamah unto this day.

20:30 Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye
whoredom after their abominations?  20:31 For when ye offer your
gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute
yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day: and shall I be
enquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord GOD,
I will not be enquired of by you.

20:32 And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that
ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries,
to serve wood and stone.

20:33 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and
with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over
you: 20:34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather
you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand,
and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.

20:35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and
there will I plead with you face to face.

20:36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the
land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.

20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you
into the bond of the covenant: 20:38 And I will purge out from among
you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them
forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter
into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

20:39 As for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; Go ye,
serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not
hearken unto me: but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts,
and with your idols.

20:40 For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of
Israel, saith the Lord GOD, there shall all the house of Israel, all
of them in the land, serve me: there will I accept them, and there
will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations,
with all your holy things.

20:41 I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out
from the people, and gather you out of the countries wherein ye have
been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen.

20:42 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall bring you
into the land of Israel, into the country for the which I lifted up
mine hand to give it to your fathers.

20:43 And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings,
wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your
own sight for all your evils that ye have committed.

20:44 And ye shall know that I am the LORD when I have wrought with
you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor
according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord
GOD.

20:45 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 20:46 Son of
man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the
south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field; 20:47 And
say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the LORD; Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall
devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame
shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall
be burned therein.

20:48 And all flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it: it
shall not be quenched.

20:49 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak
parables?  21:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 21:2
Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward
the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel, 21:3 And say
to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee,
and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from
thee the righteous and the wicked.

21:4 Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the
wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against
all flesh from the south to the north: 21:5 That all flesh may know
that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall
not return any more.

21:6 Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of thy loins;
and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

21:7 And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou?
that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every
heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit
shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh,
and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

21:8 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 21:9 Son of man,
prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is
sharpened, and also furbished: 21:10 It is sharpened to make a sore
slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make
mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.

21:11 And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled:
this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand
of the slayer.

21:12 Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it
shall be upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the
sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon thy thigh.

21:13 Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the
rod?  it shall be no more, saith the Lord GOD.

21:14 Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands
together. and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of
the slain: it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which
entereth into their privy chambers.

21:15 I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that
their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made
bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter.

21:16 Go thee one way or other, either on the right hand, or on the
left, whithersoever thy face is set.

21:17 I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury
to rest: I the LORD have said it.

21:18 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 21:19 Also,
thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of
Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and
choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city.

21:20 Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the
Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.

21:21 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the
head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he
consulted with images, he looked in the liver.

21:22 At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint
captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice
with shouting, to appoint battering rams against the gates, to cast a
mount, and to build a fort.

21:23 And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight,
to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the
iniquity, that they may be taken.

21:24 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your
iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered,
so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that
ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.

21:25 And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come,
when iniquity shall have an end, 21:26 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove
the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt
him that is low, and abase him that is high.

21:27 I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no
more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.

21:28 And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD
concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say
thou, The sword, the sword is drawn: for the slaughter it is
furbished, to consume because of the glittering: 21:29 Whiles they see
vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee
upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is
come, when their iniquity shall have an end.

21:30 Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in
the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.

21:31 And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow
against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand
of brutish men, and skilful to destroy.

21:32 Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the
midst of the land; thou shalt be no more remembered: for I the LORD
have spoken it.

22:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22:2 Now,
thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city?
yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.

22:3 Then say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD, The city sheddeth blood
in the midst of it, that her time may come, and maketh idols against
herself to defile herself.

22:4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed; and hast
defiled thyself in thine idols which thou hast made; and thou hast
caused thy days to draw near, and art come even unto thy years:
therefore have I made thee a reproach unto the heathen, and a mocking
to all countries.

22:5 Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock
thee, which art infamous and much vexed.

22:6 Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their
power to shed blood.

22:7 In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of
thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have
they vexed the fatherless and the widow.

22:8 Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my
sabbaths.

22:9 In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they
eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness.

22:10 In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee
have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution.

22:11 And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife;
and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in
thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

22:12 In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken
usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by
extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

22:13 Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain
which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of
thee.

22:14 Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the
days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will
do it.

22:15 And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in
the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee.

22:16 And thou shalt take thine inheritance in thyself in the sight of
the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD.

22:17 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22:18 Son of man,
the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and
tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even
the dross of silver.

22:19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become
dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of
Jerusalem.

22:20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin,
into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it;
so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave
you there, and melt you.

22:21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my
wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst therof.

22:22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be
melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have
poured out my fury upon you.

22:23 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22:24 Son of man,
say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon
in the day of indignation.

22:25 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like
a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have
taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows
in the midst thereof.

22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy
things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane,
neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean,
and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among
them.

22:27 Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the
prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.

22:28 And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing
vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord GOD,
when the LORD hath not spoken.

22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised
robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed
the stranger wrongfully.

22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the
hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not
destroy it: but I found none.

22:31 Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have
consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I
recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD.

23:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 23:2 Son of man,
there were two women, the daughters of one mother: 23:3 And they
committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth:
there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of
their virginity.

23:4 And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her
sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus
were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

23:5 And Aholah played the harlot when she was mine; and she doted on
her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours, 23:6 Which were clothed
with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men,
horsemen riding upon horses.

23:7 Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that
were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with
all their idols she defiled herself.

23:8 Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt: for in her
youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her
virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.

23:9 Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into
the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.

23:10 These discovered her nakedness: they took her sons and her
daughters, and slew her with the sword: and she became famous among
women; for they had executed judgment upon her.

23:11 And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in
her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her
sister in her whoredoms.

23:12 She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers
clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them
desirable young men.

23:13 Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way,
23:14 And that she increased her whoredoms: for when she saw men
pourtrayed upon the wall, the images of the Chaldeans pourtrayed with
vermilion, 23:15 Girded with girdles upon their loins, exceeding in
dyed attire upon their heads, all of them princes to look to, after
the manner of the Babylonians of Chaldea, the land of their nativity:
23:16 And as soon as she saw them with her eyes, she doted upon them,
and sent messengers unto them into Chaldea.

23:17 And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they
defiled her with their whoredom, and she was polluted with them, and
her mind was alienated from them.

23:18 So she discovered her whoredoms, and discovered her nakedness:
then my mind was alienated from her, like as my mind was alienated
from her sister.

23:19 Yet she multiplied her whoredoms, in calling to remembrance the
days of her youth, wherein she had played the harlot in the land of
Egypt.

23:20 For she doted upon their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh
of asses, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.

23:21 Thus thou calledst to remembrance the lewdness of thy youth, in
bruising thy teats by the Egyptians for the paps of thy youth.

23:22 Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will
raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and
I will bring them against thee on every side; 23:23 The Babylonians,
and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians
with them: all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great
lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.

23:24 And they shall come against thee with chariots, wagons, and
wheels, and with an assembly of people, which shall set against thee
buckler and shield and helmet round about: and I will set judgment
before them, and they shall judge thee according to their judgments.

23:25 And I will set my jealousy against thee, and they shall deal
furiously with thee: they shall take away thy nose and thine ears; and
thy remnant shall fall by the sword: they shall take thy sons and thy
daughters; and thy residue shall be devoured by the fire.

23:26 They shall also strip thee out of thy clothes, and take away thy
fair jewels.

23:27 Thus will I make thy lewdness to cease from thee, and thy
whoredom brought from the land of Egypt: so that thou shalt not lift
up thine eyes unto them, nor remember Egypt any more.

23:28 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will deliver thee into
the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy
mind is alienated: 23:29 And they shall deal with thee hatefully, and
shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare:
and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy
lewdness and thy whoredoms.

23:30 I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a
whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their
idols.

23:31 Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give
her cup into thine hand.

23:32 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup
deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it
containeth much.

23:33 Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup
of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria.

23:34 Thou shalt even drink it and suck it out, and thou shalt break
the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts: for I have spoken
it, saith the Lord GOD.

23:35 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten
me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness
and thy whoredoms.

23:36 The LORD said moreover unto me; Son of man, wilt thou judge
Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations; 23:37
That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and
with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused
their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire,
to devour them.

23:38 Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my
sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths.

23:39 For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they
came the same day into my sanctuary to profane it; and, lo, thus have
they done in the midst of mine house.

23:40 And furthermore, that ye have sent for men to come from far,
unto whom a messenger was sent; and, lo, they came: for whom thou
didst wash thyself, paintedst thy eyes, and deckedst thyself with
ornaments, 23:41 And satest upon a stately bed, and a table prepared
before it, whereupon thou hast set mine incense and mine oil.

23:42 And a voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with
the men of the common sort were brought Sabeans from the wilderness,
which put bracelets upon their hands, and beautiful crowns upon their
heads.

23:43 Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now
commit whoredoms with her, and she with them?  23:44 Yet they went in
unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot: so went
they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah, the lewd women.

23:45 And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of
adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because
they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.

23:46 For thus saith the Lord GOD; I will bring up a company upon
them, and will give them to be removed and spoiled.

23:47 And the company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them
with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and
burn up their houses with fire.

23:48 Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all
women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.

23:49 And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall
bear the sins of your idols: and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

24:1 Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of
the month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24:2 Son of man,
write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of
Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

24:3 And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water
into it: 24:4 Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good
piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

24:5 Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it,
and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.

24:6 Wherefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city, to the
pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring
it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

24:7 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of
a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust; 24:8
That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her
blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

24:9 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe to the bloody city! I will
even make the pile for fire great.

24:10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it
well, and let the bones be burned.

24:11 Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it
may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten
in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

24:12 She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not
forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.

24:13 In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and
thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any
more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

24:14 I the LORD have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do
it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent;
according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge
thee, saith the Lord GOD.

24:15 Also the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24:16 Son of
man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a
stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears
run down.

24:17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of
thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover
not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

24:18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife
died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

24:19 And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these
things are to us, that thou doest so?  24:20 Then I answered them, The
word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 24:21 Speak unto the house of
Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary,
the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that
which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have
left shall fall by the sword.

24:22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips,
nor eat the bread of men.

24:23 And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon
your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for
your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

24:24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath
done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the
Lord GOD.

24:25 Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take
from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their
eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their
daughters, 24:26 That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto
thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?  24:27 In that day
shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt
speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and
they shall know that I am the LORD.

25:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 25:2 Son of man,
set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; 25:3
And say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Because thou saidst, Aha, against my sanctuary, when it
was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate;
and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity; 25:4
Behold, therefore I will deliver thee to the men of the east for a
possession, and they shall set their palaces in thee, and make their
dwellings in thee: they shall eat thy fruit, and they shall drink thy
milk.

25:5 And I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the Ammonites a
couching place for flocks: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

25:6 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast clapped thine
hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy
despite against the land of Israel; 25:7 Behold, therefore I will
stretch out mine hand upon thee, and will deliver thee for a spoil to
the heathen; and I will cut thee off from the people, and I will cause
thee to perish out of the countries: I will destroy thee; and thou
shalt know that I am the LORD.

25:8 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Moab and Seir do say,
Behold, the house of Judah is like unto all the heathen; 25:9
Therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from
his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country,
Bethjeshimoth, Baalmeon, and Kiriathaim, 25:10 Unto the men of the
east with the Ammonites, and will give them in possession, that the
Ammonites may not be remembered among the nations.

25:11 And I will execute judgments upon Moab; and they shall know that
I am the LORD.

25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against
the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and
revenged himself upon them; 25:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I
will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and
beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of
Dedan shall fall by the sword.

25:14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people
Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and
according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord
GOD.

25:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because the Philistines have dealt by
revenge, and have taken vengeance with a despiteful heart, to destroy
it for the old hatred; 25:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I will stretch out mine hand upon the Philistines, and I will
cut off the Cherethims, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.

25:17 And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious
rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my
vengeance upon them.

26:1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first day of the
month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 26:2 Son of
man, because that Tyrus hath said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is
broken that was the gates of the people: she is turned unto me: I
shall be replenished, now she is laid waste: 26:3 Therefore thus saith
the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many
nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come
up.

26:4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her
towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the
top of a rock.

26:5 It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the
sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD: and it shall become a
spoil to the nations.

26:6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the
sword; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

26:7 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus
Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with
horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much
people.

26:8 He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he
shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and
lift up the buckler against thee.

26:9 And he shall set engines of war against thy walls, and with his
axes he shall break down thy towers.

26:10 By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover
thee: thy walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the
wheels, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into thy gates, as
men enter into a city wherein is made a breach.

26:11 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all thy
streets: he shall slay thy people by the sword, and thy strong
garrisons shall go down to the ground.

26:12 And they shall make a spoil of thy riches, and make a prey of
thy merchandise: and they shall break down thy walls, and destroy thy
pleasant houses: and they shall lay thy stones and thy timber and thy
dust in the midst of the water.

26:13 And I will cause the noise of thy songs to cease; and the sound
of thy harps shall be no more heard.

26:14 And I will make thee like the top of a rock: thou shalt be a
place to spread nets upon; thou shalt be built no more: for I the LORD
have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

26:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD to Tyrus; Shall not the isles shake at
the sound of thy fall, when the wounded cry, when the slaughter is
made in the midst of thee?  26:16 Then all the princes of the sea
shall come down from their thrones, and lay away their robes, and put
off their broidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with
trembling; they shall sit upon the ground, and shall tremble at every
moment, and be astonished at thee.

26:17 And they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and say to thee,
How art thou destroyed, that wast inhabited of seafaring men, the
renowned city, which wast strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants,
which cause their terror to be on all that haunt it!  26:18 Now shall
the isles tremble in the day of thy fall; yea, the isles that are in
the sea shall be troubled at thy departure.

26:19 For thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall make thee a desolate
city, like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up
the deep upon thee, and great waters shall cover thee; 26:20 When I
shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the
people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth,
in places desolate of old, with them that go down to the pit, that
thou be not inhabited; and I shall set glory in the land of the
living; 26:21 I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more:
though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith
the Lord GOD.

27:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 27:2 Now, thou
son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; 27:3 And say unto Tyrus,
O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant
of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou
hast said, I am of perfect beauty.

27:4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have
perfected thy beauty.

27:5 They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they
have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee.

27:6 Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of
the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles
of Chittim.

27:7 Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou
spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of
Elishah was that which covered thee.

27:8 The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise
men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots.

27:9 The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy
calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to
occupy thy merchandise.

27:10 They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy
men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth
thy comeliness.

27:11 The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round
about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields
upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect.

27:12 Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind
of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs.

27:13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded
the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.

27:14 They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses
and horsemen and mules.

27:15 The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the
merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of
ivory and ebony.

27:16 Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares
of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and
broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate.

27:17 Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they
traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil,
and balm.

27:18 Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy
making, for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and
white wool.

27:19 Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs:
bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market.

27:20 Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots.

27:21 Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in
lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants.

27:22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they
occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious
stones, and gold.

27:23 Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and
Chilmad, were thy merchants.

27:24 These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue
clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with
cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.

27:25 The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou
wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas.

27:26 Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind
hath broken thee in the midst of the seas.

27:27 Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and
thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all
thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in
the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of
thy ruin.

27:28 The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots.

27:29 And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of
the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the
land; 27:30 And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and
shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they
shall wallow themselves in the ashes: 27:31 And they shall make
themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and
they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.

27:32 And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee,
and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the
destroyed in the midst of the sea?  27:33 When thy wares went forth
out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the
kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy
merchandise.

27:34 In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths
of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee
shall fall.

27:35 All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee,
and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their
countenance.

27:36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be
a terror, and never shalt be any more.

28:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 28:2 Son of man,
say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine
heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat
of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God,
though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: 28:3 Behold, thou art
wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:
28:4 With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten
thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: 28:5
By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy
riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches: 28:6
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart
as the heart of God; 28:7 Behold, therefore I will bring strangers
upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their
swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy
brightness.

28:8 They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the
deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.

28:9 Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but
thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.

28:10 Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of
strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.

28:11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 28:12 Son of
man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and
perfect in beauty.

28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone
was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the
onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle,
and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared
in thee in the day that thou wast created.

28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee
so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and
down in the midst of the stones of fire.

28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast
created, till iniquity was found in thee.

28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst
of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast
thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O
covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast
corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to
the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

28:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine
iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring
forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will
bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that
behold thee.

28:19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at
thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.

28:20 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 28:21 Son of
man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it, 28:22 And
say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and
I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I
am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be
sanctified in her.

28:23 For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets;
and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon
her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

28:24 And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of
Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that
despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

28:25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of
Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be
sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell
in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.

28:26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and
plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have
executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them;
and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.

29:1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, in the twelfth day of the
month, the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 29:2 Son of man, set
thy face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him, and
against all Egypt: 29:3 Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I am against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon
that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river is
mine own, and I have made it for myself.

29:4 But I will put hooks in thy jaws, and I will cause the fish of
thy rivers to stick unto thy scales, and I will bring thee up out of
the midst of thy rivers, and all the fish of thy rivers shall stick
unto thy scales.

29:5 And I will leave thee thrown into the wilderness, thee and all
the fish of thy rivers: thou shalt fall upon the open fields; thou
shalt not be brought together, nor gathered: I have given thee for
meat to the beasts of the field and to the fowls of the heaven.

29:6 And all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know that I am the LORD,
because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.

29:7 When they took hold of thee by thy hand, thou didst break, and
rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned upon thee, thou brakest,
and madest all their loins to be at a stand.

29:8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring a sword
upon thee, and cut off man and beast out of thee.

29:9 And the land of Egypt shall be desolate and waste; and they shall
know that I am the LORD: because he hath said, The river is mine, and
I have made it.

29:10 Behold, therefore I am against thee, and against thy rivers, and
I will make the land of Egypt utterly waste and desolate, from the
tower of Syene even unto the border of Ethiopia.

29:11 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of beast shall
pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.

29:12 And I will make the land of Egypt desolate in the midst of the
countries that are desolate, and her cities among the cities that are
laid waste shall be desolate forty years: and I will scatter the
Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the
countries.

29:13 Yet thus saith the Lord GOD; At the end of forty years will I
gather the Egyptians from the people whither they were scattered:
29:14 And I will bring again the captivity of Egypt, and will cause
them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their
habitation; and they shall be there a base kingdom.

29:15 It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt
itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they
shall no more rule over the nations.

29:16 And it shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel,
which bringeth their iniquity to remembrance, when they shall look
after them: but they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

29:17 And it came to pass in the seven and twentieth year, in the
first month, in the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came
unto me, saying, 29:18 Son of man, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon
caused his army to serve a great service against Tyrus: every head was
made bald, and every shoulder was peeled: yet had he no wages, nor his
army, for Tyrus, for the service that he had served against it: 29:19
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will give the land of
Egypt unto Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall take her
multitude, and take her spoil, and take her prey; and it shall be the
wages for his army.

29:20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labour wherewith he
served against it, because they wrought for me, saith the Lord GOD.

29:21 In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud
forth, and I will give thee the opening of the mouth in the midst of
them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

30:1 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 30:2 Son of man,
prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!
30:3 For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy
day; it shall be the time of the heathen.

30:4 And the sword shall come upon Egypt, and great pain shall be in
Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt, and they shall take away
her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.

30:5 Ethiopia, and Libya, and Lydia, and all the mingled people, and
Chub, and the men of the land that is in league, shall fall with them
by the sword.

30:6 Thus saith the LORD; They also that uphold Egypt shall fall; and
the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Syene shall
they fall in it by the sword, saith the Lord GOD.

30:7 And they shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are
desolate, and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are
wasted.

30:8 And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have set a fire in
Egypt, and when all her helpers shall be destroyed.

30:9 In that day shall messengers go forth from me in ships to make
the careless Ethiopians afraid, and great pain shall come upon them,
as in the day of Egypt: for, lo, it cometh.

30:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also make the multitude of Egypt
to cease by the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon.

30:11 He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall
be brought to destroy the land: and they shall draw their swords
against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.

30:12 And I will make the rivers dry, and sell the land into the hand
of the wicked: and I will make the land waste, and all that is
therein, by the hand of strangers: I the LORD have spoken it.

30:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also destroy the idols, and I
will cause their images to cease out of Noph; and there shall be no
more a prince of the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land
of Egypt.

30:14 And I will make Pathros desolate, and will set fire in Zoan, and
will execute judgments in No.

30:15 And I will pour my fury upon Sin, the strength of Egypt; and I
will cut off the multitude of No.

30:16 And I will set fire in Egypt: Sin shall have great pain, and No
shall be rent asunder, and Noph shall have distresses daily.

30:17 The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword:
and these cities shall go into captivity.

30:18 At Tehaphnehes also the day shall be darkened, when I shall
break there the yokes of Egypt: and the pomp of her strength shall
cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters
shall go into captivity.

30:19 Thus will I execute judgments in Egypt: and they shall know that
I am the LORD.

30:20 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the first month, in
the seventh day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying, 30:21 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of
Egypt; and, lo, it shall not be bound up to be healed, to put a roller
to bind it, to make it strong to hold the sword.

30:22 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against Pharaoh
king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong, and that which was
broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.

30:23 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will
disperse them through the countries.

30:24 And I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put
my sword in his hand: but I will break Pharaoh's arms, and he shall
groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.

30:25 But I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and the
arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am the
LORD, when I shall put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon,
and he shall stretch it out upon the land of Egypt.

30:26 And I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse
them among the countries; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

31:1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in
the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying, 31:2 Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his
multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness?  31:3 Behold, the
Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a
shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the
thick boughs.

31:4 The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her
rivers running round about his plants, and sent her little rivers unto
all the trees of the field.

31:5 Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the
field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long
because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth.

31:6 All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under
his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young,
and under his shadow dwelt all great nations.

31:7 Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches:
for his root was by great waters.

31:8 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees
were not like his boughs, and the chestnut trees were not like his
branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his
beauty.

31:9 I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that
all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him.

31:10 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up
thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs,
and his heart is lifted up in his height; 31:11 I have therefore
delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall
surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness.

31:12 And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off,
and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his
branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of
the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his
shadow, and have left him.

31:13 Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all
the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches: 31:14 To the end
that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their
height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither
their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they
are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the
midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit.

31:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the
grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I
restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I
caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field
fainted for him.

31:16 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I
cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the
trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water,
shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth.

31:17 They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain
with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his
shadow in the midst of the heathen.

31:18 To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the
trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden
unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the
uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh
and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD.

32:1 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in
the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me,
saying, 32:2 Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of
Egypt, and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations,
and thou art as a whale in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy
rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their
rivers.

32:3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will therefore spread out my net over
thee with a company of many people; and they shall bring thee up in my
net.

32:4 Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon
the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain
upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee.

32:5 And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys
with thy height.

32:6 I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest,
even to the mountains; and the rivers shall be full of thee.

32:7 And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make
the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the
moon shall not give her light.

32:8 All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and
set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD.

32:9 I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy
destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not
known.

32:10 Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings
shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword
before them; and they shall tremble at every moment, every man for his
own life, in the day of thy fall.

32:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; The sword of the king of Babylon
shall come upon thee.

32:12 By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall,
the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the
pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed.

32:13 I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great
waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the
hoofs of beasts trouble them.

32:14 Then will I make their waters deep, and cause their rivers to
run like oil, saith the Lord GOD.

32:15 When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country
shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all
them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I am the LORD.

32:16 This is the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the
daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her,
even for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD.

32:17 It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day
of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 32:18
Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even
her, and the daughters of the famous nations, unto the nether parts of
the earth, with them that go down into the pit.

32:19 Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with
the uncircumcised.

32:20 They shall fall in the midst of them that are slain by the
sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes.

32:21 The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst
of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie
uncircumcised, slain by the sword.

32:22 Asshur is there and all her company: his graves are about him:
all of them slain, fallen by the sword: 32:23 Whose graves are set in
the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of
them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of
the living.

32:24 There is Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all
of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised
into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the
land of the living; yet have they borne their shame with them that go
down to the pit.

32:25 They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her
multitude: her graves are round about him: all of them uncircumcised,
slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the
living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the
pit: he is put in the midst of them that be slain.

32:26 There is Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves are
round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though
they caused their terror in the land of the living.

32:27 And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the
uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war:
and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their
iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of
the mighty in the land of the living.

32:28 Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and
shalt lie with them that are slain with the sword.

32:29 There is Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their
might are laid by them that were slain by the sword: they shall lie
with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit.

32:30 There be the princes of the north, all of them, and all the
Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain; with their terror they
are ashamed of their might; and they lie uncircumcised with them that
be slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to
the pit.

32:31 Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his
multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the
Lord GOD.

32:32 For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he
shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that are
slain with the sword, even Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the
Lord GOD.

33:1 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 33:2 Son of man,
speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring
the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their
coasts, and set him for their watchman: 33:3 If when he seeth the
sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
33:4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not
warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon
his own head.

33:5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his
blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his
soul.

33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet,
and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person
from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will
I require at the watchman's hand.

33:7 So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house
of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn
them from me.

33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die;
if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked
man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine
hand.

33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it;
if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou
hast delivered thy soul.

33:10 Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel;
Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us,
and we pine away in them, how should we then live?  33:11 Say unto
them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn
ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of
Israel?  33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of
thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him
in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked,
he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his
wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his
righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if
he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his
righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he
hath committed, he shall die for it.

33:14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he
turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; 33:15 If the
wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the
statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live,
he shall not die.

33:16 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto
him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely
live.

33:17 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not
equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

33:18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and
committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

33:19 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is
lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

33:20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of
Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

33:21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the
tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped
out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.

33:22 Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he
that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in
the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

33:23 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 33:24 Son of
man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak,
saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many;
the land is given us for inheritance.

33:25 Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with
the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood:
and shall ye possess the land?  33:26 Ye stand upon your sword, ye
work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and
shall ye possess the land?  33:27 Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith
the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall
by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the
beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves
shall die of the pestilence.

33:28 For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her
strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate,
that none shall pass through.

33:29 Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the
land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have
committed.

33:30 Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are
talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and
speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray
you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.

33:31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit
before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not
do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart
goeth after their covetousness.

33:32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that
hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they
hear thy words, but they do them not.

33:33 And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall
they know that a prophet hath been among them.

34:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 34:2 Son of man,
prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them,
Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of
Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the
flocks?  34:3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill
them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

34:4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed
that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken,
neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have
ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye
ruled them.

34:5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they
became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

34:6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high
hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and
none did search or seek after them.

34:7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 34:8 As I
live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and
my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no
shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the
shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 34:9 Therefore, O ye
shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at
their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither
shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my
flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.

34:11 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search
my sheep, and seek them out.

34:12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among
his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will
deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the
cloudy and dark day.

34:13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from
the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them
upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited
places of the country.

34:14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains
of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold,
and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel.

34:15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith
the Lord GOD.

34:16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was
driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will
strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the
strong; I will feed them with judgment.

34:17 And as for you, O my flock, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I
judge between cattle and cattle, between the rams and the he goats.

34:18 Seemeth it a small thing unto you to have eaten up the good
pasture, but ye must tread down with your feet the residue of your
pastures? and to have drunk of the deep waters, but ye must foul the
residue with your feet?  34:19 And as for my flock, they eat that
which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye
have fouled with your feet.

34:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I,
will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.

34:21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed
all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
34:22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a
prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.

34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed
them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their
shepherd.

34:24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince
among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

34:25 And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause
the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell safely
in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.

34:26 And I will make them and the places round about my hill a
blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season;
there shall be showers of blessing.

34:27 And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth
shall yield her increase, and they shall be safe in their land, and
shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their
yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served
themselves of them.

34:28 And they shall no more be a prey to the heathen, neither shall
the beast of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and
none shall make them afraid.

34:29 And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall
be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of
the heathen any more.

34:30 Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and
that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord
GOD.

34:31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your
God, saith the Lord GOD.

35:1 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 35:2 Son of
man, set thy face against mount Seir, and prophesy against it, 35:3
And say unto it, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O mount Seir, I am
against thee, and I will stretch out mine hand against thee, and I
will make thee most desolate.

35:4 I will lay thy cities waste, and thou shalt be desolate, and thou
shalt know that I am the LORD.

35:5 Because thou hast had a perpetual hatred, and hast shed the blood
of the children of Israel by the force of the sword in the time of
their calamity, in the time that their iniquity had an end: 35:6
Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will prepare thee unto
blood, and blood shall pursue thee: sith thou hast not hated blood,
even blood shall pursue thee.

35:7 Thus will I make mount Seir most desolate, and cut off from it
him that passeth out and him that returneth.

35:8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain men: in thy hills,
and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are
slain with the sword.

35:9 I will make thee perpetual desolations, and thy cities shall not
return: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

35:10 Because thou hast said, These two nations and these two
countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas the LORD was
there: 35:11 Therefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, I will even do
according to thine anger, and according to thine envy which thou hast
used out of thy hatred against them; and I will make myself known
among them, when I have judged thee.

35:12 And thou shalt know that I am the LORD, and that I have heard
all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of
Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.

35:13 Thus with your mouth ye have boasted against me, and have
multiplied your words against me: I have heard them.

35:14 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When the whole earth rejoiceth, I will
make thee desolate.

35:15 As thou didst rejoice at the inheritance of the house of Israel,
because it was desolate, so will I do unto thee: thou shalt be
desolate, O mount Seir, and all Idumea, even all of it: and they shall
know that I am the LORD.

36:1 Also, thou son of man, prophesy unto the mountains of Israel, and
say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD: 36:2 Thus
saith the Lord GOD; Because the enemy hath said against you, Aha, even
the ancient high places are ours in possession: 36:3 Therefore
prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they have made you
desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that ye might be a
possession unto the residue of the heathen, and ye are taken up in the
lips of talkers, and are an infamy of the people: 36:4 Therefore, ye
mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD; Thus saith the
Lord GOD to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the
valleys, to the desolate wastes, and to the cities that are forsaken,
which became a prey and derision to the residue of the heathen that
are round about; 36:5 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Surely in the
fire of my jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the heathen,
and against all Idumea, which have appointed my land into their
possession with the joy of all their heart, with despiteful minds, to
cast it out for a prey.

36:6 Prophesy therefore concerning the land of Israel, and say unto
the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys,
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in
my fury, because ye have borne the shame of the heathen: 36:7
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I have lifted up mine hand, Surely
the heathen that are about you, they shall bear their shame.

36:8 But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your
branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel; for they are at
hand to come.

36:9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall
be tilled and sown: 36:10 And I will multiply men upon you, all the
house of Israel, even all of it: and the cities shall be inhabited,
and the wastes shall be builded: 36:11 And I will multiply upon you
man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will
settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at
your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

36:12 Yea, I will cause men to walk upon you, even my people Israel;
and they shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and
thou shalt no more henceforth bereave them of men.

36:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because they say unto you, Thou land
devourest up men, and hast bereaved thy nations: 36:14 Therefore thou
shalt devour men no more, neither bereave thy nations any more, saith
the Lord GOD.

36:15 Neither will I cause men to hear in thee the shame of the
heathen any more, neither shalt thou bear the reproach of the people
any more, neither shalt thou cause thy nations to fall any more, saith
the Lord GOD.

36:16 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 36:17 Son of
man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it
by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the
uncleanness of a removed woman.

36:18 Wherefore I poured my fury upon them for the blood that they had
shed upon the land, and for their idols wherewith they had polluted
it: 36:19 And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were
dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according
to their doings I judged them.

36:20 And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they
profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of
the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land.

36:21 But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had
profaned among the heathen, whither they went.

36:22 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD;
I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy
name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye
went.

36:23 And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the
heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen
shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be
sanctified in you before their eyes.

36:24 For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out
of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be
clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I
cleanse you.

36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you an heart of flesh.

36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my
statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and
ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

36:29 I will also save you from all your uncleannesses: and I will
call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

36:30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of
the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the
heathen.

36:31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that
were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your
iniquities and for your abominations.

36:32 Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord GOD, be it known
unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of
Israel.

36:33 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed
you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the
cities, and the wastes shall be builded.

36:34 And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate
in the sight of all that passed by.

36:35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like
the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are
become fenced, and are inhabited.

36:36 Then the heathen that are left round about you shall know that I
the LORD build the ruined places, and plant that that was desolate: I
the LORD have spoken it, and I will do it.

36:37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by
the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men
like a flock.

36:38 As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn
feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and
they shall know that I am the LORD.

37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the
spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which
was full of bones, 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about:
and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they
were very dry.

37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I
answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

37:4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto
them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause
breath to enter into you, and ye shall live: 37:6 And I will lay
sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with
skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that
I am the LORD.

37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there
was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone
to his bone.

37:8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon
them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in
them.

37:9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of
man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four
winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

37:10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into
them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great
army.

37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole
house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope
is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD;
Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up
out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.

37:13 And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your
graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 37:14 And
shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you
in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it,
and performed it, saith the LORD.

37:15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 37:16 Moreover,
thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah,
and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another
stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all
the house of Israel his companions: 37:17 And join them one to another
into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand.

37:18 And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee,
saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou meanest by these?  37:19 Say
unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of
Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his
fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and
make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.

37:20 And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand
before their eyes.

37:21 And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take
the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone,
and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own
land: 37:22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the
mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they
shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two
kingdoms any more at all.

37:23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols,
nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their
transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces,
wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my
people, and I will be their God.

37:24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall
have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe
my statutes, and do them.

37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my
servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell
therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children
for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever.

37:26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be
an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply
them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.

37:27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.

37:28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel,
when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.

38:1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 38:2 Son of man,
set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of
Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 38:3 And say, Thus saith
the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of
Meshech and Tubal: 38:4 And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into
thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and
horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great
company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: 38:5
Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and
helmet: 38:6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the
north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.

38:7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy
company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

38:8 After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou
shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is
gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which
have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations,
and they shall dwell safely all of them.

38:9 Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a
cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with
thee.

38:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the
same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an
evil thought: 38:11 And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of
unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell
safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars
nor gates, 38:12 To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine
hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the
people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle
and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.

38:13 Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the
young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a
spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away
silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?
38:14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the
Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwelleth safely, shalt
thou not know it?  38:15 And thou shalt come from thy place out of the
north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon
horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 38:16 And thou shalt come
up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall
be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the
heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before
their eyes.

38:17 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Art thou he of whom I have spoken in
old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, which prophesied in
those days many years that I would bring thee against them?  38:18 And
it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the
land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my
face.

38:19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken,
Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of
Israel; 38:20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the
heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that
creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the
earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown
down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to
the ground.

38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my
mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man's sword shall be against his
brother.

38:22 And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and
I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people
that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire,
and brimstone.

38:23 Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be
known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the
LORD.

39:1 Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus
saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince
of Meshech and Tubal: 39:2 And I will turn thee back, and leave but
the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north
parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 39:3 And I
will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows
to fall out of thy right hand.

39:4 Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy
bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the
ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be
devoured.

39:5 Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith
the Lord GOD.

39:6 And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell
carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

39:7 So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people
Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the
heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.

39:8 Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord GOD; this is
the day whereof I have spoken.

39:9 And they that dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and
shall set on fire and burn the weapons, both the shields and the
bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the handstaves, and the spears,
and they shall burn them with fire seven years: 39:10 So that they
shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the
forests; for they shall burn the weapons with fire: and they shall
spoil those that spoiled them, and rob those that robbed them, saith
the Lord GOD.

39:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will give unto Gog
a place there of graves in Israel, the valley of the passengers on the
east of the sea: and it shall stop the noses of the passengers: and
there shall they bury Gog and all his multitude: and they shall call
it The valley of Hamongog.

39:12 And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them,
that they may cleanse the land.

39:13 Yea, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be
to them a renown the day that I shall be glorified, saith the Lord
GOD.

39:14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing
through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon
the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months
shall they search.

39:15 And the passengers that pass through the land, when any seeth a
man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, till the buriers have
buried it in the valley of Hamongog.

39:16 And also the name of the city shall be Hamonah. Thus shall they
cleanse the land.

39:17 And, thou son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; Speak unto every
feathered fowl, and to every beast of the field, Assemble yourselves,
and come; gather yourselves on every side to my sacrifice that I do
sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice upon the mountains of
Israel, that ye may eat flesh, and drink blood.

39:18 Ye shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the
princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bullocks,
all of them fatlings of Bashan.

39:19 And ye shall eat fat till ye be full, and drink blood till ye be
drunken, of my sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.

39:20 Thus ye shall be filled at my table with horses and chariots,
with mighty men, and with all men of war, saith the Lord GOD.

39:21 And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen
shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have
laid upon them.

39:22 So the house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God
from that day and forward.

39:23 And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel went into
captivity for their iniquity: because they trespassed against me,
therefore hid I my face from them, and gave them into the hand of
their enemies: so fell they all by the sword.

39:24 According to their uncleanness and according to their
transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them.

39:25 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Now will I bring again the
captivity of Jacob, and have mercy upon the whole house of Israel, and
will be jealous for my holy name; 39:26 After that they have borne
their shame, and all their trespasses whereby they have trespassed
against me, when they dwelt safely in their land, and none made them
afraid.

39:27 When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered
them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the
sight of many nations; 39:28 Then shall they know that I am the LORD
their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the
heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left
none of them any more there.

39:29 Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have
poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

40:1 In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning
of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year
after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the
LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

40:2 In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and
set me upon a very high mountain, by which was as the frame of a city
on the south.

40:3 And he brought me thither, and, behold, there was a man, whose
appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in
his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.

40:4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and
hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew
thee; for to the intent that I might shew them unto thee art thou
brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.

40:5 And behold a wall on the outside of the house round about, and in
the man's hand a measuring reed of six cubits long by the cubit and an
hand breadth: so he measured the breadth of the building, one reed;
and the height, one reed.

40:6 Then came he unto the gate which looketh toward the east, and
went up the stairs thereof, and measured the threshold of the gate,
which was one reed broad; and the other threshold of the gate, which
was one reed broad.

40:7 And every little chamber was one reed long, and one reed broad;
and between the little chambers were five cubits; and the threshold of
the gate by the porch of the gate within was one reed.

40:8 He measured also the porch of the gate within, one reed.

40:9 Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and the
posts thereof, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was inward.

40:10 And the little chambers of the gate eastward were three on this
side, and three on that side; they three were of one measure: and the
posts had one measure on this side and on that side.

40:11 And he measured the breadth of the entry of the gate, ten
cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits.

40:12 The space also before the little chambers was one cubit on this
side, and the space was one cubit on that side: and the little
chambers were six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.

40:13 He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to
the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door
against door.

40:14 He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of
the court round about the gate.

40:15 And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of
the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.

40:16 And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to
their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches:
and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm
trees.

40:17 Then brought he me into the outward court, and, lo, there were
chambers, and a pavement made for the court round about: thirty
chambers were upon the pavement.

40:18 And the pavement by the side of the gates over against the
length of the gates was the lower pavement.

40:19 Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower
gate unto the forefront of the inner court without, an hundred cubits
eastward and northward.

40:20 And the gate of the outward court that looked toward the north,
he measured the length thereof, and the breadth thereof.

40:21 And the little chambers thereof were three on this side and
three on that side; and the posts thereof and the arches thereof were
after the measure of the first gate: the length thereof was fifty
cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

40:22 And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were
after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they
went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before
them.

40:23 And the gate of the inner court was over against the gate toward
the north, and toward the east; and he measured from gate to gate an
hundred cubits.

40:24 After that he brought me toward the south, and behold a gate
toward the south: and he measured the posts thereof and the arches
thereof according to these measures.

40:25 And there were windows in it and in the arches thereof round
about, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the
breadth five and twenty cubits.

40:26 And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches
thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and
another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

40:27 And there was a gate in the inner court toward the south: and he
measured from gate to gate toward the south an hundred cubits.

40:28 And he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he
measured the south gate according to these measures; 40:29 And the
little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the arches
thereof, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and
in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty cubits long, and five
and twenty cubits broad.

40:30 And the arches round about were five and twenty cubits long, and
five cubits broad.

40:31 And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm
trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight
steps.

40:32 And he brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he
measured the gate according to these measures.

40:33 And the little chambers thereof, and the posts thereof, and the
arches thereof, were according to these measures: and there were
windows therein and in the arches thereof round about: it was fifty
cubits long, and five and twenty cubits broad.

40:34 And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm
trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and
the going up to it had eight steps.

40:35 And he brought me to the north gate, and measured it according
to these measures; 40:36 The little chambers thereof, the posts
thereof, and the arches thereof, and the windows to it round about:
the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth five and twenty cubits.

40:37 And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm
trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and
the going up to it had eight steps.

40:38 And the chambers and the entries thereof were by the posts of
the gates, where they washed the burnt offering.

40:39 And in the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and
two tables on that side, to slay thereon the burnt offering and the
sin offering and the trespass offering.

40:40 And at the side without, as one goeth up to the entry of the
north gate, were two tables; and on the other side, which was at the
porch of the gate, were two tables.

40:41 Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by
the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they slew their
sacrifices.

40:42 And the four tables were of hewn stone for the burnt offering,
of a cubit and an half long, and a cubit and an half broad, and one
cubit high: whereupon also they laid the instruments wherewith they
slew the burnt offering and the sacrifice.

40:43 And within were hooks, an hand broad, fastened round about: and
upon the tables was the flesh of the offering.

40:44 And without the inner gate were the chambers of the singers in
the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their
prospect was toward the south: one at the side of the east gate having
the prospect toward the north.

40:45 And he said unto me, This chamber, whose prospect is toward the
south, is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the house.

40:46 And the chamber whose prospect is toward the north is for the
priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of
Zadok among the sons of Levi, which come near to the LORD to minister
unto him.

40:47 So he measured the court, an hundred cubits long, and an hundred
cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar that was before the house.

40:48 And he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each
post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that
side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and
three cubits on that side.

40:49 The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth
eleven cubits, and he brought me by the steps whereby they went up to
it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another
on that side.

41:1 Afterward he brought me to the temple, and measured the posts,
six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other
side, which was the breadth of the tabernacle.

41:2 And the breadth of the door was ten cubits; and the sides of the
door were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other
side: and he measured the length thereof, forty cubits: and the
breadth, twenty cubits.

41:3 Then went he inward, and measured the post of the door, two
cubits; and the door, six cubits; and the breadth of the door, seven
cubits.

41:4 So he measured the length thereof, twenty cubits; and the
breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple: and he said unto me, This
is the most holy place.

41:5 After he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the
breadth of every side chamber, four cubits, round about the house on
every side.

41:6 And the side chambers were three, one over another, and thirty in
order; and they entered into the wall which was of the house for the
side chambers round about, that they might have hold, but they had not
hold in the wall of the house.

41:7 And there was an enlarging, and a winding about still upward to
the side chambers: for the winding about of the house went still
upward round about the house: therefore the breadth of the house was
still upward, and so increased from the lowest chamber to the highest
by the midst.

41:8 I saw also the height of the house round about: the foundations
of the side chambers were a full reed of six great cubits.

41:9 The thickness of the wall, which was for the side chamber
without, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the
side chambers that were within.

41:10 And between the chambers was the wideness of twenty cubits round
about the house on every side.

41:11 And the doors of the side chambers were toward the place that
was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the
south: and the breadth of the place that was left was five cubits
round about.

41:12 Now the building that was before the separate place at the end
toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building
was five cubits thick round about, and the length thereof ninety
cubits.

41:13 So he measured the house, an hundred cubits long; and the
separate place, and the building, with the walls thereof, an hundred
cubits long; 41:14 Also the breadth of the face of the house, and of
the separate place toward the east, an hundred cubits.

41:15 And he measured the length of the building over against the
separate place which was behind it, and the galleries thereof on the
one side and on the other side, an hundred cubits, with the inner
temple, and the porches of the court; 41:16 The door posts, and the
narrow windows, and the galleries round about on their three stories,
over against the door, cieled with wood round about, and from the
ground up to the windows, and the windows were covered; 41:17 To that
above the door, even unto the inner house, and without, and by all the
wall round about within and without, by measure.

41:18 And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm
tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two
faces; 41:19 So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the
one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the
other side: it was made through all the house round about.

41:20 From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm
trees made, and on the wall of the temple.

41:21 The posts of the temple were squared, and the face of the
sanctuary; the appearance of the one as the appearance of the other.

41:22 The altar of wood was three cubits high, and the length thereof
two cubits; and the corners thereof, and the length thereof, and the
walls thereof, were of wood: and he said unto me, This is the table
that is before the LORD.

41:23 And the temple and the sanctuary had two doors.

41:24 And the doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves; two
leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other door.

41:25 And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple,
cherubims and palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there
were thick planks upon the face of the porch without.

41:26 And there were narrow windows and palm trees on the one side and
on the other side, on the sides of the porch, and upon the side
chambers of the house, and thick planks.

42:1 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, the way toward the
north: and he brought me into the chamber that was over against the
separate place, and which was before the building toward the north.

42:2 Before the length of an hundred cubits was the north door, and
the breadth was fifty cubits.

42:3 Over against the twenty cubits which were for the inner court,
and over against the pavement which was for the utter court, was
gallery against gallery in three stories.

42:4 And before the chambers was a walk to ten cubits breadth inward,
a way of one cubit; and their doors toward the north.

42:5 Now the upper chambers were shorter: for the galleries were
higher than these, than the lower, and than the middlemost of the
building.

42:6 For they were in three stories, but had not pillars as the
pillars of the courts: therefore the building was straitened more than
the lowest and the middlemost from the ground.

42:7 And the wall that was without over against the chambers, toward
the utter court on the forepart of the chambers, the length thereof
was fifty cubits.

42:8 For the length of the chambers that were in the utter court was
fifty cubits: and, lo, before the temple were an hundred cubits.

42:9 And from under these chambers was the entry on the east side, as
one goeth into them from the utter court.

42:10 The chambers were in the thickness of the wall of the court
toward the east, over against the separate place, and over against the
building.

42:11 And the way before them was like the appearance of the chambers
which were toward the north, as long as they, and as broad as they:
and all their goings out were both according to their fashions, and
according to their doors.

42:12 And according to the doors of the chambers that were toward the
south was a door in the head of the way, even the way directly before
the wall toward the east, as one entereth into them.

42:13 Then said he unto me, The north chambers and the south chambers,
which are before the separate place, they be holy chambers, where the
priests that approach unto the LORD shall eat the most holy things:
there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meat offering, and
the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.

42:14 When the priests enter therein, then shall they not go out of
the holy place into the utter court, but there they shall lay their
garments wherein they minister; for they are holy; and shall put on
other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the
people.

42:15 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he
brought me forth toward the gate whose prospect is toward the east,
and measured it round about.

42:16 He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred
reeds, with the measuring reed round about.

42:17 He measured the north side, five hundred reeds, with the
measuring reed round about.

42:18 He measured the south side, five hundred reeds, with the
measuring reed.

42:19 He turned about to the west side, and measured five hundred
reeds with the measuring reed.

42:20 He measured it by the four sides: it had a wall round about,
five hundred reeds long, and five hundred broad, to make a separation
between the sanctuary and the profane place.

43:1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh
toward the east: 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came
from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many
waters: and the earth shined with his glory.

43:3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw,
even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the
city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river
Chebar; and I fell upon my face.

43:4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the
gate whose prospect is toward the east.

43:5 So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court;
and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.

43:6 And I heard him speaking unto me out of the house; and the man
stood by me.

43:7 And he said unto me, Son of man, the place of my throne, and the
place of the soles of my feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the
children of Israel for ever, and my holy name, shall the house of
Israel no more defile, neither they, nor their kings, by their
whoredom, nor by the carcases of their kings in their high places.

43:8 In their setting of their threshold by my thresholds, and their
post by my posts, and the wall between me and them, they have even
defiled my holy name by their abominations that they have committed:
wherefore I have consumed them in mine anger.

43:9 Now let them put away their whoredom, and the carcases of their
kings, far from me, and I will dwell in the midst of them for ever.

43:10 Thou son of man, shew the house to the house of Israel, that
they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the
pattern.

43:11 And if they be ashamed of all that they have done, shew them the
form of the house, and the fashion thereof, and the goings out
thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and
all the ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the
laws thereof: and write it in their sight, that they may keep the
whole form thereof, and all the ordinances thereof, and do them.

43:12 This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the
whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is
the law of the house.

43:13 And these are the measures of the altar after the cubits: The
cubit is a cubit and an hand breadth; even the bottom shall be a
cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and the border thereof by the edge
thereof round about shall be a span: and this shall be the higher
place of the altar.

43:14 And from the bottom upon the ground even to the lower settle
shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser
settle even to the greater settle shall be four cubits, and the
breadth one cubit.

43:15 So the altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar and upward
shall be four horns.

43:16 And the altar shall be twelve cubits long, twelve broad, square
in the four squares thereof.

43:17 And the settle shall be fourteen cubits long and fourteen broad
in the four squares thereof; and the border about it shall be half a
cubit; and the bottom thereof shall be a cubit about; and his stairs
shall look toward the east.

43:18 And he said unto me, Son of man, thus saith the Lord GOD; These
are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to
offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.

43:19 And thou shalt give to the priests the Levites that be of the
seed of Zadok, which approach unto me, to minister unto me, saith the
Lord GOD, a young bullock for a sin offering.

43:20 And thou shalt take of the blood thereof, and put it on the four
horns of it, and on the four corners of the settle, and upon the
border round about: thus shalt thou cleanse and purge it.

43:21 Thou shalt take the bullock also of the sin offering, and he
shall burn it in the appointed place of the house, without the
sanctuary.

43:22 And on the second day thou shalt offer a kid of the goats
without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar,
as they did cleanse it with the bullock.

43:23 When thou hast made an end of cleansing it, thou shalt offer a
young bullock without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without
blemish.

43:24 And thou shalt offer them before the LORD, and the priests shall
cast salt upon them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering
unto the LORD.

43:25 Seven days shalt thou prepare every day a goat for a sin
offering: they shall also prepare a young bullock, and a ram out of
the flock, without blemish.

43:26 Seven days shall they purge the altar and purify it; and they
shall consecrate themselves.

43:27 And when these days are expired, it shall be, that upon the
eighth day, and so forward, the priests shall make your burnt
offerings upon the altar, and your peace offerings; and I will accept
you, saith the Lord GOD.

44:1 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward
sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut.

44:2 Then said the LORD unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not
be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the LORD, the God
of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut.

44:3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread
before the LORD; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate,
and shall go out by the way of the same.

44:4 Then brought he me the way of the north gate before the house:
and I looked, and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house of
the LORD: and I fell upon my face.

44:5 And the LORD said unto me, Son of man, mark well, and behold with
thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say unto thee
concerning all the ordinances of the house of the LORD, and all the
laws thereof; and mark well the entering in of the house, with every
going forth of the sanctuary.

44:6 And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of
Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice
you of all your abominations, 44:7 In that ye have brought into my
sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in
flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye
offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my
covenant because of all your abominations.

44:8 And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have
set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves.

44:9 Thus saith the Lord GOD; No stranger, uncircumcised in heart, nor
uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any stranger
that is among the children of Israel.

44:10 And the Levites that are gone away far from me, when Israel went
astray, which went astray away from me after their idols; they shall
even bear their iniquity.

44:11 Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having charge at
the gates of the house, and ministering to the house: they shall slay
the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall
stand before them to minister unto them.

44:12 Because they ministered unto them before their idols, and caused
the house of Israel to fall into iniquity; therefore have I lifted up
mine hand against them, saith the Lord GOD, and they shall bear their
iniquity.

44:13 And they shall not come near unto me, to do the office of a
priest unto me, nor to come near to any of my holy things, in the most
holy place: but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations
which they have committed.

44:14 But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all
the service thereof, and for all that shall be done therein.

44:15 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the
charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from
me, they shall come near to me to minister unto me, and they shall
stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord
GOD: 44:16 They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come
near to my table, to minister unto me, and they shall keep my charge.

44:17 And it shall come to pass, that when they enter in at the gates
of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no
wool shall come upon them, whiles they minister in the gates of the
inner court, and within.

44:18 They shall have linen bonnets upon their heads, and shall have
linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with
any thing that causeth sweat.

44:19 And when they go forth into the utter court, even into the utter
court to the people, they shall put off their garments wherein they
ministered, and lay them in the holy chambers, and they shall put on
other garments; and they shall not sanctify the people with their
garments.

44:20 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to
grow long; they shall only poll their heads.

44:21 Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the
inner court.

44:22 Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her that is
put away: but they shall take maidens of the seed of the house of
Israel, or a widow that had a priest before.

44:23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy
and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the
clean.

44:24 And in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall
judge it according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws and my
statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.

44:25 And they shall come at no dead person to defile themselves: but
for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother,
or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.

44:26 And after he is cleansed, they shall reckon unto him seven days.

44:27 And in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, unto the inner
court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering,
saith the Lord GOD.

44:28 And it shall be unto them for an inheritance: I am their
inheritance: and ye shall give them no possession in Israel: I am
their possession.

44:29 They shall eat the meat offering, and the sin offering, and the
trespass offering: and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be
theirs.

44:30 And the first of all the firstfruits of all things, and every
oblation of all, of every sort of your oblations, shall be the
priest's: ye shall also give unto the priest the first of your dough,
that he may cause the blessing to rest in thine house.

44:31 The priests shall not eat of any thing that is dead of itself,
or torn, whether it be fowl or beast.

45:1 Moreover, when ye shall divide by lot the land for inheritance,
ye shall offer an oblation unto the LORD, an holy portion of the land:
the length shall be the length of five and twenty thousand reeds, and
the breadth shall be ten thousand. This shall be holy in all the
borders thereof round about.

45:2 Of this there shall be for the sanctuary five hundred in length,
with five hundred in breadth, square round about; and fifty cubits
round about for the suburbs thereof.

45:3 And of this measure shalt thou measure the length of five and
twenty thousand, and the breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be
the sanctuary and the most holy place.

45:4 The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the
ministers of the sanctuary, which shall come near to minister unto the
LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place for
the sanctuary.

45:5 And the five and twenty thousand of length, and the ten thousand
of breadth shall also the Levites, the ministers of the house, have
for themselves, for a possession for twenty chambers.

45:6 And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand
broad, and five and twenty thousand long, over against the oblation of
the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.

45:7 And a portion shall be for the prince on the one side and on the
other side of the oblation of the holy portion, and of the possession
of the city, before the oblation of the holy portion, and before the
possession of the city, from the west side westward, and from the east
side eastward: and the length shall be over against one of the
portions, from the west border unto the east border.

45:8 In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes
shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they
give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

45:9 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel:
remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away
your exactions from my people, saith the Lord GOD.

45:10 Ye shall have just balances, and a just ephah, and a just bath.

45:11 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath
may contain the tenth part of an homer, and the ephah the tenth part
of an homer: the measure thereof shall be after the homer.

45:12 And the shekel shall be twenty gerahs: twenty shekels, five and
twenty shekels, fifteen shekels, shall be your maneh.

45:13 This is the oblation that ye shall offer; the sixth part of an
ephah of an homer of wheat, and ye shall give the sixth part of an
ephah of an homer of barley: 45:14 Concerning the ordinance of oil,
the bath of oil, ye shall offer the tenth part of a bath out of the
cor, which is an homer of ten baths; for ten baths are an homer: 45:15
And one lamb out of the flock, out of two hundred, out of the fat
pastures of Israel; for a meat offering, and for a burnt offering, and
for peace offerings, to make reconciliation for them, saith the Lord
GOD.

45:16 All the people of the land shall give this oblation for the
prince in Israel.

45:17 And it shall be the prince's part to give burnt offerings, and
meat offerings, and drink offerings, in the feasts, and in the new
moons, and in the sabbaths, in all solemnities of the house of Israel:
he shall prepare the sin offering, and the meat offering, and the
burnt offering, and the peace offerings, to make reconciliation for
the house of Israel.

45:18 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the first month, in the first day of
the month, thou shalt take a young bullock without blemish, and
cleanse the sanctuary: 45:19 And the priest shall take of the blood of
the sin offering, and put it upon the posts of the house, and upon the
four corners of the settle of the altar, and upon the posts of the
gate of the inner court.

45:20 And so thou shalt do the seventh day of the month for every one
that erreth, and for him that is simple: so shall ye reconcile the
house.

45:21 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall
have the passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be
eaten.

45:22 And upon that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for
all the people of the land a bullock for a sin offering.

45:23 And seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to
the LORD, seven bullocks and seven rams without blemish daily the
seven days; and a kid of the goats daily for a sin offering.

45:24 And he shall prepare a meat offering of an ephah for a bullock,
and an ephah for a ram, and an hin of oil for an ephah.

45:25 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, shall
he do the like in the feast of the seven days, according to the sin
offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meat
offering, and according to the oil.

46:1 Thus saith the Lord GOD; The gate of the inner court that looketh
toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath
it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

46:2 And the prince shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate
without, and shall stand by the post of the gate, and the priests
shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall
worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the
gate shall not be shut until the evening.

46:3 Likewise the people of the land shall worship at the door of this
gate before the LORD in the sabbaths and in the new moons.

46:4 And the burnt offering that the prince shall offer unto the LORD
in the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish, and a ram
without blemish.

46:5 And the meat offering shall be an ephah for a ram, and the meat
offering for the lambs as he shall be able to give, and an hin of oil
to an ephah.

46:6 And in the day of the new moon it shall be a young bullock
without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram: they shall be without
blemish.

46:7 And he shall prepare a meat offering, an ephah for a bullock, and
an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs according as his hand shall
attain unto, and an hin of oil to an ephah.

46:8 And when the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the
porch of that gate, and he shall go forth by the way thereof.

46:9 But when the people of the land shall come before the LORD in the
solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to
worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that
entereth by the way of the south gate shall go forth by the way of the
north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came
in, but shall go forth over against it.

46:10 And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go
in; and when they go forth, shall go forth.

46:11 And in the feasts and in the solemnities the meat offering shall
be an ephah to a bullock, and an ephah to a ram, and to the lambs as
he is able to give, and an hin of oil to an ephah.

46:12 Now when the prince shall prepare a voluntary burnt offering or
peace offerings voluntarily unto the LORD, one shall then open him the
gate that looketh toward the east, and he shall prepare his burnt
offering and his peace offerings, as he did on the sabbath day: then
he shall go forth; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.

46:13 Thou shalt daily prepare a burnt offering unto the LORD of a
lamb of the first year without blemish: thou shalt prepare it every
morning.

46:14 And thou shalt prepare a meat offering for it every morning, the
sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of an hin of oil, to temper
with the fine flour; a meat offering continually by a perpetual
ordinance unto the LORD.

46:15 Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meat offering, and the
oil, every morning for a continual burnt offering.

46:16 Thus saith the Lord GOD; If the prince give a gift unto any of
his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons'; it shall be
their possession by inheritance.

46:17 But if he give a gift of his inheritance to one of his servants,
then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after it shall return to
the prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons' for them.

46:18 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance
by oppression, to thrust them out of their possession; but he shall
give his sons inheritance out of his own possession: that my people be
not scattered every man from his possession.

46:19 After he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of
the gate, into the holy chambers of the priests, which looked toward
the north: and, behold, there was a place on the two sides westward.

46:20 Then said he unto me, This is the place where the priests shall
boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, where they shall bake
the meat offering; that they bear them not out into the utter court,
to sanctify the people.

46:21 Then he brought me forth into the utter court, and caused me to
pass by the four corners of the court; and, behold, in every corner of
the court there was a court.

46:22 In the four corners of the court there were courts joined of
forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four corners were of one
measure.

46:23 And there was a row of building round about in them, round about
them four, and it was made with boiling places under the rows round
about.

46:24 Then said he unto me, These are the places of them that boil,
where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifice of the
people.

47:1 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and,
behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house
eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and
the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at
the south side of the altar.

47:2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led
me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh
eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side.

47:3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth
eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the
waters; the waters were to the ankles.

47:4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters;
the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and
brought me through; the waters were to the loins.

47:5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could
not pass over: for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river
that could not be passed over.

47:6 And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he
brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.

47:7 Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were
very many trees on the one side and on the other.

47:8 Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east
country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being
brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.

47:9 And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which
moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there
shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall
come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live
whither the river cometh.

47:10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it
from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth
nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the
great sea, exceeding many.

47:11 But the miry places thereof and the marishes thereof shall not
be healed; they shall be given to salt.

47:12 And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that
side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade,
neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new
fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of
the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf
thereof for medicine.

47:13 Thus saith the Lord GOD; This shall be the border, whereby ye
shall inherit the land according to the twelve tribes of Israel:
Joseph shall have two portions.

47:14 And ye shall inherit it, one as well as another: concerning the
which I lifted up mine hand to give it unto your fathers: and this
land shall fall unto you for inheritance.

47:15 And this shall be the border of the land toward the north side,
from the great sea, the way of Hethlon, as men go to Zedad; 47:16
Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and
the border of Hamath; Hazarhatticon, which is by the coast of Hauran.

47:17 And the border from the sea shall be Hazarenan, the border of
Damascus, and the north northward, and the border of Hamath. And this
is the north side.

47:18 And the east side ye shall measure from Hauran, and from
Damascus, and from Gilead, and from the land of Israel by Jordan, from
the border unto the east sea. And this is the east side.

47:19 And the south side southward, from Tamar even to the waters of
strife in Kadesh, the river to the great sea. And this is the south
side southward.

47:20 The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till
a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

47:21 So shall ye divide this land unto you according to the tribes of
Israel.

47:22 And it shall come to pass, that ye shall divide it by lot for an
inheritance unto you, and to the strangers that sojourn among you,
which shall beget children among you: and they shall be unto you as
born in the country among the children of Israel; they shall have
inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.

47:23 And it shall come to pass, that in what tribe the stranger
sojourneth, there shall ye give him his inheritance, saith the Lord
GOD.

48:1 Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the
coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the
border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are
his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.

48:2 And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side,
a portion for Asher.

48:3 And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west
side, a portion for Naphtali.

48:4 And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west
side, a portion for Manasseh.

48:5 And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west
side, a portion for Ephraim.

48:6 And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the
west side, a portion for Reuben.

48:7 And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west
side, a portion for Judah.

48:8 And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west
side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty
thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts,
from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in
the midst of it.

48:9 The oblation that ye shall offer unto the LORD shall be of five
and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth.

48:10 And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation;
toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the
west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in
breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and
the sanctuary of the LORD shall be in the midst thereof.

48:11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of
Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the
children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

48:12 And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them
a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.

48:13 And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall
have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth:
all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten
thousand.

48:14 And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate
the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the LORD.

48:15 And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against
the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city,
for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst
thereof.

48:16 And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four
thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five
hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the
west side four thousand and five hundred.

48:17 And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two
hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and
toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred
and fifty.

48:18 And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy
portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and
it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the
increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.

48:19 And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the
tribes of Israel.

48:20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and
twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the
possession of the city.

48:21 And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on
the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city,
over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the
east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand
toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and
it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be
in the midst thereof.

48:22 Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the
possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the
prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin,
shall be for the prince.

48:23 As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west
side, Benjamin shall have a portion.

48:24 And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west
side, Simeon shall have a portion.

48:25 And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west
side, Issachar a portion.

48:26 And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west
side, Zebulun a portion.

48:27 And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west
side, Gad a portion.

48:28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the
border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh,
and to the river toward the great sea.

48:29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of
Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord
GOD.

48:30 And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four
thousand and five hundred measures.

48:31 And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes
of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of
Judah, one gate of Levi.

48:32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three
gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.

48:33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures:
and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of
Zebulun.

48:34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their
three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.

48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of
the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.




The Book of Daniel


1:1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it.

1:2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with part
of the vessels of the house of God: which he carried into the land of
Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the
treasure house of his god.

1:3 And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that
he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king's
seed, and of the princes; 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but
well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge,
and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in
the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the
tongue of the Chaldeans.

1:5 And the king appointed them a daily provision of the king's meat,
and of the wine which he drank: so nourishing them three years, that
at the end thereof they might stand before the king.

1:6 Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah: 1:7 Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave
names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to
Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of
Abednego.

1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself
with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank:
therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not
defile himself.

1:9 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the
prince of the eunuchs.

1:10 And the prince of the eunuchs said unto Daniel, I fear my lord
the king, who hath appointed your meat and your drink: for why should
he see your faces worse liking than the children which are of your
sort? then shall ye make me endanger my head to the king.

1:11 Then said Daniel to Melzar, whom the prince of the eunuchs had
set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 1:12 Prove thy
servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat,
and water to drink.

1:13 Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the
countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's
meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants.

1:14 So he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days.

1:15 And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and
fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the
king's meat.

1:16 Thus Melzar took away the portion of their meat, and the wine
that they should drink; and gave them pulse.

1:17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in
all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions
and dreams.

1:18 Now at the end of the days that the king had said he should bring
them in, then the prince of the eunuchs brought them in before
Nebuchadnezzar.

1:19 And the king communed with them; and among them all was found
none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: therefore stood they
before the king.

1:20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king
enquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the
magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm.

1:21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and
his sleep brake from him.

2:2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the
astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to shew the
king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.

2:3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit
was troubled to know the dream.

2:4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for
ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the
interpretation.

2:5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone
from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the
interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses
shall be made a dunghill.

2:6 But if ye shew the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall
receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore shew me
the dream, and the interpretation thereof.

2:7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the
dream, and we will shew the interpretation of it.

2:8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain
the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.

2:9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one
decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak
before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and
I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.

2:10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a
man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is
no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or
astrologer, or Chaldean.

2:11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none
other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh.

2:12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded
to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

2:13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and
they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.

2:14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the
captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men
of Babylon: 2:15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain,
Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing
known to Daniel.

2:16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give
him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.

2:17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions: 2:18 That they would
desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that
Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men
of Babylon.

2:19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then
Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

2:20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and
ever: for wisdom and might are his: 2:21 And he changeth the times and
the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom
unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: 2:22 He
revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the
darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast
given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we
desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's
matter.

2:24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained
to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him;
Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and
I will shew unto the king the interpretation.

2:25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said
thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will
make known unto the king the interpretation.

2:26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was
Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I
have seen, and the interpretation thereof?  2:27 Daniel answered in
the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath
demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the
soothsayers, shew unto the king; 2:28 But there is a God in heaven
that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar
what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy
head upon thy bed, are these; 2:29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts
came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter:
and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to
pass.

2:30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom
that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make
known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the
thoughts of thy heart.

2:31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image,
whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form
thereof was terrible.

2:32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of
silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 2:33 His legs of iron, his
feet part of iron and part of clay.

2:34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which
smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake
them to pieces.

2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold,
broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer
threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was
found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great
mountain, and filled the whole earth.

2:36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof
before the king.

2:37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath
given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.

2:38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the
field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and
hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.

2:39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and
another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the
earth.

2:40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron
breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh
all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.

2:41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay,
and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in
it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron
mixed with miry clay.

2:42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay,
so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall
mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one
to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.

2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a
kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be
left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all
these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the
mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the
brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made
known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is
certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

2:46 Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped
Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an oblation and sweet
odours unto him.

2:47 The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that
your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of
secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.

2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great
gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and
chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

2:49 Then Daniel requested of the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, over the affairs of the province of Babylon: but Daniel
sat in the gate of the king.

3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was
threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in
the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes,
the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the
counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to
come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had
set up.

3:3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the
treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the
provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image
that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the
image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people,
nations, and languages, 3:5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of
musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar
the king hath set up: 3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth
shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

3:7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the
cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all
the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped
the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

3:8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused
the Jews.

3:9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for
ever.

3:10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear
the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer,
and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:
3:11 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth, that he should be
cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the
province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O
king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.

3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before
the king.

3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden
image which I have set up?  3:15 Now if ye be ready that at what time
ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and
dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image
which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the
same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that
God that shall deliver you out of my hands?  3:16 Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are
not careful to answer thee in this matter.

3:17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O
king.

3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve
thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

3:19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage
was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he
spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times
more than it was wont to be heated.

3:20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to
bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the
burning fiery furnace.

3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their
hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the
burning fiery furnace.

3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the
furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took
up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down
bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste,
and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men
bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the
king, True, O king.

3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the
midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth
is like the Son of God.

3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery
furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye
servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's
counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies
the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither
were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

3:28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and
delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the
king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor
worship any god, except their own God.

3:29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and
language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall
be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver
after this sort.

3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, in the
province of Babylon.

4:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king, unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

4:2 I thought it good to shew the signs and wonders that the high God
hath wrought toward me.

4:3 How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation
to generation.

4:4 I Nebuchadnezzar was at rest in mine house, and flourishing in my
palace: 4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts upon
my bed and the visions of my head troubled me.

4:6 Therefore made I a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon
before me, that they might make known unto me the interpretation of
the dream.

4:7 Then came in the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and
the soothsayers: and I told the dream before them; but they did not
make known unto me the interpretation thereof.

4:8 But at the last Daniel came in before me, whose name was
Belteshazzar, according to the name of my God, and in whom is the
spirit of the holy gods: and before him I told the dream, saying, 4:9
O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the
spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell
me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation
thereof.

4:10 Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a
tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great.

4:11 The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached
unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: 4:12
The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it
was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the
fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed
of it.

4:13 I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a
watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; 4:14 He cried aloud,
and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off
his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under
it, and the fowls from his branches: 4:15 Nevertheless leave the stump
of his roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the
tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven,
and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: 4:16
Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given
unto him; and let seven times pass over him.

4:17 This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by
the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that
the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

4:18 This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O
Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the
wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the
interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is
in thee.

4:19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one
hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said,
Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof,
trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to
them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies.

4:20 The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose
height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the
earth; 4:21 Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in
it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and
upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: 4:22
It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy
greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the
end of the earth.

4:23 And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down
from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave
the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron
and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with
the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over him; 4:24 This is the
interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which
is come upon my lord the king: 4:25 That they shall drive thee from
men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they
shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the
dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know
that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever he will.

4:26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots;
thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known
that the heavens do rule.

4:27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and
break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing
mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.

4:28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.

4:29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the
kingdom of Babylon.

4:30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have
built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for
the honour of my majesty?  4:31 While the word was in the king's
mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar,
to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.

4:32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as
oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the
most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will.

4:33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he
was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet
with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles'
feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.

4:34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes
unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed
the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever,
whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from
generation to generation: 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth
are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army
of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay
his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?  4:36 At the same time my
reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour
and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords
sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent
majesty was added unto me.

4:37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of
heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those
that walk in pride he is able to abase.

5:1 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords,
and drank wine before the thousand.

5:2 Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the
golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken
out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his
princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.

5:3 Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the
temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and
his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.

5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of
brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.

5:5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote
over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the
king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

5:6 Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled
him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote
one against another.

5:7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans,
and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of
Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the
interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a
chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the
kingdom.

5:8 Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the
writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

5:9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was
changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

5:10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords
came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king,
live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy
countenance be changed: 5:11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is
the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and
understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in
him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy
father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and
soothsayers; 5:12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and
understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences,
and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king
named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the
interpretation.

5:13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake
and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children
of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of
Jewry?  5:14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is
in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is
found in thee.

5:15 And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in
before me, that they should read this writing, and make known unto me
the interpretation thereof: but they could not shew the interpretation
of the thing: 5:16 And I have heard of thee, that thou canst make
interpretations, and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the
writing, and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou shalt
be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about thy neck, and
shalt be the third ruler in the kingdom.

5:17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be
to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the
writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation.

5:18 O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a
kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour: 5:19 And for the majesty
that he gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and
feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept
alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down.

5:20 But when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride,
he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from
him: 5:21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was
made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they
fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of
heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of
men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

5:22 And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart,
though thou knewest all this; 5:23 But hast lifted up thyself against
the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house
before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines,
have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and
gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor
know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy
ways, hast thou not glorified: 5:24 Then was the part of the hand sent
from him; and this writing was written.

5:25 And this is the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
UPHARSIN.

5:26 This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered
thy kingdom, and finished it.

5:27 TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

5:28 PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and
Persians.

5:29 Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet,
and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation
concerning him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.

5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain.

5:31 And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore
and two years old.

6:1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty
princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 6:2 And over these
three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might
give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

6:3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes,
because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set
him over the whole realm.

6:4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against
Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor
fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or
fault found in him.

6:5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this
Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

6:6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king,
and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

6:7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes,
the counsellors, and the captains, have consulted together to
establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever
shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee,
O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

6:8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it
be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which
altereth not.

6:9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into
his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem,
he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave
thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

6:11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making
supplication before his God.

6:12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the
king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that
shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of
thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered
and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not.

6:13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which
is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O
king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition
three times a day.

6:14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased
with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he
laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

6:15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king,
Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no
decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

6:16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him
into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy
God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

6:17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and
the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his
lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

6:18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting:
neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep
went from him.

6:19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste
unto the den of lions.

6:20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice
unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant
of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to
deliver thee from the lions?  6:21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O
king, live for ever.

6:22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that
they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in
me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

6:23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that
they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out
of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he
believed in his God.

6:24 And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had
accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their
children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and
brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the
den.

6:25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages,
that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

6:26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble
and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and
stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,
and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

6:27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in
heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the
lions.

6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign
of Cyrus the Persian.

7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream
and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and
told the sum of the matters.

7:2 Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold,
the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.

7:3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from
another.

7:4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till
the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth,
and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to
it.

7:5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised
up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it
between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour
much flesh.

7:6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had
upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four
heads; and dominion was given to it.

7:7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast,
dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron
teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with
the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were
before it; and it had ten horns.

7:8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns
plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the
eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

7:9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days
did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head
like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his
wheels as burning fire.

7:10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand
thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

7:11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the
horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body
destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

7:12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion
taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

7:13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man
came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and
they brought him near before him.

7:14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that
all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is
an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom
that which shall not be destroyed.

7:15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the midst of my body, and
the visions of my head troubled me.

7:16 I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the
truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation
of the things.

7:17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall
arise out of the earth.

7:18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and
possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

7:19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was
diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of
iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and
stamped the residue with his feet; 7:20 And of the ten horns that were
in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three
fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very
great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

7:21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and
prevailed against them; 7:22 Until the Ancient of days came, and
judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came
that the saints possessed the kingdom.

7:23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon
earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the
whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall
arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from
the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall
wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and
laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and
the dividing of time.

7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his
dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

7:27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of
the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey him.

7:28 Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my
cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I
kept the matter in my heart.

8:1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision
appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto
me at the first.

8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was
at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw
in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood
before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were
high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so
that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that
could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and
became great.

8:5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on
the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat
had a notable horn between his eyes.

8:6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen
standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with
choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and
there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him
down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that
could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong,
the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward
the four winds of heaven.

8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the
pleasant land.

8:10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down
some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon
them.

8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by
him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary
was cast down.

8:12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason
of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it
practised, and prospered.

8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that
certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the
daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the
sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?  8:14 And he said
unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the
sanctuary be cleansed.

8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision,
and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the
appearance of a man.

8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which
called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid,
and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man:
for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face
toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the
last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall
be.

8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media
and Persia.

8:21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that
is between his eyes is the first king.

8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four
kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors
are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding
dark sentences, shall stand up.

8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he
shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall
destroy the mighty and the holy people.

8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in
his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace
shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of
princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is
true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many
days.

8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose
up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision,
but none understood it.

9:1 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of
the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; 9:2 In
the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of
the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet,
that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of
Jerusalem.

9:3 And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and
supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: 9:4 And I
prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord,
the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them
that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; 9:5 We have
sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have
rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
9:6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which
spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to
all the people of the land.

9:7 O LORD, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion
of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far
off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because
of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.

9:8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our
princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.

9:9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we
have rebelled against him; 9:10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of
the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his
servants the prophets.

9:11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing,
that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon
us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of
God, because we have sinned against him.

9:12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and
against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil:
for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon
Jerusalem.

9:13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon
us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might
turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.

9:14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it
upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he
doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.

9:15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out
of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown,
as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.

9:16 O LORD, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let
thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy
holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our
fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that
are about us.

9:17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his
supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is
desolate, for the Lord's sake.

9:18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and
behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for
we do not present our supplications before thee for our
righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.

9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not,
for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called
by thy name.

9:20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing my sin and
the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the
LORD my God for the holy mountain of my God; 9:21 Yea, whiles I was
speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the
vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about
the time of the evening oblation.

9:22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am
now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

9:23 At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth,
and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore
understand the matter, and consider the vision.

9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy
city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to
make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting
righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint
the most Holy.

9:25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the
commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the
Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street
shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but
not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall
destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with
a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in
the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to
cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it
desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be
poured upon the desolate.

10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed
unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was
true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing,
and had understanding of the vision.

10:2 In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.

10:3 I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth,
neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were
fulfilled.

10:4 And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by
the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 10:5 Then I lifted up
mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen,
whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: 10:6 His body also
was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and
his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to
polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a
multitude.

10:7 And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me
saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they
fled to hide themselves.

10:8 Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there
remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into
corruption, and I retained no strength.

10:9 Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of
his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward
the ground.

10:10 And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and
upon the palms of my hands.

10:11 And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand
the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am
I now sent.

And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.

10:12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day
that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself
before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and
twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help
me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

10:14 Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy
people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.

10:15 And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward
the ground, and I became dumb.

10:16 And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched
my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that
stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon
me, and I have retained no strength.

10:17 For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord?
for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither
is there breath left in me.

10:18 Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of
a man, and he strengthened me, 10:19 And said, O man greatly beloved,
fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he
had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak;
for thou hast strengthened me.

10:20 Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now
will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone
forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

10:21 But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of
truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but
Michael your prince.

11:1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to
confirm and to strengthen him.

11:2 And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up
yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than
they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all
against the realm of Grecia.

11:3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great
dominion, and do according to his will.

11:4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and
shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his
posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his
kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

11:5 And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his
princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his
dominion shall be a great dominion.

11:6 And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for
the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north
to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm;
neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and
they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened
her in these times.

11:7 But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his
estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the
fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and
shall prevail: 11:8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt their
gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver
and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the
north.

11:9 So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall
return into his own land.

11:10 But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude
of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass
through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his
fortress.

11:11 And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall
come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he
shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given
into his hand.

11:12 And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be
lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not
be strengthened by it.

11:13 For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a
multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after
certain years with a great army and with much riches.

11:14 And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of
the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to
establish the vision; but they shall fall.

11:15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and
take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not
withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any
strength to withstand.

11:16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own
will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the
glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.

11:17 He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his
whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he
shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall
not stand on his side, neither be for him.

11:18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take
many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered
by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn
upon him.

11:19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but
he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

11:20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory
of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in
anger, nor in battle.

11:21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they
shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in
peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

11:22 And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before
him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

11:23 And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully:
for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

11:24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the
province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor
his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil,
and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong
holds, even for a time.

11:25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king
of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be
stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall
not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.

11:26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy
him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.

11:27 And both of these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and
they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet
the end shall be at the time appointed.

11:28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his
heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits,
and return to his own land.

11:29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the
south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

11:30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he
shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy
covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence
with them that forsake the holy covenant.

11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the
sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and
they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

11:32 And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by
flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and
do exploits.

11:33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many:
yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by
spoil, many days.

11:34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little
help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

11:35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and
to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because
it is yet for a time appointed.

11:36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt
himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak
marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the
indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be
done.

11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire
of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god
whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and
with precious stones, and pleasant things.

11:39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god,
whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause
them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at
him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a
whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and
he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries
shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even
Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

11:42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the
land of Egypt shall not escape.

11:43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of
silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and
the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble
him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and
utterly to make away many.

11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the
seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and
none shall help him.

12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of
trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same
time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that
shall be found written in the book.

12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the
firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for
ever and ever.

12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to
the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be
increased.

12:5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one
on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of
the bank of the river.

12:6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the
waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
12:7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters
of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto
heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a
time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to
scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be
finished.

12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what
shall be the end of these things?  12:9 And he said, Go thy way,
Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the
end.

12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the
wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but
the wise shall understand.

12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away,
and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a
thousand two hundred and ninety days.

12:12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three
hundred and five and thirty days.

12:13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest,
and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.




Hosea


1:1 The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in
the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in
the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

1:2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said
to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of
whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from
the LORD.

1:3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which
conceived, and bare him a son.

1:4 And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a
little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of
Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

1:5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow
of Israel, in the valley of Jezreel.

1:6 And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto
him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the
house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

1:7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them
by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword,
nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

1:8 Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

1:9 Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and
I will not be your God.

1:10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of
the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to
pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my
people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the
living God.

1:11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be
gathered together, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall
come up out of the land: for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

2:1 Say ye unto your brethren, Ammi; and to your sisters, Ruhamah.

2:2 Plead with your mother, plead: for she is not my wife, neither am
I her husband: let her therefore put away her whoredoms out of her
sight, and her adulteries from between her breasts; 2:3 Lest I strip
her naked, and set her as in the day that she was born, and make her
as a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and slay her with
thirst.

2:4 And I will not have mercy upon her children; for they be the
children of whoredoms.

2:5 For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them
hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that
give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my
drink.

2:6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a
wall, that she shall not find her paths.

2:7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake
them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she
say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better
with me than now.

2:8 For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and
multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.

2:9 Therefore will I return, and take away my corn in the time
thereof, and my wine in the season thereof, and will recover my wool
and my flax given to cover her nakedness.

2:10 And now will I discover her lewdness in the sight of her lovers,
and none shall deliver her out of mine hand.

2:11 I will also cause all her mirth to cease, her feast days, her new
moons, and her sabbaths, and all her solemn feasts.

2:12 And I will destroy her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath
said, These are my rewards that my lovers have given me: and I will
make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.

2:13 And I will visit upon her the days of Baalim, wherein she burned
incense to them, and she decked herself with her earrings and her
jewels, and she went after her lovers, and forgat me, saith the LORD.

2:14 Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the
wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.

2:15 And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of
Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of
her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of
Egypt.

2:16 And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call
me Ishi; and shalt call me no more Baali.

2:17 For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and
they shall no more be remembered by their name.

2:18 And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts
of the field and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping
things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the
battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.

2:19 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth
thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness,
and in mercies.

2:20 I will even betroth thee unto me in faithfulness: and thou shalt
know the LORD.

2:21 And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the
LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; 2:22 And
the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they
shall hear Jezreel.

2:23 And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy
upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which
were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art
my God.

3:1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her
friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward
the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of
wine.

3:2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an
homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: 3:3 And I said unto her,
Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and
thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

3:4 For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king,
and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image,
and without an ephod, and without teraphim: 3:5 Afterward shall the
children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David
their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter
days.

4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD
hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is
no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

4:2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing
adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

4:3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth
therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the
fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

4:4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as
they that strive with the priest.

4:5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall
fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast
rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no
priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will
also forget thy children.

4:7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will
I change their glory into shame.

4:8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on
their iniquity.

4:9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish
them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

4:10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit
whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take
heed to the LORD.

4:11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

4:12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth
unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and
they have gone a whoring from under their God.

4:13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense
upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow
thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and
your spouses shall commit adultery.

4:14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor
your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated
with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people
that doth not understand shall fall.

4:15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend;
and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear,
The LORD liveth.

4:16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD
will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

4:18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually:
her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

4:19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be
ashamed because of their sacrifices.

5:1 Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give
ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye
have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

5:2 And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have
been a rebuker of them all.

5:3 I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim,
thou committest whoredom, and Israel is defiled.

5:4 They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the
spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known
the LORD.

5:5 And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall
Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with
them.

5:6 They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the
LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from
them.

5:7 They have dealt treacherously against the LORD: for they have
begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their
portions.

5:8 Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud
at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

5:9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes
of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

5:10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound:
therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

5:11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly
walked after the commandment.

5:12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of
Judah as rottenness.

5:13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went
Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal
you, nor cure you of your wound.

5:14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the
house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away,
and none shall rescue him.

5:15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their
offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me
early.

6:1 Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he
will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise
us up, and we shall live in his sight.

6:3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going
forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the
rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

6:4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do
unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early
dew it goeth away.

6:5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by
the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth
forth.

6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God
more than burnt offerings.

6:7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they
dealt treacherously against me.

6:8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with
blood.

6:9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests
murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

6:10 I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is
the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

6:11 Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned
the captivity of my people.

7:1 When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was
discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood;
and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

7:2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their
wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are
before my face.

7:3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes
with their lies.

7:4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who
ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be
leavened.

7:5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles
of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

7:6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie
in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth
as a flaming fire.

7:7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all
their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

7:8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake
not turned.

7:9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea,
gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

7:10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not
return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

7:11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to
Egypt, they go to Assyria.

7:12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring
them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their
congregation hath heard.

7:13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them!
because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed
them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

7:14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they
howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine,
and they rebel against me.

7:15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they
imagine mischief against me.

7:16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful
bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their
tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

8:1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against
the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and
trespassed against my law.

8:2 Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

8:3 Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall
pursue him.

8:4 They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and
I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them
idols, that they may be cut off.

8:5 Thy calf, O Samaria, hath cast thee off; mine anger is kindled
against them: how long will it be ere they attain to innocency?  8:6
For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not
God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.

8:7 For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it
hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the
strangers shall swallow it up.

8:8 Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a
vessel wherein is no pleasure.

8:9 For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself:
Ephraim hath hired lovers.

8:10 Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather
them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of
princes.

8:11 Because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be
unto him to sin.

8:12 I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were
counted as a strange thing.

8:13 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and
eat it; but the LORD accepteth them not; now will he remember their
iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.

8:14 For Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and buildeth temples; and
Judah hath multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his
cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.

9:1 Rejoice not, O Israel, for joy, as other people: for thou hast
gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved a reward upon every
cornfloor.

9:2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine
shall fail in her.

9:3 They shall not dwell in the LORD's land; but Ephraim shall return
to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

9:4 They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall
they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the
bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their
bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD.

9:5 What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of
the LORD?  9:6 For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt
shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for
their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their
tabernacles.

9:7 The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come;
Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad,
for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred.

9:8 The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a
snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God.

9:9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah:
therefore he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

9:10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers
as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to
Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto that shame; and their
abominations were according as they loved.

9:11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird, from the
birth, and from the womb, and from the conception.

9:12 Though they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them,
that there shall not be a man left: yea, woe also to them when I
depart from them!  9:13 Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a
pleasant place: but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the
murderer.

9:14 Give them, O LORD: what wilt thou give? give them a miscarrying
womb and dry breasts.

9:15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal: for there I hated them: for
the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house, I
will love them no more: all their princes are revolters.

9:16 Ephraim is smitten, their root is dried up, they shall bear no
fruit: yea, though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved
fruit of their womb.

9:17 My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto
him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

10:1 Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself:
according to the multitude of his fruit he hath increased the altars;
according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.

10:2 Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall
break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.

10:3 For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not
the LORD; what then should a king do to us?  10:4 They have spoken
words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth
up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.

10:5 The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of
Bethaven: for the people thereof shall mourn over it, and the priests
thereof that rejoiced on it, for the glory thereof, because it is
departed from it.

10:6 It shall be also carried unto Assyria for a present to king
Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his
own counsel.

10:7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.

10:8 The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be
destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars;
and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall
on us.

10:9 O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they
stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not
overtake them.

10:10 It is in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people
shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in
their two furrows.

10:11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread
out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make
Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods.

10:12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your
fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain
righteousness upon you.

10:13 Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have
eaten the fruit of lies: because thou didst trust in thy way, in the
multitude of thy mighty men.

10:14 Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy
fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Betharbel in the day
of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.

10:15 So shall Bethel do unto you because of your great wickedness: in
a morning shall the king of Israel utterly be cut off.

11:1 When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out
of Egypt.

11:2 As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto
Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

11:3 I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they
knew not that I healed them.

11:4 I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to
them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat
unto them.

11:5 He shall not return into the land of Egypt, and the Assyrian
shall be his king, because they refused to return.

11:6 And the sword shall abide on his cities, and shall consume his
branches, and devour them, because of their own counsels.

11:7 And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called
them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

11:8 How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee,
Israel?  how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as
Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled
together.

11:9 I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not
return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in
the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.

11:10 They shall walk after the LORD: he shall roar like a lion: when
he shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west.

11:11 They shall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of
the land of Assyria: and I will place them in their houses, saith the
LORD.

11:12 Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel
with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the
saints.

12:1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind: he
daily increaseth lies and desolation; and they do make a covenant with
the Assyrians, and oil is carried into Egypt.

12:2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish
Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he
recompense him.

12:3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength
he had power with God: 12:4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and
prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in
Bethel, and there he spake with us; 12:5 Even the LORD God of hosts;
the LORD is his memorial.

12:6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment and wait
on thy God continually.

12:7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he
loveth to oppress.

12:8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out
substance: in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that
were sin.

12:9 And I that am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt will yet
make thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the solemn feast.

12:10 I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied
visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.

12:11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? surely they are vanity: they
sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the
furrows of the fields.

12:12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for
a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

12:13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a
prophet was he preserved.

12:14 Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly: therefore shall he
leave his blood upon him, and his reproach shall his LORD return unto
him.

13:1 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but
when he offended in Baal, he died.

13:2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images
of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all
of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that
sacrifice kiss the calves.

13:3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud and as the early dew
that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out
of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.

13:4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt
know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.

13:5 I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought.

13:6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were
filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me.

13:7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way
will I observe them: 13:8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved
of her whelps, and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I
devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

13:9 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.

13:10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all
thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and
princes?  13:11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in
my wrath.

13:12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.

13:13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an
unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking
forth of children.

13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem
them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be
thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

13:15 Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall
come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his
spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall
spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

13:16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her
God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in
pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

14:1 O israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by
thine iniquity.

14:2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take
away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the
calves of our lips.

14:3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither
will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in
thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

14:4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine
anger is turned away from him.

14:5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and
cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

14:6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive
tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

14:7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive
as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the
wine of Lebanon.

14:8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have
heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is
thy fruit found.

14:9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and
he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just
shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.




Joel


1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.

1:2 Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land.

Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?  1:3
Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their
children, and their children another generation.

1:4 That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and
that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that
which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.

1:5 Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine,
because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.

1:6 For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number,
whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a
great lion.

1:7 He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made
it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.

1:8 Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her
youth.

1:9 The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house
of the LORD; the priests, the LORD's ministers, mourn.

1:10 The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted:
the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.

1:11 Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the
wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is
perished.

1:12 The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the
pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the
trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from
the sons of men.

1:13 Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of
the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God:
for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the
house of your God.

1:14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and
all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God,
and cry unto the LORD, 1:15 Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD
is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.

1:16 Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness
from the house of our God?  1:17 The seed is rotten under their clods,
the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn
is withered.

1:18 How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed,
because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made
desolate.

1:19 O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the
pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of
the field.

1:20 The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of
waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the
wilderness.

2:1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy
mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of
the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand; 2:2 A day of darkness and of
gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning
spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not
been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the
years of many generations.

2:3 A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the
land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate
wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.

2:4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as
horsemen, so shall they run.

2:5 Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they
leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as
a strong people set in battle array.

2:6 Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall
gather blackness.

2:7 They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men
of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not
break their ranks: 2:8 Neither shall one thrust another; they shall
walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they
shall not be wounded.

2:9 They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the
wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the
windows like a thief.

2:10 The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the
sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their
shining: 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for
his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for
the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
2:12 Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all
your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
2:13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the
LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of
great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

2:14 Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing
behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD
your God?  2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a
solemn assembly: 2:16 Gather the people, sanctify the congregation,
assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the
breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out
of her closet.

2:17 Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the
porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and
give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over
them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
2:18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

2:19 Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will
send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith:
and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen: 2:20 But I
will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him
into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea,
and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come
up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great
things.

2:21 Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great
things.

2:22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the
wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and
the vine do yield their strength.

2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your
God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will
cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter
rain in the first month.

2:24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall
overflow with wine and oil.

2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten,
the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army
which I sent among you.

2:26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name
of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my
people shall never be ashamed.

2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am
the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be
ashamed.

2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my
spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see
visions: 2:29 And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in
those days will I pour out my spirit.

2:30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood,
and fire, and pillars of smoke.

2:31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood,
before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.

2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name
of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem
shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom
the LORD shall call.

3:1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring
again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, 3:2 I will also gather all
nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and
will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel,
whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

3:3 And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an
harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.

3:4 Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all
the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye
recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon
your own head; 3:5 Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and
have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: 3:6 The
children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto
the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.

3:7 Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold
them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: 3:8 And I
will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children
of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far
off: for the LORD hath spoken it.

3:9 Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the
mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 3:10
Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruninghooks into spears:
let the weak say, I am strong.

3:11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather
yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come
down, O LORD.

3:12 Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of
Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round
about.

3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you
down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness
is great.

3:14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of
the LORD is near in the valley of decision.

3:15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall
withdraw their shining.

3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from
Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD
will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of
Israel.

3:17 So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my
holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no
strangers pass through her any more.

3:18 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall
drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the
rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come
forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of
Shittim.

3:19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate
wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because
they have shed innocent blood in their land.

3:20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to
generation.

3:21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the
LORD dwelleth in Zion.




Amos


1:1 The words of Amos, who was among the herdmen of Tekoa, which he
saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, and in the
days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the
earthquake.

1:2 And he said, The LORD will roar from Zion, and utter his voice
from Jerusalem; and the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn, and
the top of Carmel shall wither.

1:3 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Damascus, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have
threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: 1:4 But I will
send a fire into the house of Hazael, which shall devour the palaces
of Benhadad.

1:5 I will break also the bar of Damascus, and cut off the inhabitant
from the plain of Aven, and him that holdeth the sceptre from the
house of Eden: and the people of Syria shall go into captivity unto
Kir, saith the LORD.

1:6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Gaza, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they
carried away captive the whole captivity, to deliver them up to Edom:
1:7 But I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza, which shall devour the
palaces thereof: 1:8 And I will cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,
and him that holdeth the sceptre from Ashkelon, and I will turn mine
hand against Ekron: and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,
saith the Lord GOD.

1:9 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Tyrus, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they
delivered up the whole captivity to Edom, and remembered not the
brotherly covenant: 1:10 But I will send a fire on the wall of Tyrus,
which shall devour the palaces thereof.

1:11 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did
pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his
anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: 1:12 But I
will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

1:13 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of the children of
Ammon, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof;
because they have ripped up the women with child of Gilead, that they
might enlarge their border: 1:14 But I will kindle a fire in the wall
of Rabbah, and it shall devour the palaces thereof, with shouting in
the day of battle, with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind: 1:15
And their king shall go into captivity, he and his princes together,
saith the LORD.

2:1 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Moab, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned
the bones of the king of Edom into lime: 2:2 But I will send a fire
upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth: and Moab shall
die with tumult, with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet: 2:3
And I will cut off the judge from the midst thereof, and will slay all
the princes thereof with him, saith the LORD.

2:4 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have
despised the law of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and
their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have
walked: 2:5 But I will send a fire upon Judah, and it shall devour the
palaces of Jerusalem.

2:6 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Israel, and for
four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold
the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes; 2:7 That
pant after the dust of the earth on the head of the poor, and turn
aside the way of the meek: and a man and his father will go in unto
the same maid, to profane my holy name: 2:8 And they lay themselves
down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the
wine of the condemned in the house of their god.

2:9 Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the
height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed
his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.

2:10 Also I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and led you forty
years through the wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

2:11 And I raised up of your sons for prophets, and of your young men
for Nazarites. Is it not even thus, O ye children of Israel? saith the
LORD.

2:12 But ye gave the Nazarites wine to drink; and commanded the
prophets, saying, Prophesy not.

2:13 Behold, I am pressed under you, as a cart is pressed that is full
of sheaves.

2:14 Therefore the flight shall perish from the swift, and the strong
shall not strengthen his force, neither shall the mighty deliver
himself: 2:15 Neither shall he stand that handleth the bow; and he
that is swift of foot shall not deliver himself: neither shall he that
rideth the horse deliver himself.

2:16 And he that is courageous among the mighty shall flee away naked
in that day, saith the LORD.

3:1 Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children
of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land
of Egypt, saying, 3:2 You only have I known of all the families of the
earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?  3:4 Will a lion
roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of
his den, if he have taken nothing?  3:5 Can a bird fall in a snare
upon the earth, where no gin is for him?  shall one take up a snare
from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?  3:6 Shall a trumpet be
blown in the city, and the people not be afraid?  shall there be evil
in a city, and the LORD hath not done it?  3:7 Surely the Lord GOD
will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the
prophets.

3:8 The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord GOD hath spoken,
who can but prophesy?  3:9 Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in
the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon
the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst
thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

3:10 For they know not to do right, saith the LORD, who store up
violence and robbery in their palaces.

3:11 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; An adversary there shall be
even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from
thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

3:12 Thus saith the LORD; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of
the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of
Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and
in Damascus in a couch.

3:13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord GOD,
the God of hosts, 3:14 That in the day that I shall visit the
transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of
Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the
ground.

3:15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the
houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end,
saith the LORD.

4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of
Samaria, which oppress the poor, which crush the needy, which say to
their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

4:2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness, that, lo, the days shall
come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your
posterity with fishhooks.

4:3 And ye shall go out at the breaches, every cow at that which is
before her; and ye shall cast them into the palace, saith the LORD.

4:4 Come to Bethel, and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression;
and bring your sacrifices every morning, and your tithes after three
years: 4:5 And offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven, and
proclaim and publish the free offerings: for this liketh you, O ye
children of Israel, saith the Lord GOD.

4:6 And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto
me, saith the LORD.

4:7 And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet
three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city,
and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained
upon, and the piece whereupon it rained not withered.

4:8 So two or three cities wandered unto one city, to drink water; but
they were not satisfied: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the
LORD.

4:9 I have smitten you with blasting and mildew: when your gardens and
your vineyards and your fig trees and your olive trees increased, the
palmerworm devoured them: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the
LORD.

4:10 I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt:
your young men have I slain with the sword, and have taken away your
horses; and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your
nostrils: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

4:11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet
have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.

4:12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will
do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

4:13 For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind,
and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning
darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD,
The God of hosts, is his name.

5:1 Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation,
O house of Israel.

5:2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is
forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

5:3 For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand
shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall
leave ten, to the house of Israel.

5:4 For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and
ye shall live: 5:5 But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and
pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and
Bethel shall come to nought.

5:6 Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in
the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in
Bethel.

5:7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in
the earth, 5:8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and
turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark
with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them
out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name: 5:9 That
strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled
shall come against the fortress.

5:10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that
speaketh uprightly.

5:11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye
take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone,
but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards,
but ye shall not drink wine of them.

5:12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins:
they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor
in the gate from their right.

5:13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is
an evil time.

5:14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the
God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

5:15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the
gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the
remnant of Joseph.

5:16 Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD, saith thus;
Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the
highways, Alas! alas!  and they shall call the husbandman to mourning,
and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

5:17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through
thee, saith the LORD.

5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it
for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

5:19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went
into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit
him.

5:20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even
very dark, and no brightness in it?  5:21 I hate, I despise your feast
days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

5:22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I
will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of
your fat beasts.

5:23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not
hear the melody of thy viols.

5:24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a
mighty stream.

5:25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the
wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?  5:26 But ye have borne the
tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god,
which ye made to yourselves.

5:27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus,
saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.

6:1 Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of
Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of
Israel came!  6:2 Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye
to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they
better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?
6:3 Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence
to come near; 6:4 That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves
upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves
out of the midst of the stall; 6:5 That chant to the sound of the
viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David; 6:6
That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief
ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

6:7 Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go
captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be
removed.

6:8 The Lord GOD hath sworn by himself, saith the LORD the God of
hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces:
therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein.

6:9 And it shall come to pass, if there remain ten men in one house,
that they shall die.

6:10 And a man's uncle shall take him up, and he that burneth him, to
bring out the bones out of the house, and shall say unto him that is
by the sides of the house, Is there yet any with thee? and he shall
say, No. Then shall he say, Hold thy tongue: for we may not make
mention of the name of the LORD.

6:11 For, behold, the LORD commandeth, and he will smite the great
house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

6:12 Shall horses run upon the rock? will one plow there with oxen?
for ye have turned judgment into gall, and the fruit of righteousness
into hemlock: 6:13 Ye which rejoice in a thing of nought, which say,
Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength?  6:14 But, behold,
I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, saith the
LORD the God of hosts; and they shall afflict you from the entering in
of Hemath unto the river of the wilderness.

7:1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me; and, behold, he formed
grasshoppers in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth;
and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.

7:2 And it came to pass, that when they had made an end of eating the
grass of the land, then I said, O Lord GOD, forgive, I beseech thee:
by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small.

7:3 The LORD repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.

7:4 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and, behold, the Lord GOD
called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and did eat
up a part.

7:5 Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall
Jacob arise? for he is small.

7:6 The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord
GOD.

7:7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the LORD stood upon a wall made by
a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

7:8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A
plumbline. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the
midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: 7:9
And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of
Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of
Jeroboam with the sword.

7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of
Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the
house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.

7:11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel
shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.

7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into
the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there: 7:13 But
prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel,
and it is the king's court.

7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet,
neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of
sycomore fruit: 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and
the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

7:16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest,
Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house
of Isaac.

7:17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the
city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy
land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land:
and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.

8:1 Thus hath the Lord GOD shewed unto me: and behold a basket of
summer fruit.

8:2 And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer
fruit. Then said the LORD unto me, The end is come upon my people of
Israel; I will not again pass by them any more.

8:3 And the songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith
the Lord GOD: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they
shall cast them forth with silence.

8:4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor
of the land to fail, 8:5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that
we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making
the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by
deceit?  8:6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a
pair of shoes; yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat?  8:7 The LORD
hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any
of their works.

8:8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that
dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall
be cast out and drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

8:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I
will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in
the clear day: 8:10 And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all
your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all
loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the
mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day.

8:11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a
famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but
of hearing the words of the LORD: 8:12 And they shall wander from sea
to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro
to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.

8:13 In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for
thirst.

8:14 They that swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, Thy god, O Dan,
liveth; and, The manner of Beersheba liveth; even they shall fall, and
never rise up again.

9:1 I saw the LORD standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the
lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the
head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he
that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them
shall not be delivered.

9:2 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them;
though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down: 9:3 And
though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and
take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the
bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall
bite them: 9:4 And though they go into captivity before their enemies,
thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will
set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.

9:5 And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it
shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise
up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of
Egypt.

9:6 It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded
his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and
poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.

9:7 Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of
Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land
of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
9:8 Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and
I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will
not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.

9:9 For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among
all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the
least grain fall upon the earth.

9:10 All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say,
The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.

9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is
fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his
ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 9:12 That they may
possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called
by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

9:13 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall
overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed;
and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.

9:14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and
they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall
plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make
gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be
pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD
thy God.




Obadiah


1:1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom;
We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among
the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

1:2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly
despised.

1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in
the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his
heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?  1:4 Though thou exalt
thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars,
thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

1:5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut
off!)  would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the
grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?  1:6
How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things
sought up!  1:7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even
to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived
thee, and prevailed against thee; that they eat thy bread have laid a
wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.

1:8 Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men
out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?  1:9 And thy
mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of
the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

1:10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover
thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

1:11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that
the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered
into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of
them.

1:12 But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in
the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have
rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction;
neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

1:13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the
day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their
affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their
substance in the day of their calamity; 1:14 Neither shouldest thou
have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape;
neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain
in the day of distress.

1:15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou
hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon
thine own head.

1:16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the
heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall
swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

1:17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be
holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

1:18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a
flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in
them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the
house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

1:19 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they
of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of
Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

1:20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall
possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity
of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the
south.

1:21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of
Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD's.




Jonah


1:1 Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai,
saying, 1:2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it;
for their wickedness is come up before me.

1:3 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the
LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish:
so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them
unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a
mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

1:5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god,
and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to
lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the
ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

1:6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest
thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will
think upon us, that we perish not.

1:7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots,
that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast
lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

1:8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause
this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest
thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?  1:9 And he
said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of
heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

1:10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him. Why hast
thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the
LORD, because he had told them.

1:11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea
may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

1:12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the
sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake
this great tempest is upon you.

1:13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they
could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

1:14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O
LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay
not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased
thee.

1:15 So they look up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the
sea ceased from her raging.

1:16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice
unto the LORD, and made vows.

1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And
Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and
he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my
voice.

2:3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas;
and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves
passed over me.

2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again
toward thy holy temple.

2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed
me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her
bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from
corruption, O LORD my God.

2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my
prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I
will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

2:10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon
the dry land.

3:1 And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying,
3:2 Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the
preaching that I bid thee.

3:3 So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of
the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days'
journey.

3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he
cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.

3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and
put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

3:6 For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his
throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth,
and sat in ashes.

3:7 And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by
the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor
beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink
water: 3:8 But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry
mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and
from the violence that is in their hands.

3:9 Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his
fierce anger, that we perish not?  3:10 And God saw their works, that
they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he
had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

4:2 And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was
not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled
before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and
merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of
the evil.

4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for
it is better for me to die than to live.

4:4 Then said the LORD, Doest thou well to be angry?  4:5 So Jonah
went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there
made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see
what would become of the city.

4:6 And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over
Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from
his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

4:7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it
smote the gourd that it withered.

4:8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a
vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he
fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me
to die than to live.

4:9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?
And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

4:10 Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the
which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in
a night, and perished in a night: 4:11 And should not I spare Nineveh,
that great city, wherein are more then sixscore thousand persons that
cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also
much cattle?




Micah


1:1 The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the
days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw
concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

1:2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is:
and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the LORD from his holy
temple.

1:3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come
down, and tread upon the high places of the earth.

1:4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall
be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured
down a steep place.

1:5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of
the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not
Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not
Jerusalem?  1:6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field,
and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones
thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

1:7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and
all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols
thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an
harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot.

1:8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I
will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls.

1:9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come
unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

1:10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of
Aphrah roll thyself in the dust.

1:11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked:
the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Bethezel;
he shall receive of you his standing.

1:12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil
came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem.

1:13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift
beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for
the transgressions of Israel were found in thee.

1:14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moreshethgath: the houses
of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel.

1:15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he
shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

1:16 Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge
thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds!
when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the
power of their hand.

2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and
take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and
his heritage.

2:3 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, against this family do I
devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither
shall ye go haughtily: for this time is evil.

2:4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament
with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath
changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me!
turning away he hath divided our fields.

2:5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in
the congregation of the LORD.

2:6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not
prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.

2:7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the
LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him
that walketh uprightly?  2:8 Even of late my people is risen up as an
enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by
securely as men averse from war.

2:9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant
houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.

2:10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is
polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.

2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I
will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be
the prophet of this people.

2:12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely
gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of
Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great
noise by reason of the multitude of men.

2:13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have
passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall
pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.

3:1 And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of
the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?  3:2 Who hate
the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them,
and their flesh from off their bones; 3:3 Who also eat the flesh of my
people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones,
and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the
caldron.

3:4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he
will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved
themselves ill in their doings.

3:5 Thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people
err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth
not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

3:6 Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a
vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and
the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark
over them.

3:7 Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea,
they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

3:8 But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of
judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and
to Israel his sin.

3:9 Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes
of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

3:10 They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach
for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they
lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can
come upon us.

3:12 Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and
Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the
high places of the forest.

4:1 But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of
the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall
flow unto it.

4:2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to
the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he
will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law
shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4:3 And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations
afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their
spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against
nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig
tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of
hosts hath spoken it.

4:5 For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we
will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.

4:6 In that day, saith the LORD, will I assemble her that halteth, and
I will gather her that is driven out, and her that I have afflicted;
4:7 And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her that was cast
far off a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount
Zion from henceforth, even for ever.

4:8 And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of
Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom
shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem.

4:9 Now why dost thou cry out aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy
counsellor perished? for pangs have taken thee as a woman in travail.

4:10 Be in pain, and labour to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a
woman in travail: for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and
thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon;
there shalt thou be delivered; there the LORD shall redeem thee from
the hand of thine enemies.

4:11 Now also many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let
her be defiled, and let our eye look upon Zion.

4:12 But they know not the thoughts of the LORD, neither understand
they his counsel: for he shall gather them as the sheaves into the
floor.

4:13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion: for I will make thine horn
iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass: and thou shalt beat in pieces
many people: and I will consecrate their gain unto the LORD, and their
substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.

5:1 Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid
siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon
the cheek.

5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the
thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that
is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old,
from everlasting.

5:3 Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which
travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall
return unto the children of Israel.

5:4 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the
majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now
shall he be great unto the ends of the earth.

5:5 And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into
our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise
against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.

5:6 And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the
land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from
the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth
within our borders.

5:7 And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a
dew from the LORD, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not
for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.

5:8 And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst
of many people as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young
lion among the flocks of sheep: who, if he go through, both treadeth
down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

5:9 Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all
thine enemies shall be cut off.

5:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that I
will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy
thy chariots: 5:11 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and
throw down all thy strong holds: 5:12 And I will cut off witchcrafts
out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers: 5:13 Thy
graven images also will I cut off, and thy standing images out of the
midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands.

5:14 And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee: so will
I destroy thy cities.

5:15 And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen,
such as they have not heard.

6:1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the
mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

6:2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong
foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his
people, and he will plead with Israel.

6:3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I
wearied thee? testify against me.

6:4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee
out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and
Miriam.

6:5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and
what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal;
that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

6:6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the
high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of
a year old?  6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or
with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my
transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  6:8 He
hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require
of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with
thy God?  6:9 The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of
wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

6:10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the
wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?  6:11 Shall I count
them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful
weights?  6:12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the
inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in
their mouth.

6:13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making
thee desolate because of thy sins.

6:14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall
be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not
deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

6:15 Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the
olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but
shalt not drink wine.

6:16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house
of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a
desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall
bear the reproach of my people.

7:1 Woe is me! for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits,
as the grapegleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my
soul desired the firstripe fruit.

7:2 The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none
upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man
his brother with a net.

7:3 That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince
asketh, and the judge asketh for a reward; and the great man, he
uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.

7:4 The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a
thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now
shall be their perplexity.

7:5 Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide: keep
the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom.

7:6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up
against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a
man's enemies are the men of his own house.

7:7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my
salvation: my God will hear me.

7:8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise;
when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

7:9 I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned
against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he
will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his
righteousness.

7:10 Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover
her which said unto me, Where is the LORD thy God? mine eyes shall
behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

7:11 In the day that thy walls are to be built, in that day shall the
decree be far removed.

7:12 In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and
from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river,
and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.

7:13 Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that
dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings.

7:14 Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which
dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in
Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.

7:15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will
I shew unto him marvellous things.

7:16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they
shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.

7:17 They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of
their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD
our God, and shall fear because of thee.

7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth
by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not
his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will
subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the
depths of the sea.

7:20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham,
which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.




Nahum


1:1 The burden of Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.

1:2 God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is
furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he
reserveth wrath for his enemies.

1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all
acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the
storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

1:4 He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the
rivers: Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, and the flower of Lebanon
languisheth.

1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is
burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the
fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the
rocks are thrown down by him.

1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he
knoweth them that trust in him.

1:8 But with an overrunning flood he will make an utter end of the
place thereof, and darkness shall pursue his enemies.

1:9 What do ye imagine against the LORD? he will make an utter end:
affliction shall not rise up the second time.

1:10 For while they be folden together as thorns, and while they are
drunken as drunkards, they shall be devoured as stubble fully dry.

1:11 There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the
LORD, a wicked counsellor.

1:12 Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet
thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have
afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.

1:13 For now will I break his yoke from off thee, and will burst thy
bonds in sunder.

1:14 And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no
more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off
the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou
art vile.

1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts,
perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he
is utterly cut off.

2:1 He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the
munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power
mightily.

2:2 For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the
excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and
marred their vine branches.

2:3 The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in
scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his
preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken.

2:4 The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one
against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they
shall run like the lightnings.

2:5 He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk;
they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be
prepared.

2:6 The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be
dissolved.

2:7 And Huzzab shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up, and
her maids shall lead her as with the voice of doves, tabering upon
their breasts.

2:8 But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee
away.

Stand, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back.

2:9 Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is
none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture.

2:10 She is empty, and void, and waste: and the heart melteth, and the
knees smite together, and much pain is in all loins, and the faces of
them all gather blackness.

2:11 Where is the dwelling of the lions, and the feedingplace of the
young lions, where the lion, even the old lion, walked, and the lion's
whelp, and none made them afraid?  2:12 The lion did tear in pieces
enough for his whelps, and strangled for his lionesses, and filled his
holes with prey, and his dens with ravin.

2:13 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will
burn her chariots in the smoke, and the sword shall devour thy young
lions: and I will cut off thy prey from the earth, and the voice of
thy messengers shall no more be heard.

3:1 Woe to the bloody city! it is all full of lies and robbery; the
prey departeth not; 3:2 The noise of a whip, and the noise of the
rattling of the wheels, and of the pransing horses, and of the jumping
chariots.

3:3 The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering
spear: and there is a multitude of slain, and a great number of
carcases; and there is none end of their corpses; they stumble upon
their corpses: 3:4 Because of the multitude of the whoredoms of the
wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, that selleth nations
through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts.

3:5 Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will
discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will shew the nations thy
nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame.

3:6 And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile,
and will set thee as a gazingstock.

3:7 And it shall come to pass, that all they that look upon thee shall
flee from thee, and say, Nineveh is laid waste: who will bemoan her?
whence shall I seek comforters for thee?  3:8 Art thou better than
populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters
round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the
sea?  3:9 Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite;
Put and Lubim were thy helpers.

3:10 Yet was she carried away, she went into captivity: her young
children also were dashed in pieces at the top of all the streets: and
they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were
bound in chains.

3:11 Thou also shalt be drunken: thou shalt be hid, thou also shalt
seek strength because of the enemy.

3:12 All thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe
figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the
eater.

3:13 Behold, thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of
thy land shall be set wide open unto thine enemies: the fire shall
devour thy bars.

3:14 Draw thee waters for the siege, fortify thy strong holds: go into
clay, and tread the morter, make strong the brickkiln.

3:15 There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off,
it shall eat thee up like the cankerworm: make thyself many as the
cankerworm, make thyself many as the locusts.

3:16 Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the
cankerworm spoileth, and fleeth away.

3:17 Thy crowned are as the locusts, and thy captains as the great
grasshoppers, which camp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the
sun ariseth they flee away, and their place is not known where they
are.

3:18 Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria: thy nobles shall dwell
in the dust: thy people is scattered upon the mountains, and no man
gathereth them.

3:19 There is no healing of thy bruise; thy wound is grievous: all
that hear the bruit of thee shall clap the hands over thee: for upon
whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?




Habakkuk


1:1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.

1:2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out
unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!  1:3 Why dost thou shew
me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and
violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and
contention.

1:4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth:
for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong
judgment proceedeth.

1:5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously:
for I will work a work in your days which ye will not believe, though
it be told you.

1:6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation,
which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the
dwellingplaces that are not their's.

1:7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity
shall proceed of themselves.

1:8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more
fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread
themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as
the eagle that hasteth to eat.

1:9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the
east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.

1:10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a
scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall
heap dust, and take it.

1:11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend,
imputing this his power unto his god.

1:12 Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we
shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O
mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.

1:13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on
iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously,
and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more
righteous than he?  1:14 And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as
the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?  1:15 They take up
all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather
them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.

1:16 Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto
their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat
plenteous.

1:17 Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually
to slay the nations?  2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon
the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I
shall answer when I am reproved.

2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it
plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it
shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it
will surely come, it will not tarry.

2:4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the
just shall live by his faith.

2:5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man,
neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as
death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations,
and heapeth unto him all people: 2:6 Shall not all these take up a
parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe
to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him
that ladeth himself with thick clay!  2:7 Shall they not rise up
suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou
shalt be for booties unto them?  2:8 Because thou hast spoiled many
nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee; because of
men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all
that dwell therein.

2:9 Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that
he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power
of evil!  2:10 Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off
many people, and hast sinned against thy soul.

2:11 For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the
timber shall answer it.

2:12 Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a
city by iniquity!  2:13 Behold, is it not of the LORD of hosts that
the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary
themselves for very vanity?  2:14 For the earth shall be filled with
the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

2:15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy
bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on
their nakedness!  2:16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink
thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's
right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on
thy glory.

2:17 For the violence of Lebanon shall cover thee, and the spoil of
beasts, which made them afraid, because of men's blood, and for the
violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein.

2:18 What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath
graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of
his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?  2:19 Woe unto him that
saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach!
Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath
at all in the midst of it.

2:20 But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep
silence before him.

3:1 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet upon Shigionoth.

3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive
thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make
known; in wrath remember mercy.

3:3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His
glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.

3:4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of
his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.

3:5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at
his feet.

3:6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the
nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual
hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.

3:7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the
land of Midian did tremble.

3:8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger
against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst
ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?  3:9 Thy bow was
made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word.
Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.

3:10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the
water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands
on high.

3:11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of
thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

3:12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst
thresh the heathen in anger.

3:13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for
salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the
house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck.
Selah.

3:14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his
villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing
was as to devour the poor secretly.

3:15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the
heap of great waters.

3:16 When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips quivered at the voice:
rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I
might rest in the day of trouble: when he cometh up unto the people,
he will invade them with his troops.

3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be
in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall
yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there
shall be no herd in the stalls: 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I
will joy in the God of my salvation.

3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds'
feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief
singer on my stringed instruments.




Zephaniah


1:1 The word of the LORD which came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi,
the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the
days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.

1:2 I will utterly consume all things from off the land, saith the
LORD.

1:3 I will consume man and beast; I will consume the fowls of the
heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the
wicked: and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the LORD.

1:4 I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from
this place, and the name of the Chemarims with the priests; 1:5 And
them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that
worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham; 1:6 And
them that are turned back from the LORD; and those that have not
sought the LORD, nor enquired for him.

1:7 Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord GOD: for the day of the
LORD is at hand: for the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid
his guests.

1:8 And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD's sacrifice, that
I will punish the princes, and the king's children, and all such as
are clothed with strange apparel.

1:9 In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the
threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

1:10 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD, that there
shall be the noise of a cry from the fish gate, and an howling from
the second, and a great crashing from the hills.

1:11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh, for all the merchant people are
cut down; all they that bear silver are cut off.

1:12 And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search
Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their
lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will
he do evil.

1:13 Therefore their goods shall become a booty, and their houses a
desolation: they shall also build houses, but not inhabit them; and
they shall plant vineyards, but not drink the wine thereof.

1:14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth
greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall
cry there bitterly.

1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day
of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day
of clouds and thick darkness, 1:16 A day of the trumpet and alarm
against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

1:17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like
blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood
shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.

1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them
in the day of the LORD's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured
by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance
of all them that dwell in the land.

2:1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not
desired; 2:2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the
chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the
day of the LORD's anger come upon you.

2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his
judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid
in the day of the LORD's anger.

2:4 For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall
drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

2:5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the
Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land
of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no
inhabitant.

2:6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds,
and folds for flocks.

2:7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they
shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in
the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away
their captivity.

2:8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the
children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and
magnified themselves against their border.

2:9 Therefore as I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel,
Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah,
even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual
desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant
of my people shall possess them.

2:10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have
reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of
hosts.

2:11 The LORD will be terrible unto them: for he will famish all the
gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his
place, even all the isles of the heathen.

2:12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

2:13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy
Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a
wilderness.

2:14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of
the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the
upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation
shall be in the thresholds; for he shall uncover the cedar work.

2:15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in
her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a
desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth
by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.

3:1 Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
3:2 She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted
not in the LORD; she drew not near to her God.

3:3 Her princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are evening
wolves; they gnaw not the bones till the morrow.

3:4 Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have
polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.

3:5 The just LORD is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity:
every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but
the unjust knoweth no shame.

3:6 I have cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made
their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed,
so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.

3:7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction;
so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them:
but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.

3:8 Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I
rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations,
that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation,
even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the
fire of my jealousy.

3:9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may
all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the
daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.

3:11 In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein
thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of
the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no
more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

3:12 I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor
people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

3:13 The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies;
neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they
shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.

3:14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice
with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

3:15 The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine
enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee:
thou shalt not see evil any more.

3:16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to
Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he
will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy
over thee with singing.

3:18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly,
who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

3:19 Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I
will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I
will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put
to shame.

3:20 At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I
gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people
of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes,
saith the LORD.




Haggai


1:1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, in the
first day of the month, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the
prophet unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and
to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, saying, 1:2 Thus
speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, This people say, The time is not
come, the time that the LORD's house should be built.

1:3 Then came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, 1:4
Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this
house lie waste?  1:5 Now therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts;
Consider your ways.

1:6 Ye have sown much, and bring in little; ye eat, but ye have not
enough; ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink; ye clothe you, but
there is none warm; and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it
into a bag with holes.

1:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways.

1:8 Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I
will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.

1:9 Ye looked for much, and, lo it came to little; and when ye brought
it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of
mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.

1:10 Therefore the heaven over you is stayed from dew, and the earth
is stayed from her fruit.

1:11 And I called for a drought upon the land, and upon the mountains,
and upon the corn, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon
that which the ground bringeth forth, and upon men, and upon cattle,
and upon all the labour of the hands.

1:12 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Joshua the son of
Josedech, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed
the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of Haggai the prophet,
as the LORD their God had sent him, and the people did fear before the
LORD.

1:13 Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto
the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.

1:14 And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of
Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of
Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the
people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts,
their God, 1:15 In the four and twentieth day of the sixth month, in
the second year of Darius the king.

2:1 In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month,
came the word of the LORD by the prophet Haggai, saying, 2:2 Speak now
to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua
the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the
people, saying, 2:3 Who is left among you that saw this house in her
first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in
comparison of it as nothing?  2:4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel,
saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high
priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and
work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: 2:5 According to the
word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my
spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.

2:6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while,
and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry
land; 2:7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations
shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of
hosts.

2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

2:9 The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the
former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace,
saith the LORD of hosts.

2:10 In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second
year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet,
saying, 2:11 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests
concerning the law, saying, 2:12 If one bear holy flesh in the skirt
of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or
wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy? And the priests answered
and said, No.

2:13 Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any
of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, It
shall be unclean.

2:14 Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this
nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands;
and that which they offer there is unclean.

2:15 And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from
before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: 2:16
Since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures,
there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out
fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.

2:17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all
the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.

2:18 Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and
twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the
foundation of the LORD's temple was laid, consider it.

2:19 Is the seed yet in the barn? yea, as yet the vine, and the fig
tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth:
from this day will I bless you.

2:20 And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and
twentieth day of the month, saying, 2:21 Speak to Zerubbabel, governor
of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; 2:22 And I
will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength
of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and
those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come
down, every one by the sword of his brother.

2:23 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O
Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will
make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.




Zechariah


1:1 In the eighth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word
of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the
prophet, saying, 1:2 The LORD hath been sore displeased with your
fathers.

1:3 Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn
ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith
the LORD of hosts.

1:4 Be ye not as your fathers, unto whom the former prophets have
cried, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye now from your
evil ways, and from your evil doings: but they did not hear, nor
hearken unto me, saith the LORD.

1:5 Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for
ever?  1:6 But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants
the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they
returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us,
according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt
with us.

1:7 Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is
the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the
LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the
prophet, saying, 1:8 I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a
red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the
bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

1:9 Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked
with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be.

1:10 And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said,
These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the
earth.

1:11 And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the
myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth,
and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.

1:12 Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts,
how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of
Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and
ten years?  1:13 And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me
with good words and comfortable words.

1:14 So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou,
saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and
for Zion with a great jealousy.

1:15 And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease:
for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the
affliction.

1:16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with
mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a
line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem.

1:17 Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through
prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort
Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.

1:18 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and saw, and behold four horns.

1:19 And I said unto the angel that talked with me, What be these? And
he answered me, These are the horns which have scattered Judah,
Israel, and Jerusalem.

1:20 And the LORD shewed me four carpenters.

1:21 Then said I, What come these to do? And he spake, saying, These
are the horns which have scattered Judah, so that no man did lift up
his head: but these are come to fray them, to cast out the horns of
the Gentiles, which lifted up their horn over the land of Judah to
scatter it.

2:1 I lifted up mine eyes again, and looked, and behold a man with a
measuring line in his hand.

2:2 Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure
Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length
thereof.

2:3 And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another
angel went out to meet him, 2:4 And said unto him, Run, speak to this
young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls
for the multitude of men and cattle therein: 2:5 For I, saith the
LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the
glory in the midst of her.

2:6 Ho, ho, come forth, and flee from the land of the north, saith the
LORD: for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heaven,
saith the LORD.

2:7 Deliver thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of
Babylon.

2:8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me
unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth
the apple of his eye.

2:9 For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a
spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath
sent me.

2:10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion: for, lo, I come, and I will
dwell in the midst of thee, saith the LORD.

2:11 And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and
shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou
shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee.

2:12 And the LORD shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land,
and shall choose Jerusalem again.

2:13 Be silent, O all flesh, before the LORD: for he is raised up out
of his holy habitation.

3:1 And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel
of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.

3:2 And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even
the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand
plucked out of the fire?  3:3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy
garments, and stood before the angel.

3:4 And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him,
saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said,
Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will
clothe thee with change of raiment.

3:5 And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a
fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel
of the LORD stood by.

3:6 And the angel of the LORD protested unto Joshua, saying, 3:7 Thus
saith the LORD of hosts; If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou
wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt
also keep my courts, and I will give thee places to walk among these
that stand by.

3:8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit
before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring
forth my servant the BRANCH.

3:9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one
stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof,
saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land
in one day.

3:10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his
neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.

4:1 And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a
man that is wakened out of his sleep.

4:2 And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and
behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and
his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are
upon the top thereof: 4:3 And two olive trees by it, one upon the
right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.

4:4 So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying,
What are these, my lord?  4:5 Then the angel that talked with me
answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said,
No, my lord.

4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of
the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by
my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt
become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with
shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

4:8 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 4:9 The hands
of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall
also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent
me unto you.

4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall
rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with
those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro
through the whole earth.

4:11 Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive
trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side
thereof?  4:12 And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these
two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden
oil out of themselves?  4:13 And he answered me and said, Knowest thou
not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

4:14 Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the
LORD of the whole earth.

5:1 Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a
flying roll.

5:2 And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a
flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth
thereof ten cubits.

5:3 Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the
face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off
as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be
cut off as on that side according to it.

5:4 I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter
into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth
falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and
shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof.

5:5 Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me,
Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth.

5:6 And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth
forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the
earth.

5:7 And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a
woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

5:8 And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of
the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.

5:9 Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came
out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings
like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the
earth and the heaven.

5:10 Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these
bear the ephah?  5:11 And he said unto me, To build it an house in the
land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her
own base.

6:1 And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold,
there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the
mountains were mountains of brass.

6:2 In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot
black horses; 6:3 And in the third chariot white horses; and in the
fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.

6:4 Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What
are these, my lord?  6:5 And the angel answered and said unto me,
These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from
standing before the LORD of all the earth.

6:6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north
country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth
toward the south country.

6:7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to
and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro
through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.

6:8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these
that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north
country.

6:9 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 6:10 Take of them
of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which
are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the
house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; 6:11 Then take silver and gold,
and make crowns, and set them upon the head of Joshua the son of
Josedech, the high priest; 6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus
speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The
BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the
temple of the LORD: 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD;
and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne;
and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace
shall be between them both.

6:14 And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah,
and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the
LORD.

6:15 And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of
the LORD, and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto
you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice
of the LORD your God.

7:1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the
word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth
month, even in Chisleu; 7:2 When they had sent unto the house of God
Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD, 7:3
And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of
hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month,
separating myself, as I have done these so many years?  7:4 Then came
the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, 7:5 Speak unto all the
people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and
mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did
ye at all fast unto me, even to me?  7:6 And when ye did eat, and when
ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?
7:7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried by the
former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and
the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and
the plain?  7:8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,
7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment,
and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: 7:10 And
oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor;
and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

7:11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and
stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

7:12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should
hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his
spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the
LORD of hosts.

7:13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would
not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, saith the LORD of
hosts: 7:14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the
nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them,
that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant
land desolate.

8:1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying, 8:2 Thus
saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy,
and I was jealous for her with great fury.

8:3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in
the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth;
and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

8:4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old
women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff
in his hand for very age.

8:5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls
playing in the streets thereof.

8:6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of
the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous
in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

8:7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from
the east country, and from the west country; 8:8 And I will bring
them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall
be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

8:9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be strong, ye that
hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, which
were in the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts
was laid, that the temple might be built.

8:10 For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for
beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in
because of the affliction: for I set all men every one against his
neighbour.

8:11 But now I will not be unto the residue of this people as in the
former days, saith the LORD of hosts.

8:12 For the seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit,
and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give
their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all
these things.

8:13 And it shall come to pass, that as ye were a curse among the
heathen, O house of Judah, and house of Israel; so will I save you,
and ye shall be a blessing: fear not, but let your hands be strong.

8:14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; As I thought to punish you,
when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith the LORD of hosts, and I
repented not: 8:15 So again have I thought in these days to do well
unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

8:16 These are the things that ye shall do; Speak ye every man the
truth to his neighbour; execute the judgment of truth and peace in
your gates: 8:17 And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts
against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are
things that I hate, saith the LORD.

8:18 And the word of the LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, 8:19 Thus
saith the LORD of hosts; The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of
the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth,
shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts;
therefore love the truth and peace.

8:20 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that
there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 8:21 And
the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go
speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I
will go also.

8:22 Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD
of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.

8:23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to
pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the
nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew,
saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

9:1 The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and
Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all
the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.

9:2 And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it
be very wise.

9:3 And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as
the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets.

9:4 Behold, the LORD will cast her out, and he will smite her power in
the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire.

9:5 Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be
very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and
the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

9:6 And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride
of the Philistines.

9:7 And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his
abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he,
shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and
Ekron as a Jebusite.

9:8 And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of
him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no
oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with
mine eyes.

9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of
an ass.

9:10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from
Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak
peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to
sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.

9:11 As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth
thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

9:12 Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope: even to day do
I declare that I will render double unto thee; 9:13 When I have bent
Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O
Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a
mighty man.

9:14 And the LORD shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go
forth as the lightning: and the LORD God shall blow the trumpet, and
shall go with whirlwinds of the south.

9:15 The LORD of hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour, and
subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as
through wine; and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners
of the altar.

9:16 And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock
of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up
as an ensign upon his land.

9:17 For how great is his goodness, and how great is his beauty! corn
shall make the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids.

10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the
LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every
one grass in the field.

10:2 For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a
lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they
went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no
shepherd.

10:3 Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the
goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of
Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.

10:4 Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him
the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together.

10:5 And they shall be as mighty men, which tread down their enemies
in the mire of the streets in the battle: and they shall fight,
because the LORD is with them, and the riders on horses shall be
confounded.

10:6 And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the
house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have
mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off:
for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.

10:7 And they of Ephraim shall be like a mighty man, and their heart
shall rejoice as through wine: yea, their children shall see it, and
be glad; their heart shall rejoice in the LORD.

10:8 I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them:
and they shall increase as they have increased.

10:9 And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me
in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn
again.

10:10 I will bring them again also out of the land of Egypt, and
gather them out of Assyria; and I will bring them into the land of
Gilead and Lebanon; and place shall not be found for them.

10:11 And he shall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall
smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry
up: and the pride of Assyria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of
Egypt shall depart away.

10:12 And I will strengthen them in the LORD; and they shall walk up
and down in his name, saith the LORD.

11:1 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.

11:2 Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are
spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is
come down.

11:3 There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory
is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of
Jordan is spoiled.

11:4 Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; 11:5
Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they
that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own
shepherds pity them not.

11:6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the
LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's
hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land,
and out of their hand I will not deliver them.

11:7 And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the
flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the
other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.

11:8 Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed
them, and their soul also abhorred me.

11:9 Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die;
and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest
eat every one the flesh of another.

11:10 And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I
might break my covenant which I had made with all the people.

11:11 And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that
waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD.

11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if
not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly
price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of
silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.

11:14 Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might
break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

11:15 And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of
a foolish shepherd.

11:16 For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not
visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor
heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he
shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.

11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall
be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried
up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.

12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD,
which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the
earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.

12:2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the
people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah
and against Jerusalem.

12:3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all
people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces,
though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.

12:4 In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with
astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes
upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with
blindness.

12:5 And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The
inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts
their God.

12:6 In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of
fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they
shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the
left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in
Jerusalem.

12:7 The LORD also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory
of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do
not magnify themselves against Judah.

12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and
the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before
them.

12:9 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to
destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the
inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:
and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall
mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in
bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

12:11 In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the
mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon.

12:12 And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the
house of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house
of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; 12:13 The family of the house
of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and
their wives apart; 12:14 All the families that remain, every family
apart, and their wives apart.

13:1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of
David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.

13:2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts,
that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they
shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and
the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.

13:3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then
his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou
shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of the LORD: and
his father and his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when
he prophesieth.

13:4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be
ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither
shall they wear a rough garment to deceive: 13:5 But he shall say, I
am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle
from my youth.

13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands?
Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of
my friends.

13:7 Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is
my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep
shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.

13:8 And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD,
two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be
left therein.

13:9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine
them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they
shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my
people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

14:1 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, and thy spoil shall be
divided in the midst of thee.

14:2 For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and
the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women
ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the
residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.

14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as
when he fought in the day of battle.

14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives,
which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall
cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and
there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall
remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.

14:5 And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley
of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye
fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah:
and the LORD my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

14:6 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not
be clear, nor dark: 14:7 But it shall be one day which shall be known
to the LORD, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass, that at
evening time it shall be light.

14:8 And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from
Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward
the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

14:9 And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall
there be one LORD, and his name one.

14:10 All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon
south of Jerusalem: and it shall be lifted up, and inhabited in her
place, from Benjamin's gate unto the place of the first gate, unto the
corner gate, and from the tower of Hananeel unto the king's
winepresses.

14:11 And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter
destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited.

14:12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all
the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall
consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall
consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in
their mouth.

14:13 And it shall come to pass in that day, that a great tumult from
the LORD shall be among them; and they shall lay hold every one on the
hand of his neighbour, and his hand shall rise up against the hand of
his neighbour.

14:14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem; and the wealth of all
the heathen round about shall be gathered together, gold, and silver,
and apparel, in great abundance.

14:15 And so shall be the plague of the horse, of the mule, of the
camel, and of the ass, and of all the beasts that shall be in these
tents, as this plague.

14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all
the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to
year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of
tabernacles.

14:17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families
of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts,
even upon them shall be no rain.

14:18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no
rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the
heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

14:19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all
nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.

14:20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses,
HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like
the bowls before the altar.

14:21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto
the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of
them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the
Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.




Malachi


1:1 The burden of the word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.

1:2 I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say, Wherein hast thou
loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother? saith the LORD: yet I loved
Jacob, 1:3 And I hated Esau, and laid his mountains and his heritage
waste for the dragons of the wilderness.

1:4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and
build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall
build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of
wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for
ever.

1:5 And your eyes shall see, and ye shall say, The LORD will be
magnified from the border of Israel.

1:6 A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be
a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my
fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my
name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?  1:7 Ye offer
polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted
thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

1:8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye
offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy
governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith
the LORD of hosts.

1:9 And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us:
this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the
LORD of hosts.

1:10 Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought?
neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure
in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at
your hand.

1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the
same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place
incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my
name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

1:12 But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is
polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible.

1:13 Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed
at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn,
and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I
accept this of your hand? saith the LORD.

1:14 But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and
voweth, and sacrificeth unto the LORD a corrupt thing: for I am a
great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the
heathen.

2:1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you.

2:2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give
glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse
upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them
already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

2:3 Behold, I will corrupt your seed, and spread dung upon your faces,
even the dung of your solemn feasts; and one shall take you away with
it.

2:4 And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that
my covenant might be with Levi, saith the LORD of hosts.

2:5 My covenant was with him of life and peace; and I gave them to him
for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name.

2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in
his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many
away from iniquity.

2:7 For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek
the law at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.

2:8 But ye are departed out of the way; ye have caused many to stumble
at the law; ye have corrupted the covenant of Levi, saith the LORD of
hosts.

2:9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all
the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been
partial in the law.

2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do
we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the
covenant of our fathers?  2:11 Judah hath dealt treacherously, and an
abomination is committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah hath
profaned the holiness of the LORD which he loved, and hath married the
daughter of a strange god.

2:12 The LORD will cut off the man that doeth this, the master and the
scholar, out of the tabernacles of Jacob, and him that offereth an
offering unto the LORD of hosts.

2:13 And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the LORD with
tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth
not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your
hand.

2:14 Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the LORD hath been witness between
thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt
treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant.

2:15 And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit.
And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take
heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife
of his youth.

2:16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting
away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of
hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not
treacherously.

2:17 Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein
have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in
the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God
of judgment?  3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall
prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye
delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when
he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall
purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they
may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

3:4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto
the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift
witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against
false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his
wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger
from his right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are
not consumed.

3:7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return
unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we
return?  3:8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.

3:9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole
nation.

3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be
meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of
hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out
a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

3:11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not
destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her
fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.

3:12 And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a
delightsome land, saith the LORD of hosts.

3:13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the LORD. Yet ye
say, What have we spoken so much against thee?  3:14 Ye have said, It
is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his
ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of
hosts?  3:15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered.

3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and
the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was
written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought
upon his name.

3:17 And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when
I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own
son that serveth him.

3:18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the
wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

4:1 For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all
the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the
day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it
shall leave them neither root nor branch.

4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness
arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as
calves of the stall.

4:3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under
the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD
of hosts.

4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto
him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of
the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 4:6 And he shall turn the
heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to
their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.


***




The New Testament of the King James Bible




The Gospel According to Saint Matthew


1:1 The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the
son of Abraham.

1:2 Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas
and his brethren; 1:3 And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and
Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; 1:4 And Aram begat Aminadab;
and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; 1:5 And Salmon
begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat
Jesse; 1:6 And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat
Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; 1:7 And Solomon begat
Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; 1:8 And Asa begat
Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; 1:9 And
Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
1:10 And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon
begat Josias; 1:11 And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about
the time they were carried away to Babylon: 1:12 And after they were
brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat
Zorobabel; 1:13 And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim;
and Eliakim begat Azor; 1:14 And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat
Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; 1:15 And Eliud begat Eleazar; and
Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; 1:16 And Jacob begat
Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called
Christ.

1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen
generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are
fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto
Christ are fourteen generations.

1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his
mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was
found with child of the Holy Ghost.

1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to
make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the
LORD appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived
in her is of the Holy Ghost.

1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

1:22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall
be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

1:24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord
had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 1:25 And knew her not till
she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of
Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to
Jerusalem, 2:2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for
we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

2:3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and
all Jerusalem with him.

2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the
people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

2:5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is
written by the prophet, 2:6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda,
art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall
come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of
them diligently what time the star appeared.

2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently
for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again,
that I may come and worship him also.

2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star,
which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood
over where the young child was.

2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they
had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and
frankincense and myrrh.

2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to
Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

2:13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young
child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I
bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

2:14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night,
and departed into Egypt: 2:15 And was there until the death of Herod:
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the
prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

2:16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was
exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were
in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and
under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the
wise men.

2:17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying, 2:18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and
weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and
would not be comforted, because they are not.

2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 2:20 Saying, Arise, and take the young
child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are
dead which sought the young child's life.

2:21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came
into the land of Israel.

2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room
of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding,
being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of
Galilee: 2:23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be
called a Nazarene.

3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness
of Judaea, 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.

3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make his paths straight.

3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

3:5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region
round about Jordan, 3:6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing
their sins.

3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his
baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned
you to flee from the wrath to come?  3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits
meet for repentance: 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We
have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of
these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

3:10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees:
therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.

3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that
cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 3:12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and
gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.

3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him.

3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee,
and comest thou to me?  3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer
it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.
Then he suffered him.

3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the
water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 3:17 And
lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.

4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil.

4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was
afterward an hungred.

4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of
God, command that these stones be made bread.

4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God.

4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him
on a pinnacle of the temple, 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the
Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his
angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee
up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God.

4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain,
and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou
wilt fall down and worship me.

4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is
written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou
serve.

4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and
ministered unto him.

4:12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he
departed into Galilee; 4:13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in
Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and
Nephthalim: 4:14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias
the prophet, saying, 4:15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of
Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the
Gentiles; 4:16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and
to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung
up.

4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand.

4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon
called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for
they were fishers.

4:19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of
men.

4:20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

4:21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the
son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their
father, mending their nets; and he called them.

4:22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed
him.

4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues,
and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of
sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

4:24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him
all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and
those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick,
and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

4:25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee,
and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from
beyond Jordan.

5:1 And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he
was set, his disciples came unto him: 5:2 And he opened his mouth, and
taught them, saying, 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is
the kingdom of heaven.

5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:
for they shall be filled.

5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children
of God.

5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in
heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his
savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for
nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid.

5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on
a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good
works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I
am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or
one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments,
and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of
heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be
called great in the kingdom of heaven.

5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed
the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom of heaven.

5:21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt
not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother
without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever
shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but
whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 5:24 Leave there
thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way
with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge,
and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into
prison.

5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence,
till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt
not commit adultery: 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh
on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already
in his heart.

5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from
thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should
perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him
give her a writing of divorcement: 5:32 But I say unto you, That
whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of
fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry
her that is divorced committeth adultery.

5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine
oaths: 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven;
for it is God's throne: 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his
footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make
one hair white or black.

5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever
is more than these cometh of evil.

5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a
tooth for a tooth: 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil:
but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the
other also.

5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat,
let him have thy cloak also.

5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of
thee turn not thou away.

5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you, and persecute you; 5:45 That ye may be the children of your
Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil
and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not
even the publicans the same?  5:47 And if ye salute your brethren
only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?  5:48
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is
perfect.

6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them:
otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet
before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward.

6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth: 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father
which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are:
for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of
the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward.

6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy
Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

6:7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for
they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

6:9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

6:10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

6:11 Give us this day our daily bread.

6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For
thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you: 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad
countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto
men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy
face; 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father
which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly.

6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 6:20 But
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 6:21
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be
single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of
darkness.

If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that
darkness!  6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate
the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and
despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye
shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye
shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than
raiment?  6:26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither
do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. Are ye not much better than they?  6:27 Which of you by taking
thought can add one cubit unto his stature?  6:28 And why take ye
thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow;
they toil not, neither do they spin: 6:29 And yet I say unto you, That
even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day
is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe
you, O ye of little faith?  6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we
be clothed?  6:32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:)
for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things.

6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and
all these things shall be added unto you.

6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall
take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof.

7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.

7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

7:3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  7:4 Or how wilt
thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye;
and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?  7:5 Thou hypocrite, first
cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see
clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your
pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn
again and rend you.

7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock,
and it shall be opened unto you: 7:8 For every one that asketh
receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it
shall be opened.

7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he
give him a stone?  7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a
serpent?  7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven
give good things to them that ask him?  7:12 Therefore all things
whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them:
for this is the law and the prophets.

7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad
is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles?  7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit.

7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire.

7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which
is in heaven.

7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in
thy name done many wonderful works?  7:23 And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth
them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a
rock: 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded
upon a rock.

7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them
not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon
the sand: 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the
winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the
fall of it.

7:28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the
people were astonished at his doctrine: 7:29 For he taught them as one
having authority, and not as the scribes.

8:1 When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed
him.

8:2 And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord,
if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

8:3 And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be
thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

8:4 And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way,
shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded,
for a testimony unto them.

8:5 And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a
centurion, beseeching him, 8:6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at
home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

8:7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou
shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant
shall be healed.

8:9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I
say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that
followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no,
not in Israel.

8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west,
and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom
of heaven.

8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer
darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

8:13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast
believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the
selfsame hour.

8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's
mother laid, and sick of a fever.

8:15 And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose,
and ministered unto them.

8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were
possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and
healed all that were sick: 8:17 That it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities,
and bare our sicknesses.

8:18 Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave
commandment to depart unto the other side.

8:19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will
follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

8:20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of
the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first
to go and bury my father.

8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their
dead.

8:23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

8:24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch
that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

8:25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save
us: we perish.

8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?
Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a
great calm.

8:27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that
even the winds and the sea obey him!  8:28 And when he was come to the
other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two
possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so
that no man might pass by that way.

8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with
thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us
before the time?  8:30 And there was a good way off from them an herd
of many swine feeding.

8:31 So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer
us to go away into the herd of swine.

8:32 And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went
into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran
violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

8:33 And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city,
and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the
devils.

8:34 And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they
saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.

9:1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own
city.

9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on
a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy;
Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.

9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This
man blasphemeth.

9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in
your hearts?  9:5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven
thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?  9:6 But that ye may know that the
Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the
sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.

9:7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

9:8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God,
which had given such power unto men.

9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named
Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him,
Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.

9:10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold,
many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his
disciples.

9:11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why
eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  9:12 But when Jesus
heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a
physician, but they that are sick.

9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance.

9:14 Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the
Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?  9:15 And Jesus said
unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the
bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom
shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

9:16 No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that
which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is
made worse.

9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles
break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put
new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

9:18 While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a
certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now
dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.

9:19 And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.

9:20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood
twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:
9:21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I
shall be whole.

9:22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said,
Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the
woman was made whole from that hour.

9:23 And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels
and the people making a noise, 9:24 He said unto them, Give place: for
the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.

9:25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by
the hand, and the maid arose.

9:26 And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

9:27 And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him,
crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.

9:28 And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him:
and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They
said unto him, Yea, Lord.

9:29 Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it
unto you.

9:30 And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them,
saying, See that no man know it.

9:31 But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all
that country.

9:32 As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man
possessed with a devil.

9:33 And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the
multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.

9:34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince
of the devils.

9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing
every sickness and every disease among the people.

9:36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on
them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having
no shepherd.

9:37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous,
but the labourers are few; 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the
harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave
them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all
manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon,
who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee,
and John his brother; 10:3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and
Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose
surname was Thaddaeus; 10:4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot,
who also betrayed him.

10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not
into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans
enter ye not: 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel.

10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out
devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10:10
Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet
staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

10:11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in
it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

10:12 And when ye come into an house, salute it.

10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if
it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when
ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land
of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye
therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

10:17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils,
and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 10:18 And ye shall be
brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony
against them and the Gentiles.

10:19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye
shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall
speak.

10:20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which
speaketh in you.

10:21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the
father the child: and the children shall rise up against their
parents, and cause them to be put to death.

10:22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that
endureth to the end shall be saved.

10:23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another:
for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of
Israel, till the Son of man be come.

10:24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his
lord.

10:25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the
servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house
Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?  10:26
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not
be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.

10:27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye
hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.

10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill
the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and
body in hell.

10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall
not fall on the ground without your Father.

10:30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

10:31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny
before my Father which is in heaven.

10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to
send peace, but a sword.

10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and
the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her
mother in law.

10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of
me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of
me.

10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not
worthy of me.

10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his
life for my sake shall find it.

10:40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me
receiveth him that sent me.

10:41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall
receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in
the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones
a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto
you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

11:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his
twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their
cities.

11:2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he
sent two of his disciples, 11:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that
should come, or do we look for another?  11:4 Jesus answered and said
unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and
see: 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers
are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor
have the gospel preached to them.

11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

11:7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes
concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed
shaken with the wind?  11:8 But what went ye out for to see? A man
clothed in soft raiment?  behold, they that wear soft clothing are in
kings' houses.

11:9 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you,
and more than a prophet.

11:10 For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my
messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there
hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he
that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of
heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.

11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.

11:14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.

11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

11:16 But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto
children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 11:17
And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have
mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath
a devil.

11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a
man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.
But wisdom is justified of her children.

11:20 Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty
works were done, because they repented not: 11:21 Woe unto thee,
Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which
were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

11:22 But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and
Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.

11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be
brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in
thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

11:24 But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land
of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the
wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

11:26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

11:27 All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man
knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father,
save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest.

11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

12:1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and
his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and
to eat.

12:2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy
disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

12:3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he
was an hungred, and they that were with him; 12:4 How he entered into
the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for
him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the
priests?  12:5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath
days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?
12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the
temple.

12:7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not
sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

12:8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

12:9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:
12:10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And
they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that
they might accuse him.

12:11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that
shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day,
will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  12:12 How much then is a
man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the
sabbath days.

12:13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he
stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

12:14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how
they might destroy him.

12:15 But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and
great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 12:16 And
charged them that they should not make him known: 12:17 That it might
be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 12:18
Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is
well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew
judgment to the Gentiles.

12:19 He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his
voice in the streets.

12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not
quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

12:21 And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

12:22 Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and
dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake
and saw.

12:23 And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of
David?  12:24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow
doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils.

12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or
house divided against itself shall not stand: 12:26 And if Satan cast
out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom
stand?  12:27 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your
children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

12:28 But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom
of God is come unto you.

12:29 Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil
his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil
his house.

12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not
with me scattereth abroad.

12:31 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall
be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall
not be forgiven unto men.

12:32 And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall
be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it
shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world
to come.

12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the
tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his
fruit.

12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good
things?  for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

12:35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth
good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth
evil things.

12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou
shalt be condemned.

12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered,
saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to
it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 12:40 For as Jonas was three
days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be
three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation,
and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas;
and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this
generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost
parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a
greater than Solomon is here.

12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through
dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came
out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more
wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last
state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also
unto this wicked generation.

12:46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his
brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

12:47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren
stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

12:48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my
mother?  and who are my brethren?  12:49 And he stretched forth his
hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
12:50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven,
the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea
side.

13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he
went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

13:3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a
sower went forth to sow; 13:4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by
the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 13:5 Some fell
upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they
sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 13:6 And when the
sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they
withered away.

13:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked
them: 13:8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit,
some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou
unto them in parables?  13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because
it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,
but to them it is not given.

13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have
more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away
even that he hath.

13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see
not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By
hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall
see, and shall not perceive: 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed
gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have
closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with
their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them.

13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they
hear.

13:17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men
have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them;
and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth
it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was
sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

13:20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he
that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 13:21 Yet hath
he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation
or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth
the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that
heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and
bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 13:25
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat,
and went his way.

13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then
appeared the tares also.

13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir,
didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it
tares?  13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants
said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?  13:29
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also
the wheat with them.

13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of
harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares,
and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my
barn.

13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of
heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed
in his field: 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when
it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so
that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is
like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of
meal, till the whole was leavened.

13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and
without a parable spake he not unto them: 13:35 That it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my
mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret
from the foundation of the world.

13:36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and
his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of
the tares of the field.

13:37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is
the Son of man; 13:38 The field is the world; the good seed are the
children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked
one; 13:39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the
end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so
shall it be in the end of this world.

13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall
gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do
iniquity; 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there
shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom
of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a
field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof
goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

13:45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man,
seeking goodly pearls: 13:46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great
price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast
into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 13:48 Which, when it was
full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into
vessels, but cast the bad away.

13:49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come
forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 13:50 And shall cast
them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of
teeth.

13:51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They
say unto him, Yea, Lord.

13:52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is
instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an
householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and
old.

13:53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these
parables, he departed thence.

13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in
their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence
hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?  13:55 Is not this
the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren,
James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?  13:56 And his sisters, are
they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A
prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own
house.

13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their
unbelief.

14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus, 14:2
And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from
the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in
prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.

14:5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude,
because they counted him as a prophet.

14:6 But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias
danced before them, and pleased Herod.

14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she
would ask.

14:8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me
here John Baptist's head in a charger.

14:9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and
them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.

14:10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

14:11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel:
and she brought it to her mother.

14:12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and
went and told Jesus.

14:13 When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert
place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him
on foot out of the cities.

14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved
with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

14:15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This
is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away,
that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.

14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to
eat.

14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two
fishes.

14:18 He said, Bring them hither to me.

14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and
took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he
blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the
disciples to the multitude.

14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the
fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside
women and children.

14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a
ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the
multitudes away.

14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a
mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there
alone.

14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves:
for the wind was contrary.

14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them,
walking on the sea.

14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were
troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer;
it is I; be not afraid.

14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me
come unto thee on the water.

14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship,
he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and
beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.

14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him,
and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
14:32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying,
Of a truth thou art the Son of God.

14:34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of
Gennesaret.

14:35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent
out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that
were diseased; 14:36 And besought him that they might only touch the
hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.

15:1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of
Jerusalem, saying, 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition
of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the
commandment of God by your tradition?  15:4 For God commanded, saying,
Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother,
let him die the death.

15:5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It
is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 15:6 And
honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye
made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 15:8 This
people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with
their lips; but their heart is far from me.

15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.

15:10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and
understand: 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man;
but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

15:12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that
the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?  15:13 But
he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not
planted, shall be rooted up.

15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the
blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

15:15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this
parable.

15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?  15:17 Do
not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth
into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?  15:18 But those
things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and
they defile the man.

15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries,
fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 15:20 These are the
things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not
a man.

15:21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and
Sidon.

15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and
cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David;
my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

15:23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and
besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

15:24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.

15:25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.

15:26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's
bread, and to cast it to dogs.

15:27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which
fall from their masters' table.

15:28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy
faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made
whole from that very hour.

15:29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of
Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

15:30 And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that
were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at
Jesus' feet; and he healed them: 15:31 Insomuch that the multitude
wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the
lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of
Israel.

15:32 Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have
compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three
days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting,
lest they faint in the way.

15:33 And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much
bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?  15:34 And
Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven,
and a few little fishes.

15:35 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

15:36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks,
and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the
multitude.

15:37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the
broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

15:38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and
children.

15:39 And he sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the
coasts of Magdala.

16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired
him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.

16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It
will be fair weather: for the sky is red.

16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky
is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the
sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?  16:4 A wicked and
adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be
given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them,
and departed.

16:5 And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had
forgotten to take bread.

16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

16:7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have
taken no bread.

16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little
faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no
bread?  16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five
loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?  16:10
Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye
took up?  16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it
not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?  16:12 Then understood they how
that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the
doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

16:13 When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked
his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?
16:14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some,
Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?  16:16 And Simon
Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living
God.

16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon
Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven.

16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it.

16:19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

16:20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that
he was Jesus the Christ.

16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how
that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders
and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the
third day.

16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far
from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan:
thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be
of God, but those that be of men.

16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever
will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

16:26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his
soul?  16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father
with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his
works.

16:28 Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall
not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his
kingdom.

17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his
brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 17:2 And
was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and
his raiment was white as the light.

17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking
with him.

17:4 Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us
to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for
thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and
behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

17:6 And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and
were sore afraid.

17:7 And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not
afraid.

17:8 And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save
Jesus only.

17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them,
saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again
from the dead.

17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes
that Elias must first come?  17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto
them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

17:12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew
him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall
also the Son of man suffer of them.

17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John
the Baptist.

17:14 And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a
certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, 17:15 Lord, have mercy
on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth
into the fire, and oft into the water.

17:16 And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.

17:17 Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse
generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you?
bring him hither to me.

17:18 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the
child was cured from that very hour.

17:19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not
we cast him out?  17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your
unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of
mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder
place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

17:22 And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son
of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: 17:23 And they shall
kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again.

And they were exceeding sorry.

17:24 And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute
money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
17:25 He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus
prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings
of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of
strangers?  17:26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto
him, Then are the children free.

17:27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea,
and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when
thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that
take, and give unto them for me and thee.

18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is
the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  18:2 And Jesus called a little
child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 18:3 And said,
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little
children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

18:4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child,
the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

18:5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name
receiveth me.

18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in
me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that
offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!  18:8
Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast
them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or
maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into
everlasting fire.

18:9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from
thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather
than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I
say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of
my Father which is in heaven.

18:11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.

18:12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be
gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the
mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?  18:13 And if so be
that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that
sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven,
that one of these little ones should perish.

18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell
him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou
hast gained thy brother.

18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two
more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be
established.

18:17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church:
but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an
heathen man and a publican.

18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall
be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven.

18:19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as
touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of
my Father which is in heaven.

18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there
am I in the midst of them.

18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother
sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?  18:22 Jesus
saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until
seventy times seven.

18:23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king,
which would take account of his servants.

18:24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which
owed him ten thousand talents.

18:25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be
sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to
be made.

18:26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying,
Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

18:27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and
loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

18:28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his
fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on
him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

18:29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him,
saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

18:30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he
should pay the debt.

18:31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very
sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

18:32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O
thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou
desiredst me: 18:33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy
fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?  18:34 And his lord was
wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all
that was due unto him.

18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye
from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

19:1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings,
he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond
Jordan; 19:2 And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them
there.

19:3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto
him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?
19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he
which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 19:5 And
said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall
cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?  19:6 Wherefore
they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined
together, let not man put asunder.

19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing
of divorcement, and to put her away?  19:8 He saith unto them, Moses
because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your
wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it
be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and
whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.

19:10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with
his wife, it is not good to marry.

19:11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save
they to whom it is given.

19:12 For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their
mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of
men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the
kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him
receive it.

19:13 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should
put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them.

19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to
come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

19:15 And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.

19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good
thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?  19:17 And he said
unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that
is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder,
Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not
bear false witness, 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from
my youth up: what lack I yet?  19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt
be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

19:22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away
sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That
a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.

19:24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of
God.

19:25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed,
saying, Who then can be saved?  19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said
unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are
possible.

19:27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken
all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?  19:28 And Jesus
said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me,
in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve
tribes of Israel.

19:29 And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or
sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my
name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit
everlasting life.

19:30 But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be
first.

20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an
householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers
into his vineyard.

20:2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he
sent them into his vineyard.

20:3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing
idle in the marketplace, 20:4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the
vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their
way.

20:5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did
likewise.

20:6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others
standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day
idle?  20:7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith
unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that
shall ye receive.

20:8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his
steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from
the last unto the first.

20:9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they
received every man a penny.

20:10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have
received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

20:11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman
of the house, 20:12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and
thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and
heat of the day.

20:13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no
wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?  20:14 Take that
thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto
thee.

20:15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is
thine eye evil, because I am good?  20:16 So the last shall be first,
and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

20:17 And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart
in the way, and said unto them, 20:18 Behold, we go up to Jerusalem;
and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto
the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, 20:19 And shall
deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify
him: and the third day he shall rise again.

20:20 Then came to him the mother of Zebedees children with her sons,
worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him.

20:21 And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant
that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the
other on the left, in thy kingdom.

20:22 But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye
able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized
with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are
able.

20:23 And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my
right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given
to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

20:24 And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation
against the two brethren.

20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the
princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are
great exercise authority upon them.

20:26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great
among you, let him be your minister; 20:27 And whosoever will be chief
among you, let him be your servant: 20:28 Even as the Son of man came
not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a
ransom for many.

20:29 And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed
him.

20:30 And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they
heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O
Lord, thou son of David.

20:31 And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their
peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou
son of David.

20:32 And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye
that I shall do unto you?  20:33 They say unto him, Lord, that our
eyes may be opened.

20:34 So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and
immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

21:1 And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to
Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
21:2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and
straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose
them, and bring them unto me.

21:3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath
need of them; and straightway he will send them.

21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by
the prophet, saying, 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy
King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the
foal of an ass.

21:6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 21:7 And
brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they
set him thereon.

21:8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;
others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried,
saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.

21:10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved,
saying, Who is this?  21:11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the
prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them
that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the
moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 21:13 And said
unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of
prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

21:14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he
healed them.

21:15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things
that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying,
Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased, 21:16 And said
unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea;
have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast
perfected praise?  21:17 And he left them, and went out of the city
into Bethany; and he lodged there.

21:18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.

21:19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found
nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow
on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered
away.

21:20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon
is the fig tree withered away!  21:21 Jesus answered and said unto
them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall
not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall
say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the
sea; it shall be done.

21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye
shall receive.

21:23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the
elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By
what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this
authority?  21:24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will
ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you
by what authority I do these things.

21:25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And
they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven;
he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?  21:26 But if we
shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.

21:27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said
unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.

21:28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to
the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

21:29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and
went.

21:30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered
and said, I go, sir: and went not.

21:31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto
him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the
publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.

21:32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye
believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and
ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe
him.

21:33 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which
planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress
in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into
a far country: 21:34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent
his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of
it.

21:35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed
another, and stoned another.

21:36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did
unto them likewise.

21:37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will
reverence my son.

21:38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves,
This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his
inheritance.

21:39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew
him.

21:40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do
unto those husbandmen?  21:41 They say unto him, He will miserably
destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other
husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The
stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the
corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from
you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on
whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

21:45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables,
they perceived that he spake of them.

21:46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the
multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

22:1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and
said, 22:2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which
made a marriage for his son, 22:3 And sent forth his servants to call
them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

22:4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are
bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are
killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

22:5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm,
another to his merchandise: 22:6 And the remnant took his servants,
and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

22:7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth
his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

22:8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they
which were bidden were not worthy.

22:9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find,
bid to the marriage.

22:10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered
together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding
was furnished with guests.

22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man
which had not on a wedding garment: 22:12 And he saith unto him,
Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he
was speechless.

22:13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and
take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.

22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

22:15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might
entangle him in his talk.

22:16 And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians,
saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of
God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not
the person of men.

22:17 Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give
tribute unto Caesar, or not?  22:18 But Jesus perceived their
wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?  22:19 Shew me
the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.

22:20 And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
22:21 They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render
therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the
things that are God's.

22:22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him,
and went their way.

22:23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is
no resurrection, and asked him, 22:24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a
man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and
raise up seed unto his brother.

22:25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he
had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto
his brother: 22:26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the
seventh.

22:27 And last of all the woman died also.

22:28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the
seven?  for they all had her.

22:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the
scriptures, nor the power of God.

22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in
marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read
that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 22:32 I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?  God is not the
God of the dead, but of the living.

22:33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his
doctrine.

22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees
to silence, they were gathered together.

22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question,
tempting him, and saying, 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment
in the law?  22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.

22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

22:41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
22:42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto
him, The son of David.

22:43 He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord,
saying, 22:44 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,
till I make thine enemies thy footstool?  22:45 If David then call him
Lord, how is he his son?  22:46 And no man was able to answer him a
word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more
questions.

23:1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, 23:2
Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: 23:3 All
therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do
not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay
them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with
one of their fingers.

23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make
broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
23:6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in
the synagogues, 23:7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of
men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ;
and all ye are brethren.

23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your
Father, which is in heaven.

23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even
Christ.

23:11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that
shall humble himself shall be exalted.

23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut
up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves,
neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour
widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye
shall receive the greater damnation.

23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass
sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him
twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

23:16 Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear
by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of
the temple, he is a debtor!  23:17 Ye fools and blind: for whether is
greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?  23:18
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever
sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

23:19 Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the
altar that sanctifieth the gift?  23:20 Whoso therefore shall swear by
the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

23:21 And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him
that dwelleth therein.

23:22 And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of
God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay
tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier
matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have
done, and not to leave the other undone.

23:24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

23:25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make
clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are
full of extortion and excess.

23:26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup
and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like
unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are
within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within
ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

23:29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye
build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the
righteous, 23:30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers,
we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the
prophets.

23:31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the
children of them which killed the prophets.

23:32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the
damnation of hell?  23:34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets,
and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify;
and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute
them from city to city: 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous
blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the
blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple
and the altar.

23:36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this
generation.

23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and
stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered
thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and ye would not!  23:38 Behold, your house is left unto you
desolate.

23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye
shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

24:1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his
disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.

24:2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I
say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another,
that shall not be thrown down.

24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto
him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what
shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?  24:4
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive
you.

24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall
deceive many.

24:6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not
yet.

24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes,
in divers places.

24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.

24:9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill
you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

24:10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another,
and shall hate one another.

24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax
cold.

24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the
world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso
readeth, let him understand:) 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea
flee into the mountains: 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not
come down to take any thing out of his house: 24:18 Neither let him
which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

24:19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give
suck in those days!  24:20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the
winter, neither on the sabbath day: 24:21 For then shall be great
tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this
time, no, nor ever shall be.

24:22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh
be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.

24:23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or
there; believe it not.

24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were
possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

24:26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the
desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it
not.

24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even
unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be
gathered together.

24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 24:30
And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then
shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of
man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet,
and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one
end of heaven to the other.

24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet
tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 24:33
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors.

24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all
these things be fulfilled.

24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass
away.

24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of
heaven, but my Father only.

24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be.

24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating
and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe
entered into the ark, 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and
took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the
other left.

24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken,
and the other left.

24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in
what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not
have suffered his house to be broken up.

24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not
the Son of man cometh.

24:45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?  24:46
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing.

24:47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his
goods.

24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord
delayeth his coming; 24:49 And shall begin to smite his
fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 24:50 The lord
of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and
in an hour that he is not aware of, 24:51 And shall cut him asunder,
and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.

25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins,
which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with
them: 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him.

25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our
lamps are gone out.

25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough
for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for
yourselves.

25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that
were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open
to us.

25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.

25:14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far
country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his
goods.

25:15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to
another one; to every man according to his several ability; and
straightway took his journey.

25:16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with
the same, and made them other five talents.

25:17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.

25:18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and
hid his lord's money.

25:19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and
reckoneth with them.

25:20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other
five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents:
behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.

25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee
ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

25:22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou
deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other
talents beside them.

25:23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant;
thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over
many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I
knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown,
and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25:25 And I was afraid, and
went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is
thine.

25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful
servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where
I have not strawed: 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money
to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine
own with usury.

25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which
hath ten talents.

25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have
abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that
which he hath.

25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy
angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 25:32
And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate
them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the
goats: 25:33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the
goats on the left.

25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world: 25:35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me
meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye
took me in: 25:36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited
me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

25:37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we
thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  25:38
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed
thee?  25:39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto
thee?  25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these
my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from
me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his
angels: 25:42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was
thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took
me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye
visited me not.

25:44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee
an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in
prison, and did not minister unto thee?  25:45 Then shall he answer
them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one
of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the
righteous into life eternal.

26:1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings,
he said unto his disciples, 26:2 Ye know that after two days is the
feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.

26:3 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and
the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was
called Caiaphas, 26:4 And consulted that they might take Jesus by
subtilty, and kill him.

26:5 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar
among the people.

26:6 Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
26:7 There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very
precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.

26:8 But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To
what purpose is this waste?  26:9 For this ointment might have been
sold for much, and given to the poor.

26:10 When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the
woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.

26:11 For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.

26:12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it
for my burial.

26:13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached
in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done,
be told for a memorial of her.

26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the
chief priests, 26:15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I
will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty
pieces of silver.

26:16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

26:17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples
came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for
thee to eat the passover?  26:18 And he said, Go into the city to such
a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will
keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

26:19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made
ready the passover.

26:20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of
you shall betray me.

26:22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them
to say unto him, Lord, is it I?  26:23 And he answered and said, He
that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that
man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man
if he had not been born.

26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it
I?  He said unto him, Thou hast said.

26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and
brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is
my body.

26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them,
saying, Drink ye all of it; 26:28 For this is my blood of the new
testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of
the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's
kingdom.

26:30 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of
Olives.

26:31 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of
me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the
sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

26:32 But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

26:33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be
offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

26:34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night,
before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

26:35 Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I
not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.

26:36 Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and
saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and
began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even
unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and
saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?  26:41
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak.

26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my
Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy
will be done.

26:43 And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were
heavy.

26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third
time, saying the same words.

26:45 Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on
now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of
man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray
me.

26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and
with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief
priests and elders of the people.

26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I
shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and
kissed him.

26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then
came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took him.

26:51 And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his
hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest's,
and smote off his ear.

26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place:
for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall
presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?  26:54 But how
then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?  26:55
In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as
against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily
with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.

26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might
be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

26:57 And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas
the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.

26:58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace,
and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.

26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought
false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; 26:60 But found
none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At
the last came two false witnesses, 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I
am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.

26:62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou
nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?  26:63 But Jesus
held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I
adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the
Christ, the Son of God.

26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto
you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand
of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have
heard his blasphemy.

26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

26:67 Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others
smote him with the palms of their hands, 26:68 Saying, Prophesy unto
us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?  26:69 Now Peter sat
without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also
wast with Jesus of Galilee.

26:70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou
sayest.

26:71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him,
and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of
Nazareth.

26:72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to
Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth
thee.

26:74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man.
And immediately the cock crew.

26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him,
Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and
wept bitterly.

27:1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of
the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: 27:2 And
when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to
Pontius Pilate the governor.

27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was
condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of
silver to the chief priests and elders, 27:4 Saying, I have sinned in
that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that
to us? see thou to that.

27:5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and
departed, and went and hanged himself.

27:6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not
lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of
blood.

27:7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field,
to bury strangers in.

27:8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this
day.

27:9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him
that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 27:10
And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him,
saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou
sayest.

27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he
answered nothing.

27:13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they
witness against thee?  27:14 And he answered him to never a word;
insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

27:15 Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the
people a prisoner, whom they would.

27:16 And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas.

27:17 Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto
them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which
is called Christ?  27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered
him.

27:19 When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto
him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have
suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

27:20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that
they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.

27:21 The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain
will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.

27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is
called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.

27:23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they
cried out the more, saying, Let him be crucified.

27:24 When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a
tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the
multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see
ye to it.

27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and
on our children.

27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged
Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.

27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common
hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers.

27:28 And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

27:29 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon
his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before
him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!  27:30 And they
spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

27:31 And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from
him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

27:32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name:
him they compelled to bear his cross.

27:33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to
say, a place of a skull, 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled
with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots:
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They
parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

27:36 And sitting down they watched him there; 27:37 And set up over
his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

27:38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right
hand, and another on the left.

27:39 And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, 27:40
And saying, Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the
cross.

27:41 Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes
and elders, said, 27:42 He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he
be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we
will believe him.

27:43 He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him:
for he said, I am the Son of God.

27:44 The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same
in his teeth.

27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land
unto the ninth hour.

27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me?  27:47 Some of them that stood there, when they
heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

27:48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled
it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.

27:49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to
save him.

27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the
ghost.

27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the
top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 27:52
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept
arose, 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and
went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching
Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they
feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

27:55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed
Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 27:56 Among which was Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of
Zebedees children.

27:57 When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea,
named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: 27:58 He went to
Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body
to be delivered.

27:59 And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean
linen cloth, 27:60 And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn
out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the
sepulchre, and departed.

27:61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over
against the sepulchre.

27:62 Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the
chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, 27:63 Saying,
Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive,
After three days I will rise again.

27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the
third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and
say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error
shall be worse than the first.

27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as
sure as ye can.

27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone,
and setting a watch.

28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first
day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the
sepulchre.

28:2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the
Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from
the door, and sat upon it.

28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as
snow: 28:4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as
dead men.

28:5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for
I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place
where the Lord lay.

28:7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the
dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye
see him: lo, I have told you.

28:8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great
joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

28:9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them,
saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and
worshipped him.

28:10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren
that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into
the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were
done.

28:12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken
counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 28:13 Saying, Say
ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

28:14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him,
and secure you.

28:15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this
saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a
mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

28:17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given
unto me in heaven and in earth.

28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.




The Gospel According to Saint Mark


1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; 1:2
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before
thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of
the Lord, make his paths straight.

1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins.

1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of
Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan,
confessing their sins.

1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a
skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; 1:7 And
preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the
latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost.

1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth
of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens
opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 1:11 And there
came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I
am well pleased.

1:12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan;
and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 1:15 And saying, The time
is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and
believe the gospel.

1:16 Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew
his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

1:17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you
to become fishers of men.

1:18 And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.

1:19 And when he had gone a little farther thence, he saw James the
son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship
mending their nets.

1:20 And straightway he called them: and they left their father
Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.

1:21 And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day
he entered into the synagogue, and taught.

1:22 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as
one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

1:23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit;
and he cried out, 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with
thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee
who thou art, the Holy One of God.

1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of
him.

1:26 And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud
voice, he came out of him.

1:27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among
themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for
with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do
obey him.

1:28 And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region
round about Galilee.

1:29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they
entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

1:30 But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell
him of her.

1:31 And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and
immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that
were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.

1:34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast
out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they
knew him.

1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went
out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

1:36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him.

1:37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for
thee.

1:38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may
preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

1:39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and
cast out devils.

1:40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down
to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

1:41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched
him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.

1:42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed
from him, and he was cleansed.

1:43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 1:44
And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way,
shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things
which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

1:45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze
abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into
the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from
every quarter.

2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was
noised that he was in the house.

2:2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there
was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he
preached the word unto them.

2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was
borne of four.

2:4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they
uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they
let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy,
Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

2:6 But there was certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning
in their hearts, 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can
forgive sins but God only?  2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived
in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto
them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?  2:9 Whether is it
easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or
to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?  2:10 But that ye may
know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he
saith to the sick of the palsy,) 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take
up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.

2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before
them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God,
saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude
resorted unto him, and he taught them.

2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at
the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and
followed him.

2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house,
many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his
disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.

2:16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and
sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and
drinketh with publicans and sinners?  2:17 When Jesus heard it, he
saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician,
but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance.

2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and
they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the
Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?  2:19 And Jesus said unto
them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom
is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they
cannot fast.

2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away
from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

2:21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else
the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent
is made worse.

2:22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine
doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will
be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.

2:23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the
sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears
of corn.

2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the
sabbath day that which is not lawful?  2:25 And he said unto them,
Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an
hungred, he, and they that were with him?  2:26 How he went into the
house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the
shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave
also to them which were with him?  2:27 And he said unto them, The
sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 2:28 Therefore
the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

3:1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there
which had a withered hand.

3:2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath
day; that they might accuse him.

3:3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand
forth.

3:4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath
days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their
peace.

3:5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being
grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man,
Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was
restored whole as the other.

3:6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with
the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

3:7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a
great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea, 3:8 And
from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they
about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what
great things he did, came unto him.

3:9 And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on
him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

3:10 For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for
to touch him, as many as had plagues.

3:11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and
cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

3:12 And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

3:13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he
would: and they came unto him.

3:14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he
might send them forth to preach, 3:15 And to have power to heal
sicknesses, and to cast out devils: 3:16 And Simon he surnamed Peter;
3:17 And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and
he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder: 3:18 And
Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and
James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
3:19 And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into
an house.

3:20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not
so much as eat bread.

3:21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on
him: for they said, He is beside himself.

3:22 And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath
Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

3:23 And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How
can Satan cast out Satan?  3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against
itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot
stand.

3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot
stand, but hath an end.

3:27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods,
except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his
house.

3:28 Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons
of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: 3:29
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never
forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

3:30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

3:31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing
without, sent unto him, calling him.

3:32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold,
thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

3:33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
3:34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said,
Behold my mother and my brethren!  3:35 For whosoever shall do the
will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

4:1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was
gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship,
and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the
land.

4:2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in
his doctrine, 4:3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4:4
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the
fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

4:5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and
immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 4:6 But
when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it
withered away.

4:7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it,
and it yielded no fruit.

4:8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up
and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and
some an hundred.

4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

4:10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve
asked of him the parable.

4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery
of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these
things are done in parables: 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not
perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any
time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

4:13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then
will ye know all parables?  4:14 The sower soweth the word.

4:15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but
when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the
word that was sown in their hearts.

4:16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who,
when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time:
afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake,
immediately they are offended.

4:18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the
word, 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of
riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and
it becometh unfruitful.

4:20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear
the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some
sixty, and some an hundred.

4:21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a
bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?  4:22 For
there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any
thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

4:24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall
more be given.

4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not,
from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast
seed into the ground; 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day,
and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade,
then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

4:29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in
the sickle, because the harvest is come.

4:30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with
what comparison shall we compare it?  4:31 It is like a grain of
mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all
the seeds that be in the earth: 4:32 But when it is sown, it groweth
up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great
branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of
it.

4:33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they
were able to hear it.

4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were
alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

4:35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let
us pass over unto the other side.

4:36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as
he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

4:37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into
the ship, so that it was now full.

4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow:
and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we
perish?  4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the
sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

4:40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye
have no faith?  4:41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to
another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea
obey him?  5:1 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into
the country of the Gadarenes.

5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him
out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, 5:3 Who had his
dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with
chains: 5:4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and
chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the
fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the
tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

5:6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 5:7 And
cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus,
thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment
me not.

5:8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

5:9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My
name is Legion: for we are many.

5:10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of
the country.

5:11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine
feeding.

5:12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine,
that we may enter into them.

5:13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went
out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a
steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were
choked in the sea.

5:14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in
the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.

5:15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the
devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right
mind: and they were afraid.

5:16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was
possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.

5:17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.

5:18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed
with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to
thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for
thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

5:20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great
things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

5:21 And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side,
much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.

5:22 And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue,
Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, 5:23 And
besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of
death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be
healed; and she shall live.

5:24 And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and
thronged him.

5:25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
5:26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent
all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
5:27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and
touched his garment.

5:28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

5:29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she
felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.

5:30 And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone
out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my
clothes?  5:31 And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the
multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?  5:32 And
he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.

5:33 But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in
her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.

5:34 And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole;
go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

5:35 While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's
house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the
Master any further?  5:36 As soon as Jesus heard the word that was
spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only
believe.

5:37 And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and
John the brother of James.

5:38 And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and
seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

5:39 And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this
ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.

5:40 And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out,
he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were
with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.

5:41 And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha
cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.

5:42 And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the
age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great
astonishment.

5:43 And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and
commanded that something should be given her to eat.

6:1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and
his disciples follow him.

6:2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the
synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence
hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given
unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?  6:3
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and
Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?
And they were offended at him.

6:4 But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in
his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

6:5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands
upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

6:6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round
about the villages, teaching.

6:7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by
two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 6:8 And
commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a
staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 6:9 But be
shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

6:10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an
house, there abide till ye depart from that place.

6:11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart
thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against
them.

Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and
Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that
were sick, and healed them.

6:14 And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:)
and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and
therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

6:15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a
prophet, or as one of the prophets.

6:16 But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I
beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

6:17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and
bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for
he had married her.

6:18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have
thy brother's wife.

6:19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have
killed him; but she could not: 6:20 For Herod feared John, knowing
that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he
heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

6:21 And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday
made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of
Galilee; 6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and
danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said
unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it
thee.

6:23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will
give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

6:24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask?
And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

6:25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked,
saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of
John the Baptist.

6:26 And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and
for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

6:27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his
head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 6:28
And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the
damsel gave it to her mother.

6:29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his
corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

6:30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and
told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had
taught.

6:31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert
place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and
they had no leisure so much as to eat.

6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

6:33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran
afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together
unto him.

6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with
compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a
shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

6:35 And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him,
and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: 6:36
Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and
into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to
eat.

6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say
unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and
give them to eat?  6:38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye?
go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

6:39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the
green grass.

6:40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

6:41 And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he
looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them
to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he
among them all.

6:42 And they did all eat, and were filled.

6:43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the
fishes.

6:44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

6:45 And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the
ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent
away the people.

6:46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to
pray.

6:47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and
he alone on the land.

6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto
them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them,
walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

6:49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had
been a spirit, and cried out: 6:50 For they all saw him, and were
troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be
of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

6:51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and
they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

6:52 For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their
heart was hardened.

6:53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of
Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

6:54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew
him, 6:55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to
carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

6:56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or
country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they
might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as
touched him were made whole.

7:1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the
scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

7:2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled,
that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.

7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands
oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.

7:4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat
not.

And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as
the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.

7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy
disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with
unwashen hands?  7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias
prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth
me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7:7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men.

7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of
men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things
ye do.

7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God,
that ye may keep your own tradition.

7:10 For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso
curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 7:11 But ye say, If a
man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a
gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

7:12 And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his
mother; 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your
tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

7:14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto
them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 7:15 There is
nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but
the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

7:17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his
disciples asked him concerning the parable.

7:18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do
ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the
man, it cannot defile him; 7:19 Because it entereth not into his
heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all
meats?  7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that
defileth the man.

7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,
adulteries, fornications, murders, 7:22 Thefts, covetousness,
wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,
foolishness: 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile
the man.

7:24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and
Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but
he could not be hid.

7:25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit,
heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 7:26 The woman was a
Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would
cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

7:27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it
is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the
dogs.

7:28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under
the table eat of the children's crumbs.

7:29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is
gone out of thy daughter.

7:30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out,
and her daughter laid upon the bed.

7:31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, he came
unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

7:32 And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment
in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.

7:33 And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers
into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; 7:34 And looking
up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be
opened.

7:35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his
tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

7:36 And he charged them that they should tell no man: but the more he
charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; 7:37
And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things
well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing
to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, 8:2
I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me
three days, and have nothing to eat: 8:3 And if I send them away
fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of
them came from far.

8:4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy
these men with bread here in the wilderness?  8:5 And he asked them,
How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

8:6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took
the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his
disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.

8:7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to
set them also before them.

8:8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken
meat that was left seven baskets.

8:9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them
away.

8:10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and
came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

8:11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him,
seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this
generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no
sign be given unto this generation.

8:13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to
the other side.

8:14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they
in the ship with them more than one loaf.

8:15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of
the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

8:16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have
no bread.

8:17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye,
because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand?
have ye your heart yet hardened?  8:18 Having eyes, see ye not? and
having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?  8:19 When I brake
the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of
fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

8:20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of
fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

8:21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?  8:22
And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and
besought him to touch him.

8:23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the
town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he
asked him if he saw ought.

8:24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

8:25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him
look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

8:26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the
town, nor tell it to any in the town.

8:27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea
Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them,
Whom do men say that I am?  8:28 And they answered, John the Baptist;
but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

8:29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter
answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

8:30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many
things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and
scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

8:32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to
rebuke him.

8:33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he
rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest
not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples
also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

8:35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever
shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save
it.

8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,
and lose his own soul?  8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for
his soul?  8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my
words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the
Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with
the holy angels.

9:1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some
of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they
have seen the kingdom of God come with power.

9:2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and
John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves:
and he was transfigured before them.

9:3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no
fuller on earth can white them.

9:4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were
talking with Jesus.

9:5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to
be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for
Moses, and one for Elias.

9:6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.

9:7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out
of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

9:8 And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man
any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

9:9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they
should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were
risen from the dead.

9:10 And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with
another what the rising from the dead should mean.

9:11 And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must
first come?  9:12 And he answered and told them, Elias verily cometh
first, and restoreth all things; and how it is written of the Son of
man, that he must suffer many things, and be set at nought.

9:13 But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done
unto him whatsoever they listed, as it is written of him.

9:14 And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about
them, and the scribes questioning with them.

9:15 And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were
greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.

9:16 And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?  9:17 And
one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto
thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit; 9:18 And wheresoever he taketh
him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and
pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him
out; and they could not.

9:19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long
shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.

9:20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway
the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.

9:21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto
him?  And he said, Of a child.

9:22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters,
to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us,
and help us.

9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are
possible to him that believeth.

9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with
tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

9:25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked
the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge
thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.

9:26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and
he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.

9:27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.

9:28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him
privately, Why could not we cast him out?  9:29 And he said unto them,
This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

9:30 And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he
would not that any man should know it.

9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man
is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after
that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.

9:32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.

9:33 And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them,
What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?  9:34 But
they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among
themselves, who should be the greatest.

9:35 And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If
any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant
of all.

9:36 And he took a child, and set him in the midst of them: and when
he had taken him in his arms, he said unto them, 9:37 Whosoever shall
receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever
shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

9:38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out
devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him,
because he followeth not us.

9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall
do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

9:40 For he that is not against us is on our part.

9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name,
because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose
his reward.

9:42 And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe
in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and he were cast into the sea.

9:43 And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to
enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into
the fire that never shall be quenched: 9:44 Where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched.

9:45 And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to
enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into
the fire that never shall be quenched: 9:46 Where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched.

9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee
to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to
be cast into hell fire: 9:48 Where their worm dieth not, and the fire
is not quenched.

9:49 For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice
shall be salted with salt.

9:50 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith
will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with
another.

10:1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by
the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and,
as he was wont, he taught them again.

10:2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a
man to put away his wife? tempting him.

10:3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you?
10:4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and
to put her away.

10:5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your
heart he wrote you this precept.

10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and
female.

10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and
cleave to his wife; 10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then
they are no more twain, but one flesh.

10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

10:10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same
matter.

10:11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and
marry another, committeth adultery against her.

10:12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to
another, she committeth adultery.

10:13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch
them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.

10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto
them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not:
for of such is the kingdom of God.

10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom
of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

10:16 And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and
blessed them.

10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running,
and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I
may inherit eternal life?  10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest
thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not
kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy
father and mother.  10:20 And he answered and said unto him, Master,
all these have I observed from my youth.

10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing
thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the
cross, and follow me.

10:22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had
great possessions.

10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How
hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
10:24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus
answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for
them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!  10:25 It
is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a
rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

10:26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among
themselves, Who then can be saved?  10:27 And Jesus looking upon them
saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all
things are possible.

10:28 Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have
followed thee.

10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no
man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or
mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
10:30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses,
and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

10:31 But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

10:32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went
before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were
afraid.

And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things
should happen unto him, 10:33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem;
and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto
the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver
him to the Gentiles: 10:34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge
him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he
shall rise again.

10:35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying,
Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall
desire.

10:36 And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you?
10:37 They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy
right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

10:38 But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink
of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am
baptized with?  10:39 And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said
unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with
the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: 10:40 But
to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but
it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.

10:41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with
James and John.

10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that
they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship
over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.

10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great
among you, shall be your minister: 10:44 And whosoever of you will be
the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his
disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of
Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry
out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.

10:48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried
the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

10:49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they
call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he
calleth thee.

10:50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

10:51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I
should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might
receive my sight.

10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee
whole.

And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

11:1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany,
at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, 11:2
And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you:
and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied,
whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

11:3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord
hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

11:4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door
without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.

11:5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye,
loosing the colt?  11:6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had
commanded: and they let them go.

11:7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on
him; and he sat upon him.

11:8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down
branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

11:9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying,
Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: 11:10
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of
the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

11:11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when
he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was
come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

11:12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was
hungry: 11:13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came,
if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he
found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.

11:14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee
hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

11:15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and
began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and
overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that
sold doves; 11:16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any
vessel through the temple.

11:17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house
shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made
it a den of thieves.

11:18 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they
might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was
astonished at his doctrine.

11:19 And when even was come, he went out of the city.

11:20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree
dried up from the roots.

11:21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold,
the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.

11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this
mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall
not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he
saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye
pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

11:25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against
any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your
trespasses.

11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in
heaven forgive your trespasses.

11:27 And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the
temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the
elders, 11:28 And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these
things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?  11:29
And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one
question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do
these things.

11:30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? answer me.

11:31 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From
heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?  11:32 But if we
shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John,
that he was a prophet indeed.

11:33 And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus
answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I
do these things.

12:1 And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man
planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for
the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went
into a far country.

12:2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he
might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

12:3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

12:4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast
stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully
handled.

12:5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others;
beating some, and killing some.

12:6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also
last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.

12:7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir;
come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's.

12:8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the
vineyard.

12:9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come
and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the
builders rejected is become the head of the corner: 12:11 This was the
Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?  12:12 And they sought
to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had
spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their
way.

12:13 And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the
Herodians, to catch him in his words.

12:14 And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that
thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the
person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it lawful to
give tribute to Caesar, or not?  12:15 Shall we give, or shall we not
give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye
me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.

12:16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image
and superscription? And they said unto him, Caesar's.

12:17 And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things
that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. And they
marvelled at him.

12:18 Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no
resurrection; and they asked him, saying, 12:19 Master, Moses wrote
unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and
leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up
seed unto his brother.

12:20 Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and
dying left no seed.

12:21 And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and
the third likewise.

12:22 And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman
died also.

12:23 In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife
shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.

12:24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err,
because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?  12:25
For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are
given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.

12:26 And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in
the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am
the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?  12:27
He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore
do greatly err.

12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning
together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him,
Which is the first commandment of all?  12:29 And Jesus answered him,
The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God
is one Lord: 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength: this is the first commandment.

12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than
these.

12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the
truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 12:33 And
to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and
with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his
neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.

12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto
him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that
durst ask him any question.

12:35 And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How
say the scribes that Christ is the son of David?  12:36 For David
himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on
my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.

12:37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then
his son? And the common people heard him gladly.

12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes,
which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the
marketplaces, 12:39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the
uppermost rooms at feasts: 12:40 Which devour widows' houses, and for
a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

12:41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the
people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in
much.

12:42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites,
which make a farthing.

12:43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than
all they which have cast into the treasury: 12:44 For all they did
cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that
she had, even all her living.

13:1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto
him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
13:2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great
buildings?  there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall
not be thrown down.

13:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple,
Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 13:4 Tell us,
when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these
things shall be fulfilled?  13:5 And Jesus answering them began to
say, Take heed lest any man deceive you: 13:6 For many shall come in
my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

13:7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not
troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.

13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there
shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

13:9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to
councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be
brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against
them.

13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.

13:11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no
thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but
whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is
not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

13:12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the
father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and
shall cause them to be put to death.

13:13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that
shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of
by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that
readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the
mountains: 13:15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into
the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house:
13:16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take
up his garment.

13:17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck
in those days!  13:18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the
winter.

13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the
beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither
shall be.

13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh
should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he
hath shortened the days.

13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or,
lo, he is there; believe him not: 13:22 For false Christs and false
prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if
it were possible, even the elect.

13:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be
darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 13:25 And the stars
of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be
shaken.

13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with
great power and glory.

13:27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his
elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the
uttermost part of heaven.

13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet
tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 13:29
So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass,
know that it is nigh, even at the doors.

13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till
all these things be done.

13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away.

13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels
which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

13:34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left
his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his
work, and commanded the porter to watch.

13:35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house
cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
morning: 13:36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

14:1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened
bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might
take him by craft, and put him to death.

14:2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of
the people.

14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat
at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of
spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his
head.

14:4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and
said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?  14:5 For it might have
been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to
the poor. And they murmured against her.

14:6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath
wrought a good work on me.

14:7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye
may do them good: but me ye have not always.

14:8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my
body to the burying.

14:9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached
throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be
spoken of for a memorial of her.

14:10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief
priests, to betray him unto them.

14:11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him
money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

14:12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the
passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and
prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?  14:13 And he sendeth forth
two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and
there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.

14:14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the
house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat
the passover with my disciples?  14:15 And he will shew you a large
upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.

14:16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found
as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

14:17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.

14:18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you,
One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.

14:19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one,
Is it I? and another said, Is it I?  14:20 And he answered and said
unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.

14:21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to
that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man
if he had never been born.

14:22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake
it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.

14:23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to
them: and they all drank of it.

14:24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for many.

14:25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the
vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

14:26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of
Olives.

14:27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of
me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the
sheep shall be scattered.

14:28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.

14:29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet
will not I.

14:30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day,
even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me
thrice.

14:31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I
will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

14:32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he
saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

14:33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be
sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul
is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

14:35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed
that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

14:36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee;
take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what
thou wilt.

14:37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter,
Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?  14:38 Watch
ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready,
but the flesh is weak.

14:39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

14:40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their
eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

14:41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now,
and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of
man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

14:42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

14:43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the
twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from
the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

14:44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away
safely.

14:45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and
saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

14:46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

14:47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant
of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

14:48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as
against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?  14:49 I was
daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the
scriptures must be fulfilled.

14:50 And they all forsook him, and fled.

14:51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth
cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 14:52
And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

14:53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were
assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.

14:54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the
high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the
fire.

14:55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness
against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

14:56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness
agreed not together.

14:57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him,
saying, 14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is
made with hands, and within three days I will build another made
without hands.

14:59 But neither so did their witness agree together.

14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus,
saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against
thee?  14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the
high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son
of the Blessed?  14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son
of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of
heaven.

14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we
any further witnesses?  14:64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think
ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

14:65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to
buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike
him with the palms of their hands.

14:66 And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the
maids of the high priest: 14:67 And when she saw Peter warming
himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus
of Nazareth.

14:68 But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what
thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew.

14:69 And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood
by, This is one of them.

14:70 And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by
said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a
Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.

14:71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man
of whom ye speak.

14:72 And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the
word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt
deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept.

15:1 And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a
consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and
bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate.

15:2 And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he
answering said unto them, Thou sayest it.

15:3 And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered
nothing.

15:4 And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing?
behold how many things they witness against thee.

15:5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled.

15:6 Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever
they desired.

15:7 And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that
had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the
insurrection.

15:8 And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he
had ever done unto them.

15:9 But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you
the King of the Jews?  15:10 For he knew that the chief priests had
delivered him for envy.

15:11 But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather
release Barabbas unto them.

15:12 And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then
that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?  15:13 And
they cried out again, Crucify him.

15:14 Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And
they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

15:15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas
unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be
crucified.

15:16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium;
and they call together the whole band.

15:17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns,
and put it about his head, 15:18 And began to salute him, Hail, King
of the Jews!  15:19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and
did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.

15:20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him,
and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

15:21 And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out
of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.

15:22 And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being
interpreted, The place of a skull.

15:23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he
received it not.

15:24 And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments,
casting lots upon them, what every man should take.

15:25 And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

15:26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE
KING OF THE JEWS.

15:27 And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right
hand, and the other on his left.

15:28 And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was
numbered with the transgressors.

15:29 And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and
saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three
days, 15:30 Save thyself, and come down from the cross.

15:31 Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves
with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.

15:32 Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that
we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled
him.

15:33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the
whole land until the ninth hour.

15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me?  15:35 And some of them that stood by,
when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias.

15:36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a
reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether
Elias will come to take him down.

15:37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.

15:38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the
bottom.

15:39 And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that
he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was
the Son of God.

15:40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and
Salome; 15:41 (Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and
ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto
Jerusalem.

15:42 And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation,
that is, the day before the sabbath, 15:43 Joseph of Arimathaea, an
honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came,
and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.

15:44 And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto
him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead.

15:45 And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to
Joseph.

15:46 And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in
the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock,
and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre.

15:47 And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he
was laid.

16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might
come and anoint him.

16:2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they
came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

16:3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone
from the door of the sepulchre?  16:4 And when they looked, they saw
that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.

16:5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on
the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were
affrighted.

16:6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of
Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the
place where they laid him.

16:7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth
before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

16:8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they
trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for
they were afraid.

16:9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he
appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven
devils.

16:10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they
mourned and wept.

16:11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been
seen of her, believed not.

16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they
walked, and went into the country.

16:13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed
they them.

16:14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and
upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they
believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.

16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the
gospel to every creature.

16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned.

16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall
they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 16:18 They
shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall
not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall
recover.

16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up
into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working
with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.




The Gospel According to Saint Luke


1:1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a
declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
1:2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were
eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 1:3 It seemed good to me
also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very
first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 1:4
That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou
hast been instructed.

1:5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain
priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the
daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

1:7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they
both were now well stricken in years.

1:8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office
before God in the order of his course, 1:9 According to the custom of
the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the
temple of the Lord.

1:10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the
time of incense.

1:11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the
right side of the altar of incense.

1:12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon
him.

1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer
is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt
call his name John.

1:14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at
his birth.

1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink
neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy
Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

1:16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord
their God.

1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to
turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to
the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for
I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand
in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew
thee these glad tidings.

1:20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the
day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not
my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

1:21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he
tarried so long in the temple.

1:22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they
perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned
unto them, and remained speechless.

1:23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his
ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

1:24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid
herself five months, saying, 1:25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in
the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a
city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name
was Mary.

1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art
highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

1:29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in
her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

1:30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God.

1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest:
and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end.

1:34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know
not a man?  1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall
overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of
thee shall be called the Son of God.

1:36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son
in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren.

1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

1:38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

1:39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with
haste, into a city of Juda; 1:40 And entered into the house of
Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

1:41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of
Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the
Holy Ghost: 1:42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said,
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

1:43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come
to me?  1:44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded
in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

1:45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a
performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 1:47 And my spirit
hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

1:48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for,
behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

1:49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is
his name.

1:50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to
generation.

1:51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud
in the imagination of their hearts.

1:52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of
low degree.

1:53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath
sent empty away.

1:54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
1:55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her
own house.

1:57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and
she brought forth a son.

1:58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed
great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

1:59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to
circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of
his father.

1:60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called
John.

1:61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is
called by this name.

1:62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

1:63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is
John. And they marvelled all.

1:64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and
he spake, and praised God.

1:65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these
sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

1:66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts,
saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord
was with him.

1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
prophesied, saying, 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he
hath visited and redeemed his people, 1:69 And hath raised up an horn
of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 1:70 As he
spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the
world began: 1:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from
the hand of all that hate us; 1:72 To perform the mercy promised to
our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 1:73 The oath which he
sware to our father Abraham, 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we
being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without
fear, 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of
our life.

1:76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for
thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 1:77 To
give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their
sins, 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring
from on high hath visited us, 1:79 To give light to them that sit in
darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of
peace.

1:80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the
deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree
from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

2:2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of
Syria.)  2:3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

2:4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem;
(because he was of the house and lineage of David:) 2:5 To be taxed
with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

2:6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were
accomplished that she should be delivered.

2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room
for them in the inn.

2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.

2:9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of
the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you
good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.

2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host praising God, and saying, 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth peace, good will toward men.

2:15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into
heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto
Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord
hath made known unto us.

2:16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger.

2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying
which was told them concerning this child.

2:18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were
told them by the shepherds.

2:19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

2:20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all
the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel
before he was conceived in the womb.

2:22 And when the days of her purification according to the law of
Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him
to the Lord; 2:23 (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male
that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) 2:24 And to
offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the
Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

2:25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon;
and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of
Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

2:26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should
not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
2:28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 2:29
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy
word: 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 2:31 Which thou hast
prepared before the face of all people; 2:32 A light to lighten the
Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

2:33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were
spoken of him.

2:34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold,
this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and
for a sign which shall be spoken against; 2:35 (Yea, a sword shall
pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts
may be revealed.

2:36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of
the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an
husband seven years from her virginity; 2:37 And she was a widow of
about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple,
but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

2:38 And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the
Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in
Jerusalem.

2:39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of
the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

2:40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with
wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the
passover.

2:42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after
the custom of the feast.

2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child
Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not
of it.

2:44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's
journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

2:45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem,
seeking him.

2:46 And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the
temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and
asking them questions.

2:47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and
answers.

2:48 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto
him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I
have sought thee sorrowing.

2:49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not
that I must be about my Father's business?  2:50 And they understood
not the saying which he spake unto them.

2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject
unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God
and man.

3:1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius
Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee,
and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of
Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, 3:2 Annas and
Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the
son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; 3:4 As it is written
in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of
one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his
paths straight.

3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be
brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough
ways shall be made smooth; 3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation
of God.

3:7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of
him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the
wrath to come?  3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance,
and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father:
for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up
children unto Abraham.

3:9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every
tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and
cast into the fire.

3:10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?  3:11 He
answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart
to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

3:12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him,
Master, what shall we do?  3:13 And he said unto them, Exact no more
than that which is appointed you.

3:14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall
we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse
any falsely; and be content with your wages.

3:15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their
hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; 3:16 John
answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but
one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy
to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:
3:17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor,
and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn
with fire unquenchable.

3:18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the
people.

3:19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his
brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
3:20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that
Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 3:22
And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him,
and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in
thee I am well pleased.

3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being
(as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli, 3:24
Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the
son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of
Joseph, 3:25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of
Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was
the son of Nagge, 3:26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son
of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of
Joseph, which was the son of Juda, 3:27 Which was the son of Joanna,
which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was
the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri, 3:28 Which was the
son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam,
which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er, 3:29 Which was
the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of
Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, 3:30
Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the
son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of
Eliakim, 3:31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan,
which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was
the son of David, 3:32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son
of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which
was the son of Naasson, 3:33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was
the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of
Phares, which was the son of Juda, 3:34 Which was the son of Jacob,
which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was
the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor, 3:35 Which was the son
of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec,
which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala, 3:36 Which was
the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of
Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech, 3:37 Which
was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the
son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of
Cainan, 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth,
which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and
was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 4:2 Being forty days
tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when
they were ended, he afterward hungered.

4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command
this stone that it be made bread.

4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto
him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and
the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I
will I give it.

4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan:
for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only
shalt thou serve.

4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the
temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself
down from hence: 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee: 4:11 And in their hands they shall
bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God.

4:13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from
him for a season.

4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and
there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as
his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and
stood up for to read.

4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias.
And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was
written, 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are
bruised, 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and
sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were
fastened on him.

4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture
fulfilled in your ears.

4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words
which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's
son?  4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this
proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in
Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his
own country.

4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days
of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when
great famine was throughout all the land; 4:26 But unto none of them
was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that
was a widow.

4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the
prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were
filled with wrath, 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city,
and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built,
that they might cast him down headlong.

4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 4:31 And
came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the
sabbath days.

4:32 And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with
power.

4:33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an
unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, 4:34 Saying, Let us
alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou
come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

4:35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of
him.

And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him,
and hurt him not.

4:36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying,
What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the
unclean spirits, and they come out.

4:37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country
round about.

4:38 And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's
house.

And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they
besought him for her.

4:39 And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her:
and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.

4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with
divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every
one of them, and healed them.

4:41 And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou
art Christ the Son of God. And he rebuking them suffered them not to
speak: for they knew that he was Christ.

4:42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place:
and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he
should not depart from them.

4:43 And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other
cities also: for therefore am I sent.

4:44 And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.

5:1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear
the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret, 5:2 And saw two
ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them,
and were washing their nets.

5:3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and
prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat
down, and taught the people out of the ship.

5:4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into
the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5:5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the
night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let
down the net.

5:6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of
fishes: and their net brake.

5:7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other
ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled
both the ships, so that they began to sink.

5:8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying,
Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

5:9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught
of the fishes which they had taken: 5:10 And so was also James, and
John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus
said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all,
and followed him.

5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man
full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him,
saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

5:13 And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be
thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.

5:14 And he charged him to tell no man: but go, and shew thyself to
the priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded,
for a testimony unto them.

5:15 But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great
multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their
infirmities.

5:16 And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

5:17 And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that
there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were
come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the
power of the Lord was present to heal them.

5:18 And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a
palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before
him.

5:19 And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in
because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him
down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.

5:20 And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are
forgiven thee.

5:21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is
this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?
5:22 But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto
them, What reason ye in your hearts?  5:23 Whether is easier, to say,
Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk?  5:24 But that
ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins,
(he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take
up thy couch, and go into thine house.

5:25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon
he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God.

5:26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled
with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day.

5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named
Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow
me.

5:28 And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

5:29 And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a
great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.

5:30 But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples,
saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?  5:31 And
Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a
physician; but they that are sick.

5:32 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

5:33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often,
and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but
thine eat and drink?  5:34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the
children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?
5:35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away
from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

5:36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of
a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a
rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the
old.

5:37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine
will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

5:38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are
preserved.

5:39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for
he saith, The old is better.

6:1 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he
went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of
corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.

6:2 And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which
is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?  6:3 And Jesus answering them
said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself
was an hungred, and they which were with him; 6:4 How he went into the
house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to
them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the
priests alone?  6:5 And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord
also of the sabbath.

6:6 And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into
the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was
withered.

6:7 And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal
on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.

6:8 But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the
withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and
stood forth.

6:9 Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful
on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to
destroy it?  6:10 And looking round about upon them all, he said unto
the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was
restored whole as the other.

6:11 And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another
what they might do to Jesus.

6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a
mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

6:13 And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of
them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles; 6:14 Simon, (whom
he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip
and Bartholomew, 6:15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
and Simon called Zelotes, 6:16 And Judas the brother of James, and
Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

6:17 And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the
company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all
Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which
came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; 6:18 And they
that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went
virtue out of him, and healed them all.

6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be
ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed
are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall
separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out
your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your
reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers
unto the prophets.

6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your
consolation.

6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you
that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did
their fathers to the false prophets.

6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them
which hate you, 6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them
which despitefully use you.

6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the
other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat
also.

6:30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh
away thy goods ask them not again.

6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them
likewise.

6:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for
sinners also love those that love them.

6:33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have
ye?  for sinners also do even the same.

6:34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank
have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for
nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the
children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the
evil.

6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall
not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 6:38 Give, and it
shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken
together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with
the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you
again.

6:39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind?
shall they not both fall into the ditch?  6:40 The disciple is not
above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his
master.

6:41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?  6:42 Either how
canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that
is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in
thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine
own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is
in thy brother's eye.

6:43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do
not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth
that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his
heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the
heart his mouth speaketh.

6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I
say?  6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth
them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 6:48 He is like a man which
built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock:
and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house,
and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a
foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did
beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house
was great.

7:1 Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the
people, he entered into Capernaum.

7:2 And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was
sick, and ready to die.

7:3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the
Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

7:4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying,
That he was worthy for whom he should do this: 7:5 For he loveth our
nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

7:6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the
house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord,
trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter
under my roof: 7:7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come
unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

7:8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers,
and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he
cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

7:9 When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him
about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I
have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

7:10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the
servant whole that had been sick.

7:11 And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city
called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

7:12 Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was
a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a
widow: and much people of the city was with her.

7:13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said
unto her, Weep not.

7:14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood
still.

And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

7:15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered
him to his mother.

7:16 And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying,
That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited
his people.

7:17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and
throughout all the region round about.

7:18 And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.

7:19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to
Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
7:20 When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath
sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we
for another?  7:21 And in that same hour he cured many of their
infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were
blind he gave sight.

7:22 Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John
what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to
the poor the gospel is preached.

7:23 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

7:24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak
unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness
for to see?  A reed shaken with the wind?  7:25 But what went ye out
for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment?  Behold, they which are
gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts.

7:26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you,
and much more than a prophet.

7:27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger
before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

7:28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is
not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in
the kingdom of God is greater than he.

7:29 And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified
God, being baptized with the baptism of John.

7:30 But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against
themselves, being not baptized of him.

7:31 And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this
generation? and to what are they like?  7:32 They are like unto
children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and
saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have
mourned to you, and ye have not wept.

7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine;
and ye say, He hath a devil.

7:34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a
gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!
7:35 But wisdom is justified of all her children.

7:36 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him.
And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.

7:37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she
knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an
alabaster box of ointment, 7:38 And stood at his feet behind him
weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with
the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the
ointment.

7:39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake
within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have
known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she
is a sinner.

7:40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say
unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.

7:41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed
five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

7:42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both.
Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?  7:43 Simon
answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most.

And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this
woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my
feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the
hairs of her head.

7:45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in
hath not ceased to kiss my feet.

7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath
anointed my feet with ointment.

7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are
forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same
loveth little.

7:48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.

7:49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within
themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?  7:50 And he said to
the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city
and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of
God: and the twelve were with him, 8:2 And certain women, which had
been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene,
out of whom went seven devils, 8:3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza
Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto
him of their substance.

8:4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him
out of every city, he spake by a parable: 8:5 A sower went out to sow
his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was
trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it
withered away, because it lacked moisture.

8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and
choked it.

8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an
hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath
ears to hear, let him hear.

8:9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not
see, and hearing they might not understand.

8:11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

8:12 Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil,
and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe
and be saved.

8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the
word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and
in time of temptation fall away.

8:14 And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have
heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of
this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.

8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good
heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with
patience.

8:16 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel,
or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they
which enter in may see the light.

8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither
any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.

8:18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall
be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that
which he seemeth to have.

8:19 Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come
at him for the press.

8:20 And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy
brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

8:21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are
these which hear the word of God, and do it.

8:22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship
with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the
other side of the lake. And they launched forth.

8:23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of
wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in
jeopardy.

8:24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we
perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the
water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.

8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid
wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he
commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

8:26 And they arrived at the country of the Gadarenes, which is over
against Galilee.

8:27 And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a
certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither
abode in any house, but in the tombs.

8:28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and
with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son
of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.

8:29 (For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.
For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains
and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil
into the wilderness.)  8:30 And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy
name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.

8:31 And they besought him that he would not command them to go out
into the deep.

8:32 And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the
mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter
into them. And he suffered them.

8:33 Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine:
and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were
choked.

8:34 When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went
and told it in the city and in the country.

8:35 Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and
found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the
feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

8:36 They also which saw it told them by what means he that was
possessed of the devils was healed.

8:37 Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round
about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great
fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again.

8:38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him
that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 8:39
Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done
unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole
city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

8:40 And it came to pass, that, when Jesus was returned, the people
gladly received him: for they were all waiting for him.

8:41 And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of
the synagogue: and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that
he would come into his house: 8:42 For he had one only daughter, about
twelve years of age, and she lay a dying. But as he went the people
thronged him.

8:43 And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had
spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,
8:44 Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and
immediately her issue of blood stanched.

8:45 And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they
that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press
thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?  8:46 And Jesus said, Somebody
hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me.

8:47 And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling,
and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the
people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed
immediately.

8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith
hath made thee whole; go in peace.

8:49 While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the
synagogue's house, saying to him, Thy daughter is dead; trouble not
the Master.

8:50 But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not:
believe only, and she shall be made whole.

8:51 And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in,
save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the
maiden.

8:52 And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not
dead, but sleepeth.

8:53 And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead.

8:54 And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called,
saying, Maid, arise.

8:55 And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he
commanded to give her meat.

8:56 And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they
should tell no man what was done.

9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power
and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.

9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the
sick.

9:3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither
staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two
coats apiece.

9:4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence
depart.

9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city,
shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.

9:6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the
gospel, and healing every where.

9:7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he
was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen
from the dead; 9:8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of
others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.

9:9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I
hear such things? And he desired to see him.

9:10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they
had done. And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert
place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.

9:11 And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received
them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that
had need of healing.

9:12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and
said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the
towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are
here in a desert place.

9:13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We
have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and
buy meat for all this people.

9:14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his
disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

9:15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.

9:16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up
to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to
set before the multitude.

9:17 And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of
fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.

9:18 And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were
with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?
9:19 They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and
others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

9:20 He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering
said, The Christ of God.

9:21 And he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell no man
that thing; 9:22 Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and
be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain,
and be raised the third day.

9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever
will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

9:25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and
lose himself, or be cast away?  9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of
me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he
shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy
angels.

9:27 But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which
shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.

9:28 And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he
took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray.

9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and
his raiment was white and glistering.

9:30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and
Elias: 9:31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he
should accomplish at Jerusalem.

9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and
when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood
with him.

9:33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto
Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three
tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not
knowing what he said.

9:34 While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them:
and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

9:35 And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my
beloved Son: hear him.

9:36 And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone. And they kept
it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they
had seen.

9:37 And it came to pass, that on the next day, when they were come
down from the hill, much people met him.

9:38 And, behold, a man of the company cried out, saying, Master, I
beseech thee, look upon my son: for he is mine only child.

9:39 And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it
teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth
from him.

9:40 And I besought thy disciples to cast him out; and they could not.

9:41 And Jesus answering said, O faithless and perverse generation,
how long shall I be with you, and suffer you? Bring thy son hither.

9:42 And as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him down, and tare
him.

And Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the child, and
delivered him again to his father.

9:43 And they were all amazed at the mighty power of God. But while
they wondered every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto
his disciples, 9:44 Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for
the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men.

9:45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them,
that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.

9:46 Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be
greatest.

9:47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child,
and set him by him, 9:48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive
this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me
receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the
same shall be great.

9:49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils
in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us.

9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not
against us is for us.

9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be
received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, 9:52 And
sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a
village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.

9:53 And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he
would go to Jerusalem.

9:54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord,
wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume
them, even as Elias did?  9:55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and
said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

9:56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to
save them. And they went to another village.

9:57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man
said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

9:58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air
have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me
first to go and bury my father.

9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou
and preach the kingdom of God.

9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first
go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the
plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

10:1 After these things the LORD appointed other seventy also, and
sent them two and two before his face into every city and place,
whither he himself would come.

10:2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the
labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he
would send forth labourers into his harvest.

10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

10:4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by
the way.

10:5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this
house.

10:6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it:
if not, it shall turn to you again.

10:7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as
they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house
to house.

10:8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such
things as are set before you: 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein,
and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

10:10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go
your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 10:11 Even the
very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against
you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is
come nigh unto you.

10:12 But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day
for Sodom, than for that city.

10:13 Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the
mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in
you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and
ashes.

10:14 But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the
judgment, than for you.

10:15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be
thrust down to hell.

10:16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you
despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the
devils are subject unto us through thy name.

10:18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from
heaven.

10:19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by
any means hurt you.

10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are
subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written
in heaven.

10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from
the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so,
Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

10:22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth
who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son,
and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

10:23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately,
Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 10:24 For I
tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those
things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things
which ye hear, and have not heard them.

10:25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying,
Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  10:26 He said unto
him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?  10:27 And he
answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

10:28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and
thou shalt live.

10:29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is
my neighbour?  10:30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down
from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him
of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

10:31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and
when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

10:32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked
on him, and passed by on the other side.

10:33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and
when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 10:34 And went to him, and
bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own
beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

10:35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and
gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and
whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

10:36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him
that fell among the thieves?  10:37 And he said, He that shewed mercy
on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

10:38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a
certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into
her house.

10:39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet,
and heard his word.

10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and
said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve
alone?  bid her therefore that she help me.

10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art
careful and troubled about many things: 10:42 But one thing is
needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken
away from her.

11:1 And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place,
when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to
pray, as John also taught his disciples.

11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as
in heaven, so in earth.

11:3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

11:4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is
indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from
evil.

11:5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and
shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three
loaves; 11:6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I
have nothing to set before him?  11:7 And he from within shall answer
and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are
with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

11:8 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he
is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give
him as many as he needeth.

11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

11:10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11:11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he
give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a
serpent?  11:12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a
scorpion?  11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts
unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to them that ask him?  11:14 And he was casting out a
devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone
out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.

11:15 But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub
the chief of the devils.

11:16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.

11:17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom
divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided
against a house falleth.

11:18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom
stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.

11:19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast
them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

11:20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the
kingdom of God is come upon you.

11:21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in
peace: 11:22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and
overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted,
and divideth his spoils.

11:23 He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not
with me scattereth.

11:24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through
dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return
unto my house whence I came out.

11:25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

11:26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked
than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state
of that man is worse than the first.

11:27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman
of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the
womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

11:28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of
God, and keep it.

11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to
say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no
sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the
Son of man be to this generation.

11:31 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the
men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost
parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a
greater than Solomon is here.

11:32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this
generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching
of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret
place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which
come in may see the light.

11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is
single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is
evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

11:35 Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not
darkness.

11:36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part
dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of
a candle doth give thee light.

11:37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with
him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

11:38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first
washed before dinner.

11:39 And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the
outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of
ravening and wickedness.

11:40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that
which is within also?  11:41 But rather give alms of such things as ye
have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.

11:42 But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all
manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these
ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

11:43 Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the
synagogues, and greetings in the markets.

11:44 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as
graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware
of them.

11:45 Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master,
thus saying thou reproachest us also.

11:46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with
burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens
with one of your fingers.

11:47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and
your fathers killed them.

11:48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers:
for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.

11:49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets
and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 11:50
That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation
of the world, may be required of this generation; 11:51 From the blood
of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar
and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this
generation.

11:52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of
knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering
in ye hindered.

11:53 And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the
Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of
many things: 11:54 Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something
out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

12:1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an
innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon
another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of
the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither
hid, that shall not be known.

12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in
the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall
be proclaimed upon the housetops.

12:4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill
the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

12:5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after
he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear
him.

12:6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them
is forgotten before God?  12:7 But even the very hairs of your head
are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many
sparrows.

12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him
shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: 12:9 But
he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of
God.

12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it
shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy
Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

12:11 And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto
magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall
answer, or what ye shall say: 12:12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you
in the same hour what ye ought to say.

12:13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my
brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

12:14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over
you?  12:15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of
covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth.

12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a
certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 12:17 And he thought
within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where
to bestow my fruits?  12:18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull
down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my
fruits and my goods.

12:19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up
for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

12:20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be
required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast
provided?  12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is
not rich toward God.

12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take
no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body,
what ye shall put on.

12:23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

12:24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which
neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more
are ye better than the fowls?  12:25 And which of you with taking
thought can add to his stature one cubit?  12:26 If ye then be not
able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the
rest?  12:27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they
spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these.

12:28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field,
and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you,
O ye of little faith?  12:29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or
what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

12:30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and
your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things
shall be added unto you.

12:32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to
give you the kingdom.

12:33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which
wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no
thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

12:34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

12:35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 12:36
And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will
return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may
open unto him immediately.

12:37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall
find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and
make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

12:38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third
watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

12:39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what
hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have
suffered his house to be broken through.

12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour
when ye think not.

12:41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto
us, or even to all?  12:42 And the Lord said, Who then is that
faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his
household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?  12:43
Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so
doing.

12:44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all
that he hath.

12:45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his
coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to
eat and drink, and to be drunken; 12:46 The lord of that servant will
come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is
not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his
portion with the unbelievers.

12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not
himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many
stripes.

12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes,
shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given,
of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of
him they will ask the more.

12:49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be
already kindled?  12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and
how am I straitened till it be accomplished!  12:51 Suppose ye that I
am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:
12:52 For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided,
three against two, and two against three.

12:53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against
the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against
the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law.

12:54 And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of
the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

12:55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat;
and it cometh to pass.

12:56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the
earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?  12:57 Yea, and
why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?  12:58 When thou
goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way,
give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale
thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the
officer cast thee into prison.

12:59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid
the very last mite.

13:1 There were present at that season some that told him of the
Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these
Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they
suffered such things?  13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye
shall all likewise perish.

13:4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew
them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in
Jerusalem?  13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish.

13:6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted
in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.

13:7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these
three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut
it down; why cumbereth it the ground?  13:8 And he answering said unto
him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and
dung it: 13:9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that
thou shalt cut it down.

13:10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.

13:11 And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity
eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up
herself.

13:12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her,
Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

13:13 And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made
straight, and glorified God.

13:14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation,
because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the
people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them
therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

13:15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not
each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall,
and lead him away to watering?  13:16 And ought not this woman, being
a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen
years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?  13:17 And when he
had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the
people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

13:18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and
whereunto shall I resemble it?  13:19 It is like a grain of mustard
seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and
waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of
it.

13:20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
13:21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures
of meal, till the whole was leavened.

13:22 And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and
journeying toward Jerusalem.

13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And
he said unto them, 13:24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for
many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to
the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door,
saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto
you, I know you not whence ye are: 13:26 Then shall ye begin to say,
We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our
streets.

13:27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are;
depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see
Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of
God, and you yourselves thrust out.

13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from
the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of
God.

13:30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are
first which shall be last.

13:31 The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto
him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee.

13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast
out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I
shall be perfected.

13:33 Nevertheless I must walk to day, and to morrow, and the day
following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.

13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest
them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy
children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and
ye would not!  13:35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and
verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when
ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

14:1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the
chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched
him.

14:2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the
dropsy.

14:3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying,
Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?  14:4 And they held their
peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 14:5 And
answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen
into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
14:6 And they could not answer him again to these things.

14:7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he
marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them.

14:8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the
highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
14:9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man
place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.

14:10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room;
that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go
up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that
sit at meat with thee.

14:11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that
humbleth himself shall be exalted.

14:12 Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a
dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither
thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again,
and a recompence be made thee.

14:13 But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the
lame, the blind: 14:14 And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot
recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of
the just.

14:15 And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these
things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the
kingdom of God.

14:16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and
bade many: 14:17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them
that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready.

14:18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first
said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go
and see it: I pray thee have me excused.

14:19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to
prove them: I pray thee have me excused.

14:20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot
come.

14:21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the
master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly
into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor,
and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.

14:22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded,
and yet there is room.

14:23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and
hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

14:24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden
shall taste of my supper.

14:25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and
said unto them, 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father,
and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea,
and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot
be my disciple.

14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down
first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able
to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, 14:30 Saying, This
man began to build, and was not able to finish.

14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth
not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to
meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?  14:32 Or else,
while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and
desireth conditions of peace.

14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that
he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith
shall it be seasoned?  14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet
for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear.

15:1 Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear
him.

15:2 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man
receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

15:3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 15:4 What man of
you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave
the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is
lost, until he find it?  15:5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it
on his shoulders, rejoicing.

15:6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and
neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my
sheep which was lost.

15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one
sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons,
which need no repentance.

15:8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one
piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek
diligently till she find it?  15:9 And when she hath found it, she
calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with
me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

15:10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the
angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons: 15:12 And the younger
of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that
falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together,
and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his
substance with riotous living.

15:14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that
land; and he began to be in want.

15:15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and
he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

15:16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the
swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of
my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
15:18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father,
I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 15:19 And am no more
worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

15:20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a
great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and
fell on his neck, and kissed him.

15:21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

15:22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe,
and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
15:23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat,
and be merry: 15:24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he
was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

15:25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh
to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

15:26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things
meant.

15:27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath
killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

15:28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father
out, and intreated him.

15:29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I
serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and
yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my
friends: 15:30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath
devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted
calf.

15:31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I
have is thine.

15:32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy
brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

16:1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich
man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he
had wasted his goods.

16:2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this
of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no
longer steward.

16:3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my
lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am
ashamed.

16:4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the
stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

16:5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said
unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?  16:6 And he said,
An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and
sit down quickly, and write fifty.

16:7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An
hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and
write fourscore.

16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done
wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser
than the children of light.

16:9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of
unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into
everlasting habitations.

16:10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in
much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

16:11 If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous
mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  16:12 And if
ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall
give you that which is your own?  16:13 No servant can serve two
masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else
he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God
and mammon.

16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these
things: and they derided him.

16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves
before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly
esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.

16:16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the
kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.

16:17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle
of the law to fail.

16:18 Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another,
committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from
her husband committeth adultery.

16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and
fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: 16:20 And there was a
certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of
sores, 16:21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from
the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by
the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was
buried; 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and
seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

16:24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and
send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool
my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now
he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf
fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither
can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest
send him to my father's house: 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he
may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

16:29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them.

16:30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from
the dead, they will repent.

16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that
offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!  17:2 It
were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and
he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little
ones.

17:3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee,
rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

17:4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven
times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt
forgive him.

17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.

17:6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye
might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and
be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

17:7 But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle,
will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and
sit down to meat?  17:8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready
wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten
and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?  17:9 Doth he
thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?
I trow not.

17:10 So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which
are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done
that which was our duty to do.

17:11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed
through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

17:12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men
that were lepers, which stood afar off: 17:13 And they lifted up their
voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto
the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were
cleansed.

17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,
and with a loud voice glorified God, 17:16 And fell down on his face
at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where
are the nine?  17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory
to God, save this stranger.

17:19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made
thee whole.

17:20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of
God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh
not with observation: 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo
there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

17:22 And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye
shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall
not see it.

17:23 And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after
them, nor follow them.

17:24 For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under
heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the
Son of man be in his day.

17:25 But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this
generation.

17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the
days of the Son of man.

17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in
marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood
came, and destroyed them all.

17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they
drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 17:29 But
the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone
from heaven, and destroyed them all.

17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
revealed.

17:31 In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff
in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in
the field, let him likewise not return back.

17:32 Remember Lot's wife.

17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and
whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

17:34 I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the
one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

17:35 Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken,
and the other left.

17:36 Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the
other left.

17:37 And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said
unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be
gathered together.

18:1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought
always to pray, and not to faint; 18:2 Saying, There was in a city a
judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 18:3 And there was
a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine
adversary.

18:4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within
himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 18:5 Yet because this
widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming
she weary me.

18:6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night
unto him, though he bear long with them?  18:8 I tell you that he will
avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall
he find faith on the earth?  18:9 And he spake this parable unto
certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and
despised others: 18:10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the
one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank
thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust,
adulterers, or even as this publican.

18:12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.

18:13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much
as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be
merciful to me a sinner.

18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather
than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;
and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

18:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch
them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

18:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children
to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of
God.

18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom
of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I
do to inherit eternal life?  18:19 And Jesus said unto him, Why
callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

18:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not
kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and
thy mother.

18:21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest
thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor,
and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

18:23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very
rich.

18:24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How
hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
18:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

18:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?  18:27 And
he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with
God.

18:28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee.

18:29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man
that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children,
for the kingdom of God's sake, 18:30 Who shall not receive manifold
more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

18:31 Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we
go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets
concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.

18:32 For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be
mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: 18:33 And they shall
scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise
again.

18:34 And they understood none of these things: and this saying was
hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

18:35 And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a
certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 18:36 And hearing the
multitude pass by, he asked what it meant.

18:37 And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by.

18:38 And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on
me.

18:39 And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his
peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on
me.

18:40 And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and
when he was come near, he asked him, 18:41 Saying, What wilt thou that
I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

18:42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved
thee.

18:43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed him,
glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto
God.

19:1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

19:2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief
among the publicans, and he was rich.

19:3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the
press, because he was little of stature.

19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see
him: for he was to pass that way.

19:5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and
said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must
abide at thy house.

19:6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.

19:7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone
to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

19:8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the
half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing
from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.

19:9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this
house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was
lost.

19:11 And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable,
because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the
kingdom of God should immediately appear.

19:12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to
receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.

19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds,
and said unto them, Occupy till I come.

19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him,
saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.

19:15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received
the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him,
to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man
had gained by trading.

19:16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten
pounds.

19:17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast
been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.

19:18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five
pounds.

19:19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.

19:20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which
I have kept laid up in a napkin: 19:21 For I feared thee, because thou
art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and
reapest that thou didst not sow.

19:22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee,
thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up
that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: 19:23 Wherefore
then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might
have required mine own with usury?  19:24 And he said unto them that
stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten
pounds.

19:25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)  19:26 For I
say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from
him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

19:27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over
them, bring hither, and slay them before me.

19:28 And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to
Jerusalem.

19:29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and
Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his
disciples, 19:30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in
the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet
never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

19:31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say
unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

19:32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had
said unto them.

19:33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto
them, Why loose ye the colt?  19:34 And they said, The Lord hath need
of him.

19:35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon
the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.

19:36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.

19:37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount
of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and
praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had
seen; 19:38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the
Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

19:39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto
him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.

19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these
should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

19:41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
19:42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy
day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from
thine eyes.

19:43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast
a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every
side, 19:44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children
within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another;
because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

19:45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that
sold therein, and them that bought; 19:46 Saying unto them, It is
written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of
thieves.

19:47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the
scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, 19:48 And
could not find what they might do: for all the people were very
attentive to hear him.

20:1 And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the
people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and
the scribes came upon him with the elders, 20:2 And spake unto him,
saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is
he that gave thee this authority?  20:3 And he answered and said unto
them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me: 20:4 The baptism
of John, was it from heaven, or of men?  20:5 And they reasoned with
themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why
then believed ye him not?  20:6 But and if we say, Of men; all the
people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

20:7 And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.

20:8 And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I
do these things.

20:9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man
planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a
far country for a long time.

20:10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they
should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat
him, and sent him away empty.

20:11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and
entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

20:12 And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast
him out.

20:13 Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send
my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

20:14 But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves,
saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance
may be ours.

20:15 So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What
therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?  20:16 He shall
come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to
others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.

20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written,
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of
the corner?  20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be
broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

20:19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to
lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that
he had spoken this parable against them.

20:20 And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign
themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so
they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

20:21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and
teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but
teachest the way of God truly: 20:22 Is it lawful for us to give
tribute unto Caesar, or no?  20:23 But he perceived their craftiness,
and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?  20:24 Shew me a penny. Whose
image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.

20:25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things
which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

20:26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and
they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.

20:27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there
is any resurrection; and they asked him, 20:28 Saying, Master, Moses
wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die
without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up
seed unto his brother.

20:29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife,
and died without children.

20:30 And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.

20:31 And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and
they left no children, and died.

20:32 Last of all the woman died also.

20:33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for
seven had her to wife.

20:34 And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world
marry, and are given in marriage: 20:35 But they which shall be
accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the
dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage: 20:36 Neither can they
die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children
of God, being the children of the resurrection.

20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush,
when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob.

20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live
unto him.

20:39 Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast
well said.

20:40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.

20:41 And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?
20:42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said
unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 20:43 Till I make thine
enemies thy footstool.

20:44 David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?  20:45
Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
20:46 Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and
love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the
synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 20:47 Which devour widows'
houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive
greater damnation.

21:1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into
the treasury.

21:2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two
mites.

21:3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath
cast in more than they all: 21:4 For all these have of their abundance
cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in
all the living that she had.

21:5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly
stones and gifts, he said, 21:6 As for these things which ye behold,
the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone
upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things
be?  and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
21:8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall
come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye
not therefore after them.

21:9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified:
for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and
by.

21:10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: 21:11 And great earthquakes shall be in
divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and
great signs shall there be from heaven.

21:12 But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and
persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons,
being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

21:13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.

21:14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what
ye shall answer: 21:15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which
all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

21:16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and
kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to
death.

21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

21:18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.

21:20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know
that the desolation thereof is nigh.

21:21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let
them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that
are in the countries enter thereinto.

21:22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are
written may be fulfilled.

21:23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give
suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land,
and wrath upon this people.

21:24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led
away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of
the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the
sea and the waves roaring; 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear,
and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for
the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with
power and great glory.

21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and
lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the
trees; 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own
selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye
that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till
all be fulfilled.

21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass
away.

21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life,
and so that day come upon you unawares.

21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face
of the whole earth.

21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted
worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to
stand before the Son of man.

21:37 And in the day time he was teaching in the temple; and at night
he went out, and abode in the mount that is called the mount of
Olives.

21:38 And all the people came early in the morning to him in the
temple, for to hear him.

22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the
Passover.

22:2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him;
for they feared the people.

22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the
number of the twelve.

22:4 And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and
captains, how he might betray him unto them.

22:5 And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

22:6 And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them
in the absence of the multitude.

22:7 Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be
killed.

22:8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the
passover, that we may eat.

22:9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?  22:10
And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city,
there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him
into the house where he entereth in.

22:11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith
unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover
with my disciples?  22:12 And he shall shew you a large upper room
furnished: there make ready.

22:13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made
ready the passover.

22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles
with him.

22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this
passover with you before I suffer: 22:16 For I say unto you, I will
not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

22:17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and
divide it among yourselves: 22:18 For I say unto you, I will not drink
of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto
them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in
remembrance of me.

22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new
testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

22:21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the
table.

22:22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe
unto that man by whom he is betrayed!  22:23 And they began to enquire
among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.

22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be
accounted the greatest.

22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise
lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are
called benefactors.

22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let
him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.

22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that
serveth?  is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he
that serveth.

22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed
unto me; 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom,
and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

22:31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to
have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 22:32 But I have prayed for
thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen
thy brethren.

22:33 And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both
into prison, and to death.

22:34 And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this
day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.

22:35 And he said unto them, When I sent you without purse, and scrip,
and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.

22:36 Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him
take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him
sell his garment, and buy one.

22:37 For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be
accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for
the things concerning me have an end.

22:38 And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said
unto them, It is enough.

22:39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of
Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

22:40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye
enter not into temptation.

22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled
down, and prayed, 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove
this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening
him.

22:44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat
was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

22:45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples,
he found them sleeping for sorrow, 22:46 And said unto them, Why sleep
ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

22:47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was
called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto
Jesus to kiss him.

22:48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man
with a kiss?  22:49 When they which were about him saw what would
follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
22:50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut
off his right ear.

22:51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched
his ear, and healed him.

22:52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the
temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as
against a thief, with swords and staves?  22:53 When I was daily with
you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is
your hour, and the power of darkness.

22:54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high
priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

22:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and
were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

22:56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and
earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him.

22:57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not.

22:58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art
also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not.

22:59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently
affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is
a Galilaean.

22:60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And
immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew.

22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered
the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow,
thou shalt deny me thrice.

22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

22:63 And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

22:64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face,
and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?  22:65 And
many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

22:66 And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the
chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their
council, saying, 22:67 Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto
them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 22:68 And if I also ask you,
ye will not answer me, nor let me go.

22:69 Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the
power of God.

22:70 Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said
unto them, Ye say that I am.

22:71 And they said, What need we any further witness? for we
ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

23:1 And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

23:2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow
perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar,
saying that he himself is Christ a King.

23:3 And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And
he answered him and said, Thou sayest it.

23:4 Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find
no fault in this man.

23:5 And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people,
teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place.

23:6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a
Galilaean.

23:7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's
jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem
at that time.

23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was
desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things
of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.

23:9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him
nothing.

23:10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused
him.

23:11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him,
and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

23:12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together:
for before they were at enmity between themselves.

23:13 And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and
the rulers and the people, 23:14 Said unto them, Ye have brought this
man unto me, as one that perverteth the people: and, behold, I, having
examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching
those things whereof ye accuse him: 23:15 No, nor yet Herod: for I
sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him.

23:16 I will therefore chastise him, and release him.

23:17 (For of necessity he must release one unto them at the feast.)
23:18 And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and
release unto us Barabbas: 23:19 (Who for a certain sedition made in
the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)  23:20 Pilate
therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them.

23:21 But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him.

23:22 And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he
done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise
him, and let him go.

23:23 And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might
be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests
prevailed.

23:24 And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

23:25 And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was
cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to
their will.

23:26 And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a
Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross,
that he might bear it after Jesus.

23:27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women,
which also bewailed and lamented him.

23:28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep
not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.

23:29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say,
Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps
which never gave suck.

23:30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and
to the hills, Cover us.

23:31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done
in the dry?  23:32 And there were also two other, malefactors, led
with him to be put to death.

23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary,
there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand,
and the other on the left.

23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what
they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them
derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be
Christ, the chosen of God.

23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering
him vinegar, 23:37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save
thyself.

23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of
Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him,
saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear
God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?  23:41 And we indeed
justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath
done nothing amiss.

23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom.

23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt
thou be with me in paradise.

23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over
all the earth until the ninth hour.

23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in
the midst.

23:46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up
the ghost.

23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God,
saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.

23:48 And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding
the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.

23:49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from
Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

23:50 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he
was a good man, and a just: 23:51 (The same had not consented to the
counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews:
who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.

23:52 This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

23:53 And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a
sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.

23:54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

23:55 And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed
after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

23:56 And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested
the sabbath day according to the commandment.

24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,
they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had
prepared, and certain others with them.

24:2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

24:4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout,
behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 24:5 And as they
were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto
them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?  24:6 He is not here, but
is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
24:7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful
men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

24:8 And they remembered his words, 24:9 And returned from the
sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the
rest.

24:10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James,
and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the
apostles.

24:11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed
them not.

24:12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down,
he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed,
wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

24:13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called
Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.

24:14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

24:15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and
reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

24:16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.

24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these
that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?  24:18 And the
one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou
only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are
come to pass there in these days?  24:19 And he said unto them, What
things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which
was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
24:20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be
condemned to death, and have crucified him.

24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed
Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these
things were done.

24:22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished,
which were early at the sepulchre; 24:23 And when they found not his
body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels,
which said that he was alive.

24:24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre,
and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe
all that the prophets have spoken: 24:26 Ought not Christ to have
suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?  24:27 And
beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all
the scriptures the things concerning himself.

24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he
made as though he would have gone further.

24:29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is
toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with
them.

24:30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread,
and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

24:31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished
out of their sight.

24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us,
while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the
scriptures?  24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to
Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were
with them, 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared
to Simon.

24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was
known of them in breaking of bread.

24:36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of
them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

24:37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they
had seen a spirit.

24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts
arise in your hearts?  24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I
myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as
ye see me have.

24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his
feet.

24:41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said
unto them, Have ye here any meat?  24:42 And they gave him a piece of
a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

24:43 And he took it, and did eat before them.

24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto
you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled,
which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in
the psalms, concerning me.

24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand
the scriptures, 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus
it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in
his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.

24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry
ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on
high.

24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his
hands, and blessed them.

24:51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from
them, and carried up into heaven.

24:52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great
joy: 24:53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing
God. Amen.




The Gospel According to Saint John


1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.

1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing
made that was made.

1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended
it not.

1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that
all men through him might believe.

1:8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into
the world.

1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world
knew him not.

1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 1:13 Which were
born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.

1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of
grace and truth.

1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom
I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was
before me.

1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus
Christ.

1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is
in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

1:19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?  1:20 And he
confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am
not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

1:22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer
to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?  1:23 He said, I am
the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of
the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

1:24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

1:25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then,
if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?  1:26
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth
one among you, whom ye know not; 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is
preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

1:28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was
baptizing.

1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold
the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is
preferred before me: for he was before me.

1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to
Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

1:32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from
heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

1:33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water,
the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending,
and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy
Ghost.

1:34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

1:35 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;
1:36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of
God!  1:37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed
Jesus.

1:38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them,
What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being
interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?  1:39 He saith unto them,
Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him
that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

1:40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

1:41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We
have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

1:42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said,
Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is
by interpretation, A stone.

1:43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth
Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

1:44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him,
of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of
Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of
Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

1:47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an
Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!  1:48 Nathanael saith unto him,
Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that
Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

1:49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of
God; thou art the King of Israel.

1:50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw
thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things
than these.

1:51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter
ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and
descending upon the Son of man.

2:1 And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the
mother of Jesus was there: 2:2 And both Jesus was called, and his
disciples, to the marriage.

2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him,
They have no wine.

2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine
hour is not yet come.

2:5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you,
do it.

2:6 And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner
of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.

2:7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they
filled them up to the brim.

2:8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor
of the feast. And they bare it.

2:9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made
wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the
water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, 2:10 And
saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine;
and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast
kept the good wine until now.

2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and
manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his
brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

2:13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem.

2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves,
and the changers of money sitting: 2:15 And when he had made a scourge
of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep,
and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the
tables; 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things
hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of
thine house hath eaten me up.

2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou
unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?  2:19 Jesus answered and
said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it
up.

2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in
building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?  2:21 But he spake
of the temple of his body.

2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples
remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the
scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day,
many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did.

2:24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all
men, 2:25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew
what was in man.

3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews: 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi,
we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these
miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old?
can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?  3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit.

3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so
is every one that is born of the Spirit.

3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
3:10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel,
and knowest not these things?  3:11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye
receive not our witness.

3:12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall
ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?  3:13 And no man hath
ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son
of man which is in heaven.

3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up: 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life.

3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.

3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but
that the world through him might be saved.

3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of
the only begotten Son of God.

3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were
evil.

3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to
the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may
be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

3:22 After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of
Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

3:23 And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there
was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

3:24 For John was not yet cast into prison.

3:25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and
the Jews about purifying.

3:26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was
with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same
baptizeth, and all men come to him.

3:27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be
given him from heaven.

3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ,
but that I am sent before him.

3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the
bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because
of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

3:31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth
is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is
above all.

3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man
receiveth his testimony.

3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God
is true.

3:34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God
giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his
hand.

3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth
on him.

4:1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that
Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 4:2 (Though Jesus
himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 4:3 He left Judaea, and
departed again into Galilee.

4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.

4:5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near
to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with
his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto
her, Give me to drink.

4:8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)  4:9
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a
Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews
have no dealings with the Samaritans.

4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of
God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest
have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with,
and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well,
and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?  4:13
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water
shall thirst again: 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I
shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him
shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst
not, neither come hither to draw.

4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto
her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: 4:18 For thou hast had
five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that
saidst thou truly.

4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a
prophet.

4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in
Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye
shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the
Father.

4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for
salvation is of the Jews.

4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall
worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such
to worship him.

4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth.

4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is
called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

4:27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked
with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest
thou with her?  4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her
way into the city, and saith to the men, 4:29 Come, see a man, which
told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?  4:30 Then
they went out of the city, and came unto him.

4:31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought
him ought to eat?  4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the
will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?
behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for
they are white already to harvest.

4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto
life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice
together.

4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men
laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

4:39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the
saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did.

4:40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that
he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days.

4:41 And many more believed because of his own word; 4:42 And said
unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have
heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the
Saviour of the world.

4:43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.

4:44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his
own country.

4:45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him,
having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for
they also went unto the feast.

4:46 So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water
wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at
Capernaum.

4:47 When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he
went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his
son: for he was at the point of death.

4:48 Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye
will not believe.

4:49 The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.

4:50 Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man
believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.

4:51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him,
saying, Thy son liveth.

4:52 Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And
they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.

4:53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which
Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his
whole house.

4:54 This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come
out of Judaea into Galilee.

5:1 After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem.

5:2 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is
called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.

5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt,
withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

5:4 For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and
troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the
water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

5:5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and
eight years.

5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time
in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?  5:7 The
impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is
troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another
steppeth down before me.

5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and
walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

5:10 The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the
sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.

5:11 He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me,
Take up thy bed, and walk.

5:12 Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, Take
up thy bed, and walk?  5:13 And he that was healed wist not who it
was: for Jesus had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that
place.

5:14 Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him,
Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto
thee.

5:15 The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had
made him whole.

5:16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay
him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

5:17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not
only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father,
making himself equal with God.

5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the
Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son
likewise.

5:20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that
himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye
may marvel.

5:21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even
so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment
unto the Son: 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they
honour the Father.

He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent
him.

5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

5:25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is,
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that
hear shall live.

5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the
Son to have life in himself; 5:27 And hath given him authority to
execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that
are in the graves shall hear his voice, 5:29 And shall come forth;
they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that
have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of
the Father which hath sent me.

5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the
witness which he witnesseth of me is true.

5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.

5:34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say,
that ye might be saved.

5:35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a
season to rejoice in his light.

5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which
the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear
witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of
me.

Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.

5:38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent,
him ye believe not.

5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:
and they are they which testify of me.

5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

5:41 I receive not honour from men.

5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.

5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another
shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek
not the honour that cometh from God only?  5:45 Do not think that I
will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even
Moses, in whom ye trust.

5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he
wrote of me.

5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my
words?  6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee,
which is the sea of Tiberias.

6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles
which he did on them that were diseased.

6:3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his
disciples.

6:4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

6:5 When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come
unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these
may eat?  6:6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what
he would do.

6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not
sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.

6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto
him, 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two
small fishes: but what are they among so many?  6:10 And Jesus said,
Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the
men sat down, in number about five thousand.

6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he
distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set
down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.

6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the
fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

6:13 Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets
with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and
above unto them that had eaten.

6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did,
said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.

6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him
by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain
himself alone.

6:16 And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea,
6:17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.
And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.

6:18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

6:19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs,
they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and
they were afraid.

6:20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

6:21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately
the ship was at the land whither they went.

6:22 The day following, when the people which stood on the other side
of the sea saw that there was none other boat there, save that one
whereinto his disciples were entered, and that Jesus went not with his
disciples into the boat, but that his disciples were gone away alone;
6:23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place
where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:) 6:24
When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his
disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for
Jesus.

6:25 And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they
said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?  6:26 Jesus answered
them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because
ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were
filled.

6:27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which
endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto
you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the
works of God?  6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the
work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that
we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?  6:31 Our fathers
did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from
heaven to eat.

6:32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses
gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true
bread from heaven.

6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and
giveth life unto the world.

6:34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh
to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never
thirst.

6:36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the
will of him that sent me.

6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all
which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up
again at the last day.

6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which
seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I
will raise him up at the last day.

6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread
which came down from heaven.

6:42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father
and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from
heaven?  6:43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not
among yourselves.

6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw
him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

6:45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of
God.

Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father,
cometh unto me.

6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God,
he hath seen the Father.

6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath
everlasting life.

6:48 I am that bread of life.

6:49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

6:50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may
eat thereof, and not die.

6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat
of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give
is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

6:52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this
man give us his flesh to eat?  6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and
drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

6:54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.

6:55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

6:56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me,
and I in him.

6:57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so
he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

6:58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your
fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread
shall live for ever.

6:59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum.

6:60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said,
This is an hard saying; who can hear it?  6:61 When Jesus knew in
himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth
this offend you?  6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend
up where he was before?  6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the
flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are
spirit, and they are life.

6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from
the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray
him.

6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto
me, except it were given unto him of my Father.

6:66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no
more with him.

6:67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  6:68 Then
Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the
words of eternal life.

6:69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of
the living God.

6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you
is a devil?  6:71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he
it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.

7:1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk
in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.

7:2 Now the Jew's feast of tabernacles was at hand.

7:3 His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into
Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

7:4 For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself
seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to
the world.

7:5 For neither did his brethren believe in him.

7:6 Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time
is alway ready.

7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of
it, that the works thereof are evil.

7:8 Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my
time is not yet full come.

7:9 When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

7:10 But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the
feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

7:11 Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?
7:12 And there was much murmuring among the people concerning him: for
some said, He is a good man: others said, Nay; but he deceiveth the
people.

7:13 Howbeit no man spake openly of him for fear of the Jews.

7:14 Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple,
and taught.

7:15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters,
having never learned?  7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine
is not mine, but his that sent me.

7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that
seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no
unrighteousness is in him.

7:19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the
law?  Why go ye about to kill me?  7:20 The people answered and said,
Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?  7:21 Jesus answered
and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.

7:22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of
Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a
man.

7:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of
Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a
man every whit whole on the sabbath day?  7:24 Judge not according to
the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

7:25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they
seek to kill?  7:26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing
unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
7:27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no
man knoweth whence he is.

7:28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know
me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that
sent me is true, whom ye know not.

7:29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.

7:30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him,
because his hour was not yet come.

7:31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ
cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
7:32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things
concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers
to take him.

7:33 Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you, and
then I go unto him that sent me.

7:34 Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither
ye cannot come.

7:35 Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we
shall not find him? will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles,
and teach the Gentiles?  7:36 What manner of saying is this that he
said, Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am, thither
ye cannot come?  7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast,
Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto
me, and drink.

7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water.

7:39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him
should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that
Jesus was not yet glorified.)  7:40 Many of the people therefore, when
they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.

7:41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come
out of Galilee?  7:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh
of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David
was?  7:43 So there was a division among the people because of him.

7:44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on
him.

7:45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and
they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?  7:46 The officers
answered, Never man spake like this man.

7:47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?  7:48
Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?  7:49 But
this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.

7:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being
one of them,) 7:51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and
know what he doeth?  7:52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou
also of Galilee?  Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no
prophet.

7:53 And every man went unto his own house.

8:1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all
the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

8:3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in
adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 8:4 They say unto
him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

8:5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but
what sayest thou?  8:6 This they said, tempting him, that they might
have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote
on the ground, as though he heard them not.

8:7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said
unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a
stone at her.

8:8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience,
went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and
Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he
said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man
condemned thee?  8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her,
Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the
world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have
the light of life.

8:13 The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of
thyself; thy record is not true.

8:14 Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of
myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I
go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.

8:15 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but
I and the Father that sent me.

8:17 It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is
true.

8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me
beareth witness of me.

8:19 Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye
neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have
known my Father also.

8:20 These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the
temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.

8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek
me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.

8:22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith,
Whither I go, ye cannot come.

8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye
are of this world; I am not of this world.

8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if
ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

8:25 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them,
Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.

8:26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent
me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard
of him.

8:27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.

8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but
as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me
alone; for I do always those things that please him.

8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.

8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 8:32 And ye
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

8:33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in
bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?  8:34
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever
committeth sin is the servant of sin.

8:35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son
abideth ever.

8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free
indeed.

8:37 I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me,
because my word hath no place in you.

8:38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that
which ye have seen with your father.

8:39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus
saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works
of Abraham.

8:40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth,
which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not
born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.

8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me:
for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but
he sent me.

8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear
my word.

8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye
will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the
truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he
speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do
ye not believe me?  8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye
therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

8:48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that
thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?  8:49 Jesus answered, I have
not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.

8:50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and
judgeth.

8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall
never see death.

8:52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil.

Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my
saying, he shall never taste of death.

8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the
prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?  8:54 Jesus answered, If
I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth
me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 8:55 Yet ye have not known
him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a
liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.

8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and
was glad.

8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham?  8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself,
and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so
passed by.

9:1 And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his
birth.

9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this
man, or his parents, that he was born blind?  9:3 Jesus answered,
Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of
God should be made manifest in him.

9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the
night cometh, when no man can work.

9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of
the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,
9:7 And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by
interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came
seeing.

9:8 The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that
he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?  9:9 Some
said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

9:10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?  9:11
He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and
anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and
wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

9:12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

9:13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

9:14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened
his eyes.

9:15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his
sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed,
and do see.

9:16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God,
because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man
that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among
them.

9:17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that
he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been
blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him
that had received his sight.

9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was
born blind? how then doth he now see?  9:20 His parents answered them
and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
9:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened
his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for
himself.

9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for
the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was
Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

9:24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him,
Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

9:25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not:
one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

9:26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he
thine eyes?  9:27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye
did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his
disciples?  9:28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his
disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

9:29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know
not from whence he is.

9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous
thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine
eyes.

9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a
worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the
eyes of one that was born blind.

9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in
sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

9:35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found
him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?  9:36 He
answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?  9:37
And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that
talketh with thee.

9:38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

9:39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they
which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

9:40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words,
and said unto him, Are we blind also?  9:41 Jesus said unto them, If
ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see;
therefore your sin remaineth.

10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door
into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a
thief and a robber.

10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he
calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them,
and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for
they know not the voice of strangers.

10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what
things they were which he spake unto them.

10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
I am the door of the sheep.

10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the
sheep did not hear them.

10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and
shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have
it more abundantly.

10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for
the sheep.

10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and
fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not
for the sheep.

10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay
down my life for the sheep.

10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold,
and one shepherd.

10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life,
that I might take it again.

10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This
commandment have I received of my Father.

10:19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these
sayings.

10:20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye
him?  10:21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a
devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?  10:22 And it was at
Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.

10:23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long
dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works
that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

10:26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said
unto you.

10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man
is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

10:30 I and my Father are one.

10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my
Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?  10:33 The Jews
answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for
blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.

10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye
are gods?  10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God
came, and the scripture cannot be broken; 10:36 Say ye of him, whom
the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest;
because I said, I am the Son of God?  10:37 If I do not the works of
my Father, believe me not.

10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that
ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

10:39 Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of
their hand, 10:40 And went away again beyond Jordan into the place
where John at first baptized; and there he abode.

10:41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but
all things that John spake of this man were true.

10:42 And many believed on him there.

11:1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town
of Mary and her sister Martha.

11:2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and
wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)  11:3
Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom
thou lovest is sick.

11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death,
but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified
thereby.

11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

11:6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days
still in the same place where he was.

11:7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea
again.

11:8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to
stone thee; and goest thou thither again?  11:9 Jesus answered, Are
there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he
stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

11:10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is
no light in him.

11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our
friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had
spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent
ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

11:16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his
fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave
four days already.

11:18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
11:19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them
concerning their brother.

11:20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went
and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

11:21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died.

11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God
will give it thee.

11:23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

11:24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the
resurrection at the last day.

11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he
that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 11:26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest
thou this?  11:27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou
art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

11:28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her
sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

11:29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

11:30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place
where Martha met him.

11:31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted
her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out,
followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell
down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my
brother had not died.

11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping
which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

11:34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come
and see.

11:35 Jesus wept.

11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!  11:37 And some of
them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind,
have caused that even this man should not have died?  11:38 Jesus
therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a
cave, and a stone lay upon it.

11:39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him
that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he
hath been dead four days.

11:40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou
wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?  11:41 Then
they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And
Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou
hast heard me.

11:42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the
people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast
sent me.

11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice,
Lazarus, come forth.

11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with
graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith
unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

11:45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the
things which Jesus did, believed on him.

11:46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them
what things Jesus had done.

11:47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and
said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the
Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same
year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 11:50 Nor consider that
it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and
that the whole nation perish not.

11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that
year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; 11:52 And
not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in
one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

11:53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put
him to death.

11:54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went
thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called
Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

11:55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of
the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

11:56 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they
stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the
feast?  11:57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a
commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it,
that they might take him.

12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where
Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.

12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was
one of them that sat at the table with him.

12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and
anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the
house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son,
which should betray him, 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three
hundred pence, and given to the poor?  12:6 This he said, not that he
cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and
bare what was put therein.

12:7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying
hath she kept this.

12:8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and
they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus
also, whom he had raised from the dead.

12:10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also
to death; 12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went
away, and believed on Jesus.

12:12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when
they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 12:13 Took branches of
palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is
the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

12:14 And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is
written, 12:15 Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh,
sitting on an ass's colt.

12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when
Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were
written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

12:17 The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus
out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.

12:18 For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that
he had done this miracle.

12:19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how
ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.

12:20 And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship
at the feast: 12:21 The same came therefore to Philip, which was of
Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see
Jesus.

12:22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip
tell Jesus.

12:23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son
of man should be glorified.

12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into
the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth
much fruit.

12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his
life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

12:26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there
shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father
honour.

12:27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me
from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.

12:28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven,
saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

12:29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it
thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.

12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but
for your sakes.

12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this
world be cast out.

12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto
me.

12:33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.

12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that
Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be
lifted up? who is this Son of man?  12:35 Then Jesus said unto them,
Yet a little while is the light with you.

Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that
walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

12:36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the
children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did
hide himself from them.

12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they
believed not on him: 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might
be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and
to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?  12:39 Therefore they
could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 12:40 He hath
blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see
with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted,
and I should heal them.

12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of
him.

12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him;
but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue: 12:43 For they loved the praise of
men more than the praise of God.

12:44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on
me, but on him that sent me.

12:45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.

12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me
should not abide in darkness.

12:47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not:
for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that
judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in
the last day.

12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me,
he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

12:50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever
I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his
hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father,
having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the
end.

13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart
of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 13:3 Jesus knowing that
the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come
from God, and went to God; 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside
his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

13:5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was
girded.

13:6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord,
dost thou wash my feet?  13:7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I
do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus
answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my
hands and my head.

13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

13:11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not
all clean.

13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments,
and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to
you?  13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also
ought to wash one another's feet.

13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have
done to you.

13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than
his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

13:18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the
scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted
up his heel against me.

13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye
may believe that I am he.

13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I
send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent
me.

13:21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and
testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you
shall betray me.

13:22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he
spake.

13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom
Jesus loved.

13:24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it
should be of whom he spake.

13:25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I
have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas
Iscariot, the son of Simon.

13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto
him, That thou doest, do quickly.

13:28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto
him.

13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus
had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the
feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

13:30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was
night.

13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of
man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in
himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek
me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now
I say to you.

13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as
I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have
love one to another.

13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus
answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou
shalt follow me afterwards.

13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will
lay down my life for thy sake.

13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake?
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou
hast denied me thrice.

14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also
in me.

14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I
would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and
how can we know the way?  14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from
henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.

14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth
us.

14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet
hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the
Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?  14:10 Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me?  the words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that
dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

14:11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or
else believe me for the very works' sake.

14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the
works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall
he do; because I go unto my Father.

14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son.

14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 14:17 Even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and
shall be in you.

14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see
me: because I live, ye shall live also.

14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me,
and I in you.

14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I
will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou
wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  14:23 Jesus
answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words:
and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our
abode with him.

14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which
ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

14:25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things
to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the
world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither
let it be afraid.

14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again
unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto
the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is
come to pass, ye might believe.

14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this
world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

14:31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the
Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and
every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring
forth more fruit.

15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide
in me.

15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I
in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do
nothing.

15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is
withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they
are burned.

15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what
ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall
ye be my disciples.

15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in
my love.

15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I
have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in
you, and that your joy might be full.

15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have
loved you.

15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his friends.

15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not
what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things
that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you,
that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should
remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may
give it you.

15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated
you.

15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but
because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth you.

15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not
greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake,
because they know not him that sent me.

15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin:
but now they have no cloak for their sin.

15:23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

15:24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did,
they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me
and my Father.

15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that
is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the
Father, he shall testify of me: 15:27 And ye also shall bear witness,
because ye have been with me from the beginning.

16:1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be
offended.

16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

16:3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not
known the Father, nor me.

16:4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come,
ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not
unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh
me, Whither goest thou?  16:6 But because I have said these things
unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I
go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you;
but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: 16:9 Of sin, because they believe not
on me; 16:10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see
me no more; 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is
judged.

16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them
now.

16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall
shew it unto you.

16:15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that
he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

16:16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little
while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

16:17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this
that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and
again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the
Father?  16:18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A
little while? we cannot tell what he saith.

16:19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto
them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while,
and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see
me?  16:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and
lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but
your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

16:21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is
come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no
more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and
your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

16:23 And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say
unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give
it you.

16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall
receive, that your joy may be full.

16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time
cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall
shew you plainly of the Father.

16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you,
that I will pray the Father for you: 16:27 For the Father himself
loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came
out from God.

16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again,
I leave the world, and go to the Father.

16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and
speakest no proverb.

16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not
that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest
forth from God.

16:31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?  16:32 Behold, the hour
cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his
own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the
Father is with me.

16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace.

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world.

17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and
said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may
glorify thee: 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that
he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work
which thou gavest me to do.

17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the
glory which I had with thee before the world was.

17:6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out
of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have
kept thy word.

17:7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me
are of thee.

17:8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and
they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from
thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which
thou hast given me; for they are thine.

17:10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified
in them.

17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world,
and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those
whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.

17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name:
those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but
the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

17:13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world,
that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them,
because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but
that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

17:18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent
them into the world.

17:19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be
sanctified through the truth.

17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall
believe on me through their word; 17:21 That they all may be one; as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in
us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

17:22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they
may be one, even as we are one: 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that
they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou
hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with
me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given
me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

17:25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have
known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

17:26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it:
that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in
them.

18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his
disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he
entered, and his disciples.

18:2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus
ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.

18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the
chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches
and weapons.

18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him,
went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?  18:5 They answered him,
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he.

And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.

18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went
backward, and fell to the ground.

18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of
Nazareth.

18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye
seek me, let these go their way: 18:9 That the saying might be
fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost
none.

18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high
priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was
Malchus.

18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath:
the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?  18:12
Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and
bound him, 18:13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in
law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

18:14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was
expedient that one man should die for the people.

18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple:
that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus
into the palace of the high priest.

18:16 But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other
disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her
that kept the door, and brought in Peter.

18:17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not
thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.

18:18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire
of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood
with them, and warmed himself.

18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his
doctrine.

18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught
in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort;
and in secret have I said nothing.

18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said
unto them: behold, they know what I said.

18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by
struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the
high priest so?  18:23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear
witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?  18:24 Now
Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

18:25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore
unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and
said, I am not.

18:26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose
ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
18:27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

18:28 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and
it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall,
lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

18:29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring
ye against this man?  18:30 They answered and said unto him, If he
were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.

18:31 Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according
to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us
to put any man to death: 18:32 That the saying of Jesus might be
fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.

18:33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called
Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?  18:34 Jesus
answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it
thee of me?  18:35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and
the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom
were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be
delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.

18:37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus
answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and
for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto
the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

18:38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this,
he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no
fault at all.

18:39 But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the
passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the
Jews?  18:40 Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but
Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

19:1 Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.

19:2 And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his
head, and they put on him a purple robe, 19:3 And said, Hail, King of
the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.

19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I
bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

19:5 Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the
purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!  19:6 When
the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out,
saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him,
and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to
die, because he made himself the Son of God.

19:8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus,
Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.

19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest
thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release
thee?  19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all
against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that
delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews
cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's
friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth,
and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the
Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

19:14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth
hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!  19:15 But they
cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him.

Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests
answered, We have no king but Caesar.

19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And
they took Jesus, and led him away.

19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the
place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 19:18 Where
they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and
Jesus in the midst.

19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the
writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

19:20 This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus
was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and
Greek, and Latin.

19:21 Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not,
The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

19:22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

19:23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his
garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his
coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

19:24 They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but
cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be
fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my
vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing
by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
19:27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that
hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished,
that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

19:29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a
spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.

19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is
finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the
bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that
sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be
broken, and that they might be taken away.

19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of
the other which was crucified with him.

19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already,
they brake not his legs: 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear
pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he
knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be
fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

19:37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom
they pierced.

19:38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus,
but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take
away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore,
and took the body of Jesus.

19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus
by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred
pound weight.

19:40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes
with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

19:41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and
in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.

19:42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation
day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it
was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from
the sepulchre.

20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other
disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away
the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid
him.

20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to
the sepulchre.

20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun
Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes
lying; yet went he not in.

20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the
sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 20:7 And the napkin, that
was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped
together in a place by itself.

20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the
sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again
from the dead.

20:10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she
wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 20:12 And seeth
two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the
feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

20:13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto
them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they
have laid him.

20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw
Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

20:15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest
thou?  She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if
thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I
will take him away.

20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto
him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to
my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the
LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear
of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them,
Peace be unto you.

20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his
side.

Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.

20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father
hath sent me, even so send I you.

20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto
them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit,
they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are
retained.

20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them
when Jesus came.

20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the
LORD.

But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of
the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust
my hand into his side, I will not believe.

20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas
with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the
midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my
hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be
not faithless, but believing.

20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.

20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou
hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have
believed.

20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book: 20:31 But these are
written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

21:1 After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at
the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself.

21:2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and
Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other
of his disciples.

21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him,
We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship
immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

21:4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but
the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

21:5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They
answered him, No.

21:6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the
ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not
able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is
the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his
fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into
the sea.

21:8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not
far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net
with fishes.

21:9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals
there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.

21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now
caught.

21:11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great
fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so
many, yet was not the net broken.

21:12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples
durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.

21:13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish
likewise.

21:14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his
disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

21:15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son
of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea,
Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

21:16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love
thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

21:17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest
thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time,
Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things;
thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

21:18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou
girdest thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou
shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall
gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God.
And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

21:20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved
following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord,
which is he that betrayeth thee?  21:21 Peter seeing him saith to
Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?  21:22 Jesus saith unto him,
If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou
me.

21:23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that
disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not
die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?
21:24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote
these things: and we know that his testimony is true.

21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which,
if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world
itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.




The Acts of the Apostles


1:1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus
began both to do and teach, 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken
up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto
the apostles whom he had chosen: 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself
alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them
forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of
God: 1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that
they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the
Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with
the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,
Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?  1:7
And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the
seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all
Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was
taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

1:10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 1:11 Which also said,
Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like
manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

1:12 Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,
which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

1:13 And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room,
where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and
Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon
Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

1:14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication,
with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples,
and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and
twenty,) 1:16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been
fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before
concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

1:17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this
ministry.

1:18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and
falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels
gushed out.

1:19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as
that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say,
The field of blood.

1:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be
desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another
take.

1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time
that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 1:22 Beginning from the
baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must
one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed
Justus, and Matthias.

1:24 And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts
of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, 1:25 That he
may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by
transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.

1:26 And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias;
and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with
one accord in one place.

2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and
it sat upon each of them.

2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of
every nation under heaven.

2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and
were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own
language.

2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another,
Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?  2:8 And how hear we
every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?  2:9 Parthians, and
Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea,
and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in
Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,
Jews and proselytes, 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak
in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to
another, What meaneth this?  2:13 Others mocking said, These men are
full of new wine.

2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and
said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem,
be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 2:15 For these are
not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the
day.

2:16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 2:17 And
it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of
my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall
dream dreams: 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will
pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: 2:19 And
I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath;
blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: 2:20 The sun shall be turned
into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and notable
day of the Lord come: 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever
shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man
approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God
did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 2:23 Him,
being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,
ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 2:24 Whom
God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was
not possible that he should be holden of it.

2:25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always
before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be
moved: 2:26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad;
moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 2:27 Because thou wilt not
leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see
corruption.

2:28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me
full of joy with thy countenance.

2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch
David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us
unto this day.

2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an
oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh,
he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 2:31 He seeing this
before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left
in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.

2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.

2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having
received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed
forth this, which ye now see and hear.

2:34 For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself,
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 2:35 Until I
make thy foes thy footstool.

2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God
hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and
Christ.

2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do?  2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

2:40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save
yourselves from this untoward generation.

2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the
same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and
fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were
done by the apostles.

2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men,
as every man had need.

2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and
breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness
and singleness of heart, 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all
the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be
saved.

3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of
prayer, being the ninth hour.

3:2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom
they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,
to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3:3 Who seeing Peter
and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.

3:4 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on
us.

3:5 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of
them.

3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have
give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and
immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.

3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into
the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 3:10 And they
knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the
temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which
had happened unto him.

3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the
people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's,
greatly wondering.

3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of
Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as
though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
3:13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our
fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and
denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let
him go.

3:14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer
to be granted unto you; 3:15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God
hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.

3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong,
whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him
this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

3:17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did
also your rulers.

3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all
his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be
blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence
of the Lord.

3:20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto
you: 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy
prophets since the world began.

3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord
your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall
ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear
that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

3:24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow
after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which
God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall
all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to
bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

4:1 And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of
the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, 4:2 Being grieved that
they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection
from the dead.

4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next
day: for it was now eventide.

4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number
of the men was about five thousand.

4:5 And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders,
and scribes, 4:6 And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John,
and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest,
were gathered together at Jerusalem.

4:7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what
power, or by what name, have ye done this?  4:8 Then Peter, filled
with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and
elders of Israel, 4:9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done
to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 4:10 Be it known
unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of
Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the
dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which
is become the head of the corner.

4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other
name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

4:13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived
that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they
took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.

4:14 And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they
could say nothing against it.

4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council,
they conferred among themselves, 4:16 Saying, What shall we do to
these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is
manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.

4:17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly
threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

4:18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor
teach in the name of Jesus.

4:19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God,
judge ye.

4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

4:21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go,
finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for
all men glorified God for that which was done.

4:22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of
healing was shewed.

4:23 And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported
all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with
one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: 4:25 Who by the mouth of
thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people
imagine vain things?  4:26 The kings of the earth stood up, and the
rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his
Christ.

4:27 For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast
anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the
people of Israel, were gathered together, 4:28 For to do whatsoever
thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.

4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy
servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 4:30 By
stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be
done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
they spake the word of God with boldness.

4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of
one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he
possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

4:34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were
possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the
things that were sold, 4:35 And laid them down at the apostles' feet:
and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

4:36 And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is,
being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the
country of Cyprus, 4:37 Having land, sold it, and brought the money,
and laid it at the apostles' feet.

5:1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a
possession, 5:2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being
privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles'
feet.

5:3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie
to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
5:4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold,
was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in
thine heart?  thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost:
and great fear came on all them that heard these things.

5:6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and
buried him.

5:7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife,
not knowing what was done, came in.

5:8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for
so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.

5:9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together
to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have
buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

5:10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the
ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying
her forth, buried her by her husband.

5:11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as
heard these things.

5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders
wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in
Solomon's porch.

5:13 And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people
magnified them.

5:14 And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of
men and women.)  5:15 Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into
the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the
shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

5:16 There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto
Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean
spirits: and they were healed every one.

5:17 Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him,
(which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with
indignation, 5:18 And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them
in the common prison.

5:19 But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and
brought them forth, and said, 5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple
to the people all the words of this life.

5:21 And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in
the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were
with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the
children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

5:22 But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison,
they returned and told, 5:23 Saying, The prison truly found we shut
with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors:
but when we had opened, we found no man within.

5:24 Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the
chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this
would grow.

5:25 Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put
in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

5:26 Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without
violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been
stoned.

5:27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council:
and the high priest asked them, 5:28 Saying, Did not we straitly
command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye
have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this
man's blood upon us.

5:29 Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to
obey God rather than men.

5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged
on a tree.

5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a
Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

5:32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy
Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

5:33 When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took
counsel to slay them.

5:34 Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named
Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people,
and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 5:35 And said
unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to
do as touching these men.

5:36 For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be
somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined
themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were
scattered, and brought to nought.

5:37 After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the
taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and
all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

5:38 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them
alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to
nought: 5:39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply
ye be found even to fight against God.

5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles,
and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name
of Jesus, and let them go.

5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing
that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.

5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to
teach and preach Jesus Christ.

6:1 And in those days, when the number of the disciples was
multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the
Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily
ministration.

6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them,
and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and
serve tables.

6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest
report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over
this business.

6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the
ministry of the word.

6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose
Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and
Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a
proselyte of Antioch: 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when
they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples
multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests
were obedient to the faith.

6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and
miracles among the people.

6:9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the
synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of
them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

6:10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by
which he spake.

6:11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak
blasphemous words against Moses, and against God.

6:12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes,
and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council,
6:13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to
speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 6:14 For
we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this
place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us.

6:15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw
his face as it had been the face of an angel.

7:1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so?  7:2 And he said,
Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto
our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in
Charran, 7:3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from
thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

7:4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in
Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him
into this land, wherein ye now dwell.

7:5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set
his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a
possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child.

7:6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a
strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and
entreat them evil four hundred years.

7:7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said
God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place.

7:8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat
Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and
Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.

7:9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but
God was with him, 7:10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions,
and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt;
and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

7:11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan,
and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance.

7:12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out
our fathers first.

7:13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and
Joseph's kindred was made known unto Pharaoh.

7:14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him, and all his
kindred, threescore and fifteen souls.

7:15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers,
7:16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that
Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of
Sychem.

7:17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn
to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 7:18 Till another
king arose, which knew not Joseph.

7:19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our
fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they
might not live.

7:20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and
nourished up in his father's house three months: 7:21 And when he was
cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her
own son.

7:22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was
mighty in words and in deeds.

7:23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to
visit his brethren the children of Israel.

7:24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged
him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 7:25 For he supposed
his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would
deliver them: but they understood not.

7:26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and
would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why
do ye wrong one to another?  7:27 But he that did his neighbour wrong
thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?
7:28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?  7:29
Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of
Madian, where he begat two sons.

7:30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the
wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a
bush.

7:31 When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near
to behold it, the voice of the LORD came unto him, 7:32 Saying, I am
the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and
the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.

7:33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for
the place where thou standest is holy ground.

7:34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in
Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver
them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

7:35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a
judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand
of the angel which appeared to him in the bush.

7:36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs
in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty
years.

7:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A
prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren,
like unto me; him shall ye hear.

7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the
angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who
received the lively oracles to give unto us: 7:39 To whom our fathers
would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned
back again into Egypt, 7:40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go
before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of
Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

7:41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto
the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

7:42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven;
as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel,
have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of
forty years in the wilderness?  7:43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of
Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to
worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.

7:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as
he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it
according to the fashion that he had seen.

7:45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into
the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of
our fathers, unto the days of David; 7:46 Who found favour before God,
and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

7:47 But Solomon built him an house.

7:48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as
saith the prophet, 7:49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my
footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the
place of my rest?  7:50 Hath not my hand made all these things?  7:51
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always
resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

7:52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they
have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of
whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 7:53 Who have
received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and
they gnashed on him with their teeth.

7:55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand
of God, 7:56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son
of man standing on the right hand of God.

7:57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears,
and ran upon him with one accord, 7:58 And cast him out of the city,
and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young
man's feet, whose name was Saul.

7:59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord
Jesus, receive my spirit.

7:60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not
this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

8:1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was
a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and
they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and
Samaria, except the apostles.

8:2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great
lamentation over him.

8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every
house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where
preaching the word.

8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ
unto them.

8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which
Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that
were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were
lame, were healed.

8:8 And there was great joy in that city.

8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the
same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving
out that himself was some great one: 8:10 To whom they all gave heed,
from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of
God.

8:11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had
bewitched them with sorceries.

8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the
kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both
men and women.

8:13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he
continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs
which were done.

8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 8:15
Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might
receive the Holy Ghost: 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of
them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)  8:17
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands
the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, 8:19 Saying, Give me
also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the
Holy Ghost.

8:20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou
hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is
not right in the sight of God.

8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps
the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in
the bond of iniquity.

8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that
none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

8:25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the
Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages
of the Samaritans.

8:26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and
go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto
Gaza, which is desert.

8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch
of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the
charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the
prophet.

8:29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to
this chariot.

8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet
Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  8:31 And he
said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as
a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so
opened he not his mouth: 8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was
taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is
taken from the earth.

8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom
speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?  8:35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and
preached unto him Jesus.

8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water:
and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be
baptized?  8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine
heart, thou mayest.

And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God.

8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down
both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the
Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went
on his way rejoicing.

8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached
in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the
disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 9:2 And desired of
him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of
this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound
unto Jerusalem.

9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there
shined round about him a light from heaven: 9:4 And he fell to the
earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest
thou me?  9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am
Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the
pricks.

9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me
to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it
shall be told thee what thou must do.

9:7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a
voice, but seeing no man.

9:8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he
saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into
Damascus.

9:9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor
drink.

9:10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and
to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am
here, Lord.

9:11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which
is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called
Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 9:12 And hath seen in a
vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him,
that he might receive his sight.

9:13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man,
how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 9:14 And here
he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy
name.

9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel
unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the
children of Israel: 9:16 For I will shew him how great things he must
suffer for my name's sake.

9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting
his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that
appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou
mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

9:18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales:
and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.

9:19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul
certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus.

9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is
the Son of God.

9:21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that
destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither
for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief
priests?  9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded
the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

9:23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to
kill him: 9:24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they
watched the gates day and night to kill him.

9:25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the
wall in a basket.

9:26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself
to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not
that he was a disciple.

9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and
declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he
had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the
name of Jesus.

9:28 And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

9:29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed
against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

9:30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea,
and sent him forth to Tarsus.

9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and
Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in
the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

9:32 And it came to pass, as Peter passed throughout all quarters, he
came down also to the saints which dwelt at Lydda.

9:33 And there he found a certain man named Aeneas, which had kept his
bed eight years, and was sick of the palsy.

9:34 And Peter said unto him, Aeneas, Jesus Christ maketh thee whole:
arise, and make thy bed. And he arose immediately.

9:35 And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him, and turned to the
Lord.

9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by
interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and
almsdeeds which she did.

9:37 And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died:
whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

9:38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had
heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him
that he would not delay to come to them.

9:39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they
brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him
weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while
she was with them.

9:40 But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and
turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes:
and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

9:41 And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had
called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

9:42 And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the
Lord.

9:43 And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one
Simon a tanner.

10:1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion
of the band called the Italian band, 10:2 A devout man, and one that
feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and
prayed to God alway.

10:3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an
angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius.

10:4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it,
Lord?  And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up
for a memorial before God.

10:5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname
is Peter: 10:6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by
the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.

10:7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he
called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them
that waited on him continually; 10:8 And when he had declared all
these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa.

10:9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto
the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth
hour: 10:10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while
they made ready, he fell into a trance, 10:11 And saw heaven opened,
and a certain vessel descending upon him, as it had been a great sheet
knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 10:12 Wherein
were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts,
and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

10:13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.

10:14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing
that is common or unclean.

10:15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God
hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

10:16 This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into
heaven.

10:17 Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision which he had
seen should mean, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had
made enquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate, 10:18 And
called, and asked whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodged
there.

10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him,
Behold, three men seek thee.

10:20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting
nothing: for I have sent them.

10:21 Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto him from
Cornelius; and said, Behold, I am he whom ye seek: what is the cause
wherefore ye are come?  10:22 And they said, Cornelius the centurion,
a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the
nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for
thee into his house, and to hear words of thee.

10:23 Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter
went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

10:24 And the morrow after they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius
waited for them, and he had called together his kinsmen and near
friends.

10:25 And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at
his feet, and worshipped him.

10:26 But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.

10:27 And as he talked with him, he went in, and found many that were
come together.

10:28 And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing
for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another
nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common
or unclean.

10:29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was
sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?  10:30
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and
at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood
before me in bright clothing, 10:31 And said, Cornelius, thy prayer is
heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God.

10:32 Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is
Peter; he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea
side: who, when he cometh, shall speak unto thee.

10:33 Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done
that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God,
to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.

10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive
that God is no respecter of persons: 10:35 But in every nation he that
feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching
peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 10:37 That word, I say, ye
know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from
Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 10:38 How God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God
was with him.

10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land
of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly; 10:41
Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before God, even to
us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify
that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and
dead.

10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all
them which heard the word.

10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as
many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured
out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then
answered Peter, 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not
be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?  10:48
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then
prayed they him to tarry certain days.

11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the
Gentiles had also received the word of God.

11:2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the
circumcision contended with him, 11:3 Saying, Thou wentest in to men
uncircumcised, and didst eat with them.

11:4 But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded
it by order unto them, saying, 11:5 I was in the city of Joppa
praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as
it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and
it came even to me: 11:6 Upon the which when I had fastened mine eyes,
I considered, and saw fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts,
and creeping things, and fowls of the air.

11:7 And I heard a voice saying unto me, Arise, Peter; slay and eat.

11:8 But I said, Not so, Lord: for nothing common or unclean hath at
any time entered into my mouth.

11:9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, What God hath
cleansed, that call not thou common.

11:10 And this was done three times: and all were drawn up again into
heaven.

11:11 And, behold, immediately there were three men already come unto
the house where I was, sent from Caesarea unto me.

11:12 And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover
these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's
house: 11:13 And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in his house,
which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon,
whose surname is Peter; 11:14 Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou
and all thy house shall be saved.

11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us
at the beginning.

11:16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John
indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy
Ghost.

11:17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us,
who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could
withstand God?  11:18 When they heard these things, they held their
peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles
granted repentance unto life.

11:19 Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that
arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and
Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.

11:20 And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they
were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the LORD
Jesus.

11:21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number
believed, and turned unto the Lord.

11:22 Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church
which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should
go as far as Antioch.

11:23 Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and
exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto
the Lord.

11:24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith:
and much people was added unto the Lord.

11:25 Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: 11:26 And
when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to
pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and
taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in
Antioch.

11:27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.

11:28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by
the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world:
which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.

11:29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability,
determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:
11:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of
Barnabas and Saul.

12:1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to
vex certain of the church.

12:2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.

12:3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to
take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)  12:4 And
when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him
to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to
bring him forth to the people.

12:5 Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without
ceasing of the church unto God for him.

12:6 And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter
was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the
keepers before the door kept the prison.

12:7 And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light
shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him
up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.

12:8 And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy
sandals.

And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and
follow me.

12:9 And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true
which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision.

12:10 When they were past the first and the second ward, they came
unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of
his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street;
and forthwith the angel departed from him.

12:11 And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a
surety, that the LORD hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out
of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of
the Jews.

12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of
Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were
gathered together praying.

12:13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to
hearken, named Rhoda.

12:14 And when she knew Peter's voice, she opened not the gate for
gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate.

12:15 And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly
affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel.

12:16 But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door,
and saw him, they were astonished.

12:17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace,
declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And
he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he
departed, and went into another place.

12:18 Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the
soldiers, what was become of Peter.

12:19 And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he
examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death.
And he went down from Judaea to Caesarea, and there abode.

12:20 And Herod was highly displeased with them of Tyre and Sidon: but
they came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus the king's
chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was
nourished by the king's country.

12:21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his
throne, and made an oration unto them.

12:22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god,
and not of a man.

12:23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave
not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

12:24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.

12:25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had
fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was
Mark.

13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets
and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and
Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the
tetrarch, and Saul.

13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said,
Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them.

13:3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on
them, they sent them away.

13:4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto
Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in
the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister.

13:6 And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a
certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:
13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a
prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the
word of God.

13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation)
withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

13:9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost,
set his eyes on him.

13:10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of
the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to
pervert the right ways of the Lord?  13:11 And now, behold, the hand
of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun
for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness;
and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.

13:12 Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being
astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

13:13 Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to
Perga in Pamphylia: and John departing from them returned to
Jerusalem.

13:14 But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in
Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and sat down.

13:15 And after the reading of the law and the prophets the rulers of
the synagogue sent unto them, saying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have
any word of exhortation for the people, say on.

13:16 Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Men of
Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience.

13:17 The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers, and exalted
the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with
an high arm brought he them out of it.

13:18 And about the time of forty years suffered he their manners in
the wilderness.

13:19 And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan,
he divided their land to them by lot.

13:20 And after that he gave unto them judges about the space of four
hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet.

13:21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul
the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty
years.

13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be
their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have
found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall
fulfil all my will.

13:23 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto
Israel a Saviour, Jesus: 13:24 When John had first preached before his
coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

13:25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I
am?  I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes
of his feet I am not worthy to loose.

13:26 Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and
whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation
sent.

13:27 For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they
knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every
sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.

13:28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they
Pilate that he should be slain.

13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they
took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.

13:30 But God raised him from the dead: 13:31 And he was seen many
days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are
his witnesses unto the people.

13:32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which
was made unto the fathers, 13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us
their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also
written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten
thee.

13:34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no
more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you
the sure mercies of David.

13:35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption.

13:36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of
God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
13:37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.

13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through
this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 13:39 And by
him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye
could not be justified by the law of Moses.

13:40 Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, which is spoken of in
the prophets; 13:41 Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for
I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you.

13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles
besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.

13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and
religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to
them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

13:44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to
hear the word of God.

13:45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with
envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul,
contradicting and blaspheming.

13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary
that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing
ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life,
lo, we turn to the Gentiles.

13:47 For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be
a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the
ends of the earth.

13:48 And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified
the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed.

13:49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the
region.

13:50 But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the
chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and
Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

13:51 But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came
unto Iconium.

13:52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

14:1 And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into
the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both
of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.

14:2 But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and made their
minds evil affected against the brethren.

14:3 Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which
gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and
wonders to be done by their hands.

14:4 But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the
Jews, and part with the apostles.

14:5 And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also
of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone
them, 14:6 They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe,
cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about: 14:7
And there they preached the gospel.

14:8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet,
being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: 14:9 The
same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving
that he had faith to be healed, 14:10 Said with a loud voice, Stand
upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.

14:11 And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their
voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us
in the likeness of men.

14:12 And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because
he was the chief speaker.

14:13 Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought
oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with
the people.

14:14 Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent
their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out, 14:15 And
saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions
with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities
unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
all things that are therein: 14:16 Who in times past suffered all
nations to walk in their own ways.

14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did
good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our
hearts with food and gladness.

14:18 And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that
they had not done sacrifice unto them.

14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the
city, supposing he had been dead.

14:20 Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and
came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to
Derbe.

14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had
taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and
Antioch, 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting
them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much
tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

14:23 And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had
prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they
believed.

14:24 And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to
Pamphylia.

14:25 And when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down
into Attalia: 14:26 And thence sailed to Antioch, from whence they had
been recommended to the grace of God for the work which they
fulfilled.

14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together,
they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened
the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

14:28 And there they abode long time with the disciples.

15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren,
and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye
cannot be saved.

15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and
disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and
certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and
elders about this question.

15:3 And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through
Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and
they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

15:4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the
church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things
that God had done with them.

15:5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which
believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to
command them to keep the law of Moses.

15:6 And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this
matter.

15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said
unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God
made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the
word of the gospel, and believe.

15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them
the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 15:9 And put no difference
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.

15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of
the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ
we shall be saved, even as they.

15:12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to
Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought
among the Gentiles by them.

15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men
and brethren, hearken unto me: 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at
the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his
name.

15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of
David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof,
and I will set it up: 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after
the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the
Lord, who doeth all these things.

15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the
world.

15:19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from
among the Gentiles are turned to God: 15:20 But that we write unto
them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from
fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.

15:21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him,
being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

15:22 Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church,
to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and
Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among
the brethren: 15:23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner;
The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren
which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.

15:24 Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us
have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must
be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send
chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 15:26 Men that
have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15:27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you
the same things by mouth.

15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you
no greater burden than these necessary things; 15:29 That ye abstain
from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things
strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye
shall do well. Fare ye well.

15:30 So when they were dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they
had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the epistle: 15:31
Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.

15:32 And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted
the brethren with many words, and confirmed them.

15:33 And after they had tarried there a space, they were let go in
peace from the brethren unto the apostles.

15:34 Notwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.

15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and
preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

15:36 And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and
visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of
the LORD, and see how they do.

15:37 And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname
was Mark.

15:38 But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed
from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.

15:39 And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed
asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto
Cyprus; 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by
the brethren unto the grace of God.

15:41 And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches.

16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple
was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a
Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 16:2 Which was well
reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

16:3 Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and
circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for
they knew all that his father was a Greek.

16:4 And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the
decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders
which were at Jerusalem.

16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased
in number daily.

16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of
Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in
Asia, 16:7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into
Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

16:8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.

16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of
Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help
us.

16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to
go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for
to preach the gospel unto them.

16:11 Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to
Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; 16:12 And from thence to
Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a
colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days.

16:13 And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side,
where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the
women which resorted thither.

16:14 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city
of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord
opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

16:15 And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us,
saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my
house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

16:16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel
possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her
masters much gain by soothsaying: 16:17 The same followed Paul and us,
and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God,
which shew unto us the way of salvation.

16:18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and
said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come
out of her.

And he came out the same hour.

16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone,
they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto
the rulers, 16:20 And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These
men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 16:21 And teach
customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe,
being Romans.

16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the
magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.

16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them
into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 16:24 Who,
having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and
made their feet fast in the stocks.

16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto
God: and the prisoners heard them.

16:26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the
foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors
were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

16:27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and
seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have
killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

16:28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm:
for we are all here.

16:29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling,
and fell down before Paul and Silas, 16:30 And brought them out, and
said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  16:31 And they said, Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

16:32 And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that
were in his house.

16:33 And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their
stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

16:34 And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before
them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

16:35 And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying,
Let those men go.

16:36 And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The
magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in
peace.

16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned,
being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us
out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us
out.

16:38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and
they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

16:39 And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and
desired them to depart out of the city.

16:40 And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of
Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and
departed.

17:1 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they
came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: 17:2 And
Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days
reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 17:3 Opening and alleging,
that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead;
and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

17:4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and
of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a
few.

17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them
certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and
set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and
sought to bring them out to the people.

17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain
brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned
the world upside down are come hither also; 17:7 Whom Jason hath
received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying
that there is another king, one Jesus.

17:8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when
they heard these things.

17:9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they
let them go.

17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night
unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the
scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

17:12 Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which
were Greeks, and of men, not a few.

17:13 But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of
God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred
up the people.

17:14 And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it
were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

17:15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens: and
receiving a commandment unto Silas and Timotheus for to come to him
with all speed, they departed.

17:16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred
in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17:17 Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with
the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with
him.

17:18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks,
encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other
some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he
preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

17:19 And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May
we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?  17:20 For
thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know
therefore what these things mean.

17:21 (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent
their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new
thing.)  17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said,
Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too
superstitious.

17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar
with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye
ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he
is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any
thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; 17:26
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the
face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and
the bounds of their habitation; 17:27 That they should seek the Lord,
if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far
from every one of us: 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our
being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also
his offspring.

17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to
think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven
by art and man's device.

17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now
commandeth all men every where to repent: 17:31 Because he hath
appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness
by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance
unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

17:32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some
mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

17:33 So Paul departed from among them.

17:34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the
which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and
others with them.

18:1 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to
Corinth; 18:2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus,
lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that
Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto
them.

18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and
wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.

18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the
Jews and the Greeks.

18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was
pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was
Christ.

18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his
raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am
clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

18:7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house,
named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the
synagogue.

18:8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the
Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed,
and were baptized.

18:9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not
afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: 18:10 For I am with thee,
and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in
this city.

18:11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word
of God among them.

18:12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made
insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the
judgment seat, 18:13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God
contrary to the law.

18:14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto
the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews,
reason would that I should bear with you: 18:15 But if it be a
question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I
will be no judge of such matters.

18:16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.

18:17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the
synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for
none of those things.

18:18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then
took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with
him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he
had a vow.

18:19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself
entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.

18:20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he
consented not; 18:21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all
means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return
again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.

18:22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the
church, he went down to Antioch.

18:23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went
over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening
all the disciples.

18:24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent
man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.

18:25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being
fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of
the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.

18:26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila
and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto
him the way of God more perfectly.

18:27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren
wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come,
helped them much which had believed through grace: 18:28 For he
mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the
scriptures that Jesus was Christ.

19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul
having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding
certain disciples, 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy
Ghost since ye believed?  And they said unto him, We have not so much
as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they
said, Unto John's baptism.

19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of
repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him
which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus.

19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came
on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

19:7 And all the men were about twelve.

19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of
three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the
kingdom of God.

19:9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil
of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated
the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

19:10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they
which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and
Greeks.

19:11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 19:12 So
that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons,
and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of
them.

19:13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to
call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus,
saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

19:14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the
priests, which did so.

19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I
know; but who are ye?  19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was
leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that
they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

19:17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at
Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was
magnified.

19:18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their
deeds.

19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books
together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price
of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

19:20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

19:21 After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when
he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem,
saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.

19:22 So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him,
Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

19:23 And the same time there arose no small stir about that way.

19:24 For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made
silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
19:25 Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and
said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.

19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost
throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much
people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: 19:27
So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but
also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised,
and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world
worshippeth.

19:28 And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and
cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught
Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel,
they rushed with one accord into the theatre.

19:30 And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the
disciples suffered him not.

19:31 And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent
unto him, desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the
theatre.

19:32 Some therefore cried one thing, and some another: for the
assembly was confused: and the more part knew not wherefore they were
come together.

19:33 And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting
him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made
his defence unto the people.

19:34 But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about
the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

19:35 And when the townclerk had appeased the people, he said, Ye men
of Ephesus, what man is there that knoweth not how that the city of
the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great goddess Diana, and of the
image which fell down from Jupiter?  19:36 Seeing then that these
things cannot be spoken against, ye ought to be quiet, and to do
nothing rashly.

19:37 For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers
of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

19:38 Wherefore if Demetrius, and the craftsmen which are with him,
have a matter against any man, the law is open, and there are
deputies: let them implead one another.

19:39 But if ye enquire any thing concerning other matters, it shall
be determined in a lawful assembly.

19:40 For we are in danger to be called in question for this day's
uproar, there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this
concourse.

19:41 And when he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.

20:1 And after the uproar was ceased, Paul called unto him the
disciples, and embraced them, and departed for to go into Macedonia.

20:2 And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much
exhortation, he came into Greece, 20:3 And there abode three months.
And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into
Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia.

20:4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea; and of the
Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and
Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophimus.

20:5 These going before tarried for us at Troas.

20:6 And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened
bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven
days.

20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came
together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on
the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

20:8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were
gathered together.

20:9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus,
being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he
sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken
up dead.

20:10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said,
Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him.

20:11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and
eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he
departed.

20:12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little
comforted.

20:13 And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there
intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to
go afoot.

20:14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to
Mitylene.

20:15 And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios;
and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and
the next day we came to Miletus.

20:16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not
spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to
be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

20:17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of
the church.

20:18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from
the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been
with you at all seasons, 20:19 Serving the LORD with all humility of
mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the
lying in wait of the Jews: 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was
profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you
publickly, and from house to house, 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews,
and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our
Lord Jesus Christ.

20:22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not
knowing the things that shall befall me there: 20:23 Save that the
Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions
abide me.

20:24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear
unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the
gospel of the grace of God.

20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone
preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the
blood of all men.

20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of
God.

20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over
the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church
of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves
enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse
things, to draw away disciples after them.

20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years
I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his
grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified.

20:33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.

20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto
my necessities, and to them that were with me.

20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to
support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

20:36 And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with
them all.

20:37 And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck, and kissed him,
20:38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they
should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.

21:1 And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had
launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day
following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara: 21:2 And finding a
ship sailing over unto Phenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.

21:3 Now when we had discovered Cyprus, we left it on the left hand,
and sailed into Syria, and landed at Tyre: for there the ship was to
unlade her burden.

21:4 And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to
Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem.

21:5 And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our
way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till
we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

21:6 And when we had taken our leave one of another, we took ship; and
they returned home again.

21:7 And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to
Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day.

21:8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and
came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the
evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.

21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

21:10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a
certain prophet, named Agabus.

21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound
his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall
the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall
deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

21:12 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place,
besought him not to go up to Jerusalem.

21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine
heart?  for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at
Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

21:14 And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will
of the Lord be done.

21:15 And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to
Jerusalem.

21:16 There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea,
and brought with them one Mnason of Cyprus, an old disciple, with whom
we should lodge.

21:17 And when we were come to Jerusalem, the brethren received us
gladly.

21:18 And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all
the elders were present.

21:19 And when he had saluted them, he declared particularly what
things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry.

21:20 And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord, and said unto
him, Thou seest, brother, how many thousands of Jews there are which
believe; and they are all zealous of the law: 21:21 And they are
informed of thee, that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the
Gentiles to forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise
their children, neither to walk after the customs.

21:22 What is it therefore? the multitude must needs come together:
for they will hear that thou art come.

21:23 Do therefore this that we say to thee: We have four men which
have a vow on them; 21:24 Them take, and purify thyself with them, and
be at charges with them, that they may shave their heads: and all may
know that those things, whereof they were informed concerning thee,
are nothing; but that thou thyself also walkest orderly, and keepest
the law.

21:25 As touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and
concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep
themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from
strangled, and from fornication.

21:26 Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with
them entered into the temple, to signify the accomplishment of the
days of purification, until that an offering should be offered for
every one of them.

21:27 And when the seven days were almost ended, the Jews which were
of Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the people,
and laid hands on him, 21:28 Crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is
the man, that teacheth all men every where against the people, and the
law, and this place: and further brought Greeks also into the temple,
and hath polluted this holy place.

21:29 (For they had seen before with him in the city Trophimus an
Ephesian, whom they supposed that Paul had brought into the temple.)
21:30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and
they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the
doors were shut.

21:31 And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief
captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.

21:32 Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto
them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left
beating of Paul.

21:33 Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded
him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he
had done.

21:34 And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and
when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him
to be carried into the castle.

21:35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne
of the soldiers for the violence of the people.

21:36 For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away
with him.

21:37 And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the
chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak
Greek?  21:38 Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days
madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand
men that were murderers?  21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a
Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I
beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people.

21:40 And when he had given him licence, Paul stood on the stairs, and
beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a
great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying, 22:1
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto
you.

22:2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them,
they kept the more silence: and he saith,) 22:3 I am verily a man
which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in
this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect
manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye
all are this day.

22:4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering
into prisons both men and women.

22:5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate
of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren,
and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto
Jerusalem, for to be punished.

22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come
nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a
great light round about me.

22:7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  22:8 And I answered, Who art
thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou
persecutest.

22:9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid;
but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

22:10 And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said unto me,
Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all
things which are appointed for thee to do.

22:11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led
by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.

22:12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a
good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 22:13 Came unto me, and
stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same
hour I looked up upon him.

22:14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou
shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the
voice of his mouth.

22:15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast
seen and heard.

22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away
thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

22:17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem,
even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; 22:18 And saw
him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem:
for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

22:19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every
synagogue them that believed on thee: 22:20 And when the blood of thy
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto
his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

22:21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto
the Gentiles.

22:22 And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up
their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it
is not fit that he should live.

22:23 And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw
dust into the air, 22:24 The chief captain commanded him to be brought
into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging;
that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.

22:25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion
that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman,
and uncondemned?  22:26 When the centurion heard that, he went and
told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this
man is a Roman.

22:27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art
thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

22:28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this
freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

22:29 Then straightway they departed from him which should have
examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew
that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

22:30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty
wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands,
and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and
brought Paul down, and set him before them.

23:1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and
brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this
day.

23:2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to
smite him on the mouth.

23:3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall:
for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be
smitten contrary to the law?  23:4 And they that stood by said,
Revilest thou God's high priest?  23:5 Then said Paul, I wist not,
brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt
not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.

23:6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the
other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a
Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the
dead I am called in question.

23:7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the
Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

23:8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither
angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

23:9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the
Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this
man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight
against God.

23:10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain,
fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded
the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and
to bring him into the castle.

23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of
good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so
must thou bear witness also at Rome.

23:12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and
bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor
drink till they had killed Paul.

23:13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.

23:14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have
bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we
have slain Paul.

23:15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain
that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire
something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near,
are ready to kill him.

23:16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he
went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.

23:17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring
this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to
tell him.

23:18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said,
Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this
young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.

23:19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him
aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
23:20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou
wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they
would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.

23:21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him
of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath,
that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and
now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.

23:22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged
him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.

23:23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two
hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten,
and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night; 23:24 And
provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe
unto Felix the governor.

23:25 And he wrote a letter after this manner: 23:26 Claudius Lysias
unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.

23:27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of
them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood
that he was a Roman.

23:28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused
him, I brought him forth into their council: 23:29 Whom I perceived to
be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his
charge worthy of death or of bonds.

23:30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man,
I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also
to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.

23:31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and
brought him by night to Antipatris.

23:32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and
returned to the castle: 23:33 Who, when they came to Caesarea and
delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.

23:34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what
province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia; 23:35
I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he
commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.

24:1 And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the
elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the
governor against Paul.

24:2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him,
saying, Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness, and that very
worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, 24:3 We
accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all
thankfulness.

24:4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray
thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words.

24:5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of
sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of
the sect of the Nazarenes: 24:6 Who also hath gone about to profane
the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law.

24:7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great
violence took him away out of our hands, 24:8 Commanding his accusers
to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge
of all these things, whereof we accuse him.

24:9 And the Jews also assented, saying that these things were so.

24:10 Then Paul, after that the governor had beckoned unto him to
speak, answered, Forasmuch as I know that thou hast been of many years
a judge unto this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself:
24:11 Because that thou mayest understand, that there are yet but
twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem for to worship.

24:12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man,
neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the
city: 24:13 Neither can they prove the things whereof they now accuse
me.

24:14 But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call
heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which
are written in the law and in the prophets: 24:15 And have hope toward
God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a
resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

24:16 And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void to offence toward God, and toward men.

24:17 Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and
offerings.

24:18 Whereupon certain Jews from Asia found me purified in the
temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult.

24:19 Who ought to have been here before thee, and object, if they had
ought against me.

24:20 Or else let these same here say, if they have found any evil
doing in me, while I stood before the council, 24:21 Except it be for
this one voice, that I cried standing among them, Touching the
resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day.

24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge
of that way, he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain
shall come down, I will know the uttermost of your matter.

24:23 And he commanded a centurion to keep Paul, and to let him have
liberty, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to
minister or come unto him.

24:24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla,
which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the
faith in Christ.

24:25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to
come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I
have a convenient season, I will call for thee.

24:26 He hoped also that money should have been given him of Paul,
that he might loose him: wherefore he sent for him the oftener, and
communed with him.

24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and
Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.

25:1 Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he
ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

25:2 Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him
against Paul, and besought him, 25:3 And desired favour against him,
that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to
kill him.

25:4 But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and
that he himself would depart shortly thither.

25:5 Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down
with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

25:6 And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went
down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat
commanded Paul to be brought.

25:7 And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem
stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul,
which they could not prove.

25:8 While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the
Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I
offended any thing at all.

25:9 But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and
said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these
things before me?  25:10 Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment
seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as
thou very well knowest.

25:11 For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of
death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things
whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal
unto Caesar.

25:12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered,
Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

25:13 And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto
Caesarea to salute Festus.

25:14 And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's
cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by
Felix: 25:15 About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests
and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment
against him.

25:16 To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to
deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the
accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself
concerning the crime laid against him.

25:17 Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the
morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought
forth.

25:18 Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none
accusation of such things as I supposed: 25:19 But had certain
questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus,
which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

25:20 And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him
whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these
matters.

25:21 But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of
Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

25:22 Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself.
To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

25:23 And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with
great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief
captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul
was brought forth.

25:24 And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here
present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the
Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that
he ought not to live any longer.

25:25 But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death,
and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to
send him.

25:26 Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore
I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king
Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

25:27 For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not
withal to signify the crimes laid against him.

26:1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for
thyself.

Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself: 26:2 I
think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself
this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of
the Jews: 26:3 Especially because I know thee to be expert in all
customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech
thee to hear me patiently.

26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among
mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 26:5 Which knew me
from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most
straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

26:6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of
God, unto our fathers: 26:7 Unto which promise our twelve tribes,
instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's
sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.

26:8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God
should raise the dead?  26:9 I verily thought with myself, that I
ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

26:10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did
I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests;
and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

26:11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them
to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted
them even unto strange cities.

26:12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission
from the chief priests, 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a
light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round
about me and them which journeyed with me.

26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice
speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom
thou persecutest.

26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee
for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these
things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will
appear unto thee; 26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the
Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 26:18 To open their eyes, and to
turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among
them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the
heavenly vision: 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at
Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet
for repentance.

26:21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went
about to kill me.

26:22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day,
witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than
those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: 26:23 That
Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise
from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the
Gentiles.

26:24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice,
Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

26:25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth
the words of truth and soberness.

26:26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak
freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from
him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

26:27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou
believest.

26:28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a
Christian.

26:29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all
that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am,
except these bonds.

26:30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor,
and Bernice, and they that sat with them: 26:31 And when they were
gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth
nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

26:32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at
liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.

27:1 And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they
delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a
centurion of Augustus' band.

27:2 And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to
sail by the coasts of Asia; one Aristarchus, a Macedonian of
Thessalonica, being with us.

27:3 And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously
entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh
himself.

27:4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus,
because the winds were contrary.

27:5 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we
came to Myra, a city of Lycia.

27:6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into
Italy; and he put us therein.

27:7 And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come
over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete,
over against Salmone; 27:8 And, hardly passing it, came unto a place
which is called The fair havens; nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea.

27:9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous,
because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them, 27:10 And
said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt
and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our
lives.

27:11 Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the owner of
the ship, more than those things which were spoken by Paul.

27:12 And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more
part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain
to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth
toward the south west and north west.

27:13 And when the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had
obtained their purpose, loosing thence, they sailed close by Crete.

27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind,
called Euroclydon.

27:15 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the
wind, we let her drive.

27:16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we
had much work to come by the boat: 27:17 Which when they had taken up,
they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should
fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.

27:18 And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day
they lightened the ship; 27:19 And the third day we cast out with our
own hands the tackling of the ship.

27:20 And when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and no
small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be saved was then
taken away.

27:21 But after long abstinence Paul stood forth in the midst of them,
and said, Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed
from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.

27:22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no
loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

27:23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am,
and whom I serve, 27:24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought
before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with
thee.

27:25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it
shall be even as it was told me.

27:26 Howbeit we must be cast upon a certain island.

27:27 But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were driven up and
down in Adria, about midnight the shipmen deemed that they drew near
to some country; 27:28 And sounded, and found it twenty fathoms: and
when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it
fifteen fathoms.

27:29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast
four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day.

27:30 And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they
had let down the boat into the sea, under colour as though they would
have cast anchors out of the foreship, 27:31 Paul said to the
centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye
cannot be saved.

27:32 Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat, and let her
fall off.

27:33 And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them all to take
meat, saying, This day is the fourteenth day that ye have tarried and
continued fasting, having taken nothing.

27:34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your
health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

27:35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to
God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to
eat.

27:36 Then were they all of good cheer, and they also took some meat.

27:37 And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore and
sixteen souls.

27:38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and
cast out the wheat into the sea.

27:39 And when it was day, they knew not the land: but they discovered
a certain creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if it
were possible, to thrust in the ship.

27:40 And when they had taken up the anchors, they committed
themselves unto the sea, and loosed the rudder bands, and hoised up
the mainsail to the wind, and made toward shore.

27:41 And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran the ship
aground; and the forepart stuck fast, and remained unmoveable, but the
hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves.

27:42 And the soldiers' counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of
them should swim out, and escape.

27:43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their
purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast
themselves first into the sea, and get to land: 27:44 And the rest,
some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship.

And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

28:1 And when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was
called Melita.

28:2 And the barbarous people shewed us no little kindness: for they
kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present
rain, and because of the cold.

28:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on
the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his
hand.

28:4 And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand,
they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom,
though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live.

28:5 And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

28:6 Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down
dead suddenly: but after they had looked a great while, and saw no
harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a
god.

28:7 In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the
island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three
days courteously.

28:8 And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a
fever and of a bloody flux: to whom Paul entered in, and prayed, and
laid his hands on him, and healed him.

28:9 So when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the
island, came, and were healed: 28:10 Who also honoured us with many
honours; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were
necessary.

28:11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria,
which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux.

28:12 And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days.

28:13 And from thence we fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium: and
after one day the south wind blew, and we came the next day to
Puteoli: 28:14 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with
them seven days: and so we went toward Rome.

28:15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to
meet us as far as Appii forum, and The three taverns: whom when Paul
saw, he thanked God, and took courage.

28:16 And when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners
to the captain of the guard: but Paul was suffered to dwell by himself
with a soldier that kept him.

28:17 And it came to pass, that after three days Paul called the chief
of the Jews together: and when they were come together, he said unto
them, Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the
people, or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from
Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.

28:18 Who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because
there was no cause of death in me.

28:19 But when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal
unto Caesar; not that I had ought to accuse my nation of.

28:20 For this cause therefore have I called for you, to see you, and
to speak with you: because that for the hope of Israel I am bound with
this chain.

28:21 And they said unto him, We neither received letters out of
Judaea concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came shewed
or spake any harm of thee.

28:22 But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as
concerning this sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.

28:23 And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him
into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of
God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses,
and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.

28:24 And some believed the things which were spoken, and some
believed not.

28:25 And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after
that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the
prophet unto our fathers, 28:26 Saying, Go unto this people, and say,
Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall
see, and not perceive: 28:27 For the heart of this people is waxed
gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they
closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I
should heal them.

28:28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is
sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

28:29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had
great reasoning among themselves.

28:30 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and
received all that came in unto him, 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of
God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ,
with all confidence, no man forbidding him.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans


1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated unto the gospel of God, 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by
his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh; 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to
the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 1:5 By whom
we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith
among all nations, for his name: 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called
of Jesus Christ: 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to
be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord
Jesus Christ.

1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your
faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel
of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my
prayers; 1:10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might
have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.

1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual
gift, to the end ye may be established; 1:12 That is, that I may be
comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

1:13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I
purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have
some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.

1:14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to
the wise, and to the unwise.

1:15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you
that are at Rome also.

1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek.

1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to
faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness; 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is
manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even
his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 1:21
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God,
neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and
their foolish heart was darkened.

1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 1:23 And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping
things.

1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts
of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and
served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever.
Amen.

1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even
their women did change the natural use into that which is against
nature: 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the
woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working
that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of
their error which was meet.

1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are
not convenient; 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy,
murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 1:30 Backbiters, haters
of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents, 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers,
without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 1:32 Who knowing
the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of
death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that
judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself;
for thou that judgest doest the same things.

2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth
against them which commit such things.

2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such
things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of
God?  2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance
and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee
to repentance?  2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart
treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and
revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 2:6 Who will render to
every man according to his deeds: 2:7 To them who by patient
continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality,
eternal life: 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey
the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 2:9
Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of
the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 2:10 But glory, honour, and
peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to
the Gentile: 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without
law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the
doers of the law shall be justified.

2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the
things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto
themselves: 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the
mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 2:16 In the day
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to
my gospel.

2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest
thy boast of God, 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things
that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 2:19 And art
confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them
which are in darkness, 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of
babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?
thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?  2:22
Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit
adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?  2:23
Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law
dishonourest thou God?  2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among
the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if
thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the
law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?  2:27
And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law,
judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the
law?  2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is
that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 2:29 But he is a
Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in
the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of
God.

3:1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of
circumcision?  3:2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them
were committed the oracles of God.

3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect?  3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true,
but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be
justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

3:5 But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what
shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a
man) 3:6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?  3:7 For
if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory;
why yet am I also judged as a sinner?  3:8 And not rather, (as we be
slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do
evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

3:9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have
before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;
3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 3:11
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after
God.

3:12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become
unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

3:13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have
used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 3:14 Whose mouth
is full of cursing and bitterness: 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed
blood: 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 3:17 And the way
of peace have they not known: 3:18 There is no fear of God before
their eyes.

3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to
them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world may become guilty before God.

3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

3:21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested,
being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 3:22 Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and
upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 3:23 For all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 3:24 Being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his
blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are
past, through the forbearance of God; 3:26 To declare, I say, at this
time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of
him which believeth in Jesus.

3:27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works?
Nay: but by the law of faith.

3:28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without
the deeds of the law.

3:29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles?
Yes, of the Gentiles also: 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall
justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we
establish the law.

4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to
the flesh, hath found?  4:2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he
hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was
counted unto him for righteousness.

4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but
of debt.

4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

4:6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto
whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 4:7 Saying, Blessed are
they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

4:8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.

4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon
the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham
for righteousness.

4:10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in
uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.

4:11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the
righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that
he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not
circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 4:12
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision
only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father
Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

4:13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not
to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the
righteousness of faith.

4:14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void,
and the promise made of none effect: 4:15 Because the law worketh
wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

4:16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end
the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is
of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is
the father of us all, 4:17 (As it is written, I have made thee a
father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who
quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though
they were.

4:18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the
father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall
thy seed be.

4:19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now
dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's womb: 4:20 He staggered not at the promise of God through
unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 4:21 And being
fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to
perform.

4:22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

4:23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to
him; 4:24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe
on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 4:25 Who was
delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our
justification.

5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ: 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into
this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience; 5:4 And patience, experience; and
experience, hope: 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of
God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto
us.

5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for
the ungodly.

5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure
for a good man some would even dare to die.

5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through him.

5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the
death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by
his life.

5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 5:13
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when
there is no law.

5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who
is the figure of him that was to come.

5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through
the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the
gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto
many.

5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the
judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many
offences unto justification.

5:17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)  5:18 Therefore as by the
offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto
justification of life.

5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by
the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But
where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 5:21 That as sin hath
reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may
abound?  6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any
longer therein?  6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized
into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?  6:4 Therefore we are
buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should
walk in newness of life.

6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: 6:6 Knowing
this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live
with him: 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no
more; death hath no more dominion over him.

6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he
liveth, he liveth unto God.

6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should
obey it in the lusts thereof.

6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from
the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under
the law, but under grace.

6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but
under grace? God forbid.

6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey,
his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of
obedience unto righteousness?  6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were
the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of
doctrine which was delivered you.

6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of
righteousness.

6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your
flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and
to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to
righteousness unto holiness.

6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from
righteousness.

6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now
ashamed?  for the end of those things is death.

6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye
have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal
life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,)
how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?  7:2
For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband
so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from
the law of her husband.

7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another
man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead,
she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be
married to another man.

7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the
body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who
is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by
the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we
were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the
oldness of the letter.

7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not
known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law
had said, Thou shalt not covet.

7:8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all
manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment
came, sin revived, and I died.

7:10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be
unto death.

7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by
it slew me.

7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just,
and good.

7:13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But
sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is
good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

7:14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold
under sin.

7:15 For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not;
but what I hate, that do I.

7:16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that
it is good.

7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good
thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which
is good I find not.

7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would
not, that I do.

7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin
that dwelleth in me.

7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present
with me.

7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 7:23 But I
see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

7:24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of
this death?  7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then
with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the
law of sin.

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ
Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me
free from the law of sin and death.

8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and
for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 8:4 That the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit.

8:5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;
but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded
is life and peace.

8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not
subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8:8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of
Christ, he is none of his.

8:10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the
Spirit is life because of righteousness.

8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell
in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your
mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

8:12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live
after the flesh.

8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of
God.

8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are
the children of God: 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God,
and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we
may be also glorified together.

8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the
manifestation of the sons of God.

8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but
by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 8:21 Because the
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption
into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in
pain together until now.

8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for
the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for
what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  8:25 But if we hope for
that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

8:27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the
Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the
will of God.

8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn
among many brethren.

8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom
he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also
glorified.

8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can
be against us?  8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him
up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all
things?  8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It
is God that justifieth.

8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also
maketh intercession for us.

8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation,
or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?  8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day
long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
that loved us.

8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

9:1 I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing
me witness in the Holy Ghost, 9:2 That I have great heaviness and
continual sorrow in my heart.

9:3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my
brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 9:4 Who are Israelites;
to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and
the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ
came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

9:6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are
not all Israel, which are of Israel: 9:7 Neither, because they are the
seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed
be called.

9:8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not
the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for
the seed.

9:9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and
Sarah shall have a son.

9:10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one,
even by our father Isaac; 9:11 (For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God
according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that
calleth;) 9:12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the
younger.

9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God
forbid.

9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that sheweth mercy.

9:17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose
have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my
name might be declared throughout all the earth.

9:18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he
will he hardeneth.

9:19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who
hath resisted his will?  9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that
repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed
it, Why hast thou made me thus?  9:21 Hath not the potter power over
the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another
unto dishonour?  9:22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to
make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of
wrath fitted to destruction: 9:23 And that he might make known the
riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore
prepared unto glory, 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the
Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?  9:25 As he saith also in Osee, I
will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved,
which was not beloved.

9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said
unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the
children of the living God.

9:27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the
children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be
saved: 9:28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in
righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.

9:29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us
a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not
after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the
righteousness which is of faith.

9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath
not attained to the law of righteousness.

9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by
the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 9:33
As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of
offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that
they might be saved.

10:2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not
according to knowledge.

10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God.

10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one
that believeth.

10:5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That
the man which doeth those things shall live by them.

10:6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise,
Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to
bring Christ down from above:) 10:7 Or, Who shall descend into the
deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)  10:8 But
what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy
heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 10:9 That if thou
shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved.

10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed.

10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for
the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.

10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how
shall they hear without a preacher?  10:15 And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things!  10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias
saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  10:17 So then faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went
into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

10:19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will
provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish
nation I will anger you.

10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that
sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.

10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my
hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also
am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

11:2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not
what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God
against Israel saying, 11:3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and
digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to
myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of
Baal.

11:5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant
according to the election of grace.

11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is
no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace:
otherwise work is no more work.

11:7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for;
but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.

11:8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of
slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not
hear;) unto this day.

11:9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and
a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 11:10 Let their eyes be
darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God
forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

11:12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the
diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their
fulness?  11:13 For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the
apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 11:14 If by any means
I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save
some of them.

11:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world,
what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?  11:16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root
be holy, so are the branches.

11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a
wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest
of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 11:18 Boast not against the
branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root
thee.

11:19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might
be graffed in.

11:20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou
standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 11:21 For if God
spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not
thee.

11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which
fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his
goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

11:23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be
graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again.

11:24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by
nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree:
how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed
into their own olive tree?  11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye
should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own
conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the
fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall
come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from
Jacob: 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away
their sins.

11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but
as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes.

11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their unbelief: 11:31 Even so have these also
now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.

11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have
mercy upon all.

11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of
God!  how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding
out!  11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been
his counsellor?  11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be
recompensed unto him again?  11:36 For of him, and through him, and to
him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye
present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.

12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is
among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think;
but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith.

12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not
the same office: 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and
every one members one of another.

12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given
to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion
of faith; 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that
teacheth, on teaching; 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he
that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with
diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil;
cleave to that which is good.

12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in
honour preferring one another; 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent
in spirit; serving the Lord; 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in
tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 12:13 Distributing to the
necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things,
but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the
sight of all men.

12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with
all men.

12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place
unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith
the Lord.

12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give
him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no
power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance
of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt
thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou
shalt have praise of the same: 13:4 For he is the minister of God to
thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he
beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a
revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also
for conscience sake.

13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's
ministers, attending continually upon this very thing.

13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is
due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.

13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth
another hath fulfilled the law.

13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill,
Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt
not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly
comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.

13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the
fulfilling of the law.

13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake
out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore
cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and
drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and
envying.

13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for
the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful
disputations.

14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is
weak, eateth herbs.

14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not
him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own
master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is
able to make him stand.

14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every
day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he
that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that
eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that
eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die,
we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the
Lord's.

14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he
might be Lord both of the dead and living.

14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at
nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of
Christ.

14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall
bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this
rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his
brother's way.

14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is
nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be
unclean, to him it is unclean.

14:15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou
not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.

14:16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 14:17 For the kingdom
of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost.

14:18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God,
and approved of men.

14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace,
and things wherewith one may edify another.

14:20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are
pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.

14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any
thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

14:22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that
condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not
of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the
weak, and not to please ourselves.

15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to
edification.

15:3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The
reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope.

15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be
likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 15:6 That ye
may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ.

15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to
the glory of God.

15:8 Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision
for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
15:9 And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is
written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and
sing unto thy name.

15:10 And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.

15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all
ye people.

15:12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he
that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles
trust.

15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost.

15:14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also
are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish
one another.

15:15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you
in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is
given to me of God, 15:16 That I should be the minister of Jesus
Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the
offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by
the Holy Ghost.

15:17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in
those things which pertain to God.

15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ
hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and
deed, 15:19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the
Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum,
I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ
was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation: 15:21
But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see:
and they that have not heard shall understand.

15:22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to
you.

15:23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great
desire these many years to come unto you; 15:24 Whensoever I take my
journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my
journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be
somewhat filled with your company.

15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.

15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a
certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if
the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their
duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

15:28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them
this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the
fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake,
and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in
your prayers to God for me; 15:31 That I may be delivered from them
that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for
Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; 15:32 That I may come unto
you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the
church which is at Cenchrea: 16:2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as
becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she
hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself
also.

16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: 16:4 Who
have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give
thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

16:5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my
well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

16:6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

16:7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners,
who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

16:8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

16:9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

16:10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of
Aristobulus' household.

16:11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household
of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

16:12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the
beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

16:13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

16:14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the
brethren which are with them.

16:15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and
Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

16:16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ
salute you.

16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and
offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid
them.

16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but
their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the
hearts of the simple.

16:19 For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad
therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that
which is good, and simple concerning evil.

16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

16:21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater,
my kinsmen, salute you.

16:22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord.

16:23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus
the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.

16:24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

16:25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my
gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation
of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 16:26 But
now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according
to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations
for the obedience of faith: 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through
Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.




The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians


1:1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of
God, and Sosthenes our brother, 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at
Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be
saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus
Christ our Lord, both their's and our's: 1:3 Grace be unto you, and
peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which
is given you by Jesus Christ; 1:5 That in every thing ye are enriched
by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; 1:6 Even as the
testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 1:7 So that ye come behind
in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1:8 Who
shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the
day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his
Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment.

1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them
which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.

1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I
of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.

1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye
baptized in the name of Paul?  1:14 I thank God that I baptized none
of you, but Crispus and Gaius; 1:15 Lest any should say that I had
baptized in mine own name.

1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know
not whether I baptized any other.

1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none
effect.

1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and
will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of
this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  1:21
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,
it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe.

1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock,
and unto the Greeks foolishness; 1:24 But unto them which are called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

1:25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the
weakness of God is stronger than men.

1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men
after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 1:27 But
God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty; 1:28 And base things of the world, and things
which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to
bring to nought things that are: 1:29 That no flesh should glory in
his presence.

1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 1:31
That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in
the Lord.

2:1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of
speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.

2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified.

2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling.

2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 2:5
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God.

2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the
wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to
nought: 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 2:8
Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither
have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared
for them that love him.

2:10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit
searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man
which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the
Spirit of God.

2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit
which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given
to us of God.

2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom
teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual
things with spiritual.

2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.

2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is
judged of no man.

2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct
him?  But we have the mind of Christ.

3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but
as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were
not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and
strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  3:4 For
while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye
not carnal?  3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers
by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  3:6 I have
planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that
watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man
shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.

3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye
are God's building.

3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise
masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth
thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is
Jesus Christ.

3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious
stones, wood, hay, stubble; 3:13 Every man's work shall be made
manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed
by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall
receive a reward.

3:15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he
himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of
God dwelleth in you?  3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him
shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

3:18 Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be
wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.

3:19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is
written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.

3:20 And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they
are vain.

3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's;
3:22 Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or
death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; 3:23 And
ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and
stewards of the mysteries of God.

4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

4:3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of
you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

4:4 For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but
he that judgeth me is the Lord.

4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who
both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make
manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have
praise of God.

4:6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to
myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to
think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed
up for one against another.

4:7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou
that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost
thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?  4:8 Now ye are full,
now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to
God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.

4:9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it
were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world,
and to angels, and to men.

4:10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are
weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

4:11 Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are
naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 4:12 And
labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being
persecuted, we suffer it: 4:13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made
as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto
this day.

4:14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I
warn you.

4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have
ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through
the gospel.

4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

4:17 For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved
son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of
my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.

4:18 Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.

4:19 But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know,
not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.

4:20 For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.

4:21 What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and
in the spirit of meekness?  5:1 It is reported commonly that there is
fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named
among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.

5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that
hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.

5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have
judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so
done this deed, 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are
gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus
Christ, 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of
the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump?  5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven,
that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our
passover is sacrificed for us: 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast,
not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness;
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

5:9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
5:10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with
the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye
needs go out of the world.

5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man
that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater,
or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not
to eat.

5:12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not
ye judge them that are within?  5:13 But them that are without God
judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.

6:1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before
the unjust, and not before the saints?  6:2 Do ye not know that the
saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you,
are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?  6:3 Know ye not that
we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?
6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set
them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.

6:5 I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man
among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his
brethren?  6:6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before
the unbelievers.

6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to
law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not
rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?  6:8 Nay, ye do wrong, and
defraud, and that your brethren.

6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of
God?  Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor
adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor
extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by
the Spirit of our God.

6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient:
all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the
power of any.

6:13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall
destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for
the Lord; and the Lord for the body.

6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us
by his own power.

6:15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I
then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an
harlot? God forbid.

6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one
body?  for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

6:17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body;
but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  6:20
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God's.

7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for
a man not to touch a woman.

7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own
wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

7:3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise
also the wife unto the husband.

7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and
likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the
wife.

7:5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a
time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come
together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.

7:6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.

7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath
his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

7:8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them
if they abide even as I.

7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to
marry than to burn.

7:10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not
the wife depart from her husband: 7:11 But and if she depart, let her
remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the
husband put away his wife.

7:12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife
that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not
put her away.

7:13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he
be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.

7:14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the
unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children
unclean; but now are they holy.

7:15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a
sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to
peace.

7:16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy
husband?  or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy
wife?  7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath
called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches.

7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become
uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be
circumcised.

7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the
keeping of the commandments of God.

7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

7:21 Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou
mayest be made free, use it rather.

7:22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's
freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's
servant.

7:23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.

7:24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with
God.

7:25 Now concerning virgins I have no commandment of the Lord: yet I
give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be
faithful.

7:26 I suppose therefore that this is good for the present distress, I
say, that it is good for a man so to be.

7:27 Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou
loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

7:28 But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin
marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have trouble in
the flesh: but I spare you.

7:29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that
both they that have wives be as though they had none; 7:30 And they
that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though
they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;
7:31 And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion
of this world passeth away.

7:32 But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried
careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the
Lord: 7:33 But he that is married careth for the things that are of
the world, how he may please his wife.

7:34 There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The
unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be
holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for
the things of the world, how she may please her husband.

7:35 And this I speak for your own profit; not that I may cast a snare
upon you, but for that which is comely, and that ye may attend upon
the Lord without distraction.

7:36 But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his
virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let
him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

7:37 Nevertheless he that standeth stedfast in his heart, having no
necessity, but hath power over his own will, and hath so decreed in
his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well.

7:38 So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that
giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

7:39 The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but
if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she
will; only in the Lord.

7:40 But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I
think also that I have the Spirit of God.

8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all
have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing
yet as he ought to know.

8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

8:4 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are
offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in
the world, and that there is none other God but one.

8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in
earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 8:6 But to us there is
but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and
one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

8:7 Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with
conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto
an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

8:8 But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we
the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a
stumblingblock to them that are weak.

8:10 For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the
idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be
emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 8:11 And
through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ
died?  8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their
weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

8:13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh
while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

9:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ
our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?  9:2 If I be not an apostle
unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine
apostleship are ye in the Lord.

9:3 Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, 9:4 Have we not
power to eat and to drink?  9:5 Have we not power to lead about a
sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the
Lord, and Cephas?  9:6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to
forbear working?  9:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?
who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who
feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?  9:8 Say I
these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also?  9:9 For it
is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the
ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?  9:10 Or
saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is
written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that
thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if
we shall reap your carnal things?  9:12 If others be partakers of this
power over you, are not we rather?  Nevertheless we have not used this
power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of
Christ.

9:13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of
the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are
partakers with the altar?  9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that
they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

9:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written
these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better
for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.

9:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for
necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel!  9:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but
if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.

9:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I
may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my
power in the gospel.

9:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant
unto all, that I might gain the more.

9:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews;
to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain
them that are under the law; 9:21 To them that are without law, as
without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to
Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

9:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am
made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

9:23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker
thereof with you.

9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one
receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all
things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an
incorruptible.

9:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one
that beateth the air: 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into
subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway.

10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how
that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea; 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the
sea; 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 10:4 And did all
drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock
that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

10:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were
overthrown in the wilderness.

10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not
lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

10:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written,
The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

10:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and
fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

10:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and
were destroyed of serpents.

10:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were
destroyed of the destroyer.

10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they
are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are
come.

10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he
fall.

10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that
ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.

10:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

10:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.

10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of
the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion
of the body of Christ?  10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one
body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

10:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the
sacrifices partakers of the altar?  10:19 What say I then? that the
idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is
any thing?  10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles
sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not
that ye should have fellowship with devils.

10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye
cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.

10:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient:
all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.

10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question
for conscience sake: 10:26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the
fulness thereof.

10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be
disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question
for conscience sake.

10:28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto
idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake:
for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 10:29
Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my
liberty judged of another man's conscience?  10:30 For if I by grace
be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give
thanks?  10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye
do, do all to the glory of God.

10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor
to the church of God: 10:33 Even as I please all men in all things,
not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be
saved.

11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things,
and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ;
and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

11:4 Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered,
dishonoureth his head.

11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head
uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she
were shaven.

11:6 For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it
be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

11:7 For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is
the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

11:8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

11:9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the
man.

11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because
of the angels.

11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the
woman without the man, in the Lord.

11:12 For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the
woman; but all things of God.

11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God
uncovered?  11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a
man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?  11:15 But if a woman have
long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a
covering.

11:16 But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom,
neither the churches of God.

11:17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye
come together not for the better, but for the worse.

11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear
that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.

11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are
approved may be made manifest among you.

11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to
eat the Lord's supper.

11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and
one is hungry, and another is drunken.

11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye
the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to
you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto
you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took
bread: 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in
remembrance of me.

11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft
as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do
shew the Lord's death till he come.

11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of
the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the
Lord.

11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread,
and drink of that cup.

11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh
damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many
sleep.

11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.

11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we
should not be condemned with the world.

11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one
for another.

11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not
together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I
come.

12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you
ignorant.

12:2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb
idols, even as ye were led.

12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the
Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that
Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God
which worketh all in all.

12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to
profit withal.

12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another
the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 12:9 To another faith by the
same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 12:10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another
the interpretation of tongues: 12:11 But all these worketh that one
and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the
members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we
be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all
made to drink into one Spirit.

12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.

12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of
the body; is it therefore not of the body?  12:16 And if the ear shall
say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore
not of the body?  12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the
hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  12:18
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it
hath pleased him.

12:19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?  12:20 But
now are they many members, yet but one body.

12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee:
nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

12:22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more
feeble, are necessary: 12:23 And those members of the body, which we
think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant
honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

12:24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the
body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which
lacked.

12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members
should have the same care one for another.

12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it;
or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all
workers of miracles?  12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all
speak with tongues? do all interpret?  12:31 But covet earnestly the
best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have
not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I
could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I
give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me
nothing.

13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 13:5 Doth not behave itself
unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no
evil; 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 13:7
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things.

13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they
shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there
be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in
part shall be done away.

13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,
I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish
things.

13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face:
now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the
greatest of these is charity.

14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that
ye may prophesy.

14:2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men,
but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he
speaketh mysteries.

14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and
exhortation, and comfort.

14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he
that prophesieth edifieth the church.

14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye
prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh
with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive
edifying.

14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what
shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation,
or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?  14:7 And even
things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they
give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped
or harped?  14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall
prepare himself to the battle?  14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter
by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what
is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and
none of them is without signification.

14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be
unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a
barbarian unto me.

14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek
that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

14:13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that
he may interpret.

14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my
understanding is unfruitful.

14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray
with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will
sing with the understanding also.

14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that
occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks,
seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?  14:17 For thou verily
givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: 14:19 Yet
in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding,
that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in
an unknown tongue.

14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be
ye children, but in understanding be men.

14:21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other
lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not
hear me, saith the LORD.

14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but
to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that
believe not, but for them which believe.

14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place,
and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are
unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?  14:24
But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one
unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 14:25 And thus
are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his
face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of
you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation,
hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at
the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the
church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the
first hold his peace.

14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all
may be comforted.

14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all
churches of the saints.

14:34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not
permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under
obedience as also saith the law.

14:35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at
home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

14:36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you
only?  14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual,
let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the
commandments of the Lord.

14:38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak
with tongues.

14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I
preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached
unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 15:4
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according
to the scriptures: 15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the
twelve: 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at
once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are
fallen asleep.

15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due
time.

15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called
an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was
bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than
they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

15:11 Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye
believed.

15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say
some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  15:13 But
if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your
faith is also vain.

15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if
so be that the dead rise not.

15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 15:17 And
if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.

15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
most miserable.

15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept.

15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection
of the dead.

15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.

15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;
afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom
to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all
authority and power.

15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all
things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which
did put all things under him.

15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the
Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him,
that God may be all in all.

15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the
dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?  15:30
And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?  15:31 I protest by your
rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily.

15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus,
what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink;
for to morrow we die.

15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the
knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what
body do they come?  15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not
quickened, except it die: 15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou
sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of
wheat, or of some other grain: 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it
hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh
of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of
birds.

15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the
glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is
another.

15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon,
and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another
star in glory.

15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in
corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 15:43 It is sown in
dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised
in power: 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual
body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul;
the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is
natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the
Lord from heaven.

15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is
the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear
the image of the heavenly.

15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we
shall all be changed, 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal
must put on immortality.

15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and
this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to
pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ.

15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that
your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given
order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.

16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in
store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I
come.

16:3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters,
them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem.

16:4 And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.

16:5 Now I will come unto you, when I shall pass through Macedonia:
for I do pass through Macedonia.

16:6 And it may be that I will abide, yea, and winter with you, that
ye may bring me on my journey whithersoever I go.

16:7 For I will not see you now by the way; but I trust to tarry a
while with you, if the Lord permit.

16:8 But I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost.

16:9 For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are
many adversaries.

16:10 Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear:
for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.

16:11 Let no man therefore despise him: but conduct him forth in
peace, that he may come unto me: for I look for him with the brethren.

16:12 As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come
unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at
this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time.

16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

16:14 Let all your things be done with charity.

16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that
it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted
themselves to the ministry of the saints,) 16:16 That ye submit
yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and
laboureth.

16:17 I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and
Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.

16:18 For they have refreshed my spirit and your's: therefore
acknowledge ye them that are such.

16:19 The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you
much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with
an holy kiss.

16:21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.

16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be
Anathema Maranatha.

16:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.




The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians


1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy
our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the
saints which are in all Achaia: 1:2 Grace be to you and peace from God
our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 1:4 Who comforteth us
in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are
in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of
God.

1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation
also aboundeth by Christ.

1:6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and
salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings
which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your
consolation and salvation.

1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers
of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.

1:8 For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which
came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above
strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: 1:9 But we had the
sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves,
but in God which raiseth the dead: 1:10 Who delivered us from so great
a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver
us; 1:11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift
bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by
many on our behalf.

1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that
in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the
grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more
abundantly to you-ward.

1:13 For we write none other things unto you, than what ye read or
acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end; 1:14 As
also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even
as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus.

1:15 And in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before, that
ye might have a second benefit; 1:16 And to pass by you into
Macedonia, and to come again out of Macedonia unto you, and of you to
be brought on my way toward Judaea.

1:17 When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the
things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with
me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?  1:18 But as God is true, our
word toward you was not yea and nay.

1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by
us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in
him was yea.

1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto
the glory of God by us.

1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed
us, is God; 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the
Spirit in our hearts.

1:23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you
I came not as yet unto Corinth.

1:24 Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of
your joy: for by faith ye stand.

2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to
you in heaviness.

2:2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but
the same which is made sorry by me?  2:3 And I wrote this same unto
you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought
to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of
you all.

2:4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you
with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know
the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

2:5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part:
that I may not overcharge you all.

2:6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted
of many.

2:7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort
him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch
sorrow.

2:8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward
him.

2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of
you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

2:10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave
any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the
person of Christ; 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for
we are not ignorant of his devices.

2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and
a door was opened unto me of the Lord, 2:13 I had no rest in my
spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of
them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in
Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every
place.

2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are
saved, and in them that perish: 2:16 To the one we are the savour of
death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And
who is sufficient for these things?  2:17 For we are not as many,
which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in
the sight of God speak we in Christ.

3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some
others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation
from you?  3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and
read of all men: 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the
epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the
Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables
of the heart.

3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 3:5 Not that we
are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but
our sufficiency is of God; 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of
the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the
letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones,
was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly
behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory
was to be done away: 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit
be rather glorious?  3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be
glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in
glory.

3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this
respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.

3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which
remaineth is glorious.

3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of
speech: 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that
the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that
which is abolished: 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this
day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old
testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon
their heart.

3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be
taken away.

3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is liberty.

3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of
the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as
by the Spirit of the LORD.

4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy,
we faint not; 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,
not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully;
but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's
conscience in the sight of God.

4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4:4 In
whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is
the image of God, should shine unto them.

4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and
ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath
shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency
of the power may be of God, and not of us.

4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perplexed, but not in despair; 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast
down, but not destroyed; 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the
dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made
manifest in our body.

4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake,
that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal
flesh.

4:12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I
believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore
speak; 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise
up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might
through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish,
yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 4:18 While we
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not
seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which
are not seen are eternal.

5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.

5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with
our house which is from heaven: 5:3 If so be that being clothed we
shall not be found naked.

5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not
for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might
be swallowed up of life.

5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who
also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.

5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at
home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 5:7 (For we walk by
faith, not by sight:) 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather
to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be
accepted of him.

5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that
he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we
are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your
consciences.

5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you
occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer
them which glory in appearance, and not in heart.

5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we
be sober, it is for your cause.

5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge,
that if one died for all, then were all dead: 5:15 And that he died
for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto
themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though
we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him
no more.

5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by
Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed
unto us the word of reconciliation.

5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech
you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him.

6:1 We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye
receive not the grace of God in vain.

6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the
day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)  6:3 Giving no offence in
any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 6:4 But in all things
approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 6:5 In stripes, in
imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6:6
By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy
Ghost, by love unfeigned, 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of
God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
6:8 By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as
deceivers, and yet true; 6:9 As unknown, and yet well known; as dying,
and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 6:10 As sorrowful,
yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing,
and yet possessing all things.

6:11 O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is
enlarged.

6:12 Ye are not straitened in us, but ye are straitened in your own
bowels.

6:13 Now for a recompence in the same, (I speak as unto my children,)
be ye also enlarged.

6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what
fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion
hath light with darkness?  6:15 And what concord hath Christ with
Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  6:16 And
what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the
temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and
walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the
Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

7:1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting
holiness in the fear of God.

7:2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we
have defrauded no man.

7:3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye
are in our hearts to die and live with you.

7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of
you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our
tribulation.

7:5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but
we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were
fears.

7:6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down,
comforted us by the coming of Titus; 7:7 And not by his coming only,
but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told
us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so
that I rejoiced the more.

7:8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though
I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you
sorry, though it were but for a season.

7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed
to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye
might receive damage by us in nothing.

7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be
repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly
sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of
yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement
desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have
approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

7:12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause
that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but
that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.

7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly
the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was
refreshed by you all.

7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed;
but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting,
which I made before Titus, is found a truth.

7:15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he
remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye
received him.

7:16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.

8:1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia; 8:2 How that in a great trial of
affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded
unto the riches of their liberality.

8:3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power
they were willing of themselves; 8:4 Praying us with much intreaty
that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the
ministering to the saints.

8:5 And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own
selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

8:6 Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would
also finish in you the same grace also.

8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance,
and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that
ye abound in this grace also.

8:8 I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of
others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.

8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he
was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his
poverty might be rich.

8:10 And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who
have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.

8:11 Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a
readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that
which ye have.

8:12 For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to
that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.

8:13 For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: 8:14 But
by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply
for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your
want: that there may be equality: 8:15 As it is written, He that had
gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no
lack.

8:16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the
heart of Titus for you.

8:17 For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward,
of his own accord he went unto you.

8:18 And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the
gospel throughout all the churches; 8:19 And not that only, but who
was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace,
which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and
declaration of your ready mind: 8:20 Avoiding this, that no man should
blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: 8:21 Providing
for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the
sight of men.

8:22 And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes
proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the
great confidence which I have in you.

8:23 Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and
fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are
the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.

8:24 Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of
your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

9:1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous
for me to write to you: 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind,
for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a
year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

9:3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be
in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 9:4 Lest
haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we
(that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident
boasting.

9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they
would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof
ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of
bounty, and not as of covetousness.

9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also
sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also
bountifully.

9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give;
not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye,
always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good
work: 9:9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given
to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for
your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of
your righteousness;) 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all
bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the
want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto
God; 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify
God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for
your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 9:14 And by
their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of
God in you.

9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of
Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold
toward you: 10:2 But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am
present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against
some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

10:3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 10:5 Casting down
imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the
obedience of Christ; 10:6 And having in a readiness to revenge all
disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? If any man
trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this
again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

10:8 For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which
the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction,
I should not be ashamed: 10:9 That I may not seem as if I would
terrify you by letters.

10:10 For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his
bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

10:11 Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by
letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are
present.

10:12 For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare
ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring
themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves,
are not wise.

10:13 But we will not boast of things without our measure, but
according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us,
a measure to reach even unto you.

10:14 For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we
reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in
preaching the gospel of Christ: 10:15 Not boasting of things without
our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when
your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to
our rule abundantly, 10:16 To preach the gospel in the regions beyond
you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to
our hand.

10:17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

10:18 For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the
Lord commendeth.

11:1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and
indeed bear with me.

11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have
espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin
to Christ.

11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve
through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the
simplicity that is in Christ.

11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not
preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received,
or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with
him.

11:5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.

11:6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have
been throughly made manifest among you in all things.

11:7 Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be
exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?
11:8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.

11:9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to
no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from
Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being
burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this
boasting in the regions of Achaia.

11:11 Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.

11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from
them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found
even as we.

11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ.

11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light.

11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works.

11:16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a
fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.

11:17 That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it
were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.

11:18 Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.

11:19 For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.

11:20 For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour
you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you
on the face.

11:21 I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak.
Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold
also.

11:22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are
they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in
labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more
frequent, in deaths oft.

11:24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

11:25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I
suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 11:26
In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in
perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in
the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils
among false brethren; 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings
often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me
daily, the care of all the churches.

11:29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
11:30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern
mine infirmities.

11:31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed
for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

11:32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of
the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: 11:33 And
through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped
his hands.

12:1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to
visions and revelations of the Lord.

12:2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the
body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God
knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

12:3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body,
I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 12:4 How that he was caught up into
paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a
man to utter.

12:5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but
in mine infirmities.

12:6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I
will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me
above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance
of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above
measure.

12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart
from me.

12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I
rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon
me.

12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for
when I am weak, then am I strong.

12:11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I
ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the
very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.

12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all
patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

12:13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches,
except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this
wrong.

12:14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not
be burdensome to you: for I seek not your's but you: for the children
ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.

12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the
more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

12:16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty,
I caught you with guile.

12:17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
12:18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a
gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the
same steps?  12:19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you?
we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved,
for your edifying.

12:20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I
would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest
there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings,
swellings, tumults: 12:21 And lest, when I come again, my God will
humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned
already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and
lasciviousness which they have committed.

13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or
three witnesses shall every word be established.

13:2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the
second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore
have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not
spare: 13:3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to
you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you.

13:4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by
the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with
him by the power of God toward you.

13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own
selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you,
except ye be reprobates?  13:6 But I trust that ye shall know that we
are not reprobates.

13:7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear
approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as
reprobates.

13:8 For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.

13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this
also we wish, even your perfection.

13:10 Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present
I should use sharpness, according to the power which the Lord hath
given me to edification, and not to destruction.

13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be
of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be
with you.

13:12 Greet one another with an holy kiss.

13:13 All the saints salute you.

13:14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians


1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus
Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) 1:2 And all
the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: 1:3
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus
Christ, 1:4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us
from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our
Father: 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into
the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 1:7 Which is not another; but
there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of
Christ.

1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed.

1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other
gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men?
for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached
of me is not after man.

1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by
the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1:13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews'
religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and
wasted it: 1:14 And profited in the Jews' religion above many my
equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the
traditions of my fathers.

1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb,
and called me by his grace, 1:16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might
preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh
and blood: 1:17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were
apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto
Damascus.

1:18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and
abode with him fifteen days.

1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's
brother.

1:20 Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie
not.

1:21 Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia; 1:22 And
was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
1:23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times
past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

1:24 And they glorified God in me.

2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with
Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that
gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which
were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in
vain.

2:3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled
to be circumcised: 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares
brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have
in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 2:5 To whom we
gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the
gospel might continue with you.

2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it
maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who
seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 2:7 But
contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was
committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter;
2:8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of
the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 2:9
And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived
the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the
right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and
they unto the circumcision.

2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which
I also was forward to do.

2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face,
because he was to be blamed.

2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the
Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself,
fearing them which were of the circumcision.

2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that
Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the
truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being
a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews,
why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?  2:15 We who
are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 2:16 Knowing that
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of
Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be
justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for
by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves
also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God
forbid.

2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself
a transgressor.

2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto
God.

2:20 I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live
by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by
the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not
obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set
forth, crucified among you?  3:2 This only would I learn of you,
Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith?  3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now
made perfect by the flesh?  3:4 Have ye suffered so many things in
vain? if it be yet in vain.

3:5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh
miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the
hearing of faith?  3:6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was
accounted to him for righteousness.

3:7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the
children of Abraham.

3:8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen
through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In
thee shall all nations be blessed.

3:9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse:
for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all
things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

3:11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it
is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

3:12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall
live in them.

3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a
curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a
tree: 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles
through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit
through faith.

3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a
man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth
thereto.

3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not,
And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is
Christ.

3:17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of
God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after,
cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.

3:18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise:
but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of
transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was
made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if
there had been a law given which could have given life, verily
righteousness should have been by the law.

3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise
by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

3:23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto
the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.

3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a
schoolmaster.

3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on
Christ.

3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise.

4:1 Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth
nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 4:2 But is under
tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father.

4:3 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the
elements of the world: 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 4:5 To
redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the
adoption of sons.

4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son,
then an heir of God through Christ.

4:8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which
by nature are no gods.

4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God,
how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye
desire again to be in bondage?  4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and
times, and years.

4:11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

4:12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have
not injured me at all.

4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel
unto you at the first.

4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor
rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record,
that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own
eyes, and have given them to me.

4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?
4:17 They zealously affect you, but not well; yea, they would exclude
you, that ye might affect them.

4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing,
and not only when I am present with you.

4:19 My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ
be formed in you, 4:20 I desire to be present with you now, and to
change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you.

4:21 Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the
law?  4:22 For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a
bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

4:23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he
of the freewoman was by promise.

4:24 Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants;
the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is
Agar.

4:25 For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to
Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

4:26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us
all.

4:27 For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break
forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many
more children than she which hath an husband.

4:28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

4:29 But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that
was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and
her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son
of the freewoman.

4:31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of
the free.

5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us
free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

5:2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ
shall profit you nothing.

5:3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a
debtor to do the whole law.

5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are
justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by
faith.

5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

5:7 Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the
truth?  5:8 This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you.

5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

5:10 I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none
otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment,
whosoever he be.

5:11 And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet
suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.

5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you.

5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not
liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou
shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

5:15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not
consumed one of another.

5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the
lust of the flesh.

5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye
cannot do the things that ye would.

5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 5:20 Idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions,
heresies, 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such
like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time
past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of
God.

5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such
there is no law.

5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the
affections and lusts.

5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another,
envying one another.

6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are
spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

6:2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he
deceiveth himself.

6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have
rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that
teacheth in all good things.

6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.

6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap
life everlasting.

6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall
reap, if we faint not.

6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,
especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

6:11 Ye see how large a letter I have written unto you with mine own
hand.

6:12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they
constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer
persecution for the cross of Christ.

6:13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but
desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.

6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the
world.

6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature.

6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and
mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

6:17 From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the
marks of the Lord Jesus.

6:18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians


1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the
saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord
Jesus Christ.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 1:6 To
the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted
in the beloved.

1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of his grace; 1:8 Wherein he hath
abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; 1:9 Having made known
unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which
he hath purposed in himself: 1:10 That in the dispensation of the
fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ,
both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 1:11 In
whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the
counsel of his own will: 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his
glory, who first trusted in Christ.

1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 1:14 Which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased
possession, unto the praise of his glory.

1:15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus,
and love unto all the saints, 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers; 1:17 That the God of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of
wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 1:18 The eyes of your
understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of
his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in
the saints, 1:19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to
us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and
set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 1:21 Far above
all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to
come: 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be
the head over all things to the church, 1:23 Which is his body, the
fulness of him that filleth all in all.

2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 2:3 Among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others.

2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he
loved us, 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us
together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 2:6 And hath raised us
up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus: 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches
of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of
yourselves: it is the gift of God: 2:9 Not of works, lest any man
should boast.

2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the
flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the
Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 2:12 That at that time ye
were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without
God in the world: 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down
the middle wall of partition between us; 2:15 Having abolished in his
flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in
ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making
peace; 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by
the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 2:17 And came and preached
peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.

2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the
Father.

2:19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 2:20 And
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 2:21 In whom all the
building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the
Lord: 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of
God through the Spirit.

3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you
Gentiles, 3:2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God
which is given me to you-ward: 3:3 How that by revelation he made
known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, 3:4
Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery
of Christ) 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of
men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the
Spirit; 3:6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same
body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel: 3:7
Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of
God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace
given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches
of Christ; 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the
mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God,
who created all things by Jesus Christ: 3:10 To the intent that now
unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known
by the church the manifold wisdom of God, 3:11 According to the
eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 3:12 In
whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you,
which is your glory.

3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, 3:15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to
be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 3:17 That
Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and
grounded in love, 3:18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what
is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 3:19 And to know
the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled
with all the fulness of God.

3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, 3:21
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages,
world without end. Amen.

4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk
worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 4:2 With all lowliness
and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 4:3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one
hope of your calling; 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 4:6 One
God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you
all.

4:7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure
of the gift of Christ.

4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity
captive, and gave gifts unto men.

4:9 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first
into the lower parts of the earth?  4:10 He that descended is the same
also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all
things.)  4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 4:12 For the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the
edifying of the body of Christ: 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of
the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 4:14 That we
henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 4:15 But speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head,
even Christ: 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and
compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the
body unto the edifying of itself in love.

4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth
walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 4:18
Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of
God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of
their heart: 4:19 Who being past feeling have given themselves over
unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

4:20 But ye have not so learned Christ; 4:21 If so be that ye have
heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 4:22
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which
is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 4:23 And be renewed in
the spirit of your mind; 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which
after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

4:25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his
neighbour: for we are members one of another.

4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your
wrath: 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.

4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour,
working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to
give to him that needeth.

4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that
which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto
the hearers.

4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto
the day of redemption.

4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil
speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 4:32 And be ye kind
one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 5:2 And walk
in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us
an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not
be once named among you, as becometh saints; 5:4 Neither filthiness,
nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather
giving of thanks.

5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor
covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom
of Christ and of God.

5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord:
walk as children of light: 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all
goodness and righteousness and truth;) 5:10 Proving what is acceptable
unto the Lord.

5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather reprove them.

5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of
them in secret.

5:13 But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light:
for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of
the Lord is.

5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with
the Spirit; 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 5:21 Submitting yourselves one to
another in the fear of God.

5:22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the
Lord.

5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the
head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives
be to their own husbands in every thing.

5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church,
and gave himself for it; 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the word, 5:27 That he might present it
to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such
thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that
loveth his wife loveth himself.

5:29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and
cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 5:30 For we are members of
his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

5:31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall
be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the
church.

5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife
even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

6:2 Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with
promise; 6:3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long
on the earth.

6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring
them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to
the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as
unto Christ; 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the
servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; 6:7 With
good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: 6:8 Knowing
that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of
the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing
threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is
there respect of persons with him.

6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of
his might.

6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil.

6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

6:14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and
having on the breastplate of righteousness; 6:15 And your feet shod
with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 6:16 Above all, taking
the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the
fiery darts of the wicked.

6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God: 6:18 Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints; 6:19 And for me, that
utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to
make known the mystery of the gospel, 6:20 For which I am an
ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to
speak.

6:21 But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a
beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to
you all things: 6:22 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose,
that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts.

6:23 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in
sincerity.

Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians


1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the
saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and
deacons: 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 1:4 Always in every
prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, 1:5 For your
fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; 1:6 Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in
you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 1:7 Even as it is
meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart;
inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of
the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the
bowels of Jesus Christ.

1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in
knowledge and in all judgment; 1:10 That ye may approve things that
are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day
of Christ.

1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus
Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which
happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the
gospel; 1:13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the
palace, and in all other places; 1:14 And many of the brethren in the
Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the
word without fear.

1:15 Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also
of good will: 1:16 The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 1:17 But the other of love,
knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.

1:18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in
truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will
rejoice.

1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your
prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 1:20 According
to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be
ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ
shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

1:22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet
what I shall choose I wot not.

1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and
to be with Christ; which is far better: 1:24 Nevertheless to abide in
the flesh is more needful for you.

1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and
continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; 1:26 That
your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my
coming to you again.

1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of
Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear
of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind
striving together for the faith of the gospel; 1:28 And in nothing
terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of
perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to
believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake; 1:30 Having the same
conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

2:1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of
love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2:2
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being
of one accord, of one mind.

2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness
of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the
things of others.

2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 2:6 Who,
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 2:8 And being found in
fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.

2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name
which is above every name: 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under
the earth; 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own
salvation with fear and trembling.

2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his
good pleasure.

2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 2:15 That ye may
be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the
midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights
in the world; 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice
in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in
vain.

2:17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your
faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

2:18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

2:19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you,
that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.

2:20 For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your
state.

2:21 For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.

2:22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he
hath served with me in the gospel.

2:23 Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see
how it will go with me.

2:24 But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly.

2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my
brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your
messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because
that ye had heard that he had been sick.

2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him;
and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon
sorrow.

2:28 I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him
again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful.

2:29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold
such in reputation: 2:30 Because for the work of Christ he was nigh
unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service
toward me.

3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same
things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.

3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and
rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man
thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 3:5
Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of
Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the
righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency
of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the
righteousness which is of God by faith: 3:10 That I may know him, and
the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death; 3:11 If by any means I might
attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already
perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which
also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one
thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching
forth unto those things which are before, 3:14 I press toward the mark
for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if
in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto
you.

3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by
the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk
so as ye have us for an ensample.

3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you
even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 3:19
Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is
in their shame, who mind earthly things.)  3:20 For our conversation
is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus
Christ: 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned
like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is
able even to subdue all things unto himself.

4:1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and
crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

4:2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same
mind in the Lord.

4:3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which
laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my
fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.

4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.

4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God.

4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep
your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things
are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if
there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these
things.

4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard,
and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your
care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye
lacked opportunity.

4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every
where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be
hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

4:14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with
my affliction.

4:15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the
gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me
as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

4:16 For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my
necessity.

4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound
to your account.

4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of
Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet
smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus.

4:20 Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

4:21 Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with
me greet you.

4:22 All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's
household.

4:23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians


1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
and Timotheus our brother, 1:2  To the saints and faithful brethren
in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace,
from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3  We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying
always for you,
1:4  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye
have to all the saints,
1:5  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard
before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
1:6  Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth
fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the
grace of God in truth:
1:7  As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you
a faithful minister of Christ;
1:8  Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.

1:9  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to
pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his
will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
1:10  That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being
fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1:11  Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto
all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;
1:12  Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
1:13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated
us into the kingdom of his dear Son:
1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins:
1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every
creature:
1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are
in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the
firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

1:19  For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
1:20  And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in
earth, or things in heaven.

1:21  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by
wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled
1:22  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and
unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
1:23  If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved
away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached
to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;
1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is
behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is
the church:
1:25  Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God
which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
1:26  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations,
but now is made manifest to his saints:
1:27  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this
mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
1:28  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all
wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
1:29  Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which
worketh in me mightily.

2:1  For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for
them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2:2  That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and
unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the
acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
2:3  In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

2:4  And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

2:5  For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit,
joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in
Christ.

2:6  As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in
him:
2:7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have
been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ.

2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

2:10  And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and
power:
2:11  In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without
hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision
of Christ:
2:12  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him
through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

2:13  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all
trespasses;
2:14  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which
was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
2:15  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them
openly, triumphing over them in it.

2:16  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of
an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
2:17  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

2:18  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and
worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen,
vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,
2:19  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands
having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the
increase of God.

2:20  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world,
why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
2:21  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
2:22  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and
doctrines of men?
2:23  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and
humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honour to the satisfying
of the flesh.

3:1  If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3:3  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

3:4  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear
with him in glory.

3:5  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication,
uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness,
which is idolatry:
3:6  For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of
disobedience:
3:7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

3:8  But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy,
filthy communication out of your mouth.

3:9  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with
his deeds;
3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the
image of him that created him:
3:11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor
uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in
all.

3:12  Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of
mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
3:13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of
perfectness.

3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye
are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

3:18  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the
Lord.

3:19  Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

3:20  Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing
unto the Lord.

3:21  Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be
discouraged.

3:22  Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not
with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God;
3:23  And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto
men;
3:24  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the
inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

3:25  But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath
done: and there is no respect of persons.

4:1  Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing
that ye also have a Master in heaven.

4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
4:3  Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of
utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
4:4  That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may
know how ye ought to answer every man.

4:7  All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved
brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
4:8  Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know
your estate, and comfort your hearts;
4:9  With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They
shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

4:10  Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son
to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you,
receive him;)
4:11  And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These
only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort
unto me.

4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you,
always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and
complete in all the will of God.

4:13  For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them
that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

4:14  Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

4:15  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the
church which is in his house.

4:16  And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also
in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from
Laodicea.

4:17  And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast
received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

4:18  The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be
with you. Amen.




The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians


1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the
Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ.

1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in
our prayers; 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and
labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the
sight of God and our Father; 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your
election of God.

1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power,
and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner
of men we were among you for your sake.

1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received
the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.

1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and
Achaia.

1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in
Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward
is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had
unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and
true God; 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised
from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it
was not in vain: 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and
were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in
our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in
guile: 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the
gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth
our hearts.

2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor
a cloke of covetousness; God is witness: 2:6 Nor of men sought we
glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been
burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her
children: 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing
to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our
own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring
night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we
preached unto you the gospel of God.

2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and
unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: 2:11 As ye
know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a
father doth his children, 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who
hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when
ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not
as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which
effectually worketh also in you that believe.

2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which
in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things
of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: 2:15 Who both
killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us;
and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: 2:16 Forbidding
us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their
sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

2:17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in
presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your
face with great desire.

2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and
again; but Satan hindered us.

2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even
ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?  2:20 For
ye are our glory and joy.

3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to
be left at Athens alone; 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and
minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to
establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: 3:3 That no
man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we
are appointed thereunto.

3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we
should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know
your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our
labour be in vain.

3:6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good
tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance
of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you: 3:7
Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction
and distress by your faith: 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in
the Lord.

3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the
joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God; 3:10 Night and day
praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect
that which is lacking in your faith?  3:11 Now God himself and our
Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward
another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: 3:13 To the end
he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even
our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his
saints.

4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the
Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to
please God, so ye would abound more and more.

4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye
should abstain from fornication: 4:4 That every one of you should know
how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 4:5 Not in the
lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 4:6
That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because
that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned
you and testified.

4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath
also given unto us his holy Spirit.

4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you:
for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

4:10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all
Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and
more; 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business,
and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 4:12 That ye may
walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack
of nothing.

4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning
them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have
no hope.

4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them
also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which
are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent
them which are asleep.

4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall
be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I
write unto you.

5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh
as a thief in the night.

5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction
cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall
not escape.

5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should
overtake you as a thief.

5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we
are not of the night, nor of darkness.

5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be
sober.

5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken
are drunken in the night.

5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation.

5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by
our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or
sleep, we should live together with him.

5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another,
even as also ye do.

5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among
you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 5:13 And to
esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace
among yourselves.

5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort
the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow
that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

5:16 Rejoice evermore.

5:17 Pray without ceasing.

5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ
Jesus concerning you.

5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

5:20 Despise not prophesyings.

5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God
your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

5:25 Brethren, pray for us.

5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.

5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the
holy brethren.

5:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.




The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians


1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the
Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 1:2 Grace
unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1:3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet,
because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every
one of you all toward each other aboundeth; 1:4 So that we ourselves
glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all
your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 1:5 Which is a
manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be
counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: 1:6
Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to
them that trouble you; 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us,
when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty
angels, 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not
God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 1:9 Who
shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of
the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 1:10 When he shall come to
be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe
(because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.

1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count
you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his
goodness, and the work of faith with power: 1:12 That the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to
the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2:2 That ye be not
soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word,
nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,
except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be
revealed, the son of perdition; 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself
above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God
sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these
things?  2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be
revealed in his time.

2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the
brightness of his coming: 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the
working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 2:10 And
with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be
saved.

2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they
should believe a lie: 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to
salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the
truth: 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye
have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father,
which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and
good hope through grace, 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in
every good word and work.

3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have
free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: 3:2 And that we
may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have
not faith.

3:3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you
from evil.

3:4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do
and will do the things which we command you.

3:5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the
patient waiting for Christ.

3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh
disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not
ourselves disorderly among you; 3:8 Neither did we eat any man's bread
for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we
might not be chargeable to any of you: 3:9 Not because we have not
power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if
any would not work, neither should he eat.

3:11 For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly,
working not at all, but are busybodies.

3:12 Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus
Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.

3:13 But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man,
and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

3:15 Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.
The Lord be with you all.

3:17 The salutation of Paul with mine own hand, which is the token in
every epistle: so I write.

3:18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.




The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy


1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our
Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope; 1:2 Unto Timothy,
my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father
and Jesus Christ our Lord.

1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into
Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other
doctrine, 1:4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies,
which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in
faith: so do.

1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and
of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 1:6 From which some
having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; 1:7 Desiring to
be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor
whereof they affirm.

1:8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 1:9
Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for
the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for
unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers,
for manslayers, 1:10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves
with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if
there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 1:11
According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was
committed to my trust.

1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that
he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 1:13 Who was
before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained
mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

1:14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and
love which is in Christ Jesus.

1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus
Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which
should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise
God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the
prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a
good warfare; 1:19 Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some
having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: 1:20 Of whom is
Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have delivered unto Satan, that they
may learn not to blaspheme.

2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2:2 For
kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth.

2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus; 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be
testified in due time.

2:7 Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the
truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and
verity.

2:8 I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands,
without wrath and doubting.

2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or
gold, or pearls, or costly array; 2:10 But (which becometh women
professing godliness) with good works.

2:11 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

2:12 But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over
the man, but to be in silence.

2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.

2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in
the transgression.

2:15 Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they
continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he
desireth a good work.

3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife,
vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to
teach; 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 3:4 One that ruleth well his
own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 3:5
(For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take
care of the church of God?)  3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up
with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without;
lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given
to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 3:9 Holding the mystery of
the faith in a pure conscience.

3:10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office
of a deacon, being found blameless.

3:11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober,
faithful in all things.

3:12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their
children and their own houses well.

3:13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to
themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in
Christ Jesus.

3:14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to
behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living
God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God
was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels,
preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into
glory.

4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and
doctrines of devils; 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their
conscience seared with a hot iron; 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and
commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be
received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if
it be received with thanksgiving: 4:5 For it is sanctified by the word
of God and prayer.

4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou
shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of
faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.

4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself
rather unto godliness.

4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable
unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that
which is to come.

4:9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we
trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of
those that believe.

4:11 These things command and teach.

4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the
believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith,
in purity.

4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to
doctrine.

4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by
prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy
profiting may appear to all.

4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:
for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear
thee.

5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger
men as brethren; 5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as
sisters, with all purity.

5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.

5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to
shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and
acceptable before God.

5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and
continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.

5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless.

5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his
own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years
old, having been the wife of one man.

5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children,
if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if
she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every
good work.

5:11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax
wanton against Christ, they will marry; 5:12 Having damnation, because
they have cast off their first faith.

5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to
house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking
things which they ought not.

5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children,
guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak
reproachfully.

5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan.

5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve
them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that
are widows indeed.

5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour,
especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that
treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.

5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or
three witnesses.

5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the
elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one
before another, doing nothing by partiality.

5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's
sins: keep thyself pure.

5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's
sake and thine often infirmities.

5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment;
and some men they follow after.

5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and
they that are otherwise cannot be hid.

6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters
worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not
blasphemed.

6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them,
because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they
are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach
and exhort.

6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words,
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is
according to godliness; 6:4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting
about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife,
railings, evil surmisings, 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt
minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself.

6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can
carry nothing out.

6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and
into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction
and perdition.

6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some
coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves
through with many sorrows.

6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life,
whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession
before many witnesses.

6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all
things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a
good confession; 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot,
unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: 6:15 Which
in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the
King of kings, and Lord of lords; 6:16 Who only hath immortality,
dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath
seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not
highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who
giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 6:18 That they do good, that
they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate; 6:19 Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation
against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding
profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so
called: 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith.
Grace be with thee. Amen.




The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy


1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to
the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus, 1:2 To Timothy,
my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father
and Christ Jesus our Lord.

1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure
conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my
prayers night and day; 1:4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful
of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 1:5 When I call to
remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in
thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that
in thee also.

1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of
God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of
love, and of a sound mind.

1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of
me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel
according to the power of God; 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us
with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his
own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the
world began, 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our
Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life
and immortality to light through the gospel: 1:11 Whereunto I am
appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am
not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me,
in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

1:14 That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy
Ghost which dwelleth in us.

1:15 This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away
from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.

1:16 The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft
refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain: 1:17 But, when he was
in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me.

1:18 The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in
that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus,
thou knowest very well.

2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus.

2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses,
the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach
others also.

2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this
life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned,
except he strive lawfully.

2:6 The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the
fruits.

2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all
things.

2:8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from
the dead according to my gospel: 2:9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an
evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they
may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal
glory.

2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall
also live with him: 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him:
if we deny him, he also will deny us: 2:13 If we believe not, yet he
abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

2:14 Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the
Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the
subverting of the hearers.

2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto
more ungodliness.

2:17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus
and Philetus; 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that
the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this
seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that
nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of
silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to
dishonour.

2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel
unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared
unto every good work.

2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith,
charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do
gender strifes.

2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto
all men, apt to teach, patient, 2:25 In meekness instructing those
that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance
to the acknowledging of the truth; 2:26 And that they may recover
themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him
at his will.

3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3:3
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good, 3:4 Traitors, heady,
highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 3:5 Having a
form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead
captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 3:7
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist
the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

3:9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be
manifest unto all men, as their's also was.

3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,
faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 3:11 Persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra;
what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered
me.

3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.

3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,
and being deceived.

3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast
been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 3:15 And that
from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to
make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.

4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
having itching ears; 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the
truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of
an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

4:6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is
at hand.

4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith: 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing.

4:9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me: 4:10 For Demas hath
forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto
Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he
is profitable to me for the ministry.

4:12 And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus.

4:13 The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest,
bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.

4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him
according to his works: 4:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath
greatly withstood our words.

4:16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me:
I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

4:17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that
by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles
might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.

4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will
preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.

4:19 Salute Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus.

4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum
sick.

4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee,
and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.

4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you.
Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus


1:1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according
to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which
is after godliness; 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that
cannot lie, promised before the world began; 1:3 But hath in due times
manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me
according to the commandment of God our Saviour; 1:4 To Titus, mine
own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in
order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as
I had appointed thee: 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one
wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not
selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given
to filthy lucre; 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men,
sober, just, holy, temperate; 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he
hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort
and to convince the gainsayers.

1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,
specially they of the circumcision: 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped,
who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for
filthy lucre's sake.

1:12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The
Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they
may be sound in the faith; 1:14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and
commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

1:15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled
and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is
defiled.

1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him,
being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

2:1 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: 2:2 That
the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity,
in patience.

2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good
things; 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love
their husbands, to love their children, 2:5 To be discreet, chaste,
keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word
of God be not blasphemed.

2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine
shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, 2:8 Sound speech, that
cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be
ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

2:9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters, and to
please them well in all things; not answering again; 2:10 Not
purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the
doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.

2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all
men, 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the
great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 2:14 Who gave himself for us,
that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a
peculiar people, zealous of good works.

2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.
Let no man despise thee.

3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to
obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work, 3:2 To speak evil of
no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all
men.

3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient,
deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and
envy, hateful, and hating one another.

3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man
appeared, 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but
according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly
through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 3:7 That being justified by his
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou
affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be
careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable
unto men.

3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and
strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

3:10 A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition
reject; 3:11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth,
being condemned of himself.

3:12 When I shall send Artemas unto thee, or Tychicus, be diligent to
come unto me to Nicopolis: for I have determined there to winter.

3:13 Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently,
that nothing be wanting unto them.

3:14 And let our's also learn to maintain good works for necessary
uses, that they be not unfruitful.

3:15 All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the
faith. Grace be with you all. Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon


1:1 Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto
Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer, 1:2 And to our
beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in
thy house: 1:3 Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ.

1:4 I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 1:5
Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus,
and toward all saints; 1:6 That the communication of thy faith may
become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in
you in Christ Jesus.

1:7 For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the
bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.

1:8 Wherefore, though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoin thee
that which is convenient, 1:9 Yet for love's sake I rather beseech
thee, being such an one as Paul the aged, and now also a prisoner of
Jesus Christ.

1:10 I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my
bonds: 1:11 Which in time past was to thee unprofitable, but now
profitable to thee and to me: 1:12 Whom I have sent again: thou
therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels: 1:13 Whom I would
have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have ministered unto
me in the bonds of the gospel: 1:14 But without thy mind would I do
nothing; that thy benefit should not be as it were of necessity, but
willingly.

1:15 For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou
shouldest receive him for ever; 1:16 Not now as a servant, but above a
servant, a brother beloved, specially to me, but how much more unto
thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord?  1:17 If thou count me
therefore a partner, receive him as myself.

1:18 If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine
account; 1:19 I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay
it: albeit I do not say to thee how thou owest unto me even thine own
self besides.

1:20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my
bowels in the Lord.

1:21 Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing
that thou wilt also do more than I say.

1:22 But withal prepare me also a lodging: for I trust that through
your prayers I shall be given unto you.

1:23 There salute thee Epaphras, my fellowprisoner in Christ Jesus;
1:24 Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.

1:25 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.




The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews


1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past
unto the fathers by the prophets, 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken
unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom
also he made the worlds; 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory,
and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the
word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on
the right hand of the Majesty on high: 1:4 Being made so much better
than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent
name than they.

1:5 For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son,
this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father,
and he shall be to me a Son?  1:6 And again, when he bringeth in the
firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God
worship him.

1:7 And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his
ministers a flame of fire.

1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and
ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

1:9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God,
even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy
fellows.

1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the
earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: 1:11 They shall
perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a
garment; 1:12 And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall
be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right
hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?  1:14 Are they not all
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be
heirs of salvation?  2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest
heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let
them slip.

2:2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at
the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by
them that heard him; 2:4 God also bearing them witness, both with
signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy
Ghost, according to his own will?  2:5 For unto the angels hath he not
put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

2:6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that
thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
2:7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him
with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
2:8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that
he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put
under him.

But now we see not yet all things put under him.

2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the
grace of God should taste death for every man.

2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all
things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their
salvation perfect through sufferings.

2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all
of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, 2:12
Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the
church will I sing praise unto thee.

2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and
the children which God hath given me.

2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood,
he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he
might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their
lifetime subject to bondage.

2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took
on him the seed of Abraham.

2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the
people.

2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to
succour them that are tempted.

3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling,
consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
3:2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was
faithful in all his house.

3:3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch
as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.

3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all
things is God.

3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for
a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 3:6 But
Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold
fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.

3:7 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his
voice, 3:8 Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day
of temptation in the wilderness: 3:9 When your fathers tempted me,
proved me, and saw my works forty years.

3:10 Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do
alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

3:11 So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)  3:12
Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of
unbelief, in departing from the living God.

3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any
of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of
our confidence stedfast unto the end; 3:15 While it is said, To day if
ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

3:16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that
came out of Egypt by Moses.

3:17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them
that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?  3:18 And to
whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them
that believed not?  3:19 So we see that they could not enter in
because of unbelief.

4:1 Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering
into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the
word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them
that heard it.

4:3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I
have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the
works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4:4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise,
And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

4:5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

4:6 Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and
they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:
4:7 Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after
so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.

4:8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have
spoken of another day.

4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.

4:10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from
his own works, as God did from his.

4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man
fall after the same example of unbelief.

4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart.

4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight:
but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we
have to do.

4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.

4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we
may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in
things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices
for sins: 5:2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them
that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with
infirmity.

5:3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for
himself, to offer for sins.

5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called
of God, as was Aaron.

5:5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest;
but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten
thee.

5:6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec.

5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to
save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 5:8 Though he
were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation
unto all them that obey him; 5:10 Called of God an high priest after
the order of Melchisedec.

5:11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered,
seeing ye are dull of hearing.

5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that
one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of
God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe.

5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even
those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both
good and evil.

6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us
go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance
from dead works, and of faith toward God, 6:2 Of the doctrine of
baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead,
and of eternal judgment.

6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have
tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost, 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the
world to come, 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto
repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put him to an open shame.

6:7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it,
and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed,
receiveth blessing from God: 6:8 But that which beareth thorns and
briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be
burned.

6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things
that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of
love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered
to the saints, and do minister.

6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to
the full assurance of hope unto the end: 6:12 That ye be not slothful,
but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises.

6:13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by
no greater, he sware by himself, 6:14 Saying, Surely blessing I will
bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

6:15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

6:16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation
is to them an end of all strife.

6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of
promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 6:18
That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to
lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to
lay hold upon the hope set before us: 6:19 Which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into
that within the veil; 6:20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered,
even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.

7:1 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God,
who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed
him; 7:2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by
interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of
Salem, which is, King of peace; 7:3 Without father, without mother,
without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life;
but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

7:4 Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch
Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

7:5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the
office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the
people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they
come out of the loins of Abraham: 7:6 But he whose descent is not
counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had
the promises.

7:7 And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them,
of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

7:9 And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes
in Abraham.

7:10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met
him.

7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for
under it the people received the law,) what further need was there
that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and
not be called after the order of Aaron?  7:12 For the priesthood being
changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

7:13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another
tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

7:14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which
tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

7:15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of
Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, 7:16 Who is made, not after
the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless
life.

7:17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchisedec.

7:18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going
before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

7:19 For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better
hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

7:20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: 7:21 (For
those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him
that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a
priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) 7:22 By so much was
Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

7:23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered
to continue by reason of death: 7:24 But this man, because he
continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come
unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up
sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this
he did once, when he offered up himself.

7:28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the
word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is
consecrated for evermore.

8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have
such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the
Majesty in the heavens; 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the
true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices:
wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to
offer.

8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that
there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: 8:5 Who serve
unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was
admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See,
saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to
thee in the mount.

8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much
also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established
upon better promises.

8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no
place have been sought for the second.

8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come,
saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and with the house of Judah: 8:9 Not according to the covenant
that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in
my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and
they shall be to me a people: 8:11 And they shall not teach every man
his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for
all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins
and their iniquities will I remember no more.

8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now
that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine
service, and a worldly sanctuary.

9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the
candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the
sanctuary.

9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the
Holiest of all; 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the
covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot
that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the
covenant; 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the
mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always
into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year,
not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of
the people: 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the
holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first
tabernacle was yet standing: 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then
present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could
not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the
conscience; 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers
washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of
reformation.

9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a
greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to
say, not of this building; 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and
calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place,
having obtained eternal redemption for us.

9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an
heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the
flesh: 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the
eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your
conscience from dead works to serve the living God?  9:15 And for this
cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death,
for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first
testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal
inheritance.

9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the
death of the testator.

9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is
of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without
blood.

9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people
according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with
water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and
all the people, 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which
God hath enjoined unto you.

9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the
vessels of the ministry.

9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and
without shedding of blood is no remission.

9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the
heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things
themselves with better sacrifices than these.

9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to
appear in the presence of God for us: 9:25 Nor yet that he should
offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place
every year with blood of others; 9:26 For then must he often have
suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of
the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself.

9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the
judgment: 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.

10:1 For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the
very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

10:2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that
the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of
sins.

10:3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins
every year.

10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats
should take away sins.

10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and
offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 10:6 In
burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written
of me,) to do thy will, O God.

10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings
and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure
therein; which are offered by the law; 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come
to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish
the second.

10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the
body of Jesus Christ once for all.

10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 10:12
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever,
sat down on the right hand of God; 10:13 From henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool.

10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified.

10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that
he had said before, 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with
them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their
hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 10:17 And their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more.

10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for
sin.

10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest
by the blood of Jesus, 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath
consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 10:21
And having an high priest over the house of God; 10:22 Let us draw
near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts
sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure
water.

10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;
(for he is faithful that promised;) 10:24 And let us consider one
another to provoke unto love and to good works: 10:25 Not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.

10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge
of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 10:27 But a
certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which
shall devour the adversaries.

10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or
three witnesses: 10:29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall
he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and
hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified,
an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
10:30 For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I
will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his
people.

10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

10:32 But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were
illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; 10:33 Partly,
whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions;
and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

10:34 For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the
spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a
better and an enduring substance.

10:35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great
recompence of reward.

10:36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will
of God, ye might receive the promise.

10:37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and
will not tarry.

10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my
soul shall have no pleasure in him.

10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them
that believe to the saving of the soul.

11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen.

11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.

11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things
which do appear.

11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than
Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God
testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and
was not found, because God had translated him: for before his
translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him.

11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet,
moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the
which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness
which is by faith.

11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which
he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out,
not knowing whither he went.

11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange
country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with
him of the same promise: 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath
foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive
seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she
judged him faithful who had promised.

11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so
many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by
the sea shore innumerable.

11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but
having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced
them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the
earth.

11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a
country.

11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence
they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly:
wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath
prepared for them a city.

11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he
that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 11:18
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 11:19
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from
whence also he received him in a figure.

11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of
Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

11:22 By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of
the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

11:23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his
parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not
afraid of the king's commandment.

11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called
the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin
for a season; 11:26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches
than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of
the reward.

11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king:
for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

11:28 Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood,
lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

11:29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which
the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

11:30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were
compassed about seven days.

11:31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed
not, when she had received the spies with peace.

11:32 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of
Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also,
and Samuel, and of the prophets: 11:33 Who through faith subdued
kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths
of lions.

11:34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to
flight the armies of the aliens.

11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were
tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better
resurrection: 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and
scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 11:37 They were
stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the
sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being
destitute, afflicted, tormented; 11:38 (Of whom the world was not
worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and
caves of the earth.

11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith,
received not the promise: 11:40 God having provided some better thing
for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is
set before us, 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God.

12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners
against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as
unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for
what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?  12:8 But if ye be
without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards,
and not sons.

12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us,
and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection
unto the Father of spirits, and live?  12:10 For they verily for a few
days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit,
that we might be partakers of his holiness.

12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but
grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble
knees; 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is
lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man
shall see the Lord: 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the
grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you,
and thereby many be defiled; 12:16 Lest there be any fornicator, or
profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his
birthright.

12:17 For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the
blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though
he sought it carefully with tears.

12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and
that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice
they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them
any more: 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded,
And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or
thrust through with a dart: 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, that
Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) 12:22 But ye are come unto
mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 12:23 To the
general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in
heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect, 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and
to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of
Abel.

12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped
not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we
escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 12:26
Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying,
Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those
things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things
which cannot be shaken may remain.

12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us
have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and
godly fear: 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire.

13:1 Let brotherly love continue.

13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares.

13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them
which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content
with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee.

13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not
fear what man shall do unto me.

13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto
you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their
conversation.

13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is
a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats,
which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve
the tabernacle.

13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the
sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his
own blood, suffered without the gate.

13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his
reproach.

13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.

13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves:
for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that
they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable
for you.

13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all
things willing to live honestly.

13:19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored
to you the sooner.

13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do
his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for
I have written a letter unto you in few words.

13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom,
if he come shortly, I will see you.

13:24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints.

They of Italy salute you.

13:25 Grace be with you all. Amen.




The General Epistle of James


1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers
temptations; 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
patience.

1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing.

1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth
is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

1:7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the
Lord.

1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 1:10
But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the
grass he shall pass away.

1:11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it
withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of
the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in
his ways.

1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is
tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath
promised to them that love him.

1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God
cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 1:14 But
every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and
enticed.

1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin,
when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

1:16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh
down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning.

1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we
should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath: 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not
the righteousness of God.

1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is
able to save your souls.

1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your
own selves.

1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like
unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 1:24 For he
beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what
manner of man he was.

1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this
man shall be blessed in his deed.

1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his
tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To
visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep
himself unspotted from the world.

2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord
of glory, with respect of persons.

2:2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in
goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 2:3
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto
him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou
there, or sit here under my footstool: 2:4 Are ye not then partial in
yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?  2:5 Hearken, my
beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that
love him?  2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress
you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  2:7 Do not they
blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?  2:8 If ye
fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 2:9 But if ye have respect to
persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.

2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one
point, he is guilty of all.

2:11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill.
Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a
transgressor of the law.

2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law
of liberty.

2:13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no
mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith,
and have not works? can faith save him?  2:15 If a brother or sister
be naked, and destitute of daily food, 2:16 And one of you say unto
them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye
give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it
profit?  2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being
alone.

2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me
thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my
works.

2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils
also believe, and tremble.

2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had
offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  2:22 Seest thou how faith
wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?  2:23 And
the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it
was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend
of God.

2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by
faith only.

2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when
she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without
works is dead also.

3:1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive
the greater condemnation.

3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

3:3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us;
and we turn about their whole body.

3:4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are
driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small
helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things.

Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  3:6 And the tongue
is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members,
that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of
nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

3:7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of
things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 3:8 But
the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly
poison.

3:9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we
men, which are made after the similitude of God.

3:10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My
brethren, these things ought not so to be.

3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and
bitter?  3:12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries?
either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and
fresh.

3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him
shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory
not, and lie not against the truth.

3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual,
devilish.

3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every
evil work.

3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable,
gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits,
without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

3:18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make
peace.

4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not
hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?  4:2 Ye lust, and
have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and
war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume
it upon your lusts.

4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of
the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of
the world is the enemy of God.

4:5 Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that
dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?  4:6 But he giveth more grace.
Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the
humble.

4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will
flee from you.

4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your
hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to
mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you
up.

4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of
his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and
judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the
law, but a judge.

4:12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who
art thou that judgest another?  4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or
to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and
buy and sell, and get gain: 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on
the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth
for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

4:15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do
this, or that.

4:16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.

4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to
him it is sin.

5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall
come upon you.

5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.

5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a
witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have
heaped treasure together for the last days.

5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your
fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of
them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of
sabaoth.

5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have
nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.

5:6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.

Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth,
and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter
rain.

5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the
Lord draweth nigh.

5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned:
behold, the judge standeth before the door.

5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of
the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the
patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is
very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven,
neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be
yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him
sing psalms.

5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church;
and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the
Lord: 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord
shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be
forgiven him.

5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,
that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much.

5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed
earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by
the space of three years and six months.

5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth
brought forth her fruit.

5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert
him; 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the
error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a
multitude of sins.




The First Epistle General of Peter


1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 1:2 Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through
sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the
blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which
according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively
hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1:4 To an
inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away,
reserved in heaven for you, 1:5 Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be,
ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 1:7 That the trial
of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 1:8 Whom having not seen,
ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 1:9 Receiving the end of your
faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1:10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
1:11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which
was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings
of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1:12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us
they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them
that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down
from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to
the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation
of Jesus Christ; 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves
according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 1:15 But as he which
hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons
judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your
sojourning here in fear: 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 1:19 But with
the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot: 1:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the
world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 1:21 Who by him
do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him
glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.

1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through
the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one
another with a pure heart fervently: 1:23 Being born again, not of
corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which
liveth and abideth for ever.

1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower
of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
1:25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word
which by the gospel is preached unto you.

2:1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies,
and envies, all evil speakings, 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the
sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 2:3 If so be ye
have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men,
but chosen of God, and precious, 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are
built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in
Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on
him shall not be confounded.

2:7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them
which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the
same is made the head of the corner, 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and
a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being
disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy
nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of
him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of
God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 2:12 Having your
conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak
against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they
shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake:
whether it be to the king, as supreme; 2:14 Or unto governors, as unto
them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the
praise of them that do well.

2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to
silence the ignorance of foolish men: 2:16 As free, and not using your
liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to
the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God
endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye
shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it,
ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered
for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 2:22
Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 2:23 Who, when
he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened
not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 2:24 Who
his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being
dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were
healed.

2:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the
Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that,
if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the
conversation of the wives; 3:2 While they behold your chaste
conversation coupled with fear.

3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the
hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 3:4 But let
it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible,
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of
God of great price.

3:5 For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who
trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own
husbands: 3:6 Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose
daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any
amazement.

3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge,
giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being
heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not
hindered.

3:8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another,
love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 3:9 Not rendering evil for
evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that
ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain
his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 3:11 Let
him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are
open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that
do evil.

3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that
which is good?  3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake,
happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;
3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that
is in you with meekness and fear: 3:16 Having a good conscience; that,
whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed
that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

3:17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for
well doing, than for evil doing.

3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the
flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 3:19 By which also he went and
preached unto the spirits in prison; 3:20 Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of
Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls
were saved by water.

3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not
the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: 3:22 Who
is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and
authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm
yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in
the flesh hath ceased from sin; 4:2 That he no longer should live the
rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of
God.

4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the
will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess
of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 4:4
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same
excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 4:5 Who shall give account to
him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

4:6 For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are
dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but
live according to God in the spirit.

4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and
watch unto prayer.

4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for
charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

4:9 Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same
one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man
minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God
in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise
and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is
to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 4:13 But
rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that,
when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding
joy.

4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the
spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil
spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an
evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but
let him glorify God on this behalf.

4:17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of
God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that
obey not the gospel of God?  4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be
saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?  4:19 Wherefore
let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping
of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and
a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the
glory that shall be revealed: 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among
you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly;
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 5:3 Neither as being lords
over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown
of glory that fadeth not away.

5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all
of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for
God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he
may exalt you in due time: 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he
careth for you.

5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a
roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 5:9 Whom
resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are
accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you
perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

5:11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

5:12 By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have
written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace
of God wherein ye stand.

5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you,
saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

5:14 Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you
all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.




The Second General Epistle of Peter


1:1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them
that have obtained like precious faith with us through the
righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 1:2 Grace and peace
be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our
Lord, 1:3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things
that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him
that hath called us to glory and virtue: 1:4 Whereby are given unto us
exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is
in the world through lust.

1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;
and to virtue knowledge; 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to
temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 1:7 And to godliness
brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ.

1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar
off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

1:10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your
calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never
fall: 1:11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly
into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

1:12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in
remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established
in the present truth.

1:13 Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir
you up by putting you in remembrance; 1:14 Knowing that shortly I must
put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed
me.

1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to
have these things always in remembrance.

1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made
known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were
eyewitnesses of his majesty.

1:17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there
came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased.

1:18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with
him in the holy mount.

1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well
that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until
the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 1:20 Knowing this
first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation.

1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.

2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not,
and their damnation slumbereth not.

2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down
to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved
unto judgment; 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the
eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon
the world of the ungodly; 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and
Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an
ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; 2:7 And delivered
just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 2:8 (For
that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed
his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 2:9 The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2:10 But
chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and
despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not
afraid to speak evil of dignities.

2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not
railing accusation against them before the Lord.

2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and
destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and
shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 2:13 And shall receive
the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot
in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves
with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 2:14 Having eyes
full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable
souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed
children: 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray,
following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness; 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass
speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a
tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure
through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that
were clean escaped from them who live in error.

2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants
of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he
brought in bondage.

2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are
again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with
them than the beginning.

2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.

2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The
dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to
her wallowing in the mire.

3:1 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which
I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 3:2 That ye may be
mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets,
and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: 3:3
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers,
walking after their own lusts, 3:4 And saying, Where is the promise of
his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as
they were from the beginning of the creation.

3:5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God
the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and
in the water: 3:6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed
with water, perished: 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are
now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against
the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is
with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the
which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are
therein shall be burned up.

3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 3:12
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat?  3:13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be
diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and
blameless.

3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even
as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto
him hath written unto you; 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking
in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be
understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they
do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.

3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware
lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from
your own stedfastness.

3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.




The First Epistle General of John


1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we
have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled, of the Word of life; 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we
have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life,
which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 1:3 That which
we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have
fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his Son Jesus Christ.

1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare
unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness,
we lie, and do not the truth: 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he
is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of
Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1:8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth
is not in us.

1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1:10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his
word is not in us.

2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not.

And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous: 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not
for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his
commandments.

2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a
liar, and the truth is not in him.

2:5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.

2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk,
even as he walked.

2:7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old
commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is
the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

2:8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in
him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now
shineth.

2:9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in
darkness even until now.

2:10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is
none occasion of stumbling in him.

2:11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in
darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath
blinded his eyes.

2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven
you for his name's sake.

2:13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from
the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome
the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have
known the Father.

2:14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that
is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye
are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome
the wicked one.

2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If
any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of
the world.

2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that
doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that
antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we
know that it is the last time.

2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had
been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went
out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

2:20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

2:21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but
because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is
antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

2:23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that
acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the
beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain
in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal
life.

2:26 These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce
you.

2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you,
and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing
teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as
it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall
appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his
coming.

2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that
doeth righteousness is born of him.

3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that
we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us
not, because it knew him not.

3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear
what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be
like him; for we shall see him as he is.

3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even
as he is pure.

3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is
the transgression of the law.

3:5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in
him is no sin.

3:6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not
seen him, neither known him.

3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from
the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil.

3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed
remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the
devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he
that loveth not his brother.

3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another.

3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.
And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his
brother's righteous.

3:13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.

3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love
the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life
for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him?  3:18 My little children, let us not love in
word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

3:19 And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before him.

3:20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and
knoweth all things.

3:21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence
toward God.

3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his
commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.

3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name
of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us
commandment.

3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in
him.

And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath
given us.

4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether
they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world.

4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 4:3 And every spirit
that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of
God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that
it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because
greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the
world heareth them.

4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of
God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit
of error.

4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every
one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God
sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him.

4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and
sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he
hath given us of his Spirit.

4:14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to
be the Saviour of the world.

4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God
dwelleth in him, and he in God.

4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God
is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the
day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in
love.

4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love
God whom he hath not seen?  4:21 And this commandment have we from
him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and
every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten
of him.

5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love
God, and keep his commandments.

5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and
his commandments are not grievous.

5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is
the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5:5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that
Jesus is the Son of God?  5:6 This is he that came by water and blood,
even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it
is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the
Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and
the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater:
for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

5:10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:
he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth
not the record that God gave of his Son.

5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.

5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of
God hath not life.

5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of
the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that
ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask
any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 5:15 And if we know
that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions
that we desired of him.

5:16 If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he
shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto
death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for
it.

5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is
begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in
wickedness.

5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an
understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him
that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and
eternal life.

5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.




The Second Epistle General of John


1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in
the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the
truth; 1:2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be
with us for ever.

1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from
the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

1:4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth,
as we have received a commandment from the Father.

1:5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new
commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that
we love one another.

1:6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the
commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk
in it.

1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not
that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an
antichrist.

1:8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have
wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

1:9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of
Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he
hath both the Father and the Son.

1:10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive
him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 1:11 For he that
biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

1:12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with
paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face,
that our joy may be full.

1:13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.




The Third Epistle General of John


1:1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.

1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be
in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

1:3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of
the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.

1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

1:5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the
brethren, and to strangers; 1:6 Which have borne witness of thy
charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey
after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: 1:7 Because that for his
name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

1:8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers
to the truth.

1:9 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the
preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

1:10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth,
prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith,
neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that
would, and casteth them out of the church.

1:11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.
He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen
God.

1:12 Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself:
yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

1:13 I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write
unto thee: 1:14 But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall
speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet
the friends by name.




The General Epistle of Jude


1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them
that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ,
and called: 1:2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you
that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints.

1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of
old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of
our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our
Lord Jesus Christ.

1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this,
how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed them that believed not.

1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their
own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness
unto the judgment of the great day.

1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like
manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange
flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of
eternal fire.

1:8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise
dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he
disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a
railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but
what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they
corrupt themselves.

1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran
greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the
gainsaying of Core.

1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with
you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water,
carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit,
twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 1:13 Raging waves of the sea,
foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the
blackness of darkness for ever.

1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these,
saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 1:15
To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly
among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly
committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have
spoken against him.

1:16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts;
and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in
admiration because of advantage.

1:17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of
the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 1:18 How that they told you
there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their
own ungodly lusts.

1:19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the
Spirit.

1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost, 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 1:23 And others
save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment
spotted by the flesh.

1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to
present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding
joy, 1:25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.




The Revelation of Saint John the Devine


1:1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew
unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent
and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 1:2 Who bare
record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and
of all things that he saw.

1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this
prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the
time is at hand.

1:4 John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you,
and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and
from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 1:5 And from Jesus
Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the
dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved
us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 1:6 And hath made us
kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and
they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail
because of him. Even so, Amen.

1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the
Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation,
and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that
is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus
Christ.

1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a
great voice, as of a trumpet, 1:11 Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the
first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it
unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto
Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and
unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.

1:12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being
turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 1:13 And in the midst of the
seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a
garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden
girdle.

1:14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow;
and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 1:15 And his feet like unto fine
brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of
many waters.

1:16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth
went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun
shineth in his strength.

1:17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his
right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the
last: 1:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive
for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

1:19 Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are,
and the things which shall be hereafter; 1:20 The mystery of the seven
stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches:
and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith
he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the
midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2:2 I know thy works, and thy
labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are
evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are
not, and hast found them liars: 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience,
and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left
thy first love.

2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do
the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

2:6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the
Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things
saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; 2:9 I know
thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I
know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but
are the synagogue of Satan.

2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the
devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye
shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I
will give thee a crown of life.

2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

2:12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things
saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 2:13 I know thy
works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou
holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days
wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where
Satan dwelleth.

2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there
them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a
stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed
unto idols, and to commit fornication.

2:15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the
Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

2:16 Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight
against them with the sword of my mouth.

2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden
manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things
saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and
his feet are like fine brass; 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and
service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to
be more than the first.

2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou
sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to
teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat
things sacrificed unto idols.

2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she
repented not.

2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery
with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches
shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I
will give unto every one of you according to your works.

2:24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as
have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan,
as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.

2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him
will I give power over the nations: 2:27 And he shall rule them with a
rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to
shivers: even as I received of my Father.

2:28 And I will give him the morning star.

2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.

3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things
saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I
know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are
ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold
fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on
thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon
thee.

3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their
garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment;
and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will
confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.

3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things
saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David,
he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man
openeth; 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open
door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and
hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they
are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come
and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep
thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth.

3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no
man take thy crown.

3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,
and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my
God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my
new name.

3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.

3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of
the creation of God; 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold
nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I
will spue thee out of my mouth.

3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and
have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 3:18 I counsel thee to buy
of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white
raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy
nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that
thou mayest see.

3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore,
and repent.

3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and
he with me.

3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne,
even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.

4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and
the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with
me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must
be hereafter.

4:2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set
in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

4:3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine
stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like
unto an emerald.

4:4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon
the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white
raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

4:5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and
voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne,
which are the seven Spirits of God.

4:6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal:
and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four
beasts full of eyes before and behind.

4:7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a
calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast
was like a flying eagle.

4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they
were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying,
Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to
come.

4:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that
sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 4:10 The four and
twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship
him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the
throne, saying, 4:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and
honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy
pleasure they are and were created.

5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book
written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is
worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?  5:3 And no
man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open
the book, neither to look thereon.

5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to
read the book, neither to look thereon.

5:5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of
the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book,
and to loose the seven seals thereof.

5:6 And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four
beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been
slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits
of God sent forth into all the earth.

5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that
sat upon the throne.

5:8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and
twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them
harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of
saints.

5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the
book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation; 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

5:11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about
the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was
ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; 5:12
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive
power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory,
and blessing.

5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and
under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them,
heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto
him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders
fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

6:1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as
it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and
see.

6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a
bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and
to conquer.

6:3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast
say, Come and see.

6:4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given
to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they
should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

6:5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast
say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat
on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

6:6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure
of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and
see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

6:7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the
fourth beast say, Come and see.

6:8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on
him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto
them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with
hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the
souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the
testimony which they held: 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and
avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?  6:11 And white
robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them,
that they should rest yet for a little season, until their
fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they
were, should be fulfilled.

6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there
was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair,
and the moon became as blood; 6:13 And the stars of heaven fell unto
the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is
shaken of a mighty wind.

6:14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;
and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men,
and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and
every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the
mountains; 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and
hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb: 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and
who shall be able to stand?  7:1 And after these things I saw four
angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four
winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on
the sea, nor on any tree.

7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal
of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels,
to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 7:3 Saying, Hurt
not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the
servants of our God in their foreheads.

7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were
sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the
children of Israel.

7:5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed
twelve thousand.

7:6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of
Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were
sealed twelve thousand.

7:7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were
sealed twelve thousand.

7:8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe
of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were
sealed twelve thousand.

7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man
could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands; 7:10 And cried with a loud voice,
saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto
the Lamb.

7:11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the
elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces,
and worshipped God, 7:12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and
wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto
our God for ever and ever. Amen.

7:13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these
which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?  7:14 And I
said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they
which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day
and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell
among them.

7:16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall
the sun light on them, nor any heat.

7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them,
and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes.

8:1 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in
heaven about the space of half an hour.

8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them
were given seven trumpets.

8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden
censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which
was before the throne.

8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the
saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the
altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and
thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

8:6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared
themselves to sound.

8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled
with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of
trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain
burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea
became blood; 8:9 And the third part of the creatures which were in
the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were
destroyed.

8:10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from
heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of
the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 8:11 And the name of the
star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became
wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made
bitter.

8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was
smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the
stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone
not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

8:13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of
heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of
the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three
angels, which are yet to sound!  9:1 And the fifth angel sounded, and
I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the
key of the bottomless pit.

9:2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of
the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were
darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

9:3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto
them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

9:4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of
the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those
men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

9:5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that
they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the
torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

9:6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and
shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

9:7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto
battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their
faces were as the faces of men.

9:8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as
the teeth of lions.

9:9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and
the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses
running to battle.

9:10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in
their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

9:11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the
bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the
Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

9:12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four
horns of the golden altar which is before God, 9:14 Saying to the
sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are
bound in the great river Euphrates.

9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour,
and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

9:16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred
thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

9:17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on
them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and
the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their
mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

9:18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and
by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

9:19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their
tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do
hurt.

9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues
yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not
worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone,
and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: 9:21 Neither
repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their
fornication, nor of their thefts.

10:1 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed
with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it
were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 10:2 And he had in his
hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and
his left foot on the earth, 10:3 And cried with a loud voice, as when
a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their
voices.

10:4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about
to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up
those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

10:5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth
lifted up his hand to heaven, 10:6 And sware by him that liveth for
ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are,
and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the
things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 10:7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin
to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared
to his servants the prophets.

10:8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and
said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the
angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little
book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make
thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

10:10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it
up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten
it, my belly was bitter.

10:11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many
peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

11:1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel
stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and
them that worship therein.

11:2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure
it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall
they tread under foot forty and two months.

11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall
prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in
sackcloth.

11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing
before the God of the earth.

11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their
mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he
must in this manner be killed.

11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of
their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and
to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that
ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and
shall overcome them, and kill them.

11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city,
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was
crucified.

11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall
see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer
their dead bodies to be put in graves.

11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and
make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two
prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11:11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God
entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell
upon them which saw them.

11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come
up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their
enemies beheld them.

11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth
part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven
thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God
of heaven.

11:14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh
quickly.

11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of
our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

11:16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their
seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, 11:17 Saying, We
give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to
come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast
reigned.

11:18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time
of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give
reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them
that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which
destroy the earth.

11:19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen
in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and
voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.

12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with
the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of
twelve stars: 12:2 And she being with child cried, travailing in
birth, and pained to be delivered.

12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great
red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon
his heads.

12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did
cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which
was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was
born.

12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations
with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his
throne.

12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place
prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two
hundred and threescore days.

12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 12:8 And
prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the
Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out
into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come
salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of
his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which
accused them before our God day and night.

12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word
of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to
the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down
unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a
short time.

12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he
persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.

12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she
might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished
for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the
woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war
with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out
of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten
crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet
were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and
the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his
deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

13:4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast:
and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who
is able to make war with him?  13:5 And there was given unto him a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto
him to continue forty and two months.

13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme
his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to
overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues,
and nations.

13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names
are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.

13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that
killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the
patience and the faith of the saints.

13:11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he
had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

13:12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,
and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the
first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down
from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 13:14 And deceiveth them
that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had
power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on
the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the
wound by a sword, and did live.

13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that
the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as
would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free
and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreheads: 13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had
the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number
of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six
hundred threescore and six.

14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with
him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name
written in their foreheads.

14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and
as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers
harping with their harps: 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song
before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no
man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand,
which were redeemed from the earth.

14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are
virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and
to the Lamb.

14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault
before the throne of God.

14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to
every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 14:7 Saying with a
loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his
judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters.

14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is
fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the
wine of the wrath of her fornication.

14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If
any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his
forehead, or in his hand, 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of
the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of
his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in
the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever:
and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his
image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed
are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do
follow them.

14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one
sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and
in his hand a sharp sickle.

14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap:
for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is
ripe.

14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth;
and the earth was reaped.

14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he
also having a sharp sickle.

14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over
fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle,
saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the
vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered
the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the
wrath of God.

14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came
out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a
thousand and six hundred furlongs.

15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven
angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the
wrath of God.

15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them
that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and
over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of
glass, having the harps of God.

15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God
Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

15:4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou
only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for
thy judgments are made manifest.

15:5 And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the
tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 15:6 And the seven
angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in
pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden
girdles.

15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven
golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and
from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the
seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven
angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon
the earth.

16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and
there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark
of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it
became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the
sea.

16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and
fountains of waters; and they became blood.

16:5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O
Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged
thus.

16:6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou
hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

16:7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God
Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power
was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of
God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to
give him glory.

16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the
beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their
tongues for pain, 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of
their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river
Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the
kings of the east might be prepared.

16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth
of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth
of the false prophet.

16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go
forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather
them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and
keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16:16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon.

16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and
there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne,
saying, It is done.

16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there
was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth,
so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities
of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God,
to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone
about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the
plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials,
and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee
the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the
inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her
fornication.

17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I
saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of
blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and
decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup
in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE
GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

17:6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and
with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered
with great admiration.

17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will
tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth
her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out
of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on
the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of
life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that
was, and is not, and yet is.

17:9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven
mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

17:10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the
other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short
space.

17:11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and
is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have
received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with
the beast.

17:13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength
unto the beast.

17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome
them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are
with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the
whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

17:16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall
hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat
her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to
agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God
shall be fulfilled.

17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which
reigneth over the kings of the earth.

18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven,
having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the
great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils,
and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and
hateful bird.

18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication
with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the
abundance of her delicacies.

18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her,
my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive
not of her plagues.

18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered
her iniquities.

18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double
according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her
double.

18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so
much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a
queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning,
and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is
the Lord God who judgeth her.

18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and
lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when
they shall see the smoke of her burning, 18:10 Standing afar off for
the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon,
that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her;
for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 18:12 The merchandise of
gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen,
and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner
vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of
brass, and iron, and marble, 18:13 And cinnamon, and odours, and
ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and
wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves,
and souls of men.

18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from
thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from
thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.

18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her,
shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
18:16 And saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine
linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious
stones, and pearls!  18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to
nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and
sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 18:18 And cried
when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto
this great city!  18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried,
weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city, wherein were
made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!
for in one hour is she made desolate.

18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and
prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and
cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city
Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

18:22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and
trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman,
of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the
sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 18:23 And
the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the
voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all
in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy
sorceries were all nations deceived.

18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and
of all that were slain upon the earth.

19:1 And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in
heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power,
unto the Lord our God: 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments:
for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with
her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her
hand.

19:3 And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and
ever.

19:4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and
worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.

19:5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all
ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great.

19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the
voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying,
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the
marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen,
clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called
unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are
the true sayings of God.

19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See
thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have
the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy.

19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that
sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he
doth judge and make war.

19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many
crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name
is called The Word of God.

19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white
horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should
smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he
treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING
OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud
voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come
and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 19:18
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the
flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on
them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and
great.

19:19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the
horse, and against his army.

19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image.
These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon
the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls
were filled with their flesh.

20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the
bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

20:2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the
Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 20:3 And cast him
into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years
should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given
unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the
witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned
with Christ a thousand years.

20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years
were finished. This is the first resurrection.

20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection:
on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of
God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed
out of his prison, 20:8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which
are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them
together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

20:9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the
camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down
from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be
tormented day and night for ever and ever.

20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from
whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no
place for them.

20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the
books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works.

20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and
hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged
every man according to their works.

20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death.

20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast
into the lake of fire.

21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and
the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they
shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God.

21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things
new.

And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

21:6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the
beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely.

21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his
God, and he shall be my son.

21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all
liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.

21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the
seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me,
saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high
mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God, 21:11 Having the glory of God: and
her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper
stone, clear as crystal; 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had
twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written
thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of
Israel: 21:13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on
the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

21:14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the
names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

21:15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the
city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

21:16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the
breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand
furlongs.

The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four
cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

21:18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city
was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

21:19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with
all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the
second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
21:20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh,
chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a
chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was
of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were
transparent glass.

21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the
Lamb are the temple of it.

21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to
shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the
light thereof.

21:24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light
of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into
it.

21:25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there
shall be no night there.

21:26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into
it.

21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that
defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but
they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the
river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,
and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for
the healing of the nations.

22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of
the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 22:4 And
they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.

22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle,
neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they
shall reign for ever and ever.

22:6 And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the
Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants
the things which must shortly be done.

22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of
the prophecy of this book.

22:8 And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard
and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which
shewed me these things.

22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy
fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which
keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of
this book: for the time is at hand.

22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is
filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be
righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give
every man according as his work shall be.

22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and
the last.

22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the
city.

22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and
murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in
the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright
and morning star.

22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth
say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let
him take the water of life freely.

22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the
prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God
shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 22:19
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this
prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and
out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly.
Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Sura I.

Fatiha, or the Opening Chapter.

1. In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

2. Praise be to God,
 The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds;

3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;

4. Master of the Day of Judgment.

5. Thee do we worship,
 And Thine aid we seek.

6. Show us the straight way,

7. The way of those on whom
 Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace,
 Those whose (portion)
 Is not wrath,
 And who go not astray.

Sura II.

Baqara, or the Heifer.

In the name of God, most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. This is the Book;
 In it is guidance sure, without doubt,
 To those who fear God;

3. Who believe in the Unseen,
 Are steadfast in prayer,
 And spend out of what We
 Have provided for them;

4. And who believe in the Revelation
 Sent to thee,

And sent before thy time,
 And (in their hearts)
 Have the assurance of the Hereafter.

5. They are on (true) guidance,
 From their Lord, and it is
 These who will prosper.

6. As to those who reject Faith,
 It is the same to them
 Whether thou warn them
 Or do not warn them;
 They will not believe.

7. God hath set a seal
 On their hearts and on their hearing,
 And on their eyes is a veil;
 Great is the penalty they (incur).

8. Of the people there are some who say:
 "We believe in God and the Last Day;"
 But they do not (really) believe.

9. Fain would they deceive
 God and those who believe,
 But they only deceive themselves,
 And realize (it) not!

10. In their hearts is a disease;

And God has increased their disease:
 And grievous is the penalty they (incur),
 Because they are false (to themselves).

11. When it is said to them:
 "Make not mischief on the earth,"
 They say: "Why, we only
 Want to make peace!"

12. Of a surety, they are the ones
 Who make mischief,
 But they realize (it) not.

13. When it is said to them:
 "Believe as the others believe:"
 They say: "Shall we believe
 As the fools believe?"
 Nay, of a surety they are the fools,
 But they do not know."

14. When they meet those who believe,
 They say: "We believe;"
 But when they are alone
 With their evil ones,
 They say: "We are really with you:
 We (were) only jesting."

15. God will throw back
 Their mockery on them,
 And give them rope in their trespasses;
 So they will wander like blind ones
 (To and fro).

16. These are they who have bartered
 Guidance for error:

But their traffic is profitless,
 And they have lost true direction,

17. Their similitude is that of a man
 Who kindled a fire;
 When it lighted all around him,
 God took away their light
 And left them in utter darkness.
 So they could not see.

18. Deaf, dumb, and blind,
 They will not return (to the path).

19. Or (another similitude)
 Is that of a rain-laden cloud
 From the sky: in it are zones
 Of darkness, and thunder and lightning:
 They press their fingers in their ears
 To keep out the stunning thunder-clap,
 The while they are in terror of death.
 But God is ever round
 The rejecters of Faith!

20. The lightning all but snatches away
 Their sight; every time the light
 (Helps) them, they walk therein,
 And when the darkness grows on them,
 They stand still.
 And if God willed, He could take away
 Their faculty of hearing and seeing;
 For God hath power over all things

21. O ye people!
 Adore your Guardian-Lord,
 Who created you
 And those who came before you,
 That ye may have the chance
 To learn righteousness;

22. Who has made the earth your couch,
 And the heavens your canopy;
 And sent down rain from the heavens;
 And brought forth therewith
 Fruits for your sustenance;
 Then set not up rivals unto God
 When ye know (the truth).

23. And if ye are in doubt
 As to what We have revealed
 From time to time to Our servant,
 Then produce a Sura
 Like thereunto;
 And call your witnesses or helpers
 (If there are any) besides God,
 If your (doubts) are true.

24. But if ye cannot
 And of a surety ye cannot--
 Then fear the Fire
 Whose fuel is Men and Stones,--
 Which is prepared for those

Who reject Faith.

25. But give glad tidings
 To those who believe
 And work righteousness,
 That their portion is Gardens,
 Beneath which rivers flow.
 Every time they are fed
 With fruits therefrom,
 They say: "Why, this is
 What we were fed with before,"
 For they are given things in similitude;
 And they have therein
 Companions pure (and holy);
 And they abide therein (for ever).

26. God disdains not to use
 The similitude of things,
 Lowest as well as highest.

Those who believe know
 That it is truth from their Lord;
 But those who reject Faith say:
 "What means God by this similitude?"
 By it He causes many to stray,
 And many He leads into the right path;
 But He causes not to stray,
 Except those who forsake (the path),--

27. Those who break God's Covenant
 After it is ratified,
 And who sunder what God
 Has ordered to be joined,
 And do mischief on earth:
 These cause loss (only) to themselves.

28. How can ye reject
 The faith in God?--
 Seeing that ye were without life,
 And He gave you life
 Then will He cause you to die,
 And will again bring you to life;
 And again to Him will ye return.

29. It is He Who hath created for you
 All things that are on earth;
 Moreover His design comprehended the heavens,
 For He gave order and perfection
 To the seven firmaments;
 And of all things
 He hath perfect knowledge.

30. Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create
 A vicegerent on earth." They said:
 "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make
 Mischief therein and shed blood?--
 Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises
 And glorify Thy holy (name)?"
 He said: "I know what ye know not."

31. And He taught Adam the nature
 Of all things; then He placed them
 Before the angels, and said: "Tell Me
 The nature of these if ye are right."

32. They said: "Glory to Thee: of knowledge


We have none, save what Thou
 Hast taught us: in truth it is Thou
 Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom."

33. He said: "O Adam! tell them
 Their natures." When he had told them,
 God said: "Did I not tell you
 That I know the secrets of heaven
 And earth, and I know what ye reveal
 And what ye conceal?"

34. And behold, We said to the angels:
 "Bow down to Adam: "and they bowed down:
 Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty:
 He was of those who reject Faith.

35. We said: "O Adam! dwell thou
 And thy wife in the Garden;
 And eat of the bountiful things therein
 As (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree,
 Or ye run into harm and transgression."

36. Then did Satan make them slip
 From the (Garden), and get them out

Of the state (of felicity) in which
 They had been. We said:
 "Get ye down, all (ye people),
 With enmity between yourselves.
 On earth will be your dwelling-place
 And your means of livelihood--
 For a time."

37. Then learnt Adam from his Lord
 Words of inspiration, and his Lord
 Turned towards him; for He
 Is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

38. We said: "Get ye down all from here;
 And if, as is sure, there comes to you
 Guidance from Me, whosoever
 Follows My guidance, on them
 Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

39. "But those who reject Faith
 And belie Our Signs,
 They shall be Companions of the Fire;
 They shall abide therein."


40. O Children of Israel! call to mind
 The (special) favour which I bestowed
 Upon you, and fulfil your Covenants
 With Me as I fulfil My Covenant
 With you, and fear none but Me.

41. And believe in what I reveal,
 Confirming the revelation
 Which is with you,
 And be not the first to reject
 Faith therein, nor sell My Signs
 For a small price; and fear Me,
 And Me alone.

42. And cover not Truth
 With falsehood, nor conceal
 The Truth when ye know (what it is).

43. And be steadfast in prayer;
 Practise regular charity;
 And bow down your heads
 With those who bow down (in worship).

44. Do ye enjoin right conduct
 On the people, and forget
 (To practise it) yourselves,
 And yet ye study the Scripture?
 Will ye not understand?

45. Nay, seek (God's) help
 With patient perseverance
 And prayer:
 It is indeed hard, except
 To those who bring a lowly spirit,--

46. Who bear in mind the certainty
 That they are to meet their Lord,
 And that they are to return to Him.


47. O Children of Israel! call to mind
 The (special) favour which I bestowed
 Upon you, and that I preferred you
 To all others (for My Message).

48. Then guard yourselves against a day
 When one soul shall not avail another
 Nor shall intercession be accepted for her,
 Nor shall compensation be taken from her,
 Nor shall anyone be helped (from outside).

49. And remember, We delivered you
 From the people of Pharaoh: they set you
 Hard tasks and punishments, slaughtered


Your sons and let your women-folk live;
 Therein was a tremendous trial from your Lord.

50. And remember We divided
 The Sea for you and saved you
 And drowned Pharaoh's people
 Within your very sight.

51. And remember We appointed
 Forty nights for Moses,
 And in his absence ye took
 The calf (for worship),
 And ye did grievous wrong.

52. Even then We did forgive you;
 There was a chance for you
 To be grateful.

53. And remember We gave
 Moses the Scripture and the Criterion


(Between right and wrong): there was
 A chance for you to be guided aright.

54. And remember Moses said
 To his people: "O my people!
 Ye have indeed wronged
 Yourselves by your worship of the calf:
 So turn (in repentance) to your Maker,
 And slay yourselves (the wrong-doers);
 That will be better for you
 In the sight of your Maker."
 Then He turned towards you (in forgiveness):
 For He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.

55. And remember ye said: "O Moses!
 We shall never believe in thee
 Until we see God manifestly,"
 But ye were dazed
 With thunder and lightning
 Even as ye looked on.

56. Then We raised you up
 After your death:
 Ye had the chance
 To be grateful.

57. And We gave you the shade of clouds


And sent down to you
 Manna and quails, saying:
 "Eat of the good things
 We have provided fcr you:"
 (But they rebelled);
 To Us they did no harm,
 But they harmed their own souls.

58. And remember We said:
 "Enter this town, and eat
 Of the plenty therein
 As ye wish; but enter
 The gate with humility,
 In posture and in words,
 And We shall forgive you your faults
 And increase (the portion of)
 Those who do good."

59. But the transgressors
 Changed the word from that
 Which had been given them;
 So We sent on the transgt essors
 A plague from heaven,
 For that they infringed
 (Our command) repeatedly.


60. And remember Moses prayed
 For water for his people;
 We said: "Strike the rock
 With thy staff." Then gushed forth

Therefrom twelve springs.
 Each group knew its own place
 For water. So eat and drink
 Of the sustenance provided by God,
 And do no evil nor mischief
 On the (face of the) earth.

61. And remember ye said:
 "O Moses! we cannot endure
 One kind of food (always);
 So beseech thy Lord for us
 To produce for us of what the earth
 Groweth,--its pot-herbs, and cucumbers,
 Its garlic, lentils, and onions."
 He said: "Will ye exchange
 The better for the worse?
 Go ye down to any town,"
 And ye shall find what ye want!"

They were covered with humiliation
 And misery; they drew
 On themselves the wrath of God.
 This because they went on
 Rejecting the Signs of God
 And slaying His Messengers
 Without just cause.
 This because they rebelled
 And went on transgressing.


62. Those who believe (in the Qur-an),
 And those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),
 And the Christians and the Sabians,--
 Any who believe in God
 And the Last Day,
 And work righteousness,
 Shall have their reward


With their Lord: on them
 Shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.

63. And remember We took
 Your Covenant
 And We raised above you
 (The towering height)
 Of Mount (Sinai):
 (Saying): "Hold firmly
 To what We have given you
 And bring (ever) to remembrance
 What is therein:
 Perchance ye may fear God."

64. But ye turned back thereafter:
 Had it not been for the Grace
 And Mercy of God to you,
 Ye had surely been
 Among the lost.

65. And well ye knew
 Those amongst you
 Who transgressed
 In the matter of the Sabbath:
 We said to them:
 "Be ye apes,
 Despised and rejected."

66. So We made it an example
 To their own time


And to their posterity,
 And a lesson
 To those who fear God.

67. And remember Moses said
 To his people: "God commands
 That ye sacrifice a heifer."
 They said: "Makest thou
 A laughing-stock of us?"
 He said: "God save me
 From being an ignorant (fool)!"

68. They said: "Beseech on our behalf
 Thy Lord to make plain to us
 What (heifer) it is!"
 He said: "He says: the heifer
 Should be neither too old
 Nor too young, but of middling
 Age: now do what ye are commanded!"

69. They said: "Beseech on our behalf
 Thy Lord to make plain to us
 Her colour." He said: "He says:
 A fawn-coloured heifer,
 Pure and rich in tone,
 The admiration of beholders!"

70. They said: "Beseech on our behalf
 Thy Lord to make plain to us
 What she is: to us are all heifers
 Alike: we wish indeed for guidance,
 If God wills."


71. He said: "He says: a heifer
 Not trained to till the soil
 Or water the fields: sound
 And without blemish." They said:
 "Now hast thou brought
 The truth." Then they offered
 Her in sacrifice,
 But not with good-will.

72. Remember ye slew a man
 And fell into a dispute
 Among yourselves as to the crime:
 But God was to bring forth
 What ye did hide.

73. So We said: "Strike the (body)
 With a piece of the (heifer)."
 Thus God bringeth the dead
 To life and showeth you His Signs:
 Perchance ye may understand.

74. Thenceforth were your hearts
 Hardened: they became
 Like a rock and even worse
 In hardness. For among rocks
 There are some from which
 Rivers gush forth; others
 There are which when split
 Asunder send forth water;
 And others which sink


For fear of God. And God is
 Not unmindful of what ye do.

75. Can ye (O ye men of Faith)
 Entertain the hope that they
 Will believe in you?--
 Seeing that a party of them
 Heard the Word of God,
 And perverted it knowingly
 After they understood it.

76. Behold! when they meet
 The men of Faith, they say:
 "We believe": but when
 They meet each other in private,
 They say: "Shall you tell them
 What God hath revealed to you,
 That they may engage you
 In argument about it
 Before your Lord?"--
 Do ye not understand (their aim)?

77. Know they not that God
 Knoweth what they conceal
 And what they reveal?

78. And there are among them
 Illiterates, who know not the Book,
 But (see therein their own) desires,
 And they do nothing but conjecture.

79. Then woe to those who write
 The Book with their own hands,
 And then say: "This is from God,"
 To traffic with it
 For a miserable price!--
 Woe to them for what their hands
 Do write, and for the gain
 They make thereby.

80. And they say: "The Fire
 Shall not touch us
 But for a few numbered days:"
 Say: "Have ye taken a promise
 From God, for He never
 Breaks His promise?
 Or is it that ye say of God
 What ye do not know?"

81. Nay, those who seek gain
 In Evil, and are girt round
 By their sins,
 They are Companions of the Fire:
 Therein shall they abide
 (For ever).

82. But those who have faith
 And work righteousness,

They are Companions of the Garden:
 Therein shall they abide
 (For ever).

83. And remember We took
 A Covenant from the Children
 Of Israel (to this effect):
 Worship none but God;
 Treat with kindness
 Your parents and kindred,
 And orphans and those in need;
 Speak fair to the people;
 Be steadfast in prayer;
 And practise regular charity.
 Then did ye turn back,
 Except a few among you,
 And ye backslide (even now).

84. And remember We took
 Your Covenant (to this effect):
 Shed no blood amongst you,
 Nor turn out your own people
 From your homes: and this
 Ye solemnly ratified,
 And to this ye can bear witness.

85. After this it is ye, the same people,
 Who slay among yourselves,
 And banish a party of you
 From their homes; assist
 (Their enemies) against them,
 In guilt and rancour;
 And if they come to you
 As captives, ye ransom them,

Though it was not lawful
 For you to banish them.
 Then is it only a part of the Book
 That ye believe in,
 And do ye reject the rest?
 But what is the reward for those
 Among you who behave like this
 But disgrace in this life?--
 And on the Day of Judgment
 They shall be consigned
 To the most grievous penalty.
 For God is not unmindful
 Of what ye do.

86. These are the people who buy
 The life of this world at the price
 Of the Hereafter: their penalty
 Shall not be lightened
 Nor shall they be helped.

87. We gave Moses the Book
 And followed him up
 With a succession of Apostles;
 We gave Jesus the son of Mary
 Clear (Signs) and strengthened him
 With the holy spirit. Is it
 That whenever there comes to you
 An Apostle with what ye
 Yourselves desire not, ye are
 Puffed up with pride?--
 Some ye called impostors,
 And others ye slay!

88. They say, "Our hearts
 Are the wrappings (which preserve
 God's Word: we need no more)."
 Nay, God's curse is on them
 For their blasphemy:
 Little is it they believe.

89. And when there comes to them
 A Book from God, confirming
 What is with them,--although
 From of old they had prayed
 For victory against those
 Without Faith,--when there comes.
 To them that which they
 (Should) have recognized,
 They refuse to believe in it
 But the curse of God
 Is on those without Faith.

90. Miserable is the price
 For which they have sold
 Their souls, in that they
 Deny (the revelation)
 Which God has sent down,
 In insolent envy that God
 Of His Grace should send it
 To any of His servants He pleases:

Thus have they drawn
 On themselves Wrath upon Wrath.
 And humiliating is the punishment
 Of those who reject Faith.

91. When it is said to them,
 "Believe in what God
 Hath sent down," they say,
 "We believe in what was sent down
 To us": yet they reject
 All besides, even if it be Truth
 Confirming what is with them.
 Say: "Why then have ye slain
 The prophets of God in times
 Gone by, if ye did indeed
 Believe?"

92. There came to you Moses
 With clear (Signs); yet
 Ye worshipped the Calf
 (Even) after that, and ye
 Did behave wrongfully.

93. And remember We took
 Your Covenant and We raised
 Above you (the towering height)
 Of Mount (Sinai):
 (Saying): "Hold firmly
 To what We have given you,
 And hearken (to the Law)"
 They said: "We hear,
 And we disobey"
 And they had to drink

Into their hearts
 (Of the taint) of the Calf
 Because of their Faithlessness.
 Say: "Vile indeed
 Are the behests of your Faith
 If ye have any faith!"

94. Say: "If the last Home,
 With God, be for you specially,
 And not for anyone else,
 Then seek ye for death,
 If ye are sincere."

95. But they will never seek
 For death, on account of the (sins)
 Which their hands have sent
 On before them.
 And God is well-acquainted
 With the wrong-doers.

96. Thou wilt indeed find them,
 Of all people, most greedy
 Of life,--even more
 Than the idolaters:
 Each one of them wishes
 He could be given a life
 Of a thousand years:
 But the grant of such life
 Will not save him
 From (due) punishment.
 For God sees well
 All that they do.

97. Say: Whoever is an enemy
 To Gabriel--for he brings down

The (revelation) to thy heart
 By God's will, a confirmation
 Of what went before,
 And guidance and glad tidings
 For those who believe,--

98. Whoever is an enemy to God
 And His angels and apostles,
 To Gabriel and Michael,--
 Lo! God is an enemy to those
 Who reject Faith.

99. We have sent down to thee
 Manifest Signs (ayat);
 And none reject them
 But those who are perverse.

100. Is it not (the case) that
 Every time they make a Covenant,
 Some party among them
 Throw it aside?--Nay,
 Most of them are faithless.

101. And when there came to them
 An Apostle from God,
 Confirming what was with them,
 A party of the People of the Book
 Threw away the Book of God
 Behind their backs,
 As if (it had been something)
 They did not know!

102. They followed what the evil ones
 Gave out (falsely)
 Against the power
 Of Solomon: the blasphemers
 Were, not Solomon, but
 The evil ones, teaching men

Magic, and such things
 As came down at Babylon
 To the angels Harut and Marut.
 But neither of these taught anyone
 (Such things) without saying:
 "We are only for trial;
 So do not blaspheme."
 They learned from them
 The means to sow discord
 Between man and wife.
 But they could not thus
 Harm anyone except
 By God's permission.
 And they learned what harmed them,
 Not what profited them.
 And they knew that the buyers
 Of (magic) would have
 No share in the happiness
 Of the Hereafter. And vile
 Was the price for which
 They did sell their souls,
 If they but knew!

103. If they had kept their Faith
 And guarded themselves from evil,

Far better had been
 The reward from their Lord,
 If they but knew!

104. ye of Faith!
 Say not (to the Apostle)
 Words of ambiguous import,
 But words of respect;
 And hearken (to him):
 To those without Faith
 Is a grievous punishment.

105. It is never the wish
 Of those without Faith
 Among the People of the Book,
 Nor of the Pagans,
 That anything good
 Should come down to you
 From your Lord.
 But God will choose
 For His special Mercy
 Whom He will--for God is
 Lord of grace abounding.

106. None of Our revelations
 Do We abrogate
 Or cause to be forgotten,
 But We substitute

Something better or similar:
 Knowest thou not that God
 Hath power over all things?

107. Knowest thou not
 That to God belongeth
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth?
 And besides Him ye have
 Neither patron nor helper.

108. Would ye question
 Your Apostle as Moses's
 Was questioned of old?
 But whoever changeth
 From Faith to Unbelief,
 Hath strayed without doubt
 From the even way.

109. Quite a number of the People
 Of the Book wish they could
 Turn you (people) back
 To infidelity after ye have believed,
 From selfish envy,
 After the Truth hath become
 Manifest unto them:
 But forgive and overlook,

Till God accomplish
 His purpose; for God
 Hath power over all things.'

110. And be steadfast in prayer
 And regular in charity:
 And whatever good
 Ye send forth for your souls
 Before you, ye shall find it
 With God: for God sees
 Well all that ye do.

111. And they say: "None
 Shall enter Paradise unless
 He be a Jew or a Christian."
 Those are their (vain) desires.
 Say: "Produce your proof
 If ye are truthful."

112. Nay,--whoever submits
 His whole self to God
 And is a doer of good,
 He will get his reward
 With his Lord;
 On such shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

113. The Jews say: "The Christians
 Have naught (to stand) upon;
 And the Christians say:
 "The Jews have naught
 (To stand) upon." Yet they
 (Profess to) study the (same) Book.
 Like unto their word
 Is what those say who know not;

But God will judge
 Between them in their quarrel
 On the Day of Judgment.

114. And who is more unjust
 Than he who forbids
 That in places for the worship
 Of God, God's name should be
 Celebrated?--whose zeal
 Is (in fact) to ruin them?
 It was not fitting that such
 Should themselves enter them
 Except in fear. For them
 There is nothing but disgrace
 In this world, and in the world
 To come, an exceeding torment.

115. To God belong the East
 And the West: whithersoever
 Ye turn, there is the Presence
 Of God. For God is All-Pervading,
 All-Knowing.

116. They say: "God hath begotten
 A son": Glory be to Him.--Nay,
 To Him belongs all
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth: everything
 Renders worship to Him.'"

117. To Him is due
 The primal origin

Of the heavens and the earth:
 When He decreeth a matter,
 He saith to it: "Be,"
 And it is.

118. Say those without knowledge:
 "Why speaketh not God
 Unto us? Or why cometh not
 Unto us a Sign?"
 So said the people before them
 Words of similar import.
 Their hearts are alike.
 We have indeed made clear
 The Signs unto any people
 Who hold firmly
 To Faith (in their hearts).

119. Verily We have sent thee
 In truth as a bearer
 Of glad tidings and a warner:
 But of thee no question
 Shall be asked of the Companions
 Of the Blazing Fire.

120. Never will the Jews
 Or the Christians be satisfied
 With thee unless thou follow
 Their form of religion. Say:

"The Guidance of God,--that
 Is the (only) Guidance."
 Wert thou to follow their desires
 After the knowledge
 Which hath reached thee,
 Then wouldst thou find
 Neither Protector nor Helper
 Against God.

121. Those to whom We have sent
 The Book study it as it
 Should be studied: they are
 The ones that believe therein:
 Those who reject faith therein,--
 The loss is their own.

122. O Children of Israel! call to mind
 The special favour which I bestowed
 Upon you, and that I preferred you
 To all others (for My Message).

123. Then guard yourselves against a Day

When one soul shall not avail another,
 Nor shall compensation be
 accepted from her
 Nor shall intercession profit her
 Nor shall anyone be helped (from outside).

124. And remember that Abraham
 Was tried by his Lord
 With certain Commands,
 Which he fulfilled:
 He said: "I will make thee
 An Imam to the Nations."
 He pleaded: "And also
 (Imams) from my offspring!"
 He answered: "But My Promise
 Is not within the reach
 Of evil-doers."

125. Remember We made the House
 A place of assembly for men
 And a place of safety;
 And take ye the Station
 Of Abraham as a place
 Of prayer; and We covenanted
 With Abraham and lsma'il,
 That they should sanctify
 My House for those who
 Compass it round, or use it

As a retreat, or bow, or
 Prostrate themselves (therein
 In prayer).

126. And remember Abraham said:
 "My Lord, make this a City
 Of Peace, and feed its People
 With fruits,--such of them
 As believe in God and the Last Day."
 He said: "(Yea), and such as
 Reject Faith,--for a while
 Will I grant them their pleasure,
 But will soon drive them
 To the torment of Fire,--
 An evil destination (indeed)!"

127. And remember Abraham
 And Isma'il raised
 The foundations of the House
 (With this prayer): "Our Lord!
 Accept (this service) from us:
 For Thou art the All-Hearing,
 The All-Knowing.

128. "Our Lord! make of us
 Muslims, bowing to Thy (Will),
 And of our progeny a people
 Muslim, bowing to Thy (Will);
 And show us our places for
 The celebration of (due) rites;
 And turn unto us (in Mercy);
 For Thou art the Oft-Returning,
 Most Merciful.

129. "Our Lord! send amongst them
 An Apostle of their own,
 Who shall rehearse Thy Signs
 To them and instruct them

In Scripture and Wisdom,
 And sanctify them:
 For Thou art the Exalted in Might,
 The Wise."

130. And who turns away
 From the religion of Abraham
 But such as debase their souls
 With folly? Him We chose
 And rendered pure in this world:
 And he will be in the Hereafter
 In the ranks of the Righteous.

131. Behold! his Lord said
 To him: "Bow (thy will to Me):"
 He said: "I bow (my will)
 To the Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Universe."

132. And this was the legacy
 That Abraham left to his sons,
 And so did Jacob;
 "Oh my sons! God hath chosen
 The Faith for you; then die not
 Except in the Faith of Islam."

133. Were ye witnesses
 When Death appeared before Jacob?
 Behold, he said to his sons:
 "What will ye worship after me?"
 They said: "We shall worship

Thy God and the God of thy fathers,--
 Of Abraham, Isma'il, and Isaac,--
 The One (True) God:
 To Him we bow (in Islam)."

134. That was a People that hath
 Passed away. They shall reap
 The fruit of what they did,
 And ye of what ye do!
 Of their merits
 There is no question in your case!

135. They say: "Become Jews
 Or Christians if ye would be guided
 (To salvation)." Say thou:
 "Nay! (I would rather) the Religion
 Of Abraham the True,
 And he joined not gods with God."

136. Say ye: "We believe
 In God, and the revelation
 Given to us, and to Abraham,
 Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob,
 And the Tribes, and that given
 To Moses and Jesus, and that given
 To (all) Prophets from their Lord:
 We make no difference
 Between one and another of them:
 And we bow to God (in Islam)."

137. So if they believe
 As ye believe, they are indeed
 On the right path; but if
 They turn back, it is they

Who are in schism; but God will
 Suffice thee as against them,
 And He is the All-Hearing,
 The All-Knowing.

138. (Our religion is)
 The Baptism of God:
 And who can baptize better
 Than God? And it is He
 Whom we worship.

139. Say: Will ye dispute
 With us about God, seeing
 That He is our Lord
 And your Lord; that we
 Are responsible for our doings
 And ye for yours; and that
 We are sincere (in our faith) In him?

140. Or do ye say that
 Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac,
 Jacob and the Tribes were
 Jews or Christians?
 Say: Do ye know better
 Than God? Ah! who
 Is more unjust than those
 Who conceal the testimony
 They have from God?
 But God is not unmindful
 Of what ye do!

141. That was a people that hath
 Passed away. They shall reap
 The fruit of what they did,
 And ye of what ye do!
 Of their merits
 There is no question in your case:

142. The Fools among the people
 Will say: "What hath turned
 Them from the Qibla to which
 They were used?" Say:
 To God belong both East and West:
 He guideth whom He will
 To a Way that is straight.

143. Thus have We made of you
 An Ummat justly balanced,
 That ye might be witnesses
 Over the nations,

And the Apostle a witness
 Over yourselves;
 And We appointed the Qibla
 To which thou wast used,
 Only to test those who followed
 The Apostle from those
 Who would turn on their heels
 (From the Faith). Indeed it was
 (A change) momentous, except
 To those guided by God.
 And never would God
 Make your faith of no effect.
 For God is to all people
 Most surely full of kindness,
 Most Merciful.

144. We see the turning
 Of thy face (for guidance)
 To the heavens: now
 Shall We turn thee
 To a Qibla that shall
 Please thee. Turn then
 Thy face in the direction
 Of the sacred Mosque:
 Wherever ye are, turn
 Your faces in that direction.

The people of the Book
 Know well that that is
 The truth from their Lord.
 Nor is God unmindful
 Of what they do.

145. Even if thou wert to bring
 To the people of the Book
 All the Signs (together),
 They would not follow
 Thy Qibla; nor art thou
 Going to follow their Qibla;
 Nor indeed will they follow
 Each other's Qibla. If thou
 After the knowledge hath reached thee,
 Wert to follow their (vain)
 Desires,--then wert thou
 Indeed (clearly) in the wrong.

146. The people of the Book
 Know this as they know
 Their own sons; but some
 Of them conceal the truth
 Which they themselves know.

147. The Truth is from thy Lord;
 So be not at all in doubt.

148. To each is a goal
 To which God turns him;
 Then strive together (as in a race)
 Towards all that is good.
 Wheresoever ye are,
 God will bring you
 Together, For God
 Hath power over all things.

149. From whencesoever
 Thou startest forth, turn
 Thy face in the direction
 Of the Sacred Mosque;
 That is indeed the truth
 From thy Lord. And God
 Is not unmindful
 Of what ye do.

150. So from whencesoever
 Thou startest forth, turn
 Thy face in the direction
 Of the Sacred Mosque;
 And wheresoever ye are,
 Turn your face thither:
 That there be no ground
 Of dispute against you
 Among the people,
 Except those of them that are
 Bent on wickedness; so fear
 Them not, but fear Me;
 And that I may complete
 My favours on you, and ye
 May (consent to) be guided;

151. A similar (favour
 Have ye already received)
 In that We have sent
 Among you an Apostle
 Of your own, rehearsing to you
 Our Signs, and sanctifying
 You, and instructing you
 In Scripture and Wisdom,
 And in new Knowledge.

152. Then do ye remember
 Me; I will remember
 You. Be grateful to Me,
 And reject not Faith.

153. O ye who believe! seek help
 With patient Perseverance
 And Prayer: for God is with those
 Who patiently persevere.

154. And say not of those
 Who are slain in the way

Of God: "They are dead."
 Nay, they are living,
 Though ye perceive (it) not.

155. Be sure we shall test you
 With something of fear
 And hunger, some loss
 In goods or lives or the fruits
 (Of your toil), but give
 Glad tidings to those
 Who patiently persevere,--

156. Who say, when afflicted
 With calamity: "To God
 We belong, and to Him
 Is our return":--

157. They are those on whom
 (Descend) blessings from God,
 And Mercy,
 And they are the ones
 That receive guidance.

158. Behold! Safa and Marwa
 Are among the Symbols
 Of God. So if those who visit
 The House in the Season
 Or at other times,
 Should compass them round,
 It is no sin in them.
 And if any one obeyeth his own

Impulse to Good,--
 Be sure that God
 Is He Who recogniseth
 And knoweth.

159. Those who conceal
 The clear (Signs) We have
 Sent down, and the Guidance,
 After We have made it
 Clear for the People
 In the Book,--on them
 Shall be God's curse,
 And the curse of those
 Entitled to curse,--

160. Except those who repent
 And make amends
 And openly declare (the Truth):
 To them I turn;
 For I am Oft-returning,
 Most Merciful.

161. Those who reject Faith,
 And die rejecting,--
 On them is God's curse,
 And the curse of angels,
 And of all mankind;

162. They will abide therein:
 Their penalty will not
 Be lightened, nor will
 Respite be their (lot).

163. And your God
 Is One God:
 There is no god
 But He,

Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

164. Behold! In the creation
 Of the heavens and the earth;
 In the alternation
 Of the Night and the Day;
 In the sailing of the ships
 Through the Ocean
 For the profit of mankind;
 In the rain which God
 Sends down from the skies,
 And the life which He gives therewith
 To an earth that is dead;
 In the beasts of all kinds
 That He scatters
 Through the earth;
 In the change of the winds,
 And the clouds which they
 Trail like their slaves
 Between the sky and the earth;--
 (Here) indeed are Signs
 For a people that are wise.

165. Yet there are men
 Who take (for worship)
 Others besides God,
 As equal (with God):

They love them
 As they should love God.
 But those of Faith are
 Overflowing in their love
 For God. If only
 The unrighteous could see,
 Behold, they would see
 The Penalty: that to God
 Belongs all power, and God
 Will strongly enforce
 The Penalty.

166 Then would those
 Who are followed
 Clear themselves of those
 Who follow (them):
 They would see the Penalty,
 And all relations
 Between them would be cut off.

167. And those who followed
 Would say: "If only
 We had one more chance,
 We would clear ourselves
 Of them, as they have
 Cleared themselves of us."
 Thus will God show them
 (The fruits of) their deeds
 As (nothing but) regrets.
 Nor will there be a way
 For them out of the Fire.

168. O ye people!
 Eat of what is on earth,
 Lawful and good;
 And do not follow
 The footsteps of the Evil One,
 For he is to you
 An avowed enemy.

169. For he commands you
 What is evil
 And shameful,
 And that ye should say
 Of God that of which
 Ye have no knowledge.

170. When it is said to them:
 "Follow what God hath revealed:"
 They say: "Nay! we shall follow
 The ways of our fathers."
 What! even though their fathers
 Were void of wisdom and guidance?

171. The parable of those
 Who reject Faith is
 As if one were to shout
 Like a goat-herd, to things
 That listen to nothing
 But calls and cries:
 Deaf, dumb, and blind,
 They are void of wisdom.

172 O ye who believe!
 Eat of the good things
 That We have provided for you,
 And be grateful to God,
 If it is Him ye worship.

173. He hath only forbidden you
 Dead meat, and blood,
 And the flesh of swine,
 And that on which

Any other name hath been invoked
 Besides that of God.
 But if one is forced by necessity,
 Without wilful disobedience,
 Nor transgressing due limits,--
 Then is he guiltless.
 For God is Oft-forgiving
 Most Merciful.

174. Those who conceal
 God's revelations in the Book,
 And purchase for them
 A miserable profit,--
 They swallow into themselves
 Naught but Fire;
 God will not address them
 On the Day of Resurrection,
 Nor purify them:
 Grievous will be
 Their Penalty.

175. They are the ones
 Who buy Error
 In place of Guidance
 And Torment in place
 Of Forgiveness.
 Ah! what boldness
 (They show) for the Fire!

176. (Their doom is) because
 God sent down the Book
 In truth but those who seek
 Causes of dispute in the Book

Are in a schism
 Far (from the purpose).

177. It is not righteousness
 That ye turn your faces
 Towards East or West;
 But it is righteousness--
 To believe in God
 And the Last Day,
 And the Angels,
 And the Book,
 And the Messengers;
 To spend of your substance,
 Out of love for Him,
 For your kin,
 For orphans,
 For the needy,
 For the wayfarer,
 For those who ask,
 And for the ransom of slaves;
 To be steadfast in prayer,
 And practice regular charity;
 To fulfil the contracts
 Which ye have made;

And to be firm and patient,
 In pain (or suffering)
 And adversity,
 And throughout
 All periods of panic.
 Such are the people
 Of truth, the God-fearing.

178. O ye who believe!
 The law of equality
 Is prescribed to you
 In cases of murder:
 The free for the free,
 The slave for the slave,
 The woman for the woman.
 But if any remission
 Is made by the brother
 Of the slain, then grant
 Any reasonable demand,
 And compensate him

With handsome gratitude.
 This is a concession
 And a Mercy
 From your Lord.
 After this whoever
 Exceeds the limits
 Shall be in grave penalty.

179. In the Law of Equality
 There is (saving of) Life
 To you, O ye men of understanding;
 That ye may
 Restrain yourselves.

180. It is prescribed,
 When death approaches
 Any of you, if he leave
 Any goods, that he make a bequest
 To parents and next of kin,
 According to reasonable usage;
 This is due
 From the God-fearing.

181. If anyone changes the bequest
 After hearing it,
 The guilt shall be on those
 Who make the change.
 For God hears and knows
 (All things).

182. But if anyone fears
 Partiality or wrong-doing
 On the part of the testator,
 And makes peace between

(The parties concerned),
 There is no wrong in him:
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

183. O ye who believe!
 Fasting is prescribed to you
 As it was prescribed
 To those before you,
 That ye may (learn)
 Self-restraint,--

184. (Fasting) for a fixed
 Number of days;
 But if any of you is ill,
 Or on a journey,
 The prescribed number
 (Should be made up)
 From days later.
 For those who can do it
 (With hardship), is a ransom,
 The feeding of one
 That is indigent.
 But he that will give
 More, of his own free will,--
 It is better for him.
 And it is better for you
 That ye fast,
 If ye only knew.

185. Ramadhan is the (month)
 In which was sent down
 The Qur-an, as a guide
 To mankind, also clear (Signs)
 For guidance and judgment
 (Between right and wrong).
 So every one of you
 Who is present (at his home)
 During that month
 Should spend it in fasting,
 But if any one is ill,
 Or on a journey,
 The prescribed period
 (Should be made up)
 By days later.
 God intends every facility
 For you; He does not want
 To put you to difficulties.
 (He wants you) to complete
 The prescribed period,
 And to glorify Him
 In that He has guided you;
 And perchance ye shall be grateful.

186. When My servants
 Ask thee concerning Me,
 I am indeed
 Close (to them): I listen
 To the prayer of every
 Suppliant when he calleth on Me:
 Let them also, with a will,
 Listen to My call,
 And believe in Me:
 That they may walk
 In the right way.

187. Permitted to you,
 On the night of the fasts,
 Is the approach to your wives.
 They are your garments

And ye are their garments.
 God knoweth what ye
 Used to do secretly among yourselves;
 But He turned to you
 And forgave you;
 So now associate with them,
 And seek what God
 Hath ordained for you,
 And eat and drink,
 Until the white thread
 Of dawn appear to you
 Distinct from its black thread;
 Then complete your fast
 Till the night appears;
 But do not associate
 With your wives
 While ye are in retreat
 In the mosques. Those are
 Limits (set by) God:
 Approach not nigh thereto.
 Thus doth God make clear
 His Signs to men: that
 They may learn self-restraint.

188. And do not eat up
 Your property among yourselves
 For vanities, nor use it
 As bait for the judges,
 With intent that ye may
 Eat up wrongfully and knowingly

A little of (other) people's property.

189. They ask thee
 Concerning the New Moons.
 Say: They are but signs
 To mark fixed periods of time
 In (the affairs of) men,
 And for Pilgrimage.
 It is no virtue if ye enter
 Your houses from the back:
 It is virtue if ye fear God.
 Enter houses
 Through the proper doors:
 And fear God:
 That ye may prosper.

190. Fight in the cause of God
 Those who fight you,
 But do not transgress limits;
 For God loveth not transgressors.

191. And slay them
 Wherever ye catch them,
 And turn them out
 From where they have

Turned you out;
 For tumult and oppression
 Are worse than slaughter;
 But fight them not
 At the Sacred Mosque,
 Unless they (first)
 Fight you there;
 But if they fight you,
 Slay them.
 Such is the reward
 Of those who suppress faith.

192. But if they cease,
 God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

193. And fight them on
 Until there is no more
 Tumult or oppression,
 And there prevail
 Justice and faith in God;
 But if they cease,
 Let there be no hostility
 Except to those
 Who practise oppression.

194. The prohibited month
 For the prohibited month,--
 And so for all things prohibited,--
 There is the law of equality.
 If then any one transgresses
 The prohibition against you,
 Transgress ye likewise
 Against him.
 But fear God, and know
 That God is with those
 Who restrain themselves.

195. And spend of your substance
 In the cause of God,
 And make not your own hands
 Contribute to (your) destruction;
 But do good;
 For God loveth those
 Who do good.

196. And complete
 The .Hajj or 'umra 

In the service of God.
 But if ye are prevented
 (From completing it),
 Send an offering
 For sacrifice,
 Such as ye may find,
 And do not shave your heads
 Until the offering reaches
 The place of sacrifice.
 And if any of you is ill,
 Or has an ailment in his scalp,
 (Necessitating shaving),
 (He should) in compensation
 Either fast, or feed the poor,
 Or offer sacrifice;
 And when ye are
 In peaceful conditions (again),
 If any one wishes
 To continue the 'umra 
 On to the hajj,
 He must make an offering,
 Such as he can afford,
 But if he cannot afford it,
 He should fast
 Three days during the hajj
 And seven days on his return,
 Making ten days in all.
 This is for those
 Whose household
 Is not in (the precincts
 Of) the Sacred Mosque.
 And fear God,
 And know that God.
 Is strict in punishment?

197. For Hajj 
 Are the months well known.
 If any one undertakes
 That duty therein,
 Let there be no obscenity,
 Nor wickedness,
 Nor wrangling
 In the Hajj.
 And whatever good
 Ye do, (be sure)
 God knoweth it.
 And take a provision
 (With you) for the journey,
 But the best of provisions
 Is right conduct.
 So fear Me,
 O ye that are wise.

198. It is no crime in you
 If ye seek of the bounty
 Of your Lord (during pilgrimage).
 Then when ye pour down
 From (Mount) 'Arafat,
 Celebrate the praises of God
 At the Sacred Monument,

And celebrate His praises
 As He has directed you,
 Even though, before this,
 Ye went astray.

199. Then pass on
 At a quick pace from the place
 Whence it is usual
 For the multitude
 So to do, and ask
 For God's forgiveness.
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

200. So when ye have
 Accomplished your holy rites,
 Celebrate the praises of God,
 As ye used to celebrate
 The praises of your fathers,--
 Yea, with far more
 Heart and soul.
 There are men who say:
 "Our ! Give us
 (Thy bounties) in this world!"
 But they will have
 No portion in the Hereafter.

201. And there are men who say:
 "Our Lord! Give us
 Good in this world
 And good in the Hereafter,
 And defend us
 From the torment
 Of the Fire!"

202. To these will be allotted
 What they have earned;
 And God is quick in account.

203. Celebrate the praises of God
 During the Appointed Days.
 But if any one hastens
 To leave in two days,
 There is no blame on him,
 And if any one stays on,
 There is no blame on him,
 If his aim is to do right.
 Then fear God, and know
 That ye will surely
 Be gathered unto Him.

204. There is the type of man
 Whose speech
 About this world's life
 May dazzle thee,
 And he calls God to witness
 About what is in his heart;
 Yet is he the most contentious
 Of enemies.

205. When he turns his back,
 His aim everywhere
 Is to spread mischief
 Through the earth and destroy
 Crops and cattle.
 But God loveth not mischief.

206. When it is said to him,
 "Fear God,"
 He is led by arrogance
 To (more) crime.

Enough for him is Hell;--
 An evil bed indeed
 (To lie on)!

207. And there is the type of man
 Who gives his life
 To earn the pleasure of God;
 And God is full of kindness
 To (His) devotees.

208. O ye who believe!
 Enter into Islam
 Whole-heartedly;
 And follow not
 The footsteps
 Of the Evil One;
 For he is to you
 An avowed enemy.

209. If ye backslide
 After the clear (Signs)
 Have come to you,
 Then know that God
 Is Exalted in Power, Wise.

210. Will they wait
 Until God comes to them
 In canopies of clouds,
 With angels (in His train)
 And the question
 Is (thus) settled?
 But to God
 Do all questions
 Go back (for decision).

211. Ask the Children of Israel
 How many Clear (Signs)

We have sent them.
 But if any one,
 After God's favour
 Has come to him,
 Substitutes (something else),
 God is strict in punishment.

212. The life of this world
 Is alluring to those
 Who reject faith,
 And they scoff at those
 Who believe.
 But the righteous
 Will be above them
 On the Day of Resurrection;
 For God bestows His abundance
 Without measure
 On whom He will.

213. Mankind was one single nation,
 And God sent Messengers
 With glad tidings and warnings;
 And with them He sent
 The Book in truth,
 To judge between people
 In matters wherein
 They differed;
 But the People of the Book,
 After the clear Signs
 Came to them, did not differ
 Among themselves,
 Except through selfish contumacy.
 God by His Grace
 Guided the Believers
 To the Truth,
 Concerning that
 Wherein they differed.
 For God guides
 Whom He will
 To a path
 That is straight.

214. Or do ye think
 That ye shall enter

The Garden (of Bliss)
 Without such (trials)
 As came to those
 Who passed away
 Before you?
 They encountered
 Suffering and adversity,
 And were so shaken in spirit
 That even the Apostle
 And those of faith
 Who were with him
 Cried: "When (will come)
 The help of God?"
 Ah! Verily, the help of God
 Is (always) near!

215. They ask thee
 What they should spend
 (In charity). Say: Whatever
 Ye spend that is good,
 Is for parents and kindred
 And orphans
 And those in want
 And for wayfarers.
 And whatever ye do
 That is good,--God
 Knoweth it well.

216. Fighting is prescribed
 For you, and ye dislike it.
 But it is possible
 That ye dislike a thing
 Which is good for you,
 And that ye love a thing
 Which is bad for you.
 But God knoweth,
 And ye know not.

217. They ask thee
 Concerning fighting
 In the Prohibited Month.
 Say: "Fighting therein
 Is a grave (offence);
 But graver is it
 In the sight of God
 To prevent access
 To the path of God,
 To deny Him,
 To prevent access
 To the Sacred Mosque,
 And drive out its members.
 Tumult and oppression
 Are worse than slaughter.
 Nor will they cease
 Fighting you until
 They turn you back
 From your faith
 If they can.
 And if any of you
 Turn back from their faith
 And die in unbelief,
 Their works will bear no fruit
 In this life
 And in the Hereafter;
 They will be
 Companions of the Fire
 And will abide therein.

218. Those who believed
 And those who suffered exile
 And fought (and strove and struggled)
 In the path of God,--
 They have the hope
 Of the Mercy of God;
 And God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

219. They ask thee
 Concerning wine and gambling.
 Say: "In them is great sin,
 And some profit, for men;
 But the sin is greater
 Than the profit."
 Whey ask thee how much
 They are to spend;
 Say: "What is beyond
 Your needs."
 Thus doth God
 Make clear to you
 His Signs: in order that
 Ye may consider--

220. (Their bearings) on
 This life and the Hereafter.

They ask thee
 Concerning orphans.
 Say: "The best thing to do
 Is what is for their good;
 If ye mix
 Their affairs with yours,
 They are your brethren;
 But God knows

The man who means mischief
 From the man who means good.
 And if God had wished,
 He could have put you
 Into difficulties: He is indeed
 Exalted in Power, Wise.

221. Do not marry
 Unbelieving women (idolaters),
 Until they believe:
 A slave woman who believes
 Is better than an unbelieving woman,
 Even though she allure you.
 Nor marry (your girls)
 To unbelievers until
 They believe:
 A man slave who believes
 Is better than an unbeliever,
 Even though he allure you.
 Unbelievers do (but)
 Beckon you to the Fire.
 But God beckons by His Grace
 To the Garden (of Bliss)
 And forgiveness,
 And makes His Signs
 Clear to mankind:
 That they may
 Celebrate His praise.

222. They ask thee
 Concerning women's courses.
 Say: They are
 A hurt and a pollution:

So keep away from women
 In their courses, and do not
 Approach them until
 They are clean.
 But when they have
 Purified themselves,
 Ye may approach them
 In any manner, time, or place
 Ordained for you by God.
 For God loves those
 Who turn to Him constantly
 And He loves those
 Who keep themselves pure and clean,

223. Your wives are
 As a tilth unto you;
 So approach your tilth
 When or how ye will;
 But do some good act
 For your souls beforehand;
 And fear God,
 And know that ye are
 To meet Him (in the Hereafter),
 And give (these) good tidings
 To those who believe.

224. And make not
 God's (name) an excuse
 In your oaths against
 Doing good, or acting rightly,
 Or making peace
 Between persons;

For God is One
 Who heareth and knoweth
 All things.

225. God will not
 Call you to account
 For thoughtlessness
 In your oaths,
 But for the intention
 In your hearts;
 And He is
 Oft-forgiving
 Most Forbearing.

226. For those who take
 An oath for abstention
 From their wives,
 A waiting for four months
 Is ordained;
 If then they return,
 God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

227. But if their intention
 Is firm for divorce,
 God heareth
 And knoweth all things.

228. Divorced women
 Shall wait concerning themselves

For three monthly periods.
 Nor is it lawful for them
 To hide what God
 Hath created in their wombs,
 If they have faith
 In God and the Last Day.
 And their husbands
 Have the better right
 To take them back
 In that period, if
 They wish for reconciliation.
 And women shall have rights
 Similar to the rights
 Against them, according
 To what is equitable;
 But men have a degree
 (Of advantage) over them.
 And God is Exalted in Power, Wise.

229. A divorce is only
 Permissible twice: after that,
 The parties should either hold
 Together on equitable terms,
 Or separate with kindness.
 It is not lawful for you,
 (Men), to take back
 Any of your gifts (from your wives)
 Except when both parties
 Fear that they would be
 Unable to keep the limits

Ordained by God.
 If ye (judges) do indeed
 Fear that they would be
 Unable to keep the limits
 Ordained by God,
 There is no blame on either
 Of them if she give
 Something for her freedom.
 These are the limits
 Ordained by God;
 So do not transgress them
 If any do transgress
 The limits ordained by God,
 Such persons wrong
 (Themselves as well as others).

230. So if a husband
 Divorces his wife (irrevocably),
 He cannot, after that,
 Re-marry her until
 After she has married
 Another husband and
 He has divorced her.
 In that case there is
 No blame on either of them
 If they re-unite, provided
 They feel that they
 Can keep the limits
 Ordained by God.
 Such are the limits
 Ordained by God,
 Which He makes plain
 To those who understand.

231. When ye divorce
 Women, and they fulfil

The term of their ('Iddat),
 Either take them back
 On equitable terms
 Or set them free
 On equitable terms;
 But do not take them back
 To injure them, (or) to take
 Undue advantage;
 If any one does that,
 He wrongs his own soul.
 Do not treat God's Signs
 As a jest,
 But solemnly rehearse
 God's favours on you,
 And the fact that He
 Sent down to you
 The Book
 And Wisdom,
 For your instruction.
 And fear God,
 And know that God
 Is well acquainted
 With all things.

232. When ye divorce
 Women, and they fulfil
 The term of their ('Iddat),
 Do not prevent them
 From marrying
 Their (former) husbands,
 If they mutually agree
 On equitable terms.
 This instruction
 Is for all amongst you,
 Who believe in God
 And the Last Day.
 That is (the course

Making for) most virtue
 And purity amongst you,
 And God knows,
 And ye know not.

233. The mothers shall give suck
 To their offspring
 For two whole years,
 If the father desires
 To complete the term.
 But he shall bear the cost
 Of their food and clothing
 On equitable terms.
 No soul shall have
 A burden laid on it
 Greater than it can bear.
 No mother shall be
 Treated unfairly
 On account of her child.
 Nor father
 On account of his child,
 An heir shall be chargeable
 In the same way.
 If they both decide
 On weaning,
 By mutual consent,
 And after due consultation,
 There is no blame on them.
 If ye decide
 On a foster-mother
 For your offspring,
 There is no blame on you,
 Provided ye pay (the mother)
 What ye offered,
 On equitable terms.
 But fear God and know
 That God sees well
 What ye do.

234. If any of you die
 And leave widows behind,

They shall wait concerning themselves
 Four months and ten days:
 When they have fulfilled
 Their term, there is no blame
 On you if they dispose
 Of themselves in a just
 And reasonable manner.
 And God is well acquainted
 With what ye do.

235. There is no blame
 On you if ye make
 An offer of betrothal
 Or hold it in your hearts.
 God knows that ye
 Cherish them in your hearts:
 But do not make a secret contract
 With them except in terms
 Honourable, nor resolve on the tie
 Of marriage till the term
 Prescribed is fulfilled.
 And know that God
 Knoweth what is in your hearts,
 And take heed of Him;
 And know that God is
 Oft-forgiving, Most Forbearing.

236. There is no blame on you
 If ye divorce women
 Before consummation
 Or the fixation of their dower;
 But bestow on them
 (A suitable gift),
 The wealthy
 According to his means,
 And the poor
 According to his means;--

A gift of a reasonable amount
 Is due from those
 Who wish to do the right thing.

237. And if ye divorce them
 Before consummation,
 But after the fixation
 Of a dower for them,
 Then the half of the dower
 (Is due to them), unless
 They remit it
 Or (the man's half) is remitted
 By him in whose hands
 Is the marriage tie;
 And the remission
 (Of the man's half)
 Is the nearest to righteousness.
 And do not forget
 Liberality between yourselves.
 For God sees well
 All that ye do.

238. Guard strictly
 Your (habit of) prayers,
 Especially the Middle Prayer;
 And stand before God
 In a devout (frame of mind).

239. If ye fear (an enemy),
 Pray on foot, or riding,
 (As may be most convenient),
 But when ye are
 In security, celebrate
 God's praises in the manner
 He has taught you,
 Which ye knew not (before).

240. Those of you
 Who die and leave widows
 Should bequeath
 For their widows
 A year's maintenance
 And residence;
 But if they leave
 (The residence),
 There is no blame on you
 For what they do
 With themselves,
 Provided it is reasonable.
 And God is Exalted in Power, Wise.

241. For divorced women
 Maintenance (should be provided)
 On a reasonable (scale).
 This is a duty
 On the righteous.

242. Thus doth God
 Make clear His Signs
 To you: in order that
 Ye may understand.

243. Didst thou not
 Turn by vision to those
 Who abandoned their homes,
 Though they were thousands
 (In number), for fear of death?
 God said to them: "Die":
 Then He restored them to life.
 For God is full of bounty
 To mankind, but
 Most of them are ungrateful.

244. Then fight in the cause
 Of God, and know that God
 Heareth and knoweth all things.

245. Who is he
 That will loan to God
 A beautiful loan, which God
 Will double unto his credit
 And multiply many times?
 It is God that giveth (you)
 Want or Plenty,
 And to Him shall be
 Your return.

246. Hast thou not
 Turned thy vision to the Chiefs
 Of the Children of Israel
 After (the time of) Moses?

They said to a Prophet
 (That was) among them:
 "Appoint for us a King, that we
 May fight in the cause of God."
 He said: "Is it not possible,
 If ye were commanded
 To fight, that that ye
 Will not fight?" They said:
 "How could we refuse
 To fight in the cause of God,
 Seeing that we were turned out
 Of our homes and our families?"
 But when they were commanded
 To fight, they turned back,
 Except a small band
 Among them. But God
 Has full knowledge of those
 Who do wrong.

247. Their Prophet said to them:
 "God hath appointed
 Talut as king over you."
 They said: "How can he
 Exercise authority over us
 When we are better fitted
 Than he to exercise authority,
 And he is not even gifted,
 With wealth in abundance?"
 He said: "God hath
 Chosen him above you,
 And hath gifted him
 Abundantly with knowledge
 And bodily prowess: God

Granteth His authority to whom
 He pleaseth. God careth
 For all, and He knoweth
 All things."

248. And (further) their Prophet
 Said to them: "A Sign
 Of his authority
 Is that there shall come
 To you the Ark of the Covenant,
 With (an assurance) therein
 Of security from your Lord,
 And the relics left
 By the family of Moses
 And the family of Aaron,
 Carried by angels.
 In this is a Symbol
 For you if ye indeed
 Have faith."

249. When Talut set forth
 With the armies, he said:
 "God will test you
 At the stream: if any
 Drinks of its water,
 He goes not with my army:
 Only those who taste not
 Of it go with me:
 A mere sip out of the hand
 Is excused." But they all
 Drank of it, except a few.
 When they crossed the river,--
 He and the faithful ones with him,
 They said: "This day
 We cannot cope
 With Goliath and his forces."

But those who were convinced
 That they must meet God,
 Said: "How oft, by God's will,
 Hath a small force
 Vanquished a big one?
 God is with those
 Who steadfastly persevere."

250. When they advanced
 To meet Goliath and his forces,
 They prayed: "Our Lord
 Pour out constancy on us
 And make our steps firm:
 Help us against those
 That reject faith."

251. By God's will,
 They routed them;
 And David slew Goliath;
 And God gave him
 Power and wisdom
 And taught him
 Whatever (else) He willed,
 And did not God
 Check one set of people
 By means of another,
 The earth would indeed
 Be full of mischief:
 But God is full of bounty
 To all the worlds.

252. These are the Signs
 Of God: we rehearse them
 To thee in truth: verily
 Thou art one of the Apostles.

253. Those apostles
 Were endowed with gifts,
 Some above others
 To one of them God spoke;
 Others He raised
 To degrees (of honour);
 To Jesus the son of Mary
 We gave Clear (Signs),
 And strengthened him
 With the holy spirit.
 If God had so willed,
 Succeeding generations
 Would not have fought
 Among each other, after
 Clear (Signs) had come to them,
 But they (chose) to wrangle,
 Some believing and Others
 Rejecting. If God had so willed,
 They would not have fought
 Each other; but God
 Fulfilleth His plan.

254. O ye who believe!
 Spend out of (the bounties)
 We have provided for you,
 Before the Day comes
 When no bargaining
 (Will avail), nor friendship
 Nor intercession.
 Those who reject Faith--they
 Are the wrong-doers.

255. God! There is no god
 But He,--the Living,
 The Self-subsisting, Eternal.
 No slumber can seize Him
 Nor sleep. His are all things
 In the heavens and on earth.
 Who is there can intercede
 In His presence except
 As He permitteth? He knoweth
 What (appeareth to His creatures

As) Before or After
 Or Behind them.
 Nor shall they compass
 Aught of His knowledge
 Except as He willeth.
 His Throne doth extend
 Over the heavens
 And the earth, and He feeleth
 No fatigue in guarding,
 And preserving them
 For He is the Most High,
 The Supreme (in glory).

256. Let there be no compulsion
 In religion: Truth stands out
 Clear from Error: whoever
 Rejects Evil and believes
 In God hath grasped
 The most trustworthy
 Hand-hold, that never breaks.
 And God heareth
 And knoweth all things.

257. God is the Protector
 Of those who have faith:

From the depths of darkness
 He will lead them forth
 Into light. Of those
 Who reject faith the patrons
 Are the Evil Ones: from light
 They will lead them forth
 Into the depths of darkness.
 They will be Companions
 Of the fire, to dwell therein
 (For ever).

258. Hast thou not
 Turned thy vision to one
 Who disputed with Abraham
 About his Lord, because
 God had granted him
 Power? Abraham said:
 "My Lord is He Who
 Giveth life and death."
 He said: "I give life and death."
 Said Abraham: "But it is God
 That causeth the sun
 To rise from the East:
 Do thou then cause him
 To rise from the West."
 Thus was he confounded
 Who (in arrogance) rejected
 Faith. Nor doth God
 Give guidance
 To a people unjust.

259. Or (take) the similitude
 Of one who passed

By a hamlet, all in ruins
 To its roofs. He said:
 "Oh! how shall God
 Bring it (ever) to life,
 After (this) its death?"
 But God caused him
 To die for a hundred years,
 Then raised him up (again).
 He said: "How long
 Didst thou tarry (thus)?"
 He said: "(Perhaps) a day
 Or part of a day." He said:
 "Nay, thou hast tarried
 Thus a hundred years;
 But look at thy food
 And thy drink; they show
 No signs of age; and look
 At thy donkey: and that
 We may make of thee
 A Sign unto the people,
 Look further at the bones,
 How We bring them together
 And clothe them with flesh."
 When this was shown clearly
 To him, he said: "I know
 That God hath power
 Over all things."

260. Behold! Abraham said:
 "My Lord! Show me how
 Thou givest life to the dead."
 He said: "Dost thou not
 Then believe?" He said:
 "Yea! but to satisfy

My own understanding."
 He said: "Take four birds;
 Tame them to turn to thee;
 Put a portion of them
 On every hill, and call to them:
 They will come to thee
 (Flying) with speed.
 Then know that God
 Is Exalted in Power, Wise."

261. The parable of those
 Who spend their substance
 In the way of God is that
 Of a grain of corn: it groweth
 Seven ears, and each ear
 Hath a hundred grains.
 God giveth manifold increase
 To whom He pleaseth:
 And God careth for all
 And He knoweth all things

262. Those who spend
 Their substance in the cause
 Of God, and follow not up
 Their gifts with reminders
 Of their generosity
 Or with injury,--for them
 Their reward is with their Lord:
 On them shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

263. Kind words
 And the covering of faults

Are better than charity
 Followed by injury.
 God is Free of all wants,
 And He is most Forbearing.

264. O ye who believe!
 Cancel not your charity
 By reminders of your generosity
 Or by injury,--like those
 Who spend their substance
 To be seen of men,
 But believe neither
 In God nor in the Last Day.
 They are in Parable like a hard,
 Barren rock, on which
 Is a little soil: on it
 Falls heavy rain,
 Which leaves it
 (Just) a bare stone.
 They will be able to do nothing
 With aught they have earned.
 And God guideth not
 Those who reject faith.

265. And the likeness of those
 Who spend their substance,
 Seeking to please God
 And to strengthen their souls,
 Is as a garden, high
 And fertile: heavy rain
 Falls on it but makes it yield
 A double increase
 Of harvest, and if it receives not
 Heavy rain, light moisture
 Sufficeth it. God seeth well
 Whatever ye do.

266. Does any of you wish
 That he should have a garden
 With date-palms and vines
 And streams flowing
 Underneath, and all kinds
 Of fruit, while he is stricken
 With old age, and his children
 Are not strong (enough
 To look after themselves)--
 That it should be caught
 In a whirlwind,
 With fire therein,
 And be burnt up?
 Thus doth God make clear
 To you (His) Signs;
 That ye may consider.

267. O ye who believe!
 Give of the good things
 Which ye have (honourably) earned,
 And of the fruits of the earth
 Which We have produced

For you, and do not even aim
 At getting anything
 Which is bad, in order that
 Out of it ye may give away
 Something, when ye yourselves
 Would not receive it
 Except with closed eyes.
 And know that God
 Is Free of all wants,
 And Worthy of all praise.

268. The Evil One threatens
 You with poverty
 And bids you to conduct
 Unseemly. God promiseth
 You His forgiveness
 And bounties.
 And God careth for all
 And He knoweth all things.

269. He granteth wisdom
 To whom He pleaseth;
 And he to whom wisdom
 Is granted receiveth
 Indeed a benefit overflowing;
 But none will grasp the Message
 But men of understanding.

270. And whatever ye spend
 In charity or devotion,
 Be sure God knows it all.
 But the wrong-doers
 Have no helpers.

271. If ye disclose (acts
 Of) charity, even so
 It is well,
 But if ye conceal them,
 And make them reach
 Those (really) in need,
 That is best for you:
 It will remove from you
 Some of your (stains
 Of) evil. And God
 Is well acquainted
 With what ye do.

272. It is not required
 Of thee (O Apostle),
 To set them on the right path,
 But God sets on the right path
 Whom He pleaseth.
 Whatever of good ye give
 Benefits your own souls,
 And ye shall only do so
 Seeking the "Face"
 Of God. Whatever good
 Ye give, shall be
 Rendered back to you,
 And ye shall not
 Be dealt with unjustly.

273. (Charity is) for those
 In need, who, in God's cause
 Are restricted (from travel),
 And cannot move about

In the land, seeking
 (For trade or work):
 The ignorant man thinks,
 Because of their modesty,
 That they are free from want.
 Thou shaltknow them
 By their (unfailing) mark:
 They beg not importunately
 From all and sundry.
 And whatever of good
 Ye give, be assured
 God knoweth it well.

274. Whose who (in charity)
 Spend of their goods
 By night and by day,
 In secret and in public,
 Have their reward
 With their Lord:
 On them shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

275. Those who devour usury
 Will not stand except
 As stands one whom
 The Evil One by his touch
 Hath driven to madness.
 That is because they say:
 "Trade is like usury,"
 But God hath permitted trade

And forbidden usury.
 Those who after receiving
 Direction from their Lord,
 Desist, shall be pardoned
 For the past; their case
 Is for God (to judge);
 But those who repeat
 (The offence) are Companions
 Of the Fire: they will
 Abide therein (for ever).

276. God will deprive
 Usury of all blessing,
 But will give increase
 For deeds of charity:
 For He loveth not
 Creatures ungrateful
 And wicked.

277. Those who believe,
 And do deeds of righteousness,
 And establish regular prayers
 And regular charity,
 Will have their reward
 With their Lord:
 On them shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

278. O ye who believe!
 Fear God, and give up
 What remains of your demand
 For usury, if ye are
 Indeed believers.

279. If ye do it not,
 Take notice of war
 From God and His Apostle:
 But if ye turn back,
 Ye shall have
 Your capital sums:
 Deal not unjustly,
 And ye shall not
 Be dealt with unjustly.

280. If the debtor is
 In a difficulty,
 Grant him time
 Till it is easy
 For him to repay.
 But if ye remit it
 By way of charity,
 That is best for you
 If ye only knew.

281. And fear the Day
 When ye shall be
 Brought back to God.
 Then shall every soul
 Be paid what it earned,
 And none shall be
 Dealt with unjustly.

282. O ye who believe!
 When ye deal with each other,
 In transactions involving
 Future obligations
 In a fixed period of time,
 Reduce them to writing
 Let a scribe write down
 Faithfully as between
 The parties: let not the scribe
 Refuse to write: as God
 Has taught him,
 So let him write.
 Let him who incurs
 The liability dictate,
 But let him fear
 His Lord God,
 And not diminish
 Aught of what he owes.
 If the party liable
 Is mentally deficient,

Or weak, or unable
 Himself to dictate,
 Let his guardian
 Dictate faithfully.
 And get two witnesses,
 Out of your own men,
 And if there are not two men,
 Then a man and two women,
 Such as ye choose,
 For witnesses,
 So that if one of them errs,
 The other can remind her.
 The witnesses
 Should not refuse
 When they are called on
 (For evidence).
 Disdain not to reduce
 To writing (your contract)
 For a future period,
 Whether it be small
 Or big: it is juster
 In the sight of God,
 More suitable as evidence,
 And more convenient
 To prevent doubts
 Among yourselves
 But if it be a transaction
 Which ye carry out
 On the spot among yourselves,
 There is no blame on you
 If ye reduce it not
 To writing.
 But take witnesses
 Whenever ye make
 A commercial contract;
 And let neither scribe
 Nor witness suffer harm.
 If ye do (such harm),
 It would be wickedness
 In you. So fear God;
 For it is God
 That teaches you.
 And God is well acquainted
 With all things.

283. If ye are on a journey,
 And cannot find
 A scribe, a pledge
 With possession (may serve
 The purpose).
 And if one of you
 Deposits a thing
 On trust with another,
 Let the trustee
 (Faithfully) discharge
 His trust, and let him
 Fear his Lord.
 Conceal not evidence;
 For whoever conceals it,--
 His heart is tainted
 With sin. And God
 Knoweth all that ye do.

284. To God belongeth all
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth. Whether
 Ye show what is in your minds
 Or conceal it, God
 Calleth you to account for it.

He forgiveth whom He pleaseth,
 And punishefh whom He pleaseth.
 For God hath power
 Over all things.

285. The Apostle believeth
 In what hath been revealed
 To him from his Lord,
 As do the men of faith.
 Each one (of them) believeth
 In God, His angels,
 His books, and His apostles.
 "We make no distinction (they say)
 Between one and another
 Of His apostles." And they say:
 "We hear, and we obey:
 (We seek) Thy forgiveness,
 Our Lord, and to Thee
 Is the end of all journeys."

286. On no soul doth God
 Place a burden greater
 Than it can bear.
 It gets every good that it earns,
 And it suffers every ill that if earns.
 (Pray:) "Our Lord!
 Condemn us not
 If we forget or fall
 Into error; our Lord!
 Lay not on us a burden
 Like that which Thou
 Didst lay on those before us;

Our Lord! lay not on us
 A burden greater than we
 Have strength to bear.
 Blot out our sins,
 And grant us forgiveness,
 Have mercy on us.
 Thou art our Protector;
 Help us against those
 Who stand against Faith" 

Sura III.

  

Al-i-'Imran, or The Family of 'Imran.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. God! There is no god
 But He,--the Living,
 The Self-Subsisting, Eternal.

3. It is He Who sent down
 To thee (step by step),
 In truth, the Book,
 Confirming what went before it;
 And He sent down the Law
 (Of Moses) and the Gospel
 (Of Jesus) before this,
 As a guide to mankind,
 And He sent down the Criterion
 (Of judgment between right and wrong).

4. Then those who reject
 Faith in the Signs of God
 Will suffer the severest
 Penalty, and God
 Is Exalted in Might,
 Lord of Retribution.

5. From God, verily
 Nothing is hidden
 On earth or in the heavens.

6. He it is Who shapes you
 In the wombs as He pleases.

There is no god but He,
 The Exalted in Might,
 The Wise.

7. He it is Who has sent down
 To thee the Book:
 In it are verses
 Basic or fundamental
 (Of established meaning);
 They are the foundation
 Of the Book: others
 Are allegorical. But those
 In whose hearts is perversity follow
 The part thereof that is allegorical,
 Seeking discord, and searching
 For its hidden meanings,
 But to one knows
 Its hidden meanings except God.
 And those who are firmly grounded
 In knowledge say: "We believe
 In the Book; the whole of it
 Is from our Lord:" and none
 Will grasp the Message
 Except men of understanding.

8. "Our Lord!" (they say),
 "Let not our hearts deviate
 Now after Thou hast guided us,
 But grant us mercy
 From Thine own Presence;
 For Thou art the Grantor
 Of bounties without measure.

9. "Our Lord! Thou art He
 That will gather mankind
 Together against a Day about which
 There is no doubt; for God
 Never fails in His promise."

10. Whose who reject Faith,--
 Neither their possessions
 Nor their (numerous) progeny
 Will avail them aught
 Against God: they are themselves
 But fuel for the Fire.

11. (Their plight will be)
 No better than that
 Of the people of Pharaoh,
 And their predecessors:
 They denied our Signs,
 And God called them to account
 For their sins.
 For God is strict
 In punishment.

12. Say to those who reject Faith:
 "Soon will ye be vanquished
 And gathered together
 To Hell,--an evil bed
 Indeed (to lie on)!

13. "There has already been
 For you a Sign

In the two armies
 That met (in combat):
 One was fighting in the Cause
 Of God, the other
 Resisting God; these saw
 With their own eyes
 Twice their number.
 But God doth support
 With His aid whom He pleaseth.
 In this is a warning
 For such as have eyes to see."

14. Fair in the eyes of men
 Is the love of things they covet:
 Women and sons;
 Heaped-up hoards
 Of gold and silver; horses
 Branded (for blood and excellence);
 And (wealth of) cattle
 And well-tilled land.
 Such are the possessions
 Of this world's life;
 But in nearness to God
 Is the best of the goals
 (To return to).

15. Say: Shall I give you
 Glad tidings of things
 Far better than those?
 For the righteous are Gardens

In nearness to their Lord,
 With rivers flowing beneath;
 Therein is their eternal home;
 With Companions pure (and holy);
 And the good pleasure of God.
 For in God's sight
 Are (all) His servants,--

16. (Namely), those who say:
 "Our Lord! we have indeed
 Believed: forgive us, then,
 Our sins, and save us
 From the agony of the Fire;"--

17. Those who show patience,
 Firmness and self control;
 Who are true (in word and deed);
 Who worship devoutly;
 Who spend (in the way of God);
 And who pray for forgiveness
 In the early hours of the morning.

18. There is no god but He
 That is the witness of God,
 His angels, and those endued
 With knowledge, standing firm
 On justice. There is no god but He,
 The Exalted in Power,
 The Wise.

19. The Religion before God
 Is Islam (submission to His Will):
 Nor did the People of the Book
 Dissent therefrom except

Through envy of each other,
 After knowledge had come to them.
 But if any deny the Signs of God,
 God is swift in calling to account.

20. So if they dispute with thee,
 Say: "I have submitted
 My whole self to God
 And so have those
 Who follow me."
 And say to the People of the Book
 And to those who are unlearned:
 "Do ye (also) submit yourselves?"
 If they do, they are in right guidance,
 But if they turn back,
 Thy duty is to convey the Message;
 And in God's sight
 Are (all) His servants.

21. As to those who deny
 The Signs of God, and in defiance

Of right, slay the prophets,
 And slay those who teach
 Just dealing whith mankind,
 Announce to them a grievous penalty.

22. They are those whose works
 Will bear no fruit
 In this world
 And in the Hereafter,
 Nor will they have
 Anyone to help.

23. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those
 Who have been given a portion
 Of the Book? They are
 Invited to the Book of God,
 To settle their dispute,
 But a party of them
 Turn back and decline
 (The arbitration).

24. This because they say:
 "The Fire shall not touch us
 But for a few numbered days":
 For their forgeries deceive them
 As to their own religion.

25. But how (will they fare)
 When We gather them together

Against a Day about which
 There is no doubt,
 And each soul will be paid out
 Just what it has earned,
 Without (favour or) injustice?

26. Say: "O God!
 Lord of Power (and Rule),
 Thou givest Power
 To whom Thou pleasest,
 And Thou strippest off Power
 From whom Thou pleasest:
 Thou enduest with honour
 Whom Thou pleasest,
 And Thou bringest low
 Whom Thou pleasest:
 In Thy hand is all Good."
 Verily, over all things
 Thou hast power.

27. "Thou causest the Night
 To gain on the Day,
 And Thou causest the Day
 To gain on the Night;
 Thou bringest the Living
 Out of the Dead,
 And Thou bringest the Dead
 Out of the Living;
 And Thou givest sustenance
 To whom Thou pleasest,
 Without measure."

28. let not the Believers
 Take for friends or helpers

Unbelievers rather than
 Believers: if any do that,
 In nothing will there be help
 From God: except by way
 Of precaution, that ye may
 Guard yourselves from them,
 But God cautions you
 (To remember) Himself;
 For the final goal
 Is to God.

29. Say: "Whether ye hide
 What is in your hearts
 Or reveal it,
 God knows it all:
 He knows what is
 In the heavens,
 And what is on earth.
 And God has power
 Over all things.

30. "On the Day when every soul
 Will be confronted
 With all the good it has done,
 And all the evil it has done,
 It will wish there were
 A great distance
 Between it and its evil.
 But God cautions you
 (To remember) Himself.
 And God is full of kindness
 To those that serve Him."

31. Say: "If ye do love God,
 Follow me: God will love you
 And forgive you your sins:
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful."

32. Say: "Obey God
 And His Apostle":
 But if they turn back,
 God loveth not those
 Who reject Faith.

33. God did choose
 Adam and Noah, the family
 Of Abraham, and the family
 Of 'Imran above all people,--

34. Offspring, one of the other:
 And God heareth
 And knoweth all things.

35. Behold! a woman of 'Imran
 Said: "O my Lord! I do

Dedicate unto Thee
 What is in my womb
 For Thy special service:
 So accept this of me:
 For Thou hearest
 And knowest all things."

36. When she was delivered,
 She said: "O my Lord!
 Behold! I am delivered
 Of a female child!"--
 And God knew best
 What she brought forth--
 "And nowise is the male
 Like the female.
 I have named her Mary,
 And I commend her
 And her offspring
 To Thy protection
 From the Evil One,
 The Rejected."

37. Right graciously
 Did her Lord accept her:
 He made her grow
 In purity and beauty:
 To the care of Zakariya
 Was she assigned.
 Every time that he entered
 (Her) chamber to see her,
 He found her supplied
 With sustenance. He said:
 "O Mary! Whence (comes) this
 To you?" She said:
 "From God: for God
 Provides sustenance
 To whom He pleases,
 Without measure."

38. There here did Zakariya
 Pray to his Lord, saying:
 "O my Lord! Grant unto me
 From Thee a progeny
 That is pure: for Thou
 Art He that heareth prayer!

39. While he was standing
 In prayer in the chamber,
 The angels called unto him:
 "God doth give thee
 Glad tidings of Yahya,
 Witnessing the truth
 Of a Word from God, and (be
 Besides) noble, chaste,
 And a Prophet,
 Of the (goodly) company
 Of the righteous."

40. He said: "O my Lord!
 How shall I have a son,
 Seeing I am very old,
 And my wife is barren?"
 "Thus, "was the answer,
 "Doth God accomplish
 What He willeth,"

41. He said: "O my Lord!
 Give me a Sign!"
 "Thy Sign, "was the answer,
 "Shall be that thou
 Shalt speak to no man
 For three days
 But with signals.
 Then celebrate
 The praises of thy Lord
 Again and again,
 And glorify Him
 In the evening
 And in the morning."

42. Behold! the angels said:
 "O Mary! God hath chosen thee
 And purified thee--chosen thee
 Above the women of all nations.

43. "O Mary! worship
 Thy Lord devoutly:
 Prostrate thyself,
 And bow down (in prayer)
 With those who bow down."

44. This is part of the tidings
 Of the things unseen,
 Which We reveal unto thee
 (O Apostle!) by inspiration:
 Thou wast not with them
 When they cast lots
 With arrows, as to which
 Of them should be charged
 With the care of Mary:
 Nor wast thou with them
 When they disputed (the point).

45. Behold! the angels said:
 "O Mary! God giveth thee
 Glad tidings of a Word
 From Him: his name
 Will be Christ Jesus,
 The son of Mary, held in honour
 In this world and the Hereafter
 And of (the company of) those
 Nearest to God;

46. "He shall speak to the people
 In childhood and in maturity.
 And he shall be (of the company)
 Of the righteous."

47. She said: "O my Lord!
 How shall I have a son
 When no man hath touched me?"
 He said: "Even so:
 God createth
 What He willeth:
 When He hath decreed
 A Plan, He but saith
 To it, 'Be,' and it is!

48. "And God will teach him
 The Book and Wisdom,
 The Law and the Gospel,

49. "And (appoint him)
 An apostle to the Children
 Of Israel, (with this message):
 "'I have come to you,
 With a Sign from your Lord,
 In that I make for you
 Out of clay, as it were,
 The figure of a bird,
 And breathe into it,
 And it becomes a bird
 By God's leave:
 And I heal those
 Born blind, and the lepers,
 And I quicken the dead,
 By God's leave;
 And I declare to you
 What ye eat, and what ye store
 In your houses. Surely
 Therein is a Sign for you
 If ye did believe;

50. "'(I have come to you),
 To attest the Law
 Which was before me.
 And to make lawful
 To you part of what was
 (Before) forbidden to you;
 I have come to you
 With a Sign from your Lord.
 So fear God,
 And obey me.

51. "'It is God
 Who is my Lord
 And your Lord;
 Then worship Him.
 This is a Way
 That is straight.'"

52. When Jesus found
 Unbelief on their part
 He said: "Who will be
 My helpers to (the work
 Of) God?" Said the Disciples:
 "We are God's helpers:
 We believe in God,
 And do thou bear witness
 That we are Muslims.

53. "Our Lord! we believe
 In what Thou hast revealed,
 And we follow the Apostle;
 Then write us down
 Among those who bear witness."

54. And (the unbelievers)
 Plotted and planned,
 And God too planned,
 And the best of planners
 Is God.

55. Behold! God said:
 "O Jesus! I will take thee
 And raise thee to Myself
 And clear thee (of the falsehoods)
 Of those who blaspheme;
 I will make those
 Who follow thee superior
 To those who reject faith,
 To the Day of Resurrection:
 Then shall ye all
 Return unto me,
 And I will judge
 Between you of the matters
 Wherein ye dispute.

56. "As to those who reject faith,
 I will punish them
 With terrible agony
 In this world and in the Hereafter,
 Nor will they have
 Anyone to help.

57. "As to those who believe
 And work righteousness,
 God will pay them (in full)
 Their reward;
 But God loveth not
 Those who do wrong.

58. "This is what we rehearse
 Unto thee of the Signs
 And the Message
 Of Wisdom."

59. The similitude of Jesus
 Before God is as that of Adam;
 He created him from dust,
 Then said to him, "Be":
 And he was.

60. The Truth (comes)
 From God alone;
 So be not of those
 Who doubt.

61. If any one disputes
 In this matter with thee,
 Now after (full) knowledge
 Hath come to thee,
 Say: "Come! let us
 Gather together,
 Our sons and your sons,
 Our women and your women,
 Ourselves and yourselves:
 Then let us earnestly pray,
 And invoke the curse
 Of God on those who lie!"

62. This is the true account:
 There is no god
 Except God;
 And God--He is indeed

The Exalted in Power,
 The Wise.

63. But if they turn back,
 God hath full knowledge
 Of those who do mischief.

64. Say: "O People
 Of the Book! come
 To common terms
 As between us and you:
 That we worship
 None but God;
 That we associate
 No partners with Him;
 That we erect not,
 From among ourselves,
 Lords and patrons
 Other than God."
 If then they turn back,
 Say ye: "Bear witness
 That we (at least)
 Are Muslims (bowing
 To God's Will)."

65. Ye People of the Book!
 Why dispute ye
 About Abraham,
 When the Law and the Gospel
 Were not revealed
 Till after him?
 Have ye no understanding?

66. Ah! Ye are those
 Who fell to disputing
 (Even) in matters of which
 Ye had some knowledge!
 But why dispute ye
 In matters of which
 Ye have no knowledge?
 It is God Who knows,
 And ye who know not!

67. Abraham was not a Jew
 Nor yet a Christian;
 But he was true in Faith,
 And bowed his will to God's,
 (Which is Islam),
 And he joined not gods with God.

68. Without doubt, among men,
 The nearest of kin to Abraham,
 Are those who follow him,
 As are also this Apostle
 And those who believe:
 And God is the Protector
 Of those who have faith.

69. It is the wish of a section
 Of the People of the Book
 To lead you astray.
 But they shall lead astray
 (Not you), but themselves,
 And they do not perceive!

70. Ye People of the Book!
 Why reject ye

The Signs of God,
 Of which ye are
 (Yourselves) witnesses?

71. Ye People of the Book!
 Why do ye clothe
 Truth with falsehood,
 And conceal the Truth,
 While ye have knowledge?

72. A section of the People
 Of the Book say:
 "Believe in the morning
 What is revealed
 To the Believers,
 But reject it at the end
 Of the day; perchance
 They may (themselves)
 Turn back;

73. "And believe no one
 Unless he follows
 Your religion."
 Say: "True guidance
 Is the guidance of God:
 (Fear ye) lest a revelation
 Be sent to someone (else)
 Like unto that which was sent
 Unto you? Or that those
 (Receiving such revelation)
 Should engage you in argument
 Before your Lord?"
 Say: "All bounties
 Are in the hand of God:
 He granteth them
 To whom He pleaseth:

And God careth for all,
 And He knoweth all things."

74. For His Mercy He specially chooseth
 Whom He pleaseth;
 For God is the Lord
 Of bounties unbounded.

75. Among the People of the Book
 Are some who, if entrusted
 With a hoard of gold,
 Will (readily) pay it back;
 Others, who, if entrusted
 With a single silver coin,
 Will not repay it unless
 Thou constantly stoodest
 Demanding, because,
 They say, "there is no call
 On us (to keep faith)
 With these ignorant (Pagans)."
 But they tell a lie against God,
 And (well) they know it.

76. Nay.--Those that keep
 Their plighted faith
 And act aright,--verily
 God loves those
 Who act aright.

77. As for those who sell
 The faith they owe to God
 And their own plighted word
 For a small price,
 They shall have no portion
 In the Hereafter:

Nor will God
 (Deign to) speak to them
 Or look at them
 On the Day of Judgment,
 Nor will He cleanse them
 (Of sin): they shall have
 A grievous Penalty.

78. There is among them
 A section who distort
 The Book with their tongues
 (As they read) you would think
 It is a part of the Book,
 But it is no part
 Of the Book; and they say,
 That is from God,"
 But it is not from God:
 It is they who tell
 A lie against God,
 And (well) they know it!

79. It is not (possible)
 That a man, to whom
 Is given the Book,
 And Wisdom,
 And the Prophetic Office,
 Should say to people:
 "Be ye my worshippers
 Rather than God's":
 On the contrary
 (He would say):
 "Be ye worshippers
 Of Him Who is truly
 The Cherisher of all:
 For ye have taught
 The Book and ye
 Have studied it earnestly."

80. Nor would he instruct you
 To take angels and prophets
 For Lords and Patrons.
 What! would he bid you

To unbelief after ye have
 Bowed your will
 (To God in Islam)?

81. Behold! God took
 The Covenant of the Prophets,
 Saying: "I give you
 A Book and Wisdom;
 Then comes to you
 An Apostle, confirming
 What is with you;
 Do ye believe in him
 And render him help."
 God said: "Do ye agree,
 And take this my Covenant
 As binding on you?"
 They said: "We agree."
 He said: "Then bear witness,
 And I am with you
 Among the witnesses."

82. If any turn back
 After this, they are
 Perverted transgressors.

83. Do they seek
 For other than the Religion
 Of God?--while all creatures
 In the heavens and on earth
 Have, willing or unwilling,
 Bowed to His Will
 (Accepted Islam),
 And to Him shall they
 All be brought back.

84. Say: "We believe
 In God, and in what
 Has been revealed to us
 And what was revealed
 To Abraham, Isma'il;
 Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes,
 And in (the Books)
 Given to Moses, Jesus,
 And the Prophets,
 From their Lord:
 We make no distinction
 Between one and another
 Among them, and to God do we
 Bow our will (in Islam)."

85. If anyone desires
 A religion other than
 Islam (submission to God),
 Never will it be accepted
 Of him; and in the Hereafter
 He will be in the ranks
 Of those who have lost
 (All spiritual good).

86. How shall God
 Guide those who reject
 Faith after they accepted it
 And bore witness
 That the Apostle was true
 And that Clear Signs
 Had come unto them?
 But God guides not
 A people unjust.

87. Of such the reward
 Is that on them (rests)

The curse of God,
 Of His angels,
 And of all mankind;--

88. In that will they dwell;
 Nor will their penalty
 Be lightened, nor respite
 Be their (lot);--

89. Except for those that repent
 (Even) after that,
 And make amends;
 For verily God
 Is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

90. But those who reject
 Faith after they accepted it,
 And then go on adding
 To their defiance of Faith,--
 Never will their repentance
 Be accepted; for they
 Are those who have
 (Of set purpose) gone astray.

91. As to those who reject
 Faith, and die rejecting,--
 Never would be accepted
 From any such as much
 Gold as the earth contains,
 Though they should offer it
 For ransom. For such
 Is (in store) a penalty grievous,
 And they will find no helpers.

92. By no means shall ye
 Attain righteousness unless
 Ye give (freely) of that
 Which ye love; and whatever
 Ye give, of a truth
 God knoweth it well.

93. All food was lawful
 To the Children of Israel,
 Except what Israel
 Made unlawful for itself,
 Before the Law (of Moses)
 Was revealed. Say:
 "Bring ye the Law
 And study it,
 If ye be men of truth."

94. If any, after this, invent
 A lie and attribute it
 To God, they are indeed
 Unjust wrong-doers.

95. Say: "God speaketh
 The Truth: follow
 The religion of Abraham,
 The sane in faith; he
 Was not of the Pagans."

96. The first House (of worship)
 Appointed for men
 Was that at Bakka:
 Full of blessing

And of guidance
 For all kinds of beings:

97. In it are Signs
 Manifest; (for example),
 The Station of Abraham;
 Whoever enters it
 Attains security;
 Pilgrimage thereto is a duty
 Men owe to God,
 Those who can afford
 The journey; but if any
 Deny faith, God stands not
 In need of any of His creatures.

98. Say: "O People of the Book!
 Why reject ye the Signs
 Of God, when God
 Is Himself witness
 To all ye do?"

99. Say: "O ye People of the Book!
 Why obstruct ye
 Those who believe,
 From the Path of God,
 Seeking to make it crooked,
 While ye were yourselves
 Witnesses (to God's Covenant)?'
 But God is not unmindful
 Of all that ye do."

100. O ye who believe!
 If ye listen
 To a faction
 Among the People of the Book,
 They would (indeed)
 Render you apostates
 After ye have believed!

101. And how would ye
 Deny Faith while unto you
 Are rehearsed the Signs
 Of God, and among you

Lives the Apostle?
 Whoever holds
 Firmly to God
 Will be shown
 A Way that is straight.

102. O ye who believe!
 Fear God as He should be
 Feared, and die not
 Except in a state
 Of Islam.

103. And hold fast,
 All together, by the Rope
 Which God (stretches out
 For you), and be not divided
 Among yourselves;
 And remember with gratitude
 God's favour on you;
 For ye were enemies
 And He joined your hearts
 In love, so that by His Grace,
 Ye became brethren;
 And ye were on the brink
 Of the Pit of Fire,
 And He saved you from it.
 Thus doth God make
 His Signs clear to you:
 That ye may be guided.

104. Let there arise out of you
 A band of people
 Inviting to all that is good,
 Enjoining what is right,

And forbidding what is wrong:
 They are the ones
 To attain felicity.

105. Be not like those
 Who are divided
 Amongst themselves
 And fall into disputations
 After receiving
 Clear Signs:
 For them
 Is a dreadful Penalty,--

106. On the Day when
 Some faces will be (lit up
 With) white, and some faces
 Will be (in the gloom of) black:
 To those whose faces
 Will be black, (will be said):
 "Did ye reject Faith
 After accepting it?
 Taste then the Penalty
 For rejecting Faith."

107. But those whose faces
 Will be (lit with) white,--
 They will be in (the light
 Of) God's mercy: therein
 To dwell (for ever).

108. These are the Signs
 Of God: We rehearse them
 To thee in Truth:
 And God means
 No injustice to any
 Of His creatures.

109. To God belongs all
 That is in the heavens

And on earth: to Him
 Do all questions
 Go back (for decision).

110. Ye are the best
 Of Peoples, evolved
 For mankind,
 Enjoining what is right,
 Forbidding what is wrong,
 And believing in God.
 If only the People of the Book
 Had faith, it were best
 For them: among them
 Are some who have faith,
 But most of them
 Are perverted transgressors.

111: They will do you no harm,
 Barring a trifling annoyance;
 If they come out to fight you,
 They will show you their backs,
 And no help shall they get.

112. Shame is pitched over them
 (Like a tent) wherever
 They are found,
 Except when under a covenant
 (Of protection) from God
 And from men; they draw
 On themselves wrath from God,
 And pitched over them
 Is (the tent of) destitution.
 This because they rejected
 The Signs of God, and slew
 The Prophets in defiance of right;

This because they rebelled
 And transgressed beyond bounds.

113. Not all of them are alike:
 Of the People of the Book
 Are a portion that stand
 (For the right); they rehearse
 The Signs of God all night long,
 And they prostrate themselves
 In adoration.

114. They believe in God
 And the Last Day;
 They enjoin what is right,
 And forbid what is wrong;
 And they hasten (in emulation)
 In (all) good works:
 They are in the ranks
 Of the righteous.

115. Of the good that they do,
 Nothing will be rejected
 Of them; for God knoweth well
 Those that do right.

116. Those who reject Faith,--
 Neither their possessions
 Nor their (numerous) progeny
 Will avail them aught against God:
 They will be Companions
 Of the Fire,--dwelling
 Therein (for ever).

117. What they spend
 In the life
 Of this (material) world
 May be likened to a Wind
 Which brings a nipping frost:
 It strikes and destroys the harvest
 Of men who have wronged

Their own souls: it is not God
 That hath wronged them, but
 They wrong themselves.

118. O ye who believe!
 Take not into your intimacy
 Those outside your ranks:
 They will not fail
 To corrupt you. They
 Only desire your ruin:
 Rank hatred has already
 Appeared from their mouths:
 What their hearts conceal
 Is far worse.
 We have made plain
 To you the Signs,
 If ye have wisdom.

119. Ah! ye are those
 Who love them,
 But they love you not,
 Though ye believe
 In the whole of the Book,
 When they meet you,
 They say, "We believe":
 But when they are alone,
 They bite off the very tips
 Of their fingers at you
 In their rage. Say:
 "Perish in your rage;
 God knoweth well
 All the secrets of the heart."

120. If aught that is good
 Befalls you, it grieves them;
 But if some misfortune
 Overtakes you, they rejoice

At it. But if ye are constant
 And do right,
 Not the least harm
 Will their cunning
 Do to you; for God
 Compasseth round about
 All that they do.

121. Remember that morning
 Thou didst leave
 Thy household (early)
 To post the Faithful
 At their stations for battle:
 And God heareth
 And knoweth all things:

122. Rememer two of your parties
 Meditated cowardice;
 But God was their protector,
 And in God should the Faithful
 (Ever) put their trust.

123. God had helped you
 At Badr, when ye were
 A contemptible little force;
 Then fear God; thus
 May ye show your gratitude.

124. Remember thou saidst
 To the Faithful: "Is it not enough
 For you that God should help you
 With three thousand angels
 (Specially) sent down?

125. "Yea,--if ye remain firm,
 And act aright, even if
 The enemy should rush here
 On you in hot haste,
 Your Lord would help you
 With five thousand angels
 Making a terrific onslaught."

126. God made it but a message
 Of hope for you, and an assurance
 To your hearts: (in any case)
 There is no help
 Except from God,
 The Exalted, the Wise:

127. That He might cut off
 A fringe of the Unbelievers
 Or expose them to infamy,
 And they should then
 Be turned back,
 Frustrated of their purpose.

128. Not for thee, (but for God),
 Is the decision:
 Whether He turn in mercy
 To them, or punish them;
 For they are indeed wrong-doers.

129. To God belongeth all
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth.
 He forgiveth whom He pleaseth
 And punisheth whom He pleaseth
 But God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

130. ye who believe!
 Devour not Usury,
 Doubled and multiplied;
 But fear God; that
 Ye may (really) prosper.

131. Fear the Fire, which is prepared
 For those who reject Faith:

132. And obey God
 And the Apostle;
 That ye may obtain mercy.

133. Be quick in the race
 For forgiveness from your Lord,
 And for a Garden whose width
 Is that (of the whole)
 Of the heavens
 And of the earth,
 Prepared for the righteous,--

134. Those who spend (freely),
 Whether in prosperity,
 Or in adversity;
 Who restrain anger,
 And pardon (all) men;--
 For God loves those
 Who do good;--

135. And those who,
 Having done something
 To be ashamed of,
 Or wronged their own souls,
 Earnestly bring God to mind,
 And ask for forgiveness
 For their sins,
 And who can forgive
 Sins except God?--
 And are never obstinate
 In persisting knowingly
 In (the wrong) they have done

136. For such the reward
 Is forgiveness from their Lord,
 And Gardens with rivers
 Flowing underneath,--
 An eternal dwelling:
 How excellent a recompense
 For those who work (and strive)!

137. Many were the Ways of Life
 That have passed away
 Before you: travel through
 The earth, and see what was
 The end of those
 Who rejected Truth.

138. Here is a plain statement
 To men, a guidance
 And instruction to those
 Who fear God!

139. So lose not heart,
 Nor fall into despair:
 For ye must gain mastery
 If ye are true in Faith.

140. If a wound hath touched you,
 Be sure a similar wound
 Hath touched the others.
 Such days (of varying fortunes)
 We give to men and men
 By turns: that God may know
 Those that believe,
 And that He may take
 To Himself from your ranks
 Martyr-witnesses (to Truth).
 And God loveth not
 Those that do wrong.

141. God's object also is to purge
 Those that are true in Faith
 And to deprive of blessing
 Those that resist Faith.

142. Did ye think that ye
 Would enter Heaven
 Without God testing
 Those of you who fought hard
 (In His Cause) and
 Remained steadfast?

143. Ye did indeed
 Wish for Death
 Before ye met him:
 Now ye have seen him
 With your own eyes,
 (And ye flinch!)

144. Muhammad is no more
 Than an Apostle: many
 Were the Apostles that passed away
 Before him. If he died
 Or were slain, will ye then
 Turn back on your heels?
 If any did turn back
 On his heels, not the least
 Harm will he do to God;
 But God (on the other hand)
 Will swiftly reward those
 Who (serve him) with gratitude.

145. Nor can a soul die
 Except by God's leave,

The term being fixed
 As by writing. If any
 Do desire a reward
 In this life, We shall give it
 To him; and if any
 Do desire a reward
 In the Hereafter, We shall
 Give it to him.
 And swiftly shall We reward
 Those that (serve us with) gratitude.

146. How many of the Prophets
 Fought (in God's way),
 And with them (fought)
 Large bands of godly men?
 But they never lost heart
 If they met with disaster
 In God's way, nor did
 They weaken (in will)
 Nor give in. And God
 Loves those who are
 Firm and steadfast.

147. All that they said was:
 "Our Lord! forgive us
 Our sins and anything
 We may have done
 That transgressed our duty:
 Establish our feet firmly,
 And help us against
 Those that resist
 Faith."

148. And God gave them
 A reward in this world,
 And the excellent reward
 Of the Hereafter. For God
 Loveth those who do good.

149. O ye who believe!
 If ye obey the Unbelievers,
 They will drive you back
 On your heels, and ye
 Will turn back (from Faith)
 To your own loss.

150. Nay, God is your Protector,
 And He is the best of helpers.

151. Soon shall We cast terror
 Into the hearts of the Unbelievers
 For that they joined companions
 With God, for which He had sew
 No authority: their abode
 Will be the Fire: and evil
 Is the home of the wrong-doers!

152. God did indeed fulfil
 His promise to you
 When ye with His permission
 Were about to annihilate
 Your enemy,--until ye flinched
 And fell to disputing
 About the order,
 And disobeyed it
 After He brought you in sight
 (Of the Booty) which ye covet.
 Among you are some
 That hanker after this world
 And some that desire
 The Hereafter. Then did He

Divert you from your foes
 In order to test you.
 But He forgave you:
 For God is full of grace
 To those who believe.

153. Behold! ye were climbing up
 The high ground, without even
 Casting a side glance
 At any one, and the Apostle
 In your rear was calling you
 Back. There did God give you
 One distress after another
 By way of requital,
 To teach you not to grieve
 For (the booty) that had escaped you
 And for (the ill) that had befallen you.
 For God is well aware
 Of all that ye do.

154. After (the excitement)
 Of the distress, He sent down
 Calm on a band of you
 Overcome with slumber,
 While another band
 Was stirred to anxiety
 By their own feelings,
 Moved by wrong suspicions
 Of God--suspicions due
 To Ignorance. They said:
 "What affair is this of ours?"
 Say thou: "Indeed, this affair

Is wholly God's." They hide
 In their minds what they
 Dare not reveal to thee.
 They say (to themselves):
 "If we had had anything
 To do with this affair,
 We should not have been
 In the slaughter here."
 Say: "Even if you had remained
 In your homes, those
 For whom death was decreed
 Would certainly have gone forth
 To the place of their death";
 But (all this was)
 That God might test
 What is in your breasts
 And purge what is
 In your hearts.
 For God knoweth well
 The secrets of your hearts.

155. Those of you
 Who turned back
 On the day the two hosts
 Met,--it was Satan
 Who caused them to fail,
 Because of some (evil)
 They had done. But God
 Has blotted out (their fault):
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Forbearing.

156. O ye who believe!
 Be not like the Unbelievers,
 Who say of their brethren,
 When they are travelling
 Through the earth or engaged
 In fighting: "If they had stayed
 With us, they would not
 Have died, or been slain."

This that God may make it
 A cause of sighs and regrets
 In their hearts. It is God
 That gives Life and Death,
 And God sees well
 All that ye do.

157. And if ye are slain, or die,
 In the way of God,
 Forgiveness and mercy
 From God are far better
 Than all they could amass.

158. And if ye die, or are slain,
 Lo! it is-unto God
 That ye are brought together.

159. It is part of the Mercy
 Of God that thou dost deal
 Gently with them.
 Wert thou severe
 Or harsh-hearted,
 They would have broken away
 From about thee: so pass over
 (Their faults), and ask
 For (God's) forgiveness
 For them; and consult
 Them in affairs (of moment).
 Then, when thou hast
 Taken a decision,
 Put thy trust in God.

For God loves those
 Who put their trust (in Him).

160. If God helps you,
 Non can overcome you:
 If He forsakes you,
 Who is there, after that,
 That can help you?
 In God, then,
 Let Believers put their trust.

161. No prophet could (ever)
 Be false to his trust.
 If any person is so false,
 He shall, on the Day
 Of Judgment, restore
 What he misappropriated;
 Then shall every soul
 Receive its due,--
 Whatever it earned,--
 And none shall be
 Dealt with unjustly.

162. Is the man who follows
 The good pleasure of God
 Like the man who draws
 On himself the wrath
 Of God, and whose abode
 Is in Hell?--
 A woeful refuge!

163. They are in varying grades
 In the sight of God,
 And God sees well
 All that they do.

164. God did confer
 A great favour

On the Believers
 When He sent among them
 An Apostle from among
 Themselves, rehearsing
 Unto them the Signs
 Of God, sanctifying them,
 And instructing them
 In Scripture and Wisdom,
 While, before that,
 They had been
 In manifest error.

165. What! When a single
 Disaster smites you,
 Although ye smote (your enemies)
 With one twice as great,
 Do ye say?--
 "Whence is this?"
 Say (to them):
 "It is from yourselves:
 For God hath power
 Over all things."

166. What ye suffered
 On the day the two armies
 Met, was with the leave
 Of God, in order that
 He might test the Believers,--

167. And the Hypocrites also.
 These were told: "Come,
 Fight in the way of God,
 Or (at least) drive
 (The foe from Your city)."
 They said: "Had we known
 How to fight, we should
 Certainly have followed you."

They were that day
 Nearer to Unbelief
 Than to Faith,
 Saying with their lips
 What was not in their hearts.
 But God hath full knowledge
 Of all they conceal.

168. (They are) the ones that say,
 (Of their brethren slain),
 While they themselves
 Sit (at ease): "If only
 They had listened to us,
 They would not have been slain."
 Say: "Avert death
 From your own selves,
 If ye speak the truth."

169. Think not of those
 Who are slain in God's way
 As dead. Nay, they live,
 Finding their sustenance
 In the Presence of their Lord;

170. They rejoice in the Bounty
 Provided by God:
 And with regard to those
 Left behind, who have not
 Yet joined them (in their bliss),
 The (Martyrs) glory in the fact
 That on them is no fear,
 Nor have they (cause to) grieve.

171. They glory in the Grace
 And the Bounty from God,
 And in the fact that
 God suffereth not

The reward of the Faithful
 To be lost (in the least).

172. Of those who answered
 The call of God
 And the Apostle,
 Even after being wounded,
 Those who do right
 And refrain from wrong
 Have a great reward;--

173. Men said to them:
 "A great army is gathering
 Against you":
 And frightened them:
 But it (only) increased
 Their Faith: they said:
 "For us God sufficeth,
 And He is the best
 Disposer of affairs."

174. And they returned
 With Grace and Bounty
 From God: no harm
 Ever touched them:
 For they followed
 The good pleasure of God:
 And God is the Lord
 Of bounties unbounded.

175. It is only the Evil One
 That suggests to you
 The fear of his votaries:
 Be ye not afraid
 Of them, but fear Me,
 If ye have Faith.

176. Let not those grieve thee
 Who rush headlong
 Into Unbelief:
 Not the least harm
 Will they do to God:
 God's Plan is that He

Will give them no portion
 In the Hereafter,
 But a severe punishment.

177. Those who purchase
 Unbelief at the price
 Of faith,
 Not the least harm
 Will they do to God,
 But they will have
 A grievous punishment.

178. Let not the Unbelievers
 Think that Our respite
 To them is good for themselves:
 We grant them respite
 That they may grow
 In their iniquity:
 But they will have
 A shameful punishment.

179. God will not leave
 The Believers in the state
 In which ye are now,
 Until He separates
 What is evil
 From what is good.
 Nor will He disclose
 To you the secrets
 Of the Unseen,
 But He chooses
 Of His Apostles
 (For the purpose)
 Whom He pleases.
 So believe in God
 And His Apostles:
 And if ye believe
 And do right,
 Ye have a reward
 Without measure.

180. And let not those
 Who covetously withhold
 Of the gifts which God
 Hath given them of His Grace,
 Think that it is good for them:
 Nay, it will be the worse
 For them: soon shall the things
 Which they covetously withheld
 Be tied to their necks
 Like a twisted collar,
 On the Day of Judgment.
 To God belongs the heritage
 Of the heavens and the earth;
 And God is well-acquainted
 With all that ye do.

181. God hath heard
 The taunt of those
 Who say: "Truly, God
 Is indigent and we
 Are rich!"--We shall
 Certainly record their word

And (their act) of slaying
 The Prophets in defiance
 Of right, and We shall say:
 "Taste ye the Penalty
 Of the Scorching Fire!

182. "This is because
 Of the (unrighteous deeds)
 Which your hands
 Sent on before ye:
 For God never harms
 Those who serve Him."

183. They (also) said: "God took
 Our promise not to believe
 In an apostle unless
 He showed us a sacrifice
 Consumed by fire
 (From heaven)." Say:
 "There came to you
 Apostles before me,
 With Clear Signs
 And even with what
 Ye ask for: why then
 Did ye slay them,
 If ye speak the truth?"

184. Then if they reject thee,
 So were rejected apostles
 Before thee, who came
 With Clear Signs,
 Books of dark prophecies,
 And the Book of Enlightenment.

185. Every soul shall have
 A taste of death:
 And only on the Day
 Of Judgment shall you
 Be paid your full recompense.
 Only he who is saved
 Far from the Fire
 And admitted to the Garden
 Will have attained
 The object (of Life):
 For the life of this world
 Is but goods and chattels
 Of deception.

186. Ye shall certainly
 Be tried and tested
 In your possessions
 And in your personal selves;
 And ye shall certainly
 Hear much that will grieve you,
 From those who received
 The Book before yot:
 And from those who
 Worship many gods.
 But if ye persevere
 Patiently, and guard
 Against evil,--then
 That will be
 A determining factor
 In all affairs.

187. And remember
 God took a Covenant
 From the People of the Book,
 To make it known
 And clear to mankind,
 And not to hide it;

But they threw it away
 Behind their backs,
 And purchased with it
 Some miserable gain!
 And vile was the bargain
 They made!

188. Think not that those
 Who exult in what they
 Have brought about, and love
 To be praised for what
 They have not done,--
 Think not that they
 Can escape the Penalty.
 For them is a Penalty
 Grievous indeed.

189. To God belongeth
 The dominion
 Of the heavens
 And the earth;
 And God hath power
 Over all things.

190. Behold! In the creation
 Of the heavens and the earth,
 And the alternation
 Of Night and Day,--
 There are indeed Signs
 For men of understanding,--

191. Men who celebrate
 The praises of God,
 Standing, sitting,
 And lying down on their sides,
 And contemplate
 The (wonders of) creation

In the heavens and the earth,
 (With the thought):
 "Our Lord! not for naught
 Hast Thou created (all) this!
 Glory to Thee! Give us
 Salvation from the Penalty
 Of the Fire.

192. "Our Lord! any whom Thou
 Dost admit to the Fire,
 Truly Thou coverest with shame,
 And never will wrong-doers
 Find any helpers!

193. "Our Lord! we have heard
 The call of one calling
 (Us) to Faith, 'Believe ye
 In the Lord,' and we
 Have believed. Our Lord!
 Forgive us our sins,
 Blot out from us
 Our iniquities, and take
 To Thyself our souls
 In the company of the righteous.

194. "Our Lord! Grant us
 What Thou didst promise
 Unto us through Thine Apostles,
 And save us from shame
 On the Day of Judgment:
 For Thou never breakest
 Thy promise."

195. And their Lord hath accepted
 Of them, and answered them:
 "Never will I suffer to be lost
 The work of any of you,

Be he male or female:
 Ye are members, one of another:
 Those who have left their homes,
 Or been driven out therefrom,
 Or suffered harm in My Cause,
 Or fought or been slain,--
 Verily, I will blot out
 From them their iniquities,
 And admit them into Gardens
 With rivers flowing beneath;--
 A reward from the Presence
 Of God, and from His Presence
 Is the best of rewards."

196. Let not the strutting about
 Of the Unbelievers
 Through the land
 Deceive thee:

197. Little is it for enjoyment:
 Their ultimate abode
 Is Hell: what an evil bed
 (To lie on)!

198. On the other hand, for those
 Who fear their Lord,
 Are Gardens, with rivers
 Flowing beneath; therein
 Are they to dwell (for ever),--
 A gift from the Presence
 Of God; and that which is
 In the Presence of God
 Is the best (bliss)
 For the righteous.

199. And there are, certainly,
 Among the People of the Book,

Those who believe in God,
 In the revelation to you,
 And in the revelation to them,
 Bowing in humility to God:
 They will not sell
 The Signs of God
 For a miserable gain!
 For them is a reward
 With their Lord,
 And God is swift in account.

200. O ye who believe!
 Persevere in patience
 And constancy; vie
 In such perseverance;
 Strengthen each other;
 And fear God;
 That ye may prosper.

Sura IV.

  

Nisaa, or The Women.

In the name of God, Most Gracious
 Most Merciful.

1. O mankind! reverence
 Your Guardian-Lord,
 Who created you
 From a single Person,
 Created, of like nature,
 His mate, and from them twain
 Scattered (like seeds)
 Countless men and women;--
 Reverence God, through Whom
 Ye demand your mutual (rights),
 And (reverence) the wombs
 (That bore you): for God
 Ever watches over you.

2. To orphans restore their property
 (When they reach their age),
 Nor substitute (your) worthless things
 For (their) good ones; and devour not
 Their substance (by mixing it up)

With your own. For this is
 I ndeed a great sin.

3. If ye fear that ye shall not
 Be able to deal justly
 With the orphans,
 Marry women of your choice,
 Two, or three, or four;
 But if ye fear that ye shall not
 Be able to deal justly (with them),
 Then only one, or (a captive)
 That your right hands possess.
 That will be more suitable,
 To prevent you
 From doing injustice.

4. And give the women
 (On marriage) their dower
 As a free gift; but if they,
 Of their own good pleasure,
 Remit any part of it to you,
 Take it and enjoy it
 With right good cheer.

5. To those weak of understanding
 Make not over your property,
 Which God hath made
 A means of support for you,
 But feed and clothe them
 Therewith, and speak to them
 Words of kindness and justice.

6. Make trial of orphans
 Until they reach the age
 Of marriage; if then ye find
 Sound judgment in them,
 Release their property to them;
 But consume it not wastefully,
 Nor in haste against their growing up.
 If the guardian is well-off,
 Let him claim no remuneration,
 But if he is poor, let him
 Have for himself what is
 Just and reasonable.
 When ye release their property
 To them, take witnesses
 In their presence:
 But all-sufficient
 Is God in taking account.

7. From what is left by parents
 And those nearest relateds,
 There is a share for men
 And a share for women,
 Whether the property be small
 Or large,--a determinate share.

8. But if at the time of division
 Other relatives, or orphans,
 Or poor, are present,
 Feed them out of the (property),
 And speak to them
 Words of kindness and justice.

9. Let those (disposing of an estate)
 Have the same fear in their minds
 As they would have for their own
 If they had left a helpless family behind:
 Let them fear God, and speak
 Words of appropriate (comfort),

10. Those who unjustly
 Eat up the property
 Of orphans, eat up
 A Fire into their own
 Bodies: they will soon
 Be enduring a blazing Fire!

11. God (thus) directs you
 As regards your children's
 (Inheritance): to the male,
 A portion equal to that
 Of two females: if only
 Daughters, two or more,
 Their share is two-thirds
 Of the inheritance;
 If only one, her share
 Is a half.

For parents, a sixth share
 Of the inheritance to each,
 If the deceased left children;
 If no children, and the parents
 Are the (only) heirs, the mother
 Has a third; if the deceased
 Left brothers (or sisters)
 The mother has a sixth.
 (The distribution in all cases
 Is) after the payment
 Of legacies and debts.
 Ye know not whether
 Your parents or your children
 Are nearest to you
 In benefit. These are
 Settled portions ordained

By God; and God is
 All-knowing, All-wise.

12. In what your wives leave,
 Your share is a half,
 1f they leave no child;
 But if they leave a child,
 Ye get a fourth; after payment
 Of legacies and debts.
 In what ye leave,
 Their share is a fourth,
 If ye leave no child;
 But if ye leave a child,
 They get an eighth; after payment
 Of legacies and debts.

If the man or woman
 Whose inheritance is in question,
 Has left neither ascendants nor descendants,
 But has left a brother
 Or a sister, each one of the two
 Gets a sixth; but if more
 Than two, they share in a third;
 After payment of legacies
 And debts; so that no loss
 Is caused (to any one).
 Thus is it ordained by God;
 And God is All-knowing,
 Most Forbearing.

13. Those are limits
 Set by God: those who
 Obey God and His Apostle
 Will be admitted to Gardens
 With rivers flowing beneath,
 To abide therein (for ever)
 And that will be
 The Supreme achievement.

14. But those who disobey
 God and His Apostle
 And transgress His limits
 Will be admitted
 To a Fire, to abide therein:
 And they shall have
 A humiliating punishment.

15. If any of your women
 Are guilty of lewdness,
 Take the evidence of four
 (Reliable) witnesses from amongst you
 Against them; and if they testify,
 Confine them to houses until
 Death do claim them,

Or God ordain for them
 Some (other) way.

16. If two men among you
 Are guilty of lewdness,
 Punish them both.
 If they repent and amend,
 Leave them alone; for God
 Is Oft-returning, Most Merciful.

17. God accepts the repentance
 Of those who do evil
 In ignorance and repent
 Soon afterwards; to them
 Will God turn in mercy:
 For God is full of knowledge
 And wisdom.

18. Of no effect is the repentance
 Of those who continue
 To do evil, until Death
 Faces one of them, and he says,
 "Now have I repented indeed;"
 Nor of those who die
 Rejecting Faith: for them
 Have we prepared
 A punishment most grievous.

19. O ye who believe!
 Ye are forbidden to inherit
 Women against their will.
 Nor should ye treat them

With harshness, that ye may
 Take away part of the dower
 Ye have given them,--except
 Where they have been guilty
 Of open lewdness;
 On the contrary live with them
 On a footing of kindness and equity.
 If ye take a dislike to them
 It may be that ye dislike
 A thing, and God brings about
 Through it a great deal of good.

20. But if ye decide to take
 One wife in place of another,
 Even if ye had given the latter
 A whole treasure for dower,
 Take not the least bit of it back:
 Would ye take it by slander
 And a manifest wrong?

21. And how could ye take it
 When ye have gone in
 Unto each other, and they have
 Taken from you a solemn covenant?

22. And marry not women
 Whom your fathers married,--
 Except what is past:
 It was shameful and odious,--
 An abominable custom indeed.

23. Prohibited to you
 (For marriage) are:--
 Your mothers, daughters,
 Sisters; father's sisters,
 Mother's sisters; brother's daughters,
 Sister's daugters; foster-mothers
 (Who gave you suck), foster-sisters;
 Your wives' mothers;
 Your step-daughters under your
 Guardianship, born of your wives
 To whom ye have gone in,
 No prohibition if ye have not gone in;--
 (Those who have been)
 Wives of your sons proceeding
 From your loins;
 And two sisters in wedlock
 At one and the same time,
 Except for what is past;
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful;--

24. Also (prohibited are)
 Women already married,
 Except those
 Whom your right hands possess:
 Thus hath God ordained
 (Prohibitions) against you:
 Except for these, all others
 Are lawful, provided
 Ye seek (them in marriage)
 With gifts from your property,--
 Desiring chastity, not lust.
 Seeing that ye derive
 Benefit from them, give them
 Their dowers (at least)
 As prescribed; but if,
 After a dower is prescribed, ye agree
 Mutually (to vary it),
 There is no blame on you,
 And God is All-knowing
 All-wise.

25. If any of you have not
 The means wherewith
 To wed free believing women,
 They may wed believing
 Girls from among those
 Whom your right hands possess:
 God hath full knowledge
 About your Faith.
 Ye are one from another:
 Wed them with the leave
 Of their owners, and give them
 Their dowers, according to what

Is reasonable: they should be
 Chaste, not lustful, nor taking
 Paramours: when they
 Are taken in wedlock,
 If they fall into shame,
 Their punishment is half
 That for free women.
 This (permission) is for those
 Among you who fear sin;
 But it is better for you
 That ye practise self-restraint.
 And God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

26. God doth wish
 To make clear to you
 And to show you
 The ordinances of those
 Before you; and (He
 Doth wish to) turn to you
 (In Mercy): and God
 Is All-knowing, All-wise.

27. God doth wish
 To turn to you,
 But the wish of those
 Who follow their lusts
 Is that ye should turn
 Away (from Him),
 Far, far away.

28. God doth wish
 To lighten your (difficulties);
 For man was created
 Weak (in flesh).

29. O ye who believe! sot
 Eat not up your property

Among yourselves in vanities:
 But let there be amongst you
 Traffic and trade
 By mutual good-will:
 Nor kill (or destroy)
 Yourselves: for verily
 God hath been to you
 Most Merciful!

30. If any do that
 In rancour and injustice,--
 Soon shall We cast them
 Into the Fire: and easy
 It is for God.

31. If ye (but) eschew
 The most heinous
 Of the things
 Which ye are forbidden to do,
 We shall expel
 Out of you
 All the evil in you,
 And admit you to a Gate
 Of great honour.

32. And in no wise covet
 Those things in which God
 Hath bestowed His gifts
 More freely on some of you
 Than on others: to men
 Is allotted what they earn,
 And to women what they earn:
 But ask God of His bounty.
 For God hath full knowledge
 Of all things.

33. To (benefit) every one,
 We have appointed
 Sharers and heirs
 To property left

By parents and relatives.
 To those, also, to whom
 Your right hand was pledged,
 Give their due portion.
 For truly God is witness
 To all things.

34. Men are the protectors
 And maintainers of women,
 Because God has given
 The one more (strength)
 Than the other, and because
 They support them
 From their means.
 Therefore the righteous women
 Are devoutly obedient, and guard
 In (the husband's) absence
 What God would have them guard.
 As to those women
 On whose part ye fear
 Disloyalty and ill-conduct,
 Admonish them (first),
 (Next), refuse to share their beds,
 (And last) beat them (lightly);
 But if they return to obedience,
 Seek not against them
 Means (of annoyance):

For God is Most High,
 Great (above you all).

35. If ye fear a breach
 Between them twain,
 Appoint (two) arbiters,
 One from his family,
 And the other from hers;
 If they wish for peace,
 God will cause
 Their reconciliation:
 For God hath full knowledge,
 And is acquainted
 With all things.

36. serve God, and join not
 Any partners with Him;
 And do good
 To parents, kinsfolk,
 Orphans, those in need,
 Neighbours who are near,
 Neighbours who are strangers,
 The Companion by your side,
 The way-farer (ye meet),
 And what your right hands possess:
 For God loveth not
 The arrogant, the vainglorious;--

37. (Nor) those who are niggardly
 Or enjoin niggardliness on others,
 Or hide the bounties
 Which God hath bestowed
 On them; for We have prepared,
 For those who resist Faith,
 A Punishment that steeps
 Them in contempt;--

38. Not those who spend
 Of their substance, to be seen
 Of men, but have no faith
 In God and the Last Day:
 If any take the Evil One
 For their intimate,
 What a dreadful intimate he is!

39. And what burden
 Were it on them if they
 Had faith in God
 And in the Last Day,
 And they spent
 Out of what God hath
 Given them for sustenance?
 For God hath full
 Knowledge of them.

40. God is never unjust
 In the least degree:
 If there is any good (done),
 He doubleth it,
 And giveth from His own
 Presence a great reward.

41. How then if We brought
 From each People a witness,

And We brought thee
 As a witness against
 These People!

42. On that day
 Those who reject Faith
 And disobey the Apostle
 Will wish that the earth
 Were made one with them:
 But never will they hide
 A single fact from God!

43. O ye who believe!
 Approach not prayers
 With a mind befogged,
 Until ye can understand
 All that ye say,
 Nor in a state
 Of ceremonial impurity
 (Except when travelling on the road),
 Until after washing
 Your whole body.
 If ye are ill,
 Or on a journey,
 Or one of you cometh
 From offices of nature,

Or ye have been
 In contact with women,
 And ye find no water,
 Then take for yourselves
 Clean sand or earth,
 And rub therewith
 Your faces and hands.
 For God doth blot out sins
 And forgive again and again.

44. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those
 Who were given a portion
 Of the Book? They traffic
 In error, and wish that ye
 Should lose the right path.

45. But God hath full knowledge
 Of your enemies:
 God is enough for a Protector,
 And God is enough for a Helper.

46. Of the Jews there are those
 Who displace words
 From their (right) places,
 And say: "We hear
 And we disobey";
 And "Hear what is not
 Heard"; and "Ra'ina";--
 With a twist of their tongues
 And a slander to Faith.
 If only they had said:
 "We hear and we obey;
 And "Do hear";

And "Do look at us":
 It would have been better
 For them, and more proper;
 But God hath cursed them
 For their Unbelief; and but few
 Of them will believe.

47. O ye People of the Book!
 Believe in what We
 Have (now) revealed, confirming
 What was (already) with you,
 Before We change the face and fame
 Of some (of you) beyond all recognition,
 And turn them hindwards,
 Or curse them as We cursed
 The Sabbath-breakers,
 For the decision of God
 Must be carried out.

48. God forgiveth not
 That partners should be set up
 With Him; but He forgiveth
 Anything else, to whom
 He pleaseth; to set up
 Partners with God
 Is to devise a sin
 Most heinous indeed.

49. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those
 Who claim sanctity
 For themselves?

Nay--but God
 Doth sanctify
 Whom He pleaseth.
 But never will they
 Fail to receive justice
 In the least little thing.

50. Behold! how they invent
 A lie against God!
 But that by itself
 Is a manifest sin!

51. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those
 Who were given a portion
 Of the Book? They believe
 In Sorcery and Evil,
 And say to the Unbelievers
 That they are better guided
 In the (right) way
 Than the Believers!

52. They are (men) whom
 God hath cursed:
 And those whom God
 Hath cursed, thou wilt find,
 Have no one to help.

53. Have they a share
 In dominion or power?
 Behold, they give not a farthing
 To their fellow-men?

54. Or do they envy mankind
 For what God hath given them
 Of his bounty? But We
 Had already given the people
 Of Abraham the Book
 And Wisdom, and conferred
 Upon them a great kingdom.

55. Some of them believed,
 And some of them averted
 Their faces from him: and enough
 Is Hell for a burning fire.

56. Those who reject
 Our Signs, We shall soon
 Cast into the Fire:
 As often as their skins
 Are roasted through,
 We shall change them
 For fresh skins,
 That they may taste
 The Penalty: for God
 Is Exalted in Power, Wise.

57. But those who believe
 And do deeds of righteousness,
 We shall soon admit to Gardens,
 With rivers flowing beneath,--
 Their eternal home:
 Therein shall they have
 Companions pure and holy: ye
 We shall admit them
 To shades, cool and ever deepening.

58. God doth command you
 To render back your Trusts
 To those to whom they are due;
 And when ye judge

Between man and man,
 That ye judge with justice:
 Verily how excellent
 Is the teaching which He giveth you!
 For God is He Who heareth
 And seeth all things.

59. O ye who believe!
 Obey God, and obey the Apostle,
 And those charged
 With authority among you.
 If ye differ in anything
 Among yourselves, refer it
 To God and His Apostle,
 If ye do believe in God
 And the Last Day:
 That is best, and most suitable
 For final determination.

60. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those
 Who declare that they believe
 In the revelations
 That have come to thee
 And to those before thee?
 Their (real) wish is
 To resort together for judgment
 (In their disputes)
 To the Evil One,
 Though they were ordered
 To reject him.
 But Satan's wish
 Is to lead them astray
 Far away (from the Right).

61. When it is said to them:
 "Come to what God hath revealed,

And to the Apostle":
 Thou seest the Hypocrites avert
 Their faces from thee in disgust.

62. How then, when they are
 Seized by misfortune,
 Because of the deeds
 Which their hands have sent forth?
 Then they come to thee,
 Swearing by God:
 "We meant no more
 Than good-will and conciliation!"

63. Those men,--God knows
 What is in their hearts;
 So keep clear of them,ss:
 But admonish them,
 And speak to them a word
 To reach their very souls.

64. We sent not an Apostle,
 But to be obeyed, in accordance
 With the Will of God.
 If they had only,
 When they were unjust
 To themselves,
 Come unto thee
 And asked God's forgiveness,
 And the Apostle had asked
 Forgiveness for them,
 They would have found
 God indeed Oft-returning,
 Most Merciful.

65. But no, by thy Lord,
 They can have
 No (real) Faith,
 Until they make thee judge
 In all disputes between them,
 And find in their souls
 No resistance against
 Thy decisions, but accept
 Them with the fullest conviction.

66. If We had ordered them
 To sacrifice their lives
 Or to leave their homes,
 Very few of them
 Would have done it:
 But if they had done
 What they were (actually) told,
 It would have been best
 For them, and would have gone
 Farthest to strengthen their (faith);

67. And We should then have
 Given them from Our Presence
 A great reward;

68. And We should have
 Shown them the Straight Way.

69. All who obey God
 And the Apostle
 Are in the company
 Of those on whom
 Is the Grace of God,--
 Of the Prophets (who teach),
 The Sincere (lovers of Truth),
 The Witnesses (who testify),
 And the Righteous (who do good):
 Ah! what a beautiful Fellowship!

70. Such is the Bounty
 From God: and sufficient
 Is it that God knoweth all.

71. O ye who believe!
 Take your precautions,
 And either go forth in parties
 Or go forth all together.

72. There are certainly among you
 Men who would tarry behind:
 If a misfortune befalls you,
 They say: "God did favour us
 In that we were not
 Present among them."

73. But if good fortune comes to you
 From God, they would be sure
 To say--as if there had never been
 Ties of affection between you and them--

"Oh! I wish I had been with them;
 A fine thing should I then
 Have made of it!"

74. Let those fight
 In the cause of God
 Who sell the life of this world
 For the Hereafter.
 To him who fighteth
 In the cause of God,--
 Whether he is slain
 Or gets victory
 Soon shall We give him
 A reward of great (value).

75. And why should ye not
 Fight in the cause of God
 And of those who, being weak,
 Are ill-treated (and oppressed)?--
 Men, women, and children,
 Whose cry is: "Our Lord!
 Rescue us from this town,
 Whose people are oppressors;
 And raise for us from Thee
 One who will protect;
 And raise for us from Thee
 One who will help!"

76. Those who believe
 Fight in the cause of God,
 And those who reject Faith
 Fight in the cause of Evil:
 So fight ye against the
 Friends of Satan: feeble indeed
 Is the cunning of Satan.

77. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those

Who were told to hold back
 Their hands (from fight)
 But establish regular prayers
 And spend in regular Charity?
 When (at length) the order
 For fighting was issued to them,
 Behold! a section of them
 Feared men as
 Or even more than
 They should have feared God:
 They said: "Our Lord!
 Why hast Thou ordered us
 To fight? Wouldst Thou not
 Grant us respite
 To our (natural) term,
 Near (enough)?" Say: "Short
 Is the enjoyment of this world:
 The Hereafter is the best
 For those who do right:
 Never will ye be
 Dealt with unjustly
 In the very least!

78. "Wherever ye are,
 Death will find you out,
 Even if ye are in towers
 Built up strong and high!"

If some good befalls them,
 They say, "This is from God";
 But if evil, they say,
 "This is from thee" (O Prophet).

Say: "All things are from God."
 But what hath come
 To these people,
 That they fail
 To understand
 A single fact?

79. Whatever good, (O man!)
 Happens to thee, is from God;
 But whatever evil happens
 To thee, is from thy (own) soul.
 And We have sent thee
 As an Apostle
 To (instruct) mankind.
 And enough is God
 For a witness.

80 He who obeys
 The Apostle, obeys God:
 But if any turn away,
 We have not sent thee
 To watch over
 Their (evil deeds).

81. They have "Obedience"
 On their lips; but
 When they leave thee,
 A section of them
 Meditate all night
 On things very different
 From what thou tellest them.
 But God records
 Their nightly (plots):
 So keep clear of them,
 And put thy trust in God,
 And enough is God

As a disposer of affairs.

82. Do they not consider
 The Qur-an (with care)?
 Had it been from other
 Than God, they would surely
 Have found therein
 Much discrepancy.

83. When there comes to them
 Some matter touching
 (Public) safety or fear,
 They divulge it.
 If they had only referred it
 To the Apostle, or to those
 Charged with authority
 Among them, the proper
 Investigators would have
 Tested it from them (direct).
 Were it not for the Grace
 And Mercy of God unto you,
 All but a few of you
 Would have fallen
 Into the clutches of Satan.

84. Then fight in God's cause--
 Thou art held responsible
 Only for thyself--
 And rouse the Believers.
 It may be that God
 Will restrain the fury

Of the Unbelievers;
 For God is the strongest
 In might and in punishment.

85. Whoever recommends
 And helps a good cause
 Becomes a partner therein:
 And whoever recommends
 And helps an evil cause,
 Shares in its burden:
 And God hath power
 Over all things.

86. When a (courteous) greeting
 Is offered you, meet it
 With a greeting still more
 Courteous, or (at least)
 Of equal courtesy.
 God takes careful account
 Of all things.

87. God! There is no god
 But He: of a surety
 He will gather you together
 Against the Day of Judgment,
 About which there is no doubt.
 And whose word can be
 Truer than God's?

88. Why should ye be
 Divided into two parties

About the Hypocrites?
 God hath upset them
 For their (evil) deeds.
 Would ye guide those
 Whom God hath thrown
 Out of the Way? For those
 Whom God hath thrown
 Out of the Way, never
 Shalt thou find the Way.

89. They but wish that ye
 Should reject Faith,
 As they do, and thus be
 On the same footing (as they):
 But take not friends
 From their ranks
 Until they flee
 In the way of God
 (From what is forbidden).
 But if they turn renegades,
 Seize them and slay them
 Wherever ye find them;
 And (in any case) take
 No friends or helpers
 From their ranks:--

90. Except those who join
 A group between whom
 And you there is a treaty

(Of peace), or those who approach
 You with hearts restraining
 Them from fighting you
 As well as fighting their own
 People. If God had pleased,
 He could have given them
 Power over you, and they
 Would have fought you:
 Therefore if they withdraw
 From you but fight you not,
 And (instead) send you
 (Guarantees of) peace, then God
 Hath opened no way
 For you (to war against them).

91. Others you will find
 That wish to gain
 Your confidence as well
 As that of their people:
 Every time they are sent back
 To temptation, they succumb
 Thereto: if they withdraw not
 From you nor give you (guarantees)
 Of peace besides
 Restraining their hands,
 Seize them and slay them
 Wherever ye get them:
 In their case
 We have provided you
 With a clear argument
 Against them.

92. Never should a Believer
 Kill a Believer; but
 (If it so happens) by mistake,
 (Compensation is due):
 If one (so) kills a Believer,
 It is ordained that he
 Should free a believing slave,
 And pay compensation
 To the deceased's family,
 Unless they remit it freely.
 If the deceased belonged
 To a people at war with you,
 And he was a Believer,
 The freeing of a believing slave
 (Is enough). If he belonged
 To a people with whom
 Ye have a treaty of mutual
 Alliance, compensation should
 Be paid to his family,
 And a believing slave be freed.
 For those who find this
 Beyond their means, (is prescribed)
 A fast for two months
 Running: by way of repentance
 To God: for God hath
 All knowledge and all wisdom.

93.1f a man kills a Believer
 Intentionally, his recompense
 Is Hell, to abide therein
 (For ever): and the wrath
 And the curse of God
 Are upon him, and
 A dreadful penalty
 Is prepared for him.

94. O ye who believe!
 When ye go abroad
 In the cause of God,
 Investigate carefully,
 And say not to any one
 Who offers you a salutation:
 "Thou art none of a Believer!"
 Coveting the perishable goods
 Of this life: with God
 Are profits and spoils abundant.
 Even thus were ye yourselves
 Before, till God conferred
 On you His favours: therefore
 Carefully investigate.
 For God is well aware
 Of all that ye do.

95. Not equal are those
 Believers who sit (at home)
 And receive no hurt,
 And those who strive
 And fight in the cause
 Of God with their goods
 And their persons.
 God hath granted
 A grade higher to those
 Who strive and fight

With their goods and persons
 Than to those who sit (at home).
 Unto all (in Faith)
 Hath God promised good:
 But those who strive and fight
 Hath He distinguished
 Above those who sit (at home)
 By a special reward,--

96. Ranks specially bestowed
 By Him. And Forgiveness
 And Mercy. For God is
 Oft forgiving, Most Merciful.

97. When angels take
 The souls of those
 Who die in sin
 Against their souls,
 They say: "In what (plight)
 Were ye?" They reply:
 "Weak and oppressed
 Were we in the earth."
 They say: "Was not
 The earth of God
 Spacious enough for you
 To move yourselves away
 (From evil)?" Such men
 Will find their abode
 In Hell,--What an evil
 Refuge!--

98. Except those who are
 (Really) weak and oppressed--
 Men, women, and children--
 Who have no means
 In their power, nor (a guide-post)
 To direct their way.

99. For these, there is hope
 That God will forgive:
 For God doth blot out (sins)
 And forgive again and again.

100. He who forsakes his home
 In the cause of God,
 Finds in the earth
 Many a refuge,
 Wide and spacious:
 Should he die
 As a refugee from home
 For God and His Apostle,
 His reward becomes due
 And sure with God:
 And God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

  
101. When ye travel
 Through the earth,
 There is no blame on you
 If ye shorten your prayers,
 For fear the Unbelievers
 May attack you:
 For the Unbelievers are
 Unto you open enemies.

102. When thou (O Apostle)
 Art with them, and standest
 To lead them in prayer,
 Let one party of them
 Stand up (in prayer) with thee,
 Taking their arms with them:
 When they finish
 Their prostrations, let them
 Take their position in the rear.
 And let the other party come up
 Which hath not yet prayed--
 And let them pray with thee,
 Taking all precautions,
 And bearing arms:
 The Unbelievers wish,
 If ye were negligent
 Of your arms and your baggage,
 To assault you in a single rush.
 But there is no blame on you
 If ye put away your arms
 Because of the inconvenience
 Of rain or because ye are ill;
 But take (every) precaution
 For yourselves. For the
 Unbelievers
 God hath prepared
 A humiliating punishment.

103. When ye pass
 (Congregational) prayers,
 Celebrate God's praises,
 Standing, sitting down,
 Or lying down on your sides;
 But when ye are free
 From danger, set up
 Regular Prayers:
 For such prayers
 Are enjoined on Believers
 At stated times.

104. And slacken not
 In following up the enemy:
 If ye are suffering hardships,
 They are suffering similar
 Hardships; but ye have
 Hope from God, while they
 Have none. And God
 Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

105. We have sent down
 To thee the Book in truth,
 That thou might test judge
 Between men, as guided
 By God: so be not (used)
 As an advocate by those
 Who betray their trust;

106. But seek the forgiveness
 Of God; for God is
 Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

107. Contend not on behalf
 Of such as betray
 Their own souls;
 For God loveth not
 One given to perfidy
 And crime;

108. They may hide
 (Their crimes) from men,
 But they cannot hide
 (Them) from God, seeing that
 He is in their midst
 When they plot by night,
 In words that He cannot
 Approve: and God
 Doth compass round
 All that they do.

109. Ah! these are the sort
 Of men on whose behalf
 Ye may contend in this world;
 But who will contend with God
 On their behalf on the Day
 Of Judgment, or who
 Will carry their affairs through?

110. If any one does evil
 Or wrongs his own soul
 But afterwards seeks
 God's forgiveness, he will find
 God Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

111. And if any one earns
 Sin, he earns it against

His own soul: for God
 Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

112. But if any one earns
 A fault or a sin
 And throws it on to one
 That is innocent,
 He carries (on himself)
 (Both) a falsehood
 And a flagrant sin.

113. But for the Grace of God
 To thee and His Mercy,
 A party of them would
 Certainly have plotted
 To lead thee astray.
 But (in fact) they will only
 Lead their own souls astray,
 And to thee they can do
 No harm in the least.
 For God hath sent down
 To thee the Book and Wisdom
 And taught thee what thou
 Knewest not (before):
 And great is the Grace
 Of God unto thee.

114. In most of their secret talks
 There is no good: but if
 One exhorts to a deed
 Of charity or justice
 Or conciliation between men,
 (Secrecy is permissible):
 To him who does this,
 Seeking the good pleasure
 Of God, We shall soon give
 A reward of the highest (value).

115. If anyone contends with
 The Apostle even after
 Guidance has been plainly
 Conveyed to him, and follows
 A path other than that
 Becoming to men of Faith,
 We shall leave him
 In the path he has chosen,
 And land him in Hell,--
 What an evil refuge!

116. God forgiveth not
 (The sin of) joining other gods
 With Him; but He forgiveth
 Whom He pleaseth other sins
 Than this: one who joins
 Other gods with God,
 Hath strayed far, far away
 (From the Right).

117. (The Pagans), leaving Him,
 Call but upon female deities:
 They call but upon Satan
 The persistent rebel!

118. God did curse him,
 But he said: "I will take
 Of Thy servants a portion
 Marked off;

119. "I will mislead them,
 And I will create

In them false desires; I will
 Order them to slit the ears
 Of cattle, and to deface
 The (fair) nature created
 By God." Whoever,
 Forsaking God, takes Satan
 For a friend, hath
 Of a surety suffered
 A loss that is manifest.

120. Satan makes them promises,
 And creates in them false desires;
 But Satan's promises
 Are nothing but deception.

121. They (his dupes)
 Will have their dwelling
 In Hell, and from it
 They will find no way
 Of escape.

122. But those who believe
 And do deeds of righteousness,--
 We shall soon admit them
 To Gardens, with rivers
 Flowing beneath,--to dwell
 Therein for ever.
 God's promise is the truth,
 And whose word can be
 Truer than God's?

123. Not your desires, nor those
 Of the People of the Book

(Can prevail): whoever
 Works evil, will be
 Requited accordingly.
 Nor will he find, besides God,
 Any protector or helper.

124. If any do deeds
 Of righteousness,
 Be they male or female--
 And have faith,
 They will enter Heaven,
 And not the least injustice
 Will be done to them.

125. Who can be better
 In religion than one
 Who submits his whole self
 To God, does good,
 And follows the way
 Of Abraham the true in faith?
 For God did take
 Abraham for a friend.

126. But to God belong all things
 In the heavens and on earth:
 And He it is that
 Encompasseth all things.

127. They ask thy instruction
 Concerning the Women
 Say: God doth
 Instruct you about them:
 And (remember) what hath
 Been rehearsed unto you
 In the Book, concerning
 The orphans of women to whom
 Ye give not the portions
 Prescribed, and yet whom ye
 Desire to marry, as also
 Concerning the children
 Who are weak and oppressed:
 That ye stand firm
 For justice to orphans.
 There is not a good deed
 Which ye do, but God
 Is well-acquainted therewith.

128. If a wife fears
 Cruelty or desertion
 On her husband's part,
 There is no blame on them
 If they arrange
 An amicable settlement
 Between themselves;
 And such settlement is best;

Even though men's souls
 Are swayed by greed.
 But if ye do good
 And practise self-restraint,
 God is well-acquainted
 With all that ye do.

129. Ye are never able
 To be fair and just
 As between women,
 Even if it is
 Your ardent desire:
 But turn not away
 (From a woman) altogether,
 So as to leave her (as it were)
 Hanging (in the air).
 If ye come to a friendly
 Understanding, and practise
 Self-restraint, God is
 Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

130. But if they disagree
 (And must part), God
 Will provide abundance
 For all from His
 All-reaching bounty:
 For God is He
 That careth for all
 And is Wise.

131. To God belong all things
 In the heavens and on earth.

Verily We have directed
 The People of the Book
 Before you, and you (O Muslims).
 To fear God. But if ye
 Deny Him, to! unto God
 Belong all things
 In the heavens and on earth,
 And God is free
 Of all wants, worthy
 Of all praise.

132. Yea, unto God belong
 All things in the heavens
 And on earth, and enough
 Is God to carry through
 All affairs.

133. If it were His Will,
 He could destroy you,
 O mankind, and create
 Another race; for He
 Hath power this to do.

134. If any one desires
 A reward in this life,
 In God's (gift) is the reward
 (Both) of this life
 And of the Hereafter:
 For God is He that heareth
 And seeth (all things).

135. O ye who believe!
 Stand out firmly
 For justice, as witnesses
 To God, even as against
 Yourselves, or your parents,
 Or your kin, and whether
 It be (against) rich or poor:
 For God can best protect both.
 Follow not the lusts
 (Of your hearts), lest ye
 Swerve, and if ye
 Distort (justice) or decline
 To do justice, verily
 God is well-acquainted
 With all that ye do.

136. O ye who believe!
 Believe in God
 And His Apostle,
 And the scripture which He
 Hath sent to His Apostle
 And the scripture which He sent
 To those before (him)
 Any who denieth God,
 His angels, His Books,
 His Apostles, and the Day
 Of Judgment, hath gone
 Far, far astray.

137. Those who believe,
 Then reject Faith,
 Then believe (again)
 And (again) reject Faith,
 And go on increasing
 In Unbelief,--God
 Will not forgive them
 Nor guide them on the Way.

138. To the Hypocrites give
 The glad tidings that
 There is for them
 (But) a grievous Penalty;--

139. Yea, to those who take
 For friends Unbelievers
 Rather than Believers:
 Is it honour they seek
 Among them? Nay,--
 All honour is with God.

140. Already has He sent you
 Word in the Book, that when
 Ye hear the Signs of God
 Held in defiance and ridicule,
 Ye are not to sit with them
 Unless they turn to a different
 Theme: if ye did, ye would be
 Like them. For God will
 Collect the Hypocrites and those
 Who defy Faith--all in Hell;--

141. (These are) the ones who
 Wait and watch about you:
 If ye do gain
 A victory from God,
 They say: "Were we not
 With you?"--but if
 The Unbelievers gain
 A success, they say
 (To them): "Did we not
 Gain an advantage over you,
 And did we not guard
 You from the Believers?"
 But God will judge
 Betwixt you on the Day
 Of Judgment. And never
 Will God grant
 To the Unbelievers
 A way (to Triumph)
 Over the Believers.

142. The Hypocrites--they think
 They are over-reaching God,
 But He will over-reach them:
 When they stand up to prayer,
 They stand without earnestness,
 To be seen of men,
 But little do they hold
 God in remembrance;

143. (They are) distracted in mind
 Even in the midst of it,--
 Being (sincerely) for neither
 One group nor for another.
 Whom God leaves straying,--
 Never wilt thou find

For him the Way.

144. O ye who believe!
 Take not for friends
 Unbelievers rather than
 Believers: do ye wish
 To offer God an open
 Proof against yourselves?

145. The Hypocrites will be
 In the lowest depths
 Of the Fire: no helper
 Wilt thou find for them;--

146. Except for those who repent,
 Mend (their life), hold fast
 To God, and purify their religion
 As in God's sight: if so
 They will be (numbered)
 With the Believers.
 And soon will God
 Grant to the Believers
 A reward of immense value.

147. What can God gain
 By your punishment,
 If ye are grateful
 And ye believe?
 Nay, it is God
 That recogniseth
 (All good), and knoweth
 All things.

148. God loveth not that evil
 Should be noised abroad
 In public speech, except
 Where injustice hath been
 Done; for God
 Is He who heareth
 And knoweth all things.

149. Whether ye publish
 A good deed or conceal it
 Or cover evil with pardon,
 Verily God doth blot out
 (Sins) and hath power
 (In the judgment of values),

150. Those who deny God
 And His apostles, and (those
 Who) wish to separate
 God from His apostles,
 Saying: "We believe in some
 But reject others":
 And (those who) wish
 To take a course midway,--

151. They are in truth
 (Equally) Unbelievers;

And We have prepared
 For Unbelievers a humiliating
 Punishment.

152. To those who believe
 In God and His apostles
 And make no distinction
 Between any of the apostles,
 We shall soon give
 Their (due) rewards:
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

153. The People of the Book
 Ask thee to cause
 A book to descend to them
 From heaven: indeed
 They asked Moses
 For an even greater
 (Miracle), for they said:
 "Show us God in public,"
 But they were dazed
 For their presumption,
 With thunder and lightning.
 Yet they worshipped the calf
 Even after Clear Signs
 Had come to them;
 Even so We forgave them;
 And gave Moses manifest
 Proofs of authority.

154. And for their Covenant
 We raised over them
 (The towering height)
 Of Mount (Sinai);
 And (on another occasion)
 We said: "Enter the gate
 With humility"; and (once again)
 We commanded them:
 "Transgress not in the matter
 Of the Sabbath."
 And We took from them
 A solemn Covenant.

155. (They have incurred divine
 Displeasure): in that they
 Broke their Covenant;
 That they rejected the Signs
 Of God; that they slew
 The Messengers in defiance
 Of right; that they said,
 "Our hearts are the wrappings
 (Which preserve God's Word;
 We need no more)";--nay,
 God hath set the seal on their hearts
 For their blasphemy,
 And little is it they believe;--

156. That they rejected Faith;
 That they uttered against Mary

A grave false charge;

157. That they said (in boast),
 "We killed Christ Jesus
 The son of Mary,
 The Apostle of God";--
 But they killed him not,
 Nor crucified him,
 But so it was made
 To appear to them,
 And those who differ
 Therein are full of doubts,
 With no (certain) knowledge,
 But only conjecture to follow,
 For of a surety
 They killed him not:--

158. Nay, God raised him up
 Unto Himself; and God
 Is Exalted in Power, Wise;--

159. And there is none
 Of the People of the Book

But must believe in him
 Before his death;
 And on the Day of Judgment
 He will be a witness
 Against them;--

160. For the iniquity of the Jews
 We made unlawful for them
 Certain (foods) good and wholesome
 Which had been lawful for them;--
 In that they hindered many
 From God's Way;--

161. That they took usury,
 Though they were forbidden;
 And that they devoured
 Men's substance wrongfully;--
 We have prepared for those
 Among them who reject Faith
 A grievous punishment.

162. But those among them
 Who are well-grounded in knowledge,
 And the Believers,
 Believe in what hath been
 Revealed to thee and what was
 Revealed before thee:
 And (especially) those
 Who establish regular prayer
 And practise regular charity
 And believe in God
 And in the Last Day:
 To them shall We soon
 Give a great reward.

163. We have sent thee
 Inspiration, as We sent it
 To Noah and the Messengers
 After him: We sent
 Inspiration to Abraham,
 Ismail, Isaac, Jacob
 And the Tribes, to Jesus,
 Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon,
 And to David We gave
 The Psalms.

164. Of some apostles We have
 Already told thee the story;
 Of others we have not;--
 And to Moses God spoke direct;--

165. Apostles who gave good news
 As well as warning,
 That mankind, after (the coming)
 Of the apostles, should have
 No plea against God:
 For God is Exalted in Power,
 Wise.

166. But God beareth witness
 That what He hath sent
 Unto thee He hath sent
 From His (own) knowledge,

And the angels bear witness:
 But enough is God for a witness.

167. Those who reject Faith
 And keep off (men)
 From the Way of God,
 Have verily strayed far,
 Far away from the Path.

168. Those who reject Faith
 And do wrong,--God
 Will not forgive them
 Nor guide them
 To any way--

169. Except the way of Hell,
 To dwell therein for ever.
 And this to God is easy.

170. O mankind! the Apostle
 Hath come to you in truth
 From God: believe in him:
 It is best for you. But if
 Ye reject Faith, to God
 Belong all things in the heavens
 And on earth: and God
 Is All-knowing, All-wise.

171. O People of the Book!
 Commit no excesses
 In your religion: nor say
 Of God aught but the truth.

Christ Jesus the son of Mary
 Was (no more than)
 An apostle of God,
 And His Word,
 Which He bestowed on Mary,
 And a Spirit proceeding
 From Him: so believe
 In God and His apostles.
 Say not "Trinity": desist:
 It will be better for you:
 For God is One God:
 Glory be to Him:
 (Far Exalted is He) above
 Having a son, To Him
 Belong all things in the heavens
 And on earth. And enough
 Is God as a Disposer of affairs.

172. Christ disdaineth not
 To serve and worship God,
 Nor do the angels, those
 Nearest (to God):
 Those who disdain
 His worship and are arrogant,--
 He will gather them all
 Together unto Himself
 To (answer).

173. But to those who believe
 And do deeds of righteousness,
 He will give their (due)
 Rewards,--and more,
 Out of His bounty:
 But those who are
 Disdainful and arrogant,
 He will punish

With a grievous penalty;
 Nor will they find,
 Besides God, any
 To protect or help them.

174. O mankind! Verily
 There hath come to you
 A convincing proof
 From your Lord:
 For We have sent unto you
 A light (that is) manifest.

175. Then those who believe
 In God, and hold fast
 To Him,--soon will He
 Admit them to Mercy
 And Grace from Himself,
 And guide them to Himself
 By a straight Way.

176. They ask thee
 For a legal decision.
 Say: God directs (thus)
 About those who leave
 No descendants or ascendants
 As heirs. If it is a man
 That dies, leaving a sister
 But no child, she shall

Have half the inheritance:
 If (such a deceased was)
 A woman, who left no child,
 Her brother takes her inheritance:
 If there are two sisters,
 They shall have two-thirds
 Of the inheritance
 (Between them): if there are
 Brothers and sisters, (they share),
 The male having twice
 The share of the female.
 Thus doth God make clear
 To you (His law), lest
 Ye err. And God
 Hath knowledge of all things.

Sura V.

  

Maida, or The Table Spread.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1.  O ye who believe!
 Fulfil (all) obligations
  Lawful unto you (for food)
 Are all four-footed animals,
 With the exceptions named:
 But animals of the chase
 Are forbidden while ye
 Are in the Sacred Precincts
 Or in pilgrim garb:
 For God doth command
 According to His Will and Plan

2.  O ye who believe!
 Violate not the sanctity

Of the Symbols of God,
 Nor of the Sacred Month,
 Nor of the animals brought
 For sacrifice, nor the garlands
 That mark out such animals,
 Nor the people resorting
 To the Sacred House,
 Seeking of the bounty
 And good pleasure
 Of their Lord.
 But when ye are clear
 Of the Sacred Precincts
 And of pilgrim garb,
 Ye may hunt
 And let not the hatred
 Of some people
 In (once) shutting you out
 Of the Sacred Mosque
 Lead you to transgression
 (And hostility on your part).
 Help ye one another
 In righteousness and piety,
 But help ye not one another
 In sin and rancour:
 Fear God: for God
 Is strict in punishment.

3.  Forbidden to you (for food)
 Are: dead meat, blood,

The flesh of swine, and that
 On which hath been invoked
 The name of other than God;
 That which hath been
 Killed by strangling,
 Or by a violent blow,
 Or by a headlong fall,
 Or by being gored to death;
 That which hath been (partly)
 Eaten by a wild animal;
 Unless ye are able
 To slaughter it (in due form);
 That which is sacrificed
 On stone (altars);
 (Forbidden) also is the division
 (Of meat) by raffling
 With arrows: that is impiety.
 This day have those who
 Reject Faith given up
 All hope of your religion:
 Yet fear them not
 But fear Me.
 This day have I
 Perfected your religion
 For you, completed
 My favour upon you,
 And have chosen for you
 Islam as your religion.
 But if any is forced
 By hunger, with no inclination
 To transgression, God is
 Indeed Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

4.  They ask thee what is
 Lawful to them (as food)
 Say: Lawful unto you
 Are (all) things good and pure:
 And what ye have taught
 Your trained hunting animals
 (To catch) in the manner
 Directed to you by God:
 Eat what they catch for you,
 But pronounce the name
 Of God over it: and fear
 God; for God is swift
 In taking account.

5.  This day are (all) things
 Good and pure made lawful
 Unto you. The food
 Of the People of the Book
 Is lawful unto you
 And yours is lawful
 Unto them.
 (Lawful unto you in marriage)
 Are (not only) chaste women
 Who are believers, but
 Chaste women among
 The People of the Book,

Revealed before your time,--
 When ye give them
 Their due dowers, and desire
 Chastity, not lewdness,
 Nor secret intrigues.
 If any one rejects faith,
 Fruitless is his work,
 And in the Hereafter
 He will be in the ranks
 Of those who have lost
 (All spiritual good).

6.  O ye who believe!
 When ye prepare
 For prayer, wash
 Your faces, and your hands
 (And arms) to the elbows;
 Rub your heads (with water);
 And (wash) your feet
 To the ankles.
 If ye are in a state
 Of ceremonial impurity,
 Bathe your whole body.
 But if ye are ill,
 Or on a journey,
 Or one of you cometh
 From offices of nature,
 Or ye have been
 In contact with women,
 And ye find no water,
 Then take for yourselves
 Clean sand or earth,

And rub therewith
 Your faces and hands.
 God doth not wish
 To place you in a difficulty,
 But to make you clean,
 And to complete
 His favour to you,
 That ye may be grateful.

7.  And call in remembrance
 The favour of God
 Unto you, and His Covenant,
 Which He ratified
 With you, when ye said:
 "We hear and we obey":
 And fear God, for God
 Knoweth well
 The secrets of your hearts.

8.  O ye who believe!
 Stand out firmly
 For God, as witnesses
 To fair dealing, and let not
 The hatred of others
 To you make you swerve
 To wrong and depart from
 Justice. Be just: that is
 Next to Piety: and fear God.
 For God is well-acquainted
 With all that ye do.

9.  To those who believe
 And do deeds of righteousness
 Hath God promised forgiveness
 And a great reward.

10.  Those who reject faith
 And deny Our Signs
 Will be Companions
 Of Hell-fire.

11.  O ye who believe
 Call in remembrance
 The favour of God
 Unto you when
 Certain men formed the design
 To stretch out
 Their hands against you,
 But (God) held back
 Their hands from you:
 So fear God. And on God
 Let Believers put
 (All) their trust.

12.  God did aforetime
 Take a Covenant from
 The Children of Israel,
 And We appointed twelve
 Captains among them.
 And God said: "I am
 With you: if ye (but)
 Establish regular Prayers,

Practise regular Charity,
 Believe in My apostles,
 Honour and assist them,
 And loan to God
 A beautiful loan,
 Verily I will wipe out
 From you your evils,
 And admit you to Gardens
 With rivers flowing beneath;
 But if any of you, after this,
 Resisteth faith, he hath truly
 Wandered from the path
 Of rectitude."

13.  But because of their breach
 Of their Covenant, We
 Cursed them, and made
 Their hearts grow hard:
 They change the words
 From their (right) places
 And forget a good part
 Of the Message that was
 Sent them, nor wilt thou
 Cease to find them
 Barring a few--ever
 Bent on (new) deceits:
 But forgive them, and overlook
 (Their misdeeds): for God
 Loveth those who are kind.

14.  From those, too, who call
 Themselves Christians,

We did take a Covenant,
 But they forgot a good part
 Of the Message that was
 Sent them: so We estranged
 Them, with enmity and hatred
 Between the one and the other,
 To the Day of Judgment.
 And soon will God show
 Them what it is
 They have done.

15.  O People of the Book!
 There hath come to you
 Our Apostle, revealing
 To you much that ye
 Used to hide in the Book,
 And passing over much
 (That is now unnecessary):
  There hath come to you
 From God a (new) light
 And a perspicuous Book,--

16.  Wherewith God guideth all
 Who seek His good pleasure
 To ways of peace and safety,
 And leadeth them out
 Of darkness, by His Will,
 Unto the light,--guideth them
 To a Path that is Straight.

17.  In blasphemy indeed
 Are those that say
 That God is Christ
 The son of Mary.
 Say: "Who then
 Hath the least power

Against God, if His Will
 Were to destroy Christ
 The son of Mary, his mother,
 And all--every one
 That is on the earth?
 For to God belongeth
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth, and all
 That is between. He createth
 What He pleaseth. For God
 Hath power over all things."

18.  (Both) the Jews and the Christians
 Say: "We are sons
 Of God, and His beloved."
 Say: "Why then doth He
 Punish you for your sins?
 Nay, ye are but men,
 Of the men He hath created:
 He forgiveth whom He pleaseth,
 And He punisheth whom He pleaseth:
 And to God belongeth
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth, and all
 That is between:
 And unto Him
 Is the final goal (of all)"

19.  O People of the Book!
 Now hath come unto you,
 Making (things) clear unto you,
 Our Apostle, after the break

In (the series of) our apostles,
 Lest ye should say:
 "There came unto us
 No bringer of glad tidings
 And no warner (from evil)":
 But now hath come
 Unto you a bringer
 Of glad tidings
 And a warner (from evil).
 And God hath power
 Over all things.

20.  Remember Moses said
 To his people: "O my People!
 Call in remembrance the favour
 Of God unto you, when He
 Produced prophets among you,
 Made you kings, and gave
 You what He had not given
 To any other among the peoples.

21.  "O my people! enter
 The holy land which
 God hath assigned unto you,
 And turn not back
 Ignominiously, for then
 Will ye be overthrown,
 To your own ruin."

22.  They said: "O Moses!
 In this land are a people
 Of exceeding strength:
 Never shall we enter it
 Until they leave it:
 If (once) they leave,
 Then shall we enter."

23.  (But) among (their) God-fearing men
 Were two on whom
 God had bestowed His grace:
 They said: "Assault them
 At the (proper) Gate:
 When once ye are in,
 Victory will be yours;
  But on God put your trust
 If ye have faith."

24.  They said: "O Moses!
 While they remain there,
 Never shall we be able
 To enter, to the end of time.
 Go thou, and thy Lord,
 And fight ye two,
 While we sit here"
 (And watch)."

25.  He said: "O my Lord!
 I have power only

Over myself and my brother:
 So separate us from this
 Rebellious people!"

26.  God said: "Therefore
 Will the land be out
 Of their reach for forty years:
 In distraction will they
 Wander through the land:
 But sorrow thou not
 Over these rebellious people.

27.  Recite to them the truth
 Of the story of the two sons

Of Adam. Behold! they each
 Presented a sacrifice (to God):
 It was accepted from one,
 But not from the other.
 Said the latter: "Be sure
 I will slay thee." "Surely,"
 Said the former, "God
 Doth accept of the sacrifice
 Of those who are righteous.

28. "If thou dost stretch thy hand
 Against me, to slay me,
 It is not for me to stretch
 My hand against thee
 To slay thee: for I do fear
 God, the Cherisher of the Worlds.

29.  "For me, I intend to let
 Thee draw on thyself
 My sin as well as thine,
 For thou wilt be among
 The Companions of the Fire,
 And that is the reward
 Of those who do wrong."

30.  The (selfish) soul of the other
 Led him to the murder
 Of his brother: he murdered
 Him, and became (himself)
 One of the lost ones.

31.  Then God sent a raven,
 Who scratched the ground,

To show him how to hide
 The shame of his brother.
 "Woe is me!" said he;
 "Was I not even able
 To be as this raven,
 And to hide the shame
 Of my brother?" Then he became
 Full of regrets--

32.  On that account: We ordained
 For the Children of Israel
 That if any one slew
 A person--unless it be
 For murder or for spreading
 Mischief in the land--
 It would be as if
 He slew the whole people:
 And if any one saved a life,
 It would be as if he saved
 The life of the whole people.
 Then although there came
 To them Our Apostles
 With Clear Signs, yet,
 Even after that, many
 Of them continued to commit
 Excesses in the land.

33.  The punishment of those
 Who wage war against God
 And His Apostle, and strive
 With might and main
 For mischief through the land
 Is: execution, or crucifixion,

Or the cutting off of hands
 And feet from opposite sides,
 Or exile from the land:
 That is their disgrace
 In this world, and
 A heavy punishment is theirs
 In the Hereafter;

34.  Except for those who repent
 Before they fall
 Into your power:
 In that case, know
 That God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

35.  O ye who believe!
 Do your duty to God,
 Seek the means
 Of approach unto Him,
 And strive with might
 And main in His cause:
 That ye may presper.

36.  As to those who reject
 Faith,--if they had
 Everything on earth,
 And twice repeated,
 To give as ransom
 For the penalty of the Day
 Of Judgment, it would
 Never be accepted of them.
 Theirs would be
 A grievous Penalty.

37.  Their wish will be
 To get out of the Fire,
 But never will they
 Get out therefrom:

Their Penalty will be
 One that endures.

38.  As to the thief,
 Male or female,
 Cut off his or her hands:
 A punishment by way
 Of example, from God,
 For their crime:
 And God is Exalted in Power.

39.  But if the thief repent
 After his crime,
 And amend his conduct,
 God turneth to him
 In forgiveness; for God
 Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

40.  Knowest thou not
 That to God (alone)
 Belongeth the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth?
 He punisheth whom He pleaseth,
 And He forgiveth whom He pleaseth:
 And God hath power
 Over all things.

41.  O Apostle! let not
 Those grieve thee, who race
 Each other into Unbelief:
 (Whether it be) among those
 Who say "We believe"
 With their lips but
 Whose hearts have no faith;

Or it be among the Jews,--
 Men who will listen
 To any lie,--will listen
 Even to others who have
 Never so much as come
 To thee. They change the words
 From their (right) times
 And places; they say,
 "If ye are given this,
 Take it, but if not,
 Beware!" If any one's trial
 Is intended by God, thou hast
 No authority in the least
 For him against God.
 For such--it is not
 God's will to purify
 Their hearts. For them
 There is disgrace
 In this world, and
 In the Hereafter
 A heavy punishment.

42.  (They are fond of) listening
 To falsehood, of devouring
 Anything forbidden.
 If they do come to thee,
 Either judge between them,
 Or decline to interfere.
 If thou decline, they cannot
 Hurt thee in the least.
 If thou judge, judge
 In equity between them.
 For God loveth those
 Who judge in equity.

43.  But why do they come
 To thee for decision,
 When they have (their own)
 Law before them?
 Therein is the (plain)
 Command of God; yet
 Even after that, they would
 Turn away. For they
 Are not (really)
 People of Faith.

44.  It was We who revealed
 The Law (to Moses): therein
 Was guidance and light.'
 By its standard have been judged
 The Jews, by the Prophets
 Who bowed (as in Islam)
 To God's Will, by the Rabbis
 And the Doctors of Law:

For to them was entrusted
 The protection of God's Book,
 And they were witnesses thereto:
 Therefore fear not men,
 But fear Me, and sell not
 My Signs for a miserable price.
 If any do fail to judge
 By (the light of) what God
 Hath revealed, they are
 (No better than) Unbelievers.

45.  We ordained therein for them:
 "Life for life, eye for eye,
 Nose for nose, ear for ear,
 Tooth for tooth, and wounds
 Equal for equal." But if
 Any one remits the retaliation
 Byway of charity, it is
 An act of atonement for himself.
 And if any fail to judge
 By (the light of) what God
 Hath revealed, they are
 (No better than) wrong-doers.

46.  And in their footsteps
 We sent Jesus the son

Of Mary, confirming
 The Law that had come
 Before him: We sent him
 The Gospel: therein
 Was guidance and light,
 And confirmation of the Law
 That had come before him:
 A guidance and an admonition
 To those who fear God.

47.  Let the People of the Gospel
 Judge by what God hath revealed
 Therein. If any do fail
 To judge by (the light of)
 What God hath revealed,
 They are (no better than)
 Those who rebel.

48.  To thee We sent the Scripture
 In truth, confirming
 The scripture that came
 Before it, and guarding it's
 In safety: so judge
 Between them by what
 God hath revealed,
 And follow not their vain
 Desires, diverging
 From the Truth that hath come
 To thee. To each among you
 Have We prescribed a Law
 And an Open Way.
 If God had so willed.
 He would have made you
 A single People, but (His

Plan is) to test you in what
 He hath given you: so strive
 As in a race in all virtues.
 The goal of you all is to God;
 It is He that will show you
 The truth of the matters
 In which ye dispute;

49.  And this (He commands):
 Judge thou between them
 By what God hath revealed,
 And follow not their vain
 Desires, but beware of them
 Lest they beguile thee
 From any of that (teaching)
 Which God hath sent down
 To thee. And if they turn
 Away, be assured that
 For some of their crimes
 It is God's purpose to punish
 Them. And truly most men
 Are rebellious.

50.  Do they then seek after
 A judgment of (the Days
 Of) Ignorance? But who,
 For a people whose faith
 Is assured, can give
 Better judgment than God?

51.  O ye who believe!
 Take not the Jews
 And the Christians
 For your friends and protectors:
 They are but friends and protectors)
 To each other. And he

Amongst you that turns to them
 (For friendship) is of them.
 Verily God guideth not
 A people unjust.

52.  Those in whose hearts
 Is a disease--thou seest
 How eagerly they run about
 Amongst them, saying:
 "We do fear lest a change
 Of fortune bring us disaster."
 Ah! perhaps God will give
 (Thee) victory, or a decision
 According to His Will.
 Then will they repent
 Of the thoughts which they secretly
 Harboured in their hearts.

53.  And those who believe
 Will say: "Are these
 The men who swore
 Their strongest oaths by God,
 That they were with you?"
 All that they do
 Will be in vain,
 And they will fall
 Into (nothing but) ruin.

54.  O ye who believe!
 If any from among you
 Turn back from his Faith,
 Soon will God produce
 A people whom He will love
 As they will love Him,--
 Lowly with the Believers,
 Mighty against the Rejecters,
 Fighting in the Way of God,
 And never afraid
 Of the reproaches

Of such as find fault.
 That is the Grace of God,
 Which He will bestow
 On whom He pleaseth.
 And God encompasseth all,
 And He knoweth all things.

55.  Your (real) friends are
 (No less than) God,
 His Apostle, and the (Fellowship
 Of) Believers,--those who
 Establish regular prayers
 And regular charity,
 And they bow
 Down humbly (in worship).

56.  As to those who turn
 (For friendship) to God,
 His Apostle, and the (Fellowship
 Of) Believers,--it is
 The Fellowship of God
 That must certainly triumph.

57.  O ye who believe!
 Take not for friends
 And protectors those
 Who take your religion
 For a mockery or sport,--
 Whether among those
 Who received the Scripture
 Before you, or among those

Who reject Faith;
 But fear ye God,
 If ye have Faith (indeed).

58.  When ye proclaim
 Your call to prayer,
 They take it (but)
 As mockery and sport;
 That is because they are
 A people without understanding.

59.  Say: "O People of the Book!
 Do ye disapprove of us
 For no other reason than
 That we believe in God,
 And the revelation
 That hath come to us
 And that which came
 Before (us), and (perhaps)
 That most of you
 Are rebellious and disobedient?

60.  Say: "Shall I point out
 To you something much worse
 Than this, (as judged)
 By the treatment it received
 From God? Those who
 Incurred the curse of God
 And His wrath, those of whom some
 He transformed into apes and swine,
 Those who worshipped Evil;--
 These are (many times) worse
 In rank, and far more astray
 From the even Path!"

61.  When they come to thee,
 They say: "We believe":

But in fact they enter
 With a mind against Faith,
 And they go out
 With the same.
 But God knoweth fully
 All that they hide.

62.  Many of them dost thou
 See, racing each other
 In sin and rancour,
 And their eating of things
 Forbidden. Evil indeed
 Are the things that they do.

63.  Why do not the Rabbis
 And the doctors of law forbid
 Them from their (habit
 Of) uttering sinful words
 And eating things forbidden?
 Evil indeed are their works.

64.  The Jews say: "God's hand
 Is tied up." Be their hands
 Tied up and be they accursed
 For the (blasphemy) they utter.
 Nay, both His hands
 Are widely outstretched:
 He giveth and spendeth
 (Of His bounty) as He pleaseth.
 But the revelation that
 Cometh to thee from God
 Increaseth in most of them
 Their obstinate rebellion
 And blasphemy. Amongst them
 We have placed enmity

And hatred till the Day
 Of Judgment. Every time
 They kindle the fire of war,
 God doth extinguish it;
 But they (ever) strive
 To do mischief on earth.
 And God loveth not
 Those who do mischief.

65.  If only the People of the Book
 Had believed and been righteous,
 We should indeed have
 Blotted out their iniquities
 And admitted them
 To Gardens of Bliss.

66.  If only they had stood fast
 By the Law, the Gospel,
 And all the revelation that was sent
 To them from their Lord,
 They would have enjoyed
 Happiness from every side.'
 There is from among them
 A party on the right course:
 But many of them
 Follow a course that is evil.

67.  O Apostle! proclaim
 The (Message) which hath been
 Sent to thee from thy Lord.
 If thou didst not, thou

Wouldst not have fulfilled
 And proclaimed His Mission.
 And God will defend thee
 From men (who mean mischief).
 For God guideth not
 Those who reject Faith.

68.  Say: "O People of the Book!
 Ye have no ground
 To stand upon unless
 Ye stand fast by the Law,
 The Gospel, and all the revelation
 That has come to you from
 Your Lord." It is the revelation
 That cometh to thee from
 Thy Lord, that increaseth in most
 Of them their obstinate
 Rebellion and blasphemy.
 But sorrow thou not
 Over (these) people without Faith.

69.  Those who believe (in the Qur-an),
 Those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),
 And the Sabians and the Christians,--
 Any who believe in God
 And the Last Day,
 And work righteousness,--
 On them shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

70.  We took the Covenant
 Of the Children of Israel
 And sent them apostles.
 Every time there came
 To them an apostle
 With what they themselves
 Desired not--some
 (Of these) they called

Impostors, and some they
 (Go so far as to) slay.

71.  They thought there would be
 No trial (or punishment);
 So they became blind and deaf;
 Yet God (in mercy) turned
 To them; yet again many
 Of them became blind and deaf.
 But God sees well
 All that they do.

72.  They do blaspheme who say:
 "God is Christ the son
 Of Mary" But said Christ:
 "O Children of Israel!
 Worship God, my Lord
 And your Lord." Whoever
 Joins other gods with God,--
 God will forbid him
 The Garden, and the Fire
 Will be his abode. There will
 For the wrong-doers
 Be no one to help.

73.  They do blaspheme who say:
 God is one of three
 In a Trinity: for there is
 No god except One God.
 If they desist not
 From their word (of blasphemy),
 Verily a grievous penalty
 Will befall the blasphemers
 Among them.

74.  Why turn they not to God,
 And seek His forgiveness?
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

75.  Christ the son of Mary
 Was no more than
 An Apostle; many were
 The apostles that passed away

Before him. His mother
 Was a woman of truth.
 They had both to eat
 Their (daily) food.
 See how God doth make
 His Signs clear to them;
 Yet see in what ways
 They are deluded
 Away from the truth!

76.  Say: "Will ye worship,
 Besides God, something
 Which hath no power either
 To harm or benefit you?
 But God,--He it is
 That heareth and knoweth
 All things."

77.  Say: "O People of the Book!
 Exceed not in your religion
 The bounds (of what is proper),
 Trespassing beyond the truth,
 Nor follow the vain desires
 Of people who went wrong
 In times gone by,--who misled
 Many, and strayed (themselves)
 From the even Way.

78.  Curses were pronounced
 On those among the Children
 Of Israel who rejected Faith,
 By the tongue of David
 And of Jesus the son of Mary:
 Because they disobeyed
 And persisted in Excesses.

79.  Nor did they (usually)
 Forbid one another
 The iniquities which they
 Committed: evil indeed
 Were the deeds which they did.

80.  Thou seest many of them
 Turning in friendship
 To the Unbelievers.
 Evil indeed are (the works) which
 Their souls have sent forward
 Before them (with the result),
 That God's wrath
 Is on them,
 And in torment
 Will they abide.

81.  If only they had believed
 In God, in the Apostle,
 And in what hath been
 Revealed to him, never
 Would they have taken
 Them for friends and protectors,
 But most of them are
 Rebellious wrong-doers.

82.  Strongest among men in enmity
 To the Believers wilt thou
 Find the Jews and Pagans;
 And nearest among them in love
 To the Believers wilt thou
 Find those who say,
 "We are Christians":
 Because amongst these are
 Men devoted to learning
 And men who have renounced
 The world, and they
 Are not arrogant.

83.  And when they listen
 To the revelation received
 By the Apostle, thou wilt
 See their eyes overflowing
 With tears, for they
 Recognise the truth:
 They pray: "Our Lord!
 We believe; write us
 Down among the witnesses.

84.  "What cause can we have
 Not to believe in God
 And the truth which has
 Come to us, seeing that
 We long for our Lord
 To admit us to the company
 Of the righteous?"

85.  And for this their prayer
 Hath God rewarded them
 With Gardens, with rivers
 Flowing underneath,--their eternal
 Home. Such is the recompense
 Of those who do good.

86.  But those who reject Faith
 And belie Our Signs,--
 They shall be Companions
 Of Hell-fire.

87.  O ye who believe!
 Make not unlawful

The good things which God
 Hath made lawful for you,
 But commit no excess:
 For God loveth not
 Those given to excess.

88.  Eat of the things which
 God hath provided for you,
 Lawful and good; but fear
 God, in Whom ye believe.

89.  God will not call you
 To account for what is
 Futile in your oaths,
 But He will call you
 To account for your deliberate
 Oaths: for expiation, feed
 Ten indigent persons,
 On a scale of the average
 For the food of your families;
 Or clothe them; or give
 A slave his freedom.
 If that is beyond your means,
 Fast for three days.
 That is the expiation
 For the oaths ye have sworn.
 But keep to your oaths.
 Thus doth God make clear
 To you His Signs, that ye
 May be grateful.

90.  O ye who believe!
 Intoxicants and gambling,

(Dedication of) stones,
 And (divination by) arrows,
 Are an abomination,--
 Of Satan's handiwork:
 Eschew such (abomination),
 That ye may prosper.

91.  Satan's plan is (but)
 To excite enmity and hatred
 Between you, with intoxicants
 And gambling, and hinder you
 From the remembrance
 Of God, and from prayer:
 Will ye not then abstain?

92.  Obey God, and obey the Apostle,
 And beware (of evil):
 If ye do turn back,
 Know ye that it is
 Our Apostle's duty
 To proclaim (the Message)
 In the clearest manner.

93.  On those who believe
 And do deeds of righteousness
 There is no blame
 For what they ate (in the past),
 When they guard themselves
 From evil, and believe,
 And do deeds of righteousness,--
 (Or) again, guard themselves
 From evil and believe,--
 (Or) again, guard themselves
 From evil and do good.

For God loveth those
 Who do good.

94.  O ye who believe!
 God doth but make a trial of you
 In a little matter
 Of game well within reach
 Of your hands and your lances,
 That He may test
 Who feareth Him unseen:
 Any who transgress
 Thereafter, will have
 A grievous penalty.

95.  O ye who believe!
 Kill not game
 While in the Sacred
 Precincts or in pilgrim garb.
 If any of you doth so
 Intentionally, the compensation
 Is an offering, brought
 To the Ka'ba, of a domestic animal
 Equivalent to the one he killed,

As adjudged by two just men
 Among you; or by way
 Of atonement, the feeding
 Of the indigent; or its
 Equivalent in fasts: that he
 May taste of the penalty
 Of his deed. God
 Forgives what is past:
 For repetition God will
 Exact from him the penalty.
 For God is Exalted,
 And Lord of Retribution.

96.  Lawful to you is the pursuit
 Of water-game and its use
 For food,--for the benefit
 Of yourselves and those who
 Travel; but forbidden
 Is the pursuit of land-game;--
 As long as ye are
 In the Sacred Precincts
 Or in pilgrim garb.
 And fear God, to Whom
 Ye shall be gathered back.

97.  God made the Ka'ba,
 The Sacred House, an asylum
 Of security for men, as
 Also the Sacred Months,
 The animals for offerings,
 And the garlands that mark them:
 That ye may know
 That God hath knowledge
 Of what is in the heavens
 And on earth and that God
 Is well acquainted
 With all things.

98.  Know ye that God
 Is strict in punishment

And that God is
 Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

99.  The Apostle's duty is
 But to proclaim (the Message).
 But God knoweth all
 That ye reveal and ye conceal.

100.  Say: "Not equal are things
 That are bad and things
 That are good, even though
 The abundance of the bad
 May dazzle thee;
 So fear God, O ye
 That understand;
 That (so) ye may prosper."

101.  O ye who believe!
 Ask not questions
 About things which,
 If made plain to you,
 May cause you trouble.
 But if ye ask about things
 When the Qur-an is being
 Revealed, they will be
 Made plain to you,
 God will forgive those:
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Forbearing.

102.  Some people before you
 Did ask such questions,

And on that account
 Lost their faith.

103.  It was not God
 Who instituted (superstitions
 Like those of) a slit-ear
 She-camel, or a she-camel
 Let loose for free pasture,
 Or idol sacrifices for
 Twin-births in animals,
 Or stallion-camels
 Freed from work
 It is blasphemers
 Who Invent a lie
 Against God; but most
 Of them lack wisdom.

104.  When it is said to them:
 "Come to what God
 Hath revealed; come
 To the Apostle":
 They say: "Enough for us
 Are the ways we found
 Our fathers following."
 What! even though their fathers
 Were void of knowledge
 And guidance?

105.  O ye who believe!
 Guard your own souls:
 If ye follow (right) guidance,
 No hurt can come to you
 From those who stray.
 The goal of you all
 Is to God: it is He
 That will show you
 The truth of all
 That ye do.

106.  O ye who believe!
 When death approaches
 Any of you, (take) witnesses
 Among yourselves when making
 Bequests,--two just men
 Of your own (brotherhood)
 Or others from outside
 If ye are journeying
 Through the earth,
 And the chance of death
 Befalls you (thus).
 If ye doubt (their truth),
 Detain them both
 After prayer, and let them both
 Swear by God:
 "We wish not in this
 For any worldly gain,
 Even though the (beneficiary)
 Be our near relation:
 We shall hide not
 The evidence before God:
 If we do, then behold!
 The sin be upon us!"

107.  But if it gets known
 That these two were guilty
 Of the sin (of perjury),
 Let two others stand forth
 In their places,--nearest
 In kin from among those
 Who claim a lawful right:
 Let them swear by God:
 "We affirm that our witness
 Is truer than that
 Of those two, and that we
 Have not trespassed (beyond
 The truth): if we did,
 Behold! the wrong be
 Upon us!"

108.  That is most suitable:
 That they may give the evidence

In its true nature and shape,
 Or else they would fear
 That other oaths would be
 Taken after their oaths.
 Hut fear God, and listen
 (To His counsel): for God
 Guideth not a rebellious people:

109.  One day will God
 Gather the apostles together,
 And ask: "What was
 The response ye received
 (From men to your teaching)?"
 They will say: "We
 Have no knowledge: it is Thou
 Who knowest in full
 All that is hidden."

110.  When will God say:
 "O Jesus the son of Mary!
 Recount My favour"'
 To thee and to thy mother.
 Behold! I strengthened thee
 With the holy spirit,
 So that thou didst speak
 To the people in childhood
 And in maturity.
 Behold! I taught thee
 The Book and Wisdom,
 The Law and the Gospel.
 And behold! thou makest
 Out of clay, as it were,

The figure of a bird,
 By My leave,
 And thou breathest into it,
 And it becometh a bird
 By My leave,
 And thou healest those
 Born blind, and the lepers,
 By My leave.
 And behold! thou
 Bringest forth the dead
 By My leave ego
 And behold! I did
 Restrain the Children of Israel
 From (violence to) thee
 When thou didst show them
 The Clear Signs,
 And the unbelievers among them
 Said: 'This is nothing
 But evident magic.

111.  "And behold! I inspired
 The Disciples to have faith
 In Me and Mine Apostle:
 They said, 'We have faith,
 And do thou bear witness
 That we bow to God
 As Muslims'."

112.  Behold! the Disciples said:
 "O Jesus the son of Mary!
 Can thy Lord send down to us
 A Table set (with viands)

From heaven?" Said Jesus:
 "Fear God, if ye have faith."

113.  They said: "We only wish
 To eat thereof and satisfy
 Our hearts, and to know
 That thou hast indeed
 Told us the truth; and
 That we ourselves may be
 Witnesses to the miracle."

114.  Said Jesus the son of Mary:
 "O God our Lord!
 Send us from heaven
 A Table set (with viands),
 That there may be for us
 For the first and the last of us--
 A solemn festival
 And a. Sign from Thee;
 And provide for our sustenance,
 For Thou art the best
 Sustainer (of our needs)."

115.  God said: "I will
 Send it down unto you:
 But if any of you
 After that resisteth faith,
 I will punish him
 With a penalty such
 As I have not inflicted
 On any one among

All the peoples."

116.  And behold! God will say:
 "O Jesus the son of Mary!
 Didst thou say unto men,
 Worship me and my mother
 As gods in derogation of God'?"
 He will say: "Glory to Thee!
 Never could I say
 What I had no right
 (To say). Had I said
 Such a thing, Thou wouldst
 Indeed have known it.
 Thou knowest what is
 In my heart, though I
 Know not what is
 In Thine. For Thou
 Knowest in full
 All that is hidden.

117.  "Never said I to them
 Aught except what Thou
 Didst command me
 To say, to wit, 'Worship
 God, my Lord and your Lord';
 And I was a witness
 Over them whilst I dwelt
 Amongst them; when thou
 Didst take me up
 Thou wast the Watcher
 Over them, and Thou
 Art a witness to all things.

118.  "If Thou dost punish them,
 They are Thy servants:

If Thou dost forgive them,
 Thou art the Exalted in power,
 The Wise."

119.  God will say: "This is
 A day on which
 The truthful will profit
 From their truth: theirs
 Are Gardens, with rivers
 Flowing beneath,--their eternal
 Home: God well-pleased
 With them, and they with God:
 That is the great Salvation,
 (The fulfilment of all desires).

120.  To God doth belong the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth,
 And all that is therein,
 And it is He who hath power
 Over all things.

Sura VI.  

An'am, or Cattle.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,
 Who created the heavens
 And the earth,
 And made the Darkness
 And the Light.
 Yet those who reject Faith
 Hold (others) as equal.
 With their Guardian-Lord.

2. He it is Who created
 You from clay, and then
 Decreed a stated term
 (For you). And there is
 In His Presence another
 Determined term; yet
 Ye doubt within yourselves!

3. And He is God
 In the heavens
 And on earth.
 He knoweth what ye
 Hide, and what ye reveal,
 And He knoweth
 The (recompense) which
 Ye earn (by your deeds)

4. But never did a single
 One of the Signs
 Of their Lord reach them,
 But they turned
 Away therefrom.

5. And now they reject
 The truth when it reaches
 Them: but soon shall they
 Learn the reality of what
 They used to mock at.

6. See they not how many
 Of those before them
 We did destroy?--
 Generations We had established
 On the earth, in strength
 Such as We have not given
 To you--for whom
 We poured out rain
 From the skies in abundance,
 And gave (fertile) streams
 Flowing beneath their (feet):
 Yet for their sins
 We destroyed them,
 And raised in their wake
 Fresh generations
 (To succeed them).

7. If We had sent
 Unto thee a written
 (Message) on parchment,
 So that they could
 Touch it with their hands,
 The Unbelievers would
 Have been sure to say:
 "This is nothing but

Obvious magic!"

8. They say: "Why is not
 An angel sent down to him?"
 If We did send down
 An angel, the matter
 Would be settled at once,
 And no respite
 Would be granted them.

9. If We had made it
 An angel, We should
 Have sent him as a man,
 And We should certainly
 Have caused them confusion
 In a matter which they have
 Already covered with confusion.

10. Mocked were (many)
 Apostles before thee;
 But their scoffers
 Were hemmed in
 By the thing that they mocked.

11. Say: "Travel through the earth
 And see what was the end
 Of those who rejected Truth".

12. Say: "To whom I elongeth
 All that is in the heavens

And on earth?" Say:
 "To God. He hath inscribed
 For Himself (the rule of) Mercy.
 That He will gather you
 Together for the Day of Judgment,
 There is no doubt whatever.
 It is they who have lost
 Their own souls, that will
 Not believe.

13. To him belongeth all
 That dwelleth (or lurketh)
 In the Night and the Day.
 For He is the One
 Who heareth and knoweth
 All things."

14. Say: "Shall I take
 For my protector
 Any other than God,
 The Maker of the heavens
 And the earth?
 And He it is that
 Feedeth but is not fed."
 Say: "Nay! but I am
 Commanded to be the first
 Of those who bow
 To God (in Islam),
 And be not thou
 Of the company of those
 Who join gods with God."

15. Say: "I would, if I
 Disobeyed my Lord,
 Indeed have fear
 Of the Penalty
 Of a Mighty Day.

16. "On that day, if the Penalty
 Is averted from any,
 It is due to God's Mercy;
 And that would be (Salvation),
 The obvious fulfilment
 Of all desire.

17. "If God touch thee
 With affliction, none
 Can remove it but He;
 If He touch thee with happiness,
 He hath power over all things.

18. "He is the Irresistible, (watching)
 From above over His worshippers;
 And He is the Wise,
 Acquainted with all things."

19. Say: "What thing is most
 Weighty in evidence?"
 Say: "God is witness
 Between me and you;
 This Qur-an hath been
 Revealed to me by inspiration,
 That I may warn you
 And all whom it reaches.
 Can ye possibly bear witness
 That besides God there is
 Another God?" Say:
 "Nay! I cannot bear witness!"
 Say: But in truth
 He is the One God,

And I truly am innocent
 Of (your blasphemy of) joining
 Others with Him."

20. Those to whom
 We have given the Book
 Know this as they know
 Their own sons.
 Those who have lost
 Their own souls
 Refuse therefore to believe.

21. Who doth more wrong
 Than he who inventeth
 A lie against God
 Or rejecteth His Signs?
 But verily the wrong-doers
 Never shall prosper.

22. One day shall We gather
 Them all together: We
 Shall say to those
 Who ascribed partners (to Us):
 "Where are the partners
 Whom ye (invented
 And) talked about?"

23. There will then be (left)
 No subterfuge for them
 But to say: "By God
 Our Lord, we were not
 Those who joined gods
 With God."

24. Behold! how they lie
 Against their own souls!

But the (lie) which they
 Invented will leave themes:
 In the lurch.

25. Of them there are some
 Who (pretend to) listen to thee;
 But We have thrown
 Veils on their hearts,
 So they understand it not,
 And deafness in their ears;
 If they saw every one
 Of the Signs, not they
 Will believe in them;
 In so much that
 When they come to thee,
 They (but) dispute with thee;
 The Unbelievers say:
 "These are nothing
 But tales of the ancients."

26. Others they keep away from it,
 And themselves they keep away;
 But they only destroy
 Their own souls,
 And they perceive it not.

27. If thou couldst but see
 When they are confronted
 With the Fire!
 They will say:
 "Would that we were
 But sent back!
 Then would we not reject
 The Signs of our Lord,
 But would be amongst those
 Who believe!"

28. Yea, in their own (eyes)
 Will become manifest
 What before they concealed.
 But if they were returned,
 They would certainly relapse
 To the things they were forbidden,

For they are indeed liars.

29. And they (sometimes) say:
 "There is nothing except
 Our life on this earth,
 And never shall we be
 Raised up again."

30. If thou couldst but see
 When they are confronted
 With their Lord!
 He will say:
 "Is not this the truth?"
 They will say:
 "Yea, by our Lord!"
 He will say:
 "Taste ye then the Penalty,
 Because ye rejected Faith."

31. Lost indeed are they
 Who treat it as a falsehood
 That they must meet God,
 Until on a sudden
 The hour is on them,
 And they say: "Ah! woe
 Unto us that we took
 No thought of it";
 For they bear their burdens
 On their backs,

And evil indeed are
 The burdens that they bear?

32. What is the life of this world
 But play and amusement? ess
 But best is the Home
 In the Hereafter, for those
 Who are righteous.
 Will ye not then understand?

33. We know indeed the grief
 Which their words do cause thee:
 It is not thee they reject:
 It is the Signs of God,
 Which the wicked contemn.

34. Rejected were the Apostles
 Before thee: with patience
 And constancy they bore
 Their rejection and their wrongs,
 Until Our aid did reach
 Them: there is none
 That can alter the Words
 (And Decrees) of God.
 Already hast thou received
 Some account of those Apostles.

35. If their spurning is hard
 On thy mind, yet if
 Thou wert able to seek
 A tunnel in the ground
 Or a ladder to the skies
 And bring them a Sign,--
 (What good?). If it were
 God's Will, He could
 Gather them together
 Unto true guidance:

So be not thou
 Amongst those who are swayed
 By ignorance (and impatience)!

36. Those who listen (in truth),
 Be sure, will accept:
 As to the dead, God will
 Raise them up; then will they
 Be turned unto Him.

37. Whey say: "Why is not
 A Sign sent down
 To him from his Lord?"
 Say: "God hath certainly
 Power to send down a Sign:
 But most of them
 Understand not."

38. There is not an animal
 (That lives) on the earth,
 Nor a being that flies
 On its wings, but (forms
 Part of) communities like you.
 Nothing have we omitted
 From the Book, and they (all)
 Shall be gathered to their Lord
 In the end.

39. Those who reject our Signs
 Are deaf and dumb,--

In the midst of darkness
 Profound: whom God willeth,
 He leaveth to wander:
 Whom He willeth, He placeth
 On the Way that is Straight.

40. Say: "Think ye to yourselves,
 If there come upon you
 The Wrath of God,
 Or the Hour (that ye dread),
 Would ye then call upon
 Other than God?--
 (Reply) if ye are truthful!

41. "Nay,--On Him would ye
 Call, and if it be
 His Will, He would remove
 (The distress) which occasioned
 Your call upon Him,
 And ye would forget
 (The false gods) which ye
 Join with Him!"

42. Before thee We sent
 (Apostles) to many nations,
 And We afflicted the nations
 With suffering and adversity,
 That they might learn humility.

43. When the suffering reached
 Them from Us, why then
 Did they not learn humility?
 On the contrary their hearts
 Became hardened, and Satan
 Made their (sinful) acts
 Seem alluring to them.

44. But when they forgot
 The warning they had received,

We opened to them the gates
 Of all (good) things,
 Until, in the midst
 Of their enjoyment
 Of our gifts,
 On a sudden, We called
 Them to account, when lo!
 They were plunged in despair!

45. Of the wrong-doers the last
 Remnant was cut off.
 Praise be to God,
 The Cherisher of the Worlds.

46. Say:"Think ye, if God
 Took away your hearing
 And your sight, and sealed up
 Your hearts, who--a god
 Other than God--could
 Restore them to you?"
 See how We explain
 The Signs by various (symbols);
 Yet they turn aside.

47. Say:"Think ye, if
 The Punishment of God
 Comes to you,
 Whether suddenly or openly,
 Will any be destroyed
 Except those who do wrong?

48. We send the apostles
 Only to give good news

And to warn: so those
 Who believe and mend
 (Their lives),--upon them
 Shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

49. But those who reject
 Our Signs,--them
 Shall punishment touch,
 For that they ceased not
 From transgressing.

50. Say:"I tell you not
 That with me
 Are the Treasures of God,
 Nor do I know
 What is hidden,
 Nor do I tell you I am
 An angel. I but follow
 What is revealed to me."
 Say:"Can the blind
 Be held equal to the seeing?"
 Will ye then consider not?

51. Give this warning to those
 In whose (hearts) is the fear
 That they will be brought
 (To Judgment) before their Lord:
 Except for Him
 They will have no protector
 Nor intercessor:
 That they may guard
 (Against evil).

52. Send not away those
 Who call on their Lord
 Morning and evening,
 Seeking His Face.
 In naught art thou accountable
 For them, and in naught are they
 Accountable for thee,
 That thou shouldst turn
 Them away, and thus be
 (One) of the unjust.

53. Thus did We try
 Some of them by comparison
 With others, that they
 Should say:"Is it these
 Then that God hath
 Favoured from amongst us?"
 Doth not God know best
 Those who are grateful?

54. When those come to thee
 Who believe in Our Signs,
 Say: "Peace be on you:
 Your Lord hath inscribed
 For Himself (the rule
 Of) Mercy: verily,
 If any of you did evil
 In ignorance, and thereafter

Repented, and amended
 (His conduct), lo! He is
 Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

55. Thus do We explain
 The Signs in detail:
 That the way of the sinners
 May be shown up.

56. Say: "I am forbidden
 To worship those--others
 Than God--whom ye
 Call upon." Say: "I will
 Not follow your vain desires:
 If I did, I would stray
 From the path, and be not
 Of the company of those
 Who receive guidance."

57. Say; "For me, I (work)
 On a clear Sign from my Lord,
 But ye reject Him. What ye
 Would see hastened, is not
 In my power. The Command
 Rests with none but God:
 He declares the Truth,
 And He is the best of judges."

58. Say: "If what ye would see
 Hastened were in my power,
 The matter would be settled
 At once between you and me.

But God knoweth best
 Those who do wrong."

59. With Him are the keys
 Of the Unseen, the treasures
 That none knoweth but He.
 He knoweth whatever there is
 On the earth and in the sea.
 Not a leaf doth fall
 But with His knowledge:
 There is not a grain
 In the darkness (or depths)
 Of the earth, nor anything
 Fresh or dry (green or withered),
 But is (inscribed) in a Record
 Clear (to those who can read).

60. It is He Who doth take
 Your souls by night,
 And hath knowledge of all
 That ye have done by day:
 By day doth He raise
 You up again; that a term
 Appointed be fulfilled;
 In the end unto Him
 Will be your return;
 Then will He show you
 The truth of all
 That ye did.

61He is the Irresistible, (watching)
 From above over His worshippers,
 And He sets guardians 
 Over you. At length,
 When death approaches
 One of you, Our angels
 Take his soul, and they
 Never fail in their duty.

62. Then are men returned
 Unto God, their Protector,
 The (only) Reality:
 Is not His the Command?
 And He is the Swiftest
 In taking account.

63. Say: "Who is it
 That delivereth you
 From the dark recesses
 Of land and sea,
 When ye call upon Him
 In humility

And silent terror:
 If He only delivers us
 From these (dangers),
 (We vow) we shall truly
 Show our gratitude?"

64. Say: "It is God
 That delivereth you
 From these and all (other)
 Distresses: and yet
 Ye worship false gods!"

65. Say: "He hath power
 To send calamities
 On you, from above
 And below, or to cover
 You with confusion
 In party strife,
 Giving you a taste
 Of mutual vengeance--
 Each from the other."
 See how We explain
 The Signs by various (symbols);
 That they may understand.

66. But thy people reject
 This, though it is
 The Truth. Say: "Not mine
 Is the responsibility
 For arranging your affairs;

67. For every Message
 Is a limit of time,
 And soon shall ye
 Know it."

68. When thou seest men
 Engaged in vain discourse
 About Our Signs, turn
 Away from them unless
 They turn to a different
 Theme. If Satan ever
 Makes thee forget, then
 After recollection, sit not
 Thou in the company
 Of those who do wrong.

69. On their account
 No responsibility
 Falls on the righteous,
 But (their duty)
 Is to remind them,
 That they may (learn
 To) fear God.

70. Leave alone those
 Who take their religion
 To be mere play
 And amusement,
 And are deceived
 By the life of this world.
 But proclaim (to them)
 This (truth): that every soul
 Delivers itself to ruin
 By its own acts:
 It will find for itself
 No protector or intercessor
 Except God: if it offered
 Every ransom, (or
 Reparation), none
 Will be accepted: such is
 (The end of) those who
 Deliver themselves to ruin
 By their own acts:
 They will have for drink
 (Only) boiling water,

And for punishment,
 One most grievous:
 For they persisted
 In rejecting God.

71. Say: "Shall we indeed
 Call on others besides God,
 Things that can do us
 Neither good nor harm,--
 And turn on our heels
 After receiving guidance
 From God?--like one
 Whom the evil ones
 Have made into a fool,
 Wandering bewildered
 Through the earth, his friends
 Calling 'Come to us',
 (Vainly) guiding him to the Path."

Say: "God's guidance
 Is the (only) guidance,
 And we have been directed
 To submit ourselves
 To the Lord of the worlds;--

72. "To establish regular prayers
 And to fear God:
 For it is to Him
 That we shall be
 Gathered together."

73. It is He Who created
 The heavens and the earth
 In true (proportions):
 The day He saith, "Be,"

Behold! it is. His Word
 Is the Truth. His will be
 The dominion the day
 The trumpet will be blown.
 He knoweth the Unseen
 As well as that which is
 Open. For He
 Is the Wise, well acquainted
 (With all things).

74. Lo! Abraham said
 To his father Azar:
 "Takest thou idols for gods?
 For I see thee
 And thy people
 In manifest error."

75. So also did We show
 Abraham the power
 And the laws of the heavens
 And the earth, that he
 Might (with understanding)
 Have certitude.

76. When the night
 Covered him over,
 He saw a star:
 He said: "This is my Lord."
 But when it set,
 He said: "I love not
 Those that set."

77. When he saw the moon
 Rising in splendour,
 He said: "This is my Lord."
 But when the moon set,

He said: "Unless my Lord
 Guide me, I shall surely
 Be among those
 Who go astray.

78. When he saw the sun
 Rising in splendour,
 He said: "This is my Lord;
 This is the greatest (of all)."
 But when the sun set,
 He said: "O my people!
 I am indeed free
 From your (guilt)
 Of giving partners to God.

79. "For me, I have set
 My face, firmly and truly,
 Towards Him Who created
 The heavens and the earth,
 And never shall I give
 Partners to God."

80. His people disputed
 With him. He said:
 "(Come) ye to dispute
 With me, about God,
 When He (Himself)
 Hath guided me?
 I fear not (the beings)
 Ye associate with God:

Unless my Lord willeth,
 (Nothing can happen).
 My Lord comprehendeth
 In His knowledge all things.
 Will ye not (yourselves)
 Be admonished?

81. "How should I fear
 (The beings) ye associate
 With God, when ye
 Fear not to give partners
 To God without any warrant
 Having been given to you?
 Which of (us) two parties
 Hath more right to security?
 (Tell me) if ye know.

82. "It is those who believe
 And confuse not their beliefs
 With wrong--that are
 (Truly) in security, for they
 Are on (right) guidance."

83. That was the reasoning
 About Us, which
 We gave to Abraham
 (To use) against his people:

We raise whom We will,
 Degree after degree:
 For thy Lord is full
 Of wisdom and knowledge.

84. We gave him Isaac
 And Jacob: all (three)
 We guided:
 And before him,
 We guided Noah,
 And among his progeny,
 David, Solomon, Job,
 Joseph, Moses, and Aaron:
 Thus do We reward
 Those who do good:

85. And Zakariya and John,
 And Jesus and Elias:
 All in the ranks
 Of the Righteous:

86. And Isma'il and Elisha,
 And Jonas, and Lot:

And to all We gave
 Favour above the nations:

87. (To them) and to their fathers,
 And progeny and brethren:
 We chose them,
 And We guided them
 To a straight Way.

88. This is the Guidance
 Of God: He giveth
 That guidance to whom
 He pleaseth, of His worshippers.
 If they were to join
 Other gods with Him,
 All that they did
 Would be vain for them,

89. These were the men
 To whom We gave
 The Book, and Authority,
 And Prophethood: if these
 (Their descendants) reject them,
 Behold! We shall entrust
 Their charge to a new People
 Who reject them not.

90. Those were the (prophets)
 Who received God's guidance:
 Copy the guidance they received;
 Say: "No reward for this
 Do I ask of you:
 This is no less than
 A Message for the nations."

91. No just estimate of God
 Do they make when they say:

"Nothing doth God send down
 To man (by way of revelation)":
 Say: "Who then sent down
 The Book which Moses brought?--
 A light and guidance to man:
 But ye make it into
 (Separate) sheets for show,
 While ye conceal much
 (Of its contents): therein
 Were ye taught that
 Which ye knew not
 Neither ye nor your fathers."
 Say: "God (sent it down)":
 Then leave them to plunge
 In vain discourse and trifling.

92. And this is a Book
 Which We have sent down,
 Bringing blessings, and confirming
 (The revelations) which came
 Before it: that thou
 Mayest warn the Mother
 Of Cities and all around her.
 Those who believe
 In the Hereafter
 Believe in this (Book),
 And they are constant
 In guarding their Prayers.

93. Who can be more wicked
 Than one who inventeth

A lie against God,
 Or saith, "I have
 Received inspiration,"
 When he hath received
 None, or (again) who saith,
 "I can reveal the like
 Of what God hath revealed"?
 If thou couldst but see
 How the wicked (do fare)
 In the flood of confusion
 At death!--the angels
 Stretch forth their hands,
 (Saying), "Yield up your souls:
 This day shall ye receive
 Your reward,--a penalty
 Of shame, for that ye used
 To tell lies against God,
 And scornfully to reject
 Of His Signs!"

94. "And behold! ye come
 To Us bare and alone
 As We created you
 For the first time:
 Ye have left behind you
 All (the favours) which
 We bestowed on you:
 We see not with you
 Your intercessors
 Whom ye thought to be
 Partners in your affairs:
 So now all relations
 Between you have been
 Cut off, and your (pet) fancies
 Have left you in the lurch!

95. It is God Who causeth
 The seed-grain
 And the date-stone
 To split and sprout.
 He causeth the living
 To issue from the dead,
 And He is the One
 To cause the dead
 To issue from the living.
 That is God: then how
 Are ye deluded
 Away from the truth?

96. He it is that cleaveth
 The day-break (from the dark):
 He makes the night
 For rest and tranquillity,
 And the sun and moon
 For the reckoning (of time):
 Such is the judgment
 And ordering of (Him),
 The Exalted in Power,
 The Omniscient.

97. It is He Who maketh
 The stars (as beacons) for you,
 That ye may guide yourselves,
 With their help,
 Through the dark spaces
 Of land and sea:
 We detail Our Signs
 For people who know.

98. It is He Who hath
 Produced you
 From a single person:
 Here is a place of sojourn
 And a place of departure:
 We detail Our signs
 For people who understand.

99. It is He Who sendeth down
 Rain from the skies:
 With it We produce
 Vegetation of all kinds:
 From some We produce
 Green (crops), out of which
 We produce grain,
 Heaped up (at harvest);
 Out of the date-palm
 And its sheaths (or spathes)
 (Come) clusters of dates
 Hanging low and near:
 And (then there are) gardens
 Of grapes, and olives,
 And pomegranates,
 Each similar (in kind)
 Yet different (in variety):
 When they begin to bear fruit,
 Feast your eyes with the fruit
 And the ripeness thereof.
 Behold! in these things
 There are Signs for people
 Who believe.

100.Yet they make
 The Jinns equals
 With God, though God
 Did create the Jinns;
 And they falsely,
 Having no knowledge,
 Attribute to Him
 Sons and daughters.
 Praise and glory be
 To Him! (for He is) above
 What they attribute to Him!

101. To Him is due
 The primal origin
 Of the heavens and the earth:
 How can He have a son
 When He hath no consort?
 He created all things,
 And He hath full knowledge
 Of all things.

102. That is God, your Lord!
 There is no god but He,
 The Creator of all things:
 Then worship ye Him:
 And He hath power
 To dispose of all affairs.

103. No vision can grasp Him,
 But His grasp is over

All vision: He is
 Above all comprehension,
 Yet is acquainted with all things.

104. "Now have come to you,
 From your Lord, proofs
 (To open your eyes):
 If any will see,
 It will be for (the good
 Of) his own soul;
 If any will be blind,
 It will be to his own
 (Harm): I am not (here)
 To watch over your doings.

105. Thus do We explain
 The Signs by various (symbols):
 That they may say,
 "Thou hast taught (us) diligently,"
 And that We may make
 The matter clear
 To those who know.

106. Follow what thou art taught
 By inspiration from thy Lord:
 There is no god but He:
 And turn aside from those
 Who join gods with God.

107. If it had been God's Plan,
 They would not have taken
 False gods: but We
 Made thee not one
 To watch over their doings,
 Nor art thou set
 Over them to dispose
 Of their affairs.

108. Revile not ye
 Those whom they call upon
 Besides God, lest
 They out of spite
 Revile God
 In their ignorance.
 Thus have We made
 Alluring to each people'
 Its own doings.
 In the end will they
 Return to their Lord,
 And We shall then

Tell them the truth
 Of all that they did.

109. They swear their strongest
 Oaths by God, that if
 A (special) Sign came
 To them, by it they would
 Believe. Say: "Certainly
 (All) Signs are in the power
 Of God: but what will
 Make you (Muslims) realise
 That (even) if (special) Signs
 Came, they will not believe."?

110. We (too) shall turn
 To (confusion) their hearts
 And their eyes, even as they
 Refused to believe in this
 In the first instance:
 We shall leave them
 In their trespasses,
 To wander in distraction.

111. Even if We did send
 Unto them angels,
 And the dead did speak
 Unto them, and We gathered
 Together all things before
 Their very eyes, they are not
 The ones to believe,
 Unless it is in God's Plan.
 But most of them
 Ignore (the truth).

112. Likewise did We make
 For every Messenger
 An enemy,--evil ones
 Among men and Jinns,
 Inspiring each other
 With flowery discourses
 By way of deception.
 If thy Lord had so planned,
 They would not have
 Done it: so leave them
 And their inventions alone.

113. To such (deceit)
 Let the hearts of those
 Incline, who have no faith
 In the Hereafter: let them
 Delight in it, and let them
 Earn from it what they may

114. Say: "Shall I seek
 For judge other than God?--
 When He it is
 Who hath sent unto you
 The Book, explained in detail."
 They know full well,
 To whom We have given
 The Book, that it hath been
 Sent down from thy Lord
 In truth. Never be then
 Of those who doubt.

115. The Word of thy Lord
 Doth find its fulfilment
 In truth and in justice:
 None can change His Words:
 For He is the one Who
 Heareth and knoweth all.

116. Wert thou to follow
 The common run of those
 On earth, they will lead
 Thee away from the Way
 Of God. They follow
 Nothing but conjecture: they
 Do nothing but lie.

117. Thy Lord knoweth best
 Who strayeth from His Way:
 He knoweth best
 Who they are that receive
 His guidance.

118. So eat of (meats)
 On which God's name
 Hath been pronounced,
 If ye have faith
 In His Signs.

119. Why should ye not
 Eat of (meats) on which
 God's name hath been
 Pronounced, when He hath
 Explained to you in detail
 What is forbidden to you--

Except under compulsion
 Of necessity?
 But many do mislead (men)
 By their appetites unchecked
 By knowledge. Thy Lord
 Knoweth best those who transgress

120. Eschew all sin,
 Open or secret:
 Those who earn sin
 Will get due recompense
 For their "earnings."

121. Eat not of (meats)
 On which God's name
 Hath not been pronounced:
 That would be impiety.
 But the evil ones
 Ever inspire their friends
 To contend with you
 If ye were to obey them,
 Ye would indeed be Pagans.

122. Can he who was dead,
 To whom We gave life,
 And a Light whereby
 He can walk amongst men,
 Be like him who is
 In the depths of darkness,
 From which he can
 Never come out?
 Thus to those without Faith
 Their own deeds seem pleasing.

123. Thus have We placed
 Leaders in every town,

Its wicked men, to plot
 (And burrow) therein:
 But they only plot
 Against their own souls,
 And they perceive it not.

124. When there comes to them
 A Sign (from God),
 They say: "We shall not
 Believe until we receive
 One (exactly) like those
 Received by God's apostles."
 God knoweth best where
 (And how) to carry out
 His mission. Soon
 Will the wicked
 Be overtaken by
 Humiliation before God,
 And a severe punishment,
 For all their plots.

125. Those whom God (in His Plan)
 Willeth to guide,--He openeth
 Their breast to Islam;
 Those whom He willeth
 To leave straying,--He maketh
 Their breast close and constricted,
 As if they had to climb
 Up to the skies: thus
 Doth God (heap) the penalty
 On those who refuse to believe.

126. This is the Way
 Of thy Lord, leading straight:

We have detailed the Signs
 For those who
 Receive admonition.

127. For them will be a Home
 Of Peace in the presence
 Of their Lord: He will be
 Their Friend, because
 They practised (righteousness).

128. One day will He gather
 Them all together, (and say):
 "O ye assembly of Jinns!
 Much (toll) did ye take
 Of men." Their friends
 Amongst men will say:
 "Our Lord! we made profit no
 From each other: but (alas!)
 We reached our term--
 Which Thou didst appoint
 For us." He will say:
 "The Fire be your dwelling-place:
 You will dwell therein for ever,
 Except as God willeth."
 For thy Lord is full
 Of wisdom and knowledge.

129. Thus do We make
 The wrong-doers turn
 To each other, because
 Of what they earn.

130. "O ye assembly of Jinns
 And men! came there not
 Unto you apostles from amongst you
 Setting forth unto you
 My Signs, and warning you
 Of the meeting of this Day
 Of yours?" They will say:
 "We bear witness against
 Ourselves." It was
 The life of this world
 That deceived them. So
 Against themselves will they
 Bear witness that they
 Rejected Faith.

131. (The apostles were sent) thus,
 For thy Lord would not
 Destroy for their wrong-doing
 Men's habitations whilst
 Their occupants were unwarned.

132. To all are degrees (or ranks)
 According to their deeds:
 For thy Lord
 Is not unmindful
 Of anything that they do.

133. Thy Lord is Self-sufficient,
 Full of Mercy: if it were
 His Will, He could destroy
 You, and in your place
 Appoint whom He will
 As your successors, even as
 He raised you up
 From the posterity
 Of other people.

134. All that hath been
 Promised unto you
 Will come to pass:
 Nor can ye frustrate it
 (In the least bit).

135. Say: "O my people!
 Do whatever ye can:
 I will do (my part):
 Soon will ye know
 Who it is whose end
 Will be (best) in the Hereafter:
 Certain it is that
 The wrong-doers will not prosper."

136. Out of what God
 Hath produced in abundance
 In tilth and in cattle,
 They assigned Him a share:
 They say, according to their fancies:
 "This is for God, and this"--
 For Our "partners"!
 But the share of their "partners"
 Reacheth not God, whilst
 The share of God reacheth
 Their "partners"! Evil
 (And unjust) is their assignment!

137. Even so, in the eyes
 Of most of the Pagans,
 Their "partners" made alluring
 The slaughter of their children,
 In order to lead them
 To their own destruction,
 And cause confusion
 In their religion.
 If God had willed,
 They would not have done so:
 But leave alone
 Them and their inventions.

138. And they say that
 Such and such cattle and crops
 Are taboo, and none should
 Eat of them except those
 Whom--so they say--We
 Wish; further, there are
 Cattle forbidden to yoke
 Or burden, and cattle
 On which, (at slaughter),
 The name of God is not
 Pronounced;--inventions
 Against God's name: soon
 Will He requite them
 For their inventions.

139. They say: "What is
 In the wombs of
 Such and such cattle
 Is specially reserved
 (For food) for our men,
 And forbidden to our women;
 But if it is still-born,
 Then all have shares therein.

For their (false) attribution
 (Of superstitions to God),
 He will soon punish them:
 For He is full
 Of wisdom and knowledge.

140. Lost are those who slay
 Their children, from folly,
 Without knowledge, and forbid
 Food which God hath provided
 For them, inventing (lies)
 Against God. They have
 Indeed gone astray
 And heeded no guidance.

141. It is He who produceth
 Gardens, with trellises
 And without, and dates,
 And tilth with produce
 Of all kinds, and olives
 And pomegranates,
 Similar (in kind)
 And different (in variety):
 Eat of their fruit
 In their season, but render
 The dues that are proper
 On the day that the harvest
 Is gathered. But waste not
 By excess: for God
 Loveth not the wasters.

142. Of the cattle are some
 For burden and some for meat:

Eat what God hath provided
 For you, and follow not
 The footsteps of Satan:
 For he is to you
 An avowed enemy.

143. (Take) eight (head of cattle)
 In (four) pairs:
 Of sheep a pair,
 And of goats a pair;
 Say, hath He forbidden
 The two males,
 Or the two females,
 Or (the young) which the wombs
 Of the two females enclose?
 Tell me with knowledge
 If ye are truthful:

144. Of camels a pair,
 And of oxen a pair;
 Say, hath He forbidden
 The two males,
 Or the two females,
 Or (the young) which the wombs
 Of the two females enclose?--
 Were ye present when God
 Ordered you such a thing?
 But who doth more wrong
 Than one who invents
 A lie against God,
 To lead astray men
 Without knowledge?
 For God guideth not
 People who do wrong

145. Say: "I find not
 In the Message received
 By me by inspiration
 Any (meat) forbidden
 To be eaten by one
 Who wishes to eat it,
 Unless it be dead meat,
 Or blood poured forth,

Or the flesh of swine,--
 For it is an abomination--
 Or, what is impious, (meat)
 On which a name has been
 Invoked, other than God's."
 But (even so), if a person
 Is forced by necessity,
 Without wilful disobedience,
 Nor transgressing due limits,--
 Thy Lord is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

146. For those who followed
 The Jewish Law, We forbade
 Every (animal) with
 Undivided hoof,
 And We forbade them
 The fat of the ox
 And the sheep, except
 What adheres to their backs
 Or their entrails,
 Or is mixed up
 With a bone:
 This in recompense
 For their wilful disobedience:
 For We are True
 (In Our ordinances).

147. If they accuse thee
 Of falsehood, say:
 "Your Lord is full
 Of mercy all-embracing;
 But from people in guilt
 Never will His wrath
 Be turned back.

148. Those who give partners
 (To God) will say:

"If God had wished,
 We should not have
 Given partners to Him,
 Nor would our fathers;
 Nor should we have had
 Any taboos." So did
 Their ancestors argue
 Falsely, until they tasted
 Of Our wrath. Say:
 "Have ye any (certain)
 Knowledge? If so, produce
 It before us. Ye follow
 Nothing but conjecture:
 Ye do nothing but lie."

149. Say: "With God is the argument
 That reaches home: if it had
 Been His Will, He could
 Indeed have guided you all."

150. Say: "Bring forward your witnesses
 To prove that God did
 Forbid so and so." If they
 Bring such witnesses,
 Be not thou amongst them:
 Nor follow thou the vain
 Desires of such as treat
 Our Signs as falsehoods,
 And such as believe not
 In the Hereafter: for they
 Hold others as equal
 With their Guardian-Lord.

151. Say: "Come, I will rehearse
 What God hath (really)
 Prohibited you from": join not
 Anything as equal with Him;
 Be good to your parents;
 Kill not your children
 On a plea of want;--We
 Provide sustenance for you
 And for them;--come not
 Nigh to shameful deeds,
 Whether open or secret;
 Take not life, which God
 Hath made sacred, except
 By way of justice and law:
 Thus doth He command you,
 That ye may learn wisdom.

152. And come not nigh
 To the orphan's property,
 Except to improve it,
 Until he attain the age
 Of full strength; give measure
 And weight with (full) justice;--
 No burden do We place
 On any soul, but that
 Which it can bear;--
 Whenever ye speak, speak justly,

Even if a near relative
 Is concerned; and fulfil
 The Covenant of God:
 Thus doth He command you,
 That ye may remember.

153. Verily, this is My Way,
 Leading straight: follow it:
 Follow not (other) paths:
 They will scatter you about
 From His (great) Path:
 Thus doth He command you,
 That ye may be righteous.

154. Moreover, We gave Moses
 The Book, completing
 (Our favour) to those
 Who would do right,
 And explaining all things
 In detail,--and a guide
 And a mercy, that they
 Might believe in the meeting
 With their Lord.

155. And this is a Book
 Which We have revealed
 As a blessing: so follow it
 And be righteous, that ye
 May receive mercy:

156. Lest ye should say:
 "The Book was sent down
 To two Peoples before us,
 And for our part, we
 Remained unacquainted

With all that they learned
 By assiduous study;"

157. Or lest ye should say:
 "If the Book had only
 Been sent down to us,
 We should have followed
 Its guidance better than they."
 Now then hath come
 Unto you a Clear (Sign)
 From your Lord,--and a guide
 And a mercy: then who
 Could do more wrong
 Than one who rejecteth
 God's Signs, and turneth
 Away therefrom? In good time
 Shall We requite those
 Who turn away from Our Signs,
 With a dreadful penalty,
 For their turning away.

158. Are they waiting to see
 If the angels come to them,
 Or thy Lord (Himself),
 Or certain of the Signs
 Of thy Lord!
 The day that certain
 Of the Signs of thy Lord
 Do come, no good
 Will it do to a soul
 To believe in them then,
 If it believed not before
 Nor earned righteousness
 Through its Faith. Say:
 "Wait ye: we too
 Are waiting."

159. As for those who divide
 Their religion and break up
 Into sects, thou hast
 No part in them in the least:
 Their affair is with God:
 He will in the end
 Tell them the truth
 Of all that they did.

160. He that doeth good
 Shall have ten times
 As much to his credit:
 He that doeth evil
 Shall only be recompensed
 According to his evil:
 No wrong shall be done
 Unto (any of) them.

161. Say: "Verily, my Lord
 Hath guided me to
 A Way that is straight,--
 A religion of right,
 The Path (trod) by Abraham
 The true in faith,
 And he (certainly)
 Joined not gods with God."

162. Say: "Truly, my prayer
 And my service of sacrifice,
 My life and my death,
 Are (all) for God,
 The Cherisher of the Worlds:

163. No partner hath He:
 This am I commanded,
 And I am the first
 Of those who bow
 To His Will.

164. Say: "Shall I seek
 For (my) Cherisher

Other than God,
 When He is the Cherisher
 Of all things (that exist)?
 Every soul draws the meed
 Of its acts on none
 But itself: no bearer
 Of burdens can bear
 The burden of another.
 Your goal in the end
 Is towards God: He will tell
 You the truth of the things
 Wherein ye disputed."

165. It is He Who hath made
 You (His) agents, inheritors
 Of the earth: He hath raised
 You in ranks, some above
 Others: that He may try you
 In the gifts He hath given you:
 For thy Lord is quick
 In punishment: yet He
 Is indeed Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

Sura VII.

A'raf, or the Heights

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. Alif, Lam, Mim, Sad.

2. A Book revealed unto thee,--
 So let thy heart be oppressed'
 No more by any difficulty
 On that account,
 That with it thou mightest
 Warn (the erring) and teach
 The Believers.

3. Follow (O men!) the revelation
 Given unto you from your Lord,
 And follow not, as friends
 Or protectors, other than Him.
 Little it is ye remember
 Of admonition.

4. How many towns have We
 Destroyed (for their sins)?
 Our punishment took them
 On a sudden by night
 Or while they slept
 For their afternoon rest.

5. When (thus) Our punishment
 Took them, no cry
 Did they utter but this:
 "Indeed we did wrong."

6. When shall we question
 Those to whom Our Message
 Was sent and those by whom
 We sent it.

7. And verily We shall recount
 Their whole story
 With knowledge, for We
 Were never absent
 (At any time or place).

8. The balance that day
 Will be true (to a nicety):
 Those whose scale (of good)
 Will be heavy, will prosper:

9. Those whose scale will be light,
 Will find their souls
 In perdition, for that they
 Wrongfully treated Our Signs.

10. It is We Who have
 Placed you with authority
 On earth, and provided
 You therein with means
 For the fulfilment of your life:
 Small are the thanks
 That ye give!

11. It is We Who created you
 And gave you shape;
 Then We bade the angels
 Bow down to Adam, and they
 Bowed down; not so Iblis;
 He refused to be of those
 Who bow down.

12. (God) said: "What prevented
 Thee from bowing down
 When I commanded thee?"
 He said: "I am better
 Than he: Thou didst create
 Me from fire, and him from clay."

13. (God) said: "Get thee down
 From this: it is not
 For thee to be arrogant
 Here: get out, for thou
 Art of the meanest (of creatures)."

14. He said: "Give me respite
 Till the day they are
 Raised up."

15. (God) said: "Be thou
 Among those who have respite."

16. He said: "Because thou
 Hast thrown me out
 Of the Way, lo! I will
 Lie in wait for them
 On Thy Straight Way:

17. "Then will I assault them
 From before them and behind them,
 From their right and their left:
 Nor wilt Thou find,
 In most of them,
 Gratitude (for Thy mercies).

18. (God) said: "Get out
 From this, disgraced
 And expelled. If any
 Of them follow thee,--
 Hell will I fill
 With you all.

19. "O Adam! dwell thou
 And thy wife in the Garden,
 And enjoy (its good things)
 As ye wish: but approach not
 This tree, or ye run
 Into harm and transgression."

20. Then began Satan to whisper
 Suggestions to them, bringing
 Openly before their minds
 All their shame

That was hidden from them
 (Before): he said: "Your Lord
 Only forbade you this tree,
 Lest ye should become angels
 Or such beings as live for ever."

21. And he swore to them
 Both, that he was
 Their sincere adviser.

22. So by deceit he brought about
 Their fall: when they
 Tasted of the tree,
 Their shame became manifest
 To them, and they began
 To sew together the leaves
 Of the Garden over their bodies.
 And their Lord called
 Unto them: "Did I not
 Forbid you that tree,
 And tell you that Satan
 Was an avowed
 Enemy unto you?"

23. They said: "Our Lord!
 We have wronged our own souls:
 If Thou forgive us not
 And bestow not upon us
 Thy Mercy, we shall
 Certainly be lost."

24. (God) said: "Get ye down,
 With enmity between yourselves.
 On earth will be your dwelling-place
 And your means of livelihood,--
 For a time."

25. He said: "Therein shall ye
 Live, and therein shall ye
 Die; but from it shall ye
 Be taken out (at last)."

26. O ye Children of Adam!
 We have bestowed raiment
 Upon you to cover
 Your shame, as well as
 To be an adornment to you.
 But the raiment of righteousness,--
 That is the best.
 Such are among the Signs
 Of God, that they
 May receive admonition!

27. O ye Children of Adam!
 Let not Satan seduce you,
 In the same manner as
 He got your parents out
 Of the Garden, stripping them
 Of their raiment, to expose
 Their shame: for he
 And his tribe watch you
 From a position where ye
 Cannot see them: We made
 The Evil Ones friends
 (Only) to those without Faith.

28. When they do aught
 That is shameful, they say:
 "We found our fathers
 Doing so"; and "God
 Commanded us thus":
 Say: "Nay, God never

Commands what is shameful:
 Do ye say of God
 What ye know not?"

29. Say: "My Lord hath commanded
 Justice; and that ye set
 Your whole selves (to Him)
 At every time and place
 Of prayer, and call upon Him,
 Making your devotion sincere
 As in His sight:
 Such as He created you
 In the beginning, so
 Shall ye return."

30. Some He hath guided:
 Others have (by their choice)
 Deserved the loss of their way;
 In that they took
 The Evil Ones, in preference
 To God, for their friends
 And protectors, and think
 That they receive guidance.

31. O Children of Adam!
 Wear your beautiful apparel
 At every time and place
 Of prayer: eat and drink:
 But waste not by excess,
 For God loveth not the wasters.

32. Say: Who hath forbidden
 The beautiful (gifts) of God,
 Which He hath produced
 For His servants,
 And the things, clean and pure,
 (Which He hath provided)
 For sustenance?
 Say: They are, in the life
 Of this world, for those
 Who believe, (and) purely
 For them on the Day
 Of Judgment. Thus do We
 Explain the Signs in detail
 For those who understand.

33. Say: The things that my Lord
 Hath indeed forbidden are:
 Shameful deeds, whether open
 Or secret; sins and trespasses
 Against truth or reason; assigning
 Of partners to God, for which
 He hath given no authority;
 And saying things about God
 Of which ye have no knowledge.

34. To every People is a term.
 Appointed: when their term
 Is reached, not an hour
 Can they cause delay,
 Nor (an hour) can they
 Advance (it in anticipation).

35. O ye Children of Adam!
 Whenever there come to you
 Apostles from amongst you,
 Rehearsing My Signs unto you,
 Those who are righteous
 And mend (their lives),--
 On them shall be no fear
 Nor shall they grieve.

36. But those who reject
 Our Signs and treat them
 With arrogance,--they
 Are Companions of the Fire,
 To dwell therein (for ever).

37. Who is more unjust
 Than one who invents
 A lie against God
 Or rejects His Signs?
 For such, their portion
 Appointed must reach them
 From the Book (of Decrees):
 Until, when Our messengers
 (Of death) arrive and take
 Their souls, they say:
 "Where are the things
 That ye used to invoke
 Besides God?"
 They will reply, "They

Have left us in the lurch,"
 And they will bear witness
 Against themselves, that they
 Had rejected God.

38. He will say: "Enter ye
 In the company of
 The Peoples who passed away
 Before you--men and Jinns,--
 Into the Fire. Every time
 A new People enters,
 It curses its sister-People
 (That went before), until
 They follow each other, all
 Into the Fire. Saith the last
 About the first: "Our Lord!
 It is these that misled us:
 So give them a double
 Penalty in the Fire."
 He will say: "Doubled
 For all": but this
 Ye do not understand.

39. Then the first will say
 To the last: "See then!
 No advantage have ye
 Over us; so taste ye
 Of the Penalty for all
 That ye did!"

40. To those who reject
 Our Signs and treat them
 With arrogance, no opening
 Will there be of the gates

Of heaven, nor will they
 Enter the Garden, until
 The camel can pass
 Through the eye of the needle:
 Such is Our reward
 For those in sin.

41. For them there is
 Hell, as a couch
 (Below) and folds and folds
 Of covering above: such
 Is Our requital of those
 Who do wrong.

42. But those who believe
 And work righteousness,--
 No burden do We place
 On any soul, but that
 Which it can bear,
 They will be Companions
 Of the Garden, therein
 To dwell (for ever).

43. And We shall remove
 From their hearts any
 Lurking sense of injury;--
 Beneath them will be
 Rivers flowing;--and they
 Shall say: "Praise be, to God,
 Who hath guided us
 To this (felicity): never
 Could we have found
 Guidance, had it not been
 For the guidance of God:
 Indeed it was the truth.
 That the Apostles of our Lord
 Brought unto us." And they
 Shall hear the cry:
 "Behold! the Garden before you!

Ye have been made
 Its inheritors, for your
 Deeds (of righteousness)."

44. The Companions of the Garden
 Will call out to the Companions
 Of the Fire: "We have
 Indeed found the promises
 Of our Lord to us true:
 Have you also found
 Your Lord's promises true?"
 They shall say, "Yes"; but
 A Crier shall proclaim
 Between them: "The curse
 Of God is on the wrong-doers;--

45. "Those who would hinder (men)
 From the path of God
 And would seek in it
 Something crooked:
 They were those who
 Denied the Hereafter."

46. Between them shall be
 A veil, and on the Heights

Will be men
 Who would know every one
 By his marks: they will call
 Out to the Companions
 Of the Garden, "Peace on you":
 They will not have entered,
 But they will have
 An assurance (thereof.)

47. When their eyes shall be turned
 Towards the Companions
 Of the Fire, they will say:
 "Our Lord! send us not
 To the company
 Of the wrong-doers."

48. The men on the Heights
 Will call to certain men
 Whom they will know
 From their m arks, saying:
 "Of what profit to you
 Were your hoards and your
 Arrogant ways?

49. "Behold! are these not
 The men whom you swore
 That God with His Mercy
 Would never bless?
 Enter ye the Garden:
 No fear shall be on you,
 Nor shall ye grieve."

50. The Companions of the Fire
 Will call to the Companions
 Of the Garden: "Pour down
 To us water or anything

That God doth provide
 For your sustenance."
 They will say: "Both
 These things hath God forbidden
 To those who rejected Him;--

51. "Such as took their religion
 To be mere amusement
 And play, and were deceived
 By the life of the world."
 That day shall We forget them
 As they forgot the meeting
 Of this day of theirs,
 And as they were wont
 To reject Our Signs.

52. For We had certainly
 Sent unto them a Book,
 Based on knowledge,
 Which We explained
 In detail,--a guide
 And a mercy
 To all who believe.

53. Do they just wait
 For the final fulfilment
 Of the event? On the day
 The event is finally fulfilled,
 Those who disregarded it
 Before will say: "The apostles
 Of our Lord did indeed
 Bring true (tidings). Have we
 No intercessors now to intercede
 On our behalf? Or could we

Be sent back? Then should eve
 Behave differently from our
 Behaviour in the past."
 In fact they will have lost
 Their souls, and the things
 They invented will leave
 Them in the lurch.

54. Your Guardian-Lord
 Is God, Who created
 The heavens and the earth
 In six Days, and is firmly
 Established on the Throne
 (Of authority): He draweth
 The night as a veil
 O'er the day, each seeking
 The other in rapid succession:
 He created the sun,
 The moon, and the stars,
 (All) governed by laws
 Under His Command.
 Is it not His to create
 And to govern? Blessed
 Be God, the Cherisher
 And Sustainer of the Worlds!

55. Call on your Lord
 With humility and in private:

For God loveth not
 Those who trespass beyond bounds.

56. Do no mischief on the earth,
 After it hath been
 Set in order, but call
 On Him with fear
 And longing (in your hearts):
 For the Mercy of God
 Is (always) near
 To those who do good.

57. It is He Who sendeth
 The Winds like heralds
 Of glad tidings, going before
 His Mercy: when they have
 Carried the heavy-laden
 Clouds, We drive them
 To a land that is dead,
 Make rain to descend thereon,
 And produce every kind
 Of harvest therewith: thus
 Shall We raise up the dead:
 Perchance ye may remember.

58. From the land that is clean
 And good, by the Will
 Of its Cherisher, springs up
 Produce, (rich) after its kind:

But from the land that is
 Bad, springs up nothing
 But that which is niggardly:
 Thus do we explain the Signs
 By various (symbols) to those
 Who are grateful.

59. We sent Noah to his people.
 He said: "O my people!
 Worship God! ye have
 No other god but Him.
 I fear for you the Punishment
 Of a dreadful Day!

60. The leaders of his people
 Said: "Ah! we see thee
 Evidently wandering (in mind)."

61. He said: "O my people!
 No wandering is there
 In my (mind): on the contrary
 I am an apostle from
 The Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Worlds!

62."I but fulfil towards you
 The duties of my Lord's mission:
 Sincere is my advice to you,
 And I know from God
 Something that ye know not.

63. "Do ye wonder that
 There hath come to you
 A message from your Lord,
 Through a man of your own
 People, to warn you,--
 So that ye may fear God
 And haply receive His Mercy?"

64. But they rejected him,
 And We delivered him,
 And those with him,
 In the Ark:
 But We overwhelmed
 In the Flood those
 Who rejected Our Signs.
 They were indeed
 A blind people!

65. To the 'Ad people,
 (We sent) Hud, one

Of their (own) brethren:
 He said: "O my people!
 Worship God! ye have
 No other god but Him.
 Will ye not fear (God)?

66. The leaders of the unbelievers
 Among his people said:
 "Ah! we see thou art
 An imbecile!" and "We think
 Thou art a liar!"

67. He said: "O my people!
 I am no imbecile, but
 (I am) an apostle from
 The Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Worlds!

68. "I but fulfil towards you
 The duties of my Lord's mission:
 I am to you a sincere
 And trustworthy adviser.

69. "Do ye wonder that
 There hath come to you
 A message from your Lord
 Through a man of your own
 People, to warn you?
 Call in remembrance
 That He made you
 Inheritors after the people
 Of Noah, and gave you
 A stature tall among the nations.
 Call in remembrance
 The benefits (ye have received)
 From God: that so
 Ye may prosper."

70. They said: "Comest thou
 To us, that we may worship
 God alone, and give up
 The cult of our fathers?
 Bring us what thou
 Threatenest us with,
 If so be that thou
 Tellest the truth!"

71. He said: "Punishment
 And wrath have already
 Come upon you from your Lord
 Dispute ye with me
 Over names which ye
 Have devised--ye
 And your fathers,
 Without authority from God?
 Then wait: I am
 Amongst you, also waiting."

72. We saved him and those
 Who adhered to him,
 By Our Mercy, and We
 Cut off the roots of those
 Who rejected Our Signs
 And did not believe.

73. To the Thamud people
 (We sent) Salih, one

Of their own brethren:
 He said: "O my people!
 Worship God; ye have
 No other god but Him.
 Now hath come unto you
 A clear (Sign) from your Lord!
 This she-camel of God
 Is a Sign unto you:
 So leave her to graze
 In God's earth, and let her
 Come to no harm,
 Or ye shall be seized
 With a grievous punishment.

74. "And remember how He
 Made you inheritors
 After the 'Ad people
 And gave you habitations
 In the land: ye build
 For yourselves palaces and castles
 In (open) plains, and carve out
 Homes in the mountains;
 So bring to remembrance
 The benefits (ye have received)
 From God, and refrain
 From evil and mischief
 On the earth."

75. The leaders of the arrogant
 Party among his people said

To those who were reckoned
 Powerless--those among them
 Who believed: "Know ye
 Indeed that Salih is
 An apostle from his Lord?"
 They said: "We do indeed
 Believe in the revelation
 Which hath been sent
 Through him."

76. The arrogant party said:
 "For our part, we reject
 What ye believe in."

77. Then they ham-strung
 The she-camel, and insolently
 Defied the order of their Lord,
 Saying: "O Salih! bring about
 Thy threats, if thou art
 An apostle (of God)!"

78. So the earthquake took them
 Unawares, and they lay
 Prostrate in their homes
 In the morning!

79. So Salih left them,
 Saying: "O my people!
 I did indeed convey to you
 The message for which
 I was sent by my Lord:
 I gave you good counsel,
 But ye love not good counsellors!"

80. We also (sent) Lut:
 He said to his people:
 "Do ye commit lewdness
 Such as no people
 In creation (ever) committed
 Before you?

81. "For ye practise your lusts
 On men in preference
 To women: ye are indeed
 A people transgressing
 Beyond bounds."

82. And his people gave
 No answer but this:
 They said, "Drive them out
 Of your city: these are

Indeed men who want
 To be clean and pure!"

83. But we saved him
 And his family, except
 His wife: she was
 Of those who lagged behind

84. And we rained down on them
 A shower (of brimstone):
 Then see what was the end
 Of those who indulged
 In sin and crime!

85. To the Madyan people

We sent Shu'aib, one
 Of their own brethren: he said:
 "O my people! worship God;
 Ye have no other god
 But Him. Now hath come
 Unto you a clear (Sign)
 From your Lord! Give just
 Measure and weight, nor withhold
 From the people the things
 That are their due; and do
 No mischief on the earth
 After it has been set
 In order: that will be best
 For you, if ye have Faith.

86. "And squat not on every road,
 Breathing threats, hindering
 From the path of God
 Those who believe in Him,
 And seeking in it
 Something crooked;
 But remember how ye were
 Little, and He gave you increase.
 And hold in your mind's eye
 What was the end

Of those who did mischief.

87. "And if there is a party
 Among you who believes
 In the Message with which
 I have been sent, and a party
 Which does not believe,
 Hold yourselves in patience
 Until God doth decide
 Between us: for He
 Is the best to decide."

88. The leaders, the arrogant
 Party among his people, said:
 "O Shu'aib! we shall
 Certainly drive thee out
 Of our city--(thee) and those
 Who believe with thee;
 Or else ye (thou and they)
 Shall have to return
 To our ways and religion."
 He said: "What! even
 Though we do detest (them)?

89. "We should indeed invent
 A lie against God,
 If we returned to your ways
 After God hath rescued
 Us therefrom; nor could we
 By any manner of means
 Return thereto unless it be
 As in the will and plan of God,
 Our Lord. Our Lord
 Can reach out to the utmost
 Recesses of things by His
 knowledge.
 In God is our trust.
 Our Lord! Decide thou
 Between us and our people

In truth, for thou
 Art the best to decide."

90. The leaders, the Unbelievers
 Among his people, said:
 "If ye follow Shu'aib,
 Be sure then ye are ruined!"

91. But the earthquake took them
 Unawares, and they lay
 Prostrate in their homes
 Before the morning!"

92. The men who rejected
 Shu'aib became as if
 They had never been
 In the homes where they
 Had flourished: the men
 Who rejected Shu'aib--
 It was they who were ruined!

93. So Shu'aib left them,
 Saying: "O my people!
 I did indeed convey to you
 The Messages for which
 I was sent by my Lord:
 I gave you good counsel,
 But how shall I lament

Over a people who refuse
 To believe!"

94. Whenever We sent a prophet
 To a town, We took up
 Its people in suffering
 And adversity, in order
 That they might learn humility.

95. Then We changed their suffering
 Into prosperity, until they grew
 And multiplied, and began
 To say: "Our fathers (too)
 Were touched by suffering
 And affluence"... Behold!
 We called them to account
 Of a sudden, while they
 Realised not (their peril).

96. If the people of the towns
 Had but believed and feared
 God, We should indeed
 Have opened out to them

(All kinds of) blessings
 From heaven and earth;
 But they rejected (the truth),
 And We brought them
 To book for their misdeeds.

97. Did the people of the towns
 Feel secure against the coming
 Of Our wrath by night
 While they were asleep?

98. Or else did they feel
 Secure against its coming
 In broad daylight while they
 Played about (care-free)?

99. Did they then feel secure
 Against the Plan of God?--
 But no one can feel
 Secure from the Plan
 Of God, except those
 (Doomed) to ruin!

100. To those who inherit
 The earth in succession
 To its (previous) possessors,
 Is it not a guiding (lesson)
 That, if We so willed,
 We could punish them (too)
 For their sins, and seal up
 Their hearts so that they
 Could not hear?

101. Such were the towns
 Whose story We (thus)
 Relate unto thee:
 There came indeed to them
 Their apostles with clear (Signs):
 But they would not believe
 What they had rejected before.
 Thus doth God seal up
 The hearts of those
 Who reject Faith.

102. Most of them We found not
 Men (true) to their covenant:
 But most of them We found
 Rebellious and disobedient.

103. Then after them We sent
 Moses with Our Signs
 To Pharaoh and his chiefs,
 But they wrongfully rejected them:
 So see what was the end
 Of those who made mischief.

104. Moses said: "O Pharaoh!
 I am an apostle from
 The Lord of the Worlds,--

105. One for whom it is right
 To say nothing but truth
 About God. Now have I
 Come unto you (people), from
 Your Lord, with a clear (Sign):
 So let the Children of Israel
 Depart along with me."

106. (Pharaoh) said: "If indeed
 Thou hast come with a Sign,

Show it forth,
 If thou tellest the truth."

107. Then (Moses) threw his rod,
 And behold! it was
 A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

108. And he drew out his hand,
 And behold! it was white
 To all beholders!

109. Said the Chiefs of the people
 Of Pharaoh: "This is indeed
 A sorcerer well-versed.

110. "His plan is to get you out
 Of your land: then
 What is it ye counsel?"

111. They said: "Keep him
 And his brother in suspense
 (For a while); and send
 To the cities men to collect--

112. And bring up to thee
 All (our) sorcerers well-versed.

113. So there came
 The sorcerers to Pharaoh:
 They said, "Of course
 We shall have a (suitable)
 Reward if we win!"

114. He said: "Yea, (and more),--
 For ye shall in that case
 Be (raised to posts)
 Nearest (to my person)."

115. They said: "O Moses!
 Wilt thou throw (first),
 Or shall we have
 The (first) throw?"

116. Said Moses: "Throw ye (first)."
 So when they threw,
 They bewitched the eyes
 Of the people, and struck
 Terror into them: for they
 Showed a great (feat of) magic.

117. We put it into Moses's mind
 By inspiration: "Throw (now)
 Thy rod": and behold!
 It swallows up straightway
 All the falsehoods
 Which they fake!

118. Thus truth was confirmed.
 And all that they did
 Was made of no effect.

119. So the (great ones) were vanquished
 There and then, and were
 Made to look small.

120. But the sorcerers fell down
 Prostrate in adoration,

121. Saying: "We believe
 In the Lord of the Worlds,--

122. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron.

123. Said Pharaoh: "Believe ye
 In Him before I give
 You permission? Surely
 This is a trick which ye
 Have planned in the City
 To drive out its people:
 But soon shall ye know
 (The consequences).

124. "Be sure I will cut off
 Your hands and your feet
 On opposite sides, and I
 Will cause you all
 To die on the cross."

125. They said: "For us,
 We are but sent back
 Unto our Lord:

126. "But thou dost wreak
 Thy vengeance on us
 Simply because we believed
 In the Signs of our Lord
 When they reached us!
 Our Lord! pour out on us
 Patience and constancy, and take
 Our souls unto Thee
 As Muslims (who bow
 To Thy Will)!

127. Said the chiefs of Pharaoh's
 People: "Wilt thou leave
 Moses and his people,
 To spread mischief in the land,
 And to abandon thee
 And thy gods?" He said:
 "Their male children will we
 Slay; (only) their females
 Will we save alive;
 And we have over them

(Power) irresistible."

128. Said Moses to his people:
 "Pray for help from God,.
 And (wait) in patience and
 constancy:
 For the earth is God's,
 To give as a heritage
 To such of His servants
 As He pleaseth; and the end
 Is (best) for the righteous.

129. They said: "We have had
 (Nothing but) trouble, both before
 And after thou camest
 To us." He said:
 "It may be that your Lord
 Will destroy your enemy
 And make you inheritors 
 In the earth; that so
 He may try you
 By your deeds."

130. We punished the people
 Of Pharaoh with years

(Of drought) and shortness
 Of crops; that they might
 Receive admonition.

131. But when good (times) came,
 They said, "This is due
 To us;" when gripped
 By calamity, they ascribed it
 To evil omens connected
 With Moses and those with him!
 Behold! in truth the omens
 Of evil are theirs
 In God's sight, but most
 Of them do not understand!

132. They said (to Moses):
 "Whatever be the Signs
 Thou bringest, to work
 Therewith thy sorcery on us,"
 We shall never believe
 In thee."

133. So We sent (plagues) on them:
 Wholesale Death,
 Locusts, Lice, Frogs,
 And Blood: Signs openly
 Self-explained: but they
 Were steeped in arrogance,--
 A people given to sin.

134. Every time the Penalty
 Fell on them, they said:

"O Moses! on our behalf
 Call on thy Lord in virtue
 Of his promise to thee:
 If thou wilt remove
 The Penalty from us,
 We shall truly believe in thee,
 And we shall send away
 The Children of Israel
 With thee."

135. But every tune We removed
 The Penalty from them
 According to a fixed term
 Which they had to fulfil,--
 Behold! they broke their word!

136. So We exacted retribution
 From them: We drowned them
 In the sea, because they
 Rejected Our Signs, and failed
 To take warning from them.

137. And We made a people,
 Considered weak (and of no account),
 Inheritors of lands
 In both East and West,--

Lands whereon We sent
 Down Our blessings.
 The fair promise of thy Lord
 Was fulfilled for the Children
 Of Israel, because they had
 Patience and constancy,
 And We levelled to the ground
 The great Works and fine Buildings
 Which Pharaoh and his people
 Erected (with such pride).

138. We took the Children of Israel
 (With safety) across the sea.
 They came upon a people
 Devoted entirely to some idols
 They had. They said:
 "O Moses! fashion for us
 A god like unto the gods
 They have." He said:

"Surely ye are a people
 Without knowledge.

139. "As to these folk,--
 The cult they are in
 Is (but) a fragment of a ruin,
 And vain is the (worship)
 Which they practise."

140. He said: "Shall I seek for you
 A god other than the (true)
 God, when it is God
 Who hath endowed you
 With gifts above the nations?"

141. And remember We rescued you
 From Pharaoh's people,
 Who afflicted you with
 The worst of penalties,
 Who slew your male children
 And saved alive your females:
 In that was a momentous
 Trial from your Lord.

142. We appointed for Moses
 Thirty nights, and completed
 (The period) with ten (more):
 Thus was completed the term
 (Of communion) with his Lord,
 Forty nights. And Moses
 Had charged his brother Aaron
 (Before he went up):

"Act for me amongst my people:
 Do right, and follow not
 The way of those
 Who do mischief."

143. When Moses came
 To the place appointed by Us,
 And his Lord addressed him,
 He said: "O my Lord!
 Show (Thyself) to me,
 That I may look upon Thee."
 God said, "By no means
 Canst thou see Me (direct);
 But look upon the mount;
 If it abide
 In its place, then
 Shalt thou see Me."
 When his Lord manifested
 His glory on the Mount,
 He made it as dust,
 And Moses fell down
 In a swoon. When he
 Recovered his senses he said:
 "Glory be to Thee! To Thee
 I turn in repentance, and I
 Am the first to believe."

144. (God) said: "O Moses!
 I have chosen thee
 Above (other) men,
 By the mission I (have
 Given thee) and the words
 I (have spoken to thee):
 Take then the (revelation)
 Which I give thee,
 And be of those
 Who give thanks."

145. And We ordained laws
 For him in the Tablets
 In all matters, both
 Commanding and explaining
 All things, (and said):
 "Take and hold these
 With firmness, and enjoin
 Thy people to hold fast
 By the best in the precepts:
 Soon shall I show you
 The homes of the wicked,--
 (How they lie desolate)."

146. Those who behave arrogantly
 On the earth in defiance

Of right--them will I
 Turn away from My Signs:
 Even if they see all the Signs,
 They will not believe in them;
 And if they see the way
 Of right conduct, they will
 Not adopt it as the Way;
 But if they see the way
 Of error, that is
 The Way they will adopt.
 For they have rejected
 Our Signs, and failed
 To take warning from them.

147. Those who reject Our Signs
 And the Meeting in the Hereafter,--
 Vain are their deeds:
 Can they expect to be rewarded
 Except as they have wrought?

148. The people of Moses made,
 In his absence, out of their ornaments,

The image of a calf,
 (for worship):
 It seemed to low: did they
 Not see that it could
 Neither speak to them, nor
 Show them the Way?
 They took it for worship
 And they did wrong.

149. When they repented, and saw
 That they had erred,
 They said: "if our Lord
 Have not mercy upon us
 And forgive us, we shall
 Indeed be of those who perish."

150. When Moses came back
 To his people, angry and grieved,
 He said: "Evil it is that ye
 Have done in my place
 In my absence: did ye
 Make haste to bring on
 The judgment of your Lord?"
 He put down the Tablets,

Seized his brother by (the hair
 Of) his head, and dragged him
 To him. Aaron said:
 "Son of my mother! The people
 Did indeed reckon me
 As naught, and went near
 To slaying me! Make not
 The enemies rejoice over
 My misfortune, nor count thou
 Me amongst the people
 Of sin."

151. Moses prayed: "O my Lord!
 Forgive me and my brother!
 Admit us to Thy mercy!
 For Thou art the Most Merciful
 Of those who show mercy!"

152. Those who took the calf
 (For worship) will indeed
 Be overwhelmed with wrath
 From their Lord, and with
 Shame in this life:
 Thus do We recompense
 Those who invent (falsehoods).

153. But those who do wrong
 But repent thereafter and
 (Truly) believe,--verily
 Thy Lord is thereafter
 Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

154. When the anger of Moses
 Was appeased, he took up
 The Tablets: in the writing
 Thereon was Guidance and Mercy
 For such as fear their Lord.

155. And Moses chose seventy
 Of his people for Our place
 Of meeting: when they
 Were seized with violent quaking,
 He prayed: "O my Lord!
 If it had been Thy Will
 Thou couldst have destroyed,
 Long before, both them
 And me: wouldst Thou
 Destroy us for the deeds
 Of the foolish ones among us?
 This is no more than
 Thy trial: by it Thou causest
 Whom Thou wilt to stray,
 And Thou leadest whom
 Thou wilt into the right path.
 Thou art our Protector:
 So forgive us and give us
 Thy mercy; for Thou art
 The Best of those who forgive.

156. "And ordain for us
 That which is good,
 In this life
 And in the Hereafter:
 For we have turned unto Thee."
 He said: "With My Punishment

I visit whom I will;
 But My Mercy extendeth
 To all things. That (Mercy)
 I shall ordain for those
 Who do right, and practise
 Regular charity, and those
 Who believe in Our Signs;--

157. "Those who follow the Apostle,
 The unlettered Prophet,
 Whom they find mentioned
 In their own (Scriptures),--
 In the Law and the Gospel;--
 For he commands them
 What is just and forbids them
 What is evil; he allows
 Them as lawful what is good
 (And pure) and prohibits them
 From what is bad (and impure);
 He releases them
 From their heavy burdens
 And from the yokes
 That are upon them.
 So it is those who believe
 In him, honour him,
 Help him, and follow the Light
 Which is sent down with him,--

It is they who will prosper."

158. Say: "O men! I am sent
 Unto you all, as the Apostle
 Of God, to Whom belongeth
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth: there is no god
 But He: it is He that giveth
 Both life and death. So believe
 In God and His Apostle,
 The unlettered Prophet,
 Who believeth in God
 And His Words: follow him
 That (so) ye may be guided."

159. Of the people of Moses
 There is a section
 Who guide and do justice
 In the light of truth.

160. We divided them into twelve Tribes
 Or nations. We directed
 Moses by inspiration,
 When his (thirsty) people asked
 Him for water: "Strike the rock
 With thy staff": out of it
 There gushed forth twelve springs:
 Each group knew its own place
 For water. We gave them
 The shade of clouds, and sent
 Down to them manna and quails,
 (Saying): "Eat of the good things
 We have provided for you":
 (But they rebelled); to Us
 They did no harm, but
 They harmed their own souls.

161. And remember it was
 Said to them:
 "Dwell in this town
 And eat therein as ye wish,
 But say the word of humility
 And enter the gate
 In a posture of humility:
 We shall forgive you
 Your faults; We shall increase
 (The portion of) those who do good."

162. But the transgressors among them
 Changed the word from that
 Which had been given them
 So we sent on them
 A plague from heaven.
 For that they repeatedly transgressed.

163. Ask them concerning the town
 Standing close by the sea.
 Behold! they transgressed

In the matter of the Sabbath.
 For on the day of their Sabbath
 Their fish did come to them,
 Openly holding up their heads,
 But on the day they had
 No Sabbath, they came not:
 Thus did We make a trial
 Of them, for they were
 Given to transgression.

164. When some of them said:
 "Why do ye preach
 To a people whom God
 Will destroy or visit
 With a terrible punishment?"--
 Said the preachers: "To discharge
 Our duty to your Lord,
 And perchance they may fear Him."

165. When they disregarded the warnings
 That had been given them,
 We rescued those who forbade
 Evil; but We visited
 The wrong-doers with a
 Grievous , because
 They were given to transgression.

166. When in their insolence
 They transgressed (all) prohibitions,
 We said to them:
 "Be ye apes,
 Despised and rejected."

167. Behold! thy Lord did declare
 That He would send
 Against them, to the Day
 Of Judgment, those who would
 Afflict them with grievous
 Penalty. Thy Lord is quick
 In retribution, but He is also
 Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

168. We broke them up
 Into sections on this earth.
 There are among them some
 That are the righteous, and some
 That are the opposite.
 We have tried them
 With both prosperity and adversity:
 In order that they
 Might turn (to Us).

169. After them succeeded
 An (evil) generation: they
 Inherited the Book, but
 They chose (for themselves)
 The vanities of this world,
 Saying (for excuse): "(Everything)
 Will be forgiven us."
 (Even so), if similar vanities
 Came their way, they would
 (Again) seize them.
 Was not the Covenant
 Of the Book taken from them,
 That they would not
 Ascribe to God anything

But the truth? And they
 Study what is in the Book.
 But best for the righteous
 Is the Home in the Hereafter.
 Will ye not understand?

170. As to those who hold fast
 By the Book and establish
 Regular Prayer,--never
 Shall we suffer the reward
 Of the righteous to perish.

171. When We shook the Mount
 Over them, as if it had been
 A canopy, and they thought
 It was going to fall on them
 (We said): "Hold firmly
 To what We have given you,
 And bring (ever) to remembrance
 What is therein;
 Perchance ye may fear God."

172. When thy Lord drew forth
 From the Children of Adam--

From their loins--
 Their descendants, and made them
 Testify concerning themselves, (saying):
 "Am I not your Lord
 (Who cherishes and sustains you)?"--
 They said: "Yea!
 We do testify!" (This), lest
 Ye should say on the Day
 Of Judgment: "Of this we
 Were never mindful":

173. Or lest ye should say:
 "Our fathers before us
 May have taken false gods,
 But we are (their) descendants
 After them: wilt Thou then
 Destroy us because of the deeds
 Of men who were futile?"

174. Thus do We explain
 The Signs in detail;
 And perchance they may turn
 (Unto Us).

175. Relate to them the story
 Of the man to whom
 We sent Our Signs,
 But he passed them by:

So Satan followed him up,
 And he went astray.

176. If it had been Our Will,
 We should have elevated him
 With Our Signs; but he
 Inclined to the earth,
 And followed his own vain desires.
 His similitude is that
 Of a dog: if you attack
 Him, he lolls out his tongue,
 Or if you leave him alone,
 He (still) lolls out his tongue.
 That is the similitude
 Of those who reject Our Signs;
 So relate the story;
 Perchance they may reflect.

177. Evil as an example are
 People who reject Our Signs
 And wrong their own souls.

178. Whom God doth guide,
 He is on the right path:
 Whom He rejects from His guidance,--
 Such are the persons who perish.

179. Many are the Jinns and men
 We have made for Hell:
 They have hearts wherewith they
 Understand not, eyes wherewith

They see not, and ears wherewith
 They hear not. They are
 Like cattle,--nay more
 Misguided: for they
 Are heedless (of warning).

180. The most beautiful names
 Belong to God:
 So call on him by them;
 But shun such men as
 Use profanity in His names:
 For what they do, they will
 Soon be requited.

181. Of those We have created
 Are people who direct
 (Others) with truth.
 And dispense justice therewith,

182. Those who reject Our Signs,
 We shall gradually visit
 With punishment, in ways
 They perceive not;

183. Respite will I grant
 Unto them: for My scheme
 Is strong (and unfailing).

184. Do they not reflect?
 Their Companion is not seized

With madness: he is but
 A perspicuous warner.

185. Do they see nothing
 In the government of the heavens
 And the earth and all
 That God hath created?
 (Do they not see) that
 It may well be that
 Their term is nigh
 Drawing to an end?
 In what Message after this
 Will they then believe?

186. To such as God rejects
 From His guidance, there can be
 No guide: He will
 Leave them in their trespasses,
 Wandering in distraction.

187. Whey ask thee about
 The (final) Hour--when
 Will be its appointed time?
 Say: "The knowledge thereof
 Is with my Lord (alone):
 None but He can reveal
 As to when it will occur.
 Heavy were its burden through
 The heavens and the earth.
 Only, all of a sudden
 Will it come to you."
 They ask thee as if thou

Wert eager in search thereof:
 Say: "The knowledge thereof
 Is with God (alone),
 But most men know not."

188. Say: "I have no power
 Over any good or harm
 To myself except as God
 Willeth. If I had knowledge
 Of the unseen, I should have
 Multiplied all good, and no evil
 Should have touched me:
 I am but a warner,
 And a bringer of glad tidings
 To those who have faith."

189. It is He Who created
 You from a single person,
 And made his mate
 Of like nature, in order
 That he might dwell with her
 (In love). When they are
 United, she bears a light
 Burden and carries it about
 (Unnoticed). When she grows
 Heavy, they both pray
 To God their Lord, (saying):
 "If Thou givest us
 A goodly child,

We vow we shall
 (Ever) be grateful."

190. But when He giveth them
 A goodly child, they ascribe
 To others a share in the gift
 They have received:
 But God is exalted
 High above the partners
 They ascribe to Him.

191. Do they indeed ascribe
 To Him as partners things
 That can create nothing,
 But are themselves created?

192. No aid can they give them,
 Nor can they aid themselves!

193. If ye call them to guidance,
 They will not obey:
 For you it is the same
 Whether ye call them
 Or ye hold your peace!

194. Verily those whom ye
 Call upon besides God
 Are servants like unto you:
 Call upon them, and let them
 Listen to your prayer,
 If ye are (indeed) truthful!

195. Have they feet to walk with?
 Or hands to lay hold with?

Or eyes to see with?
 Or ears to hear with?
 Say: "Call your 'god-partners',
 Scheme (your worst) against me,
 And give me no respite!

196. "For my Protector is God,
 Who revealed the Book
 (From time to time),
 And He will choose
 And befriend the righteous.

197. "But those ye call upon
 Besides Him, are unable
 To help you, and indeed
 To help themselves."

198. If thou callest them
 To guidance, they hear not.
 Thou wilt see them
 Looking at thee, but
 They see not.

199. Hold to forgiveness;
 Command what is right;
 But turn away from the ignorant.

200. If a suggestion from Satan
 Assail thy (mind)

Seek refuge with God;
 For He heareth and knoweth
 (All things).

201. Those who fear God,
 When a thought of evil
 From Satan assaults them,
 Bring God to remembrance,
 When lo! they see (aright)!

202. But their brethren (the evil ones)
 Plunge them deeper into error,
 And never relax (their efforts).

203. If thou bring them not
 A revelation, they say:
 "Why hast thou not
 Got it together?"
 Say: "I but follow
 What is revealed to me
 From my Lord:
 This is (nothing but)
 Lights from your Lord,
 And Guidance, and Mercy,
 For any who have Faith."

204. When the Qur-an is read,
 Listen to it with attention,

And hold your peace:
 That ye may receive Mercy.

205. And do thou (O reader!)
 Bring thy Lord to remembrance
 In thy (very) soul,
 With humility and in reverence,
 Without loudness in words,
 In the mornings and evenings;
 And be not thou
 Of those who are unheedful.

206. Those who are near
 To thy Lord, disdain not
 To do Him worship:
 They celebrate His praises,
 And bow down before Him.
 

Sura VIII.  

Anfal, or the Spoils of War.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. They ask thee concerning
 (Things taken as) spoils of war.
 Say: "(Such) spoils are
 At the disposal of God
 And the Apostle: so fear
 God, and keep straight
 The relations between yourselves:
 Obey God and His Apostle,
 If ye do believe."

2. For, Believers are those
 Who, when God is mentioned,
 Feel a tremor in their hearts,
 And when they hear
 His Signs rehearsed, find
 Their faith strengthened,
 And put (all) their trust
 In their Lord;

3. Who establish regular prayers
 And spend (freely) out of
 The gifts We have given
 Them for sustenance:

4. Such in truth are the Believers:
 They have grades of dignity
 With their Lord, and forgiveness,
 And generous sustenance:

5. Just as thy Lord ordered thee
 Out of thy house in truth,
 Even though a party among
 The Believers disliked it,

6. Disputing with thee concerning
 The truth after it was made
 Manifest, as if they were
 Being driven to death
 And they (actually) saw it.

7. Behold! God promised you
 One of the two (enemy) parties,
 That it should be yours:
 Ye wished that the one
 Unarmed should be yours,
 But God willed
 To justify the Truth
 According to His words,
 And to cut off the roots
 Of the Unbelievers;--

8. That He might justify Truth
 And prove Falsehood false,
 Distasteful though it be
 To those in guilt.

9. Remember ye implored
 The assistance of your Lord,
 And He answered you:
 "I will assist you
 With a thousand of the angels,
 Ranks on ranks."

10. God made it but a message
 Of hope, and an assurance
 To your hearts: (in any case)
 There is no help.
 Except from God:
 And God is Exalted in Power,
 Wise.

11. Remember He covered you
 With a sort of drowsiness,
 To give you calm as from
 Himself, and he caused
 Rain to descend on you
 From heaven, to clean you
 Therewith, to remove from you
 The stain of Satan,
 To strengthen your hearts,
 And to plant your feet
 Firmly therewith.

12. Remember thy Lord inspired
 The angels (with the message):
 "I am with you: give
 Firmness to the Believers:

I will instil terror
 Into the hearts of the Unbelievers:
 Smite ye above their necks
 And smite all their
 Finger-tips off them.

13. This because they contended
 Against God and His Apostle:
 If any contend against God
 And His Apostle, God
 Is strict in punishment.

14. Thus (will it be said): "Taste ye
 Then of the (punishment):
 For those who resist God,
 Is the penalty of the Fire."

15. O ye who believe!
 When ye meet
 The Unbelievers
 In hostile array,
 Never turn your backs
 To them.

16. If any do turn his back
 To them on such a day--
 Unless it be in a stratagem
 Of war, or to retreat
 To a troop (of his own)--
 He draws on himself
 The wrath of God,
 And his abode is Hell,--
 An evil refuge (indeed)!

17. It is not ye who
 Slew them; it was God:

When thou threwest (a handful
 Of dust), it was not
 Thy act, but God's:
 In order that He might
 Test the Believers
 By a gracious trial
 From Himself: for God
 Is He Who heareth
 And knoweth (all things).

18. That, and also because
 God is He Who makes feeble
 The plans and stratagems
 Of the Unbelievers.

19. (O Unbelievers!) if ye prayed
 For victory and judgment,
 Now hath the judgment
 Come to you: if ye desist
 (From wrong), it will be
 Best for you: if ye return
 (To the attack), so shall We.
 Not the least good
 Will your forces be to you
 Even if they were multiplied:
 For verily God
 Is with those who believe!

20. O ye who believe!
 Obey God and His Apostle,
 And turn not away from him
 When ye hear (him speak).

21. Nor be like those who say,
 "We hear," but listen not:

22. For the worst of beasts
 In the sight of God
 Are the deaf and the dumb,--
 Those who understand not.

23. If God had found in them
 Any good, He would indeed
 Have made them listen:
 (As it is), if He had made them
 Listen, they would but have
 Turned back and declined (faith).

24. O ye who believe!
 Give your response to God
 And His Apostle, when He
 Calleth you to that which
 Will give you life;
 And know that God
 Cometh in between a man
 And his heart, and that
 It is He to Whom
 Ye shall (all) be gathered.

25. And fear tumult or oppression,
 Which affecteth not in particular
 (Only) those of you who do wrong:
 And know that God
 Is strict in punishment.

26. Call to mind when ye
 Were a small (band),
 Despised through the land,
 And afraid that men might
 Despoil and kidnap you;
 But He provided a safe asylum
 For you, strengthened you
 With His aid, and gave you
 Good things for sustenance:
 That ye might be grateful.

27. O ye that believe!
 Betray not the trust
 Of God and the Apostle,
 Nor misappropriate knowingly
 Things entrusted to you.

28. And know ye
 That your possessions

And your progeny
 Are but a trial;
 And that it is God
 With whom lies
 Your highest reward.

29. O ye who believe!
 If ye fear God,
 He will grant you a Criterion
 (To judge between right and wrong),
 Remove from you (all) evil
 (That may afflict) you,
 And forgive you:
 For God is the Lord
 Of grace unbounded.

30. Remember how the Unbelievers
 Plotted against thee, to keep
 Thee in bonds, or slay thee,
 Or get thee out (of thy home).
 They plot and plan,
 And God too plans,
 But the best of planners
 Is God.

31. When Our Signs are rehearsed
 To them, they say: "We
 Have heard this (before):
 If we wished, we could
 Say (words) like these:
 These are nothing
 But tales of the ancients."

32. Remember how they said:
 "O God! if this is indeed
 The Truth from Thee,
 Rain down on as a shower
 Of stones from the sky,
 Or send us a grievous Penalty.

33. But God was not going
 To send them a Penalty
 Whilst thou wast amongst them;
 Nor was He going to send it
 Whilst they could ask for pardon

34. But what plea have they
 That God should not punish
 Them, when they keep out
 (Men) from the Sacred Mosque--
 And they are not its guardians?
 No men can be its guardians
 Except the righteous; but most
 Of them do not understand.

35. Their prayer at the House
 (Of God) is nothing but
 Whistling and clapping of hands:
 (Its only answer can be),
 "Taste ye the Penalty
 Because ye blasphemed."

36. The Unbelievers spend their wealth
 To hinder (men) from the path
 Of God, and so will they
 Continue to spend; but
 In the end they will have
 (Only) regrets and sighs;

At length they will be overcome:
 And the Unbelievers will be
 Gathered together to Hell;--

37. In order that God may separate
 The impure from the pure,
 Put the impure, one on another,
 Heap them together, and cast them
 Into Hell. They will be
 The ones to have lost.

38. Say to the Unbelievers,
 If (now) they desist (from Unbelief),
 Their past would be forgiven them;
 But if they persist, the punishment
 Of those before them is already
 (A matter of warning for them).

39. And fight them on
 Until there is no 
 Tumult or oppression,
 And there prevail
 Justice and faith in God
 Altogether and everywhere;
 But if they cease, verily God
 Doth see all that they do.

40. If they refuse, be sure
 That God is your Protector--
 The Best to protect
 And the Best to help.

41. And know that out of
 All the booty that ye
 May acquire (in war),
 A fifth share is assigned
 To God,--and to the Apostle,
 And to near relatives,
 Orphans, the needy,
 And the wayfarer,
 If ye do believe in God
 And in the revelation
 We sent down to Our Servant
 On the Day of Testing,--
 The Day of the meeting
 Of the two forces.
 For God hath power
 Over all things.

42. Remember ye were
 On the hither side
 Of the valley, and they
 On the farther side,
 And the caravan
 On lower ground than ye.
 Even if ye had made
 A mutual appointment
 To meet, ye would certainly:
 Have failed in the appointment:

But (thus ye met),
 That God might accomplish
 A matter already enacted;
 That those who died might
 Die after a clear Sign
 (Had been given), and those who lived
 Might live after a Clear Sign
 (Had been given). And verily
 God is He who heareth
 And knoweth (all things).

43. Remember in thy dream
 God showed them to thee
 As few: if He had shown
 Them to thee as many,
 Ye would surely have been
 Discouraged, and ye would
 Surely have disputed
 In (your) decision: but God
 Saved (you): for He knoweth
 Well the (secrets) of (all) hearts.

44. And remember when ye met,
 He showed them to you
 As few in your eyes,
 And He made you appear
 As contemptible in their eyes:
 That God might accomplish
 A matter already enacted.
 For to God do all questions
 Go back (for decision).

45. O ye who believe!
 When ye meet a force,
 Be firm, and call God
 In remembrance much (and often);
 That ye may prosper:

46. And obey God and His Apostle;
 And fall into no disputes,

Lest ye lose heart
 And your power depart;
 And be patient and persevering:
 For God is with those
 Who patiently persevere:

47. And be not like those
 Who started from their homes
 Insolently and to be seen of men,
 And to hinder (men)
 From the path of God:
 For God compasseth round about
 All that they do.

48. Remember Satan made
 Their (sinful) acts seem
 Alluring to them, and said:
 "No one among men
 Can overcome you this day,
 While I am near to you":
 But when the two forces
 Came in sight of each other,
 He turned on his heels,
 And said: "Lo! I am clear
 Of you; to! I see
 What ye see not;
 Lo! I fear God; for God
 Is strict in punishment.

49. Lo! the Hypocrites say, and those
 In whose hearts is a disease:
 "These people,--their religion
 Has misled them." But
 If any trust in God, behold!
 God is Exalted in might, Wise.

50. If thou couldst see,
 When the angels take the souls
 Of the Unbelievers (at death),
 (How) they smite their faces
 And their backs, (saying):
 "Taste the Penalty of the blazing Fire--

51. "Because of (the deeds) which
 Your (own) hands sent forth:
 For God is never unjust
 To His servants:

52. "(Deeds) after the manner
 Of the People of Pharaoh
 And of those before them:
 They rejected the Signs of God,
 And God punished them
 For their crimes: for God
 Is Strong, and Strict in punishment:

53. "Because God will never change
 The Grace which He hath bestowed
 On a people until they change
 What is in their (own) souls:
 And verily God is He
 Who heareth and knoweth (all things)."

54. "(Deeds) after the manner
 Of the People of Pharaoh
 And those before them":
 They treated as false the Signs
 Of their Lord: so We

Destroyed them for their crimes,
 And We drowned the People
 Of Pharaoh: for they were all
 Oppressors and wrong-doers.

55. For the worst of beasts
 In the sight of God
 Are those who reject Him:
 They will not believe.

56. They are those with whom
 Thou didst make a covenant,
 But they break their covenant
 Every time, and they have not
 The fear (of God).

57. If ye gain the mastery
 Over them in war,
 Disperse, with them, those
 Who follow them,
 That they may remember.

58. If thou fearest treachery
 From any group, throw back
 (Their Covenant) to them, (so as
 To be) on equal terms:
 For God loveth not the treacherous.

59. Let not the Unbelievers
 Think that they can
 Get the better (of the godly):
 They will never frustrate (them).

60. Against them make ready
 Your strength to the utmost
 Of your power, including
 Steeds of war, to strike terror
 Into (the hearts of) the enemies,
 Of God and your enemies,
 And others besides, whom
 Ye may not know, but whom
 God doth know. Whatever
 Ye shall spend in the Cause
 Of God, shall be repaid
 Unto you, and ye shall not
 Be treated unjustly.

61. But if the enemy
 Incline towards peace,
 Do thou (also) incline
 Towards peace, and trust
 In God: for He is the One
 That heareth and knoweth
 (All things).

62. Should they intend
 To deceive thee,--verily God
 Sufficeth thee: He it is
 That hath strengthened thee
 With his aid and
 With (the company of)
 The Believers;

63. And (moreover) He hath put
 Affection between their hearts:

Not if thou hadst spent
 All that is in the earth,
 Couldst thou have produced
 That affection, but God
 Hath done it: for He
 Is Exalted in might, Wise.

64. O Apostle! Sufficient
 Unto thee is God,--
 (Unto thee) and unto those
 Who follow thee
 Among the Believers.

65. O Apostle! rouse the Believers
 To the fight. If there are
 Twenty amongst you, patient
 And persevering, they will
 Vanquish two hundred: if a hundred,
 They will vanquish a thousand
 Of the Unbelievers: for these
 Are a people without understanding.

66. For the present, God
 Hath lightened your (task),
 For He knoweth that there is
 A weak spot in you:
 But (even so), if there are
 A hundred of you, patient
 And persevering, they will
 Vanquish two hundred, and if
 A thousand, they will vanquish
 Two thousand, with the leave
 Of God: for God is with those
 Who patiently persevere.

67. It is not fitting
 For an Apostle
 That he should have
 Prisoners of war until
 He hath thoroughly subdued
 The land. Ye look
 For the temporal goods
 Of this world; but God
 Looketh to the Hereafter:
 And God is Exalted in might, Wise.

68. Had it not been for
 A previous ordainment

From God, a severe penalty
 Would have reached you
 For the (ransom) that ye took.

69. But (now) enjoy what ye took
 In war, lawful and good:
 But fear God: for God
 Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

70, O Apostle! say to those
 Who are captives in your hands:
 "If God findeth any good
 In your hearts, He will
 Give you something better
 Than what has been taken
 From you, and He will
 Forgive you: for God
 Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."

71. But if they have
 Treacherous designs against thee,
 (O Apostle!), they have already
 Been in treason against God,
 And so hath He given
 (Thee) power over them.
 And God is He who hath
 (Full) knowledge and wisdom.

72. Those who believed,
 And adopted exile,

And fought for the Faith,
 With their property
 And their persons,
 In the cause of God,
 As well as those
 Who gave (them) asylum
 And aid,--these are (all)
 Friends and protectors,
 One of another.
 As to those who believed
 But came not into exile,
 Ye owe no duty
 Of protection to them
 Until they come into exile;
 But if they seek
 Your aid in religion,
 It is your duty
 To help them,
 Except against a people
 With whom ye have
 A treaty of mutual alliance.
 And (remember) God
 Seeth all that ye do.

73. The Unbelievers are
 Protectors, one of another:
 Unless ye do this,
 (Protect each other),
 There would be
 Tumult and oppression
 On earth, and great mischief.

 74. Those who believe,
 And adopt exile,
 And tight for the Faith,
 In the cause of God,
 As well as those
 Who give (them) asylum
 And aid,--these are (all)
 In very truth the Believers:
 For them is the forgiveness
 Of sins and a provision
 Most generous.

75. And those who
 Accept Faith subsequently,
 And adopt exile,
 And fight for the Faith
 In your company,
 They are of you.
 But kindred by blood
 Have prior rights
 Against each other
 In the Book of God.
 Verily God is well-acquainted
 With all things.

Sura IX.  

Tauba (Repentance) or Baraat (Immunity).

1. A (declaration) of immunity
 From God and His Apostle,
 To those of the Pagans
 With whom ye have contracted
 Mutual alliances:--

2. Go ye, then, for four months,
 Backwards and forwards,
 (As ye will), throughout the land,
 But know ye that ye cannot
 Frustrate God (lay your falsehood)
 But that God will cover
 With shame those who reject Him.

3. And an announcement from God
 And His Apostle, to the people
 (Assembled) on the day
 Of the Great Pilgrimage,--
 That God and His Apostle
 Dissolve (treaty) obligations
 With the Pagans.
 If, then, ye repent,
 It were best for you;
 But if ye turn away,

Know ye that ye cannot
 Frustrate God. And proclaim
 A grievous penalty to those
 Who reject Faith.

4. (But the treaties are)not dissolved
 With those Pagans with whom
 Ye have entered into alliance
 And who have not subsequently
 Failed you in aught,
 Nor aided any one against you.
 So fulfil your engagements
 With them to the end
 Of their term: for God
 Loveth the righteous.

5. But when the forbidden months
 Are past, then fight and slay
 The Pagans wherever ye find them,
 And seize them, beleaguer them,
 And lie in wait for them
 In every stratagem (of war);
 But if they repent,
 And establish regular prayers
 And practise regular charity,
 Then open the way for them:
 For God is Oft-forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

6. If one amongst the Pagans
 Ask thee for asylum,
 Grant it to him,
 So that he may hear the Word
 Of God; and then escort him
 To where he can be secure.
 That is because they are
 Men without knowledge.

7. How can there be a league,
 Before God and His Apostle,
 With the Pagans, except those
 With whom ye made a treaty
 Near the Sacred Mosque?
 As long as these stand true
 To you, stand ye true to them:
 For God doth love the righteous.

8. How (can there be such a league),
 Seeing that if they get an advantage
 Over you, they respect not
 In you the ties either of kinship

Or of covenant? With (fair words
 From) their mouths they entice you,
 But their hearts are averse
 From you; and most of them
 Are rebellious and wicked.

9. The Signs of God have they sold
 For a miserable price,
 And (many) have they hindered
 From His Way: evil indeed
 Are the deeds they have done.

10. In a Believer they respect not
 The ties either of kinship
 Or of covenant! It is they
 Who have transgressed all bounds.

11. But (even so), if they repent,
 Establish regular prayers,
 And practise regular charity,--
 They are your brethren in Faith:
 (Thus) do We explain the Signs
 in detail, for those who understand.

12. But if they violate their oaths
 After their covenant,
 And taunt you for your Faith,--
 Fight ye the chiefs of Unfaith:
 For their oaths are nothing to them:
 That thus they may be restrained.

13. Will ye not fight people
 Who violated their oaths,

Plotted to expel the Apostle,
 And took the aggressive
 By being the first (to assault) you?
 Do ye fear them? Nay,
 It is God Whom ye should
 More justly fear, if ye believe!

14. Fight them, and God will
 Punish them by your hands,
 Cover them with shame,
 Help you (to victory) over them,
 Heal the breasts of Believers,

15. And still the indignation of their hearts!
 For God will turn (in mercy)
 To whom He will; and God
 Is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

16. Or think ye that ye
 Shall be abandoned,
 As though God did not know'
 Those among you who strive
 With might and main, and take
 None for friends and protectors
 Except God, His Apostle,
 And the (community of) Believers?
 But God is well-acquainted
 With (all) that ye do.

17. It is not for such
 As join gods with God,
 To visit or maintain
 The mosques of God
 While they witness
 Against their own souls
 To infidelity. The works
 Of such bear no fruit:
 In Fire shall they dwell.

18. The mosques of God
 Shall be visited and maintained
 By such as believe in God
 And the Last Day, establish
 Regular prayers, and practise
 Regular charity, and fear
 None (at all) except God.
 It is they who are expected
 To be on true guidance!

19. Do ye make the giving
 Of drink to pilgrims,

Or the maintenance of
 The Sacred Mosque, equal
 To (the pious service of) those
 Who believe in God
 And the Last Day, and strive
 With might and main
 In the cause of God?
 They are not comparable
 In the sight of God:
 And God guides not
 Those who do wrong.

20. Those who believe, and suffer
 Exile and strive with might
 And main, in God's cause,
 With their goods and their persons,
 Have the highest rank
 In the sight of God:
 They are the people
 Who will achieve (salvation).

21. Their Lord doth give them
 Glad tidings of a Mercy
 From Himself, of His good pleasure,
 And of Gardens for them,
 Wherein are delights
 That endure:

22. They will dwell therein
 For ever. Verily in God's presence
 Is a reward, the greatest (of all).

23. O ye who believe! Take not
 For protectors your fathers
 And your brothers if they love
 Infidelity above Faith:

If any of you do so,
 They do wrong.

24. Say; If it be that your fathers,
 Your sons, your brothers,
 Your mates, or your kindred;
 The wealth that ye have gained;
 The commerce in which ye fear
 A decline: or the dwellings
 In which ye delight--
 Are dearer to you than God,
 Or His Apostle, or the striving
 In His cause;--then wait
 Until God brings about
 His Decision: and God
 Guides not the rebellious.

25. Assuredly God did help you
 In many battle-fields
 And on the day of Hunain:
 Behold! your great numbers
 Elated you, but they availed
 You naught: the land,
 For all that it is wide,
 Did. constrain you, and ye

Turned back in retreat.

26. But God did pour His calm
 On the Apostle and on the Believers,
 And sent down forces which ye
 Saw not: He punished
 The Unbelievers: thus doth He
 Reward those without Faith.

27. Again will God, after this,
 Turn (in mercy) to whom
 He will: for God
 Is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

28. O ye who believe! Truly
 The Pagans are unclean;
 So let them not,
 After this year of theirs,

Approach the Sacred Mosque.
 And if ye fear poverty,
 Soon will God enrich you,
 If He wills, out of His bounty,
 For God is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

29. Fight those who believe not
 In God nor the Last Day,
 Nor hold that forbidden
 Which hath been forbidden
 By God and His Apostle,
 Nor acknowledge the Religion
 Of Truth, (even if they are)
 Of the People of the Book,
 Until they pay the Jizya
 With willing submission,
 And feel themselves subdued.

30. The Jews call 'Uzair a son
 Of God, and the Christians
 Call Christ the Son of God.
 That is a saying from their mouth;
 (In this) they but imitate
 What the Unbelievers of old
 Used to say. God's curse
 Be on them: how they are deluded
 Away from the Truth!

31. They take their priests
 And their anchorites to be
 Their lords in derogation of God,
 And (they take as their Lord)
 Christ the son of Mary;
 Yet they were commanded
 To worship but One God:
 There is no god but He.
 Praise and glory to Him
 (Far is He) from having
 The partners they associate
 (With Him).

32. Fain would they extinguish
 God's Light with their mouths,
 But God will not allow
 But that His Light should be
 Perfected, even though the Unbelievers
 May detest (it).

33. It is He Who hath sent
 His Apostle with Guidance
 And the Religion of Truth,
 To proclaim it
 Over all religion,
 Even though the Pagans
 May detest (it).

34. O ye who believe! There are
 Indeed many among the priests
 And anchorites, who in falsehood
 Devour the substance of men
 And hinder (them) from the Way
 Of God. And there are those
 Who bury gold and silver
 And spend it not in the Way.
 Of God: announce unto them
 A most grievous penalty--

35. On the Day when heat
 Will be produced out of
 That (wealth) in the fire
 Of Hell, and with it will be
 Branded their foreheads,
 Their flanks, and their backs.
 --"This is the (treasure) which ye
 Buried for yourselves: taste ye,
 Then, the (treasures) ye buried!"

36. The number of months
 In the sight of God
 Is twelve (in a year)
 So ordained by Him
 The day He created
 The heavens and the earth;
 Of them four are sacred:
 That is the straight usage.
 So wrong not yourselves
 Therein, and fight the Pagans

All together as they
 Fight you all together.
 But know that God
 Is with those who restrain
 Themselves.

37. Verily the transposing
 (Of a prohibited month)
 Is an addition to Unbelief:
 The Unbelievers are led
 To wrong thereby: for they make
 It lawful one year,
 And forbidden another year,
 In order to adjust the number
 Of months forbidden by God
 And make such forbidden ones
 Lawful. The evil of their course
 Seems pleasing to them.
 But God guideth not
 Those who reject Faith.

38. O ye who believe! what
 Is the matter with you,
 That, when ye are asked
 To go forth in the Cause of God,
 Ye cling heavily to the earth?
 Do ye prefer the life
 Of this world to the Hereafter?
 But little is the comfort
 Of this life, as compared
 With the Hereafter.

39. Unless ye go forth,
 He will punish you
 With a grievous penalty,
 And put others in your place;
 But Him ye would not harm
 In the least. For God
 Hath power over all things.

40. If ye help not (your Leader),
 (it is no matter): for God
 Did indeed help him,
 When the Unbelievers
 Drove him out: he had
 No more than one companion:
 They two were in the Cave,
 And he said to his companion,
 "Have no fear, for God
 Is with us": then God
 Sent down His peace upon him,
 And strengthened him with forces
 Which ye saw not, and humbled
 To the depths the word
 Of the Unbelievers.
 But the word of God
 Is exalted to the heights:
 For God is Exalted in might, Wise

41. Go ye forth, (whether equipped)
 Lightly or heavily, and strive
 And struggle, with your goods
 And your persons, in the Cause
 Of God. That is best
 For you, if ye (but) knew.

42. If there had been
 Immediate gain (in sight),
 And the journey easy,
 They would (all) without doubt
 Have followed thee, but
 The distance was long,
 (And weighed) on them.
 They would indeed swear
 By God, "If we only could,
 We should certainly
 Have come out with you:"
 They would destroy their own souls; 
 For God doth know
 That they are certainly lying.

43. God give thee grace! Why
 Didst thou grant them exemption
 Until those who told the truth
 Were seen by thee in a clear light,
 And thou hadst proved the liars?

44. Those who believe in God
 And the Last Day ask thee
 For no exemption from fighting
 With their goods and persons.
 And God knoweth well
 Those who do their duty.

45. Only those ask thee for exemption
 Who believe not in God
 And the Last Day, and
 Whose hearts are in doubt,
 So that they are tossed
 In their doubts to and fro.

46. If they had intended
 To come out, they would
 Certainly have made
 Some preparation therefor;
 But God was averse
 To their being sent forth;
 So He made them lag behind,
 And they were told,
 "Sit ye among those
 Who sit (inactive)."

47. If they had come out
 With you, they would not

Have added to your (strength)
 But only (made for) disorder,
 Hurrying to and fro in your midst
 And sowing sedition among you,
 And there would have been
 Some among you
 Who would have listened to them.
 But God knoweth well
 Those who do wrong.

48. Indeed they had plotted
 Sedition before, and upset
 Matters for thee,--until
 The Truth arrived, and the Decree
 Of God became manifest,
 Much to their disgust.

49. Among them is (many) a man
 Who says: "Grant me exemption
 And draw me not.
 Into trial." Have they not
 Fallen into trial already?
 And indeed Hell surrounds
 The Unbelievers (on all sides).

50. If good befalls thee,
 It grieves them; but if
 A misfortune befalls thee,
 They say, "We took indeed
 Our precautions beforehand,"
 And they turn away rejoicing.

51. Say: "Nothing will happen to us
 Except what God has decreed
 For us: He is our Protector":
 And on God let the Believers
 Put their trust.

52. Say: "Can you expect for us
 (Any fate) other than one
 Of two glorious things--
 (Martyrdom or victory)?
 But we can expect for you
 Either that God will send
 His punishment from Himself,
 Or by our hands. So wait
 (Expectant); we too
 Will wait with you."

53. Say: "Spend (for the Cause)
 Willingly or unwillingly:
 Not from you will it be
 Accepted: for ye are indeed
 A people rebellious and wicked."

54. The only reasons why
 Their contributions are not
 Accepted are: that they reject
 God and His Apostle;
 That they come to prayer
 Without earnestness; and that
 They offer contributions unwillingly.

55. Let not their wealth rats
 Nor their (following in) sons

Dazzle thee: in reality
 God's Plan is to punish them
 With these things in this life,
 And that their souls may perish
 In their (very) denial of God.

56. They swear by God
 That they are indeed
 Of you; but they are not
 Of you: yet they are afraid
 (To appear in their true colours).

57. If they could find
 A place to flee to,
 Or caves, or a place
 Of concealment, they would
 Turn straightway thereto,
 With an obstinate rush.

58. And among them are men
 Who slander thee in the matter
 Of (the distribution of) the alms:
 If they are given part thereof,
 They are pleased, but if not,
 Behold! they are indignant!

59. If only they had been content
 With what God and His Apostle
 Gave them, and had said,
 "Sufficient unto us is God!
 God and His Apostle will soon
 Give us of His bounty:
 To God do we turn our hopes!"
 (That would have been the right course).

60. Alms are for the poor
 And the needy, and those
 Employed to administer the (funds);
 For those whose hearts
 Have been (recently) reconciled
 (To Truth); for those in bondage
 And in debt; in the cause
 Of God; and for the wayfarer:
 (Thus is it) ordained by God,
 And God is full of knowledge
 And wisdom.

61. Among them are men
 Who molest the Prophet
 And say, "He is (all) ear."
 Say, "He listens to what is
 Best for you: he believes
 In God, has faith
 In the Believers, and is a Mercy
 To those of you who believe."
 But those who molest the Apostle
 Will have a grievous penalty.

62. To you they swear by God.
 In order to please you:
 But it is more fitting
 That they should please
 God and His Apostle,
 If they are Believers.

63. Know they not that for those
 Who oppose God and His Apostle,
 Is the Fire of Hell?--
 Wherein they shall dwell.
 That is the supreme disgrace.

64. The Hypocrites are afraid
 Lest a Sura should be sent down
 About them, showing them what
 Is (really passing) in their hearts.
 Say: "Mock ye! But verily
 God will bring to light all
 That ye fear (should be revealed).

65. If thou dost question them,
 They declare (with emphasis):
 "We were only talking idly
 And in play." Say: "Was it
 At God, and His Signs,
 And His Apostle, that ye
 Were mocking?"

66. Make ye no excuses:
 Ye have rejected Faith
 After ye had accepted it.
 If We pardon some of you,
 We will punish others amongst you,
 For that they are in sin.

67. The Hypocrites, men and women,
 (Have an understanding) with each other:

They enjoin evil, and forbid
 What is just, and are close
 With their hands. They have
 Forgotten God; so He
 Hath forgotten them. Verily
 The Hypocrites are rebellious
 And perverse.

68. God hath promised the Hypocrites
 Men and women, and the rejecters,
 Of Faith, the fire of Hell:
 Therein shall they dwell:
 Sufficient is it for them:
 For them is the curse of God,
 And an enduring punishment,--

69. As in the case of those
 Before you: they were
 Mightier than you in power,
 And more flourishing in wealth
 And children. They had
 Their enjoyment of their portion:
 And ye have of yours, as did
 Those before you; and ye
 Indulge in idle talk
 As they did. They!--
 Their works are fruitless
 In this world and in the Hereafter,
 And they will lose
 (All spiritual good).

70. Hath not the story reached them
 Of those before them?--
 The people of Noah, and 'Ad,
 And Thamud; the people

Of Abraham, the men
 Of Midian, and the Cities overthrown.
 To them came their apostles
 With Clear Signs. It is
 Not God Who wrongs them,
 But they wrong their own souls.

71. The Believers, men
 And women, are protectors,
 One of another: they enjoin
 What is just, and forbid
 What is evil: they observe
 Regular prayers, practise
 Regular charity, and obey
 God and His Apostle.
 On them will God pour
 His mercy: for God
 Is Exalted in power, Wise:

72. God hath promised to Believers,
 Men and women, Gardens
 Under which rivers flow,
 To dwell therein,
 And beautiful mansions
 In Gardens of everlasting bliss.
 But the greatest bliss
 Is the Good Pleasure of God:
 That is the supreme felicity.

73. O Prophet! strive hard against
 The Unbelievers and the Hypocrites,
 And be firm against them.
 Their abode is Hell,--
 An evil refuge indeed.

74. They swear by God that they
 Said nothing (evil), but indeed
 They uttered blasphemy,
 And they did it after accepting
 Islam; and they meditated
 A plot which they were unable
 To carry out: this revenge
 Of theirs was (their) only return
 For the bounty with which
 God and His Apostle had enriched
 Them! If they repent,
 It will be best for them;
 But if they turn back
 (To their evil ways),
 God will punish them
 With a grievous penalty
 In this life and in the Hereafter:
 They shall have none on earth
 To protect or help them.

75. Amongst them are men
 Who made a Covenant with God,
 That if He bestowed on them
 Of His bounty, they would give
 (Largely) in charity, and be truly
 Amongst those who are righteous.

76. But when He did bestow
 Of His bounty, they became
 Covetous, and turned back
 (From their Covenant), averse
 (From its fulfilment).

77. So He hath put as a consequence
 Hypocrisy into their hearts,
 (To last) till the Day whereon
 They shall meet Him: because
 They broke their Covenant
 With God, and because they
 Lied (again and again).

78. Know they not that God
 Doth know their secret (thoughts)
 And their secret counsels,
 And that God knoweth well
 All things unseen?

79. Those who slander such
 Of the Believers as give themselves
 Freely to (deeds of) charity,
 As well as such as can find
 Nothing to give except
 The fruits of their labour,--
 And throw ridicule on them,--
 God will throw back

Their ridicule on them:
 And they shall have
 A grievous penalty.

80. Whether thou ask
 For their forgiveness,
 Or not, (their sin is unforgivable):
 If thou ask seventy times
 For their forgiveness, God
 Will not forgive them:
 Because they have rejected
 God and His Apostle: and God
 Guideth not those
 Who are perversely rebellious.

81. Those who were left behind
 (In the Tabuk expedition)
 Rejoiced in their inaction
 Behind the back of the Apostle
 Of God: they hated to strive
 And fight, with their goods
 And their persons, in the Cause
 Of God: they said,
 "Go not forth in the heat."
 Say, "The fire of Hell
 Is fiercer in heat." If
 Only they could understand!

82. Let them laugh a little:
 Much will they weep:

A recompense for the (evil)
 That they do.

83. If, then, God bring thee back
 To any of them, and they ask
 Thy permission to come out
 (With thee), say: "Never shall ye
 Come out with me, nor fight
 An enemy with me:
 For ye preferred to sit
 Inactive on the first occasion:
 Then sit ye (now)
 With those who lag behind."

84. Nor do thou ever pray
 For any of them that dies,
 Nor stand at his grave;
 For they rejected God
 And His Apostle, and died
 In a state of perverse rebellion.

85. Nor let their wealth
 Nor their (following in) sons
 Dazzle thee: God's Plan
 Is to punish them
 With these things in this world,
 And that their souls may perish
 In their (very) denial of God.

86. When a Sura comes down,
 Enjoining them to believe
 In God and to strive and fight
 Along with His Apostle,
 Those with wealth and influence
 Among them ask thee
 For exemption, and say:
 "Leave us (behind): we
 Would be with those
 Who sit (at home)."

87. They prefer to be with (the women),
 Who remain behind (at home):
 Their hearts are sealed
 And so they understand not.

88. But the Apostle, and those
 Who believe with him,
 Strive and fight with their wealth
 And their persons: for them
 Are (all) good things:
 And it is they
 Who will prosper.

89. God hath prepared for them
 Gardens under which rivers flow,

To dwell therein:
 That is the supreme felicity.

90. And there were, among
 The desert Arabs (also),
 Men who made excuses
 And came to claim exemption;
 And those who were false
 To God and His Apostle
 (Merely) sat inactive.
 Soon will a grievous penalty
 Seize the Unbelievers
 Among them.

91. There is no blame
 On those who are infirm,

Or ill, or who find
 No resources to spend
 (On the Cause), if they
 Are sincere (in duty) to God
 And His Apostle:
 No ground (of complaint)
 Can there be against such
 As do right: and God
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

92. Nor (is there blame)
 On those who came to thee
 To be provided with mounts,
 And when thou saidst,
 "I can find no mounts
 For you, "they turned back,
 Their eyes streaming with tears
 Of grief that they had
 No resources wherewith
 To provide the expenses.

93. The ground (of complaint)
 Is against such as claim
 Exemption while they are rich.
 They prefer to stay
 With the (women) who remain
 Behind: God hath sealed
 Their hearts; so they know not
 (What they miss).

94. They will present their excuses
 To you when ye return
 To them. Say thou: "Present
 No excuses: we shall not
 Believe you: God hath already
 Informed us of the true state
 Of matters concerning you:
 It is your actions that God
 And His Apostle will observe:
 In the end will ye
 Be brought back to Him
 Who knoweth what is hidden
 And what is open:
 Then will He show you
 The truth of all
 That ye did."

95. They will swear to you by God,
 When ye return to them,
 That ye may leave them alone.
 So leave them alone:
 For they are an abomination,
 And Hell is their dwelling-place,--
 A fitting recompense
 For the (evil) that they did.

96. They will swear unto you,
 That ye may be pleased with them,
 But if ye are pleased with them,
 God is not pleased
 With those who disobey.

97. The Arabs of the desert
 Are the worst in unbelief
 And hypocrisy, and most fitted
 To be in ignorance
 Of the command which God
 Hath sent down to His Apostle:
 But God is All-Knowing,
 All-Wise.

98. Some of the desert Arabs
 Look upon their payments

As a fine, and watch
 For disasters for you: on them
 Be the disaster of Evil:
 For God is He that heareth
 And knoweth (all things).

99. But some of the desert Arabs
 Believe in God and the Last Day,
 And look on their payments
 As pious gifts bringing them
 Nearer to God and obtaining
 The prayers of the Apostle.
 Aye, indeed they bring them
 Nearer (to Him): soon will God
 Admit them to His Mercy:
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

100. The vanguard (of Islam)--
 The first of those who forsook
 (Their homes) and of those
 Who gave them aid, and (also)
 Those who follow them
 In (all) good deeds,--
 Well-pleased is God with them,
 As are they with Him:

For them hath He prepared
 Gardens under which rivers flow,
 To dwell therein for ever:
 That is the supreme Felicity.

101. Certain of the desert Arabs
 Round about you are Hypocrites,
 As well as (desert Arabs) among
 The Medina folk: they are
 Obstinate in hypocrisy: thou
 Knowest them not: We know them:
 Twice shall We punish them:
 And in addition shall they be
 Sent to a grievous Penalty.

102. Others (there are who) have
 Acknowledged their wrong-doings:
 They have mixed an act
 That was good with another
 That was evil. Perhaps God
 Will turn unto them (in mercy):
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

103. Of their goods take alms,
 That so thou mightest
 Purify and sanctify them;
 And pray on their behalf.
 Verily thy prayers are a source
 Of security for them:
 And God is One
 Who heareth and knoweth.

104. Know they not that God
 Doth accept repentance from
 His votaries and receives
 Their gifts of charity, and that
 God is verily He,
 The Oft-Returning, Most Merciful?

105. And say: "Work (righteousness):
 Soon will God observe your work,
 And His Apostle, and the Believers:
 Soon will ye be brought back
 To the Knower of what is
 Hidden and what is open:
 Then will He show you
 The truth of all that ye did."

106. There are (yet) others,
 Held in suspense for the command
 Of God, whether He will
 Punish them, or turn in mercy
 To them: and God
 Is All-Knowing, Wise.

107. And there are those
 Who put up a mosque

By way of mischief and infidelity--
 To disunite the Believers
 And in preparation for one
 Who warred against God
 And His Apostle aforetime.
 They will indeed swear
 That their intention is nothing
 But good; but God doth declare
 That they are certainly liars.

108. Never stand thou forth therein.
 There is a mosque whose foundation
 Was laid from the first day
 On piety; it is more worthy
 Of thy standing forth (for prayer)
 Therein. In it are men who
 Love to be purified; and God
 Loveth those who make themselves pure.

109. Which then is best?--he that
 Layeth his foundation
 On piety to God
 And His Good Pleasure?--or he
 That layeth his foundation
 On an undermined sand-cliff
 Ready to crumble to pieces?
 And it doth crumble to pieces
 With him, into the fire
 Of Hell. And God guideth not
 People that do wrong.

110. The foundation of those
 Who so build is never free

From suspicion and shakiness
 In their hearts, until
 Their hearts are cut to pieces.
 And God is All-Knowing, Wise.

111. God hath purchased of the Believers
 Their persons and their goods;
 For theirs (in return)
 Is the Garden (of Paradise):
 They fight in His Cause,
 And slay and are slain:
 A promise binding on Him
 In Truth, through the Law,
 The Gospel, and the Qur-an:
 And who is more faithful
 To his Covenant than God?
 Then rejoice in the bargain
 Which ye have concluded:
 That is the achievement supreme.

112. Those that turn (to God)
 In repentance; that serve Him,
 And praise Him; that wander
 In devotion to the Cause of God;
 That bow down and prostrate themselves
 In prayer; that enjoin good
 And forbid evil; and observe
 The limits set by God;--
 (These do rejoice). So proclaim
 The glad tidings to the Believers.

113. It is not fitting,
 For the Prophet and those
 Who believe, that they should
 Pray for forgiveness
 For Pagans, even though
 They be of kin, after it is
 Clear to them that they
 Are companions of the Fire.

114. And Abraham prayed
 For his father's forgiveness
 Only because of a promise
 He had made to him.
 But when it became clear
 To him that he was
 An enemy to God, he
 Dissociated himself from him:
 For Abraham was most
 Tender-hearted, forbearing.

115. And God will not mislead
 A people after He hath

Guided them, in order that
 He may make clear to them
 What to fear (and avoid)--
 For God hath knowledge
 Of all things.

116. Unto God belongeth
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth. He giveth life
 And He taketh it. Except for Him
 Ye have no protector
 Nor helper.

117. God turned with favour
 To the Prophet, the Muhajirs,
 And the Ansar,--who followed
 Him in a time of distress,
 After that the hearts of a part
 Of them had nearly swerved
 (From duty); but He turned
 To them (also): for He is
 Unto them Most Kind,
 Most Merciful.

118. (He turned in mercy also)
 To the three who were left
 Behind; (they felt guilty)
 To such a degree that the earth

Seemed constrained to them,
 For all its speciousness,
 And their (very) Souls seemed
 Straitened to them,
 And they perceived that
 There is no fleeing from God
 (And no refuge) but to Himself.
 Then He turned to them,
 That they might repent:
 For God is Oft-Returning,
 Most Merciful.

119. O ye who believe! Fear God
 And be with those
 Who are true (in word and deed).

120. It was not fitting
 For the people of Medina
 And the Bedouin Arabs
 Of the neighbourhood, to refuse
 To follow God's Apostle,
 Nor to prefer their own lives
 To his: because nothing
 Could they suffer or do,
 But was reckoned to their credit
 As a deed of righteousness,--
 Whether they suffered thirst,
 Or fatigue, or hunger, in the Cause
 Of God, or trod paths
 To raise the ire of the Unbelievers,
 Or received any injury

Whatever from an enemy:
 For God suffereth not
 The reward to be lost
 Of those who do good;--

121, Nor could they spend anything
 (For the Cause)--small or great--
 Nor cut across a valley,
 But the deed is inscribed
 To their credit; that God
 May requite their deed
 With the best (possible reward).

122. Nor should the Believers
 All go forth together:
 If a contingent
 From every expedition
 Remained behind,
 They could devote themselves
 To studies in religion,
 And admonish the people
 When they return to them,--
 That thus they (may learn)
 To guard themselves (against evil)

123. O ye who believe! Fight
 The Unbelievers who gird you about,
 And let them find firmness
 In you: and know that God
 Is with those who fear Him.

124. Whenever there cometh down'
 A Sura, some of them say:
 "Which of you has had
 His faith increased by it?"
 Yea, those who believe,--
 Their faith is increased,
 And they do rejoice.

125. But those in whose hearts
 Is a disease,--it will add doubt
 To their doubt, and they will die
 In a state of Unbelief.

126. See they not that they
 Are tried every year
 Once or twice? Yet they
 Turn not in repentance,
 And they take no heed.

127. Whenever there cometh down
 A Sura, they look at each other,
 (Saying), "Doth anyone see you?"
 Then they turn aside:
 God hath turned their hearts
 (From the light); for they
 Are a people that understand not.

128. Now hath come unto you
 An Apostle from amongst

Yourselves: it grieves him
 That ye should perish:
 Ardently anxious is he
 Over you: to the Believers
 Is he most kind and merciful.

129. But if they turn away,
 Say: "God sufficeth me:
 There is no god but He:
 On Him is my trust,
 He the Lord of the Throne
 (Of Glory) Supreme!

Sura X.  

Yunus, or Jonah.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. A. L. R.
 These are the Ayats
 Of the Book of Wisdom.

2. Is it a matter
 Of wonderment to men
 That We have sent
 Our inspiration to a man
 From among themselves?--
 That he should warn mankind
 (Of their danger), and give
 The good news to the Believers
 That they have before their Lord
 The lofty rank of Truth.
 (But) say the Unbelievers:
 "This is indeed
 An evident sorcerer!"

3. Verily your Lord is God,
 Who created the heavens
 And the earth in six Days,

And is firmly established
 On the Throne (of authority),
 Regulating and governing all things.
 No intercessor (can plead with Him)
 Except after His leave
 (Hath been obtained). This
 Is God your Lord; Him therefore
 Serve ye: will ye not
 Receive admonition?

4. To Him will be your return--
 Of all of you. The promise
 Of God is true and sure.
 It is He who beginneth
 The process of creation,
 And repeateth it, that He
 May reward with justice
 Those who believe
 And work righteousness;
 But those who reject Him
 Will have draughts
 Of boiling fluids,
 And a Penalty grievous,
 Because they did reject Him.

5. It is He who made the sun
 To be a shining glory

And the moon to be a light
 (Of beauty), and measured out
 Stages for her; that ye might
 Know the number of years
 And the count (of time).
 Nowise did God create this
 But in truth and righteousness.
 (Thus) doth He explain His Signs
 In detail, for those who understand.

6. Verily, in the alternation
 Of the Night and the Day,
 And in all that God
 Hath created, in the heavens
 And the earth, are Signs
 For those who fear Him.

7. Those who rest not their hope
 On their meeting with Us,
 But are pleased and satisfied
 With the life of the Present,
 And those who heed not
 Our Signs,--

8. Their abode is the Fire,
 Because of the (evil)
 They earned.

9. Those who believe,
 And work righteousness,--
 Their Lord will guide them
 Because of their Faith:

 Beneath them will flow
 Rivers in Gardens of Bliss.

10. (This will be) their cry therein:
 "Glory to Thee, O God!"
 And "Peace" will be their greeting therein!
 And the close of their cry
 Will be: "Praise be to God,
 The Cherisher and Sustainer.
 Of the Worlds!"

11. If God were to hasten for men
 The ill (they have earned)
 As they would fain hasten on
 The good,--then would
 Their respite be settled at once.
 But We leave those
 Who rest not their hope
 On their meeting with Us,
 In their trespasses, wandering
 In distraction to and fro.

12. When trouble toucheth a man,
 He crieth unto Us
 (In all postures)--lying down 
 On his side, or sitting,
 Or standing. But when We
 Have solved his trouble,
 He passeth on his way as if
 He had never cried to Us
 For a trouble that touched him!
 Thus do the deeds of transgressors
 Seem fair in their eyes!

13. Generations before you
 We destroyed when they
 Did wrong: their Apostles
 Came to them with Clear Signs,
 But they would not believe!
 Thus do We requite
 Those who sin!

14. Then We made you heirs
 In the land after them,
 To see how ye would behave!

15. But when Our Clear Signs
 Are rehearsed unto them,
 Those who rest not their hope
 On their meeting with Us,
 Say: "Bring us a Reading
 Other than this, or change this,"
 Say: "It is not for me,
 Of my own accord,
 To change it: I follow
 Naught but what is revealed
 Unto me: if I were
 To disobey my Lord,
 I should myself fear the Penalty
 Of a Great Day (to come)."

16. Say: "If God had so willed,
 I should not have rehearsed it
 To you, nor whould He
 Have made it known to you.
 A whole life-time before this
 Have I tarried amongst you:
 Will ye not then understand?

17. Who doth more wrong
 Than such as forge a lie
 Against God, or deny
 His Signs? But never
 Will prosper those who sin.

18. They serve, besides God,
 Things that hurt them not
 Nor profit them, and they say:
 "These are our intercessors
 With God." Say: "Do ye
 Indeed inform God of something
 He knows not, in the heavens
 Or on earth?--Glory to Him!
 And far is He above the partners
 They ascribe (to Him)!"

19. Mankind was but one nation,
 But differed (later). Had it not
 Been for a Word
 That went forth before
 From thy Lord, their differences
 Would have been settled
 Between them.

20. They say: "Why is not
 A Sign sent down to him
 From his Lord?" Say:
 "The Unseen is only
 For God (to know).
 Then wait ye: I too
 Will wait with you.

21. When We make mankind
 Taste of some mercy after
 Adversity hath touched them,
 Behold! they take to plotting
 Against Our Signs! Say:
 "Swifter to plan is God!"
 Verily, Our messengers record
 All the plots that ye make!

22. He it is who enableth you
 To traverse through land
 And sea; so that ye even board
 Ships;--they sail with them
 With a favourable wind,
 And they rejoice thereat;
 Then comes a stormy wind
 And the waves come to them
 From all sides, and they think
 They are being overwhelmed:
 They cry unto God, sincerely
 Offering (their) duty unto Him,
 Saying, "If Thou dost deliver us
 From this, we shall truly
 Show our gratitude!"

23. But when he delivereth them,
 Behold! they transgress
 Insolently through the earth
 In defiance of right!
 O mankind! your insolence
 Is against your own souls,--
 An enjoyment of the life
 Of the Present: in the end,
 To Us is your return,
 And We shall show you
 The truth of all that ye did.

24. The likeness of the life
 Of the Present is
 As the rain which We
 Send down from the skies:
 By its mingling arises
 The produce of the earth--
 Which provides food
 For men and animals:
 (It grows) till the earth
 Is clad with its golden
 Ornaments and is decked out
 (In beauty): the people to whom
 It belongs think they have
 All powers of disposal over it:
 There reaches it Our command
 By night or by day,
 And We make it
 Like a harvest clean-mown,
 As if it had not flourished
 Only the day before!
 Thus do We explain
 The Signs in detail
 For those who reflect.

25. But God doth call
 To the Home of Peace:
 He doth guide whom He pleaseth
 To a Way that is straight.

26. To those who do right
 Is a goodly (reward)--
 Yea, more (than in measure)!
 No darkness nor shame
 Shall cover their faces!
 They are Companions of the Garden;
 They will abide therein
 (For aye)!

27. But those who have earned
 Evil will have a reward
 Of like evil: ignominy
 Will cover their (faces):
 No defender will they have
 From (the wrath of) God:
 Their faces will be covered,
 As it were, with pieces
 From the depth of the darkness
 Of Night: they are Companions

Of the Fire: they will
 Abide therein (for aye)!

28. One Day shall We gather them
 All together. Then shall We say
 To those who joined gods (with Us):
 "To your place! ye and those
 Ye joined as "partners"."
 We shall separate them,
 And their "partners" shall say:
 "It was not us
 That ye worshipped!

29. "Enough is God for a witness
 Between us and you: we
 Certainly knew nothing
 Of your worship of us!"

30. There will every soul prove
 (The fruits of) the deeds
 It sent before : they will
 Be brought back to God
 Their rightful Lord,
 And their invented falsehoods
 Will leave them in the lurch.

31. Say: "Who is it that
 Sustains you (in life)
 From the sky and from the earth?

Or who is it that
 Has power over hearing
 And sight? And who
 Is it that brings out
 The living from the dead
 And the dead from the living?
 And who is it that
 Rules and regulates all affairs?"
 They will soon say, "God".
 Say, "Will ye not then
 Show piety (to Him)?"

32. Such is God, your real
 Cherisher and Sustainer:
 Apart from Truth,
 What (remains) but error?
 How then are ye turned away?

33. Thus is the Word
 Of thy Lord proved true
 Against those who rebel:
 Verily they will not believe.

34. Say: "Of your 'partners',
 Can any originate creation
 And repeat it?" Say:
 "It is God Who originates
 Creation and repeats it: 
 Then how are ye deluded
 Away (from the truth)?"

35. Say: "Of your "partners"
 Is there any that
 Can give any guidance
 Towards Truth?" Say: "It is God
 Who gives guidance
 Towards Truth. Is then He
 Who gives guidance to Truth
 More worthy to be followed,
 Or he who finds not guidance
 (Himself) unless he is guided?
 What then is the matter
 With you? How judge ye?"

36. But most of them follow
 Nothing but fancy: truly
 Fancy can be of no avail
 Against Truth. Verily God
 Is well aware of all
 That they do.

37. This Qur-an is not such
 As can be produced
 By other than God;
 On the contrary it is
 A confirmation of (revelations)
 That went before it,
 And a fuller explanation
 Of the Book--wherein
 There is no doubt
 From the Lord of the Worlds.

38. Or do they say,
 "He forged it"?
 Say: "Bring then
 A Sura like unto it,
 And call (to your aid)
 Anyone you can,
 Besides God, if it be
 Ye speak the truth!"

39. Nay, they charge with falsehood
 That whose knowledge they
 Cannot compass, even before
 The elucidation thereof"
 Hath reached them: thus
 Did those before them
 Make charges of falsehood:
 But see what was the end
 Of those who did wrong!

40. Of them there are some
 Who believe therein,
 And some who do not:
 And thy Lord knoweth best
 Those who are out for mischief.

41. If they charge thee
 With falsehood, say:
 "My work to me,
 And yours to you!

Ye are free from responsibility
 For what I do, and I
 For what ye do!"

42. Among them are some who
 (Pretend to) listen to thee:
 But canst thou make the deaf
 To hear,--even though
 They are without understanding?

43. And among them are some
 Who look at thee:
 But canst thou guide
 The blind,--even though
 They will not see?

44. Verily God will not deal
 Unjustly with man in aught:
 It is man that wrongs
 His own soul.

45. One day He will
 Gather them together:
 (It will be) as if
 They had tarried
 But an hour of a day:
 They will recognise each other:
 Assuredly those will be lost
 Who denied the meeting
 With God and refused
 To receive true guidance.

46. Whether We show thee
 (Realised in thy life-time)
 Some part of what We
 Promise them,--or We

Take thy soul (to Our Mercy)
 (Before that),--in any case,
 To Us is their return:
 Ultimately God is witness.
 To all that they do.

47. To every people (was sent)
 An Apostle: when their Apostle
 Comes (before them), the matter
 Will be judged between them
 With justice, and they
 Will not be wronged.

48. They say: "When
 Will this promise
 Come to pass,
 If ye speak the truth?"

49. Say: "I have no power
 Over any harm or profit
 To myself except as God
 Willeth. To every People
 Is a term appointed:
 When their term is reached,
 Not an hour can they cause
 Delay, nor (an hour) can they
 Advance (it in anticipation)."

50. Say: "Do ye see,
 If His punishment should come
 To you by night or by day,--
 What portion of it
 Would the Sinners
 Wish to hasten?

51. "Would ye then believe in it
 At last, when it actually cometh
 To pass? (It will then be said:)
 'Ah! now? and ye wanted
 (Aforetime) to hasten it on!'

52. "At length will be said
 To the wrong-doers: 'Taste ye
 The enduring punishment!
 Ye get but the recompense
 Of what ye earned!'"

53. They seek to be informed
 By thee: "Is that true?"
 Say: "Aye! by my Lord!
 It is the very truth!
 And ye cannot frustrate it!"

54. Every soul that hath sinned,
 If it possessed all
 That is on earth,
 Would fain give it in ransom:

They would declare (their) repentance
 When they see the Penalty:
 But the judgment between them
 Will be with justice,
 And no wrong will be done
 Unto them.

55. Is it not (the case) that to God
 Belongeth whatever is
 In the heavens and on earth?
 Is it not (the case) that
 God's promise is assuredly true?
 Yet most of them understand not.

56. It is He who giveth life
 And who taketh it,
 And to Him shall ye
 All be brought back.

57. O mankind! there hath come
 To you a direction from your Lord
 And a healing for the (diseases)
 In your hearts,--and for those
 Who believe, a Guidance
 And a Mercy.

58. Say: "In the Bounty of God.
 And in His Mercy,--in that
 Let them rejoice": that is better
 Than the (wealth) they hoard.

59. Say: "See ye what things
 God hath sent down to you

For sustenance? Yet ye
 Hold forbidden some things
 Thereof and (some things) lawful."
 Say: "Hath God indeed
 Permitted you, or do ye invent
 (Things) to attribute to God?"

60. And what think those
 Who invent lies against God,
 Of the Day of Judgment?
 Verily God is full of Bounty
 To mankind, but most
 Of them are ungrateful!"

61. In whatever business thou
 Mayest be, and whatever portion
 Thou mayest be reciting
 From the Qur-an,--and whatever
 Deed ye (mankind) may be doing,--
 We are Witnesses thereof
 When ye are deeply engrossed
 Therein. Nor is hidden
 From thy Lord (so much as)
 The weight of an atom
 On the earth or in heaven.
 And not the least
 And not the greatest
 Of these things but are recorded
 In a clear Record.

62. Behold! verily on the friends
 Of God there is no fear,

Nor shall they grieve;

63. Those who believe
 And (constantly) guard
 Against evil;--

64. For them are Glad Tidings,
 In the life of the Present
 And in the Hereafter:
 No change can there be
 In the Words of God.
 This is indeed
 The supreme Felicity.

65. Let not their speech
 Grieve thee: for all power
 And honour belong to God:
 It is He Who heareth
 And knoweth (all things).

66. Behold! verily to God
 Belong all creatures,
 In the heavens and on earth.
 What do they follow
 Who worship as His "partners"
 Other than God? They follow
 Nothing but fancy, and
 They do nothing but lie.

67. He it is that hath
 Made you the Night
 That ye may rest therein,
 And the Day to make
 Things visible (to you).
 Verily in this are Signs
 For those who listen
 (To His Message).

68. They say, "God hath begotten
 A son!"--Glory be to Him!
 He is Self-Sufficient! His
 Are all things in the heavens
 And on earth! No warrant
 Have ye for this! Say ye
 About God what ye know not?

69. Say: "Those who invent
 A lie against God
 Will never prosper."

70. A little enjoyment
 In this world!--
 And then, to Us
 Will be their return.
 Then shall We make them
 Taste the severest Penalty
 For their blasphemies.

71. Relate to them the story
 Of Noah. Behold! he said
 To his People: "O my People,
 If it be hard on your (mind)

That I should stay (with you)
 And commemorate the Signs
 Of God,--yet I put
 My trust in God.
 Get ye then an agreement
 About your plan and among
 Your Partners, so your plan
 Be not to you dark and dubious.
 Then pass your sentence on me,
 And give me no respite.

72. "But if ye turn back, (consider):
 No reward have I asked
 Of you: my reward is only
 Due from God, and I
 Have been commanded to be
 Of those who submit
 To God's Will (in Islam)."

73. They rejected him,
 But We delivered him,
 And those with him,
 In the Ark, and We made
 Them inherit (the earth),
 While We overwhelmed
 In the Flood those
 Who rejected Our Signs.
 Then see what was the end
 Of those who were warned
 (But heeded not)!

74. Then after him We sent
 (Many) apostles to their Peoples:
 They brought them Clear Signs,
 But they would not believe
 What they had already rejected

Beforehand. Thus do We seal
 The hearts of the transgressors.

75. Then after them sent We
 Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh
 And his chiefs with Our Signs.
 But they were arrogant:
 They were a people in sin.

76. When the Truth did come
 To them from Us, they said:
 "This is indeed evident sorcery!"

77. Said Moses: "Say ye (this)
 About the Truth when
 It hath (actually) reached you?
 Is sorcery (like) this?
 But sorcerers will not prosper."

78. They said: "Hast thou
 Come to us to turn us
 Away from the ways
 We found our fathers following,--
 In order that thou and thy brother
 May have greatness in the land?
 But not we shall believe in you!"

79. Said Pharaoh: "Bring me
 Every sorcerer well versed."

80. When the sorcerers came,
 Moses said to them:
 "Throw ye what ye (wish)
 To throw!"

81. When they had had their throw,
 Moses said: "What ye
 Have brought is sorcery:
 God will surely make it
 Of no effect: for God
 Prospereth not the work
 Of those who make mischief.

82. "And God by His Words
 Doth prove and establish
 His Truth, however much
 The Sinners may hate it!"

83. But none believed in Moses
 Except some children of his People,
 Because of the fear of Pharaoh
 And his chiefs, lest they
 Should persecute them; and certainly
 Pharaoh was mighty on the earth
 And one who transgressed all bounds.

84. Moses said: "O my People!
 If ye do (really) believe
 In God, then in Him
 Put your trust if ye
 Submit (your will to His)."

85. They said: "In God
 Do we put our trust.

Our Lord! make us not
 A trial for those
 Who practise oppression;

86."And deliver us by Thy Mercy
 From those who reject (Thee)."

87. We inspired Moses and his brother
 With this Message: "Provide
 Dwellings for your People
 In Egypt, make your dwellings
 Into places of worship,
 And establish regular prayers:
 And give Glad Tidings
 To those who believe!"

88. Moses prayed: "Our Lord!
 Thou hast indeed bestowed
 On Pharaoh and his Chiefs
 Splendour and wealth in the life
 Of the Present, and so,
 Our Lord, they mislead (men)
 From Thy Path. Deface.
 Our Lord, the features of their wealth,
 And send hardness to their hearts,
 So they will not believe

Until they see
 The grievous Penalty."

89. God said: "Accepted is
 Your prayer (O Moses and Aaron)
 So stand ye straight,
 And follow not the path
 Of those who know not.

90. We took the Children
 Of Israel across the sea:
 Pharaoh and his hosts followed them
 In insolence and spite.
 At length, when overwhelmed
 With the flood, he said:
 "I believe that there is no god
 Except Him Whom the Children
 Of Israel believe in:
 I am of those who submit
 (To God in Islam)."

91. (It was said to him:)
 "Ah now!--But a little while
 Before, wast thou in rebellion!--
 And thou didst mischief (and violence)!

92. "This day shall We save thee
 In thy body, that thou
 Mayest be a Sign to those
 Who come after thee!
 But verily, many among mankind
 Are heedless of Our Signs!"

93. We settled the Children
 Of Israel in a beautiful
 Dwelling-place, and provided
 For them sustenance of the best:
 It was after knowledge had been
 Granted to them, that they
 Fell into schisms. Verily
 God will judge between them
 As to the schisms amongst them,
 On the Day of Judgment.

94. If thou wert in doubt
 As to what We have revealed
 Unto thee, then ask those
 Who have been reading
 The Book from before thee:
 The Truth hath indeed come
 To thee from thy Lord:
 So be in no wise
 Of those in doubt.

95. Nor be of those who reject
 The Signs of God,
 Or thou shalt be of those
 Who perish.

96. Whose against whom the Word
 Of thy Lord hath been verified

Would not believe--

97. Even if every Sign was brought
 Unto them,--until they see
 (For themselves) the Penalty Grievous.

98. Why was there not
 A single township (among those
 We warned), which believed,--
 So its Faith should have
 Profited it,--except the People
 Of Jonah? When they believed,
 We removed from them
 The Penalty of Ignominy
 In the life of the Present,
 And permitted them to enjoy
 (Their life) for a while.

99. If it had been thy Lord's Will,
 They would all have believed,--
 All who are on earth!
 Wilt thou then compel mankind,

Against their will, to believe!

100. No soul can believe, except
 By the Will of God,
 And He will place Doubt
 (Or obscurity) on those
 Who will not understand.

101. Say: "Behold all that is
 In the heavens and on earth ";
 But neither Signs nor Warners
 Profit those who believe not.

102. Do they then expect
 (Any thing) but (what happened
 In) the days of the men
 Who passed away before them?
 Say: "Wait ye then:
 For I, too, will wait with you."

103. In the end We deliver
 Our apostles and those who believe:
 Thus is it fitting on Our part
 That We should deliver
 Those who believe!

104. Say: "O ye men!
 If ye are in doubt
 As to my religion, (behold!)
 I worship not what ye
 Worship, other than God!
 But I worship God
 Who will take your souls
 (At death): I am commanded
 To be (in the ranks)
 Of the Believers,

105. "And further (thus), "set thy face
 Towards Religion with true piety,
 And never in any wise
 Be of the Unbelievers;

106. "Nor call on any,
 Other than God;--
 Such will neither profit thee
 Nor hurt thee: if thou dost,
 Behold! thou shalt certainly
 Be of those who do wrong."

107. If God do touch thee
 With hurt, there is none
 Can remove it but He:
 If He do design some benefit

For thee, there is none
 Can keep back His favour:
 He causeth it to reach
 Whomsoever of His servants
 He pleaseth. And He is
 The Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

108. Say: "O ye men! Now
 Truth hath reached you
 From your Lord! Those who receive
 Guidance, do so for the good
 Of their own souls; those
 Who stray, do so to their own loss:
 And I am not (set) over you
 To arrange your affairs."

109. Follow thou the inspiration
 Sent unto thee, and be
 Patient and constant, till God
 Do decide: for He
 Is the Best to decide.

Sura XI.  

Hud (The Prophet Hud).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R.
 (This is) a Book,
 With verses basic or fundamental
 (Of established meaning),
 Further explained in detail,--
 From One Who is Wise
 And Well-Acquainted (with al] things):

2. (It teacheth) that ye should
 Worship none but God.
 (Say:) "Verily I am
 (Sent) unto you from Him
 To warn and to bring
 Glad tidings:

3. "(And to preach thus), "Seek ye
 The forgiveness of your Lord,
 And turn to Him in repentance;
 That He may grant you
 Enjoyment, good (and true),
 For a term appointed,
 And bestow His abounding grace
 On all who abound in merit!
 But if ye turn away,
 Then I fear for you
 The Penalty of a Great Day:

4. "'To God is your return,
 And He hath power
 Over all things.'"

5. Behold! they fold up
 Their hearts, that they may lie
 Hid from Him! Ah! even
 When they cover themselves
 With their garments, He knoweth
 What they conceal, and what
 They reveal: for He knoweth
 Well the (inmost secrets)
 Of the hearts

6. Where is no moving creature
 On earth but its sustenance
 Dependeth on God: He knoweth
 The time and place of its
 Definite abode and its
 Temporary deposit:
 All is in a clear Record.

7. He it is Who created
 The heavens and the earth
 In six Days--and His Throne
 Was over the Waters--
 That He might try you,
 Which of you is best
 In conduct. But if
 Thou wert to say to them,
 "Ye shall indeed be raised up
 After death", the Unbelievers
 Would be sure to say,
 "This is nothing but
 Obvious sorcery!"

8. If We delay the penalty
 For them for a definite term,
 They are sure to say,
 "What keeps it back?"

Ah! On the day it (actually)
 Reaches them, nothing will.
 Turn it away from them,
 And they will be completely
 Encircled by that which
 They used to mock at!

9. If We give man a taste
 Of Mercy from Ourselves,
 And then withdraw it from him,
 Behold! he is in despair
 And (falls into) blasphemy.

10. But if We give hint a taste
 Of (Our) favours after
 Adversity hath touched him,
 He is sure to say,
 "All evil has departed from me:
 Behold! he falls into exultation
 And pride.

11. Not so do those who show
 Patience and constancy, and work
 Righteousness; for them
 Is forgiveness (of sins)
 And a great reward.

12. Perchance thou mayest (feel
 The inclination) to give up
 A part of what is revealed
 Unto thee, and thy heart

Feeleth straitened lest they say,
 "Why is not a treasure sent down
 Unto him, or why does not
 An angel come down with him?"
 But thou art there only to warn!
 It is God that arrangeth
 All affairs!

13. Or they may say, "He forged it."
 Say, "Bring ye then ten Suras
 Forged, like unto it, and call
 (To your aid) whomsoever
 Ye can, other than God!--
 If ye speak the truth!

14. "If then they (your false gods)
 Answer not your (call),
 Know ye that this Revelation
 Is sent down (replete) with the knowledge
 Of God, and that there is
 No god but He! Will ye
 Even then submit (to Islam)?"

15. Those who desire
 The life of the Present
 And its glitter,--to them
 We shall pay (the price
 Of) their deeds therein,--
 Without diminution.

16. They are those for whom
 There is nothing in the Hereafter
 But the Fire: vain
 Are the designs they frame therein,
 And of no effect
 Are the deeds that they do!

17. Can they be (like) those
 Who accept a Clear (Sign)
 From their Lord, and whom
 A witness from Himself

Doth teach, as did the Book
 Of Moses before it,--a guide
 And a mercy? They believe
 Therein; but those of the Sects
 That reject it,--the Fire
 Will be their promised
 Meeting-place. Be not then
 In doubt thereon: for it is
 The Truth from thy Lord:
 Yet many among men
 Do not believe!

18. Who doth more wrong
 Than those who invent a lie
 Against God? They will be
 Turned back to the presence
 Of their Lord, and the witnesses
 Will say, "These are the ones
 Who lied against their Lord!
 Behold! the Curse of God
 Is on those who do wrong!--

19. "Those who would hinder (men)
 From the path of God
 And would seek in it
 Something crooked: these were
 They who denied the Hereafter!"

20. They will in no wise
 Frustrate (His design) on earth,
 Nor have they protectors
 Besides God! Their penalty
 Will be doubled! They lost
 The power to hear,
 And they did not see!

21. They are the ones who
 Have lost their own souls:

And the (fancies) they invented
 Have left them in the lurch!

22. Without a doubt, these
 Are the very ones who
 Will lose most in the Hereafter!

23. But those who believe
 And work righteousness,
 And humble themselves
 Before their Lord,--
 They will be Companions
 Of the Garden, to dwell
 Therein for aye!

24. These two kinds (of men)
 May be compared to
 The blind and deaf,
 And those who can see
 And hear well. Are they
 Equal when compared?
 Will ye not then take heed?

25. We sent Noah to his People
 (With a mission): "I have come
 To you with a Clear Warning:

26. "That ye serve none but God:
 Verily I do fear for you

The Penalty of a Grievous Day."

27. But the Chiefs of the Unbelievers
 Among his People said:
 "We see (in) thee nothing
 But a man like ourselves:
 Nor do we see that any
 Follow thee but the meanest
 Among us, in judgment immature:
 Nor do we see in you (all)
 Any merit above us:
 In fact we think ye are liars!"

28. He said: "O my People!
 See ye if (it be that)
 I have a Clear Sign
 From my Lord, and that He
 Hath sent Mercy unto me
 From His own Presence, but
 That the Mercy hath been
 Obscured from your sight?
 Shall we compel you
 To accept it when ye
 Are averse to it?

29. "And O my People!
 I ask you for no wealth

In return: my reward
 Is from none but God:
 But I will not drive away
 (In contempt) those who believe:
 For verily they are
 To meet their Lord, and ye
 I see are the ignorant ones!

30. "And O my People!
 Who would help me against God
 If I drove them away?
 Will ye not then take heed?

31. "I tell you not that
 With me are the Treasures
 Of God, nor do I know
 What is hidden,
 Nor claim I to be
 An angel. Nor yet
 Do I say, of those whom
 Your eyes do despise
 That God will not grant them
 (All) that is good:
 God knoweth best
 What is in their souls:
 I should, if I did,
 Indeed be a wrong-doer."

32. They said: "O Noah!
 Thou hast disputed with us,
 And (much) hast thou prolonged
 The dispute with us: now
 Bring upon us what thou
 Threatenest us with, if thou
 Speakest the truth!?"

33. He said: "Truly, God
 Will bring it on you
 If He wills,--and then,
 Ye will not be able
 To frustrate it!

34. "Of no profit will be
 My counsel to you,
 Much as I desire
 To give you (good) counsel,
 If it be that God
 Willeth to leave you astray:
 He is your Lord!
 And to Him will ye return!"

35. Or do they say,
 "He has forged it "? Say:
 "If I had forged it,
 On me were my sin!
 And I am free
 Of the sins of which
 Ye are guilty!

36. It was revealed to Noah:
 "None of thy People will believe
 Except those who have believed
 Already! So grieve no longer
 Over their (evil) deeds.

37. "But construct an Ark
 Under Our eyes and Our
 Inspiration, and address Me
 No (further) on behalf
 Of those who are in sin:
 For they are about to be
 Overwhelmed (in the Flood)."

38. Forthwith he (starts)
 Constructing the Ark:
 Every time that the Chiefs
 Of his People passed by him,
 They threw ridicule on him.
 He said: "If ye ridicule
 Us now, we (in our turn)
 Can look down on you
 With ridicule likewise!

39. "But soon will ye know
 Who it is on whom
 Will descend a Penalty
 That will cover them

With shame,--on whom will be
 Unloosed a Penalty lasting:"

40. At length, behold!
 There came Our Command,
 And the fountains of the earth
 Gushed forth! We said:
 "Embark therein, of each kind
 Two, male and female,
 And your family--except
 Those against whom the Word
 Has already gone forth,--
 And the Believers."
 But only a few
 Believed with him.

41. So he said: "Embark ye
 On the Ark,
 In the name of God,
 Whether it move
 Or be at rest!
 For my Lord is, be sure,
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!"

42. So the Ark floated
 With them on the waves
 (Towering) like mountains,
 And Noah called out
 To his son, who had
 Separated himself (from the rest):
 "O my son! embark
 With us, and be not
 With the Unbelievers!"

43. The son replied: "I will
 Betake myself to some mountain:
 It will save me from
 The water." Noah said:
 "This day nothing can save,
 From the Command of God,
 Any but those on whom
 He hath mercy!"--
 And the waves came
 Between them, and the son
 Was among those
 Overwhelmed in the Flood.

44. Then the word went forth:
 "O earth! swallow up
 Thy water, and O sky!
 Withhold (thy rain)!"
 And the water abated,
 And the matter was ended.
 The Ark rested on Mount
 Judi, and the word
 Went forth: "Away
 With those who do wrong!"

45. And Noah called upon
 His Lord, and said:
 "O my Lord! surely
 My son is of my family!
 And Thy promise is true,
 And Thou art
 The Justest of Judges!"

46. He said: "O Noah!
 He is not of thy family:
 For his conduct is unrighteous.
 So ask not of Me
 That of which thou
 Hast no knowledge!
 I give thee counsel, lest
 Thou act like the ignorant!"

47. Noah said: "O my Lord!
 I do seek refuge with Thee,
 Lest I ask Thee for that
 Of which I have no knowledge.
 And unless Thou forgive me
 And have Mercy on me,
 I should indeed be lost!"

48. The word came: "O Noah!
 Come down (from the Ark)
 With Peace from Us,
 And Blessing on thee
 And on some of the Peoples
 (Who will spring) from those
 With thee: but (there will be
 Other) Peoples to whom We
 Shall grant their pleasures
 (For a time), but in the end
 Will a grievous Penalty
 Reach them from Us."

49. Such are some of the stories
 Of the Unseen, which We
 Have revealed unto thee:
 Before this, neither thou
 Nor thy People knew them.
 So persevere patiently:
 For the End is for those
 Who are righteous.

50. To the 'Ad People
 (We sent) Hud, one
 Of their own brethren.
 He said: "O my people!
 Worship God! ye have
 No other god but Him.
 (Your other gods) ye do nothing
 But invent!

51. "O my people! I ask of you
 No reward for this (Message).
 My reward is from none
 But Him who created me:
 Will ye not then understand?

52. "And O my people! Ask
 Forgiveness of your Lord,

And turn to Him (in repentance):
 He will send you the skies
 Pouring abundant rain,
 And add strength
 To your strength:
 So turn ye not back
 In sin!"

53. They said: "O Hud!
 No Clear (Sign) hast thou
 Brought us, and we are not
 The ones to desert our gods
 On thy word! Nor shall we
 Believe in thee!

54. "We say nothing but that
 (Perhaps) some of our gods
 May have seized thee
 With imbecility." He said:
 "I call God to witness,
 And do ye bear witness,
 That I am free from the sin
 Of ascribing, to Him,

55. "Other gods as partners!
 So scheme (your worst) against me,
 All of you, and give me
 No respite.

56. "I put my trust in God,
 My Lord and your Lord!
 There is not a moving
 Creature, but He hath
 Grasp of its fore-lock.
 Verily, it is my Lord
 That is on a straight Path.

57. "If ye turn away,--
 I (at least) have conveyed
 The Message with which I
 Was sent to you. My Lord
 Will make another People
 To succeed you, and you
 Will not harm Him
 In the least. For my Lord
 Hath care and watch
 Over all things."

58. So when Our decree
 Issued, We saved Hud
 And those who believed
 With him, by (special) Grace
 From Ourselves: We saved them
 From a severe Penalty.

59. Such were the 'Ad People:
 They rejected the Signs

Of their Lord and Cherisher;
 Disobeyed His Apostles;
 And followed the command
 Of every powerful, obstinate
 Transgressor.

60. And they were pursued
 By a Curse in this Life,
 And on the Day of Judgment.
 Ah! Behold! For the 'Ad
 Rejected their Lord and Cherisher
 Ah! Behold! Removed (from sight)
 Were 'Ad the People of Hud!

61. To the Thamud People
 (We sent) Salih, one
 Of their own brethren.
 He said: "O my People!
 Worship God: ye have
 No other God but Him.
 It is He Who hath produced you
 From the earth and settled you
 Therein: then ask forgiveness
 Of Him, and turn to Him
 (In repentance): for my Lord
 Is (always) near, ready
 To answer."

62. They said: "O Salib!
 Thou hast been of us!--

A centre of our hopes
 Hitherto! Dost thou (now)
 Forbid us the worship
 Of what our fathers worshipped?
 But we are really
 In suspicious (disquieting)
 Doubt as to that to which
 Thou invitest us."

63. He said: "O my people!
 Do ye see?--If I have
 A Clear (Sign) from my Lord
 And He hath sent Mercy
 Unto me from Himself,--who
 Then can help me
 Against God if I were
 To disobey Him? What
 Then would ye add
 To my (portion) but perdition?

64. "And O my people!
 This she-camel of God is
 A symbol to you:
 Leave her to feed
 On God's (free) earth,
 And inflict no harm
 On her, or a swift Penalty
 Will seize you!"

65. But they did ham-string her.
 So he said: "Enjoy yourselves
 In your homes for three days:
 (Then will be your ruin):

(Behold) there a promise
 Not to be belied!"

66. When Our Decree issued,
 We saved Salib and those
 Who believed with him,
 By (special) Grace from
 Ourselves--
 And from the Ignominy
 Of that Day. For thy Lord--
 He is the Strong One, and Able
 To enforce His Will.

67. The (mighty) Blast overtook
 The wrong-doers, and they
 Lay prostrate in their homes
 Before the morning,--

68. As if they had never
 Dwelt and flourished there.
 Ah! Behold! For the Thamud
 Rejected their Lord and Cherisher!
 Ah! Behold! Removed
 (From sight) were the Thamud!

69. There came Our Messengers
 To Abraham with glad tidings.

They said, "Peace!" He answered,
 "Peace!" and hastened
 To entertain them
 With a roasted calf.

70. But when he saw
 Their hands went not
 Towards the (meal), he felt
 Some mistrust of them,
 And conceived a fear of them.
 They said: "Fear not:
 We have been sent
 Against the people of Lut."

71. And his wife was standing
 (There), and she laughed:
 But We gave her
 Glad tidings of Isaac,
 And after him, of Jacob.

72. She said: "Alas for me!
 Shall I bear a ,
 Seeing I am an old woman,
 And my husband here
 Is an old man?
 That would indeed
 Be a wonderful thing!"

73. They said: "Dost thou
 Wonder at God's decree?
 The grace of God
 And His blessings on you,
 O ye people of the house!
 For He is indeed
 Worthy of all praise,
 Full of all glory!"

74. When fear had passed
 From (the mind of) Abraham
 And the glad tidings
 Had reached him, he
 Began to plead with Us
 For Lut's people.

75. For Abraham was,
 Without doubt, forbearing
 (Of faults), compassionate,
 And given to look to God.

76. O Abraham! Seek not this.
 The decree of thy Lord
 Hath gone forth: for them
 There cometh a Penalty

That cannot be turned back!

77. When Our Messengers
 Came to Lut, he was
 Grieved on their account
 And felt himself powerless
 (To protect) them. He said:
 "This is a distressful day."

78. And his people came
 Rushing towards him,
 And they had been long
 In the habit of practising
 Abominations. He said:
 "O my people! Here are
 My daughters: they are purer
 For you (if ye marry)!
 Now fear God, and cover me not
 With shame about my guests!
 Is there not among you
 A single right-minded man?"

79. They said: "Well dost thou
 Know we have no need
 Of thy daughters: indeed
 Thou knowest quite well
 What we want!"

80. He said: "Would that I
 Had power to suppress you

Or that I could betake
 Myself to some powerful support."

81. (The Messengers) said: "O Lut
 We are Messengers from thy Lord!
 By no means shall they
 Reach thee! Now travel
 With thy family while yet
 A part of the night remains,
 And let not any of you
 Look back: but thy wife
 (Will remain behind):
 To her will happen
 What happens to the people.
 Morning is their time appointed:
 Is not the morning nigh?"

82. When Our decree issued,
 We turned (the cities)
 Upside down, and rained down
 On them brimstones
 Hard as baked clay,
 Spread, layer on layer,--

83. Marked as from thy Lord:

Nor are they ever far
 From those who do wrong!

84. To the Madyan people
 (We sent) Shu'aib, one
 Of their own brethren: he said:
 "O my people! worship God:
 Ye have no other god
 But Him. And give not
 Short measure or weight:
 I see you in prosperity,
 But I fear for you
 The Penalty of a Day
 That will compass (you) all round.

85. "And O my people! give
 Just measure and weight,
 Nor withhold from the people
 The things that are their due:
 Commit not evil in the land
 With intent to do mischief.

86. "That which is left you
 By God is best for you,

If ye (but) believed!
 But I am not set
 Over you to keep watch!"

87. They said: "O Shu'aib!
 Does thy (religion of) prayer
 Command thee that we
 Leave off the worship which
 Our fathers practised, or
 That we leave off doing
 What we like with our property?
 Truly, thou art the one
 That forbeareth with faults
 And is right-minded!"

88. He said: "O my people!
 See ye whether I hate
 A Clear (Sign) from my Lord,
 And He hath given me
 Sustenance (pure and) good
 As from Himself? I wish not,
 In opposition to you, to do
 That which I forbid you to do.
 I only desire (your) betterment
 To the best of my power;
 And my success (in my task)
 Can only come from God.
 In Him I trust,
 And unto Him I look.

89. "And O my people!
 Let not my dissent (from you)

Cause you to sin,
 Lest ye suffer
 A fate similar to that
 Of the people of Noah
 Or of Hud or of Salib,
 Nor are the people of Lut
 Far off from you!

90. "But ask forgiveness
 Of your Lord, and turn
 Unto Him (in repentance):
 For my Lord is indeed
 Full of mercy and loving-kindness."

91. They said: "O Shu'aib!
 Much of what thou sayest
 We do not understand!
 In fact among us we see
 That thou hast no strength!
 Were it not for thy family,
 We should certainly
 Have stoned thee!
 For thou hast among us
 No great position!"

92. He said: "O my people!
 Is then my family
 Of more consideration with you
 Than God? For ye cast Him
 Away behind your backs
 (With contempt). But verily
 My Lord encompasseth
 On all sides
 All that ye do!

93. "And O my people!
 Do whatever ye can:

I will do (my part):
 Soon will ye know
 Who it is on whom
 Descends the Penalty
 Of ignominy, and who
 Is a liar!
 And watch ye!
 For I too am watching
 With you!"

94. When Our decree issued,
 We saved Shu'aib and those
 Who believed with him,
 By (special) Mercy from Ourselves
 But the (mighty) Blast did seize
 The wrong-doers, and they
 Lay prostrate in their homes
 By the morning,--

95. As if they had never
 Dwelt and flourished there!
 Ah! Behold! How the Madyan
 Were removed (from sight)
 As were removed the Thamud!

96. And we sent Moses,
 With our Clear (signs)
 And an authority manifest,

97. Unto Pharaoh and his Chiefs:
 But they followed the command
 Of Pharaoh, and the command
 Of Pharaoh was no right (guide).

98. He will go before his people
 On the Day of Judgment,
 And lead them into the Fire
 (As cattle are led to water):
 But woeful indeed will be
 The place to which they are led!

99. And they are followed
 By a curse in this (life)
 And on the Day of Judgment:
 And woeful is the gift
 Which shall be given
 (Unto them)!

100. These are some of the stories
 Of communities which We
 Relate unto thee: of them
 Some are standing, and some

Have been mown down
 (By the sickle of time.

101. It was not We that wronged them:
 They wronged their own souls:
 The deities, other than God,
 Whom they invoked, profited them
 No whit when there issued
 The decree of thy Lord:
 Nor did they add aught
 (To their lot) but perdition!

102. Such is the chastisement
 Of thy Lord when He chastises
 Communities in the midst of
 Their wrong: grievous, indeed,
 And severe is His chastisement.

103. In that is a Sign
 For those who fear
 The Penalty of the Hereafter:
 That is a Day for which mankind
 Will be gathered together:
 That will be a Day
 Of Testimony.

104. Nor shall We delay it
 But for a term appointed.

105. The day it arrives,
 No soul shall speak

Except by His leave:
 Of those (gathered) some
 Will be wretched and some
 Will be blessed.

106. Those who are wretched
 Shall be in the Fire:
 There will be for them
 Therein (nothing but) the heaving
 Of sighs and sobs:

107. They will dwell therein
 For all the time that
 The heavens and the earth
 Endure, except as thy Lord
 Willeth: for thy Lord
 Is the (sure) Accomplisher
 Of what He planneth.

108. And those who are blessed
 Shall be in the Garden:
 They will dwell therein
 For all the time that
 The heavens and the earth
 Endure, except as thy Lord
 Willeth: a gift without break.

109. Be not then in doubt
 As to what these men
 Worship. They worship nothing
 But what their fathers worshipped
 Before (them): but verily
 We shall pay them back
 (In full) their portion
 Without (the least) abatement.

110. We certainly gave the Book
 To Moses, but differences
 Arose therein: had it not been
 That a Word had gone forth
 Before from thy Lord, the matter
 Would have been decided
 Between them: but they
 Are in suspicious doubt
 Concerning it.

111. And, of a surety, to all
 Will your Lord pay back
 (In full the recompense)
 Of their deeds: for He
 Knoweth well all that they do.

112. Therefore stand firm (in the straight
 Path) as thou art commanded,--

Thou and those who with thee
 Turn (unto God); and transgress not
 (From the Path): for He seeth
 Well all that ye do.

113. And incline not to those
 Who do wrong, or the Fire
 Will seize you; and ye have
 No protectors other than God,
 Nor shall ye be helped.

114. And establish regular prayers
 At the two ends of the day
 And at the approaches of the night:
 For those things that are good
 Remove those that are evil:
 Be that the word of remembrance
 To those who remember (their Lord):

115. And be steadfast in patience;
 For verily God will not suffer
 The reward of the righteous
 To perish.

116. Why were there not,
 Among the generations before you,
 Persons possessed of balanced
 Good sense, prohibiting (men)

From mischief in the earth--
 Except a few among them
 Whom We saved (from harm)?
 But the wrong-doers pursued
 The enjoyment of the good things
 Of life which were given them,
 And persisted in sin.

117. Nor would thy Lord be
 The One to destroy
 Communities for a single wrong-doing,
 If its members were likely
 To mend.

118. If thy Lord had so willed,
 He could have made mankind
 One People: but they
 Will not cease to dispute,

119. Except those on whom thy Lord
 Hath bestowed His Mercy:
 And for this did He create
 Them: and the Word
 Of thy Lord shall be fulfilled:
 "I will fill Hell with jinns
 And men all together."

120. All that we relate to thee
 Of the stories of the apostles,--
 With it We make firm
 Thy heart: in them there cometh
 To thee the Truth, as well as
 An exhortation and a message
 Of remembrance to those who believe.

121. Say to those who do not
 Believe: "Do whatever ye can:
 We shall do our part;

122. "And wait ye!
 We too shall wait."

123. To God do belong
 The unseen (secrets)
 Of the heavens and the earth,
 And to Him goeth back
 Every affair (for decision)
 Then worship Him,
 And put thy trust in Him .
 And thy Lord is not
 Unmindful of aught
 That ye do.

Sura XII.

Yusuf, or Joseph.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R. These are
 The Symbols (or Verses)
 Of the Perspicuous Book.

2. We have sent it down
 As an Arabic Qur-an,
 In order that ye may
 Learn wisdom.

3. We do relate unto thee
 The most beautiful of stories,
 In that We reveal to thee
 This (portion of the) Qur-an:
 Before this, thou too
 Was among those
 Who knew it not.

4. Behold, Joseph said
 To his father: "O my father!

I did see eleven stars
 And the sun and the moon:
 I saw them prostrate themselves
 To me!"

5. Said (the father):
 "My (dear) little son!
 Relate not thy vision
 To thy brothers, lest they
 Concoct a plot against thee:
 For Satan is to man
 An avowed enemy!

6. "Thus will thy Lord
 Choose thee and teach thee
 The interpretation of stories (and events)
 And perfect His favour
 To thee and to the posterity
 Of Jacob--even as He
 Perfected it to thy fathers
 Abraham and Isaac aforetime!
 For God is full of knowledge
 And wisdom."

7. Verily in Joseph and his brethren
 Are Signs (or Symbols)

For Seekers (after Truth).

8. They said: "Truly Joseph
 And his brother are loved
 More by our father than we:
 But we are a goodly body!
 Really our father is obviously
 Wandering (in his mind)!

9. "Slay ye Joseph or cast him out
 To some (unknown) land,
 That so the favour
 Of your father may be
 Given to you alone:
 (There will be time enough)
 For you to be righteous after that!"

10. Said one of them: "Slay not
 Joseph, but if ye must
 Do something, throw him down
 To the bottom of the well:
 He will be picked up
 By some caravan of travellers."

11. They said: "O our father!
 Why dost thou not
 Trust us with Joseph,
 Seeing we are indeed
 His sincere well-wishers?

12. "Send him with us tomorrow
 To enjoy himself and play,
 And we shall take
 Every care of him."

13. (Jacob) said: "Really
 It saddens me that ye
 Should take him away:
 I fear lest the wolf
 Should devour him
 While ye attend not
 To him."

14. They said: "If the wolf
 Were to devour him
 While we are (so large) a party,
 Then should we indeed
 (First) have perished ourselves!"

15. So they did take him away,
 And they all agreed

To throw him down
 To the bottom of the well:
 And We put into his heart
 (This Message): "Of a surety
 Thou shalt (one day)
 Tell them the truth
 Of this their affair
 While they know (thee) not"

16. Then they came
 To their father
 In the early part
 Of the night,
 Weeping.

17. They said: "O our father!
 We went racing with one another,
 And left Joseph with our things;
 And the wolf devoured him....
 But thou wilt never believe us
 Even though we tell the truth.

18. They stained his shirt
 With false blood. He said:

"Nay, but your minds
 Have made up a tale
 (That may pass) with you.
 (For me) patience is most fitting:
 Against that which ye assert,
 It is God (alone)
 Whose help can be sought"...

19. Then there came a caravan
 Of travellers: they sent
 Their water-carrier (for water),
 And he let down his bucket
 (Into the well)... He said:
 "Ah there! Good news!
 Here is a (fine) young man!"
 So they concealed him
 As a treasure! But God
 Knoweth well all that they do!

20. The (Brethren) sold him
 For a miserable price,--

For a few dirhams counted out:
 In such low estimation
 Did they hold him!

21. The man in Egypt
 Who bought him, said

To his wife: "Make his stay
 (Among us) honourable:
 Maybe he will bring us
 Much good, or we shall
 Adopt him as a son."
 Thus did We establish
 Joseph in the land,
 That We might teach him
 The interpretation of stories
 (And events). And God
 Hath full power and control
 Over His affairs; but most
 Among mankind know it not.

22. When Joseph attained
 His full manhood, We gave him

Power and knowledge: thus do We
 Reward those who do right.

23. But she in whose house
 He was, sought to seduce him
 From his (true) self: she fastened
 The doors, and said:
 "Now come, thou (dear one)!"
 He said: "God forbid!
 Truly (thy husband) is
 My lord! he made
 My sojourn agreeable!
 Truly to no good
 Come those who do wrong!"

24. And (with passion) did she
 Desire him, and he would
 Have desired her, but that
 He saw the evidence
 Of his Lord: thus
 (Did We order) that We
 Might turn away from him
 (All) evil and shameful deeds:

For he was one of Our servants,
 Sincere and purified.

25. So they both raced each other
 To the door, and she
 Tore his shirt from the back:
 They both found her lord
 Near the door. She said:
 "What is the (fitting) punishment
 For one who formed
 An evil design against
 Thy wife, but prison
 Or a grievous chastisement?"

26. He said: "It was she
 That sought to seduce me--
 From my (true) self." And one
 Of her household saw (this)
 And bore witness, (thus):--
 "If it be that his shirt
 Is rent from the front, then
 Is her tale true,
 And he is a liar!

27. "But if it be that his shirt
 Is torn from the back,

Then is she the liar,
 And he is telling the truth!"

28. So when he saw his shirt,--
 That it was torn at the back,
 (Her husband) said: "Behold!
 It is a snare of you women!
 Truly, mighty is your snare!

29. "O Joseph, pass this over!
 (O wife), ask forgiveness
 For thy sin, for truly
 Thou hast been at fault!"

30. Ladies said in the City:
 "The wife of the (great) 'Aziz
 Is seeking to seduce her slave
 From his (true) self:
 Truly hath he inspired her
 With violent love: we see
 She is evidently going astray."

31. When she heard
 Of their malicious talk,
 She sent for them
 And prepared a banquet
 For them: she gave
 Each of them a knife:
 And she said (to Joseph),
 "Come out before them."
 When they saw him,
 Thy did extol him,
 And (in their amazement)
 Cut their hands: they said,
 "God preserve us! no mortal
 Is this! This is none other
 Than a noble angel!"

32. She said: "There before you
 Is the man about whom
 Ye did blame me!
 I did seek to seduce him from
 His (true) self but he did
 Firmly save himself guiltless!...
 And now, if he doth not
 My bidding, he shall certainly
 Be cast into prison,
 And (what is more)
 Be of the company of the vilest!"

33. He said: "O my Lord!
 The prison is more
 To my liking than that
 To which they invite me:
 Unless Thou turn away
 Their snare from me,
 I should (in my youthful folly)
 Feel inclined towards them
 And join the ranks of the ignorant."

34. So his Lord hearkened to him
 (In his prayer), and turned
 Away from him their snare:
 Verily He heareth and knoweth
 (All things).

35. Then it occurred to the men,
 After they had seen the Signs,
 (That it was best)
 To Imprison him
 For a time.

36. Now with him there came
 Into the prison two young men.
 Said one of them: "I see
 Myself (in a dream)
 Pressing wine." Said the other:
 "I see myself (in a dream)
 Carrying bread on my head,
 And birds are eating thereof."
 "Tell us" (they said) "the truth
 And meaning thereof: for we
 See thou art one
 That doth good (to all)."

37. He said: "Before any food
 Comes (in due course)
 To feed either of you,
 I will surely reveal
 To you the truth
 And meaning of this
 Ere it befall you
 That is part of the (Duty)
 Which my Lord hath taught me.
 I have (I assure you)

Abandoned the ways
 Of a people that believe not
 In God and that (even)
 Deny the Hereafter.

38. "And I follow the ways
 Of my fathers,--Abraham,
 Isaac, and Jacob; and never
 Could we attribute any partners
 Whatever to God: that (comes)
 Of the grace of God to us
 And to mankind: yet
 Most men are not grateful

39. "O my two companions.
 Of the prison! (I ask you):
 Are many lords differing
 Among themselves better,
 Or the One God,
 Supreme and Irresistible?

40. "If not Him, ye worship nothing
 But names which ye have named,--
 Ye and your fathers,--
 For which God hath sent down
 No authority: the Command
 Is for none but God: He

Hath commanded that ye worship
 None but Him: that is
 The right religion, but
 Most men understand not...

41. "O my two companions
 Of the prison! As to one
 Of you, he will pour out
 The wine for his lord to drink:
 As for the other, he will
 Hang from the cross, and the birds
 Will eat from off his head.
 (So) hath been decreed
 That matter whereof
 Ye twain do enquire"...

42. And of the two,
 To that one whom he considered
 About to be saved, he said:
 "Mention me to thy lord."

But Satan made him forget
 To mention him to his lord:
 And (Joseph) lingered in prison
 A few (more) years.

43. The king (of Egypt) said:
 "I do see (in a vision)
 Seven fat kine, whom seven
 Lean ones devour,--and seven
 Green ears of corn, and seven (others)
 Withered. O ye chiefs!
 Expound to me my vision
 If it be that ye can
 Interpret visions."

44. They said: "A confused medley
 Of dreams: and we are not
 Skilled in the interpretation
 Of dreams."

45. But the man who had been
 Released, one of the two
 (Who had been in prison)
 And who now bethought him
 After (so long) a space of time,
 Said: "I will tell you
 The truth of its interpretation:
 Send ye me (therefor)."

46."O Joseph!" (he said).
 "O man of truth! Expound
 To us (the dream)
 Of seven fat kine
 Whom seven lean ones
 Devour, and of seven
 Green ears of corn
 And (seven) others withered:
 That I may return
 To the people, and that
 They may understand."

47. (Joseph) said: "For seven years
 Shall ye diligently sow

As is your wont:
 And the harvests that ye reap,
 Ye shall leave them in the ear,--
 Except a little, of which
 Ye shall eat.

48. "Then will come
 After that (period)
 Seven dreadful (years),
 Which will devour
 What ye shall have laid by
 In advance for them,--
 (All) except a little
 Which ye shall have
 (Specially) guarded.

49. "Then will come
 After that (period) a year
 In which the people will have
 Abundant water, and in which
 They will press (wine and oil)."

50. So the king said:
 "Bring ye him unto me."
 But when the messenger
 Came to him, (Joseph) said:
 "Go thou back to thy lord,
 And ask him, "What is
 The state of mind
 Of the ladies
 Who cut their hands?"
 For my Lord is
 Certainly well aware
 Of their snare."

51. (The king) said (to the ladies):
 "What was your affair
 When ye did seek to seduce
 Joseph from his (true) self?"
 The ladies said: "God
 Preserve us! no evil

Know we against him!"
 Said the 'Aziz's wife:
 "Now is the truth manifest
 (To all): it was I
 Who sought to seduce him
 From his (true) self:
 He is indeed of those
 Who are (ever) true (and virtuous).

52. "This (say I), in order that
 He may know that I
 Have never been false
 To him in his absence,
 And that God will never
 Guide the snare of the false ones.

53. "Nor do I absolve my own self
 (Of blame): the (human) soul
 Is certainly prone to evil,
 Unless my Lord do bestow
 His Mercy: but surely
 My Lord is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful."

54. So the king said:
 "Bring him unto me;
 I will take him specially
 To serve about my own person."
 Therefore when he had spoken
 To him, he said:
 "Be assured this day,
 Thou art, before our own Presence,
 With rank firmly established,
 And fidelity fully proved!

55. (Joseph) said: "Set me
 Over the store-houses
 Of the land: I will
 Indeed guard them,

As one that knows
 (Their importance)."

56. "Thus did we give
 Established power to Joseph
 In the land, to take possession
 Therein as, when, or where
 He pleased. We bestow
 Of Our mercy on whom
 We please, and We suffer not,
 To be lost, the reward
 Of those who do good.

57. But verily the reward
 Of the Hereafter
 Is the best, for those
 Who believe, and are constant
 In righteousness.

58. Then came Joseph's brethren:
 They entered his presence,
 And he knew them,
 But they knew him not.

59. And when he had furnished
 Them forth with provisions
 (Suitable) for them, he said:
 "Bring unto me a brother
 Ye have, of the same father
 As yourselves, (but a different mother):
 See ye not that I pay out
 Full measure, and that I
 Do provide the best hospitality?

60. "Now if ye bring him not
 To me, ye shall have
 No measure (of corn) from me,
 Nor shall ye (even) come
 Near me."

61. They said: "We shall
 Certainly seek to get
 Our wish about him
 From his father:
 Indeed we shall do it."

62. And (Joseph) told his servants
 To put their stock-in-trade
 (With which they had bartered)
 Into their saddle-bags,
 So they should know it only
 When they returned to their people,

In order that they
 Might come back.

63. Now when they returned
 To their father, they said:
 "O our father! No more
 Measure of grain shall we get
 (Unless we take our brother):
 So send our brother with us,
 That we may get our measure;
 And we will indeed
 Take every care of him."

64. He said: "Shall I trust you
 With him with any result
 Other than when I trusted you
 With his brother aforetime?
 But God is the best
 To take care (of him),
 And He is the Most Merciful
 Of those who show mercy!"

65. Then when they opened
 Their baggage, they found
 Their stock-in-trade had been
 Returned to them. They said:
 "O our father! What (more)
 Can we desire? This our
 Stock-in-trade has been returned
 To us: so we shall get

(More) food for our family;
 We shall take care of our brother;
 And add (at the same time)
 A full camel's load (of grain
 To our provisions).
 This is but a small quantity.

66. (Jacob) said: "Never will I
 Send him with you until
 Ye swear a solemn oath to me,
 In God's name, that ye
 Will be sure to bring him back
 To me unless ye are yourselves
 Hemmed in (and made powerless)."
 And when they had sworn
 Their solemn oath,
 He said: "Over all
 That we say, be God
 The Witness and Guardian!"

67. Further he said:
 "O my sons! enter not
 All by one gate: enter ye
 By different gates. Not that

I can profit you aught
 Against God (with my advice):
 None can command except God:
 On Him do I put my trust:
 And let all that trust
 Put their trust on Him."

68. And when they entered
 In the manner their father
 Had enjoined, it did not
 Profit them in the least
 Against (the Plan of) God:
 It was but a necessity
 Of Jacob's soul, which he
 Discharged. For he was,
 By Our instruction, full
 Of knowledge (and experience):
 But most men know not.

69. Now when they came
 Into Joseph's presence,
 He received his (full) brother
 To stay with him. He said
 (To him): "Behold! I am thy (own)
 Brother; so grieve not
 At aught of their doings."

70. At length when he had furnished
 Them forth with provisions
 (Suitable) for them, he put
 The drinking cup into
 His brother's saddle-bag.
 Then shouted out a Crier:
 "O ye (in) the Caravan!
 Behold! ye are thieves,
 Without doubt!"

71. They said, turning towards them:
 "What is it that ye miss?"

72. They said: "We miss
 The great beaker of the king;

For him who produces it,--
 Is (the reward of)
 A camel load; I
 Will be bound by it."

73. (The brothers) said: "By God!
 Well ye know that we
 Came not to make mischief
 In the land, and we are
 No thieves!"

74. (The Egyptians) said: "What then
 Shall be the penalty of this,
 If ye are (proved) to have lied?"

75. They said: "The penalty
 Should be that he
 In whose saddle-bag
 It is found, should be held
 (As bondman) to atone
 For the (crime). Thus it is
 We punish the wrong-doers!"

76. So he began (the search)
 With their baggage,

Before (he came to) the baggage
 Of his brother: at length
 He brought it out of his
 Brother's baggage. Thus did We
 Plan for Joseph. He could not
 Take his brother by the law
 Of the king except that God
 Willed it (so). We raise
 To degrees (of wisdom) whom
 We please: but over all
 Endued with knowledge is One,
 The All-Knowing.

77. They said: "If he steals,
 There was a brother of his
 Who did steal before (him)."
 But these things did Joseph
 Keep locked in his heart,
 Revealing not the secrets to them.

He (simply) said (to himself):
 "Ye are the worse situated;
 And God knoweth best
 The truth of what ye assert!"

78. They said: "O exalted one!
 Behold! he has a father,
 Aged and venerable, (who will
 Grieve for him); so take
 One of us in his place;
 For we see that thou art
 (Gracious) in doing good."

79. He said: "God forbid
 That we take other than him
 With whom we found
 Our property: indeed
 (If we did so), we should
 Be acting wrongfully.

80. Now when they saw
 No hope of his (yielding),
 They held a conference in private.
 The leader among them said:
 "Know ye not that your father
 Did take an oath from you
 In God's name, and how,
 Before this, ye did fail

In your duty with Joseph?
 Therefore will I not leave
 This land until my father
 Permits me, or God
 Commands me; and He
 Is the best to command.

81. "Turn ye back to your father,
 And say, "O our father!
 Behold! thy son committed theft!
 We bear witness only to what
 We know, and we could not
 Well guard against the unseen!

82. "Ask at the town where
 We have been and the caravan
 In which we returned,
 And (you will find) we are
 Indeed telling the truth."

83. Jacob said: "Nay, but ye
 Have yourselves contrived
 A story (good enough) for you.
 So patience is most fitting
 (For me). Maybe God will
 Bring them (back) all
 To me (in the end).
 For He is indeed full
 Of knowledge and wisdom.

84. And he turned away from them,
 And said: "How great
 Is my grief for Joseph!"
 And his eyes became white
 With sorrow, and he fell
 Into silent melancholy.

85. They said: "By God!
 (Never) wilt thou cease
 To remember Joseph
 Until thou reach the last
 Extremity of illness,
 Or until thou die!"

86. He said: "I only complain
 Of my distraction and anguish
 To God, and I know from God
 That which ye know not...

87. "O my sons! go ye
 And enquire about Joseph
 And his brother, and never
 Give up hope of God's
 Soothing Mercy: truly
 No one despairs of God's

Soothing Mercy, except
 Those who have no faith."

88. Then, when they came
 (Back) into (Joseph's) presence
 They said: "O exalted one!
 Distress has seized us
 And our family: we have
 (Now) brought but scanty capital:
 So pay us full measure,
 (We pray thee), and treat it
 As charity to us: for God
 Doth reward the charitable."

89. He said: "Know ye
 How ye dealt with Joseph
 And his brother, not knowing
 (What ye were doing)?"

90. They said: "Art thou indeed
 Joseph?" He said . "I am
 Joseph, and this is my brother:
 God has indeed been gracious

To us (all): behold, he that is
 Righteous and patient,--never
 Will God suffer the reward
 To be lost, of those
 Who do right."

91. They said: "By God! Indeed
 Has God preferred thee
 Above us, and we certainly
 Have been guilty of sin!"

92. He said: "This day
 Let no reproach be (cast)
 On you; God will forgive you,
 And He is the Most Merciful
 Of those who show mercy!

93. "Go with this my shirt,
 And cast it over the face
 Of my father: he will
 Come to see (clearly). Then come
 Ye (here) to me together
 With all your family."

94. When the Caravan left (Egypt),
 Their father said: "I do indeed
 Scent the presence of Joseph:
 Nay, think me not a dotard."

95. They said: "By God!
 Truly thou art in
 Thine old wandering mind."

96. Then when the bearer
 Of the good news came,
 He cast (the shirt)
 Over his face, and he
 Forthwith regained clear sight.
 He said: "Did I not say
 To you, "I know from God
 That which ye know not?"

97. They said: "O our father!
 Ask for us forgiveness
 For our sins, for we
 Were truly at fault."

98. He said: "Soon will I
 Ask my Lord for forgiveness
 For you: for He is indeed
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

99. Then when they entered
 The presence of Joseph,
 He provided a home
 For his parents with himself,
 And said: "Enter ye
 Egypt (all) in safety
 If it please God."

100. And he raised his parents
 High on the throne (of dignity),
 And they fell down in prostration,
 (All) before him. He said:
 "O my father! this is
 The fulfilment of my vision
 Of old! God hath made it
 Come true! He was indeed
 Good to me when He
 Took me out of prison

And brought you (all here)
 Out of the desert,
 (Even) after Satan had sown
 Enmity between me and my brothers.
 Verily my Lord understandeth
 Best the mysteries of all
 that He planneth to do.
 For verily He is full
 Of knowledge and wisdom.

101."O my Lord! Thou hast
 Indeed bestowed on me
 Some power, and taught me
 Something of the interpretation
 Of dreams and events,--O Thou
 Creator of the heavens
 And the earth! Thou art
 My Protector in this world
 And in the Hereafter.
 Take Thou my soul (at death)
 As one submitting to Thy Will
 (As a Muslim), and unite me
 With the righteous."

102. Such is one of the stories
 Of what happened unseen,
 Which We reveal by inspiration
 Unto thee: nor wast thou
 (Present) with them when they
 Concerted their plans together
 In the process of weaving their plots.

103. Yet no faith will
 The greater part of mankind
 Have, however ardently
 Thou dost desire it.

104. And no reward dost thou ask
 Of them for this: it is
 No less than a Message
 For all creatures.

105. And how many Signs
 In the heavens and the earth

Do they pass by? Yet they
 Turn (their faces) away from them!

106. And most of them
 Believe not in God
 Without associating (others
 As partners) with Him!

107. Do they then feel secure
 From the coming against them
 Of the covering veil
 Of the wrath of God,
 Or of the coming against them
 Of the (final) Hour
 All of a sudden
 While they perceive not?

108. Say thou: "This is my Way:
 I do invite unto God,
 On evidence clear as
 The seeing with one's eyes,--

I and whoever follows me.
 Glory to God! and never
 Will I join gods with God!"

109. Nor did We send before thee
 (As apostles) any but men,
 Whom We did inspire,--
 (Men) living in human habitations.
 Do they not travel
 Through the earth, and see
 What was the end
 Of those before them?
 But the home of the Hereafter
 Is best, for those who do right.
 Will ye not then understand?

110. (Respite will be granted)
 Until, when the apostles
 Give up hope (of their people)
 And (come to) think that they
 Were treated as liars,
 There reaches them Our help,
 And those whom We will
 Are delivered into safety.
 But never will be warded off
 Our punishment from those
 Who are in sin.

111. There is, in their stories,
 Instruction for men endued

With understanding. It is not
 A tale invented, but a confirmation
 Of what went before it,--
 A detailed exposition
 Of all things, and a Guide
 And a Mercy to any such
 As believe.

Sura XIII.

Ra'd, or Thunder.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M. R. These are
 The Signs (or Verses)
 Of the Book: that which
 Hath been revealed unto thee
 From thy Lord is the Truth;
 But most men believe not.

2. God is He Who raised
 The heavens without any pillars
 That ye can see; is firmly
 Established on the Throne (of Authority);
 He has subjected the sun
 And the moon (to his Law)!
 Each one runs (its course)
 For a term appointed.
 He doth regulate all affairs,
 Explaining the Signs in detail,

That ye may believe with certainty
 In the meeting with your Lord.

3. And it is He Who spread out
 The earth, and set thereon
 Mountains standing firm,
 And (flowing) rivers: and fruit
 Of every kind He made
 In pairs, two and two:
 He draweth the Night as a veil
 O'er the Day. Behold, verily
 In these things there are Signs
 For those who consider!

4. And in the earth are tracts
 (Diverse though) neighbouring,
 And gardens of vines
 And fields sown with corn,
 And palm trees--growing
 Out of single roots or otherwise:
 Watered with the same water,
 Yet some of them We make
 More excellent than others to eat.
 Behold, verily in these things

There are Signs for those
 Who understand!

5. If thou dost marvel
 (At their want of faith),
 Strange is their saying:
 "When we are (actually) dust,
 Shall we indeed then be
 In a creation renewed?" They are
 Those who deny their Lord! They
 Are those round whose necks
 Will be yokes (of servitude):
 They will be Companions
 Of the Fire, to dwell therein
 (For aye)!

6. They ask thee to hasten on
 The evil in preference to the good:
 Yet have come to pass,
 Before them, (many) exemplary
 Punishments! But verily
 Thy Lord is full of forgiveness
 For mankind for their wrong-doing,
 And verily thy Lord
 Is (also) strict in punishment.

7. And the Unbelievers say:
 "Why is not a Sign sent down
 To him from his Lord?
 But thou art truly

A warner, and to every people
 A guide.

8. God doth know what
 Every female (womb) doth bear,
 By how much the wombs
 Fall short (of their time
 Or number) or do exceed.
 Every single thing is before
 His sight, in (due) proportion.

9. He knoweth the Unseen
 And that which is open:
 He is the Great,
 The most High.

10. It is the same (to Him)
 Whether any of you
 Conceal his speech or
 Declare it openly;
 Whether he lie hid by night
 Or walk forth freely by day.

11. For each (such person)
 There are (angels) in succession,
 Before and behind him:
 They guard him by command

Of God. Verily never
 Will God change the condition
 Of a people until they
 Change it themselves
 (With their own souls).
 But when (once) God willeth
 A people's punishment,
 There can be no
 Turning it back, nor
 Will they find, besides Him,
 Any to protect

12. It is He Who doth show you
 The lightning, by way
 Both of fear and of hope:
 It is He Who doth raise up
 The clouds, heavy
 With (fertilising) rain!

13. Nay, thunder repeateth His praises,
 And so do the angels, with awe:
 He flingeth the loud-voiced
 Thunder-bolts, and therewith
 He striketh whomsoever He will...
 Yet these (are the men)
 Who (dare to) dispute
 About God, with the strength
 Of His power (supreme)!

14. For Him (alone) is prayer
 In Truth: any others that they
 Call upon besides Him hear them
 No more than if they were
 To stretch forth their hands
 For water to reach their mouths
 But it reaches them not:
 For the prayer of those
 Without Faith is nothing
 But (futile) wandering (in the mind).

15. Whatever beings there are
 In the heavens and the earth
 Do prostrate themselves to God
 (Acknowledging subjection),--with good-will
 Or in spite of themselves:
 So do their shadows
 In the mornings and evenings.

16. Say: "Who is the Lord and Sustainer
 Of the heavens and the earth?"
 Say: "(It is) God."
 Say: "Do ye then take
 (For worship) protectors other
 Than Him, such as have
 No power either for good
 Or for harm to themselves?"
 Say: "Are the blind equal
 With those who see?
 Or the depths of darkness
 Equal with Light?"
 Or do they assign to God
 Partners who have created
 (Anything) as He has created,
 So that the creation seemed
 To them similar?
 Say: "God is the Creator
 Of all things: He is
 The One, the Supreme and
 Irresistible."

17. He sends down water
 From the sides, and the channels
 Flow, each according to its measure:
 But the torrent bears away
 The foam that mounts up
 To the surface. Even so,

Form that (ore) which they heat
 In the fire, to make ornaments
 Or utensils therewith,
 There is a scum likewise.
 Thus doth God (by parables)
 Show forth Truth and Vanity.
 For the scum disappears
 Like froth cast out;
 While that which is for the good
 Of mankind remains
 On the earth. Thus doth God
 Set forth parables.

18. For those who respond
 To their Lord, are (all)
 Good things. But those
 Who respond not to Him,
 Even if they had all
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth, and as much more,
 (In vain) would they offer it
 For ransom. For them
 Will the reckoning be terrible:
 Their abode will be Hell,----
 What a bed of misery!

19. Is then one who doth know
 That that which hath been

Revealed unto thee
 From thy Lord is the Truth,
 Like one who is blind?
 It is those who are
 Endued with understanding
 That receive admonition;--

20. Those who fulfil the Covenant
 Of God and fail not
 In their plighted word;

21. Those who join together
 Those things which God
 Hath commanded to be joined,
 Hold their Lord in awe,
 And fear the terrible reckoning;

22. Those who patiently persevere,
 Seeking the countenance of their Lord;
 Establish regular prayers; spend,
 Out of (the gifts) We have bestowed
 For their sustenance, secretly
 And openly; and turn off Evil
 With good: for such there is
 The final attainment
 Of the (Eternal) Home,--

23. Gardens of perpetual bliss:
 They shall enter there,
 As well as the righteous
 Among their fathers, their spouses,

And their offspring:
 And angels shall enter unto them
 From every gate (with the salutation):

24. "Peace unto you for that ye
 Persevered in patience! Now
 How excellent is the final Home!"

25. But those who break
 The Covenant of God, after
 Having plighted their word thereto,
 And cut asunder those things
 Which God has commanded
 To be joined, and work mischief
 In the land;--on them
 Is the Curse; for them
 Is the terrible Home!

26. God doth enlarge, or grant
 By (strict) measure, the Sustenance
 (Which He giveth) to whomso
 He pleaseth. (The worldly) rejoice
 In the life of this world:
 But the life of this world
 Is but little comfort
 In the Hereafter.

27. The Unbelievers say: "Why
 Is not a Sign sent down
 To him from his Lord?"
 Say: "Truly God leaveth,
 To stray, whom He will;
 But He guideth to Himself
 Those who turn to Him
 In penitence,--

28. "Those who believe, and whose hearts
 Find satisfaction in the remembrance
 Of God: for without doubt
 In the remembrance of God
 Do hearts find satisfaction.

29. "For those who believe
 And work righteousness,
 Is (every) blessedness,
 And a beautiful place
 Of (final) return."

30. Thus have We sent thee
 Amongst a People before whom
 (Long since) have (other) Peoples
 (Gone and) passed away;
 In order that thou mightest
 Rehearse unto them what We
 Send down unto thee by inspiration;

Yet do they reject (Him),
 The Most Gracious!
 Say: "He is my Lord!
 There is no god but He!
 On Him is my trust,
 And to Him do I turn!"

31. If there were a Qur-an
 With which mountains were moved,
 Or the earth were cloven asunder,
 Or the dead were made to speak,
 (This would be the one!)
 But, truly, the Command is
 With God in all things!'
 Do not the Believers know,
 That, had God (so) willed,
 He could have guided
 All mankind (to the Right)?

But the Unbelievers,--never
 Will disaster cease to seize
 Them for their (ill) deeds,
 Or to settle close to their homes,
 Until the promise of God
 Come to pass, for, verily,
 God will not fail
 In His promise.

32. Mocked were (many) apostles
 Before thee: but I granted
 Respite to the Unbelievers,
 And finally I punished them:
 Then how (terrible) was My requital!

33. Is then He Who standeth
 Over every soul (and knoweth)
 All that it doth,
 (Like any others)? And yet
 They ascribe partners to God.
 Say: "But name them!
 Is it that ye will
 Inform Him of something
 He knoweth not on earth,
 Or is it (just) a show
 Of words?" Nay! to those
 Who believe not, their pretence
 seems pleasing, but they are
 Kept back (thereby) from the Path.
 And those whom God leaves
 To stray, no one can guide.

34. For them is a Penalty
 In the life of this world,
 But harder, truly, is the Penalty
 Of the Hereafter: and defender
 Have they none against God.

35. The parable of the Garden
 Which the righteous are promised!--

Beneath it flow rivers:
 Perpetual is the enjoyment thereof
 And the shade therein:
 Such is the End
 Of the Righteous; and the End
 Of Unbelievers is the Fire.

36. Those to whom We have
 Given the Book rejoice
 At what hath been revealed
 Unto thee: but there are
 Among the clans those who reject
 A part thereof. Say:
 "I am commanded to worship
 God, and not to join partners
 With Him. Unto him
 Do I call, and
 Unto Him is my return."

37. Thus have We revealed it
 To be a judgment of authority

 In Arabic. Wert thou to follow
 Their (vain) desires after the knowledge
 Which hath reached thee,
 Then wouldst thou find
 Neither protector nor defender
 Against God.

38. We did send apostles
 Before thee, and appointed
 For them wives and children:
 And it was never the part
 Of an apostle to bring a Sign
 Except as God permitted
 (Or commanded). For each period
 Is a Book (revealed).

39. God doth blot out
 Or confirm what He pleaseth:
 With Him is
 The Mother of the Book.

40. Whether We shall show thee
 (Within thy life-time)
 Part of what We promised them
 Or take to ourselves thy soul

(Before it is all accomplished),--
 Thy duty is to make
 (The Message) reach them:
 It is Our part
 To call them to account.

41. See they not that We
 Gradually reduce the land
 (In their control) from its
 Outlying borders ? (Where) God
 Commands, there is none
 To put back His command:
 And He is Swift
 In calling to account.

42. Those before them did (also)
 Devise plots; but in all things
 The master-planning is God's.
 He knoweth the doings
 Of every soul: and soon
 Will the Unbelievers know
 Who gets home in the End.

43. The Unbelievers say: "No apostle
 Art thou." Say: "Enough
 For a witness between me
 And you is God, and such
 As have knowledge of the Book."

Sura XIV. 

Ibrahim, or Abraham.

In the name of God, Most Gracious
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. R. A Book
 Which We have revealed
 Unto thee, in order that
 Thou mightest lead mankind
 Out of the depths of darkness
 Into light--by the leave
 Of their Lord--to the Way
 Of (Him) the Exalted in Power,
 Worthy of all Praise!--

2. Of God, to Whom do belong
 All things in the heavens
 And on earth!
 But alas for the Unbelievers
 For a terrible Penalty
 (Their Unfaith will bring them)!--

3. Those who love the life
 Of this world more than
 The Hereafter, who hinder (men)
 From the Path of God
 And seek therein something crooked:
 They are astray
 By a long distance.

4. We sent not an apostle
 Except (to teach) in the language
 Of his (own) people, in order
 To make (things) clear to them.
 Now God leaves straying
 Those whom He pleases
 And guides whom He pleases:
 And He is Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

5. We sent Moses with Our Signs
 (And the command). "Bring out
 Thy people from the depths
 Of darkness into light,
 And teach them to remember
 The Days of God." Verily
 In this there are Signs
 For such as are firmly patient
 And constant,--grateful and appreciative.

6. Remember! Moses said
 To his people: "Call to mind
 The favour of God to you
 When He delivered you

From the people of Pharaoh:
 They set you hard tasks
 And punishments, slaughtered
 Your sons, and let your women-folk
 Live: therein was
 A tremendous trial from your Lord."

7. And remember! your Lord
 Caused to be declared (publicly):
 "If ye are grateful, I will
 Add more (favours) unto you;
 But if ye show ingratitude,
 Truly my punishment
 Is terrible indeed."

8. And Moses said: "If ye
 Show ingratitude, ye and all
 On earth together,--yet
 Is God Free of all wants,
 Worthy of all praise.

9. Has not the story
 Reached you, (O people!), of those
 Who (went) before you?--
 Of the People of Noah,
 And 'Ad, and Thamud?--
 And of those who (came)
 After them? None knows them
 But God. To them came

Apostles with Clear (Signs);
 But they put their hands
 Up to their mouths, and said:
 "We do deny (the mission)
 On which ye have been sent,
 And we are really
 In suspicious (disquieting) doubt
 As to that to which
 Ye invite us."

10. Their apostles said: "Is there
 A doubt about God,
 The Creator of the heavens
 And the earth? It is He
 Who invites you, in order
 That He may forgive you
 Your sins and give you
 Respite for a term appointed!"
 They said: "Ah! ye are
 No more than human,
 Like ourselves! Ye wish
 To turn us away from
 The (gods) our fathers
 Used to worship: then
 Bring us some clear authority."

11. Their apostles said to them:
 "True, we are human
 Like yourselves, but God
 Doth grant His grace

To such of His servants
 As He pleases. It is not
 For us to bring you
 An authority except as God
 Permits. And on God
 Let all men of faith
 Put their trust.

12. "No reason have we why
 We should not put our trust
 On God. Indeed He
 Has guided us to the Ways
 We (follow). We shall certainly
 Bear with patience all
 The hurt you may cause us.
 For those who put their trust
 Should put their trust on God."

13. And the Unbelievers said
 To their apostles: "Be sure
 We shall drive you out
 Of our land, or ye shall
 Return to our religion."
 But their Lord inspired
 (This Message) to them:
 "Verily We shall cause
 The wrong-doers to perish!

14. "And verily We shall
 Cause you to abide
 In the land, and succeed them.
 This for such as fear
 The Time when they shall stand
 Before My tribunal,--such
 As fear the Punishment denounced."

15. But they sought victory and decision
 (There and then), and frustration
 Was the lot of every
 Powerful obstinate transgressor.

16. In front of such a one
 Is Hell, and he is given,
 For drink, boiling fetid water.

17. In gulps will he sip it,
 But never will he be near
 Swallowing it down his throat:
 Death will come to him
 From every quarter, yet
 Will he not die: and
 In front of him will be
 A chastisement unrelenting.

18. The parable of those who
 Reject their Lord is that
 Their works are as ashes,
 On which the wind blows
 Furiously on a tempestuous day:
 No power have they over
 Aught that they have earned:
 That is the straying
 Far, far (from the goal).

19. Seest thou not that God
 Created the heavens and the earth
 In Truth? If He so will,
 He can remove you
 And put (in your place)
 A new Creation?

20. Nor is that for God
 Any great matter.

21. They will all be marshalled
 Before God together: then
 Will the weak say to those
 Who were arrogant, "For us,
 We but followed you; can ye
 Then avail us at all
 Against the Wrath of God?"
 They will reply, "If we
 Had received the guidance
 Of God, we should have
 Given it to you: to us
 It makes no difference (now)
 Whether we rage, or bear
 (These torments) with patience:
 For ourselves there is no way
 Of escape."

22. And Satan will say
 When the matter is decided:
 "It was God Who gave you
 A promise of Truth: I too
 Promised, but I failed
 In my promise to you.

I had no authority over you
 Except to call you, but ye
 Listened to me: then
 Reproach not me, but reproach
 Your own souls. I cannot listen
 To your cries, nor can ye
 Listen to mine. I reject
 Your former act in associating
 Me with God.
 For wrong-doers there must be
 A grievous Penalty."

23. But those who believe
 And work righteousness
 Will be admitted to Gardens
 Beneath which rivers flow,--
 To dwell therein for aye
 With the leave of their Lord.
 Their greeting therein
 Will be: "Peace!"

24. Seest thou not how
 God sets forth a parable?--
 A goodly Word
 Like a goodly tree,
 Whose root is firmly fixed,
 And its branches (reach)
 To the heavens,--

25. It brings forth its fruit
 At all times, by the leave

Of its Lord.
 So God sets forth parables
 For men, in order that
 They may receive admonition.

26. And the parable
 Of an evil Word
 Is that of an evil tree:
 It is torn up by the root
 From the surface of the earth:
 It has no stability.

27. God will establish in strength
 Those who believe, with the Word
 That stands firm, in this world
 And in the Hereafter; but God
 Will leave, to stray, those
 Who do wrong: God doeth
 What He willeth.

28, Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to those who
 Have changed the favour of God.
 Into blasphemy and caused
 Their people to descend
 To the House of Perdition?--

29. Into Hell? They will burn
 Therein,--an evil place
 To stay in!

30. And they set up (idols)
 As equal to God, to mislead
 (Men) from the Path! Say:
 "Enjoy (your brief power)!
 But verily ye are making
 Straightway for Hell!"

31. Speak to my servants
 Who have believed,
 That they may establish
 Regular prayers, and spend
 (In charity) out of the Sustenance

We have given them,
 Secretly and openly, before
 The coming of a Day
 In which there will be
 Neither mutual bargaining
 Nor befriending.

32. It is God Who hath created
 The heavens and the earth
 And sendeth down rain
 From the skies, and with it
 Bringeth out fruits wherewith
 To feed you; it is He
 Who hath made the ships subject
 To you, that they may sail
 Through the sea by His Command;
 And the rivers (also)
 Hath He made subject to you.

33. And He hath made subject
 To you the sun and the moon,
 Both diligently pursuing
 Their courses; and the Night
 And the Day hath He (also)
 Made subject to you.

34. And He giveth you
 Of all that ye ask for.
 But if ye count the favours
 Of God, never will ye
 Be able to number them.
 Verily, man is given up
 To injustice and ingratitude.

35. Remember Abraham said:
 "O my Lord! make this city
 One of peace and security:
 And preserve me and my sons
 From worshipping idols.

36. "O my Lord! they have indeed
 Led astray many among mankind;
 He then who follows my (ways)
 Is of me, and he that
 Disobeys me,--but Thou
 Art indeed Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

37. "O our Lord! I have made
 Some of my offspring to dwell
 In a valley without cultivation,
 By Thy Sacred House;

In order, O our Lord, that they
 May establish regular Prayer:
 So till the hearts of some
 Among men with love towards them,
 And feed them with Fruits:
 So that they may give thanks.

38. "O our Lord! truly Thou
 Dost know what we conceal
 And what we reveal:
 For nothing whatever is hidden
 From God, whether on earth
 Or in heaven.

39. "Praise be to God, Who hath
 Granted unto me in old age
 Isma'il and Isaac: for truly
 My Lord is He, the Hearer
 Of Prayer!

40. "O my Lord! make me
 One who establishes regular Prayer,
 And also (raise such)
 Among my offspring
 O our Lord!
 And accept Thou my Prayer.

41. "O our Lord! cover (us)
 With Thy Forgiveness--me,

My parents, and (all) Believers,
 On the Day that the Reckoning
 Will be established!

42. Think not that God
 Doth not heed the deeds
 Of those who do wrong.
 He but giveth them respite
 Against a Day when
 The eyes will fixedly stare
 In horror,--

43. They running forward
 With necks outstretched,
 Their heads uplifted, their gaze
 Returning not towards them,
 And their hearts a (gaping) void!

44. So warn mankind
 Of the Day when the Wrath
 Will reach them: then will
 The wrong-doers say: "Our Lord!
 Respite us (if only)
 For a short Term: we will
 Answer Thy Call, and follow
 The apostles!"
 "What! were ye not wont
 To swear aforetime that ye
 Should suffer no decline?

45. "And ye dwelt in the dwellings
 Of men who wronged their own
 Souls; ye were clearly shown
 How We dealt with them;
 And We put forth (many) Parables
 In your behoof!"

46. Mighty indeed were the plots
 Which they made, but their plots
 Were (well) within the sight
 Of God, even though they were
 Such as to shake the hills!

47. Never think that God would fail
 His apostles in His promise:
 For God is Exalted in Power,--
 The Lord of Retribution.

48. One day the Earth will be
 Changed to a different Earth,
 And so will be the Heavens,
 And (men) will be marshalled
 Forth, before God, the One,
 The Irresistible;

49. And thou wilt see
 The Sinners that day
 Bound together in fetters;--

50. Their garments of liquid pitch,
 And their faces covered with Fire;

51. That God may requite
 Each soul according
 To its deserts;
 And verily God is Swift
 In calling to account.

52. Here is a Message for mankind:
 Let them take warning therefrom,
 And let them know that He
 Is (no other than) One God
 Let men of understanding
 Take heed.

Sura XV. 

Al-Hijr, or The Rocky Tract.

In the name of God, Most Gracious;
 Most Merciful

1. A. L. R. These are
 The Ayats of Revelation,--
 Of a Qur-an
 That makes things clear.

2. Again and again will those
 Who disbelieve, wish that they
 Had bowed (to God's Will)
 In Islam.

3. Leave them alone, to enjoy
 (The good things of this life)
 And to please themselves:
 Let (false) Hope amuse them: soon
 Will knowledge (undeceive them).

4. Never did We destroy
 A population that had not
 A term decreed and assigned
 Beforehand.

5. Neither can a people anticipate
 Its Term, nor delay it.

6. They say: "O thou to whom
 The Message is being revealed!
 Truly thou art mad (or possessed)!

7. "Why bringest thou not
 Angels to us if it be
 That thou hast the Truth?"

8. We send not the angels
 Down except for just cause:
 If they came (to the ungodly),
 Behold! no respite would they have!

9. We have, without doubt,
 Sent down the Message;
 And We will assuredly
 Guard it (from corruption).

10. We did send apostles before thee
 Amongst the religious sects
 Of old:

11. But never came an apostle
 To them but they mocked him.

12. Even so do we let it creep
 Into the hearts of the sinners--

13. That they should not believe
 In the (Message); but the ways

Of the ancients have passed away.

14. Even if We opened out to them
 A gate from heaven,
 And they were to continue
 (All day) ascending therein,

15. They would only say:
 "Our eyes have been intoxicated:
 Nay, we have been bewitched
 By sorcery."

16. It is We Who have set out
 The Zodiacal Signs in the heavens,
 And made them fair-seeming
 To (all) beholders;

17. And (moreover) We have guarded them

From every evil spirit accursed:

18. But any that gains a hearing
 By stealth, is pursued
 By a flaming fire, bright (to see).

19. And the earth We have spread out
 (Like a carpet); set thereon
 Mountains firm and immovable;
 And produced therein all kinds
 Of things in due balance.

20. And We have provided therein
 Means of subsistence,--for you
 And for those for whose sustenance
 Ye are not responsible.

21. And there is not a thing
 But its (sources and) treasures

(Inexhaustible) are with Us;
 But We only send down
 Thereof in due and ascertainable measures.

22. And We send the fecundating winds,
 Then cause the rain to descend
 From the sky, therewith providing
 You with water (in abundance),
 Though ye are not the guardians
 Of its stores.

23. And verily, it is We
 Who give life, and Who give
 Death: it is We Who remain Inheritors
 (After all else passes away).

24. To Us are known those of you
 Who hasten forward, and those
 Who lag behind.

25. Assuredly it is thy Lord
 Who will gather them together:
 For He is Perfect in Wisdom
 And Knowledge.

26. We created man from sounding clay,
 From mud moulded into shape;

27. And the Jinn race, We had
 Created before, from the fire
 Of a scorching wind.

28. Behold! thy Lord said
 To the angels: "I am about
 To create man, from sounding clay
 From mud moulded into shape;

29. "When I have fashioned him
 (In due proportion) and breathed
 Into him of My spirit,
 Fall ye down in obeisance
 Unto him.

30. So the angels prostrated themselves,
 All of them together:

31. Not so Iblis: he refused to be
 Among those who prostrated themselves.

32. (God) said: "O Iblis!
 What is your reason
 For not being among those
 Who prostrated themselves?"

33. (Iblis) said: "I am not one
 To prostrate myself to man,
 Whom Thou didst create
 From sounding clay, from mud
 Moulded into shape."

34. (God) said: "Then get thee out
 From here; for thou art
 Rejected, accursed.

35. "And the Curse shall be
 On thee till the Day of Judgment."

36. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord!
 Give me then respite
 Till the Day
 The (dead) are raised."

37. (God) said: "Respite
 Is granted thee--

38. "Till the Day
 Of the Time Appointed."

39. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord!
 Because Thou hast put me
 In the wrong, I will
 Make (wrong) fair-seeming
 To them on the earth,
 And I will put them
 All in the wrong,--

40. "Except Thy servants among them,
 Sincere and purified
 (By Thy grace)."

41. (God) said: "This (Way
 Of My sincere servants) is
 Indeed a Way that leads
 Straight to Me.

42. "For over My servants
 No authority shalt thou
 Have, except such as
 Put themselves in the wrong
 And follow thee."

43. And verily, Hell
 Is the promised abode
 For them all!

44. To it are seven Gates:
 For each of those Gates
 Is a (special) class
 (Of sinners) assigned.

45. The righteous (will be)
 Amid Gardens
 And fountains
 (Of clear-flowing water).

46. (Their greeting will be):
 "Enter ye here
 In Peace and Security."

47. And We shall remove
 From their hearts any
 Lurking sense of injury:
 (They will be) brothers
 (Joyfully) facing each other
 On thrones (of dignity).

48. There no sense of fatigue
 Shall touch them,
 Nor shall they (ever)
 Be asked to leave.

49. Tell My servants
 That I am indeed
 The Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful;

50. And that My Penalty
 Will be indeed
 The most grievous Penalty.

51. Tell them about
 The guests of Abraham.

52. When they entered his presence
 And said, "Peace!"
 He said, "We feel
 Afraid of you!"

53. They said: "Fear not!
 We give thee glad tidings

Of a son endowed
 With wisdom."

54. He said: "Do ye give me
 Glad tidings that old age
 Has seized me? Of what,
 Then, is your good news?"

55. They said: "We give thee
 Glad tidings in truth:
 Be not then in despair!"

56. He said: "And who
 Despairs of the mercy
 Of his Lord, but such
 As go astray?"

57. Abraham said: "What then
 Is the business on which
 Ye (have come), O ye
 Messengers (of God)?"

58. They said: "We have been
 Sent to a people
 (Deep) in sin,

59. "Excepting the adherents
 Of Lut: them we are certainly

(Charged) to save (from harm),--
 All--

60. "Except his wife, who,
 We have ascertained,
 Will be among those
 Who will lag behind."

61. At length when the messengers
 Arrived among the adherents
 Of Lut,

62. He said: "Ye appear
 To be uncommon folk."

63. They said: "Yea,
 We have come to thee
 To accomplish that
 Of which they doubt.

64. "We have brought to thee
 That which is inevitably
 Due, and assuredly
 We tell the truth.

65. "Then travel by night
 With thy household,
 When a portion of the night
 (Yet remains), and do thou

Bring up the rear:
 Let no one amongst you
 Look back, but pass on
 Whither ye are ordered."

66. And We made known
 This decree to him,
 That the last remnants
 Of those (sinners) should be
 Cut off by the morning.

67. The inhabitants of the City
 Came in (mad) joy
 (At news of the young men).

68. Lut said: "These are
 My guests: disgrace me not:

69. "But fear God,
 And shame me not."

70. They said: "Did we not
 Forbid thee (to speak)
 For all and sundry?"

71. He said: "There are
 My daughters (to marry),
 If ye must act (so)."

72. Verily, by thy life (O Prophet),
 In their wild intoxication,

They wander in distraction,
 To and fro.

73. But the (mighty) Blast
 Overtook them before morning;

74. And We turned (the Cities)
 Upside down, and rained down
 On them brimstones
 Hard as baked clay.

75. Behold! in this are Signs
 For those who by tokens
 Do understand.

76. And the (Cities were)
 Right on the high-road.

77. Behold! in this
 Is a Sign
 For those who believe!

78. And the Companions of the Wood
 Were also wrong-doers;

79. So We exacted retribution
 From them. They were both
 On an open highway,
 Plain to see.

80. The Companions of the Rocky Tract
 Also rejected the apostles:

81. We sent them Our Signs,
 But they persisted
 In turning away from them.

82. Out of the mountains
 Did they hew (their) edifices,
 (Feeling themselves) secure.

83. But the (mighty) Blast
 Seized them of a morning,

84. And of no avail to them
 Was all that they did
 (With such art and care)!

85. We created not the heavens,
 The earth, and all between them,

But for just ends.
 And the Hour is surely
 Coming (when this will be manifest).
 So overlook (any human faults)
 With gracious forgiveness.

86. For verily it is thy Lord
 Who is the Master-Creator,
 Knowing all things.

87. And We have bestowed
 Upon thee the Seven
 Oft-repeated (Verses)
 And the Grand Qur-an.

88. Strain not thine eyes.
 (Wistfully) at what We
 Have bestowed on certain classes
 Of them, nor grieve over them:

But lower thy wing
 (in gentleness)
 To the Believers.

89. And say: "I am indeed he
 That warneth openly
 And without ambiguity,"--

90. (Of just such wrath)
 As We sent down
 On those who divided
 (Scripture into arbitrary parts),--

91. (So also on such)
 As have made Qur-an
 Into shreds (as they please).

92. Therefore, by the Lord,
 We will, of a surety,
 Call them to account,

93. For all their deeds.

94. Therefore expound openly
 What thou art commanded,
 And turn away from those
 Who join false gods with God.

95. For sufficient are We
 Unto thee against those

Who scoff,--

96. Those who adopt, with God,
 Another god: but soon
 Will they come to know.

97. We do indeed know
 How thy heart is distressed
 At what they say.

98. But celebrate the praises
 Of thy Lord, and be of those
 Who prostrate themselves
 In adoration.

99. And serve thy Lord
 Until there come unto thee
 The Hour that is Certain.

Sura XVI.
  
Nahl or The Bee.

In the name of God Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. (Inevitable) cometh (to pass)
 The Command of God:
 Seek ye not then
 To hasten it: glory to Him,
 And far is He above
 Having the partners
 They ascribe unto Him!

2. He doth send down His angels
 With inspiration of His Command,
 To such of His servants
 As He pleaseth, (saying):
 "Warn (Man) that there is
 No god but I: so do
 Your duty unto Me."

3. He has created the heavens
 And the earth for just ends:
 Far is He above having
 The partners they ascribe to Him!

4. He has created man
 From a sperm-drop;
 And behold this same (man)
 Becomes an open disputer!

5. And cattle He has created
 For you (men): from them
 Ye derive warmth,
 And numerous benefits,
 And of their (meat) ye eat.

6. And ye have a sense
 Of pride and beauty in them
 As ye drive them home
 In the evening, and as ye
 Lead them forth to pasture
 In the morning.

7. And they carry your heavy loads
 To lands that ye could not
 (Otherwise) reach except with
 Souls distressed: for your Lord
 Is indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful

8. And (He has created) horses,
 Mules, and donkeys, for you
 To ride and use for show;
 And He has created (other) things
 Of which ye have no knowledge.

9. and unto God leads straight
 The Way, but there are ways
 That turn aside: if God
 Had willed, He could have
 Guided all of you.

10. It is He Who sends down
 Rain from the sky:
 From it ye drink,
 And out of it (grows)
 The vegetation on which
 Ye feed your cattle.

11. With it He produces
 For you corn, olives,
 Date-palms, grapes,
 And every kind of fruit:
 Verily in this is a Sign
 For those who give thought.

12. He has made subject to you
 The Night and the Day;
 The Sun and the Moon;
 And the Stars are in subjection
 By His Command: verily
 In this are Signs
 For men who are wise.

13. And the things on this earth
 Which He has multiplied
 In varying colours
 (and qualities):
 Verily in this is a Sign
 For men who celebrate
 The praises of God
 (in gratitude).

14. It is He Who has made
 The sea subject, that ye
 May eat thereof flesh
 That is fresh and tender,
 And that ye may extract
 Therefrom ornaments to wear;
 And thou seest the ships
 Therein that plough the waves,
 That ye may seek (thus)
 Of the bounty of God
 And that ye may be grateful.

15. And He has set up
 On the earth mountains
 Standing firm, lest it should
 Shake with you; and rivers
 And roads; that ye
 May guide yourselves;

16. And marks and sign-posts;
 And by the stars
 (Men) guide themselves.

17. Is then He Who creates
 Like one that creates not?
 Will ye not receive admonition?

18. If ye would count up
 The favours of God,
 Never would ye be able
 To number them: for God
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

19. And God doth know
 What ye conceal,
 And what ye reveal.

20. Those whom they invoke
 Besides God create nothing
 And are themselves created.

21. (They are things) dead,
 Lifeless: nor do they know
 When they will be raised up.

22. Your God is One God:
 As to those who believe not
 In the Hereafter, their hearts
 Refuse to know, and they
 Are arrogant.

23. Undoubtedly God doth know
 What they conceal,
 And what they reveal:
 Verily He loveth not the arrogant.

24. When it is said to them,
 "What is it that your Lord

Has revealed?" they say,
 "Tales of the ancients!"

25. Let them bear, on the Day
 Of Judgment, their own burdens
 In full, and also (something)
 Of the burdens of those
 Without knowledge, whom they
 Misled. Alas, how grievous
 The burdens they will bear!

26. Those before them did also
 Plot (against God's Way):
 But God took their structures
 From their foundations, and the roof
 Fell down on them from above;
 And the Wrath seized them
 From directions they did not perceive.

27. Then, on the Day of Judgment,
 He will cover them

With shame, and say:
 "Where are My "partners"
 Concerning whom ye used
 To dispute (with the godly)?"
 Those endued with knowledge
 Will say: "This Day, indeed,
 Are the Unbelievers covered
 With Shame and Misery,--

28. "(Namely) those whose lives the angels
 Take in a state of wrong-doing
 To their own souls."
 Then would they offer submission
 (With the pretence), "We did
 No evil (knowingly)." (The angels
 Will reply), "Nay, but verily
 God knoweth all that ye did;

29. "So enter the gates of Hell,
 To dwell therein.
 Thus evil indeed
 Is the abode of the arrogant."

30. To the righteous
 (When) it is said, "What
 Is it that your Lord
 Has revealed?" they say,
 "All that is good." To those
 Who do good, there is good
 In this world, and-the Home
 Of the Hereafter is even better

And excellent indeed is the Home
 Of the righteous,--

31. Gardens of Eternity which they
 Will enter: beneath them
 Flow (pleasant) rivers: they
 Will have therein all
 That they wish: thus doth
 God reward the righteous,--

32. (Namely) those whose lives
 The angels take in a state
 Of purity, saying (to them),
 "Peace be on you; enter ye
 The Garden, because of (the good)
 Which ye did (in the world)."

33. Do the (ungodly) wait until
 The angels come to them,
 Or there comes the Command
 Of thy Lord (for their doom)?
 So did those who went
 Before them. But God
 Wronged them not: nay,
 They wronged their own souls.

34. But the evil results
 Of their deeds overtook them,
 And that very (Wrath)
 At which they had scoffed
 Hemmed them in.
35. The worshippers of false gods
 Say: "If God had so willed,
 We should not have worshipped
 Aught but Him--neither we

Nor our fathers,--nor should
 We have prescribed prohibitions
 Other than His." So did those
 Who went before them.
 But what is the mission
 Of apostles but to preach
 The Clear Message?

36. For We assuredly sent
 Amongst every People an apostle,
 (With the Command), "Serve
 God, and eschew Evil":
 Of the people were some whom
 God guided, and some
 On whom Error became
 Inevitably (established). So travel
 Through the earth, and see
 What was the end of those
 Who denied (the Truth).

37. If thou art anxious
 For their guidance, yet
 God guideth not such
 As He leaves to stray,
 And there is none
 To help them.

38. They swear their strongest oaths
 By God, that God will not

Raise up those who die
 Nay, but it is a promise
 (Binding) on Him in truth:
 But most among mankind
 Realise it not.

39. (They must be raised up),
 In order that He may manifest
 To them the truth of that
 Wherein they differ, and that
 The rejecters of Truth
 May realise that they had
 Indeed (surrendered to)
 Falsehood.

40. For to anything which We
 Have willed, We but say
 The Word, "Be ", and it is.

41. To those who leave
 Their homes in the cause
 Of God, after suffering
 oppression,--
 We will assuredly give
 A goodly home in this world;
 But truly the reward
 Of the Hereafter will be greater.
 If they only realised (this)!

42. (They are) those who persevere
 In patience, and put
 Their trust on their Lord.

43. And before thee also
 The apostles We sent
 Were but men, to whom
 We granted inspiration: if ye
 Realise this not, ask of those
 Who possess the Message.

44. (We sent them) with Clear Signs
 And Books of dark prophecies;
 And We have sent down
 Unto thee (also) the Message;
 That thou mayest explain clearly
 To men what is sent
 For them, and that they
 May give thought.

45. Do then those who devise
 Evil (plots) feel secure
 That God will not cause
 the earth to swallow them up,
 Or that the Wrath will not
 Seize them from directions
 They little perceive?--

46. Or that He may not
 Call them to account

In the midst of their goings
 To and fro, without a chance
 Of their frustrating Him?--

47. Or that He may not
 Call them to account
 By a process of slow wastage--
 For thy Lord is indeed
 Full of kindness and mercy.

48. Do they not look
 At God's creation, (even)
 Among (inanimate) things,--
 How their (very) shadows
 Turn round, from the right
 And the left, prostrating
 Themselves to God, and that
 In the humblest manner?

49. And to God doth obeisance
 All that is in the heavens
 And on earth, whether
 Moving (living) creatures
 Or the angels: for none
 Are arrogant (before their Lord).

50. They all revere their Lord,
 High above them, and they do
 All that they are commanded.

51. God has said: "Take not
 (For worship) two gods:
 For He is just One God:
 Then fear Me (and Me alone)."

52. To Him belongs whatever
 Is in the heavens and on earth,
 And to Him is duty due always:
 Then will ye fear other
 Than God?

53. And ye have no good thing
 But is from God: and moreover,
 When ye are touched by distress,
 Unto Him ye cry with groans;

54. Yet, when He removes
 The distress from you, behold!
 Some of you turn to other gods
 To join with their Lord--

55. (As if) to show their ingratitude
 For the favours We have
 Bestowed on them! Then enjoy
 (Your brief day); but soon
 Will ye know (your folly)!

56. And they (even) assign,
 To things they do not know,
 A portion out of that
 Which We have bestowed
 For their sustenance!
 By God, ye shall certainly
 Be called to account
 For your false inventions.

57. And they assign daughters
 For God!--Glory be to Him!--
 And for themselves (sons,
 The issue) they desire!

58. When news is brought
 To one of them, of (the birth
 Of) a female (child), his face
 Darkens, and he is filled
 With inward grief!

59. With shame does he hide
 Himself from his people,

Because of the bad news
 He has had!
 Shall he retain it
 On (sufferance and) contempt,
 Or bury it in the dust?
 Ah! what an evil (choice)
 They decide on?

60. To those who believe not
 In the Hereafter, applies
 The similitude of evil:
 To God applies the highest
 Similitude: for He is
 The Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

61. If God were to punish
 Men for their wrong-doing,
 He would not leave, on the (earth);
 A single living creature:
 But He gives them respite
 For a stated Term:
 When their Term expires,
 They would not be able
 To delay (the punishment)
 For a single hour, just as
 They would not be able
 To anticipate it (for a single hour).

62. They attribute to God
 What they hate (for themselves),
 And their tongues assert
 The falsehood that all good things
 Are for themselves: without doubt
 For them is the Fire, and they
 Will be the first to be
 Hastened on into it!

63. By God, We (also) sent
 (Our apostles) to Peoples
 Before thee; but Satan
 Made, (to the wicked),
 Their own acts seem alluring:
 He is also their patron to-day,
 But they shall have
 A most grievous penalty.

64. And We sent down the Book
 To thee for the express purpose,
 That thou shouldst make clear
 To them those things in which
 They differ, and that it should he
 A guide and a mercy
 To those who believe.

65. And God sends down rain
 From the skies, and gives therewith
 Life to the earth after its death:
 Verily in this is a Sign

For those who listen.

66. And verily in cattle (too)
 Will ye find an instructive Sign.
 From what is within their bodies,
 Between excretions and blood,
 We produce, for your drink,
 Milk, pure and agreeable
 To those who drink it.

67. And from the fruit
 Of the date-palm and the vine,
 Ye get out wholesome drink
 And food: behold, in this
 Also is a Sign
 For those who are wise.

68. And thy Lord taught the Bee
 To build its cells in hills,
 On trees, and in (men's) habitations;

69. Then to eat of all
 The produce (of the earth),
 And find with skill the spacious
 Paths of its Lord: there issues
 From within their bodies
 A drink of varying colours,
 Wherein is healing for men:
 Verily in this is a Sign
 For those who give thought.

70. It is God Who creates you
 And takes your souls at death;
 And of you there are
 Some who are sent back
 To a feeble age, so that
 They know nothing after
 Having known (much):
 For God is All-Knowing,
 All-Powerful.

71. God has bestowed His gifts
 Of sustenance more freely on some
 Of you than on others: those
 More favoured are not going
 To throw back their gifts
 To those whom their right hands
 Possess, so as to be equal
 In that respect. Will they then
 Deny the favours of God?

72. And God has made for you
 Mates (and Companions) of your own nature,
 And made for you, out of them,
 Sons and daughters and grandchildren,
 And provided for you sustenance
 Of the best: will they
 Then believe in vain things,
 And be ungrateful for God's favours?--

73. And worship others than God,--
 Such as have no power
 Of providing them, for sustenance,

With anything in heavens or earth,
 And cannot possibly have
 Such power?

74. Invent not similitudes
 For God: for God knoweth,
 And ye know not.

75. God sets forth the Parable
 (Of two men: one) a slave
 Under the dominion of another;
 He has no power of any sort;
 And (the other) a man
 On whom We have bestowed
 Goodly favours from Ourselves,
 And he spends thereof (freely),
 Privately and publicly:
 Are the two equal?
 (By no means;)
 Praise be to God. But
 Most of them understand not.

76. God sets forth (another) Parable
 Of two men: one of them
 Dumb, with no power
 Of any sort; a wearisome burden
 Is he to his master;
 Whichever way he directs him,
 He brings no good:
 Is such a man equal
 With one who commands

Justice, and is on
 A Straight Way?

77. To God belongeth the Mystery
 Of the heavens and the earth.
 And the Decision of the Hour
 (Of Judgment) is as
 The twinkling of an eye,
 Or even quicker:
 For God hath power
 Over all things.

78. It is He Who brought you
 Forth from the wombs
 Of your mothers when
 Ye knew nothing; and He
 Gave you hearing and sight
 And intelligence and affections:
 That ye may give thanks
 (To God).

79. Do they not look at
 The birds, held poised
 In the midst of (the air
 And) the sky? Nothing
 Holds them up but (the power
 Of) God. Verily in this
 Are Signs for those who believe.

80. It is God Who made your habitations
 Homes of rest and quiet
 For you; and made for you,
 Out of the skins of animals,
 (Tents for) dwellings, which
 Ye find so light (and handy)
 When ye travel and when
 Ye stop (in your travels);
 And out of their wool,
 And their soft fibres
 (Between wool and hair),
 And their hair, rich stuff
 And articles of convenience
 (To serve you) for a time.

81. It is God Who made.
 Out of the things He created,
 Some things to give you shade;
 Of the hills He made some
 For your shelter; He made you
 Garments to protect you
 From heat, and coats of mail
 To protect you from
 Your (mutual) violence.
 Thus does He complete
 His favours on you, that
 Ye may bow to His Will
 (In Islam).

82. But if they turn away,
 Thy duty is only to preach
 The Clear Message.

83. They recognise the favours
 Of God; then they deny them;
 And most of them
 Are (creatures) ungrateful.

84. One Day We shall raise
 From all Peoples a Witness:
 Then will no excuse be accepted
 From Unbelievers, nor will they
 Receive any favours.

85. When the wrong-doers
 (Actually) see the Penalty,
 Then will it in no way
 Be mitigated, nor will they
 Then receive respite.

86. When those who gave partners
 To God will see their "partners",

They will say: "Our Lord!
 These are our "partners," those
 Whom we used to invoke
 Besides Thee." But they will
 Throw back their word at them
 (And say): "Indeed ye are liars!"

87. That day shall they (openly) show
 (Their) submission to God; and all
 Their inventions shall leave
 Them in the lurch.

88. Those who reject God
 And hinder (men) from the Path
 Of God--for them
 Will We add Penalty
 To Penalty; for that they
 Used to spread mischief.

89. One day We shall raise
 From all Peoples a witness
 Against them, from amongst themselves:
 And We shall bring thee
 As a witness against these
 (Thy people): and We have sent down
 To thee the Book explaining
 All things, a Guide, a Mercy,
 And Glad Tidings to Muslims.

90. God commands justice, the doing
 Of good, and liberality to kith

And kin, and He forbids
 All shameful deeds, and injustice
 And rebellion: He instructs you,
 That ye may receive admonition.

91. Fulfil the Covenant of God
 When ye have entered into it,
 And break not your oaths
 After ye have confirmed them;
 Indeed ye have made
 God your surety; for God
 Knoweth all that ye do.

92. And be not like a woman
 Who breaks into untwisted strands
 The yarn which she has spun,
 After it has become strong
 Nor take your oaths to practise
 Deception between yourselves,
 Lest one party should be
 More numerous than another:
 For God will test you by this;
 And on the Day of Judgment

He will certainly make clear
 To you (the truth of) that
 Wherein ye disagree.

93. If God so willed, He
 Could make you all one People:
 But He leaves straying
 Whom He pleases, and He guides
 Whom He pleases: but ye
 Shall certainly be called to account
 For all your actions.

94. And take not your oaths,
 To practise deception between
 yourselves,
 With the result that someone's foot
 May slip after it was
 Firmly planted, and ye may
 Have to taste the evil
 (consequences)
 Of having hindered (men)
 From the Path of God,
 And a mighty Wrath
 Descend on you.

95. Nor sell the Covenant of God
 For a miserable price:
 For with God is (a prize)
 Far better for you,
 If ye only knew.

96. What is with you must vanish:
 What is with God will endure.
 And We will certainly bestow,
 On those who patiently persevere,
 Their reward according to
 The best of their actions.

97. Whoever works righteousness,
 Man or woman, and has Faith,
 Verily, to him will We give
 A new Life, a life
 That is good and pure, and We
 Will bestow on such their reward
 According to the best
 Of their actions.

98. When thou dost read
 The Qur-an, seek God's protection
 From Satan the Rejected One.

99. No authority has he over those
 Who believe and put their trust
 In their Lord.

100. His authority is over those
 Only, who take him as patron
 And who join partners with God.

101. When We substitute one revelation
 For another,--and God knows best
 What He reveals (in stages),--
 They say, "Thou art but a forger":
 But most of them understand not.

102. Say, the Holy Spirit has brought
 The revelation from thy Lord
 In Truth, in order to strengthen
 Those who believe, and as a Guide
 And Glad Tidings to Muslims.

103. We know indeed that they
 Say, "It is a man that.
 Teaches him." The tongue
 Of him they wickedly point to
 Is notably foreign, while this
 Is Arabic, pure and clear.

104. Those who believe not
 In the Signs of God,--
 God will not guide them,
 And theirs will be
 A grievous Penalty.

105. It is those who believe not
 In the Signs of God,
 That forge falsehood:
 It is they who lie!

106. Any one who, after accepting
 Faith in God, utters Unbelief,--
 Except under compulsion,
 His heart remaining firm
 In Faith--but such as
 Open their breast to Unbelief,--
 On them is Wrath from God,
 And theirs will be
 A dreadful Penalty.

107. This because they love
 The life of this world
 Better than the Hereafter:
 And God will not guide
 Those who reject Faith.

108. Those are they whose hearts,
 Ears, and eyes God has sealed up
 And they take no heed.

109. Without doubt, in the Hereafter
 They will perish.

110. But verily thy Lord,--
 To those who leave their homes
 After trials and persecutions,--
 And who thereafter strive
 And fight for the Faith
 And patiently persevere,
 Thy Lord, after all this
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

111. One Day every soul
 Will come up struggling
 For itself, and every soul
 Will be recompensed (fully)
 For all its actions, and none
 Will be unjustly dealt with.

112. God sets forth a Parable:
 A city enjoying security
 And quiet, abundantly supplied
 With sustenance from every place:
 Yet was it ungrateful
 For the favours of God:
 So God made it taste
 Of hunger and terror (in extremes)
 (Closing in on it) like a garment
 (From every side), because

Of the (evil) which
 (Its people) wrought.

113. And there came to them
 An Apostle from among themselves,
 But they falsely rejected him;
 So the Wrath seized them
 Even in the midst
 Of their iniquities.

114. So eat of the sustenance
 Which God has provided
 For you, lawful and good;
 And be grateful for the favours
 Of God, if it is He
 Whom ye serve.

115. He has only forbidden you
 Dead meat, and blood,
 And the flesh of swine,
 And any (food) over which
 The name of other than God
 Has been invoked.
 But if one is forced by necessity,
 Without wilful disobedience,
 Nor transgressing due limits,--
 Then God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

116. But say not--for any false thing
 That your tongues may put forth,--
 "This is lawful, and this
 Is forbidden," so as to ascribe
 False things to God. For those
 Who ascribe false things
 To God, will never prosper.

117. (In such falsehood)
 Is but a paltry profit;
 But they will have
 A most grievous Penalty.

118. To the Jews We prohibited
 Such things as We have
 Mentioned to thee before:
 We did them no wrong,
 But they were used to
 Doing wrong to themselves.

119. But verily thy Lord,--
 To those who do wrong
 In ignorance, but who
 Thereafter repent and make amends,--
 Thy Lord, after all this,
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most
 Merciful.

120. Abraham was indeed a model,
 Devoutly obedient to God,
 (And) true in faith, and he
 Joined not gods with God:

121. He showed his gratitude
 For the favours of God,
 Who chose him, and guided him
 To a Straight Way.

122. And We gave him Good
 In this world, and he will be,

In the Hereafter, in the ranks
 Of the Righteous,''

123. So We have taught thee
 The inspired (message),
 "Follow the ways of Abraham
 The True in Faith, and he
 Joined not gods with God."

124. The Sabbath was only made
 (Strict) for those who disagreed
 (As to its observance);
 But God will judge between them
 On the Day of Judgment,
 As to their differences,

125. Invite (all) to the Way
 Of thy Lord with wisdom
 And beautiful preaching;
 And argue with them
 In ways that are best
 And most gracious:
 For thy Lord knoweth best,
 Who have strayed from His Path,

And who receive guidance.

126. And if ye do catch them out,
 Catch them out no worse
 Than they catch you out:
 But if ye show patience,
 That is indeed the best (course)
 For those who are patient.

127. And do thou be patient,
 For thy patience is but
 From God; nor grieve over them:
 And distress not thyself
 Because of their plots.

128. For God is with those
 Who restrain themselves,
 And those who do good.

Sura XVII.  

Bani Isra-il, or the Children of Israel,

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Glory to (God)
 Who did take His Servant
 For a Journey by night
 From the Sacred Mosque
 To the Farthest Mosque,
 Whose precincts We did
 Bless,--in order that We
 Might show him some
 Of Our Signs: for He
 Is the One Who heareth
 And seeth (all things).

2. We gave Moses the Book,
 And made it a Guide

To the Children of Israel,
 (Commanding): "Take not
 Other than Me
 As Disposer of (your) affairs."

3. O ye that are sprung
 From those whom We carried
 (In the Ark) with Noah!
 Verily he was a devotee
 Most grateful.

4. And We gave (clear) warning
 To the Children of Israel
 In the Book, that twice
 Would they do mischief
 On the earth and be elated
 With mighty arrogance
 (And twice would they be punished)!

5. When the first of the warnings
 Came to pass, We sent
 Against you Our servants
 Given to terrible warfare:
 They entered the very inmost
 Parts of your homes;
 And it was a warning
 (Completely) fulfilled.

6. Then did We grant you
 The Return as against them:
 We gave you increase
 In resources and sons,
 And made you
 The more numerous
 In man-power.

7. If ye did well,
 Ye did well for yourselves;
 If ye did evil,
 (Ye did it) against yourselves?
 So when the second
 Of the warnings came to pass,
 (We permitted your enemies)
 To disfigure your faces,
 And to enter your Temple
 As they had entered it before,
 And to visit with destruction
 All that fell into their power.

8. It may be that your Lord
 May (yet) show Mercy

Unto you; but if ye
 Revert (to your sins),
 We shall revert
 (To Our punishments):
 And We have made Hell
 A prison for those who
 Reject (all Faith),

9. Verily this Qur-an
 Doth guide to that
 Which is most right (or stable),
 And giveth the glad tidings
 To the Believers who work
 Deeds of righteousness,
 That they shall have
 A magnificent reward;

10. And to those who believe not
 In the Hereafter, (it announceth)
 That We have prepared
 For them a Penalty
 Grievous (indeed).

11. The prayer that man
 Should make for good,
 He maketh for evil;
 For man is given to
 Hasty (deeds).

12. We have made the Night
 And the Day as two

(Of Our) Signs: the Sign
 Of the Night have We obscured,
 While the Sign of the Day
 We have made to enlighten
 You; that ye may seek
 Bounty from your Lord,
 And that ye may know
 The number and count
 Of the years: all things
 Have We explained in detail.

13. Every man's fate
 We have fastened
 On his own neck:
 On the Day of Judgment
 We shall bring out
 For him a scroll,
 Which he will see
 Spread open.

14. (It will be said to him:)
 "Read thine (own) record:
 Sufficient is thy soul
 This day to make out
 An account against thee."

15. Who receiveth guidance,
 Receiveth it for his own
 Benefit: who goeth astray
 Doth so to his own loss:
 No bearer of burdens
 Can bear the burden
 Of another: nor would We
 Visit with Our Wrath
 Until We had sent
 An apostle (to give warning).

16. When We decide to destroy
 A population, We (first) send
 A definite order to those
 Among them who are given
 The good things of this life
 And yet transgress; so that
 The word is proved true
 Against them: then (it is)
 We destroy them utterly.

17. How many generations
 Have We destroyed. after Noah?
 And enough is thy Lord
 To note and see
 The sins of His servants

18. If any do wish
 For the transitory things
 (Of this life), We readily
 Grant them--such things
 As We will, to such persons
 As We will: in the end
 Have We provided Hell
 For them: they will burn
 Therein, disgraced and rejected.

19. Those who do wish
 For the (things of) the
 Hereafter,
 And strive therefor
 With all due striving,
 And have Faith,--
 They are the ones
 Whose striving is acceptable
 (To God).

20. Of the bounties of thy Lord
 We bestow freely on all--
 These as well as those:
 The bounties of thy Lord
 Are not closed (to anyone).

21. See how We have bestowed
 More on some than on others;
 But verily the Hereafter
 Is more in rank and gradation

And more in excellence.

22. Take not with God
 Another object of worship;
 Or thou (O man!) wilt sit
 In disgrace and destitution.'

23. Why Lord hath decreed
 That ye worship hone but Him,
 And that ye be kind
 To parents. Whether one
 Or both of them attain
 Old age in thy life,
 Say not to them a word
 Of contempt, nor repel them,
 But address them
 In terms of honour.

24. And, out of kindness,
 Lower to them the wing
 Of humility, and say:
 "My Lord! bestow on them
 Thy Mercy even as they
 Cherished me in childhood.

25. Your Lord knoweth best
 What is in your hearts:
 If ye do deeds of righteousness,
 Verily He is Most Forgiving
 To those who turn to Him
 Again and again
 (in true penitence).

26. And render to the kindred
 Their due rights, as (also)
 To those in want,
 And to the wayfarer:
 But squander not (your wealth)
 In the manner of a spendthrift.

27. Verily spendthrifts are brothers
 Of the Evil Ones;
 And the Evil One
 Is to his Lord (Himself)
 Ungrateful.

28. And even if thou hast
 To turn away from them
 In pursuit of the Mercy
 From thy Lord which thou
 Dost expect, yet speak
 To them a word
 Of easy kindness.

29. Make not thy hand tied
 (Like a niggard's) to thy neck,
 Nor stretch it forth
 To its utmost reach,
 So that thou become
 Blameworthy and destitute.

30. Verily thy Lord doth provide
 Sustenance in abundance
 For whom He pleaseth, and He
 Provideth in a just measure.
 For He doth know
 And regard all His servants.

31. Kill not your children
 For fear of want: We shall
 Provide sustenance for them
 As well as for you.
 Verily the killing of them
 Is a great sin.

32. Nor come nigh to adultery:
 For it is a shameful (deed)
 And an evil, opening the road
 (To other evils).

33. Nor take life--which God
 Has made sacred--except
 For just cause. And if
 Anyone is slain wrongfully,
 We have given his heir
 Authority (to demand Qisas
 Or to forgive): but let him
 Not exceed bounds in the matter
 Of taking life; for he
 Is helped (by the Law).

34. Come not nigh
 To the orphan's property
 Except to improve it,

Until he attains the age
 Of full strength; and fulfil
 (Every) engagement,
 For (every) engagement
 Will be enquired into
 (On the Day of Reckoning).

35. Give full measure when ye
 Measure, and weigh
 With a balance that is straight:
 That is the most fitting
 And the most advantageous
 In the final determination:

36. And pursue not that
 Of which thou hast
 No knowledge; for
 Every act of hearing,
 Or of seeing
 Or of (feeling in) the heart
 Will be enquired into
 (On the Day of Reckoning).

37. Nor walk on the earth
 With insolence: for thou

Canst not rend the earth
 Asunder, nor reach
 The mountains in height.

38. Of all such things
 The evil is hateful
 In the sight of thy Lord.

39. These are among the (precepts
 Of) wisdom, which thy Lord
 Has revealed to thee.
 Take not, with God,
 Another object of worship,
 Lest thou shouldst be thrown
 Into Hell, blameworthy and rejected.

40. Has then your Lord,
 (O Pagans!) preferred for you
 Sons, and taken for Himself
 Daughters among the angels?
 Truly ye utter
 A most dreadful saying!

41. We have explained (things)
 In various (ways) in this Qur-an,
 In order that they may receive
 Admonition, but it only increases
 Their flight (from the Truth)!

42. Say: if there had been
 (Other) gods with Him,--
 As they say,--behold,
 They would certainly have
 Sought out a way
 To the Lord of the Throne!

43. Glory to Him! He is high
 Above all that they say!--
 Exalted and Great (beyond measure)!

44. The seven heavens and the earth,
 And all beings therein,
 Declare His glory:
 There is not a thing
 But celebrates His praise;
 And yet ye understand not
 How they declare His glory!
 Verily He is Oft-Forbearing,
 Most Forgiving!

45. When thou dost recite
 The Qur-an, We put,

Between thee and those who
 Believe not to the Hereafter,
 A veil invisible:

46. And We put coverings
 Over their hearts (and minds)
 Lest they should understand
 The Our-an, and deafness
 Into their ears: when thou
 Dost commemorate thy Lord--
 And Him alone--in the Qur-an,
 They turn on their backs,
 Fleeing (from the Truth).

47. We know best why it is
 They listen, when they listen
 To thee; and when they
 Meet in private conference,
 Behold, the wicked say,
 "Ye follow none other than
 A man bewitched!"

48. See what similes they strike
 For thee: but they have gone
 Astray, and never can they
 Find a way.

49. They say: "What!
 When we are reduced

To bones and dust,
 Should we really be raised up
 (To be) a new creation?

50. Say: "(Nay!) be ye
 Stones or iron,

51. "Or created matter
 Which, in your minds,
 Is hardest (to be raised up),
 (Yet shall ye be raised up)!"
 Then will they say:
 "Who will cause us
 To return?" Say: "He
 Who created you first!"
 Then will they wag
 Their heads towards thee,
 And say, "When will
 That be?" Say, "May be
 It will be quite soon!

52. "It will be on a Day
 When He will call you,
 And ye will answer
 (His call) with (words
 Of) His praise, and ye
 Will think that ye tarried
 But a little while!

53. Say to My servants
 That they should (only) say
 Those things that are best:
 For Satan doth sow
 Dissensions among them:
 For Satan is to man
 An avowed enemy.

54. It is your Lord
 That knoweth you best:
 If He please, He granteth
 You mercy, or if He please,
 Punishment: We have not sent
 Thee to be a disposer
 Of their affairs for them.

55. And it is your Lord
 That knoweth best all beings
 That are in the heavens
 And on earth: We
 Did bestow on some Prophets
 More (and other) gifts
 Than on others: and We gave
 To David (the gift
 Of) the Psalms.

56. Say: "Call on those--
 Besides Him--whom ye fancy:
 They have neither the power
 To remove your troubles
 From you nor to change them."

57. Those whom they call upon
 Do desire (for themselves) means
 Of access to their Lord,--
 Even those who are nearest:
 They hope for His Mercy
 And fear His Wrath:
 For the Wrath of thy Lord
 Is something to take heed of

58. There is not a population
 But We shall destroy it
 Before the Day of Judgment
 Or punish it with
 A dreadful Penalty:
 That is written
 In the (eternal) Record.

59. And We refrain from sending
 The Signs, only because
 The men of former generations
 Treated them as false:

We sent the She-camel
 To the Thamud to open
 Their eyes, but they
 Treated her wrongfully:
 We only send the Signs
 By way of terror
 (And warning from evil).

60. Behold! We told thee
 That thy Lord doth encompass
 Mankind round about:
 We granted the Vision
 Which We showed thee,
 But as a trial for men,--
 As also the Cursed Tree
 (Mentioned) in the Qur-an:
 We put terror (and warning)
 Into them, but it only
 Increases their inordinate
 transgression!

61. Behold! We said to the angels:
 "Bow down unto Adam":
 They bowed down except Iblis
 He said, "Shall I bow down
 To one whom Thou didst create
 From clay?"

62. He said, "Seest Thou? This is
 The one whom Thou hast honoured
 Above me! If Thou wilt but
 Respite me to the Day
 Of Judgment, I will surely
 Bring his descendants
 Under my sway
 All but a few!"

63. (God) said: "Go thy way;
 If any of them follow thee,
 Verily Hell will be
 The recompense of you (all)--
 An ample recompense.

64. "Lead to destruction those
 Whom thou canst among them,
 With thy (seductive) voice;
 Make assaults on them
 With thy cavalry and thy
 Infantry; mutually share
 With them wealth and children;
 And make promises to them."
 But Satan promises them
 Nothing but deceit.

65. "As for My servants,
 No authority shalt thou
 Have over them:"
 Enough is thy Lord
 For a Disposer of affairs.

66. Your Lord is He
 That maketh the Ship
 Go smoothly for you
 Through the sea, in order that
 Ye may seek of His Bounty.
 For He is unto you
 Most Merciful.

67. When distress seizes you
 At sea, those that ye
 Call upon--besides Himself--
 Leave you in the lurch!
 But when He brings you back
 Safe to land, ye turn

Away (from Him). Most ungrateful
 Is man!

68. Do ye then feel secure
 That He will not cause you
 To be swallowed up
 Beneath the earth
 When ye are on land,
 Or that He will not send
 Against you a violent tornado
 (With showers of stones)
 So that ye shall find
 No one to carry out
 Your affairs for you?

69. Or do ye feel secure
 That He will not send you
 Back a second time
 To sea and send against you
 A heavy gale to drown you
 Because of your ingratitude,
 So that ye find no helper
 Therein against Us?

70. We have honoured the sons
 Of Adam; provided them
 With transport on land and sea;
 Given them for sustenance things
 Good and pure; and conferred
 On them special favours,
 Above a great part
 Of Our Creation.

71. One day We shall call
 Together all human beings
 With their (respective) Imams:
 Those who are given their record
 In their right hand
 Will read it (with pleasure),
 And they will not be
 Dealt with unjustly
 In the least.

72. But those who were blind
 In this world, will he
 Blind in the Hereafter,
 And most astray
 From the Path.

73. And their purpose was
 To tempt thee away
 From that which We
 Had revealed unto thee,
 To substitute in Our name
 Something quite different:
 (In that case), behold!
 They would certainly have
 Made thee (their) friend!

74. And had We not
 Given thee strength,

Thou wouldst nearly
 Have inclined to them
 A little.

75. In that case We should
 Have made thee taste
 An equal portion (of punishment)
 In this life, and an equal portion
 In death: and moreover
 Thou wouldst have found
 None to help thee against Us!

76. Their purpose was to scare
 Thee off the land,
 In order to expel thee;
 But in that case they
 Would not have stayed
 (Therein) after thee,
 Except for a little while.

77. (This was Our) way
 With the apostles We sent
 Before thee: thou wilt find
 No change in Our ways.

78. Establish regular prayers--
 At the sun's decline

Till the darkness of the night,
 And the morning prayer
 And reading: for the prayer
 And reading in the morning
 Carry their testimony.

79. And pray in the small watches
 Of the morning: (it would be)
 An additional prayer
 (Or spiritual profit)
 For thee: soon will thy Lord
 Raise thee to a Station
 Of Praise and Glory!

80. Say: "O my Lord!
 Let my entry be
 By the Gate of Truth
 And Honour, and likewise
 My exit by the Gate
 Of Truth and Honour;
 And grant me
 From Thy Presence
 An authority to aid (me).

81. And say: "Truth has (now)
 Arrived, and Falsehood perished:
 For Falsehood is (by its nature)
 Bound to perish."

82. We send down (stage by stage)
 In the Qur-an that which
 Is a healing and a mercy
 To those who believe:
 To the unjust it causes
 Nothing but loss after loss.

83. Yet when We bestow
 Our favours on man,
 He turns away and becomes
 Remote on his side (instead
 Of coming to Us), and when
 Evil seizes him he
 Gives himself up to despair!

84. Say: "Everyone acts
 According to his own disposition:
 But your Lord knows best
 Who it is that is
 Best guided on the Way."

85. They ask thee concerning
 The Spirit (of inspiration).
 Say: "The Spirit (cometh)
 By command of my Lord:
 Of knowledge it is only
 A little that is communicated
 To you, (O men!)"

86. If it were Our Will,
 We could take away
 That which We have
 Sent thee by inspiration
 Then wouldst thou find
 None to plead thy affair
 In that matter as against Us,--

87. Except for Mercy from thy Lord:
 For His Bounty is
 To thee (indeed) great.

88. Say: "If the whole
 Of mankind and Jinns
 Were to gather together
 To produce the like
 Of this Qur-an, they
 Could not produce
 The like thereof, even if
 They backed up each other

With help and support.

89. And We have explained
 To man, in this Qur-an,
 Every kind of similitude:
 Yet the greater part of men
 Refuse (to receive it)
 Except with ingratitude!

90. They say: "We shall not
 Believe in thee, until thou
 Cause a spring to gush
 Forth for us from the earth,

91. "Or (until) thou have
 A garden of date trees
 And vines, and cause rivers
 To gush forth in their midst,
 Carrying abundant water;

92. "Or thou cause the sky
 To fall in pieces, as thou
 Sayest (will happen), against us;

Or thou bring God
 And the angels before (us)
 Face to face;

93. "Or thou have a house
 Adorned with gold,
 Or thou mount a ladder
 Right into the skies.
 No, we shall not even believe
 In thy mounting until thou
 Send down to us a book
 That we could read."
 Say: "Glory to my Lord!
 Am I aught but a man,--
 An apostle?"

94. What kept men back
 From Belief when Guidance
 Came to them, was nothing
 But this: they said,
 "Has God sent a man
 (Like us) to be (His) Apostle?"

95. Say, "If there were settled,
 On earth, angels walking about

In peace and quiet, We should
 Certainly have sent them
 Down from the heavens
 An angel for an apostle."

96. Say: "Enough is God
 For a witness between me
 And you: for He is
 Well acquainted with His servants,
 And He sees (all things).

97. It is he whom God guides,
 That is on true guidance;
 But he whom He leaves
 Astray--for such wilt thou
 Find no protector besides Him.
 On the Day of Judgment
 We shall gather them together,
 Prone on their faces,
 Blind, dumb, and deaf:
 Their abode will be Hell:
 Every time it shows abatement,
 We shall increase for them
 The fierceness of the Fire.

98. That is their recompense,
 Because they rejected Our Signs,
 And said, "When we are reduced
 To bones and broken dust,
 Should we really be raised up
 (To be) a new Creation?"

99. See they not that God,
 Who created the heavens
 And the earth, has power
 To create the like of them
 (Anew)? Only He has
 Decreed a term appointed,
 Of which there is no doubt.
 But the unjust refuse
 (To receive it) except
 With ingratitude.

100. Say: "If ye had
 Control of the Treasures
 Of the Mercy of my Lord,
 Behold, ye would keep them
 Back, for fear of spending
 Them: for man
 Is (ever) niggardly!"

101. To Moses We did give
 Nine Clear Signs:
 Ask the Children of Israel:
 When he came to them,
 Pharaoh said to him:
 "O Moses! I consider thee,

Indeed, to have been
 Worked upon by sorcery!

102. Moses said, "Thou knowest
 Well that these things
 Have been sent down by none
 But the Lord of the heavens
 And the earth as eye-opening
 Evidence: and I consider thee
 Indeed, O Pharaoh, to be
 One doomed to destruction!"

103. So he resolved to remove them
 From the face of the earth:
 But We did drown him
 And all who were with him.

104. And We said thereafter
 To the Children of Israel,
 "Dwell securely in the land
 (Of promise)": but when
 The second of the warnings came
 To pass, We gathered you
 Together in a mingled crowd

105. We sent down the (Qur-an)
 In Truth, and in Truth
 Has it descended: and We sent
 Thee but to give Glad
 Tidings and to warn (sinners).

106. (It is) a Qur-an
 Which We have divided
 (Into parts from time to time),
 In order that thou mightest
 Recite it to men
 At intervals: We have
 Revealed it by stages.

107. Say: "Whether ye believe
 In it or not, it is true
 That those who were given
 Knowledge beforehand, when
 It it recited to them,
 Fall down on their faces
 In humble prostration,

108. "And they say, "Glory
 To our Lord! Truly
 Has the promise of our Lord
 Been fulfilled!"

109. They fall down on their faces
 In tears, and it increases
 Their (earnest) humility!

110. Say: "Call upon God, or
 Call upon Rahman:
 By whatever name ye call
 Upon Him, (it is well):
 For to Him belong
 The Most Beautiful Names.
 Neither speak thy Prayer aloud,
 Nor speak it in a low tone,
 But seek a middle course
 Between."

111. Say: "Praise be to God,
 Who begets no son,
 And has no partner
 In (His) dominion:
 Nor (needs) He any
 To protect Him from
 humiliation:
 Yea, magnify Him
 For His greatness and glory!"

Sura XVIII.  

Kahf, or the Cave.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,
 Who hath sent to His Servant
 The Book, and hath allowed
 Therein no Crookedness:

2. (He hath made it) Straight
 (And Clear) in order that
 He may warn (the godless)
 Of a terrible Punishment
 From Him, and that He
 May give Glad Tidings
 To the Believers who work
 Righteous deeds, that they
 Shall have a goodly Reward,

3. Wherein they shall
 Remain for ever:

4. Further; that He may warn
 Those (also) who say,

"God hath begotten a son"

5. No knowledge have they
 Of such a thing, nor
 Had their fathers. It is
 A grievous thing that issues
 From their mouths as a saying.
 What they say is nothing
 But falsehood!

6. Thou wouldst only, perchance,
 Fret thyself to death,
 Following after them, in grief,
 If they believe not
 In this Message.

7. That which is on earth
 We have made but as
 A glittering show for the earth,
 In order that We may test
 Them--as to which of them
 Are best in conduct.

8. Verily what is on earth
 We shall make but as

Dust and dry soil
 (Without growth or herbage).

9. Or dost thou reflect
 That the Companions of the Cave
 And of the Inscription
 Were wonders among Our Signs?

10. Behold, the youths betook themselves

To the Cave: they said,
 "Our Lord! bestow on us
 Mercy from Thyself,
 And dispose of our affair
 For us in the right way!"

11. Then We draw (a veil)
 Over their ears, for a number
 Of years, in the Cave,
 (So that they heard not):

12. Then We roused them,
 In order to test which
 Of the two parties was best
 At calculating the term
 Of years they had tarried!

13. We relate to thee their story
 In truth: they were youths
 Who believed in their Lord,
 And We advanced them In guidance:

14. We gave strength to their hearts:

Behold, they stood up
 And said: "Our Lord is
 The Lord of the heavens
 And of the earth: never
 Shall we call upon any god
 Other than Him: if we
 Did, we should indeed
 Have uttered an enormity!

15. "These our people have taken
 For worship gods other
 Than Him: why do they
 Not bring forward an authority
 Clear (and convincing)
 For what they do?
 Who doth more wrong
 Than such as invent
 A falsehood against God?

16. "When ye turn away
 From them and the things
 They worship other than God,
 Betake yourselves to the Cave:
 Your Lord will shower
 His mercies on you
 And dispose of your affair
 Towards comfort and ease."

17. Thou wouldst have seen
 The sun, when it rose,
 Declining to the right
 From their Cave, and when

It set, turning away
 From them to the left,
 While they lay in the open
 Space in the midst
 Of the Cave. Such are
 Among the Signs of God:
 He whom God guides
 Is rightly guided; but he
 Whom God leaves to stray,--
 For him wilt thou find
 No protector to lead him
 To the Right Way.

18. Thou wouldst have deemed them
 Awake, whilst they were asleep,
 And We turned them
 On their right and on
 Their left sides: their dog
 Stretching forth his two fore-legs
 On the threshold: if thou
 Hadst come up on to them,
 Thou wouldst have certainly
 Turned back from them in flight,
 And wouldst certainly have been
 Filled with terror of them.

19. Such (being their state),
 We raised them up (from sleep),
 That they might question
 Each other. Said one of them,

"How long have ye stayed (here)?"
 They said, "We have stayed
 (Perhaps) a day, or part
 Of a day." (At length)
 They (all) said, "God (alone)
 Knows best how long
 Ye have stayed here...
 Now send ye then one of you
 With this money of yours
 To the town: let him
 Find out which is the best
 Food (to be had) and bring some
 To you, that (ye may)
 Satisfy your hunger therewith:
 And let him behave
 With care and courtesy,
 And let him not inform
 Any one about you.

20. "For if they should
 Come upon you, they would
 Stone you or force you
 To return to their cult,
 And in that case ye would
 Never attain prosperity."

21. Thus did We make
 Their case known to the people,

That they might know
 That the promise of God
 Is true, and that there can
 Be no doubt about the Hour
 Of Judgment. Behold,
 They dispute among themselves
 As to their affair. (Some) said,
 "Construct a building over them":
 Their Lord knows best
 About them: those who prevailed
 Over their affair said,
 "Let us surely build a place
 Of worship over them."

22. (Some) say they were three,
 The dog being the fourth
 Among them; (others) say
 They were five, the dog
 Being the sixth,--doubtfully
 Guessing at the unknown;
 (Yet others) say they were
 Seven, the dog being the eighth.
 Say thou: "My Lord
 Knoweth best their number;
 It is but few that know
 Their (real case)." Enter not,
 Therefore, into controversies
 Concerning them, except
 On a matter that is clear,
 Nor consult any of them
 About (the affair of) the Sleepers.

23. Nor say of anything,
 "I shall be sure to do
 So and so to-morrow"--

24. Without adding, "So please God!"
 And call thy Lord to mind
 When thou forgettest, and say,
 "I hope that my Lord
 Will guide me ever closer
 (Even) than this
 To the right road."

25. So they stayed in their Cave
 Three hundred years, and (some)
 Add nine (more)

26. Say: "God knows best
 How long they stayed:
 With Him is (the knowledge
 Of) the secrets of the heavens
 And the earth: how clearly
 He sees, how finely He hears
 (Everything)! They have no protector
 Other than Him; nor does
 He share His Command
 With any person whatsoever.

27. And recite (and teach)
 What has been revealed
 To thee of the Book
 Of thy Lord: none
 Can change His Words,
 And none wilt thou find
 As a refuge other than Him.

28. And keep thy soul content
 With those who call
 On their Lord morning
 And evening, seeking
 His Face; and let not
 Thine eyes pass beyond them,
 Seeking the pomp and glitter
 Of this Life; nor obey
 Any whose heart We
 Have permitted to neglect
 The remembrance of Us,
 One who follows his own

Desires, whose case has
 Gone beyond all bounds.

29. Say, "The Truth is
 From your Lord":
 Let him who will,
 Believe, and let him
 Who will, reject (it):
 For the wrong-doers We
 Have prepared a Fire
 Whose (smoke and flames),
 Like the walls and roof
 Of a tent, will hem
 Them in: if they implore
 Relief they will be granted
 Water like melted brass,
 That will scald their faces.
 How dreadful the drink!
 How uncomfortable a couch
 To recline on!

30. As to those who believe
 And work righteousness,
 Verily We shall not suffer
 To perish the reward
 Of any who do
 A (single) righteous deed.

31. For them will be Gardens
 Of Eternity; beneath them
 Rivers will flow: they will
 Be adorned therein
 With bracelets of gold,
 And they will wear

Green garments of fine silk
 And heavy brocade;
 They will recline therein
 On raised thrones.
 How good the recompense!
 How beautiful a couch
 To recline on!

32. Set forth to them
 The parable of two men:
 For one of them We provided
 Two gardens of grape-vines
 And surrounded them
 With date palms;
 In between the two
 We placed corn-fields.

33. Each of those gardens
 Brought forth its produce,
 And failed not in the least
 Therein: in the midst
 Of them We caused
 A river to flow.

34. (Abundant) was the produce
 This man had: he said
 To his companion, in the course
 Of a mutual argument:
 "More wealth have I
 Than you, and more honour
 And power in (my following
 Of) men."

35. He went into his garden
 In a state (of mind)
 Unjust to his soul:
 He said, "I deem not
 That this will ever perish,

36. "Nor do I deem
 That the Hour (of Judgment)
 Will (ever) come:
 Even if I am brought back
 To my Lord, I shall
 Surely find (there)
 Something better in exchange."

37. His companion said to him,
 In the course of the argument
 With him: "Dost thou deny
 Him Who created thee
 Out of dust, then out of
 A sperm-drop, then fashioned
 Thee into a man?

38. "But (I think) for my part
 That He is God,
 My Lord, and none shall I
 Associate with my Lord.

39. "Why didst thou not,
 As thou wentest into
 Thy garden, say, "God's Will
 (Be done)! There is no power
 But with God!" If thou

Dost see me less than
 Thee in wealth and sons,

40. "It may be that my Lord
 Will give me something
 Better than thy garden,
 And that He will send
 On thy garden thunderbolts
 (By way of reckoning)
 From heaven, making it
 (But) slippery sand!--

41. "Or the water of the garden
 Will run off underground
 So that thou wilt never
 Be able to find it."

42. So his fruits (and enjoyment)
 Were encompassed (with ruin),
 And he remained twisting
 And turning his hands
 Over what he had spent
 On his property, which had
 (Now) tumbled to pieces
 To its very foundations,
 And he could only say,
 "Woe is me! Would I had
 Never ascribed partners
 To my Lord and Cherisher!"

43. Nor had he numbers
 To help him against God,
 Nor was he able
 To deliver himself.

44. There, the (only) protection comes
 From God, the True One.
 He is the Best to reward,
 And the Best to give success.

45. Set forth to them
 The similitude of the life
 Of this world: it is like
 The rain which We send
 Down from the skies:
 The earth's vegetation absorbs it,
 But soon it becomes
 Dry stubble, which the winds
 Do scatter: it is (only) God
 Who prevails over all things.

46. Wealth and sons are allurements
 Of the life of this world:
 But the things that endure,
 Good Deeds, are best
 In the sight of thy Lord,
 As rewards, and best
 As (the foundation for) hopes.

47. One Day We shall
 Remove the mountains, and thou
 Wilt see the earth
 As a level stretch,
 And We shall gather them,
 All together, nor shall We
 Leave out any one of them.

48. And they will be marshalled
 Before thy Lord in ranks,
 (With the announcement),
 "Now have ye come to Us
 (Bare) as We created you
 First: aye, ye thought
 We shall not fulfil
 The appointment made to you
 To meet (Us)!":

49. And the Book (of Deeds)
 Will be placed (before you);
 And thou wilt see
 The sinful in great terror
 Because of what is (recorded)
 Therein; they will say,
 "Ah! woe to us!
 What a book is this!
 It leaves out nothing
 Small or great, but
 Takes account thereof!"
 They will find all that they
 Did, placed before them:
 And not one will thy Lord
 Treat with injustice.

50. Behold! We said
 To the angels, "Bow down
 To Adam": they bowed down
 Except Iblis. He was
 One of the Jinns, and he
 Broke the Command
 Of his Lord.
 Will ye then take him
 And his progeny as protectors
 Rather than Me? And they
 Are enemies to you!
 Evil would be the exchange
 For the wrong-doers!

51. I called them not
 To witness the creation
 Of the heavens and the earth,
 Nor (even) their own creation:
 Nor is it for Me
 To take as helpers
 Such as lead (men) astray!

52. One Day He will say,
 "Call on those whom ye
 Thought to be My partners,"
 And they will call on them,
 But they will not listen
 To them; and We shall
 Make for them a place
 Of common perdition

53. And the Sinful shall see
 The Fire and apprehend
 That they have to fall
 Therein no means will they
 Find to turn away therefrom.

54. We have explained
 In detail in this Qur-an,
 For the benefit of mankind,
 Every kind of similitude:
 But man is, in most things,
 Contentious.

55. And what is there
 To keep back men
 From believing, now that
 Guidance has come to them,
 Nor from praying for forgiveness
 From their Lord, but that
 (They ask that) the ways
 Of the ancients be repeated
 With them, or the Wrath
 Be brought to them
 Face to face?

56. We only send the apostles
 To give glad tidings
 And to give warnings
 But the Unbelievers dispute
 With vain argument, in order
 Therewith to weaken the truth,
 And they treat My Signs
 As a jest, as also the fact
 That they are warned!

57. And who doth more wrong
 Than one who is reminded
 Of the Signs of his Lord,
 But turns away from them,
 Forgetting the (deeds) which his hands
 Have sent forth? Verily We
 Have set veils over their hearts
 Lest they should understand this,
 and over their ears, deafness.
 If thou callest them
 To guidance, even then
 Will they never accept guidance.

58. But your Lord is most forgiving,
 Full of Mercy. If he were
 To call them (at once) to account
 For what they have earned,
 then surely He would
 Have hastened their Punishment:
 But they have their appointed
 Time, beyond which they
 Will find no refuge.

59. Such were the populations
 We destroyed when they
 Committed iniquities; but
 We fixed an appointed time
 For their destruction.

60. Behold, Moses said
 To his attendant, "I will not
 Give up until I reach
 The junction of the two
 Seas or (until) I spend
 Years and years in travel."

61. But when they reached
 The Junction, they forgot
 (About) their Fish, which took
 Its course through the sea
 (Straight) as in a tunnel.

62. When they had passed on
 (Some distance), Moses said
 To his attendant: "Bring us
 Our early meal; truly
 We have suffered much fatigue
 At this (stage of) our journey."

63. He replied: "Sawest thou
 (What happened) when we
 Betook ourselves to the rock?
 I did indeed forget
 (About) the Fish: none but
 Satan made me forget
 To tell (you) about it:
 It took its course through
 The sea in a marvellous way!"

64. Moses said: "That was what
 We were seeking after:"
 So they went back
 On their footsteps, following
 (The path they had come).

65. So they found one
 Of Our servants,

On whom We had bestowed
 Mercy from Ourselves
 And whom We had taught
 Knowledge from Our own
 Presence.

66. Moses said to him:
 "May I follow thee,
 On the footing that
 Thou teach me something
 Of the (Higher) Truth
 Which thou hast been taught?"

67. (The other) said: "Verily
 Thou wilt not be able
 To have patience with me!

68. "And how canst thou
 Have patience about things
 About which thy understanding
 Is not complete?"

69. Moses said: "Thou wilt
 Find me, if God so will,
 (Truly) patient: nor shall I
 Disobey thee in aught."

70. The other said: "If then
 Thou wouldst follow me,
 Ask me no questions
 About anything until I
 Myself speak to thee
 Concerning it."

71. So they both proceeded:
 Until, when they were
 In the boat, he scuttled it.
 Said Moses: "Hast thou
 Scuttled it in order
 To drown those in it?
 Truly a strange thing
 Hast thou done!"

72. He answered: "Did I not
 Tell thee that thou canst
 Have no patience with me?"

73. Moses said: "Rebuke me not
 For forgetting, nor grieve me
 By raising difficulties
 In my case."

74. Then they proceeded:
 Until, when they met
 A young man, he slew him.
 Moses said: "Hast thou
 Slain an innocent person
 Who had slain none?
 Truly a foul (unheard-of) thing
 Hast thou done!"

75. He answered, "Did I not
 Tell thee that thou canst
 Have no patience with me?"

76. (Moses) said: "If ever I
 Ask thee about anything
 After this, keep me not
 In thy company: then wouldst
 Thou have received (full) excuse
 From my side.

77. Then they proceeded:
 Until, when they came
 To the inhabitants of a town,
 They asked them for food,
 But they refused them
 Hospitality. They found there
 A wall on the point of
 Falling down, but he
 Set it up straight.
 (Moses) said: "If thou
 Hadst wished, surely thou
 Couldst have exacted some
 Recompense for it!"

78. He answered: "This is
 The parting between me
 And thee: now will I
 Tell thee the interpretation
 Of (those things) over which
 Thou wast unable
 To hold patience.

79. "As for the boat,
 It belonged to certain
 Men in dire want:
 They plied on the water:

I but wished to render it
 Unserviceable, for there was
 After them a certain king
 Who seized on every boat
 By force.

80. "As for the youth,
 His parents were people
 Of Faith, and we feared
 That he would grieve them
 By obstinate rebellion
 And ingratitude (to God and man).

81. "So we desired that
 Their Lord would give them
 In exchange (a son)
 Better in purity (of conduct)
 And closer in affection.

82. "As for the wall,
 It belonged to two youths,
 Orphans, in the Town;
 There was, beneath it,
 A buried treasure, to which
 They were entitled; their father

Had been a righteous man:
 So thy Lord desired that
 They should attain their age
 Of full strength and get out
 Their treasure--a mercy
 (And favour) from thy Lord.
 I did it not of my own
 Accord. Such is the interpretation
 Of (those things) over which
 Thou wast unable
 To hold patience."

83. They ask thee concerning
 Zul-qarnain. Say,

"I will rehearse to you
 Something of his story."

84. Verily We established his power
 On earth, and We gave him
 The ways and the means
 To all ends.

85. One (such) way he followed,

86. Until, when he reached
 The setting of the sun,
 He found it set
 In a spring of murky water:
 Near it he found a People:
 We said: "O Zul-qarnain!
 (Thou hast authority,) either
 To punish them, or
 To treat them with kindness."

87. He said: "Whoever doth wrong,
 Him shall we punish; then
 Shall he be sent back
 To his Lord; and He will
 Punish him with a punishment
 Unheard-of (before).

88. "But whoever believes,
 And works righteousness,--

He shall have a goodly
 Reward, and easy will be
 His task as we order it
 By our command."

89. Then followed he (another) way,

90. Until, when he came
 To the rising of the sun,
 He found it rising
 On a people for whom
 We had provided
 No covering protection
 Against the sun.

91. (He left them) as they were:
 We completely understood
 What was before him.

92. Then followed he (another) way,

93. Until, when he reached
 (A tract) between two mountains,
 He found, beneath them, a people
 Who scarcely understood a word.

94. They said: "O Zul-qarnain!
 The Gog and Magog (people)
 Do great mischief on earth:
 Shall we then render thee
 Tribute in order that
 Thou mightest erect a barrier
 Between us and them?

95. He said: "(The power) in which
 My Lord has established me
 Is better (than tribute):
 Help me therefore with strength
 (And labour): I will
 Erect a strong barrier
 Between you and them:

96. "Bring me blocks of iron."
 At length, when he had
 Filled up the space between
 The two steep mountain-sides,
 He said, "Blow (with your bellows)"
 Then, when he had made
 It (red) as fire, he said:
 "Bring me, that I may
 Pour over it, molten lead."

97. Thus were they made
 Powerless to scale it
 Or to dig through it.

98. He said: "This is
 A mercy from my Lord:
 But when the promise
 Of my Lord comes to pass,
 He will make it into dust;
 And the promise of
 My Lord is true."

99. On that day We shall
 Leave them to surge
 Like waves on one another
 The trumpet will be blown,
 And We shall collect them
 All together.

100. And We shall present
 Hell that day for Unbelievers
 To see, all spread out,--

101. (Unbelievers) whose eyes
 Had been under a veil
 From Remembrance of Me,
 And who had been unable
 Even to hear.

102. Do the Unbelievers think
 That they can take
 My servants as protectors
 Besides Me? Verily We
 Have prepared Hell
 For the Unbelievers
 For (their) entertainment.

103. Say: "Shall we tell you
 Of those who lose most
 In respect of their deeds?--

104. "Those whose efforts have
 Been wasted in this life,
 While they thought that
 They were acquiring good
 By their works?"

105. They are those who deny
 The Signs of their Lord
 And the fact of their
 Having to meet Him
 (In the Hereafter): vain
 Will be their works,
 Nor shall We, on the Day
 Of Judgment, give them
 Any weight.

106. That is their reward,
 Hell; because they rejected
 Faith, and took My Signs
 And My Messengers
 By way of jest.

107. As to those who believe
 And work righteous deeds,
 They have, for their entertainment,
 The Gardens of Paradise,

108. Wherein they shall dwell
 (For aye): no change
 Will they wish for from them.

109. Say: "If the ocean were
 Ink (wherewith to write out)
 The words of my Lord,
 Sooner would the ocean be
 Exhausted than would the words
 Of my Lord, even if we
 Added another ocean
 Like it, for its aid."

110. Say: "I am but a man
 Like yourselves, (but)
 The inspiration has come
 To me, that your God is
 One God: whoever expects
 To meet his Lord, let him
 Work righteousness, and,
 In the worship of his Lord,
 Admit no one as partner.

Sura XIX.  

Maryam, or Mary.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Kaf. Ha. Ya. 'Ain Sad.

2. (This is) a recital
 Of the Mercy of thy Lord
 To His servant Zakariya.

3. Behold! he cried
 To his Lord in secret,

4. Praying: "O my Lord!
 Infirm indeed are my bones,
 And the hair of my head
 Doth glisten with grey:
 But never am I unblest,
 O my Lord, in my prayer
 To Thee!

5. "Now I fear (what)
 My relatives (and colleagues)
 (Will do) after me:
 But my wife is barren:
 So give me an heir
 As from Thyself,--

6. "(One that) will (truly)
 "Represent me, and represent
 The posterity of Jacob;
 And make him, O my Lord!
 One with whom Thou art
 Well-pleased!"

7. (His prayer was answered):

"O Zakariya! We give thee
 Good news of a son:
 His name shall be Yahya:
 On none by that name
 Have We conferred distinction before."

8. He said: "O my Lord!
 How shall I have a son,
 When my wife is barren
 And I have grown quite decrepit
 From old age?"

9. He said: "So (it will be):
 Thy Lord saith, "That is
 Easy for Me: I did
 Indeed create thee before,
 When thou hadst been nothing!"

10. (Zakariya) said: "O my Lord!
 Give me a Sign."
 "Thy Sign," was the answer,
 "Shall be that thou
 Shalt speak to no man
 For three nights,
 Although thou art not dumb."

11. So Zakariya came out
 To his people
 From his chamber:
 He told them by signs
 To celebrate God's praises
 In the morning
 And in the evening.

12. (To his son came the command):
 "O Yahya! take hold

Of the Book with might":
 And We gave him Wisdom
 Even as a youth,

13. And pity (for all creatures)
 As from us, and purity:
 He was devout,

14. And kind to his parents,
 And he was not overbearing
 Or rebellious.

15. So Peace on him
 The day he was born,
 The day that he dies,
 And the day that he
 Will be raised up
 To life (again)

16. Relate in the Book
 (The story of) Mary,
 When she withdrew
 From her family
 To a place in the East.

17. She placed a screen
 (To screen herself) from them;
 Then We sent to her
 Our angel, and he appeared
 Before her as a man
 In all respects.

18. She said: "I seek refuge
 From thee to (God)
 Most Gracious: (come not near)
 If thou dost fear God."

19. He said: "Nay, I am only
 A messenger from thy Lord,
 (To announce) to thee
 The gift of a holy son."

20. She said: "How shall I
 Have a son, seeing that
 No man has touched me,
 And I am not unchaste?"

21. He said: "So (it will be):
 Thy Lord saith, "That is
 Easy for Me: and (We
 Wish) to appoint him
 As a Sign unto men
 And a Mercy from Us":

It is a matter
 (So) decreed."

22. So she conceived him,
 And she retired with him
 To a remote place.

23. And the pains of childbirth
 Drove her to the trunk
 Of a palm-tree:
 She cried (in her anguish):
 "Ah! would that I had
 Died before this! would that
 I had been a thing
 Forgotten and out of sight!"

24. But (a voice) cried to her
 From beneath the (palm-tree):
 "Grieve not! for thy Lord
 Hath provided a rivulet
 Beneath thee;

25. "And shake towards thyself
 The trunk of the palm-tree:
 It will let fall
 Fresh ripe dates upon thee

26. "So eat and drink
 And cool (thine) eye.
 And if thou dost see
 Any man, say, 'I have

Vowed a fast to (God)
 Most Gracious, and this day
 Will I enter into no talk
 With any human being'"

27. At length she brought
 The (babe) to her people,
 Carrying him (in her arms).
 They said: "O Mary!
 Truly an amazing thing
 Hast thou brought!

28. "O sister of Aaron!
 Thy father was not
 A man of evil, nor thy
 Mother a woman unchaste!"

29. But she pointed to the babe.
 They said: "How can we
 Talk to one who is
 A child in the cradle?"

30. He said: "I am indeed
 A servant of God:
 He hath given me
 Revelation and made me
 A prophet;

31. "And He hath made me
 Blessed wheresoever I be,

And hath enjoined on me
 Prayer and Charity as long
 As I live;

32. "(He) hath made me kind
 To my mother, and not
 Overbearing or miserable;

33. "So Peace is on me
 The day I was born,
 The day that I die,
 And the day that I
 Shall be raised up
 To life (again)"!

34. Such (was) Jesus the son
 Of Mary: (it is) a statement
 Of truth, about which
 They (vainly) dispute.

35. It is not befitting
 To (the majesty of) God
 That He should beget
 A son. Glory be to Him!
 When He determines
 A matter, He only says
 To it, "Be", and it is.

36. Verily God is my Lord
 And your Lord: Him

Therefore serve ye: this is
 A Way that is straight.

37. But the sects differ
 Among themselves: and woe
 To the Unbelievers because
 Of the (coming) Judgment
 Of a momentous Day!

38. How plainly will they see
 And hear, the Day that
 They will appear before Us!
 But the unjust to-day
 Are in error manifest!

39. But warn them of the Day
 Of Distress, when
 The matter will be determined:
 For (behold,) they are negligent
 And they do not believe!

40. It is We Who will inherit
 The earth, and all beings
 Thereon: to Us will they
 All be returned.

41. (Also) mention in the Book
 (The story of) Abraham:
 He was a man of Truth,
 A prophet.

42. Behold, he said to his father:
 "O my father! why
 Worship that which heareth not
 And seeth not, and can
 Profit thee nothing?

43. "O my father! to me
 Hath come knowledge which
 Hath not reached thee:
 So follow me: I will guide
 Thee to a Way that
 Is even and straight.

44. "O my father! serve not
 Satan: for Satan is
 A rebel against (God)
 Most Gracious

45. "O my father! I fear
 Lest a Penalty afflict thee
 From (God) Most Gracious,
 So that thou become
 To Satan a friend."

46. (The father) replied: "Dost thou
 Hate my gods, O Abraham?
 If thou forbear not, I will
 Indeed stone thee:
 Now get away from me
 For a good long while!"

47. Abraham said: "Peace be
 On thee: I will pray
 To my Lord for thy
 forgiveness:
 For He is to me
 Most Gracious.

48. "And I will turn away
 From you (all) and from those
 Whom ye invoke besides God:
 I will call on my Lord:
 Perhaps, by my prayer to my Lord,
 I shall be not unblest."

49. When he had turned away
 From them and from those
 Whom they worshipped besides
 God, We bestowed on him
 Isaac and Jacob, and each one
 Of them We made a prophet.

50. And We bestowed
 Of Our Mercy on them,
 And We granted them
 Lofty honour on the tongue
 Of truth.

51. Also mention in the Book
 (The story of) Moses:
 For he was specially chosen,
 And he was an apostle
 (And) a prophet.

52. And We called him
 From the right side
 Of Mount (Sinai), and made
 Him draw near to Us,
 For mystic (converse).

53. And, out of Our Mercy,
 We gave him his brother
 Aaron, (also.) a prophet.

54. Also mention in the Book
 (The story of) Isma'il
 He was (strictly) true
 To what he promised,
 And he was an apostle
 (And) a prophet.

55. He used to enjoin
 On his people Prayer
 And Charity, and he was
 Most acceptable in the sight
 Of his Lord.

56. Also mention in the Book
 The case of Idris
 He was a man of truth
 (And sincerity), (and) a prophet:

57. And We raised him
 To a lofty station.

58. Those were some
 Of the prophets on whom
 God did bestow His Grace,--
 Of the posterity of Adam,
 And of those whom We
 Carried (in the Ark)
 With Noah, and of
 The posterity of Abraham
 And Israel--of those
 Whom We guided and chose.

Whenever the Signs
 Of (God) Most Gracious
 Were rehearsed to them,
 They would fall down
 In prostrate adoration
 And in tears.

59. But after them there followed
 A posterity who missed
 Prayers and followed after lusts
 Soon, then, will they
 Face Destruction,--

60. Except those who repent
 And believe, and work
 Righteousness: for these
 Will enter the Garden
 And will not be wronged
 In the least,--

61. Gardens of Eternity, those
 Which (God) Most Gracious
 Has promised to His servants
 In the Unseen: for His promise
 Must (necessarily) come to pass.

62. They will not there hear
 Any vain discourse, but
 Only salutations of Peace:
 And they will have therein
 Their sustenance, morning
 And evening.

63. Such is the Garden which
 We give as an inheritance
 To those of Our servants
 Who guard against evil.

64. (The angels say:)
 "We descend not but
 By command of thy Lord:
 To Him belongeth what is
 Before us and what is
 Behind us, and what is
 Between: and thy Lord
 Never doth forget,--

65. "Lord of the heavens
 And of the earth,
 And of all that is
 Between them: so worship Him,
 And be constant and patient
 In His worship: knowest thou
 Of any who is worthy
 Of the same Name as He?"

66. Man says: "What!
 When I am dead, shall I
 Then be raised up alive?"

67. But does not man
 Call to mind that We
 Created him before
 Out of nothing?

68. So, by thy Lord,
 Without doubt, We shall gather
 Them together, and (also)
 The Evil Ones (with them);
 Then shall We bring them
 Forth on their knees
 Round about Hell;

69. Then shall We certainly
 Drag out from every sect
 All those who were worst
 In obstinate rebellion
 Against (God) Most Gracious.

70. And certainly We know best
 Those who are most worthy
 Of being burned therein.

71. Not one of you but will
 Pass over it: this is,
 With thy Lord, a Decree
 Which must be accomplished.

72. But We shall save those
 Who guarded against evil,
 And We shall leave
 The wrong-doers therein,
 (Humbled) to their knees.

73. When Our Clear Signs
 Are rehearsed to them,
 The Unbelievers say to those
 Who believe, "Which of the two
 Sides is best in point of
 Position? which makes the best
 Show in Council?"

74. But how many (countless)
 Generations before them
 Have We destroyed,
 Who were even better
 In equipment and in glitter
 To the eye?

75. Say: "If any men go
 Astray, (God) Most Gracious
 Extends (the rope) to them,
 Until, when they see
 The warning of God (being
 Fulfilled)--either in punishment
 Or in (the approach of)
 The Hour,--they will
 At length realise who is
 Worst in position, and (who)
 Weakest in forces!

76. "And God doth advance
 In guidance those who seek
 Guidance: and the things
 That endure, Good Deeds,
 Are best in the sight
 Of thy Lord, as rewards,
 And best in respect of
 (Their) eventual returns."

77. Hast thou then seen
 The (sort of) man who
 Rejects Our Signs, yet
 Says: "I shall certainly
 Be given wealth and children?"

78. Has he penetrated to
 The Unseen, or has he
 Taken a contract with
 (God) Most Gracious?

79. Nay! We shall record
 What he says, and We
 Shall add and add
 To his punishment.

80. To Us shall return
 All that he talks of,
 And he shall appear
 Before Us bare and alone.

81. And they have taken
 (For worship) gods other than
 God, to give them
 Power and glory!

82. Instead, they shall reject
 Their worship, and become
 Adversaries against them.

83. Seest thou not that We
 Have set the Evil Ones on
 Against the Unbelievers,
 To incite them with fury?

84. So make no haste
 Against them, for We
 But count out to them
 A (limited) number (of days).

85. The day We shall gather
 The righteous to (God)
 Most Gracious, like a hand
 Presented before a king for honours,

86. And We shall drive
 The sinners to hell,
 Like thirsty cattle
 Driven down to water,--

87. None shall have the power
 Of intercession, but such a one
 As has received permission (or promise)
 From (God) Most Gracious.

88. They say: "(God) Most Gracious
 Has begotten a son!"

89. Indeed ye have put forth
 A thing most monstrous!

90. At it the skies are ready
 To burst, the earth
 To split asunder, and
 The mountains to fall down
 In utter ruin,

91. That they should invoke
 A son for (God) Most Gracious.

92. For it is not consonant
 With the majesty of (God)
 Most Gracious that He
 Should beget a son.

93. Not one of the beings
 In the heavens and the earth
 But must come to (God)
 Most Gracious as a servant.

94. He does take an account
 Of them (all), and hath
 Numbered them (all) exactly.

95. And everyone of them
 Will come to Him singly
 On the Day of Judgment.

96. On those who believe
 And work deeds of righteousness,
 Will (God) Most Gracious
 Bestow Love.

97. So have We made
 The (Qur-an) easy
 In thine own tongue,
 That with it thou mayest give

Glad tidings to the righteous,
 And warnings to people
 Given to contention.

98. But how many (countless)
 Generations before them
 Have We destroyed? Canst thou
 Find a single one of them
 (Now) or hear. (so much
 As) a whisper of them?

Sura XX.  

Ta-Ha. (Mystic Letters, T. H.)

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ta-Ha.

2. We have not sent down
 The Qur-an to thee to be
 (An occasion) for thy distress,

3. But only as an admonition
 To those who fear (God),--

4. A revelation from Him
 Who created the earth
 And the heavens on high.

5. (God) Most Gracious
 Is firmly established
 On the throne (of authority).

6. To Him belongs what is
 In the heavens and on earth,
 And all between them,
 And all beneath the soil.

7. If thou pronounce the word
 Aloud, (it is no matter):

For verily He knoweth
 What is secret and what
 Is yet more hidden.

8. God! there is no god
 But He! To Him belong
 The Most Beautiful Names.

9. Has the story of Moses
 Reached thee?

10. Behold, he saw a fire:
 So he said to his family,

"Tarry ye; I perceive
 A fire; perhaps I can
 Bring you some burning brand
 Therefrom, or find some guidance
 At the fire."

11. But when he came
 To the fire, a voice
 Was heard: "O Moses!

12. "Verily I am thy Lord!
 Therefore (in My presence)
 Put off thy shoes: thou art
 In the sacred valley Tuwa

13. "I have chosen thee:
 Listen, then, to the inspiration
 (Sent to thee).

14. "Verily, I am God:
 There is no god but I:
 So serve thou Me (only),
 And establish regular prayer
 For celebrating My praise.

15. "Verily the Hour is coming--
 My design is to keep it

Hidden--for every soul
 To receive its reward
 By the measure of
 Its Endeavour.

16. "Therefore let not such as
 Believe not therein
 But follow their own
 Lusts, divert thee therefrom,
 Lest thou perish!"...

17. "And what is that
 In thy right hand,
 O Moses?"

18. He said, "It is
 My rod: on it
 I lean; with it
 I beat down fodder
 For my flocks; and
 In it I find
 Other uses."

19. (God) said, "Throw it,
 O Moses!"

20. He threw it, and behold!
 It was a snake,
 Active in motion.

21. (God) said, "Seize it,
 And fear not: We
 Shall return it at once
 To its former condition"...

22. "Now draw thy hand
 Close to thy side:
 It shall come forth white
 (And shining), without harm
 (Or stain),--as another Sign,--

23. "In order that We
 May show thee
 (Two) of our Greater Signs.

24. "Go thou to Pharaoh,
 For he has indeed
 Transgressed all bounds."

25. (Moses) said: "O my Lord!
 Expand me my breast;

26. "Ease my task for me;

27. "And remove the impediment
 From my speech,

28. "So they may understand
 What I say:

29. "And give me a Minister
 From my family,

30. "Aaron, my brother;

31. "Add to my strength
 Through him,

32. "And make him share
 My task:

33. "That we may celebrate
 Thy praise without stint,

34. "And remember Thee
 Without stint:

35. "For Thou art He
 That (ever) regardeth us."

36. (God) said: "Granted
 Is thy prayer, O Moses!"

37. "And indeed We conferred
 A favour on thee
 Another time (before).

38. "Behold! We sent
 To thy mother, by inspiration,
 The message:

39. "Throw (the child)
 Into the chest, and throw
 (The chest) into the river:
 The river will cast him
 Up on the bank, and he
 Will be taken up by one
 Who is an enemy to Me
 And an enemy to him
 But I cast (the garment
 Of) love over thee from Me
 And (this) in order that
 Thou mayest be reared
 Under Mine eye.

40. "Behold! thy sister goeth forth
 And saith, "Shall I show you

One who will nurse
 And rear the (child)?
 So We brought thee back
 To thy mother, that her eye
 Might be cooled and she
 Should not grieve.
 Then thou didst slay
 A man, but We saved thee
 From trouble, and We tried
 Thee in various ways.
 Then didst thou tarry
 A number of years
 With the people of Midian.
 Then didst thou come hither
 As ordained, O Moses!

41. "And I have prepared thee
 For Myself (for service)"...

42. "Go, thou and thy brother,
 With My Signs,

And slacken not,
 Either of you, in keeping
 Me in remembrance.

43. "Go, both of you, to Pharaoh,
 For he has indeed
 Transgressed all bounds;

44. "But speak to him mildly;
 Perchance he may take
 Warning or fear (God)."

45. They (Moses and Aaron) said:
 "Our Lord! We fear lest
 He hasten with insolence
 Against us, or lest he
 Transgress all bounds."

46. He said: "Fear not:
 For I am with you:
 I hear and see (everything).

47. "So go ye both to him,
 And say, "Verily we are
 Apostles sent by thy Lord:
 Send forth, therefore, the Children
 Of Israel with us, and
 Afflict them not:
 With a Sign, indeed,
 Have we come from thy Lord!

And Peace to all
 Who follow guidance!

48. "Verily it has been revealed
 To us that the Penalty
 (Awaits) those who reject
 And turn away."

49. (When this message was delivered),
 (Pharaoh) said: "Who, then,
 O Moses, is the Lord
 Of you two?"

50. He said: "Our Lord is
 He Who gave to each
 (Created) thing its form
 And nature, and further,
 Gave (it) guidance."

51. (Pharaoh) said: "What then
 Is the condition
 Of previous generations?"

52. He replied: "The knowledge
 Of that is with my Lord,
 Duly recorded: my Lord
 Never errs, nor forgets,--

53. "He Who has made for you
 The earth like a carpet
 Spread out; has enabled you
 To go about therein by roads
 (And channels); and has sent
 Down water from the sky."
 With it have We produced
 Divers pairs of plants
 Each separate front the others.

54. Eat (for yourselves) and pasture
 Your cattle: verily, in this
 Are Signs for men
 Endued with understanding.

55. From the (earth) did We
 Create you, and into it
 Shall We return you,
 And from it shall We
 Bring you out once again"

56. And We showed Pharaoh
 All Our Signs, but he
 Did reject and refuse.


57. He said: "Hast thou come
 To drive us out
 Of our land with thy magic,
 O Moses?

58. "But we can surely produce
 Magic to match thine!
 So make a tryst
 Between us and thee,
 Which we shall not fail
 To keep--neither we nor thou--
 In a place where both
 Shall have even chances."

59. Moses said: "Your tryst
 Is the Day of the Festival,
 And let the people be assembled
 When the sun is well up."

60. So Pharaoh withdrew:
 He concerted his plan,
 And then came (back).

61. Moses said to him:
 Woe to you! Forge not
 Ye a lie against God,
 Lest He destroy you (at once)

Utterly by chastisement:
 The forger must suffer
 Frustration!"

62. So they disputed, one with
 Another, over their affair,
 But they kept their talk secret.

63. They said: "These two
 Are certainly (expert) magicians:
 Their object is to drive you
 Out from your land
 With their magic, and
 To do away with your
 Most cherished institutions.

64. "Therefore concert your plan,
 And then assemble
 In (serried) ranks:
 He wins (all along) to-day
 Who gains the upper hand"

65. They said: "O Moses!
 Whether wilt thou
 That thou throw (first)
 Or that we be the first
 To throw?"

66. He said, "Nay, throw ye
 First!" Then behold

Their ropes and their rods--
 So it seemed to him
 On account of their magic--
 Began to be in lively motion!

67. So Moses conceived
 In his mind
 A (sort of) fear.

68. We said: "Fear not!
 For thou hast indeed
 The upper hand:

69. "Throw that which is
 In thy right hand:
 Quickly will it swallow up
 That which they have faked
 What they have faked
 Is but a magician's trick:
 And the magician thrives not,
 (No matter) where he goes."

70. So the magicians were
 Thrown down to prostration:
 They said, "We believe
 In the Lord of Aaron and Moses".

71. (Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye
 In Him before I give
 You permission? Surely
 This must be your leader,
 Who has taught you magic!
 Be sure I will cut off

Your hands and feet
 On opposite sides, and I
 Will have you crucified
 On trunks of palm-trees:
 So shall ye know for certain,
 Which of us can give
 The more severe and the more
 Lasting Punishment!"

72. They said: "Never shall we
 Regard thee as more than
 The Clear Signs that have
 Come to us; or than
 Him Who created us!
 So decree whatever thou
 Desirest to decree: for thou
 Canst only decree (touching)
 The life of this world.

73. "For us, we have believed
 In our Lord: may He
 Forgive us our faults,
 And the magic to which
 Thou didst compel us:
 For God is Best
 And Most Abiding."

74. Verily he who comes
 To his Lord as a sinner
 (At Judgment),--for him
 Is Hell: therein shall he
 Neither die nor live.

75. But such as come
 To Him as Believers
 Who have worked righteous deeds,--
 For them are ranks exalted,--

76. Gardens of Eternity,
 Beneath which flow rivers:
 They will dwell therein
 For aye: such is the reward
 Of those who purify
 Themselves (from evil).

77. We sent an inspiration
 To Moses: "Travel by night
 With My servants, and strike
 A dry path for them
 Through the sea, without fear
 Of being overtaken (by Pharaoh)
 And without (any other) fear."

78. Then Pharaoh pursued them
 With his forces, but
 The waters completely overwhelmed
 Them and covered them up.

79. Pharaoh led his people astray
 Instead of leading them aright.

80. O ye Children of Israel!
 We delivered you from
 Your enemy, and We
 Made a Covenant with you
 On the right side of
 Mount (Sinai), and We sent
 Down to you Manna
 And quails:

81. (Saying): "Eat of the good
 Things We have provided
 For your sustenance, but
 Commit no excess therein,
 Lest My Wrath should justly
 Descend on you: and those
 On whom descends My Wrath
 Do perish indeed!

82. "But, without doubt, I am
 (Also) He that forgives
 Again and again, to those
 Who repent, believe,
 And do right,--who,
 In fine, are ready to receive
 True guidance."

83. (When Moses was up on the Mount,
 God said:) "What made thee
 Hasten in advance of thy people,
 O Moses?"

84. He replied: "Behold, they are
 Close on my footsteps:

I hastened to Thee.
 O my Lord,
 To please Thee."

85. (God) said: "We have tested
 Thy people in thy absence:
 The Samiri has led them
 Astray."

86. So Moses returned to his people
 In a state of indignation
 And sorrow. He said:
 "O my people! did not
 Your Lord make a handsome
 Promise to you? Did then
 The promise seem to you
 Long (in coming)? Or did ye
 Desire that Wrath should
 Descend from your Lord on you,
 And so ye broke your promise
 To me?"

87. They said: "We broke not
 The promise to thee, as far
 As lay in our power:
 But we were made to carry
 The weight of the ornaments
 Of the (whole) people, and we

Threw them (into the fire),
 And that was what
 The Samiri suggested.

88. "Then he brought out
 (Of the fire) before the (people)
 The image of a calf:
 It seemed to low:
 So they said, "This is
 Your god, and the god
 Of Moses, but (Moses)
 Has forgotten!"

89. Could they not see that
 It could not return them
 A word (for answer), and that
 It had no power either
 To harm them or
 To do them good?

90. Aaron had already, before this
 Said to them: ."O my people!
 Ye are being tested in this:
 For verily your Lord is (God)
 Most Gracious: so follow me
 And obey my command."

91. They had said: "We will not
 Abandon this cult, but we
 Will devote ourselves to it
 Until Moses returns to us.

92. (Moses) said: "O Aaron!
 What kept thee back, when
 Thou sawest them going wrong,

93. "From following me? Didst thou
 Then disobey my order?"

94. (Aaron) replied: "O son
 Of my mother! Seize (me) not
 By my beard nor by
 (The hair of) my head!
 Truly I feared lest thou
 Shouldst say, "Thou hast caused
 A division among the Children
 Of Israel, and thou didst not
 Respect my word!"

95. (Moses) said: "What then
 Is thy case, O Samari?"

96. He replied: "I saw what
 They saw not: so I took

A handful (of dust) from
 The footprint of the Apostle,
 And threw it (into the calf):
 Thus did my soul suggest
 To me."

97. (Moses) said: "Get thee gone!
 But thy (punishment) in this life
 Will be that thou wilt say,
 'Touch me not'; and moreover
 (For a future penalty) thou hast
 A promise that will not fail:
 Now look at thy god,
 Of whom thou hast become
 A devoted worshipper:
 We will certainly (melt) it
 In a blazing fire and scatter
 It broadcast in the sea!"

98. But the God of you all
 Is the One God: there is
 No god but He: all things
 He comprehends in His knowledge.

99. Thus do We relate to thee
 Some stories of what happened
 Before: for We have sent
 Thee a Message from
 Our own Presence,

100. If any do turn away
 Therefrom, verily they will
 Bear a burden
 On the Day of Judgment;

101. They will abide in this (state):
 And grievous will the burden
 Be to them on that Day,--

102. The Day when the Trumpet
 Will be sounded: that Day,
 We shall gather the sinful,
 Blear-eyed (with terror).

103. In whispers will they consult
 Each other: "Ye tarried not
 Longer than ten (Days);"

104. We know best what they
 Will say, when their leader

Most eminent in Conduct
 Will say: "Ye tarried not
 Longer than a day!"

105. They ask thee concerning
 The Mountains: say, "My Lord
 Will uproot them and scatter
 Them as dust;

106. "He will leave them as plains
 Smooth and level;

107. "Nothing crooked or curved
 Wilt thou see in their place."

108. On that Day will they follow
 The Caller (straight): no crookedness

(Can they show) him: all sounds
 Shall humble themselves in
 The Presence of (God) Most Gracious:
 Nothing shalt thou hear
 But the tramp of their feet
 (As they march).

109. On that Day shall no
 Intercession avail
 Except for those for whom
 Permission has been granted
 By (God) Most Gracious
 And whose word is
 Acceptable to Him.

110. He knows what (appears
 To His creatures as) before
 Or after or behind them:
 But they shall not compass it
 With their knowledge.

111. (All) faces shall be humbled
 Before (Him)--the Living,
 The Self-Subsisting, Eternal:
 Hopeless indeed will be
 The man that carries
 Iniquity (on his back).

112. But he who works deeds
 Of righteousness, and has faith,
 Will have no fear of harm
 Nor of any curtailment
 (Of what is his due).

113. Thus have We sent this
 Down--an Arabic Qur-an--
 And explained therein in detail
 Some of the warnings,
 In order that they may
 Fear God, or that it may
 Cause their remembrance (of Him).

114. High above all is God,
 The King, the Truth!
 Be not in haste
 With the Qur-an before
 Its revelation to thee
 Is completed, but say,
 "O my Lord! advance me
 In knowledge."

115. We had already, beforehand,
 Taken the covenant of Adam,

But he forgot: and We found
 On his part no firm resolve.

116. When We said to the angels,
 "Prostrate yourselves to Adam",
 They prostrated themselves, but not
 Iblis: he refused.

117. Then We said: "O Adam!
 Verily, this is an enemy
 To thee and thy wife:
 So let him not get you
 Both out of the Garden,
 So that thou art landed
 In misery.''

118. "There is therein (enough provision)
 For thee not to go hungry
 Nor to go naked,

119. "Nor to suffer from thirst,
 Nor from the sun's heat."

120. But Satan whispered evil
 To him: he said, "O Adam!
 Shall I lead thee to
 The Tree of Eternity
 And to a kingdom
 That never decays?"

121. In the result, they both
 Ate of the tree, and so
 Their nakedness appeared
 To them: they began to sew
 Together, for their covering,
 Leaves from the Garden:
 Thus did Adam disobey
 His Lord, and allow himself
 To be seduced.

122. But his Lord chose him
 (For His Grace): He turned
 To him, and gave him guidance.

123. He said: "Get ye down,
 Both of you,--all together,
 From the Garden, with enmity
 One to another: but if,
 As is sure, there comes to you
 Guidance from Me, whosoever
 Follows My guidance, will not
 Lose his way, nor fall
 Into misery.

124. "But whosoever turns away
 From My Message, verily
 For him is a life narrowed
 Down, and We shall raise

Him up blind on the Day
 Of Judgment."

125. He will say: "O my Lord!
 Why hast thou raised me
 Up blind, while I had
 Sight (before)?"

126. (God) will say: "Thus
 Didst thou, when Our Signs
 Came unto thee, disregard
 Them: so wilt thou,
 This day, be disregarded."

127. And thus do We recompense
 Him who transgresses beyond bounds
 And believes not in the Signs
 Of his Lord: and the Penalty
 Of the Hereafter is far more
 Grievous and more enduring.

128. Is it not a warning to such
 Men (to call to mind)
 How many generations before them
 We destroyed, in whose haunts
 They (now) move? Verily,
 In this are Signs for men
 Endued with understanding.

129. Had it not been
 For a Word that went forth
 Before from thy Lord,
 (Their punishment) must necessarily
 Have come; but there is
 A term appointed (for respite).

130. Therefore be patient with what
 They say, and celebrate (constantly)
 The praises of thy Lord,
 Before the rising of the sun,
 And before its setting;
 Yea, celebrate them
 For part of the hours
 Of the night, and at the sides
 Of the day: that thou
 Mayest have (spiritual) joy.

131. Nor strain thine eyes in longing
 For the things We have given
 For enjoyment to parties ,
 Of them, the splendour

Of the life of this world,
 Through which We test them:
 But the provision of thy Lord
 Is better and more enduring.

132. Enjoin prayer on thy people,
 And be constant therein.
 We ask thee not to provide
 Sustenance: We provide it
 For thee. But the (fruit of)
 The Hereafter is for Righteousness.

133. ''They say: "Why does he not
 Bring us a Sign from
 His Lord?" Has not
 A Clear Sign come to them
 Of all that was
 In the former Books
 Of revelation?

134. And if We had inflicted
 On them a penalty before this,
 They would have said:
 "Our Lord! If only Thou
 Hadst sent us an apostle,
 We should certainly have followed

Thy Signs before we were
 Humbled and put to shame."

135. Say: "Each one (of us)
 Is waiting: wait ye, therefore,
 And soon shall ye know
 Who it is that is
 On the straight and even
 Way, and who it is
 That has received guidance."

Sura XXI.  

Anbiyaa, or The Prophets

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Closer and closer to mankind
 Comes their Reckoning: yet they
 Heed not and they turn away.

2. Never comes (aught) to them
 Of a renewed Message
 From their Lord, but they
 Listen to it as in jest,--

3. Their hearts toying as with
 Trifles. The wrong-doers conceal
 Their private counsels, (saying),
 "Is this (one) more than
 A man like yourselves?
 Will ye go to witchcraft
 With your eyes open?"

4. Say: "My Lord
 Knoweth (every) word (spoken)
 In the heavens and on earth:
 He is the One that heareth
 And knoweth (all things)."

5. "Nay," they say, "(these are)
 Medleys of dreams!--Nay,
 He forged it!--Nay,
 He is (but) a poet!
 Let him then bring us
 A Sign like the ones
 That were sent to
 (Prophets) of old!"

6. (As to those) before them,
 Not one of the populations
 Which We destroyed believed:
 Will these believe?

7. Before thee, also, the apostles
 We sent were but men,
 To whom We granted inspiration:
 If ye realise this not, ask
 Of those who possess the Message.

8. Nor did We give them
 Bodies that ate no food,
 Nor were they exempt from death.

9. In the end We fulfilled
 To them Our promise,
 And We saved them
 And those whom We pleased,

But We destroyed those
 Who transgressed beyond bounds.

10. We have revealed for you
 (O men!) a book in which
 Is a Message for you:
 Will ye not then understand?

11. How many were the populations
 We utterly destroyed because
 Of their iniquities, setting up
 In their places other peoples?

12. Yet, when they felt
 Our Punishment (coming),
 Behold, they (tried to) flee
 From it.

13. Flee not, but return to
 The good things of this life
 Which were given you,
 And to your homes,
 In order that ye may
 Be called to account

14. They said: "Ah! woe to us!
 We were indeed wrong-doers!"

15. And that cry of theirs
 Ceased not, till we made

Them as a field
 That is mown, as ashes
 Silent and quenched.

16. Not for (idle) sport did We
 Create the heavens and the earth
 And all that is between!

17. If it had been Our wish
 To take (just) a pastime,
 We should surely have taken
 It from the things nearest
 To Us, if We would
 Do (such a thing)!

18. Nay, We hurl the Truth
 Against falsehood, and it knocks
 Out its brain, and behold,
 Falsehood doth perish!
 Ah! woe be to you
 For the (false) things
 Ye ascribe (to Us).

19. To Him belong all (creatures)
 In the heavens and on earth:
 Even those who are in His
 (Very) Presence are not 
 Too proud to serve Him,
 Nor are they (ever) weary
 (Of His service):

20. They celebrate His praises
 Night and day, nor do they
 Ever flag or intermit.

21. Or have they taken
 (For worship) gods from the earth
 Who can raise (the dead)?

22. If there were, in the heavens
 And the earth, other gods
 Besides God, there would
 Have been confusion in both!
 But glory to God,
 The Lord of the Throne:
 (High is He) above
 What they attribute to Him!

23. He cannot be questioned
 For His acts, but they
 Will be questioned (for theirs).

24. Or have they taken
 For worship (other) gods
 Besides him? Say, "Bring
 Your convincing proof: this
 Is the Message of those
 With me and the Message
 Of those before me."
 But most of them know not
 The Truth, and so turn away.

25. Not an apostle did We
 Send before thee without
 This inspiration sent by Us
 To him: that there is
 No god but I; therefore
 Worship and serve Me.

26. And they say: "(God)
 Most Gracious has begotten
 Offspring." Glory to Him!
 They are (but) servants raised
 To honour.

27. They speak not before
 He speaks, and they act
 (In all things) by His command.

28. He knows what is before them,
 And what is behind them,
 And they offer no intercession
 Except for those who are
 Acceptable, and they stand
 In awe and reverence
 Of His (glory).

29. If any of them should say,
 "I am a god besides Him",
 Such a one We should
 Reward with Hell: thus
 Do We reward those
 Who do wrong.

30. Do not the Unbelievers see
 That the heavens and the earth
 Were joined together (as one
 Unit of Creation), before
 We clove them asunder?
 We made from water
 Every living thing. Will they
 Not then believe?

31. And We have set on the earth
 Mountains standing firm,

Lest it should shake with them,
 And We have made therein
 Broad highways
 (between mountains)
 For them to pass through:
 That they may receive guidance.

32. And We have made
 The heavens as a canopy
 Well guarded: yet do they
 Turn away from the Signs
 Which these things (point to)!

33. It is He Who created
 The Night and the Day,
 And the sun and the moon:
 All (the celestial bodies)
 Swim along, each in its
 Rounded course.

34. We granted not to any man
 Before thee permanent life
 (Here): If then thou shouldst die,
 Would they live permanently?

35. Every soul shall have
 A taste of death:
 And We test you
 By evil and by good

By way of trial.
 To Us must ye return.

36. When the Unbelievers see thee,
 They treat thee not except
 With ridicule. "Is this,"
 (They say), "the one who talks
 Of your gods?" And they
 Blaspheme at the mention
 Of (God) Most Gracious!

37. Man is a creature of haste:
 Soon (enough) will I show
 You My Signs; then
 Ye will not ask Me
 To hasten them!

38. They say: "When will this
 Promise come to pass,
 If ye are telling the truth?"

39. If only the Unbelievers
 Knew (the time) when they
 Will not be able
 To ward off the Fire
 From their faces, nor yet
 From their backs, and (when)
 No help can reach them!

40. Nay, it may come to them
 All of a sudden and confound
 Them: no power will they
 Have then to avert it,
 Nor will they (then)
 Get respite.

41. Mocked were (many)
 Apostles before thee;
 But their scoffers
 Were hemmed in
 By the thing that they mocked.

42. Say, "Who can keep
 You safe by night and by day
 From (the Wrath of) (God)
 Most Gracious?" Yet they
 Turn away from the mention
 Of their Lord.

43. Or have they gods that
 Can guard them from Us?
 They have no power to aid
 Themselves, nor can they
 Be defended from Us.

44. Nay, We gave the good things
 Of this life to these men
 And their fathers until
 The period grew long for them;
 See they not that We
 Gradually reduce the land
 (In their control) from
 Its outlying borders? Is it
 Then they who will win?

45. Say, "I do but warn you
 According to revelation":
 But the deaf will not hear
 The call, (even) when
 They are warned!

46. If but a breath of the Wrath
 Of thy Lord do touch them,
 They will then say, "Woe
 To us! we did wrong indeed!"

47. We shall set up scales
 Of justice for the day
 Of Judgment, so that
 Not a soul will be dealt with
 Unjustly in the least.
 And if there be
 (No more than) the weight
 Of a mustard seed,
 We will bring it (to account):
 And enough are We
 To take account.

48. In the past We granted
 To Moses and Aaron

The Criterion (for judgment),
 And a Light and a Message
 For those who would do right,--

49. Those who fear their Lord
 In their most secret thoughts,
 And who hold the Hour
 (Of Judgment) in awe.

50. And this is a blessed
 Message which We have
 Sent down: will ye then
 Reject it?

51. We bestowed aforetime
 On Abraham his rectitude
 Of conduct, and well were we
 Acquainted with him.

52. Behold! he said
 To his father and his people
 "What are these images,
 To which ye are
 (So assiduously) devoted?"

53. They said, "We found
 Our fathers worshipping them."

54. He said, "Indeed ye
 Have been made in manifest
 Error--ye and your fathers."

55. They said, "Have you
 Brought us the Truth,
 Or are you one
 Of those who jest?"

56. He said, "Nay, your Lord
 Is the Lord of the heavens
 And the earth, He Who
 Created them (from nothing):
 And I am a witness
 To this (truth).

57. "And by god, I have
 A plan for your idols--
 After ye go away
 And turn your backs"...

58. So he broke them to pieces,
 (All) but the biggest of them,
 That they might turn
 (And address themselves) to it.

59. They said, "Who has
 Done this to our gods?
 He must indeed be
 Some man of impiety!"

60. They said, "We heard
 A youth talk of them:
 He is called Abraham."

61. They said, "Then bring him
 Before the eyes of the people,
 That they may bear witness:"

62. They said, "Art thou
 The one that did this
 With our gods, O Abraham?"

63. He said: "Nay, this
 Was done by --
 This is their biggest one!
 Ask them, if they
 Can speak intelligently!"

64. So they turned to themselves
 And said, "Surely ye
 Are the ones in the wrong!

65. Then were they confounded
 With shame: (they said),
 "Thou knowest full well that
 These (idols) do not speak!"

66. (Abraham) said, "Do ye then
 Worship, besides God,
 Things that can neither
 Be of any good to you
 Nor do you harm?

67. "Fie upon you, and upon
 The things that ye worship
 Besides God! Have ye
 No sense?"...

68. They said, "Burn him
 And protect your gods,
 If ye do (anything at all)!"

69. We said, "O Fire!
 Be thou cool,
 And (a means of) safety
 For Abraham!"

70. Then they sought a stratagem
 Against him: but We
 Made them the ones
 That lost most!

71. But We delivered him
 And (his nephew) Lut
 (And directed them) to the land
 Which We have blessed
 For the nations.

72. And We bestowed on him Isaac

And, as an additional gift,
 (A grandson), Jacob, and We
 Made righteous men of every one
 (Of them).

73. And We made them
 Leaders, guiding (men) by
 Our Command, and We
 Sent them inspiration
 To do good deeds,
 To establish regular prayers,
 And to practise regular charity;
 And they constantly served
 Us (and Us only).

74. And to Lut, too,
 We gave Judgment and Knowledge,
 And We saved him
 From the town which practised
 Abominations: truly they were
 A people given to Evil,
 A rebellious people.

75. And We admitted him
 To Our Mercy: for he
 Was one of the Righteous.

76. (Remember) Noah, when
 He cried (to Us) aforetime:
 We listened to his (prayer)
 And delivered him and his
 Family from great distress.
 
77. We helped him against
 People who rejected Our Signs:
 Truly they were a people
 Given to Evil: so We
 Drowned them (in the Flood)
 All together.

78. And remember David
 And Solomon, when they
 Gave judgment in the matter
 Of the field into which
 The sheep of certain people
 Had strayed by night:
 We did witness their judgment.

79. To Solomon We inspired
 The (right) understanding
 Of the matter: to each
 (Of them) We gave Judgment
 And Knowledge; it was
 Our power that made
 The hills and the birds
 Celebrate Our praises,
 With David: it was We
 Who did (all these things).

80. It was We Who taught him
 The making of coats of mail

For your benefit, to guard
 You from each other's violence:
 Will ye then be grateful?

81. (It was Our power that
 Made) the violent (unruly)
 Wind flow (tamely) for Solomon,
 To his order, to the land
 Which We had blessed:
 For We do know all things.

82. And of the evil ones,
 Were some who dived
 For him, and did other work
 Besides; and it was We
 Who guarded them.

83. And (remember) Job, when
 He cried to his Lord,
 "Truly distress has seized me,
 But Thou art the Most

Merciful of those that are
 Merciful."

84. So We listened to him:
 We removed the distress
 That was on him,
 And We restored his people
 To him, and doubled
 Their number,--as a Grace
 From Ourselves, and a thing
 For commemoration, for all
 Who serve Us.

85. And (remember) Isma'il,
 Idris, and Zul-kifl, all
 (Men) of constancy and patience;

86. We admitted them to
 Our Mercy: for they
 Were of the Righteous ones.

87. And remember Zun-nun,
 When he departed in wrath:
 He imagined that We
 Had no power over him!
 But he cried through the depths
 Of darkness, "There is
 No god but Thou:
 Glory to Thee: I was
 Indeed wrong!"

88. So We listened to him:
 And delivered him from
 Distress: and thus do We
 Deliver those who have faith.

89. And (remember) Zakariya,
 When he cried to his Lord:
 "O my Lord! leave me not
 Without offspring, though Thou
 Art the best of inheritors."

90. So We listened to him:
 And We granted him

Yabya: We cured his wife's
 (Barrenness) for him. These (three)
 Were ever quick in emulation
 In good works: they used
 To call on Us with love
 And reverence, and humble themselves
 Before Us.

91. And (remember) her who
 Guarded her chastity:
 We breathed into her
 Of Our Spirit, and We
 Made her and her son
 A Sign for all peoples.

92. Verily, this Brotherhood
 Of yours is a single Brotherhood,
 And I am your Lord
 And Cherisher: therefore
 Serve Me (and no other).

93. But (later generations) cut off
 Their affair (of unity),
 One from another: (yet)
 Will they all return to Us.

94. Whoever works any act
 Of Righteousness and has Faith,--
 His endeavour will not
 Be rejected: We shall
 Record it in his favour.

95. But there is a ban
 On any population which
 We have destroyed: that they
 Shall not return,

96. Until the Gog and Magog (people)
 Are let through (their barrier),
 And they swiftly swarm
 From every hill.

97. Then will the True Promise
 Draw nigh (of fulfilment):
 Then behold! the eyes
 Of the Unbelievers will
 Fixedly stare in horror: "Ah!
 Woe to us! we were indeed
 Heedless of this; nay, we
 Truly did wrong!"

98. Verily ye, (Unbelievers),
 And the (false) gods that
 Ye worship besides God,
 Are (but) fuel for Hell!
 To it will ye (surely) come!

99. If these had been gods,
 They would not have got there!
 But each one will abide
 Therein.

100. There, sobbing will be
 Their lot, nor will they
 There hear (aught else).

101. Whose hose for whom
 The Good (Record) from Us
 Has gone before, will be
 Removed far therefrom.

102. Not the slightest sound
 Will they hear of Hell:
 What their souls desired,
 In that will they dwell.

103. The Great Terror will
 Bring them no grief:
 But the angels will meet them
 (With mutual greetings):
 "This is your Day,--
 (The Day) that ye were promised."

104. The Day that We roll up
 The heavens like a scroll
 Rolled up for books (completed),--
 Even as We produced
 The first Creation, so
 Shall We produce
 A new one: a promise
 We have undertaken:
 Truly shall We fulfil it.

105. Before this We wrote
 In the Psalms, after the Message
 (Given to Moses): "My servants,
 The righteous, shall inherit
 The earth."

106. Verily in this (Qur-an)
 Is a Message for people
 Who would (truly) worship God.

107. We sent thee not, but
 As a Mercy for all creatures.

108. Say: "What has come to me
 By inspiration is that
 Your God is One God:
 Will ye therefore bow
 To His Will (in Islam)?"

109. But if they turn back,
 Say: "I have proclaimed
 The Message to you all alike
 And in truth; but I
 Know not whether that
 Which ye are promised
 Is near or far.

110. "It is He Who knows
 What is open in speech
 And what ye hide
 (In your hearts).

111. "I know not but that
 It may be a trial
 For you, and a grant
 Of (worldly) livelihood
 (To you) for a time."

112. Say: "O my Lord!
 Judge Thou in truth!
 "Our Lord Most Gracious
 Is the One Whose assistance
 Should be sought against
 The blasphemies ye utter!

Sura XXII.

Hajj, or The Pilgrimage.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. O mankind! Fear your Lord!
 For the convulsion of the Hour
 (Of Judgment) will be
 A thing terrible!

2. The Day ye shall see it,
 Every mother giving suck
 Shall forget her suckling-babe,
 And every pregnant female
 Shall drop her load (unformed):
 Thou shalt see mankind
 As in a drunken riot,
 Yet not drunk: but dreadful
 Will be the Wrath of God.

3. And yet among men
 There are such as dispute
 About God, without knowledge,
 And follow every evil one
 Obstinate in rebellion!

4. About the (Evil One)
 It is decreed that whoever
 Turns to him for friendship,
 Him will he lead astray,
 And he will guide him
 To the Penalty of the Fire.

5. O mankind! if ye have
 A doubt about the Resurrection,
 (Consider) that We created you
 Out of dust, then out of
 Sperm, then out of a leech-like
 Clot, then out of a morsel
 Of flesh, partly formed
 And partly unformed, in order
 That We may manifest
 (Our power) to you;
 And We cause whom We will
 To rest in the wombs
 For an appointed term,
 Then do We bring you out
 As babes, then (foster you)
 That ye may reach your age
 Of full strength; and some
 Of you are called to die,
 And some are sent back
 To the feeblest old age,
 So that they know nothing
 After having known (much),
 And (further), thou seest
 The earth barren and lifeless,
 But when We pour down
 Rain on it, it is stirred
 (To life), it swells,
 And it puts forth every kind
 Of beautiful growth (in pairs).

6. This is so, because God
 Is the Reality: it is He
 Who gives life to the dead,
 And it is He Who has
 Power over all things.

7. And verily the Hour will come:
 There can be no doubt
 About it, or about (the fact)
 That God will raise up
 All who are in the graves.

8. Yet there is among men
 Such a one as disputes
 About God, without knowledge,
 Without guidance, and without
 A Book of Enlightenment,--

9. (Disdainfully) bending his side,
 In order to lead (men) astray
 From the Path of God:
 For him there is disgrace
 In this life, and on the Day
 Of Judgment We shall
 Make him taste the Penalty
 Of burning (Fire).

10. (It will be said): "This is
 Because of the deeds which
 Thy hands sent forth,
 For verily God is not
 Unjust to His servants."

 11. There are among men
 Some who serve God,
 As it were, on the verge:
 If good befalls them, they are,
 Therewith, well content; but
 If a trial comes to them,
 They turn on their faces:
 They lose both this world
 And the Hereafter: that
 Is loss for all to see!

12. They call on such deities:
 Besides God, as can neither
 Hurt nor profit them:
 That is straying far indeed
 (From the Way)!

13. (Perhaps) they call on one
 Whose hurt is nearer
 Than his profit: evil, indeed,
 Is the patron, and evil
 The companion (for help)!

14. Verily God will admit
 Those who believe and work
 Righteous deeds, to Gardens,
 Beneath which rivers flow:
 For God carries out
 All that He plans,

15. If any think that God
 Will not help him
 (His Apostle) in this world
 And the Hereafter, let him
 Stretch out a rope
 To the ceiling and cut (himself)
 Off: then let him see
 Whether his plan will remove
 That which enrages (him)!

16. Thus have We sent down
 Clear Signs; and verily
 God Both guide whom
 He will!

17. Those who believe (in the Qur-an),
 Those who follow the Jewish (scriptures),
 And the Sabians, Christians,
 Magians, and Polytheists,--
 God will judge between them

On the Day of Judgment:
 For God is witness
 Of all things.

18. Seest thou not that
 To God bow down in worship
 All things that are
 In the heavens and on earth,--
 The sun, the moon, the stars;
 The hills, the trees, the animals;
 And a great number among
 Mankind? But a great number
 Are (also) such as are
 Fit for Punishment: and such
 As God shall disgrace,
 None can raise to honour:
 For God carries out
 All that He wills.

19. These two antagonists dispute
 With each other about their Lord:
 But those who deny (their Lord),--
 For them will be cut out
 A garment of Fire:
 Over their heads will be
 Poured out boiling water.

20. With it will be scalded
 What is within their bodies,
 As well as (their) skins.

21. In addition there will be
 Maces of iron (to punish) them.

22. Every time they wish
 To get away therefrom,
 From anguish, they will be
 Forced back therein, and
 (It will be said), "Taste ye
 The Penalty of Burning!"

23. God will admit those
 Who believe and work righteous deeds,
 To Gardens beneath which
 Rivers flow: they shall be
 Adorned therein with bracelets
 Of gold and pearls; and
 Their garments there
 Will be of silk.

24. For they have been guided
 (In this life) to the purest
 Of speeches; they have been
 Guided to the Path of Him
 Who is Worthy of (all) Praise.

25. As to those who have rejected
 (God), and would keep back (men)
 From the Way of God, and
 From the Sacred Mosque, which
 We have made (open) to (all) men--
 Equal is the dweller there
 And the visitor from the country
 And any whose purpose therein
 Is profanity or wrong-doing--
 Them will We cause to taste
 Of a most grievous Penalty.

26. Behold! We gave the site,
 To Abraham, of the (Sacred) House,
 (Saying): "Associate not anything
 (In worship) with Me;
 And sanctify My House
 For those who compass it round,
 Or stand up,
 Or bow, or prostrate themselves
 (Therein in prayer).

27. "And proclaim the Pilgrimage
 Among men: they will come
 To thee on foot and (mounted)
 On every kind of camel,
 Lean on accout of journeys
 Through deep and distant
 Mountain highways;

28. "That they may witness
 The benefits (provided) for them,

And celebrate the name
 Of God, through the Days
 Appointed, over the cattle
 Which He has provided for them
 (For sacrifice): then eat ye
 Thereof and feed the distressed
 Ones in want.

29. "Then let them complete
 The rites prescribed
 For them, perform their vows,
 And (again) circumambulate
 The Ancient House."

30. Such (is the Pilgrimage):
 Whoever honours the sacred
 Rites of God, for him
 It is good in the sight
 Of his Lord. Lawful to you
 (For food in Pilgrimage) are cattle,
 Except those mentioned to you
 (As exceptions): but shun
 The abomination of idols,
 And shun the word
 That is false,--

31. Being true in faith to God,
 And never assigning partners

To Him: if anyone assigns
 Partners to God, he is
 As if he had fallen
 From heaven and been snatched up
 By birds, or the wind
 Had swooped (like a bird
 On its prey) and thrown him
 Into a far-distant place.

32. Such (is his state): and
 Whoever holds in honour
 The Symbols of God,
 (In the sacrifice of animals),
 Such (honour) should come truly
 From piety of heart.

33. In them ye have benefits
 For a term appointed:
 In the end their place
 Of sacrifice is near
 The Ancient House.

34. To every people did We
 Appoint rites (of sacrifice),
 That they might celebrate
 The name of God over

The sustenance He gave them
 From animals (fit for food).
 But your god is One God:
 Submit then your wills to him
 (In Islam): and give thou
 The good news to those
 Who humble themselves,--

35. To those whose hearts,
 When God is mentioned,
 Are filled with fear,
 Who show patient perseverance
 Over their afflictions, keep up
 Regular prayer, and spend
 (In charity) out of what
 We have bestowed upon them.

36. The sacrificial camels
 We have made for you
 As among the symbols from
 God: in them is (much)
 Good for you: then pronounce
 The name of God over them
 As they line up (for sacrifice):
 When they are down
 On their sides (after slaughter),
 Eat ye thereof, and feed
 Such as (beg not but)
 Live in contentment,
 And such as beg
 With due humility: thus have

We made animals subject
 To you, that ye
 May be grateful.

37. It is not their meat
 Nor their blood, that reaches
 God: it is your piety
 That reaches Him: He
 Has thus made them subject
 To you, that ye may glorify
 God for his guidance to you:
 And proclaim the Good News
 To all who do right.

38. Verily God will defend
 (From ill) those who believe:
 Verily, God loveth not
 Any that is a traitor
 To faith, or shows ingratitude.

39. To those against whom
 War is made, permission
 Is given (to fight), because
 They are wronged;--and verily,
 God is most Powerful
 For their aid;--

40. (They are) those who have
 Been expelled from their homes

In defiance of right,
 (For no cause) except
 That they say," Lord
 Is God". Did not God
 Check one set of people
 By means of another,
 There would surely have been
 Pulled down monasteries, churches,
 Synagogues, and mosques, in which
 The name of God is commemorated
 In abundant measure. God will
 Certainly aid those who
 Aid His (cause);--for verily
 God is Full of Strength,
 Exalted in Might,
 (Able to enforce His Will).

41. (They are) those who,
 If We establish them
 In the land, establish
 Regular prayer and give
 Regular charity, enjoin
 The right and forbid wrong:
 With God rests the end
 (And decision) of (all) affairs.

42. If they treat thy (mission)
 As false, so did the Peoples

Before them (with their Prophets),--
 The People of Noah,
 And 'Ad and Thamud;

43. Those of Abraham and Lut;

44. And the Companions
 Of the Madyan people;
 And Moses was rejected
 (In the same way). But I
 Granted respite to the Unbelievers,
 And (only) after that
 Did I punish them:
 But how (terrible) was
 My rejection (of them)!

45. How many populations have We
 Destroyed, which were given
 To wrong-doing? They tumbled down
 On their roofs. And how many
 Wells are lying idle and neglected,
 And castles lofty and well-built?

46. Do they not travel
 Through the land, so that
 Their hearts (and minds)
 May thus learn wisdom

And their ears may
 Thus learn to hear?
 Truly it is not their eyes
 That are blind, but their
 Hearts which are
 In their breasts.

47. Yet they ask thee
 To hasten on the Punishment!
 But God will not fail
 In His promise. Verily
 A Day in the sight of thy Lord
 Is like a thousand years
 Of your reckoning.

48. And to how many populations
 Did I give respite, which
 Were given to wrong-doing?
 In the end I punished them.
 To Me is the destination (of all).

49. Say: "O men! I am
 (Sent) to you only to give

A clear warning:

50. "Those who believe and work
 Righteousness, for them
 Is forgiveness and a sustenance
 Most generous.

51. "But those who strive
 Against Our Signs, to frustrate
 Them,--they will be
 Companions of the Fire."

52. Never did We send
 An apostle or a prophet
 Before thee, but, when he
 Framed a desire, Satan
 Threw some (vanity)
 Into his desire: but God
 Will cancel anything (vain)
 That Satan throws in,
 And God will confirm
 (And establish) His Signs:
 For God is full of knowledge
 And wisdom:

53. That He may make
 The suggestions thrown in
 By Satan, but a trial
 For those in whose hearts

 a disease and who are
 Hardened of heart: verily
 The wrong-doers are in a schism
 Far (from the Truth):

54. And that those on whom
 Knowledge has been bestowed may learn
 That the (Qur-an) is the Truth
 From thy Lord, and that they
 May believe therein, and their hearts
 May be made humbly (open)
 To it: for verily God is
 The Guide of those who believe,
 To the Straight Way.

55. Those who reject Faith
 Will not cease to be
 In doubt concerning (Revelation)
 Until the Hour (of Judgment)
 Comes suddenly upon them,
 Or there comes to them
 The Penalty of a Day of Disaster.

56. On that Day the Dominion
 Will be that of God:
 He will judge between them:
 So those who believe
 And work righteous deeds will be
 In Gardens of Delight.

57. And for those who reject Faith
 And deny Our Signs,
 There will be a humiliating
 Punishment.
 
58. Those who leave their homes
 In the cause of God,
 And are then slain or die,
 On them will God bestow verily
 A goodly Provision:
 Truly God is He Who
 Bestows the best Provision.

59. Verily He will admit then
 To a place with which
 They shall be well pleased:
 For God is All-Knowing,
 Most Forbearing.

60. That (is so). And if one
 Has retaliated to no greater
 Extent than the injury he received,
 And is again set upon
 Inordinately, God will help
 Him: for God is One
 That blots out (sins)
 And forgives (again and again).

61. What is because God merges
 Night into Day, and He
 Merges Day into Night, and
 Verily it is God Who hears

And sees (all things).

62. That is because God--He
 Is the Reality; and those
 Besides Him whom they invoke,--
 They are but vain Falsehood:
 Verily God is He, Most High,
 Most Great.

63. Seest thou not that God
 Sends down rain from the sky,
 And forthwith the earth
 Becomes clothed with green?
 For God is He Who understands
 The finest mysteries, and
 Is well-acquainted (with them).

64. To Him belongs all that is
 In the heavens and on earth:
 For verily God,--He is
 Free of all wants,
 Worthy of all praise.

65. Seest thou not that God
 Has made subject to you (men)
 All that is on the earth,
 And the ships that sail
 Through the sea by His command?
 He withholds the sky (rain)
 From falling on the earth
 Except by His leave:
 For God is Most Kind
 And Most Merciful to man.

66. It is He Who gave you life,
 Will cause you to die,
 And will again give you
 Life: truly man is
 A most ungrateful creature!

67. To every People have We
 Appointed rites and ceremonies
 Which they must follow:
 Let them not then dispute
 With thee on the matter,
 But do thou invite (them)
 To thy Lord: for thou art
 Assuredly on the Right Way.

68. If they do wrangle with thee,
 Say, "God knows best
 What it is ye are doing."

69. "God will judge between you
 On the Day of Judgment
 Concerning the matters in which
 Ye differ."

70. Knowest thou not that
 God knows all that is
 In heaven and on earth?
 Indeed it is all
 In a record, and that
 Is easy for God.

71. Yet they worship, besides God,
 Things for which no authority
 Has been sent down to them,
 And of which they have
 (Really) no knowledge:
 For those that do wrong
 There is no helper.

72. When Our Clear Signs
 Are rehearsed to them,
 Thou wilt notice a denial
 On the faces of the Unbelievers!
 They nearly attack with violence
 Those who rehearse Our Signs
 To them. Say, "Shall I
 Tell you of something
 (Far) worse than these Signs?
 It is the Fire (of Hell)!

God has promised it
 To the Unbelievers!
 And evil is that destination!"

73. O men! Here is
 A parable set forth!
 Listen to it! Those
 On whom, besides God,
 Ye call, cannot create
 (Even) a fly, if they all
 Met together for the purpose!
 And if the fly should snatch
 Away anything from them,
 They would have no power
 To release it from the fly.
 Feeble are those who petition
 And those whom they petition!

74. No just estimate have they
 Made of God: for God
 Is He Who is strong
 And able to carry out
 His Will.

75. God chooses Messengers
 From angels and from men
 For God is He Who hears
 And sees (all things).

76. He knows what is before them
 And what is behind them:

And to God go back
 All questions (for decision).

77. O ye who believe!
 Bow down, prostrate yourselves,
 And adore your Lord;
 And do good;
 That ye may prosper.

78. And strive in His cause
 As ye ought to strive,
 (With sincerity and under discipline).
 He has chosen you, and has
 Imposed no difficulties on you
 In religion; it is the cult
 Of your father Abraham.
 It is He Who has named
 You Muslims, both before
 And in this (Revelation);
 That the Apostle may be
 A witness for you, and ye
 Be witnesses for mankind!
 So establish regular Prayer,
 Give regular Charity,
 And hold fast to God!
 He is your Protector--
 The best to protect
 And the Best to help!

Sura XXIII. 

Mu-minun, or The Believers.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. The Believers must
 (Eventually) win through,--

2. Those who humble themselves
 In their prayers;

3. Who avoid vain talk;

4. Who are active in deeds
 Of charity;

5. Who abstain from sex,

6. Except with those joined
 To them in the marriage bond,
 Or (the captives) whom
 Their right hands possess,--
 For (in their case) they are
 Free from blame,

7. But those whose desires exceed
 Those limits are transgressors;--

8. Those who faithfully observe
 Their trusts and their covenants;

9. And who (strictly) guard
 Their prayers;--

10. These will be the heirs,

11. Who will inherit Paradise:
 They will dwell therein
 (For ever).

12. Man We did create
 From a quintessence (of clay);

13. Then We placed him
 As (a drop of) sperm

In a place of rest,
 Firmly fixed;

14. Then We made the sperm
 Into a clot of congealed blood;
 Then of that clot We made
 A (foetus) lump; then We
 Made out of that lump
 Bones and clothed the bones
 With flesh; then We developed
 Out of it another creature.
 So blessed be God,
 The Best to create!

15. After that, at length
 Ye will die.

16. Again, on the Day
 Of Judgment, will ye be
 Raised up.

17. And We have made, above you,
 Seven tracts; and We
 Are never unmindful
 Of (Our) Creation,

18. And We send down water
 From the sky according to
 (Due) measure, and We cause it
 To soak in the soil;
 And We certainly are able
 To drain it off (with ease).

19. With it We grow for you
 Gardens of date-palms
 And vines: in them have ye
 Abundant fruits: and of them
 Ye eat (and have enjoyment),--

20. Also a tree springing
 Out of Mount Sinai,
 Which produces oil,
 And relish for those
 Who use it for food.

21. And in cattle (too) ye
 Have an instructive example:
 From within their bodies
 We produce (milk) for you

To drink; there art, in them,
 (Besides), numerous (other)
 Benefits for you;
 And of their (meat) ye eat;

22. And on them, as well as
 In ships, ye ride.

23. (Further, We sent a long line
 Of prophets for your instruction).
 We sent Noah to his people:
 He said, "O my people!
 Worship God! Ye have
 No other god but Him.
 Will ye not fear (Him)?"

24. The chiefs of the Unbelievers
 Among his people said:
 "He is no more than a man
 Like yourselves: his wish is
 To assert his superiority
 Over you: if God had wished
 (To send messengers),
 He could have sent down
 Angels: never did we hear
 Such a thing (as he says),
 Among our ancestors of old."

25. (And some said): "He is
 Only a man possessed:
 Wait (and have patience)
 With him for a time."

26. (Noah) said: "O my Lord!
 Help me: for that they
 Accuse me of falsehood!"

27. So We inspired him
 (With this message): "Construct
 The Ark within Our sight
 And under Our guidance: then
 When comes Our command,
 And the fountains of the earth
 Gush forth, take thou on board
 Pairs of every species, male
 And female, and thy family--
 Except those of them
 Against whom the Word
 Has already gone forth:
 And address Me not
 In favour of the wrong-doers;
 For they shall be drowned
 (In the Flood).

28. And when thou hast embarked
 On the Ark--thou and those
 With thee,--say: "Praise be
 To God, Who has saved us
 From the people who do wrong."

29. And say: "O my Lord!
 Enable me to disembark
 With Thy blessing: for Thou
 Art the Best to enable (us)
 To disembark."

30. Verily in this there are
 Signs (for men to understand);
 (Thus) do We try (men)."

31. Then We raised after them
 Another generation.

32. And We sent to them
 An apostle from among themselves,
 (Saying), "Worship God!
 Ye have no other god
 But Him. Will ye not
 Fear (Him)?"

33. And the chiefs
 Of his people, who disbelieved
 And denied the Meeting
 In the Hereafter, and on whom
 We had bestowed the good things
 Of this life, said: "He is
 No more than a man
 Like yourselves: he eats
 Of that of which ye eat,
 And drinks of what ye drink.

34. "If ye obey a man
 Like yourselves, behold,
 It is certain ye will be lost.

35. "Does he promise that
 When ye die and become dust
 And bones, ye shall be
 Brought forth (again)?

36. "Far, very far is that
 Which ye are promised!

37. "There is nothing but
 Our life in this world!
 We shall die and we live!
 But we shall never
 Be raised up again!

38. "He is only a man
 Who invents a lie
 Against God, but we
 Are not the ones
 To believe in him!"

39. (The prophet) said:
 "O my Lord! help me:
 For that they accuse me
 Of falsehood."

40. (God) said: "In but
 A little while, they
 Are sure to be sorry!"

41. Then the Blast overtook them
 With justice, and We made them
 As rubbish of dead leaves
 (Floating on the stream of Time)!
 So away with the people
 Who do wrong!

42. Then We raised after them
 Other generations.

43. No people can hasten
 Their term, nor can they
 Delay (it).

44. Then sent We Our apostles
 In succession: every time
 There came to a people
 Their apostle, they accused him
 Of falsehood: so We made
 Them follow each other
 (In punishment): We made them
 As a tale (that is told):
 So away with a people
 That will not believe!

45. When We sent Moses
 And his brother Aaron,
 With Our Signs and
 Authority manifest,

46. To Pharaoh and his Chiefs:
 But these behaved insolently:
 They were an arrogant people.

47. They said: "Shall we believe
 In two men like ourselves?
 And their people are subject
 To us!"

48. So they accused them
 Of falsehood, and they became
 Of those who were destroyed.

49. And We gave Moses
 The Book, in order that
 They might receive guidance.

50. And We made
 The son of Mary
 And his mother
 As a Sign:
 We gave them both
 Shelter on high ground,
 Affording rest and security
 And furnished with springs.

51. O ye apostles! enjoy
 (All) things good and pure,
 And work righteousness:
 For I am well-acquainted
 With (all) that ye do.

52. And verily this Brotherhood
 Of yours is a single Brotherhood,
 And I am your Lord
 And Cherisher: therefore
 Fear Me (and no other).

53. But people have cut off
 Their affair (of unity),
 Between them, into sects:
 Each party rejoices in that
 Which is with itself.

54. But leave them
 In their confused ignorance
 For a time.

55. Do they think that because
 We have granted them abundance
 Of wealth and sons,

56. We would hasten them
 On in every good? Nay,
 They do not understand.

57. Verily those who live
 In awe for fear of their Lord;

58. Those who believe
 In the Signs of their Lord;

59. Those who join not (in worship)
 Partners with their Lord;

60. And those who dispense
 Their charity with their hearts
 Full of fear, because
 They will return to their Lord;--

61. It is these who hasten
 In every good work,
 And these who are
 Foremost in them.

62. On no soul do We
 Place a burden greater
 Than it can bear:
 Before Us is a record
 Which clearly shows the truth:
 They will never be wronged.

63. But their hearts are
 In confused ignorance
 Of this; and there are,
 Besides that, deeds of theirs,
 Which they will (continue)
 To do,--

64. Until, when We seize
 In Punishment those of them
 Who received the good things
 Of this world, behold,
 They will groan in supplication!

65. (It will be said):
 "Groan not in supplication
 This day; for ye shall
 Certainly not be helped by Us.

66. "My Signs used to be
 Rehearsed to you, but ye
 Used to turn back
 On your heels--

67. "In arrogance: talking nonsense
 About the (Qur-an), like one
 Telling fables by night."

68. Do they not ponder over
 The Word (of God), or
 Has anything (new) come
 To them that did not
 Come to their fathers of old?

69. Or do they not recognise
 Their Apostle, that they
 Deny him?

70. Or do they say, "he is
 Possessed"? Nay, he has
 Brought them the Truth,
 But most of them
 Hate the Truth.

71. If the Truth had been
 In accord with their desires,
 Truly the heavens and the earth,
 And all beings therein
 Would have been in confusion
 And corruption! Nay, We
 Have sent them their admonition,
 But they turn away
 From their admonition.

72. Or is it that thou
 Askest them for some
 Recompense? But the recompense
 Of thy Lord is best:
 He is the Best of those
 Who give sustenance.

73. But verily thou callest them
 To the Straight Way;

74. And verily those who
 Believe not in the Hereafter
 Are deviating from that Way.

75. If We had mercy on them
 And removed the distress
 Which is on them, they
 Would obstinately persist
 In their transgression,
 Wandering in distraction
 To and fro.

76. We inflicted Punishment
 On them, but they
 Humbled not themselves
 To their Lord, nor do they
 Submissively entreat (Him)!--

77. Until We open on them
 A gate leading to
 A severe Punishment: then
 Lo! they will be plunged
 In despair therein!

78. It is He Who has created
 For you (the faculties of)
 Hearing, sight, feeling
 And understanding: little thanks
 It is ye give!

79. And He Has multiplied you
 Through the earth, and to Him
 Shall ye be gathered back.

80. It is He Who gives
 Life and death, and to Him
 (Is due) the alternation
 Of Night and Day:
 Will ye not then understand?

81. On the contrary they say
 Things similar to what
 The ancients said.

82. They say: "What! When we
 Die and become dust and bones,
 Could we really be
 Raised up again?

83. "Such things have been promised
 To us and to our fathers
 Before! They are nothing
 But tales of the ancients!"

84. Say: "To whom belong
 The earth and all beings therein?
 (Say) if ye know!"

85. They will say, "To God!"
 Say: "Yet will ye not
 Receive admonition?"

86. Say: "Who is the Lord
 Of the seven heavens,
 And the Lord of the Throne
 (Of Glory) Supreme?"

87. They will say, "(They belong)
 To God." Say: "Will ye not
 Then be filled with awe?"

88. Say: "Who is it in whose
 Hands is the governance
 Of all things,--who protects
 (All), but is not protected
 (Of any)? (Say) if ye know."

89. They will say, "(It belongs)
 To God." Say: "Then how
 Are ye deluded?"

90. We have sent them the Truth:
 But they indeed practise Falsehood!

91. No son did God beget,
 Nor is there any god
 Along with Him: (if there were
 Many gods), behold, each god
 Would have taken away
 What he had created,
 And some would have
 Lorded it over others!
 Glory to God! (He is free)
 From the (sort of) things
 They attribute to Him!

92. He knows what is hidden
 And what is open: too high
 Is He for the partners
 They attribute to Him!

93. Say: "O my Lord!
 If Thou wilt show me
 (In my lifetime) that which
 They are warned against,--

94. "Then, O my Lord! put me not
 Amongst the people
 Who do wrong!"

95. And We are certainly able
 To show thee (in fulfilment)
 That against which they are warned.

96. Repel evil with that'
 Which is best: We are
 Well acquainted with
 The things they say.

97. And say "O my Lord!
 I seek refuge with Thee

From the suggestions
 Of the Evil Ones.

98. "And I seek refuge with Thee
 O my Lord! lest they
 Should come near me."

99. (In Falsehood will they be)
 Until, when death comes
 To one of them, he says:
 "O my Lord! send me back
 (To life),--

100. "In order that I may
 Work righteousness in the things
 I neglected."--"By no means!
 It is but a word he says."--
 Before them is a Partition
 Till the Day they are
 Raised up.

101. When the Trumpet
 Is blown, there will be
 No more relationships
 Between them that day,
 Nor will one ask after another!

102. Then those whose balance
 (Of good deeds) is heavy,--
 They will attain salvation:

103. But those whose balance
 Is light, will be those
 Who have lost their souls;
 In Hell will they abide.

104. The Fire will burn their faces,
 And they will therein
 Grin, with their lips displaced.

105. "Were not My Signs rehearsed
 To you, and ye did but
 Treat them as falsehoods?"

106. They will say: "Our Lord!
 Our misfortune overwhelmed us,
 And we became a people
 Astray!

107. "Our Lord! Bring us out
 Of this: if ever we return
 (To evil), then shall we be
 Wrong-doers indeed!"

108. He will say: "Be ye
 Driven into it (with ignominy)!
 And speak ye not to Me!

109. "A part of My servants
 There was, who used to pray,

'Our Lord! we believe;
 Then do Thou forgive us,
 And have mercy upon us:
 For Thou art the Best
 Of those who show mercy!'

110. "But ye treated them
 With ridicule, so much so
 That (ridicule of) them made you
 Forget My Message while
 Ye were laughing at them!

111. "I have rewarded them
 This day for their patience
 And constancy: they are indeed
 The ones that have achieved Bliss:.."

112. He will say: "What number
 Of years did ye stay
 On earth?"

113. They will say: "We stayed
 A day or part of a day:
 But ask those who
 Keep account."

114. He will say: "Ye stayed
 Not but a little,--
 If ye had only known!

115. "Did ye then think
 That We had created you

In jest, and that ye
 Would not be brought back
 To Us (for account)?"

116. Therefore exalted be God,
 The King, the Reality:
 There is no god but He,
 The Lord of the Throne
 Of Honour!

117. If anyone invokes, besides God,
 Any other god, he has
 No authority therefor;
 And his reckoning will be
 Only with his Lord!
 And verily the Unbelievers
 Will fail to win through

118. So say: "O my Lord!
 Grant Thou forgiveness and mercy!
 For Thou art the Best
 Of those who show mercy!"

Sura XXIV. 

Nur, or Light.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A Sura which We
 Have sent down and
 Which We have ordained:
 In it have We sent down
 Clear Signs, in order that
 Ye may receive admonition.

2. The woman and the man
 Guilty of adultery or fornication,--
 Flog each of them
 With a hundred stripes:
 Let not compassion move you
 In their case, in a matter
 Prescribed by God, if ye believe
 In God and the Last Day:
 And let a party
 Of the Believers
 Witness their punishment.

3. Let no man guilty of
 Adultery or fornication marry
 Any but a woman
 Similarly guilty, or an Unbeliever:
 Nor let any but such a man
 Or an Unbeliever
 Marry such a woman:
 To the Believers such a thing
 Is forbidden.

4. And those who launch
 A charge against chaste women,
 And produce not four witnesses
 (To support their allegations),--
 Flog them with eighty stripes;
 And reject their evidence
 Ever after: for such men
 Are wicked transgressors;--

5. Unless they repent thereafter
 And mend (their conduct);
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

6. And for those who launch
 A charge against their spouses,
 And have (in support)
 No evidence but their own,--

Their solitary evidence
 (Can be received) if they
 Bear witness four times
 (With an oath) by God
 That they are solemnly
 Telling the truth;

7. And the fifth (oath)
 (Should be) that they solemnly
 Invoke the curse of God
 On themselves if they
 Tell a lie.

8. But it would avert
 The punishment from the wife,
 If she bears witness
 Four times (with an oath)
 By God, that (her husband)
 Is telling a lie;

9. And the fifth (oath)
 Should be that she solemnly
 Invokes the wrath of God
 On herself if (her accuser)
 Is telling the truth.

10. If it were not
 For God's grace and mercy
 On you, and that God
 Is Oft-Returning,
 Full of wisdom,
 (Ye would be ruined indeed).

11. Those who brought forward
 The lie are a body

Among yourselves: think it not
 To be an evil to you;
 On the contrary it is good
 For you: to every man
 Among them (will come
 The punishment) of the sin
 That he earned, and to him
 Who took on himself the lead
 Among them, will be
 A Penalty grievous.

12. Why did not the Believers
 Men and women--when ye
 Heard of the affair,--put
 The best construction on it
 In their own minds
 And say, "This (charge)
 Is an obvious lie"?

13. Why did they not bring
 Four witnesses to prove it?
 When they have not brought
 The witnesses, such men,
 In the sight of God,
 (Stand forth) themselves as liars!

14. Were it not for the grace
 And mercy of God on you,
 In this world and the Hereafter,
 A grievous penalty would have
 Seized you in that ye rushed
 Glibly into this affair.

15. Behold, ye received it
 On your tongues,

And said out of your mouths
 Things of which ye had
 No knowledge; and ye thought
 It to be a light matter,
 While it was most serious
 In the sight of God.

16. And why did ye not,
 When ye heard it, say?--
 "It is not right of us
 To speak of this:
 Glory to God! this is
 A most serious slander!"

17. God doth admonish you,
 That ye may never repeat
 Such (conduct), if ye
 Are (true) Believers.

18. And God makes the Signs
 Plain to you: for God
 Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

19. Those who love (to see)
 Scandal published broadcast
 Among the Believers, will have
 A grievous Penalty in this life
 And in the Hereafter: God
 Knows, and ye know not.

20. Were it not for the grace
 And mercy of God on you,

And that God is
 Full of kindness and mercy,
 (Ye would be ruined indeed).

21. O ye who believe!
 Follow not Satan's footsteps:
 If any will follow the footsteps
 Of Satan, he will (but) command
 What is shameful and wrong:
 And were it not for the grace
 And mercy of God on you.
 Not one of you would ever
 Have been pure: but God
 Doth purify whom He pleases:
 And God is One Who
 Hears and knows (all things).

22. Let not those among you
 Who are endued with grace
 And amplitude of means
 Resolve by oath against helping
 Their kinsmen, those in want,
 And those who have left

Their homes in God's cause:
 Let them forgive and overlook,
 Do you not wish
 That God should forgive you?
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

23. Those who slander chaste women,
 Indiscreet but believing,
 Are cursed in this life
 And in the Hereafter:
 For them is a grievous Penalty,--

24. On the Day when their tongues,
 Their hands, and their feet
 Will bear witness against them
 As to their actions.

25. On that Day God
 Will pay them back
 (All) their just dues,
 And they will realise
 That God is
 The (very) Truth,
 That makes all things manifest.

26. Women impure are for men impure
 And men impure for women impure
 And women of purity
 Are for men of purity,
 And men of purity
 Are for women of purity:
 These are not affected

By what people say:
 For them there is forgiveness,
 And a provision honourable.

27. O ye who believe!
 Enter not houses other than
 Your own, until ye have
 Asked permission and saluted
 Those in them: that is
 Best for you, in order that
 Ye may heed (what is seemly).

28. If ye find no one
 In the house, enter not
 Until permission is given
 To you: if ye are asked
 To go back, go back:
 That makes for greater purity

For yourselves: and God
 Knows well all that ye do.

29. It is no fault on your part
 To enter houses not used
 For living in, which serve
 Some (other) use for you:
 And God has knowledge
 Of what ye reveal
 And what ye conceal.

30. Say to the believing men
 That they should lower
 Their gaze and guard
 Their modesty: that will make
 For greater purity for them:
 And God is well acquainted
 With all that they do.

31. And say to the believing women
 That they should lower
 Their gaze and guard
 Their modesty; that they
 Should not display their
 Beauty and ornaments except
 What (must ordinarily) appear
 Thereof; that they should

Draw their veils over
 Their bosoms and not display
 Their beauty except
 To their husbands, their fathers,
 Their husbands' fathers, their sons,
 Their husbands' sons,
 Their brothers or their brothers' sons,
 Or their sisters' sons,
 Or their women, or the slaves
 Whom their right hands
 Possess, or male servants
 Free of physical needs,
 Or small children who
 Have no sense of the shame
 Of sex; and that they
 Should not strike their feet
 In order to draw attention
 To their hidden ornaments.
 And O ye Believers!
 Turn ye all together
 Towards God, that ye
 May attain Bliss.

32. Marry those among you
 Who are single, or
 The virtuous ones among
 Your slaves, male or female:
 If they are in poverty,
 God will give them
 Means out of His grace:
 For God encompasseth all,
 And He knoweth all things.

33. Let those who find not
 The wherewithal for marriage
 Keep themselves chaste, until
 God gives them means
 Out of His grace.
 And if any of your slaves
 Ask for a deed in writing
 (To enable them to earn
 Their freedom for a certain sum),
 Give them such a deed
 If ye know any good
 In them; yea, give them
 Something yourselves
 Out of the means which
 God has given to you.
 But force not your maids
 To prostitution when they desire
 Chastity, in order that ye
 May make a gain
 In the goods of this life.
 But if anyone compels them,
 Yet, after such compulsion,
 Is God Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful (to them).

34. We have already sent down
 To you verses making things
 Clear, an illustration from (the story
 Of) people who passed away
 Before you, and an admonition
 For those who fear (God).

35. God is the Light
 Of the heavens and the earth.
 The parable of His Light
 Is as if there were a Niche
 And within it a Lamp:
 The Lamp enclosed in Glass:

The glass as it were
 A brilliant star:
 Lit from a blessed Tree,
 An Olive, neither of the East
 Nor of the West,
 Whose Oil is well-nigh
 Luminous,
 Though fire scarce touched it
 Light upon Light!
 God doth guide
 Whom He will
 To His Light:
 God doth set forth Parables
 For men: and God
 Doth know all things.

36. (Lit is such a Light)
 In houses, which God
 Hath permitted to be raised
 To honour; for the celebration,

In them, of His name:
 In them is He glorified
 In the mornings and
 In the evenings, (again and again),

37. By men whom neither
 Traffic nor merchandise
 Can divert from the Remembrance
 Of God, nor from regular Prayer,
 Nor from the practice
 Of regular Charity:
 Their (only) fear is
 For the Day when
 Hearts and eyes
 Will be transformed
 (In a world wholly new),--

38. That God may reward them
 According to the best
 Of their deeds, and add
 Even more for them
 Out of His Grace:
 For God doth provide
 For those whom He will,
 Without measure.

39. but the Unbelievers,--
 Their deeds are like a mirage

In sandy deserts, which
 The man parched with thirst
 Mistakes for water; until
 When he comes up to it,
 He finds it to be nothing:
 But he finds God
 (Ever) with him, and God
 Will pay him his account:
 And God is swift
 In taking account.

40. Or (the Unbelievers' state)
 Is like the depths of darkness
 In a vast deep ocean,
 Overwhelmed with billow
 Topped by billow,
 Topped by (dark) clouds:
 Depths of darkness, one
 Above another: if a man
 Stretches out his hand,
 He can hardly see it!
 For any to whom God
 Giveth not light,
 There is no light!

41. Seest thou not that it is
 God Whose praises all beings
 In the heavens and on earth
 Do celebrate, and the birds

(Of the air) with wings
 Outspread? Each one knows
 Its own (mode of) prayer
 And praise. And God
 Knows well all that they do.

42. Yea, to God belongs
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth; and to God
 Is the final goal (of all).

43. Seest thou not that God
 Makes the clouds move
 Gently, then joins them
 Together, then makes them
 Into a heap?--then wilt thou
 See rain issue forth
 From their midst. And He
 Sends down from the sky
 Mountain masses (of clouds)
 Wherein is hail: He strikes
 Therewith whom He pleases
 And He turns it away
 From whom He pleases.
 The vivid flash of His lightning
 Well-nigh blinds the sight.

44. It is God Who alternates
 The Night and the Day:

Verily in these things
 Is an instructive example
 For those who have vision!

45. And God has created
 Every animal from water: sort
 Of them there are some
 That creep on their bellies;
 Some that walk on two legs;
 And some that walk on four.
 God creates what He wills;
 For verily God has power
 Over all things.

46. We have indeed sent down
 Signs that make things manifest:
 And God guides whom He wills
 To a Way that is straight.

47. They say, "We believe
 In God and in the Apostle,
 And we obey": but
 Even after that, some of them
 Turn away: they are not
 (Really) Believers.

48. When they are summoned
 To God and His Apostle,
 In order that he may judge
 Between them, behold, some
 Of them decline (to come).

49. But if the right is
 On their side, they come
 To him with all submission

50. Is it that there is
 A disease in their hearts
 Or do they doubt,
 Or are they in fear,
 That God and His Apostle
 Will deal unjustly with them?
 Nay, it is they themselves
 Who do wrong.

51. The answer of the Believers,
 When summoned to God
 And His Apostle, in order
 That he may judge between them,
 Is no other than this:
 They say, "We hear and we obey":
 It is such as these
 That will attain felicity.

52. It is such as obey
 God and His Apostle,
 And fear God and do
 Right, that will win
 (In the end).

53. They swear their strongest oaths
 By God that, if only thou

Wouldst command them, they
 Would leave (their homes).
 Say: "Swear ye not;
 Obedience is (more) reasonable;
 Verily, God is well acquainted
 With all that ye do."

54. Say: "Obey God, and obey
 The Apostle: but if ye turn
 Away, he is only responsible
 For the duty placed on him
 And ye for that placed
 On you. If ye obey him,
 Ye shall be on right guidance.
 The Apostle's duty is only
 To preach the clear (Message).

55. God has promised, to those
 Among you who believe
 And work righteous deeds, that He
 Will, of a surety, grant them
 In the land, inheritance
 (Of power), as He granted it
 To those before them; that
 He will establish in authority
 Their religion--the one
 Which He has chosen for them;
 And that He will change
 (Their state), after the fear
 In which they (lived), to one

Of security and peace:
 'They will worship Me (alone)
 And not associate aught with Me.'
 If any do reject Faith
 After this, they are
 Rebellious and wicked.

56. So establish regular Prayer
 And give regular Charity;
 And obey the Apostle;
 That ye may receive mercy.

57. Never think thou
 That the Unbelievers
 Are going to frustrate
 (God's Plan) on earth:
 Their abode is the Fire,--
 And it is indeed
 An evil refuge!

58. O ye who believe!
 Let those whom your right hands
 Possess, and the (children) among you

Who have not come of age
 Ask your permission (before
 They come to your presence),
 On three occasions: before
 Morning prayer; the while
 Ye doff your clothes
 For the noonday heat;
 And after the late-night prayer:
 These are your three times
 Of undress: outside those times
 It is not wrong for you
 Or for them to move about
 Attending to each other:
 Thus does God make clear
 The Signs to you: for God
 Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

59. But when the children among you
 Come of age, let them (also)
 Ask for permission, as do those
 Senior to them (in age):
 Thus does God make clear
 His Signs to you: for God
 Is full of knowledge and wisdom.

60. Such elderly women as are
 Past the prospect of marriage,--
 There is no blame on them
 If they lay aside

Their (outer) garments, provided
 They make not a wanton display
 Of their beauty: but
 It is best for them
 To be modest: and God
 Is One Who sees and knows
 All things.

61. It is no fault in the blind
 Nor in one born lame, nor
 In one afflicted with illness,
 Nor in yourselves, that ye
 Should eat in your own houses,
 Or those of your fathers,
 Or your mothers, or your brothers,
 Or your sisters, or your father's brothers
 Or your father's sisters,
 Or your mother's brothers,
 Or your mother's sisters,
 Or in houses of which
 The keys are in your possession,
 Or in the house of a sincere
 Friend of yours: there is
 No blame on you, whether
 Ye eat in company or
 Separately. But if ye
 Enter houses, salute each other--
 A greeting of blessing
 And purity as from God.

Thus does God make clear
 The Signs to you: that ye
 May understand.

62. Only those are Believers,
 Who believe in God and
 His Apostle: when they are
 With him on a matter
 Requiring  action,
 They do not depart until
 They have asked for his leave;
 Those who ask for thy leave
 Are those who believe in God
 And His Apostle; so when
 They ask for thy leave,
 For some business of theirs,
 Give leave to those of them
 Whom thou wilt, and ask
 God for their forgiveness:
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

63. Deem not the summons
 Of the Apostle among yourselves
 Like the summons of one
 Of you to another: God
 Doth know those of you
 Who slip away under shelter
 Of some excuse: then
 Let those beware who

Withstand the Apostle's order,
 Lest some trial befall them,
 Or a grievous Penalty
 Be inflicted on them.

64. Be quite sure that
 To God doth belong
 Whatever is in the heavens
 And on earth. Well doth He
 Know what ye are intent upon:
 And one day they will be
 Brought back to Him, and He
 Will tell them the truth
 Of what they did:
 For God doth know
 All things.

Sura XXV. 

Furqan, or The Criterion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Blessed is He Who
 Sent down the Criterion
 To His Servant, that
 May be an admonition
 To all creatures;--

2. He to Whom belongs
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth: no son
 Has He begotten, nor has He
 A partner in His dominion:
 It is He Who created
 All things, and ordered them
 In due proportions.

3. Yet have they taken,
 Besides Him, gods that can
 Create nothing but are themselves
 Created; that have no control
 Of hurt or good to themselves;
 Nor can they control Death
 Nor Life nor Resurrection.

4. But the Misbelievers say:
 "Naught is this but a lie
 Which he has forged,
 And others have helped him
 At it." In truth it is they
 Who have put forward
 An iniquity and a falsehood.

5. And they say: "Tales of
 The ancients, which he has caused
 To be written: and they
 Are dictated before him
 Morning and evening."

6. Say: "The (Qur-an) was sent down
 By Him Who knows
 The Mystery (that is) in the heavens
 And the earth: verily He
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

7. find they say: "What sort
 Of an apostle is this,
 Who eats food, and walks
 Through the streets? Why
 Has not an angel
 Been sent down to him
 To give admonition with him?

8. "Or (why) has not a treasure
 Been bestowed on him, or
 Why has he (not) a garden
 For enjoyment?" The wicked
 Say: "Ye follow none other
 Than a man bewitched."

9. See what kinds of comparisons
 They make for thee!
 But they have gone astray,
 And never a way will they
 Be able to find!

10. Blessed is He Who,
 If that were His Will,
 Could give thee better (things)
 Than those,--Gardens beneath which
 Rivers flow; and He could
 Give thee Palaces (secure
 To dwell in).

11. Nay, they deny the Hour
 (Of the Judgment to come):
 But We have prepared
 A Blazing Fire for such
 As deny the Hour:

12. When it sees them
 From a place far off,
 They will hear its fury
 And its raging sigh.

13. And when they are cast,
 Bound together, into a
 Constricted place therein, they
 Will plead for destruction
 There and then!

14. "This day plead not
 For a single destruction:
 Plead for destruction oft-repeated!"

15. Say: "Is that best, or
 The eternal Garden, promised
 To the righteous? For them,
 That is a reward as well
 As a goal (of attainment).

16. "For them there will be
 Therein all that they wish for:
 They will dwell (there) for aye:
 A promise to be prayed for
 From thy Lord."

17. The Day He will gather
 Them together as well as
 Those whom they worship
 Besides God, He will ask;

"Was it ye who led
 These My servants astray,
 Or did they stray
 From the Path themselves?"

18. They will say: "Glory to Thee!
 Not meet was it for us
 That we should take
 For protectors others besides Thee:
 But Thou didst bestow,
 On them and their fathers,
 Good things (in life), until
 They forgot the Message:
 For they were a people
 (Worthless and) lost."

19. (God will say): "Now
 Have they proved you liars
 In what ye say: so
 Ye cannot avert (your penalty)
 Nor (get) help." And whoever
 Among you does wrong,
 Him shall We cause to taste
 Of a grievous Penalty.

20. And the apostles whom We
 Sent before thee were all
 (Men) who ate food
 And walked through the streets:
 We have made some of you
 As a trial for others:
 Will ye have patience?
 For God is One Who
 Sees (all things).

21. Such as fear not
 The meeting with Us
 (For Judgment) say:
 "Why are not the angels
 Sent down to us, or
 (Why) do we not see
 Our Lord?" Indeed they
 Have an arrogant conceit
 Of themselves, and mighty
 Is the insolence of their impiety!

22. The Day they see the angels,--
 No joy will there be
 To the sinners that Day:
 The (angels) will say:
 "There is a barrier
 Forbidden (to you) altogether!

23: And We shall turn
 To whatever deeds they did
 (In this life), and We shall
 Make such deeds as floating dust
 Scattered about.

24. The Companions of the Garden
 Will be well, that Day,
 In their abode, and have
 The fairest of places for repose:

25. The Day the heaven shall be
 Rent asunder with clouds,
 And angels shall be sent down,
 Descending (in ranks),--

26. That Day, the dominion
 As of right and truth,
 Shall be (wholly) for (God)
 Most Merciful: it will be
 A Day of dire difficulty
 For the Misbelievers.

27. I the Day that the wrong-doer
 Will bite at his hands,
 He will say, "Oh! would that
 I had taken a (straight) path
 With the Apostle!

28. "Ah! woe is me!
 Would that I had never
 Taken such a one
 For a friend!

29. "He did lead me astray
 From the Message (of God)
 After it had come to me!
 Ah! the Evil One is
 But a traitor to man!

Then the Apostle will say:

30 "O my Lord! Truly
 My people took this Qur-an
 For just foolish nonsense."

31. Thus have We made
 For every prophet an enemy
 Among the sinners: but enough
 Is thy Lord to guide
 And to help.

32. Whose who reject Faith
 Say: "Why is not the Qur-an
 Revealed to him all at once?
 Thus (is it revealed), that We
 May strengthen thy heart
 Thereby, and We have
 Rehearsed it to thee in slow,
 Well-arranged stages, gradually.

33. And no question do they
 Bring to thee but We
 Reveal to thee the truth
 And the best explanation (thereof),

34. Whose who will be gathered
 To Hell (prone) on their faces,--
 They will be in an evil
 Plight, and, as to Path,
 Most astray.

35. (Before this,) We sent Moses
 The Book, and appointed
 His brother Aaron with him
 As Minister;

36. And We commanded: "Go ye
 Both, to the people who
 Have rejected our Signs:"
 And those (people) We destroyed
 With utter destruction.

37. And the people of Noah,--
 When they rejected the apostles,
 We drowned them,
 And We made them
 As a Sign for mankind;
 And We have prepared
 For (all) wrong-doers
 A grievous Penalty;--

38. As also 'Ad and Thamud,
 And the Companions

Of the Rass, and many
 A generation between them.

39. To each one We set forth
 Parables and examples;
 And each one We broke
 To utter annihilation
 (For their sins).

40. And the (Unbelievers) must indeed
 Have passed by the town
 On which was rained
 A shower of evil: did they not
 Then see it (with their own
 Eyes)? But they fear not
 The Resurrection.

41. When they see thee,
 They treat thee no otherwise
 Than in mockery: "Is this
 The one whom God has sent
 As an apostle?"

42. "He indeed would well-nigh
 Have misled us from
 Our gods, had it not been
 That we were constant
 To them!"--Soon will they
 Know, when they see
 The Penalty, who it is
 That is most misled
 In Path!

43. Seest thou such a one
 As taketh for his god
 His own passion (or impulse)?
 Couldst thou be a disposer
 Of affairs for him?

44. Or thinkest thou that most
 Of them listen or understand?
 They are only like cattle;--
 Nay, they are worse astray
 In Path.

45. Hast thou not turned
 Thy vision to thy Lord?--
 How He doth prolong
 The Shadow! If He willed,
 He could make it stationary!
 Then do We make
 The sun its guide;

46. Then We draw it in
 Towards Ourselves,
 A contraction by easy stages.

47. And He it is Who makes
 The Night as a Robe
 For you, and Sleep as Repose,
 And makes the Day
 (As it were) a Resurrection.

48. And He it is Who sends
 The Winds as heralds
 Of glad tidings, going before
 His Mercy, and We send down

Pure water from the sky,--

49. That with it We may give
 Life to a dead land,
 And slake the thirst
 Of things We have created,--
 Cattle and men in great numbers.

50. And We have distributed
 The (water) amongst them, in order
 That they may celebrate
 (Our) praises, but most men
 Are averse (to aught) but
 (Rank) ingratitude.

51. Had it been Our Will,
 We could have sent
 A warner to every centre
 Of population.

52. Therefore listen not
 To the Unbelievers, but strive

Against them with the utmost
 Strenuousness, with the (Qur-an).

53. It is He Who has
 Let free the two bodies
 Of flowing water:
 One palatable and sweet,
 And the other salt
 And hitter; yet has He
 Made a barrier between them,
 A partition that is forbidden
 To be passed.

54. It is He Who has
 Created man from water:
 Then has He established
 Relationships of lineage

And marriage: for thy Lord
 Has power (over all things).

55. Yet do they worship,
 Besides God, things that can
 Neither profit them nor
 Harm them: and the Misbeliever
 Is a helper (of Evil),
 Against his own Lord!

56. But thee We only sent
 To give glad tidings
 And admonition.

57. Say: "No reward do I
 Ask of you for it but this:
 That each one who will
 May take a (straight) Path
 To his Lord."

58. And put thy trust
 In Him Who lives
 And dies not; and celebrate
 His praise; and enough is He
 To be acquainted with
 The faults of His servants;--

59. He Who created the heavens
 And the earth and all
 That is between, in six days,
 And is firmly established
 On the Throne (of authority):
 God Most Gracious:
 Ask thou, then, about Him
 Of any acquainted (with such things).

60. When it is said to them,
 "Adore ye (God) Most Gracious!",
 They say, "And what is (God)
 Most Gracious? Shall we adore
 That which thou commandest us?"
 And it increases their flight
 (From the Truth).

61. Blessed is He Who made
 Constellations in the skies,
 And placed therein a Lamp
 And a Moon giving light;

62. And it is He Who made
 The Night and the Day
 To follow each other:
 For such as have the will
 To celebrate His praises
 Or to show their gratitude.

63. And the servants of (God)
 Most Gracious are those
 Who walk on the earth
 In humility, and when the ignorant
 Address them, they say,
 "Peace!";

64. Those who spend the night
 In adoration of their Lord
 Prostrate and standing;

65. Those who say, "Our Lord!
 Avert from us the Wrath
 Of Hell, for its Wrath
 Is indeed an affliction grievous,--

66. "Evil indeed is it
 As an abode, and as
 A place to rest in";

67. Those who, when they spend,
 Are not extravagant and not
 Niggardly, but hold a just (balance)
 Between those (extremes);

68. Those who invoke not,
 With God, any other god,
 Nor slay such life as God
 Has made sacred, except
 For just cause, nor commit
 Fornication;--and any that does
 This (not only) meets punishment

69. (But) the Penalty on the Day
 Of Judgment will be doubled
 To him, and he will dwell
 Therein in ignominy,--

70. Unless he repents, believes,
 And works righteous deeds,
 For God will change
 The evil of such persons
 Into good, and God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful,

71. And whoever repents and does good
 Has truly turned to God
 With an (acceptable) conversion;--

72. Those who witness no falsehood;
 And, if they pass by futility,
 They pass by it
 With honourable (avoidance);

73. Those who, when they are
 Admonished with the Signs
 Of their Lord, droop not down
 At them as if they were
 Deaf or blind;

74. And these who pray,
 "Our Lord! Grant unto us
 Wives and offspring who will be
 The comfort of our eyes,

And give us (the grace)
 To lead the righteous."

75. Those are the ones who
 Will be rewarded with
 The highest place in heaven,
 Because of their patient constancy:
 Therein shall they be met
 With salutations and peace,

76. Dwelling therein;--how beautiful
 An abode and place of rest!

77. Say (to the Rejecters):
 "My Lord is not uneasy
 Because of you if ye call not on Him
 But ye have indeed rejected
 (Him), and soon will come
 The inevitable (punishment)!"

Sura XXVI.  

Shu'araa, or The Poets.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ta. Sin. Mim.

2. These are Verses of the Book
 That makes (things) clear.

3. It may be thou frettest
 Thy soul with grief, that they
 Do not become Believers.

4. If (such) were Our Will,
 We could send down to them
 From the sky a Sign,
 To which they would bend
 Their necks in humility.

5. But there comes not
 To them a newly-revealed
 Message from (God) Most Gracious,
 But they turn away therefrom.

6. They have indeed rejected
 (The Message): so they will
 Know soon (enough) the truth
 Of what they mocked at!

7. Do they not look
 At the earth,--how many
 Noble things of all kinds
 We have produced therein?

8. Verily, in this is a Sign:
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

9. And verily, thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

10. Behold, thy Lord called
 Moses: "Go to the people
 Of iniquity,--

11. "The people of Pharaoh:
 Will they not fear God?"

12. He said: "O my Lord!
 I do fear that they
 Will charge me with falsehood:

13. "My breast will be straitened?'
 And my speech may not go
 (Smoothly): so send unto Aaron.

14. "And (further), they have
 A charge of crime against me;
 And I fear they may
 Slay me."

15. God said: "By no means!
 Proceed then, both of you,
 With Our Signs; We
 Are with you, and will
 Listen (to your call).

16. "So go forth, both of you,
 To Pharaoh, and say:
 'We have been sent
 By the Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Worlds;

17. "'Send thou with us
 The Children of Israel.'"

18. (Pharaoh) said: "Did we not
 Cherish thee as a child
 Among us, and didst thou not
 Stay in our midst
 Many years of thy life?

19. "And thou didst a deed
 Of thine which (thou knowest)
 Thou didst, and thou art
 An ungrateful (wretch)!"

20. Moses said: "I did it
 Then, when I was
 In error.

21. "So I fled from you (all)
 When I feared you;
 But my Lord has (since)
 Invested me with judgment
 (And wisdom) and appointed me
 As one of the apostles.

22. "And this is the favour
 With which thou dost
 Reproach me,--that thou
 Hast enslaved the Children
 Of Israel!"

23. Pharaoh said: "And what
 Is the 'Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Worlds'?

24. (Moses) said: "The Lord
 And Cherisher of the heavens
 And the earth, and all between,
 If ye want to be
 Quite sure."

25. (Pharaoh) said to those
 Around: "Do ye not listen
 (To what he says)?

26. (Moses) said: "Your Lord
 And the Lord of your fathers
 From the beginning!"

27. (Pharaoh) said: "Truly
 Your apostle who has been
 Sent to you is
 A veritable madman!"

28. (Moses) said: "Lord of the East
 And the West, and all between!
 If ye only had sense!"

29. (Pharaoh) said: "If thou
 Dost put forward any god
 Other than me, I will
 Certainly put thee in prison!"

30. (Moses) said: "Even if I
 Showed you something
 Clear (and) convincing?"

31. (Pharaoh) said: "Show it then,
 If thou tellest the truth!"

32. So (Moses) threw his rod,
 And behold, it was
 A serpent, plain (for all to see)!

33. And he drew out his hand,
 And behold, it was white
 To all beholders!

34. (Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs
 Around him: "This is indeed
 A sorcerer well-versed:

35. "His plan is to get you out
 Of your land by his sorcery;
 Then what is it ye counsel?"

36. They said: "Keep him
 And his brother in suspense
 (For a while), and dispatch
 To the Cities heralds to collect--

37. "And bring up to thee
 All (our) sorcerers well-versed."

38. So the sorcerers were got
 Together for the appointment
 Of a day well-known,

39. And the people were told:
 "Are ye (now) assembled?--

40. "That we may follow
 The sorcerers (in religion)
 If they win?"

41. So when the sorcerers arrived,
 They said to Pharaoh:
 "Of course--shall we have
 A (suitable) reward
 If we win?"

42. He said: "Yea, (and more),--
 For ye shall in that case
 Be (raised to posts)
 Nearest (to my person)."

43. Moses said to them:
 "Throw ye--that which
 Ye are about to throw!"

44. So they threw their ropes
 And their rods, and said:
 "By the might of Pharaoh,
 It is we who will
 Certainly win!"

45. Then Moses threw his rod,
 When, behold, it straightway
 Swallows up all
 The falsehoods which they fake!

46. When did the sorcerers
 Fall down, prostrate in adoration,

47. Saying: "We believe
 In the Lord of the Worlds,

48. "The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

49. Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye
 In Him before I give
 You permission? Surely he
 Is your leader, who has
 Taught you sorcery!
 But soon shall ye know!

50. "Be sure I will cut off
 Your hands and your feet
 On opposite sides, and I
 Will cause you all
 To die on the cross!"

51. They said: "No matter!
 For us, we shall but
 Return to our Lord!

52. "Only, our desire is
 That our Lord will
 Forgive us our faults,
 That we may become
 Foremost among the Believers!"

53. By inspiration We told Moses:
 "Travel by night with
 My servants; for surely
 Ye shall be pursued."

54. Then Pharaoh sent heralds
 To (all) the Cities,

55. (Saying): "These (Israelites)
 Are but a small band,

56. "And they are raging
 Furiously against us;

57. "But we are a multitude
 Amply fore-warned."

58. So We expelled them
 From gardens, springs,

59. Treasures, and every kind
 Of honourable position;

60. Thus it was, but
 We made the Children
 Of Israel inheritors
 Of such things.

61. So they pursued them
 At sunrise.

62. And when the two bodies
 Saw each other, the people
 Of Moses said: "We are
 Sure to be overtaken."

63. (Moses) said: "By no means!
 My Lord is with me!
 Soon will He guide me!"

64. Then We told Moses
 By inspiration: "Strike
 The sea with thy rod."
 So it divided, and each
 Separate part became
 Like the huge, firm mass
 Of a mountain.

65. And We made the other
 Party approach thither.

66. We delivered Moses and all
 Who were with him;

67. But We drowned the others.

68. Verily in this is a Sign:
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

69. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

70. And rehearse to them
 (Something of) Abraham's story.

71. Behold, he said
 To his father and his people:
 "What worship ye?"

72. They said: "We worship
 Idols, and we remain constantly
 In attendance on them."

73. He said: "Do they listen
 To you when ye call (on them),
 Or do you good or harm?"

74. They said: "Nay, but we
 Found our fathers doing
 Thus (what we do)."

75. He said: "Do ye then
 See whom ye have been
 Worshipping,--

76. "Ye and your fathers before you?--

77. "For they are enemies to me;
 Not so the Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Worlds;

78. "Who created me, and
 It is He who guides me;

79. "Who gives me food and drink,

80. "And when I am ill,
 It is He who cures me;

81. "Who will cause me to die,
 And then to live (again);

82. "And who, I hope,
 Will forgive me my faults
 On the Day of Judgment.

83. "O my Lord! bestow wisdom
 On me, and join me
 With the righteous;

84. "Grant me honourable mention
 On the tongue of truth
 Among the latest (generations);

85. "Make me one of the inheritors
 Of the Garden of Bliss;

86. "Forgive my father, for that
 He is among those astray;

87. "And let me not be
 In disgrace on the Day
 When (men) will be raised up;--

88. "The Day whereon neither
 Wealth nor sons will avail,

89. "But only he (will prosper)
 That brings to God
 A sound heart;

90. "To the righteous, the Garden
 Will be brought near,

91. "And to those straying in Evil,
 The Fire will be placed
 In full view;

92. "And it shall be said
 To them, 'Where are
 The (gods) ye worshipped--

93. "'Besides God? Can they
 Help you or help themselves?'

94. "Then they will be thrown
 Headlong into the (Fire),--
 They and those straying
 In Evil,

95. "And the whole hosts
 Of Iblis together.

96. "They will say there
 In their mutual bickerings:

97. "'By God, we were truly
 In an error manifest,

98. "'When we held you as equals
 With the Lord of the Worlds;

99. "'And our seducers were
 Only those who were
 Steeped in guilt.

100. "'Now, then, we have none
 To intercede (for us),

101. "'Nor a single friend
 To feel (for us).

102. "'Now if we only had
 A chance of return,
 We shall truly be
 Of those who believe!'"

103. Verily in this is a Sign
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

104. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

105. The people of Noah rejected
 The apostles.

106. Behold, their brother Noah
 Said to them: "Will ye not
 Fear (God)?

107. "I am to you an apostle
 Worthy of all trust:

108. "So fear God, and obey me.

109. "No reward do I ask
 Of you for it: my reward
 Is only from the Lord
 Of the Worlds:

110. "So fear God, and obey me."

111. They said: "Shall we
 Believe in thee when it is
 The meanest that follow thee?"

112. He said: "And what
 Do I know as to
 What they do?

113. "Their account is only
 With my Lord, if ye
 Could (but) understand.

114. "I am not one to drive away
 Those who believe.

115. "I am sent only
 To warn plainly in public."

116. They said: "If thou
 Desist not, O Noah!
 Thou shalt be stoned
 (to death)."

117. He said: "O my Lord!
 Truly my people have
 Rejected me.

118. "Judge thou, then, between me
 And them openly, and deliver

Me and those of the Believers
 Who are with me."

119. So We delivered him
 And those with him,
 In the Ark filled
 (With all creatures).

120. Thereafter We drowned those
 Who remained behind.

121. Verily in this is a Sign:
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

122. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

123. The 'Ad (people) rejected'
 The apostles.

124. Behold, their brother Hud
 Said to them: "Will ye not
 Fear (God)?

125. "I am to you an apostle
 Worthy of all trust:

126. "So fear God and obey me.

127. "No reward do I ask
 Of you for it my reward
 Is only from the Lord
 Of the Worlds.

128. "Do ye build a landmark
 On every high place
 To amuse yourselves?

129. "And do ye get for yourselves
 Fine buildings in the hope
 Of living therein (for ever)?

130. "And when ye exert
 Your strong hand,
 Do ye do it like men
 Of absolute power?

131. "Now fear God, and obey me.

132. "Yea, fear Him Who
 Has bestowed on you
 Freely all that ye know.

133. "Freely has He bestowed
 On you cattle and sons,--

134. "And Gardens and Springs.

135. "Truly I fear for you
 The Penalty of a Great Day."

136. They said: "It is the same
 To us whether thou
 Admonish us or be not
 Among (our) admonishers!

137. "This is no other than
 A customary device
 Of the ancients,

138. "And we are not the ones
 To receive Pains and Penalties!"

139. So they rejected him,
 And We destroyed them.
 Verily in this is a Sign:
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

140. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

141. The Thamud (people) rejected
 The apostles.

142. Behold, their brother Salih
 Said to them: "Will you not
 Fear (God)?

143. "I am to you an apostle
 Worthy of all trust.

144. "So fear God, and obey me.

145. "No reward do I ask
 Of you for it: my reward
 Is only from the Lord
 Of the Worlds.

146. "Will ye be left secure,
 In (the enjoyment of) all
 That ye have here?--

147. "Gardens and Springs,

148. "And corn-fields and date palms
 With spathes near breaking
 (With the weight of fruit)?

149. "And ye carve houses
 Out of (rocky) mountains
 With great skill.

150. "But fear God and obey me;

151. "And follow not the bidding
 Of those who are extravagant,--

152. "Who make mischief in the land,
 And mend not (their ways)."

153. Whey said: "Thou art only
 One of those bewitched!'

154. "Thou art no more than
 A mortal like us:
 Then bring us a Sign,
 If thou tellest the truth!"

155. He said: "Here is
 A she-camel: she has
 A right of watering,
 And ye have a right
 Of watering, (severally)
 On a day appointed.

156. "Touch her not with harm,
 Lest the Penalty
 Of a Great Day
 Seize you."

157. But they ham-strung her:
 Then did they become
 Full of regrets.

158. But the Penalty seized them.
 Verily in this is a Sign:
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

159. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

160. The people of Lut rejected'
 The apostles.

161. Behold, their brother Lut
 Said to them: "Will ye not
 Fear (God)?

162. "I am to you an apostle
 Worthy of all trust.

163. "So fear God and obey me.

164. "No reward do I ask
 Of you for it my reward
 Is only from the Lord
 Of the Worlds.

165. "Of all the creatures
 In the world, will ye
 Approach males,

166. "And leave those whom God
 Has created for you
 To be your mates?
 Nay, ye are a people
 Transgressing (all limits)!"

167. Whey said: "If thou desist not,
 O Lut! thou wilt assuredly
 Be cast out!"

168. He said: "I do detest
 Your doings:"

169. "O my Lord! deliver me
 And my family from
 Such things as they do!"

170. So We delivered him
 And his family,--all

171. Except an old woman
 Who lingered behind.

172. But the rest We destroyed Utterly.

173. We rained down on them
 A shower (of brimstone):
 And evil was the shower
 On those who were admonished
 (But heeded not)!

174. Verily in this is a Sign
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

175. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might
 Most Merciful.

176. The Companions of the Wood
 Rejected the apostles.

177. Behold, Shu'aib said to them:
 Will ye not fear (God)?

178. "I am to you an apostle
 Worthy of all trust.

179. "So fear God and obey me.

180. "No reward do I ask
 Of you for it: my, reward
 Is only from the Lord
 Of the Worlds.

181. "Give just measure,''
 And cause no loss
 (To others by fraud).

182. "And weigh with scales
 True and upright.

183. "And withhold not things
 Justly due to men,
 Nor do evil in the land,
 Working mischief.

184. "And fear Him Who created
 You and (Who created)
 The generations before (you)"

185. Whey said: "Thou art only
 One of those bewitched!

186. "Thou art no more than
 A mortal like us,
 And indeed we think
 Thou art a liar!

187. "Now cause a piece
 Of the sky to fall on us,
 If thou art truthful!"

188. He said: "My Lord
 Knows best what ye do."

189. But they rejected him.
 Then the punishment
 Of a day of overshadowing gloom
 Seized them, and that was
 The Penalty of a Great Day.

190. Verily in that is a Sign:
 But most of them
 Do not believe.

191. And verily thy Lord
 Is He, the Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

192. Verily this is a Revelation
 From the Lord of the Worlds:

193. With it came down
 The Spirit of Faith and Truth--

194. To thy heart and mind,
 That thou mayest admonish

195. In the perspicuous
 Arabic tongue.

196. Without doubt it is (announced)
 In the mystic Book
 Of former peoples.

197. Is it not a Sign
 To them that the Learned
 Of the Children of Israel
 Knew it (as true)?

198. Had We revealed it
 To any of the non Arabs,

199. And had he recited it
 To them, they would not
 Have believed in it.

200. Thus have We caused it
 To enter the hearts
 Of the Sinners.

201. They will not believe
 In it until they see
 The grievous Penalty;

202. But the (Penalty) will come
 To them of a sudden,
 While they preceive it not;

203. Then they will say:
 "Shall we be respited?"

204. Do they then ask
 For Our Penalty to be
 Hastened on?

205. Seest thou? If We do
 Let them enjoy (this life)
 For a few years,

206. Yet there comes to them
 At length the (Punishment)
 Which they were promised!

207. It will profit them not
 That they enjoyed (this life)!

208. Never did We destroy
 A population, but had
 Its warners--

209. By way of reminder;
 And We never are unjust.

210. No evil ones have brought
 Down this (Revelation):

211. It would neither suit them
 Nor would they be able
 (To produce it).

212. Indeed they have been removed
 Far from even (a chance of)
 Hearing it.

213. So call not on any
 Other god with God,
 Or thou wilt be among
 Those under the Penalty.

214. And admonish thy nearest
 Kinsmen,

215. And lower thy wing
 To the Believers who
 Follow thee.

216. Then if they disobey thee,
 Say: "I am free (of responsibility)
 For what ye do!"

217. And put thy trust
 On the Exalted in Might,
 The Merciful,--

218. Who seeth thee standing
 Forth (in prayer),

219. And thy movements among
 Those who prostrate themselves.

220. For it is He
 Who heareth and knoweth
 All things.

221. Shall I inform you.
 (O people!), on whom it is
 That the evil ones descend?

222. They descend on every
 Lying, wicked person,

223. (Into whose ears) they pour
 Hearsay vanities, and most
 Of them are liars.

224. And the Poets,--
 It is those straying in Evil,
 Who follow them:

225. Seest thou not that they
 Wander distracted in every
 Valley?--

226. And that they say
 What they practise not?--

227. Except those who believe,
 Work righteousness, engage much

In the remembrance of God,
 And defend themselves only after
 They are unjustly attacked.
 And soon will the unjust'
 Assailants know what vicissitudes
 Their affairs will take!

Sura XXVII.  

Naml, or the Ants.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ta. Sin.
 These are verses
 Of the Qur-an,--a Book
 That makes (things) clear;

2. A Guide; and Glad Tidings
 For the Relievers,--

3. Those who establish regular prayers
 And give in regular charity,
 And also have (full) assurance
 Of the Hereafter.

4. As to those who believe not
 In the Hereafter, We have
 Made their deeds pleasing
 In their eyes; and so they
 Wander about in distraction.

5. Such are they for whom
 A grievous Penalty is (waiting):
 And in the Hereafter theirs
 Will be the greatest loss.

6. As to thee, the Qur-an
 Is bestowed upon thee
 From the presence of One
 Who is Wise and All-Knowing.

7. Behold! Moses said
 To his family "I perceive
 A fire; soon will I bring you
 From there some information,
 Or I will bring you
 A burning brand to light
 Our fuel, that ye may
 Warm yourselves.

8. But when he came
 To the (Fire), a voice
 Was heard: "Blessed are those
 In the Fire and those around:
 And Glory to God,
 The Lord of the Worlds.

9. "O Moses! Verily,
 I am God, the Exalted
 In Might, the Wise!...

10. "Now do thou throw thy rod!"
 But when he saw it
 Moving (of its own accord)
 As if it had been a snake,
 He turned back in retreat,
 And retraced not his steps:
 "O Moses!" (it was said),
 "Fear not: truly, in My presence,
 Those called as apostles
 Have no fear,--

11. "But if any have done wrong
 And have thereafter substituted
 Good to take the place of evil,
 Truly, I am Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

12. "Now put thy hand into
 Thy bosom, and it will
 Come forth white without stain
 (Or harm): (these are) among
 The nine Signs (thou wilt take)
 To Pharaoh and his people:
 For they are a people
 Rebellious in transgression."

13. But when Our Signs came
 To them, that should have""
 Opened their eyes, they said:
 "This is sorcery manifest!"

14. And they rejected those Signs
 In iniquity and arrogance,
 Though their souls were convinced
 Thereof: so see what was
 The end of those
 Who acted corruptly!

15. We gave (in the past)
 Knowledge to David and Solomon
 And they both said:
 "Praise be to God, Who
 Has favoured us above many
 Of His servants who believe!

16. And Solomon was David's heir.
 He said: "O ye people!
 We have been taught the speech"
 Of Birds, and on us
 Has been bestowed (a little)
 Of all things: this is
 Indeed Grace manifest (from God.)"

17. And before Solomon were marshalled

His hosts,--of Jinns and men
 And birds, and they were all
 Kept in order and ranks.

18. At length, when they came
 To a (lowly) valley of ants,
 One of the ants said:
 "O ye ants, get into
 Your habitations, lest Solomon
 And his hosts crush you
 (Under foot) without knowing it."

19. So he smiled, amused
 At her speech; and he said:
 "O my Lord! so order me
 That I may be grateful
 For Thy favours, which Thou
 Hast bestowed on me and
 On my parents, and that
 I may work the righteousness
 That will please Thee:
 And admit me, by Thy Grace,
 To the ranks of Thy
 Righteous Servants."

20. And he took a muster
 Of the Birds; and he said:
 "Why is it I see not
 The Hoopoe? Or is he
 Among the absentees?"

21. "I will certainly punish him
 With a severe penalty,
 Or execute him, unless he
 Bring me a clear reason
 (For absence)."

22. But the Hoopoe tarried not
 Far: he (came up and) said:
 "I have compassed (territory)
 Which thou hast not compassed,
 And I have come to thee
 From Saba with tidings true.

23. "I found (there) a woman
 Ruling over them and provided
 With every requisite; and she
 Has a magnificent throne.

24. "I found her and her people
 Worshipping the sun besides God:
 Satan has made their deeds
 Seem pleasing in their eyes,
 And has kept them away
 From the Path,--so
 They receive no guidance,--

25. "(Kept them away from the Path),
 That they should not worship
 God, Who brings to light
 What is hidden in the heavens
 And the earth, and knows
 What ye hide and what
 Ye reveal.

26. "God!--there is no god
 But He!--Lord of the Throne's
 Supreme!"

27. (Solomon) said: "Soon shall we
 See whether thou hast told
 The truth or lied!

28. "Go thou, with this letter
 Of mine, and deliver it
 To them: then draw back
 From them, and (wait to) see
 What answer they return"...

29. (The Queen) said: "Ye chiefs!
 Here is--delivered to me--
 A letter worthy of respect.

30. "It is from Solomon, and is
 (As follows), 'In the name
 Of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful:

31. "'Be ye not arrogant
 Against me, but come
 To me in submission
 (To the true Religion).'"

32. the said: "Ye chiefs!
 Advise me in (this)
 My affair: no affair
 Have I decided
 Except in your presence."

33. They said: "We are endued
 With strength, and given
 To vehement war:
 But the command is
 With thee; so consider
 What thou wilt command."

34. She said: "Kings, when they
 Enter a country, despoil it,

And make the noblest
 Of its people its meanest
 Thus do they behave.

35. "But I am going to send
 Him a present, and (wait)
 To see with what (answer)
 Return (my) ambassadors."

36. Now when (the embassy) came
 To Solomon, he said:
 "Will ye give me abundance
 In wealth? But that which
 God has given me is better
 Than that which He has
 Given you! Nay it is ye
 Who rejoice in your gift!

37. "Go back to them, and be sure
 We shall come to them
 With such hosts as they
 Will never be able to meet:
 We shall expel them
 From there in disgrace,
 And they will feel
 Humbled (indeed)."

38. He said (to his own men):
 "Ye Chiefs! which of you
 Can bring me her throne
 Before they come to me
 In submission?"

39. Said an 'Ifrit, of the Jinns:
 "I will bring it to thee

Before thou rise from thy
 Council: indeed I have
 Full strength for the purpose,
 And may he trusted."

40. Said one who had knowledge
 Of the Book: "I will
 Bring it to thee within
 The twinkling of an eye!"
 Then when (Solomon) saw it
 Placed firmly before him,
 He said: "This is
 By the grace of my Lord!
 To test me whether I am
 Grateful or ungrateful!
 And if any is grateful,
 Truly his gratitude is (a gain)
 For his own soul; hut if
 Any is ungrateful, truly
 My Lord is Free of all Needs,
 Supreme in Honour!"

41. He said: "Transform her throne
 Out of all recognition by her:
 Let us see whether she
 Is guided (to the truth)

Or is one of those who
 Receive no guidance."

42. So when she arrived,
 She was asked, "Is this
 Thy throne?" She said,
 "It was just like this;
 And knowledge was bestowed
 On us in advance of this,
 And we have submitted
 To God (in Islam)."

43. And he diverted her
 From the worship of others
 Besides God: for she was
 (Sprung) of a people
 That had no faith.

44. She was asked to enter
 The lofty Palace: but
 When she saw it, she
 Thought it was a lake
 Of water, and she (tucked up
 Her skirts), uncovering her legs.
 He said: "This is
 But a palace paved

Smooth with slabs of glass."
 She said: "O my Lord!
 I have indeed wronged"
 My soul: I do (now)
 Submit (in Islam), with Solomon,
 To the Lord of the Worlds."

45. We sent (aforetime),
 To the Thamud, their brother
 Salih, saying, "Serve God":
 But behold, they became
 Two factions quarrelling
 With each other.

46. He said: "O my people!
 Why ask ye to hasten on

The evil in preference to the good?
 If only ye ask God for forgiveness,
 Ye may hope to receive mercy.

47. They said: "Ill omen
 Do we augur from thee
 And those that are with thee".
 He said: "Your ill omen
 Is with God; yea, ye are
 A people under trial."

48. There were in the City
 Nine men of a family,
 Who made mischief in the land,
 And would not reform.

49. They said: "Swear
 A mutual oath by God
 That we shall make
 A secret night attack
 On him and his people,
 And that we shall then
 Say to his heir (when he
 Seeks vengeance), 'We were not
 Present at the slaughter
 Of his people, and we are
 Positively telling the truth'."

50. They plotted and planned,
 But We too planned,
 Even while they perceived it not.

51. Then see what was the end
 Of their plot!--this,
 That We destroyed them
 And their people, all (of them).

52. Now such were their houses,--
 In utter ruin,--because
 They practised wrong-doing.
 Verily in this is a Sign
 For people of knowledge.

53. And We saved those
 Who believed and practised
 Righteousness.

54. (We also sent) Lut
 (As an apostle): behold,
 He said to his people,
 "Do ye do what is shameful
 Though ye see (its iniquity)?

55. Would ye really approach men
 In your lusts rather than
 Women? Nay, ye are
 A people (grossly) ignorant!

56. But his people gave
 No other answer but this:
 They said, "Drive out

The followers of Lut from
 Your city: these are
 Indeed men who want
 To be clean and pure!"

57. But We saved him
 And his family, except
 His wife: her We destined
 To be of those
 Who lagged behind.

58. And We rained down on them
 A shower (of brimstone):
 And evil was the shower
 On those who were admonished
 (But heeded not)!

59. Say: Praise be to God,
 And Peace on His servants
 Whom He has chosen
 (For His Message). (Who)
 Is better?--God or
 The false gods they associate
 (With Him)?

60. Or, who has created
 The heavens and the earth,
 And who sends you down
 Rain from the sky?
 Yea, with it We cause
 To grow well-planted orchards
 Full of beauty and delight:
 It is not in your power
 To cause the growth
 Of the trees in them. (Can there be
 Another) god besides God?
 Nay, they are a people
 Who swerve from justice.

61. Or, who has made the earth
 Firm to live in; made
 Rivers in its midst; set
 Thereon mountains immovable;
 And made a separating bar
 Between the two bodies
 Of flowing water?
 (Can there be another) god
 Besides God? Nay, most
 Of them know not.

62. Or, who listens to the (soul)
 Distressed when it calls
 On Him, and who relieves
 Its suffering, and makes you

(Mankind) inheritors of the earth?'
 (Can there be another) god
 Besides God? Little it is
 That ye heed!

63. Or, who guides you
 Through the depths of darkness
 On land and sea, and who
 Sends the winds as heralds
 Of glad tidings, going before
 His Mercy? (Can there be
 Another) god besides God?--
 High is God above what
 They associate with Him!

64. Or, who originates Creation,
 Then repeats it,
 And who gives you sustenance
 From heaven and earth?
 (Can there be another) god
 Besides God? Say, "Bring forth
 Your argument, if ye
 Are telling the truth!"

65. Say: None in the heavens
 Or on earth, except God,
 Knows what is hidden:
 Nor can they perceive
 When they shall be raised
 Up (for Judgment).

66. Still less can their knowledge
 Comprehend the Hereafter: nay,

They are in doubt and uncertainty
 Thereanent; nay, they are blind
 Thereunto!

67. The Unbelievers say: "What!
 When we become dust,
 We and our fathers,--shall we
 Really be raised (from the dead)?

68. "It is true we were promised
 This,--we and our fathers
 Before (us): these are nothing
 But tales of the ancients."

69. Say: "Go ye through the earth
 And see what has been
 The end of those guilty
 (Of sin)."

70. But grieve not over them,
 Nor distress thyself
 Because of their plots.

71. They also say: "When will
 This promise (come to pass)?
 (Say) if ye are truthful."

72. Say: "It may be that
 Some of the events which
 Ye wish to hasten on
 May be (close) in your pursuit!"

73. But verily thy Lord is
 Full of grace to mankind:
 Yet most of them are ungrateful.

74. And verily thy Lord knoweth
 All that their hearts do hide,
 As well as all that
 They reveal.

75. Nor is there aught
 Of the Unseen, in heaven
 Or earth, but is (recorded)
 In a clear record.

76. Verily this Qur-an doth explain
 To the Children of Israel
 Most of the matters
 In which they disagree.

77. And it certainly is
 A Guide and a Mercy
 To those who believe.

78. Verily thy Lord will decide
 Between them by His Decree:
 And He is Exalted in Might,
 All-Knowing.

79. So put thy trust in God:
 For thou art on (the Path
 Of) manifest Truth.

80. Truly thou canst not cause
 The Dead to listen, nor
 Canst thou cause the Deaf
 To hear the call,
 (Especially) when they
 Turn back in retreat.

81. Nor canst thou be a guide
 To the Blind, (to prevent them)
 From straying: only those
 Wilt thou get to listen
 Who believe in Our Signs,
 And they will bow in Islam.

82. And when the Word is
 Fulfilled against them (the unjust),
 We shall produce from the earth
 A Beast to (face) them:
 He will speak to them,
 For that mankind did not
 Believe with assurance
 In Our Signs.

83. One Day We shall gather
 Together from every people
 A troop of those who reject
 Our Signs, and they shall
 Be kept in ranks,--

84. Until, when they come
 (Before the Judgment-seat),
 (God) will say: "Did ye
 Reject My Signs, though ye

Comprehended them not
 In knowledge, or what
 Was it ye did?"

85. And the Word will be
 Fulfilled against them, because
 Of their wrong-doing, and they
 Will be unable to speak
 (In plea).

86. See they not that We
 Have made the Night
 For them to rest in
 And the Day to give
 Them light? Verily in this
 Are Signs for any people 
 That believe!

87. And the Day that the Trumpet
 Will be sounded--then will be
 Smitten with terror those
 Who are in the heavens,
 And those who are on earth,
 Except such as God will please
 (To exempt): and all shall come
 To His (Presence) as beings
 Conscious of their lowliness.

88. Thou seest the mountains
 And thinkest them firmly fixed:
 But they shall pass away
 As the clouds pass away:

(Such is) the artistry of God,
 Who disposes of all things
 In perfect order: for He is
 Well acquainted with all that ye do.

89. If any do good, good will
 (Accrue) to them therefrom;
 And they will be secure
 From terror that Day.

90. And if any do evil,
 Their faces will be thrown
 Headlong into the Fire:
 "Do ye receive a reward
 Other than that which ye
 Have earned by your deeds?"

91. For me, I have been
 Commanded to serve the Lord
 Of this City, Him Who has
 Sanctified it and to Whom
 (Belong) all things:
 And I am commanded
 To be of those who bow
 In Islam to God's Will,--

92. And to rehearse the Qur-an:
 And if any accept guidance,

They do it for the good
 Of their own souls,
 And if any stray, say:
 "I am only a Warner".

93. And say: "Praise be to God,
 Who will soon show you
 His Signs, so that ye
 Shall know them"; and thy Lord
 Is not unmindful
 Of all that ye do.

Sura XXVIII.  

Qasas, or the Narration.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ta. Sin. Mim.

2. These are Verses of the Book
 That makes (things) clear.

3. We rehearse to thee some
 Of the story of Moses
 And Pharaoh in Truth,
 For people who believe.

4. Truly Pharaoh elated himself
 In the land and broke up
 Its people into sections,
 Depressing a small group
 Among them: their sons he slew,
 But he kept alive their females:
 For he was indeed
 A maker of mischief.

5. And We wished to be
 Gracious to those who were
 Being depressed in the land,
 To make them leaders (in faith)
 And make them heirs,

6. To establish a firm place
 For them in the land,
 And to show Pharaoh, Haman,
 And their hosts, at their hands,
 The very things against which
 They were taking precautions.

7. So We sent this inspiration
 To the mother of Moses:
 "Suckle (thy child), but when
 Thou hast fears about him,
 Cast him into the river,
 But fear not nor grieve:
 For We shall restore him
 To thee, and We shall make
 Him one of Our apostles."

8. Then the people of Pharaoh
 Picked him up (from the river):
 (It was intended) that (Moses)
 Should be to them an adversary
 And a cause of sorrow:
 For Pharaoh and Haman
 And (all) their hosts were
 Men of sin.

9. The wife of Pharaoh said:
 "(Here is) a joy of the eye,'
 For me and for thee:
 Slay him not. It may be

That he will be of use
 To us, or we may adopt
 Him as a son." And they
 Perceived not (what they
 Were doing)!

10. But there came to be
 A void in the heart
 Of the mother of Moses:
 She was going almost to
 Disclose his (case), had We
 Not strengthened her heart
 (With faith), so that she
 Might remain a (firm) believer.

11. And she said to the sister
 Of (Moses), "Follow him".
 So she (the sister) watched him
 In the character of a stranger.
 And they knew not.

12. And We ordained that he
 Refused suck at first, until
 (His sister came up
 And) said: "Shall I
 Point out to you the people
 Of a house that will nourish
 And bring him up for you'"
 And be sincerely attached
 To him?"...

13. Thus did We restore him
 To his mother, that her eye
 Might be comforted, that she
 Might not grieve, and that
 She might know that the promise
 Of God is true: but
 Most of them do not understand.

14. When he reached full age,
 And was firmly established
 (In life), We bestowed on him
 Wisdom and knowledge: for thus
 Do We reward those
 Who do good.

15. And he entered the City
 At a time when its people
 Were not watching: and he
 Found there two men fighting,--
 One of his own religion,
 And the other, of his foes.
 Now the man of his own
 Religion appealed to him
 Against his foe, and Moses
 Struck him with his fist
 And made an end of him.
 He said: "This is a work
 Of Evil (Satan): for he is
 An enemy that manifestly
 Misleads!"

16. He prayed: "O my Lord!
 I have indeed wronged my soul!
 Do Thou then forgive me!"
 So (God) forgave him: for He
 Is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

17. He said: "O my Lord!
 For that Thou hast bestowed
 Thy Grace on me, never
 Shall I be a help
 To those who sin!"

18. So he saw the morning
 In the City, looking about,
 In a state of fear, when
 Behold, the man who had,
 The day before, sought his help
 Called aloud for his help
 (Again). Moses said to him:
 "Thou art truly, it is clear,
 A quarrelsome fellow!"

19. Then, when he decided to lay
 Hold of the man who was
 An enemy to both of them,
 That man said: "O Moses!
 Is it thy intention to slay me
 As thou slewest a man
 Yesterday? Thy intention is
 None other than to become
 A powerful violent man
 In the land, and not to be
 One who sets things right!

20. And there came a man,
 Running, from the furthest end
 Of the City. He said:
 "O Moses! the Chiefs
 Are taking counsel together
 About thee, to slay thee:
 So get thee away, for I
 Do give thee sincere advice."

21. He therefore got away therefrom,
 Looking about, in a state
 Of fear. He prayed:
 "O my Lord! save me
 From people given to wrong-doing."

22. When, when he turned his face
 Towards (the land of) Madyan,
 He said: "I do hope
 That my Lord will show me
 The smooth and straight Path."

23. And when he arrived at
 The watering (place) in Madyan;
 He found there a group
 Of men watering (their flocks),
 And besides them he found
 Two women who were keeping

Back (their flocks). He said:
 "What is the matter with you?"
 They said: "We cannot water
 (Our flocks) until the shepherds
 Take back (their flocks):
 And our father is
 A very old man."

24. So he watered (their flocks)
 For them; then he turned back
 To the shade, and said:
 "O my Lord!
 Truly am I
 In (desperate) need
 Of any good
 That Thou dost send me!"

25. Afterwards one of the (damsels)
 Came (back) to him, walking
 Bashfully. She said: "My father
 Invites thee that he may
 Reward thee for having watered
 (Our flocks) for us." So when
 He came to him and narrated
 The story, he said:

"Fear thou not: (well) hast thou
 Escaped from unjust people."

26. Said one of the (damsels):
 "O my (dear) father! engage
 Him on wages: truly the best
 Of men for thee to employ is
 The (man) who is strong and trusty"...

27. He said: "I intend to wed
 One of these my daughters
 To thee, on, condition that
 Thou serve me for eight years;
 But if thou complete ten years,
 It will be (grace) from thee.
 But I intend not to place
 Thee under a difficulty:

Thou wilt find me,
 Indeed, if God wills,
 One of the righteous."

28. He said: "Be that (the agreement)
 Between me and thee:
 Whichever of the two terms
 I fulfil, let there be
 No ill-will to me.
 Be God a witness
 To what we say."

29. Now when Moses had fulfilled
 The term, and was travelling
 With his family, he perceived
 A fire in the direction
 Of Mount Tur. He said
 To his family: "Tarry ye;
 I perceive a fire; I hope
 To bring you from there
 Some information, or a burning
 Firebrand, that ye may
 Warm yourselves."

30. But when he came
 To the (Fire), a voice

Was heard from the right bank
 Of the valley, from a tree
 In hallowed ground:
 "O Moses! Verily
 I am God, the Lord
 Of the Worlds...

31. "Now do thou throw thy rod!"
 But when he saw it
 Moving (of its own accord)
 As if it had been a snake,
 He turned back in retreat,
 And retraced not his steps:
 "O Moses!" (it was said),
 "Draw near, and fear not:
 For thou art of those
 Who are secure.

32. "Move thy hand into
 Thy bosom, and it will
 Come forth white without stain
 (Or harm), and draw thy hand
 Close to thy side
 (To guard) against fear.
 Those are the two credentials
 From thy Lord to Pharaoh
 And his Chiefs: for truly
 They are a people
 Rebellious and wicked."

33. He said: "O my Lord!
 I have slain a man

Among them, and I fear
 Lest they slay me.

34. "And my brother Aaron--
 He is more eloquent in speech
 Than I: so send him
 With me as a helper,
 To confirm (and strengthen) me:
 For I fear that they may
 Accuse me of falsehood."

35. He said: "We will certainly
 Strengthen thy arm through
 Thy brother, and invest you both
 With authority, so they
 Shall not be able to
 Touch you: with Our Signs
 Shall ye triumph,--you two
 As well as those
 Who follow you."

36. When Moses came to them
 With Our Clear Signs, they said:
 "This is nothing but sorcery
 Faked up: never did we
 Hear the like among our fathers
 Of old!"

37. Moses said: "My Lord
 Knows best who it is
 That comes with guidance
 From Him and whose End
 Will be best in the Hereafter:
 Certain it is that
 The wrong-doers will not prosper."

38. Pharaoh said: "O Chiefs!
 No god do I know for you
 But myself: therefore,
 O Haman! light me a (kiln
 To bake bricks) out of clay,
 And build me a lofty
 Palace, that I may mount up
 To the god of Moses:
 But as far as I am concerned,
 I think (Moses) is a liar!"

39. And he was arrogant and insolent
 In the land, beyond reason,--
 He and his hosts: they thought
 That they would not have
 To return to Us!"

40. So We seized him
 And his hosts, and We
 Flung them into the sea:
 Now behold what was the End
 Of those who did wrong!

41. And We made them (but)
 Leaders inviting to the Fire;
 And on the Day of Judgment
 No help shall they find.

42. In this world We made
 A Curse to follow them:
 And on the Day of Judgment
 They will be among
 The loathed (and despised).

43. We did reveal to Moses
 The Book after We had
 Destroyed the earlier generations,
 (To give) Insight to men,
 And Guidance and Mercy,
 That they might receive admonition.

44. Thou wast not on the Western
 Side when We decreed
 The Commission to Moses,
 Nor wast thou a witness
 (Of those events).

45. But We raised up (new)
 Generations, and long were the ages
 That passed over them;
 But thou vast not a dweller
 Among the people of Madyan,
 Rehearsing Our Signs to them;
 But it is We Who send
 Apostles (with inspiration).

46. Nor wast thou at the side
 Of (the Mountain of) Tur
 When We called (to Moses).
 Yet (art thou sent)
 As a Mercy from thy Lord,
 To give warning to a people
 To whom no warner had come
 Before thee: in order that
 They may receive admonition.

47. If (We had) not (sent thee
 To the Quraish),--in case
 A calamity should seize them
 For (the deeds) that their hands
 Have sent forth, they might say:
 "Our Lord! why didst Thou not

Send us an apostle? We
 Should then have followed
 Thy Signs and been amongst
 Those who believe!"

48. But (now), when the Truth
 Has come to them from Ourselves,
 They say, "Why are not
 (Signs) sent to him, like
 Those which were sent to Moses?"
 Do they not then reject
 (The Signs) which were formerly
 Sent to Moses? They say: 
 "Two kinds of sorcery,
 Each assisting the other .
 And they say: "For us,
 We reject all (such things)!"

49. Say: "Then bring ye
 A Book from God,
 Which is a better Guide
 Than either of them,
 That I may follow it!
 (Do), if ye are truthful!"

50. But if they hearken not
 To thee, know that they
 Only follow their own lusts:
 And who is more astray
 Than one who follows his own
 Lusts, devoid of guidance
 From God? For God guides not
 People given to wrong-doing.
 
51. Now have We caused
 The Word to reach them
 Themselves, in order that
 They may receive admonition.

52. Those to whom We sent
 The Book before this,--they
 Do believe in this (Revelation);

53. And when it is recited
 To them, they say: "We
 Believe therein, for it is
 The Truth from our Lord:
 Indeed we have been Muslims
 (Bowing to God's Will)
 From before this.

54. Twice will they be given
 Their reward, for that they
 Have persevered, that they avert
 Evil with Good, and that
 They spend (in charity) out of
 What We have given them.

55. And when they hear vain talk,
 They turn away therefrom
 And say: "To us our deeds,
 And to you yours;

Peace be to you: we
 Seek not the ignorant."

56. It is true thou wilt not
 Be able to guide every one;
 Whom thou lowest; but God
 Guides those whom He will.
 And He knows best those
 Who receive guidance.

57. They say: "If we were
 To follow the guidance with thee,
 We should be snatched away
 From our land." Have We not
 Established for them a secure
 Sanctuary, to which are brought
 As tribute fruits of all kinds,--
 A provision from Ourselves?
 But most of them understand not.

58. And how many populations
 We destroyed, which exulted
 In their life (of ease and plenty)!
 Now those habitations of theirs,
 After them, are deserted,--
 All but a (miserable) few!
 And We are their heirs!"

59. Nor was thy Lord the one
 To destroy a population until
 He had sent to its Centre
 An apostle, rehearsing to them
 Our Signs; nor are We
 Going to destroy a population
 Except when its members
 Practise iniquity.

60. The (material) things which
 Ye are given are but
 The conveniences of this life
 And the glitter thereof;
 But that which is with God
 Is better and more enduring:
 Will ye not then be wise?

61. Are (these two) alike?--
 One to whom We have made
 A goodly promise, and who
 Is going to reach its (fulfilment),
 And one to whom We have
 Given the good things of this
 Life, but who, on the Day
 Of Judgment, is to be among
 Those brought up (for punishment)?

62. That Day (God) will
 Call to them, and say:
 "Where are My 'partners'?--
 Whom ye imagined (to be such)?"

63. Those against whom the charge
 Will be proved, will say:
 "Our Lord! These are the ones
 Whom we led astray:
 We led them astray, as we
 Were astray ourselves: we free
 Ourselves (from them) in Thy presence:
 It was not us they worshipped."

64. It will be said (to them):
 "Call upon your 'partners'
 (For help)": they will call
 Upon them, but they will not
 Listen to them; and they
 Will see the Penalty (before them);
 (How they will wish)
 'If only they had been
 Open to guidance!'

65. That Day (God) will
 Call to them, and say:
 "What was the answer
 Ye gave to the apostles?"

66. Then the (whole) story that day
 Will seem obscure to them
 (Like light to the blind)
 And they will not be able
 (Even) to question each other.

67. But any that (in this life)
 Had repented, believed, and worked
 Righteousness, will have hopes
 To be among those who
 Achieve salvation.

68. Why by Lord does create and choose
 As He pleases: no choice
 Have they (in the matter):
 Glory to God! and far
 Is He above the partners
 They ascribe (to Him)!

69. And thy Lord knows all
 That their hearts conceal
 And all that they reveal.

70. And He is God: there is
 No god. but He. To Him
 Be praise, at the first
 And at the last:
 For Him is the Command,
 And to Him shall ye
 (All) be brought back.

71. Say: See ye? If God
 Were to make the Night

Perpetual over you to the Day
 Of Judgment, what god
 Is there other than God,
 Who can give you enlightenment?
 Will ye not then hearken?

72. Say: See ye? If God
 Were to make the Day
 Perpetual over you to the Day
 Of Judgment, what god
 Is there other than God,
 Who can give you a Night
 In which ye can rest?
 Will ye not then see?

73. It is out of His Mercy
 That He has made for you
 Night and Day,--that ye
 May rest therein, and that
 Ye may seek of His Grace;--
 And in order that ye
 May be grateful.

74. The Day that He will
 Call on them, He will say:
 "Where are My 'partners'?--
 Whom ye imagined (to be such)?"

75. And from each people
 Shall We draw a witness,
 And We shall say: "Produce
 Your Proof": then shall they
 Know that the Truth is in
 God (alone), and the (lies)
 Which they invented will
 Leave them in the lurch.

76. Qarun was doubtless,
 Of the people of Moses; but
 He acted insolently towards them:
 Such were the treasures We
 Had bestowed on him, that
 Their very keys would
 Have been a burden to
 A body of strong men.
 Behold, his people said to him:
 "Exult not, for God loveth not
 Those who exult (in riches).

77. "But seek, with the (wealth)
 Which God has bestowed on thee,
 The Home of the Hereafter,
 Nor forget thy portion in this

World: but do thou good,
 As God has been good
 To thee, and seek not
 (Occasions for) mischief in the land:
 For God loves not those
 Who do mischief."

78. He said: "This has been given
 To me because of a certain
 Knowledge which I have."
 Did he not know that God
 Had destroyed, before him,
 (Whole) generations,--which were
 Superior to him in strength
 And greater in the amount
 (Of riches) they had collected?
 But the wicked are not
 Called (immediately) to account
 For their sins.

79. So he went forth among
 His people in the (pride
 Of his worldly) glitter.
 Said those whose aim is
 The Life of this World:
 "Oh! that we had the like
 Of what Qarun has got!
 For he is truly a lord
 Of mighty good fortune!"

80. But those who had been granted
 (True) knowledge said: "Alas
 For you! The reward of God
 (In the Hereafter) is best
 For those who believe
 And work righteousness: but this

None shall attain, save those
 Who steadfastly persevere
 (in good)."

81. Then We caused the earth
 To swallow up him and
 His house; and he had not
 (The least little) party
 To help him against God,
 Nor could he defend himself.

82. And those who had envied
 His position the day before
 Began to say on the morrow:
 "Ah! It is indeed God
 Who enlarges the provision"'
 Or restricts it, to any
 Of His servants He pleases!
 Had it not been that God
 Was gracious to us, He
 Could have caused the earth
 To swallow us up! Ah!
 Those who reject God
 Will assuredly never prosper."

83. What Home of the Hereafter
 We shall give to those
 Who intend not high-handedness
 Or mischief on earth:

And the End is (best)
 For the righteous.

84. If any does good, the reward
 To him is better than
 His deed; but if any
 Does evil, the doers of evil
 Are only punished (to the extent)
 Of their deeds.

85. Verily He Who ordained
 The Qur-an for thee, will bring
 Thee back to the Place
 Of Return. Say: "My Lord
 Knows best who it is
 That brings true guidance,
 And who is in manifest error."

86. And thou hadst not expected
 That the Book would be
 Sent to thee except as
 A Mercy from thy Lord:
 Therefore lend not thou support
 In any way to those

Who reject (God's Message).

87. And let nothing keep thee
 Back from the Signs of God
 After they have been revealed
 To thee: and invite (men)
 To thy Lord, and be not
 Of the company of those
 Who join gods with God.

88. And call not, besides God,
 On another god. There is
 No god but He. Everything
 (That exists) will perish
 Except His own Face
 To Him belongs the Command,
 And to Him will ye
 (All) be brought back.

Sura XXIX.
  
'Ankabut, or the Spider

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. Do men think that
 They will he left alone
 On saying, "We believe",
 And that they will not
 Be tested?

3. We did test those
 Before them, and God will
 Certainly know those who are
 True from those who are false.

4. Do those who practise
 Evil think that they
 Will get the better of us?
 Evil is their judgment!

5. For those whose hopes are
 in the meeting with God
 (In the Hereafter, let them strive);
 For the Term (appointed)

By God is surely coming:
 And He hears and knows
 (All things).

6. And if any strive (with might
 And main), they do so
 For their own souls:
 For God is free of all
 Needs from all creation.

7. Whose who believe and work
 Righteous deeds,--from them
 Shall We blot out all evil
 (That may be) in them,
 And We shall reward
 Them according to
 The best of their deeds.

8. We have enjoined on man
 Kindness to parents: but if
 They (either of them) strive
 (To force) thee to join
 With Me (in worship)
 Anything of which thou hast
 No knowledge, obey them not.
 Ye have (all) to return
 To Me, and I will
 Tell you (the truth)
 Of all that ye did.

9. And those who believe
 And work righteous deeds,--
 Them shall We admit
 To the company of the Righteous.

10. Then there are among men
 Such as say, "We believe
 In God"; but when they suffer
 Affliction in (the cause of) God,
 They treat men's oppression
 As if it were the Wrath
 Of God! And if help
 Comes (to thee) from thy Lord,
 They are sure to say,'
 "We have (always) been
 With you!" Does not God
 Know best all that is
 In the hearts of all Creation?

11. And God most certainly knows
 Those who believe, and as certainly
 Those who are Hypocrites.

12. And the Unbelievers say
 To those who believe:
 "Follow our path, and we
 Will bear (the consequences)"
 Of your faults." Never
 In the least will they
 Bear their faults: in fact
 They are liars!

13. They will bear their own
 Burdens, and (other) burdens
 Along with their own,
 And on the Day of Judgment.
 They will be called to account
 For their falsehoods.

14. We (once) sent Noah
 To his people, and he tarried
 Among them a thousand years
 Less fifty: but the Deluge
 Overwhelmed them while they
 (Persisted in) sin.

15. But We saved him
 And the Companions
 Of the Ark, and We made
 The (Ark) a Sign
 For all Peoples!

16. And (We also saved)
 Abraham: behold, he said
 To his people, "Serve God
 And fear Him: that
 Will be best for you
 If ye understand!

17. "For ye do worship idols
 Besides God, and ye invent
 Falsehood. The things that ye
 Worship besides God have
 No power to give you sustenance:

Then seek ye sustenance
 From God, serve Him,
 And be grateful to Him:
 To Him will be your return.

18. "And if ye reject (the Message),
 So did generations before you:
 And the duty of the apostle
 Is only to preach publicly
 (And clearly)."

19. See they not how God
 Originates creation, then
 Repeats it: truly that
 Is easy for God.

20. Say: "Travel through the earth
 And see how God did
 Originate creation; so will
 God produce a later creation:
 For God has power
 Over all things.

21. "He punishes whom He pleases,
 And He grants mercy to whom

He pleases, and towards Him
 Are ye turned.

22. "Not on earth nor in heaven
 Will ye be able (fleeing)
 To frustrate (His Plan),
 Nor have ye, besides God,
 Any protector or helper."

23. Those who reject the Signs
 Of God and the Meeting
 With Him (in the Hereafter),
 It is they who shall despair
 Of My mercy: it is they
 Who will (suffer)
 A most grievous Penalty.

24. So naught was the answer
 Of (Abraham's) people except
 That they said: "Slay him
 Or burn him." But God
 Did save him from the Fire
 Verily in this are Signs
 For people who believe.

25. And he said: "For you,
 Ye have taken (for worship)
 Idols besides God, out of
 Mutual love and regard

Between yourselves in this life;
 But on the Day of Judgment
 Ye shall disown each other
 And curse each other:
 And your abode will be
 The Fire, and ye shall have
 None to help."

26. But Lut had faith in Him:
 He said: "I will leave
 Home for the sake of
 My Lord: for He is
 Exalted in Might, and Wise."

27. And We gave (Abraham)
 Isaac and Jacob, and ordained
 Among his progeny Prophethood
 And Revelation, and We
 Granted him his reward
 In this life; and he was
 In the Hereafter (of the company)
 Of the Righteous.

28. And (remember) Lut: behold,
 He said to his people:

"Ye do commit lewdness,
 Such as no people in Creation
 (Ever) committed before you.

29. "Do ye indeed approach men,
 And cut off the highway?
 And practise wickedness
 (Even) in your councils?"
 But his people gave no answer
 But this: they said:
 "Bring us the Wrath of God
 If thou tellest the truth."

30. He said: "O my Lord!
 Help Thou me against people
 Who do mischief!"

31. When Our Messengers came
 To Abraham with the good news,
 They said: "We are indeed
 Going to destroy the people
 Of this township: for truly
 They are (addicted to) crime."

32. He said: "But there is
 Lut there." They said:
 "Well do we know who
 Is there: we will certainly
 Save him and his following,--
 Except his wife: she is
 Of those who lag behind!"

33. And when Our Messengers
 Came to Lut, he was
 Grieved on their account,
 And felt himself powerless
 (To protect) them: but they said:
 "Fear thou not, nor grieve:
 We are (here) to save thee
 And thy following, except
 Thy wife: she is
 Of those who lag behind.

34. "For we are going to
 Bring down on the people
 Of this township a Punishment
 From heaven, because they
 Have been wickedly rebellious."

35. And We have left thereof
 An evident Sign,
 For any people who
 (Care to) understand.

36. To the Madyan (people)
 (We sent) their brother Shu'aib.
 Then he said: "O my people!
 Serve God, and fear the Last
 Day: nor commit evil
 On the earth, with intent
 To do mischief."

37. But they rejected him:
 Then the mighty Blast
 Seized them, and they lay
 Prostrate in their homes
 By the morning.

38. (Remember also) the 'Ad
 And the Thamud (people):
 Clearly will appear to you
 From (the traces) of their buildings
 (Their fate): the Evil One
 Made their deeds alluring
 To them, and kept them hack
 From the Path, though they
 Were gifted with Intelligence
 And Skill.

39. (Remember also) Qarun,
 Pharaoh, and Haman: there came
 To them Moses with Clear Signs,
 But they behaved with insolence
 On the earth; yet they
 Could not overreach (Us).

40. Each one of them We seized
 For his crime: of them,
 Against some We sent
 A violent tornado (with showers
 Of stones); some were caught
 By a (mighty) Blast; some
 We caused the earth
 To swallow up; and some
 We drowned (in the waters):
 It was net God Who
 Injured (or oppressed) them:
 They injured (and oppressed)
 Their own souls.

41. The parable of those who
 Take protectors other than God
 Is that of the Spider,
 Who builds (to itself)

A house; but truly
 The flimsiest of houses
 Is the Spider's house;--
 If they but knew.

42. Verily God doth know
 Of (every thing) whatever
 That they call upon
 Besides Him: and He is
 Exalted (in power), Wise.

43. And such are the Parables
 We set forth for mankind,
 But only those understand them
 Who have Knowledge.

44. God created the heavens
 And the earth in true (proportions):
 Verily in that is a Sign
 For those who believe.

45. Recite what is sent
 Of the Book by inspiration
 To thee, and establish
 Regular Prayer: for Prayer
 Restrains from shameful
 And unjust deeds;
 And remembrance of God
 Is the greatest (thing in life)
 Without doubt. And God knows
 The (deeds) that ye do.

46. And dispute ye not
 With the People of the Book,
 Except with means better
 (Than mere disputation), unless
 It be with those of them
 Who inflict wrong (and injury):
 But say, "We believe
 In the Revelation which has
 Come down to us and in that
 Which came down to you;

Our God and your God
 Is One; and it is to Him
 We bow (in Islam)."

47. And thus (it is) that We
 Have sent down the Book
 To thee. So the People
 Of the Book believe therein,
 As also do some of these
 (Pagan Arabs): and none
 But Unbelievers reject Our Signs.

48. And thou vast not (able)
 To recite a Book before
 This (Book came), nor art thou
 (Able) to transcribe it
 With thy right hand:
 In that case, indeed, would

The talkers of vanities
 Have doubted.

49. Nay, here are Signs
 Self-evident in the hearts
 Of those endowed with
 knowledge:
 And none but the unjust
 Reject Our Signs.

50. Yet they say: "Why
 Are not Signs sent down
 To him from his Lord?"
 Say: "The Signs are indeed
 With God: and I am
 Indeed a clear Warner.

51. And is it not enough
 For them that We have
 Sent down to thee
 The Book which is rehearsed
 To them? Verily, in it
 Is Mercy and a Reminder
 To those who believe.

52. Say: "Enough is God
 For a Witness between me

And you: He knows
 What is in the heavens
 And on earth. And it is
 Those who believe in vanities
 And reject God, that
 Will perish (in the end).

53. They ask thee
 To hasten on the Punishment
 (For them): had it not been
 For a term (of respite)
 Appointed, the Punishment
 Would certainly have come
 To them: and it will
 Certainly reach them,--
 Of a sudden, while they
 Perceive not!

54. They ask thee
 To hasten on the Punishment:
 But, of a surety,
 Hell will encompass
 The rejecters of Faith!--

55. On the Day that
 The Punishment shall cover them
 From above them and
 From below them,
 And (a Voice) shall say:
 "Taste ye (the fruits)
 Of your deeds!

56. O My servants who believe!
 Truly, spacious is My Earth:
 Therefore serve ye Me--
 (And Me alone)!

57. Every soul shall have
 A taste of death:
 In the end to Us
 Shall ye be brought back.

58. But those who believe
 And work deeds of righteousness--
 To them shall We give
 A Home in Heaven,--
 Lofty mansions beneath which
 Flow rivers,--to dwell therein
 For aye;--an excellent reward
 For those who do (good)!--

59. Those who persevere in patience,
 And put their trust
 In their Lord and Cherisher.

60. How many are the creatures
 That carry not their own

Sustenance? It is God
 Who feeds (both) them and you:
 For He hears and knows
 (All things).

61. If indeed thou ask them
 Who has created the heavens
 And the earth and subjected
 The sun and the moon
 (To His Law), they will
 Certainly reply, "God".
 How are they then deluded
 Away (from the truth)?

62. God enlarges the sustenance
 (Which He gives) to whichever
 Of His servants He pleases;
 And He (similarly) grants
 By (strict) measure, (as He pleases):
 For God has full knowledge
 Of all things.

63. And if indeed thou ask them
 Who it is that sends down
 Rain from the sky,
 And gives life therewith
 To the earth after its death,
 They will certainly reply,
 "God!" Say, "Praise be
 To God!" But most
 Of them understand not.

64. What is the life of this world
 But amusement and play?
 But verily the Home
 In the Hereafter,--that is
 Life indeed, if they but knew.

65. Now, if they embark
 On a boat, they call
 On God, making their devotion
 Sincerely (and exclusively) to Him;
 But when He has delivered
 Them safely to (dry) land,
 Behold, they give a share
 (Of their worship to others)!--

66. Disdaining ungratefully Our gifts,
 And giving themselves up
 To (worldly) enjoyment! But soon
 Will they know.

67. Do they not then see
 That We have made
 A Sanctuary secure, and that
 Men are being snatched away
 From all around them?
 Then, do they believe in that

Which is vain, and reject
 The Grace of God?

68. And who does more wrong
 Than he who invents
 A lie against God
 Or rejects the Truth
 When it reaches him?
 Is there not a home
 In Hell for those who
 Reject Faith?

69. And those who strive
 In Our (Cause),--We will
 Certainly guide them
 To Our Paths:
 For verily God
 Is with those
 Who do right.

Sura XXX.  

Rum, or The Roman Empire.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. The Roman Empire
 Has been defeated--

3. In a land close by;
 But they, (even) after
 (This) defeat of theirs,
 Will soon be victorious--

4. Within a few years.
 With God is the Decision,
 In the Past
 And in the Future:
 On that Day shall
 The Believers rejoice--

5. With the help of God.
 He helps whom He will,
 And He is Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful.

6. (It is) the promise of God.
 Never does God depart
 From His promise:
 But most men understand not.

7. They know but the outer
 (Things) in the life
 Of this world: but
 Of the End of things
 They are heedless.

8. Do they not reflect
 In their own minds?
 Not but for just ends
 And for a term appointed,
 Did God create the heavens
 And the earth, and all
 Between them: yet are there
 Truly many among men
 Who deny the meeting
 With their Lord
 (At the Resurrection)!

9. Do they not travel
 Through the earth, and see
 What was the End
 Of those before them?
 They were superior to them
 In strength: they tilled
 The soil and populated it
 In greater numbers than these
 Have done: there came to them
 Their apostles with Clear (Signs),
 (Which they rejected, to their
 Own destruction): it was not
 God who wronged them, but
 They wronged their own souls.

10. In the long run
 Evil in the extreme
 Will be the End of those
 Who do evil; for that
 They rejected the Signs
 Of God, and held them up
 To ridicule.

11. It is God Who begins
 (The process of) creation;
 Then repeats it; then
 Shall ye be brought back
 To Him.

12. On the Day that
 The Hour will be established,
 The guilty will be
 Struck dumb with despair.

13. No intercessor will they have
 Among their "Partners",
 And they will (themselves)
 Reject their "Partners".

14. On the Day that
 The Hour will he established,--
 That Day shall (all men)
 Be sorted out.

15. Then those who have believed
 And worked righteous deeds,
 Shall be made happy
 In a Mead of Delight.

16. And those who have rejected
 Faith and falsely denied
 Our Signs and the meeting
 Of the Hereafter,--such
 Shall be brought forth to
 Punishment.

17. So (give) glory to God,
 When ye reach eventide

And when ye rise
 In the morning;

18. Yea, To Him be praise,
 In the heavens and on earth;
 And in the late afternoon
 And when the day
 Begins to decline.

19. It is He Who brings out
 The living from the dead,
 And brings out the dead
 From the living, and Who
 Gives life to the earth
 After it is dead:
 And thus shall ye be
 Brought out (from the dead).

20. Among His Signs is this,
 That He created you

From dust; and then,--
 Behold, ye are men
 Scattered (far and wide)!

21. And among His Signs
 Is this, that He created
 For you mates from among
 Yourselves, that ye may
 Dwell in tranquillity with them,
 And He has put love
 And mercy between your (hearts):
 Verily in that are Signs
 For those who reflect.

22. And among His Signs
 Is the creation of the heavens
 And the earth, and the variations
 In your languages
 And your colours: verily
 In that are Signs
 For those who know.

23. And among His Signs
 Is the sleep that ye take
 By night and by day,
 And the quest that ye

(Make for livelihood)
 Out of His Bounty: verily
 In that are Signs
 For those who hearken.

24. And among His Signs,
 He shows you the lightning,
 By way both of fear
 And of hope, and He sends
 Down rain from the sky
 And with it gives life to
 The earth after it is dead:
 Verily in that are Signs
 For those who are wise.

25. And among His Signs is this,
 That heaven and earth
 Stand by His Command:
 Then when He calls you,
 By a single call, from the earth,
 Behold, ye (straightway) come forth.

26. To Him belongs every being
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth: all are
 Devoutly obedient to Him.

27. It is He Who begins
 (The process of) creation;
 Then repeats it; and
 For Him it is most easy.
 To Him belongs the loftiest
 Similitude (we can think of)
 In the heavens and the earth:
 For He is Exalted in Might,
 Full of wisdom.

28. He does propound
 To you a similitude
 From your own (experience):
 Do ye have partners
 Among those whom your right hands
 Possess, to share as equals
 In the wealth We have

Bestowed on you? Do ye
 Fear them as ye fear
 Each other? Thus do We
 Explain the Signs in detail
 To a people that understand.

29. Nay, the wrong-doers (merely)
 Follow their own lusts,
 Being devoid of knowledge.
 But who will guide those
 Whom God leaves astray?
 To them there will be
 No helpers.

30. So set thou thy face
 Steadily and truly to the Faith:
 (Establish) God's handiwork according
 To the pattern on which
 He has made mankind:
 No change (let there be)
 In the work (wrought)

By God: that is
 The standard Religion
 But most among mankind
 Understand not.

31. Turn ye back in repentance
 To Him, and fear Him:
 Establish regular prayers,
 And be not ye among those
 Who join gods with God,--

32. Those who split up
 Their Religion, and become
 (Mere) Sects,--each party
 Rejoicing in that which
 Is with itself!

33. When trouble touches men,
 They cry to their Lord,
 Turning back to Him
 In repentance: but when
 He gives them a taste
 Of Mercy as from Himself,
 Behold, some of them
 Pay part-worship to
 Other god's besides their Lord,--

34. (As if) to show their ingratitude
 For the (favours) We have
 Bestowed on them! Then enjoy
 (Your brief day); but soon

Will ye know (your folly).

35. Or have We sent down
 Authority to them, which
 Points out to them
 The things to which
 They pay part-worship?

36. When We give men
 A taste of Mercy,
 They exult thereat:
 And when-some evil
 Afflicts them because of
 What their (own) hands
 Have sent forth, behold,
 They are in despair!

37. See they not that God
 Enlarges the provision and
 Restricts it, to whomsoever
 He pleases? Verily in that
 Are Signs for those who believe.

38. So give what is due
 To kindred, the needy,
 And the wayfarer.
 That is best for those

Who seek the Countenance,
 Of God, and it is they
 Who will prosper.

39. That which ye lay out
 For increase through the property
 Of (other) people, will have
 No increase with God:
 But that which ye lay out
 For charity, seeking
 The Countenance of God,
 (Will increase): it is
 These who twill get
 A recompense multiplied.

40. It is God Who has
 Created you: further, He has
 Provided for your sustenance;
 Then He will cause you
 To die; and again He will
 Give you life. Are there
 Any of your (false) "Partners"
 Who can do any single
 One of these things?
 Glory to Him! and High
 Is He above the partners
 They attribute (to Him)!

41. Mischief has appeared
 On land and sea because
 Of (the meed) that the hands
 Of men have earned,
 That (God) may give them
 A taste of some of their
 Deeds: in order that the
 May turn back (from Evil).

42. Say: "Travel through the earth
 And see what was the End
 Of those before (you):
 Most of them worshipped
 Others besides God."

43. But set thou thy face
 To the right Religion,
 Before there come from God
 The Day which there is

No chance of averting:
 On that Day shall men
 Be divided (in two).

44. Those who reject Faith
 Will suffer from that rejection:
 And those who work righteousness
 Will spread their couch
 (Of repose) for themselves
 (In heaven):

45. That He may reward those
 Who believe and work righteous
 Deeds, out of His Bounty.
 For He loves not those
 Who reject Faith.

46. Among His Signs is this,
 That He sends the Winds,
 As heralds of Glad Tidings,
 Giving you a taste
 Of His (Grace and) Mercy,--
 That the ships may sail
 (Majestically) by His Command
 And that ye may seek

Of His Bounty: in order
 That ye may be grateful.

47. We did indeed send,
 Before thee, apostles
 To their (respective) peoples,
 And they came to them
 With Clear Signs: then,
 To those who transgressed,
 We meted out Retribution:
 And it was due from us
 To aid those who believed.

48. It is God Who sends
 The Winds, and they raise
 The Clouds: then does He
 Spread them in the sky
 As He wills, and break them
 Into fragments, until thou seest
 Rain-drops issue from the midst
 Thereof: then when He has
 Made them reach such
 His servants as He wills,
 Behold, they do rejoice!--

49. Even though, before they received
 (The rain)--just before this--
 They were dumb with despair!

50. Then contemplate (O man!)
 The memorials of God's Mercy!--
 How He gives life
 To the earth after
 Its death: verily the Same
 Will give life to the men

Who are dead: for He
 Has power over all things.

51. And if We (but) send
 A Wind from which
 They see (their tilth)
 Turn yellow,--behold,
 They become, thereafter,
 Ungrateful (Unbelievers)!

52. So verily thou canst not
 Make the dead to hear,
 Nor canst thou make
 The deaf to hear
 The call, when they show
 Their backs and turn away.

53. Nor canst thou lead back
 The blind from their straying:
 Only those wilt thou make
 To hear, who believe
 In Our Signs and submit
 (Their wills in Islam).

54. It is God Who
 Created you in a state
 Of (helpless) weakness, then
 Gave (you) strength after weakness,

Then, after strength, gave (you)
 Weakness and a hoary head:
 He creates as He wills,
 And it is He Who has
 All knowledge and power.

55. On the Day that
 The Hour (of reckoning)
 Will be established,
 The transgressors will swear
 That they tarried not
 But an hour: thus were
 They used to being deluded!

56. But those endued with knowledge
 And faith will say:
 "Indeed ye did tarry,
 Within God's Decree,
 To the Day of Resurrection,
 And this is the Day
 Of Resurrection: but ye--
 Ye were not aware!"

57. So on that Day no excuse
 Of theirs will
 Avail the Transgressors,
 Nor will they be invited (then)
 To seek grace (by repentance).

58. Verily We have propounded
 For men, in this Qur-an.
 Every kind of Parable:
 But if thou bring to them
 Any Sign, the Unbelievers
 Are sure to say, "Ye
 Do nothing but talk vanities."

59. Thus does God seal up
 The hearts of those
 Who understand not.

60. So patiently persevere: for
 Verily the promise of God
 Is true: nor let those
 Shake thy firmness, who have
 (Themselves) no certainty of faith.

Sura XXXI.  

Luqman (the Wise).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. These are Verses
 Of the Wise Book,--

3. A Guide and a Mercy
 To the Doers of Good,--

4. Those who establish regular Prayer,
 And give regular Charity,
 And have (in their hearts)
 The assurance of the Hereafter.

5. These are on (true) guidance
 From their Lord; and these
 Are the ones who will prosper.

6. But there are, among men,
 Those who purchase idle tales,'

Without knowledge (or meaning),
 To mislead (men) from the Path
 Of God and throw ridicule
 (On the Path): for such
 There will be a humiliating
 Penalty.

7. When Our Signs are rehearsed
 To such a one, he turns
 Away in arrogance, as if
 He heard them not, as if
 There were deafness in both
 His ears: announce to him
 A grievous Penalty.

8. For those who believe
 And work righteous deeds,
 There will be Gardens
 Of Bliss,--

9. To dwell therein. The promise
 Of God is true: and He
 Is Exalted in power, Wise.

10. He created the heavens
 Without any pillars that ye
 Can see; He set
 On the earth mountains
 Standing firm, lest it
 Should shake with you;
 And He scattered through it
 Beasts of all kinds.
 We send down rain
 From the sky, and produce

On the earth every kind.
 Of noble creature, in pairs.

11. Such is the Creation of God:
 Now show Me what is there
 That others besides Him
 Have created: nay, but
 The Transgressors are
 In manifest error.

12. We bestowed (in the past)
 Wisdom on Luqman:
 "Show (thy) gratitude to God."
 Any who is (so) grateful
 Does so to the profit
 Of his own soul: but if
 Any is ungrateful, verily
 God is free of all wants,
 Worthy of all praise.

13. Behold, Luqman said
 To his son by way of

Instruction: "O my son!
 Join not in worship
 (Others) with God: for
 False worship is indeed
 The highest wrong-doing."

14. And We have enjoined on man
 (To be good) to his parents:
 In travail upon travail
 Did his mother bear him,
 And in years twain
 Was his weaning: (hear
 The command), "Show gratitude
 To Me and to thy parents:
 To Me is (thy final) Goal.

15. "But if they strive
 To make thee join
 In worship with Me
 Things of which thou hast
 No knowledge, obey them not;
 Yet bear them company
 In this life with justice
 (And consideration), and follow
 The way of those who
 Turn to Me (in love):
 In the End the return
 Of you all is to Me,
 And I will tell you
 The truth (and meaning)
 Of all that ye did."

16. "O my son!" (said Luqman),
 "If there be (but) the weight
 Of a mustard-seed and
 It were (hidden) in a rock,'
 Or (anywhere) in the heavens or
 On earth, God will bring it
 Forth: for God understands'
 The finest mysteries, (and)
 Is well-acquainted (with them).

17. "O my son! establish
 Regular prayer, enjoin what is
 Just, and forbid what is wrong:
 And bear with patient constancy
 Whate'er betide thee; for this
 Is firmness (of purpose)
 In (the conduct of) affairs.

18. "And swell not thy cheek
 (For pride) at men,
 Nor walk in insolence
 Through the earth;
 For God loveth not
 Any arrogant boaster.

19. "And be moderate
 In thy pace, and lower

Thy voice; for the harshest
 Of sounds without doubt
 Is the braying of the ass."

20. Do ye not see
 That God has subjected
 To your (use) all things
 In the heavens and on earth,
 And has made His bounties
 Flow to you in exceeding
 Measure, (both) seen and unseen?
 Yet there are among men
 Those who dispute about God,
 Without knowledge and without
 Guidance, and without a Book
 To enlighten them!

21. When they are told to follow
 The (Revelation) that God
 Has sent down, they say:
 "Nay, we shall follow
 The ways that we found
 Our fathers (following)."

What! even if it is
 Satan beckoning them
 To the Penalty
 Of the (Blazing) Fire?

22. Whoever submits
 His whole self to God,
 And is a doer of good,
 Has grasped indeed
 The most trustworthy hand-hold
 And with God rests the End
 And Decision of (all) affairs.

23. But if any reject Faith,
 Let not his rejection
 Grieve thee: to Us
 Is their Return, and We
 Shall tell them the truth
 Of their deeds: for God
 Knows well all that is
 In (men's) hearts.

24. We grant them their pleasure
 For a little while
 In the end shall We
 Drive them to
 A chastisement unrelenting.

25. If thou ask them,
 Who it is that created
 The heavens and the earth.
 They will certainly say,

"God". Say: "Praise be to God!"
 But most of them
 Understand not.

26. To God belong all things
 In heaven and earth: verily
 God is He (that is)
 Free of all wants,
 Worthy of all praise.

27. And if all the trees
 On earth were pens
 And the Ocean (were ink),
 With seven Oceans behind it
 To add to its (supply),
 Yet would not the Words
 Of God be exhausted
 (In the writing): for God
 Is Exalted in power,
 Full of Wisdom.

28. And your creation
 Or your resurrection
 Is in no wise but
 As an individual soul:
 For God is He Who
 Hears and sees (all things).

29. Seest thou not that
 God merges Night into Day
 And He merges Day into Night;
 That He has subjected the sun,
 And the moon (to His Law),
 Each running its course
 For a term appointed; and
 That God is well acquainted
 With all that ye do?

30. That is because God is
 The (only) Reality, and because
 Whatever else they invoke
 Besides Him is Falsehood;
 And because God,--He is
 The Most High, Most Great.

31. Seest thou not that
 The ships sail through
 The Ocean by the grace
 Of God?--that He may
 Show you of His Signs?
 Verily in this are Signs
 For all who constantly persevere
 And give thanks.

32. When a wave covers them
 Like the canopy (of clouds),
 They call to God
 Offering Him sincere devotion.

But when He has delivered them
 Safely to land, there are
 Among them those that halt
 Between (right and wrong).
 But none reject Our Signs
 Except only a perfidious
 Ungrateful (wretch)!

33. O mankind! do your duty
 To your Lord, and fear
 (The coming of) a Day
 When no father can avail
 Aught for his son, nor
 A son avail aught
 For his father.
 Verily, the promise of God
 Is true: let not then
 This present life deceive you,
 Nor let the Chief Deceiver
 Deceive you about God.

34, Verily the knowledge
 Of the Hour is
 With God (alone).
 It is He Who sends down
 Rain, and He Who knows
 What is in the wombs.

Nor does any one know
 What it is that he will
 Earn on the morrow:
 Nor does any one know
 In what land he is
 To die. Verily with God
 Is full knowledge and He
 Is acquainted (with all things)

Sura XXXII
  
Sajda, or Adoration.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A. L. M.

2. (This is) the revelation
 Of the Book in which
 There is no doubt,--
 From the Lord of the Worlds.

3. Or do they say,
 "He has forged it"?
 Nay, it is the Truth
 From thy Lord, that thou
 Mayest admonish a people
 To whom no warner
 Has come before thee:
 In order that they
 May receive guidance.

4. It is God Who has
 Created the heavens
 And the earth, and all
 Between them, in six Days,

And is firmly established
 On the Throne (of authority):
 Ye have none, besides Him,
 To protect or intercede (for you):
 Will ye not then
 Receive admonition?

5. He rules (all) affairs
 From the heavens
 To the earth: in the end
 Will (all affairs) go up
 To Him, on a Day,
 The space whereof will be
 (As) a thousand years
 Of your reckoning.

6. Such is He, the Knower
 Of all things, hidden
 And open, the Exalted
 (In power), the Merciful;--

7. He Who has made
 Everything which He has created
 Most Good: He began
 The creation of man
 With (nothing more than) clay,

8. And made his progeny
 From a quintessence
 Of the nature of
 A fluid despised:

9. But He fashioned him
 In due proportion, and breathed
 Into him something of
 His spirit. And He gave
 You (the faculties of) hearing
 And sight and feeling
 (And understanding):
 Little thanks do ye give!

10. And they say: "What!
 When we lie, hidden
 And lost, in the earth,
 Shall we indeed be
 In a Creation renewed?
 Nay, they deny the Meeting
 With their Lord!"

11. Say: "The Angel of Death,
 Put in charge of you,
 Will (duly) take your souls:
 Then shall ye be brought
 Back to your Lord."

12. If only thou couldst see
 When the guilty ones
 Will bend low their heads
 Before their Lord, (saying:)
 "Our Lord! We have seen
 And we have heard:
 Now then send us back
 (To the world): we will
 Work righteousness: for we
 Do indeed (now) believe."

13. If We had so willed,
 We could certainly have brought
 Every soul its true guidance:
 But the Word from Me
 Will come true, "I will
 Fill Hell with Jinns
 And men all together."

14. "Taste ye then--for ye
 Forgot the Meeting
 Of this Day of yours,
 And We too will
 Forget you--taste ye
 The Penalty of Eternity
 For your (evil) deeds!"

15. Only those believe
 In Our Signs, who, when

They are recited to them,
 Fall down in adoration,
 And celebrate the praises
 Of their Lord, nor are they
 (Ever) puffed up with pride.

16. Their limbs do forsake
 Their beds of sleep, the while
 They call on their Lord,
 In Fear and Hope:
 And they spend (in charity)
 Out of the sustenance which
 We have bestowed on them.

17. Now no person knows
 What delights of the eye
 Are kept hidden (in reserve)
 For them--as a reward
 For their (good) Deeds.

18. Is then the man
 Who believes no better
 Than the man who is
 Rebellious and wicked?
 Not equal are they.

19. For those who believe
 And do righteous deeds,
 Are Gardens as hospitable
 Homes, for their (good) deeds.

20. As to those who are
 Rebellious and wicked, their abode
 Will be the Fire: every time
 They wish to get away
 Therefrom, they will be forced
 Thereinto, and it will be said
 To them: "Taste ye
 The Penalty of the Fire,
 The which ye were wont
 To reject as false."

21. And indeed We will make
 Them taste of the Penalty
 Of this (life) prior to
 The supreme Penalty, in order
 That they may (repent and) return.

22. And who does more wrong
 Than one to whom are recited
 The Signs of his Lord,
 And who then turns away
 Therefrom? Verily from those
 Who transgress We shall exact
 (Due) Retribution.

23. We did indeed aforetime
 Give the Book to Moses:

Be not then in doubt
 Of its reaching (thee):
 And We made it
 A guide to the Children
 Of Israel.

24. And We appointed, from among
 Them, Leaders, giving guidance
 Under Our command, so long
 As they persevered with patience
 And continued to have faith
 In Our Signs.

25. Verily thy Lord will judge
 Between them on the Day
 Of Judgment, in the matters
 Wherein they differ
 (among themselves)

26. Does it not teach them
 A lesson, how many generations
 We destroyed before them,
 In whose dwellings they
 (Now) go to and fro?
 Verily in that are Signs:
 Do they not then listen?

27. And do they not see
 That We do drive Rain
 To parched soil (bare
 Of herbage), and produce therewith
 Crops, providing food
 For their cattle and themselves?
 Have they not the vision?

28. They say: "When will
 This Decision be, if ye
 Are telling the truth?"

29. Say: "On the Day
 Of Decision, no profit
 Will it he to Unbelievers
 If they (then) believe!
 Nor Will they he granted
 A respite."

30. So turn away from them,
 And wait: they too
 Are waiting.

Sura XXXIII.  

Ahzab, or The Confederates.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! Fear God,
 And hearken not
 To the Unbelievers
 And the Hypocrites:
 Verily god is full
 Of knowledge and wisdom.

2. But follow that which
 Comes to thee by inspiration
 From thy Lord: for God
 Is well acquainted
 With (all) that ye do.

3. And put thy trust
 In God, and enough is God
 As a Disposer of affairs.

4. God has not made
 For any man two hearts

In his (one) body: nor has
 He made your wives whom
 Ye divorce by Zihar
 Your mothers: nor has He
 Made your adopted sons
 Your sons. Such is (only)
 Your (manner of) speech
 By your mouths. but God
 Tells (you) the Truth, and He
 Shows the (right) Way.

5. Call them by (the names
 Of) their fathers: that is
 Juster in the sight of God.
 But if ye know not
 Their father's (names, call
 Them) your Brothers in faith,
 Or your Maulas.
 But there is no blame
 On you if ye make
 A mistake therein:
 (What counts is)
 The intention of your hearts:
 And god is Oft-Returning,
 Most Merciful.

6. The Prophet is closer
 To the Believers than
 Their own selves,
 And his wives are
 Their mothers. Blood-relations
 Among each other have
 Closer personal ties,
 In the Decree of God.
 Than (the Brotherhood of)
 Believers and Muhajirs:
 Nevertheless do ye
 What is just to your
 Closest friends: such is
 The writing in the Decree
 (Of God).

7. And remember We took
 From the Prophets their
 Covenant:
 As (We did) from thee:
 From Noah, Abraham, Moses,
 And Jesus the son of Mary:
 We took from them
 A solemn Covenant:

8. That (God) may question
 The (Custodians) of Truth concerning
 The Truth they (were charged with):
 And He has prepared
 For the Unbelievers
 A grievous Penalty.

9. O ye who believe!
 Remember the Grace of God,
 (Bestowed) on you, when
 There came down on you
 Hosts (to overwhelm you):
 But We sent against them

A hurricane and forces
 That ye saw not:
 But God sees (clearly)
 All that ye do.

10. Behold! they came on you
 From above you and from
 Below you, and behold,
 The eyes became dim
 And the hearts gaped
 Up to the throats,
 And ye imagined various
 (Vain) thoughts about God!

11. In that situation
 Were the Believers tried:
 They were shaken as by
 A tremendous shaking.

12. Find behold! The Hypocrites
 And those in whose hearts
 Is a disease (even) say: "God
 And His Apostle promised us
 Nothing but delusions!"

13. Behold! A party among them
 Said: "Ye men of Yathrib!
 Ye cannot stand (the attack)!
 Therefore go back!"
 And a band of them
 Ask for leave of the Prophet,

Saying, "Truly our houses
 Are bare and exposed," though
 They were not exposed:
 They intended nothing but
 To run away.

14. And if an entry had
 Been effected to them
 From the sides of the (City),
 And they had been
 Incited to sedition.
 They would certainly have
 Brought it to pass, with
 None but a brief delay!

15. And yet they had already
 Covenanted with God not to turn
 Their backs, and a covenant
 With God must (surely)
 Be answered for.

16. Say: "Running away will not
 Profit you if ye are
 Running away from death
 Or slaughter; and even if
 (Ye do escape), no more
 Than a brief (respite)
 Will ye be allowed to enjoy!"

17. Say: "Who is it that can
 Screen you from God
 If it be His wish
 To give you Punishment
 Or to give you Mercy?"
 Nor will they find for themselves,
 Besides God, any protector
 Or helper.

18. Verily God knows those
 Among you who keep back
 (Men) and those who say
 To their brethren, "Come along
 To us", but come not
 To the fight except
 For just a little while,

19. Covetous over you
 Then when fear comes,
 Thou wilt see them looking
 To thee, their eyes revolving,
 Like (those of) one over whom
 Hovers death: but when
 The fear is past,
 They will smite you
 With sharp tongues, covetous
 Of goods. Such men have
 No faith, and so God
 Has made their deeds
 Of none effect: and that
 Is easy for God.

20. They think that the Confederates
 Have not withdrawn; and if
 The Confederates should come (again),
 They would wish they were
 In the deserts (wandering)
 Among the Bedouins, and
 Seeking news about you
 (From a safe distance);
 And if they were
 In your midst, they
 Would fight but little.

21. Ye have indeed
 In the Apostle of God
 A beautiful pattern (of conduct)
 For any one whose hope is
 In God and the Final Day,
 And who engages much
 In the praise of God.

22. When the Believers saw
 The Confederate forces,
 They said: "This is
 What God and His Apostle is
 Had promised us, and God
 And His Apostle told us
 What was true." And it
 Only added to their faith
 And their zeal in obedience.

23. Among the Believers are then
 Who have been true to
 Their Covenant with God:
 Of them some have completed
 Their vow (to the extreme),
 And some (still) wait:
 But they have never changed
 (Their determination) in the least:

24. That God may reward
 The men of Truth for
 Their Truth, and punish
 The Hypocrites if that be

His Will, or turn to them
 In Mercy: for God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

25. And God turned back
 The Unbelievers for (all)
 Their fury: no advantage
 Did they gain; and enough
 Is God for the Believers
 In their fight. And God
 Is full of Strength, Able
 To enforce His Will.

26. And those of the people
 Of the Book who aided
 Them--God did take them
 Down from their strongholds

And cast terror into
 Their hearts, (so that)
 Some ye slew, and some
 Ye made prisoners,

27. And He made you heirs
 Of their lands, their houses,
 And their goods,
 And of a land which

Ye had not frequented
 (Before). And God has
 Power over all things.

28. O Prophet! say
 To thy Consorts:
 "If it be that ye desire
 The life of this world,
 And its glitter,--then come!
 I will provide for your

Enjoyment and set you free
 In a handsome manner.

29. But if ye seek God
 And His Apostle, and
 The Home of the Hereafter,
 Verily God has prepared
 For the well-doers amongst you
 A great reward.

30. O Consorts of the Prophet
 If any of you were guilty
 Of evident unseemly conduct,
 The Punishment would be
 Doubled to her, and that
 Is easy for God

31. But any of you that is
 Devout in the service of
 God and His Apostle,
 And works righteousness,--
 To her shall We grant
 Her reward twice: and We
 Have prepared for her
 A generous Sustenance.

32. O Consorts of the Prophet!
 Ye are not like any
 Of the (other) women:
 If ye do fear (God),
 Be not too complaisant
 Of speech, lest one
 In whose heart is
 A disease should be moved
 With desire: but speak ye
 A speech (that is) just.

33. And stay quietly in
 Your houses, and make not
 A dazzling display, like
 That of the former Times
 Of Ignorance; and establish
 Regular Prayer, and give
 Regular Charity; and obey
 God and His Apostle.
 And God only wishes
 To remove all abomination

From you, ye Members
 Of the Family, and to make
 You pure and spotless.

34. And recite what is
 Rehearsed to you in your
 Homes, of the Signs of God
 And His Wisdom:
 For God understands
 The finest mysteries and
 Is well-acquainted (with them).

35. For Muslim men and women,--
 For believing men and women,
 For devout men and women,
 For true men and women,
 For men and women who are
 Patient and constant, for men
 And women who humble themselves
 For men and women who give
 In charity, for men and women
 Who fast (and deny themselves),
 For men and women who
 Guard their chastity, and
 For men and women who

Engage much in God's praise,--
 For them has God prepared
 Forgiveness and great reward.

36. It is not fitting
 For a Believer, man or woman.
 When a matter has been decided
 By God and His Apostle,
 To have any option
 About their decision:
 If any one disobeys God
 And His Apostle, he is indeed
 On a clearly wrong Path.

37. Behold! thou didst say
 To one who had received
 The grace of God
 And thy favour: "Retain thou
 (In wedlock) thy wife,
 And fear God." But thou
 Didst hide in thy heart
 That which God was about
 To make manifest: thou didst
 Fear the people, but it is

More fitting that thou shouldst
 Fear God. Then when Zaid
 Had dissolved (his marriage)
 With her, with the necessary
 (Formality), We joined her
 In marriage to thee:
 In order that (in future)
 There may be no difficulty
 To the Believers in (the matter
 Of) marriage with the vives
 Of their adopted sons, when
 The latter have dissolved
 With the necessary (formality)
 (Their marriage) with them.
 And God's command must
 Be fulfilled.

38. There can be no difficulty
 To the Prophet in what
 God has indicated to him
 As a duty. It was
 The practice (approved) of God
 Amongst those of old
 That have passed away.
 And the command of God
 Is a decree determined.

39. (It is the practice of those)
 Who preach the Messages
 Of God, and fear Him,
 And fear none but God.

And enough is God
 To call (men) to account.

40. Muhammad is not
 The father of any
 Of your men, but (he is)
 The Apostle of God,
 And the Seal of the Prophets:
 And God has full knowledge
 Of all things.

41. O ye who believe!
 Celebrate the praises of God,
 And do this often;

42. And glorify Him
 Morning and evening.

43. He it is Who sends
 Blessings on you, as do
 His angels, that He may
 Bring you out from the depths
 Of Darkness into Light:
 And He is Full of Mercy
 To the Believers.

44. Their salutation on the Day
 They meet Him will be
 "Peace!"; and He has
 Prepared for them
 A generous Reward.

45. O Prophet! Truly We
 Have sent thee as

A Witness, a Bearer
 Of Glad Tidings,
 And a Warner,--

46. And as one who invites
 To God's (Grace) by His leave,
 And as a Lamp
 Spreading Light.

47. Then give the glad tidings
 To the Believers, that
 They shall have from God
 A very great Bounty.

48. And obey not (the behests)
 Of the Unbelievers
 And the Hypocrites,
 And heed not their annoyances,
 But put thy trust in God.
 For enough is God
 As a Disposer of affairs.

49. O ye who believe!
 When ye marry believing women,
 And then divorce them
 Before ye have touched them,

No period of 'Iddat
 Have ye to count
 In respect of them:
 So give them a present,
 And set them free
 In a handsome manner.

50. O Prophet! We have
 Made lawful to thee
 Thy wives to whom thou
 Hast paid their dowers;
 And those whom thy
 Right hand possesses out of
 The prisoners of war whom
 God has assigned to thee;
 And daughters of thy paternal
 Uncles and aunts, and daughters
 Of thy maternal uncles
 And aunts, who migrated
 (From Mecca) with thee;
 And any believing woman
 Who dedicates her soul

To the Prophet if the Prophet
 Wishes to wed her;--this
 Only for thee, and not
 For the Believers (at large);
 We know what We have
 Appointed for them as to
 Their wives and the captives
 Whom their right hands
 Possess;--in order that
 There should be no difficulty
 For thee. And God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

51. Thou mayest defer (the turn
 Of) any of them that thou
 Pleasest, and thou mayest receive
 Any thou pleasest: and there
 Is no blame on thee if
 Thou invite one whose (turn)

Thou hadst set aside.
 This were nigher to
 The cooling of their eyes,
 The prevention of their grief,
 And their satisfaction--
 That of all of them--
 With that which thou
 Hast to give them:
 And God knows (all)
 That is in your hearts:
 And God is All-Knowing,
 Most Forbearing.

52. It is not lawful for thee
 (To marry more) women
 After this, nor to change
 Them for (other) wives,
 Even though their beauty
 Attract thee, except any
 Thy right hand should
 Possess (as handmaidens):
 And God doth watch
 Over all things.

53. O ye who believe!
 Enter not the Prophet's houses,--
 Until leave is given you,
 For a meal, (and then)
 Not (so early as) to wait
 For its preparation: but when
 Ye are invited, enter;
 And when ye have taken
 Your meal, disperse,
 Without seeking familiar talk.
 Such (behaviour) annoys
 The Prophet: he is ashamed
 To dismiss you, but
 God is not ashamed
 (To tell you) the truth.
 And when ye
 Ask (his ladies)
 For anything ye want,
 Ask them from before
 A screen: that makes
 For greater purity for
 Your hearts and for theirs.
 Nor is it right for you

That ye should annoy
 God's Apostle, or that
 Ye should marry his widows
 After him at any time.
 Truly such a thing is
 In God's sight an enormity.

54. Whether ye reveal anything
 Or conceal it, verily
 God has full knowledge
 Of all things.

55. There is no blame
 (On these ladies if they
 Appear) before their fathers
 Or their sons, their brothers,
 Or their brothers' sons,
 Or their sisters' sons,
 Or their women,
 Or the (slaves) whom
 Their right hands possess.
 And, (ladies), fear God;
 For God is Witness
 To all things.

56. God and His Angels
 Send blessings on the Prophet:

O ye that believe!
 Send ye blessings on him,
 And salute him
 With all respect.

57. Those who annoy
 God and His Apostle--
 God has cursed them
 In this world and
 In the Hereafter,
 And has prepared for them
 A humiliating Punishment.

58. And those who annoy
 Believing men and women
 Undeservedly, bear
 (on themselves)
 A calumny and a glaring sin.

59. O Prophet! Tell
 Thy wives and daughters,
 And the believing women,
 That they should cast
 Their outer garments over
 Their persons (when abroad):
 That is most convenient,
 That they should be known

(As such) and not molested.
 And God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

60. Truly, if the Hypocrites,
 And those in whose hearts
 Is a disease, and those who
 Stir up sedition in the City,
 Desist not, We shall certainly
 Stir thee up against them:
 Then will they not be
 Able to stay in it
 As thy neighbours
 For any length of time:

61. They shall have a curse
 On them: wherever they
 Are found, they shall be
 Seized and slain
 (Without mercy).

62. (Such was) the practice
 (Approved) of God among those
 Who lived aforetime:
 No change wilt thou find
 In the practice (approved)
 Of God.

63. Men ask thee concerning
 The Hour: say, "The knowledge
 Thereof is with God (alone)":
 And what will make thee
 Understand?--perchance
 The Hour is nigh!

64. Verily God has cursed
 The Unbelievers and prepared
 For them a Blazing Fire,--

65. To dwell therein for ever:
 No protector will they find,
 Nor helper.

66. The Day that their faces
 Will be turned upside down
 In the Fire, they will say:
 "Woe to us! would that
 We had obeyed God
 And obeyed the Apostle!"

67. And they would say:
 "Our Lord! We obeyed
 Our chiefs and our great ones,
 And they misled us
 As to the (right) path.

68. "Our Lord! Give them
 Double Penalty
 And curse them
 With a very great Curse!"

69. O ye who believe!
 Be ye not like those
 Who vexed and insulted Moses,
 But God cleared him
 Of the (calumnies) they
 Had uttered: and he
 Was honourable in God's sight.

70. O ye who believe!
 Fear God, and (always) say
 A word directed to the Right:

71. That He may make
 Your conduct whole and sound
 And forgive you your sins:
 He that obeys God
 And His Apostle, has already
 Attained the highest
 Achievement.

72. We did indeed offer
 The Trust to the Heavens

And the Earth
 And the Mountains;
 But they refused
 To undertake it,
 Being afraid thereof:
 But man undertook it;--
 He was indeed unjust
 And foolish;--

73. (With the result (that
 God has to punish
 The Hypocrites, men and women,
 And the Unbelievers, men
 And women, and God turns
 In Mercy to the Believers,
 Men and women: for God
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Sura XXXIV.  

Saba, or the City of Saba

(see verse 15).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,
 To Whom belong all things
 In the heavens and on earth:
 To Him be Praise
 In the Hereafter:
 And He is Full of Wisdom,
 Acquainted with all things.

2. He knows all that goes
 Into the earth, and all that
 Comes out thereof; all that
 Comes down from the sky
 And all that ascends thereto
 And He is the Most Merciful,
 The Oft-Forgiving.

3. The Unbelievers say,
 "Never to us will come

The Hour": say, "Nay!
 But most surely,
 By my Lord, it will come
 Upon you;--by Him
 Who knows the unseen,--
 From Whom is not hidden
 The least little atom
 In the Heavens or on earth:
 Nor is there anything less
 Than that, or greater, but
 Is in the Record Perspicuous:

4. That He may reward
 Those who believe and work
 Deeds of righteousness: for such
 Is Forgiveness and a Sustenance
 Most Generous."

5. But those who strive
 Against Our Signs, to frustrate
 Them,--for such will be
 A Penalty,--a Punishment
 Most humiliating.

6. And those to whom
 Knowledge has come see
 That the (Revelation) sent down
 To thee from thy Lord--
 That is the Truth,
 And that it guides

To the Path of the Exalted
 (In Might), Worthy
 Of all praise.

7. The Unbelievers say
 (In ridicule): "Shall we
 Point out to you a man
 That will tell you,
 When ye are all scattered
 To pieces in disintegration,
 That ye shall (then be
 Raised) in a New Creation?

8. "Has he invented a falsehood
 Against God, or has
 A spirit (seized) him?"--
 Nay, it is those who
 Believe not in the Hereafter,
 That are in (real) Penalty,
 And in farthest Error.

9. See they not what is
 Before them and behind them,
 Of the sky and the earth
 If We wished, We could
 Cause the earth to swallow
 Them up, or cause a piece
 Of the sky to fall upon them.
 Verily in this is a Sign
 For every devotee that
 Turns to God (in repentance).

10. We bestowed Grace aforetime
 On David from Ourselves:
 "O ye Mountains! sing ye
 Back the Praises of God
 With him! and ye birds
 (Also)! And We made
 The iron soft for him;--

11. (Commanding), "Make thou
 Coats of mail, balancing well
 The rings of chain armour,
 And work ye righteousness;
 For be sure I see
 (Clearly) all that ye do."

12. And to Solomon (We
 Made) the Wind (obedient):
 Its early morning (stride)
 Was a month's (journey),
 And its evening (stride)
 Was a month's (journey);
 And We made a Font
 Of molten brass to flow

For him; and there were
 Jinns that worked in front
 Of him, by the leave
 Of his Lord, and if any
 Of them turned aside
 From Our command, We
 Made him taste
 Of the Penalty
 Of the Blazing Fire.

13. They worked for him
 As he desired, (making) Arches,
 Images, Basons
 As large as Reservoirs,
 And (cooking) Cauldrons fixed
 (In their places): "Work ye,
 Sons of David, with thanks!
 But few of My servants
 Are grateful!"

14. Then, when We decreed
 (Solomon's) death, nothing showed them
 His death except a little
 Worm of the earth, which

Kept (slowly) gnawing away
 At his staff: so when he
 Fell down, the Jinns saw
 Plainly that if they had
 Known the unseen, they
 Would not have tarried
 In the humiliating Penalty
 (Of their Task).

15. There was, for Saba,
 Aforetime, a Sign in their
 Home-land--two Gardens
 To the right and to the left.
 "Eat of the Sustenance (provided)
 By your Lord, and be grateful
 To Him: a territory fair and happy,
 And a Lord Oft-Forgiving!

16. But they turned away
 (From God), and We sent
 Against them the flood
 (Released) from the Dams,

And We converted their two
 Garden (rows) into "gardens"
 Producing bitter fruit,
 And tamarisks, and some few
 (Stunted) Lote-trees.

17. That was the Requital
 We gave them because
 They ungratefully rejected Faith:
 And never do We give
 (Such) requital except to such
 As are ungrateful rejecters.

18. Between them and the Cities
 On which We had poured
 Our blessings, We had placed
 Cities in prominent positions,
 And between them We had
 Appointed stages of journey
 In due proportion: "Travel therein,
 Secure, by night and by day."

19. But they said: "Our Lord!
 Place longer distances

Between our journey-stages":
 But they wronged themselves (therein).
 At length We made them
 As a tale (that is told),
 And We dispersed them
 All in scattered fragments.
 Verily in this are Signs
 For every (soul that is)
 Patiently constant and grateful.

20. And on them did Satan
 Prove true his idea,
 And they followed him, all
 But a Party that believed.

21. But he had no authority
 Over them,--except that We
 Might test the man who
 Believes in the Hereafter
 From him who is in doubt
 Concerning it: and thy Lord
 Doth watch over all things.

22. Say: "Call upon other (gods)
 Whom ye fancy, besides God:
 They have no power,
 Not the weight of an atom,--
 In the heavens or on earth:
 No (sort of) share have they
 Therein, nor is any of them
 A helper to God.

23. "No intercession can avail
 In His Presence, except for those
 For whom He has granted
 Permission. So far (is this
 The case) that, when terror
 Is removed from their hearts
 (At the Day of Judgment, then)
 Will they say, "What is it
 That your Lord commanded?"
 They will say, "That which is
 True and just; and He is
 The Most High, Most Great."

24. Say: "Who gives you
 Sustenance, from the heavens

And the earth?" Say:
 "It is God; and certain it is
 That either we or ye
 Are on right guidance
 Or in manifest error!"

25. Say: "Ye shall not be
 Questioned as to our sins,
 Nor shall we be questioned
 As to what ye do."

26. Say: "Our Lord will gather us
 Together and will in the end
 Decide the matter between us
 (And you) in truth and justice:
 And He is the One to decide,
 The One Who knows all."

27. Say: "Show me those whom
 Ye have joined with Him
 As partners: by no means
 (Can ye). Nay, He is God,
 The Exalted in Power,
 The Wise."

28. We have not sent thee
 But as a universal (Messenger)

To men, giving them
 Glad tidings, and warning them
 (Against sin), but most men
 Understand not.

29. They say: "When will this
 Promise (come to pass)
 If ye are telling the truth?"

30. Say: "The appointment to you
 Is for a Day, which ye
 Cannot put back for an hour
 Nor put forward."

31. The Unbelievers say:
 "We shall neither believe
 In this scripture nor in (any)
 That (came) before it."
 Couldst thou but see when
 The wrong-doers will be made
 To stand before their Lord,
 Throwing back the word (of blame)

On one another! Those who
 Had been despised will say
 To the arrogant ones:
 "Had it not been for you,
 We should certainly
 Have been believers!"

32. The arrogant ones will say
 To those who had been despised:
 "Was it we who kept you
 Back from Guidance after
 It reached you? Nay, rather,
 It was ye who transgressed.

33. Those who had been despised
 Will say to the arrogant ones:
 "Nay! it was a plot
 (Of yours) by day and by night:
 Behold! ye (constantly) ordered us
 To be ungrateful to God
 And to attribute equals to Him!
 They will declare (their) repentance
 When they see the Penalty:
 We shall put yokes

On the necks of the Unbelievers:
 It would only be a requital
 For their (ill) Deeds.

34. Never did We send
 A Warner to a population,
 But the wealthy ones among them
 Said: "We believe not
 In the (Message) with which
 Ye have been sent."

35. They said: "We have more
 In wealth and in sons
 And we cannot be punished."

36. Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges
 And restricts the Provision
 To whom He pleases, but
 Most men understand not."

37. It is not your wealth
 Nor your sons, that will
 Bring you nearer to Us
 In degree: but only
 Those who believe and work
 Righteousness--these are
 The ones for whom there is
 A multiplied Reward

For their deeds, while
 Secure they (reside)
 In the dwellings on high!

38. Those who strive against
 Our Signs, to frustrate them,
 Will be given over
 Into Punishment.

39. Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges
 And restricts the Sustenance
 To such of His servants
 As He pleases: and nothing
 Do ye spend in the least
 (In His Cause) but He
 Replaces it: for He is
 The Best of those who
 Grant Sustenance.

40. One Day He will
 Gather them all together,
 And say to the angels,
 "Was it you that these
 Men used to worship?"

41. They will say, "Glory to Thee!
 Our (tie) is with Thee
 As Protector--not with them.
 Nay, but they worshipped

The Jinns: most of them
 Believed in them."

42. So on that Day
 No power shall they have
 Over each other, for profit
 Or harm: and We shall
 Say to the wrong-doers,
 "Taste ye the Penalty's
 Of the Fire,--the which
 Ye were wont to deny!"

43. When Our Clear Signs
 Are rehearsed to them,
 They say, "This is only
 A man who wishes
 To hinder you from the (worship)
 Which your fathers practised."
 And they say, "This is
 Only a falsehood invented!"
 And the Unbelievers say
 Of the Truth when it comes
 To them, "This is nothing
 But evident magic!"

44. But We had not given
 Them Books which they could
 Study, nor sent apostles
 To them before thee
 As Warners.

45. And their predecessors rejected
 (The Truth); these have
 Not received a tenth
 Of what We had granted
 To those: yet when they rejected
 My apostles, how (terrible)
 Was My rejection (of them)!

46. Say: "I do admonish you
 On one point: that ye
 Do stand up before God,--
 (It may be) in pairs,
 Or (it may be) singly,--
 And reflect (within yourselves):
 Your Companion is not
 Possessed: he is no less
 Than a Warner to you,
 In face of a terrible
 Penalty."

47. Say: "No reward do I
 Ask of you: it is (all)
 In your interest: my reward
 Is only due from God:
 And He is Witness
 To all things."

48. Say: "Verily my Lord
 Doth cast the (mantle

Of) Truth (over His servants),--
 He that has full knowledge
 Of (all) that is hidden."

49. Say: "The Truth has arrived,
 And Falsehood neither creates
 Anything new, nor restores
 Anything."

50. Say: "If I am astray,
 I only stray to the loss
 Of my own soul: but if
 I receive guidance, it is seen
 Because of the inspiration
 Of my Lord to me:
 It is He Who hears
 All things, and is (ever) near."

51. If thou couldst but see
 When they will quake
 With terror; but then
 There will be no escape
 (For them), and they will he
 Seized from a position
 (Quite) near.

52. And they will say,
 "We do believe (now)
 In the (Truth)"; but how
 Could they receive (Faith)
 From a position (so) far off,--

53. Seeing that they did reject
 Faith (entirely) before, and
 That they (continually) cast
 (Slanders) on the Unseen
 From a position far off?

54. And between them
 And their desires,
 Is placed a barrier,
 As was done in the past
 With their partisans:
 For they were indeed
 In suspicious (disquieting) doubt.

Sura XXXV.  

Fatir, or The Originator of Creation; or Malaika, or The Angels.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Praise be to God,
 Who created (out of nothing)
 The heavens and the earth,
 Who made the angels
 Messengers with wings,--
 Two, or three, or four (Pairs):
 He adds to Creation
 As He pleases: for God
 Has power over all things.

2. What God out of His Mercy
 Doth bestow on mankind
 There is none can withhold:
 What He doth withhold,

There is none can grant,
 Apart from Him:
 And He is the Exalted
 In Power, Full of Wisdom.

3. O men! call to mind
 The grace of God unto you!
 Is there a Creator, other
 Than God, to give you
 Sustenance from heaven
 Or earth? There is
 No god but He: how
 Then are ye deluded
 Away from the Truth?

4. And if they reject thee,
 So were apostles rejected
 Before thee: to God
 Go back for decision
 All affairs.

5. O men! certainly
 The promise of God
 Is true. Let not then
 This present life deceive you,

Nor let the Chief Deceiver
 Deceive you about God.

6. Verily Satan is an enemy
 To you: so treat him
 As an enemy. He only
 Invites his adherents,
 That they may become
 Companions of the Blazing Fire.

7. For those who reject God,
 Is a terrible Penalty: but
 For those who believe
 And work righteous deeds,
 Is Forgiveness, and
 A magnificent Reward.

8. Is he, then, to whom
 The evil of his conduct
 Is made alluring, so
 That he looks upon it
 As good, (equal to one
 Who is rightly guided)?
 For God leaves to stray
 Whom He wills, and guides
 Whom He wills. So
 Let not thy soul go out
 In (vainly) sighing after them:
 For God knows well
 All that they do!

9. It is God Who sends
 Forth the Winds, so that

They raise up the Clouds,
 And We drive them
 To a land that is dead,
 And revive the earth therewith
 After its death: even so
 (Will be) the Resurrection!

10. If any do seek
 For glory and power,--
 To God belong
 All glory and power.
 To Him mount up
 (All) Words of Purity:
 It is He Who exalts
 Each Deed of Righteousness.
 Those that lay Plots
 Of Evil,--for them
 Is a Penalty terrible;
 And the plotting of such
 Will be void (of result).

11. And God did create
 You from dust;
 Then from a sperm-drop;
 Then He made you
 In pairs. And no female
 Conceives, or lays down
 (Her load), but with His
 Knowledge. Nor is a man

Long-lived granted length
 Of days, nor is a part
 Cut off from his life,
 But is in a Decree
 (Ordained). All this
 Is easy to God.

12. Nor are the two bodies
 Of flowing water alike,--
 The one palatable, sweet,
 And pleasant to drink,
 And the other, salt
 And bitter. Yet from each
 (Kind of water) do ye
 Eat flesh fresh and tender,
 And ye extract ornaments
 To wear; and thou seest
 The ships therein that plough
 The waves, that ye may
 Seek (thus) of the Bounty
 Of God that ye
 May be grateful.

13. He merges Night into Day,
 And He merges Day

Into Night, and He has
 Subjected the sun and
 The moon (to His Law):
 Each one runs its course
 For a term appointed.
 Such is God your Lord:
 To Him belongs all Dominion.
 And those whom ye invoke
 Besides Him have not
 The least power.

14. If ye invoke them,
 They will not listen
 To your call, and if
 They were to listen,
 They cannot answer
 Your (prayer). On the Day
 Of Judgment they will reject
 Your "Partnership". And none,
 (O man!) can tell thee
 (The Truth) like the One
 Who is acquainted with all things.

15. O ye men! It is
 Ye that have need

Of God: but God is
 The One Free of all wants,
 Worthy of all praise.

16. If He so pleased, He
 Could blot you out
 And bring in
 A New Creation.

17. Nor is that (at all)
 Difficult for God.

18. Nor can a bearer of burdens
 Bear another's burden.
 If one heavily laden should
 Call another to (bear) his load,
 Not the least portion of it
 Can be carried (by the other),
 Even though he be nearly
 Related. Thou canst but
 Admonish such as fear
 Their Lord unseen
 And establish regular Prayer.
 And whoever purifies himself

Does so for the benefit
 Of his own soul; and
 The destination (of all)
 Is to God.

19. The blind and the seeing
 Are not alike;

20. Nor are the depths
 Of Darkness and the Light;

21. Nor are the (chilly) shade
 And the (genial) heat of the sun:

22. Nor are alike those
 That are living and those
 That are dead. God can
 Make any that He wills
 To hear; but thou
 Canst not make those
 To hear who are
 (Buried) in graves.

23. Thou art no other
 Than a warner.

24. Verily We have sent thee
 In truth, as a bearer
 Of glad tidings,
 And as a warner:

And there never was
 A people, without a warner
 Having lived among them
 (In the past).

25. And if they reject thee,
 So did their predecessors,
 To whom came their apostles
 With Clear Signs, Books
 Of dark prophecies,
 And the Book
 Of Enlightenment.

26. In the end did I
 Punish those who rejected
 Faith: and how (terrible)
 Was My rejection (of them)!

27. Seest thou not that
 God sends down rain
 From the sky? With it
 We then bring out produce
 Of various colours
 And in the mountains

Are tracts white and red,
 Of various shades of colour,
 And black intense in hue.

28. And so amongst men
 And crawling creatures and cattle,
 Are they of various colours.
 Those truly fear God,
 Among His Servants,
 Who have knowledge:
 For God is Exalted in Might,
 Oft-Forgiving.

29. Those who rehearse the Book
 Of God, establish regular Prayer,
 And spend (in Charity)
 Out of what We have provided
 For them, secretly and openly,
 Hope for a Commerce
 That will never fail:

30. For He will pay them
 Their meed, nay, He will
 Give them (even) more
 Out of His Bounty:
 For He is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Ready to appreciate (service).

31. That which We have revealed
 To thee of the Book
 Is the Truth,--confirming
 What was (revealed) before it:
 For God is assuredly--
 With respect to His servants--
 Well acquainted and
 Fully Observant.

32. Then We have given
 The Book for inheritance
 To such of Our servants
 As We have chosen:
 But there are among them
 Some who wrong their own

Souls; some who follow
 A middle course; and some
 Who are, by God's leave,
 Foremost in good deeds;
 That is the highest Grace.

33. Gardens of Eternity will they
 Enter: therein will they
 Be adorned with bracelets
 Of gold and pearls;
 And their garments there
 Will be of silk.

34. And they will say:
 "Praise be to God,
 Who has removed from us
 (All) sorrow: for our Lord
 Is indeed Oft-Forgiving
 Ready to appreciate (service):

35. "Who has, out of His Bounty,
 Settled us in a Home
 That will last: no toil
 Nor sense of weariness
 Shall touch us therein."

36. But those who reject (God)--
 For them will be
 The Fire of Hell:
 No term shall be determined

For them, so they should die,
 Nor shall its Penalty
 Be lightened for them.
 Thus do We reward
 Every ungrateful one!

37. Therein will they cry
 Aloud (for assistance):
 "Our Lord! Bring us out:
 We shall work righteousness,
 Not the (deeds) we used
 To do"--"Did We not
 Give you long enough life
 So that he that would
 Should receive admonition?
 And (moreover) the warner
 Came to you. So taste ye
 (The fruits of your deeds):
 For the Wrong-doers
 There is no helper."

38. Verily God knows
 (All) the hidden things
 Of the heavens and the earth:
 Verily He has full knowledge
 Of all that is
 In (men's) hearts.

39. He it is that has made
 You inheritors in the earth:

If, then, any do reject
 (God), their rejection (works)
 Against themselves: their rejection
 But adds to the odium
 For the Unbelievers
 In the sight of their Lord:
 Their rejection but adds
 To (their own) undoing.

40. Say: "Have ye seen
 (These) "Partners" of yours
 Whom ye call upon
 Besides God? Show me
 What it is they have created
 In the (wide) earth.
 Or have they a share
 In the heavens? Or
 Have We given them a Book
 From which they (can derive)
 Clear (evidence)?--Nay,
 The wrong-doers promise
 Each other nothing but delusions.

41. It is God Who sustains
 The heavens and the earth,
 Lest they cease (to function):
 And if they should fail,
 There is none--not one--
 Can sustain them thereafter:

Verily He is Most Forbearing,
 Oft-Forgiving.

42. They swore their strongest oaths
 By God that if a warner
 Came to them, they would
 Follow his guidance better
 Than any (other) of the Peoples:
 But when a warner came
 To them, it has only
 Increased their flight
 (From righteousness),--

43. On account of their arrogance
 In the land and their
 Plotting of Evil.
 But the plotting of Evil
 Will hem in only
 The authors thereof. Now
 Are they but looking for
 The way the ancients
 Were dealt with? But
 No change wilt thou find
 In God's way (of dealing):
 No turning off wilt thou
 Find in God's way (of dealing).

44. Do they not travel
 Through the earth, and see.
 What was the End
 Of those before them,
 Though they were superior
 To them in strength?
 Nor is God to be frustrated
 By anything whatever
 In the heavens
 Or on earth: for He
 Is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.

45. If God were to punish
 Men according to what
 They deserve, He would not
 Leave on the back
 Of the (earth) a single
 Living creature: but He
 Gives them respite
 For a stated Term:
 When their Term expires,
 Verily God has in His sight
 All His servants.

Sura XXXVI. 

Ya-Sin (being Abbreviated Letters).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ya Sin.

2. By the Qur-an
 Full of Wisdom,--

3. Thou art indeed
 One of the apostles,

4. On a Straight Way.

5. It is a Revelation
 Sent down by (Him),
 The Exalted in Might,
 Most Merciful,

6. In order that thou mayest
 Admonish a people,
 Whose fathers had received
 No admonition, and who
 Therefore remain heedless
 (Of the Signs of God).

7. The Word is proved true
 Against the greater part of them:
 For they do not believe.

8. We have put yokes
 Round their necks
 Right up to their chins,
 So that their heads are
 Forced up (and they cannot see).

9. And We have put
 A bar in front of them
 And a bar behind them,
 And further, We have
 Covered them up; so that
 They cannot see.

10. The same is it to them
 Whether thou admonish them
 Or thou do not admonish
 Them: they will not believe.

11. Thou canst but admonish
 Such a one as follows
 The Message and fears
 The (Lord) Most Gracious, unseen:
 Give such a one, therefore,
 Good tidings, of Forgiveness
 And a reward most generous.

12. Verily We shall give life
 To the dead, and We record
 That which they send before
 And that which they leave
 Behind, and of all things
 Have We taken account

In a clear Book
 (Of evidence).

13. Set forth to them,
 By way of a parable,
 The (story of) the Companions
 Of the City. Behold,
 There came apostles to it.

14. When We (first) sent
 To them two apostles,
 They rejected them:
 But We strengthened them
 With a third: they said,
 "Truly, we have been sent
 On a mission to you."

15. The (people) said: "Ye are
 Only men like ourselves
 And (God) Most Gracious
 Sends no sort of revelation:
 Ye do nothing but lie."

16. They said: "Our Lord doth
 Know that we have been sent
 On a mission to you:

17. "And our duty is only
 To proclaim the clear Message.

18. The (people) said: "For us,
 We augur an evil omen

From you: if ye desist not,
 We will certainly stone you.
 And a grievous punishment
 Indeed will be inflicted
 On you by us."

19. They said: "Your evil omens
 Are with yourselves:
 (Deem ye this an evil omen).
 If ye are admonished?
 Nay, but ye are a people
 Transgressing all bounds!

20. Then there came running,
 From the farthest part
 Of the City, a man,
 Saying, "O my People!
 Obey the apostles:

21. "Obey those who ask
 No reward of you
 (For themselves), and who have
 Themselves received Guidance

22, "It would not be reasonable
 In me if I did not
 Serve Him Who created me,
 And to Whom ye shall
 (All) be brought back.

23. "Shall I take (other) gods
 Besides Him? If (God)
 Most Gracious should
 Intend some adversity for me,
 Of no use whatever
 Will be their intercession
 For me, nor can they
 Deliver me.

24."I would indeed,
 If I were to do so,
 Be in manifest Error.

25. "For me, I have faith
 In the Lord of you (all):
 Listen, then, to me!"

26. It was said: "Enter thou
 The Garden." He said:
 "Ah me! Would that
 My People knew (what I know)!--

27. "For that my Lord
 Has granted me Forgiveness
 And has enrolled me
 Among those held in honour!"

28. And We sent not down
 Against his People, after him,
 Any hosts from heaven,
 Nor was it needful
 For Us so to do.

29. It was no more than
 A single mighty Blast,
 And behold! they were (like ashes)
 Quenched and silent.

30. Ah! alas for (My) servants!
 There comes not an apostle
 To them but they mock him!

31. See they not how many
 Generations before them
 We destroyed? Not to them
 Will they return:

32. But each one of them
 All--will be brought
 Before Us (for judgment).

33. A Sign for them
 Is the earth that is dead:
 We do give it life,
 And produce grain therefrom,
 Of which ye do eat.

34. And We produce therein
 Orchards with date-palms
 And vines, and We cause
 Springs to gush forth therein:

35. That they may enjoy
 The fruits of this (artistry):
 It was not their hands
 That made this:
 Will they not then give thanks?

36. Glory to God, Who created
 In pairs all things that
 The earth produces, as well as
 Their own (human) kind
 And (other) things of which
 They have no knowledge.

37. And a Sign for them
 Is the Night: We withdraw
 Therefrom the Day, and behold
 They are plunged in darkness;

38. And the Sun
 Runs his course
 For a period determined
 For him: that is
 The decree of (Him),
 The Exalted in Might,
 The All-Knowing.

39. And the Moon,
 We have measured for her
 Mansions (to traverse)
 Till she returns
 Like the old (and withered)
 Lower part of a date-stalk.

40. It is not permitted
 To the Sun to catch up
 The Moon, nor can
 The Night outstrip the Day:
 Each (just) swims along (its own) orbit
 (According to Law).

41. And a Sign for them
 Is that We bore
 Their race (through the Flood)
 In the loaded Ark;

42. And We have created
 For them similar (vessels)
 On which they ride.

43. If it were Our Will,
 We could drown them:
 Then would there be
 No helper (to hear
 Their cry), nor could
 They be delivered,

44. Except by way of Mercy
 From Us, and by way
 Of (worldly) convenience
 (To serve them) for a time.

45. When they are told,
 "Fear ye that which is
 Before you and that which
 Will be after you, in order
 That ye may receive Mercy,"
 (They turn back).

46. Not a Sign comes to them
 From among the Signs
 Of their Lord, but they
 Turn away therefrom.

47. And when they are told,
 "Spend ye of (the bounties)
 With which God
 Has provided you," the Unbelievers
 Say to those who believe:
 "Shall we then feed those
 Whom, if God had so willed,
 He would have fed, (Himself)?--

Ye are in nothing
 But manifest error."

48. Further, they say, "When
 Will this promise (come to pass),
 If what ye say is true?"

49. They will not (have
 To) wait for aught
 But a single Blast:
 It will seize them while
 They are yet disputing
 Among themselves!

50. No (chance) will they then
 Have, by will, to dispose
 (Of their affairs), nor
 To return to their own people!

51. The trumpet shall be
 Sounded, when behold!
 From the sepulchres (men)
 Will rush forth
 To their Lord!

52. They will say: "Ah!
 Woe unto us! Who
 Hath raised us up
 From our beds of repose?"
 (A voice will say:)
 "This is what (God)
 Most Gracious had promised.
 And true was the word
 Of the apostles!"

53. It will be no more
 Than a single Blast,
 When to! they will all
 Be brought up before Us!

54. Then, on that Day,
 Not a soul will be
 Wronged in the least,
 And ye shall but
 Be repaid the meeds
 Of your past Deeds.

55. Verily the Companions
 Of the Garden shall
 That Day have joy
 In all that they do:

56. They and their associates
 Will be in groves
 Of (cool) shade, reclining
 On Thrones (of dignity);

57. (Every) fruit (enjoyment)
 Will be there for them;
 They shall have whatever
 They call for;

58. "Peace!"--a Word
 (Of salutation) from a Lord
 Most Merciful!

59. "And O ye in sin!
 Get ye apart this Day!

60. "Did I not enjoin
 On you, O ye children

Of Adam, that ye
 Should not worship Satan;
 For that he was to you
 An enemy avowed?--

61. "And that ye should
 Worship Me, (for that) this
 Was the Straight Way?

62. "But he did lead astray
 A great multitude of you.
 Did ye not, then, understand?

63. "This is the Hell
 Of which ye were
 (Repeatedly) warned!

64. "Embrace ye the (Fire)
 This Day, for that ye
 (Persistently) rejected (Truth)."

65. That Day shall We set
 A seal on their mouths.
 But their hands will speak
 To Us, and their feet
 Bear witness, to all
 That they did.

66. If it had been Our Will,
 We could surely have
 Blotted out their eyes;
 Then should they have
 Run about groping for the Path,
 But how could they have seen?

67. And if it had been
 Our Will, We could
 Have transformed them
 (To remain) in their places;
 Then should they have been
 Unable to move about,
 Nor could they have returned
 (After error).

68. If We grant long life
 To any, We cause him
 To be reversed in nature:
 Will they not then understand?

69. We have not instructed
 The (Prophet) in Poetry,
 Nor is it meet for him:
 This is no less than

A Message and a Qur-an
 Making things clear:

70. That it may give admonition
 To any (who are) alive,
 And that the charge
 May be proved against those
 Who reject (Truth).

71. See they not that it is
 We Who have created
 For them--among the things
 Which our hands have fashioned--
 Cattle, which are under
 Their dominion?--

72. And that We have
 Subjected them to their (use)?
 Of them some do carry them
 And some they eat:

73. And they have (other) profits
 From them (besides), and they
 Get (milk) to drink.
 Will they not then
 Be grateful?

74. Yet they take (for worship)
 Gods other than God,

(Hoping) that they might
 Be helped!

75. They have not the power
 To help them: but they
 Will be brought up
 (Before Our Judgment-seat)
 As a troop (to be condemned).

76. Let not their speech, then,
 Grieve thee. Verily We know
 What they hide as well as
 What they disclose.

77. Doth not man see
 That it is We Who
 Created him from sperm?
 Yet behold! he (stands forth)
 As an open adversary!

78. And he makes comparisons
 For Us, and forgets his own
 (Origin and) Creation:
 He says, "Who can give
 Life to (dry) bones
 And decomposed ones (at that)?"

79. Say, "He will give them
 Life Who created them
 For the first time!
 For He is well-versed
 In every kind of creation!

80. "The same Who produces
 For you fire out of
 The green tree, when behold!
 Ye kindle therewith
 (Your own fires)!

81. "Is not He Who created
 The heavens and the earth
 Able to create the like
 Thereof?"--Yea, indeed!
 For he is the Creator Supreme,
 Of skill and knowledge (infinite)!

82. Verily, when He intends
 A thing, His Command is,
 "Be", and it is!

83. So glory to Him
 In Whose hands is
 The dominion of all things:
 And to Him will
 Be all brought back.

Sura XXXVII.  

Saffat, or Those Ranged in Ranks.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By those who range
 Themselves in ranks,

2. And so are strong
 In repelling (evil),

3. And thus proclaim
 The Message (of God)!

4. Verily, verily, your God
 Is One!--

5. Lord of the heavens
 And of the earth,

And all between them,
 And Lord of every point
 At the rising of the sun!

6. We have indeed decked
 The lower heaven with beauty
 (In) the stars,--

7. (For beauty) and for guard
 Against all obstinate
 Rebellious evil spirits,

8. (So) they should not strain
 Their ears in the direction
 Of the Exalted Assembly

But be cast away
 From every side,

9. Repulsed, for they are
 Under a perpetual penalty,

10. Except such as snatch away
 Something by stealth, and they
 Are pursued by a flaming
 Fire, of piercing brightness.

11. Just ask their opinion:
 Are they the more difficult
 To create, or the (other) beings
 We have created?
 Them have We created
 Out of a sticky clay!

12. Truly dost thou marvel,
 While they ridicule,

13. And, when they are
 Admonished, pay no heed,--

14. And, when they see
 A Sign, turn it
 To mockery,

15. And say, "This is nothing
 But evident sorcery!

16. "What! when we die,
 And become dust and bones,

Shall we (then) be
 Raised up (again)?

17. "And also our fathers
 Of old?"

18. Say thou: "Yea, and ye shall
 Then be humiliated
 (On account of your evil).

19. Then it will be a single
 (Compelling) cry;
 And behold, they will
 Begin to see!

20. They will say, "Ah!
 Woe to us! this is
 The Day of Judgment!"

21. (A voice will say,)
 "This is the Day
 Of Sorting Out, whose
 Truth ye (once) denied!"

22. "Bring ye up",
 It shall be said,

"The wrong-doers
 And their wives,
 And the things they worshipped--

23. "Besides God,
 And lead them to the Way
 To the (Fierce) Fire!

24. "But stop them,
 For they must be asked:

25. "What is the matter
 With you that ye
 Help not each other?"

26. Nay, but that day they
 Shall submit (to judgment);

27. And they will turn to
 One another, and question
 One .

28. They will say: "It was ye
 Who used to come to us
 From the right hand
 (Of power and authority)!"

29. They will reply: "Nay, ye
 Yourselves had no Faith!

30. "Nor had we any authority
 Over you. Nay, it was
 Ye who were a people
 In obstinate rebellion!

31. "So now has been proved true,
 Against us, the Word
 Of our Lord that we
 Shall indeed (have to) taste
 (The punishment of our sins).

32. "We led you astray: for truly
 We were ourselves astray."

33. Truly, that Day, they will
 (All) share in the Penalty.

34. Verily that is how We
 Shall deal with Sinners.

35. For they, when they were
 Told that there is
 No god except God, would
 Puff themselves up with Pride,

36. And say: "What! Shall we
 Give up our gods.
 For the sake of
 A Poet possessed?"

37. Nay! he has come
 With the (very) Truth,
 And he confirms (the Message
 Of) the apostles (before him).

38. Ye shall indeed taste
 Of the Grievous Penalty;--

39. But it will be no more
 Than the retribution
 Of (the Evil) that ye
 Have wrought;--

40. But the sincere (and devoted)
 Servants of God,--

41. For them is a Sustenance
 Determined,

42. Fruits (Delights); and they
 (Shall enjoy) honour and dignity,

43. In Gardens of Felicity,

44. Facing each other
 On Thrones (of dignity):

45. Round will be passed
 To them a Cup
 From a clear-flowing fountain,

46. Crystal-white, of a taste
 Delicious to those
 Who drink (thereof),

47. Free from headiness;
 Nor will they suffer
 Intoxication therefrom.

48. And besides them will be
 Chaste women, restraining
 Their glances, with big eyes
 (Of wonder and beauty).

49. As if they were
 (Delicate) eggs closely guarded.

50. When they will turn to
 One another and question
 One another.

51. One of them will start
 The talk and say:
 "I had an intimate
 Companion (on the earth),

52. "Who used to say,
 "What! art thou amongst those
 Who bear witness to
 The truth (of the Message)?

53. "When we die and become
 Dust and bones, shall we
 Indeed receive rewards
 And punishments?"

54. (A voice) said: "Would ye
 Like to look down?"

55. He looked down
 And saw him
 In the midst of the Fire.

56. He said: "By God!
 Thou wast little short
 Of bringing me to perdition!

57. "Had it not been for
 The Grace of my Lord,
 I should certainly have been
 Among those brought (there)!

58. "Is it (the case) that
 We shall not die,

59. "Except our first death,
 And that we
 Shall not be punished?"

60. Verily this is
 The supreme achievement!

61. For the like of this
 Let all strive,
 Who wish to strive.

62. Is that the better entertainment
 Or the Tree of Zaqqum?

63. For We have truly
 Made it (as) a trial
 For the wrong-doers.

64. For it is a tree
 That springs out
 Of the bottom of Hell-fire:

65. The shoots of its fruit-stalks
 Are like the heads
 Of devils:

66. Truly they will eat thereof
 And fill their bellies therewith.

67. Then on top of that
 They will be given
 A mixture made of
 Boiling water.

68. Then shall their return
 Be to the (Blazing) Fire.

69. Truly they found their fathers
 On the wrong Path;

70. So they (too) were rushed
 Down on their footsteps!

71. And truly before them,
 Many of the ancients
 Went astray;--

72. But We sent aforetime,
 Among them, (apostles)
 To admonish them;--

73. Then see what was
 The End of those who
 Were admonished (but heeded not),--

74. Except the sincere (and devoted)
 Servants of God.

75. (In the days of old),
 Noah cried to Us,
 And We are the Best
 To hear prayer.

76. And We delivered him
 And his people from
 The Great Calamity,

77. And made his progeny
 To endure (on this earth);

78. And We left (this blessing)
 For him among generations
 To come in later times:

79. "Peace and salutation to Noah
 Among the nations!"

80. Thus indeed do We reward
 Those who do right.

81. For he was one
 Of Our believing Servants.

82. Then the rest We overwhelmed
 In the Flood.

83. Verily among those
 Who followed his Way
 Was Abraham.

84. Behold, he approached his Lord
 With a sound heart.

85. Behold, he said to his father
 And to his people, "What
 Is that which ye worship?

86. "Is it a Falsehood--
 Gods other than God--
 That ye desire?

87. "Then what is your idea
 About the Lord of the
 Worlds?"

88. Then did he cast
 A glance at the Stars,

89. And he said, "I am
 Indeed sick (at heart)!"

90. So they turned away
 From him, and departed.

91. When did he turn
 To their gods and said,
 "Will ye not eat
 (Of the offerings before you)?...

92. "What is the matter
 With you that ye
 Speak not (intelligently)?"

93. Then did he turn
 Upon them, striking (them)
 With the right hand.

94. Then came (the worshippers)
 With hurried steps,
 And faced (him).

95. He said: "Worship ye
 That which ye have
 (Yourselves) carved?

96. "But God has created you
 And your handiwork!"

97. They said, "Build him
 A furnace, and throw him
 Into the blazing fire!"

98. (This failing), they then
 Sought a stratagem against him,

But We made them the ones
 Most humiliated!

99. He said: "I will go
 To my Lord! He
 Will surely guide me!

100. "O my Lord! grant me
 A righteous (son)!"

101. So We gave him
 The good news
 Of a boy ready
 To suffer and forbear.

102. Then, when (the son)
 Reached (the age of)
 (Serious) work with him,
 He said: "O my son
 I see in vision
 That I offer thee in sacrifice:
 Now see what is
 Thy view!" (The son) said:
 "O my father! Do
 As thou art commanded:

Thou will find me,
 If God so wills one
 Practising Patience and Constancy!"

103. So when they had both
 Submitted their wills (to God),
 And he had laid him
 Prostrate on his forehead
 (For sacrifice),

104. We called out to him,
 "O Abraham!

105. "Thou hast already fulfilled
 The vision!"--thus indeed
 Do We reward
 Those who do right.

106. For this was obviously
 A trial--

107. And We ransomed him
 With a momentous sacrifice:

108. And We left (this blessing)
 For him among generations
 (To come) in later times:

109. "Peace and salutation
 To Abraham!"

110. Thus indeed do We reward
 Those who do right

111. For he was one
 Of Our believing Servants.

112. And We gave him
 The good news
 Of Isaac--a prophet,--
 One of the Righteous.

113. We blessed him and Isaac:
 But of their progeny
 Are (some) that do right,
 And (some) that obviously
 Do wrong, to their own souls.

114. Again, (of old,)
 We bestowed Our favour

On Moses and Aaron,

115. And We delivered them
 And their people from
 (Their) Great Calamity;

116. And We helped them,
 So they overcame
 (their troubles);

117. And We gave them
 The Book which helps
 To make things clear;

118. And We guided them
 To the Straight Way.

119. And We left (this blessing)
 For them among generations
 (To come) in later times:

120. "Peace and salutation
 To Moses and Aaron!"

121. Thus indeed do We reward
 Those who do right.

122. For they were two
 Of Our believing Servants.

123. So also was Elias
 Among those sent (by Us).

124. Behold, he said
 To his people,
 "Will ye not fear (God)?

125. "Will ye call upon Baal
 And forsake the Best
 Of Creators,--

126. "God, your Lord and Cherisher
 And the Lord and Cherisher
 Of your fathers of old?"

127. But they rejected him,
 And they will certainly
 Be called up (for punishment),--

128. Except the sincere and devoted
 Servants of God (among them).

129. And We left (this blessing)
 For him among generations
 (To come) in later times:

130. "Peace and salutation
 To such as Elias!"

131. Thus indeed do We reward
 Those who do right.

132. For he was one
 Of Our believing Servants.

133. So also was Lot
 Among those sent (by Us).

134. Behold, We delivered him
 And his adherents, all

135. Except an old woman
 Who was among those
 Who lagged behind:

136. Then We destroyed
 The rest.

137. Verily, ye pass
 By their (sites),
 By day--

138. And by night:
 Will ye not understand?

139. So also was Jonah
 Among those sent (by Us).

140. When he ran away
 (Like a slave from captivity)
 To the ship (fully) laden,

141. He (agreed to) cast lots,
 And he was condemned:

142. Then the big Fish
 Did swallow him,
 And he had done
 Acts worthy of blame.

143. Had it not been
 That he (repented and)
 Glorified God,

144. He would certainly have
 Remained inside the Fish
 Till the Day of Resurrection.

145. But We cast him forth
 On the naked shore
 In a state of sickness,

146. And We caused to grow,
 Over him, a spreading plant
 Of the Gourd kind.

147. And We sent him
 (On a mission)
 To a hundred thousand
 (Men) or more.

148. And they believed;
 So We permitted them
 To enjoy (their life)
 For a while.

149. Now ask them their opinion:
 Is it that thy Lord
 Has (only) daughters, and they
 Have sons?--

150. Or that We created
 The angels female, and they
 Are witnesses (thereto)?

151. Is it not that they
 Say, from their own invention,

152. "God has begotten children"?
 But they are liars!

153. Did He (then) choose
 Daughters rather than sons?

154. What is the matter
 With you? How judge ye?

155. Will ye not then
 Receive admonition?

156. Or have ye
 An authority manifest?

157. Then bring ye your Book
 (Of authority) if ye be
 Truthful!

158. And they have invented
 A blood-relationship
 Between Him and the Jinns:
 But the Jinns know
 (Quite well) that they
 Have indeed to appear
 (Before His Judgment-seat)!

159. Glory to God! (He is free)
 From the things they ascribe
 (To Him)!

160. Not (so do) the Servants
 Of God, sincere and devoted.

161. For, verily, neither ye
 Nor those ye worship--

162. Can lead (any)
 Into temptation
 Concerning God,

163. Except such as are
 (Themselves) going to
 The blazing Fire!

164. (Those ranged in ranks say):
 "Not one of us but has
 A place appointed;

165. "And we are verily
 Ranged in ranks (for service);

166. "And we are verily those
 Who declare (God's) glory!"

167. And there were those
 Who said,

168. "If only we had had
 Before us a Message
 From those of old,

169. "We should certainly have
 Been Servants of God,
 Sincere (and devoted)!"

170. But (now that the Qur-an
 Has come), they reject it:
 But soon will they know!

171. Already has Our Word
 Been passed before (this)
 To Our Servants sent (by Us),

172. That they would certainly
 Be assisted,

173. And that Our forces,--
 They surely must conquer.

174. So turn thou away
 From them for a little while,

175. And watch them (how
 They fare), and they soon
 Shall see (how thou farest)!

176. Do they wish (indeed)
 To hurry on our Punishment?

177. But when it descends
 Into the open space
 Before them, evil will be
 The morning for those who
 Were warned (and heeded not)!

178. So turn thou away
 From them for a little while,

179. And watch (how they fare)
 And they soon shall see
 (How thou farest)!

180. Glory to thy Lord,
 The Lord of Honour
 And Power! (He is free)
 From what they ascribe
 (To Him)!

181. And Peace on the apostles!

182. And Praise to God,
 The Lord and Cherisher
 Of the Worlds.

Sura XXXVIII.  

Sad (being one of the Abbreviated Letters).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Sad:

By the Qur-an,
 Full of Admonition:
 (This is the Truth).

2. But the Unbelievers
 (Are steeped) in Self-glory
 And Separatism.

3. How many generations
 Before them did We destroy?
 In the end they cried
 (For mercy)--when
 There was no longer time
 For being saved!

4. So they wonder
 That a Warner has come

To them from among themselves!
 And the Unbelievers say,
 "This is a sorcerer
 Telling lies!

5. "Has he made the gods
 (All) into one God?
 Truly this is
 A wonderful thing!"

6. And the leaders among them
 Go away (impatiently), (saying),
 "Walk ye away, and remain
 Constant to your gods!
 For this is truly
 A thing designed (against you)!

7. "We never heard (the like)
 Of this among the people
 Of these latter days:
 This is nothing but
 A made-up tale!"

8. "What! Has the Message
 Been sent to him--

(Of all persons) among us?"...
 But they are in doubt
 Concerning My (own) Message!
 Nay, they have not yet
 Tasted My Punishment!

9. Or have they the Treasures
 Of the Mercy of thy Lord,--
 The Exalted in Power,
 The Grantor of Bounties
 Without measure?

10. Or have they the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth
 And all between? If so,
 Let them mount up
 With the ropes and means
 (To reach that end)!

11. But there--will be
 Put to flight even a host
 Of confederates.

12. Before them (were many
 Who) rejected apostles,--
 The People of Noah,
 And 'Ad, and Pharaoh
 The Lord of Stakes,

13. And Thamud, and the People
 Of Lut, and the Companions
 Of the Wood;--such were
 The Confederates.

14. Not one (of them) but
 Rejected the apostles,
 But My Punishment
 Came justly and inevitably
 (On them).

15. These (to-day) only wait
 For a single mighty Blast,
 Which (when it comes)
 Will brook no delay.

16. They say: "Our Lord!
 Hasten to us our sentence
 (Even) before the Day
 Of Account!"

17. Have patience at what they
 Say, and remember Our Servant
 David, the man of strength:
 For he ever turned (to God).

18. It was We that made
 The hills declare,
 In unison with him,
 Our Praises, at eventide
 And at break of day,

19. And the birds gathered
 (In assemblies): all with him
 Did turn (to God).

20. We strengthened his kingdom,
 And gave him wisdom
 And sound judgment
 In speech and decision.

21. Has the Story of
 The Disputants reached thee?
 Behold, they climbed over
 The wall of the private chamber;

22. When they entered
 The presence of David,
 And he was terrified
 Of them, they said:
 "Fear not: we are two
 Disputants, one of whom
 Has wronged the other:
 Decide now between us
 With truth, and treat us not
 With unjustice, but guide us
 To the even Path.

23. "This man is my brother:
 He has nine and ninety
 Ewes, and I have (but) one:
 Yet he says, "Commit her
 To my care," and is (moreover)
 Harsh to me in speech."

24. (David) said: "He has
 Undoubtedly wronged thee
 In demanding thy (single) ewe
 To be added to his (flock
 Of) ewes: truly many
 Are the Partners (in business)
 Who wrong each other:
 Not so do those who believe
 And work deeds of righteousness,
 And how few are they?"...
 And David gathered that we
 Had tried him: he asked
 Forgiveness of his Lord,
 Fell down, bowing
 (In prostration), and turned
 (To God in repentance).

25. So We forgave him
 This (lapse): he enjoyed,
 Indeed, a Near Approach to Us,
 And a beautiful Place
 Of (final) Return.

26, O David! We did indeed
 Make thee a vicegerent
 On earth: so judge thou
 Between men in truth (and justice):
 Nor follow thou the lusts
 (Of thy heart), for they will
 Mislead thee from the Path
 Of God: for those who
 Wander astray from the Path
 Of God, is a Penalty Grievous,
 For that they forget
 The Day of .

27. Not without purpose did We
 Create heaven and earth
 And all between! That
 Were the thought of Unbelievers!
 But woe to the Unbelievers
 Because of the Fire (of Hell)!

28. Shall We treat those
 Who believe and work deeds
 Of righteousness, the same
 As those who do mischief
 On earth? Shall We treat
 Those who guard against evil,
 The same as those who
 Turn aside from the right?

29. (Here is) a Book which
 We have sent down
 Unto thee, full of blessings,
 That they may meditate
 On its Signs, and that
 Men of understanding may
 Receive admonition.

30. To David We gave
 Solomon (for a son),--
 How excellent in Our service!
 Ever did he turn (to Us)!

31. Behold, there were brought
 Before him, at eventide,
 Coursers of the highest breeding,
 And swift of foot;

32. And he said, "Truly
 Do I love the love
 Of Good, with a view
 To the glory of my Lord,"--
 Until (the sun) was hidden
 In the veil (of Night):

33. "Bring them back to me."
 Then began he to pass
 His hand over (their) legs
 And their necks.

34. And We did try
 Solomon: We placed
 On his throne a body
 (Without life): but he did turn
 (To Us in true devotion):

35. He said, "O my Lord!
 Forgive me, and grant me

A Kingdom which,
 (It may be), suits not
 Another after me:
 For Thou art the Grantor
 Of Bounties (without measure).

36. Then We subjected the Wind
 To his power, to flow
 Gently to his order,
 Whithersoever he willed,--

37. As also the evil ones,
 (Including) every kind
 Of builder and diver,--

38. As also others bound
 Together in fetters.

39. "Such are Our Bounties:
 Whether thou bestow them
 (On others) or withhold them,
 No account will be asked."

40. And he enjoyed, indeed,
 A Near Approach to Us,
 And a beautiful Place
 Of (final) Return.

41. Commemorate Our Servant Job.

Behold he cried to his Lord:
 "The Evil One has afflicted
 Me with distress and suffering!"

42. (The command was given:)
 "Strike with thy foot:
 Here is (water) wherein
 To wash, coal and refreshing,
 And (water) to drink."

43. And We gave him (back)
 His people, and doubled
 Their number,--as a Grace
 From Ourselves, and a thing
 For commemoration, for all
 Who have Understanding.

44. "And take in thy hand
 A little grass, and strike
 Therewith: and break not
 (Thy oath)." Truly We found
 Him full of patience and constancy.
 How excellent in Our service!
 Ever did he turn (to Us)!

45. And commemorate Our Servants
 Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,
 Possessors of Power and Vision.

46. Verily We did choose them
 For a special (purpose)--
 Proclaiming the Message
 Of the Hereafter.

47. They were, in Our sight,
 Truly, of the company
 Of the Elect and the Good.

48. And commemorate Isma'il,
 Elisha, and Zul-Kifl:
 Each of them was
 Of the company of the Good.

49. This is a Message
 (Of admonition): and verily,
 For the Righteous,
 Is a beautiful place
 Of (final) Return,--

50. Gardens of Eternity,
 Whose doors will (ever)
 Be open to them;

51. Therein will they
 Recline (at ease);
 Therein can they
 Call (at pleasure)
 For fruit in abundance,
 And (delicious) drink;

52. And beside them will be
 Chaste women restraining
 Their glances, (companions)
 Of equal age.

53. Such is the Promise
 Made to you
 For the Day of Account!

54. Truly such will be
 Our Bounty (to you);
 It will never fail;--

55. ''Yea, such! But
 For the wrong-doers
 Will be an evil place
 Of (final) Return!--

56. Hell!--they will burn
 Therein,--an evil bed
 (Indeed, to lie on)!--

57. Yea, such!--Then
 Shall they taste it,
 A boiling fluid, and a fluid
 Dark, murky, intensely cold!--

58. And other Penalties
 Of a similar kind,
 To match them!

59. Here is a troop
 Rushing headlong with you!
 No welcome for them!
 Truly, they shall burn
 In the Fire!

60. (The followers shall cry
 To the misleaders:)
 "Nay, ye (too)! No welcome
 For you! It is ye who
 Have brought this upon us!
 Now evil is (this) place
 To stay in!"

61. They will say: "Our Lord!
 Whoever brought this upon us,--
 Add to him a double
 Penalty in the Fire!"

62. And they will say:
 "What has happened to us
 That we see not men
 Whom we used to number
 Among the bad ones?

63. "Did we treat them
 (As such) in ridicule,
 Or have (our) eyes
 Failed to perceive them?"

64. Truly that is just and fitting,--
 The mutual recriminations
 Of the People of the Fire!

65. Say: "Truly am I
 A Warner: no god
 Is there but the One
 God, Supreme and Irresistible,--

66. "The Lord of the heavens
 And the earth, and all
 Between,--Exalted in Might,
 Able to enforce His Will,
 Forgiving again and again."

67. Say: "That is a Message
 Supreme (above all),--

68. "From which ye
 Do turn away!

69. "No knowledge have I
 Of the Chiefs on high,
 When they discuss
 (Matters) among themselves.

70. "Only this has been revealed
 To me: that I am
 To give warning
 Plainly and publicly."

71. Behold, thy Lord said
 To the angels: "I am
 About to create man
 From clay:

72. "When I have fashioned him
 (In due proportion) and breathed
 Into him of My spirit,
 Fall ye down in obeisance
 Unto him."

73. So the angels prostrated themselves,
 All of them together:

74. Not so Iblis: he
 Was haughty, and became
 One of those who reject Faith.

75. (God) said: "O Iblis!
 What prevents thee from
 Prostrating thyself to one
 Whom I have created
 With My hands?
 Art thou haughty?

Or art thou one
 Of the high (and mighty) ones?"

76. (Iblis) said: "I am better
 Than he: Thou createdst
 Me from fire, and him
 Thou createdst from clay."

77. (God) said: "Then get thee
 Out from here: for thou
 Art rejected, accursed.

78. "And My Curse shall be
 On thee till the Day
 Of Judgment."

79. (Iblis) said: "O my Lord!
 Give me then respite
 Till the Day
 The (dead) are raised."

80. (God) said: "Respite then
 Is granted thee--

81. "Till the Day
 Of the Time Appointed."

82. (Iblis) said: "Then,
 By Thy Power, I will
 Put them all in the wrong,--

83. "Except Thy Servants
 Amongst them, sincere
 And purified (by Thy grace)."

84. (God) said: "Then
 It is just and fitting--
 And I say what is
 Just and fitting--

85. "That I will certainly fill
 Hell with thee
 And those that follow thee,--
 Every one."

86. Say: "No reward do I ask
 Of you for this (Qur-an),
 Nor am I a pretender.

87. "This is no less than
 A Message to (all)
 The Worlds.

88. "And ye shall certainly
 Know the truth of it (all)
 After a while."

Sura XXXIX. 

Zumar, or the Crowds.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. The revelation
 Of this Book
 Is from God,
 The Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

2. Verily it is We Who have
 Revealed the Book to thee
 In Truth: so serve God,
 Offering Him sincere devotion.

3. Is it not to God
 That sincere devotion
 Is due? But those who
 Take for protectors others
 Than God (say): "We only
 Serve them in order that
 They may bring us nearer
 To God." Truly God
 Will judge between them
 In that wherein they differ.
 But God guides not
 Such as are false
 And ungrateful.

4. Had God wished
 To take to Himself
 A son, He could have
 Chosen whom He pleased
 Out of those whom He
 Doth create: but Glory
 Be to Him! (He is above
 Such things.) He is God,
 The One, the Irresistible.

5. He created the heavens
 And the earth
 In true (proportions):
 He makes the Night
 Overlap the Day, and the Day
 Overlap the Night:
 He has subjected
 The sun and the moon
 (To His law):
 Each one follows a course
 For a time appointed.
 Is not He the Exalted
 In Power--He Who forgives
 Again and again?

6. He created you (all)
 From a single Person:
 Then created, of like nature,
 His mate; and He
 Sent down for you eight head
 Of cattle in pairs:
 He makes you,
 In the wombs

Of your mothers,
 In stages, one after another,
 In three veils of darkness.
 Such is God, your Lord
 And Cherisher: to Him belongs
 (All) dominion. There is
 No god but He: then
 How are ye turned away
 (From your true Centre)?

7. If ye reject (God),
 Truly God hath no need
 Of you; but He liketh not
 Ingratitude from His servants:
 If ye are grateful, He
 Is pleased with you.
 No bearer of burdens
 Can bear the burden
 Of another. In the End,
 To your Lord is your Return,
 When He will tell you
 The truth of all
 That ye did (in this life).
 For He knoweth well
 All that is in (men's) hearts.

8. When some trouble toucheth man,
 He crieth unto his Lord,

Turning to Him in repentance:
 But when He bestoweth
 A favour upon him
 As from Himself, (man)
 Doth forget what he cried
 And prayed for before,
 And he doth set up
 Rivals unto God,
 Thus misleading others
 From God's Path.
 Say, "Enjoy thy blasphemy
 For a little while:
 Verily thou art (one)
 Of the Companions of the Fire!"

9. Is one who worships devoutly
 During the hours of the night
 Prostrating himself or standing
 (In adoration), who takes heed
 Of the Hereafter, and who
 Places his hope in the Mercy
 Of his Lord--(like one
 Who does not)? Say:
 "Are those equal, those who know
 And those who do not know?
 It is those who are
 Endued with understanding
 That receive admonition.

10. Say: "O ye
 My servants who believe!
 Fear your Lord.
 Good is (the reward)
 For those who do good
 In this world.

Spacious is God's earth!
 Those who patiently persevere
 Will truly receive
 A reward without measure!"

11. Say: "Verily, I am commanded
 To serve God
 With sincere devotion;

12. "And I am commanded
 To be the first
 Of those who bow
 To God in Islam."

13. Say: "I would, if I
 Disobeyed my Lord,
 Indeed have fear
 Of the Penalty
 Of a Mighty Day."

14. Say: "It is God I serve,
 With my sincere
 (And exclusive) devotion:

15. "Serve ye what ye will
 Besides Him." Say:
 "Truly, those in loss
 Are those who lose
 Their own souls
 And their People
 On the Day of Judgment:
 Ah! that is indeed
 The (real and) evident Loss!

16. They shall have Layers
 Of Fire above them,
 And Layers (of Fire)
 Below them: with this
 Doth God warn off
 His Servants: "O My Servants!
 Then fear ye Me!"

17. Those who eschew Evil,
 And fall not into
 Its worship,--and turn
 To God (in repentance),--
 For them is Good News:
 So announce the Good News
 To My Servants,--

18. Those who listen
 To the Word,
 And follow
 The best (meaning) in it:
 Those are the ones
 Whom God has guided, and those
 Are the ones endued
 With understanding.

19. Is, then, one against whom
 The decree of Punishment
=
Is justly due (equal
 To one who eschews evil)?
 Wouldst thou, then, deliver
 One (who is) in the Fire?

20. But it is for those
 Who fear their Lord,
 That lofty mansions,
 One above another,
 Have been built:
 Beneath them flow
 Rivers (of delight): (such is)
 The Promise of God:
 Never doth God fail in
 (His) promise.

21. Seest thou not that God
 Sends down rain from
 The sky, and leads it
 Through springs in the earth.?
 Then He causes to grow,
 Therewith, produce of various
 Colours: then it withers;
 Thou wilt see it grow yellow;
 Then He makes it 
 Dry up and crumble away.
 Truly, in this, is
 A Message of remembrance to
 Men of understanding.

22. Is one whose heart
 God has opened to Islam,
 So that he has received
 Enlightenment from God,
 (No better than one hard-hearted)?
 Woe to those whose hearts
 Are hardened against celebrating
 The praises of God! They
 Are manifestly wandering
 (In error)!

23. God has revealed
 (From time to time)
 The most beautiful Message
 In the form of a Book,
 Consistent with itself,
 (Yet) repeating (its teaching

In various aspects):
 The skins of those who
 Fear their Lord tremble
 Thereat; then their skins
 And their hearts do soften
 To the celebration of
 God's praises. Such is
 The guidance of God:
 He guides therewith
 Whom He pleases, but such
 As God leaves to stray,
 Can have none to guide.

24. Is, then, one who
 Has to fear the brunt
 Of the Penalty on the Day
 Of Judgment (and receive it)
 On his face, (like one
 Guarded therefrom)? It will

Be said to the wrong-doers:
 "Taste ye (the fruits
 Of) what ye earned!

25. Those before them (also)
 Rejected (revelation), and so
 The Punishment came to them
 From directions they did not
 Perceive.

26. So God gave them
 A taste of humiliation
 In the present life,
 But greater is the Punishment
 Of the Hereafter,
 If they only knew!

27. We have put forth
 For men, in this Qur-an
 Every kind of Parable,
 In order that they
 May receive admonition.

28. (It is) a Qur-an
 In Arabic, without any

Crookedness (therein):
 In order that they
 May guard against Evil.

29. God puts forth a Parable--
 A man belonging to many
 Partners at variance with each other,
 And a man belonging entirely
 To one master: are those two
 Equal in comparison?
 Praise be to God!
 But most of them
 Have no knowledge.

30. Truly thou wilt die
 (One day), and truly they
 (Too) will die (one day).

31. In the End will ye
 (All), on the Day
 Of Judgment, settle your disputes
 In the presence of your Lord.

32. Who, then, doth more wrong
 Than one who utters
 A lie concerning God,
 And rejects the Truth
 When it comes to him
 Is there not in Hell
 An abode for blasphemers?

33. And he who brings the Truth
 And he who confirms
 (And supports) it--such are
 The men who do right.

34. They shall have all
 That they wish for,
 In the presence of their Lord:
 Such is the reward
 Of those who do good:

35. So that God will
 Turn off from them
 (Even) the worst in their deeds
 And give them their reward
 According to the best
 Of what they have done.

36. Is not God enough
 For His servant? But
 They try to frighten thee
 With other (gods) besides Him!
 For such as God leaves
 To stray, there can be
 No guide.

37. And such as God doth
 Guide there can be
 None to lead astray.
 Is not God Exalted
 In Power, (Able to enforce
 His Will), Lord of Retribution?

38. If indeed thou ask them
 Who it is that created
 The heavens and the earth,
 They would be sure to say.
 "God ". Say: "See ye then?
 The things that ye invoke
 Besides God,--can they,
 If God wills some Penalty
 For me, remove His Penalty?--
 Or if He wills some Grace
 For me, can they keep back

His Grace?" Say: "Sufficient
 Is God for me!
 In Him trust those
 Who put their trust."

39. Say: "O my people!
 Do whatever ye can:
 I will do (my part):
 But soon will ye know--

40. "Who it is to whom
 Comes a Penalty
 Of ignominy, and on whom
 Descends a Penalty that abides."

41. Verily We have revealed
 The Book to thee
 In Truth, for (instructing)
 mankind.
 He, then, that receives guidance
 Benefits his own soul:
 But he that strays
 Injures his own soul.
 Nor art thou set
 Over them to dispose
 Of their affairs.

42. It is God that takes
 The souls (of men) at death;

And those that die not
 (He takes) during their sleep:
 Those on whom He
 Has passed the decree
 Of death, He keeps back
 (From returning to life),
 But the rest He sends
 (To their bodies)
 For a term appointed.
 Verily in this are Signs
 For those who reflect.

43. What! Do they take
 For intercessors others
 Besides God? Say: "Even if
 They have no power whatever
 And no intelligence?"

44. Say: "To God belongs
 Exclusively (the right

To grant) Intercession:
 To Him belongs the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth:
 In the End, it is to Him
 That ye shall be
 Brought back."

45. When God, the One and Only,
 Is mentioned, the hearts
 Of those who believe not
 In the Hereafter are filled
 With disgust and horror;
 But when (gods) other than He
 Are mentioned, behold,
 They are filled with joy!

46. Say: "O God!
 Creator of the heavens
 And the earth!
 Knower of all that is
 Hidden and open!
 It is Thou that wilt
 Judge between Thy Servants
 In those matters about which
 They have differed."

47. Even if the wrong-doers
 Had all that there is
 On earth, and as much more,
 (In vain) would they offer it

For ransom from the pain
 Of the Penalty on the Day
 Of Judgment: but something
 Will confront them from God,
 Which they could never
 Have counted upon!

48. For the evils of their Deeds
 Will confront them,
 And they will be (completely)
 Encircled by that which
 They used to mock at!

49. Now, when trouble touches man,
 He cries to Us:
 But when We bestow
 A favour upon him
 As from Ourselves,
 He says, "This has been
 Given to me because of
 A certain knowledge (I have)!"
 Nay, but this is
 But a trial, but most
 Of them understand not!

50. Thus did the (generations)
 Before them say! But
 All that they did
 Was of no profit to them.

51. Nay, the evil results
 Of their deeds overtook them.
 And the wrong-doers
 Of this (generation)
 The evil results of their deeds
 Will soon overtake them (too),

And they will never be
 Able to frustrate (Our Plan)!

52. Know they not that
 God enlarges the provision
 Or restricts it, for any
 He pleases? Verily, in this are
 Signs for those who believe!

53. Say: "O my Servants who
 Have transgressed against their souls
 Despair not of the Mercy
 Of God: for God forgives
 All sins: for He is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

54. "Turn ye to your Lord
 (In repentance) and bow
 To His (Will), before
 The Penalty comes on you:
 After that ye shall not
 Be helped.

55. "And follow the Best
 Of (the courses) revealed
 To you from your Lord,
 Before the Penalty comes
 On you--of a sudden,
 While ye perceive not!--

56. "Lest the soul should (then)
 Say: "Ah! woe is me!--
 In that I neglected
 (My Duty) towards God,
 And was but among those
 Who mocked!"--

57. "Or (lest) it should say:
 "If only God had guided
 Me, I should certainly
 Have been among the righteous!"--

58. "Or (lest) it should say
 When it (actually) sees
 The Penalty, "If only
 I had another chance,
 I should certainly be
 Among those who do good!"

59. "(The reply will be:) "Nay,
 But there came to thee

My Signs, and thou didst
 Reject them: thou vast
 Haughty, and became one
 Of those who reject Faith!

60. (On the Day of Judgment
 Wilt thou see those
 Who told lies against God;--
 Their faces will be turned
 Black; is there not
 In Hell an abode
 For the Haughty?

61. But God will deliver
 The righteous to their place
 Of salvation: no evil
 Shall touch them,
 Nor shall they grieve.

62. God is the Creator
 Of all things, and He
 Is the Guardian and Disposer
 Of all affairs.

63. To Him belong the keys
 Of the heavens
 And the earth:
 And those who reject
 The Signs of God,--
 It is they who will
 Be in loss.

64. Say: "Is it
 Some one other than God
 That ye order me
 To worship, O ye
 Ignorant ones?"

65. But it has already
 Been revealed to thee,--
 As it was to those
 Before thee,--"If thou
 Wert to join (gods
 With God), truly fruitless
 Will be thy work (in life),
 And thou wilt surely
 Be in the ranks of those
 Who lose (all spiritual good)".

66. Nay, but worship God,
 And be of those who
 Give thanks.

67. No just estimate
 Have they made of God,
 Such as is due to Him:
 On the Day of Judgment
 The whole of the earth
 Will be but His handful,
 And the heavens will be

Rolled up in His right hand:
 Glory to Him!
 High is He above
 The Partners they attribute
 To Him!

68. The Trumpet will (just)
 Be sounded, when all
 That are in the heavens
 And on earth will swoon,
 Except such as it will
 Please God (to exempt).
 Then will a second one
 Be sounded, when, behold,
 They will be standing
 And looking on!

69. And the Earth will shine
 With the glory of its Lord:
 The Record (of Deeds)
 Will be placed (open);
 The prophets and the witnesses
 Will be brought forward;
 And a just decision
 Pronounced between them;
 And they will not
 Be wronged (in the least).

70. And to every soul will be
 Paid in full (the fruit)

Of its deeds; and (God)
 Knoweth best all that
 They do.

71. The Unbelievers will be
 Led to Hell in crowd:
 Until, when they arrive there,
 Its gates will be opened.
 And its Keepers will say,
 "Did not apostles come
 To you from among yourselves,
 Rehearsing to you the Signs
 Of your Lord, and warning you
 Of the Meeting of this Day
 Of yours?" The answer
 Will be: "True: but
 The Decree of Punishment
 Has been proved true
 Against the Unbelievers!"

72. (To them) will be said:
 "Enter ye the gates of Hell,
 To dwell therein:
 And evil is (this)
 Abode of the arrogant!"

73. And those who feared
 Their Lord will be led
 To the Garden in crowds:
 Until behold, they arrive there;

Its gates will be opened;
 And its Keepers will say:
 "Peace be upon you!
 Well have ye done!"
 Enter ye here,
 To dwell therein."

74. They will say: "Praise be
 To God, Who has
 Truly fulfilled His promise
 To us, and has given us
 (This) land in heritage:
 We can dwell in the Garden
 As we will: how excellent
 A reward for those
 Who work (righteousness)!"

75. And thou wilt see
 The angels surrounding
 The Throne (Divine)
 On all sides, singing Glory
 And Praise to their Lord.
 The Decision between them
 (At Judgment) will be
 In (perfect) justice,
 And the cry (on all sides)
 Will be, "Praise be to God,
 The Lord of the Worlds!"

Sura XL.  

Mu-min, or The Believer.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. The revelation
 Of this Book
 Is from God,
 Exalted in Power,
 Full of Knowledge,--

3. Who forgiveth Sin,
 Accepteth Repentance,
 Is Strict in Punishment,
 And hath a Long Reach
 (In all things).
 There is no god
 But He: to Him
 Is the Final Goal.

4. None can dispute
 About the Signs of God
 But the Unbelievers.
 Let not, then,
 Their strutting about
 Through the land
 Deceive thee!

5. But (there were people) before them,
 Who denied (the Signs),--
 The People of Noah,
 And the Confederates
 (Of Evil) after them;
 And every People plotted
 Against their prophet,
 To seize him, and disputed
 By means of vanities,
 Therewith to condemn
 The Truth: but it was I
 That seized them!
 And how (terrible)
 Was My Requital!

6. Thus was the Decree
 Of thy Lord proved true
 Against the Unbelievers
 That truly they are
 Companions of the Fire!

7. Those who sustain
 The Throne (of God)
 And those around it
 Sing Glory and Praise
 To their Lord; believe
 In Him; and implore Forgiveness
 For those who believe:
 "Our Lord! Thy Reach

Is over all things,
 In Mercy and Knowledge.
 Forgive, then, those who
 Turn in Repentance, and follow
 Thy Path; and preserve them
 From the Penalty
 Of the Blazing Fire!

8. "And grant, our Lord!
 That they enter
 The Gardens of Eternity,
 Which Thou hast promised
 To them, and to the righteous
 Among their fathers,
 Their wives, and their posterity!
 For Thou art (He),
 The Exalted in Might,
 Full of Wisdom.

9. "And preserve them
 From (all) ills;
 And any whom Thou
 Dost preserve from ills
 That Day,--on them
 Wilt Thou have bestowed
 Mercy indeed: and that
 Will be truly (for them)
 The highest Achievement".

10. The Unbelievers will be
 Addressed: "Greater was
 The aversion of God to you
 Than (is), your aversion

To yourselves, seeing that ye
 Were called to the Faith
 And ye used to refuse."

11. They will say: "Our Lord!
 Twice hast Thou made us
 Without life, and twice
 Hast Thou given us Life!
 Now have we recognised
 Our sins: is there
 Any way out (of this)?"

12. (The answer will be:)
 "This is because, when
 God was invoked as
 The Only (object of worship),
 Ye did reject Faith,
 But when partners were
 Joined to Him, ye believed!
 The Command is with God,
 Most High, Most Great!"

13. He it is Who showeth
 You His Signs, and sendeth
 Down Sustenance for you
 From the sky: but only
 Those receive admonition
 Who turn (to God).

14. Call ye, then, upon God
 With sincere devotion to Him,

Even though the Unbelievers
 May detest it.

15. Raised high above ranks
 (Or degrees),
 (He is) the Lord
 Of the Throne (of authority):
 By His Command doth He
 Send the spirit (of inspiration)
 To any of His servants
 He pleases, that it may
 Warn (men) of the Day
 Of Mutual Meeting,--

16. The Day whereon
 They will (all) come forth:
 Not a single thing
 Concerning them is hidden
 From God. Whose will be
 The Dominion that Day?
 That of God, the One,
 The Irresistible!

17. That Day will every soul
 Be requited for what
 It earned; no injustice
 Will there be that Day,
 For God is Swift
 In taking account.

18. Warn them of the Day
 That is (ever) drawing near,
 When the Hearts will
 (Come) right up to the Throats
 To choke (them);
 No intimate friend
 Nor intercessor will the
 wrong-doers
 Have, who could be
 Listened to.

19. (God) knows of (the tricks)
 That deceive with the eyes,
 And all that the hearts
 (Of men) conceal.

20. And God will judge
 With (Justice and) Truth:
 But those whom (men)
 Invoke besides Him, will
 Not (be in a position)
 To judge at all.
 Verily it is God (alone)
 Who hears and sees
 (All things).

21. Do they not travel
 Through the earth and see
 What was the End
 Of those before them
 They were even superior
 To them in strength,
 And in the traces (they
 Have left) in the land:
 But God did call them
 To account for their sins,
 And none had they
 To defend them against God.

22. That was because there came
 To them their apostles
 With Clear (Signs),
 But they rejected them:
 So God called them
 To account: for He is
 Full of Strength,
 Strict in Punishment.

23. Of old We sent Moses,
 With Our Signs
 And an Authority manifest,

24. To Pharaoh, Haman,
 And Qarun; but they
 Called (him) "a sorcerer
 Telling lies!"...

25. Now, when he came to them
 In Truth, from Us,
 They said, "Slay the sons
 Of those who believe a
 With him, and keep alive
 Their females," but the plots
 Of Unbelievers (end) in nothing
 But errors (and delusions)!...

26. Said Pharaoh: "Leave me
 To slay Moses; and let him
 Call on his Lord!
 What I fear is lest
 He should change your religion,
 Or lest he should cause
 Mischief to appear
 In the land!"

27. Moses said: "I have indeed
 Called upon my Lord
 And your Lord
 (For protection) from every
 Arrogant one who believes not
 In the Day of Account!"

28. A Believer, a man
 From among the people
 Of Pharaoh, who had concealed
 His faith, said: "Will ye
 Slay a man because he
 Says, "My Lord is God"?--
 When he has indeed come
 To you with Clear (Signs)
 From your Lord? And if
 He be a liar, on him
 Is (the sin of) his lie;
 But, if he is telling
 The Truth, then will
 Fall on you something
 Of the (calamity) of which
 He warns you: truly
 God guides not one
 Who transgresses and lies!

29. "O my People! yours
 Is the dominion this day:

Ye have the upper hand
 In the land: but who
 Will help us from
 The Punishment of God,
 Should it befall us?"
 Pharaoh said: "I but
 Point out to you that
 Which I see (myself);
 Nor do I guide you
 But to the Path of Right!"

30. Then said the man
 Who believed: "O my People!
 Truly I do fear 
 For you something like
 The Day (of disaster)
 Of the Confederates (in sin)!--

31. "Something like the fate
 Of the People of Noah,
 The 'Ad, and the Thamud,
 And those who came
 After them: but God
 Never wishes injustice
 To His Servants.

32. "And O my People!
 I fear for you a Day
 When there will be
 Mutual calling (and wailing),--

33. "A Day when ye
 Shall turn your backs
 And flee: no defender
 Shall ye have from God:
 Any whom God leaves
 To stray, there is none
 To guide...

34. "And to you there came
 Joseph in times gone by,
 With Clear Signs, but
 Ye ceased not to doubt
 Of the (mission) for which
 He had come: at length,
 When he died, ye said:
 "No apostle will God send
 After him." Thus doth God
 Leave to stray such as
 Transgress and live in doubt,--

35. "(Such) as dispute about
 The Signs of God,
 Without any authority
 That hath reached them.
 Grievous and odious
 (Is such conduct)
 In the sight of God
 And of the Believers.
 Thus doth God seal up
 Every heart--of arrogant
 And obstinate transgressors."

36. Pharaoh said: "O Haman!
 Build me a lofty palace,
 That I may attain
 The ways and means--

37. "The ways and means
 Of (reaching) the heavens,
 And that I may mount up
 To the God of Moses:
 But as far as I am concerned,
 I think (Moses) is a liar!"
 Thus was made alluring,
 In Pharaoh's eyes,
 The evil of his deeds,
 And he was hindered
 From the Path; and the plot
 Of Pharaoh led to nothing
 But perdition (for him).

38. The man who believed said
 Further: "O my People!
 Follow me: I will lead
 You to the Path of Right.

39. "O my People! This life
 Of the present is nothing
 But (temporary) convenience:
 It is the Hereafter

That is the Home
 That will last.

40. "He that works evil
 Will not be requited
 But by the like thereof:
 And he that works
 A righteous deed--whether
 Man or woman--and is
 A Believer--such will enter
 The Garden (of Bliss): therein
 Will they have abundance
 Without measure.

41. "And O my People!
 How (strange) it is
 For me to call you
 To Salvation while ye
 Call me to the Fire!

42. "Ye do call upon me
 To blaspheme against God,
 And to join with Him
 Partners of whom I have
 No knowledge; and I
 Call you to the Exalted
 In Power, Who forgives
 Again and again!"

43. "Without doubt ye do call
 Me to one who is not
 Fit to be called to,
 Whether in this world,

Or in the Hereafter;
 Our Return will be
 To God; and the Transgressors
 Will be Companions
 Of the Fire!

44. "Soon will ye remember
 What I say to you (now).
 My (own) affair I commit
 To God: for God (ever)
 Watches over His Servants."

45. Then God saved him
 From (every) ill that they
 Plotted (against him),
 But the brunt of the Penalty
 Encompassed on all sides
 The People of Pharaoh.

46. In front of the Fire
 Will they be brought,
 Morning and evening:
 And (the Sentence will be)
 On the Day that
 Judgment will be established:
 "Cast ye the People
 Of Pharaoh into
 The severest Penalty!"

47. Behold, they will dispute
 With each other in the Fire!
 The weak ones (who followed)
 Will say to those who
 Had been arrogant, "We but
 Followed you: can ye then

Take (on yourselves) from us
 Some share of the Fire?"

48. Those who had been arrogant
 Will say: "We are all
 In this (Fire)! Truly,
 God has judged
 Between (His) Servants!"

49. Those in the Fire will say
 To the Keepers of Hell:
 "Pray to your Lord
 To lighten us the Penalty
 For a Day (at least)!"

50. They will say: "Did there
 Not come to you
 Your apostles with Clear Signs?"
 They will say, "Yes".
 They will reply, "Then
 Pray (as ye like)! But
 The Prayer of those
 Without Faith is nothing
 But (futile wandering)
 In (mazes of) error!"

51. We will, without doubt,
 Help Our apostles and those
 Who believe, (both)
 In this world's life
 And on the Day
 When the Witnesses
 Will stand forth,--

52. The Day when no profit
 Will it be to Wrong-doers
 To present their excuses,
 But they will (only) have
 The Curse and the Home
 Of Misery.

53. We did aforetime give Moses
 The (Book of) Guidance,
 And We gave the Book
 In inheritance to the Children
 Of Israel,--

54. A Guide and a Message
 To men of understanding.

55. Patiently, then, persevere:
 For the Promise of God
 Is true: and ask forgiveness
 For thy fault, and celebrate

The Praises of thy Lord
 In the evening
 And in the morning.

56. Those who dispute
 About the Signs of God
 Without any authority
 Bestowed on them,--there is
 Nothing in their breasts
 But (the quest of) greatness,
 Which they shall never
 Attain to: seek refuge,
 Then, in God: it is He
 Who hears and sees (all things).

57. Assuredly the creation
 Of the heavens
 And the earth
 Is a greater (matter)
 Than the creation of men:
 Yet most men understand not.

58. Not equal are the blind
 And those who (clearly) see:
 Nor are (equal) those
 Who believe and work
 Deeds of righteousness, and
 Those who do evil.
 Little do ye learn
 By admonition!

59. The Hour will certainly come:
 Therein is no doubt:
 Yet most men believe not.

60. And your Lord says:
 "Call on Me; I
 Will answer your (Prayer):
 But those who are
 Too arrogant to serve Me
 Will surely find themselves
 In Hell--in humiliation!"

61. It is God Who has
 Made the Night for you,
 That ye may rest therein,
 And the Day, as that
 Which helps (you) to see.
 Verily God is Full of
 Grace and Bounty to men:
 Yet most men give
 No thanks.

62. Such is God, your Lord,
 The Creator of all things.
 There is no god but He:
 Then how ye are delude
 Away from the Truth!

63. Thus are deluded those
 Who are wont to reject
 The Signs of God.

64. It is God Who has
 Made for you the earth

As a resting place,
 And the sky as a canopy,
 And has given you shape--
 And made your shapes
 Beautiful,--and has provided
 For you Sustenance,
 Of things pure and good;--
 Such is God your Lord.
 So Glory to God,
 The Lord of the Worlds!

65. He is the Living (One):
 There is no god but He:
 Call upon Him, giving Him
 Sincere devotion. Praise he
 To God, Lord of the Worlds!

66. Say: "I have been forbidden
 To invoke those whom ye
 Invoke besides God,--seeing that
 The Clear Signs have come
 To me from my Lord;
 And I have been commanded
 To bow (in Islam)
 To the Lord of the Worlds."

67. It is He Who has
 Created you from dust,

Then from a sperm-drop,
 Then from a leech-like clot;
 Then does He get you
 Out (into the light)
 As a child: then lets you
 (Grow and) reach your age
 Of full strength; then
 Lets you become old,--
 Though of you there are
 Some who die before;--
 And lets you reach
 A Term appointed;
 In order that ye
 May learn wisdom.

68. It is He Who gives Life
 And Death; and when He
 Decides upon an affair,
 He says to it, "Be",
 And it is.

69. Seest thou not those
 That dispute concerning
 The Signs of God?
 How are they turned away
 (From Reality)?--

70. Those who reject the Book
 And the (revelations) with which
 We sent Our apostles:
 But soon shall they know,--

71. When the yokes (shall be)
 Round their necks,
 And the chains;
 They shall be dragged along--

72. In the boiling fetid fluid
 Then in the Fire
 Shall they be burned;

73. Then shall it be said
 To them: "Where are
 The (deities) to which
 Ye gave part-worship--

74. "In derogation of God?"
 They will reply: "They have
 Left us in the lurch:
 Nay, we invoked not,
 Of old, anything (that had
 Real existence)." Thus
 Does God leave
 The Unbelievers to stray.

75. "That was because
 Ye were wont to rejoice
 On the earth in things
 Other than the Truth,
 And that ye were wont
 To be insolent.

76. "Enter ye the gates
 Of Hell, to dwell therein:
 And evil is (this) abode
 Of the arrogant!"

77. So persevere in patience;
 For the Promise of God
 Is true: and whether
 We show thee (in this life)
 Some part of what We
 Promise them,--or We
 Take thy soul (to Our Mercy)
 (Before that),--(in any case)
 It is to Us that
 They shall (all) return.

78. We did aforetime send
 Apostles before thee: of them
 There are some whose story
 We have related to thee,
 And some whose story
 We have not related
 To thee. It was not
 (Possible) for any apostle
 To bring a Sign except
 By the leave of God:
 But when the Command
 Of God issued,
 The matter was decided
 In truth and justice,
 And there perished,
 There and then, those
 Who stood on Falsehoods.

79. It is God who made
 Cattle for you, that ye

May use some for riding
 And some for food;

80. And there are (other) advantages
 In them for you (besides);
 That ye may through them
 Attain to any need
 (There may be) in your hearts;
 And on them and on ships
 Ye are carried.

81. And He shows you (always)
 His Signs: then which
 Of the Signs of God
 Will ye deny?

82. Do they not travel through
 The earth and see what
 Was the End of those
 Before them? They were
 More numerous than these
 And superior in strength
 And in the traces
 (They have left) in the land:
 Yet all that they accomplished
 Was of no profit to them.

83. For when their apostles
 Came to them
 With Clear Signs, they exulted
 In such knowledge (and skill)

As they had; but
 That very (Wrath) at which
 They were wont to scoff
 Hemmed them in.

84. But when they saw
 Our Punishment, they said:
 "We believe in God,--
 The One God--and we
 Reject the partners we used
 To join with Him."

85. But their professing the Faith
 When they (actually) saw
 Our Punishment was not going
 To profit them.
 (Such has been) God's way
 Of dealing with His servants
 (From the most ancient times).
 And even thus did
 The rejecters of God
 Perish (utterly)!

Sura XLI.  

Ha-mim (Abbreviated Letters), or Ha-Mim Sajda, or Fussilat

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim:

2. A revelation from (God).
 Most Gracious, Most Merciful--

3. A Book, whereof the verses
 Are explained in detail;--
 A Qur-an in Arabic,
 For people who understand;--

4. Giving Good News
 And Admonition: yet most
 Of them turn away
 And so they hear not.

5. They say: "Our hearts are
 Under veils, (concealed)
 From that to which thou
 Dost invite us, and
 In our ears is a deafness,
 And between us and thee
 Is a screen: so do
 Thou (what thou wilt);

For us, we shall do
 (What we will!)"

6. Say thou: "I am
 But a man like you:
 It is revealed to me
 By inspiration, that your God
 Is One God: so stand
 True to Him, and ask
 For His forgiveness."
 And woe to those who
 Join gods with God,--

7. Those who practise not
 Regular Charity, and who
 Even deny the Hereafter.

8. For those who believe
 And work deeds of righteousness
 Is a reward that will
 Never fail.

9. Say: Is it that ye
 Deny Him Who created
 The earth in two Days?
 And do ye join equals
 With Him? He is
 The Lord of (all)
 The Worlds.

10. He set on the (earth),
 Mountains standing firm,
 High above it,
 And bestowed blessings on
 The earth, and measured therein
 All things to give them
 Nourishment in due proportion,
 In four Days, in accordance
 With (the needs of)
 Those who seek (sustenance).

11. Moreover He comprehended
 In His design the sky,
 And it had been (as) smoke:
 He said to it
 And to the earth:
 "Come ye together,
 Willingly or unwillingly."
 They said: "We do come
 (Together), in willing obedience."

12. So he completed them
 As seven firmaments

In two Days, and He
 Assigned to each heaven
 Its duty and command.
 And We adorned
 The lower heaven
 With lights, and (provided it)
 With guard. Such
 Is the Decree of (Him)
 The Exalted in Might,
 Full of knowledge.

13. But if they turn away,
 Say thou: "I have warned
 You of a stunning Punishment
 (As of thunder and lightning)
 Like that which (overtook)
 The 'Ad and the Thamud!"

14. Behold, the apostles came
 To them, from before them
 And behind them, (preaching):
 "Serve none but God."
 They said, "If our Lord
 Had so pleased, He would

Certainly have sent down angels
 (To preach): now we reject
 Your mission (altogether)."

15. Now the 'Ad behaved
 Arrogantly through the land,
 Against (all) truth and reason,
 And said: "Who is superior
 To us in strength?" What!
 Did they not see that
 God, Who created them,
 Was superior to them
 In strength? But they
 Continued to reject Our Signs!

16. So We sent against them
 A furious Wind through days
 Of disaster, that We might
 Give them a taste
 Of a Penalty of humiliation
 In this Life; but the Penalty
 Of a Hereafter will be
 More humiliating still:
 And they will find
 No help.

17. As to the Thamud,
 We gave them guidance,
 But they preferred blindness
 (Of heart) to Guidance:
 So the stunning Punishment
 Of humiliation seized them,
 Because of what they had earned.

18. But We delivered those
 Who believed and practised righteousness.

19. On the Day that
 The enemies of God
 Will be gathered together
 To the Fire, they will
 Be marched in ranks.

20. At length, when they reach
 The (Fire), their hearing,
 Their sight, and their skins
 Will bear witness against them,
 As to (all) their deeds.

21. They will say to their skins:
 "Why bear ye witness
 Against us?" They will say:
 "God hath given us speech,--
 (He) Who giveth speech
 To everything: He created
 You for the first time,
 And unto Him were ye
 To return.

22. "Ye did not seek
 To hide yourselves, lest

Your hearing, your sight,
 And your skins should bear
 Witness against you! But
 Ye did think that God
 Knew not many of  things
 That ye used to do!

23. "But this thought of yours
 Which ye did entertain
 Concerning your Lord, hath
 Brought you to destruction,
 And (now) have ye become
 Of those utterly lost!"

24. If, then, they have patience,
 The Fire will be
 A Home for them!
 And if they beg
 To be received into favour,
 Into favour will they not
 (Then) be received.

25. And We have destined
 For them intimate companions
 (Of like nature), who made
 Alluring to them what was
 Before them and behind them;
 And the sentence among
 The previous generations of Jinns
 And men; who have passed away,

Is proved against them;
 For they are utterly lost.

26. The Unbelievers say
 "Listen not to this Qur-an,
 But talk at random
 In the midst
 Of its (reading), that ye
 May gain the upper hand!"

27. But We will certainly
 Give the Unbelievers a taste
 Of a severe Penalty,
 And We will requite them
 For the worst of their deeds.

28. Such is the requital
 Of the enemies of God,--
 The Fire: therein will be
 For them the Eternal Home:
 A (fit) requital, for
 That they were wont
 To reject Our Signs.

29. And the Unbelievers will say:
 "Our Lord! Show us those,
 Among Jinns and men,
 Who misled us: we shall
 Crush them beneath our feet,
 So that they become
 The vilest (before all)."

30. In the case of those
 Who say, "Our Lord

Is God", and, further,
 Stand straight and steadfast,
 The angels descend on them.
 (From time to time):
 "Fear ye not!" (they suggest),
 "Nor grieve! But receive
 The Glad Tidings
 Of the Garden (of Bliss),
 The which ye were promised!

31. "We are your protectors
 In this life and
 In the Hereafter:
 Therein shall ye have
 All that your souls
 Shall desire; therein
 Shall ye have all
 That ye ask for!--

32. "A hospitable gift from One
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful!"

33. Who is better in speech
 Than one who calls (men)
 To God, works righteousness,
 And says, "I am of those
 Who bow in Islam"?

34. Nor can Goodness and Evil
 Be equal. Repel (Evil)
 With what is better:
 Then will he between whom
 And thee was hatred
 Become as it were
 Thy friend and intimate!

35. And no one will be
 Granted such goodness
 Except those who exercise
 Patience and self-restraint,--
 None but persons of
 The greatest good fortune.

36. And if (at any time)
 An incitement to discord
 Is made to thee
 By the Evil One,
 Seek refuge in God.
 He is the One
 Who hears and knows
 All things.

37. Among His Signs are
 The Night and the Day,
 And the Sun and the Moon.
 Adore not the sun
 And the moon, but adore
 God, Who created them,
 If it is. Him ye wish
 To serve.

38. But if the (Unbelievers)
 Are arrogant, (no matter):
 For in the presence
 Of thy Lord are those
 Who celebrate His praises
 By night and by day.
 And they never flag
 (Nor feel themselves
 Above it).

39. And among His Signs
 In this: thou seest
 The earth barren and desolate;
 But when We send down
 Rain to it, it is stirred
 To life and yields increase.
 Truly, He Who gives life
 To the (dead) earth
 Can surely give life
 To (men) who are dead.
 For He has power
 Over all things.

40. Those who pervert
 The Truth in Our Signs
 Are not hidden from Us.
 Which is better?--he that
 Is cast into the Fire,
 Or he that comes safe through,
 On the Day of Judgment?
 Do what ye will:
 Verily He seeth (clearly)
 All that ye do.

41. Those who reject the Message
 When it comes to them

(Are not hidden from Us).
 And indeed it is a Book
 Of exalted power.

42. No falsehood can approach it
 From before or behind it:
 It is sent down
 By One Full of Wisdom,
 Worthy of all Praise.

43. Nothing is said to thee
 That was not said
 To the apostles before thee:
 That thy Lord has
 At His command (all) Forgiveness
 As well as a most
 Grievous Penalty.

44. Had We sent this as
 A Qur-an (in a language)
 Other than Arabic, they would
 Have said: "Why are not
 Its verses explained in detail?
 What! (a Book) not in Arabic
 And (a Messenger) an Arab?"
 Say: "It is a guide

And a healing to those
 Who believe; and for those
 Who believe not, there is
 A deafness in their ears,
 And it is blindness in their (eyes):
 They are (as it were)
 Being called from a place
 Far distant!"

45. We certainly gave Moses
 The Book aforetime: but disputes
 Arose therein. Had it not
 Been for a Word
 That went forth before
 From thy Lord, (their differences)
 Would have been settled
 Between them: but they
 Remained in suspicious
 Disquieting doubt thereon.

46. Whoever works righteousness
 Benefits his own soul;
 Whoever works evil, it is
 Against his own soul:
 Nor is thy Lord ever
 Unjust (in the least)
 To His servants.

47. To Him is referred
 The Knowledge of the Hour
 (Of Judgment: He knows all):
 No date-fruit comes out
 Of its sheath, nor does
 A female conceive (within
 Her womb) nor bring forth
 (Young), but by His Knowledge.
 The Day that (God) will propound
 To them the (question),
 "Where are the Partners
 (Ye attributed) to Me?"
 They will say, "We do
 Assure Thee not one
 Of us can bear witness!"

48. The (deities) they used to invoke
 Aforetime will leave them
 In the lurch, and they
 Will perceive that they
 Have no way of escape.

49. Man does not weary
 Of asking for good (things),
 But if ill touches him,
 He gives up all hope
 (And) is lost in despair.

50. When We give him a taste
 Of some mercy from Ourselves.

After some adversity has
 Touched him, he is sure
 To say, "This is due
 To my (merit): I think not
 That the Hour (of Judgment)
 Will (ever) be established;
 But if I am brought back
 To my Lord, I have
 (Much) good (stored) in His sight!"
 But We will show
 The Unbelievers the truth
 Of all that they did,
 And We shall give them
 The taste of a severe
 Penalty.

51. When We bestow favours
 On man, he turns away,
 And gets himself remote
 On his side (instead of'
 Coming to Us); and when
 Evil seizes him, (he comes)
 Full of prolonged prayer!

52. Say: "See ye if
 The (Revelation) is (really)
 From God, and yet do ye
 Reject it? Who is more
 Astray than one who
 Is in a schism
 Far (from any purpose)?"

53. Soon will We show them
 Our Signs in the (furthest)

Regions (of the earth), and
 In their own souls, until
 It becomes manifest to them
 That this is the Truth.
 Is it not enough that
 Thy Lord doth witness
 All things?

54. Ah indeed! are they
 In doubt concerning
 The Meeting with their Lord?
 Ah indeed! it is He
 That doth encompass
 All things!

Sura XLII.  

Shura, or Consultation.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim;

2. 'Ain. Sin. Kaf.

3. Thus doth (He) send
 Inspiration to thee
 As (He did) to those before thee,--
 God, Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

4. To Him belongs all
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth: and He
 Is Most High, Most Great.

5. The heavens are almost
 Rent asunder from above them
 (By His Glory):
 And the angels celebrate
 The Praises of their Lord,
 And pray for forgiveness
 For (all) beings on earth:
 Behold! Verily God is He,

The Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful.

6. And those who take
 As protectors others besides
 Him,--
 God doth watch over them;
 And thou art not
 The disposer of their affairs.

7. Thus have We sent
 By inspiration to thee
 An Arabic Qur-an:
 That thou mayest warn
 The Mother of Cities
 And all around her,--
 And warn (them) of
 The Day of Assembly,
 Of which there is no doubt:
 (When) some will be
 In the Garden, and some
 In the Blazing Fire.

8. If God had so willed,
 He could have made them
 A single people; but He
 Admits whom He will
 To His Mercy;
 And the wrong-doers
 Will have no protector
 Nor helper.

9. What! Have they taken
 (For worship) protectors

Besides Him? But it is
 God,--He is the Protector,
 And it is He Who
 Gives life to the dead:
 It is He Who has power
 Over all things.

10. Whatever it be wherein
 Ye differ, the decision
 Thereof is with God:
 Such is God my Lord:
 In Him I trust,
 And to Him I turn.

11. (He is) the Creator
 Of the heavens and
 The earth: He has made
 For you pairs
 From among yourselves,
 And pairs among cattle:
 By this means does He
 Multiply you: there is nothing
 Whatever like unto Him,
 And He is the One
 That hears and sees (all things).

12. To Him belong the keys
 Of the heavens and the earth:

He enlarges and restricts.
 The Sustenance to whom
 He will: for He knows
 Full well all things.

13. The same religion has He
 Established for you as that
 Which He enjoined on Noah--
 The which We have sent
 By inspiration to thee--
 And that which We enjoined
 On Abraham, Moses, and Jesus:
 Namely, that ye should remain
 Steadfast in Religion, and make
 No divisions therein:
 To those who worship
 Other things than God,
 Hard is the (way)
 To which thou callest them,
 God chooses to Himself
 Those whom He pleases,
 And guides to Himself
 Those who turn (to Him).

14. And they became divided
 Only after knowledge
 Reached them,--through selfish
 Envy as between themselves.
 Had it not been
 For a Word that

Went forth before
 From thy Lord,
 (Tending) to a Term appointed,
 The matter would have
 Been settled between them:
 But truly those who have
 Inherited the Book after them
 Are in suspicious (disquieting)
 Doubt concerning it.

15. Now then, for that (reason),
 Call (them to the Faith),
 And stand steadfast
 As thou art commanded,
 Nor follow thou their vain
 Desires; but say: "I believe
 In the Book which
 God has sent down;
 And I am commanded
 To judge justly between you.
 God is our Lord
 And your Lord. For us
 (Is the responsibility for)
 Our deeds, and for you
 For your deeds. There is
 No contention between us
 And you. God will
 Bring us together,
 And to Him is
 (Our) final goal.

16. But those who dispute
 Concerning God after He
 Has been accepted,--
 Futile is their dispute
 In the sight of
 Their Lord: on them
 Is Wrath, and for them
 Will be a Penalty
 Terrible.

17. It is God Who has
 Sent down the Book in truth,
 And the Balance
 (By which to weigh conduct).
 And what will make thee
 Realise that perhaps the Hour
 Is close at hand?

18. Only those wish to
 Hasten it who believe not
 In it: those who believe
 Hold it in awe,
 And know that it is
 The Truth. Behold, verily
 Those that dispute concerning
 The Hour are far astray.

19. Gracious is God
 To His servants:

He gives Sustenance
 To whom He pleases:
 And He has Power
 And can carry out
 His Will.

20. To any that desires
 The tilth of the Hereafter,
 We give increase
 In his tilth; and to any
 That desires the tilth
 Of this world, We grant
 Somewhat thereof, but he
 Has no share or lot
 In the Hereafter.

21. What! Have they partners
 (In godhead), who have
 Established for them some
 Religion without the permission
 Of God? Had it not
 Been for the Decree
 Of Judgment, the matter
 Would have been decided
 Between them (at once).
 But verily the wrong-doers
 Will have a grievous Penalty.

22. Thou wilt see the wrong-doers
 In fear on account of what

They have earned, and (the burden
 Of) that must (necessarily)
 Fall on them. But those
 Who believe and work
 Righteous deeds will be
 In the luxuriant meads
 Of the Gardens: they shall
 Have, before their Lord,
 All that they wish for.
 That will indeed be
 The magnificent Bounty
 (Of God).

23. That is (the Bounty) whereof
 God gives Glad Tidings
 To His Servants who
 Believe and do righteous deeds.
 Say: "No reward do I
 Ask of you for this
 Except the love
 Of those near of kin."
 And if any one earns
 Any good, We shall give
 Him an increase of good
 In respect thereof: for God
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Ready
 To appreciate (service).

24. What! Do they say,
 "He has forged a falsehood
 Against God"? But if God
 Willed, He could seal up

Thy heart. And God
 Blots out Vanity, and proves
 The Truth by His Words.
 For He knows well
 The secrets of all hearts.

25. He is the One that accepts
 Repentance from His Servants
 And forgives sins:
 And He knows all
 That ye do.

26. And He listens to
 Those who believe and
 Do deeds of righteousness,
 And gives them increase
 Of His Bounty: but
 For the Unbelievers there is
 A terrible Penalty.

27. If God were to enlarge
 The provision for His Servants,
 They would indeed transgress
 Beyond all bounds
 Through the earth;
 But He sends (it) down
 In due measure
 As He pleases.
 For He is with His Servants
 Well-acquainted, Watchful.

28. He is the One that sends down
 Rain (even) after (men) have

Given up all hope,
 And scatters His Mercy
 (Far and wide). And He
 Is the Protector, Worthy
 Of all Praise.

29. And among His Signs
 Is the creation of
 The heavens and the earth,
 And the living creatures
 That He has scattered
 Through them: and He
 Has power to gather them
 Together when He wills.

30. Whatever misfortune
 Happens to you, is because

Of the things your hands
 Have wrought, and for many
 (Of them) He grants forgiveness.

31. Nor can ye frustrate (aught),
 (Fleeing) through the earth;
 Nor have ye, besides God,
 Any one to protect
 Or to help.

32. And among His Signs
 Are the ships, smooth-running
 Through the ocean, (tall)
 As mountains.

33. If it be His Will,
 He can still the Wind:
 Then would they become
 Motionless on the back
 Of the (ocean). Verily
 In this are Signs
 For everyone who patiently
 Perseveres and is grateful.

34. Or He can cause them
 To perish because of
 The (evil) which (the men)
 Have earned; but much
 Doth He forgive.

35. But let those know, who
 Dispute about Our Signs,
 That there is for them
 No way of escape.

36. Whatever ye are given (here)
 Is (but) a convenience
 Of this Life: but that
 Which is with God
 Is better and more lasting:
 (It is) for those who believe
 And put their trust
 In their Lord;

37. Those who avoid the greater
 Crimes and shameful deeds,
 And, when they are angry
 Even then forgive;

38. Those who hearken
 To their Lord, and establish

Regular prayer; who (conduct)
 Their affairs by mutual
 Consultation;
 Who spend out of what
 We bestow on them
 For Sustenance;

39. And those who, when
 An oppressive wrong is inflicted
 On them, (are not cowed
 But) help and defend themselves.

40. The recompense for an injury
 Is an injury equal thereto
 (In degree): but if a person
 Forgives and makes reconciliation,

His reward is due
 From God: for (God)
 Loveth not those who
 Do wrong.

41. But indeed if any do help
 And defend themselves
 After a wrong (done)
 To them, against such
 There is no cause
 Of blame.

42. The blame is only
 Against those who oppress
 Men with wrong-doing
 And insolently transgress
 Beyond bounds through the land,
 Defying right and justice:
 For such there will be
 A Penalty grievous.

43. But indeed if any
 Show patience and forgive,
 That would truly be
 An exercise of courageous will
 And resolution in the conduct
 Of affairs.

44. For any whom God
 Leaves astray, there is
 No protector thereafter.
 And thou wilt see
 The wrong-doers, when
 In sight of the Penalty,
 Say: "Is there any way
 (To effect) a return?"

45. And thou wilt see them
 Brought forward to the (Penalty),
 In a humble frame of mind
 Because of (their) disgrace,
 (And) looking with a stealthy
 Glance. And the Believers
 Will say: "Those are indeed.
 In loss. who have given
 To perdition their own selves
 And those belonging to them
 On the Day of Judgment.
 Behold! Truly the wrong-doers
 Are in a lasting Penalty!"

46. And no protectors have they
 To help them,
 Other than God.
 And for any whom God
 Leaves to stray, there is
 No way (to the Goal).

47. Hearken ye to your Lord,
 Before there come a Day
 Which there will be
 No putting back, because
 Of (the ordainment of) God!
 That Day there will be
 For you no place of refuge
 Nor will there be for you
 Any room for denial
 (Of your sins)!

48. If then they turn away,
 We have not sent thee
 As a guard over them.
 Thy duty is but to convey
 (The Message). And truly,
 When We give man
 A taste of a Mercy
 From ourselves, he doth
 Exult thereat, but
 When some ill happens
 To him, on account
 Of the deeds which
 His hands have sent forth,
 Truly then is man ungrateful!

49. To God belongs the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth.
 He creates what He wills
 (And plans). He bestows

(Children) male or female
 According to His Will (and Plan),

50. Or He bestows both males
 And females, and He leaves
 Barren whom He will:
 For He is full
 Of knowledge and power.

51. It is not fitting
 For a man that God
 Should speak to him
 Except by inspiration,
 Or from behind a veil,
 Or by the sending
 Of a Messenger
 To reveal, with God's permission,
 What God wills: for He
 Is Most High, Most Wise.

52. And thus have We,
 By Our command, sent

Inspiration to thee:
 Thou knewest not (before)
 What was Revelation, and
 What was Faith; but We
 Have made the (Qur-an)
 A Light, wherewith We
 Guide such of Our servants
 As We will; and verily
 Thou dost guide (men)
 To the Straight Way,--

53. The Way of God,
 To Whom belongs
 Whatever is in the heavens
 And whatever is on earth.
 Behold (how) all affairs
 Tend towards God!

Sura XLIII.  

Zukhruf, or Gold Adornments.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim

2. By the Book that
 Makes things clear,--

3. We have made it
 A Qur-an in: Arabic,
 That ye may be able
 To understand (and learn wisdom).

4. And verily, it is
 In the Mother of the Book,
 In Our Presence, high
 (In dignity), full of wisdom.

5. Shall We then
 Take away the Message
 From you and repel (you),
 For that ye are a people
 Transgressing beyond bounds?

6. But how many were
 The prophets We sent
 Amongst the peoples of old?

7. And never came there
 A prophet to them
 But they mocked him.

8. So We destroyed (them)--
 Stronger in power than these;--
 And (thus) has passed on
 The Parable of the peoples
 Of old.

9. If thou wert
 To question them, "Who created
 The heavens and the earth?''
 They would be sure to reply,
 "They were created by (Him),
 The Exalted in Power,
 Full of Knowledge";--

10. (Yea, the same that)
 Has made for you
 The earth (like a carpet)
 Spread out, and has made
 For you roads (and channels)
 Therein, in order that ye
 May find guidance (on the way);

11. That sends down
 (From time to time)

Rain from the sky
 In due measure;--
 And We raise to life
 Therewith a land that is
 Dead; even so will ye
 Be raised (from the dead);--

12. That has created pairs
 In all things, and has made
 For you ships and cattle
 On which ye ride,

13. In order that ye may
 Sit firm and square
 On their backs, and when
 So seated, ye may
 Celebrate the (kind) favour
 Of your Lord, and say,
 "Glory to Him Who
 Has subjected these
 To our (use), for we
 Could never have accomplished
 This (by ourselves),

14. "And to our Lord, surely,
 Must we turn back!"

15. Yet they attribute
 To some of His servants
 A share with Him
 (In His godhead)!
 Truly is man a blasphemous
 Ingrate avowed!

16. What! Has He taken
 Daughters out of what He
 Himself creates, and granted
 To you sons for choice?

17. When news is brought
 To one of them of (the birth
 Of) what he sets up
 As a likeness to (God)
 Most Gracious, his face
 Darkens, and he is filled
 With inward grief!

18. Is then one brought up
 Among trinkets, and unable
 To give a clear account
 In a dispute (to be
 Associated with God)?

19. And they make into females
 Angels who themselves serve

God. Did they witness
 Their creation? Their evidence
 Will be recorded, and they
 Will be called to account!

20. ("Ah!") they say, "If
 It had been the Will
 Of (God) Most Gracious,
 We should not have
 Worshipped such (deities)!"
 Of that they have
 No knowledge! They
 Do nothing but lie!

21. What! have We given them
 A Book before this,
 To which they are
 Holding fast?

22. Nay! they say: "We found
 Our fathers following
 A certain religion,
 And we do guide ourselves
 By their footsteps."

23. Just in the same way,
 Whenever We sent a Warner
 Before thee to any people,
 The wealthy ones among them
 Said: "We found our fathers
 Following a certain religion,
 And we will certainly
 Follow in their footsteps."

24. He said: "What!
 Even if I brought you
 Better guidance than that
 Which ye found
 Your fathers following?"
 They said: "For us,
 We deny that ye (prophets)
 Are sent (on a mission
 At all)."

25. So We exacted retribution
 From them: now see
 What was the end
 Of those who rejected (Truth)!

26. Behold! Abraham said
 To his father and his people:
 "I do indeed clear myself
 Of what ye worship:

27. "(I worship) only Him
 Who made me, and He
 Will certainly guide me."

28. And he left it
 As a Word
 To endure among those
 Who came after him,
 That they may turn back
 (To God).

29. Yea, I have given
 The good things of this life
 To these (men) and
 Their fathers, until the Truth
 Has come to them,
 And an Apostle
 Making things clear.

30. But when the Truth came
 To them, they said:
 "This is sorcery, and we
 Do reject it."

31. Also, they say: "Why
 Is not this Qur-an sent
 Down to some leading man
 In either of the two
 (Chief) cities?"

32. Is it they who would portion out
 The Mercy of thy Lord?
 It is We Who portion out
 Between them their livelihood

In the life of this world:
 And We raise some of them
 Above others in ranks,
 So that some may command
 Work from others.
 But the Mercy of thy Lord
 Is better than the (wealth)
 Which they amass.

33. And were it not that
 (All) men might become
 Of one (evil) way of life,
 We would provide,
 For everyone that blasphemes
 Against (God) Most Gracious,
 Silver roofs for their houses,
 And (silver) stair-ways
 On which to go up,

34. And (silver) doors
 To their houses, and thrones
 (Of silver) on which
 They could recline,

35. And also adornments
 Of gold. But all this
 Were nothing but conveniences
 Of the present life:
 The Hereafter, in the sight
 Of thy Lord, is
 For the Righteous.

36. If anyone withdraws himself
 From remembrance

Of (God) Most Gracious,
 We appoint for him
 An evil one, to be
 An intimate companion to him.

37. Such (evil ones) really
 Hinder them from the Path,
 But they think that they
 Are being guided aright!

38. At length, when (such a one)
 Comes to Us, he says
 (To his evil companion):
 "Would that between me
 And thee were the distance
 Of East and West!" Ah!
 Evil is the companion (indeed)!

39. When ye have done wrong,
 It will avail you nothing,
 That day, that ye shall be
 Partners in punishment!

40. Canst thou then make
 The deaf to hear, or give
 Direction to the blind
 Or to such as (wander)
 In manifest error?

41. Even if We take thee
 Away, We shall be sure
 To exact retribution from them,

42. Or We shall show thee
 That (accomplished) which We
 Have promised them:
 For verily We shall
 Prevail over them.

43. So hold thou fast
 To the Revelation sent down
 To thee: verily thou
 Art on a Straight Way.

44. The (Qur-an) is indeed
 The Message, for thee
 And for thy people;
 And soon shall ye
 (All) be brought to account.

45. And question thou our apostles
 Whom We sent before thee;
 Did We appoint any deities
 Other than (God) Most Gracious,
 To be worshipped?

46. We did send Moses
 Aforetime, with Our Signs,

To Pharaoh and his Chiefs:
 He said, "I am an apostle
 Of the Lord of the Worlds."

47. But when he came to them
 With Our Signs, behold,
 They ridiculed them.

48. We showed them Sign
 After Sign, each greater
 Than, its fellow, and We
 Seized them with Punishment,
 In order that they
 Might turn (to Us).

49. And they said, "O thou
 Sorcerer! Invoke thy Lord
 For us according to
 His covenant with thee;
 For we shall truly
 Accept guidance."

50. But when We removed
 The Penalty from them,
 Behold, they broke their word.

51. And Pharaoh proclaimed
 Among his people, saying:
 "O my people! Does not
 The dominion of Egypt
 Belong to me, (witness)
 These streams flowing
 Underneath my (palace)? What!
 See ye not then?

52. "Am I not better
 Than this (Moses), who
 Is a contemptible wretch
 And can scarcely
 Express himself clearly?

53. "Then why are not
 Gold bracelets bestowed
 On him, or (why)
 Come (not) with him
 Angels accompanying him
 In procession?"

54. Thus did he make
 Fools of his people,
 And they obeyed him:
 Truly were they a people
 Rebellious (against God).

55. When at length they
 Provoked Us, We exacted
 Retribution from them, and
 We drowned them all.

56. And We made them
 (A people) of the Past
 And an Example
 To later ages.

57. When (Jesus) the son
 Of Mary is held up
 As an example, behold,
 Thy people raise a clamour
 Thereat (in ridicule)!

58. And they say, "Are
 Our gods best, or he?"
 This they set forth
 To thee, only by way
 Of disputation: yea, they
 Are a contentious people.

59. He was no more than
 A servant: We granted
 Our favour to him,
 And We made him
 An example to the Children
 Of Israel.

60. And if it were Our Will,
 We could make angels
 From amongst you, succeeding
 Each other on the earth.

61. And (Jesus) shall be
 A Sign (for the coming
 Of) the Hour (of Judgment):
 Therefore have no doubt
 About the (Hour), but
 Follow ye Me: this
 Is a Straight Way.

62. Let not the Evil One
 Hinder you: for he is
 To you an enemy avowed.

63. When Jesus came
 With Clear Signs, he said:
 "Now have I come
 To you with Wisdom,
 And in order to make
 Clear to you some
 Of the (points) on which
 Ye dispute: therefore fear God
 And obey me.

64. "For God, He is my Lord
 And your Lord: so worship
 Ye Him: this is
 A Straight Way."
 
 65. But sects from among
 Themselves fell into disagreement:
 Then woe to the wrong-doers,
 From the Penalty
 Of a Grievous Day!

66. Do they only wait
 For the Hour--that it
 Should come on them
 All of a sudden,
 While they perceive not?

67. Friends on that Day
 Will be foes, one
 To another,--except
 The Righteous.

68. My devotees
 No fear shall be
 On you that Day,
 Nor shall ye grieve,--

69. (Being) those who have believed
 In Our Signs and bowed
 (Their wills to Ours) in Islam.

70. Enter ye the Garden,
 Ye and your wives,
 In (beauty and) rejoicing.

71. To them will be passed
 Round, dishes and goblets
 Of gold: there will be
 There all that the souls
 Could desire, all that
 The eyes could delight in:
 And ye shall abide
 Therein (for aye).

72. Such will be the Garden
 Of which ye are made
 Heirs for your (good) deeds
 (In life).

73. Ye shall have therein
 Abundance of fruit, from which
 Ye shall have satisfaction.

74. The Sinners will be
 In the Punishment of Hell,
 To dwell therein (for aye):

75. Nowise will the (punishment)
 Be lightened for them,
 And in despair will they
 Be there overwhelmed.

76. Nowise shall We
 Be unjust to them:

But it is they who
 Have been unjust themselves.

77. They will cry: "O Malik!
 Would that thy Lord
 Put an end to us!"
 He will say, "Nay, but
 Ye shall abide!"

78. Verily We have brought
 The Truth to you:
 But most of you
 Have a hatred for Truth.

79. What! Have they settled
 Some Plan (among themselves)?
 But it is We Who
 Settle things.

80. Or do they think
 That We hear not
 Their secrets and their
 Private counsels? Indeed
 (We do), and Our Messengers
 Are by them, to record.

81. Say: If (God) Most Gracious
 Had a son, I would
 Be the first to worship."

82. Glory to the Lord
 Of the heavens and the earth,

The Lord of the Throne
 (Of Authority)! (He is
 Free) from the things
 They attribute (to Him)!

83. So leave them to babble
 And play (with vanities)
 Until they meet that Day,
 Of theirs, which they
 Have been promised.

84. It is He Who is God
 In heaven and God on earth;
 And He is Full
 Of Wisdom and Knowledge.

85. And blessed is He
 To Whom belongs the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth,
 And all between them:
 With Him is the knowledge
 Of the Hour (of Judgment):
 And to Him shall ye
 Be brought back.

86. And those whom they invoke
 Besides God have no power
 Of intercession;--only he
 Who bears witness to the Truth,
 And they know (him).

87. If thou ask them, Who
 Created them, they will
 Certainly say, God: how
 Then are they deluded
 Away (from the Truth)?

88. (God has knowledge)
 Of the (Prophet's) cry,
 "O my Lord! Truly
 These are a people
 Who will not believe!"

89. But turn away from them,
 And say "Peace!"
 But soon shall they know!

Sura XLIV.  

Dukhan, or Smoke (or Mist.)

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. By the Book that
 Makes things clear;--

3. We sent it down
 During a blessed night:
 For We (ever) wish
 To warn (against Evil).

4. In that (night) is made
 Distinct every affair
 Of wisdom,

5. By command, from Our
 Presence. For We (ever)
 Send (revelations),

6. As a Mercy
 From thy Lord:
 For He hears and knows
 (All things);

7. The Lord of the heavens
 And the earth and all

Between them, if ye (but)
 Have an assured faith.

8. There is no god but He:
 It is He Who gives life
 And gives death,
 The Lord and Cherisher
 To you and your earliest
 Ancestors.

9. Yet they play about
 In doubt.

10. Then watch thou
 For the Day
 That the sky will
 Bring forth a kind
 Of smoke (or mist)
 Plainly visible,

11. Enveloping the people:
 This will be a Penalty
 Grievous.

12. (They will say:)
 "Our Lord! Remove
 The Penalty from us,
 For we do really believe!"

13. How shall the Message
 Be (effectual) for them,
 Seeing that an Apostle
 Explaining things clearly
 Has (already) come to them,--

14. Yet they turn away
 From him and say: "Tutored
 (By others), a man possessed!"

15. We shall indeed remove
 The Penalty for a while,
 (But) truly ye will revert
 (To your ways).

16. One day We shall seize
 You with a mighty onslaught:
 We will indeed (then)
 Exact Retribution!

17. We did, before them,
 Try the people of Pharaoh:

There came to them
 An apostle most honourable,

18. Saying: "Restore to me
 The servants of God:
 I am to you an apostle
 Worthy of all trust;

19. "And be not arrogant
 As against God:
 For I come to you
 With authority manifest.

20. "For me, I have sought
 Safety with my Lord
 And your Lord, against
 Your injuring me.

21. "If ye believe me not,
 At least keep yourselves
 Away from me."

22. (But they were aggressive:)
 Then he cried

To his Lord:
 "These are indeed
 A people given to sin."

23. (The reply came:)
 "March forth with my servants
 By night: for ye are
 Sure to be pursued.

24. "And leave the sea
 As a furrow (divided):
 For they are a host
 (Destined) to be drowned."

25. How many were the gardens
 And springs they left behind,

26. And corn-fields
 And noble buildings,

27. And wealth (and conveniences
 Of life), wherein they
 Had taken such delight!

28. Thus (was their end)!
 And We made other people
 Inherit (those things)!

29. And neither heaven
 Nor earth shed a tear
 Over them: nor were
 They given a respite (again).

30. We did deliver aforetime
 The Children of Israel
 From humiliating Punishment,

31. Inflicted by Pharaoh, for he
 Was arrogant (even) among
 Inordinate transgressors.

32. And We chose them aforetime
 Above the nations, knowingly,

33. And granted them Signs
 In which there was
 A manifest trial.

34. As to these (Quraish),
 They say forsooth:

35. "There is nothing beyond
 Our first death,
 And we shall not
 Be raised again.

36. "Then bring (back)
 Our forefathers, if what
 Ye say is true!"

37. What! are they better
 Than the people of Tubba'
 And those who were
 Before them? We destroyed
 Them because they were
 Guilty of sin.

38. We created not
 The heavens, the earth,
 And all between them,
 Merely in (idle) sport:

39. We created them not
 Except for just ends:
 But most of them
 Do not understand.

40. Verily the Day of
 Sorting Out is the time
 Appointed for all of them,--

41. The Day when no protector
 Can avail his client
 In aught, and no help
 Can they receive,

42. Except such as receive
 God's Mercy: for He is
 Exalted in Might, Most Merciful.

43. Verily the tree
 Of  Zaqqum

44. Will be the food
 Of the Sinful,--

45. Like molten brass;
 It will boil
 In their insides,

46. Like the boiling
 Of scalding water.

47. (A voice will cry:
 "Seize ye him
 And drag him
 Into the midst
 Of the Blazing Fire!

48. "Then pour over his head
 The Penalty of Boiling Water

49. "Taste thou (this)!
 Truly wast thou
 Mighty, full of honour!

50. "Truly this is what
 Ye used to doubt!"

51. As to the Righteous
 (They will be) in
 A position of Security,

52. Among Gardens and Springs;

53. Dressed in fine silk
 And in rich brocade,
 They will face each other;

54. So; and We shall
 Join them to Companions
 With beautiful, big,
 And lustrous eyes.

55. There can they call
 For every kind of fruit
 In peace and security;

56. Nor will they there
 Taste Death, except the first
 Death; and He will preserve
 Them from the Penalty
 Of the Blazing Fire,--

57. As a Bounty from thy Lord!
 That will be
 The supreme achievement!

58. Verily, We have made
 This (Qur-an) easy,
 In thy tongue,
 In order that they
 May give heed.

59. So wait thou and watch;
 For they (too) are waiting.
 
Sura XLV. 

Jathiya, or Bowing the Knee.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. The revelation
 Of the Book
 Is from God
 The Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

3. Verily in the heavens
 And the earth, are Signs
 For those who believe.

4. And in the creation
 Of yourselves and the fact
 That animals are scattered
 (Through the earth), are Signs
 For those of assured Faith.

5. And in the alternation
 Of Night and Day,
 And the fact that God
 Sends down Sustenance from
 The sky, and revives therewith
 The earth after its death,

And in the change
 Of the winds,--are Signs
 For those that are wise.

6. Such are the Signs
 Of God, which We rehearse to thee
 In truth: then in what
 Exposition will they believe
 After (rejecting) God
 And His Signs?

7. Woe to each sinful
 Dealer in Falsehoods:

8. He hears the Signs
 Of God rehearsed to him,
 Yet is obstinate and lofty,
 As if he had not
 Heard them: then announce
 To him a Penalty Grievous!

9. And when he learns
 Something of Our Signs,
 He takes them in jest:
 For such there will be
 A humiliating Penalty.

10. In front of them is
 Hell: and of no profit
 To them is anything
 They may have earned,
 Nor any protectors they
 May have taken to themselves
 Besides God: for them
 Is a tremendous Penalty.

11. This is (true) Guidance:
 And for those who reject
 The Signs of their Lord,
 Is a grievous Penalty
 Of abomination.

12. It is God Who has
 Subjected the sea to you,
 That ships may sail
 Through it by His command,
 That ye may seek
 Of His Bounty, and that
 Ye may be grateful.

13. And He has subjected
 To you, as from Him,
 All that is in the heavens
 And on earth: behold,
 In that are Signs indeed
 For those who reflect.

14. Tell those who believe,
 To forgive those who
 Do not look forward
 To the Days of God:

It is for Him to recompense
 (For good or ill) each People
 According to what
 They have earned.

15. If any one does
 A righteous deed,
 It enures to the benefit
 Of his own soul;
 If he does evil,
 It works against
 (His own soul).
 In the end will ye
 (All) be brought back
 To your Lord.

16. We did aforetime
 Grant to the Children
 Of Israel the Book,
 The Power of Command,
 And Prophethood; We gave
 Them, for Sustenance, things
 Good and pure; and We
 Favoured them above the nations.

17. And We granted them
 Clear Signs in affairs

(Of Religion): it was only
 After knowledge had been
 Granted to them that they
 Fell into schisms, through
 Insolent envy among themselves
 Verily thy Lord will judge
 Between them on the Day
 Of Judgment as to those
 Matters in which they
 Set up differences.

18. Then we put thee
 On the (right) Way
 Of Religion: so follow
 Thou that (Way),
 And follow not the desires
 Of those who know not.

19. They will be of no
 Use to thee in the sight
 Of God: it is only
 Wrong-doers (that stand as)
 Protectors, one to another:
 But God is the Protector
 Of the Righteous.

20. These are clear evidences
 To men, and a Guidance
 And Mercy to those
 Of assured Faith.

21. What! do those who
 Seek after evil ways
 Think that We shall
 Hold them equal with
 Those who believe and
 Do righteous deeds,--that
 Equal will be their
 Life and their death?
 Ill is the judgment
 That they make.

22. God created the heavens
 And the earth for
 Just ends, and in order
 That each soul may find
 The recompense of what
 It has earned, and none
 Of them be wronged.

23. Then seest thou such
 A one as takes
 As his god his own
 Vain desire? God has,
 Knowing (him as such),
 Left him astray, and sealed
 His hearing and his heart
 (And understanding), and put

A cover on his sight.
 Who, then, will guide him
 After God (has withdrawn
 Guidance)? Will ye not
 Then receive admonition?

24. And they say: "What is
 There but our life
 In this world?
 We shall die and we live,
 And nothing but Time
 Can destroy us." But
 Of that they have no
 Knowledge: they merely conjecture:

25. And when Our Clear
 Signs are rehearsed to them,
 Their argument is nothing
 But this: they say, "Bring
 (Back) our forefathers, if
 What ye say is true!"

26. Say: "It is God Who
 Gives you life, then
 Gives you death; then
 He will gather you together
 For the Day of Judgment
 About which there is
 No doubt": but most
 Men do not understand.

27. To God belongs
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth, and
 The Day that the Hour

Of Judgment is established,--
 That Day will the dealers
 In Falsehood perish!

28. And thou wilt see
 Every sect bowing the knee:
 Every sect will be called
 To its Record: "This Day
 Shall ye be recompensed
 For all that ye did!

29. "This Our Record speaks
 About you with truth:
 For We were wont
 To put on record
 All that ye did."

30. Then, as to those who
 Believed and did righteous
 Deeds, their Lord will
 Admit them to His Mercy:
 That will be the Achievement's
 For all to see.

31. But as to those who
 Rejected God, (to them
 Will be said): "Were not
 Our Signs rehearsed to you?
 But ye were arrogant,
 And were a people
 Given to sin!

32. "And when it was said
 That the promise of God
 Was true, and that the Hour--
 There was no doubt
 About its (coming), ye
 Used to say, "We
 Know not what is
 The Hour: we only think
 It is an idea, and we
 Have no firm assurance."

33. Then will appear to them
 The evil (fruits) of what
 They did, and they will be
 Completely encircled by that
 Which they used to mock at!

34. It will also be said:
 "This Day We will forget
 You as ye forgot
 The meeting of this Day
 Of yours! And your
 Abode is the Fire, and
 No helpers have ye!

35. "This, because ye used
 To take the Signs of God
 In jest, and the life
 Of the world deceived you:
 (From) that Day, therefore,
 They shall not be taken out
 Thence, nor shall they be
 Received into Grace.

36. Then Praise be to God,
 Lord of the heavens
 And Lord of the earth,--
 Lord and Cherisher
 Of all the worlds!

37. To Him be Glory
 Throughout the heavens
 And the earth: and He
 Is Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom!

Sura XLVI.  

Ahqaf, or Winding Sand-tracts.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Ha-Mim.

2. The revelation
 Of the Book
 Is from God
 The Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

3. We created not
 The heavens and the earth
 And all between them
 But for just ends, and
 For a term appointed:
 But those who reject Faith
 Turn away from that
 Whereof they are warned.

4. Say: "Do ye see
 What it is ye invoke
 Besides God? Show me
 What it is they
 Have created on earth,
 Or have they a share
 In the heavens?
 Bring me a Book

(Revealed) before this,
 Or any remnant of knowledge
 (Ye may have), if ye
 Are telling the truth!

5. And who is more astray
 Than one who invokes,
 Besides God, such as will
 Not answer him to the Day
 Of Judgment, and who
 (In fact) are unconscious
 Of their call (to them)?

6. And when mankind
 Are gathered together
 (At the Resurrection),
 They will be hostile
 To them and reject
 Their worship (altogether)!

7. When Our Clear Signs
 Are rehearsed to them,
 The Unbelievers say,
 Of the Truth
 When it comes to them:
 "This is evident sorcery!"

8. Or do they say,
 "He has forged it"?
 Say: "Had I forged it,
 Then can ye obtain
 No single (blessing) for me
 From God. He knows best
 Of that whereof ye talk
 (So glibly)! Enough is He

For a witness between me
 And you! And He is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

9. Say: "I am no bringer
 Of new-fangled doctrine
 Among the apostles, nor
 Do I know what will
 Be done with me or
 With you. I follow
 But that which is revealed
 To me by inspiration;
 I am but a Warner
 Open and clear."

10. Say: "See ye?
 If (this teaching) be
 From God, and ye reject it,
 And a witness from among
 The Children of Israel testifies
 To its similarity
 (With earlier scripture),
 And has believed
 While ye are arrogant,
 (How unjust ye are!)
 Truly, God guides not
 A people unjust."

11. The Unbelievers say
 Of those who believe:

"If (this Message) were
 A good thing, (such men)
 Would not have gone
 To it first, before us!"
 And seeing that they
 Guide not themselves thereby,
 They will say, "This is
 An (old,) old falsehood!"

12. And before this, was
 The Book of Moses
 As a guide and a mercy:
 And this Book confirms (it)
 In the Arabic tongue;
 To admonish the unjust,
 And as Glad Tidings.
 To those who do right.

13. Verily those who say,
 "Our Lord is God,"
 And remain firm
 (On that Path),
 On them shall be no fear,
 Nor shall they grieve.

14. Such shall be Companions
 Of the Garden, dwelling
 Therein (for aye): a recompense
 For their (good) deeds.

15. We have enjoined on man
 Kindness to his parents:
 In pain did his mother
 Bear him, and in pain
 Did she give him birth.
 The carrying of the (child)
 To his weaning is
 (A period of) thirty months.
 At length, when he reaches
 The age of full strength
 And attains forty years,
 He says, "O my Lord!
 Grant me that I may be
 Grateful for Thy favour
 Which Thou hast bestowed
 Upon me, and upon both
 My parents, and that I
 May work righteousness
 Such as Thou mayest approve;
 And be gracious to me
 In my issue. Truly
 Have I turned to Thee
 And truly do I bow
 (To Thee) in Islam."

16. Such are they from whom
 We shall accept the best
 Of their deeds and pass by
 Their ill deeds: (they shall

Be) among the Companions
 Of the Garden: a promise!
 Of truth, which was
 Made to them
 (In this life).

17. But (there is one)
 Who says to his parents,
 "Fie on you! Do ye
 Hold out the promise
 To me that I
 Shall be raised up,
 Even though generations
 Have passed before me
 (Without rising again)?"
 And they two seek
 God's aid, (and rebuke
 The son): "Woe to thee!
 Have Faith! For the promise
 Of God is true."
 But he says, "This is
 Nothing but tales
 Of the ancients!"

18. Such are they against whom
 Is proved the Sentence
 Among the previous generations
 Of Jinns and men, that have
 Passed away; for they will
 Be (utterly) lost.

19. And to all
 Are (assigned) degrees

According to the deeds
 Which they (have done),
 And in order that (God)
 May recompense their deeds,
 And no injustice be done
 To them.

20. And on the Day that
 The Unbelievers will be
 Placed before the Fire,
 (It will be said to them):
 "Ye received your good things
 In the life of the world,
 And ye took your pleasure
 Out of them: but to-day
 Shall ye be recompensed
 With a Penalty of humiliation:
 For that ye were arrogant
 On earth without just cause,
 And that ye (ever) transgressed."

21. Mention (Hud)
 One of 'Ad's (own) brethren:
 Behold, he warned his people
 About the winding Sand-tracts:
 But there have been Warners
 Before him and after him:
 "Worship ye none other
 Than God: truly I fear
 For you the Penalty
 Of a Mighty Day."

22. They said: "Hast thou come
 In order to turn us aside

From our gods? Then bring
 Upon us the (calamity)
 With which thou dost
 Threaten us, if thou
 Art telling the truth!"

23. He said: "The Knowledge
 (Of when it will come)
 Is only with God: I
 Proclaim to you the mission
 On which I have been sent:
 But I see that ye
 Are a people in ignorance!"...

24. Then, when they saw
 The (Penalty in the shape of)
 A cloud traversing the sky,
 Corning to meet their valleys,
 They said, "This cloud
 Will give us rain!"
 "Nay, it is the (calamity)
 Ye were asking to be
 Hastened!--a wind
 Wherein is a Grievous Penalty!

25. "Everything will it destroy
 By the command of its Lord!"
 Then by the morning they--
 Nothing was to be seen
 But (the ruins of) their houses!
 Thus do We recompense
 Those given to sin!

26. And We had firmly established
 Them in a (prosperity and) power
 Which We have not given
 To you (ye Quraish!)
 And We had endowed them
 With (faculties of)
 Hearing, seeing, heart and intellect
 But of no profit to them
 Were their (faculties of)
 Hearing, sight, and heart
 And intellect, when they
 Went on rejecting the Signs
 Of God; and they were
 (Completely) encircled
 By that which they
 Used to mock at!

27. We destroyed aforetime
 Populations round about you;
 And We have shown
 The Signs in various ways,
 That they may turn (to Us).

28. Why then was no help
 Forthcoming to them from those
 Whom they worshipped as gods,
 Besides God, as a means
 Of access (to God)? Nay,
 They left them in the lurch:
 But that was their
 Falsehood and their invention.

29, Behold, We turned
 Towards thee a company
 Of Jinns (quietly) listening
 To the Qur-an: when they
 Stood in the presence
 Thereof, they said, "Listen
 In silence!" When the (reading)
 Was finished, they returned
 To their people, to warn
 (Them of their sins).

30. They said, "O our people!
 We have heard a Book
 Revealed after Moses,
 Confirming what came
 Before it: it guides (men)
 To the Truth and
 To a Straight Path.

31. "O our people, hearken
 To the one who invites
 (You) to God, and believe
 In him: He will forgive
 You your faults,
 And deliver you from
 A Penalty Grievous.

32. "If any does not hearken
 To the one who invites
 (Us) to God, he cannot
 Frustrate (God's Plan) on earth,
 And no protectors can he have
 Besides God: such men
 (Wander) in manifest error."

33. See they not that
 God, Who created the heavens
 And the earth, and never
 Wearied with their creation,
 Is able to give life
 To the dead? Yea, verily
 He has power over all things.

34. And on the Day that
 The Unbelievers will be
 Placed before the Fire,
 (They will be asked,)
 Is this not the Truth?"
 They will say, "Yea,
 By our Lord!"
 (One will say:)
 "Then taste ye
 The Penalty, for that ye
 Were wont to deny (Truth)!"

35. Therefore patiently persevere,
 As did (all) apostles
 Of inflexible purpose;
 And be in no haste
 About the (Unbelievers). On the Day
 That they see the (Punishment)
 Promised them, (it will be)
 As if they had not
 Tarried more than an hour
 In a single day. (Thine
 But) to proclaim the Message:
 But shall any be destroyed
 Except those who transgress?

Sura XLVII.  

Muhammad (the Prophet).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Those who reject God
 And hinder (men) from
 The Path of God,
 Their deeds will God
 Render astray
 (From their mark).

2. But those who believe
 And work deeds of
 Righteousness, and believe
 In the (Revelation) sent down
 To Muhammad--for it is
 The Truth from their Lord,
 He will remove from them
 Their ills and improve
 Their condition.

3. This because those who
 Reject God follow vanities,
 While those who believe follow
 The Truth from their Lord:
 Thus does God set forth
 For men their lessons
 By similitudes.

4. Therefore, when ye meet
 The Unbelievers (in fight),

Smite at their necks;
 At length, when ye have
 Thoroughly subdued them,
 Bind a bond
 Firmly (on them): thereafter
 (Is the time for) either
 Generosity or ransom:
 Until the war lays down
 Its burdens. Thus (are ye
 Commanded): but if it
 Had been God's Will,
 He could certainly have exacted
 Retribution from them (Himself);
 But (He lets you fight)
 In order to test you,
 Some with others.
 But those who are slain
 In the way of God,
 He will never let
 Their deeds be lost.

5. Soon will He guide them
 And improve their condition,

6. And admit them to
 The Garden which He
 Has announced for them.

7. O ye who believe!
 If ye will aid
 (The cause of) God,
 He will aid you,
 And plant your feet firmly.

8. But those who reject (God),
 For them is destruction,
 And (God) will render
 Their deeds astray
 (From their mark).

9. That is because they
 Hate the Revelation of God;
 So He has made
 Their deeds fruitless.

10. Do they not travel
 Through the earth, and see
 What was the End
 Of those before them
 (Who did evil)?
 God brought utter destruction
 On them, and similar
 (Fates await) those who
 Reject God.

11. That is because God
 Is the Protector of those
 Who believe, but
 Those who reject God
 Have no protector.

12. Verily God will admit
 Those who believe and do
 Righteous deeds, to Gardens
 Beneath which rivers flow;

While those who reject God
 Will enjoy (this world)
 And eat as cattle eat;
 And the Fire will
 Be their abode.

13. And how many cities,
 With more power than
 Thy city which has
 Driven thee out,
 Have We destroyed
 (For their sins)?
 And there was none
 To aid them.

14. Is then one who is
 On a clear (Path)
 From his Lord,
 No better than one
 To whom the evil
 Of his conduct seems pleasing,
 And such as follow
 Their own lusts?

15. (Here is) a Parable
 Of the Garden which
 The righteous are promised:
 In it are rivers
 Of water incorruptible;
 Rivers of milk
 Of which the taste
 Never changes; rivers

Of wine, a joy
 To those who drink;
 And rivers of honey
 Pure and clear. In it
 There are for them
 All kinds of fruits;
 And Grace from their Lord.
 (Can those in such Bliss)
 Be compared to such as
 Shall dwell for ever
 In the Fire, and be given,
 To drink, boiling water,
 So that it cuts up
 Their bowels (to pieces)?

16. And among them are men
 Who listen to thee,
 But in the end, when they
 Go out from thee,
 They say to those who
 Have received Knowledge,
 "What is it he said
 Just then?" Such are
 Men whose hearts God
 Has sealed, and who
 Follow their own lusts.

17. But to those who receive
 Guidance, He increases
 The (light of) Guidance,
 And bestows on them
 Their Piety and Restraint
 (From evil).

18. Do they then only wait
 For the Hour,--that it
 Should come on them
 Of a sudden? But already
 Have come some tokens
 Thereof, and when it
 (Actually) is on them,
 How can they benefit
 Then by their admonition?

19. Know, therefore, that
 There is no god
 But God, and ask
 Forgiveness for thy fault,
 And for the men
 And women who believe:
 For God knows how ye
 Move about and how
 Ye dwell in your homes.

20. Those who believe say,
 "Why is not a Sura
 Sent down (for us)?"
 But when a Sura
 Of basic or categorical
 Meaning is revealed,
 And fighting is mentioned
 Therein, thou wilt see those
 In whose hearts is a disease
 Looking at thee with a look
 Of one in swoon at
 The approach of death.
 But more fitting for them--

21. Were it to obey
 And say what is just,
 And when a matter
 Is resolved on, it were
 Best for them if they
 Were true to God.

22. Then, is it
 To be expected of you,
 If ye were put in authority,
 That ye will do mischief
 In the land, and break
 Your ties of kith and kin?

23, Such are the men
 Whom God has cursed
 For He has made them
 Deaf and blinded their sight.

24. Do they not then
 Earnestly seek to understand
 The Qur-an, or are
 Their hearts locked up
 By them?

25. Those who turn back
 As apostates after Guidance
 Was clearly shown to them,--
 The Evil One has instigated
 Them and buoyed them up
 With false hopes.

26. This, because they said
 To those who hate what
 God has revealed, "We
 Will obey you in part
 Of (this) matter"; but God
 Knows their (inner) secrets.

27. But how (will it be)
 When the angels take
 Their souls at death,
 And smite their faces
 And their backs?

28. This because they followed
 That which called forth
 The Wrath of God, and
 They hated God's good pleasure;
 So He made their deeds
 Of no effect.

29. Or do those in whose
 Hearts is a disease, think
 That God will not bring
 To light all their rancour?

30. Had We so willed,
 We could have shown them
 Up to thee, and thou
 Shouldst have known them
 By their marks: but surely
 Thou wilt know them
 By the tone of their speech!
 And God knows
 All that ye do.

31. And We shall try you
 Until We test those
 Among you who strive
 Their utmost and persevere
 In patience; and We shall
 Try your reported (mettle).

32. Those who reject God,
 Hinder (men) from
 The Path of God, and resist
 The Apostle, after Guidance

Has been clearly shown to them,
 Will not injure God
 In the least, but He
 Will make their deeds
 Of no effect.

33. O ye who believe!
 Obey God, and obey
 The Apostle, and make
 Not vain your deeds!

34. Those who reject God,
 And hinder (men) from the Path
 Of God, then die rejecting God,--
 God will not forgive them.

35. Be not weary and
 Faint-hearted, crying for peace,
 When ye should be
 Uppermost: for God is
 With you, and will never
 Put you in loss
 For your (good) deeds.

36. The life of this world
 Is but play and amusement:
 And if ye believe
 And guard against evil,
 He will grant you
 Your recompense, and will not

Ask you (to give up)
 Your possessions.

37. If He were to ask you
 For all of them, and
 Press you, ye would
 Covetously withhold, and He would
 Bring out all your ill-feeling.

38. Behold, ye are those
 Invited to spend
 (Of your substance)
 In the Way of God:
 But among you are some
 That are niggardly. But any
 Who are niggardly are so
 At the expense of
 Their own souls.
 But God is free
 Of all wants,
 And it is ye that are needy.
 If ye turn back
 (From the Path), He will
 Substitute in your stead
 Another people; then they
 Would not be like you!

Sura XLVIII.  

Fat-h or Victory.

In  the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Verily We have granted
 Thee a manifest Victory:

2. That God may forgive thee
 Thy faults of the past
 And those to follow;
 Fulfil His favour to thee;
 And guide thee
 On the Straight Way;

3. And that God may help
 Thee with powerful help.

4. It is He Who sent
 Down Tranquillity
 Into the hearts of
 The Believers, that they may
 Add Faith to their Faith;--
 For to God belong

The Forces of the heavens
 And the earth; and God is
 Full of Knowledge and Wisdom;--

5. That He may admit
 The men and women
 Who believe, to Gardens
 Beneath which rivers flow,
 To dwell therein for aye,
 And remove their ills
 From them;--and that is,
 In the sight of God,
 The highest achievement
 (For man),--

6. And that He may punish
 The Hypocrites, men and
 Women, and the Polytheists,
 Men and women, who imagine
 An evil opinion of God.
 On them is a round
 Of Evil: the Wrath of God
 Is on them: He has cursed
 Them and got Hell ready
 For them: and evil
 Is it for a destination.

7. For to God belong
 The Forces of the heavens
 And the earth; and God is
 Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

8. We have truly sent thee
 As a witness, as a
 Bringer of Glad Tidings,
 And as a Warner:

9. In order that ye
 (O men) may believe
 In God and His Apostle,
 That ye may assist
 And honour Him,
 And celebrate His praises
 Morning and evening.

10. Verily those who plight
 Their fealty to thee
 Do no less than plight
 Their fealty to God:
 The Hand of God is
 Over their hands:
 Then any one who violates
 His oath, does so
 To the harm of his own
 Soul, and any one who
 Fulfils what he has
 Covenanted with God,--
 God will soon grant him
 A great Reward.

11. The desert Arabs who
 Lagged behind will

Say to thee:
 "We were engaged in
 (Looking after) our flocks
 And herds, and our families:
 Do thou then ask
 Forgiveness for us.
 They say with their tongues
 What is not in their hearts.
 Say: "Who then has
 Any power at all
 (To intervene) on your behalf
 With God, if His Will
 Is to give you some loss
 Or to give you some profit?
 But God is well acquainted
 With all that ye do.

12. "Nay, ye thought that
 The Apostle and the Believers
 Would never return to
 Their families; this seemed
 Pleasing in your hearts, and
 Ye conceived an evil thought,
 For ye are a people
 Lost (in wickedness)."

13. And if any believe not
 In God and His Apostle,
 We have prepared,
 For those who reject God,
 A Blazing Fire!

14. To God belongs the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth:
 He forgives whom He wills,
 And He punishes whom He

Wills: but God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

15. Those who lagged behind
 (Will say), when ye (are
 Free to) march and take
 Booty (in war): "Permit us
 To follow you." They wish
 To change God's decree:
 Say: "Not thus
 Will ye follow us:
 God has already declared
 (This) beforehand": then they
 Will say, "But ye are
 Jealous of us." Nay,
 But little do they understand
 (Such things).

16. Say to the desert Arabs
 Who lagged behind: "Ye
 Shall be summoned (to fight)
 Against a people given to
 Vehement war: then shall ye
 Fight, or they shall submit.
 Then if ye show obedience,
 God will grant you
 A goodly reward, but if
 Ye turn back as ye

Did before, He will punish
 You with a grievous Penalty."

17. No blame is there
 On the blind, nor is
 There blame on the lame,
 Nor on one ill (if he
 Joins not the war):
 But he that obeys God
 And His Apostle,--(God)
 Will admit him to Gardens
 Beneath which rivers flow;
 And he who turns back,
 (God) will punish him
 With a grievous Penalty.

18. God's Good Pleasure
 Was on the Believers
 When they swore Fealty
 To thee under the Tree:
 He knew what was
 In their hearts, and He
 Sent down Tranquillity
 To them; and He rewarded
 Them with a speedy Victory;

19. And many gains will they
 Acquire (besides): and God
 Is Exalted in Power,
 Full of Wisdom.

20. God has promised you
 Many gains that ye shall
 Acquire, and He has given
 You these beforehand; and
 He has restrained the hands
 Of men from you; that it
 May be a Sign for
 The Believers, and that
 He may guide you
 To a Straight Path;

21. And other gains (there are),
 Which are not within
 Your power, but which
 God has compassed: and God
 Has power over all things.

22. If the Unbelievers
 Should fight you, they would
 Certainly turn their backs;
 Then would they find
 Neither protector nor helper.

23. (Such has been) the practice
 (Approved) of God already
 In the past: no change
 Wilt thou find in
 The practice (approved) of God.

24. And it is He Who
 Has restrained their hands

From you and your hands
 From them in the midst
 Of Mecca, after that He
 Gave you the victory
 Over them. And God sees
 Well all that ye do.

25. They are the ones who
 Denied revelation and hindered you
 From the Sacred Mosque
 And the sacrificial animals,
 Detained from reaching their
 Place of sacrifice. Had there
 Not been believing men
 And believing women whom
 Ye did not know that
 Ye were trampling down
 And on whose account
 A crime would have accrued
 To you without (your) knowledge,
 (God would have allowed you
 To force your way, but
 He held back your hands)
 That He may admit
 To His Mercy whom He will.
 If they had been
 Apart, We should

Certainly have punished
 The Unbelievers among them
 With a grievous punishment.

26. While the Unbelievers
 Got up in their hearts
 Heat and cant--the heat
 And cant of Ignorance,--
 God sent down His Tranquillity
 To his Apostle and to
 The Believers, and made them
 Stick close to the command
 Of self-restraint; and well
 Were they entitled to it
 And worthy of it.
 And God has full knowledge
 Of all things.

27. Truly did God fulfil
 The vision for His Apostle:
 Ye shall enter the Sacred
 Mosque, if God wills,
 With minds secure, heads shaved,
 Hair cut short, and without fear.
 For He knew what ye
 Knew not, and He granted,
 Besides this, a speedy victory.

28. It is He Who has sent
 His Apostle with Guidance
 And the Religion of Truth,
 To proclaim it over

All religion: and enough
 Is God for a Witness.

29. Muhammad is the Apostle
 Of God; and those who are
 With him are strong
 Against Unbelievers, (but)
 Compassionate amongst each other.
 Thou wilt see them bow
 And prostrate themselves
 (In prayer), seeking Grace
 From God and (His) Good
 Pleasure.
 On their faces are their
 Marks, (being) the traces
 Of their prostration.
 This is their similitude
 In the Taurat;
 And their similitude
 In the Gospel is:
 Like a seed which sends
 Forth its blade, then
 Makes it strong; it then
 Becomes thick, and it stands

On its own stem, (filling)
 The sowers with wonder
 And delight. As a result,
 It fills the Unbelievers
 With rage at them.
 God has promised those
 Among them who believe
 And do righteous deeds
 Forgiveness,
 And a great Reward.

Sura XLIX.  

Hujurat, or the Inner Apartments.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. O ye who believe!
 Put not yourselves forward
 Before God and His Apostle;
 But fear God: for God
 Is He Who hears
 And knows all things.

2. O ye who believe!
 Raise not your voices!
 Above the voice of the Prophet,
 Nor speak aloud to him
 In talk, as ye may
 Speak aloud to one another,
 Lest your deeds become!
 Vain and ye perceive not.

3. Those that lower their voice
 In the presence of
 God's Apostle,--their hearts
 Has God tested for piety:
 For them is Forgiveness
 And a great Reward.

4. Those who shout out
 To thee from without

The Inner Apartments--
 Most of them lack understanding.

5. If only they had patience
 Until thou couldst
 Come out to them,
 It would be best
 For them: but God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

6. O ye who believe!
 If a wicked person comes
 To you with any news,
 Ascertain the truth, lest
 Ye harm people unwittingly,
 And afterwards become
 Full of repentance for
 What ye have done.

7. And know that among you
 Is God's Apostle: were he,
 In many matters, to follow
 Your (wishes), ye would
 Certainly fall into misfortune:
 But God has endeared
 The Faith to you, and
 Has made it beautiful
 In your hearts, and He
 Has made hateful to you
 Unbelief, wickedness, and
 Rebellion: such indeed are
 Those who walk in righteousness;--

8. A grace and favour
 From God; and God
 Is full of Knowledge
 And Wisdom.

9. If two parties among
 The Believers fall into
 A quarrel, make ye peace
 Between them: but if
 One of them transgresses
 Beyond bounds against the other,
 Then fight ye (all) against
 The one that transgresses
 Until it complies with
 The command of God;
 But if it complies, then
 Make peace between them
 With justice, and be fair:
 For God loves those
 Who are fair (and just).

10. The Believers are but
 A single Brotherhood:
 So make peace and
 Reconciliation between your
 Two (contending) brothers;
 And fear God, that ye
 May receive Mercy.

11. O ye who believe!
 Let not some men
 Among you laugh at others:
 It may be that
 The (latter) are better
 Than the (former):
 Nor let some women
 Laugh at others:

It may be that
 The (latter) are better
 Than the (former):
 Nor defame nor be
 Sarcastic to each other,
 Nor call each other
 By (offensive) nicknames:
 Ill-seeming is a name
 Connoting wickedness,
 (To be used of one)
 After he has believed:
 And those who
 Do not desist are
 (Indeed) doing wrong.

12. O ye who believe!
 Avoid suspicion as much
 (As possible): for suspicion
 In some cases is a sin:
 And spy not on each other,
 Nor speak ill of each other
 Behind their backs. Would any
 Of you like to eat
 The flesh of his dead
 Brother? Nay, ye would
 Abhor it... But fear God:
 For God is Oft-Returning,
 Most Merciful.

13. O mankind! We created
 You from a single (pair)
 Of a male and a female,
 And made you into
 Nations and tribes, that
 Ye may know each other
 (Not that ye may despise
 (Each other). Verily
 The most honoured of you
 In the sight of God
 Is (he who is) the most
 Righteous of you.
 And God has full knowledge
 And is well acquainted
 (With all things).

14. The desert Arabs say,
 "We believe." Say, ''Ye
 Have no faith; but ye
 (Only) say, "We have submitted
 Our wills to God,"
 For not yet has Faith
 Entered your hearts.
 But if ye obey God
 And His Apostle, He
 Will not belittle aught
 Of your deeds: for God
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

15. Only those are Believers
 Who have believed in God
 And His Apostle, and have
 Never since doubted, but
 Have striven with their
 Belongings and their persons
 In the Cause of God:
 Such are the sincere ones.

16. Say: "What! Will ye
 Instruct God about your
 Religion? But God knows
 All that is in the heavens
 And on earth: He has
 Full knowledge of all things.

17. They impress on thee
 As favour that they
 Have embraced Islam.
 Say, "Count not your Islam
 As a favour upon me:
 Nay, God has conferred
 A favour upon you
 That He has guided you
 To the Faith, if ye
 Be true and sincere.

18. "Verily God knows
 The secrets of the heavens
 And the earth: and God
 Sees well all
 That ye do."

Sura L.  

Qaf.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Qaf.

By the Glorious Qur-an
 (Thou art God's Apostle).

2. But they wonder that
 There has come to them
 A Warner from among
 Themselves.
 So the Unbelievers say:
 "This is a wonderful thing!

3. "What! When we die
 And become dust, (shall we
 Live again?) That is
 A (sort of) Return
 Far (from our understanding)."

4. We already know
 How much of them
 The earth takes away:
 With Us is a Record
 Guarding (the full account).

5. But they deny the truth
 When it comes to them:
 So they are in
 A confused state.

6. Do they not look
 At the sky above them?--
 How We have made it
 And adorned it,
 And there are no
 Flaws in it?

7. And the earth--
 We have spread it out,
 And set thereon mountains
 Standing firm, and produced
 Therein every kind of
 Beautiful growth (in pairs)--

8. To be observed
 And commemorated
 By every devotee
 Turning (to God).

9. And We send down
 From the sky Rain
 Charged with blessing,
 And We produce therewith
 Gardens and Grain for harvests;

10. And tall (and stately)
 Palm-trees, with shoots
 Of fruit-stalks, piled
 One over another;--

11, As sustenance for
 (God's) Servants;--
 And We give (new) life
 Therewith to land that is
 Dead: thus will be
 The Resurrection.

12. Before them was denied
 (The Hereafter) by the People
 Of Noah, the Companions
 Of the Rass, the Thamud,

13. The 'Ad, Pharaoh,
 The Brethren of Lut,

14. The Companions of the Wood,
 And the People of Tubba';
 Each one (of them) rejected
 The apostles, and My warning
 Was duly fulfilled (in them).

15. Were We then weary
 With the first Creation,
 That they should be
 In confused doubt
 About a new Creation?

16. It was We Who
 Created man, and We know
 What dark suggestions his soul
 Makes to him: for We
 Are nearer to him
 Than (his) jugular vein.

17. Behold, two (guardian angels)
 Appointed to learn (his doings)
 Learn (and note them),
 One sitting on the right
 And one on the left.

18. Not a word does he
 Utter but there is
 A sentinel by him,
 Ready (to note it).

19. And the stupor of death
 Will bring truth (before
 His eyes): "This was
 The thing which thou
 Wast trying to escape!"

20. And the Trumpet
 Shall be blown:
 That will be the Day
 Whereof Warning (had been given).

21. And there will come forth
 Every soul: with each
 Will be an (angel) to drive,
 And an (angel) to
 Bear witness.

22. (It will be said:)
 "Thou wast heedless
 Of this; now have We
 Removed thy veil,

And sharp is thy sight
 This Day!"

23. And his Companion will say:
 "Here is (his Record) ready
 With me!"

24. (The sentence will be:)
 "Throw, throw into Hell
 Every contumacious Rejecter
 (Of God)!--

25. "Who forbade what was good,
 Transgressed all bounds,
 Cast doubts and suspicions;

26. "Who set up another god
 Beside God: throw him
 Into a severe Penalty."

27. His Companion will say:
 "Our Lord! I did not
 Make him transgress,
 But he was (himself)
 Far astray."

28. He will say: "Dispute not
 With each other
 In My Presence:
 I had already in advance
 Sent you Warning.

29. "The Word changes not
 Before Me, and I do not
 The least injustice
 To My Servants."

30. One Day We will
 Ask Hell, "Art thou
 Filled to the full?"
 It will say, "Are there
 Any more (to come)?"

31. And the Garden
 Will be brought nigh

To the Righteous,--no more
 A thing distant.

32. (A voice will say:)
 "This is what was
 Promised for you,
 For every one who turned
 (To God) in sincere repentance,
 Who kept (His Law),

33. "Who feared (God)
 Most Gracious unseen,
 And brought a heart
 Turned in devotion (to Him):

34. "Enter ye therein
 In Peace and Security;
 This is a Day
 Of Eternal Life!"

35. There will be for them
 Therein all that they wish,--
 And more besides
 In Our Presence,

36. But how many
 Generations before them
 Did We destroy (for their
 Sins),--stronger in power
 Than they? Then did they
 Wander through the land:
 Was there any place
 Of escape (for them)?

37. Verily in this
 Is a Message
 For any that has
 A heart and understanding
 Or who gives ear and
 Earnestly witnesses (the truth).

38. We created the heavens
 And the earth and all
 Between them in Six Days,
 Nor did any sense
 Of weariness touch Us.

39. Bear, then, with patience,
 All that they say,
 And celebrate the praises
 Of thy Lord, before
 The rising of the sun
 And before (its) setting,

40. And during part
 Of the night, (also,)
 Celebrate His praises,
 And (so likewise)
 After the postures
 Of adoration.

41. And listen for the Day
 When the Caller will call
 Out from a place
 Quite near,--

42. The Day when they will
 Hear a (mighty) Blast
 In (very) truth: that
 Will be the Day
 Of Resurrection.

43. Verily it is We Who
 Give Life and Death;
 And to Us is
 The Final Goal--

44. The Day when
 The Earth will be
 Rent asunder, from (men)
 Hurrying out: that will be
 A gathering together,--
 Quite easy for Us.

45. We know best what they
 Say; and thou art not
 One to overawe them
 By force. So admonish
 With the Qur-an such
 As fear My Warning!

Sura LI.  

Zariyat, or the Winds That Scatter.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the (Winds)
 That scatter broadcast;

2. And those that
 Lift and bear away
 Heavy weights;

3. And those that
 Flow with ease
 And gentleness;

4. And those that
 Distribute and apportion
 By Command;--

5. Verily that which ye
 Are promised is true;

6. And verily Judgment
 And Justice must
 Indeed come to pass.

7. By the Sky
 With (its) numerous Paths,

8. Truly ye are in
 A doctrine discordant,

9. Through which are deluded (away
 From the Truth) such
 As would be deluded.

10. Woe to the falsehood-mongers,--

11. Those who (flounder) heedless
 In a flood of confusion:

12. They ask, "When will be
 The Day of Judgment
 And Justice?"

13. (It will be) a Day
 When they will be tried
 (And tested) over the Fire!

14. "Taste ye your trial!
 This is what ye used
 To ask to be hastened!

15. As to the Righteous,
 They will be in the midst
 Of Gardens and Springs,

16. Taking joy in the things
 Which their Lord gives them,
 Because, before then, they
 Lived a good life.

17. They were in the habit
 Of sleeping but little
 By night,

18. And in the hours
 Of early dawn,

They (were found) praying
 For Forgiveness;

19. And in their wealth
 And possessions (was remembered)
 The right of the (needy,)
 Him who asked, and him
 Who (for some reason) was
 Prevented (from asking).

20. On the earth
 Are Signs for those
 Of assured Faith,

21. As also in your, own
 Selves: will ye not
 Then see?

22. And in heaven is
 Your Sustenance, as (also)
 That which ye are promised.

23. Then, by the Lord
 Of heaven and earth,
 This is the very Truth,
 As much as the fact
 That ye can speak
 Intelligently to each other.

24. Has the story
 Reached thee, of the honoured
 Guests of Abraham?

25. Behold, they entered
 His presence, and said:
 "Peace!" He said, "Peace"
 (And thought, "These seem)
 Unusual people."

26. Then he turned quickly
 To his household, brought
 Out a fatted calf,

27. And placed it before them...
 He said, "Will ye not
 Eat?"

28. (When they did not eat),
 He conceived a fear of them.
 They said, "Fear not,"
 And they gave him
 Glad tidings of a son
 Endowed with knowledge.

29. But his wife came forward
 (Laughing) aloud: she smote
 Her forehead and said:
 "A barren old woman!"

30. They said, "Even so
 Has thy Lord spoken:
 And He is full
 Of Wisdom and Knowledge."

 31. (Abraham) said: "And what,
 O ye Messengers,
 Is your errand (now)?"

32. They said, "We have
 Been sent to a people
 (Deep) in sin;--

33. "To bring on, on them,
 (A shower of) stones
 Of clay (brimstone),

34. "Marked as from thy Lord
 For those who trespass
 Beyond bounds."

35. Then We evacuated
 Those of the Believers
 Who were there,

36. But We found not there
 Any just (Muslim) persons
 Except in one house:

37. And We left there
 A Sign for such as
 Fear the Grievous Penalty.

38. And in Moses
 (Was another Sign):
 Behold, We sent him
 To Pharaoh, with authority
 Manifest.

39. But (Pharaoh) turned back
 With his Chiefs, and said,
 "A sorcerer, or
 One possessed!"

40. So We took him
 And his forces, and
 Threw them into the sea;
 And his was the blame:

41. And in the 'Ad (people)
 (Was another Sign):
 Behold, We sent against them
 The devastating Wind:

42. It left nothing whatever
 That it came up against,
 But reduced it to ruin
 And rottenness.

43. And in the Thamud
 (Was another Sign):
 Behold, they were told,
 "Enjoy (your brief day)
 For a little while!"

44. But they insolently defied
 The Command of their Lord:
 So the stunning noise
 (Of an earthquake) seized
 Them, even while they
 Were looking on.

45. Then they could not
 Even stand (on their feet),
 Nor could they help themselves.

46. So were the People
 Of Noah before them:
 For they wickedly transgressed.

47. With power and skill
 Did We construct
 The Firmament:
 For it is We Who create
 The vastness of Space.

48. And We have spread out
 The (spacious) earth:
 How excellently
 We do spread out!

49. And of every thing
 We have created pairs
 That ye may receive
 Instruction.

50. Hasten ye then (at once)
 To God: I am from Him
 A Warner to you,
 Clear and open!

51. And make not another
 An object of worship
 With God:
 I am from Him
 A Warner to you,
 Clear and open!

52. Similarly, no apostle came
 To the Peoples before them,
 But they said (of him)
 In like manner,
 "A sorcerer, or
 One possessed"!

53. Is this the legacy
 They have transmitted,

One to another
 Nay, they are themselves
 A people transgressing
 Beyond bounds!

54. So turn away
 From them: not thine
 Is the blame.

55. But teach (thy Message):
 For teaching benefits
 The Believers.

56. I have only created
 Jinns and men, that
 They may serve Me.

57. No Sustenance do I require
 Of them, nor do I
 Require that they should
 Feed Me.

58. For God is He Who
 Gives (all) Sustenance,--
 Lord of Power,--
 Steadfast (for ever).

59. For the wrong-doers,
 Their portion is like

Unto the portion of their
 Fellows (of earlier generations):
 Then let them not ask Me
 To hasten (that portion)!

60. Woe, then, to the Unbelievers,
 On account of that Day
 Of theirs which they
 Have been promised!

Sura LII.  

Tur, or the Mount.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Mount (of Revelation);

2. By a Decree Inscribed

3. In a Scroll unfolded;

4. By the much-frequented Fane;

5. By the Canopy Raised High;

6. And by the Ocean
 Filled with Swell;--

7. Verily, the Doom of thy Lord
 Will indeed come to pass;--

8. There is none
 Can avert it;--

9. On the Day when
 The firmament will be
 In dreadful commotion.

10. And the mountains will fly
 Hither and thither.

11. Then woe that Day
 To those that treat
 (Truth) as Falsehood;--

12. That play (and paddle)
 In shallow trifles.

13. That Day shall they be
 Thrust down to the Fire
 Of Hell, irresistibly.

14. "This", it will be said,
 "Is the Fire,--which ye
 Were wont to deny!

15. "Is this then a fake,
 Or is it ye that
 Do not see?

16. "Burn ye therein:
 The same is it to you
 Whether ye bear it
 With patience, or not:
 Ye but receive the recompense
 Of your (own) deeds."

17. As to the Righteous,
 They will be in Gardens,
 And in Happiness,--

18. Enjoying the (Bliss) which
 Their Lord hath bestowed
 On them, and their Lord
 Shall deliver them from
 The Penalty of the Fire.

19. (To them will be said:)
 "Eat and drink ye,
 With profit and health,
 Because of your (good) deeds."

20. They will recline (with ease)
 On Thrones (of dignity)
 Arranged in ranks;
 And We shall join them
 To Companions, with beautiful
 Big and lustrous eyes.

21. And those who believe
 And whose families follow
 Them in Faith,-- to them
 Shall We join their families:
 Nor shall We deprive them
 (Of the fruit) of aught
 Of their works:
 (Yet) is each individual
 In pledge for his deeds.

22. And We shall bestow
 On them, of fruit and meat,
 Anything they shall desire.

23. They shall there exchange,
 One with another,
 A (loving) cup
 Free of frivolity,
 Free of all taint
 Of ill.

24. Round about them will serve,
 (Devoted) to them,
 Youths (handsome) as Pearls
 Well-guarded.

25. They will advance
 To each other, engaging
 In mutual enquiry.

26. They will say: "Aforetime,
 We were not without fear
 For the sake of our people.

27. "But God has been good
 To us, and has delivered us
 From the Penalty
 Of the Scorching Wind.

28. "Truly, we did call
 Unto Him from of old:
 Truly it is He,
 The Beneficent, the Merciful!

29. Wherefore proclaim thou
 The praises (of thy Lord):
 For by the Grace
 Of thy Lord, thou art
 No (vulgar) soothsayer, nor
 Art thou one possessed.

30. Or do they say:--
 "A Poet! we await
 For him some calamity
 (Hatched) by Time!"

31. Say thou: "Await ye!--
 I too will wait
 Along with you!"

32. Is it that their faculties
 Of understanding urge them
 To this, or are they
 But a people transgressing
 Beyond bounds?

33. Or do they say,
 "He fabricated the (Message)"?
 Nay, they have no faith!

34. Let them then produce
 A recital like unto it,--
 If (it be) they speak
 The Truth!

35. Were they created of
 nothing,
 Or were they themselves
 The creators?

36. Or did they create
 The heavens and the earth?
 Nay, they have
 No firm belief.

37. Or are the Treasures
 Of thy Lord with them,
 Or are they the managers
 (Of affairs)?

38. Or have they a ladder,
 By which they can (climb
 Up to heaven and) listen
 (To its secrets)? Then let
 (Such a) listener of theirs
 Produce a manifest proof.

39. Or has He only daughters
 And ye have sons?

40. Or is it that thou
 Dost ask for a reward,
 So that they are burdened
 With a load of debt?--

41. Or that the Unseen
 Is in their hands,
 And they write it down?

42. Or do they intend
 A plot (against thee)?
 But those who defy God
 Are themselves involved
 In a Plot!

43. Or have they a god
 Other than God?
 Exalted is God
 Far above the things
 They associate with Him!

44. Were they to see
 A piece of the sky
 Falling (on them), they
 Would (only) say: "Clouds
 Gathered in heaps!"

45. So leave them alone
 Until they encounter
 That Day of theirs,
 Wherein they shall (perforce)
 Swoon (with terror),--

46. The Day when their plotting
 Will avail them nothing
 And no help shall be
 Given them.

47. And verily, for those
 Who do wrong, there is
 Another punishment besides this:
 But most of them
 Understand not.

48. Now await in patience
 The command of thy Lord:

For verily thou art
 In Our eyes:
 And celebrate the praises
 Of thy Lord the while
 Thou standest forth,

49. And for part of the night
 Also praise thou Him,--
 And at the retreat
 Of the stars!

Sura LIII.  

Najm, or the Star.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Star
 When it goes down,--

2. Your Companion is neither
 Astray nor being misled,

3. Nor does he say (aught)
 Of (his own) Desire.

4. It is no less than
 Inspiration sent down to him:

5. He was taught by one
 Mighty in Power,

6. Endued with Wisdom:
 For he appeared
 (In stately form)

7. While he was in
 The highest part
 Of the horizon:

8. Then he approached
 And came closer,

9. And was at a distance
 Of but two bow-lengths
 Or (even) nearer;

10. So did (God) convey
 The inspiration to His Servant--
 (Conveyed) what He (meant)
 To convey.

11. The (Prophet's) (mind and) heart
 In no way falsified
 That which he saw.

12. Will ye then dispute
 With him concerning
 What he saw?

13. For indeed he saw him
 At a second descent,

14. Near the Lote-tree
 Beyond which none may pass:

15. Near it is the Garden
 Of Abode.

16. Behold, the Lote-tree
 Was shrouded
 (In mystery unspeakable!)

17. (His) sight never swerved,
 Nor did it go wrong!

18. For truly did he see,
 Of the Signs of his Lord,
 The Greatest!

19. Have ye seen
 Lat, and 'Uzza,

20. And another,
 The third (goddess), Manat?

21. What! For you
 The male sex,
 And for Him, the female?

22. Behold, such would be
 Indeed a division
 Most unfair!

23. These are nothing but names
 Which ye have devised,--
 Ye and your fathers,
 For which God has sent
 Down no authority (whatever).
 They follow nothing but
 Conjecture and what
 Their own souls desire!--
 Even though there has already
 Come to them Guidance
 From their Lord!

24. Nay, shall man have (just)
 Anything he hankers after?

25. But it is to God
 That the End and
 The Beginning (of all things)
 Belong.

26. How many-so-ever be
 The angels in the heavens,
 Their intercession will avail nothing
 Except after God has given
 Leave for whom He pleases
 And that he is acceptable
 To Him.

27. Those who believe not
 In the Hereafter, name
 The angels with female names.

28. But they have no knowledge
 Therein. They follow nothing
 But conjecture; and conjecture
 Avails nothing against Truth.

29. Therefore shun those who
 Turn away from Our Message
 And desire nothing but
 The life of this world.

30. That is as far as
 Knowledge will reach them.
 Verily thy Lord knoweth best
 Those who stray from
 His Path, and He knoweth
 Best those who receive guidance.

31. Yea, to God belongs all
 That is in the heavens
 And on earth: so that
 He rewards those who do
 Evil, according to their deeds,
 And He rewards those who
 Do good, with what is best.

32. Those who avoid
 Great sins and shameful deeds,

Only (falling into) small faults,
 Verily thy Lord is ample
 In forgiveness. He knows
 You well when He brings
 You out of the earth,
 And when ye are hidden
 In your mothers' wombs.
 Therefore justify not yourselves;
 He knows best who it is
 That guards against evil.

33. Seest thou one
 Who turns back,

34. Gives a little,
 Then hardens (his heart)?

35. What! Has he knowledge
 Of the unseen
 So that he can see?

36. Nay, is he not acquainted
 With what is in the books
 Of Moses--

37. And of Abraham
 Who fulfilled his
 engagements;--

38. Namely, that no bearer
 Of burdens can bear
 The burden of another;

39. That man can have nothing
 But what he strives for;

40. That (the fruit of) his striving
 Will soon come in sight;

41. Then will he be rewarded
 With a reward complete;

42. That to thy Lord
 Is the final Goal;

43. That it is He Who
 Granteth Laughter and Tears;

44. That it is He Who
 Granteth Death and Life;

45. That He did create
 In pairs,--male and female,

46. From a seed when lodged
 (In its place);

47. That He hath promised
 A Second Creation
 (Raising of the Dead);

48. That it is He Who
 Giveth wealth and satisfaction;

49. That He is the Lord
 Of Sirius (the Mighty Star);

50. And that it is He
 Who destroyed the (powerful)
 Ancient 'Ad (people),

51. And the Thamud,
 Nor gave them a lease
 Of perpetual life.

52. And before them,
 The people of Noah,
 For that they were (all)
 Most unjust
 And most insolent transgressors,

53. And He destroyed
 The Overthrown Cities
 (Of Sodom and Gomorrah),

54. So that (ruins unknown)
 Have covered them up.

55. Then which of the gifts
 Of thy Lord, (O man,)
 Wilt thou dispute about?

56. This is a Warner,
 Of the (series of) Warners
 Of old!

57. The (Judgment) ever approaching
 Draws nigh:

58. No (soul) but God
 Can lay it bare.

59. Do ye then wonder
 At this recital?

60. And will ye laugh
 And not weep,--

61. Wasting your time
 In vanities?

62. But fall ye down in prostration
 To God, and adore (Him)!

Sura LIV.  

Qamar, or the Moon.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. The Hour (of Judgment)
 Is nigh, and the moon
 Is cleft asunder.

2. But if they see
 A Sign, they turn away,
 And say, "This is
 (But) transient magic."

3. They reject (the warning)
 And follow their (own) lusts
 But every matter has
 Its appointed time.

4. There have already come
 To them Recitals wherein
 There is (enough) to check (them),

5. Mature wisdom;--but
 (The preaching of) Warners
 Profits them not.

6. Therefore, (O Prophet,)
 Turn away from them.
 The Day that the Caller
 Will call (them)
 To a terrible affair,

7. They will come forth,
 Their eyes humbled--
 From (their) graves, (torpid)
 Like locusts scattered abroad,

8. Hastening, with eyes transfixed,
 Towards the Caller!--
 "Hard is this Day!",
 The Unbelievers will say.

9. Before them the People
 Of Noah rejected (their apostle):
 They rejected Our servant,
 And said, "Here is
 One possessed!", and he
 Was driven out.

10. Then he called on his Lord:
 "I am one overcome:
 Do Thou then help (me)!

11. So We opened the gates
 Of heaven, with water
 Pouring forth.

12. And We caused the earth
 To gush forth with springs.
 So the waters met (and rose)
 To the extent decreed.

13. But We bore him
 On an (Ark) made of
 Broad planks and caulked
 With palm-fibre:

14. She floats under our eyes
 (And care): a recompense
 To one who had been
 Rejected (with scorn)!

15. And We have left
 This as a Sign
 (For all time): then
 Is there any that will
 Receive admonition?

16. But how (terrible) was
 My Penalty and My Warning?

17. And We have indeed
 Made the Qur-an easy

To understand and remember:
 Then is there any that
 Will receive admonition?

18. The 'Ad (people) (too)
 Rejected (Truth): then
 How terrible was
 My Penalty and My Warning?

19. For We sent against them
 A furious wind, on a Day
 Of violent Disaster,

20. Plucking out men as if
 They were roots of palm-trees
 Torn up (from the ground).

21. Yea, how (terrible) was
 My Penalty and My Warning!

22. But We have indeed
 Made the Qur-an easy
 To understand and remember:
 Then is there any that
 Will receive admonition?

23. The Thamud (also)
 Rejected (their) Warners.

24. For they said: "What!
 A man! a solitary one

From among ourselves!
 Shall we follow such a one?
 Truly should we then be
 Straying in mind, and mad!

25. "Is it that the Message
 Is sent to him,
 Of all people amongst us?
 Nay, he is a liar,
 An insolent one!"

26. Ah! they will know
 On the morrow, which is
 The liar, the insolent one!

27. For We will send
 The she-camel
 By way of trial for them.
 So watch them, (O Salih),
 And possess thyself in patience!

28. And tell them that
 The water is to be
 Divided between them:
 Each one's right to drink
 Being brought forward
 (By suitable turns).

29. But they called
 To their companion,
 And he took a sword
 In hand, and hamstrung (her).

30. Ah! how (terrible) was
 My Penalty and My Warning!

31. For We sent against them
 A single Mighty Blast,
 And they became
 Like the dry stubble used
 By one who pens cattle.

32. And we have indeed
 Made the Qur-an easy
 To understand and remember:
 Then is there any that
 Will receive admonition?

33. The People of Lut
 Rejected (his) Warning.

34. We sent against them
 A violent tornado
 With showers of stones,
 (Which destroyed them), except
 Lut's household: them We
 Delivered by early Dawn,--

35. As a Grace from Us:
 Thus do We reward
 Those who give thanks.

36. And (Lut) did warn them
 Of Our Punishment, but
 They disputed about the Warning.

37. And they even sought
 To snatch away his guests
 From him, but We blinded
 Their eyes. (They heard:)
 "Now taste ye My Wrath
 And My Warning."

38. Early on the morrow
 An abiding Punishment
 Seized them:

39. "So taste ye My Wrath
 And My Warning."

40. And We have indeed
 Made the Qur-an easy
 To understand and remember:
 Then is there any that
 Will receive admonition?

41. To the People
 Of Pharaoh, too, aforetime,
 Came Warners (from God).

42. The (people) rejected all
 Our Signs; but We
 Seized them with such Penalty
 (As comes) from One
 Exalted in Power,
 Able to carry out His Will.

43. Are your Unbelievers,
 (O Quraish), better than they?
 Or have ye an immunity
 In the Sacred Books?

44. Or do they say:
 "We acting together
 Can defend ourselves"?

45. Soon will their multitude
 Be put to flight,
 And they will show
 Their backs.

46. Nay, the Hour (of Judgment)
 Is the time promised them
 (For their full recompense):
 And that Hour will be
 Most grievous and most bitter.

47. Truly those in sin
 Are the ones
 Straying in mind, and mad.

48. The Day they will be
 Dragged through the Fire
 On their faces, (they
 Will hear:) "Taste ye
 The touch of Hell!"

49. Verily, all things
 Have We created
 In proportion and measure.

50. And Our Command
 Is but a single (Act),--
 Like the twinkling
 Of an eye.

51. And (oft) in the past,
 Have We destroyed gangs
 Like unto you: then
 Is there any that
 Will receive admonition?

52. All that they do
 Is noted in (their)
 Books (of Deeds):

53. Every matter, small and great,
 Is on record.

54. As to the Righteous,
 They will be in the midst
 Of Gardens and Rivers,

55. In an Assembly of Truth,
 In the Presence of
 A Sovereign Omnipotent.

Sura LV.  

Rahman, or (God) Most Gracious.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. (God) Most Gracious!

2. It is He Who has
 Taught the Qur-an.

3. He has created man:

4. He has taught him speech
 (And Intelligence).

5. The sun and the moon
 Follow courses (exactly) computed;

6. And the herbs and the trees--
 Both (alike) bow in adoration.

7. And the Firmament has He
 Raised high, and He has set up
 The Balance (of Justice),

8. In order that ye may
 Not transgress (due) balance.

9. So establish weight with justice
 And fall not short
 In the balance.

10. It is He Who has
 Spread out the earth
 For (His) creatures:

11. Therein is fruit
 And date-palms, producing
 Spathes (enclosing dates);

12. Also corn, with (its)
 Leaves and stalk for fodder,
 And sweet-smelling plants.

13. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

14. He created man
 From sounding clay
 Like unto pottery,

15. And He created Jinns
 From fire free of smoke:

16. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

17. (He is) Lord
 Of the two Easts
 And Lord
 Of the two Wests:

18. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

19. He has let free
 The two bodies
 Of flowing water,
 Meeting together:

20. Between them is a Barrier
 Which they do not transgress:

21. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

22. Out of them come
 Pearls and Coral:

23. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

24. And His are the Ships
 Sailing smoothly through the seas,
 Lofty as mountains:

25. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

26. All that is on earth
 Will perish:

27. But will abide (for ever)
 The Face of thy Lord,--

Full of Majesty,
 Bounty and Honour.

28. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

29. Of Him seeks (its need)
 Every creature in the heavens
 And on earth:
 Every day in (new) Splendour
 Doth He (shine)!

30. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

31. Soon shall We
 Settle your affairs,
 O both ye worlds!

32. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

33. O ye assembly of Jinns,
 And men! If it be

Ye can pass beyond
 The zones of the heavens
 And the earth, pass ye!
 Not without authority
 Shall ye be able to pass!

34. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

35. On you will be sent
 (O ye evil ones twain!)
 A flame of fire (to burn)
 And a smoke (to choke):
 No defence will ye have:

36. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

37. When the sky is rent
 Asunder, and it becomes red
 Like ointment:

38. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

39. On that Day
 No question will be asked
 Of man or Jinn
 As to his sin,

40. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

41. (For) the sinners will be
 Known by their Marks:
 And they will be seized
 By their forelocks and
 Their feet.

42. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

43. This is the Hell which
 The Sinners deny:

44. In its midst
 And in the midst
 Of boiling hot water
 Will they wander round!

45. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

46. But for such as fear
 The time when they will
 Stand before (the Judgment Seat
 Of) their Lord,
 There will be two Gardens--

47. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

48. Containing all kinds
 (Of trees and delights);--

49. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

50. In them (each) will be
 Two Springs flowing (free);

51. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

52. In them will be Fruits
 Of every kind, two and two.

53. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

54. They will recline on Carpets,
 Whose inner linings will be
 Of rich brocade: the Fruit
 Of the Gardens will be
 Near (and easy of reach).

55. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

56. In them will be (Maidens),
 Chaste, restraining their glances,
 Whom no man or Jinn
 Before them has touched;--

57. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

58. Like unto rubies and coral.

59. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

60. Is there any Reward
 For Good-other than Good?

61. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

62. And besides these two,
 There are two other Gardens,--

63. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

64. Dark-green in colour
 (From plentiful watering).

65. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

66. In them (each) will be
 Two Springs pouring forth water
 In continuous abundance:

67. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

68. In them will be Fruits,
 And dates and pomegranates:

69. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

70. In them will be
 Fair (Companions), good,
 beautiful;--

71. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

72. Companions restrained (as to
 Their glances), in (goodly)
 pavilions;--

73. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

74. Whom no man or Jinn
 Before them has touched;--

75. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?--

76. Reclining on green Cushions
 And rich Carpets of beauty.

77. Then which of the favours
 Of your Lord will ye deny?

78. Blessed be the name
 Of thy Lord,
 Full of Majesty,
 Bounty and Honour.

Sura LVI.  

Waqi'a, or The Inevitable Event.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. When the Event Inevitable
 Cometh to pass,

2. Then will no (soul)
 Entertain falsehood
 Concerning its coming.

3. (Many) will it bring low;
 (Many) will it exalt;

4. When the earth shall be
 Shaken to its depths,

5. And the mountains shall
 Be crumbled to atoms,

6. Becoming dust scattered abroad,

7. And ye shall be sorted out
 Into three classes.

8. Then (there will be)
 The Companions of
 The Right Hand;--
 What will be
 The Companions of
 The Right Hand?

9. And the Companions of
 The Left Hand,--
 What will be
 The Companions of
 The Left Hand?

10. And those Foremost
 (In Faith) will be
 Foremost (in the Hereafter).

11. These will be
 Those Nearest to God:

12. In Gardens of Bliss:

13. A number of people
 From those of old,

14. And a few from those
 Of later times.

15. (They will be) on Thrones
 Encrusted (with gold
 And precious stones),

16. Reclining on them,
 Facing each other.

17. Round about them will (serve)
 Youths of perpetual (freshness),

18. With goblets, (shining) beakers,
 And cups (filled) out of
 Clear-flowing fountains:

19. No after-ache will they
 Receive therefrom, nor will they
 Suffer intoxication:

20. And with fruits,
 Any that they may select;

21. And the flesh of fowls,
 Any that they may desire.

22. And (there will be) Companions
 With beautiful, big,
 And lustrous eyes,--

23. Like unto Pearls
 Well-guarded.

24. A Reward for the Deeds
 Of their past (Life).

25. No frivolity will they
 Hear therein, nor any
 Taint of ill,--

26. Only the saying,
 "Peace! Peace".

27. The Companions of
 The Right Hand,--
 What will be
 The Companions of
 The Right Hand?

28. (They will be) among
 Lote-trees without thorns,

29. Among Talh trees
 With flowers (or fruits)
 Piled one above another,--

30. In shade long-extended,

31. By water flowing constantly,

32. And fruit in abundance.

33. Whose season is not limited,
 Nor (supply) forbidden,

34. And on Thrones (of Dignity),
 Raised high.

35. We have created
 (their Companions)
 Of special creation.

36. And made them
 Virgin-pure (and undefiled),--

37. Beloved (by nature),
 Equal in age,--

38. For the Companions
 Of the Right Hand.

39. A (goodly) number
 From those of old,

40. And a (goodly) number
 From those of later times.

41. The Companions of
 The Left Hand,--
 What will be
 The Companions of
 The Left Hand?

42. (They will be) in the midst
 Of a fierce Blast of Fire
 And in Boiling Water,

43. And in the shades
 Of Black Smoke:

44. Nothing (will there be)
 To refresh, nor to please:

45. For that they were wont
 To be indulged, before that,

In wealth (and luxury),

46. And persisted obstinately
 In wickedness supreme!

47. And they used to say,
 "What! when we die
 And become dust and bones,
 Shall we then indeed
 Be raised up again?--

48. "(We) and our fathers of old?"

49. Say: "Yea, those of old
 And those of later times,

50. "All will certainly be
 Gathered together for the meeting
 Appointed for a Day
 Well-known.

51. "Then will ye truly,--
 O ye that go wrong,
 And treat (Truth) as Falsehood!--

52. "Ye will surely taste
 Of the Tree of Zaqqum.

53. "Then will ye fill
 Your insides therewith,

54. "And drink Boiling Water
 On top of it:

55. "Indeed ye shall drink
 Like diseased camels
 Raging with thirst!"

56. Such will be their entertainment
 On the Day of Requital!

57. It is We Who have
 Created you: why will ye
 Not witness the Truth?

58. Do ye then see?--
 The (human Seed) that
 Ye throw out,--

59. Is it ye who create it,
 Or are We the Creators?

60. We have decreed Death
 To be your common lot,
 And We are not
 To be frustrated

61. From changing your Forms
 And creating you (again)
 In (Forms) that ye know not.

62. And ye certainly know already
 The first form of creation:
 Why then do ye not
 Celebrate His praises?

63. See ye the seed that
 Ye sow in the ground?

64. Is it ye that cause it
 To grow, or are We
 The Cause?

65. Were it Our Will,
 We could crumble it
 To dry powder, and ye would
 Be left in wonderment,

66. (Saying), "We are indeed
 Left with debts (for nothing):

67. "Indeed are we shut out
 (Of the fruits of our labour)",

68. See ye the water
 Which ye drink?

69. Do ye bring it Down
 (In rain) from the Cloud
 Or do We?

70. Were it Our Will,
 We could make it

Salt (and unpalatable):
 Then why do ye not
 Give thanks?

71. See ye the Fire
 Which ye kindle?

72. Is it ye who grow
 The tree which feeds
 The fire, or do We
 Grow it?

73. We have made it
 A memorial (of Our handiwork),
 And an article of comfort
 And convenience for
 The denizens of deserts.

74. Then celebrate with praises,
 The name of thy Lord,
 The Supreme!

75. Furthermore I call
 To witness the setting
 Of the Stars,--

76. And that is indeed
 A mighty adjuration
 If ye but knew,--

77. That this is indeed
 A Qur-an most honourable,

78. In a Book well-guarded,

79. Which none shall touch
 But those who are clean:

80. A Revelation from the Lord
 Of the Worlds.

81. Is it such a Message
 That ye would hold
 In light esteem?

82. And have ye made it
 Your livelihood that ye
 Should declare it false?

83. Then why do ye not
 (Intervene) when (the soul
 Of the dying man)
 Reaches the throat,--

84. And ye the while
 (Sit) looking on,--

85. But We are nearer
 To him than ye,
 And yet see not,--

86. Then why do ye not,--
 If you are exempt
 From (future) account,--

87. Call back the soul,
 If ye are true
 (In your claim of Independence)?

88. Thus, then, if he
 Be of those Nearest to God,

89. (There is for him) Rest
 And Satisfaction, and
 A Garden of Delights.

90. And if he be
 Of the Companions of
 The Right Hand,

91. (For him is the salutation),
 "Peace be unto thee",
 From the Companions
 Of the Right Hand.

92. And if he be
 Of those who treat
 (Truth) as Falsehood,
 Who go wrong,

93. For him is Entertainment
 With Boiling Water,

94. And burning in Hell-Fire.

95. Verily, this is
 The Very Truth
 And Certainty.

96. So celebrate with praises
 The name of thy Lord,
 The Supreme.

Sura LVII.  

Hadid, or Iron.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is in
 The heavens and on earth,--
 Let it declare
 The Praises and Glory of God:
 For He is the Exalted
 In Might, the Wise.

2. To Him belongs the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth:
 It is He Who gives
 Life and Death; and He
 Has Power over all things.

3. He is the First
 And the Last,
 The Evident
 And the Immanent:
 And He has full knowledge
 Of all things.

4. He it is Who created
 The heavens and the earth
 In six Days, and is moreover
 Firmly established on the Throne
 (Of authority). He knows
 What enters within the earth

And what comes forth out
 Of it, what comes down
 From heaven and what mounts
 Up to it. And He is
 With you wheresoever ye
 May be. And God sees
 Well all that ye do.

5. To Him belongs the dominion
 Of the heavens and the earth:
 And all affairs are
 Referred back to God.

6. He merges Night into Day,
 And He merges Day into Night;
 And He has full knowledge
 Of the secrets of (all) hearts.

7. Believe in God
 And His Apostle,
 And spend (in charity)
 Out of the (substance)
 Whereof He has made you
 Heirs. For, those of you
 Who believe and spend
 (In charity),--for them
 Is a great Reward.

8. What cause have ye
 Why ye should not believe
 In God?--And the Apostle
 Invites you to believe

In your Lord, and has
 Indeed taken your Covenant,
 If ye are men of faith.

9. He is the One Who
 Sends to His Servant
 Manifest Signs, that He
 May lead you from
 The depths of Darkness
 Into the Light And verily,
 God is to you
 Most kind and Merciful.

10. And what cause have ye
 Why ye should not spend
 In the cause of God?--
 For to God belongs
 The heritage of the heavens
 And the earth.
 Not equal among you
 Are those who spent (freely)
 And fought, before the Victory,
 (With those who did so later).
 Those are higher in rank
 Than those who spent (freely)
 And fought afterwards.
 But to all has God promised
 A goodly (reward). And God
 Is well acquainted
 With all that ye do.

11. Who is he that will
 Loan to God a beautiful
 Loan? For (God) will
 Increase it manifold
 To his credit,
 And he will have (besides)
 A liberal reward.

12. One Day shalt thou see
 The believing men and
 The believing women--
 How their Light runs
 Forward before them
 And by their right hands:
 (Their greeting will be):
 "Good News for you this Day!
 Gardens beneath which How rivers!
 To dwell therein for aye!
 This is indeed
 The highest Achievement!

13. One Day will the Hypocrites
 Men and women--say
 To the Believers: "Wait
 For us! Let us borrow
 (A light) from your Light!"
 It will be said: "Turn
 Ye back to your rear!
 Then seek a light (where
 Ye can)!" So a wall
 Will be put up betwixt them,

With a gate therein.
 Within it will be Mercy
 Throughout, and without it,
 All alongside, will be
 (Wrath and) Punishment!

14. (Those without) will call out,
 "Were we not with you?
 (The others) will reply, "True!
 But ye led yourselves
 Into temptation; ye looked forward
 (To our ruin); ye doubted
 (God's Promise); and (your false)
 Desires deceived you; until
 There issued the Command
 Of God. And the Deceiver
 Deceived you in respect of God.

15. "This Day shall no ransom
 Be accepted of you, nor
 Of those who rejected God.
 Your abode is the Fire:
 That is the proper place .
 To claim you: and an evil
 Refuge it is!"

16. Has not the time arrived
 For the Believers that
 Their hearts in all humility
 Should engage in the remembrance

Of God and of the Truth
 Which has been revealed (to them),
 And that they should not
 Become like those to whom
 Was given Revelation aforetime,
 But long ages passed over them
 And their hearts grew hard?
 For many among them
 Are rebellious transgressors.

17. Know ye (all) that
 God giveth life
 To the earth after its death
 Already have We shown
 The Signs plainly to you,
 That ye may learn wisdom.

18. For those who give
 In Charity, men and women,
 And loan to God
 A Beautiful Loan,
 It shall be increased manifold
 (To their credit),
 And they shall have (besides)
 A liberal reward.

19. And those who believe
 In God and His apostles--
 They are the Sincere
 (Lovers of Truth), and

The Witnesses (who testify),
 In the eyes of their Lord:
 They shall have their Reward
 And their Light,
 But those who reject God
 And deny Our Signs,--
 They are the Companions
 Of Hell-Fire.

20. Know ye (all), that
 The life of this world
 Is but play and amusement,
 Pomp and mutual boasting
 And multiplying, (in rivalry)
 Among yourselves, riches
 And children.
 Here is a similitude:
 How rain and the growth
 Which it brings forth, delight
 (The hearts of) the tillers;
 Soon it withers; thou
 Wilt see it grow yellow;
 Then it becomes dry
 And crumbles away.
 But in the Hereafter
 Is a Penalty severe
 (For the devotees of wrong).
 And Forgiveness from God
 And (His) Good Pleasure

(For the devotees of God).
 And what is the life
 Of this world, but
 Goods and chattels
 Of deception?

21. Be ye foremost (in seeking)
 Forgiveness from your Lord,
 And a Garden (of Bliss),
 The width whereof is
 As the width of
 Heaven and earth,
 Prepared for those who believe
 In God and His apostles:
 That is the Grace of God,
 Which He bestows on whom
 He pleases: and God is
 The Lord of Grace abounding.

22. No misfortune can happen
 On earth or in your souls
 But is recorded in
 A decree before We bring
 It into existence:
 That is truly easy for God:

23. In order that ye may
 Not despair over matters
 That pass you by,
 Nor exult over favours
 Bestowed upon you.
 For God loveth not

Any vainglorious boaster,--

24. Such persons as are
 Covetous and commend
 Covetousness to men.
 And if any turn back
 (From God's Way), verily
 God is free of all needs,
 Worthy of all praise.

25. We sent aforetime
 Our apostles with Clear Signs
 And sent down with them
 The Book and the Balance
 (Of Right and Wrong), that men
 May stand forth in justice;
 And We sent down Iron
 In which is (material for)
 Mighty war, as well as
 Many benefits for mankind,
 That God may test who
 It is that will help,

Unseen, Him and His apostles:
 For God is Full of Strength,
 Exalted in Might
 (And able to enforce His Will).

26. And We sent Noah
 And Abraham, and established
 In their line Prophethood
 And Revelation: and some of them!
 Were on right guidance,
 But many of them
 Became rebellious transgressors.

27. Then, in their wake,
 We followed them up
 With (others of) Our apostles:
 We sent after them
 Jesus the son of Mary,
 And bestowed on him
 The Gospel; and We ordained
 In the hearts of those
 Who followed him
 Compassion and Mercy.

But the Monasticism
 Which they invented
 For themselves, We did not
 Prescribe for them:
 (We commanded) only
 The seeking for the Good
 Pleasure of God; but that
 They did not foster
 As they should have done.
 Yet We bestowed, on those
 Among them who believed,
 Their (due) reward, but
 Many of them are
 Rebellious transgressors.

28. O ye that believe!
 Fear God, and believe
 In His Apostle, and He will
 Bestow on you a double
 Portion of His Mercy:
 He will provide for you

A Light by which ye
 Shall walk (straight
 In your path), and He
 Will forgive you (your past):
 For God is Oft-Forgiving,
 Most Merciful:

29. That the People of
 The Book may know
 That they have no power
 Whatever over the Grace
 Of God, that (His) Grace
 Is (entirely) in his hand,
 To bestow it on
 Whomsoever He wills.
 For God is the Lord.
 Of Grace abounding.

Sura LVIII.  

Mujadila, or The Woman who Pleads.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. God has indeed
 Heard (and accepted) the statement
 Of the woman who pleads
 With thee concerning her husband
 And carries her complaint
 (In prayer) to God:
 And God (always) hears
 The arguments between both
 Sides among you: for God
 Hears and sees (all things).

2. If any men among you
 Divorce their wives by
 (Calling them mothers),
 They cannot be their mothers:
 None can be their mothers
 Except those who gave them
 Birth. And in fact
 They use words (both) iniquitous
 And false: but truly
 God is One that blots out

(Sins), and forgives
 (Again and again).

3. But those who divorce
 Their wives by Zihar,
 Then wish to go back
 On the words they uttered,--
 (It is ordained that
 Such a one)
 Should free a slave
 Before they touch each other:
 This are ye admonished
 To perform: and God is
 Well-acquainted with (all)
 That ye do.

4. And if any has not
 (The wherewithal),
 He should fast for
 Two months consecutively
 Before they touch each other.
 But if any is unable
 To do so, he should feed
 Sixty indigent ones.
 This, that ye may show
 Your faith in God

And His Apostle.
 Those are limits (set
 By) God. For those who
 Reject (Him), there is
 A grievous Penalty.

5. Those who resist God
 And His Apostle will be
 Humbled to dust, as were
 Those before them: for We
 Have already sent down
 Clear Signs. And the Unbelievers
 (Will have) a humiliating Penalty,--

6. On the Day that
 God will raise them
 All up (again) and show
 Them the truth (and meaning)
 Of their conduct. God has
 Reckoned its (value), though
 They may have forgotten it,
 For God is Witness
 To all things.

7. Seest thou not that
 God doth know (all) that is
 In the heavens and
 On earth? There is not
 A secret consultation
 Between three, but He
 Makes the fourth among them,--
 Nor between five but

He makes the sixth,--
 Nor between fewer nor more,
 But He is in their midst,
 Wheresoever they be:
 In the end will He
 Tell them the truth
 Of their conduct, on the Day
 Of Judgment. For God
 Has full knowledge
 Of all things.

8. Turnest thou not thy sight
 Towards those who were
 Forbidden secret counsels
 Yet revert to that which
 They were forbidden (to do)?
 And they hold secret counsels
 Among themselves for iniquity
 And hostility, and disobedience
 To the Apostle. And when
 They come to thee,
 They salute thee,
 Not as God salutes thee,
 (But in crooked ways):
 And they say to themselves,
 "Why does not God
 Punish us for our words?"
 Enough for them is Hell:
 In it will they burn,
 And evil is that destination!

9. O ye who believe!
 When ye hold secret counsel,
 Do it not for iniquity
 And hostility, and disobedience

 To the Prophet; but do it
 For righteousness and self-restraint;
 And fear God, to Whom
 Ye shall be brought back.

10. Secret counsels are only
 (Inspired) by the Evil One,
 In order that he may
 Cause grief to the Believers;
 But he cannot harm them
 In the least, except as
 God permits; and on God
 Let the Believers
 Put their trust.

11. O ye who believe!
 When ye are told
 To make room
 In the assemblies,
 (Spread out and) make room:
 (Ample) room will God provide
 For you. And when
 Ye are told to rise up,
 Rise up: God will
 Raise up, to (suitable) ranks
 (And degrees), those of you
 Who believe and who have

Been granted (mystic) Knowledge.
 And God is well-acquainted
 With all ye do.

12. O ye who believe
 When ye consult
 The Apostle in private,
 Spend something in charity
 Before your private consultation.
 That will be best for you,
 And most conducive
 To purity (of conduct).
 But if ye find not
 (The wherewithal), God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

13. Is it that ye are
 Afraid of spending sums
 In charity before your
 Private consultation (with him)

If, then, ye do not so,
 And God forgives you,
 Then (at least) establish
 Regular prayer; practise
 Regular charity; and obey
 God and His Apostle.
 And God is well-acquainted
 With all that ye do.

14. Turnest thou not
 Thy attention to those
 Who turn (in friendship)
 To such as have the Wrath
 Of God upon them?
 They are neither of you
 Nor of them, and they
 Swear to falsehood knowingly.

15. God has prepared for them
 A severe Penalty: evil
 Indeed are their deeds.

16. They have made their oaths
 A screen (for their misdeeds):
 Thus they obstruct (men)
 From the Path of God:
 Therefore shall they have
 A humiliating Penalty.

17. Of no profit whatever
 To them, against God,
 Will be their riches
 Nor their sons:

They will be Companions
 Of the Fire, to dwell
 Therein (for aye)!

18. One Day will God
 Raise them all up
 (For Judgment): then
 Will they swear to Him
 As they swear to you:
 And they think that they
 Have something (to stand upon).
 No, indeed! they are
 But liars!

19. The Evil One has
 Got the better of them:
 So he has made them
 Lose the remembrance
 Of God. They are the Party
 Of the Evil One. Truly,
 It is the Party
 Of the Evil One
 That will perish!

20. Those who resist
 God and His Apostle
 Will be among those
 Most humiliated.

21. God has decreed:
 "It is I and My apostles
 Who must prevail":
 For God is One
 Full of strength,
 Able to enforce His Will.

22. Thou wilt not find
 Any people who believe
 In God and the Last Day,
 Loving those who resist
 God and His Apostle,
 Even though they were
 Their fathers or their sons,
 Or their brothers, or
 Their kindred. For such
 He has written Faiths
 In their hearts, and strengthened
 Them with a spirit
 From Himself. And He
 Will admit them to Gardens
 Beneath which Rivers flow,
 To dwell therein (for ever).
 God will be well pleased
 With them, and they with Him.
 They are the Party
 Of God. Truly it is
 The Party of God that
 Will achieve Felicity.

Sura LIX.

Hashr, or The Gathering

  

(or Banishment, lix. 2-3).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is
 In the heavens and
 On earth, let it declare
 The Praises and Glory
 Of God: for He is
 The Exalted in Might,
 The Wise.

2. It is He Who got out
 The Unbelievers among
 The People of the Book
 From their homes
 At the first gathering
 (Of the forces).
 Little did ye think
 That they would get out:
 And they thought
 That their fortresses
 Would defend them from God!
 But the (Wrath of) God

Came to them from quarters
 From which they little
 Expected (it), and cast
 Terror into their hearts,
 So that they destroyed
 Their dwellings by their own
 Hands and the hands
 Of the Believers.
 Take warning, then,
 O ye with eyes (to see)!

3. And had it not been
 That God had decreed
 Banishment for them,
 He would certainly have
 Punished them in this world:
 And in the Hereafter
 They shall (certainly) have
 The Punishment of the Fire.

4. That is because they
 Resisted God and His Apostle:
 And if any one resists God,
 Verily God is severe
 In Punishment.

5. Whether ye cut down
 (O ye Muslims!)
 The tender palm-trees,
 Or ye left them standing
 On their roots, it was
 By leave of God, and
 In order that He might
 Cover with shame
 The rebellious transgressors.

6. What God has bestowed
 On His Apostle (and taken
 Away) from them--for this
 Ye made no expedition
 With either cavalry or camelry:
 But God gives power
 To His apostles over
 Any He pleases: and God
 Has power over all things.

7. What God has bestowed
 On His Apostle (and taken
 Away) from the people
 Of the townships,--belongs

To God,--to His Apostle
 And to kindred and orphans,
 The needy and the wayfarer;
 In order that it may not
 (Merely) make a circuit
 Between the wealthy among you.
 So take what the Apostle
 Assigns to you, and deny
 Yourselves that which he
 Withholds from you.
 And fear God; for God
 Is strict in Punishment.

8. (Some part is due)
 To the indigent Muhajirs,
 Those who were expelled
 From their homes and their property,
 While seeking Grace from God
 And (His) Good Pleasure,
 And aiding God and His Apostle:
 Such are indeed
 The sincere ones;--

9. But those who
 Before them, had homes
 (In Medina)
 And had adopted the Faith,--
 Show their affection to such
 As came to them for refuge,
 And entertain no desire
 In their hearts for things

Given to the (latter),
 But give them preference
 Over themselves, even though
 Poverty was their (own lot).
 And those saved from
 The covetousness of their own
 Souls,--they are the ones
 That achieve prosperity.

10. And those who came
 After them say: "Our Lord!
 Forgive us, and our brethren
 Who came before us
 Into the Faith,
 And leave not,
 In our hearts,
 Rancour (or sense of injury)
 Against those who have believed.
 Our Lord! Thou art
 Indeed Full of Kindness,
 Most Merciful."

11. Hast thou not observed
 The Hypocrites say
 To their misbelieving brethren
 Among the People of the Book?--
 "If ye are expelled,
 We too will go out
 With you, and we will
 Never hearken, to any one
 In your affair; and if
 Ye are attacked (in fight)

We will help you".
 But God is witness
 That they are indeed liars.

12. If they are expelled,
 Never will they go out
 With them; and if they
 Are attacked (in fight),
 They will never help them;
 And if they do help them,
 They will turn their backs;
 So they will receive no help.

13. Of a truth ye are
 Stronger (than they)
 Because of the terror
 In their hearts,
 (Sent) by God.
 This is because they are
 Men devoid of understanding.

14. They will not fight you
 (Even) together, except
 In fortified townships,
 Or from behind walls.
 Strong is their fighting (spirit)
 Amongst themselves:
 Thou wouldst think
 They were united,
 But their hearts are divided:
 That is because they

Are a people devoid
 Of wisdom.

15. Like those who lately
 Preceded them, they have
 Tasted the evil result
 Of their conduct; and
 (In the Hereafter there is)
 For them a grievous Penalty;--

16. (Their allies deceived them),
 Like the Evil One,
 When he says to man,
 "Deny God": but when
 (Man) denies God,
 (The Evil One) says,
 "I am free of thee:
 I do fear God,
 The Lord of the Worlds!"

17. The end of both will be
 That they will go
 Into the Fire, dwelling
 Therein for ever.
 Such is the reward
 Of the wrong-doers.

18. O ye who believe!
 Fear God,

And let every soul look
 To what (provision) he has
 Sent forth for the morrow.
 Yea, fear God:
 For God is well-acquainted
 With (all) that ye do.

19. And be ye not like
 Those who forgot God;
 And He made them forget
 Their own souls! Such
 Are the rebellious transgressors!

20. Not equal are
 The Companions of the Fire
 And the Companions
 Of the Garden:
 It is the Companions
 Of the Garden,
 That will achieve Felicity.

21. Had We sent down
 This Qur-an on a mountain,
 Verily, thou wouldst have seen
 It humble itself and cleave

Asunder for fear of God.
 Such are the similitudes
 Which We propound to men,
 That they may reflect.

22. God is He, than Whom
 There is no other god;--
 Who knows (all things)
 Both secret and open;
 He, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

23. God is He, than Whom
 There is no other god;--
 The Sovereign, the Holy One,
 The Source of Peace
 (and Perfection),
 The Guardian of Faith,
 The Preserver of Safety,
 The Exalted in Might,
 The Irresistible, the Supreme:

Glory to God!
 (High is He)
 Above the partners
 They attribute to Him.

24. He is God, the Creator,
 The Evolver,
 The Bestower of Forms
 (Or Colours).
 To Him belongs
 The Most Beautiful Names:
 Whatever is in
 The heavens and on earth,
 Doth declare
 His Praises and Glory:
 And He is the Exalted
 In Might, the Wise.

Sura LX.  

Mumtahana, or the Woman to be Examined.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most, Merciful.

1. O ye who believe!
 Take not My enemies
 And yours as friends
 (Or protectors),--offering them
 (Your) love, even though
 They have rejected the Truth
 That has come to you,
 And have (on the contrary)
 Driven out the Prophet
 And yourselves (from your homes),
 (Simply) because ye believe
 In God your Lord!
 If ye have come out
 To strive in My Way
 And to seek My Good Pleasure,
 (Take them not as friends),
 Holding secret converse
 Of love (and friendship)
 With them: for I know
 Full well all that ye
 Conceal and all that ye
 Reveal. And any of you
 That does this has strayed
 From the Straight Path.

2. If they were to get
 The better of you,

They would behave to you
 As enemies, and stretch forth
 Their hands and their tongues
 Against you for evil;
 And they desire that ye
 Should reject the Truth.

3. Of no profit to you
 Will be your relatives
 And your children
 On the Day of Judgment:
 He will judge between you:
 For God sees well
 All that ye do.

4. There is for you
 An excellent example (to follow)
 In Abraham and those with him,
 When they said
 To their people:
 "We are clear of you
 And of whatever ye worship
 Besides God: we have rejected
 You, and there has arisen,
 Between us and you, enmity
 And hatred for ever,--unless
 Ye believe in God
 And Him alone":
 But not when Abraham
 Said to his father:
 "I will pray for forgiveness

For thee, though I have
 No power (to get) aught
 On thy behalf from God."
 (They prayed): "Our Lord!
 In Thee do we trust,
 And to Thee do we turn
 In repentance: to Thee
 Is (our) final Goal.

5. "Our Lord! Make us not
 A (test and) trial
 For the Unbelievers,
 But forgive us, our Lord!
 For Thou art the Exalted
 In Might, the Wise."

6. There was indeed in them
 An excellent example for you
 To follow,--for those
 Whose hope is in God
 And in the Last Day.
 But if any turn away,
 Truly God is Free of all
 Wants, Worthy of all Praise.

7. It may be that God
 Will grant love (and friendship)
 Between you and those whom
 Ye (now) hold as enemies.
 For God has power
 (Over all things); And God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

8. God forbids you not,
 With regard to those who
 Fight you not for (your) Faith
 Nor drive you out
 Of your homes,
 From dealing kindly and justly
 With them: For God loveth
 Those who are just.

9. God only forbids you,
 With regard to those who
 Fight you for (your) Faith,
 And drive you out
 Of your homes, and support
 (Others) in driving you out,
 From turning to them
 (For friendship and protection).
 It is such as turn to them
 (In these circumstances),
 That do wrong.

10. O ye who believe!
 When there come to you
 Believing women refugees,
 Examine (and test) them:
 God knows best as to
 Their Faith: if ye ascertain
 That they are Believers,
 Then send them not back
 To the Unbelievers.
 They are not lawful (wives)

For the Unbelievers, nor are
 The (Unbelievers) lawful (husbands)
 For them. But pay
 The Unbelievers what they
 Have spent (on their dower).
 And there will be no blame
 On you if ye marry them
 On payment of their dower
 To them. But hold not
 To the guardianship of
 Unbelieving women: ask
 For what ye have spent
 On their dowers, and let
 The (Unbelievers) ask for
 What they have spent
 (On the dowers of women
 Who come over to you).
 Such is the command
 Of God: He judges
 (With justice) between you.
 And God is Full of
 Knowledge and Wisdom.

11. And if any
 Of your wives deserts you
 To the Unbelievers,
 And ye have an accession
 (By the coming over of
 A woman from the other side),
 Then pay to those
 Whose wives have deserted

The equivalent of what they
 Had spent (on their dower).
 And fear God,
 In Whom ye believe.

12. O Prophet!
 When believing women come
 To thee to take the oath
 Of fealty to thee, that they
 Will not associate in worship
 Any other thing whatever
 With God, that they
 Will not steal, that they
 Will not commit adultery
 (Or fornication), that they
 Will not kill their children,
 That they will not utter
 Slander, intentionally forging
 Falsehood, and that they
 Will not disobey thee
 In any just matter,
 Then do thou receive
 Their fealty, and pray to God
 For the forgiveness (of
 Their sins): for God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

13. O ye who believe!
 Turn not (for friendship)
 To people on whom
 Is the Wrath of God.

Of the Hereafter they are
 Already in despair, just as
 The Unbelievers are
 In despair about those
 (Buried) in graves.

Sura LXI.  

Saff, or Battle Array.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is
 In the heavens and
 On earth, let it declare
 The Praises and Glory
 Of God: for He is
 The Exalted in Might,
 The Wise.

2. O ye who believe!
 Why say ye that
 Which ye do not?

3. Grievously odious is it
 In the sight of God
 That ye say that
 Which ye do not.

4. Truly God loves those
 Who fight in His Cause
 In battle array, as if
 They were a solid
 Cemented structure.

5. And remember, Moses said
 To his people: "O my people!

Why do ye vex and insult
 Me, though ye know
 That I am the apostle
 Of God (sent) to you?"
 Then when they went wrong,
 God let their hearts go wrong.
 For God guides not those
 Who are rebellious transgressors.

6. And remember, Jesus,
 The son of Mary, said:
 "O Children of Israel!
 I am the apostle of God
 (Sent) to you, confirming
 The Law (which came)
 Before me, and giving
 Glad Tidings of an Apostle
 To come after me,
 Whose name shall be Ahmad."
 But when he came to them
 With Clear Signs,
 They said, "This is
 Evident sorcery!"

7. Who doth greater wrong
 Than one who invents

Falsehood against God,
 Even as he is being invited
 To Islam? And God
 Guides not those
 Who do wrong.

8. Their intention is
 To extinguish God's Light
 (By blowing) with their mouths:
 But God will complete
 (The revelation of) His Light,
 Even though the Unbelievers
 May detest (it).

9. It is He Who has sent
 His Apostle with Guidance
 And the Religion of Truth,
 That he may proclaim it
 Over all religion,
 Even though the Pagans
 May detest (it).

10. O ye who believe!
 Shall I lead you
 To a bargain that will
 Save you from
 A grievous Penalty?--

11. That ye believe in God
 And His Apostle, and that
 Ye strive (your utmost)
 In the Cause of God,
 With your property
 And your persons:
 That will be best for you,
 If ye but knew!

12. He will forgive you
 Your sins, and admit you
 To Gardens beneath which
 Rivers flow, and to beautiful
 Mansions in Gardens
 Of Eternity: that is indeed
 The supreme Achievement.

13. And another (favour
 Will He bestow), which ye
 Do love,--help from God
 And a speedy victory.
 So give the Glad Tidings
 To the Believers.

14. O ye who believe!
 Be ye helpers of God:
 As said Jesus the son of Mary
 To the Disciples, "Who will be
 My helpers to (the work
 Of) God?" Said the Disciples,

"We are God's helpers!"
 Then a portion of the Children
 Of Israel believed, and
 A portion disbelieved:
 But We gave power
 To those who believed,
 Against their enemies,
 And they became
 The ones that prevailed.

Sura LXII.

  

Jumu'a, or the Assembly (Friday) Prayer.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is
 In the heavens and
 On earth, doth declare
 The Praises and Glory
 Of God,--the Sovereign,
 The Holy One, the Exalted
 In Might, the Wise.

2. It is He Who has sent
 Amongst the Unlettered
 An apostle from among
 Themselves, to rehearse
 To them His Signs,
 To sanctify them, and
 To instruct them in Scripture
 And Wisdom,--although

They had been, before,
 In manifest error;--

3. As well as (to confer
 All these benefits upon)
 Others of them, who
 Have not already joined them:
 And He is Exalted
 In Might, Wise.

4. Such is the Bounty of God,
 Which He bestows
 On whom He will:
 And God is the Lord
 Of the highest bounty.

5. The similitude of those
 Who were charged
 With the (obligations
 Of the) Mosaic Law,
 But who subsequently failed
 In those (obligations), is
 That of a donkey
 Which carries huge tomes
 (But understands them not).
 Evil is the similitude
 Of people who falsify
 The Signs of God:
 And God guides not
 People who do wrong.

6. Say: "O ye that
 Stand on Judaism!

If ye think that ye
 Are friends to God,
 To the exclusion of
 (Other) men, then express
 Your desire for Death,
 If ye are truthful!"

7. But never will they
 Express their desire
 (For Death), because of
 The (deeds) their hands
 Have sent on before them!
 And God knows well
 Those that do wrong!

8. Say: "The Death from which
 Ye flee will truly
 Overtake you: then will
 Ye be sent back
 To the Knower of things
 Secret and open: and He
 Will tell you (the truth
 Of) the things that ye did!"

9. O ye who believe!
 When the call is proclaimed
 To prayer on Friday
 (The Day of Assembly),

Hasten earnestly to the
 Remembrance
 Of God, and leave off
 Business (and traffic):
 That is best for you
 If ye but knew!

10. And when the Prayer
 Is finished, then may ye
 Disperse through the land,
 And seek of the Bounty
 Of God: and celebrate
 The Praises of God
 Often (and without stint):
 That ye may prosper.

11. But when they see
 Some bargain or some
 Amusement, they disperse
 Headlong to it, and leave
 Thee standing. Say:
 "The (blessing) from the Presence
 Of God is better than
 Any amusement or bargain!
 And God is the Best
 To provide (for all needs)."

Sura LXIII.  

Munafiqun, or the Hypocrites.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. When the Hypocrites
 Come to thee, they say,
 "We bear witness that thou
 Art indeed the Apostle
 Of God." Yea, God
 Knoweth that thou art
 Indeed His Apostle,
 And God beareth witness
 That the Hypocrites are
 Indeed liars.

2. They have made their oaths
 A screen (for their misdeeds):
 Thus they obstruct (men)
 From the Path of God:
 Truly evil are their deeds.

3. That is because they believed,
 Then they rejected Faith:
 So a seal was set
 On their hearts: therefore
 They understand not.

4. When thou lookest
 At them, their exteriors

Please thee; and when
 They speak, thou listenest
 To their words. They are
 As (worthless as hollow)
 Pieces of timber propped up,
 (Unable to stand on their own).
 They think that every
 Cry is against them.
 They are the enemies;
 So beware of them.
 The curse of God be
 On them! How are they
 Deluded (away from the Truth)!

5. And when it is said
 To them, "Come, the Apostle
 Of God will pray for your
 Forgiveness" they turn aside
 Their heads, and thou wouldst
 See them turning away
 Their faces in arrogance.

6. It is equal to them
 Whether thou pray for
 Their forgiveness or not.
 God will not forgive them.
 Truly God guides not
 Rebellious transgressors.

7. They are the ones who say,
 "Spend nothing on those
 Who are with God's Apostle,
 To the end that they

May disperse (and quit Medina)."
 But to God belong
 The treasures of the heavens
 And the earth; but
 The Hypocrites understand not.

8. They say, "If we
 Return to Medina, surely
 The more honourable (element)
 Will expel therefrom the meaner".
 But honour belongs to God
 And His Apostle, and
 To the Believers; but
 The Hypocrites know not.

9. O ye who believe!
 Let not your riches
 Or your children divert you
 From the remembrance of God.
 If any act thus,
 The loss is their own.

10. And spend something (in charity)
 Out of the substance
 Which We have bestowed
 On you, before Death
 Should come to any of you
 And he should say,
 "O my Lord! Why didst
 Thou not give me
 Respite for a little while?
 I should then have given

(Largely) in charity, and I
 Should have been one
 Of the doers of good".

11. But to no soul
 Will God grant respite
 When the time appointed
 (For it) has come; and God
 Is well acquainted
 With (all) that ye do.

Sura LXIV.  

Tagabun, or Mutual Loss and Gain.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Whatever is
 In the heavens and
 On earth, doth declare
 The Praises and Glory
 Of God: to Him belongs
 Dominion, and to Him belongs
 Praise: and He has power
 Over all things.

2. It is He Who has
 Created you; and of you
 Are some that are
 Unbelievers, and some
 That are Believers:
 And God sees well
 All that ye do.

3. He has created the heavens
 And the earth
 In just proportions,
 And has given you shape,
 And made your shapes
 Beautiful: and to Him
 Is the final Goal.


4. He knows what is
 In the heavens
 And on earth;
 And He knows what
 Ye conceal and what
 Ye reveal: yea, God
 Knows well the (secrets)
 Of (all) hearts.

5. Has not the story
 Reached you, of those
 Who rejected Faith aforetime?
 So they tasted the evil
 Result of their conduct;
 And they had
 A grievous Penalty.

6. That was because there
 Came to them apostles
 With Clear Signs,
 But they said:
 "Shall (mere) human beings
 Direct us?" So they rejected
 (The Message) and turned away.
 But God can do without (them):
 And God is
 Free of all needs,
 Worthy of all praise.

7. The Unbelievers think
 That they will not be

Raised up (for Judgment).
 Say: "Yea, by my Lord,
 Ye shall surely be
 Raised up: then shall ye
 Be told (the truth) of
 All that ye did.
 And that is easy for God."

8. Believe, therefore, in God
 And His Apostle, and
 In the Light which We
 Have sent down. And God
 Is well acquainted
 With all that ye do.

9. The Day that He assembles
 You (all) for a Day
 Of Assembly,--that will be
 A day of mutual loss
 And gain (among you).
 And those who believe
 In God and work righteousness,--
 He will remove from them
 Their ills, and He will admit
 Them to gardens beneath which

Rivers flow, to dwell therein
 For ever: that will be
 The Supreme Achievement.

10. But those who reject Faith
 And treat Our Signs
 As falsehoods, they will be
 Companions of the Fire,
 To dwell therein for aye:
 And evil is that Goal.

11. No kind of calamity
 Can occur, except
 By the leave of God:
 And if any one believes
 In God, (God) guides his
 Heart (aright): for God
 Knows all things.

12. So obey God, and obey
 His Apostle: but if
 Ye turn back, the duty
 Of Our Apostle is but
 To proclaim (the Message)
 Clearly and openly.

13. God! There is no god
 But He: and on God,
 Therefore, let the Believers
 Put their trust.

14. O ye who believe!
 Truly, among your wives

And your children are (some
 That are) enemies to
 Yourselves: so beware
 Of them! But if ye
 Forgive and overlook,
 And cover up (their faults),
 Verily God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

15. Your riches and your children
 May be but a trial:
 But in the Presence of God,
 Is the highest Reward.

16. So fear God
 As much as ye can;
 Listen and obey;
 And spend in charity
 For the benefit of
 Your own souls.
 And those saved from
 The covetousness of their own

Souls,--they are the ones
 That achieve prosperity.

17. If ye loan to God
 A beautiful loan, He
 Will double it to
 Your (credit), and He
 Will grant you Forgiveness:
 For God is most Ready
 To appreciate (service)
 Most Forbearing,--

18. Knower of what is hidden
 And what is open,
 Exalted in Might,
 Full of Wisdom.

Sura LXV.  

Talaq, or Divorce.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! When ye
 Do divorce women,
 Divorce them at their
 Prescribed periods,
 And count (accurately)
 Their prescribed periods:
 And fear God your Lord:
 And turn them not out
 Of their houses, nor shall
 They (themselves) leave,
 Except in case they are
 Guilty of some open lewdness,
 Those are limits
 Set by God: and any
 Who transgresses the limits
 Of God, does verily
 Wrong his (own) soul:
 Thou knowest not if


Perchance God will
 Bring about thereafter
 Some new situation.

2. Thus when they fulfil
 Their term appointed,
 Either take them back
 On equitable terms
 Or part with them
 On equitable terms;
 And take for witness
 Two persons from among you,
 Endued with justice,
 And establish the evidence
 (As) before God. Such
 Is the admonition given
 To him who believes
 In God and the Last Day.
 And for those who fear
 God, He (ever) prepares
 A way out,

3. And He provides for him
 From (sources) he never
 Could imagine. And if
 Any one puts his trust
 In God, sufficient is (God)
 For him. For God will

Surely accomplish His purpose:
 Verily, for all things
 Has God appointed
 A due proportion.

4. Such of your women
 As have passed the age
 Of monthly courses, for them
 The prescribed period, if ye
 Have any doubts, is
 Three months, and for those
 Who have no courses
 (It is the same):
 For those who carry
 (Life within their wombs),
 Their period is until
 They deliver their burdens:
 And for those who
 Fear God, He will
 Make their path easy.

5. That is the Command
 Of God, which He
 Has sent down to you:
 And if any one fears God,
 He will remove his ills
 From him, and will enlarge
 His reward.

6. Let the women live
 (In 'iddat) in the same

Style as ye live,
 According to your means:
 Annoy them not, so as
 To restrict them.
 And if they carry (life
 In their wombs), then
 Spend (your substance) on them
 Until they deliver
 Their burden: and if
 They suckle your (offspring),
 Give them their recompense:
 And take mutual counsel
 Together, according to
 What is just and reasonable.
 And if ye find yourselves
 In difficulties, let another
 Woman suckle (the child)
 On the (father's) behalf.

7. Let the man of means
 Spend according to
 His means: and the man
 Whose resources are restricted,
 Let him spend according
 To what God has given him.
 God puts no burden
 On any person beyond
 What He has given him.
 After a difficulty, God
 Will soon grant relief.

8. How many populations
 That insolently opposed
 The command of their Lord
 And of His apostles,
 Did We not then
 Call to account,
 To severe account?
 And We imposed on them
 An exemplary Punishment.

9. Then did they taste
 The evil result of
 Their conduct, and the End
 Of their conduct
 Was Perdition.

10. God has prepared for them
 A severe Punishment
 (In the Hereafter).
 Therefore fear God,
 O ye men of understanding--
 Who have believed!
 For God hath indeed
 Sent down to you
 A Message,--

11. An Apostle, who rehearses
 To you the Signs of God
 Containing clear explanations,
 That he may lead forth
 Those who believe
 And do righteous deeds


From the depths of Darkness
 Into Light. And those who
 Believe in God and work
 Righteousness, He will admit
 To Gardens beneath which rivers
 Flow, to dwell therein
 For ever: God has indeed
 Granted for them
 A most excellent provision.

12. God is He Who
 Created seven Firmaments
 And of the earth
 A similar number.
 Through the midst
 Of them (all) descends
 His Command: that ye may
 Know that God has power
 Over all things, and that
 God comprehends all things
 In (His) Knowledge.

Sura LXVI.


Tahrim, or Holding (something) to be Forbidden.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. O Prophet! Why
 Holdest thou to be forbidden
 That which God has
 Made lawful to thee?
 Thou seekest to please
 Thy consorts. But God
 Is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

2. God has already ordained
 For you, (O men),
 The dissolution of your oaths
 (In some cases): and God
 Is your Protector, and He
 Is Full of Knowledge
 And Wisdom.

3. When the Prophet disclosed
 A matter in confidence

To one of his consorts,
 And she then divulged it
 (To another), and God made it
 Known to him, he confirmed
 Part thereof and repudiated
 A part. Then when he
 Told her thereof, she said,
 "Who told thee this?"
 He said, "He told me
 Who knows and is well-acquainted
 (With all things)"

4. If ye two turn in repentance
 To Him, your hearts
 Are indeed so inclined;
 But if ye back up
 Each other against him,
 Truly God is his Protector,
 And Gabriel, and (every)
 Righteous one among those
 Who believe,--and furthermore,
 The angels--will back (him) up.

5. It may be, if he
 Divorced you (all)

That God will give him
 In exchange Consorts
 Better than you,
 Who submit (their wills),
 Who believe, who are devout,
 Who turn to God in repentance,
 Who worship (in humility),
 Who travel (for Faith) and fast,--
 Previously married or virgins.

6. O ye who believe!
 Save yourselves and your
 Families from a Fire
 Whose fuel is Men
 And Stones, over which
 Are (appointed) angels
 Stern (and) severe,
 Who flinch not (from
 Executing) the Commands
 They receive from God,
 But do (precisely) what
 They are commanded.

7. (They will say),
 "O ye Unbelievers!
 Make no excuses
 This Day! Ye are being

But requited for
 All that ye did!"

8. O ye who believe!
 Turn to God
 With sincere repentance:
 In the hope that
 Your Lord will remove
 From you your ills
 And admit you to Gardens
 Beneath which Rivers flow,--
 The Day that God
 Will not permit
 To be humiliated
 The Prophet and those
 Who believe with him.
 Their Light will run
 Forward before them
 And by their right hands,
 While they say, "Our Lord!
 Perfect our Light for us,
 And grant us Forgiveness:
 For Thou hast power
 Over all things."

9. O Prophet! Strive hard
 Against the Unbelievers
 And the Hypocrites,
 And be firm against them.

Their abode is Hell,--
 An evil refuge (indeed).

10. God sets forth,
 For an example
 To the Unbelievers,
 The wife of Noah
 And the wife of Lut:
 They were (respectively)
 Under two of our righteous
 Servants, but they were
 False to their (husbands),
 And they profited nothing
 Before God on their account,
 But were told: "Enter ye
 The Fire along with
 (Others) that enter!"

11. And God sets forth,
 As an example
 To those who believe,
 The wife of Pharaoh:

Behold she said:
 "O my Lord! build
 For me, in nearness
 To Thee, a mansion
 In the Garden,
 And save me from Pharaoh
 And his doings,
 And save me from
 Those that do wrong";

12. And Mary the daughter
 Of 'Imran, who guarded
 Her chastity; and We
 Breathed into (her body)
 Of Our spirit; and she
 Testified to the truth
 Of the words of her Lord
 And of his Revelations,
 And was one of the
 Devout (servants).

Sura LXVII.  

Mulk, or Dominion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Blessed be He
 In Whose hands
 Is Dominion;
 And He over all things
 Hath Power;--

2. He Who created Death
 And Life, that He
 May try which of you
 Is best in deed:
 And He is the Exalted
 In Might, Oft-Forgiving;--

3. He Who created
 The seven heavens
 One above another:
 No want of proportion
 Wilt thou see
 In the Creation
 Of (God) Most Gracious.
 So turn thy vision again:
 Seest thou any flaw?

4. Again turn thy vision
 A second time: (thy) vision
 Will come back to thee
 Dull and discomfited,
 In a state worn out.

5. And We have,
 (From of old),
 Adorned the lowest heaven
 With Lamps, and We
 Have made such (Lamps)
 (As) missiles to drive
 Away the Evil Ones,
 And have prepared for them
 The Penalty
 Of the Blazing Fire.

6. For those who reject
 Their Lord (and Cherisher)

Is the Penalty of Hell:
 And evil is (such) destination.

7. When they are cast therein,
 They will hear
 The (terrible) drawing in
 Of its breath
 Even as it blazes forth,

8. Almost bursting with fury:
 Every time a Group
 Is cast therein, its Keepers
 Will ask, "Did no Warner
 Come to you?"

9. They will say: "Yes indeed;
 A Warner did come to us,
 But we rejected him
 And said, "God never
 Sent down any (Message):
 Ye are innothing but
 An egregious delusion!"

10. They will further say:
 "Had we but listened
 Or used our intelligence,
 We should not (now)

Be among the Companions
 Of the Blazing Fire!"

11. They will then confess
 Their sins: but far
 Will be (Forgiveness)
 From the Companions
 Of the Blazing Fire!

12. As for those who
 Fear their Lord unseen,
 For them is Forgiveness
 And a great Reward.

13. And whether ye hide
 Your word or publish it,
 He certainly has (full) knowledge,
 Of the secrets of (all) hearts.

14. Should He not know,--
 He that created?
 And He is the One
 That understands the finest
 Mysteries (and) is
 Well-acquainted (with them).

15. It is He Who has
 Made the earth manageable

For you, so traverse
 Ye through its tracts
 And enjoy of the Sustenance
 Which He furnishes: but
 Unto Him is the Resurrection.

16. Do ye feel secure that
 He Who is in Heaven
 Will not cause you
 To be swallowed up
 By the earth when it
 Shakes (as in an earthquake)?

17. Or do ye feel secure
 That He Who is in Heaven
 Will not send against you
 A violent tornado
 (With showers of stones),
 So that ye shall
 Know how (terrible)
 Was My warning?

18. But indeed men before them
 Rejected (My warning):
 Then how (terrible) was
 My rejection (of them)?

19. Do they not observe
 The birds above them,

Spreading their wings
 And folding them in?
 None can uphold them
 Except (God) Most Gracious:
 Truly it is He
 That watches over all things.

20. Nay, who is there
 That can help you,
 (Even as) an army,
 Besides (God) Most Merciful?
 In nothing but delusion
 Are the Unbelievers.

21. Or who is there
 That can provide you
 With Sustenance if He
 Were to withhold His provision?
 Nay, they obstinately persist
 In insolent impiety
 And flight (from the Truth).

22. Is then one who
 Walks headlong, with his face
 Grovelling, better guided,--
 Or one who walks
 Evenly on a Straight Way?

23. Say: "It is He Who
 Has created you (and made
 You grow), and made
 For you the faculties
 Of hearing, seeing,
 Feeling and understanding:
 Little thanks it is ye give.

24. Say: "It is He Who
 Has multiplied you
 Through the earth,
 And to Him shall ye
 Be gathered together."

25. They ask: When will
 This promise be (fulfilled)?--
 If ye are telling
 The truth.

26. Say: "As to the knowledge
 Of the time, it is
 With God alone:
 I am (sent) only
 To warn plainly in public."

27. At length, when they
 See it close at hand,
 Grieved will be the faces
 Of the Unbelievers,

And it will be said
 (To them): "This is
 (The promise fulfilled),
 Which ye were calling for!"

28. Say: "See ye?--
 If God were
 To destroy me,
 And those with me,
 Or if He bestows
 His Mercy on us,--
 Yet who can deliver
 The Unbelievers from
 A grievous Penalty?"

29. Say: "He is (God)
 Most Gracious: we have
 Believed in Him,
 And on Him have we
 Put our trust:
 So, soon will ye know
 Which (of us) it is
 That is in manifest error."

30. Say: "See ye?--
 If your stream be
 Some morning lost
 (In the underground earth),
 Who then can supply you
 With clear-flowing water?"

Sura LXVIII.  

Qalam, or the Pen, or Nun.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Nun. By the Pen
 And by the (Record)
 Which (men) write,--

2. Thou art not,
 By the grace of thy Lord,
 Mad or possessed.

3. Nay, verily for thee
 Is a Reward unfailing:

4. And thou (standest)
 On an exalted standard
 Of character.

5. Soon wilt thou see,
 And they will see,

6. Which of you is
 Afflicted with madness.

7. Verily it is thy Lord
 That knoweth best,
 Which (among men)
 Hath strayed from His Path:
 And He knoweth best
 Those who receive
 (True) Guidance.

8. So hearken not
 To those who
 Deny (the Truth),

9. Their desire is that
 Thou shouldst be pliant:
 So would they be pliant.

10. Heed not the type
 Of despicable man,--
 Ready with oaths,

11. A slanderer, going about
 With calumnies,

12. (Habitually) hindering (all) good,
 Transgressing beyond bounds,
 Deep in sin,

13. Violent (and cruel),--
 With all that, base-born,--

14. Because he possesses
 Wealth and (numerous) sons.

15. When to him are rehearsed
 Our Signs,
 "Tales of the Ancients",
 He cries!

16. Soon shall We brand
 (The beast) on the snout!

17. Verily We have tried them
 As We tried the People

Of the Garden,
 When they resolved to gather
 The fruits of the (garden)
 In the morning,

18. But made no reservation,
 ("If it be God's Will").

19. Then there came
 On the (garden)
 A visitation from thy Lord,
 (Which swept away) all around,
 While they were asleep.

20. So the (garden) became,
 By the morning, like
 A dark and desolate spot,
 (Whose fruit had been gathered).

21. As the morning broke,
 They called out,
 One to another,--

22. "Go ye to your tilth
 (Betimes) in the morning,

If ye would gather
 The fruits."

23. So they departed, conversing
 In secret low tones, (saying)--

24. "Let not a single indigent
 Person break in upon you
 Into the (garden) this day."

25. And they opened the morning,
 Strong in an (unjust) resolve.

26. But when they saw
 The (garden), they said:
 "We have surely lost our way:

27. "Indeed we are shut out
 (Of the fruits of our labour)!"

28. Said one of them,
 More just (than the rest):
 "Did I not say to you,
 "Why not glorify (God)?"

29. They said: "Glory
 To our Lord! Verily we
 Have been doing wrong!"

30. Then they turned, one
 Against another, in reproach.

31. They said: "Alas for us!
 We have indeed transgressed!

32. "It may be that our Lord
 Will give us in exchange
 A better (garden) than this:
 For we do turn to Him
 (In repentance)!"

33. Such is the Punishment
 (In this life); but greater
 Is the Punishment
 In the Hereafter,--
 If only they knew!

34. Verily, for the Righteous,
 Are Gardens of Delight,
 In the Presence
 Of their Lord.

35. Shall We then treat
 The People of Faith
 Like the People of Sin?

36. What is the matter
 With you? How judge ye?

37. Or have ye a Book
 Through which ye learn--

38. That ye shall have,
 Through it whatever
 Ye choose?

39. Or have ye Covenants
 With Us on oath,
 Reaching to the Day
 Of Judgment, (providing)
 That ye shall have
 Whatever ye shall demand?

40. Ask thou of them,
 Which of them will stand
 Surety for that!

41. Or have they some
 "Partners" (in Godhead)?
 Then let them produce
 Their "partners",
 If they are truthful!

42. The Day that the Shin
 Shall be laid bare,
 And they shall be summoned
 To bow in adoration,
 But they shall not be able,--

43. Their eyes will be
 Cast down,--ignominy will
 Cover them; seeing that
 They had been summoned
 Aforetime to bow in adoration,
 While they were whole,
 (And had refused).

44. Then leave Me alone
 With such as reject
 This Message: by degrees
 Shall We punish them

From directions they perceive not.

45. A (long) respite will I
 Grant them: truly
 Powerful is My Plan.

46. Or is it that thou dost
 Ask them for a reward,
 So that they are burdened
 With a load of debt?--

47. Or that the Unseen
 Is in their hands, so that
 They can write it down?

48. So wait with patience
 For the Command
 Of thy Lord, and be not
 Like the Companion
 Of the Fish,--when he
 Cried out in agony.

49. Had not Grace
 From His Lord
 Reached him, he
 Would indeed have been

Cast off on the naked
 Shore, in disgrace.

50. Thus did his Lord
 Choose him and make him
 Of the company
 Of the Righteous.

51. And the Unbelievers
 Would almost trip thee up
 With their eyes when they
 Hear the Message; and they
 Say: "Surely he is possessed!"

52. But it is nothing less
 Than a Message
 To all the worlds.

Sura LXIX.  

Haqqa, or the Sure Reality.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. The Sure Reality!

2. What is the Sure Reality?

3. And what will make
 Thee realise what
 The Sure Reality is?

4. The Thamud
 And the 'Ad people
 (Branded) as false
 The Stunning Calamity!

5. But the Thamud,--
 They were destroyed
 By a terrible Storm
 Of thunder and lightning!

6. And the 'Ad,--
 They were destroyed
 By a furious Wind,
 Exceedingly violent;

7. He made it rage
 Against them seven nights
 And eight days in succession:
 So that thou couldst see
 The (whole) people lying
 Prostrate in its (path),
 As if they had been
 Roots of hollow palm-trees
 Tumbled down!

8. Then seest thou any
 Of them left surviving?

9. And Pharaoh,
 And those before him,
 And the Cities Overthrown,
 Committed habitual Sin,

10. And disobeyed (each)
 The apostle of their Lord;
 So He punished them
 With an abundant Penalty.

11. We, when the water
 (Of Noah's Flood) overflowed
 Beyond its limits,
 Carried you (mankind),
 In the floating (Ark),

12. That We might
 Make it a Message
 Unto you, and that ears
 (That should hear the tale
 And) retain its memory
 Should bear its (lessons)
 In remembrance.

13. Then, when one
 Blast is sounded
 On the Trumpet,

14. And the earth is moved,
 And its mountains,
 And they are crushed to powder
 At one stroke,--

15. On that Day
 Shall the (Great) Event
 Come to pass,

16. And the sky will be
 Rent asunder, for it will
 That Day be flimsy,

17. And the angels will be
 On its sides,

And eight will, that Day,
 Bear the Throne
 Of thy Lord above them.

18. That Day shall ye be
 Brought to Judgment:
 Not an act of yours
 That ye hide will be hidden.

19. Then he that will be
 Given his Record
 In his right hand
 Will say: "Ah here!
 Read ye my Record!

20. "I did really understand
 That my Account would
 (One Day) reach me!"

21. And he will be
 In a life of Bliss,

22. In a Garden on high,

23. The Fruits whereof
 (Will hang in bunches)
 Low and near.

24. "Eat ye and drink ye,
 With full satisfaction;

Because of the (good)
 That ye sent before you,
 In the days that are gone!"

25. And he that will
 Be given his Record
 In his left hand,
 Will say: "Ah! would
 That my record had not
 Been given to me!

26. "And that I had never
 Realised how
 My account (stood)!

27. "Ah! would that (Death)
 Had made an end of me!

28. "Of no profit to me
 Has been my wealth!

29. "My power has
 Perished from me!"...

30. (The stern command will say):
 "Seize ye him,
 And bind ye him,

31. "And burn ye him
 In the Blazing Fire.

32. "Further, make him march
 In a chain, whereof
 The length is seventy cubits!

33. "This was he that
 Would not believe
 In God Most High,

34. "And would not encourage
 The feeding of the indigent!

35. "So no friend hath he
 Here this Day.

36. "Nor hath he any food
 Except the corruption
 From the washing of wounds,

37. "Which none do eat
 But those in sin."

38. So I do
 Call to witness
 What ye see

39. And what ye see not,

40. That this is
 Verily the word
 Of an honoured apostle;

41. It is not the word
 Of a poet:
 Little it is
 Ye believe!

42. Nor is it the word
 Of a soothsayer:
 Little admonition it is
 Ye receive.

43. (This is) a Message
 Sent down from the Lord
 Of the Worlds.

44. And if the apostle
 Were to invent
 Any sayings in Our name,

45. We should certainly seize him
 By his right hand,

46. And We should certainly
 Then cut off the artery
 Of his heart:

47. Nor could any of you
 Withhold him
 (From Our wrath).

48. But verily this
 Is a Message for
 The God-fearing.

49. And We certainly know
 That there are amongst you
 Those that reject (it).

50. But truly (Revelation)
 Is a cause of sorrow
 For the Unbelievers.

51. But verily it is Truth
 Of assured certainty.

52. So glorify the name
 Of thy Lord Most High.

Sura LXX.  

Ma'arij, or the Ways of Ascent.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. A questioner asked
 About a Penalty
 To befall--

2. The Unbelievers,
 The which there is none
 To ward off,--

3. (A Penalty) from God,
 Lord of the Ways
 Of Ascent.

4. The angels and
 The Spirit ascend
 Unto Him in a Day
 The measure whereof
 Is (as) fifty thousand years:

5. Therefore do thou hold
 Patience,--a Patience
 Of beautiful (contentment).

6. They see the (Day) indeed
 As a far-off (event):

7. But We see it
 (Quite) near.

8. The Day that
 The sky will be like
 Molten brass,

9. And the mountains will be
 Like wool,

10. And no friend will ask
 After a friend,

11. Though they will be put
 In sight of each other,--
 The sinner's desire will be:
 Would that he could

Redeem himself from
 The Penalty of that Day
 By (sacrificing) his children,

12. His wife and his brother,

13. His kindred who sheltered him,

14. And all, all that is
 On earth,--so it could
 Deliver him:

15. By no means!
 For it would be
 The Fire of Hell!--

16. Plucking out (his being)
 Right to the skull!--

17. Inviting (all) such
 As turn their backs
 And turn away their faces
 (From the Right),

18. And collect (wealth)
 And hide it (from use)!

19. Truly man was created
 Very impatient;--

20. Fretful when evil
 Touches him;

21. And niggardly when
 Good reaches him;--

22. Not so those devoted
 To Prayer;--

23. Those who remain steadfast
 To their prayer;

24. And those in whose wealth
 Is a recognised right

25. For the (needy) who asks
 And him who is prevented
 (For some reason from asking);

26. And those who hold
 To the truth of the Day
 Of Judgment;

27. And those who fear
 The displeasure of their Lord,--

28. For their Lord's displeasure
 Is the opposite of Peace
 And Tranquillity;--

29. And those who guard
 Their chastity,

30. Except with their wives
 And the (captives) whom
 Their right hands possess,--
 For (then) they are not
 To be blamed,

31. But those who trespass
 Beyond this are transgressors;--

32. And those who respect
 Their trusts and covenants;

33. And those who stand firm
 In their testimonies;

34. And those who guard
 (The sacredness) of their
 worship;--

35. Such will be
 The honoured ones
 In the Gardens (of Bliss).

36. Now what is
 The matter with the Unbelievers
 That they rush madly
 Before thee--

37. From the right
 And from the left,
 In crowds?

38. Does every man of them
 Long to enter
 The Garden of Bliss?

39. By no means!
 For We have created them
 Out of the (base matter)
 They know!

40. Now I do
 Call to witness

The Lord of all points
 In the East and the West
 That We can certainly--

41. Substitute for them
 Better (men) than they;
 And We are not
 To be defeated
 (In Our Plan).

42. So leave them
 To plunge in vain talk
 And play about,
 Until they encounter
 That Day of theirs which
 They have been promised!--

43. The Day whereon
 They will issue
 From their sepulchres
 In sudden haste
 As if they were
 Rushing to a goal-post
 (Fixed for them),--

44. Their eyes lowered
 In dejection,
 Ignominy covering them
 (All over)!
 Such is the Day
 The which they
 Are promised!

Sura LXXI.

Nuh, or Noah.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. We sent Noah
 To his People
 (With the Command):
 "Do thou warn thy People
 Before there comes to them
 A grievous Penalty."

2. He said: "O my People!
 I am to you
 A Warner, clear and open:

3. "That ye should worship
 God, fear Him,
 And obey me:

4. "So He may forgive you
 Your sins and give you
 Respite for a stated Term:
 For when the Term given
 By God is accomplished,
 It cannot be put forward:
 If ye only knew."

5. He, said: "O my Lord!
 I have called to my People
 Night and day:

6. "But my call only
 Increases (their) flight
 (From the Right).

7. "And every time I have
 Called to them, that Thou
 Mightest forgive them,
 They have (only) thrust
 Their fingers into their ears,
 Covered themselves up with
 Their garments, grown obstinate,
 And given themselves up
 To arrogance.

8. "So I have called to them
 Aloud;

9. "Further I have spoken
 To them in public
 And secretly in private,

10. "Saying, "Ask forgiveness
 From your Lord;
 For He is Oft-Forgiving;

11. "He will send rain
 To you in abundance;

12. Give you increase
 In wealth and sons;
 And bestow on you
 Gardens and bestow on you
 Rivers (of flowing water).

13. "What is the matter
 With you, that ye
 Place not your hope
 For kindness and long-suffering
 In God,--

14. "Seeing that it is He
 That has created you
 In diverse stages?

15. "See ye not
 How God has created
 The seven heavens
 One above another,

16. "And made the moon
 A light in their midst,
 And made the sun
 As a (Glorious) Lamp?

17. "And God has produced
 You from the earth,
 Growing (gradually),

18. "And in the End
 He will return you
 Into the (earth),
 And raise you forth
 (Again at the Resurrection)?

19. "And God has made
 The earth for you
 As a carpet (spread out),

20. "That ye may go about
 Therein, in spacious roads."

21. Noah said: "O my Lord!
 They have disobeyed me,
 But they follow (men)
 Whose wealth and children
 Give them no Increase
 But only Loss.

22. "And they have devised
 A tremendous Plot.

23. "And they have said
 (To each other),
 "Abandon not your gods:
 Abandon neither Wadd
 Nor Suwa', neither
 Yaguth nor Ya'uq,
 Nor Nasr';--

24. "They have already
 Misled many; and
 Grant Thou no increase
 To the wrong-doers but in
 Straying (from their mark)."

25. Because of their sins
 They were drowned
 (In the flood),
 And were made to enter
 The Fire (of Punishment):
 And they found
 In lieu of God
 None to help them.

26. And Noah said:
 "O my Lord! Leave not
 Of the Unbelievers,
 A single one on earth!

27. "For, if Thou dost leave
 (Any of) them, they will
 But mislead Thy devotees,
 And they will breed none
 But wicked ungrateful ones.

28. "O my Lord! Forgive me,
 My parents, all who
 Enter my house in Faith,
 And (all) believing men

And believing women:
 And to the wrong-doers
 Grant Thou no increase
 But in Perdition!"

Sura LXXII.  

Jinn, or the Spirits.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Say: It has been
 Revealed to me that
 A company of Jinns
 Listened (to the Qur-an).
 They said, 'We have
 Really heard a wonderful Recital!

2. 'It gives guidance
 To the Right,
 And we have believed therein:
 We shall not join (in worship)
 Any (gods) with our Lord.

3. 'And exalted is the Majesty
 Of our Lord: He has
 Taken neither a wife
 Nor a son.

4. 'There were some foolish ones
 Among us, who used
 To utter extravagant lies
 Against God;

5. 'But we do think
 That no man or spirit

Should say aught that is
 Untrue against God.

6. 'True, there were persons
 Among mankind who took shelter
 With persons among the Jinns,
 But they increased them
 In folly.

7. 'And they (came to) think
 As ye thought, that God
 Would not raise up
 Any one (to Judgment).

8. 'And we pried into
 The secrets of heaven;
 But we found it filled
 With stern guards
 And flaming fires.

9. 'We used, indeed, to sit there
 In (hidden) stations, to (steal)
 A hearing; but any
 Who listens now
 Will find a flaming fire
 Watching him in ambush.

10. 'And we understand not
 Whether ill is intended
 To those on earth,
 Or whether their Lord
 (Really) intends to guide
 Them to right conduct.

11. 'There are among us
 Some that are righteous,
 And some the contrary:
 We follow divergent paths.

12. 'But we think that we
 Can by no means frustrate
 God throughout the earth,
 Nor can we frustrate Him
 By flight.

13. 'And as for us,
 Since we have listened
 To the Guidance, we have
 Accepted it: and any
 Who believes in his Lord
 Has no fear, either
 Of a short (account)
 Or of any injustice.

14. 'Amongst us are some
 That submit their wills
 (To God), and some
 That swerve from justice.
 Now those who submit
 Their wills--they have

Sought out (the path)
 Of right conduct:

15. 'But those who swerve,--
 They are (but) fuel
 For Hell-fire'--

16. (And God's Message is):
 "If they (the Pagans)
 Had (only) remained
 On the (right) Way,
 We should certainly have
 Bestowed on them Rain
 In abundance.

17. "That We might try them
 By that (means).
 But if any turns away
 From the remembrance
 Of his Lord, He will
 Cause him to undergo
 A severe Penalty.

18. "And the places of worship
 Are for God (alone):
 So invoke not any one
 Along with God;

19. "Yet when the Devotee
 Of God stands forth
 To invoke Him, they just
 Make round him a dense crowd."

20. Say: "I do
 No more than invoke
 My Lord, and I join not
 With Him any (false god)."

21. Say: "It is not
 In my power to cause
 You harm, or to bring
 You to right conduct."

22. Say: "No one can
 Deliver me from God
 (If I were to disobey Him),
 Nor should I find refuge
 Except in Him,

23. "Unless I proclaim what
 I receive from God
 And His Messages:
 For any that disobey God
 And His Apostle,--for them
 Is Hell: they shall dwell
 Therein for ever."

24. At length, when they
 See (with their own eyes)
 That which they are promised,--
 Then will they know
 Who it is that is
 Weakest in (his) helper
 And least important
 In point of numbers.

25. Say: "I know not whether
 The (Punishment) which ye
 Are promised is near,
 Or whether my Lord
 Will appoint for it
 A distant term.

26. "He (alone) knows the Unseen,
 Nor does He make any one
 Acquainted with his Mysteries,--

27. "Except an apostle
 Whom He has chosen:

And then He makes
 A band of watchers
 March before him
 And behind him,

28. "That he may know
 That they have (truly)
 Brought and delivered
 The Messages of their Lord:
 And He surrounds
 (All the mysteries) that are
 With them, and takes account
 Of every single thing."

Sura LXXIII.  

Muzzammil, or Folded in Garments.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. O thou folded
 In garments!

2. Stand (to prayer) by night,
 But not all night,--

3. Half of it,--
 Or a little less,

4. Or a little more;
 And recite the Qur-an
 In slow, measured rhythmic tones.

5. Soon shall We send down
 To thee a weighty Message.

6. Truly the rising by night
 Is most potent for governing
 (The soul), and most suitable
 For (framing) the Word
 (Of Prayer and Praise).

7. True, there is for thee
 By day prolonged occupation
 With ordinary duties:

8. But keep in remembrance
 The name of thy Lord
 And devote thyself
 To Him whole-heartedly.

9. (He is) Lord of the East
 And the West: there is
 No god but He:
 Take Him therefore
 For (thy) Disposer of Affairs.

10. And have patience with what
 They say, and leave them
 With noble (dignity).

11. And leave Me
 (Alone to deal with)
 Those in possession of
 The good things of life,
 Who (yet) deny the Truth;
 And bear with them
 For a little while.

12. With Us are Fetters

(To bind them), and a Fire
 (To burn them),

13. And a Food that chokes,
 And a Penalty Grievous.

14. One Day the earth
 And the mountains
 Will be in violent commotion.
 And the mountains will be
 As a heap of sand
 Poured out and flowing down.

15. We have sent to you,
 (O men!) an apostle,
 To be a witness concerning you,
 Even as We sent
 An apostle to Pharaoh.

16. But Pharaoh disobeyed
 The apostle; so We
 Seized him with
 A heavy Punishment.

17. Then how shall ye,
 If ye deny (God),
 Guard yourselves against
 A Day that will make
 Children hoary-headed?--

18. Whereon the sky will be
 Cleft asunder?
 His Promise needs must
 Be accomplished.

19. Verily this is an Admonition:
 Therefore, whoso will, let him
 Take a (straight) path
 To his Lord!

20. Thy Lord doth know
 That thou standest forth
 (To prayer) nigh two-thirds
 Of the night, or half

The night, or a third
 Of the night, and so doth
 A party of those with thee.
 But God doth appoint Night
 And Day in due measure.
 He knoweth that ye are
 Unable to keep count thereof.
 So He hath turned to you
 (In mercy): read ye,
 Therefore, of the Qur-an
 As much as may be
 Easy for you. He knoweth
 That there may be (some)
 Among you in ill-health;
 Others travelling through the land,
 Seeking of God's bounty;
 Yet others fighting
 In God's Cause. Read ye,
 Therefore, as much of the Qur-an
 As may be easy (for you);
 And establish regular Prayer
 And give regular Charity;
 And loan to God
 A Beautiful Loan.

And whatever good
 Ye send forth
 For your souls,
 Ye shall find it
 In God's Presence,--
 Yea, better and
 Greater, in Reward.
 And seek ye the Grace
 Of God: for God is
 Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Sura LXXIV.  

Muddaththir, or One Wrapped Up.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. O thou wrapped up
 (In a mantle)!

2. Arise and deliver thy warning!

3. And thy Lord
 Do thou magnify!

4. And thy garments
 Keep free from stain!

5. And all abomination shun!

6. Nor expect, in giving,
 Any increase (for thyself)!

7. But, for thy Lord's (Cause),
 Be patient and constant!

8. Finally, when the trumpet
 Is sounded,

9. That will be--that Day--
 A Day of Distress,--

10. Far from easy
 For those without Faith.

11. Leave Me alone, (to deal)
 With the (creature) whom
 I created (bare and) alone!--

12. To whom I granted
 Resources in abundance,

13. And sons to be
 By his side!--

14. To whom I made
 (Life) smooth and comfortable!

15. Yet is he greedy--
 That I should add
 (Yet more);--

16. By no means!
 For to Our Signs
 He has been refractory!

17. Soon will I visit him
 With a mount of calamities!

18. For he thought
 And he plotted;--

19. And woe to him!
 How he plotted!--

20. Yea, woe to him:
 How he plotted!--

21. Then he looked round;

22. Then he frowned
 And he scowled;

23. Then he turned back
 And was haughty;

24. Then said he:
 "This is nothing but magic,
 Derived from of old;

25. "This is nothing but
 The word of a mortal!"

26. Soon will I
 Cast him into Hell-Fire!

27. And what will explain
 To thee what Hell-Fire is?

28. Naught doth it permit
 To endure, and naught
 Doth it leave alone!--

29. Darkening and changing
 The colour of man!

30. Over it are Nineteen.

31. And We have set none
 But angels as guardians
 Of the Fire; and We
 Have fixed their number

Only as a trial
 For Unbelievers,--in order
 That the People of the Book
 May arrive at certainty,
 And the Believers may increase
 In Faith,--and that no doubts
 May be left for the People
 Of the Book and the Believers,
 And that those in whose hearts
 Is a disease and the Unbelievers
 May say, "What symbol
 Doth God intend by this?
 Thus doth God leave to stray
 Whom He pleaseth, and guide
 Whom He pleaseth: and none
 Can know the forces
 Of thy Lord, except He.
 And this is no other than
 A warning to mankind.

32. Nay, verily:
 By the Moon,

33. And by the Night
 As it retreateth,

34. And by the Dawn
 As it shineth forth,--

35. This is but one
 Of the mighty (portents),

36. A warning to mankind,--

37. To any of you that
 Chooses to press forward,
 Or to follow behind;--

38. Every soul will be (held)
 In pledge for its deeds.

39. Except the Companions
 Of the Right Hand.

40. (They will be) in Gardens
 (Of Delight): they will
 Question each other,

41. And (ask) of the Sinners:

42. "What led you
 Into Hell-Fire?"

43. They will say:
 "We were not of those
 Who prayed;

44. "Nor were we of those
 Who fed the indigent;

45. "But we used to talk
 Vanities with vain talkers;

46. "And we used to deny
 The Day of Judgment,

47. "Until there came to us
 (The Hour) that is certain."

48. Then will no intercession
 Of (any) intercessors
 Profit them.

49. When what is
 The matter with them
 That they turn away
 From admonition?

50. As if they were
 Affrighted asses,

51. Fleeing from a lion!

52. Forsooth, each one of them
 Wants to be given
 Scrolls (of revelation) spread out!

53. By no means! But
 They fear not the Hereafter.

54. Nay, this surely
 Is an admonition:

55. Let any who will,
 Keep it in remembrance!

56. But none will keep it
 In remembrance except
 As God wills: He
 Is the Lord of Righteousness,
 And the Lord of Forgiveness.

Sura LXXV.  

Qiyamat, or the Resurrection.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. I do call to witness
 The Resurrection Day;

2. And I do call to witness
 The self-reproaching spirit:
 (Eschew Evil).

3. Does man think that We
 Cannot assemble his bones?

4. Nay, We are able to put
 Together in perfect order
 The very tips of his fingers.

5. But man wishes to do
 Wrong (even) in the time
 In front of him.

6. He questions: "When
 Is the Day of Resurrection?"

7. At length, when
 The Sight is dazed,

8. And the moon is
 Buried in darkness.

9. And the sun and moon
 Are joined together,--

10. That Day will Man say:
 "Where is the refuge?"

11. By no means!
 No place of safety!

12. Before thy Lord (alone),
 That Day will be
 The place of rest.

13. That Day will Man
 Be told (all) that he
 Put forward, and all
 That he put back.

14. Nay, man will be
 Evidence against himself,

15. Even though he were
 To put up his excuses.

16. Move not thy tongue
 Concerning the (Qur-an)
 To make haste therewith,

17. It is for Us to collect it
 And to promulgate it:

18. But when We have
 Promulgated it, follow thou
 Its recital (as promulgated):

19. Nay more, it is
 For us to explain it
 (And make it clear):

20. Nay, (ye men!)
 But ye love
 The fleeting life,

21. And leave alone
 The Hereafter.

22. Some faces, that Day,
 Will beam (in brightness
 And beauty);--

23. Looking towards their Lord;

24. And some faces, that Day,
 Will be sad and dismal,

25. In the thought that some
 Back-breaking calamity was about
 To be indicted on them;

26. Yea, when (the soul)
 Reaches to the collar-bone
 (In its exit),

27. And there will be a cry,
 "Who is a magician
 (To restore him)?"

28. And he will conclude
 That it was (the Time)
 Of Parting;

29. And one leg will be
 Joined with another:

30. That Day the Drive
 Will be (all) to thy Lord!

31. So he gave nothing
 In charity, nor
 Did he pray!--

32. But on the contrary,
 He rejected Truth
 And turned away!

33. Then did he stalk
 To his family
 In full conceit!

34. Woe to thee,
 (O man!, yea, woe!

35. Again, woe to thee,
 (O man!), yea, woe!

36. Does Man think
 That he will be left
 Uncontrolled, (without purpose)?

37. Was he not a drop
 Of sperm emitted
 (In lowly form)?

38. Then did he become
 A leech-like clot;
 Then did (God) make
 And fashion (him)
 In due proportion.

39. And of him He made
 Two sexes, male
 And female.

40. Has not He, (the same),
 The power to give life
 To the dead?

Sura LXXVI.  

Dahr, or Time, or Insan, or Man.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Has there not been
 Over Man a long period
 Of Time, when he was
 Nothing--(not even) mentioned?

2. Verily We created
 Man from a drop
 Of mingled sperm,
 In order to try him:
 So We gave him (the gifts).
 Of Hearing and Sight.

3. We showed him, the Way:
 Whether he be grateful
 Or ungrateful (rests
 On his will).

4. For the Rejecters
 We have prepared

Chains, Yokes, and
 A Blazing Fire.

5. As to the Righteous,
 They shall drink
 Of a Cup (of Wine)
 Mixed with Kafur,--

6. A Fountain where
 The Devotees of God
 Do drink, making it
 Flow in unstinted abundance.

7. They perform (their) vows,
 And they fear a Day
 Whose evil flies far and wide.

8. And they feed, for the love
 Of God, the indigent,
 The orphan, and the captive,--

9. (Saying), "We feed you
 For the sake of God alone:
 No reward do we desire
 From you, nor thanks.

10. "We only fear a Day
 Of distressful Wrath
 From the side of our Lord."

11. But God will deliver
 Them from the evil
 Of that Day, and will
 Shed over them a Light
 Of Beauty and
 A (blissful) Joy.

12. And because they were
 Patient and constant, He will
 Reward them with a Garden
 And (garments of) silk.

13. Reclining in the (Garden)
 On raised thrones,
 They will see there neither
 The sun's (excessive heat)
 Nor (the moon's) excessive cold.

14. And the shades of the (Garden)
 Will come low over them,
 And the bunches (of fruit),
 There, will hang low
 In humility.

15. And amongst them will be
 Passed round vessels of silver
 And goblets of crystal,--

16. Crystal-clear, made of silver:
 They will determine
 The measure thereof
 (According to their wishes).

17. And they will be given
 To drink there of a Cup
 (Of Wine) mixed 
 With Zanjabil,--

18. A fountain there,
 Called Salsabil.

19. And round about them
 Will (serve) youths
 Of perpetual (freshness):
 If thou seest them,
 Thou wouldst think them
 Scattered Pearls.

20. And when thou lookest,
 It is there thou wilt see

A Bliss and
 A Realm Magnificent.

21. Upon them will be
 Green Garments of fine silk
 And heavy brocade,
 And they will be adorned
 With Bracelets of silver;
 And their Lord will
 Give to them to drink
 Of a Wine
 Pure and Holy.

22. "Verily this is a Reward
 For you, and your Endeavour
 Is accepted and recognised."

23. It is We Who
 Have sent down the Qur-an
 To thee by stages.

24. Therefore be patient
 With constancy to the Command
 Of thy Lord, and hearken not
 To the sinner or the ingrate
 Among them.

25. And celebrate the name

Of thy Lord morning
 And evening,

26. And part of the night,
 Prostrate thyself to Him;
 And glorify Him
 A long night through.

27. As to these, they love
 The fleeting life,
 And put away behind them
 A Day (that will be) hard.

28. It is We Who created
 Them, and We have made
 Their joints strong;
 But, when We will,
 We can substitute
 The like of them
 By a complete change.

29. This is an admonition:
 Whosoever will, let him
 Take a (straight) Path
 To his Lord.

30. But ye will not,
 Except as God wills;

For God is full of
 Knowledge and Wisdom.

31. He will admit
 To His Mercy Whom He will;
 But the wrong-doers,--
 For them has He prepared
 A grievous Penalty.

Sura LXXVII.  

Mursalat, or Those Sent Forth.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the (Winds) Sent Forth
 One after another
 (To man's profit);

2. Which then blow violently
 In tempestuous Gusts,

3. And scatter (things)
 Far and wide;

4. Then separate them,
 One from another,

5. Then spread abroad
 A Message,

6. Whether of Justification
 Or of Warning;--

7. Assuredly, what ye are
 Promised must come to pass.

8. Then when the stars
 Become dim;

9. When the heaven
 Is cleft asunder;

10. When the mountains are
 Scattered (to the winds) as dust;

11. And when the apostles
 Are (all) appointed a time
 (To collect);--

12. For what Day are these
 (Portents) deferred?

13. For the Day of Sorting out.

14. And what will explain
 To thee what is
 The Day of Sorting out?

15. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

16. Did We not destroy
 The men of old
 (For their evil)?

17. So shall We make
 Later (generations)
 Follow them.

18. Thus do We deal
 With men of sin.

19. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

20. Have We not created
 You from a fluid
 (Held) despicable?--

21. The which We placed
 In a place of rest,
 Firmly fixed,

22. For a period (of gestation),
 Determined (according to need)?

23. For We do determine
 (According to need); for We
 Are the Best to determine (things).

24. Ah woe, that Day!
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

25. Have We not made
 The earth (as a place)
 To draw together

26. The living and the dead,

27. And made therein
 Mountains standing firm,
 Lofty (in stature);
 And provided for you
 Water sweet (and wholesome)?

28. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

29. (It will be said:)
 "Depart ye to that
 Which ye used to reject
 As false!

30. "Depart ye to a Shadow
 (Of smoke ascending)
 In three columns,

31. "(Which yields) no shade
 Of coolness, and is
 Of no use against
 The fierce Blaze.

32. "Indeed it throws about
 Sparks (huge) as Forts,

33. "As if there were
 (A string of) yellow camels
 (Marching swiftly).

34. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

35. That will be a Day
 When they shall not

Be able to speak,

36. Nor will it be
 Open to them
 To put forth pleas.

37. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

38. That will be a Day
 Of Sorting out! We shall
 Gather you together
 And those before (you)!

39. Now, if ye have
 A trick (or plot),
 Use it against Me!

40. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

41. As to the Righteous,
 They shall be amidst
 (Cool) shades and springs
 (Of water),

42. And (they shall have)
 Fruits,--all they desire.

43. "Eat ye and drink ye
 To your heart's content:
 For that ye worked
 (Righteousness).

44. Thus do We certainly
 Reward the Doers of Good.

45. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

46. (O ye Unjust!)
 Eat ye and enjoy yourselves
 (But) a little while,
 For that ye are Sinners.

47. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

48. And when it is said
 To them, "Prostrate yourselves!"
 They do not so.

49. Ah woe, that Day,
 To the Rejecters of Truth!

50. Then what Message,
 After that,
 Will they believe in?

Sura LXXVIII.  

Nabaa, or The (Great) News.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Concerning what
 Are they disputing?

2. Concerning the Great News,

3. About which they
 Cannot agree.

4. Verily, they shall soon
 (Come to) know!

5. Verily, verily they shall
 Soon (come to) know!

6. Have We not made
 The earth as a wide
 Expanse,

7. And the mountains as pegs?

8. And (have We not) created
 You in pairs,

9. And made your sleep
 For rest,

10. And made the night
 As a covering,

11. And made the day
 As a means of subsistence?

12. And (have We not)
 Built over you
 The seven firmaments,

13. And placed (therein)
 A Light of Splendour?

14. And do We not send down
 From the clouds water
 In abundance,

15. That We may produce
 Therewith corn and vegetables,

16. And gardens of luxurious growth?

17. Verily the Day
 Of Sorting Out
 Is a thing appointed,--

18. The Day that the Trumpet
 Shall be sounded, and ye
 Shall come forth in crowds;

19. And the heavens
 Shall be opened
 As if there were doors,

20. And the mountains
 Shall vanish, as if
 They were a mirage.

21. Truly Hell is
 As a place of ambush,--

22. For the transgressors
 A place of destination:

23. They will dwell therein
 For ages.

24. Nothing cool shall they taste
 Therein, nor any drink,

25. Save a boiling fluid
 And a fluid, dark, murky,
 Intensely cold,--

26. A fitting recompense
 (For them).

27. For that they used not
 To fear any account
 (For their deeds),

28. But they (impudently) treated
 Our Signs as false.

29. And all things have We
 Preserved on record.

30. "So taste ye (the fruits
 Of your deeds);
 For no increase
 Shall We grant you,
 Except in Punishment.

31. Verily for the Righteous
 There will be
 A fulfilment of
 (The Heart's) desires;

32. Gardens enclosed, and Grapevines;

33. Companions of Equal age;

34. And a Cup full
 (To the brim).

35. No Vanity shall they hear
 Therein, nor Untruth;--

36. Recompense from thy Lord,
 A Gift, (amply) sufficient,--

37. (From the Lord
 Of the heavens
 And the earth, and all between,--
 (God) Most Gracious:
 None shall have power
 To argue with Him.

38. The Day that
 The Spirit and the angels
 Will stand forth in ranks,
 None shall speak
 Except any who is
 Permitted by (God) Most Gracious,
 And he will say
 What is right.

39. that day will be
 The sure Reality:
 Therefore, whoso will let him
 Take a (straight) Return
 To his Lord!

40. Verily, we have warned you
 Of a Penalty near,--
 The Day when man will
 See (the Deeds) which
 His hands have sent forth,
 And the Unbeliever will say,
 "Woe unto me! Would that
 I were mere dust!"

Sara LXXIX.  

Nazi'at, or Those Who Tear Out.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. By the (angels)
 Who tear out
 (The souls of the wicked)
 With violence;

2. By those who gently
 Draw out (the souls
 Of the blessed);

3. And by those who glide
 Along (on errands of mercy),

4. Then press forward
 As in a race,

5. Then arrange to do
 (The Commands of their Lord),--

6. One Day everything that
 Can be in commotion will
 Be in violent commotion,

7. Followed by oft-repeated
 (Commotions):

8. Hearts that Day 
 Will be in agitation;

9. Cast down will be
 (Their owners') eyes.

10. They say (now): "What!
 Shall we indeed be
 Returned to (our) former state?--

11. "What!--when we shall
 Have become rotten bones?"

12. They say: "It would
 In that case, be
 A return with loss!"

13. But verily, it will
 Be but a single

(Compelling) Cry,

14. When, behold, they
 Will be in the (full)
 Awakening (to Judgment).

15. Has the story
 Of Moses reached thee?

16. Behold, thy Lord did call
 To him in the sacred valley
 Of Tuwa:--

17. "Go thou to Pharaoh,
 For he has indeed
 Transgressed all bounds:

18. "And say to him,
 "Wouldst thou that thou
 Shouldst he purified
 (From sin)?--

19. "And that I guide thee
 To thy Lord, so thou
 Shouldst fear Him?"

20. Then did (Moses) show him
 The Great Sign.

21. But (Pharaoh) rejected it
 And disobeyed (guidance);

22. Further, he turned his back,
 Striving hard (against God).

23. Then he collected (his men)
 And made a proclamation,

24. Saying, "I am your Lord,
 Most High".

25. But God did punish him,
 (And made an) example
 Of him,--in the Hereafter,
 As in this life.

26. Verily in this is
 An instructive warning
 For whosoever feareth (God).

27. What! Are ye the more
 Difficult to create
 Or the heaven (above)?
 (God) hath constructed it:

28. On high hath He raised
 Its canopy, and He hath
 Given it order and perfection.

29. Its night doth He
 Endow with darkness,
 And its splendour doth He
 Bring out (with light).

30. And the earth, moreover,
 Hath He extended
 (To a wide expanse);

31. He draweth out
 Therefrom its moisture
 And its pasture;

32. And the mountains
 Hath He firmly fixed;

33. For use and convenience
 To you and your cattle.

34. Therefore, when there comes
 The great, overwhelming (Event),--

35. The Day when Man
 Shall remember (all)
 That he strove for,

36. And Hell-Fire shall be
 Placed in full view
 For (all) to see,--

37. Then, for such as had
 Transgressed all bounds,

38. And had preferred
 The life of this world,

39. The Abode will be
 Hell-Fire;

40. And for such as had
 Entertained the fear
 Of standing before
 Their Lord's (tribunal)
 And had restrained
 (Their) soul from lower Desires,

41. Their Abode will be
 The Garden.

42. They ask thee
 About the Hour,--"When
 Will be its appointed time?"

43. Wherein art thou (concerned)
 With the declaration thereof?

44. With thy Lord is
 The Limit fixed therefor.

45. Thou art but a Warner
 For such as fear it.

46. The Day they see it,
 (It will be) as if they
 Had tarried but a single
 Evening, or (at most till)
 The following morn!

Sura LXXX.  

'Abasa, or He Frowned.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. (The Prophet) frowned
 And turned away,

2. Because there came to him
 The blind man (interrupting).

3. But what could tell thee
 But that perchance he might
 Grow (in spiritual understanding)?--

4. Or that he might receive
 Admonition, and the teaching
 Might profit him?

5. As to one who regards
 Himself as self-sufficient,

6. To him dost thou attend;

7. Though it is no blame
 To thee if he grow not
 (In spiritual understanding).

8. But as to him who came
 To thee striving earnestly,

9. And with fear
 (In his heart),

10. Of him wast thou unmindful.

11. By no means
 (Should it be so)!
 For it is indeed
 A Message of instruction:

12. Therefore let whoso will,
 Keep it in remembrance.

13. (It is) in Books
 Held (greatly) in honour,

14. Exalted (in dignity),
 Kept pure and holy,

15. (Written) by the hands
 Of scribes--

16. Honourable and
 Pious and Just.

17. Woe to man!
 What hath made him
 Reject God:

18. From what stuff
 Hath He created him?

19. From a sperm-drop:
 He hath created him, and then
 Mouldeth him in due proportions;

20. Then doth He make
 His path smooth for him;

21. Then He causeth him to die,
 And putteth him in his Grave;

22. Then, when it is
 His Will, He will
 Raise him up (again).

23. By no means hath he
 Fulfilled what God
 Hath commanded him.

24. Then let man look
 At his Food,
 (And how We provide it):

25. For that We pour forth
 Water in abundance,

26. And We split the earth
 In fragments,

27. And produce therein Corn,

28. And Grapes and nutritious Plants,

29. And Olives and Dates,

30. And enclosed Gardens,
 Dense with lofty trees,

31. And Fruits and Fodder,--

32. For use and convenience
 To you and your cattle.

33. At length, when there
 Comes the Deafening Noise,--

34. That Day shall a man
 Flee from his own brother,

35. And from his mother
 And his father,

36. And from his wife
 And his children.

37. Each one of them,
 That Day, will have
 Enough concern (of his own)
 To make him indifferent
 To the others,

38. Some Faces that Day
 Will be beaming,

39. Laughing, rejoicing.

40. And other faces that Day
 Will be dust-stained;

41. Blackness will cover them:

42. Such will be
 The Rejecters of God,
 The Doers of Iniquity.

Sura LXXXI.  

Takwir, or the Folding Up.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. When the sun
 (With its spacious light)
 Is folded up;

2. When the stars
 Fall, losing their lustre;

3. When the mountains vanish
 (Like a mirage);

4. When the she-camels,
 Ten months with young,
 Are left untended;

5. When the wild beasts
 Are herded together

(In human habitations);

6. When the oceans
 Boil over with a swell;

7. When the souls
 Are sorted out,
 (Being joined, like with like);

8. When the female (infant),
 Buried alive, is questioned--

9. For what crime
 She was killed;

10. When the Scrolls
 Are laid open;

11. When the World on High
 Is unveiled;

12. When the Blazing Fire
 Is kindled to fierce heat;

13. And when the Garden
 Is brought near;--

14. (Then) shall each soul know
 What it has put forward.

15. So verily I call
 To witness the Planets--
 That recede,

16. Go straight, or hide;

17. And the Night
 As it dissipates;

18. And the Dawn
 As it breathes away
 The darkness;--

19. Verily this is the word
 Of a most honourable Messenger,

20. Endued with Power,
 With rank before
 The Lord of the Throne,

21. With authority there,
 (And) faithful to his trust.

22. And (O people!)
 Your Companion is not
 One possessed;

23. And without doubt he saw him
 In the clear horizon.

24. Neither doth he withhold
 Grudgingly a knowledge
 Of the Unseen.

25. Nor is it the word
 Of an evil spirit accursed!

26. When whither go ye?

27. Verily this is no less
 Than a Message
 To (all) the Worlds:

28. (With profit) to whoever
 Among you wills
 To go straight:

29. But ye shall not will
 Except as God wills,--
 The Cherisher of the Worlds.

Sura LXXXII.  

Infitar, or The Cleaving Asunder.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. When the Sky
 Is cleft asunder;

2. When the Stars
 Are scattered;

3. When the Oceans
 Are suffered to burst forth;

4. And when the Graves
 Are turned upside down;--

5. (Then) shall each soul know
 What it hath sent forward
 And (what it hath) kept back.

6. O man! what has
 Seduced thee from
 Thy Lord Most Beneficent?--

7. Him Who created thee.
 Fashioned thee in due proportion
 And gave thee a just bias;

8. In whatever Form He wills,
 Does He put thee together.

9. Nay! but ye do
 Reject Right and Judgment!

10. But verily over you
 (Are appointed angels)
 To protect you,--

11. Kind and honourable,--
 Writing down (your deeds):

12. They know (and understand)
 All that ye do.

13. As for the Righteous,
 They will be in Bliss;

14. And the Wicked--
 They will be in the Fire,

15. Which they will enter
 On the Day of Judgment,

16. And they will not be
 Able to keep away therefrom.

17. And what will explain
 To thee what the Day
 Of Judgment is?

18. Again, what will explain
 To thee what the Day
 Of Judgment is?

19. (It will be) the Day
 When no soul shall have
 Power (to do) aught
 For another 
 For the Command, that Day,
 Will be (wholly) with God.

Sura LXXXIII.  

Tatfif, or Dealing in Fraud.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Woe to those
 That deal in fraud,--

2. Those who, when they
 Have to receive by measure
 From men, exact full measure,

3. But when they have
 To give by measure
 Or weight to men,
 Give less than due.

4. Do they not think
 That they will be called
 To account?--

5. On a Mighty Day,

6. A Day when (all) mankind
 Will stand before
 The Lord of the Worlds?

7. Nay! Surely the Record
 Of the Wicked is

(Preserved) in Sijjin.

8. And what will explain
 To thee what Sijjin is?

9. (There is) a Register
 (Fully) inscribed.

10. Woe, that Day, to those
 That deny--

11. Those that deny
 The Day of Judgment.

12. And none can deny it
 But the Transgressor
 Beyond bounds,
 The Sinner!

13. When Our Signs are rehearsed
 To him, he says,
 "Tales of the Ancients!"

14. By no means!
 But on their hearts
 Is the stain of the (ill)
 Which they do!

15. Verily, from (the Light
 Of) their Lord, that Day,
 Will they be veiled.

16. Further, they will enter
 The Fire of Hell.

17. Further, it will be said
 To them: "This is
 The (reality) which ye
 Rejected as false!

18. Nay, verily the Record
 Of the Righteous is
 (Preserved) in 'Illiyin.

19. And what will explain
 To thee what 'Illiyin is?

20. (There is) a Register
 (Fully) inscribed,

21. To which bear witness
 Those Nearest (to God),

22. Truly the Righteous
 Will be in Bliss:

23. On Thrones (of Dignity)
 Will they command a sight
 (Of all things):

24. Thou wilt recognise
 In their Faces
 The beaming brightness of Bliss.

25. Their thirst will be slaked
 With Pure Wine sealed:

26. The seal thereof will be
 Musk: and for this
 Let those aspire,
 Who have aspirations:

27. With it will be (given)
 A mixture of Tasnim:

28. A spring, from (the waters)
 Whereof drink
 Those Nearest to God.

29. Those in sin used
 To laugh at those
 Who believed,

30. And whenever they passed
 By them, used to wink
 At each other (in mockery);

31. And when they returned
 To their own people,
 They would return jesting;

32. And whenever they saw them,
 They would say, "Behold!
 These are the people
 Truly astray!"

33. But they had not been
 Sent as Keepers over them!

34. But on this Day
 The Believers will laugh
 At the Unbelievers:

35. On Thrones (of Dignity)
 They will command (a sight)
 (Of all things),

36. Will not the Unbelievers
 Have been paid back
 For what they did?

Sura LXXXIV.  

Inshiqaq, or The Rending Asunder.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. When the Sky is
 Rent asunder,

2. And hearkens to
 (The Command of) its Lord,--
 And it must needs
 (Do so);--

3. And when the Earth
 Is flattened out,

4. And casts forth
 What is within it
 And becomes (clean) empty,

5. And hearkens to
 (The Command of) its Lord,--
 And it must needs
 (Do so);--(then will come
 Home the full Reality)

6. O thou man!
 Verily thou art ever
 Toiling on towards thy Lord--
 Painfully toiling,--but thou
 Shalt meet Him.

7. Then he who is given
 His Record in his
 Right hand,

8. Soon will his account
 Be taken by an easy reckoning,

9. And he will turn
 To his people, rejoicing!

10. But he who is given
 His Record behind his back,--

11. Soon will he cry
 For Perdition,

12. And he will enter
 A Blazing Fire.

13. Truly, did he go about
 Among his people, rejoicing!

14. Truly, did he think
 That he would not
 Have to return (to Us)!

15. Nay, nay! for his Lord
 Was (ever) watchful of him!

16. So I do call
 To witness the ruddy glow
 Of Sunset;

17. The Night and its Homing;

18. And the Moon
 In her Fulness:

19. Ye shall surely travel
 From stage to stage

20. What then is the matter
 With them, that they
 Believe not?--

21. And when the Qur-an
 Is read to them, they
 Fall not prostrate,

22. But on the contrary
 The Unbelievers reject (it).

23. But God has full Knowledge
 Of what they secrete
 (In their breasts).

24. So announce to them
 A Penalty Grievous,

25. Except to those who believe
 And work righteous deeds:
 For them is a Reward
 That will never fail.

Sura LXXXV.  

Buruj, or The Zodiacal Signs.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Sky, (displaying)
 The Zodiacal Signs;

2. By the promised Day
 (Of Judgment);

3. By one that witnesses,
 And the subject of the witness;--

4. Woe to the makers
 Of the pit (of fire),

5. Fire supplied (abundantly)
 With Fuel:

6. Behold! they sat
 Over against the (fire),

7. And they witnessed
 (All) that they were doing
 Against the Believers.

8. And they ill-treated them
 For no other reason than
 That they believed in God,
 Exalted in Power,
 Worthy of all Praise!--

9 Him to Whom belongs
 The dominion of the heavens
 And the earth!
 And God is Witness
 To all things.

10. Those who persecute (or draw
 into temptation)
 The Believers, men and women,
 And do not turn
 In repentance, will have
 The Penalty of Hell:
 They will have the Penalty
 Of the Burning Fire.

11. For those who believe
 And do righteous deeds,
 Will be Gardens,
 Beneath which Rivers flow:
 That is the great Salvation,
 (The fulfilment of all desires),

12. Truly strong is the Grip
 (And Power) of thy Lord.

13. It is He Who creates
 From the very beginning,
 And He can restore (life).

14. And He is the Oft-Forgiving,
 Full of loving-kindness,

15. Lord of the Throne of Glory,

16. Doer (without let)
 Of all that He intends.

17. Has the story
 Reached thee,
 Of the Forces--

18. Of Pharaoh
 And the Thamud?

19. And yet the Unbelievers
 (Persist) in rejecting
 (The Truth)!

20. But God doth
 Encompass them
 From behind!

21. Nay, this is
 A Glorious Qur-an,

22. (Inscribed) in
 A Tablet Preserved!

Sura LXXXVI.  

Tariq, or The Night-Visitant.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Sky
 And the Night-Visitant
 (Therein);--

2. And what will explain to thee
 What the Night-Visitant is?--

3. (It is) the Star
 Of piercing brightness;--

4. There is no soul but has
 A protector over it.

5. Now let man but think
 From what he is created!

6. He is created from
 A drop emitted--

7. Proceeding from between
 The backbone and the ribs:

8. Surely (God) is able
 To bring him back
 (To life)!

9. The Day that
 (All) things secret
 Will be tested,

10. (Man) will have
 No power,
 And no helper.

11. By the Firmament
 Which returns (in its round),

12. And by the Earth
 Which opens out
 (For the gushing of springs
 Or the sprouting of vegetation),--

13. Behold this is the Word
 That distinguishes (Good
 From Evil):

14. It is not a thing
 For amusement.

15. As for them, they
 Are but plotting a scheme,

16. And I am planning
 A scheme.

17. Therefore grant a delay
 To the unbelievers:
 Give respite to them
 Gently (for awhile).

Sura LXXXVII.  

A'la, or The Most High.

In the name of God, Most Gracious.
 Most Merciful

1. Glorify the name
 Of' thy Guardian-Lord
 Most High,

2. Who hath created,
 And further, given
 Order and proportion;

3. Who hath ordained laws.
 And granted guidance;

4. And Who bringeth out
 The (green and luscious) pasture,

5. And then doth make it
 (But) swarthy stubble.

6. By degrees shall We
 Teach thee to declare

(The Message), so thou
 Shalt not forget,

7. Except as God wills:
 For He knoweth
 What is manifest
 And what is hidden.

8. And We will make it
 Easy for thee (to follow)
 The simple (Path).

9. Therefore give admonition
 In case the admonition
 Profits (the hearer).

10. The admonition will be received
 By those who fear (God):

11. But it will be avoided
 By those most unfortunate ones,

12. Who will enter
 The Great Fire,

13. In which they will then
 Neither die nor live.

14. But those will prosper
 Who purify themselves,

15. And glorify the name
 Of their Guardian-Lord,
 And (lift their hearts)
 In Prayer.

16. Nay (behold), ye prefer
 The life of this world;

17. But the Hereafter
 Is better and more enduring.

18. And this is
 In the Books
 Of the earliest (Revelations),--

19. The Books of
 Abraham and Moses.

Sura LXXXVIII.  

Gashiya, or The Overwhelming Event.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Has the story
 Reached thee, of
 The Overwhelming (Event)?

2. Some faces, that Day,
 Will be humiliated,

3. Labouring (hard), weary,--

4. The while they enter
 The Blazing Fire,--

5. The while they are given,
 To drink, of a bailing hot spring,

6. No food will there be
 For them but a bitter Dhari'

7. Which will neither nourish
 Nor satisfy hunger.

8. (Other) faces that Day
 Will be joyful,

9. Pleased with their Striving,--

10. In a Garden on high,

11. Where they shall hear
 No (word) of vanity:

12. Therein will be
 A bubbling spring:

13. Therein will be Thrones
 (Of dignity), raised on high,

14. Goblets placed (ready),

15. And Cushions set in rows,

16. And rich carpets
 (All) spread out.

17. Do they not look
 At the Camels,
 How they are made?--

18. And at the Sky,
 How it is raised high?--

19. And at the Mountains,
 How they are fixed firm?--

20. And at the Earth,
 How it is spread out?

21. Wherefore do thou give
 Admonition, for thou art
 One to admonish.

22. Thou art not one
 To manage (men's) affairs.

23. But if any turn away
 And reject God,--

24. God will punish him
 With a mighty Punishment,

25. For to Us will be
 Their Return;

26. Then it will be for Us
 To call them to account.

Sura LXXXIX.  

Fajr, or The Break of Day.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. By the Break of Day;

2. By the Nights twice five;

3. By the Even
 And Odd (contrasted);

4. And by the Night
 When it passeth away;--

5. Is there (not) in these
 An adjuration (or evidence)
 For those who understand?

6. Seest thou not
 How thy Lord dealt
 With the 'Ad (people),--

7. Of the (city of) Iram,
 With lofty pillars,

8. The like of which
 Were not produced
 In (all) the land?

9. And with the Thamud
 (People), who cut out
 (Huge) rocks in the-valley?--

10. And with Pharaoh,
 Lord of Stakes?

11. (All) these transgressed
 Beyond bounds in the lands.

12. And heaped therein
 Mischief (on mischief).

13. Therefore did thy Lord
 Pour on them a scourge
 Of diverse chastisements:

14. For thy Lord is
 (As a Guardian)
 On a watch-tower.

15. Now, as for man,
 When his Lord trieth him,
 Giving him honour and gifts,
 Then saith he, (puffed up),
 "My Lord hath honoured me"

16. But when he trieth him,
 Restricting his subsistence
 For him, then saith he
 (In despair), "My Lord
 Hath humiliated me I."

17. Nay, nay! But ye
 Honour not the orphans!

18. Nor do ye encourage
 One another
 To feed the poor!--

19. And ye devour Inheritance--
 All with greed,

20. And ye love wealth
 With inordinate love!

21. Nay! When the earth
 Is pounded to powder,

22. And thy Lord cometh,
 And His angels,
 Rank upon rank,

23. And Hell, that Day,
 Is brought (face to face),--
 On that Day will man
 Remember, but how will
 That remembrance profit him?

24. He will say: "Ah!
 Would that I had
 Sent forth (Good Deeds)
 For (this) my (Future) Life!"

25. For, that Day,
 His Chastisement will be

Such as none (else)
 Can inflict,

26. And His bonds
 Will be such as
 None (other) can bind.

27. (To the righteous soul
 Will be said:)
 "O (thou) soul,
 In (complete) rest
 And satisfaction!

28. "Come back thou
 To thy Lord,--
 Well pleased (thyself),
 And well-pleasing
 Unto Him!

29. "Enter thou, then,
 Among my Devotees!

30. "Yea, enter thou
 My Heaven!

Sura XC.  

Balad, or The City.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. I do call to witness
 This City;--

2. And thou art a freeman
 Of this City;--

3. And (the mystic ties
 of) Parent and Child;--

4. Verily We have created
 Man into toil and struggle.

5. Thinketh he, that none
 Hath power over him?

6. He may say (boastfully):
 "Wealth have I squandered
 In abundance!"

7. Thinketh he that none
 Beholdeth him?

8. Have We not made
 For him a pair of eyes?--

9. And a tongue,
 And a pair of lips?--

10. And shown him
 The two highways?

11. But he hath made no haste
 On the path that is steep.

12. And what will explain
 To thee the path that is steep?--

13. (It is:) freeing the bondman;

14. Or the giving of food
 In a day of privation

15. To the orphan
 With claims of relationship,

16. Or to the indigent
 (Down) in the dust.

17. Then will he be
 Of those who believe,
 And enjoin patience, (constancy,
 And self-restraint), and enjoin
 Deeds of kindness and compassion.

18. Such are the Companions
 Of the Right Hand.

19. But those who reject
 Our Signs, they are
 The (unhappy) Companions
 Of the Left Hand.

20. On them will be Fire
 Vaulted over (all round).

Sura XCI.  

Shams, or The Sun.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Sun
 And his (glorious) splendour;

2. By the Moon
 As she follows him;

3. By the Day as it
 Shows up (the Sun's) glory;

4. By the Night as it
 Conceals it;

5. By the Firmament
 And its (wonderful) structure;

6. By the Earth
 And its (wide) expanse;

7. By the Soul,
 And the proportion and order
 Given to it;

8. And its enlightenment
 As to its wrong
 And its right;--

9. Truly he succeeds
 That purifies it,

10. And he fails
 That corrupts it!

11. The Thamud (people)
 Rejected (their prophet)
 Through their inordinate
 Wrong-doing.

12. Behold, the most wicked
 Man among them was
 Deputed (for impiety).

13. But the apostle of God
 Said to them: "It is

A She-camel of God!
 And (bar her not
 From) having her drink!"

14. Then they rejected him
 (As a false prophet),
 And they hamstrung her.
 So their Lord, on account
 Of their crime, obliterated
 Their traces and made them
 Equal (in destruction,
 High and low)!

15. And for Him
 Is no fear
 Of its consequences.

Sura XCII.  

Lail, or The Night.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Night as it
 Conceals (the light);

2. By the Day as it
 Appears in glory;

3. By (the mystery of)
 The creation of male
 And female;--

4. Verily, (the ends) ye
 Strive for are diverse.

5. So he who gives
 (In charity) and fears (God),

6. And (in all sincerity)
 Testifies to the Best,--

7. We will indeed
 Make smooth for him
 The path to Bliss,

8. But he who is
 A greedy miser
 And thinks himself
 Self-sufficient,

9. And gives the lie
 To the Best,--

10. We will indeed
 Make smooth for him
 The Path to Misery;

11. Nor will his wealth
 Profit him when he
 Falls headlong (into the Pit).

12. Verily We take
 Upon Ourselves to guide,

13. And verily unto Us
 (Belong) the End
 And the Beginning,

14. Therefore do I warn you
 Of a Fire blazing fiercely;

15. None shall reach it
 But those most unfortunate ones

16. Who give the lie to Truth
 And turn their backs.

17. But those most devoted
 To God shall be
 Removed far from it,--

18. Those who spend their wealth
 For increase in self-purification,

19. And have in their minds
 No favour from anyone
 For which a reward
 Is expected in return,

20. But only the desire
 To seek for the Countenance
 Of their Lord Most High;

21. And soon will they
 Attain (complete) satisfaction.

Sura XCIII.  

Dhuha, or The Glorious Morning Light.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Glorious
 Morning Light,

2. And by the Night
 When it is still,--

3. Thy Guardian-Lord
 Hath not forsaken thee,
 Nor is He displeased,

4. And verily the hereafter
 Will be better for thee
 Than the present.

5. And soon will thy
 Guardian-Lord give thee
 (That wherewith) thou
 Shalt be well-pleased.

6. Did He not find thee
 An orphan and give thee
 Shelter (and care)?

7. And He found thee
 Wandering, and He gave
 Thee guidance.

8. And He found thee
 In need, and made
 Thee independent.

9. Therefore, treat not
 The orphan with harshness,

10. Nor repulse the petitioner
 (Unheard);

11. But the Bounty
 Of thy Lord--
 Rehearse and proclaim!

Sura XCIV.  

Inshirah, or The Expansion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Have We not
 Expanded thee thy breast?--

2. And removed from thee
 Thy burden

3. The which did gall
 Thy back?--

4. And raised high the esteem
 (In which) thou (art held)?

5. So, verily,
 With every difficulty,
 There is relief:

6. Verily, with every difficulty
 There is relief.

7. Therefore, when thou art
 Free (from thine immediate task),
 Still labour hard,

8. And to thy Lord
 Turn (all) thy attention.

Sura XCV.  

Tin, or The Fig.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the Fig
 And the Olive,

2. And the Mount
 Of Sinai,

3. And this City
 Of security,--

4. We have  created man
 In the best of moulds,

5. Then do We abase him
 (To be) the lowest
 Of the low,--

6. Except such as believe
 And do righteous deeds:
 For they shall have
 A reward unfailing.

7. Then what can,
 After this, contradict thee
 As to the Judgment
 (To come)?

8. Is not God
 The wisest of Judges?

Sura XCVI.  

Iqraa, or Read! or Proclaim!

  

Or 'Alaq, or The Clot of Congealed Blood.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Proclaim! (or Read!)
 In the name
 Of thy Lord and Cherisher,
 Who created--

2. Created man, out of
 A (mere) clot
 Of congealed blood:

3. Proclaim! And thy Lord
 Is Most Bountiful,--

4. He Who taught
 (The use of) the Pen,--

5. Taught man that
 Which he knew not.

6. Nay, but man doth
 Transgress all bounds,

7. In that he looketh
 Upon himself as self-sufficient.

8. Verily, to thy Lord
 Is the return (of all).

9. Seest thou one
 Who forbids--

10. A votary when he
 (Turns) to pray?

11. Seest thou if
 He is on (the road
 Of) Guidance?--

12. Or enjoins Righteousness?

13. Seest thou if he
 Denies (Truth) and turns away?

14. Knoweth he not
 That God doth see?

15. Let him beware! If he
 Desist not, We will
 Drag him by the forelock,--

16. A lying, sinful forelock!

17. Then, let him call
 (For help) to his council
 (Of comrades):

18. We will call
 On the angels of punishment
 (To deal with him)!

19. Nay, heed him not:
 But bow down in adoration,
 And bring thyself
 The closer (to God)!

Sura XCVII.  

Qadr, or The Night of Power (or Honour).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. We have indeed revealed
 This (Message)
 In the Night of Power:

2. And what will explain
 To thee what the Night
 Of Power is?

3. The Night of Power
 Is better than
 A thousand Months,

4. Therein come dawn
 The angels and the Spirit
 By God's permission,
 On every errand:

5. Peace!...This
 Until the rise of Morn!

Sura XCVIII.  

Baiyina, or The Clear Evidence.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Those who reject (Truth),
 Among the People of the Book
 And among the Polytheists,
 Were not going to depart
 (From their ways) until
 There should come to them
 Clear Evidence,--

2. An apostle from God,
 Rehearsing scriptures
 Kept pure and holy:

3. Wherein are laws (or decrees)
 Right and straight.

4. Nor did the People
 Of the Book

Make schisms,
 Until after there came
 To them Clear Evidence.

5. And they have been commanded
 No more than this:
 To worship God,
 Offering Him sincere devotion,
 Being True (in faith);
 To establish regular Prayer;
 And to practise regular Charity;
 And that is the Religion
 Right and Straight.

6. Those who reject (Truth),
 Among the People of the Book
 And among the Polytheists,
 Will be in hell-fire,
 To dwell therein (for aye).
 They are the worst
 Of creatures.

7. Those who have faith
 And do righteous deeds,--
 They are the best
 Of creatures.

8. Their reward is with God:
 Gardens of Eternity,
 Beneath which rivers flow;
 They will dwell therein
 For ever; God well pleased
 With them, and they with Him;
 All this for such as
 Fear their Lord and Cherisher.

Sura XCIX.  

Zilzal, or The Convulsion.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. When the Earth is
 Shaken to her (utmost)
 convulsion,

2. And the Earth throws up
 Her burdens (from within),

3. And man cries (distressed):
 "What is the matter with her?"--

4. On that Day will she
 Declare her tidings:

5. For that thy Lord will
 Have given her inspiration,

6. On that Day will men
 Proceed in companies sorted out,

To be shown the Deeds
 That they (had done).

7. Then shall anyone who
 Has done an atom's weight
 Of good, see it!

8. And anyone who
 Has done an atom's weight
 Of evil, shall see it.

Sura C.  

'Adiyat, or Those that run.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By the (Steeds)
 That run, with panting (breath),

2. And strike sparks of fire,

3. And push home the charge
 In the morning,

4. And raise the dust
 In clouds the while,

5. And penetrate forthwith
 Into the midst (of the foe)
 En masse;--

6. Truly Man is,
 To his Lord,
 Ungrateful;

7. And to that (fact)
 He bears witness
 (By his deeds);

8. And violent is he
 In his love of wealth.

9. Does he not know,--
 When that which is
 In the graves is
 Scattered abroad

10. And that which is
 (Locked up) in (human) breasts
 Is made manifest--

11. That their Lord had been
 Well-acquainted with them,
 (Even to) that Day?

Sura CI.  

Al-Qari'a, or The Day of Noise and Clamour.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. The (Day) of
 Noise and Clamour:

2. What is the (Day)
 Of Noise and Clamour?

3. And what will explain
 To thee what the (Day)
 Of Noise and Clamour is?

4. (It is) a Day whereon
 Men will be like moths
 Scattered about,

5. And the mountains
 Will be like carded wool.

6. Then, he whose
 Balance (of good deeds)
 Will be (found) heavy,

7. Will be in a Life
 Of good pleasure and
 satisfaction.

8. But he whose
 Balance (of good deeds)
 Will be (found) light,--

9. Will have his home
 In a (bottomless) Pit.

10. And what will explain
 To thee what this is?

11. (It is) a Fire
 Blazing fiercely!

Sura CII.  

Takathur or Piling Up.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. The mutual rivalry
 For piling up (the good things
 Of this world) diverts you
 (From the more serious things),

2. Until ye visit the graves.

3. But nay, ye soon shall
 Know (the reality).

4. Again, ye soon shall know!

5. Nay, were ye to know
 With certainty of mind,
 (Ye would beware!)

6. Ye shall certainly see
 Hell-fire!

7. Again, ye shall see it
 With certainty of sight!

8. Then, shall ye be
 Questioned that Day
 About the joy
 (Ye indulged in!)

Sura CIII.  

'Asr, or Time through the Ages.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. By (the Token of)
 Time (through the Ages),

2. Verily Man
 Is in loss,

3. Except such as have Faith,
 And do righteous deeds,
 And (join together)
 In the mutual teaching
 Of Truth, and of
 Patience and Constancy.

Sura CIV.  

Humaza, or the Scandal-monger.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Woe to every
 (Kind of) scandal-monger
 And backbiter,

2. Who pileth up wealth
 And layeth it by,

3. Thinking that his wealth
 Would make him last
 For ever!

4. By no means! He will
 Be sure to be thrown into
 That which Breaks to Pieces.

5. And what will explain
 To thee That which Breaks
 To Pieces?

6. (It is) the Fire
 Of (the Wrath of) God
 Kindled (to a blaze),

7. The which doth mount
 (Right) to the Hearts:

8. It shall be made
 Into a vault over them,

9. In columns outstretched.

Sura CV.  

Fil, or The Elephant.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Seest thou not
 How thy Lord dealt
 With the Companions
 Of the Elephant?

2. Did He not make
 Their treacherous plan
 Go astray?

3. And He sent against them
 Flights of Birds,

4. Striking them with stones
 Of baked clay.

5. Then did He make them
 Like an empty field
 Of stalks and straw,
 (Of which the corn)
 Has been eaten up.

Sura CVI.  

Quraish or The Quraish, (Custodians of the Ka'ba).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. For the covenants
 (Of security and safeguard
 Enjoyed) by the Quraish,

2. Their covenants (covering) journeys
 By winter and summer,--

3. Let them adore the Lord
 Of this House

4. Who provides them
 With food against hunger,
 And with security
 Against fear (of danger).

Sura CVII.  

Ma'un, or Neighbourly Needs.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Seest thou one
 Who denies the Judgment
 (To come)?

2. Then such is the (man)
 Who repulses the orphan
 (With harshness),

3. And encourages not
 The feeding of the indigent.

4. So woe to the worshippers

5. Who are neglectful
 Of their Prayers,

6. Those who (want but)
 To be seen (of men),

7. But refuse (to supply)
 (Even) neighbourly needs.

Sura CVIII.  

Kauthar, or Abundance.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. To thee have We
 Granted the Fount
 (of Abundance).

2. Therefore to thy Lord
 Turn in Prayer
 And Sacrifice.

3. For he who hateth thee,--
 He will be cut off
 (From Future Hope).

Sura CIX  

Kafirun, or Those who reject Faith.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful

1. Say: O ye
 That reject Faith!

2. I worship not that
 Which ye worship,

3. Nor will ye worship
 That which I worship.

4. And I will not worship
 That which ye have been
 Wont to worship,

5. Nor will ye worship
 That which I worship.

6. To you be your Way,
 And to me mine.

Sura CX.  

Nasr, or Help.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. When comes the Help
 Of God, and Victory,

2. And thou dust see
 The People enter God's Religion
 In crowds,

3. Celebrate the Praises
 Of thy Lord, and pray
 For His Forgiveness:
 For He is Oft-Returning
 (In Grace and Mercy).

Sura CXI.  

Lahab, or (the Father of) Flame.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Perish the hands
 Of the Father of Flame!
 Perish he!

2. No profit to him
 From all his wealth,
 And all his gains!

3. Burnt soon will he be
 In a Fire
 Of blazing Flame!

4. His wife shall carry
 The (crackling) wood--
 As fuel!--

5. A twisted rope
 Of palm-leaf fibre
 Round her (own) neck!

Sura CXII.  

Ikhlas, or Purity (of Faith).

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Say: He is God,
 The One and Only;

2. God, the Eternal, Absolute;

3. He begetteth not,
 Nor is He begotten;

4. And there is none
 Like unto Him.

Sura CXIII  

Falaq, or The Dawn.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Say: I seek refuge
 With the Lord of the Dawn,

2. From the mischief
 Of created things;

3. From the mischief
 Of Darkness as it overspreads;

4. From the mischief
 Of those who practise
 Secret Arts:

5. And from the mischief
 Of the envious one
 As he practises envy.

Sura CXIV.  

Nas, or Mankind.

In the name of God, Most Gracious,
 Most Merciful.

1. Say: I seek refuge
 With the Lord
 And Cherisher of Mankind,

2. The King (or Ruler)
 Of Mankind,

3. The God (or Judge)
 Of Mankind,--

4. From the mischief
 Of the Whisperer
 (Of Evil), who withdraws
 (After his whisper),--

5. (The same) who whispers
 Into the hearts of Mankind,--
	
6. Among Jinns
 And among Men.

Book of Bereishit (Genesis):
1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
1:5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
1:6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
1:7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
1:8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
1:10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
1:11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
1:12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
1:13 And the evening and the morning were the third day.
1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 1:15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
1:17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 1:18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
1:19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
1:20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
1:21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
1:22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
1:23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
1:25 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
1:29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
1:30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
2:4 These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 2:5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.
2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
2:10 And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads.
2:11 The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 2:12 And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone.
2:13 And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia.
2:14 And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou latest thereof thou shalt surely die.
2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.
2:21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 2:22 And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.
2:23 And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.
2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 3:2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3:3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 3:5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
3:8 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.
3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
3:16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
3:20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 3:23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 4:5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
4:6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 4:12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
4:13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
4:14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
4:15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
4:21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
4:26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.
5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.
5:3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth: 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
5:6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: 5:7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
5:9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan: 5:10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
5:12 And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel: 5:13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
5:15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared: 5:16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
5:18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: 5:19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
5:21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 5:22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: 5:24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
5:25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.
5:26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
5:28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son: 5:29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.
5:30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters: 5:31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
5:32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
6:1 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
6:5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.
6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
6:10 And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
6:11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
6:14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.
6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
6:16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.
6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.
6:18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.
6:19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.
6:20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.
6:21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
6:22 Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.
7:1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
7:2 Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
7:3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
7:4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
7:5 And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.
7:6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.
7:7 And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood.
7:8 Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 7:9 There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.
7:10 And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
7:11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
7:12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.
7:13 In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; 7:14 They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort.
7:15 And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.
7:16 And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.
7:17 And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth.
7:18 And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.
7:19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.
7:20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.
7:21 And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: 7:22 All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
7:23 And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.
7:24 And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.
8:1 And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; 8:2 The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; 8:3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
8:4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
8:5 And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.
8:6 And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: 8:7 And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.
8:8 Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; 8:9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.
8:10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; 8:11 And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.
8:12 And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.
8:13 And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.
8:14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.
8:15 And God spake unto Noah, saying, 8:16 Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee.
8:17 Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
8:18 And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: 8:19 Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.
8:20 And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.
9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
9:3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
9:4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
9:5 And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.
9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
9:7 And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.
9:8 And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying, 9:9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you; 9:10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
9:11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.
9:12 And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 9:13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
9:14 And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 9:15 And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.
9:16 And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.
9:17 And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.
9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
9:19 These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.
9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 9:21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.
9:22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.
9:23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness.
9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.
9:26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
9:27 God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
9:28 And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
9:29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.
10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.
10:2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.
10:3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.
10:4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.
10:5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.
10:6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan.
10:7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan.
10:8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.
10:9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.
10:10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.
10:11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 10:12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.
10:13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 10:14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.
10:15 And Canaan begat Sidon his first born, and Heth, 10:16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 10:17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 10:18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.
10:19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.
10:20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.
10:21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.
10:22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.
10:23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.
10:24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.
10:25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
10:26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 10:27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 10:28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 10:29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.
10:30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east.
10:31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.
10:32 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.
11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
11:2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
11:3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
11:4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
11:5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
11:7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
11:8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
11:9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
11:10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood: 11:11 And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:12 And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah: 11:13 And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:14 And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: 11:15 And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:16 And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg: 11:17 And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:18 And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu: 11:19 And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:20 And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: 11:21 And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:22 And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: 11:23 And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:24 And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah: 11:25 And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.
11:26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.
11:27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.
11:28 And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.
11:29 And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram's wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.
11:30 But Sarai was barren; she had no child.
11:31 And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son's son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram's wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
11:32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
12:4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.
12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.
12:9 And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
12:11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: 12:12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
12:13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
12:14 And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.
12:15 The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.
12:16 And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.
12:17 And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram's wife.
12:18 And Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife? 12:19 Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.
12:20 And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.
13:1 And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.
13:2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.
13:3 And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai; 13:4 Unto the place of the altar, which he had make there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.
13:5 And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.
13:6 And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.
13:7 And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.
13:8 And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.
13:9 Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.
13:10 And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.
13:11 Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.
13:12 Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.
13:13 But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
13:14 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: 13:15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
13:16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
13:18 Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.
14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations; 14:2 That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
14:3 All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.
14:4 Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.
14:5 And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emins in Shaveh Kiriathaim, 14:6 And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.
14:7 And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.
14:8 And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim; 14:9 With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.
14:10 And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.
14:11 And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.
14:12 And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.
14:13 And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.
14:14 And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.
14:15 And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.
14:16 And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.
14:17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale.
14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
14:19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 14:20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
14:21 And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.
14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 14:23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 14:24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
15:2 And Abram said, LORD God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? 15:3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
15:4 And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
15:7 And he said unto him, I am the LORD that brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to inherit it.
15:8 And he said, LORD God, whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
15:10 And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another: but the birds divided he not.
15:11 And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away.
15:12 And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.
15:13 And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not their's, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; 15:14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.
15:15 And thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace; thou shalt be buried in a good old age.
15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
15:17 And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
15:18 In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 15:19 The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 15:20 And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 15:21 And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
16:1 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
16:2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
16:3 And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
16:4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
16:5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
16:6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
16:7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
16:8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
16:9 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
16:10 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
16:12 And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
16:13 And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 16:14 Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
16:15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16:16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
17:2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
17:3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 17:4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
17:5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
17:6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
17:13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
17:15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
17:16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 17:18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 17:19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
17:20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
17:21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
17:22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
17:23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
17:24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
17:25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
17:26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
17:27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.
18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; 18:2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, 18:3 And said, My LORD, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: 18:4 Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: 18:5 And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.
18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
18:7 And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.
18:8 And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
18:9 And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.
18:10 And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
18:11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
18:16 And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way.
18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 18:19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? 18:24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? 18:25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes: 18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five? And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
18:30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD: Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
18:32 And he said, Oh let not the LORD be angry, and I will speak yet but this once: Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake.
18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 19:2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.
19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
19:4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 19:5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
19:6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 19:7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.
19:8 Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.
19:9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
19:10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.
19:11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.
19:12 And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
19:14 And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
19:16 And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
19:18 And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my LORD: 19:19 Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 19:20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
19:21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
19:22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.
19:27 And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 19:28 And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.
19:29 And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
19:30 And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.
19:31 And the firstborn said unto the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in unto us after the manner of all the earth: 19:32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
19:33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
19:34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.
19:35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.
19:36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.
19:37 And the first born bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.
19:38 And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Benammi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.
20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
20:2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, LORD, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation? 20:5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
20:6 And God said unto him in a dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.
20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.
20:8 Therefore Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ears: and the men were sore afraid.
20:9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
20:10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing? 20:11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
20:13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
20:14 And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.
20:15 And Abimelech said, Behold, my land is before thee: dwell where it pleaseth thee.
20:16 And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.
20:17 So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children.
20:18 For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife.
21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
21:7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
21:18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
21:20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21:21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: 21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
21:26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
21:27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
21:29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? 21:30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
21:32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
22:6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
22:9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
22:13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
22:20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor; 22:21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, 22:22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
22:23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
23:1 And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
23:2 And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
23:3 And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying, 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
23:5 And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, 23:6 Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.
23:7 And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.
23:8 And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, 23:9 That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.
23:10 And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, 23:11 Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.
23:12 And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.
23:13 And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.
23:14 And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, 23:15 My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.
23:16 And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.
23:17 And the field of Ephron which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure 23:18 Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.
23:19 And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
23:20 And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.
24:1 And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.
24:2 And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 24:3 And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 24:4 But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.
24:5 And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? 24:6 And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.
24:7 The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.
24:8 And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.
24:9 And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.
24:10 And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
24:11 And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.
24:12 And he said O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
24:13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: 24:14 And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
24:15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
24:16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
24:17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
24:18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.
24:19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
24:20 And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.
24:21 And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.
24:22 And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; 24:23 And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in? 24:24 And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.
24:25 She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.
24:26 And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.
24:27 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.
24:28 And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.
24:29 And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.
24:30 And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.
24:31 And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.
24:32 And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.
24:33 And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand. And he said, Speak on.
24:34 And he said, I am Abraham's servant.
24:35 And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.
24:36 And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.
24:37 And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: 24:38 But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.
24:39 And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.
24:40 And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: 24:41 Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.
24:42 And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: 24:43 Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; 24:44 And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.
24:45 And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.
24:46 And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.
24:47 And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.
24:48 And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.
24:49 And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.
24:50 Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.
24:51 Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.
24:52 And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.
24:53 And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.
24:54 And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.
24:55 And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.
24:56 And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master.
24:57 And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth.
24:58 And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.
24:59 And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.
24:60 And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.
24:61 And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.
24:62 And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.
24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.
24:64 And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.
24:65 For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.
24:66 And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.
24:67 And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
25:1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
25:2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
25:3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
25:4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
25:5 And Abraham gave all that he had unto Isaac.
25:6 But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
25:7 And these are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.
25:8 Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.
25:9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; 25:10 The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.
25:11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.
25:12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham: 25:13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 25:14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 25:15 Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: 25:16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.
25:17 And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.
25:18 And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.
25:19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham begat Isaac: 25:20 And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.
25:21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
25:22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.
25:23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.
25:24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.
25:25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.
25:26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
25:27 And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.
25:28 And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.
25:29 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 25:30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.
25:31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.
25:32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 25:33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
25:34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
26:1 And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
26:2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 26:3 Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; 26:5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
26:6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 26:7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.
26:9 And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife; and how saidst thou, She is my sister? And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.
26:10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
26:11 And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.
26:12 Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the LORD blessed him.
26:13 And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great: 26:14 For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and great store of servants: and the Philistines envied him.
26:15 For all the wells which his father's servants had digged in the days of Abraham his father, the Philistines had stopped them, and filled them with earth.
26:16 And Abimelech said unto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.
26:17 And Isaac departed thence, and pitched his tent in the valley of Gerar, and dwelt there.
26:18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.
26:19 And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.
26:20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him.
26:21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah.
26:22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.
26:23 And he went up from thence to Beersheba.
26:24 And the LORD appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake.
26:25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac's servants digged a well.
26:26 Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, and Ahuzzath one of his friends, and Phichol the chief captain of his army.
26:27 And Isaac said unto them, Wherefore come ye to me, seeing ye hate me, and have sent me away from you? 26:28 And they said, We saw certainly that the LORD was with thee: and we said, Let there be now an oath betwixt us, even betwixt us and thee, and let us make a covenant with thee; 26:29 That thou wilt do us no hurt, as we have not touched thee, and as we have done unto thee nothing but good, and have sent thee away in peace: thou art now the blessed of the LORD.
26:30 And he made them a feast, and they did eat and drink.
26:31 And they rose up betimes in the morning, and sware one to another: and Isaac sent them away, and they departed from him in peace.
26:32 And it came to pass the same day, that Isaac's servants came, and told him concerning the well which they had digged, and said unto him, We have found water.
26:33 And he called it Shebah: therefore the name of the city is Beersheba unto this day.
26:34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 26:35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
27:1 And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.
27:2 And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death: 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison; 27:4 And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.
27:5 And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.
27:6 And Rebekah spake unto Jacob her son, saying, Behold, I heard thy father speak unto Esau thy brother, saying, 27:7 Bring me venison, and make me savoury meat, that I may eat, and bless thee before the LORD before my death.
27:8 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice according to that which I command thee.
27:9 Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth: 27:10 And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.
27:11 And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, Behold, Esau my brother is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man: 27:12 My father peradventure will feel me, and I shall seem to him as a deceiver; and I shall bring a curse upon me, and not a blessing.
27:13 And his mother said unto him, Upon me be thy curse, my son: only obey my voice, and go fetch me them.
27:14 And he went, and fetched, and brought them to his mother: and his mother made savoury meat, such as his father loved.
27:15 And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son: 27:16 And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck: 27:17 And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.
27:18 And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son? 27:19 And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy first born; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.
27:20 And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.
27:21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.
27:22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.
27:23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.
27:24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.
27:25 And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine and he drank.
27:26 And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.
27:27 And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed: 27:28 Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine: 27:29 Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
27:30 And it came to pass, as soon as Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob, and Jacob was yet scarce gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, that Esau his brother came in from his hunting.
27:31 And he also had made savoury meat, and brought it unto his father, and said unto his father, Let my father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that thy soul may bless me.
27:32 And Isaac his father said unto him, Who art thou? And he said, I am thy son, thy firstborn Esau.
27:33 And Isaac trembled very exceedingly, and said, Who? where is he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have blessed him? yea, and he shall be blessed.
27:34 And when Esau heard the words of his father, he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and said unto his father, Bless me, even me also, O my father.
27:35 And he said, Thy brother came with subtilty, and hath taken away thy blessing.
27:36 And he said, Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me these two times: he took away my birthright; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing. And he said, Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? 27:37 And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; and with corn and wine have I sustained him: and what shall I do now unto thee, my son? 27:38 And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
27:39 And Isaac his father answered and said unto him, Behold, thy dwelling shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew of heaven from above; 27:40 And by thy sword shalt thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.
27:41 And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.
27:42 And these words of Esau her elder son were told to Rebekah: and she sent and called Jacob her younger son, and said unto him, Behold, thy brother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing to kill thee.
27:43 Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; arise, flee thou to Laban my brother to Haran; 27:44 And tarry with him a few days, until thy brother's fury turn away; 27:45 Until thy brother's anger turn away from thee, and he forget that which thou hast done to him: then I will send, and fetch thee from thence: why should I be deprived also of you both in one day? 27:46 And Rebekah said to Isaac, I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth: if Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as these which are of the daughters of the land, what good shall my life do me? 28:1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughers of Laban thy mother's brother.
28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
28:5 And Isaac sent away Jacob: and he went to Padanaram unto Laban, son of Bethuel the Syrian, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob's and Esau's mother.
28:6 When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughers of Canaan; 28:7 And that Jacob obeyed his father and his mother, and was gone to Padanaram; 28:8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father; 28:9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.
28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
28:15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
28:16 And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.
28:17 And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.
28:18 And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.
28:19 And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.
28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 28:21 So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God: 28:22 And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
29:1 Then Jacob went on his journey, and came into the land of the people of the east.
29:2 And he looked, and behold a well in the field, and, lo, there were three flocks of sheep lying by it; for out of that well they watered the flocks: and a great stone was upon the well's mouth.
29:3 And thither were all the flocks gathered: and they rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the sheep, and put the stone again upon the well's mouth in his place.
29:4 And Jacob said unto them, My brethren, whence be ye? And they said, Of Haran are we.
29:5 And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him.
29:6 And he said unto them, Is he well? And they said, He is well: and, behold, Rachel his daughter cometh with the sheep.
29:7 And he said, Lo, it is yet high day, neither is it time that the cattle should be gathered together: water ye the sheep, and go and feed them.
29:8 And they said, We cannot, until all the flocks be gathered together, and till they roll the stone from the well's mouth; then we water the sheep.
29:9 And while he yet spake with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep; for she kept them.
29:10 And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.
29:11 And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
29:12 And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father's brother, and that he was Rebekah's son: and she ran and told her father.
29:13 And it came to pass, when Laban heard the tidings of Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house. And he told Laban all these things.
29:14 And Laban said to him, Surely thou art my bone and my flesh. And he abode with him the space of a month.
29:15 And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be? 29:16 And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
29:17 Leah was tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.
29:18 And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter.
29:19 And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me.
29:20 And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.
29:21 And Jacob said unto Laban, Give me my wife, for my days are fulfilled, that I may go in unto her.
29:22 And Laban gathered together all the men of the place, and made a feast.
29:23 And it came to pass in the evening, that he took Leah his daughter, and brought her to him; and he went in unto her.
29:24 And Laban gave unto his daughter Leah Zilpah his maid for an handmaid.
29:25 And it came to pass, that in the morning, behold, it was Leah: and he said to Laban, What is this thou hast done unto me? did not I serve with thee for Rachel? wherefore then hast thou beguiled me? 29:26 And Laban said, It must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn.
29:27 Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.
29:28 And Jacob did so, and fulfilled her week: and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also.
29:29 And Laban gave to Rachel his daughter Bilhah his handmaid to be her maid.
29:30 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.
29:31 And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.
29:32 And Leah conceived, and bare a son, and she called his name Reuben: for she said, Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me.
29:33 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Because the LORD hath heard I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon.
29:34 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.
29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
30:1 And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.
30:2 And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel: and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? 30:3 And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.
30:4 And she gave him Bilhah her handmaid to wife: and Jacob went in unto her.
30:5 And Bilhah conceived, and bare Jacob a son.
30:6 And Rachel said, God hath judged me, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son: therefore called she his name Dan.
30:7 And Bilhah Rachel's maid conceived again, and bare Jacob a second son.
30:8 And Rachel said, With great wrestlings have I wrestled with my sister, and I have prevailed: and she called his name Naphtali.
30:9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
30:10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son.
30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
30:12 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a second son.
30:13 And Leah said, Happy am I, for the daughters will call me blessed: and she called his name Asher.
30:14 And Reuben went in the days of wheat harvest, and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them unto his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son's mandrakes.
30:15 And she said unto her, Is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son's mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son's mandrakes.
30:16 And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son's mandrakes. And he lay with her that night.
30:17 And God hearkened unto Leah, and she conceived, and bare Jacob the fifth son.
30:18 And Leah said, God hath given me my hire, because I have given my maiden to my husband: and she called his name Issachar.
30:19 And Leah conceived again, and bare Jacob the sixth son.
30:20 And Leah said, God hath endued me with a good dowry; now will my husband dwell with me, because I have born him six sons: and she called his name Zebulun.
30:21 And afterwards she bare a daughter, and called her name Dinah.
30:22 And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
30:23 And she conceived, and bare a son; and said, God hath taken away my reproach: 30:24 And she called his name Joseph; and said, The LORD shall add to me another son.
30:25 And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
30:26 Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
30:27 And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
30:28 And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
30:29 And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
30:30 For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also? 30:31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.
30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
30:33 So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
30:34 And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
30:35 And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
30:36 And he set three days' journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban's flocks.
30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
30:38 And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
30:39 And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
30:40 And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban's cattle.
30:41 And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
30:42 But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban's, and the stronger Jacob's.
30:43 And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.
31:1 And he heard the words of Laban's sons, saying, Jacob hath taken away all that was our father's; and of that which was our father's hath he gotten all this glory.
31:2 And Jacob beheld the countenance of Laban, and, behold, it was not toward him as before.
31:3 And the LORD said unto Jacob, Return unto the land of thy fathers, and to thy kindred; and I will be with thee.
31:4 And Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field unto his flock, 31:5 And said unto them, I see your father's countenance, that it is not toward me as before; but the God of my father hath been with me.
31:6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
31:7 And your father hath deceived me, and changed my wages ten times; but God suffered him not to hurt me.
31:8 If he said thus, The speckled shall be thy wages; then all the cattle bare speckled: and if he said thus, The ringstraked shall be thy hire; then bare all the cattle ringstraked.
31:9 Thus God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me.
31:10 And it came to pass at the time that the cattle conceived, that I lifted up mine eyes, and saw in a dream, and, behold, the rams which leaped upon the cattle were ringstraked, speckled, and grisled.
31:11 And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob: And I said, Here am I.
31:12 And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.
31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
31:14 And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? 31:15 Are we not counted of him strangers? for he hath sold us, and hath quite devoured also our money.
31:16 For all the riches which God hath taken from our father, that is ours, and our children's: now then, whatsoever God hath said unto thee, do.
31:17 Then Jacob rose up, and set his sons and his wives upon camels; 31:18 And he carried away all his cattle, and all his goods which he had gotten, the cattle of his getting, which he had gotten in Padanaram, for to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan.
31:19 And Laban went to shear his sheep: and Rachel had stolen the images that were her father's.
31:20 And Jacob stole away unawares to Laban the Syrian, in that he told him not that he fled.
31:21 So he fled with all that he had; and he rose up, and passed over the river, and set his face toward the mount Gilead.
31:22 And it was told Laban on the third day that Jacob was fled.
31:23 And he took his brethren with him, and pursued after him seven days' journey; and they overtook him in the mount Gilead.
31:24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
31:25 Then Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the mount: and Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead.
31:26 And Laban said to Jacob, What hast thou done, that thou hast stolen away unawares to me, and carried away my daughters, as captives taken with the sword? 31:27 Wherefore didst thou flee away secretly, and steal away from me; and didst not tell me, that I might have sent thee away with mirth, and with songs, with tabret, and with harp? 31:28 And hast not suffered me to kiss my sons and my daughters? thou hast now done foolishly in so doing.
31:29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
31:30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods? 31:31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me.
31:32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them.
31:33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent.
31:34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.
31:35 And she said to her father, Let it not displease my lord that I cannot rise up before thee; for the custom of women is upon me. And he searched but found not the images.
31:36 And Jacob was wroth, and chode with Laban: and Jacob answered and said to Laban, What is my trespass? what is my sin, that thou hast so hotly pursued after me? 31:37 Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.
31:38 This twenty years have I been with thee; thy ewes and thy she goats have not cast their young, and the rams of thy flock have I not eaten.
31:39 That which was torn of beasts I brought not unto thee; I bare the loss of it; of my hand didst thou require it, whether stolen by day, or stolen by night.
31:40 Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
31:41 Thus have I been twenty years in thy house; I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters, and six years for thy cattle: and thou hast changed my wages ten times.
31:42 Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.
31:43 And Laban answered and said unto Jacob, These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and these cattle are my cattle, and all that thou seest is mine: and what can I do this day unto these my daughters, or unto their children which they have born? 31:44 Now therefore come thou, let us make a covenant, I and thou; and let it be for a witness between me and thee.
31:45 And Jacob took a stone, and set it up for a pillar.
31:46 And Jacob said unto his brethren, Gather stones; and they took stones, and made an heap: and they did eat there upon the heap.
31:47 And Laban called it Jegarsahadutha: but Jacob called it Galeed.
31:48 And Laban said, This heap is a witness between me and thee this day.
Therefore was the name of it called Galeed; 31:49 And Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.
31:50 If thou shalt afflict my daughters, or if thou shalt take other wives beside my daughters, no man is with us; see, God is witness betwixt me and thee.
31:51 And Laban said to Jacob, Behold this heap, and behold this pillar, which I have cast betwixt me and thee: 31:52 This heap be witness, and this pillar be witness, that I will not pass over this heap to thee, and that thou shalt not pass over this heap and this pillar unto me, for harm.
31:53 The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.
31:54 Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount, and called his brethren to eat bread: and they did eat bread, and tarried all night in the mount.
31:55 And early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his sons and his daughters, and blessed them: and Laban departed, and returned unto his place.
32:1 And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him.
32:2 And when Jacob saw them, he said, This is God's host: and he called the name of that place Mahanaim.
32:3 And Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother unto the land of Seir, the country of Edom.
32:4 And he commanded them, saying, Thus shall ye speak unto my lord Esau; Thy servant Jacob saith thus, I have sojourned with Laban, and stayed there until now: 32:5 And I have oxen, and asses, flocks, and menservants, and womenservants: and I have sent to tell my lord, that I may find grace in thy sight.
32:6 And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, We came to thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet thee, and four hundred men with him.
32:7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed: and he divided the people that was with him, and the flocks, and herds, and the camels, into two bands; 32:8 And said, If Esau come to the one company, and smite it, then the other company which is left shall escape.
32:9 And Jacob said, O God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, the LORD which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee: 32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto thy servant; for with my staff I passed over this Jordan; and now I am become two bands.
32:11 Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau: for I fear him, lest he will come and smite me, and the mother with the children.
32:12 And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
32:13 And he lodged there that same night; and took of that which came to his hand a present for Esau his brother; 32:14 Two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams, 32:15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
32:16 And he delivered them into the hand of his servants, every drove by themselves; and said unto his servants, Pass over before me, and put a space betwixt drove and drove.
32:17 And he commanded the foremost, saying, When Esau my brother meeteth thee, and asketh thee, saying, Whose art thou? and whither goest thou? and whose are these before thee? 32:18 Then thou shalt say, They be thy servant Jacob's; it is a present sent unto my lord Esau: and, behold, also he is behind us.
32:19 And so commanded he the second, and the third, and all that followed the droves, saying, On this manner shall ye speak unto Esau, when ye find him.
32:20 And say ye moreover, Behold, thy servant Jacob is behind us. For he said, I will appease him with the present that goeth before me, and afterward I will see his face; peradventure he will accept of me.
32:21 So went the present over before him: and himself lodged that night in the company.
32:22 And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two womenservants, and his eleven sons, and passed over the ford Jabbok.
32:23 And he took them, and sent them over the brook, and sent over that he had.
32:24 And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.
32:25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.
32:26 And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
32:27 And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob.
32:28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
32:29 And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
32:31 And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.
32:32 Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the hollow of the thigh, unto this day: because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that shrank.
33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.
33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.
33:3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.
33:4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.
33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.
33:6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.
33:7 And Leah also with her children came near, and bowed themselves: and after came Joseph near and Rachel, and they bowed themselves.
33:8 And he said, What meanest thou by all this drove which I met? And he said, These are to find grace in the sight of my lord.
33:9 And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keep that thou hast unto thyself.
33:10 And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me.
33:11 Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it.
33:12 And he said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I will go before thee.
33:13 And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die.
33:14 Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant: and I will lead on softly, according as the cattle that goeth before me and the children be able to endure, until I come unto my lord unto Seir.
33:15 And Esau said, Let me now leave with thee some of the folk that are with me. And he said, What needeth it? let me find grace in the sight of my lord.
33:16 So Esau returned that day on his way unto Seir.
33:17 And Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built him an house, and made booths for his cattle: therefore the name of the place is called Succoth.
33:18 And Jacob came to Shalem, a city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Padanaram; and pitched his tent before the city.
33:19 And he bought a parcel of a field, where he had spread his tent, at the hand of the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for an hundred pieces of money.
33:20 And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.
34:1 And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land.
34:2 And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her.
34:3 And his soul clave unto Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the damsel, and spake kindly unto the damsel.
34:4 And Shechem spake unto his father Hamor, saying, Get me this damsel to wife.
34:5 And Jacob heard that he had defiled Dinah his daughter: now his sons were with his cattle in the field: and Jacob held his peace until they were come.
34:6 And Hamor the father of Shechem went out unto Jacob to commune with him.
34:7 And the sons of Jacob came out of the field when they heard it: and the men were grieved, and they were very wroth, because he had wrought folly in Israel in lying with Jacob's daughter: which thing ought not to be done.
34:8 And Hamor communed with them, saying, The soul of my son Shechem longeth for your daughter: I pray you give her him to wife.
34:9 And make ye marriages with us, and give your daughters unto us, and take our daughters unto you.
34:10 And ye shall dwell with us: and the land shall be before you; dwell and trade ye therein, and get you possessions therein.
34:11 And Shechem said unto her father and unto her brethren, Let me find grace in your eyes, and what ye shall say unto me I will give.
34:12 Ask me never so much dowry and gift, and I will give according as ye shall say unto me: but give me the damsel to wife.
34:13 And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: 34:14 And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: 34:15 But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised; 34:16 Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people.
34:17 But if ye will not hearken unto us, to be circumcised; then will we take our daughter, and we will be gone.
34:18 And their words pleased Hamor, and Shechem Hamor's son.
34:19 And the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he had delight in Jacob's daughter: and he was more honourable than all the house of his father.
34:20 And Hamor and Shechem his son came unto the gate of their city, and communed with the men of their city, saying, 34:21 These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.
34:22 Only herein will the men consent unto us for to dwell with us, to be one people, if every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised.
34:23 Shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of their's be our's? only let us consent unto them, and they will dwell with us.
34:24 And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city; and every male was circumcised, all that went out of the gate of his city.
34:25 And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males.
34:26 And they slew Hamor and Shechem his son with the edge of the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem's house, and went out.
34:27 The sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and spoiled the city, because they had defiled their sister.
34:28 They took their sheep, and their oxen, and their asses, and that which was in the city, and that which was in the field, 34:29 And all their wealth, and all their little ones, and their wives took they captive, and spoiled even all that was in the house.
34:30 And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I being few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
34:31 And they said, Should he deal with our sister as with an harlot? 35:1 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother.
35:2 Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: 35:3 And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.
35:4 And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.
35:5 And they journeyed: and the terror of God was upon the cities that were round about them, and they did not pursue after the sons of Jacob.
35:6 So Jacob came to Luz, which is in the land of Canaan, that is, Bethel, he and all the people that were with him.
35:7 And he built there an altar, and called the place Elbethel: because there God appeared unto him, when he fled from the face of his brother.
35:8 But Deborah Rebekah's nurse died, and she was buried beneath Bethel under an oak: and the name of it was called Allonbachuth.
35:9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
35:10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.
35:11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; 35:12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.
35:13 And God went up from him in the place where he talked with him.
35:14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
35:15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spake with him, Bethel.
35:16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour.
35:17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labour, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also.
35:18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.
35:19 And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
35:20 And Jacob set a pillar upon her grave: that is the pillar of Rachel's grave unto this day.
35:21 And Israel journeyed, and spread his tent beyond the tower of Edar.
35:22 And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve: 35:23 The sons of Leah; Reuben, Jacob's firstborn, and Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Zebulun: 35:24 The sons of Rachel; Joseph, and Benjamin: 35:25 And the sons of Bilhah, Rachel's handmaid; Dan, and Naphtali: 35:26 And the sons of Zilpah, Leah's handmaid: Gad, and Asher: these are the sons of Jacob, which were born to him in Padanaram.
35:27 And Jacob came unto Isaac his father unto Mamre, unto the city of Arbah, which is Hebron, where Abraham and Isaac sojourned.
35:28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore years.
35:29 And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.
36:1 Now these are the generations of Esau, who is Edom.
36:2 Esau took his wives of the daughters of Canaan; Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 36:3 And Bashemath Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth.
36:4 And Adah bare to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath bare Reuel; 36:5 And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau, which were born unto him in the land of Canaan.
36:6 And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
36:7 For their riches were more than that they might dwell together; and the land wherein they were strangers could not bear them because of their cattle.
36:8 Thus dwelt Esau in mount Seir: Esau is Edom.
36:9 And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir: 36:10 These are the names of Esau's sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.
36:11 And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.
36:12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau's son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau's wife.
36:13 And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.
36:14 And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.
36:15 These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz, 36:16 Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.
36:17 And these are the sons of Reuel Esau's son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau's wife.
36:18 And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau's wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife.
36:19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.
36:20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land; Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, 36:21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the dukes of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom.
36:22 And the children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; and Lotan's sister was Timna.
36:23 And the children of Shobal were these; Alvan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam.
36:24 And these are the children of Zibeon; both Ajah, and Anah: this was that Anah that found the mules in the wilderness, as he fed the asses of Zibeon his father.
36:25 And the children of Anah were these; Dishon, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah.
36:26 And these are the children of Dishon; Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran.
36:27 The children of Ezer are these; Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan.
36:28 The children of Dishan are these; Uz, and Aran.
36:29 These are the dukes that came of the Horites; duke Lotan, duke Shobal, duke Zibeon, duke Anah, 36:30 Duke Dishon, duke Ezer, duke Dishan: these are the dukes that came of Hori, among their dukes in the land of Seir.
36:31 And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any king over the children of Israel.
36:32 And Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom: and the name of his city was Dinhabah.
36:33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead.
36:34 And Jobab died, and Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his stead.
36:35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith.
36:36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead.
36:37 And Samlah died, and Saul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead.
36:38 And Saul died, and Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead.
36:39 And Baalhanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.
36:40 And these are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names; duke Timnah, duke Alvah, duke Jetheth, 36:41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 36:42 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 36:43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram: these be the dukes of Edom, according to their habitations in the land of their possession: he is Esau the father of the Edomites.
37:1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan.
37:2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report.
37:3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.
37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.
37:5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.
37:6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: 37:7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.
37:8 And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.
37:9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.
37:10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? 37:11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.
37:12 And his brethren went to feed their father's flock in Shechem.
37:13 And Israel said unto Joseph, Do not thy brethren feed the flock in Shechem? come, and I will send thee unto them. And he said to him, Here am I.
37:14 And he said to him, Go, I pray thee, see whether it be well with thy brethren, and well with the flocks; and bring me word again. So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came to Shechem.
37:15 And a certain man found him, and, behold, he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, saying, What seekest thou? 37:16 And he said, I seek my brethren: tell me, I pray thee, where they feed their flocks.
37:17 And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.
37:18 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
37:19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
37:20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
37:21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him.
37:22 And Reuben said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again.
37:23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 37:24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
37:25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
37:26 And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 37:27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
37:28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
37:29 And Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was not in the pit; and he rent his clothes.
37:30 And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child is not; and I, whither shall I go? 37:31 And they took Joseph's coat, and killed a kid of the goats, and dipped the coat in the blood; 37:32 And they sent the coat of many colours, and they brought it to their father; and said, This have we found: know now whether it be thy son's coat or no.
37:33 And he knew it, and said, It is my son's coat; an evil beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt rent in pieces.
37:34 And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
37:35 And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.
37:36 And the Midianites sold him into Egypt unto Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh's, and captain of the guard.
38:1 And it came to pass at that time, that Judah went down from his brethren, and turned in to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah.
38:2 And Judah saw there a daughter of a certain Canaanite, whose name was Shuah; and he took her, and went in unto her.
38:3 And she conceived, and bare a son; and he called his name Er.
38:4 And she conceived again, and bare a son; and she called his name Onan.
38:5 And she yet again conceived, and bare a son; and called his name Shelah: and he was at Chezib, when she bare him.
38:6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, whose name was Tamar.
38:7 And Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
38:8 And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother's wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.
38:9 And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother's wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.
38:10 And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
38:11 Then said Judah to Tamar his daughter in law, Remain a widow at thy father's house, till Shelah my son be grown: for he said, Lest peradventure he die also, as his brethren did. And Tamar went and dwelt in her father's house.
38:12 And in process of time the daughter of Shuah Judah's wife died; and Judah was comforted, and went up unto his sheepshearers to Timnath, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite.
38:13 And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.
38:14 And she put her widow's garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath; for she saw that Shelah was grown, and she was not given unto him to wife.
38:15 When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.
38:16 And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me? 38:17 And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? 38:18 And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
38:19 And she arose, and went away, and laid by her vail from her, and put on the garments of her widowhood.
38:20 And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman's hand: but he found her not.
38:21 Then he asked the men of that place, saying, Where is the harlot, that was openly by the way side? And they said, There was no harlot in this place.
38:22 And he returned to Judah, and said, I cannot find her; and also the men of the place said, that there was no harlot in this place.
38:23 And Judah said, Let her take it to her, lest we be shamed: behold, I sent this kid, and thou hast not found her.
38:24 And it came to pass about three months after, that it was told Judah, saying, Tamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot; and also, behold, she is with child by whoredom. And Judah said, Bring her forth, and let her be burnt.
38:25 When she was brought forth, she sent to her father in law, saying, By the man, whose these are, am I with child: and she said, Discern, I pray thee, whose are these, the signet, and bracelets, and staff.
38:26 And Judah acknowledged them, and said, She hath been more righteous than I; because that I gave her not to Shelah my son. And he knew her again no more.
38:27 And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
38:28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
38:29 And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
38:30 And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
39:1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmeelites, which had brought him down thither.
39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
39:3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
39:4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
39:5 And it came to pass from the time that he had made him overseer in his house, and over all that he had, that the LORD blessed the Egyptian's house for Joseph's sake; and the blessing of the LORD was upon all that he had in the house, and in the field.
39:6 And he left all that he had in Joseph's hand; and he knew not ought he had, save the bread which he did eat. And Joseph was a goodly person, and well favoured.
39:7 And it came to pass after these things, that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph; and she said, Lie with me.
39:8 But he refused, and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; 39:9 There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God? 39:10 And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
39:11 And it came to pass about this time, that Joseph went into the house to do his business; and there was none of the men of the house there within.
39:12 And she caught him by his garment, saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.
39:13 And it came to pass, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, and was fled forth, 39:14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: 39:15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out.
39:16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home.
39:17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 39:18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out.
39:19 And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled.
39:20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
39:22 And the keeper of the prison committed to Joseph's hand all the prisoners that were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was the doer of it.
39:23 The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper.
40:1 And it came to pass after these things, that the butler of the king of Egypt and his baker had offended their lord the king of Egypt.
40:2 And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers.
40:3 And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound.
40:4 And the captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he served them: and they continued a season in ward.
40:5 And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his dream in one night, each man according to the interpretation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king of Egypt, which were bound in the prison.
40:6 And Joseph came in unto them in the morning, and looked upon them, and, behold, they were sad.
40:7 And he asked Pharaoh's officers that were with him in the ward of his lord's house, saying, Wherefore look ye so sadly to day? 40:8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it. And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you.
40:9 And the chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; 40:10 And in the vine were three branches: and it was as though it budded, and her blossoms shot forth; and the clusters thereof brought forth ripe grapes: 40:11 And Pharaoh's cup was in my hand: and I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand.
40:12 And Joseph said unto him, This is the interpretation of it: The three branches are three days: 40:13 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thine head, and restore thee unto thy place: and thou shalt deliver Pharaoh's cup into his hand, after the former manner when thou wast his butler.
40:14 But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: 40:15 For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.
40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head: 40:17 And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.
40:18 And Joseph answered and said, This is the interpretation thereof: The three baskets are three days: 40:19 Yet within three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds shall eat thy flesh from off thee.
40:20 And it came to pass the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler and of the chief baker among his servants.
40:21 And he restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand: 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
40:23 Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.
41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river.
41:2 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow.
41:3 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river.
41:4 And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke.
41:5 And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good.
41:6 And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them.
41:7 And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.
41:8 And it came to pass in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise men thereof: and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh.
41:9 Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, I do remember my faults this day: 41:10 Pharaoh was wroth with his servants, and put me in ward in the captain of the guard's house, both me and the chief baker: 41:11 And we dreamed a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man according to the interpretation of his dream.
41:12 And there was there with us a young man, an Hebrew, servant to the captain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he did interpret.
41:13 And it came to pass, as he interpreted to us, so it was; me he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged.
41:14 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.
41:15 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.
41:16 And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.
41:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, In my dream, behold, I stood upon the bank of the river: 41:18 And, behold, there came up out of the river seven kine, fatfleshed and well favoured; and they fed in a meadow: 41:19 And, behold, seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill favoured and leanfleshed, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for badness: 41:20 And the lean and the ill favoured kine did eat up the first seven fat kine: 41:21 And when they had eaten them up, it could not be known that they had eaten them; but they were still ill favoured, as at the beginning. So I awoke.
41:22 And I saw in my dream, and, behold, seven ears came up in one stalk, full and good: 41:23 And, behold, seven ears, withered, thin, and blasted with the east wind, sprung up after them: 41:24 And the thin ears devoured the seven good ears: and I told this unto the magicians; but there was none that could declare it to me.
41:25 And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do.
41:26 The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.
41:27 And the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years; and the seven empty ears blasted with the east wind shall be seven years of famine.
41:28 This is the thing which I have spoken unto Pharaoh: What God is about to do he sheweth unto Pharaoh.
41:29 Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: 41:30 And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; 41:31 And the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of that famine following; for it shall be very grievous.
41:32 And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice; it is because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.
41:33 Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.
41:34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint officers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years.
41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.
41:36 And that food shall be for store to the land against the seven years of famine, which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish not through the famine.
41:37 And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of all his servants.
41:38 And Pharaoh said unto his servants, Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is? 41:39 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou art: 41:40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
41:41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
41:42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; 41:43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
41:44 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.
41:45 And Pharaoh called Joseph's name Zaphnathpaaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.
41:46 And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt.
41:47 And in the seven plenteous years the earth brought forth by handfuls.
41:48 And he gathered up all the food of the seven years, which were in the land of Egypt, and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, which was round about every city, laid he up in the same.
41:49 And Joseph gathered corn as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left numbering; for it was without number.
41:50 And unto Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
41:51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
41:52 And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.
41:53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended.
41:54 And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread.
41:55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
41:56 And the famine was over all the face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
41:57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
42:1 Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? 42:2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die.
42:3 And Joseph's ten brethren went down to buy corn in Egypt.
42:4 But Benjamin, Joseph's brother, Jacob sent not with his brethren; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall him.
42:5 And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.
42:6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
42:7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
42:8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
42:9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
42:10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
42:11 We are all one man's sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
42:12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
42:13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
42:14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: 42:15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
42:16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
42:17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
42:18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God: 42:19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses: 42:20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
42:21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
42:22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
42:23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
42:24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
42:25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man's money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
42:26 And they laded their asses with the corn, and departed thence.
42:27 And as one of them opened his sack to give his ass provender in the inn, he espied his money; for, behold, it was in his sack's mouth.
42:28 And he said unto his brethren, My money is restored; and, lo, it is even in my sack: and their heart failed them, and they were afraid, saying one to another, What is this that God hath done unto us? 42:29 And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all that befell unto them; saying, 42:30 The man, who is the lord of the land, spake roughly to us, and took us for spies of the country.
42:31 And we said unto him, We are true men; we are no spies: 42:32 We be twelve brethren, sons of our father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our father in the land of Canaan.
42:33 And the man, the lord of the country, said unto us, Hereby shall I know that ye are true men; leave one of your brethren here with me, and take food for the famine of your households, and be gone: 42:34 And bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffick in the land.
42:35 And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, behold, every man's bundle of money was in his sack: and when both they and their father saw the bundles of money, they were afraid.
42:36 And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me.
42:37 And Reuben spake unto his father, saying, Slay my two sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my hand, and I will bring him to thee again.
42:38 And he said, My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is dead, and he is left alone: if mischief befall him by the way in the which ye go, then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
43:1 And the famine was sore in the land.
43:2 And it came to pass, when they had eaten up the corn which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a little food.
43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
43:4 If thou wilt send our brother with us, we will go down and buy thee food: 43:5 But if thou wilt not send him, we will not go down: for the man said unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
43:6 And Israel said, Wherefore dealt ye so ill with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a brother? 43:7 And they said, The man asked us straitly of our state, and of our kindred, saying, Is your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and we told him according to the tenor of these words: could we certainly know that he would say, Bring your brother down? 43:8 And Judah said unto Israel his father, Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we may live, and not die, both we, and thou, and also our little ones.
43:9 I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: 43:10 For except we had lingered, surely now we had returned this second time.
43:11 And their father Israel said unto them, If it must be so now, do this; take of the best fruits in the land in your vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, and a little honey, spices, and myrrh, nuts, and almonds: 43:12 And take double money in your hand; and the money that was brought again in the mouth of your sacks, carry it again in your hand; peradventure it was an oversight: 43:13 Take also your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: 43:14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.
43:15 And the men took that present, and they took double money in their hand and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
43:16 And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the ruler of his house, Bring these men home, and slay, and make ready; for these men shall dine with me at noon.
43:17 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the man brought the men into Joseph's house.
43:18 And the men were afraid, because they were brought into Joseph's house; and they said, Because of the money that was returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, and take us for bondmen, and our asses.
43:19 And they came near to the steward of Joseph's house, and they communed with him at the door of the house, 43:20 And said, O sir, we came indeed down at the first time to buy food: 43:21 And it came to pass, when we came to the inn, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every man's money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand.
43:22 And other money have we brought down in our hands to buy food: we cannot tell who put our money in our sacks.
43:23 And he said, Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your sacks: I had your money. And he brought Simeon out unto them.
43:24 And the man brought the men into Joseph's house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their asses provender.
43:25 And they made ready the present against Joseph came at noon: for they heard that they should eat bread there.
43:26 And when Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves to him to the earth.
43:27 And he asked them of their welfare, and said, Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? 43:28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.
43:29 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto me? And he said, God be gracious unto thee, my son.
43:30 And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.
43:31 And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.
43:32 And they set on for him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
43:33 And they sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth: and the men marvelled one at another.
43:34 And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin's mess was five times so much as any of their's. And they drank, and were merry with him.
44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men's sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man's money in his sack's mouth.
44:2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack's mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
44:4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good? 44:5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
44:6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
44:7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing: 44:8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks' mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver or gold? 44:9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord's bondmen.
44:10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
44:11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
44:12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin's sack.
44:13 Then they rent their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned to the city.
44:14 And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph's house; for he was yet there: and they fell before him on the ground.
44:15 And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine? 44:16 And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found.
44:17 And he said, God forbid that I should do so: but the man in whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my servant; and as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.
44:18 Then Judah came near unto him, and said, Oh my lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my lord's ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy servant: for thou art even as Pharaoh.
44:19 My lord asked his servants, saying, Have ye a father, or a brother? 44:20 And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him.
44:21 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Bring him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him.
44:22 And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die.
44:23 And thou saidst unto thy servants, Except your youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my face no more.
44:24 And it came to pass when we came up unto thy servant my father, we told him the words of my lord.
44:25 And our father said, Go again, and buy us a little food.
44:26 And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
44:27 And thy servant my father said unto us, Ye know that my wife bare me two sons: 44:28 And the one went out from me, and I said, Surely he is torn in pieces; and I saw him not since: 44:29 And if ye take this also from me, and mischief befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to the grave.
44:30 Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, and the lad be not with us; seeing that his life is bound up in the lad's life; 44:31 It shall come to pass, when he seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
44:32 For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
44:33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant abide instead of the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up with his brethren.
44:34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.
45:1 Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren.
45:2 And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard.
45:3 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence.
45:4 And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt.
45:5 Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.
45:6 For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest.
45:7 And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
45:8 So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.
45:9 Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 45:10 And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 45:11 And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty.
45:12 And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you.
45:13 And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither.
45:14 And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck.
45:15 Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.
45:16 And the fame thereof was heard in Pharaoh's house, saying, Joseph's brethren are come: and it pleased Pharaoh well, and his servants.
45:17 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, Say unto thy brethren, This do ye; lade your beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; 45:18 And take your father and your households, and come unto me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat the fat of the land.
45:19 Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.
45:20 Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is your's.
45:21 And the children of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and gave them provision for the way.
45:22 To all of them he gave each man changes of raiment; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of raiment.
45:23 And to his father he sent after this manner; ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten she asses laden with corn and bread and meat for his father by the way.
45:24 So he sent his brethren away, and they departed: and he said unto them, See that ye fall not out by the way.
45:25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father, 45:26 And told him, saying, Joseph is yet alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt. And Jacob's heart fainted, for he believed them not.
45:27 And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: 45:28 And Israel said, It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: I will go and see him before I die.
46:1 And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac.
46:2 And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here am I.
46:3 And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: 46:4 I will go down with thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.
46:5 And Jacob rose up from Beersheba: and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
46:6 And they took their cattle, and their goods, which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: 46:7 His sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into Egypt.
46:8 And these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt, Jacob and his sons: Reuben, Jacob's firstborn.
46:9 And the sons of Reuben; Hanoch, and Phallu, and Hezron, and Carmi.
46:10 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman.
46:11 And the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.
46:12 And the sons of Judah; Er, and Onan, and Shelah, and Pharez, and Zarah: but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. And the sons of Pharez were Hezron and Hamul.
46:13 And the sons of Issachar; Tola, and Phuvah, and Job, and Shimron.
46:14 And the sons of Zebulun; Sered, and Elon, and Jahleel.
46:15 These be the sons of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob in Padanaram, with his daughter Dinah: all the souls of his sons and his daughters were thirty and three.
46:16 And the sons of Gad; Ziphion, and Haggi, Shuni, and Ezbon, Eri, and Arodi, and Areli.
46:17 And the sons of Asher; Jimnah, and Ishuah, and Isui, and Beriah, and Serah their sister: and the sons of Beriah; Heber, and Malchiel.
46:18 These are the sons of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to Leah his daughter, and these she bare unto Jacob, even sixteen souls.
46:19 The sons of Rachel Jacob's wife; Joseph, and Benjamin.
46:20 And unto Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, which Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On bare unto him.
46:21 And the sons of Benjamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppim, and Huppim, and Ard.
46:22 These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
46:23 And the sons of Dan; Hushim.
46:24 And the sons of Naphtali; Jahzeel, and Guni, and Jezer, and Shillem.
46:25 These are the sons of Bilhah, which Laban gave unto Rachel his daughter, and she bare these unto Jacob: all the souls were seven.
46:26 All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob's sons' wives, all the souls were threescore and six; 46:27 And the sons of Joseph, which were born him in Egypt, were two souls: all the souls of the house of Jacob, which came into Egypt, were threescore and ten.
46:28 And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.
46:29 And Joseph made ready his chariot, and went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen, and presented himself unto him; and he fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while.
46:30 And Israel said unto Joseph, Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, because thou art yet alive.
46:31 And Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father's house, I will go up, and shew Pharaoh, and say unto him, My brethren, and my father's house, which were in the land of Canaan, are come unto me; 46:32 And the men are shepherds, for their trade hath been to feed cattle; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.
46:33 And it shall come to pass, when Pharaoh shall call you, and shall say, What is your occupation? 46:34 That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians.
47:1 Then Joseph came and told Pharaoh, and said, My father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have, are come out of the land of Canaan; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.
47:2 And he took some of his brethren, even five men, and presented them unto Pharaoh.
47:3 And Pharaoh said unto his brethren, What is your occupation? And they said unto Pharaoh, Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.
47:4 They said morever unto Pharaoh, For to sojourn in the land are we come; for thy servants have no pasture for their flocks; for the famine is sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.
47:5 And Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee: 47:6 The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them dwell: and if thou knowest any men of activity among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.
47:7 And Joseph brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh: and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
47:8 And Pharaoh said unto Jacob, How old art thou? 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
47:10 And Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from before Pharaoh.
47:11 And Joseph placed his father and his brethren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had commanded.
47:12 And Joseph nourished his father, and his brethren, and all his father's household, with bread, according to their families.
47:13 And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and all the land of Canaan fainted by reason of the famine.
47:14 And Joseph gathered up all the money that was found in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the corn which they bought: and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh's house.
47:15 And when money failed in the land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyptians came unto Joseph, and said, Give us bread: for why should we die in thy presence? for the money faileth.
47:16 And Joseph said, Give your cattle; and I will give you for your cattle, if money fail.
47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
47:18 When that year was ended, they came unto him the second year, and said unto him, We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: 47:19 Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate.
47:20 And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's.
47:21 And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof.
47:22 Only the land of the priests bought he not; for the priests had a portion assigned them of Pharaoh, and did eat their portion which Pharaoh gave them: wherefore they sold not their lands.
47:23 Then Joseph said unto the people, Behold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pharaoh: lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land.
47:24 And it shall come to pass in the increase, that ye shall give the fifth part unto Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them of your households, and for food for your little ones.
47:25 And they said, Thou hast saved our lives: let us find grace in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh's servants.
47:26 And Joseph made it a law over the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth part, except the land of the priests only, which became not Pharaoh's.
47:27 And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the country of Goshen; and they had possessions therein, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly.
47:28 And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years.
47:29 And the time drew nigh that Israel must die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me; bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt: 47:30 But I will lie with my fathers, and thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their buryingplace. And he said, I will do as thou hast said.
47:31 And he said, Swear unto me. And he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself upon the bed's head.
48:1 And it came to pass after these things, that one told Joseph, Behold, thy father is sick: and he took with him his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
48:2 And one told Jacob, and said, Behold, thy son Joseph cometh unto thee: and Israel strengthened himself, and sat upon the bed.
48:3 And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, 48:4 And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
48:5 And now thy two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, which were born unto thee in the land of Egypt before I came unto thee into Egypt, are mine; as Reuben and Simeon, they shall be mine.
48:6 And thy issue, which thou begettest after them, shall be thine, and shall be called after the name of their brethren in their inheritance.
48:7 And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me in the land of Canaan in the way, when yet there was but a little way to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; the same is Bethlehem.
48:8 And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these? 48:9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them.
48:10 Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age, so that he could not see.
And he brought them near unto him; and he kissed them, and embraced them.
48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
48:12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
48:13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
48:14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
48:15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, 48:16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
48:17 And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, it displeased him: and he held up his father's hand, to remove it from Ephraim's head unto Manasseh's head.
48:18 And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
48:19 And his father refused, and said, I know it, my son, I know it: he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great: but truly his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his seed shall become a multitude of nations.
48:20 And he blessed them that day, saying, In thee shall Israel bless, saying, God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh: and he set Ephraim before Manasseh.
48:21 And Israel said unto Joseph, Behold, I die: but God shall be with you, and bring you again unto the land of your fathers.
48:22 Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren, which I took out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow.
49:1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.
49:2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
49:3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 49:4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father's bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
49:5 Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.
49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
49:7 Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
49:8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father's children shall bow down before thee.
49:9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
49:11 Binding his foal unto the vine, and his ass's colt unto the choice vine; he washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes: 49:12 His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk.
49:13 Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.
49:14 Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens: 49:15 And he saw that rest was good, and the land that it was pleasant; and bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant unto tribute.
49:16 Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
49:17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
49:18 I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD.
49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
49:20 Out of Asher his bread shall be fat, and he shall yield royal dainties.
49:21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: he giveth goodly words.
49:22 Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well; whose branches run over the wall: 49:23 The archers have sorely grieved him, and shot at him, and hated him: 49:24 But his bow abode in strength, and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; (from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel:) 49:25 Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb: 49:26 The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.
49:27 Benjamin shall ravin as a wolf: in the morning he shall devour the prey, and at night he shall divide the spoil.
49:28 All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.
49:29 And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 49:30 In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.
49:31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.
49:32 The purchase of the field and of the cave that is therein was from the children of Heth.
49:33 And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
50:1 And Joseph fell upon his father's face, and wept upon him, and kissed him.
50:2 And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.
50:3 And forty days were fulfilled for him; for so are fulfilled the days of those which are embalmed: and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and ten days.
50:4 And when the days of his mourning were past, Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, If now I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying, 50:5 My father made me swear, saying, Lo, I die: in my grave which I have digged for me in the land of Canaan, there shalt thou bury me. Now therefore let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and I will come again.
50:6 And Pharaoh said, Go up, and bury thy father, according as he made thee swear.
50:7 And Joseph went up to bury his father: and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, 50:8 And all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and his father's house: only their little ones, and their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land of Goshen.
50:9 And there went up with him both chariots and horsemen: and it was a very great company.
50:10 And they came to the threshingfloor of Atad, which is beyond Jordan, and there they mourned with a great and very sore lamentation: and he made a mourning for his father seven days.
50:11 And when the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, saw the mourning in the floor of Atad, they said, This is a grievous mourning to the Egyptians: wherefore the name of it was called Abelmizraim, which is beyond Jordan.
50:12 And his sons did unto him according as he commanded them: 50:13 For his sons carried him into the land of Canaan, and buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a buryingplace of Ephron the Hittite, before Mamre.
50:14 And Joseph returned into Egypt, he, and his brethren, and all that went up with him to bury his father, after he had buried his father.
50:15 And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.
50:16 And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 50:17 So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.
50:18 And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.
50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 50:20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
50:21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones.
And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.
50:22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.
50:23 And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.
50:24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
50:25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.
50:26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

The Book of Shemot (Exodus):
1:1 Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.
1:2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 1:3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 1:4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
1:5 And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls: for Joseph was in Egypt already.
1:6 And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.
1:7 And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.
1:8 Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph.
1:9 And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we: 1:10 Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
1:11 Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.
1:12 But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.
And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.
1:13 And the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigour: 1:14 And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in morter, and in brick, and in all manner of service in the field: all their service, wherein they made them serve, was with rigour.
1:15 And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah: 1:16 And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.
1:17 But the midwives feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them, but saved the men children alive.
1:18 And the king of Egypt called for the midwives, and said unto them, Why have ye done this thing, and have saved the men children alive? 1:19 And the midwives said unto Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not as the Egyptian women; for they are lively, and are delivered ere the midwives come in unto them.
1:20 Therefore God dealt well with the midwives: and the people multiplied, and waxed very mighty.
1:21 And it came to pass, because the midwives feared God, that he made them houses.
1:22 And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter ye shall save alive.
2:1 And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.
2:2 And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.
2:3 And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.
2:4 And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.
2:5 And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.
2:6 And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.
2:7 Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? 2:8 And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.
2:9 And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the women took the child, and nursed it.
2:10 And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.
2:11 And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.
2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.
2:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow? 2:14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.
2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
2:16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.
2:17 And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.
2:18 And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? 2:19 And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock.
2:20 And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.
2:21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.
2:22 And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land.
2:23 And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.
2:24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.
2:25 And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them.
3:1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
3:7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
3:11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 3:12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
3:15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
3:16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
3:20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
3:21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.
3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.
4:1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
4:3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: 4:5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
4:7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
4:8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
4:9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
4:10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
4:11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD? 4:12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
4:13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
4:16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
4:18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
4:19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
4:20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 4:23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
4:25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
4:26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
4:27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
4:29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: 4:30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
4:31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
5:2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
5:3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.
5:4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.
5:5 And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.
5:6 And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, 5:7 Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.
5:8 And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.
5:9 Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.
5:10 And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.
5:11 Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.
5:12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.
5:13 And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
5:14 And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore? 5:15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? 5:16 There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.
5:17 But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.
5:18 Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.
5:19 And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.
5:20 And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: 5:21 And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
5:22 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, LORD, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? 5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.
6:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
6:4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
6:5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
6:8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
6:9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
6:10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
6:12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? 6:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
6:14 These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.
6:15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
6:16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.
6:17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.
6:18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.
6:19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
6:20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.
6:21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
6:22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
6:23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
6:24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
6:25 And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
6:26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.
6:27 These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.
6:28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 6:29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
6:30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
7:2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
7:6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
7:7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
7:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 7:9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
7:10 And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the LORD had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
7:11 Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
7:12 For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
7:13 And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
7:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.
7:15 Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river's brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.
7:16 And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.
7:17 Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
7:18 And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.
7:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.
7:20 And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.
7:21 And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.
7:22 And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto them; as the LORD had said.
7:23 And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.
7:24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
8:2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: 8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: 8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
8:7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
8:8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
8:9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? 8:10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
8:11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.
8:12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
8:13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
8:14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
8:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
8:17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
8:18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
8:19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
8:20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
8:21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
8:22 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
8:23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.
8:24 And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.
8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
8:26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 8:27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
8:28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
8:29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.
8:30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
8:31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.
8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
9:2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 9:3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.
9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.
9:6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.
9:7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.
9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? 9:18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
9:19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
9:20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 9:21 And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.
9:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
9:25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.
9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD's.
9:30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.
9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.
9:32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
9:33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
9:34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
9:35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
10:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: 10:2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.
10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
10:7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go? 10:9 And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
10:10 And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
10:11 Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
10:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
10:14 And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
10:15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.
10:17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
10:18 And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
10:19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
10:20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
10:25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.
10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.
10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.
11:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
11:2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver and jewels of gold.
11:3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians.
Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.
11:4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
11:6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
11:7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
11:8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
11:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.
11:10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 12:4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 12:6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
12:7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
12:8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
12:9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
12:10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
12:11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD's passover.
12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
12:14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
12:16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
12:18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
12:19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
12:20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
12:21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
12:22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
12:23 For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
12:24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
12:25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the LORD will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 12:27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the LORD's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
12:28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
12:30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
12:31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said.
12:32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
12:33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
12:34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
12:35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: 12:36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
12:37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
12:38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.
12:39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.
12:40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
12:42 It is a night to be much observed unto the LORD for bringing them out from the land of Egypt: this is that night of the LORD to be observed of all the children of Israel in their generations.
12:43 And the LORD said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 12:44 But every man's servant that is bought for money, when thou hast circumcised him, then shall he eat thereof.
12:45 A foreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof.
12:46 In one house shall it be eaten; thou shalt not carry forth ought of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall ye break a bone thereof.
12:47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it.
12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
12:49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
12:50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
12:51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the LORD did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.
13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13:2 Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine.
13:3 And Moses said unto the people, Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD brought you out from this place: there shall no leavened bread be eaten.
13:4 This day came ye out in the month Abib.
13:5 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee, a land flowing with milk and honey, that thou shalt keep this service in this month.
13:6 Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to the LORD.
13:7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days; and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee, neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters.
13:8 And thou shalt shew thy son in that day, saying, This is done because of that which the LORD did unto me when I came forth out of Egypt.
13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.
13:10 Thou shalt therefore keep this ordinance in his season from year to year.
13:11 And it shall be when the LORD shall bring thee into the land of the Canaanites, as he sware unto thee and to thy fathers, and shall give it thee, 13:12 That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD's.
13:13 And every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb; and if thou wilt not redeem it, then thou shalt break his neck: and all the firstborn of man among thy children shalt thou redeem.
13:14 And it shall be when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the LORD brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage: 13:15 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that openeth the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem.
13:16 And it shall be for a token upon thine hand, and for frontlets between thine eyes: for by strength of hand the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt.
13:17 And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt: 13:18 But God led the people about, through the way of the wilderness of the Red sea: and the children of Israel went up harnessed out of the land of Egypt.
13:19 And Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you.
13:20 And they took their journey from Succoth, and encamped in Etham, in the edge of the wilderness.
13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: 13:22 He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 14:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baalzephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.
14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.
14:5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us? 14:6 And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 14:7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.
14:8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.
14:9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.
14:10 And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.
14:11 And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? 14:12 Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
14:14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
14:15 And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward: 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
14:17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
14:18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
14:19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 14:20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
14:22 And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea upon the dry ground: and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
14:23 And the Egyptians pursued, and went in after them to the midst of the sea, even all Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
14:24 And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, 14:25 And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians.
14:26 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the sea, that the waters may come again upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.
14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.
14:28 And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.
14:29 But the children of Israel walked upon dry land in the midst of the sea; and the waters were a wall unto them on their right hand, and on their left.
14:30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
14:31 And Israel saw that great work which the LORD did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD, and his servant Moses.
15:1 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.
15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.
15:4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.
15:5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone.
15:6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy.
15:7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
15:8 And with the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as an heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.
15:9 The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my lust shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.
15:10 Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters.
15:11 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? 15:12 Thou stretchedst out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them.
15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
15:14 The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestina.
15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.
15:16 Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased.
15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O LORD, which thy hands have established.
15:18 The LORD shall reign for ever and ever.
15:19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the LORD brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.
15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
15:21 And Miriam answered them, Sing ye to the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.
15:22 So Moses brought Israel from the Red sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.
15:23 And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.
15:24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? 15:25 And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, 15:26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
15:27 And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.
16:1 And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.
16:2 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: 16:3 And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.
16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
16:5 And it shall come to pass, that on the sixth day they shall prepare that which they bring in; and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.
16:6 And Moses and Aaron said unto all the children of Israel, At even, then ye shall know that the LORD hath brought you out from the land of Egypt: 16:7 And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us? 16:8 And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD.
16:9 And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings.
16:10 And it came to pass, as Aaron spake unto the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and, behold, the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud.
16:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:12 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel: speak unto them, saying, At even ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.
16:13 And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host.
16:14 And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground.
16:15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.
16:16 This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
16:17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
16:18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
16:19 And Moses said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
16:20 Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
16:21 And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.
16:22 And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for one man: and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
16:23 And he said unto them, This is that which the LORD hath said, To morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto the LORD: bake that which ye will bake to day, and seethe that ye will seethe; and that which remaineth over lay up for you to be kept until the morning.
16:24 And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade: and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein.
16:25 And Moses said, Eat that to day; for to day is a sabbath unto the LORD: to day ye shall not find it in the field.
16:26 Six days ye shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is the sabbath, in it there shall be none.
16:27 And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather, and they found none.
16:28 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws? 16:29 See, for that the LORD hath given you the sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days; abide ye every man in his place, let no man go out of his place on the seventh day.
16:30 So the people rested on the seventh day.
16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.
16:32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.
16:34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
16:35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
16:36 Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.
17:1 And all the congregation of the children of Israel journeyed from the wilderness of Sin, after their journeys, according to the commandment of the LORD, and pitched in Rephidim: and there was no water for the people to drink.
17:2 Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD? 17:3 And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst? 17:4 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
17:5 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.
17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
17:7 And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not? 17:8 Then came Amalek, and fought with Israel in Rephidim.
17:9 And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.
17:10 So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
17:12 But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.
17:13 And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
17:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.
17:15 And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi: 17:16 For he said, Because the LORD hath sworn that the LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.
18:1 When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt; 18:2 Then Jethro, Moses' father in law, took Zipporah, Moses' wife, after he had sent her back, 18:3 And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: 18:4 And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: 18:5 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: 18:6 And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.
18:7 And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent.
18:8 And Moses told his father in law all that the LORD had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the LORD delivered them.
18:9 And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians.
18:10 And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.
18:11 Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them.
18:12 And Jethro, Moses' father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father in law before God.
18:13 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening.
18:14 And when Moses' father in law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 18:15 And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 18:16 When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.
18:17 And Moses' father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good.
18:18 Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.
18:19 Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 18:20 And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do.
18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 18:22 And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.
18:23 If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.
18:24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
18:25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
18:26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.
18:27 And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.
19:1 In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai.
19:2 For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the mount.
19:3 And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; 19:4 Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.
19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.
These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him.
19:8 And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
19:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Lo, I come unto thee in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with thee, and believe thee for ever.
And Moses told the words of the people unto the LORD.
19:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, 19:11 And be ready against the third day: for the third day the LORD will come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai.
19:12 And thou shalt set bounds unto the people round about, saying, Take heed to yourselves, that ye go not up into the mount, or touch the border of it: whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death: 19:13 There shall not an hand touch it, but he shall surely be stoned, or shot through; whether it be beast or man, it shall not live: when the trumpet soundeth long, they shall come up to the mount.
19:14 And Moses went down from the mount unto the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.
19:15 And he said unto the people, Be ready against the third day: come not at your wives.
19:16 And it came to pass on the third day in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all the people that was in the camp trembled.
19:17 And Moses brought forth the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at the nether part of the mount.
19:18 And mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
19:19 And when the voice of the trumpet sounded long, and waxed louder and louder, Moses spake, and God answered him by a voice.
19:20 And the LORD came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.
19:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.
19:22 And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.
19:23 And Moses said unto the LORD, The people cannot come up to mount Sinai: for thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.
19:24 And the LORD said unto him, Away, get thee down, and thou shalt come up, thou, and Aaron with thee: but let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the LORD, lest he break forth upon them.
19:25 So Moses went down unto the people, and spake unto them.
20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 20:2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
20:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 20:6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 20:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 20:11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
20:13 Thou shalt not kill.
20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
20:15 Thou shalt not steal.
20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
20:17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
20:18 And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.
20:19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.
20:20 And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.
20:21 And the people stood afar off, and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was.
20:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.
20:23 Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.
20:24 An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me, and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings, thy sheep, and thine oxen: in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.
20:25 And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.
20:26 Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.
21:1 Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.
21:2 If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing.
21:3 If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were married, then his wife shall go out with him.
21:4 If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
21:5 And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: 21:6 Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever.
21:7 And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.
21:8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
21:9 And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters.
21:10 If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.
21:11 And if he do not these three unto her, then shall she go out free without money.
21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
21:13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
21:14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.
21:16 And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.
21:17 And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.
21:18 And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed: 21:19 If he rise again, and walk abroad upon his staff, then shall he that smote him be quit: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall cause him to be thoroughly healed.
21:20 And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished.
21:21 Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money.
21:22 If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.
21:23 And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 21:25 Burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
21:26 And if a man smite the eye of his servant, or the eye of his maid, that it perish; he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.
21:27 And if he smite out his manservant's tooth, or his maidservant's tooth; he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.
21:28 If an ox gore a man or a woman, that they die: then the ox shall be surely stoned, and his flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall be quit.
21:29 But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death.
21:30 If there be laid on him a sum of money, then he shall give for the ransom of his life whatsoever is laid upon him.
21:31 Whether he have gored a son, or have gored a daughter, according to this judgment shall it be done unto him.
21:32 If the ox shall push a manservant or a maidservant; he shall give unto their master thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.
21:33 And if a man shall open a pit, or if a man shall dig a pit, and not cover it, and an ox or an ass fall therein; 21:34 The owner of the pit shall make it good, and give money unto the owner of them; and the dead beast shall be his.
21:35 And if one man's ox hurt another's, that he die; then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the money of it; and the dead ox also they shall divide.
21:36 Or if it be known that the ox hath used to push in time past, and his owner hath not kept him in; he shall surely pay ox for ox; and the dead shall be his own.
22:1 If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it, or sell it; he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.
22:2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
22:3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.
22:4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double.
22:5 If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man's field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of his own vineyard, shall he make restitution.
22:6 If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed therewith; he that kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.
22:7 If a man shall deliver unto his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it be stolen out of the man's house; if the thief be found, let him pay double.
22:8 If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbour's goods.
22:9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.
22:10 If a man deliver unto his neighbour an ass, or an ox, or a sheep, or any beast, to keep; and it die, or be hurt, or driven away, no man seeing it: 22:11 Then shall an oath of the LORD be between them both, that he hath not put his hand unto his neighbour's goods; and the owner of it shall accept thereof, and he shall not make it good.
22:12 And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the owner thereof.
22:13 If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make good that which was torn.
22:14 And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
22:15 But if the owner thereof be with it, he shall not make it good: if it be an hired thing, it came for his hire.
22:16 And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.
22:17 If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.
22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
22:19 Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.
22:20 He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.
22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22:22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.
22:23 If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; 22:24 And my wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
22:25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.
22:26 If thou at all take thy neighbour's raiment to pledge, thou shalt deliver it unto him by that the sun goeth down: 22:27 For that is his covering only, it is his raiment for his skin: wherein shall he sleep? and it shall come to pass, when he crieth unto me, that I will hear; for I am gracious.
22:28 Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.
22:29 Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, and of thy liquors: the firstborn of thy sons shalt thou give unto me.
22:30 Likewise shalt thou do with thine oxen, and with thy sheep: seven days it shall be with his dam; on the eighth day thou shalt give it me.
22:31 And ye shall be holy men unto me: neither shall ye eat any flesh that is torn of beasts in the field; ye shall cast it to the dogs.
23:1 Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness.
23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: 23:3 Neither shalt thou countenance a poor man in his cause.
23:4 If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again.
23:5 If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him.
23:6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause.
23:7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
23:8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.
23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
23:10 And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: 23:11 But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.
23:12 Six days thou shalt do thy work, and on the seventh day thou shalt rest: that thine ox and thine ass may rest, and the son of thy handmaid, and the stranger, may be refreshed.
23:13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.
23:14 Three times thou shalt keep a feast unto me in the year.
23:15 Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) 23:16 And the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast of ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy labours out of the field.
23:17 Three items in the year all thy males shall appear before the LORD God.
23:18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
23:19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
23:20 Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.
23:21 Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
23:22 But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
23:23 For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off.
23:24 Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
23:25 And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.
23:26 There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil.
23:27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee.
23:28 And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.
23:29 I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.
23:30 By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land.
23:31 And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river: for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand; and thou shalt drive them out before thee.
23:32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.
23:33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee.
24:1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the LORD, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
24:2 And Moses alone shall come near the LORD: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
24:4 And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
24:5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.
24:6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
24:7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.
24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
24:9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 24:10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
24:11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
24:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
24:13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
24:14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
24:15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
24:16 And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
24:17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering.
25:3 And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, 25:4 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, 25:5 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, 25:6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense, 25:7 Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate.
25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
25:10 And they shall make an ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
25:11 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about.
25:12 And thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in the four corners thereof; and two rings shall be in the one side of it, and two rings in the other side of it.
25:13 And thou shalt make staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
25:14 And thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, that the ark may be borne with them.
25:15 The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.
25:16 And thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee.
25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
25:18 And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.
25:19 And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
25:20 And the cherubims shall stretch forth their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, and their faces shall look one to another; toward the mercy seat shall the faces of the cherubims be.
25:21 And thou shalt put the mercy seat above upon the ark; and in the ark thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee.
25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
25:23 Thou shalt also make a table of shittim wood: two cubits shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof.
25:24 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, and make thereto a crown of gold round about.
25:25 And thou shalt make unto it a border of an hand breadth round about, and thou shalt make a golden crown to the border thereof round about.
25:26 And thou shalt make for it four rings of gold, and put the rings in the four corners that are on the four feet thereof.
25:27 Over against the border shall the rings be for places of the staves to bear the table.
25:28 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be borne with them.
25:29 And thou shalt make the dishes thereof, and spoons thereof, and covers thereof, and bowls thereof, to cover withal: of pure gold shalt thou make them.
25:30 And thou shalt set upon the table shewbread before me alway.
25:31 And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same.
25:32 And six branches shall come out of the sides of it; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side: 25:33 Three bowls made like unto almonds, with a knop and a flower in one branch; and three bowls made like almonds in the other branch, with a knop and a flower: so in the six branches that come out of the candlestick.
25:34 And in the candlesticks shall be four bowls made like unto almonds, with their knops and their flowers.
25:35 And there shall be a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches that proceed out of the candlestick.
25:36 Their knops and their branches shall be of the same: all it shall be one beaten work of pure gold.
25:37 And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
25:38 And the tongs thereof, and the snuffdishes thereof, shall be of pure gold.
25:39 Of a talent of pure gold shall he make it, with all these vessels.
25:40 And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount.
26:1 Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them.
26:2 The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure.
26:3 The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.
26:4 And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
26:5 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another.
26:6 And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
26:7 And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to be a covering upon the tabernacle: eleven curtains shalt thou make.
26:8 The length of one curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and the eleven curtains shall be all of one measure.
26:9 And thou shalt couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shalt double the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tabernacle.
26:10 And thou shalt make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops in the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
26:11 And thou shalt make fifty taches of brass, and put the taches into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.
26:12 And the remnant that remaineth of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remaineth, shall hang over the backside of the tabernacle.
26:13 And a cubit on the one side, and a cubit on the other side of that which remaineth in the length of the curtains of the tent, it shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.
26:14 And thou shalt make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering above of badgers' skins.
26:15 And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.
26:16 Ten cubits shall be the length of a board, and a cubit and a half shall be the breadth of one board.
26:17 Two tenons shall there be in one board, set in order one against another: thus shalt thou make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
26:18 And thou shalt make the boards for the tabernacle, twenty boards on the south side southward.
26:19 And thou shalt make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
26:20 And for the second side of the tabernacle on the north side there shall be twenty boards: 26:21 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
26:22 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward thou shalt make six boards.
26:23 And two boards shalt thou make for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
26:24 And they shall be coupled together beneath, and they shall be coupled together above the head of it unto one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.
26:25 And they shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
26:26 And thou shalt make bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 26:27 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the two sides westward.
26:28 And the middle bar in the midst of the boards shall reach from end to end.
26:29 And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold.
26:30 And thou shalt rear up the tabernacle according to the fashion thereof which was shewed thee in the mount.
26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made: 26:32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
26:33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
26:34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.
26:35 And thou shalt set the table without the vail, and the candlestick over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south: and thou shalt put the table on the north side.
26:36 And thou shalt make an hanging for the door of the tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework.
26:37 And thou shalt make for the hanging five pillars of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold, and their hooks shall be of gold: and thou shalt cast five sockets of brass for them.
27:1 And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and the height thereof shall be three cubits.
27:2 And thou shalt make the horns of it upon the four corners thereof: his horns shall be of the same: and thou shalt overlay it with brass.
27:3 And thou shalt make his pans to receive his ashes, and his shovels, and his basons, and his fleshhooks, and his firepans: all the vessels thereof thou shalt make of brass.
27:4 And thou shalt make for it a grate of network of brass; and upon the net shalt thou make four brasen rings in the four corners thereof.
27:5 And thou shalt put it under the compass of the altar beneath, that the net may be even to the midst of the altar.
27:6 And thou shalt make staves for the altar, staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with brass.
27:7 And the staves shall be put into the rings, and the staves shall be upon the two sides of the altar, to bear it.
27:8 Hollow with boards shalt thou make it: as it was shewed thee in the mount, so shall they make it.
27:9 And thou shalt make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen of an hundred cubits long for one side: 27:10 And the twenty pillars thereof and their twenty sockets shall be of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.
27:11 And likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings of an hundred cubits long, and his twenty pillars and their twenty sockets of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
27:12 And for the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits: their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.
27:13 And the breadth of the court on the east side eastward shall be fifty cubits.
27:14 The hangings of one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
27:15 And on the other side shall be hangings fifteen cubits: their pillars three, and their sockets three.
27:16 And for the gate of the court shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, wrought with needlework: and their pillars shall be four, and their sockets four.
27:17 All the pillars round about the court shall be filleted with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their sockets of brass.
27:18 The length of the court shall be an hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty every where, and the height five cubits of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.
27:19 All the vessels of the tabernacle in all the service thereof, and all the pins thereof, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.
27:20 And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.
27:21 In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
28:2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.
28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
28:5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.
28:6 And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cunning work.
28:7 It shall have the two shoulderpieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together.
28:8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
28:9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: 28:10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth.
28:11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold.
28:12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial.
28:13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold; 28:14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches.
28:15 And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen, shalt thou make it.
28:16 Foursquare it shall be being doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.
28:17 And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
28:18 And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
28:19 And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
28:20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in gold in their inclosings.
28:21 And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes.
28:22 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate chains at the ends of wreathen work of pure gold.
28:23 And thou shalt make upon the breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.
28:24 And thou shalt put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings which are on the ends of the breastplate.
28:25 And the other two ends of the two wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.
28:26 And thou shalt make two rings of gold, and thou shalt put them upon the two ends of the breastplate in the border thereof, which is in the side of the ephod inward.
28:27 And two other rings of gold thou shalt make, and shalt put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart thereof, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
28:28 And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.
28:29 And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.
28:30 And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually.
28:31 And thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue.
28:32 And there shall be an hole in the top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of an habergeon, that it be not rent.
28:33 And beneath upon the hem of it thou shalt make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, round about the hem thereof; and bells of gold between them round about: 28:34 A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.
28:35 And it shall be upon Aaron to minister: and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the LORD, and when he cometh out, that he die not.
28:36 And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
28:37 And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be.
28:38 And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD.
28:39 And thou shalt embroider the coat of fine linen, and thou shalt make the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt make the girdle of needlework.
28:40 And for Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty.
28:41 And thou shalt put them upon Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him; and shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
28:42 And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: 28:43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.
29:1 And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish, 29:2 And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
29:3 And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.
29:4 And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
29:5 And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod: 29:6 And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
29:7 Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
29:8 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
29:9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
29:10 And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.
29:11 And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
29:12 And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
29:13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.
29:14 But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.
29:15 Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
29:16 And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.
29:17 And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.
29:18 And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
29:19 And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
29:20 Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
29:21 And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
29:22 Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration: 29:23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD: 29:24 And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.
29:25 And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
29:26 And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron's consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part.
29:27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: 29:28 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons' by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD.
29:29 And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons' after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.
29:30 And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.
29:31 And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.
29:32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
29:33 And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.
29:34 And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
29:35 And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
29:36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
29:37 Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
29:38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
29:39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 29:40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
29:41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
29:42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
29:43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
29:44 And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest's office.
29:45 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
29:46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.
30:1 And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon: of shittim wood shalt thou make it.
30:2 A cubit shall be the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof; foursquare shall it be: and two cubits shall be the height thereof: the horns thereof shall be of the same.
30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
30:4 And two golden rings shalt thou make to it under the crown of it, by the two corners thereof, upon the two sides of it shalt thou make it; and they shall be for places for the staves to bear it withal.
30:5 And thou shalt make the staves of shittim wood, and overlay them with gold.
30:6 And thou shalt put it before the vail that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with thee.
30:7 And Aaron shall burn thereon sweet incense every morning: when he dresseth the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it.
30:8 And when Aaron lighteth the lamps at even, he shall burn incense upon it, a perpetual incense before the LORD throughout your generations.
30:9 Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.
30:10 And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it is most holy unto the LORD.
30:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 30:12 When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
30:13 This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD.
30:14 Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.
30:15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
30:16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.
30:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 30:18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
30:19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 30:20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 30:21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
30:22 Moreover the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 30:23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, 30:24 And of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 30:25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil.
30:26 And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 30:27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense, 30:28 And the altar of burnt offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot.
30:29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy.
30:30 And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.
30:31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.
30:32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.
30:33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.
30:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: 30:35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: 30:36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
30:37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.
30:38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.
31:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:2 See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 31:4 To devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 31:5 And in cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all manner of workmanship.
31:6 And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee; 31:7 The tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the tabernacle, 31:8 And the table and his furniture, and the pure candlestick with all his furniture, and the altar of incense, 31:9 And the altar of burnt offering with all his furniture, and the laver and his foot, 31:10 And the cloths of service, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office, 31:11 And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy place: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.
31:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:13 Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.
31:14 Ye shall keep the sabbath therefore; for it is holy unto you: every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death: for whosoever doeth any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
31:15 Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
31:16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
31:18 And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 32:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? 32:12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
32:18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? 32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
32:23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
32:24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
32:27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
32:28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
32:29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
32:32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
33:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: 33:2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 33:3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
33:4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
33:5 For the LORD had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
33:6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
33:7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
33:8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
33:9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.
33:10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
33:12 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
33:13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
33:14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
33:16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
33:17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
33:19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.
34:2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.
34:3 And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.
34:4 And he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone.
34:5 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
34:6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
34:8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
34:9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O LORD, let my LORD, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.
34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.
34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 34:15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 34:16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.
34:17 Thou shalt make thee no molten gods.
34:18 The feast of unleavened bread shalt thou keep. Seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread, as I commanded thee, in the time of the month Abib: for in the month Abib thou camest out from Egypt.
34:19 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male.
34:20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty.
34:21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest.
34:22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year's end.
34:23 Thrice in the year shall all your menchildren appear before the LORD God, the God of Israel.
34:24 For I will cast out the nations before thee, and enlarge thy borders: neither shall any man desire thy land, when thou shalt go up to appear before the LORD thy God thrice in the year.
34:25 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the passover be left unto the morning.
34:26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God. Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.
34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
34:30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
34:31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
34:32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
34:34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
34:35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
35:1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.
35:2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.
35:3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day.
35:4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, 35:5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass, 35:6 And blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, 35:7 And rams' skins dyed red, and badgers' skins, and shittim wood, 35:8 And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense, 35:9 And onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate.
35:10 And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded; 35:11 The tabernacle, his tent, and his covering, his taches, and his boards, his bars, his pillars, and his sockets, 35:12 The ark, and the staves thereof, with the mercy seat, and the vail of the covering, 35:13 The table, and his staves, and all his vessels, and the shewbread, 35:14 The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light, 35:15 And the incense altar, and his staves, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the door at the entering in of the tabernacle, 35:16 The altar of burnt offering, with his brasen grate, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 35:17 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and their sockets, and the hanging for the door of the court, 35:18 The pins of the tabernacle, and the pins of the court, and their cords, 35:19 The cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.
35:20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
35:21 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments.
35:22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD.
35:23 And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats' hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers' skins, brought them.
35:24 Every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass brought the LORD's offering: and every man, with whom was found shittim wood for any work of the service, brought it.
35:25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.
35:26 And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair.
35:27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; 35:28 And spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense.
35:29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.
35:30 And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 35:31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 35:32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 35:33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work.
35:34 And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.
35:35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.
36:1 Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded.
36:2 And Moses called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whose heart the LORD had put wisdom, even every one whose heart stirred him up to come unto the work to do it: 36:3 And they received of Moses all the offering, which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, to make it withal. And they brought yet unto him free offerings every morning.
36:4 And all the wise men, that wrought all the work of the sanctuary, came every man from his work which they made; 36:5 And they spake unto Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which the LORD commanded to make.
36:6 And Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make any more work for the offering of the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.
36:7 For the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much.
36:8 And every wise hearted man among them that wrought the work of the tabernacle made ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work made he them.
36:9 The length of one curtain was twenty and eight cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: the curtains were all of one size.
36:10 And he coupled the five curtains one unto another: and the other five curtains he coupled one unto another.
36:11 And he made loops of blue on the edge of one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling: likewise he made in the uttermost side of another curtain, in the coupling of the second.
36:12 Fifty loops made he in one curtain, and fifty loops made he in the edge of the curtain which was in the coupling of the second: the loops held one curtain to another.
36:13 And he made fifty taches of gold, and coupled the curtains one unto another with the taches: so it became one tabernacle.
36:14 And he made curtains of goats' hair for the tent over the tabernacle: eleven curtains he made them.
36:15 The length of one curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits was the breadth of one curtain: the eleven curtains were of one size.
36:16 And he coupled five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves.
36:17 And he made fifty loops upon the uttermost edge of the curtain in the coupling, and fifty loops made he upon the edge of the curtain which coupleth the second.
36:18 And he made fifty taches of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
36:19 And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers' skins above that.
36:20 And he made boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood, standing up.
36:21 The length of a board was ten cubits, and the breadth of a board one cubit and a half.
36:22 One board had two tenons, equally distant one from another: thus did he make for all the boards of the tabernacle.
36:23 And he made boards for the tabernacle; twenty boards for the south side southward: 36:24 And forty sockets of silver he made under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for his two tenons, and two sockets under another board for his two tenons.
36:25 And for the other side of the tabernacle, which is toward the north corner, he made twenty boards, 36:26 And their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.
36:27 And for the sides of the tabernacle westward he made six boards.
36:28 And two boards made he for the corners of the tabernacle in the two sides.
36:29 And they were coupled beneath, and coupled together at the head thereof, to one ring: thus he did to both of them in both the corners.
36:30 And there were eight boards; and their sockets were sixteen sockets of silver, under every board two sockets.
36:31 And he made bars of shittim wood; five for the boards of the one side of the tabernacle, 36:32 And five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the sides westward.
36:33 And he made the middle bar to shoot through the boards from the one end to the other.
36:34 And he overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold to be places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.
36:35 And he made a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: with cherubims made he it of cunning work.
36:36 And he made thereunto four pillars of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold: their hooks were of gold; and he cast for them four sockets of silver.
36:37 And he made an hanging for the tabernacle door of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, of needlework; 36:38 And the five pillars of it with their hooks: and he overlaid their chapiters and their fillets with gold: but their five sockets were of brass.
37:1 And Bezaleel made the ark of shittim wood: two cubits and a half was the length of it, and a cubit and a half the breadth of it, and a cubit and a half the height of it: 37:2 And he overlaid it with pure gold within and without, and made a crown of gold to it round about.
37:3 And he cast for it four rings of gold, to be set by the four corners of it; even two rings upon the one side of it, and two rings upon the other side of it.
37:4 And he made staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
37:5 And he put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark, to bear the ark.
37:6 And he made the mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half was the length thereof, and one cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
37:7 And he made two cherubims of gold, beaten out of one piece made he them, on the two ends of the mercy seat; 37:8 One cherub on the end on this side, and another cherub on the other end on that side: out of the mercy seat made he the cherubims on the two ends thereof.
37:9 And the cherubims spread out their wings on high, and covered with their wings over the mercy seat, with their faces one to another; even to the mercy seatward were the faces of the cherubims.
37:10 And he made the table of shittim wood: two cubits was the length thereof, and a cubit the breadth thereof, and a cubit and a half the height thereof: 37:11 And he overlaid it with pure gold, and made thereunto a crown of gold round about.
37:12 Also he made thereunto a border of an handbreadth round about; and made a crown of gold for the border thereof round about.
37:13 And he cast for it four rings of gold, and put the rings upon the four corners that were in the four feet thereof.
37:14 Over against the border were the rings, the places for the staves to bear the table.
37:15 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold, to bear the table.
37:16 And he made the vessels which were upon the table, his dishes, and his spoons, and his bowls, and his covers to cover withal, of pure gold.
37:17 And he made the candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work made he the candlestick; his shaft, and his branch, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, were of the same: 37:18 And six branches going out of the sides thereof; three branches of the candlestick out of the one side thereof, and three branches of the candlestick out of the other side thereof: 37:19 Three bowls made after the fashion of almonds in one branch, a knop and a flower; and three bowls made like almonds in another branch, a knop and a flower: so throughout the six branches going out of the candlestick.
37:20 And in the candlestick were four bowls made like almonds, his knops, and his flowers: 37:21 And a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, and a knop under two branches of the same, according to the six branches going out of it.
37:22 Their knops and their branches were of the same: all of it was one beaten work of pure gold.
37:23 And he made his seven lamps, and his snuffers, and his snuffdishes, of pure gold.
37:24 Of a talent of pure gold made he it, and all the vessels thereof.
37:25 And he made the incense altar of shittim wood: the length of it was a cubit, and the breadth of it a cubit; it was foursquare; and two cubits was the height of it; the horns thereof were of the same.
37:26 And he overlaid it with pure gold, both the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about.
37:27 And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal.
37:28 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with gold.
37:29 And he made the holy anointing oil, and the pure incense of sweet spices, according to the work of the apothecary.
38:1 And he made the altar of burnt offering of shittim wood: five cubits was the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; it was foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
38:2 And he made the horns thereof on the four corners of it; the horns thereof were of the same: and he overlaid it with brass.
38:3 And he made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, and the shovels, and the basons, and the fleshhooks, and the firepans: all the vessels thereof made he of brass.
38:4 And he made for the altar a brasen grate of network under the compass thereof beneath unto the midst of it.
38:5 And he cast four rings for the four ends of the grate of brass, to be places for the staves.
38:6 And he made the staves of shittim wood, and overlaid them with brass.
38:7 And he put the staves into the rings on the sides of the altar, to bear it withal; he made the altar hollow with boards.
38:8 And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass, of the lookingglasses of the women assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
38:9 And he made the court: on the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, an hundred cubits: 38:10 Their pillars were twenty, and their brasen sockets twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.
38:11 And for the north side the hangings were an hundred cubits, their pillars were twenty, and their sockets of brass twenty; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
38:12 And for the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver.
38:13 And for the east side eastward fifty cubits.
38:14 The hangings of the one side of the gate were fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
38:15 And for the other side of the court gate, on this hand and that hand, were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.
38:16 All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.
38:17 And the sockets for the pillars were of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets of silver; and the overlaying of their chapiters of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.
38:18 And the hanging for the gate of the court was needlework, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen: and twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, answerable to the hangings of the court.
38:19 And their pillars were four, and their sockets of brass four; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their chapiters and their fillets of silver.
38:20 And all the pins of the tabernacle, and of the court round about, were of brass.
38:21 This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.
38:22 And Bezaleel the son Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses.
38:23 And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver, and a cunning workman, and an embroiderer in blue, and in purple, and in scarlet, and fine linen.
38:24 All the gold that was occupied for the work in all the work of the holy place, even the gold of the offering, was twenty and nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
38:25 And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation was an hundred talents, and a thousand seven hundred and threescore and fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 38:26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.
38:27 And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail; an hundred sockets of the hundred talents, a talent for a socket.
38:28 And of the thousand seven hundred seventy and five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them.
38:29 And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand and four hundred shekels.
38:30 And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the brasen altar, and the brasen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar, 38:31 And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate, and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about.
39:1 And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service, to do service in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:2 And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
39:3 And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, with cunning work.
39:4 They made shoulderpieces for it, to couple it together: by the two edges was it coupled together.
39:5 And the curious girdle of his ephod, that was upon it, was of the same, according to the work thereof; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:6 And they wrought onyx stones inclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel.
39:7 And he put them on the shoulders of the ephod, that they should be stones for a memorial to the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:8 And he made the breastplate of cunning work, like the work of the ephod; of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.
39:9 It was foursquare; they made the breastplate double: a span was the length thereof, and a span the breadth thereof, being doubled.
39:10 And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.
39:11 And the second row, an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
39:12 And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
39:13 And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.
39:14 And the stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name, according to the twelve tribes.
39:15 And they made upon the breastplate chains at the ends, of wreathen work of pure gold.
39:16 And they made two ouches of gold, and two gold rings; and put the two rings in the two ends of the breastplate.
39:17 And they put the two wreathen chains of gold in the two rings on the ends of the breastplate.
39:18 And the two ends of the two wreathen chains they fastened in the two ouches, and put them on the shoulderpieces of the ephod, before it.
39:19 And they made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon the border of it, which was on the side of the ephod inward.
39:20 And they made two other golden rings, and put them on the two sides of the ephod underneath, toward the forepart of it, over against the other coupling thereof, above the curious girdle of the ephod.
39:21 And they did bind the breastplate by his rings unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not be loosed from the ephod; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:22 And he made the robe of the ephod of woven work, all of blue.
39:23 And there was an hole in the midst of the robe, as the hole of an habergeon, with a band round about the hole, that it should not rend.
39:24 And they made upon the hems of the robe pomegranates of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and twined linen.
39:25 And they made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates upon the hem of the robe, round about between the pomegranates; 39:26 A bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, round about the hem of the robe to minister in; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:27 And they made coats of fine linen of woven work for Aaron, and for his sons, 39:28 And a mitre of fine linen, and goodly bonnets of fine linen, and linen breeches of fine twined linen, 39:29 And a girdle of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, of needlework; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:30 And they made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote upon it a writing, like to the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.
39:31 And they tied unto it a lace of blue, to fasten it on high upon the mitre; as the LORD commanded Moses.
39:32 Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished: and the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
39:33 And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses, the tent, and all his furniture, his taches, his boards, his bars, and his pillars, and his sockets, 39:34 And the covering of rams' skins dyed red, and the covering of badgers' skins, and the vail of the covering, 39:35 The ark of the testimony, and the staves thereof, and the mercy seat, 39:36 The table, and all the vessels thereof, and the shewbread, 39:37 The pure candlestick, with the lamps thereof, even with the lamps to be set in order, and all the vessels thereof, and the oil for light, 39:38 And the golden altar, and the anointing oil, and the sweet incense, and the hanging for the tabernacle door, 39:39 The brasen altar, and his grate of brass, his staves, and all his vessels, the laver and his foot, 39:40 The hangings of the court, his pillars, and his sockets, and the hanging for the court gate, his cords, and his pins, and all the vessels of the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of the congregation, 39:41 The cloths of service to do service in the holy place, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and his sons' garments, to minister in the priest's office.
39:42 According to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work.
39:43 And Moses did look upon all the work, and, behold, they had done it as the LORD had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.
40:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 40:2 On the first day of the first month shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
40:3 And thou shalt put therein the ark of the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.
40:4 And thou shalt bring in the table, and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; and thou shalt bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof.
40:5 And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the hanging of the door to the tabernacle.
40:6 And thou shalt set the altar of the burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation.
40:7 And thou shalt set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and shalt put water therein.
40:8 And thou shalt set up the court round about, and hang up the hanging at the court gate.
40:9 And thou shalt take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy.
40:10 And thou shalt anoint the altar of the burnt offering, and all his vessels, and sanctify the altar: and it shall be an altar most holy.
40:11 And thou shalt anoint the laver and his foot, and sanctify it.
40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
40:13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments, and anoint him, and sanctify him; that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.
40:14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and clothe them with coats: 40:15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.
40:16 Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he.
40:17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
40:18 And Moses reared up the tabernacle, and fastened his sockets, and set up the boards thereof, and put in the bars thereof, and reared up his pillars.
40:19 And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent above upon it; as the LORD commanded Moses.
40:20 And he took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the staves on the ark, and put the mercy seat above upon the ark: 40:21 And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the LORD commanded Moses.
40:22 And he put the table in the tent of the congregation, upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail.
40:23 And he set the bread in order upon it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.
40:24 And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation, over against the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.
40:25 And he lighted the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
40:26 And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail: 40:27 And he burnt sweet incense thereon; as the LORD commanded Moses.
40:28 And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle.
40:29 And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation, and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; as the LORD commanded Moses.
40:30 And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar, and put water there, to wash withal.
40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: 40:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; as the LORD commanded Moses.
40:33 And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.
40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
40:36 And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys: 40:37 But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up.
40:38 For the cloud of the LORD was upon the tabernacle by day, and fire was on it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.
The Book of Vayikra (Leviticus):
1:1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 1:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
1:3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.
1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
1:5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
1:6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
1:7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 1:8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
1:10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
1:11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
1:12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 1:13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
1:15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: 1:16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: 1:17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
2:1 And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon: 2:2 And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: 2:3 And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
2:4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
2:5 And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
2:6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.
2:7 And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
2:8 And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
2:9 And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
2:10 And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
2:11 No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.
2:12 As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.
2:13 And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
2:14 And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
2:15 And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
2:16 And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
3:1 And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.
3:2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
3:3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 3:4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
3:5 And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
3:6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
3:7 If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD.
3:8 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.
3:9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 3:10 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
3:11 And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.
3:12 And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.
3:13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
3:14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 3:15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.
3:16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD's.
3:17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.
4:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 4:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a soul shall sin through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them: 4:3 If the priest that is anointed do sin according to the sin of the people; then let him bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish unto the LORD for a sin offering.
4:4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD.
4:5 And the priest that is anointed shall take of the bullock's blood, and bring it to the tabernacle of the congregation: 4:6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.
4:7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:8 And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, 4:9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, 4:10 As it was taken off from the bullock of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall burn them upon the altar of the burnt offering.
4:11 And the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh, with his head, and with his legs, and his inwards, and his dung, 4:12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp unto a clean place, where the ashes are poured out, and burn him on the wood with fire: where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt.
4:13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; 4:14 When the sin, which they have sinned against it, is known, then the congregation shall offer a young bullock for the sin, and bring him before the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD.
4:16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation: 4:17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the vail.
4:18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar.
4:20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them.
4:21 And he shall carry forth the bullock without the camp, and burn him as he burned the first bullock: it is a sin offering for the congregation.
4:22 When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; 4:23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: 4:24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD: it is a sin offering.
4:25 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.
4:26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him.
4:27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD concerning things which ought not to be done, and be guilty; 4:28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge: then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned.
4:29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay the sin offering in the place of the burnt offering.
4:30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.
4:31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him.
4:32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin offering, he shall bring it a female without blemish.
4:33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin offering, and slay it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering.
4:34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar: 4:35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him.
5:1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity.
5:2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether it be a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and if it be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.
5:3 Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness it be that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty.
5:4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing with his lips to do evil, or to do good, whatsoever it be that a man shall pronounce with an oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth of it, then he shall be guilty in one of these.
5:5 And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: 5:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin.
5:7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the LORD; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.
5:8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder: 5:9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.
5:10 And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.
5:11 But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.
5:12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering.
5:13 And the priest shall make an atonement for him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it shall be forgiven him: and the remnant shall be the priest's, as a meat offering.
5:14 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:15 If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering.
5:16 And he shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing, and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.
5:17 And if a soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of the LORD; though he wist it not, yet is he guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.
5:18 And he shall bring a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and wist it not, and it shall be forgiven him.
5:19 It is a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD.
6:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour; 6:3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein: 6:4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found, 6:5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.
6:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest: 6:7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.
6:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
6:11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
6:14 And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.
6:15 And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.
6:16 And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
6:17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.
6:18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.
6:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
6:21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
6:22 And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt.
6:23 For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
6:24 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy.
6:26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.
6:27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.
6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.
6:29 All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
6:30 And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.
7:1 Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering: it is most holy.
7:2 In the place where they kill the burnt offering shall they kill the trespass offering: and the blood thereof shall he sprinkle round about upon the altar.
7:3 And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, 7:4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away: 7:5 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar for an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a trespass offering.
7:6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.
7:7 As the sin offering is, so is the trespass offering: there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it.
7:8 And the priest that offereth any man's burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered.
7:9 And all the meat offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the fryingpan, and in the pan, shall be the priest's that offereth it.
7:10 And every meat offering, mingled with oil, and dry, shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another.
7:11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.
7:12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.
7:13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.
7:14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the LORD, and it shall be the priest's that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.
7:15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.
7:16 But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten: 7:17 But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire.
7:18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.
7:19 And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.
7:20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
7:21 Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
7:22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7:23 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.
7:24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.
7:25 For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.
7:26 Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.
7:27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
7:28 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7:29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the LORD shall bring his oblation unto the LORD of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
7:30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the LORD.
7:31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.
7:32 And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
7:33 He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.
7:34 For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.
7:35 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the LORD in the priest's office; 7:36 Which the LORD commanded to be given them of the children of Israel, in the day that he anointed them, by a statute for ever throughout their generations.
7:37 This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; 7:38 Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.
8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 8:3 And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8:4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
8:5 And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.
8:6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
8:7 And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
8:8 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
8:9 And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.
8:10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.
8:11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.
8:12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.
8:13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses.
8:14 And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering.
8:15 And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.
8:16 And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar.
8:17 But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses.
8:18 And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
8:19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.
8:20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.
8:21 And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
8:22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
8:23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
8:24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.
8:25 And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: 8:26 And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: 8:27 And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD.
8:28 And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
8:29 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the LORD commanded Moses.
8:30 And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
8:31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
8:32 And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire.
8:33 And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.
8:34 As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.
8:35 Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.
8:36 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
9:1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel; 9:2 And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.
9:3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering; 9:4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat offering mingled with oil: for to day the LORD will appear unto you.
9:5 And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
9:6 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you.
9:7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.
9:8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
9:9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar: 9:10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.
9:11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.
9:12 And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.
9:13 And they presented the burnt offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head: and he burnt them upon the altar.
9:14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt offering on the altar.
9:15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.
9:16 And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.
9:17 And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
9:18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about, 9:19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: 9:20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar: 9:21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded.
9:22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
9:23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people.
9:24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.
10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.
10:4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.
10:5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.
10:6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.
10:7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.
10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 10:9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: 10:10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; 10:11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.
10:12 And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy: 10:13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.
10:14 And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons' due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.
10:15 The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons' with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.
10:16 And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying, 10:17 Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD? 10:18 Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.
10:19 And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD? 10:20 And when Moses heard that, he was content.
11:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them, 11:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
11:3 Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
11:4 Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
11:5 And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
11:6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
11:7 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
11:8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.
11:9 These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat.
11:10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you: 11:11 They shall be even an abomination unto you; ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcases in abomination.
11:12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be an abomination unto you.
11:13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 11:14 And the vulture, and the kite after his kind; 11:15 Every raven after his kind; 11:16 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 11:17 And the little owl, and the cormorant, and the great owl, 11:18 And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle, 11:19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
11:20 All fowls that creep, going upon all four, shall be an abomination unto you.
11:21 Yet these may ye eat of every flying creeping thing that goeth upon all four, which have legs above their feet, to leap withal upon the earth; 11:22 Even these of them ye may eat; the locust after his kind, and the bald locust after his kind, and the beetle after his kind, and the grasshopper after his kind.
11:23 But all other flying creeping things, which have four feet, shall be an abomination unto you.
11:24 And for these ye shall be unclean: whosoever toucheth the carcase of them shall be unclean until the even.
11:25 And whosoever beareth ought of the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
11:26 The carcases of every beast which divideth the hoof, and is not clovenfooted, nor cheweth the cud, are unclean unto you: every one that toucheth them shall be unclean.
11:27 And whatsoever goeth upon his paws, among all manner of beasts that go on all four, those are unclean unto you: whoso toucheth their carcase shall be unclean until the even.
11:28 And he that beareth the carcase of them shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: they are unclean unto you.
11:29 These also shall be unclean unto you among the creeping things that creep upon the earth; the weasel, and the mouse, and the tortoise after his kind, 11:30 And the ferret, and the chameleon, and the lizard, and the snail, and the mole.
11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, doth fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
11:33 And every earthen vessel, whereinto any of them falleth, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
11:34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such water cometh shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
11:35 And every thing whereupon any part of their carcase falleth shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots, they shall be broken down: for they are unclean and shall be unclean unto you.
11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of water, shall be clean: but that which toucheth their carcase shall be unclean.
11:37 And if any part of their carcase fall upon any sowing seed which is to be sown, it shall be clean.
11:38 But if any water be put upon the seed, and any part of their carcase fall thereon, it shall be unclean unto you.
11:39 And if any beast, of which ye may eat, die; he that toucheth the carcase thereof shall be unclean until the even.
11:40 And he that eateth of the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: he also that beareth the carcase of it shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even.
11:41 And every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth shall be an abomination; it shall not be eaten.
11:42 Whatsoever goeth upon the belly, and whatsoever goeth upon all four, or whatsoever hath more feet among all creeping things that creep upon the earth, them ye shall not eat; for they are an abomination.
11:43 Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
11:44 For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
11:45 For I am the LORD that bringeth you up out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.
11:46 This is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: 11:47 To make a difference between the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten and the beast that may not be eaten.
12:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
12:3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
12:4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
12:5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.
12:6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: 12:7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.
12:8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.
13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, saying, 13:2 When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: 13:3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.
13:4 If the bright spot be white in the skin of his flesh, and in sight be not deeper than the skin, and the hair thereof be not turned white; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague seven days: 13:5 And the priest shall look on him the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague in his sight be at a stay, and the plague spread not in the skin; then the priest shall shut him up seven days more: 13:6 And the priest shall look on him again the seventh day: and, behold, if the plague be somewhat dark, and the plague spread not in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean: it is but a scab: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
13:7 But if the scab spread much abroad in the skin, after that he hath been seen of the priest for his cleansing, he shall be seen of the priest again.
13:8 And if the priest see that, behold, the scab spreadeth in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.
13:9 When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest; 13:10 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the rising be white in the skin, and it have turned the hair white, and there be quick raw flesh in the rising; 13:11 It is an old leprosy in the skin of his flesh, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean, and shall not shut him up: for he is unclean.
13:12 And if a leprosy break out abroad in the skin, and the leprosy cover all the skin of him that hath the plague from his head even to his foot, wheresoever the priest looketh; 13:13 Then the priest shall consider: and, behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: it is all turned white: he is clean.
13:14 But when raw flesh appeareth in him, he shall be unclean.
13:15 And the priest shall see the raw flesh, and pronounce him to be unclean: for the raw flesh is unclean: it is a leprosy.
13:16 Or if the raw flesh turn again, and be changed unto white, he shall come unto the priest; 13:17 And the priest shall see him: and, behold, if the plague be turned into white; then the priest shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague: he is clean.
13:18 The flesh also, in which, even in the skin thereof, was a boil, and is healed, 13:19 And in the place of the boil there be a white rising, or a bright spot, white, and somewhat reddish, and it be shewed to the priest; 13:20 And if, when the priest seeth it, behold, it be in sight lower than the skin, and the hair thereof be turned white; the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague of leprosy broken out of the boil.
13:21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs therein, and if it be not lower than the skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days: 13:22 And if it spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a plague.
13:23 But if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not, it is a burning boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
13:24 Or if there be any flesh, in the skin whereof there is a hot burning, and the quick flesh that burneth have a white bright spot, somewhat reddish, or white; 13:25 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the hair in the bright spot be turned white, and it be in sight deeper than the skin; it is a leprosy broken out of the burning: wherefore the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
13:26 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hair in the bright spot, and it be no lower than the other skin, but be somewhat dark; then the priest shall shut him up seven days: 13:27 And the priest shall look upon him the seventh day: and if it be spread much abroad in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is the plague of leprosy.
13:28 And if the bright spot stay in his place, and spread not in the skin, but it be somewhat dark; it is a rising of the burning, and the priest shall pronounce him clean: for it is an inflammation of the burning.
13:29 If a man or woman have a plague upon the head or the beard; 13:30 Then the priest shall see the plague: and, behold, if it be in sight deeper than the skin; and there be in it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him unclean: it is a dry scall, even a leprosy upon the head or beard.
13:31 And if the priest look on the plague of the scall, and, behold, it be not in sight deeper than the skin, and that there is no black hair in it; then the priest shall shut up him that hath the plague of the scall seven days: 13:32 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the plague: and, behold, if the scall spread not, and there be in it no yellow hair, and the scall be not in sight deeper than the skin; 13:33 He shall be shaven, but the scall shall he not shave; and the priest shall shut up him that hath the scall seven days more: 13:34 And in the seventh day the priest shall look on the scall: and, behold, if the scall be not spread in the skin, nor be in sight deeper than the skin; then the priest shall pronounce him clean: and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean.
13:35 But if the scall spread much in the skin after his cleansing; 13:36 Then the priest shall look on him: and, behold, if the scall be spread in the skin, the priest shall not seek for yellow hair; he is unclean.
13:37 But if the scall be in his sight at a stay, and that there is black hair grown up therein; the scall is healed, he is clean: and the priest shall pronounce him clean.
13:38 If a man also or a woman have in the skin of their flesh bright spots, even white bright spots; 13:39 Then the priest shall look: and, behold, if the bright spots in the skin of their flesh be darkish white; it is a freckled spot that groweth in the skin; he is clean.
13:40 And the man whose hair is fallen off his head, he is bald; yet is he clean.
13:41 And he that hath his hair fallen off from the part of his head toward his face, he is forehead bald: yet is he clean.
13:42 And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
13:43 Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh; 13:44 He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
13:45 And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
13:46 All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
13:47 The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment; 13:48 Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin; 13:49 And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest: 13:50 And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days: 13:51 And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
13:52 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
13:53 And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; 13:54 Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more: 13:55 And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.
13:56 And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof: 13:57 And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
13:58 And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
13:59 This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.
14:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 14:2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: 14:3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; 14:4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 14:5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: 14:6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: 14:7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
14:8 And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
14:9 But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.
14:10 And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
14:11 And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 14:12 And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: 14:13 And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy: 14:14 And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: 14:15 And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand: 14:16 And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD: 14:17 And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering: 14:18 And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD.
14:19 And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering: 14:20 And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.
14:21 And if he be poor, and cannot get so much; then he shall take one lamb for a trespass offering to be waved, to make an atonement for him, and one tenth deal of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering, and a log of oil; 14:22 And two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to get; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.
14:23 And he shall bring them on the eighth day for his cleansing unto the priest, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD.
14:24 And the priest shall take the lamb of the trespass offering, and the log of oil, and the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: 14:25 And he shall kill the lamb of the trespass offering, and the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot: 14:26 And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand: 14:27 And the priest shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD: 14:28 And the priest shall put of the oil that is in his hand upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the place of the blood of the trespass offering: 14:29 And the rest of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall put upon the head of him that is to be cleansed, to make an atonement for him before the LORD.
14:30 And he shall offer the one of the turtledoves, or of the young pigeons, such as he can get; 14:31 Even such as he is able to get, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, with the meat offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed before the LORD.
14:32 This is the law of him in whom is the plague of leprosy, whose hand is not able to get that which pertaineth to his cleansing.
14:33 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 14:34 When ye be come into the land of Canaan, which I give to you for a possession, and I put the plague of leprosy in a house of the land of your possession; 14:35 And he that owneth the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, It seemeth to me there is as it were a plague in the house: 14:36 Then the priest shall command that they empty the house, before the priest go into it to see the plague, that all that is in the house be not made unclean: and afterward the priest shall go in to see the house: 14:37 And he shall look on the plague, and, behold, if the plague be in the walls of the house with hollow strakes, greenish or reddish, which in sight are lower than the wall; 14:38 Then the priest shall go out of the house to the door of the house, and shut up the house seven days: 14:39 And the priest shall come again the seventh day, and shall look: and, behold, if the plague be spread in the walls of the house; 14:40 Then the priest shall command that they take away the stones in which the plague is, and they shall cast them into an unclean place without the city: 14:41 And he shall cause the house to be scraped within round about, and they shall pour out the dust that they scrape off without the city into an unclean place: 14:42 And they shall take other stones, and put them in the place of those stones; and he shall take other morter, and shall plaister the house.
14:43 And if the plague come again, and break out in the house, after that he hath taken away the stones, and after he hath scraped the house, and after it is plaistered; 14:44 Then the priest shall come and look, and, behold, if the plague be spread in the house, it is a fretting leprosy in the house; it is unclean.
14:45 And he shall break down the house, the stones of it, and the timber thereof, and all the morter of the house; and he shall carry them forth out of the city into an unclean place.
14:46 Moreover he that goeth into the house all the while that it is shut up shall be unclean until the even.
14:47 And he that lieth in the house shall wash his clothes; and he that eateth in the house shall wash his clothes.
14:48 And if the priest shall come in, and look upon it, and, behold, the plague hath not spread in the house, after the house was plaistered: then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, because the plague is healed.
14:49 And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 14:50 And he shall kill the one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water: 14:51 And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times: 14:52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet: 14:53 But he shall let go the living bird out of the city into the open fields, and make an atonement for the house: and it shall be clean.
14:54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall, 14:55 And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house, 14:56 And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot: 14:57 To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.
15:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 15:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean.
15:3 And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness.
15:4 Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean.
15:5 And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:6 And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:7 And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:8 And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:9 And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean.
15:10 And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:11 And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:12 And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.
15:13 And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean.
15:14 And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest: 15:15 And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue.
15:16 And if any man's seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:17 And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even.
15:18 The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:19 And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.
15:20 And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean.
15:21 And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:22 And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:23 And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even.
15:24 And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean.
15:25 And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean.
15:26 Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation.
15:27 And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even.
15:28 But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean.
15:29 And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
15:30 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness.
15:31 Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them.
15:32 This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; 15:33 And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.
16:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; 16:2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.
16:3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.
16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.
16:5 And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.
16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.
16:7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
16:8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.
16:9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD's lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.
16:10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
16:11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 16:13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 16:14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.
16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16:16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.
16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.
16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.
16:19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.
16:20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 16:21 And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 16:22 And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
16:23 And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: 16:24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people.
16:25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.
16:27 And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung.
16:28 And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
16:29 And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 16:30 For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.
16:31 It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever.
16:32 And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest's office in his father's stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: 16:33 And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation.
16:34 And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.
17:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17:2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them; This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, saying, 17:3 What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, 17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people: 17:5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace offerings unto the LORD.
17:6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
17:7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for ever unto them throughout their generations.
17:8 And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, 17:9 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD; even that man shall be cut off from among his people.
17:10 And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
17:12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
17:13 And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
17:14 For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
17:15 And every soul that eateth that which died of itself, or that which was torn with beasts, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he be clean.
17:16 But if he wash them not, nor bathe his flesh; then he shall bear his iniquity.
18:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.
18:3 After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
18:4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.
18:5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
18:6 None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
18:7 The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
18:8 The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.
18:9 The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
18:10 The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
18:11 The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
18:12 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.
18:13 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.
18:14 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
18:15 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
18:16 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.
18:17 Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.
18:18 Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.
18:19 Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.
18:20 Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour's wife, to defile thyself with her.
18:21 And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
18:24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: 18:27 (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) 18:28 That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
18:29 For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
18:30 Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
19:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.
19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.
19:4 Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God.
19:5 And if ye offer a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, ye shall offer it at your own will.
19:6 It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.
19:7 And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted.
19:8 Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the LORD: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
19:9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.
19:10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.
19:11 Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.
19:12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
19:13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.
19:14 Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.
19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
19:16 Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour; I am the LORD.
19:17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.
19:18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
19:19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
19:20 And whosoever lieth carnally with a woman, that is a bondmaid, betrothed to an husband, and not at all redeemed, nor freedom given her; she shall be scourged; they shall not be put to death, because she was not free.
19:21 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, even a ram for a trespass offering.
19:22 And the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he hath done: and the sin which he hath done shall be forgiven him.
19:23 And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of.
19:24 But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the LORD withal.
19:25 And in the fifth year shall ye eat of the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto you the increase thereof: I am the LORD your God.
19:26 Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
19:27 Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.
19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.
19:29 Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.
19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.
19:32 Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.
19:33 And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him.
19:34 But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
19:35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
19:36 Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
19:37 Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.
20:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20:2 Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.
20:3 And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.
20:4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: 20:5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.
20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.
20:7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
20:8 And ye shall keep my statutes, and do them: I am the LORD which sanctify you.
20:9 For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
20:10 And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
20:11 And the man that lieth with his father's wife hath uncovered his father's nakedness: both of them shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
20:12 And if a man lie with his daughter in law, both of them shall surely be put to death: they have wrought confusion; their blood shall be upon them.
20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
20:14 And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you.
20:15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
20:16 And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
20:17 And if a man shall take his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, and see her nakedness, and she see his nakedness; it is a wicked thing; and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people: he hath uncovered his sister's nakedness; he shall bear his iniquity.
20:18 And if a man shall lie with a woman having her sickness, and shall uncover her nakedness; he hath discovered her fountain, and she hath uncovered the fountain of her blood: and both of them shall be cut off from among their people.
20:19 And thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister, nor of thy father's sister: for he uncovereth his near kin: they shall bear their iniquity.
20:20 And if a man shall lie with his uncle's wife, he hath uncovered his uncle's nakedness: they shall bear their sin; they shall die childless.
20:21 And if a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless.
20:22 Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: that the land, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out.
20:23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.
20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.
20:25 Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean.
20:26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.
20:27 A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them.
21:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people: 21:2 But for his kin, that is near unto him, that is, for his mother, and for his father, and for his son, and for his daughter, and for his brother.
21:3 And for his sister a virgin, that is nigh unto him, which hath had no husband; for her may he be defiled.
21:4 But he shall not defile himself, being a chief man among his people, to profane himself.
21:5 They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
21:6 They shall be holy unto their God, and not profane the name of their God: for the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and the bread of their God, they do offer: therefore they shall be holy.
21:7 They shall not take a wife that is a whore, or profane; neither shall they take a woman put away from her husband: for he is holy unto his God.
21:8 Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the LORD, which sanctify you, am holy.
21:9 And the daughter of any priest, if she profane herself by playing the whore, she profaneth her father: she shall be burnt with fire.
21:10 And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes; 21:11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 21:12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
21:13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity.
21:14 A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or an harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife.
21:15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him.
21:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 21:17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.
21:18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 21:19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 21:20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; 21:21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.
21:22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy.
21:23 Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
21:24 And Moses told it unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
22:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22:2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.
22:3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.
22:4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him; 22:5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; 22:6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
22:7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.
22:8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith; I am the LORD.
22:9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.
22:10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
22:11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.
22:12 If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.
22:13 But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall be no stranger eat thereof.
22:14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.
22:15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; 22:16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
22:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22:18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering; 22:19 Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
22:20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.
22:21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
22:22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.
22:23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
22:24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.
22:25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
22:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 22:27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
22:28 And whether it be cow, or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.
22:29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.
22:30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.
22:31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.
22:32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you, 22:33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.
23:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are my feasts.
23:3 Six days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your dwellings.
23:4 These are the feasts of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their seasons.
23:5 In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.
23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
23:8 But ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days: in the seventh day is an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
23:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest: 23:11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you: on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
23:12 And ye shall offer that day when ye wave the sheaf an he lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt offering unto the LORD.
23:13 And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin.
23:14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor green ears, until the selfsame day that ye have brought an offering unto your God: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven sabbaths shall be complete: 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.
23:17 Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals; they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD.
23:18 And ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams: they shall be for a burnt offering unto the LORD, with their meat offering, and their drink offerings, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the LORD.
23:19 Then ye shall sacrifice one kid of the goats for a sin offering, and two lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace offerings.
23:20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits for a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs: they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
23:21 And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
23:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
23:25 Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
23:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
23:28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.
23:29 For whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.
23:30 And whatsoever soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people.
23:31 Ye shall do no manner of work: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.
23:33 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 23:34 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
23:35 On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
23:36 Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day: 23:38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year.
It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: 23:43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.
24:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24:2 Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.
24:3 Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations.
24:4 He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.
24:5 And thou shalt take fine flour, and bake twelve cakes thereof: two tenth deals shall be in one cake.
24:6 And thou shalt set them in two rows, six on a row, upon the pure table before the LORD.
24:7 And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
24:8 Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
24:9 And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'; and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him of the offerings of the LORD made by fire by a perpetual statute.
24:10 And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; 24:11 And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) 24:12 And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them.
24:13 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24:14 Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.
24:15 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.
24:16 And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.
24:17 And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death.
24:18 And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast.
24:19 And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour; as he hath done, so shall it be done to him; 24:20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again.
24:21 And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it: and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death.
24:22 Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God.
24:23 And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.
25:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying, 25:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land which I give you, then shall the land keep a sabbath unto the LORD.
25:3 Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; 25:4 But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.
25:5 That which groweth of its own accord of thy harvest thou shalt not reap, neither gather the grapes of thy vine undressed: for it is a year of rest unto the land.
25:6 And the sabbath of the land shall be meat for you; for thee, and for thy servant, and for thy maid, and for thy hired servant, and for thy stranger that sojourneth with thee.
25:7 And for thy cattle, and for the beast that are in thy land, shall all the increase thereof be meat.
25:8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.
25:9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
25:10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
25:11 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.
25:12 For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.
25:13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
25:14 And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another: 25:15 According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: 25:16 According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.
25:17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God:for I am the LORD your God.
25:18 Wherefore ye shall do my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; and ye shall dwell in the land in safety.
25:19 And the land shall yield her fruit, and ye shall eat your fill, and dwell therein in safety.
25:20 And if ye shall say, What shall we eat the seventh year? behold, we shall not sow, nor gather in our increase: 25:21 Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.
25:22 And ye shall sow the eighth year, and eat yet of old fruit until the ninth year; until her fruits come in ye shall eat of the old store.
25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine, for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
25:24 And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land.
25:25 If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.
25:26 And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; 25:27 Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession.
25:28 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.
25:29 And if a man sell a dwelling house in a walled city, then he may redeem it within a whole year after it is sold; within a full year may he redeem it.
25:30 And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it throughout his generations: it shall not go out in the jubile.
25:31 But the houses of the villages which have no wall round about them shall be counted as the fields of the country: they may be redeemed, and they shall go out in the jubile.
25:32 Notwithstanding the cities of the Levites, and the houses of the cities of their possession, may the Levites redeem at any time.
25:33 And if a man purchase of the Levites, then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubile: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel.
25:34 But the field of the suburbs of their cities may not be sold; for it is their perpetual possession.
25:35 And if thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt relieve him: yea, though he be a stranger, or a sojourner; that he may live with thee.
25:36 Take thou no usury of him, or increase: but fear thy God; that thy brother may live with thee.
25:37 Thou shalt not give him thy money upon usury, nor lend him thy victuals for increase.
25:38 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.
25:39 And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 25:40 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile.
25:41 And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return.
25:42 For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen.
25:43 Thou shalt not rule over him with rigour; but shalt fear thy God.
25:44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids.
25:45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.
25:46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigour.
25:47 And if a sojourner or stranger wax rich by thee, and thy brother that dwelleth by him wax poor, and sell himself unto the stranger or sojourner by thee, or to the stock of the stranger's family: 25:48 After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: 25:49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or if he be able, he may redeem himself.
25:50 And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubile: and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years, according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him.
25:51 If there be yet many years behind, according unto them he shall give again the price of his redemption out of the money that he was bought for.
25:52 And if there remain but few years unto the year of jubile, then he shall count with him, and according unto his years shall he give him again the price of his redemption.
25:53 And as a yearly hired servant shall he be with him: and the other shall not rule with rigour over him in thy sight.
25:54 And if he be not redeemed in these years, then he shall go out in the year of jubile, both he, and his children with him.
25:55 For unto me the children of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
26:2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; 26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
26:5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
26:9 For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
26:10 And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.
26:11 And I set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
26:12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
26:13 I am the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, that ye should not be their bondmen; and I have broken the bands of your yoke, and made you go upright.
26:14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; 26:15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: 26:16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
26:17 And I will set my face against you, and ye shall be slain before your enemies: they that hate you shall reign over you; and ye shall flee when none pursueth you.
26:18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
26:19 And I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: 26:20 And your strength shall be spent in vain: for your land shall not yield her increase, neither shall the trees of the land yield their fruits.
26:21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your sins.
26:22 I will also send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle, and make you few in number; and your high ways shall be desolate.
26:23 And if ye will not be reformed by me by these things, but will walk contrary unto me; 26:24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish you yet seven times for your sins.
26:25 And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.
26:26 And when I have broken the staff of your bread, ten women shall bake your bread in one oven, and they shall deliver you your bread again by weight: and ye shall eat, and not be satisfied.
26:27 And if ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; 26:28 Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins.
26:29 And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat.
26:30 And I will destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my soul shall abhor you.
26:31 And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.
26:32 And I will bring the land into desolation: and your enemies which dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
26:33 And I will scatter you among the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall be desolate, and your cities waste.
26:34 Then shall the land enjoy her sabbaths, as long as it lieth desolate, and ye be in your enemies' land; even then shall the land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths.
26:35 As long as it lieth desolate it shall rest; because it did not rest in your sabbaths, when ye dwelt upon it.
26:36 And upon them that are left alive of you I will send a faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; and the sound of a shaken leaf shall chase them; and they shall flee, as fleeing from a sword; and they shall fall when none pursueth.
26:37 And they shall fall one upon another, as it were before a sword, when none pursueth: and ye shall have no power to stand before your enemies.
26:38 And ye shall perish among the heathen, and the land of your enemies shall eat you up.
26:39 And they that are left of you shall pine away in their iniquity in your enemies' lands; and also in the iniquities of their fathers shall they pine away with them.
26:40 If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; 26:41 And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: 26:42 Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.
26:43 The land also shall be left of them, and shall enjoy her sabbaths, while she lieth desolate without them: and they shall accept of the punishment of their iniquity: because, even because they despised my judgments, and because their soul abhorred my statutes.
26:44 And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the LORD their God.
26:45 But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the heathen, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.
26:46 These are the statutes and judgments and laws, which the LORD made between him and the children of Israel in mount Sinai by the hand of Moses.
27:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When a man shall make a singular vow, the persons shall be for the LORD by thy estimation.
27:3 And thy estimation shall be of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old, even thy estimation shall be fifty shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary.
27:4 And if it be a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels.
27:5 And if it be from five years old even unto twenty years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male twenty shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
27:6 And if it be from a month old even unto five years old, then thy estimation shall be of the male five shekels of silver, and for the female thy estimation shall be three shekels of silver.
27:7 And if it be from sixty years old and above; if it be a male, then thy estimation shall be fifteen shekels, and for the female ten shekels.
27:8 But if he be poorer than thy estimation, then he shall present himself before the priest, and the priest shall value him; according to his ability that vowed shall the priest value him.
27:9 And if it be a beast, whereof men bring an offering unto the LORD, all that any man giveth of such unto the LORD shall be holy.
27:10 He shall not alter it, nor change it, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good: and if he shall at all change beast for beast, then it and the exchange thereof shall be holy.
27:11 And if it be any unclean beast, of which they do not offer a sacrifice unto the LORD, then he shall present the beast before the priest: 27:12 And the priest shall value it, whether it be good or bad: as thou valuest it, who art the priest, so shall it be.
27:13 But if he will at all redeem it, then he shall add a fifth part thereof unto thy estimation.
27:14 And when a man shall sanctify his house to be holy unto the LORD, then the priest shall estimate it, whether it be good or bad: as the priest shall estimate it, so shall it stand.
27:15 And if he that sanctified it will redeem his house, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be his.
27:16 And if a man shall sanctify unto the LORD some part of a field of his possession, then thy estimation shall be according to the seed thereof: an homer of barley seed shall be valued at fifty shekels of silver.
27:17 If he sanctify his field from the year of jubile, according to thy estimation it shall stand.
27:18 But if he sanctify his field after the jubile, then the priest shall reckon unto him the money according to the years that remain, even unto the year of the jubile, and it shall be abated from thy estimation.
27:19 And if he that sanctified the field will in any wise redeem it, then he shall add the fifth part of the money of thy estimation unto it, and it shall be assured to him.
27:20 And if he will not redeem the field, or if he have sold the field to another man, it shall not be redeemed any more.
27:21 But the field, when it goeth out in the jubile, shall be holy unto the LORD, as a field devoted; the possession thereof shall be the priest's.
27:22 And if a man sanctify unto the LORD a field which he hath bought, which is not of the fields of his possession; 27:23 Then the priest shall reckon unto him the worth of thy estimation, even unto the year of the jubile: and he shall give thine estimation in that day, as a holy thing unto the LORD.
27:24 In the year of the jubile the field shall return unto him of whom it was bought, even to him to whom the possession of the land did belong.
27:25 And all thy estimations shall be according to the shekel of the sanctuary: twenty gerahs shall be the shekel.
27:26 Only the firstling of the beasts, which should be the LORD's firstling, no man shall sanctify it; whether it be ox, or sheep: it is the LORD's.
27:27 And if it be of an unclean beast, then he shall redeem it according to thine estimation, and shall add a fifth part of it thereto: or if it be not redeemed, then it shall be sold according to thy estimation.
27:28 Notwithstanding no devoted thing, that a man shall devote unto the LORD of all that he hath, both of man and beast, and of the field of his possession, shall be sold or redeemed: every devoted thing is most holy unto the LORD.
27:29 None devoted, which shall be devoted of men, shall be redeemed; but shall surely be put to death.
27:30 And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
27:31 And if a man will at all redeem ought of his tithes, he shall add thereto the fifth part thereof.
27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
27:33 He shall not search whether it be good or bad, neither shall he change it: and if he change it at all, then both it and the change thereof shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.
27:34 These are the commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses for the children of Israel in mount Sinai.
The Book of Bamidbar (Numbers):
1:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tabernacle of the congregation, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 1:2 Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; 1:3 From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.
1:4 And with you there shall be a man of every tribe; every one head of the house of his fathers.
1:5 And these are the names of the men that shall stand with you: of the tribe of Reuben; Elizur the son of Shedeur.
1:6 Of Simeon; Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
1:7 Of Judah; Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
1:8 Of Issachar; Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
1:9 Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
1:10 Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
1:11 Of Benjamin; Abidan the son of Gideoni.
1:12 Of Dan; Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
1:13 Of Asher; Pagiel the son of Ocran.
1:14 Of Gad; Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
1:15 Of Naphtali; Ahira the son of Enan.
1:16 These were the renowned of the congregation, princes of the tribes of their fathers, heads of thousands in Israel.
1:17 And Moses and Aaron took these men which are expressed by their names: 1:18 And they assembled all the congregation together on the first day of the second month, and they declared their pedigrees after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, by their polls.
1:19 As the LORD commanded Moses, so he numbered them in the wilderness of Sinai.
1:20 And the children of Reuben, Israel's eldest son, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:21 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Reuben, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
1:22 Of the children of Simeon, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, those that were numbered of them, according to the number of the names, by their polls, every male from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:23 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Simeon, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
1:24 Of the children of Gad, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:25 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Gad, were forty and five thousand six hundred and fifty.
1:26 Of the children of Judah, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:27 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Judah, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
1:28 Of the children of Issachar, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:29 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Issachar, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
1:30 Of the children of Zebulun, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:31 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Zebulun, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
1:32 Of the children of Joseph, namely, of the children of Ephraim, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:33 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Ephraim, were forty thousand and five hundred.
1:34 Of the children of Manasseh, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:35 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Manasseh, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
1:36 Of the children of Benjamin, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:37 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Benjamin, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
1:38 Of the children of Dan, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:39 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Dan, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
1:40 Of the children of Asher, by their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:41 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Asher, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
1:42 Of the children of Naphtali, throughout their generations, after their families, by the house of their fathers, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war; 1:43 Those that were numbered of them, even of the tribe of Naphtali, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
1:44 These are those that were numbered, which Moses and Aaron numbered, and the princes of Israel, being twelve men: each one was for the house of his fathers.
1:45 So were all those that were numbered of the children of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from twenty years old and upward, all that were able to go forth to war in Israel; 1:46 Even all they that were numbered were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
1:47 But the Levites after the tribe of their fathers were not numbered among them.
1:48 For the LORD had spoken unto Moses, saying, 1:49 Only thou shalt not number the tribe of Levi, neither take the sum of them among the children of Israel: 1:50 But thou shalt appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of testimony, and over all the vessels thereof, and over all things that belong to it: they shall bear the tabernacle, and all the vessels thereof; and they shall minister unto it, and shall encamp round about the tabernacle.
1:51 And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
1:52 And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents, every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard, throughout their hosts.
1:53 But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall keep the charge of the tabernacle of testimony.
1:54 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did they.
2:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 2:2 Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard, with the ensign of their father's house: far off about the tabernacle of the congregation shall they pitch.
2:3 And on the east side toward the rising of the sun shall they of the standard of the camp of Judah pitch throughout their armies: and Nahshon the son of Amminadab shall be captain of the children of Judah.
2:4 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and fourteen thousand and six hundred.
2:5 And those that do pitch next unto him shall be the tribe of Issachar: and Nethaneel the son of Zuar shall be captain of the children of Issachar.
2:6 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and four thousand and four hundred.
2:7 Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.
2:8 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were fifty and seven thousand and four hundred.
2:9 All that were numbered in the camp of Judah were an hundred thousand and fourscore thousand and six thousand and four hundred, throughout their armies. These shall first set forth.
2:10 On the south side shall be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their armies: and the captain of the children of Reuben shall be Elizur the son of Shedeur.
2:11 And his host, and those that were numbered thereof, were forty and six thousand and five hundred.
2:12 And those which pitch by him shall be the tribe of Simeon: and the captain of the children of Simeon shall be Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
2:13 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and nine thousand and three hundred.
2:14 Then the tribe of Gad: and the captain of the sons of Gad shall be Eliasaph the son of Reuel.
2:15 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and five thousand and six hundred and fifty.
2:16 All that were numbered in the camp of Reuben were an hundred thousand and fifty and one thousand and four hundred and fifty, throughout their armies. And they shall set forth in the second rank.
2:17 Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.
2:18 On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
2:19 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty thousand and five hundred.
2:20 And by him shall be the tribe of Manasseh: and the captain of the children of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
2:21 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and two thousand and two hundred.
2:22 Then the tribe of Benjamin: and the captain of the sons of Benjamin shall be Abidan the son of Gideoni.
2:23 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were thirty and five thousand and four hundred.
2:24 All that were numbered of the camp of Ephraim were an hundred thousand and eight thousand and an hundred, throughout their armies. And they shall go forward in the third rank.
2:25 The standard of the camp of Dan shall be on the north side by their armies: and the captain of the children of Dan shall be Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
2:26 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were threescore and two thousand and seven hundred.
2:27 And those that encamp by him shall be the tribe of Asher: and the captain of the children of Asher shall be Pagiel the son of Ocran.
2:28 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were forty and one thousand and five hundred.
2:29 Then the tribe of Naphtali: and the captain of the children of Naphtali shall be Ahira the son of Enan.
2:30 And his host, and those that were numbered of them, were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
2:31 All they that were numbered in the camp of Dan were an hundred thousand and fifty and seven thousand and six hundred. They shall go hindmost with their standards.
2:32 These are those which were numbered of the children of Israel by the house of their fathers: all those that were numbered of the camps throughout their hosts were six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty.
2:33 But the Levites were not numbered among the children of Israel; as the LORD commanded Moses.
2:34 And the children of Israel did according to all that the LORD commanded Moses: so they pitched by their standards, and so they set forward, every one after their families, according to the house of their fathers.
3:1 These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the LORD spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
3:2 And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3:3 These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
3:4 And Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD, when they offered strange fire before the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.
3:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 3:6 Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
3:7 And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
3:8 And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
3:9 And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.
3:10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
3:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 3:12 And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine; 3:13 Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the LORD.
3:14 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying, 3:15 Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
3:16 And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded.
3:17 And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
3:18 And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
3:19 And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izehar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
3:20 And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
3:21 Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
3:22 Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
3:23 The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
3:24 And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
3:25 And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 3:26 And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
3:27 And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izeharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
3:28 In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
3:29 The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
3:30 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
3:31 And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
3:32 And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
3:33 Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
3:34 And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
3:35 And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
3:36 And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto, 3:37 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
3:38 But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
3:39 All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the LORD, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
3:40 And the LORD said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
3:41 And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the LORD) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
3:42 And Moses numbered, as the LORD commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
3:43 And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
3:44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 3:45 Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the LORD.
3:46 And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites; 3:47 Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:) 3:48 And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
3:49 And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites: 3:50 Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 3:51 And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.
4:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 4:2 Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers, 4:3 From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:4 This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things: 4:5 And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering vail, and cover the ark of testimony with it: 4:6 And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
4:7 And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon: 4:8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
4:9 And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it: 4:10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.
4:11 And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof: 4:12 And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar: 4:13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon: 4:14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basons, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.
4:15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:16 And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
4:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron saying, 4:18 Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites: 4:19 But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden: 4:20 But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
4:21 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 4:22 Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families; 4:23 From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:24 This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens: 4:25 And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, 4:26 And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
4:27 At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
4:28 This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
4:29 As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers; 4:30 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:31 And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof, 4:32 And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
4:33 This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
4:34 And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers, 4:35 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation: 4:36 And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
4:37 These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
4:38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers, 4:39 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, 4:40 Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.
4:41 These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the LORD.
4:42 And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, 4:43 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation, 4:44 Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
4:45 These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
4:46 All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers, 4:47 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4:48 Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore, 4:49 According to the commandment of the LORD they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the LORD commanded Moses.
5:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:2 Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead: 5:3 Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
5:4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the LORD spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:6 Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the LORD, and that person be guilty; 5:7 Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.
5:8 But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the LORD, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.
5:9 And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.
5:10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.
5:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 5:12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him, 5:13 And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner; 5:14 And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled: 5:15 Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
5:16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD: 5:17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water: 5:18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse: 5:19 And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse: 5:20 But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband: 5:21 Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell; 5:22 And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
5:23 And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water: 5:24 And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
5:25 Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the LORD, and offer it upon the altar: 5:26 And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
5:27 And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
5:28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
5:29 This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled; 5:30 Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
5:31 Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.
6:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the LORD: 6:3 He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
6:4 All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.
6:5 All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
6:6 All the days that he separateth himself unto the LORD he shall come at no dead body.
6:7 He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head.
6:8 All the days of his separation he is holy unto the LORD.
6:9 And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
6:10 And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 6:11 And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.
6:12 And he shall consecrate unto the LORD the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
6:13 And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: 6:14 And he shall offer his offering unto the LORD, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings, 6:15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
6:16 And the priest shall bring them before the LORD, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering: 6:17 And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
6:18 And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
6:19 And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven: 6:20 And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the LORD: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
6:21 This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the LORD for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
6:22 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 6:23 Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 6:24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 6:25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 6:26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
6:27 And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.
7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them; 7:2 That the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, who were the princes of the tribes, and were over them that were numbered, offered: 7:3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.
7:4 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 7:5 Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
7:6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites.
7:7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service: 7:8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
7:9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.
7:10 And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.
7:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.
7:12 And he that offered his offering the first day was Nahshon the son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah: 7:13 And his offering was one silver charger, the weight thereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them were full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:14 One spoon of ten shekels of gold, full of incense: 7:15 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:16 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:17 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
7:18 On the second day Nethaneel the son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, did offer: 7:19 He offered for his offering one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:20 One spoon of gold of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:21 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:22 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:23 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
7:24 On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer: 7:25 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:26 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:27 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:28 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:29 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
7:30 On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the children of Reuben, did offer: 7:31 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:32 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:33 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:34 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:35 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elizur the son of Shedeur.
7:36 On the fifth day Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai, prince of the children of Simeon, did offer: 7:37 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:38 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:39 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:40 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:41 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
7:42 On the sixth day Eliasaph the son of Deuel, prince of the children of Gad, offered: 7:43 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, a silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:44 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:45 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:46 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:47 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
7:48 On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered: 7:49 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:50 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:51 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:52 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:53 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Elishama the son of Ammihud.
7:54 On the eighth day offered Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur, prince of the children of Manasseh: 7:55 His offering was one silver charger of the weight of an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:56 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:57 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:58 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:59 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
7:60 On the ninth day Abidan the son of Gideoni, prince of the children of Benjamin, offered: 7:61 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:62 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:64 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:65 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Abidan the son of Gideoni.
7:66 On the tenth day Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai, prince of the children of Dan, offered: 7:67 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:68 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:69 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:70 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:71 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
7:72 On the eleventh day Pagiel the son of Ocran, prince of the children of Asher, offered: 7:73 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:74 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:75 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:76 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:77 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Pagiel the son of Ocran.
7:78 On the twelfth day Ahira the son of Enan, prince of the children of Naphtali, offered: 7:79 His offering was one silver charger, the weight whereof was an hundred and thirty shekels, one silver bowl of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meat offering: 7:80 One golden spoon of ten shekels, full of incense: 7:81 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering: 7:82 One kid of the goats for a sin offering: 7:83 And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Ahira the son of Enan.
7:84 This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel: twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold: 7:85 Each charger of silver weighing an hundred and thirty shekels, each bowl seventy: all the silver vessels weighed two thousand and four hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: 7:86 The golden spoons were twelve, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece, after the shekel of the sanctuary: all the gold of the spoons was an hundred and twenty shekels.
7:87 All the oxen for the burnt offering were twelve bullocks, the rams twelve, the lambs of the first year twelve, with their meat offering: and the kids of the goats for sin offering twelve.
7:88 And all the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, the he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty. This was the dedication of the altar, after that it was anointed.
7:89 And when Moses was gone into the tabernacle of the congregation to speak with him, then he heard the voice of one speaking unto him from off the mercy seat that was upon the ark of testimony, from between the two cherubims: and he spake unto him.
8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:2 Speak unto Aaron and say unto him, When thou lightest the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light over against the candlestick.
8:3 And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick, as the LORD commanded Moses.
8:4 And this work of the candlestick was of beaten gold, unto the shaft thereof, unto the flowers thereof, was beaten work: according unto the pattern which the LORD had shewed Moses, so he made the candlestick.
8:5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:6 Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.
8:7 And thus shalt thou do unto them, to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them shave all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean.
8:8 Then let them take a young bullock with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil, and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering.
8:9 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together: 8:10 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: 8:11 And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD.
8:12 And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.
8:13 And thou shalt set the Levites before Aaron, and before his sons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.
8:14 Thus shalt thou separate the Levites from among the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be mine.
8:15 And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering.
8:16 For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me.
8:17 For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.
8:18 And I have taken the Levites for all the firstborn of the children of Israel.
8:19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
8:20 And Moses, and Aaron, and all the congregation of the children of Israel, did to the Levites according unto all that the LORD commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did the children of Israel unto them.
8:21 And the Levites were purified, and they washed their clothes; and Aaron offered them as an offering before the LORD; and Aaron made an atonement for them to cleanse them.
8:22 And after that went the Levites in to do their service in the tabernacle of the congregation before Aaron, and before his sons: as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so did they unto them.
8:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 8:24 This is it that belongeth unto the Levites: from twenty and five years old and upward they shall go in to wait upon the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: 8:25 And from the age of fifty years they shall cease waiting upon the service thereof, and shall serve no more: 8:26 But shall minister with their brethren in the tabernacle of the congregation, to keep the charge, and shall do no service. Thus shalt thou do unto the Levites touching their charge.
9:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 9:2 Let the children of Israel also keep the passover at his appointed season.
9:3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at even, ye shall keep it in his appointed season: according to all the rites of it, and according to all the ceremonies thereof, shall ye keep it.
9:4 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should keep the passover.
9:5 And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.
9:6 And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: 9:7 And those men said unto him, We are defiled by the dead body of a man: wherefore are we kept back, that we may not offer an offering of the LORD in his appointed season among the children of Israel? 9:8 And Moses said unto them, Stand still, and I will hear what the LORD will command concerning you.
9:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 9:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the LORD.
9:11 The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.
9:12 They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the passover they shall keep it.
9:13 But the man that is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the LORD in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin.
9:14 And if a stranger shall sojourn among you, and will keep the passover unto the LORD; according to the ordinance of the passover, and according to the manner thereof, so shall he do: ye shall have one ordinance, both for the stranger, and for him that was born in the land.
9:15 And on the day that the tabernacle was reared up the cloud covered the tabernacle, namely, the tent of the testimony: and at even there was upon the tabernacle as it were the appearance of fire, until the morning.
9:16 So it was alway: the cloud covered it by day, and the appearance of fire by night.
9:17 And when the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, then after that the children of Israel journeyed: and in the place where the cloud abode, there the children of Israel pitched their tents.
9:18 At the commandment of the LORD the children of Israel journeyed, and at the commandment of the LORD they pitched: as long as the cloud abode upon the tabernacle they rested in their tents.
9:19 And when the cloud tarried long upon the tabernacle many days, then the children of Israel kept the charge of the LORD, and journeyed not.
9:20 And so it was, when the cloud was a few days upon the tabernacle; according to the commandment of the LORD they abode in their tents, and according to the commandment of the LORD they journeyed.
9:21 And so it was, when the cloud abode from even unto the morning, and that the cloud was taken up in the morning, then they journeyed: whether it was by day or by night that the cloud was taken up, they journeyed.
9:22 Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed.
9:23 At the commandment of the LORD they rested in the tents, and at the commandment of the LORD they journeyed: they kept the charge of the LORD, at the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
10:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 10:2 Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps.
10:3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
10:4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee.
10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.
10:6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
10:7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm.
10:8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations.
10:9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies.
10:10 Also in the day of your gladness, and in your solemn days, and in the beginnings of your months, ye shall blow with the trumpets over your burnt offerings, and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings; that they may be to you for a memorial before your God: I am the LORD your God.
10:11 And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony.
10:12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.
10:13 And they first took their journey according to the commandment of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
10:14 In the first place went the standard of the camp of the children of Judah according to their armies: and over his host was Nahshon the son of Amminadab.
10:15 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Issachar was Nethaneel the son of Zuar.
10:16 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Zebulun was Eliab the son of Helon.
10:17 And the tabernacle was taken down; and the sons of Gershon and the sons of Merari set forward, bearing the tabernacle.
10:18 And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur.
10:19 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Simeon was Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai.
10:20 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Gad was Eliasaph the son of Deuel.
10:21 And the Kohathites set forward, bearing the sanctuary: and the other did set up the tabernacle against they came.
10:22 And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
10:23 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Manasseh was Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
10:24 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Benjamin was Abidan the son of Gideoni.
10:25 And the standard of the camp of the children of Dan set forward, which was the rereward of all the camps throughout their hosts: and over his host was Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai.
10:26 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Asher was Pagiel the son of Ocran.
10:27 And over the host of the tribe of the children of Naphtali was Ahira the son of Enan.
10:28 Thus were the journeyings of the children of Israel according to their armies, when they set forward.
10:29 And Moses said unto Hobab, the son of Raguel the Midianite, Moses' father in law, We are journeying unto the place of which the LORD said, I will give it you: come thou with us, and we will do thee good: for the LORD hath spoken good concerning Israel.
10:30 And he said unto him, I will not go; but I will depart to mine own land, and to my kindred.
10:31 And he said, Leave us not, I pray thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness, and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes.
10:32 And it shall be, if thou go with us, yea, it shall be, that what goodness the LORD shall do unto us, the same will we do unto thee.
10:33 And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.
10:34 And the cloud of the LORD was upon them by day, when they went out of the camp.
10:35 And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee.
10:36 And when it rested, he said, Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.
11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
11:2 And the people cried unto Moses; and when Moses prayed unto the LORD, the fire was quenched.
11:3 And he called the name of the place Taberah: because the fire of the LORD burnt among them.
11:4 And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: 11:6 But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.
11:7 And the manna was as coriander seed, and the colour thereof as the colour of bdellium.
11:8 And the people went about, and gathered it, and ground it in mills, or beat it in a mortar, and baked it in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil.
11:9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell upon it.
11:10 Then Moses heard the people weep throughout their families, every man in the door of his tent: and the anger of the LORD was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased.
11:11 And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? 11:12 Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? 11:13 Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat.
11:14 I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me.
11:15 And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
11:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
11:17 And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone.
11:18 And say thou unto the people, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow, and ye shall eat flesh: for ye have wept in the ears of the LORD, saying, Who shall give us flesh to eat? for it was well with us in Egypt: therefore the LORD will give you flesh, and ye shall eat.
11:19 Ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; 11:20 But even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you: because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why came we forth out of Egypt? 11:21 And Moses said, The people, among whom I am, are six hundred thousand footmen; and thou hast said, I will give them flesh, that they may eat a whole month.
11:22 Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them? 11:23 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.
11:24 And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
11:25 And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
11:26 But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
11:27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them! 11:30 And Moses gat him into the camp, he and the elders of Israel.
11:31 And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day's journey on this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.
11:32 And the people stood up all that day, and all that night, and all the next day, and they gathered the quails: he that gathered least gathered ten homers: and they spread them all abroad for themselves round about the camp.
11:33 And while the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD smote the people with a very great plague.
11:34 And he called the name of that place Kibrothhattaavah: because there they buried the people that lusted.
11:35 And the people journeyed from Kibrothhattaavah unto Hazeroth; and abode at Hazeroth.
12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
12:3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) 12:4 And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
12:5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
12:6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
12:7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
12:8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? 12:9 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.
12:10 And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.
12:11 And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.
12:12 Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother's womb.
12:13 And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee.
12:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that let her be received in again.
12:15 And Miriam was shut out from the camp seven days: and the people journeyed not till Miriam was brought in again.
12:16 And afterward the people removed from Hazeroth, and pitched in the wilderness of Paran.
13:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 13:2 Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.
13:3 And Moses by the commandment of the LORD sent them from the wilderness of Paran: all those men were heads of the children of Israel.
13:4 And these were their names: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur.
13:5 Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori.
13:6 Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
13:7 Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph.
13:8 Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun.
13:9 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu.
13:10 Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi.
13:11 Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi.
13:12 Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli.
13:13 Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael.
13:14 Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi.
13:15 Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
13:16 These are the names of the men which Moses sent to spy out the land.
And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun Jehoshua.
13:17 And Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said unto them, Get you up this way southward, and go up into the mountain: 13:18 And see the land, what it is, and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; 13:19 And what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; 13:20 And what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land. Now the time was the time of the firstripe grapes.
13:21 So they went up, and searched the land from the wilderness of Zin unto Rehob, as men come to Hamath.
13:22 And they ascended by the south, and came unto Hebron; where Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of Anak, were. (Now Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 13:23 And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs.
13:24 The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence.
13:25 And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.
13:26 And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.
13:27 And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
13:28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.
13:29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.
13:30 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.
13:31 But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.
13:32 And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.
13:33 And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
14:1 And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.
14:2 And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 14:3 And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 14:4 And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
14:5 Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the children of Israel.
14:6 And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: 14:7 And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.
14:8 If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.
14:9 Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not.
14:10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
14:11 And the LORD said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? 14:12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.
14:13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;) 14:14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
14:15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying, 14:16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
14:17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my LORD be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
14:19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
14:20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.
14:22 Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; 14:23 Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: 14:24 But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land whereinto he went; and his seed shall possess it.
14:25 (Now the Amalekites and the Canaanites dwelt in the valley.) Tomorrow turn you, and get you into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
14:26 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 14:27 How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.
14:28 Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you: 14:29 Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward which have murmured against me.
14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
14:31 But your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, them will I bring in, and they shall know the land which ye have despised.
14:32 But as for you, your carcases, they shall fall in this wilderness.
14:33 And your children shall wander in the wilderness forty years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness.
14:34 After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.
14:35 I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
14:36 And the men, which Moses sent to search the land, who returned, and made all the congregation to murmur against him, by bringing up a slander upon the land, 14:37 Even those men that did bring up the evil report upon the land, died by the plague before the LORD.
14:38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
14:39 And Moses told these sayings unto all the children of Israel: and the people mourned greatly.
14:40 And they rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, Lo, we be here, and will go up unto the place which the LORD hath promised: for we have sinned.
14:41 And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the LORD? but it shall not prosper.
14:42 Go not up, for the LORD is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies.
14:43 For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.
14:44 But they presumed to go up unto the hill top: nevertheless the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, departed not out of the camp.
14:45 Then the Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah.
15:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you, 15:3 And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd or of the flock: 15:4 Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.
15:5 And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.
15:6 Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.
15:7 And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
15:8 And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD: 15:9 Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.
15:10 And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
15:11 Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.
15:12 According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.
15:13 All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
15:14 And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.
15:15 One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
15:16 One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
15:17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15:18 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land whither I bring you, 15:19 Then it shall be, that, when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering unto the LORD.
15:20 Ye shall offer up a cake of the first of your dough for an heave offering: as ye do the heave offering of the threshingfloor, so shall ye heave it.
15:21 Of the first of your dough ye shall give unto the LORD an heave offering in your generations.
15:22 And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which the LORD hath spoken unto Moses, 15:23 Even all that the LORD hath commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that the LORD commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations; 15:24 Then it shall be, if ought be committed by ignorance without the knowledge of the congregation, that all the congregation shall offer one young bullock for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour unto the LORD, with his meat offering, and his drink offering, according to the manner, and one kid of the goats for a sin offering.
15:25 And the priest shall make an atonement for all the congregation of the children of Israel, and it shall be forgiven them; for it is ignorance: and they shall bring their offering, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD, for their ignorance: 15:26 And it shall be forgiven all the congregation of the children of Israel, and the stranger that sojourneth among them; seeing all the people were in ignorance.
15:27 And if any soul sin through ignorance, then he shall bring a she goat of the first year for a sin offering.
15:28 And the priest shall make an atonement for the soul that sinneth ignorantly, when he sinneth by ignorance before the LORD, to make an atonement for him; and it shall be forgiven him.
15:29 Ye shall have one law for him that sinneth through ignorance, both for him that is born among the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them.
15:30 But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
15:31 Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.
15:32 And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.
15:33 And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation.
15:34 And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.
15:35 And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.
15:36 And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the LORD commanded Moses.
15:37 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 15:38 Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: 15:39 And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: 15:40 That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
15:41 I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.
16:1 Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men: 16:2 And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown: 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD? 16:4 And when Moses heard it, he fell upon his face: 16:5 And he spake unto Korah and unto all his company, saying, Even to morrow the LORD will shew who are his, and who is holy; and will cause him to come near unto him: even him whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him.
16:6 This do; Take you censers, Korah, and all his company; 16:7 And put fire therein, and put incense in them before the LORD to morrow: and it shall be that the man whom the LORD doth choose, he shall be holy: ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.
16:8 And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: 16:9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them? 16:10 And he hath brought thee near to him, and all thy brethren the sons of Levi with thee: and seek ye the priesthood also? 16:11 For which cause both thou and all thy company are gathered together against the LORD: and what is Aaron, that ye murmur against him? 16:12 And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up: 16:13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us? 16:14 Moreover thou hast not brought us into a land that floweth with milk and honey, or given us inheritance of fields and vineyards: wilt thou put out the eyes of these men? we will not come up.
16:15 And Moses was very wroth, and said unto the LORD, Respect not thou their offering: I have not taken one ass from them, neither have I hurt one of them.
16:16 And Moses said unto Korah, Be thou and all thy company before the LORD, thou, and they, and Aaron, to morrow: 16:17 And take every man his censer, and put incense in them, and bring ye before the LORD every man his censer, two hundred and fifty censers; thou also, and Aaron, each of you his censer.
16:18 And they took every man his censer, and put fire in them, and laid incense thereon, and stood in the door of the tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron.
16:19 And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
16:20 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 16:21 Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.
16:22 And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation? 16:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:24 Speak unto the congregation, saying, Get you up from about the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram.
16:25 And Moses rose up and went unto Dathan and Abiram; and the elders of Israel followed him.
16:26 And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of their's, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.
16:27 So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.
16:28 And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.
16:29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.
16:30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.
16:31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 16:32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.
16:33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
16:34 And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.
16:35 And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.
16:36 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:37 Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed.
16:38 The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before the LORD, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.
16:39 And Eleazar the priest took the brasen censers, wherewith they that were burnt had offered; and they were made broad plates for a covering of the altar: 16:40 To be a memorial unto the children of Israel, that no stranger, which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense before the LORD; that he be not as Korah, and as his company: as the LORD said to him by the hand of Moses.
16:41 But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the LORD.
16:42 And it came to pass, when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation: and, behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the LORD appeared.
16:43 And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation.
16:44 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 16:45 Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.
16:46 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; the plague is begun.
16:47 And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among the people: and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people.
16:48 And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.
16:49 Now they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
16:50 And Aaron returned unto Moses unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the plague was stayed.
17:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 17:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of every one of them a rod according to the house of their fathers, of all their princes according to the house of their fathers twelve rods: write thou every man's name upon his rod.
17:3 And thou shalt write Aaron's name upon the rod of Levi: for one rod shall be for the head of the house of their fathers.
17:4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tabernacle of the congregation before the testimony, where I will meet with you.
17:5 And it shall come to pass, that the man's rod, whom I shall choose, shall blossom: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, whereby they murmur against you.
17:6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, and every one of their princes gave him a rod apiece, for each prince one, according to their fathers' houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods.
17:7 And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness.
17:8 And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds.
17:9 And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod.
17:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
17:11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
17:12 And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish.
17:13 Whosoever cometh any thing near unto the tabernacle of the LORD shall die: shall we be consumed with dying? 18:1 And the LORD said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood.
18:2 And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.
18:3 And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.
18:4 And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.
18:5 And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.
18:6 And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are given as a gift for the LORD, to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
18:7 Therefore thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for everything of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: I have given your priest's office unto you as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
18:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Behold, I also have given thee the charge of mine heave offerings of all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, by an ordinance for ever.
18:9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.
18:10 In the most holy place shalt thou eat it; every male shall eat it: it shall be holy unto thee.
18:11 And this is thine; the heave offering of their gift, with all the wave offerings of the children of Israel: I have given them unto thee, and to thy sons and to thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.
18:12 All the best of the oil, and all the best of the wine, and of the wheat, the firstfruits of them which they shall offer unto the LORD, them have I given thee.
18:13 And whatsoever is first ripe in the land, which they shall bring unto the LORD, shall be thine; every one that is clean in thine house shall eat of it.
18:14 Every thing devoted in Israel shall be thine.
18:15 Every thing that openeth the matrix in all flesh, which they bring unto the LORD, whether it be of men or beasts, shall be thine: nevertheless the firstborn of man shalt thou surely redeem, and the firstling of unclean beasts shalt thou redeem.
18:16 And those that are to be redeemed from a month old shalt thou redeem, according to thine estimation, for the money of five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs.
18:17 But the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou shalt not redeem; they are holy: thou shalt sprinkle their blood upon the altar, and shalt burn their fat for an offering made by fire, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
18:18 And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.
18:19 All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee.
18:20 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.
18:21 And, behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inheritance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of the congregation.
18:22 Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation, lest they bear sin, and die.
18:23 But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.
18:24 But the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer as an heave offering unto the LORD, I have given to the Levites to inherit: therefore I have said unto them, Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.
18:25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18:26 Thus speak unto the Levites, and say unto them, When ye take of the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then ye shall offer up an heave offering of it for the LORD, even a tenth part of the tithe.
18:27 And this your heave offering shall be reckoned unto you, as though it were the corn of the threshingfloor, and as the fulness of the winepress.
18:28 Thus ye also shall offer an heave offering unto the LORD of all your tithes, which ye receive of the children of Israel; and ye shall give thereof the LORD's heave offering to Aaron the priest.
18:29 Out of all your gifts ye shall offer every heave offering of the LORD, of all the best thereof, even the hallowed part thereof out of it.
18:30 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, When ye have heaved the best thereof from it, then it shall be counted unto the Levites as the increase of the threshingfloor, and as the increase of the winepress.
18:31 And ye shall eat it in every place, ye and your households: for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation.
18:32 And ye shall bear no sin by reason of it, when ye have heaved from it the best of it: neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.
19:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, 19:2 This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD hath commanded, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring thee a red heifer without spot, wherein is no blemish, and upon which never came yoke: 19:3 And ye shall give her unto Eleazar the priest, that he may bring her forth without the camp, and one shall slay her before his face: 19:4 And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times: 19:5 And one shall burn the heifer in his sight; her skin, and her flesh, and her blood, with her dung, shall he burn: 19:6 And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.
19:7 Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the even.
19:8 And he that burneth her shall wash his clothes in water, and bathe his flesh in water, and shall be unclean until the even.
19:9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
19:10 And he that gathereth the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes, and be unclean until the even: and it shall be unto the children of Israel, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among them, for a statute for ever.
19:11 He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days.
19:12 He shall purify himself with it on the third day, and on the seventh day he shall be clean: but if he purify not himself the third day, then the seventh day he shall not be clean.
19:13 Whosoever toucheth the dead body of any man that is dead, and purifieth not himself, defileth the tabernacle of the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of separation was not sprinkled upon him, he shall be unclean; his uncleanness is yet upon him.
19:14 This is the law, when a man dieth in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.
19:15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.
19:16 And whosoever toucheth one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
19:17 And for an unclean person they shall take of the ashes of the burnt heifer of purification for sin, and running water shall be put thereto in a vessel: 19:18 And a clean person shall take hyssop, and dip it in the water, and sprinkle it upon the tent, and upon all the vessels, and upon the persons that were there, and upon him that touched a bone, or one slain, or one dead, or a grave: 19:19 And the clean person shall sprinkle upon the unclean on the third day, and on the seventh day: and on the seventh day he shall purify himself, and wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and shall be clean at even.
19:20 But the man that shall be unclean, and shall not purify himself, that soul shall be cut off from among the congregation, because he hath defiled the sanctuary of the LORD: the water of separation hath not been sprinkled upon him; he is unclean.
19:21 And it shall be a perpetual statute unto them, that he that sprinkleth the water of separation shall wash his clothes; and he that toucheth the water of separation shall be unclean until even.
19:22 And whatsoever the unclean person toucheth shall be unclean; and the soul that toucheth it shall be unclean until even.
20:1 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
20:2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
20:3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the LORD! 20:4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the LORD into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there? 20:5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
20:6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto them.
20:7 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 20:8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
20:9 And Moses took the rod from before the LORD, as he commanded him.
20:10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock? 20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
20:13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the LORD, and he was sanctified in them.
20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: 20:15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: 20:16 And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: 20:17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders.
20:18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword.
20:19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing anything else, go through on my feet.
20:20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand.
20:21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.
20:22 And the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, journeyed from Kadesh, and came unto mount Hor.
20:23 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, 20:24 Aaron shall be gathered unto his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel, because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah.
20:25 Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up unto mount Hor: 20:26 And strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son: and Aaron shall be gathered unto his people, and shall die there.
20:27 And Moses did as the LORD commanded: and they went up into mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.
20:28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.
20:29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they mourned for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.
21:1 And when king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south, heard tell that Israel came by the way of the spies; then he fought against Israel, and took some of them prisoners.
21:2 And Israel vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou wilt indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I will utterly destroy their cities.
21:3 And the LORD hearkened to the voice of Israel, and delivered up the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their cities: and he called the name of the place Hormah.
21:4 And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
21:5 And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.
21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
21:10 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in Oboth.
21:11 And they journeyed from Oboth, and pitched at Ijeabarim, in the wilderness which is before Moab, toward the sunrising.
21:12 From thence they removed, and pitched in the valley of Zared.
21:13 From thence they removed, and pitched on the other side of Arnon, which is in the wilderness that cometh out of the coasts of the Amorites: for Arnon is the border of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites.
21:14 Wherefore it is said in the book of the wars of the LORD, What he did in the Red sea, and in the brooks of Arnon, 21:15 And at the stream of the brooks that goeth down to the dwelling of Ar, and lieth upon the border of Moab.
21:16 And from thence they went to Beer: that is the well whereof the LORD spake unto Moses, Gather the people together, and I will give them water.
21:17 Then Israel sang this song, Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it: 21:18 The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah: 21:19 And from Mattanah to Nahaliel: and from Nahaliel to Bamoth: 21:20 And from Bamoth in the valley, that is in the country of Moab, to the top of Pisgah, which looketh toward Jeshimon.
21:21 And Israel sent messengers unto Sihon king of the Amorites, saying, 21:22 Let me pass through thy land: we will not turn into the fields, or into the vineyards; we will not drink of the waters of the well: but we will go along by the king's high way, until we be past thy borders.
21:23 And Sihon would not suffer Israel to pass through his border: but Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel into the wilderness: and he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel.
21:24 And Israel smote him with the edge of the sword, and possessed his land from Arnon unto Jabbok, even unto the children of Ammon: for the border of the children of Ammon was strong.
21:25 And Israel took all these cities: and Israel dwelt in all the cities of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all the villages thereof.
21:26 For Heshbon was the city of Sihon the king of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab, and taken all his land out of his hand, even unto Arnon.
21:27 Wherefore they that speak in proverbs say, Come into Heshbon, let the city of Sihon be built and prepared: 21:28 For there is a fire gone out of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon: it hath consumed Ar of Moab, and the lords of the high places of Arnon.
21:29 Woe to thee, Moab! thou art undone, O people of Chemosh: he hath given his sons that escaped, and his daughters, into captivity unto Sihon king of the Amorites.
21:30 We have shot at them; Heshbon is perished even unto Dibon, and we have laid them waste even unto Nophah, which reacheth unto Medeba.
21:31 Thus Israel dwelt in the land of the Amorites.
21:32 And Moses sent to spy out Jaazer, and they took the villages thereof, and drove out the Amorites that were there.
21:33 And they turned and went up by the way of Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan went out against them, he, and all his people, to the battle at Edrei.
21:34 And the LORD said unto Moses, Fear him not: for I have delivered him into thy hand, and all his people, and his land; and thou shalt do to him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
21:35 So they smote him, and his sons, and all his people, until there was none left him alive: and they possessed his land.
22:1 And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.
22:2 And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.
22:3 And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
22:4 And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field.
And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.
22:5 He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me: 22:6 Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
22:7 And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.
22:8 And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam.
22:9 And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee? 22:10 And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, 22:11 Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.
22:12 And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.
22:13 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.
22:14 And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.
22:15 And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.
22:16 And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: 22:17 For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.
22:18 And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.
22:19 Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.
22:20 And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.
22:21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
22:22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
22:23 And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
22:24 But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
22:25 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again.
22:26 And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
22:27 And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? 22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me: 22:33 And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
22:34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.
22:35 And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
22:36 And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.
22:37 And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? 22:38 And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak.
22:39 And Balaam went with Balak, and they came unto Kirjathhuzoth.
22:40 And Balak offered oxen and sheep, and sent to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.
22:41 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Balak took Balaam, and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people.
23:1 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams.
23:2 And Balak did as Balaam had spoken; and Balak and Balaam offered on every altar a bullock and a ram.
23:3 And Balaam said unto Balak, Stand by thy burnt offering, and I will go: peradventure the LORD will come to meet me: and whatsoever he sheweth me I will tell thee. And he went to an high place.
23:4 And God met Balaam: and he said unto him, I have prepared seven altars, and I have offered upon every altar a bullock and a ram.
23:5 And the LORD put a word in Balaam's mouth, and said, Return unto Balak, and thus thou shalt speak.
23:6 And he returned unto him, and, lo, he stood by his burnt sacrifice, he, and all the princes of Moab.
23:7 And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.
23:8 How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied? 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
23:10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his! 23:11 And Balak said unto Balaam, What hast thou done unto me? I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.
23:12 And he answered and said, Must I not take heed to speak that which the LORD hath put in my mouth? 23:13 And Balak said unto him, Come, I pray thee, with me unto another place, from whence thou mayest see them: thou shalt see but the utmost part of them, and shalt not see them all: and curse me them from thence.
23:14 And he brought him into the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, and built seven altars, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
23:15 And he said unto Balak, Stand here by thy burnt offering, while I meet the LORD yonder.
23:16 And the LORD met Balaam, and put a word in his mouth, and said, Go again unto Balak, and say thus.
23:17 And when he came to him, behold, he stood by his burnt offering, and the princes of Moab with him. And Balak said unto him, What hath the LORD spoken? 23:18 And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor: 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? 23:20 Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.
23:21 He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.
23:22 God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
23:23 Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought! 23:24 Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain.
23:25 And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all.
23:26 But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do? 23:27 And Balak said unto Balaam, Come, I pray thee, I will bring thee unto another place; peradventure it will please God that thou mayest curse me them from thence.
23:28 And Balak brought Balaam unto the top of Peor, that looketh toward Jeshimon.
23:29 And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven bullocks and seven rams.
23:30 And Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bullock and a ram on every altar.
24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek for enchantments, but he set his face toward the wilderness.
24:2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.
24:3 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 24:4 He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 24:5 How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel! 24:6 As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.
24:7 He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.
24:8 God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.
24:9 He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.
24:10 And Balak's anger was kindled against Balaam, and he smote his hands together: and Balak said unto Balaam, I called thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them these three times.
24:11 Therefore now flee thou to thy place: I thought to promote thee unto great honour; but, lo, the LORD hath kept thee back from honour.
24:12 And Balaam said unto Balak, Spake I not also to thy messengers which thou sentest unto me, saying, 24:13 If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak? 24:14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.
24:15 And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: 24:16 He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open: 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
24:19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.
24:20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.
24:21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock.
24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.
24:23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! 24:24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.
24:25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.
25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
25:2 And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.
25:3 And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.
25:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them up before the LORD against the sun, that the fierce anger of the LORD may be turned away from Israel.
25:5 And Moses said unto the judges of Israel, Slay ye every one his men that were joined unto Baalpeor.
25:6 And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
25:7 And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; 25:8 And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.
25:9 And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.
25:10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25:11 Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy.
25:12 Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: 25:13 And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.
25:14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.
25:15 And the name of the Midianitish woman that was slain was Cozbi, the daughter of Zur; he was head over a people, and of a chief house in Midian.
25:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 25:17 Vex the Midianites, and smite them: 25:18 For they vex you with their wiles, wherewith they have beguiled you in the matter of Peor, and in the matter of Cozbi, the daughter of a prince of Midian, their sister, which was slain in the day of the plague for Peor's sake.
26:1 And it came to pass after the plague, that the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, saying, 26:2 Take the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, from twenty years old and upward, throughout their fathers' house, all that are able to go to war in Israel.
26:3 And Moses and Eleazar the priest spake with them in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 26:4 Take the sum of the people, from twenty years old and upward; as the LORD commanded Moses and the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt.
26:5 Reuben, the eldest son of Israel: the children of Reuben; Hanoch, of whom cometh the family of the Hanochites: of Pallu, the family of the Palluites: 26:6 Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.
26:7 These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.
26:8 And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
26:9 And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD: 26:10 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign.
26:11 Notwithstanding the children of Korah died not.
26:12 The sons of Simeon after their families: of Nemuel, the family of the Nemuelites: of Jamin, the family of the Jaminites: of Jachin, the family of the Jachinites: 26:13 Of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites: of Shaul, the family of the Shaulites.
26:14 These are the families of the Simeonites, twenty and two thousand and two hundred.
26:15 The children of Gad after their families: of Zephon, the family of the Zephonites: of Haggi, the family of the Haggites: of Shuni, the family of the Shunites: 26:16 Of Ozni, the family of the Oznites: of Eri, the family of the Erites: 26:17 Of Arod, the family of the Arodites: of Areli, the family of the Arelites.
26:18 These are the families of the children of Gad according to those that were numbered of them, forty thousand and five hundred.
26:19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan: and Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan.
26:20 And the sons of Judah after their families were; of Shelah, the family of the Shelanites: of Pharez, the family of the Pharzites: of Zerah, the family of the Zarhites.
26:21 And the sons of Pharez were; of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Hamul, the family of the Hamulites.
26:22 These are the families of Judah according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and sixteen thousand and five hundred.
26:23 Of the sons of Issachar after their families: of Tola, the family of the Tolaites: of Pua, the family of the Punites: 26:24 Of Jashub, the family of the Jashubites: of Shimron, the family of the Shimronites.
26:25 These are the families of Issachar according to those that were numbered of them, threescore and four thousand and three hundred.
26:26 Of the sons of Zebulun after their families: of Sered, the family of the Sardites: of Elon, the family of the Elonites: of Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites.
26:27 These are the families of the Zebulunites according to those that were numbered of them, threescore thousand and five hundred.
26:28 The sons of Joseph after their families were Manasseh and Ephraim.
26:29 Of the sons of Manasseh: of Machir, the family of the Machirites: and Machir begat Gilead: of Gilead come the family of the Gileadites.
26:30 These are the sons of Gilead: of Jeezer, the family of the Jeezerites: of Helek, the family of the Helekites: 26:31 And of Asriel, the family of the Asrielites: and of Shechem, the family of the Shechemites: 26:32 And of Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites: and of Hepher, the family of the Hepherites.
26:33 And Zelophehad the son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah.
26:34 These are the families of Manasseh, and those that were numbered of them, fifty and two thousand and seven hundred.
26:35 These are the sons of Ephraim after their families: of Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthalhites: of Becher, the family of the Bachrites: of Tahan, the family of the Tahanites.
26:36 And these are the sons of Shuthelah: of Eran, the family of the Eranites.
26:37 These are the families of the sons of Ephraim according to those that were numbered of them, thirty and two thousand and five hundred. These are the sons of Joseph after their families.
26:38 The sons of Benjamin after their families: of Bela, the family of the Belaites: of Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites: of Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites: 26:39 Of Shupham, the family of the Shuphamites: of Hupham, the family of the Huphamites.
26:40 And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the family of the Ardites: and of Naaman, the family of the Naamites.
26:41 These are the sons of Benjamin after their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and six hundred.
26:42 These are the sons of Dan after their families: of Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These are the families of Dan after their families.
26:43 All the families of the Shuhamites, according to those that were numbered of them, were threescore and four thousand and four hundred.
26:44 Of the children of Asher after their families: of Jimna, the family of the Jimnites: of Jesui, the family of the Jesuites: of Beriah, the family of the Beriites.
26:45 Of the sons of Beriah: of Heber, the family of the Heberites: of Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites.
26:46 And the name of the daughter of Asher was Sarah.
26:47 These are the families of the sons of Asher according to those that were numbered of them; who were fifty and three thousand and four hundred.
26:48 Of the sons of Naphtali after their families: of Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites: of Guni, the family of the Gunites: 26:49 Of Jezer, the family of the Jezerites: of Shillem, the family of the Shillemites.
26:50 These are the families of Naphtali according to their families: and they that were numbered of them were forty and five thousand and four hundred.
26:51 These were the numbered of the children of Israel, six hundred thousand and a thousand seven hundred and thirty.
26:52 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 26:53 Unto these the land shall be divided for an inheritance according to the number of names.
26:54 To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him.
26:55 Notwithstanding the land shall be divided by lot: according to the names of the tribes of their fathers they shall inherit.
26:56 According to the lot shall the possession thereof be divided between many and few.
26:57 And these are they that were numbered of the Levites after their families: of Gershon, the family of the Gershonites: of Kohath, the family of the Kohathites: of Merari, the family of the Merarites.
26:58 These are the families of the Levites: the family of the Libnites, the family of the Hebronites, the family of the Mahlites, the family of the Mushites, the family of the Korathites. And Kohath begat Amram.
26:59 And the name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
26:60 And unto Aaron was born Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
26:61 And Nadab and Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the LORD.
26:62 And those that were numbered of them were twenty and three thousand, all males from a month old and upward: for they were not numbered among the children of Israel, because there was no inheritance given them among the children of Israel.
26:63 These are they that were numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who numbered the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
26:64 But among these there was not a man of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai.
26:65 For the LORD had said of them, They shall surely die in the wilderness. And there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.
27:1 Then came the daughters of Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of Manasseh the son of Joseph: and these are the names of his daughters; Mahlah, Noah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Tirzah.
27:2 And they stood before Moses, and before Eleazar the priest, and before the princes and all the congregation, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 27:3 Our father died in the wilderness, and he was not in the company of them that gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah; but died in his own sin, and had no sons.
27:4 Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son? Give unto us therefore a possession among the brethren of our father.
27:5 And Moses brought their cause before the LORD.
27:6 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27:7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
27:8 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a man die, and have no son, then ye shall cause his inheritance to pass unto his daughter.
27:9 And if he have no daughter, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his brethren.
27:10 And if he have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his father's brethren.
27:11 And if his father have no brethren, then ye shall give his inheritance unto his kinsman that is next to him of his family, and he shall possess it: and it shall be unto the children of Israel a statute of judgment, as the LORD commanded Moses.
27:12 And the LORD said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount Abarim, and see the land which I have given unto the children of Israel.
27:13 And when thou hast seen it, thou also shalt be gathered unto thy people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered.
27:14 For ye rebelled against my commandment in the desert of Zin, in the strife of the congregation, to sanctify me at the water before their eyes: that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.
27:15 And Moses spake unto the LORD, saying, 27:16 Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, 27:17 Which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the LORD be not as sheep which have no shepherd.
27:18 And the LORD said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; 27:19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.
27:20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
27:21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the LORD: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.
27:22 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: 27:23 And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
28:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 28:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, My offering, and my bread for my sacrifices made by fire, for a sweet savour unto me, shall ye observe to offer unto me in their due season.
28:3 And thou shalt say unto them, This is the offering made by fire which ye shall offer unto the LORD; two lambs of the first year without spot day by day, for a continual burnt offering.
28:4 The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even; 28:5 And a tenth part of an ephah of flour for a meat offering, mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil.
28:6 It is a continual burnt offering, which was ordained in mount Sinai for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
28:7 And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the LORD for a drink offering.
28:8 And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
28:9 And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: 28:10 This is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
28:11 And in the beginnings of your months ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, seven lambs of the first year without spot; 28:12 And three tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one bullock; and two tenth deals of flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, for one ram; 28:13 And a several tenth deal of flour mingled with oil for a meat offering unto one lamb; for a burnt offering of a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
28:14 And their drink offerings shall be half an hin of wine unto a bullock, and the third part of an hin unto a ram, and a fourth part of an hin unto a lamb: this is the burnt offering of every month throughout the months of the year.
28:15 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering unto the LORD shall be offered, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
28:16 And in the fourteenth day of the first month is the passover of the LORD.
28:17 And in the fifteenth day of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.
28:18 In the first day shall be an holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work therein: 28:19 But ye shall offer a sacrifice made by fire for a burnt offering unto the LORD; two young bullocks, and one ram, and seven lambs of the first year: they shall be unto you without blemish: 28:20 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil: three tenth deals shall ye offer for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram; 28:21 A several tenth deal shalt thou offer for every lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 28:22 And one goat for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you.
28:23 Ye shall offer these beside the burnt offering in the morning, which is for a continual burnt offering.
28:24 After this manner ye shall offer daily, throughout the seven days, the meat of the sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: it shall be offered beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.
28:25 And on the seventh day ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work.
28:26 Also in the day of the firstfruits, when ye bring a new meat offering unto the LORD, after your weeks be out, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: 28:27 But ye shall offer the burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of the first year; 28:28 And their meat offering of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto one bullock, two tenth deals unto one ram, 28:29 A several tenth deal unto one lamb, throughout the seven lambs; 28:30 And one kid of the goats, to make an atonement for you.
28:31 Ye shall offer them beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, (they shall be unto you without blemish) and their drink offerings.
29:1 And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpets unto you.
29:2 And ye shall offer a burnt offering for a sweet savour unto the LORD; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:3 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals for a bullock, and two tenth deals for a ram, 29:4 And one tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 29:5 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you: 29:6 Beside the burnt offering of the month, and his meat offering, and the daily burnt offering, and his meat offering, and their drink offerings, according unto their manner, for a sweet savour, a sacrifice made by fire unto the LORD.
29:7 And ye shall have on the tenth day of this seventh month an holy convocation; and ye shall afflict your souls: ye shall not do any work therein: 29:8 But ye shall offer a burnt offering unto the LORD for a sweet savour; one young bullock, one ram, and seven lambs of the first year; they shall be unto you without blemish: 29:9 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals to a bullock, and two tenth deals to one ram, 29:10 A several tenth deal for one lamb, throughout the seven lambs: 29:11 One kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the sin offering of atonement, and the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering of it, and their drink offerings.
29:12 And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work, and ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: 29:13 And ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; thirteen young bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year; they shall be without blemish: 29:14 And their meat offering shall be of flour mingled with oil, three tenth deals unto every bullock of the thirteen bullocks, two tenth deals to each ram of the two rams, 29:15 And a several tenth deal to each lamb of the fourteen lambs: 29:16 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:17 And on the second day ye shall offer twelve young bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 29:18 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:19 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and the meat offering thereof, and their drink offerings.
29:20 And on the third day eleven bullocks, two rams, fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish; 29:21 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:22 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:23 And on the fourth day ten bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:24 Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:25 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:26 And on the fifth day nine bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without spot: 29:27 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:28 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:29 And on the sixth day eight bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:30 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:31 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:32 And on the seventh day seven bullocks, two rams, and fourteen lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:33 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:34 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:35 On the eighth day ye shall have a solemn assembly: ye shall do no servile work therein: 29:36 But ye shall offer a burnt offering, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD: one bullock, one ram, seven lambs of the first year without blemish: 29:37 Their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullock, for the ram, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: 29:38 And one goat for a sin offering; beside the continual burnt offering, and his meat offering, and his drink offering.
29:39 These things ye shall do unto the LORD in your set feasts, beside your vows, and your freewill offerings, for your burnt offerings, and for your meat offerings, and for your drink offerings, and for your peace offerings.
29:40 And Moses told the children of Israel according to all that the LORD commanded Moses.
30:1 And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded.
30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.
30:3 If a woman also vow a vow unto the LORD, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; 30:4 And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand.
30:5 But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the LORD shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her.
30:6 And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; 30:7 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
30:8 But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the LORD shall forgive her.
30:9 But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her.
30:10 And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; 30:11 And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand.
30:12 But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the LORD shall forgive her.
30:13 Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void.
30:14 But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them.
30:15 But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity.
30:16 These are the statutes, which the LORD commanded Moses, between a man and his wife, between the father and his daughter, being yet in her youth in her father's house.
31:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:2 Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites: afterward shalt thou be gathered unto thy people.
31:3 And Moses spake unto the people, saying, Arm some of yourselves unto the war, and let them go against the Midianites, and avenge the LORD of Midian.
31:4 Of every tribe a thousand, throughout all the tribes of Israel, shall ye send to the war.
31:5 So there were delivered out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand of every tribe, twelve thousand armed for war.
31:6 And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand.
31:7 And they warred against the Midianites, as the LORD commanded Moses; and they slew all the males.
31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.
31:9 And the children of Israel took all the women of Midian captives, and their little ones, and took the spoil of all their cattle, and all their flocks, and all their goods.
31:10 And they burnt all their cities wherein they dwelt, and all their goodly castles, with fire.
31:11 And they took all the spoil, and all the prey, both of men and of beasts.
31:12 And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and unto the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the camp at the plains of Moab, which are by Jordan near Jericho.
31:13 And Moses, and Eleazar the priest, and all the princes of the congregation, went forth to meet them without the camp.
31:14 And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host, with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle.
31:15 And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? 31:16 Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD.
31:17 Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.
31:18 But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.
31:19 And do ye abide without the camp seven days: whosoever hath killed any person, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify both yourselves and your captives on the third day, and on the seventh day.
31:20 And purify all your raiment, and all that is made of skins, and all work of goats' hair, and all things made of wood.
31:21 And Eleazar the priest said unto the men of war which went to the battle, This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses; 31:22 Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead, 31:23 Every thing that may abide the fire, ye shall make it go through the fire, and it shall be clean: nevertheless it shall be purified with the water of separation: and all that abideth not the fire ye shall make go through the water.
31:24 And ye shall wash your clothes on the seventh day, and ye shall be clean, and afterward ye shall come into the camp.
31:25 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 31:26 Take the sum of the prey that was taken, both of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation: 31:27 And divide the prey into two parts; between them that took the war upon them, who went out to battle, and between all the congregation: 31:28 And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, and of the asses, and of the sheep: 31:29 Take it of their half, and give it unto Eleazar the priest, for an heave offering of the LORD.
31:30 And of the children of Israel's half, thou shalt take one portion of fifty, of the persons, of the beeves, of the asses, and of the flocks, of all manner of beasts, and give them unto the Levites, which keep the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.
31:31 And Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.
31:32 And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep, 31:33 And threescore and twelve thousand beeves, 31:34 And threescore and one thousand asses, 31:35 And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.
31:36 And the half, which was the portion of them that went out to war, was in number three hundred thousand and seven and thirty thousand and five hundred sheep: 31:37 And the LORD's tribute of the sheep was six hundred and threescore and fifteen.
31:38 And the beeves were thirty and six thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and twelve.
31:39 And the asses were thirty thousand and five hundred; of which the LORD's tribute was threescore and one.
31:40 And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the LORD's tribute was thirty and two persons.
31:41 And Moses gave the tribute, which was the LORD's heave offering, unto Eleazar the priest, as the LORD commanded Moses.
31:42 And of the children of Israel's half, which Moses divided from the men that warred, 31:43 (Now the half that pertained unto the congregation was three hundred thousand and thirty thousand and seven thousand and five hundred sheep, 31:44 And thirty and six thousand beeves, 31:45 And thirty thousand asses and five hundred, 31:46 And sixteen thousand persons;) 31:47 Even of the children of Israel's half, Moses took one portion of fifty, both of man and of beast, and gave them unto the Levites, which kept the charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
31:48 And the officers which were over thousands of the host, the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, came near unto Moses: 31:49 And they said unto Moses, Thy servants have taken the sum of the men of war which are under our charge, and there lacketh not one man of us.
31:50 We have therefore brought an oblation for the LORD, what every man hath gotten, of jewels of gold, chains, and bracelets, rings, earrings, and tablets, to make an atonement for our souls before the LORD.
31:51 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of them, even all wrought jewels.
31:52 And all the gold of the offering that they offered up to the LORD, of the captains of thousands, and of the captains of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels.
31:53 (For the men of war had taken spoil, every man for himself.) 31:54 And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD.
32:1 Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had a very great multitude of cattle: and when they saw the land of Jazer, and the land of Gilead, that, behold, the place was a place for cattle; 32:2 The children of Gad and the children of Reuben came and spake unto Moses, and to Eleazar the priest, and unto the princes of the congregation, saying, 32:3 Ataroth, and Dibon, and Jazer, and Nimrah, and Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Shebam, and Nebo, and Beon, 32:4 Even the country which the LORD smote before the congregation of Israel, is a land for cattle, and thy servants have cattle: 32:5 Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.
32:6 And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 32:7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the LORD hath given them? 32:8 Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadeshbarnea to see the land.
32:9 For when they went up unto the valley of Eshcol, and saw the land, they discouraged the heart of the children of Israel, that they should not go into the land which the LORD had given them.
32:10 And the LORD's anger was kindled the same time, and he sware, saying, 32:11 Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 32:12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD.
32:13 And the LORD's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.
32:14 And, behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel.
32:15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
32:16 And they came near unto him, and said, We will build sheepfolds here for our cattle, and cities for our little ones: 32:17 But we ourselves will go ready armed before the children of Israel, until we have brought them unto their place: and our little ones shall dwell in the fenced cities because of the inhabitants of the land.
32:18 We will not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance.
32:19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward; because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.
32:20 And Moses said unto them, If ye will do this thing, if ye will go armed before the LORD to war, 32:21 And will go all of you armed over Jordan before the LORD, until he hath driven out his enemies from before him, 32:22 And the land be subdued before the LORD: then afterward ye shall return, and be guiltless before the LORD, and before Israel; and this land shall be your possession before the LORD.
32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.
32:24 Build you cities for your little ones, and folds for your sheep; and do that which hath proceeded out of your mouth.
32:25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spake unto Moses, saying, Thy servants will do as my lord commandeth.
32:26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our cattle, shall be there in the cities of Gilead: 32:27 But thy servants will pass over, every man armed for war, before the LORD to battle, as my lord saith.
32:28 So concerning them Moses commanded Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel: 32:29 And Moses said unto them, If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben will pass with you over Jordan, every man armed to battle, before the LORD, and the land shall be subdued before you; then ye shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession: 32:30 But if they will not pass over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.
32:31 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying, As the LORD hath said unto thy servants, so will we do.
32:32 We will pass over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.
32:33 And Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph, the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land, with the cities thereof in the coasts, even the cities of the country round about.
32:34 And the children of Gad built Dibon, and Ataroth, and Aroer, 32:35 And Atroth, Shophan, and Jaazer, and Jogbehah, 32:36 And Bethnimrah, and Bethharan, fenced cities: and folds for sheep.
32:37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon, and Elealeh, and Kirjathaim, 32:38 And Nebo, and Baalmeon, (their names being changed,) and Shibmah: and gave other names unto the cities which they builded.
32:39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead, and took it, and dispossessed the Amorite which was in it.
32:40 And Moses gave Gilead unto Machir the son of Manasseh; and he dwelt therein.
32:41 And Jair the son of Manasseh went and took the small towns thereof, and called them Havothjair.
32:42 And Nobah went and took Kenath, and the villages thereof, and called it Nobah, after his own name.
33:1 These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
33:2 And Moses wrote their goings out according to their journeys by the commandment of the LORD: and these are their journeys according to their goings out.
33:3 And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.
33:4 For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments.
33:5 And the children of Israel removed from Rameses, and pitched in Succoth.
33:6 And they departed from Succoth, and pitched in Etham, which is in the edge of the wilderness.
33:7 And they removed from Etham, and turned again unto Pihahiroth, which is before Baalzephon: and they pitched before Migdol.
33:8 And they departed from before Pihahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness, and went three days' journey in the wilderness of Etham, and pitched in Marah.
33:9 And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.
33:10 And they removed from Elim, and encamped by the Red sea.
33:11 And they removed from the Red sea, and encamped in the wilderness of Sin.
33:12 And they took their journey out of the wilderness of Sin, and encamped in Dophkah.
33:13 And they departed from Dophkah, and encamped in Alush.
33:14 And they removed from Alush, and encamped at Rephidim, where was no water for the people to drink.
33:15 And they departed from Rephidim, and pitched in the wilderness of Sinai.
33:16 And they removed from the desert of Sinai, and pitched at Kibrothhattaavah.
33:17 And they departed from Kibrothhattaavah, and encamped at Hazeroth.
33:18 And they departed from Hazeroth, and pitched in Rithmah.
33:19 And they departed from Rithmah, and pitched at Rimmonparez.
33:20 And they departed from Rimmonparez, and pitched in Libnah.
33:21 And they removed from Libnah, and pitched at Rissah.
33:22 And they journeyed from Rissah, and pitched in Kehelathah.
33:23 And they went from Kehelathah, and pitched in mount Shapher.
33:24 And they removed from mount Shapher, and encamped in Haradah.
33:25 And they removed from Haradah, and pitched in Makheloth.
33:26 And they removed from Makheloth, and encamped at Tahath.
33:27 And they departed from Tahath, and pitched at Tarah.
33:28 And they removed from Tarah, and pitched in Mithcah.
33:29 And they went from Mithcah, and pitched in Hashmonah.
33:30 And they departed from Hashmonah, and encamped at Moseroth.
33:31 And they departed from Moseroth, and pitched in Benejaakan.
33:32 And they removed from Benejaakan, and encamped at Horhagidgad.
33:33 And they went from Horhagidgad, and pitched in Jotbathah.
33:34 And they removed from Jotbathah, and encamped at Ebronah.
33:35 And they departed from Ebronah, and encamped at Eziongaber.
33:36 And they removed from Eziongaber, and pitched in the wilderness of Zin, which is Kadesh.
33:37 And they removed from Kadesh, and pitched in mount Hor, in the edge of the land of Edom.
33:38 And Aaron the priest went up into mount Hor at the commandment of the LORD, and died there, in the fortieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the first day of the fifth month.
33:39 And Aaron was an hundred and twenty and three years old when he died in mount Hor.
33:40 And king Arad the Canaanite, which dwelt in the south in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the children of Israel.
33:41 And they departed from mount Hor, and pitched in Zalmonah.
33:42 And they departed from Zalmonah, and pitched in Punon.
33:43 And they departed from Punon, and pitched in Oboth.
33:44 And they departed from Oboth, and pitched in Ijeabarim, in the border of Moab.
33:45 And they departed from Iim, and pitched in Dibongad.
33:46 And they removed from Dibongad, and encamped in Almondiblathaim.
33:47 And they removed from Almondiblathaim, and pitched in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo.
33:48 And they departed from the mountains of Abarim, and pitched in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
33:49 And they pitched by Jordan, from Bethjesimoth even unto Abelshittim in the plains of Moab.
33:50 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 33:51 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 33:52 Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: 33:53 And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.
33:54 And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.
33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
33:56 Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them.
34:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34:2 Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) 34:3 Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: 34:4 And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: 34:5 And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea.
34:6 And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border.
34:7 And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor: 34:8 From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: 34:9 And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border.
34:10 And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: 34:11 And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: 34:12 And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.
34:13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe: 34:14 For the tribe of the children of Reuben according to the house of their fathers, and the tribe of the children of Gad according to the house of their fathers, have received their inheritance; and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance: 34:15 The two tribes and the half tribe have received their inheritance on this side Jordan near Jericho eastward, toward the sunrising.
34:16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 34:17 These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun.
34:18 And ye shall take one prince of every tribe, to divide the land by inheritance.
34:19 And the names of the men are these: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh.
34:20 And of the tribe of the children of Simeon, Shemuel the son of Ammihud.
34:21 Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad the son of Chislon.
34:22 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Dan, Bukki the son of Jogli.
34:23 The prince of the children of Joseph, for the tribe of the children of Manasseh, Hanniel the son of Ephod.
34:24 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Ephraim, Kemuel the son of Shiphtan.
34:25 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Zebulun, Elizaphan the son of Parnach.
34:26 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Issachar, Paltiel the son of Azzan.
34:27 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Asher, Ahihud the son of Shelomi.
34:28 And the prince of the tribe of the children of Naphtali, Pedahel the son of Ammihud.
34:29 These are they whom the LORD commanded to divide the inheritance unto the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.
35:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, 35:2 Command the children of Israel, that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them.
35:3 And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts.
35:4 And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about.
35:5 And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities.
35:6 And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities.
35:7 So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs.
35:8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
35:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 35:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 35:11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
35:12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
35:13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.
35:16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
35:17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
35:18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
35:19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him.
35:20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 35:21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
35:22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, 35:23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: 35:24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 35:25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
35:26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 35:27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: 35:28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
35:29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
35:30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.
35:32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.
35:34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
36:1 And the chief fathers of the families of the children of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near, and spake before Moses, and before the princes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel: 36:2 And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
36:3 And if they be married to any of the sons of the other tribes of the children of Israel, then shall their inheritance be taken from the inheritance of our fathers, and shall be put to the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall it be taken from the lot of our inheritance.
36:4 And when the jubile of the children of Israel shall be, then shall their inheritance be put unto the inheritance of the tribe whereunto they are received: so shall their inheritance be taken away from the inheritance of the tribe of our fathers.
36:5 And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.
36:6 This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
36:7 So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
36:8 And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers.
36:9 Neither shall the inheritance remove from one tribe to another tribe; but every one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall keep himself to his own inheritance.
36:10 Even as the LORD commanded Moses, so did the daughters of Zelophehad: 36:11 For Mahlah, Tirzah, and Hoglah, and Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, were married unto their father's brothers' sons: 36:12 And they were married into the families of the sons of Manasseh the son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of the family of their father.
36:13 These are the commandments and the judgments, which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses unto the children of Israel in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho.
The Book of D'varim (Deuteronomy):
1:1 These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.
1:2 (There are eleven days' journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.) 1:3 And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the LORD had given him in commandment unto them; 1:4 After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei: 1:5 On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying, 1:6 The LORD our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount: 1:7 Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.
1:8 Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.
1:9 And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone: 1:10 The LORD your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.
1:11 (The LORD God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!) 1:12 How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife? 1:13 Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.
1:14 And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.
1:15 So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
1:16 And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.
1:17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.
1:18 And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.
1:19 And when we departed from Horeb, we went through all that great and terrible wilderness, which ye saw by the way of the mountain of the Amorites, as the LORD our God commanded us; and we came to Kadeshbarnea.
1:20 And I said unto you, Ye are come unto the mountain of the Amorites, which the LORD our God doth give unto us.
1:21 Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.
1:22 And ye came near unto me every one of you, and said, We will send men before us, and they shall search us out the land, and bring us word again by what way we must go up, and into what cities we shall come.
1:23 And the saying pleased me well: and I took twelve men of you, one of a tribe: 1:24 And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol, and searched it out.
1:25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us.
1:26 Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God: 1:27 And ye murmured in your tents, and said, Because the LORD hated us, he hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us.
1:28 Whither shall we go up? our brethren have discouraged our heart, saying, The people is greater and taller than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.
1:29 Then I said unto you, Dread not, neither be afraid of them.
1:30 The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you, according to all that he did for you in Egypt before your eyes; 1:31 And in the wilderness, where thou hast seen how that the LORD thy God bare thee, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that ye went, until ye came into this place.
1:32 Yet in this thing ye did not believe the LORD your God, 1:33 Who went in the way before you, to search you out a place to pitch your tents in, in fire by night, to shew you by what way ye should go, and in a cloud by day.
1:34 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, and was wroth, and sware, saying, 1:35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers.
1:36 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.
1:37 Also the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, saying, Thou also shalt not go in thither.
1:38 But Joshua the son of Nun, which standeth before thee, he shall go in thither: encourage him: for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
1:39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
1:40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.
1:41 Then ye answered and said unto me, We have sinned against the LORD, we will go up and fight, according to all that the LORD our God commanded us.
And when ye had girded on every man his weapons of war, ye were ready to go up into the hill.
1:42 And the LORD said unto me, Say unto them. Go not up, neither fight; for I am not among you; lest ye be smitten before your enemies.
1:43 So I spake unto you; and ye would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD, and went presumptuously up into the hill.
1:44 And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.
1:45 And ye returned and wept before the LORD; but the LORD would not hearken to your voice, nor give ear unto you.
1:46 So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.
2:1 Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days.
2:2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying, 2:3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward.
2:4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: 2:5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.
2:6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink.
2:7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing.
2:8 And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab.
2:9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.
2:10 The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; 2:11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites called them Emims.
2:12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them.
2:13 Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered.
2:14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them.
2:15 For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.
2:16 So it came to pass, when all the men of war were consumed and dead from among the people, 2:17 That the LORD spake unto me, saying, 2:18 Thou art to pass over through Ar, the coast of Moab, this day: 2:19 And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession.
2:20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims; 2:21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead: 2:22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day: 2:23 And the Avims which dwelt in Hazerim, even unto Azzah, the Caphtorims, which came forth out of Caphtor, destroyed them, and dwelt in their stead.) 2:24 Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.
2:25 This day will I begin to put the dread of thee and the fear of thee upon the nations that are under the whole heaven, who shall hear report of thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee.
2:26 And I sent messengers out of the wilderness of Kedemoth unto Sihon king of Heshbon with words of peace, saying, 2:27 Let me pass through thy land: I will go along by the high way, I will neither turn unto the right hand nor to the left.
2:28 Thou shalt sell me meat for money, that I may eat; and give me water for money, that I may drink: only I will pass through on my feet; 2:29 (As the children of Esau which dwell in Seir, and the Moabites which dwell in Ar, did unto me;) until I shall pass over Jordan into the land which the LORD our God giveth us.
2:30 But Sihon king of Heshbon would not let us pass by him: for the LORD thy God hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate, that he might deliver him into thy hand, as appeareth this day.
2:31 And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have begun to give Sihon and his land before thee: begin to possess, that thou mayest inherit his land.
2:32 Then Sihon came out against us, he and all his people, to fight at Jahaz.
2:33 And the LORD our God delivered him before us; and we smote him, and his sons, and all his people.
2:34 And we took all his cities at that time, and utterly destroyed the men, and the women, and the little ones, of every city, we left none to remain: 2:35 Only the cattle we took for a prey unto ourselves, and the spoil of the cities which we took.
2:36 From Aroer, which is by the brink of the river of Arnon, and from the city that is by the river, even unto Gilead, there was not one city too strong for us: the LORD our God delivered all unto us: 2:37 Only unto the land of the children of Ammon thou camest not, nor unto any place of the river Jabbok, nor unto the cities in the mountains, nor unto whatsoever the LORD our God forbad us.
3:1 Then we turned, and went up the way to Bashan: and Og the king of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei.
3:2 And the LORD said unto me, Fear him not: for I will deliver him, and all his people, and his land, into thy hand; and thou shalt do unto him as thou didst unto Sihon king of the Amorites, which dwelt at Heshbon.
3:3 So the LORD our God delivered into our hands Og also, the king of Bashan, and all his people: and we smote him until none was left to him remaining.
3:4 And we took all his cities at that time, there was not a city which we took not from them, threescore cities, all the region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
3:5 All these cities were fenced with high walls, gates, and bars; beside unwalled towns a great many.
3:6 And we utterly destroyed them, as we did unto Sihon king of Heshbon, utterly destroying the men, women, and children, of every city.
3:7 But all the cattle, and the spoil of the cities, we took for a prey to ourselves.
3:8 And we took at that time out of the hand of the two kings of the Amorites the land that was on this side Jordan, from the river of Arnon unto mount Hermon; 3:9 (Which Hermon the Sidonians call Sirion; and the Amorites call it Shenir;) 3:10 All the cities of the plain, and all Gilead, and all Bashan, unto Salchah and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan.
3:11 For only Og king of Bashan remained of the remnant of giants; behold his bedstead was a bedstead of iron; is it not in Rabbath of the children of Ammon? nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it, after the cubit of a man.
3:12 And this land, which we possessed at that time, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, and half mount Gilead, and the cities thereof, gave I unto the Reubenites and to the Gadites.
3:13 And the rest of Gilead, and all Bashan, being the kingdom of Og, gave I unto the half tribe of Manasseh; all the region of Argob, with all Bashan, which was called the land of giants.
3:14 Jair the son of Manasseh took all the country of Argob unto the coasts of Geshuri and Maachathi; and called them after his own name, Bashanhavothjair, unto this day.
3:15 And I gave Gilead unto Machir.
3:16 And unto the Reubenites and unto the Gadites I gave from Gilead even unto the river Arnon half the valley, and the border even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 3:17 The plain also, and Jordan, and the coast thereof, from Chinnereth even unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, under Ashdothpisgah eastward.
3:18 And I commanded you at that time, saying, The LORD your God hath given you this land to possess it: ye shall pass over armed before your brethren the children of Israel, all that are meet for the war.
3:19 But your wives, and your little ones, and your cattle, (for I know that ye have much cattle,) shall abide in your cities which I have given you; 3:20 Until the LORD have given rest unto your brethren, as well as unto you, and until they also possess the land which the LORD your God hath given them beyond Jordan: and then shall ye return every man unto his possession, which I have given you.
3:21 And I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, Thine eyes have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto these two kings: so shall the LORD do unto all the kingdoms whither thou passest.
3:22 Ye shall not fear them: for the LORD your God he shall fight for you.
3:23 And I besought the LORD at that time, saying, 3:24 O Lord GOD, thou hast begun to shew thy servant thy greatness, and thy mighty hand: for what God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might? 3:25 I pray thee, let me go over, and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain, and Lebanon.
3:26 But the LORD was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the LORD said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter.
3:27 Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
3:28 But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.
3:29 So we abode in the valley over against Bethpeor.
4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you.
4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
4:3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you.
4:4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
4:5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it.
4:6 Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
4:7 For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? 4:8 And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons; 4:10 Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.
4:11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the midst of heaven, with darkness, clouds, and thick darkness.
4:12 And the LORD spake unto you out of the midst of the fire: ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude; only ye heard a voice.
4:13 And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
4:14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
4:15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the LORD spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 4:17 The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, 4:18 The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth: 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.
4:20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day.
4:21 Furthermore the LORD was angry with me for your sakes, and sware that I should not go over Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance: 4:22 But I must die in this land, I must not go over Jordan: but ye shall go over, and possess that good land.
4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
4:24 For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.
4:25 When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: 4:26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed.
4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
4:30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 4:31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
4:32 For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? 4:33 Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? 4:34 Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 4:35 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.
4:36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire.
4:37 And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; 4:38 To drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day.
4:39 Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else.
4:40 Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever.
4:41 Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 4:42 That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 4:43 Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites.
4:44 And this is the law which Moses set before the children of Israel: 4:45 These are the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which Moses spake unto the children of Israel, after they came forth out of Egypt.
4:46 On this side Jordan, in the valley over against Bethpeor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, after they were come forth out of Egypt: 4:47 And they possessed his land, and the land of Og king of Bashan, two kings of the Amorites, which were on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; 4:48 From Aroer, which is by the bank of the river Arnon, even unto mount Sion, which is Hermon, 4:49 And all the plain on this side Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the plain, under the springs of Pisgah.
5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
5:4 The LORD talked with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire, 5:5 (I stood between the LORD and you at that time, to shew you the word of the LORD: for ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount;) saying, 5:6 I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
5:7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me.
5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 5:9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 5:10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.
5:11 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
5:12 Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee.
5:13 Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: 5:14 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou.
5:15 And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.
5:16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
5:17 Thou shalt not kill.
5:18 Neither shalt thou commit adultery.
5:19 Neither shalt thou steal.
5:20 Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour.
5:21 Neither shalt thou desire thy neighbour's wife, neither shalt thou covet thy neighbour's house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his ass, or any thing that is thy neighbour's.
5:22 These words the LORD spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice: and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone, and delivered them unto me.
5:23 And it came to pass, when ye heard the voice out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain did burn with fire,) that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your elders; 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
5:25 Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us: if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any more, then we shall die.
5:26 For who is there of all flesh, that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived? 5:27 Go thou near, and hear all that the LORD our God shall say: and speak thou unto us all that the LORD our God shall speak unto thee; and we will hear it, and do it.
5:28 And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever! 5:30 Go say to them, Get you into your tents again.
5:31 But as for thee, stand thou here by me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them in the land which I give them to possess it.
5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.
5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
6:1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: 6:2 That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
6:10 And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not, 6:11 And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full; 6:12 Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
6:13 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
6:14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.
6:16 Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.
6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.
6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers.
6:19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken.
6:20 And when thy son asketh thee in time to come, saying, What mean the testimonies, and the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD our God hath commanded you? 6:21 Then thou shalt say unto thy son, We were Pharaoh's bondmen in Egypt; and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand: 6:22 And the LORD shewed signs and wonders, great and sore, upon Egypt, upon Pharaoh, and upon all his household, before our eyes: 6:23 And he brought us out from thence, that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers.
6:24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day.
6:25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.
7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them: 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
7:11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
7:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: 7:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
7:14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
7:15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
7:16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
7:17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? 7:18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; 7:19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
7:20 Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.
7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
7:23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
7:24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therin: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
7:26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.
8:1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
8:7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8:8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 8:9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: 8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; 8:13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 8:15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; 8:17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
8:20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
9:1 Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven, 9:2 A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak! 9:3 Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.
9:4 Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.
9:5 Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
9:6 Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.
9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.
9:8 Also in Horeb ye provoked the LORD to wrath, so that the LORD was angry with you to have destroyed you.
9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water: 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
9:11 And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the LORD gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.
9:12 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.
9:13 Furthermore the LORD spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 9:14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.
9:15 So I turned and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire: and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.
9:16 And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you.
9:17 And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.
9:18 And I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread, nor drink water, because of all your sins which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
9:19 For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.
9:20 And the LORD was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.
9:21 And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.
9:22 And at Taberah, and at Massah, and at Kibrothhattaavah, ye provoked the LORD to wrath.
9:23 Likewise when the LORD sent you from Kadeshbarnea, saying, Go up and possess the land which I have given you; then ye rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God, and ye believed him not, nor hearkened to his voice.
9:24 Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.
9:25 Thus I fell down before the LORD forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the LORD had said he would destroy you.
9:26 I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.
9:27 Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin: 9:28 Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.
9:29 Yet they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power and by thy stretched out arm.
10:1 At that time the LORD said unto me, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first, and come up unto me into the mount, and make thee an ark of wood.
10:2 And I will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest, and thou shalt put them in the ark.
10:3 And I made an ark of shittim wood, and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first, and went up into the mount, having the two tables in mine hand.
10:4 And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten commandments, which the LORD spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly: and the LORD gave them unto me.
10:5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.
10:6 And the children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead.
10:7 From thence they journeyed unto Gudgodah; and from Gudgodah to Jotbath, a land of rivers of waters.
10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
10:9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God promised him.
10:10 And I stayed in the mount, according to the first time, forty days and forty nights; and the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also, and the LORD would not destroy thee.
10:11 And the LORD said unto me, Arise, take thy journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give unto them.
10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, 10:13 To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? 10:14 Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD's thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.
10:15 Only the LORD had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
10:16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked.
10:17 For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: 10:18 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment.
10:19 Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.
10:20 Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name.
10:21 He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.
10:22 Thy fathers went down into Egypt with threescore and ten persons; and now the LORD thy God hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude.
11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway.
11:2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm, 11:3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land; 11:4 And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day; 11:5 And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place; 11:6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel: 11:7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.
11:8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it; 11:9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
11:10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs: 11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven: 11:12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.
11:15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; 11:17 And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.
11:19 And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
11:20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: 11:21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; 11:23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
11:25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.
11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; 11:27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day: 11:28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
11:29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
11:30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down, in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh? 11:31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
11:32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.
12:1 These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the LORD God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 12:3 And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
12:4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your God.
12:5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 12:6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks: 12:7 And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.
12:8 Ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes.
12:9 For ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance, which the LORD your God giveth you.
12:10 But when ye go over Jordan, and dwell in the land which the LORD your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about, so that ye dwell in safety; 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: 12:12 And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you.
12:13 Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: 12:14 But in the place which the LORD shall choose in one of thy tribes, there thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, and there thou shalt do all that I command thee.
12:15 Notwithstanding thou mayest kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck, and as of the hart.
12:16 Only ye shall not eat the blood; ye shall pour it upon the earth as water.
12:17 Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand: 12:18 But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.
12:19 Take heed to thyself that thou forsake not the Levite as long as thou livest upon the earth.
12:20 When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
12:21 If the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to put his name there be too far from thee, then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock, which the LORD hath given thee, as I have commanded thee, and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.
12:22 Even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten, so thou shalt eat them: the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike.
12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.
12:24 Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.
12:25 Thou shalt not eat it; that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.
12:26 Only thy holy things which thou hast, and thy vows, thou shalt take, and go unto the place which the LORD shall choose: 12:27 And thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, upon the altar of the LORD thy God: and the blood of thy sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the LORD thy God, and thou shalt eat the flesh.
12:28 Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.
12:29 When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
12:31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
12:32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.
13:6 If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 13:7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; 13:8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
13:11 And all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you.
13:12 If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the LORD thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, 13:13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; 13:14 Then shalt thou enquire, and make search, and ask diligently; and, behold, if it be truth, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought among you; 13:15 Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly, and all that is therein, and the cattle thereof, with the edge of the sword.
13:16 And thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof, and shalt burn with fire the city, and all the spoil thereof every whit, for the LORD thy God: and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again.
13:17 And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers; 13:18 When thou shalt hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep all his commandments which I command thee this day, to do that which is right in the eyes of the LORD thy God.
14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
14:2 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.
14:3 Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.
14:4 These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, 14:5 The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois.
14:6 And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat.
14:7 Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you.
14:8 And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
14:9 These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: 14:10 And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you.
14:11 Of all clean birds ye shall eat.
14:12 But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, 14:13 And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, 14:14 And every raven after his kind, 14:15 And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, 14:16 The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, 14:17 And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, 14:18 And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat.
14:19 And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten.
14:20 But of all clean fowls ye may eat.
14:21 Ye shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself: thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates, that he may eat it; or thou mayest sell it unto an alien: for thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God.
Thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk.
14:22 Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
14:23 And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
14:24 And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 14:25 Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: 14:26 And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household, 14:27 And the Levite that is within thy gates; thou shalt not forsake him; for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee.
14:28 At the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year, and shalt lay it up within thy gates: 14:29 And the Levite, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, which are within thy gates, shall come, and shall eat and be satisfied; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest.
15:1 At the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release.
15:2 And this is the manner of the release: Every creditor that lendeth ought unto his neighbour shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is called the LORD's release.
15:3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again: but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release; 15:4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the LORD shall greatly bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it: 15:5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee this day.
15:6 For the LORD thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over thee.
15:7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: 15:8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth.
15:9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee.
15:10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto.
15:11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
15:12 And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
15:13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty: 15:14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
15:15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing to day.
15:16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is well with thee; 15:17 Then thou shalt take an aul, and thrust it through his ear unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
15:18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant to thee, in serving thee six years: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all that thou doest.
15:19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling of thy sheep.
15:20 Thou shalt eat it before the LORD thy God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, thou and thy household.
15:21 And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the LORD thy God.
15:22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike, as the roebuck, and as the hart.
15:23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water.
16:1 Observe the month of Abib, and keep the passover unto the LORD thy God: for in the month of Abib the LORD thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night.
16:2 Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the LORD thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the LORD shall choose to place his name there.
16:3 Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.
16:4 And there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night until the morning.
16:5 Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee: 16:6 But at the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out of Egypt.
16:7 And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents.
16:8 Six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the LORD thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.
16:9 Seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn.
16:10 And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering of thine hand, which thou shalt give unto the LORD thy God, according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 16:11 And thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the LORD thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
16:12 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt: and thou shalt observe and do these statutes.
16:13 Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine: 16:14 And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
16:15 Seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD shall choose: because the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thine increase, and in all the works of thine hands, therefore thou shalt surely rejoice.
16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty: 16:17 Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD thy God which he hath given thee.
16:18 Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
16:19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.
16:20 That which is altogether just shalt thou follow, that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
16:21 Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee.
16:22 Neither shalt thou set thee up any image; which the LORD thy God hateth.
17:1 Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
17:2 If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the LORD thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the LORD thy God, in transgressing his covenant, 17:3 And hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the host of heaven, which I have not commanded; 17:4 And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: 17:5 Then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman, which have committed that wicked thing, unto thy gates, even that man or that woman, and shalt stone them with stones, till they die.
17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
17:7 The hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So thou shalt put the evil away from among you.
17:8 If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose; 17:9 And thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days, and enquire; and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgment: 17:10 And thou shalt do according to the sentence, which they of that place which the LORD shall choose shall shew thee; and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee: 17:11 According to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee, and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do: thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
17:12 And the man that will do presumptuously, and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the LORD thy God, or unto the judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put away the evil from Israel.
17:13 And all the people shall hear, and fear, and do no more presumptuously.
17:14 When thou art come unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; 17:15 Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
17:16 But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.
17:17 Neither shall he multiply wives to himself, that his heart turn not away: neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold.
17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: 17:20 That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.
18:1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
18:2 Therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren: the LORD is their inheritance, as he hath said unto them.
18:3 And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw.
18:4 The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him.
18:5 For the LORD thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for ever.
18:6 And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the LORD shall choose; 18:7 Then he shall minister in the name of the LORD his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the LORD.
18:8 They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.
18:9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
18:10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.
18:11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
18:12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.
18:13 Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
18:14 For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.
18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; 18:16 According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.
18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
19:1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses; 19:2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
19:4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; 19:5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: 19:6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
19:7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.
19:8 And if the LORD thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; 19:9 If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the LORD thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: 19:10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
19:11 But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: 19:12 Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die.
19:13 Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee.
19:14 Thou shalt not remove thy neighbour's landmark, which they of old time have set in thine inheritance, which thou shalt inherit in the land that the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
19:16 If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; 19:17 Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; 19:18 And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; 19:19 Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
19:20 And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
19:21 And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.
20:1 When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
20:2 And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, 20:3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.
20:5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.
20:6 And what man is he that hath planted a vineyard, and hath not yet eaten of it? let him also go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man eat of it.
20:7 And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.
20:8 And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart.
20:9 And it shall be, when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people.
20:10 When thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it, then proclaim peace unto it.
20:11 And it shall be, if it make thee answer of peace, and open unto thee, then it shall be, that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee, and they shall serve thee.
20:12 And if it will make no peace with thee, but will make war against thee, then thou shalt besiege it: 20:13 And when the LORD thy God hath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword: 20:14 But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself; and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
20:15 Thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee, which are not of the cities of these nations.
20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth: 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee: 20:18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.
20:19 When thou shalt besiege a city a long time, in making war against it to take it, thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof by forcing an axe against them: for thou mayest eat of them, and thou shalt not cut them down (for the tree of the field is man's life) to employ them in the siege: 20:20 Only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat, thou shalt destroy and cut them down; and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee, until it be subdued.
21:1 If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him: 21:2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain: 21:3 And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke; 21:4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley: 21:5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried: 21:6 And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley: 21:7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
21:8 Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel's charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
21:9 So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.
21:10 When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 21:11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 21:12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house, and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 21:13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.
21:14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.
21:15 If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 21:16 Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 21:17 But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.
21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 21:19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
21:21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
21:22 And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
22:1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother.
22:2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto thee, or if thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house, and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it, and thou shalt restore it to him again.
22:3 In like manner shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his raiment; and with all lost thing of thy brother's, which he hath lost, and thou hast found, shalt thou do likewise: thou mayest not hide thyself.
22:4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way, and hide thyself from them: thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again.
22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
22:6 If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way in any tree, or on the ground, whether they be young ones, or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young, or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young: 22:7 But thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, and take the young to thee; that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days.
22:8 When thou buildest a new house, then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof, that thou bring not blood upon thine house, if any man fall from thence.
22:9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.
22:10 Thou shalt not plow with an ox and an ass together.
22:11 Thou shalt not wear a garment of divers sorts, as of woollen and linen together.
22:12 Thou shalt make thee fringes upon the four quarters of thy vesture, wherewith thou coverest thyself.
22:13 If any man take a wife, and go in unto her, and hate her, 22:14 And give occasions of speech against her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say, I took this woman, and when I came to her, I found her not a maid: 22:15 Then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother, take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of the city in the gate: 22:16 And the damsel's father shall say unto the elders, I gave my daughter unto this man to wife, and he hateth her; 22:17 And, lo, he hath given occasions of speech against her, saying, I found not thy daughter a maid; and yet these are the tokens of my daughter's virginity. And they shall spread the cloth before the elders of the city.
22:18 And the elders of that city shall take that man and chastise him; 22:19 And they shall amerce him in an hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.
22:20 But if this thing be true, and the tokens of virginity be not found for the damsel: 22:21 Then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she die: because she hath wrought folly in Israel, to play the whore in her father's house: so shalt thou put evil away from among you.
22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
22:23 If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; 22:24 Then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour's wife: so thou shalt put away evil from among you.
22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die.
22:26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter: 22:27 For he found her in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her.
22:28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 22:29 Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.
22:30 A man shall not take his father's wife, nor discover his father's skirt.
23:1 He that is wounded in the stones, or hath his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
23:2 A bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the LORD.
23:3 An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: 23:4 Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
23:5 Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee.
23:6 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.
23:7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land.
23:8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.
23:9 When the host goeth forth against thine enemies, then keep thee from every wicked thing.
23:10 If there be among you any man, that is not clean by reason of uncleanness that chanceth him by night, then shall he go abroad out of the camp, he shall not come within the camp: 23:11 But it shall be, when evening cometh on, he shall wash himself with water: and when the sun is down, he shall come into the camp again.
23:12 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad: 23:13 And thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
23:15 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee: 23:16 He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which he shall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thou shalt not oppress him.
23:17 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
23:18 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God.
23:19 Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of any thing that is lent upon usury: 23:20 Unto a stranger thou mayest lend upon usury; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon usury: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all that thou settest thine hand to in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
23:21 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
23:22 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in thee.
23:23 That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the LORD thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
23:24 When thou comest into thy neighbour's vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel.
23:25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.
24:1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.
24:2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife.
24:3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; 24:4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
24:5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business: but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
24:6 No man shall take the nether or the upper millstone to pledge: for he taketh a man's life to pledge.
24:7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.
24:8 Take heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commanded them, so ye shall observe to do.
24:9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come forth out of Egypt.
24:10 When thou dost lend thy brother any thing, thou shalt not go into his house to fetch his pledge.
24:11 Thou shalt stand abroad, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring out the pledge abroad unto thee.
24:12 And if the man be poor, thou shalt not sleep with his pledge: 24:13 In any case thou shalt deliver him the pledge again when the sun goeth down, that he may sleep in his own raiment, and bless thee: and it shall be righteousness unto thee before the LORD thy God.
24:14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 24:15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.
24:16 The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.
24:17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow's raiment to pledge: 24:18 But thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed thee thence: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
24:19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands.
24:20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
24:21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.
24:22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.
25:1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.
25:2 And it shall be, if the wicked man be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to his fault, by a certain number.
25:3 Forty stripes he may give him, and not exceed: lest, if he should exceed, and beat him above these with many stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee.
25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
25:5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of an husband's brother unto her.
25:6 And it shall be, that the firstborn which she beareth shall succeed in the name of his brother which is dead, that his name be not put out of Israel.
25:7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband's brother refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.
25:8 Then the elders of his city shall call him, and speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; 25:9 Then shall his brother's wife come unto him in the presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house.
25:10 And his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed.
25:11 When men strive together one with another, and the wife of the one draweth near for to deliver her husband out of the hand of him that smiteth him, and putteth forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets: 25:12 Then thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall not pity her.
25:13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.
25:14 Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.
25:15 But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
25:16 For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
25:17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come forth out of Egypt; 25:18 How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast faint and weary; and he feared not God.
25:19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget it.
26:1 And it shall be, when thou art come in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and possessest it, and dwellest therein; 26:2 That thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth, which thou shalt bring of thy land that the LORD thy God giveth thee, and shalt put it in a basket, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose to place his name there.
26:3 And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us.
26:4 And the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand, and set it down before the altar of the LORD thy God.
26:5 And thou shalt speak and say before the LORD thy God, A Syrian ready to perish was my father, and he went down into Egypt, and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous: 26:6 And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage: 26:7 And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression: 26:8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders: 26:9 And he hath brought us into this place, and hath given us this land, even a land that floweth with milk and honey.
26:10 And now, behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which thou, O LORD, hast given me. And thou shalt set it before the LORD thy God, and worship before the LORD thy God: 26:11 And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.
26:12 When thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it unto the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be filled; 26:13 Then thou shalt say before the LORD thy God, I have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house, and also have given them unto the Levite, and unto the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all thy commandments which thou hast commanded me: I have not transgressed thy commandments, neither have I forgotten them.
26:14 I have not eaten thereof in my mourning, neither have I taken away ought thereof for any unclean use, nor given ought thereof for the dead: but I have hearkened to the voice of the LORD my God, and have done according to all that thou hast commanded me.
26:15 Look down from thy holy habitation, from heaven, and bless thy people Israel, and the land which thou hast given us, as thou swarest unto our fathers, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
26:16 This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
26:17 Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: 26:18 And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou shouldest keep all his commandments; 26:19 And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.
27:1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
27:2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: 27:3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
27:4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
27:5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.
27:6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD thy God: 27:7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings, and shalt eat there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God.
27:8 And thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly.
27:9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
27:10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
27:11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying, 27:12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin: 27:13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
27:14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice, 27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
28:3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
28:5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
28:6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
28:7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
28:9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
28:10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
28:11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: 28:14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 28:16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
28:17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
28:18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
28:19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
28:21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
28:22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
28:23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
28:24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
28:25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
28:26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
28:27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
28:28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart: 28:29 And thou shalt grope at noonday, as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
28:30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.
28:31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.
28:32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long; and there shall be no might in thine hand.
28:33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway: 28:34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
28:35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.
28:36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
28:37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
28:38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
28:39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.
28:40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.
28:41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.
28:42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.
28:43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
28:44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee: 28:46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
28:47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
28:49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand; 28:50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young: 28:51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.
28:52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
28:53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee: 28:54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave: 28:55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.
28:56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter, 28:57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.
28:58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD; 28:59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
28:60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.
28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
28:62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
28:64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.
28:65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind: 28:66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: 28:67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
28:68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
29:1 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.
29:2 And Moses called unto all Israel, and said unto them, Ye have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt unto Pharaoh, and unto all his servants, and unto all his land; 29:3 The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
29:5 And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot.
29:6 Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God.
29:7 And when ye came unto this place, Sihon the king of Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, came out against us unto battle, and we smote them: 29:8 And we took their land, and gave it for an inheritance unto the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manasseh.
29:9 Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.
29:10 Ye stand this day all of you before the LORD your God; your captains of your tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel, 29:11 Your little ones, your wives, and thy stranger that is in thy camp, from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water: 29:12 That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the LORD thy God, and into his oath, which the LORD thy God maketh with thee this day: 29:13 That he may establish thee to day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
29:14 Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; 29:15 But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: 29:16 (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; 29:17 And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) 29:18 Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; 29:19 And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: 29:20 The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
29:21 And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: 29:22 So that the generation to come of your children that shall rise up after you, and the stranger that shall come from a far land, shall say, when they see the plagues of that land, and the sicknesses which the LORD hath laid upon it; 29:23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the LORD overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath: 29:24 Even all nations shall say, Wherefore hath the LORD done thus unto this land? what meaneth the heat of this great anger? 29:25 Then men shall say, Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD God of their fathers, which he made with them when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt: 29:26 For they went and served other gods, and worshipped them, gods whom they knew not, and whom he had not given unto them: 29:27 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book: 29:28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.
29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
30:4 If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 30:5 And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers.
30:6 And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.
30:7 And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
30:8 And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day.
30:9 And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 30:14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 30:16 In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.
30:17 But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 30:18 I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.
30:19 I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 30:20 That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
31:1 And Moses went and spake these words unto all Israel.
31:2 And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
31:3 The LORD thy God, he will go over before thee, and he will destroy these nations from before thee, and thou shalt possess them: and Joshua, he shall go over before thee, as the LORD hath said.
31:4 And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.
31:5 And the LORD shall give them up before your face, that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which I have commanded you.
31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
31:7 And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the LORD hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed.
31:9 And Moses wrote this law, and delivered it unto the priests the sons of Levi, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and unto all the elders of Israel.
31:10 And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast of tabernacles, 31:11 When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.
31:12 Gather the people together, men and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law: 31:13 And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
31:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thy days approach that thou must die: call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge. And Moses and Joshua went, and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation.
31:15 And the LORD appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud: and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle.
31:16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
31:17 Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? 31:18 And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.
31:19 Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
31:20 For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant.
31:21 And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
31:22 Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.
31:23 And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.
31:24 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, 31:25 That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, 31:26 Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
31:27 For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death? 31:28 Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them.
31:29 For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.
31:30 And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.
32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass: 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
32:5 They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.
32:6 Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee? 32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
32:8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
32:9 For the LORD's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
32:10 He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.
32:11 As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: 32:12 So the LORD alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him.
32:13 He made him ride on the high places of the earth, that he might eat the increase of the fields; and he made him to suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock; 32:14 Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat; and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape.
32:15 But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
32:16 They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
32:17 They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not.
32:18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.
32:19 And when the LORD saw it, he abhorred them, because of the provoking of his sons, and of his daughters.
32:20 And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.
32:21 They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.
32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.
32:23 I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them.
32:24 They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust.
32:25 The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.
32:26 I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men: 32:27 Were it not that I feared the wrath of the enemy, lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely, and lest they should say, Our hand is high, and the LORD hath not done all this.
32:28 For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.
32:29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up? 32:31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.
32:32 For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: 32:33 Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.
32:34 Is not this laid up in store with me, and sealed up among my treasures? 32:35 To me belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.
32:36 For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
32:37 And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted, 32:38 Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
32:39 See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
32:40 For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.
32:41 If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.
32:42 I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh; and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives, from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy.
32:43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.
32:44 And Moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people, he, and Hoshea the son of Nun.
32:45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: 32:46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
32:47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.
32:48 And the LORD spake unto Moses that selfsame day, saying, 32:49 Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession: 32:50 And die in the mount whither thou goest up, and be gathered unto thy people; as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor, and was gathered unto his people: 32:51 Because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of MeribahKadesh, in the wilderness of Zin; because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel.
32:52 Yet thou shalt see the land before thee; but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel.
33:1 And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.
33:2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them.
33:3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
33:4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.
33:5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.
33:6 Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
33:7 And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.
33:8 And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; 33:9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant.
33:10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.
33:11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands; smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.
33:12 And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the Lord shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.
33:13 And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, 33:14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, 33:15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills, 33:16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren.
33:17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
33:18 And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents.
33:19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.
33:20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head.
33:21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.
33:22 And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.
33:23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.
33:24 And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil.
33:25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.
33:26 There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.
33:27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
33:28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew.
33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
34:1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 34:2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, 34:3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
34:4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.
34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
34:6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
34:7 And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
34:8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.
34:9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
34:10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 34:11 In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, 34:12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

An Account Written by
THE HAND OF MORMON
UPON PLATES
TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI

Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the record of the people of
Nephi, and also of the Lamanites--Written to the Lamanites, who
are a remnant of the house of Israel; and also to Jew and
Gentile--Written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of
prophecy and of revelation--Written and sealed up, and hid up
unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed--To come forth by
the gift and power of God unto the interpretation thereof--Sealed
by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in
due time by way of the Gentile--The interpretation thereof by the
gift of God.

An abridgment taken from the Book of Ether also, which is a
record of the people of Jared, who were scattered at the time the
Lord confounded the language of the people, when they were
building a tower to get to heaven--Which is to show unto the
remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath
done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of
the Lord, that they are not cast off forever--And also to the
convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the
ETERNAL GOD, manifesting himself unto all nations--And now, if
there are faults they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn
not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the
judgment-seat of Christ.

THE TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto
whom this work shall come: That we, through the grace of God the
Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which
contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi,
and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the people
of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been spoken.  And
we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power
of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know
of a surety that the work is true.  And we also testify that we
have seen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have
been shown unto us by the power of God, and not of man.  And we
declare with words of soberness, that an angel of God came down
from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we
beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we
know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord
Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things
are true.  And it is marvelous in our eyes.  Nevertheless, the
voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it;
wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear
testimony of these things.  And we know that if we are faithful
in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and
be found spotless before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall
dwell with him eternally in the heavens.  And the honor be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God. 
Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY
DAVID WHITMER
MARTIN HARRIS


THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES

Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto
whom this work shall come: That Joseph Smith, Jun., the
translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which
hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many
of the leaves as the said Smith has translated we did handle with
our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which
has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. 
And this we bear record with words of soberness, that the said
Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of
a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have
spoken.  And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto
the world that which we have seen.  And we lie not, God bearing
witness of it.

CHRISTIAN WHITMER
JACOB WHITMER
PETER WHITMER, JUN.
JOHN WHITMER
HIRAM PAGE
JOSEPH SMITH, SEN.
HYRUM SMITH
SAMUEL H. SMITH

1 Nephi
THE FIRST BOOK OF NEPHI
HIS REIGN AND MINISTRY
An account of Lehi and his wife Sariah and his four sons, being
called, (beginning at the eldest) Laman, Lemuel, Sam, and Nephi.
The Lord warns Lehi to depart out of the land of Jerusalem,
because he prophesieth unto the people concerning their iniquity
and they seek to destroy his life. He taketh three days' journey
into the wilderness with his family. Nephi taketh his brethren
and returneth to the land of Jerusalem after the record of the
Jews. The account of their sufferings. They take the daughters of
Ishmael to wife. They take their families and depart into the
wilderness. Their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness.
The course of their travels. They come to the large waters.
Nephi's brethren rebel against him. He confoundeth them, and
buildeth a ship. They call the name of the place Bountiful. They
cross the large waters into the promised land, and so forth. This
is according to the account of Nephi; or in other words, I,
Nephi, wrote this record.

1 Nephi 1

1 Nephi 1:1
 1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was
taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen
many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having
been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a
great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God,
therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

1 Nephi 1:2
 2 Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which
consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the
Egyptians.

1 Nephi 1:3
 3 And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it
with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

1 Nephi 1:4
 4 For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of
the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having
dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there
came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must
repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

1 Nephi 1:5
 5 Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went
forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in
behalf of his people.

1 Nephi 1:6
 6 And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a
pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and
heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he
did quake and tremble exceedingly.

1 Nephi 1:7
 7 And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at
Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with
the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

1 Nephi 1:8
 8 And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away
in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he
saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless
concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising
their God.

1 Nephi 1:9
 9 And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the
midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of
the sun at noon-day.

1 Nephi 1:10
 10 And he also saw twelve others following him, and their
brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

1 Nephi 1:11
 11 And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth;
and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him
a book, and bade him that he should read.

1 Nephi 1:12
 12 And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the
Spirit of the Lord.

1 Nephi 1:13
 13 And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen
thine abominations!  Yea, and many things did my father read
concerning Jerusalem--that it should be destroyed, and the
inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many
should be carried away captive into Babylon.

1 Nephi 1:14
 14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen
many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto
the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God
Almighty!  Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and
goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth,
and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who
come unto thee that they shall perish!

1 Nephi 1:15
 15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the
praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole
heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea,
which the Lord had shown unto him.

1 Nephi 1:16
 16 And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things
which my father hath written, for he hath written many things
which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written
many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of
which I shall not make a full account.

1 Nephi 1:17
 17 But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. 
Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon
plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I
have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account
of mine own life.

1 Nephi 1:18
 18 Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord
had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea,
concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth
among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them
concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

1 Nephi 1:19
 19 And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the
things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of
their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that
the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he
read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of the
Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

1 Nephi 1:20
 20 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with
him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast
out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that
they might take it away.  But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto
you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom
he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even
unto the power of deliverance.

1 Nephi 2

1 Nephi 2:1
 1 For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my
father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou
Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because
thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things
which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.

1 Nephi 2:2
 2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in
a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the
wilderness.

1 Nephi 2:3
 3 And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the
Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

1 Nephi 2:4
 4 And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness.  And
he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold,
and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with
him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and
departed into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 2:5
 5 And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea;
and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer
the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family,
which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who
were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

1 Nephi 2:6
 6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in
the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a
river of water.

1 Nephi 2:7
 7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made
an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

1 Nephi 2:8
 8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river,
Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the
borders near the mouth thereof.

1 Nephi 2:9
 9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied
into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O
that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running
into the fountain of all righteousness!

1 Nephi 2:10
 10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like
unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping
the commandments of the Lord!

1 Nephi 2:11
 11 Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and
Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their
father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of
the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance,
and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to
perish in the wilderness.  And this they said he had done because
of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

1 Nephi 2:12
 12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur
against their father.  And they did murmur because they knew not
the dealings of that God who had created them.
1 Nephi 2:13
 13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city,
could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets.  And
they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to
take away the life of my father.

1 Nephi 2:14
 14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the
valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until
their frames did shake before him.  And he did confound them,
that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he
commanded them.

1 Nephi 2:15
 15 And my father dwelt in a tent.

1 Nephi 2:16
 16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young,
nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great
desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry
unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my
heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by
my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my
brothers.

1 Nephi 2:17
 17 And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which
the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit.  And it came
to pass that he believed in my words.

1 Nephi 2:18
 18 But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my
words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts
I cried unto the Lord for them.

1 Nephi 2:19
 19 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying:
Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast
sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

1 Nephi 2:20
 20 And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall
prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land
which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above
all other lands.

1 Nephi 2:21
 21 And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they
shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

1 Nephi 2:22
 22 And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt
be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.

1 Nephi 2:23
 23 For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I
will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no
power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.

1 Nephi 2:24
 24 And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a
scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of
remembrance.

1 Nephi 3

1 Nephi 3:1
 1 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with
the Lord, to the tent of my father.

1 Nephi 3:2
 2 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I
have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me
that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 3:3
 3 For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a
genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of
brass.

1 Nephi 3:4
 4 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy
brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records,
and bring them down hither into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 3:5
 5 And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing
which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it
of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.

1 Nephi 3:6
 6 Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord,
because thou hast not murmured.

1 Nephi 3:7
 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will
go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know
that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men,
save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the
thing which he commandeth them.

1 Nephi 3:8
 8 And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words
he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of
the Lord.

1 Nephi 3:9
 9 And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the
wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 3:10
 10 And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of
Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.

1 Nephi 3:11
 11 And we cast lots--who of us should go in unto the house of
Laban.  And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman; and
Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as
he sat in his house.

1 Nephi 3:12
 12 And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon
the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father.

1 Nephi 3:13
 13 And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust
him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have
the records.  Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a
robber, and I will slay thee.

1 Nephi 3:14
 14 But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which
Laban had done, unto us.  And we began to be exceedingly
sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in
the wilderness.

1 Nephi 3:15
 15 But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as
we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness
until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath
commanded us.

1 Nephi 3:16
 16 Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord; therefore let us go down to the land of our father's
inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner
of riches.  And all this he hath done because of the commandments
of the Lord.

1 Nephi 3:17
 17 For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the
wickedness of the people.

1 Nephi 3:18
 18 For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets. 
Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the land after he hath
been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, he would also
perish.  Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the
land.

1 Nephi 3:19
 19 And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these
records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of
our fathers;

1 Nephi 3:20
 20 And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have
been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have
been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since
the world began, even down unto this present time.

1 Nephi 3:21
 21 And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I
persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the
commandments of God.

1 Nephi 3:22
 22 And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our
inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver,
and our precious things.

1 Nephi 3:23
 23 And after we had gathered these things together, we went up
again unto the house of Laban.

1 Nephi 3:24
 24 And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired
him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven
upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our
gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.

1 Nephi 3:25
 25 And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and
that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch
that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he
might obtain our property.

1 Nephi 3:26
 26 And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of
Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it
fell into the hands of Laban.

1 Nephi 3:27
 27 And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the
servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in
the cavity of a rock.

1 Nephi 3:28
 28 And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also
with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the
words of Laman.  Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard
words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even
with a rod.

1 Nephi 3:29
 29 And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an
angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto
them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? 
Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you,
and this because of your iniquities?  Behold ye shall go up to
Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.

1 Nephi 3:30
 30 And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.

1 Nephi 3:31
 31 And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again
began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will
deliver Laban into our hands?  Behold, he is a mighty man, and he
can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

1 Nephi 4

1 Nephi 4:1
 1 And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let
us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping
the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all
the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea,
or even than his tens of thousands?

1 Nephi 4:2
 2 Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for
he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided
hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of
captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow
and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

1 Nephi 4:3
 3 Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an
angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt?  Let us go
up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to
destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

1 Nephi 4:4
 4 Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and
did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up
until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 4:5
 5 And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide
themselves without the walls.  And after they had hid themselves,
I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of
Laban.

1 Nephi 4:6
 6 And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things
which I should do.

1 Nephi 4:7
 7 Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house
of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before
me, for he was drunken with wine.

1 Nephi 4:8
 8 And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.

1 Nephi 4:9
 9 And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath
thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the
workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the
blade thereof was of the most precious steel.

1 Nephi 4:10
 10 And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that
I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time
have I shed the blood of man.  And I shrunk and would that I
might not slay him.

1 Nephi 4:11
 11 And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath
delivered him into thy hands.  Yea, and I also knew that he had
sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken
unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our
property.

1 Nephi 4:12
 12 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay
him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

1 Nephi 4:13
 13 Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his
righteous purposes.  It is better that one man should perish than
that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

1 Nephi 4:14
 14 And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered
the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness,
saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments,
they shall prosper in the land of promise.

1 Nephi 4:15
 15 Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the
commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they
should have the law.

1 Nephi 4:16
 16 And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of
brass.

1 Nephi 4:17
 17 And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my
hands for this cause--that I might obtain the records according
to his commandments.

1 Nephi 4:18
 18 Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban
by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own
sword.

1 Nephi 4:19
 19 And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I
took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea,
even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.

1 Nephi 4:20
 20 And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of
Laban.  And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban,
behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the
treasury.  And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he
should go with me into the treasury.

1 Nephi 4:21
 21 And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the
garments and also the sword girded about my loins.

1 Nephi 4:22
 22 And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he
knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.

1 Nephi 4:23
 23 And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.

1 Nephi 4:24
 24 And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings,
which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who
were without the walls.

1 Nephi 4:25
 25 And I also bade him that he should follow me.

1 Nephi 4:26
 26 And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church,
and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he
did follow me.

1 Nephi 4:27
 27 And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the
Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the
walls.

1 Nephi 4:28
 28 And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly
frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam.  And they fled from before
my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had
slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.

1 Nephi 4:29
 29 And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did
hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.

1 Nephi 4:30
 30 And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my
brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before
me and return to the city of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 4:31
 31 And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also
having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize
upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.

1 Nephi 4:32
 32 And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would
hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so
that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.

1 Nephi 4:33
 33 And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not
fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go
down in the wilderness with us.

1 Nephi 4:34
 34 And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath
commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in
keeping the commandments of the Lord?  Therefore, if thou wilt go
down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with
us.

1 Nephi 4:35
 35 And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words
which I spake.  Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he
promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our
father.  Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would
tarry with us from that time forth.

1 Nephi 4:36
 36 Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this
cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into
the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.

1 Nephi 4:37
 37 And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us,
our fears did cease concerning him.

1 Nephi 4:38
 38 And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the
servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed
unto the tent of our father.

1 Nephi 5

1 Nephi 5:1
 1 And it came to pass that after we had come down into the
wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and
also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had
mourned because of us.

1 Nephi 5:2
 2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness;
and she also had complained against my father, telling him that
he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth
from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we
perish in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 5:3
 3 And after this manner of language had my mother complained
against my father.

1 Nephi 5:4
 4 And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying:
I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the
things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of
God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my
brethren.

1 Nephi 5:5
 5 But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which
things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver
my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto
us in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 5:6
 6 And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort
my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the
wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of
the Jews.

1 Nephi 5:7
 7 And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold
their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.

1 Nephi 5:8
 8 And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord
hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I
also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and
delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power
whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath
commanded them.  And after this manner of language did she speak.

1 Nephi 5:9
 9 And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did
offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave
thanks unto the God of Israel.

1 Nephi 5:10
 10 And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my
father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the
plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.

1 Nephi 5:11
 11 And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses,
which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of
Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;

1 Nephi 5:12
 12 And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down
to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;

1 Nephi 5:13
 13 And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the
beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of
Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the
mouth of Jeremiah.

1 Nephi 5:14
 14 And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the
plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew
that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was
the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved
by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father,
Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.

1 Nephi 5:15
 15 And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land
of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.

1 Nephi 5:16
 16 And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his
fathers.  And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he
and his fathers had kept the records.

1 Nephi 5:17
 17 And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled
with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed--

1 Nephi 5:18
 18 That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations,
kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.

1 Nephi 5:19
 19 Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never
perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time.  And he
prophesied many things concerning his seed.

1 Nephi 5:20
 20 And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept
the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.

1 Nephi 5:21
 21 And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded
us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea,
even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the
commandments of the Lord unto our children.

1 Nephi 5:22
 22 Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry
them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land
of promise.

1 Nephi 6

1 Nephi 6:1
 1 And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in
this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after
upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the
record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not
write it in this work.

1 Nephi 6:2
 2 For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of Joseph.

1 Nephi 6:3
 3 And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full
account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be
written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write
of the things of God.

1 Nephi 6:4
 4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to
come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, and be saved.

1 Nephi 6:5
 5 Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do
not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto
those who are not of the world.

1 Nephi 6:6
 6 Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they
shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth
unto the children of men.

1 Nephi 7

1 Nephi 7:1
 1 And now I would that ye might know, that after my father,
Lehi, had made an end of prophesying concerning his seed, it came
to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was
not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the
wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to
wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of
promise.

1 Nephi 7:2
 2 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi,
and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem,
and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 7:3
 3 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my
brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 7:4
 4 And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael,
and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we
did speak unto him the words of the Lord.

1 Nephi 7:5
 5 And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of
Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their
journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our
father.

1 Nephi 7:6
 6 And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness,
behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and
the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us;
yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and
his wife, and his three other daughters.

1 Nephi 7:7
 7 And it came to pass in the which rebellion, they were desirous
to return unto the land of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 7:8
 8 And now I, Nephi, being grieved for the hardness of their
hearts, therefore I spake unto them, saying, yea, even unto Laman
and unto Lemuel: Behold ye are mine elder brethren, and how is it
that ye are so hard in your hearts, and so blind in your minds,
that ye have need that I, your younger brother, should speak unto
you, yea, and set an example for you?

1 Nephi 7:9
 9 How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the
Lord?

1 Nephi 7:10
 10 How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel
of the Lord?

1 Nephi 7:11
 11 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things
the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of
Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?

1 Nephi 7:12
 12 Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is
able to do all things according to his will, for the children of
men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him?  Wherefore, let
us be faithful to him.

1 Nephi 7:13
 13 And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain
the land of promise; and ye shall know at some future period that
the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning the
destruction of Jerusalem; for all things which the Lord hath
spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled.

1 Nephi 7:14
 14 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive
with them; for behold, they have rejected the prophets, and
Jeremiah have they cast into prison.  And they have sought to
take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven
him out of the land.

1 Nephi 7:15
 15 Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto
Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them.  And now, if ye have
choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak
unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit
of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak.

1 Nephi 7:16
 16 And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these
words unto my brethren, they were angry with me.  And it came to
pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were
exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they
sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the
wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

1 Nephi 7:17
 17 But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O
Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver
me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that
I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

1 Nephi 7:18
 18 And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold,
the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood
before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

1 Nephi 7:19
 19 And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and
sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of
Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of
Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did
soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my
life.

1 Nephi 7:20
 20 And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of
their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and
did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that
they had done against me.

1 Nephi 7:21
 21 And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that
they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto
the Lord their God for forgiveness.  And it came to pass that
they did so.  And after they had done praying unto the Lord we
did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.

1 Nephi 7:22
 22 And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of
our father.  And after I and my brethren and all the house of
Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give
thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and
burnt offerings unto him.

1 Nephi 8

1 Nephi 8:1
 1 And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner
of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of
the seeds of fruit of every kind.

1 Nephi 8:2
 2 And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the
wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a
dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.

1 Nephi 8:3
 3 And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have
reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam;
for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their
seed, will be saved.

1 Nephi 8:4
 4 But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of
you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary
wilderness.

1 Nephi 8:5
 5 And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a
white robe; and he came and stood before me.

1 Nephi 8:6
 6 And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow
him.

1 Nephi 8:7
 7 And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself
that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

1 Nephi 8:8
 8 And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in
darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy
on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

1 Nephi 8:9
 9 And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld
a large and spacious field.

1 Nephi 8:10
 10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was
desirable to make one happy.

1 Nephi 8:11
 11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the
fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all
that I ever before tasted.  Yea, and I beheld that the fruit
thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever
seen.

1 Nephi 8:12
 12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with
exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my
family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was
desirable above all other fruit.

1 Nephi 8:13
 13 And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might
discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran
along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the
fruit.

1 Nephi 8:14
 14 And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the
head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld
your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they
knew not whither they should go.

1 Nephi 8:15
 15 And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did
say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me,
and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other
fruit.

1 Nephi 8:16
 16 And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of
the fruit also.

1 Nephi 8:17
 17 And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel
should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine
eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see
them.

1 Nephi 8:18
 18 And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come
unto me and partake of the fruit.

1 Nephi 8:19
 19 And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of
the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

1 Nephi 8:20
 20 And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along
by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it
also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious
field, as if it had been a world.

1 Nephi 8:21
 21 And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were
pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto
the tree by which I stood.

1 Nephi 8:22
 22 And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in
the path which led to the tree.

1 Nephi 8:23
 23 And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea,
even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they
who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they
wandered off and were lost.

1 Nephi 8:24
 24 And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward,
and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of
iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness,
clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and
partake of the fruit of the tree.

1 Nephi 8:25
 25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did
cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

1 Nephi 8:26
 26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other
side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it
stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

1 Nephi 8:27
 27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male
and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and
they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers
towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

1 Nephi 8:28
 28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed,
because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away
into forbidden paths and were lost.

1 Nephi 8:29
 29 And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

1 Nephi 8:30
 30 But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes
pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the
rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually
holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell
down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

1 Nephi 8:31
 31 And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards
that great and spacious building.

1 Nephi 8:32
 32 And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of
the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in
strange roads.

1 Nephi 8:33
 33 And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange
building.  And after they did enter into that building they did
point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of
the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

1 Nephi 8:34
 34 These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them,
had fallen away.

1 Nephi 8:35
 35 And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my
father.

1 Nephi 8:36
 36 And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words
of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because
of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared
for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off
from the presence of the Lord.

1 Nephi 8:37
 37 And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender
parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the
Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my
father did preach unto them.

1 Nephi 8:38
 38 And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto
them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the
Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

1 Nephi 9

1 Nephi 9:1
 1 And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak,
as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great
many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.

1 Nephi 9:2
 2 And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they
are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the
history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full
account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore,
they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and
these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

1 Nephi 9:3
 3 Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I
should make these plates, for the special purpose that there
should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

1 Nephi 9:4
 4 Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the
reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people;
wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and
the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings
and the wars and contentions of my people.

1 Nephi 9:5
 5 Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for
a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

1 Nephi 9:6
 6 But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore,
he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children
of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all
his words.  And thus it is.  Amen.

1 Nephi 10

1 Nephi 10:1
 1 And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates
of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to
proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of
my father, and also of my brethren.

1 Nephi 10:2
 2 For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of
speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to
all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews--

1 Nephi 10:3
 3 That after they should be destroyed, even that great city
Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon,
according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return
again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they
should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again
the land of their inheritance.

1 Nephi 10:4
 4 Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left
Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the
Jews--even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.

1 Nephi 10:5
 5 And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number
had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom
he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.

1 Nephi 10:6
 6 Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state,
and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

1 Nephi 10:7
 7 And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before
the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord--

1 Nephi 10:8
 8 Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness:
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for
there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier
than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.  And
much spake my father concerning this thing.

1 Nephi 10:9
 9 And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond
Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that
he should baptize the Messiah with water.

1 Nephi 10:10
 10 And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should
behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who
should take away the sins of the world.

1 Nephi 10:11
 11 And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he
spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be
preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the
Jews in unbelief.  And after they had slain the Messiah, who
should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the
dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto
the Gentiles.

1 Nephi 10:12
 12 Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and
also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared
like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and
should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

1 Nephi 10:13
 13 Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led
with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of
the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the
face of the earth.

1 Nephi 10:14
 14 And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should
be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had
received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the
olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be
grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the true Messiah, their
Lord and their Redeemer.

1 Nephi 10:15
 15 And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and
speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not
write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were
expedient for me in mine other book.

1 Nephi 10:16
 16 And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my
father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.

1 Nephi 10:17
 17 And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the
words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a
vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the
Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of
God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--I,
Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of
these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift
of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times
of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the
children of men.

1 Nephi 10:18
 18 For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the
way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if
it so be that they repent and come unto him.

1 Nephi 10:19
 19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries
of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy
Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in
times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the
Lord is one eternal round.

1 Nephi 10:20
 20 Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be
brought into judgment.

1 Nephi 10:21
 21 Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of
your probation, then ye are found unclean before the
judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God;
wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.

1 Nephi 10:22
 22 And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these
things, and deny them not.

1 Nephi 11

1 Nephi 11:1
 1 For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things
that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to
make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was
caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly
high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I
never had before set my foot.

1 Nephi 11:2
 2 And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?

1 Nephi 11:3
 3 And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.

1 Nephi 11:4
 4 And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father
saw the tree of which he hath spoken?

1 Nephi 11:5
 5 And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of
my father.

1 Nephi 11:6
 6 And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a
loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for
he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all.  And blessed
art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most
high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast
desired.

1 Nephi 11:7
 7 And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign,
that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which
thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of
heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him
ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.

1 Nephi 11:8
 8 And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look!  And I
looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my
father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea,
exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the
whiteness of the driven snow.

1 Nephi 11:9
 9 And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the
Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is
precious above all.

1 Nephi 11:10
 10 And he said unto me: What desirest thou?

1 Nephi 11:11
 11 And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof--for
I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in
the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the
Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with
another.

1 Nephi 11:12
 12 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look!  And I looked
as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from
before my presence.

1 Nephi 11:13
 13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city
of Jerusalem, and also other cities.  And I beheld the city of
Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she
was exceedingly fair and white.

1 Nephi 11:14
 14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel
came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what
beholdest thou?

1 Nephi 11:15
 15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above
all other virgins.

1 Nephi 11:16
 16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

1 Nephi 11:17
 17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children;
nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

1 Nephi 11:18
 18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is
the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

1 Nephi 11:19
 19 And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away
in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit
for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

1 Nephi 11:20
 20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in
her arms.

1 Nephi 11:21
 21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even
the Son of the Eternal Father!  Knowest thou the meaning of the
tree which thy father saw?

1 Nephi 11:22
 22 And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which
sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men;
wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

1 Nephi 11:23
 23 And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the
soul.

1 Nephi 11:24
 24 And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! 
And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the
children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship
him.

1 Nephi 11:25
 25 And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which
my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the
fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters
are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that
the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

1 Nephi 11:26
 26 And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the
condescension of God!

1 Nephi 11:27
 27 And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my
father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should
prepare the way before him.  And the Lamb of God went forth and
was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the
heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and
abide upon him in the form of a dove.

1 Nephi 11:28
 28 And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people,
in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered
together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from
among them.

1 Nephi 11:29
 29 And I also beheld twelve others following him.  And it came
to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my
face, and I saw them not.

1 Nephi 11:30
 30 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again,
saying: Look!  And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again,
and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they
did minister unto them.

1 Nephi 11:31
 31 And he spake unto me again, saying: Look!  And I looked, and
I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. 
And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were
afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and
unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things
unto me.  And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God;
and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

1 Nephi 11:32
 32 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again,
saying: Look!  And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he
was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was
judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.

1 Nephi 11:33
 33 And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and
slain for the sins of the world.

1 Nephi 11:34
 34 And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth,
that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of
the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the
Lord.

1 Nephi 11:35
 35 And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I
beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto
the building which my father saw.  And the angel of the Lord
spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom
thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together
to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

1 Nephi 11:36
 36 And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the
great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it
fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great.  And the angel
of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the
destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that
shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

1 Nephi 12

1 Nephi 12:1
 1 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and
behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren.  And I looked
and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of
people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the
sea.

1 Nephi 12:2
 2 And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together
to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors
of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.

1 Nephi 12:3
 3 And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away,
after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I
beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.

1 Nephi 12:4
 4 And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face
of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard
thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous
noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I
saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the
earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they
were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I
saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking
thereof.

1 Nephi 12:5
 5 And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor
of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and
behold, I saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great
and terrible judgments of the Lord.

1 Nephi 12:6
 6 And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out
of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.

1 Nephi 12:7
 7 And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon
twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen.

1 Nephi 12:8
 8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve
disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.

1 Nephi 12:9
 9 And he said unto me: Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of
the Lamb?  Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes
of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be
judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel.

1 Nephi 12:10
 10 And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge
thy seed.  And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because
of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white
in his blood.

1 Nephi 12:11
 11 And the angel said unto me: Look!  And I looked, and beheld
three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments
were white even like unto the Lamb of God.  And the angel said
unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because
of their faith in him.

1 Nephi 12:12
 12 And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who
passed away in righteousness.

1 Nephi 12:13
 13 And it came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth
gathered together.

1 Nephi 12:14
 14 And the angel said unto me: Behold thy seed, and also the
seed of thy brethren.

1 Nephi 12:15
 15 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my
seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my
brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.

1 Nephi 12:16
 16 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the fountain of
filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which
he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell.

1 Nephi 12:17
 17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil,
which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children
of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish
and are lost.

1 Nephi 12:18
 18 And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is
vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men.  And a
great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of
the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb
of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning
of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and
forever.

1 Nephi 12:19
 19 And while the angel spake these words, I beheld and saw that
the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, according to
the word of the angel; and because of the pride of my seed, and
the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my
brethren did overpower the people of my seed.

1 Nephi 12:20
 20 And it came to pass that I beheld, and saw the people of the
seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed; and they went
forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.

1 Nephi 12:21
 21 And I saw them gathered together in multitudes; and I saw
wars and rumors of wars among them; and in wars and rumors of
wars I saw many generations pass away.

1 Nephi 12:22
 22 And the angel said unto me: Behold these shall dwindle in
unbelief.

1 Nephi 12:23
 23 And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in
unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people,
full of idleness and all manner of abominations.

1 Nephi 13

1 Nephi 13:1
 1 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look!  And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.

1 Nephi 13:2
 2 And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou?  And I said:
I behold many nations and kingdoms.

1 Nephi 13:3
 3 And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the
Gentiles.

1 Nephi 13:4
 4 And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the
Gentiles the formation of a great church.

1 Nephi 13:5
 5 And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church
which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth
the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down,
and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into
captivity.

1 Nephi 13:6
 6 And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable
church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.

1 Nephi 13:7
 7 And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw
many harlots.

1 Nephi 13:8
 8 And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the
silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined
linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the
desires of this great and abominable church.

1 Nephi 13:9
 9 And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the
saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.

1 Nephi 13:10
 10 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and
they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.

1 Nephi 13:11
 11 And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the
wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.

1 Nephi 13:12
 12 And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was
separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I
beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the
man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed
of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

1 Nephi 13:13
 13 And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it
wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of
captivity, upon the many waters.

1 Nephi 13:14
 14 And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the
Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God,
that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered
before the Gentiles and were smitten.

1 Nephi 13:15
 15 And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the
Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their
inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly
fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.

1 Nephi 13:16
 16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles
who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before
the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.

1 Nephi 13:17
 17 And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered
together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle
against them.

1 Nephi 13:18
 18 And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also
that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered
together against them to battle.

1 Nephi 13:19
 19 And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of
captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of
all other nations.

1 Nephi 13:20
 20 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did
prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried
forth among them.

1 Nephi 13:21
 21 And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the
book?

1 Nephi 13:22
 22 And I said unto him: I know not.

1 Nephi 13:23
 23 And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. 
And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou
beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants
of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it
also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and
it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates
of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain
the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of
Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.

1 Nephi 13:24
 24 And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that
the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it
proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness
of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear
record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in
the Lamb of God.

1 Nephi 13:25
 25 Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto
the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.

1 Nephi 13:26
 26 And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of
the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the
formation of a great and abominable church, which is most
abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken
away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and
most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they
taken away.

1 Nephi 13:27
 27 And all this have they done that they might pervert the right
ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the
hearts of the children of men.

1 Nephi 13:28
 28 Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth
through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there
are many plain and precious things taken away from the book,
which is the book of the Lamb of God.

1 Nephi 13:29
 29 And after these plain and precious things were taken away it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it
goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even
across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles
which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest--because of
the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of
the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children
of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of
God--because of these things which are taken away out of the
gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea,
insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.

1 Nephi 13:30
 30 Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone
forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of
God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is
choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God
hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the
land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord
God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the
mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.

1 Nephi 13:31
 31 Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the
seed of thy brethren.

1 Nephi 13:32
 32 Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall
forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou
beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious
parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that
abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.

1 Nephi 13:33
 33 Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the
Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel
in great judgment.

1 Nephi 13:34
 34 And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me,
saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the
remnant of the house of Israel--and this remnant of whom I speak
is the seed of thy father--wherefore, after I have visited them
in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and
after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most
plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have
been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of
harlots, saith the Lamb--I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in
that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own
power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious,
saith the Lamb.

1 Nephi 13:35
 35 For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy
seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister
unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed
shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of
thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth
unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.

1 Nephi 13:36
 36 And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and
my rock and my salvation.

1 Nephi 13:37
 37 And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at
that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy
Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at
the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of
the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great
joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.

1 Nephi 13:38
 38 And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of
my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had
proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth
from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.

1 Nephi 13:39
 39 And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books,
which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto
them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the
seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon
all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.

1 Nephi 13:40
 40 And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records,
which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the
truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb,
and shall make known the plain and precious things which have
been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds,
tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the
Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men
must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

1 Nephi 13:41
 41 And they must come according to the words which shall be
established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb
shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the
records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both
shall be established in one; for there is one God and one
Shepherd over all the earth.

1 Nephi 13:42
 42 And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all
nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after
he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the
Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and
also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first
shall be last.

1 Nephi 14

1 Nephi 14:1
 1 And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken
unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself
unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the
taking away of their stumbling blocks--

1 Nephi 14:2
 2 And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they
shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall
be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a
blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no
more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall
no more be confounded.

1 Nephi 14:3
 3 And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that
great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and
his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to
hell--yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the
destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto
their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the
destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that
hell which hath no end.

1 Nephi 14:4
 4 For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil,
and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will
work wickedness and abomination before him.

1 Nephi 14:5
 5 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi,
saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be
well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of
the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that
whoso repenteth not must perish.

1 Nephi 14:6
 6 Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they
harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.

1 Nephi 14:7
 7 For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a
great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work
which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the
other--either to the convincing of them unto peace and life
eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their
hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought
down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally
and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of
which I have spoken.

1 Nephi 14:8
 8 And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these
words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the
Father unto the house of Israel?  I said unto him, Yea.

1 Nephi 14:9
 9 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold
that great and abominable church, which is the mother of
abominations, whose founder is the devil.

1 Nephi 14:10
 10 And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only;
the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the
church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church
of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the
mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

1 Nephi 14:11
 11 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all
the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion
over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people.

1 Nephi 14:12
 12 And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of
God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and
abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless,
I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God,
were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions
upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness
of the great whore whom I saw.

1 Nephi 14:13
 13 And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of
abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all
the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight
against the Lamb of God.

1 Nephi 14:14
 14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the
Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of
the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were
scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed
with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.

1 Nephi 14:15
 15 And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was
poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that
there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and
kindreds of the earth.

1 Nephi 14:16
 16 And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all
the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the
angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the
mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things--

1 Nephi 14:17
 17 And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out
upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable
church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at
that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the
way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to
his people who are of the house of Israel.

1 Nephi 14:18
 18 And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying:
Look!

1 Nephi 14:19
 19 And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white
robe.

1 Nephi 14:20
 20 And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles
of the Lamb.

1 Nephi 14:21
 21 Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things;
yea, and also many things which have been.

1 Nephi 14:22
 22 And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.

1 Nephi 14:23
 23 Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true;
and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld
proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book
proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were
written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the
understanding of all men.

1 Nephi 14:24
 24 And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall
write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the
remainder shalt thou see.

1 Nephi 14:25
 25 But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not
write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of
God that he should write them.

1 Nephi 14:26
 26 And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all
things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to
come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in
the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of
Israel.

1 Nephi 14:27
 27 And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the
apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.

1 Nephi 14:28
 28 And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the
remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the
things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but
a small part of the things which I saw.

1 Nephi 14:29
 29 And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw,
and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.

1 Nephi 14:30
 30 And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which
I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the
things which I saw are not written, the things which I have
written are true.  And thus it is.  Amen.

1 Nephi 15

1 Nephi 15:1
 1 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away
in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent
of my father.

1 Nephi 15:2
 2 And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were
disputing one with another concerning the things my father had
spoken unto them.

1 Nephi 15:3
 3 For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were
hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and
they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto
the Lord as they ought.

1 Nephi 15:4
 4 And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their
hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and
knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great
wickedness of the children of men.

1 Nephi 15:5
 5 And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my
afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great
above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had
beheld their fall.

1 Nephi 15:6
 6 And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake
unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their
disputations.

1 Nephi 15:7
 7 And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which
our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the
olive-tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.

1 Nephi 15:8
 8 And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?

1 Nephi 15:9
 9 And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no
such thing known unto us.

1 Nephi 15:10
 10 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the
commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because
of the hardness of your hearts?

1 Nephi 15:11
 11 Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?--If
ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing
that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments,
surely these things shall be made known unto you.

1 Nephi 15:12
 12 Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared
unto an olive-tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our
father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of
Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?

1 Nephi 15:13
 13 And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the
grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the
Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have
dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many
generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto
the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the
Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the
remnant of our seed--

1 Nephi 15:14
 14 And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they
are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people
of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge
of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of
their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him;
wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and
the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come
unto him and be saved.

1 Nephi 15:15
 15 And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise
unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea,
at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment
from the true vine? Yea, will they not come unto the true fold of
God?

1 Nephi 15:16
 16 Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again
among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a
natural branch of the olive-tree, into the true olive-tree.

1 Nephi 15:17
 17 And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it
will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the
Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the
Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for
the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the
house of Israel.

1 Nephi 15:18
 18 Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but
also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which
should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord
made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the
kindreds of the earth be blessed.

1 Nephi 15:19
 19 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them
concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the
restoration of the Jews in the latter days.

1 Nephi 15:20
 20 And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake
concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of
Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be
confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came
to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they
were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.

1 Nephi 15:21
 21 And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again,
saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream?
What meaneth the tree which he saw?

1 Nephi 15:22
 22 And I said unto them: It was a representation of the tree of
life.

1 Nephi 15:23
 23 And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our
father saw, that led to the tree?

1 Nephi 15:24
 24 And I said unto them that it was the word of God, and whose
would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it,
they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the
fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to
lead them away to destruction.

1 Nephi 15:25
 25 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the
word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of
my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they
would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his
commandments always in all things.

1 Nephi 15:26
 26 And they said unto me: What meaneth the river of water which
our father saw?

1 Nephi 15:27
 27 And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was
filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things
that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.

1 Nephi 15:28
 28 And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf, which
separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the
saints of God.

1 Nephi 15:29
 29 And I said unto them that it was a representation of that
awful hell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the
wicked.

1 Nephi 15:30
 30 And I said unto them that our father also saw that the
justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and
the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming
fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no
end.

1 Nephi 15:31
 31 And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of
the body in the days of probation, or doth it mean the final
state of the soul after the death of the temporal body, or doth
it speak of the things which are temporal?

1 Nephi 15:32
 32 And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a
representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day
should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even
the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of
probation.

1 Nephi 15:33
 33 Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must
be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are
pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to
stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works
have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be
filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of
God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.

1 Nephi 15:34
 34 But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy,
and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God;
wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for
that which is filthy.

1 Nephi 15:35
 35 And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of
which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it;
wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the
kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of
which I have spoken.

1 Nephi 15:36
 36 Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and
also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and
most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the
greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my
brethren. Amen.

1 Nephi 16

1 Nephi 16:1
 1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end
of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast
declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

1 Nephi 16:2
 2 And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I
had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the
truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that
they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty
taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very
center.

1 Nephi 16:3
 3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to
hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk
uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the
truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

1 Nephi 16:4
 4 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren,
with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.

1 Nephi 16:5
 5 And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the
Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they
would walk in the paths of righteousness.

1 Nephi 16:6
 6 Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in
a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.

1 Nephi 16:7
 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters
of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters
of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of
Ishmael to wife.

1 Nephi 16:8
 8 And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the
Lord which had been given unto him.  And also, I, Nephi, had been
blessed of the Lord exceedingly.

1 Nephi 16:9
 9 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my
father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should
take his journey into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:10
 10 And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning,
and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he
beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and
it was of fine brass.  And within the ball were two spindles; and
the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:11
 11 And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever
things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder
of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did
take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:12
 12 And it came to pass that we did take our tents and depart
into the wilderness, across the river Laman.

1 Nephi 16:13
 13 And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four
days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our
tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.

1 Nephi 16:14
 14 And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows,
and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families;
and after we had slain food for our families we did return again
to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer.  And
we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same
direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness,
which were in the borders near the Red Sea.

1 Nephi 16:15
 15 And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many
days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and
our stones and our slings.

1 Nephi 16:16
 16 And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in
the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

1 Nephi 16:17
 17 And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did
pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest
ourselves and obtain food for our families.

1 Nephi 16:18
 18 And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay
food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel;
and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with
me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.

1 Nephi 16:19
 19 And it came to pass that we did return without food to our
families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying,
they did suffer much for the want of food.

1 Nephi 16:20
 20 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel and the sons of
Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their
sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father
began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all
exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the
Lord.

1 Nephi 16:21
 21 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with
my brethren because of the loss of my bow, and their bows having
lost their springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea,
insomuch that we could obtain no food.

1 Nephi 16:22
 22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my
brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto
complaining against the Lord their God.

1 Nephi 16:23
 23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a
bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm
myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones. 
And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?

1 Nephi 16:24
 24 And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they
had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many
things unto them in the energy of my soul.

1 Nephi 16:25
 25 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my
father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring
against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the
depths of sorrow.

1 Nephi 16:26
 26 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him:
Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.

1 Nephi 16:27
 27 And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things
which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble
exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our
wives.

1 Nephi 16:28
 28 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which
were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and
diligence and heed which we did give unto them.

1 Nephi 16:29
 29 And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was
plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the
ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to
time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it.

And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about
great things.

1 Nephi 16:30
 30 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the
top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given
upon the ball.

1 Nephi 16:31
 31 And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch
that I did obtain food for our families.

1 Nephi 16:32
 32 And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing
the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had
obtained food, how great was their joy!  And it came to pass that
they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks
unto him.

1 Nephi 16:33
 33 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey,
traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; and after
we had traveled for the space of many days we did pitch our tents
again, that we might tarry for the space of a time.

1 Nephi 16:34
 34 And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the
place which was called Nahom.

1 Nephi 16:35
 35 And it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn
exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of
their afflictions in the wilderness; and they did murmur against
my father, because he had brought them out of the land of
Jerusalem, saying: Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered
much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction,
hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we
must perish in the wilderness with hunger.

1 Nephi 16:36
 36 And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against
me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 16:37
 37 And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael:
Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who
has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are
his elder brethren.

1 Nephi 16:38
 38 Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that
angels have ministered unto him.  But behold, we know that he
lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many
things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes,
thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange
wilderness; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make
himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us
according to his will and pleasure.  And after this manner did my
brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.

1 Nephi 16:39
 39 And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the
voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and
did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by
the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did
repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again
with food, that we did not perish.

1 Nephi 17

1 Nephi 17:1
 1 And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the
wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time
forth.  And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the
wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:2
 2 And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that
while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did
give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea,
even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings
without murmurings.

1 Nephi 17:3
 3 And thus we see that the commandments of God must be
fulfilled.  And if it so be that the children of men keep the
commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them,
and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he
has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while
we did sojourn in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:4
 4 And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even
eight years in the wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:5
 5 And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because
of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were
prepared of the Lord that we might not perish.  And we beheld the
sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many
waters.

1 Nephi 17:6
 6 And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the
seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions
and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them
all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore;
and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.

1 Nephi 17:7
 7 And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land
of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord
came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain.  And
it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and
cried unto the Lord.

1 Nephi 17:8
 8 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou
shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee,
that I may carry thy people across these waters.

1 Nephi 17:9
 9 And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to
molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the
manner which thou hast shown unto me?

1 Nephi 17:10
 10 And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go
to find ore, that I might make tools.

1 Nephi 17:11
 11 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make a bellows
wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I
had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire,
I did smite two stones together that I might make fire.

1 Nephi 17:12
 12 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make
much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will
make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;

1 Nephi 17:13
 13 And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will
prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my
commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye
shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

1 Nephi 17:14
 14 Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in
the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and
that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I
did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 17:15
 15 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of
the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and
diligence.

1 Nephi 17:16
 16 And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I
did molten out of the rock.

1 Nephi 17:17
 17 And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship,
they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool,
for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also
thinketh that he can cross these great waters.

1 Nephi 17:18
 18 And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were
desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that
I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was
instructed of the Lord.

1 Nephi 17:19
 19 And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly
sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when
they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their
hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew
that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were
lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so
great a work.

1 Nephi 17:20
 20 And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish
imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of
Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many
years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they
have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things,
save it were death; and it would have been better that they had
died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered
these afflictions.

1 Nephi 17:21
 21 Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness,
which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of
our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.

1 Nephi 17:22
 22 And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem
were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments
of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of
Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and
our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we
would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto
him.  And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur
and complain against us.

1 Nephi 17:23
 23 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying:
Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel,
would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if
they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord?

1 Nephi 17:24
 24 Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of
bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead
them out of bondage?

1 Nephi 17:25
 25 Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and
ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to
be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing
for them, that they should be brought out of bondage.

1 Nephi 17:26
 26 Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that
great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red
Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on
dry ground.

1 Nephi 17:27
 27 But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea,
who were the armies of Pharaoh.

1 Nephi 17:28
 28 And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the
wilderness.

1 Nephi 17:29
 29 Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word according to
the power of God which was in him, smote the rock, and there came
forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their
thirst.

1 Nephi 17:30
 30 And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their
Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light
unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were
expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and
blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the
true and living God.

1 Nephi 17:31
 31 And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy
them; and according to his word he did lead them; and according
to his word he did do all things for them; and there was not any
thing done save it were by his word.

1 Nephi 17:32
 32 And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them
mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea,
unto the scattering them to destruction.

1 Nephi 17:33
 33 And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who
were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers,
do ye suppose that they were righteous?  Behold, I say unto you,
Nay.

1 Nephi 17:34
 34 Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice
than they if they had been righteous?  I say unto you, Nay.

1 Nephi 17:35
 35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is
righteous is favored of God.  But behold, this people had
rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and
the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did
curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea,
he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did
bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.

1 Nephi 17:36
 36 Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be
inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should
possess it.

1 Nephi 17:37
 37 And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the
nations of the wicked.

1 Nephi 17:38
 38 And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and
the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for
their sakes.

1 Nephi 17:39
 39 He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this
earth is his footstool.

1 Nephi 17:40
 40 And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. 
Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea,
even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants
which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land
of Egypt.

1 Nephi 17:41
 41 And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for
they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord
straitened them because of their iniquity.  He sent fiery flying
serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way
that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to
perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or
the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

1 Nephi 17:42
 42 And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they
did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye
know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the
land of promise.

1 Nephi 17:43
 43 And now, after all these things, the time has come that they
have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but
they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that the
day must surely come that they must be destroyed, save a few
only, who shall be led away into captivity.

1 Nephi 17:44
 44 Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father that he should depart
into the wilderness; and the Jews also sought to take away his
life; yea, and ye also have sought to take away his life;
wherefore, ye are murderers in your hearts and ye are like unto
them.

1 Nephi 17:45
 45 Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord
your God.  Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye
have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto
you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye
could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like
unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as
if it were to divide asunder.

1 Nephi 17:46
 46 And ye also know that by the power of his almighty word he
can cause the earth that it shall pass away; yea, and ye know
that by his word he can cause the rough places to be made smooth,
and smooth places shall be broken up.  O, then, why is it, that
ye can be so hard in your hearts?

1 Nephi 17:47
 47 Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my
heart is pained; I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever. 
Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame
has no strength.

1 Nephi 17:48
 48 And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words,
they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the
depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon
me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I
command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power
of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay
his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall
be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him.

1 Nephi 17:49
 49 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they
should murmur no more against their father; neither should they
withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I
should build a ship.

1 Nephi 17:50
 50 And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all
things I could do them.  If he should command me that I should
say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I
should say it, it would be done.

1 Nephi 17:51
 51 And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so
many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot
instruct me, that I should build a ship?

1 Nephi 17:52
 52 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my
brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not
contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me
nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days.

Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so
powerful was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon
them.

1 Nephi 17:53
 53 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth
thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither
before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will
I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.

1 Nephi 17:54
 54 And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my
brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did
shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.

1 Nephi 17:55
 55 And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with
thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has
shaken us.  And they fell down before me, and were about to
worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy
brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the
Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days
may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.

1 Nephi 18

1 Nephi 18:1
 1 And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go
forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. 
And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I
should work the timbers of the ship.

1 Nephi 18:2
 2 Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which
was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner
of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had
shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

1 Nephi 18:3
 3 And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft
unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

1 Nephi 18:4
 4 And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship,
according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was
good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine;
wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.

1 Nephi 18:5
 5 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my
father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.

1 Nephi 18:6
 6 And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared
all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey
in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had
commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading
and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every
one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the
ship, with our wives and our children.

1 Nephi 18:7
 7 And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the
elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph.

1 Nephi 18:8
 8 And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship,
and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been
commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth
before the wind towards the promised land.

1 Nephi 18:9
 9 And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the
space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael
and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch
that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much
rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had
been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding
rudeness.

1 Nephi 18:10
 10 And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should
be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we
should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I,
Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold
they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger
brother shall be a ruler over us.

1 Nephi 18:11
 11 And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and
bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness;
nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his
power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken
concerning the wicked.

1 Nephi 18:12
 12 And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch
that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of
the Lord, did cease to work.

1 Nephi 18:13
 13 Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship,
insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and
terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the
space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly
lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not
loose me.

1 Nephi 18:14
 14 And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the
tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

1 Nephi 18:15
 15 And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in
the depths of the sea.  And after we had been driven back upon
the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see
that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must
perish save that they should repent of their iniquities;
wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were
upon my wrist, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also
mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness
thereof.

1 Nephi 18:16
 16 Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him
all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because
of mine afflictions.

1 Nephi 18:17
 17 Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also
unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much
threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my
parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief
because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon
their sick-beds.

1 Nephi 18:18
 18 Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of
my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of
this time to meet their God; yea, their grey hairs were about to
be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near
to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.

1 Nephi 18:19
 19 And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much
nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their
mother; and also my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my
children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they
would loose me.

1 Nephi 18:20
 20 And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which
threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts;
wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up
in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they
had done, insomuch that they loosed me.

1 Nephi 18:21
 21 And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took
the compass, and it did work whither I desired it.  And it came
to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the
winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great
calm.

1 Nephi 18:22
 22 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that
we sailed again towards the promised land.

1 Nephi 18:23
 23 And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of
many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth
upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the
promised land.

1 Nephi 18:24
 24 And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and
we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the
earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem.  And it
came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were
blessed in abundance.

1 Nephi 18:25
 25 And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of
promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were
beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and
the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all
manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men.  And we
did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of
copper.

1 Nephi 19

1 Nephi 19:1
 1 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I
did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record
of my people.  And upon the plates which I made I did engraven
the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the
wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of
mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.

1 Nephi 19:2
 2 And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be
commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record
of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part
of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those
first plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which
transpired before I made these plates are, of a truth, more
particularly made mention upon the first plates.

1 Nephi 19:3
 3 And after I had made these plates by way of commandment, I,
Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the
prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be
written upon these plates; and that the things which were written
should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should
possess the land, and also for other wise purposes, which
purposes are known unto the Lord.

1 Nephi 19:4
 4 Wherefore, I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates,
which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the
wars and contentions and destructions of my people.  And this
have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I
was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one
generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until
further commandments of the Lord.

1 Nephi 19:5
 5 And an account of my making these plates shall be given
hereafter; and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I
have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be
kept for the knowledge of my people.

1 Nephi 19:6
 6 Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be
that I think it be sacred.  And now, if I do err, even did they
err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men,
but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the
flesh, I would excuse myself.

1 Nephi 19:7
 7 For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth,
both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under
their feet.  Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample
under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would
speak in other words--they set him at naught, and hearken not to
the voice of his counsels.

1 Nephi 19:8
 8 And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in
six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.

1 Nephi 19:9
 9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to
be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he
suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it.  Yea, they
spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving
kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

1 Nephi 19:10
 10 And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of
bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea,
the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth
himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the
hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of
Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and
to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos,
which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which
should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit
the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of
the house of Israel.

1 Nephi 19:11
 11 For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit
all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because
of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and
others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by
tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the
opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.

1 Nephi 19:12
 12 And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet
Zenos.  And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the
groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea
shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God
of nature suffers.

1 Nephi 19:13
 13 And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet,
they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the
God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and
wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.

1 Nephi 19:14
 14 And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet,
and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in
the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be
hated among all nations.

1 Nephi 19:15
 15 Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that
they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of
Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to
their fathers.

1 Nephi 19:16
 16 Yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all
the people who are of the house of Israel, will I gather in,
saith the Lord, according to the words of the prophet Zenos, from
the four quarters of the earth.

1 Nephi 19:17
 17 Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord,
saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall
be blessed.

1 Nephi 19:18
 18 And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that
perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord
their Redeemer.

1 Nephi 19:19
 19 Wherefore, I speak unto all the house of Israel, if it so be
that they should obtain these things.

1 Nephi 19:20
 20 For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary
me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at
Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me
concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have
perished also.

1 Nephi 19:21
 21 And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things
concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us;
wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they
are written upon the plates of brass.

1 Nephi 19:22
 22 Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren
these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to
them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they
might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands,
among people of old.

1 Nephi 19:23
 23 And I did read many things unto them which were written in
the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to
believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that
which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all
scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

1 Nephi 19:24
 24 Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the
prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch
who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which
were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto
yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from
whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the
prophet written.

1 Nephi 20

1 Nephi 20:1
 1 Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the
name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or
out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord,
and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in
truth nor in righteousness.

1 Nephi 20:2
 2 Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they
do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of
Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name.

1 Nephi 20:3
 3 Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning;
and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them.  I did
show them suddenly.

1 Nephi 20:4
 4 And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy
neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

1 Nephi 20:5
 5 And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it
came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest
thou shouldst say--mine idol hath done them, and my graven image,
and my molten image hath commanded them.

1 Nephi 20:6
 6 Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare
them?  And that I have showed thee new things from this time,
even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

1 Nephi 20:7
 7 They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before
the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee,
lest thou shouldst say--Behold I knew them.

1 Nephi 20:8
 8 Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from
that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst
deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the
womb.

1 Nephi 20:9
 9 Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and
for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.

1 Nephi 20:10
 10 For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the
furnace of affliction.

1 Nephi 20:11
 11 For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for
I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my
glory unto another.

1 Nephi 20:12
 12 Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he;
I am the first, and I am also the last.

1 Nephi 20:13
 13 Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my
right hand hath spanned the heavens.  I call unto them and they
stand up together.

1 Nephi 20:14
 14 All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath
declared these things unto them?  The Lord hath loved him; yea,
and he will fulfill his word which he hath declared by them; and
he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall come upon
the Chaldeans.

1 Nephi 20:15
 15 Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I
have called him to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make
his way prosperous.

1 Nephi 20:16
 16 Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in secret; from the
beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and
the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

1 Nephi 20:17
 17 And thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to
profit, who leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done
it.

1 Nephi 20:18
 18 O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments--then had thy
peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the
sea.

1 Nephi 20:19
 19 Thy seed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy
bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut
off nor destroyed from before me.

1 Nephi 20:20
 20 Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a
voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the
earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

1 Nephi 20:21
 21 And they thirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he
caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the
rock also and the waters gushed out.

1 Nephi 20:22
 22 And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also,
there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

1 Nephi 21

1 Nephi 21:1
 1 And again: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, all ye that are
broken off and are driven out because of the wickedness of the
pastors of my people; yea, all ye that are broken off, that are
scattered abroad, who are of my people, O house of Israel. 
Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye people from far; the
Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother
hath he made mention of my name.

1 Nephi 21:2
 2 And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of
his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his
quiver hath he hid me;

1 Nephi 21:3
 3 And said unto me: Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I
will be glorified.

1 Nephi 21:4
 4 Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength
for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and
my work with my God.

1 Nephi 21:5
 5 And now, saith the Lord--that formed me from the womb that I
should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him--though Israel
be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God shall be my strength.

1 Nephi 21:6
 6 And he said: It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my
servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the
preserved of Israel.  I will also give thee for a light to the
Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the
earth.

1 Nephi 21:7
 7 Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to
him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to
servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall
worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.

1 Nephi 21:8
 8 Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee,
O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee;
and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant
of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the
desolate heritages;

1 Nephi 21:9
 9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that
sit in darkness: Show yourselves.  They shall feed in the ways,
and their pastures shall be in all high places.

1 Nephi 21:10
 10 They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor
the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead
them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

1 Nephi 21:11
 11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall
be exalted.

1 Nephi 21:12
 12 And then, O house of Israel, behold, these shall come from
far; and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these
from the land of Sinim.

1 Nephi 21:13
 13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of
those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth
into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for
the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his
afflicted.

1 Nephi 21:14
 14 But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and
my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.

1 Nephi 21:15
 15 For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not
have compassion on the son of her womb?  Yea, they may forget,
yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

1 Nephi 21:16
 16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy
walls are continually before me.

1 Nephi 21:17
 17 Thy children shall make haste against thy destroyers; and
they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

1 Nephi 21:18
 18 Lift up thine eyes round about and behold; all these gather
themselves together, and they shall come to thee.  And as I live,
saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as
with an ornament, and bind them on even as a bride.

1 Nephi 21:19
 19 For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy
destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the
inhabitants; and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

1 Nephi 21:20
 20 The children whom thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the
first, shall again in thine ears say: The place is too strait for
me; give place to me that I may dwell.

1 Nephi 21:21
 21 Then shalt thou say in thine heart: Who hath begotten me
these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a
captive, and removing to and fro?  And who hath brought up these?

Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?

1 Nephi 21:22
 22 Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to
the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they
shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be
carried upon their shoulders.

1 Nephi 21:23
 23 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face
towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou
shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that
wait for me.

1 Nephi 21:24
 24 For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful
captives delivered?

1 Nephi 21:25
 25 But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty
shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be
delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee,
and I will save thy children.

1 Nephi 21:26
 26 And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh;
they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine;
and all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy
Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

1 Nephi 22

1 Nephi 22:1
 1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these
things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren
came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye
have read?  Behold, are they to be understood according to things
which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the
spirit and not the flesh?

1 Nephi 22:2
 2 And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto
the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all
things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the
children of men according to the flesh.

1 Nephi 22:3
 3 Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things
pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual; for it appears
that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon
all the face of the earth, and also among all nations.

1 Nephi 22:4
 4 And behold, there are many who are already lost from the
knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem.  Yea, the more part of
all the tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and
fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are none of us
knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away.

1 Nephi 22:5
 5 And since they have been led away, these things have been
prophesied concerning them, and also concerning all those who
shall hereafter be scattered and be confounded, because of the
Holy One of Israel; for against him will they harden their
hearts; wherefore, they shall be scattered among all nations and
shall be hated of all men.

1 Nephi 22:6
 6 Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and
the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up
for a standard, and their children have been carried in their
arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders,
behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus
are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us
in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the
house of Israel.

1 Nephi 22:7
 7 And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house
of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God
will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon
the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.

1 Nephi 22:8
 8 And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to
do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great
worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being
nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and
upon their shoulders.

1 Nephi 22:9
 9 And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only
unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the
making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto
Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth
be blessed.

1 Nephi 22:10
 10 And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the
kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare
his arm in the eyes of the nations.

1 Nephi 22:11
 11 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in
the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and
his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.

1 Nephi 22:12
 12 Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and
they shall be gathered together to the lands of their
inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out
of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior
and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.

1 Nephi 22:13
 13 And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is
the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for
they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands
shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with
their own blood.

1 Nephi 22:14
 14 And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of
Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall
into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord.

And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that
great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea,
that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and
great shall be the fall of it.

1 Nephi 22:15
 15 For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that
Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of
men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do
wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must
be burned.

1 Nephi 22:16
 16 For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God
shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not
suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.

1 Nephi 22:17
 17 Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even
if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the
righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their
enemies by fire.  Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for
thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as
by fire.

1 Nephi 22:18
 18 Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must
shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must
come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it
cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will
harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.

1 Nephi 22:19
 19 For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time
surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be
cut off.

1 Nephi 22:20
 20 And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto
the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A
prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me;
him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that
prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

1 Nephi 22:21
 21 And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom
Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall
execute judgment in righteousness.

1 Nephi 22:22
 22 And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall
not be confounded.  But it is the kingdom of the devil, which
shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is
established among them which are in the flesh--

1 Nephi 22:23
 23 For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are
built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power
over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in
the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh
and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity;
yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil
are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those
who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be
consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the
prophet.

1 Nephi 22:24
 24 And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led
up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign
in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory.

1 Nephi 22:25
 25 And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the
earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there
shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep,
and in him they shall find pasture.

1 Nephi 22:26
 26 And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no
power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many
years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for
they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.

1 Nephi 22:27
 27 And now behold, I, Nephi, say unto you that all these things
must come according to the flesh.

1 Nephi 22:28
 28 But, behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall
dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will
repent.

1 Nephi 22:29
 29 And now I, Nephi, make an end; for I durst not speak further
as yet concerning these things.

1 Nephi 22:30
 30 Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that
the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are
true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the
commandments of God.

1 Nephi 22:31
 31 Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the
only ones that have testified, and also taught them.  Wherefore,
if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the
end, ye shall be saved at the last day.  And thus it is.  Amen.

2 Nephi
THE SECOND BOOK OF NEPHI
An account of the death of Lehi.  Nephi's brethren rebel against
him.  The Lord warns Nephi to depart into the wilderness.  His
journeyings in the wilderness, and so forth.

2 Nephi 1

2 Nephi 1:1
 1 And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end
of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things
unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had
done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 1:2
 2 And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the
waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they
were not swallowed up in the sea.

2 Nephi 1:3
 3 And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise,
which they had obtained--how merciful the Lord had been in
warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 1:4
 4 For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know
that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we
should also have perished.

2 Nephi 1:5
 5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have
obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all
other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me
should be a land for the inheritance of my seed.  Yea, the Lord
hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever,
and also all those who should be led out of other countries by
the hand of the Lord.

2 Nephi 1:6
 6 Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the
Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land
save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

2 Nephi 1:7
 7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall
bring.  And if it so be that they shall serve him according to
the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of
liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down
into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if
iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes,
but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

2 Nephi 1:8
 8 And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet
from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations
would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an
inheritance.

2 Nephi 1:9
 9 Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as
those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem
shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of
this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that
they may possess this land unto themselves.  And if it so be that
they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the
face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to
take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell
safely forever.

2 Nephi 1:10
 10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in
unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the
hand of the Lord--having a knowledge of the creation of the
earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the
Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to
do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the
beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into
this precious land of promise--behold, I say, if the day shall
come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true
Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of
him that is just shall rest upon them.

2 Nephi 1:11
 11 Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give
unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of
their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and
smitten.

2 Nephi 1:12
 12 Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be
bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons,
I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would
hearken unto my words.

2 Nephi 1:13
 13 O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even
from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which
ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of
men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf
of misery and woe.

2 Nephi 1:14
 14 Awake!  and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a
trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold
and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more
days and I go the way of all the earth.

2 Nephi 1:15
 15 But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have
beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms
of his love.

2 Nephi 1:16
 16 And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes
and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety
of my soul from the beginning.

2 Nephi 1:17
 17 My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to
time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the
Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon
you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever;

2 Nephi 1:18
 18 Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many
generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are
hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the
devil.

2 Nephi 1:19
 19 O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but
that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord.  But
behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever.

2 Nephi 1:20
 20 And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye
will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my
presence.

2 Nephi 1:21
 21 And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart
might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might
not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise
from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind
and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down
into captivity;

2 Nephi 1:22
 22 That ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also, that
ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you, unto the
destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body.

2 Nephi 1:23
 23 Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness.  Shake off
the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of
obscurity, and arise from the dust.

2 Nephi 1:24
 24 Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been
glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that
we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands
of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were
it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the
wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea,
and he hath suffered much sorrow because of you.

2 Nephi 1:25
 25 And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he
shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he
sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not
sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the
glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

2 Nephi 1:26
 26 And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you.  Ye
say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry
with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the
power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye
call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God,
which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your
iniquities.

2 Nephi 1:27
 27 And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him,
even unto his commanding you that ye must obey.  But behold, it
was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him,
which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it.

2 Nephi 1:28
 28 And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my
sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto
the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish.  And if ye will hearken
unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first
blessing.

2 Nephi 1:29
 29 But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first
blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him.

2 Nephi 1:30
 30 And now Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant
of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of
Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a true friend unto my son,
Nephi, forever.

2 Nephi 1:31
 31 Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be
blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon
the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity
among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face
of this land forever.

2 Nephi 1:32
 32 Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the
Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with
the seed of my son.

2 Nephi 2

2 Nephi 2:1
 1 And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in
the days of my tribulation in the wilderness.  And behold, in thy
childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because
of the rudeness of thy brethren.

2 Nephi 2:2
 2 Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou
knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine
afflictions for thy gain.

2 Nephi 2:3
 3 Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell
safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in
the service of thy God.  Wherefore, I know that thou art
redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou
hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring
salvation unto men.

2 Nephi 2:4
 4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou
art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the
flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.

And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is
free.

2 Nephi 2:5
 5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from
evil.  And the law is given unto men.  And by the law no flesh is
justified; or, by the law men are cut off.  Yea, by the temporal
law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish
from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

2 Nephi 2:6
 6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah;
for he is full of grace and truth.

2 Nephi 2:7
 7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the
ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a
contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be
answered.

2 Nephi 2:8
 8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known
unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there
is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be
through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who
layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again
by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the
resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

2 Nephi 2:9
 9 Wherefore, he is the first-fruits unto God, inasmuch as he
shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they
that believe in him shall be saved.

2 Nephi 2:10
 10 And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto
God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him to be judged of
him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. 
Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given,
unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which
punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the
happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement--

2 Nephi 2:11
 11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all
things.  If not so, my first-born in the wilderness,
righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness,
neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad.  Wherefore,
all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it
should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life
neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor
misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

2 Nephi 2:12
 12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of
naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of
its creation.  Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the
wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and
the mercy, and the justice of God.

2 Nephi 2:13
 13 And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there
is no sin.  If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say
there is no righteousness.  And if there be no righteousness
there be no happiness.  And if there be no righteousness nor
happiness there be no punishment nor misery.  And if these things
are not there is no God.  And if there is no God we are not,
neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of
things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all
things must have vanished away.

2 Nephi 2:14
 14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your
profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all
things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in
them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

2 Nephi 2:15
 15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man,
after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the
field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are
created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the
forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being
sweet and the other bitter.

2 Nephi 2:16
 16 Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for
himself.  Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should
be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

2 Nephi 2:17
 17 And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must
needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is
written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil,
having sought that which was evil before God.

2 Nephi 2:18
 18 And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become
miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. 
Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is
the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said:
Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye
shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

2 Nephi 2:19
 19 And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit
they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

2 Nephi 2:20
 20 And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of
all the earth.

2 Nephi 2:21
 21 And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according
to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh;
wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their
time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord
God gave unto the children of men.  For he gave commandment that
all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were
lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

2 Nephi 2:22
 22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not
have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. 
And all things which were created must have remained in the same
state in which they were after they were created; and they must
have remained forever, and had no end.

2 Nephi 2:23
 23 And they would have had no children; wherefore they would
have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they
knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

2 Nephi 2:24
 24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him
who knoweth all things.

2 Nephi 2:25
 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might
have joy.

2 Nephi 2:26
 26 And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may
redeem the children of men from the fall.  And because that they
are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing
good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon,
save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last
day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

2 Nephi 2:27
 27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all
things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are
free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great
Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according
to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all
men might be miserable like unto himself.

2 Nephi 2:28
 28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great
Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be
faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to
the will of his Holy Spirit;

2 Nephi 2:29
 29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the
flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of
the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he
may reign over you in his own kingdom.

2 Nephi 2:30
 30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the
last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part,
according to the words of the prophet.  And I have none other
object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls.  Amen.

2 Nephi 3

2 Nephi 3:1
 1 And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born.  Thou wast
born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of
my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.

2 Nephi 3:2
 2 And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is
a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance
of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so
be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.

2 Nephi 3:3
 3 And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the
wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever,
for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.

2 Nephi 3:4
 4 For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a
descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt.  And
great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.

2 Nephi 3:5
 5 Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day.  And he obtained a
promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord
God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel;
not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off,
nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that
the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days,
in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness
unto light--yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto
freedom.

2 Nephi 3:6
 6 For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my
God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my
loins.

2 Nephi 3:7
 7 Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice
seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall
be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins.  And unto him
will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of
thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them,
even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants
which I have made with thy fathers.

2 Nephi 3:8
 8 And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none
other work, save the work which I shall command him.  And I will
make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.

2 Nephi 3:9
 9 And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I
would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.

2 Nephi 3:10
 10 And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the
land of Egypt.

2 Nephi 3:11
 11 But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and
unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed
of thy loins--and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith
the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have
already gone forth among them.

2 Nephi 3:12
 12 Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit
of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be
written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be
written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together,
unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of
contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins,
and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter
days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

2 Nephi 3:13
 13 And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when
my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring
thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

2 Nephi 3:14
 14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will
the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be
confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord,
of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled.  Behold, I am sure
of the fulfilling of this promise;

2 Nephi 3:15
 15 And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after
the name of his father.  And he shall be like unto me; for the
thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power
of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation.

2 Nephi 3:16
 16 Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as
I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto
me, I will preserve thy seed forever.

2 Nephi 3:17
 17 And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will
give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him
in writing.  Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak
much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking.  But I will
write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will
make a spokesman for him.

2 Nephi 3:18
 18 And the Lord said unto me also: I will raise up unto the
fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman.  And I,
behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of
the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the
spokesman of thy loins shall declare it.

2 Nephi 3:19
 19 And the words which he shall write shall be the words which
are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy
loins.  And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried
unto them from the dust; for I know their faith.

2 Nephi 3:20
 20 And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto
their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. 
And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according
to the simpleness of their words.

2 Nephi 3:21
 21 Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of
my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and
the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith,
unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy
fathers.

2 Nephi 3:22
 22 And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my
father of old prophesy.

2 Nephi 3:23
 23 Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy
seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the
words of the book.

2 Nephi 3:24
 24 And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do
much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the
hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and
do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the
bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and
unto the seed of thy brethren.

2 Nephi 3:25
 25 And now, blessed art thou, Joseph.  Behold, thou art little;
wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it
shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have
spoken.  Remember the words of thy dying father.  Amen.

2 Nephi 4

2 Nephi 4:1
 1 And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my
father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into
Egypt.

2 Nephi 4:2
 2 For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed.  And
the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater.  And
he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they
are written upon the plates of brass.

2 Nephi 4:3
 3 Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking
concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of
Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them: Behold,
my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of
my first-born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words.

2 Nephi 4:4
 4 For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye
will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my
presence.

2 Nephi 4:5
 5 But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my
grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know
that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not
depart from it.

2 Nephi 4:6
 6 Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon
you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon
the heads of your parents.

2 Nephi 4:7
 7 Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer
that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and
unto your seed forever.

2 Nephi 4:8
 8 And it came to pass that after my father had made an end of
speaking to the sons and daughters of Laman, he caused the sons
and daughters of Lemuel to be brought before him.

2 Nephi 4:9
 9 And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my
daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son;
behold I leave unto you the same blessing which I left unto the
sons and daughters of Laman; wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be
destroyed; but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.

2 Nephi 4:10
 10 And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of
speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael,
yea, and even all his household.

2 Nephi 4:11
 11 And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake
unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shall
inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi.  And thy seed shall
be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy
brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be
blessed in all thy days.

2 Nephi 4:12
 12 And it came to pass after my father, Lehi, had spoken unto
all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the
Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old.  And it came
to pass that he died, and was buried.

2 Nephi 4:13
 13 And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman
and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of
the admonitions of the Lord.

2 Nephi 4:14
 14 For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them, according
to his word; for I had spoken many things unto them, and also my
father, before his death; many of which sayings are written upon
mine other plates; for a more history part are written upon mine
other plates.

2 Nephi 4:15
 15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the
scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass.  For my
soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them,
and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

2 Nephi 4:16
 16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my
heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and
heard.

2 Nephi 4:17
 17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord,
in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth:
O wretched man that I am!  Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my
flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

2 Nephi 4:18
 18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the
sins which do so easily beset me.

2 Nephi 4:19
 19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my
sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

2 Nephi 4:20
 20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine
afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the
waters of the great deep.

2 Nephi 4:21
 21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of
my flesh.

2 Nephi 4:22
 22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to
quake before me.

2 Nephi 4:23
 23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me
knowledge by visions in the nighttime.

2 Nephi 4:24
 24 And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him;
yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and
ministered unto me.

2 Nephi 4:25
 25 And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried
away upon exceedingly high mountains.  And mine eyes have beheld
great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden
that I should not write them.

2 Nephi 4:26
 26 O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his
condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so
much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the
valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength
slacken, because of mine afflictions?

2 Nephi 4:27
 27 And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh?  Yea, why
should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in
my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul?  Why am I angry
because of mine enemy?

2 Nephi 4:28
 28 Awake, my soul!  No longer droop in sin.  Rejoice, O my
heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

2 Nephi 4:29
 29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies.  Do not slacken
my strength because of mine afflictions.

2 Nephi 4:30
 30 Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord,
I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my
God, and the rock of my salvation.

2 Nephi 4:31
 31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul?  Wilt thou deliver me out
of the hands of mine enemies?  Wilt thou make me that I may shake
at the appearance of sin?

2 Nephi 4:32
 32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because
that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite!  O Lord, wilt
thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I
may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in
the plain road!

2 Nephi 4:33
 33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy
righteousness!  O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape
before mine enemies!  Wilt thou make my path straight before me! 
Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way--but that thou
wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the
ways of mine enemy.

2 Nephi 4:34
 34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee
forever.  I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know
that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. 
Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh
his arm.

2 Nephi 4:35
 35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. 
Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will
lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God,
the rock of my righteousness.  Behold, my voice shall forever
ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God.  Amen.

2 Nephi 5

2 Nephi 5:1
 1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the
Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren.

2 Nephi 5:2
 2 But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that
they did seek to take away my life.

2 Nephi 5:3
 3 Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother
thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of
him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted
more because of his words.  For behold, we will not have him to
be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren,
to rule over this people.

2 Nephi 5:4
 4 Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they
murmured against me.  But it sufficeth me to say, that they did
seek to take away my life.

2 Nephi 5:5
 5 And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi,
should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all
those who would go with me.

2 Nephi 5:6
 6 Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family,
and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and
his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also
my sisters, and all those who would go with me.  And all those
who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and
the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my
words.

2 Nephi 5:7
 7 And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible
for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many
days.  And after we had journeyed for the space of many days we
did pitch our tents.

2 Nephi 5:8
 8 And my people would that we should call the name of the place
Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.

2 Nephi 5:9
 9 And all those who were with me did take upon them to call
themselves the people of Nephi.

2 Nephi 5:10
 10 And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes,
and the commandments of the Lord in all things according to the
law of Moses.

2 Nephi 5:11
 11 And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for
we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance.  And we
began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.

2 Nephi 5:12
 12 And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were
engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass,
which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord,
according to that which is written.

2 Nephi 5:13
 13 And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and
to multiply in the land.

2 Nephi 5:14
 14 And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the
manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people
who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us;
for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who
were called my people.

2 Nephi 5:15
 15 And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in
all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and
of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which
were in great abundance.

2 Nephi 5:16
 16 And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it
after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built
of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon
the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's
temple.  But the manner of the construction was like unto the
temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly
fine.

2 Nephi 5:17
 17 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be
industrious, and to labor with their hands.

2 Nephi 5:18
 18 And it came to pass that they would that I should be their
king.  But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king;
nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my
power.

2 Nephi 5:19
 19 And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my
brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their
ruler and their teacher.  Wherefore, I had been their ruler and
their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until
the time they sought to take away my life.

2 Nephi 5:20
 20 Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake
unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy
words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.  And
behold, they were cut off from his presence.

2 Nephi 5:21
 21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a
sore cursing, because of their iniquity.  For behold, they had
hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto
a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and
delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the
Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

2 Nephi 5:22
 22 And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be
loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their
iniquities.

2 Nephi 5:23
 23 And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their
seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing.  And
the Lord spake it, and it was done.

2 Nephi 5:24
 24 And because of their cursing which was upon them they did
become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did
seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.

2 Nephi 5:25
 25 And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto
thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as
they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall
scourge them even unto destruction.

2 Nephi 5:26
 26 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and
Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of
my people.

2 Nephi 5:27
 27 And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of
happiness.

2 Nephi 5:28
 28 And thirty years had passed away from the time we left
Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 5:29
 29 And I, Nephi, had kept the records upon my plates, which I
had made, of my people thus far.

2 Nephi 5:30
 30 And it came to pass that the Lord God said unto me: Make
other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which
are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people.

2 Nephi 5:31
 31 Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of
the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven
these things.

2 Nephi 5:32
 32 And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God.  And if my
people are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased
with mine engravings which are upon these plates.

2 Nephi 5:33
 33 And if my people desire to know the more particular part of
the history of my people they must search mine other plates.

2 Nephi 5:34
 34 And it sufficeth me to say that forty years had passed away,
and we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren.

2 Nephi 6

2 Nephi 6:1
 1 The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto
the people of Nephi:

2 Nephi 6:2
 2 Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of
God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having
been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king
or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know
that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.

2 Nephi 6:3
 3 Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for
the welfare of your souls.  Yea, mine anxiety is great for you;
and ye yourselves know that it ever has been.  For I have
exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words
of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things
which are written, from the creation of the world.

2 Nephi 6:4
 4 And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things
which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the
words of Isaiah.  And they are the words which my brother has
desired that I should speak unto you.  And I speak unto you for
your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.

2 Nephi 6:5
 5 And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah
spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be
likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel.  And there
are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be
likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel.

2 Nephi 6:6
 6 And now these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold,
I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard
to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and
thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

2 Nephi 6:7
 7 And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy
nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces
towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou
shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that
wait for me.

2 Nephi 6:8
 8 And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words.

For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at
Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away
captive.

2 Nephi 6:9
 9 Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should
return again.  And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God,
the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the
flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge
him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who
spake it unto me.

2 Nephi 6:10
 10 And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their
necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold the judgments of the
Holy One of Israel shall come upon them.  And the day cometh that
they shall be smitten and afflicted.

2 Nephi 6:11
 11 Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith
the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be
suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they
shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the
Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the
knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together
again to the lands of their inheritance.

2 Nephi 6:12
 12 And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has
written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight
not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and
abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will
fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for
this cause the prophet has written these things.

2 Nephi 6:13
 13 Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant
people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the
people of the Lord shall not be ashamed.  For the people of the
Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the
coming of the Messiah.

2 Nephi 6:14
 14 And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the
Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them;
wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great
glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day
cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy
that believe in him.

2 Nephi 6:15
 15 And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by
fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and
by pestilence, and by famine.  And they shall know that the Lord
is God, the Holy One of Israel.

2 Nephi 6:16
 16 For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful
captive delivered?

2 Nephi 6:17
 17 But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty
shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be
delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. 
For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth
with thee--

2 Nephi 6:18
 18 And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh;
and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet
wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and
thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

2 Nephi 7

2 Nephi 7:1
 1 Yea, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have I
cast thee off forever?  For thus saith the Lord: Where is the
bill of your mother's divorcement?  To whom have I put thee away,
or to which of my creditors have I sold you?  Yea, to whom have I
sold you?  Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves,
and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

2 Nephi 7:2
 2 Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I called, yea,
there was none to answer.  O house of Israel, is my hand
shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to
deliver?  Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make their
rivers a wilderness and their fish to stink because the waters
are dried up, and they die because of thirst.

2 Nephi 7:3
 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth
their covering.

2 Nephi 7:4
 4 The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I
should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of
Israel.  When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning.  He
waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.

2 Nephi 7:5
 5 The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious,
neither turned away back.

2 Nephi 7:6
 6 I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that
plucked off the hair.  I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

2 Nephi 7:7
 7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be
confounded.  Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I
know that I shall not be ashamed.

2 Nephi 7:8
 8 And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me.  Who will contend
with me?  Let us stand together.  Who is mine adversary?  Let him
come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth.

2 Nephi 7:9
 9 For the Lord God will help me.  And all they who shall condemn
me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth
shall eat them up.

2 Nephi 7:10
 10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the
voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?

2 Nephi 7:11
 11 Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about
with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks
which ye have kindled.  This shall ye have of mine hand--ye shall
lie down in sorrow.

2 Nephi 8

2 Nephi 8:1
 1 Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness.  Look
unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit
from whence ye are digged.

2 Nephi 8:2
 2 Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare
you; for I called him alone, and blessed him.

2 Nephi 8:3
 3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste
places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert
like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness shall be found
therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

2 Nephi 8:4
 4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation;
for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to
rest for a light for the people.

2 Nephi 8:5
 5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine
arm shall judge the people.  The isles shall wait upon me, and on
mine arm shall they trust.

2 Nephi 8:6
 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth
beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the
earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein
shall die in like manner.  But my salvation shall be forever, and
my righteousness shall not be abolished.

2 Nephi 8:7
 7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in
whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of
men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

2 Nephi 8:8
 8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm
shall eat them like wool.  But my righteousness shall be forever,
and my salvation from generation to generation.

2 Nephi 8:9
 9 Awake, awake!  Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in
the ancient days.  Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and
wounded the dragon?

2 Nephi 8:10
 10 Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the
great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the
ransomed to pass over?

2 Nephi 8:11
 11 Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come
with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be
upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow
and mourning shall flee away.

2 Nephi 8:12
 12 I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you.  Behold, who art
thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of
the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass?

2 Nephi 8:13
 13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth
the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and hast
feared continually every day, because of the fury of the
oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy?  And where is the fury
of the oppressor?

2 Nephi 8:14
 14 The captive exile hasteneth, that he may be loosed, and that
he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

2 Nephi 8:15
 15 But I am the Lord thy God, whose waves roared; the Lord of
Hosts is my name.

2 Nephi 8:16
 16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee
in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens and lay
the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion: Behold, thou art
my people.

2 Nephi 8:17
 17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the
hand of the Lord the cup of his fury--thou hast drunken the dregs
of the cup of trembling wrung out--

2 Nephi 8:18
 18 And none to guide her among all the sons she hath brought
forth; neither that taketh her by the hand, of all the sons she
hath brought up.

2 Nephi 8:19
 19 These two sons are come unto thee, who shall be sorry for
thee--thy desolation and destruction, and the famine and the
sword--and by whom shall I comfort thee?

2 Nephi 8:20
 20 Thy sons have fainted, save these two; they lie at the head
of all the streets; as a wild bull in a net, they are full of the
fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.

2 Nephi 8:21
 21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, and not
with wine:

2 Nephi 8:22
 22 Thus saith thy Lord, the Lord and thy God pleadeth the cause
of his people; behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of
trembling, the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more
drink it again.

2 Nephi 8:23
 23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee;
who have said to thy soul: Bow down, that we may go over--and
thou hast laid thy body as the ground and as the street to them
that went over.

2 Nephi 8:24
 24 Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth
there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the
unclean.

2 Nephi 8:25
 25 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem;
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of
Zion.

2 Nephi 9

2 Nephi 9:1
 1 And now, my beloved brethren, I have read these things that ye
might know concerning the covenants of the Lord that he has
covenanted with all the house of Israel--

2 Nephi 9:2
 2 That he has spoken unto the Jews, by the mouth of his holy
prophets, even from the beginning down, from generation to
generation, until the time comes that they shall be restored to
the true church and fold of God; when they shall be gathered home
to the lands of their inheritance, and shall be established in
all their lands of promise.

2 Nephi 9:3
 3 Behold, my beloved brethren, I speak unto you these things
that ye may rejoice, and lift up your heads forever, because of
the blessings which the Lord God shall bestow upon your children.

2 Nephi 9:4
 4 For I know that ye have searched much, many of you, to know of
things to come; wherefore I know that ye know that our flesh must
waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God.

2 Nephi 9:5
 5 Yea, I know that ye know that in the body he shall show
himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence we came; for it is
expedient that it should be among them; for it behooveth the
great Creator that he suffereth himself to become subject unto
man in the flesh, and die for all men, that all men might become
subject unto him.

2 Nephi 9:6
 6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful
plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of
resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by
reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression;
and because man became fallen they were cut off from the presence
of the Lord.

2 Nephi 9:7
 7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement--save it
should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on
incorruption.  Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man
must needs have remained to an endless duration.  And if so, this
flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother
earth, to rise no more.

2 Nephi 9:8
 8 O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace!  For behold, if the
flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that
angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and
became the devil, to rise no more.

2 Nephi 9:9
 9 And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become
devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of
our God, and to remain with the father of lies, in misery, like
unto himself; yea, to that being who beguiled our first parents,
who transformeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and
stirreth up the children of men unto secret combinations of
murder and all manner of secret works of darkness.

2 Nephi 9:10
 10 O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for
our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that
monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and
also the death of the spirit.

2 Nephi 9:11
 11 And because of the way of deliverance of our God, the Holy
One of Israel, this death, of which I have spoken, which is the
temporal, shall deliver up its dead; which death is the grave.

2 Nephi 9:12
 12 And this death of which I have spoken, which is the spiritual
death, shall deliver up its dead; which spiritual death is hell;
wherefore, death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell
must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave must deliver
up its captive bodies, and the bodies and the spirits of men will
be restored one to the other; and it is by the power of the
resurrection of the Holy One of Israel.

2 Nephi 9:13
 13 O how great the plan of our God!  For on the other hand, the
paradise of God must deliver up the spirits of the righteous, and
the grave deliver up the body of the righteous; and the spirit
and the body is restored to itself again, and all men become
incorruptible, and immortal, and they are living souls, having a
perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh, save it be that our
knowledge shall be perfect.

2 Nephi 9:14
 14 Wherefore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our
guilt, and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righteous
shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, and their
righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe
of righteousness.

2 Nephi 9:15
 15 And it shall come to pass that when all men shall have passed
from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become
immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the Holy
One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then must they
be judged according to the holy judgment of God.

2 Nephi 9:16
 16 And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, for the Lord God hath
spoken it, and it is his eternal word, which cannot pass away,
that they who are righteous shall be righteous still, and they
who are filthy shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are
filthy are the devil and his angels; and they shall go away into
everlasting fire; prepared for them; and their torment is as a
lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and
ever and has no end.

2 Nephi 9:17
 17 O the greatness and the justice of our God!  For he executeth
all his words, and they have gone forth out of his mouth, and his
law must be fulfilled.

2 Nephi 9:18
 18 But, behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of
Israel, they who have believed in the Holy One of Israel, they
who have endured the crosses of the world, and despised the shame
of it, they shall inherit the kingdom of God, which was prepared
for them from the foundation of the world, and their joy shall be
full forever.

2 Nephi 9:19
 19 O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of
Israel!  For he delivereth his saints from that awful monster the
devil, and death, and hell, and that lake of fire and brimstone,
which is endless torment.

2 Nephi 9:20
 20 O how great the holiness of our God!  For he knoweth all
things, and there is not anything save he knows it.

2 Nephi 9:21
 21 And he cometh into the world that he may save all men if they
will hearken unto his voice; for behold, he suffereth the pains
of all men, yea, the pains of every living creature, both men,
women, and children, who belong to the family of Adam.

2 Nephi 9:22
 22 And he suffereth this that the resurrection might pass upon
all men, that all might stand before him at the great and
judgment day.

2 Nephi 9:23
 23 And he commandeth all men that they must repent, and be
baptized in his name, having perfect faith in the Holy One of
Israel, or they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God.

2 Nephi 9:24
 24 And if they will not repent and believe in his name, and be
baptized in his name, and endure to the end, they must be damned;
for the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it.

2 Nephi 9:25
 25 Wherefore, he has given a law; and where there is no law
given there is no punishment; and where there is no punishment
there is no condemnation; and where there is no condemnation the
mercies of the Holy One of Israel have claim upon them, because
of the atonement; for they are delivered by the power of him.

2 Nephi 9:26
 26 For the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice upon
all those who have not the law given to them, that they are
delivered from that awful monster, death and hell, and the devil,
and the lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment; and
they are restored to that God who gave them breath, which is the
Holy One of Israel.

2 Nephi 9:27
 27 But wo unto him that has the law given, yea, that has all the
commandments of God, like unto us, and that transgresseth them,
and that wasteth the days of his probation, for awful is his
state!

2 Nephi 9:28
 28 O that cunning plan of the evil one!  O the vainness, and the
frailties, and the foolishness of men!  When they are learned
they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel
of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves,
wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not.

And they shall perish.

2 Nephi 9:29
 29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels
of God.

2 Nephi 9:30
 30 But wo unto the rich, who are rich as to the things of the
world.  For because they are rich they despise the poor, and they
persecute the meek, and their hearts are upon their treasures;
wherefore, their treasure is their God.  And behold, their
treasure shall perish with them also.

2 Nephi 9:31
 31 And wo unto the deaf that will not hear; for they shall
perish.

2 Nephi 9:32
 32 Wo unto the blind that will not see; for they shall perish
also.

2 Nephi 9:33
 33 Wo unto the uncircumcised of heart, for a knowledge of their
iniquities shall smite them at the last day.

2 Nephi 9:34
 34 Wo unto the liar, for he shall be thrust down to hell.

2 Nephi 9:35
 35 Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for he shall
die.

2 Nephi 9:36
 36 Wo unto them who commit whoredoms, for they shall be thrust
down to hell.

2 Nephi 9:37
 37 Yea, wo unto those that worship idols, for the devil of all
devils delighteth in them.

2 Nephi 9:38
 38 And, in fine, wo unto all those who die in their sins; for
they shall return to God, and behold his face, and remain in
their sins.

2 Nephi 9:39
 39 O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in
transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of
yielding to the enticings of that cunning one.  Remember, to be
carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life
eternal.

2 Nephi 9:40
 40 O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words.  Remember the
greatness of the Holy One of Israel.  Do not say that I have
spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile
against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker.  I
know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness;
but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are
not shaken.

2 Nephi 9:41
 41 O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy
One.  Remember that his paths are righteous.  Behold, the way for
man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and
the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he
employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it
be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is
his name.

2 Nephi 9:42
 42 And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and
the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of
their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches--yea, they are
they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things
away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in
the depths of humility, he will not open unto them.

2 Nephi 9:43
 43 But the things of the wise and the prudent shall be hid from
them forever--yea, that happiness which is prepared for the
saints.

2 Nephi 9:44
 44 O, my beloved brethren, remember my words.  Behold, I take
off my garments, and I shake them before you; I pray the God of
my salvation that he view me with his all-searching eye;
wherefore, ye shall know at the last day, when all men shall be
judged of their works, that the God of Israel did witness that I
shook your iniquities from my soul, and that I stand with
brightness before him, and am rid of your blood.

2 Nephi 9:45
 45 O, my beloved brethren, turn away from your sins; shake off
the chains of him that would bind you fast; come unto that God
who is the rock of your salvation.

2 Nephi 9:46
 46 Prepare your souls for that glorious day when justice shall
be administered unto the righteous, even the day of judgment,
that ye may not shrink with awful fear; that ye may not remember
your awful guilt in perfectness, and be constrained to exclaim:
Holy, holy are thy judgments, O Lord God Almighty--but I know my
guilt; I transgressed thy law, and my transgressions are mine;
and the devil hath obtained me, that I am a prey to his awful
misery.

2 Nephi 9:47
 47 But behold, my brethren, is it expedient that I should awake
you to an awful reality of these things?  Would I harrow up your
souls if your minds were pure?  Would I be plain unto you
according to the plainness of the truth if ye were freed from
sin?

2 Nephi 9:48
 48 Behold, if ye were holy I would speak unto you of holiness;
but as ye are not holy, and ye look upon me as a teacher, it must
needs be expedient that I teach you the consequences of sin.

2 Nephi 9:49
 49 Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in
righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God.

2 Nephi 9:50
 50 Come, my brethren, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the
waters; and he that hath no money, come buy and eat; yea, come
buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2 Nephi 9:51
 51 Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth,
nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.  Hearken diligently
unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come
unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth
not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in
fatness.

2 Nephi 9:52
 52 Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God;
pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy
name by night.  Let your hearts rejoice.

2 Nephi 9:53
 53 And behold how great the covenants of the Lord, and how great
his condescensions unto the children of men; and because of his
greatness, and his grace and mercy, he has promised unto us that
our seed shall not utterly be destroyed, according to the flesh,
but that he would preserve them; and in future generations they
shall become a righteous branch unto the house of Israel.

2 Nephi 9:54
 54 And now, my brethren, I would speak unto you more; but on the
morrow I will declare unto you the remainder of my words.  Amen.

2 Nephi 10

2 Nephi 10:1
 1 And now I, Jacob, speak unto you again, my beloved brethren,
concerning this righteous branch of which I have spoken.

2 Nephi 10:2
 2 For behold, the promises which we have obtained are promises
unto us according to the flesh; wherefore, as it has been shown
unto me that many of our children shall perish in the flesh
because of unbelief, nevertheless, God will be merciful unto
many; and our children shall be restored, that they may come to
that which will give them the true knowledge of their Redeemer.

2 Nephi 10:3
 3 Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that
Christ--for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this
should be his name--should come among the Jews, among those who
are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify
him--for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other
nation on earth that would crucify their God.

2 Nephi 10:4
 4 For should the mighty miracles be wrought among other nations
they would repent, and know that he be their God.

2 Nephi 10:5
 5 But because of priestcrafts and iniquities, they at Jerusalem
will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified.

2 Nephi 10:6
 6 Wherefore, because of their iniquities, destructions, famines,
pestilences, and bloodshed shall come upon them; and they who
shall not be destroyed shall be scattered among all nations.

2 Nephi 10:7
 7 But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day cometh that
they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then have I
covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored in the
flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their inheritance.

2 Nephi 10:8
 8 And it shall come to pass that they shall be gathered in from
their long dispersion, from the isles of the sea, and from the
four parts of the earth; and the nations of the Gentiles shall be
great in the eyes of me, saith God, in carrying them forth to the
lands of their inheritance.

2 Nephi 10:9
 9 Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nursing fathers unto
them, and their queens shall become nursing mothers; wherefore,
the promises of the Lord are great unto the Gentiles, for he hath
spoken it, and who can dispute?

2 Nephi 10:10
 10 But behold, this land, said God, shall be a land of thine
inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land.

2 Nephi 10:11
 11 And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles,
and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise up
unto the Gentiles.

2 Nephi 10:12
 12 And I will fortify this land against all other nations.

2 Nephi 10:13
 13 And he that fighteth against Zion shall perish, saith God.

2 Nephi 10:14
 14 For he that raiseth up a king against me shall perish, for I,
the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a
light unto them forever, that hear my words.

2 Nephi 10:15
 15 Wherefore, for this cause, that my covenants may be fulfilled
which I have made unto the children of men, that I will do unto
them while they are in the flesh, I must needs destroy the secret
works of darkness, and of murders, and of abominations.

2 Nephi 10:16
 16 Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and
Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish;
for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they
who are not for me are against me, saith our God.

2 Nephi 10:17
 17 For I will fulfil my promises which I have made unto the
children of men, that I will do unto them while they are in the
flesh--

2 Nephi 10:18
 18 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, thus saith our God: I will
afflict thy seed by the hand of the Gentiles; nevertheless, I
will soften the hearts of the Gentiles, that they shall be like
unto a father to them; wherefore, the Gentiles shall be blessed
and numbered among the house of Israel.

2 Nephi 10:19
 19 Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and
them who shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land
of their inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me,
above all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell
thereon that they shall worship me, saith God.

2 Nephi 10:20
 20 And now, my beloved brethren, seeing that our merciful God
has given us so great knowledge concerning these things, let us
remember him, and lay aside our sins, and not hang down our
heads, for we are not cast off; nevertheless, we have been driven
out of the land of our inheritance; but we have been led to a
better land, for the Lord has made the sea our path, and we are
upon an isle of the sea.

2 Nephi 10:21
 21 But great are the promises of the Lord unto them who are upon
the isles of the sea; wherefore as it says isles, there must
needs be more than this, and they are inhabited also by our
brethren.

2 Nephi 10:22
 22 For behold, the Lord God has led away from time to time from
the house of Israel, according to his will and pleasure.  And now
behold, the Lord remembereth all them who have been broken off,
wherefore he remembereth us also.

2 Nephi 10:23
 23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are
free to act for yourselves--to choose the way of everlasting
death or the way of eternal life.

2 Nephi 10:24
 24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the
will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and
remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in
and through the grace of God that ye are saved.

2 Nephi 10:25
 25 Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the
resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the
atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of
God, that ye may praise him through grace divine.  Amen.

2 Nephi 11

2 Nephi 11:1
 1 And now, Jacob spake many more things to my people at that
time; nevertheless only these things have I caused to be written,
for the things which I have written sufficeth me.

2 Nephi 11:2
 2 And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my
soul delighteth in his words.  For I will liken his words unto my
people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he
verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him.

2 Nephi 11:3
 3 And my brother, Jacob, also has seen him as I have seen him;
wherefore, I will send their words forth unto my children to
prove unto them that my words are true.  Wherefore, by the words
of three, God hath said, I will establish my word.  Nevertheless,
God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words.

2 Nephi 11:4
 4 Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth
of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses
been given; and all things which have been given of God from the
beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.

2 Nephi 11:5
 5 And also my soul delighteth in the covenants of the Lord which
he hath made to our fathers; yea, my soul delighteth in his
grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and
eternal plan of deliverance from death.

2 Nephi 11:6
 6 And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that save
Christ should come all men must perish.

2 Nephi 11:7
 7 For if there be no Christ there be no God; and if there be no
God we are not, for there could have been no creation.  But there
is a God, and he is Christ, and he cometh in the fulness of his
own time.

2 Nephi 11:8
 8 And now I write some of the words of Isaiah, that whoso of my
people shall see these words may lift up their hearts and rejoice
for all men.  Now these are the words, and ye may liken them unto
you and unto all men.

2 Nephi 12

2 Nephi 12:1
 1 The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem:

2 Nephi 12:2
 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations
shall flow unto it.

2 Nephi 12:3
 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and
he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for
out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 12:4
 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many
people: and they shall beat their swords into plow-shares, and
their spears into pruning-hooks--nation shall not lift up sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

2 Nephi 12:5
 5 O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the
Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his
wicked ways.

2 Nephi 12:6
 6 Therefore, O Lord, thou hast forsaken thy people, the house of
Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and hearken
unto soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves
in the children of strangers.

2 Nephi 12:7
 7 Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither is there
any end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses,
neither is there any end of their chariots.

2 Nephi 12:8
 8 Their land is also full of idols; they worship the work of
their own hands, that which their own fingers have made.

2 Nephi 12:9
 9 And the mean man boweth not down, and the great man humbleth
himself not, therefore, forgive him not.

2 Nephi 12:10
 10 O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in the
dust, for the fear of the Lord and the glory of his majesty shall
smite thee.

2 Nephi 12:11
 11 And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall
be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and
the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

2 Nephi 12:12
 12 For the day of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh upon all
nations, yea, upon every one; yea, upon the proud and lofty, and
upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.

2 Nephi 12:13
 13 Yea, and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the cedars
of Lebanon, for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the
oaks of Bashan;

2 Nephi 12:14
 14 And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills, and
upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon every people;

2 Nephi 12:15
 15 And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall;

2 Nephi 12:16
 16 And upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships of
Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures.

2 Nephi 12:17
 17 And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the
haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be
exalted in that day.

2 Nephi 12:18
 18 And the idols he shall utterly abolish.

2 Nephi 12:19
 19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the
caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them
and the glory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to
shake terribly the earth.

2 Nephi 12:20
 20 In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his
idols of gold, which he hath made for himself to worship, to the
moles and to the bats;

2 Nephi 12:21
 21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the
ragged rocks, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and
the majesty of his glory shall smite them, when he ariseth to
shake terribly the earth.

2 Nephi 12:22
 22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for
wherein is he to be accounted of?

2 Nephi 13

2 Nephi 13:1
 1 For behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, doth take away from
Jerusalem, and from Judah, the stay and the staff, the whole
staff of bread, and the whole stay of water--

2 Nephi 13:2
 2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the
prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient;

2 Nephi 13:3
 3 The captain of fifty, and the honorable man, and the
counselor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.

2 Nephi 13:4
 4 And I will give children unto them to be their princes, and
babes shall rule over them.

2 Nephi 13:5
 5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and
every one by his neighbor; the child shall behave himself proudly
against the ancient, and the base against the honorable.

2 Nephi 13:6
 6 When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his
father, and shall say: Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and
let not this ruin come under thy hand--

2 Nephi 13:7
 7 In that day shall he swear, saying: I will not be a healer;
for in my house there is neither bread nor clothing; make me not
a ruler of the people.

2 Nephi 13:8
 8 For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen, because their
tongues and their doings have been against the Lord, to provoke
the eyes of his glory.

2 Nephi 13:9
 9 The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and
doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide
it.  Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto
themselves!

2 Nephi 13:10
 10 Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they
shall eat the fruit of their doings.

2 Nephi 13:11
 11 Wo unto the wicked, for they shall perish; for the reward of
their hands shall be upon them!

2 Nephi 13:12
 12 And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule
over them.  O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and
destroy the way of thy paths.

2 Nephi 13:13
 13 The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the
people.

2 Nephi 13:14
 14 The Lord will enter into judgment with the ancients of his
people and the princes thereof; for ye have eaten up the vineyard
and the spoil of the poor in your houses.

2 Nephi 13:15
 15 What mean ye?  Ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the
faces of the poor, saith the Lord God of Hosts.

2 Nephi 13:16
 16 Moreover, the Lord saith: Because the daughters of Zion are
haughty, and walk with stretched-forth necks and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their
feet--

2 Nephi 13:17
 17 Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the
head of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will discover their
secret parts.

2 Nephi 13:18
 18 In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their
tinkling ornaments, and cauls, and round tires like the moon;

2 Nephi 13:19
 19 The chains and the bracelets, and the mufflers;

2 Nephi 13:20
 20 The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the
headbands, and the tablets, and the ear-rings;

2 Nephi 13:21
 21 The rings, and nose jewels;

2 Nephi 13:22
 22 The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the
wimples, and the crisping-pins;

2 Nephi 13:23
 23 The glasses, and the fine linen, and hoods, and the veils.

2 Nephi 13:24
 24 And it shall come to pass, instead of sweet smell there shall
be stink; and instead of a girdle, a rent; and instead of well
set hair, baldness; and instead of a stomacher, a girding of
sackcloth; burning instead of beauty.

2 Nephi 13:25
 25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in the war.

2 Nephi 13:26
 26 And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she shall be
desolate, and shall sit upon the ground.

2 Nephi 14

2 Nephi 14:1
 1 And in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man,
saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only
let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach.

2 Nephi 14:2
 2 In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and
glorious; the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them
that are escaped of Israel.

2 Nephi 14:3
 3 And it shall come to pass, they that are left in Zion and
remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is
written among the living in Jerusalem--

2 Nephi 14:4
 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the
daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem
from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment and by the
spirit of burning.

2 Nephi 14:5
 5 And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount
Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the
shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of
Zion shall be a defence.

2 Nephi 14:6
 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime
from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and a covert from storm
and from rain.

2 Nephi 15

2 Nephi 15:1
 1 And then will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved,
touching his vineyard.  My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very
fruitful hill.

2 Nephi 15:2
 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and
planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst
of it, and also made a wine-press therein; and he looked that it
should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

2 Nephi 15:3
 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge,
I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

2 Nephi 15:4
 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not
done in it?  Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth
grapes it brought forth wild grapes.

2 Nephi 15:5
 5 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my
vineyard--I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be
eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be
trodden down;

2 Nephi 15:6
 6 And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged;
but there shall come up briers and thorns; I will also command
the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

2 Nephi 15:7
 7 For the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for
judgment, and behold, oppression; for righteousness, but behold,
a cry.

2 Nephi 15:8
 8 Wo unto them that join house to house, till there can be no
place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

2 Nephi 15:9
 9 In mine ears, said the Lord of Hosts, of a truth many houses
shall be desolate, and great and fair cities without inhabitant.

2 Nephi 15:10
 10 Yea, ten acres of vineyard shall yield one bath, and the seed
of a homer shall yield an ephah.

2 Nephi 15:11
 11 Wo unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may
follow strong drink, that continue until night, and wine inflame
them!

2 Nephi 15:12
 12 And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine
are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord,
neither consider the operation of his hands.

2 Nephi 15:13
 13 Therefore, my people are gone into captivity, because they
have no knowledge; and their honorable men are famished, and
their multitude dried up with thirst.

2 Nephi 15:14
 14 Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth
without measure; and their glory, and their multitude, and their
pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.

2 Nephi 15:15
 15 And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man
shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.

2 Nephi 15:16
 16 But the Lord of Hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God
that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.

2 Nephi 15:17
 17 Then shall the lambs feed after their manner, and the waste
places of the fat ones shall strangers eat.

2 Nephi 15:18
 18 Wo unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin
as it were with a cart rope;

2 Nephi 15:19
 19 That say: Let him make speed, hasten his work, that we may
see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh
and come, that we may know it.

2 Nephi 15:20
 20 Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put
darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter!

2 Nephi 15:21
 21 Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own
sight!

2 Nephi 15:22
 22 Wo unto the mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to
mingle strong drink;

2 Nephi 15:23
 23 Who justify the wicked for reward, and take away the
righteousness of the righteous from him!

2 Nephi 15:24
 24 Therefore, as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame
consumeth the chaff, their root shall be rottenness, and their
blossoms shall go up as dust; because they have cast away the law
of the Lord of Hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of
Israel.

2 Nephi 15:25
 25 Therefore, is the anger of the Lord kindled against his
people, and he hath stretched forth his hand against them, and
hath smitten them; and the hills did tremble, and their carcasses
were torn in the midst of the streets.  For all this his anger is
not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

2 Nephi 15:26
 26 And he will lift up an ensign to the nations from far, and
will hiss unto them from the end of the earth; and behold, they
shall come with speed swiftly; none shall be weary nor stumble
among them.

2 Nephi 15:27
 27 None shall slumber nor sleep; neither shall the girdle of
their loins be loosed, nor the latchet of their shoes be broken;

2 Nephi 15:28
 28 Whose arrows shall be sharp, and all their bows bent, and
their horses' hoofs shall be counted like flint, and their wheels
like a whirlwind, their roaring like a lion.

2 Nephi 15:29
 29 They shall roar like young lions; yea, they shall roar, and
lay hold of the prey, and shall carry away safe, and none shall
deliver.

2 Nephi 15:30
 30 And in that day they shall roar against them like the roaring
of the sea; and if they look unto the land, behold, darkness and
sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof.

2 Nephi 16

2 Nephi 16:1
 1 In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the Lord sitting
upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the
temple.

2 Nephi 16:2
 2 Above it stood the seraphim; each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet,
and with twain he did fly.

2 Nephi 16:3
 3 And one cried unto another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, is the
Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.

2 Nephi 16:4
 4 And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that
cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

2 Nephi 16:5
 5 Then said I: Wo is unto me!  for I am undone; because I am a
man of unclean lips; and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of
Hosts.

2 Nephi 16:6
 6 Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in
his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar;

2 Nephi 16:7
 7 And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched
thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

2 Nephi 16:8
 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: Whom shall I send,
and who will go for us?  Then I said: Here am I; send me.

2 Nephi 16:9
 9 And he said: Go and tell this people--Hear ye indeed, but they
understood not; and see ye indeed, but they perceived not.

2 Nephi 16:10
 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy,
and shut their eyes--lest they see with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and
be healed.

2 Nephi 16:11
 11 Then said I: Lord, how long?  And he said: Until the cities
be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the
land be utterly desolate;

2 Nephi 16:12
 12 And the Lord have removed men far away, for there shall be a
great forsaking in the midst of the land.

2 Nephi 16:13
 13 But yet there shall be a tenth, and they shall return, and
shall be eaten, as a teil-tree, and as an oak whose substance is
in them when they cast their leaves; so the holy seed shall be
the substance thereof.

2 Nephi 17

2 Nephi 17:1
 1 And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the
son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin, king of Syria, and
Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward
Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.

2 Nephi 17:2
 2 And it was told the house of David, saying: Syria is
confederate with Ephraim.  And his heart was moved, and the heart
of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.

2 Nephi 17:3
 3 Then said the Lord unto Isaiah: Go forth now to meet Ahaz,
thou and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the
upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;

2 Nephi 17:4
 4 And say unto him: Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither
be faint-hearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands,
for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of
Remaliah.

2 Nephi 17:5
 5 Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken
evil counsel against thee, saying:

2 Nephi 17:6
 6 Let us go up against Judah and vex it, and let us make a
breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, yea,
the son of Tabeal.

2 Nephi 17:7
 7 Thus saith the Lord God: It shall not stand, neither shall it
come to pass.

2 Nephi 17:8
 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus,
Rezin; and within three score and five years shall Ephraim be
broken that it be not a people.

2 Nephi 17:9
 9 And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is
Remaliah's son.  If ye will not believe surely ye shall not be
established.

2 Nephi 17:10
 10 Moreover, the Lord spake again unto Ahaz, saying:

2 Nephi 17:11
 11 Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; ask it either in the
depths, or in the heights above.

2 Nephi 17:12
 12 But Ahaz said: I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord.

2 Nephi 17:13
 13 And he said: Hear ye now, O house of David; is it a small
thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?

2 Nephi 17:14
 14 Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign--Behold, a
virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his
name Immanuel.

2 Nephi 17:15
 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the
evil and to choose the good.

2 Nephi 17:16
 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil and choose
the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both
her kings.

2 Nephi 17:17
 17 The Lord shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon
thy father's house, days that have not come from the day that
Ephraim departed from Judah, the king of Assyria.

2 Nephi 17:18
 18 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall
hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of Egypt, and for
the bee that is in the land of Assyria.

2 Nephi 17:19
 19 And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the
desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all
thorns, and upon all bushes.

2 Nephi 17:20
 20 In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is
hired, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the
head, and the hair of the feet; and it shall also consume the
beard.

2 Nephi 17:21
 21 And it shall come to pass in that day, a man shall nourish a
young cow and two sheep;

2 Nephi 17:22
 22 And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk they
shall give he shall eat butter; for butter and honey shall every
one eat that is left in the land.

2 Nephi 17:23
 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, every place shall be,
where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings,
which shall be for briers and thorns.

2 Nephi 17:24
 24 With arrows and with bows shall men come thither, because all
the land shall become briers and thorns.

2 Nephi 17:25
 25 And all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there
shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns; but it
shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and the treading of
lesser cattle.

2 Nephi 18

2 Nephi 18:1
 1 Moreover, the word of the Lord said unto me: Take thee a great
roll, and write in it with a man's pen, concerning
Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

2 Nephi 18:2
 2 And I took unto me faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the
priest, and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.

2 Nephi 18:3
 3 And I went unto the prophetess; and she conceived and bare a
son.  Then said the Lord to me: Call his name,
Maher-shalal-hash-baz.

2 Nephi 18:4
 4 For behold, the child shall not have knowledge to cry, My
father, and my mother, before the riches of Damascus and the
spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria.

2 Nephi 18:5
 5 The Lord spake also unto me again, saying:

2 Nephi 18:6
 6 Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that
go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah's son;

2 Nephi 18:7
 7 Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the
waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria
and all his glory; and he shall come up over all his channels,
and go over all his banks.

2 Nephi 18:8
 8 And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go
over, he shall reach even to the neck; and the stretching out of
his wings shall fill the breadth of thy land, O Immanuel.

2 Nephi 18:9
 9 Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in
pieces; and give ear all ye of far countries; gird yourselves,
and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall
be broken in pieces.

2 Nephi 18:10
 10 Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the
word, and it shall not stand; for God is with us.

2 Nephi 18:11
 11 For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and
instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people,
saying:

2 Nephi 18:12
 12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all to whom this people shall
say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

2 Nephi 18:13
 13 Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear,
and let him be your dread.

2 Nephi 18:14
 14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of
stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of
Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 18:15
 15 And many among them shall stumble and fall, and be broken,
and be snared, and be taken.

2 Nephi 18:16
 16 Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.

2 Nephi 18:17
 17 And I will wait upon the Lord, that hideth his face from the
house of Jacob, and I will look for him.

2 Nephi 18:18
 18 Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me are
for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, which
dwelleth in Mount Zion.

2 Nephi 18:19
 19 And when they shall say unto you: Seek unto them that have
familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep and mutter--should
not a people seek unto their God for the living to hear from the
dead?

2 Nephi 18:20
 20 To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.

2 Nephi 18:21
 21 And they shall pass through it hardly bestead and hungry; and
it shall come to pass that when they shall be hungry, they shall
fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look
upward.

2 Nephi 18:22
 22 And they shall look unto the earth and behold trouble, and
darkness, dimness of anguish, and shall be driven to darkness.

2 Nephi 19

2 Nephi 19:1
 1 Nevertheless, the dimness shall not be such as was in her
vexation, when at first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun,
and the land of Naphtali, and afterwards did more grievously
afflict by the way of the Red Sea beyond Jordan in Galilee of the
nations.

2 Nephi 19:2
 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light;
they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them
hath the light shined.

2 Nephi 19:3
 3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, and increased the joy--they
joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men
rejoice when they divide the spoil.

2 Nephi 19:4
 4 For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of
his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor.

2 Nephi 19:5
 5 For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and
garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel
of fire.

2 Nephi 19:6
 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the
government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be
called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.

2 Nephi 19:7
 7 Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to
establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even
forever.  The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

2 Nephi 19:8
 8 The Lord sent his word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon
Israel.

2 Nephi 19:9
 9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the
inhabitants of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of
heart:

2 Nephi 19:10
 10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn
stones; the sycamores are cut down, but we will change them into
cedars.

2 Nephi 19:11
 11 Therefore the Lord shall set up the adversaries of Rezin
against him, and join his enemies together;

2 Nephi 19:12
 12 The Syrians before and the Philistines behind; and they shall
devour Israel with open mouth.  For all this his anger is not
turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

2 Nephi 19:13
 13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them,
neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts.

2 Nephi 19:14
 14 Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail,
branch and rush in one day.

2 Nephi 19:15
 15 The ancient, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth
lies, he is the tail.

2 Nephi 19:16
 16 For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they
that are led of them are destroyed.

2 Nephi 19:17
 17 Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men,
neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows; for
every one of them is a hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth
speaketh folly.  For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still.

2 Nephi 19:18
 18 For wickedness burneth as the fire; it shall devour the
briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the
forests, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.

2 Nephi 19:19
 19 Through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened,
and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire; no man shall
spare his brother.

2 Nephi 19:20
 20 And he shall snatch on the right hand and be hungry; and he
shall eat on the left hand and they shall not be satisfied; they
shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm--

2 Nephi 19:21
 21 Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh; they together shall
be against Judah.  For all this his anger is not turned away, but
his hand is stretched out still.

2 Nephi 20

2 Nephi 20:1
 1 Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write
grievousness which they have prescribed;

2 Nephi 20:2
 2 To turn away the needy from judgment, and to take away the
right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey,
and that they may rob the fatherless!

2 Nephi 20:3
 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the
desolation which shall come from far?  to whom will ye flee for
help?  and where will ye leave your glory?

2 Nephi 20:4
 4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they
shall fall under the slain.  For all this his anger is not turned
away, but his hand is stretched out still.

2 Nephi 20:5
 5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand
is their indignation.

2 Nephi 20:6
 6 I will send him against a hypocritical nation, and against the
people of my wrath will I give him a charge to take the spoil,
and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the
streets.

2 Nephi 20:7
 7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so;
but in his heart it is to destroy and cut off nations not a few.

2 Nephi 20:8
 8 For he saith: Are not my princes altogether kings?

2 Nephi 20:9
 9 Is not Calno as Carchemish?  Is not Hamath as Arpad?  Is not
Samaria as Damascus?

2 Nephi 20:10
 10 As my hand hath founded the kingdoms of the idols, and whose
graven images did excel them of Jerusalem and of Samaria;

2 Nephi 20:11
 11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do
to Jerusalem and to her idols?

2 Nephi 20:12
 12 Wherefore it shall come to pass that when the Lord hath
performed his whole work upon Mount Zion and upon Jerusalem, I
will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria,
and the glory of his high looks.

2 Nephi 20:13
 13 For he saith: By the strength of my hand and by my wisdom I
have done these things; for I am prudent; and I have moved the
borders of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I
have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man;

2 Nephi 20:14
 14 And my hand hath found as a nest the riches of the people;
and as one gathereth eggs that are left have I gathered all the
earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the
mouth, or peeped.

2 Nephi 20:15
 15 Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? 
Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it?  As if
the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as
if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood!

2 Nephi 20:16
 16 Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, send among his
fat ones, leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning
like the burning of a fire.

2 Nephi 20:17
 17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his Holy One
for a flame, and shall burn and shall devour his thorns and his
briers in one day;

2 Nephi 20:18
 18 And shall consume the glory of his forest, and of his
fruitful field, both soul and body; and they shall be as when a
standard-bearer fainteth.

2 Nephi 20:19
 19 And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few, that a
child may write them.

2 Nephi 20:20
 20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of
Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no
more again stay upon him that smote them, but shall stay upon the
Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

2 Nephi 20:21
 21 The remnant shall return, yea, even the remnant of Jacob,
unto the mighty God.

2 Nephi 20:22
 22 For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a
remnant of them shall return; the consumption decreed shall
overflow with righteousness.

2 Nephi 20:23
 23 For the Lord God of Hosts shall make a consumption, even
determined in all the land.

2 Nephi 20:24
 24 Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of Hosts: O my people that
dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian; he shall smite
thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after
the manner of Egypt.

2 Nephi 20:25
 25 For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease,
and mine anger in their destruction.

2 Nephi 20:26
 26 And the Lord of Hosts shall stir up a scourge for him
according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and as
his rod was upon the sea so shall he lift it up after the manner
of Egypt.

2 Nephi 20:27
 27 And it shall come to pass in that day that his burden shall
be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy
neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

2 Nephi 20:28
 28 He is come to Aiath, he is passed to Migron; at Michmash he
hath laid up his carriages.

2 Nephi 20:29
 29 They are gone over the passage; they have taken up their
lodging at Geba; Ramath is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

2 Nephi 20:30
 30 Lift up the voice, O daughter of Gallim; cause it to be heard
unto Laish, O poor Anathoth.

2 Nephi 20:31
 31 Madmenah is removed; the inhabitants of Gebim gather
themselves to flee.

2 Nephi 20:32
 32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day; he shall shake his
hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of
Jerusalem.

2 Nephi 20:33
 33 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts shall lop the bough with
terror; and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down; and the
haughty shall be humbled.

2 Nephi 20:34
 34 And he shall cut down the thickets of the forests with iron,
and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.

2 Nephi 21

2 Nephi 21:1
 1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and
a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 Nephi 21:2
 2 And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of
wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the
spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;

2 Nephi 21:3
 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the
Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither
reprove after the hearing of his ears.

2 Nephi 21:4
 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove
with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the
earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips
shall he slay the wicked.

2 Nephi 21:5
 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

2 Nephi 21:6
 6 The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall
lie down with the kid, and the calf and the young lion and
fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

2 Nephi 21:7
 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

2 Nephi 21:8
 8 And the suckling child shall play on the hole of the asp, and
the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.

2 Nephi 21:9
 9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea.

2 Nephi 21:10
 10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall
stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek;
and his rest shall be glorious.

2 Nephi 21:11
 11 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set
his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his
people which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and
from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and
from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.

2 Nephi 21:12
 12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall
assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the
dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

2 Nephi 21:13
 13 The envy of Ephraim also shall depart, and the adversaries of
Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah
shall not vex Ephraim.

2 Nephi 21:14
 14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines
towards the west; they shall spoil them of the east together;
they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of
Ammon shall obey them.

2 Nephi 21:15
 15 And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian
sea; and with his mighty wind he shall shake his hand over the
river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go
over dry shod.

2 Nephi 21:16
 16 And there shall be a highway for the remnant of his people
which shall be left, from Assyria, like as it was to Israel in
the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

2 Nephi 22

2 Nephi 22:1
 1 And in that day thou shalt say: O Lord, I will praise thee;
though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away, and
thou comfortedst me.

2 Nephi 22:2
 2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid;
for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also has
become my salvation.

2 Nephi 22:3
 3 Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation.

2 Nephi 22:4
 4 And in that day shall ye say: Praise the Lord, call upon his
name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his
name is exalted.

2 Nephi 22:5
 5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things; this is
known in all the earth.

2 Nephi 22:6
 6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion; for great is the
Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

2 Nephi 23

2 Nephi 23:1
 1 The burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amoz did see.

2 Nephi 23:2
 2 Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice
unto them, shake the hand, that they may go into the gates of the
nobles.

2 Nephi 23:3
 3 I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my
mighty ones, for mine anger is not upon them that rejoice in my
highness.

2 Nephi 23:4
 4 The noise of the multitude in the mountains like as of a great
people, a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered
together, the Lord of Hosts mustereth the hosts of the battle.

2 Nephi 23:5
 5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, yea, the
Lord, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole
land.

2 Nephi 23:6
 6 Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as
a destruction from the Almighty.

2 Nephi 23:7
 7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man's heart shall
melt;

2 Nephi 23:8
 8 And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of
them; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be
as flames.

2 Nephi 23:9
 9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and
fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the
sinners thereof out of it.

2 Nephi 23:10
 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall
not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in his going
forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.

2 Nephi 23:11
 11 And I will punish the world for evil, and the wicked for
their iniquity; I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease,
and will lay down the haughtiness of the terrible.

2 Nephi 23:12
 12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man
than the golden wedge of Ophir.

2 Nephi 23:13
 13 Therefore, I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall
remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of Hosts, and
in the day of his fierce anger.

2 Nephi 23:14
 14 And it shall be as the chased roe, and as a sheep that no man
taketh up; and they shall every man turn to his own people, and
flee every one into his own land.

2 Nephi 23:15
 15 Every one that is proud shall be thrust through; yea, and
every one that is joined to the wicked shall fall by the sword.

2 Nephi 23:16
 16 Their children, also shall be dashed to pieces before their
eyes; their houses shall be spoiled and their wives ravished.

2 Nephi 23:17
 17 Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them, which shall
not regard silver and gold, nor shall they delight in it.

2 Nephi 23:18
 18 Their bows shall also dash the young men to pieces, and they
shall have no pity on the fruit of the womb; their eyes shall not
spare children.

2 Nephi 23:19
 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the
Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and
Gomorrah.

2 Nephi 23:20
 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in
from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch
tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.

2 Nephi 23:21
 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their
houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell
there, and satyrs shall dance there.

2 Nephi 23:22
 22 And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their
desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her
time is near to come, and her day shall not be prolonged.  For I
will destroy her speedily; yea, for I will be merciful unto my
people, but the wicked shall perish.

2 Nephi 24

2 Nephi 24:1
 1 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own land; and the strangers shall
be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob.

2 Nephi 24:2
 2 And the people shall take them and bring them to their place;
yea, from far unto the ends of the earth; and they shall return
to their lands of promise.  And the house of Israel shall possess
them, and the land of the Lord shall be for servants and
handmaids; and they shall take them captives unto whom they were
captives; and they shall rule over their oppressors.

2 Nephi 24:3
 3 And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give
thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard
bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.

2 Nephi 24:4
 4 And it shall come to pass in that day, that thou shalt take up
this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: How hath the
oppressor ceased, the golden city ceased!

2 Nephi 24:5
 5 The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, the scepters of
the rulers.

2 Nephi 24:6
 6 He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he
that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none
hindereth.

2 Nephi 24:7
 7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet; they break forth
into singing.

2 Nephi 24:8
 8 Yea, the fir-trees rejoice at thee, and also the cedars of
Lebanon, saying: Since thou art laid down no feller is come up
against us.

2 Nephi 24:9
 9 Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy
coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones
of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings
of the nations.

2 Nephi 24:10
 10 All they shall speak and say unto thee: Art thou also become
weak as we?  Art thou become like unto us?

2 Nephi 24:11
 11 Thy pomp is brought down to the grave; the noise of thy viols
is not heard; the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover
thee.

2 Nephi 24:12
 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning!  Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the
nations!

2 Nephi 24:13
 13 For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I
will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon
the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;

2 Nephi 24:14
 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like
the Most High.

2 Nephi 24:15
 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the
pit.

2 Nephi 24:16
 16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and shall
consider thee, and shall say: Is this the man that made the earth
to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?

2 Nephi 24:17
 17 And made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities
thereof, and opened not the house of his prisoners?

2 Nephi 24:18
 18 All the kings of the nations, yea, all of them, lie in glory,
every one of them in his own house.

2 Nephi 24:19
 19 But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch,
and the remnant of those that are slain, thrust through with a
sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcass
trodden under feet.

2 Nephi 24:20
 20 Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou
hast destroyed thy land and slain thy people; the seed of
evil-doers shall never be renowned.

2 Nephi 24:21
 21 Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquities of
their fathers, that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor
fill the face of the world with cities.

2 Nephi 24:22
 22 For I will rise up against them, saith the Lord of Hosts, and
cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew,
saith the Lord.

2 Nephi 24:23
 23 I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools
of water; and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction,
saith the Lord of Hosts.

2 Nephi 24:24
 24 The Lord of Hosts hath sworn, saying: Surely as I have
thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so
shall it stand--

2 Nephi 24:25
 25 That I will bring the Assyrian in my land, and upon my
mountains tread him under foot; then shall his yoke depart from
off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

2 Nephi 24:26
 26 This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth;
and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all nations.

2 Nephi 24:27
 27 For the Lord of Hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul? 
And his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

2 Nephi 24:28
 28 In the year that king Ahaz died was this burden.

2 Nephi 24:29
 29 Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him
that smote thee is broken; for out of the serpent's root shall
come forth a cockatrice, and his fruit shall be a fiery flying
serpent.

2 Nephi 24:30
 30 And the first-born of the poor shall feed, and the needy
shall lie down in safety; and I will kill thy root with famine,
and he shall slay thy remnant.

2 Nephi 24:31
 31 Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art
dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none
shall be alone in his appointed times.

2 Nephi 24:32
 32 What shall then answer the messengers of the nations?  That
the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall
trust in it.

2 Nephi 25

2 Nephi 25:1
 1 Now I, Nephi, do speak somewhat concerning the words which I
have written, which have been spoken by the mouth of Isaiah.  For
behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many of my
people to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of
prophesying among the Jews.

2 Nephi 25:2
 2 For I, Nephi, have not taught them many things concerning the
manner of the Jews; for their works were works of darkness, and
their doings were doings of abominations.

2 Nephi 25:3
 3 Wherefore, I write unto my people, unto all those that shall
receive hereafter these things which I write, that they may know
the judgments of God, that they come upon all nations, according
to the word which he hath spoken.

2 Nephi 25:4
 4 Wherefore, hearken, O my people, which are of the house of
Israel, and give ear unto my words; for because the words of
Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto
all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy.  But I
give unto you a prophecy, according to the spirit which is in me;
wherefore I shall prophesy according to the plainness which hath
been with me from the time that I came out from Jerusalem with my
father; for behold, my soul delighteth in plainness unto my
people, that they may learn.

2 Nephi 25:5
 5 Yea, and my soul delighteth in the words of Isaiah, for I came
out from Jerusalem, and mine eyes hath beheld the things of the
Jews, and I know that the Jews do understand the things of the
prophets, and there is none other people that understand the
things which were spoken unto the Jews like unto them, save it be
that they are taught after the manner of the things of the Jews.

2 Nephi 25:6
 6 But behold, I, Nephi, have not taught my children after the
manner of the Jews; but behold, I, of myself, have dwelt at
Jerusalem, wherefore I know concerning the regions round about;
and I have made mention unto my children concerning the judgments
of God, which hath come to pass among the Jews, unto my children,
according to all that which Isaiah hath spoken, and I do not
write them.

2 Nephi 25:7
 7 But behold, I proceed with mine own prophecy, according to my
plainness; in the which I know that no man can err; nevertheless,
in the days that the prophecies of Isaiah shall be fulfilled men
shall know of a surety, at the times when they shall come to
pass.

2 Nephi 25:8
 8 Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he
that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak
particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I
know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last
days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for
their good have I written them.

2 Nephi 25:9
 9 And as one generation hath been destroyed among the Jews
because of iniquity, even so have they been destroyed from
generation to generation according to their iniquities; and never
hath any of them been destroyed save it were foretold them by the
prophets of the Lord.

2 Nephi 25:10
 10 Wherefore, it hath been told them concerning the destruction
which should come upon them, immediately after my father left
Jerusalem; nevertheless, they hardened their hearts; and
according to my prophecy they have been destroyed, save it be
those which are carried away captive into Babylon.

2 Nephi 25:11
 11 And now this I speak because of the spirit which is in me. 
And notwithstanding they have been carried away they shall return
again, and possess the land of Jerusalem; wherefore, they shall
be restored again to the land of their inheritance.

2 Nephi 25:12
 12 But, behold, they shall have wars, and rumors of wars; and
when the day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea,
even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself
unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of
their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the
stiffness of their necks.

2 Nephi 25:13
 13 Behold, they will crucify him; and after he is laid in a
sepulchre for the space of three days he shall rise from the
dead, with healing in his wings; and all those who shall believe
on his name shall be saved in the kingdom of God.  Wherefore, my
soul delighteth to prophesy concerning him, for I have seen his
day, and my heart doth magnify his holy name.

2 Nephi 25:14
 14 And behold it shall come to pass that after the Messiah hath
risen from the dead, and hath manifested himself unto his people,
unto as many as will believe on his name, behold, Jerusalem shall
be destroyed again; for wo unto them that fight against God and
the people of his church.

2 Nephi 25:15
 15 Wherefore, the Jews shall be scattered among all nations;
yea, and also Babylon shall be destroyed; wherefore, the Jews
shall be scattered by other nations.

2 Nephi 25:16
 16 And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath
scourged them by other nations for the space of many generations,
yea, even down from generation to generation until they shall be
persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the
atonement, which is infinite for all mankind--and when that day
shall come that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the
Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look
not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time, the
day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should
believe these things.

2 Nephi 25:17
 17 And the Lord will set his hand again the second time to
restore his people from their lost and fallen state.  Wherefore,
he will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder among the
children of men.

2 Nephi 25:18
 18 Wherefore, he shall bring forth his words unto them, which
words shall judge them at the last day, for they shall be given
them for the purpose of convincing them of the true Messiah, who
was rejected by them; and unto the convincing of them that they
need not look forward any more for a Messiah to come, for there
should not any come, save it should be a false Messiah which
should deceive the people; for there is save one Messiah spoken
of by the prophets, and that Messiah is he who should be rejected
of the Jews.

2 Nephi 25:19
 19 For according to the words of the prophets, the Messiah
cometh in six hundred years from the time that my father left
Jerusalem; and according to the words of the prophets, and also
the word of the angel of God, his name shall be Jesus Christ, the
Son of God.

2 Nephi 25:20
 20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken plainly that ye cannot
err.  And as the Lord God liveth that brought Israel up out of
the land of Egypt, and gave unto Moses power that he should heal
the nations after they had been bitten by the poisonous serpents,
if they would cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise
up before them, and also gave him power that he should smite the
rock and the water should come forth; yea, behold I say unto you,
that as these things are true, and as the Lord God liveth, there
is none other name given under heaven save it be this Jesus
Christ, of which I have spoken, whereby man can be saved.

2 Nephi 25:21
 21 Wherefore, for this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me
that these things which I write shall be kept and preserved, and
handed down unto my seed, from generation to generation, that the
promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that his seed should never
perish as long as the earth should stand.

2 Nephi 25:22
 22 Wherefore, these things shall go from generation to
generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they shall go
according to the will and pleasure of God; and the nations who
shall possess them shall be judged of them according to the words
which are written.

2 Nephi 25:23
 23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children,
and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled
to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after
all we can do.

2 Nephi 25:24
 24 And, notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep the law of
Moses, and look forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the
law shall be fulfilled.

2 Nephi 25:25
 25 For, for this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath
become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ because of
our faith; yet we keep the law because of the commandments.

2 Nephi 25:26
 26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of
Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our
prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may
look for a remission of their sins.

2 Nephi 25:27
 27 Wherefore, we speak concerning the law that our children may
know the deadness of the law; and they, by knowing the deadness
of the law, may look forward unto that life which is in Christ,
and know for what end the law was given.  And after the law is
fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden their hearts
against him when the law ought to be done away.

2 Nephi 25:28
 28 And now behold, my people, ye are a stiffnecked people;
wherefore, I have spoken plainly unto you, that ye cannot
misunderstand.  And the words which I have spoken shall stand as
a testimony against you; for they are sufficient to teach any man
the right way; for the right way is to believe in Christ and deny
him not; for by denying him ye also deny the prophets and the
law.

2 Nephi 25:29
 29 And now behold, I say unto you that the right way is to
believe in Christ, and deny him not; and Christ is the Holy One
of Israel; wherefore ye must bow down before him, and worship him
with all your might, mind, and strength, and your whole soul; and
if ye do this ye shall in nowise be cast out.

2 Nephi 25:30
 30 And, inasmuch as it shall be expedient, ye must keep the
performances and ordinances of God until the law shall be
fulfilled which was given unto Moses.

2 Nephi 26

2 Nephi 26:1
 1 And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show
himself unto you, my children, and my beloved brethren; and the
words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye
shall do.

2 Nephi 26:2
 2 For behold, I say unto you that I have beheld that many
generations shall pass away, and there shall be great wars and
contentions among my people.

2 Nephi 26:3
 3 And after the Messiah shall come there shall be signs given
unto my people of his birth, and also of his death and
resurrection; and great and terrible shall that day be unto the
wicked, for they shall perish; and they perish because they cast
out the prophets, and the saints, and stone them, and slay them;
wherefore the cry of the blood of the saints shall ascend up to
God from the ground against them.

2 Nephi 26:4
 4 Wherefore, all those who are proud, and that do wickedly, the
day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, for
they shall be as stubble.

2 Nephi 26:5
 5 And they that kill the prophets, and the saints, the depths of
the earth shall swallow them up, saith the Lord of Hosts; and
mountains shall cover them, and whirlwinds shall carry them away,
and buildings shall fall upon them and crush them to pieces and
grind them to powder.

2 Nephi 26:6
 6 And they shall be visited with thunderings, and lightnings,
and earthquakes, and all manner of destructions, for the fire of
the anger of the Lord shall be kindled against them, and they
shall be as stubble, and the day that cometh shall consume them,
saith the Lord of Hosts.

2 Nephi 26:7
 7 O the pain, and the anguish of my soul for the loss of the
slain of my people!  For I, Nephi, have seen it, and it well nigh
consumeth me before the presence of the Lord; but I must cry unto
my God: Thy ways are just.

2 Nephi 26:8
 8 But behold, the righteous that hearken unto the words of the
prophets, and destroy them not, but look forward unto Christ with
steadfastness for the signs which are given, notwithstanding all
persecution--behold, they are they which shall not perish.

2 Nephi 26:9
 9 But the Son of righteousness shall appear unto them; and he
shall heal them, and they shall have peace with him, until three
generations shall have passed away, and many of the fourth
generation shall have passed away in righteousness.

2 Nephi 26:10
 10 And when these things have passed away a speedy destruction
cometh unto my people; for, notwithstanding the pains of my soul,
I have seen it; wherefore, I know that it shall come to pass; and
they sell themselves for naught; for, for the reward of their
pride and their foolishness they shall reap destruction; for
because they yield unto the devil and choose works of darkness
rather than light, therefore they must go down to hell.

2 Nephi 26:11
 11 For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. 
And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy
destruction, and this grieveth my soul.

2 Nephi 26:12
 12 And as I spake concerning the convincing of the Jews, that
Jesus is the very Christ, it must needs be that the Gentiles be
convinced also that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God;

2 Nephi 26:13
 13 And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in
him, by the power of the Holy Ghost; yea, unto every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people, working mighty miracles, signs, and
wonders, among the children of men according to their faith.

2 Nephi 26:14
 14 But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last days;
concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring these things
forth unto the children of men.

2 Nephi 26:15
 15 After my seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled
in unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea,
after the Lord God shall have camped against them round about,
and shall have laid siege against them with a mount, and raised
forts against them; and after they shall have been brought down
low in the dust, even that they are not, yet the words of the
righteous shall be written, and the prayers of the faithful shall
be heard, and all those who have dwindled in unbelief shall not
be forgotten.

2 Nephi 26:16
 16 For those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of
the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust, and
their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit; for the
Lord God will give unto him power, that he may whisper concerning
them, even as it were out of the ground; and their speech shall
whisper out of the dust.

2 Nephi 26:17
 17 For thus saith the Lord God: They shall write the things
which shall be done among them, and they shall be written and
sealed up in a book, and those who have dwindled in unbelief
shall not have them, for they seek to destroy the things of God.

2 Nephi 26:18
 18 Wherefore, as those who have been destroyed have been
destroyed speedily; and the multitude of their terrible ones
shall be as chaff that passeth away--yea, thus saith the Lord
God: It shall be at an instant, suddenly--

2 Nephi 26:19
 19 And it shall come to pass, that those who have dwindled in
unbelief shall be smitten by the hand of the Gentiles.

2 Nephi 26:20
 20 And the Gentiles are lifted up in the pride of their eyes,
and have stumbled, because of the greatness of their stumbling
block, that they have built up many churches; nevertheless, they
put down the power and miracles of God, and preach up unto
themselves their own wisdom and their own learning, that they may
get gain and grind upon the face of the poor.

2 Nephi 26:21
 21 And there are many churches built up which cause envyings,
and strifes, and malice.

2 Nephi 26:22
 22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of
old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the
founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and
works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a
flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.

2 Nephi 26:23
 23 For behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you that the Lord
God worketh not in darkness.

2 Nephi 26:24
 24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the
world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own
life that he may draw all men unto him.  Wherefore, he commandeth
none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

2 Nephi 26:25
 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? 
Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye
ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without
price.

2 Nephi 26:26
 26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of
the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?  Behold, I say
unto you, Nay.

2 Nephi 26:27
 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his
salvation?  Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free
for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should
persuade all men to repentance.

2 Nephi 26:28
 28 Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not
partake of his goodness?  Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men
are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are
forbidden.

2 Nephi 26:29
 29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for,
behold priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for
a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the
world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.

2 Nephi 26:30
 30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the
Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have
charity, which charity is love, and except they should have
charity they were nothing.  Wherefore, if they should have
charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.

2 Nephi 26:31
 31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they
labor for money they shall perish.

2 Nephi 26:32
 32 And again, the Lord God hath commanded that men should not
murder; that they should not lie; that they should not steal;
that they should not take the name of the Lord their God in vain;
that they should not envy; that they should not have malice; that
they should not contend one with another; that they should not
commit whoredoms; and that they should do none of these things;
for whoso doeth them shall perish.

2 Nephi 26:33
 33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth
that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth
nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he
inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness;
and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and
free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all
are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

2 Nephi 27

2 Nephi 27:1
 1 But, behold, in the last days, or in the days of the
Gentiles--yea, behold all the nations of the Gentiles and also
the Jews, both those who shall come upon this land and those who
shall be upon other lands, yea, even upon all the lands of the
earth, behold, they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner
of abominations--

2 Nephi 27:2
 2 And when that day shall come they shall be visited of the Lord
of Hosts, with thunder and with earthquake, and with a great
noise, and with storm, and with tempest, and with the flame of
devouring fire.

2 Nephi 27:3
 3 And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress
her, shall be as a dream of a night vision; yea, it shall be unto
them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he
eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a
thirsty man which dreameth, and behold he drinketh but he awaketh
and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so
shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against
Mount Zion.

2 Nephi 27:4
 4 For behold, all ye that doeth iniquity, stay yourselves and
wonder, for ye shall cry out, and cry; yea, ye shall be drunken
but not with wine, ye shall stagger but not with strong drink.

2 Nephi 27:5
 5 For behold, the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of
deep sleep.  For behold, ye have closed your eyes, and ye have
rejected the prophets; and your rulers, and the seers hath he
covered because of your iniquity.

2 Nephi 27:6
 6 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall bring forth
unto you the words of a book, and they shall be the words of them
which have slumbered.

2 Nephi 27:7
 7 And behold the book shall be sealed; and in the book shall be
a revelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the
ending thereof.

2 Nephi 27:8
 8 Wherefore, because of the things which are sealed up, the
things which are sealed shall not be delivered in the day of the
wickedness and abominations of the people.  Wherefore the book
shall be kept from them.

2 Nephi 27:9
 9 But the book shall be delivered unto a man, and he shall
deliver the words of the book, which are the words of those who
have slumbered in the dust, and he shall deliver these words unto
another;

2 Nephi 27:10
 10 But the words which are sealed he shall not deliver, neither
shall he deliver the book.  For the book shall be sealed by the
power of God, and the revelation which was sealed shall be kept
in the book until the own due time of the Lord, that they may
come forth; for behold, they reveal all things from the
foundation of the world unto the end thereof.

2 Nephi 27:11
 11 And the day cometh that the words of the book which were
sealed shall be read upon the house tops; and they shall be read
by the power of Christ; and all things shall be revealed unto the
children of men which ever have been among the children of men,
and which ever will be even unto the end of the earth.

2 Nephi 27:12
 12 Wherefore, at that day when the book shall be delivered unto
the man of whom I have spoken, the book shall be hid from the
eyes of the world, that the eyes of none shall behold it save it
be that three witnesses shall behold it, by the power of God,
besides him to whom the book shall be delivered; and they shall
testify to the truth of the book and the things therein.

2 Nephi 27:13
 13 And there is none other which shall view it, save it be a few
according to the will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto
the children of men; for the Lord God hath said that the words of
the faithful should speak as if it were from the dead.

2 Nephi 27:14
 14 Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words
of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as seemeth him
good will he establish his word; and wo be unto him that
rejecteth the word of God!

2 Nephi 27:15
 15 But behold, it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall say
unto him to whom he shall deliver the book: Take these words
which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may
show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee.  And
the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read
them.

2 Nephi 27:16
 16 And now, because of the glory of the world and to get gain
will they say this, and not for the glory of God.

2 Nephi 27:17
 17 And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is
sealed.

2 Nephi 27:18
 18 Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.

2 Nephi 27:19
 19 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that the Lord God will
deliver again the book and the words thereof to him that is not
learned; and the man that is not learned shall say: I am not
learned.

2 Nephi 27:20
 20 Then shall the Lord God say unto him: The learned shall not
read them, for they have rejected them, and I am able to do mine
own work; wherefore thou shalt read the words which I shall give
unto thee.

2 Nephi 27:21
 21 Touch not the things which are sealed, for I will bring them
forth in mine own due time; for I will show unto the children of
men that I am able to do mine own work.

2 Nephi 27:22
 22 Wherefore, when thou hast read the words which I have
commanded thee, and obtained the witnesses which I have promised
unto thee, then shalt thou seal up the book again, and hide it up
unto me, that I may preserve the words which thou hast not read,
until I shall see fit in mine own wisdom to reveal all things
unto the children of men.

2 Nephi 27:23
 23 For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will
show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and
forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be
according to their faith.

2 Nephi 27:24
 24 And again it shall come to pass that the Lord shall say unto
him that shall read the words that shall be delivered him:

2 Nephi 27:25
 25 Forasmuch as this people draw near unto me with their mouth,
and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts
far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precepts
of men--

2 Nephi 27:26
 26 Therefore, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this
people, yea, a marvelous work and a wonder, for the wisdom of
their wise and learned shall perish, and the understanding of
their prudent shall be hid.

2 Nephi 27:27
 27 And wo unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from
the Lord!  And their works are in the dark; and they say: Who
seeth us, and who knoweth us?  And they also say: Surely, your
turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's
clay.  But behold, I will show unto them, saith the Lord of
Hosts, that I know all their works.  For shall the work say of
him that made it, he made me not?  Or shall the thing framed say
of him that framed it, he had no understanding?

2 Nephi 27:28
 28 But behold, saith the Lord of Hosts: I will show unto the
children of men that it is yet a very little while and Lebanon
shall be turned into a fruitful field; and the fruitful field
shall be esteemed as a forest.

2 Nephi 27:29
 29 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book,
and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of
darkness.

2 Nephi 27:30
 30 And the meek also shall increase, and their joy shall be in
the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of
Israel.

2 Nephi 27:31
 31 For assuredly as the Lord liveth they shall see that the
terrible one is brought to naught, and the scorner is consumed,
and all that watch for iniquity are cut off;

2 Nephi 27:32
 32 And they that make a man an offender for a word, and lay a
snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just
for a thing of naught.

2 Nephi 27:33
 33 Therefore, thus saith the Lord, who redeemed Abraham,
concerning the house of Jacob: Jacob shall not now be ashamed,
neither shall his face now wax pale.

2 Nephi 27:34
 34 But when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in the
midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy
One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.

2 Nephi 27:35
 35 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding,
and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

2 Nephi 28

2 Nephi 28:1
 1 And now, behold, my brethren, I have spoken unto you,
according as the Spirit hath constrained me; wherefore, I know
that they must surely come to pass.

2 Nephi 28:2
 2 And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be
of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our
seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel.

2 Nephi 28:3
 3 For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which
are built up, and not unto the Lord, when the one shall say unto
the other: Behold, I, I am the Lord's; and the others shall say:
I, I am the Lord's; and thus shall every one say that hath built
up churches, and not unto the Lord--

2 Nephi 28:4
 4 And they shall contend one with another; and their priests
shall contend one with another, and they shall teach with their
learning, and deny the Holy Ghost, which giveth utterance.

2 Nephi 28:5
 5 And they deny the power of God, the Holy One of Israel; and
they say unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our
precept; for behold there is no God today, for the Lord and the
Redeemer hath done his work, and he hath given his power unto
men;

2 Nephi 28:6
 6 Behold, hearken ye unto my precept; if they shall say there is
a miracle wrought by the hand of the Lord, believe it not; for
this day he is not a God of miracles; he hath done his work.

2 Nephi 28:7
 7 Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and
be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.

2 Nephi 28:8
 8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and
be merry; nevertheless, fear God--he will justify in committing a
little sin; yea, lie a little, take the advantage of one because
of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in
this; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so
be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and
at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

2 Nephi 28:9
 9 Yea, and there shall be many which shall teach after this
manner, false and vain and foolish doctrines, and shall be puffed
up in their hearts, and shall seek deep to hide their counsels
from the Lord; and their works shall be in the dark.

2 Nephi 28:10
 10 And the blood of the saints shall cry from the ground against
them.

2 Nephi 28:11
 11 Yea, they have all gone out of the way; they have become
corrupted.

2 Nephi 28:12
 12 Because of pride, and because of false teachers, and false
doctrine, their churches have become corrupted, and their
churches are lifted up; because of pride they are puffed up.

2 Nephi 28:13
 13 They rob the poor because of their fine sanctuaries; they rob
the poor because of their fine clothing; and they persecute the
meek and the poor in heart, because in their pride they are
puffed up.

2 Nephi 28:14
 14 They wear stiff necks and high heads; yea, and because of
pride, and wickedness, and abominations, and whoredoms, they have
all gone astray save it be a few, who are the humble followers of
Christ; nevertheless, they are led, that in many instances they
do err because they are taught by the precepts of men.

2 Nephi 28:15
 15 O the wise, and the learned, and the rich, that are puffed up
in the pride of their hearts, and all those who preach false
doctrines, and all those who commit whoredoms, and pervert the
right way of the Lord, wo, wo, wo be unto them, saith the Lord
God Almighty, for they shall be thrust down to hell!

2 Nephi 28:16
 16 Wo unto them that turn aside the just for a thing of naught
and revile against that which is good, and say that is of no
worth!  For the day shall come that the Lord God will speedily
visit the inhabitants of the earth; and in that day that they are
fully ripe in iniquity they shall perish.

2 Nephi 28:17
 17 But behold, if the inhabitants of the earth shall repent of
their wickedness and abominations they shall not be destroyed,
saith the Lord of Hosts.

2 Nephi 28:18
 18 But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of
all the earth, must tumble to the earth, and great must be the
fall thereof.

2 Nephi 28:19
 19 For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which
belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or the
devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and they be
stirred up to anger, and perish;

2 Nephi 28:20
 20 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the
children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is
good.

2 Nephi 28:21
 21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal
security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion
prospereth, all is well--and thus the devil cheateth their souls,
and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

2 Nephi 28:22
 22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there
is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is
none--and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them
with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

2 Nephi 28:23
 23 Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and
hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must
stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their
works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them,
even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

2 Nephi 28:24
 24 Therefore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!

2 Nephi 28:25
 25 Wo be unto him that crieth: All is well!

2 Nephi 28:26
 26 Yea, wo be unto him that hearkeneth unto the precepts of men,
and denieth the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost!

2 Nephi 28:27
 27 Yea, wo be unto him that saith: We have received, and we need
no more!

2 Nephi 28:28
 28 And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry
because of the truth of God!  For behold, he that is built upon
the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a
sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall.

2 Nephi 28:29
 29 Wo be unto him that shall say: We have received the word of
God, and we need no more of the word of God, for we have enough!

2 Nephi 28:30
 30 For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the
children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a
little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto
my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall
learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and
from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be
taken away even that which they have.

2 Nephi 28:31
 31 Cursed is he that putteth his trust in man, or maketh flesh
his arm, or shall hearken unto the precepts of men, save their
precepts shall be given by the power of the Holy Ghost.

2 Nephi 28:32
 32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts!  For
notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day
to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto
them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me;
for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord
God of Hosts.

2 Nephi 29

2 Nephi 29:1
 1 But behold, there shall be many--at that day when I shall
proceed to do a marvelous work among them, that I may remember my
covenants which I have made unto the children of men, that I may
set my hand again the second time to recover my people, which are
of the house of Israel;

2 Nephi 29:2
 2 And also, that I may remember the promises which I have made
unto thee, Nephi, and also unto thy father, that I would remember
your seed; and that the words of your seed should proceed forth
out of my mouth unto your seed; and my words shall hiss forth
unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which
are of the house of Israel;

2 Nephi 29:3
 3 And because my words shall hiss forth--many of the Gentiles
shall say: A Bible!  A Bible!  We have got a Bible, and there
cannot be any more Bible.

2 Nephi 29:4
 4 But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible;
and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant
people.  And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they
receive from them?  Yea, what do the Gentiles mean?  Do they
remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews,
and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the
Gentiles?

2 Nephi 29:5
 5 O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient
covenant people?  Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated
them, and have not sought to recover them.  But behold, I will
return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have
not forgotten my people.

2 Nephi 29:6
 6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and
we need no more Bible.  Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by
the Jews?

2 Nephi 29:7
 7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one?  Know ye not
that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I
remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule
in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth
my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations
of the earth?

2 Nephi 29:8
 8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my
word?  Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness
unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto
another?  Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like
unto another.  And when the two nations shall run together the
testimony of the two nations shall run together also.

2 Nephi 29:9
 9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same
yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words
according to mine own pleasure.  And because that I have spoken
one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my
work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of
man, neither from that time henceforth and forever.

2 Nephi 29:10
 10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose
that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I
have not caused more to be written.

2 Nephi 29:11
 11 For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and
in the north, and in the south, and in the islands of the sea,
that they shall write the words which I speak unto them; for out
of the books which shall be written I will judge the world, every
man according to their works, according to that which is written.

2 Nephi 29:12
 12 For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write
it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write
it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of
Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I
shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall
write it.

2 Nephi 29:13
 13 And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words
of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the
Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the
lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have
the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

2 Nephi 29:14
 14 And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the
house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their
possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one.  And I
will show unto them that fight against my word and against my
people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I
covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.

2 Nephi 30

2 Nephi 30:1
 1 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you;
for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are
more righteous than the Gentiles shall be.  For behold, except ye
shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise perish;
and because of the words which have been spoken ye need not
suppose that the Gentiles are utterly destroyed.

2 Nephi 30:2
 2 For behold, I say unto you that as many of the Gentiles as
will repent are the covenant people of the Lord; and as many of
the Jews as will not repent shall be cast off; for the Lord
covenanteth with none save it be with them that repent and
believe in his Son, who is the Holy One of Israel.

2 Nephi 30:3
 3 And now, I would prophesy somewhat more concerning the Jews
and the Gentiles.  For after the book of which I have spoken
shall come forth, and be written unto the Gentiles, and sealed up
again unto the Lord, there shall be many which shall believe the
words which are written; and they shall carry them forth unto the
remnant of our seed.

2 Nephi 30:4
 4 And then shall the remnant of our seed know concerning us, how
that we came out from Jerusalem, and that they are descendants of
the Jews.

2 Nephi 30:5
 5 And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them;
wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their
fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had
among their fathers.

2 Nephi 30:6
 6 And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a
blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of
darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many
generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a
pure and delightsome people.

2 Nephi 30:7
 7 And it shall come to pass that the Jews which are scattered
also shall begin to believe in Christ; and they shall begin to
gather in upon the face of the land; and as many as shall believe
in Christ shall also become a delightsome people.

2 Nephi 30:8
 8 And it shall come to pass that the Lord God shall commence his
work among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, to bring
about the restoration of his people upon the earth.

2 Nephi 30:9
 9 And with righteousness shall the Lord God judge the poor, and
reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.  And he shall
smite the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the breath of
his lips shall he slay the wicked.

2 Nephi 30:10
 10 For the time speedily cometh that the Lord God shall cause a
great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy;
and he will spare his people, yea, even if it so be that he must
destroy the wicked by fire.

2 Nephi 30:11
 11 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

2 Nephi 30:12
 12 And then shall the wolf dwell with the lamb; and the leopard
shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the young lion,
and the fatling, together; and a little child shall lead them.

2 Nephi 30:13
 13 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall
lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

2 Nephi 30:14
 14 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and
the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's den.

2 Nephi 30:15
 15 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the
waters cover the sea.

2 Nephi 30:16
 16 Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known;
yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.

2 Nephi 30:17
 17 There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed;
there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in
the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth
save it shall be loosed.

2 Nephi 30:18
 18 Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the
children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall
have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a
long time.  And now, my beloved brethren, I make an end of my
sayings.

2 Nephi 31

2 Nephi 31:1
 1 And now I, Nephi, make an end of my prophesying unto you, my
beloved brethren.  And I cannot write but a few things, which I
know must surely come to pass; neither can I write but a few of
the words of my brother Jacob.

2 Nephi 31:2
 2 Wherefore, the things which I have written sufficeth me, save
it be a few words which I must speak concerning the doctrine of
Christ; wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to
the plainness of my prophesying.

2 Nephi 31:3
 3 For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner
doth the Lord God work among the children of men.  For the Lord
God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men
according to their language, unto their understanding.

2 Nephi 31:4
 4 Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken
unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord showed unto me,
that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the
sins of the world.

2 Nephi 31:5
 5 And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need
to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how
much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even
by water!

2 Nephi 31:6
 6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the
Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by
water?

2 Nephi 31:7
 7 Know ye not that he was holy?  But notwithstanding he being
holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the
flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto
the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his
commandments.

2 Nephi 31:8
 8 Wherefore, after he was baptized with water the Holy Ghost
descended upon him in the form of a dove.

2 Nephi 31:9
 9 And again, it showeth unto the children of men the
straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by
which they should enter, he having set the example before them.

2 Nephi 31:10
 10 And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me. 
Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall
be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?

2 Nephi 31:11
 11 And the Father said: Repent ye, repent ye, and be baptized in
the name of my Beloved Son.

2 Nephi 31:12
 12 And also, the voice of the Son came unto me, saying: He that
is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy
Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things
which ye have seen me do.

2 Nephi 31:13
 13 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall
follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy
and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of
your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take
upon you the name of Christ, by baptism--yea, by following your
Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word,
behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh
the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak
with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of
Israel.

2 Nephi 31:14
 14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the
Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and
witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my
commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the
baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new
tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this
should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not
known me.

2 Nephi 31:15
 15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words
of my Beloved are true and faithful.  He that endureth to the
end, the same shall be saved.

2 Nephi 31:16
 16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a
man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son
of the living God, he cannot be saved.

2 Nephi 31:17
 17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen
that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause
have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by
which ye should enter.  For the gate by which ye should enter is
repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of
your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

2 Nephi 31:18
 18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to
eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done
according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye
have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and
the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made,
that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

2 Nephi 31:19
 19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this
strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?  Behold, I
say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by
the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly
upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

2 Nephi 31:20
 20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in
Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God
and of all men.  Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting
upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus
saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

2 Nephi 31:21
 21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and
there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man
can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the
doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without
end.  Amen.

2 Nephi 32

2 Nephi 32:1
 1 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder
somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after
ye have entered in by the way.  But, behold, why do ye ponder
these things in your hearts?

2 Nephi 32:2
 2 Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had
received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels?

And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it
were by the Holy Ghost?

2 Nephi 32:3
 3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they
speak the words of Christ.  Wherefore, I said unto you, feast
upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will
tell you all things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:4
 4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot
understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye
knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must
perish in the dark.

2 Nephi 32:5
 5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by
the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all
things what ye should do.

2 Nephi 32:6
 6 Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no
more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto
you in the flesh.  And when he shall manifest himself unto you in
the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye
observe to do.

2 Nephi 32:7
 7 And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine
utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and
the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of
men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great
knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain
as word can be.

2 Nephi 32:8
 8 And now, my beloved brethren, I perceive that ye ponder still
in your hearts; and it grieveth me that I must speak concerning
this thing.  For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which
teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the
evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he
must not pray.

2 Nephi 32:9
 9 But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not
faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in
the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of
Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that
thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

2 Nephi 33

2 Nephi 33:1
 1 And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were
taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto
speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost
the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the
children of men.

2 Nephi 33:2
 2 But behold, there are many that harden their hearts against
the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they
cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things
of naught.

2 Nephi 33:3
 3 But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem
it as of great worth, and especially unto my people.  For I pray
continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by
night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith, and I
know that he will hear my cry.

2 Nephi 33:4
 4 And I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for
the gain of my people.  And the words which I have written in
weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to
do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it
speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to
endure to the end, which is life eternal.

2 Nephi 33:5
 5 And it speaketh harshly against sin, according to the
plainness of the truth; wherefore, no man will be angry at the
words which I have written save he shall be of the spirit of the
devil.

2 Nephi 33:6
 6 I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus,
for he hath redeemed my soul from hell.

2 Nephi 33:7
 7 I have charity for my people, and great faith in Christ that I
shall meet many souls spotless at his judgment-seat.

2 Nephi 33:8
 8 I have charity for the Jew--I say Jew, because I mean them
from whence I came.

2 Nephi 33:9
 9 I also have charity for the Gentiles.  But behold, for none of
these can I hope except they shall be reconciled unto Christ, and
enter into the narrow gate, and walk in the strait path which
leads to life, and continue in the path until the end of the day
of probation.

2 Nephi 33:10
 10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends
of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and
if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ.  And if ye
shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they
are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they
teach all men that they should do good.

2 Nephi 33:11
 11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye--for Christ
will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his
words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face
before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of
him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness.

2 Nephi 33:12
 12 And I pray the Father in the name of Christ that many of us,
if not all, may be saved in his kingdom at that great and last
day.

2 Nephi 33:13
 13 And now, my beloved brethren, all those who are of the house
of Israel, and all ye ends of the earth, I speak unto you as the
voice of one crying from the dust: Farewell until that great day
shall come.

2 Nephi 33:14
 14 And you that will not partake of the goodness of God, and
respect the words of the Jews, and also my words, and the words
which shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the Lamb of God,
behold, I bid you an everlasting farewell, for these words shall
condemn you at the last day.

2 Nephi 33:15
 15 For what I seal on earth, shall be brought against you at the
judgment bar; for thus hath the Lord commanded me, and I must
obey.  Amen.

Jacob
THE BOOK OF JACOB
THE BROTHER OF NEPHI
The words of his preaching unto his brethren.  He confoundeth a
man who seeketh to overthrow the doctrine of Christ.  A few words
concerning the history of the people of Nephi.

Jacob 1

Jacob 1:1
 1 For behold, it came to pass that fifty and five years had
passed away from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem; wherefore,
Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandment concerning the small plates,
upon which these things are engraven.

Jacob 1:2
 2 And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon
these plates a few of the things which I consider to be most
precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly,
concerning the history of this people which are called the people
of Nephi.

Jacob 1:3
 3 For he said that the history of his people should be engraven
upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates
and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation.

Jacob 1:4
 4 And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation
which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads
of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were
possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people.

Jacob 1:5
 5 For because of faith and great anxiety, it truly had been made
manifest unto us concerning our people, what things should happen
unto them.

Jacob 1:6
 6 And we also had many revelations, and the spirit of much
prophecy; wherefore, we knew of Christ and his kingdom, which
should come.

Jacob 1:7
 7 Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we
might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the
goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any
means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as
in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children
of Israel were in the wilderness.

Jacob 1:8
 8 Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not
to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men
would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross
and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it
upon me to fulfil the commandment of my brother Nephi.

Jacob 1:9
 9 Now Nephi began to be old, and he saw that he must soon die;
wherefore, he anointed a man to be a king and a ruler over his
people now, according to the reigns of the kings.

Jacob 1:10
 10 The people having loved Nephi exceedingly, he having been a
great protector for them, having wielded the sword of Laban in
their defence, and having labored in all his days for their
welfare--

Jacob 1:11
 11 Wherefore, the people were desirous to retain in remembrance
his name.  And whoso should reign in his stead were called by the
people, second Nephi, third Nephi, and so forth, according to the
reigns of the kings; and thus they were called by the people, let
them be of whatever name they would.

Jacob 1:12
 12 And it came to pass that Nephi died.

Jacob 1:13
 13 Now the people which were not Lamanites were Nephites;
nevertheless, they were called Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites,
Zoramites, Lamanites, Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites.

Jacob 1:14
 14 But I, Jacob, shall not hereafter distinguish them by these
names, but I shall call them Lamanites that seek to destroy the
people of Nephi, and those who are friendly to Nephi I shall call
Nephites, or the people of Nephi, according to the reigns of the
kings.

Jacob 1:15
 15 And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the
reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and
indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like
unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also
Solomon, his son.

Jacob 1:16
 16 Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and
began to be lifted up somewhat in pride.

Jacob 1:17
 17 Wherefore I, Jacob, gave unto them these words as I taught
them in the temple, having first obtained mine errand from the
Lord.

Jacob 1:18
 18 For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated
priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi.

Jacob 1:19
 19 And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us
the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own
heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all
diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood
might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would
come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the
last day.

Jacob 2

Jacob 2:1
 1 The words which Jacob, the brother of Nephi, spake unto the
people of Nephi, after the death of Nephi:

Jacob 2:2
 2 Now, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, according to the
responsibility which I am under to God, to magnify mine office
with soberness, and that I might rid my garments of your sins, I
come up into the temple this day that I might declare unto you
the word of God.

Jacob 2:3
 3 And ye yourselves know that I have hitherto been diligent in
the office of my calling; but I this day am weighed down with
much more desire and anxiety for the welfare of your souls than I
have hitherto been.

Jacob 2:4
 4 For behold, as yet, ye have been obedient unto the word of the
Lord, which I have given unto you.

Jacob 2:5
 5 But behold, hearken ye unto me, and know that by the help of
the all-powerful Creator of heaven and earth I can tell you
concerning your thoughts, how that ye are beginning to labor in
sin, which sin appeareth very abominable unto me, yea, and
abominable unto God.

Jacob 2:6
 6 Yea, it grieveth my soul and causeth me to shrink with shame
before the presence of my Maker, that I must testify unto you
concerning the wickedness of your hearts.

Jacob 2:7
 7 And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of
speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many
of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate
before God, which thing is pleasing unto God;

Jacob 2:8
 8 And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the
pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded
soul.

Jacob 2:9
 9 Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained,
because of the strict commandment which I have received from God,
to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds
of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and
healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded,
instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers
placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.

Jacob 2:10
 10 But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do
according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning
your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in
heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing
eye of the Almighty God.

Jacob 2:11
 11 Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the
plainness of the word of God.  For behold, as I inquired of the
Lord, thus came the word unto me, saying:  Jacob, get thou up
into the temple on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall
give thee unto this people.

Jacob 2:12
 12 And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare
unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for
silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this
land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth
abound most plentifully.

Jacob 2:13
 13 And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most
pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some
of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren
ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff
necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel,
and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better
than they.

Jacob 2:14
 14 And now, my brethren, do ye suppose that God justifieth you
in this thing?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay.  But he condemneth
you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must
speedily come unto you.

Jacob 2:15
 15 O that he would show you that he can pierce you, and with one
glance of his eye he can smite you to the dust!

Jacob 2:16
 16 O that he would rid you from this iniquity and abomination. 
And, O that ye would listen unto the word of his commands, and
let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls!

Jacob 2:17
 17 Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar
with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like
unto you.

Jacob 2:18
 18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of
God.

Jacob 2:19
 19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain
riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to
do good--to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to
liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the
afflicted.

Jacob 2:20
 20 And now, my brethren, I have spoken unto you concerning
pride; and those of you which have afflicted your neighbor, and
persecuted him because ye were proud in your hearts, of the
things which God hath given you, what say ye of it?

Jacob 2:21
 21 Do ye not suppose that such things are abominable unto him
who created all flesh?  And the one being is as precious in his
sight as the other.  And all flesh is of the dust; and for the
selfsame end hath he created them, that they should keep his
commandments and glorify him forever.

Jacob 2:22
 22 And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this
pride.  And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a
grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you.

Jacob 2:23
 23 But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser
crimes.  For behold, thus saith the Lord: This people begin to
wax in iniquity; they understand not the scriptures, for they
seek to excuse themselves in committing whoredoms, because of the
things which were written concerning David, and Solomon his son.

Jacob 2:24
 24 Behold, David and Solomon truly had many wives and
concubines, which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord.

Jacob 2:25
 25 Wherefore, thus saith the Lord, I have led this people forth
out of the land of Jerusalem, by the power of mine arm, that I
might raise up unto me a righteous branch from the fruit of the
loins of Joseph.

Jacob 2:26
 26 Wherefore, I the Lord God will not suffer that this people
shall do like unto them of old.

Jacob 2:27
 27 Wherefore, my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of
the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be
one wife; and concubines he shall have none;

Jacob 2:28
 28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women.  And
whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of
Hosts.

Jacob 2:29
 29 Wherefore, this people shall keep my commandments, saith the
Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.

Jacob 2:30
 30 For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto
me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto
these things.

Jacob 2:31
 31 For behold, I, the Lord, have seen the sorrow, and heard the
mourning of the daughters of my people in the land of Jerusalem,
yea, and in all the lands of my people, because of the wickedness
and abominations of their husbands.

Jacob 2:32
 32 And I will not suffer, saith the Lord of Hosts, that the
cries of the fair daughters of this people, which I have led out
of the land of Jerusalem, shall come up unto me against the men
of my people, saith the Lord of Hosts.

Jacob 2:33
 33 For they shall not lead away captive the daughters of my
people because of their tenderness, save I shall visit them with
a sore curse, even unto destruction; for they shall not commit
whoredoms, like unto them of old, saith the Lord of Hosts.

Jacob 2:34
 34 And now behold, my brethren, ye know that these commandments
were given to our father, Lehi; wherefore, ye have known them
before; and ye have come unto great condemnation; for ye have
done these things which ye ought not to have done.

Jacob 2:35
 35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites,
our brethren.  Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives,
and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad
examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up
to God against you.  And because of the strictness of the word of
God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced
with deep wounds.

Jacob 3

Jacob 3:1
 1 But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in
heart.  Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him
with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your
afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice
upon those who seek your destruction.

Jacob 3:2
 2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and
receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye
may, if your minds are firm, forever.

Jacob 3:3
 3 But, wo, wo, unto you that are not pure in heart, that are
filthy this day before God; for except ye repent the land is
cursed for your sakes; and the Lamanites, which are not filthy
like unto you, nevertheless they are cursed with a sore cursing,
shall scourge you even unto destruction.

Jacob 3:4
 4 And the time speedily cometh, that except ye repent they shall
possess the land of your inheritance, and the Lord God will lead
away the righteous out from among you.

Jacob 3:5
 5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of
their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their
skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten
the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our
father--that they should have save it were one wife, and
concubines they should have none, and there should not be
whoredoms committed among them.

Jacob 3:6
 6 And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore,
because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord
God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and
one day they shall become a blessed people.

Jacob 3:7
 7 Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love
their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their
children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is
because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much
better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator?

Jacob 3:8
 8 O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins
that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be
brought with them before the throne of God.

Jacob 3:9
 9 Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of
God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness
of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of
their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and
remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.

Jacob 3:10
 10 Wherefore, ye shall remember your children, how that ye have
grieved their hearts because of the example that ye have set
before them; and also, remember that ye may, because of your
filthiness, bring your children unto destruction, and their sins
be heaped upon your heads at the last day.

Jacob 3:11
 11 O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of
your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber
of death; and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may
not become angels to the devil, to be cast into that lake of fire
and brimstone which is the second death.

Jacob 3:12
 12 And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of
Nephi, warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and
every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them.

Jacob 3:13
 13 And a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which
now began to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates;
but many of their proceedings are written upon the larger plates,
and their wars, and their contentions, and the reigns of their
kings.

Jacob 3:14
 14 These plates are called the plates of Jacob, and they were
made by the hand of Nephi.  And I make an end of speaking these
words.

Jacob 4

Jacob 4:1
 1 Now behold, it came to pass that I, Jacob, having ministered
much unto my people in word, (and I cannot write but a little of
my words, because of the difficulty of engraving our words upon
plates) and we know that the things which we write upon plates
must remain;

Jacob 4:2
 2 But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon
plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words
upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved
brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or
concerning their fathers--

Jacob 4:3
 3 Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to
engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved
brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts,
and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with
sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents.

Jacob 4:4
 4 For, for this intent have we written these things, that they
may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory
many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves
had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which
were before us.

Jacob 4:5
 5 Behold, they believed in Christ and worshiped the Father in
his name, and also we worship the Father in his name.  And for
this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to
him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for
righteousness, even as it was accounted unto Abraham in the
wilderness to be obedient unto the commands of God in offering up
his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his Only Begotten
Son.

Jacob 4:6
 6 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many
revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these
witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken,
insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the
very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

Jacob 4:7
 7 Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may
know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto
the children of men, that we have power to do these things.

Jacob 4:8
 8 Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord.  How
unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is
impossible that man should find out all his ways.  And no man
knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore,
brethren, despise not the revelations of God.

Jacob 4:9
 9 For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of
the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. 
Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to
speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the
earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it,
according to his will and pleasure?

Jacob 4:10
 10 Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to
take counsel from his hand.  For behold, ye yourselves know that
he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over
all his works.

Jacob 4:11
 11 Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through
the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son, and ye may obtain
a resurrection, according to the power of the resurrection which
is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto
God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him
before he manifesteth himself in the flesh.

Jacob 4:12
 12 And now, beloved, marvel not that I tell you these things;
for why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a
perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a
resurrection and the world to come?

Jacob 4:13
 13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to
the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and
lieth not.  Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are,
and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are
manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls.  But
behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also
spake them unto prophets of old.

Jacob 4:14
 14 But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they
despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and
sought for things that they could not understand.  Wherefore,
because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking
beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away
his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things
which they cannot understand, because they desired it.  And
because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.

Jacob 4:15
 15 And now I, Jacob, am led on by the Spirit unto prophesying;
for I perceive by the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that
by the stumbling of the Jews they will reject the stone upon
which they might build and have safe foundation.

Jacob 4:16
 16 But behold, according to the scriptures, this stone shall
become the great, and the last, and the only sure foundation,
upon which the Jews can build.

Jacob 4:17
 17 And now, my beloved, how is it possible that these, after
having rejected the sure foundation, can ever build upon it, that
it may become the head of their corner?

Jacob 4:18
 18 Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto
you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in
the Spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you.

Jacob 5

Jacob 5:1
 1 Behold, my brethren, do ye not remember to have read the words
of the prophet Zenos, which he spake unto the house of Israel,
saying:

Jacob 5:2
 2 Hearken, O ye house of Israel, and hear the words of me, a
prophet of the Lord.

Jacob 5:3
 3 For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of
Israel, like unto a tame olive-tree, which a man took and
nourished in his vineyard; and it grew, and waxed old, and began
to decay.

Jacob 5:4
 4 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard went
forth, and he saw that his olive-tree began to decay; and he
said: I will prune it, and dig about it, and nourish it, that
perhaps it may shoot forth young and tender branches, and it
perish not.

Jacob 5:5
 5 And it came to pass that he pruned it, and digged about it,
and nourished it according to his word.

Jacob 5:6
 6 And it came to pass that after many days it began to put forth
somewhat a little, young and tender branches; but behold, the
main top thereof began to perish.

Jacob 5:7
 7 And it came to pass that the master of the vineyard saw it,
and he said unto his servant: It grieveth me that I should lose
this tree; wherefore, go and pluck the branches from a wild
olive-tree, and bring them hither unto me; and we will pluck off
those main branches which are beginning to wither away, and we
will cast them into the fire that they may be burned.

Jacob 5:8
 8 And behold, saith the Lord of the vineyard, I take away many
of these young and tender branches, and I will graft them
whithersoever I will; and it mattereth not that if it so be that
the root of this tree will perish, I may preserve the fruit
thereof unto myself; wherefore, I will take these young and
tender branches, and I will graft them whithersoever I will.

Jacob 5:9
 9 Take thou the branches of the wild olive-tree, and graft them
in, in the stead thereof; and these which I have plucked off I
will cast into the fire and burn them, that they may not cumber
the ground of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:10
 10 And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the
vineyard did according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard,
and grafted in the branches of the wild olive-tree.

Jacob 5:11
 11 And the Lord of the vineyard caused that it should be digged
about, and pruned, and nourished, saying unto his servant: It
grieveth me that I should lose this tree; wherefore, that perhaps
I might preserve the roots thereof that they perish not, that I
might preserve them unto myself, I have done this thing.

Jacob 5:12
 12 Wherefore, go thy way; watch the tree, and nourish it,
according to my words.

Jacob 5:13
 13 And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard,
whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee; and I do it
that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree;
and also, that I may lay up fruit thereof against the season,
unto myself; for it grieveth me that I should lose this tree and
the fruit thereof.

Jacob 5:14
 14 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard went his
way, and hid the natural branches of the tame olive-tree in the
nethermost parts of the vineyard, some in one and some in
another, according to his will and pleasure.

Jacob 5:15
 15 And it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the
Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down
into the vineyard, that we may labor in the vineyard.

Jacob 5:16
 16 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard, and also
the servant, went down into the vineyard to labor.  And it came
to pass that the servant said unto his master: Behold, look here;
behold the tree.

Jacob 5:17
 17 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard looked and
beheld the tree in the which the wild olive branches had been
grafted; and it had sprung forth and begun to bear fruit.  And he
beheld that it was good; and the fruit thereof was like unto the
natural fruit.

Jacob 5:18
 18 And he said unto the servant: Behold, the branches of the
wild tree have taken hold of the moisture of the root thereof,
that the root thereof hath brought forth much strength; and
because of the much strength of the root thereof the wild
branches have brought forth tame fruit.  Now, if we had not
grafted in these branches, the tree thereof would have perished. 
And now, behold, I shall lay up much fruit, which the tree
thereof hath brought forth; and the fruit thereof I shall lay up
against the season, unto mine own self.

Jacob 5:19
 19 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Come, let us go to the nethermost part of the
vineyard, and behold if the natural branches of the tree have not
brought forth much fruit also, that I may lay up of the fruit
thereof against the season, unto mine own self.

Jacob 5:20
 20 And it came to pass that they went forth whither the master
had hid the natural branches of the tree, and he said unto the
servant: Behold these; and he beheld the first that it had
brought forth much fruit; and he beheld also that it was good. 
And he said unto the servant: Take of the fruit thereof, and lay
it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own
self; for behold, said he, this long time have I nourished it,
and it hath brought forth much fruit.

Jacob 5:21
 21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master:
How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the
tree?  For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy
vineyard.

Jacob 5:22
 22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I
knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto
thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that
it hath brought forth much fruit.

Jacob 5:23
 23 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of
the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was
poorer than the first.  But, behold the tree.  I have nourished
it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit;
therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I
may preserve it unto mine own self.

Jacob 5:24
 24 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said again
unto his servant: Look hither, and behold another branch also,
which I have planted; behold that I have nourished it also, and
it hath brought forth fruit.

Jacob 5:25
 25 And he said unto the servant: Look hither and behold the
last.  Behold, this have I planted in a good spot of ground; and
I have nourished it this long time, and only a part of the tree
hath brought forth tame fruit, and the other part of the tree
hath brought forth wild fruit; behold, I have nourished this tree
like unto the others.

Jacob 5:26
 26 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Pluck off the branches that have not brought forth
good fruit, and cast them into the fire.

Jacob 5:27
 27 But behold, the servant said unto him: Let us prune it, and
dig about it, and nourish it a little longer, that perhaps it may
bring forth good fruit unto thee, that thou canst lay it up
against the season.

Jacob 5:28
 28 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the
servant of the Lord of the vineyard did nourish all the fruit of
the vineyard.

Jacob 5:29
 29 And it came to pass that a long time had passed away, and the
Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down
into the vineyard, that we may labor again in the vineyard.  For
behold, the time draweth near, and the end soon cometh;
wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own
self.

Jacob 5:30
 30 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard and the
servant went down into the vineyard; and they came to the tree
whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches
had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the
tree.

Jacob 5:31
 31 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste
of the fruit, every sort according to its number.  And the Lord
of the vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished
this tree, and I have laid up unto myself against the season much
fruit.

Jacob 5:32
 32 But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and
there is none of it which is good.  And behold, there are all
kinds of bad fruit; and it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding
all our labor; and now it grieveth me that I should lose this
tree.

Jacob 5:33
 33 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: What
shall we do unto the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit
thereof unto mine own self?

Jacob 5:34
 34 And the servant said unto his master: Behold, because thou
didst graft in the branches of the wild olive-tree they have
nourished the roots, that they are alive and they have not
perished; wherefore thou beholdest that they are yet good.

Jacob 5:35
 35 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof
profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.

Jacob 5:36
 36 Nevertheless, I know that the roots are good, and for mine
own purpose I have preserved them; and because of their much
strength they have hitherto brought forth, from the wild
branches, good fruit.

Jacob 5:37
 37 But behold, the wild branches have grown and have overrun the
roots thereof; and because that the wild branches have overcome
the roots thereof it hath brought forth much evil fruit; and
because that it hath brought forth so much evil fruit thou
beholdest that it beginneth to perish; and it will soon become
ripened, that it may be cast into the fire, except we should do
something for it to preserve it.

Jacob 5:38
 38 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
his servant: Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the
vineyard, and behold if the natural branches have also brought
forth evil fruit.

Jacob 5:39
 39 And it came to pass that they went down into the nethermost
parts of the vineyard.  And it came to pass that they beheld that
the fruit of the natural branches had become corrupt also; yea,
the first and the second and also the last; and they had all
become corrupt.

Jacob 5:40
 40 And the wild fruit of the last had overcome that part of the
tree which brought forth good fruit, even that the branch had
withered away and died.

Jacob 5:41
 41 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and
said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my
vineyard?

Jacob 5:42
 42 Behold, I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it
were these, had become corrupted.  And now these which have once
brought forth good fruit have also become corrupted; and now all
the trees of my vineyard are good for nothing save it be to be
hewn down and cast into the fire.

Jacob 5:43
 43 And behold this last, whose branch hath withered away, I did
plant in a good spot of ground; yea, even that which was choice
unto me above all other parts of the land of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:44
 44 And thou beheldest that I also cut down that which cumbered
this spot of ground, that I might plant this tree in the stead
thereof.

Jacob 5:45
 45 And thou beheldest that a part thereof brought forth good
fruit, and a part thereof brought forth wild fruit; and because I
plucked not the branches thereof and cast them into the fire,
behold, they have overcome the good branch that it hath withered
away.

Jacob 5:46
 46 And now, behold, notwithstanding all the care which we have
taken of my vineyard, the trees thereof have become corrupted,
that they bring forth no good fruit; and these I had hoped to
preserve, to have laid up fruit thereof against the season, unto
mine own self.  But, behold, they have become like unto the wild
olive-tree, and they are of no worth but to be hewn down and cast
into the fire; and it grieveth me that I should lose them.

Jacob 5:47
 47 But what could I have done more in my vineyard?  Have I
slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it, Nay, I have
nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it,
and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost
all the day long, and the end draweth nigh.  And it grieveth me
that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard, and cast
them into the fire that they should be burned.  Who is it that
has corrupted my vineyard?

Jacob 5:48
 48 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: Is
it not the loftiness of thy vineyard--have not the branches
thereof overcome the roots which are good?  And because the
branches have overcome the roots thereof, behold they grew faster
than the strength of the roots, taking strength unto themselves. 
Behold, I say, is not this the cause that the trees of thy
vineyard have become corrupted?

Jacob 5:49
 49 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto
the servant: Let us go to and hew down the trees of the vineyard
and cast them into the fire, that they shall not cumber the
ground of my vineyard, for I have done all.  What could I have
done more for my vineyard?

Jacob 5:50
 50 But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard:
Spare it a little longer.

Jacob 5:51
 51 And the Lord said: Yea, I will spare it a little longer, for
it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:52
 52 Wherefore, let us take of the branches of these which I have
planted in the nethermost parts of my vineyard, and let us graft
them into the tree from whence they came; and let us pluck from
the tree those branches whose fruit is most bitter, and graft in
the natural branches of the tree in the stead thereof.

Jacob 5:53
 53 And this will I do that the tree may not perish, that,
perhaps, I may preserve unto myself the roots thereof for mine
own purpose.

Jacob 5:54
 54 And, behold, the roots of the natural branches of the tree
which I planted whithersoever I would are yet alive; wherefore,
that I may preserve them also for mine own purpose, I will take
of the branches of this tree, and I will graft them in unto them.

Yea, I will graft in unto them the branches of their mother tree,
that I may preserve the roots also unto mine own self, that when
they shall be sufficiently strong perhaps they may bring forth
good fruit unto me, and I may yet have glory in the fruit of my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:55
 55 And it came to pass that they took from the natural tree
which had become wild, and grafted in unto the natural trees,
which also had become wild.

Jacob 5:56
 56 And they also took of the natural trees which had become
wild, and grafted into their mother tree.

Jacob 5:57
 57 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto the servant: Pluck not
the wild branches from the trees, save it be those which are most
bitter; and in them ye shall graft according to that which I have
said.

Jacob 5:58
 58 And we will nourish again the trees of the vineyard, and we
will trim up the branches thereof; and we will pluck from the
trees those branches which are ripened, that must perish, and
cast them into the fire.

Jacob 5:59
 59 And this I do that, perhaps, the roots thereof may take
strength because of their goodness; and because of the change of
the branches, that the good may overcome the evil.

Jacob 5:60
 60 And because that I have preserved the natural branches and
the roots thereof, and that I have grafted in the natural
branches again into their mother tree, and have preserved the
roots of their mother tree, that, perhaps, the trees of my
vineyard may bring forth again good fruit; and that I may have
joy again in the fruit of my vineyard, and, perhaps, that I may
rejoice exceedingly that I have preserved the roots and the
branches of the first fruit--

Jacob 5:61
 61 Wherefore, go to, and call servants, that we may labor
diligently with our might in the vineyard, that we may prepare
the way, that I may bring forth again the natural fruit, which
natural fruit is good and the most precious above all other
fruit.

Jacob 5:62
 62 Wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last
time, for behold the end draweth nigh, and this is for the last
time that I shall prune my vineyard.

Jacob 5:63
 63 Graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be
first, and that the first may be last, and dig about the trees,
both old and young, the first and the last; and the last and the
first, that all may be nourished once again for the last time.

Jacob 5:64
 64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once
more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh.  And if it be
so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural
fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may
grow.

Jacob 5:65
 65 And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches
which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the
good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad
thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong
for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the
trees of my vineyard.

Jacob 5:66
 66 For it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my
vineyard; wherefore ye shall clear away the bad according as the
good shall grow, that the root and the top may be equal in
strength, until the good shall overcome the bad, and the bad be
hewn down and cast into the fire, that they cumber not the ground
of my vineyard; and thus will I sweep away the bad out of my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:67
 67 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft in again
into the natural tree;

Jacob 5:68
 68 And the branches of the natural tree will I graft into the
natural branches of the tree; and thus will I bring them together
again, that they shall bring forth the natural fruit, and they
shall be one.

Jacob 5:69
 69 And the bad shall be cast away, yea, even out of all the land
of my vineyard; for behold, only this once will I prune my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:70
 70 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard sent his
servant; and the servant went and did as the Lord had commanded
him, and brought other servants; and they were few.

Jacob 5:71
 71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and labor
in the vineyard, with your might.  For behold, this is the last
time that I shall nourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at
hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your
might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up
unto myself against the time which will soon come.

Jacob 5:72
 72 And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with
their mights; and the Lord of the vineyard labored also with
them; and they did obey the commandments of the Lord of the
vineyard in all things.

Jacob 5:73
 73 And there began to be the natural fruit again in the
vineyard; and the natural branches began to grow and thrive
exceedingly; and the wild branches began to be plucked off and to
be cast away; and they did keep the root and the top thereof
equal, according to the strength thereof.

Jacob 5:74
 74 And thus they labored, with all diligence, according to the
commandments of the Lord of the vineyard, even until the bad had
been cast away out of the vineyard, and the Lord had preserved
unto himself that the trees had become again the natural fruit;
and they became like unto one body; and the fruits were equal;
and the Lord of the vineyard had preserved unto himself the
natural fruit, which was most precious unto him from the
beginning.

Jacob 5:75
 75 And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw
that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more
corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them: Behold,
for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou
beholdest that I have done according to my will; and I have
preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was
in the beginning.  And blessed art thou; for because ye have been
diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my
commandments, and have brought unto me again the natural fruit,
that my vineyard is no more corrupted, and the bad is cast away,
behold ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my
vineyard.

Jacob 5:76
 76 For behold, for a long time will I lay up of the fruit of my
vineyard unto mine own self against the season, which speedily
cometh; and for the last time have I nourished my vineyard, and
pruned it, and dug about it, and dunged it; wherefore I will lay
up unto mine own self of the fruit, for a long time, according to
that which I have spoken.

Jacob 5:77
 77 And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come
into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be
gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad
will I cast away into its own place.  And then cometh the season
and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire.

Jacob 6

Jacob 6:1
 1 And now, behold, my brethren, as I said unto you that I would
prophesy, behold, this is my prophecy--that the things which this
prophet Zenos spake, concerning the house of Israel, in the which
he likened them unto a tame olive-tree, must surely come to pass.

Jacob 6:2
 2 And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time
to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that
the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish
and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh.

Jacob 6:3
 3 And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his
vineyard; and how cursed are they who shall be cast out into
their own place!  And the world shall be burned with fire.

Jacob 6:4
 4 And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the
house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth
his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked
and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their
hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

Jacob 6:5
 5 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of
soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of
heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you.  And while
his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day,
harden not your hearts.

Jacob 6:6
 6 Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts;
for why will ye die?

Jacob 6:7
 7 For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of
God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye
must be hewn down and cast into the fire?

Jacob 6:8
 8 Behold, will ye reject these words?  Will ye reject the words
of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been
spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning
him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and
the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make
a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for
you?

Jacob 6:9
 9 Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of
the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will
bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of
God?

Jacob 6:10
 10 And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be
denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone,
whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up
forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless
torment.

Jacob 6:11
 11 O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the
strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye
shall obtain eternal life.

Jacob 6:12
 12 O be wise; what can I say more?

Jacob 6:13
 13 Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before
the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful
dread and fear.  Amen.

Jacob 7

Jacob 7:1
 1 And now it came to pass after some years had passed away,
there came a man among the people of Nephi, whose name was
Sherem.

Jacob 7:2
 2 And it came to pass that he began to preach among the people,
and to declare unto them that there should be no Christ.  And he
preached many things which were flattering unto the people; and
this he did that he might overthrow the doctrine of Christ.

Jacob 7:3
 3 And he labored diligently that he might lead away the hearts
of the people, insomuch that he did lead away many hearts; and he
knowing that I, Jacob, had faith in Christ who should come, he
sought much opportunity that he might come unto me.

Jacob 7:4
 4 And he was learned, that he had a perfect knowledge of the
language of the people; wherefore, he could use much flattery,
and much power of speech, according to the power of the devil.

Jacob 7:5
 5 And he had hope to shake me from the faith, notwithstanding
the many revelations and the many things which I had seen
concerning these things; for I truly had seen angels, and they
had ministered unto me.  And also, I had heard the voice of the
Lord speaking unto me in very word, from time to time; wherefore,
I could not be shaken.

Jacob 7:6
 6 And it came to pass that he came unto me, and on this wise did
he speak unto me, saying: Brother Jacob, I have sought much
opportunity that I might speak unto you; for I have heard and
also know that thou goest about much, preaching that which ye
call the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ.

Jacob 7:7
 7 And ye have led away much of this people that they pervert the
right way of God, and keep not the law of Moses which is the
right way; and convert the law of Moses into the worship of a
being which ye say shall come many hundred years hence.  And now
behold, I, Sherem, declare unto you that this is blasphemy; for
no man knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things to
come.  And after this manner did Sherem contend against me.

Jacob 7:8
 8 But behold, the Lord God poured in his Spirit into my soul,
insomuch that I did confound him in all his words.

Jacob 7:9
 9 And I said unto him: Deniest thou the Christ who shall come? 
And he said: If there should be a Christ, I would not deny him;
but I know that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever
will be.

Jacob 7:10
 10 And I said unto him: Believest thou the scriptures?  And he
said, Yea.

Jacob 7:11
 11 And I said unto him: Then ye do not understand them; for they
truly testify of Christ.  Behold, I say unto you that none of the
prophets have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken
concerning this Christ.

Jacob 7:12
 12 And this is not all--it has been made manifest unto me, for I
have heard and seen; and it also has been made manifest unto me
by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know if there should
be no atonement made all mankind must be lost.

Jacob 7:13
 13 And it came to pass that he said unto me: Show me a sign by
this power of the Holy Ghost, in the which ye know so much.

Jacob 7:14
 14 And I said unto him: What am I that I should tempt God to
show unto thee a sign in the thing which thou knowest to be true?

Yet thou wilt deny it, because thou art of the devil. 
Nevertheless, not my will be done; but if God shall smite thee,
let that be a sign unto thee that he has power, both in heaven
and in earth; and also, that Christ shall come.  And thy will, O
Lord, be done, and not mine.

Jacob 7:15
 15 And it came to pass that when I, Jacob, had spoken these
words, the power of the Lord came upon him, insomuch that he fell
to the earth.  And it came to pass that he was nourished for the
space of many days.

Jacob 7:16
 16 And it came to pass that he said unto the people: Gather
together on the morrow, for I shall die; wherefore, I desire to
speak unto the people before I shall die.

Jacob 7:17
 17 And it came to pass that on the morrow the multitude were
gathered together; and he spake plainly unto them and denied the
things which he had taught them, and confessed the Christ, and
the power of the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels.

Jacob 7:18
 18 And he spake plainly unto them, that he had been deceived by
the power of the devil.  And he spake of hell, and of eternity,
and of eternal punishment.

Jacob 7:19
 19 And he said: I fear lest I have committed the unpardonable
sin, for I have lied unto God; for I denied the Christ, and said
that I believed the scriptures; and they truly testify of him. 
And because I have thus lied unto God I greatly fear lest my case
shall be awful; but I confess unto God.

Jacob 7:20
 20 And it came to pass that when he had said these words he
could say no more, and he gave up the ghost.

Jacob 7:21
 21 And when the multitude had witnessed that he spake these
things as he was about to give up the ghost, they were astonished
exceedingly; insomuch that the power of God came down upon them,
and they were overcome that they fell to the earth.

Jacob 7:22
 22 Now, this thing was pleasing unto me, Jacob, for I had
requested it of my Father who was in heaven; for he had heard my
cry and answered my prayer.

Jacob 7:23
 23 And it came to pass that peace and the love of God was
restored again among the people; and they searched the
scriptures, and hearkened no more to the words of this wicked
man.

Jacob 7:24
 24 And it came to pass that many means were devised to reclaim
and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth; but it
all was vain, for they delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they
had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren.  And they
sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually.

Jacob 7:25
 25 Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with
their arms, and with all their might, trusting in the God and
rock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet,
conquerors of their enemies.

Jacob 7:26
 26 And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the
record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi,
wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written
according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time
passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it
were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people,
wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a
wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and
contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days.

Jacob 7:27
 27 And I, Jacob, saw that I must soon go down to my grave;
wherefore, I said unto my son Enos: Take these plates.  And I
told him the things which my brother Nephi had commanded me, and
he promised obedience unto the commands.  And I make an end of my
writing upon these plates, which writing has been small; and to
the reader I bid farewell, hoping that many of my brethren may
read my words.  Brethren, adieu.

Enos 1
THE BOOK OF ENOS

Enos 1:1
 1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Enos, knowing my father that
he was a just man--for he taught me in his language, and also in
the nurture and admonition of the Lord--and blessed be the name
of my God for it--

Enos 1:2
 2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God,
before I received a remission of my sins.

Enos 1:3
 3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words
which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life,
and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

Enos 1:4
 4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and
I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own
soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the
night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the
heavens.

Enos 1:5
 5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are
forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

Enos 1:6
 6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt
was swept away.

Enos 1:7
 7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

Enos 1:8
 8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou
hast never before heard nor seen.  And many years pass away
before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to,
thy faith hath made thee whole.

Enos 1:9
 9 Now, it came to pass that when I had heard these words I began
to feel a desire for the welfare of my brethren, the Nephites;
wherefore, I did pour out my whole soul unto God for them.

Enos 1:10
 10 And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the
voice of the Lord came into my mind again, saying: I will visit
thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my
commandments.  I have given unto them this land, and it is a holy
land; and I curse it not save it be for the cause of iniquity;
wherefore, I will visit thy brethren according as I have said;
and their transgressions will I bring down with sorrow upon their
own heads.

Enos 1:11
 11 And after I, Enos, had heard these words, my faith began to
be unshaken in the Lord; and I prayed unto him with many long
strugglings for my brethren, the Lamanites.

Enos 1:12
 12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with
all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee
according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

Enos 1:13
 13 And now behold, this was the desire which I desired of
him--that if it should so be, that my people, the Nephites,
should fall into transgression, and by any means be destroyed,
and the Lamanites should not be destroyed, that the Lord God
would preserve a record of my people, the Nephites; even if it so
be by the power of his holy arm, that it might be brought forth
at some future day unto the Lamanites, that, perhaps, they might
be brought unto salvation--

Enos 1:14
 14 For at the present our strugglings were vain in restoring
them to the true faith.  And they swore in their wrath that, if
it were possible, they would destroy our records and us, and also
all the traditions of our fathers.

Enos 1:15
 15 Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve
our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto
me: Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye
shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.

Enos 1:16
 16 And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would
preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would
bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.

Enos 1:17
 17 And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which
he had made; wherefore my soul did rest.

Enos 1:18
 18 And the Lord said unto me: Thy fathers have also required of
me this thing; and it shall be done unto them according to their
faith; for their faith was like unto thine.

Enos 1:19
 19 And now it came to pass that I, Enos, went about among the
people of Nephi, prophesying of things to come, and testifying of
the things which I had heard and seen.

Enos 1:20
 20 And I bear record that the people of Nephi did seek
diligently to restore the Lamanites unto the true faith in God. 
But our labors were vain; their hatred was fixed, and they were
led by their evil nature that they became wild, and ferocious,
and a bloodthirsty people, full of idolatry and filthiness;
feeding upon beasts of prey; dwelling in tents, and wandering
about in the wilderness with a short skin girdle about their
loins and their heads shaven; and their skill was in the bow, and
in the cimeter, and the ax.  And many of them did eat nothing
save it was raw meat; and they were continually seeking to
destroy us.

Enos 1:21
 21 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi did till the
land, and raise all manner of grain, and of fruit, and flocks of
herds, and flocks of all manner of cattle of every kind, and
goats, and wild goats, and also many horses.

Enos 1:22
 22 And there were exceedingly many prophets among us.  And the
people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.

Enos 1:23
 23 And there was nothing save it was exceeding harshness,
preaching and prophesying of wars, and contentions, and
destructions, and continually reminding them of death, and the
duration of eternity, and the judgments and the power of God, and
all these things--stirring them up continually to keep them in
the fear of the Lord.  I say there was nothing short of these
things, and exceedingly great plainness of speech, would keep
them from going down speedily to destruction.  And after this
manner do I write concerning them.

Enos 1:24
 24 And I saw wars between the Nephites and Lamanites in the
course of my days.

Enos 1:25
 25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred
and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our
father Lehi left Jerusalem.

Enos 1:26
 26 And I saw that I must soon go down to my grave, having been
wrought upon by the power of God that I must preach and prophesy
unto this people, and declare the word according to the truth
which is in Christ.  And I have declared it in all my days, and
have rejoiced in it above that of the world.

Enos 1:27
 27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my
Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest.  And I rejoice in
the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand
before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will
say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared
for you in the mansions of my Father.  Amen.

Jarom 1
THE BOOK OF JAROM

Jarom 1:1
 1 Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the
commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept.

Jarom 1:2
 2 And as these plates are small, and as these things are written
for the intent of the benefit of our brethren the Lamanites,
wherefore, it must needs be that I write a little; but I shall
not write the things of my prophesying, nor of my revelations. 
For what could I write more than my fathers have written?  For
have not they revealed the plan of salvation?  I say unto you,
Yea; and this sufficeth me.

Jarom 1:3
 3 Behold, it is expedient that much should be done among this
people, because of the hardness of their hearts, and the deafness
of their ears, and the blindness of their minds, and the
stiffness of their necks; nevertheless, God is exceedingly
merciful unto them, and has not as yet swept them off from the
face of the land.

Jarom 1:4
 4 And there are many among us who have many revelations, for
they are not all stiffnecked.  And as many as are not stiffnecked
and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh
manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.

Jarom 1:5
 5 And now, behold, two hundred years had passed away, and the
people of Nephi had waxed strong in the land.  They observed to
keep the law of Moses and the sabbath day holy unto the Lord. 
And they profaned not; neither did they blaspheme.  And the laws
of the land were exceedingly strict.

Jarom 1:6
 6 And they were scattered upon much of the face of the land, and
the Lamanites also.  And they were exceedingly more numerous than
were they of the Nephites; and they loved murder and would drink
the blood of beasts.

Jarom 1:7
 7 And it came to pass that they came many times against us, the
Nephites, to battle.  But our kings and our leaders were mighty
men in the faith of the Lord; and they taught the people the ways
of the Lord; wherefore, we withstood the Lamanites and swept them
away out of our lands, and began to fortify our cities, or
whatsoever place of our inheritance.

Jarom 1:8
 8 And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the
land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in
precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings,
and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and
steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the
ground, and weapons of war--yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the
quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for
war.

Jarom 1:9
 9 And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not
prosper against us.  But the word of the Lord was verified, which
he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep
my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.

Jarom 1:10
 10 And it came to pass that the prophets of the Lord did
threaten the people of Nephi, according to the word of God, that
if they did not keep the commandments, but should fall into
transgression, they should be destroyed from off the face of the
land.

Jarom 1:11
 11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers,
did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the
people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent
for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the
Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. 
And after this manner did they teach them.

Jarom 1:12
 12 And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from
being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick
their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up unto
repentance.

Jarom 1:13
 13 And it came to pass that two hundred and thirty and eight
years had passed away--after the manner of wars, and contentions,
and dissensions, for the space of much of the time.

Jarom 1:14
 14 And I, Jarom, do not write more, for the plates are small. 
But behold, my brethren, ye can go to the other plates of Nephi;
for behold, upon them the records of our wars are engraven,
according to the writings of the kings, or those which they
caused to be written.

Jarom 1:15
 15 And I deliver these plates into the hands of my son Omni,
that they may be kept according to the commandments of my
fathers.

Omni 1
THE BOOK OF OMNI

Omni 1:1
 1 Behold, it came to pass that I, Omni, being commanded by my
father, Jarom, that I should write somewhat upon these plates, to
preserve our genealogy--

Omni 1:2
 2 Wherefore, in my days, I would that ye should know that I
fought much with the sword to preserve my people, the Nephites,
from falling into the hands of their enemies, the Lamanites.  But
behold, I of myself am a wicked man, and I have not kept the
statutes and the commandments of the Lord as I ought to have
done.

Omni 1:3
 3 And it came to pass that two hundred and seventy and six years
had passed away, and we had many seasons of peace; and we had
many seasons of serious war and bloodshed.  Yea, and in fine, two
hundred and eighty and two years had passed away, and I had kept
these plates according to the commandments of my fathers; and I
conferred them upon my son Amaron.  And I make an end.

Omni 1:4
 4 And now I, Amaron, write the things whatsoever I write, which
are few, in the book of my father.

Omni 1:5
 5 Behold, it came to pass that three hundred and twenty years
had passed away, and the more wicked part of the Nephites were
destroyed.

Omni 1:6
 6 For the Lord would not suffer, after he had led them out of
the land of Jerusalem and kept and preserved them from falling
into the hands of their enemies, yea, he would not suffer that
the words should not be verified, which he spake unto our
fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will not keep my
commandments ye shall not prosper in the land.

Omni 1:7
 7 Wherefore, the Lord did visit them in great judgment;
nevertheless, he did spare the righteous that they should not
perish, but did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies.

Omni 1:8
 8 And it came to pass that I did deliver the plates unto my
brother Chemish.

Omni 1:9
 9 Now I, Chemish, write what few things I write, in the same
book with my brother; for behold, I saw the last which he wrote,
that he wrote it with his own hand; and he wrote it in the day
that he delivered them unto me.  And after this manner we keep
the records, for it is according to the commandments of our
fathers.  And I make an end.

Omni 1:10
 10 Behold, I, Abinadom, am the son of Chemish.  Behold, it came
to pass that I saw much war and contention between my people, the
Nephites, and the Lamanites; and I, with my own sword, have taken
the lives of many of the Lamanites in the defence of my brethren.

Omni 1:11
 11 And behold, the record of this people is engraven upon plates
which is had by the kings, according to the generations; and I
know of no revelation save that which has been written, neither
prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient is written.  And I
make an end.

Omni 1:12
 12 Behold, I am Amaleki, the son of Abinadom.  Behold, I will
speak unto you somewhat concerning Mosiah, who was made king over
the land of Zarahemla; for behold, he being warned of the Lord
that he should flee out of the land of Nephi, and as many as
would hearken unto the voice of the Lord should also depart out
of the land with him, into the wilderness--

Omni 1:13
 13 And it came to pass that he did according as the Lord had
commanded him.  And they departed out of the land into the
wilderness, as many as would hearken unto the voice of the Lord;
and they were led by many preachings and prophesyings.  And they
were admonished continually by the word of God; and they were led
by the power of his arm, through the wilderness, until they came
down into the land which is called the land of Zarahemla.

Omni 1:14
 14 And they discovered a people, who were called the people of
Zarahemla.  Now, there was great rejoicing among the people of
Zarahemla; and also Zarahemla did rejoice exceedingly, because
the Lord had sent the people of Mosiah with the plates of brass
which contained the record of the Jews.

Omni 1:15
 15 Behold, it came to pass that Mosiah discovered that the
people of Zarahemla came out from Jerusalem at the time that
Zedekiah, king of Judah, was carried away captive into Babylon.

Omni 1:16
 16 And they journeyed in the wilderness, and were brought by the
hand of the Lord across the great waters, into the land where
Mosiah discovered them; and they had dwelt there from that time
forth.

Omni 1:17
 17 And at the time that Mosiah discovered them, they had become
exceedingly numerous.  Nevertheless, they had had many wars and
serious contentions, and had fallen by the sword from time to
time; and their language had become corrupted; and they had
brought no records with them; and they denied the being of their
Creator; and Mosiah, nor the people of Mosiah, could understand
them.

Omni 1:18
 18 But it came to pass that Mosiah caused that they should be
taught in his language.  And it came to pass that after they were
taught in the language of Mosiah, Zarahemla gave a genealogy of
his fathers, according to his memory; and they are written, but
not in these plates.

Omni 1:19
 19 And it came to pass that the people of Zarahemla, and of
Mosiah, did unite together; and Mosiah was appointed to be their
king.

Omni 1:20
 20 And it came to pass in the days of Mosiah, there was a large
stone brought unto him with engravings on it; and he did
interpret the engravings by the gift and power of God.

Omni 1:21
 21 And they gave an account of one Coriantumr, and the slain of
his people.  And Coriantumr was discovered by the people of
Zarahemla; and he dwelt with them for the space of nine moons.

Omni 1:22
 22 It also spake a few words concerning his fathers.  And his
first parents came out from the tower, at the time the Lord
confounded the language of the people; and the severity of the
Lord fell upon them according to his judgments, which are just;
and their bones lay scattered in the land northward.

Omni 1:23
 23 Behold, I, Amaleki, was born in the days of Mosiah; and I
have lived to see his death; and Benjamin, his son, reigneth in
his stead.

Omni 1:24
 24 And behold, I have seen, in the days of king Benjamin, a
serious war and much bloodshed between the Nephites and the
Lamanites.  But behold, the Nephites did obtain much advantage
over them; yea, insomuch that king Benjamin did drive them out of
the land of Zarahemla.

Omni 1:25
 25 And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no
seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord,
wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting
all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in
prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of
angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift
of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for
there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and
that which is evil cometh from the devil.

Omni 1:26
 26 And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come
unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his
salvation, and the power of his redemption.  Yea, come unto him,
and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue
in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord
liveth ye will be saved.

Omni 1:27
 27 And now I would speak somewhat concerning a certain number
who went up into the wilderness to return to the land of Nephi;
for there was a large number who were desirous to possess the
land of their inheritance.

Omni 1:28
 28 Wherefore, they went up into the wilderness.  And their
leader being a strong and mighty man, and a stiffnecked man,
wherefore he caused a contention among them; and they were all
slain, save fifty, in the wilderness, and they returned again to
the land of Zarahemla.

Omni 1:29
 29 And it came to pass that they also took others to a
considerable number, and took their journey again into the
wilderness.

Omni 1:30
 30 And I, Amaleki, had a brother, who also went with them; and I
have not since known concerning them.  And I am about to lie down
in my grave; and these plates are full.  And I make an end of my
speaking.

Words of Mormon 1
THE WORDS OF MORMON

Words of Mormon 1:1
 1 And now I, Mormon, being about to deliver up the record which
I have been making into the hands of my son Moroni, behold I have
witnessed almost all the destruction of my people, the Nephites.

Words of Mormon 1:2
 2 And it is many hundred years after the coming of Christ that I
deliver these records into the hands of my son; and it supposeth
me that he will witness the entire destruction of my people.  But
may God grant that he may survive them, that he may write
somewhat concerning them, and somewhat concerning Christ, that
perhaps some day it may profit them.

Words of Mormon 1:3
 3 And now, I speak somewhat concerning that which I have
written; for after I had made an abridgment from the plates of
Nephi, down to the reign of this king Benjamin, of whom Amaleki
spake, I searched among the records which had been delivered into
my hands, and I found these plates, which contained this small
account of the prophets, from Jacob down to the reign of this
king Benjamin, and also many of the words of Nephi.

Words of Mormon 1:4
 4 And the things which are upon these plates pleasing me,
because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ; and my fathers
knowing that many of them have been fulfilled; yea, and I also
know that as many things as have been prophesied concerning us
down to this day have been fulfilled, and as many as go beyond
this day must surely come to pass--

Words of Mormon 1:5
 5 Wherefore, I chose these things, to finish my record upon
them, which remainder of my record I shall take from the plates
of Nephi; and I cannot write the hundredth part of the things of
my people.

Words of Mormon 1:6
 6 But behold, I shall take these plates, which contain these
prophesyings and revelations, and put them with the remainder of
my record, for they are choice unto me; and I know they will be
choice unto my brethren.

Words of Mormon 1:7
 7 And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me,
according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in
me.  And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all
things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do
according to his will.

Words of Mormon 1:8
 8 And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may
once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of
Christ; that they may once again be a delightsome people.

Words of Mormon 1:9
 9 And now I, Mormon, proceed to finish out my record, which I
take from the plates of Nephi; and I make it according to the
knowledge and the understanding which God has given me.

Words of Mormon 1:10
 10 Wherefore, it came to pass that after Amaleki had delivered
up these plates into the hands of king Benjamin, he took them and
put them with the other plates, which contained records which had
been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation
until the days of king Benjamin.

Words of Mormon 1:11
 11 And they were handed down from king Benjamin, from generation
to generation until they have fallen into my hands.  And I,
Mormon, pray to God that they may be preserved from this time
henceforth.  And I know that they will be preserved; for there
are great things written upon them, out of which my people and
their brethren shall be judged at the great and last day,
according to the word of God which is written.

Words of Mormon 1:12
 12 And now, concerning this king Benjamin--he had somewhat of
contentions among his own people.

Words of Mormon 1:13
 13 And it came to pass also that the armies of the Lamanites
came down out of the land of Nephi, to battle against his people.

But behold, king Benjamin gathered together his armies, and he
did stand against them; and he did fight with the strength of his
own arm, with the sword of Laban.

Words of Mormon 1:14
 14 And in the strength of the Lord they did contend against
their enemies, until they had slain many thousands of the
Lamanites.  And it came to pass that they did contend against the
Lamanites until they had driven them out of all the lands of
their inheritance.

Words of Mormon 1:15
 15 And it came to pass that after there had been false Christs,
and their mouths had been shut, and they punished according to
their crimes;

Words of Mormon 1:16
 16 And after there had been false prophets, and false preachers
and teachers among the people, and all these having been punished
according to their crimes; and after there having been much
contention and many dissensions away unto the Lamanites, behold,
it came to pass that king Benjamin, with the assistance of the
holy prophets who were among his people--

Words of Mormon 1:17
 17 For behold, king Benjamin was a holy man, and he did reign
over his people in righteousness; and there were many holy men in
the land, and they did speak the word of God with power and with
authority; and they did use much sharpness because of the
stiffneckedness of the people--

Words of Mormon 1:18
 18 Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring
with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul,
and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land.

Mosiah
THE BOOK OF MOSIAH

Mosiah 1

Mosiah 1:1
 1 And now there was no more contention in all the land of
Zarahemla, among all the people who belonged to king Benjamin, so
that king Benjamin had continual peace all the remainder of his
days.

Mosiah 1:2
 2 And it came to pass that he had three sons; and he called
their names Mosiah, and Helorum, and Helaman.  And he caused that
they should be taught in all the language of his fathers, that
thereby they might become men of understanding; and that they
might know concerning the prophecies which had been spoken by the
mouths of their fathers, which were delivered them by the hand of
the Lord.

Mosiah 1:3
 3 And he also taught them concerning the records which were
engraven on the plates of brass, saying: My sons, I would that ye
should remember that were it not for these plates, which contain
these records and these commandments, we must have suffered in
ignorance, even at this present time, not knowing the mysteries
of God.

Mosiah 1:4
 4 For it were not possible that our father, Lehi, could have
remembered all these things, to have taught them to his children,
except it were for the help of these plates; for he having been
taught in the language of the Egyptians therefore he could read
these engravings, and teach them to his children, that thereby
they could teach them to their children, and so fulfilling the
commandments of God, even down to this present time.

Mosiah 1:5
 5 I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which
have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might
read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments
always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled
in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the
Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do
not believe them when they are taught them, because of the
traditions of their fathers, which are not correct.

Mosiah 1:6
 6 O my sons, I would that ye should remember that these sayings
are true, and also that these records are true.  And behold, also
the plates of Nephi, which contain the records and the sayings of
our fathers from the time they left Jerusalem until now, and they
are true; and we can know of their surety because we have them
before our eyes.

Mosiah 1:7
 7 And now, my sons, I would that ye should remember to search
them diligently, that ye may profit thereby; and I would that ye
should keep the commandments of God, that ye may prosper in the
land according to the promises which the Lord made unto our
fathers.

Mosiah 1:8
 8 And many more things did king Benjamin teach his sons, which
are not written in this book.

Mosiah 1:9
 9 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end
of teaching his sons, that he waxed old, and he saw that he must
very soon go the way of all the earth; therefore, he thought it
expedient that he should confer the kingdom upon one of his sons.

Mosiah 1:10
 10 Therefore, he had Mosiah brought before him; and these are
the words which he spake unto him, saying: My son, I would that
ye should make a proclamation throughout all this land among all
this people, or the people of Zarahemla, and the people of Mosiah
who dwell in the land, that thereby they may be gathered
together; for on the morrow I shall proclaim unto this my people
out of mine own mouth that thou art a king and a ruler over this
people, whom the Lord our God hath given us.

Mosiah 1:11
 11 And moreover, I shall give this people a name, that thereby
they may be distinguished above all the people which the Lord God
hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I do because
they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of
the Lord.

Mosiah 1:12
 12 And I give unto them a name that never shall be blotted out,
except it be through transgression.

Mosiah 1:13
 13 Yea, and moreover I say unto you, that if this highly favored
people of the Lord should fall into transgression, and become a
wicked and an adulterous people, that the Lord will deliver them
up, that thereby they become weak like unto their brethren; and
he will no more preserve them by his matchless and marvelous
power, as he has hitherto preserved our fathers.

Mosiah 1:14
 14 For I say unto you, that if he had not extended his arm in
the preservation of our fathers they must have fallen into the
hands of the Lamanites, and become victims to their hatred.

Mosiah 1:15
 15 And it came to pass that after king Benjamin had made an end
of these sayings to his son, that he gave him charge concerning
all the affairs of the kingdom.

Mosiah 1:16
 16 And moreover, he also gave him charge concerning the records
which were engraven on the plates of brass; and also the plates
of Nephi; and also, the sword of Laban, and the ball or director,
which led our fathers through the wilderness, which was prepared
by the hand of the Lord that thereby they might be led, every one
according to the heed and diligence which they gave unto him.

Mosiah 1:17
 17 Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor
progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the
displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten
with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance
of their duty.

Mosiah 1:18
 18 And now, it came to pass that Mosiah went and did as his
father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who
were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather
themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words
which his father should speak unto them.

Mosiah 2

Mosiah 2:1
 1 And it came to pass that after Mosiah had done as his father
had commanded him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the
land, that the people gathered themselves together throughout all
the land, that they might go up to the temple to hear the words
which king Benjamin should speak unto them.

Mosiah 2:2
 2 And there were a great number, even so many that they did not
number them; for they had multiplied exceedingly and waxed great
in the land.

Mosiah 2:3
 3 And they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that
they might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings according to the
law of Moses;

Mosiah 2:4
 4 And also that they might give thanks to the Lord their God,
who had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, and who had
delivered them out of the hands of their enemies, and had
appointed just men to be their teachers, and also a just man to
be their king, who had established peace in the land of
Zarahemla, and who had taught them to keep the commandments of
God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God
and all men.

Mosiah 2:5
 5 And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they
pitched their tents round about, every man according to his
family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters,
and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the
youngest, every family being separate one from another.

Mosiah 2:6
 6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man
having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that
thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which
king Benjamin should speak unto them;

Mosiah 2:7
 7 For the multitude being so great that king Benjamin could not
teach them all within the walls of the temple, therefore he
caused a tower to be erected, that thereby his people might hear
the words which he should speak unto them.

Mosiah 2:8
 8 And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from
the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the
greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words
which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that
were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also
receive his words.

Mosiah 2:9
 9 And these are the words which he spake and caused to be
written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled
yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall
speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up
hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you
should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and
your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the
mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.

Mosiah 2:10
 10 I have not commanded you to come up hither that ye should
fear me, or that ye should think that I of myself am more than a
mortal man.

Mosiah 2:11
 11 But I am like as yourselves, subject to all manner of
infirmities in body and mind; yet I have been chosen by this
people, and consecrated by my father, and was suffered by the
hand of the Lord that I should be a ruler and a king over this
people; and have been kept and preserved by his matchless power,
to serve you with all the might, mind and strength which the Lord
hath granted unto me.

Mosiah 2:12
 12 I say unto you that as I have been suffered to spend my days
in your service, even up to this time, and have not sought gold
nor silver nor any manner of riches of you;

Mosiah 2:13
 13 Neither have I suffered that ye should be confined in
dungeons, nor that ye should make slaves one of another, nor that
ye should murder, or plunder, or steal, or commit adultery; nor
even have I suffered that ye should commit any manner of
wickedness, and have taught you that ye should keep the
commandments of the Lord, in all things which he hath commanded
you--

Mosiah 2:14
 14 And even I, myself, have labored with mine own hands that I
might serve you, and that ye should not be laden with taxes, and
that there should nothing come upon you which was grievous to be
borne--and of all these things which I have spoken, ye yourselves
are witnesses this day.

Mosiah 2:15
 15 Yet, my brethren, I have not done these things that I might
boast, neither do I tell these things that thereby I might accuse
you; but I tell you these things that ye may know that I can
answer a clear conscience before God this day.

Mosiah 2:16
 16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I
had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for
I have only been in the service of God.

Mosiah 2:17
 17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom;
that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow
beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Mosiah 2:18
 18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call
your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to
serve one another?

Mosiah 2:19
 19 And behold also, if I, whom ye call your king, who has spent
his days in your service, and yet has been in the service of God,
do merit any thanks from you, O how you ought to thank your
heavenly King!

Mosiah 2:20
 20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all
the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess,
to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you,
and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye
should live in peace one with another--

Mosiah 2:21
 21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created
you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by
lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to
your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to
another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls
yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

Mosiah 2:22
 22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his
commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his
commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth
vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his
commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

Mosiah 2:23
 23 And now, in the first place, he hath created you, and granted
unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him.

Mosiah 2:24
 24 And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath
commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you;
and therefore he hath paid you.  And ye are still indebted unto
him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what
have ye to boast?

Mosiah 2:25
 25 And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves?  I answer you,
Nay.  Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the
earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold,
it belongeth to him who created you.

Mosiah 2:26
 26 And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye
yourselves are; for I am also of the dust.  And ye behold that I
am old, and am about to yield up this mortal frame to its mother
earth.

Mosiah 2:27
 27 Therefore, as I said unto you that I had served you, walking
with a clear conscience before God, even so I at this time have
caused that ye should assemble yourselves together, that I might
be found blameless, and that your blood should not come upon me,
when I shall stand to be judged of God of the things whereof he
hath commanded me concerning you.

Mosiah 2:28
 28 I say unto you that I have caused that ye should assemble
yourselves together that I might rid my garments of your blood,
at this period of time when I am about to go down to my grave,
that I might go down in peace, and my immortal spirit may join
the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God.

Mosiah 2:29
 29 And moreover, I say unto you that I have caused that ye
should assemble yourselves together, that I might declare unto
you that I can no longer be your teacher, nor your king;

Mosiah 2:30
 30 For even at this time, my whole frame doth tremble
exceedingly while attempting to speak unto you; but the Lord God
doth support me, and hath suffered me that I should speak unto
you, and hath commanded me that I should declare unto you this
day, that my son Mosiah is a king and a ruler over you.

Mosiah 2:31
 31 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should do as ye have
hitherto done.  As ye have kept my commandments, and also the
commandments of my father, and have prospered, and have been kept
from falling into the hands of your enemies, even so if ye shall
keep the commandments of my son, or the commandments of God which
shall be delivered unto you by him, ye shall prosper in the land,
and your enemies shall have no power over you.

Mosiah 2:32
 32 But, O my people, beware lest there shall arise contentions
among you, and ye list to obey the evil spirit, which was spoken
of by my father Mosiah.

Mosiah 2:33
 33 For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him who listeth to
obey that spirit; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth
and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own
soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment,
having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge.

Mosiah 2:34
 34 I say unto you, that there are not any among you, except it
be your little children that have not been taught concerning
these things, but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to
your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are;
and also have been taught concerning the records which contain
the prophecies which have been spoken by the holy prophets, even
down to the time our father, Lehi, left Jerusalem;

Mosiah 2:35
 35 And also, all that has been spoken by our fathers until now. 
And behold, also, they spake that which was commanded them of the
Lord; therefore, they are just and true.

Mosiah 2:36
 36 And now, I say unto you, my brethren, that after ye have
known and have been taught all these things, if ye should
transgress and go contrary to that which has been spoken, that ye
do withdraw yourselves from the Spirit of the Lord, that it may
have no place in you to guide you in wisdom's paths that ye may
be blessed, prospered, and preserved--

Mosiah 2:37
 37 I say unto you, that the man that doeth this, the same cometh
out in open rebellion against God; therefore he listeth to obey
the evil spirit, and becometh an enemy to all righteousness;
therefore, the Lord has no place in him, for he dwelleth not in
unholy temples.

Mosiah 2:38
 38 Therefore if that man repenteth not, and remaineth and dieth
an enemy to God, the demands of divine justice do awaken his
immortal soul to a lively sense of his own guilt, which doth
cause him to shrink from the presence of the Lord, and doth fill
his breast with guilt, and pain, and anguish, which is like an
unquenchable fire, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever.

Mosiah 2:39
 39 And now I say unto you, that mercy hath no claim on that man;
therefore his final doom is to endure a never-ending torment.

Mosiah 2:40
 40 O, all ye old men, and also ye young men, and you little
children who can understand my words, for I have spoken plainly
unto you that ye might understand, I pray that ye should awake to
a remembrance of the awful situation of those that have fallen
into transgression.

Mosiah 2:41
 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the
blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of
God.  For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal
and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are
received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a
state of never-ending happiness.  O remember, remember that these
things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Mosiah 3

Mosiah 3:1
 1 And again my brethren, I would call your attention, for I have
somewhat more to speak unto you; for behold, I have things to
tell you concerning that which is to come.

Mosiah 3:2
 2 And the things which I shall tell you are made known unto me
by an angel from God.  And he said unto me: Awake; and I awoke,
and behold he stood before me.

Mosiah 3:3
 3 And he said unto me: Awake, and hear the words which I shall
tell thee; for behold, I am come to declare unto you the glad
tidings of great joy.

Mosiah 3:4
 4 For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy
righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou
mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people,
that they may also be filled with joy.

Mosiah 3:5
 5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with
power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all
eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the
children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and
shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as
healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the
blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing
all manner of diseases.

Mosiah 3:6
 6 And he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell
in the hearts of the children of men.

Mosiah 3:7
 7 And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger,
thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be
unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great
shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of
his people.

Mosiah 3:8
 8 And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the
Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the
beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.

Mosiah 3:9
 9 And lo, he cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto
the children of men even through faith on his name; and even
after all this they shall consider him a man, and say that he
hath a devil, and shall scourge him, and shall crucify him.

Mosiah 3:10
 10 And he shall rise the third day from the dead; and behold, he
standeth to judge the world; and behold, all these things are
done that a righteous judgment might come upon the children of
men.

Mosiah 3:11
 11 For behold, and also his blood atoneth for the sins of those
who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not
knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly
sinned.

Mosiah 3:12
 12 But wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against
God!  For salvation cometh to none such except it be through
repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mosiah 3:13
 13 And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets among all the
children of men, to declare these things to every kindred,
nation, and tongue, that thereby whosoever should believe that
Christ should come, the same might receive remission of their
sins, and rejoice with exceedingly great joy, even as though he
had already come among them.

Mosiah 3:14
 14 Yet the Lord God saw that his people were a stiffnecked
people, and he appointed unto them a law, even the law of Moses.

Mosiah 3:15
 15 And many signs, and wonders, and types, and shadows showed he
unto them, concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake
unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened their
hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses availeth nothing
except it were through the atonement of his blood.

Mosiah 3:16
 16 And even if it were possible that little children could sin
they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for
behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of
Christ atoneth for their sins.

Mosiah 3:17
 17 And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other
name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come
unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ,
the Lord Omnipotent.

Mosiah 3:18
 18 For behold he judgeth, and his judgment is just; and the
infant perisheth not that dieth in his infancy; but men drink
damnation to their own souls except they humble themselves and
become as little children, and believe that salvation was, and
is, and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of Christ,
the Lord Omnipotent.

Mosiah 3:19
 19 For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the
fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to
the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man
and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord,
and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full
of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit
to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.

Mosiah 3:20
 20 And moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come when
the knowledge of the Savior shall spread throughout every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people.

Mosiah 3:21
 21 And behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found
blameless before God, except it be little children, only through
repentance and faith on the name of the Lord God Omnipotent.

Mosiah 3:22
 22 And even at this time, when thou shalt have taught thy people
the things which the Lord thy God hath commanded thee, even then
are they found no more blameless in the sight of God, only
according to the words which I have spoken unto thee.

Mosiah 3:23
 23 And now I have spoken the words which the Lord God hath
commanded me.

Mosiah 3:24
 24 And thus saith the Lord: They shall stand as a bright
testimony against this people, at the judgment day; whereof they
shall be judged, every man according to his works, whether they
be good, or whether they be evil.

Mosiah 3:25
 25 And if they be evil they are consigned to an awful view of
their own guilt and abominations, which doth cause them to shrink
from the presence of the Lord into a state of misery and endless
torment, from whence they can no more return; therefore they have
drunk damnation to their own souls.

Mosiah 3:26
 26 Therefore, they have drunk out of the cup of the wrath of
God, which justice could no more deny unto them than it could
deny that Adam should fall because of his partaking of the
forbidden fruit; therefore, mercy could have claim on them no
more forever.

Mosiah 3:27
 27 And their torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose
flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and
ever.  Thus hath the Lord commanded me.  Amen.

Mosiah 4

Mosiah 4:1
 1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an
end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by
the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the
multitude, and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear
of the Lord had come upon them.

Mosiah 4:2
 2 And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even
less than the dust of the earth.  And they all cried aloud with
one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of
Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our
hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall
come down among the children of men.

Mosiah 4:3
 3 And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the
Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy,
having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of
conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in
Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king
Benjamin had spoken unto them.

Mosiah 4:4
 4 And king Benjamin again opened his mouth and began to speak
unto them, saying: My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my
people, I would again call your attention, that ye may hear and
understand the remainder of my words which I shall speak unto
you.

Mosiah 4:5
 5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God at this
time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your
worthless and fallen state--

Mosiah 4:6
 6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness
of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his
patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and
also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation
of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that
should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in
keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the
end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal body--

Mosiah 4:7
 7 I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation, through
the atonement which was prepared from the foundation of the world
for all mankind, which ever were since the fall of Adam, or who
are, or who ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.

Mosiah 4:8
 8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh.  And there is
none other salvation save this which hath been spoken of; neither
are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the
conditions which I have told you.

Mosiah 4:9
 9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all
things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all
wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that
man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can
comprehend.

Mosiah 4:10
 10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and
forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in
sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you
believe all these things see that ye do them.

Mosiah 4:11
 11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye
have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have
known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have
received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly
great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember,
and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your
own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you,
unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of
humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing
steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was
spoken by the mouth of the angel.

Mosiah 4:12
 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always
rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a
remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the
glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which
is just and true.

Mosiah 4:13
 13 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to
live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that
which is his due.

Mosiah 4:14
 14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or
naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of
God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil,
who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath
been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all
righteousness.

Mosiah 4:15
 15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and
soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve
one another.

Mosiah 4:16
 16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need
of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him
that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar
putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to
perish.

Mosiah 4:17
 17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his
misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him
of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not
suffer, for his punishments are just--

Mosiah 4:18
 18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath
great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he
hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the
kingdom of God.

Mosiah 4:19
 19 For behold, are we not all beggars?  Do we not all depend
upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we
have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver,
and for all the riches which we have of every kind?

Mosiah 4:20
 20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his
name, and begging for a remission of your sins.  And has he
suffered that ye have begged in vain?  Nay; he has poured out his
Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled
with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that
ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy.

Mosiah 4:21
 21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are
dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth
grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith,
believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart
of the substance that ye have one to another.

Mosiah 4:22
 22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you
for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much
more just will be your condemnation for withholding your
substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also
your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of
the thing which thou hast done.

Mosiah 4:23
 23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall
perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are
rich as pertaining to the things of this world.

Mosiah 4:24
 24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have
sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who
deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your
hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would
give.

Mosiah 4:25
 25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless,
otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye
covet that which ye have not received.

Mosiah 4:26
 26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken
unto you--that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your
sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God--I
would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every
man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry,
clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their
relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their
wants.

Mosiah 4:27
 27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order;
for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has
strength.  And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent,
that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must
be done in order.

Mosiah 4:28
 28 And I would that ye should remember, that whosoever among you
borroweth of his neighbor should return the thing that he
borroweth, according as he doth agree, or else thou shalt commit
sin; and perhaps thou shalt cause thy neighbor to commit sin
also.

Mosiah 4:29
 29 And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may
commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many
that I cannot number them.

Mosiah 4:30
 30 But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch
yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds,
and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of
what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto
the end of your lives, ye must perish.  And now, O man, remember,
and perish not.

Mosiah 5

Mosiah 5:1
 1 And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had thus
spoken to his people, he sent among them, desiring to know of his
people if they believed the words which he had spoken unto them.

Mosiah 5:2
 2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all
the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of
their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord
Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our
hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do
good continually.

Mosiah 5:3
 3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God,
and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that
which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all
things.

Mosiah 5:4
 4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our
king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great
knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.

Mosiah 5:5
 5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do
his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things
that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we
may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been
spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the
wrath of God.

Mosiah 5:6
 6 And now, these are the words which king Benjamin desired of
them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words
that I desired; and the covenant which ye have made is a
righteous covenant.

Mosiah 5:7
 7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall
be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters;
for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say
that your hearts are changed through faith on his name;
therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his
daughters.

Mosiah 5:8
 8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other
head whereby ye can be made free.  There is no other name given
whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take
upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the
covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your
lives.

Mosiah 5:9
 9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be
found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by
which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.

Mosiah 5:10
 10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take
upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name;
therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.

Mosiah 5:11
 11 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the
name that I said I should give unto you that never should be
blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take
heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out
of your hearts.

Mosiah 5:12
 12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the
name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the
left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye
shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.

Mosiah 5:13
 13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and
who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and
intents of his heart?

Mosiah 5:14
 14 And again, doth a man take an ass which belongeth to his
neighbor, and keep him?  I say unto you, Nay; he will not even
suffer that he shall feed among his flocks, but will drive him
away, and cast him out.  I say unto you, that even so shall it be
among you if ye know not the name by which ye are called.

Mosiah 5:15
 15 Therefore, I would that ye should be steadfast and immovable,
always abounding in good works, that Christ, the Lord God
Omnipotent, may seal you his, that you may be brought to heaven,
that ye may have everlasting salvation and eternal life, through
the wisdom, and power, and justice, and mercy of him who created
all things, in heaven and in earth, who is God above all.  Amen.

Mosiah 6

Mosiah 6:1
 1 And now, king Benjamin thought it was expedient, after having
finished speaking to the people, that he should take the names of
all those who had entered into a covenant with God to keep his
commandments.

Mosiah 6:2
 2 And it came to pass that there was not one soul, except it
were little children, but who had entered into the covenant and
had taken upon them the name of Christ.

Mosiah 6:3
 3 And again, it came to pass that when king Benjamin had made an
end of all these things, and had consecrated his son Mosiah to be
a ruler and a king over his people, and had given him all the
charges concerning the kingdom, and also had appointed priests to
teach the people, that thereby they might hear and know the
commandments of God, and to stir them up in remembrance of the
oath which they had made, he dismissed the multitude, and they
returned, every one, according to their families, to their own
houses.

Mosiah 6:4
 4 And Mosiah began to reign in his father's stead.  And he began
to reign in the thirtieth year of his age, making in the whole,
about four hundred and seventy-six years from the time that Lehi
left Jerusalem.

Mosiah 6:5
 5 And king Benjamin lived three years and he died.

Mosiah 6:6
 6 And it came to pass that king Mosiah did walk in the ways of
the Lord, and did observe his judgments and his statutes, and did
keep his commandments in all things whatsoever he commanded him.

Mosiah 6:7
 7 And king Mosiah did cause his people that they should till the
earth.  And he also, himself, did till the earth, that thereby he
might not become burdensome to his people, that he might do
according to that which his father had done in all things.  And
there was no contention among all his people for the space of
three years.

Mosiah 7

Mosiah 7:1
 1 And now, it came to pass that after king Mosiah had had
continual peace for the space of three years, he was desirous to
know concerning the people who went up to dwell in the land of
Lehi-Nephi, or in the city of Lehi-Nephi; for his people had
heard nothing from them from the time they left the land of
Zarahemla; therefore, they wearied him with their teasings.

Mosiah 7:2
 2 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted that sixteen of
their strong men might go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi to inquire
concerning their brethren.

Mosiah 7:3
 3 And it came to pass that on the morrow they started to go up,
having with them one Ammon, he being a strong and mighty man, and
a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was also their leader.

Mosiah 7:4
 4 And now, they knew not the course they should travel in the
wilderness to go up to the land of Lehi-Nephi; therefore they
wandered many days in the wilderness, even forty days did they
wander.

Mosiah 7:5
 5 And when they had wandered forty days they came to a hill,
which is north of the land of Shilom, and there they pitched
their tents.

Mosiah 7:6
 6 And Ammon took three of his brethren, and their names were
Amaleki, Helem, and Hem, and they went down into the land of
Nephi.

Mosiah 7:7
 7 And behold, they met the king of the people who were in the
land of Nephi, and in the land of Shilom; and they were
surrounded by the king's guard, and were taken, and were bound,
and were committed to prison.

Mosiah 7:8
 8 And it came to pass when they had been in prison two days they
were again brought before the king, and their bands were loosed;
and they stood before the king, and were permitted, or rather
commanded, that they should answer the questions which he should
ask them.

Mosiah 7:9
 9 And he said unto them: Behold, I am Limhi, the son of Noah,
who was the son of Zeniff, who came up out of the land of
Zarahemla to inherit this land, which was the land of their
fathers, who was made a king by the voice of the people.

Mosiah 7:10
 10 And now, I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold
as to come near the walls of the city, when I, myself, was with
my guards without the gate?

Mosiah 7:11
 11 And now, for this cause have I suffered that ye should be
preserved, that I might inquire of you, or else I should have
caused that my guards should have put you to death.  Ye are
permitted to speak.

Mosiah 7:12
 12 And now, when Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he
went forth and bowed himself before the king; and rising again he
said: O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am
yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to
speak with boldness;

Mosiah 7:13
 13 For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have
suffered that I should have worn these bands.  For I am Ammon,
and am a descendant of Zarahemla, and have come up out of the
land of Zarahemla to inquire concerning our brethren, whom Zeniff
brought up out of that land.

Mosiah 7:14
 14 And now, it came to pass that after Limhi had heard the words
of Ammon, he was exceedingly glad, and said: Now, I know of a
surety that my brethren who were in the land of Zarahemla are yet
alive.  And now, I will rejoice; and on the morrow I will cause
that my people shall rejoice also.

Mosiah 7:15
 15 For behold, we are in bondage to the Lamanites, and are taxed
with a tax which is grievous to be borne.  And now, behold, our
brethren will deliver us out of our bondage, or out of the hands
of the Lamanites, and we will be their slaves; for it is better
that we be slaves to the Nephites than to pay tribute to the king
of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 7:16
 16 And now, king Limhi commanded his guards that they should no
more bind Ammon nor his brethren, but caused that they should go
to the hill which was north of Shilom, and bring their brethren
into the city, that thereby they might eat, and drink, and rest
themselves from the labors of their journey; for they had
suffered many things; they had suffered hunger, thirst, and
fatigue.

Mosiah 7:17
 17 And now, it came to pass on the morrow that king Limhi sent a
proclamation among all his people, that thereby they might gather
themselves together to the temple to hear the words which he
should speak unto them.

Mosiah 7:18
 18 And it came to pass that when they had gathered themselves
together that he spake unto them in this wise, saying: O ye, my
people, lift up your heads and be comforted; for behold, the time
is at hand, or is not far distant, when we shall no longer be in
subjection to our enemies, notwithstanding our many strugglings,
which have been in vain; yet I trust there remaineth an effectual
struggle to be made.

Mosiah 7:19
 19 Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your
trust in God, in that God who was the God of Abraham, and Isaac,
and Jacob; and also, that God who brought the children of Israel
out of the land of Egypt, and caused that they should walk
through the Red Sea on dry ground, and fed them with manna that
they might not perish in the wilderness; and many more things did
he do for them.

Mosiah 7:20
 20 And again, that same God has brought our fathers out of the
land of Jerusalem, and has kept and preserved his people even
until now; and behold, it is because of our iniquities and
abominations that he has brought us into bondage.

Mosiah 7:21
 21 And ye all are witnesses this day, that Zeniff, who was made
king over this people, he being over-zealous to inherit the land
of his fathers, therefore being deceived by the cunning and
craftiness of king Laman, who having entered into a treaty with
king Zeniff, and having yielded up into his hands the possessions
of a part of the land, or even the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the
city of Shilom; and the land round about--

Mosiah 7:22
 22 And all this he did, for the sole purpose of bringing this
people into subjection or into bondage.  And behold, we at this
time do pay tribute to the king of the Lamanites, to the amount
of one half of our corn, and our barley, and even all our grain
of every kind, and one half of the increase of our flocks and our
herds; and even one half of all we have or possess the king of
the Lamanites doth exact of us, or our lives.

Mosiah 7:23
 23 And now, is not this grievous to be borne?  And is not this,
our affliction, great?  Now behold, how great reason we have to
mourn.

Mosiah 7:24
 24 Yea, I say unto you, great are the reasons which we have to
mourn; for behold how many of our brethren have been slain, and
their blood has been spilt in vain, and all because of iniquity.

Mosiah 7:25
 25 For if this people had not fallen into transgression the Lord
would not have suffered that this great evil should come upon
them.  But behold, they would not hearken unto his words; but
there arose contentions among them, even so much that they did
shed blood among themselves.

Mosiah 7:26
 26 And a prophet of the Lord have they slain; yea, a chosen man
of God, who told them of their wickedness and abominations, and
prophesied of many things which are to come, yea, even the coming
of Christ.

Mosiah 7:27
 27 And because he said unto them that Christ was the God, the
Father of all things, and said that he should take upon him the
image of man, and it should be the image after which man was
created in the beginning; or in other words, he said that man was
created after the image of God, and that God should come down
among the children of men, and take upon him flesh and blood, and
go forth upon the face of the earth--

Mosiah 7:28
 28 And now, because he said this, they did put him to death; and
many more things did they do which brought down the wrath of God
upon them.  Therefore, who wondereth that they are in bondage,
and that they are smitten with sore afflictions?

Mosiah 7:29
 29 For behold, the Lord hath said: I will not succor my people
in the day of their transgression; but I will hedge up their ways
that they prosper not; and their doings shall be as a stumbling
block before them.

Mosiah 7:30
 30 And again, he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they
shall reap the chaff thereof in the whirlwind; and the effect
thereof is poison.

Mosiah 7:31
 31 And again he saith: If my people shall sow filthiness they
shall reap the east wind, which bringeth immediate destruction.

Mosiah 7:32
 32 And now, behold, the promise of the Lord is fulfilled, and ye
are smitten and afflicted.

Mosiah 7:33
 33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart,
and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of
mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and
pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.

Mosiah 8

Mosiah 8:1
 1 And it came to pass that after king Limhi had made an end of
speaking to his people, for he spake many things unto them and
only a few of them have I written in this book, he told his
people all the things concerning their brethren who were in the
land of Zarahemla.

Mosiah 8:2
 2 And he caused that Ammon should stand up before the multitude,
and rehearse unto them all that had happened unto their brethren
from the time that Zeniff went up out of the land even until the
time that he himself came up out of the land.

Mosiah 8:3
 3 And he also rehearsed unto them the last words which king
Benjamin had taught them, and explained them to the people of
king Limhi, so that they might understand all the words which he
spake.

Mosiah 8:4
 4 And it came to pass that after he had done all this, that king
Limhi dismissed the multitude, and caused that they should return
every one unto his own house.

Mosiah 8:5
 5 And it came to pass that he caused that the plates which
contained the record of his people from the time that they left
the land of Zarahemla, should be brought before Ammon, that he
might read them.

Mosiah 8:6
 6 Now, as soon as Ammon had read the record, the king inquired
of him to know if he could interpret languages, and Ammon told
him that he could not.

Mosiah 8:7
 7 And the king said unto him: Being grieved for the afflictions
of my people, I caused that forty and three of my people should
take a journey into the wilderness, that thereby they might find
the land of Zarahemla, that we might appeal unto our brethren to
deliver us out of bondage.

Mosiah 8:8
 8 And they were lost in the wilderness for the space of many
days, yet they were diligent, and found not the land of Zarahemla
but returned to this land, having traveled in a land among many
waters, having discovered a land which was covered with bones of
men, and of beasts, and was also covered with ruins of buildings
of every kind, having discovered a land which had been peopled
with a people who were as numerous as the hosts of Israel.

Mosiah 8:9
 9 And for a testimony that the things that they had said are
true they have brought twenty-four plates which are filled with
engravings, and they are of pure gold.

Mosiah 8:10
 10 And behold, also, they have brought breastplates, which are
large, and they are of brass and of copper, and are perfectly
sound.

Mosiah 8:11
 11 And again, they have brought swords, the hilts thereof have
perished, and the blades thereof were cankered with rust; and
there is no one in the land that is able to interpret the
language or the engravings that are on the plates.  Therefore I
said unto thee: Canst thou translate?

Mosiah 8:12
 12 And I say unto thee again: Knowest thou of any one that can
translate?  For I am desirous that these records should be
translated into our language; for, perhaps, they will give us a
knowledge of a remnant of the people who have been destroyed,
from whence these records came; or, perhaps, they will give us a
knowledge of this very people who have been destroyed; and I am
desirous to know the cause of their destruction.

Mosiah 8:13
 13 Now Ammon said unto him: I can assuredly tell thee, O king,
of a man that can translate the records; for he has wherewith
that he can look, and translate all records that are of ancient
date; and it is a gift from God.  And the things are called
interpreters, and no man can look in them except he be commanded,
lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. 
And whosoever is commanded to look in them, the same is called
seer.

Mosiah 8:14
 14 And behold, the king of the people who are in the land of
Zarahemla is the man that is commanded to do these things, and
who has this high gift from God.

Mosiah 8:15
 15 And the king said that a seer is greater than a prophet.

Mosiah 8:16
 16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also;
and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should
possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have
great power given him from God.

Mosiah 8:17
 17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of
things which are to come, and by them shall all things be
revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and
hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known
shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known
by them which otherwise could not be known.

Mosiah 8:18
 18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might
work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to
his fellow beings.

Mosiah 8:19
 19 And now, when Ammon had made an end of speaking these words
the king rejoiced exceedingly, and gave thanks to God, saying:
Doubtless a great mystery is contained within these plates, and
these interpreters were doubtless prepared for the purpose of
unfolding all such mysteries to the children of men.

Mosiah 8:20
 20 O how marvelous are the works of the Lord, and how long doth
he suffer with his people; yea, and how blind and impenetrable
are the understandings of the children of men; for they will not
seek wisdom, neither do they desire that she should rule over
them!

Mosiah 8:21
 21 Yea, they are as a wild flock which fleeth from the shepherd,
and scattereth, and are driven, and are devoured by the beasts of
the forest.

Mosiah 9

Mosiah 9:1
 1 I, Zeniff, having been taught in all the language of the
Nephites, and having had a knowledge of the land of Nephi, or of
the land of our fathers' first inheritance, and having been sent
as a spy among the Lamanites that I might spy out their forces,
that our army might come upon them and destroy them--but when I
saw that which was good among them I was desirous that they
should not be destroyed.

Mosiah 9:2
 2 Therefore, I contended with my brethren in the wilderness for
I would that our ruler should make a treaty with them; but he
being an austere and a bloodthirsty man commanded that I should
be slain; but I was rescued by the shedding of much blood; for
father fought against father, and brother against brother, until
the greater number of our army was destroyed in the wilderness;
and we returned, those of us that were spared, to the land of
Zarahemla, to relate that tale to their wives and their children.

Mosiah 9:3
 3 And yet, I being over-zealous to inherit the land of our
fathers, collected as many as were desirous to go up to possess
the land, and started again on our journey into the wilderness to
go up to the land; but we were smitten with famine and sore
afflictions; for we were slow to remember the Lord our God.

Mosiah 9:4
 4 Nevertheless, after many days' wandering in the wilderness we
pitched our tents in the place where our brethren were slain,
which was near to the land of our fathers.

Mosiah 9:5
 5 And it came to pass that I went again with four of my men into
the city, in unto the king, that I might know of the disposition
of the king, and that I might know if I might go in with my
people and possess the land in peace.

Mosiah 9:6
 6 And I went in unto the king, and he covenanted with me that I
might possess the land of Lehi-Nephi, and the land of Shilom.

Mosiah 9:7
 7 And he also commanded that his people should depart out of the
land, and I and my people went into the land that we might
possess it.

Mosiah 9:8
 8 And we began to build buildings, and to repair the walls of
the city, yea, even the walls of the city of Lehi-Nephi, and the
city of Shilom.

Mosiah 9:9
 9 And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of
seeds, with seeds of corn, and of wheat, and of barley, and with
neas, and with sheum, and with seeds of all manner of fruits; and
we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land.

Mosiah 9:10
 10 Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to
bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we
might possess it.

Mosiah 9:11
 11 Therefore it came to pass, that after we had dwelt in the
land for the space of twelve years that king Laman began to grow
uneasy, lest by any means my people should wax strong in the
land, and that they could not overpower them and bring them into
bondage.

Mosiah 9:12
 12 Now they were a lazy and an idolatrous people; therefore they
were desirous to bring us into bondage, that they might glut
themselves with the labors of our hands; yea, that they might
feast themselves upon the flocks of our fields.

Mosiah 9:13
 13 Therefore it came to pass that king Laman began to stir up
his people that they should contend with my people; therefore
there began to be wars and contentions in the land.

Mosiah 9:14
 14 For, in the thirteenth year of my reign in the land of Nephi,
away on the south of the land of Shilom, when my people were
watering and feeding their flocks, and tilling their lands, a
numerous host of Lamanites came upon them and began to slay them,
and to take off their flocks, and the corn of their fields.

Mosiah 9:15
 15 Yea, and it came to pass that they fled, all that were not
overtaken, even into the city of Nephi, and did call upon me for
protection.

Mosiah 9:16
 16 And it came to pass that I did arm them with bows, and with
arrows, with swords, and with cimeters, and with clubs, and with
slings, and with all manner of weapons which we could invent, and
I and my people did go forth against the Lamanites to battle.

Mosiah 9:17
 17 Yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle
against the Lamanites; for I and my people did cry mightily to
the Lord that he would deliver us out of the hands of our
enemies, for we were awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance
of our fathers.

Mosiah 9:18
 18 And God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we
did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the
Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay three thousand
and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them
out of our land.

Mosiah 9:19
 19 And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their
dead.  And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two
hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain.

Mosiah 10

Mosiah 10:1
 1 And it came to pass that we again began to establish the
kingdom and we again began to possess the land in peace.  And I
caused that there should be weapons of war made of every kind,
that thereby I might have weapons for my people against the time
the Lamanites should come up again to war against my people.

Mosiah 10:2
 2 And I set guards round about the land, that the Lamanites
might not come upon us again unawares and destroy us; and thus I
did guard my people and my flocks, and keep them from falling
into the hands of our enemies.

Mosiah 10:3
 3 And it came to pass that we did inherit the land of our
fathers for many years, yea, for the space of twenty and two
years.

Mosiah 10:4
 4 And I did cause that the men should till the ground, and raise
all manner of grain and all manner of fruit of every kind.

Mosiah 10:5
 5 And I did cause that the women should spin, and toil, and
work, and work all manner of fine linen, yea, and cloth of every
kind, that we might clothe our nakedness; and thus we did prosper
in the land--thus we did have continual peace in the land for the
space of twenty and two years.

Mosiah 10:6
 6 And it came to pass that king Laman died, and his son began to
reign in his stead.  And he began to stir his people up in
rebellion against my people; therefore they began to prepare for
war, and to come up to battle against my people.

Mosiah 10:7
 7 But I had sent my spies out round about the land of Shemlon,
that I might discover their preparations, that I might guard
against them, that they might not come upon my people and destroy
them.

Mosiah 10:8
 8 And it came to pass that they came up upon the north of the
land of Shilom, with their numerous hosts, men armed with bows,
and with arrows, and with swords, and with cimeters, and with
stones, and with slings; and they had their heads shaved that
they were naked; and they were girded with a leathern girdle
about their loins.

Mosiah 10:9
 9 And it came to pass that I caused that the women and children
of my people should be hid in the wilderness; and I also caused
that all my old men that could bear arms, and also all my young
men that were able to bear arms, should gather themselves
together to go to battle against the Lamanites; and I did place
them in their ranks, every man according to his age.

Mosiah 10:10
 10 And it came to pass that we did go up to battle against the
Lamanites; and I, even I, in my old age, did go up to battle
against the Lamanites.  And it came to pass that we did go up in
the strength of the Lord to battle.

Mosiah 10:11
 11 Now, the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lord, nor the
strength of the Lord, therefore they depended upon their own
strength.  Yet they were a strong people, as to the strength of
men.

Mosiah 10:12
 12 They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people,
believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is
this--Believing that they were driven out of the land of
Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that
they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they
were also wronged while crossing the sea;

Mosiah 10:13
 13 And again, that they were wronged while in the land of their
first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this
because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments
of the Lord--therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord
heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of
their journey in the wilderness.

Mosiah 10:14
 14 And his brethren were wroth with him because they understood
not the dealings of the Lord; they were also wroth with him upon
the waters because they hardened their hearts against the Lord.

Mosiah 10:15
 15 And again, they were wroth with him when they had arrived in
the promised land, because they said that he had taken the ruling
of the people out of their hands; and they sought to kill him.

Mosiah 10:16
 16 And again, they were wroth with him because he departed into
the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the
records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said
that he robbed them.

Mosiah 10:17
 17 And thus they have taught their children that they should
hate them, and that they should murder them, and that they should
rob and plunder them, and do all they could to destroy them;
therefore they have an eternal hatred towards the children of
Nephi.

Mosiah 10:18
 18 For this very cause has king Laman, by his cunning, and lying
craftiness, and his fair promises, deceived me, that I have
brought this my people up into this land, that they may destroy
them; yea, and we have suffered these many years in the land.

Mosiah 10:19
 19 And now I, Zeniff, after having told all these things unto my
people concerning the Lamanites, I did stimulate them to go to
battle with their might, putting their trust in the Lord;
therefore, we did contend with them, face to face.

Mosiah 10:20
 20 And it came to pass that we did drive them again out of our
land; and we slew them with a great slaughter, even so many that
we did not number them.

Mosiah 10:21
 21 And it came to pass that we returned again to our own land,
and my people again began to tend their flocks, and to till their
ground.

Mosiah 10:22
 22 And now I, being old, did confer the kingdom upon one of my
sons; therefore, I say no more.  And may the Lord bless my
people.  Amen.

Mosiah 11

Mosiah 11:1
 1 And now it came to pass that Zeniff conferred the kingdom upon
Noah, one of his sons; therefore Noah began to reign in his
stead; and he did not walk in the ways of his father.

Mosiah 11:2
 2 For behold, he did not keep the commandments of God, but he
did walk after the desires of his own heart.  And he had many
wives and concubines.  And he did cause his people to commit sin,
and do that which was abominable in the sight of the Lord.  Yea,
and they did commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness.

Mosiah 11:3
 3 And he laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a
fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of
their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their
iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings; and also a fifth part
of all their grain.

Mosiah 11:4
 4 And all this did he take to support himself, and his wives and
his concubines; and also his priests, and their wives and their
concubines; thus he had changed the affairs of the kingdom.

Mosiah 11:5
 5 For he put down all the priests that had been consecrated by
his father, and consecrated new ones in their stead, such as were
lifted up in the pride of their hearts.

Mosiah 11:6
 6 Yea, and thus they were supported in their laziness, and in
their idolatry, and in their whoredoms, by the taxes which king
Noah had put upon his people; thus did the people labor
exceedingly to support iniquity.

Mosiah 11:7
 7 Yea, and they also became idolatrous, because they were
deceived by the vain and flattering words of the king and
priests; for they did speak flattering things unto them.

Mosiah 11:8
 8 And it came to pass that king Noah built many elegant and
spacious buildings; and he ornamented them with fine work of
wood, and of all manner of precious things, of gold, and of
silver, and of iron, and of brass, and of ziff, and of copper;

Mosiah 11:9
 9 And he also built him a spacious palace, and a throne in the
midst thereof, all of which was of fine wood and was ornamented
with gold and silver and with precious things.

Mosiah 11:10
 10 And he also caused that his workmen should work all manner of
fine work within the walls of the temple, of fine wood, and of
copper, and of brass.

Mosiah 11:11
 11 And the seats which were set apart for the high priests,
which were above all the other seats, he did ornament with pure
gold; and he caused a breastwork to be built before them, that
they might rest their bodies and their arms upon while they
should speak lying and vain words to his people.

Mosiah 11:12
 12 And it came to pass that he built a tower near the temple;
yea, a very high tower, even so high that he could stand upon the
top thereof and overlook the land of Shilom, and also the land of
Shemlon, which was possessed by the Lamanites; and he could even
look over all the land round about.

Mosiah 11:13
 13 And it came to pass that he caused many buildings to be built
in the land Shilom; and he caused a great tower to be built on
the hill north of the land Shilom, which had been a resort for
the children of Nephi at the time they fled out of the land; and
thus he did do with the riches which he obtained by the taxation
of his people.

Mosiah 11:14
 14 And it came to pass that he placed his heart upon his riches,
and he spent his time in riotous living with his wives and his
concubines; and so did also his priests spend their time with
harlots.

Mosiah 11:15
 15 And it came to pass that he planted vineyards round about in
the land; and he built wine-presses, and made wine in abundance;
and therefore he became a wine-bibber, and also his people.

Mosiah 11:16
 16 And it came to pass that the Lamanites began to come in upon
his people, upon small numbers, and to slay them in their fields,
and while they were tending their flocks.

Mosiah 11:17
 17 And king Noah sent guards round about the land to keep them
off; but he did not send a sufficient number, and the Lamanites
came upon them and killed them, and drove many of their flocks
out of the land; thus the Lamanites began to destroy them, and to
exercise their hatred upon them.

Mosiah 11:18
 18 And it came to pass that king Noah sent his armies against
them, and they were driven back, or they drove them back for a
time; therefore, they returned rejoicing in their spoil.

Mosiah 11:19
 19 And now, because of this great victory they were lifted up in
the pride of their hearts; they did boast in their own strength,
saying that their fifty could stand against thousands of the
Lamanites; and thus they did boast, and did delight in blood, and
the shedding of the blood of their brethren, and this because of
the wickedness of their king and priests.

Mosiah 11:20
 20 And it came to pass that there was a man among them whose
name was Abinadi; and he went forth among them, and began to
prophesy, saying: Behold, thus saith the Lord, and thus hath he
commanded me, saying, Go forth, and say unto this people, thus
saith the Lord--Wo be unto this people, for I have seen their
abominations, and their wickedness, and their whoredoms; and
except they repent I will visit them in mine anger.

Mosiah 11:21
 21 And except they repent and turn to the Lord their God,
behold, I will deliver them into the hands of their enemies; yea,
and they shall be brought into bondage; and they shall be
afflicted by the hand of their enemies.

Mosiah 11:22
 22 And it shall come to pass that they shall know that I am the
Lord their God, and am a jealous God, visiting the iniquities of
my people.

Mosiah 11:23
 23 And it shall come to pass that except this people repent and
turn unto the Lord their God, they shall be brought into bondage;
and none shall deliver them, except it be the Lord the Almighty
God.

Mosiah 11:24
 24 Yea, and it shall come to pass that when they shall cry unto
me I will be slow to hear their cries; yea, and I will suffer
them that they be smitten by their enemies.

Mosiah 11:25
 25 And except they repent in sackcloth and ashes, and cry
mightily to the Lord their God, I will not hear their prayers,
neither will I deliver them out of their afflictions; and thus
saith the Lord, and thus hath he commanded me.

Mosiah 11:26
 26 Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words
unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his
life; but the Lord delivered him out of their hands.

Mosiah 11:27
 27 Now when king Noah had heard of the words which Abinadi had
spoken unto the people, he was also wroth; and he said: Who is
Abinadi, that I and my people should be judged of him, or who is
the Lord, that shall bring upon my people such great affliction?

Mosiah 11:28
 28 I command you to bring Abinadi hither, that I may slay him,
for he has said these things that he might stir up my people to
anger one with another, and to raise contentions among my people;
therefore I will slay him.

Mosiah 11:29
 29 Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore they
hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they
sought from that time forward to take him.  And king Noah
hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not
repent of his evil doings.

Mosiah 12

Mosiah 12:1
 1 And it came to pass that after the space of two years that
Abinadi came among them in disguise, that they knew him not, and
began to prophesy among them, saying: Thus has the Lord commanded
me, saying--Abinadi, go and prophesy unto this my people, for
they have hardened their hearts against my words; they have
repented not of their evil doings; therefore, I will visit them
in my anger, yea, in my fierce anger will I visit them in their
iniquities and abominations.

Mosiah 12:2
 2 Yea, wo be unto this generation!  And the Lord said unto me:
Stretch forth thy hand and prophesy saying: Thus saith the Lord,
it shall come to pass that this generation, because of their
iniquities, shall be brought into bondage, and shall be smitten
on the cheek; yea, and shall be driven by men, and shall be
slain; and the vultures of the air, and the dogs, yea, and the
wild beasts, shall devour their flesh.

Mosiah 12:3
 3 And it shall come to pass that the life of king Noah shall be
valued even as a garment in a hot furnace; for he shall know that
I am the Lord.

Mosiah 12:4
 4 And it shall come to pass that I will smite this my people
with sore afflictions, yea, with famine and with pestilence; and
I will cause that they shall howl all the day long.

Mosiah 12:5
 5 Yea, and I will cause that they shall have burdens lashed upon
their backs; and they shall be driven before like a dumb ass.

Mosiah 12:6
 6 And it shall come to pass that I will send forth hail among
them, and it shall smite them; and they shall also be smitten
with the east wind; and insects shall pester their land also, and
devour their grain.

Mosiah 12:7
 7 And they shall be smitten with a great pestilence--and all
this will I do because of their iniquities and abominations.

Mosiah 12:8
 8 And it shall come to pass that except they repent I will
utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth; yet they
shall leave a record behind them, and I will preserve them for
other nations which shall possess the land; yea, even this will I
do that I may discover the abominations of this people to other
nations.  And many things did Abinadi prophesy against this
people.

Mosiah 12:9
 9 And it came to pass that they were angry with him; and they
took him and carried him bound before the king, and said unto the
king: Behold, we have brought a man before thee who has
prophesied evil concerning thy people, and saith that God will
destroy them.

Mosiah 12:10
 10 And he also prophesieth evil concerning thy life, and saith
that thy life shall be as a garment in a furnace of fire.

Mosiah 12:11
 11 And again, he saith that thou shalt be as a stalk, even as a
dry stalk of the field, which is run over by the beasts and
trodden under foot.

Mosiah 12:12
 12 And again, he saith thou shalt be as the blossoms of a
thistle, which, when it is fully ripe, if the wind bloweth, it is
driven forth upon the face of the land.  And he pretendeth the
Lord hath spoken it.  And he saith all this shall come upon thee
except thou repent, and this because of thine iniquities.

Mosiah 12:13
 13 And now, O king, what great evil hast thou done, or what
great sins have thy people committed, that we should be condemned
of God or judged of this man?

Mosiah 12:14
 14 And now, O king, behold, we are guiltless, and thou, O king,
hast not sinned; therefore, this man has lied concerning you, and
he has prophesied in vain.

Mosiah 12:15
 15 And behold, we are strong, we shall not come into bondage, or
be taken captive by our enemies; yea, and thou hast prospered in
the land, and thou shalt also prosper.

Mosiah 12:16
 16 Behold, here is the man, we deliver him into thy hands; thou
mayest do with him as seemeth thee good.

Mosiah 12:17
 17 And it came to pass that king Noah caused that Abinadi should
be cast into prison; and he commanded that the priests should
gather themselves together that he might hold a council with them
what he should do with him.

Mosiah 12:18
 18 And it came to pass that they said unto the king: Bring him
hither that we may question him; and the king commanded that he
should be brought before them.

Mosiah 12:19
 19 And they began to question him, that they might cross him,
that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him; but he
answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to
their astonishment; for he did withstand them in all their
questions, and did confound them in all their words.

Mosiah 12:20
 20 And it came to pass that one of them said unto him: What
meaneth the words which are written, and which have been taught
by our fathers, saying:

Mosiah 12:21
 21 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that
bringeth good tidings; that publisheth peace; that bringeth good
tidings of good; that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion,
Thy God reigneth;

Mosiah 12:22
 22 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together
shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord
shall bring again Zion;

Mosiah 12:23
 23 Break forth into joy; sing together ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath
redeemed Jerusalem;

Mosiah 12:24
 24 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
our God?

Mosiah 12:25
 25 And now Abinadi said unto them: Are you priests, and pretend
to teach this people, and to understand the spirit of
prophesying, and yet desire to know of me what these things mean?

Mosiah 12:26
 26 I say unto you, wo be unto you for perverting the ways of the
Lord!  For if ye understand these things ye have not taught them;
therefore, ye have perverted the ways of the Lord.

Mosiah 12:27
 27 Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore,
ye have not been wise.  Therefore, what teach ye this people?

Mosiah 12:28
 28 And they said: We teach the law of Moses.

Mosiah 12:29
 29 And again he said unto them: If ye teach the law of Moses why
do ye not keep it?  Why do ye set your hearts upon riches?  Why
do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea,
and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause to
send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil
against this people?

Mosiah 12:30
 30 Know ye not that I speak the truth?  Yea, ye know that I
speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God.

Mosiah 12:31
 31 And it shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your
iniquities, for ye have said that ye teach the law of Moses.  And
what know ye concerning the law of Moses?  Doth salvation come by
the law of Moses?  What say ye?

Mosiah 12:32
 32 And they answered and said that salvation did come by the law
of Moses.

Mosiah 12:33
 33 But now Abinadi said unto them: I know if ye keep the
commandments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the
commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in the mount of
Sinai, saying:

Mosiah 12:34
 34 I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land
of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

Mosiah 12:35
 35 Thou shalt have no other God before me.

Mosiah 12:36
 36 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any
likeness of any thing in heaven above, or things which are in the
earth beneath.

Mosiah 12:37
 37 Now Abinadi said unto them, Have ye done all this?  I say
unto you, Nay, ye have not.  And have ye taught this people that
they should do all these things?  I say unto you, Nay, ye have
not.

Mosiah 13

Mosiah 13:1
 1 And now when the king had heard these words, he said unto his
priests: Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to
do with him, for he is mad.

Mosiah 13:2
 2 And they stood forth and attempted to lay their hands on him;
but he withstood them, and said unto them:

Mosiah 13:3
 3 Touch me not, for God shall smite you if ye lay your hands
upon me, for I have not delivered the message which the Lord sent
me to deliver; neither have I told you that which ye requested
that I should tell; therefore, God will not suffer that I shall
be destroyed at this time.

Mosiah 13:4
 4 But I must fulfil the commandments wherewith God has commanded
me; and because I have told you the truth ye are angry with me. 
And again, because I have spoken the word of God ye have judged
me that I am mad.

Mosiah 13:5
 5 Now it came to pass after Abinadi had spoken these words that
the people of king Noah durst not lay their hands on him, for the
Spirit of the Lord was upon him; and his face shone with
exceeding luster, even as Moses' did while in the mount of Sinai,
while speaking with the Lord.

Mosiah 13:6
 6 And he spake with power and authority from God; and he
continued his words, saying:

Mosiah 13:7
 7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish
my message.  Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts
because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.

Mosiah 13:8
 8 Yea, and my words fill you with wonder and amazement, and with
anger.

Mosiah 13:9
 9 But I finish my message; and then it matters not whither I go,
if it so be that I am saved.

Mosiah 13:10
 10 But this much I tell you, what you do with me, after this,
shall be as a type and a shadow of things which are to come.

Mosiah 13:11
 11 And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of
God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I
perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part
of your lives.

Mosiah 13:12
 12 And now, ye remember that I said unto you: Thou shall not
make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of things which
are in heaven above, or which are in the earth beneath, or which
are in the water under the earth.

Mosiah 13:13
 13 And again: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor
serve them; for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and
fourth generations of them that hate me;

Mosiah 13:14
 14 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and
keep my commandments.

Mosiah 13:15
 15 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for
the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in
vain.

Mosiah 13:16
 16 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Mosiah 13:17
 17 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work;

Mosiah 13:18
 18 But the seventh day, the sabbath of the Lord thy God, thou
shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy
man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy
stranger that is within thy gates;

Mosiah 13:19
 19 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea,
and all that in them is; wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath
day, and hallowed it.

Mosiah 13:20
 20 Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long
upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

Mosiah 13:21
 21 Thou shalt not kill.

Mosiah 13:22
 22 Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Thou shalt not steal.

Mosiah 13:23
 23 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

Mosiah 13:24
 24 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not
covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his
maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy
neighbor's.

Mosiah 13:25
 25 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of
these sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people
that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these
commandments?

Mosiah 13:26
 26 I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have
caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this
people.

Mosiah 13:27
 27 And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of
Moses.  I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep
the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall
come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.

Mosiah 13:28
 28 And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by
the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God
himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people,
that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of
Moses.

Mosiah 13:29
 29 And now I say unto you that it was expedient that there
should be a law given to the children of Israel, yea, even a very
strict law; for they were a stiffnecked people, quick to do
iniquity, and slow to remember the Lord their God;

Mosiah 13:30
 30 Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of
performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe
strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and
their duty towards him.

Mosiah 13:31
 31 But behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types
of things to come.

Mosiah 13:32
 32 And now, did they understand the law?  I say unto you, Nay,
they did not all understand the law; and this because of the
hardness of their hearts; for they understood not that there
could not any man be saved except it were through the redemption
of God.

Mosiah 13:33
 33 For behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning the
coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem his people? 
Yea, and even all the prophets who have prophesied ever since the
world began--have they not spoken more or less concerning these
things?

Mosiah 13:34
 34 Have they not said that God himself should come down among
the children of men, and take upon him the form of man, and go
forth in mighty power upon the face of the earth?

Mosiah 13:35
 35 Yea, and have they not said also that he should bring to pass
the resurrection of the dead, and that he, himself, should be
oppressed and afflicted?

Mosiah 14

Mosiah 14:1
 1 Yea, even doth not Isaiah say: Who hath believed our report,
and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Mosiah 14:2
 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a
root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when
we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him.

Mosiah 14:3
 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and
acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him;
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Mosiah 14:4
 4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet
we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Mosiah 14:5
 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for
our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and
with his stripes we are healed.

Mosiah 14:6
 6 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one
to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of
us all.

Mosiah 14:7
 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep
before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.

Mosiah 14:8
 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall
declare his generation?  For he was cut off out of the land of
the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.

Mosiah 14:9
 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in
his death; because he had done no evil, neither was any deceit in
his mouth.

Mosiah 14:10
 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to
grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall
see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the
Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Mosiah 14:11
 11 He shall see the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he
shall bear their iniquities.

Mosiah 14:12
 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he
shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured
out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the
transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made
intercession for the transgressors.

Mosiah 15

Mosiah 15:1
 1 And now Abinadi said unto them: I would that ye should
understand that God himself shall come down among the children of
men, and shall redeem his people.

Mosiah 15:2
 2 And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of
God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father,
being the Father and the Son--

Mosiah 15:3
 3 The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and
the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and Son--

Mosiah 15:4
 4 And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven
and of earth.

Mosiah 15:5
 5 And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son
to the Father, being one God, suffereth temptation, and yieldeth
not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and
scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people.

Mosiah 15:6
 6 And after all this, after working many mighty miracles among
the children of men, he shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said,
as a sheep before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his
mouth.

Mosiah 15:7
 7 Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh
becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being
swallowed up in the will of the Father.

Mosiah 15:8
 8 And thus God breaketh the bands of death, having gained the
victory over death; giving the Son power to make intercession for
the children of men--

Mosiah 15:9
 9 Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being
filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing
betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken
upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having
redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice.

Mosiah 15:10
 10 And now I say unto you, who shall declare his generation? 
Behold, I say unto you, that when his soul has been made an
offering for sin he shall see his seed.  And now what say ye? 
And who shall be his seed?

Mosiah 15:11
 11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of
the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied
concerning the coming of the Lord--I say unto you, that all those
who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord
would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for
a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his
seed, or they are heirs of the kingdom of God.

Mosiah 15:12
 12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they
for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. 
And now, are they not his seed?

Mosiah 15:13
 13 Yea, and are not the prophets, every one that has opened his
mouth to prophesy, that has not fallen into transgression, I mean
all the holy prophets ever since the world began?  I say unto you
that they are his seed.

Mosiah 15:14
 14 And these are they who have published peace, who have brought
good tidings of good, who have published salvation; and said unto
Zion: Thy God reigneth!

Mosiah 15:15
 15 And O how beautiful upon the mountains were their feet!

Mosiah 15:16
 16 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
those that are still publishing peace!

Mosiah 15:17
 17 And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time
henceforth and forever!

Mosiah 15:18
 18 And behold, I say unto you, this is not all.  For O how
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth
good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord,
who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation
unto his people;

Mosiah 15:19
 19 For were it not for the redemption which he hath made for his
people, which was prepared from the foundation of the world, I
say unto you, were it not for this, all mankind must have
perished.

Mosiah 15:20
 20 But behold, the bands of death shall be broken, and the Son
reigneth, and hath power over the dead; therefore, he bringeth to
pass the resurrection of the dead.

Mosiah 15:21
 21 And there cometh a resurrection, even a first resurrection;
yea, even a resurrection of those that have been, and who are,
and who shall be, even until the resurrection of Christ--for so
shall he be called.

Mosiah 15:22
 22 And now, the resurrection of all the prophets, and all those
that have believed in their words, or all those that have kept
the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first
resurrection; therefore, they are the first resurrection.

Mosiah 15:23
 23 They are raised to dwell with God who has redeemed them; thus
they have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the bands
of death.

Mosiah 15:24
 24 And these are those who have part in the first resurrection;
and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their
ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them.  And thus the
Lord bringeth about the restoration of these; and they have a
part in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being
redeemed by the Lord.

Mosiah 15:25
 25 And little children also have eternal life.

Mosiah 15:26
 26 But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to
tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him
and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in
their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully
rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God,
and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the
first resurrection.

Mosiah 15:27
 27 Therefore ought ye not to tremble?  For salvation cometh to
none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can
the Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot
deny justice when it has its claim.

Mosiah 15:28
 28 And now I say unto you that the time shall come that the
salvation of the Lord shall be declared to every nation, kindred,
tongue, and people.

Mosiah 15:29
 29 Yea, Lord, thy watchmen shall lift up their voice; with the
voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye,
when the Lord shall bring again Zion.

Mosiah 15:30
 30 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath
redeemed Jerusalem.

Mosiah 15:31
 31 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
our God.

Mosiah 16

Mosiah 16:1
 1 And now, it came to pass that after Abinadi had spoken these
words he stretched forth his hand and said: The time shall come
when all shall see the salvation of the Lord; when every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people shall see eye to eye and shall
confess before God that his judgments are just.

Mosiah 16:2
 2 And then shall the wicked be cast out, and they shall have
cause to howl, and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and
this because they would not hearken unto the voice of the Lord;
therefore the Lord redeemeth them not.

Mosiah 16:3
 3 For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over
them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first
parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause
of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil
from good, subjecting themselves to the devil.

Mosiah 16:4
 4 Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been
endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from
their lost and fallen state.

Mosiah 16:5
 5 But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature,
and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God,
remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over
him.  Therefore, he is as though there was no redemption made,
being an enemy to God; and also is the devil an enemy to God.

Mosiah 16:6
 6 And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of
things to come as though they had already come, there could have
been no redemption.

Mosiah 16:7
 7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the
bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that
death should have no sting, there could have been no
resurrection.

Mosiah 16:8
 8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no
victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

Mosiah 16:9
 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that
is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life
which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Mosiah 16:10
 10 Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this
corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to
stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to
their works whether they be good or whether they be evil--

Mosiah 16:11
 11 If they be good, to the resurrection of endless life and
happiness; and if they be evil, to the resurrection of endless
damnation, being delivered up to the devil, who hath subjected
them, which is damnation--

Mosiah 16:12
 12 Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires;
having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were
extended towards them; for the arms of mercy were extended
towards them, and they would not; they being warned of their
iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were
commanded to repent and yet they would not repent.

Mosiah 16:13
 13 And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and
remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?

Mosiah 16:14
 14 Therefore, if ye teach the law of Moses, also teach that it
is a shadow of those things which are to come--

Mosiah 16:15
 15 Teach them that redemption cometh through Christ the Lord,
who is the very Eternal Father.  Amen.

Mosiah 17

Mosiah 17:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these
sayings, that the king commanded that the priests should take him
and cause that he should be put to death.

Mosiah 17:2
 2 But there was one among them whose name was Alma, he also
being a descendant of Nephi.  And he was a young man, and he
believed the words which Abinadi had spoken, for he knew
concerning the iniquity which Abinadi has testified against them;
therefore he began to plead with the king that he would not be
angry with Abinadi, but suffer that he might depart in peace.

Mosiah 17:3
 3 But the king was more wroth, and caused that Alma should be
cast out from among them, and sent his servants after him that
they might slay him.

Mosiah 17:4
 4 But he fled from before them and hid himself that they found
him not.  And he being concealed for many days did write all the
words which Abinadi had spoken.

Mosiah 17:5
 5 And it came to pass that the king caused that his guards
should surround Abinadi and take him; and they bound him and cast
him into prison.

Mosiah 17:6
 6 And after three days, having counseled with his priests, he
caused that he should again be brought before him.

Mosiah 17:7
 7 And he said unto him: Abinadi, we have found an accusation
against thee, and thou art worthy of death.

Mosiah 17:8
 8 For thou hast said that God himself should come down among the
children of men; and now, for this cause thou shalt be put to
death unless thou wilt recall all the words which thou hast
spoken evil concerning me and my people.

Mosiah 17:9
 9 Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will not recall
the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people,
for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have
suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.

Mosiah 17:10
 10 Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not
recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you.

And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall
also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.

Mosiah 17:11
 11 And now king Noah was about to release him, for he feared his
word; for he feared that the judgments of God would come upon
him.

Mosiah 17:12
 12 But the priests lifted up their voices against him, and began
to accuse him, saying: He has reviled the king.  Therefore the
king was stirred up in anger against him, and he delivered him up
that he might be slain.

Mosiah 17:13
 13 And it came to pass that they took him and bound him, and
scourged his skin with faggots, yea, even unto death.

Mosiah 17:14
 14 And now when the flames began to scorch him, he cried unto
them, saying:

Mosiah 17:15
 15 Behold, even as ye have done unto me, so shall it come to
pass that thy seed shall cause that many shall suffer the pains
that I do suffer, even the pains of death by fire; and this
because they believe in the salvation of the Lord their God.

Mosiah 17:16
 16 And it will come to pass that ye shall be afflicted with all
manner of diseases because of your iniquities.

Mosiah 17:17
 17 Yea, and ye shall be smitten on every hand, and shall be
driven and scattered to and fro, even as a wild flock is driven
by wild and ferocious beasts.

Mosiah 17:18
 18 And in that day ye shall be hunted, and ye shall be taken by
the hand of your enemies, and then ye shall suffer, as I suffer,
the pains of death by fire.

Mosiah 17:19
 19 Thus God executeth vengeance upon those that destroy his
people.  O God, receive my soul.

Mosiah 17:20
 20 And now, when Abinadi had said these words, he fell, having
suffered death by fire; yea, having been put to death because he
would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth
of his words by his death.

Mosiah 18

Mosiah 18:1
 1 And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the
servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and
went about privately among the people, and began to teach the
words of Abinadi--

Mosiah 18:2
 2 Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning
the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people,
which was to be brought to pass through the power, and
sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and
ascension into heaven.

Mosiah 18:3
 3 And as many as would hear his word he did teach.  And he
taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of
the king.  And many did believe his words.

Mosiah 18:4
 4 And it came to pass that as many as did believe him did go
forth to a place which was called Mormon, having received its
name from the king, being in the borders of the land having been
infested, by times or at seasons, by wild beasts.

Mosiah 18:5
 5 Now, there was in Mormon a fountain of pure water, and Alma
resorted thither, there being near the water a thicket of small
trees, where he did hide himself in the daytime from the searches
of the king.

Mosiah 18:6
 6 And it came to pass that as many as believed him went thither
to hear his words.

Mosiah 18:7
 7 And it came to pass after many days there were a goodly number
gathered together at the place of Mormon, to hear the words of
Alma.  Yea, all were gathered together that believed on his word,
to hear him.  And he did teach them, and did preach unto them
repentance, and redemption, and faith on the Lord.

Mosiah 18:8
 8 And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are
the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye
are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his
people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they
may be light;

Mosiah 18:9
 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and
comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as
witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all
places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be
redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first
resurrection, that ye may have eternal life--

Mosiah 18:10
 10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts,
what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as
a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with
him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he
may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Mosiah 18:11
 11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped
their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our
hearts.

Mosiah 18:12
 12 And now it came to pass that Alma took Helam, he being one of
the first, and went and stood forth in the water, and cried,
saying: O Lord, pour out thy Spirit upon thy servant, that he may
do this work with holiness of heart.

Mosiah 18:13
 13 And when he had said these words, the Spirit of the Lord was
upon him, and he said: Helam, I baptize thee, having authority
from the Almighty God, as a testimony that ye have entered into a
covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body;
and may the Spirit of the Lord be poured out upon you; and may he
grant unto you eternal life, through the redemption of Christ,
whom he has prepared from the foundation of the world.

Mosiah 18:14
 14 And after Alma had said these words, both Alma and Helam were
buried in the water; and they arose and came forth out of the
water rejoicing, being filled with the Spirit.

Mosiah 18:15
 15 And again, Alma took another, and went forth a second time
into the water, and baptized him according to the first, only he
did not bury himself again in the water.

Mosiah 18:16
 16 And after this manner he did baptize every one that went
forth to the place of Mormon; and they were in number about two
hundred and four souls; yea, and they were baptized in the waters
of Mormon, and were filled with the grace of God.

Mosiah 18:17
 17 And they were called the church of God, or the church of
Christ, from that time forward.  And it came to pass that
whosoever was baptized by the power and authority of God was
added to his church.

Mosiah 18:18
 18 And it came to pass that Alma, having authority from God,
ordained priests; even one priest to every fifty of their number
did he ordain to preach unto them, and to teach them concerning
the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Mosiah 18:19
 19 And he commanded them that they should teach nothing save it
were the things which he had taught, and which had been spoken by
the mouth of the holy prophets.

Mosiah 18:20
 20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing
save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed
his people.

Mosiah 18:21
 21 And he commanded them that there should be no contention one
with another, but that they should look forward with one eye,
having one faith and one baptism, having their hearts knit
together in unity and in love one towards another.

Mosiah 18:22
 22 And thus he commanded them to preach.  And thus they became
the children of God.

Mosiah 18:23
 23 And he commanded them that they should observe the sabbath
day, and keep it holy, and also every day they should give thanks
to the Lord their God.

Mosiah 18:24
 24 And he also commanded them that the priests whom he had
ordained should labor with their own hands for their support.

Mosiah 18:25
 25 And there was one day in every week that was set apart that
they should gather themselves together to teach the people, and
to worship the Lord their God, and also, as often as it was in
their power, to assemble themselves together.

Mosiah 18:26
 26 And the priests were not to depend upon the people for their
support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of
God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the
knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority
from God.

Mosiah 18:27
 27 And again Alma commanded that the people of the church should
impart of their substance, every one according to that which he
had; if he have more abundantly he should impart more abundantly;
and of him that had but little, but little should be required;
and to him that had not should be given.

Mosiah 18:28
 28 And thus they should impart of their substance of their own
free will and good desires towards God, and to those priests that
stood in need, yea, and to every needy, naked soul.

Mosiah 18:29
 29 And this he said unto them, having been commanded of God; and
they did walk uprightly before God, imparting to one another both
temporally and spiritually according to their needs and their
wants.

Mosiah 18:30
 30 And now it came to pass that all this was done in Mormon,
yea, by the waters of Mormon, in the forest that was near the
waters of Mormon; yea, the place of Mormon, the waters of Mormon,
the forest of Mormon, how beautiful are they to the eyes of them
who there came to the knowledge of their Redeemer; yea, and how
blessed are they, for they shall sing to his praise forever.

Mosiah 18:31
 31 And these things were done in the borders of the land, that
they might not come to the knowledge of the king.

Mosiah 18:32
 32 But behold, it came to pass that the king, having discovered
a movement among the people, sent his servants to watch them. 
Therefore on the day that they were assembling themselves
together to hear the word of the Lord they were discovered unto
the king.

Mosiah 18:33
 33 And now the king said that Alma was stirring up the people to
rebellion against him; therefore he sent his army to destroy
them.

Mosiah 18:34
 34 And it came to pass that Alma and the people of the Lord were
apprised of the coming of the king's army; therefore they took
their tents and their families and departed into the wilderness.

Mosiah 18:35
 35 And they were in number about four hundred and fifty souls.

Mosiah 19

Mosiah 19:1
 1 And it came to pass that the army of the king returned, having
searched in vain for the people of the Lord.

Mosiah 19:2
 2 And now behold, the forces of the king were small, having been
reduced, and there began to be a division among the remainder of
the people.

Mosiah 19:3
 3 And the lesser part began to breathe out threatenings against
the king, and there began to be a great contention among them.

Mosiah 19:4
 4 And now there was a man among them whose name was Gideon, and
he being a strong man and an enemy to the king, therefore he drew
his sword, and swore in his wrath that he would slay the king.

Mosiah 19:5
 5 And it came to pass that he fought with the king; and when the
king saw that he was about to overpower him, he fled and ran and
got upon the tower which was near the temple.

Mosiah 19:6
 6 And Gideon pursued after him and was about to get upon the
tower to slay the king, and the king cast his eyes round about
towards the land of Shemlon, and behold, the army of the
Lamanites were within the borders of the land.

Mosiah 19:7
 7 And now the king cried out in the anguish of his soul, saying:
Gideon, spare me, for the Lamanites are upon us, and they will
destroy us; yea, they will destroy my people.

Mosiah 19:8
 8 And now the king was not so much concerned about his people as
he was about his own life; nevertheless, Gideon did spare his
life.

Mosiah 19:9
 9 And the king commanded the people that they should flee before
the Lamanites, and he himself did go before them, and they did
flee into the wilderness, with their women and their children.

Mosiah 19:10
 10 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue them, and
did overtake them, and began to slay them.

Mosiah 19:11
 11 Now it came to pass that the king commanded them that all the
men should leave their wives and their children, and flee before
the Lamanites.

Mosiah 19:12
 12 Now there were many that would not leave them, but had rather
stay and perish with them.  And the rest left their wives and
their children and fled.

Mosiah 19:13
 13 And it came to pass that those who tarried with their wives
and their children caused that their fair daughters should stand
forth and plead with the Lamanites that they would not slay them.

Mosiah 19:14
 14 And it came to pass that the Lamanites had compassion on
them, for they were charmed with the beauty of their women.

Mosiah 19:15
 15 Therefore the Lamanites did spare their lives, and took them
captives and carried them back to the land of Nephi, and granted
unto them that they might possess the land, under the conditions
that they would deliver up king Noah into the hands of the
Lamanites, and deliver up their property, even one half of all
they possessed, one half of their gold, and their silver, and all
their precious things, and thus they should pay tribute to the
king of the Lamanites from year to year.

Mosiah 19:16
 16 And now there was one of the sons of the king among those
that were taken captive, whose name was Limhi.

Mosiah 19:17
 17 And now Limhi was desirous that his father should not be
destroyed; nevertheless, Limhi was not ignorant of the iniquities
of his father, he himself being a just man.

Mosiah 19:18
 18 And it came to pass that Gideon sent men into the wilderness
secretly, to search for the king and those that were with him. 
And it came to pass that they met the people in the wilderness,
all save the king and his priests.

Mosiah 19:19
 19 Now they had sworn in their hearts that they would return to
the land of Nephi, and if their wives and their children were
slain, and also those that had tarried with them, that they would
seek revenge, and also perish with them.

Mosiah 19:20
 20 And the king commanded them that they should not return; and
they were angry with the king, and caused that he should suffer,
even unto death by fire.

Mosiah 19:21
 21 And they were about to take the priests also and put them to
death, and they fled before them.

Mosiah 19:22
 22 And it came to pass that they were about to return to the
land of Nephi, and they met the men of Gideon.  And the men of
Gideon told them of all that had happened to their wives and
their children; and that the Lamanites had granted unto them that
they might possess the land by paying a tribute to the Lamanites
of one half of all they possessed.

Mosiah 19:23
 23 And the people told the men of Gideon that they had slain the
king, and his priests had fled from them farther into the
wilderness.

Mosiah 19:24
 24 And it came to pass that after they had ended the ceremony,
that they returned to the land of Nephi, rejoicing, because their
wives and their children were not slain; and they told Gideon
what they had done to the king.

Mosiah 19:25
 25 And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites made an
oath unto them, that his people should not slay them.

Mosiah 19:26
 26 And also Limhi, being the son of the king, having the kingdom
conferred upon him by the people, made oath unto the king of the
Lamanites that his people should pay tribute unto him, even one
half of all they possessed.

Mosiah 19:27
 27 And it came to pass that Limhi began to establish the kingdom
and to establish peace among his people.

Mosiah 19:28
 28 And the king of the Lamanites set guards round about the
land, that he might keep the people of Limhi in the land, that
they might not depart into the wilderness; and he did support his
guards out of the tribute which he did receive from the Nephites.

Mosiah 19:29
 29 And now king Limhi did have continual peace in his kingdom
for the space of two years, that the Lamanites did not molest
them nor seek to destroy them.

Mosiah 20

Mosiah 20:1
 1 Now there was a place in Shemlon where the daughters of the
Lamanites did gather themselves together to sing, and to dance,
and to make themselves merry.

Mosiah 20:2
 2 And it came to pass that there was one day a small number of
them gathered together to sing and to dance.

Mosiah 20:3
 3 And now the priests of king Noah, being ashamed to return to
the city of Nephi, yea, and also fearing that the people would
slay them, therefore they durst not return to their wives and
their children.

Mosiah 20:4
 4 And having tarried in the wilderness, and having discovered
the daughters of the Lamanites, they laid and watched them;

Mosiah 20:5
 5 And when there were but few of them gathered together to
dance, they came forth out of their secret places and took them
and carried them into the wilderness; yea, twenty and four of the
daughters of the Lamanites they carried into the wilderness.

Mosiah 20:6
 6 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that their
daughters had been missing, they were angry with the people of
Limhi, for they thought it was the people of Limhi.

Mosiah 20:7
 7 Therefore they sent their armies forth; yea, even the king
himself went before his people; and they went up to the land of
Nephi to destroy the people of Limhi.

Mosiah 20:8
 8 And now Limhi had discovered them from the tower, even all
their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered
his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in
the forests.

Mosiah 20:9
 9 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had come up, that
the people of Limhi began to fall upon them from their waiting
places, and began to slay them.

Mosiah 20:10
 10 And it came to pass that the battle became exceedingly sore,
for they fought like lions for their prey.

Mosiah 20:11
 11 And it came to pass that the people of Limhi began to drive
the Lamanites before them; yet they were not half so numerous as
the Lamanites.  But they fought for their lives, and for their
wives, and for their children; therefore they exerted themselves
and like dragons did they fight.

Mosiah 20:12
 12 And it came to pass that they found the king of the Lamanites
among the number of their dead; yet he was not dead, having been
wounded and left upon the ground, so speedy was the flight of his
people.

Mosiah 20:13
 13 And they took him and bound up his wounds, and brought him
before Limhi, and said: Behold, here is the king of the
Lamanites; he having received a wound has fallen among their
dead, and they have left him; and behold, we have brought him
before you; and now let us slay him.

Mosiah 20:14
 14 But Limhi said unto them: Ye shall not slay him, but bring
him hither that I may see him.  And they brought him.  And Limhi
said unto him: What cause have ye to come up to war against my
people?  Behold, my people have not broken the oath that I made
unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made
unto my people?

Mosiah 20:15
 15 And now the king said: I have broken the oath because thy
people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore, in
my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy
people.

Mosiah 20:16
 16 And now Limhi had heard nothing concerning this matter;
therefore he said: I will search among my people and whosoever
has done this thing shall perish.  Therefore he caused a search
to be made among his people.

Mosiah 20:17
 17 Now when Gideon had heard these things, he being the king's
captain, he went forth and said unto the king: I pray thee
forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to
their charge.

Mosiah 20:18
 18 For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this
people sought to destroy?  And are they not in the wilderness? 
And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the
Lamanites?

Mosiah 20:19
 19 And now, behold, and tell the king of these things, that he
may tell his people that they may be pacified towards us; for
behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold
also there are but few of us.

Mosiah 20:20
 20 And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except
the king doth pacify them towards us we must perish.

Mosiah 20:21
 21 For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he
prophesied against us--and all this because we would not hearken
unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities?

Mosiah 20:22
 22 And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which
we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in
bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put
a stop to the shedding of so much blood.

Mosiah 20:23
 23 And now Limhi told the king all the things concerning his
father, and the priests that had fled into the wilderness, and
attributed the carrying away of their daughters to them.

Mosiah 20:24
 24 And it came to pass that the king was pacified towards his
people; and he said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people,
without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people
shall not slay thy people.

Mosiah 20:25
 25 And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went
forth without arms to meet the Lamanites.  And it came to pass
that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites
did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the
people of Limhi.

Mosiah 20:26
 26 And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they
were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified
towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own
land.

Mosiah 21

Mosiah 21:1
 1 And it came to pass that Limhi and his people returned to the
city of Nephi, and began to dwell in the land again in peace.

Mosiah 21:2
 2 And it came to pass that after many days the Lamanites began
again to be stirred up in anger against the Nephites, and they
began to come into the borders of the land round about.

Mosiah 21:3
 3 Now they durst not slay them, because of the oath which their
king had made unto Limhi; but they would smite them on their
cheeks, and exercise authority over them; and began to put heavy
burdens upon their backs, and drive them as they would a dumb
ass--

Mosiah 21:4
 4 Yea, all this was done that the word of the Lord might be
fulfilled.

Mosiah 21:5
 5 And now the afflictions of the Nephites were great, and there
was no way that they could deliver themselves out of their hands,
for the Lamanites had surrounded them on every side.

Mosiah 21:6
 6 And it came to pass that the people began to murmur with the
king because of their afflictions; and they began to be desirous
to go against them to battle.  And they did afflict the king
sorely with their complaints; therefore he granted unto them that
they should do according to their desires.

Mosiah 21:7
 7 And they gathered themselves together again, and put on their
armor, and went forth against the Lamanites to drive them out of
their land.

Mosiah 21:8
 8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did beat them, and
drove them back, and slew many of them.

Mosiah 21:9
 9 And now there was a great mourning and lamentation among the
people of Limhi, the widow mourning for her husband, the son and
the daughter mourning for their father, and the brothers for
their brethren.

Mosiah 21:10
 10 Now there were a great many widows in the land, and they did
cry mightily from day to day, for a great fear of the Lamanites
had come upon them.

Mosiah 21:11
 11 And it came to pass that their continual cries did stir up
the remainder of the people of Limhi to anger against the
Lamanites; and they went again to battle, but they were driven
back again, suffering much loss.

Mosiah 21:12
 12 Yea, they went again even the third time, and suffered in the
like manner; and those that were not slain returned again to the
city of Nephi.

Mosiah 21:13
 13 And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting
themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be
smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to
the desires of their enemies.

Mosiah 21:14
 14 And they did humble themselves even in the depths of
humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day
long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out
of their afflictions.

Mosiah 21:15
 15 And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their
iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began
to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease
their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out
of bondage.

Mosiah 21:16
 16 And it came to pass that they began to prosper by degrees in
the land, and began to raise grain more abundantly, and flocks,
and herds, that they did not suffer with hunger.

Mosiah 21:17
 17 Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of
men; therefore king Limhi commanded that every man should impart
to the support of the widows and their children, that they might
not perish with hunger; and this they did because of the
greatness of their number that had been slain.

Mosiah 21:18
 18 Now the people of Limhi kept together in a body as much as it
was possible, and secured their grain and their flocks;

Mosiah 21:19
 19 And the king himself did not trust his person without the
walls of the city, unless he took his guards with him, fearing
that he might by some means fall into the hands of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 21:20
 20 And he caused that his people should watch the land round
about, that by some means they might take those priests that fled
into the wilderness, who had stolen the daughters of the
Lamanites, and that had caused such a great destruction to come
upon them.

Mosiah 21:21
 21 For they were desirous to take them that they might punish
them; for they had come into the land of Nephi by night, and
carried off their grain and many of their precious things;
therefore they laid wait for them.

Mosiah 21:22
 22 And it came to pass that there was no more disturbance
between the Lamanites and the people of Limhi, even until the
time that Ammon and his brethren came into the land.

Mosiah 21:23
 23 And the king having been without the gates of the city with
his guard, discovered Ammon and his brethren; and supposing them
to be priests of Noah therefore he caused that they should be
taken, and bound, and cast into prison.  And had they been the
priests of Noah he would have caused that they should be put to
death.

Mosiah 21:24
 24 But when he found that they were not, but that they were his
brethren, and had come from the land of Zarahemla, he was filled
with exceedingly great joy.

Mosiah 21:25
 25 Now king Limhi had sent, previous to the coming of Ammon, a
small number of men to search for the land of Zarahemla; but they
could not find it, and they were lost in the wilderness.

Mosiah 21:26
 26 Nevertheless, they did find a land which had been peopled;
yea, a land which was covered with dry bones; yea, a land which
had been peopled and which had been destroyed; and they, having
supposed it to be the land of Zarahemla, returned to the land of
Nephi, having arrived in the borders of the land not many days
before the coming of Ammon.

Mosiah 21:27
 27 And they brought a record with them, even a record of the
people whose bones they had found; and it was engraven on plates
of ore.

Mosiah 21:28
 28 And now Limhi was again filled with joy in learning from the
mouth of Ammon that king Mosiah had a gift from God, whereby he
could interpret such engravings; yea, and Ammon also did rejoice.

Mosiah 21:29
 29 Yet Ammon and his brethren were filled with sorrow because so
many of their brethren had been slain;

Mosiah 21:30
 30 And also that king Noah and his priests had caused the people
to commit so many sins and iniquities against God; and they also
did mourn for the death of Abinadi; and also for the departure of
Alma and the people that went with him, who had formed a church
of God through the strength and power of God, and faith on the
words which had been spoken by Abinadi.

Mosiah 21:31
 31 Yea, they did mourn for their departure, for they knew not
whither they had fled.  Now they would have gladly joined with
them, for they themselves had entered into a covenant with God to
serve him and keep his commandments.

Mosiah 21:32
 32 And now since the coming of Ammon, king Limhi had also
entered into a covenant with God, and also many of his people, to
serve him and keep his commandments.

Mosiah 21:33
 33 And it came to pass that king Limhi and many of his people
were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that
had authority from God.  And Ammon declined doing this thing,
considering himself an unworthy servant.

Mosiah 21:34
 34 Therefore they did not at that time form themselves into a
church, waiting upon the Spirit of the Lord.  Now they were
desirous to become even as Alma and his brethren, who had fled
into the wilderness.

Mosiah 21:35
 35 They were desirous to be baptized as a witness and a
testimony that they were willing to serve God with all their
hearts; nevertheless they did prolong the time; and an account of
their baptism shall be given hereafter.

Mosiah 21:36
 36 And now all the study of Ammon and his people, and king Limhi
and his people, was to deliver themselves out of the hands of the
Lamanites and from bondage.

Mosiah 22

Mosiah 22:1
 1 And now it came to pass that Ammon and king Limhi began to
consult with the people how they should deliver themselves out of
bondage; and even they did cause that all the people should
gather themselves together; and this they did that they might
have the voice of the people concerning the matter.

Mosiah 22:2
 2 And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver
themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and
children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and
depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous,
it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them,
thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.

Mosiah 22:3
 3 Now it came to pass that Gideon went forth and stood before
the king, and said unto him: Now O king, thou hast hitherto
hearkened unto my words many times when we have been contending
with our brethren, the Lamanites.

Mosiah 22:4
 4 And now O king, if thou hast not found me to be an
unprofitable servant, or if thou hast hitherto listened to my
words in any degree, and they have been of service to thee, even
so I desire that thou wouldst listen to my words at this time,
and I will be thy servant and deliver this people out of bondage.

Mosiah 22:5
 5 And the king granted unto him that he might speak.  And Gideon
said unto him:

Mosiah 22:6
 6 Behold the back pass, through the back wall, on the back side
of the city.  The Lamanites, or the guards of the Lamanites, by
night are drunken; therefore let us send a proclamation among all
this people that they gather together their flocks and herds,
that they may drive them into the wilderness by night.

Mosiah 22:7
 7 And I will go according to thy command and pay the last
tribute of wine to the Lamanites, and they will be drunken; and
we will pass through the secret pass on the left of their camp
when they are drunken and asleep.

Mosiah 22:8
 8 Thus we will depart with our women and our children, our
flocks, and our herds into the wilderness; and we will travel
around the land of Shilom.

Mosiah 22:9
 9 And it came to pass that the king hearkened unto the words of
Gideon.

Mosiah 22:10
 10 And king Limhi caused that his people should gather their
flocks together; and he sent the tribute of wine to the
Lamanites; and he also sent more wine, as a present unto them;
and they did drink freely of the wine which king Limhi did send
unto them.

Mosiah 22:11
 11 And it came to pass that the people of king Limhi did depart
by night into the wilderness with their flocks and their herds,
and they went round about the land of Shilom in the wilderness,
and bent their course towards the land of Zarahemla, being led by
Ammon and his brethren.

Mosiah 22:12
 12 And they had taken all their gold, and silver, and their
precious things, which they could carry, and also their
provisions with them, into the wilderness; and they pursued their
journey.

Mosiah 22:13
 13 And after being many days in the wilderness they arrived in
the land of Zarahemla, and joined Mosiah's people, and became his
subjects.

Mosiah 22:14
 14 And it came to pass that Mosiah received them with joy; and
he also received their records, and also the records which had
been found by the people of Limhi.

Mosiah 22:15
 15 And now it came to pass when the Lamanites had found that the
people of Limhi had departed out of the land by night, that they
sent an army into the wilderness to pursue them;

Mosiah 22:16
 16 And after they had pursued them two days, they could no
longer follow their tracks; therefore they were lost in the
wilderness.

Mosiah 23

Mosiah 23:1
 1 Now Alma, having been warned of the Lord that the armies of
king Noah would come upon them, and having made it known to his
people, therefore they gathered together their flocks, and took
of their grain, and departed into the wilderness before the
armies of king Noah.

Mosiah 23:2
 2 And the Lord did strengthen them, that the people of king Noah
could not overtake them to destroy them.

Mosiah 23:3
 3 And they fled eight days' journey into the wilderness.

Mosiah 23:4
 4 And they came to a land, yea, even a very beautiful and
pleasant land, a land of pure water.

Mosiah 23:5
 5 And they pitched their tents, and began to till the ground,
and began to build buildings; yea, they were industrious, and did
labor exceedingly.

Mosiah 23:6
 6 And the people were desirous that Alma should be their king,
for he was beloved by his people.

Mosiah 23:7
 7 But he said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we
should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem
one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above
another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye
should have a king.

Mosiah 23:8
 8 Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always have
just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a
king.

Mosiah 23:9
 9 But remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and I
myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were
abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore
repentance;

Mosiah 23:10
 10 Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my
cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument
in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his
truth.

Mosiah 23:11
 11 Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to
glory of myself.

Mosiah 23:12
 12 And now I say unto you, ye have been oppressed by king Noah,
and have been in bondage to him and his priests, and have been
brought into iniquity by them; therefore ye were bound with the
bands of iniquity.

Mosiah 23:13
 13 And now as ye have been delivered by the power of God out of
these bonds; yea, even out of the hands of king Noah and his
people, and also from the bonds of iniquity, even so I desire
that ye should stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been
made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you.

Mosiah 23:14
 14 And also trust no one to be your teacher nor your minister,
except he be a man of God, walking in his ways and keeping his
commandments.

Mosiah 23:15
 15 Thus did Alma teach his people, that every man should love
his neighbor as himself, that there should be no contention among
them.

Mosiah 23:16
 16 And now, Alma was their high priest, he being the founder of
their church.

Mosiah 23:17
 17 And it came to pass that none received authority to preach or
to teach except it were by him from God.  Therefore he
consecrated all their priests and all their teachers; and none
were consecrated except they were just men.

Mosiah 23:18
 18 Therefore they did watch over their people, and did nourish
them with things pertaining to righteousness.

Mosiah 23:19
 19 And it came to pass that they began to prosper exceedingly in
the land; and they called the land Helam.

Mosiah 23:20
 20 And it came to pass that they did multiply and prosper
exceedingly in the land of Helam; and they built a city, which
they called the city of Helam.

Mosiah 23:21
 21 Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea,
he trieth their patience and their faith.

Mosiah 23:22
 22 Nevertheless--whosoever putteth his trust in him the same
shall be lifted up at the last day.  Yea, and thus it was with
this people.

Mosiah 23:23
 23 For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into
bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea,
even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.

Mosiah 23:24
 24 And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show
forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their
rejoicings.

Mosiah 23:25
 25 For behold, it came to pass that while they were in the land
of Helam, yea, in the city of Helam, while tilling the land round
about, behold an army of the Lamanites was in the borders of the
land.

Mosiah 23:26
 26 Now it came to pass that the brethren of Alma fled from their
fields, and gathered themselves together in the city of Helam;
and they were much frightened because of the appearance of the
Lamanites.

Mosiah 23:27
 27 But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them
that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember
the Lord their God and he would deliver them.

Mosiah 23:28
 28 Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the
Lord that he would soften the hearts of the Lamanites, that they
would spare them, and their wives, and their children.

Mosiah 23:29
 29 And it came to pass the the Lord did soften the hearts of the
Lamanites.  And Alma and his brethren went forth and delivered
themselves up into their hands; and the Lamanites took possession
of the land of Helam.

Mosiah 23:30
 30 Now the armies of the Lamanites, which had followed after the
people of king Limhi, had been lost in the wilderness for many
days.

Mosiah 23:31
 31 And behold, they had found those priests of king Noah, in a
place which they called Amulon; and they had begun to possess the
land of Amulon and had begun to till the ground.

Mosiah 23:32
 32 Now the name of the leader of those priests was Amulon.

Mosiah 23:33
 33 And it came to pass that Amulon did plead with the Lamanites;
and he also sent forth their wives, who were the daughters of the
Lamanites, to plead with their brethren, that they should not
destroy their husbands.

Mosiah 23:34
 34 And the Lamanites had compassion on Amulon and his brethren,
and did not destroy them, because of their wives.

Mosiah 23:35
 35 And Amulon and his brethren did join the Lamanites, and they
were traveling in the wilderness in search of the land of Nephi
when they discovered the land of Helam, which was possessed by
Alma and his brethren.

Mosiah 23:36
 36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites promised unto Alma and
his brethren, that if they would show them the way which led to
the land of Nephi that they would grant unto them their lives and
their liberty.

Mosiah 23:37
 37 But after Alma had shown them the way that led to the land of
Nephi the Lamanites would not keep their promise; but they set
guards round about the land of Helam, over Alma and his brethren.

Mosiah 23:38
 38 And the remainder of them went to the land of Nephi; and a
part of them returned to the land of Helam, and also brought with
them the wives and the children of the guards who had been left
in the land.

Mosiah 23:39
 39 And the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he
should be a king and a ruler over his people, who were in the
land of Helam; nevertheless he should have no power to do
anything contrary to the will of the king of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 24

Mosiah 24:1
 1 And it came to pass that Amulon did gain favor in the eyes of
the king of the Lamanites; therefore, the king of the Lamanites
granted unto him and his brethren that they should be appointed
teachers over his people, yea, even over the people who were in
the land of Shemlon, and in the land of Shilom, and in the land
of Amulon.

Mosiah 24:2
 2 For the Lamanites had taken possession of all these lands;
therefore, the king of the Lamanites had appointed kings over all
these lands.

Mosiah 24:3
 3 And now the name of the king of the Lamanites was Laman, being
called after the name of his father; and therefore he was called
king Laman.  And he was king over a numerous people.

Mosiah 24:4
 4 And he appointed teachers of the brethren of Amulon in every
land which was possessed by his people; and thus the language of
Nephi began to be taught among all the people of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 24:5
 5 And they were a people friendly one with another; nevertheless
they knew not God; neither did the brethren of Amulon teach them
anything concerning the Lord their God, neither the law of Moses;
nor did they teach them the words of Abinadi;

Mosiah 24:6
 6 But they taught them that they should keep their record, and
that they might write one to another.

Mosiah 24:7
 7 And thus the Lamanites began to increase in riches, and began
to trade one with another and wax great, and began to be a
cunning and a wise people, as to the wisdom of the world, yea, a
very cunning people, delighting in all manner of wickedness and
plunder, except it were among their own brethren.

Mosiah 24:8
 8 And now it came to pass that Amulon began to exercise
authority over Alma and his brethren, and began to persecute him,
and cause that his children should persecute their children.

Mosiah 24:9
 9 For Amulon knew Alma, that he had been one of the king's
priests, and that it was he that believed the words of Abinadi
and was driven out before the king, and therefore he was wroth
with him; for he was subject to king Laman, yet he exercised
authority over them, and put tasks upon them, and put
task-masters over them.

Mosiah 24:10
 10 And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that
they began to cry mightily to God.

Mosiah 24:11
 11 And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries;
and he put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should
be found calling upon God should be put to death.

Mosiah 24:12
 12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the
Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did
know the thoughts of their hearts.

Mosiah 24:13
 13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them
in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good
comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me;
and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of
bondage.

Mosiah 24:14
 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your
shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even
while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as
witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that
I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

Mosiah 24:15
 15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon
Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did
strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease,
and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will
of the Lord.

Mosiah 24:16
 16 And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their
patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying:
Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of
bondage.

Mosiah 24:17
 17 And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and
I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bondage.

Mosiah 24:18
 18 Now it came to pass that Alma and his people in the
night-time gathered their flocks together, and also of their
grain; yea, even all the night-time were they gathering the
flocks together.

Mosiah 24:19
 19 And in the morning the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon
the Lamanites, yea, and all their task-masters were in a profound
sleep.

Mosiah 24:20
 20 And Alma and his people departed into the wilderness; and
when they had traveled all day they pitched their tents in a
valley, and they called the valley Alma, because he led their way
in the wilderness.

Mosiah 24:21
 21 Yea, and in the valley of Alma they poured out their thanks
to God because he had been merciful unto them, and eased their
burdens, and had delivered them out of bondage; for they were in
bondage, and none could deliver them except it were the Lord
their God.

Mosiah 24:22
 22 And they gave thanks to God, yea, all their men and all their
women and all their children that could speak lifted their voices
in the praises of their God.

Mosiah 24:23
 23 And now the Lord said unto Alma: Haste thee and get thou and
this people out of this land, for the Lamanites have awakened and
do pursue thee; therefore get thee out of this land, and I will
stop the Lamanites in this valley that they come no further in
pursuit of this people.

Mosiah 24:24
 24 And it came to pass that they departed out of the valley, and
took their journey into the wilderness.

Mosiah 24:25
 25 And after they had been in the wilderness twelve days they
arrived in the land of Zarahemla; and king Mosiah did also
receive them with joy.

Mosiah 25

Mosiah 25:1
 1 And now king Mosiah caused that all the people should be
gathered together.

Mosiah 25:2
 2 Now there were not so many of the children of Nephi, or so
many of those who were descendants of Nephi, as there were of the
people of Zarahemla, who was a descendant of Mulek, and those who
came with him into the wilderness.

Mosiah 25:3
 3 And there were not so many of the people of Nephi and of the
people of Zarahemla as there were of the Lamanites; yea, they
were not half so numerous.

Mosiah 25:4
 4 And now all the people of Nephi were assembled together, and
also all the people of Zarahemla, and they were gathered together
in two bodies.

Mosiah 25:5
 5 And it came to pass that Mosiah did read, and caused to be
read, the records of Zeniff to his people; yea, he read the
records of the people of Zeniff, from the time they left the land
of Zarahemla until they returned again.

Mosiah 25:6
 6 And he also read the account of Alma and his brethren, and all
their afflictions, from the time they left the land of Zarahemla
until the time they returned again.

Mosiah 25:7
 7 And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records,
his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and
amazement.

Mosiah 25:8
 8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those
that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with
exceedingly great joy.

Mosiah 25:9
 9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been
slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even
shed many tears of sorrow.

Mosiah 25:10
 10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of
God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the
hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their
voices and give thanks to God.

Mosiah 25:11
 11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were
their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were
filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.

Mosiah 25:12
 12 And it came to pass that those who were the children of
Amulon and his brethren, who had taken to wife the daughters of
the Lamanites, were displeased with the conduct of their fathers,
and they would no longer be called by the names of their fathers,
therefore they took upon themselves the name of Nephi, that they
might be called the children of Nephi and be numbered among those
who were called Nephites.

Mosiah 25:13
 13 And now all the people of Zarahemla were numbered with the
Nephites, and this because the kingdom had been conferred upon
none but those who were descendants of Nephi.

Mosiah 25:14
 14 And now it came to pass that when Mosiah had made an end of
speaking and reading to the people, he desired that Alma should
also speak to the people.

Mosiah 25:15
 15 And Alma did speak unto them, when they were assembled
together in large bodies, and he went from one body to another,
preaching unto the people repentance and faith on the Lord.

Mosiah 25:16
 16 And he did exhort the people of Limhi and his brethren, all
those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should
remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them.

Mosiah 25:17
 17 And it came to pass that after Alma had taught the people
many things, and had made an end of speaking to them, that king
Limhi was desirous that he might be baptized; and all his people
were desirous that they might be baptized also.

Mosiah 25:18
 18 Therefore, Alma did go forth into the water and did baptize
them; yea, he did baptize them after the manner he did his
brethren in the waters of Mormon; yea, and as many as he did
baptize did belong to the church of God; and this because of
their belief on the words of Alma.

Mosiah 25:19
 19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that
he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla;
and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every
church.

Mosiah 25:20
 20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they
could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all
hear the word of God in one assembly;

Mosiah 25:21
 21 Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different
bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests
and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according
as it was delivered to him by the mouth of Alma.

Mosiah 25:22
 22 And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were
all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was
nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance
and faith in God.

Mosiah 25:23
 23 And now there were seven churches in the land of Zarahemla. 
And it came to pass that whosoever were desirous to take upon
them the name of Christ, or of God, they did join the churches of
God;

Mosiah 25:24
 24 And they were called the people of God.  And the Lord did
pour out his Spirit upon them, and they were blessed, and
prospered in the land.

Mosiah 26

Mosiah 26:1
 1 Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising
generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin,
being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and
they did not believe the tradition of their fathers.

Mosiah 26:2
 2 They did not believe what had been said concerning the
resurrection of the dead, neither did they believe concerning the
coming of Christ.

Mosiah 26:3
 3 And now because of their unbelief they could not understand
the word of God; and their hearts were hardened.

Mosiah 26:4
 4 And they would not be baptized; neither would they join the
church.  And they were a separate people as to their faith, and
remained so ever after, even in their carnal and sinful state;
for they would not call upon the Lord their God.

Mosiah 26:5
 5 And now in the reign of Mosiah they were not half so numerous
as the people of God; but because of the dissensions among the
brethren they became more numerous.

Mosiah 26:6
 6 For it came to pass that they did deceive many with their
flattering words, who were in the church, and did cause them to
commit many sins; therefore it became expedient that those who
committed sin, that were in the church, should be admonished by
the church.

Mosiah 26:7
 7 And it came to pass that they were brought before the priests,
and delivered up unto the priests by the teachers; and the
priests brought them before Alma, who was the high priest.

Mosiah 26:8
 8 Now king Mosiah had given Alma the authority over the church.

Mosiah 26:9
 9 And it came to pass that Alma did not know concerning them;
but there were many witnesses against them; yea, the people stood
and testified of their iniquity in abundance.

Mosiah 26:10
 10 Now there had not any such thing happened before in the
church; therefore Alma was troubled in his spirit, and he caused
that they should be brought before the king.

Mosiah 26:11
 11 And he said unto the king: Behold, here are many whom we have
brought before thee, who are accused of their brethren; yea, and
they have been taken in divers iniquities.  And they do not
repent of their iniquities; therefore we have brought them before
thee, that thou mayest judge them according to their crimes.

Mosiah 26:12
 12 But king Mosiah said unto Alma: Behold, I judge them not;
therefore I deliver them into thy hands to be judged.

Mosiah 26:13
 13 And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went
and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this
matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of
God.

Mosiah 26:14
 14 And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole
soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying:

Mosiah 26:15
 15 Blessed art thou, Alma, and blessed are they who were
baptized in the waters of Mormon.  Thou art blessed because of
thy exceeding faith in the words alone of my servant Abinadi.

Mosiah 26:16
 16 And blessed are they because of their exceeding faith in the
words alone which thou hast spoken unto them.

Mosiah 26:17
 17 And blessed art thou because thou hast established a church
among this people; and they shall be established, and they shall
be my people.

Mosiah 26:18
 18 Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name;
for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine.

Mosiah 26:19
 19 And because thou hast inquired of me concerning the
transgressor, thou art blessed.

Mosiah 26:20
 20 Thou art my servant; and I covenant with thee that thou shalt
have eternal life; and thou shalt serve me and go forth in my
name, and shalt gather together my sheep.

Mosiah 26:21
 21 And he that will hear my voice shall be my sheep; and him
shall ye receive into the church, and him will I also receive.

Mosiah 26:22
 22 For behold, this is my church; whosoever is baptized shall be
baptized unto repentance.  And whomsoever ye receive shall
believe in my name; and him will I freely forgive.

Mosiah 26:23
 23 For it is I that taketh upon me the sins of the world; for it
is I that hath created them; and it is I that granteth unto him
that believeth unto the end a place at my right hand.

Mosiah 26:24
 24 For behold, in my name are they called; and if they know me
they shall come forth, and shall have a place eternally at my
right hand.

Mosiah 26:25
 25 And it shall come to pass that when the second trump shall
sound then shall they that never knew me come forth and shall
stand before me.

Mosiah 26:26
 26 And then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, that I
am their Redeemer; but they would not be redeemed.

Mosiah 26:27
 27 And then I will confess unto them that I never knew them; and
they shall depart into everlasting fire prepared for the devil
and his angels.

Mosiah 26:28
 28 Therefore I say unto you, that he that will not hear my
voice, the same shall ye not receive into my church, for him I
will not receive at the last day.

Mosiah 26:29
 29 Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth
against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has
committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and
repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive,
and I will forgive him also.

Mosiah 26:30
 30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them
their trespasses against me.

Mosiah 26:31
 31 And ye shall also forgive one another your trespasses; for
verily I say unto you, he that forgiveth not his neighbor's
trespasses when he says that he repents, the same hath brought
himself under condemnation.

Mosiah 26:32
 32 Now I say unto you, Go; and whosoever will not repent of his
sins the same shall not be numbered among my people; and this
shall be observed from this time forward.

Mosiah 26:33
 33 And it came to pass when Alma had heard these words he wrote
them down that he might have them, and that he might judge the
people of that church according to the commandments of God.

Mosiah 26:34
 34 And it came to pass that Alma went and judged those that had
been taken in iniquity, according to the word of the Lord.

Mosiah 26:35
 35 And whosoever repented of their sins and did confess them,
them he did number among the people of the church;

Mosiah 26:36
 36 And those that would not confess their sins and repent of
their iniquity, the same were not numbered among the people of
the church, and their names were blotted out.

Mosiah 26:37
 37 And it came to pass that Alma did regulate all the affairs of
the church; and they began again to have peace and to prosper
exceedingly in the affairs of the church, walking circumspectly
before God, receiving many, and baptizing many.

Mosiah 26:38
 38 And now all these things did Alma and his fellow laborers do
who were over the church, walking in all diligence, teaching the
word of God in all things, suffering all manner of afflictions,
being persecuted by all those who did not belong to the church of
God.

Mosiah 26:39
 39 And they did admonish their brethren; and they were also
admonished, every one by the word of God, according to his sins,
or to the sins which he had committed, being commanded of God to
pray without ceasing, and to give thanks in all things.

Mosiah 27

Mosiah 27:1
 1 And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were
inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that
the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders
concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma.  And Alma
laid the case before their king, Mosiah.  And Mosiah consulted
with his priests.

Mosiah 27:2
 2 And it came to pass that king Mosiah sent a proclamation
throughout the land round about that there should not any
unbeliever persecute any of those who belonged to the church of
God.

Mosiah 27:3
 3 And there was a strict command throughout all the churches
that there should be no persecutions among them, that there
should be an equality among all men;

Mosiah 27:4
 4 That they should let no pride nor haughtiness disturb their
peace; that every man should esteem his neighbor as himself,
laboring with their own hands for their support.

Mosiah 27:5
 5 Yea, and all their priests and teachers should labor with
their own hands for their support, in all cases save it were in
sickness, or in much want; and doing these things, they did
abound in the grace of God.

Mosiah 27:6
 6 And there began to be much peace again in the land; and the
people began to be very numerous, and began to scatter abroad
upon the face of the earth, yea, on the north and on the south,
on the east and on the west, building large cities and villages
in all quarters of the land.

Mosiah 27:7
 7 And the Lord did visit them and prosper them, and they became
a large and wealthy people.

Mosiah 27:8
 8 Now the sons of Mosiah were numbered among the unbelievers;
and also one of the sons of Alma was numbered among them, he
being called Alma, after his father; nevertheless, he became a
very wicked and an idolatrous man.  And he was a man of many
words, and did speak much flattery to the people; therefore he
led many of the people to do after the manner of his iniquities.

Mosiah 27:9
 9 And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the
church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing
much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy
of God to exercise his power over them.

Mosiah 27:10
 10 And now it came to pass that while he was going about to
destroy the church of God, for he did go about secretly with the
sons of Mosiah seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray
the people of the Lord, contrary to the commandments of God, or
even the king--

Mosiah 27:11
 11 And as I said unto you, as they were going about rebelling
against God, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto them;
and he descended as it were in a cloud; and he spake as it were
with a voice of thunder, which caused the earth to shake upon
which they stood;

Mosiah 27:12
 12 And so great was their astonishment, that they fell to the
earth, and understood not the words which he spake unto them.

Mosiah 27:13
 13 Nevertheless he cried again, saying: Alma, arise and stand
forth, for why persecutest thou the church of God?  For the Lord
hath said: This is my church, and I will establish it; and
nothing shall overthrow it, save it is the transgression of my
people.

Mosiah 27:14
 14 And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the
prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma,
who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning
thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth;
therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the
power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants
might be answered according to their faith.

Mosiah 27:15
 15 And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God?  For behold,
doth not my voice shake the earth?  And can ye not also behold me
before you?  And I am sent from God.

Mosiah 27:16
 16 Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy
fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and
remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in
bondage, and he has delivered them.  And now I say unto thee,
Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that
their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of
thyself be cast off.

Mosiah 27:17
 17 And now it came to pass that these were the last words which
the angel spake unto Alma, and he departed.

Mosiah 27:18
 18 And now Alma and those that were with him fell again to the
earth, for great was their astonishment; for with their own eyes
they had beheld an angel of the Lord; and his voice was as
thunder, which shook the earth; and they knew that there was
nothing save the power of God that could shake the earth and
cause it to tremble as though it would part asunder.

Mosiah 27:19
 19 And now the astonishment of Alma was so great that he became
dumb, that he could not open his mouth; yea, and he became weak,
even that he could not move his hands; therefore he was taken by
those that were with him, and carried helpless, even until he was
laid before his father.

Mosiah 27:20
 20 And they rehearsed unto his father all that had happened unto
them; and his father rejoiced, for he knew that it was the power
of God.

Mosiah 27:21
 21 And he caused that a multitude should be gathered together
that they might witness what the Lord had done for his son, and
also for those that were with him.

Mosiah 27:22
 22 And he caused that the priests should assemble themselves
together; and they began to fast, and to pray to the Lord their
God that he would open the mouth of Alma, that he might speak,
and also that his limbs might receive their strength--that the
eyes of the people might be opened to see and know of the
goodness and glory of God.

Mosiah 27:23
 23 And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the
space of two days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received
their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them,
bidding them to be of good comfort:

Mosiah 27:24
 24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been
redeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.

Mosiah 27:25
 25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea,
men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be
born again; yea, born of God, changed from their carnal and
fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God,
becoming his sons and daughters;

Mosiah 27:26
 26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this,
they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

Mosiah 27:27
 27 I say unto you, unless this be the case, they must be cast
off; and this I know, because I was like to be cast off.

Mosiah 27:28
 28 Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulations,
repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to
snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

Mosiah 27:29
 29 My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and
bonds of iniquity.  I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold
the marvelous light of God.  My soul was racked with eternal
torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

Mosiah 27:30
 30 I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken
of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will
come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he
will make himself manifest unto all.

Mosiah 27:31
 31 Yea, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess before
him.  Yea, even at the last day, when all men shall stand to be
judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall
they confess, who live without God in the world, that the
judgment of an everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they
shall quake, and tremble, and shrink beneath the glance of his
all-searching eye.

Mosiah 27:32
 32 And now it came to pass that Alma began from this time
forward to teach the people, and those who were with Alma at the
time the angel appeared unto them, traveling round about through
all the land, publishing to all the people the things which they
had heard and seen, and preaching the word of God in much
tribulation, being greatly persecuted by those who were
unbelievers, being smitten by many of them.

Mosiah 27:33
 33 But notwithstanding all this, they did impart much
consolation to the church, confirming their faith, and exhorting
them with long-suffering and much travail to keep the
commandments of God.

Mosiah 27:34
 34 And four of them were the sons of Mosiah; and their names
were Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni; these were the names
of the sons of Mosiah.

Mosiah 27:35
 35 And they traveled throughout all the lands of Zarahemla, and
among all the people who were under the reign of king Mosiah,
zealously striving to repair all the injuries which they had done
to the church, confessing all their sins, and publishing all the
things which they had seen, and explaining the prophecies and the
scriptures to all who desired to hear them.

Mosiah 27:36
 36 And thus they were instruments in the hands of God in
bringing many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, to the
knowledge of their Redeemer.

Mosiah 27:37
 37 And how blessed are they!  For they did publish peace; they
did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the
people that the Lord reigneth.

Mosiah 28

Mosiah 28:1
 1 Now it came to pass that after the sons of Mosiah had done all
these things, they took a small number with them and returned to
their father, the king, and desired of him that he would grant
unto them that they might, with these whom they had selected, go
up to the land of Nephi that they might preach the things which
they had heard, and that they might impart the word of God to
their brethren, the Lamanites--

Mosiah 28:2
 2 That perhaps they might bring them to the knowledge of the
Lord their God, and convince them of the iniquity of their
fathers; and that perhaps they might cure them of their hatred
towards the Nephites, that they might also be brought to rejoice
in the Lord their God, that they might become friendly to one
another, and that there should be no more contentions in all the
land which the Lord their God had given them.

Mosiah 28:3
 3 Now they were desirous that salvation should be declared to
every creature, for they could not bear that any human soul
should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should
endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

Mosiah 28:4
 4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they
were the very vilest of sinners.  And the Lord saw fit in his
infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much
anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and
fearing that they should be cast off forever.

Mosiah 28:5
 5 And it came to pass that they did plead with their father many
days that they might go up to the land of Nephi.

Mosiah 28:6
 6 And king Mosiah went and inquired of the Lord if he should let
his sons go up among the Lamanites to preach the word.

Mosiah 28:7
 7 And the Lord said unto Mosiah: Let them go up, for many shall
believe on their words, and they shall have eternal life; and I
will deliver thy sons out of the hands of the Lamanites.

Mosiah 28:8
 8 And it came to pass that Mosiah granted that they might go and
do according to their request.

Mosiah 28:9
 9 And they took their journey into the wilderness to go up to
preach the word among the Lamanites; and I shall give an account
of their proceedings hereafter.

Mosiah 28:10
 10 Now king Mosiah had no one to confer the kingdom upon, for
there was not any of his sons who would accept of the kingdom.

Mosiah 28:11
 11 Therefore he took the records which were engraven on the
plates of brass, and also the plates of Nephi, and all the things
which he had kept and preserved according to the commandments of
God, after having translated and caused to be written the records
which were on the plates of gold which had been found by the
people of Limhi, which were delivered to him by the hand of
Limhi;

Mosiah 28:12
 12 And this he did because of the great anxiety of his people;
for they were desirous beyond measure to know concerning those
people who had been destroyed.

Mosiah 28:13
 13 And now he translated them by the means of those two stones
which were fastened into the two rims of a bow.

Mosiah 28:14
 14 Now these things were prepared from the beginning, and were
handed down from generation to generation, for the purpose of
interpreting languages;

Mosiah 28:15
 15 And they have been kept and preserved by the hand of the
Lord, that he should discover to every creature who should
possess the land the iniquities and abominations of his people;

Mosiah 28:16
 16 And whosoever has these things is called seer, after the
manner of old times.

Mosiah 28:17
 17 Now after Mosiah had finished translating these records,
behold, it gave an account of the people who were destroyed, from
the time that they were destroyed back to the building of the
great tower, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the
people and they were scattered abroad upon the face of all the
earth, yea, and even from that time back until the creation of
Adam.

Mosiah 28:18
 18 Now this account did cause the people of Mosiah to mourn
exceedingly, yea, they were filled with sorrow; nevertheless it
gave them much knowledge, in the which they did rejoice.

Mosiah 28:19
 19 And this account shall be written hereafter; for behold, it
is expedient that all people should know the things which are
written in this account.

Mosiah 28:20
 20 And now, as I said unto you, that after king Mosiah had done
these things, he took the plates of brass, and all the things
which he had kept, and conferred them upon Alma, who was the son
of Alma; yea, all the records, and also the interpreters, and
conferred them upon him, and commanded him that he should keep
and preserve them, and also keep a record of the people, handing
them down from one generation to another, even as they had been
handed down from the time that Lehi left Jerusalem.

Mosiah 29

Mosiah 29:1
 1 Now when Mosiah had done this he sent out throughout all the
land, among all the people, desiring to know their will
concerning who should be their king.

Mosiah 29:2
 2 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying:
We are desirous that Aaron thy son should be our king and our
ruler.

Mosiah 29:3
 3 Now Aaron had gone up to the land of Nephi, therefore the king
could not confer the kingdom upon him; neither would Aaron take
upon him the kingdom; neither were any of the sons of Mosiah
willing to take upon them the kingdom.

Mosiah 29:4
 4 Therefore king Mosiah sent again among the people; yea, even a
written word sent he among the people.  And these were the words
that were written, saying:

Mosiah 29:5
 5 Behold, O ye my people, or my brethren, for I esteem you as
such, I desire that ye should consider the cause which ye are
called to consider--for ye are desirous to have a king.

Mosiah 29:6
 6 Now I declare unto you that he to whom the kingdom doth
rightly belong has declined, and will not take upon him the
kingdom.

Mosiah 29:7
 7 And now if there should be another appointed in his stead,
behold I fear there would rise contentions among you.  And who
knoweth but what my son, to whom the kingdom doth belong, should
turn to be angry and draw away a part of this people after him,
which would cause wars and contentions among you, which would be
the cause of shedding much blood and perverting the way of the
Lord, yea, and destroy the souls of many people.

Mosiah 29:8
 8 Now I say unto you let us be wise and consider these things,
for we have no right to destroy my son, neither should we have
any right to destroy another if he should be appointed in his
stead.

Mosiah 29:9
 9 And if my son should turn again to his pride and vain things
he would recall the things which he had said, and claim his right
to the kingdom, which would cause him and also this people to
commit much sin.

Mosiah 29:10
 10 And now let us be wise and look forward to these things, and
do that which will make for the peace of this people.

Mosiah 29:11
 11 Therefore I will be your king the remainder of my days;
nevertheless, let us appoint judges, to judge this people
according to our law; and we will newly arrange the affairs of
this people, for we will appoint wise men to be judges, that will
judge this people according to the commandments of God.

Mosiah 29:12
 12 Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of
man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments
of man are not always just.

Mosiah 29:13
 13 Therefore, if it were possible that you could have just men
to be your kings, who would establish the laws of God, and judge
this people according to his commandments, yea, if ye could have
men for your kings who would do even as my father Benjamin did
for this people--I say unto you, if this could always be the case
then it would be expedient that ye should always have kings to
rule over you.

Mosiah 29:14
 14 And even I myself have labored with all the power and
faculties which I have possessed, to teach you the commandments
of God, and to establish peace throughout the land, that there
should be no wars nor contentions, no stealing, nor plundering,
nor murdering, nor any manner of iniquity;

Mosiah 29:15
 15 And whosoever has committed iniquity, him have I punished
according to the crime which he has committed, according to the
law which has been given to us by our fathers.

Mosiah 29:16
 16 Now I say unto you, that because all men are not just it is
not expedient that ye should have a king or kings to rule over
you.

Mosiah 29:17
 17 For behold, how much iniquity doth one wicked king cause to
be committed, yea, and what great destruction!

Mosiah 29:18
 18 Yea, remember king Noah, his wickedness and his abominations,
and also the wickedness and abominations of his people.  Behold
what great destruction did come upon them; and also because of
their iniquities they were brought into bondage.

Mosiah 29:19
 19 And were it not for the interposition of their all-wise
Creator, and this because of their sincere repentance, they must
unavoidably remain in bondage until now.

Mosiah 29:20
 20 But behold, he did deliver them because they did humble
themselves before him; and because they cried mightily unto him
he did deliver them out of bondage; and thus doth the Lord work
with his power in all cases among the children of men, extending
the arm of mercy towards them that put their trust in him.

Mosiah 29:21
 21 And behold, now I say unto you, ye cannot dethrone an
iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the
shedding of much blood.

Mosiah 29:22
 22 For behold, he has his friends in iniquity, and he keepeth
his guards about him; and he teareth up the laws of those who
have reigned in righteousness before him; and he trampleth under
his feet the commandments of God;

Mosiah 29:23
 23 And he enacteth laws, and sendeth them forth among his
people, yea, laws after the manner of his own wickedness; and
whosoever doth not obey his laws he causeth to be destroyed; and
whosoever doth rebel against him he will send his armies against
them to war, and if he can he will destroy them; and thus an
unrighteous king doth pervert the ways of all righteousness.

Mosiah 29:24
 24 And now behold I say unto you, it is not expedient that such
abominations should come upon you.

Mosiah 29:25
 25 Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges,
that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given
you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them
by the hand of the Lord.

Mosiah 29:26
 26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth
anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for
the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right;
therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law--to do your
business by the voice of the people.

Mosiah 29:27
 27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth
choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will
come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great
destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.

Mosiah 29:28
 28 And now if ye have judges, and they do not judge you
according to the law which has been given, ye can cause that they
may be judged of a higher judge.

Mosiah 29:29
 29 If your higher judges do not judge righteous judgments, ye
shall cause that a small number of your lower judges should be
gathered together, and they shall judge your higher judges,
according to the voice of the people.

Mosiah 29:30
 30 And I command you to do these things in the fear of the Lord;
and I command you to do these things, and that ye have no king;
that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be
answered upon their own heads.

Mosiah 29:31
 31 For behold I say unto you, the sins of many people have been
caused by the iniquities of their kings; therefore their
iniquities are answered upon the heads of their kings.

Mosiah 29:32
 32 And now I desire that this inequality should be no more in
this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that
this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his
rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we
may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our
posterity remains upon the face of the land.

Mosiah 29:33
 33 And many more things did king Mosiah write unto them,
unfolding unto them all the trials and troubles of a righteous
king, yea, all the travails of soul for their people, and also
all the murmurings of the people to their king; and he explained
it all unto them.

Mosiah 29:34
 34 And he told them that these things ought not to be; but that
the burden should come upon all the people, that every man might
bear his part.

Mosiah 29:35
 35 And he also unfolded unto them all the disadvantages they
labored under, by having an unrighteous king to rule over them;

Mosiah 29:36
 36 Yea, all his iniquities and abominations, and all the wars,
and contentions, and bloodshed, and the stealing, and the
plundering, and the committing of whoredoms, and all manner of
iniquities which cannot be enumerated--telling them that these
things ought not to be, that they were expressly repugnant to the
commandments of God.

Mosiah 29:37
 37 And now it came to pass, after king Mosiah had sent these
things forth among the people they were convinced of the truth of
his words.

Mosiah 29:38
 38 Therefore they relinquished their desires for a king, and
became exceedingly anxious that every man should have an equal
chance throughout all the land; yea, and every man expressed a
willingness to answer for his own sins.

Mosiah 29:39
 39 Therefore, it came to pass that they assembled themselves
together in bodies throughout the land, to cast in their voices
concerning who should be their judges, to judge them according to
the law which had been given them; and they were exceedingly
rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them.

Mosiah 29:40
 40 And they did wax strong in love towards Mosiah; yea, they did
esteem him more than any other man; for they did not look upon
him as a tyrant who was seeking for gain, yea, for that lucre
which doth corrupt the soul; for he had not exacted riches of
them, neither had he delighted in the shedding of blood; but he
had established peace in the land, and he had granted unto his
people that they should be delivered from all manner of bondage;
therefore they did esteem him, yea, exceedingly, beyond measure.

Mosiah 29:41
 41 And it came to pass that they did appoint judges to rule over
them, or to judge them according to the law; and this they did
throughout all the land.

Mosiah 29:42
 42 And it came to pass that Alma was appointed to be the first
chief judge, he being also the high priest, his father having
conferred the office upon him, and having given him the charge
concerning all the affairs of the church.

Mosiah 29:43
 43 And now it came to pass that Alma did walk in the ways of the
Lord, and he did keep his commandments, and he did judge
righteous judgments; and there was continual peace through the
land.

Mosiah 29:44
 44 And thus commenced the reign of the judges throughout all the
land of Zarahemla, among all the people who were called the
Nephites; and Alma was the first and chief judge.

Mosiah 29:45
 45 And now it came to pass that his father died, being eighty
and two years old, having lived to fulfil the commandments of
God.

Mosiah 29:46
 46 And it came to pass that Mosiah died also, in the thirty and
third year of his reign, being sixty and three years old; making
in the whole, five hundred and nine years from the time Lehi left
Jerusalem.

Mosiah 29:47
 47 And thus ended the reign of the kings over the people of
Nephi; and thus ended the days of Alma, who was the founder of
their church.

Alma
THE BOOK OF ALMA
THE SON OF ALMA
The account of Alma, who was the son of Alma the first, and chief
judge over the people of Nephi, and also the high priest over the
Church.   An account of the reign of the judges, and the wars and
contentions among the people.   And also an account of a war
between the Nephites and the Lamanites, according to the record
of Alma, the first and chief judge.

Alma 1

Alma 1:1
 1 Now it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, from this time forward, king
Mosiah having gone the way of all the earth, having warred a good
warfare, walking uprightly before God, leaving none to reign in
his stead; nevertheless he had established laws, and they were
acknowledged by the people; therefore they were obliged to abide
by the laws which he had made.

Alma 1:2
 2 And it came to pass that in the first year of the reign of
Alma in the judgment-seat, there was a man brought before him to
be judged, a man who was large, and was noted for his much
strength.

Alma 1:3
 3 And he had gone about among the people, preaching to them that
which he termed to be the word of God, bearing down against the
church; declaring unto the people that every priest and teacher
ought to become popular; and they ought not to labor with their
hands, but that they ought to be supported by the people.

Alma 1:4
 4 And he also testified unto the people that all mankind should
be saved at the last day, and that they need not fear nor
tremble, but that they might lift up their heads and rejoice; for
the Lord had created all men, and had also redeemed all men; and,
in the end, all men should have eternal life.

Alma 1:5
 5 And it came to pass that he did teach these things so much
that many did believe on his words, even so many that they began
to support him and give him money.

Alma 1:6
 6 And he began to be lifted up in the pride of his heart, and to
wear very costly apparel, yea, and even began to establish a
church after the manner of his preaching.

Alma 1:7
 7 And it came to pass as he was going, to preach to those who
believed on his word, he met a man who belonged to the church of
God, yea, even one of their teachers; and he began to contend
with him sharply, that he might lead away the people of the
church; but the man withstood him, admonishing him with the words
of God.

Alma 1:8
 8 Now the name of the man was Gideon; and it was he who was an
instrument in the hands of God in delivering the people of Limhi
out of bondage.

Alma 1:9
 9 Now, because Gideon withstood him with the words of God he was
wroth with Gideon, and drew his sword and began to smite him. 
Now Gideon being stricken with many years, therefore he was not
able to withstand his blows, therefore he was slain by the sword.

Alma 1:10
 10 And the man who slew him was taken by the people of the
church, and was brought before Alma, to be judged according to
the crimes which he had committed.

Alma 1:11
 11 And it came to pass that he stood before Alma and pleaded for
himself with much boldness.

Alma 1:12
 12 But Alma said unto him: Behold, this is the first time that
priestcraft has been introduced among this people.  And behold,
thou art not only guilty of priestcraft, but hast endeavored to
enforce it by the sword; and were priestcraft to be enforced
among this people it would prove their entire destruction.

Alma 1:13
 13 And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man, yea, a man
who has done much good among this people; and were we to spare
thee his blood would come upon us for vengeance.

Alma 1:14
 14 Therefore thou art condemned to die, according to the law
which has been given us by Mosiah, our last king; and it has been
acknowledged by this people; therefore this people must abide by
the law.

Alma 1:15
 15 And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was
Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and
there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the
heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was
contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious
death.

Alma 1:16
 16 Nevertheless, this did not put an end to the spreading of
priestcraft through the land; for there were many who loved the
vain things of the world, and they went forth preaching false
doctrines; and this they did for the sake of riches and honor.

Alma 1:17
 17 Nevertheless, they durst not lie, if it were known, for fear
of the law, for liars were punished; therefore they pretended to
preach according to their belief; and now the law could have no
power on any man for his belief.

Alma 1:18
 18 And they durst not steal, for fear of the law, for such were
punished; neither durst they rob, nor murder, for he that
murdered was punished unto death.

Alma 1:19
 19 But it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the
church of God began to persecute those that did belong to the
church of God, and had taken upon them the name of Christ.

Alma 1:20
 20 Yea, they did persecute them, and afflict them with all
manner of words, and this because of their humility; because they
were not proud in their own eyes, and because they did impart the
word of God, one with another, without money and without price.

Alma 1:21
 21 Now there was a strict law among the people of the church
that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and
persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there
should be no persecution among themselves.

Alma 1:22
 22 Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be
proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even
unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists.

Alma 1:23
 23 Now this was in the second year of the reign of Alma, and it
was a cause of much affliction to the church; yea, it was the
cause of much trial with the church.

Alma 1:24
 24 For the hearts of many were hardened, and their names were
blotted out, that they were remembered no more among the people
of God.  And also many withdrew themselves from among them.

Alma 1:25
 25 Now this was a great trial to those that did stand fast in
the faith; nevertheless, they were steadfast and immovable in
keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the
persecution which was heaped upon them.

Alma 1:26
 26 And when the priests left their labor to impart the word of
God unto the people, the people also left their labors to hear
the word of God.  And when the priest had imparted unto them the
word of God they all returned again diligently unto their labors;
and the priest, not esteeming himself above his hearers, for the
preacher was no better than the hearer, neither was the teacher
any better than the learner; and thus they were all equal, and
they did all labor, every man according to his strength.

Alma 1:27
 27 And they did impart of their substance, every man according
to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick,
and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they
were neat and comely.

Alma 1:28
 28 And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and
thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding
all their persecutions.

Alma 1:29
 29 And now, because of the steadiness of the church they began
to be exceedingly rich, having abundance of all things whatsoever
they stood in need--an abundance of flocks and herds, and
fatlings of every kind, and also abundance of grain, and of gold,
and of silver, and of precious things, and abundance of silk and
fine-twined linen, and all manner of good homely cloth.

Alma 1:30
 30 And thus, in their prosperous circumstances, they did not
send away any who were naked, or that were hungry, or that were
athirst, or that were sick, or that had not been nourished; and
they did not set their hearts upon riches; therefore they were
liberal to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male
and female, whether out of the church or in the church, having no
respect to persons as to those who stood in need.

Alma 1:31
 31 And thus they did prosper and become far more wealthy than
those who did not belong to their church.

Alma 1:32
 32 For those who did not belong to their church did indulge
themselves in sorceries, and in idolatry or idleness, and in
babblings, and in envyings and strife; wearing costly apparel;
being lifted up in the pride of their own eyes; persecuting,
lying, thieving, robbing, committing whoredoms, and murdering,
and all manner of wickedness; nevertheless, the law was put in
force upon all those who did transgress it, inasmuch as it was
possible.

Alma 1:33
 33 And it came to pass that by thus exercising the law upon
them, every man suffering according to that which he had done,
they became more still, and durst not commit any wickedness if it
were known; therefore, there was much peace among the people of
Nephi until the fifth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 2

Alma 2:1
 1 And it came to pass in the commencement of the fifth year of
their reign there began to be a contention among the people; for
a certain man, being called Amlici, he being a very cunning man,
yea, a wise man as to the wisdom of the world, he being after the
order of the man that slew Gideon by the sword, who was executed
according to the law--

Alma 2:2
 2 Now this Amlici had, by his cunning, drawn away much people
after him; even so much that they began to be very powerful; and
they began to endeavor to establish Amlici to be king over the
people.

Alma 2:3
 3 Now this was alarming to the people of the church, and also to
all those who had not been drawn away after the persuasions of
Amlici; for they knew that according to their law that such
things must be established by the voice of the people.

Alma 2:4
 4 Therefore, if it were possible that Amlici should gain the
voice of the people, he, being a wicked man, would deprive them
of their rights and privileges of the church; for it was his
intent to destroy the church of God.

Alma 2:5
 5 And it came to pass that the people assembled themselves
together throughout all the land, every man according to his
mind, whether it were for or against Amlici, in separate bodies,
having much dispute and wonderful contentions one with another.

Alma 2:6
 6 And thus they did assemble themselves together to cast in
their voices concerning the matter; and they were laid before the
judges.

Alma 2:7
 7 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came against
Amlici, that he was not made king over the people.

Alma 2:8
 8 Now this did cause much joy in the hearts of those who were
against him; but Amlici did stir up those who were in his favor
to anger against those who were not in his favor.

Alma 2:9
 9 And it came to pass that they gathered themselves together,
and did consecrate Amlici to be their king.

Alma 2:10
 10 Now when Amlici was made king over them he commanded them
that they should take up arms against their brethren; and this he
did that he might subject them to him.

Alma 2:11
 11 Now the people of Amlici were distinguished by the name of
Amlici, being called Amlicites; and the remainder were called
Nephites, or the people of God.

Alma 2:12
 12 Therefore the people of the Nephites were aware of the intent
of the Amlicites, and therefore they did prepare to meet them;
yea, they did arm themselves with swords, and with cimeters, and
with bows, and with arrows, and with stones, and with slings, and
with all manner of weapons of war, of every kind.

Alma 2:13
 13 And thus they were prepared to meet the Amlicites at the time
of their coming.  And there were appointed captains, and higher
captains, and chief captains, according to their numbers.

Alma 2:14
 14 And it came to pass that Amlici did arm his men with all
manner of weapons of war of every kind; and he also appointed
rulers and leaders over his people, to lead them to war against
their brethren.

Alma 2:15
 15 And it came to pass that the Amlicites came upon the hill
Amnihu, which was east of the river Sidon, which ran by the land
of Zarahemla, and there they began to make war with the Nephites.

Alma 2:16
 16 Now Alma, being the chief judge and the governor of the
people of Nephi, therefore he went up with his people, yea, with
his captains, and chief captains, yea, at the head of his armies,
against the Amlicites to battle.

Alma 2:17
 17 And they began to slay the Amlicites upon the hill east of
Sidon.  And the Amlicites did contend with the Nephites with
great strength, insomuch that many of the Nephites did fall
before the Amlicites.

Alma 2:18
 18 Nevertheless the Lord did strengthen the hand of the
Nephites, that they slew the Amlicites with great slaughter, that
they began to flee before them.

Alma 2:19
 19 And it came to pass that the Nephites did pursue the
Amlicites all that day, and did slay them with much slaughter,
insomuch that there were slain of the Amlicites twelve thousand
five hundred thirty and two souls; and there were slain of the
Nephites six thousand five hundred sixty and two souls.

Alma 2:20
 20 And it came to pass that when Alma could pursue the Amlicites
no longer he caused that his people should pitch their tents in
the valley of Gideon, the valley being called after that Gideon
who was slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword; and in this
valley the Nephites did pitch their tents for the night.

Alma 2:21
 21 And Alma sent spies to follow the remnant of the Amlicites,
that he might know of their plans and their plots, whereby he
might guard himself against them, that he might preserve his
people from being destroyed.

Alma 2:22
 22 Now those whom he had sent out to watch the camp of the
Amlicites were called Zeram, and Amnor, and Manti, and Limher;
these were they who went out with their men to watch the camp of
the Amlicites.

Alma 2:23
 23 And it came to pass that on the morrow they returned into the
camp of the Nephites in great haste, being greatly astonished,
and struck with much fear, saying:

Alma 2:24
 24 Behold, we followed the camp of the Amlicites, and to our
great astonishment, in the land of Minon, above the land of
Zarahemla, in the course of the land of Nephi, we saw a numerous
host of the Lamanites; and behold, the Amlicites have joined
them;

Alma 2:25
 25 And they are upon our brethren in that land; and they are
fleeing before them with their flocks, and their wives, and their
children, towards our city; and except we make haste they obtain
possession of our city, and our fathers, and our wives, and our
children be slain.

Alma 2:26
 26 And it came to pass that the people of Nephi took their
tents, and departed out of the valley of Gideon towards their
city, which was the city of Zarahemla.

Alma 2:27
 27 And behold, as they were crossing the river Sidon, the
Lamanites and the Amlicites, being as numerous almost, as it
were, as the sands of the sea, came upon them to destroy them.

Alma 2:28
 28 Nevertheless, the Nephites being strengthened by the hand of
the Lord, having prayed mightily to him that he would deliver
them out of the hands of their enemies, therefore the Lord did
hear their cries, and did strengthen them, and the Lamanites and
the Amlicites did fall before them.

Alma 2:29
 29 And it came to pass that Alma fought with Amlici with the
sword, face to face; and they did contend mightily, one with
another.

Alma 2:30
 30 And it came to pass that Alma, being a man of God, being
exercised with much faith, cried, saying: O Lord, have mercy and
spare my life, that I may be an instrument in thy hands to save
and preserve this people.

Alma 2:31
 31 Now when Alma had said these words he contended again with
Amlici; and he was strengthened, insomuch that he slew Amlici
with the sword.

Alma 2:32
 32 And he also contended with the king of the Lamanites; but the
king of the Lamanites fled back from before Alma and sent his
guards to contend with Alma.

Alma 2:33
 33 But Alma, with his guards, contended with the guards of the
king of the Lamanites until he slew and drove them back.

Alma 2:34
 34 And thus he cleared the ground, or rather the bank, which was
on the west of the river Sidon, throwing the bodies of the
Lamanites who had been slain into the waters of Sidon, that
thereby his people might have room to cross and contend with the
Lamanites and the Amlicites on the west side of the river Sidon.

Alma 2:35
 35 And it came to pass that when they had all crossed the river
Sidon that the Lamanites and the Amlicites began to flee before
them, notwithstanding they were so numerous that they could not
be numbered.

Alma 2:36
 36 And they fled before the Nephites towards the wilderness
which was west and north, away beyond the borders of the land;
and the Nephites did pursue them with their might, and did slay
them.

Alma 2:37
 37 Yea, they were met on every hand, and slain and driven, until
they were scattered on the west, and on the north, until they had
reached the wilderness, which was called Hermounts; and it was
that part of the wilderness which was infested by wild and
ravenous beasts.

Alma 2:38
 38 And it came to pass that many died in the wilderness of their
wounds, and were devoured by those beasts and also the vultures
of the air; and their bones have been found, and have been heaped
up on the earth.

Alma 3

Alma 3:1
 1 And it came to pass that the Nephites who were not slain by
the weapons of war, after having buried those who had been
slain--now the number of the slain were not numbered, because of
the greatness of their number--after they had finished burying
their dead they all returned to their lands, and to their houses,
and their wives, and their children.

Alma 3:2
 2 Now many women and children had been slain with the sword, and
also many of their flocks and their herds; and also many of their
fields of grain were destroyed, for they were trodden down by the
hosts of men.

Alma 3:3
 3 And now as many of the Lamanites and the Amlicites who had
been slain upon the bank of the river Sidon were cast into the
waters of Sidon; and behold their bones are in the depths of the
sea, and they are many.

Alma 3:4
 4 And the Amlicites were distinguished from the Nephites, for
they had marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the
manner of the Lamanites; nevertheless they had not shorn their
heads like unto the Lamanites.

Alma 3:5
 5 Now the heads of the Lamanites were shorn; and they were
naked, save it were skin which was girded about their loins, and
also their armor, which was girded about them, and their bows,
and their arrows, and their stones, and their slings, and so
forth.

Alma 3:6
 6 And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the
mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon
them because of their transgression and their rebellion against
their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph, and
Sam, who were just and holy men.

Alma 3:7
 7 And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were
cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman
and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women.

Alma 3:8
 8 And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from
the seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might
preserve his people, that they might not mix and believe in
incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction.

Alma 3:9
 9 And it came to pass that whosoever did mingle his seed with
that of the Lamanites did bring the same curse upon his seed.

Alma 3:10
 10 Therefore, whosoever suffered himself to be led away by the
Lamanites was called under that head, and there was a mark set
upon him.

Alma 3:11
 11 And it came to pass that whosoever would not believe in the
tradition of the Lamanites, but believed those records which were
brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and also in the tradition
of their fathers, which were correct, who believed in the
commandments of God and kept them, were called the Nephites, or
the people of Nephi, from that time forth--

Alma 3:12
 12 And it is they who have kept the records which are true of
their people, and also of the people of the Lamanites.

Alma 3:13
 13 Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had
a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves,
yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads.

Alma 3:14
 14 Thus the word of God is fulfilled, for these are the words
which he said to Nephi: Behold, the Lamanites have I cursed, and
I will set a mark on them that they and their seed may be
separated from thee and thy seed, from this time henceforth and
forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me
that I may have mercy upon them.

Alma 3:15
 15 And again: I will set a mark upon him that mingleth his seed
with thy brethren, that they may be cursed also.

Alma 3:16
 16 And again: I will set a mark upon him that fighteth against
thee and thy seed.

Alma 3:17
 17 And again, I say he that departeth from thee shall no more be
called thy seed; and I will bless thee, and whomsoever shall be
called thy seed, henceforth and forever; and these were the
promises of the Lord unto Nephi and to his seed.

Alma 3:18
 18 Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the
words of God when they began to mark themselves in their
foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in open rebellion
against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should
fall upon them.

Alma 3:19
 19 Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon
themselves the curse; and even so doth every man that is cursed
bring upon himself his own condemnation.

Alma 3:20
 20 Now it came to pass that not many days after the battle which
was fought in the land of Zarahemla, by the Lamanites and the
Amlicites, that there was another army of the Lamanites came in
upon the people of Nephi, in the same place where the first army
met the Amlicites.

Alma 3:21
 21 And it came to pass that there was an army sent to drive them
out of their land.

Alma 3:22
 22 Now Alma himself being afflicted with a wound did not go up
to battle at this time against the Lamanites;

Alma 3:23
 23 But he sent up a numerous army against them; and they went up
and slew many of the Lamanites, and drove the remainder of them
out of the borders of their land.

Alma 3:24
 24 And then they returned again and began to establish peace in
the land, being troubled no more for a time with their enemies.

Alma 3:25
 25 Now all these things were done, yea, all these wars and
contentions were commenced and ended in the fifth year of the
reign of the judges.

Alma 3:26
 26 And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls
sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards
according to their works, whether they were good or whether they
were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according
to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good
spirit or a bad one.

Alma 3:27
 27 For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey,
and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy;
therefore let it be according to the truth.  And thus endeth the
fifth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 4

Alma 4:1
 1 Now it came to pass in the sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, there were no contentions nor
wars in the land of Zarahemla;

Alma 4:2
 2 But the people were afflicted, yea, greatly afflicted for the
loss of their brethren, and also for the loss of their flocks and
herds, and also for the loss of their fields of grain, which were
trodden under foot and destroyed by the Lamanites.

Alma 4:3
 3 And so great were their afflictions that every soul had cause
to mourn; and they believed that it was the judgments of God sent
upon them because of their wickedness and their abominations;
therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty.

Alma 4:4
 4 And they began to establish the church more fully; yea, and
many were baptized in the waters of Sidon and were joined to the
church of God; yea, they were baptized by the hand of Alma, who
had been consecrated the high priest over the people of the
church, by the hand of his father Alma.

Alma 4:5
 5 And it came to pass in the seventh year of the reign of the
judges there were about three thousand five hundred souls that
united themselves to the church of God and were baptized.  And
thus endeth the seventh year of the reign of the judges over the
people of Nephi; and there was continual peace in all that time.

Alma 4:6
 6 And it came to pass in the eighth year of the reign of the
judges, that the people of the church began to wax proud, because
of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their
fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds,
and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious
things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all
these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for
they began to wear very costly apparel.

Alma 4:7
 7 Now this was the cause of much affliction to Alma, yea, and to
many of the people whom Alma had consecrated to be teachers, and
priests, and elders over the church; yea, many of them were
sorely grieved for the wickedness which they saw had begun to be
among their people.

Alma 4:8
 8 For they saw and beheld with great sorrow that the people of
the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and
to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the
world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and
they began to persecute those that did not believe according to
their own will and pleasure.

Alma 4:9
 9 And thus, in this eighth year of the reign of the judges,
there began to be great contentions among the people of the
church; yea, there were envyings, and strife, and malice, and
persecutions, and pride, even to exceed the pride of those who
did not belong to the church of God.

Alma 4:10
 10 And thus ended the eighth year of the reign of the judges;
and the wickedness of the church was a great stumbling-block to
those who did not belong to the church; and thus the church began
to fail in its progress.

Alma 4:11
 11 And it came to pass in the commencement of the ninth year,
Alma saw the wickedness of the church, and he saw also that the
example of the church began to lead those who were unbelievers on
from one piece of iniquity to another, thus bringing on the
destruction of the people.

Alma 4:12
 12 Yea, he saw great inequality among the people, some lifting
themselves up with their pride, despising others, turning their
backs upon the needy and the naked and those who were hungry, and
those who were athirst, and those who were sick and afflicted.

Alma 4:13
 13 Now this was a great cause for lamentations among the people,
while others were abasing themselves, succoring those who stood
in need of their succor, such as imparting their substance to the
poor and the needy, feeding the hungry, and suffering all manner
of afflictions, for Christ's sake, who should come according to
the spirit of prophecy;

Alma 4:14
 14 Looking forward to that day, thus retaining a remission of
their sins; being filled with great joy because of the
resurrection of the dead, according to the will and power and
deliverance of Jesus Christ from the bands of death.

Alma 4:15
 15 And now it came to pass that Alma, having seen the
afflictions of the humble followers of God, and the persecutions
which were heaped upon them by the remainder of his people, and
seeing all their inequality, began to be very sorrowful;
nevertheless the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him.

Alma 4:16
 16 And he selected a wise man who was among the elders of the
church, and gave him power according to the voice of the people,
that he might have power to enact laws according to the laws
which had been given, and to put them in force according to the
wickedness and the crimes of the people.

Alma 4:17
 17 Now this man's name was Nephihah, and he was appointed chief
judge; and he sat in the judgment-seat to judge and to govern the
people.

Alma 4:18
 18 Now Alma did not grant unto him the office of being high
priest over the church, but he retained the office of high priest
unto himself; but he delivered the judgment-seat unto Nephihah.

Alma 4:19
 19 And this he did that he himself might go forth among his
people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the
word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their
duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the
pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his
people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in
bearing down in pure testimony against them.

Alma 4:20
 20 And thus in the commencement of the ninth year of the reign
of the judges over the people of Nephi, Alma delivered up the
judgment-seat to Nephihah, and confined himself wholly to the
high priesthood of the holy order of God, to the testimony of the
word, according to the spirit of revelation and prophecy.

Alma 5

Alma 5:1
 1 Now it came to pass that Alma began to deliver the word of God
unto the people, first in the land of Zarahemla, and from thence
throughout all the land.

Alma 5:2
 2 And these are the words which he spake to the people in the
church which was established in the city of Zarahemla, according
to his own record, saying:

Alma 5:3
 3 I, Alma, having been consecrated by my father, Alma, to be a
high priest over the church of God, he having power and authority
from God to do these things, behold, I say unto you that he began
to establish a church in the land which was in the borders of
Nephi; yea, the land which was called the land of Mormon; yea,
and he did baptize his brethren in the waters of Mormon.

Alma 5:4
 4 And behold, I say unto you, they were delivered out of the
hands of the people of king Noah, by the mercy and power of God.

Alma 5:5
 5 And behold, after that, they were brought into bondage by the
hands of the Lamanites in the wilderness; yea, I say unto you,
they were in captivity, and again the Lord did deliver them out
of bondage by the power of his word; and we were brought into
this land, and here we began to establish the church of God
throughout this land also.

Alma 5:6
 6 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, you that belong
to this church, have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the
captivity of your fathers?  Yea, and have you sufficiently
retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards
them?  And moreover, have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance
that he has delivered their souls from hell?

Alma 5:7
 7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of
a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God.  Behold, they were in the
midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by
the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about
by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting
destruction did await them.

Alma 5:8
 8 And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed? 
Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.

Alma 5:9
 9 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the
chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed?  I
say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand,
and they did sing redeeming love.  And I say unto you that they
are saved.

Alma 5:10
 10 And now I ask of you on what conditions are they saved?  Yea,
what grounds had they to hope for salvation?  What is the cause
of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the
chains of hell?

Alma 5:11
 11 Behold, I can tell you--did not my father Alma believe in the
words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi?  And was he
not a holy prophet?  Did he not speak the words of God, and my
father Alma believe them?

Alma 5:12
 12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought
in his heart.  Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

Alma 5:13
 13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a
mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled
themselves and put their trust in the true and living God.  And
behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were
saved.

Alma 5:14
 14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have
ye spiritually been born of God?  Have ye received his image in
your countenances?  Have ye experienced this mighty change in
your hearts?

Alma 5:15
 15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created
you?  Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this
mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in
incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the
deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

Alma 5:16
 16 I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear
the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me
ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of
righteousness upon the face of the earth?

Alma 5:17
 17 Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord
in that day, and say--Lord, our works have been righteous works
upon the face of the earth--and that he will save you?

Alma 5:18
 18 Or otherwise, can ye imagine yourselves brought before the
tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse,
having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect
remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye
have set at defiance the commandments of God?

Alma 5:19
 19 I say unto you, can ye look up to God at that day with a pure
heart and clean hands?  I say unto you, can you look up, having
the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

Alma 5:20
 20 I say unto you, can ye think of being saved when you have
yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

Alma 5:21
 21 I say unto you, ye will know at that day that ye cannot be
saved; for there can no man be saved except his garments are
washed white; yea, his garments must be purified until they are
cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him of whom it has
been spoken by our fathers, who should come to redeem his people
from their sins.

Alma 5:22
 22 And now I ask of you, my brethren, how will any of you feel,
if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments
stained with blood and all manner of filthiness?  Behold, what
will these things testify against you?

Alma 5:23
 23 Behold will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and
also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

Alma 5:24
 24 Behold, my brethren, do ye suppose that such an one can have
a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with
Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose
garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?

Alma 5:25
 25 I say unto you, Nay; except ye make our Creator a liar from
the beginning, or suppose that he is a liar from the beginning,
ye cannot suppose that such can have place in the kingdom of
heaven; but they shall be cast out for they are the children of
the kingdom of the devil.

Alma 5:26
 26 And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have
experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the
song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Alma 5:27
 27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? 
Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within
yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble?  That your
garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of
Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

Alma 5:28
 28 Behold, are ye stripped of pride?  I say unto you, if ye are
not ye are not prepared to meet God.  Behold ye must prepare
quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an
one hath not eternal life.

Alma 5:29
 29 Behold, I say, is there one among you who is not stripped of
envy?  I say unto you that such an one is not prepared; and I
would that he should prepare quickly, for the hour is close at
hand, and he knoweth not when the time shall come; for such an
one is not found guiltless.

Alma 5:30
 30 And again I say unto you, is there one among you that doth
make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him
persecutions?

Alma 5:31
 31 Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is
at hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved!

Alma 5:32
 32 Yea, even wo unto all ye workers of iniquity; repent, repent,
for the Lord God hath spoken it!

Alma 5:33
 33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms
of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I
will receive you.

Alma 5:34
 34 Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit
of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and
the waters of life freely;

Alma 5:35
 35 Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness, and
ye shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire--

Alma 5:36
 36 For behold, the time is at hand that whosoever bringeth forth
not good fruit, or whosoever doeth not the works of
righteousness, the same have cause to wail and mourn.

Alma 5:37
 37 O ye workers of iniquity; ye that are puffed up in the vain
things of the world, ye that have professed to have known the
ways of righteousness nevertheless have gone astray, as sheep
having no shepherd, notwithstanding a shepherd hath called after
you and is still calling after you, but ye will not hearken unto
his voice!

Alma 5:38
 38 Behold, I say unto you, that the good shepherd doth call you;
yea, and in his own name he doth call you, which is the name of
Christ; and if ye will not hearken unto the voice of the good
shepherd, to the name by which ye are called, behold, ye are not
the sheep of the good shepherd.

Alma 5:39
 39 And now if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what
fold are ye?  Behold, I say unto you, that the devil is your
shepherd, and ye are of his fold; and now, who can deny this? 
Behold, I say unto you, whosoever denieth this is a liar and a
child of the devil.

Alma 5:40
 40 For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God,
and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil.

Alma 5:41
 41 Therefore, if a man bringeth forth good works he hearkeneth
unto the voice of the good shepherd, and he doth follow him; but
whosoever bringeth forth evil works, the same becometh a child of
the devil, for he hearkeneth unto his voice, and doth follow him.

Alma 5:42
 42 And whosoever doeth this must receive his wages of him;
therefore, for his wages he receiveth death, as to things
pertaining unto righteousness, being dead unto all good works.

Alma 5:43
 43 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should hear me, for I
speak in the energy of my soul; for behold, I have spoken unto
you plainly that ye cannot err, or have spoken according to the
commandments of God.

Alma 5:44
 44 For I am called to speak after this manner, according to the
holy order of God, which is in Christ Jesus; yea, I am commanded
to stand and testify unto this people the things which have been
spoken by our fathers concerning the things which are to come.

Alma 5:45
 45 And this is not all.  Do ye not suppose that I know of these
things myself?  Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that
these things whereof I have spoken are true.  And how do ye
suppose that I know of their surety?

Alma 5:46
 46 Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the
Holy Spirit of God.  Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days
that I might know these things of myself.  And now I do know of
myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them
manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of
revelation which is in me.

Alma 5:47
 47 And moreover, I say unto you that it has thus been revealed
unto me, that the words which have been spoken by our fathers are
true, even so according to the spirit of prophecy which is in me,
which is also by the manifestation of the Spirit of God.

Alma 5:48
 48 I say unto you, that I know of myself that whatsoever I shall
say unto you, concerning that which is to come, is true; and I
say unto you, that I know that Jesus Christ shall come, yea, the
Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, and mercy,
and truth.  And behold, it is he that cometh to take away the
sins of the world, yea, the sins of every man who steadfastly
believeth on his name.

Alma 5:49
 49 And now I say unto you that this is the order after which I
am called, yea, to preach unto my beloved brethren, yea, and
every one that dwelleth in the land; yea, to preach unto all,
both old and young, both bond and free; yea, I say unto you the
aged, and also the middle aged, and the rising generation; yea,
to cry unto them that they must repent and be born again.

Alma 5:50
 50 Yea, thus saith the Spirit: Repent, all ye ends of the earth,
for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand; yea, the Son of God
cometh in his glory, in his might, majesty, power, and dominion. 
Yea, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, that the Spirit saith:
Behold the glory of the King of all the earth; and also the King
of heaven shall very soon shine forth among all the children of
men.

Alma 5:51
 51 And also the Spirit saith unto me, yea, crieth unto me with a
mighty voice, saying: Go forth and say unto this people--Repent,
for except ye repent ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of
heaven.

Alma 5:52
 52 And again I say unto you, the Spirit saith: Behold, the ax is
laid at the root of the tree; therefore every tree that bringeth
not forth good fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the fire,
yea, a fire which cannot be consumed, even an unquenchable fire. 
Behold, and remember, the Holy One hath spoken it.

Alma 5:53
 53 And now my beloved brethren, I say unto you, can ye withstand
these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample
the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the
pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing
of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of
the world, upon your riches?

Alma 5:54
 54 Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than
another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your
brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order
of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having
been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works
which are meet for repentance--

Alma 5:55
 55 Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the
poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?

Alma 5:56
 56 And finally, all ye that will persist in your wickedness, I
say unto you that these are they who shall be hewn down and cast
into the fire except they speedily repent.

Alma 5:57
 57 And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow
the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and
be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold,
their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked
shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the
word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the
wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;

Alma 5:58
 58 For the names of the righteous shall be written in the book
of life, and unto them will I grant an inheritance at my right
hand.  And now, my brethren, what have ye to say against this?  I
say unto you, if ye speak against it, it matters not, for the
word of God must be fulfilled.

Alma 5:59
 59 For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth
not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his
flock?  And behold, if a wolf enter his flock doth he not drive
him out?  Yea, and at the last, if he can, he will destroy him.

Alma 5:60
 60 And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after
you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you
into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that
ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be
destroyed.

Alma 5:61
 61 And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of him who
hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have
spoken unto you.

Alma 5:62
 62 I speak by way of command unto you that belong to the church;
and unto those who do not belong to the church I speak by way of
invitation, saying: Come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye
also may be partakers of the fruit of the tree of life.

Alma 6

Alma 6:1
 1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had made an end of
speaking unto the people of the church, which was established in
the city of Zarahemla, he ordained priests and elders, by laying
on his hands according to the order of God, to preside and watch
over the church.

Alma 6:2
 2 And it came to pass that whosoever did not belong to the
church who repented of their sins were baptized unto repentance,
and were received into the church.

Alma 6:3
 3 And it also came to pass that whosoever did belong to the
church that did not repent of their wickedness and humble
themselves before God--I mean those who were lifted up in the
pride of their hearts--the same were rejected, and their names
were blotted out, that their names were not numbered among those
of the righteous.

Alma 6:4
 4 And thus they began to establish the order of the church in
the city of Zarahemla.

Alma 6:5
 5 Now I would that ye should understand that the word of God was
liberal unto all, that none were deprived of the privilege of
assembling themselves together to hear the word of God.

Alma 6:6
 6 Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they
should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and
mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who
knew not God.

Alma 6:7
 7 And now it came to pass that when Alma had made these
regulations he departed from them, yea, from the church which was
in the city of Zarahemla, and went over upon the east of the
river Sidon, into the valley of Gideon, there having been a city
built, which was called the city of Gideon, which was in the
valley that was called Gideon, being called after the man who was
slain by the hand of Nehor with the sword.

Alma 6:8
 8 And Alma went and began to declare the word of God unto the
church which was established in the valley of Gideon, according
to the revelation of the truth of the word which had been spoken
by his fathers, and according to the spirit of prophecy which was
in him, according to the testimony of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, who should come to redeem his people from their sins, and
the holy order by which he was called.  And thus it is written. 
Amen.

Alma 7

Alma 7:1
 1 Behold my beloved brethren, seeing that I have been permitted
to come unto you, therefore I attempt to address you in my
language; yea, by my own mouth, seeing that it is the first time
that I have spoken unto you by the words of my mouth, I having
been wholly confined to the judgment-seat, having had much
business that I could not come unto you.

Alma 7:2
 2 And even I could not have come now at this time were it not
that the judgment-seat hath been given to another, to reign in my
stead; and the Lord in much mercy hath granted that I should come
unto you.

Alma 7:3
 3 And behold, I have come having great hopes and much desire
that I should find that ye had humbled yourselves before God, and
that ye had continued in the supplicating of his grace, that I
should find that ye were blameless before him, that I should find
that ye were not in the awful dilemma that our brethren were in
at Zarahemla.

Alma 7:4
 4 But blessed be the name of God, that he hath given me to know,
yea, hath given unto me the exceedingly great joy of knowing that
they are established again in the way of his righteousness.

Alma 7:5
 5 And I trust, according to the Spirit of God which is in me,
that I shall also have joy over you; nevertheless I do not desire
that my joy over you should come by the cause of so much
afflictions and sorrow which I have had for the brethren at
Zarahemla, for behold, my joy cometh over them after wading
through much affliction and sorrow.

Alma 7:6
 6 But behold, I trust that ye are not in a state of so much
unbelief as were your brethren; I trust that ye are not lifted up
in the pride of your hearts; yea, I trust that ye have not set
your hearts upon riches and the vain things of the world; yea, I
trust that you do not worship idols, but that ye do worship the
true and living God, and that ye look forward for the remission
of your sins, with an everlasting faith, which is to come.

Alma 7:7
 7 For behold, I say unto you there be many things to come; and
behold, there is one thing which is of more importance than they
all--for behold, the time is not far distant that the Redeemer
liveth and cometh among his people.

Alma 7:8
 8 Behold, I do not say that he will come among us at the time of
his dwelling in his mortal tabernacle; for behold, the Spirit
hath not said unto me that this should be the case.  Now as to
this thing I do not know; but this much I do know, that the Lord
God hath power to do all things which are according to his word.

Alma 7:9
 9 But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto me, saying:
Cry unto this people, saying--Repent ye, and prepare the way of
the Lord, and walk in his paths, which are straight; for behold,
the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon
the face of the earth.

Alma 7:10
 10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is
the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and
chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the
power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son
of God.

Alma 7:11
 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and
temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be
fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the
sicknesses of his people.

Alma 7:12
 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands
of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their
infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according
to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to
succor his people according to their infirmities.

Alma 7:13
 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of
God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him
the sins of his people, that he might blot out their
transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now
behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Alma 7:14
 14 Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again;
for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit
the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto
repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may
have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the
world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all
unrighteousness.

Alma 7:15
 15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every
sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to
destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that
ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant
with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this
day by going into the waters of baptism.

Alma 7:16
 16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God
from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him,
yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have
eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit,
which testifieth in me.

Alma 7:17
 17 And now my beloved brethren, do you believe these things? 
Behold, I say unto you, yea, I know that ye believe them; and the
way that I know that ye believe them is by the manifestation of
the Spirit which is in me.  And now because your faith is strong
concerning that, yea, concerning the things which I have spoken,
great is my joy.

Alma 7:18
 18 For as I said unto you from the beginning, that I had much
desire that ye were not in the state of dilemma like your
brethren, even so I have found that my desires have been
gratified.

Alma 7:19
 19 For I perceive that ye are in the paths of righteousness; I
perceive that ye are in the path which leads to the kingdom of
God; yea, I perceive that ye are making his paths straight.

Alma 7:20
 20 I perceive that it has been made known unto you, by the
testimony of his word, that he cannot walk in crooked paths;
neither doth he vary from that which he hath said; neither hath
he a shadow of turning from the right to the left, or from that
which is right to that which is wrong; therefore, his course is
one eternal round.

Alma 7:21
 21 And he doth not dwell in unholy temples; neither can
filthiness or anything which is unclean be received into the
kingdom of God; therefore I say unto you the time shall come,
yea, and it shall be at the last day, that he who is filthy shall
remain in his filthiness.

Alma 7:22
 22 And now my beloved brethren, I have said these things unto
you that I might awaken you to a sense of your duty to God, that
ye may walk blameless before him, that ye may walk after the holy
order of God, after which ye have been received.

Alma 7:23
 23 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive
and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and
long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in
keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for
whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal;
always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do
receive.

Alma 7:24
 24 And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye
will always abound in good works.

Alma 7:25
 25 And may the Lord bless you, and keep your garments spotless,
that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the
world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments
are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out.

Alma 7:26
 26 And now my beloved brethren, I have spoken these words unto
you according to the Spirit which testifieth in me; and my soul
doth exceedingly rejoice, because of the exceeding diligence and
heed which ye have given unto my word.

Alma 7:27
 27 And now, may the peace of God rest upon you, and upon your
houses and lands, and upon your flocks and herds, and all that
you possess, your women and your children, according to your
faith and good works, from this time forth and forever.  And thus
I have spoken.  Amen.

Alma 8

Alma 8:1
 1 And now it came to pass that Alma returned from the land of
Gideon, after having taught the people of Gideon many things
which cannot be written, having established the order of the
church, according as he had before done in the land of Zarahemla,
yea, he returned to his own house at Zarahemla to rest himself
from the labors which he had performed.

Alma 8:2
 2 And thus ended the ninth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi.

Alma 8:3
 3 And it came to pass in the commencement of the tenth year of
the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma
departed from thence and took his journey over into the land of
Melek, on the west of the river Sidon, on the west by the borders
of the wilderness.

Alma 8:4
 4 And he began to teach the people in the land of Melek
according to the holy order of God, by which he had been called;
and he began to teach the people throughout all the land of
Melek.

Alma 8:5
 5 And it came to pass that the people came to him throughout all
the borders of the land which was by the wilderness side.  And
they were baptized throughout all the land;

Alma 8:6
 6 So that when he had finished his work at Melek he departed
thence, and traveled three days' journey on the north of the land
of Melek; and he came to a city which was called Ammonihah.

Alma 8:7
 7 Now it was the custom of the people of Nephi to call their
lands, and their cities, and their villages, yea, even all their
small villages, after the name of him who first possessed them;
and thus it was with the land of Ammonihah.

Alma 8:8
 8 And it came to pass that when Alma had come to the city of
Ammonihah he began to preach the word of God unto them.

Alma 8:9
 9 Now Satan had gotten great hold upon the hearts of the people
of the city of Ammonihah; therefore they would not hearken unto
the words of Alma.

Alma 8:10
 10 Nevertheless Alma labored much in the spirit, wrestling with
God in mighty prayer, that he would pour out his Spirit upon the
people who were in the city; that he would also grant that he
might baptize them unto repentance.

Alma 8:11
 11 Nevertheless, they hardened their hearts, saying unto him:
Behold, we know that thou art Alma; and we know that thou art
high priest over the church which thou hast established in many
parts of the land, according to your tradition; and we are not of
thy church, and we do not believe in such foolish traditions.

Alma 8:12
 12 And now we know that because we are not of thy church we know
that thou hast no power over us; and thou hast delivered up the
judgment-seat unto Nephihah; therefore thou art not the chief
judge over us.

Alma 8:13
 13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his
words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he
should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his
journey towards the city which was called Aaron.

Alma 8:14
 14 And it came to pass that while he was journeying thither,
being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation
and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who
were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was
thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord
appeared unto him, saying:

Alma 8:15
 15 Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and
rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been
faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which
thou receivedst thy first message from him.  Behold, I am he that
delivered it unto you.

Alma 8:16
 16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the
city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city;
yea, preach unto them.  Yea, say unto them, except they repent
the Lord God will destroy them.

Alma 8:17
 17 For behold, they do study at this time that they may destroy
the liberty of thy people, (for thus saith the Lord) which is
contrary to the statutes, and judgments, and commandments which
he has given unto his people.

Alma 8:18
 18 Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message
from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of
Ammonihah.  And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the
way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.

Alma 8:19
 19 And as he entered the city he was an hungered, and he said to
a man: Will ye give to an humble servant of God something to eat?

Alma 8:20
 20 And the man said unto him: I am a Nephite, and I know that
thou art a holy prophet of God, for thou art the man whom an
angel said in a vision: Thou shalt receive.  Therefore, go with
me into my house and I will impart unto thee of my food; and I
know that thou wilt be a blessing unto me and my house.

Alma 8:21
 21 And it came to pass that the man received him into his house;
and the man was called Amulek; and he brought forth bread and
meat and set before Alma.

Alma 8:22
 22 And it came to pass that Alma ate bread and was filled; and
he blessed Amulek and his house, and he gave thanks unto God.

Alma 8:23
 23 And after he had eaten and was filled he said unto Amulek: I
am Alma, and am the high priest over the church of God throughout
the land.

Alma 8:24
 24 And behold, I have been called to preach the word of God
among all this people, according to the spirit of revelation and
prophecy; and I was in this land and they would not receive me,
but they cast me out and I was about to set my back towards this
land forever.

Alma 8:25
 25 But behold, I have been commanded that I should turn again
and prophesy unto this people, yea, and to testify against them
concerning their iniquities.

Alma 8:26
 26 And now, Amulek, because thou hast fed me and taken me in,
thou art blessed; for I was an hungered, for I had fasted many
days.

Alma 8:27
 27 And Alma tarried many days with Amulek before he began to
preach unto the people.

Alma 8:28
 28 And it came to pass that the people did wax more gross in
their iniquities.

Alma 8:29
 29 And the word came to Alma, saying: Go; and also say unto my
servant Amulek, go forth and prophesy unto this people,
saying--Repent ye, for thus saith the Lord, except ye repent I
will visit this people in mine anger; yea, and I will not turn my
fierce anger away.

Alma 8:30
 30 And Alma went forth, and also Amulek, among the people, to
declare the words of God unto them; and they were filled with the
Holy Ghost.

Alma 8:31
 31 And they had power given unto them, insomuch that they could
not be confined in dungeons; neither was it possible that any man
could slay them; nevertheless they did not exercise their power
until they were bound in bands and cast into prison.  Now, this
was done that the Lord might show forth his power in them.

Alma 8:32
 32 And it came to pass that they went forth and began to preach
and to prophesy unto the people, according to the spirit and
power which the Lord had given them.

Alma 9

Alma 9:1
 1 And again, I, Alma, having been commanded of God that I should
take Amulek and go forth and preach again unto this people, or
the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass as
I began to preach unto them, they began to contend with me,
saying:

Alma 9:2
 2 Who art thou?  Suppose ye that we shall believe the testimony
of one man, although he should preach unto us that the earth
should pass away?

Alma 9:3
 3 Now they understood not the words which they spake; for they
knew not that the earth should pass away.

Alma 9:4
 4 And they said also: We will not believe thy words if thou
shouldst prophesy that this great city should be destroyed in one
day.

Alma 9:5
 5 Now they knew not that God could do such marvelous works, for
they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.

Alma 9:6
 6 And they said: Who is God, that sendeth no more authority than
one man among this people, to declare unto them the truth of such
great and marvelous things?

Alma 9:7
 7 And they stood forth to lay their hands on me; but behold,
they did not.  And I stood with boldness to declare unto them,
yea, I did boldly testify unto them, saying:

Alma 9:8
 8 Behold, O ye wicked and perverse generation, how have ye
forgotten the tradition of your fathers; yea, how soon ye have
forgotten the commandments of God.

Alma 9:9
 9 Do ye not remember that our father, Lehi, was brought out of
Jerusalem by the hand of God?  Do ye not remember that they were
all led by him through the wilderness?

Alma 9:10
 10 And have ye forgotten so soon how many times he delivered our
fathers out of the hands of their enemies, and preserved them
from being destroyed, even by the hands of their own brethren?

Alma 9:11
 11 Yea, and if it had not been for his matchless power, and his
mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably
have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this
period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless
misery and woe.

Alma 9:12
 12 Behold, now I say unto you that he commandeth you to repent;
and except ye repent, ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of
God.  But behold, this is not all--he has commanded you to
repent, or he will utterly destroy you from off the face of the
earth; yea, he will visit you in his anger, and in his fierce
anger he will not turn away.

Alma 9:13
 13 Behold, do ye not remember the words which he spake unto
Lehi, saying that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye
shall prosper in the land?  And again it is said that: Inasmuch
as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from the
presence of the Lord.

Alma 9:14
 14 Now I would that ye should remember, that inasmuch as the
Lamanites have not kept the commandments of God, they have been
cut off from the presence of the Lord.  Now we see that the word
of the Lord has been verified in this thing, and the Lamanites
have been cut off from his presence, from the beginning of their
transgressions in the land.

Alma 9:15
 15 Nevertheless I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable
for them in the day of judgment than for you, if ye remain in
your sins, yea, and even more tolerable for them in this life
than for you, except ye repent.

Alma 9:16
 16 For there are many promises which are extended to the
Lamanites; for it is because of the traditions of their fathers
that caused them to remain in their state of ignorance; therefore
the Lord will be merciful unto them and prolong their existence
in the land.

Alma 9:17
 17 And at some period of time they will be brought to believe in
his word, and to know of the incorrectness of the traditions of
their fathers; and many of them will be saved, for the Lord will
be merciful unto all who call on his name.

Alma 9:18
 18 But behold, I say unto you that if ye persist in your
wickedness that your days shall not be prolonged in the land, for
the Lamanites shall be sent upon you; and if ye repent not they
shall come in a time when you know not, and ye shall be visited
with utter destruction; and it shall be according to the fierce
anger of the Lord.

Alma 9:19
 19 For he will not suffer you that ye shall live in your
iniquities, to destroy his people.  I say unto you, Nay; he would
rather suffer that the Lamanites might destroy all his people who
are called the people of Nephi, if it were possible that they
could fall into sins and transgressions, after having had so much
light and so much knowledge given unto them of the Lord their
God;

Alma 9:20
 20 Yea, after having been such a highly favored people of the
Lord; yea, after having been favored above every other nation,
kindred, tongue, or people; after having had all things made
known unto them, according to their desires, and their faith, and
prayers, of that which has been, and which is, and which is to
come;

Alma 9:21
 21 Having been visited by the Spirit of God; having conversed
with angels, and having been spoken unto by the voice of the
Lord; and having the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of
revelation, and also many gifts, the gift of speaking with
tongues, and the gift of preaching, and the gift of the Holy
Ghost, and the gift of translation;

Alma 9:22
 22 Yea, and after having been delivered of God out of the land
of Jerusalem, by the hand of the Lord; having been saved from
famine, and from sickness, and all manner of diseases of every
kind; and they having waxed strong in battle, that they might not
be destroyed; having been brought out of bondage time after time,
and having been kept and preserved until now; and they have been
prospered until they are rich in all manner of things--

Alma 9:23
 23 And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have
received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should
transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do
have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they
should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable
for the Lamanites than for them.

Alma 9:24
 24 For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the
Lamanites, but they are not unto you if ye transgress; for has
not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye
will rebel against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from
off the face of the earth?

Alma 9:25
 25 And now for this cause, that ye may not be destroyed, the
Lord has sent his angel to visit many of his people, declaring
unto them that they must go forth and cry mightily unto this
people, saying: Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is nigh at
hand;

Alma 9:26
 26 And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his
glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of
the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience,
mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people
and to answer their prayers.

Alma 9:27
 27 And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized
unto repentance, through faith on his name.

Alma 9:28
 28 Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at
hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according
to that which they have been--if they have been righteous they
shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power
and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they
shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power
and captivation of the devil.

Alma 9:29
 29 Now behold, this is the voice of the angel, crying unto the
people.

Alma 9:30
 30 And now, my beloved brethren, for ye are my brethren, and ye
ought to be beloved, and ye ought to bring forth works which are
meet for repentance, seeing that your hearts have been grossly
hardened against the word of God, and seeing that ye are a lost
and a fallen people.

Alma 9:31
 31 Now it came to pass that when I, Alma, had spoken these
words, behold, the people were wroth with me because I said unto
them that they were a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people.

Alma 9:32
 32 And also because I said unto them that they were a lost and a
fallen people they were angry with me, and sought to lay their
hands upon me, that they might cast me into prison.

Alma 9:33
 33 But it came to pass that the Lord did not suffer them that
they should take me at that time and cast me into prison.

Alma 9:34
 34 And it came to pass that Amulek went and stood forth, and
began to preach unto them also.  And now the words of Amulek are
not all written, nevertheless a part of his words are written in
this book.

Alma 10

Alma 10:1
 1 Now these are the words which Amulek preached unto the people
who were in the land of Ammonihah, saying:

Alma 10:2
 2 I am Amulek; I am the son of Giddonah, who was the son of
Ishmael, who was a descendant of Aminadi; and it was the same
Aminadi who interpreted the writing which was upon the wall of
the temple, which was written by the finger of God.

Alma 10:3
 3 And Aminadi was a descendant of Nephi, who was the son of
Lehi, who came out of the land of Jerusalem, who was a descendant
of Manasseh, who was the son of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by
the hands of his brethren.

Alma 10:4
 4 And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all
those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and
friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my
industry.

Alma 10:5
 5 Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the
ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power.  I said
I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake,
for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power;
yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people.

Alma 10:6
 6 Nevertheless, I did harden my heart, for I was called many
times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these
things, yet I would not know; therefore I went on rebelling
against God, in the wickedness of my heart, even until the fourth
day of this seventh month, which is in the tenth year of the
reign of the judges.

Alma 10:7
 7 As I was journeying to see a very near kindred, behold an
angel of the Lord appeared unto me and said: Amulek, return to
thine own house, for thou shalt feed a prophet of the Lord; yea,
a holy man, who is a chosen man of God; for he has fasted many
days because of the sins of this people, and he is an hungered,
and thou shalt receive him into thy house and feed him, and he
shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord
shall rest upon thee and thy house.

Alma 10:8
 8 And it came to pass that I obeyed the voice of the angel, and
returned towards my house.  And as I was going thither I found
the man whom the angel said unto me: Thou shalt receive into thy
house--and behold it was this same man who has been speaking unto
you concerning the things of God.

Alma 10:9
 9 And the angel said unto me he is a holy man; wherefore I know
he is a holy man because it was said by an angel of God.

Alma 10:10
 10 And again, I know that the things whereof he hath testified
are true; for behold I say unto you, that as the Lord liveth,
even so has he sent his angel to make these things manifest unto
me; and this he has done while this Alma hath dwelt at my house.

Alma 10:11
 11 For behold, he hath blessed mine house, he hath blessed me,
and my women, and my children, and my father and my kinsfolk;
yea, even all my kindred hath he blessed, and the blessing of the
Lord hath rested upon us according to the words which he spake.

Alma 10:12
 12 And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began
to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who
testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of
the things which were to come, according to the spirit of
prophecy which was in them.

Alma 10:13
 13 Nevertheless, there were some among them who thought to
question them, that by their cunning devices they might catch
them in their words, that they might find witness against them,
that they might deliver them to their judges that they might be
judged according to the law, and that they might be slain or cast
into prison, according to the crime which they could make appear
or witness against them.

Alma 10:14
 14 Now it was those men who sought to destroy them, who were
lawyers, who were hired or appointed by the people to administer
the law at their times of trials, or at the trials of the crimes
of the people before the judges.

Alma 10:15
 15 Now these lawyers were learned in all the arts and cunning of
the people; and this was to enable them that they might be
skilful in their profession.

Alma 10:16
 16 And it came to pass that they began to question Amulek, that
thereby they might make him cross his words, or contradict the
words which he should speak.

Alma 10:17
 17 Now they knew not that Amulek could know of their designs. 
But it came to pass as they began to question him, he perceived
their thoughts, and he said unto them: O ye wicked and perverse
generation, ye lawyers and hypocrites, for ye are laying the
foundation of the devil; for ye are laying traps and snares to
catch the holy ones of God.

Alma 10:18
 18 Ye are laying plans to pervert the ways of the righteous, and
to bring down the wrath of God upon your heads, even to the utter
destruction of this people.

Alma 10:19
 19 Yea, well did Mosiah say, who was our last king, when he was
about to deliver up the kingdom, having no one to confer it upon,
causing that this people should be governed by their own
voices--yea, well did he say that if the time should come that
the voice of this people should choose iniquity, that is, if the
time should come that this people should fall into transgression,
they would be ripe for destruction.

Alma 10:20
 20 And now I say unto you that well doth the Lord judge of your
iniquities; well doth he cry unto this people, by the voice of
his angels: Repent ye, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand.

Alma 10:21
 21 Yea, well doth he cry, by the voice of his angels that: I
will come down among my people, with equity and justice in my
hands.

Alma 10:22
 22 Yea, and I say unto you that if it were not for the prayers
of the righteous, who are now in the land, that ye would even now
be visited with utter destruction; yet it would not be by flood,
as were the people in the days of Noah, but it would be by
famine, and by pestilence, and the sword.

Alma 10:23
 23 But it is by the prayers of the righteous that ye are spared;
now therefore, if ye will cast out the righteous from among you
then will not the Lord stay his hand; but in his fierce anger he
will come out against you; then ye shall be smitten by famine,
and by pestilence, and by the sword; and the time is soon at hand
except ye repent.

Alma 10:24
 24 And now it came to pass that the people were more angry with
Amulek, and they cried out, saying: This man doth revile against
our laws which are just, and our wise lawyers whom we have
selected.

Alma 10:25
 25 But Amulek stretched forth his hand, and cried the mightier
unto them, saying: O ye wicked and perverse generation, why hath
Satan got such great hold upon your hearts?  Why will ye yield
yourselves unto him that he may have power over you, to blind
your eyes, that ye will not understand the words which are
spoken, according to their truth?

Alma 10:26
 26 For behold, have I testified against your law?  Ye do not
understand; ye say that I have spoken against your law; but I
have not, but I have spoken in favor of your law, to your
condemnation.

Alma 10:27
 27 And now behold, I say unto you, that the foundation of the
destruction of this people is beginning to be laid by the
unrighteousness of your lawyers and your judges.

Alma 10:28
 28 And now it came to pass that when Amulek had spoken these
words the people cried out against him, saying: Now we know that
this man is a child of the devil, for he hath lied unto us; for
he hath spoken against our law.  And now he says that he has not
spoken against it.

Alma 10:29
 29 And again, he has reviled against our lawyers, and our
judges.

Alma 10:30
 30 And it came to pass that the lawyers put it into their hearts
that they should remember these things against him.

Alma 10:31
 31 And there was one among them whose name was Zeezrom.  Now he
was the foremost to accuse Amulek and Alma, he being one of the
most expert among them, having much business to do among the
people.

Alma 10:32
 32 Now the object of these lawyers was to get gain; and they got
gain according to their employ.

Alma 11

Alma 11:1
 1 Now it was in the law of Mosiah that every man who was a judge
of the law, or those who were appointed to be judges, should
receive wages according to the time which they labored to judge
those who were brought before them to be judged.

Alma 11:2
 2 Now if a man owed another, and he would not pay that which he
did owe, he was complained of to the judge; and the judge
executed authority, and sent forth officers that the man should
be brought before him; and he judged the man according to the law
and the evidences which were brought against him, and thus the
man was compelled to pay that which he owed, or be stripped, or
be cast out from among the people as a thief and a robber.

Alma 11:3
 3 And the judge received for his wages according to his time--a
senine of gold for a day, or a senum of silver, which is equal to
a senine of gold; and this is according to the law which was
given.

Alma 11:4
 4 Now these are the names of the different pieces of their gold,
and of their silver, according to their value.  And the names are
given by the Nephites, for they did not reckon after the manner
of the Jews who were at Jerusalem; neither did they measure after
the manner of the Jews; but they altered their reckoning and
their measure, according to the minds and the circumstances of
the people, in every generation, until the reign of the judges,
they having been established by king Mosiah.

Alma 11:5
 5 Now the reckoning is thus--a senine of gold, a seon of gold, a
shum of gold, and a limnah of gold.

Alma 11:6
 6 A senum of silver, an amnor of silver, an ezrom of silver, and
an onti of silver.

Alma 11:7
 7 A senum of silver was equal to a senine of gold, and either
for a measure of barley, and also for a measure of every kind of
grain.

Alma 11:8
 8 Now the amount of a seon of gold was twice the value of a
senine.

Alma 11:9
 9 And a shum of gold was twice the value of a seon.

Alma 11:10
 10 And a limnah of gold was the value of them all.

Alma 11:11
 11 And an amnor of silver was as great as two senums.

Alma 11:12
 12 And an ezrom of silver was as great as four senums.

Alma 11:13
 13 And an onti was as great as them all.

Alma 11:14
 14 Now this is the value of the lesser numbers of their
reckoning--

Alma 11:15
 15 A shiblon is half of a senum; therefore, a shiblon for half a
measure of barley.

Alma 11:16
 16 And a shiblum is a half of a shiblon.

Alma 11:17
 17 And a leah is the half of a shiblum.

Alma 11:18
 18 Now this is their number, according to their reckoning.

Alma 11:19
 19 Now an antion of gold is equal to three shiblons.

Alma 11:20
 20 Now, it was for the sole purpose to get gain, because they
received their wages according to their employ, therefore, they
did stir up the people to riotings, and all manner of
disturbances and wickedness, that they might have more employ,
that they might get money according to the suits which were
brought before them; therefore they did stir up the people
against Alma and Amulek.

Alma 11:21
 21 And this Zeezrom began to question Amulek, saying: Will ye
answer me a few questions which I shall ask you?  Now Zeezrom was
a man who was expert in the devices of the devil, that he might
destroy that which was good; therefore, he said unto Amulek: Will
ye answer the questions which I shall put unto you?

Alma 11:22
 22 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, if it be according to the
Spirit of the Lord, which is in me; for I shall say nothing which
is contrary to the Spirit of the Lord.  And Zeezrom said unto
him: Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I
give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being.

Alma 11:23
 23 Now Amulek said: O thou child of hell, why tempt ye me? 
Knowest thou that the righteous yieldeth to no such temptations?

Alma 11:24
 24 Believest thou that there is no God?  I say unto you, Nay,
thou knowest that there is a God, but thou lovest that lucre more
than him.

Alma 11:25
 25 And now thou hast lied before God unto me.  Thou saidst unto
me--Behold these six onties, which are of great worth, I will
give unto thee--when thou hadst it in thy heart to retain them
from me; and it was only thy desire that I should deny the true
and living God, that thou mightest have cause to destroy me.  And
now behold, for this great evil thou shalt have thy reward.

Alma 11:26
 26 And Zeezrom said unto him: Thou sayest there is a true and
living God?

Alma 11:27
 27 And Amulek said: Yea, there is a true and living God.

Alma 11:28
 28 Now Zeezrom said: Is there more than one God?

Alma 11:29
 29 And he answered, No.

Alma 11:30
 30 Now Zeezrom said unto him again: How knowest thou these
things?

Alma 11:31
 31 And he said: An angel hath made them known unto me.

Alma 11:32
 32 And Zeezrom said again: Who is he that shall come?  Is it the
Son of God?

Alma 11:33
 33 And he said unto him, Yea.

Alma 11:34
 34 And Zeezrom said again: Shall he save his people in their
sins?  And Amulek answered and said unto him: I say unto you he
shall not, for it is impossible for him to deny his word.

Alma 11:35
 35 Now Zeezrom said unto the people: See that ye remember these
things; for he said there is but one God; yet he saith that the
Son of God shall come, but he shall not save his people--as
though he had authority to command God.

Alma 11:36
 36 Now Amulek saith again unto him: Behold thou hast lied, for
thou sayest that I spake as though I had authority to command God
because I said he shall not save his people in their sins.

Alma 11:37
 37 And I say unto you again that he cannot save them in their
sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said that no
unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore, how
can ye be saved, except ye inherit the kingdom of heaven? 
Therefore, ye cannot be saved in your sins.

Alma 11:38
 38 Now Zeezrom saith again unto him: Is the Son of God the very
Eternal Father?

Alma 11:39
 39 And Amulek said unto him: Yea, he is the very Eternal Father
of heaven and of earth, and all things which in them are; he is
the beginning and the end, the first and the last;

Alma 11:40
 40 And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he
shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on
his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and
salvation cometh to none else.

Alma 11:41
 41 Therefore the wicked remain as though there had been no
redemption made, except it be the loosing of the bands of death;
for behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and
stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

Alma 11:42
 42 Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and
the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death,
that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

Alma 11:43
 43 The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its
perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper
frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought
to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a
bright recollection of all our guilt.

Alma 11:44
 44 Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young,
both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the
righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their
heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect
frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be
arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the Father,
and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged
according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be
evil.

Alma 11:45
 45 Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of
the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the
mortal body.  I say unto you that this mortal body is raised to
an immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death
unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with
their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming
spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption.

Alma 11:46
 46 Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began
again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble.  And
thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have
written.

Alma 12

Alma 12:1
 1 Now Alma, seeing that the words of Amulek had silenced
Zeezrom, for he beheld that Amulek had caught him in his lying
and deceiving to destroy him, and seeing that he began to tremble
under a consciousness of his guilt, he opened his mouth and began
to speak unto him, and to establish the words of Amulek, and to
explain things beyond, or to unfold the scriptures beyond that
which Amulek had done.

Alma 12:2
 2 Now the words that Alma spake unto Zeezrom were heard by the
people round about; for the multitude was great, and he spake on
this wise:

Alma 12:3
 3 Now Zeezrom, seeing that thou hast been taken in thy lying and
craftiness, for thou hast not lied unto men only but thou hast
lied unto God; for behold, he knows all thy thoughts, and thou
seest that thy thoughts are made known unto us by his Spirit;

Alma 12:4
 4 And thou seest that we know that thy plan was a very subtle
plan, as to the subtlety of the devil, for to lie and to deceive
this people that thou mightest set them against us, to revile us
and to cast us out--

Alma 12:5
 5 Now this was a plan of thine adversary, and he hath exercised
his power in thee.  Now I would that ye should remember that what
I say unto thee I say unto all.

Alma 12:6
 6 And behold I say unto you all that this was a snare of the
adversary, which he has laid to catch this people, that he might
bring you into subjection unto him, that he might encircle you
about with his chains, that he might chain you down to
everlasting destruction, according to the power of his captivity.

Alma 12:7
 7 Now when Alma had spoken these words, Zeezrom began to tremble
more exceedingly, for he was convinced more and more of the power
of God; and he was also convinced that Alma and Amulek had a
knowledge of him, for he was convinced that they knew the
thoughts and intents of his heart; for power was given unto them
that they might know of these things according to the spirit of
prophecy.

Alma 12:8
 8 And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might
know more concerning the kingdom of God.  And he said unto Alma:
What does this mean which Amulek hath spoken concerning the
resurrection of the dead, that all shall rise from the dead, both
the just and the unjust, and are brought to stand before God to
be judged according to their works?

Alma 12:9
 9 And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying:
It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless
they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart
only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant
unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence
which they give unto him.

Alma 12:10
 10 And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same
receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not
harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the
word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God
until he know them in full.

Alma 12:11
 11 And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the
lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his
mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led
by his will down to destruction.  Now this is what is meant by
the chains of hell.

Alma 12:12
 12 And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being
raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being
brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our
works.

Alma 12:13
 13 Then if our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have
hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not
been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall
be condemned.

Alma 12:14
 14 For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will
condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will
also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to
look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command
the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his
presence.

Alma 12:15
 15 But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before him
in his glory, and in his power, and in his might, majesty, and
dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his
judgments are just; that he is just in all his works, and that he
is merciful unto the children of men, and that he has all power
to save every man that believeth on his name and bringeth forth
fruit meet for repentance.

Alma 12:16
 16 And now behold, I say unto you then cometh a death, even a
second death, which is a spiritual death; then is a time that
whosoever dieth in his sins, as to a temporal death, shall also
die a spiritual death; yea, he shall die as to things pertaining
unto righteousness.

Alma 12:17
 17 Then is the time when their torments shall be as a lake of
fire and brimstone, whose flame ascendeth up forever and ever;
and then is the time that they shall be chained down to an
everlasting destruction, according to the power and captivity of
Satan, he having subjected them according to his will.

Alma 12:18
 18 Then, I say unto you, they shall be as though there had been
no redemption made; for they cannot be redeemed according to
God's justice; and they cannot die, seeing there is no more
corruption.

Alma 12:19
 19 Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of
speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;

Alma 12:20
 20 But there was one Antionah, who was a chief ruler among them,
came forth and said unto him: What is this that thou hast said,
that man should rise from the dead and be changed from this
mortal to an immortal state that the soul can never die?

Alma 12:21
 21 What does the scripture mean, which saith that God placed
cherubim and a flaming sword on the east of the garden of Eden,
lest our first parents should enter and partake of the fruit of
the tree of life, and live forever?  And thus we see that there
was no possible chance that they should live forever.

Alma 12:22
 22 Now Alma said unto him:  This is the thing which I was about
to explain, now we see that Adam did fall by the partaking of the
forbidden fruit, according to the word of God; and thus we see,
that by his fall, all mankind became a lost and fallen people.

Alma 12:23
 23 And now behold, I say unto you that if it had been possible
for Adam to have partaken of the fruit of the tree of life at
that time, there would have been no death, and the word would
have been void, making God a liar, for he said: If thou eat thou
shalt surely die.

Alma 12:24
 24 And we see that death comes upon mankind, yea, the death
which has been spoken of by Amulek, which is the temporal death;
nevertheless there was a space granted unto man in which he might
repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a time
to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that endless state
which has been spoken of by us, which is after the resurrection
of the dead.

Alma 12:25
 25 Now, if it had not been for the plan of redemption, which was
laid from the foundation of the world, there could have been no
resurrection of the dead; but there was a plan of redemption
laid, which shall bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, of
which has been spoken.

Alma 12:26
 26 And now behold, if it were possible that our first parents
could have gone forth and partaken of the tree of life they would
have been forever miserable, having no preparatory state; and
thus the plan of redemption would have been frustrated, and the
word of God would have been void, taking none effect.

Alma 12:27
 27 But behold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto men that
they must die; and after death, they must come to judgment, even
that same judgment of which we have spoken, which is the end.

Alma 12:28
 28 And after God had appointed that these things should come
unto man, behold, then he saw that it was expedient that man
should know concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto
them;

Alma 12:29
 29 Therefore he sent angels to converse with them, who caused
men to behold of his glory.

Alma 12:30
 30 And they began from that time forth to call on his name;
therefore God conversed with men, and made known unto them the
plan of redemption, which had been prepared from the foundation
of the world; and this he made known unto them according to their
faith and repentance and their holy works.

Alma 12:31
 31 Wherefore, he gave commandments unto men, they having first
transgressed the first commandments as to things which were
temporal, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, placing
themselves in a state to act, or being placed in a state to act
according to their wills and pleasures, whether to do evil or to
do good--

Alma 12:32
 32 Therefore God gave unto them commandments, after having made
known unto them the plan of redemption, that they should not do
evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, which was an
everlasting death as to things pertaining unto righteousness; for
on such the plan of redemption could have no power, for the works
of justice could not be destroyed, according to the supreme
goodness of God.

Alma 12:33
 33 But God did call on men, in the name of his Son, (this being
the plan of redemption which was laid) saying: If ye will repent
and harden not your hearts, then will I have mercy upon you,
through mine Only Begotten Son;

Alma 12:34
 34 Therefore, whosoever repenteth, and hardeneth not his heart,
he shall have claim on mercy through mine Only Begotten Son, unto
a remission of his sins; and these shall enter into my rest.

Alma 12:35
 35 And whosoever will harden his heart and will do iniquity,
behold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into my rest.

Alma 12:36
 36 And now, my brethren, behold I say unto you, that if ye will
harden your hearts ye shall not enter into the rest of the Lord;
therefore your iniquity provoketh him that he sendeth down his
wrath upon you as in the first provocation, yea, according to his
word in the last provocation as well as the first, to the
everlasting destruction of your souls; therefore, according to
his word, unto the last death, as well as the first.

Alma 12:37
 37 And now, my brethren, seeing we know these things, and they
are true, let us repent, and harden not our hearts, that we
provoke not the Lord our God to pull down his wrath upon us in
these his second commandments which he has given unto us; but let
us enter into the rest of God, which is prepared according to his
word.

Alma 13

Alma 13:1
 1 And again, my brethren, I would cite your minds forward to the
time when the Lord God gave these commandments unto his children;
and I would that ye should remember that the Lord God ordained
priests, after his holy order, which was after the order of his
Son, to teach these things unto the people.

Alma 13:2
 2 And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in
a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to
look forward to his Son for redemption.

Alma 13:3
 3 And this is the manner after which they were ordained--being
called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to
the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and
good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil;
therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly
great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy
calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory
redemption for such.

Alma 13:4
 4 And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account
of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on
account of the hardness of their hearts and blindness of their
minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as
great privilege as their brethren.

Alma 13:5
 5 Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing
with their brethren; thus this holy calling being prepared from
the foundation of the world for such as would not harden their
hearts, being in and through the atonement of the Only Begotten
Son, who was prepared--

Alma 13:6
 6 And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto
the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his
commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter
into his rest--

Alma 13:7
 7 This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which
order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words,
being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared
from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of
all things--

Alma 13:8
 8 Now they were ordained after this manner--being called with a
holy calling, and ordained with a holy ordinance, and taking upon
them the high priesthood of the holy order, which calling, and
ordinance, and high priesthood, is without beginning or end--

Alma 13:9
 9 Thus they become high priests forever, after the order of the
Son, the Only Begotten of the Father, who is without beginning of
days or end of years, who is full of grace, equity, and truth. 
And thus it is.  Amen.

Alma 13:10
 10 Now, as I said concerning the holy order, or this high
priesthood, there were many who were ordained and became high
priests of God; and it was on account of their exceeding faith
and repentance, and their righteousness before God, they choosing
to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish;

Alma 13:11
 11 Therefore they were called after this holy order, and were
sanctified, and their garments were washed white through the
blood of the Lamb.

Alma 13:12
 12 Now they, after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost, having
their garments made white, being pure and spotless before God,
could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence; and there
were many, exceedingly great many, who were made pure and entered
into the rest of the Lord their God.

Alma 13:13
 13 And now, my brethren, I would that ye should humble
yourselves before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance,
that ye may also enter into that rest.

Alma 13:14
 14 Yea, humble yourselves even as the people in the days of
Melchizedek, who was also a high priest after this same order
which I have spoken, who also took upon him the high priesthood
forever.

Alma 13:15
 15 And it was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes;
yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all
he possessed.

Alma 13:16
 16 Now these ordinances were given after this manner, that
thereby the people might look forward on the Son of God, it being
a type of his order, or it being his order, and this that they
might look forward to him for a remission of their sins, that
they might enter into the rest of the Lord.

Alma 13:17
 17 Now this Melchizedek was a king over the land of Salem; and
his people had waxed strong in iniquity and abomination; yea,
they had all gone astray; they were full of all manner of
wickedness;

Alma 13:18
 18 But Melchizedek having exercised mighty faith, and received
the office of the high priesthood according to the holy order of
God, did preach repentance unto his people.  And behold, they did
repent; and Melchizedek did establish peace in the land in his
days; therefore he was called the prince of peace, for he was the
king of Salem; and he did reign under his father.

Alma 13:19
 19 Now, there were many before him, and also there were many
afterwards, but none were greater; therefore, of him they have
more particularly made mention.

Alma 13:20
 20 Now I need not rehearse the matter; what I have said may
suffice.  Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest
them it shall be to your own destruction.

Alma 13:21
 21 And now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words
unto them, he stretched forth his hand unto them and cried with a
mighty voice, saying: Now is the time to repent, for the day of
salvation draweth nigh;

Alma 13:22
 22 Yea, and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth
declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may
have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad
tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are
scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have
come unto us.

Alma 13:23
 23 And they are made known unto us in plain terms, that we may
understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being
wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly
favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all
parts of our vineyard.

Alma 13:24
 24 For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in
our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of
the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming
in his glory.

Alma 13:25
 25 And now we only wait to hear the joyful news declared unto us
by the mouth of angels, of his coming; for the time cometh, we
know not how soon.  Would to God that it might be in my day; but
let it be sooner or later, in it I will rejoice.

Alma 13:26
 26 And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the
mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our
fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have
spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of
prophecy which was in them.

Alma 13:27
 27 And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my
heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would
hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not
procrastinate the day of your repentance;

Alma 13:28
 28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call
on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not
be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the
Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of
love and all long-suffering;

Alma 13:29
 29 Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive
eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that
ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest.

Alma 13:30
 30 And may the Lord grant unto you repentance, that ye may not
bring down his wrath upon you, that ye may not be bound down by
the chains of hell, that ye may not suffer the second death.

Alma 13:31
 31 And Alma spake many more words unto the people, which are not
written in this book.

Alma 14

Alma 14:1
 1 And it came to pass after he had made an end of speaking unto
the people many of them did believe on his words, and began to
repent, and to search the scriptures.

Alma 14:2
 2 But the more part of them were desirous that they might
destroy Alma and Amulek; for they were angry with Alma, because
of the plainness of his words unto Zeezrom; and they also said
that Amulek had lied unto them, and had reviled against their law
and also against their lawyers and judges.

Alma 14:3
 3 And they were also angry with Alma and Amulek; and because
they had testified so plainly against their wickedness, they
sought to put them away privily.

Alma 14:4
 4 But it came to pass that they did not; but they took them and
bound them with strong cords, and took them before the chief
judge of the land.

Alma 14:5
 5 And the people went forth and witnessed against
them--testifying that they had reviled against the law, and their
lawyers and judges of the land, and also of all the people that
were in the land; and also testified that there was but one God,
and that he should send his Son among the people, but he should
not save them; and many such things did the people testify
against Alma and Amulek.  Now this was done before the chief
judge of the land.

Alma 14:6
 6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words
which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness
of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying
words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness
of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the
pains of hell.

Alma 14:7
 7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people,
saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before
God.  And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but
they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil?

And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and
also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by
Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast
stones at them.

Alma 14:8
 8 And they brought their wives and children together, and
whosoever believed or had been taught to believe in the word of
God they caused that they should be cast into the fire, and they
also brought forth their records which contained the holy
scriptures, and cast them into the fire also, that they might be
burned and destroyed by fire.

Alma 14:9
 9 And it came to pass that they took Alma and Amulek, and
carried them forth to the place of martyrdom, that they might
witness the destruction of those who were consumed by fire.

Alma 14:10
 10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who
were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto
Alma: How can we witness this awful scene?  Therefore let us
stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is
in us, and save them from the flames.

Alma 14:11
 11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I
must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth
them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may
do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them,
according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments
which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and
the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them,
yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.

Alma 14:12
 12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us
also.

Alma 14:13
 13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord.  But,
behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.

Alma 14:14
 14 Now it came to pass that when the bodies of those who had
been cast into the fire were consumed, and also the records which
were cast in with them, the chief judge of the land came and
stood before Alma and Amulek, as they were bound; and he smote
them with his hand upon their cheeks, and said unto them: After
what ye have seen, will ye preach again unto this people, that
they shall be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone?

Alma 14:15
 15 Behold, ye see that ye had not power to save those who had
been cast into the fire; neither has God saved them because they
were of thy faith.  And the judge smote them again upon their
cheeks, and asked: What say ye for yourselves?

Alma 14:16
 16 Now this judge was after the order and faith of Nehor, who
slew Gideon.

Alma 14:17
 17 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek answered him
nothing; and he smote them again, and delivered them to the
officers to be cast into prison.

Alma 14:18
 18 And when they had been cast into prison three days, there
came many lawyers, and judges, and priests, and teachers, who
were of the profession of Nehor; and they came in unto the prison
to see them, and they questioned them about many words; but they
answered them nothing.

Alma 14:19
 19 And it came to pass that the judge stood before them, and
said: Why do ye not answer the words of this people?  Know ye not
that I have power to deliver you up unto the flames?  And he
commanded them to speak; but they answered nothing.

Alma 14:20
 20 And it came to pass that they departed and went their ways,
but came again on the morrow; and the judge also smote them again
on their cheeks.  And many came forth also, and smote them,
saying: Will ye stand again and judge this people, and condemn
our law?  If ye have such great power why do ye not deliver
yourselves?

Alma 14:21
 21 And many such things did they say unto them, gnashing their
teeth upon them, and spitting upon them, and saying: How shall we
look when we are damned?

Alma 14:22
 22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they
say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days.  And
they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and
water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them
their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with
strong cords, and confined in prison.

Alma 14:23
 23 And it came to pass after they had thus suffered for many
days, (and it was on the twelfth day, in the tenth month, in the
tenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi)
that the chief judge over the land of Ammonihah and many of their
teachers and their lawyers went in unto the prison where Alma and
Amulek were bound with cords.

Alma 14:24
 24 And the chief judge stood before them, and smote them again,
and said unto them: If ye have the power of God deliver
yourselves from these bands, and then we will believe that the
Lord will destroy this people according to your words.

Alma 14:25
 25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them,
saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had
spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and
they rose and stood upon their feet.

Alma 14:26
 26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great
afflictions, O Lord?  O Lord, give us strength according to our
faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance.  And they broke
the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw
this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come
upon them.

Alma 14:27
 27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they
fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the
prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison
were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief
judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon
Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.

Alma 14:28
 28 And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they
were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power,
according to their faith which was in Christ.  And they
straightway came forth out of the prison; and they were loosed
from their bands; and the prison had fallen to the earth, and
every soul within the walls thereof, save it were Alma and
Amulek, was slain; and they straightway came forth into the city.

Alma 14:29
 29 Now the people having heard a great noise came running
together by multitudes to know the cause of it; and when they saw
Alma and Amulek coming forth out of the prison, and the walls
thereof had fallen to the earth, they were struck with great
fear, and fled from the presence of Alma and Amulek even as a
goat fleeth with her young from two lions; and thus they did flee
from the presence of Alma and Amulek.

Alma 15

Alma 15:1
 1 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek were commanded to
depart out of that city; and they departed, and came out even
into the land of Sidom; and behold, there they found all the
people who had departed out of the land of Ammonihah, who had
been cast out and stoned, because they believed in the words of
Alma.

Alma 15:2
 2 And they related unto them all that had happened unto their
wives and children, and also concerning themselves, and of their
power of deliverance.

Alma 15:3
 3 And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever,
which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account
of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no
more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his
iniquity.  And this great sin, and his many other sins, did
harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having
no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning
heat.

Alma 15:4
 4 Now, when he heard that Alma and Amulek were in the land of
Sidom, his heart began to take courage; and he sent a message
immediately unto them, desiring them to come unto him.

Alma 15:5
 5 And it came to pass that they went immediately, obeying the
message which he had sent unto them; and they went in unto the
house unto Zeezrom; and they found him upon his bed, sick, being
very low with a burning fever; and his mind also was exceedingly
sore because of his iniquities; and when he saw them he stretched
forth his hand, and besought them that they would heal him.

Alma 15:6
 6 And it came to pass that Alma said unto him, taking him by the
hand: Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?

Alma 15:7
 7 And he answered and said: Yea, I believe all the words that
thou hast taught.

Alma 15:8
 8 And Alma said: If thou believest in the redemption of Christ
thou canst be healed.

Alma 15:9
 9 And he said: Yea, I believe according to thy words.

Alma 15:10
 10 And then Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God,
have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which
is in Christ.

Alma 15:11
 11 And when Alma had said these words, Zeezrom leaped upon his
feet, and began to walk; and this was done to the great
astonishment of all the people; and the knowledge of this went
forth throughout all the land of Sidom.

Alma 15:12
 12 And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from
that time forth to preach unto the people.

Alma 15:13
 13 And Alma established a church in the land of Sidom, and
consecrated priests and teachers in the land, to baptize unto the
Lord whosoever were desirous to be baptized.

Alma 15:14
 14 And it came to pass that they were many; for they did flock
in from all the region round about Sidom, and were baptized.

Alma 15:15
 15 But as to the people that were in the land of Ammonihah, they
yet remained a hard-hearted and a stiffnecked people; and they
repented not of their sins, ascribing all the power of Alma and
Amulek to the devil; for they were of the profession of Nehor,
and did not believe in the repentance of their sins.

Alma 15:16
 16 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having
forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which
were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being
rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his
father and his kindred;

Alma 15:17
 17 Therefore, after Alma having established the church at Sidom,
seeing a great check, yea, seeing that the people were checked as
to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves
before God, and began to assemble themselves together at their
sanctuaries to worship God before the altar, watching and praying
continually, that they might be delivered from Satan, and from
death, and from destruction--

Alma 15:18
 18 Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore
he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took
him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his
tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord.

Alma 15:19
 19 And thus ended the tenth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi.

Alma 16

Alma 16:1
 1 And it came to pass in the eleventh year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, on the fifth day of the second
month, there having been much peace in the land of Zarahemla,
there having been no wars nor contentions for a certain number of
years, even until the fifth day of the second month in the
eleventh year, there was a cry of war heard throughout the land.

Alma 16:2
 2 For behold, the armies of the Lamanites had come in upon the
wilderness side, into the borders of the land, even into the city
of Ammonihah, and began to slay the people and destroy the city.

Alma 16:3
 3 And now it came to pass, before the Nephites could raise a
sufficient army to drive them out of the land, they had destroyed
the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, and also some
around the borders of Noah, and taken others captive into the
wilderness.

Alma 16:4
 4 Now it came to pass that the Nephites were desirous to obtain
those who had been carried away captive into the wilderness.

Alma 16:5
 5 Therefore, he that had been appointed chief captain over the
armies of the Nephites, (and his name was Zoram, and he had two
sons, Lehi and Aha)--now Zoram and his two sons, knowing that
Alma was high priest over the church, and having heard that he
had the spirit of prophecy, therefore they went unto him and
desired of him to know whither the Lord would that they should go
into the wilderness in search of their brethren, who had been
taken captive by the Lamanites.

Alma 16:6
 6 And it came to pass that Alma inquired of the Lord concerning
the matter.  And Alma returned and said unto them: Behold, the
Lamanites will cross the river Sidon in the south wilderness,
away up beyond the borders of the land of Manti.  And behold
there shall ye meet them, on the east of the river Sidon, and
there the Lord will deliver unto thee thy brethren who have been
taken captive by the Lamanites.

Alma 16:7
 7 And it came to pass that Zoram and his sons crossed over the
river Sidon, with their armies, and marched away beyond the
borders of Manti into the south wilderness, which was on the east
side of the river Sidon.

Alma 16:8
 8 And they came upon the armies of the Lamanites, and the
Lamanites were scattered and driven into the wilderness; and they
took their brethren who had been taken captive by the Lamanites,
and there was not one soul of them had been lost that were taken
captive.  And they were brought by their brethren to possess
their own lands.

Alma 16:9
 9 And thus ended the eleventh year of the judges, the Lamanites
having been driven out of the land, and the people of Ammonihah
were destroyed; yea, every living soul of the Ammonihahites was
destroyed, and also their great city, which they said God could
not destroy, because of its greatness.

Alma 16:10
 10 But behold, in one day it was left desolate; and the
carcasses were mangled by dogs and wild beasts of the wilderness.

Alma 16:11
 11 Nevertheless, after many days their dead bodies were heaped
up upon the face of the earth, and they were covered with a
shallow covering.  And now so great was the scent thereof that
the people did not go in to possess the land of Ammonihah for
many years.  And it was called Desolation of Nehors; for they
were of the profession of Nehor, who were slain; and their lands
remained desolate.

Alma 16:12
 12 And the Lamanites did not come again to war against the
Nephites until the fourteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.  And thus for three years did the
people of Nephi have continual peace in all the land.

Alma 16:13
 13 And Alma and Amulek went forth preaching repentance to the
people in their temples, and in their sanctuaries, and also in
their synagogues, which were built after the manner of the Jews.

Alma 16:14
 14 And as many as would hear their words, unto them they did
impart the word of God, without any respect of persons,
continually.

Alma 16:15
 15 And thus did Alma and Amulek go forth, and also many more who
had been chosen for the work, to preach the word throughout all
the land.  And the establishment of the church became general
throughout the land, in all the region round about, among all the
people of the Nephites.

Alma 16:16
 16 And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out
his Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of
the children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the
word which should be taught among them at the time of his
coming--

Alma 16:17
 17 That they might not be hardened against the word, that they
might not be unbelieving, and go on to destruction, but that they
might receive the word with joy, and as a branch be grafted into
the true vine, that they might enter into the rest of the Lord
their God.

Alma 16:18
 18 Now those priests who did go forth among the people did
preach against all lyings, and deceivings, and envyings, and
strifes, and malice, and revilings, and stealing, robbing,
plundering, murdering, committing adultery, and all manner of
lasciviousness, crying that these things ought not so to be--

Alma 16:19
 19 Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea, holding
forth the coming of the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and
also the resurrection of the dead.

Alma 16:20
 20 And many of the people did inquire concerning the place where
the Son of God should come; and they were taught that he would
appear unto them after his resurrection; and this the people did
hear with great joy and gladness.

Alma 16:21
 21 And now after the church had been established throughout all
the land--having got the victory over the devil, and the word of
God being preached in its purity in all the land, and the Lord
pouring out his blessings upon the people--thus ended the
fourteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.

Alma 17

Alma 17:1
 1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the
land of Gideon southward, away to the land of Manti, behold, to
his astonishment, he met with the sons of Mosiah journeying
towards the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 17:2
 2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel
first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly
to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were
still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in
the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound
understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently,
that they might know the word of God.

Alma 17:3
 3 But this is not all; they had given themselves to much prayer,
and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the
spirit of revelation, and when they taught, they taught with
power and authority of God.

Alma 17:4
 4 And they had been teaching the word of God for the space of
fourteen years among the Lamanites, having had much success in
bringing many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, by the power of
their words many were brought before the altar of God, to call on
his name and confess their sins before him.

Alma 17:5
 5 Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their
journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much,
both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and
also much labor in the spirit.

Alma 17:6
 6 Now these were their journeyings: Having taken leave of their
father, Mosiah, in the first year of the judges; having refused
the kingdom which their father was desirous to confer upon them,
and also this was the minds of the people;

Alma 17:7
 7 Nevertheless they departed out of the land of Zarahemla, and
took their swords, and their spears, and their bows, and their
arrows, and their slings; and this they did that they might
provide food for themselves while in the wilderness.

Alma 17:8
 8 And thus they departed into the wilderness with their numbers
which they had selected, to go up to the land of Nephi, to preach
the word of God unto the Lamanites.

Alma 17:9
 9 And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the
wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord
would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them,
and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the
hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the
Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the
baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not
correct.

Alma 17:10
 10 And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his
Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted.  And they were
comforted.

Alma 17:11
 11 And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among the
Lamanites, thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be
patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth
good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of
thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls.

Alma 17:12
 12 And it came to pass that the hearts of the sons of Mosiah,
and also those who were with them, took courage to go forth unto
the Lamanites to declare unto them the word of God.

Alma 17:13
 13 And it came to pass when they had arrived in the borders of
the land of the Lamanites, that they separated themselves and
departed one from another, trusting in the Lord that they should
meet again at the close of their harvest; for they supposed that
great was the work which they had undertaken.

Alma 17:14
 14 And assuredly it was great, for they had undertaken to preach
the word of God to a wild and a hardened and a ferocious people;
a people who delighted in murdering the Nephites, and robbing and
plundering them; and their hearts were set upon riches, or upon
gold and silver, and precious stones; yet they sought to obtain
these things by murdering and plundering, that they might not
labor for them with their own hands.

Alma 17:15
 15 Thus they were a very indolent people, many of whom did
worship idols, and the curse of God had fallen upon them because
of the traditions of their fathers; notwithstanding the promises
of the Lord were extended unto them on the conditions of
repentance.

Alma 17:16
 16 Therefore, this was the cause for which the sons of Mosiah
had undertaken the work, that perhaps they might bring them unto
repentance; that perhaps they might bring them to know of the
plan of redemption.

Alma 17:17
 17 Therefore they separated themselves one from another, and
went forth among them, every man alone, according to the word and
power of God which was given unto him.

Alma 17:18
 18 Now Ammon being the chief among them, or rather he did
administer unto them, and he departed from them, after having
blessed them according to their several stations, having imparted
the word of God unto them, or administered unto them before his
departure; and thus they took their several journeys throughout
the land.

Alma 17:19
 19 And Ammon went to the land of Ishmael, the land being called
after the sons of Ishmael, who also became Lamanites.

Alma 17:20
 20 And as Ammon entered the land of Ishmael, the Lamanites took
him and bound him, as was their custom to bind all the Nephites
who fell into their hands, and carry them before the king; and
thus it was left to the pleasure of the king to slay them, or to
retain them in captivity, or to cast them into prison, or to cast
them out of his land, according to his will and pleasure.

Alma 17:21
 21 And thus Ammon was carried before the king who was over the
land of Ishmael; and his name was Lamoni; and he was a descendant
of Ishmael.

Alma 17:22
 22 And the king inquired of Ammon if it were his desire to dwell
in the land among the Lamanites, or among his people.

Alma 17:23
 23 And Ammon said unto him: Yea, I desire to dwell among this
people for a time; yea, and perhaps until the day I die.

Alma 17:24
 24 And it came to pass that king Lamoni was much pleased with
Ammon, and caused that his bands should be loosed; and he would
that Ammon should take one of his daughters to wife.

Alma 17:25
 25 But Ammon said unto him: Nay, but I will be thy servant. 
Therefore Ammon became a servant to king Lamoni.  And it came to
pass that he was set among other servants to watch the flocks of
Lamoni, according to the custom of the Lamanites.

Alma 17:26
 26 And after he had been in the service of the king three days,
as he was with the Lamanitish servants going forth with their
flocks to the place of water, which was called the water of
Sebus, and all the Lamanites drive their flocks hither, that they
may have water--

Alma 17:27
 27 Therefore, as Ammon and the servants of the king were driving
forth their flocks to this place of water, behold, a certain
number of the Lamanites, who had been with their flocks to water,
stood and scattered the flocks of Ammon and the servants of the
king, and they scattered them insomuch that they fled many ways.

Alma 17:28
 28 Now the servants of the king began to murmur, saying: Now the
king will slay us, as he has our brethren because their flocks
were scattered by the wickedness of these men.  And they began to
weep exceedingly, saying: Behold, our flocks are scattered
already.

Alma 17:29
 29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain.  Now when
Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for,
said he, I will show forth my power unto these my
fellow-servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these
flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my
fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.

Alma 17:30
 30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the
afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.

Alma 17:31
 31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words,
saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of
the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back
unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks
unto the king and he will not slay us.

Alma 17:32
 32 And it came to pass that they went in search of the flocks,
and they did follow Ammon, and they rushed forth with much
swiftness and did head the flocks of the king, and did gather
them together again to the place of water.

Alma 17:33
 33 And those men again stood to scatter their flocks; but Ammon
said unto his brethren: Encircle the flocks round about that they
flee not; and I go and contend with these men who do scatter our
flocks.

Alma 17:34
 34 Therefore, they did as Ammon commanded them, and he went
forth and stood to contend with those who stood by the waters of
Sebus; and they were in number not a few.

Alma 17:35
 35 Therefore they did not fear Ammon, for they supposed that one
of their men could slay him according to their pleasure, for they
knew not that the Lord had promised Mosiah that he would deliver
his sons out of their hands; neither did they know anything
concerning the Lord; therefore they delighted in the destruction
of their brethren; and for this cause they stood to scatter the
flocks of the king.

Alma 17:36
 36 But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with
his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst
them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that
they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were
angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were
determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could
not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay
him.

Alma 17:37
 37 But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he
smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their
blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch
that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him;
yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee
by the strength of his arm.

Alma 17:38
 38 Now six of them had fallen by the sling, but he slew none
save it were their leader with his sword; and he smote off as
many of their arms as were lifted against him, and they were not
a few.

Alma 17:39
 39 And when he had driven them afar off, he returned and they
watered their flocks and returned them to the pasture of the
king, and then went in unto the king, bearing the arms which had
been smitten off by the sword of Ammon, of those who sought to
slay him; and they were carried in unto the king for a testimony
of the things which they had done.

Alma 18

Alma 18:1
 1 And it came to pass that king Lamoni caused that his servants
should stand forth and testify to all the things which they had
seen concerning the matter.

Alma 18:2
 2 And when they had all testified to the things which they had
seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in
preserving his flocks, and also of his great power in contending
against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished
exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man.  Behold,
is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments
upon this people, because of their murders?

Alma 18:3
 3 And they answered the king, and said: Whether he be the Great
Spirit or a man, we know not; but this much we do know, that he
cannot be slain by the enemies of the king; neither can they
scatter the king's flocks when he is with us, because of his
expertness and great strength; therefore, we know that he is a
friend to the king.  And now, O king, we do not believe that a
man has such great power, for we know he cannot be slain.

Alma 18:4
 4 And now, when the king heard these words, he said unto them:
Now I know that it is the Great Spirit; and he has come down at
this time to preserve your lives, that I might not slay you as I
did your brethren.  Now this is the Great Spirit of whom our
fathers have spoken.

Alma 18:5
 5 Now this was the tradition of Lamoni, which he had received
from his father, that there was a Great Spirit.  Notwithstanding
they believed in a Great Spirit they supposed that whatsoever
they did was right; nevertheless, Lamoni began to fear
exceedingly, with fear lest he had done wrong in slaying his
servants;

Alma 18:6
 6 For he had slain many of them because their brethren had
scattered their flocks at the place of water; and thus, because
they had had their flocks scattered they were slain.

Alma 18:7
 7 Now it was the practice of these Lamanites to stand by the
waters of Sebus to scatter the flocks of the people, that thereby
they might drive away many that were scattered unto their own
land, it being a practice of plunder among them.

Alma 18:8
 8 And it came to pass that king Lamoni inquired of his servants,
saying: Where is this man that has such great power?

Alma 18:9
 9 And they said unto him: Behold, he is feeding thy horses.  Now
the king had commanded his servants, previous to the time of the
watering of their flocks, that they should prepare his horses and
chariots, and conduct him forth to the land of Nephi; for there
had been a great feast appointed at the land of Nephi, by the
father of Lamoni, who was king over all the land.

Alma 18:10
 10 Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his
horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the
faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any
servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this
man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute
them.

Alma 18:11
 11 Now I surely know that this is the Great Spirit, and I would
desire him that he come in unto me, but I durst not.

Alma 18:12
 12 And it came to pass that when Ammon had made ready the horses
and the chariots for the king and his servants, he went in unto
the king, and he saw that the countenance of the king was
changed; therefore he was about to return out of his presence.

Alma 18:13
 13 And one of the king's servants said unto him, Rabbanah, which
is, being interpreted, powerful or great king, considering their
kings to be powerful; and thus he said unto him: Rabbanah, the
king desireth thee to stay.

Alma 18:14
 14 Therefore Ammon turned himself unto the king, and said unto
him: What wilt thou that I should do for thee, O king?  And the
king answered him not for the space of an hour, according to
their time, for he knew not what he should say unto him.

Alma 18:15
 15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto him again: What
desirest thou of me?  But the king answered him not.

Alma 18:16
 16 And it came to pass that Ammon, being filled with the Spirit
of God, therefore he perceived the thoughts of the king.  And he
said unto him: Is it because thou hast heard that I defended thy
servants and thy flocks, and slew seven of their brethren with
the sling and with the sword, and smote off the arms of others,
in order to defend thy flocks and thy servants; behold, is it
this that causeth thy marvelings?

Alma 18:17
 17 I say unto you, what is it, that thy marvelings are so great?

Behold, I am a man, and am thy servant; therefore, whatsoever
thou desirest which is right, that will I do.

Alma 18:18
 18 Now when the king had heard these words, he marveled again,
for he beheld that Ammon could discern his thoughts; but
notwithstanding this, king Lamoni did open his mouth, and said
unto him: Who art thou?  Art thou that Great Spirit, who knows
all things?

Alma 18:19
 19 Ammon answered and said unto him: I am not.

Alma 18:20
 20 And the king said: How knowest thou the thoughts of my heart?

Thou mayest speak boldly, and tell me concerning these things;
and also tell me by what power ye slew and smote off the arms of
my brethren that scattered my flocks--

Alma 18:21
 21 And now, if thou wilt tell me concerning these things,
whatsoever thou desirest I will give unto thee; and if it were
needed, I would guard thee with my armies; but I know that thou
art more powerful than all they; nevertheless, whatsoever thou
desirest of me I will grant it unto thee.

Alma 18:22
 22 Now Ammon being wise, yet harmless, he said unto Lamoni: Wilt
thou hearken unto my words, if I tell thee by what power I do
these things?  And this is the thing that I desire of thee.

Alma 18:23
 23 And the king answered him, and said: Yea, I will believe all
thy words.  And thus he was caught with guile.

Alma 18:24
 24 And Ammon began to speak unto him with boldness, and said
unto him: Believest thou that there is a God?

Alma 18:25
 25 And he answered, and said unto him: I do not know what that
meaneth.

Alma 18:26
 26 And then Ammon said: Believest thou that there is a Great
Spirit?

Alma 18:27
 27 And he said, Yea.

Alma 18:28
 28 And Ammon said: This is God.  And Ammon said unto him again:
Believest thou that this Great Spirit, who is God, created all
things which are in heaven and in the earth?

Alma 18:29
 29 And he said: Yea, I believe that he created all things which
are in the earth; but I do not know the heavens.

Alma 18:30
 30 And Ammon said unto him: The heavens is a place where God
dwells and all his holy angels.

Alma 18:31
 31 And king Lamoni said: Is it above the earth?

Alma 18:32
 32 And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the
children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the
heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.

Alma 18:33
 33 And king Lamoni said: I believe all these things which thou
hast spoken.  Art thou sent from God?

Alma 18:34
 34 Ammon said unto him: I am a man; and man in the beginning was
created after the image of God, and I am called by his Holy
Spirit to teach these things unto this people, that they may be
brought to a knowledge of that which is just and true;

Alma 18:35
 35 And a portion of that Spirit dwelleth in me, which giveth me
knowledge, and also power according to my faith and desires which
are in God.

Alma 18:36
 36 Now when Ammon had said these words, he began at the creation
of the world, and also the creation of Adam, and told him all the
things concerning the fall of man, and rehearsed and laid before
him the records and the holy scriptures of the people, which had
been spoken by the prophets, even down to the time that their
father, Lehi, left Jerusalem.

Alma 18:37
 37 And he also rehearsed unto them (for it was unto the king and
to his servants) all the journeyings of their fathers in the
wilderness, and all their sufferings with hunger and thirst, and
their travail, and so forth.

Alma 18:38
 38 And he also rehearsed unto them concerning the rebellions of
Laman and Lemuel, and the sons of Ishmael, yea, all their
rebellions did he relate unto them; and he expounded unto them
all the records and scriptures from the time that Lehi left
Jerusalem down to the present time.

Alma 18:39
 39 But this is not all; for he expounded unto them the plan of
redemption, which was prepared from the foundation of the world;
and he also made known unto them concerning the coming of Christ,
and all the works of the Lord did he make known unto them.

Alma 18:40
 40 And it came to pass that after he had said all these things,
and expounded them to the king, that the king believed all his
words.

Alma 18:41
 41 And he began to cry unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, have
mercy; according to thy abundant mercy which thou hast had upon
the people of Nephi, have upon me, and my people.

Alma 18:42
 42 And now, when he had said this, he fell unto the earth, as if
he were dead.

Alma 18:43
 43 And it came to pass that his servants took him and carried
him in unto his wife, and laid him upon a bed; and he lay as if
he were dead for the space of two days and two nights; and his
wife, and his sons, and his daughters mourned over him, after the
manner of the Lamanites, greatly lamenting his loss.

Alma 19

Alma 19:1
 1 And it came to pass that after two days and two nights they
were about to take his body and lay it in a sepulchre, which they
had made for the purpose of burying their dead.

Alma 19:2
 2 Now the queen having heard of the fame of Ammon, therefore she
sent and desired that he should come in unto her.

Alma 19:3
 3 And it came to pass that Ammon did as he was commanded, and
went in unto the queen, and desired to know what she would that
he should do.

Alma 19:4
 4 And she said unto him: The servants of my husband have made it
known unto me that thou art a prophet of a holy God, and that
thou hast power to do many mighty works in his name;

Alma 19:5
 5 Therefore, if this is the case, I would that ye should go in
and see my husband, for he has been laid upon his bed for the
space of two days and two nights; and some say that he is not
dead, but others say that he is dead and that he stinketh, and
that he ought to be placed in the sepulchre; but as for myself,
to me he doth not stink.

Alma 19:6
 6 Now, this was what Ammon desired, for he knew that king Lamoni
was under the power of God; he knew that the dark veil of
unbelief was being cast away from his mind, and the light which
did light up his mind, which was the light of the glory of God,
which was a marvelous light of his goodness--yea, this light had
infused such joy into his soul, the cloud of darkness having been
dispelled, and that the light of everlasting life was lit up in
his soul, yea, he knew that this had overcome his natural frame,
and he was carried away in God--

Alma 19:7
 7 Therefore, what the queen desired of him was his only desire. 
Therefore, he went in to see the king according as the queen had
desired him; and he saw the king, and he knew that he was not
dead.

Alma 19:8
 8 And he said unto the queen: He is not dead, but he sleepeth in
God, and on the morrow he shall rise again; therefore bury him
not.

Alma 19:9
 9 And Ammon said unto her: Believest thou this?  And she said
unto him: I have had no witness save thy word, and the word of
our servants; nevertheless I believe that it shall be according
as thou hast said.

Alma 19:10
 10 And Ammon said unto her: Blessed art thou because of thy
exceeding faith; I say unto thee, woman, there has not been such
great faith among all the people of the Nephites.

Alma 19:11
 11 And it came to pass that she watched over the bed of her
husband, from that time even until that time on the morrow which
Ammon had appointed that he should rise.

Alma 19:12
 12 And it came to pass that he arose, according to the words of
Ammon; and as he arose, he stretched forth his hand unto the
woman, and said: Blessed be the name of God, and blessed art
thou.

Alma 19:13
 13 For as sure as thou livest, behold, I have seen my Redeemer;
and he shall come forth, and be born of a woman, and he shall
redeem all mankind who believe on his name.  Now, when he had
said these words, his heart was swollen within him, and he sunk
again with joy; and the queen also sunk down, being overpowered
by the Spirit.

Alma 19:14
 14 Now Ammon seeing the Spirit of the Lord poured out according
to his prayers upon the Lamanites, his brethren, who had been the
cause of so much mourning among the Nephites, or among all the
people of God because of their iniquities and their traditions,
he fell upon his knees, and began to pour out his soul in prayer
and thanksgiving to God for what he had done for his brethren;
and he was also overpowered with joy; and thus they all three had
sunk to the earth.

Alma 19:15
 15 Now, when the servants of the king had seen that they had
fallen, they also began to cry unto God, for the fear of the Lord
had come upon them also, for it was they who had stood before the
king and testified unto him concerning the great power of Ammon.

Alma 19:16
 16 And it came to pass that they did call on the name of the
Lord, in their might, even until they had all fallen to the
earth, save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was
Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on
account of a remarkable vision of her father--

Alma 19:17
 17 Thus, having been converted to the Lord, and never having
made it known, therefore, when she saw that all the servants of
Lamoni had fallen to the earth, and also her mistress, the queen,
and the king, and Ammon lay prostrate upon the earth, she knew
that it was the power of God; and supposing that this
opportunity, by making known unto the people what had happened
among them, that by beholding this scene it would cause them to
believe in the power of God, therefore she ran forth from house
to house, making it known unto the people.

Alma 19:18
 18 And they began to assemble themselves together unto the house
of the king.  And there came a multitude, and to their
astonishment they beheld the king, and the queen, and their
servants prostrate upon the earth, and they all lay there as
though they were dead; and they also saw Ammon, and behold, he
was a Nephite.

Alma 19:19
 19 And now the people began to murmur among themselves; some
saying that it was a great evil that had come upon them, or upon
the king and his house, because he had suffered that the Nephite
should remain in the land.

Alma 19:20
 20 But others rebuked them, saying: The king hath brought this
evil upon his house, because he slew his servants who had had
their flocks scattered at the waters of Sebus.

Alma 19:21
 21 And they were also rebuked by those men who had stood at the
waters of Sebus and scattered the flocks which belonged to the
king, for they were angry with Ammon because of the number which
he had slain of their brethren at the waters of Sebus, while
defending the flocks of the king.

Alma 19:22
 22 Now, one of them, whose brother had been slain with the sword
of Ammon, being exceedingly angry with Ammon, drew his sword and
went forth that he might let it fall upon Ammon, to slay him; and
as he lifted the sword to smite him, behold, he fell dead.

Alma 19:23
 23 Now we see that Ammon could not be slain, for the Lord had
said unto Mosiah, his father: I will spare him, and it shall be
unto him according to thy faith--therefore, Mosiah trusted him
unto the Lord.

Alma 19:24
 24 And it came to pass that when the multitude beheld that the
man had fallen dead, who lifted the sword to slay Ammon, fear
came upon them all, and they durst not put forth their hands to
touch him or any of those who had fallen; and they began to
marvel again among themselves what could be the cause of this
great power, or what all these things could mean.

Alma 19:25
 25 And it came to pass that there were many among them who said
that Ammon was the Great Spirit, and others said he was sent by
the Great Spirit;

Alma 19:26
 26 But others rebuked them all, saying that he was a monster,
who had been sent from the Nephites to torment them.

Alma 19:27
 27 And there were some who said that Ammon was sent by the Great
Spirit to afflict them because of their iniquities; and that it
was the Great Spirit that had always attended the Nephites, who
had ever delivered them out of their hands; and they said that it
was this Great Spirit who had destroyed so many of their
brethren, the Lamanites.

Alma 19:28
 28 And thus the contention began to be exceedingly sharp among
them.  And while they were thus contending, the woman servant who
had caused the multitude to be gathered together came, and when
she saw the contention which was among the multitude she was
exceedingly sorrowful, even unto tears.

Alma 19:29
 29 And it came to pass that she went and took the queen by the
hand, that perhaps she might raise her from the ground; and as
soon as she touched her hand she arose and stood upon her feet,
and cried with a loud voice, saying: O blessed Jesus, who has
saved me from an awful hell!  O blessed God, have mercy on this
people!

Alma 19:30
 30 And when she had said this, she clasped her hands, being
filled with joy, speaking many words which were not understood;
and when she had done this, she took the king, Lamoni, by the
hand, and behold he arose and stood upon his feet.

Alma 19:31
 31 And he, immediately, seeing the contention among his people,
went forth and began to rebuke them, and to teach them the words
which he had heard from the mouth of Ammon; and as many as heard
his words believed, and were converted unto the Lord.

Alma 19:32
 32 But there were many among them who would not hear his words;
therefore they went their way.

Alma 19:33
 33 And it came to pass that when Ammon arose he also
administered unto them, and also did all the servants of Lamoni;
and they did all declare unto the people the selfsame thing--that
their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do
evil.

Alma 19:34
 34 And behold, many did declare unto the people that they had
seen angels and had conversed with them; and thus they had told
them things of God, and of his righteousness.

Alma 19:35
 35 And it came to pass that there were many that did believe in
their words; and as many as did believe were baptized; and they
became a righteous people, and they did establish a church among
them.

Alma 19:36
 36 And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the
Lamanites; thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon
them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will
repent and believe on his name.

Alma 20

Alma 20:1
 1 And it came to pass that when they had established a church in
that land, that king Lamoni desired that Ammon should go with him
to the land of Nephi, that he might show him unto his father.

Alma 20:2
 2 And the voice of the Lord came to Ammon saying: Thou shalt not
go up to the land of Nephi, for behold, the king will seek thy
life; but thou shalt go to the land of Middoni; for behold, thy
brother Aaron, and also Muloki and Ammah are in prison.

Alma 20:3
 3 Now it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he said
unto Lamoni: Behold, my brother and brethren are in prison at
Middoni, and I go that I may deliver them.

Alma 20:4
 4 Now Lamoni said unto Ammon: I know, in the strength of the
Lord thou canst do all things.  But behold, I will go with thee
to the land of Middoni; for the king of the land of Middoni,
whose name is Antiomno, is a friend unto me; therefore I go to
the land of Middoni, that I may flatter the king of the land, and
he will cast thy brethren out of prison.  Now Lamoni said unto
him: Who told thee that thy brethren were in prison?

Alma 20:5
 5 And Ammon said unto him: No one hath told me, save it be God;
and he said unto me--Go and deliver thy brethren, for they are in
prison in the land of Middoni.

Alma 20:6
 6 Now when Lamoni had heard this he caused that his servants
should make ready his horses and his chariots.

Alma 20:7
 7 And he said unto Ammon: Come, I will go with thee down to the
land of Middoni, and there I will plead with the king that he
will cast thy brethren out of prison.

Alma 20:8
 8 And it came to pass that as Ammon and Lamoni were journeying
thither, they met the father of Lamoni, who was king over all the
land.

Alma 20:9
 9 And behold, the father of Lamoni said unto him: Why did ye not
come to the feast on that great day when I made a feast unto my
sons, and unto my people?

Alma 20:10
 10 And he also said: Whither art thou going with this Nephite,
who is one of the children of a liar?

Alma 20:11
 11 And it came to pass that Lamoni rehearsed unto him whither he
was going, for he feared to offend him.

Alma 20:12
 12 And he also told him all the cause of his tarrying in his own
kingdom, that he did not go unto his father to the feast which he
had prepared.

Alma 20:13
 13 And now when Lamoni had rehearsed unto him all these things,
behold, to his astonishment, his father was angry with him, and
said: Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are
sons of a liar.  Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his
children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning
and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us of our
property.

Alma 20:14
 14 Now the father of Lamoni commanded him that he should slay
Ammon with the sword.  And he also commanded him that he should
not go to the land of Middoni, but that he should return with him
to the land of Ishmael.

Alma 20:15
 15 But Lamoni said unto him: I will not slay Ammon, neither will
I return to the land of Ishmael, but I go to the land of Middoni
that I may release the brethren of Ammon, for I know that they
are just men and holy prophets of the true God.

Alma 20:16
 16 Now when his father had heard these words, he was angry with
him, and he drew his sword that he might smite him to the earth.

Alma 20:17
 17 But Ammon stood forth and said unto him: Behold, thou shalt
not slay thy son; nevertheless, it were better that he should
fall than thee, for behold, he has repented of his sins; but if
thou shouldst fall at this time, in thine anger, thy soul could
not be saved.

Alma 20:18
 18 And again, it is expedient that thou shouldst forbear; for if
thou shouldst slay thy son, he being an innocent man, his blood
would cry from the ground to the Lord his God, for vengeance to
come upon thee; and perhaps thou wouldst lose thy soul.

Alma 20:19
 19 Now when Ammon had said these words unto him, he answered
him, saying: I know that if I should slay my son, that I should
shed innocent blood; for it is thou that hast sought to destroy
him.

Alma 20:20
 20 And he stretched forth his hand to slay Ammon.  But Ammon
withstood his blows, and also smote his arm that he could not use
it.

Alma 20:21
 21 Now when the king saw that Ammon could slay him, he began to
plead with Ammon that he would spare his life.

Alma 20:22
 22 But Ammon raised his sword, and said unto him: Behold, I will
smite thee except thou wilt grant unto me that my brethren may be
cast out of prison.

Alma 20:23
 23 Now the king, fearing he should lose his life, said: If thou
wilt spare me I will grant unto thee whatsoever thou wilt ask,
even to half of the kingdom.

Alma 20:24
 24 Now when Ammon saw that he had wrought upon the old king
according to his desire, he said unto him: If thou wilt grant
that my brethren may be cast out of prison, and also that Lamoni
may retain his kingdom, and that ye be not displeased with him,
but grant that he may do according to his own desires in
whatsoever thing he thinketh, then will I spare thee; otherwise I
will smite thee to the earth.

Alma 20:25
 25 Now when Ammon had said these words, the king began to
rejoice because of his life.

Alma 20:26
 26 And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and
when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was
astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou
hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that
my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant
unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and
forever; and I will govern him no more--

Alma 20:27
 27 And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast
out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my
kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee.  For the king
was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also
at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore
he was desirous to learn them.

Alma 20:28
 28 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni proceeded on their
journey towards the land of Middoni.  And Lamoni found favor in
the eyes of the king of the land; therefore the brethren of Ammon
were brought forth out of prison.

Alma 20:29
 29 And when Ammon did meet them he was exceedingly sorrowful,
for behold they were naked, and their skins were worn exceedingly
because of being bound with strong cords.  And they also had
suffered hunger, thirst, and all kinds of afflictions;
nevertheless they were patient in all their sufferings.

Alma 20:30
 30 And, as it happened, it was their lot to have fallen into the
hands of a more hardened and a more stiffnecked people; therefore
they would not hearken unto their words, and they had cast them
out, and had smitten them, and had driven them from house to
house, and from place to place, even until they had arrived in
the land of Middoni; and there they were taken and cast into
prison, and bound with strong cords, and kept in prison for many
days, and were delivered by Lamoni and Ammon.

Alma 21

Alma 21:1
 1 Now when Ammon and his brethren separated themselves in the
borders of the land of the Lamanites, behold Aaron took his
journey towards the land which was called by the Lamanites,
Jerusalem, calling it after the land of their fathers' nativity;
and it was away joining the borders of Mormon.

Alma 21:2
 2 Now the Lamanites and the Amalekites and the people of Amulon
had built a great city, which was called Jerusalem.

Alma 21:3
 3 Now the Lamanites of themselves were sufficiently hardened,
but the Amalekites and the Amulonites were still harder;
therefore they did cause the Lamanites that they should harden
their hearts, that they should wax strong in wickedness and their
abominations.

Alma 21:4
 4 And it came to pass that Aaron came to the city of Jerusalem,
and first began to preach to the Amalekites.  And he began to
preach to them in their synagogues, for they had built synagogues
after the order of the Nehors; for many of the Amalekites and the
Amulonites were after the order of the Nehors.

Alma 21:5
 5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to
preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold
there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying:
What is that thou hast testified?  Hast thou seen an angel?  Why
do not angels appear unto us?  Behold are not this people as good
as thy people?

Alma 21:6
 6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish.  How
knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts?  How knowest
thou that we have cause to repent?  How knowest thou that we are
not a righteous people?  Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and
we do assemble ourselves together to worship God.  We do believe
that God will save all men.

Alma 21:7
 7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God
shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?

Alma 21:8
 8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest
any such thing.  We do not believe in these foolish traditions. 
We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do
we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know
concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.

Alma 21:9
 9 Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning
the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the
dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it
were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the
atonement of his blood.

Alma 21:10
 10 And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto
them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they
would not hear the words which he spake.

Alma 21:11
 11 Therefore, when he saw that they would not hear his words, he
departed out of their synagogue, and came over to a village which
was called Ani-Anti, and there he found Muloki preaching the word
unto them; and also Ammah and his brethren.  And they contended
with many about the word.

Alma 21:12
 12 And it came to pass that they saw that the people would
harden their hearts, therefore they departed and came over into
the land of Middoni.  And they did preach the word unto many, and
few believed on the words which they taught.

Alma 21:13
 13 Nevertheless, Aaron and a certain number of his brethren were
taken and cast into prison, and the remainder of them fled out of
the land of Middoni unto the regions round about.

Alma 21:14
 14 And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and
they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they
were fed and clothed.

Alma 21:15
 15 And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they
were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they
had suffered.

Alma 21:16
 16 And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit
of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the
Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they
could be admitted.

Alma 21:17
 17 And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them,
insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth;
yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions
of their fathers, which were not correct.

Alma 21:18
 18 And it came to pass that Ammon and Lamoni returned from the
land of Middoni to the land of Ishmael, which was the land of
their inheritance.

Alma 21:19
 19 And king Lamoni would not suffer that Ammon should serve him,
or be his servant.

Alma 21:20
 20 But he caused that there should be synagogues built in the
land of Ishmael; and he caused that his people, or the people who
were under his reign, should assemble themselves together.

Alma 21:21
 21 And he did rejoice over them, and he did teach them many
things.  And he did also declare unto them that they were a
people who were under him, and that they were a free people, that
they were free from the oppressions of the king, his father; for
that his father had granted unto him that he might reign over the
people who were in the land of Ishmael, and in all the land round
about.

Alma 21:22
 22 And he also declared unto them that they might have the
liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their
desires, in whatsoever place they were in, if it were in the land
which was under the reign of king Lamoni.

Alma 21:23
 23 And Ammon did preach unto the people of king Lamoni; and it
came to pass that he did teach them all things concerning things
pertaining to righteousness.  And he did exhort them daily, with
all diligence; and they gave heed unto his word, and they were
zealous for keeping the commandments of God.

Alma 22

Alma 22:1
 1 Now, as Ammon was thus teaching the people of Lamoni
continually, we will return to the account of Aaron and his
brethren; for after he departed from the land of Middoni he was
led by the Spirit to the land of Nephi, even to the house of the
king which was over all the land save it were the land of
Ishmael; and he was the father of Lamoni.

Alma 22:2
 2 And it came to pass that he went in unto him into the king's
palace, with his brethren, and bowed himself before the king, and
said unto him: Behold, O king, we are the brethren of Ammon, whom
thou hast delivered out of prison.

Alma 22:3
 3 And now, O king, if thou wilt spare our lives, we will be thy
servants.  And the king said unto them: Arise, for I will grant
unto you your lives, and I will not suffer that ye shall be my
servants; but I will insist that ye shall administer unto me; for
I have been somewhat troubled in mind because of the generosity
and the greatness of the words of thy brother Ammon; and I desire
to know the cause why he has not come up out of Middoni with
thee.

Alma 22:4
 4 And Aaron said unto the king: Behold, the Spirit of the Lord
has called him another way; he has gone to the land of Ishmael,
to teach the people of Lamoni.

Alma 22:5
 5 Now the king said unto them: What is this that ye have said
concerning the Spirit of the Lord?  Behold, this is the thing
which doth trouble me.

Alma 22:6
 6 And also, what is this that Ammon said--If ye will repent ye
shall be saved, and if ye will not repent, ye shall be cast off
at the last day?

Alma 22:7
 7 And Aaron answered him and said unto him: Believest thou that
there is a God?  And the king said: I know that the Amalekites
say that there is a God, and I have granted unto them that they
should build sanctuaries, that they may assemble themselves
together to worship him.  And if now thou sayest there is a God,
behold I will believe.

Alma 22:8
 8 And now when Aaron heard this, his heart began to rejoice, and
he said: Behold, assuredly as thou livest, O king, there is a
God.

Alma 22:9
 9 And the king said: Is God that Great Spirit that brought our
fathers out of the land of Jerusalem?

Alma 22:10
 10 And Aaron said unto him: Yea, he is that Great Spirit, and he
created all things both in heaven and in earth.  Believest thou
this?

Alma 22:11
 11 And he said: Yea, I believe that the Great Spirit created all
things, and I desire that ye should tell me concerning all these
things, and I will believe thy words.

Alma 22:12
 12 And it came to pass that when Aaron saw that the king would
believe his words, he began from the creation of Adam, reading
the scriptures unto the king--how God created man after his own
image, and that God gave him commandments, and that because of
transgression, man had fallen.

Alma 22:13
 13 And Aaron did expound unto him the scriptures from the
creation of Adam, laying the fall of man before him, and their
carnal state and also the plan of redemption, which was prepared
from the foundation of the world, through Christ, for all
whosoever would believe on his name.

Alma 22:14
 14 And since man had fallen he could not merit anything of
himself; but the sufferings and death of Christ atone for their
sins, through faith and repentance, and so forth; and that he
breaketh the bands of death, that the grave shall have no
victory, and that the sting of death should be swallowed up in
the hopes of glory; and Aaron did expound all these things unto
the king.

Alma 22:15
 15 And it came to pass that after Aaron had expounded these
things unto him, the king said: What shall I do that I may have
this eternal life of which thou hast spoken?  Yea, what shall I
do that I may be born of God, having this wicked spirit rooted
out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled
with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day?  Behold,
said he, I will give up all that I possess, yea, I will forsake
my kingdom, that I may receive this great joy.

Alma 22:16
 16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou
wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy
sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in
faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive
the hope which thou desirest.

Alma 22:17
 17 And it came to pass that when Aaron had said these words, the
king did bow down before the Lord, upon his knees; yea, even he
did prostrate himself upon the earth, and cried mightily, saying:

Alma 22:18
 18 O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there
is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto
me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may
be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day.  And now
when the king had said these words, he was struck as if he were
dead.

Alma 22:19
 19 And it came to pass that his servants ran and told the queen
all that had happened unto the king.  And she came in unto the
king; and when she saw him lay as if he were dead, and also Aaron
and his brethren standing as though they had been the cause of
his fall, she was angry with them, and commanded that her
servants, or the servants of the king, should take them and slay
them.

Alma 22:20
 20 Now the servants had seen the cause of the king's fall,
therefore they durst not lay their hands on Aaron and his
brethren; and they pled with the queen saying: Why commandest
thou that we should slay these men, when behold one of them is
mightier than us all?  Therefore we shall fall before them.

Alma 22:21
 21 Now when the queen saw the fear of the servants she also
began to fear exceedingly, lest there should some evil come upon
her.  And she commanded her servants that they should go and call
the people, that they might slay Aaron and his brethren.

Alma 22:22
 22 Now when Aaron saw the determination of the queen, he, also
knowing the hardness of the hearts of the people, feared lest
that a multitude should assemble themselves together, and there
should be a great contention and a disturbance among them;
therefore he put forth his hand and raised the king from the
earth, and said unto him: Stand.  And he stood upon his feet,
receiving his strength.

Alma 22:23
 23 Now this was done in the presence of the queen and many of
the servants.  And when they saw it they greatly marveled, and
began to fear.  And the king stood forth, and began to minister
unto them.  And he did minister unto them, insomuch that his
whole household were converted unto the Lord.

Alma 22:24
 24 Now there was a multitude gathered together because of the
commandment of the queen, and there began to be great murmurings
among them because of Aaron and his brethren.

Alma 22:25
 25 But the king stood forth among them and administered unto
them.  And they were pacified towards Aaron and those who were
with him.

Alma 22:26
 26 And it came to pass that when the king saw that the people
were pacified, he caused that Aaron and his brethren should stand
forth in the midst of the multitude, and that they should preach
the word unto them.

Alma 22:27
 27 And it came to pass that the king sent a proclamation
throughout all the land, amongst all his people who were in all
his land, who were in all the regions round about, which was
bordering even to the sea, on the east and on the west, and which
was divided from the land of Zarahemla by a narrow strip of
wilderness, which ran from the sea east even to the sea west, and
round about on the borders of the seashore, and the borders of
the wilderness which was on the north by the land of Zarahemla,
through the borders of Manti, by the head of the river Sidon,
running from the east towards the west--and thus were the
Lamanites and the Nephites divided.

Alma 22:28
 28 Now, the more idle part of the Lamanites lived in the
wilderness, and dwelt in tents; and they were spread through the
wilderness on the west, in the land of Nephi; yea, and also on
the west of the land of Zarahemla, in the borders by the
seashore, and on the west in the land of Nephi, in the place of
their fathers' first inheritance, and thus bordering along by the
seashore.

Alma 22:29
 29 And also there were many Lamanites on the east by the
seashore, whither the Nephites had driven them.  And thus the
Nephites were nearly surrounded by the Lamanites; nevertheless
the Nephites had taken possession of all the northern parts of
the land bordering on the wilderness, at the head of the river
Sidon, from the east to the west, round about on the wilderness
side; on the north, even until they came to the land which they
called Bountiful.

Alma 22:30
 30 And it bordered upon the land which they called Desolation,
it being so far northward that it came into the land which had
been peopled and been destroyed, of whose bones we have spoken,
which was discovered by the people of Zarahemla, it being the
place of their first landing.

Alma 22:31
 31 And they came from there up into the south wilderness.  Thus
the land on the northward was called Desolation, and the land on
the southward was called Bountiful, it being the wilderness which
is filled with all manner of wild animals of every kind, a part
of which had come from the land northward for food.

Alma 22:32
 32 And now, it was only the distance of a day and a half's
journey for a Nephite, on the line Bountiful and the land
Desolation, from the east to the west sea; and thus the land of
Nephi and the land of Zarahemla were nearly surrounded by water,
there being a small neck of land between the land northward and
the land southward.

Alma 22:33
 33 And it came to pass that the Nephites had inhabited the land
Bountiful, even from the east unto the west sea, and thus the
Nephites in their wisdom, with their guards and their armies, had
hemmed in the Lamanites on the south, that thereby they should
have no more possession on the north, that they might not overrun
the land northward.

Alma 22:34
 34 Therefore the Lamanites could have no more possessions only
in the land of Nephi, and the wilderness round about.  Now this
was wisdom in the Nephites--as the Lamanites were an enemy to
them, they would not suffer their afflictions on every hand, and
also that they might have a country whither they might flee,
according to their desires.

Alma 22:35
 35 And now I, after having said this, return again to the
account of Ammon and Aaron, Omner and Himni, and their brethren.

Alma 23

Alma 23:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites
sent a proclamation among all his people, that they should not
lay their hands on Ammon, or Aaron, or Omner, or Himni, nor
either of their brethren who should go forth preaching the word
of God, in whatsoever place they should be, in any part of their
land.

Alma 23:2
 2 Yea, he sent a decree among them, that they should not lay
their hands on them to bind them, or to cast them into prison;
neither should they spit upon them, nor smite them, nor cast them
out of their synagogues, nor scourge them; neither should they
cast stones at them, but that they should have free access to
their houses, and also their temples, and their sanctuaries.

Alma 23:3
 3 And thus they might go forth and preach the word according to
their desires, for the king had been converted unto the Lord, and
all his household; therefore he sent his proclamation throughout
the land unto his people, that the word of God might have no
obstruction, but that it might go forth throughout all the land,
that his people might be convinced concerning the wicked
traditions of their fathers, and that they might be convinced
that they were all brethren, and that they ought not to murder,
nor to plunder, nor to steal, nor to commit adultery, nor to
commit any manner of wickedness.

Alma 23:4
 4 And now it came to pass that when the king had sent forth this
proclamation, that Aaron and his brethren went forth from city to
city, and from one house of worship to another, establishing
churches, and consecrating priests and teachers throughout the
land among the Lamanites, to preach and to teach the word of God
among them; and thus they began to have great success.

Alma 23:5
 5 And thousands were brought to the knowledge of the Lord, yea,
thousands were brought to believe in the traditions of the
Nephites; and they were taught the records and prophecies which
were handed down even to the present time.

Alma 23:6
 6 And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed,
or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through
the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit
of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working
miracles in them--yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as
many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were
converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

Alma 23:7
 7 For they became a righteous people; they did lay down the
weapons of their rebellion, that they did not fight against God
any more, neither against any of their brethren.

Alma 23:8
 8 Now, these are they who were converted unto the Lord:

Alma 23:9
 9 The people of the Lamanites who were in the land of Ishmael;

Alma 23:10
 10 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land
of Middoni;

Alma 23:11
 11 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the city
of Nephi;

Alma 23:12
 12 And also of the people of the Lamanites who were in the land
of Shilom, and who were in the land of Shemlon, and in the city
of Lemuel, and in the city of Shimnilom.

Alma 23:13
 13 And these are the names of the cities of the Lamanites which
were converted unto the Lord; and these are they that laid down
the weapons of their rebellion, yea, all their weapons of war;
and they were all Lamanites.

Alma 23:14
 14 And the Amalekites were not converted, save only one; neither
were any of the Amulonites; but they did harden their hearts, and
also the hearts of the Lamanites in that part of the land
wheresoever they dwelt, yea, and all their villages and all their
cities.

Alma 23:15
 15 Therefore, we have named all the cities of the Lamanites in
which they did repent and come to the knowledge of the truth, and
were converted.

Alma 23:16
 16 And now it came to pass that the king and those who were
converted were desirous that they might have a name, that thereby
they might be distinguished from their brethren; therefore the
king consulted with Aaron and many of their priests, concerning
the name that they should take upon them, that they might be
distinguished.

Alma 23:17
 17 And it came to pass that they called their names
Anti-Nephi-Lehies; and they were called by this name and were no
more called Lamanites.

Alma 23:18
 18 And they began to be a very industrious people; yea, and they
were friendly with the Nephites; therefore, they did open a
correspondence with them, and the curse of God did no more follow
them.

Alma 24

Alma 24:1
 1 And it came to pass that the Amalekites and the Amulonites and
the Lamanites who were in the land of Amulon, and also in the
land of Helam, and who were in the land of Jerusalem, and in
fine, in all the land round about, who had not been converted and
had not taken upon them the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, were stirred
up by the Amalekites and by the Amulonites to anger against their
brethren.

Alma 24:2
 2 And their hatred became exceedingly sore against them, even
insomuch that they began to rebel against their king, insomuch
that they would not that he should be their king; therefore, they
took up arms against the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 24:3
 3 Now the king conferred the kingdom upon his son, and he called
his name Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 24:4
 4 And the king died in that selfsame year that the Lamanites
began to make preparations for war against the people of God.

Alma 24:5
 5 Now when Ammon and his brethren and all those who had come up
with him saw the preparations of the Lamanites to destroy their
brethren, they came forth to the land of Midian, and there Ammon
met all his brethren; and from thence they came to the land of
Ishmael that they might hold a council with Lamoni and also with
his brother Anti-Nephi-Lehi, what they should do to defend
themselves against the Lamanites.

Alma 24:6
 6 Now there was not one soul among all the people who had been
converted unto the Lord that would take up arms against their
brethren; nay, they would not even make any preparations for war;
yea, and also their king commanded them that they should not.

Alma 24:7
 7 Now, these are the words which he said unto the people
concerning the matter: I thank my God, my beloved people, that
our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the
Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the
traditions of our wicked fathers.

Alma 24:8
 8 And behold, I thank my great God that he has given us a
portion of his Spirit to soften our hearts, that we have opened a
correspondence with these brethren, the Nephites.

Alma 24:9
 9 And behold, I also thank my God, that by opening this
correspondence we have been convinced of our sins, and of the
many murders which we have committed.

Alma 24:10
 10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath
granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also
that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which
we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts,
through the merits of his Son.

Alma 24:11
 11 And now behold, my brethren, since it has been all that we
could do, (as we were the most lost of all mankind) to repent of
all our sins and the many murders which we have committed, and to
get God to take them away from our hearts, for it was all we
could do to repent sufficiently before God that he would take
away our stain--

Alma 24:12
 12 Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our
stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our
swords no more with the blood of our brethren.

Alma 24:13
 13 Behold, I say unto you, Nay, let us retain our swords that
they be not stained with the blood of our brethren; for perhaps,
if we should stain our swords again they can no more be washed
bright through the blood of the Son of our great God, which shall
be shed for the atonement of our sins.

Alma 24:14
 14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things
known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made
these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our
souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy
he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might
be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

Alma 24:15
 15 Oh, how merciful is our God!  And now behold, since it has
been as much as we could do to get our stains taken away from us,
and our swords are made bright, let us hide them away that they
may be kept bright, as a testimony to our God at the last day, or
at the day that we shall be brought to stand before him to be
judged, that we have not stained our swords in the blood of our
brethren since he imparted his word unto us and has made us clean
thereby.

Alma 24:16
 16 And now, my brethren, if our brethren seek to destroy us,
behold, we will hide away our swords, yea, even we will bury them
deep in the earth, that they may be kept bright, as a testimony
that we have never used them, at the last day; and if our
brethren destroy us, behold, we shall go to our God and shall be
saved.

Alma 24:17
 17 And now it came to pass that when the king had made an end of
these sayings, and all the people were assembled together, they
took their swords, and all the weapons which were used for the
shedding of man's blood, and they did bury them up deep in the
earth.
Alma 24:18
 18 And this they did, it being in their view a testimony to God,
and also to men, that they never would use weapons again for the
shedding of man's blood; and this they did, vouching and
covenanting with God, that rather than shed the blood of their
brethren they would give up their own lives; and rather than take
away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than
spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with
their hands.

Alma 24:19
 19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to
believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer
even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they
buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war,
for peace.

Alma 24:20
 20 And it came to pass that their brethren, the Lamanites, made
preparations for war, and came up to the land of Nephi for the
purpose of destroying the king, and to place another in his
stead, and also of destroying the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi out
of the land.

Alma 24:21
 21 Now when the people saw that they were coming against them
they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them
to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus
they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon
them, and began to slay them with the sword.

Alma 24:22
 22 And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a
thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for
they have gone to dwell with their God.

Alma 24:23
 23 Now when the Lamanites saw that their brethren would not flee
from the sword, neither would they turn aside to the right hand
or to the left, but that they would lie down and perish, and
praised God even in the very act of perishing under the sword--

Alma 24:24
 24 Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying
them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for
those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they
repented of the things which they had done.

Alma 24:25
 25 And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of
war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for
the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as
their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were
lifted to slay them.

Alma 24:26
 26 And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that
day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had
been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to
doubt but what they were saved.

Alma 24:27
 27 And there was not a wicked man slain among them; but there
were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth;
thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation
of his people.

Alma 24:28
 28 Now the greatest number of those of the Lamanites who slew so
many of their brethren were Amalekites and Amulonites, the
greatest number of whom were after the order of the Nehors.

Alma 24:29
 29 Now, among those who joined the people of the Lord, there
were none who were Amalekites or Amulonites, or who were of the
order of Nehor, but they were actual descendants of Laman and
Lemuel.

Alma 24:30
 30 And thus we can plainly discern, that after a people have
been once enlightened by the Spirit of God, and have had great
knowledge of things pertaining to righteousness, and then have
fallen away into sin and transgression, they become more
hardened, and thus their state becomes worse than though they had
never known these things.

Alma 25

Alma 25:1
 1 And behold, now it came to pass that those Lamanites were more
angry because they had slain their brethren; therefore they swore
vengeance upon the Nephites; and they did no more attempt to slay
the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time.

Alma 25:2
 2 But they took their armies and went over into the borders of
the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the
land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them.

Alma 25:3
 3 And after that, they had many battles with the Nephites, in
the which they were driven and slain.

Alma 25:4
 4 And among the Lamanites who were slain were almost all the
seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah,
and they were slain by the hands of the Nephites;

Alma 25:5
 5 And the remainder, having fled into the east wilderness, and
having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused
that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire because of their
belief--

Alma 25:6
 6 For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many
afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words
which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land;
therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their
fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power
unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in
the wilderness.

Alma 25:7
 7 And it came to pass that those rulers who were the remnant of
the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death,
yea, all those that believed in these things.

Alma 25:8
 8 Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should
be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the
wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon
and his brethren and began to slay them; and they fled into the
east wilderness.

Alma 25:9
 9 And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites.  Thus
the words of Abinadi were brought to pass, which he said
concerning the seed of the priests who caused that he should
suffer death by fire.

Alma 25:10
 10 For he said unto them: What ye shall do unto me shall be a
type of things to come.

Alma 25:11
 11 And now Abinadi was the first that suffered death by fire
because of his belief in God; now this is what he meant, that
many should suffer death by fire, according as he had suffered.

Alma 25:12
 12 And he said unto the priests of Noah that their seed should
cause many to be put to death, in the like manner as he was, and
that they should be scattered abroad and slain, even as a sheep
having no shepherd is driven and slain by wild beasts; and now
behold, these words were verified, for they were driven by the
Lamanites, and they were hunted, and they were smitten.

Alma 25:13
 13 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that they
could not overpower the Nephites they returned again to their own
land; and many of them came over to dwell in the land of Ishmael
and the land of Nephi, and did join themselves to the people of
God, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 25:14
 14 And they did also bury their weapons of war, according as
their brethren had, and they began to be a righteous people; and
they did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe to keep
his commandments and his statutes.

Alma 25:15
 15 Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient
that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all
fulfilled.  But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look
forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of
Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep
those outward performances until the time that he should be
revealed unto them.

Alma 25:16
 16 Now they did not suppose that salvation came by the law of
Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith
in Christ; and thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto
eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which
spake of those things to come.

Alma 25:17
 17 And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and
their brethren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which
they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had
granted unto them according to their prayers, and that he had
also verified his word unto them in every particular.

Alma 26

Alma 26:1
 1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which
say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how
great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when
we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted
unto us such great blessings?

Alma 26:2
 2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? 
Can ye tell?

Alma 26:3
 3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites,
were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how
many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! 
And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that
we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about
this great work.

Alma 26:4
 4 Behold, thousands of them do rejoice, and have been brought
into the fold of God.

Alma 26:5
 5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did
thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the
day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! 
And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not
wasted.

Alma 26:6
 6 Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last
day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds;
but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in
their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea,
neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the
enemy listeth to carry them.

Alma 26:7
 7 But behold, they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest,
and they are his; and he will raise them up at the last day.

Alma 26:8
 8 Blessed be the name of our God; let us sing to his praise,
yea, let us give thanks to his holy name, for he doth work
righteousness forever.

Alma 26:9
 9 For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these
our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would
still have been racked with hatred against us, yea, and they
would also have been strangers to God.

Alma 26:10
 10 And it came to pass that when Ammon had said these words, his
brother Aaron rebuked him, saying: Ammon, I fear that thy joy
doth carry thee away unto boasting.

Alma 26:11
 11 But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength,
nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart
is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.

Alma 26:12
 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;
therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God,
for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty
miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise
his name forever.

Alma 26:13
 13 Behold, how many thousands of our brethren has he loosed from
the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love,
and this because of the power of his word which is in us,
therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?

Alma 26:14
 14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most
High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.

Alma 26:15
 15 Yea, they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and
destruction; but behold, he has brought them into his everlasting
light, yea, into everlasting salvation; and they are encircled
about with the matchless bounty of his love; yea, and we have
been instruments in his hands of doing this great and marvelous
work.

Alma 26:16
 16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea,
we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God
forever.  Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord?  Yea, who
can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his
long-suffering towards the children of men?  Behold, I say unto
you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

Alma 26:17
 17 Who could have supposed that our God would have been so
merciful as to have snatched us from our awful, sinful, and
polluted state?

Alma 26:18
 18 Behold, we went forth even in wrath, with mighty threatenings
to destroy his church.

Alma 26:19
 19 Oh then, why did he not consign us to an awful destruction,
yea, why did he not let the sword of his justice fall upon us,
and doom us to eternal despair?

Alma 26:20
 20 Oh, my soul, almost as it were, fleeth at the thought. 
Behold, he did not exercise his justice upon us, but in his great
mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and
misery, even to the salvation of our souls.

Alma 26:21
 21 And now behold, my brethren, what natural man is there that
knoweth these things?  I say unto you, there is none that knoweth
these things, save it be the penitent.

Alma 26:22
 22 Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth
forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing--unto
such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it
shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed;
yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls
to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these
our brethren to repentance.

Alma 26:23
 23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our
brethren in the land of Zarahemla, we go up to the land of Nephi,
to preach unto our brethren, the Lamanites, and they laughed us
to scorn?

Alma 26:24
 24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the
Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth?  Do ye suppose that ye
can convince the Lamanites of the incorrectness of the traditions
of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose
hearts delight in the shedding of blood; whose days have been
spent in the grossest iniquity; whose ways have been the ways of
a transgressor from the beginning?  Now my brethren, ye remember
that this was their language.

Alma 26:25
 25 And moreover they did say: Let us take up arms against them,
that we destroy them and their iniquity out of the land, lest
they overrun us and destroy us.

Alma 26:26
 26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the wilderness
not with the intent to destroy our brethren, but with the intent
that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.

Alma 26:27
 27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn
back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy
brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine
afflictions, and I will give unto you success.

Alma 26:28
 28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them;
and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered
every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house,
relying upon the mercies of the world--not upon the mercies of
the world alone but upon the mercies of God.

Alma 26:29
 29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we
have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them
upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and
their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and
mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have
been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into
prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been
delivered again.

Alma 26:30
 30 And we have suffered all manner of afflictions, and all this,
that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we
supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the
means of saving some.

Alma 26:31
 31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our
labors; and are they few?  I say unto you, Nay, they are many;
yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love
towards their brethren and also towards us.

Alma 26:32
 32 For behold, they had rather sacrifice their lives than even
to take the life of their enemy; and they have buried their
weapons of war deep in the earth, because of their love towards
their brethren.

Alma 26:33
 33 And now behold I say unto you, has there been so great love
in all the land?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay, there has not,
even among the Nephites.

Alma 26:34
 34 For behold, they would take up arms against their brethren;
they would not suffer themselves to be slain.  But behold how
many of these have laid down their lives; and we know that they
have gone to their God, because of their love and of their hatred
to sin.

Alma 26:35
 35 Now have we not reason to rejoice?  Yea, I say unto you,
there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we,
since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto
boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all
understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful
Being, even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe
on his name.

Alma 26:36
 36 Now if this is boasting, even so will I boast; for this is my
life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption
from everlasting wo.  Yea, blessed is the name of my God, who has
been mindful of this people, who are a branch of the tree of
Israel, and has been lost from its body in a strange land; yea, I
say, blessed be the name of my God, who has been mindful of us,
wanderers in a strange land.

Alma 26:37
 37 Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people,
whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and
his bowels of mercy are over all the earth.  Now this is my joy,
and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my
God forever.  Amen.

Alma 27

Alma 27:1
 1 Now it came to pass that when those Lamanites who had gone to
war against the Nephites had found, after their many struggles to
destroy them, that it was in vain to seek their destruction, they
returned again to the land of Nephi.

Alma 27:2
 2 And it came to pass that the Amalekites, because of their
loss, were exceedingly angry.  And when they saw that they could
not seek revenge from the Nephites, they began to stir up the
people in anger against their brethren, the people of
Anti-Nephi-Lehi; therefore they began again to destroy them.

Alma 27:3
 3 Now this people again refused to take their arms, and they
suffered themselves to be slain according to the desires of their
enemies.

Alma 27:4
 4 Now when Ammon and his brethren saw this work of destruction
among those whom they so dearly beloved, and among those who had
so dearly beloved them--for they were treated as though they were
angels sent from God to save them from everlasting
destruction--therefore, when Ammon and his brethren saw this
great work of destruction, they were moved with compassion, and
they said unto the king:

Alma 27:5
 5 Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go
down to the land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and
flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed.

Alma 27:6
 6 But the king said unto them: Behold, the Nephites will destroy
us, because of the many murders and sins we have committed
against them.

Alma 27:7
 7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he
say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?

Alma 27:8
 8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord saith unto us go,
we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves
until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have
committed against them.

Alma 27:9
 9 But Ammon said unto him: It is against the law of our
brethren, which was established by my father, that there should
be any slaves among them; therefore let us go down and rely upon
the mercies of our brethren.

Alma 27:10
 10 But the king said unto him: Inquire of the Lord, and if he
saith unto us go, we will go; otherwise we will perish in the
land.

Alma 27:11
 11 And it came to pass that Ammon went and inquired of the Lord,
and the Lord said unto him:

Alma 27:12
 12 Get this people out of this land, that they perish not; for
Satan has great hold on the hearts of the Amalekites, who do stir
up the Lamanites to anger against their brethren to slay them;
therefore get thee out of this land; and blessed are this people
in this generation, for I will preserve them.

Alma 27:13
 13 And now it came to pass that Ammon went and told the king all
the words which the Lord had said unto him.

Alma 27:14
 14 And they gathered together all their people, yea, all the
people of the Lord, and did gather together all their flocks and
herds, and departed out of the land, and came into the wilderness
which divided the land of Nephi from the land of Zarahemla, and
came over near the borders of the land.

Alma 27:15
 15 And it came to pass that Ammon said unto them: Behold, I and
my brethren will go forth into the land of Zarahemla, and ye
shall remain here until we return; and we will try the hearts of
our brethren, whether they will that ye shall come into their
land.

Alma 27:16
 16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the
land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the place of
which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.

Alma 27:17
 17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea,
he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting
of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.

Alma 27:18
 18 Now was not this exceeding joy?  Behold, this is joy which
none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of
happiness.

Alma 27:19
 19 Now the joy of Alma in meeting his brethren was truly great,
and also the joy of Aaron, of Omner, and Himni; but behold their
joy was not that to exceed their strength.

Alma 27:20
 20 And now it came to pass that Alma conducted his brethren back
to the land of Zarahemla; even to his own house.  And they went
and told the chief judge all the things that had happened unto
them in the land of Nephi, among their brethren, the Lamanites.

Alma 27:21
 21 And it came to pass that the chief judge sent a proclamation
throughout all the land, desiring the voice of the people
concerning the admitting their brethren, who were the people of
Anti-Nephi-Lehi.

Alma 27:22
 22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came,
saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on
the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on
the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the
land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.

Alma 27:23
 23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon
and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land
Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their
fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should
commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore
repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and
their awful wickedness.

Alma 27:24
 24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they
may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their
enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a
portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our
armies.

Alma 27:25
 25 Now, it came to pass that when Ammon had heard this, he
returned to the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi, and also Alma with
him, into the wilderness, where they had pitched their tents, and
made known unto them all these things.  And Alma also related
unto them his conversion, with Ammon and Aaron, and his brethren.

Alma 27:26
 26 And it came to pass that it did cause great joy among them. 
And they went down into the land of Jershon, and took possession
of the land of Jershon; and they were called by the Nephites the
people of Ammon; therefore they were distinguished by that name
ever after.

Alma 27:27
 27 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered
among the people who were of the church of God.  And they were
also distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards
men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things;
and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.

Alma 27:28
 28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren
with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed
upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did
look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and
views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was
swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.

Alma 27:29
 29 Therefore, they would suffer death in the most aggravating
and distressing manner which could be inflicted by their
brethren, before they would take the sword or cimeter to smite
them.

Alma 27:30
 30 And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly
favored people of the Lord.

Alma 28

Alma 28:1
 1 And now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon were
established in the land of Jershon, and a church also established
in the land of Jershon, and the armies of the Nephites were set
round about the land of Jershon, yea, in all the borders round
about the land of Zarahemla; behold the armies of the Lamanites
had followed their brethren into the wilderness.

Alma 28:2
 2 And thus there was a tremendous battle; yea, even such an one
as never had been known among all the people in the land from the
time Lehi left Jerusalem; yea, and tens of thousands of the
Lamanites were slain and scattered abroad.

Alma 28:3
 3 Yea, and also there was a tremendous slaughter among the
people of Nephi; nevertheless, the Lamanites were driven and
scattered, and the people of Nephi returned again to their land.

Alma 28:4
 4 And now this was a time that there was a great mourning and
lamentation heard throughout all the land, among all the people
of Nephi--

Alma 28:5
 5 Yea, the cry of widows mourning for their husbands, and also
of fathers mourning for their sons, and the daughter for the
brother, yea, the brother for the father; and thus the cry of
mourning was heard among all of them, mourning for their kindred
who had been slain.

Alma 28:6
 6 And now surely this was a sorrowful day; yea, a time of
solemnity, and a time of much fasting and prayer.

Alma 28:7
 7 And thus endeth the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi;

Alma 28:8
 8 And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their
journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land,
their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible
joy, and the reception and safety of the brethren in the land of
Jershon.  And now may the Lord, the Redeemer of all men, bless
their souls forever.

Alma 28:9
 9 And this is the account of the wars and contentions among the
Nephites, and also the wars between the Nephites and the
Lamanites; and the fifteenth year of the reign of the judges is
ended.

Alma 28:10
 10 And from the first year to the fifteenth has brought to pass
the destruction of many thousand lives; yea, it has brought to
pass an awful scene of bloodshed.

Alma 28:11
 11 And the bodies of many thousands are laid low in the earth,
while the bodies of many thousands are moldering in heaps upon
the face of the earth; yea, and many thousands are mourning for
the loss of their kindred, because they have reason to fear,
according to the promises of the Lord, that they are consigned to
a state of endless wo.

Alma 28:12
 12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of
their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even
know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised
to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending
happiness.

Alma 28:13
 13 And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of
sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by
the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of
men.

Alma 28:14
 14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor
in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of
sorrow, and also of rejoicing--sorrow because of death and
destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ
unto life.

Alma 29

Alma 29:1
 1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart,
that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a
voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Alma 29:2
 2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of
thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should
repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow
upon all the face of the earth.

Alma 29:3
 3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to
be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.

Alma 29:4
 4 I ought not to harrow up in my desires, the firm decree of a
just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their
desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that
he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are
unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto
salvation or unto destruction.

Alma 29:5
 5 Yea, and I know that good and evil have come before all men;
he that knoweth not good from evil is blameless; but he that
knoweth good and evil, to him it is given according to his
desires, whether he desireth good or evil, life or death, joy or
remorse of conscience.

Alma 29:6
 6 Now, seeing that I know these things, why should I desire more
than to perform the work to which I have been called?

Alma 29:7
 7 Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak
unto all the ends of the earth?

Alma 29:8
 8 For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own
nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he
seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord
doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

Alma 29:9
 9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in
it.  I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord
hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may
be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to
repentance; and this is my joy.

Alma 29:10
 10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent,
and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with
joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even
that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his
merciful arm which he extended towards me.

Alma 29:11
 11 Yea, and I also remember the captivity of my fathers; for I
surely do know that the Lord did deliver them out of bondage, and
by this did establish his church; yea, the Lord God, the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, did deliver them
out of bondage.

Alma 29:12
 12 Yea, I have always remembered the captivity of my fathers;
and that same God who delivered them out of the hands of the
Egyptians did deliver them out of bondage.

Alma 29:13
 13 Yea, and that same God did establish his church among them;
yea, and that same God hath called me by a holy calling, to
preach the word unto this people, and hath given me much success,
in the which my joy is full.

Alma 29:14
 14 But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more
full because of the success of my brethren, who have been up to
the land of Nephi.

Alma 29:15
 15 Behold, they have labored exceedingly, and have brought forth
much fruit; and how great shall be their reward!

Alma 29:16
 16 Now, when I think of the success of these my brethren my soul
is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as
it were, so great is my joy.

Alma 29:17
 17 And now may God grant unto these, my brethren, that they may
sit down in the kingdom of God; yea, and also all those who are
the fruit of their labors that they may go no more out, but that
they may praise him forever.  And may God grant that it may be
done according to my words, even as I have spoken.  Amen.

Alma 30

Alma 30:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass that after the people of Ammon
were established in the land of Jershon, yea, and also after the
Lamanites were driven out of the land, and their dead were buried
by the people of the land--

Alma 30:2
 2 Now their dead were not numbered because of the greatness of
their numbers; neither were the dead of the Nephites
numbered--but it came to pass after they had buried their dead,
and also after the days of fasting, and mourning, and prayer,
(and it was in the sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over
the people of Nephi) there began to be continual peace throughout
all the land.

Alma 30:3
 3 Yea, and the people did observe to keep the commandments of
the Lord; and they were strict in observing the ordinances of
God, according to the law of Moses; for they were taught to keep
the law of Moses until it should be fulfilled.

Alma 30:4
 4 And thus the people did have no disturbance in all the
sixteenth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.

Alma 30:5
 5 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the
seventeenth year of the reign of the judges, there was continual
peace.

Alma 30:6
 6 But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year,
there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was
Anti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people against the
prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the
coming of Christ.

Alma 30:7
 7 Now there was no law against a man's belief; for it was
strictly contrary to the commands of God that there should be a
law which should bring men on to unequal grounds.

Alma 30:8
 8 For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will
serve.

Alma 30:9
 9 Now if a man desired to serve God, it was his privilege; or
rather, if he believed in God it was his privilege to serve him;
but if he did not believe in him there was no law to punish him.

Alma 30:10
 10 But if he murdered he was punished unto death; and if he
robbed he was also punished; and if he stole he was also
punished; and if he committed adultery he was also punished; yea,
for all this wickedness they were punished.

Alma 30:11
 11 For there was a law that men should be judged according to
their crimes.  Nevertheless, there was no law against a man's
belief; therefore, a man was punished only for the crimes which
he had done; therefore all men were on equal grounds.

Alma 30:12
 12 And this Anti-Christ, whose name was Korihor, (and the law
could have no hold upon him) began to preach unto the people that
there should be no Christ.  And after this manner did he preach,
saying:

Alma 30:13
 13 O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why
do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things?  Why do ye look
for a Christ?  For no man can know of anything which is to come.

Alma 30:14
 14 Behold, these things which ye call prophecies, which ye say
are handed down by holy prophets, behold, they are foolish
traditions of your fathers.

Alma 30:15
 15 How do ye know of their surety?  Behold, ye cannot know of
things which ye do not see; therefore ye cannot know that there
shall be a Christ.

Alma 30:16
 16 Ye look forward and say that ye see a remission of your sins.

But behold, it is the effect of a frenzied mind; and this
derangement of your minds comes because of the traditions of your
fathers, which lead you away into a belief of things which are
not so.

Alma 30:17
 17 And many more such things did he say unto them, telling them
that there could be no atonement made for the sins of men, but
every man fared in this life according to the management of the
creature; therefore every man prospered according to his genius,
and that every man conquered according to his strength; and
whatsoever a man did was no crime.

Alma 30:18
 18 And thus he did preach unto them, leading away the hearts of
many, causing them to lift up their heads in their wickedness,
yea, leading away many women, and also men, to commit
whoredoms--telling them that when a man was dead, that was the
end thereof.

Alma 30:19
 19 Now this man went over to the land of Jershon also, to preach
these things among the people of Ammon, who were once the people
of the Lamanites.

Alma 30:20
 20 But behold they were more wise than many of the Nephites; for
they took him, and bound him, and carried him before Ammon, who
was a high priest over that people.

Alma 30:21
 21 And it came to pass that he caused that he should be carried
out of the land.  And he came over into the land of Gideon, and
began to preach unto them also; and here he did not have much
success, for he was taken and bound and carried before the high
priest, and also the chief judge over the land.

Alma 30:22
 22 And it came to pass that the high priest said unto him: Why
do ye go about perverting the ways of the Lord?  Why do ye teach
this people that there shall be no Christ, to interrupt their
rejoicings?  Why do ye speak against all the prophecies of the
holy prophets?

Alma 30:23
 23 Now the high priest's name was Giddonah.  And Korihor said
unto him: Because I do not teach the foolish traditions of your
fathers, and because I do not teach this people to bind
themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances
which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and
authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not
lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.

Alma 30:24
 24 Ye say that this people is a free people.  Behold, I say they
are in bondage.  Ye say that those ancient prophecies are true. 
Behold, I say that ye do not know that they are true.

Alma 30:25
 25 Ye say that this people is a guilty and a fallen people,
because of the transgression of a parent.  Behold, I say that a
child is not guilty because of its parents.

Alma 30:26
 26 And ye also say that Christ shall come.  But behold, I say
that ye do not know that there shall be a Christ.  And ye say
also that he shall be slain for the sins of the world--

Alma 30:27
 27 And thus ye lead away this people after the foolish
traditions of your fathers, and according to your own desires;
and ye keep them down, even as it were in bondage, that ye may
glut yourselves with the labors of their hands, that they durst
not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their
rights and privileges.

Alma 30:28
 28 Yea, they durst not make use of that which is their own lest
they should offend their priests, who do yoke them according to
their desires, and have brought them to believe, by their
traditions and their dreams and their whims and their visions and
their pretended mysteries, that they should, if they did not do
according to their words, offend some unknown being, who they say
is God--a being who never has been seen or known, who never was
nor ever will be.

Alma 30:29
 29 Now when the high priest and the chief judge saw the hardness
of his heart, yea, when they saw that he would revile even
against God, they would not make any reply to his words; but they
caused that he should be bound; and they delivered him up into
the hands of the officers, and sent him to the land of Zarahemla,
that he might be brought before Alma, and the chief judge who was
governor over all the land.

Alma 30:30
 30 And it came to pass that when he was brought before Alma and
the chief judge, he did go on in the same manner as he did in the
land of Gideon; yea, he went on to blaspheme.

Alma 30:31
 31 And he did rise up in great swelling words before Alma, and
did revile against the priests and teachers, accusing them of
leading away the people after the silly traditions of their
fathers, for the sake of glutting on the labors of the people.

Alma 30:32
 32 Now Alma said unto him: Thou knowest that we do not glut
ourselves upon the labors of this people; for behold I have
labored even from the commencement of the reign of the judges
until now, with mine own hands for my support, notwithstanding my
many travels round about the land to declare the word of God unto
my people.

Alma 30:33
 33 And notwithstanding the many labors which I have performed in
the church, I have never received so much as even one senine for
my labor; neither has any of my brethren, save it were in the
judgment-seat; and then we have received only according to law
for our time.

Alma 30:34
 34 And now, if we do not receive anything for our labors in the
church, what doth it profit us to labor in the church save it
were to declare the truth, that we may have rejoicings in the joy
of our brethren?

Alma 30:35
 35 Then why sayest thou that we preach unto this people to get
gain, when thou, of thyself, knowest that we receive no gain? 
And now, believest thou that we deceive this people, that causes
such joy in their hearts?

Alma 30:36
 36 And Korihor answered him, Yea.

Alma 30:37
 37 And then Alma said unto him: Believest thou that there is a
God?

Alma 30:38
 38 And he answered, Nay.

Alma 30:39
 39 Now Alma said unto him: Will ye deny again that there is a
God, and also deny the Christ?  For behold, I say unto you, I
know there is a God, and also that Christ shall come.

Alma 30:40
 40 And now what evidence have ye that there is no God, or that
Christ cometh not?  I say unto you that ye have none, save it be
your word only.

Alma 30:41
 41 But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these
things are true; and ye also have all things as a testimony unto
you that they are true; and will ye deny them?  Believest thou
that these things are true?

Alma 30:42
 42 Behold, I know that thou believest, but thou art possessed
with a lying spirit, and ye have put off the Spirit of God that
it may have no place in you; but the devil has power over you,
and he doth carry you about, working devices that he may destroy
the children of God.

Alma 30:43
 43 And now Korihor said unto Alma: If thou wilt show me a sign,
that I may be convinced that there is a God, yea, show unto me
that he hath power, and then will I be convinced of the truth of
thy words.

Alma 30:44
 44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye
tempt your God?  Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have
the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy
prophets?  The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all
things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things
that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also
all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that
there is a Supreme Creator.

Alma 30:45
 45 And yet do ye go about, leading away the hearts of this
people, testifying unto them there is no God?  And yet will ye
deny against all these witnesses?  And he said: Yea, I will deny,
except ye shall show me a sign.

Alma 30:46
 46 And now it came to pass that Alma said unto him: Behold, I am
grieved because of the hardness of your heart, yea, that ye will
still resist the spirit of the truth, that thy soul may be
destroyed.

Alma 30:47
 47 But behold, it is better that thy soul should be lost than
that thou shouldst be the means of bringing many souls down to
destruction, by thy lying and by thy flattering words; therefore
if thou shalt deny again, behold God shall smite thee, that thou
shalt become dumb, that thou shalt never open thy mouth any more,
that thou shalt not deceive this people any more.

Alma 30:48
 48 Now Korihor said unto him: I do not deny the existence of a
God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also,
that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a
sign, I will not believe.

Alma 30:49
 49 Now Alma said unto him: This will I give unto thee for a
sign, that thou shalt be struck dumb, according to my words; and
I say, that in the name of God, ye shall be struck dumb, that ye
shall no more have utterance.

Alma 30:50
 50 Now when Alma had said these words, Korihor was struck dumb,
that he could not have utterance, according to the words of Alma.

Alma 30:51
 51 And now when the chief judge saw this, he put forth his hand
and wrote unto Korihor, saying: Art thou convinced of the power
of God?  In whom did ye desire that Alma should show forth his
sign?  Would ye that he should afflict others, to show unto thee
a sign?  Behold, he has showed unto you a sign; and now will ye
dispute more?

Alma 30:52
 52 And Korihor put forth his hand and wrote, saying: I know that
I am dumb, for I cannot speak; and I know that nothing save it
were the power of God could bring this upon me; yea, and I always
knew that there was a God.

Alma 30:53
 53 But behold, the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto
me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this
people, for they have all gone astray after an unknown God.  And
he said unto me: There is no God; yea, and he taught me that
which I should say.  And I have taught his words; and I taught
them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I
taught them, even until I had much success, insomuch that I
verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I
withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse
upon me.

Alma 30:54
 54 Now when he had said this, he besought that Alma should pray
unto God, that the curse might be taken from him.

Alma 30:55
 55 But Alma said unto him: If this curse should be taken from
thee thou wouldst again lead away the hearts of this people;
therefore, it shall be unto thee even as the Lord will.

Alma 30:56
 56 And it came to pass that the curse was not taken off of
Korihor; but he was cast out, and went about from house to house
begging for his food.

Alma 30:57
 57 Now the knowledge of what had happened unto Korihor was
immediately published throughout all the land; yea, the
proclamation was sent forth by the chief judge to all the people
in the land, declaring unto those who had believed in the words
of Korihor that they must speedily repent, lest the same
judgments would come unto them.

Alma 30:58
 58 And it came to pass that they were all convinced of the
wickedness of Korihor; therefore they were all converted again
unto the Lord; and this put an end to the iniquity after the
manner of Korihor.  And Korihor did go about from house to house,
begging food for his support.

Alma 30:59
 59 And it came to pass that as he went forth among the people,
yea, among a people who had separated themselves from the
Nephites and called themselves Zoramites, being led by a man
whose name was Zoram--and as he went forth amongst them, behold,
he was run upon and trodden down, even until he was dead.

Alma 30:60
 60 And thus we see the end of him who perverteth the ways of the
Lord; and thus we see that the devil will not support his
children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to
hell.

Alma 31

Alma 31:1
 1 Now it came to pass that after the end of Korihor, Alma having
received tidings that the Zoramites were perverting the ways of
the Lord, and that Zoram, who was their leader, was leading the
hearts of the people to bow down to dumb idols, his heart again
began to sicken because of the iniquity of the people.

Alma 31:2
 2 For it was the cause of great sorrow to Alma to know of
iniquity among his people; therefore his heart was exceedingly
sorrowful because of the separation of the Zoramites from the
Nephites.

Alma 31:3
 3 Now the Zoramites had gathered themselves together in a land
which they called Antionum, which was east of the land of
Zarahemla, which lay nearly bordering upon the seashore, which
was south of the land of Jershon, which also bordered upon the
wilderness south, which wilderness was full of the Lamanites.

Alma 31:4
 4 Now the Nephites greatly feared that the Zoramites would enter
into a correspondence with the Lamanites, and that it would be
the means of great loss on the part of the Nephites.

Alma 31:5
 5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to
lead the people to do that which was just--yea, it had had more
powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or
anything else, which had happened unto them--therefore Alma
thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the
word of God.

Alma 31:6
 6 Therefore he took Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner; and Himni he
did leave in the church in Zarahemla; but the former three he
took with him, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, who were at Melek;
and he also took two of his sons.

Alma 31:7
 7 Now the eldest of his sons he took not with him, and his name
was Helaman; but the names of those whom he took with him were
Shiblon and Corianton; and these are the names of those who went
with him among the Zoramites, to preach unto them the word.

Alma 31:8
 8 Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Nephites; therefore
they had had the word of God preached unto them.

Alma 31:9
 9 But they had fallen into great errors, for they would not
observe to keep the commandments of God, and his statutes,
according to the law of Moses.

Alma 31:10
 10 Neither would they observe the performances of the church, to
continue in prayer and supplication to God daily, that they might
not enter into temptation.

Alma 31:11
 11 Yea, in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very
many instances; therefore, for this cause, Alma and his brethren
went into the land to preach the word unto them.

Alma 31:12
 12 Now, when they had come into the land, behold, to their
astonishment they found that the Zoramites had built synagogues,
and that they did gather themselves together on one day of the
week, which day they did call the day of the Lord; and they did
worship after a manner which Alma and his brethren had never
beheld;

Alma 31:13
 13 For they had a place built up in the center of their
synagogue, a place for standing, which was high above the head,
and the top thereof would only admit one person.

Alma 31:14
 14 Therefore, whosoever desired to worship must go forth and
stand upon the top thereof, and stretch forth his hands towards
heaven, and cry with a loud voice, saying:

Alma 31:15
 15 Holy, holy God; we believe that thou art God, and we believe
that thou art holy, and that thou wast a spirit, and that thou
art a spirit, and that thou wilt be a spirit forever.

Alma 31:16
 16 Holy God, we believe that thou hast separated us from our
brethren; and we do not believe in the tradition of our brethren,
which was handed down to them by the childishness of their
fathers; but we believe that thou hast elected us to be thy holy
children; and also thou hast made it known unto us that there
shall be no Christ.

Alma 31:17
 17 But thou art the same yesterday, today, and forever; and thou
hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are
elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which
holiness, O God, we thank thee; and we also thank thee that thou
hast elected us, that we may not be led away after the foolish
traditions of our brethren, which doth bind them down to a belief
of Christ, which doth lead their hearts to wander far from thee,
our God.

Alma 31:18
 18 And again we thank thee, O God, that we are a chosen and a
holy people.  Amen.

Alma 31:19
 19 Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his
sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all
measure.

Alma 31:20
 20 For behold, every man did go forth and offer up these same
prayers.

Alma 31:21
 21 Now the place was called by them Rameumptom, which, being
interpreted, is the holy stand.

Alma 31:22
 22 Now, from this stand they did offer up, every man, the
selfsame prayer unto God, thanking their God that they were
chosen of him, and that he did not lead them away after the
tradition of their brethren, and that their hearts were not
stolen away to believe in things to come, which they knew nothing
about.

Alma 31:23
 23 Now, after the people had all offered up thanks after this
manner, they returned to their homes, never speaking of their God
again until they had assembled themselves together again to the
holy stand, to offer up thanks after their manner.

Alma 31:24
 24 Now when Alma saw this his heart was grieved; for he saw that
they were a wicked and a perverse people; yea, he saw that their
hearts were set upon gold, and upon silver, and upon all manner
of fine goods.

Alma 31:25
 25 Yea, and he also saw that their hearts were lifted up unto
great boasting, in their pride.

Alma 31:26
 26 And he lifted up his voice to heaven, and cried, saying: O,
how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that thy servants shall dwell
here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness among
the children of men?

Alma 31:27
 27 Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are
swallowed up in their pride.  Behold, O God, they cry unto thee
with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness,
with the vain things of the world.

Alma 31:28
 28 Behold, O my God, their costly apparel, and their ringlets,
and their bracelets, and their ornaments of gold, and all their
precious things which they are ornamented with; and behold, their
hearts are set upon them, and yet they cry unto thee and say--We
thank thee, O God, for we are a chosen people unto thee, while
others shall perish.

Alma 31:29
 29 Yea, and they say that thou hast made it known unto them that
there shall be no Christ.

Alma 31:30
 30 O Lord God, how long wilt thou suffer that such wickedness
and infidelity shall be among this people?  O Lord, wilt thou
give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities.  For I
am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my
soul.

Alma 31:31
 31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort
my soul in Christ.  O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may
have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions
which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.

Alma 31:32
 32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success,
and also my fellow laborers who are with me--yea, Ammon, and
Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom and also my two
sons--yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord.  Yea, wilt
thou comfort their souls in Christ.

Alma 31:33
 33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that
they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them
because of the iniquities of this people.

Alma 31:34
 34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in
bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

Alma 31:35
 35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them
are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and
wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

Alma 31:36
 36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that
he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him.  And
behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with
the Holy Spirit.

Alma 31:37
 37 And after that they did separate themselves one from another,
taking no thought for themselves what they should eat, or what
they should drink, or what they should put on.

Alma 31:38
 38 And the Lord provided for them that they should hunger not,
neither should they thirst; yea, and he also gave them strength,
that they should suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were
swallowed up in the joy of Christ.  Now this was according to the
prayer of Alma; and this because he prayed in faith.

Alma 32

Alma 32:1
 1 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and began to
preach the word of God unto the people, entering into their
synagogues, and into their houses; yea, and even they did preach
the word in their streets.

Alma 32:2
 2 And it came to pass that after much labor among them, they
began to have success among the poor class of people; for behold,
they were cast out of the synagogues because of the coarseness of
their apparel--

Alma 32:3
 3 Therefore they were not permitted to enter into their
synagogues to worship God, being esteemed as filthiness;
therefore they were poor; yea, they were esteemed by their
brethren as dross; therefore they were poor as to things of the
world; and also they were poor in heart.

Alma 32:4
 4 Now, as Alma was teaching and speaking unto the people upon
the hill Onidah, there came a great multitude unto him, who were
those of whom we have been speaking, of whom were poor in heart,
because of their poverty as to the things of the world.

Alma 32:5
 5 And they came unto Alma; and the one who was the foremost
among them said unto him: Behold, what shall these my brethren
do, for they are despised of all men because of their poverty,
yea, and more especially by our priests; for they have cast us
out of our synagogues which we have labored abundantly to build
with our own hands; and they have cast us out because of our
exceeding poverty; and we have no place to worship our God; and
behold, what shall we do?

Alma 32:6
 6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face
immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he
beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them and that
they were in a preparation to hear the word.

Alma 32:7
 7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he
stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld,
who were truly penitent, and said unto them:

Alma 32:8
 8 I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are
ye.

Alma 32:9
 9 Behold thy brother hath said, What shall we do?--for we are
cast out of our synagogues, that we cannot worship our God.

Alma 32:10
 10 Behold I say unto you, do ye suppose that ye cannot worship
God save it be in your synagogues only?

Alma 32:11
 11 Moreover, I would ask, do ye suppose that ye must not worship
God only once in a week?

Alma 32:12
 12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your
synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom;
for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is
because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your
brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought
to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be
humble.

Alma 32:13
 13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are
ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh
repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy;
and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall
be saved.

Alma 32:14
 14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled
to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are
more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?

Alma 32:15
 15 Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his
sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed--yea,
much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble
because of their exceeding poverty.

Alma 32:16
 16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without
being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed
is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without
stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the
word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.

Alma 32:17
 17 Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a
sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall
believe.

Alma 32:18
 18 Now I ask, is this faith?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for
if a man knoweth a thing he hath no cause to believe, for he
knoweth it.

Alma 32:19
 19 And now, how much more cursed is he that knoweth the will of
God and doeth it not, than he that only believeth, or only hath
cause to believe, and falleth into transgression?

Alma 32:20
 20 Now of this thing ye must judge.  Behold, I say unto you,
that it is on the one hand even as it is on the other; and it
shall be unto every man according to his work.

Alma 32:21
 21 And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a
perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope
for things which are not seen, which are true.

Alma 32:22
 22 And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should
remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name;
therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should
believe, yea, even on his word.

Alma 32:23
 23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not
only men but women also.  Now this is not all; little children do
have words given unto them many times which confound the wise and
the learned.

Alma 32:24
 24 And now, my beloved brethren, as ye have desired to know of
me what ye shall do because ye are afflicted and cast out--now I
do not desire that ye should suppose that I mean to judge you
only according to that which is true--

Alma 32:25
 25 For I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to
humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among
you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever
circumstances they might.

Alma 32:26
 26 Now, as I said concerning faith--that it was not a perfect
knowledge--even so it is with my words.  Ye cannot know of their
surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a
perfect knowledge.

Alma 32:27
 27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even
to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith,
yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this
desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can
give place for a portion of my words.

Alma 32:28
 28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed.  Now, if ye give
place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be
a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your
unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it
will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these
swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves--It must
needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for
it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten
my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

Alma 32:29
 29 Now behold, would not this increase your faith?  I say unto
you, Yea; nevertheless it hath not grown up to a perfect
knowledge.

Alma 32:30
 30 But behold, as the seed swelleth, and sprouteth, and
beginneth to grow, then you must needs say that the seed is good;
for behold it swelleth, and sprouteth, and beginneth to grow. 
And now behold, will not this strengthen your faith?  Yea, it
will strengthen your faith: for ye will say I know that this is a
good seed; for behold it sprouteth and beginneth to grow.

Alma 32:31
 31 And now, behold, are ye sure that this is a good seed?  I say
unto you, Yea; for every seed bringeth forth unto its own
likeness.

Alma 32:32
 32 Therefore, if a seed groweth it is good, but if it groweth
not, behold it is not good, therefore it is cast away.

Alma 32:33
 33 And now, behold, because ye have tried the experiment, and
planted the seed, and it swelleth and sprouteth, and beginneth to
grow, ye must needs know that the seed is good.

Alma 32:34
 34 And now, behold, is your knowledge perfect?  Yea, your
knowledge is perfect in that thing, and your faith is dormant;
and this because ye know, for ye know that the word hath swelled
your souls, and ye also know that it hath sprouted up, that your
understanding doth begin to be enlightened, and your mind doth
begin to expand.

Alma 32:35
 35 O then, is not this real?  I say unto you, Yea, because it is
light; and whatsoever is light, is good, because it is
discernible, therefore ye must know that it is good; and now
behold, after ye have tasted this light is your knowledge
perfect?

Alma 32:36
 36 Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither must ye lay aside your
faith, for ye have only exercised your faith to plant the seed
that ye might try the experiment to know if the seed was good.

Alma 32:37
 37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let
us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may
grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us.  And now behold, if ye
nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and
bring forth fruit.

Alma 32:38
 38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its
nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat
of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it
withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

Alma 32:39
 39 Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it
because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is
because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree,
therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

Alma 32:40
 40 And thus, if ye will not nourish the word, looking forward
with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of
the fruit of the tree of life.

Alma 32:41
 41 But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it
beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with
patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take
root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting
life.

Alma 32:42
 42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your
patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in
you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is
most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which
is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is
pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are
filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

Alma 32:43
 43 Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith,
and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for
the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

Alma 33

Alma 33:1
 1 Now after Alma had spoken these words, they sent forth unto
him desiring to know whether they should believe in one God, that
they might obtain this fruit of which he had spoken, or how they
should plant the seed, or the word of which he had spoken, which
he said must be planted in their hearts; or in what manner they
should begin to exercise their faith.

Alma 33:2
 2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could
not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues. 
But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship
God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if
ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand
them.

Alma 33:3
 3 Do ye remember to have read what Zenos, the prophet of old,
has said concerning prayer or worship?

Alma 33:4
 4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my
prayer, even when I was in the wilderness; yea, thou wast
merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine enemies,
and thou didst turn them to me.

Alma 33:5
 5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto
thee in my field; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou
didst hear me.

Alma 33:6
 6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear
me in my prayer.

Alma 33:7
 7 And when I did turn unto my closet, O Lord, and prayed unto
thee, thou didst hear me.

Alma 33:8
 8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto
thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear
them.

Alma 33:9
 9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my
cries in the midst of thy congregations.

Alma 33:10
 10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been cast out
and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my
cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst visit
them in thine anger with speedy destruction.

Alma 33:11
 11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my
sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus
merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine
afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy
judgments away from me, because of thy Son.

Alma 33:12
 12 And now Alma said unto them: Do ye believe those scriptures
which have been written by them of old?

Alma 33:13
 13 Behold, if ye do, ye must believe what Zenos said; for,
behold he said: Thou hast turned away thy judgments because of
thy Son.

Alma 33:14
 14 Now behold, my brethren, I would ask if ye have read the
scriptures?  If ye have, how can ye disbelieve on the Son of God?

Alma 33:15
 15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things,
but Zenock also spake of these things--

Alma 33:16
 16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this
people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou
hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.

Alma 33:17
 17 And now, my brethren, ye see that a second prophet of old has
testified of the Son of God, and because the people would not
understand his words they stoned him to death.

Alma 33:18
 18 But behold, this is not all; these are not the only ones who
have spoken concerning the Son of God.

Alma 33:19
 19 Behold, he was spoken of by Moses; yea, and behold a type was
raised up in the wilderness, that whosoever would look upon it
might live.  And many did look and live.

Alma 33:20
 20 But few understood the meaning of those things, and this
because of the hardness of their hearts.  But there were many who
were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they
perished.  Now the reason they would not look is because they did
not believe that it would heal them.

Alma 33:21
 21 O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about
your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly,
or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be
slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might
perish?

Alma 33:22
 22 If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about
your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will
come to redeem his people, and that he shall suffer and die to
atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead,
which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall
stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day,
according to their works.

Alma 33:23
 23 And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word
in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it
by your faith.  And behold, it will become a tree, springing up
in you unto everlasting life.  And then may God grant unto you
that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son.  And
even all this can ye do if ye will.  Amen.

Alma 34

Alma 34:1
 1 And now it came to pass that after Alma had spoken these words
unto them he sat down upon the ground, and Amulek arose and began
to teach them, saying:

Alma 34:2
 2 My brethren, I think that it is impossible that ye should be
ignorant of the things which have been spoken concerning the
coming of Christ, who is taught by us to be the Son of God; yea,
I know that these things were taught unto you bountifully before
your dissension from among us.

Alma 34:3
 3 And as ye have desired of my beloved brother that he should
make known unto you what ye should do, because of your
afflictions; and he hath spoken somewhat unto you to prepare your
minds; yea, and he hath exhorted you unto faith and to patience--

Alma 34:4
 4 Yea, even that ye would have so much faith as even to plant
the word in your hearts, that ye may try the experiment of its
goodness.

Alma 34:5
 5 And we have beheld that the great question which is in your
minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there
shall be no Christ.

Alma 34:6
 6 And ye also beheld that my brother has proved unto you, in
many instances, that the word is in Christ unto salvation.

Alma 34:7
 7 My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, that redemption
cometh through the Son of God, and also upon the words of Zenock;
and also he has appealed unto Moses, to prove that these things
are true.

Alma 34:8
 8 And now, behold, I will testify unto you of myself that these
things are true.  Behold, I say unto you, that I do know that
Christ shall come among the children of men, to take upon him the
transgressions of his people, and that he shall atone for the
sins of the world; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Alma 34:9
 9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for
according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an
atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea,
all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must
perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient
should be made.

Alma 34:10
 10 For it is expedient that there should be a great and last
sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, neither
of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a human sacrifice; but
it must be an infinite and eternal sacrifice.

Alma 34:11
 11 Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood
which will atone for the sins of another.  Now, if a man
murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of
his brother?  I say unto you, Nay.

Alma 34:12
 12 But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered;
therefore there can be nothing which is short of an infinite
atonement which will suffice for the sins of the world.

Alma 34:13
 13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and
last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or it is expedient there
should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of
Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and
tittle, and none shall have passed away.

Alma 34:14
 14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit
pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and
last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

Alma 34:15
 15 And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall
believe on his name; this being the intent of this last
sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth
justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have
faith unto repentance.

Alma 34:16
 16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and
encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no
faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands
of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto
repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of
redemption.

Alma 34:17
 17 Therefore may God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may
begin to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin to
call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy upon you;

Alma 34:18
 18 Yea, cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save.

Alma 34:19
 19 Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him.

Alma 34:20
 20 Cry unto him when ye are in your fields, yea, over all your
flocks.

Alma 34:21
 21 Cry unto him in your houses, yea, over all your household,
both morning, mid-day, and evening.

Alma 34:22
 22 Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.

Alma 34:23
 23 Yea, cry unto him against the devil, who is an enemy to all
righteousness.

Alma 34:24
 24 Cry unto him over the crops of your fields, that ye may
prosper in them.

Alma 34:25
 25 Cry over the flocks of your fields, that they may increase.

Alma 34:26
 26 But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your
closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.

Alma 34:27
 27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts
be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your
welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

Alma 34:28
 28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not
suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these
things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not
the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have,
to those who stand in need--I say unto you, if ye do not any of
these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you
nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.

Alma 34:29
 29 Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as
dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and
is trodden under foot of men.

Alma 34:30
 30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so
many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these
things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.

Alma 34:31
 31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your
hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of
your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not
your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be
brought about unto you.

Alma 34:32
 32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet
God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to
perform their labors.

Alma 34:33
 33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many
witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not
procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after
this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity,
behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then
cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor
performed.

Alma 34:34
 34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that
I will repent, that I will return to my God.  Nay, ye cannot say
this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the
time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have
power to possess your body in that eternal world.

Alma 34:35
 35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your
repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to
the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the
Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in
you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final
state of the wicked.

Alma 34:36
 36 And this I know, because the Lord hath said he dwelleth not
in unholy temples, but in the hearts of the righteous doth he
dwell; yea, and he has also said that the righteous shall sit
down in his kingdom, to go no more out; but their garments should
be made white through the blood of the Lamb.

Alma 34:37
 37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should
remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation
with fear before God, and that ye should no more deny the coming
of Christ;

Alma 34:38
 38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye
receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble
yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place
ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in
thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he
doth bestow upon you.

Alma 34:39
 39 Yea, and I also exhort you, my brethren, that ye be watchful
unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the
temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, that ye
may not become his subjects at the last day; for behold, he
rewardeth you no good thing.

Alma 34:40
 40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have
patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that
ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of
your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;

Alma 34:41
 41 But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions,
with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your
afflictions.

Alma 35

Alma 35:1
 1 Now it came to pass that after Amulek had made an end of these
words, they withdrew themselves from the multitude and came over
into the land of Jershon.

Alma 35:2
 2 Yea, and the rest of the brethren, after they had preached the
word unto the Zoramites, also came over into the land of Jershon.

Alma 35:3
 3 And it came to pass that after the more popular part of the
Zoramites had consulted together concerning the words which had
been preached unto them, they were angry because of the word, for
it did destroy their craft; therefore they would not hearken unto
the words.

Alma 35:4
 4 And they sent and gathered together throughout all the land
all the people, and consulted with them concerning the words
which had been spoken.

Alma 35:5
 5 Now their rulers and their priests and their teachers did not
let the people know concerning their desires; therefore they
found out privily the minds of all the people.

Alma 35:6
 6 And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of
all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had
been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land;
and they were many; and they came over also into the land of
Jershon.

Alma 35:7
 7 And it came to pass that Alma and his brethren did minister
unto them.

Alma 35:8
 8 Now the people of the Zoramites were angry with the people of
Ammon who were in Jershon, and the chief ruler of the Zoramites,
being a very wicked man, sent over unto the people of Ammon
desiring them that they should cast out of their land all those
who came over from them into their land.

Alma 35:9
 9 And he breathed out many threatenings against them.  And now
the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did
not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the
Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them,
and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their
inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their
wants.

Alma 35:10
 10 Now this did stir up the Zoramites to anger against the
people of Ammon, and they began to mix with the Lamanites and to
stir them up also to anger against them.

Alma 35:11
 11 And thus the Zoramites and the Lamanites began to make
preparations for war against the people of Ammon, and also
against the Nephites.

Alma 35:12
 12 And thus ended the seventeenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 35:13
 13 And the people of Ammon departed out of the land of Jershon,
and came over into the land of Melek, and gave place in the land
of Jershon for the armies of the Nephites, that they might
contend with the armies of the Lamanites and the armies of the
Zoramites; and thus commenced a war betwixt the Lamanites and the
Nephites, in the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges; and
an account shall be given of their wars hereafter.

Alma 35:14
 14 And Alma, and Ammon, and their brethren, and also the two
sons of Alma returned to the land of Zarahemla, after having been
instruments in the hands of God of bringing many of the Zoramites
to repentance; and as many as were brought to repentance were
driven out of their land; but they have lands for their
inheritance in the land of Jershon, and they have taken up arms
to defend themselves, and their wives, and children, and their
lands.

Alma 35:15
 15 Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea
for the wars, and the bloodsheds, and the contentions which were
among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to
declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing
that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they
began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his
heart was exceedingly sorrowful.

Alma 35:16
 16 Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered
together, that he might give unto them every one his charge,
separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. 
And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto
them according to his own record.

Alma 36

Alma 36:1
 1 My son, give ear to my words; for I swear unto you, that
inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall
prosper in the land.

Alma 36:2
 2 I would that ye should do as I have done, in remembering the
captivity of our fathers; for they were in bondage, and none
could deliver them except it was the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he surely did deliver them in
their afflictions.

Alma 36:3
 3 And now, O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and
therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and
learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust
in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles,
and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma 36:4
 4 And I would not that ye think that I know of myself--not of
the temporal but of the spiritual, not of the carnal mind but of
God.

Alma 36:5
 5 Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I
should not have known these things; but God has, by the mouth of
his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any
worthiness of myself.

Alma 36:6
 6 For I went about with the sons of Mosiah, seeking to destroy
the church of God; but behold, God sent his holy angel to stop us
by the way.

Alma 36:7
 7 And behold, he spake unto us, as it were the voice of thunder,
and the whole earth did tremble beneath our feet; and we all fell
to the earth, for the fear of the Lord came upon us.

Alma 36:8
 8 But behold, the voice said unto me: Arise.  And I arose and
stood up, and beheld the angel.

Alma 36:9
 9 And he said unto me: If thou wilt of thyself be destroyed,
seek no more to destroy the church of God.

Alma 36:10
 10 And it came to pass that I fell to the earth; and it was for
the space of three days and three nights that I could not open my
mouth, neither had I the use of my limbs.

Alma 36:11
 11 And the angel spake more things unto me, which were heard by
my brethren, but I did not hear them; for when I heard the
words--If thou wilt be destroyed of thyself, seek no more to
destroy the church of God--I was struck with such great fear and
amazement lest perhaps I should be destroyed, that I fell to the
earth and I did hear no more.

Alma 36:12
 12 But I was racked with eternal torment, for my soul was
harrowed up to the greatest degree and racked with all my sins.

Alma 36:13
 13 Yea, I did remember all my sins and iniquities, for which I
was tormented with the pains of hell; yea, I saw that I had
rebelled against my God, and that I had not kept his holy
commandments.

Alma 36:14
 14 Yea, and I had murdered many of his children, or rather led
them away unto destruction; yea, and in fine so great had been my
iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of
my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror.

Alma 36:15
 15 Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct
both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the
presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds.

Alma 36:16
 16 And now, for three days and for three nights was I racked,
even with the pains of a damned soul.

Alma 36:17
 17 And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment,
while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I
remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people
concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone
for the sins of the world.

Alma 36:18
 18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within
my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in
the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting
chains of death.

Alma 36:19
 19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my
pains no more; yea, I was harrowed up by the memory of my sins no
more.

Alma 36:20
 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea,
my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

Alma 36:21
 21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so
exquisite and so bitter as were my pains.  Yea, and again I say
unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so
exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

Alma 36:22
 22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw, God
sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of
angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea,
and my soul did long to be there.

Alma 36:23
 23 But behold, my limbs did receive their strength again, and I
stood upon my feet, and did manifest unto the people that I had
been born of God.

Alma 36:24
 24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored
without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I
might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did
taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with
the Holy Ghost.

Alma 36:25
 25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me
exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

Alma 36:26
 26 For because of the word which he has imparted unto me,
behold, many have been born of God, and have tasted as I have
tasted, and have seen eye to eye as I have seen; therefore they
do know of these things of which I have spoken, as I do know; and
the knowledge which I have is of God.

Alma 36:27
 27 And I have been supported under trials and troubles of every
kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions; yea, God has
delivered me from prison, and from bonds, and from death; yea,
and I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me.

Alma 36:28
 28 And I know that he will raise me up at the last day, to dwell
with him in glory; yea, and I will praise him forever, for he has
brought our fathers out of Egypt, and he has swallowed up the
Egyptians in the Red Sea; and he led them by his power into the
promised land; yea, and he has delivered them out of bondage and
captivity from time to time.

Alma 36:29
 29 Yea, and he has also brought our fathers out of the land of
Jerusalem; and he has also, by his everlasting power, delivered
them out of bondage and captivity, from time to time even down to
the present day; and I have always retained in remembrance their
captivity; yea, and ye also ought to retain in remembrance, as I
have done, their captivity.

Alma 36:30
 30 But behold, my son, this is not all; for ye ought to know as
I do know, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments of God
ye shall prosper in the land; and ye ought to know also, that
inasmuch as ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be
cut off from his presence.  Now this is according to his word.

Alma 37

Alma 37:1
 1 And now, my son Helaman, I command you that ye take the
records which have been entrusted with me;

Alma 37:2
 2 And I also command you that ye keep a record of this people,
according as I have done, upon the plates of Nephi, and keep all
these things sacred which I have kept, even as I have kept them;
for it is for a wise purpose that they are kept.

Alma 37:3
 3 And these plates of brass, which contain these engravings,
which have the records of the holy scriptures upon them, which
have the genealogy of our forefathers, even from the beginning--

Alma 37:4
 4 Behold, it has been prophesied by our fathers, that they
should be kept and handed down from one generation to another,
and be kept and preserved by the hand of the Lord until they
should go forth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people,
that they shall know of the mysteries contained thereon.

Alma 37:5
 5 And now behold, if they are kept they must retain their
brightness; yea, and they will retain their brightness; yea, and
also shall all the plates which do contain that which is holy
writ.

Alma 37:6
 6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold
I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things
brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound
the wise.

Alma 37:7
 7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great
and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth
confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

Alma 37:8
 8 And now, it has hitherto been wisdom in God that these things
should be preserved; for behold, they have enlarged the memory of
this people, yea, and convinced many of the error of their ways,
and brought them to the knowledge of their God unto the salvation
of their souls.

Alma 37:9
 9 Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these
records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his
brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the
Lamanites of the incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these
records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is,
they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to
rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

Alma 37:10
 10 And who knoweth but what they will be the means of bringing
many thousands of them, yea, and also many thousands of our
stiffnecked brethren, the Nephites, who are now hardening their
hearts in sin and iniquities, to the knowledge of their Redeemer?

Alma 37:11
 11 Now these mysteries are not yet fully made known unto me;
therefore I shall forbear.

Alma 37:12
 12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a
wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth
counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight,
and his course is one eternal round.

Alma 37:13
 13 O remember, remember, my son Helaman, how strict are the
commandments of God.  And he said: If ye will keep my
commandments ye shall prosper in the land--but if ye keep not his
commandments ye shall be cut off from his presence.

Alma 37:14
 14 And now remember, my son, that God has entrusted you with
these things, which are sacred, which he has kept sacred, and
also which he will keep and preserve for a wise purpose in him,
that he may show forth his power unto future generations.

Alma 37:15
 15 And now behold, I tell you by the spirit of prophecy, that if
ye transgress the commandments of God, behold, these things which
are sacred shall be taken away from you by the power of God, and
ye shall be delivered up unto Satan, that he may sift you as
chaff before the wind.

Alma 37:16
 16 But if ye keep the commandments of God, and do with these
things which are sacred according to that which the Lord doth
command you, (for you must appeal unto the Lord for all things
whatsoever ye must do with them) behold, no power of earth or
hell can take them from you, for God is powerful to the
fulfilling of all his words.

Alma 37:17
 17 For he will fulfil all his promises which he shall make unto
you, for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our
fathers.

Alma 37:18
 18 For he promised unto them that he would preserve these things
for a wise purpose in him, that he might show forth his power
unto future generations.

Alma 37:19
 19 And now behold, one purpose hath he fulfilled, even to the
restoration of many thousands of the Lamanites to the knowledge
of the truth; and he hath shown forth his power in them, and he
will also still show forth his power in them unto future
generations; therefore they shall be preserved.

Alma 37:20
 20 Therefore I command you, my son Helaman, that ye be diligent
in fulfilling all my words, and that ye be diligent in keeping
the commandments of God as they are written.

Alma 37:21
 21 And now, I will speak unto you concerning those twenty-four
plates, that ye keep them, that the mysteries and the works of
darkness, and their secret works, or the secret works of those
people who have been destroyed, may be made manifest unto this
people; yea, all their murders, and robbings, and their
plunderings, and all their wickedness and abominations, may be
made manifest unto this people; yea, and that ye preserve these
interpreters.

Alma 37:22
 22 For behold, the Lord saw that his people began to work in
darkness, yea, work secret murders and abominations; therefore
the Lord said, if they did not repent they should be destroyed
from off the face of the earth.

Alma 37:23
 23 And the Lord said: I will prepare unto my servant Gazelem, a
stone, which shall shine forth in darkness unto light, that I may
discover unto my people who serve me, that I may discover unto
them the works of their brethren, yea, their secret works, their
works of darkness, and their wickedness and abominations.

Alma 37:24
 24 And now, my son, these interpreters were prepared that the
word of God might be fulfilled, which he spake, saying:

Alma 37:25
 25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their
secret works and their abominations; and except they repent I
will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will
bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every
nation that shall hereafter possess the land.

Alma 37:26
 26 And now, my son, we see that they did not repent; therefore
they have been destroyed, and thus far the word of God has been
fulfilled; yea, their secret abominations have been brought out
of darkness and made known unto us.

Alma 37:27
 27 And now, my son, I command you that ye retain all their
oaths, and their covenants, and their agreements in their secret
abominations; yea, and all their signs and their wonders ye shall
keep from this people, that they know them not, lest peradventure
they should fall into darkness also and be destroyed.

Alma 37:28
 28 For behold, there is a curse upon all this land, that
destruction shall come upon all those workers of darkness,
according to the power of God, when they are fully ripe;
therefore I desire that this people might not be destroyed.

Alma 37:29
 29 Therefore ye shall keep these secret plans of their oaths and
their covenants from this people, and only their wickedness and
their murders and their abominations shall ye make known unto
them; and ye shall teach them to abhor such wickedness and
abominations and murders; and ye shall also teach them that these
people were destroyed on account of their wickedness and
abominations and their murders.

Alma 37:30
 30 For behold, they murdered all the prophets of the Lord who
came among them to declare unto them concerning their iniquities;
and the blood of those whom they murdered did cry unto the Lord
their God for vengeance upon those who were their murderers; and
thus the judgments of God did come upon these workers of darkness
and secret combinations.

Alma 37:31
 31 Yea, and cursed be the land forever and ever unto those
workers of darkness and secret combinations, even unto
destruction, except they repent before they are fully ripe.

Alma 37:32
 32 And now, my son, remember the words which I have spoken unto
you; trust not those secret plans unto this people, but teach
them an everlasting hatred against sin and iniquity.

Alma 37:33
 33 Preach unto them repentance, and faith on the Lord Jesus
Christ; teach them to humble themselves and to be meek and lowly
in heart; teach them to withstand every temptation of the devil,
with their faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Alma 37:34
 34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek
and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.

Alma 37:35
 35 O, remember, my son, and learn wisdom in thy youth; yea,
learn in thy youth to keep the commandments of God.

Alma 37:36
 36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy
doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be
in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord;
yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord
forever.

Alma 37:37
 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct
thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto
the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou
risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God;
and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma 37:38
 38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the thing
which our fathers call a ball, or director--or our fathers called
it Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord
prepared it.

Alma 37:39
 39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so
curious a workmanship.  And behold, it was prepared to show unto
our fathers the course which they should travel in the
wilderness.

Alma 37:40
 40 And it did work for them according to their faith in God;
therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that
those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it
was done; therefore they had this miracle, and also many other
miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.

Alma 37:41
 41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small
means it did show unto them marvelous works.  They were slothful,
and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those
marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their
journey;

Alma 37:42
 42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did not travel
a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger and thirst,
because of their transgressions.

Alma 37:43
 43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand that these
things are not without a shadow; for as our fathers were slothful
to give heed to this compass (now these things were temporal)
they did not prosper; even so it is with things which are
spiritual.

Alma 37:44
 44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ,
which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it
was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would
point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

Alma 37:45
 45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing?  For just
as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following
its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if
we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into
a far better land of promise.

Alma 37:46
 46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness
of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it
prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even
so it is with us.  The way is prepared, and if we will look we
may live forever.

Alma 37:47
 47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred
things, yea, see that ye look to God and live.  Go unto this
people and declare the word, and be sober.  My son, farewell.

Alma 38

Alma 38:1
 1 My son, give ear to my words, for I say unto you, even as I
said unto Helaman, that inasmuch as ye shall keep the
commandments of God ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as
ye will not keep the commandments of God ye shall be cut off from
his presence.

Alma 38:2
 2 And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you,
because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as
you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God,
even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his
commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.

Alma 38:3
 3 I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee
already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy
patience and thy long-suffering among the people of the
Zoramites.

Alma 38:4
 4 For I know that thou wast in bonds; yea, and I also know that
thou wast stoned for the word's sake; and thou didst bear all
these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and
now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee.

Alma 38:5
 5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that
as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall
be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your
afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma 38:6
 6 Now, my son, I would not that ye should think that I know
these things of myself, but it is the Spirit of God which is in
me which maketh these things known unto me; for if I had not been
born of God I should not have known these things.

Alma 38:7
 7 But behold, the Lord in his great mercy sent his angel to
declare unto me that I must stop the work of destruction among
his people; yea, and I have seen an angel face to face, and he
spake with me, and his voice was as thunder, and it shook the
whole earth.

Alma 38:8
 8 And it came to pass that I was three days and three nights in
the most bitter pain and anguish of soul; and never, until I did
cry out unto the Lord Jesus Christ for mercy, did I receive a
remission of my sins.  But behold, I did cry unto him and I did
find peace to my soul.

Alma 38:9
 9 And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn
wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or
means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. 
Behold, he is the life and the light of the world.  Behold, he is
the word of truth and righteousness.

Alma 38:10
 10 And now, as ye have begun to teach the word even so I would
that ye should continue to teach; and I would that ye would be
diligent and temperate in all things.

Alma 38:11
 11 See that ye are not lifted up unto pride; yea, see that ye do
not boast in your own wisdom, nor of your much strength.

Alma 38:12
 12 Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye
bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see
that ye refrain from idleness.

Alma 38:13
 13 Do not pray as the Zoramites do, for ye have seen that they
pray to be heard of men, and to be praised for their wisdom.

Alma 38:14
 14 Do not say: O God, I thank thee that we are better than our
brethren; but rather say: O Lord, forgive my unworthiness, and
remember my brethren in mercy--yea, acknowledge your unworthiness
before God at all times.

Alma 38:15
 15 And may the Lord bless your soul, and receive you at the last
day into his kingdom, to sit down in peace.  Now go, my son, and
teach the word unto this people.  Be sober.  My son, farewell.

Alma 39

Alma 39:1
 1 And now, my son, I have somewhat more to say unto thee than
what I said unto thy brother; for behold, have ye not observed
the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his
diligence in keeping the commandments of God?  Behold, has he not
set a good example for thee?

Alma 39:2
 2 For thou didst not give so much heed unto my words as did thy
brother, among the people of the Zoramites.  Now this is what I
have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength
and thy wisdom.

Alma 39:3
 3 And this is not all, my son.  Thou didst do that which was
grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go
over into the land of Siron, among the borders of the Lamanites,
after the harlot Isabel.

Alma 39:4
 4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no
excuse for thee, my son.  Thou shouldst have tended to the
ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.

Alma 39:5
 5 Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in
the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save
it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?

Alma 39:6
 6 For behold, if ye deny the Holy Ghost when it once has had
place in you, and ye know that ye deny it, behold, this is a sin
which is unpardonable; yea, and whosoever murdereth against the
light and knowledge of God, it is not easy for him to obtain
forgiveness; yea, I say unto you, my son, that it is not easy for
him to obtain a forgiveness.

Alma 39:7
 7 And now, my son, I would to God that ye had not been guilty of
so great a crime.  I would not dwell upon your crimes, to harrow
up your soul, if it were not for your good.

Alma 39:8
 8 But behold, ye cannot hide your crimes from God; and except ye
repent they will stand as a testimony against you at the last
day.

Alma 39:9
 9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your
sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross
yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in
nowise inherit the kingdom of God.  Oh, remember, and take it
upon you, and cross yourself in these things.

Alma 39:10
 10 And I command you to take it upon you to counsel with your
elder brothers in your undertakings; for behold, thou art in thy
youth, and ye stand in need to be nourished by your brothers. 
And give heed to their counsel.

Alma 39:11
 11 Suffer not yourself to be led away by any vain or foolish
thing; suffer not the devil to lead away your heart again after
those wicked harlots.  Behold, O my son, how great iniquity ye
brought upon the Zoramites; for when they saw your conduct they
would not believe in my words.

Alma 39:12
 12 And now the Spirit of the Lord doth say unto me: Command thy
children to do good, lest they lead away the hearts of many
people to destruction; therefore I command you, my son, in the
fear of God, that ye refrain from your iniquities;

Alma 39:13
 13 That ye turn to the Lord with all your mind, might, and
strength; that ye lead away the hearts of no more to do wickedly;
but rather return unto them, and acknowledge your faults and that
wrong which ye have done.

Alma 39:14
 14 Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for
behold, you cannot carry them with you.

Alma 39:15
 15 And now, my son, I would say somewhat unto you concerning the
coming of Christ.  Behold, I say unto you, that it is he that
surely shall come to take away the sins of the world; yea, he
cometh to declare glad tidings of salvation unto his people.

Alma 39:16
 16 And now, my son, this was the ministry unto which ye were
called, to declare these glad tidings unto this people to prepare
their minds; or rather that salvation might come unto them, that
they may prepare the minds of their children to hear the word at
the time of his coming.

Alma 39:17
 17 And now I will ease your mind somewhat on this subject. 
Behold, you marvel why these things should be known so long
beforehand.  Behold, I say unto you, is not a soul at this time
as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?

Alma 39:18
 18 Is it not as necessary that the plan of redemption should be
made known unto this people as well as unto their children?

Alma 39:19
 19 Is it not as easy at this time for the Lord to send his angel
to declare these glad tidings unto us as unto our children, or as
after the time of his coming?

Alma 40

Alma 40:1
 1 Now my son, here is somewhat more I would say unto thee; for I
perceive that thy mind is worried concerning the resurrection of
the dead.

Alma 40:2
 2 Behold, I say unto you, that there is no resurrection--or, I
would say, in other words, that this mortal does not put on
immortality, this corruption does not put on incorruption--until
after the coming of Christ.

Alma 40:3
 3 Behold, he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead.  But
behold, my son, the resurrection is not yet.  Now, I unfold unto
you a mystery; nevertheless, there are many mysteries which are
kept, that no one knoweth them save God himself.  But I show unto
you one thing which I have inquired diligently of God that I
might know--that is concerning the resurrection.

Alma 40:4
 4 Behold, there is a time appointed that all shall come forth
from the dead.  Now when this time cometh no one knows; but God
knoweth the time which is appointed.

Alma 40:5
 5 Now, whether there shall be one time, or a second time, or a
third time, that men shall come forth from the dead, it mattereth
not; for God knoweth all these things; and it sufficeth me to
know that this is the case--that there is a time appointed that
all shall rise from the dead.

Alma 40:6
 6 Now there must needs be a space betwixt the time of death and
the time of the resurrection.

Alma 40:7
 7 And now I would inquire what becometh of the souls of men from
this time of death to the time appointed for the resurrection?

Alma 40:8
 8 Now whether there is more than one time appointed for men to
rise it mattereth not; for all do not die at once, and this
mattereth not; all is as one day with God, and time only is
measured unto men.

Alma 40:9
 9 Therefore, there is a time appointed unto men that they shall
rise from the dead; and there is a space between the time of
death and the resurrection.  And now, concerning this space of
time, what becometh of the souls of men is the thing which I have
inquired diligently of the Lord to know; and this is the thing of
which I do know.

Alma 40:10
 10 And when the time cometh when all shall rise, then shall they
know that God knoweth all the times which are appointed unto man.

Alma 40:11
 11 Now, concerning the state of the soul between death and the
resurrection--Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel,
that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from
this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be
good or evil, are taken home to that God who gave them life.

Alma 40:12
 12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who
are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is
called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they
shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.

Alma 40:13
 13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the
wicked, yea, who are evil--for behold, they have no part nor
portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil
works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did
enter into them, and take possession of their house--and these
shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping,
and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own
iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil.

Alma 40:14
 14 Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked, yea, in
darkness, and a state of awful, fearful looking for the fiery
indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they remain in
this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the time
of their resurrection.

Alma 40:15
 15 Now, there are some that have understood that this state of
happiness and this state of misery of the soul, before the
resurrection, was a first resurrection.  Yea, I admit it may be
termed a resurrection, the raising of the spirit or the soul and
their consignation to happiness or misery, according to the words
which have been spoken.

Alma 40:16
 16 And behold, again it hath been spoken, that there is a first
resurrection, a resurrection of all those who have been, or who
are, or who shall be, down to the resurrection of Christ from the
dead.

Alma 40:17
 17 Now, we do not suppose that this first resurrection, which is
spoken of in this manner, can be the resurrection of the souls
and their consignation to happiness or misery.  Ye cannot suppose
that this is what it meaneth.

Alma 40:18
 18 Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but it meaneth the reuniting of
the soul with the body, of those from the days of Adam down to
the resurrection of Christ.

Alma 40:19
 19 Now, whether the souls and the bodies of those of whom has
been spoken shall all be reunited at once, the wicked as well as
the righteous, I do not say; let it suffice; that I say that they
all come forth; or in other words, their resurrection cometh to
pass before the resurrection of those who die after the
resurrection of Christ.

Alma 40:20
 20 Now, my son, I do not say that their resurrection cometh at
the resurrection of Christ; but behold, I give it as my opinion,
that the souls and the bodies are reunited, of the righteous, at
the resurrection of Christ, and his ascension into heaven.

Alma 40:21
 21 But whether it be at his resurrection or after, I do not say;
but this much I say, that there is a space between death and the
resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or
in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead
shall come forth, and be reunited, both soul and body, and be
brought to stand before God, and be judged according to their
works.

Alma 40:22
 22 Yea, this bringeth about the restoration of those things of
which has been spoken by the mouths of the prophets.

Alma 40:23
 23 The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the
soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its
body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all
things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.

Alma 40:24
 24 And now, my son, this is the restoration of which has been
spoken by the mouths of the prophets--

Alma 40:25
 25 And then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of
God.

Alma 40:26
 26 But behold, an awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they
die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they
are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God;
but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of
their labors or their works, which have been evil; and they drink
the dregs of a bitter cup.

Alma 41

Alma 41:1
 1 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning the
restoration of which has been spoken; for behold, some have
wrested the scriptures, and have gone far astray because of this
thing.  And I perceive that thy mind has been worried also
concerning this thing.  But behold, I will explain it unto thee.

Alma 41:2
 2 I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is
requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all
things should be restored to their proper order.  Behold, it is
requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of
Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and
that every part of the body should be restored to itself.

Alma 41:3
 3 And it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be
judged according to their works; and if their works were good in
this life, and the desires of their hearts were good, that they
should also, at the last day, be restored unto that which is
good.

Alma 41:4
 4 And if their works are evil they shall be restored unto them
for evil.  Therefore, all things shall be restored to their
proper order, every thing to its natural frame--mortality raised
to immortality, corruption to incorruption--raised to endless
happiness to inherit the kingdom of God, or to endless misery to
inherit the kingdom of the devil, the one on one hand, the other
on the other--

Alma 41:5
 5 The one raised to happiness according to his desires of
happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the
other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has
desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his
reward of evil when the night cometh.

Alma 41:6
 6 And so it is on the other hand.  If he hath repented of his
sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even
so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.

Alma 41:7
 7 These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are
they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless
night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they
are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil.

Alma 41:8
 8 Now, the decrees of God are unalterable; therefore, the way is
prepared that whosoever will may walk therein and be saved.

Alma 41:9
 9 And now behold, my son, do not risk one more offense against
your God upon those points of doctrine, which ye have hitherto
risked to commit sin.

Alma 41:10
 10 Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning
restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. 
Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.

Alma 41:11
 11 And now, my son, all men that are in a state of nature, or I
would say, in a carnal state, are in the gall of bitterness and
in the bonds of iniquity; they are without God in the world, and
they have gone contrary to the nature of God; therefore, they are
in a state contrary to the nature of happiness.

Alma 41:12
 12 And now behold, is the meaning of the word restoration to
take a thing of a natural state and place it in an unnatural
state, or to place it in a state opposite to its nature?

Alma 41:13
 13 O, my son, this is not the case; but the meaning of the word
restoration is to bring back again evil for evil, or carnal for
carnal, or devilish for devilish--good for that which is good;
righteous for that which is righteous; just for that which is
just; merciful for that which is merciful.

Alma 41:14
 14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your
brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good
continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive
your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye
shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a
righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have
good rewarded unto you again.

Alma 41:15
 15 For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again,
and be restored; therefore, the word restoration more fully
condemneth the sinner, and justifieth him not at all.

Alma 42

Alma 42:1
 1 And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat more which doth
worry your mind, which ye cannot understand--which is concerning
the justice of God in the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try
to suppose that it is injustice that the sinner should be
consigned to a state of misery.

Alma 42:2
 2 Now behold, my son, I will explain this thing unto thee.  For
behold, after the Lord God sent our first parents forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were
taken--yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east end of
the garden of Eden, cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned
every way, to keep the tree of life--

Alma 42:3
 3 Now, we see that the man had become as God, knowing good and
evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and take also of the
tree of life, and eat and live forever, the Lord God placed
cherubim and the flaming sword, that he should not partake of the
fruit--

Alma 42:4
 4 And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to
repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God.

Alma 42:5
 5 For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand immediately, and
partaken of the tree of life, he would have lived forever,
according to the word of God, having no space for repentance;
yea, and also the word of God would have been void, and the great
plan of salvation would have been frustrated.

Alma 42:6
 6 But behold, it was appointed unto man to die--therefore, as
they were cut off from the tree of life they should be cut off
from the face of the earth--and man became lost forever, yea,
they became fallen man.

Alma 42:7
 7 And now, ye see by this that our first parents were cut off
both temporally and spiritually from the presence of the Lord;
and thus we see they became subjects to follow after their own
will.

Alma 42:8
 8 Now behold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed
from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan
of happiness.

Alma 42:9
 9 Therefore, as the soul could never die, and the fall had
brought upon all mankind a spiritual death as well as a temporal,
that is, they were cut off from the presence of the Lord, it was
expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this spiritual
death.

Alma 42:10
 10 Therefore, as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish,
by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to
prepare; it became a preparatory state.

Alma 42:11
 11 And now remember, my son, if it were not for the plan of
redemption, (laying it aside) as soon as they were dead their
souls were miserable, being cut off from the presence of the
Lord.

Alma 42:12
 12 And now, there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen
state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own
disobedience;

Alma 42:13
 13 Therefore, according to justice, the plan of redemption could
not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in
this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except
it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except
it should destroy the work of justice.  Now the work of justice
could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God.

Alma 42:14
 14 And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were
in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned
them forever to be cut off from his presence.

Alma 42:15
 15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except
an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for
the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to
appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just
God, and a merciful God also.

Alma 42:16
 16 Now, repentance could not come unto men except there were a
punishment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul should
be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, which was as
eternal also as the life of the soul.

Alma 42:17
 17 Now, how could a man repent except he should sin?  How could
he sin if there was no law?  How could there be a law save there
was a punishment?

Alma 42:18
 18 Now, there was a punishment affixed, and a just law given,
which brought remorse of conscience unto man.

Alma 42:19
 19 Now, if there was no law given--if a man murdered he should
die--would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?

Alma 42:20
 20 And also, if there was no law given against sin men would not
be afraid to sin.

Alma 42:21
 21 And if there was no law given, if men sinned what could
justice do, or mercy either, for they would have no claim upon
the creature?

Alma 42:22
 22 But there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a
repentance granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise,
justice claimeth the creature and executeth the law, and the law
inflicteth the punishment; if not so, the works of justice would
be destroyed, and God would cease to be God.

Alma 42:23
 23 But God ceaseth not to be God, and mercy claimeth the
penitent, and mercy cometh because of the atonement; and the
atonement bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead; and the
resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of
God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to be judged
according to their works, according to the law and justice.

Alma 42:24
 24 For behold, justice exerciseth all his demands, and also
mercy claimeth all which is her own; and thus, none but the truly
penitent are saved.

Alma 42:25
 25 What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice?  I say unto
you, Nay; not one whit.  If so, God would cease to be God.

Alma 42:26
 26 And thus God bringeth about his great and eternal purposes,
which were prepared from the foundation of the world.  And thus
cometh about the salvation and the redemption of men, and also
their destruction and misery.

Alma 42:27
 27 Therefore, O my son, whosoever will come may come and partake
of the waters of life freely; and whosoever will not come the
same is not compelled to come; but in the last day it shall be
restored unto him according to his deeds.

Alma 42:28
 28 If he has desired to do evil, and has not repented in his
days, behold, evil shall be done unto him, according to the
restoration of God.

Alma 42:29
 29 And now, my son, I desire that ye should let these things
trouble you no more, and only let your sins trouble you, with
that trouble which shall bring you down unto repentance.

Alma 42:30
 30 O my son, I desire that ye should deny the justice of God no
more.  Do not endeavor to excuse yourself in the least point
because of your sins, by denying the justice of God; but do you
let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering
have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the
dust in humility.

Alma 42:31
 31 And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word
unto this people.  And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word
with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto
repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon
them.  And may God grant unto you even according to my words. 
Amen.

Alma 43

Alma 43:1
 1 And now it came to pass that the sons of Alma did go forth
among the people, to declare the word unto them.  And Alma, also,
himself, could not rest, and he also went forth.

Alma 43:2
 2 Now we shall say no more concerning their preaching, except
that they preached the word, and the truth, according to the
spirit of prophecy and revelation; and they preached after the
holy order of God by which they were called.

Alma 43:3
 3 And now I return to an account of the wars between the
Nephites and the Lamanites, in the eighteenth year of the reign
of the judges.

Alma 43:4
 4 For behold, it came to pass that the Zoramites became
Lamanites; therefore, in the commencement of the eighteenth year
the people of the Nephites saw that the Lamanites were coming
upon them; therefore they made preparations for war; yea, they
gathered together their armies in the land of Jershon.

Alma 43:5
 5 And it came to pass that the Lamanites came with their
thousands; and they came into the land of Antionum, which is the
land of the Zoramites; and a man by the name of Zerahemnah was
their leader.

Alma 43:6
 6 And now, as the Amalekites were of a more wicked and murderous
disposition than the Lamanites were, in and of themselves,
therefore, Zerahemnah appointed chief captains over the
Lamanites, and they were all Amalekites and Zoramites.

Alma 43:7
 7 Now this he did that he might preserve their hatred towards
the Nephites, that he might bring them into subjection to the
accomplishment of his designs.

Alma 43:8
 8 For behold, his designs were to stir up the Lamanites to anger
against the Nephites; this he did that he might usurp great power
over them, and also that he might gain power over the Nephites by
bringing them into bondage.

Alma 43:9
 9 And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands,
and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they
might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also
that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea,
and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to
their desires.

Alma 43:10
 10 For they knew that if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites, that whosoever should worship God in spirit and in
truth, the true and the living God, the Lamanites would destroy.

Alma 43:11
 11 Yea, and they also knew the extreme hatred of the Lamanites
towards their brethren, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi,
who were called the people of Ammon--and they would not take up
arms, yea, they had entered into a covenant and they would not
break it--therefore, if they should fall into the hands of the
Lamanites they would be destroyed.

Alma 43:12
 12 And the Nephites would not suffer that they should be
destroyed; therefore they gave them lands for their inheritance.

Alma 43:13
 13 And the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large
portion of their substance to support their armies; and thus the
Nephites were compelled, alone, to withstand against the
Lamanites, who were a compound of Laman and Lemuel, and the sons
of Ishmael, and all those who had dissented from the Nephites,
who were Amalekites and Zoramites, and the descendants of the
priests of Noah.

Alma 43:14
 14 Now those descendants were as numerous, nearly, as were the
Nephites; and thus the Nephites were obliged to contend with
their brethren, even unto bloodshed.

Alma 43:15
 15 And it came to pass as the armies of the Lamanites had
gathered together in the land of Antionum, behold, the armies of
the Nephites were prepared to meet them in the land of Jershon.

Alma 43:16
 16 Now, the leader of the Nephites, or the man who had been
appointed to be the chief captain over the Nephites--now the
chief captain took the command of all the armies of the
Nephites--and his name was Moroni;

Alma 43:17
 17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their
wars.  And he was only twenty and five years old when he was
appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites.

Alma 43:18
 18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders
of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with
cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war.

Alma 43:19
 19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of
Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates
and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their
heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing--

Alma 43:20
 20 Now the army of Zerahemnah was not prepared with any such
thing; they had only their swords and their cimeters, their bows
and their arrows, their stones and their slings; and they were
naked, save it were a skin which was girded about their loins;
yea, all were naked, save it were the Zoramites and the
Amalekites;

Alma 43:21
 21 But they were not armed with breastplates, nor
shields--therefore, they were exceedingly afraid of the armies of
the Nephites because of their armor, notwithstanding their number
being so much greater than the Nephites.

Alma 43:22
 22 Behold, now it came to pass that they durst not come against
the Nephites in the borders of Jershon; therefore they departed
out of the land of Antionum into the wilderness, and took their
journey round about in the wilderness, away by the head of the
river Sidon, that they might come into the land of Manti and take
possession of the land; for they did not suppose that the armies
of Moroni would know whither they had gone.

Alma 43:23
 23 But it came to pass, as soon as they had departed into the
wilderness Moroni sent spies into the wilderness to watch their
camp; and Moroni, also, knowing of the prophecies of Alma, sent
certain men unto him, desiring him that he should inquire of the
Lord whither the armies of the Nephites should go to defend
themselves against the Lamanites.

Alma 43:24
 24 And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came unto Alma,
and Alma informed the messengers of Moroni, that the armies of
the Lamanites were marching round about in the wilderness, that
they might come over into the land of Manti, that they might
commence an attack upon the weaker part of the people.  And those
messengers went and delivered the message unto Moroni.

Alma 43:25
 25 Now Moroni, leaving a part of his army in the land of
Jershon, lest by any means a part of the Lamanites should come
into that land and take possession of the city, took the
remaining part of his army and marched over into the land of
Manti.

Alma 43:26
 26 And he caused that all the people in that quarter of the land
should gather themselves together to battle against the
Lamanites, to defend their lands and their country, their rights
and their liberties; therefore they were prepared against the
time of the coming of the Lamanites.

Alma 43:27
 27 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his army should
be secreted in the valley which was near the bank of the river
Sidon, which was on the west of the river Sidon in the
wilderness.

Alma 43:28
 28 And Moroni placed spies round about, that he might know when
the camp of the Lamanites should come.

Alma 43:29
 29 And now, as Moroni knew the intention of the Lamanites, that
it was their intention to destroy their brethren, or to subject
them and bring them into bondage that they might establish a
kingdom unto themselves over all the land;

Alma 43:30
 30 And he also knowing that it was the only desire of the
Nephites to preserve their lands, and their liberty, and their
church, therefore he thought it no sin that he should defend them
by stratagem; therefore, he found by his spies which course the
Lamanites were to take.

Alma 43:31
 31 Therefore, he divided his army and brought a part over into
the valley, and concealed them on the east, and on the south of
the hill Riplah;

Alma 43:32
 32 And the remainder he concealed in the west valley, on the
west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land
Manti.

Alma 43:33
 33 And thus having placed his army according to his desire, he
was prepared to meet them.

Alma 43:34
 34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites came up on the north
of the hill, where a part of the army of Moroni was concealed.

Alma 43:35
 35 And as the Lamanites had passed the hill Riplah, and came
into the valley, and began to cross the river Sidon, the army
which was concealed on the south of the hill, which was led by a
man whose name was Lehi, and he led his army forth and encircled
the Lamanites about on the east in their rear.

Alma 43:36
 36 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, when they saw the
Nephites coming upon them in their rear, turned them about and
began to contend with the army of Lehi.

Alma 43:37
 37 And the work of death commenced on both sides, but it was
more dreadful on the part of the Lamanites, for their nakedness
was exposed to the heavy blows of the Nephites with their swords
and their cimeters, which brought death almost at every stroke.

Alma 43:38
 38 While on the other hand, there was now and then a man fell
among the Nephites, by their swords and the loss of blood, they
being shielded from the more vital parts of the body, or the more
vital parts of the body being shielded from the strokes of the
Lamanites, by their breastplates, and their arm-shields, and
their head-plates; and thus the Nephites did carry on the work of
death among the Lamanites.

Alma 43:39
 39 And it came to pass that the Lamanites became frightened,
because of the great destruction among them, even until they
began to flee towards the river Sidon.

Alma 43:40
 40 And they were pursued by Lehi and his men; and they were
driven by Lehi into the waters of Sidon, and they crossed the
waters of Sidon.  And Lehi retained his armies upon the bank of
the river Sidon that they should not cross.

Alma 43:41
 41 And it came to pass that Moroni and his army met the
Lamanites in the valley, on the other side of the river Sidon,
and began to fall upon them and to slay them.

Alma 43:42
 42 And the Lamanites did flee again before them, towards the
land of Manti; and they were met again by the armies of Moroni.

Alma 43:43
 43 Now in this case the Lamanites did fight exceedingly; yea,
never had the Lamanites been known to fight with such exceedingly
great strength and courage, no, not even from the beginning.

Alma 43:44
 44 And they were inspired by the Zoramites and the Amalekites,
who were their chief captains and leaders, and by Zerahemnah, who
was their chief captain, or their chief leader and commander;
yea, they did fight like dragons, and many of the Nephites were
slain by their hands, yea, for they did smite in two many of
their head-plates, and they did pierce many of their
breastplates, and they did smite off many of their arms; and thus
the Lamanites did smite in their fierce anger.

Alma 43:45
 45 Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause,
for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were
fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and
their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship
and their church.

Alma 43:46
 46 And they were doing that which they felt was the duty which
they owed to their God; for the Lord had said unto them, and also
unto their fathers, that: Inasmuch as ye are not guilty of the
first offense, neither the second, ye shall not suffer yourselves
to be slain by the hands of your enemies.

Alma 43:47
 47 And again, the Lord has said that: Ye shall defend your
families even unto bloodshed.  Therefore for this cause were the
Nephites contending with the Lamanites, to defend themselves, and
their families, and their lands, their country, and their rights,
and their religion.

Alma 43:48
 48 And it came to pass that when the men of Moroni saw the
fierceness and the anger of the Lamanites, they were about to
shrink and flee from them.  And Moroni, perceiving their intent,
sent forth and inspired their hearts with these thoughts--yea,
the thoughts of their lands, their liberty, yea, their freedom
from bondage.

Alma 43:49
 49 And it came to pass that they turned upon the Lamanites, and
they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their
liberty and their freedom from bondage.

Alma 43:50
 50 And they began to stand against the Lamanites with power; and
in that selfsame hour that they cried unto the Lord for their
freedom, the Lamanites began to flee before them; and they fled
even to the waters of Sidon.

Alma 43:51
 51 Now, the Lamanites were more numerous, yea, by more than
double the number of the Nephites; nevertheless, they were driven
insomuch that they were gathered together in one body in the
valley, upon the bank by the river Sidon.

Alma 43:52
 52 Therefore the armies of Moroni encircled them about, yea,
even on both sides of the river, for behold, on the east were the
men of Lehi.

Alma 43:53
 53 Therefore when Zerahemnah saw the men of Lehi on the east of
the river Sidon, and the armies of Moroni on the west of the
river Sidon, that they were encircled about by the Nephites, they
were struck with terror.

Alma 43:54
 54 Now Moroni, when he saw their terror, commanded his men that
they should stop shedding their blood.

Alma 44

Alma 44:1
 1 And it came to pass that they did stop and withdrew a pace
from them.  And Moroni said unto Zerahemnah: Behold, Zerahemnah,
that we do not desire to be men of blood.  Ye know that ye are in
our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you.

Alma 44:2
 2 Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we
might shed your blood for power; neither do we desire to bring
any one to the yoke of bondage.  But this is the very cause for
which ye have come against us; yea, and ye are angry with us
because of our religion.

Alma 44:3
 3 But now, ye behold that the Lord is with us; and ye behold
that he has delivered you into our hands.  And now I would that
ye should understand that this is done unto us because of our
religion and our faith in Christ.  And now ye see that ye cannot
destroy this our faith.

Alma 44:4
 4 Now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see
that God will support, and keep, and preserve us, so long as we
are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and
never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we
should fall into transgression and deny our faith.

Alma 44:5
 5 And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that
all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have
gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our
rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support
which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which
binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the
maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our
happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us--

Alma 44:6
 6 Yea, and this is not all; I command you by all the desires
which ye have for life, that ye deliver up your weapons of war
unto us, and we will seek not your blood, but we will spare your
lives, if ye will go your way and come not again to war against
us.

Alma 44:7
 7 And now, if ye do not this, behold, ye are in our hands, and I
will command my men that they shall fall upon you, and inflict
the wounds of death in your bodies, that ye may become extinct;
and then we will see who shall have power over this people; yea,
we will see who shall be brought into bondage.

Alma 44:8
 8 And now it came to pass that when Zerahemnah had heard these
sayings he came forth and delivered up his sword and his cimeter,
and his bow into the hands of Moroni, and said unto him: Behold,
here are our weapons of war; we will deliver them up unto you,
but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which
we know that we shall break, and also our children; but take our
weapons of war, and suffer that we may depart into the
wilderness; otherwise we will retain our swords, and we will
perish or conquer.

Alma 44:9
 9 Behold, we are not of your faith; we do not believe that it is
God that has delivered us into your hands; but we believe that it
is your cunning that has preserved you from our swords.  Behold,
it is your breastplates and your shields that have preserved you.

Alma 44:10
 10 And now when Zerahemnah had made an end of speaking these
words, Moroni returned the sword and the weapons of war, which he
had received, unto Zerahemnah, saying: Behold, we will end the
conflict.

Alma 44:11
 11 Now I cannot recall the words which I have spoken, therefore
as the Lord liveth, ye shall not depart except ye depart with an
oath that ye will not return again against us to war.  Now as ye
are in our hands we will spill your blood upon the ground, or ye
shall submit to the conditions which I have proposed.

Alma 44:12
 12 And now when Moroni had said these words, Zerahemnah retained
his sword, and he was angry with Moroni, and he rushed forward
that he might slay Moroni; but as he raised his sword, behold,
one of Moroni's soldiers smote it even to the earth, and it broke
by the hilt; and he also smote Zerahemnah that he took off his
scalp and it fell to the earth.  And Zerahemnah withdrew from
before them into the midst of his soldiers.

Alma 44:13
 13 And it came to pass that the soldier who stood by, who smote
off the scalp of Zerahemnah, took up the scalp from off the
ground by the hair, and laid it upon the point of his sword, and
stretched it forth unto them, saying unto them with a loud voice:

Alma 44:14
 14 Even as this scalp has fallen to the earth, which is the
scalp of your chief, so shall ye fall to the earth except ye will
deliver up your weapons of war and depart with a covenant of
peace.

Alma 44:15
 15 Now there were many, when they heard these words and saw the
scalp which was upon the sword, that were struck with fear; and
many came forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet
of Moroni, and entered into a covenant of peace.  And as many as
entered into a covenant they suffered to depart into the
wilderness.

Alma 44:16
 16 Now it came to pass that Zerahemnah was exceedingly wroth,
and he did stir up the remainder of his soldiers to anger, to
contend more powerfully against the Nephites.

Alma 44:17
 17 And now Moroni was angry, because of the stubbornness of the
Lamanites; therefore he commanded his people that they should
fall upon them and slay them.  And it came to pass that they
began to slay them; yea, and the Lamanites did contend with their
swords and their might.

Alma 44:18
 18 But behold, their naked skins and their bare heads were
exposed to the sharp swords of the Nephites; yea, behold they
were pierced and smitten, yea, and did fall exceedingly fast
before the swords of the Nephites; and they began to be swept
down, even as the soldier of Moroni had prophesied.

Alma 44:19
 19 Now Zerahemnah, when he saw that they were all about to be
destroyed, cried mightily unto Moroni, promising that he would
covenant and also his people with them, if they would spare the
remainder of their lives, that they never would come to war again
against them.

Alma 44:20
 20 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that the work of death
should cease again among the people.  And he took the weapons of
war from the Lamanites; and after they had entered into a
covenant with him of peace they were suffered to depart into the
wilderness.

Alma 44:21
 21 Now the number of their dead was not numbered because of the
greatness of the number; yea, the number of their dead was
exceedingly great, both on the Nephites and on the Lamanites.

Alma 44:22
 22 And it came to pass that they did cast their dead into the
waters of Sidon, and they have gone forth and are buried in the
depths of the sea.

Alma 44:23
 23 And the armies of the Nephites, or of Moroni, returned and
came to their houses and their lands.

Alma 44:24
 24 And thus ended the eighteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.  And thus ended the record of Alma,
which was written upon the plates of Nephi.

Alma 45

Alma 45:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass that the people of Nephi were
exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them
out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks
unto the Lord their God; yea, and they did fast much and pray
much, and they did worship God with exceedingly great joy.

Alma 45:2
 2 And it came to pass in the nineteenth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, that Alma came unto his son
Helaman and said unto him: Believest thou the words which I spake
unto thee concerning those records which have been kept?

Alma 45:3
 3 And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe.

Alma 45:4
 4 And Alma said again: Believest thou in Jesus Christ, who shall
come?

Alma 45:5
 5 And he said: Yea, I believe all the words which thou hast
spoken.

Alma 45:6
 6 And Alma said unto him again: Will ye keep my commandments?

Alma 45:7
 7 And he said: Yea, I will keep thy commandments with all my
heart.

Alma 45:8
 8 Then Alma said unto him: Blessed art thou; and the Lord shall
prosper thee in this land.

Alma 45:9
 9 But behold, I have somewhat to prophesy unto thee; but what I
prophesy unto thee ye shall not make known; yea, what I prophesy
unto thee shall not be made known, even until the prophecy is
fulfilled; therefore write the words which I shall say.

Alma 45:10
 10 And these are the words: Behold, I perceive that this very
people, the Nephites, according to the spirit of revelation which
is in me, in four hundred years from the time that Jesus Christ
shall manifest himself unto them, shall dwindle in unbelief.

Alma 45:11
 11 Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea,
famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall
become extinct--

Alma 45:12
 12 Yea, and this because they shall dwindle in unbelief and fall
into the works of darkness, and lasciviousness, and all manner of
iniquities; yea, I say unto you, that because they shall sin
against so great light and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that
from that day, even the fourth generation shall not all pass away
before this great iniquity shall come.

Alma 45:13
 13 And when that great day cometh, behold, the time very soon
cometh that those who are now, or the seed of those who are now
numbered among the people of Nephi, shall no more be numbered
among the people of Nephi.

Alma 45:14
 14 But whosoever remaineth, and is not destroyed in that great
and dreadful day, shall be numbered among the Lamanites, and
shall become like unto them, all, save it be a few who shall be
called the disciples of the Lord; and them shall the Lamanites
pursue even until they shall become extinct.  And now, because of
iniquity, this prophecy shall be fulfilled.

Alma 45:15
 15 And now it came to pass that after Alma had said these things
to Helaman, he blessed him, and also his other sons; and he also
blessed the earth for the righteous' sake.

Alma 45:16
 16 And he said: Thus saith the Lord God--Cursed shall be the
land, yea, this land, unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, unto destruction, which do wickedly, when they are fully
ripe; and as I have said so shall it be; for this is the cursing
and the blessing of God upon the land, for the Lord cannot look
upon sin with the least degree of allowance.

Alma 45:17
 17 And now, when Alma had said these words he blessed the
church, yea, all those who should stand fast in the faith from
that time henceforth.

Alma 45:18
 18 And when Alma had done this he departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, as if to go into the land of Melek.  And it came to
pass that he was never heard of more; as to his death or burial
we know not of.

Alma 45:19
 19 Behold, this we know, that he was a righteous man; and the
saying went abroad in the church that he was taken up by the
Spirit, or buried by the hand of the Lord, even as Moses.  But
behold, the scriptures saith the Lord took Moses unto himself;
and we suppose that he has also received Alma in the spirit, unto
himself; therefore, for this cause we know nothing concerning his
death and burial.

Alma 45:20
 20 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the nineteenth
year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, that
Helaman went forth among the people to declare the word unto
them.

Alma 45:21
 21 For behold, because of their wars with the Lamanites and the
many little dissensions and disturbances which had been among the
people, it became expedient that the word of God should be
declared among them, yea, and that a regulation should be made
throughout the church.

Alma 45:22
 22 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth to establish
the church again in all the land, yea, in every city throughout
all the land which was possessed by the people of Nephi.  And it
came to pass that they did appoint priests and teachers
throughout all the land, over all the churches.

Alma 45:23
 23 And now it came to pass that after Helaman and his brethren
had appointed priests and teachers over the churches that there
arose a dissension among them, and they would not give heed to
the words of Helaman and his brethren;

Alma 45:24
 24 But they grew proud, being lifted up in their hearts, because
of their exceedingly great riches; therefore they grew rich in
their own eyes, and would not give heed to their words, to walk
uprightly before God.

Alma 46

Alma 46:1
 1 And it came to pass that as many as would not hearken to the
words of Helaman and his brethren were gathered together against
their brethren.

Alma 46:2
 2 And now behold, they were exceedingly wroth, insomuch that
they were determined to slay them.

Alma 46:3
 3 Now the leader of those who were wroth against their brethren
was a large and a strong man; and his name was Amalickiah.

Alma 46:4
 4 And Amalickiah was desirous to be a king; and those people who
were wroth were also desirous that he should be their king; and
they were the greater part of them the lower judges of the land,
and they were seeking for power.

Alma 46:5
 5 And they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if
they would support him and establish him to be their king that he
would make them rulers over the people.

Alma 46:6
 6 Thus they were led away by Amalickiah to dissensions,
notwithstanding the preaching of Helaman and his brethren, yea,
notwithstanding their exceedingly great care over the church, for
they were high priests over the church.

Alma 46:7
 7 And there were many in the church who believed in the
flattering words of Amalickiah, therefore they dissented even
from the church; and thus were the affairs of the people of Nephi
exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great
victory which they had had over the Lamanites, and their great
rejoicings which they had had because of their deliverance by the
hand of the Lord.

Alma 46:8
 8 Thus we see how quick the children of men do forget the Lord
their God, yea, how quick to do iniquity, and to be led away by
the evil one.

Alma 46:9
 9 Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man
can cause to take place among the children of men.

Alma 46:10
 10 Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning
device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the
hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy
the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which
God had granted unto them, or which blessing God had sent upon
the face of the land for the righteous' sake.

Alma 46:11
 11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief
commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these
dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.

Alma 46:12
 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a
piece thereof, and wrote upon it--In memory of our God, our
religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our
children--and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

Alma 46:13
 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and
his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took
the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he
called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the
earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of
liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band
of Christians remain to possess the land--

Alma 46:14
 14 For thus were all the true believers of Christ, who belonged
to the church of God, called by those who did not belong to the
church.

Alma 46:15
 15 And those who did belong to the church were faithful; yea,
all those who were true believers in Christ took upon them,
gladly, the name of Christ, or Christians as they were called,
because of their belief in Christ who should come.

Alma 46:16
 16 And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of
the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.

Alma 46:17
 17 And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to
God, he named all the land which was south of the land
Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and
on the south--A chosen land, and the land of liberty.

Alma 46:18
 18 And he said: Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are
despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be
trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own
transgressions.

Alma 46:19
 19 And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the
people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all
might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part,
and crying with a loud voice, saying:

Alma 46:20
 20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let
them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a
covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their
religion, that the Lord God may bless them.

Alma 46:21
 21 And it came to pass that when Moroni had proclaimed these
words, behold, the people came running together with their armor
girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as
a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or,
in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of
God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them
the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had
rent their garments.

Alma 46:22
 22 Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast
their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with
our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the
land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may
cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our
garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall
into transgression.

Alma 46:23
 23 Moroni said unto them: Behold, we are a remnant of the seed
of Jacob; yea, we are a remnant of the seed of Joseph, whose coat
was rent by his brethren into many pieces; yea, and now behold,
let us remember to keep the commandments of God, or our garments
shall be rent by our brethren, and we be cast into prison, or be
sold, or be slain.

Alma 46:24
 24 Yea, let us preserve our liberty as a remnant of Joseph; yea,
let us remember the words of Jacob, before his death, for behold,
he saw that a part of the remnant of the coat of Joseph was
preserved and had not decayed.  And he said--Even as this remnant
of garment of my son hath been preserved, so shall a remnant of
the seed of my son be preserved by the hand of God, and be taken
unto himself, while the remainder of the seed of Joseph shall
perish, even as the remnant of his garment.

Alma 46:25
 25 Now behold, this giveth my soul sorrow; nevertheless, my soul
hath joy in my son, because of that part of his seed which shall
be taken unto God.

Alma 46:26
 26 Now behold, this was the language of Jacob.

Alma 46:27
 27 And now who knoweth but what the remnant of the seed of
Joseph, which shall perish as his garment, are those who have
dissented from us?  Yea, and even it shall be ourselves if we do
not stand fast in the faith of Christ.

Alma 46:28
 28 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words
he went forth, and also sent forth in all the parts of the land
where there were dissensions, and gathered together all the
people who were desirous to maintain their liberty, to stand
against Amalickiah and those who had dissented, who were called
Amalickiahites.

Alma 46:29
 29 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah saw that the people
of Moroni were more numerous than the Amalickiahites--and he also
saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the
cause in which they had undertaken--therefore, fearing that he
should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would
and departed into the land of Nephi.

Alma 46:30
 30 Now Moroni thought it was not expedient that the Lamanites
should have any more strength; therefore he thought to cut off
the people of Amalickiah, or to take them and bring them back,
and put Amalickiah to death; yea, for he knew that he would stir
up the Lamanites to anger against them, and cause them to come to
battle against them; and this he knew that Amalickiah would do
that he might obtain his purposes.

Alma 46:31
 31 Therefore Moroni thought it was expedient that he should take
his armies, who had gathered themselves together, and armed
themselves, and entered into a covenant to keep the peace--and it
came to pass that he took his army and marched out with his tents
into the wilderness, to cut off the course of Amalickiah in the
wilderness.

Alma 46:32
 32 And it came to pass that he did according to his desires, and
marched forth into the wilderness, and headed the armies of
Amalickiah.

Alma 46:33
 33 And it came to pass that Amalickiah fled with a small number
of his men, and the remainder were delivered up into the hands of
Moroni and were taken back into the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 46:34
 34 Now, Moroni being a man who was appointed by the chief judges
and the voice of the people, therefore he had power according to
his will with the armies of the Nephites, to establish and to
exercise authority over them.

Alma 46:35
 35 And it came to pass that whomsoever of the Amalickiahites
that would not enter into a covenant to support the cause of
freedom, that they might maintain a free government, he caused to
be put to death; and there were but few who denied the covenant
of freedom.

Alma 46:36
 36 And it came to pass also, that he caused the title of liberty
to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land, which
was possessed by the Nephites; and thus Moroni planted the
standard of liberty among the Nephites.

Alma 46:37
 37 And they began to have peace again in the land; and thus they
did maintain peace in the land until nearly the end of the
nineteenth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 46:38
 38 And Helaman and the high priests did also maintain order in
the church; yea, even for the space of four years did they have
much peace and rejoicing in the church.

Alma 46:39
 39 And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly
believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus
Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.

Alma 46:40
 40 And there were some who died with fevers, which at some
seasons of the year were very frequent in the land--but not so
much so with fevers, because of the excellent qualities of the
many plants and roots which God had prepared to remove the cause
of diseases, to which men were subject by the nature of the
climate--

Alma 46:41
 41 But there were many who died with old age; and those who died
in the faith of Christ are happy in him, as we must needs
suppose.

Alma 47

Alma 47:1
 1 Now we will return in our record to Amalickiah and those who
had fled with him into the wilderness; for, behold, he had taken
those who went with him, and went up in the land of Nephi among
the Lamanites, and did stir up the Lamanites to anger against the
people of Nephi, insomuch that the king of the Lamanites sent a
proclamation throughout all his land, among all his people, that
they should gather themselves together again to go to battle
against the Nephites.

Alma 47:2
 2 And it came to pass that when the proclamation had gone forth
among them they were exceedingly afraid; yea, they feared to
displease the king, and they also feared to go to battle against
the Nephites lest they should lose their lives.  And it came to
pass that they would not, or the more part of them would not,
obey the commandments of the king.

Alma 47:3
 3 And now it came to pass that the king was wroth because of
their disobedience; therefore he gave Amalickiah the command of
that part of his army which was obedient unto his commands, and
commanded him that he should go forth and compel them to arms.

Alma 47:4
 4 Now behold, this was the desire of Amalickiah; for he being a
very subtle man to do evil therefore he laid the plan in his
heart to dethrone the king of the Lamanites.

Alma 47:5
 5 And now he had got the command of those parts of the Lamanites
who were in favor of the king; and he sought to gain favor of
those who were not obedient; therefore he went forward to the
place which was called Onidah, for thither had all the Lamanites
fled; for they discovered the army coming, and, supposing that
they were coming to destroy them, therefore they fled to Onidah,
to the place of arms.

Alma 47:6
 6 And they had appointed a man to be a king and a leader over
them, being fixed in their minds with a determined resolution
that they would not be subjected to go against the Nephites.

Alma 47:7
 7 And it came to pass that they had gathered themselves together
upon the top of the mount which was called Antipas, in
preparation to battle.

Alma 47:8
 8 Now it was not Amalickiah's intention to give them battle
according to the commandments of the king; but behold, it was his
intention to gain favor with the armies of the Lamanites, that he
might place himself at their head and dethrone the king and take
possession of the kingdom.

Alma 47:9
 9 And behold, it came to pass that he caused his army to pitch
their tents in the valley which was near the mount Antipas.

Alma 47:10
 10 And it came to pass that when it was night he sent a secret
embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those
who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should
come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with
him.

Alma 47:11
 11 And it came to pass that when Lehonti received the message he
durst not go down to the foot of the mount.  And it came to pass
that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come
down.  And it came to pass that Lehonti would not; and he sent
again the third time.

Alma 47:12
 12 And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could
not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into
the mount, nearly to Lehonti's camp; and he sent again the fourth
time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down,
and that he would bring his guards with him.

Alma 47:13
 13 And it came to pass that when Lehonti had come down with his
guards to Amalickiah, that Amalickiah desired him to come down
with his army in the night-time, and surround those men in their
camps over whom the king had given him command, and that he would
deliver them up into Lehonti's hands, if he would make him
(Amalickiah) a second leader over the whole army.

Alma 47:14
 14 And it came to pass that Lehonti came down with his men and
surrounded the men of Amalickiah, so that before they awoke at
the dawn of day they were surrounded by the armies of Lehonti.

Alma 47:15
 15 And it came to pass that when they saw that they were
surrounded, they plead with Amalickiah that he would suffer them
to fall in with their brethren, that they might not be destroyed.

Now this was the very thing which Amalickiah desired.

Alma 47:16
 16 And it came to pass that he delivered his men, contrary to
the commands of the king.  Now this was the thing that Amalickiah
desired, that he might accomplish his designs in dethroning the
king.

Alma 47:17
 17 Now it was the custom among the Lamanites, if their chief
leader was killed, to appoint the second leader to be their chief
leader.

Alma 47:18
 18 And it came to pass that Amalickiah caused that one of his
servants should administer poison by degrees to Lehonti, that he
died.

Alma 47:19
 19 Now, when Lehonti was dead, the Lamanites appointed
Amalickiah to be their leader and their chief commander.

Alma 47:20
 20 And it came to pass that Amalickiah marched with his armies
(for he had gained his desires) to the land of Nephi, to the city
of Nephi, which was the chief city.

Alma 47:21
 21 And the king came out to meet him with his guards, for he
supposed that Amalickiah had fulfilled his commands, and that
Amalickiah had gathered together so great an army to go against
the Nephites to battle.

Alma 47:22
 22 But behold, as the king came out to meet him Amalickiah
caused that his servants should go forth to meet the king.  And
they went and bowed themselves before the king, as if to
reverence him because of his greatness.

Alma 47:23
 23 And it came to pass that the king put forth his hand to raise
them, as was the custom with the Lamanites, as a token of peace,
which custom they had taken from the Nephites.

Alma 47:24
 24 And it came to pass that when he had raised the first from
the ground, behold he stabbed the king to the heart; and he fell
to the earth.

Alma 47:25
 25 Now the servants of the king fled; and the servants of
Amalickiah raised a cry, saying:

Alma 47:26
 26 Behold, the servants of the king have stabbed him to the
heart, and he has fallen and they have fled; behold, come and
see.

Alma 47:27
 27 And it came to pass that Amalickiah commanded that his armies
should march forth and see what had happened to the king; and
when they had come to the spot, and found the king lying in his
gore, Amalickiah pretended to be wroth, and said: Whosoever loved
the king, let him go forth, and pursue his servants that they may
be slain.

Alma 47:28
 28 And it came to pass that all they who loved the king, when
they heard these words, came forth and pursued after the servants
of the king.

Alma 47:29
 29 Now when the servants of the king saw an army pursuing after
them, they were frightened again, and fled into the wilderness,
and came over into the land of Zarahemla and joined the people of
Ammon.

Alma 47:30
 30 And the army which pursued after them returned, having
pursued after them in vain; and thus Amalickiah, by his fraud,
gained the hearts of the people.

Alma 47:31
 31 And it came to pass on the morrow he entered the city Nephi
with his armies, and took possession of the city.

Alma 47:32
 32 And now it came to pass that the queen, when she had heard
that the king was slain--for Amalickiah had sent an embassy to
the queen informing her that the king had been slain by his
servants, that he had pursued them with his army, but it was in
vain, and they had made their escape--

Alma 47:33
 33 Therefore, when the queen had received this message she sent
unto Amalickiah, desiring him that he would spare the people of
the city; and she also desired him that he should come in unto
her; and she also desired him that he should bring witnesses with
him to testify concerning the death of the king.

Alma 47:34
 34 And it came to pass that Amalickiah took the same servant
that slew the king, and all them who were with him, and went in
unto the queen, unto the place where she sat; and they all
testified unto her that the king was slain by his own servants;
and they said also: They have fled; does not this testify against
them?   And thus they satisfied the queen concerning the death of
the king.

Alma 47:35
 35 And it came to pass that Amalickiah sought the favor of the
queen, and took her unto him to wife; and thus by his fraud, and
by the assistance of his cunning servants, he obtained the
kingdom; yea, he was acknowledged king throughout all the land,
among all the people of the Lamanites, who were composed of the
Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites, and all the
dissenters of the Nephites, from the reign of Nephi down to the
present time.

Alma 47:36
 36 Now these dissenters, having the same instruction and the
same information of the Nephites, yea, having been instructed in
the same knowledge of the Lord, nevertheless, it is strange to
relate, not long after their dissensions they became more
hardened and impenitent, and more wild, wicked and ferocious than
the Lamanites--drinking in with the traditions of the Lamanites;
giving way to indolence, and all manner of lasciviousness; yea,
entirely forgetting the Lord their God.

Alma 48

Alma 48:1
 1 And now it came to pass that, as soon as Amalickiah had
obtained the kingdom he began to inspire the hearts of the
Lamanites against the people of Nephi; yea, he did appoint men to
speak unto the Lamanites from their towers, against the Nephites.

Alma 48:2
 2 And thus he did inspire their hearts against the Nephites,
insomuch that in the latter end of the nineteenth year of the
reign of the judges, he having accomplished his designs thus far,
yea, having been made king over the Lamanites, he sought also to
reign over all the land, yea, and all the people who were in the
land, the Nephites as well as the Lamanites.

Alma 48:3
 3 Therefore he had accomplished his design, for he had hardened
the hearts of the Lamanites and blinded their minds, and stirred
them up to anger, insomuch that he had gathered together a
numerous host to go to battle against the Nephites.

Alma 48:4
 4 For he was determined, because of the greatness of the number
of his people, to overpower the Nephites and to bring them into
bondage.

Alma 48:5
 5 And thus he did appoint chief captains of the Zoramites, they
being the most acquainted with the strength of the Nephites, and
their places of resort, and the weakest parts of their cities;
therefore he appointed them to be chief captains over his armies.

Alma 48:6
 6 And it came to pass that they took their camp, and moved forth
toward the land of Zarahemla in the wilderness.

Alma 48:7
 7 Now it came to pass that while Amalickiah had thus been
obtaining power by fraud and deceit, Moroni, on the other hand,
had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto
the Lord their God.

Alma 48:8
 8 Yea, he had been strengthening the armies of the Nephites, and
erecting small forts, or places of resort; throwing up banks of
earth round about to enclose his armies, and also building walls
of stone to encircle them about, round about their cities and the
borders of their lands; yea, all round about the land.

Alma 48:9
 9 And in their weakest fortifications he did place the greater
number of men; and thus he did fortify and strengthen the land
which was possessed by the Nephites.

Alma 48:10
 10 And thus he was preparing to support their liberty, their
lands, their wives, and their children, and their peace, and that
they might live unto the Lord their God, and that they might
maintain that which was called by their enemies the cause of
Christians.

Alma 48:11
 11 And Moroni was a strong and a mighty man; he was a man of a
perfect understanding; yea, a man that did not delight in
bloodshed; a man whose soul did joy in the liberty and the
freedom of his country, and his brethren from bondage and
slavery;

Alma 48:12
 12 Yea, a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his
God, for the many privileges and blessings which he bestowed upon
his people; a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and
safety of his people.

Alma 48:13
 13 Yea, and he was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ,
and he had sworn with an oath to defend his people, his rights,
and his country, and his religion, even to the loss of his blood.

Alma 48:14
 14 Now the Nephites were taught to defend themselves against
their enemies, even to the shedding of blood if it were
necessary; yea, and they were also taught never to give an
offense, yea, and never to raise the sword except it were against
an enemy, except it were to preserve their lives.

Alma 48:15
 15 And this was their faith, that by so doing God would prosper
them in the land, or in other words, if they were faithful in
keeping the commandments of God that he would prosper them in the
land; yea, warn them to flee, or to prepare for war, according to
their danger;

Alma 48:16
 16 And also, that God would make it known unto them whither they
should go to defend themselves against their enemies, and by so
doing, the Lord would deliver them; and this was the faith of
Moroni, and his heart did glory in it; not in the shedding of
blood but in doing good, in preserving his people, yea, in
keeping the commandments of God, yea, and resisting iniquity.

Alma 48:17
 17 Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and
were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very
powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil
would never have power over the hearts of the children of men.

Alma 48:18
 18 Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea,
and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his
sons, for they were all men of God.

Alma 48:19
 19 Now behold, Helaman and his brethren were no less serviceable
unto the people than was Moroni; for they did preach the word of
God, and they did baptize unto repentance all men whosoever would
hearken unto their words.

Alma 48:20
 20 And thus they went forth, and the people did humble
themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly
favored of the Lord, and thus they were free from wars and
contentions among themselves, yea, even for the space of four
years.

Alma 48:21
 21 But, as I have said, in the latter end of the nineteenth
year, yea, notwithstanding their peace amongst themselves, they
were compelled reluctantly to contend with their brethren, the
Lamanites.

Alma 48:22
 22 Yea, and in fine, their wars never did cease for the space of
many years with the Lamanites, notwithstanding their much
reluctance.

Alma 48:23
 23 Now, they were sorry to take up arms against the Lamanites,
because they did not delight in the shedding of blood; yea, and
this was not all--they were sorry to be the means of sending so
many of their brethren out of this world into an eternal world,
unprepared to meet their God.

Alma 48:24
 24 Nevertheless, they could not suffer to lay down their lives,
that their wives and their children should be massacred by the
barbarous cruelty of those who were once their brethren, yea, and
had dissented from their church, and had left them and had gone
to destroy them by joining the Lamanites.

Alma 48:25
 25 Yea, they could not bear that their brethren should rejoice
over the blood of the Nephites, so long as there were any who
should keep the commandments of God, for the promise of the Lord
was, if they should keep his commandments they should prosper in
the land.

Alma 49

Alma 49:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the eleventh month of the
nineteenth year, on the tenth day of the month, the armies of the
Lamanites were seen approaching towards the land of Ammonihah.

Alma 49:2
 2 And behold, the city had been rebuilt, and Moroni had
stationed an army by the borders of the city, and they had cast
up dirt around about to shield them from the arrows and the
stones of the Lamanites; for behold, they fought with stones and
with arrows.

Alma 49:3
 3 Behold, I said that the city of Ammonihah had been rebuilt.  I
say unto you, yea, that it was in part rebuilt; and because the
Lamanites had destroyed it once because of the iniquity of the
people, they supposed that it would again become an easy prey for
them.

Alma 49:4
 4 But behold, how great was their disappointment; for behold,
the Nephites had dug up a ridge of earth round about them, which
was so high that the Lamanites could not cast their stones and
their arrows at them that they might take effect, neither could
they come upon them save it was by their place of entrance.

Alma 49:5
 5 Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were
astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in
preparing their places of security.

Alma 49:6
 6 Now the leaders of the Lamanites had supposed, because of the
greatness of their numbers, yea, they supposed that they should
be privileged to come upon them as they had hitherto done; yea,
and they had also prepared themselves with shields, and with
breastplates; and they had also prepared themselves with garments
of skins, yea, very thick garments to cover their nakedness.

Alma 49:7
 7 And being thus prepared they supposed that they should easily
overpower and subject their brethren to the yoke of bondage, or
slay and massacre them according to their pleasure.

Alma 49:8
 8 But behold, to their uttermost astonishment, they were
prepared for them, in a manner which never had been known among
the children of Lehi.  Now they were prepared for the Lamanites,
to battle after the manner of the instructions of Moroni.

Alma 49:9
 9 And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites,
were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for
war.

Alma 49:10
 10 Now, if king Amalickiah had come down out of the land of
Nephi, at the head of his army, perhaps he would have caused the
Lamanites to have attacked the Nephites at the city of Ammonihah;
for behold, he did care not for the blood of his people.

Alma 49:11
 11 But behold, Amalickiah did not come down himself to battle. 
And behold, his chief captains durst not attack the Nephites at
the city of Ammonihah, for Moroni had altered the management of
affairs among the Nephites, insomuch that the Lamanites were
disappointed in their places of retreat and they could not come
upon them.

Alma 49:12
 12 Therefore they retreated into the wilderness, and took their
camp and marched towards the land of Noah, supposing that to be
the next best place for them to come against the Nephites.

Alma 49:13
 13 For they knew not that Moroni had fortified, or had built
forts of security, for every city in all the land round about;
therefore, they marched forward to the land of Noah with a firm
determination; yea, their chief captains came forward and took an
oath that they would destroy the people of that city.

Alma 49:14
 14 But behold, to their astonishment, the city of Noah, which
had hitherto been a weak place, had now, by the means of Moroni,
become strong, yea, even to exceed the strength of the city
Ammonihah.

Alma 49:15
 15 And now, behold, this was wisdom in Moroni; for he had
supposed that they would be frightened at the city Ammonihah; and
as the city of Noah had hitherto been the weakest part of the
land, therefore they would march thither to battle; and thus it
was according to his desires.

Alma 49:16
 16 And behold, Moroni had appointed Lehi to be chief captain
over the men of that city; and it was that same Lehi who fought
with the Lamanites in the valley on the east of the river Sidon.

Alma 49:17
 17 And now behold it came to pass, that when the Lamanites had
found that Lehi commanded the city they were again disappointed,
for they feared Lehi exceedingly; nevertheless their chief
captains had sworn with an oath to attack the city; therefore,
they brought up their armies.

Alma 49:18
 18 Now behold, the Lamanites could not get into their forts of
security by any other way save by the entrance, because of the
highness of the bank which had been thrown up, and the depth of
the ditch which had been dug round about, save it were by the
entrance.

Alma 49:19
 19 And thus were the Nephites prepared to destroy all such as
should attempt to climb up to enter the fort by any other way, by
casting over stones and arrows at them.

Alma 49:20
 20 Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men,
with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who should
attempt to come into their place of security by the place of
entrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselves
against the Lamanites.

Alma 49:21
 21 And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites
brought up their armies before the place of entrance, and began
to contend with the Nephites, to get into their place of
security; but behold, they were driven back from time to time,
insomuch that they were slain with an immense slaughter.

Alma 49:22
 22 Now when they found that they could not obtain power over the
Nephites by the pass, they began to dig down their banks of earth
that they might obtain a pass to their armies, that they might
have an equal chance to fight; but behold, in these attempts they
were swept off by the stones and arrows which were thrown at
them; and instead of filling up their ditches by pulling down the
banks of earth, they were filled up in a measure with their dead
and wounded bodies.

Alma 49:23
 23 Thus the Nephites had all power over their enemies; and thus
the Lamanites did attempt to destroy the Nephites until their
chief captains were all slain; yea, and more than a thousand of
the Lamanites were slain; while, on the other hand, there was not
a single soul of the Nephites which was slain.

Alma 49:24
 24 There were about fifty who were wounded, who had been exposed
to the arrows of the Lamanites through the pass, but they were
shielded by their shields, and their breastplates, and their
head-plates, insomuch that their wounds were upon their legs,
many of which were very severe.

Alma 49:25
 25 And it came to pass, that when the Lamanites saw that their
chief captains were all slain they fled into the wilderness.  And
it came to pass that they returned to the land of Nephi, to
inform their king, Amalickiah, who was a Nephite by birth,
concerning their great loss.

Alma 49:26
 26 And it came to pass that he was exceedingly angry with his
people, because he had not obtained his desire over the Nephites;
he had not subjected them to the yoke of bondage.

Alma 49:27
 27 Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also
Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and
this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing
for the safety of his people.

Alma 49:28
 28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of
Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless
power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.

Alma 49:29
 29 And thus ended the nineteenth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.

Alma 49:30
 30 Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and
exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed
and diligence which they gave unto the word of God, which was
declared unto them by Helaman, and Shiblon, and Corianton, and
Ammon and his brethren, yea, and by all those who had been
ordained by the holy order of God, being baptized unto
repentance, and sent forth to preach among the people.

Alma 50

Alma 50:1
 1 And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making
preparations for war, or to defend his people against the
Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should commence in the
commencement of the twentieth year of the reign of the judges,
that they should commence in digging up heaps of earth round
about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed
by the Nephites.

Alma 50:2
 2 And upon the top of these ridges of earth he caused that there
should be timbers, yea, works of timbers built up to the height
of a man, round about the cities.

Alma 50:3
 3 And he caused that upon those works of timbers there should be
a frame of pickets built upon the timbers round about; and they
were strong and high.

Alma 50:4
 4 And he caused towers to be erected that overlooked those works
of pickets, and he caused places of security to be built upon
those towers, that the stones and the arrows of the Lamanites
could not hurt them.

Alma 50:5
 5 And they were prepared that they could cast stones from the
top thereof, according to their pleasure and their strength, and
slay him who should attempt to approach near the walls of the
city.

Alma 50:6
 6 Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of
their enemies, round about every city in all the land.

Alma 50:7
 7 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his armies should
go forth into the east wilderness; yea, and they went forth and
drove all the Lamanites who were in the east wilderness into
their own lands, which were south of the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 50:8
 8 And the land of Nephi did run in a straight course from the
east sea to the west.

Alma 50:9
 9 And it came to pass that when Moroni had driven all the
Lamanites out of the east wilderness, which was north of the
lands of their own possessions, he caused that the inhabitants
who were in the land of Zarahemla and in the land round about
should go forth into the east wilderness, even to the borders by
the seashore, and possess the land.

Alma 50:10
 10 And he also placed armies on the south, in the borders of
their possessions, and caused them to erect fortifications that
they might secure their armies and their people from the hands of
their enemies.

Alma 50:11
 11 And thus he cut off all the strongholds of the Lamanites in
the east wilderness, yea, and also on the west, fortifying the
line between the Nephites and the Lamanites, between the land of
Zarahemla and the land of Nephi, from the west sea, running by
the head of the river Sidon--the Nephites possessing all the land
northward, yea, even all the land which was northward of the land
Bountiful, according to their pleasure.

Alma 50:12
 12 Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily
because of the assurance of protection which his works did bring
forth unto them, did seek to cut off the strength and the power
of the Lamanites from off the lands of their possessions, that
they should have no power upon the lands of their possession.

Alma 50:13
 13 And it came to pass that the Nephites began the foundation of
a city, and they called the name of the city Moroni; and it was
by the east sea; and it was on the south by the line of the
possessions of the Lamanites.

Alma 50:14
 14 And they also began a foundation for a city between the city
of Moroni and the city of Aaron, joining the borders of Aaron and
Moroni; and they called the name of the city, or the land,
Nephihah.

Alma 50:15
 15 And they also began in that same year to build many cities on
the north, one in a particular manner which they called Lehi,
which was in the north by the borders of the seashore.

Alma 50:16
 16 And thus ended the twentieth year.

Alma 50:17
 17 And in these prosperous circumstances were the people of
Nephi in the commencement of the twenty and first year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 50:18
 18 And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly
rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land.

Alma 50:19
 19 And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of
the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of
men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this
time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying:

Alma 50:20
 20 Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed,
inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in
the land.   But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my
commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

Alma 50:21
 21 And we see that these promises have been verified to the
people of Nephi; for it has been their quarrelings and their
contentions, yea, their murderings, and their plunderings, their
idolatry, their whoredoms, and their abominations, which were
among themselves, which brought upon them their wars and their
destructions.

Alma 50:22
 22 And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of
the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their
wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by
the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the
Lamanites.

Alma 50:23
 23 But behold there never was a happier time among the people of
Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea,
even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of
the judges.

Alma 50:24
 24 And it came to pass that the twenty and second year of the
reign of the judges also ended in peace; yea, and also the twenty
and third year.

Alma 50:25
 25 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges, there would also have
been peace among the people of Nephi had it not been for a
contention which took place among them concerning the land of
Lehi, and the land of Morianton, which joined upon the borders of
Lehi; both of which were on the borders by the seashore.

Alma 50:26
 26 For behold, the people who possessed the land of Morianton
did claim a part of the land of Lehi; therefore there began to be
a warm contention between them, insomuch that the people of
Morianton took up arms against their brethren, and they were
determined by the sword to slay them.

Alma 50:27
 27 But behold, the people who possessed the land of Lehi fled to
the camp of Moroni, and appealed unto him for assistance; for
behold they were not in the wrong.

Alma 50:28
 28 And it came to pass that when the people of Morianton, who
were led by a man whose name was Morianton, found that the people
of Lehi had fled to the camp of Moroni, they were exceedingly
fearful lest the army of Moroni should come upon them and destroy
them.

Alma 50:29
 29 Therefore, Morianton put it into their hearts that they
should flee to the land which was northward, which was covered
with large bodies of water, and take possession of the land which
was northward.

Alma 50:30
 30 And behold, they would have carried this plan into effect,
(which would have been a cause to have been lamented) but behold,
Morianton being a man of much passion, therefore he was angry
with one of his maid servants, and he fell upon her and beat her
much.

Alma 50:31
 31 And it came to pass that she fled, and came over to the camp
of Moroni, and told Moroni all things concerning the matter, and
also concerning their intentions to flee into the land northward.

Alma 50:32
 32 Now behold, the people who were in the land Bountiful, or
rather Moroni, feared that they would hearken to the words of
Morianton and unite with his people, and thus he would obtain
possession of those parts of the land, which would lay a
foundation for serious consequences among the people of Nephi,
yea, which consequences would lead to the overthrow of their
liberty.

Alma 50:33
 33 Therefore Moroni sent an army, with their camp, to head the
people of Morianton, to stop their flight into the land
northward.

Alma 50:34
 34 And it came to pass that they did not head them until they
had come to the borders of the land Desolation; and there they
did head them, by the narrow pass which led by the sea into the
land northward, yea, by the sea, on the west and on the east.

Alma 50:35
 35 And it came to pass that the army which was sent by Moroni,
which was led by a man whose name was Teancum, did meet the
people of Morianton; and so stubborn were the people of
Morianton, (being inspired by his wickedness and his flattering
words) that a battle commenced between them, in the which Teancum
did slay Morianton and defeat his army, and took them prisoners,
and returned to the camp of Moroni.  And thus ended the twenty
and fourth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.

Alma 50:36
 36 And thus were the people of Morianton brought back.  And upon
their covenanting to keep the peace they were restored to the
land of Morianton, and a union took place between them and the
people of Lehi; and they were also restored to their lands.

Alma 50:37
 37 And it came to pass that in the same year that the people of
Nephi had peace restored unto them, that Nephihah, the second
chief judge, died, having filled the judgment-seat with perfect
uprightness before God.

Alma 50:38
 38 Nevertheless, he had refused Alma to take possession of those
records and those things which were esteemed by Alma and his
fathers to be most sacred; therefore Alma had conferred them upon
his son, Helaman.

Alma 50:39
 39 Behold, it came to pass that the son of Nephihah was
appointed to fill the judgment-seat, in the stead of his father;
yea, he was appointed chief judge and governor over the people,
with an oath and sacred ordinance to judge righteously, and to
keep the peace and the freedom of the people, and to grant unto
them their sacred privileges to worship the Lord their God, yea,
to support and maintain the cause of God all his days, and to
bring the wicked to justice according to their crime.

Alma 50:40
 40 Now behold, his name was Pahoran.  And Pahoran did fill the
seat of his father, and did commence his reign in the end of the
twenty and fourth year, over the people of Nephi.

Alma 51

Alma 51:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
fifth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
they having established peace between the people of Lehi and the
people of Morianton concerning their lands, and having commenced
the twenty and fifth year in peace;

Alma 51:2
 2 Nevertheless, they did not long maintain an entire peace in
the land, for there began to be a contention among the people
concerning the chief judge Pahoran; for behold, there were a part
of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law
should be altered.

Alma 51:3
 3 But behold, Pahoran would not alter nor suffer the law to be
altered; therefore, he did not hearken to those who had sent in
their voices with their petitions concerning the altering of the
law.

Alma 51:4
 4 Therefore, those who were desirous that the law should be
altered were angry with him, and desired that he should no longer
be chief judge over the land; therefore there arose a warm
dispute concerning the matter, but not unto bloodshed.

Alma 51:5
 5 And it came to pass that those who were desirous that Pahoran
should be dethroned from the judgment-seat were called king-men,
for they were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner
to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the
land.

Alma 51:6
 6 And those who were desirous that Pahoran should remain chief
judge over the land took upon them the name of freemen; and thus
was the division among them, for the freemen had sworn or
covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their
religion by a free government.

Alma 51:7
 7 And it came to pass that this matter of their contention was
settled by the voice of the people.  And it came to pass that the
voice of the people came in favor of the freemen, and Pahoran
retained the judgment-seat, which caused much rejoicing among the
brethren of Pahoran and also many of the people of liberty, who
also put the king-men to silence, that they durst not oppose but
were obliged to maintain the cause of freedom.

Alma 51:8
 8 Now those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth,
and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who
sought power and authority over the people.

Alma 51:9
 9 But behold, this was a critical time for such contentions to
be among the people of Nephi; for behold, Amalickiah had again
stirred up the hearts of the people of the Lamanites against the
people of the Nephites, and he was gathering together soldiers
from all parts of his land, and arming them, and preparing for
war with all diligence; for he had sworn to drink the blood of
Moroni.

Alma 51:10
 10 But behold, we shall see that his promise which he made was
rash; nevertheless, he did prepare himself and his armies to come
to battle against the Nephites.

Alma 51:11
 11 Now his armies were not so great as they had hitherto been,
because of the many thousands who had been slain by the hand of
the Nephites; but notwithstanding their great loss, Amalickiah
had gathered together a wonderfully great army, insomuch that he
feared not to come down to the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 51:12
 12 Yea, even Amalickiah did himself come down, at the head of
the Lamanites.  And it was in the twenty and fifth year of the
reign of the judges; and it was at the same time that they had
begun to settle the affairs of their contentions concerning the
chief judge, Pahoran.

Alma 51:13
 13 And it came to pass that when the men who were called
king-men had heard that the Lamanites were coming down to battle
against them, they were glad in their hearts; and they refused to
take up arms, for they were so wroth with the chief judge, and
also with the people of liberty, that they would not take up arms
to defend their country.

Alma 51:14
 14 And it came to pass that when Moroni saw this, and also saw
that the Lamanites were coming into the borders of the land, he
was exceedingly wroth because of the stubbornness of those people
whom he had labored with so much diligence to preserve; yea, he
was exceedingly wroth; his soul was filled with anger against
them.

Alma 51:15
 15 And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice
of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he
should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those
dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.

Alma 51:16
 16 For it was his first care to put an end to such contentions
and dissensions among the people; for behold, this had been
hitherto a cause of all their destruction.  And it came to pass
that it was granted according to the voice of the people.

Alma 51:17
 17 And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army
should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and
their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take
up arms and support the cause of liberty.

Alma 51:18
 18 And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against
them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility,
insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight
against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the
earth.

Alma 51:19
 19 And it came to pass that there were four thousand of those
dissenters who were hewn down by the sword; and those of their
leaders who were not slain in battle were taken and cast into
prison, for there was no time for their trials at this period.

Alma 51:20
 20 And the remainder of those dissenters, rather than be smitten
down to the earth by the sword, yielded to the standard of
liberty, and were compelled to hoist the title of liberty upon
their towers, and in their cities, and to take up arms in defence
of their country.

Alma 51:21
 21 And thus Moroni put an end to those king-men, that there were
not any known by the appellation of king-men; and thus he put an
end to the stubbornness and the pride of those people who
professed the blood of nobility; but they were brought down to
humble themselves like unto their brethren, and to fight
valiantly for their freedom from bondage.

Alma 51:22
 22 Behold, it came to pass that while Moroni was thus breaking
down the wars and contentions among his own people, and
subjecting them to peace and civilization, and making regulations
to prepare for war against the Lamanites, behold, the Lamanites
had come into the land of Moroni, which was in the borders by the
seashore.

Alma 51:23
 23 And it came to pass that the Nephites were not sufficiently
strong in the city of Moroni; therefore Amalickiah did drive
them, slaying many.  And it came to pass that Amalickiah took
possession of the city, yea, possession of all their
fortifications.

Alma 51:24
 24 And those who fled out of the city of Moroni came to the city
of Nephihah; and also the people of the city of Lehi gathered
themselves together, and made preparations and were ready to
receive the Lamanites to battle.

Alma 51:25
 25 But it came to pass that Amalickiah would not suffer the
Lamanites to go against the city of Nephihah to battle, but kept
them down by the seashore, leaving men in every city to maintain
and defend it.

Alma 51:26
 26 And thus he went on, taking possession of many cities, the
city of Nephihah, and the city of Lehi, and the city of
Morianton, and the city of Omner, and the city of Gid, and the
city of Mulek, all of which were on the east borders by the
seashore.

Alma 51:27
 27 And thus had the Lamanites obtained, by the cunning of
Amalickiah, so many cities, by their numberless hosts, all of
which were strongly fortified after the manner of the
fortifications of Moroni; all of which afforded strongholds for
the Lamanites.

Alma 51:28
 28 And it came to pass that they marched to the borders of the
land Bountiful, driving the Nephites before them and slaying
many.

Alma 51:29
 29 But it came to pass that they were met by Teancum, who had
slain Morianton and had headed his people in his flight.

Alma 51:30
 30 And it came to pass that he headed Amalickiah also, as he was
marching forth with his numerous army that he might take
possession of the land Bountiful, and also the land northward.

Alma 51:31
 31 But behold he met with a disappointment by being repulsed by
Teancum and his men, for they were great warriors; for every man
of Teancum did exceed the Lamanites in their strength and in
their skill of war, insomuch that they did gain advantage over
the Lamanites.

Alma 51:32
 32 And it came to pass that they did harass them, insomuch that
they did slay them even until it was dark.  And it came to pass
that Teancum and his men did pitch their tents in the borders of
the land Bountiful; and Amalickiah did pitch his tents in the
borders on the beach by the seashore, and after this manner were
they driven.

Alma 51:33
 33 And it came to pass that when the night had come, Teancum and
his servant stole forth and went out by night, and went into the
camp of Amalickiah; and behold, sleep had overpowered them
because of their much fatigue, which was caused by the labors and
heat of the day.

Alma 51:34
 34 And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent
of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the
death of the king immediately that he did not awake his servants.

Alma 51:35
 35 And he returned again privily to his own camp, and behold,
his men were asleep, and he awoke them and told them all the
things that he had done.

Alma 51:36
 36 And he caused that his armies should stand in readiness, lest
the Lamanites had awakened and should come upon them.

Alma 51:37
 37 And thus endeth the twenty and fifth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi; and thus endeth the days of
Amalickiah.

Alma 52

Alma 52:1
 1 And now, it came to pass in the twenty and sixth year of the
reign of the judges over the people of Nephi, behold, when the
Lamanites awoke on the first morning of the first month, behold,
they found Amalickiah was dead in his own tent; and they also saw
that Teancum was ready to give them battle on that day.

Alma 52:2
 2 And now, when the Lamanites saw this they were affrighted; and
they abandoned their design in marching into the land northward,
and retreated with all their army into the city of Mulek, and
sought protection in their fortifications.

Alma 52:3
 3 And it came to pass that the brother of Amalickiah was
appointed king over the people; and his name was Ammoron; thus
king Ammoron, the brother of king Amalickiah, was appointed to
reign in his stead.

Alma 52:4
 4 And it came to pass that he did command that his people should
maintain those cities, which they had taken by the shedding of
blood; for they had not taken any cities save they had lost much
blood.

Alma 52:5
 5 And now, Teancum saw that the Lamanites were determined to
maintain those cities which they had taken, and those parts of
the land which they had obtained possession of; and also seeing
the enormity of their number, Teancum thought it was not
expedient that he should attempt to attack them in their forts.

Alma 52:6
 6 But he kept his men round about, as if making preparations for
war; yea, and truly he was preparing to defend himself against
them, by casting up walls round about and preparing places of
resort.

Alma 52:7
 7 And it came to pass that he kept thus preparing for war until
Moroni had sent a large number of men to strengthen his army.

Alma 52:8
 8 And Moroni also sent orders unto him that he should retain all
the prisoners who fell into his hands; for as the Lamanites had
taken many prisoners, that he should retain all the prisoners of
the Lamanites as a ransom for those whom the Lamanites had taken.

Alma 52:9
 9 And he also sent orders unto him that he should fortify the
land Bountiful, and secure the narrow pass which led into the
land northward, lest the Lamanites should obtain that point and
should have power to harass them on every side.

Alma 52:10
 10 And Moroni also sent unto him, desiring him that he would be
faithful in maintaining that quarter of the land, and that he
would seek every opportunity to scourge the Lamanites in that
quarter, as much as was in his power, that perhaps he might take
again by stratagem or some other way those cities which had been
taken out of their hands; and that he also would fortify and
strengthen the cities round about, which had not fallen into the
hands of the Lamanites.

Alma 52:11
 11 And he also said unto him, I would come unto you, but behold,
the Lamanites are upon us in the borders of the land by the west
sea; and behold, I go against them, therefore I cannot come unto
you.

Alma 52:12
 12 Now, the king (Ammoron) had departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, and had made known unto the queen concerning the death
of his brother, and had gathered together a large number of men,
and had marched forth against the Nephites on the borders by the
west sea.

Alma 52:13
 13 And thus he was endeavoring to harass the Nephites, and to
draw away a part of their forces to that part of the land, while
he had commanded those whom he had left to possess the cities
which he had taken, that they should also harass the Nephites on
the borders by the east sea, and should take possession of their
lands as much as it was in their power, according to the power of
their armies.

Alma 52:14
 14 And thus were the Nephites in those dangerous circumstances
in the ending of the twenty and sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 52:15
 15 But behold, it came to pass in the twenty and seventh year of
the reign of the judges, that Teancum, by the command of
Moroni--who had established armies to protect the south and the
west borders of the land, and had begun his march towards the
land Bountiful, that he might assist Teancum with his men in
retaking the cities which they had lost--

Alma 52:16
 16 And it came to pass that Teancum had received orders to make
an attack upon the city of Mulek, and retake it if it were
possible.

Alma 52:17
 17 And it came to pass that Teancum made preparations to make an
attack upon the city of Mulek, and march forth with his army
against the Lamanites; but he saw that it was impossible that he
could overpower them while they were in their fortifications;
therefore he abandoned his designs and returned again to the city
Bountiful, to wait for the coming of Moroni, that he might
receive strength to his army.

Alma 52:18
 18 And it came to pass that Moroni did arrive with his army at
the land of Bountiful, in the latter end of the twenty and
seventh year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 52:19
 19 And in the commencement of the twenty and eighth year, Moroni
and Teancum and many of the chief captains held a council of
war--what they should do to cause the Lamanites to come out
against them to battle; or that they might by some means flatter
them out of their strongholds, that they might gain advantage
over them and take again the city of Mulek.

Alma 52:20
 20 And it came to pass they sent embassies to the army of the
Lamanites, which protected the city of Mulek, to their leader,
whose name was Jacob, desiring him that he would come out with
his armies to meet them upon the plains between the two cities. 
But behold, Jacob, who was a Zoramite, would not come out with
his army to meet them upon the plains.

Alma 52:21
 21 And it came to pass that Moroni, having no hopes of meeting
them upon fair grounds, therefore, he resolved upon a plan that
he might decoy the Lamanites out of their strongholds.

Alma 52:22
 22 Therefore he caused that Teancum should take a small number
of men and march down near the seashore; and Moroni and his army,
by night, marched in the wilderness, on the west of the city
Mulek; and thus, on the morrow, when the guards of the Lamanites
had discovered Teancum, they ran and told it unto Jacob, their
leader.

Alma 52:23
 23 And it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did
march forth against Teancum, supposing by their numbers to
overpower Teancum because of the smallness of his numbers.  And
as Teancum saw the armies of the Lamanites coming out against him
he began to retreat down by the seashore, northward.

Alma 52:24
 24 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that he began
to flee, they took courage and pursued them with vigor.  And
while Teancum was thus leading away the Lamanites who were
pursuing them in vain, behold, Moroni commanded that a part of
his army who were with him should march forth into the city, and
take possession of it.

Alma 52:25
 25 And thus they did, and slew all those who had been left to
protect the city, yea, all those who would not yield up their
weapons of war.

Alma 52:26
 26 And thus Moroni had obtained possession of the city Mulek
with a part of his army, while he marched with the remainder to
meet the Lamanites when they should return from the pursuit of
Teancum.

Alma 52:27
 27 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did pursue Teancum
until they came near the city Bountiful, and then they were met
by Lehi and a small army, which had been left to protect the city
Bountiful.

Alma 52:28
 28 And now behold, when the chief captains of the Lamanites had
beheld Lehi with his army coming against them, they fled in much
confusion, lest perhaps they should not obtain the city Mulek
before Lehi should overtake them; for they were wearied because
of their march, and the men of Lehi were fresh.

Alma 52:29
 29 Now the Lamanites did not know that Moroni had been in their
rear with his army; and all they feared was Lehi and his men.

Alma 52:30
 30 Now Lehi was not desirous to overtake them till they should
meet Moroni and his army.

Alma 52:31
 31 And it came to pass that before the Lamanites had retreated
far they were surrounded by the Nephites, by the men of Moroni on
one hand, and the men of Lehi on the other, all of whom were
fresh and full of strength; but the Lamanites were wearied
because of their long march.

Alma 52:32
 32 And Moroni commanded his men that they should fall upon them
until they had given up their weapons of war.

Alma 52:33
 33 And it came to pass that Jacob, being their leader, being
also a Zoramite, and having an unconquerable spirit, he led the
Lamanites forth to battle with exceeding fury against Moroni.

Alma 52:34
 34 Moroni being in their course of march, therefore Jacob was
determined to slay them and cut his way through to the city of
Mulek.  But behold, Moroni and his men were more powerful;
therefore they did not give way before the Lamanites.

Alma 52:35
 35 And it came to pass that they fought on both hands with
exceeding fury; and there were many slain on both sides; yea, and
Moroni was wounded and Jacob was killed.

Alma 52:36
 36 And Lehi pressed upon their rear with such fury with his
strong men, that the Lamanites in the rear delivered up their
weapons of war; and the remainder of them, being much confused,
knew not whither to go or to strike.

Alma 52:37
 37 Now Moroni seeing their confusion, he said unto them: If ye
will bring forth your weapons of war and deliver them up, behold
we will forbear shedding your blood.

Alma 52:38
 38 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had heard these
words, their chief captains, all those who were not slain, came
forth and threw down their weapons of war at the feet of Moroni,
and also commanded their men that they should do the same.

Alma 52:39
 39 But behold, there were many that would not; and those who
would not deliver up their swords were taken and bound, and their
weapons of war were taken from them, and they were compelled to
march with their brethren forth into the land Bountiful.

Alma 52:40
 40 And now the number of prisoners who were taken exceeded more
than the number of those who had been slain, yea, more than those
who had been slain on both sides.

Alma 53

Alma 53:1
 1 And it came to pass that they did set guards over the
prisoners of the Lamanites, and did compel them to go forth and
bury their dead, yea, and also the dead of the Nephites who were
slain; and Moroni placed men over them to guard them while they
should perform their labors.

Alma 53:2
 2 And Moroni went to the city of Mulek with Lehi, and took
command of the city and gave it unto Lehi.  Now behold, this Lehi
was a man who had been with Moroni in the more part of all his
battles; and he was a man like unto Moroni, and they rejoiced in
each other's safety; yea, they were beloved by each other, and
also beloved by all the people of Nephi.

Alma 53:3
 3 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had finished
burying their dead and also the dead of the Nephites, they were
marched back into the land Bountiful; and Teancum, by the orders
of Moroni, caused that they should commence laboring in digging a
ditch round about the land, or the city, Bountiful.

Alma 53:4
 4 And he caused that they should build a breastwork of timbers
upon the inner bank of the ditch; and they cast up dirt out of
the ditch against the breastwork of timbers; and thus they did
cause the Lamanites to labor until they had encircled the city of
Bountiful round about with a strong wall of timbers and earth, to
an exceeding height.

Alma 53:5
 5 And this city became an exceeding stronghold ever after; and
in this city they did guard the prisoners of the Lamanites; yea,
even within a wall which they had caused them to build with their
own hands.  Now Moroni was compelled to cause the Lamanites to
labor, because it was easy to guard them while at their labor;
and he desired all his forces when he should make an attack upon
the Lamanites.

Alma 53:6
 6 And it came to pass that Moroni had thus gained a victory over
one of the greatest of the armies of the Lamanites, and had
obtained possession of the city of Mulek, which was one of the
strongest holds of the Lamanites in the land of Nephi; and thus
he had also built a stronghold to retain his prisoners.

Alma 53:7
 7 And it came to pass that he did no more attempt a battle with
the Lamanites in that year, but he did employ his men in
preparing for war, yea, and in making fortifications to guard
against the Lamanites, yea, and also delivering their women and
their children from famine and affliction, and providing food for
their armies.

Alma 53:8
 8 And now it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites, on
the west sea, south, while in the absence of Moroni on account of
some intrigue amongst the Nephites, which caused dissensions
amongst them, had gained some ground over the Nephites, yea,
insomuch that they had obtained possession of a number of their
cities in that part of the land.

Alma 53:9
 9 And thus because of iniquity amongst themselves, yea, because
of dissensions and intrigue among themselves they were placed in
the most dangerous circumstances.

Alma 53:10
 10 And now behold, I have somewhat to say concerning the people
of Ammon, who in the beginning, were Lamanites; but by Ammon and
his brethren, or rather by the power and word of God, they had
been converted unto the Lord; and they had been brought down into
the land of Zarahemla, and had ever since been protected by the
Nephites.

Alma 53:11
 11 And because of their oath they had been kept from taking up
arms against their brethren; for they had taken an oath that they
never would shed blood more; and according to their oath they
would have perished; yea, they would have suffered themselves to
have fallen into the hands of their brethren, had it not been for
the pity and the exceeding love which Ammon and his brethren had
had for them.

Alma 53:12
 12 And for this cause they were brought down into the land of
Zarahemla; and they ever had been protected by the Nephites.

Alma 53:13
 13 But it came to pass that when they saw the danger, and the
many afflictions and tribulations which the Nephites bore for
them, they were moved with compassion and were desirous to take
up arms in the defence of their country.

Alma 53:14
 14 But behold, as they were about to take their weapons of war,
they were overpowered by the persuasions of Helaman and his
brethren, for they were about to break the oath which they had
made.

Alma 53:15
 15 And Helaman feared lest by so doing they should lose their
souls; therefore all those who had entered into this covenant
were compelled to behold their brethren wade through their
afflictions, in their dangerous circumstances at this time.

Alma 53:16
 16 But behold, it came to pass they had many sons, who had not
entered into a covenant that they would not take their weapons of
war to defend themselves against their enemies; therefore they
did assemble themselves together at this time, as many as were
able to take up arms, and they called themselves Nephites.

Alma 53:17
 17 And they entered into a covenant to fight for the liberty of
the Nephites, yea, to protect the land unto the laying down of
their lives; yea, even they covenanted that they never would give
up their liberty, but they would fight in all cases to protect
the Nephites and themselves from bondage.

Alma 53:18
 18 Now behold, there were two thousand of those young men, who
entered into this covenant and took their weapons of war to
defend their country.

Alma 53:19
 19 And now behold, as they never had hitherto been a
disadvantage to the Nephites, they became now at this period of
time also a great support; for they took their weapons of war,
and they would that Helaman should be their leader.

Alma 53:20
 20 And they were all young men, and they were exceedingly
valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity; but
behold, this was not all--they were men who were true at all
times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted.

Alma 53:21
 21 Yea, they were men of truth and soberness, for they had been
taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly
before him.

Alma 53:22
 22 And now it came to pass that Helaman did march at the head of
his two thousand stripling soldiers, to the support of the people
in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea.

Alma 53:23
 23 And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 54

Alma 54:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the twenty and
ninth year of the judges, that Ammoron sent unto Moroni desiring
that he would exchange prisoners.

Alma 54:2
 2 And it came to pass that Moroni felt to rejoice exceedingly at
this request, for he desired the provisions which were imparted
for the support of the Lamanite prisoners for the support of his
own people; and he also desired his own people for the
strengthening of his army.

Alma 54:3
 3 Now the Lamanites had taken many women and children, and there
was not a woman nor a child among all the prisoners of Moroni, or
the prisoners whom Moroni had taken; therefore Moroni resolved
upon a stratagem to obtain as many prisoners of the Nephites from
the Lamanites as it were possible.

Alma 54:4
 4 Therefore he wrote an epistle, and sent it by the servant of
Ammoron, the same who had brought an epistle to Moroni.  Now
these are the words which he wrote unto Ammoron, saying:

Alma 54:5
 5 Behold, Ammoron, I have written unto you somewhat concerning
this war which ye have waged against my people, or rather which
thy brother hath waged against them, and which ye are still
determined to carry on after his death.

Alma 54:6
 6 Behold, I would tell you somewhat concerning the justice of
God, and the sword of his almighty wrath, which doth hang over
you except ye repent and withdraw your armies into your own
lands, or the land of your possessions, which is the land of
Nephi.

Alma 54:7
 7 Yea, I would tell you these things if ye were capable of
hearkening unto them; yea, I would tell you concerning that awful
hell that awaits to receive such murderers as thou and thy
brother have been, except ye repent and withdraw your murderous
purposes, and return with your armies to your own lands.

Alma 54:8
 8 But as ye have once rejected these things, and have fought
against the people of the Lord, even so I may expect you will do
it again.

Alma 54:9
 9 And now behold, we are prepared to receive you; yea, and
except you withdraw your purposes, behold, ye will pull down the
wrath of that God whom you have rejected upon you, even to your
utter destruction.

Alma 54:10
 10 But, as the Lord liveth, our armies shall come upon you
except ye withdraw, and ye shall soon be visited with death, for
we will retain our cities and our lands; yea, and we will
maintain our religion and the cause of our God.

Alma 54:11
 11 But behold, it supposeth me that I talk to you concerning
these things in vain; or it supposeth me that thou art a child of
hell; therefore I will close my epistle by telling you that I
will not exchange prisoners, save it be on conditions that ye
will deliver up a man and his wife and his children, for one
prisoner; if this be the case that ye will do it, I will
exchange.

Alma 54:12
 12 And behold, if you do not this, I will come against you with
my armies; yea, even I will arm my women and my children, and I
will come against you, and I will follow you even into your own
land, which is the land of our first inheritance; yea, and it
shall be blood for blood, yea, life for life; and I will give you
battle even until you are destroyed from off the face of the
earth.

Alma 54:13
 13 Behold, I am in my anger, and also my people; ye have sought
to murder us, and we have only sought to defend ourselves.  But
behold, if ye seek to destroy us more we will seek to destroy
you; yea, and we will seek our land, the land of our first
inheritance.

Alma 54:14
 14 Now I close my epistle.  I am Moroni; I am a leader of the
people of the Nephites.

Alma 54:15
 15 Now it came to pass that Ammoron, when he had received this
epistle, was angry; and he wrote another epistle unto Moroni, and
these are the words which he wrote, saying:

Alma 54:16
 16 I am Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites; I am the brother of
Amalickiah whom ye have murdered.  Behold, I will avenge his
blood upon you, yea, and I will come upon you with my armies for
I fear not your threatenings.

Alma 54:17
 17 For behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch
that they did rob them of their right to the government when it
rightly belonged unto them.

Alma 54:18
 18 And now behold, if ye will lay down your arms, and subject
yourselves to be governed by those to whom the government doth
rightly belong, then will I cause that my people shall lay down
their weapons and shall be at war no more.

Alma 54:19
 19 Behold, ye have breathed out many threatenings against me and
my people; but behold, we fear not your threatenings.

Alma 54:20
 20 Nevertheless, I will grant to exchange prisoners according to
your request, gladly, that I may preserve my food for my men of
war; and we will wage a war which shall be eternal, either to the
subjecting the Nephites to our authority or to their eternal
extinction.

Alma 54:21
 21 And as concerning that God whom ye say we have rejected,
behold, we know not such a being; neither do ye; but if it so be
that there is such a thing, we know not but that he hath made us
as well as you.

Alma 54:22
 22 And if it so be that there is a devil and a hell, behold will
he not send you there to dwell with my brother whom ye have
murdered, whom ye have hinted that he hath gone to such a place? 
But behold these things matter not.

Alma 54:23
 23 I am Ammoron, and a descendant of Zoram, whom your fathers
pressed and brought out of Jerusalem.

Alma 54:24
 24 And behold now, I am a bold Lamanite; behold, this war hath
been waged to avenge their wrongs, and to maintain and to obtain
their rights to the government; and I close my epistle to Moroni.

Alma 55

Alma 55:1
 1 Now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle
he was more angry, because he knew that Ammoron had a perfect
knowledge of his fraud; yea, he knew that Ammoron knew that it
was not a just cause that had caused him to wage a war against
the people of Nephi.

Alma 55:2
 2 And he said: Behold, I will not exchange prisoners with
Ammoron save he will withdraw his purpose, as I have stated in my
epistle; for I will not grant unto him that he shall have any
more power than what he hath got.

Alma 55:3
 3 Behold, I know the place where the Lamanites do guard my
people whom they have taken prisoners; and as Ammoron would not
grant unto me mine epistle, behold, I will give unto him
according to my words; yea, I will seek death among them until
they shall sue for peace.

Alma 55:4
 4 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had said these words,
he caused that a search should be made among his men, that
perhaps he might find a man who was a descendant of Laman among
them.

Alma 55:5
 5 And it came to pass that they found one, whose name was Laman;
and he was one of the servants of the king who was murdered by
Amalickiah.

Alma 55:6
 6 Now Moroni caused that Laman and a small number of his men
should go forth unto the guards who were over the Nephites.

Alma 55:7
 7 Now the Nephites were guarded in the city of Gid; therefore
Moroni appointed Laman and caused that a small number of men
should go with him.

Alma 55:8
 8 And when it was evening Laman went to the guards who were over
the Nephites, and behold, they saw him coming and they hailed
him; but he saith unto them: Fear not; behold, I am a Lamanite. 
Behold, we have escaped from the Nephites, and they sleep; and
behold we have taken of their wine and brought with us.

Alma 55:9
 9 Now when the Lamanites heard these words they received him
with joy; and they said unto him: Give us of your wine, that we
may drink; we are glad that ye have thus taken wine with you for
we are weary.

Alma 55:10
 10 But Laman said unto them: Let us keep of our wine till we go
against the Nephites to battle.  But this saying only made them
more desirous to drink of the wine;

Alma 55:11
 11 For, said they: We are weary, therefore let us take of the
wine, and by and by we shall receive wine for our rations, which
will strengthen us to go against the Nephites.

Alma 55:12
 12 And Laman said unto them: You may do according to your
desires.

Alma 55:13
 13 And it came to pass that they did take of the wine freely;
and it was pleasant to their taste, therefore they took of it
more freely; and it was strong, having been prepared in its
strength.

Alma 55:14
 14 And it came to pass they did drink and were merry, and by and
by they were all drunken.

Alma 55:15
 15 And now when Laman and his men saw that they were all
drunken, and were in a deep sleep, they returned to Moroni and
told him all the things that had happened.

Alma 55:16
 16 And now this was according to the design of Moroni.  And
Moroni had prepared his men with weapons of war; and he went to
the city Gid, while the Lamanites were in a deep sleep and
drunken, and cast in weapons of war unto the prisoners, insomuch
that they were all armed;

Alma 55:17
 17 Yea, even to their women, and all those of their children, as
many as were able to use a weapon of war, when Moroni had armed
all those prisoners; and all those things were done in a profound
silence.

Alma 55:18
 18 But had they awakened the Lamanites, behold they were drunken
and the Nephites could have slain them.

Alma 55:19
 19 But behold, this was not the desire of Moroni; he did not
delight in murder or bloodshed, but he delighted in the saving of
his people from destruction; and for this cause he might not
bring upon him injustice, he would not fall upon the Lamanites
and destroy them in their drunkenness.

Alma 55:20
 20 But he had obtained his desires; for he had armed those
prisoners of the Nephites who were within the wall of the city,
and had given them power to gain possession of those parts which
were within the walls.

Alma 55:21
 21 And then he caused the men who were with him to withdraw a
pace from them, and surround the armies of the Lamanites.

Alma 55:22
 22 Now behold this was done in the night-time, so that when the
Lamanites awoke in the morning they beheld that they were
surrounded by the Nephites without, and that their prisoners were
armed within.

Alma 55:23
 23 And thus they saw that the Nephites had power over them; and
in these circumstances they found that it was not expedient that
they should fight with the Nephites; therefore their chief
captains demanded their weapons of war, and they brought them
forth and cast them at the feet of the Nephites, pleading for
mercy.

Alma 55:24
 24 Now behold, this was the desire of Moroni.  He took them
prisoners of war, and took possession of the city, and caused
that all the prisoners should be liberated, who were Nephites;
and they did join the army of Moroni, and were a great strength
to his army.

Alma 55:25
 25 And it came to pass that he did cause the Lamanites, whom he
had taken prisoners, that they should commence a labor in
strengthening the fortifications round about the city Gid.

Alma 55:26
 26 And it came to pass that when he had fortified the city Gid,
according to his desires, he caused that his prisoners should be
taken to the city Bountiful; and he also guarded that city with
an exceedingly strong force.

Alma 55:27
 27 And it came to pass that they did, notwithstanding all the
intrigues of the Lamanites, keep and protect all the prisoners
whom they had taken, and also maintain all the ground and the
advantage which they had retaken.

Alma 55:28
 28 And it came to pass that the Nephites began again to be
victorious, and to reclaim their rights and their privileges.

Alma 55:29
 29 Many time did the Lamanites attempt to encircle them about by
night, but in these attempts they did lose many prisoners.

Alma 55:30
 30 And many times did they attempt to administer of their wine
to the Nephites, that they might destroy them with poison or with
drunkenness.

Alma 55:31
 31 But behold, the Nephites were not slow to remember the Lord
their God in this their time of affliction.  They could not be
taken in their snares; yea, they would not partake of their wine,
save they had first given to some of the Lamanite prisoners.

Alma 55:32
 32 And they were thus cautious that no poison should be
administered among them; for if their wine would poison a
Lamanite it would also poison a Nephite; and thus they did try
all their liquors.

Alma 55:33
 33 And now it came to pass that it was expedient for Moroni to
make preparations to attack the city Morianton; for behold, the
Lamanites had, by their labors, fortified the city Morianton
until it had become an exceeding stronghold.

Alma 55:34
 34 And they were continually bringing new forces into that city,
and also new supplies of provisions.

Alma 55:35
 35 And thus ended the twenty and ninth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 56

Alma 56:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the thirtieth
year of the reign of the judges, on the second day in the first
month, Moroni received an epistle from Helaman, stating the
affairs of the people in that quarter of the land.

Alma 56:2
 2 And these are the words which he wrote, saying: My dearly
beloved brother, Moroni, as well in the Lord as in the
tribulations of our warfare; behold, my beloved brother, I have
somewhat to tell you concerning our warfare in this part of the
land.

Alma 56:3
 3 Behold, two thousand of the sons of those men whom Ammon
brought down out of the land of Nephi--now ye have known that
these were descendants of Laman, who was the eldest son of our
father Lehi;

Alma 56:4
 4 Now I need not rehearse unto you concerning their traditions
or their unbelief, for thou knowest concerning all these things--

Alma 56:5
 5 Therefore it sufficeth me that I tell you that two thousand of
these young men have taken their weapons of war, and would that I
should be their leader; and we have come forth to defend our
country.

Alma 56:6
 6 And now ye also know concerning the covenant which their
fathers made, that they would not take up their weapons of war
against their brethren to shed blood.

Alma 56:7
 7 But in the twenty and sixth year, when they saw our
afflictions and our tribulations for them, they were about to
break the covenant which they had made and take up their weapons
of war in our defence.

Alma 56:8
 8 But I would not suffer them that they should break this
covenant which they had made, supposing that God would strengthen
us, insomuch that we should not suffer more because of the
fulfilling the oath which they had taken.

Alma 56:9
 9 But behold, here is one thing in which we may have great joy. 
For behold, in the twenty and sixth year, I, Helaman, did march
at the head of these two thousand young men to the city of Judea,
to assist Antipus, whom ye had appointed a leader over the people
of that part of the land.

Alma 56:10
 10 And I did join my two thousand sons, (for they are worthy to
be called sons) to the army of Antipus, in which strength Antipus
did rejoice exceedingly; for behold, his army had been reduced by
the Lamanites because their forces had slain a vast number of our
men, for which cause we have to mourn.

Alma 56:11
 11 Nevertheless, we may console ourselves in this point, that
they have died in the cause of their country and of their God,
yea, and they are happy.

Alma 56:12
 12 And the Lamanites had also retained many prisoners, all of
whom are chief captains, for none other have they spared alive. 
And we suppose that they are now at this time in the land of
Nephi; it is so if they are not slain.

Alma 56:13
 13 And now these are the cities of which the Lamanites have
obtained possession by the shedding of the blood of so many of
our valiant men:

Alma 56:14
 14 The land of Manti, or the city of Manti, and the city of
Zeezrom, and the city of Cumeni, and the city of Antiparah.

Alma 56:15
 15 And these are the cities which they possessed when I arrived
at the city of Judea; and I found Antipus and his men toiling
with their might to fortify the city.

Alma 56:16
 16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit,
for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to
maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great
afflictions of every kind.

Alma 56:17
 17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die;
therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I
brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes
and much joy.

Alma 56:18
 18 And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that
Antipus had received a greater strength to his army, they were
compelled by the orders of Ammoron to not come against the city
of Judea, or against us, to battle.

Alma 56:19
 19 And thus were we favored of the Lord; for had they come upon
us in this our weakness they might have perhaps destroyed our
little army; but thus were we preserved.

Alma 56:20
 20 They were commanded by Ammoron to maintain those cities which
they had taken.  And thus ended the twenty and sixth year.  And
in the commencement of the twenty and seventh year we had
prepared our city and ourselves for defence.

Alma 56:21
 21 Now we were desirous that the Lamanites should come upon us;
for we were not desirous to make an attack upon them in their
strongholds.

Alma 56:22
 22 And it came to pass that we kept spies out round about, to
watch the movements of the Lamanites, that they might not pass us
by night nor by day to make an attack upon our other cities which
were on the northward.

Alma 56:23
 23 For we knew in those cities they were not sufficiently strong
to meet them; therefore we were desirous, if they should pass by
us, to fall upon them in their rear, and thus bring them up in
the rear at the same time they were met in the front.  We
supposed that we could overpower them; but behold, we were
disappointed in this our desire.

Alma 56:24
 24 They durst not pass by us with their whole army, neither
durst they with a part, lest they should not be sufficiently
strong and they should fall.

Alma 56:25
 25 Neither durst they march down against the city of Zarahemla;
neither durst they cross the head of Sidon, over to the city of
Nephihah.

Alma 56:26
 26 And thus, with their forces, they were determined to maintain
those cities which they had taken.

Alma 56:27
 27 And now it came to pass in the second month of this year,
there was brought unto us many provisions from the fathers of
those my two thousand sons.

Alma 56:28
 28 And also there were sent two thousand men unto us from the
land of Zarahemla.  And thus we were prepared with ten thousand
men, and provisions for them, and also for their wives and their
children.

Alma 56:29
 29 And the Lamanites, thus seeing our forces increase daily, and
provisions arrive for our support, they began to be fearful, and
began to sally forth, if it were possible to put an end to our
receiving provisions and strength.

Alma 56:30
 30 Now when we saw that the Lamanites began to grow uneasy on
this wise, we were desirous to bring a stratagem into effect upon
them; therefore Antipus ordered that I should march forth with my
little sons to a neighboring city, as if we were carrying
provisions to a neighboring city.

Alma 56:31
 31 And we were to march near the city of Antiparah, as if we
were going to the city beyond, in the borders by the seashore.

Alma 56:32
 32 And it came to pass that we did march forth, as if with our
provisions, to go to that city.

Alma 56:33
 33 And it came to pass that Antipus did march forth with a part
of his army, leaving the remainder to maintain the city.  But he
did not march forth until I had gone forth with my little army,
and came near the city Antiparah.

Alma 56:34
 34 And now, in the city Antiparah were stationed the strongest
army of the Lamanites; yea, the most numerous.

Alma 56:35
 35 And it came to pass that when they had been informed by their
spies, they came forth with their army and marched against us.

Alma 56:36
 36 And it came to pass that we did flee before them, northward. 
And thus we did lead away the most powerful army of the
Lamanites;

Alma 56:37
 37 Yea, even to a considerable distance, insomuch that when they
saw the army of Antipus pursuing them, with their might, they did
not turn to the right nor to the left, but pursued their march in
a straight course after us; and, as we suppose, it was their
intent to slay us before Antipus should overtake them, and this
that they might not be surrounded by our people.

Alma 56:38
 38 And now Antipus, beholding our danger, did speed the march of
his army.  But behold, it was night; therefore they did not
overtake us, neither did Antipus overtake them; therefore we did
camp for the night.

Alma 56:39
 39 And it came to pass that before the dawn of the morning,
behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us.  Now we were not
sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer
that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we
did continue our march, and we took our march into the
wilderness.

Alma 56:40
 40 Now they durst not turn to the right nor to the left lest
they should be surrounded; neither would I turn to the right nor
to the left lest they should overtake me, and we could not stand
against them, but be slain, and they would make their escape; and
thus we did flee all that day into the wilderness, even until it
was dark.

Alma 56:41
 41 And it came to pass that again, when the light of the morning
came we saw the Lamanites upon us, and we did flee before them.

Alma 56:42
 42 But it came to pass that they did not pursue us far before
they halted; and it was in the morning of the third day of the
seventh month.

Alma 56:43
 43 And now, whether they were overtaken by Antipus we knew not,
but I said unto my men: Behold, we know not but they have halted
for the purpose that we should come against them, that they might
catch us in their snare;

Alma 56:44
 44 Therefore what say ye, my sons, will ye go against them to
battle?

Alma 56:45
 45 And now I say unto you, my beloved brother Moroni, that never
had I seen so great courage, nay, not amongst all the Nephites.

Alma 56:46
 46 For as I had ever called them my sons (for they were all of
them very young) even so they said unto me: Father, behold our
God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then
let us go forth; we would not slay our brethren if they would let
us alone; therefore let us go, lest they should overpower the
army of Antipus.

Alma 56:47
 47 Now they never had fought, yet they did not fear death; and
they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they
did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers,
that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.

Alma 56:48
 48 And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers,
saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it.

Alma 56:49
 49 And it came to pass that I did return with my two thousand
against these Lamanites who had pursued us.  And now behold, the
armies of Antipus had overtaken them, and a terrible battle had
commenced.

Alma 56:50
 50 The army of Antipus being weary, because of their long march
in so short a space of time, were about to fall into the hands of
the Lamanites; and had I not returned with my two thousand they
would have obtained their purpose.

Alma 56:51
 51 For Antipus had fallen by the sword, and many of his leaders,
because of their weariness, which was occasioned by the speed of
their march--therefore the men of Antipus, being confused because
of the fall of their leaders, began to give way before the
Lamanites.

Alma 56:52
 52 And it came to pass that the Lamanites took courage, and
began to pursue them; and thus were the Lamanites pursuing them
with great vigor when Helaman came upon their rear with his two
thousand, and began to slay them exceedingly, insomuch that the
whole army of the Lamanites halted and turned upon Helaman.

Alma 56:53
 53 Now when the people of Antipus saw that the Lamanites had
turned them about, they gathered together their men and came
again upon the rear of the Lamanites.

Alma 56:54
 54 And now it came to pass that we, the people of Nephi, the
people of Antipus, and I with my two thousand, did surround the
Lamanites, and did slay them; yea, insomuch that they were
compelled to deliver up their weapons of war and also themselves
as prisoners of war.

Alma 56:55
 55 And now it came to pass that when they had surrendered
themselves up unto us, behold, I numbered those young men who had
fought with me, fearing lest there were many of them slain.

Alma 56:56
 56 But behold, to my great joy, there had not one soul of them
fallen to the earth; yea, and they had fought as if with the
strength of God; yea, never were men known to have fought with
such miraculous strength; and with such mighty power did they
fall upon the Lamanites, that they did frighten them; and for
this cause did the Lamanites deliver themselves up as prisoners
of war.

Alma 56:57
 57 And as we had no place for our prisoners, that we could guard
them to keep them from the armies of the Lamanites, therefore we
sent them to the land of Zarahemla, and a part of those men who
were not slain of Antipus, with them; and the remainder I took
and joined them to my stripling Ammonites, and took our march
back to the city of Judea.

Alma 57

Alma 57:1
 1 And now it came to pass that I received an epistle from
Ammoron, the king, stating that if I would deliver up those
prisoners of war whom we had taken that he would deliver up the
city of Antiparah unto us.

Alma 57:2
 2 But I sent an epistle unto the king, that we were sure our
forces were sufficient to take the city of Antiparah by our
force; and by delivering up the prisoners for that city we should
suppose ourselves unwise, and that we would only deliver up our
prisoners on exchange.

Alma 57:3
 3 And Ammoron refused mine epistle, for he would not exchange
prisoners; therefore we began to make preparations to go against
the city of Antiparah.

Alma 57:4
 4 But the people of Antiparah did leave the city, and fled to
their other cities, which they had possession of, to fortify
them; and thus the city of Antiparah fell into our hands.

Alma 57:5
 5 And thus ended the twenty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges.

Alma 57:6
 6 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the twenty and
ninth year, we received a supply of provisions, and also an
addition to our army, from the land of Zarahemla, and from the
land round about, to the number of six thousand men, besides
sixty of the sons of the Ammonites who had come to join their
brethren, my little band of two thousand.  And now behold, we
were strong, yea, and we had also plenty of provisions brought
unto us.

Alma 57:7
 7 And it came to pass that it was our desire to wage a battle
with the army which was placed to protect the city Cumeni.

Alma 57:8
 8 And now behold, I will show unto you that we soon accomplished
our desire; yea, with our strong force, or with a part of our
strong force, we did surround, by night, the city Cumeni, a
little before they were to receive a supply of provisions.

Alma 57:9
 9 And it came to pass that we did camp round about the city for
many nights; but we did sleep upon our swords, and keep guards,
that the Lamanites could not come upon us by night and slay us,
which they attempted many times; but as many times as they
attempted this their blood was spilt.

Alma 57:10
 10 At length their provisions did arrive, and they were about to
enter the city by night.  And we, instead of being Lamanites,
were Nephites; therefore, we did take them and their provisions.

Alma 57:11
 11 And notwithstanding the Lamanites being cut off from their
support after this manner, they were still determined to maintain
the city; therefore it became expedient that we should take those
provisions and send them to Judea, and our prisoners to the land
of Zarahemla.

Alma 57:12
 12 And it came to pass that not many days had passed away before
the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they
yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished
our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni.

Alma 57:13
 13 But it came to pass that our prisoners were so numerous that,
notwithstanding the enormity of our numbers, we were obliged to
employ all our force to keep them, or to put them to death.

Alma 57:14
 14 For behold, they would break out in great numbers, and would
fight with stones, and with clubs, or whatsoever thing they could
get into their hands, insomuch that we did slay upwards of two
thousand of them after they had surrendered themselves prisoners
of war.

Alma 57:15
 15 Therefore it became expedient for us, that we should put an
end to their lives, or guard them, sword in hand, down to the
land of Zarahemla; and also our provisions were not any more than
sufficient for our own people, notwithstanding that which we had
taken from the Lamanites.

Alma 57:16
 16 And now, in those critical circumstances, it became a very
serious matter to determine concerning these prisoners of war;
nevertheless, we did resolve to send them down to the land of
Zarahemla; therefore we selected a part of our men, and gave them
charge over our prisoners to go down to the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 57:17
 17 But it came to pass that on the morrow they did return.  And
now behold, we did not inquire of them concerning the prisoners;
for behold, the Lamanites were upon us, and they returned in
season to save us from falling into their hands.  For behold,
Ammoron had sent to their support a new supply of provisions and
also a numerous army of men.

Alma 57:18
 18 And it came to pass that those men whom we sent with the
prisoners did arrive in season to check them, as they were about
to overpower us.

Alma 57:19
 19 But behold, my little band of two thousand and sixty fought
most desperately; yea, they were firm before the Lamanites, and
did administer death unto all those who opposed them.

Alma 57:20
 20 And as the remainder of our army were about to give way
before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were
firm and undaunted.

Alma 57:21
 21 Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of
command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it
was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said
unto me that their mothers had taught them.

Alma 57:22
 22 And now behold, it was these my sons, and those men who had
been selected to convey the prisoners, to whom we owe this great
victory; for it was they who did beat the Lamanites; therefore
they were driven back to the city of Manti.

Alma 57:23
 23 And we retained our city Cumeni, and were not all destroyed
by the sword; nevertheless, we had suffered great loss.

Alma 57:24
 24 And it came to pass that after the Lamanites had fled, I
immediately gave orders that my men who had been wounded should
be taken from among the dead, and caused that their wounds should
be dressed.

Alma 57:25
 25 And it came to pass that there were two hundred, out of my
two thousand and sixty, who had fainted because of the loss of
blood; nevertheless, according to the goodness of God, and to our
great astonishment, and also the joy of our whole army, there was
not one soul of them who did perish; yea, and neither was there
one soul among them who had not received many wounds.

Alma 57:26
 26 And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole
army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand
of our brethren who were slain.  And we do justly ascribe it to
the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in
that which they had been taught to believe--that there was a just
God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved
by his marvelous power.

Alma 57:27
 27 Now this was the faith of these of whom I have spoken; they
are young, and their minds are firm, and they do put their trust
in God continually.

Alma 57:28
 28 And now it came to pass that after we had thus taken care of
our wounded men, and had buried our dead and also the dead of the
Lamanites, who were many, behold, we did inquire of Gid
concerning the prisoners whom they had started to go down to the
land of Zarahemla with.

Alma 57:29
 29 Now Gid was the chief captain over the band who was appointed
to guard them down to the land.

Alma 57:30
 30 And now, these are the words which Gid said unto me: Behold,
we did start to go down to the land of Zarahemla with our
prisoners.  And it came to pass that we did meet the spies of our
armies, who had been sent out to watch the camp of the Lamanites.

Alma 57:31
 31 And they cried unto us, saying--Behold, the armies of the
Lamanites are marching towards the city of Cumeni; and behold,
they will fall upon them, yea, and will destroy our people.

Alma 57:32
 32 And it came to pass that our prisoners did hear their cries,
which caused them to take courage; and they did rise up in
rebellion against us.

Alma 57:33
 33 And it came to pass because of their rebellion we did cause
that our swords should come upon them.  And it came to pass that
they did in a body run upon our swords, in the which, the greater
number of them were slain; and the remainder of them broke
through and fled from us.

Alma 57:34
 34 And behold, when they had fled and we could not overtake
them, we took our march with speed towards the city Cumeni; and
behold, we did arrive in time that we might assist our brethren
in preserving the city.

Alma 57:35
 35 And behold, we are again delivered out of the hands of our
enemies.  And blessed is the name of our God; for behold, it is
he that has delivered us; yea, that has done this great thing for
us.

Alma 57:36
 36 Now it came to pass that when I, Helaman, had heard these
words of Gid, I was filled with exceeding joy because of the
goodness of God in preserving us, that we might not all perish;
yea, and I trust that the souls of them who have been slain have
entered into the rest of their God.

Alma 58

Alma 58:1
 1 And behold, now it came to pass that our next object was to
obtain the city of Manti; but behold, there was no way that we
could lead them out of the city by our small bands.  For behold,
they remembered that which we had hitherto done; therefore we
could not decoy them away from their strongholds.

Alma 58:2
 2 And they were so much more numerous than was our army that we
durst not go forth and attack them in their strongholds.

Alma 58:3
 3 Yea, and it became expedient that we should employ our men to
the maintaining those parts of the land which we had regained of
our possessions; therefore it became expedient that we should
wait, that we might receive more strength from the land of
Zarahemla and also a new supply of provisions.

Alma 58:4
 4 And it came to pass that I thus did send an embassy to the
governor of our land, to acquaint him concerning the affairs of
our people.  And it came to pass that we did wait to receive
provisions and strength from the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 58:5
 5 But behold, this did profit us but little; for the Lamanites
were also receiving great strength from day to day, and also many
provisions; and thus were our circumstances at this period of
time.

Alma 58:6
 6 And the Lamanites were sallying forth against us from time to
time, resolving by stratagem to destroy us; nevertheless we could
not come to battle with them, because of their retreats and their
strongholds.

Alma 58:7
 7 And it came to pass that we did wait in these difficult
circumstances for the space of many months, even until we were
about to perish for the want of food.

Alma 58:8
 8 But it came to pass that we did receive food, which was
guarded to us by an army of two thousand men to our assistance;
and this is all the assistance which we did receive, to defend
ourselves and our country from falling into the hands of our
enemies, yea, to contend with an enemy which was innumerable.

Alma 58:9
 9 And now the cause of these our embarrassments, or the cause
why they did not send more strength unto us, we knew not;
therefore we were grieved and also filled with fear, lest by any
means the judgments of God should come upon our land, to our
overthrow and utter destruction.

Alma 58:10
 10 Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he
would strengthen us and deliver us out of the hands of our
enemies, yea, and also give us strength that we might retain our
cities, and our lands, and our possessions, for the support of
our people.

Alma 58:11
 11 Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us
with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he
did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith,
and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.

Alma 58:12
 12 And we did take courage with our small force which we had
received, and were fixed with a determination to conquer our
enemies, and to maintain our lands, and our possessions, and our
wives, and our children, and the cause of our liberty.

Alma 58:13
 13 And thus we did go forth with all our might against the
Lamanites, who were in the city of Manti; and we did pitch our
tents by the wilderness side, which was near to the city.

Alma 58:14
 14 And it came to pass that on the morrow, that when the
Lamanites saw that we were in the borders by the wilderness which
was near the city, that they sent out their spies round about us
that they might discover the number and the strength of our army.

Alma 58:15
 15 And it came to pass that when they saw that we were not
strong, according to our numbers, and fearing that we should cut
them off from their support except they should come out to battle
against us and kill us, and also supposing that they could easily
destroy us with their numerous hosts, therefore they began to
make preparations to come out against us to battle.

Alma 58:16
 16 And when we saw that they were making preparations to come
out against us, behold, I caused that Gid, with a small number of
men, should secrete himself in the wilderness, and also that
Teomner and a small number of men should secrete themselves also
in the wilderness.

Alma 58:17
 17 Now Gid and his men were on the right and the others on the
left; and when they had thus secreted themselves, behold, I
remained, with the remainder of my army, in that same place where
we had first pitched our tents against the time that the
Lamanites should come out to battle.

Alma 58:18
 18 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come out with
their numerous army against us.  And when they had come and were
about to fall upon us with the sword, I caused that my men, those
who were with me, should retreat into the wilderness.

Alma 58:19
 19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did follow after us
with great speed, for they were exceedingly desirous to overtake
us that they might slay us; therefore they did follow us into the
wilderness; and we did pass by in the midst of Gid and Teomner,
insomuch that they were not discovered by the Lamanites.

Alma 58:20
 20 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites had passed by, or
when the army had passed by, Gid and Teomner did rise up from
their secret places, and did cut off the spies of the Lamanites
that they should not return to the city.

Alma 58:21
 21 And it came to pass that when they had cut them off, they ran
to the city and fell upon the guards who were left to guard the
city, insomuch that they did destroy them and did take possession
of the city.
Alma 58:22
 22 Now this was done because the Lamanites did suffer their
whole army, save a few guards only, to be led away into the
wilderness.

Alma 58:23
 23 And it came to pass that Gid and Teomner by this means had
obtained possession of their strongholds.  And it came to pass
that we took our course, after having traveled much in the
wilderness towards the land of Zarahemla.

Alma 58:24
 24 And when the Lamanites saw that they were marching towards
the land of Zarahemla, they were exceedingly afraid, lest there
was a plan laid to lead them on to destruction; therefore they
began to retreat into the wilderness again, yea, even back by the
same way which they had come.

Alma 58:25
 25 And behold, it was night and they did pitch their tents, for
the chief captains of the Lamanites had supposed that the
Nephites were weary because of their march; and supposing that
they had driven their whole army therefore they took no thought
concerning the city of Manti.

Alma 58:26
 26 Now it came to pass that when it was night, I caused that my
men should not sleep, but that they should march forward by
another way towards the land of Manti.

Alma 58:27
 27 And because of this our march in the night-time, behold, on
the morrow we were beyond the Lamanites, insomuch that we did
arrive before them at the city of Manti.

Alma 58:28
 28 And thus it came to pass, that by this stratagem we did take
possession of the city of Manti without the shedding of blood.

Alma 58:29
 29 And it came to pass that when the armies of the Lamanites did
arrive near the city, and saw that we were prepared to meet them,
they were astonished exceedingly and struck with great fear,
insomuch that they did flee into the wilderness.

Alma 58:30
 30 Yea, and it came to pass that the armies of the Lamanites did
flee out of all this quarter of the land.  But behold, they have
carried with them many women and children out of the land.

Alma 58:31
 31 And those cities which had been taken by the Lamanites, all
of them are at this period of time in our possession; and our
fathers and our women and our children are returning to their
homes, all save it be those who have been taken prisoners and
carried off by the Lamanites.

Alma 58:32
 32 But behold, our armies are small to maintain so great a
number of cities and so great possessions.

Alma 58:33
 33 But behold, we trust in our God who has given us victory over
those lands, insomuch that we have obtained those cities and
those lands, which were our own.

Alma 58:34
 34 Now we do not know the cause that the government does not
grant us more strength; neither do those men who came up unto us
know why we have not received greater strength.

Alma 58:35
 35 Behold, we do not know but what ye are unsuccessful, and ye
have drawn away the forces into that quarter of the land; if so,
we do not desire to murmur.

Alma 58:36
 36 And if it is not so, behold, we fear that there is some
faction in the government, that they do not send more men to our
assistance; for we know that they are more numerous than that
which they have sent.

Alma 58:37
 37 But, behold, it mattereth not--we trust God will deliver us,
notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us
out of the hands of our enemies.

Alma 58:38
 38 Behold, this is the twenty and ninth year, in the latter end,
and we are in the possession of our lands; and the Lamanites have
fled to the land of Nephi.

Alma 58:39
 39 And those sons of the people of Ammon, of whom I have so
highly spoken, are with me in the city of Manti; and the Lord had
supported them, yea, and kept them from falling by the sword,
insomuch that even one soul has not been slain.

Alma 58:40
 40 But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless they
stand fast in that liberty wherewith God has made them free; and
they are strict to remember the Lord their God from day to day;
yea, they do observe to keep his statutes, and his judgments, and
his commandments continually; and their faith is strong in the
prophecies concerning that which is to come.

Alma 58:41
 41 And now, my beloved brother, Moroni, may the Lord our God,
who has redeemed us and made us free, keep you continually in his
presence; yea, and may he favor this people, even that ye may
have success in obtaining the possession of all that which the
Lamanites have taken from us, which was for our support.  And
now, behold, I close mine epistle.  I am Helaman, the son of
Alma.

Alma 59

Alma 59:1
 1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi, after Moroni had received and
had read Helaman's epistle, he was exceedingly rejoiced because
of the welfare, yea, the exceeding success which Helaman had had,
in obtaining those lands which were lost.

Alma 59:2
 2 Yea, and he did make it known unto all his people, in all the
land round about in that part where he was, that they might
rejoice also.

Alma 59:3
 3 And it came to pass that he immediately sent an epistle to
Pahoran, desiring that he should cause men to be gathered
together to strengthen Helaman, or the armies of Helaman,
insomuch that he might with ease maintain that part of the land
which he had been so miraculously prospered in regaining.

Alma 59:4
 4 And it came to pass when Moroni had sent this epistle to the
land of Zarahemla, he began again to lay a plan that he might
obtain the remainder of those possessions and cities which the
Lamanites had taken from them.

Alma 59:5
 5 And it came to pass that while Moroni was thus making
preparations to go against the Lamanites to battle, behold, the
people of Nephihah, who were gathered together from the city of
Moroni and the city of Lehi and the city of Morianton, were
attacked by the Lamanites.

Alma 59:6
 6 Yea, even those who had been compelled to flee from the land
of Manti, and from the land round about, had come over and joined
the Lamanites in this part of the land.

Alma 59:7
 7 And thus being exceedingly numerous, yea, and receiving
strength from day to day, by the command of Ammoron they came
forth against the people of Nephihah, and they did begin to slay
them with an exceedingly great slaughter.

Alma 59:8
 8 And their armies were so numerous that the remainder of the
people of Nephihah were obliged to flee before them; and they
came even and joined the army of Moroni.

Alma 59:9
 9 And now as Moroni had supposed that there should be men sent
to the city Nephihah, to the assistance of the people to maintain
that city, and knowing that it was easier to keep the city from
falling into the hands of the Lamanites than to retake it from
them, he supposed that they would easily maintain that city.

Alma 59:10
 10 Therefore he retained all his force to maintain those places
which he had recovered.

Alma 59:11
 11 And now, when Moroni saw that the city of Nephihah was lost
he was exceedingly sorrowful, and began to doubt, because of the
wickedness of the people, whether they should not fall into the
hands of their brethren.

Alma 59:12
 12 Now this was the case with all his chief captains.  They
doubted and marveled also because of the wickedness of the
people, and this because of the success of the Lamanites over
them.

Alma 59:13
 13 And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the
government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom
of their country.

Alma 60

Alma 60:1
 1 And it came to pass that he wrote again to the governor of the
land, who was Pahoran, and these are the words which he wrote,
saying: Behold, I direct mine epistle to Pahoran, in the city of
Zarahemla, who is the chief judge and the governor over the land,
and also to all those who have been chosen by this people to
govern and manage the affairs of this war.

Alma 60:2
 2 For behold, I have somewhat to say unto them by the way of
condemnation; for behold, ye yourselves know that ye have been
appointed to gather together men, and arm them with swords, and
with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war of every kind,
and send forth against the Lamanites, in whatsoever parts they
should come into our land.

Alma 60:3
 3 And now behold, I say unto you that myself, and also my men,
and also Helaman and his men, have suffered exceedingly great
sufferings; yea, even hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and all manner
of afflictions of every kind.

Alma 60:4
 4 But behold, were this all we had suffered we would not murmur
nor complain.

Alma 60:5
 5 But behold, great has been the slaughter among our people;
yea, thousands have fallen by the sword, while it might have
otherwise been if ye had rendered unto our armies sufficient
strength and succor for them.  Yea, great has been your neglect
towards us.

Alma 60:6
 6 And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this
exceedingly great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of
your thoughtless state.

Alma 60:7
 7 Can you think to sit upon your thrones in a state of
thoughtless stupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of
death around you?  Yea, while they are murdering thousands of
your brethren--

Alma 60:8
 8 Yea, even they who have looked up to you for protection, yea,
have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them,
yea, ye might have sent armies unto them, to have strengthened
them, and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword.

Alma 60:9
 9 But behold, this is not all--ye have withheld your provisions
from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their
lives because of their great desires which they had for the
welfare of this people; yea, and this they have done when they
were about to perish with hunger, because of your exceedingly
great neglect towards them.

Alma 60:10
 10 And now, my beloved brethren--for ye ought to be beloved;
yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for
the welfare and the freedom of this people; but behold, ye have
neglected them insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come
upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all
their cries, and all their sufferings--

Alma 60:11
 11 Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones,
and because of the exceeding goodness of God ye could do nothing
and he would deliver you?  Behold, if ye have supposed this ye
have supposed in vain.

Alma 60:12
 12 Do ye suppose that, because so many of your brethren have
been killed it is because of their wickedness?  I say unto you,
if ye have supposed this ye have supposed in vain; for I say unto
you, there are many who have fallen by the sword; and behold it
is to your condemnation;

Alma 60:13
 13 For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his
justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need
not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain;
but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God.

Alma 60:14
 14 And now behold, I say unto you, I fear exceedingly that the
judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their
exceeding slothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our
government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their
brethren, yea, towards those who have been slain.

Alma 60:15
 15 For were it not for the wickedness which first commenced at
our head, we could have withstood our enemies that they could
have gained no power over us.

Alma 60:16
 16 Yea, had it not been for the war which broke out among
ourselves; yea, were it not for these king-men, who caused so
much bloodshed among ourselves; yea, at the time we were
contending among ourselves, if we had united our strength as we
hitherto have done; yea, had it not been for the desire of power
and authority which those king-men had over us; had they been
true to the cause of our freedom, and united with us, and gone
forth against our enemies, instead of taking up their swords
against us, which was the cause of so much bloodshed among
ourselves; yea, if we had gone forth against them in the strength
of the Lord, we should have dispersed our enemies, for it would
have been done, according to the fulfilling of his word.

Alma 60:17
 17 But behold, now the Lamanites are coming upon us, taking
possession of our lands, and they are murdering our people with
the sword, yea, our women and our children, and also carrying
them away captive, causing them that they should suffer all
manner of afflictions, and this because of the great wickedness
of those who are seeking for power and authority, yea, even those
king-men.

Alma 60:18
 18 But why should I say much concerning this matter?  For we
know not but what ye yourselves are seeking for authority.  We
know not but what ye are also traitors to your country.

Alma 60:19
 19 Or is it that ye have neglected us because ye are in the
heart of our country and ye are surrounded by security, that ye
do not cause food to be sent unto us, and also men to strengthen
our armies?

Alma 60:20
 20 Have ye forgotten the commandments of the Lord your God? 
Yea, have ye forgotten the captivity of our fathers?  Have ye
forgotten the many times we have been delivered out of the hands
of our enemies?

Alma 60:21
 21 Or do ye suppose that the Lord will still deliver us, while
we sit upon our thrones and do not make use of the means which
the Lord has provided for us?

Alma 60:22
 22 Yea, will ye sit in idleness while ye are surrounded with
thousands of those, yea, and tens of thousands, who do also sit
in idleness, while there are thousands round about in the borders
of the land who are falling by the sword, yea, wounded and
bleeding?

Alma 60:23
 23 Do ye suppose that God will look upon you as guiltless while
ye sit still and behold these things?  Behold I say unto you,
Nay.  Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that
the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the
outer vessel be cleansed also.

Alma 60:24
 24 And now, except ye do repent of that which ye have done, and
begin to be up and doing, and send forth food and men unto us,
and also unto Helaman, that he may support those parts of our
country which he has regained, and that we may also recover the
remainder of our possessions in these parts, behold it will be
expedient that we contend no more with the Lamanites until we
have first cleansed our inward vessel, yea, even the great head
of our government.

Alma 60:25
 25 And except ye grant mine epistle, and come out and show unto
me a true spirit of freedom, and strive to strengthen and fortify
our armies, and grant unto them food for their support, behold I
will leave a part of my freemen to maintain this part of our
land, and I will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon
them, that none other power can operate against them--

Alma 60:26
 26 And this because of their exceeding faith, and their patience
in their tribulations--

Alma 60:27
 27 And I will come unto you, and if there be any among you that
has a desire for freedom, yea, if there be even a spark of
freedom remaining, behold I will stir up insurrections among you,
even until those who have desires to usurp power and authority
shall become extinct.

Alma 60:28
 28 Yea, behold I do not fear your power nor your authority, but
it is my God whom I fear; and it is according to his commandments
that I do take my sword to defend the cause of my country, and it
is because of your iniquity that we have suffered so much loss.

Alma 60:29
 29 Behold it is time, yea, the time is now at hand, that except
ye do bestir yourselves in the defence of your country and your
little ones, the sword of justice doth hang over you; yea, and it
shall fall upon you and visit you even to your utter destruction.

Alma 60:30
 30 Behold, I wait for assistance from you; and, except ye do
administer unto our relief, behold, I come unto you, even in the
land of Zarahemla, and smite you with the sword, insomuch that ye
can have no more power to impede the progress of this people in
the cause of our freedom.

Alma 60:31
 31 For behold, the Lord will not suffer that ye shall live and
wax strong in your iniquities to destroy his righteous people.

Alma 60:32
 32 Behold, can you suppose that the Lord will spare you and come
out in judgment against the Lamanites, when it is the tradition
of their fathers that has caused their hatred, yea, and it has
been redoubled by those who have dissented from us, while your
iniquity is for the cause of your love of glory and the vain
things of the world?

Alma 60:33
 33 Ye know that ye do transgress the laws of God, and ye do know
that ye do trample them under your feet.  Behold, the Lord saith
unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not
repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle
against them.

Alma 60:34
 34 And now behold, I, Moroni, am constrained, according to the
covenant which I have made to keep the commandments of my God;
therefore I would that ye should adhere to the word of God, and
send speedily unto me of your provisions and of your men, and
also to Helaman.

Alma 60:35
 35 And behold, if ye will not do this I come unto you speedily;
for behold, God will not suffer that we should perish with
hunger; therefore he will give unto us of your food, even if it
must be by the sword.  Now see that ye fulfil the word of God.

Alma 60:36
 36 Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain.  I seek not for
power, but to pull it down.  I seek not for honor of the world,
but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my
country.  And thus I close mine epistle.

Alma 61

Alma 61:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass that soon after Moroni had sent
his epistle unto the chief governor, he received an epistle from
Pahoran, the chief governor.  And these are the words which he
received:

Alma 61:2
 2 I, Pahoran, who am the chief governor of this land, do send
these words unto Moroni, the chief captain over the army. 
Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great
afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul.

Alma 61:3
 3 But behold, there are those who do joy in your afflictions,
yea, insomuch that they have risen up in rebellion against me,
and also those of my people who are freemen, yea, and those who
have risen up are exceedingly numerous.

Alma 61:4
 4 And it is those who have sought to take away the judgment-seat
from me that have been the cause of this great iniquity; for they
have used great flattery, and they have led away the hearts of
many people, which will be the cause of sore affliction among us;
they have withheld our provisions, and have daunted our freemen
that they have not come unto you.

Alma 61:5
 5 And behold, they have driven me out before them, and I have
fled to the land of Gideon, with as many men as it were possible
that I could get.

Alma 61:6
 6 And behold, I have sent a proclamation throughout this part of
the land; and behold, they are flocking to us daily, to their
arms, in the defence of their country and their freedom, and to
avenge our wrongs.

Alma 61:7
 7 And they have come unto us, insomuch that those who have risen
up in rebellion against us are set at defiance, yea, insomuch
that they do fear us and durst not come out against us to battle.

Alma 61:8
 8 They have got possession of the land, or the city, of
Zarahemla; they have appointed a king over them, and he hath
written unto the king of the Lamanites, in the which he hath
joined an alliance with him; in the which alliance he hath agreed
to maintain the city of Zarahemla, which maintenance he supposeth
will enable the Lamanites to conquer the remainder of the land,
and he shall be placed king over this people when they shall be
conquered under the Lamanites.

Alma 61:9
 9 And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it
mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of
your heart.  I, Pahoran, do not seek for power, save only to
retain my judgment-seat that I may preserve the rights and the
liberty of my people.  My soul standeth fast in that liberty in
the which God hath made us free.

Alma 61:10
 10 And now, behold, we will resist wickedness even unto
bloodshed.  We would not shed the blood of the Lamanites if they
would stay in their own land.

Alma 61:11
 11 We would not shed the blood of our brethren if they would not
rise up in rebellion and take the sword against us.

Alma 61:12
 12 We would subject ourselves to the yoke of bondage if it were
requisite with the justice of God, or if he should command us so
to do.

Alma 61:13
 13 But behold he doth not command us that we shall subject
ourselves to our enemies, but that we should put our trust in
him, and he will deliver us.

Alma 61:14
 14 Therefore, my beloved brother, Moroni, let us resist evil,
and whatsoever evil we cannot resist with our words, yea, such as
rebellions and dissensions, let us resist them with our swords,
that we may retain our freedom, that we may rejoice in the great
privilege of our church, and in the cause of our Redeemer and our
God.

Alma 61:15
 15 Therefore, come unto me speedily with a few of your men, and
leave the remainder in the charge of Lehi and Teancum; give unto
them power to conduct the war in that part of the land, according
to the Spirit of God, which is also the Spirit of freedom which
is in them.

Alma 61:16
 16 Behold I have sent a few provisions unto them, that they may
not perish until ye can come unto me.

Alma 61:17
 17 Gather together whatsoever force ye can upon your march
hither, and we will go speedily against those dissenters, in the
strength of our God according to the faith which is in us.

Alma 61:18
 18 And we will take possession of the city of Zarahemla, that we
may obtain more food to send forth unto Lehi and Teancum; yea, we
will go forth against them in the strength of the Lord, and we
will put an end to this great iniquity.

Alma 61:19
 19 And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I
was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it
should be just in us to go against our brethren.

Alma 61:20
 20 But ye have said, except they repent the Lord hath commanded
you that ye should go against them.

Alma 61:21
 21 See that ye strengthen Lehi and Teancum in the Lord; tell
them to fear not, for God will deliver them, yea, and also all
those who stand fast in that liberty wherewith God hath made them
free.  And now I close mine epistle to my beloved brother,
Moroni.

Alma 62

Alma 62:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this
epistle his heart did take courage, and was filled with
exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Pahoran,
that he was not also a traitor to the freedom and cause of his
country.

Alma 62:2
 2 But he did also mourn exceedingly because of the iniquity of
those who had driven Pahoran from the judgment-seat, yea, in fine
because of those who had rebelled against their country and also
their God.

Alma 62:3
 3 And it came to pass that Moroni took a small number of men,
according to the desire of Pahoran, and gave Lehi and Teancum
command over the remainder of his army, and took his march
towards the land of Gideon.

Alma 62:4
 4 And he did raise the standard of liberty in whatsoever place
he did enter, and gained whatsoever force he could in all his
march towards the land of Gideon.

Alma 62:5
 5 And it came to pass that thousands did flock unto his
standard, and did take up their swords in the defence of their
freedom, that they might not come into bondage.

Alma 62:6
 6 And thus, when Moroni had gathered together whatsoever men he
could in all his march, he came to the land of Gideon; and
uniting his forces with those of Pahoran they became exceedingly
strong, even stronger than the men of Pachus, who was the king of
those dissenters who had driven the freemen out of the land of
Zarahemla and had taken possession of the land.

Alma 62:7
 7 And it came to pass that Moroni and Pahoran went down with
their armies into the land of Zarahemla, and went forth against
the city, and did meet the men of Pachus, insomuch that they did
come to battle.

Alma 62:8
 8 And behold, Pachus was slain and his men were taken prisoners,
and Pahoran was restored to his judgment-seat.

Alma 62:9
 9 And the men of Pachus received their trial, according to the
law, and also those king-men who had been taken and cast into
prison; and they were executed according to the law; yea, those
men of Pachus and those king-men, whosoever would not take up
arms in the defence of their country, but would fight against it,
were put to death.

Alma 62:10
 10 And thus it became expedient that this law should be strictly
observed for the safety of their country; yea, and whosoever was
found denying their freedom was speedily executed according to
the law.

Alma 62:11
 11 And thus ended the thirtieth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi; Moroni and Pahoran having restored
peace to the land of Zarahemla, among their own people, having
inflicted death upon all those who were not true to the cause of
freedom.

Alma 62:12
 12 And it came to pass in the commencement of the thirty and
first year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
Moroni immediately caused that provisions should be sent, and
also an army of six thousand men should be sent unto Helaman, to
assist him in preserving that part of the land.

Alma 62:13
 13 And he also caused that an army of six thousand men, with a
sufficient quantity of food, should be sent to the armies of Lehi
and Teancum.  And it came to pass that this was done to fortify
the land against the Lamanites.

Alma 62:14
 14 And it came to pass that Moroni and Pahoran, leaving a large
body of men in the land of Zarahemla, took their march with a
large body of men towards the land of Nephihah, being determined
to overthrow the Lamanites in that city.

Alma 62:15
 15 And it came to pass that as they were marching towards the
land, they took a large body of men of the Lamanites, and slew
many of them, and took their provisions and their weapons of war.

Alma 62:16
 16 And it came to pass after they had taken them, they caused
them to enter into a covenant that they would no more take up
their weapons of war against the Nephites.

Alma 62:17
 17 And when they had entered into this covenant they sent them
to dwell with the people of Ammon, and they were in number about
four thousand who had not been slain.

Alma 62:18
 18 And it came to pass that when they had sent them away they
pursued their march towards the land of Nephihah.  And it came to
pass that when they had come to the city of Nephihah, they did
pitch their tents in the plains of Nephihah, which is near the
city of Nephihah.

Alma 62:19
 19 Now Moroni was desirous that the Lamanites should come out to
battle against them, upon the plains; but the Lamanites, knowing
of their exceedingly great courage, and beholding the greatness
of their numbers, therefore they durst not come out against them;
therefore they did not come to battle in that day.

Alma 62:20
 20 And when the night came, Moroni went forth in the darkness of
the night, and came upon the top of the wall to spy out in what
part of the city the Lamanites did camp with their army.

Alma 62:21
 21 And it came to pass that they were on the east, by the
entrance; and they were all asleep.  And now Moroni returned to
his army, and caused that they should prepare in haste strong
cords and ladders, to be let down from the top of the wall into
the inner part of the wall.

Alma 62:22
 22 And it came to pass that Moroni caused that his men should
march forth and come upon the top of the wall, and let themselves
down into that part of the city, yea, even on the west, where the
Lamanites did not camp with their armies.

Alma 62:23
 23 And it came to pass that they were all let down into the city
by night, by the means of their strong cords and their ladders;
thus when the morning came they were all within the walls of the
city.

Alma 62:24
 24 And now, when the Lamanites awoke and saw that the armies of
Moroni were within the walls, they were affrighted exceedingly,
insomuch that they did flee out by the pass.

Alma 62:25
 25 And now when Moroni saw that they were fleeing before him, he
did cause that his men should march forth against them, and slew
many, and surrounded many others, and took them prisoners; and
the remainder of them fled into the land of Moroni, which was in
the borders by the seashore.

Alma 62:26
 26 Thus had Moroni and Pahoran obtained the possession of the
city of Nephihah without the loss of one soul; and there were
many of the Lamanites who were slain.

Alma 62:27
 27 Now it came to pass that many of the Lamanites that were
prisoners were desirous to join the people of Ammon and become a
free people.

Alma 62:28
 28 And it came to pass that as many as were desirous, unto them
it was granted according to their desires.

Alma 62:29
 29 Therefore, all the prisoners of the Lamanites did join the
people of Ammon, and did begin to labor exceedingly, tilling the
ground, raising all manner of grain, and flocks and herds of
every kind; and thus were the Nephites relieved from a great
burden; yea, insomuch that they were relieved from all the
prisoners of the Lamanites.

Alma 62:30
 30 Now it came to pass that Moroni, after he had obtained
possession of the city of Nephihah, having taken many prisoners,
which did reduce the armies of the Lamanites exceedingly, and
having regained many of the Nephites who had been taken
prisoners, which did strengthen the army of Moroni exceedingly;
therefore Moroni went forth from the land of Nephihah to the land
of Lehi.

Alma 62:31
 31 And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that Moroni
was coming against them, they were again frightened and fled
before the army of Moroni.

Alma 62:32
 32 And it came to pass that Moroni and his army did pursue them
from city to city, until they were met by Lehi and Teancum; and
the Lamanites fled from Lehi and Teancum, even down upon the
borders by the seashore, until they came to the land of Moroni.

Alma 62:33
 33 And the armies of the Lamanites were all gathered together,
insomuch that they were all in one body in the land of Moroni.  
Now, Ammoron, the king of the Lamanites, was also with them.

Alma 62:34
 34 And it came to pass that Moroni and Lehi and Teancum did
encamp with their armies round about in the borders of the land
of Moroni, insomuch that the Lamanites were encircled about in
the borders by the wilderness on the south, and in the borders by
the wilderness on the east.

Alma 62:35
 35 And thus they did encamp for the night.  For behold, the
Nephites and the Lamanites also were weary because of the
greatness of the march; therefore they did not resolve upon any
stratagem in the night-time, save it were Teancum; for he was
exceedingly angry with Ammoron, insomuch that he considered that
Ammoron, and Amalickiah his brother, had been the cause of this
great and lasting war between them and the Lamanites, which had
been the cause of so much war and bloodshed, yea, and so much
famine.

Alma 62:36
 36 And it came to pass that Teancum in his anger did go forth
into the camp of the Lamanites, and did let himself down over the
walls of the city.  And he went forth with a cord, from place to
place, insomuch that he did find the king; and he did cast a
javelin at him, which did pierce him near the heart.  But behold,
the king did awaken his servants before he died, insomuch that
they did pursue Teancum, and slew him.

Alma 62:37
 37 Now it came to pass that when Lehi and Moroni knew that
Teancum was dead they were exceedingly sorrowful; for behold, he
had been a man who had fought valiantly for his country, yea, a
true friend to liberty; and he had suffered very many exceedingly
sore afflictions.  But behold, he was dead, and had gone the way
of all the earth.

Alma 62:38
 38 Now it came to pass that Moroni marched forth on the morrow,
and came upon the Lamanites, insomuch that they did slay them
with a great slaughter; and they did drive them out of the land;
and they did flee, even that they did not return at that time
against the Nephites.

Alma 62:39
 39 And thus ended the thirty and first year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi; and thus they had had wars, and
bloodsheds, and famine, and affliction, for the space of many
years.

Alma 62:40
 40 And there had been murders, and contentions, and dissensions,
and all manner of iniquity among the people of Nephi;
nevertheless for the righteous' sake, yea, because of the prayers
of the righteous, they were spared.

Alma 62:41
 41 But behold, because of the exceedingly great length of the
war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become
hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and
many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that
they did humble themselves before God, even in the depth of
humility.

Alma 62:42
 42 And it came to pass that after Moroni had fortified those
parts of the land which were most exposed to the Lamanites, until
they were sufficiently strong, he returned to the city of
Zarahemla; and also Helaman returned to the place of his
inheritance; and there was once more peace established among the
people of Nephi.

Alma 62:43
 43 And Moroni yielded up the command of his armies into the
hands of his son, whose name was Moronihah; and he retired to his
own house that he might spend the remainder of his days in peace.

Alma 62:44
 44 And Pahoran did return to his judgment-seat; and Helaman did
take upon him again to preach unto the people the word of God;
for because of so many wars and contentions it had become
expedient that a regulation should be made again in the church.

Alma 62:45
 45 Therefore, Helaman and his brethren went forth, and did
declare the word of God with much power unto the convincing of
many people of their wickedness, which did cause them to repent
of their sins and to be baptized unto the Lord their God.

Alma 62:46
 46 And it came to pass that they did establish again the church
of God, throughout all the land.

Alma 62:47
 47 Yea, and regulations were made concerning the law.  And their
judges, and their chief judges were chosen.

Alma 62:48
 48 And the people of Nephi began to prosper again in the land,
and began to multiply and to wax exceedingly strong again in the
land.  And they began to grow exceedingly rich.

Alma 62:49
 49 But notwithstanding their riches, or their strength, or their
prosperity, they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes;
neither were they slow to remember the Lord their God; but they
did humble themselves exceedingly before him.

Alma 62:50
 50 Yea, they did remember how great things the Lord had done for
them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and
from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions and he had
delivered them out of the hands of their enemies.

Alma 62:51
 51 And they did pray unto the Lord their God continually,
insomuch that the Lord did bless them, according to his word, so
that they did wax strong and prosper in the land.

Alma 62:52
 52 And it came to pass that all these things were done.  And
Helaman died, in the thirty and fifth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 63

Alma 63:1
 1 And it came to pass in the commencement of the thirty and
sixth year of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi,
that Shiblon took possession of those sacred things which had
been delivered unto Helaman by Alma.

Alma 63:2
 2 And he was a just man, and he did walk uprightly before God;
and he did observe to do good continually, to keep the
commandments of the Lord his God; and also did his brother.

Alma 63:3
 3 And it came to pass that Moroni died also.  And thus ended the
thirty and sixth year of the reign of the judges.

Alma 63:4
 4 And it came to pass that in the thirty and seventh year of the
reign of the judges, there was a large company of men, even to
the amount of five thousand and four hundred men, with their
wives and their children, departed out of the land of Zarahemla
into the land which was northward.

Alma 63:5
 5 And it came to pass that Hagoth, he being an exceedingly
curious man, therefore he went forth and built him an exceedingly
large ship, on the borders of the land Bountiful, by the land
Desolation, and launched it forth into the west sea, by the
narrow neck which led into the land northward.

Alma 63:6
 6 And behold, there were many of the Nephites who did enter
therein and did sail forth with much provisions, and also many
women and children; and they took their course northward.  And
thus ended the thirty and seventh year.

Alma 63:7
 7 And in the thirty and eighth year, this man built other ships.

And the first ship did also return, and many more people did
enter into it; and they also took much provisions, and set out
again to the land northward.

Alma 63:8
 8 And it came to pass that they were never heard of more.  And
we suppose that they were drowned in the depths of the sea.  And
it came to pass that one other ship also did sail forth; and
whither she did go we know not.

Alma 63:9
 9 And it came to pass that in this year there were many people
who went forth into the land northward.  And thus ended the
thirty and eighth year.

Alma 63:10
 10 And it came to pass in the thirty and ninth year of the reign
of the judges, Shiblon died also, and Corianton had gone forth to
the land northward in a ship, to carry forth provisions unto the
people who had gone forth into that land.

Alma 63:11
 11 Therefore it became expedient for Shiblon to confer those
sacred things, before his death, upon the son of Helaman, who was
called Helaman, being called after the name of his father.

Alma 63:12
 12 Now behold, all those engravings which were in the possession
of Helaman were written and sent forth among the children of men
throughout all the land, save it were those parts which had been
commanded by Alma should not go forth.

Alma 63:13
 13 Nevertheless, these things were to be kept sacred, and handed
down from one generation to another; therefore, in this year,
they had been conferred upon Helaman, before the death of
Shiblon.

Alma 63:14
 14 And it came to pass also in this year that there were some
dissenters who had gone forth unto the Lamanites; and they were
stirred up again to anger against the Nephites.

Alma 63:15
 15 And also in this same year they came down with a numerous
army to war against the people of Moronihah, or against the army
of Moronihah, in the which they were beaten and driven back again
to their own lands, suffering great loss.

Alma 63:16
 16 And thus ended the thirty and ninth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Alma 63:17
 17 And thus ended the account of Alma, and Helaman his son, and
also Shiblon, who was his son.

Helaman
THE BOOK OF HELAMAN
An account of the Nephites.  Their wars and contentions, and
their dissensions.  And also the prophecies of many holy
prophets, before the coming of Christ, according to the records
of Helaman, who was the son of Helaman, and also according to the
records of his sons, even down to the coming of Christ.  And also
many of the Lamanites are converted.  An account of their
conversion.  An account of the righteousness of the Lamanites,
and the wickedness and abominations of the Nephites, according to
the record of Helaman and his sons, even down to the coming of
Christ, which is called the book of Helaman.

Helaman 1

Helaman 1:1
 1 And now behold, it came to pass in the commencement of the
fortieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi, there began to be a serious difficulty among the people of
the Nephites.

Helaman 1:2
 2 For behold, Pahoran had died, and gone the way of all the
earth; therefore there began to be a serious contention
concerning who should have the judgment-seat among the brethren,
who were the sons of Pahoran.

Helaman 1:3
 3 Now these are their names who did contend for the
judgment-seat, who did also cause the people to contend: Pahoran,
Paanchi, and Pacumeni.

Helaman 1:4
 4 Now these are not all the sons of Pahoran, (for he had many)
but these are they who did contend for the judgment-seat;
therefore, they did cause three divisions among the people.

Helaman 1:5
 5 Nevertheless, it came to pass that Pahoran was appointed by
the voice of the people to be chief judge and a governor over the
people of Nephi.

Helaman 1:6
 6 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, when he saw that he could
not obtain the judgment-seat, he did unite with the voice of the
people.

Helaman 1:7
 7 But behold, Paanchi, and that part of the people that were
desirous that he should be their governor, was exceedingly wroth;
therefore, he was about to flatter away those people to rise up
in rebellion against their brethren.

Helaman 1:8
 8 And it came to pass as he was about to do this, behold, he was
taken, and was tried according to the voice of the people, and
condemned unto death; for he had raised up in rebellion and
sought to destroy the liberty of the people.

Helaman 1:9
 9 Now when those people who were desirous that he should be
their governor saw that he was condemned unto death, therefore
they were angry, and behold, they sent forth one Kishkumen, even
to the judgment-seat of Pahoran, and murdered Pahoran as he sat
upon the judgment-seat.

Helaman 1:10
 10 And he was pursued by the servants of Pahoran; but behold, so
speedy was the flight of Kishkumen that no man could overtake
him.

Helaman 1:11
 11 And he went unto those that sent him, and they all entered
into a covenant, yea, swearing by their everlasting Maker, that
they would tell no man that Kishkumen had murdered Pahoran.

Helaman 1:12
 12 Therefore, Kishkumen was not known among the people of Nephi,
for he was in disguise at the time that he murdered Pahoran.  And
Kishkumen and his band, who had covenanted with him, did mingle
themselves among the people, in a manner that they all could not
be found; but as many as were found were condemned unto death.

Helaman 1:13
 13 And now behold, Pacumeni was appointed, according to the
voice of the people, to be a chief judge and a governor over the
people, to reign in the stead of his brother Pahoran; and it was
according to his right.  And all this was done in the fortieth
year of the reign of the judges; and it had an end.

Helaman 1:14
 14 And it came to pass in the forty and first year of the reign
of the judges, that the Lamanites had gathered together an
innumerable army of men, and armed them with swords, and with
cimeters and with bows, and with arrows, and with head-plates,
and with breastplates, and with all manner of shields of every
kind.

Helaman 1:15
 15 And they came down again that they might pitch battle against
the Nephites.  And they were led by a man whose name was
Coriantumr; and he was a descendant of Zarahemla; and he was a
dissenter from among the Nephites; and he was a large and a
mighty man.

Helaman 1:16
 16 Therefore, the king of the Lamanites, whose name was
Tubaloth, who was the son of Ammoron, supposing that Coriantumr,
being a mighty man, could stand against the Nephites, with his
strength and also with his great wisdom, insomuch that by sending
him forth he should gain power over the Nephites--

Helaman 1:17
 17 Therefore he did stir them up to anger, and he did gather
together his armies, and he did appoint Coriantumr to be their
leader, and did cause that they should march down to the land of
Zarahemla to battle against the Nephites.

Helaman 1:18
 18 And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so
much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept
sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed
that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands
to attack that great city Zarahemla.

Helaman 1:19
 19 But it came to pass that Coriantumr did march forth at the
head of his numerous host, and came upon the inhabitants of the
city, and their march was with such exceedingly great speed that
there was no time for the Nephites to gather together their
armies.

Helaman 1:20
 20 Therefore Coriantumr did cut down the watch by the entrance
of the city, and did march forth with his whole army into the
city, and they did slay every one who did oppose them, insomuch
that they did take possession of the whole city.

Helaman 1:21
 21 And it came to pass that Pacumeni, who was the chief judge,
did flee before Coriantumr, even to the walls of the city.  And
it came to pass that Coriantumr did smite him against the wall,
insomuch that he died.  And thus ended the days of Pacumeni.

Helaman 1:22
 22 And now when Coriantumr saw that he was in possession of the
city of Zarahemla, and saw that the Nephites had fled before
them, and were slain, and were taken, and were cast into prison,
and that he had obtained the possession of the strongest hold in
all the land, his heart took courage insomuch that he was about
to go forth against all the land.

Helaman 1:23
 23 And now he did not tarry in the land of Zarahemla, but he did
march forth with a large army, even towards the city of
Bountiful; for it was his determination to go forth and cut his
way through with the sword, that he might obtain the north parts
of the land.

Helaman 1:24
 24 And, supposing that their greatest strength was in the center
of the land, therefore he did march forth, giving them no time to
assemble themselves together save it were in small bodies; and in
this manner they did fall upon them and cut them down to the
earth.

Helaman 1:25
 25 But behold, this march of Coriantumr through the center of
the land gave Moronihah great advantage over them,
notwithstanding the greatness of the number of the Nephites who
were slain.

Helaman 1:26
 26 For behold, Moronihah had supposed that the Lamanites durst
not come into the center of the land, but that they would attack
the cities round about in the borders as they had hitherto done;
therefore Moronihah had caused that their strong armies should
maintain those parts round about by the borders.

Helaman 1:27
 27 But behold, the Lamanites were not frightened according to
his desire, but they had come into the center of the land, and
had taken the capital city which was the city of Zarahemla, and
were marching through the most capital parts of the land, slaying
the people with a great slaughter, both men, women, and children,
taking possession of many cities and of many strongholds.

Helaman 1:28
 28 But when Moronihah had discovered this, he immediately sent
forth Lehi with an army round about to head them before they
should come to the land Bountiful.

Helaman 1:29
 29 And thus he did; and he did head them before they came to the
land Bountiful, and gave unto them battle, insomuch that they
began to retreat back towards the land of Zarahemla.

Helaman 1:30
 30 And it came to pass that Moronihah did head them in their
retreat, and did give unto them battle, insomuch that it became
an exceedingly bloody battle; yea, many were slain, and among the
number who were slain Coriantumr was also found.

Helaman 1:31
 31 And now, behold, the Lamanites could not retreat either way,
neither on the north, nor on the south, nor on the east, nor on
the west, for they were surrounded on every hand by the Nephites.

Helaman 1:32
 32 And thus had Coriantumr plunged the Lamanites into the midst
of the Nephites, insomuch that they were in the power of the
Nephites, and he himself was slain, and the Lamanites did yield
themselves into the hands of the Nephites.

Helaman 1:33
 33 And it came to pass that Moronihah took possession of the
city of Zarahemla again, and caused that the Lamanites who had
been taken prisoners should depart out of the land in peace.

Helaman 1:34
 34 And thus ended the forty and first year of the reign of the
judges.

Helaman 2

Helaman 2:1
 1 And it came to pass in the forty and second year of the reign
of the judges, after Moronihah had established again peace
between the Nephites and the Lamanites, behold there was no one
to fill the judgment-seat; therefore there began to be a
contention again among the people concerning who should fill the
judgment-seat.

Helaman 2:2
 2 And it came to pass that Helaman, who was the son of Helaman,
was appointed to fill the judgment-seat, by the voice of the
people.

Helaman 2:3
 3 But behold, Kishkumen, who had murdered Pahoran, did lay wait
to destroy Helaman also; and he was upheld by his band, who had
entered into a covenant that no one should know his wickedness.

Helaman 2:4
 4 For there was one Gadianton, who was exceedingly expert in
many words, and also in his craft, to carry on the secret work of
murder and of robbery; therefore he became the leader of the band
of Kishkumen.

Helaman 2:5
 5 Therefore he did flatter them, and also Kishkumen, that if
they would place him in the judgment-seat he would grant unto
those who belonged to his band that they should be placed in
power and authority among the people; therefore Kishkumen sought
to destroy Helaman.

Helaman 2:6
 6 And it came to pass as he went forth towards the judgment-seat
to destroy Helaman, behold one of the servants of Helaman, having
been out by night, and having obtained, through disguise, a
knowledge of those plans which had been laid by this band to
destroy Helaman--

Helaman 2:7
 7 And it came to pass that he met Kishkumen, and he gave unto
him a sign; therefore Kishkumen made known unto him the object of
his desire, desiring that he would conduct him to the
judgment-seat that he might murder Helaman.

Helaman 2:8
 8 And when the servant of Helaman had known all the heart of
Kishkumen, and how that it was his object to murder, and also
that it was the object of all those who belonged to his band to
murder, and to rob, and to gain power, (and this was their secret
plan, and their combination) the servant of Helaman said unto
Kishkumen: Let us go forth unto the judgment-seat.

Helaman 2:9
 9 Now this did please Kishkumen exceedingly, for he did suppose
that he should accomplish his design; but behold, the servant of
Helaman, as they were going forth unto the judgment-seat, did
stab Kishkumen even to the heart, that he fell dead without a
groan.  And he ran and told Helaman all the things which he had
seen, and heard, and done.

Helaman 2:10
 10 And it came to pass that Helaman did send forth to take this
band of robbers and secret murderers, that they might be executed
according to the law.

Helaman 2:11
 11 But behold, when Gadianton had found that Kishkumen did not
return he feared lest that he should be destroyed; therefore he
caused that his band should follow him.  And they took their
flight out of the land, by a secret way, into the wilderness; and
thus when Helaman sent forth to take them they could nowhere be
found.

Helaman 2:12
 12 And more of this Gadianton shall be spoken hereafter.  And
thus ended the forty and second year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 2:13
 13 And behold, in the end of this book ye shall see that this
Gadianton did prove the overthrow, yea, almost the entire
destruction of the people of Nephi.

Helaman 2:14
 14 Behold I do not mean the end of the book of Helaman, but I
mean the end of the book of Nephi, from which I have taken all
the account which I have written.

Helaman 3

Helaman 3:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the forty and third year of the
reign of the judges, there was no contention among the people of
Nephi save it were a little pride which was in the church, which
did cause some little dissensions among the people, which affairs
were settled in the ending of the forty and third year.

Helaman 3:2
 2 And there was no contention among the people in the forty and
fourth year; neither was there much contention in the forty and
fifth year.

Helaman 3:3
 3 And it came to pass in the forty and sixth, yea, there was
much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an
exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla,
and went forth unto the land northward to inherit the land.

Helaman 3:4
 4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch
that they came to large bodies of water and many rivers.

Helaman 3:5
 5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the
land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and
without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before
inherited the land.

Helaman 3:6
 6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for
timber; but because of the greatness of the destruction of the
people who had before inhabited the land it was called desolate.

Helaman 3:7
 7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land,
nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert
in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of
cement, in the which they did dwell.

Helaman 3:8
 8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did
go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did
spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole
earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea west to
the sea east.

Helaman 3:9
 9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in
tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever
tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should
grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their
houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their
synagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their
buildings.

Helaman 3:10
 10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the
land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping.

Helaman 3:11
 11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward
that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.

Helaman 3:12
 12 And it came to pass that there were many of the people of
Ammon, who were Lamanites by birth, did also go forth into this
land.

Helaman 3:13
 13 And now there are many records kept of the proceedings of
this people, by many of this people, which are particular and
very large, concerning them.

Helaman 3:14
 14 But behold, a hundredth part of the proceedings of this
people, yea, the account of the Lamanites and of the Nephites,
and their wars, and contentions, and dissensions, and their
preaching, and their prophecies, and their shipping and their
building of ships, and their building of temples, and of
synagogues and their sanctuaries, and their righteousness, and
their wickedness, and their murders, and their robbings, and
their plundering, and all manner of abominations and whoredoms,
cannot be contained in this work.

Helaman 3:15
 15 But behold, there are many books and many records of every
kind, and they have been kept chiefly by the Nephites.

Helaman 3:16
 16 And they have been handed down from one generation to another
by the Nephites, even until they have fallen into transgression
and have been murdered, plundered, and hunted, and driven forth,
and slain, and scattered upon the face of the earth, and mixed
with the Lamanites until they are no more called the Nephites,
becoming wicked, and wild, and ferocious, yea, even becoming
Lamanites.

Helaman 3:17
 17 And now I return again to mine account; therefore, what I
have spoken had passed after there had been great contentions,
and disturbances, and wars, and dissensions, among the people of
Nephi.

Helaman 3:18
 18 The forty and sixth year of the reign of the judges ended;

Helaman 3:19
 19 And it came to pass that there was still great contention in
the land, yea, even in the forty and seventh year, and also in
the forty and eighth year.

Helaman 3:20
 20 Nevertheless Helaman did fill the judgment-seat with justice
and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the
judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which
was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after
the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land.

Helaman 3:21
 21 And it came to pass that he had two sons.  He gave unto the
eldest the name of Nephi, and unto the youngest, the name of
Lehi.  And they began to grow up unto the Lord.

Helaman 3:22
 22 And it came to pass that the wars and contentions began to
cease, in a small degree, among the people of the Nephites, in
the latter end of the forty and eighth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 3:23
 23 And it came to pass in the forty and ninth year of the reign
of the judges, there was continual peace established in the land,
all save it were the secret combinations which Gadianton the
robber had established in the more settled parts of the land,
which at that time were not known unto those who were at the head
of government; therefore they were not destroyed out of the land.

Helaman 3:24
 24 And it came to pass that in this same year there was
exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there
were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were
baptized unto repentance.

Helaman 3:25
 25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many
the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even
the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished
beyond measure.

Helaman 3:26
 26 And it came to pass that the work of the Lord did prosper
unto the baptizing and uniting to the church of God, many souls,
yea, even tens of thousands.

Helaman 3:27
 27 Thus we may see that the Lord is merciful unto all who will,
in the sincerity of their hearts, call upon his holy name.

Helaman 3:28
 28 Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all,
even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who
is the Son of God.

Helaman 3:29
 29 Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of
God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all
the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead
the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that
everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the
wicked--

Helaman 3:30
 30 And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right
hand of God in the kingdom of heaven, to sit down with Abraham,
and Isaac, and with Jacob, and with all our holy fathers, to go
no more out.

Helaman 3:31
 31 And in this year there was continual rejoicing in the land of
Zarahemla, and in all the regions round about, even in all the
land which was possessed by the Nephites.

Helaman 3:32
 32 And it came to pass that there was peace and exceedingly
great joy in the remainder of the forty and ninth year; yea, and
also there was continual peace and great joy in the fiftieth year
of the reign of the judges.

Helaman 3:33
 33 And in the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges
there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter
into the church--not into the church of God, but into the hearts
of the people who professed to belong to the church of God--

Helaman 3:34
 34 And they were lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of
many of their brethren.  Now this was a great evil, which did
cause the more humble part of the people to suffer great
persecutions, and to wade through much affliction.

Helaman 3:35
 35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger
and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the
faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and
consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of
their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their
yielding their hearts unto God.

Helaman 3:36
 36 And it came to pass that the fifty and second year ended in
peace also, save it were the exceedingly great pride which had
gotten into the hearts of the people; and it was because of their
exceedingly great riches and their prosperity in the land; and it
did grow upon them from day to day.

Helaman 3:37
 37 And it came to pass in the fifty and third year of the reign
of the judges, Helaman died, and his eldest son Nephi began to
reign in his stead.  And it came to pass that he did fill the
judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did keep the
commandments of God, and did walk in the ways of his father.

Helaman 4

Helaman 4:1
 1 And it came to pass in the fifty and fourth year there were
many dissensions in the church, and there was also a contention
among the people, insomuch that there was much bloodshed.

Helaman 4:2
 2 And the rebellious part were slain and driven out of the land,
and they did go unto the king of the Lamanites.

Helaman 4:3
 3 And it came to pass that they did endeavor to stir up the
Lamanites to war against the Nephites; but behold, the Lamanites
were exceedingly afraid, insomuch that they would not hearken to
the words of those dissenters.

Helaman 4:4
 4 But it came to pass in the fifty and sixth year of the reign
of the judges, there were dissenters who went up from the
Nephites unto the Lamanites; and they succeeded with those others
in stirring them up to anger against the Nephites; and they were
all that year preparing for war.

Helaman 4:5
 5 And in the fifty and seventh year they did come down against
the Nephites to battle, and they did commence the work of death;
yea, insomuch that in the fifty and eighth year of the reign of
the judges they succeeded in obtaining possession of the land of
Zarahemla; yea, and also all the lands, even unto the land which
was near the land Bountiful.

Helaman 4:6
 6 And the Nephites and the armies of Moronihah were driven even
into the land of Bountiful;

Helaman 4:7
 7 And there they did fortify against the Lamanites, from the
west sea, even unto the east; it being a day's journey for a
Nephite, on the line which they had fortified and stationed their
armies to defend their north country.

Helaman 4:8
 8 And thus those dissenters of the Nephites, with the help of a
numerous army of the Lamanites, had obtained all the possession
of the Nephites which was in the land southward.  And all this
was done in the fifty and eighth and ninth years of the reign of
the judges.

Helaman 4:9
 9 And it came to pass in the sixtieth year of the reign of the
judges, Moronihah did succeed with his armies in obtaining many
parts of the land; yea, they regained many cities which had
fallen into the hands of the Lamanites.

Helaman 4:10
 10 And it came to pass in the sixty and first year of the reign
of the judges they succeeded in regaining even the half of all
their possessions.

Helaman 4:11
 11 Now this great loss of the Nephites, and the great slaughter
which was among them, would not have happened had it not been for
their wickedness and their abomination which was among them; yea,
and it was among those also who professed to belong to the church
of God.

Helaman 4:12
 12 And it was because of the pride of their hearts, because of
their exceeding riches, yea, it was because of their oppression
to the poor, withholding their food from the hungry, withholding
their clothing from the naked, and smiting their humble brethren
upon the cheek, making a mock of that which was sacred, denying
the spirit of prophecy and of revelation, murdering, plundering,
lying, stealing, committing adultery, rising up in great
contentions, and deserting away into the land of Nephi, among the
Lamanites--

Helaman 4:13
 13 And because of this their great wickedness, and their
boastings in their own strength, they were left in their own
strength; therefore they did not prosper, but were afflicted and
smitten, and driven before the Lamanites, until they had lost
possession of almost all their lands.

Helaman 4:14
 14 But behold, Moronihah did preach many things unto the people
because of their iniquity, and also Nephi and Lehi, who were the
sons of Helaman, did preach many things unto the people, yea, and
did prophesy many things unto them concerning their iniquities,
and what should come unto them if they did not repent of their
sins.

Helaman 4:15
 15 And it came to pass that they did repent, and inasmuch as
they did repent they did begin to prosper.

Helaman 4:16
 16 For when Moronihah saw that they did repent he did venture to
lead them forth from place to place, and from city to city, even
until they had regained the one-half of their property and the
one-half of all their lands.

Helaman 4:17
 17 And thus ended the sixty and first year of the reign of the
judges.

Helaman 4:18
 18 And it came to pass in the sixty and second year of the reign
of the judges, that Moronihah could obtain no more possessions
over the Lamanites.

Helaman 4:19
 19 Therefore they did abandon their design to obtain the
remainder of their lands, for so numerous were the Lamanites that
it became impossible for the Nephites to obtain more power over
them; therefore Moronihah did employ all his armies in
maintaining those parts which he had taken.

Helaman 4:20
 20 And it came to pass, because of the greatness of the number
of the Lamanites the Nephites were in great fear, lest they
should be overpowered, and trodden down, and slain, and
destroyed.

Helaman 4:21
 21 Yea, they began to remember the prophecies of Alma, and also
the words of Mosiah; and they saw that they had been a
stiffnecked people, and that they had set at naught the
commandments of God.

Helaman 4:22
 22 And that they had altered and trampled under their feet the
laws of Mosiah, or that which the Lord commanded him to give unto
the people; and they saw that their laws had become corrupted,
and that they had become a wicked people, insomuch that they were
wicked even like unto the Lamanites.

Helaman 4:23
 23 And because of their iniquity the church had begun to
dwindle; and they began to disbelieve in the spirit of prophecy
and in the spirit of revelation; and the judgments of God did
stare them in the face.

Helaman 4:24
 24 And they saw that they had become weak, like unto their
brethren, the Lamanites, and that the Spirit of the Lord did no
more preserve them; yea, it had withdrawn from them because the
Spirit of the Lord doth not dwell in unholy temples--

Helaman 4:25
 25 Therefore the Lord did cease to preserve them by his
miraculous and matchless power, for they had fallen into a state
of unbelief and awful wickedness; and they saw that the Lamanites
were exceedingly more numerous than they, and except they should
cleave unto the Lord their God, they must unavoidably perish.

Helaman 4:26
 26 For behold, they saw that the strength of the Lamanites was
as great as their strength, even man for man.  And thus had they
fallen into this great transgression; yea, thus had they become
weak, because of their transgression, in the space of not many
years.

Helaman 5

Helaman 5:1
 1 And it came to pass that in this same year, behold, Nephi
delivered up the judgment-seat to a man whose name was Cezoram.

Helaman 5:2
 2 For as their laws and their governments were established by
the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more
numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening
for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted.

Helaman 5:3
 3 Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people,
insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice,
save it were to their destruction.

Helaman 5:4
 4 And it came to pass that Nephi had become weary because of
their iniquity; and he yielded up the judgment-seat, and took it
upon him to preach the word of God all the remainder of his days,
and his brother Lehi also, all the remainder of his days;

Helaman 5:5
 5 For they remembered the words which their father Helaman spake
unto them.  And these are the words which he spake:

Helaman 5:6
 6 Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the
commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the
people these words.  Behold, I have given unto you the names of
our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this
I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember
them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and
when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and
also written, that they were good.

Helaman 5:7
 7 Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is
good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it
has been said and written of them.

Helaman 5:8
 8 And now my sons, behold I have somewhat more to desire of you,
which desire is, that ye may not do these things that ye may
boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a
treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not
away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift of eternal life,
which we have reason to suppose hath been given to our fathers.

Helaman 5:9
 9 O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin
spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way
nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning
blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come, yea, remember that he
cometh to redeem the world.

Helaman 5:10
 10 And remember also the words which Amulek spake unto Zeezrom,
in the city of Ammonihah; for he said unto him that the Lord
surely should come to redeem his people, but that he should not
come to redeem them in their sins, but to redeem them from their
sins.

Helaman 5:11
 11 And he hath power given unto him from the Father to redeem
them from their sins because of repentance; therefore he hath
sent his angels to declare the tidings of the conditions of
repentance, which bringeth unto the power of the Redeemer, unto
the salvation of their souls.

Helaman 5:12
 12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock
of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must
build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his
mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his
hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no
power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless
wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure
foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

Helaman 5:13
 13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman
taught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are
not written, and also many things which are written.

Helaman 5:14
 14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went
forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God
among all the people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful;

Helaman 5:15
 15 And from thenceforth to the city of Gid; and from the city of
Gid to the city of Mulek;

Helaman 5:16
 16 And even from one city to another, until they had gone forth
among all the people of Nephi who were in the land southward; and
from thence into the land of Zarahemla, among the Lamanites.

Helaman 5:17
 17 And it came to pass that they did preach with great power,
insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had
gone over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and
did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and
immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto
them the wrongs which they had done.

Helaman 5:18
 18 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the
Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power
and authority, given unto them that they might speak, and they
also had what they should speak given unto them--

Helaman 5:19
 19 Therefore they did speak unto the great astonishment of the
Lamanites, to the convincing them, insomuch that there were eight
thousand of the Lamanites who were in the land of Zarahemla and
round about baptized unto repentance, and were convinced of the
wickedness of the traditions of their fathers.

Helaman 5:20
 20 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did proceed from
thence to go to the land of Nephi.

Helaman 5:21
 21 And it came to pass that they were taken by an army of the
Lamanites and cast into prison; yea, even in that same prison in
which Ammon and his brethren were cast by the servants of Limhi.

Helaman 5:22
 22 And after they had been cast into prison many days without
food, behold, they went forth into the prison to take them that
they might slay them.

Helaman 5:23
 23 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi were encircled about
as if by fire, even insomuch that they durst not lay their hands
upon them for fear lest they should be burned.  Nevertheless,
Nephi and Lehi were not burned; and they were as standing in the
midst of fire and were not burned.

Helaman 5:24
 24 And when they saw that they were encircled about with a
pillar of fire, and that it burned them not, their hearts did
take courage.

Helaman 5:25
 25 For they saw that the Lamanites durst not lay their hands
upon them; neither durst they come near unto them, but stood as
if they were struck dumb with amazement.

Helaman 5:26
 26 And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did stand forth and
began to speak unto them, saying: Fear not, for behold, it is God
that has shown unto you this marvelous thing, in the which is
shown unto you that ye cannot lay your hands on us to slay us.

Helaman 5:27
 27 And behold, when they had said these words, the earth shook
exceedingly, and the walls of the prison did shake as if they
were about to tumble to the earth; but behold, they did not fall.

And behold, they that were in the prison were Lamanites and
Nephites who were dissenters.

Helaman 5:28
 28 And it came to pass that they were overshadowed with a cloud
of darkness, and an awful solemn fear came upon them.

Helaman 5:29
 29 And it came to pass that there came a voice as if it were
above the cloud of darkness, saying: Repent ye, repent ye, and
seek no more to destroy my servants whom I have sent unto you to
declare good tidings.

Helaman 5:30
 30 And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld
that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a
great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of
perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce
even to the very soul--

Helaman 5:31
 31 And notwithstanding the mildness of the voice, behold the
earth shook exceedingly, and the walls of the prison trembled
again, as if it were about to tumble to the earth; and behold the
cloud of darkness, which had overshadowed them, did not
disperse--

Helaman 5:32
 32 And behold the voice came again, saying: Repent ye, repent
ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and seek no more to
destroy my servants.  And it came to pass that the earth shook
again, and the walls trembled.

Helaman 5:33
 33 And also again the third time the voice came, and did speak
unto them marvelous words which cannot be uttered by man; and the
walls did tremble again, and the earth shook as if it were about
to divide asunder.

Helaman 5:34
 34 And it came to pass that the Lamanites could not flee because
of the cloud of darkness which did overshadow them; yea, and also
they were immovable because of the fear which did come upon them.

Helaman 5:35
 35 Now there was one among them who was a Nephite by birth, who
had once belonged to the church of God but had dissented from
them.

Helaman 5:36
 36 And it came to pass that he turned him about, and behold, he
saw through the cloud of darkness the faces of Nephi and Lehi;
and behold, they did shine exceedingly, even as the faces of
angels.  And he beheld that they did lift their eyes to heaven;
and they were in the attitude as if talking or lifting their
voices to some being whom they beheld.

Helaman 5:37
 37 And it came to pass that this man did cry unto the multitude,
that they might turn and look.  And behold, there was power given
unto them that they did turn and look; and they did behold the
faces of Nephi and Lehi.

Helaman 5:38
 38 And they said unto the man: Behold, what do all these things
mean, and who is it with whom these men do converse?

Helaman 5:39
 39 Now the man's name was Aminadab.  And Aminadab said unto
them: They do converse with the angels of God.

Helaman 5:40
 40 And it came to pass that the Lamanites said unto him: What
shall we do, that this cloud of darkness may be removed from
overshadowing us?

Helaman 5:41
 41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto
the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was
taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye
shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from
overshadowing you.

Helaman 5:42
 42 And it came to pass that they all did begin to cry unto the
voice of him who had shaken the earth; yea, they did cry even
until the cloud of darkness was dispersed.

Helaman 5:43
 43 And it came to pass that when they cast their eyes about, and
saw that the cloud of darkness was dispersed from overshadowing
them, behold, they saw that they were encircled about, yea every
soul, by a pillar of fire.

Helaman 5:44
 44 And Nephi and Lehi were in the midst of them; yea, they were
encircled about; yea, they were as if in the midst of a flaming
fire, yet it did harm them not, neither did it take hold upon the
walls of the prison; and they were filled with that joy which is
unspeakable and full of glory.

Helaman 5:45
 45 And behold, the Holy Spirit of God did come down from heaven,
and did enter into their hearts, and they were filled as if with
fire, and they could speak forth marvelous words.

Helaman 5:46
 46 And it came to pass that there came a voice unto them, yea, a
pleasant voice, as if it were a whisper, saying:

Helaman 5:47
 47 Peace, peace be unto you, because of your faith in my Well
Beloved, who was from the foundation of the world.

Helaman 5:48
 48 And now, when they heard this they cast up their eyes as if
to behold from whence the voice came; and behold, they saw the
heavens open; and angels came down out of heaven and ministered
unto them.

Helaman 5:49
 49 And there were about three hundred souls who saw and heard
these things; and they were bidden to go forth and marvel not,
neither should they doubt.

Helaman 5:50
 50 And it came to pass that they did go forth, and did minister
unto the people, declaring throughout all the regions round about
all the things which they had heard and seen, insomuch that the
more part of the Lamanites were convinced of them, because of the
greatness of the evidences which they had received.

Helaman 5:51
 51 And as many as were convinced did lay down their weapons of
war, and also their hatred and the tradition of their fathers.

Helaman 5:52
 52 And it came to pass that they did yield up unto the Nephites
the lands of their possession.

Helaman 6

Helaman 6:1
 1 And it came to pass that when the sixty and second year of the
reign of the judges had ended, all these things had happened and
the Lamanites had become, the more part of them, a righteous
people, insomuch that their righteousness did exceed that of the
Nephites because of their firmness and their steadiness in the
faith.

Helaman 6:2
 2 For behold, there were many of the Nephites who had become
hardened and impenitent and grossly wicked, insomuch that they
did reject the word of God and all the preaching and prophesying
which did come among them.

Helaman 6:3
 3 Nevertheless, the people of the church did have great joy
because of the conversion of the Lamanites, yea, because of the
church of God, which had been established among them.  And they
did fellowship one with another and did rejoice one with another,
and did have great joy.

Helaman 6:4
 4 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did come down
into the land of Zarahemla, and did declare unto the people of
the Nephites the manner of their conversion, and did exhort them
to faith and repentance.

Helaman 6:5
 5 Yea, and many did preach with exceedingly great power and
authority, unto the bringing down many of them into the depths of
humility, to be the humble followers of God and the Lamb.

Helaman 6:6
 6 And it came to pass that many of the Lamanites did go into the
land northward; and also Nephi and Lehi went into the land
northward, to preach unto the people.  And thus ended the sixty
and third year.

Helaman 6:7
 7 And behold, there was peace in all the land, insomuch that the
Nephites did go into whatsoever part of the land they would,
whether among the Nephites or the Lamanites.

Helaman 6:8
 8 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did also go
whithersoever they would, whether it were among the Lamanites or
among the Nephites; and thus they did have free intercourse one
with another, to buy and to sell, and to get gain, according to
their desire.

Helaman 6:9
 9 And it came to pass that they became exceedingly rich, both
the Lamanites and the Nephites; and they did have an exceeding
plenty of gold, and of silver, and of all manner of precious
metals, both in the land south and in the land north.

Helaman 6:10
 10 Now the land south was called Lehi and the land north was
called Mulek, which was after the son of Zedekiah; for the Lord
did bring Mulek into the land north, and Lehi into the land
south.

Helaman 6:11
 11 And behold, there was all manner of gold in both these lands,
and of silver, and of precious ore of every kind; and there were
also curious workmen, who did work all kinds of ore and did
refine it; and thus they did become rich.

Helaman 6:12
 12 They did raise grain in abundance, both in the north and in
the south; and they did flourish exceedingly, both in the north
and in the south.  And they did multiply and wax exceedingly
strong in the land.  And they did raise many flocks and herds,
yea, many fatlings.

Helaman 6:13
 13 Behold their women did toil and spin, and did make all manner
of cloth, of fine-twined linen and cloth of every kind, to clothe
their nakedness.  And thus the sixty and fourth year did pass
away in peace.

Helaman 6:14
 14 And in the sixty and fifth year they did also have great joy
and peace, yea, much preaching and many prophecies concerning
that which was to come.  And thus passed away the sixty and fifth
year.

Helaman 6:15
 15 And it came to pass that in the sixty and sixth year of the
reign of the judges, behold, Cezoram was murdered by an unknown
hand as he sat upon the judgment-seat.  And it came to pass that
in the same year, that his son, who had been appointed by the
people in his stead, was also murdered.  And thus ended the sixty
and sixth year.

Helaman 6:16
 16 And in the commencement of the sixty and seventh year the
people began to grow exceedingly wicked again.

Helaman 6:17
 17 For behold, the Lord had blessed them so long with the riches
of the world that they had not been stirred up to anger, to wars,
nor to bloodshed; therefore they began to set their hearts upon
their riches; yea, they began to seek to get gain that they might
be lifted up one above another; therefore they began to commit
secret murders, and to rob and to plunder, that they might get
gain.

Helaman 6:18
 18 And now behold, those murderers and plunderers were a band
who had been formed by Kishkumen and Gadianton.  And now it had
come to pass that there were many, even among the Nephites, of
Gadianton's band.  But behold, they were more numerous among the
more wicked part of the Lamanites.  And they were called
Gadianton's robbers and murderers.

Helaman 6:19
 19 And it was they who did murder the chief judge Cezoram, and
his son, while in the judgment-seat; and behold, they were not
found.

Helaman 6:20
 20 And now it came to pass that when the Lamanites found that
there were robbers among them they were exceedingly sorrowful;
and they did use every means in their power to destroy them off
the face of the earth.

Helaman 6:21
 21 But behold, Satan did stir up the hearts of the more part of
the Nephites, insomuch that they did unite with those bands of
robbers, and did enter into their covenants and their oaths, that
they would protect and preserve one another in whatsoever
difficult circumstances they should be placed, that they should
not suffer for their murders, and their plunderings, and their
stealings.

Helaman 6:22
 22 And it came to pass that they did have their signs, yea,
their secret signs, and their secret words; and this that they
might distinguish a brother who had entered into the covenant,
that whatsoever wickedness his brother should do he should not be
injured by his brother, nor by those who did belong to his band,
who had taken this covenant.

Helaman 6:23
 23 And thus they might murder, and plunder, and steal, and
commit whoredoms and all manner of wickedness, contrary to the
laws of their country and also the laws of their God.

Helaman 6:24
 24 And whosoever of those who belonged to their band should
reveal unto the world of their wickedness and their abominations,
should be tried, not according to the laws of their country, but
according to the laws of their wickedness, which had been given
by Gadianton and Kishkumen.

Helaman 6:25
 25 Now behold, it is these secret oaths and covenants which Alma
commanded his son should not go forth unto the world, lest they
should be a means of bringing down the people unto destruction.

Helaman 6:26
 26 Now behold, those secret oaths and covenants did not come
forth unto Gadianton from the records which were delivered unto
Helaman; but behold, they were put into the heart of Gadianton by
that same being who did entice our first parents to partake of
the forbidden fruit--

Helaman 6:27
 27 Yea, that same being who did plot with Cain, that if he would
murder his brother Abel it should not be known unto the world. 
And he did plot with Cain and his followers from that time forth.

Helaman 6:28
 28 And also it is that same being who put it into the hearts of
the people to build a tower sufficiently high that they might get
to heaven.  And it was that same being who led on the people who
came from that tower into this land; who spread the works of
darkness and abominations over all the face of the land, until he
dragged the people down to an entire destruction, and to an
everlasting hell.

Helaman 6:29
 29 Yea, it is that same being who put it into the heart of
Gadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret
murder; and he has brought it forth from the beginning of man
even down to this time.

Helaman 6:30
 30 And behold, it is he who is the author of all sin.  And
behold, he doth carry on his works of darkness and secret murder,
and doth hand down their plots, and their oaths, and their
covenants, and their plans of awful wickedness, from generation
to generation according as he can get hold upon the hearts of the
children of men.

Helaman 6:31
 31 And now behold, he had got great hold upon the hearts of the
Nephites; yea, insomuch that they had become exceedingly wicked;
yea, the more part of them had turned out of the way of
righteousness, and did trample under their feet the commandments
of God, and did turn unto their own ways, and did build up unto
themselves idols of their gold and their silver.

Helaman 6:32
 32 And it came to pass that all these iniquities did come unto
them in the space of not many years, insomuch that a more part of
it had come unto them in the sixty and seventh year of the reign
of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 6:33
 33 And they did grow in their iniquities in the sixty and eighth
year also.

Helaman 6:34
 34 And thus we see that the Nephites did begin to dwindle in
unbelief, and grow in wickedness and abominations, while the
Lamanites began to grow exceedingly in the knowledge of their
God; yea, they did begin to keep his statutes and commandments,
and to walk in truth and uprightness before him.

Helaman 6:35
 35 And thus we see that the Spirit of the Lord began to withdraw
from the Nephites, because of the wickedness and the hardness of
their hearts.

Helaman 6:36
 36 And thus we see that the Lord began to pour out his Spirit
upon the Lamanites, because of their easiness and willingness to
believe in his words.

Helaman 6:37
 37 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did hunt the band of
robbers of Gadianton; and they did preach the word of God among
the more wicked part of them, insomuch that this band of robbers
was utterly destroyed from among the Lamanites.

Helaman 6:38
 38 And it came to pass on the other hand, that the Nephites did
build them up and support them, beginning at the more wicked part
of them, until they had overspread all the land of the Nephites,
and had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had
come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils,
and to join with them in their secret murders and combinations.

Helaman 6:39
 39 And thus they did obtain the sole management of the
government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and
smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek,
and the humble followers of God.

Helaman 6:40
 40 And thus we see that they were in an awful state, and
ripening for an everlasting destruction.

Helaman 6:41
 41 And it came to pass that thus ended the sixty and eighth year
of the reign of the judges over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 7

Helaman 7:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass in the sixty and ninth year of the
reign of the judges over the people of the Nephites, that Nephi,
the son of Helaman, returned to the land of Zarahemla from the
land northward.

Helaman 7:2
 2 For he had been forth among the people who were in the land
northward, and did preach the word of God unto them, and did
prophesy many things unto them;

Helaman 7:3
 3 And they did reject all his words, insomuch that he could not
stay among them, but returned again unto the land of his
nativity.

Helaman 7:4
 4 And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and
those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats--having
usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the
commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him;
doing no justice unto the children of men;

Helaman 7:5
 5 Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness;
letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their
money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of
government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they
might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they
might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and
do according to their own wills--

Helaman 7:6
 6 Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the
space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was
swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the
agony of his soul:

Helaman 7:7
 7 Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father
Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have
joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to
be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to
be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the
words of the Lord--

Helaman 7:8
 8 Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my
soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

Helaman 7:9
 9 But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my
soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness
of my brethren.

Helaman 7:10
 10 And behold, now it came to pass that it was upon a tower,
which was in the garden of Nephi, which was by the highway which
led to the chief market, which was in the city of Zarahemla;
therefore, Nephi had bowed himself upon the tower which was in
his garden, which tower was also near unto the garden gate by
which led the highway.

Helaman 7:11
 11 And it came to pass that there were certain men passing by
and saw Nephi as he was pouring out his soul unto God upon the
tower; and they ran and told the people what they had seen, and
the people came together in multitudes that they might know the
cause of so great mourning for the wickedness of the people.

Helaman 7:12
 12 And now, when Nephi arose he beheld the multitudes of people
who had gathered together.

Helaman 7:13
 13 And it came to pass that he opened his mouth and said unto
them: Behold, why have ye gathered yourselves together? That I
may tell you of your iniquities?

Helaman 7:14
 14 Yea, because I have got upon my tower that I might pour out
my soul unto my God, because of the exceeding sorrow of my heart,
which is because of your iniquities!

Helaman 7:15
 15 And because of my mourning and lamentation ye have gathered
yourselves together, and do marvel; yea, and ye have great need
to marvel; yea, ye ought to marvel because ye are given away that
the devil has got so great hold upon your hearts.

Helaman 7:16
 16 Yea, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who
is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and
endless wo?

Helaman 7:17
 17 O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die? Turn ye, turn ye
unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?

Helaman 7:18
 18 It is because you have hardened your hearts; yea, ye will not
hearken unto the voice of the good shepherd; yea, ye have
provoked him to anger against you.

Helaman 7:19
 19 And behold, instead of gathering you, except ye will repent,
behold, he shall scatter you forth that ye shall become meat for
dogs and wild beasts.

Helaman 7:20
 20 O, how could you have forgotten your God in the very day that
he has delivered you?

Helaman 7:21
 21 But behold, it is to get gain, to be praised of men, yea, and
that ye might get gold and silver. And ye have set your hearts
upon the riches and the vain things of this world, for the which
ye do murder, and plunder, and steal, and bear false witness
against your neighbor, and do all manner of iniquity.

Helaman 7:22
 22 And for this cause wo shall come unto you except ye shall
repent. For if ye will not repent, behold, this great city, and
also all those great cities which are round about, which are in
the land of our possession, shall be taken away that ye shall
have no place in them; for behold, the Lord will not grant unto
you strength, as he has hitherto done, to withstand against your
enemies.

Helaman 7:23
 23 For behold, thus saith the Lord: I will not show unto the
wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be
unto those that repent of their sins, and hearken unto my words.
Now therefore, I would that ye should behold, my brethren, that
it shall be better for the Lamanites than for you except ye shall
repent.

Helaman 7:24
 24 For behold, they are more righteous than you, for they have
not sinned against that great knowledge which ye have received;
therefore the Lord will be merciful unto them; yea, he will
lengthen out their days and increase their seed, even when thou
shalt be utterly destroyed except thou shalt repent.

Helaman 7:25
 25 Yea, wo be unto you because of that great abomination which
has come among you; and ye have united yourselves unto it, yea,
to that secret band which was established by Gadianton!

Helaman 7:26
 26 Yea, wo shall come unto you because of that pride which ye
have suffered to enter your hearts, which has lifted you up
beyond that which is good because of your exceedingly great
riches!

Helaman 7:27
 27 Yea, wo be unto you because of your wickedness and
abominations!

Helaman 7:28
 28 And except ye repent ye shall perish; yea, even your lands
shall be taken from you, and ye shall be destroyed from off the
face of the earth.

Helaman 7:29
 29 Behold now, I do not say that these things shall be, of
myself, because it is not of myself that I know these things; but
behold, I know that these things are true because the Lord God
has made them known unto me, therefore I testify that they shall
be.

Helaman 8

Helaman 8:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Nephi had said these words,
behold, there were men who were judges, who also belonged to the
secret band of Gadianton, and they were angry, and they cried out
against him, saying unto the people: Why do ye not seize upon
this man and bring him forth, that he may be condemned according
to the crime which he has done?

Helaman 8:2
 2 Why seest thou this man, and hearest him revile against this
people and against our law?

Helaman 8:3
 3 For behold, Nephi had spoken unto them concerning the
corruptness of their law; yea, many things did Nephi speak which
cannot be written; and nothing did he speak which was contrary to
the commandments of God.

Helaman 8:4
 4 And those judges were angry with him because he spake plainly
unto them concerning their secret works of darkness;
nevertheless, they durst not lay their own hands upon him, for
they feared the people lest they should cry out against them.

Helaman 8:5
 5 Therefore they did cry unto the people, saying: Why do you
suffer this man to revile against us?  For behold he doth condemn
all this people, even unto destruction; yea, and also that these
our great cities shall be taken from us, that we shall have no
place in them.

Helaman 8:6
 6 And now we know that this is impossible, for behold, we are
powerful, and our cities great, therefore our enemies can have no
power over us.

Helaman 8:7
 7 And it came to pass that thus they did stir up the people to
anger against Nephi, and raised contentions among them; for there
were some who did cry out: Let this man alone, for he is a good
man, and those things which he saith will surely come to pass
except we repent;

Helaman 8:8
 8 Yea, behold, all the judgments will come upon us which he has
testified unto us; for we know that he has testified aright unto
us concerning our iniquities.  And behold they are many, and he
knoweth as well all things which shall befall us as he knoweth of
our iniquities;

Helaman 8:9
 9 Yea, and behold, if he had not been a prophet he could not
have testified concerning those things.

Helaman 8:10
 10 And it came to pass that those people who sought to destroy
Nephi were compelled because of their fear, that they did not lay
their hands on him; therefore he began again to speak unto them,
seeing that he had gained favor in the eyes of some, insomuch
that the remainder of them did fear.

Helaman 8:11
 11 Therefore he was constrained to speak more unto them saying:
Behold, my brethren, have ye not read that God gave power unto
one man, even Moses, to smite upon the waters of the Red Sea, and
they parted hither and thither, insomuch that the Israelites, who
were our fathers, came through upon dry ground, and the waters
closed upon the armies of the Egyptians and swallowed them up?

Helaman 8:12
 12 And now behold, if God gave unto this man such power, then
why should ye dispute among yourselves, and say that he hath
given unto me no power whereby I may know concerning the
judgments that shall come upon you except ye repent?

Helaman 8:13
 13 But, behold, ye not only deny my words, but ye also deny all
the words which have been spoken by our fathers, and also the
words which were spoken by this man, Moses, who had such great
power given unto him, yea, the words which he hath spoken
concerning the coming of the Messiah.

Helaman 8:14
 14 Yea, did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? 
And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so
shall he be lifted up who should come.

Helaman 8:15
 15 And as many as should look upon that serpent should live,
even so as many as should look upon the Son of God with faith,
having a contrite spirit, might live, even unto that life which
is eternal.

Helaman 8:16
 16 And now behold, Moses did not only testify of these things,
but also all the holy prophets, from his days even to the days of
Abraham.

Helaman 8:17
 17 Yea, and behold, Abraham saw of his coming, and was filled
with gladness and did rejoice.

Helaman 8:18
 18 Yea, and behold I say unto you, that Abraham not only knew of
these things, but there were many before the days of Abraham who
were called by the order of God; yea, even after the order of his
Son; and this that it should be shown unto the people, a great
many thousand years before his coming, that even redemption
should come unto them.

Helaman 8:19
 19 And now I would that ye should know, that even since the days
of Abraham there have been many prophets that have testified
these things; yea, behold, the prophet Zenos did testify boldly;
for the which he was slain.

Helaman 8:20
 20 And behold, also Zenock, and also Ezias, and also Isaiah, and
Jeremiah, (Jeremiah being that same prophet who testified of the
destruction of Jerusalem) and now we know that Jerusalem was
destroyed according to the words of Jeremiah.  O then why not the
Son of God come, according to his prophecy?

Helaman 8:21
 21 And now will you dispute that Jerusalem was destroyed?  Will
ye say that the sons of Zedekiah were not slain, all except it
were Mulek?  Yea, and do ye not behold that the seed of Zedekiah
are with us, and they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem? 
But behold, this is not all--

Helaman 8:22
 22 Our father Lehi was driven out of Jerusalem because he
testified of these things.  Nephi also testified of these things,
and also almost all of our fathers, even down to this time; yea,
they have testified of the coming of Christ, and have looked
forward, and have rejoiced in his day which is to come.

Helaman 8:23
 23 And behold, he is God, and he is with them, and he did
manifest himself unto them, that they were redeemed by him; and
they gave unto him glory, because of that which is to come.

Helaman 8:24
 24 And now, seeing ye know these things and cannot deny them
except ye shall lie, therefore in this ye have sinned, for ye
have rejected all these things, notwithstanding so many evidences
which ye have received; yea, even ye have received all things,
both things in heaven, and all things which are in the earth, as
a witness that they are true.

Helaman 8:25
 25 But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against
your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and
where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for
yourselves wrath against the day of judgment.

Helaman 8:26
 26 Yea, even at this time ye are ripening, because of your
murders and your fornication and wickedness, for everlasting
destruction; yea, and except ye repent it will come unto you
soon.

Helaman 8:27
 27 Yea, behold it is now even at your doors; yea, go ye in unto
the judgment-seat, and search; and behold, your judge is
murdered, and he lieth in his blood; and he hath been murdered by
his brother, who seeketh to sit in the judgment-seat.

Helaman 8:28
 28 And behold, they both belong to your secret band, whose
author is Gadianton and the evil one who seeketh to destroy the
souls of men.

Helaman 9

Helaman 9:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Nephi had spoken these
words, certain men who were among them ran to the judgment-seat;
yea, even there were five who went, and they said among
themselves, as they went:

Helaman 9:2
 2 Behold, now we will know of a surety whether this man be a
prophet and God hath commanded him to prophesy such marvelous
things unto us.  Behold, we do not believe that he hath; yea, we
do not believe that he is a prophet; nevertheless, if this thing
which he has said concerning the chief judge be true, that he be
dead, then will we believe that the other words which he has
spoken are true.

Helaman 9:3
 3 And it came to pass that they ran in their might, and came in
unto the judgment-seat; and behold, the chief judge had fallen to
the earth, and did lie in his blood.

Helaman 9:4
 4 And now behold, when they saw this they were astonished
exceedingly, insomuch that they fell to the earth; for they had
not believed the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the
chief judge.

Helaman 9:5
 5 But now, when they saw they believed, and fear came upon them
lest all the judgments which Nephi had spoken should come upon
the people; therefore they did quake, and had fallen to the
earth.

Helaman 9:6
 6 Now, immediately when the judge had been murdered--he being
stabbed by his brother by a garb of secrecy, and he fled, and the
servants ran and told the people, raising the cry of murder among
them;

Helaman 9:7
 7 And behold the people did gather themselves together unto the
place of the judgment-seat--and behold, to their astonishment
they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth.

Helaman 9:8
 8 And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the
multitude who had gathered together at the garden of Nephi;
therefore they said among themselves: These men are they who have
murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not
flee from us.

Helaman 9:9
 9 And it came to pass that they laid hold on them, and bound
them and cast them into prison.  And there was a proclamation
sent abroad that the judge was slain, and that the murderers had
been taken and were cast into prison.

Helaman 9:10
 10 And it came to pass that on the morrow the people did
assemble themselves together to mourn and to fast, at the burial
of the great chief judge who had been slain.

Helaman 9:11
 11 And thus also those judges who were at the garden of Nephi,
and heard his words, were also gathered together at the burial.

Helaman 9:12
 12 And it came to pass that they inquired among the people,
saying: Where are the five who were sent to inquire concerning
the chief judge whether he was dead?  And they answered and said:
Concerning this five whom ye say ye have sent, we know not; but
there are five who are the murderers, whom we have cast into
prison.

Helaman 9:13
 13 And it came to pass that the judges desired that they should
be brought; and they were brought, and behold they were the five
who were sent; and behold the judges inquired of them to know,
concerning the matter, and they told them all that they had done,
saying:

Helaman 9:14
 14 We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when
we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished
insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered
from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.

Helaman 9:15
 15 Now, as for the murder of this man, we know not who has done
it; and only this much we know, we ran and came according as ye
desired, and behold he was dead, according to the words of Nephi.

Helaman 9:16
 16 And now it came to pass that the judges did expound the
matter unto the people, and did cry out against Nephi, saying:
Behold, we know that this Nephi must have agreed with some one to
slay the judge, and then he might declare it unto us, that he
might convert us unto his faith, that he might raise himself to
be a great man, chosen of God, and a prophet.

Helaman 9:17
 17 And now behold, we will detect this man, and he shall confess
his fault and make known unto us the true murderer of this judge.

Helaman 9:18
 18 And it came to pass that the five were liberated on the day
of the burial.  Nevertheless, they did rebuke the judges in the
words which they had spoken against Nephi, and did contend with
them one by one, insomuch that they did confound them.

Helaman 9:19
 19 Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should be taken and
bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to
question him in divers ways that they might cross him, that they
might accuse him to death--

Helaman 9:20
 20 Saying unto him: Thou art confederate; who is this man that
hath done this murder?  Now tell us, and acknowledge thy fault;
saying, Behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee
thy life if thou wilt tell us, and acknowledge the agreement
which thou hast made with him.

Helaman 9:21
 21 But Nephi said unto them: O ye fools, ye uncircumcised of
heart, ye blind, and ye stiffnecked people, do ye know how long
the Lord your God will suffer you that ye shall go on in this
your way of sin?

Helaman 9:22
 22 O ye ought to begin to howl and mourn, because of the great
destruction which at this time doth await you, except ye shall
repent.

Helaman 9:23
 23 Behold ye say that I have agreed with a man that he should
murder Seezoram, our chief judge.  But behold, I say unto you,
that this is because I have testified unto you that ye might know
concerning this thing; yea, even for a witness unto you, that I
did know of the wickedness and abominations which are among you.

Helaman 9:24
 24 And because I have done this, ye say that I have agreed with
a man that he should do this thing; yea, because I showed unto
you this sign ye are angry with me, and seek to destroy my life.

Helaman 9:25
 25 And now behold, I will show unto you another sign, and see if
ye will in this thing seek to destroy me.

Helaman 9:26
 26 Behold I say unto you: Go to the house of Seantum, who is the
brother of Seezoram, and say unto him--

Helaman 9:27
 27 Has Nephi, the pretended prophet, who doth prophesy so much
evil concerning this people, agreed with thee, in the which ye
have murdered Seezoram, who is your brother?

Helaman 9:28
 28 And behold, he shall say unto you, Nay.

Helaman 9:29
 29 And ye shall say unto him: Have ye murdered your brother?

Helaman 9:30
 30 And he shall stand with fear, and wist not what to say.  And
behold, he shall deny unto you; and he shall make as if he were
astonished; nevertheless, he shall declare unto you that he is
innocent.

Helaman 9:31
 31 But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood
upon the skirts of his cloak.

Helaman 9:32
 32 And when ye have seen this, ye shall say: From whence cometh
this blood?  Do we not know that it is the blood of your brother?

Helaman 9:33
 33 And then shall he tremble, and shall look pale, even as if
death had come upon him.

Helaman 9:34
 34 And then shall ye say: Because of this fear and this paleness
which has come upon your face, behold, we know that thou art
guilty.

Helaman 9:35
 35 And then shall greater fear come upon him; and then shall he
confess unto you, and deny no more that he has done this murder.

Helaman 9:36
 36 And then shall he say unto you, that I, Nephi, know nothing
concerning the matter save it were given unto me by the power of
God.  And then shall ye know that I am an honest man, and that I
am sent unto you from God.

Helaman 9:37
 37 And it came to pass that they went and did, even according as
Nephi had said unto them.  And behold, the words which he had
said were true; for according to the words he did deny; and also
according to the words he did confess.

Helaman 9:38
 38 And he was brought to prove that he himself was the very
murderer, insomuch that the five were set at liberty, and also
was Nephi.

Helaman 9:39
 39 And there were some of the Nephites who believed on the words
of Nephi; and there were some also, who believed because of the
testimony of the five, for they had been converted while they
were in prison.

Helaman 9:40
 40 And now there were some among the people, who said that Nephi
was a prophet.

Helaman 9:41
 41 And there were others who said: Behold, he is a god, for
except he was a god he could not know of all things.  For behold,
he has told us the thoughts of our hearts, and also has told us
things; and even he has brought unto our knowledge the true
murderer of our chief judge.

Helaman 10

Helaman 10:1
 1 And it came to pass that there arose a division among the
people, insomuch that they divided hither and thither and went
their ways, leaving Nephi alone, as he was standing in the midst
of them.

Helaman 10:2
 2 And it came to pass that Nephi went his way towards his own
house, pondering upon the things which the Lord had shown unto
him.

Helaman 10:3
 3 And it came to pass as he was thus pondering--being much cast
down because of the wickedness of the people of the Nephites,
their secret works of darkness, and their murderings, and their
plunderings, and all manner of iniquities--and it came to pass as
he was thus pondering in his heart, behold, a voice came unto him
saying:

Helaman 10:4
 4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast
done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness
declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this
people.  And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine
own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
Helaman 10:5
 5 And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness,
behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in
word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all
things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou
shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.

Helaman 10:6
 6 Behold, thou art Nephi, and I am God.  Behold, I declare it
unto thee in the presence of mine angels, that ye shall have
power over this people, and shall smite the earth with famine,
and with pestilence, and destruction, according to the wickedness
of this people.

Helaman 10:7
 7 Behold, I give unto you power, that whatsoever ye shall seal
on earth shall be sealed in heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose
on earth shall be loosed in heaven; and thus shall ye have power
among this people.

Helaman 10:8
 8 And thus, if ye shall say unto this temple it shall be rent in
twain, it shall be done.

Helaman 10:9
 9 And if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou cast down and
become smooth, it shall be done.

Helaman 10:10
 10 And behold, if ye shall say that God shall smite this people,
it shall come to pass.

Helaman 10:11
 11 And now behold, I command you, that ye shall go and declare
unto this people, that thus saith the Lord God, who is the
Almighty: Except ye repent ye shall be smitten, even unto
destruction.

Helaman 10:12
 12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken
these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own
house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered
about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them
the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning
their destruction if they did not repent.

Helaman 10:13
 13 Now behold, notwithstanding that great miracle which Nephi
had done in telling them concerning the death of the chief judge,
they did harden their hearts and did not hearken unto the words
of the Lord.

Helaman 10:14
 14 Therefore Nephi did declare unto them the word of the Lord,
saying: Except ye repent, thus saith the Lord, ye shall be
smitten even unto destruction.

Helaman 10:15
 15 And it came to pass that when Nephi had declared unto them
the word, behold, they did still harden their hearts and would
not hearken unto his words; therefore they did revile against
him, and did seek to lay their hands upon him that they might
cast him into prison.

Helaman 10:16
 16 But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not
take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit
and conveyed away out of the midst of them.

Helaman 10:17
 17 And it came to pass that thus he did go forth in the Spirit,
from multitude to multitude, declaring the word of God, even
until he had declared it unto them all, or sent it forth among
all the people.

Helaman 10:18
 18 And it came to pass that they would not hearken unto his
words; and there began to be contentions, insomuch that they were
divided against themselves and began to slay one another with the
sword.

Helaman 10:19
 19 And thus ended the seventy and first year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 11

Helaman 11:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the seventy and second year of the
reign of the judges that the contentions did increase, insomuch
that there were wars throughout all the land among all the people
of Nephi.

Helaman 11:2
 2 And it was this secret band of robbers who did carry on this
work of destruction and wickedness.  And this war did last all
that year; and in the seventy and third year it did also last.

Helaman 11:3
 3 And it came to pass that in this year Nephi did cry unto the
Lord, saying:

Helaman 11:4
 4 O Lord, do not suffer that this people shall be destroyed by
the sword; but O Lord, rather let there be a famine in the land,
to stir them up in remembrance of the Lord their God, and perhaps
they will repent and turn unto thee.

Helaman 11:5
 5 And so it was done, according to the words of Nephi.  And
there was a great famine upon the land, among all the people of
Nephi.  And thus in the seventy and fourth year the famine did
continue, and the work of destruction did cease by the sword but
became sore by famine.

Helaman 11:6
 6 And this work of destruction did also continue in the seventy
and fifth year.  For the earth was smitten that it was dry, and
did not yield forth grain in the season of grain; and the whole
earth was smitten, even among the Lamanites as well as among the
Nephites, so that they were smitten that they did perish by
thousands in the more wicked parts of the land.

Helaman 11:7
 7 And it came to pass that the people saw that they were about
to perish by famine, and they began to remember the Lord their
God; and they began to remember the words of Nephi.

Helaman 11:8
 8 And the people began to plead with their chief judges and
their leaders, that they would say unto Nephi: Behold, we know
that thou art a man of God, and therefore cry unto the Lord our
God that he turn away from us this famine, lest all the words
which thou hast spoken concerning our destruction be fulfilled.

Helaman 11:9
 9 And it came to pass that the judges did say unto Nephi,
according to the words which had been desired.  And it came to
pass that when Nephi saw that the people had repented and did
humble themselves in sackcloth, he cried again unto the Lord,
saying:

Helaman 11:10
 10 O Lord, behold this people repenteth; and they have swept
away the band of Gadianton from amongst them insomuch that they
have become extinct, and they have concealed their secret plans
in the earth.

Helaman 11:11
 11 Now, O Lord, because of this their humility wilt thou turn
away thine anger, and let thine anger be appeased in the
destruction of those wicked men whom thou hast already destroyed.

Helaman 11:12
 12 O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, yea, thy fierce
anger, and cause that this famine may cease in this land.

Helaman 11:13
 13 O Lord, wilt thou hearken unto me, and cause that it may be
done according to my words, and send forth rain upon the face of
the earth, that she may bring forth her fruit, and her grain in
the season of grain.

Helaman 11:14
 14 O Lord, thou didst hearken unto my words when I said, Let
there be a famine, that the pestilence of the sword might cease;
and I know that thou wilt, even at this time, hearken unto my
words, for thou saidst that: If this people repent I will spare
them.

Helaman 11:15
 15 Yea, O Lord, and thou seest that they have repented, because
of the famine and the pestilence and destruction which has come
unto them.

Helaman 11:16
 16 And now, O Lord, wilt thou turn away thine anger, and try
again if they will serve thee?  And if so, O Lord, thou canst
bless them according to thy words which thou hast said.

Helaman 11:17
 17 And it came to pass that in the seventy and sixth year the
Lord did turn away his anger from the people, and caused that
rain should fall upon the earth, insomuch that it did bring forth
her fruit in the season of her fruit.  And it came to pass that
it did bring forth her grain in the season of her grain.

Helaman 11:18
 18 And behold, the people did rejoice and glorify God, and the
whole face of the land was filled with rejoicing; and they did no
more seek to destroy Nephi, but they did esteem him as a great
prophet, and a man of God, having great power and authority given
unto him from God.

Helaman 11:19
 19 And behold, Lehi, his brother, was not a whit behind him as
to things pertaining to righteousness.

Helaman 11:20
 20 And thus it did come to pass that the people of Nephi began
to prosper again in the land, and began to build up their waste
places, and began to multiply and spread, even until they did
cover the whole face of the land, both on the northward and on
the southward, from the sea west to the sea east.

Helaman 11:21
 21 And it came to pass that the seventy and sixth year did end
in peace.  And the seventy and seventh year began in peace; and
the church did spread throughout the face of all the land; and
the more part of the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites,
did belong to the church; and they did have exceedingly great
peace in the land; and thus ended the seventy and seventh year.

Helaman 11:22
 22 And also they had peace in the seventy and eighth year, save
it were a few contentions concerning the points of doctrine which
had been laid down by the prophets.

Helaman 11:23
 23 And in the seventy and ninth year there began to be much
strife.  But it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi, and many of
their brethren who knew concerning the true points of doctrine,
having many revelations daily, therefore they did preach unto the
people, insomuch that they did put an end to their strife in that
same year.

Helaman 11:24
 24 And it came to pass that in the eightieth year of the reign
of the judges over the people of Nephi, there were a certain
number of the dissenters from the people of Nephi, who had some
years before gone over unto the Lamanites, and taken upon
themselves the name of Lamanites, and also a certain number who
were real descendants of the Lamanites, being stirred up to anger
by them, or by those dissenters, therefore they commenced a war
with their brethren.

Helaman 11:25
 25 And they did commit murder and plunder; and then they would
retreat back into the mountains, and into the wilderness and
secret places, hiding themselves that they could not be
discovered, receiving daily an addition to their numbers,
inasmuch as there were dissenters that went forth unto them.

Helaman 11:26
 26 And thus in time, yea, even in the space of not many years,
they became an exceedingly great band of robbers; and they did
search out all the secret plans of Gadianton; and thus they
became robbers of Gadianton.

Helaman 11:27
 27 Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea, even
great destruction among the people of Nephi, and also among the
people of the Lamanites.

Helaman 11:28
 28 And it came to pass that it was expedient that there should
be a stop put to this work of destruction; therefore they sent an
army of strong men into the wilderness and upon the mountains to
search out this band of robbers, and to destroy them.

Helaman 11:29
 29 But behold, it came to pass that in that same year they were
driven back even into their own lands.  And thus ended the
eightieth year of the reign of the judges over the people of
Nephi.

Helaman 11:30
 30 And it came to pass in the commencement of the eighty and
first year they did go forth again against this band of robbers,
and did destroy many; and they were also visited with much
destruction.

Helaman 11:31
 31 And they were again obliged to return out of the wilderness
and out of the mountains unto their own lands, because of the
exceeding greatness of the numbers of those robbers who infested
the mountains and the wilderness.

Helaman 11:32
 32 And it came to pass that thus ended this year.  And the
robbers did still increase and wax strong, insomuch that they did
defy the whole armies of the Nephites, and also of the Lamanites;
and they did cause great fear to come unto the people upon all
the face of the land.

Helaman 11:33
 33 Yea, for they did visit many parts of the land, and did do
great destruction unto them; yea, did kill many, and did carry
away others captive into the wilderness, yea, and more especially
their women and their children.

Helaman 11:34
 34 Now this great evil, which came unto the people because of
their iniquity, did stir them up again in remembrance of the Lord
their God.

Helaman 11:35
 35 And thus ended the eighty and first year of the reign of the
judges.

Helaman 11:36
 36 And in the eighty and second year they began again to forget
the Lord their God.  And in the eighty and third year they began
to wax strong in iniquity.  And in the eighty and fourth year
they did not mend their ways.

Helaman 11:37
 37 And it came to pass in the eighty and fifth year they did wax
stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their wickedness;
and thus they were ripening again for destruction.

Helaman 11:38
 38 And thus ended the eighty and fifth year.

Helaman 12

Helaman 12:1
 1 And thus we can behold how false, and also the unsteadiness of
the hearts of the children of men; yea, we can see that the Lord
in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who
put their trust in him.

Helaman 12:2
 2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his
people, yea, in the increase of their fields, their flocks and
their herds, and in gold, and in silver, and in all manner of
precious things of every kind and art; sparing their lives, and
delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; softening the
hearts of their enemies that they should not declare wars against
them; yea, and in fine, doing all things for the welfare and
happiness of his people; yea, then is the time that they do
harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do
trample under their feet the Holy One--yea, and this because of
their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.

Helaman 12:3
 3 And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people
with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death
and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of
pestilence, they will not remember him.

Helaman 12:4
 4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and
how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the
children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the
evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the
world!

Helaman 12:5
 5 Yea, how quick to be lifted up in pride; yea, how quick to
boast, and do all manner of that which is iniquity; and how slow
are they to remember the Lord their God, and to give ear unto his
counsels, yea, how slow to walk in wisdom's paths!

Helaman 12:6
 6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath
created them, should rule and reign over them; notwithstanding
his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at
naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their
guide.

Helaman 12:7
 7 O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea,
even they are less than the dust of the earth.

Helaman 12:8
 8 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither,
to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and
everlasting God.

Helaman 12:9
 9 Yea, behold at his voice do the hills and the mountains
tremble and quake.

Helaman 12:10
 10 And by the power of his voice they are broken up, and become
smooth, yea, even like unto a valley.

Helaman 12:11
 11 Yea, by the power of his voice doth the whole earth shake;

Helaman 12:12
 12 Yea, by the power of his voice, do the foundations rock, even
to the very center.

Helaman 12:13
 13 Yea, and if he say unto the earth--Move--it is moved.

Helaman 12:14
 14 Yea, if he say unto the earth--Thou shalt go back, that it
lengthen out the day for many hours--it is done;

Helaman 12:15
 15 And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it
appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold,
this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the
sun.

Helaman 12:16
 16 And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great
deep--Be thou dried up--it is done.

Helaman 12:17
 17 Behold, if he say unto this mountain--Be thou raised up, and
come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up--behold
it is done.

Helaman 12:18
 18 And behold, if a man hide up a treasure in the earth, and the
Lord shall say--Let it be accursed, because of the iniquity of
him who hath hid it up--behold, it shall be accursed.

Helaman 12:19
 19 And if the Lord shall say--Be thou accursed, that no man
shall find thee from this time henceforth and forever--behold, no
man getteth it henceforth and forever.

Helaman 12:20
 20 And behold, if the Lord shall say unto a man--Because of
thine iniquities, thou shalt be accursed forever--it shall be
done.

Helaman 12:21
 21 And if the Lord shall say--Because of thine iniquities thou
shalt be cut off from my presence--he will cause that it shall be
so.

Helaman 12:22
 22 And wo unto him to whom he shall say this, for it shall be
unto him that will do iniquity, and he cannot be saved;
therefore, for this cause, that men might be saved, hath
repentance been declared.

Helaman 12:23
 23 Therefore, blessed are they who will repent and hearken unto
the voice of the Lord their God; for these are they that shall be
saved.

Helaman 12:24
 24 And may God grant, in his great fulness, that men might be
brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be
restored unto grace for grace, according to their works.

Helaman 12:25
 25 And I would that all men might be saved.  But we read that in
the great and last day there are some who shall be cast out, yea,
who shall be cast off from the presence of the Lord;

Helaman 12:26
 26 Yea, who shall be consigned to a state of endless misery,
fulfilling the words which say: They that have done good shall
have everlasting life; and they that have done evil shall have
everlasting damnation.  And thus it is.  Amen.

Helaman 13

Helaman 13:1
 1 And now it came to pass in the eighty and sixth year, the
Nephites did still remain in wickedness, yea in great wickedness,
while the Lamanites did observe strictly to keep the commandments
of God, according to the law of Moses.

Helaman 13:2
 2 And it came to pass that in this year there was one Samuel, a
Lamanite, came into the land of Zarahemla, and began to preach
unto the people.  And it came to pass that he did preach, many
days, repentance unto the people, and they did cast him out, and
he was about to return to his own land.

Helaman 13:3
 3 But behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, that he
should return again, and prophesy unto the people whatsoever
things should come into his heart.

Helaman 13:4
 4 And it came to pass that they would not suffer that he should
enter into the city; therefore he went and got upon the wall
thereof, and stretched forth his hand and cried with a loud
voice, and prophesied unto the people whatsoever things the Lord
put into his heart.

Helaman 13:5
 5 And he said unto them: Behold, I, Samuel, a Lamanite, do speak
the words of the Lord which he doth put into my heart; and behold
he hath put it into my heart to say unto this people that the
sword of justice hangeth over this people; and four hundred years
pass not away save the sword of justice falleth upon this people.

Helaman 13:6
 6 Yea, heavy destruction awaiteth this people, and it surely
cometh unto this people, and nothing can save this people save it
be repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ, who surely
shall come into the world, and shall suffer many things and shall
be slain for his people.

Helaman 13:7
 7 And behold, an angel of the Lord hath declared it unto me, and
he did bring glad tidings to my soul.  And behold, I was sent
unto you to declare it unto you also, that ye might have glad
tidings; but behold ye would not receive me.

Helaman 13:8
 8 Therefore, thus saith the Lord: Because of the hardness of the
hearts of the people of the Nephites, except they repent I will
take away my word from them, and I will withdraw my Spirit from
them, and I will suffer them no longer, and I will turn the
hearts of their brethren against them.

Helaman 13:9
 9 And four hundred years shall not pass away before I will cause
that they shall be smitten; yea, I will visit them with the sword
and with famine and with pestilence.

Helaman 13:10
 10 Yea, I will visit them in my fierce anger, and there shall be
those of the fourth generation who shall live, of your enemies,
to behold your utter destruction; and this shall surely come
except ye repent, saith the Lord; and those of the fourth
generation shall visit your destruction.

Helaman 13:11
 11 But if ye will repent and return unto the Lord your God I
will turn away mine anger, saith the Lord; yea, thus saith the
Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo
unto him that repenteth not.

Helaman 13:12
 12 Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is
because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto
this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are
many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will
harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.

Helaman 13:13
 13 But blessed are they who will repent, for them will I spare. 
But behold, if it were not for the righteous who are in this
great city, behold, I would cause that fire should come down out
of heaven and destroy it.

Helaman 13:14
 14 But behold, it is for the righteous' sake that it is spared. 
But behold, the time cometh, saith the Lord, that when ye shall
cast out the righteous from among you, then shall ye be ripe for
destruction; yea, wo be unto this great city, because of the
wickedness and abominations which are in her.

Helaman 13:15
 15 Yea, and wo be unto the city of Gideon, for the wickedness
and abominations which are in her.

Helaman 13:16
 16 Yea, and wo be unto all the cities which are in the land
round about, which are possessed by the Nephites, because of the
wickedness and abominations which are in them.

Helaman 13:17
 17 And behold, a curse shall come upon the land, saith the Lord
of Hosts, because of the people's sake who are upon the land,
yea, because of their wickedness and their abominations.

Helaman 13:18
 18 And it shall come to pass, saith the Lord of Hosts, yea, our
great and true God, that whoso shall hide up treasures in the
earth shall find them again no more, because of the great curse
of the land, save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto
the Lord.

Helaman 13:19
 19 For I will, saith the Lord, that they shall hide up their
treasures unto me; and cursed be they who hide not up their
treasures unto me; for none hideth up their treasures unto me
save it be the righteous; and he that hideth not up his treasures
unto me, cursed is he, and also the treasure, and none shall
redeem it because of the curse of the land.

Helaman 13:20
 20 And the day shall come that they shall hide up their
treasures, because they have set their hearts upon riches; and
because they have set their hearts upon their riches, and will
hide up their treasures when they shall flee before their
enemies; because they will not hide them up unto me, cursed be
they and also their treasures; and in that day shall they be
smitten, saith the Lord.

Helaman 13:21
 21 Behold ye, the people of this great city, and hearken unto my
words; yea, hearken unto the words which the Lord saith; for
behold, he saith that ye are cursed because of your riches, and
also are your riches cursed because ye have set your hearts upon
them, and have not hearkened unto the words of him who gave them
unto you.

Helaman 13:22
 22 Ye do not remember the Lord your God in the things with which
he hath blessed you, but ye do always remember your riches, not
to thank the Lord your God for them; yea, your hearts are not
drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride, unto
boasting, and unto great swelling, envyings, strifes, malice,
persecutions and murders, and all manner of iniquities.

Helaman 13:23
 23 For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should
come upon the land, and also upon your riches, and this because
of your iniquities.

Helaman 13:24
 24 Yea, wo unto this people, because of this time which has
arrived, that ye do cast out the prophets, and do mock them, and
cast stones at them, and do slay them, and do all manner of
iniquity unto them, even as they did of old time.

Helaman 13:25
 25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the
days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets;
we would not have stoned them, and cast them out.

Helaman 13:26
 26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a
prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the
Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry
with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy
him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is
a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds
are evil.

Helaman 13:27
 27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do
this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer;
yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea,
walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart
desireth--and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will
receive him, and say that he is a prophet.

Helaman 13:28
 28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your
substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your
silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because
he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is
well, then ye will not find fault with him.

Helaman 13:29
 29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye
stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will
suffer you?  Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by
foolish and blind guides?  Yea, how long will ye choose darkness
rather than light?

Helaman 13:30
 30 Yea, behold, the anger of the Lord is already kindled against
you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity.

Helaman 13:31
 31 And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that
they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days
of your poverty ye cannot retain them.

Helaman 13:32
 32 And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord;
and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come
upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye
weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts.  And then
shall ye lament, and say:

Helaman 13:33
 33 O that I had repented, and had not killed the prophets, and
stoned them, and cast them out.  Yea, in that day ye shall say: O
that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave
us our riches, and then they would not have become slippery that
we should lose them; for behold, our riches are gone from us.

Helaman 13:34
 34 Behold, we lay a tool here and on the morrow it is gone; and
behold, our swords are taken from us in the day we have sought
them for battle.

Helaman 13:35
 35 Yea, we have hid up our treasures and they have slipped away
from us, because of the curse of the land.

Helaman 13:36
 36 O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord
came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are
become slippery, and we cannot hold them.

Helaman 13:37
 37 Behold, we are surrounded by demons, yea, we are encircled
about by the angels of him who hath sought to destroy our souls. 
Behold, our iniquities are great.  O Lord, canst thou not turn
away thine anger from us?  And this shall be your language in
those days.

Helaman 13:38
 38 But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have
procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is
everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea,
for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye
could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing
iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that
righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.

Helaman 13:39
 39 O ye people of the land, that ye would hear my words!  And I
pray that the anger of the Lord be turned away from you, and that
ye would repent and be saved.

Helaman 14

Helaman 14:1
 1 And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did
prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.

Helaman 14:2
 2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign;
for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of
God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.

Helaman 14:3
 3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time
of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven,
insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no
darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was
day.

Helaman 14:4
 4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if
it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto
you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and
also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that
there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall
not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.

Helaman 14:5
 5 And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye
never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.

Helaman 14:6
 6 And behold this is not all, there shall be many signs and
wonders in heaven.

Helaman 14:7
 7 And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and
wonder, insomuch that ye shall fall to the earth.

Helaman 14:8
 8 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall believe on the
Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life.

Helaman 14:9
 9 And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel,
that I should come and tell this thing unto you; yea, he hath
commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you; yea, he
hath said unto me: Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the
way of the Lord.

Helaman 14:10
 10 And now, because I am a Lamanite, and have spoken unto you
the words which the Lord hath commanded me, and because it was
hard against you, ye are angry with me and do seek to destroy me,
and have cast me out from among you.

Helaman 14:11
 11 And ye shall hear my words, for, for this intent have I come
up upon the walls of this city, that ye might hear and know of
the judgments of God which do await you because of your
iniquities, and also that ye might know the conditions of
repentance;

Helaman 14:12
 12 And also that ye might know of the coming of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, the Father of heaven and of earth, the Creator of
all things from the beginning; and that ye might know of the
signs of his coming, to the intent that ye might believe on his
name.

Helaman 14:13
 13 And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your
sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his
merits.

Helaman 14:14
 14 And behold, again, another sign I give unto you, yea, a sign
of his death.

Helaman 14:15
 15 For behold, he surely must die that salvation may come; yea,
it behooveth him and becometh expedient that he dieth, to bring
to pass the resurrection of the dead, that thereby men may be
brought into the presence of the Lord.

Helaman 14:16
 16 Yea, behold, this death bringeth to pass the resurrection,
and redeemeth all mankind from the first death--that spiritual
death; for all mankind, by the fall of Adam being cut off from
the presence of the Lord, are considered as dead, both as to
things temporal and to things spiritual.

Helaman 14:17
 17 But behold, the resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind,
yea, even all mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence
of the Lord.

Helaman 14:18
 18 Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of repentance,
that whosoever repenteth the same is not hewn down and cast into
the fire; but whosoever repenteth not is hewn down and cast into
the fire; and there cometh upon them again a spiritual death,
yea, a second death, for they are cut off again as to things
pertaining to righteousness.

Helaman 14:19
 19 Therefore repent ye, repent ye, lest by knowing these things
and not doing them ye shall suffer yourselves to come under
condemnation, and ye are brought down unto this second death.

Helaman 14:20
 20 But behold, as I said unto you concerning another sign, a
sign of his death, behold, in that day that he shall suffer death
the sun shall be darkened and refuse to give his light unto you;
and also the moon and the stars; and there shall be no light upon
the face of this land, even from the time that he shall suffer
death, for the space of three days, to the time that he shall
rise again from the dead.

Helaman 14:21
 21 Yea, at the time that he shall yield up the ghost there shall
be thunderings and lightnings for the space of many hours, and
the earth shall shake and tremble; and the rocks which are upon
the face of this earth, which are both above the earth and
beneath, which ye know at this time are solid, or the more part
of it is one solid mass, shall be broken up;

Helaman 14:22
 22 Yea, they shall be rent in twain, and shall ever after be
found in seams and in cracks, and in broken fragments upon the
face of the whole earth, yea, both above the earth and beneath.

Helaman 14:23
 23 And behold, there shall be great tempests, and there shall be
many mountains laid low, like unto a valley, and there shall be
many places which are now called valleys which shall become
mountains, whose height is great.

Helaman 14:24
 24 And many highways shall be broken up, and many cities shall
become desolate.

Helaman 14:25
 25 And many graves shall be opened, and shall yield up many of
their dead; and many saints shall appear unto many.

Helaman 14:26
 26 And behold, thus hath the angel spoken unto me; for he said
unto me that there should be thunderings and lightnings for the
space of many hours.

Helaman 14:27
 27 And he said unto me that while the thunder and the lightning
lasted, and the tempest, that these things should be, and that
darkness should cover the face of the whole earth for the space
of three days.

Helaman 14:28
 28 And the angel said unto me that many shall see greater things
than these, to the intent that they might believe that these
signs and these wonders should come to pass upon all the face of
this land, to the intent that there should be no cause for
unbelief among the children of men--

Helaman 14:29
 29 And this to the intent that whosoever will believe might be
saved, and that whosoever will not believe, a righteous judgment
might come upon them; and also if they are condemned they bring
upon themselves their own condemnation.

Helaman 14:30
 30 And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever
perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity,
doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted
to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a
knowledge and he hath made you free.

Helaman 14:31
 31 He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and
he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye
can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that
which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that
which is evil restored unto you.

Helaman 15

Helaman 15:1
 1 And now, my beloved brethren, behold, I declare unto you that
except ye shall repent your houses shall be left unto you
desolate.

Helaman 15:2
 2 Yea, except ye repent, your women shall have great cause to
mourn in the day that they shall give suck; for ye shall attempt
to flee and there shall be no place for refuge; yea, and wo unto
them which are with child, for they shall be heavy and cannot
flee; therefore, they shall be trodden down and shall be left to
perish.

Helaman 15:3
 3 Yea, wo unto this people who are called the people of Nephi
except they shall repent, when they shall see all these signs and
wonders which shall be showed unto them; for behold, they have
been a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath
he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of
their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them.

Helaman 15:4
 4 But behold my brethren, the Lamanites hath he hated because
their deeds have been evil continually, and this because of the
iniquity of the tradition of their fathers.  But behold,
salvation hath come unto them through the preaching of the
Nephites; and for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days.

Helaman 15:5
 5 And I would that ye should behold that the more part of them
are in the path of their duty, and they do walk circumspectly
before God, and they do observe to keep his commandments and his
statutes and his judgments according to the law of Moses.

Helaman 15:6
 6 Yea, I say unto you, that the more part of them are doing
this, and they are striving with unwearied diligence that they
may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the
truth; therefore there are many who do add to their numbers
daily.

Helaman 15:7
 7 And behold, ye do know of yourselves, for ye have witnessed
it, that as many of them as are brought to the knowledge of the
truth, and to know of the wicked and abominable traditions of
their fathers, and are led to believe the holy scriptures, yea,
the prophecies of the holy prophets, which are written, which
leadeth them to faith on the Lord, and unto repentance, which
faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart unto them--

Helaman 15:8
 8 Therefore, as many as have come to this, ye know of yourselves
are firm and steadfast in the faith, and in the thing wherewith
they have been made free.

Helaman 15:9
 9 And ye know also that they have buried their weapons of war,
and they fear to take them up lest by any means they should sin;
yea, ye can see that they fear to sin--for behold they will
suffer themselves that they be trodden down and slain by their
enemies, and will not lift their swords against them, and this
because of their faith in Christ.

Helaman 15:10
 10 And now, because of their steadfastness when they do believe
in that thing which they do believe, for because of their
firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall
bless them and prolong their days, notwithstanding their
iniquity--

Helaman 15:11
 11 Yea, even if they should dwindle in unbelief the Lord shall
prolong their days, until the time shall come which hath been
spoken of by our fathers, and also by the prophet Zenos, and many
other prophets, concerning the restoration of our brethren, the
Lamanites, again to the knowledge of the truth--

Helaman 15:12
 12 Yea, I say unto you, that in the latter times the promises of
the Lord have been extended to our brethren, the Lamanites; and
notwithstanding the many afflictions which they shall have, and
notwithstanding they shall be driven to and fro upon the face of
the earth, and be hunted, and shall be smitten and scattered
abroad, having no place for refuge, the Lord shall be merciful
unto them.

Helaman 15:13
 13 And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again
be brought to the true knowledge, which is knowledge of their
Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered
among his sheep.

Helaman 15:14
 14 Therefore I say unto you, it shall be better for them than
for you except ye repent.

Helaman 15:15
 15 For behold, had the mighty works been shown unto them which
have been shown unto you, yea, unto them who have dwindled in
unbelief because of the traditions of their fathers, ye can see
of yourselves that they never would again have dwindled in
unbelief.

Helaman 15:16
 16 Therefore, saith the Lord: I will not utterly destroy them,
but I will cause that in the day of my wisdom they shall return
again unto me, saith the Lord.

Helaman 15:17
 17 And now behold, saith the Lord, concerning the people of the
Nephites: If they will not repent, and observe to do my will, I
will utterly destroy them, saith the Lord, because of their
unbelief notwithstanding the many mighty works which I have done
among them; and as surely as the Lord liveth shall these things
be, saith the Lord.

Helaman 16

Helaman 16:1
 1 And now, it came to pass that there were many who heard the
words of Samuel, the Lamanite, which he spake upon the walls of
the city.  And as many as believed on his word went forth and
sought for Nephi; and when they had come forth and found him they
confessed unto him their sins and denied not, desiring that they
might be baptized unto the Lord.

Helaman 16:2
 2 But as many as there were who did not believe in the words of
Samuel were angry with him; and they cast stones at him upon the
wall, and also many shot arrows at him as he stood upon the wall;
but the Spirit of the Lord was with him, insomuch that they could
not hit him with their stones neither with their arrows.

Helaman 16:3
 3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him, there were many
more who did believe on his words, insomuch that they went away
unto Nephi to be baptized.

Helaman 16:4
 4 For behold, Nephi was baptizing, and prophesying, and
preaching, crying repentance unto the people, showing signs and
wonders, working miracles among the people, that they might know
that the Christ must shortly come--

Helaman 16:5
 5 Telling them of things which must shortly come, that they
might know and remember at the time of their coming that they had
been made known unto them beforehand, to the intent that they
might believe; therefore as many as believed on the words of
Samuel went forth unto him to be baptized, for they came
repenting and confessing their sins.

Helaman 16:6
 6 But the more part of them did not believe in the words of
Samuel; therefore when they saw that they could not hit him with
their stones and their arrows, they cried unto their captains,
saying: Take this fellow and bind him, for behold he hath a
devil; and because of the power of the devil which is in him we
cannot hit him with our stones and our arrows; therefore take him
and bind him, and away with him.

Helaman 16:7
 7 And as they went forth to lay their hands on him, behold, he
did cast himself down from the wall, and did flee out of their
lands, yea, even unto his own country, and began to preach and to
prophesy among his own people.

Helaman 16:8
 8 And behold, he was never heard of more among the Nephites; and
thus were the affairs of the people.

Helaman 16:9
 9 And thus ended the eighty and sixth year of the reign of the
judges over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 16:10
 10 And thus ended also the eighty and seventh year of the reign
of the judges, the more part of the people remaining in their
pride and wickedness, and the lesser part walking more
circumspectly before God.

Helaman 16:11
 11 And these were the conditions also, in the eighty and eighth
year of the reign of the judges.

Helaman 16:12
 12 And there was but little alteration in the affairs of the
people, save it were the people began to be more hardened in
iniquity, and do more and more of that which was contrary to the
commandments of God, in the eighty and ninth year of the reign of
the judges.

Helaman 16:13
 13 But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the
judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and
wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.

Helaman 16:14
 14 And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare
unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the
scriptures began to be fulfilled.

Helaman 16:15
 15 Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all
save it were the most believing part of them, both of the
Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon
their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:

Helaman 16:16
 16 Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but
behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot
come to pass, of which has been spoken.

Helaman 16:17
 17 And they began to reason and to contend among themselves,
saying:

Helaman 16:18
 18 That it is not reasonable that such a being as a Christ shall
come; if so, and he be the Son of God, the Father of heaven and
of earth, as it has been spoken, why will he not show himself
unto us as well as unto them who shall be at Jerusalem?

Helaman 16:19
 19 Yea, why will he not show himself in this land as well as in
the land of Jerusalem?

Helaman 16:20
 20 But behold, we know that this is a wicked tradition, which
has been handed down unto us by our fathers, to cause us that we
should believe in some great and marvelous thing which should
come to pass, but not among us, but in a land which is far
distant, a land which we know not; therefore they can keep us in
ignorance, for we cannot witness with our own eyes that they are
true.

Helaman 16:21
 21 And they will, by the cunning and the mysterious arts of the
evil one, work some great mystery which we cannot understand,
which will keep us down to be servants to their words, and also
servants unto them, for we depend upon them to teach us the word;
and thus will they keep us in ignorance if we will yield
ourselves unto them, all the days of our lives.

Helaman 16:22
 22 And many more things did the people imagine up in their
hearts, which were foolish and vain; and they were much
disturbed, for Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually;
yea, he did go about spreading rumors and contentions upon all
the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the
people against that which was good and against that which should
come.

Helaman 16:23
 23 And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were
wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which
they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people
upon all the face of the land.

Helaman 16:24
 24 And thus ended the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges
over the people of Nephi.

Helaman 16:25
 25 And thus ended the book of Helaman, according to the record
of Helaman and his sons.

3 Nephi
THIRD NEPHI
THE BOOK OF NEPHI
THE SON OF NEPHI, WHO WAS THE SON OF HELAMAN
And Helaman was the son of Helaman, who was the son of Alma, who
was the son of Alma, being a descendant of Nephi who was the son
of Lehi, who came out of Jerusalem in the first year of the reign
of Zedekiah, the king of Judah.

3 Nephi 1

3 Nephi 1:1
 1 Now it came to pass that the ninety and first year had passed
away and it was six hundred years from the time that Lehi left
Jerusalem; and it was in the year that Lachoneus was the chief
judge and the governor over the land.

3 Nephi 1:2
 2 And Nephi, the son of Helaman, had departed out of the land of
Zarahemla, giving charge unto his son Nephi, who was his eldest
son, concerning the plates of brass, and all the records which
had been kept, and all those things which had been kept sacred
from the departure of Lehi out of Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 1:3
 3 Then he departed out of the land, and whither he went, no man
knoweth; and his son Nephi did keep the records in his stead,
yea, the record of this people.

3 Nephi 1:4
 4 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and
second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be
fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and
greater miracles wrought among the people.

3 Nephi 1:5
 5 But there were some who began to say that the time was past
for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the
Lamanite.

3 Nephi 1:6
 6 And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold
the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled;
therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath
been vain.

3 Nephi 1:7
 7 And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar
throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very
sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken
might not come to pass.

3 Nephi 1:8
 8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that
night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no
night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.

3 Nephi 1:9
 9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the
unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions
should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which
had been given by Samuel the prophet.

3 Nephi 1:10
 10 Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw
this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly
sorrowful.

3 Nephi 1:11
 11 And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down
upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his
people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of
their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

3 Nephi 1:12
 12 And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord, all
that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him,
saying:

3 Nephi 1:13
 13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time
is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the
morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will
fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of
my holy prophets.

3 Nephi 1:14
 14 Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfill all things which I
have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of
the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the
Son--of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my
flesh.  And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the
sign be given.

3 Nephi 1:15
 15 And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were
fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the
going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began
to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night
came.

3 Nephi 1:16
 16 And there were many, who had not believed the words of the
prophets, who fell to the earth and became as if they were dead,
for they knew that the great plan of destruction which they had
laid for those who believed in the words of the prophets had been
frustrated; for the sign which had been given was already at
hand.

3 Nephi 1:17
 17 And they began to know that the Son of God must shortly
appear; yea, in fine, all the people upon the face of the whole
earth from the west to the east, both in the land north and in
the land south, were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to
the earth.

3 Nephi 1:18
 18 For they knew that the prophets had testified of these things
for many years, and that the sign which had been given was
already at hand; and they began to fear because of their iniquity
and their unbelief.

3 Nephi 1:19
 19 And it came to pass that there was no darkness in all that
night, but it was as light as though it was mid-day.  And it came
to pass that the sun did rise in the morning again, according to
its proper order; and they knew that it was the day that the Lord
should be born, because of the sign which had been given.

3 Nephi 1:20
 20 And it had come to pass, yea, all things, every whit,
according to the words of the prophets.

3 Nephi 1:21
 21 And it came to pass also that a new star did appear,
according to the word.

3 Nephi 1:22
 22 And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to
be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their
hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs
and wonders which they had seen; but notwithstanding these lyings
and deceivings the more part of the people did believe, and were
converted unto the Lord.

3 Nephi 1:23
 23 And it came to pass that Nephi went forth among the people,
and also many others, baptizing unto repentance, in the which
there was a great remission of sins.  And thus the people began
again to have peace in the land.

3 Nephi 1:24
 24 And there were no contentions, save it were a few that began
to preach, endeavoring to prove by the scriptures that it was no
more expedient to observe the law of Moses.  Now in this thing
they did err, having not understood the scriptures.

3 Nephi 1:25
 25 But it came to pass that they soon became converted, and were
convinced of the error which they were in, for it was made known
unto them that the law was not yet fulfilled, and that it must be
fulfilled in every whit; yea, the word came unto them that it
must be fulfilled; yea, that one jot or tittle should not pass
away till it should all be fulfilled; therefore in this same year
were they brought to a knowledge of their error and did confess
their faults.

3 Nephi 1:26
 26 And thus the ninety and second year did pass away, bringing
glad tidings unto the people because of the signs which did come
to pass, according to the words of the prophecy of all the holy
prophets.

3 Nephi 1:27
 27 And it came to pass that the ninety and third year did also
pass away in peace, save it were for the Gadianton robbers, who
dwelt upon the mountains, who did infest the land; for so strong
were their holds and their secret places that the people could
not overpower them; therefore they did commit many murders, and
did do much slaughter among the people.

3 Nephi 1:28
 28 And it came to pass that in the ninety and fourth year they
began to increase in great degree, because there were many
dissenters of the Nephites who did flee unto them, which did
cause much sorrow unto those Nephites who did remain in the land.

3 Nephi 1:29
 29 And there was also a cause of much sorrow among the
Lamanites; for behold, they had many children who did grow up and
began to wax strong in years, that they became for themselves,
and were led away by some who were Zoramites, by their lyings and
their flattering words, to join those Gadianton robbers.

3 Nephi 1:30
 30 And thus were the Lamanites afflicted also, and began to
decrease as to their faith and righteousness, because of the
wickedness of the rising generation.

3 Nephi 2

3 Nephi 2:1
 1 And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth
year also, and the people began to forget those signs and wonders
which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at
a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be
hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to
disbelieve all which they had heard and seen--

3 Nephi 2:2
 2 Imagining up some vain thing in their hearts, that it was
wrought by men and by the power of the devil, to lead away and
deceive the hearts of the people; and thus did Satan get
possession of the hearts of the people again, insomuch that he
did blind their eyes and lead them away to believe that the
doctrine of Christ was a foolish and a vain thing.

3 Nephi 2:3
 3 And it came to pass that the people began to wax strong in
wickedness and abominations; and they did not believe that there
should be any more signs or wonders given; and Satan did go
about, leading away the hearts of the people, tempting them and
causing them that they should do great wickedness in the land.

3 Nephi 2:4
 4 And thus did pass away the ninety and sixth year; and also the
ninety and seventh year; and also the ninety and eighth year; and
also the ninety and ninth year;

3 Nephi 2:5
 5 And also an hundred years had passed away since the days of
Mosiah, who was king over the people of the Nephites.

3 Nephi 2:6
 6 And six hundred and nine years had passed away since Lehi left
Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 2:7
 7 And nine years had passed away from the time when the sign was
given, which was spoken of by the prophets, that Christ should
come into the world.

3 Nephi 2:8
 8 Now the Nephites began to reckon their time from this period
when the sign was given, or from the coming of Christ; therefore,
nine years had passed away.

3 Nephi 2:9
 9 And Nephi, who was the father of Nephi, who had the charge of
the records, did not return to the land of Zarahemla, and could
nowhere be found in all the land.

3 Nephi 2:10
 10 And it came to pass that the people did still remain in
wickedness, notwithstanding the much preaching and prophesying
which was sent among them; and thus passed away the tenth year
also; and the eleventh year also passed away in iniquity.

3 Nephi 2:11
 11 And it came to pass in the thirteenth year there began to be
wars and contentions throughout all the land; for the Gadianton
robbers had become so numerous, and did slay so many of the
people, and did lay waste so many cities, and did spread so much
death and carnage throughout the land, that it became expedient
that all the people, both the Nephites and the Lamanites, should
take up arms against them.

3 Nephi 2:12
 12 Therefore, all the Lamanites who had become converted unto
the Lord did unite with their brethren, the Nephites, and were
compelled, for the safety of their lives and their women and
their children, to take up arms against those Gadianton robbers,
yea, and also to maintain their rights, and the privileges of
their church and of their worship, and their freedom and their
liberty.

3 Nephi 2:13
 13 And it came to pass that before this thirteenth year had
passed away the Nephites were threatened with utter destruction
because of this war, which had become exceedingly sore.

3 Nephi 2:14
 14 And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with
the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites;

3 Nephi 2:15
 15 And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became
white like unto the Nephites;

3 Nephi 2:16
 16 And their young men and their daughters became exceedingly
fair, and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called
Nephites.  And thus ended the thirteenth year.

3 Nephi 2:17
 17 And it came to pass in the commencement of the fourteenth
year, the war between the robbers and the people of Nephi did
continue and did become exceedingly sore; nevertheless, the
people of Nephi did gain some advantage of the robbers, insomuch
that they did drive them back out of their lands into the
mountains and into their secret places.

3 Nephi 2:18
 18 And thus ended the fourteenth year.  And in the fifteenth
year they did come forth against the people of Nephi; and because
of the wickedness of the people of Nephi, and their many
contentions and dissensions, the Gadianton robbers did gain many
advantages over them.

3 Nephi 2:19
 19 And thus ended the fifteenth year, and thus were the people
in a state of many afflictions; and the sword of destruction did
hang over them, insomuch that they were about to be smitten down
by it, and this because of their iniquity.

3 Nephi 3

3 Nephi 3:1
 1 And now it came to pass that in the sixteenth year from the
coming of Christ, Lachoneus, the governor of the land, received
an epistle from the leader and the governor of this band of
robbers; and these were the words which were written, saying:

3 Nephi 3:2
 2 Lachoneus, most noble and chief governor of the land, behold,
I write this epistle unto you, and do give unto you exceedingly
great praise because of your firmness, and also the firmness of
your people, in maintaining that which ye suppose to be your
right and liberty; yea, ye do stand well, as if ye were supported
by the hand of a god, in the defence of your liberty, and your
property, and your country, or that which ye do call so.

3 Nephi 3:3
 3 And it seemeth a pity unto me, most noble Lachoneus, that ye
should be so foolish and vain as to suppose that ye can stand
against so many brave men who are at my command, who do now at
this time stand in their arms, and do await with great anxiety
for the word--Go down upon the Nephites and destroy them.

3 Nephi 3:4
 4 And I, knowing of their unconquerable spirit, having proved
them in the field of battle, and knowing of their everlasting
hatred towards you because of the many wrongs which ye have done
unto them, therefore if they should come down against you they
would visit you with utter destruction.

3 Nephi 3:5
 5 Therefore I have written this epistle, sealing it with mine
own hand, feeling for your welfare, because of your firmness in
that which ye believe to be right, and your noble spirit in the
field of battle.

3 Nephi 3:6
 6 Therefore I write unto you, desiring that ye would yield up
unto this my people, your cities, your lands, and your
possessions, rather than that they should visit you with the
sword and that destruction should come upon you.

3 Nephi 3:7
 7 Or in other words, yield yourselves up unto us, and unite with
us and become acquainted with our secret works, and become our
brethren that ye may be like unto us--not our slaves, but our
brethren and partners of all our substance.

3 Nephi 3:8
 8 And behold, I swear unto you, if ye will do this, with an
oath, ye shall not be destroyed; but if ye will not do this, I
swear unto you with an oath, that on the morrow month I will
command that my armies shall come down against you, and they
shall not stay their hand and shall spare not, but shall slay
you, and shall let fall the sword upon you even until ye shall
become extinct.

3 Nephi 3:9
 9 And behold, I am Giddianhi; and I am the governor of this the
secret society of Gadianton; which society and the works thereof
I know to be good; and they are of ancient date and they have
been handed down unto us.

3 Nephi 3:10
 10 And I write this epistle unto you, Lachoneus, and I hope that
ye will deliver up your lands and your possessions, without the
shedding of blood, that this my people may recover their rights
and government, who have dissented away from you because of your
wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government, and
except ye do this, I will avenge their wrongs.  I am Giddianhi.

3 Nephi 3:11
 11 And now it came to pass when Lachoneus received this epistle
he was exceedingly astonished, because of the boldness of
Giddianhi demanding the possession of the land of the Nephites,
and also of threatening the people and avenging the wrongs of
those that had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged
themselves by dissenting away unto those wicked and abominable
robbers.

3 Nephi 3:12
 12 Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and
could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a
robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi,
the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people
should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the
robbers should come down against them.

3 Nephi 3:13
 13 Yea, he sent a proclamation among all the people, that they
should gather together their women, and their children, their
flocks and their herds, and all their substance, save it were
their land, unto one place.

3 Nephi 3:14
 14 And he caused that fortifications should be built round about
them, and the strength thereof should be exceedingly great.  And
he caused that armies, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites,
or of all them who were numbered among the Nephites, should be
placed as guards round about to watch them, and to guard them
from the robbers day and night.

3 Nephi 3:15
 15 Yea, he said unto them: As the Lord liveth, except ye repent
of all your iniquities, and cry unto the Lord, ye will in no wise
be delivered out of the hands of those Gadianton robbers.

3 Nephi 3:16
 16 And so great and marvelous were the words and prophecies of
Lachoneus that they did cause fear to come upon all the people;
and they did exert themselves in their might to do according to
the words of Lachoneus.

3 Nephi 3:17
 17 And it came to pass that Lachoneus did appoint chief captains
over all the armies of the Nephites, to command them at the time
that the robbers should come down out of the wilderness against
them.

3 Nephi 3:18
 18 Now the chiefest among all the chief captains and the great
commander of the armies of the Nephites was appointed, and his
name was Gidgiddoni.

3 Nephi 3:19
 19 Now it was the custom among all the Nephites to appoint for
their chief captains, (save it were in their times of wickedness)
some one that had the spirit of revelation and also prophecy;
therefore, this Gidgiddoni was a great prophet among them, as
also was the chief judge.

3 Nephi 3:20
 20 Now the people said unto Gidgiddoni: Pray unto the Lord, and
let us go up upon the mountains and into the wilderness, that we
may fall upon the robbers and destroy them in their own lands.

3 Nephi 3:21
 21 But Gidgiddoni saith unto them: The Lord forbid; for if we
should go up against them the Lord would deliver us into their
hands; therefore we will prepare ourselves in the center of our
lands, and we will gather all our armies together, and we will
not go against them, but we will wait till they shall come
against us; therefore as the Lord liveth, if we do this he will
deliver them into our hands.

3 Nephi 3:22
 22 And it came to pass in the seventeenth year, in the latter
end of the year, the proclamation of Lachoneus had gone forth
throughout all the face of the land, and they had taken their
horses, and their chariots, and their cattle, and all their
flocks, and their herds, and their grain, and all their
substance, and did march forth by thousands and by tens of
thousands, until they had all gone forth to the place which had
been appointed that they should gather themselves together, to
defend themselves against their enemies.

3 Nephi 3:23
 23 And the land which was appointed was the land of Zarahemla,
and the land which was between the land Zarahemla  and the land
Bountiful, yea, to the line which was between the land Bountiful
and the land Desolation.

3 Nephi 3:24
 24 And there were a great many thousand people who were called
Nephites, who did gather themselves together in this land.  Now
Lachoneus did cause that they should gather themselves together
in the land southward, because of the great curse which was upon
the land northward.

3 Nephi 3:25
 25 And they did fortify themselves against their enemies; and
they did dwell in one land, and in one body, and they did fear
the words which had been spoken by Lachoneus, insomuch that they
did repent of all their sins; and they did put up their prayers
unto the Lord their God, that he would deliver them in the time
that their enemies should come down against them to battle.

3 Nephi 3:26
 26 And they were exceedingly sorrowful because of their enemies.

And Gidgiddoni did cause that they should make weapons of war of
every kind, and they should be strong with armor, and with
shields, and with bucklers, after the manner of his instruction.

3 Nephi 4

3 Nephi 4:1
 1 And it came to pass that in the latter end of the eighteenth
year those armies of robbers had prepared for battle, and began
to come down and to sally forth from the hills, and out of the
mountains, and the wilderness, and their strongholds, and their
secret places, and began to take possession of the lands, both
which were in the land south and which were in the land north,
and began to take possession of all the lands which had been
deserted by the Nephites, and the cities which had been left
desolate.

3 Nephi 4:2
 2 But behold, there were no wild beasts nor game in those lands
which had been deserted by the Nephites, and there was no game
for the robbers save it were in the wilderness.

3 Nephi 4:3
 3 And the robbers could not exist save it were in the
wilderness, for the want of food; for the Nephites had left their
lands desolate, and had gathered their flocks and their herds and
all their substance, and they were in one body.

3 Nephi 4:4
 4 Therefore, there was no chance for the robbers to plunder and
to obtain food, save it were to come up in open battle against
the Nephites; and the Nephites being in one body, and having so
great a number, and having reserved for themselves provisions,
and horses and cattle, and flocks of every kind, that they might
subsist for the space of seven years, in the which time they did
hope to destroy the robbers from off the face of the land; and
thus the eighteenth year did pass away.

3 Nephi 4:5
 5 And it came to pass that in the nineteenth year Giddianhi
found that it was expedient that he should go up to battle
against the Nephites, for there was no way that they could
subsist save it were to plunder and rob and murder.

3 Nephi 4:6
 6 And they durst not spread themselves upon the face of the land
insomuch that they could raise grain, lest the Nephites should
come upon them and slay them; therefore Giddianhi gave
commandment unto his armies that in this year they should go up
to battle against the Nephites.

3 Nephi 4:7
 7 And it came to pass that they did come up to battle; and it
was in the sixth month; and behold, great and terrible was the
day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about
after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their
loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn,
and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was
the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their
armor, and because of their being dyed in blood.

3 Nephi 4:8
 8 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites, when they
saw the appearance of the army of Giddianhi, had all fallen to
the earth, and did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that
he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their
enemies.

3 Nephi 4:9
 9 And it came to pass that when the armies of Giddianhi saw this
they began to shout with a loud voice, because of their joy, for
they had supposed that the Nephites had fallen with fear because
of the terror of their armies.

3 Nephi 4:10
 10 But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites
did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate
him for protection; therefore, when the armies of Giddianhi did
rush upon them they were prepared to meet them; yea, in the
strength of the Lord they did receive them.

3 Nephi 4:11
 11 And the battle commenced in this the sixth month; and great
and terrible was the battle thereof, yea, great and terrible was
the slaughter thereof, insomuch that there never was known so
great a slaughter among all the people of Lehi since he left
Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 4:12
 12 And notwithstanding the threatenings and the oaths which
Giddianhi had made, behold, the Nephites did beat them, insomuch
that they did fall back from before them.

3 Nephi 4:13
 13 And it came to pass that Gidgiddoni commanded that his armies
should pursue them as far as the borders of the wilderness, and
that they should not spare any that should fall into their hands
by the way; and thus they did pursue them and did slay them, to
the borders of the wilderness, even until they had fulfilled the
commandment of Gidgiddoni.

3 Nephi 4:14
 14 And it came to pass that Giddianhi, who had stood and fought
with boldness, was pursued as he fled; and being weary because of
his much fighting he was overtaken and slain.  And thus was the
end of Giddianhi the robber.

3 Nephi 4:15
 15 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites did
return again to their place of security.  And it came to pass
that this nineteenth year did pass away, and the robbers did not
come again to battle; neither did they come again in the
twentieth year.

3 Nephi 4:16
 16 And in the twenty and first year they did not come up to
battle, but they came up on all sides to lay siege round about
the people of Nephi; for they did suppose that if they should cut
off the people of Nephi from their lands, and should hem them in
on every side, and if they should cut them off from all their
outward privileges, that they could cause them to yield
themselves up according to their wishes.

3 Nephi 4:17
 17 Now they had appointed unto themselves another leader, whose
name was Zemnarihah; therefore it was Zemnarihah that did cause
that this siege should take place.

3 Nephi 4:18
 18 But behold, this was an advantage to the Nephites; for it was
impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have
any effect upon the Nephites, because of their much provision
which they had laid up in store,

3 Nephi 4:19
 19 And because of the scantiness of provisions among the
robbers--for behold, they had nothing save it were meat for their
subsistence, which meat they did obtain in the wilderness;

3 Nephi 4:20
 20 And it came to pass that the wild game became scarce in the
wilderness--insomuch that the robbers were about to perish with
hunger.

3 Nephi 4:21
 21 And the Nephites were continually marching out by day and by
night, and falling upon their armies, and cutting them off by
thousands and by tens of thousands.

3 Nephi 4:22
 22 And thus it became the desire of the people of Zemnarihah to
withdraw from their design, because of the great destruction
which came upon them by night and by day.

3 Nephi 4:23
 23 And it came to pass that Zemnarihah did give command unto his
people that they should withdraw themselves from the siege, and
march into the furthermost parts of the land northward.

3 Nephi 4:24
 24 And now, Gidgiddoni being aware of their design, and knowing
of their weakness because of the want of food, and the great
slaughter which had been made among them, therefore he did send
out his armies in the night-time, and did cut off the way of
their retreat, and did place his armies in the way of their
retreat.

3 Nephi 4:25
 25 And this did they do in the night-time, and got on their
march beyond the robbers, so that on the morrow, when the robbers
began their march, they were met by the armies of the Nephites
both in their front and in their rear.

3 Nephi 4:26
 26 And the robbers who were on the south were also cut off in
their places of retreat.  And all these things were done by
command of Gidgiddoni.

3 Nephi 4:27
 27 And there were many thousands who did yield themselves up
prisoners unto the Nephites, and the remainder of them were
slain.

3 Nephi 4:28
 28 And their leader, Zemnarihah, was taken and hanged upon a
tree, yea, even upon the top thereof until he was dead.  And when
they had hanged him until he was dead they did fell the tree to
the earth, and did cry with a loud voice, saying:

3 Nephi 4:29
 29 May the Lord preserve his people in righteousness and in
holiness of heart, that they may cause to be felled to the earth
all who shall seek to slay them because of power and secret
combinations, even as this man hath been felled to the earth.

3 Nephi 4:30
 30 And they did rejoice and cry again with one voice, saying:
May the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob, protect this people in righteousness, so long as they
shall call on the name of their God for protection.

3 Nephi 4:31
 31 And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in
singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had
done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of
their enemies.

3 Nephi 4:32
 32 Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God.  And they
did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most
High God.

3 Nephi 4:33
 33 And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out
of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering
them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was
because of their repentance and their humility that they had been
delivered from an everlasting destruction.

3 Nephi 5

3 Nephi 5:1
 1 And now behold, there was not a living soul among all the
people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of
all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must
needs be that they must be fulfilled.

3 Nephi 5:2
 2 And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come,
because of the many signs which had been given, according to the
words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come
to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things
should come to pass according to that which had been spoken.

3 Nephi 5:3
 3 Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their
abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all
diligence day and night.

3 Nephi 5:4
 4 And now it came to pass that when they had taken all the
robbers prisoners, insomuch that none did escape who were not
slain, they did cast their prisoners into prison, and did cause
the word of God to be preached unto them; and as many as would
repent of their sins and enter into a covenant that they would
murder no more were set at liberty.

3 Nephi 5:5
 5 But as many as there were who did not enter into a covenant,
and who did still continue to have those secret murders in their
hearts, yea, as many as were found breathing out threatenings
against their brethren were condemned and punished according to
the law.

3 Nephi 5:6
 6 And thus they did put an end to all those wicked, and secret,
and abominable combinations, in the which there was so much
wickedness, and so many murders committed.

3 Nephi 5:7
 7 And thus had the twenty and second year passed away, and the
twenty and third year also, and the twenty and fourth, and the
twenty and fifth; and thus had twenty and five years passed away.

3 Nephi 5:8
 8 And there had many things transpired which, in the eyes of
some, would be great and marvelous; nevertheless, they cannot all
be written in this book; yea, this book cannot contain even a
hundredth part of what was done among so many people in the space
of twenty and five years;

3 Nephi 5:9
 9 But behold there are records which do contain all the
proceedings of this people; and a shorter but true account was
given by Nephi.

3 Nephi 5:10
 10 Therefore I have made my record of these things according to
the record of Nephi, which was engraven on the plates which were
called the plates of Nephi.

3 Nephi 5:11
 11 And behold, I do make the record on plates which I have made
with mine own hands.

3 Nephi 5:12
 12 And behold, I am called Mormon, being called after the land
of Mormon, the land in which Alma did establish the church among
the people, yea, the first church which was established among
them after their transgression.

3 Nephi 5:13
 13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I
have been called of him to declare his word among his people,
that they might have everlasting life.

3 Nephi 5:14
 14 And it hath become expedient that I, according to the will of
God, that the prayers of those who have gone hence, who were the
holy ones, should be fulfilled according to their faith, should
make a record of these things which have been done--

3 Nephi 5:15
 15 Yea, a small record of that which hath taken place from the
time that Lehi left Jerusalem, even down until the present time.

3 Nephi 5:16
 16 Therefore I do make my record from the accounts which have
been given by those who were before me, until the commencement of
my day;

3 Nephi 5:17
 17 And then I do make a record of the things which I have seen
with mine own eyes.

3 Nephi 5:18
 18 And I know the record which I make to be a just and a true
record; nevertheless there are many things which, according to
our language, we are not able to write.

3 Nephi 5:19
 19 And now I make an end of my saying, which is of myself, and
proceed to give my account of the things which have been before
me.

3 Nephi 5:20
 20 I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi.  I have reason to
bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our
fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it
were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that
he hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the
salvation of our souls.

3 Nephi 5:21
 21 Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been
merciful unto the seed of Joseph.

3 Nephi 5:22
 22 And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his
commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to
his word.

3 Nephi 5:23
 23 Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of
Joseph to the knowledge of the Lord their God.

3 Nephi 5:24
 24 And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the
four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob,
who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth.

3 Nephi 5:25
 25 And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even
so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house
of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all
the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he
hath covenanted with them.

3 Nephi 5:26
 26 And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ,
the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four
quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have
been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be.  Amen.

3 Nephi 6

3 Nephi 6:1
 1 And now it came to pass that the people of the Nephites did
all return to their own lands in the twenty and sixth year, every
man, with his family, his flocks and his herds, his horses and
his cattle, and all things whatsoever did belong unto them.

3 Nephi 6:2
 2 And it came to pass that they had not eaten up all their
provisions; therefore they did take with them all that they had
not devoured, of all their grain of every kind, and their gold,
and their silver, and all their precious things, and they did
return to their own lands and their possessions, both on the
north and on the south, both on the land northward and on the
land southward.

3 Nephi 6:3
 3 And they granted unto those robbers who had entered into a
covenant to keep the peace of the land, who were desirous to
remain Lamanites, lands, according to their numbers, that they
might have, with their labors, wherewith to subsist upon; and
thus they did establish peace in all the land.

3 Nephi 6:4
 4 And they began again to prosper and to wax great; and the
twenty and sixth and seventh years passed away, and there was
great order in the land; and they had formed their laws according
to equity and justice.

3 Nephi 6:5
 5 And now there was nothing in all the land to hinder the people
from prospering continually, except they should fall into
transgression.

3 Nephi 6:6
 6 And now it was Gidgiddoni, and the judge, Lachoneus, and those
who had been appointed leaders, who had established this great
peace in the land.

3 Nephi 6:7
 7 And it came to pass that there were many cities built anew,
and there were many old cities repaired.

3 Nephi 6:8
 8 And there were many highways cast up, and many roads made,
which led from city to city, and from land to land, and from
place to place.

3 Nephi 6:9
 9 And thus passed away the twenty and eighth year, and the
people had continual peace.

3 Nephi 6:10
 10 But it came to pass in the twenty and ninth year there began
to be some disputings among the people; and some were lifted up
unto pride and boastings because of their exceedingly great
riches, yea, even unto great persecutions;

3 Nephi 6:11
 11 For there were many merchants in the land, and also many
lawyers, and many officers.

3 Nephi 6:12
 12 And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according
to their riches and their chances for learning, yea, some were
ignorant because of their poverty, and others did receive great
learning because of their riches.

3 Nephi 6:13
 13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly
humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would
receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions,
and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent
before God.

3 Nephi 6:14
 14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land,
insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch
that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the
land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted
unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they
were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all
diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

3 Nephi 6:15
 15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this--Satan
had great power, unto the stirring up of the people to do all
manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride,
tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and
the vain things of the world.

3 Nephi 6:16
 16 And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do
all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a
few years.

3 Nephi 6:17
 17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year--the
people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to
be carried about by the temptations of the devil whithersoever he
desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired
they should--and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth
year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

3 Nephi 6:18
 18 Now they did not sin ignorantly, for they knew the will of
God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore
they did wilfully rebel against God.

3 Nephi 6:19
 19 And now it was in the days of Lachoneus, the son of
Lachoneus, for Lachoneus did fill the seat of his father and did
govern the people that year.

3 Nephi 6:20
 20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent
forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and
testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and
testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord
would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of
Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings.

3 Nephi 6:21
 21 Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry
because of those who testified of these things; and those who
were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been
high priests and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were
angry with those who testified of these things.

3 Nephi 6:22
 22 Now there was no lawyer nor judge nor high priest that could
have power to condemn any one to death save their condemnation
was signed by the governor of the land.

3 Nephi 6:23
 23 Now there were many of those who testified of the things
pertaining to Christ who testified boldly, who were taken and put
to death secretly by the judges, that the knowledge of their
death came not unto the governor of the land until after their
death.

3 Nephi 6:24
 24 Now behold, this was contrary to the laws of the land, that
any man should be put to death except they had power from the
governor of the land--

3 Nephi 6:25
 25 Therefore a complaint came up unto the land of Zarahemla, to
the governor of the land, against these judges who had condemned
the prophets of the Lord unto death, not according to the law.

3 Nephi 6:26
 26 Now it came to pass that they were taken and brought up
before the judge to be judged of the crime which they had done,
according to the law which had been given by the people.

3 Nephi 6:27
 27 Now it came to pass that those judges had many friends and
kindreds; and the remainder, yea, even almost all the lawyers and
the high priests, did gather themselves together, and unite with
the kindreds of those judges who were to be tried according to
the law.

3 Nephi 6:28
 28 And they did enter into a covenant one with another, yea,
even into that covenant which was given by them of old, which
covenant was given and administered by the devil, to combine
against all righteousness.

3 Nephi 6:29
 29 Therefore they did combine against the people of the Lord,
and enter into a covenant to destroy them, and to deliver those
who were guilty of murder from the grasp of justice, which was
about to be administered according to the law.

3 Nephi 6:30
 30 And they did set at defiance the law and the rights of their
country; and they did covenant one with another to destroy the
governor, and to establish a king over the land, that the land
should no more be at liberty but should be subject unto kings.

3 Nephi 7

3 Nephi 7:1
 1 Now behold, I will show unto you that they did not establish a
king over the land; but in this same year, yea, the thirtieth
year, they did destroy upon the judgment seat, yea, did murder
the chief judge of the land.

3 Nephi 7:2
 2 And the people were divided one against another; and they did
separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his
family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the
government of the land.

3 Nephi 7:3
 3 And every tribe did appoint a chief or a leader over them; and
thus they became tribes and leaders of tribes.

3 Nephi 7:4
 4 Now behold, there was no man among them save he had much
family and many kindreds and friends; therefore their tribes
became exceedingly great.

3 Nephi 7:5
 5 Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among
them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because they
did yield themselves unto the power of Satan.

3 Nephi 7:6
 6 And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because
of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those
who murdered the prophets.

3 Nephi 7:7
 7 And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch
that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become
wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.

3 Nephi 7:8
 8 And thus six years had not passed away since the more part of
the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to
his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire.

3 Nephi 7:9
 9 Now this secret combination, which had brought so great
iniquity upon the people, did gather themselves together, and did
place at their head a man whom they did call Jacob;

3 Nephi 7:10
 10 And they did call him their king; therefore he became a king
over this wicked band; and he was one of the chiefest who had
given his voice against the prophets who testified of Jesus.

3 Nephi 7:11
 11 And it came to pass that they were not so strong in number as
the tribes of the people, who were united together save it were
their leaders did establish their laws, every one according to
his tribe; nevertheless they were enemies; notwithstanding they
were not a righteous people, yet they were united in the hatred
of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the
government.

3 Nephi 7:12
 12 Therefore, Jacob seeing that their enemies were more numerous
than they, he being the king of the band, therefore he commanded
his people that they should take their flight into the
northernmost part of the land, and there build up unto themselves
a kingdom, until they were joined by dissenters, (for he
flattered them that there would be many dissenters) and they
become sufficiently strong to contend with the tribes of the
people; and they did so.

3 Nephi 7:13
 13 And so speedy was their march that it could not be impeded
until they had gone forth out of the reach of the people.  And
thus ended the thirtieth year; and thus were the affairs of the
people of Nephi.

3 Nephi 7:14
 14 And it came to pass in the thirty and first year that they
were divided into tribes, every man according to his family,
kindred and friends; nevertheless they had come to an agreement
that they would not go to war one with another; but they were not
united as to their laws, and their manner of government, for they
were established according to the minds of those who were their
chiefs and their leaders.  But they did establish very strict
laws that one tribe should not trespass against another, insomuch
that in some degree they had peace in the land; nevertheless,
their hearts were turned from the Lord their God, and they did
stone the prophets and did cast them out from among them.

3 Nephi 7:15
 15 And it came to pass that Nephi--having been visited by angels
and also the voice of the Lord, therefore having seen angels, and
being eye-witness, and having had power given unto him that he
might know concerning the ministry of Christ, and also being
eye-witness to their quick return from righteousness unto their
wickedness and abominations;

3 Nephi 7:16
 16 Therefore, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts and
the blindness of their minds--went forth among them in that same
year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of
sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Nephi 7:17
 17 And he did minister many things unto them; and all of them
cannot be written, and a part of them would not suffice,
therefore they are not written in this book.  And Nephi did
minister with power and with great authority.

3 Nephi 7:18
 18 And it came to pass that they were angry with him, even
because he had greater power than they, for it were not possible
that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith
on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.

3 Nephi 7:19
 19 And in the name of Jesus did he cast out devils and unclean
spirits; and even his brother did he raise from the dead, after
he had been stoned and suffered death by the people.

3 Nephi 7:20
 20 And the people saw it, and did witness of it, and were angry
with him because of his power; and he did also do many more
miracles, in the sight of the people, in the name of Jesus.

3 Nephi 7:21
 21 And it came to pass that the thirty and first year did pass
away, and there were but few who were converted unto the Lord;
but as many as were converted did truly signify unto the people
that they had been visited by the power and Spirit of God, which
was in Jesus Christ, in whom they believed.

3 Nephi 7:22
 22 And as many as had devils cast out from them, and were healed
of their sicknesses and their infirmities, did truly manifest
unto the people that they had been wrought upon by the Spirit of
God, and had been healed; and they did show forth signs also and
did do some miracles among the people.

3 Nephi 7:23
 23 Thus passed away the thirty and second year also.  And Nephi
did cry unto the people in the commencement of the thirty and
third year; and he did preach unto them repentance and remission
of sins.

3 Nephi 7:24
 24 Now I would have you to remember also, that there were none
who were brought unto repentance who were not baptized with
water.

3 Nephi 7:25
 25 Therefore, there were ordained of Nephi, men unto this
ministry, that all such as should come unto them should be
baptized with water, and this as a witness and a testimony before
God, and unto the people, that they had repented and received a
remission of their sins.

3 Nephi 7:26
 26 And there were many in the commencement of this year that
were baptized unto repentance; and thus the more part of the year
did pass away.

3 Nephi 8

3 Nephi 8:1
 1 And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we
know our record to be true, for behold, it was a just man who did
keep the record--for he truly did many miracles in the name of
Jesus; and there was not any man who could do a miracle in the
name of Jesus save he were cleansed every whit from his
iniquity--

3 Nephi 8:2
 2 And now it came to pass, if there was no mistake made by this
man in the reckoning of our time, the thirty and third year had
passed away;

3 Nephi 8:3
 3 And the people began to look with great earnestness for the
sign which had been given by the prophet Samuel, the Lamanite,
yea, for the time that there should be darkness for the space of
three days over the face of the land.

3 Nephi 8:4
 4 And there began to be great doubtings and disputations among
the people, notwithstanding so many signs had been given.

3 Nephi 8:5
 5 And it came to pass in the thirty and fourth year, in the
first month, on the fourth day of the month, there arose a great
storm, such an one as never had been known in all the land.

3 Nephi 8:6
 6 And there was also a great and terrible tempest; and there was
terrible thunder, insomuch that it did shake the whole earth as
if it was about to divide asunder.

3 Nephi 8:7
 7 And there were exceedingly sharp lightnings, such as never had
been known in all the land.

3 Nephi 8:8
 8 And the city of Zarahemla did take fire.

3 Nephi 8:9
 9 And the city of Moroni did sink into the depths of the sea,
and the inhabitants thereof were drowned.

3 Nephi 8:10
 10 And the earth was carried up upon the city of Moronihah that
in the place of the city there became a great mountain.

3 Nephi 8:11
 11 And there was a great and terrible destruction in the land
southward.

3 Nephi 8:12
 12 But behold, there was a more great and terrible destruction
in the land northward; for behold, the whole face of the land was
changed, because of the tempest and the whirlwinds and the
thunderings and the lightnings, and the exceedingly great quaking
of the whole earth;

3 Nephi 8:13
 13 And the highways were broken up, and the level roads were
spoiled, and many smooth places became rough.

3 Nephi 8:14
 14 And many great and notable cities were sunk, and many were
burned, and many were shaken till the buildings thereof had
fallen to the earth, and the inhabitants thereof were slain, and
the places were left desolate.

3 Nephi 8:15
 15 And there were some cities which remained; but the damage
thereof was exceedingly great, and there were many of them who
were slain.

3 Nephi 8:16
 16 And there were some who were carried away in the whirlwind;
and whither they went no man knoweth, save they know that they
were carried away.

3 Nephi 8:17
 17 And thus the face of the whole earth became deformed, because
of the tempests, and the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the
quaking of the earth.

3 Nephi 8:18
 18 And behold, the rocks were rent in twain; they were broken up
upon the face of the whole earth, insomuch that they were found
in broken fragments, and in seams and in cracks, upon all the
face of the land.

3 Nephi 8:19
 19 And it came to pass that when the thunderings, and the
lightnings, and the storm, and the tempest, and the quakings of
the earth did cease--for behold, they did last for about the
space of three hours; and it was said by some that the time was
greater; nevertheless, all these great and terrible things were
done in about the space of three hours--and then behold, there
was darkness upon the face of the land.

3 Nephi 8:20
 20 And it came to pass that there was thick darkness upon all
the face of the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof who
had not fallen could feel the vapor of darkness;

3 Nephi 8:21
 21 And there could be no light, because of the darkness, neither
candles, neither torches; neither could there be fire kindled
with their fine and exceedingly dry wood, so that there could not
be any light at all;

3 Nephi 8:22
 22 And there was not any light seen, neither fire, nor glimmer,
neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars, for so great were
the mists of darkness which were upon the face of the land.

3 Nephi 8:23
 23 And it came to pass that it did last for the space of three
days that there was no light seen; and there was great mourning
and howling and weeping among all the people continually; yea,
great were the groanings of the people, because of the darkness
and the great destruction which had come upon them.

3 Nephi 8:24
 24 And in one place they were heard to cry, saying: O that we
had repented before this great and terrible day, and then would
our brethren have been spared, and they would not have been
burned in that great city Zarahemla.

3 Nephi 8:25
 25 And in another place they were heard to cry and mourn,
saying: O that we had repented before this great and terrible
day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them
out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and our
children have been spared, and not have been buried up in that
great city Moronihah.  And thus were the howlings of the people
great and terrible.

3 Nephi 9

3 Nephi 9:1
 1 And it came to pass that there was a voice heard among all the
inhabitants of the earth, upon all the face of this land, crying:

3 Nephi 9:2
 2 Wo, wo, wo unto this people; wo unto the inhabitants of the
whole earth except they shall repent; for the devil laugheth, and
his angels rejoice, because of the slain of the fair sons and
daughters of my people; and it is because of their iniquity and
abominations that they are fallen!

3 Nephi 9:3
 3 Behold, that great city Zarahemla have I burned with fire, and
the inhabitants thereof.

3 Nephi 9:4
 4 And behold, that great city Moroni have I caused to be sunk in
the depths of the sea, and the inhabitants thereof to be drowned.

3 Nephi 9:5
 5 And behold, that great city Moronihah have I covered with
earth, and the inhabitants thereof, to hide their iniquities and
their abominations from before my face, that the blood of the
prophets and the saints shall not come any more unto me against
them.

3 Nephi 9:6
 6 And behold, the city of Gilgal have I caused to be sunk, and
the inhabitants thereof to be buried up in the depths of the
earth;

3 Nephi 9:7
 7 Yea, and the city of Onihah and the inhabitants thereof, and
the city of Mocum and the inhabitants thereof, and the city of
Jerusalem and the inhabitants thereof; and waters have I caused
to come up in the stead thereof, to hide their wickedness and
abominations from before my face, that the blood of the prophets
and the saints shall not come up any more unto me against them.

3 Nephi 9:8
 8 And behold, the city of Gadiandi, and the city of Gadiomnah,
and the city of Jacob, and the city of Gimgimno, all these have I
caused to be sunk, and made hills and valleys in the places
thereof; and the inhabitants thereof have I buried up in the
depths of the earth, to hide their wickedness and abominations
from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the
saints should not come up any more unto me against them.

3 Nephi 9:9
 9 And behold, that great city Jacobugath, which was inhabited by
the people of king Jacob, have I caused to be burned with fire
because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all
the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret
murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the
peace of my people and the government of the land; therefore I
did cause them to be burned, to destroy them from before my face,
that the blood of the prophets and the saints should not come up
unto me any more against them.

3 Nephi 9:10
 10 And behold, the city of Laman, and the city of Josh, and the
city of Gad, and the city of Kishkumen, have I caused to be
burned with fire, and the inhabitants thereof, because of their
wickedness in casting out the prophets, and stoning those whom I
did send to declare unto them concerning their wickedness and
their abominations.

3 Nephi 9:11
 11 And because they did cast them all out, that there were none
righteous among them, I did send down fire and destroy them, that
their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my
face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent
among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them.

3 Nephi 9:12
 12 And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this
land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their
abominations.

3 Nephi 9:13
 13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than
they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins,
and be converted, that I may heal you?

3 Nephi 9:14
 14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall
have eternal life.  Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards
you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are
those who come unto me.

3 Nephi 9:15
 15 Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God.  I created the
heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are.  I was
with the Father from the beginning.  I am in the Father, and the
Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

3 Nephi 9:16
 16 I came unto my own, and my own received me not.  And the
scriptures concerning my coming are fulfilled.

3 Nephi 9:17
 17 And as many as have received me, to them have I given to
become the sons of God; and even so will I to as many as shall
believe on my name, for behold, by me redemption cometh, and in
me is the law of Moses fulfilled.

3 Nephi 9:18
 18 I am the light and the life of the world.  I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end.

3 Nephi 9:19
 19 And ye shall offer up unto me no more the shedding of blood;
yea, your sacrifices and your burnt offerings shall be done away,
for I will accept none of your sacrifices and your burnt
offerings.

3 Nephi 9:20
 20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and
a contrite spirit.  And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart
and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the
Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me
at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with
the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

3 Nephi 9:21
 21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto
the world, to save the world from sin.

3 Nephi 9:22
 22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little
child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. 
Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up
again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth,
and be saved.

3 Nephi 10

3 Nephi 10:1
 1 And now behold, it came to pass that all the people of the
land did hear these sayings, and did witness of it.  And after
these sayings there was silence in the land for the space of many
hours;

3 Nephi 10:2
 2 For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did
cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which
had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for
the space of many hours.

3 Nephi 10:3
 3 And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the
people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it,
saying:

3 Nephi 10:4
 4 O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are
descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how
oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her
wings, and have nourished you.

3 Nephi 10:5
 5 And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the
house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house
of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen;
yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her
chickens, and ye would not.

3 Nephi 10:6
 6 O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft will I gather
you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will
repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart.

3 Nephi 10:7
 7 But if not, O house of Israel, the places of your dwellings
shall become desolate until the time of the fulfilling of the
covenant to your fathers.

3 Nephi 10:8
 8 And now it came to pass that after the people had heard these
words, behold, they began to weep and howl again because of the
loss of their kindred and friends.

3 Nephi 10:9
 9 And it came to pass that thus did the three days pass away. 
And it was in the morning, and the darkness dispersed from off
the face of the land, and the earth did cease to tremble, and the
rocks did cease to rend, and the dreadful groanings did cease,
and all the tumultuous noises did pass away.

3 Nephi 10:10
 10 And the earth did cleave together again, that it stood; and
the mourning, and the weeping, and the wailing of the people who
were spared alive did cease; and their mourning was turned into
joy, and their lamentations into the praise and thanksgiving unto
the Lord Jesus Christ, their Redeemer.

3 Nephi 10:11
 11 And thus far were the scriptures fulfilled which had been
spoken by the prophets.

3 Nephi 10:12
 12 And it was the more righteous part of the people who were
saved, and it was they who received the prophets and stoned them
not; and it was they who had not shed the blood of the saints,
who were spared--

3 Nephi 10:13
 13 And they were spared and were not sunk and buried up in the
earth; and they were not drowned in the depths of the sea; and
they were not burned by fire, neither were they fallen upon and
crushed to death; and they were not carried away in the
whirlwind; neither were they overpowered by the vapor of smoke
and of darkness.

3 Nephi 10:14
 14 And now, whoso readeth, let him understand; he that hath the
scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if all these
deaths and destructions by fire, and by smoke, and by tempests,
and by whirlwinds, and by the opening of the earth to receive
them, and all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the
prophecies of many of the holy prophets.

3 Nephi 10:15
 15 Behold, I say unto you, Yea, many have testified of these
things at the coming of Christ, and were slain because they
testified of these things.

3 Nephi 10:16
 16 Yea, the prophet Zenos did testify of these things, and also
Zenock spake concerning these things, because they testified
particularly concerning us, who are the remnant of their seed.

3 Nephi 10:17
 17 Behold, our father Jacob also testified concerning a remnant
of the seed of Joseph.  And behold, are not we a remnant of the
seed of Joseph?  And these things which testify of us, are they
not written upon the plates of brass which our father Lehi
brought out of Jerusalem?

3 Nephi 10:18
 18 And it came to pass that in the ending of the thirty and
fourth year, behold, I will show unto you that the people of
Nephi who were spared, and also those who had been called
Lamanites, who had been spared, did have great favors shown unto
them, and great blessings poured out upon their heads, insomuch
that soon after the ascension of Christ into heaven he did truly
manifest himself unto them--

3 Nephi 10:19
 19 Showing his body unto them, and ministering unto them; and an
account of his ministry shall be given hereafter.  Therefore for
this time I make an end of my sayings.

3 Nephi 11

3 Nephi 11:1
 1 And now it came to pass that there were a great multitude
gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the temple
which was in the land Bountiful; and they were marveling and
wondering one with another, and were showing one to another the
great and marvelous change which had taken place.
3 Nephi 11:2
 2 And they were also conversing about this Jesus Christ, of whom
the sign had been given concerning his death.

3 Nephi 11:3
 3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one
with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and
they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the
voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was
it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being a
small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center,
insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not
cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did
cause their hearts to burn.

3 Nephi 11:4
 4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and they
understood it not.

3 Nephi 11:5
 5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open
their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound
thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from
whence the sound came.

3 Nephi 11:6
 6 And behold, the third time they did understand the voice which
they heard; and it said unto them:

3 Nephi 11:7
 7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I
have glorified my name--hear ye him.

3 Nephi 11:8
 8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes
up again towards heaven; and behold, they saw a Man descending
out of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came
down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole
multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their
mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they
thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.

3 Nephi 11:9
 9 And it came to pass that he stretched forth his hand and spake
unto the people, saying:

3 Nephi 11:10
 10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall
come into the world.

3 Nephi 11:11
 11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I
have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me,
and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the
world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all
things from the beginning.

3 Nephi 11:12
 12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words
the whole multitude fell to the earth; for they remembered that
it had been prophesied among them that Christ should show himself
unto them after his ascension into heaven.

3 Nephi 11:13
 13 And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto them saying:

3 Nephi 11:14
 14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands
into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails
in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the God of
Israel, and the God of the whole earth, and have been slain for
the sins of the world.

3 Nephi 11:15
 15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust
their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails
in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth
one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their
eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and
did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the
prophets, that should come.

3 Nephi 11:16
 16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for
themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:

3 Nephi 11:17
 17 Hosanna!  Blessed be the name of the Most High God!  And they
did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.

3 Nephi 11:18
 18 And it came to pass that he spake unto Nephi (for Nephi was
among the multitude) and he commanded him that he should come
forth.

3 Nephi 11:19
 19 And Nephi arose and went forth, and bowed himself before the
Lord and did kiss his feet.

3 Nephi 11:20
 20 And the Lord commanded him that he should arise.  And he
arose and stood before him.

3 Nephi 11:21
 21 And the Lord said unto him: I give unto you power that ye
shall baptize this people when I am again ascended into heaven.

3 Nephi 11:22
 22 And again the Lord called others, and said unto them
likewise; and he gave unto them power to baptize.  And he said
unto them: On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no
disputations among you.

3 Nephi 11:23
 23 Verily I say unto you, that whoso repenteth of his sins
through your words and desireth to be baptized in my name, on
this wise shall ye baptize them--Behold, ye shall go down and
stand in the water, and in my name shall ye baptize them.

3 Nephi 11:24
 24 And now behold, these are the words which ye shall say,
calling them by name, saying:

3 Nephi 11:25
 25 Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 
Amen.

3 Nephi 11:26
 26 And then shall ye immerse them in the water, and come forth
again out of the water.

3 Nephi 11:27
 27 And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for
behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in
me, and the Father and I are one.

3 Nephi 11:28
 28 And according as I have commanded you thus shall ye baptize. 
And there shall be no disputations among you, as there have
hitherto been; neither shall there be disputations among you
concerning the points of my doctrine, as there have hitherto
been.

3 Nephi 11:29
 29 For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of
contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father
of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend
with anger, one with another.

3 Nephi 11:30
 30 Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men
with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that
such things should be done away.

3 Nephi 11:31
 31 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto
you my doctrine.

3 Nephi 11:32
 32 And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the
Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and
the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth
record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father
commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.

3 Nephi 11:33
 33 And whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be
saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.

3 Nephi 11:34
 34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be
damned.

3 Nephi 11:35
 35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and
I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me
believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear
record of me, for he will visit him with fire and with the Holy
Ghost.

3 Nephi 11:36
 36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy
Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the
Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are one.

3 Nephi 11:37
 37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a
little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise
receive these things.

3 Nephi 11:38
 38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in
my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise
inherit the kingdom of God.

3 Nephi 11:39
 39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and
whoso buildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against them.

3 Nephi 11:40
 40 And whoso shall declare more or less than this, and establish
it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built
upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the
gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and
the winds beat upon them.

3 Nephi 11:41
 41 Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words
which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth.

3 Nephi 12

3 Nephi 12:1
 1 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words
unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of
them who had been called, and received power and authority to
baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto
the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye
shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen
from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and
unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with
water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will
baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed
are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye
have seen me and know that I am.

3 Nephi 12:2
 2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your
words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me, and
that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe
in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be
baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy
Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins.

3 Nephi 12:3
 3 Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

3 Nephi 12:4
 4 And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be
comforted.

3 Nephi 12:5
 5 And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

3 Nephi 12:6
 6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after
righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 12:7
 7 And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

3 Nephi 12:8
 8 And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

3 Nephi 12:9
 9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called
the children of God.

3 Nephi 12:10
 10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's
sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

3 Nephi 12:11
 11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute,
and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my
sake;

3 Nephi 12:12
 12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for
great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the
prophets who were before you.

3 Nephi 12:13
 13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the
salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith
shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for
nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.

3 Nephi 12:14
 14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the
light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

3 Nephi 12:15
 15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay,
but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the
house;

3 Nephi 12:16
 16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that
they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in
heaven.

3 Nephi 12:17
 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets.
I am not come to destroy but to fulfil;

3 Nephi 12:18
 18 For verily I say unto you, one jot nor tittle hath not passed
away from the law, but in me it hath all been fulfilled.

3 Nephi 12:19
 19 And behold, I have given you the law and the commandments of
my Father, that ye shall believe in me, and that ye shall repent
of your sins, and come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite
spirit. Behold, ye have the commandments before you, and the law
is fulfilled.

3 Nephi 12:20
 20 Therefore come unto me and be ye saved; for verily I say unto
you, that except ye shall keep my commandments, which I have
commanded you at this time, ye shall in no case enter into the
kingdom of heaven.

3 Nephi 12:21
 21 Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and
it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and
whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God;

3 Nephi 12:22
 22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother
shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to
his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and
whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

3 Nephi 12:23
 23 Therefore, if ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come
unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hast aught against
thee--

3 Nephi 12:24
 24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be reconciled to thy
brother, and then come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I
will receive you.

3 Nephi 12:25
 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way
with him, lest at any time he shall get thee, and thou shalt be
cast into prison.

3 Nephi 12:26
 26 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come
out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost senine. And while
ye are in prison can ye pay even one senine? Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Nay.

3 Nephi 12:27
 27 Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt
not commit adultery;

3 Nephi 12:28
 28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to
lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.

3 Nephi 12:29
 29 Behold, I give unto you a commandment, that ye suffer none of
these things to enter into your heart;

3 Nephi 12:30
 30 For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these
things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should
be cast into hell.

3 Nephi 12:31
 31 It hath been written, that whosoever shall put away his wife,
let him give her a writing of divorcement.

3 Nephi 12:32
 32 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away
his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to
commit adultery; and whoso shall marry her who is divorced
committeth adultery.

3 Nephi 12:33
 33 And again it is written, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but
shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths;

3 Nephi 12:34
 34 But verily, verily, I say unto you, swear not at all; neither
by heaven, for it is God's throne;

3 Nephi 12:35
 35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;

3 Nephi 12:36
 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not
make one hair black or white;

3 Nephi 12:37
 37 But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for
whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil.

3 Nephi 12:38
 38 And behold, it is written, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for
a tooth;

3 Nephi 12:39
 39 But I say unto you, that ye shall not resist evil, but
whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the
other also;

3 Nephi 12:40
 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy
coat, let him have thy cloak also;

3 Nephi 12:41
 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him
twain.

3 Nephi 12:42
 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow
of thee turn not away.

3 Nephi 12:43
 43 And behold it is written also, that thou shalt love thy
neighbor and hate thine enemy;

3 Nephi 12:44
 44 But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who
despitefully use you and persecute you;

3 Nephi 12:45
 45 That ye may be the children of your Father who is in heaven;
for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good.

3 Nephi 12:46
 46 Therefore those things which were of old time, which were
under the law, in me are all fulfilled.

3 Nephi 12:47
 47 Old things are done away, and all things have become new.

3 Nephi 12:48
 48 Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or
your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

3 Nephi 13

3 Nephi 13:1
 1 Verily, verily, I say that I would that ye should do alms unto
the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be
seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is
in heaven.

3 Nephi 13:2
 2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet
before you, as will hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may have glory of men.  Verily I say unto you,
they have their reward.

3 Nephi 13:3
 3 But when thou doest alms let not thy left hand know what thy
right hand doeth;

3 Nephi 13:4
 4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in
secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

3 Nephi 13:5
 5 And when thou prayest thou shalt not do as the hypocrites, for
they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners
of the streets, that they may be seen of men.  Verily I say unto
you, they have their reward.

3 Nephi 13:6
 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and
thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

3 Nephi 13:7
 7 But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen,
for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

3 Nephi 13:8
 8 Be not ye therefore like unto them, for your Father knoweth
what things ye have need of before ye ask him.

3 Nephi 13:9
 9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father who art in
heaven, hallowed be thy name.

3 Nephi 13:10
 10 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

3 Nephi 13:11
 11 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

3 Nephi 13:12
 12 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

3 Nephi 13:13
 13 For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever.  Amen.

3 Nephi 13:14
 14 For, if ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father
will also forgive you;

3 Nephi 13:15
 15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.

3 Nephi 13:16
 16 Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad
countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear
unto men to fast.  Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

3 Nephi 13:17
 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and wash thy
face;

3 Nephi 13:18
 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father,
who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly.

3 Nephi 13:19
 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth
and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

3 Nephi 13:20
 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither
moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break
through nor steal.

3 Nephi 13:21
 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

3 Nephi 13:22
 22 The light of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be
single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

3 Nephi 13:23
 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of
darkness.  If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness,
how great is that darkness!

3 Nephi 13:24
 24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one
and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise
the other.  Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.

3 Nephi 13:25
 25 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these
words he looked upon the twelve whom he had chosen, and said unto
them: Remember the words which I have spoken.  For behold, ye are
they whom I have chosen to minister unto this people.  Therefore
I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat,
or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put
on.  Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

3 Nephi 13:26
 26 Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do
they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them.  Are ye not much better than they?

3 Nephi 13:27
 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his
stature?

3 Nephi 13:28
 28 And why take ye thought for raiment?  Consider the lilies of
the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

3 Nephi 13:29
 29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory,
was not arrayed like one of these.

3 Nephi 13:30
 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which
today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he
clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

3 Nephi 13:31
 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat?  or,
What shall we drink?  or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

3 Nephi 13:32
 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things.

3 Nephi 13:33
 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you.

3 Nephi 13:34
 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow
shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient is the
day unto the evil thereof.

3 Nephi 14

3 Nephi 14:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words
he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto
them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not,
that ye be not judged.

3 Nephi 14:2
 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with
what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

3 Nephi 14:3
 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye,
but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

3 Nephi 14:4
 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out
of thine eye--and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

3 Nephi 14:5
 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and
then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother's
eye.

3 Nephi 14:6
 6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye
your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their
feet, and turn again and rend you.

3 Nephi 14:7
 7 Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

3 Nephi 14:8
 8 For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh,
findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

3 Nephi 14:9
 9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will
give him a stone?

3 Nephi 14:10
 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

3 Nephi 14:11
 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give
good things to them that ask him?

3 Nephi 14:12
 12 Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do
to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the
prophets.

3 Nephi 14:13
 13 Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and
broad is the way, which leadeth to destruction, and many there be
who go in thereat;

3 Nephi 14:14
 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

3 Nephi 14:15
 15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

3 Nephi 14:16
 16 Ye shall know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes of
thorns, or figs of thistles?

3 Nephi 14:17
 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a
corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

3 Nephi 14:18
 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit.

3 Nephi 14:19
 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,
and cast into the fire.

3 Nephi 14:20
 20 Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them.

3 Nephi 14:21
 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my
Father who is in heaven.

3 Nephi 14:22
 22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not
prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and
in thy name done many wonderful works?

3 Nephi 14:23
 23 And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you; depart
from me, ye that work iniquity.

3 Nephi 14:24
 24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth
them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon
a rock--

3 Nephi 14:25
 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was
founded upon a rock.

3 Nephi 14:26
 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth
them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house
upon the sand--

3 Nephi 14:27
 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds
blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the
fall of it.

3 Nephi 15

3 Nephi 15:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these
sayings he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, and said
unto them: Behold, ye have heard the things which I taught before
I ascended to my Father; therefore, whoso remembereth these
sayings of mine and doeth them, him will I raise up at the last
day.

3 Nephi 15:2
 2 And it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he
perceived that there were some among them who marveled, and
wondered what he would concerning the law of Moses; for they
understood not the saying that old things had passed away, and
that all things had become new.

3 Nephi 15:3
 3 And he said unto them: Marvel not that I said unto you that
old things had passed away, and that all things had become new.

3 Nephi 15:4
 4 Behold, I say unto you that the law is fulfilled that was
given unto Moses.

3 Nephi 15:5
 5 Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted
with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for
I have come to fulfil the law; therefore it hath an end.

3 Nephi 15:6
 6 Behold, I do not destroy the prophets, for as many as have not
been fulfilled in me, verily I say unto you, shall all be
fulfilled.

3 Nephi 15:7
 7 And because I said unto you that old things have passed away,
I do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning things
which are to come.

3 Nephi 15:8
 8 For behold, the covenant which I have made with my people is
not all fulfilled; but the law which was given unto Moses hath an
end in me.

3 Nephi 15:9
 9 Behold, I am the law, and the light.  Look unto me, and endure
to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the
end will I give eternal life.

3 Nephi 15:10
 10 Behold, I have given unto you the commandments; therefore
keep my commandments.  And this is the law and the prophets, for
they truly testified of me.

3 Nephi 15:11
 11 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these
words, he said unto those twelve whom he had chosen:

3 Nephi 15:12
 12 Ye are my disciples; and ye are a light unto this people, who
are a remnant of the house of Joseph.

3 Nephi 15:13
 13 And behold, this is the land of your inheritance; and the
Father hath given it unto you.

3 Nephi 15:14
 14 And not at any time hath the Father given me commandment that
I should tell it unto your brethren at Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 15:15
 15 Neither at any time hath the Father given me commandment that
I should tell unto them concerning the other tribes of the house
of Israel, whom the Father hath led away out of the land.

3 Nephi 15:16
 16 This much did the Father command me, that I should tell unto
them:

3 Nephi 15:17
 17 That other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also
I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be
one fold, and one shepherd.

3 Nephi 15:18
 18 And now, because of stiffneckedness and unbelief they
understood not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more
of the Father concerning this thing unto them.

3 Nephi 15:19
 19 But, verily, I say unto you that the Father hath commanded
me, and I tell it unto you, that ye were separated from among
them because of their iniquity; therefore it is because of their
iniquity that they know not of you.

3 Nephi 15:20
 20 And verily, I say unto you again that the other tribes hath
the Father separated from them; and it is because of their
iniquity that they know not of them.

3 Nephi 15:21
 21 And verily I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said:
Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must
bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold,
and one shepherd.

3 Nephi 15:22
 22 And they understood me not, for they supposed it had been the
Gentiles; for they understood not that the Gentiles should be
converted through their preaching.

3 Nephi 15:23
 23 And they understood me not that I said they shall hear my
voice; and they understood me not that the Gentiles should not at
any time hear my voice--that I should not manifest myself unto
them save it were by the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 15:24
 24 But behold, ye have both heard my voice, and seen me; and ye
are my sheep, and ye are numbered among those whom the Father
hath given me.

3 Nephi 16

3 Nephi 16:1
 1 And verily, verily, I say unto you that I have other sheep
which are not of this land, neither of the land of Jerusalem,
neither in any parts of that land round about whither I have been
to minister.

3 Nephi 16:2
 2 For they of whom I speak are they who have not as yet heard my
voice; neither have I at any time manifested myself unto them.

3 Nephi 16:3
 3 But I have received a commandment of the Father that I shall
go unto them, and that they shall hear my voice, and shall be
numbered among my sheep, that there may be one fold and one
shepherd; therefore I go to show myself unto them.

3 Nephi 16:4
 4 And I command you that ye shall write these sayings after I am
gone, that if it so be that my people at Jerusalem, they who have
seen me and been with me in my ministry, do not ask the Father in
my name, that they may receive a knowledge of you by the Holy
Ghost, and also of the other tribes whom they know not of, that
these sayings which ye shall write shall be kept and shall be
manifested unto the Gentiles, that through the fulness of the
Gentiles, the remnant of their seed, who shall be scattered forth
upon the face of the earth because of their unbelief, may be
brought in, or may be brought to a knowledge of me, their
Redeemer.

3 Nephi 16:5
 5 And then will I gather them in from the four quarters of the
earth; and then will I fulfill the covenant which the Father hath
made unto all the people of the house of Israel.

3 Nephi 16:6
 6 And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me,
in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of
the Father.

3 Nephi 16:7
 7 Behold, because of their belief in me, saith the Father, and
because of the unbelief of you, O house of Israel, in the latter
day shall the truth come unto the Gentiles, that the fulness of
these things shall be made known unto them.

3 Nephi 16:8
 8 But wo, saith the Father, unto the unbelieving of the
Gentiles--for notwithstanding they have come forth upon the face
of this land, and have scattered my people who are of the house
of Israel; and my people who are of the house of Israel have been
cast out from among them, and have been trodden under feet by
them;

3 Nephi 16:9
 9 And because of the mercies of the Father unto the Gentiles,
and also the judgments of the Father upon my people who are of
the house of Israel, verily, verily, I say unto you, that after
all this, and I have caused my people who are of the house of
Israel to be smitten, and to be afflicted, and to be slain, and
to be cast out from among them, and to become hated by them, and
to become a hiss and a byword among them--

3 Nephi 16:10
 10 And thus commandeth the Father that I should say unto you: At
that day when the Gentiles shall sin against my gospel, and shall
reject the fulness of my gospel, and shall be lifted up in the
pride of their hearts above all nations, and above all the people
of the whole earth, and shall be filled with all manner of
lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of
hypocrisy, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of
secret abominations; and if they shall do all those things, and
shall reject the fulness of my gospel, behold, saith the Father,
I will bring the fulness of my gospel from among them.

3 Nephi 16:11
 11 And then will I remember my covenant which I have made unto
my people, O house of Israel, and I will bring my gospel unto
them.

3 Nephi 16:12
 12 And I will show unto thee, O house of Israel, that the
Gentiles shall not have power over you; but I will remember my
covenant unto you, O house of Israel, and ye shall come unto the
knowledge of the fulness of my gospel.

3 Nephi 16:13
 13 But if the Gentiles will repent and return unto me, saith the
Father, behold they shall be numbered among my people, O house of
Israel.

3 Nephi 16:14
 14 And I will not suffer my people, who are of the house of
Israel, to go through among them, and tread them down, saith the
Father.

3 Nephi 16:15
 15 But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice,
I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of
Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread
them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor,
which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to
be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel.

3 Nephi 16:16
 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, thus hath the Father
commanded me--that I should give unto this people this land for
their inheritance.

3 Nephi 16:17
 17 And then the words of the prophet Isaiah shall be fulfilled,
which say:

3 Nephi 16:18
 18 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together
shall they sing, for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord
shall bring again Zion.

3 Nephi 16:19
 19 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of
Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath
redeemed Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 16:20
 20 The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eye of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
God.

3 Nephi 17

3 Nephi 17:1
 1 Behold, now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these
words he looked round about again on the multitude, and he said
unto them: Behold, my time is at hand.

3 Nephi 17:2
 2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my
words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at
this time.

3 Nephi 17:3
 3 Therefore, go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon the things
which I have said, and ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may
understand, and prepare your minds for the morrow, and I come
unto you again.

3 Nephi 17:4
 4 But now I go unto the Father, and also to show myself unto the
lost tribes of Israel, for they are not lost unto the Father, for
he knoweth whither he hath taken them.

3 Nephi 17:5
 5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast
his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were
in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask
him to tarry a little longer with them.

3 Nephi 17:6
 6 And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with
compassion towards you.

3 Nephi 17:7
 7 Have ye any that are sick among you?  Bring them hither.  Have
ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous,
or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in
any manner?  Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have
compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy.

3 Nephi 17:8
 8 For I perceive that ye desire that I should show unto you what
I have done unto your brethren at Jerusalem, for I see that your
faith is sufficient that I should heal you.

3 Nephi 17:9
 9 And it came to pass that when he had thus spoken, all the
multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and
their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with
their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner;
and he did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto
him.

3 Nephi 17:10
 10 And they did all, both they who had been healed and they who
were whole, bow down at his feet, and did worship him; and as
many as could come for the multitude did kiss his feet, insomuch
that they did bathe his feet with their tears.

3 Nephi 17:11
 11 And it came to pass that he commanded that their little
children should be brought.

3 Nephi 17:12
 12 So they brought their little children and set them down upon
the ground round about him, and Jesus stood in the midst; and the
multitude gave way till they had all been brought unto him.

3 Nephi 17:13
 13 And it came to pass that when they had all been brought, and
Jesus stood in the midst, he commanded the multitude that they
should kneel down upon the ground.

3 Nephi 17:14
 14 And it came to pass that when they had knelt upon the ground,
Jesus groaned within himself, and said: Father, I am troubled
because of the wickedness of the people of the house of Israel.

3 Nephi 17:15
 15 And when he had said these words, he himself also knelt upon
the earth; and behold he prayed unto the Father, and the things
which he prayed cannot be written, and the multitude did bear
record who heard him.

3 Nephi 17:16
 16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never
seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous
things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

3 Nephi 17:17
 17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any
man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and
marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one
can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we
heard him pray for us unto the Father.

3 Nephi 17:18
 18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of
praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of
the multitude that they were overcome.

3 Nephi 17:19
 19 And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them
arise.

3 Nephi 17:20
 20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed
are ye because of your faith.  And now behold, my joy is full.

3 Nephi 17:21
 21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude
bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one,
and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.

3 Nephi 17:22
 22 And when he had done this he wept again;

3 Nephi 17:23
 23 And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold
your little ones.

3 Nephi 17:24
 24 And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards
heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels
descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and
they came down and encircled those little ones about, and they
were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto
them.

3 Nephi 17:25
 25 And the multitude did see and hear and bear record; and they
know that their record is true for they all of them did see and
hear, every man for himself; and they were in number about two
thousand and five hundred souls; and they did consist of men,
women, and children.

3 Nephi 18

3 Nephi 18:1
 1 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that
they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.

3 Nephi 18:2
 2 And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the
multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.

3 Nephi 18:3
 3 And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took
of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the
disciples and commanded that they should eat.

3 Nephi 18:4
 4 And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that
they should give unto the multitude.

3 Nephi 18:5
 5 And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto
the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and
to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it
and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who
shall believe and be baptized in my name.

3 Nephi 18:6
 6 And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done,
even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.

3 Nephi 18:7
 7 And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have
shown unto you.  And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that
ye do always remember me.  And if ye do always remember me ye
shall have my Spirit to be with you.

3 Nephi 18:8
 8 And it came to pass that when he said these words, he
commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the
cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the
multitude that they might drink of it.

3 Nephi 18:9
 9 And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and
were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did
drink, and they were filled.

3 Nephi 18:10
 10 And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them:
Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is
fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father
that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you.

3 Nephi 18:11
 11 And this shall ye always do to those who repent and are
baptized in my name; and ye shall do it in remembrance of my
blood, which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the
Father that ye do always remember me.  And if ye do always
remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

3 Nephi 18:12
 12 And I give unto you a commandment that ye shall do these
things.  And if ye shall always do these things blessed are ye,
for ye are built upon my rock.

3 Nephi 18:13
 13 But whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not
built upon my rock, but are built upon a sandy foundation; and
when the rain descends, and the floods come, and the winds blow,
and beat upon them, they shall fall, and the gates of hell are
ready open to receive them.

3 Nephi 18:14
 14 Therefore blessed are ye if ye shall keep my commandments,
which the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you.

3 Nephi 18:15
 15 Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray
always, lest ye be tempted by the devil, and ye be led away
captive by him.

3 Nephi 18:16
 16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my
church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my
name.  Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

3 Nephi 18:17
 17 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words
unto his disciples, he turned again unto the multitude and said
unto them:

3 Nephi 18:18
 18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and
pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to
have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

3 Nephi 18:19
 19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;

3 Nephi 18:20
 20 And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is
right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given
unto you.

3 Nephi 18:21
 21 Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name,
that your wives and your children may be blessed.

3 Nephi 18:22
 22 And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not
forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together,
but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not;

3 Nephi 18:23
 23 But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and
if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them
unto the Father, in my name.

3 Nephi 18:24
 24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the
world.  Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up--that which
ye have seen me do.  Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the
Father, and ye all have witnessed.

3 Nephi 18:25
 25 And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go
away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that
ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and
whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led
into temptation.

3 Nephi 18:26
 26 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these
words, he turned his eyes again upon the disciples whom he had
chosen, and said unto them:

3 Nephi 18:27
 27 Behold verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you
another commandment, and then I must go unto my Father that I may
fulfil other commandments which he hath given me.

3 Nephi 18:28
 28 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto
you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my
flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it;

3 Nephi 18:29
 29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily
eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know
that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye
shall forbid him.

3 Nephi 18:30
 30 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but
ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the
Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is
baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall
minister unto him of my flesh and blood.

3 Nephi 18:31
 31 But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my
people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my
sheep, and they are numbered.

3 Nephi 18:32
 32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues,
or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to
minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent,
and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal
them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.

3 Nephi 18:33
 33 Therefore, keep these sayings which I have commanded you that
ye come not under condemnation; for wo unto him whom the Father
condemneth.

3 Nephi 18:34
 34 And I give you these commandments because of the disputations
which have been among you.  And blessed are ye if ye have no
disputations among you.

3 Nephi 18:35
 35 And now I go unto the Father, because it is expedient that I
should go unto the Father for your sakes.

3 Nephi 18:36
 36 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of these
sayings, he touched with his hand the disciples whom he had
chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake
unto them as he touched them.

3 Nephi 18:37
 37 And the multitude heard not the words which he spake,
therefore they did not bear record; but the disciples bare record
that he gave them power to give the Holy Ghost.  And I will show
unto you hereafter that this record is true.

3 Nephi 18:38
 38 And it came to pass that when Jesus had touched them all,
there came a cloud and overshadowed the multitude that they could
not see Jesus.

3 Nephi 18:39
 39 And while they were overshadowed he departed from them, and
ascended into heaven.  And the disciples saw and did bear record
that he ascended again into heaven.

3 Nephi 19

3 Nephi 19:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had ascended into
heaven, the multitude did disperse, and every man did take his
wife and his children and did return to his own home.

3 Nephi 19:2
 2 And it was noised abroad among the people immediately, before
it was yet dark, that the multitude had seen Jesus, and that he
had ministered unto them, and that he would also show himself on
the morrow unto the multitude.

3 Nephi 19:3
 3 Yea, and even all the night it was noised abroad concerning
Jesus; and insomuch did they send forth unto the people that
there were many, yea, an exceedingly great number, did labor
exceedingly all that night, that they might be on the morrow in
the place where Jesus should show himself unto the multitude.

3 Nephi 19:4
 4 And it came to pass that on the morrow, when the multitude was
gathered together, behold, Nephi and his brother whom he had
raised from the dead, whose name was Timothy, and also his son,
whose name was Jonas, and also Mathoni, and Mathonihah, his
brother, and Kumen, and Kumenonhi, and Jeremiah, and Shemnon, and
Jonas, and Zedekiah, and Isaiah--now these were the names of the
disciples whom Jesus had chosen--and it came to pass that they
went forth and stood in the midst of the multitude.

3 Nephi 19:5
 5 And behold, the multitude was so great that they did cause
that they should be separated into twelve bodies.

3 Nephi 19:6
 6 And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did
cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the
earth, and should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus.

3 Nephi 19:7
 7 And the disciples did pray unto the Father also in the name of
Jesus.  And it came to pass that they arose and ministered unto
the people.

3 Nephi 19:8
 8 And when they had ministered those same words which Jesus had
spoken--nothing varying from the words which Jesus had
spoken--behold, they knelt again and prayed to the Father in the
name of Jesus.

3 Nephi 19:9
 9 And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they
desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.

3 Nephi 19:10
 10 And when they had thus prayed they went down unto the water's
edge, and the multitude followed them.

3 Nephi 19:11
 11 And it came to pass that Nephi went down into the water and
was baptized.

3 Nephi 19:12
 12 And he came up out of the water and began to baptize.  And he
baptized all those whom Jesus had chosen.

3 Nephi 19:13
 13 And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come
up out of the water, the Holy Ghost did fall upon them, and they
were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

3 Nephi 19:14
 14 And behold, they were encircled about as if it were by fire;
and it came down from heaven, and the multitude did witness it,
and did bear record; and angels did come down out of heaven and
did minister unto them.

3 Nephi 19:15
 15 And it came to pass that while the angels were ministering
unto the disciples, behold, Jesus came and stood in the midst and
ministered unto them.

3 Nephi 19:16
 16 And it came to pass that he spake unto the multitude, and
commanded them that they should kneel down again upon the earth,
and also that his disciples should kneel down upon the earth.

3 Nephi 19:17
 17 And it came to pass that when they had all knelt down upon
the earth, he commanded his disciples that they should pray.

3 Nephi 19:18
 18 And behold, they began to pray; and they did pray unto Jesus,
calling him their Lord and their God.

3 Nephi 19:19
 19 And it came to pass that Jesus departed out of the midst of
them, and went a little way off from them and bowed himself to
the earth, and he said:

3 Nephi 19:20
 20 Father, I thank thee that thou hast given the Holy Ghost unto
these whom I have chosen; and it is because of their belief in me
that I have chosen them out of the world.

3 Nephi 19:21
 21 Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto
all them that shall believe in their words.

3 Nephi 19:22
 22 Father, thou hast given them the Holy Ghost because they
believe in me; and thou seest that they believe in me because
thou hearest them, and they pray unto me; and they pray unto me
because I am with them.

3 Nephi 19:23
 23 And now Father, I pray unto thee for them, and also for all
those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in
me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may
be one.

3 Nephi 19:24
 24 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the
Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still
continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not
multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should
pray, and they were filled with desire.

3 Nephi 19:25
 25 And it came to pass that Jesus blessed them as they did pray
unto him; and his countenance did smile upon them, and the light
of his countenance did shine upon them, and behold they were as
white as the countenance and also the garments of Jesus; and
behold the whiteness thereof did exceed all the whiteness, yea,
even there could be nothing upon earth so white as the whiteness
thereof.

3 Nephi 19:26
 26 And Jesus said unto them: Pray on; nevertheless they did not
cease to pray.

3 Nephi 19:27
 27 And he turned from them again, and went a little way off and
bowed himself to the earth; and he prayed again unto the Father,
saying:

3 Nephi 19:28
 28 Father, I thank thee that thou hast purified those whom I
have chosen, because of their faith, and I pray for them, and
also for them who shall believe on their words, that they may be
purified in me, through faith on their words, even as they are
purified in me.

3 Nephi 19:29
 29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou
hast given me out of the world, because of their faith, that they
may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art
in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.

3 Nephi 19:30
 30 And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his
disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing,
unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were
white, even as Jesus.

3 Nephi 19:31
 31 And it came to pass that he went again a little way off and
prayed unto the Father;

3 Nephi 19:32
 32 And tongue cannot speak the words which he prayed, neither
can be written by man the words which he prayed.

3 Nephi 19:33
 33 And the multitude did hear and do bear record; and their
hearts were open and they did understand in their hearts the
words which he prayed.

3 Nephi 19:34
 34 Nevertheless, so great and marvelous were the words which he
prayed that they cannot be written, neither can they be uttered
by man.

3 Nephi 19:35
 35 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of
praying he came again to the disciples, and said unto them: So
great faith have I never seen among all the Jews; wherefore I
could not show unto them so great miracles, because of their
unbelief.

3 Nephi 19:36
 36 Verily I say unto you, there are none of them that have seen
so great things as ye have seen; neither have they heard so great
things as ye have heard.

3 Nephi 20

3 Nephi 20:1
 1 And it came to pass that he commanded the multitude that they
should cease to pray, and also his disciples.  And he commanded
them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts.

3 Nephi 20:2
 2 And he commanded them that they should arise and stand up upon
their feet.  And they arose up and stood upon their feet.

3 Nephi 20:3
 3 And it came to pass that he brake bread again and blessed it,
and gave to the disciples to eat.

3 Nephi 20:4
 4 And when they had eaten he commanded them that they should
break bread, and give unto the multitude.

3 Nephi 20:5
 5 And when they had given unto the multitude he also gave them
wine to drink, and commanded them that they should give unto the
multitude.

3 Nephi 20:6
 6 Now, there had been no bread, neither wine, brought by the
disciples, neither by the multitude;

3 Nephi 20:7
 7 But he truly gave unto them bread to eat, and also wine to
drink.

3 Nephi 20:8
 8 And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of my
body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of
my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst,
but shall be filled.

3 Nephi 20:9
 9 Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they
were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice,
and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard.

3 Nephi 20:10
 10 And it came to pass that when they had all given glory unto
Jesus, he said unto them: Behold now I finish the commandment
which the Father hath commanded me concerning this people, who
are a remnant of the house of Israel.

3 Nephi 20:11
 11 Ye remember that I spake unto you, and said that when the
words of Isaiah should be fulfilled--behold they are written, ye
have them before you, therefore search them--

3 Nephi 20:12
 12 And verily, verily, I say unto you, that when they shall be
fulfilled then is the fulfilling of the covenant which the Father
hath made unto his people, O house of Israel.

3 Nephi 20:13
 13 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad
upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from
the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall
be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath
redeemed them.

3 Nephi 20:14
 14 And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you
this land, for your inheritance.

3 Nephi 20:15
 15 And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after
the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered
my people--

3 Nephi 20:16
 16 Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go
forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall
be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of
the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who,
if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and
none can deliver.

3 Nephi 20:17
 17 Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all
thine enemies shall be cut off.

3 Nephi 20:18
 18 And I will gather my people together as a man gathereth his
sheaves into the floor.

3 Nephi 20:19
 19 For I will make my people with whom the Father hath
covenanted, yea, I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy
hoofs brass.  And thou shalt beat in pieces many people; and I
will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance
unto the Lord of the whole earth.  And behold, I am he who doeth
it.

3 Nephi 20:20
 20 And it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that the sword
of my justice shall hang over them at that day; and except they
repent it shall fall upon them, saith the Father, yea, even upon
all the nations of the Gentiles.

3 Nephi 20:21
 21 And it shall come to pass that I will establish my people, O
house of Israel.

3 Nephi 20:22
 22 And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto
the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father
Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem.  And the powers of heaven
shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the
midst of you.

3 Nephi 20:23
 23 Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying: A prophet shall
the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto
me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto
you.  And it shall come to pass that every soul who will not hear
that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

3 Nephi 20:24
 24 Verily I say unto you, yea, and all the prophets from Samuel
and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have
testified of me.

3 Nephi 20:25
 25 And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are
of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the
Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy
seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

3 Nephi 20:26
 26 The Father having raised me up unto you first, and sent me to
bless you in turning away every one of you from his iniquities;
and this because ye are the children of the covenant--

3 Nephi 20:27
 27 And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the
covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall
all the kindreds of the earth be blessed--unto the pouring out of
the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon
the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the
scattering of my people, O house of Israel.

3 Nephi 20:28
 28 And they shall be a scourge unto the people of this land. 
Nevertheless, when they shall have received the fulness of my
gospel, then if they shall harden their hearts against me I will
return their iniquities upon their own heads, saith the Father.

3 Nephi 20:29
 29 And I will remember the covenant which I have made with my
people; and I have covenanted with them that I would gather them
together in mine own due time, that I would give unto them again
the land of their fathers for their inheritance, which is the
land of Jerusalem, which is the promised land unto them forever,
saith the Father.

3 Nephi 20:30
 30 And it shall come to pass that the time cometh, when the
fulness of my gospel shall be preached unto them;

3 Nephi 20:31
 31 And they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son
of God, and shall pray unto the Father in my name.

3 Nephi 20:32
 32 Then shall their watchmen lift up their voice, and with the
voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye.

3 Nephi 20:33
 33 Then will the Father gather them together again, and give
unto them Jerusalem for the land of their inheritance.

3 Nephi 20:34
 34 Then shall they break forth into joy--Sing together, ye waste
places of Jerusalem; for the Father hath comforted his people, he
hath redeemed Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 20:35
 35 The Father hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
the Father; and the Father and I are one.

3 Nephi 20:36
 36 And then shall be brought to pass that which is written:
Awake, awake again, and put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy
beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city, for henceforth
there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the
unclean.

3 Nephi 20:37
 37 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, sit down, O Jerusalem;
loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of
Zion.

3 Nephi 20:38
 38 For thus saith the Lord: Ye have sold yourselves for naught,
and ye shall be redeemed without money.

3 Nephi 20:39
 39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that my people shall know my
name; yea, in that day they shall know that I am he that doth
speak.

3 Nephi 20:40
 40 And then shall they say: How beautiful upon the mountains are
the feet of him that bringeth good tidings unto them, that
publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings unto them of good,
that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion: Thy God
reigneth!

3 Nephi 20:41
 41 And then shall a cry go forth: Depart ye, depart ye, go ye
out from thence, touch not that which is unclean; go ye out of
the midst of her; be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.

3 Nephi 20:42
 42 For ye shall not go out with haste nor go by flight; for the
Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel shall be your
rearward.

3 Nephi 20:43
 43 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently; he shall be exalted
and extolled and be very high.

3 Nephi 20:44
 44 As many were astonished at thee--his visage was so marred,
more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men--

3 Nephi 20:45
 45 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their
mouths at him, for that which had not been told them shall they
see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

3 Nephi 20:46
 46 Verily, verily, I say unto you, all these things shall surely
come, even as the Father hath commanded me.  Then shall this
covenant which the Father hath covenanted with his people be
fulfilled; and then shall Jerusalem be inhabited again with my
people, and it shall be the land of their inheritance.

3 Nephi 21

3 Nephi 21:1
 1 And verily I say unto you, I give unto you a sign, that ye may
know the time when these things shall be about to take
place--that I shall gather in, from their long dispersion, my
people, O house of Israel, and shall establish again among them
my Zion;

3 Nephi 21:2
 2 And behold, this is the thing which I will give unto you for a
sign--for verily I say unto you that when these things which I
declare unto you, and which I shall declare unto you hereafter of
myself, and by the power of the Holy Ghost which shall be given
unto you of the Father, shall be made known unto the Gentiles
that they may know concerning this people who are a remnant of
the house of Jacob, and concerning this my people who shall be
scattered by them;

3 Nephi 21:3
 3 Verily, verily, I say unto you, when these things shall be
made known unto them of the Father, and shall come forth of the
Father, from them unto you;

3 Nephi 21:4
 4 For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established
in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the
Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a
remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be
fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people, O house of
Israel;

3 Nephi 21:5
 5 Therefore, when these works and the works which shall be
wrought among you hereafter shall come forth from the Gentiles,
unto your seed which shall dwindle in unbelief because of
iniquity;

3 Nephi 21:6
 6 For thus it behooveth the Father that it should come forth
from the Gentiles, that he may show forth his power unto the
Gentiles, for this cause that the Gentiles, if they will not
harden their hearts, that they may repent and come unto me and be
baptized in my name and know of the true points of my doctrine,
that they may be numbered among my people, O house of Israel;

3 Nephi 21:7
 7 And when these things come to pass that thy seed shall begin
to know these things--it shall be a sign unto them, that they may
know that the work of the Father hath already commenced unto the
fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the people who
are of the house of Israel.

3 Nephi 21:8
 8 And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings
shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them
shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they
consider.

3 Nephi 21:9
 9 For in that day, for my sake shall the Father work a work,
which shall be a great and a marvelous work among them; and there
shall be among them those who will not believe it, although a man
shall declare it unto them.

3 Nephi 21:10
 10 But behold, the life of my servant shall be in my hand;
therefore they shall not hurt him, although he shall be marred
because of them.  Yet I will heal him, for I will show unto them
that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

3 Nephi 21:11
 11 Therefore it shall come to pass that whosoever will not
believe in my words, who am Jesus Christ, which the Father shall
cause him to bring forth unto the Gentiles, and shall give unto
him power that he shall bring them forth unto the Gentiles, (it
shall be done even as Moses said) they shall be cut off from
among my people who are of the covenant.

3 Nephi 21:12
 12 And my people who are a remnant of Jacob shall be among the
Gentiles, yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of
the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he
go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can
deliver.

3 Nephi 21:13
 13 Their hand shall be lifted up upon their adversaries, and all
their enemies shall be cut off.

3 Nephi 21:14
 14 Yea, wo be unto the Gentiles except they repent; for it shall
come to pass in that day, saith the Father, that I will cut off
thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy
chariots;

3 Nephi 21:15
 15 And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all
thy strongholds;

3 Nephi 21:16
 16 And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thy land, and thou
shalt have no more soothsayers;

3 Nephi 21:17
 17 Thy graven images I will also cut off, and thy standing
images out of the midst of thee, and thou shalt no more worship
the works of thy hands;

3 Nephi 21:18
 18 And I will pluck up thy groves out of the midst of thee; so
will I destroy thy cities.

3 Nephi 21:19
 19 And it shall come to pass that all lyings, and deceivings,
and envyings, and strifes, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, shall
be done away.

3 Nephi 21:20
 20 For it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that at that day
whosoever will not repent and come unto my Beloved Son, them will
I cut off from among my people, O house of Israel;

3 Nephi 21:21
 21 And I will execute vengeance and fury upon them, even as upon
the heathen, such as they have not heard.

3 Nephi 21:22
 22 But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden
not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they
shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the
remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their
inheritance;

3 Nephi 21:23
 23 And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and
also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may
build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 21:24
 24 And then shall they assist my people that they may be
gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in
unto the New Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 21:25
 25 And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and
I also will be in the midst.

3 Nephi 21:26
 26 And then shall the work of the Father commence at that day,
even when this gospel shall be preached among the remnant of this
people.  Verily I say unto you, at that day shall the work of the
Father commence among all the dispersed of my people, yea, even
the tribes which have been lost, which the Father hath led away
out of Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 21:27
 27 Yea, the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my
people, with the Father to prepare the way whereby they may come
unto me, that they may call on the Father in my name.

3 Nephi 21:28
 28 Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father among
all nations in preparing the way whereby his people may be
gathered home to the land of their inheritance.

3 Nephi 21:29
 29 And they shall go out from all nations; and they shall not go
out in haste, nor go by flight, for I will go before them, saith
the Father, and I will be their rearward.

3 Nephi 22

3 Nephi 22:1
 1 And then shall that which is written come to pass: Sing, O
barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and
cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child; for more are
the children of the desolate than the children of the married
wife, saith the Lord.

3 Nephi 22:2
 2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the
curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and
strengthen thy stakes;

3 Nephi 22:3
 3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left,
and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate
cities to be inhabited.

3 Nephi 22:4
 4 Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou
confounded, for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt
forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the
reproach of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy
widowhood any more.

3 Nephi 22:5
 5 For thy maker, thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name; and
thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel--the God of the whole earth
shall he be called.

3 Nephi 22:6
 6 For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved
in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy
God.

3 Nephi 22:7
 7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great
mercies will I gather thee.

3 Nephi 22:8
 8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but
with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the
Lord thy Redeemer.

3 Nephi 22:9
 9 For this, the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have sworn that
the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so have I
sworn that I would not be wroth with thee.

3 Nephi 22:10
 10 For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but
my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the
covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy
on thee.

3 Nephi 22:11
 11 O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! 
Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy
foundations with sapphires.

3 Nephi 22:12
 12 And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of
carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.

3 Nephi 22:13
 13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great
shall be the peace of thy children.

3 Nephi 22:14
 14 In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far
from oppression for thou shalt not fear, and from terror for it
shall not come near thee.

3 Nephi 22:15
 15 Behold, they shall surely gather together against thee, not
by me; whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall
for thy sake.

3 Nephi 22:16
 16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in
the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and
I have created the waster to destroy.

3 Nephi 22:17
 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and
every tongue that shall revile against thee in judgment thou
shalt condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.

3 Nephi 23

3 Nephi 23:1
 1 And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these
things.  Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these
things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah.

3 Nephi 23:2
 2 For surely he spake as touching all things concerning my
people which are of the house of Israel; therefore it must needs
be that he must speak also to the Gentiles.

3 Nephi 23:3
 3 And all things that he spake have been and shall be, even
according to the words which he spake.

3 Nephi 23:4
 4 Therefore give heed to my words; write the things which I have
told you; and according to the time and the will of the Father
they shall go forth unto the Gentiles.

3 Nephi 23:5
 5 And whosoever will hearken unto my words and repenteth and is
baptized, the same shall be saved.  Search the prophets, for many
there be that testify of these things.

3 Nephi 23:6
 6 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words
he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the
scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them:
Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye
have not.

3 Nephi 23:7
 7 And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the
record which ye have kept.

3 Nephi 23:8
 8 And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them
before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:

3 Nephi 23:9
 9 Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the
Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the
day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were
many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear
unto many, and should minister unto them.  And he said unto them:
Was it not so?

3 Nephi 23:10
 10 And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, Samuel
did prophesy according to thy words, and they were all fulfilled.

3 Nephi 23:11
 11 And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written
this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and
did minister unto them?

3 Nephi 23:12
 12 And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had
not been written.

3 Nephi 23:13
 13 And it came to pass that Jesus commanded that it should be
written; therefore it was written according as he commanded.

3 Nephi 23:14
 14 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had expounded all the
scriptures in one, which they had written, he commanded them that
they should teach the things which he had expounded unto them.

3 Nephi 24

3 Nephi 24:1
 1 And it came to pass that he commanded them that they should
write the words which the Father had given unto Malachi, which he
should tell unto them.  And it came to pass that after they were
written he expounded them.  And these are the words which he did
tell unto them, saying: Thus said the Father unto
Malachi--Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare
the way before me, and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come
to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye
delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

3 Nephi 24:2
 2 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand
when he appeareth?  For he is like a refiner's fire, and like
fuller's soap.

3 Nephi 24:3
 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he
shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

3 Nephi 24:4
 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant
unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.

3 Nephi 24:5
 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift
witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and
against false swearers, and against those that oppress the
hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that
turn aside the stranger, and fear not me, saith the Lord of
Hosts.

3 Nephi 24:6
 6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob
are not consumed.

3 Nephi 24:7
 7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine
ordinances, and have not kept them.  Return unto me and I will
return unto you, saith the Lord of Hosts.  But ye say: Wherein
shall we return?

3 Nephi 24:8
 8 Will a man rob God?  Yet ye have robbed me.  But ye say:
Wherein have we robbed thee?  In tithes and offerings.

3 Nephi 24:9
 9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this
whole nation.

3 Nephi 24:10
 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may
be meat in my house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of
Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you
out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

3 Nephi 24:11
 11 And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall
not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine
cast her fruit before the time in the fields, saith the Lord of
Hosts.

3 Nephi 24:12
 12 And all nations shall call you blessed, for ye shall be a
delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts.

3 Nephi 24:13
 13 Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord.  Yet
ye say: What have we spoken against thee?

3 Nephi 24:14
 14 Ye have said: It is vain to serve God, and what doth it
profit that we have kept his ordinances and that we have walked
mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?

3 Nephi 24:15
 15 And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work
wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even
delivered.

3 Nephi 24:16
 16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another,
and the Lord hearkened and heard; and a book of remembrance was
written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that
thought upon his name.

3 Nephi 24:17
 17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day
when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth
his own son that serveth him.

3 Nephi 24:18
 18 Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and
the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him
not.

3 Nephi 25

3 Nephi 25:1
 1 For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all
the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and
the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

3 Nephi 25:2
 2 But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness
arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow
up as calves in the stall.

3 Nephi 25:3
 3 And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes
under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this,
saith the Lord of Hosts.

3 Nephi 25:4
 4 Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded
unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and
judgments.

3 Nephi 25:5
 5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;

3 Nephi 25:6
 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children,
and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and
smite the earth with a curse.

3 Nephi 26

3 Nephi 26:1
 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had told these things
he expounded them unto the multitude; and he did expound all
things unto them, both great and small.

3 Nephi 26:2
 2 And he saith: These scriptures, which ye had not with you, the
Father commanded that I should give unto you; for it was wisdom
in him that they should be given unto future generations.

3 Nephi 26:3
 3 And he did expound all things, even from the beginning until
the time that he should come in his glory--yea, even all things
which should come upon the face of the earth, even until the
elements should melt with fervent heat, and the earth should be
wrapt together as a scroll, and the heavens and the earth should
pass away;

3 Nephi 26:4
 4 And even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all
kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to
be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be
evil--

3 Nephi 26:5
 5 If they be good, to the resurrection of everlasting life; and
if they be evil, to the resurrection of damnation; being on a
parallel, the one on the one hand and the other on the other
hand, according to the mercy, and the justice, and the holiness
which is in Christ, who was before the world began.

3 Nephi 26:6
 6 And now there cannot be written in this book even a hundredth
part of the things which Jesus did truly teach unto the people;

3 Nephi 26:7
 7 But behold the plates of Nephi do contain the more part of the
things which he taught the people.

3 Nephi 26:8
 8 And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of
the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to
the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from
the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.

3 Nephi 26:9
 9 And when they shall have received this, which is expedient
that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall
so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater
things be made manifest unto them.

3 Nephi 26:10
 10 And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then
shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their
condemnation.

3 Nephi 26:11
 11 Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven
upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will
try the faith of my people.

3 Nephi 26:12
 12 Therefore I, Mormon, do write the things which have been
commanded me of the Lord.  And now I, Mormon, make an end of my
sayings, and proceed to write the things which have been
commanded me.

3 Nephi 26:13
 13 Therefore, I would that ye should behold that the Lord truly
did teach the people, for the space of three days; and after that
he did show himself unto them oft, and did break bread oft, and
bless it, and give it unto them.

3 Nephi 26:14
 14 And it came to pass that he did teach and minister unto the
children of the multitude of whom hath been spoken, and he did
loose their tongues, and they did speak unto their fathers great
and marvelous things, even greater than he had revealed unto the
people; and he loosed their tongues that they could utter.

3 Nephi 26:15
 15 And it came to pass that after he had ascended into
heaven--the second time that he showed himself unto them, and had
gone unto the Father, after having healed all their sick, and
their lame, and opened the eyes of their blind and unstopped the
ears of the deaf, and even had done all manner of cures among
them, and raised a man from the dead, and had shown forth his
power unto them, and had ascended unto the Father--

3 Nephi 26:16
 16 Behold, it came to pass on the morrow that the multitude
gathered themselves together, and they both saw and heard these
children; yea, even babes did open their mouths and utter
marvelous things; and the things which they did utter were
forbidden that there should not any man write them.

3 Nephi 26:17
 17 And it came to pass that the disciples whom Jesus had chosen
began from that time forth to baptize and to teach as many as did
come unto them; and as many as were baptized in the name of Jesus
were filled with the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 26:18
 18 And many of them saw and heard unspeakable things, which are
not lawful to be written.

3 Nephi 26:19
 19 And they taught, and did minister one to another; and they
had all things common among them, every man dealing justly, one
with another.

3 Nephi 26:20
 20 And it came to pass that they did do all things even as Jesus
had commanded them.

3 Nephi 26:21
 21 And they who were baptized in the name of Jesus were called
the church of Christ.

3 Nephi 27

3 Nephi 27:1
 1 And it came to pass that as the disciples of Jesus were
journeying and were preaching the things which they had both
heard and seen, and were baptizing in the name of Jesus, it came
to pass that the disciples were gathered together and were united
in mighty prayer and fasting.

3 Nephi 27:2
 2 And Jesus again showed himself unto them, for they were
praying unto the Father in his name; and Jesus came and stood in
the midst of them, and said unto them: What will ye that I shall
give unto you?

3 Nephi 27:3
 3 And they said unto him: Lord, we will that thou wouldst tell
us the name whereby we shall call this church; for there are
disputations among the people concerning this matter.

3 Nephi 27:4
 4 And the Lord said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you,
why is it that the people should murmur and dispute because of
this thing?

3 Nephi 27:5
 5 Have they not read the scriptures, which say ye must take upon
you the name of Christ, which is my name?  For by this name shall
ye be called at the last day;

3 Nephi 27:6
 6 And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end,
the same shall be saved at the last day.

3 Nephi 27:7
 7 Therefore, whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name;
therefore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call
upon the Father in my name that he will bless the church for my
sake.

3 Nephi 27:8
 8 And how be it my church save it be called in my name?  For if
a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if
it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man;
but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so be
that they are built upon my gospel.

3 Nephi 27:9
 9 Verily I say unto you, that ye are built upon my gospel;
therefore ye shall call whatsoever things ye do call, in my name;
therefore if ye call upon the Father, for the church, if it be in
my name the Father will hear you;

3 Nephi 27:10
 10 And if it so be that the church is built upon my gospel then
will the Father show forth his own works in it.

3 Nephi 27:11
 11 But if it be not built upon my gospel, and is built upon the
works of men, or upon the works of the devil, verily I say unto
you they have joy in their works for a season, and by and by the
end cometh, and they are hewn down and cast into the fire, from
whence there is no return.

3 Nephi 27:12
 12 For their works do follow them, for it is because of their
works that they are hewn down; therefore remember the things that
I have told you.

3 Nephi 27:13
 13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the
gospel which I have given unto you--that I came into the world to
do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

3 Nephi 27:14
 14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the
cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I
might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men
even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before
me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether
they be evil--

3 Nephi 27:15
 15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore,
according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me,
that they may be judged according to their works.

3 Nephi 27:16
 16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is
baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the
end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that
day when I shall stand to judge the world.

3 Nephi 27:17
 17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is
also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no
more return, because of the justice of the Father.

3 Nephi 27:18
 18 And this is the word which he hath given unto the children of
men.  And for this cause he fulfilleth the words which he hath
given, and he lieth not, but fulfilleth all his words.

3 Nephi 27:19
 19 And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore
nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed
their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the
repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the
end.

3 Nephi 27:20
 20 Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the
earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may
be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may
stand spotless before me at the last day.

3 Nephi 27:21
 21 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye
know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which
ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have
seen me do even that shall ye do;

3 Nephi 27:22
 22 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall
be lifted up at the last day.

3 Nephi 27:23
 23 Write the things which ye have seen and heard, save it be
those which are forbidden.

3 Nephi 27:24
 24 Write the works of this people, which shall be, even as hath
been written, of that which hath been.

3 Nephi 27:25
 25 For behold, out of the books which have been written, and
which shall be written, shall this people be judged, for by them
shall their works be known unto men.

3 Nephi 27:26
 26 And behold, all things are written by the Father; therefore
out of the books which shall be written shall the world be
judged.

3 Nephi 27:27
 27 And know ye that ye shall be judges of this people, according
to the judgment which I shall give unto you, which shall be just.

Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?  Verily I say unto
you, even as I am.

3 Nephi 27:28
 28 And now I go unto the Father.  And verily I say unto you,
whatsoever things ye shall ask the Father in my name shall be
given unto you.

3 Nephi 27:29
 29 Therefore, ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be
opened unto you; for he that asketh, receiveth; and unto him that
knocketh, it shall be opened.

3 Nephi 27:30
 30 And now, behold, my joy is great, even unto fulness, because
of you, and also this generation; yea, and even the Father
rejoiceth, and also all the holy angels, because of you and this
generation; for none of them are lost.

3 Nephi 27:31
 31 Behold, I would that ye should understand; for I mean them
who are now alive of this generation; and none of them are lost;
and in them I have fulness of joy.

3 Nephi 27:32
 32 But behold, it sorroweth me because of the fourth generation
from this generation, for they are led away captive by him even
as was the son of perdition; for they will sell me for silver and
for gold, and for that which moth doth corrupt and which thieves
can break through and steal.  And in that day will I visit them,
even in turning their works upon their own heads.

3 Nephi 27:33
 33 And it came to pass that when Jesus had ended these sayings
he said unto his disciples: Enter ye in at the strait gate; for
strait is the gate, and narrow is the way that leads to life, and
few there be that find it; but wide is the gate, and broad the
way which leads to death, and many there be that travel therein,
until the night cometh, wherein no man can work.

3 Nephi 28

3 Nephi 28:1
 1 And it came to pass when Jesus had said these words, he spake
unto his disciples, one by one, saying unto them: What is it that
ye desire of me, after that I am gone to the Father?

3 Nephi 28:2
 2 And they all spake, save it were three, saying: We desire that
after we have lived unto the age of man, that our ministry,
wherein thou hast called us, may have an end, that we may
speedily come unto thee in thy kingdom.

3 Nephi 28:3
 3 And he said unto them: Blessed are ye because ye desired this
thing of me; therefore, after that ye are seventy and two years
old ye shall come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall
find rest.

3 Nephi 28:4
 4 And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the
three, and said unto them: What will ye that I should do unto
you, when I am gone unto the Father?

3 Nephi 28:5
 5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak
unto him the things which they desired.

3 Nephi 28:6
 6 And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye
have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in
my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of
me.

3 Nephi 28:7
 7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of
death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father
unto the children of men, even until all things shall be
fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come
in my glory with the powers of heaven.

3 Nephi 28:8
 8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall
come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye
from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in
the kingdom of my Father.

3 Nephi 28:9
 9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the
flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and
all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of
me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto
me, while the world shall stand.

3 Nephi 28:10
 10 And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall
sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be
full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye
shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the
Father and I are one;

3 Nephi 28:11
 11 And the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and
the Father giveth the Holy Ghost unto the children of men,
because of me.

3 Nephi 28:12
 12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words,
he touched every one of them with his finger save it were the
three who were to tarry, and then he departed.

3 Nephi 28:13
 13 And behold, the heavens were opened, and they were caught up
into heaven, and saw and heard unspeakable things.

3 Nephi 28:14
 14 And it was forbidden them that they should utter; neither was
it given unto them power that they could utter the things which
they saw and heard;

3 Nephi 28:15
 15 And whether they were in the body or out of the body, they
could not tell; for it did seem unto them like a transfiguration
of them, that they were changed from this body of flesh into an
immortal state, that they could behold the things of God.

3 Nephi 28:16
 16 But it came to pass that they did again minister upon the
face of the earth; nevertheless they did not minister of the
things which they had heard and seen, because of the commandment
which was given them in heaven.

3 Nephi 28:17
 17 And now, whether they were mortal or immortal, from the day
of their transfiguration, I know not;

3 Nephi 28:18
 18 But this much I know, according to the record which hath been
given--they did go forth upon the face of the land, and did
minister unto all the people, uniting as many to the church as
would believe in their preaching; baptizing them, and as many as
were baptized did receive the Holy Ghost.

3 Nephi 28:19
 19 And they were cast into prison by them who did not belong to
the church. And the prisons could not hold them, for they were
rent in twain.

3 Nephi 28:20
 20 And they were cast down into the earth; but they did smite
the earth with the word of God, insomuch that by his power they
were delivered out of the depths of the earth; and therefore they
could not dig pits sufficient to hold them.

3 Nephi 28:21
 21 And thrice they were cast into a furnace and received no
hard.

3 Nephi 28:22
 22 And twice were they cast into a den of wild beasts; and
behold they did play with the beasts as a child with a suckling
lamb, and received no harm.

3 Nephi 28:23
 23 And it came to pass that thus they did go forth among all the
people of Nephi, and did preach the gospel of Christ unto all
people upon the face of the land; and they were converted unto
the Lord, and were united unto the church of Christ, and thus the
people of that generation were blessed, according to the word of
Jesus.

3 Nephi 28:24
 24 And now I, Mormon, make an end of speaking concerning these
things for a time.

3 Nephi 28:25
 25 Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were
never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write
them not, for they are hid from the world.

3 Nephi 28:26
 26 But behold, I have seen them, and they have ministered unto
me.

3 Nephi 28:27
 27 And behold they will be among the Gentiles, and the Gentiles
shall know them not.

3 Nephi 28:28
 28 They will also be among the Jews, and the Jews shall know
them not.

3 Nephi 28:29
 29 And it shall come to pass, when the Lord seeth fit in his
wisdom that they shall minister unto all the scattered tribes of
Israel, and unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and
shall bring out of them unto Jesus many souls, that their desire
may be fulfilled, and also because of the convincing power of God
which is in them.

3 Nephi 28:30
 30 And they are as the angels of God, and if they shall pray
unto the Father in the name of Jesus they can show themselves
unto whatsoever man it seemeth them good.

3 Nephi 28:31
 31 Therefore, great and marvelous works shall be wrought by
them, before the great and coming day when all people must surely
stand before the judgment-seat of Christ;

3 Nephi 28:32
 32 Yea even among the Gentiles shall there be a great and
marvelous work wrought by them, before that judgment day.

3 Nephi 28:33
 33 And if ye had all the scriptures which give an account of all
the marvelous works of Christ, ye would, according to the words
of Christ, know that these things must surely come.

3 Nephi 28:34
 34 And wo be unto him that will not hearken unto the words of
Jesus, and also to them whom he hath chosen and sent among them;
for whoso receiveth not the words of Jesus and the words of those
whom he hath sent receiveth not him; and therefore he will not
receive them at the last day;

3 Nephi 28:35
 35 And it would be better for them if they had not been born.
For do ye suppose that ye can get rid of the justice of an
offended God, who hath been trampled under feet of men, that
thereby salvation might come?

3 Nephi 28:36
 36 And now behold, as I spake concerning those whom the Lord
hath chosen, yea, even three who were caught up into the heavens,
that I knew not whether they were cleansed from mortality to
immortality--

3 Nephi 28:37
 37 But behold, since I wrote, I have inquired of the Lord, and
he hath made it manifest unto me that there must needs be a
change wrought upon their bodies, or else it needs be that they
must taste of death;

3 Nephi 28:38
 38 Therefore, that they might not taste of death there was a
change wrought upon their bodies, that they might not suffer pain
nor sorrow save it were for the sins of the world.

3 Nephi 28:39
 39 Now this change was not equal to that which shall take place
at the last day; but there was a change wrought upon them,
insomuch that Satan could have no power over them, that he could
not tempt them; and they were sanctified in the flesh, that they
were holy, and that the powers of the earth could not hold them.
3 Nephi 28:40
 40 And in this state they were to remain until the judgment day
of Christ; and at that day they were to receive a greater change,
and to be received into the kingdom of the Father to go no more
out, but to dwell eternally in the heavens.

3 Nephi 29

3 Nephi 29:1
 1 And now behold, I say unto you that when the Lord shall see
fit, in his wisdom, that these sayings shall come unto the
Gentiles according to his word, then ye may know that the
covenant which the Father hath made with the children of Israel,
concerning their restoration to the lands of their inheritance,
is already beginning to be fulfilled.

3 Nephi 29:2
 2 And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been
spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled; and ye need
not say that the Lord delays his coming unto the children of
Israel.

3 Nephi 29:3
 3 And ye need not imagine in your hearts that the words which
have been spoken are vain, for behold, the Lord will remember his
covenant which he hath made unto his people of the house of
Israel.

3 Nephi 29:4
 4 And when ye shall see these sayings coming forth among you,
then ye need not any longer spurn at the doings of the Lord, for
the sword of his justice is in his right hand; and behold, at
that day, if ye shall spurn at his doings he will cause that it
shall soon overtake you.

3 Nephi 29:5
 5 Wo unto him that spurneth at the doings of the Lord; yea, wo
unto him that shall deny the Christ and his works!

3 Nephi 29:6
 6 Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord,
and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or
by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by
the power of the Holy Ghost!

3 Nephi 29:7
 7 Yea, and wo unto him that shall say at that day, to get gain,
that there can be no miracle wrought by Jesus Christ; for he that
doeth this shall become like unto the son of perdition, for whom
there was no mercy, according to the word of Christ!

3 Nephi 29:8
 8 Yea, and ye need not any longer hiss, nor spurn, nor make game
of the Jews, nor any of the remnant of the house of Israel; for
behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will
do unto them according to that which he hath sworn.

3 Nephi 29:9
 9 Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand
of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto
the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house
of Israel.

3 Nephi 30

3 Nephi 30:1
 1 Hearken, O ye Gentiles, and hear the words of Jesus Christ,
the Son of the living God, which he hath commanded me that I
should speak concerning you, for, behold he commandeth me that I
should write, saying:

3 Nephi 30:2
 2 Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of
your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your
whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries,
and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings,
and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations,
and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive
a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that
ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.

4 Nephi 1
FOURTH NEPHI
THE BOOK OF NEPHI
WHO IS THE SON OF NEPHI--ONE OF THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST
An account of the people of Nephi, according to his record.

4 Nephi 1:1
 1 And it came to pass that the thirty and fourth year passed
away, and also the thirty and fifth, and behold the disciples of
Jesus had formed a church of Christ in all the lands round about.

And as many as did come unto them, and did truly repent of their
sins, were baptized in the name of Jesus; and they did also
receive the Holy Ghost.

4 Nephi 1:2
 2 And it came to pass in the thirty and sixth year, the people
were all converted unto the Lord, upon all the face of the land,
both Nephites and Lamanites, and there were no contentions and
disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with
another.

4 Nephi 1:3
 3 And they had all things common among them; therefore there
were not rich and poor, bond and free, but they were all made
free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.

4 Nephi 1:4
 4 And it came to pass that the thirty and seventh year passed
away also, and there still continued to be peace in the land.

4 Nephi 1:5
 5 And there were great and marvelous works wrought by the
disciples of Jesus, insomuch that they did heal the sick, and
raise the dead, and cause the lame to walk, and the blind to
receive their sight, and the deaf to hear; and all manner of
miracles did they work among the children of men; and in nothing
did they work miracles save it were in the name of Jesus.

4 Nephi 1:6
 6 And thus did the thirty and eighth year pass away, and also
the thirty and ninth, and forty and first, and the forty and
second, yea, even until forty and nine years had passed away, and
also the fifty and first, and the fifty and second; yea, and even
until fifty and nine years had passed away.

4 Nephi 1:7
 7 And the Lord did prosper them exceedingly in the land; yea,
insomuch that they did build cities again where there had been
cities burned.

4 Nephi 1:8
 8 Yea, even that great city Zarahemla did they cause to be built
again.

4 Nephi 1:9
 9 But there were many cities which had been sunk, and waters
came up in the stead thereof; therefore these cities could not be
renewed.

4 Nephi 1:10
 10 And now, behold, it came to pass that the people of Nephi did
wax strong, and did multiply exceedingly fast, and became an
exceedingly fair and delightsome people.

4 Nephi 1:11
 11 And they were married, and given in marriage, and were
blessed according to the multitude of the promises which the Lord
had made unto them.

4 Nephi 1:12
 12 And they did not walk any more after the performances and
ordinances of the law of Moses; but they did walk after the
commandments which they had received from their Lord and their
God, continuing in fasting and prayer, and in meeting together
oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.

4 Nephi 1:13
 13 And it came to pass that there was no contention among all
the people, in all the land; but there were mighty miracles
wrought among the disciples of Jesus.

4 Nephi 1:14
 14 And it came to pass that the seventy and first year passed
away, and also the seventy and second year, yea, and in fine,
till the seventy and ninth year had passed away; yea, even an
hundred years had passed away, and the disciples of Jesus, whom
he had chosen, had all gone to the paradise of God, save it were
the three who should tarry; and there were other disciples
ordained in their stead; and also many of that generation had
passed away.

4 Nephi 1:15
 15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land,
because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the
people.

4 Nephi 1:16
 16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor
whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of
lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people
among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.

4 Nephi 1:17
 17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there
Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the
children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.

4 Nephi 1:18
 18 And how blessed were they!  For the Lord did bless them in
all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until
an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first
generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no
contention in all the land.

4 Nephi 1:19
 19 And it came to pass that Nephi, he that kept this last
record, (and he kept it upon the plates of Nephi) died, and his
son Amos kept it in his stead; and he kept it upon the plates of
Nephi also.

4 Nephi 1:20
 20 And he kept it eighty and four years, and there was still
peace in the land, save it were a small part of the people who
had revolted from the church and taken upon them the name of
Lamanites; therefore there began to be Lamanites again in the
land.

4 Nephi 1:21
 21 And it came to pass that Amos died also, (and it was an
hundred and ninety and four years from the coming of Christ) and
his son Amos kept the record in his stead; and he also kept it
upon the plates of Nephi; and it was also written in the book of
Nephi, which is this book.

4 Nephi 1:22
 22 And it came to pass that two hundred years had passed away;
and the second generation had all passed away save it were a few.

4 Nephi 1:23
 23 And now I, Mormon, would that ye should know that the people
had multiplied, insomuch that they were spread upon all the face
of the land, and that they had become exceedingly rich, because
of their prosperity in Christ.

4 Nephi 1:24
 24 And now, in this two hundred and first year there began to be
among them those who were lifted up in pride, such as the wearing
of costly apparel, and all manner of fine pearls, and of the fine
things of the world.

4 Nephi 1:25
 25 And from that time forth they did have their goods and their
substance no more common among them.

4 Nephi 1:26
 26 And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to
build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny
the true church of Christ.

4 Nephi 1:27
 27 And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had
passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were
many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they
did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did
receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which
was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of
unworthiness.

4 Nephi 1:28
 28 And this church did multiply exceedingly because of iniquity,
and because of the power of Satan who did get hold upon their
hearts.

4 Nephi 1:29
 29 And again, there was another church which denied the Christ;
and they did persecute the true church of Christ, because of
their humility and their belief in Christ; and they did despise
them because of the many miracles which were wrought among them.

4 Nephi 1:30
 30 Therefore they did exercise power and authority over the
disciples of Jesus who did tarry with them, and they did cast
them into prison; but by the power of the word of God, which was
in them, the prisons were rent in twain, and they went forth
doing mighty miracles among them.

4 Nephi 1:31
 31 Nevertheless, and notwithstanding all these miracles, the
people did harden their hearts, and did seek to kill them, even
as the Jews at Jerusalem sought to kill Jesus, according to his
word.

4 Nephi 1:32
 32 And they did cast them into furnaces of fire, and they came
forth receiving no harm.

4 Nephi 1:33
 33 And they also cast them into dens of wild beasts, and they
did play with the wild beasts even as a child with a lamb; and
they did come forth from among them, receiving no harm.

4 Nephi 1:34
 34 Nevertheless, the people did harden their hearts, for they
were led by many priests and false prophets to build up many
churches, and to do all manner of iniquity.  And they did smite
upon the people of Jesus; but the people of Jesus did not smite
again.  And thus they did dwindle in unbelief and wickedness,
from year to year, even until two hundred and thirty years had
passed away.

4 Nephi 1:35
 35 And now it came to pass in this year, yea, in the two hundred
and thirty and first year, there was a great division among the
people.

4 Nephi 1:36
 36 And it came to pass that in this year there arose a people
who were called the Nephites, and they were true believers in
Christ; and among them there were those who were called by the
Lamanites--Jacobites, and Josephites, and Zoramites;

4 Nephi 1:37
 37 Therefore the true believers in Christ, and the true
worshipers of Christ, (among whom were the three disciples of
Jesus who should tarry) were called Nephites, and Jacobites, and
Josephites, and Zoramites.

4 Nephi 1:38
 38 And it came to pass that they who rejected the gospel were
called Lamanites, and Lemuelites, and Ishmaelites; and they did
not dwindle in unbelief, but they did wilfully rebel against the
gospel of Christ; and they did teach their children that they
should not believe, even as their fathers, from the beginning,
did dwindle.

4 Nephi 1:39
 39 And it was because of the wickedness and abomination of their
fathers, even as it was in the beginning.  And they were taught
to hate the children of God, even as the Lamanites were taught to
hate the children of Nephi from the beginning.

4 Nephi 1:40
 40 And it came to pass that two hundred and forty and four years
had passed away, and thus were the affairs of the people.  And
the more wicked part of the people did wax strong, and became
exceedingly more numerous than were the people of God.

4 Nephi 1:41
 41 And they did still continue to build up churches unto
themselves, and adorn them with all manner of precious things. 
And thus did two hundred and fifty years pass away, and also two
hundred and sixty years.

4 Nephi 1:42
 42 And it came to pass that the wicked part of the people began
again to build up the secret oaths and combinations of Gadianton.

4 Nephi 1:43
 43 And also the people who were called the people of Nephi began
to be proud in their hearts, because of their exceeding riches,
and become vain like unto their brethren, the Lamanites.

4 Nephi 1:44
 44 And from this time the disciples began to sorrow for the sins
of the world.

4 Nephi 1:45
 45 And it came to pass that when three hundred years had passed
away, both the people of Nephi and the Lamanites had become
exceedingly wicked one like unto another.

4 Nephi 1:46
 46 And it came to pass that the robbers of Gadianton did spread
over all the face of the land; and there were none that were
righteous save it were the disciples of Jesus.  And gold and
silver did they lay up in store in abundance, and did traffic in
all manner of traffic.

4 Nephi 1:47
 47 And it came to pass that after three hundred and five years
had passed away, (and the people did still remain in wickedness)
Amos died; and his brother, Ammaron, did keep the record in his
stead.

4 Nephi 1:48
 48 And it came to pass that when three hundred and twenty years
had passed away, Ammaron, being constrained by the Holy Ghost,
did hide up the records which were sacred--yea, even all the
sacred records which had been handed down from generation to
generation, which were sacred--even until the three hundred and
twentieth year from the coming of Christ.

4 Nephi 1:49
 49 And he did hide them up unto the Lord that they might come
again unto the remnant of the house of Jacob according to the
prophecies and the promises of the Lord.  And thus is the end of
the record of Ammaron.

Mormon
THE BOOK OF MORMON

Mormon 1

Mormon 1:1
 1 And now I, Mormon, make a record of the things which I have
both seen and heard, and call it the Book of Mormon.

Mormon 1:2
 2 And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the
Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I
began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of
my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a
sober child, and art quick to observe;

Mormon 1:3
 3 Therefore, when ye are about twenty and four years old I would
that ye should remember the things that ye have observed
concerning this people; and when ye are of that age go to the
land Antum, unto a hill which shall be called Shim; and there
have I deposited unto the Lord all the sacred engravings
concerning this people.

Mormon 1:4
 4 And behold, ye shall take the plates of Nephi unto yourself,
and the remainder shall ye leave in the place where they are; and
ye shall engrave on the plates of Nephi all the things that ye
have observed concerning this people.

Mormon 1:5
 5 And I, Mormon, being a descendant of Nephi, (and my father's
name was Mormon) I remembered the things which Ammaron commanded
me.

Mormon 1:6
 6 And it came to pass that I, being eleven years old, was
carried by my father into the land southward, even to the land of
Zarahemla.

Mormon 1:7
 7 The whole face of the land had become covered with buildings,
and the people were as numerous almost, as it were the sand of
the sea.

Mormon 1:8
 8 And it came to pass in this year there began to be a war
between the Nephites, who consisted of the Nephites and the
Jacobites and the Josephites and the Zoramites; and this war was
between the Nephites, and the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and
the Ishmaelites.

Mormon 1:9
 9 Now the Lamanites and the Lemuelites and the Ishmaelites were
called Lamanites, and the two parties were Nephites and
Lamanites.

Mormon 1:10
 10 And it came to pass that the war began to be among them in
the borders of Zarahemla, by the waters of Sidon.

Mormon 1:11
 11 And it came to pass that the Nephites had gathered together a
great number of men, even to exceed the number of thirty
thousand.  And it came to pass that they did have in this same
year a number of battles, in which the Nephites did beat the
Lamanites and did slay many of them.

Mormon 1:12
 12 And it came to pass that the Lamanites withdrew their design,
and there was peace settled in the land; and peace did remain for
the space of about four years, that there was no bloodshed.

Mormon 1:13
 13 But wickedness did prevail upon the face of the whole land,
insomuch that the Lord did take away his beloved disciples, and
the work of miracles and of healing did cease because of the
iniquity of the people.

Mormon 1:14
 14 And there were no gifts from the Lord, and the Holy Ghost did
not come upon any, because of their wickedness and unbelief.

Mormon 1:15
 15 And I, being fifteen years of age and being somewhat of a
sober mind, therefore I was visited of the Lord, and tasted and
knew of the goodness of Jesus.

Mormon 1:16
 16 And I did endeavor to preach unto this people, but my mouth
was shut, and I was forbidden that I should preach unto them; for
behold they had wilfully rebelled against their God; and the
beloved disciples were taken away out of the land, because of
their iniquity.

Mormon 1:17
 17 But I did remain among them, but I was forbidden to preach
unto them, because of the hardness of their hearts; and because
of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their
sake.

Mormon 1:18
 18 And these Gadianton robbers, who were among the Lamanites,
did infest the land, insomuch that the inhabitants thereof began
to hide up their treasures in the earth; and they became
slippery, because the Lord had cursed the land, that they could
not hold them, nor retain them again.

Mormon 1:19
 19 And it came to pass that there were sorceries, and
witchcrafts, and magics; and the power of the evil one was
wrought upon all the face of the land, even unto the fulfilling
of all the words of Abinadi, and also Samuel the Lamanite.

Mormon 2

Mormon 2:1
 1 And it came to pass in that same year there began to be a war
again between the Nephites and the Lamanites.  And
notwithstanding I being young, was large in stature; therefore
the people of Nephi appointed me that I should be their leader,
or the leader of their armies.

Mormon 2:2
 2 Therefore it came to pass that in my sixteenth year I did go
forth at the head of an army of the Nephites, against the
Lamanites; therefore three hundred and twenty and six years had
passed away.

Mormon 2:3
 3 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and twenty and
seventh year the Lamanites did come upon us with exceedingly
great power, insomuch that they did frighten my armies; therefore
they would not fight, and they began to retreat towards the north
countries.

Mormon 2:4
 4 And it came to pass that we did come to the city of Angola,
and we did take possession of the city, and make preparations to
defend ourselves against the Lamanites.  And it came to pass that
we did fortify the city with our might; but notwithstanding all
our fortifications the Lamanites did come upon us and did drive
us out of the city.

Mormon 2:5
 5 And they did also drive us forth out of the land of David.

Mormon 2:6
 6 And we marched forth and came to the land of Joshua, which was
in the borders west by the seashore.

Mormon 2:7
 7 And it came to pass that we did gather in our people as fast
as it were possible, that we might get them together in one body.

Mormon 2:8
 8 But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with
Lamanites; and notwithstanding the great destruction which hung
over my people, they did not repent of their evil doings;
therefore there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the
face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also on
the part of the Lamanites; and it was one complete revolution
throughout all the face of the land.

Mormon 2:9
 9 And now, the Lamanites had a king, and his name was Aaron; and
he came against us with an army of forty and four thousand.  And
behold, I withstood him with forty and two thousand.  And it came
to pass that I beat him with my army that he fled before me.  And
behold, all this was done, and three hundred and thirty years had
passed away.

Mormon 2:10
 10 And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of
their iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by
Samuel the prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was
his own, for the thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and
the magic art, and the witchcraft which was in the land.

Mormon 2:11
 11 Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all
the land because of these things, and more especially among the
people of Nephi.

Mormon 2:12
 12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their
lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord,
my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and
the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would
be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous
people.

Mormon 2:13
 13 But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not
unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was
rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not
always suffer them to take happiness in sin.

Mormon 2:14
 14 And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and
contrite spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. 
Nevertheless they would struggle with the sword for their lives.

Mormon 2:15
 15 And it came to pass that my sorrow did return unto me again,
and I saw that the day of grace was passed with them, both
temporally and spiritually; for I saw thousands of them hewn down
in open rebellion against their God, and heaped up as dung upon
the face of the land.  And thus three hundred and forty and four
years had passed away.

Mormon 2:16
 16 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and forty and
fifth year the Nephites did begin to flee before the Lamanites;
and they were pursued until they came even to the land of Jashon,
before it was possible to stop them in their retreat.

Mormon 2:17
 17 And now, the city of Jashon was near the land where Ammaron
had deposited the records unto the Lord, that they might not be
destroyed.  And behold I had gone according to the word of
Ammaron, and taken the plates of Nephi, and did make a record
according to the words of Ammaron.

Mormon 2:18
 18 And upon the plates of Nephi I did make a full account of all
the wickedness and abominations; but upon these plates I did
forbear to make a full account of their wickedness and
abominations, for behold, a continual scene of wickedness and
abominations has been before mine eyes ever since I have been
sufficient to behold the ways of man.

Mormon 2:19
 19 And wo is me because of their wickedness; for my heart has
been filled with sorrow because of their wickedness, all my days;
nevertheless, I know that I shall be lifted up at the last day.

Mormon 2:20
 20 And it came to pass that in this year the people of Nephi
again were hunted and driven.  And it came to pass that we were
driven forth until we had come northward to the land which was
called Shem.

Mormon 2:21
 21 And it came to pass that we did fortify the city of Shem, and
we did gather in our people as much as it were possible, that
perhaps we might save them from destruction.

Mormon 2:22
 22 And it came to pass in the three hundred and forty and sixth
year they began to come upon us again.

Mormon 2:23
 23 And it came to pass that I did speak unto my people, and did
urge them with great energy, that they would stand boldly before
the Lamanites and fight for their wives, and their children, and
their houses, and their homes.

Mormon 2:24
 24 And my words did arouse them somewhat to vigor, insomuch that
they did not flee from before the Lamanites, but did stand with
boldness against them.

Mormon 2:25
 25 And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of
thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand.  And it came
to pass that we did stand before them with such firmness that
they did flee from before us.

Mormon 2:26
 26 And it came to pass that when they had fled we did pursue
them with our armies, and did meet them again, and did beat them;
nevertheless the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we
were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide
in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren.

Mormon 2:27
 27 And my heart did sorrow because of this the great calamity of
my people, because of their wickedness and their abominations. 
But behold, we did go forth against the Lamanites and the robbers
of Gadianton, until we had again taken possession of the lands of
our inheritance.

Mormon 2:28
 28 And the three hundred and forty and ninth year had passed
away.  And in the three hundred and fiftieth year we made a
treaty with the Lamanites and the robbers of Gadianton, in which
we did get the lands of our inheritance divided.

Mormon 2:29
 29 And the Lamanites did give unto us the land northward, yea,
even to the narrow passage which led into the land southward. 
And we did give unto the Lamanites all the land southward.

Mormon 3

Mormon 3:1
 1 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did not come to battle
again until ten years more had passed away.  And behold, I had
employed my people, the Nephites, in preparing their lands and
their arms against the time of battle.

Mormon 3:2
 2 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto
this people--Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and
build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.

Mormon 3:3
 3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they
did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and
granted unto them a chance for repentance.  And behold they did
harden their hearts against the Lord their God.

Mormon 3:4
 4 And it came to pass that after this tenth year had passed
away, making, in the whole, three hundred and sixty years from
the coming of Christ, the king of the Lamanites sent an epistle
unto me, which gave unto me to know that they were preparing to
come again to battle against us.

Mormon 3:5
 5 And it came to pass that I did cause my people that they
should gather themselves together at the land Desolation, to a
city which was in the borders, by the narrow pass which led into
the land southward.

Mormon 3:6
 6 And there we did place our armies, that we might stop the
armies of the Lamanites, that they might not get possession of
any of our lands; therefore we did fortify against them with all
our force.

Mormon 3:7
 7 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and
first year the Lamanites did come down to the city of Desolation
to battle against us; and it came to pass that in that year we
did beat them, insomuch that they did return to their own lands
again.

Mormon 3:8
 8 And in the three hundred and sixty and second year they did
come down again to battle.  And we did beat them again, and did
slay a great number of them, and their dead were cast into the
sea.

Mormon 3:9
 9 And now, because of this great thing which my people, the
Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength,
and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge
themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by
their enemies.

Mormon 3:10
 10 And they did swear by the heavens, and also by the throne of
God, that they would go up to battle against their enemies, and
would cut them off from the face of the land.

Mormon 3:11
 11 And it came to pass that I, Mormon, did utterly refuse from
this time forth to be a commander and a leader of this people,
because of their wickedness and abomination.

Mormon 3:12
 12 Behold, I had led them, notwithstanding their wickedness I
had led them many times to battle, and had loved them, according
to the love of God which was in me, with all my heart; and my
soul had been poured out in prayer unto my God all the day long
for them; nevertheless, it was without faith, because of the
hardness of their hearts.

Mormon 3:13
 13 And thrice have I delivered them out of the hands of their
enemies, and they have repented not of their sins.

Mormon 3:14
 14 And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them
by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto
their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of
their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me saying:

Mormon 3:15
 15 Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people
repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be
cut off from the face of the earth.

Mormon 3:16
 16 And it came to pass that I utterly refused to go up against
mine enemies; and I did even as the Lord had commanded me; and I
did stand as an idle witness to manifest unto the world the
things which I saw and heard, according to the manifestations of
the Spirit which had testified of things to come.

Mormon 3:17
 17 Therefore I write unto you, Gentiles, and also unto you,
house of Israel, when the work shall commence, that ye shall be
about to prepare to return to the land of your inheritance;

Mormon 3:18
 18 Yea, behold, I write unto all the ends of the earth; yea,
unto you, twelve tribes of Israel, who shall be judged according
to your works by the twelve whom Jesus chose to be his disciples
in the land of Jerusalem.

Mormon 3:19
 19 And I write also unto the remnant of this people, who shall
also be judged by the twelve whom Jesus chose in this land; and
they shall be judged by the other twelve whom Jesus chose in the
land of Jerusalem.

Mormon 3:20
 20 And these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore
I write unto you all.  And for this cause I write unto you, that
ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of
Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of
Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they
be good or evil;

Mormon 3:21
 21 And also that ye may believe the gospel of Jesus Christ,
which ye shall have among you; and also that the Jews, the
covenant people of the Lord, shall have other witness besides him
whom they saw and heard, that Jesus, whom they slew, was the very
Christ and the very God.

Mormon 3:22
 22 And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to
repent and prepare to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ.

Mormon 4

Mormon 4:1
 1 And now it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty
and third year the Nephites did go up with their armies to battle
against the Lamanites, out of the land Desolation.

Mormon 4:2
 2 And it came to pass that the armies of the Nephites were
driven back again to the land of Desolation.  And while they were
yet weary, a fresh army of the Lamanites did come upon them; and
they had a sore battle, insomuch that the Lamanites did take
possession of the city Desolation, and did slay many of the
Nephites, and did take many prisoners.

Mormon 4:3
 3 And the remainder did flee and join the inhabitants of the
city Teancum.  Now the city Teancum lay in the borders by the
seashore; and it was also near the city Desolation.

Mormon 4:4
 4 And it was because the armies of the Nephites went up unto the
Lamanites that they began to be smitten; for were it not for
that, the Lamanites could have had no power over them.

Mormon 4:5
 5 But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked;
and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is
the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto
bloodshed.

Mormon 4:6
 6 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations
to come against the city Teancum.

Mormon 4:7
 7 And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth
year the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they
might take possession of the city Teancum also.

Mormon 4:8
 8 And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by
the Nephites.  And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the
Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they
went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the
city Desolation.

Mormon 4:9
 9 And now all these things had been done, and there had been
thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the
Lamanites.

Mormon 4:10
 10 And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and
sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the
Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil
they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.

Mormon 4:11
 11 And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man
to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood
and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and
of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they
delighted in the shedding of blood continually.

Mormon 4:12
 12 And there never had been so great wickedness among all the
children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel,
according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people.

Mormon 4:13
 13 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of
the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the
number of the Nephites.

Mormon 4:14
 14 And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and
did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many
prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as
sacrifices unto their idol gods.

Mormon 4:15
 15 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and
seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had
sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go
against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that
they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their
lands.

Mormon 4:16
 16 And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites
until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year.

Mormon 4:17
 17 And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with
all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the
greatness of their number.

Mormon 4:18
 18 And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over
the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew
before the sun.

Mormon 4:19
 19 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come down against
the city Desolation; and there was an exceedingly sore battle
fought in the land Desolation, in the which they did beat the
Nephites.

Mormon 4:20
 20 And they fled again from before them, and they came to the
city Boaz; and there they did stand against the Lamanites with
exceeding boldness, insomuch that the Lamanites did not beat them
until they had come again the second time.

Mormon 4:21
 21 And when they had come the second time, the Nephites were
driven and slaughtered with an exceedingly great slaughter; their
women and their children were again sacrificed unto idols.

Mormon 4:22
 22 And it came to pass that the Nephites did again flee from
before them, taking all the inhabitants with them, both in towns
and villages.

Mormon 4:23
 23 And now I, Mormon, seeing that the Lamanites were about to
overthrow the land, therefore I did go to the hill Shim, and did
take up all the records which Ammaron had hid up unto the Lord.

Mormon 5

Mormon 5:1
 1 And it came to pass that I did go forth among the Nephites,
and did repent of the oath which I had made that I would no more
assist them; and they gave me command again of their armies, for
they looked upon me as though I could deliver them from their
afflictions.

Mormon 5:2
 2 But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of
the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of
their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without
calling upon that Being who created them.

Mormon 5:3
 3 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did come against us as
we had fled to the city of Jordan; but behold, they were driven
back that they did not take the city at that time.

Mormon 5:4
 4 And it came to pass that they came against us again, and we
did maintain the city.  And there were also other cities which
were maintained by Nephites, which strongholds did cut them off
that they could not get into the country which lay before us, to
destroy the inhabitants of our land.

Mormon 5:5
 5 And it came to pass that whatsoever lands we had passed by,
and the inhabitants thereof were not gathered in, were destroyed
by the Lamanites, and their towns, and villages, and cities were
burned with fire; and thus three hundred and seventy and nine
years passed away.

Mormon 5:6
 6 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and eightieth
year the Lamanites did come again against us to battle, and we
did stand against them boldly; but it was all in vain, for so
great were their numbers that they did tread the people of the
Nephites under their feet.

Mormon 5:7
 7 And it came to pass that we did again take to flight, and
those whose flight was swifter than the Lamanites' did escape,
and those whose flight did not exceed the Lamanites' were swept
down and destroyed.

Mormon 5:8
 8 And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the
souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood
and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that
these things must surely be made known, and that all things which
are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops--

Mormon 5:9
 9 And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto the
remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord
hath said should scatter this people, and this people should be
counted as naught among them--therefore I write a small
abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which
I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received,
and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the
wickedness of this people.

Mormon 5:10
 10 And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the
Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and
know from whence their blessings come.

Mormon 5:11
 11 For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the
house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of
this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented
that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus.

Mormon 5:12
 12 Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of
Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is
known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them;
and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth
in his own due time.

Mormon 5:13
 13 And this is the commandment which I have received; and
behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the
Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom.

Mormon 5:14
 14 And behold, they shall go unto the unbelieving of the Jews;
and for this intent shall they go--that they may be persuaded
that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God; that the
Father may bring about, through his most Beloved, his great and
eternal purpose, in restoring the Jews, or all the house of
Israel, to the land of their inheritance, which the Lord their
God hath given them, unto the fulfilling of his covenant;

Mormon 5:15
 15 And also that the seed of this people may more fully believe
his gospel, which shall go forth unto them from the Gentiles; for
this people shall be scattered, and shall become a dark, a
filthy, and a loathsome people, beyond the description of that
which ever hath been amongst us, yea, even that which hath been
among the Lamanites, and this because of their unbelief and
idolatry.

Mormon 5:16
 16 For behold, the Spirit of the Lord hath already ceased to
strive with their fathers; and they are without Christ and God in
the world; and they are driven about as chaff before the wind.

Mormon 5:17
 17 They were once a delightsome people, and they had Christ for
their shepherd; yea, they were led even by God the Father.

Mormon 5:18
 18 But now, behold, they are led about by Satan, even as chaff
is driven before the wind, or as a vessel is tossed about upon
the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith
to steer her; and even as she is, so are they.

Mormon 5:19
 19 And behold, the Lord hath reserved their blessings, which
they might have received in the land, for the Gentiles who shall
possess the land.

Mormon 5:20
 20 But behold, it shall come to pass that they shall be driven
and scattered by the Gentiles; and after they have been driven
and scattered by the Gentiles, behold, then will the Lord
remember the covenant which he made unto Abraham and unto all the
house of Israel.

Mormon 5:21
 21 And also the Lord will remember the prayers of the righteous,
which have been put up unto him for them.

Mormon 5:22
 22 And then, O ye Gentiles, how can ye stand before the power of
God, except ye shall repent and turn from your evil ways?

Mormon 5:23
 23 Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?  Know ye not
that he hath all power, and at his great command the earth shall
be rolled together as a scroll?

Mormon 5:24
 24 Therefore, repent ye, and humble yourselves before him, lest
he shall come out in justice against you--lest a remnant of the
seed of Jacob shall go forth among you as a lion, and tear you in
pieces, and there is none to deliver.

Mormon 6

Mormon 6:1
 1 And now I finish my record concerning the destruction of my
people, the Nephites.  And it came to pass that we did march
forth before the Lamanites.

Mormon 6:2
 2 And I, Mormon, wrote an epistle unto the king of the
Lamanites, and desired of him that he would grant unto us that we
might gather together our people unto the land of Cumorah, by a
hill which was called Cumorah, and there we could give them
battle.

Mormon 6:3
 3 And it came to pass that the king of the Lamanites did grant
unto me the thing which I desired.

Mormon 6:4
 4 And it came to pass that we did march forth to the land of
Cumorah, and we did pitch our tents around about the hill
Cumorah; and it was in a land of many waters, rivers, and
fountains; and here we had hope to gain advantage over the
Lamanites.

Mormon 6:5
 5 And when three hundred and eighty and four years had passed
away, we had gathered in all the remainder of our people unto the
land of Cumorah.

Mormon 6:6
 6 And it came to pass that when we had gathered in all our
people in one to the land of Cumorah, behold I, Mormon, began to
be old; and knowing it to be the last struggle of my people, and
having been commanded of the Lord that I should not suffer the
records which had been handed down by our fathers, which were
sacred, to fall into the hands of the Lamanites, (for the
Lamanites would destroy them) therefore I made this record out of
the plates of Nephi, and hid up in the hill Cumorah all the
records which had been entrusted to me by the hand of the Lord,
save it were these few plates which I gave unto my son Moroni.

Mormon 6:7
 7 And it came to pass that my people, with their wives and their
children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching
towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the
breasts of all the wicked, did they await to receive them.

Mormon 6:8
 8 And it came to pass that they came to battle against us, and
every soul was filled with terror because of the greatness of
their numbers.

Mormon 6:9
 9 And it came to pass that they did fall upon my people with the
sword, and with the bow, and with the arrow, and with the ax, and
with all manner of weapons of war.

Mormon 6:10
 10 And it came to pass that my men were hewn down, yea, even my
ten thousand who were with me, and I fell wounded in the midst;
and they passed by me that they did not put an end to my life.

Mormon 6:11
 11 And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people
save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son
Moroni) and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold
on the morrow, when the Lamanites had returned unto their camps,
from the top of the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people
who were hewn down, being led in the front by me.

Mormon 6:12
 12 And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led
by my son Moroni.

Mormon 6:13
 13 And behold, the ten thousand of Gidgiddonah had fallen, and
he also in the midst.

Mormon 6:14
 14 And Lamah had fallen with his ten thousand; and Gilgal had
fallen with his ten thousand; and Limhah had fallen with his ten
thousand; and Jeneum had fallen with his ten thousand; and
Cumenihah, and Moronihah, and Antionum, and Shiblom, and Shem,
and Josh, had fallen with their ten thousand each.

Mormon 6:15
 15 And it came to pass that there were ten more who did fall by
the sword, with their ten thousand each; yea, even all my people,
save it were those twenty and four who were with me, and also a
few who had escaped into the south countries, and a few who had
deserted over unto the Lamanites, had fallen; and their flesh,
and bones, and blood lay upon the face of the earth, being left
by the hands of those who slew them to molder upon the land, and
to crumble and to return to their mother earth.

Mormon 6:16
 16 And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my
people, and I cried:

Mormon 6:17
 17 O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of
the Lord!  O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus,
who stood with open arms to receive you!

Mormon 6:18
 18 Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. 
But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss.

Mormon 6:19
 19 O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye
husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have
fallen!

Mormon 6:20
 20 But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your
return.

Mormon 6:21
 21 And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on
immortality, and these bodies which are now moldering in
corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye
must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ to be judged
according to your works and if it so be that ye are righteous,
then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you.

Mormon 6:22
 22 O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come
upon you.  But behold, ye are gone, and the Father, yea, the
Eternal Father of heaven, knoweth your state; and he doeth with
you according to his justice and mercy.

Mormon 7

Mormon 7:1
 1 And now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of
this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto
them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers;
yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and
these are the words which I speak:

Mormon 7:2
 2 Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.

Mormon 7:3
 3 Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be
saved.

Mormon 7:4
 4 Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight
no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again, save
it be that God shall command you.

Mormon 7:5
 5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers,
and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus
Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the
Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby
he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the
sting of death swallowed up.

Mormon 7:6
 6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby
man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.

Mormon 7:7
 7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world,
whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day
hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his
kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto
the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are
one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

Mormon 7:8
 8 Therefore repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus, and
lay hold upon the gospel of Christ, which shall be set before
you, not only in this record but also in the record which shall
come unto the Gentiles from the Jews, which record shall come
from the Gentiles unto you.

Mormon 7:9
 9 For behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe
that; and if ye believe that ye will believe this also; and if ye
believe this ye will know concerning your fathers, and also the
marvelous works which were wrought by the power of God among
them.

Mormon 7:10
 10 And ye will also know that ye are a remnant of the seed of
Jacob; therefore ye are numbered among the people of the first
covenant; and if it so be that ye believe in Christ, and are
baptized, first with water, then with fire and with the Holy
Ghost, following the example of our Savior, according to that
which he hath commanded us, it shall be well with you in the day
of judgment.  Amen.

Mormon 8

Mormon 8:1
 1 Behold I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. 
Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been
commanded by my father.

Mormon 8:2
 2 And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous
battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the
country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were
all destroyed.

Mormon 8:3
 3 And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone
to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people.  But
behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father.

And whether they will slay me, I know not.

Mormon 8:4
 4 Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth;
and whither I go it mattereth not.

Mormon 8:5
 5 Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written
the intent thereof.  And behold, I would write it also if I had
room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I
am alone.  My father hath been slain in battle, and all my
kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and how long
the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.

Mormon 8:6
 6 Behold, four hundred years have passed away since the coming
of our Lord and Savior.

Mormon 8:7
 7 And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites,
down from city to city and from place to place, even until they
are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and
marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.

Mormon 8:8
 8 And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. 
And behold also, the Lamanites are at war one with another; and
the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and
bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war.

Mormon 8:9
 9 And now, behold, I say no more concerning them, for there are
none save it be the Lamanites and robbers that do exist upon the
face of the land.

Mormon 8:10
 10 And there are none that do know the true God save it be the
disciples of Jesus, who did tarry in the land until the
wickedness of the people was so great that the Lord would not
suffer them to remain with the people; and whether they be upon
the face of the land no man knoweth.

Mormon 8:11
 11 But behold, my father and I have seen them, and they have
ministered unto us.

Mormon 8:12
 12 And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it
because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know
of greater things than these.  Behold, I am Moroni; and were it
possible, I would make all things known unto you.

Mormon 8:13
 13 Behold, I make an end of speaking concerning this people.  I
am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descendant of Nephi.

Mormon 8:14
 14 And I am the same who hideth up this record unto the Lord;
the plates thereof are of no worth, because of the commandment of
the Lord.  For he truly saith that no one shall have them to get
gain; but the record thereof is of great worth; and whoso shall
bring it to light, him will the Lord bless.

Mormon 8:15
 15 For none can have power to bring it to light save it be given
him of God; for God wills that it shall be done with an eye
single to his glory, or the welfare of the ancient and long
dispersed covenant people of the Lord.

Mormon 8:16
 16 And blessed be he that shall bring this thing to light; for
it shall be brought out of darkness unto light, according to the
word of God; yea, it shall be brought out of the earth, and it
shall shine forth out of darkness, and come unto the knowledge of
the people; and it shall be done by the power of God.

Mormon 8:17
 17 And if there be faults they be the faults of a man.  But
behold, we know no fault; nevertheless God knoweth all things;
therefore, he that condemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be
in danger of hell fire.

Mormon 8:18
 18 And he that saith: Show unto me, or ye shall be smitten--let
him beware lest he commandeth that which is forbidden of the
Lord.

Mormon 8:19
 19 For behold, the same that judgeth rashly shall be judged
rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be;
therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord.

Mormon 8:20
 20 Behold what the scripture says--man shall not smite, neither
shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and
vengeance is mine also, and I will repay.

Mormon 8:21
 21 And he that shall breathe out wrath and strifes against the
work of the Lord, and against the covenant people of the Lord who
are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work
of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he
hath made unto the house of Israel--the same is in danger to be
hewn down and cast into the fire;

Mormon 8:22
 22 For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all
his promises shall be fulfilled.

Mormon 8:23
 23 Search the prophecies of Isaiah.  Behold, I cannot write
them.  Yea, behold I say unto you, that those saints who have
gone before me, who have possessed this land, shall cry, yea,
even from the dust will they cry unto the Lord; and as the Lord
liveth he will remember the covenant which he hath made with
them.

Mormon 8:24
 24 And he knoweth their prayers, that they were in behalf of
their brethren.  And he knoweth their faith, for in his name
could they remove mountains; and in his name could they cause the
earth to shake; and by the power of his word did they cause
prisons to tumble to the earth; yea, even the fiery furnace could
not harm them, neither wild beasts nor poisonous serpents,
because of the power of his word.

Mormon 8:25
 25 And behold, their prayers were also in behalf of him that the
Lord should suffer to bring these things forth.

Mormon 8:26
 26 And no one need say they shall not come, for they surely
shall, for the Lord hath spoken it; for out of the earth shall
they come, by the hand of the Lord, and none can stay it; and it
shall come in a day when it shall be said that miracles are done
away; and it shall come even as if one should speak from the
dead.

Mormon 8:27
 27 And it shall come in a day when the blood of saints shall cry
unto the Lord, because of secret combinations and the works of
darkness.

Mormon 8:28
 28 Yea, it shall come in a day when the power of God shall be
denied, and churches become defiled and be lifted up in the pride
of their hearts; yea, even in a day when leaders of churches and
teachers shall rise in the pride of their hearts, even to the
envying of them who belong to their churches.

Mormon 8:29
 29 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be heard of
fires, and tempests, and vapors of smoke in foreign lands;

Mormon 8:30
 30 And there shall also be heard of wars, rumors of wars, and
earthquakes in divers places.

Mormon 8:31
 31 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be great
pollutions upon the face of the earth; there shall be murders,
and robbing, and lying, and deceivings, and whoredoms, and all
manner of abominations; when there shall be many who will say, Do
this, or do that, and it mattereth not, for the Lord will uphold
such at the last day.  But wo unto such for they are in the gall
of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.

Mormon 8:32
 32 Yea, it shall come in a day when there shall be churches
built up that shall say: Come unto me, and for your money you
shall be forgiven of your sins.

Mormon 8:33
 33 O ye wicked and perverse and stiffnecked people, why have ye
built up churches unto yourselves to get gain?  Why have ye
transfigured the holy word of God, that ye might bring damnation
upon your souls?  Behold, look ye unto the revelations of God;
for behold, the time cometh at that day when all these things
must be fulfilled.

Mormon 8:34
 34 Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous
things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when
these things shall come forth among you.

Mormon 8:35
 35 Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye
are not.  But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I
know your doing.

Mormon 8:36
 36 And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and
there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in
the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel,
unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all
manner of iniquities; and your churches, yea, even every one,
have become polluted because of the pride of your hearts.

Mormon 8:37
 37 For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your
fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye
love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted.

Mormon 8:38
 38 O ye pollutions, ye hypocrites, ye teachers, who sell
yourselves for that which will canker, why have ye polluted the
holy church of God?  Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name
of Christ?  Why do ye not think that greater is the value of an
endless happiness than that misery which never dies--because of
the praise of the world?

Mormon 8:39
 39 Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and
yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick
and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?

Mormon 8:40
 40 Yea, why do ye build up your secret abominations to get gain,
and cause that widows should mourn before the Lord, and also
orphans to mourn before the Lord, and also the blood of their
fathers and their husbands to cry unto the Lord from the ground,
for vengeance upon your heads?

Mormon 8:41
 41 Behold, the sword of vengeance hangeth over you; and the time
soon cometh that he avengeth the blood of the saints upon you,
for he will not suffer their cries any longer.

Mormon 9

Mormon 9:1
 1 And now, I speak also concerning those who do not believe in
Christ.

Mormon 9:2
 2 Behold, will ye believe in the day of your visitation--behold,
when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth
shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be
brought to stand before the Lamb of God--then will ye say that
there is no God?

Mormon 9:3
 3 Then will ye longer deny the Christ, or can ye behold the Lamb
of God?  Do ye suppose that ye shall dwell with him under a
consciousness of your guilt?  Do ye suppose that ye could be
happy to dwell with that holy Being, when your souls are racked
with a consciousness of guilt that ye have ever abused his laws?

Mormon 9:4
 4 Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to
dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your
filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned
souls in hell.

Mormon 9:5
 5 For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness
before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus
Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you.

Mormon 9:6
 6 O then ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry mightily
unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that perhaps ye may be
found spotless, pure, fair, and white, having been cleansed by
the blood of the Lamb, at that great and last day.

Mormon 9:7
 7 And again I speak unto you who deny the revelations of God,
and say that they are done away, that there are no revelations,
nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with
tongues, and the interpretation of tongues;

Mormon 9:8
 8 Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things knoweth
not the gospel of Christ; yea, he has not read the scriptures; if
so, he does not understand them.

Mormon 9:9
 9 For do we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and
forever, and in him there is no variableness neither shadow of
changing?

Mormon 9:10
 10 And now if ye have imagined up unto yourselves a god who doth
vary, and in whom there is shadow of changing, then have ye
imagined up unto yourselves a god who is not God of miracles.

Mormon 9:11
 11 But behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the
God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and
it is that same God who created the heavens and the earth, and
all things that in them are.

Mormon 9:12
 12 Behold he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. 
And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ, even the Father
and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of
man.

Mormon 9:13
 13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus
Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea,
this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ
bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a
redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall
be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; and
they shall come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand
before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band
of death, which death is a temporal death.

Mormon 9:14
 14 And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and
then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy
still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that
is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be
unhappy still.

Mormon 9:15
 15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god
who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things
passed, of which I have spoken?  Has the end come yet?  Behold I
say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of
miracles.

Mormon 9:16
 16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in
our eyes?  Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of
God?

Mormon 9:17
 17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the
heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man
was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his
word have miracles been wrought?

Mormon 9:18
 18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not many mighty
miracles?  And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the
hands of the apostles.

Mormon 9:19
 19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased
to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being?  And
behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to
be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.

Mormon 9:20
 20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the
children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and
depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they
should trust.

Mormon 9:21
 21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ,
doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name
of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all,
even unto the ends of the earth.

Mormon 9:22
 22 For behold, thus said Jesus Christ, the Son of God, unto his
disciples who should tarry, yea, and also to all his disciples,
in the hearing of the multitude: Go ye into all the world, and
preach the gospel to every creature;

Mormon 9:23
 23 And he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he
that believeth not shall be damned;

Mormon 9:24
 24 And these signs shall follow them that believe--in my name
shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing
it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they
shall recover;

Mormon 9:25
 25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing,
unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the
earth.

Mormon 9:26
 26 And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord?

Who can deny his sayings?  Who will rise up against the almighty
power of the Lord?  Who will despise the works of the Lord?  Who
will despise the children of Christ?  Behold, all ye who are
despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and
perish.

Mormon 9:27
 27 O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the
words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for
what things soever ye shall stand in need.  Doubt not, but be
believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord
with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear
and trembling before him.

Mormon 9:28
 28 Be wise in the days of your probation; strip yourselves of
all uncleanness; ask not, that ye may consume it on your lusts,
but ask with a firmness unshaken, that ye will yield to no
temptation, but that ye will serve the true and living God.

Mormon 9:29
 29 See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake
not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all
things in worthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the
Son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end,
ye will in nowise be cast out.

Mormon 9:30
 30 Behold, I speak unto you as though I spake from the dead; for
I know that ye shall have my words.

Mormon 9:31
 31 Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my
father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have
written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath
made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be
more wise than we have been.

Mormon 9:32
 32 And now, behold, we have written this record according to our
knowledge, in the characters which are called among us the
reformed Egyptian, being handed down and altered by us, according
to our manner of speech.

Mormon 9:33
 33 And if our plates had been sufficiently large we should have
written in Hebrew; but the Hebrew hath been altered by us also;
and if we could have written in Hebrew, behold, ye would have had
no imperfection in our record.

Mormon 9:34
 34 But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and
also that none other people knoweth our language; and because
that none other people knoweth our language, therefore he hath
prepared means for the interpretation thereof.

Mormon 9:35
 35 And these things are written that we may rid our garments of
the blood of our brethren, who have dwindled in unbelief.

Mormon 9:36
 36 And behold, these things which we have desired concerning our
brethren, yea, even their restoration to the knowledge of Christ,
are according to the prayers of all the saints who have dwelt in
the land.

Mormon 9:37
 37 And may the Lord Jesus Christ grant that their prayers may be
answered according to their faith; and may God the Father
remember the covenant which he hath made with the house of
Israel; and may he bless them forever, through faith on the name
of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Ether
THE BOOK OF ETHER
The record of the Jaredites, taken from the twenty-four plates
found by the people of Limhi in the days of king Mosiah.

Ether 1

Ether 1:1
 1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give an account of those ancient
inhabitants who were destroyed by the hand of the Lord upon the
face of this north country.

Ether 1:2
 2 And I take mine account from the twenty and four plates which
were found by the people of Limhi, which is called the Book of
Ether.

Ether 1:3
 3 And as I suppose that the first part of this record, which
speaks concerning the creation of the world, and also of Adam,
and an account from that time even to the great tower, and
whatsoever things transpired among the children of men until that
time, is had among the Jews--

Ether 1:4
 4 Therefore I do not write those things which transpired from
the days of Adam until that time; but they are had upon the
plates; and whoso findeth them, the same will have power that he
may get the full account.

Ether 1:5
 5 But behold, I give not the full account, but a part of the
account I give, from the tower down until they were destroyed.

Ether 1:6
 6 And on this wise do I give the account.  He that wrote this
record was Ether, and he was a descendant of Coriantor.

Ether 1:7
 7 Coriantor was the son of Moron.

Ether 1:8
 8 And Moron was the son of Ethem.

Ether 1:9
 9 And Ethem was the son of Ahah.

Ether 1:10
 10 And Ahah was the son of Seth.

Ether 1:11
 11 And Seth was the son of Shiblon.

Ether 1:12
 12 And Shiblon was the son of Com.

Ether 1:13
 13 And Com was the son of Coriantum.

Ether 1:14
 14 And Coriantum was the son of Amnigaddah.

Ether 1:15
 15 And Amnigaddah was the son of Aaron.

Ether 1:16
 16 And Aaron was a descendant of Heth, who was the son of
Hearthom.

Ether 1:17
 17 And Hearthom was the son of Lib.

Ether 1:18
 18 And Lib was the son of Kish.

Ether 1:19
 19 And Kish was the son of Corom.

Ether 1:20
 20 And Corom was the son of Levi.

Ether 1:21
 21 And Levi was the son of Kim.

Ether 1:22
 22 And Kim was the son of Morianton.

Ether 1:23
 23 And Morianton was a descendant of Riplakish.

Ether 1:24
 24 And Riplakish was the son of Shez.

Ether 1:25
 25 And Shez was the son of Heth.

Ether 1:26
 26 And Heth was the son of Com.

Ether 1:27
 27 And Com was the son of Coriantum.

Ether 1:28
 28 And Coriantum was the son of Emer.

Ether 1:29
 29 And Emer was the son of Omer.

Ether 1:30
 30 And Omer was the son of Shule.

Ether 1:31
 31 And Shule was the son of Kib.

Ether 1:32
 32 And Kib was the son of Orihah, who was the son of Jared;

Ether 1:33
 33 Which Jared came forth with his brother and their families,
with some others and their families, from the great tower, at the
time the Lord confounded the language of the people, and swore in
his wrath that they should be scattered upon all the face of the
earth; and according to the word of the Lord the people were
scattered.

Ether 1:34
 34 And the brother of Jared being a large and mighty man, and a
man highly favored of the Lord, Jared, his brother, said unto
him: Cry unto the Lord, that he will not confound us that we may
not understand our words.

Ether 1:35
 35 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto
the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon Jared; therefore he
did not confound the language of Jared; and Jared and his brother
were not confounded.

Ether 1:36
 36 Then Jared said unto his brother: Cry again unto the Lord,
and it may be that he will turn away his anger from them who are
our friends, that he confound not their language.

Ether 1:37
 37 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto
the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and
their families also, that they were not confounded.

Ether 1:38
 38 And it came to pass that Jared spake again unto his brother,
saying: Go and inquire of the Lord whether he will drive us out
of the land, and if he will drive us out of the land, cry unto
him whither we shall go.  And who knoweth but the Lord will carry
us forth into a land which is choice above all the earth?  And if
it so be, let us be faithful unto the Lord, that we may receive
it for our inheritance.

Ether 1:39
 39 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did cry unto
the Lord according to that which had been spoken by the mouth of
Jared.

Ether 1:40
 40 And it came to pass that the Lord did hear the brother of
Jared, and had compassion upon him, and said unto him:

Ether 1:41
 41 Go to and gather together thy flocks, both male and female,
of every kind; and also of the seed of the earth of every kind;
and thy families; and also Jared thy brother and his family; and
also thy friends and their families, and the friends of Jared and
their families.

Ether 1:42
 42 And when thou hast done this thou shalt go at the head of
them down into the valley which is northward.  And there will I
meet thee, and I will go before thee into a land which is choice
above all the lands of the earth.

Ether 1:43
 43 And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto
me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who
shall go with thee, a great nation.  And there shall be none
greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy
seed, upon all the face of the earth.  And thus I will do unto
thee because this long time ye have cried unto me.

Ether 2

Ether 2:1
 1 And it came to pass that Jared and his brother, and their
families, and also the friends of Jared and his brother and their
families, went down into the valley which was northward, (and the
name of the valley was Nimrod, being called after the mighty
hunter) with their flocks which they had gathered together, male
and female, of every kind.

Ether 2:2
 2 And they did also lay snares and catch fowls of the air; and
they did also prepare a vessel, in which they did carry with them
the fish of the waters.

Ether 2:3
 3 And they did also carry with them deseret, which, by
interpretation, is a honey bee; and thus they did carry with them
swarms of bees, and all manner of that which was upon the face of
the land, seeds of every kind.

Ether 2:4
 4 And it came to pass that when they had come down into the
valley of Nimrod the Lord came down and talked with the brother
of Jared; and he was in a cloud, and the brother of Jared saw him
not.

Ether 2:5
 5 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they
should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where
there never had man been.  And it came to pass that the Lord did
go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud,
and gave directions whither they should travel.

Ether 2:6
 6 And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness,
and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being
directed continually by the hand of the Lord.

Ether 2:7
 7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the
sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth
even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other
lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.

Ether 2:8
 8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that
whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time
henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God,
or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should
come upon them.

Ether 2:9
 9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this
land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall
possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the
fulness of his wrath shall come upon them.  And the fulness of
his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

Ether 2:10
 10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other
lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall
be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God.  And it is
not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land,
that they are swept off.

Ether 2:11
 11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the
decrees of God--that ye may repent, and not continue in your
iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the
fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the
land have hitherto done.

Ether 2:12
 12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall
possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and
from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the
God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by
the things which we have written.

Ether 2:13
 13 And now I proceed with my record; for behold, it came to pass
that the Lord did bring Jared and his brethren forth even to that
great sea which divideth the lands.  And as they came to the sea
they pitched their tents; and they called the name of the place
Moriancumer; and they dwelt in tents, and dwelt in tents upon the
seashore for the space of four years.

Ether 2:14
 14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord
came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and
talked with him.  And for the space of three hours did the Lord
talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he
remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord.

Ether 2:15
 15 And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had
done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who
were with him.  And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee
and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more,
for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with
man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall
be cut off from the presence of the Lord.  And these are my
thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your
inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands.

Ether 2:16
 16 And the Lord said: Go to work and build, after the manner of
barges which ye have hitherto built.  And it came to pass that
the brother of Jared did go to work, and also his brethren, and
built barges after the manner which they had built, according to
the instructions of the Lord.  And they were small, and they were
light upon the water, even like unto the lightness of a fowl upon
the water.

Ether 2:17
 17 And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly
tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the
bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof
were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked;
and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length
thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it
was shut, was tight like unto a dish.

Ether 2:18
 18 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried unto the
Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast
commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast
directed me.

Ether 2:19
 19 And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall
we steer?  And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot
breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall
perish.

Ether 2:20
 20 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: Behold, thou
shalt make a hole in the top, and also in the bottom; and when
thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive
air.  And if it be so that the water come in upon thee, behold,
ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood.

Ether 2:21
 21 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared did so,
according as the Lord had commanded.

Ether 2:22
 22 And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I
have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the
vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. 
Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great
water in darkness?

Ether 2:23
 23 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye
that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?  For
behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in
pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go
by the light of fire.

Ether 2:24
 24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea;
for the mountain waves shall dash upon you.  Nevertheless, I will
bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds
have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the
floods have I sent forth.

Ether 2:25
 25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot
cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the
sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which
shall come.  Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you
that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of
the sea?

Ether 3

Ether 3:1
 1 And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number
of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto
the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its
exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small
stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass;
and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and
cried again unto the Lord, saying:

Ether 3:2
 2 O Lord, thou hast said that we must be encompassed about by
the floods.  Now behold, O Lord, and do not be angry with thy
servant because of his weakness before thee; for we know that
thou art holy and dwellest in the heavens, and that we are
unworthy before thee; because of the fall our natures have become
evil continually; nevertheless, O Lord, thou hast given us a
commandment that we must call upon thee, that from thee we may
receive according to our desires.

Ether 3:3
 3 Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity,
and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been
in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us.

O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this
thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this
raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have
molten out of the rock.

Ether 3:4
 4 And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do
whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch
these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they
may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us
in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light
while we shall cross the sea.

Ether 3:5
 5 Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this.  We know that thou art
able to show forth great power, which looks small unto the
understanding of men.

Ether 3:6
 6 And it came to pass that when the brother of Jared had said
these words, behold, the Lord stretched forth his hand and
touched the stones one by one with his finger.  And the veil was
taken from off the eyes of the brother of Jared, and he saw the
finger of the Lord; and it was as the finger of a man, like unto
flesh and blood; and the brother of Jared fell down before the
Lord, for he was struck with fear.

Ether 3:7
 7 And the Lord saw that the brother of Jared had fallen to the
earth; and the Lord said unto him: Arise, why hast thou fallen?

Ether 3:8
 8 And he saith unto the Lord: I saw the finger of the Lord, and
I feared lest he should smite me; for I knew not that the Lord
had flesh and blood.

Ether 3:9
 9 And the Lord said unto him: Because of thy faith thou hast
seen that I shall take upon me flesh and blood; and never has man
come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were
it not so ye could not have seen my finger.  Sawest thou more
than this?

Ether 3:10
 10 And he answered: Nay; Lord, show thyself unto me.

Ether 3:11
 11 And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I
shall speak?

Ether 3:12
 12 And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the
truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

Ether 3:13
 13 And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed
himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye
are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my
presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

Ether 3:14
 14 Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the
world to redeem my people.  Behold, I am Jesus Christ.  I am the
Father and the Son.  In me shall all mankind have life, and that
eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall
become my sons and my daughters.

Ether 3:15
 15 And never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created,
for never has man believed in me as thou hast.  Seest thou that
ye are created after mine own image?  Yea, even all men were
created in the beginning after mine own image.

Ether 3:16
 16 Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my
spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and
even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit will I appear unto
my people in the flesh.

Ether 3:17
 17 And now, as I, Moroni, said I could not make a full account
of these things which are written therefore it sufficeth me to
say that Jesus showed himself unto this man in the spirit, even
after the manner and in the likeness of the same body even as he
showed himself unto the Nephites.

Ether 3:18
 18 And he ministered unto him even as he ministered unto the
Nephites; and all this, that this man might know that he was God,
because of the many great works which the Lord had showed unto
him.

Ether 3:19
 19 And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept
from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus,
which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was
the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew,
nothing doubting.

Ether 3:20
 20 Wherefore, having this perfect knowledge of God, he could not
be kept from within the veil; therefore he saw Jesus; and he did
minister unto him.

Ether 3:21
 21 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto the brother of
Jared: Behold, thou shalt not suffer these things which ye have
seen and heard to go forth unto the world, until the time cometh
that I shall glorify my name in the flesh; wherefore, ye shall
treasure up the things which ye have seen and heard, and show it
to no man.

Ether 3:22
 22 And behold, when ye shall come unto me, ye shall write them
and shall seal them up, that no one can interpret them; for ye
shall write them in a language that they cannot be read.

Ether 3:23
 23 And behold, these two stones will I give unto thee, and ye
shall seal them up also with the things which ye shall write.

Ether 3:24
 24 For behold, the language which ye shall write I have
confounded; wherefore I will cause in my own due time that these
stones shall magnify to the eyes of men these things which ye
shall write.

Ether 3:25
 25 And when the Lord had said these words, he showed unto the
brother of Jared all the inhabitants of the earth which had been,
and also all that would be; and he withheld them not from his
sight, even unto the ends of the earth.

Ether 3:26
 26 For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would
believe in him that he could show unto him all things--it should
be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything
from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things.

Ether 3:27
 27 And the Lord said unto him: Write these things and seal them
up; and I will show them in mine own due time unto the children
of men.

Ether 3:28
 28 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that he
should seal up the two stones which he had received, and show
them not, until the Lord should show them unto the children of
men.

Ether 4

Ether 4:1
 1 And the Lord commanded the brother of Jared to go down out of
the mount from the presence of the Lord, and write the things
which he had seen; and they were forbidden to come unto the
children of men until after that he should be lifted up upon the
cross; and for this cause did king Mosiah keep them, that they
should not come unto the world until after Christ should show
himself unto his people.

Ether 4:2
 2 And after Christ truly had showed himself unto his people he
commanded that they should be made manifest.

Ether 4:3
 3 And now, after that, they have all dwindled in unbelief; and
there is none save it be the Lamanites, and they have rejected
the gospel of Christ; therefore I am commanded that I should hide
them up again in the earth.

Ether 4:4
 4 Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which
the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things
made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the
brother of Jared.

Ether 4:5
 5 Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have
written them.  And he commanded me that I should seal them up;
and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the
interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the
interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.

Ether 4:6
 6 For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the
Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity,
and become clean before the Lord.

Ether 4:7
 7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith
the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become
sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which
the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my
revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of
the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are.

Ether 4:8
 8 And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him
be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be
accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith
Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.

Ether 4:9
 9 And at my command the heavens are opened and are shut; and at
my word the earth shall shake; and at my command the inhabitants
thereof shall pass away, even so as by fire.

Ether 4:10
 10 And he that believeth not my words believeth not my
disciples; and if it so be that I do not speak, judge ye; for ye
shall know that it is I that speaketh, at the last day.

Ether 4:11
 11 But he that believeth these things which I have spoken, him
will I visit with the manifestations of my Spirit, and he shall
know and bear record.  For because of my Spirit he shall know
that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good.

Ether 4:12
 12 And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for
good cometh of none save it be of me.  I am the same that leadeth
men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not
believe me--that I am; and he that will not believe me will not
believe the Father who sent me.  For behold, I am the Father, I
am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

Ether 4:13
 13 Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the
greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of
unbelief.

Ether 4:14
 14 Come unto me, O ye house of Israel, and it shall be made
manifest unto you how great things the Father hath laid up for
you, from the foundation of the world; and it hath not come unto
you, because of unbelief.

Ether 4:15
 15 Behold, when ye shall rend that veil of unbelief which doth
cause you to remain in your awful state of wickedness, and
hardness of heart, and blindness of mind, then shall the great
and marvelous things which have been hid up from the foundation
of the world from you--yea, when ye shall call upon the Father in
my name, with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, then shall ye
know that the Father hath remembered the covenant which he made
unto your fathers, O house of Israel.

Ether 4:16
 16 And then shall my revelations which I have caused to be
written by my servant John be unfolded in the eyes of all the
people.  Remember, when ye see these things, ye shall know that
the time is at hand that they shall be made manifest in very
deed.

Ether 4:17
 17 Therefore, when ye shall receive this record ye may know that
the work of the Father has commenced upon all the face of the
land.

Ether 4:18
 18 Therefore, repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me,
and believe in my gospel, and be baptized in my name; for he that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth
not shall be damned; and signs shall follow them that believe in
my name.

Ether 4:19
 19 And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the
last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom
prepared for him from the foundation of the world.  And behold it
is I that hath spoken it.  Amen.

Ether 5

Ether 5:1
 1 And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded
me, according to my memory; and I have told you the things which
I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may
translate; for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it
shall be wisdom in God.

Ether 5:2
 2 And behold, ye may be privileged that ye may show the plates
unto those who shall assist to bring forth this work;

Ether 5:3
 3 And unto three shall they be shown by the power of God;
wherefore they shall know of a surety that these things are true.

Ether 5:4
 4 And in the mouth of three witnesses shall these things be
established; and the testimony of three, and this work, in the
which shall be shown forth the power of God and also his word, of
which the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost bear
record--and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world
at the last day.

Ether 5:5
 5 And if it so be that they repent and come unto the Father in
the name of Jesus, they shall be received into the kingdom of
God.

Ether 5:6
 6 And now, if I have no authority for these things, judge ye;
for ye shall know that I have authority when ye shall see me, and
we shall stand before God at the last day.  Amen.

Ether 6

Ether 6:1
 1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his
brother.

Ether 6:2
 2 For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones
which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the
brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth
the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end
thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels.

Ether 6:3
 3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give
light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross
the great waters in darkness.

Ether 6:4
 4 And it came to pass that when they had prepared all manner of
food, that thereby they might subsist upon the water, and also
food for their flocks and herds, and whatsoever beast or animal
or fowl that they should carry with them--and it came to pass
that when they had done all these things they got aboard of their
vessels or barges, and set forth into the sea, commending
themselves unto the Lord their God.

Ether 6:5
 5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should
be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the
promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the
sea before the wind.

Ether 6:6
 6 And it came to pass that they were many times buried in the
depths of the sea, because of the mountain waves which broke upon
them, and also the great and terrible tempests which were caused
by the fierceness of the wind.

Ether 6:7
 7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep
there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being
tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the
ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many
waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth
again upon the top of the waters.

Ether 6:8
 8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow
towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and
thus they were driven forth before the wind.

Ether 6:9
 9 And they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of
Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise
the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not
cease to praise the Lord.

Ether 6:10
 10 And thus they were driven forth; and no monster of the sea
could break them, neither whale that could mar them; and they did
have light continually, whether it was above the water or under
the water.

Ether 6:11
 11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and
four days upon the water.

Ether 6:12
 12 And they did land upon the shore of the promised land.  And
when they had set their feet upon the shores of the promised land
they bowed themselves down upon the face of the land, and did
humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy
before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies
over them.

Ether 6:13
 13 And it came to pass that they went forth upon the face of the
land, and began to till the earth.

Ether 6:14
 14 And Jared had four sons; and they were called Jacom, and
Gilgah, and Mahah, and Orihah.

Ether 6:15
 15 And the brother of Jared also begat sons and daughters.

Ether 6:16
 16 And the friends of Jared and his brother were in number about
twenty and two souls; and they also begat sons and daughters
before they came to the promised land; and therefore they began
to be many.

Ether 6:17
 17 And they were taught to walk humbly before the Lord; and they
were also taught from on high.

Ether 6:18
 18 And it came to pass that they began to spread upon the face
of the land, and to multiply and to till the earth; and they did
wax strong in the land.

Ether 6:19
 19 And the brother of Jared began to be old, and saw that he
must soon go down to the grave; wherefore he said unto Jared: Let
us gather together our people that we may number them, that we
may know of them what they will desire of us before we go down to
our graves.

Ether 6:20
 20 And accordingly the people were gathered together.  Now the
number of the sons and the daughters of the brother of Jared were
twenty and two souls; and the number of sons and daughters of
Jared were twelve, he having four sons.

Ether 6:21
 21 And it came to pass that they did number their people; and
after that they had numbered them, they did desire of them the
things which they would that they should do before they went down
to their graves.

Ether 6:22
 22 And it came to pass that the people desired of them that they
should anoint one of their sons to be a king over them.

Ether 6:23
 23 And now behold, this was grievous unto them.  And the brother
of Jared said unto them: Surely this thing leadeth into
captivity.

Ether 6:24
 24 But Jared said unto his brother: Suffer them that they may
have a king.  And therefore he said unto them: Choose ye out from
among our sons a king, even whom ye will.

Ether 6:25
 25 And it came to pass that they chose even the firstborn of the
brother of Jared; and his name was Pagag.  And it came to pass
that he refused and would not be their king.  And the people
would that his father should constrain him, but his father would
not; and he commanded them that they should constrain no man to
be their king.

Ether 6:26
 26 And it came to pass that they chose all the brothers of
Pagag, and they would not.

Ether 6:27
 27 And it came to pass that neither would the sons of Jared,
even all save it were one; and Orihah was anointed to be king
over the people.

Ether 6:28
 28 And he began to reign, and the people began to prosper; and
they became exceedingly rich.

Ether 6:29
 29 And it came to pass that Jared died, and his brother also.

Ether 6:30
 30 And it came to pass that Orihah did walk humbly before the
Lord, and did remember how great things the Lord had done for his
father, and also taught his people how great things the Lord had
done for their fathers.

Ether 7

Ether 7:1
 1 And it came to pass that Orihah did execute judgment upon the
land in righteousness all his days, whose days were exceedingly
many.

Ether 7:2
 2 And he begat sons and daughters; yea, he begat thirty and one,
among whom were twenty and three sons.

Ether 7:3
 3 And it came to pass that he also begat Kib in his old age. 
And it came to pass that Kib reigned in his stead; and Kib begat
Corihor.

Ether 7:4
 4 And when Corihor was thirty and two years old he rebelled
against his father, and went over and dwelt in the land of Nehor;
and he begat sons and daughters, and they became exceedingly
fair; wherefore Corihor drew away many people after him.

Ether 7:5
 5 And when he had gathered together an army he came up unto the
land of Moron where the king dwelt, and took him captive, which
brought to pass the saying of the brother of Jared that they
would be brought into captivity.

Ether 7:6
 6 Now the land of Moron, where the king dwelt, was near the land
which is called Desolation by the Nephites.

Ether 7:7
 7 And it came to pass that Kib dwelt in captivity, and his
people under Corihor his son, until he became exceedingly old;
nevertheless Kib begat Shule in his old age, while he was yet in
captivity.

Ether 7:8
 8 And it came to pass that Shule was angry with his brother; and
Shule waxed strong, and became mighty as to the strength of a
man; and he was also mighty in judgment.

Ether 7:9
 9 Wherefore, he came to the hill Ephraim, and he did molten out
of the hill, and made swords out of steel for those whom he had
drawn away with him; and after he had armed them with swords he
returned to the city Nehor and gave battle unto his brother
Corihor, by which means he obtained the kingdom and restored it
unto his father Kib.

Ether 7:10
 10 And now because of the thing which Shule had done, his father
bestowed upon him the kingdom; therefore he began to reign in the
stead of his father.

Ether 7:11
 11 And it came to pass that he did execute judgment in
righteousness; and he did spread his kingdom upon all the face of
the land, for the people had become exceedingly numerous.

Ether 7:12
 12 And it came to pass that Shule also begat many sons and
daughters.

Ether 7:13
 13 And Corihor repented of the many evils which he had done;
wherefore Shule gave him power in his kingdom.

Ether 7:14
 14 And it came to pass that Corihor had many sons and daughters.

And among the sons of Corihor there was one whose name was Noah.

Ether 7:15
 15 And it came to pass that Noah rebelled against Shule, the
king, and also his father Corihor, and drew away Cohor his
brother, and also all his brethren and many of the people.

Ether 7:16
 16 And he gave battle unto Shule the king, in which he did
obtain the land of their first inheritance; and he became a king
over that part of the land.

Ether 7:17
 17 And it came to pass that he gave battle again unto Shule, the
king; and he took Shule, the king, and carried him away captive
into Moron.

Ether 7:18
 18 And it came to pass as he was about to put him to death, the
sons of Shule crept into the house of Noah by night and slew him,
and broke down the door of the prison and brought out their
father, and placed him upon his throne in his own kingdom.

Ether 7:19
 19 Wherefore, the son of Noah did build up his kingdom in his
stead; nevertheless they did not gain power any more over Shule
the king, and the people who were under the reign of Shule the
king did prosper exceedingly and wax great.

Ether 7:20
 20 And the country was divided; and there were two kingdoms, the
kingdom of Shule, and the kingdom of Cohor, the son of Noah.

Ether 7:21
 21 And Cohor, the son of Noah, caused that his people should
give battle unto Shule, in which Shule did beat them and did slay
Cohor.

Ether 7:22
 22 And now Cohor had a son who was called Nimrod; and Nimrod
gave up the kingdom of Cohor unto Shule, and he did gain favor in
the eyes of Shule; wherefore Shule did bestow great favors upon
him, and he did do in the kingdom of Shule according to his
desires.

Ether 7:23
 23 And also in the reign of Shule there came prophets among the
people, who were sent from the Lord, prophesying that the
wickedness and idolatry of the people was bringing a curse upon
the land, and they should be destroyed if they did not repent.

Ether 7:24
 24 And it came to pass that the people did revile against the
prophets, and did mock them.  And it came to pass that king Shule
did execute judgment against all those who did revile against the
prophets.

Ether 7:25
 25 And he did execute a law throughout all the land, which gave
power unto the prophets that they should go whithersoever they
would; and by this cause the people were brought unto repentance.

Ether 7:26
 26 And because the people did repent of their iniquities and
idolatries the Lord did spare them, and they began to prosper
again in the land.  And it came to pass that Shule begat sons and
daughters in his old age.

Ether 7:27
 27 And there were no more wars in the days of Shule; and he
remembered the great things that the Lord had done for his
fathers in bringing them across the great deep into the promised
land; wherefore he did execute judgment in righteousness all his
days.

Ether 8

Ether 8:1
 1 And it came to pass that he begat Omer, and Omer reigned in
his stead.  And Omer begat Jared; and Jared begat sons and
daughters.

Ether 8:2
 2 And Jared rebelled against his father, and came and dwelt in
the land of Heth.  And it came to pass that he did flatter many
people, because of his cunning words, until he had gained the
half of the kingdom.

Ether 8:3
 3 And when he had gained the half of the kingdom he gave battle
unto his father, and he did carry away his father into captivity,
and did make him serve in captivity;

Ether 8:4
 4 And now, in the days of the reigns of Omer he was in captivity
the half of his days.  And it came to pass that he begat sons and
daughters among whom were Esrom and Coriantumr;

Ether 8:5
 5 And they were exceedingly angry because of the doings of Jared
their brother, insomuch that they did raise an army and gave
battle unto Jared.  And it came to pass that they did give battle
unto him by night.

Ether 8:6
 6 And it came to pass that when they had slain the army of Jared
they were about to slay him also; and he plead with them that
they would not slay him, and he would give up the kingdom unto
his father.  And it came to pass that they did grant unto him his
life.

Ether 8:7
 7 And now Jared became exceedingly sorrowful because of the loss
of the kingdom, for he had set his heart upon the kingdom and
upon the glory of the world.

Ether 8:8
 8 Now the daughter of Jared being exceedingly expert, and seeing
the sorrows of her father, thought to devise a plan whereby she
could redeem the kingdom unto her father.

Ether 8:9
 9 Now the daughter of Jared was exceedingly fair.  And it came
to pass that she did talk with her father, and said unto him:
Whereby hath my father so much sorrow?  Hath he not read the
record which our fathers brought across the great deep?  Behold,
is there not an account concerning them of old, that they by
their secret plans did obtain kingdoms and great glory?

Ether 8:10
 10 And now, therefore, let my father send for Akish, the son of
Kimnor; and behold, I am fair, and I will dance before him, and I
will please him, that he will desire me to wife; wherefore if he
shall desire of thee that ye shall give unto him me to wife, then
shall ye say: I will give her if ye will bring unto me the head
of my father, the king.

Ether 8:11
 11 And now Omer was a friend to Akish; wherefore, when Jared had
sent for Akish, the daughter of Jared danced before him that she
pleased him, insomuch that he desired her to wife.  And it came
to pass that he said unto Jared: Give her unto me to wife.

Ether 8:12
 12 And Jared said unto him: I will give her unto you, if ye will
bring unto me the head of my father, the king.

Ether 8:13
 13 And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of
Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me
that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall
desire of you?

Ether 8:14
 14 And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God
of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by
their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which
Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge
whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose
his life.

Ether 8:15
 15 And it came to pass that thus they did agree with Akish.  And
Akish did administer unto them the oaths which were given by them
of old who also sought power, which had been handed down even
from Cain, who was a murderer from the beginning.

Ether 8:16
 16 And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer
these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help
such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to
plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and
whoredoms.

Ether 8:17
 17 And it was the daughter of Jared who put it into his heart to
search up these things of old; and Jared put it into the heart of
Akish; wherefore, Akish administered it unto his kindred and
friends, leading them away by fair promises to do whatsoever
thing he desired.

Ether 8:18
 18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination,
even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and
wicked above all, in the sight of God;

Ether 8:19
 19 For the Lord worketh not in secret combinations, neither doth
he will that man should shed blood, but in all things hath
forbidden it, from the beginning of man.

Ether 8:20
 20 And now I, Moroni, do not write the manner of their oaths and
combinations, for it hath been made known unto me that they are
had among all people, and they are had among the Lamanites.

Ether 8:21
 21 And they have caused the destruction of this people of whom I
am now speaking, and also the destruction of the people of Nephi.

Ether 8:22
 22 And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations,
to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation,
behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer
that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall
always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and
yet he avenge them not.

Ether 8:23
 23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these
things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of
your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall
get above you, which are built up to get power and gain--and the
work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even
the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you,
to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things
to be.

Ether 8:24
 24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these
things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your
awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall
be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who
have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon
it, and also upon those who built it up.

Ether 8:25
 25 For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to
overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and
it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is
built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that
same liar who beguiled our first parents, yea, even that same
liar who hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning; who
hath hardened the hearts of men that they have murdered the
prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out from the beginning.

Ether 8:26
 26 Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that
evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may
have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that
they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come
unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved.

Ether 9

Ether 9:1
 1 And now I, Moroni, proceed with my record.  Therefore, behold,
it came to pass that because of the secret combinations of Akish
and his friends, behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer.

Ether 9:2
 2 Nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his
sons and to his daughters who did not seek his destruction.

Ether 9:3
 3 And the Lord warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out
of the land; wherefore Omer departed out of the land with his
family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the
hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nephites were
destroyed, and from thence eastward, and came to a place which
was called Ablom, by the seashore, and there he pitched his tent,
and also his sons and his daughters, and all his household, save
it were Jared and his family.

Ether 9:4
 4 And it came to pass that Jared was anointed king over the
people, by the hand of wickedness; and he gave unto Akish his
daughter to wife.

Ether 9:5
 5 And it came to pass that Akish sought the life of his
father-in-law; and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the
oath of the ancients, and they obtained the head of his
father-in-law, as he sat upon his throne, giving audience to his
people.

Ether 9:6
 6 For so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret
society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people;
therefore Jared was murdered upon his throne, and Akish reigned
in his stead.

Ether 9:7
 7 And it came to pass that Akish began to be jealous of his son,
therefore he shut him up in prison, and kept him upon little or
no food until he had suffered death.

Ether 9:8
 8 And now the brother of him that suffered death, (and his name
was Nimrah) was angry with his father because of that which his
father had done unto his brother.

Ether 9:9
 9 And it came to pass that Nimrah gathered together a small
number of men, and fled out of the land, and came over and dwelt
with Omer.

Ether 9:10
 10 And it came to pass that Akish begat other sons, and they won
the hearts of the people, notwithstanding they had sworn unto him
to do all manner of iniquity according to that which he desired.

Ether 9:11
 11 Now the people of Akish were desirous for gain, even as Akish
was desirous for power; wherefore, the sons of Akish did offer
them money, by which means they drew away the more part of the
people after them.

Ether 9:12
 12 And there began to be a war between the sons of Akish and
Akish, which lasted for the space of many years, yea, unto the
destruction of nearly all the people of the kingdom, yea, even
all, save it were thirty souls, and they who fled with the house
of Omer.

Ether 9:13
 13 Wherefore, Omer was restored again to the land of his
inheritance.

Ether 9:14
 14 And it came to pass that Omer began to be old; nevertheless,
in his old age he begat Emer; and he anointed Emer to be king to
reign in his stead.

Ether 9:15
 15 And after that he had anointed Emer to be king he saw peace
in the land for the space of two years, and he died, having seen
exceedingly many days, which were full of sorrow.  And it came to
pass that Emer did reign in his stead, and did fill the steps of
his father.

Ether 9:16
 16 And the Lord began again to take the curse from off the land,
and the house of Emer did prosper exceedingly under the reign of
Emer; and in the space of sixty and two years they had become
exceedingly strong, insomuch that they became exceedingly rich--

Ether 9:17
 17 Having all manner of fruit, and of grain, and of silks, and
of fine linen, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious
things;

Ether 9:18
 18 And also all manner of cattle, of oxen, and cows, and of
sheep, and of swine, and of goats, and also many other kinds of
animals which were useful for the food of man.

Ether 9:19
 19 And they also had horses, and asses, and there were elephants
and cureloms and cumoms; all of which were useful unto man, and
more especially the elephants and cureloms and cumoms.

Ether 9:20
 20 And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land,
which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that
whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or
they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for
upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my
wrath.

Ether 9:21
 21 And Emer did execute judgment in righteousness all his days,
and he begat many sons and daughters; and he begat Coriantum, and
he anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead.

Ether 9:22
 22 And after he had anointed Coriantum to reign in his stead he
lived four years, and he saw peace in the land; yea, and he even
saw the Son of Righteousness, and did rejoice and glory in his
day; and he died in peace.

Ether 9:23
 23 And it came to pass that Coriantum did walk in the steps of
his father, and did build many mighty cities, and did administer
that which was good unto his people in all his days.  And it came
to pass that he had no children even until he was exceedingly
old.

Ether 9:24
 24 And it came to pass that his wife died, being an hundred and
two years old.  And it came to pass that Coriantum took to wife,
in his old age, a young maid, and begat sons and daughters;
wherefore he lived until he was an hundred and forty and two
years old.

Ether 9:25
 25 And it came to pass that he begat Com, and Com reigned in his
stead; and he reigned forty and nine years, and he begat Heth;
and he also begat other sons and daughters.

Ether 9:26
 26 And the people had spread again over all the face of the
land, and there began again to be an exceedingly great wickedness
upon the face of the land, and Heth began to embrace the secret
plans again of old, to destroy his father.

Ether 9:27
 27 And it came to pass that he did dethrone his father, for he
slew him with his own sword; and he did reign in his stead.

Ether 9:28
 28 And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance
unto them--that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there
should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there
should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if
they did not repent.

Ether 9:29
 29 But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but
they cast them out; and some of them they cast into pits and left
them to perish.  And it came to pass that they did all these
things according to the commandment of the king, Heth.

Ether 9:30
 30 And it came to pass that there began to be a great dearth
upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed
exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain
upon the face of the earth.

Ether 9:31
 31 And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of
the land, and did poison many people.  And it came to pass that
their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards
the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla.

Ether 9:32
 32 And it came to pass that there were many of them which did
perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into
the land southward.

Ether 9:33
 33 And it came to pass that the Lord did cause the serpents that
they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up
the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt
to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents.

Ether 9:34
 34 And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of
the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by
the way, until they had devoured them all.  Now when the people
saw that they must perish they began to repent of their
iniquities and cry unto the Lord.

Ether 9:35
 35 And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves
sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of
the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began
to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries
round about.  And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in
preserving them from famine.

Ether 10

Ether 10:1
 1 And it came to pass that Shez, who was a descendant of
Heth--for Heth had perished by the famine, and all his household
save it were Shez--wherefore, Shez began to build up again a
broken people.

Ether 10:2
 2 And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of
his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he
remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his
brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord;
and he begat sons and daughters.

Ether 10:3
 3 And his eldest son, whose name was Shez, did rebel against
him; nevertheless, Shez was smitten by the hand of a robber,
because of his exceeding riches, which brought peace again unto
his father.

Ether 10:4
 4 And it came to pass that his father did build up many cities
upon the face of the land, and the people began again to spread
over all the face of the land.  And Shez did live to an
exceedingly old age; and he begat Riplakish.  And he died, and
Riplakish reigned in his stead.

Ether 10:5
 5 And it came to pass that Riplakish did not do that which was
right in the sight of the Lord, for he did have many wives and
concubines, and did lay that upon men's shoulders which was
grievous to be borne; yea, he did tax them with heavy taxes; and
with the taxes he did build many spacious buildings.

Ether 10:6
 6 And he did erect him an exceedingly beautiful throne; and he
did build many prisons, and whoso would not be subject unto taxes
he did cast into prison; and whoso was not able to pay taxes he
did cast into prison; and he did cause that they should labor
continually for their support; and whoso refused to labor he did
cause to be put to death.

Ether 10:7
 7 Wherefore he did obtain all his fine work, yea, even his fine
gold he did cause to be refined in prison, and all manner of fine
workmanship he did cause to be wrought in prison.  And it came to
pass that he did afflict the people with his whoredoms and
abominations.

Ether 10:8
 8 And when he had reigned for the space of forty and two years
the people did rise up in rebellion against him; and there began
to be war again in the land, insomuch that Riplakish was killed,
and his descendants were driven out of the land.

Ether 10:9
 9 And it came to pass after the space of many years, Morianton,
(he being a descendant of Riplakish) gathered together an army of
outcasts, and went forth and gave battle unto the people; and he
gained power over many cities; and the war became exceedingly
sore, and did last for the space of many years; and he did gain
power over all the land, and did establish himself king over all
the land.

Ether 10:10
 10 And after that he had established himself king he did ease
the burden of the people, by which he did gain favor in the eyes
of the people, and they did anoint him to be their king.

Ether 10:11
 11 And he did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself
because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the
presence of the Lord.

Ether 10:12
 12 And it came to pass that Morianton built up many cities, and
the people became exceedingly rich under his reign, both in
buildings, and in gold and silver, and in raising grain, and in
flocks, and herds, and such things which had been restored unto
them.

Ether 10:13
 13 And Morianton did live to an exceedingly great age, and then
he begat Kim; and Kim did reign in the stead of his father; and
he did reign eight years, and his father died.  And it came to
pass that Kim did not reign in righteousness, wherefore he was
not favored of the Lord.

Ether 10:14
 14 And his brother did rise up in rebellion against him, by
which he did bring him into captivity; and he did remain in
captivity all his days; and he begat sons and daughters in
captivity, and in his old age he begat Levi; and he died.

Ether 10:15
 15 And it came to pass that Levi did serve in captivity after
the death of his father, for the space of forty and two years. 
And he did make war against the king of the land, by which he did
obtain unto himself the kingdom.

Ether 10:16
 16 And after he had obtained unto himself the kingdom he did
that which was right in the sight of the Lord; and the people did
prosper in the land; and he did live to a good old age, and begat
sons and daughters; and he also begat Corom, whom he anointed
king in his stead.

Ether 10:17
 17 And it came to pass that Corom did that which was good in the
sight of the Lord all his days; and he begat many sons and
daughters; and after he had seen many days he did pass away, even
like unto the rest of the earth; and Kish reigned in his stead.

Ether 10:18
 18 And it came to pass that Kish passed away also, and Lib
reigned in his stead.

Ether 10:19
 19 And it came to pass that Lib also did that which was good in
the sight of the Lord.  And in the days of Lib the poisonous
serpents were destroyed.  Wherefore they did go into the land
southward, to hunt food for the people of the land, for the land
was covered with animals of the forest.  And Lib also himself
became a great hunter.

Ether 10:20
 20 And they built a great city by the narrow neck of land, by
the place where the sea divides the land.

Ether 10:21
 21 And they did preserve the land southward for a wilderness, to
get game.  And the whole face of the land northward was covered
with inhabitants.

Ether 10:22
 22 And they were exceedingly industrious, and they did buy and
sell and traffic one with another, that they might get gain.

Ether 10:23
 23 And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make
gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals;
and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore they did cast up
mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of
iron, and of copper.  And they did work all manner of fine work.

Ether 10:24
 24 And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did
work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from
their nakedness.

Ether 10:25
 25 And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both
to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thrash.

Ether 10:26
 26 And they did make all manner of tools with which they did
work their beasts.

Ether 10:27
 27 And they did make all manner of weapons of war.  And they did
work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship.

Ether 10:28
 28 And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and
more prospered by the hand of the Lord.  And they were in a land
that was choice above all lands, for the Lord had spoken it.

Ether 10:29
 29 And it came to pass that Lib did live many years, and begat
sons and daughters; and he also begat Hearthom.

Ether 10:30
 30 And it came to pass that Hearthom reigned in the stead of his
father.  And when Hearthom had reigned twenty and four years,
behold, the kingdom was taken away from him.  And he served many
years in captivity, yea, even all the remainder of his days.

Ether 10:31
 31 And he begat Heth, and Heth lived in captivity all his days. 
And Heth begat Aaron, and Aaron dwelt in captivity all his days;
and he begat Amnigaddah, and Amnigaddah also dwelt in captivity
all his days; and he begat Coriantum, and Coriantum dwelt in
captivity all his days; and he begat Com.

Ether 10:32
 32 And it came to pass that Com drew away the half of the
kingdom.  And he reigned over the half of the kingdom forty and
two years; and he went to battle against the king, Amgid, and
they fought for the space of many years, during which time Com
gained power over Amgid, and obtained power over the remainder of
the kingdom.

Ether 10:33
 33 And in the days of Com there began to be robbers in the land;
and they adopted the old plans, and administered oaths after the
manner of the ancients, and sought again to destroy the kingdom.

Ether 10:34
 34 Now Com did fight against them much; nevertheless, he did not
prevail against them.

Ether 11

Ether 11:1
 1 And there came also in the days of Com many prophets, and
prophesied of the destruction of that great people except they
should repent, and turn unto the Lord, and forsake their murders
and wickedness.

Ether 11:2
 2 And it came to pass that the prophets were rejected by the
people, and they fled unto Com for protection, for the people
sought to destroy them.

Ether 11:3
 3 And they prophesied unto Com many things; and he was blessed
in all the remainder of his days.

Ether 11:4
 4 And he lived to a good old age, and begat Shiblom; and Shiblom
reigned in his stead.  And the brother of Shiblom rebelled
against him, and there began to be an exceedingly great war in
all the land.

Ether 11:5
 5 And it came to pass that the brother of Shiblom caused that
all the prophets who prophesied of the destruction of the people
should be put to death;

Ether 11:6
 6 And there was great calamity in all the land, for they had
testified that a great curse should come upon the land, and also
upon the people, and that there should be a great destruction
among them, such an one as never had been upon the face of the
earth, and their bones should become as heaps of earth upon the
face of the land except they should repent of their wickedness.

Ether 11:7
 7 And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of
their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and
contentions in all the land, and also many famines and
pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an
one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all
this came to pass in the days of Shiblom.

Ether 11:8
 8 And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch
as they did the Lord did have mercy on them.

Ether 11:9
 9 And it came to pass that Shiblom was slain, and Seth was
brought into captivity, and did dwell in captivity all his days.

Ether 11:10
 10 And it came to pass that Ahah, his son, did obtain the
kingdom; and he did reign over the people all his days.  And he
did do all manner of iniquity in his days, by which he did cause
the shedding of much blood; and few were his days.

Ether 11:11
 11 And Ethem, being a descendant of Ahah, did obtain the
kingdom; and he also did do that which was wicked in his days.

Ether 11:12
 12 And it came to pass that in the days of Ethem there came many
prophets, and prophesied again unto the people; yea, they did
prophesy that the Lord would utterly destroy them from off the
face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities.

Ether 11:13
 13 And it came to pass that the people hardened their hearts,
and would not hearken unto their words; and the prophets mourned
and withdrew from among the people.

Ether 11:14
 14 And it came to pass that Ethem did execute judgment in
wickedness all his days; and he begat Moron.  And it came to pass
that Moron did reign in his stead; and Moron did that which was
wicked before the Lord.

Ether 11:15
 15 And it came to pass that there arose a rebellion among the
people, because of that secret combination which was built up to
get power and gain; and there arose a mighty man among them in
iniquity, and gave battle unto Moron, in which he did overthrow
the half of the kingdom; and he did maintain the half of the
kingdom for many years.

Ether 11:16
 16 And it came to pass that Moron did overthrow him, and did
obtain the kingdom again.

Ether 11:17
 17 And it came to pass that there arose another mighty man; and
he was a descendant of the brother of Jared.

Ether 11:18
 18 And it came to pass that he did overthrow Moron and obtain
the kingdom; wherefore, Moron dwelt in captivity all the
remainder of his days; and he begat Coriantor.

Ether 11:19
 19 And it came to pass that Coriantor dwelt in captivity all his
days.

Ether 11:20
 20 And in the days of Coriantor there also came many prophets,
and prophesied of great and marvelous things, and cried
repentance unto the people, and except they should repent the
Lord God would execute judgment against them to their utter
destruction;

Ether 11:21
 21 And that the Lord God would send or bring forth another
people to possess the land, by his power, after the manner by
which he brought their fathers.

Ether 11:22
 22 And they did reject all the words of the prophets, because of
their secret society and wicked abominations.

Ether 11:23
 23 And it came to pass that Coriantor begat Ether, and he died,
having dwelt in captivity all his days.

Ether 12

Ether 12:1
 1 And it came to pass that the days of Ether were in the days of
Coriantumr; and Coriantumr was king over all the land.

Ether 12:2
 2 And Ether was a prophet of the Lord; wherefore Ether came
forth in the days of Coriantumr, and began to prophesy unto the
people, for he could not be restrained because of the Spirit of
the Lord which was in him.

Ether 12:3
 3 For he did cry from the morning, even until the going down of
the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance
lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all
things are fulfilled--

Ether 12:4
 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a
better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which
hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which
would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good
works, being led to glorify God.

Ether 12:5
 5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and
marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe,
because they saw them not.

Ether 12:6
 6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these
things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which
are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see
not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your
faith.

Ether 12:7
 7 For it was by faith that Christ showed himself unto our
fathers, after he had risen from the dead; and he showed not
himself unto them until after they had faith in him; wherefore,
it must needs be that some had faith in him, for he showed
himself not unto the world.

Ether 12:8
 8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the
world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way
that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that
they might hope for those things which they have not seen.

Ether 12:9
 9 Wherefore, ye may also have hope, and be partakers of the
gift, if ye will but have faith.

Ether 12:10
 10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the
holy order of God.

Ether 12:11
 11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given.  But in the
gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is
by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

Ether 12:12
 12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do
no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until
after their faith.

Ether 12:13
 13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the
prison to tumble to the earth.

Ether 12:14
 14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the
change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and
with the Holy Ghost.

Ether 12:15
 15 Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which
wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.

Ether 12:16
 16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by
faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were
after.

Ether 12:17
 17 And it was by faith that the three disciples obtained a
promise that they should not taste of death; and they obtained
not the promise until after their faith.

Ether 12:18
 18 And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after
their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God.

Ether 12:19
 19 And there were many whose faith was so exceedingly strong,
even before Christ came, who could not be kept from within the
veil, but truly saw with their eyes the things which they had
beheld with an eye of faith, and they were glad.

Ether 12:20
 20 And behold, we have seen in this record that one of these was
the brother of Jared; for so great was his faith in God, that
when God put forth his finger he could not hide it from the sight
of the brother of Jared, because of his word which he had spoken
unto him, which word he had obtained by faith.

Ether 12:21
 21 And after the brother of Jared had beheld the finger of the
Lord, because of the promise which the brother of Jared had
obtained by faith, the Lord could not withhold anything from his
sight; wherefore he showed him all things, for he could no longer
be kept without the veil.

Ether 12:22
 22 And it is by faith that my fathers have obtained the promise
that these things should come unto their brethren through the
Gentiles; therefore the Lord hath commanded me, yea, even Jesus
Christ.

Ether 12:23
 23 And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these
things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast
made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty
in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could
speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;

Ether 12:24
 24 And thou hast made us that we could write but little, because
of the awkwardness of our hands.  Behold, thou hast not made us
mighty in writing like unto the brother of Jared, for thou madest
him that the things which he wrote were mighty even as thou art,
unto the overpowering of man to read them.

Ether 12:25
 25 Thou hast also made our words powerful and great, even that
we cannot write them; wherefore, when we write we behold our
weakness, and stumble because of the placing of our words; and I
fear lest the Gentiles shall mock at our words.

Ether 12:26
 26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying:
Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for
the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;

Ether 12:27
 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.

I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is
sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if
they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will
I make weak things become strong unto them.

Ether 12:28
 28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness and I
will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto
me--the fountain of all righteousness.

Ether 12:29
 29 And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and
said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou
workest unto the children of men according to their faith;

Ether 12:30
 30 For the brother of Jared said unto the mountain Zerin,
Remove--and it was removed.  And if he had not had faith it would
not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men have faith.

Ether 12:31
 31 For thus didst thou manifest thyself unto thy disciples; for
after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show
thyself unto them in great power.

Ether 12:32
 32 And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast
prepared a house for man, yea, even among the mansions of thy
Father, in which man might have a more excellent hope; wherefore
man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place
which thou hast prepared.

Ether 12:33
 33 And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast
loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the
world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for
the children of men.

Ether 12:34
 34 And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the
children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have
charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared
in the mansions of thy Father.

Ether 12:35
 35 Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if
the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou
wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which
they have received, and give unto them who shall have more
abundantly.

Ether 12:36
 36 And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would
give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.

Ether 12:37
 37 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have
not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful;
wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean.  And because thou
hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the
sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions
of my Father.

Ether 12:38
 38 And now I, Moroni, bid farewell unto the Gentiles, yea, and
also unto my brethren whom I love, until we shall meet before the
judgment-seat of Christ, where all men shall know that my
garments are not spotted with your blood.

Ether 12:39
 39 And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he
hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain
humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language,
concerning these things;

Ether 12:40
 40 And only a few have I written, because of my weakness in
writing.

Ether 12:41
 41 And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the
prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the
Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which
beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever.  Amen.

Ether 13

Ether 13:1
 1 And now I, Moroni, proceed to finish my record concerning the
destruction of the people of whom I have been writing.

Ether 13:2
 2 For behold, they rejected all the words of Ether; for he truly
told them of all things, from the beginning of man; and that
after the waters had receded from off the face of this land it
became a choice land above all other lands, a chosen land of the
Lord; wherefore the Lord would have that all men should serve him
who dwell upon the face thereof;

Ether 13:3
 3 And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should
come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.

Ether 13:4
 4 Behold, Ether saw the days of Christ, and he spake concerning
a New Jerusalem upon this land.

Ether 13:5
 5 And he spake also concerning the house of Israel, and the
Jerusalem from whence Lehi should come--after it should be
destroyed it should be built up again, a holy city unto the Lord;
wherefore, it could not be a new Jerusalem for it had been in a
time of old; but it should be built up again, and become a holy
city of the Lord; and it should be built unto the house of
Israel.

Ether 13:6
 6 And that a New Jerusalem should be built upon this land, unto
the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has
been a type.

Ether 13:7
 7 For as Joseph brought his father down into the land of Egypt,
even so he died there; wherefore, the Lord brought a remnant of
the seed of Joseph out of the land of Jerusalem, that he might be
merciful unto the seed of Joseph that they should perish not,
even as he was merciful unto the father of Joseph that he should
perish not.

Ether 13:8
 8 Wherefore, the remnant of the house of Joseph shall be built
upon this land; and it shall be a land of their inheritance; and
they shall build up a holy city unto the Lord, like unto the
Jerusalem of old; and they shall no more be confounded, until the
end come when the earth shall pass away.

Ether 13:9
 9 And there shall be a new heaven and a new earth; and they
shall be like unto the old save the old have passed away, and all
things have become new.

Ether 13:10
 10 And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed are they who
dwell therein, for it is they whose garments are white through
the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who are numbered among
the remnant of the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of
Israel.

Ether 13:11
 11 And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the
inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been washed
in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they who were scattered
and gathered in from the four quarters of the earth, and from the
north countries, and are partakers of the fulfilling of the
covenant which God made with their father, Abraham.

Ether 13:12
 12 And when these things come, bringeth to pass the scripture
which saith, there are they who were first, who shall be last;
and there are they who were last, who shall be first.

Ether 13:13
 13 And I was about to write more, but I am forbidden; but great
and marvelous were the prophecies of Ether; but they esteemed him
as naught, and cast him out; and he hid himself in the cavity of
a rock by day, and by night he went forth viewing the things
which should come upon the people.

Ether 13:14
 14 And as he dwelt in the cavity of a rock he made the remainder
of his record, viewing the destructions which came upon the
people, by night.

Ether 13:15
 15 And it came to pass that in that same year in which he was
cast out from among the people there began to be a great war
among the people, for there were many who rose up, who were
mighty men, and sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret
plans of wickedness, of which hath been spoken.

Ether 13:16
 16 And now Coriantumr, having studied, himself, in all the arts
of war and all the cunning of the world, wherefore he gave battle
unto them who sought to destroy him.

Ether 13:17
 17 But he repented not, neither his fair sons nor daughters;
neither the fair sons and daughters of Cohor; neither the fair
sons and daughters of Corihor; and in fine, there were none of
the fair sons and daughters upon the face of the whole earth who
repented of their sins.

Ether 13:18
 18 Wherefore, it came to pass that in the first year that Ether
dwelt in the cavity of a rock, there were many people who were
slain by the sword of those secret combinations, fighting against
Coriantumr that they might obtain the kingdom.

Ether 13:19
 19 And it came to pass that the sons of Coriantumr fought much
and bled much.

Ether 13:20
 20 And in the second year the word of the Lord came to Ether,
that he should go and prophesy unto Coriantumr that, if he would
repent, and all his household, the Lord would give unto him his
kingdom and spare the people--

Ether 13:21
 21 Otherwise they should be destroyed, and all his household
save it were himself.  And he should only live to see the
fulfilling of the prophecies which had been spoken concerning
another people receiving the land for their inheritance; and
Coriantumr should receive a burial by them; and every soul should
be destroyed save it were Coriantumr.

Ether 13:22
 22 And it came to pass that Coriantumr repented not, neither his
household, neither the people; and the wars ceased not; and they
sought to kill Ether, but he fled from before them and hid again
in the cavity of the rock.

Ether 13:23
 23 And it came to pass that there arose up Shared, and he also
gave battle unto Coriantumr; and he did beat him, insomuch that
in the third year he did bring him into captivity.

Ether 13:24
 24 And the sons of Coriantumr, in the fourth year, did beat
Shared, and did obtain the kingdom again unto their father.

Ether 13:25
 25 Now there began to be a war upon all the face of the land,
every man with his band fighting for that which he desired.

Ether 13:26
 26 And there were robbers, and in fine, all manner of wickedness
upon all the face of the land.

Ether 13:27
 27 And it came to pass that Coriantumr was exceedingly angry
with Shared, and he went against him with his armies to battle;
and they did meet in great anger, and they did meet in the valley
of Gilgal; and the battle became exceedingly sore.

Ether 13:28
 28 And it came to pass that Shared fought against him for the
space of three days.  And it came to pass that Coriantumr beat
him, and did pursue him until he came to the plains of Heshlon.

Ether 13:29
 29 And it came to pass that Shared gave him battle again upon
the plains; and behold, he did beat Coriantumr, and drove him
back again to the valley of Gilgal.

Ether 13:30
 30 And Coriantumr gave Shared battle again in the valley of
Gilgal, in which he beat Shared and slew him.

Ether 13:31
 31 And Shared wounded Coriantumr in his thigh, that he did not
go to battle again for the space of two years, in which time all
the people upon the face of the land were shedding blood, and
there was none to restrain them.

Ether 14

Ether 14:1
 1 And now there began to be a great curse upon all the land
because of the iniquity of the people, in which, if a man should
lay his tool or his sword upon his shelf, or upon the place
whither he would keep it, behold, upon the morrow, he could not
find it, so great was the curse upon the land.

Ether 14:2
 2 Wherefore every man did cleave unto that which was his own,
with his hands, and would not borrow neither would he lend; and
every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand, in the
defence of his property and his own life and of his wives and
children.

Ether 14:3
 3 And now, after the space of two years, and after the death of
Shared, behold, there arose the brother of Shared and he gave
battle unto Coriantumr, in which Coriantumr did beat him and did
pursue him to the wilderness of Akish.

Ether 14:4
 4 And it came to pass that the brother of Shared did give battle
unto him in the wilderness of Akish; and the battle became
exceedingly sore, and many thousands fell by the sword.

Ether 14:5
 5 And it came to pass that Coriantumr did lay siege to the
wilderness; and the brother of Shared did march forth out of the
wilderness by night, and slew a part of the army of Coriantumr,
as they were drunken.

Ether 14:6
 6 And he came forth to the land of Moron, and placed himself
upon the throne of Coriantumr.

Ether 14:7
 7 And it came to pass that Coriantumr dwelt with his army in the
wilderness for the space of two years, in which he did receive
great strength to his army.

Ether 14:8
 8 Now the brother of Shared, whose name was Gilead, also
received great strength to his army, because of secret
combinations.

Ether 14:9
 9 And it came to pass that his high priest murdered him as he
sat upon his throne.

Ether 14:10
 10 And it came to pass that one of the secret combinations
murdered him in a secret pass, and obtained unto himself the
kingdom; and his name was Lib; and Lib was a man of great
stature, more than any other man among all the people.

Ether 14:11
 11 And it came to pass that in the first year of Lib, Coriantumr
came up unto the land of Moron, and gave battle unto Lib.

Ether 14:12
 12 And it came to pass that he fought with Lib, in which Lib did
smite upon his arm that he was wounded; nevertheless, the army of
Coriantumr did press forward upon Lib, that he fled to the
borders upon the seashore.

Ether 14:13
 13 And it came to pass that Coriantumr pursued him; and Lib gave
battle unto him upon the seashore.

Ether 14:14
 14 And it came to pass that Lib did smite the army of
Coriantumr, that they fled again to the wilderness of Akish.

Ether 14:15
 15 And it came to pass that Lib did pursue him until he came to
the plains of Agosh.  And Coriantumr had taken all the people
with him as he fled before Lib in that quarter of the land
whither he fled.

Ether 14:16
 16 And when he had come to the plains of Agosh he gave battle
unto Lib, and he smote upon him until he died; nevertheless, the
brother of Lib did come against Coriantumr in the stead thereof,
and the battle became exceedingly sore, in the which Coriantumr
fled again before the army of the brother of Lib.

Ether 14:17
 17 Now the name of the brother of Lib was called Shiz.  And it
came to pass that Shiz pursued after Coriantumr, and he did
overthrow many cities, and he did slay both women and children,
and he did burn the cities.

Ether 14:18
 18 And there went a fear of Shiz throughout all the land; yea, a
cry went forth throughout the land--Who can stand before the army
of Shiz?  Behold, he sweepeth the earth before him!

Ether 14:19
 19 And it came to pass that the people began to flock together
in armies, throughout all the face of the land.

Ether 14:20
 20 And they were divided; and a part of them fled to the army of
Shiz, and a part of them fled to the army of Coriantumr.

Ether 14:21
 21 And so great and lasting had been the war, and so long had
been the scene of bloodshed and carnage, that the whole face of
the land was covered with the bodies of the dead.

Ether 14:22
 22 And so swift and speedy was the war that there was none left
to bury the dead, but they did march forth from the shedding of
blood to the shedding of blood, leaving the bodies of both men,
women, and children strewed upon the face of the land, to become
a prey to the worms of the flesh.

Ether 14:23
 23 And the scent thereof went forth upon the face of the land,
even upon all the face of the land; wherefore the people became
troubled by day and by night, because of the scent thereof.

Ether 14:24
 24 Nevertheless, Shiz did not cease to pursue Coriantumr; for he
had sworn to avenge himself upon Coriantumr of the blood of his
brother, who had been slain, and the word of the Lord which came
to Ether that Coriantumr should not fall by the sword.

Ether 14:25
 25 And thus we see that the Lord did visit them in the fulness
of his wrath, and their wickedness and abominations had prepared
a way for their everlasting destruction.

Ether 14:26
 26 And it came to pass that Shiz did pursue Coriantumr eastward,
even to the borders by the seashore, and there he gave battle
unto Shiz for the space of three days.

Ether 14:27
 27 And so terrible was the destruction among the armies of Shiz
that the people began to be frightened, and began to flee before
the armies of Coriantumr; and they fled to the land of Corihor,
and swept off the inhabitants before them, all them that would
not join them.

Ether 14:28
 28 And they pitched their tents in the valley of Corihor; and
Coriantumr pitched his tents in the valley of Shurr.  Now the
valley of Shurr was near the hill Comnor; wherefore, Coriantumr
did gather his armies together upon the hill Comnor, and did
sound a trumpet unto the armies of Shiz to invite them forth to
battle.

Ether 14:29
 29 And it came to pass that they came forth, but were driven
again; and they came the second time, and they were driven again
the second time.  And it came to pass that they came again the
third time, and the battle became exceedingly sore.

Ether 14:30
 30 And it came to pass that Shiz smote upon Coriantumr that he
gave him many deep wounds; and Coriantumr, having lost his blood,
fainted, and was carried away as though he were dead.

Ether 14:31
 31 Now the loss of men, women and children on both sides was so
great that Shiz commanded his people that they should not pursue
the armies of Coriantumr; wherefore, they returned to their camp.

Ether 15

Ether 15:1
 1 And it came to pass when Coriantumr had recovered of his
wounds, he began to remember the words which Ether had spoken
unto him.

Ether 15:2
 2 He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly
two millions of his people, and he began to sorrow in his heart;
yea, there had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also
their wives and their children.

Ether 15:3
 3 He began to repent of the evil which he had done; he began to
remember the words which had been spoken by the mouth of all the
prophets, and he saw them that they were fulfilled thus far,
every whit; and his soul mourned and refused to be comforted.

Ether 15:4
 4 And it came to pass that he wrote an epistle unto Shiz,
desiring him that he would spare the people, and he would give up
the kingdom for the sake of the lives of the people.

Ether 15:5
 5 And it came to pass that when Shiz had received his epistle he
wrote an epistle unto Coriantumr, that if he would give himself
up, that he might slay him with his own sword, that he would
spare the lives of the people.

Ether 15:6
 6 And it came to pass that the people repented not of their
iniquity; and the people of Coriantumr were stirred up to anger
against the people of Shiz; and the people of Shiz were stirred
up to anger against the people of Coriantumr; wherefore, the
people of Shiz did give battle unto the people of Coriantumr.

Ether 15:7
 7 And when Coriantumr saw that he was about to fall he fled
again before the people of Shiz.

Ether 15:8
 8 And it came to pass that he came to the waters of Ripliancum,
which, by interpretation, is large, or to exceed all; wherefore,
when they came to these waters they pitched their tents; and Shiz
also pitched his tents near unto them; and therefore on the
morrow they did come to battle.

Ether 15:9
 9 And it came to pass that they fought an exceedingly sore
battle, in which Coriantumr was wounded again, and he fainted
with the loss of blood.

Ether 15:10
 10 And it came to pass that the armies of Coriantumr did press
upon the armies of Shiz that they beat them, that they caused
them to flee before them; and they did flee southward, and did
pitch their tents in a place which was called Ogath.

Ether 15:11
 11 And it came to pass that the army of Coriantumr did pitch
their tents by the hill Ramah; and it was that same hill where my
father Mormon did hide up the records unto the Lord, which were
sacred.

Ether 15:12
 12 And it came to pass that they did gather together all the
people upon all the face of the land, who had not been slain,
save it was Ether.

Ether 15:13
 13 And it came to pass that Ether did behold all the doings of
the people; and he beheld that the people who were for Coriantumr
were gathered together to the army of Coriantumr; and the people
who were for Shiz were gathered together to the army of Shiz.

Ether 15:14
 14 Wherefore, they were for the space of four years gathering
together the people, that they might get all who were upon the
face of the land, and that they might receive all the strength
which it was possible that they could receive.

Ether 15:15
 15 And it came to pass that when they were all gathered
together, every one to the army which he would, with their wives
and their children--both men women and children being armed with
weapons of war, having shields, and breastplates, and
head-plates, and being clothed after the manner of war--they did
march forth one against another to battle; and they fought all
that day, and conquered not.

Ether 15:16
 16 And it came to pass that when it was night they were weary,
and retired to their camps; and after they had retired to their
camps they took up a howling and a lamentation for the loss of
the slain of their people; and so great were their cries, their
howlings and lamentations, that they did rend the air
exceedingly.

Ether 15:17
 17 And it came to pass that on the morrow they did go again to
battle, and great and terrible was that day; nevertheless, they
conquered not, and when the night came again they did rend the
air with their cries, and their howlings, and their mournings,
for the loss of the slain of their people.

Ether 15:18
 18 And it came to pass that Coriantumr wrote again an epistle
unto Shiz, desiring that he would not come again to battle, but
that he would take the kingdom, and spare the lives of the
people.

Ether 15:19
 19 And behold, the Spirit of the Lord had ceased striving with
them, and Satan had full power over the hearts of the people; for
they were given up unto the hardness of their hearts, and the
blindness of their minds that they might be destroyed; wherefore
they went again to battle.

Ether 15:20
 20 And it came to pass that they fought all that day, and when
the night came they slept upon their swords.

Ether 15:21
 21 And on the morrow they fought even until the night came.

Ether 15:22
 22 And when the night came they were drunken with anger, even as
a man who is drunken with wine; and they slept again upon their
swords.

Ether 15:23
 23 And on the morrow they fought again; and when the night came
they had all fallen by the sword save it were fifty and two of
the people of Coriantumr, and sixty and nine of the people of
Shiz.

Ether 15:24
 24 And it came to pass that they slept upon their swords that
night, and on the morrow they fought again, and they contended in
their might with their swords and with their shields, all that
day.

Ether 15:25
 25 And when the night came there were thirty and two of the
people of Shiz, and twenty and seven of the people of Coriantumr.

Ether 15:26
 26 And it came to pass that they ate and slept, and prepared for
death on the morrow.  And they were large and mighty men as to
the strength of men.

Ether 15:27
 27 And it came to pass that they fought for the space of three
hours, and they fainted with the loss of blood.

Ether 15:28
 28 And it came to pass that when the men of Coriantumr had
received sufficient strength that they could walk, they were
about to flee for their lives; but behold, Shiz arose, and also
his men, and he swore in his wrath that he would slay Coriantumr
or he would perish by the sword.

Ether 15:29
 29 Wherefore, he did pursue them, and on the morrow he did
overtake them; and they fought again with the sword.  And it came
to pass that when they had all fallen by the sword, save it were
Coriantumr and Shiz, behold Shiz had fainted with the loss of
blood.

Ether 15:30
 30 And it came to pass that when Coriantumr had leaned upon his
sword, that he rested a little, he smote off the head of Shiz.

Ether 15:31
 31 And it came to pass that after he had smitten off the head of
Shiz, that Shiz raised upon his hands and fell; and after that he
had struggled for breath, he died.

Ether 15:32
 32 And it came to pass that Coriantumr fell to the earth, and
became as if he had no life.

Ether 15:33
 33 And the Lord spake unto Ether, and said unto him: Go forth. 
And he went forth, and beheld that the words of the Lord had all
been fulfilled; and he finished his record; (and the hundredth
part I have not written) and he hid them in a manner that the
people of Limhi did find them.

Ether 15:34
 34 Now the last words which are written by Ether are these:
Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the
will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that
I am saved in the kingdom of God.  Amen.

Moroni
THE BOOK OF MORONI

Moroni 1

Moroni 1:1
 1 Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the
account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have
written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not
myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me.

Moroni 1:2
 2 For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among
themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every
Nephite that will not deny the Christ.

Moroni 1:3
 3 And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander
whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.

Moroni 1:4
 4 Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I
had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more;
but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth
unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to
the will of the Lord.

Moroni 2

Moroni 2:1
 1 The words of Christ, which he spake unto his disciples, the
twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his hands upon them--

Moroni 2:2
 2 And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall call on the
Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this
ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your
hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give
it, for thus do mine apostles.

Moroni 2:3
 3 Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his
first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the
disciples heard it; and on as many as they laid their hands, fell
the Holy Ghost.

Moroni 3

Moroni 3:1
 1 The manner which the disciples, who were called the elders of
the church, ordained priests and teachers--

Moroni 3:2
 2 After they had prayed unto the Father in the name of Christ,
they laid their hands upon them, and said:

Moroni 3:3
 3 In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest, (or,
if he be a teacher) I ordain you to be a teacher, to preach
repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the
endurance of faith on his name to the end.  Amen.

Moroni 3:4
 4 And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers,
according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they
ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.

Moroni 4

Moroni 4:1
 1 The manner of their elders and priests administering the flesh
and blood of Christ unto the church; and they administered it
according to the commandments of Christ; wherefore we know the
manner to be true; and the elder or priest did minister it--

Moroni 4:2
 2 And they did kneel down with the church, and pray to the
Father in the name of Christ, saying:

Moroni 4:3
 3 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son,
Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of
all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of
the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal
Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy
Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he
hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with
them.  Amen.

Moroni 5

Moroni 5:1
 1 The manner of administering the wine--Behold, they took the
cup, and said:

Moroni 5:2
 2 O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy
Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls
of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance
of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may
witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always
remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. 
Amen.

Moroni 6

Moroni 6:1
 1 And now I speak concerning baptism.  Behold, elders, priests,
and teachers were baptized; and they were not baptized save they
brought forth fruit meet that they were worthy of it.

Moroni 6:2
 2 Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth
with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the
church that they truly repented of all their sins.

Moroni 6:3
 3 And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them
the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the
end.

Moroni 6:4
 4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were
wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they
were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their
names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by
the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them
continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits
of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith.

Moroni 6:5
 5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and
to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

Moroni 6:6
 6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine,
in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

Moroni 6:7
 7 And they were strict to observe that there should be no
iniquity among them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and
three witnesses of the church did condemn them before the elders,
and if they repented not, and confessed not, their names were
blotted out, and they were not numbered among the people of
Christ.

Moroni 6:8
 8 But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real
intent, they were forgiven.

Moroni 6:9
 9 And their meetings were conducted by the church after the
manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the
Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether
to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to
sing, even so it was done.

Moroni 7

Moroni 7:1
 1 And now I, Moroni, write a few of the words of my father
Mormon, which he spake concerning faith, hope, and charity; for
after this manner did he speak unto the people, as he taught them
in the synagogue which they had built for the place of worship.

Moroni 7:2
 2 And now I, Mormon, speak unto you, my beloved brethren; and it
is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and
his holy will, because of the gift of his calling unto me, that I
am permitted to speak unto you at this time.

Moroni 7:3
 3 Wherefore, I would speak unto you that are of the church, that
are the peaceable followers of Christ, and that have obtained a
sufficient hope by which ye can enter into the rest of the Lord,
from this time henceforth until ye shall rest with him in heaven.

Moroni 7:4
 4 And now my brethren, I judge these things of you because of
your peaceable walk with the children of men.

Moroni 7:5
 5 For I remember the word of God, which saith by their works ye
shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good
also.

Moroni 7:6
 6 For behold, God hath said a man being evil cannot do that
which is good; for if he offereth a gift, or prayeth unto God,
except he shall do it with real intent it profiteth him nothing.

Moroni 7:7
 7 For behold, it is not counted unto him for righteousness.

Moroni 7:8
 8 For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it
grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he
had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God.

Moroni 7:9
 9 And likewise also is it counted evil unto a man, if he shall
pray and not with real intent of heart; yea, and it profiteth him
nothing, for God receiveth none such.

Moroni 7:10
 10 Wherefore, a man being evil cannot do that which is good;
neither will he give a good gift.

Moroni 7:11
 11 For behold, a bitter fountain cannot bring forth good water;
neither can a good fountain bring forth bitter water; wherefore,
a man being a servant of the devil cannot follow Christ; and if
he follow Christ he cannot be a servant of the devil.

Moroni 7:12
 12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that
which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto
God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and
enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

Moroni 7:13
 13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do
good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and
enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is
inspired of God.

Moroni 7:14
 14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not
judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and
of God to be of the devil.

Moroni 7:15
 15 For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that
ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain,
that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is
from the dark night.

Moroni 7:16
 16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that
he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to
judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade
to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of
Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of
God.

Moroni 7:17
 17 But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe
not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know
with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this
manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good,
no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject
themselves unto him.

Moroni 7:18
 18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which
ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do
not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge
ye shall also be judged.

Moroni 7:19
 19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search
diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from
evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn
it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.

Moroni 7:20
 20 And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold
upon every good thing?

Moroni 7:21
 21 And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak;
and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good
thing.

Moroni 7:22
 22 For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to
everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children
of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in
Christ there should come every good thing.

Moroni 7:23
 23 And God also declared unto prophets, by his own mouth, that
Christ should come.

Moroni 7:24
 24 And behold, there were divers ways that he did manifest
things unto the children of men, which were good; and all things
which are good cometh of Christ; otherwise men were fallen, and
there could no good thing come unto them.

Moroni 7:25
 25 Wherefore, by the ministering of angels, and by every word
which proceeded forth out of the mouth of God, men began to
exercise faith in Christ; and thus by faith, they did lay hold
upon every good thing; and thus it was until the coming of
Christ.

Moroni 7:26
 26 And after that he came men also were saved by faith in his
name; and by faith, they become the sons of God.  And as sure as
Christ liveth he spake these words unto our fathers, saying:
Whatsoever thing ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is
good, in faith believing that ye shall receive, behold, it shall
be done unto you.

Moroni 7:27
 27 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because
Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right
hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he
hath upon the children of men?

Moroni 7:28
 28 For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all
those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will
cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause
of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.

Moroni 7:29
 29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have
miracles ceased?  Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels
ceased to minister unto the children of men.

Moroni 7:30
 30 For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according
to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of
strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.

Moroni 7:31
 31 And the office of their ministry is to call men unto
repentance, and to fulfill and to do the work of the covenants of
the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to
prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word
of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear
testimony of him.

Moroni 7:32
 32 And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the
residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may
have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and
after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants
which he hath made unto the children of men.

Moroni 7:33
 33 And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall
have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.

Moroni 7:34
 34 And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come
unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that
ye may be saved.

Moroni 7:35
 35 And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these
things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show
unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they
are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?

Moroni 7:36
 36 Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men?  Or
has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them?  Or will
he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or
there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?

Moroni 7:37
 37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles
are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister
unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the
children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.

Moroni 7:38
 38 For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ,
save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these
things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the
state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption
made.

Moroni 7:39
 39 But behold, my beloved brethren, I judge better things of
you, for I judge that ye have faith in Christ because of your
meekness; for if ye have not faith in him then ye are not fit to
be numbered among the people of his church.

Moroni 7:40
 40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you
concerning hope.  How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save
ye shall have hope?

Moroni 7:41
 41 And what is it that ye shall hope for?  Behold I say unto you
that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the
power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and
this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

Moroni 7:42
 42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for
without faith there cannot be any hope.

Moroni 7:43
 43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith
and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart.

Moroni 7:44
 44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable
before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be
meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy
Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for
if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs
have charity.

Moroni 7:45
 45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and
is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked,
thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in
the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all
things, endureth all things.

Moroni 7:46
 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye
are nothing, for charity never faileth.  Wherefore, cleave unto
charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail--

Moroni 7:47
 47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth
forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it
shall be well with him.

Moroni 7:48
 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all
the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which
he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son,
Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he
shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is;
that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is
pure.  Amen.

Moroni 8

Moroni 8:1
 1 An epistle of my father Mormon, written to me, Moroni; and it
was written unto me soon after my calling to the ministry.  And
on this wise did he write unto me, saying:

Moroni 8:2
 2 My beloved son, Moroni, I rejoice exceedingly that your Lord
Jesus Christ hath been mindful of you, and hath called you to his
ministry, and to his holy work.

Moroni 8:3
 3 I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying
unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that
he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you
through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.

Moroni 8:4
 4 And now, my son, I speak unto you concerning that which
grieveth me exceedingly; for it grieveth me that there should
disputations rise among you.

Moroni 8:5
 5 For, if I have learned the truth, there have been disputations
among you concerning the baptism of your little children.

Moroni 8:6
 6 And now, my son, I desire that ye should labor diligently,
that this gross error should be removed from among you; for, for
this intent I have written this epistle.

Moroni 8:7
 7 For immediately after I had learned these things of you I
inquired of the Lord concerning the matter.  And the word of the
Lord came to me by the power of the Holy Ghost, saying:

Moroni 8:8
 8 Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and
your God.  Behold, I came into the world not to call the
righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician,
but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for
they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of
Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them;
and the law of circumcision is done away in me.

Moroni 8:9
 9 And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of
God unto me; wherefore, my beloved son, I know that it is solemn
mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children.

Moroni 8:10
 10 Behold I say unto you that this thing shall ye
teach--repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and
capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must
repent and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little
children, and they shall all be saved with their little children.

Moroni 8:11
 11 And their little children need no repentance, neither
baptism.  Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling
the commandments unto the remission of sins.

Moroni 8:12
 12 But little children are alive in Christ, even from the
foundation of the world; if not so, God is a partial God, and
also a changeable God, and a respecter to persons; for how many
little children have died without baptism!

Moroni 8:13
 13 Wherefore, if little children could not be saved without
baptism, these must have gone to an endless hell.

Moroni 8:14
 14 Behold I say unto you, that he that supposeth that little
children need baptism is in the gall of bitterness and in the
bonds of iniquity, for he hath neither faith, hope, nor charity;
wherefore, should he be cut off while in the thought, he must go
down to hell.

Moroni 8:15
 15 For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one
child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he
hath no baptism.

Moroni 8:16
 16 Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after
this manner, for they shall perish except they repent.  Behold, I
speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not
what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.

Moroni 8:17
 17 And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love;
wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love
little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and
partakers of salvation.

Moroni 8:18
 18 For I know that God is not a partial God, neither a
changeable being; but he is unchangeable from all eternity to all
eternity.

Moroni 8:19
 19 Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful
wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they
are all alive in him because of his mercy.

Moroni 8:20
 20 And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth
the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him
and the power of his redemption.

Moroni 8:21
 21 Wo unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and an
endless torment.  I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. 
Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand against you at the
judgment-seat of Christ.

Moroni 8:22
 22 For behold that all little children are alive in Christ, and
also all they that are without the law.  For the power of
redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he
that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation,
cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing--

Moroni 8:23
 23 But it is mockery before God, denying the mercies of Christ,
and the power of his Holy Spirit, and putting trust in dead
works.

Moroni 8:24
 24 Behold, my son, this thing ought not to be; for repentance is
unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a
broken law.

Moroni 8:25
 25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism
cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the
fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;

Moroni 8:26
 26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of
heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the
visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope
and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer,
until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with
God.

Moroni 8:27
 27 Behold, my son, I will write unto you again if I go not out
soon against the Lamanites.  Behold, the pride of this nation, or
the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction except
they should repent.

Moroni 8:28
 28 Pray for them, my son, that repentance may come unto them. 
But behold, I fear lest the Spirit hath ceased striving with
them; and in this part of the land they are also seeking to put
down all power and authority which cometh from God; and they are
denying the Holy Ghost.

Moroni 8:29
 29 And after rejecting so great a knowledge, my son, they must
perish soon, unto the fulfilling of the prophecies which were
spoken by the prophets, as well as the words of our Savior
himself.

Moroni 8:30
 30 Farewell, my son, until I shall write unto you, or shall meet
you again.  Amen.

Moroni 9
 
Moroni 9:1
 1 My beloved son, I write unto you again that ye may know that I
am yet alive; but I write somewhat of that which is grievous.

Moroni 9:2
 2 For behold, I have had a sore battle with the Lamanites, in
which we did not conquer; and Archeantus has fallen by the sword,
and also Luram and Emron; yea, and we have lost a great number of
our choice men.

Moroni 9:3
 3 And now behold, my son, I fear lest the Lamanites shall
destroy this people; for they do not repent, and Satan stirreth
them up continually to anger one with another.

Moroni 9:4
 4 Behold, I am laboring with them continually; and when I speak
the word of God with sharpness they tremble and anger against me;
and when I use no sharpness they harden their hearts against it;
wherefore, I fear lest the Spirit of the Lord hath ceased
striving with them.

Moroni 9:5
 5 For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they
have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards
another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.

Moroni 9:6
 6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let
us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should
be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform
whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy
of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.

Moroni 9:7
 7 And now I write somewhat concerning the sufferings of this
people.  For according to the knowledge which I have received
from Amoron, behold, the Lamanites have many prisoners, which
they took from the tower of Sherrizah; and there were men, women,
and children.

Moroni 9:8
 8 And the husbands and fathers of those women and children they
have slain; and they feed the women upon the flesh of their
husbands, and the children upon the flesh of their fathers; and
no water, save a little, do they give unto them.

Moroni 9:9
 9 And notwithstanding this great abomination of the Lamanites,
it doth not exceed that of our people in Moriantum.  For behold,
many of the daughters of the Lamanites have they taken prisoners;
and after depriving them of that which was most dear and precious
above all things, which is chastity and virtue--

Moroni 9:10
 10 And after they had done this thing, they did murder them in a
most cruel manner, torturing their bodies even unto death; and
after they have done this, they devour their flesh like unto wild
beasts, because of the hardness of their hearts; and they do it
for a token of bravery.

Moroni 9:11
 11 O my beloved son, how can a people like this, that are
without civilization--

Moroni 9:12
 12 (And only a few years have passed away, and they were a civil
and a delightsome people)

Moroni 9:13
 13 But O my son, how can a people like this, whose delight is in
so much abomination--

Moroni 9:14
 14 How can we expect that God will stay his hand in judgment
against us?

Moroni 9:15
 15 Behold, my heart cries: Wo unto this people.  Come out in
judgment, O God, and hide their sins, and wickedness, and
abominations from before thy face!

Moroni 9:16
 16 And again, my son, there are many widows and their daughters
who remain in Sherrizah; and that part of the provisions which
the Lamanites did not carry away, behold, the army of Zenephi has
carried away, and left them to wander whithersoever they can for
food; and many old women do faint by the way and die.

Moroni 9:17
 17 And the army which is with me is weak; and the armies of the
Lamanites are betwixt Sherrizah and me; and as many as have fled
to the army of Aaron have fallen victims to their awful
brutality.

Moroni 9:18
 18 O the depravity of my people!  They are without order and
without mercy.  Behold, I am but a man, and I have but the
strength of a man, and I cannot any longer enforce my commands.

Moroni 9:19
 19 And they have become strong in their perversion; and they are
alike brutal, sparing none, neither old nor young; and they
delight in everything save that which is good; and the suffering
of our women and our children upon all the face of this land doth
exceed everything; yea, tongue cannot tell, neither can it be
written.

Moroni 9:20
 20 And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this horrible scene. 
Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of this people; thou knowest
that they are without principle, and past feeling; and their
wickedness doth exceed that of the Lamanites.

Moroni 9:21
 21 Behold, my son, I cannot recommend them unto God lest he
should smite me.

Moroni 9:22
 22 But behold, my son, I recommend thee unto God, and I trust in
Christ that thou wilt be saved; and I pray unto God that he will
spare thy life, to witness the return of his people unto him, or
their utter destruction; for I know that they must perish except
they repent and return unto him.

Moroni 9:23
 23 And if they perish it will be like unto the Jaredites,
because of the wilfulness of their hearts, seeking for blood and
revenge.

Moroni 9:24
 24 And if it so be that they perish, we know that many of our
brethren have deserted over unto the Lamanites, and many more
will also desert over unto them; wherefore, write somewhat a few
things, if thou art spared and I shall perish and not see thee;
but I trust that I may see thee soon; for I have sacred records
that I would deliver up unto thee.

Moroni 9:25
 25 My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I
have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may
Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the
showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and
long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life,
rest in your mind forever.

Moroni 9:26
 26 And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in
the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the right
hand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto
him, be, and abide with you forever.  Amen.

Moroni 10

Moroni 10:1
 1 Now I, Moroni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write
unto my brethren, the Lamanites; and I would that they should
know that more than four hundred and twenty years have passed
away since the sign was given of the coming of Christ.

Moroni 10:2
 2 And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words
by way of exhortation unto you.

Moroni 10:3
 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these
things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye
would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children
of men, from the creation of Adam even down unto the time that ye
shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

Moroni 10:4
 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you
that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ,
if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere
heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest
the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Moroni 10:5
 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of
all things.

Moroni 10:6
 6 And whatsoever thing is good is just and true; wherefore,
nothing that is good denieth the Christ, but acknowledgeth that
he is.

Moroni 10:7
 7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost;
wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God;
for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children
of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

Moroni 10:8
 8 And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the
gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God.

And there are different ways that these gifts are administered;
but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given
by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit
them.

Moroni 10:9
 9 For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may
teach the word of wisdom;

Moroni 10:10
 10 And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by
the same Spirit;

Moroni 10:11
 11 And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the
gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

Moroni 10:12
 12 And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;

Moroni 10:13
 13 And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all
things;

Moroni 10:14
 14 And again, to another, the beholding of angels and
ministering spirits;

Moroni 10:15
 15 And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;

Moroni 10:16
 16 And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of
divers kinds of tongues.

Moroni 10:17
 17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they
come unto every man severally, according as he will.

Moroni 10:18
 18 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember
that every good gift cometh of Christ.

Moroni 10:19
 19 And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember
that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all
these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never
will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only
according to the unbelief of the children of men.

Moroni 10:20
 20 Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith
there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must
also be charity.

Moroni 10:21
 21 And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the
kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if
ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

Moroni 10:22
 22 And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and
despair cometh because of iniquity.

Moroni 10:23
 23 And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye
can do all things which are expedient unto me.

Moroni 10:24
 24 And now I speak unto all the ends of the earth--that if the
day cometh that the power and gifts of God shall be done away
among you, it shall be because of unbelief.

Moroni 10:25
 25 And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for
there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one.  For
if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the
power and gifts of God.

Moroni 10:26
 26 And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for
they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom
of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I
lie not.

Moroni 10:27
 27 And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time
speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall
see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did
I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man,
like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out
of the dust?

Moroni 10:28
 28 I declare these things unto the fulfilling of the prophecies.

And behold, they shall proceed forth out of the mouth of the
everlasting God; and his word shall hiss forth from generation to
generation.

Moroni 10:29
 29 And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written
is true.

Moroni 10:30
 30 And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ,
and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift,
nor the unclean thing.

Moroni 10:31
 31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put
on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy
stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more
be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he
hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

Moroni 10:32
 32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny
yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of
all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and
strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace
ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are
perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

Moroni 10:33
 33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ,
and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the
grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which
is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins,
that ye become holy, without spot.

Moroni 10:34
 34 And now I bid unto all, farewell.  I soon go to rest in the
paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite,
and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you
before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge
of both quick and dead.  Amen.



---- The Vedas

ARJUNA’S DILEMMA

The war of Mahabharata has begun after all negotiations by Lord Krishna and others to avoid it failed. The blind King (Dhritarashtra) was never very sure about the victory of his sons (Kauravas) in spite of their superior army. Sage Vyasa, the author of Mahabharata, wanted to give the blind king the boon of eyesight so that the king could see the horrors of the war for which he was primarily responsible. But the king refused the offer. He did not want to see the horrors of the war; but preferred to get the war report through his charioteer, Sanjaya. Sage Vyasa granted the power of clairvoyance to Sanjaya. With this power Sanjaya could see, hear, and recall the events of the past, present, and the future. He was able to give an instant replay of the eye witness war report to the blind King sitting in the palace.

Bhishma, the mightiest man and the commander-in-chief of the Kaurava’s army, is disabled by Arjuna and is lying on deathbed in the battleground on the tenth day of the eighteen day war. Upon hearing this bad news from Sanjaya, the blind King looses all hopes for victory of his sons. Now the King wants to know the details of the war from the beginning, including how the mightiest man, and the commander-in-chief of his superior army ¾ who had a boon of dying at his own will ¾ was defeated in the battlefield. The teaching of the Gita begins with the inquiry of the blind King, after Sanjaya described how Bhishma was defeated, as follows:

The King inquired: Sanjaya, please now tell me, in details, what did my people (the Kauravas) and the Pandavas do in the battlefield before the war started? (1.01)

Sanjaya said: O King, After seeing the battle formation of the Pandava’s army, your son approached his guru and spoke these words: (1.02)

O Master, behold this mighty army of the Pandavas, arranged in battle formation by your other talented disciple! There are many great warriors, valiant men, heroes, and mighty archers. (1.03-06)

Also there are many heroes on my side who have risked their lives for me. I shall name few distinguished commanders of my army for your information. He named all the officers of his army, and said: They are armed with various weapons, and are skilled in warfare. (1.07-09)

Our army is invincible, while their army is easy to conquer. Therefore all of you, occupying your respective positions, protect our commander-in-chief. (1.10-11)

The mighty commander-in-chief and the eldest man of the dynasty, roared as a lion and blew his conch loudly, bringing joy to your son. (1.12)

Soon after that; conches, kettledrums, cymbals, drums, and trumpets were sounded together. The commotion was tremendous. (1.13)

After that, Lord Krishna and Arjuna, seated in a grand chariot yoked with white horses, blew their celestial conches. (1.14)

Krishna blew His conch first, and then Arjuna and all other commanders of various divisions of the army of Pandavas blew their respective conches. The tumultuous uproar, resounding through the earth and sky, tore the hearts of your sons. (1.15-19)

Seeing your sons standing, and the war about to begin with the hurling of weapons; Arjuna, whose banner bore the emblem of Lord Hanumana, took up his bow and spoke these words to Lord Krishna: O Lord, please stop my chariot between the two armies until I behold those who stand here eager for the battle and with whom I must engage in this act of war. (1.20-22)

I wish to see those who are willing to serve and appease the evil-minded Kauravas by assembling here to fight the battle. (1.23)

Sanjaya said: O King; Lord Krishna, as requested by Arjuna, placed the best of all the chariots in the midst of the two armies facing Arjuna's grandfather, his guru and all other Kings; and said to Arjuna: Behold these assembled soldiers! (1.24-25)

Arjuna saw his uncles, grandfathers, teachers, maternal uncles, brothers, sons, grandsons, and other comrades in the army. (1.26)

After seeing fathers-in-law, companions, and all his kinsmen standing in the ranks of the two armies, Arjuna was overcome with great compassion and sorrowfully spoke these words: O Krishna, seeing my kinsmen standing with a desire to fight, my limbs fail and my mouth becomes dry. My body quivers and my hairs stand on end. (1.27-29)

The bow slips from my hand, and my skin intensely burns. My head turns, I am unable to stand steady, and O Krishna, I see bad omens. I see no use of killing my kinsmen in battle. (1.30-31)

I desire neither victory, nor pleasure nor kingdom, O Krishna. What is the use of the kingdom, or enjoyment, or even life, O Krishna? Because all those ¾ for whom we desire kingdom, enjoyments, and pleasures ¾ are standing here for the battle, giving up their lives. (1.32-33)

I do not wish to kill my teachers, uncles, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives who are about to kill us, even for the sovereignty of the three worlds, let alone for this earthly kingdom, O Krishna. (1.34-35)

O Lord Krishna, what pleasure shall we find in killing our cousin brothers? Upon killing these felons we shall incur sin only. (1.36)

Therefore, we should not kill our cousin brothers. How can we be happy after killing our relatives, O Krishna? (1.37)

Though they are blinded by greed, and do not see evil in the destruction of the family, or sin in being treacherous to friends. Why should not we, who clearly see evil in the destruction of the family, think about turning away from this sin, O Krishna? (1.38-39)

Eternal family traditions and codes of moral conduct are destroyed with the destruction of the family. And immorality prevails in the family due to the destruction of family traditions. (1.40)

And when immorality prevails, O Krishna, the women of the family become corrupted; when women are corrupted, unwanted progeny is born. (1.41)

This brings the family and the slayers of the family to hell, because the spirits of their ancestors are degraded when deprived of ceremonial offerings of love and respect by the unwanted progeny. (1.42)

The everlasting qualities of social order and family traditions of those who destroy their family are ruined by the sinful act of illegitimacy. (1.43)

We have been told, O Krishna, that people whose family traditions are destroyed necessarily dwell in hell for a long time. (1.44)

Alas! We are ready to commit a great sin by striving to slay our relatives because of greed for the pleasures of the kingdom. (1.45)

It would be far better for me if my cousin brothers kill me with their weapons in battle while I am unarmed and unresisting. (1.46)

Sanjaya said: Having said this in the battlefield and casting aside his bow and arrow, Arjuna sat down on the seat of the chariot with his mind overwhelmed with sorrow. (1.47)

TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE

Sanjaya said: Lord Krishna spoke these words to Arjuna whose eyes were tearful and downcast, and who was overwhelmed with compassion and despair. (2.01)

Lord Krishna said: How has the dejection come to you at this juncture? This is not fit for a person of noble mind and deeds. It is disgraceful, and it does not lead one to heaven, O Arjuna. (2.02)

Do not become a coward, O Arjuna, because it does not befit you. Shake off this trivial weakness of your heart and get up for the battle, O Arjuna. (2.03)

Arjuna said: How shall I strike my grandfather, my guru, and all other relatives, who are worthy of my respect, with arrows in battle, O Krishna? (2.04)

It would be better, indeed, to live on alms in this world than to slay these noble personalities, because by killing them I would enjoy wealth and pleasures stained with their blood. (2.05)

We do not know which alternative ¾ to fight or to quit ¾ is better for us. Further, we do not know whether we shall conquer them or they will conquer us. We should not even wish to live after killing our cousin brothers, who are standing in front of us. (2.06)

My senses are overcome by the weakness of pity, and my mind is confused about duty (Dharma). Please tell me what is better for me. I am Your disciple, and I take refuge in You. (2.07)

I do not perceive that gaining an unrivaled and prosperous kingdom on this earth, or even lordship over all the celestial controllers will remove the sorrow that is drying up my senses. (2.08)

Sanjaya said: O King, after speaking like this to Lord Krishna, the mighty Arjuna said to Krishna: I shall not fight, and became silent. (2.09)

O King, Lord Krishna, as if smiling, spoke these words to the distressed Arjuna in the midst of the two armies. (2.10)

Lord Krishna said: You grieve for those who are not worthy of grief, and yet speak words of wisdom. The wise grieves neither for the living nor for the dead. (2.11)

There was never a time when these monarchs, you, or I did not exist; nor shall we ever cease to exist in the future. (2.12)

Just as the soul acquires a childhood body, a youth body, and an old age body during this life; similarly, the soul acquires another body after death. This should not delude the wise. (See also 15.08) (2.13)

The contacts of the senses with the sense objects give rise to the feelings of heat and cold, and pain and pleasure. They are transitory and impermanent. Therefore, one should learn to endure them. (2.14)

Because a calm person ¾ who is not afflicted by these sense objects, and is steady in pain and pleasure ¾ becomes fit for salvation. (2.15)

The invisible Spirit (Atma, Atman) is eternal, and the visible physical body, is transitory. The reality of these two is indeed certainly seen by the seers of truth. (2.16)

The Spirit by whom this entire universe is pervaded is indestructible. No one can destroy the imperishable Spirit. (2.17)

The physical bodies of the eternal, immutable, and incomprehensible Spirit are perishable. Therefore fight, O Arjuna. (2.18)

The one who thinks that the Spirit is a slayer, and the one who thinks the Spirit is slain, both are ignorant. Because the Spirit neither slays nor is slain. (2.19)

The Spirit is neither born nor does it die at any time. It does not come into being, or cease to exist. It is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval. The Spirit is not destroyed when the body is destroyed. (2.20)

O Arjuna, how can a person who knows that the Spirit is indestructible, eternal, unborn, and immutable, kill anyone or causes anyone to be killed? (2.21)

Just as a person puts on new garments after discarding the old ones; similarly, the living entity or the individual soul acquires new bodies after casting away the old bodies. (2.22)

Weapons do not cut this Spirit, fire does not burn it, water does not make it wet, and the wind does not make it dry. The Spirit cannot be cut, burned, wetted, or dried. It is eternal, all pervading, unchanging, immovable, and primeval. (2.23-24)

The Spirit is said to be unexplainable, incomprehensible, and unchanging. Knowing the Spirit as such you should not grieve. (2.25)

Even if you think that the physical body takes birth and dies perpetually, even then, O Arjuna, you should not grieve like this. Because death is certain for the one who is born, and birth is certain for the one who dies. Therefore, you should not lament over the inevitable. (2.26-27)

All beings are unmanifest, or invisible to our physical eyes before birth and after death. They manifest between the birth and the death only. What is there to grieve about? (2.28)

Some look upon this Spirit as a wonder, another describes it as wonderful, and others hear of it as a wonder. Even after hearing about it very few people know what the Spirit is. (See also KaU 2.07) (2.29)

O Arjuna, the Spirit that dwells in the body of all beings is eternally indestructible. Therefore, you should not mourn for anybody. (2.30)

Considering also your duty as a warrior you should not waver like this. Because there is nothing more auspicious for a warrior than a righteous war. (2.31)

Only the fortunate warriors, O Arjuna, get such an opportunity for an unsought war that is like an open door to heaven. (2.32)

If you will not fight this righteous war, then you will fail in your duty, lose your reputation, and incur sin. (2.33)

People will talk about your disgrace forever. To the honored, dishonor is worse than death. (2.34)

The great warriors will think that you have retreated from the battle out of fear. Those who have greatly esteemed you will lose respect for you. (2.35)

Your enemies will speak many unmentionable words and scorn your ability. What could be more painful to you than this? (2.36)

You will go to heaven if killed on the line of duty, or you will enjoy the kingdom on the earth if victorious. Therefore, get up with a determination to fight, O Arjuna. (2.37)

Treating pleasure and pain, gain and loss, and victory and defeat alike, engage yourself in your duty. By doing your duty this way you will not incur sin. (2.38)

The science of transcendental knowledge has been imparted to you, O Arjuna. Now listen to the science of selfless service (Seva), endowed with which you will free yourself from all Karmic bondage, or sin. (2.39)

No effort is ever lost in selfless service, and there is no adverse effect. Even a little practice of the discipline of selfless service protects one from the great fear of repeated birth and death. (2.40)

A selfless worker has resolute determination for God-realization, but the desires of the one who works to enjoy the fruits of work are endless. (2.41)

The misguided ones who delight in the melodious chanting of the Veda ¾ without understanding the real purpose of the Vedas ¾ think, O Arjuna, as if there is nothing else in the Vedas except the rituals for the sole purpose of obtaining heavenly enjoyment. (2.42)

They are dominated by material desires, and consider the attainment of heaven as the highest goal of life. They engage in specific rites for the sake of prosperity and enjoyment. Rebirth is the result of their action. (2.43)

The resolute determination of Self-realization is not formed in the minds of those who are attached to pleasure and power, and whose judgment is obscured by ritualistic activities. (2.44)

A portion of the Vedas deals with three modes — goodness, passion, and ignorance — of material Nature. Become free from pairs of opposites, be ever balanced and unconcerned with the thoughts of acquisition and preservation. Rise above these three modes, and be Self-conscious, O Arjuna. (2.45)

To a Self-realized person the Vedas are as useful as a small reservoir of water when the water of a huge lake becomes available. (2.46)

You have control over doing your respective duty only, but no control or claim over the results. The fruits of work should not be your motive, and you should never be inactive. (2.47)

Do your duty to the best of your ability, O Arjuna, with your mind attached to the Lord, abandoning worry and selfish attachment to the results, and remaining calm in both success and failure. The selfless service is a yogic practice that brings peace and equanimity of mind. (2.48)

Work done with selfish motives is inferior by far to the selfless service. Therefore be a selfless worker, O Arjuna. Those who work only to enjoy the fruits of their labor are verily unhappy, because one has no control over the results. (2.49)

A Karma-yogi or the selfless person becomes free from both vice and virtue in this life itself. Therefore, strive for selfless service. Working to the best of one’s abilities without becoming selfishly attached to the fruits of work is called Karma-yoga or Seva. (2.50)

Karma-yogis are freed from the bondage of rebirth due to renouncing the selfish attachment to the fruits of all work, and attain blissful divine state of salvation or Nirvana. (2.51)

When your intellect will completely pierce the veil of confusion, then you will become indifferent to what has been heard and what is to be heard from the scriptures. (2.52)

When your intellect, that is confused by the conflicting opinions and the ritualistic doctrine of the Vedas, shall stay steady and firm on concentration of the Supreme Being, then you shall attain union with the Supreme in trance. (2.53)

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what are the marks of an enlightened person whose intellect is steady? What does a person of steady intellect think and talk about? How does such a person behave with others, and live in this world? (2.54)

Lord Krishna said: When one is completely free from all desires of the mind and is satisfied with the Supreme Being by the joy of Supreme Being, then one is called an enlightened person, O Arjuna. (2.55)

A person whose mind is unperturbed by sorrow, who does not crave pleasures, and who is completely free from attachment, fear, and anger, is called an enlightened sage of steady intellect. (2.56)

The mind and intellect of a person become steady who is not attached to anything, who is neither elated by getting desired results, nor perturbed by undesired results. (2.57)

When one can completely withdraw the senses from the sense objects as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into the shell for protection from calamity, then the intellect of such a person is considered steady. (2.58)

The desire for sensual pleasures fades away if one abstains from sense enjoyment, but the craving for sense enjoyment remains in a very subtle form. This subtle craving also completely disappears from the one who knows the Supreme Being. (2.59)

Restless senses, O Arjuna, forcibly carry away the mind of even a wise person striving for perfection. (2.60)

One should fix one’s mind on God with loving contemplation after bringing the senses under control. One’s intellect becomes steady when one’s senses are under complete control. (2.61)

One develops attachment to sense objects by thinking about sense objects. Desire for sense objects comes from attachment to sense objects, and anger comes from unfulfilled desires. (2.62)

Delusion or wild idea arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down from the right path when reasoning is destroyed. (2.63)

A disciplined person, enjoying sense objects with senses that are under control and free from attachments and aversions, attains tranquillity. (2.64)

All sorrows are destroyed upon attainment of tranquillity. The intellect of such a tranquil person soon becomes completely steady and united with the Supreme. (2.65)

There is neither Self-knowledge, nor Self-perception to those who are not united with the Supreme. Without Self-perception there is no peace, and without peace there can be no happiness. (2.66)

Because the mind, when controlled by the roving senses, steals away the intellect as a storm takes away a boat on the sea from its destination ¾ the spiritual shore of peace and happiness. (2.67)

Therefore, O Arjuna, one’s intellect becomes steady whose senses are completely withdrawn from the sense objects. (2.68)

A yogi, the person of self-restraint, remains wakeful when it is night for all others. It is night for the yogi who sees when all others are wakeful. (2.69)

One attains peace, within whose mind all desires dissipate without creating any mental disturbance, as river waters enter the full ocean without creating any disturbance. One who desires material objects is never peaceful. (2.70)

One who abandons all desires, and becomes free from longing and the feeling of 'I' and 'my', attains peace. (2.71)

O Arjuna, this is the superconscious state of mind. Attaining this state, one is no longer deluded. Gaining this state, even at the end of one’s life, a person becomes one with the Absolute. (2.72).

PATH OF SERVICE

Arjuna asked: If You consider that acquiring transcendental knowledge is better than working, then why do You want me to engage in this horrible war, O Krishna? You seem to confuse my mind by apparently conflicting words. Tell me, decisively, one thing by which I may attain the Supreme. (3.01-02)

Lord Krishna said: In this world I have stated a twofold path of spiritual discipline in the past. The path of Self-knowledge for the contemplative ones, and the path of unselfish work (Seva, Karma-yoga) for all others. (3.03)

One does not attain freedom from the bondage of Karma by merely abstaining from work. No one attains perfection by merely giving up work, because no one can remain actionless even for a moment. Everyone is driven to action ¾ helplessly indeed ¾ by the forces of Nature. (3.04-05)

Anyone, who restrains the senses but mentally dwells upon the sense objects, is called a pretender. (3.06)

The one who controls the senses by the trained and purified mind and intellect, and engages the organs of action to selfless service is considered superior. (3.07)

Perform your obligatory duty, because working is indeed better than sitting idle. Even the maintenance of your body would not be possible without work. (3.08)

Work other than those done as a selfless service (Seva) binds human beings. Therefore, becoming free from selfish attachment to the fruits of work, do your duty efficiently as a service to Me. (3.09)

In the beginning the creator created human beings together with selfless service (Seva, sacrifice) and said: By serving each other you shall prosper and the sacrificial service shall fulfill all your desires. (3.10)

Nourish the celestial controllers with selfless service, and they will nourish you. Thus nourishing one another you shall attain the Supreme goal. (3.11)

The celestial controllers, served by selfless service, will give you all desired objects. One who enjoys the gift of celestial controllers without sharing with others is, indeed, a thief. (3.12)

The righteous who eat after feeding others are freed from all sins, but the impious who cook food only for themselves ¾ without first offering to God, or sharing with others ¾ verily eat sin. (3.13)

The living beings are born from food grains, grains are produced by sacrificial work or duty performed by farmers and other field workers. Duty is prescribed in the scriptures. Scriptures (such as the Vedas, the Holy Bible, the Holy Koran) come from the Supreme Being. Thus the all-pervading Supreme Being or God is ever present in selfless service. (3.14-15)

The one who does not help to keep the wheel of creation in motion by sacrificial duty (Seva), and rejoices sense pleasures, that sinful person lives in vain. (3.16)

The one who rejoices the Supreme Being, who is delighted with the Supreme Being, and who is content with the Supreme Being alone, for such a Self-realized person there is no duty. Such a person has no interest, whatsoever, in what is done or what is not done. A Self-realized person does not depend on anybody, except God, for anything. (3.17-18)

Always perform your duty efficiently and without any selfish attachment to the results, because by doing work without attachment one attains Supreme. (3.19)

King Janaka and others attained perfection of Self-realization by selfless service (Karma-yoga) alone. You should also perform your duty with a view to guide people, and for the welfare of the society. (3.20)

Because whatever noble persons do, others follow. Whatever standard they set up, the world follows. (3.21)

O Arjuna, there is nothing in the three worlds — heaven, earth, and the lower regions — that should be done by Me, nor there is anything unobtained that I should obtain, yet I engage in action. (3.22)

Because, if I do not engage in action relentlessly, O Arjuna, people would follow My path in everyway. These worlds would perish if I do not work, and I shall be the cause of confusion and destruction of all these people. (3.23-24)

As the ignorant work with attachment to the fruits of work, so the wise should work without attachment, for the welfare of the society. (3.25)

The wise should not unsettle the mind of the ignorant ones who are attached to the fruits of work, but the enlightened one should inspire others by performing all works efficiently without selfish attachment. (See also 3.29) (3.26)

The forces of Nature do all works. But due to delusion of ignorance people assume themselves to be the doer. (See also 5.09, 13.29, and 14.19) (3.27)

The one who knows the truth about the role of the forces of Nature in getting work done does not become attached to the work. Such a person knows that it is the forces of Nature that get their work done by using our organs as their instruments. (3.28)

But those who are deluded by the illusive power (Maya) of Nature become attached to the works done by the forces of Nature. The wise should not disturb the mind of the ignorant whose knowledge is imperfect. (See also 3.26) (3.29)

Do your duty dedicating all works to God in a spiritual frame of mind free from desire, attachment, and mental grief. (3.30)

Those who always practice this teaching of Mine ¾ with faith and are free from cavil ¾ become free from the bondage of Karma. But those who carp at this teaching and do not practice it, consider them ignorant, senseless, and lost. (3.31-32)

All beings follow their nature. Even the wise act according to their own nature. What, then, is the value of sense restraint? (3.33)

Attachments and aversions for the sense objects remain in the senses. One should not come under the control of these two, because they are two major stumbling blocks, indeed, on one’s path of Self-realization. (3.34)

One’s inferior natural work is better than superior unnatural work. Death in carrying out one’s natural work is useful. Unnatural work produces too much stress. (See also 18.47) (3.35)

Arjuna said: O Krishna, what impels one to commit sin as if unwillingly and forced against one’s will? (3.36)

Lord Krishna said: It is the lust born out of passion that becomes anger when unfulfilled. Lust is insatiable and is a great devil. Know this as the enemy. (3.37)

As the fire is covered by smoke, as a mirror by dust, and as an embryo by the amnion; similarly, Self-knowledge gets covered by different degrees of this insatiable lust, the eternal enemy of the wise. (3.38-39)

The senses, the mind, and the intellect are said to be the abode of lust; with these it deludes a person by veiling the Self-knowledge. (3.40)

Therefore, O Arjuna, by controlling the senses first, kill this devil of material desire that destroys Self-knowledge and Self-realization. (3.41)

The senses are said to be superior to the body, the mind is superior to the senses, the intellect is superior to the mind, transcendental knowledge is superior to the intellect, and the Self is superior to transcendental knowledge. (3.42)

Thus, knowing the Self to be superior to the intellect, and controlling the mind by the intellect that is purified by spiritual practices, one must kill this mighty enemy, lust, O Arjuna. (3.43)

PATH OF RENUNCIATION WITH

KNOWLEDGE

Lord Krishna said: I taught this Karma-yoga, the eternal science of right action, to King Vivasvan. Vivasvan taught it to Manu. Manu taught it to Ikshvaku. Thus handed down in succession the saintly Kings knew this science of proper action (Karma-yoga). After a long time this science was lost from this earth. Today I have described the same ancient science to you, because you are my sincere devotee and friend. This science is a supreme secret indeed. (4.01-03)

Arjuna said: You were born later, but Vivasvan was born in ancient time. How am I to understand that You taught this science in the beginning of the creation? (4.04)

Lord Krishna said: Both you and I have taken many births. I remember them all, O Arjuna, but you do not remember. (4.05)

Though I am eternal, immutable, and the Lord of all beings, yet I manifest Myself by controlling the material Nature using My own divine potential energy (Maya). (See also 10.14) (4.06)

Whenever there is a decline of Dharma (Righteousness) and a predominance of Adharma (Unrighteousness), O Arjuna, then I manifest Myself. I appear from time to time for protecting the good, for transforming the wicked, and for establishing world order (Dharma). (4.07-08)

The one who truly understands My transcendental appearance, and activities of creation, maintenance, and dissolution attains My Supreme Abode and is not born again after leaving this body, O Arjuna. (4.09)

Many have become free from attachment, fear, anger, and attained salvation by taking refuge in Me, by becoming fully absorbed in My thoughts, and by getting purified by the fire of Self-knowledge. (4.10)

With whatever motive people worship Me, I fulfill their desires accordingly. People worship Me with different motives. (4.11)

Those who long for success in their work here on the earth worship the celestial controllers. Success in work comes quickly in this human world. (4.12)

I created the four divisions of human society based on aptitude and vocation. Though I am the author of this system of the division of labor, one should know that I do nothing directly and I am eternal. (See also 18.41) (4.13)

Works do not bind Me, because I have no desire for the fruits of work. The one who fully understands and practices this truth is also not bound by Karma. (4.14)

The ancient seekers of salvation also performed their duties with this understanding. Therefore, you should do your duty as the ancients did. (4.15)

Even the wise ones are confused about what is action and what is inaction. Therefore, I shall clearly explain what is action, knowing that one shall be liberated from the evil of birth and death. (4.16)

The true nature of action is very difficult to understand. Therefore, one should know the nature of attached action, the nature of detached action, and also the nature of forbidden action. (4.17)

The one who sees inaction in action, and action in inaction, is a wise person. Such a person is a yogi and has accomplished everything. (See also 3.05, 3.27, 5.08 and 13.29) (4.18)

A person, whose desires have become selfless by being roasted in the fire of Self-knowledge, is called a sage by the wise. (4.19)

The one who has abandoned selfish attachment to the fruits of work, and remains ever content and dependent on no one but God, such a person ¾ though engaged in activity ¾ does nothing at all, and incurs no Karmic reaction. (4.20)

The one who is free from desires, whose mind and senses are under control, and who has renounced all proprietorship, does not incur sin ¾ the Karmic reaction ¾ by doing bodily action. (4.21)

A Karma-yogi ¾ who is content with whatever gain comes naturally by His will, who is unaffected by pairs of opposites, and free from envy, equanimous in success and failure ¾ is not bound by Karma. (4.22)

All Karmic bonds of a Karma-yogi ¾ who is free from attachment, whose mind is fixed in Self-knowledge, and who does work as a service to the Lord ¾ dissolves away (4.23)

The Spirit shall be realized by the one who considers everything as a manifestation, or an act, of the Spirit. (Also see 9.16) (4.24)

Some yogis perform the service of worship to celestial controllers, while others study scriptures for Self-knowledge. Some restrain their senses and give up their sensual pleasures. Others perform breathing and other yogic exercises. Some give charity and offer their wealth as a sacrifice. (4.25-28)

Those who are engaged in yogic practices, reach the breathless state of trance by offering inhalation into exhalation and exhalation into inhalation as a sacrifice (by using short breathing Kriya techniques). (4.29)

Others restrict their diet and offer their inhalations as sacrifice into their inhalations. All these people are the knowers of sacrifice, and are purified by their sacrifice. (4.30)

Those who perform selfless service obtain the nectar of Self-knowledge as a result of their sacrifice and attain the Supreme Being. O Arjuna, even this world is not a happy place for the non-sacrificer, how can the other world be? (See also 4.38, and 5.06). (4.31)

Many types of spiritual disciplines are described in the Vedas. Know that all of them are the action of body, mind, and senses prompted by the forces of Nature. Understanding this, one shall attain Nirvana or salvation. (See also 3.14) (4.32)

Acquiring transcendental knowledge is superior to any material sacrifice ¾ such as giving charity. Because, purification of mind and intellect that eventually leads to the dawn of transcendental knowledge and Self-realization is the sole purpose of any spiritual action. (4.33)

Acquire this transcendental knowledge from a Self-realized master by humble reverence, by sincere inquiry, and by service. The empowered ones, who have realized the Truth, will teach you. (4.34)

After knowing the transcendental science, O Arjuna, you shall not again become deluded like this. With this knowledge you shall see the entire creation within your own higher Self, and thus within Me. (See also 6.29, 6.30, 11.07, 11.13) (4.35)

Even if one is the most sinful of all sinners, one shall yet cross over the ocean of sin by the raft of Self-knowledge alone. (4.36)

As the blazing fire reduces wood to ashes; similarly, the fire of Self-knowledge reduces all bonds of Karma to ashes, O Arjuna. (4.37)

Verily, there is no purifier in this world like the true knowledge of the Supreme Being. One discovers this knowledge within, naturally, in course of time when one's mind is cleansed of selfishness by Karma-yoga. (See also 4.31, and 5.06, 18.78). (4.38)

The one who has faith in God, is sincere in yogic practices, and has control over the mind and senses gains this transcendental knowledge. Having gained this knowledge, one quickly attains supreme peace or liberation. (4.39)

The irrational, the faithless, and the disbeliever (atheist) perishes. There is neither this world, nor the world beyond, nor happiness for the disbeliever. (4.40)

Work does not bind a person who has renounced work ¾ by renouncing the fruits of work ¾ through Karma-yoga, and whose confusion with regard to body and Spirit is completely destroyed by the application of Self-knowledge, O Arjuna. (4.41)

Therefore, cut the ignorance-born confusion with regard to body and Spirit by the sword of Self-knowledge, resort to Karma-yoga, and get up for the war, O Arjuna. (4.42)

PATH OF RENUNCIATION

Arjuna asked: O Krishna, You praise the path of transcendental knowledge, and also the path of performance of selfless service (Karma-yoga). Tell me, definitely, which one is the better of the two paths. (See also 5.05) (5.01)

Lord Krishna said: The path of Self-knowledge and the path of selfless service both lead to the supreme goal. But, of the two, the path of selfless service is superior to path of Self-knowledge, because it is easier to practice. (5.02)

A person should be considered a true renunciant who has neither attachment nor aversion for anything. One is easily liberated from Karmic bondage by becoming free from attachment and aversion. (5.03)

The ignorant — not the wise — consider the path of Self-knowledge and the path of selfless service (Karma-yoga) as different from each other. The person, who has truly mastered one, gets the benefits of both. (5.04)

Whatever goal a renunciant reaches, a Karma-yogi also reaches the same goal. Therefore, the one who sees the path of renunciation and the path of unselfish work as the same really sees. (See also 6.01 and 6.02) (5.05)

But, true renunciation, O Arjuna, is difficult to attain without Karma-yoga. A sage equipped with Karma-yoga quickly attains Nirvana. (See also 4.31, and 4.38) (5.06)

A Karma-yogi, whose mind is pure, whose mind and senses are under control, and who sees one and the same Spirit in all beings, is not bound by Karma though engaged in work. (5.07)

The wise who knows the truth thinks: "I do nothing at all." In seeing, hearing, touching, smelling, eating, walking, sleeping, breathing; and speaking, giving, taking, as well as opening and closing the eyes, the wise believes that only the senses are operating upon their objects. (See also 3.27, 13.29, and 14.19) (5.08-09)

One who does all work as an offering to God — abandoning selfish attachment to results — remains untouched by Karmic reaction or sin as a lotus leaf never gets wet by water. (5.10)

The Karma-yogis perform action ¾ without selfish attachment ¾ with their body, mind, intellect, and senses only for the purification of their mind and intellect. (5.11)

A Karma-yogi attains Supreme Bliss by abandoning attachment to the fruits of work; while others, who are attached to the fruits of work, become bound by selfish work. (5.12)

A person, who has completely renounced the fruits of all works, dwells happily in the City of Nine Gates, neither performing nor directing action. (5.13)

The Lord neither creates the urge for action, nor the feeling of doership, nor the attachment to the results of action in people. The powers of material Nature do all these. (5.14)

The Lord does not take the responsibility for the good or evil deeds of anybody. The veil of ignorance covers the Self-knowledge; thereby people become deluded and do evil deeds. (5.15)

Transcendental knowledge destroys the ignorance of the Spirit and reveals the Supreme Being just as the sun reveals the beauty of objects of the world. (5.16)

Persons, whose mind and intellect are totally merged in the Supreme Being, who are firmly devoted to the Supreme, who have God as their supreme goal and sole refuge, and whose impurities are destroyed by the knowledge of the self, do not take birth again. (5.17)

An enlightened person — by perceiving God in all — looks at a learned person, an outcast, even a cow, an elephant, or a dog with an equal eye. (See also 6.29) (5.18)

Everything has been accomplished in this very life by the one whose mind is set in equality. Such a person has realized the Supreme Being, because the Supreme Being is flawless and impartial. (See also 18.55) (5.19)

One who neither rejoices on obtaining what is pleasant, nor grieves on obtaining the unpleasant, who has a steady mind, who is undeluded, and who is a knower of the Supreme Being, such a person eternally abides with the Supreme Being. (5.20)

Such a person who is in union with the Supreme Being becomes unattached to external sensual pleasures by discovering the joy of the Self through contemplation, and enjoys transcendental bliss. (5.21)

Sensual pleasures are verily the source of misery, and have a beginning and an end. Therefore the wise, O Arjuna, does not rejoice in sensual pleasures. (See also 18.38) (5.22)

One who is able to withstand the impulse of lust and anger before death is a yogi, and a happy person. (5.23)

One who finds happiness with the Supreme Being, who rejoices Supreme Being within, and who is illuminated by Self-knowledge; such a yogi attains Nirvana, and goes to the Supreme Being. (5.24)

Seers, whose sins (or imperfections) are destroyed, whose doubts have been dispelled by Self-knowledge, whose minds are disciplined, and who are engaged in the welfare of all beings, attain the Supreme Being. (5.25)

Those who are free from lust and anger, who have subdued the mind and senses, and who have known the Self, easily attain Nirvana. (5.26)

A sage is verily liberated by renouncing all sense enjoyments, fixing the eyes and the mind at an imaginary black dot between the eye brows, equalizing the breath moving through the nostrils by using yogic techniques, keeping the senses, mind, and intellect under control, having salvation as the prime goal, and by becoming free from lust, anger, and fear. (5.27-28)

My devotee attains peace by knowing the Supreme Being as the enjoyer of sacrifices and austerities, as the great Lord of the entire universe, and as the friend of all beings. (5.29)

PATH OF MEDITATION

Lord Krishna said: One who performs the prescribed duty without seeking its fruit for personal enjoyment is a renunciant and a Karma-yogi. One does not become a renunciant merely by not lighting the fire, and one does not become a yogi merely by abstaining from work. (6.01)

O Arjuna, renunciation (Samnyasa) is same as Karma-yoga. Because, no one becomes a Karma-yogi who has not renounced the selfish motive behind an action. (See also 5.01, 5.05, 6.01, and 18.02) (6.02)

For the wise, who seeks to attain yoga of meditation, or the equanimity of mind, Karma-yoga is said to be the means. For the one who has attained yoga, the equanimity becomes the means of Self-realization. A person is said to have attained yogic perfection when he or she has no desire for sensual pleasures, or attachment to the fruits of work, and has renounced all personal selfish motives. (6.03-04)

One must elevate ¾ and not degrade ¾ oneself by one’s own mind. The mind alone is one’s friend as well as one’s enemy. The mind is the friend of those who have control over it, and the mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it. (6.05-06)

One who has control over the lower self ¾ the mind and senses ¾ is tranquil in heat and cold, in pleasure and pain, and in honor and dishonor, and remains ever steadfast with the supreme Self. (6.07)

A person is called yogi who has both Self-knowledge and Self-realization, who is equanimous, who has control over the mind and senses, and to whom a clod, a stone, and gold are the same. (6.08)

A person is considered superior who is impartial towards companions, friends, enemies, neutrals, arbiters, haters, relatives, saints, and sinners. (6.09)

A yogi, seated in solitude and alone, should constantly try to contemplate on a mental picture or just the majesty of the Supreme Being after bringing the mind and senses under control, and becoming free from desires and proprietorship. (6.10)

One should sit on his or her own firm seat that is neither too high nor too low, covered with grass, a deerskin, and a cloth, one over the other, in a clean spot. Sitting there in a comfortable position and concentrating the mind on God, controlling the thoughts and the activities of the senses, one should practice meditation for self-purification. (6.11-12)

One should sit by holding the waist, spine, chest, neck, and head erect, motionless and steady; fix the eyes and the mind steadily on the front of the nose, without looking around; make your mind serene and fearless, practice celibacy; have the mind under control, think of Me, and have Me as the supreme goal. (See also 4.29, 5.27, 8.10, and 8.12) (6.13-14)

Thus, by always practicing to keep the mind fixed on Me, the yogi whose mind is subdued attains peace of Nirvana and comes to Me. (6.15)

This yoga is not possible, O Arjuna, for the one who eats too much, or who does not eat at all; who sleeps too much or too little. (6.16)

The yoga of meditation destroys all sorrow for the one who is moderate in eating, recreation, working, sleeping, and waking. (6.17)

A person is said to have achieved yoga, the union with the Spirit, when the perfectly disciplined mind becomes free from all desires, and gets completely united with the Spirit in trance. (6.18)

A lamp in a spot sheltered by the Spirit from the wind of desires does not flicker. This simile is used for the subdued mind of a yogi practicing meditation on the Spirit. (6.19)

When the mind disciplined by the practice of meditation becomes steady, one becomes content with the Spirit by beholding the Spirit of God with purified intellect. (6.20)

One feels infinite bliss that is perceivable only through the intellect, and is beyond the reach of the senses. After realizing the Absolute Reality, one is never separated from it. (6.21)

After Self-realization (SR), one does not regard any other gain superior to SR. Established in SR, one is not moved even by the greatest calamity. (6.22)

The state of severance of union with sorrow is called yoga. This yoga should be practiced with firm determination, and without any mental reservation. (6.23)

One gradually attains tranquillity of mind by totally abandoning all selfish desires, completely restraining the senses from the sense objects by the intellect, and keeping the mind fully absorbed in the Spirit by means of a well-trained and purified intellect and thinking of nothing else. (6.24-25)

Wheresoever this restless and unsteady mind wanders away, one should gently bring it back to the reflection of God. (6.26)

Supreme bliss comes to a Self-realized yogi whose mind is tranquil, whose desires are under control, and who is free from faults. (6.27)

Such a sinless yogi, who constantly engages his or her mind and intellect with the Spirit, easily enjoys the infinite bliss of contact with The Spirit. (6.28)

A yogi, who is in union with the Supreme Being, sees every being with an equal eye because of perceiving the omnipresent Spirit abiding in all beings, and all beings abiding in the Supreme Being. (See also 4.35, 5.18) (6.29)

Those who perceive Me in everything, and behold everything in Me, are not separated from Me, and I am not separated from them. (6.30)

The non-dualists, who adore Me as abiding in all beings, abide in Me irrespective of their mode of living. (6.31)

One is considered the best yogi who regards every being like oneself, and who can feel the pain and pleasures of others as one’s own, O Arjuna. (6.32)

Arjuna said: O Krishna, You have said that the yoga of meditation is characterized by the equanimity of mind, but due to restlessness of mind I do not perceive the steady state of mind. Because the mind, indeed, is very unsteady, turbulent, powerful, and obstinate, O Krishna. I think restraining the mind is as difficult as restraining the wind. (6.33-34)

Lord Krishna said: Undoubtedly, O Arjuna, the mind is restless and difficult to restrain, but it is subdued by any constant vigorous spiritual practice ¾ such as meditation ¾ with perseverance, and by detachment, O Arjuna. (6.35)

In My opinion, yoga is difficult for the one whose mind is not subdued. However, yoga is attainable by the person of subdued mind by striving through proper means. (6.36)

Arjuna said: The faithful who deviates from the path of meditation and fails to attain yogic perfection due to unsubdued mind — what is the destination of such a person, O Krishna? (6.37)

Do they not perish like a dispersing cloud, O Krishna, having lost both the heavenly and the worldly pleasures, supportless and bewildered on the path of Self-realization? (6.38)

O Krishna, only You are able to completely dispel this doubt of mine. Because there is none, other than You, who can dispel this doubt. (See also 15.15) (6.39)

Lord Krishna said: There is no destruction, O Arjuna, for a yogi either here or hereafter. A transcendentalist is never put to grief, My dear friend. (6.40)

The less evolved unsuccessful yogi is reborn in the house of the pious and prosperous after attaining heaven and living there for many years. The highly evolved unsuccessful yogi does not go to heaven, but is born in a spiritually advanced family. A birth like this is very difficult, indeed, to obtain in this world. (6.41-42)

There he or she regains the knowledge acquired in the previous life, and strives again to achieve perfection, O Arjuna. (6.43)

The unsuccessful yogi is instinctively carried towards God by virtue of the impressions of yogic practices of previous lives. Even the inquirer of yoga ¾ the union with God ¾ surpasses those who perform Vedic rituals. (6.44)

The yogi, who diligently strives, becomes completely free from all imperfections after gradually perfecting through many incarnations, and reaches the Supreme Abode. (6.45)

The yogi, who is devoted to meditation, is superior to the ascetics. The yogi is superior to the Vedic scholars. The yogi is superior to the ritualists. Therefore, O Arjuna, be a yogi. (6.46)

And I consider the yogi-devotee ¾ who lovingly contemplates on Me with supreme faith, and whose mind is ever absorbed in Me ¾ to be the best of all the yogis. (See also 12.02 and 18.66) (6.47)

SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND ENLIGHTENMENT

Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, listen how you shall know Me fully without any doubt, with your mind absorbed in Me, taking refuge in Me, and performing yogic practices. (7.01)

I shall impart you Self-knowledge together with enlightenment, after comprehending that nothing more remains to be known in this world. (7.02)

Scarcely one out of thousands of persons strives for perfection of Self-realization. Scarcely one among those successful strivers truly understands Me. (7.03)

The mind, intellect, ego, ether, air, fire, water, and earth are the eightfold division of My material energy. (See also 13.05) (7.04)

The material Nature or matter is My lower Nature. My other higher Nature is the Spirit by which this entire universe is sustained, O Arjuna. (7.05)

Know that all creatures have evolved from this twofold energy; and the Supreme Spirit is the source of origin as well as dissolution of the entire universe. (See also 13.26) (7.06)

There is nothing higher than the Supreme Being, O Arjuna. Everything in the universe is strung on the Supreme Being, like jewels are strung on the thread of a necklace. (7.07)

O Arjuna, I am the sapidity in the water, I am the radiance in the sun and the moon, the sacred syllable OM in all the Vedas, the sound in the ether, and potency in human beings. I am the sweet fragrance in the earth. I am the heat in the fire, the life in all living beings, and the austerity in the ascetics. (7.08-09)

O Arjuna, know Me to be the eternal seed of all creatures. I am the intelligence of the intelligent, and the brilliance of the brilliant. (See also 9.18 and 10.39). I am the strength of the strong who is devoid of selfish attachment. I am the lust in human beings that is devoid of sense gratification, and is in accord with Dharma (for the sacred purpose of procreation after marriage), O Arjuna. (7.10-11)

Know that three modes of material Nature ¾ goodness, passion, and ignorance ¾ also emanate from Me. I am not dependent on, or affected by, the modes of material Nature; but the modes of material Nature are dependent on Me. (See also 9.04 and 9.05) (7.12)

Human beings are deluded by various aspects of these three modes of material Nature; therefore, they do not know Me, who is eternal and above these modes. (7.13)

This divine power (Maya) of Mine, consisting of three states of matter or mind, is very difficult to overcome. Only those who surrender unto Me easily cross over this Maya. (See also 14.26, 15.19, and 18.66) (7.14)

The evil doers, the ignorant, the lowest persons who are attached to demonic nature, and whose power of discrimination has been taken away by divine illusive power (Maya) do not worship or seek Me. (7.15)

Four types of virtuous ones worship or seek Me, O Arjuna. They are: The distressed, the seeker of Self-knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the enlightened one who has experienced the Supreme Being. (7.16)

Among them the enlightened devotee, who is ever united with Me and whose devotion is single-minded, is the best. Because I am very dear to the enlightened, and the enlightened is very dear to Me. (7.17)

All these seekers are indeed noble. But, I regard the enlightened devotee as My very Self, because the one who is steadfast abides in My Supreme Abode. (See also 9.29) (7.18)

After many births the enlightened one resorts to Me by realizing that everything is, indeed, My (or Supreme Being’s) manifestation. Such a great soul is very rare. (7.19)

Persons, whose discernment has been carried away by various desires impelled by their Karmic impression, resort to celestial controllers and practice various religious rites. (7.20)

Whosoever desires to worship whatever deity — using any name, form, and method — with faith, I make their faith steady in that very deity. Endowed with steady faith they worship that deity, and obtain their wishes through that deity. Those wishes are, indeed, granted only by Me. (7.21-22)

Such material gains of these less intelligent human beings are temporary. The worshipers of celestial controllers go to celestial controllers, but My devotees certainly come to Me. (7.23)

The ignorant ones — unable to understand My immutable, incomparable, incomprehensible, and transcendental form — assume that I, the Supreme Being, am formless and take forms or incarnate. Concealed by My divine power (Maya), I do not reveal Myself to such ignorants who do not know and understand My unborn, eternal, and transcendental form and personality. (7.24-25)

I know, O Arjuna, the beings of the past, of the present, and those of the future, but no one really knows Me. (7.26)

All beings in this world are in utter ignorance due to delusion of pairs of opposites born of likes and dislikes, O Arjuna. But persons of unselfish deeds, whose Karma or sin has come to an end, become free from the delusion of pairs of opposites and worship Me with firm resolve. (7.27-28)

Those who strive for freedom from the cycles of birth, old age, and death — by taking refuge in God — fully comprehend the true nature and powers of the Supreme. (7.29)

The steadfast persons, who know Me alone as the basis of all ¾ the mortal beings, Temporal Beings, and the Eternal Being ¾ even at the time of death, attain Me. (See also 8.04) (7.30)

THE ETERNAL SPIRIT

Arjuna said: O Krishna, who is the Eternal Being or the Spirit? What is the nature of the Eternal Being? What is Karma? Who are the mortal beings? And who are Temporal Beings? Who is the Supreme Being, and how does He dwell in the body? How can You, the Supreme Being, be remembered at the time of death by those who have control over their minds, O Krishna? (8.01-02)

Lord Krishna said: The eternal and immutable Spirit of the Supreme Being is also called Eternal Being or the Spirit. The inherent power of cognition and desire of Eternal Being (Spirit) is called the nature of Eternal Being. The creative power of Eternal Being (or Spirit) that causes manifestation of the living entity is called Karma. (8.03)

Various expansions of the Supreme Being are also called Temporal Beings or Divine Beings. The Supreme Being also resides inside the physical bodies as the divine Controller. (8.04)

The one who remembers the Supreme Being exclusively even while leaving the body at the time of death, attains the Supreme Abode; there is no doubt about it. (8.05)

Remembering whatever object one leaves the body at the end of life, one attains that object. Thought of whatever object prevails during one's lifetime, one remembers only that object at the end of life and achieves it. (8.06)

Therefore, always remember Me and do your duty. You shall certainly attain Me if your mind and intellect are ever focused on Me. (8.07)

By contemplating on Me with an unwavering mind that is disciplined by the practice of meditation, one attains the Supreme Being, O Arjuna. (8.08)

One who meditates on the Supreme Being ¾ as the omniscient, the oldest, the controller, smaller than the smallest and bigger than the biggest, the sustainer of everything, the inconceivable, the self-luminous like the sun, and transcendental (or beyond the material reality) ¾ at the time of death with steadfast mind and devotion by making the flow of bioimpulses rise up to the middle of the eye brows by the power of yogic practices; one attains the Supreme Being. (See also verses 4.29, 5.27, 6.13) (8.09-10)

Now I shall briefly explain the process to attain the Supreme Abode that the knowers of the Veda call immutable; into which the ascetics, freed from attachment, enter; and desiring which people lead a life of celibacy. (8.11)

When one leaves the physical body by controlling all the senses; focusing the mind on God, and the bioimpulses (Pranas) in the cerebrum; engaged in yogic practice; meditating on Me and uttering OM ¾ the sacred monosyllable sound power of Spirit ¾ one attains the Supreme Abode. (8.12-13)

I am easily attainable, O Arjuna, by that ever steadfast devotee who always thinks of Me and whose mind does not go elsewhere. (8.14)

After attaining Me, the great souls do not incur rebirth in this miserable transitory world, because they have attained the highest perfection. (8.15)

The dwellers of all the worlds ¾ up to and including the world of the creator ¾ are subject to the miseries of repeated birth and death. But, after attaining Me, O Arjuna, one does not take birth again. (See also 9.25) (8.16)

Those who know that the duration of creation lasts 4.32 billion years and that the duration of destruction also lasts 4.32 billion years, they are the knowers of the cycles of creation and destruction. (8.17)

All manifestations come out of the primary material Nature during the creative cycle, and they merge into the primary material Nature during the destructive cycle. (8.18)

The same multitude of beings comes into existence again and again at the arrival of the creative cycle; and is annihilated, inevitably, at the arrival of the destructive cycle. (8.19)

There is another eternal transcendental existence ¾ higher than the changeable material Nature ¾ called Eternal Being or Spirit that does not perish when all created beings perish. This is also called the Supreme Abode. Those who attain the Supreme Abode do not take birth again. (8.20-21)

This Supreme Abode, O Arjuna, is attainable by unswerving devotion to Me within which all beings exist, and by which the entire universe is pervaded. (See also 9.04 and 11.55) (8.22)

O Arjuna, now I shall describe different paths departing by which, during death, the yogis do or do not come back. (8.23)

Fire, light, daytime, the bright lunar fortnight, and the six months of the northern solstice of the sun — departing by the path of these celestial controllers, yogis who know the Spirit attain the Supreme. (8.24)

Smoke, night, the dark lunar fortnight, and the six months of southern solstice of the sun — departing by these paths, the righteous person attains heaven and comes back to earth. (8.25)

The path of light of spiritual practice and Self-knowledge and the path of darkness of materialism and ignorance are thought to be the world’s two eternal paths. The former leads to salvation and the latter leads to rebirth as human beings. (8.26)

Knowing these two paths, O Arjuna, a yogi is not bewildered at all. Therefore, one should be resolute in attaining salvation — the goal of human birth — at all times. (8.27)

The one who knows all this knowledge goes beyond getting the benefits of the study of the Vedas, performance of sacrifices, austerities, and charities; and attains salvation. (8.28)

SUPREME KNOWLEDGE AND

THE BIG MYSTERY

Lord Krishna said: I shall reveal to you, who do not disbelieve, the most profound secret transcendental knowledge together with transcendental experience. Having known this you will be freed from the miseries of worldly existence. (9.01)

This Self-knowledge is the king of all knowledge, is the most secret, is very sacred, it can be perceived by instinct, conforms to righteousness (Dharma), is very easy to practice, and is timeless. (9.02)

O Arjuna, those who have no faith in this knowledge do not attain Me, and follow the cycles of birth and death. (9.03)

This entire universe is an expansion of Mine. All beings depend on Me (like a chain depends on gold, and the milk products depend on milk). I do not depend on ¾ or affected by ¾ them; because I am the highest of all. (See also 7.12) (9.04)

Look at the power of My divine mystery; in reality, I ¾ the sustainer and creator of all beings ¾ do not depend on them, and they also do not depend on Me. (In fact, the gold-chain does not depend on gold; the gold-chain is nothing but gold. Also, matter and energy are different as well as non-different). (9.05)

Perceive that all beings remain in Me — without any contact or without producing any effect — as the mighty wind, moving everywhere, eternally remains in space. (9.06)

All beings merge into My primary material Nature at the end of a cycle of just over 311 trillion solar years, O Arjuna, and I create them again at the beginning of the next cycle. (See also 8.17) (9.07)

I create the entire multitude of beings again and again with the help of My material Nature. These beings are under control of the modes of material Nature. (9.08)

These acts of creation do not bind Me, O Arjuna, because I remain indifferent and unattached to those acts. (9.09)

The divine kinetic energy (Maya) ¾ with the help of material Nature ¾ creates all animate and inanimate objects under My supervision, and thus the creation keeps on going, O Arjuna. (See also 14.03) (9.10)

The ignorant persons despise Me when I appear in human form, because they do not know My transcendental nature as the great Lord of all beings, and take Me for an ordinary human being. They are unable to recognize Me, because they have false hopes, false actions, and false knowledge; and possess delusive qualities of fiends and demons. (9.11-12)

But great souls, O Arjuna, who possess divine qualities (See 16.01-03) know Me as immutable; as the material and efficient cause of creation, and worship Me single-mindedly with loving devotion. (9.13)

Persons of firm resolve worship Me with ever-steadfast devotion by always singing My glories, striving to attain Me, and prostrating before Me with devotion. (9.14)

Some worship Me by acquiring the knowledge of God. Others worship the infinite as the One in all (or non-dual), as the master of all (or dual), and in various other ways. (9.15)

I am the ritual, I am the sacrifice, I am the offering, I am the herb, I am the mantra, I am the clarified butter, I am the fire, and I am the oblation. (See also 4.24). I am the supporter of the universe, the father, the mother, and the grandfather. I am the object of knowledge, the sacred syllable OM, and the Vedas. I am the goal, the supporter, the Lord, the witness, the abode, the refuge, the friend, the origin, the dissolution, the foundation, the substratum, and the immutable seed. (See also 7.10 and 10.39) (9.16-18)

I give heat, I send as well as withhold the rain. I am immortality as well as death, I am also both the eternal Absolute and the temporal, O Arjuna. (The Supreme Being has become everything, See also 13.12) (9.19)

The doers of the rituals prescribed in the Vedas, the drinkers of the nectar of devotion, and whose sins are cleansed, worship Me by doing good deeds for gaining heaven. As a result of their meritorious deeds they go to heaven and enjoy celestial sense pleasures. (9.20)

They return to the mortal world ¾ after enjoying the wide world of heavenly pleasures ¾ upon exhaustion of the fruits of their good Karma. Thus following the injunctions of the Vedas, persons working for the fruit of their actions take repeated birth and death. (See also 8.25) (9.21)

I personally take care of both spiritual and material welfare of those ever-steadfast devotees who always remember and adore Me with single-minded contemplation. (9.22)

O Arjuna, even those devotees who worship the deities with faith, they also worship Me, but in an improper way. (9.23)

Because I, the Supreme Being, alone am the enjoyer of all sacrificial services, and Lord of the universe. But people do not know My true transcendental nature. Therefore, they fall into the repeated cycles of birth and death. (9.24)

Worshippers of the celestial controllers go to the celestial controllers, the worshippers of the ancestors go to the ancestors, and the worshippers of the ghosts go to the ghosts, but My devotees come to Me, and are not born again. (See also 8.16) (9.25)

Whosoever offers Me a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water with devotion; I accept and eat the offering of devotion by the pure-hearted. (9.26)

O Arjuna, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever charity you give, whatever austerity you perform, do all that as an offering unto Me. (See also 12.10, 18.46) (9.27)

You shall become free from the bondage ¾ good and bad ¾ of Karma and come to Me by this attitude of complete renunciation. (9.28)

The Self is present equally in all beings. There is no one hateful or dear to Me. But, those who worship Me with love and devotion are very close to Me, and I am also very close to them. (See also 7.18) (9.29)

Even if the most sinful person resolves to worship Me with single-minded loving devotion, such a person must be regarded as a saint because of making the right resolution. (9.30)

Such a person soon becomes righteous and attains everlasting peace. Be aware, O Arjuna, that My devotee shall never perish or fall down. (9.31)

Anybody can attain the Supreme Abode by just surrendering unto My will with loving devotion, O Arjuna. (See also 18.66) (9.32)

Then, it should be very easy for the wise and devout sages to attain the Supreme Being. Therefore, having obtained this joyless and transitory human life, one should always worship Me with loving devotion. (9.33)

Always think of Me, be devoted to Me, worship Me, and bow down to Me. Thus uniting yourself with Me by setting Me as the supreme goal and the sole refuge, you shall certainly come to Me. (9.34)

MANIFESTATION OF THE ABSOLUTE

Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, listen once again to My supreme word that I shall speak to you, who is very dear to Me, for your welfare. (10.01)

Neither the celestial controllers, nor the great sages know My origin, because I am the origin of celestial controllers and great sages also. (10.02)

One who knows Me as the unborn, the beginningless, and the Supreme Lord of the universe, is considered wise among the mortals, and becomes liberated from the bondage of Karma. (10.03)

Discrimination, Self-knowledge, non-delusion, forgiveness, truthfulness, control over the mind and senses, tranquillity, pleasure, pain, birth, death, fear, fearlessness; nonviolence, equanimity, contentment, austerity, charity, fame, ill fame ¾ these diverse qualities in human beings arise from Me alone. (10.04-05)

The great saints, sages, and all the creatures of the world were born from My potential energy. (10.06)

One who truly understands My manifestations and yogic powers is united with Me by unswerving devotion. There is no doubt about it. (10.07)

I am the origin of all. Everything emanates from Me. The wise ones who understand this adore Me with love and devotion. (10.08)

My devotees remain ever content and delighted. Their minds remain absorbed in Me, and their lives surrendered unto Me. They always enlighten each other by talking about Me. (10.09)

I give the knowledge and understanding of the metaphysical science ¾ to those who are ever united with Me and lovingly adore Me ¾ by which they come to Me. (10.10)

I, who dwell within their inner psyche as consciousness, destroy the darkness born of ignorance by the shining lamp of transcendental knowledge as an act of compassion for them. (10.11)

Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Being, the Supreme Abode, the Supreme Purifier, the Eternal Being, the primal God, the unborn, and the omnipresent. All saints and sages have thus acclaimed You, and now You Yourself are telling me. (10.12-13)

O Krishna, I believe all that You have told me to be true. O Lord, neither the celestial controllers nor the demons fully understand Your real nature. (See also 4.06) (10.14)

O Creator and Lord of all beings, God of all celestial rulers, the Supreme person, and Lord of the universe, You alone know Yourself by Yourself. (10.15)

Therefore, You alone are able to fully describe Your own divine glories ¾ the manifestations ¾ by which You exist pervading all the universes. (10.16)

How may I know You, O Lord, by constant contemplation? In what form of manifestation are You to be thought of by me, O Lord? (10.17)

O Lord, explain to me again in detail, Your yogic power and glory; because I am not satiated by hearing Your nectar-like words. (10.18)

Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, now I shall explain to you My prominent divine manifestations, because My manifestations are endless. (10.19)

O Arjuna, I am the Supreme Spirit (or Supersoul) abiding in the inner psyche of all beings. I am also the creator, maintainer, and destroyer ¾ or the beginning, the middle, and the end ¾ of all beings. (10.20)

I am the sustainer, I am the radiant sun among the luminaries, I am the controller of wind, I am the moon among the stars. (10.21)

I am the Vedas, I am the celestial rulers, I am the mind among the senses, I am the consciousness in living beings. (10.22)

I am Lord Shiva, I am the god of wealth, I am the fire god, and the mountains. (10.23)

I am the priest, and the army general of the celestial controllers, O Arjuna. I am the ocean among the bodies of water. (10.24)

I am the monosyllable cosmic sound, OM, among the words; I am the chanting of mantra among the spiritual disciplines; and I am the Himalaya among the mountains. (10.25)

I am the holy fig tree among the trees, Narada among the sages, and I am all other celestial rulers. (10.26)

Know Me as the celestial animals among the animals, and the King among men. I am thunderbolt among the weapons, and I am the cupid for procreation. (10.27-28)

I am the water-god, and the manes. I am the controller of death. I am the time or death among the healers, lion among the beasts, and the king of birds among birds. (10.29-30)

I am the wind among the purifiers, and Lord Rama among the warriors. I am the crocodile among the fishes, and the holy Ganges river among the rivers. (10.31)

I am the beginning, the middle, and the end of all creation, O Arjuna. Among the knowledge I am knowledge of the supreme Self. I am logic of the logician. (10.32)

I am the letter "A" among the alphabets. I am the dual compound among the compound words. I am the endless time. I am the sustainer, and I am omniscient. (10.33)

I am the all devouring death, and also the origin of future beings. I am the seven goddesses or guardian angels presiding over the seven qualities ¾ fame, prosperity, speech, memory, intellect, resolve, and forgiveness. (10.34)

I am the Vedic and other hymns. I am the mantras, I am November-December among the months, I am the spring among the seasons. (10.35)

I am gambling of the cheats; splendor of the splendid; victory of the victorious; resolution of the resolute; and goodness of the good. (10.36)

I am Krishna, Vyasa, Arjuna, and the power of rulers, the statesmanship of the seekers of victory. I am silence among the secrets, and the Self-knowledge of the knowledgeable. (10.37-38)

I am the origin of all beings, O Arjuna. There is nothing, animate or inanimate, that can exist without Me. (See also 7.10 and 9.18) (10.39)

There is no end of My divine manifestations, O Arjuna. This is only a brief description by Me of the extent of My divine manifestations. (10.40)

Whatever is endowed with glory, brilliance, and power; know that to be a manifestation of a very small fraction of My splendor. (10.41)

What is the need for this detailed knowledge, O Arjuna? I continually support the entire universe by a very small fraction of My divine power. (10.42)

VISION OF THE COSMIC FORM

Arjuna said: My illusion is dispelled by the profound words of wisdom You spoke ¾ out of compassion towards me ¾ about the supreme secret of Spirit. (11.01)

O Krishna, I have heard from You in detail about the origin and dissolution of beings, and Your immutable glory. (11.02)

O Lord, You are as You have said; yet I wish to see Your divine cosmic form, O Supreme Being. (11.03)

O Lord, if You think it is possible for me to see Your universal form, then, O Lord of the yogis, show me Your transcendental form. (11.04)

Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, behold My hundreds and thousands of multifarious divine forms of different colors and shapes. Behold all the celestial beings, and many wonders never seen before. Also behold the entire creation ¾ animate, inanimate, and whatever else you like to see ¾ all at one place in My body. (11.05-07)

But, you are not able to see Me with your physical eye; therefore, I give you the divine eye to see My majestic power and glory. (11.08)

Sanjaya said: O King, having said this; Lord Krishna, the great Lord of the mystic power of yoga, revealed His supreme majestic form to Arjuna. (11.09)

Arjuna saw the Universal Form of the Lord with many mouths and eyes, and many visions of marvel, with numerous divine ornaments, and holding many divine weapons. Wearing divine garlands and apparel, anointed with celestial perfumes and ointments, full of all wonders, the limitless God with faces on all sides. (11.10-11)

If the splendor of thousands of suns were to blaze forth all at once in the sky, even that would not resemble the splendor of that exalted being. (11.12)

Arjuna saw the entire universe, divided in many ways, but standing as all in One, and One in all in the transcendental body of Krishna, the Lord of celestial rulers. (See also 13.16, and 18.20) (11.13)

Having seen the cosmic form of the Lord, Arjuna was filled with wonder; and his hairs standing on end, bowed his head to the Lord and prayed with folded hands. (11.14)

Arjuna said: O Lord, I see in Your body all supernatural controllers, and multitude of beings, sages, and celestials. (11.15)

O Lord of the universe, I see You everywhere with infinite form, with many arms, stomachs, faces, and eyes. O Universal Form, I see neither your beginning nor the middle nor the end. (11.16)

I see You with Your crown, club, discus; and a mass of radiance, difficult to behold, shining all around like the immeasurable brilliance of the sun and the blazing fire. (11.17)

I believe You are the Supreme Being to be realized. You are the ultimate resort of the universe. You are the Spirit, and protector of the eternal order (Dharma). (11.18)

I see You with infinite power, without beginning, middle, or end; with many arms, with the sun and the moon as Your eyes, with Your mouth as a blazing fire scorching all the universe with Your radiance. (11.19)

O Lord, You pervade the entire space between heaven and earth in all directions. Seeing Your marvelous and terrible form, the three worlds are trembling with fear. (11.20)

Hosts of supernatural rulers enter into You. Some with folded hands sing Your names and glories in fear. A multitude of perfected beings hail and adores You with abundant praises. (11.21)

All the celestial beings amazingly gaze at You. Seeing your infinite form with many mouths, eyes, arms, thighs, feet, stomachs, and many fearful tusks; the worlds are trembling with fear and so do I, O mighty Lord. (11.22-23)

I am frightened and find neither peace nor courage, O Krishna, after seeing Your effulgent and colorful form touching the sky, and Your wide open mouth with large shining eyes. (11.24)

I lose my sense of direction and find no comfort after seeing Your mouths with fearful tusks glowing like the fires of cosmic dissolution. Have mercy on me! O Lord of celestial rulers, and refuge of the universe. (11.25)

All my cousin brothers, along with the hosts of other kings and warriors of the other side, together with chief warriors on our side, are also quickly entering into Your fearful mouths with terrible tusks. Some are seen caught in between the tusks with their heads crushed. (11.26-27)

These warriors of the mortal world are entering Your blazing mouths as many torrents of the rivers enter into the ocean. (11.28)

All these people are rapidly rushing into Your mouths for destruction as moths rush with great speed into the blazing flame for destruction. (11.29)

You are licking up all the worlds with Your flaming mouths, swallowing them from all sides. Your powerful radiance is filling the entire universe with effulgence and burning it, O Krishna. (11.30)

Tell me, who are You in such a fierce form? My salutations to You, O best of all celestial rulers, be merciful! I wish to understand You, O primal Being, because I do not know Your mission. (11.31)

Lord Krishna said: I am death, the mighty destroyer of the world. I have come here to destroy all these people. Even without your participation in the war, all the warriors standing arrayed in the opposing armies shall cease to exist. (11.32)

Therefore, you get up and attain glory. Conquer your enemies, and enjoy a prosperous kingdom. I have already destroyed all these warriors. You are only an instrument, O Arjuna. (11.33)

Kill all these great warriors who are already killed by Me. Do not fear. You will certainly conquer the enemies in the battle; therefore, fight! (11.34)

Sanjaya said: Having heard these words of Krishna; the crowned Arjuna, trembling with folded hands, prostrated with fear and spoke to Krishna in a choked voice. (11.35)

Arjuna said: Rightly, O Krishna, the world delights and rejoices in glorifying You. Terrified demons flee in all directions. The hosts of sages bow to You in adoration. (11.36)

Why should they not ¾ O great soul ¾ bow to You, the original creator who is even greater than the creator of material worlds? O infinite Lord, O God of all celestial rulers, O abode of the universe, You are both Eternal and Temporal, and the Supreme Being that is beyond Eternal and Temporal. (See also 9.19, and 13.12 for a commentary) (11.37)

You are the primal God, the most ancient Person. You are the ultimate resort of the entire universe. You are the knower, the object of knowledge, and the Supreme Abode. You, O Lord of the infinite form, pervade the entire universe. (11.38)

You are the controller of death, the fire, the wind, the water god, the moon god, and the creator, as well as the father of the creator. Salutations to You a thousand times, and again and again salutations to You. (11.39)

My salutations to You from front, and from behind. O Lord, my obeisance to You from all sides. You are infinite valor and the boundless might. You pervade everything, and therefore You are everywhere and in everything. (11.40)

Considering You merely as a friend, and not knowing Your greatness, I have inadvertently addressed You as O Krishna, O Yadava, and O friend merely out of affection or carelessness. (11.41)

In whatever way I may have insulted You in jokes; while playing, reposing in bed, sitting, or at meals; when alone, or in front of others; O Krishna, the immeasurable One, I implore You for forgiveness. (11.42)

You are the father of this animate and inanimate world, and the greatest guru to be worshipped. No one is even equal to You in the three worlds; how can there be one greater than You? O Being of incomparable glory. (11.43)

Therefore, O adorable Lord, I seek Your mercy by bowing down and prostrating my body before You. Bear with me as a father to his son, as a friend to a friend, and as a husband to his wife, O Lord. (11.44)

Beholding that which has never been seen before delights me, and yet my mind is tormented with fear. Therefore, O God of celestial rulers, the refuge of the universe, have mercy on me; and show me your four-armed form. (11.45)

I wish to see You with a crown, holding mace and discus in Your hand. Therefore, O Lord with thousand arms and universal form, please appear in the four-armed form. (11.46)

Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, being pleased with you I have shown you, through My own yogic powers, this particular supreme, shining, universal, infinite, and primal form of Mine that has never been seen before by anyone other than you. (11.47)

O Arjuna, neither by study of the Vedas, nor by sacrifice, nor by charity, nor by rituals, nor by severe austerities, can I be seen in this cosmic form by any one other than you in this human world. (11.48)

LORD SHOWS ARJUNA HIS FOUR-ARMED AND THE HUMAN FORM

Do not be perturbed and confused by seeing such a terrible form of Mine as this. With fearless and cheerful mind, now behold My four-armed form. (11.49)

Sanjaya said: After speaking like this to Arjuna, Krishna revealed His four-armed form. And then assuming His pleasant human form, Lord Krishna, the Great One, consoled Arjuna who was terrified. (11.50)

Arjuna said: O Krishna, seeing this lovely human form of Yours, I have now become tranquil and I am normal again. (11.51)

Lord Krishna said: This four-armed form of Mine that you have seen is very difficult, indeed, to see. Even celestial controllers are ever longing to see this form. (11.52)

This four-armed form of Mine that you have just seen cannot be seen even by study of the Vedas, or by austerity, or by acts of charity, or by the performance of rituals. (11.53)

However, through single-minded devotion alone, I can be seen in this form, can be known in essence, and also can be reached, O Arjuna. (11.54)

The one who does all works for Me, and to whom I am the supreme goal; who is my devotee, who has no attachment, and is free from enmity towards any being; attains Me, O Arjuna. (See also 8.22) (11.55)

PATH OF DEVOTION

Arjuna asked: Those ever steadfast devotees who worship the personal aspect of God with form(s), and others who worship the impersonal aspect, or the formless Absolute; which of these has the best knowledge of yoga? (12.01)

Lord Krishna said: Those ever steadfast devotees who worship with supreme faith by fixing their mind on a personal form of God, I consider them to be the best yogis. (See also 6.47) (12.02)

But those who worship the unchangeable, the inexplicable, the invisible, the omnipresent, the inconceivable, the unchanging, the immovable, and the formless impersonal aspect of God; restraining all the senses, even-minded under all circumstances, engaged in the welfare of all creatures, also attain God. (12.03-04)

Self-realization is more difficult for those who fix their mind on the impersonal, unmanifest, and formless Absolute; because, comprehension of the unmanifest by embodied beings is attained with difficulty. (12.05)

For those who worship the Supreme with unswerving devotion as a personal deity of their choice, offer all actions to Me, intent on Me as the Supreme, and meditate on Me; I swiftly become their savior ¾ from the world that is the ocean of death and transmigration ¾ whose thoughts are set on My personal form, O Arjuna. (12.06-07)

FOUR PATHS TO GOD

Therefore, focus your mind on Me, and let your intellect dwell upon Me alone through meditation and contemplation. Thereafter you shall certainly attain Me. (12.08)

If you are unable to focus your mind steadily on Me, then long to attain Me by practice of any other spiritual discipline; such as a ritual, or deity worship that suits you. (12.09)

If you are unable even to do any spiritual discipline, then be intent on performing your duty just for Me. You shall attain perfection by doing your prescribed duty for Me — without any selfish motive — just as an instrument to serve and please Me. (12.10)

If you are unable to do your duty for Me, then just surrender unto My will, and renounce the attachment to, and the anxiety for, the fruits of all work — by learning to accept all results as God's grace — with equanimity. (12.11)

The transcendental knowledge of scriptures is better than mere ritualistic practice; meditation is better than scriptural knowledge; renunciation of selfish attachment to the fruits of work (Karma-yoga) is better than meditation; peace immediately follows renunciation of selfish motives. (See more on renunciation in 18.02, 18.09) (12.12)

One who does not hate any creature, who is friendly and compassionate, free from the notion of "I" and "my", even-minded in pain and pleasure, forgiving; and who is ever content, who has subdued the mind, whose resolve is firm, whose mind and intellect are engaged in dwelling upon Me, who is devoted to Me, is dear to Me. (12.13-14)

The one by whom others are not agitated and who is not agitated by others, who is free from joy, envy, fear, and anxiety, is also dear to Me. (12.15)

One who is desireless, pure, wise, impartial, and free from anxiety; who has renounced the doership in all undertakings; such a devotee is dear to Me. (12.16)

One who neither rejoices nor grieves, neither likes nor dislikes, who has renounced both the good and the evil, and is full of devotion; is dear to Me. (12.17)

The one who remains the same towards friend or foe, in honor or disgrace, in heat or cold, in pleasure or pain; who is free from attachment; who is indifferent to censure or praise; who is quiet, and content with whatever he or she has; unattached to a place, a country, or a house; equanimous, and full of devotion ¾ that person is dear to Me. (12.18-19)

But those faithful devotees, who set Me as their supreme goal and follow — or just sincerely try to develop — the above mentioned nectar of moral values are very dear to Me. (12.20)

CREATION AND THE CREATOR

Lord Krishna said: O Arjuna, this physical body, the miniature universe, may be called the field or creation. One who knows the creation is called the creator (or Spirit) by the seers of truth. (13.01)

O Arjuna, know Me to be the creator of all the creation. The true understanding of both the creator and the creation is considered by Me to be the transcendental knowledge. (13.02)

What the creation is, what it is like, what its transformations are, where its source is, who that creator is, and what His powers are, hear all these from Me in brief. (13.03)

The seers have separately described the creation and the creator in different ways in the Vedic hymns, and also in the conclusive and convincing verses of other scriptures. (13.04)

The primary material Nature, the cosmic intellect, "I" consciousness or ego, five basic elements, ten organs, mind, five sense objects; and desire, hatred, pleasure, pain, the physical body, consciousness, and resolve ¾ thus the entire field has been briefly described with its transformations. (See also 7.04) (13.05-06)

Humility, modesty, nonviolence, forgiveness, honesty, service to guru, purity of thought, word, and deed, steadfastness, self-control; and aversion towards sense objects, absence of ego, constant reflection on pain and suffering inherent in birth, old age, disease, and death; (13.07-08)

Detachment, non-fondness with son, wife, and home; unfailing equanimity upon attainment of the desirable and the undesirable; and unswerving devotion to Me through single-minded contemplation, taste for solitude, distaste for social gatherings and gossips; steadfastness in acquiring the knowledge of Spirit, and seeing the omnipresent Supreme Being everywhere ¾ this is said to be knowledge. That which is contrary to this is ignorance. (13.09-11)

I shall fully describe the object of knowledge. By knowing this one attains immortality. The beginningless Supreme Being is said to be neither eternal, nor temporal. (See also 9.19, 11.37, and 15.18) (13.12)

The Spirit has His hands, feet, eyes, head, mouth, and ears everywhere, because He is all-pervading and omnipresent. (13.13)

He is the perceiver of all sense objects without the physical sense organs; unattached, and yet the sustainer of all; devoid of the three modes of material Nature, and yet the enjoyer of the modes of material Nature by becoming a living entity. (13.14)

He is inside as well as outside all beings, animate and inanimate. He is incomprehensible because of His subtlety. And because of His omnipresence, He is very near ¾ residing in one’s inner psyche; as well as far away ¾ in the Supreme Abode. (13.15)

He is undivided, and yet appears to exist as if divided in beings. He is the object of knowledge, and appears as the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of all beings. (See also 11.13, and 18.20) (13.16)

The Supreme Being is the source of all lights. He is said to be beyond darkness of ignorance. He is the Self-knowledge, the object of Self-knowledge, and seated in the inner psyche as consciousness (See verse 18.61) of all beings, He is to be realized by Self-knowledge. (13.17)

Thus the creation as well as the knowledge and the object of knowledge have been briefly described by Me. Having understood this, My devotee attains My Supreme Abode. (13.18)

Know that both the material Nature and the Spiritual Being are beginningless. All manifestations and three dispositions of mind and matter, called modes, are born of material Nature. Material Nature is said to be the cause of production of physical body and organs of perception and action. Spirit (or Consciousness) is said to be the cause of experiencing pleasures and pains. (13.19-20)

Spiritual Being enjoys three modes of material Nature by associating with the material Nature. Attachment to the three modes of material Nature due to ignorance caused by previous Karma is the cause of birth of living entity in good and evil wombs. (13.21)

The Spirit in the body is the witness, the guide, the supporter, the enjoyer, and the controller. (13.22)

They who truly understand Spirit and the material Nature with its three modes are not born again regardless of their way of life. (13.23)

Some perceive the Supersoul in their inner psyche through mind and intellect that have been purified either by meditation, or by metaphysical knowledge, or by selfless service. (13.24)

Others, however, do not know the yogas of meditation, knowledge, devotion, and work; but they perform deity worship with faith as mentioned in the scriptures by the saints and sages. They also transcend death by virtue of their firm faith to what they have heard. (13.25)

Whatever is born ¾ animate or inanimate ¾ know them to be born from the union of Spirit and matter, O Arjuna. (See also 7.06) (13.26)

The one who sees the same eternal Supreme Lord dwelling as Spirit equally within all mortal beings truly sees. (13.27)

When one beholds one and the same Lord existing equally in everybeing, one does not injure anybody; because one considers everything as one’s own self. And thereupon attains the Supreme Abode. (13.28)

The one who perceives that all works are done by the powers of material Nature truly understands, and thus does not consider oneself as the doer. (See also 3.27, 5.09, and 14.19) (13.29)

The moment one discovers diverse variety of beings and their different ideas abiding in One, and coming out from ‘That’ alone, one attains the Supreme Being. (13.30)

Because of being beginningless and unaffectable by three modes of material Nature, the eternal Supersoul ¾ even though dwelling in the body as a living entity ¾ neither does anything nor becomes tainted, O Arjuna. (13.31)

Just as the all-pervading space is not tainted because of its subtlety; similarly, the Spirit abiding in all bodies is not tainted. (13.32)

Just as one sun illuminates the entire world; similarly, Spirit gives life to the entire creation, O Arjuna. (13.33)

They who perceive — with the eye of Self-knowledge — the difference between the creation (or the body) and the creator (or the Spirit) as well as know the technique of liberation of the living entity from the trap of divine illusory energy (Maya), attain the Supreme. (13.34)

THREE MODES OF MATERIAL NATURE

Lord Krishna said: I shall further explain to you that supreme knowledge, the best of all knowledge, knowing that all the sages have attained supreme perfection after this life. (14.01)

They who have taken refuge in this transcendental knowledge attain unity with Me; and are neither born at the time of creation, nor afflicted at the time of dissolution. (14.02)

My material Nature is the womb of creation wherein I place the seed of Consciousness from which all beings are born, O Arjuna. (See also 9.10) (14.03)

Whatever forms are produced in all different wombs, O Arjuna, the material Nature is their body-giving mother; and the Spirit or Consciousness is the life-giving father. (14.04)

Goodness, activity, and inertia — these three modes or ropes material Nature fetter the eternal individual soul to the body, O Arjuna. (14.05)

Of these, the mode of goodness is illuminating and good, because it is pure. The mode of goodness fetters the living entity by attachment to happiness and knowledge, O sinless Arjuna. (14.06)

Arjuna, know that the mode of passion is characterized by intense craving for sense gratification, and is the source of material desire and attachment. The mode of passion binds the living entity by attachment to the fruits of work. (14.07)

Know, O Arjuna, that the mode of ignorance ¾ the deluder of living entity ¾ is born of inertia. The mode of ignorance binds living entity by carelessness, laziness, and excessive sleep. (14.08)

O Arjuna, the mode of goodness attaches one to happiness of learning and knowing the Spirit, the mode of passion attaches to action, and the mode of ignorance attaches to negligence by covering the Self-knowledge. (14.09)

Goodness prevails by suppressing passion and ignorance; passion prevails by suppressing goodness and ignorance; and ignorance prevails by suppressing goodness and passion, O Arjuna. (14.10)

When the light of Self-knowledge glitters all the senses in the body, then it should be known that goodness is predominant. (14.11)

O Arjuna, when passion is predominant; greed, activity, undertaking of selfish works, restlessness, and excitement arise. (14.12)

O Arjuna, when inertia is predominant; ignorance, inactivity, carelessness, and delusion arise. (14.13)

One who dies during the dominance of goodness goes to heaven ¾ the pure world of knowers of the Supreme. (14.14)

When one dies during the dominance of passion, one is reborn as attached to action (or the utilitarian type); and dying in ignorance, one is reborn as lower creatures. (14.15)

The fruit of good action is said to be beneficial and pure, the fruit of passionate action is pain, and the fruit of ignorant action is laziness. (14.16)

Self-knowledge arises from mode of goodness; greed arises from mode of passion; and negligence, delusion, and slowness of mind arise from the mode of ignorance. (14.17)

They who are established in goodness go to heaven; passionate persons are reborn in the mortal world; and the insipid ones, abiding in the mode of ignorance, go to lower planets of hell, or take birth as lower creatures depending on the degree of their ignorance. (14.18)

When visionaries perceive no doer other than the powers of the Supreme Being ¾ the modes of material Nature; and know That which is above and beyond these modes; then they attain Nirvana or salvation. (See also 3.27, 5.09, and 13.29) (14.19)

When one rises above the three modes of material Nature that originate in the body, one attains immortality or salvation, and is freed from the pains of birth, old age, and death. (14.20)

Arjuna said: What are the marks of those who have transcended the three modes of material Nature, and what is their conduct? How does one transcend these three modes of material Nature, O Lord Krishna? (14.21)

Lord Krishna said: One who neither hates the presence of enlightenment, activity, and delusion; nor desires for them when they are absent; who remains like a witness without being affected by the modes of material Nature; and stays firmly attached to the Lord without wavering ¾ thinking that the modes of material Nature only are operating. (14.22-23)

The one who depends on the Lord and is indifferent to pain and pleasure; to whom a clod, a stone, and gold are alike; to whom the dear and the unfriendly are alike; who is of firm mind, who is calm in censure and in praise, and the one who is indifferent to honor and disgrace, who is impartial to friend and foe, and who has renounced the sense of doership ¾ is said to have transcended the modes of material Nature. (14.24-25)

The one who offers service to Me with love and unswerving devotion transcends three modes of material Nature, and becomes fit for Nirvana, or salvation. (See also 7.14 and 15.19) (14.26)

Because, I am the basis (or source) of the immortal Spirit, of everlasting cosmic order (Dharma), and of the absolute bliss. (14.27)

THE SUPREME BEING

Lord Krishna said: The universe (or human body) may be compared to an eternal tree that has its origin (or root) in the Supreme Being and its branches below in the cosmos. The Vedic hymns are the leaves of this tree. One who understands this tree is a knower of the Vedas. (15.01)

The branches of this eternal tree are spread all over the cosmos. The tree is nourished by the energy of material Nature; sense pleasures are its sprouts; and its roots of ego and desires stretch below in the human world causing Karmic bondage. (15.02)

The beginning, the end, or the real form of this tree is not perceptible on the earth. Having cut the firm roots ¾ the desires ¾ of this tree by the mighty ax of Self-knowledge and detachment, one should seek that Supreme Abode reaching where one does not come back to the mortal world again. One should be always thinking: "In that very primal person I take refuge from which this primal manifestation comes forth." (15.03-04)

Those who are free from pride and delusion, who have conquered the evil of attachment, who are constantly dwelling in the Supreme Being with all lust completely stilled, who are free from dualities of pleasure and pain; such wise ones reach My Supreme Abode. (15.05)

The sun does not illumine My Supreme Abode, nor the moon, nor the fire. Having reached there people attain permanent liberation (Mukti), and do not come back to this temporal world. (15.06)

The individual soul (Jiva, Jivatma) in the body of living beings is the integral part of the universal Spirit, or consciousness. The individual soul associates with the six sensory faculties ¾ including the mind ¾ of perception and activates them. (15.07)

Just as the air takes aroma away from the flower; similarly, the individual soul takes the six sensory faculties from the physical body it casts off during death to the new physical body it acquires in reincarnation. (See also 2.13) (15.08)

The living entity enjoys sense pleasures using six sensory faculties of hearing, touch, sight, taste, smell, and mind. The ignorant cannot perceive living entity departing from the body, or staying in the body and enjoying sense pleasures by associating with the material body. But those who have the eye of Self-knowledge can see it. (15.09-10)

The yogis, striving for perfection, behold the living entity abiding in their inner psyche as consciousness; but the ignorant whose inner psyche is not pure, cannot perceive Him even though striving. (15.11)

The light energy that coming from the sun illumines the whole world; and that in the moon, and in the fire; know that light to be Mine. (See also 13.17 and 15.06) (15.12).

Entering the earth, I support all beings with My energy; becoming the sap-giving moon, I nourish all the plants. (15.13)

Becoming the digestive fire, I remain in the body of all living beings; uniting with vital breaths or bioimpulses, I digest all types of food; and (15.14)

I am seated in the inner psyche of all beings. The memory, Self-knowledge, and the removal of doubts and wrong notions about God come from Me. I am verily that which is to be known by the study of all the Vedas. I am, indeed, the author as well as the student of the Vedas. (See also 6.39) (15.15)

There are two entities in the cosmos: The changeable Temporal Beings, and the unchangeable Eternal Being (Spirit). All created beings are subject to change, but the Spirit does not change. (15.16)

The Supreme Being is beyond both ¾ the Temporal Beings and the Eternal Being. He is also called the Absolute Reality that sustains both the Temporal and the Eternal by pervading everything. (15.17)

Because the Supreme Being is beyond both Temporal and Eternal; therefore, He is known in this world and in the scriptures as the Supreme Being (Absolute Reality, Truth, Supersoul) (15.18)

The wise one who truly understands the Supreme Being, knows everything and worships Him wholeheartedly. (See also 7.14, 14.26, and 18.66) (15.19)

Thus this most secret transcendental science of the Absolute has been explained by Me. Having understood this, one becomes enlightened, and one’s all duties are accomplished, O Arjuna. (15.20)

DIVINE AND THE DEMONIC QUALITIES

Lord Krishna said: Fearlessness, purity of inner psyche, perseverance in the yoga of Self-knowledge, charity, sense restraint, sacrifice, study of the scriptures, austerity, honesty; nonviolence, truthfulness, absence of anger, renunciation, equanimity, abstaining from malicious talk, compassion for all creatures, freedom from greed, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness, splendor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, absence of malice, and absence of pride ¾ these are some of the qualities of those endowed with divine virtues, O Arjuna. (16.01-03)

O Arjuna, the marks of those who are born with demonic qualities are: Hypocrisy, arrogance, pride, anger, harshness, and ignorance. (16.04)

Divine qualities lead to salvation, the demonic qualities are said to be for bondage. Do not grieve, O Arjuna, you are born with divine qualities. (16.05)

There are only two types (or castes) of human beings in this world: The divine, or the wise; and the demonic, or the ignorant. The divine has been described at length, now hear from Me about the demonic, O Arjuna. (16.06)

Persons of demonic nature do not know what to do and what not to do. They neither have purity nor good conduct nor truthfulness. (16.07)

They say: The world is unreal, without a substratum, without a God, and without an order. Sexual union of man and woman alone and nothing else causes the world. (16.08)

Adhering to this wrong atheist view, these degraded souls — with small intellect and cruel deeds ¾ are born as enemies for the destruction of the world. (16.09)

Filled with insatiable desires, hypocrisy, pride, and arrogance; holding wrong views due to delusion; they act with impure motives. (16.10)

Obsessed with endless anxiety lasting until death, considering sense gratification their highest aim, convinced that sense pleasure is everything; (16.11)

Bound by hundreds of ties of desire and enslaved by lust and anger; they strive to obtain wealth by unlawful means for the fulfillment of sensual pleasures. They think: (16.12)

This has been gained by me today, I shall fulfill this desire, I have this much wealth, and will have more wealth in the future; (16.13)

That enemy has been slain by me, and I shall slay others also. I am the Lord. I am the enjoyer. I am successful, powerful, and happy; (16.14)

I am rich and born in a noble family. Who is equal to me? I shall perform sacrifice, I shall give charity, and I shall rejoice. Thus deluded by ignorance; (16.15)

Bewildered by many fancies; entangled in the net of delusion; addicted to the enjoyment of sensual pleasures; they fall into a foul hell. (16.16)

Self-conceited, stubborn, filled with pride and intoxication of wealth; they perform service only in name, for show, and not according to scriptural injunction. (16.17)

These malicious people cling to egoism, power, arrogance, lust, and anger; and hate Me who dwells in their own bodies and those of others. (16.18)

I hurl these haters, cruel, sinful, and mean people into the cycles of rebirth in the womb of demons again and again. (16.19)

O Arjuna, entering the wombs of demons birth after birth, the deluded ones sink to the lowest hell without ever attaining Me (until their minds change for the better by the causeless mercy of the Lord). (16.20)

Lust, anger, and greed are the three gates of hell leading to the downfall (or bondage) of the individual. Therefore, one must learn to give up these three. (16.21)

One who is liberated from these three gates of hell, O Arjuna, does what is best for him or her, and consequently attains the Supreme Abode. (16.22)

One, who acts under the influence of his or her desires, disobeying scriptural injunctions, neither attains perfection nor happiness, nor the Supreme Abode. (16.23)

Therefore, let the scripture be your authority in determining what should be done and what should not be done. You should perform your duty following the scriptural injunction. (16.24)

THREEFOLD FAITH

Arjuna said: What is the mode of devotion of those who perform spiritual practices with faith but without following the scriptural injunctions, O Krishna? Is it in the mode of goodness, passion, or ignorance? (17.01)

Lord Krishna said: The natural faith of embodied beings is of three kinds: Goodness, passion, and ignorance. Now hear about these from Me. (17.02)

O Arjuna, the faith of each is in accordance with one’s own natural disposition that is governed by Karmic impressions. A person is known by the faith. One can become whatever one wants to be, if one constantly contemplates on the object of desire with faith. (17.03)

Persons in the mode of goodness worship celestial controllers; those in the mode of passion worship supernatural rulers and demons; and those in the mode of ignorance worship ghosts and spirits. (17.04)

They who practice severe austerities without following the prescription of the scriptures; who are full of hypocrisy and egotism; who are impelled by the force of desire and attachment; who senselessly torture the elements in their body and also Me who dwells within the body, know these ignorant persons to be of demonic nature. (17.05-06)

The food preferred by all of us is also of three types. So are the sacrifice, austerity, and charity. Now hear the distinction between them. (17.07)

The foods that promote longevity, virtue, strength, health, happiness, and joy are juicy, smooth, substantial, and nutritious. Persons in the mode of goodness like such foods. (17.08)

Foods that are very bitter, sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry, and burning; and cause pain, grief, and disease; are liked by persons in the mode of passion. (17.09)

The foods liked by people in the mode of ignorance are stale, tasteless, putrid, rotten, refuses, and impure (such as meat and alcohol). (17.10)

Selfless service enjoined by the scriptures, and performed without the desire for the fruit, with a firm belief and conviction that it is a duty, is in the mode of goodness. (17.11)

Selfless service that is performed only for show, and aiming for fruit, know that to be in the mode of passion, O Arjuna. (17.12)

Selfless service that is performed without following the scripture, in which no food is distributed, which is devoid of mantra, faith, and gift, is said to be in the mode of ignorance. (17.13)

The worship of celestial controllers, the priest, guru, and the wise; purity, honesty, celibacy, and nonviolence; these are said to be the austerity of deed. (17.14)

Speech that is non-offensive, truthful, pleasant, beneficial, and is used for the regular study of scriptures is called the austerity of word. (17.15)

The serenity of mind, gentleness, equanimity, self-control, and the purity of thought ¾ these are called the austerity of thought. (17.16)

The above mentioned threefold austerity (of thought, word, and deed) practiced by yogis with supreme faith, without a desire for the fruit, is said to be in the mode of goodness. (17.17)

Austerity that is performed for gaining respect, honor, reverence, and for the sake of show that yields an uncertain and temporary result is said to be in the mode of passion. (17.18)

Austerity performed with foolish stubbornness, or with self-torture, or for harming others, is declared to be in the node of ignorance. (17.19)

Charity that is given as a matter of duty, to a deserving candidate who does nothing in return, at the right place and time, is considered to be charity in the mode of goodness. (17.20)

Charity that is given unwillingly, or to get something in return, or looking for some fruit, is said to be in the mode of passion. (17.21)

Charity that is given at a wrong place and time, and to unworthy persons; or without paying respect to the receiver or with ridicule, is said to be in the mode of ignorance. (17.22)

The Spirit is all pervading. The persons with divine qualities, the Vedas, and the selfless service were created by and from the Spirit. (17.23)

Therefore, acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity prescribed in the scriptures are always commenced by uttering any one of the many names of God such as OM, Amen, or Allah by the knowers of the Supreme. (17.24)

The seekers of salvation perform various types of sacrifice, charity, and austerity by uttering "He is all" without seeking a reward. (17.25)

The word "Truth" is used in the sense of Reality and goodness. The word Truth is also used for an auspicious act, O Arjuna. (17.26)

Faith in sacrifice, charity, and austerity is also called Truth. The selfless service for the sake of the Supreme is verily termed as Truth. (17.27)

Whatever is done without faith ¾ whether it is sacrifice, charity, austerity, or any other act ¾ is useless. It has no value here or hereafter, O Arjuna. (17.28)

SALVATION THROUGH RENUNCIATION

Arjuna said: I wish to know the nature of renunciation and sacrifice, and the difference between the two, O Lord Krishna. (18.01)

Lord Krishna said: The sages define renunciation as abstaining from all work for personal profit. The wise define sacrifice as the sacrifice of, and the freedom from, the selfish attachment to the fruits of all work. (See also 5.01, 5.05, and 6.01) (18.02)

Some philosophers say that all work is full of faults and should be given up, while others say that acts of sacrifice, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned. (18.03)

O Arjuna, listen to My conclusion about sacrifice. Sacrifice is said to be of three types. (18.04)

Acts of service, charity, and austerity should not be abandoned, but should be performed, because service, charity, and austerity are the purifiers of the wise. (18.05)

Even these obligatory works should be performed without attachment to the fruits. This is My definite supreme advice, O Arjuna. (18.06)

Giving up one's duty is not proper. The abandonment of obligatory work is due to delusion, and is declared to be in the mode of ignorance. (18.07)

One who abandons duty merely because it is difficult, or because of fear of bodily trouble, does not get the benefits of sacrifice by performing such a sacrifice in the mode of passion. (18.08)

Obligatory work performed as duty, renouncing selfish attachment to the fruit, is alone regarded to be sacrifice in the mode of goodness, O Arjuna. (18.09)

The one who neither hates a disagreeable work, nor is attached to an agreeable work, is considered a renunciant (Tyagi), imbued with the mode of goodness, intelligent, and free from all doubts about the Supreme Being. (18.10)

Human beings cannot completely abstain from work. Therefore, the one who completely renounces the selfish attachment to the fruits of all works is considered a renunciant. (18.11)

The threefold fruit of works — desirable, undesirable, and mixed ¾ accrues after death to the one who is not a renunciant (Tyagi), but never to a Tyagi. (18.12)

Learn from Me, O Arjuna, the five causes, as described in the Sankhya doctrine, for the accomplishment of all actions. They are: The physical body, the seat of Karma; the modes of material Nature, the doer; the eleven organs of perception and action, the instruments; various bioimpulses; and the fifth is the presiding deities of the eleven organs. (18.13-14)

Whatever action, whether right or wrong, one performs by thought, word, and deed; these are its five causes. (18.15)

Therefore, the ignorant one who considers one’s body or the soul as the sole agent due to imperfect knowledge does not understand. (18.16)

The one who is free from the notion of doership, and whose intellect is not polluted by the desire to reap the fruit; even after slaying these people, he or she neither slays nor is bound by the act of killing. (18.17)

The subject, the object, and the knowledge of the object are the threefold driving force to an action. The eleven organs; the act, and the agent or the modes of material Nature are the three components of action. (18.18)

Self-knowledge, action), and agent are said to be of three types according to Sankhya doctrine. Hear duly about these also. (18.19)

The knowledge by which one sees a single immutable Reality in all beings as undivided in the divided; such knowledge is in the mode of goodness. (See also 11.13, and 13.16) (18.20)

The knowledge by which one sees different realities of various types among all beings as separate from one another; consider that knowledge to be in the mode of passion. (18.21)

The irrational, baseless, and worthless knowledge by which one clings to one single effect (such as the body) as if it is everything; such knowledge is declared to be in the mode of darkness of ignorance (18.22)

The obligatory duty performed without likes and dislikes, and without selfish motives and attachment to enjoy the fruit, is said to be in the mode of goodness. (18.23)

Action performed with ego, with selfish motives, and with too much effort; is declared to be in the mode of passion. (18.24)

Action that is undertaken because of delusion; disregarding consequences, loss, injury to others, as well as one’s own ability is said to be in the mode of ignorance. (18.25)

The agent who is free from attachment, is non-egotistic, endowed with resolve and enthusiasm, and unperturbed in success or failure is called good. (18.26)

The agent who is impassioned, attached to the fruits of their work, greedy, violent, impure, and is affected by joy and sorrow is called passionate. (18.27)

The undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, wicked, malicious, lazy, depressed, and procrastinating agent is called ignorant. (18.28)

Now hear the threefold division of intellect and resolve, based on modes of material Nature, as explained by Me fully and separately, O Arjuna. (18.29)

O Arjuna, the intellect by which one understands the path of work and the path of renunciation, right and wrong action, fear and fearlessness, bondage and liberation, that intellect is in the mode of goodness. (18.30)

The intellect by which one cannot distinguish between righteousness (Dharma) and unrighteousness (Adharma), and right and wrong action; that intellect is in the mode of passion, O Arjuna. (18.31)

The intellect ¾ when covered by ignorance ¾ accepts unrighteousness (Adharma) as righteousness (Dharma), and thinks everything to be that which it is not, is in the mode of ignorance, O Arjuna. (18.32)

The resolve by which one manipulates the functions of the mind, Prana (bioimpulses), and senses for God-realization only; that resolve is in the mode of goodness, O Arjuna. (18.33)

The resolve by which a person, craving for the fruits of work, clings to duty, accumulating wealth, and enjoyment with great attachment; that resolve, O Arjuna, is in the mode of passion. (18.34)

The resolve by which a dull person does not give up sleep, fear, grief, despair, and carelessness; that resolve is in the mode of ignorance, O Arjuna. (18.35)

And now hear from Me, O Arjuna, about the threefold pleasure. The pleasure one enjoys from spiritual practice results in cessation of all sorrows. (18.36)

The pleasure that appears as poison in the beginning, but is like nectar in the end, comes by the grace of Self-knowledge, and is in the mode of goodness. (18.37)

Sensual pleasures appear as nectar in the beginning, but become poison in the end; such pleasures are in the mode of passion. (See also 5.22) (18.38)

Pleasure that confuses a person in the beginning and in the end; which comes from sleep, laziness, and carelessness; such pleasure is said to be in the mode of ignorance. (18.39)

There is no being, either on the earth or among the celestial controllers in the heaven, who can remain free from these three modes of material Nature. (18.40)

The division of human labor is also based on the qualities inherent in peoples’ nature or their make up. (See also 4.13) (18.41)

Those who have serenity, self control, austerity, purity, patience, honesty, transcendental knowledge, transcendental experience, and belief in God are labeled as intellectuals (Braahmans). (18.42)

Those having the qualities of heroism, vigor, firmness, dexterity, not fleeing from battle, charity, and administrative skills are called leaders or protectors (Kshatriyas). (18.43)

Those who are good in cultivation, cattle rearing, business, trade, finance, and industry are known as business men (Vaishyas). Those who are very good in service and labor type work only are classed as workers (Shudras). (18.44)

One can attain the highest perfection by devotion to one’s natural work. Listen to Me how one attains perfection while engaged in one’s natural work. (18.45)

One attains perfection by worshipping the Supreme Being ¾ from whom all beings originate, and by whom all this universe is pervaded ¾ through performance of one’s natural duty for Him. (See also 9.27, 12.10) (18.46)

One’s inferior natural work is better than superior unnatural work even though well performed. One who does the work ordained by one’s inherent nature, without any selfish motive, incurs no sin (or Karmic reaction). (See also 3.35) (18.47)

One’s natural work, even though defective, should not be abandoned; because all undertakings are enveloped by defects as fire is covered by smoke, O Arjuna. (18.48)

The person whose mind is always free from selfish attachment, who has subdued the mind and senses, and who is free from desires attains the supreme perfection of freedom from the bondage of Karma by renouncing selfish attachment to the fruits of work. (18.49)

Learn from Me briefly, O Arjuna, how one who has attained such perfection, or the freedom from the bondage of Karma, attains Supreme Being, the goal of transcendental knowledge. (18.50)

Endowed with purified intellect, subduing the mind with firm resolve, turning away from sound and other objects of the senses, giving up likes and dislikes; living in solitude, eating lightly, controlling the mind, speech, and organs of action, ever absorbed in yoga of meditation, taking refuge in detachment; and after relinquishing egotism, violence, pride, lust, anger, and proprietorship; one becomes peaceful, free from the notion of "I, me, and my", and fit for attaining oneness with the Supreme Being. (18.51-53)

Absorbed in the Supreme Being, the serene one neither grieves nor desires; becoming impartial to all beings, one obtains the highest devotional love for God. (18.54)

By devotion one truly understands what and who I am in essence. Having known Me in essence, one immediately merges with Me. (See also 5.19) (18.55)

A Karma-yogi devotee attains the eternal immutable abode by My grace ¾ even while doing all duties ¾ just by taking refuge in Me (by surrendering all action to Me with loving devotion). (18.56)

Sincerely offer all actions to Me, set Me as your supreme goal, and completely depend on Me. Always fix your mind on Me, and resort to Karma-yoga. (18.57)

You shall overcome all difficulties by My grace when your mind becomes fixed on Me. But, if you do not listen to Me due to ego, you shall perish. (18.58)

If due to ego you think: I shall not fight; this resolve of yours is vain. Because your own nature will compel you to fight. (18.59)

O Arjuna, you are controlled by your own nature-born Karmic impressions. Therefore, you shall do ¾ even against your will ¾ what you do not wish to do out of delusion. (18.60)

The Supreme Lord — as the controller abiding in the inner psyche of all beings — causes them to work out their Karma like a puppet (of Karma created by the free will) mounted on a machine. (18.61)

Seek refuge in the Supreme Lord alone with loving devotion, O Arjuna. By His grace you shall attain supreme peace and the Eternal Abode. (18.62)

Thus the knowledge that is more secret than the secret has been explained to you by Me. After fully reflecting on this, do as you wish. (18.63)

Hear once again My most secret, supreme word. You are very dear to Me, therefore, I shall tell this for your benefit. (18.64)

Fix your mind on Me, be devoted to Me, offer service to Me, bow down to Me, and you shall certainly reach Me. I promise you because you are My very dear friend. (18.65)

Set aside all meritorious deeds and religious rituals, and just surrender completely to My will with firm faith and loving devotion. I shall liberate you from all sins, the bonds of Karma. Do not grieve. (18.66)

This knowledge should never be spoken by you to one who is devoid of austerity, who is without devotion, who does not desire to listen, or who speaks ill of Me. (18.67)

The one who shall propagate this supreme secret philosophy ¾ the transcendental knowledge of the Gita ¾ amongst My devotees, shall be performing the highest devotional service to Me, and shall certainly come to Me. No other person shall do a more pleasing service to Me, and no one on the earth shall be more dear to Me. (18.68-69)

I promise the study of this sacred dialogue of ours will be equivalent to worshipping Me with knowledge-sacrifice. (18.70)

Whoever hears this sacred dialogue with faith and without cavil becomes free from sin, and attains heaven ¾ the higher worlds of those whose actions are pure and virtuous. (18.71)

O Arjuna, did you listen to this with single-minded attention? Has your delusion born of ignorance been completely destroyed? (18.72)

Arjuna said: By Your grace my delusion is destroyed, I have gained Self-knowledge, my confusion with regard to body and Spirit is dispelled and I shall obey Your command. (18.73)

Sanjaya said: Thus I heard this wonderful dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, causing my hair to stand on end. (18.74)

By the grace of sage Vyasa, I heard this most secret and supreme yoga directly from Krishna, the Lord of yoga, Himself speaking to Arjuna before my very eyes of clairvoyance granted by sage Vyasa. (18.75)

O King, by repeated remembrance of this marvelous and sacred dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, I am thrilled at every moment; and (18.76)

Recollecting again and again, O King, that marvelous form of Krishna I am greatly amazed and I rejoice over and over again. (18.77)

Wherever there will be both Krishna, the Lord of yoga, or Dharma in the form of the scriptures, and Arjuna with the weapons of duty and protection; there will be everlasting prosperity, victory, happiness, and morality. This is my conviction. (18.78)

Gaina Sutras

AKARANGA SUTRA.

FIRST BOOK.

FIRST LECTURE,

CALLED

KNOWLEDGE OF THE WEAPON.

FIRST LESSON.

O long-lived (Gambusvamin)! I (Sudharman) have heard the following discourse from the venerable (Mahavira): (1)

Here many do not remember whether they have descended in an eastern direction (when they were born in this world), or in a southern, or in a western, or in a northern direction, or in the direction from above, or in the direction from below, or in a direction intermediate (between the cardinal points), or in a direction intermediate between these (and the

cardinal points). (2) Similarly, some do not know whether their soul is born again and again or not; nor what they were formerly, nor what they will become after having died and left this world. (3) Now this is what one should know, either by one's own knowledge or through the instruction of the highest (i.e. a Tirthakara), or having heard it from others: that he descended in an eastern direction, or in any other direction (particularised above). Similarly, some know that their soul is born again and again, that it arrives in this or that direction, whatever direction that may be. (4) He believes in soul, believes in the world, believes in reward, believes in action (acknowledged to be our own doing in such judgments as these): 'I did it;' 'I shall cause another to do it;' 'I shall allow another to do it.' In the world, these are all the causes of sin, which must be comprehended and renounced. (5) A man that does not comprehend and renounce the causes of sin, descends in a cardinal or intermediate direction, wanders to all cardinal or intermediate directions, is born again and again in manifold births, experiences all painful feelings. (6) About this the Revered One has taught

the truth (comprehension and renunciation). For the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, all these causes of sin are at work, which are to be comprehended and renounced in this world. He who, in the world, comprehends and renounces these causes of sin, is called a reward-knowing sage (muni). Thus I say . (7)


SECOND LESSON.

The (living) world is afflicted, miserable, difficult to instruct, and without discrimination. In this world full of pain, suffering by their different acts, see the benighted ones cause great pain. (1) See! there are beings individually embodied (in earth; not one all-soul). See! there are men who

control themselves, (whilst others only) pretend to be houseless (i.e. monks, such as the Bauddhas, whose conduct differs not from that of householders), because one destroys this (earth-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of earth, through his doing acts relating to earth. (2) About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards earth, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood or heard, either from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. (3) There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing when he destroys this (earth-body) by bad, injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of earth, through his doing acts relating to earth. Thus I say. (4)

As somebody may cut or strike a blind man (who cannot see the wound), as somebody may cut or strike the foot, the ankle, the knee, the thigh, the hip, the navel, the belly, the flank, the back, the bosom, the heart, the breast, the neck, the arm, the finger, the nail, the eye, the brow, the forehead, the head, as some kill (openly), as some extirpate

 (secretly), (thus the earth-bodies are cut, struck, and killed though their feeling is not manifest). (5)

He who injures these (earth-bodies) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards earth, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. H e who knows these causes of sin relating to earth, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (6)



THIRD LESSON.

(Thus I say): He who acts rightly, who does pious work, who practises no deceit, is called houseless. (1) One should, conquering the world, persevere in that (vigour of) faith which one had on the entrance in the order; the heroes (of faith), humbly bent, (should retain their belief in) the illustrious road (to final liberation) and in the world (of water-bodies); having rightly comprehended them through the instruction (of Mahavira), (they should retain) that which causes no danger (i.e. self-control). Thus I say. (2) A man should not (himself) deny the world of (water-bodies), nor should he deny the self. He who denies the world (of water-bodies), denies the self; and he who denies the self, denies the world of (water-bodies). (3)

See! there are men who control themselves;

others pretend only to be houseless; for one destroys this (water-body) by bad, injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of water, through his doing acts relating to water. (4) About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards water, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. (5) This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood and heard from the Revered One, or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing when he destroys this (water-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of water, through his doing acts relating to water. Thus I say. (6)

There are beings living in water, many lives; of a truth, to the monks water has been declared to be living matter. See! considering the injuries (done to water-bodies), those acts (which are injuries, but must be done before the use of water, eg. straining) have been distinctly declared. Moreover he (who uses water which is not strained) takes away what has not been given (i.e. the bodies of water-lives). (A Bauddha will object): 'We have permission, we have permission to drink it, or (to take it) for toilet purposes.' Thus they destroy by various injuries (the water-bodies). But in this their doctrine is of no authority.

He who injures these (water-bodies) does not

comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. (7) Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards water, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to water, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (8)



FOURTH LESSON.

(Thus I say): A man should not, of his own accord, deny the world (of fire-bodies), nor should he deny the self. He who denies the world (of fire-bodies), denies the self; and he who denies the self, denies the world (of fire-bodies). (1) He who knows that (viz. fire) through which injury is done to the long-living bodies (i.e. plants), knows also that which does no injury (i.e. control); and he who knows that which does no injury, knows also that through which no injury is done to the long-living bodies. (2) This has been seen by the heroes (of faith) who conquered ignorance; for they control themselves, always exert themselves, always mind their duty. He who is unmindful of duty, and desiring of the qualities (i.e. of the pleasure and profit which may be derived from the elements) is called the torment (of living beings). Knowing this, a wise man (resolves): 'Now (I shall do) no more what I used to do wantonly before.' (3) See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless; for one destroys this (fire-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many

other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of fire, through his doing acts relating to fire. About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards fire, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. (4) This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing, when he destroys this (fire-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of fire, through his doing acts relating to fire. Thus I say. (5)

There are beings living in the earth, living in grass, living on leaves, living in wood, living in cowdung, living in dust-heaps, jumping beings which coming near (fire) fall into it. Some, certainly, touched by fire, shrivel up; those which shrivel up there, lose their sense there; those which lose their sense there, die there. (6)

He who injures these (fire-bodies) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards fire, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows the causes of sin relating to fire, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (7)

  

FIFTH LESSON.

'I shall not do (acts relating to plants) after having entered the order, having recognised (the truth about these acts), and having conceived that which is free from danger (i.e. control).'

He who does no acts (relating to plants), has ceased from works; he who has ceased from them is called 'houseless.' (1) Quality is the whirlpool (avatta = samsara), and the whirlpool is quality. Looking up, down, aside, eastward, he sees colours, hearing he hears sounds; (2) longing upwards, down, aside, eastward, he becomes attached to colours and sounds. That is called the world; not guarded against it, not obeying the law (of the Tirthakaras), relishing the qualities, conducting himself wrongly, he will wantonly live in a house (i.e. belong to the world). (3)

See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless, for one destroys this (body of a plant) by bad and injurious doings, and many other

beings, besides, which he hurts by means of plants, through his doing acts relating to plants. (4) About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards plants, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing when he destroys this (body of a plant) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of plants, through his doing acts relating to plants. Thus I say. (5)

As the nature of this (i.e. men) is to be born and to grow old, so is the nature of that (i.e. plants) to be born and to grow old; as this has reason, so that has reason; as this falls sick when cut, so that falls sick when cut; as this needs food, so that needs food; as this will decay, so that will decay; as this is not eternal, so that is not eternal; as this takes increment, so that takes increment; as this is changing, so that is changing. (6) He who injures these (plants) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful

acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards plants, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to plants, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (7)



SIXTH LESSON.

Thus I say: There are beings called the animate, viz. those who are produced 1. from eggs (birds, &c.), 2. from a fetus (as elephants, &c.), 3. from a fetus with an enveloping membrane (as cows, buffaloes, &c.), 4. from fluids (as worms, &c.), 5. from sweat (as bugs, lice, &c.), 6. by coagulation (as locusts, ants, &c.), 7. from sprouts (as butterflies, wagtails, &c.), 8. by regeneration (men, gods, hell-beings). This is called the Samsara (1) for the slow, for the ignorant. Having well considered it, having well looked at it, I say thus: all beings, those with two, three, four senses, plants, those with five senses, and the rest of creation, (experience) individually pleasure or displeasure, pain, great terror, and unhappiness. Beings are filled with alarm from all directions and in all directions. See! there the benighted ones cause great pain. See! there are beings individually embodied. (2)

See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless, for one destroys this (body of an animal) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of animals, through his doing acts relating to animals. (3) About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour,

honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards animals, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed, when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this (i.e. injuring) to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing, when he injures this (body of an animal) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of animals, through acts relating to animals. Thus I say. (4)

Some slay (animals) for sacrificial purposes, some kill (animals) for the sake of their skin, some kill (them) for the sake of their flesh, some kill them for the sake of their blood; thus for the sake of their heart, their bile, the feathers of their tail, their tail, their big or small horns, their teeth, their tusks, their nails, their sinews, their bones; with a purpose or without a purpose. Some kill animals because they have been wounded by them, or are wounded, or will be wounded. (5)

He who injures these (animals) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards animals, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows

these causes of sin relating to animals, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (6)



SEVENTH LESSON.

He who is averse from (all actions relating to) wind, knows affliction. Knowing what is bad, he who knows it with regard to himself, knows it with regard to (the world) outside; and he who knows it with regard to (the world) outside, knows it with regard to himself: this reciprocity (between himself and) others (one should mind). Those who are appeased, who are free from passion, do not desire to live. (1)

See! there are men who control themselves; others pretend only to be houseless, for one destroys this (wind-body) by bad and injurious doings, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of wind, through his doing acts relating to wind. (2) About this the Revered One has taught the truth: for the sake of the splendour, honour, and glory of this life, for the sake of birth, death, and final liberation, for the removal of pain, man acts sinfully towards wind, or causes others to act so, or allows others to act so. This deprives him of happiness and perfect wisdom. About this he is informed when he has understood, or heard from the Revered One or from the monks, the faith to be coveted. There are some who, of a truth, know this to be the bondage, the delusion, the death, the hell. For this a man is longing when he destroys this (wind-body) by bad and injurious acts, and many other beings, besides, which he hurts by means of wind, through his doing acts relating to wind. Thus I say. (3)

There are jumping beings which, coming near wind, fall into it. Some, certainly, touched by wind, shrivel up; those which shrivel up there, lose their sense there; those which lose their sense there, die there. (4)

He who injures these (wind-bodies) does not comprehend and renounce the sinful acts; he who does not injure these, comprehends and renounces the sinful acts. Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards wind, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to wind, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (5)

Be aware that about this (wind-body) too those are involved in sin who delight not in the right conduct, and, though doing acts, talk about religious discipline, who conducting themselves according to their own will, pursuing sensual pleasures, and engaging in acts, are addicted to worldliness. He who has the true knowledge about all things, will commit no sinful act, nor cause others to do so,

&c. (6) Knowing them, a wise man should not act sinfully towards the aggregate of six (kinds of) lives, nor cause others to act so, nor allow others to act so. He who knows these causes of sin relating to the aggregate of the six (kinds of) lives, is called a reward-knowing sage. Thus I say. (7)


SECOND LECTURE,

CALLED

CONQUEST OF THE WORLD.

FIRST LESSON.

Quality is the seat of the root, and the seat of the root is quality. He who longs for the qualities, is overcome by great pain, and he is careless. (For he thinks) I have to provide for a mother, for a father, for a sister, for a wife, for sons, for daughters, for a daughter-in-law, for my friends, for near and remote relations, for my acquaintances, for different kinds of property, profit, meals, and clothes. Longing for these objects, people are careless, suffer day and night, work in the right and the wrong time, desire wealth and treasures, commit injuries and violent acts, direct the mind, again and again, upon these injurious doings (described in the preceding lecture). (1) (Doing so), the life of some mortals (which by destiny would have been long) is shortened. For when with the deterioration of the perceptions of the ear, eye, organs of smelling, tasting, touching, a man becomes aware of the decline of life, they after a time

produce dotage. Or his kinsmen with whom he lives together will, after a time, first grumble at him, and he will afterwards grumble at them. They cannot help thee or protect thee, nor canst thou help them or protect them. (2) He is not fit for hilarity, playing, pleasure, show. Therefore, ah! proceeding to pilgrimage, and thinking that the present moment is favourable (for such intentions), he should be steadfast and not, even for an hour, carelessly conduct himself. His youth, his age, his life fade away.

A man who carelessly conducts himself; who killing, cutting, striking, destroying, chasing away, frightening (living beings) resolves to do what has not been done (by any one)--him his relations with whom he lived together, will first cherish, and he will afterwards cherish them. But they cannot help thee or protect thee, nor canst thou help them or protect them. (3)

Or he heaps up treasures for the benefit of some spendthrifts, by pinching himself. Then, after a time, he falls in sickness; those with whom he lives together will first leave him, and he will afterwards leave them. They cannot help thee or protect thee, nor canst thou help them or protect them. (4)

Knowing pain and pleasure in all their variety, and seeing his life not yet decline, a wise man should know that to be the proper moment (for entering a religious life); while the perceptions of his ear, eye, organs of smelling, tasting, touching are not

yet deteriorated, while all these perceptions are not yet deteriorated, man should prosecute the real end of his soul. Thus I say. (5)


SECOND LESSON.

A wise man should remove any aversion (to control); he will be liberated in the proper time. Some, following wrong instruction, turn away (from control). They are dull, wrapped in delusion. While they imitate the life of monks, (saying), 'We shall be free from attachment,' they enjoy the pleasures that offer themselves. Through wrong instruction the (would-be) sages trouble themselves (for pleasures); thus they sink deeper and deeper in delusion, (and cannot get) to this, nor to the opposite shore. Those who are freed (from attachment to the world and its pleasures), reach the opposite shore. Subduing desire by desirelessness, he does not enjoy the pleasures that offer themselves. Desireless, giving up the world, and ceasing to act, he knows, and sees, and has no wishes because of his discernment; he is called houseless. (t)

(But on the contrary) he suffers day and night, works in the right and the wrong time, desires wealth and treasures, commits injuries and violent acts, again and again directs his mind upon these injurious doings; for his own sake, to support or to be supported by his relations, friends, the ancestors, gods, the king, thieves, guests, paupers, Sramanas. (2)

Thus violence is done by these various acts, deliberately, out of fear, because they think 'it is for the expiation of sins,' or for some other hope. Knowing this, a wise man should neither himself commit violence by such acts, nor order others to commit violence by such acts, nor consent to the violence done by somebody else.

This road (to happiness) has been declared by the noble ones, that a clever man should not be defiled (by sin). Thus I say. (3)


THIRD LESSON.

'Frequently (I have been born) in a high family, frequently in a low one; I am not mean, nor noble, nor do I desire (social preferment).' Thus reflecting, who would brag about his family or about his glory, or for what should he long? (1)

Therefore a wise man should neither be glad nor angry (about his lot): thou shouldst know and consider the happiness of living creatures. Carefully conducting himself, he should mind this: blindness, deafness, dumbness, one-eyedness,

hunchbackedness, blackness, variety of colour (he will always experience); because of his carelessness he is born in many births, he experiences various feelings. (2)

Not enlightened (about the cause of these ills) he is afflicted (by them), always turns round (in the whirl of) birth and death. Life is dear to many who own fields and houses. Having acquired dyed and coloured (clothes), jewels, earrings, gold, and women, they become attached to these things. And a fool who longs for life, and worldly-minded, laments that (for these worldly goods) penance, self-restraint, and control do not avail, will ignorantly come to grief. (3)

Those who are of a steady conduct do not desire this (wealth). Knowing birth and death, one should firmly walk the path (i.e. right conduct), (and not wait for old age to commence a religious life),

For there is nothing inaccessible for death. All beings are fond of life, like pleasure, hate pain, shun destruction, like life, long to live. To all life is dear. (4)

Having acquired it (i.e. wealth), employing bipeds and quadrupeds, gathering riches in the three ways,

whatever his portion will be, small or great, he will desire to enjoy it. Then at one time, his manifold savings are a large treasure. Then at another time, his heirs divide it, or those who are without a living steal it, or the king takes it away, or it is ruined in some way or other, or it is consumed by the conflagration of the house. Thus a fool doing cruel deeds which benefit another, will ignorantly come thereby to grief. (5)

This certainly has been declared by the sage. They do not cross the flood, nor can they cross it; they do not go to the next shore, nor can they go to it; they do not go to the opposite shore, nor can they go to it.

And though hearing the doctrine, he does not stand in the right place; but the clever one who adopts the true (faith), stands in the right place (i.e. control).

He who sees by himself, needs no instruction. But the miserable, afflicted fool who delights in pleasures, and whose miseries do not cease, is turned round in the whirl of pains. Thus I say. (6)
  

FOURTH LESSON.

Then, after a time, he falls in sickness: those with whom he lives together, first grumble at him, and he afterwards grumbles at them. But they cannot help thee or protect thee, nor canst thou help them or protect them. (1)

Knowing pleasure and pain separately, they trouble themselves about the enjoyment (of the external objects). For some men in this world have (such a character that) they will desire to enjoy their portion, whether it be large or small, in the three ways: Then, at one time, it will be sufficiently large, with many resources. Then, at another time, his heirs divide it, or those who have no living steal it, or the king takes it away, or it is ruined in some way or other, or it is consumed by the conflagration of the house. Thus a fool, doing cruel acts, comes ignorantly to grief. (2)

Wisely reject hope and desire, and extracting that thorn (i.e. pleasure) thou (shouldst act rightly). People who are enveloped by delusion do not understand this: he who (gathers wealth) will, perhaps, not have the benefit of it.

The world is greatly troubled by women. They (viz. men) forsooth say, 'These are the vessels (of happiness).' But this leads them to pain, to delusion,

to death, to hell, to birth as hell-beings or brute beasts. The fool never knows the law. (3)

Thus spake the hero: 'Be careful against this great delusion; the clever one should have done with carelessness by considering death in tranquillity, and that, the nature of which is decay (viz. the body); these (pleasures), look! will not satisfy (thee). Therefore have done with them! Sage, look! this is the great danger, it should overcome none whomsoever. He is called a hero who is not vexed by (the hardships caused) by control. He should not be angry because the (householder) gives him little. If turned off, he should go. Thou shouldst conform to the conduct of the sages.' Thus I say. (4)  

FIFTH LESSON.

That for this (viz. pleasure) the wants of the world should be supplied by bad injurious doings: for one's own sons, daughters, daughters-in-law, kinsmen, nurses, kings, male and female slaves, male and female servants, for the sake of hospitality, of supper and breakfast, the accumulation of wealth is effected. (1)

(This is) here for the enjoyment of some men. (But a wise man) exerting himself, houseless, noble, of noble intellect, of noble perception recognises the proper moment (for all actions). He should not accept, nor cause others to accept, or permit them

to accept anything unclean. Free from uncleanliness he should wander about. (2)

Being not seen in buying and selling, he should not buy, nor cause others to buy, nor consent to the buying of others. This mendicant who knows the time, the strength (of himself), the measure (of all things), the practice, the occasion (for begging, &c.), the conduct, the religious precepts, the true condition (of the donor or hearer), who disowns all things not requisite for religious purposes, who is under no obligations, he proceeds securely (on the road to final liberation) after having cut off both (love and hate). Clothes, alms-bowls, blankets, brooms, property, straw mats, with regard to these things he should know (what is unclean). When he receives food he should know the quantity required. This has been declared by the Revered One: he should not rejoice in the receipt of a gift, nor be sorry when he gets nothing. Having got much, one should not store it away; one should abstain from things not requisite for religious purposes. With a mind different (from that of common people) a seer abandons (these things). This is the road taught by the noble ones, well acquainted with which one should not be defiled (by sin). Thus I say. (3)

Pleasures are difficult to reject, life is difficult to prolong. That man, certainly, who loves pleasures, is afflicted (by their loss), is sorry in his heart, leaves his usual ways, is troubled, suffers pain. The farsighted one who knows the world, knows its inferior part (hell), its upper part (heaven), its side-long part (the state of brute beasts). He who knows the relation (of human affairs, viz.) that he who desires for the world is always turned round (in the samsara), is called among mortals a hero, who liberates those who are fettered. (4)

As the interior (of the body is loathsome), so is the exterior; as the exterior, so is the interior. In the interior of the body he perceives the foul interior humours, he observes their several courses (or eruptions). A well-informed man knowing (and renouncing the body and pleasures), should not eat (his saliva); he should not oppose himself to the (current of knowledge). Certainly, that man who engages in worldly affairs, who practises many tricks, who is bewildered by his own doings, acts again and again on that desire which increases his unrighteousness. Hence the above has been said for the increase of this (life). (A man addicted to pleasures) acts as if immortal, and puts great faith (in pleasure); but when he perceives that this body sustains pains, he cries in his ignorance. Therefore keep in your mind what I say. (5)

A heretic professes to cure (the love of pleasure), while he kills, cuts, strikes, destroys, chases away, resolves to do what has not been done before. To whom he applies the cure--enough of that fool's affection; or he who has (the cure) applied, is a fool. This does not apply to the houseless. Thus I say. (6)


SIXTH LESSON.

He who perfectly understands (what has been said in the preceding lesson) and follows the (faith) to be coveted, should therefore do no sinful act, nor cause others to do one. Perchance he meditates a sin (by an act against only) one (of the six aggregates of lives); but he will be guilty (of sin against) every one of the six, Desiring happiness and bewailing much, he comes ignorantly to grief through his own misfortune. (1) Through his own carelessness every one produces that phase of life in which the vital spirits are pained. Observing (the pain of mundane existence, one should) not (act) with violence. This is called the true knowledge (and renunciation). He who ceasing from acts relinquishes the idea of property, relinquishes property itself. That sage has seen the path (to final liberation) for whom there exists no property. Knowing this, a wise man, who knows the world and has cast off the idea of the world,

should prudently conquer the obstructions to righteousness. Thus I say. (2)

The hero does not tolerate discontent,

The hero does not tolerate lust.

Because the hero is not careless,

The hero is not attached (to the objects of the senses).

Being indifferent against sounds (and the other) perceptions, detest the comfort of this life.

A sage adopting a life of wisdom, should treat his gross body roughly.

The heroes who have right intuition, use mean and rough food.

Such a man is said to have crossed the flood (of life), to be a sage, to have passed over (the samsara), to be liberated, to have ceased (from all activity). Thus I say. (3)

A sage is called unfit who does not follow the law and fails in his office. (But on the contrary) he is praised as a hero, he overcomes the connection with the world, he is called the guide (or the right way). What has been declared to be here the unhappiness of mortals, of that unhappiness the clever ones propound the knowledge. (4)

Thus understanding (and renouncing) acts, a man who recognises the truth, delights in nothing else; and he who delights only in the truth, recognises nothing else. As (the law) has been revealed for the full one, so for the empty one; as for the empty

one, so for the full one. But he (to whom the faith is preached) will perhaps disrespectfully beat (the preacher). Yet know, there is no good in this (indiscriminate preaching). (But ascertain before) what sort of man he is, and whom he worships. He is called a hero who liberates the bound, above, below, and in the sideward directions. He always conforms to all knowledge (and renunciation); the hero is not polluted by the sin of killing. He is a wise man who perfectly knows the non-killing, who searches after the liberation of the bound. The clever one is neither bound nor liberated; he should do or leave undone (what the hero does or does not do); he should not do what (the hero) leaves undone:

Knowing (and renouncing) murder of any kind and worldly ideas in all respects.

He who sees himself, needs no instruction. But the miserable and afflicted fool who delights in pleasures and whose miseries do not cease, is turned round in the whirl of pains. Thus I say. (5)

THIRD LECTURE,

CALLED

HOT AND COLD.

FIRST LESSON.

The unwise sleep, the sages always wake. Know, that in this world the (cause of) misery brings forth evil consequences! Knowing the course of the world, one should cease from violent acts. He who correctly possesses these (sensual perceptions), viz. sounds, and colours, and smells, and tastes, and touches (1), who self-possessed, wise, just, chaste, with right comprehension understands the world, he is to be called a sage, one who knows the law, and righteous. He knows the connection of the whirl (of births) and the current (of sensation with love and hate). Not minding heat and cold, equanimous against pleasure and pain, the Nirgrantha does not feel the austerity of penance. Waking and free from hostility, a wise man, thou liberatest (thyself and others) from the miseries. (2)

But a man always benighted, subject to old age and death, does not know the law. Seeing living beings suffering, earnestly enter a religious life. Considering this, O prudent one, look!

	Knowing the misery that results from action,
	 The deluded and careless one returns to life;

	Disregarding sounds and colours, upright,
	 Avoiding Mara one is liberated from death .

Carefully abstaining from pleasures and ceasing from bad works he is a hero, guarding himself, who is grounded in knowledge . (3) He who knows the violence done for the sake of special objects, knows what is free from violence ; he who knows what is free from violence, knows the violence done for special objects. For him who is without karman, there is no appellation . The condition of living beings arises from karman.

Examining karman and the root of karman, viz. killing , examining (it) and adopting its contrary , he is not seen by both ends . Knowing this, a wise man who knows the world and has cast off the idea of the world, should prudently conquer the obstructions to righteousness . Thus I say. (4)  

SECOND LESSON.

	Look, Sir, at birth and old age here,
	 Examine and know the happiness of the living,
	 Thence the most learned, knowing (what is called) the highest good,
	 He who has right intuition, commits no sin. (1)
	 Undo the bond with mortals here;
	 He who lives by sins, is subject to both,
	 Desirous of pleasures they heap up karman,
	 Influenced by it they are born again. (2)
	 Killing (animals) he thinks good sport, and derives mirth from it:
	 Away with that fool's company, he increases his own unrighteousness. (3)
	 Thence the most learned, knowing (what is called) the highest good,
	 Aware of the punishment, commits no sin;
	 Wisely avoid the top and the root!
	 Cutting them off, he knows himself free from karman. (4)

That man will be liberated from death; he is a sage who sees the danger, knowing the highest good in this world, leading a circumspect life, calm, guarded, endowed (with knowledge, &c.), always restrained, longing for death, he should lead a religious life. Manifold, indeed, appear sinful actions; therefore prove constant to truth! Delighting in it, a wise man destroys all karman. (1)

Many, indeed, are the plans of this man (of the world); he will satisfy his desires; he (thereby causes) the slaughter of others, the pain of others, the punishment of others, the slaughter, the blame,

the punishment of a whole province. Doing such things, some have exerted themselves. (2)

Therefore the second (i.e. the wrong creed) is not adhered to. The knowing one seeing the vanity (of the world) [knowing the rise and fall of the souls], the Brahman follows the unrivalled (control of the Gainas). He should not kill, nor cause others to kill, nor consent to the killing of others. 'Avoid gaiety, not delighting in creatures (i.e. women), having the highest intuition,' keeping off from sinful acts. (3)

	And the hero should conquer wrath and pride,
	 Look at the great hell (as the place) for greed.
	 Therefore the hero abstaining from killing,
	 Should destroy sorrow, going the road of easiness.
	
	Here now the hero, knowing the bondage,
	 Knowing sorrow, should restrain himself.
	 Having risen to birth among men,
	 He should not take the life of living beings.



THIRD LESSON.

'Knowing the connection of the world, (carelessness is not for his benefit).' 'Look at the exterior

 (world from analogy with thy own) self; [then] thou wilt neither kill nor destroy (living beings);' viz. out of reciprocal regard [well examining] he does no sinful act. What is the characteristic of a sage? 'Recognising the equality (of all living beings), he appeases .' (1)

	Knowing the highest good, one should never be careless;
	 Guarding one's self, always prudent, one should pass life on the right road.

'One should acquire disregard of sensual enjoyment, being with a great one (i.e. a god) or the small ones (men).' When one knows whence men come and where they go, and when both ends are out of sight, one is not cut, nor slit, nor burnt, nor struck (2) by any one in the whole world.

Some do not remember what preceded the present: 'what has been his past? what will be his future?' Some men here say: 'what has been his past, that will be his future.'

	There is no past thing, nor is there a future one;
	 So opine the Tathagatas.

He whose karman has ceased and conduct is right,

who recognises the truth (stated above) and destroys sinfulness (thinks):

What is discontent and what is pleasure? not subject to either, one should live;

Giving up all gaiety, circumspect and restrained, one should lead a religious life. (3)

Man! Thou art thy own friend; why wishest thou for a friend beyond thyself? Whom he knows as a dweller on high, him he should know as a dweller far (from sin) and whom he knows as a dweller far (from sin), him he should know as a dweller on high. Man! restraining thyself (from the outward world) 'thou wilt get free from pain.' Man, understand well the truth! exerting himself in the rule of truth a wise man overcomes Mara. (4)

'The gifted man, following the law, sees well his true interest.' In a twofold way, for the sake of life's splendour, honour and glory (some men exert themselves), wherein they go astray. The gifted, touched by calamity, are not confounded. 'Mind this! the worthy one, in this world, gets out of the creation.' Thus I say. (5)
  

FOURTH LESSON.

That man (i.e. the liberated) conquers wrath, pride, deceit, and greed. This is the doctrine of the Seer who does not injure living beings and has put an end (to acts and to samsara). Preventing

propensity to sin destroys former actions. He who knows one thing, knows all things; and he who knows all things, knows one thing. He who is careless in all respects, is in danger; he who is not careless in all respects, is free from danger. (1)

He who conquers one (passion), conquers many; and he who conquers many, conquers one. 'Knowing the misery of the world' rejecting the connection with the world, 'the heroes go on the great journey,' they rise gradually; 'they do not desire life.' (2)

He who avoids one (passion), avoids (them all) severally; and he who avoids them severally, avoids one. Faithful according to the commandment (of the Tirthakaras), wise, and understanding the world according to the commandment--such a man is without danger from anywhere. There are degrees in injurious acts, but there are no degrees in control. (3)

He who knows wrath, knows pride; he who knows pride, knows deceit; he who knows deceit, knows greed; he who knows greed, knows love; he who knows love, knows hate; he who knows hate, knows delusion; he who knows delusion, knows conception; he who knows conception, knows birth; he who knows birth, knows death; he who knows death, knows hell; he who knows hell, knows animal existence; he who knows animal existence, knows pain.

Therefore, a wise man should avoid wrath, pride, deceit, greed, love, hate, delusion, conception, birth, death, hell, animal existence, and pain.

This is the doctrine of the Seer, who does not injure living beings and has put an end (to acts and to samsara). Preventing the propensity to sin destroys former actions. Is there any worldly weakness in the Seer? There exists none, there is none. Thus I say. (4)


FOURTH LECTURE,

CALLED  

RIGHTEOUSNESS.  

FIRST LESSON.

The Arhats and Bhagavats of the past, present, and future, all say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus: all breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. (1)

This is the pure, unchangeable, eternal law, which the clever ones, who understand the world, have declared: among the zealous and the not zealous, among the faithful and the not faithful, among the not cruel and the cruel, among those who have worldly weakness and those who have not, among those who like social bonds and those who do not: 'that is the truth, that is so, that is proclaimed in this (creed).' (2)

Having adopted (the law), one should not hide it, nor forsake it. Correctly understanding the law, one should arrive at indifference for the impressions of the senses, and 'not act on the motives of the world.' 'He who is not of this mind, how should he come to the other?'

What has been said here, has been seen (by the omniscient ones), heard (by the believers), acknowledged (by the faithful), and thoroughly understood by them. Those who acquiesce and indulge (in worldly pleasures), are born again and again. 'Day and night exerting thyself, steadfast,' always having ready wisdom, perceive that the careless (stand) outside (of salvation); if careful, thou wilt always conquer. Thus I say. (3)


SECOND LESSON.

There are as many asravas as there are parisravas, and there are as many parisravas as there are asravas. There are as many anasravas as there are aparisravas, and there are as many aparisravas as there are anasravas. He who well understands these words and regards the world according to the instruction (and understands), that which has been distinctly declared, that 'wise man proclaims (the truth) here to men,' who still belong to the samsara, who are awakened, and have reached discrimination. (1)

'Those also who are afflicted and careless' (will be instructed). I say this as a truth. There is nothing secure from the mouth of death. Those who are led by their desires, who are the tabernacle of fraud, 'who seized by Time dwell in the heap (of karman),' are born again and again. [Many who are again and again (immersed) in delusion, (will

often renew) their acquaintance with the places of pain; they experience the pains inherent in regeneration. He who often does cruel acts, often undergoes (punishment in hell, &c.) He who seldom does cruel acts, seldom undergoes (punishment).] (2)

Some say thus, also the wise ones; the wise ones say thus, also some others. Many and several in this world, Brahmanas or Sramanas, raise this discussion: We have seen, heard, acknowledged, thoroughly understood, in the upper, nether, and sidelong directions, and in all ways examined it: all sorts of living beings may be slain, or treated with violence, or abused, or tormented, or driven away. Know about this: there is no wrong in it. (3)

That is a doctrine of the unworthy. But those who are teachers, have said: You have wrongly seen, wrongly heard, wrongly acknowledged, wrongly understood, in the upper, nether, and sidelong directions, in all ways wrongly examined it, when you say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus: All sorts of living beings may be slain, or treated with violence, or abused, or tormented, or driven away. Know about this: there is no wrong in it. That is a doctrine of the unworthy. (4) But we say thus, speak thus, declare thus, explain thus:

 All sorts of living beings should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. Know about this, there is no wrong in it. This is the doctrine of the teachers. (5)

First the persuasion of every one should be ascertained, and then we will ask them severally: Ye professors! is pain pleasant to you, or unpleasant? If they give the right answer, reply: For all sorts of living beings pain is unpleasant, disagreeable. and greatly feared. Thus I say. (6)


THIRD LESSON.

'Reflect and observe that whether you go to this world or to that beyond, in the whole world those who are discerning beings, who abstain from cruelty, relinquish karman. They are flesh-subduing, called duty-knowing, upright men, aware that pain results from actions.' Thus say those who have right intuition. (1)

All the professors, conversant with pain, preach renunciation. Thus thoroughly knowing karman, observing the commandment, wise, unattached (to the world), recognising thy Self as one, subdue the body, chastise thyself, weaken thyself: 'just as fire consumes old wood!' Thus with a composed mind, unattached, 'unhesitatingly avoid wrath!' Considering the shortness of life 'know pain, or what will come;' one shall feel the several feelings; and perceive the world suffering under them. (2)

Those who are free from sinful acts are called anidana. Hence a very wise man should not be inflamed (by wrath). Thus I say. (3)



FOURTH LESSON.

One should mortify (one's flesh) in a low, high, and highest degree, quitting one's former connections, and entering tranquillity. Therefore a hero is careful, a person of pith, guarded, endowed (with knowledge, &c.), and always restrained. Difficult to go is the road of the heroes, who go whence there is no return (final liberation). Subdue blood and flesh. (1)

That man is called a worthy one, a hero, one to be followed, who living in chastity [guarding his eyes] shakes off the aggregate.

He who desires the current of karman, is a fool who has not cut off the fetters of, nor conquered the connection with, (the world.) For such as dwell in darkness, and are without knowledge, there is no success in faith. Thus I say. (2)

'Whence should he have it, who does not get it

early, late, or in the middle of life?' But the discerning one is awakened, and ceases to act. See that it is good to be so! Cutting off that 'whence bondage, cruel death, and dreadful pain,' 'and the (desire for) external (objects) flow, he who among mortals knows freedom from acts,' 'seeing that acts will bear fruit, the knower of the sacred lore, parts from (karman).' (3)

There are those who have established themselves in the truth, who (were, are, or will be) heroes, endowed (with knowledge), always exerting themselves, full of equanimity, valuing the world (as it deserves) in the east, west, south, north. We shall tell the knowledge of them who (were, &c.) heroes, endowed (with knowledge), always exerting themselves, full of equanimity, valuing the world (as it deserves).

Is there any worldly weakness in the Seer? There exists none, there is none. Thus I say. (4)
 

FIFTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

ESSENCE OF THE WORLD.  

FIRST LESSON.

Many entertain cruel thoughts against the world with a motive or without one; they entertain cruel thoughts against these (six classes of living beings). To him pleasures are dear. Therefore he is near death. Because he is near death, he is far (from liberation). But he who is neither near (death) nor far (from liberation), considers the life of a slow and ignorant fool as similar to a dewdrop trembling on the sharp point of the blade of Kusa grass which falls down when shaken by the wind. A fool, doing cruel acts, comes thereby ignorantly to grief. Through delusion he is born, dies, &c.' Being conversant with the deliberation about this delusion, one is conversant with the samsara; being not conversant with that deliberation, one is not conversant with the samsara. He who is clever, should not seek after sexual intercourse. But having done so, (it would be) a second folly of the weak-minded not to own it. Repenting and excluding (from the mind) the begotten pleasures, one should instruct others to follow the commandment. Thus I say. (1)

See! many who desire colours, are led around

 (in the samsara), they (experience) here again and again feelings (i.e. punishment). Many live by injurious deeds against the world, they live by injurious deeds against these (living beings). Also the fool, suffering (for his passions), delights in bad acts here, mistaking that for salvation which is none. Many (heretics) lead the life of a hermit (in order to avoid worldly sorrows and pains). (2)

Such a man has much wrath, much pride, much conceit, much greed; he delights in many (works), acts frequently like a stage-player or a rogue, forms many plans, gives way to his impulses, is influenced by his acts though he pretends to be awakened: (thinking) that nobody will see him. Through the influence of ignorance and carelessness the fool never knows the law. Men! unhappy creatures, world-wise are those who, not freeing themselves from ignorance, talk about final liberation: they turn round and round in the whirlpool (of births). Thus I say. (3)



SECOND LESSON.

Many do not live by injurious deeds against the world, they do not live by injurious deeds against

these (living beings). Ceasing from them, making an end of them, he perceives: this is a favourable opportunity; he who searches for the right moment for this body (should never be careless). This is the road taught by the noble ones. (1)

When he has become zealous for the law, he should never be careless, knowing pain and pleasure in their various forms. Men act here on their own motives; it has been declared that they suffer for their own sins. Neither killing nor lying, he should (patiently) bear (all unpleasant) feelings when affected by them. That man is called a true monk. (2)

Those who are not given to sinful acts are (nevertheless) attacked by calamities; but then the steadfast will bear them. (He has to bear) them afterwards as (he has done) before (his conversion). (The body) is of a fragile, decaying nature, (it is) unstable, transient, uneternal, increasing and decreasing, of a changeable nature. Perceive this as its true character. For him who well understands this, who delights in the unique refuge, for the liberated and inactive there is no passage (from birth to birth). Thus I say. (3)

Many are attached to something in the world--be it little or much, small or great, sentient or nonsentient--they are attached to it (here) amongst these (householders). Thus some incur great danger. For him who contemplates the course of the world and does not acknowledge these attachments (there

is no such danger). Knowing that that which is well understood is well practised, man! with thy eyes on the highest good, be victorious (in control). Among such men only is real Brahmanhood. Thus I say. (4)

I have heard this, and it is in my innermost heart; and the freedom from bonds is in your innermost heart. He who has ceased (to have worldly attachments), the houseless, suffers with patience a long time.

The careless stand outside, the careful lead a religious life.

Maintain rightly this state of a sage. Thus I say. (5)
  

THIRD LESSON.

Many are not attached to something in this world, they are not attached to it among these (householders). He is a wise man who has heard and understood the word of the learned ones. Without partiality the law has been declared by the noble ones. As I have destroyed here the connection with the world, so is the connection elsewhere difficult to destroy. Therefore I say: One should not abandon firmness. (1) Some who early exert themselves, do not afterwards slide back; some who early exert themselves, afterwards slide back; those who do not early exert themselves, (can of course) not slide back. That man also is of this description, who knowing the world (as worthless nevertheless) follows its ways. 'Knowing this, it has been declared by the sage.' Here the follower of the commandment,

the wise, the passionless, he who exerts himself before morning and after evening, always contemplating virtue and hearing (the merit of it) will become free from love and delusion. 'Fight with this (your body)! why should you fight with anything else?' Difficult to attain is this (human body) which is worth the fight. For the clever ones have praised the discernment of wisdom; the fool who falls from it, is liable to birth, &c. (2) In this (religion of the Gainas the cause of the fool's fall) has been declared (to depend) on colour and killing. But a sage who walks the beaten track (to liberation), regards the world in a different way. 'Knowing thus (the nature of) acts in all regards, he does not kill,' he controls himself, he is not overbearing. (3)

Comprehending that pleasure (and pain) are individual, advising kindness, he will not engage in any work in the whole world: keeping before him the one (great aim, liberation), and not turning aside, 'living humbly, unattached to any creature.' The rich (in control) who with a mind endowed with all penetration (recognises) that a bad deed should not be done, will not go after it. What you acknowledge as righteousness, that you acknowledge as sagedom (mauna); what you acknowledge as sagedom, that you acknowledge as righteousness. It is

inconsistent with weak, sinning, sensual, ill-conducted house-inhabiting men. (4) 'A sage, acquiring sagedom, should subdue his body.' 'The heroes who look at everything with indifference, use mean and rough (food, &c.)' Such a man is said to have crossed the flood (of life), to be a sage, to have passed over (the samsara), to be liberated, to have ceased (from acts). Thus I say. (5)



FOURTH LESSON.

For a monk who has not yet reached discrimination, it is bad going and difficult proceeding when he wanders (alone) from village to village. Some men (when going wrong) will become angry when exhorted with speech. And a man with wary pride is embarrassed with great delusion. (1) There are many obstacles which are very difficult to overcome for the ignorant and the blinded. Let that not be your case! That is the doctrine of the clever one (Mahavira). Adopting the (akarya's) views, imitating his indifference (for the outer world), making him the guide and adviser (in all one's matters), sharing his abode, living carefully, acting according to his mind, examining one's way, not coming too near (the akarya), minding living beings, one should go (on one's business). (2)

(A monk should according to the akarya's order) go and return, contract or stretch (his limbs), thoroughly clean (what ought to be cleaned). Sometimes, though a monk be endowed with virtue and walks in righteousness, living beings, coming in contact with his body, will be killed. (If this happens through mere carelessness) then he will get his punishment in this life; but if it was done contrary to the rules, he should repent of it and do penance for it. Thus he who knows the sacred lore, recommends penance combined with carefulness. (3)

(When a monk) with fully developed intuition and knowledge, calm, guarded, endowed (with knowledge), always restrained, perceives (a woman tempting him), he should consider within himself: what will this person do? The greatest temptation in this world are women. This has been declared by the sage. (4)

When strongly vexed by the influence of the senses, he should eat bad food, mortify himself, stand upright, wander from village to village, take no food at all, withdraw his mind from women. First troubles, then pleasures; first pleasures, then troubles: thus they are the cause of quarrels. Considering this and well understanding it, one should teach oneself not to cultivate (sensuality). Thus I say. He should not speak of women, nor look at them, nor converse with them, nor claim them as his own, nor do their work. Careful in his speech and

guarding his mind, he should always avoid sin. He should maintain this sagedom. Thus I say. (5)
  

FIFTH LESSON.

Thus I say: a lake is full of water, it is in an even plain, it is free from dust, it harbours (many fish). Look! he (the teacher) stands in the stream (of knowledge) and is guarded in all directions. Look! there are great Seers in the world, wise, awakened, free from acts. Perceive the truth: from a desire of (a pious) end they chose a religious life. Thus I say. (1)

He whose mind is always wavering, does not reach abstract contemplation. Some, bound (by worldly ties), are followers (i.e. understand the truth); some who are not bound, are followers. How should he not despond who amongst followers is a non-follower? 'But that is truth beyond doubt, what has been declared by the Ginas.' (2)

Whatever a faithful, well-disposed man, on entering the order, thought to be true, that may afterwards appear to him true; what he thought to be true, that may afterwards appear to him untrue; what he thought to be untrue, that may afterwards appear to him true; what he thought to be untrue, that may afterwards appear to him true. What he thinks to be true, that may, on consideration, appear to him true, whether it be true or untrue. What he thinks to be untrue, that may, on consideration, appear to him untrue, whether it be true or untrue. But he

who reflects should say unto him who does not reflect: Consider it to be true. Thus the connection (i.e. the continuity of sins) is broken. (3)

Regard this as the course of the zealous one, who stands (in obedience to the spiritual guide). In this point do not show yourself a fool !

As it would be unto thee, so it is with him whom thou intendest to kill. As it would be unto thee, so it is with him whom thou intendest to tyrannise over. As it would be unto thee, so it is with him whom thou intendest to torment. I n the same way (it is with him) whom thou intendest to punish, and to drive away. The righteous man who lives up to these sentiments, does therefore neither kill nor cause others to kill (living beings). He should not intentionally cause the same punishment for himself . (4)

The Self is the knower (or experiencer), and the knower is the Self. That through which one knows, is the Self. With regard to this (to know) it (the Self) is established . Such is he who maintains the right doctrine of Self. This subject has truly been explained. Thus I say. (5)

SIXTH LESSON.

Some not instructed (in the true law) make (only a show) of good conduct; some, though instructed,

have no good conduct. Let that not be your case! That is the doctrine of the clever one. Adopting the (akarya's) views, imitating his indifference (for the outer world), making him the guide and adviser (in all one's matters), sharing his abode, conquering (sinfulness), one sees the truth; unconquered one should be one's own master, having no reliance on anything (in the world). He who is great and withdraws his mind from the outer world, should learn the teaching (of the Tirthakaras) through the teaching (of the akarya); by his own innate knowledge, or through the instruction of the highest, or having heard it from others. A wise man should not break the commandment. Examining all (wrong) doctrines from all sides and in all respects, one should clearly understand (and reject) them. 'Knowing the delight of this world, circumspect and restrained, one should lead the life of an ascetic.' Desiring liberation, a hero should, through the sacred lore, ever be victorious. Thus I say. (1)

The current (of sin) is said to come from above, from below, and from the sides; these have been declared to be the currents through which, look, there is sinfulness.

'Examining the whirlpool, a man, versed in the sacred lore, should keep off from it.' Leaving the world to avert the current (of sin), such a great

man, free from acts, knows and sees the truth; examining (pleasures) he does not desire them. (2) Knowing whence we come and whither we go, he leaves the road to birth and death, rejoicing in the glorious (liberation). 'All sounds recoil thence, where speculation has no room,' nor does the mind penetrate there. The saint knows well that which is without support. (3)

(The liberated) is not long nor small nor round nor triangular nor quadrangular nor circular; he is not black nor blue nor red nor green nor white; neither of good nor bad smell; not bitter nor pungent nor astringent nor sweet; neither rough nor soft; neither heavy nor light; neither cold nor hot; neither harsh nor smooth; he is without body, without resurrection, without contact (of matter), he is not feminine nor masculine nor neuter; he perceives, he knows, but there is no analogy (whereby to know the nature of the liberated soul); its essence is without form; there is no condition of the unconditioned. There is no sound, no colour, no smell, no taste, no touch--nothing of that kind. Thus I say. (4)


SIXTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

THE CLEANING.  

FIRST LESSON.

He who is awakened amongst men, preaches; the man to whom all these classes of lives are well known, preaches the unparalleled wisdom. He praises the road to liberation for those who well exert themselves, who have forsworn cruelty, are zealous and endowed with knowledge. Thus some great heroes are victorious; but, look, some others who are wanting in control do not understand (the welfare of) their souls. Thus I say. (1)

As in a lake a greedy leaf-covered tortoise cannot rise up; as the trees do not leave their place (though shaken by storms, &c.): thus men, born in various families, cry bitterly because they are attached to the objects of the senses; on account of their sinfulness they do not reach liberation. (2)

Now look at those who are born in these families to reap the fruit of their own acts:

Boils and leprosy, consumption, falling sickness, blindness and stiffness, lameness and humpbackedness, 1

Dropsy and dumbness, look! apoplexy(?) and eye-disease, trembling and crippledness, elephantiasis and diabetes, 2

These are the sixteen diseases enumerated in due order; besides them many illnesses and wounds occur. 3

Contemplating their (i.e. the creatures') death, knowing their births in higher and lower regions, contemplating the fruit (of their acts), hear about this according to truth. 4

There are said to be blind beings dwelling in darkness; once or frequently meeting this lot, they experience pleasant and unpleasant feelings. This has been declared by the awakened ones. (3) There are beings endowed with voice, with taste, water-beings dwelling in water, beings living in the air: 'beings torment beings. See the great danger in this world;' many pains (are the lot) of the creatures. Men who are given to their lusts, come to destruction through their weak, frail body. 'The fool works hard, thinking' that the unhappy one suffers many pains. 'Knowing that these diseases are many, should the afflicted search after (remedies)?' See! they are of no avail, have done with them! Sage! see this great danger! Do not hurt anybody! Contemplate. Be attentive! I shall proclaim the doctrine of renunciation. (4)

To reap the fruit of their acts they are born in these various families, they increase, are born, grow up, become awakened, and leave the world in due order as great sages. The lamenting parents say to them who proceed on the glorious road: 'Do not

leave us!' (5) Consulting their own pleasure, indulging their passions, 'making a noise, the parents cry:' No man who leaves his parents is (fit to become) a flood-crossing sage! (The ascetic) does not take refuge there (in his family); for what could attract him there?

He should always maintain this knowledge! Thus I say. (6)



SECOND LESSON.

Though some know the misery of the world, have relinquished their former connections, have given up ease, live in chastity, and, whether monk or layman, thoroughly understand the law, they are not able (to persevere in a religious life). The ill-disposed, giving up the robe, alms-bowl, blanket, and broom, do not bear the continuous hardships that are difficult to bear. He who prefers pleasures will, now or after an hour, be deprived (of the body, not to recover it) for an infinite space of time. And thus they do not cross (the samsara), for the sake of these pleasures which entail evil consequences and are associated with others of their kind. (1)

But some who embrace the law, will practise it, being careful about its outward signs; not giving way to worldliness, but being firm. Knowing (and renouncing) all lust, a devout man becomes a great sage when he breaks all bonds, thinking: Nothing

belongs to me. A man who, thinking, I am I, exerts himself for this (creed), ceases (to act), is houseless, walks about bald-headed. The naked, fasting (monk), who combats the flesh, will be abused, or struck, or hurt; he will be upbraided with his former trade, or reviled with untrue reproaches. Accounting (for this treatment) by his former sins, knowing pleasant and unpleasant occurrences, he should patiently wander about. Quitting all worldliness one should bear all (disagreeable) feelings, being possessed of the right view. (2)

Those are called naked, who in this world, never returning (to a worldly state), (follow) my religion according to the commandment. This highest doctrine has here been declared for men. Delighted with this, destroying that (i.e. the effect of works), he will successively give up sinfulness, after having come to a knowledge of it. Here (in our religion) some live as single mendicants. Therefore a wise man should lead the life of an ascetic by collecting pure alms or any alms in all sorts of families. 'If (the food) be of good or bad smell, or if dreadful beasts inflict pain on (other) beings'--

all that happens to you, you will firmly bear it. Thus I say. (3)


THIRD LESSON.

A sage who is well instructed in the law and leads a life of abstinence, is always a destroyer of the effects of works. To a mendicant who is little clothed and firm in control, it will not occur (to think): My clothes are torn, I shall beg for (new) clothes; I shall beg for thread; I shall beg for a needle; I shall mend (my clothes); I shall darn them; I shall repair them; I shall put them on; I shall wrap myself in them. (1)

The unclothed one, who excels in this (abstinence), will often be molested by (sharp blades of) grass, by cold, heat, gnats, and mosquitoes. The unclothed one, who effects scarcity (of his wants or of his karman), bears these and various other hardships. He is fit for penance, as has been declared by the Revered One. Understanding this in all respects and with his whole mind, he should perfectly know righteousness. The great heroes (i.e. the Tirthakaras) who for a long time walked

in the former years, the worthy ones bore the troubles (mentioned above); endowed with perfect knowledge they had lean arms and very little flesh and blood. He who discontinues (to sin) and is enlightened, is said to have crossed (the samsara), to be liberated, and to have ceased (to act). Thus I say. (2)

But can discontent lay hold of a mendicant, who has ceased to act and leads a religious life, for a long time controlling himself? He advances in his spiritual career and exerts himself. As an island which is never covered with water, so is the law taught by the noble ones (a safe refuge for those in danger). They are free from desires, free from murder, beloved, wise, learned. For their benefit has been the exertion of the Revered One; as birds (feed) their young ones, so are the disciples regularly to be instructed day and night. Thus I say. (3)


FOURTH LESSON.

The disciples are thus regularly instructed, day and night, by the knowledge-endowed great heroes, receiving knowledge from them. Some, being seduced from the calmness of the mind, adopt rough manners. Some, living in chastity, dispute the authority (of the teacher), others hear and understand his words; they intend to lead a godly life, but having left the world, they are not qualified (for a religious life). Others, being incensed by lusts,

greedy, sensual, 'do not care for abstract meditation and religious instruction: these men speak harshly unto the teacher.' It is a second folly of the slow-minded to call virtuous, calm, religiously living men worthless.

Some, turning from (control), assign its difficulty as their reason (for doing so); others, falling from the pure knowledge and defiling the creed, though not without devotion, for the love of life change (their vows). 'When they feel the hardships (of a religious life) they slide back, for their love of life.' Their leaving the world is a bad leaving. (1)

Those who deserve to be called fools, are born again and again. Standing low (in learning or control) they will exalt themselves (and say) in their pride: I am learned. They speak harshly unto the passionless; they upbraid them with their former trades, or revile them with untrue reproaches. The wise, therefore, should know the law. Thou lovest unrighteousness, because thou art young, and lovest acts, and sayest: 'Kill beings;' thou killest them or consentest to their being killed by others. (Such a man) thinks contemptuously: A very severe religion has been proclaimed. Sinking in opposition to the law, he is called murderer. Thus I say. (2)

Some think: What have I to do with this or that man? Thus they leave father and mother, kith and kin, like heroes exerting themselves, free from murder. Look! the pious and calm become

desponding; the rising, cast down. Those troubled with sensuality, the cowardly men become perverters of the faith. Therefore the reputation of some becomes bad. He is an apostate ascetic! He is an apostate ascetic! (3)

Look! Some, though living with religious, pious, calm, and worthy (monks), are not religious, nor pious, nor calm, nor worthy. Knowing them, the learned, the wise, the steadfast hero will always be victorious through the right faith. Thus I say. (4)



FIFTH LESSON.

Staying in or between houses, in or between villages, in or between towns, in or between counties, a monk is attacked by murderers, or is subject to the hardships (of a mendicant's life). A hero should bear these hardships. (1)

A saint, with right intuition, who cherishes compassion for the world, in the east, west, south, and north, should preach, spread, and praise (the faith), knowing the sacred lore. He should proclaim it among those who exert themselves, and those who do not, among those who are willing to hear (the word). (2)

Not neglecting tranquillity, indifference, patience, liberation, purity, uprightness, gentleness, and freedom from worldly cares, one should, with due consideration, preach the law of the mendicants to all sorts of creatures. (3)

With due consideration preaching the law of the mendicants, one should do no injury to one's self, nor to anybody else, nor to any of the four kinds of living beings. But a great sage, neither injuring nor injured, becomes a shelter for all sorts of afflicted creatures, even as an island, which is never covered with water. (4)

Thus a man who exerts himself, and is of a steady mind, without attachment, unmoved (by passion) but restless (in wandering about), having no worldly desires, should lead the life of an ascetic.

Having contemplated the beautiful law, the discerning one is liberated.

Therefore look at worldliness, ye men, fettered in fetters!

Those whom lust conquers, sink; therefore do not shrink from the hard (control)! He who knows (and renounces) perfectly and thoroughly these injurious acts, from whom the injurers do not shrink, 'who has shaken off wrath, pride,' delusion, and greed, 'he is called a removed one.' Thus I say. (5)

On the decay of the body (he does not despond, but deserves) his appellation, 'the leader of the battle.' The sage who has reached the other side, unafflicted and unmoved like a beam, being in the power of death, desires death as the dissolution of the body. Thus I say. (6)

SEVENTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

LIBERATION.  

FIRST LESSON.

I say: To friendly or hostile (heretics) one should not give food, drink, dainties and spices, clothes, alms-bowls, and brooms; nor exhort these persons to give (such things), nor do them service, always showing the highest respect. Thus I say. (1)

(A heretic may say): Know this for certain: having or not having received food, &c. (down to) brooms, having or not having eaten (come to our house), even turning from your way or passing (other houses; we shall supply your wants). Confessing an individual creed, coming and going, he may give, or exhort to give, or do service (but one should not accept anything from him), showing not the slightest respect. Thus I say. (2)

Some here are not well instructed as regards the subject of conduct; for desirous of acts, they say: 'Kill creatures;' they themselves kill or consent to the killing of others; or they take what has not been given; or they pronounce opinions, e. g. the world exists, the world does not exist, the world is

unchangeable, the world is ever changing; the world has a beginning, the world has no beginning; the world has an end, the world has no end; (or with regard to the self and actions): this is well done, this is badly done; this is merit, this is demerit; he is a good man, he is not a good man; there is beatitude, there is no beatitude; there is a hell, there is no hell. When they thus differ (in their opinions) and profess their individual persuasion, know (that this is all) without reason. Thus they are not well taught, not well instructed in the religion such as it has been declared by the Revered One, who knows and sees with quick discernment. (One should either instruct the opponent in the true faith) or observe abstinence as regards speech. Thus I say. (3)

Everywhere sins are admitted; but to avoid them is called my distinction. For ye who live in a village or in the forest, or not in a village and not in the forest, know the law as it has been declared. 'By the Brahman, the wise (Mahavira), three vows have been enjoined.' Noble and tranquil men who are enlightened and exert themselves in these (precepts), are called free from sinful acts. (4)

Knowing (and renouncing) severally and singly

the actions against living beings, in the regions above, below, and on the surface, everywhere and in all ways--a wise man neither gives pain to these bodies, nor orders others to do so, nor assents to their doing so. Nay, we abhor those who give pain to these bodies. Knowing this, a wise man should not cause this or any other pain (to any creatures). Thus I say. (5)


SECOND LESSON.

A mendicant may exert himself, or stand or sit or lie in a burying-place or in an empty house or in a mountain cave or in a potter's workshop. A householder may approach a mendicant who stays in any of these places, and say unto him: O long-lived Sramana! I shall give you what I have bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken, nor given, but was taken by force, viz. food, drink, dainties and spices, clothes, an alms-bowl, a plaid, a broom--by acting sinfully against all sorts of living beings; or I shall prepare you snug lodgings; eat (the offered food), dwell (in the prepared house). (1)

O long-lived Sramana! A mendicant should thus refuse a householder of good sense and ripe age: O long-lived householder! I do not approve of thy words, I do not accept thy words, that, for my sake, thou givest unto me what thou hast bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken, nor given, but was taken by force, viz. food, drink, dainties and spices, clothes, an alms-bowl, a plaid, a broom--by

acting sinfully against all sorts of living beings; or that thou preparest pleasant lodgings for me. O long-lived householder! I have given up this, because it is not to be done. (2) A mendicant may exert himself, &c.. A householder, without betraying his intention, may approach him who stays in some one of the above-mentioned places, and give unto him what has been taken, &c. (all as above, down to) or prepare pleasant lodgings, and accommodate the mendicant with food (and lodging). A mendicant should know it by his own innate intelligence, or through the instruction of the highest (i.e. the Tirthakaras), or having heard it from others: This householder, forsooth, for my sake injures all sorts of living beings, to give me food, &c., clothes, &c., or to prepare pleasant lodgings. A mendicant should well observe and understand this, that he may order (the householder) not to show such obsequiousness. Thus I say. (3)

Those who having, with or without the mendicant's knowledge, brought together fetters, become angry (on the monk's refusal) and will strike him, saying: Beat, kill, cut, burn, roast, tear, rob, despatch, torture him! But the hero, come to such a lot, will bravely bear it, or tell him the code of conduct, considering that he is of a different habit; or by guarding his speech he should in due order examine the subject, guarding himself.

This has been declared by the awakened ones: The faithful should not give to dissenters food, &c., clothes, &c., nor should they exhort them (to give),

nor do them service, always showing the highest respect. Thus I say. (4)

Know the law declared by the wise Brahmana one should give to one of the same faith food, &c., clothes, &c., and one should exhort him (to give) or do him service, always showing the highest respect. Thus I say. (5)


THIRD LESSON.

Some are awakened as middle-aged men and exert themselves well, having, as clever men, heard and received the word of the learned. The noble ones have impartially preached the law. Those who are awakened, should not wish for pleasure, nor do harm, nor desire (any forbidden things). A person who is without desires and does no harm unto any living beings in the whole world, is called by me 'unfettered.' (1)

One free from passions understands perfectly the bright one, knowing birth in the upper and nether regions.

'Bodies increase through nourishment, they are frail in hardships.' See some whose organs are failing (give way to weakness).

A person who has no desires, cherishes pity. He who understands the doctrine of sin, is a mendicant who knows the time, the strength, the measure, the occasion, the conduct, the religious precept; he disowns all things not requisite for religious purposes,

in time exerts himself, is under no obligations; he proceeds securely (on the road to final liberation) after having cut off both (love and hate) . (2)

A householder approaching a mendicant whose limbs tremble for cold, may say:

O long-lived Sramana! are you not subject to the influences of your senses?

O long-lived householder! I am not subject to the influences of my senses. But I cannot sustain the feeling of cold. Yet it does not become me to kindle or light a fire , that I may warm or heat myself; nor (to procure that comfort) through the order of others.

Perhaps after the mendicant has spoken thus, the other kindles or lights a fire that he may warm or heat himself. But the mendicant should well observe and understand this, that he may order him to show no such obsequiousness. Thus I say. (3)


FOURTH LESSON.

A mendicant who is fitted out with three robes, and a bowl as fourth (article), will not think: I shall beg

for a fourth robe. He should beg for (clothes) which he wants, and which are permitted by the religious code; he should wear the clothes in the same state in which they are given him; he should neither wash nor dye them, nor should he wear washed or dyed clothes, nor (should he) hide (his garments when passing) through other villages, being careless of dress. This is the whole duty of one who wears clothes. But know further, that, after winter is gone and the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up (garment of the three), being clad with an upper and under garment, or with the undermost garment, or with one gown, or with no clothes--aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Revered One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

When it occurs to a blessed mendicant that he suffers pain, and cannot bear the influence of cold, he should not try to obviate these trials, but stand fast in his own self which is endowed with all knowledge. 'For it is better for an ascetic that he should take poison.' Even thus he will in due time put an end to existence. This (way to escape trials) has been adopted by many who were

free from delusion; it is good, wholesome, proper, beatifying, meritorious. Thus I say. (2)



FIFTH LESSON.

A mendicant who is fitted out with two robes, and a bowl as third (article), will not think: I shall beg for a third robe. He should beg for robes which are allowed to be begged for; he should wear the clothes, &c. &c. This is the whole outfit of one who wears clothes. But know further, that after the winter is gone and the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up garments; having left off the used-up garments, (one should) be clad with the undermost garment, with a gown, or with no clothes at all--aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Revered One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

When the thought occurs to a mendicant that through illness he is too weak, and not able to beg from house to house--and on his thus complaining a householder brings food, &c., obtained (without injuring life), and gives it him--then he should, after deliberation, say: O long-lived householder! it does not become me to eat or drink this food, &c., or (accept) anything else of the same kind. (2)

A mendicant who has resolved, that he will, when sick, accept the assistance of fellow-ascetics in good health, when they offer (assistance) without being asked, and that vice versa he, when in health, will give assistance to sick fellow-ascetics, offering it without being asked--(he should not deviate from his resolution though he die for want of help). (3)

Taking the vow to beg (food, &c.) for another (who is sick), and to eat (when sick) what is brought by another; taking the vow to beg, &c., and not to eat what is brought; taking the vow not to beg, &c., but to eat what is brought; taking the vow neither to beg, &c., nor to eat what is brought--(one should adhere to that vow). Practising thus the law as it has been declared, one becomes tranquil, averted from sin, guarded against the allurements of the senses. Even thus (though sick) he will in due time put an end to existence. This (method) has been adopted by many who were free from delusion; it is good, wholesome, proper, beatifying, meritorious. Thus I say. (4)

  

SIXTH LESSON.

A mendicant who is fitted out with one robe, and a bowl as second (article), will not think: I shall beg for a second robe. He should beg for such a robe only as is allowed to be begged for, 'and he should wear it in the same state as he receives it. This is, &c. 

But when the hot season has come, one should leave off the used-up clothes; one should be clad with one or no garment--aspiring to freedom from bonds. Knowing what the Revered One, &c. 

When the thought occurs to a mendicant: 'I am myself, alone; I have nobody belonging to me, nor do I belong to anybody,' then he should thoroughly know himself as standing alone--aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Revered One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

A male or female mendicant eating food &c. should not shift (the morsel) from the left jaw to the right jaw, nor from the right jaw to the left jaw, to get a fuller taste of it, not caring for the taste (of it)--aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Revered One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (2)

If this thought occurs to a monk: 'I am sick and not able, at this time, to regularly mortify the flesh,' that monk should regularly reduce his food; regularly reducing his food, and diminishing his sins, 'he should take proper care of his body, being

immovable like a beam; exerting himself he dissolves his body.' (3)

Entering a village, or a scot-free town, or a town with an earth-wall, or a town with a small wall, or an isolated town, or a large town, or a sea-town, or a mine, or a hermitage, or the halting-places of processions, or caravans, or a capital--a monk should beg for straw; having begged for straw he should retire with it to a secluded spot. After having repeatedly examined and cleaned the ground, where there are no eggs, nor living beings, nor seeds, nor sprouts, nor dew, nor water, nor ants, nor mildew, nor waterdrops, nor mud, nor cobwebs--he should spread the straw on it. Then he should there and then effect (the religious death called) itvara. (4)

This is the truth: speaking truth, free from passion, crossing (the samsara), abating irresoluteness, knowing all truth and not being known, leaving this frail body, overcoming all sorts of pains and troubles through trust in this (religion), he accomplishes this fearful (religious death). Even thus he will in due time put an end to existence. This has been adopted by many who were free from delusion; it is good, wholesome, proper, beatifying, meritorious. Thus I say. (5)



SEVENTH LESSON.

To a naked monk the thought occurs: I can bear the pricking of grass, the influence of cold and heat, the stinging of flies and mosquitos; these and other various painful feelings I can sustain, but I cannot leave off the covering of the privities. Then he may cover his privities with a piece of cloth.

A naked monk who perseveres in this conduct, sustains repeatedly these and other various painful feelings: the grass pricks him, heat and cold attack him, flies and mosquitos sting him. A naked monk (should be) aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Revered One has declared, one should thoroughly and in all respects conform to it. (1)

A monk who has come to any of the following resolutions,--having collected food, &c., I shall give of it to other monks, and I shall eat (what they have) brought; (or) having collected food, &c., I shall give of it to other monks, but I shall not eat

 (what they have) brought; (or) having collected food, &c., I shall not give of it to other monks, but I shall eat (what they have) brought; (or) having collected food, &c., I shall not give of it to other monks, nor eat (what they have) brought; (2) (or) I shall assist a fellow-ascetic with the remnants of my dinner, which is acceptable  and remained in the same state in which it was received , and I shall accept the assistance of fellow-ascetics as regards the remnants of their dinner, which is acceptable and remained in the same state in which it was received;--(that monk should keep these vows even if he should run the risk of his life) (3)--aspiring to freedom from bonds. Penance suits him. Knowing what the Revered One has declared, one should thoroughly conform to it. (4)

(The last two paragraphs of the last lesson are to be reproduced here.)

Thus I say. (5)


EIGHTH LESSON.

The wise ones who attain in due order to one of the unerring states (in which suicide is prescribed), those who are rich in control and endowed with knowledge, knowing the incomparable (religious death, should continue their contemplation). (1)

Knowing the twofold (obstacles, i.e. bodily and mental), the wise ones, having thoroughly learned the law, perceiving in due order (that the time for their death has come), get rid of karman. (2)

Subduing the passions and living on little food, he should endure (hardships). If a mendicant falls sick, let him again take food. (3)

H e should not long for life, nor wish for death he should yearn after neither, life or death. (4)

He who is indifferent and wishes for the destruction of karman, should continue his contemplation. Becoming unattached internally and externally, he should strive after absolute purity. (5)

Whatever means one knows for calming one's own life, that a wise man should learn (i.e. practise) in order to gain time (for continuing penance). (6)

In a village or in a forest, examining the ground and recognising it as free from living beings, the sage should spread the straw. (7)

Without food he should lie down and bear the pains which attack him. He should not for too long time give way to worldly feelings which overcome him. (8)

When crawling animals or such as live on high or below, feed on his flesh and blood, he should neither kill them nor rub (the wound). (9)

Though these animals destroy the body, he should not stir from his position,

After the asravas have ceased, he should bear (pains) as if he rejoiced in them. (10)

When the bonds fall off, then he has accomplished his life.

(We shall now describe) a more exalted (method) for a well-controlled and instructed monk. (11)

This other law has been proclaimed by Gnatriputra:

He should give up all motions except his own in the thrice-threefold way. (12)

He should not lie on sprouts of grass, but inspecting the bare ground he should lie on it.

Without any comfort and food, he should there bear pain. (13)

When the sage becomes weak in his limbs, he should strive after calmness.

For he is blameless, who is well fixed and immovable (in his intention to die). (14)

He should move to and fro (on his ground), contract and stretch (his limbs) for the benefit of the whole body; or (he should remain quiet as if he were) lifeless. (15)

He should walk about, when tired of (lying), or stand with passive limbs; when tired of standing, he should sit down. (16)

Intent on such an uncommon death, he should regulate the motions of his organs.

Having attained a place swarming with insects, he should search for a clean spot. (17)

He should not remain there whence sin would rise.

He should raise himself above (sinfulness), and bear all pains. (18)

And this is a still more difficult method, when one lives according to it: not to stir from one's place, while checking all motions of the body. (19)

This is the highest law, exalted above the preceding method:

Having examined a spot of bare ground he should remain there; stay O Brahmana! (20)

Having attained a place free from living beings, he should there fix himself.

He should thoroughly mortify his flesh, thinking: There are no obstacles in my body. (21)

Knowing as long as he lives the dangers and troubles, the wise and restrained (ascetic) should bear them as being instrumental to the dissolution of the body. (22)

He should not be attached to the transitory pleasures, nor to the greater ones; he should not nourish desire and greed, looking only for eternal praise. (23)

He should be enlightened with eternal objects, and not trust in the delusive power of the gods;

a Brahmana should know of this and cast off all inferiority. (24)

Not devoted to any of the external objects he reaches the end of his life; thinking that patience is the highest good, he (should choose) one of (the described three) good methods of entering Nirvana. (25) Thus I say.

EIGHTH LECTURE,  

(CALLED)  

THE PILLOW OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.  

FIRST LESSON.

As I have heard it, I shall tell how the Venerable Ascetic, exerting himself and meditating, after having entered the order in that winter, wandered about,

'I shall not cover myself with that robe,' only in that winter (he used it). He had crossed (the samsara) for the rest of his life. This (refusing of dress) is in accordance with his doctrine. (1)

More than four months many sorts of living beings gathered on his body, crawled about it, and caused pain there. (2)

For a year and a month he did not leave off his robe. Since that time the Venerable One, giving up his robe, was a naked, world-relinquishing, houseless (sage). (3)

Then he meditated (walking) with his eye fixed on a square space before him of the length of a

man. Many people assembled, shocked at the sight; they struck him and cried. (4)

Knowing (and renouncing) the female sex in mixed gathering places, he meditated, finding his way himself: I do not lead a worldly life. (5)

Giving up the company of all householders whomsoever, he meditated. Asked, he gave no answer; he went, and did not transgress the right path. (6)

For some it is not easy (to do what he did), not to answer those who salute; he was beaten with sticks, and struck by sinful people. (7)

Disregarding slights difficult to bear, the Sage wandered about, (not attracted) by story-tellers, pantomimes, songs, fights at quarter-staff, and boxing-matches. (8)

At that time the son of Gnatri saw without sorrow (or pleasure) people in mutual conversation. Gnatriputra obtained oblivion of these exquisite sorrows. (9)

For more than a couple of years he led a religious life without using cold water; he realised singleness, guarded his body, had got intuition, and was calm. (10)

Thoroughly knowing the earth-bodies and water-bodies and fire-bodies and wind-bodies, the lichens, seeds, and sprouts, (11)

He comprehended that they are, if narrowly

inspected, imbued with life, and avoided to injure them; he, the great Hero. (12)

The immovable (beings) are changed to movable ones, and the movable beings to immovable ones; beings which are born in all states become individually sinners by their actions. (13)

The Venerable One understands thus: he who is under the conditions (of existence), that fool suffers pain. Thoroughly knowing (karman), the Venerable One avoids sin. (14)

The sage, perceiving the double (karman), proclaims the incomparable activity, he, the knowing one; knowing the current of worldliness, the current of sinfulness, and the impulse, (15)

Practising the sinless abstinence from killing, he did no acts, neither himself nor with the assistance of others; he to whom women were known as the causes of all sinful acts, he saw (the true state of the world). (16)

He did not use what had expressly been prepared for himdf; he well saw (that bondage comes) through action. Whatever is sinful, the Venerable One left that undone: he consumed clean food. (17)

He did not use another's robe, nor does he eat out of another's vessel. Disregarding contempt, he went with indifference to places where food was prepared. (18)

Knowing measure in eating and drinking, he was not desirous of delicious food, nor had he a longing for it. A sage should not rub his eyes nor scratch his body. (19)

Looking a little sideward, looking a little behind, answering little when spoken to, he should walk attentively looking on his path. (20)

When the cold season has half-way advanced, the houseless, leaving off his robe and stretching out his arms, should wander about, not leaning against a trunk. (21)

This is the rule which has often been followed by the wise Brahmana, the Venerable One, who is free from attachment: thus proceed (the monks).

Thus I say. (22)


SECOND LESSON.

Whatever different seats and couches have been told, whatever have been used by the great Hero, these resting-places are thus detailed. (1)

He sometimes lodged in workshops, assembling-places, wells, or shops; sometimes in manufactories or under a shed of straw. (2)

He sometimes lodged in travellers' halls, garden-houses, or towns; sometimes on a burying-ground, in relinquished houses, or at the foot of a tree. (3)

In these places was the wise Sramana for thirteen long years; he meditated day and night, exerting himself, undisturbed, strenuously. (4)

The Venerable One, exerting himself, did not seek

sleep for the sake of pleasure; he waked up himself, and slept only a little, free from desires. (5)

Waking up again, the Venerable One lay down, exerting himself; going outside for once in a night, he walked about for an hour. (6)

In his resting-places he sustained fearful and manifold calamities; crawling or flying animals attack him. (7)

Bad people, the guard of the village, or lance-bearers attack him; or there were domestic temptations, single women or men; (8)

Fearful and manifold (calamities) of this and the next world; pleasant and unpleasant smells, and manifold sounds: (9)

Always well controlled, he bore the different sorts of feelings; overcoming carelessness and pleasure, the Brahmana wandered about, speaking but little. (10)

In the resting-places there once, in a night, the single wanderers asked him (who he was, and why he was there); as he did not answer, they treated him badly; but he persevered in his meditations, free from resentment. (11)

(Sometimes to avoid greater troubles when asked), 'Who is there within?' he answered, 'It is I, a mendicant.' But this is the best law: silently to meditate, even if badly treated. (12)

When a cold wind blows, in which some feel pain, then some houseless monks in the cold rain seek a place sheltered from the wind. (13)

(Some heretical monks say), 'We shall put on more clothes; kindling wood or (well) covered, we shall be able (to bear) the very painful influence of the cold.' (14)

But the Venerable One desired nothing of the kind;

strong in control, he suffered, despising all shelter. Going outside once of a night, the Venerable One was able (to endure all hardships) in calmness. (15)

This is the rule which has often been followed by the wise Brahmana, the Venerable One, who is free from attachment: thus proceed (the monks).

Thus I say. (16)


THIRD LESSON.

Always well guarded, he bore the pains (caused by) grass, cold, fire, flies, and gnats; manifold pains. (1)

He travelled in the pathless country of the Ladhas, in Vaggabhumi and Subbhabhumi; he used there miserable beds and miserable seats. (2)

In Ladha (happened) to him many dangers. Many natives attacked him. Even in the faithful part of the rough country the dogs bit him, ran at him. (3)

Few people kept off the attacking, biting dogs. Striking the monk, they cried 'Khukkhu,' and made the dogs bite him. (4)

Such were the inhabitants. Many other mendicants, eating rough food in Vaggabhumi, and carrying about a strong pole or a stalk (to keep off the dogs), lived there. (5)

Even thus armed they were bitten by the dogs, torn by the dogs. It is difficult to travel in Ladha. (6)

Ceasing to use the stick (i.e. cruelty) against living beings, abandoning the care of the body, the houseless (Mahavira), the Venerable One, endures the thorns of the villages (i.e. the abusive language of the peasants), (being) perfectly enlightened. (7)

As an elephant at the head of the battle, so was Mahavira there victorious. Sometimes he did not reach a village there in Ladha. (8)

When he who is free from desires approached the village, the inhabitants met him on the outside, and attacked him, saying, 'Get away from here.' (9)

He was struck with a stick, the fist, a lance, hit with a fruit, a clod, a potsherd. Beating him again and again, many cried. (10)

When he once (sat) without moving his body, they cut his flesh, tore his hair under pains, or covered him with dust. (11)

Throwing him up, they let him fall, or disturbed him in his religious postures; abandoning the care of his body, the Venerable One humbled himself and bore pain, free from desire. (1 2)

As a hero at the head of the battle is surrounded on all sides, so was there Mahavira. Bearing all hardships, the Venerable One, undisturbed, proceeded (on the road to Nirvana). (13)

This is the rule which has often been followed, &c.



FOURTH LESSON.

The Venerable One was able to abstain from indulgence of the flesh, though never attacked by

diseases. Whether wounded or not wounded, he desired not medical treatment. (1)

Purgatives and emetics, anointing of the body and bathing, shampooing and cleansing of the teeth do not behove him, after he learned (that the body is something unclean). (2)

Being averse from the impressions of the senses, the Brahmana wandered about, speaking but little. Sometimes in the cold season the Venerable One was meditating in the shade. (3)

In summer he exposes himself to the heat, he sits squatting in the sun; he lives on rough (food): rice, pounded jujube, and beans. (4)

Using these three, the Venerable One sustained himself eight months. Sometimes the Venerable One did not drink for half a month or even for a month. (5)

Or he did not drink for more than two months, or even six months, day and night, without desire (for drink). Sometimes he ate stale food. (6)

Sometimes he ate only the sixth meal, or the eighth, the tenth, the twelfth; without desires, persevering in meditation. (7)

Having wisdom, Mahavira committed no sin himself, nor did he induce others to do so, nor did he consent to the sins of others. (8)

Having entered a village or a town, he begged for food which had been prepared for somebody else. Having got clean food, he used it, restraining the impulses. (9)

When there were hungry crows, or thirsty beings stood in his way, where he begged, or when he saw them flying repeatedly down, (10)

When a Brahmana or Sramana, a beggar or guest, a Kandala, a cat, or a dog stood in his way, (11)

Without ceasing in his reflections, and avoiding to overlook them, the Venerable One slowly wandered about, and, killing no creatures, he begged for his food. (12)

Moist or dry or cold food, old beans, old pap, or bad grain, whether he did or did not get such food, he was rich (in control). (13)

And Mahavira meditated (persevering) in some posture, without the smallest motion; he meditated in mental concentration on (the things) above, below, beside, free from desires. (14)

He meditated free from sin and desire, not attached to sounds or colours; though still an erring mortal (khadmastha), he wandered about, and never acted carelessly. (15)

Himself understanding the truth and restraining the impulses for the purification of the soul, finally liberated, and free from delusion, the Venerable One was well guarded during his whole life. (16)

This is the rule which has been followed, &c.

SECOND BOOK  

FIRST PART.  

FIRST LECTURE,  

CALLED  

BEGGING OF FOOD.  

FIRST LESSON.

WHEN a male or a female mendicant, having entered the abode of a householder with the intention of collecting alms, recognises food, drink, dainties, and spices as affected by, or mixed up with, living beings, mildew, seeds or sprouts, or wet with water, or covered with dust--either in the hand or the pot of another--they should not, even if they can get it, accept of such food, thinking that it is impure and unacceptable. (1)

But if perchance they accept of such food, under pressing circumstances, they should go to a secluded spot, a garden, or a monk's hall--where there are no

eggs, nor living beings, nor sprouts, nor dew, nor water, nor ants, nor mildew, nor drops (of water), nor mud, nor cobwebs--and rejecting (that which is affected by), and cleaning that which is mixed up (with living beings, &c.), they should circumspectly eat or drink it. But with what they cannot eat or drink, they should resort to a secluded spot, and leave it there on a heap of ashes or bones, or rusty things, or chaff, or cowdung, or on any such-like place which they have repeatedly examined and cleaned. (2)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept as alms whatever herbs they recognise, on examining them, as still whole, containing their source of life, not split longwise or broadwise, and still alive, fresh beans, living and not broken; for such food is impure and unacceptable. (3)

But when they recognise after examination that those herbs are no more whole, do not contain their source of life, are split longwise or broadwise, and no more alive, fresh beans, lifeless and broken, then they may accept them, if they get them; for they are pure and acceptable. (4)

A monk or nun on a begging-tour should not accept as alms whatever flattened grains, grains containing much chaff, or half-roasted spikes of wheat, &c., or flour of wheat, &c., or rice or flour of rice, they recognise as only once worked; for such food is impure and unacceptable. (5)

But when they recognise these things as more than once worked, as twice, thrice worked, then they may accept them, if they get them; for they are pure and acceptable. (6)

A monk or a nun desiring to enter the abode of a householder for collecting alms, should not enter or leave it together with a heretic or a householder; or a monk who avoids all forbidden food, &c., together with one who does not. (7)

A monk or a nun entering or leaving the out-of-door places for religious practices or for study should not do so together with a heretic or a householder; or a monk who avoids all forbidden food, together with one who does not. (8)

A monk or a nun wandering from village to village should not do so together with a heretic or a householder; or a monk who avoids all forbidden food, together with one who does not. (9)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not give, immediately or mediately, food, &c., to a heretic or a householder; or a monk who avoids all forbidden food, to one who does not. (1o)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., from a householder whom they know to give out of respect for a Nirgrantha, in behalf of a fellow-ascetic, food, &c., which he has bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken nor given, but was taken by force, by acting sinfully towards all sorts of living beings; for such-like food, &c., prepared by another man or by the giver himself, brought out of the house or not brought out of the house, belonging to the giver or not belonging to him, partaken or tasted of, or not partaken or tasted of, is impure and unacceptable.

In this precept substitute for 'on behalf of one fellow-ascetic,' (2) on behalf of many fellow-ascetics, (3) on behalf of one female fellow-ascetic, (4) on behalf of many female fellow-ascetics; so that there will be four analogous precepts. (11)

A monk or a nun should not accept of food, &c., which they know has been prepared by the householder for the sake of many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars, after he has counted them, acting sinfully towards all sorts of living beings; for such food, whether it be tasted of or not, is impure and unacceptable. (12)

A monk or a nun should not accept of food, &c., procured in the way described in  section 1I for the sake of the persons mentioned in  section 12, if the said food, &c., has been prepared by the giver himself, has been brought out of the house, does not belong to the giver, has not been partaken or tasted of; for such food, &c., is impure and unacceptable; but if the food, &c., has been prepared by another person, has been brought out of the house, belongs to the giver, has been partaken or tasted of, one may accept it; for it is pure and acceptable. (13)

A monk or a nun wishing to enter the abode of a householder with the intention of collecting alms, should not, for the sake of food or drink, enter or leave such always liberal, always open houses, where they always give a morsel, always the best morsel, always a part of the meal, always nearly the half of it.

This certainly is the whole duty of a monk or a nun in which one should, instructed in all its meanings and endowed with bliss, always exert oneself.

Thus I say. (14)
  

SECOND LESSON.

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., in the following case: when, on the eighth or paushadha day, on the beginning of a fortnight, of a month, of two, three, four, five, or six months, or on the days of the seasons, of the junction of the seasons, of the intervals of the seasons, many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars are entertained with food, &c., out of one or two or three or four vessels, pots, baskets, or heaps of food; such-like food which has been prepared by the giver, &c., (all down to) not tasted of, is impure and unacceptable. But if it is prepared by another person, &c., one may accept it; for it is pure and acceptable. (1)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour may accept food, &c., from unblamed, uncensured families, to wit, noble families, distinguished families, royal families, families belonging to the line of Ikshvaku, of Hari, cowherds' families, Vaisya families, barbers' families, carpenters' families, takurs' families, weavers' families; for such food, &c., is pure and acceptable. (2)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., in the following case: when in assemblies, or during offerings to the manes, or on a festival of Indra or Skanda or Rudra or Mukunda or demons or Yakshas or the snakes, or on a festival in honour of a tomb, or a shrine, or a tree, or a hill, or a cave, or a well, or a tank, or a pond, or a river, or a lake, or the sea, or a mine--when on such-like various festivals many Sramanas and Brahmanas,

guests, paupers, and beggars are entertained with food, &c. acceptable. (3)

But when he perceives that all have received their due share, and are enjoying their meal, he should address the householder's wife or sister or daughter-in-law or nurse or male or female servant or slave and say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) will you give me something to eat?' After these words of the mendicant, the other may bring forth food, &c., and give it him. Such food, &c., whether he beg for it or the other give it, he may accept; for it is pure and acceptable. (4)

When a monk or a nun knows that at a distance of more than half a yogana a festive entertainment is going on, they should not resolve to go there for the sake of the festive entertainment. (5)

When a monk hears that the entertainment is given in an eastern or western or southern or northern place, he should go respectively to the west or east or north or south, being quite indifferent (about the feast); wherever there is a festive entertainment, in a village or scot-free town, &c., he should not go there for the sake of the festive entertainment.

The Kevalin assigns as the reason for this precept, that if the monk eats food, &c., which has been given him on such an occasion, he will incur the sin of one

who uses what has been prepared for him, or is mixed up with living beings, or has been bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken, nor was it given, but taken by force. (6)

A layman might, for the sake of a mendicant, make small doors large, or large ones small; put beds from a level position into a sloping one, or from a sloping position into a level one; place the beds out of the draught or in the draught; cutting and clipping the grass outside or within the upasraya, spread a couch for him, (thinking that) this mendicant is without means for a bed. Therefore should a well-controlled Nirgrantha not resolve to go to any festival which is preceded or followed by a feast.

This certainly is the whole duty, &c. (see end of lesson I).

Thus I say. (7)


THIRD LESSON.

When he has eaten or drunk at a festive entertainment, he might vomit (what he has eaten), or not well digest it; or some other bad disease or sickness might befall him. (1)

The Kevalin says this is the reason:

A mendicant, having drunk various liquors, together with the householder or his wife, monks or nuns, might not find the (promised) resting-place on leaving the scene of entertainment and looking

out for it; or in the resting-place he may get into mixed company; in the absence of his mind or in his drunkenness he may lust after a woman or a eunuch; approaching the mendicant (they will say): O long-lived Sramana! (let us meet) in the garden, or in the sleeping-place, in the night or in the twilight.' Luring him thus by his sensuality (she says): Let us proceed to enjoy the pleasures of love.' He might go to her, though he knows that it should not be done.

These are the causes to sin, they multiply continuously. Therefore should a well-controlled Nirgrantha not resolve to go to any festival which is preceded or followed by a feast. (2)

A monk or a nun, hearing or being told of some festivity, might hasten there, rejoicing inwardly: 'There will be an entertainment, sure enough!' It is impossible to get there from other families alms which are acceptable and given out of respect for the cloth, and to eat the meal. As this would lead to sin, they should not do it. But they should enter there, and getting from other families their alms, should eat their meal. (3)

A monk or a nun, knowing that in a village or a scot-free town, &c., an entertainment will be given, should not resolve to go to that village, &c., for the sake of the entertainment. The Kevalin assigns as the reason herefore: When a man goes to

a much-frequented and vulgar entertainment somebody's foot treads on his foot, somebody's hand moves his hand, somebody's bowl clashes against his bowl, somebody's head comes in collision with his head, somebody's body pushes his body, or somebody beats him with a stick or a bone or a fist or a clod, or sprinkles him with cold water, or covers him with dust; or he eats unacceptable food, or he receives what should be given to others. Therefore should a well-controlled Nirgrantha not resolve to go to a much-frequented and vulgar entertainment to partake of it. (4)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept such food, &c,, about the acceptability or unacceptability of which his (or her) mind has some doubts or misgivings for such food, &c. (5)

When a monk or a nun wishes to enter the abode of a householder, they should do so with the complete outfit. (6)

A monk or a nun entering or leaving the out-of-door places for religious practices or study, should do so with the complete outfit. (7)

A monk or a nun wandering from village to village should do so with the complete outfit. (8)

A monk or a nun should not, with the complete outfit, enter or leave the abode of a householder to collect alms, or the out-of-door places for religious practices and study, or wander from village to village on perceiving that a strong and widely-spread rain pours down, or a strong and widely-spread mist is

coming on, or a high wind raises much dust, or many flying insects are scattered about and fall down. (9)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., in the houses of Kshatriyas, kings, messengers, and relations of kings, whether they are inside or outside, or invite them; for such food, &c., is impure and unacceptable. Thus I say. (10)

FOURTH LESSON.

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not resolve to go to a festival, preceded or followed by an entertainment, to partake of it, when they know that there will be served up chiefly meat or fish or roasted slices of meat or fish; nor to a wedding breakfast in the husband's house or in that of the bride's father; nor to a funeral dinner or to a family dinner where something is served up,--if on their way there, there are many living beings, many seeds, many sprouts, much dew, much water, much mildew, many drops (of water), much dust, and many cobwebs; or if there have arrived or will arrive many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars, and if it will be a crowded assembly, so that a wise man may not enter or leave it, or learn there the sacred texts, to question about them, to repeat them, to consider them, to think about the substance of the law. (1)

A monk or a nun may go to such an entertainment (as described in the preceding Sara), provided that on their way there, there are few living beings, few seeds, &c.; that no Sramanas and Brahmanas, &c., have arrived or will arrive; that it is not a

crowded assembly, so that a wise man may enter or leave, &c. (2)

A monk or a nun desirous to enter the abode of a householder, should not do so, when they see that the milch cows are being milked, or the food, &c., is being cooked, and that it is not yet distributed. Perceiving this, they should step apart and stay where no people pass or see them. But when they conceive that the milch cows are milked, the dinner prepared and distributed, then they may circumspectly enter or leave the householder's abode for the sake of alms. (3)

Some of the mendicants say to those who follow the same rules of conduct, live (in the same place), or wander from village to village: 'This is indeed a small village, it is too populous, nor is it large; reverend gentlemen, go to the outlying villages to beg alms.'

Some mendicant may have there kinsmen or relations, e. g. a householder or his wife, or daughters, or daughters-in-law, or nurses, or male and female slaves or servants. Such families with which he is connected by kindred or through marriage, he intends to visit before (the time of begging): 'I shall get there (he thinks) food or dainties or milk or thick sour milk or fresh butter or ghee or sugar or oil or honey or meat or liquor, a sesamum dish, or raw sugar, or a meal of parched wheat, or a meal of curds and sugar with spices; after having eaten and drunk, and having cleaned and rubbed the alms-bowl, I shall,

together with other mendicants, enter or leave the abode of a householder to collect alms.' As this would be sinful, he should not do so. (4)

But, at the proper time, entering there with the other mendicants, he may there in these or other families accept alms which are acceptable and given out of respect for his cloth, and eat his meal.

This certainly is the whole duty, &c. (see end of lesson 1).

Thus I say. (5)


FIFTH LESSON.

When a monk or a nun on entering the abode of a householder sees that the first portion of the meal is being thrown away or thrown down, or taken away, or distributed, or eaten, or put off, or has already been eaten or removed; that already other Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars go there in great haste; (they might think), 'Hallo! I too shall go there in haste.' As this would be sinful, they should not do so. (1)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour comes upon walls or gates, or bolts or holes to fit them, they should, in case there be a byway, avoid those (obstacles), and not go on straight.

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: Walking there, he might stumble or fall down; when he stumbles or falls down, his body might become contaminated with faeces, urine, phlegmatic humour, mucus, saliva, bile, matter, semen, or blood. And if his body has become soiled, he should not wipe or

rub or scratch or clean or warm or dry it on the bare ground or wet earth [or dusty earth] on a rock or a piece of clay containing life, or timber inhabited by worms, or anything containing eggs, living beings, &c. (down to) cobwebs; but he should first beg for some straw or leaves, wood or a potsherd, which must be free from dust, resort with it to a secluded spot, and on a heap of ashes or bones, &c., which he has repeatedly examined and cleaned, he should circumspectly wipe or rub, warm or dry (his body). (2)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour perceives a vicious cow coming towards them, or a vicious buffalo coming towards them, or a vicious man, horse, elephant, lion, tiger, wolf, panther, bear, hyena, sarabha, shakal, cat, dog, boar, fox, leopard coming towards them, they should, in case there be a byway, circumspectly avoid them, and not walk on straight. (3)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour comes on their way upon a pit, pillar, thorns, or unsafe, marshy or uneven ground, or mud, they should, in case there be a byway, avoid these (obstacles), and not walk on straight.

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour perceives that the entrance of a householder's abode is secured by a branch of a thorn bush, they should not, without having previously got the (owner's) permission, and having examined and swept (the entrance), make it passable or enter and leave (the

house). But they may circumspectly do so, after having got the (owner's) permission, and having examined and swept it. (4)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour knows that a Sramana or a Brahmana, a guest, pauper or beggar has already entered (the house), they should not stand in their sight or opposite the door.

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: Another, on seeing him, might procure and give him food, &c. Therefore it has been declared to the mendicants: This is the statement, this is the reason, this is the order, that he should not stand in the other mendicants' sight or opposite the door.

Knowing this, he should go apart and stay where no people pass or see him. Another man may bring and give him food, &c., while he stays where no people pass or see him, and say unto him: 'O long-lived Sramana! this food, &c., has been given for the sake of all of you; eat it or divide it among you.' Having silently accepted the gift, he might think: Well, this is just (enough) for me!' As this would be sinful, he should not do so.

Knowing this, he should join the other beggars, and after consideration say unto them: 'O long-lived Sramanas! this food, &c., is given for the sake of all of you; eat it or divide it among you.' After these words another might answer him: 'O long-lived

 Sramana! distribute it yourself.' Dividing the food, &c., he should not (select) for himself too great a portion, or the vegetables, or the conspicuous things, or the savoury things, or the delicious things, or the nice things, or the big things; but he should impartially divide it, not being eager or desirous or greedy or covetous (of anything). When he thus makes the division, another might say: 'O long-lived Sramana! do not divide (the food); but let us, all together, eat and drink.' When he thus eats, he should not select for himself too great a portion, &c.; but should eat and drink alike with all, not being desirous, &c.  (5)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour perceives that a Sramana or Brahmana, a beggar or guest has already entered the house, they should not overtake them and address (the householder) first. Knowing this, they should go apart and stay where no people pass or see them. But when they perceive that the other has been sent away or received alms, and has returned, they may circumspectly enter the house and address the householder.

This certainly is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (6)



SIXTH LESSON.

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour perceives that many hungry animals have met and come together in search of food, e. g. those of the chicken-kind or those of the pig-kind, or that crows

have met and come together, where an offering is thrown on the ground, they should, in case there be a byway, avoid them and not go on straight. (1)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not stand leaning against the door-post of the householder's abode, or his sink or spitting-pot, nor in sight of, or opposite to his bathroom or privy; nor should they contemplate a loophole or a mended spot or a fissure (of the house) or the bathing-house, showing in that direction with an arm or pointing with a finger, bowing up and down. (2)

Nor should they beg, pointing with a finger at the householder, or moving him with a finger, or threatening him with a finger, or scratching him with a finger, or praising him, or using coarse language. (3)

If he sees somebody eating, eg. the householder or his wife, &c., he should after consideration say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) will you give me some of that food?' After these words the other might wash or wipe his hand or pot or spoon or plate with cold or hot water. He should after consideration say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) do not wash or wipe your hand or pot or spoon or plate! If you want to give me something, give it as it is!' After these words the other might give him a share, having washed or wiped his hand, &c., with cold or hot water. But he should not accept anything out of such a hand, &c., which has been before treated thus; for it is impure and unacceptable. (4)

It is also to be known that food, &c., is impure

and unacceptable, which is given with a wet hand, though the hand be not purposely wetted. (5)

The same rule holds good with regard to a moistened hand, &c., and a dusty hand, &c., and a hand which is soiled with clay, dew, orpiment, vermilion, realgar, collyrium, white chalk, alum, rice-flour, kukkusa, ground drugs. (6)

It is also to be known that he may accept such food, &c., which is given with a soiled hand, &c., to one similarly soiled (i.e. with what one is to receive), or to one unsoiled, with hand similarly soiled; for such food, &c., is pure and acceptable. (7)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept flattened grains, grains containing much chaff, &c., which a layman, for the sake of the mendicant, has ground, grinds, or will grind, has winnowed, winnows, or will winnow on a rock or a piece of clay containing life, &c., all down to) cobwebs; for such large, parched grains, &c., are impure and unacceptable. (8)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept fossil salt or sea salt which a householder, for the sake of the mendicant, has ground or pounded, grinds or pounds, will grind or pound on a rock or a piece of clay containing life, &c.; for such-like fossil salt or sea salt is impure and unacceptable. (9)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not

accept food, &c., which is prepared over the fire; for such food is impure and unacceptable. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: A layman will kill the fire-bodies, by wetting or moistening, wiping or rubbing, throwing up or turning down the food, &c., for the sake of the mendicant. Hence it has been declared to the mendicants: This is the statement, this is the reason, this is the order, that they should not accept food, &c., which has been prepared over the fire, &c.

This certainly is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (10)



SEVENTH LESSON.

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., which has been placed on a post or pillar or beam or scaffold or loft or platform or roof or some such-like elevated place; for such food fetched from above is impure and unacceptable. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: The layman might fetch and erect a stool or a bench or a ladder or a handmill, get upon it, and getting upon it fall or tumble down. Thus he might hurt his foot or arm or breast or belly or head or some other part of his body; or he might kill or frighten or bruise or smash or crush or afflict or pain or dislocate all sorts

of living beings. Therefore he should not accept such-like food, &c., fetched from above. (1)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., which a layman, for the sake of the mendicant, has taken from a granary or vault by contorting himself up and down and horizontally; thinking that such-like food is brought from underground. (2)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., which is kept in earthenware. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: The layman might, for the sake of the mendicant, break the earthen vessel containing the food, &c., and thereby injure the earth-body; in the same way he might injure the fire-body, the wind-body, plants and animals; by putting it again (in earthenware), he commits the pakkhakamma sin. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should not accept food, &c., which is put in earthenware. (3)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., placed on the earth-body, the wind-body, the fire-body, for such food is impure and unacceptable. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: A layman might, for the sake of the mendicant, stir or brighten the fire, and taking the food, &c., down from it, might give it to the mendicant. Hence it has been said, &c., that he should accept no such food. (4)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour sees that a layman might, for the sake of the mendicant,

cool too hot food, &c., by blowing or fanning with a winnowing basket or fan or a palm leaf or a branch or a part of a branch or a bird's tail or a peacock's tail or a cloth or a corner of a cloth or the hand or the mouth, they should, after consideration, say (to the householder or his wife): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) do not blow or fan the hot food, &c., with a winnowing basket, &c.; but if you want to give it me, give it as it is.' After these words the other might give it after having blown or fanned it with a winnowing basket, &c.; such-like food they should not accept, because it is impure and unacceptable. (5)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., which is placed on vegetable or animal matter; for such food is impure and unacceptable. (6)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept water which has been used for watering flour or sesamum or rice, or any other such-like water which has been recently used for washing, which has not acquired a new taste, nor altered its taste or nature, nor has been strained; for such-like water is impure and unacceptable. But if it has long ago been used for washing, has acquired a new taste, has altered its taste or nature, and has been strained, it may be accepted, for it is pure and acceptable. (7)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour finds water used for washing sesamum, chaff or barley, or rainwater or sour gruel or pure water, they should, after consideration, say (to the householder or his wife): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) will you give

me some of this water?' Then the other may answer him: 'O long-lived Sramana! take it yourself by drawing it with, or pouring it in, your bowl!' Such-like water, whether taken by himself or given by the other, he may accept. (8)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept such water as has been taken from the bare ground, &c. cobwebs, or water which the layman fetches in a wet or moist or dirty vessel, mixing it with cold water.

This certainly is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (9)



EIGHTH LESSON.

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept juice of mangos, inspissated juice of mangos, juice of wood-apples, citrons, grapes, wild dates, pomegranates, cocoa-nuts, bamboos, jujubes, myrobalans, tamarinds, or any such-like liquor containing particles of the shell or skin or seeds, which liquor the layman, for the sake of the mendicant, pressed, strained, or filtered through a basket, cloth, or a cow's tail; for such liquor is impure and unacceptable. (1)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour smells, in travellers' houses or garden houses or householders' houses or maths, the scent of food or drink or sweet scents, they should not smell them, being indifferent against smell, and not eager or desirous or greedy or covetous of the pleasant smell. (2)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept raw things which are not yet modified by instruments, as bulbous roots, growing in water or dry ground, mustard stalks; for they are impure and unacceptable. The same holds good with regard to long pepper, ground long pepper, common pepper, ground common pepper, ginger or ground ginger. (3)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept such raw fruits which are not yet modified by instruments, as those of Mango, Amrataka, Ghigghira, Surabhi, Sallaki; for they, &c. (4)

The same holds good with regard to raw shoots which, &c., as those of Asvattha, Nyagrodha, Pilamkhu, Niyura, Sallaki. (5)

The same holds good with regard to raw berries which, &c., as those of Kapittha, pomegranate, or Pippala. (6)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept raw, powdered fruits which are not well ground and still contain small seeds, as those of Umbara, Pilamkhu, Nyagrodha, and Asvattha; for &c. (7)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept unripe wild rice, dregs, honey, liquor, ghee, or sediments of liquor, if these things be old or if living beings are engendered or grow or thrive in

them, or are not taken out, or killed or destroyed in them. (8)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept any such-like raw plants as Ikshumeru, Ankakarelu, Kaseru, Samghatika, Putialu. (9)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept any such-like (vegetables) as Nymphaea or stalk of Nymphaea or the bulb of Nelumbium or the upper part or the filament of Lotus or any part of the plant. (10)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept such-like raw substances as seeds or sprouts, growing on the top or the root or the stem or the knots (of a plant), likewise the pulp or blossoms of the plantain, cocoa-nut, wild date, and palmyra trees. (11)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept any such-like raw unmodified substances as sugar-cane, which is full of holes, or withering or peeling off or corroded by wolves; or the points of reeds or the pulp of plantains. (12)

The same holds good with regard to garlic or its leaves or stalk or bulb or integument. (13) Likewise with regard to cooked fruits of Atthiya, Tinduka, Vilva, Sriparni. (14)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept such raw, unmodified substances as corn, clumps of corn, cakes of corn, sesamum, ground sesamum, or cakes of sesamum.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (15)


NINTH LESSON.

In the east or west or south or north, there are some faithful householders, &c., (all down to) servants who will speak thus: 'It is not meet that these illustrious, pious, virtuous, eloquent, restrained, controlled, chaste ascetics, who have ceased from sensual intercourse, should eat or drink food, &c., which is adhakarmika]; let us give to the ascetics all food, &c., that is ready for our use, and let us, afterwards, prepare food for our own use.' Having heard such talk, the mendicant should not accept such-like food, &c., for it is impure and unacceptable. (1)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour or in their residence or on a pilgrimage from village to village, who know that in a village or scot-free town, &c., dwell a mendicant's nearer or remoter relations--viz. a householder or his wife, &c.--should not enter or leave such houses for the sake of food or drink. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: Seeing him, the other might, for his sake, procure or prepare food, &c. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should not enter or leave such houses for the sake of food or drink.

Knowing this, he should go apart and stay where no people pass or see him. In due time he may enter other houses, and having begged for alms which are acceptable and given out of respect for

his cloth, he may eat his dinner. If the other has, on the mendicant's timely entrance, procured or prepared food, &c., which is adhakarmika, he might silently examine it, and think: 'Why should I abstain from what has been brought.' As this would be sinful, he should not do so. But after consideration he should say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) as it is not meet that I should eat or drink food, &c., which is adhakarmika, do not procure or prepare it.' If after these words the other brings and gives him adhakarmika food which he has prepared, he should not accept such-like food, &c., for it is impure and unacceptable. (2)

When a monk or a nun on a begging-tour sees that meat or fish is being roasted, or oil cakes, for the sake of a guest, are being prepared, they should not, quickly approaching, address the householder; likewise if the food is prepared for the sake of a sick person. (3)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour might, of the received quantity of food, eat only the sweet-smelling parts and reject the bad-smelling ones. As this would be sinful, they should not do so; but they should consume everything, whether it be sweet smelling or bad smelling, and reject nothing. (4)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour might, of the received quantity of drink, imbibe only the well-flavoured part, and reject the astringent part. As this would be sinful, they should not do so; but they should consume everything, whether it be well flavoured or astringent, and reject nothing. (5)

A monk or a nun, having received a more than sufficient quantity of food, might reject (the superfluous part) without having considered or consulted

fellow-ascetics living in the neighbourhood, who follow the same rules of conduct, are agreeable and not to be shunned; as this would be sinful, they should not do so. Knowing this, they should go there and after consideration say: 'O long-lived Sramanas! this food, &c., is too much for me, eat it or drink it!' After these words the other might say: 'O long-lived Sramana! we shall eat or drink as much of this food or drink as we require; or, we require the whole, we shall eat or drink the whole.' (6)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept food, &c., which for the sake of another has been put before the door, if the householder has not permitted him to do so, or he gives it him; for such food, &c. But on the contrary he may accept it.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (7)


TENTH LESSON.

A single mendicant, having collected alms for many, might, without consulting his fellow-ascetics, give them to those whom he list; as this would be sinful, he should not do so. Taking the food, he should go there (where his teacher &c. is) and speak thus: 'O long-lived Sramana! there are near or remote (spiritual) relations of mine: a teacher, a sub-teacher, a religious guide, a Sthavira, a head of a Gana, a Ganadhara, a founder of a Gana; forsooth, I shall give it them.' The other may answer him: 'Well now, indeed, O long-lived one! give such a portion!' As much as the other commands, thus much he should give; if the other commands the whole, he should give the whole. (1)

A single mendicant, having collected agreeable food, might cover it with distasteful food, thinking: 'The teacher or sub-teacher, &c., seeing what I have received, might take it himself; indeed, I shall not give anything to anybody!' As this would be sinful, he should not do so.

Knowing this, he should go there (where the other mendicants are), should put the vessel in his out-stretched hand, show it (with the words): Ah, this! ah, this!' and hide nothing. (2)

A single mendicant, having received some food, might eat what is good, and bring what is discoloured and tasteless; as this would be sinful, he should not do so. (3)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept any part of the sugar-cane, whether small or large, pea-pods, seed-pods, of which articles a small part only can be eaten, and the greater part must be rejected; for such things are impure and unacceptable. (4)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept meat or fish containing many bones, so that only a part of it can be eaten and the greater part must be rejected; for such meat or fish, &c., is impure and unacceptable. (5)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour may be invited to meat or fish containing many bones, (by the householder who addresses him thus): 'O long-lived Sramana! will you accept meat with many bones?' Hearing such a communication, he should

say, after consideration: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) it is not meet for me to accept meat with many bones; if you want to give me a portion of whatever size, give it me; but not the bones!' If after these words the other (i.e. the householder) should fetch meat containing many bones, put it in a bowl and return with it, (the mendicant) should not accept such a bowl, whether out of the other's hand or a vessel; for it is impure and unacceptable. But if he has inadvertently accepted it, he should not say: 'No, away, take it!' Knowing this, he should go apart, and in a garden or an upasraya, where there are few eggs, &c., (all down t o) cobwebs, eat the meat or fish, and taking the bones, he should resort to a secluded spot and leave them on a heap of ashes, &c.. (6)

If a householder should fetch fossil salt or sea salt, put it in a bowl and return with it, a monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not accept it out of the other's hand or vessel; for, &c.

But if he has inadvertently accepted it, he should return with it to the householder, if he is not yet too far away, and say, after consideration: 'Did you give me this with your full knowledge or without it?' He might answer: I did give it without my full knowledge; but indeed, O long-lived one! I now give it you; consume it or divide it (with others)!'

Then being permitted by, and having received it from, the householder, he should circumspectly eat it or drink it, and what he cannot eat or drink he

should share with his fellow-ascetics in the neighbourhood, who follow the same rules of conduct, are agreeable, and not to be shunned; but if there are no fellow-ascetics, the same should be done as in case one has received too much food.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (7)

ELEVENTH LESSON.

Some mendicants say unto (others) who follow the same rules of conduct, or live in the same place, or wander from village to village, if they have received agreeable food and another mendicant falls sick: 'Take it! give it him! if the sick mendicant will not eat it, thou mayst eat it.' But he (who is ordered to bring the food) thinking, 'I shall eat it myself,' covers it and shows it (saying): This is the lump of food, it is rough to the taste, it is pungent, it is bitter, it is astringent, it is sour, it is sweet; there is certainly nothing in it fit for a sick person.' As this would be sinful, he should not do so. But he should show him which parts are not fit for a sick person (saying): 'This particle is pungent, this one bitter, this one astringent, this one sour, this one sweet.' (1)

Some mendicants say unto (others) who follow the same rules of conduct, or live in the same place, or wander from village to village, if they have received agreeable food and another mendicant falls sick: 'Take it! give it him! if the mendicant will not eat it, bring it to us!' 'If nothing prevents me, I shall

bring it.' (Then he might act as stated in  section 1, which would be sinful.) (2)

For the avoidance of these occasions to sin there are seven rules for begging food and as many for begging drink, to be known by the mendicants.

Now, this is the first rule for begging food. Neither hand nor vessel are wet: with such a hand or vessel he may accept as pure, food, &c., for which he himself begs or which the other gives him. That is the first rule for begging food. (3)

Now follows the second rule for begging food. The hand and the vessel are wet. The rest as in the preceding rule. That is the second rule for begging food. (4)

Now follows the third rule for begging food. In the east, &c., there are several faithful householders, &c., (all down to) servants: they have put (food) in some of their various vessels, as a pan, a pot, a winnowing basket, a basket, a precious vessel. Now (the mendicant) should again know: is the hand not wet and the vessel wet; or the hand wet and the vessel not wet? If he collect alms with an alms-bowl or with his hand, he should say, after consideration: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) with your not-wet hand, or with your wet vessel, put (alms) in this my bowl, or hand, and give it me!' Such-like food, for which he himself begs or which the other gives him, he may accept; for it is pure and acceptable. That is the third rule for begging food. (5)

Now follows the fourth rule for begging food. A

monk or a nun may accept flattened grains, &c., for which they beg themselves or which the other gives them, if it be such as to require little cleaning or taking out (of chaff); for it is pure, &c. That is the fourth rule for begging food. (6)

Now follows the fifth rule for begging food. A monk or a nun may accept food which is offered on a plate or a copper cup or any vessel, if the moisture on the hands of the giver is almost dried up; for, &c. That is the fifth rule for begging food. (7)

Now follows the sixth rule for begging food. A monk or a nun may accept food which had been taken up from the ground, either taken up for one's own sake or accepted for the sake of somebody else, whether it be placed in a vessel or in the hand; for, &c. That is the sixth rule for begging food. (8)

Now follows the seventh rule for begging food. A monk or a nun may accept food of which only a part may be used, and which is not wanted by bipeds, quadrupeds, Sramanas, Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars, whether they beg for it themselves, or the householder gives it them. That is the seventh rule for begging food. (9)

These are the seven rules for begging food; now follow the seven rules for begging drink. They are, however, the same as those about food, only the fourth gives this precept: A monk or a nun may accept as drink water which has been used for watering flour or sesamum, &c., if it be such as to require little cleaning and taking out (of impure) articles; for, &c. (10)

One who has adopted one of these seven rules for begging food or drink should not say: 'These reverend persons have chosen a wrong rule, I alone

have rightly chosen.' (But he should say): 'These reverend persons, who follow these rules, and I who follow that rule, we all exert ourselves according to the commandment of the Gina, and we respect each other accordingly.'

This certainly is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (11)


SECOND LECTURE,  

CALLED  

BEGGING FOR A COUCH  

FIRST LESSON.

If a monk or a nun want to ask for a lodging, and having entered a village or scot-free town, &c., conceive that lodging to contain eggs, living beings, &c., they should not use it for religious postures, night's-rest, or study. (1)

But if the lodging contains only few eggs or few living beings, &c., they may, after having inspected and cleaned it, circumspectly use it for religious postures, &c. Now, if they conceive that the householder, for the sake of a Nirgrantha and on behalf of a fellow-ascetic (male or female, one or many), gives a lodging which he has bought or stolen or taken, though it was not to be taken nor given, but was taken by force, by acting sinfully towards all sorts of living beings, they should not use for religious postures, &c., such a lodging which has been appropriated by the giver himself, &c..

The same holds good if there be instead of a fellow-ascetic many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars. But if the lodging has been

appropriated by another man than the giver, &c., they may, after having inspected and cleaned it, circumspectly use it for religious postures, &c. (2)

A monk or a nun, knowing that the layman has, for the sake of the mendicant, matted the lodging, whitewashed it, strewn it (with grass, &c.), smeared it (with cowdung), levelled, smoothed, or perfumed it (or the floor of it), should not use that lodging, which has been prepared by the giver himself, &c., for religious postures. But if it has been prepared by another person, &c., they may circumspectly use it for religious postures. (3)

A monk or a nun, knowing that a layman will, for the sake of a mendicant, make small doors large, &c. spread his couch or place it outside, should not use such a lodging which has been appropriated by the giver himself, &c., for religious postures, &c. But if it has been appropriated by another person, &c., they may circumspectly use it for religious postures, &c. (4)

Again, a monk or a nun, knowing that the layman, for the sake of the mendicant, removes from one place to another, or places outside, bulbs or roots or leaves or flowers or fruits or seeds or grass-blades of water plants, should not use such a lodging, which is appropriated by the giver himself, for religious postures, &c. But if it has been prepared by another person, &c., they may circumspectly use it for religious postures, &c. (5)

A monk or a nun, knowing that the layman, for the sake of the mendicant, removes from one place to another, or places outside, a chair or a board or a ladder or a mortar, should not use such a lodging-place, &c. (all as at the end of the last paragraph). (6)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging-place above ground, as a pillar or a raised platform or a scaffold or a second story or a flat roof, likewise no underground place (except under urgent circumstances). If by chance they are thus lodged, they should there not wash or clean their hands or feet or eyes or teeth or mouth with hot or cold water; nor should they put forth there any other secretion, as excrements, urine, saliva, mucus, bilious humour, ichor, blood, or any other part of the bodily humours.

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: Making secretions he might stumble or fall; stumbling or falling he might hurt his hand, &c., or any other limb of his body, or kill, &c., all sorts of living beings. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should use no above-ground lodging-place for religious postures, &c. (7)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour should not use, for religious postures, a lodging-place used by the householder, in which there are women, children, cattle, food, and drink. This is the reason: A mendicant living together with a householder's family may have an attack of gout, dysentery, or vomiting; or some other pain, illness, or disease may befall him; the layman might, out of compassion, smear or anoint the mendicant's body with oil or ghee or butter or grease, rub or shampoo it with perfumes, drugs, lodhra, dye, powder, padmaka, then brush or rub it clean; clean, wash, or sprinkle it with hot or cold water, kindle or light a fire by rubbing wood on wood; and having done so, he might dry or warm (the mendicant's body).

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c.,

that he should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging-place which is used by the householder. (8)

This is (another) reason: While a mendicant lives in a lodging used by the householder, the householder or his wife, &c., might bully, scold, attack or beat each other. Then the mendicant might direct his mind to approval or dislike.: 'Let them bully each other!' or, 'Let them not bully each other!' &c. &c.

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should not use, for religious postures, &c., a lodging-place used by the householder. (9)

This is (another) reason: While the mendicant lives together with householders, the householder might, for his own sake, kindle or light or extinguish a fire-body. Then the mendicant might direct his mind to approval or dislike: Let them kindle or light or extinguish a fire-body;' or, 'Let them not do so.'

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c. (see above). (10)

This is (another) reason: While the mendicant lives together with householders, he might see the householder's earrings or girdle or jewels or pearls or gold and silver or bracelets (those round the wrist and those round the upper arm) or necklaces (those consisting of three strings, or those reaching halfway down the body, or those consisting of eighty

strings or forty strings or one string or strings of pearls, golden beads or jewels) or a decked or ornamented girl or maiden. Thus the mendicant might direct his mind to approval or dislike: 'Let her be thus;' or, 'Let her not be thus.' So he might say, so he might think. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c. (see above). (11)

This is (another) reason: While a mendicant lives together with householders, the householder's wives, daughters, daughters-in-law, nurses, slave-girls or servant-girls might say: 'These reverend Sramanas, &c., have ceased from sexual intercourse; it behoves them not to indulge in sexual intercourse: whatever woman indulges with them in sexual intercourse, will have a strong, powerful, illustrious, glorious, victorious son of heavenly beauty.' Hearing and perceiving such talk, one of them might induce the mendicant ascetic to indulge in sexual intercourse.

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging used by the householder.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (12)
 

SECOND LESSON.

Some householders are of clean habits and the mendicants, because they never bathe, are covered with uncleanliness; they smell after it, they smell badly, they are disagreeable, they are loathsome. Hence the householders, with regard to the mendicant, put off some work which otherwise they would have done before, and do some work which otherwise they would have put off.

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c.,

that he should not use, for religious postures, &c., a lodging used by the householder. (1)

This is the reason: While a mendicant lives together with householders, the householder might, for his own sake, have prepared something to eat. Then, afterwards, he might, for the sake of the mendicant, prepare or dress food, &c., and the mendicant might desire to eat or drink or swallow it.

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c. (see above). (2)

This is the reason: While the mendicant lives together with a householder, there may be ready wood cleft for the use of the householder. Then, afterwards, (the householder) might, for the sake of the mendicant, cleave or buy or steal wood, kindle or light, by rubbing wood on wood, the fire-body, and the mendicant might desire to dry or warm himself at, or enjoy, the fire.

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c. (see above). (3)

When in the night or twilight a mendicant, to ease nature, leaves the door open, a thief, watching for an occasion, might enter. It is not meet for the mendicant to say: This thief enters or does not enter, he hides himself or does not hide himself, he creeps in or does not creep in, he speaks or does not speak; he has taken it, another has taken it, it is taken from that man; this is the thief, this is the accomplice, this is the murderer, he has done so. The householder will suspect the ascetic, the mendicant,

who is not a thief, to be the thief. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c. (4)

A monk or a nun should not use, for religious postures, &c., sheds of grass or straw which contain eggs, living beings, &c. But they may do so if they contain few eggs, few living beings, &c. (5)

A mendicant should not stay in halting-places, garden houses, family houses, monasteries, where many fellow-ascetics are frequently arriving.

1. If the reverend persons continue to live in those places after staying there for a month in the hot or cold seasons or for the rainy season (he should say): 'O long-lived one! you sin by overstaying the fixed time.' (6)

2. If the reverend persons repeatedly live in halting-places, &c., after staying there for the proper time, without passing two or three intermediate months somewhere else, (he should say): 'O long-lived one! you sin by repeating your retreat in the same place.' (7)

3. Here, in the east, west, north, or south, there are, forsooth, some faithful householders, householders' wives, &c., who are not well acquainted with the rules of monastic life (with regard to the fitness of lodging-places); nevertheless they believe in, perceive, are convinced of, (the merit of) giving lodging to mendicants. They (accordingly) give lodging-places for the sake of many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars, in workshops, chapels, temples, assembly halls, wells, houses or halls for shopkeeping or for keeping or building carriages, distilleries, houses where Darbha-grass,

bark, trees, wood or charcoal are being worked, houses on burial-places, rooms for retirement near the place of sacrifice, empty houses, hill-houses, caves, stone-houses, or palaces. He should say to those reverend persons who live in such-like places as workshops, &c., together with other guests: 'O long-lived one! you sin by living in a place frequented by other sectarians.' (8)

4. Here, in the east, &c. They accordingly give, &c. (all as in  section8 down to) palaces. If the mendicants come there while the other religious men do not come there, they sin by living in a place not frequented by other mendicants. (9)

5. In the east, west, north, or south there are faithful householders, viz. a householder or his wife, &c., who will speak thus: 'It is not meet that these illustrious, pious, virtuous, eloquent, controlled, chaste ascetics, who have ceased from sexual intercourse, should dwell in a lodging which is adhakarmika: let us give to the mendicants the lodgings which are ready for our use, viz. workshops, &c., and let us, afterwards, prepare lodgings for our own use, viz. workshops, &c.' Hearing and perceiving such talk, if the reverend persons frequent such-like lodgings, viz. workshops, &c., and live in them which are ceded by other people (they should be warned): 'O long-lived one! that (lodging is infected by the sin called) vargakriya.' (10)

6. Here, in the east, &c. they give lodging-places for the sake of many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars, after having well counted them, in workshops, &c.

 If the reverend persons frequent such-like lodgings, viz. workshops, &c., and live in them which are ceded by other people (they should be warned): 'O long-lived one! that (lodging is infected by the sin called) mahavargakriya.' (11)

7. Here, in the east, &c. They accordingly give, for the sake of many sorts of Sramanas, after having well counted them, lodging-places, viz. workshops, &c. If the reverend persons frequent such-like lodgings, viz. workshops, &c., and live in them which are ceded by other people (they should be warned): 'O long-lived one! that (lodging is infected by the sin called) savadyakriya.' (12)

8. Here, in the east, &c. They accordingly prepare, for the sake of one sort of Sramanas, lodgings, viz. workshops, &c., for which purpose great injury is done to the earth, water, fire, wind-bodies, plants, and animals, great injury, great cruelty, great and manifold sinful acts; by wasting cold water or strewing (the ground), smearing it with cowdung, shutting the doors and securing the bed, lighting a fire. If the reverend persons frequent such-like lodgings, viz. workshops, &c., and lead in such ceded lodgings an ambiguous life (they should be warned): 'O long-lived one! that (lodging is infected by the sin called) mahasavadyakriya.' (is)

9. But if the lodgings, viz. workshops, &c., are

prepared by the householders for their own sake under the same circumstances as detailed in the preceding paragraph, and the reverend persons frequent such-like lodgings, they lead, in those lodgings, an unambiguous life. 'O long-lived one! that (lodging is infected by the very small sin called) alpasavadyakriya.'

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (14)

  

THIRD LESSON.

'It is difficult to obtain pure, acceptable alms; it is indeed not free from such preparations as strewing the ground (with Darbha-grass), smearing it (with cowdung), shutting the doors and securing the beds. And he (the mendicant) delights in pilgrimage, religious exercises, study, begging for a bed, a couch, or other alms.'

Some mendicants explain thus (the requisites of a lodging); they are called upright, searching after liberation, practising no deceit.

Some householders (who, having learned the requisites of a lodging-place, fit one out accordingly, try to deceive the mendicants, saying): 'This lodging, which we offer you, has been assigned to you, it has been originally prepared for our sake, or for the sake of some relations, it has been used, it has been relinquished.'

Explaining thus, he truly explains. (The teacher says): Well, he is (an explainer of the truth). (1)

If a mendicant, at night or at the twilight, leaves or enters a small lodging, one with a small door, a low or crammed lodging, (he should put forward) first his hand, then his foot, and thus circumspectly leave or enter it.

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: There might be a badly bound, badly placed, badly fastened, loose umbrella, pot, stick, staff, robe, hide, leather boots or piece of leather belonging to Sramanas or Brahmanas; and the mendicant, when leaving or entering (the lodging) at night or twilight, might stumble or fall; stumbling or falling he might hurt his hand or foot, &c., kill, &c., all sorts of living beings.

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that one (should put forward) first the hand, then the foot, and thus circumspectly leave or enter such a lodging. (2)

He (the mendicant) should, at halting-places, &c., ask for a lodging-place, after having inquired who is the landlord or who is the tenant. H e should ask permission to use the lodging-place in this way: 'By your favour, O long-lived one! we shall dwell here for a while (for the time and in the place) which you will concede.' (If the landlord should object and say that he owns the lodging for a limited time only, or if he asks for the number of monks for which the lodging is required, he should answer): 'As long as this lodging belongs to you, (or) for the sake of as

many fellow-ascetics (as shall stand in need of it), we shall occupy the lodging; afterwards we shall take to wandering.' (3)

A monk or a nun may know the name and gotra of him in whose lodging he lives; in that case they should not accept food, &c., in that house whether invited or not invited; for it is impure and unacceptable. (4)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging-place which is used by the householder, which contains fire or water; for it is not fit for a wise man to enter or leave it, &c.. (5)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging for which they have to pass through the householder's abode, or to which there is no road; for it is not fit, &c. (see last paragraph). (6)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging where the householder or his wife, &c., might bully or scold, &c., each other; for it is not fit, &c. (7)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging where the householder or his wife, &c., rub or anoint each other's body with oil or ghee or butter or grease; for it is not fit, &c. (8)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging where the householder or his wife, &c., rub or shampoo each other's body with perfumes, ground drugs, powder, lodhra, &c.; for it is not fit, &c. (9)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging where the householder or his

wife, &c., clean, wash, or sprinkle each other's body with cold or hot water; for it is not fit, &c. (10)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging where the householder or his wife, &c., go about naked or hide themselves, or talk about sexual pleasures, or discuss a secret plan; for it is not fit, &c. (11)

A monk or a nun should not use for religious postures, &c., a lodging which is a much-frequented playground; for it is not fit, &c. (12)

1. If a monk or a nun wish to beg for a couch, they should not accept one which they recognise full of eggs, living beings, &c. (13)

2. If the couch is free from eggs, living beings, but is heavy, they should not accept such a couch. (14)

3. If the couch is free from eggs, living beings, light, but not movable, they should not accept such a couch. (15)

4. If the couch is free from eggs, living beings, &c., light, movable, but not well tied, they should not accept such a couch. (16)

5. If the couch is free from eggs, living beings, light, movable, and well tied, they may accept such a couch. (17)

For the avoidance of these occasions to sin there are four rules, according to which the mendicant should beg for a couch.

Now this is the first rule for begging for a couch.

If a monk or a nun beg for a couch, specifying (its quality), viz. one of Ikkata-reed, a hard one, one of Gantuka-grass, of Para-grass, of peacock feathers, of hay, of Kusa-grass, of brush-hair, of Pakkaka, of Pippala, of straw, they should, after consideration, say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) please give me this here!' If the householder prepares one of the above-specified couches, or if the mendicant asks himself, and the householder gives it, then he may accept it as pure and acceptable.

This is the first rule. (18)

Now follows the second rule.

If a monk or a nun beg for a couch (of the above-detailed description) after having well inspected it, they should, after consideration, say: 'O long-lived one! &c.' (all as in the first rule).

This is the second rule. (19)

If a monk or a nun beg for a couch of the above-detailed description, viz. one of Ikkata-grass, &c., from him in whose house he lives, they may use it if they get it; if not, they should remain in a squatting or sitting posture (for the whole night).

This is the third rule. (20)

Now follows the fourth rule.

If a monk or a nun beg for a couch such as it is spread, either on the ground or on a wooden plank, they may use it if they get it; if not, they

should remain in a squatting or sitting posture (for the whole night).

This is the fourth rule. (21)

A monk who has adopted one of these four rules, should not say, &c. (all as in II, 1, 11,  section 12, down to) we respect each other accordingly. (22)

If a monk or a nun wish to give back a couch, they should not do so, if the couch contains eggs, living beings, &c. But if it contains few living beings, &c., they may restrainedly do so, after having well inspected, swept, and dried it. (23)

A monk or a nun on a begging-tour or in a residence or on a pilgrimage from village to village should first inspect the place for easing nature. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: If a monk or a nun, in the night or the twilight, ease nature in a place which they have not previously inspected, they might stumble or fall, stumbling or falling they might hurt the hand or foot, &c., kill, &c., all sorts of living beings. (24)

A monk or a nun might wish to inspect the ground for their couch away from that occupied by a teacher or sub-teacher, &c., or by a young one or an old one or a novice or a sick man or a guest, either at the end or in the middle, either on even or uneven ground, or at a place where there is a draught or where there is no draught. They should then well inspect and sweep

 (the floor), and circumspectly spread a perfectly pure bed or couch. (25)

Having spread a perfectly pure bed or couch, a monk or a nun might wish to ascend it. When doing so, they should first wipe their body from head to heels; then they may circumspectly ascend the perfectly pure bed or couch, and circumspectly sleep in it. (26)

A monk or a nun sleeping in a perfectly pure bed or couch (should have placed it at such a distance from the next one's) that they do not touch their neighbour's hand, foot, or body with their own hand, foot, or body; and not touching it, should circumspectly sleep in their perfectly pure bed or couch. (27)

Before inhaling or breathing forth, or coughing or sneezing or yawning or vomiting or eructating, a monk or a nun should cover their face or the place where it lies; then they may circumspectly inhale or breathe forth, &c. (28)

Whether his lodging be even or uneven; full of, or free from, draughts; full of, or free from, dust; full of, or free from, flies and gnats; full of, or free from, dangers and troubles--in any such-like lodging one should contentedly stay, nor take offence at anything.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (29)

THIRD LECTURE,  

CALLED  

WALKING.  

FIRST LESSON.

When the rainy season has come and it is raining, many living beings are originated and many seeds just spring up, the roads between (different places) contain many living beings, seeds, &c., the footpaths are not used, the roads are not recognisable. Knowing this (state of things) one should not wander from village to village, but remain during the rainy season in one place. (1)

When a monk or a nun knows that in a village or scot-free town, &c., there is no large place for religious practices nor for study; that there cannot easily be obtained a stool, bench, bed, or couch, nor pure, acceptable alms; that there have come or will come many Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars; that the means of existence are extremely small; that it is not fit for a wise man to enter or leave it, &c.; in such a village, scot-free town, &c., they should not remain during the cold season. (2)

When a monk or a nun knows that in a village or scot-free town, &c., there is a large place for religious practices or for study; that there can easily

be obtained a stool, bench, bed, or couch, or pure, acceptable alms; that there have not come nor will come Sramanas and Brahmanas, guests, paupers, and beggars; that the means of existence are not small, &c., they may remain in such a village, &c., during the rainy season. (3)

Now they should know this: After the four months of the rainy season are over, and five or ten days of the winter have passed, they should not wander from village to village, if the road contains many living beings, &c., and if many Sramanas and Brahmanas, &c., do not yet travel. (4)

But if after the same time the road contains few living beings, and many Sramanas and Brahmanas, &c., travel, they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (5)

A monk or a nun wandering from village to village should look forward for four cubits, and seeing animals they should move on by walking on his toes or heels or the sides of his feet. If there be some bypath, they should choose it, and not go straight on; then they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (6)

A monk or a nun wandering from village to village, on whose way there are living beings, seeds, grass, water, or mud, should not go straight if there be an unobstructed byway; then they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (7)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, whose road (lies through) places belonging to borderers, robbers, Mlekkhas, non-Aryan people, half-civilised people,

unconverted people, people who rise or eat at an improper time, should, if there be some other place for walking about or friendly districts, not choose the former road for their voyage. (8)

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: The ignorant populace might bully, beat, &c., the mendicant, in the opinion that he is a thief or a spy, or that he comes from yonder (hostile village); or they might take away, cut off, steal or rob his robe, alms-bowl, mantle, or broom. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that one whose road (lies through) places belonging, &c. (all as in the last paragraph); then he may circumspectly wander from village to village. (9)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, whose road (lies through) a country where there is no king or many kings or an unanointed king or two governments or no government or a weak government, should, if there be some other place for walking about or friendly districts, not choose the former road for their voyage. The Kevalin says: This is the reason: The ignorant populace might bully or beat, &c., the mendicant, &c.. (10)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, whose road lies through a forest which they are not certain of crossing in one or two or three or four or five days, should, if there be some other place for walking about or friendly districts, not choose the former road for their voyage. (11)

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: During

the rain (he might injure) living beings, mildew, seeds, grass, water, mud. Hence it has been said to the mendicant that one whose road lies through such a forest, &c. (all as in the last paragraph) then he may circumspectly wander from village to village. (12)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, on whose way there is some watercourse which must be crossed by a boat, should not ascend such a boat which plies up or down or across (the river), neither for one yogana's or half a yogana's distance, neither for a shorter nor a longer voyage, if they know that the householder will buy or purloin the boat, or doing the work necessary to put the boat in order, pull it ashore out of the water, or push it from the shore into the water, or bale it, if it is filled (with water), or cause a sinking boat to float. (13)

A monk or a nun, knowing that a boat will cross the river, should, after having received the owner's permission, step apart, examine their outfit, put aside their provender, wipe their body from head to heels, reject the householder's food, and putting one foot in the water and the other in the air, they should circumspectly enter the boat. (14)

A monk or a nun in entering the boat should not choose for that purpose the stern or the prow or the middle of the boat; nor should they look at it holding up their arms, pointing at it with their finger, bowing up and down. (15)

If, on board, the boatman should say to the monk, 'O long-lived Sramana! pull the boat forward or backward,

or push it, or draw it with the rope towards you, or, let us do it together,' he should not comply with his request, but look on silently. (16)

If, on board, the other should say to him, 'O long-lived Sramana! you cannot pull the boat forward or backward, or push it, or draw it with a rope towards you; give us the rope, we will ourselves pull the boat forward or backward, &c.,' he should not comply with his request, but look on silently. (17)

If, on board, the other should say to him, 'O long-lived Sramana! if you can, pull the boat by the oar, the rudder, the pole, and other nautical instruments,' he should not comply with his request, but look on silently. (18)

If, on board, the other should say to him, 'O long-lived Sramana! please, lade out the water with your hand, or pitcher, or vessel, or alms-bowl, or bucket,' he should not comply with his request, but look on silently. (19)

If, on board, the other should say to him, 'O long-lived Sramana! please, stop the boat's leak with your hand, foot, arm, thigh, belly, head, body, the bucket, or a cloth, or with mud, Kusa-grass, or lotus leaves,' he should not comply with his request, but look on silently. (20)

If a monk or a nun see that water enters through a leak in the boat, and the boat becomes dirty all over, they should not approach the boatman and say: 'O long-lived householder! water enters through a leak into the boat, and it becomes dirty all over.'

 One should not think so or speak so; but undisturbed, the mind not directed outwardly, one should collect one's self for contemplation; then one may circumspectly complete one's journey by the boat on the water.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (21)

 

SECOND LESSON.

If, on board, the boatman should say to the mendicant, 'O long-lived Sramana! please, take this umbrella, pot, &c., hold these various dangerous instruments, let this boy or girl drink,' he should not comply with his request, but look on silently. (1)

If, on board, the boatman should say to another of the crew, 'O long-lived one! this Sramana is only a heavy load for the boat, take hold of him with your arms and throw him into the water!' hearing and perceiving such talk, he should, if he wears clothes, quickly take them off or fasten them or put them in a bundle on his head. (2)

Now he may think: These ruffians, accustomed to violent acts, might take hold of me and throw me from the boat into the water. He should first say to them: 'O long-lived householders! don't take hold of me with your arms and throw me into the water! I myself shall leap from the boat into the water!' If after these words the other, by force and violence, takes hold of him with his arms and throws him into the water, he should be neither glad nor sorry, neither in high nor low spirits, nor should he offer

violent resistance to those ruffians; but undisturbed, his mind not directed to outward things, &c., he may circumspectly swim in the water. (3)

A monk or a nun, swimming in the water, should not touch (another person's or their own?) hand, foot, or body with their own hand, foot, or body; but without touching it they should circumspectly swim in the water. (4)

A monk or a nun, swimming in the water, should not dive up or down, lest water should enter into their ears, eyes, nose, or mouth; but they should circumspectly swim in the water. (5)

If a monk or a nun, swimming in the water, should be overcome by weakness, they should throw off their implements (clothes, &c.), either all or a part of them, and not be attached to them. Now they should know this: If they are able to get out of the water and reach the bank, they should circumspectly remain on the bank with a wet or moist body. (6)

A monk or a nun should not wipe or rub or brush or stroke or dry or warm or heat (in the sun) their body. But when they perceive that the water on their body has dried up, and the moisture is gone, they may wipe or rub, &c., their body in that state; then they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (7)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage should not wander from village to village, conversing with householders; they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (8)

If a monk or a nun on the pilgrimage come

across a shallow water, they should first wipe their body from head to heels, then, putting one foot in the water and the other in the air, they should wade through the shallow water in a straight line. (9)

If a monk or a nun on the pilgrimage come across a shallow water, they should wade through it in a straight line, without being touched by or touching (another person's or their own?) hand, foot, or body with their own hand, foot, or body. (10)

A monk or a nun, wading through shallow water in a straight line, should not plunge in deeper water for the sake of pleasure or the heat; but they should circumspectly wade through the shallow water in a straight line. Now they should know this: If one is able to get out of the water and reach the bank, one should circumspectly remain on the bank with a wet or moist body. (11)

A monk or a nun should not wipe or rub, &c.. (12)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, with their feet soiled with mud, should not, in order that the grass might take off the mud from the feet, walk out of the way and destroy the grass by cutting, trampling, and tearing it. As this would be sinful, they should not do so. But they should first inspect a path containing little grass; then they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (13)

If a monk or a nun on the pilgrimage come upon walls or ditches or ramparts or gates or bolts

or holes to fit them, or moats or caves, they should, in case there be a byway, choose it, and not go on straight. (14)

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: Walking there, the mendicant might stumble or fall down; when he stumbles or falls down, he might get hold of trees, shrubs, plants, creepers, grass, copsewood, or sprouts to extricate himself. He should ask travellers who meet him, to lend a hand; then he may circumspectly lean upon it and extricate himself; so he may circumspectly wander from village to village. (15)

If a monk or a nun perceive in their way (transports of) corn, waggons, cars, a friendly or hostile army, some encamped troops, they should, in case there be a byway, circumspectly choose it, and not walk on straight. One trooper might say to another: 'O long-lived one! this Sramana is a spy upon the army; take hold of him with your arms, and drag him hither!' The other might take hold of the mendicant with his arms and drag him on. He should neither be glad nor sorry for it, &c.; then he may circumspectly wander from village to village. (16)

If on his road travellers meet him and say, 'O long-lived Sramana! how large is this village or scot-free town, &c.? how many horses, elephants, beggars, men dwell in it? is there much food, water, population, corn? is there little food, water, population, corn?' he should not answer such questions if asked, nor ask them himself.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (17)



THIRD LESSON.

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, in whose way there are walls or ditches or ramparts or gates, &c.,  section 14), hill houses, palaces, underground houses, houses in trees, mountain caves, a sacred tree or pillar, workshops, &c., should not look at them holding up their arms, pointing at them with their fingers, bowing up and down. Then they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (1)

A monk or a nun on the pilgrimage, on whose way there are marshes, pasture-grounds, moats, fortified places, thickets, strongholds in thickets, woods, mountains, strongholds on mountains, caves, tanks, lakes, rivers, ponds, lotus ponds, long winding ponds, water-sheets, rows of water-sheets, should not look at them holding up their arms, &c.. (2)

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: The deer, cattle, birds, snakes, animals living in water, on land, in the air might be disturbed or frightened, and strive to get to a fold or (other place of) refuge, (thinking): 'The Sramana will harm me!'

Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should not look at the objects (mentioned in  section 2) holding up his arms, &c. (3)

A monk or a nun, wandering from village to village together with the master or teacher, should not touch the master's or teacher's hand with their own, &c.; but without touching or being touched they should circumspectly wander from village to village together with the master or teacher. (4)

A monk or a nun, wandering from village to village together with the master or teacher, might be met on the road by travellers and asked: 'O long-lived Sramana! who are you? whence do you come, and where do you go?' The master or teacher may answer and explain; but whilst the master or teacher answers and explains, one should not mix in their conversation. Thus they may wander from village to village with a superior priest. (5)

A monk or a nun, wandering from village to village with a superior priest, should not touch the superior's hand with their own, &c.. (6).

A monk or a nun, wandering from village to village with superior priests, might be met on the road by travellers, and be asked: 'O long-lived Sramana! who are you?' He who has the highest rank of them all, should answer and explain; but whilst the superior answers and explains, one should not mix in their conversation, &c.. (7)

A monk or a nun, wandering from village to village, might be met on the road by travellers, and be asked: 'O long-lived Sramana! did you see somebody on the road? viz. a man, cow, buffalo, cattle, bird, snake, or aquatic animal--tell us, show

us!' The mendicant should not tell it, nor show it, he should not comply with their request, but look on silently, or, though knowing it, he should say that he did not know. Then he may circumspectly wander from village to village. (8)

He should act in the same manner, if asked about bulbs of water-plants, roots, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, water in the neighbourhood, or a kindled fire; (9)

Likewise, if asked about (transports of) corn, waggons, cars, &c.. (10)

Likewise, if asked: 'O long-lived Sramana! how large is this village or scot-free town, &c.?' (11)

Likewise, if asked: 'O long-lived Sramana! How far is it to that village or scot-free town, &c.?' (12)

If a monk or a nun, wandering from village to village, sees a vicious cow coming towards them, &c., they should not, from fear of them, leave the road, or go into another road, nor enter a thicket, wood, or stronghold, nor climb a tree, nor take a plunge in a large and extended water-sheet, nor desire a fold or any other place of refuge, or an army or a caravan; but undisturbed, the mind not directed to outward things, they should collect themselves for contemplation; thus they may circumspectly wander from village to village. (13)

If the road of a monk or a nun on the pilgrimage lies through a forest, in which, as they know, there stroll bands of many thieves desirous of their property, they should not, for fear of them, leave the road, &c.. (14)

If these thieves say, 'O long-lived Sramana! bring us your clothes, &c., give them, put them down!' the mendicant should not give or put them down.

 Nor should he reclaim (his things) by imploring (the thieves), or by folding his hands, or by moving their compassion, but by religious exhortation or by remaining silent. (15)

If the thieves, resolving to do it themselves, bully him, &c., tear off his clothes, &c., he should not lodge an information in the village or at the king's palace; nor should he go to a layman, and say, 'O long-lived householder! these thieves, resolving to do (the robbing) themselves, have bullied me, &c., they have torn off my clothes,' &c. He should neither think so, nor speak so; but undisturbed, &c..

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (16)

FOURTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

MODES OF SPEECH.  

FIRST LESSON.

A monk or a nun, hearing and perceiving these uses of speech, should know that the following ones are not to be employed and have not hitherto been employed (by persons of exemplary conduct); those who speak in wrath or in pride, for deception or for gain, who speak, knowingly or unknowingly, hard words. They should avoid all this, which is blamable. Employing their judgment, they should know something for certain and something for uncertain: (1) (N. N.) having received food or not having received food, having eaten it or not having eaten it, has come or has not come, comes or does not come, will come or will not come. (2)

Well considering (what one is to say), speaking with precision, one should employ language in moderation and restraint: the singular, dual, plural; feminine, masculine, neuter gender; praise, blame,

praise mixed with blame, blame mixed with praise; past, present, or future (tenses), the first and second, or third (person). If one thinks it necessary to speak in the singular, he should speak in the singular; if he thinks it necessary to speak in the plural, he should speak in the plural, &c. Considering well: this is a woman, this is a man, this is a eunuch, this is to be called thus, this is to be called otherwise, speaking with precision, he should employ language in moderation and restraint. (3)

For the avoidance of these occasions to sin, a mendicant should know that there are four kinds of speech: the first is truth; the second is untruth; the third is truth mixed with untruth; what is neither truth, nor untruth, nor truth mixed with untruth, that is the fourth kind of speech: neither truth nor untruth. Thus I say.

All past, present, and future Arhats have taught and declared, teach and declare, will teach and declare these four kinds of speech; and they have explained all those things which are devoid of intellect, which possess colour, smell, taste, touch, which are subject to decay and increase, which possess various qualities. (4)

A monk (or a nun should know that) before (the utterance) speech is speech in (antecedent) non-existence; that while uttered, it is (real) speech;

that the moment after it has been uttered, the spoken speech is speech in (subsequent) non-existence. (5)

A monk or a nun, well considering, should not use speech whether truth or untruth, or truth mixed with untruth, if it be sinful, blamable, rough, stinging, coarse, hard, leading to sins, to discord and factions, to grief and outrage, to destruction of living beings. (6)

A monk or a nun, considering well, should use true and accurate speech, or speech which is neither truth nor untruth (i.e. injunctions); for such speech is not sinful, blamable, rough, stinging, &c. (7)

A monk or a nun, if addressing a man who, if addressed, does not answer, should not say: 'You loon! you lout! you Sudra! you low-born wretch! you slave! you dog! you thief! you robber! you cheat! you liar! &c.; you are such and such! your parents are such and such!' Considering well, they should not use such sinful, blamable, &c., speech. (8)

But in that case they should say: 'N. N.! O long-lived one! O long-lived ones! O layman! O pupil! O faithful one! O lover of faith!' Considering well, they should use such sinless, blameless, &c., speech. (9)

A monk or a nun, if addressing a woman who, if addressed, does not answer, should not say: 'You hussy! you wench! &c.' (repeat the above list of

abusive words adapted to females). Considering well, they should not use such sinful, blamable, &c., speech. (10)

A monk or a nun, if addressing a woman who, if addressed, does not answer, should say: 'O long-lived one! O sister! madam! my lady! O lay-sister! O pupil! O faithful one! O lover of faith!' Considering well, they should use such sinless, blameless, &c., speech. (11)

A monk or a nun should not say: 'The god of the sky! the god of the thunderstorm! the god of lightning! the god who begins to rain! the god who ceases to rain! may rain fall or may it not fall! may the crops grow or may they not grow! may the night wane or may it not wane! may the sun rise or may it not rise! may the king conquer or may he not conquer!' They should not use such speech. (12)

But knowing the nature of things, he should say: The air; the follower of Guhya; a cloud has gathered or come down; the cloud has rained.'

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (13)



SECOND LESSON.

A monk or a nun, seeing any sort (of diseases), should not talk of them in this way: 'He has got boils, or leprosy, &c.; his hand is cut, or his foot, nose, ear, lip is cut.' For as all such people, spoken to in such language, become

angry, hence, considering well, they should not speak to them in such language. (1)

A monk or a nun, seeing any sort (of good qualities), should speak thus: 'He is strong, powerful, vigorous, famous, well-formed, well-proportioned, handsome.' For as all such people, spoken to in such language, do not become angry, they should, considering well, speak to them in such language. (2)

A monk or a nun, seeing any sort of such things as walls or ditches, &c., should not speak of them in this way: This is well-executed, finely executed, beautiful, excellent, (so done) or to be done;' they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (3)

A monk or a nun, seeing walls, &c., should speak about them in this way: 'This has been executed with great effort, with sin, with much labour; it is very magnificent, it is very beautiful, it is very fine, it is very handsome;' considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (4)

A monk or a nun, seeing food, &c., prepared, should not speak about it in this way: 'This is well executed, finely executed, beautiful, excellent, (so done) or to be done;' considering well, they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (5)

A monk or a nun, seeing food, &c., prepared, should speak about it in this way: 'This has been executed with great effort, with sin, with much labour; it is very good, it is excellent, it is well seasoned, it is most delicious, it is most agreeable;' considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (6)

A monk or a nun, seeing a man, a cow, a buffalo, deer, cattle, a bird, a snake, an aquatic animal of

increased bulk, should not speak about them in this way: 'He (or it) is fat, round, fit to be killed or cooked;' considering well, they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (7)

A monk or a nun, seeing a man, a cow, &c., of increased bulk, should speak about them in this way: 'He is of increased bulk, his body is well grown, well compacted, his flesh and blood are abundant, his limbs are fully developed;' considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (8)

A monk or a nun, seeing any sort of cows (or oxen), should not speak about them in this way: 'These cows should be milked or tamed or covered, should draw a waggon or car;' considering well, they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (9)

A monk or a nun, seeing any sort of cows (or oxen), should speak about them in this way: 'It is a young cow, a milch cow, she gives much milk, it is a short or a large one, a beast of burden;' considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (10)

A monk or a nun, seeing big trees in parks, on hills, or in woods, should speak about them in this way: 'These (trees) are fit for palaces, gates, houses, benches, bolts, boats, buckets, stools, trays, ploughs, mattocks(?), machines, poles, the nave of a wheel(?), gandi, seats, beds, cars, sheds;' considering well, they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (11)

A monk or a nun, seeing big trees in parks, on hills, or in woods, should speak about them in this way: 'These trees are noble, high and round, big;

they have many branches, extended branches, they are very magnificent,' &c.; considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (12)

A monk or a nun, seeing many wild fruits, should not speak about them in this way: 'They are ripe, they should be cooked or eaten, they are just in season, or soft, or they have just split;' considering well, they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (13)

A monk or a nun, seeing many wild fruits, should speak about them in this way: They are very plentiful, they contain many seeds, they are fully grown, they have developed their proper shape;' considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (14)

A monk or a nun, seeing many vegetables, should not speak about them in this way: 'They are ripe, they are dark coloured, shining, fit to be fried or roasted or eaten;' considering well, they should not use such sinful, &c., language. (15)

A monk or a nun, seeing many vegetables, should speak about them in this way: 'They are grown up, they are fully grown, they are strong, they are excellent, they are run to seed, they have spread their seed, they are full of sap;' considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (16)

A monk or a nun, hearing any sort of sounds, should not speak about them in this way: 'This is a good sound, this is a bad sound;' considering well, they should not use such sinless, &c., language; but they should call them good, if they are good; bad, if they are bad; considering well, they should use such sinless, &c., language. (17)

In the same manner they should speak about the

 (five) colours, as black, &c.; the (two) smells, as pleasant or unpleasant; the (five) tastes, as sharp &c.; the (five) kinds of touch, as hard, &c. (18)

A monk or a nun, putting aside wrath, pride, deceit, and greed, considering well, speaking with precision, what one has heard, not too quick, with discrimination, should employ language in moderation and restraint.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (19)

FIFTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

BEGGING OF CLOTHES.  

FIRST LESSON.

A monk or a nun wanting to get clothes, may beg for cloth made of wool, silk, hemp, palm-leaves, cotton, or Arkatula, or such-like clothes. If he be a youthful, young, strong, healthy, well-set monk, he may wear one robe, not two; if a nun, she should possess four raiments, one two cubits broad, two three cubits broad, one four cubits broad. If one does not receive such pieces of cloth, one should afterwards sew together one with the other. (1)

A monk or a nun should not resolve to go further than half a yogana to get clothes. As regards the acceptance of clothes, those precepts which have been given in the (First Lesson of the First Lecture, called) Begging of Food, concerning one fellow-ascetic, should be repeated here; also concerning many fellow-ascetics, one female fellow-ascetic, many female fellow-ascetics, many Sramanas and Brahmanas; also about (clothes) appropriated by another person. (2)

A monk or a nun should not accept clothes which the layman, for the mendicant's sake, has bought,

washed, dyed, brushed, rubbed, cleaned, perfumed, if these clothes be appropriated by the giver himself. But if they be appropriated by another person, they may accept them; for they are pure and acceptable. (3)

A monk or a nun should not accept any very expensive clothes of the following description: clothes made of fur, fine ones, beautiful ones; clothes made of goats' hair, of blue cotton, of common cotton, of Bengal cotton, of Patta, of Malaya fibres, of bark fibres, of muslin, of silk; (clothes provincially called) Desaraga, Amila, Gaggala, Phaliya, Kayaha; blankets or mantles. (4)

A monk or a nun should not accept any of the following plaids of fur and other materials: plaids made of Udra, Pesa fur, embroidered with Pesa fur, made of the fur of black or blue or yellow deer, golden plaids, plaids glittering like gold, interwoven with gold, set with gold, embroidered with gold, plaids made of tigers' fur, highly ornamented plaids, plaids covered with ornaments. (5)

For the avoidance of these occasions to sin there are four rules for begging clothes to be known by the mendicants.

Now, this is the first rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for clothes specifying (their quality), viz. wool, silk, hemp, palm-leaves, cotton, Arkatula. If they beg for them, or the householder gives them, they may accept them; for they are pure and acceptable.

This is the first rule. (6)

Now follows the second rule:

A monk or a nun may ask for clothes which they have well inspected, from the householder or his wife, &c. After consideration, they should say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) please give me one of these clothes!' If they beg for them, or the householder gives them, they may accept them; for they are pure and acceptable.

This is the second rule. (7)

Now follows the third rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for an under or upper garment. If they beg for it, &c. (see  section 7).

This is the third rule. (8)

Now follows the fourth rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for a left-off robe, which no other Sramana or Brahmana, guest, pauper or beggar wants. If they beg, &c..

This is the fourth rule.

A monk or a nun who have adopted one of these four rules should not say, &c. we respect each other accordingly. (9)

A householder may perhaps say to a mendicant begging in the prescribed way: O long-lived Sramana! return after a month, ten nights, five nights, to-morrow, to-morrow night; then we shall give you some clothes.' Hearing and perceiving such talk, he should, after consideration, say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) it is not meet for me to accept such a promise. If you want to give me (something), give it me now!'

After these words the householder may answer: O long-lived Sramana! follow me! then we shall give you some clothes.' The mendicant should give the same answer as above.

After his words the householder may say (to one

of his people): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) fetch that robe! we shall give it the Sramana, and afterwards prepare one for our own use, killing all sorts of living beings.'

Hearing and perceiving such talk, he should not accept such clothes; for they are impure and unacceptable. (10)

The householder may say (to one of his people): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) fetch that robe, wipe or rub it with perfume, &c.; we shall give it to the Sramana.'

Hearing and perceiving such talk, the mendicant should, after consideration, say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) do not wipe or rub it with perfume, &c. If you want to give it me, give it, such as it is!'

After these words the householder might nevertheless offer the clothes after having wiped or rubbed them, &c.; but the mendicant should not accept them, for they are impure and unacceptable. (11)

The householder may say (to another of his people): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) bring that robe, clean or wash it with cold or hot water!'

The mendicant should return the same answer as above  and not accept such clothes. (12)

The householder may say (to another of his

people): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) bring that cloth, empty it of the bulbs, &c. ; we shall give it to the Sramana.' Hearing and perceiving such talk, the mendicant should say, after consideration: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) do not empty that cloth of the bulbs, &c.; it is not meet for me to accept such clothes.' After these words the householder might nevertheless take away the bulbs, &c., and offer him the cloth; but he should not accept it; for it is impure and unacceptable. (13)

If a householder brings a robe and gives it to the mendicant, he should, after consideration, say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) I shall, in your presence, closely inspect the inside of the robe.'

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: There might be hidden in the robe an earring or girdle or gold and silver, &c., or living beings or seeds or grass. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should closely inspect the inside of the robe. (14)

A monk or a nun should not accept clothes which are full of eggs or living beings, &c.; for they are impure, &c. A monk or a nun should not accept clothes which are free from eggs or living beings, &c., but which are not fit nor strong nor lasting nor to be worn--which though pleasant are not fit (for a mendicant); for they are impure and unacceptable. (15)

A monk or a nun may accept clothes which are fit, strong, lasting, to be worn, pleasant and fit for a mendicant; for they are pure and acceptable. (16)

A monk or a nun should not wash his clothes, rub or wipe them with ground drugs, &c., because they are not new.

A monk or a nun should not clean or wash his clothes in plentiful water, because they are not new. (17)

A monk or a nun should not make his clothes undergo the processes (prohibited in  section 17), because they have a bad smell. (18)

A monk or a nun wanting to air or dry (in the sun) their clothes, should not do so on the bare ground or wet earth or rock or piece of clay containing life, &c. . (19) 

A monk or a nun wanting to air or dry (in the sun) their clothes, should not hang them for that purpose on a post of a house, on the upper timber of a door-frame, on a mortar, on a bathing-tub, or on any such-like above-ground place, which is not well fixed or set, but shaky and movable. (20)

A monk or a nun wanting to air or dry (in the sun) their clothes, should not lay them for that purpose on a dyke, wall, rock, stone, or any such-like above-ground place, &c. (21)

A monk or a nun wanting to air or dry (in the sun) their clothes, should not do it on a pillar, a raised platform, a scaffold, a second story, a flat roof, or any such-like above-ground place, &c. (22)

Knowing this, he should resort to a secluded spot, and circumspectly air or dry his clothes there on a heap of ashes or bones, &c., which he has repeatedly inspected and cleaned.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (23)


  

SECOND LESSON.

A monk or a nun should beg for acceptable clothes, and wear them in that state in which they get them; they should not wash or dye them, nor should they wear washed or dyed clothes, nor (should they) hide (their clothes) when passing through other villages, being careless of dress. This is the whole duty for a mendicant who wears clothes.

A monk or a nun wanting, for the sake of alms, to enter the abode of a householder, should do so outfitted with all their clothes; in the same manner they should go to the out-of-door place for religious practices or study, or should wander from village to village.

Now they should know this: A monk or a nun dressed in all their clothes should not enter or leave, for the sake of alms, the abode of a householder, &c. &c., on perceiving that a strong and widely spread rain pours down, &c.. (1)

If a single mendicant borrows for a short time a robe (from another mendicant) and returns after staying abroad for one, two, three, four, or five days,

he (the owner) should not take such a robe for himself, nor should he give it to somebody else, nor should he give it on promise (for another robe after a few days), nor should he exchange that robe for another one. He should not go to another mendicant and say: 'O long-lived Sramana! do you want to wear or use this robe?' He (the owner of the robe) should not rend the still strong robe, and cast it away; but give it him (who had borrowed it) in its worn state; he should not use it himself. (2)

The same rule holds good when many mendicants borrow for a short time clothes, and return after staying abroad for one, &c., days. All should be put in the plural. (3)

'Well, I shall borrow a robe and return after staying abroad for one, two, three, four, or five days; perhaps it will thus become my own.' As this would be sinful, he should not do so. (4)

A monk or a nun should not make coloured clothes colourless, or colour colourless clothes; nor should they give them to somebody else thinking that they will get other clothes; nor should they give it on promise (for other clothes); nor should they exchange them for other clothes; nor should they go to somebody else and say: 'O long-lived Sramana! do you want to wear or use these clothes?' They should not rend the still strong clothes, and cast them away, that another mendicant might think them bad ones. (5)

If he sees in his way thieves, he should not from fear of them, and to save his clothes, leave the road or go into another road, &c. , but undisturbed, his mind not directed to outward things,

he should collect himself for contemplation; then he may circumspectly wander from village to village. (6)

If the road of a monk or a nun on the pilgrimage lies through a forest in which, as they know, there stroll bands of many thieves desirous of their clothes, they should not from fear of them, and to save their clothes, leave the road or go into another road, &c.. (7)

If these thieves say: 'O long-lived Sramana! bring us your robe, give it, deliver it!' he should not give or deliver it. He should act in such cases.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (8)

SIXTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

BEGGING FOR A BOWL.  

FIRST LESSON.

A monk or a nun wanting to get a bowl, may beg for one made of bottle-gourd or wood or clay, or such-like bowls. If he be a youthful, young, &c. monk, he may carry with him one bowl, not two.

A monk or a nun should not resolve to go farther than half a Yogana to get a bowl.

As regards the acceptance of a bowl, those four precepts which have been given in (the First Lesson of the First Lecture, called) Begging of Food, concerning one fellow-ascetic, &c., should be repeated here, the fifth is that concerning many Sramanas and Brahmanas.

A monk or a nun should not accept a bowl which the layman has, for the mendicant's sake, bought, &c. (see the Lecture called Begging of Clothes). (I )

A monk or a nun should not accept any very expensive bowls of the following description: bowls made of iron, tin, lead, silver, gold, brass, a mixture of

gold, silver, and copper, pearl, glass, mother of pearl, horn, ivory, cloth, stone, or leather; for such very expensive bowls are impure and unacceptable. (2)

A monk or a nun should not accept bowls which contain a band of the same precious materials specialised in  section 2; for &c. (3)

For the avoidance of these occasions to sin there are four rules for begging a bowl to be known by the mendicants.

Now this is the first rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for a bowl specifying its quality, viz. bottle-gourd or wood or clay. If they beg for such a bowl, or the householder gives it, they may accept it, for it is pure and acceptable.

This is the first rule. (4)

Now follows the second rule:

A monk or a nun may ask for a bowl, which they have well inspected, from the householder or his wife, &c. After consideration, they should say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) please give me one of these bowls, viz. one made of bottle-gourds or wood or clay.' If they beg for such a bowl, or the householder gives it, they may accept it; for &c.

This is the second rule. (5)

Now follows the third rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for a bowl which has been used by the former owner or by many people. If they beg for it, &c. (see  section 5).

This is the third rule. (6)

Now follows the fourth rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for a left-off bowl which no other Sramana or Brahmana, guest, pauper, or beggar wants. If they beg for it, &c..

This is the fourth rule.

A monk or a nun having adopted one of these four rules should not say, &c. we respect each other accordingly. (7)

A householder may perhaps say to a mendicant begging in the prescribed way: 'O long-lived Sramana! return after a month,' &c. (all as in the Lecture called Begging of Clothes). (8)

The householder may say (to one of his people): 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) fetch that bowl, rub it with oil, ghee, fresh butter or marrow, we shall give it,' &c.; or wash, wipe, or rub it with perfumes,' &c.; or 'wash it with cold or hot water;' or 'empty it of the bulbs,' &c.. (9)

The householder may say (to the mendicant): 'O long-lived Sramana! stay a while till they have cooked or prepared our food, &c., then we shall give you, O long-lived one! your alms-bowl filled with food or drink; it is not good, not meet that a mendicant should get an empty alms-bowl.' After consideration, the mendicant should answer: 'O long-lived one! (or, O sister!) it is indeed not meet for me to eat or drink food &c. which is adhakarmika; do not cook or prepare it; if you want to give me anything, give it as it is.' After these words the householder might offer him the alms-bowl filled with food or drink which had been cooked or prepared: he should not accept such an alms-bowl, for it is impure and unacceptable. (10)

Perhaps the householder will bring and give the mendicant an alms-bowl; the mendicant should then, after consideration, say: 'O long-lived one! (or, O

sister!) I shall in your presence closely inspect the interior of the bowl.'

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: In the alms-bowl there might be living beings or seeds or grass. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should closely inspect the interior of the alms-bowl. (11)

All that has been said in the Lecture called Begging of Clothes is mutatis mutandis to be repeated here. (In  section 15, add before perfumes) with oil, ghee, butter or marrow.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (12)

  

SECOND LESSON.

A monk or a nun, entering the abode of a householder for the sake of alms, should after examining their alms-bowl, taking out any living beings, and wiping off the dust, circumspectly enter or leave the householder's abode.

The Kevalin says: This is the reason: Living beings, seeds or dust might fall into his bowl. Hence it has been said to the mendicant, &c., that he should after examining his alms-bowl, taking out any living beings, circumspectly enter or leave the householder's abode. (1)

On such an occasion the householder might perhaps, going in the house, fill the alms-bowl with cold water and, returning, offer it him; (the mendicant) should not accept such an alms-bowl either in

the householder's hand or his vessel; for it is impure and unacceptable. (2)

Perhaps he has, inadvertently, accepted it; then he should empty it again in (the householder's) water-pot; or (on his objecting to it) he should put down the bowl and the water somewhere, or empty it in some wet place. (3)

A monk or a nun should not wipe or rub a wet or moist alms-bowl. But when they perceive that on their alms-bowl the water has dried up and the moisture is gone, then they may circumspectly wipe or rub it. (4)

A monk or a nun wanting to enter the abode of a householder, should enter or leave it, for the sake of alms, with their bowl; also on going to the out-of-door place for religious practices or study; or on wandering from village to village.

If a strong and widely spread rain pours down, they should take the same care of their alms-bowl as is prescribed for clothes.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (5)

SEVENTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

REGULATION OF POSSESSION .  

FIRST LESSON.

'I shall become a Sramana who owns no house, no property, no sons, no cattle, who eats what others give him; I shall commit no sinful action; Master, I renounce to accept anything that has not been given.' Having taken such vows, (a mendicant) should not, on entering a village or scot-free town, &c., take himself, or induce others to take, or allow others to take, what has not been given. A mendicant should not take or appropriate any property, viz. an umbrella or vessel or stick, &c., of those monks together with whom he stays, without getting their permission, and without having inspected and wiped (the object in question); but having got their permission, and having inspected and wiped (the object in question), he may take or appropriate it. (1)

He may beg for a domicile in a traveller's hall, &c.

, having reflected (on its fitness for a stay); he should ask permission to take possession of it from him who is the landlord or the steward of that place: 'Indeed, O long-lived one! for the time, and in the space which you concede us, we shall dwell here. We shall take possession of the place for as long a time as the place belongs to you; and of as much of it as belongs to you; for as many fellow-ascetics (as shall stand in need of it); afterwards we shall take to wandering.' (2)

Having got possession of some place, a mendicant should invite to that food, &c., which he himself has collected, any fellow-ascetics arriving there who follow the same rules and are zealous brethren; but he should not invite them to anything of which he has taken possession for the sake of somebody else. (3)

Having got possession of some place (in a traveller's hall, &c.), a mendicant should offer a footstool or bench or bed or couch, which he himself has begged, to any fellow-ascetics arriving there who follow other rules than he, yet are zealous brethren; but he should not offer them anything of which he has taken possession for the sake of somebody else. (4)

Having got possession of some place in a traveller's hall, &c., a mendicant might ask from a householder or his sons the loan of a needle or a Pippalaka or an ear-picker or a nail-parer, he should not give or lend it to somebody else; but

having done that for which he wanted one of the above articles, he should go with that article there (where the householder, &c., is), and stretching out his hands or laying the article on the ground, he should, after consideration, say: 'Here it is! here it is!' But he should not with his own hand put it in the hand of the householder. (5)

A monk or a nun should not take possession of anything  on the bare ground, on wet ground, where there are eggs, &c.; nor on pillars or such an above-ground place; nor on a wall, &c.; nor on the trunk of a tree, &c.; nor where the householder or fire or water, or women or children or cattle are, and where it is not fit for a wise man to enter or to leave, &c., nor to meditate on the law; nor where they have to pass through the householder's abode or to which there is no road, and where it is not fit, &c.; nor where the householder or his wife, &c., bully or scold each other, &c.; nor where they rub or anoint each other's body with oil or ghee or butter or grease; nor where they take a bath, &c.; nor where they go about naked, &c..

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (6-12)



SECOND LESSON.

He may beg for a domicile in a traveller's hall, &c., having reflected (on its fitness); he should ask permission to take possession

of it from the landlord or the steward of that place: 'Indeed, O long-lived one! for the time and in the space you concede us, we shall dwell here,' &c.. Now what further after the place is taken possession of? He should not remove from without to within, or vice versa, any umbrella or stick, &c. belonging to Sramanas or Brahmanas (previously settled there); nor should he wake up a sleeping person, nor offend or molest the (inmates). (1)

A monk or a nun might wish to go to a mango park; they should then ask the landlord's or steward's permission (in the manner described above). Now what further after the place is taken possession of? Then they might desire to eat a mango. If the monk or the nun perceive that the mango is covered with eggs, living beings, &c., they should not take it; for it is impure, &c. (2)

If the monk or the nun perceive that the mango is free from eggs, living beings, &c., but not nibbled at by animals, nor injured, they should not take it; for it is impure, &c. But if they perceive that the mango is free from eggs, living beings, &c., and is nibbled at by animals and injured, then they may take it; for it is pure, &c. (3)

The monk might wish to eat or suck one half of a mango or a mango's peel or rind or sap or smaller particles. If the monk or the nun perceive that the above-enumerated things are covered with eggs, or living beings, they should not take them; for they are impure, &c. But they may take them, if they are

free from eggs, &c., and nibbled at by animals or injured. (4)

A monk or a nun might wish to go to a sugarcane plantation. They should ask permission in the manner described above. The monk or the nun might wish to chew or suck sugar-cane. In that case the same rules as for eating mango apply also; likewise if they wish to chew or to suck the sugar-cane's pulp, fibres, sap, or smaller particles. (5)

A monk or a nun might wish to go to a garlic field. They should ask permission in the manner described above. The monk or the nun might wish to chew or suck garlic. In that case the same rules as for eating mangoes apply also; likewise if they wish to chew or suck the bulb or peel or stalk or seed of garlic. (6)

A monk or a nun, having got possession of a place in a traveller's hall, &c., should avoid all occasions to sin (proceeding from any preparations made by) the householders or their sons, and should occupy that place according to the following rules. (7)

Now this is the first rule:

He may beg for a domicile in a traveller's hall, &c., having reflected (on its fitness for a stay), &c. ( section 2 of the preceding Lesson is to be repeated here).

This is the first rule. (8)

Now follows the second rule:

A monk resolves: 'I shall ask for possession of a dwelling-place, &c., for the sake of other mendicants,

and having taken possession of it for their sake, I shall use it.'

This is the second rule. (9)

Now follows the third rule:

A monk resolves: 'I shall ask for possession of a dwelling-place, &c., for the sake of other mendicants, and having taken possession of it for their sake, I shall not use it.'

This is the third rule. (10)

Now follows the fourth rule:

A monk resolves: 'I shall not ask for possession of a dwelling-place, &c., for the sake of other mendicants; but if the dwelling-place, &c., has already been ceded to them, I shall use it.'

This is the fourth rule. (11)

Now follows the fifth rule:

A monk resolves: 'I shall ask for possession of a dwelling-place for my own sake, not for two, three, four, or five persons.'

This is the fifth rule. (12)

Now follows the sixth rule:

If a monk or a nun, occupying a dwelling-place in which there is Ikkada reed, &c., get this thing, then they may use it; otherwise they should remain in a squatting or sitting posture.

This is the sixth rule. (13)

Now follows the seventh rule:

A monk or a nun may beg for a dwelling-place paved with clay or wood. If they get it, then they may use it; otherwise they should remain in a squatting or sitting posture.

This is the seventh rule.

One who has adopted one of these seven rules, should not say, &c.. (14)

I have heard the following explanation by the venerable (Mahavira): The Sthaviras, the venerable ones, have declared that dominion is fivefold:

The lord of the gods' dominion;

The king's dominion;

The houseowner's dominion;

The householder's dominion;

The religious man's dominion.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (15)

SECOND PART.

THE SEVEN LECTURES.

EIGHTH LECTURE.

When a monk or a nun wishes to perform religious postures, they should enter a village or a scot-free town, &c.; having entered it, they should not accept a place, even if it is offered, which is infected by eggs or living beings, &c.; for such a place is impure and unacceptable. In this way all that has been said about couches (in the Second Lecture) should be repeated here as far as 'water-plants'. (1)

Avoiding these occasions to sin, a mendicant may choose one of these four rules for the performance of religious postures.

This is the first rule:

I shall choose something inanimate, and lean against it; changing the position of the body, and moving about a little, I shall stand there.

This is the first rule. (2)

Now follows the second rule:

I shall choose something inanimate, and lean

against it; changing the position of the body, but not moving about a little, I shall stand there. This is the second rule. (3)

Now follows the third rule:

I shall choose something inanimate, and lean against it; not changing the position of the body, nor moving about a little, I shall stand there.

This is the third rule. (4)

Now follows the fourth rule:

I shall choose something inanimate, but I shall not lean against it; not changing the position of the body, nor moving about a little, I shall stand there. Abandoning the care of the body, abandoning the care of the hair of the head, beard, and the other parts of the body, of the nails, perfectly motionless, I shall stand there.

This is the fourth rule. (5)

One who has adopted one of these four rules, &c. 

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say.



NINTH LECTURE.

When a monk or a nun wishes to go to a pure place for study, they should not accept one which is infected by eggs or living beings, &c.; for it is impure and unacceptable. But if that place for study to which they wish to go, is free from eggs or living beings, &c., they may accept it; for it is pure and acceptable.

In this way all that has been said in the corresponding passage about couches should be repeated here as far as 'water-plants.' (1)

If parties of two, three, four, or five (mendicants) resolve to go to the place for study, they should not embrace or hug, bite with their teeth or scratch with their nails each other's body.

This is the whole duty, &c,

Thus I say. (2)



TENTH LECTURE.

A monk or a nun being pressed by nature should, in case they have not their own broom, beg for that of a fellow-ascetic. A monk or a nun, seeing that the ground is infected by eggs or living beings, &c., should not ease nature on such an unfit ground. But if the ground is free from eggs or living beings, &c., then they may ease nature on such a ground. (1)

A monk or a nun, knowing that the householder with regard to such a place for the sake of one or many, male or female fellow-ascetics, for the sake of many Sramanas or Brahmanas whom he has well counted, kills living beings and commits various sins, should not ease nature on such a place or any other of the same sort, whether that place be appropriated by another person or not, &c.. (2 and 3).

Now he should know this: If that place has not been appropriated by another person, &c., he may ease nature on such a place (after having well inspected and cleaned it). (4)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature on a ground which for their sake has been prepared or caused to be prepared (by the householder), or has been occupied by main force, or strewn with grass, or levelled, or smeared (with cowdung), or smoothed, or perfumed. (5)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature on a ground where the householders or their sons remove from outside to inside, or vice versa, bulbs, roots, &c.. (6)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature on a pillar or bench or scaffold or loft or tower or roof. (7)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature on the bare ground or on wet ground or on dusty ground or on a rock or clay containing life, or on timber inhabited by worms or on anything containing life, as eggs, living beings, &c. (8)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in a place where the householders or their sons have. do, or will put by bulbs, roots, &c. (9)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in a place where the householders or their sons have sown, sow, or will sow rice, beans, sesamum, pulse, or barley. (1o)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in a place where there are heaps of refuse, furrows, mud,

stakes, sprigs, holes, caves, walls, even or uneven places. (11)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in fireplaces, layers (or nests) of buffaloes, cattle, cocks, monkeys, quails, ducks, partridges, doves, or francoline partridges. (12)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in a place where suicide is committed, or where (those who desire to end their life) expose their body to vultures, or precipitate themselves from rocks or trees, or eat poison, or enter fire. (I 3)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in gardens, parks, woods, forests, temples, or wells. (14)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in towers, pathways, doors, or town gates. (15)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature where three or four roads meet, nor in courtyards or squares. (16)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature where charcoal or potash is produced, or the dead are burnt, or on the  or shrines of the dead. (17)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature at sacred places near rivers, marshes or ponds, or in a conduit. (18)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in fresh clay pits, fresh pasture grounds for cattle, in meadows or quarries. (19)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in a field of shrubs, vegetables, or roots. (20)

A monk or a nun should not ease nature in woods of Asana, Sana, Dhataki, Ketaki, Mango, Asoka, Punnaga, or other such-like places which contain leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, or sprouts. (21)

A monk or a nun should take their own chamber-pot or that of somebody else, and going apart with it, they should ease nature in a secluded place where no people pass or see them, and which is free from eggs or living beings, &c.; then taking (the chamber-pot), they should go to a secluded spot, and leave the excrements there on a heap of ashes, &c..

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (22)



ELEVENTH LECTURE.

A monk or a nun should not resolve to go where they will hear sounds of a Mridanga, Nandimridanga, or Ghallari, or any such-like various sounds of drums. (1)

If a monk or a nun hear any sounds, viz. of the Vina, Vipamki, Vadvisaka, Tunaka, Panaka, Tumbavinika, or Dhamkuna, they should not resolve to go where they will hear any such-like various sounds of stringed instruments. (2)

The same precepts apply to sounds of kettledrums, viz. of the Tala, Lattiya, Gohiya, or Kirikiriya; (3)

Also to sounds of wind instruments, viz. the conch, flute, Kharamukhi, or Piripiriya. (4)

A monk or a nun should not, for the sake of hearing sounds, go to walls or ditches, &c.; (5)

Nor to marshes, pasture grounds, thickets, woods, strongholds in woods, mountains, strongholds in mountains; (6)

Nor to villages, towns, markets, or a capital, hermitages, cities, halting-places for caravans; (7)

Nor to gardens, parks, woods, forests, temples, assembly halls, wells; (8)

Nor to towers, pathways, doors, or town gates; (9) Nor where three or four roads meet, nor to courtyards or squares; (1o)

Nor to stables (or nests) of buffaloes, cattle, horses, elephants, &c. ; (11)

Nor to places where buffaloes, bulls, horses, &c., fight; (12)

Nor to places where herds of cattle, horses, or elephants are kept; (13)

Nor to places where story-tellers or acrobats perform, or where continuously story-telling, dramatical plays, singing, music, performance on the Vina, beating of time, playing on the Turya, clever playing on the Pataha is going on; (14)

Nor to places where quarrels, affrays, riots, conflicts between two kingdoms, anarchical or revolutionary disturbances occur; (15)

Nor to places where a young well-attended girl, well-attired and well-ornamented, is paraded, or where somebody is led to death. (16)

A monk or a nun should not, for the sake of hearing sounds, go to places where there are many great temptations, viz. where many cars, chariots, Mlekkhas, or foreigners meet. (17)

A monk or a nun should not, for the sake of hearing sounds, go to great festivals where women or men, old, young, or middle-aged ones are well-dressed and ornamented, sing, make music, dance, laugh, play, sport, or give, distribute, portion or parcel out plenty of food, drink, dainties, and spices. (18)

A monk or a nun should not like or love, desire for, or be enraptured with, sounds of this or the other world, heard or unheard ones, seen or unseen ones.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (19)


TWELFTH LECTURE.

If a monk or a nun see various colours (or forms), viz. in wreaths, dressed images, dolls, clothes, woodwork, plastering, paintings, jewelry, ivory-work, strings, leaf-cutting, they should not for the sake of pleasing the eye resolve to go where they will see various colours (or forms). All that has been said

in the last chapter with regard to sounds should be repeated here with regard to colours (or forms); only the passages on music are to be omitted. (1)


  

THIRTEENTH LECTURE.

One should neither be pleased with nor prohibit the action of another which relates to one's self, and produces karman.

One should neither be pleased with nor prohibit it;

If another (i.e. a householder) wipes [or rubs] the mendicant's feet; (1)

If he kneads or strokes them; (2) If he touches or paints them; (3)

If he smears or anoints them with oil, ghee, or marrow; (4)

If he rubs or shampoos them with Lodhra, ground drugs, powder, or dye; (5)

If he sprinkles or washes them with hot or cold water; (6)

If he rubs or anoints them with any sort of ointment; (7)

If he perfumes or fumigates them with any sort of incense; (8)

If he extracts or removes a splinter or thorn from them; (9)

If he extracts or removes pus or blood from them. (10)

If he wipes or rubs the mendicant's body, &c. if he perfumes or fumigates it with any sort of incense. (11)

If he wipes or rubs a wound in (the mendicant's)

body (&c., down to) if he sprinkles or washes it with hot or cold water; (12)

If he cuts or incises it with any sharp instrument; if after having done so, he extracts or removes pus or blood from it. (13)

If he wipes or rubs a boil, abscess, ulcer, or fistula (&c., down to) if he cuts or incises it with any sharp instrument; if after having done so, he extracts or removes pus or blood from it; (14)

If he removes, or wipes off, the sweat and uncleanliness on his body; (15)

If he removes, or wipes off, the dirt of his eyes, ears, teeth, or nails. (16)

If he cuts or dresses the long hair of his head or his brows or his armpits; (17)

If he removes, or wipes off, the nit or lice from his head. (18)

One should neither be pleased with nor prohibit it, if the other, sitting in the Anka or Paryanka posture, wipes or rubs (the mendicant's) feet; in this way the  section 1-18 should be repeated here. (19)

One should neither be pleased with nor prohibit it, if the other, sitting in the Anka or Paryanka posture, fastens or ties a necklace of many or less strings, a necklace hanging down over the breast, a collar, a diadem, a garland, a golden string; (20)

If the other leading him to, or treating him in, a garden or a park, wipes or rubs (the mendicant's) feet, &c. (all as above); similarly with actions done reciprocally. (21)

One should neither be pleased with nor prohibit it, if the other tries to cure him by pure charms;

If the other tries to cure him by impure charms;

If he tries to cure him, digging up and cutting, for the sake of a sick monk, living bulbs, roots, rind, or sprouts. (22)

For sensation is the result of former actions; all sorts of living beings experience sensation.

This is the whole duty, &c.

Thus I say. (23)
  

FOURTEENTH LECTURE.

One should not be pleased with nor prohibit a reciprocal action, which relates to one's self, and produces karman.

A mendicant should not be pleased with nor prohibit it, if (he and the other) wipe or rub each other's feet, &c.

In this way the whole Thirteenth Lecture should be repeated here.

This is the whole duty, &c. Thus I say. (1)

THIRD PART.  

FIFTEENTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

THE CLAUSES.

In that period, in that age lived the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, the five (most important moments of whose life happened) when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni; to wit: In Uttaraphalguni he descended (from heaven), and having descended (thence), he entered the womb (of Devananda); in Uttaraphalguni he was removed from the womb (of Devananda) to the womb (of Trisala); in Uttaraphalguni he was born; in Uttaraphalguni tearing out his hair, he left the house, and entered the state of houselessness; in Uttaraphalguni he obtained the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and perfect. But in Svati the Venerable One obtained final liberation. (1)

When in this Avasarpini era, the Sushama-sushama period, the Sushama period, the Sushamaduhshama period, and much time of the Duhshamasushama period had elapsed, seventy-five years nine and a half

months of it being left; in the fourth month of summer, in the eighth fortnight, in the light fortnight of Ashadha, on its sixth day, while the moon was in conjunction with Uttaraphalguni, the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira descended from the great Vimana, the all-victorious and all-prosperous Pushpottara, which is like the lotus amongst the best (and highest flowers), and like the Svastika and Vardhamanaka amongst the celestial regions, where he had lived for twenty Sagaropamas till the termination of his allotted length of life, (divine) nature and existence (among gods). Here, forsooth, in the continent of Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in the southern part of it, in the southern brahmanical part of the place Kundapura, he took the form of an embryo in the womb of Devananda, of the Galandharayana gotra, wife of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta, of the gotra of Kodala, taking the form of a lion. (2) The knowledge of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira (with reference to this transaction) was threefold: he knew that he was to descend; he knew that he had descended; he knew not when he was descending. For that time has been declared to be infinitesimally small. (3)

Then in the third month of the rainy season, the fifth fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Asvina, on its thirteenth day, while the moon was in conjunction with Uttaraphalguni, after the lapse of eighty-two days, on the eighty-third day current, the compassionate god (Indra), reflecting on what was the established custom (with regard to the birth of Tirthakaras), removed the embryo from the southern

brahmanical part of the place Kundapura to the northern Kshatriya part of the same place, rejecting the unclean matter, and retaining the clean matter, lodged the fetus in the womb of Trisala of the Vasishtha gotra, wife of the Kshatriya Siddhartha, of the Kasyapa gotra, of the clan of the Gnatris, and lodged the fetus of the Kshatriyani Trisala in the womb of Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra, wife of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta, of the gotra of Kodala, in the southern brahmanical part of the place Kundapuri. (4) The knowledge of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira (with regard to this transaction) was threefold: he knew that he was to be removed; he knew that he was removed; he also knew when he was being removed. (5)

In that period, in that age, once upon a time, after the lapse of nine complete months and seven and a half days, in the first month of summer, in the second fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Kaitra, on its thirteenth day, while the moon was in conjunction with Uttaraphalguni, the Kshatriyani Trisala, perfectly healthy herself, gave birth to a perfectly healthy (boy), the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira. (6)

In that night in which the Kshatriyani Trisala, perfectly healthy herself, gave birth to a perfectly healthy (boy), the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, there was one great divine, godly lustre (originated) by descending and ascending gods and goddesses (of the four orders of) Bhavanapatis, Vyantaras, Gyotishkas, and Vimanavasins; and in the conflux of gods the bustle of gods amounted to confusion. (7)

In that night, &c., the gods and goddesses rained

down one great shower of nectar, sandal powder, flowers, gold, and pearls. (8)

In that night the gods and goddesses (of the above-mentioned four orders) performed the customary ceremonies of auspiciousness and honour, and his anointment as a Tirthakara. (9)

Upwards from the time when the Venerable Mahavira was placed in the womb of the Kshatriyani Trisala, that family's (treasure) of gold, silver, riches, corn, jewels, pearls, shells, precious stones, and corals increased. (10) When the parents of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had become aware of this, after the lapse of the tenth day, and the performance of the purification, they prepared much food, drink, sweetmeats, and spices; and having invited a host of friends, near and remote relatives, they distributed, portioned out, bestowed (the above-mentioned materials) to Sramanas, Brahmanas, paupers, beggars, eunuchs, &c., and distributed gifts to those who wanted to make presents; then they gave a dinner to the host of friends, near and remote relatives, and after dinner they announced the name (of the child) to their guests: (11) 'Since the prince was placed in the womb of the Kshatriyani Trisala, this family's (treasure) of gold, silver, riches, corn, jewels, pearls, shells, precious stones, and corals increased; therefore the prince shall be called Vardhamana (i.e. the Increasing).' (12)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was attended by five nurses: a wet-nurse, a nurse to clean him,

one to dress him, one to play with him, one to carry him; being transferred from the lap of one nurse to that of another, he grew up on that beautiful ground, paved with mosaic of precious stones, like a Kampaka tree growing in the glen of a mountain. (13)

Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, after his intellect had developed and the childhood had passed away, lived in the enjoyment of the allowed, noble, fivefold joys and pleasures: (consisting in) sound, touch, taste, colour, and smell. (14)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira belonged to the Kasyapa gotra. His three names have thus been recorded by tradition: by his parents he was called Vardhamana, because he is devoid of love and hate (he is called) Sramana (i.e. Ascetic), because he sustains dreadful dangers and fears, the noble nakedness, and the miseries of the world; the name Venerable Ascetic Mahavira has been given to him by the gods.

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira's father belonged to the Kasyapa gotra; he had three names: Siddhartha, Sreyarsa, and Gasamsa. His mother belonged to the Vasishtha gotra, and had three names: Trisala, Videhadatta, and Priyakarini. His paternal uncle Suparsva belonged to the Kasyapa gotra. His eldest brother, Nandivardhana, and his eldest sister, Sudarsana, belonged both to the Kasyapa gotra. His wife Yasoda belonged to the Kaundinya gotra. His daughter, who belonged to the Kasyapa gotra, had two names: Anogga and

 Priyadarsana. His granddaughter, who belonged to the Kausika gotra, had two names: Seshavati and Yasovati. (15)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira's parents were worshippers of Parsva and followers of the Sramanas. During many years they were followers of the Sramanas, and for the sake of protecting the six classes of lives they observed, blamed, repented, confessed, and did penance according to their sins. On a bed of Kusa-grass they rejected all food, and their bodies dried up by the last mortification of the flesh, which is to end in death. Thus they died in the proper month, and, leaving their bodies, were born as gods in Adbhuta Kalpa. Thence descending after the termination of their allotted length of life, they will, in Mahavideha, with their departing breath, reach absolute perfection, wisdom, liberation, final Nirvana, and the end of all misery. (16)

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, a Gnatri Kshatriya, Gnatriputra, a Videha, son of Videhadatta, a native of Videha, a prince of Videha, lived thirty years amongst the householders under the name of 'Videha.'

After his parents had gone to the worlds of the gods and he had fulfilled his promise, he gave up his gold and silver, his troops and chariots, and distributed, portioned out, and gave away his valuable treasures (consisting of) riches, corn, gold, pearls, &c., and distributed among those who wanted to make presents to others. Thus he gave away during a whole year. In the first month of winter, in the first fortnight, in the dark (fortnight) of Margasiras,

on its tenth day, while the moon was in conjunction with Uttaraphalguni, he made up his mind to retire from the world. (17)

A year before the best of Ginas will retire from the world, they continue to give away their property, from the rising of the sun. i.

One krore and eight  of gold is his gift at the rising of the sun, as if it were his morning meal. ii.

Three hundred and eighty-eight krores and eighty  were given in one year. iii.

The Kundaladharas of Vaisramana, the Laukantika and Maharddhika gods in the fifteen Karmabhumis wake the Tirthakara. iv,

In Brahma Kalpa and in the line of Krishnas, the Laukantika Vimanas are eightfold and infinite in number. v.

These orders of gods wake the best of Ginas, the Venerable Vira: Arhat! propagate the religion which is a blessing to all creatures in the world!' vi.

When the gods and goddesses (of the four orders of) Bhavanapatis, Vyantaras, Gyotishkas, and Vimanavasins had become aware of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira's intention to retire from the world, they assumed their proper form, dress, and ensigns, ascended with their proper pomp and splendour, together with their whole retinue, their own vehicles and chariots, and rejecting all gross matter, retained only the subtile matter. Then they rose and with that excellent, quick, swift, rapid, divine motion of the gods they came down again crossing numberless continents and oceans till they arrived in Gambudvipa

at the northern Kshatriya part of the place Kundapura; in the north-eastern quarter of it they suddenly halted. (18)

Sakra, the leader and king of the gods, quietly and slowly stopped his vehicle and chariot, quietly and slowly descended from it and went apart. There he underwent a great transformation, and produced by magic a great, beautiful, lovely, fine-shaped divine pavilion, which was ornamented with many designs in precious stones, gold, and pearls. In the middle part of that divine pavilion he produced one great throne of the same description, with a footstool. (19)

Then he went where the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was, and thrice circumambulating him from left to right, he praised and worshipped him. Leading him to the divine pavilion, he softly placed him with the face towards the east on the throne, anointed him with hundredfold and thousandfold refined oil, with perfumes and decoctions, bathed him with pure water, and rubbed him with beautifying cool sandal, laid on a piece of cloth worth a . He clad him in a pair of robes so light that the smallest breath would carry them away; they were manufactured in a famous city, praised by clever artists, soft as the fume of horses, interwoven with gold by skilful masters, and ornamented with designs of flamingos. Then (the god) decked him with necklaces of many and fewer strings, with one hanging down over his breast and one consisting of one row of pearls, with a garland, a golden string, a turban, a diadem, wreaths of precious stones, and decorated him with

garlands, ribbons, scarves, and sashes like the Kalpavriksha. (20)

The god then, for a second time, underwent a great transformation, and produced by magic the great palankin, called Kandraprabha, which a thousand men carry. (This palankin) was adorned with pictures of wolves, bulls, horses, men, dolphins, birds, monkeys, elephants, antelopes, sarabhas, , tigers, lions, creeping plants, and a train of couples of Vidyadharas; it had a halo of thousands of rays; it was decorated with thousands of brilliant glittering rupees; its lustre was mild and bright; the eyes could not bear its light; it shone with heaps and masses of pearls; it was hung with strings and ribbons, and with golden excellent necklaces, extremely beautiful; it was embellished with designs of lotuses and many other plants; its cupola was adorned with many precious stones of five colours, with bells and flags; it was conspicuous, lovely, beautiful, splendid, magnificent. (21)

This palankin was brought for the best of Ginas, who is free from old age and death; it was hung with wreaths and garlands of divine flowers, grown in water or on dry ground. vii.

In the middle of the palankin (was) a costly throne covered with a divine cloth, precious stones and silver, with a footstool, for the best of Ginas. viii.

H e wore on his head a chaplet and a diadem, his body was shining, and he was adorned with many ornaments; he had put on a robe of muslin worth a . ix.

After a fast of three days, with a glorious resolution he ascended the supreme palankin, purifying all by his light. x.

He sat on his throne, and Sakra and Isana, on both sides, fanned him with chowries, the handles of which were inlaid with jewels and precious stones. xi.

In front it was uplifted by men, covered with joyful horripilation; behind the gods carried it: the Suras and Asuras, the Garudas and the chiefs of Nagas. xii.

The Suras carried it on the eastern side, and the Asuras on the southern one; on the western side the Garudas carried it, and the Nagas on the northern side. xiii.

As a grove in blossom, or a lotus-covered lake in autumn looks beautiful with a mass of flowers, so did (then) the firmament with hosts of gods. xiv.

As a grove of Siddhartha, of Karnikara or of Kampaka looks beautiful with a mass of flowers, so did (then) the firmament with hosts of gods. xv.

In the skies and on earth the sound of musical instruments produced by hundreds of thousands of excellent drums, kettle-drums, cymbals, and conches was extremely pleasant. xvi.

Then the gods ordered many hundreds of actors to perform a very rich concert of four kinds of instruments: stringed instruments and drums, cymbals and wind-instruments. xvii.

At that period, in that age, in the first month of winter, in the first fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Margasiras, on its tenth day, called Suvrata, in

the Muhurta called Vigaya, while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, when the shadow had turned towards the east, and the first Paurushi was over, after fasting three days without taking water, having put on one garment, the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, in his palankin Kandraprabha, which only a thousand men can carry, with a train of gods, men, and Asuras left the northern Kshatriya part of the place Kundapura by the high way for the park Gnatri Shanda. There, just at the beginning of night, he caused the palankin Kandraprabha to stop quietly on a slightly raised untouched ground, quietly descended from it, sat quietly down on a throne with the face towards the east, and took off all his ornaments and finery. (22)

The god Vaisramana, prostrating himself, caught up the finery and ornaments of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira in a cloth of flamingo-pattern. Mahavira then plucked out with his right and left (hands) on the right and left (sides of his head) his hair in five handfuls. But Sakra, the leader and king of the gods, falling down before the feet of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, caught up the hair in a cup of diamond, and requesting his permission, brought them to the Milk Ocean. After the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had plucked out his hair in five handfuls (as described above), he paid obeisance to all liberated spirits, and vowing to do no sinful act, he adopted the holy conduct. At that moment the

whole assembly of men and gods stood motionless, like the figures on a picture.

At the command of Sakra, the clamour of men and gods, and the sound of musical instruments suddenly ceased, when Mahavira chose the holy conduct. xviii.

Day and night following that conduct which is a blessing to all animated and living beings, the zealous gods listen to him with joyful horripilation. xix.

When the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had adopted the holy conduct which produced that state of soul in which the reward of former actions is temporarily counteracted, he reached the knowledge called Manahparyaya, by which he knew the thoughts of all sentient beings, with five organs, which are not defective, and possess a developed intellect, (living) in the two and a half continents and the two oceans. Then he formed the following resolution: I shall for twelve years neglect my body and abandon the care of it; I shall with equanimity bear, undergo, and suffer all calamities arising from divine powers, men or animals. (23)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira having formed this resolution, and neglecting his body, arrived in the village Kummara when only one Muhurta of the day remained. Neglecting his body, the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira meditated on his Self, in blameless lodgings, in blameless wandering, in restraint, kindness, avoidance of sinful influence (samvara), chaste life, in patience, freedom from passion, contentment; control, circumspectness, practising religious postures and acts; walking the path of

 Nirvana and liberation, which is the fruit of good conduct. Living thus he with equanimity bore, endured, sustained, and suffered all calamities arising from divine powers, men, and animals, with undisturbed and unafflicted mind, careful of body, speech, and mind. (24)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira passed twelve years in this way of life; during the thirteenth year in the second month of summer, in the fourth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Vaisakha, on its tenth day, called Suvrata, in the Muhurta called Vigaya, while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, when the shadow had turned towards the east, and the first wake was over, outside of the town Grimbhikagrama, on the northern bank of the river Rigupalika, in the field of the householder Samaga, in a north-eastern direction from an old temple, not far from a Sal tree, in a squatting position with joined heels exposing himself to the heat of the sun, with the knees high and the head low, in deep meditation, in the midst of abstract meditation, he reached Nirvana, the complete and full, the unobstructed, unimpeded, infinite and supreme, best knowledge and intuition, called Kevala. (25) When the Venerable One had become an Arhat and Gina, he was a Kevalin, omniscient and comprehending all objects, he knew all conditions of the world, of gods, men, and demons; whence

they come, where they go, whether they are born as men or animals (kyavana), or become gods or hell-beings (upapada); their food, drink, doings, desires, open and secret deeds, their conversation and gossip, and the thoughts of their minds; he saw and knew all conditions in the whole world of all living beings. (26)

On the day when the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira reached the Kevala, the gods (of the four orders of) Bhavanapatis, Vyantaras, Gyotishkas, and Vimanavasins descended from, and ascended to heaven, &c. (as on the moment of his birth, see above,  section 7). (27)

Then when the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had reached the highest knowledge and intuition, he reflected on himself and the world: first he taught the law to the gods, afterwards to men. (28)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira endowed with the highest knowledge and intuition taught the five great vows, with their clauses, the six classes of lives to the Sramanas and Nirgranthas, to Gautama, &c.

The six classes of lives are earth-body, &c. (down to) animals. (29)

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i. The first great vow, Sir, runs thus:

I renounce all killing of living beings, whether subtile or gross, whether movable or immovable. Nor shall I myself kill living beings (nor cause others to do it, nor consent to it). As long as I live, I confess and blame, repent and exempt myself of these sins, in the thrice threefold way, in mind, speech, and body.

There are five clauses.

The first clause runs thus:

A Nirgrantha is careful in his walk, not careless. The Kevalin assigns as the reason, that a Nirgrantha, careless in his walk, might (with his feet) hurt or displace or injure or kill living beings. Hence a Nirgrantha is careful in his walk, not careless in his walk.

This is the first clause. (1)

Now follows the second clause:

A Nirgrantha searches into his mind (i.e. thoughts and intentions). If his mind is sinful, blamable, intent on works, acting on impulses, produces cutting and splitting (or division and dissension), quarrels, faults, and pains, injures living beings, or kills creatures, he should not employ such a mind in action; but if, on the contrary, it is not sinful, &c., then he may put it in action.

This is the second clause. (2)

Now follows the third clause:

A Nirgrantha searches into his speech; if his speech is sinful, blamable, &c. (all down to) kills creatures, he should not utter that speech. But if, on the contrary, it is not sinful, &c., then he may utter it.

This is the third clause. (3)

Now follows the fourth clause:

A Nirgrantha is careful in laying down his utensils of begging, he is not careless in it. The Kevalin says: A Nirgrantha who is careless in laying down his utensils of begging, might hurt or displace or

injure or kill all sorts of living beings. Hence a Nirgrantha is careful in laying down his utensils of begging, he is not careless in it.

This is the fourth clause. (4)

Now follows the fifth clause:

A Nirgrantha eats and drinks after inspecting his food and drink; he does not eat and drink without inspecting his food and drink. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha would eat and drink without inspecting his food and drink, he might hurt and displace or injure or kill all sorts of living beings. Hence a Nirgrantha eats and drinks after inspecting his food and drink, not without doing so.

This is the fifth clause. (5)

In this way the great vow is correctly practised, followed, executed, explained, established, effected according to the precept.

This is, Sir, the first great vow: Abstinence from killing any living beings. i.

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ii. The second great vow runs thus:

I renounce all vices of lying speech (arising) from anger or greed or fear or mirth. I shall neither myself speak lies, nor cause others to speak lies, nor consent to the speaking of lies by others. I confess and blame, repent and exempt myself of these sins in the thrice threefold way, in mind, speech, and body.

There are five clauses.

The first clause runs thus:

A Nirgrantha speaks after deliberation, not without deliberation. The Kevalin says: Without deliberation a Nirgrantha might utter a falsehood in his speech. A Nirgrantha speaks after deliberation, not without deliberation.

This is the first clause. (1)

Now follows the second clause:

A Nirgrantha comprehends (and renounces) anger, he is not angry. The Kevalin says: A Nirgrantha who is moved by anger, and is angry, might utter a falsehood in his speech. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the second clause. (2)

Now follows the third clause:

A Nirgrantha comprehends (and renounces) greed, he is not greedy. The Kevalin says: A Nirgrantha who is moved by greed, and is greedy, might utter a falsehood in his speech. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the third clause. (3)

Now follows the fourth clause:

A Nirgrantha comprehends (and renounces) fear, he is not afraid. The Kevalin says: A Nirgrantha who is moved by fear, and is afraid, might utter a falsehood in his speech. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the fourth clause. (4)

Now follows the fifth clause:

A Nirgrantha comprehends (and renounces) mirth, he is not mirthful. The Kevalin says: A Nirgrantha who is moved by mirth, and is mirthful, might utter a falsehood in his speech. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the fifth clause. (5)

In this way the great vow is correctly practised, followed, &c.

This is, Sir, the second great vow. ii.

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iii. The third great vow runs thus:

I renounce all taking of anything not given, either in a village or a town or a wood, either of little or much, of small or great, of living or lifeless things. I shall neither take myself what is not given, nor

cause others to take it, nor consent to their taking it. As long as I live, I confess and blame, &c. (all down to) body.

There are five clauses.

The first clause runs thus:

A Nirgrantha begs after deliberation, for a limited ground, not without deliberation. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha begs without deliberation for a limited ground, he might take what is not given. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the first clause. (1)

Now follows the second clause:

A Nirgrantha consumes his food and drink with permission (of his superior), not without his permission. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha consumes his food and drink without the superior's permission, he might eat what is not given. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the second clause. (2)

Now follows the third clause:

A Nirgrantha who has taken possession of some ground, should always take possession of a limited part of it and for a fixed time. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha who has taken possession of some ground, should take possession of an unlimited part of it and for an unfixed time, he might take what is not given. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the third clause. (3)

Now follows the fourth clause:

A Nirgrantha who has taken possession of some ground, should constantly have his grant renewed. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha has not constantly his grant renewed, he might take possession of what is not given. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the fourth clause. (4)

Now follows the fifth clause:

A Nirgrantha begs for a limited ground for his co-religionists after deliberation, not without deliberation. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha should beg without deliberation, he might take possession of what is not given. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the fifth clause. (5)

In this way the great vow, &c.

This is, Sir, the third great vow. iii.

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iv. The fourth great vow runs thus:

I renounce all sexual pleasures, either with gods or men or animals. I shall not give way to sensuality, &c. (all as in the foregoing paragraph down to) exempt myself.

There are five clauses.

The first clause runs thus:

A Nirgrantha does not continually discuss topics relating to women. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha discusses such topics, he might fall from the law declared by the Kevalin, because of the destruction or disturbance of his peace. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the first clause. (1)

Now follows the second clause:

A Nirgrantha does not regard and contemplate the lovely forms of women. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha regards and contemplates the lovely forms of women, he might, &c. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the second clause. (2)

Now follows the third clause:

A Nirgrantha does not recall to his mind the pleasures and amusements he formerly had with women. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha recalls

to his mind the pleasures and amusements he formerly had with women, he might, &c. A Nirgrantha, &c. This is the third clause. (3)

Now follows the fourth clause:

A Nirgrantha does not eat and drink too much, nor does he drink liquors or eat highly-seasoned dishes. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha did eat and drink too much, or did drink liquors and eat highly-seasoned dishes, he might, &c. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the fourth clause. (4)

Now follows the fifth clause:

A Nirgrantha does not occupy a bed or couch affected by women, animals, or eunuchs. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha did occupy a bed or couch affected by women, animals, or eunuchs, he might, &c. A Nirgrantha, &c.

This is the fifth clause. (5)

In this way the great vow, &c.

This is, Sir, the fourth great vow. iv.

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v. The fifth great vow runs thus:

I renounce all attachments, whether little or much, small or great, living or lifeless; neither shall I myself form such attachments, nor cause others to do so, nor consent to their doing so, &c. (all down to) exempt myself.

There are five clauses.

The first clause runs thus:

If a creature with ears hears agreeable and disagreeable sounds, it should not be attached to, nor delighted with, nor desiring of, nor infatuated by,

nor covetous of, nor disturbed by the agreeable or disagreeable sounds. The Kevalin says: If a Nirgrantha is thus affected by the pleasant or unpleasant sounds, he might fall, &c. (see above, IV, I).

If it is impossible not to hear sounds, which reach the ear, the mendicant should avoid love or hate, originated by them.

A creature with ears hears agreeable and disagreeable sounds.

This is the first clause. (1)

Now follows the second clause:

If a creature with eyes sees agreeable and disagreeable forms (or colours), it should not be attached, &c., to them.

The Kevalin says, &c. (the rest as in the last clause. Substitute only see and forms for h ear and sounds).

This is the second clause. (2)

Now follows the third clause

If a creature with an organ of smell smells agreeable or disagreeable smells, it should not be attached to them. (The rest as above. Substitute smell and nose.)

This is the third clause. (3)

Now follows the fourth clause:

If a creature with a tongue tastes agreeable or disagreeable tastes, it should not be attached, &c., to them. (The rest as above. Substitute taste and tongue.)

This is the fourth clause. (4)

Now follows the fifth clause:

If a creature with an organ of feeling feels agreeable or disagreeable touches, it should not be

attached to them. (The rest as above. Substitute feel and touch.)

This is the fifth clause. (5)

In this way the great vow, &c. (see above). v.

He who is well provided with these great vows and their twenty-five clauses is really Houseless, if he, according to the sacred lore, the precepts, and

the way correctly practises, follows, executes, explains, establishes, and, according to the precept, effects them.


FOURTH PART.  

SIXTEENTH LECTURE,  

CALLED  

THE LIBERATION.

The creatures attain only a temporary residence (in one of the four states of being); hearing this supreme truth (i.e. the doctrine of the Tirthakara's) one should meditate upon it. The wise man should free himself from the family bonds; fearless should he give up acts and attachments. (1)

A mendicant, living thus, self-controlled towards the eternal (world of living beings), the matchless sage, who collects his alms, is insulted with words by the people assailing him, like an elephant in battle with arrows. (2)

Despised by such-like people, the wise man, with undisturbed mind, sustains their words and blows, as a rock is not shaken by the wind. (3) Disregarding (all calamities) he lives together with clever (monks, insensible) to pain and pleasure, not hurting the movable and immovable (beings), not killing, bearing all: so is described the great sage, a good Sramana. (4)

As the lustre of a burning flame increases, so increase the austerity, wisdom, and glory of a steadfast sage who, with vanquished desires, meditates

on the supreme place of virtue, though suffering pain. (5)

The great vows which are called the place of peace, the great teachers, and the producers of disinterestedness have, in all quarters of the earth, been proclaimed by the infinite Gina, the knowing one, as light, illumining the three worlds, (repels) darkness. (6)

The unbound one, living amongst the bound (i.e. householders), should lead the life of a mendicant; unattached to women, he should speak with reverence. Not desiring this or the next world, the learned one is not measured by the qualities of love. (7)

The dirt (of sins) formerly committed by a thus liberated mendicant who walks in wisdom (and restraint), who is constant, and bears pain, vanishes as the dirt covering silver (is removed) by fire. (8)

He lives, forsooth, in accordance with wisdom (and restraint), and walks free from desire, and with conquered sensuality. As a snake casts off its old skin, so is the Brahmana freed from the bed of pain. (9)

As they call the great ocean a boundless flood of water, difficult to traverse with the arms (alone), so should the learned one know (and renounce) it (the samsara): that sage is called 'Maker of the end.' (10)

Here amongst men bondage and deliverance have

been declared; he who, according to that doctrine (of the church), knows bondage and deliverance: that sage is called 'Maker of the end.' (11) He for whom there is no bondage whatever in this world, and besides in the two (other continents, or heaven and hell), is indeed a (monk needing) no support and no standing place; he has quitted the path of births. (12)

KALPA SUTRA.  

LIVES OF THE GINAS.  

LIFE OF MAHAVIRA.

Obeisance to the Arhats!

Obeisance to the Liberated Ones!

Obeisance to the Religious Guides!

Obeisance to the Religious Instructors! Obeisance to all Saints in the World!

This fivefold obeisance, destroying all sins, is of all benedictions the principal benediction.

In that period, in that age lived the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, the five (most important moments of whose life happened) when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni; to wit, in Uttaraphalguni he descended (from heaven), and having descended (thence), he entered the womb (of Devananda); in Uttaraphalguni he was removed from the womb (of Devananda) to the womb (of Trisala); in Uttaraphalguni he was born; in Uttaraphalguni, tearing out his hair, he left the house and entered the state of houselessness; in Uttaraphalguni he obtained the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed,

unimpeded, complete, and perfect. But in. Svati the Venerable One obtained final liberation. (1) 
 

Life of Mahavira, Lecture 2

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, having on the sixth day of the fourth month of summer, in the eighth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Ashadha, descended from the great Vimana, the all-victorious and all-prosperous Pushpottara, which is like the lotus amongst the best things, where he had lived for twenty Sagaropamas till the termination of his allotted length of life, of his (divine nature, and of his existence (among gods); here in the continent of Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha,--when of this Avasarpini era the Sushama-sushama, the Sushama, and Sushamaduhshama periods, and the greater part of the Duhshamasushama period (containing a Kodakodi of Sagaropamas, less forty-two thousand years) had elapsed, and only seventy-two years, eight and a half months were left, after twenty-one Tirthakaras of the race of Ikshvaku and of the Kasyapa gotra, and two of the race of Hari and of the Gautama gotra, on the whole twenty-three Tirthakaras had appeared,--the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, the last of the Tirthakaras, took the form of an embryo in the womb of Devananda, of the Galandharayana gotra, the wife of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta, of the gotra of Kodala, in the

brahmanical part of the town Kundagrama in the middle of the night, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, after his allotted length of life, of his (divine) nature, and of his existence (amongst gods) had come to their termination. (2)

The knowledge of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira (about this) was threefold; he knew that he was to descend, he knew that he had descended, he knew not when he was descending.

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira took the form of an embryo in the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra, the Brahmani Devananda was on her couch, taking fits of sleep, in a state between sleeping and waking, and having seen the following fourteen illustrious, beautiful, lucky, blest, auspicious, fortunate great dreams, she woke up. (3) To wit:

An elephant, a bull, a lion, the anointing (of the goddess Sri), a garland, the moon, the sun, a flag, a vase, a lotus lake, the ocean, a celestial abode, a heap of jewels, and a flame. (4)

When the Brahmani Devananda, having seen these dreams, woke up, she--glad, pleased, and joyful in her mind, delighted, extremely enraptured, with a heart widening under the influence of happiness, with the hair of her body all erect in their pores like the flowers of the Kadamba touched by rain-drops--firmly fixed the dreams (in her mind), and rose from her couch. Neither hasty nor trembling, with a quick and even gait, like that of the

royal swan, she went to the Brahmana Rishabhadatta, and gave him the greeting of victory. Then she comfortably sat down in an excellent chair of state; calm and composed, joining the palms of her hands so as to bring the ten nails together, she laid the folded hands on her head, and spoke thus: (5)

'O beloved of the gods, I was just now on my couch taking fits of sleep, in a state between sleeping and waking, when I saw the following fourteen illustrious, &c., great dreams; to wit, an elephant, &c. (6)

'O beloved of the gods, what, to be sure, will be the happy result portended by these fourteen illustrious, &c., great dreams?' (7)

When the Brahmana Rishabhadatta had heard and perceived this news from the Brahmani Devananda, he, glad, pleased, and joyful rain-drops, firmly fixed the dreams (in his mind), and entered upon considering them. He grasped the meaning of those dreams with his own innate intellect and intuition, which were preceded by reflection, and thus spoke to the Brahmani Devananda: (8)

'O beloved of the gods, you have seen illustrious dreams; O beloved of the gods, you have seen beautiful, lucky, blest, auspicious, fortunate dreams, which will bring health, joy, long life, bliss, and fortune! We shall have success, O beloved of the gods, we shall have pleasure; we shall have happiness, O beloved of the gods, we shall have a son! Indeed, O beloved of the gods, after the lapse of nine complete months and seven and a half days you will give birth to a lovely and handsome boy with tender hands and feet, with a body containing the entire

and complete five organs of sense, with the lucky signs, marks, and good qualities; a boy on whose body all limbs will be well formed, and of full volume, weight, and length, of a lovely figure like that of the moon! (9) And this boy, after having passed his childhood, and, with just ripened intellect, having reached the state of youth, will repeat, fully understand, and well retain (in his mind) the four Vedas: the Rig-veda, Yagur-veda, Sama-veda, Atharva-veda--to which the Itihasa is added as a fifth, and the Nigghantu as a sixth (Veda)--together with their Angas and Upangas, and the Rahasya; he will know the six Angas, he will be versed in the philosophy of the sixty categories, and well grounded in arithmetic, in phonetics, ceremonial, grammar, metre, etymology, and astronomy, and in many other brahmanical [and monastic] sciences besides. (10) Therefore, O beloved of the gods, you have seen illustrious dreams, &c. .'

In this way he repeatedly expressed his extreme satisfaction. (11)

When the Brahmani Devananda had heard and perceived this news from the Brahmana Rishabhadatta, she--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c. --

joining the palms of her hands, &c. and spoke thus: (12)

'That is so, O beloved of the gods; that is exactly so, O beloved of the gods; that is true, O beloved of the gods; that is beyond doubt, O beloved of the gods; that is what I desire, O beloved of the gods; that is what I accept, O beloved of the gods; that is what I desire and accept, O beloved of the gods; that matter is really such as you have pronounced it.'

Thus saying, she accepted the true meaning of the dreams, and enjoyed together with Rishabhadatta the noble permitted pleasures of human nature. (13)

In that period, in that age, Sakra,--the chief and king of the gods, the wielder of the thunderbolt, the destroyer of towns, the performer of a hundred sacrifices, the thousand-eyed one, Maghavan, the punisher of the Daitya Paka, the lord of the southern half of the earth, the lord of the thirty-two thousand celestial abodes, the bestrider of the elephant Airavata, the chief of the Suras, who wears spotless clothes and robes, and puts on garlands and the diadem, whose cheeks were stroked by fine, bright, and trembling earrings of fresh gold [the most prosperous, the most brilliant, the most mighty, the most glorious, the most powerful, and the most happy one], with a splendid body, ornamented with a long down-reaching garland,--this Sakra was in the Saudharma Kalpa, in the celestial abode Saudharma Avatamsaka, in the council-hall Sudharman, on his throne Sakra; he who exercises and maintains the supreme command, government,

management, guidance, direction, and sovereign power and generalship over the thirty-two thousand gods of the celestial abodes, the eighty-four thousand gods of a rank equal with that of himself, the thirty-two chief gods, the four guardians of the world, the eight principal queens with their trains, the three courts, the seven armies, and the seven commanders of these armies. He was then enjoying the permitted pleasures of divine nature under the great din of uninterrupted story-telling, dramatical plays, singing, and music, as beating of time, performance on the Vina, the Turya, the great drum, and the Patupataha. (I 4)

And he viewed this whole continent Gambudvipa with his extensive (knowledge called) Avadhi. There he saw in the continent Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in the southern half of Bharata, in the brahmanical part of the town Kundagrama, the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira taking the form of an embryo in the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra, wife of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta of the gotra of Kodala; and--glad, pleased, and joyful in his mind, delighted, extremely enraptured, with a heart widening under the influence of happiness, with the hair of his body bristling and erect in their pores like the fragrant flowers of Nipa when touched by rain-drops, with his eyes and mouth open like full-blown lotuses, with his excellent, various, trembling bracelets, with diadem and earrings, his breast lighted up by necklaces, wearing long and swinging ornaments with a pearl pendant--the chief of the gods rose

with confusion, hasty and trembling from his throne, descended from the footstool, took off his shoes which were by a clever artist set with Vaidurya and excellent Rishta and Angana, and ornamented with glittering jewels and precious stones, threw his seamless robe over his left shoulder, and, arranging the fingers of his hands in the shape of a bud, he advanced seven or eight steps towards the Tirthakara. Bending his left knee and reposing on the right one, he three times placed his head on the ground and lifted it a little; then he raised his bracelet-encumbered arms, and joining the palms of his hands so as to bring the ten nails together, laid the hands on his head and spoke thus: (15)

'Reverence to the Arhats and Bhagavats; to the Adikaras, the Tirthakaras, the perfectly-enlightened ones; to the highest of men, the lions among men, the flowers among mankind the Gandhahastins among men; to the highest in the world, the guides of the world, the benefactors of the world, the lights of the world, the enlighteners of the world; to the givers of safety, to the givers of sight, to the givers of the road, to the givers of shelter, to the givers of life, to the givers of knowledge; to the givers of the law, the preachers of the law, the lords of the law, the leaders of the law, the universal emperors of the best law; to the light, the help, the shelter, the refuge, the resting-place, the possessors of unchecked knowledge

and intuition who have got rid of unrighteousness; to the conquerors and the granters of conquest, the saved and the saviours, the enlightened and the enlighteners, the liberated and the liberators, to the all-knowing ones, the all-seeing ones, to those who have reached the happy, stable, unstained, infinite, unperishable, undecaying place, called the path of perfection, whence there is no return; reverence to the Ginas who have conquered fear.

'Reverence to the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, the Adikara, the last of the Tirthakaras who was predicted by the former Tirthakaras, &c. I here adore the Revered One yonder, may the Revered One yonder see me here!' With these words he adored, he worshipped the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, and sat down on his excellent throne facing the east. Then the following internal, reflectional, desirable idea occurred to the mind of Sakra, the chief of kings and gods: (16)

'It never has happened, nor does it happen, nor will it happen, that Arhats, Kakravartins, Baladevas, or Vasudevas, in the past, present, or future, should be born in low families, mean families, degraded families, poor families, indigent families, beggars' families, or brahmanical families. (17) For indeed Arhats, Kakravartins, Baladevas, and Vasudevas, in the past, present, and future, are born in high families, noble families, royal families, noblemen's families, in families belonging to the race of Ikshvaku, or of Hari, or in other suchlike families of pure descent on both sides. (18)

 Now this is something which moves the wonder of the world: it happens in the lapse of numberless Avasarpinis and Utsarpinis, because the imperishable, indescribable, and undestroyable Karman relating to name and gotra must take effect, that Arhats, &c., in the past, present, and future, descend in (i.e. take the form of an embryo in the womb of a woman belonging to) low families, &c.; but they are never brought forth by birth from such a womb. (19) This Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, now, in the continent Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in the brahmanical part of the town Kundagrama, has taken the form of an embryo in the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra, wife of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta of the gotra of Kodala. (20) Hence it is the established custom of all past, present, and future Sakras, chiefs and kings of the gods, to cause the Arhats and Bhagavats to be removed from such-like low, mean, &c., families, to such-like high, noble, &c., families. (21) It is, therefore, better that I should cause the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, the last of the Tirthakaras who was predicted by the former Tirthakaras, to be removed from the brahmanical part of the town Kundagrama, from the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra, wife of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta of the gotra of Kodala, to the Kshatriya part of the town Kundagrama, and to be placed as an embryo in the womb of the Kshatriyani Trisala of the Vasishtha gotra, wife of the Kshatriya Siddhartha of the Kasyapa gotra, belonging to the clan of the Gnatri Kshatriya,; and to cause the embryo of the Kshatriyani Trisala of the Vasishtha gotra to be placed in the

womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra.'

Thus he reflected and called Harinegamesi, the divine commander of the foot troops; having called him, he spoke thus: (22)

Well, now, beloved of the gods, it never has happened, &c.. (23-25)

'Therefore, go now and remove the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira from the brahmanical part, &c., and place the embryo of the Kshatriyani Trisala, &c. . Having done this, return quickly to report on the execution of my orders.' (26)

When Harinegamesi, the divine commander of the foot troops, was thus spoken to by Sakra, the chief and king of the gods, he--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c. --laid his folded hands on his head and modestly accepted the words of command, saying, 'Just as your Majesty commands.' After this he left the presence of Sakra, the chief and king of the gods, and descended towards the northeastern quarter; then he transformed himself through his magical power of transformation, and stretched himself out for numerous Yoganas like a staff, (during which he seized) jewels, Vagra, Vaidurya, Lohitaksha, Masaragalla, Hamsagarbha, Pulaka, Saugandhika, Gyotisara, Angana, Anganapulaka, Gatarupa, Subhaga, Sphatika, and Rishta; (of these precious materials) he rejected the gross particles, and retained the subtle particles. (27) Then

for a second time he transformed himself through his magical power of transformation, and produced the definitive form (which gods adopt on entering the world of men); having done so, he passed with that excellent, hasty, trembling, active, impetuous, victorious, exalted, and quick divine motion of the gods right through numberless continents and oceans, and arrived in Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in the brahmanical part of the town Kundagrama, at the house of the Brahmana Rishabhadatta, where the Brahmani Devananda dwelt. Having arrived there, he made his bow in the sight of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, and cast the Brahmani Devananda, together with her retinue, into a deep sleep; then he took off all unclean particles, and brought forth the clean particles, and saying, 'May the Venerable One permit me,' he took the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira in the folded palms of his hands without hurting him. Thus he went to the Kshatriya part of the town Kundagrama, to the house of the Kshatriya Siddhartha, where the Kshatriyani Trisala dwelt; he cast her and her attendants into a deep sleep, took off all unclean particles, and brought forth the clean particles, and placed the embryo of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira in the womb of the Kshatriyani Trisala, and the embryo of the Kshatriyani Trisala he placed in the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra. Having done so, he returned in that direction in which he had come. (28) With that excellent, &c., divine motion

of the gods, he flew upwards right through numberless continents and oceans, taking thousands of Yoganas in each motion, and arrived in the Saudharma Kalpa, in the divine abode called Saudharma Avatamsaka, where Sakra, the chief and king of the gods, sat on the throne called Sakra, and reported to Sakra, the chief and king of the gods, on the execution of his orders.

In that period, in that age the knowledge of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was threefold; he knew that he was to be removed; he knew that he was removed; he knew not when he was being removed . (29)

In that period, in that age, on the thirteenth day of the third month of the rainy season, in the fifth fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Asvina, after the lapse of eighty-two days, on the eighty-third day current (since his conception), the embryo of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was, on the command of Sakra, safely removed by Harinegamesi from the womb of the Brahmani Devananda to that of the Kshatriyani Trisala , in the middle of the night, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni. (30)

Life of Mahavira, Lecture 3

In that night in which the embryo of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was removed from the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra to that of the Kshatriyani Trisala of the

 Vasishtha gotra, the former was on her couch taking fits of sleep in a state between sleeping and waking; and seeing that these fourteen illustrious, beautiful, lucky, blest, auspicious, fortunate, great dreams were taken from her by the Kshatriyani Trisala, she awoke. (31)

In that night in which the embryo of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was removed from the womb of the Brahmani Devananda of the Galandharayana gotra to that of the Kshatriyani Trisala of the Vasishtha gotra, the latter was in her dwelling-place, of which the interior was ornamented with pictures, and the outside whitewashed, furbished and cleansed, the brilliant surface of the ceiling was painted, the darkness was dispelled by jewels and precious stones, the floor was perfectly level and adorned with auspicious figures; which, moreover, was furnished with offerings of heaps of delicious, fragrant, strewn flowers of all five colours, was highly delightful through curling, scented fumes of black aloe, the finest Kundurukka and Turushka, and burning frankincense; was exquisitely scented with fine perfumes, and turned as it were into a smelling-bottle; on a couch with a mattress of a man's length, with pillows at head and foot, raised on both sides and hollow in the middle, soft as if one walked on the sand of the banks of the Ganges, covered with the cloth of a robe of ornamented linen, containing a well-worked towel, and hung with red mosquito curtains, delightful, soft to the touch like fur, wadding, Pura, butter, or cotton, with all the comforts of

a bed, such as fragrant, excellent flowers and sandal-powder--(in such a room and on such a bed Trisala was) taking fits of sleep between sleeping and waking, and having seen the following fourteen, &c. , dreams, viz. an elephant, &c. , she awoke. (32)

1. Then Trisala saw in her first dream a fine, enormous elephant, possessing all lucky marks, with strong thighs and four mighty tusks; who was whiter than an empty great cloud, or a heap of pearls, or the ocean of milk, or the moon-beams, or spray of water, or the silver mountain (Vaitadhya); whose temples were perfumed with fragrant musk-fluid, which attracted the bees; equalling in dimension the best elephant of the king of the gods (Airavata); uttering a fine deep sound like the thunder of a big and large rain-cloud. (33)

2. Then she saw a tame, lucky bull, of a whiter hue than that of the mass of petals of the white lotus, illumining all around by the diffusion of a glory of light; (a bull) whose lovely, resplendent, beautiful hump was delightful through the collection of its charms, whose glossy skin (was covered with) thin, fine, soft hairs; whose body was firm, well made, muscular, compact, lovely, well proportioned, and beautiful; whose horns were large, round, excellently beautiful, greased at their tops, and pointed; whose teeth were all equal, shining, and pure. He foreboded innumerable good qualities. (34)

3. Then she saw a handsome, handsomely shaped, playful lion, jumping from the sky towards her face; a delightful and beautiful lion whiter than a heap of pearls, &c. , who had strong and lovely fore-arms, and a mouth adorned with round, large,

and well-set teeth; whose lovely lips, splendent through their proportions, and soft like a noble lotus, looked as if they were artificially ornamented; whose palate was soft and tender like the petals of the red lotus, and the top of whose tongue was protruding; whose eyes were like pure lightning, and revolved like red-hot excellent gold just poured out from the crucible; (a lion) with broad and large thighs, and with full and excellent shoulders, who was adorned with a mane of soft, white, thin, long hair of the finest quality; whose erect, well-shaped, and well-grown tail was flapping; the tops of whose nails were deeply set and sharp; whose beautiful tongue came out of his mouth like a shoot of beauty. (35)

4. Then she, with the face of the full moon, saw the goddess of famous beauty, Sri, on the top of Mount Himavat, reposing on a lotus in the lotus lake, anointed with the water from the strong and large trunks of the guardian elephants. She sat on a lofty throne. Her firmly placed feet resembled golden tortoises, and her dyed, fleshy, convex, thin, red, smooth nails were set in swelling muscles. Her hands and feet were like the leaves of the lotus, and her fingers and toes soft and excellent; her round and well-formed legs were adorned with the Kuruvindavarta, and her knees with dimples. Her fleshy thighs resembled the proboscis of an excellent elephant, and her lovely broad hips were encircled by a golden zone. Her large and beautiful belly was

adorned by a circular navel, and contained a lovely row of hairs (black as) collyrium, bees, or clouds, straight, even, continuous, thin, admirable, handsome, soft, and downy. Her waist, which contained the three folds, could be encompassed with one hand. On all parts of her body shone ornaments and trinkets, composed of many jewels and precious stones, yellow and red gold. The pure cup-like pair of her breasts sparkled, encircled by a garland of Kunda flowers, in which glittered a string of pearls. She wore strings of pearls made by diligent and clever artists, shining with wonderful strings, a necklace of jewels with a string of Dinaras, and a trembling pair of earrings, touching her shoulders, diffused a brilliancy; but the united beauties and charms of these ornaments were only subservient to the loveliness of her face. Her lovely eyes were large and pure like the water lily. She sprinkled about the sap from two lotus flowers which she held in her splendid hands, and gracefully fanned herself. Her glossy, black, thick, smooth hair hung down in a braid. (36)

5. Then she saw, coming down from the firmament, a garland charmingly interwoven with fresh Mandara flowers. It spread the delicious smell of Kampaka, Asoka, Naga Punnaga, Priyangu,

 Sirisha, Mudgara, Mallika, Gati, Yuthika, Ankolla, Korantakapatra, Damanaka, Navamalika, Bakula, Tilaka, Vasantika, Nuphar, Nymphaea, Patala., Kunda, Atimukta, and Mango; and perfumed the ten divisions of the universe with its incomparably delightful fragrance. It was white through wreaths of fragrant flowers of all seasons, and brilliant through splendid, beautiful embellishments of many colours. Towards it came humming swarms of different kinds of bees, and filled with their sweet noise the whole neighbourhood. (37)

6. And the moon: white as cow-milk, foam, spray of water, or a silver cup, glorious, delighting heart and eyes, full, dispelling the compact darkness of the thickest wilderness, whose crescent shines at the end of the two halves of the month, opening the blossoms of the groups of Nymphaeas, adorning the night, resembling the surface of a well-polished mirror. She was of a white hue, like a flamingo, the stars' head-ornament, the quiver of Cupid's arrows, raising the waters of the ocean, burning as it were disconsolate

people when absent from their sweethearts, the large, glorious, wandering headmark of the celestial sphere--beloved in heart and soul by Rohini. Such was the glorious, beautiful, resplendent full moon which the queen saw. (38)

7. Then she saw the large sun, the dispeller of the mass of darkness, him of radiant form, red like the Asoka, the open Kimsuka, the bill of a parrot, or the Gungardha, the adorner of the lotus groups, the marker of the starry host, the lamp of the firmament, throttling as it were the mass of cold, the illustrious leader of the troop of planets, the destroyer of night, who only at his rising and setting may be well viewed, but (at all other times) is difficult to be regarded, who disperses evil-doers that stroll about at night, who stops the influence of cold, who always circles round Mount Meru, whose thousand rays obscure the lustre of other lights. (39)

8. Then she saw an extremely beautiful and very large flag, a sight for all people, of a form attractive to the beholders. It was fastened to a golden staff with a tuft of many soft and waving peacock's feathers of blue, red, yellow, and white colours, and seemed as if it would pierce the brilliant, celestial sphere, with the brilliant lion on its top, who was white like crystal, pearlmother, Anka-stone, Kunda-flowers, spray of water, or a silver cup. (40)

9. Then she saw a full vase of costly metal splendent with fine gold, filled with pure water, excellent, of brilliant beauty, and shining with a bouquet of water lilies. It united many excellencies and all-auspicious marks, and stood on a lotus-(shaped foot), shining with excellent jewels. It delighted the eyes, glittered and illumined all about; it was the abode of happy Fortune, free from all faults, fine, splendid, exquisitely beautiful, entwined with a wreath of fragrant flowers of all seasons. (41)

10. Then she saw a lake, called Lotus Lake, adorned with water lilies. Its yellow water was perfumed by lotuses opening in the rays of the morning sun; it abounded with swarms of aquatic animals, and fed fishes. It was large, and seemed to burn through the wide-spreading, glorious beauty of all kinds of lotuses. Its shape and beauty were pleasing. The lotuses in it were licked by whole swarms of gay bees and mad drones. Pairs of swans, cranes, Kakravakas, ducks, Indian cranes, and many other lusty birds resorted to its waters, and on the leaves of its lotuses sparkled water-drops like pearls. It was a sight, pleasing to the heart and the eye. (42)

11. Then she whose face was splendid like the

moon in autumn, saw the milk-ocean, equalling in beauty the breast of Lakshmi, which is white like the mass of moon-beams. Its waters increased in all four directions, and raged with ever-changing and moving, excessively high waves. It presented a splendid and pleasant spectacle as it rushed to and from the shore with its wind-raised, changeable, and moving billows, its tossing waves, and its rolling, splendid, transparent breakers. From it issued camphor-white foam under the lashing (tails) of great porpoises, fishes, whales, and other monsters of the deep. Its agitated waters were in great uproar, occasioned by the vortex Gangavarta, which the vehemence and force of the great rivers produced; they rose, rushed onwards and backwards, and eddied. (43)

12. Then she saw a celestial abode excelling among the best of its kind, like the lotus (among flowers). It shone like the morning sun's disk, and was of a dazzling beauty. Its thousand and eight excellent columns (inlaid with) the best gold and heaps of jewels diffused a brilliant light like a heavenly lamp, and the pearls fastened to its curtains glittered. It was hung with brilliant divine garlands, and decorated with pictures of wolves, bulls, horses, men, dolphins, birds, snakes, Kinnaras, deer, Sarabhas, Yaks, Samsaktas, elephants, shrubs, and plants. There the Gandharvas performed their concerts, and the din of the drums of the gods,

imitating the sound of big and large rain-clouds, penetrated the whole inhabited world. It was highly delightful through curling, scented fumes of black aloe, the finest Kundurukka and Turushka, burning frankincense and other perfumes. It (shed) continuous light, was white, of excellent lustre, delighting the best of gods, and affording joy and pleasure. (44)

13. Then she saw an enormous heap of jewels containing Pulaka, Vagra, Indranila, Sasyaka, Karketana, Lohitaksha, Marakata, Prabala, Saugandhika, Sphatika, Hamsagarbha, Angana, and Kandrakanta. Its base was on the level of the earth, and it illumined with its jewels even the sphere of the sky. It was high and resembled Mount Meru. (45)

14. And a fire. She saw a fire in vehement motion, fed with much-shining and honey-coloured ghee, smokeless, crackling, and extremely beautiful with its burning flames. The mass of its flames, which rose one above the other, seemed to interpenetrate each other, and the blaze of its flames appeared to bake the firmament in some places. (46)

After having seen these fine, beautiful, lovely, handsome dreams, the lotus-eyed queen awoke on her bed while the hair of her body bristled for joy.

Every mother of a Tirthakara sees these fourteen dreams in that night in which the famous Arhat enters her womb. (46 b)
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Life of Mahavira, Lecture 4

When the Kshatriyani Trisala, having seen these fourteen illustrious, great dreams, awoke, she was glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.  rose from her couch, and descended from the footstool. Neither hasty nor trembling, with a quick and even

gait like that of the royal swan, she went to the couch of the Kshatriya Siddhartha. There she awakened the Kshatriya Siddhartha, addressing him with kind, pleasing, amiable, tender, illustrious, beautiful, lucky, blest, auspicious, fortunate, heart-going, heart-easing, well-measured, sweet, and soft words. (47)

Then the Kshatriyani Trisala, with the permission of king Siddhartha, sat down on a chair of state inlaid with various jewels and precious stones in the form of arabesques; calm and composed, sitting on an excellent, comfortable chair, she addressed him with kind, pleasing, &c. (see last paragraph), words, and spoke thus: (48)

'O beloved of the gods, I was just now on my couch , &c. , and awoke after having seen the fourteen dreams; to wit, an elephant, &c. What, to be sure, O my lord, will be the happy result portended by these fourteen illustrious, great dreams?' (49)

When the Kshatriya Siddhartha had heard and perceived this news from the Kshatriyani Trisala, he glad, pleased, and joyful, &c. firmly fixed the dreams in his mind, and entered upon considering them; he grasped the meaning of those dreams with his own innate intelligence and intuition which were preceded by reflection, and addressing the Kshatriyani Trisala with kind, pleasing, &c., words, spoke thus: (50)

'O beloved of the gods, you have seen illustrious dreams, &c.  you will give birth to a lovely, handsome boy, who will be the ensign of our family, the lamp of our family, the crown of our family, the frontal ornament

of our family, the maker of our family's glory, the sun of our family, the stay of our family, the maker of our family's joy and fame, the tree of our family, the exalter of our family; (a boy) with tender hands and feet, &c.  (51) And this boy, after having passed childhood, and, with just ripened intellect, having reached the state of youth, will become a brave, gallant, and valorous king, the lord of the realm, with a large and extensive army and train of waggons. (52) Therefore, O beloved of the gods, you have seen illustrious, &c., dreams, &c..'

In this way he repeatedly expressed his extreme satisfaction.

When the Kshatriyani Trisala had heard and perceived this news from king Siddhartha, she glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.  and spoke thus: (53)

'That is so, O beloved of the gods, &c.  as you have pronounced it.'

Thus saying she accepted the true meaning of the dreams, and with the permission of king Siddhartha she rose from her chair of state, inlaid with various jewels and precious stones in the form of arabesques. She then returned to her own bed, neither hasty nor trembling, with a quick and even gait like that of the royal swan, and spoke thus: (54)

'These my excellent and pre-eminent dreams shall not be counteracted by other bad dreams.'

Accordingly she remained awake to save her dreams by means of (hearing) good, auspicious, pious, agreeable stories about gods and religious men. (55)

At the time of daybreak the Kshatriya Siddhartha called his family servants and spoke thus: (56)

Now, beloved of the gods, quickly make ready, or have made ready, the exterior hall of audience; see that it be sprinkled with scented water, cleaned, swept, and newly smeared, furnished with offerings of fragrant, excellent flowers of all five colours, made highly delightful through curling scented fumes, &c. and turned, as it were, into a smelling box; also erect my throne, and having done this quickly return, and report on the execution of my orders.' (57)

When the family servants were thus spoken to by king Siddhartha, they--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.  on their heads, and modestly accepted the words of command, saying, 'Yes, master!' Then they left the presence of the Kshatriya Siddhartha, and went to the exterior hall of audience, made it ready, and erected the throne (as described in the last paragraph). Having done this, they returned to the Kshatriya Siddhartha; joining the palms of their hands so as to bring the ten nails together, laid the folded hands on their heads, and reported on the execution of their orders. (58)

Early at the wane of the night, when the bright morning disclosed the soft flowers of the full-blown lotuses and Nymphaeas, rose the sun: he was red like the Asoka, the open Kimsuka, the bill of a parrot or the Gungardha; of an intense redness like that of the Bandhugivaka, the feet and eyes of the turtle dove, the scarlet eyes of the Indian cuckoo, a mass of China roses, or vermilion. He, the thousand-rayed maker of the day, shining in his radiance, awakened

the groups of lotuses. When in due time the god of the day had risen and by the blows of his hands (or rays) the darkness was driven away, while the inhabited world was, as it were, dipped in saffron by the morning sun, the Kshatriya Siddhartha rose from his bed, (59) descended from the footstool, went to the hall for gymnastic exercises, and entered it. There he applied himself to many wholesome exercises, jumped, wrestled, fenced, and fought till he got thoroughly tired: then he was anointed with hundredfold and thousandfold refined different kinds of oil, which nourished, beautified, invigorated, exhilarated, strengthened, and increased all senses and limbs. On an oiled hide he was shampooed by clever men with soft and tender palms of the hands and soles of the feet, who were well acquainted with the best qualities of the practices of anointing, kneading, and stretching; well trained, skilful, excellent, expert, intelligent, and never tiring. When by this fourfold agreeable treatment of the body the king's bones, flesh, skin, and hair had been benefited, and his fatigues banished, he left the hall for gymnastic exercises, (60) and entered the bathing-house. The pleasant bathing-room was very agreeable, and contained many windows ornamented with pearls; its floor was decorated with mosaic of various jewels and precious stones. On the bathing-stool, inlaid with various jewels and precious stones in the form of arabesques, he comfortably sat down and bathed himself with water scented with flowers and perfumes, with tepid water and pure water, according to an excellent method of

bathing, combined with healthy exercises. When this healthy excellent bathing under many hundredfold pleasures was over, he dried his body with a long-haired, soft, scented, and coloured towel, put on a new and costly excellent robe, rubbed himself with fresh and fragrant Gosirsha and sandal, and ornamented himself with fine wreaths and sandal-ointment. He put on (ornaments) of jewels and pearls, hung round his neck fitting necklaces of eighteen, nine, and three strings of pearls, and one with a pearl pendant, and adorned himself with a zone. He put on a collar, rings, and charming ornaments of the hair, and encumbered his arms with excellent bracelets: he was of excessive beauty. His face was lighted up by earrings, and his head by a diadem; his breast was adorned and decked with necklaces, and his fingers were, as it were, gilded by his rings. His upper garment of fine cloth contained swinging pearl pendants. H e put on, as an emblem of his undefeated knighthood, glittering, well-made, strong, excellent, beautiful armlets, made by clever artists of spotless and costly jewels, gold, and precious stones of many kinds. In short, the king was like the tree granting all desires, decorated and ornamented; an umbrella, hung with wreaths and garlands of Korinta flowers, was held above him. He was fanned with white excellent chowries, while his appearance was greeted with auspicious shouts of victory. Surrounded by many chieftains, satraps, kings, princes, knights, sheriffs, heads of families, ministers, chief ministers, astrologers, counsellors, servants, dancing masters, citizens, traders, merchants, foremen of guilds, generals, leaders of caravans,

messengers, and frontier-guards, he--the lord and chief of men, a bull and a lion among men, shining with excellent lustre and glory, lovely to behold like the moon emerging from a great white cloud in the midst of the flock of the planets and of brilliant stars and asterisms--left the bathing-house, (61) entered the exterior hall of audience and sat down on his throne with the face towards the east. (62)

On the north-eastern side he ordered eight state chairs, covered with cloth and auspiciously decorated with white mustard, to be set down. Not too far from and not too near to himself; towards the interior of the palace, he had a curtain drawn. It was adorned with different jewels and precious stones, extremely worth seeing, very costly, and manufactured in a famous town; its soft cloth was all over covered with hundreds of patterns and decorated with pictures of wolves, bulls, horses, men, dolphins, birds, snakes, Kinnaras, deer, Sarabhas, Yaks, Samsaktas, elephants, shrubs, and plants. Behind it he ordered to be placed, for the Kshatriyani Trisala, an excellent chair of state, decorated with arabesques of different jewels and precious stones, outfitted with a coverlet and a soft pillow, covered with a white cloth, very soft and agreeable to the touch. Then he called the family servants and spoke thus: (63)

'Quickly, O beloved of the gods, call the interpreters of dreams who well know the science of prognostics with its eight branches, and are well versed in many sciences besides!'

When the family servants were thus spoken to by king Siddhartha, they--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.--laid the folded hands on their heads and

modestly accepted the words of command, saying, 'Yes, master!' (64)

Then they left the presence of the Kshatriya Siddhartha, went right through the town Kundapura to the houses of the interpreters of dreams, and called the interpreters of dreams. (65)

Then the interpreters of dreams, being called by the Kshatriya Siddhartha's family servants, glad, pleased, and joyful, &c., bathed, made the offering (to the house-gods), performed auspicious rites and expiatory acts, put on excellent, lucky, pure court-dress, adorned their persons with small but costly ornaments, and put, for the sake of auspiciousness, white mustard and Durva grass on their heads. Thus they issued from their own houses and went right through the Kshatriya part of the town Kundapura to the front gate of king Siddhartha's excellent palace, a jewel of its kind. (66)

There they assembled and went to the exterior hall of audience in the presence of the Kshatriya Siddhartha. Joining the palms of their hands so as to bring the ten nails together, they laid the folded hands on their heads and gave him the greeting of victory. (67)

The king Siddhartha saluted and honoured the interpreters of dreams, made them presents, and received them with respect. They sat down, one after the other, on the chairs of state which had been placed there before. (68) Then the Kshatriya Siddhartha placed his wife Trisala behind the curtain, and taking flowers and fruits in his hands,

addressed with utmost courtesy the interpreters of dreams: (69)

'O beloved of the gods, the Kshatriyani Trisala was just on her couch, &c.. (70 and 71) What to be sure, O beloved of the gods, will be the result portended by these fourteen illustrious great dreams?' (72)

When the interpreters of dreams had heard and perceived this news from the Kshatriya Siddhartha, they--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.--fixed the dreams in their minds, entered upon considering them, and conversed together. (73)

Having found, grasped, discussed, decided upon, and clearly understood the meaning of these dreams, they recited before king Siddhartha the dream-books and spoke thus:

'O beloved of the gods, in our dream-books are enumerated forty-two (common) dreams and thirty great dreams. Now, O beloved of the gods, the mothers of universal monarchs or of Arhats wake up after seeing these fourteen great dreams out of the thirty great dreams, when the embryo of a universal monarch or an Arhat enters their womb; (74) viz. an elephant, a bull, &c. (75) The mothers of Vasudevas wake up after seeing any seven great dreams out of these fourteen great dreams, when the embryo of a Vasudeva enters their womb. (76) The mothers of Baladevas wake up after seeing any four great dreams out of these fourteen great dreams, when the embryo of a Baladeva enters their womb. (77) The mother of Mandalikas wake up after seeing a single great dream out of these fourteen great dreams, when the embryo of a Mandalika enters their womb. (78) Now, O beloved

of the gods, the Kshatriyani Trisala has seen these fourteen great dreams, &c.. (79) And this boy, &c. the lord of a realm with a large and extensive army and train of waggons, a universal emperor or a Gina, the lord of the three worlds, the universal emperor of the law. (80). Therefore, O beloved of the gods, the Kshatriyani Trisala has seen illustrious dreams,' &c. . (81)

When king Siddhartha had heard and perceived this news from the interpreter of dreams, he--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.--spoke to them thus: (82)

That is so, O beloved of the gods, &c.  as you have pronounced it.'

Thus saying he accepted the true meaning of the dreams, and honoured the interpreters of dreams with praise and plenty of food, flowers, perfumes, garlands, and ornaments. He made them a present in keeping with their station in life and dismissed them. (83)

After this the Kshatriya Siddhartha rose from his throne, went to the Kshatriyani Trisala behind the curtain, and addressed her thus: (84)

Now, O beloved of the gods, you have seen these fourteen great dreams, &c. emperor of the law.' (85, 86) When the Kshatriyani Trisala had heard and perceived this news, she--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.--accepted the true meaning of the dreams. (87) With the permission of king Siddhartha she rose from her chair of state which was decorated with arabesques of various jewels and precious stones,

and returned to her own apartments, neither hasty nor trembling, with a quick and even gait like that of the royal swan. (88)

From that moment in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was brought into the family of the Gnatris, many demons in Vaisramana's service, belonging to the animal world, brought, on Sakra's command, to the palace of king Siddhartha, old and ancient treasures, of which the owners, deponers, and families to whom they originally belonged were dead and extinct, and which were hidden in villages, or mines, or scot-free towns, or towns with earth walls, or towns with low walls, or isolated towns, or towns accessible by land and water, or towns accessible either by land or by water only, or in natural strongholds, or in halting-places for processions or for caravans, in triangular places, or in places where three or four roads meet, or in courtyards, or squares, or high roads, or on the site of villages or towns, or in drains of villages or towns, or in bazaars, or temples, or assembling halls, or wells, or parks, or gardens, or woods, or groves, or burying-places, or empty houses, or mountain caves, or hermits' cells, or secret places between walls, or in houses on an elevation, or houses for audience, or palaces. (89)

In the night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was brought into the family of the Gnatris their silver increased, their gold increased; their riches, corn, majesty, and kingdom increased; their army, train, treasure, storehouse, town, seraglio, subjects, and glory increased; their real valuable property, as riches, gold, precious stones, jewels,

pearls, conches, stones, corals, rubies, &c., the intensity of their popularity and liberality highly increased. At that time the following personal, reflectional, desirable idea occurred to parents of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira: (90)

From the moment that this our boy has been begotten, our silver increased, our gold increased, &c. the intensity of our liberality and popularity highly increased. Therefore when this our boy will be born, we shall give him the fit name, attributive and conformable to his quality--Vardhamana.' (91)

Now the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, out of compassion for his mother, did not move nor stir nor quiver, but remained quiet, stiff, and motionless. Then the following, &c. idea occurred to the mind of the Kshatriyani Trisala: 'The fruit of my womb has been taken from me, it has died, it is fallen, it is lost. Formerly it moved, now it does not move.' Thus with anxious thoughts and ideas, plunged in a sea of sorrow and misery, reposing her head on her hand, overcome by painful reflections, and casting her eyes on the ground she meditated. And in the palace of king Siddhartha the music of drums and stringed instruments, the clapping of hands, the dramatical performances, and the amusements of the people ceased, and mournful dejection reigned there. (92)

Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, knowing that such an internal, &c. idea had occurred to the mind of his mother, he quivered a little. (93)

Feeling her child quivering, trembling, moving, and stirring, the Kshatriyani Trisala--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.--spoke thus: 'No, forsooth, the fruit of my womb has not been taken from me, it has not died, it is not fallen, it is not lost. Formerly it did not move, but now it does move.' Thus she was glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.

Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, while in her womb, formed the following resolution: 'It will not behove me, during the life of my parents, to tear out my hair, and leaving the house to enter the state of houselessness.' (94)

Bathing, making offerings to the house-gods, performing auspicious rites and expiatory acts, and adorning herself with all ornaments, the Kshatriyani Trisala kept off sickness, sorrow, fainting, fear, and fatigue by food and clothing, perfumes and garlands, which were not too cold nor too hot, not too bitter nor too pungent, not too astringent nor too sour nor too sweet, not too smooth nor too rough, not too wet nor too dry, but all just suiting the season. In the proper place and time she ate only such food which was good, sufficient, and healthy for the nourishment of her child. She took her walks in places which were empty and agreeable as well as delightful to the mind; her desires were laudable, fulfilled, honoured, not disregarded, but complied with and executed; she most comfortably dozed, reposed, remained, sat, and laid on unobjectionable and soft beds and seats, and thus most comfortably carried her unborn child. (95)

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira--after the lapse of nine months and

seven and a half days, in the first month of summer, in the second fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Kaitra, on its fourteenth day, [while all planets were in their exaltations, the moon in her principal conjunction, and the sky in all its directions clear, bright, and pure; while a favourable and agreeable low wind swept the earth; at the time when the fields were green and all people glad and amusing themselves] in the middle of the night while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni--(Trisala), perfectly healthy herself, gave birth to a perfectly healthy boy. (96)
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Life of Mahavira, Lecture 5

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was born, there was a divine lustre originated by many descending and ascending gods and goddesses, and in the universe, resplendent with one light, the conflux of gods occasioned great confusion and noise. (97)

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was born, many demons in Vaisramana's

service belonging to the animal world, rained down on the palace of king Siddhartha one great shower of silver, gold, diamonds, clothes, ornaments, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, garlands, perfumes, sandal, powder, and riches. (98)

After the Bhavanapati, Vyantara, Gyotishka, and Vaimanika gods had celebrated the feast of the inauguration of the Tirthakara's birthday, the Kshatriya Siddhartha called, at the break of the morning, together the town policemen and addressed them thus: (99)

'O beloved of the gods, quickly set free all prisoners in the town of Kundapura, increase measures and weights, give order that the whole town of Kundapura with its suburbs be sprinkled with water, swept, and smeared (with cowdung, &c.) that in triangular places, in places where three or four roads meet, in courtyards, in squares, and in thoroughfares, the middle of the road and the path along the shops be sprinkled, cleaned, and swept; that platforms be erected one above the other; that the town be decorated with variously coloured flags and banners, and adorned with painted pavilions; that the walls bear impressions in Gosirsha, fresh red sandal, and Dardara of the hand with outstretched fingers; that luck-foreboding vases be put on the floor, and pots of the same kind be disposed round every door and arch; that big, round, and long garlands, wreaths, and festoons be hung low

and high; that the town be furnished with offerings, &c.  smelling box; that players, dancers, rope-dancers, wrestlers, boxers, jesters, story-tellers, ballad-singers, actors, messengers, pole-dancers, fruit-mongers, bag-pipers, lute-players, and many Talakaras be present. Erect and order to erect thousands of pillars and poles, and report on the execution of my orders.' (100)

When the family servants were thus spoken to by king Siddhartha, they--glad, pleased, and joyful, &c.--accepted the words of command, saying, 'Yes, master!'

Then they set free all prisoners, &c.  pillars and poles. Having done this, they returned to king Siddhartha, and laying their hands on their heads, reported on the execution of his orders. (101 )

The king Siddhartha then went to the hall for gymnastic exercises, &c.. (After having bathed) the king accompanied by his whole seraglio 4, and adorned with flowers, scented robes, garlands, and ornaments, held during ten days the festival in celebration of the birth of a heir to his kingdom; (it was held) under the continuous din and sound of trumpets, with great state and splendour, with a great train of soldiers, vehicles, and guests, under the sound, din, and noise of conches,

cymbals, drums, castanets, horns, small drums, kettle drums, Muragas, Mridangas, and Dundubhis, which were accompanied at the same time by trumpets. The customs, taxes, and confiscations were released, I buying and selling prohibited, no policemen were allowed to enter houses, great and small fines were remitted, and debts cancelled. Numberless excellent actors performed and many Talakaras were present, drums sounded harmoniously, fresh garlands and wreaths were seen everywhere, and the whole population in the town and in the country rejoiced and was in full glee. (102)

When the ten days of this festival were over, the king Siddhartha gave and ordered to be gives hundreds and thousands and hundred-thousands of offerings to the gods, gifts, and portions (of goods); he received and ordered to be received hundreds, thousands, and hundred-thousands of presents. (103)

The parents of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira celebrated the birth of their heir on the first day, on the third day they showed him the sun and the moon, on the sixth day they observed the religious vigil; after the eleventh day, when the impure operations and ceremonies connected with the birth of a child had been performed, and the twelfth day had come, they prepared plenty of food, drink, spices, and sweetmeats, invited their friends, relations, kinsmen, agnates, cognates, and followers, together with I the Gnatrika Kshatriyas. Then they bathed, made

offerings (to the house-gods), and performed auspicious rites and expiatory acts, put on excellent, lucky, pure court-dress, and adorned their persons with small but costly ornaments. At dinner-time they sat down on excellent, comfortable chairs in the dining-hall, and together with their friends, relations, kinsmen, agnates, cognates and followers, and with the Gnatrika Kshatriyas they partook, ate, tasted, and interchanged (bits) of a large collation of food, drink, spices, and sweetmeats. (104)

After dinner they went (to the meeting hall) after having cleansed their mouths and washed; when perfectly clean, they regaled and honoured their friends, &c.  Gnatrika Kshatriyas with many flowers, clothes, perfumes, garlands, and ornaments. Then they spoke thus to their friends, &c.: (105)

'Formerly, O beloved of the gods, when we had begotten this our boy, the following personal, reflectional, desirable idea occurred to our mind: "From the moment that this our boy has been begotten, our silver increased, our gold increased, &c., down to) Vardhamana. Now our wishes have been fulfilled, therefore shall the name of our boy be Vardhamana."' (106, 107)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira belonged to the Kasyapa gotra. His three names have thus been recorded: by his parents he was called Vardhamana; because he is devoid of love and hate, he is called Sramana (i.e. Ascetic); because he stands fast in midst of dangers and fears, patiently bears hardships and calamities, adheres to the chosen rules of

penance, is wise, indifferent to pleasure and pain, rich in control, and gifted with fortitude, the name Venerable Ascetic Mahavira has been given him by the gods. (108)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira's father belonged to the Kasyapa gotra; he had three names: Siddhartha, Sreyamsa, and Gasamsa, &c. Seshavati and Yasovati. (109)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira--clever, with the aspirations of a clever man, of great beauty, controlling (his senses), lucky, and modest; a Gnatri Kshatriya, the son of a Gnatri Kshatriya; the moon of the clan of the Gnatris; a Videha, the son of Videhadatta, a native of Videha, a prince of Videha--had lived thirty years in Videha when his parents went to the world of the gods (i.e. died), and he with the permission of his elder brother and the authorities of the kingdom fulfilled his promise. At that moment the Laukantika gods, following the established custom, praised and hymned him with these kind, pleasing, &c. sweet, and soft words: (110)

'Victory, victory to thee, gladdener of the world! Victory, victory to thee, lucky one! Luck to thee, bull of the best Kshatriyas! Awake, reverend lord of the world! Establish the religion of the law which benefits all living beings in the whole universe! It will bring supreme benefit to all living beings in all the world!'

Thus they raised the shout of victory. (111)

Before the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had adopted the life of a householder (i.e. before his marriage) he possessed supreme, unlimited, unimpeded knowledge and intuition. The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira perceived with this his supreme unlimited knowledge and intuition that the time for his Renunciation had come. He left his silver, he left his gold, he left his riches, corn, majesty, and kingdom; his army, grain, treasure, storehouse, town, seraglio, and subjects; he quitted and rejected his real, valuable property, such as riches, gold, precious stones, jewels, pearls, conches, stones, corals, rubies, &c.; he distributed presents through proper persons, he distributed presents among indigent persons. (112)

In that period, in that age, in the first month of winter, in the first fortnight, in the dark (fortnight) of Margasiras, on its tenth day, when the shadow had turned towards the east and the (first) Paurushi was full and over, on the day called Suvrata, in the Muhurta called Vigaya, in the palankin Kandraprabha, (Mahavira) was followed on his way by a train of gods, men, and Asuras, (and surrounded) by a swarm of shell-blowers, proclaimers, pattivallas,

courtiers, men carrying others on the back, heralds, and bell bearers. They praised and hymned him with these kind, pleasing, &c. sweet and soft words: (113)

'Victory, victory to thee, gladdener of the world! Victory to thee, lucky one! Luck to thee! with undisturbed knowledge, intuition, and good conduct conquer the unconquered Senses; defend the conquered Law of the Sramanas; Majesty, conquering all obstacles, live in Perfection; put down with thy devotion Love and Hate, the (dangerous) wrestlers; vigorously gird thy loins with constancy and overcome the eight Karmans, our foes, with supreme, pure meditation; heedful raise the banner of content, O Hero! in the arena of the three worlds gain the supreme, best knowledge, called Kevala, which is free from obscurity; obtain the pre-eminent highest rank (i.e. final liberation) on that straight road which the best Ginas have taught; beat the army of obstacles! Victory, victory to thee, bull of the best Kshatriyas! Many days, many fortnights, many months, many seasons, many half-years, many years be not afraid of hardships and calamities, patiently bear dangers and fears; be free from obstacles in the practice of the law!'

Thus they raised the shout of victory. (114)

Then the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira--gazed on by a circle of thousands of eyes, praised by a circle of thousands of mouths, extolled by a circle of thousands of hearts, being the object of many thousands of wishes, desired because of his splendour, beauty, and virtues, pointed out by a circle of thousands of

forefingers, answering with (a salam) of his right hand a circle of thousands of joined hands of thousands of men and women, passing along a row of thousands of palaces, greeted by sweet and delightful music, as beating of time, performance on the Vina, Turya, and the great drum, in which joined shouts of victory, and the low and pleasing murmur of the people; accompanied by all his pomp, all his splendour, all his army, all his train, by all his retinue, by all his magnificence, by all his grandeur, by all his ornaments, by all the tumult, by all the throng, by all subjects, by all actors, by all time-beaters, by the whole seraglio; adorned with flowers, scented robes, garlands, and ornaments, &c.  which were accompanied at the same time by trumpets--went right through Kundapura to a park called the Shandavana of the Gnatris and proceeded to the excellent tree Asoka. (115) There under the excellent tree Asoka he caused his palankin to stop, descended from his palankin, took off his ornaments, garlands, and finery with his own hands, and with his own hands plucked out his hair in five handfuls. When the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, he, after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, put on a divine robe, and quite alone, nobody else being present, he tore out his hair and leaving the house entered the state of houselessness. (116)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira for a year and

a month wore clothes; after that time he walked about naked, and accepted the alms in the hollow of his hand. For more than twelve years the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira neglected his body and abandoned the care of it; he with equanimity bore, underwent, and suffered all pleasant or unpleasant occurrences arising from divine powers, men, or animals. (117)

Henceforth the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was houseless, circumspect in his walking, circumspect in his speaking, circumspect in his begging, circumspect in his accepting (anything), in the carrying of his outfit and drinking vessel; circumspect in evacuating excrements, urine, saliva, mucus, and uncleanliness of the body; circumspect in his thoughts, circumspect in his words, circumspect in his acts; guarding his thoughts, guarding his words, guarding his acts, guarding his senses, guarding his chastity; without wrath, without pride, without deceit, without greed; calm, tranquil, composed, liberated, free from temptations, without egoism, without property; he had cut off all earthly ties, and was not stained by any worldliness: as water does not adhere to a copper vessel, or collyrium to mother of pearl (so sins found no place in him); his course was unobstructed like that of Life; like the firmament he wanted no support; like the wind he knew no obstacles; his heart was pure like the water (of rivers or tanks) in autumn; nothing could soil him like the leaf of

a lotus; his senses were well protected like those of a tortoise; he was single and alone like the horn of a rhinoceros; he was free like a bird; he was always waking like the fabulous bird Bharunda, valorous like an elephant, strong like a bull, difficult to attack like a lion, steady and firm like Mount Mandara, deep like the ocean, mild like the moon, refulgent like the sun, pure like excellent gold; like the earth he patiently bore everything; like a well-kindled fire he shone in his splendour.

These words have been summarised in two verses:

A vessel, mother of pearl, life, firmament, wind, water in autumn, leaf of lotus, a tortoise, a bird, a rhinoceros, and Bharunda; I

An elephant, a bull, a lion, the king of the mountains, and the ocean unshaken--the moon, the sun, gold, the earth, well-kindled fire. II

There were no obstacles anywhere for the Venerable One. The obstacles have been declared to be of four kinds, viz. with regard to matter, space, time, affects. With regard to matter: in

things animate, inanimate, and of a mixed state; with regard to space: in a village or a town or in a wood or in a field or a threshing-floor or a house or a court-yard; with regard to time: in a Samaya or an Avalika or in the time of a respiration or in a Stoka or in a Kshana or in a Lava or in a Muhurta or in a day or in a fortnight or in a month or in a season or in a half year or in a year or in a long space of time; with regard to affects: in wrath or in pride or in deceit or in greed or in fear or in mirth or in love or in hate or in quarrelling or in calumny or in tale-bearing or in scandal or in pleasure or pain or in deceitful falsehood, &c. (all down to) or in the evil of wrong belief. There was nothing of this kind in the Venerable One. (118)

The Venerable One lived, except in the rainy season, all the eight months of summer and winter, in villages only a single night, in towns only five nights; he was indifferent alike to the smell of ordure and of sandal, to straw and jewels, dirt and gold, pleasure and pain, attached neither to this world nor to that beyond, desiring neither life nor death, arrived at the other shore of the samsara, and he exerted himself for the suppression of the defilement of Karman. (119)

With supreme knowledge, with supreme intuition, with supreme conduct, in blameless lodgings, in blameless wandering, with supreme valour, with supreme uprightness, with supreme mildness, with supreme dexterity, with supreme patience, with supreme freedom from passions, with supreme control, with supreme contentment, with supreme understanding, on the supreme path to final liberation, which is the fruit of veracity, control, penance, and good conduct, the Venerable One meditated on himself for twelve years.

During the thirteenth year, in the second month of summer, in the fourth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Vaisakha, on its tenth day, when the shadow had turned towards the east and the first wake was over, on the day called Suvrata, in the Muhurta called Vigaya, outside of the town Grimbhikagrama on the bank of the river Rigupalika, not far from an old temple, in the field of the householder Samaga, under a Sal tree, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttaraphalguni, (the Venerable One) in a squatting position with joined heels, exposing himself to the heat of the sun, after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, being engaged in deep meditation, reached the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and full. (120)

When the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had become a Gina and Arhat, he was a Kevalin, omniscient and comprehending all objects; he knew and saw all conditions of the world, of gods,

men, and demons: whence they come, whither they go, whether they are born as men or animals (kyavana) or become gods or hell-beings (upapada), the ideas, the thoughts of their minds, the food, doings, desires, the open and secret deeds of all the living beings in the whole world; he the Arhat, for whom there is no secret, knew and saw all conditions of all living beings in the world, what they thought, spoke, or did at any moment. (121)

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira stayed the first rainy season in Asthikagrama, three rainy seasons in Kampa and Prishtikampa, twelve in Vaisali and Vanigagrama, fourteen in Ragagriha and the suburb of Nalanda, six in Mithila, two in Bhadrika, one in Alabhika, one in Panitabhumi, one in Sravasti, one in the town of Papa in king Hastipala's office of the writers: that was his very last rainy season. (122)

In the fourth month of that rainy season, in the seventh fortnight, in the dark (fortnight) of Karttika, on its fifteenth day, in the last night, in the town of Papa in king Hastipala's office of the writers, the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, went off, quitted the world, cut asunder the ties of birth, old age, and death; became a Siddha, a Buddha,

a Mukta, a maker of the end (to all misery), finally liberated, freed from all pains. (123)

This occurred in the year called Kandra, the second (of the lustrum); in the month called Pritivardhana; in the fortnight Nandivardhana; on the day Suvratagni, surnamed Upasama; in the night called Devananda, surnamed Nirriti; in the Lava called Arkya; in the respiration called Mukta; in the Stoka called Siddha; in the Karana called Naga; in the Muhurta called Sarvarthasiddha; while the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Svati he died, &c. (see above, all down to) freed from all pains. (124) That night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, was lighted up by many descending and ascending gods. (125)

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, a great confusion and noise was originated by many descending and ascending gods. (126)

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, his oldest disciple, the monk Indrabhuti of the Gautama gotra, cut asunder the tie of friendship which he had for his master, and obtained the

highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, &c., complete, and full. (127)

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, the eighteen confederate kings of Kasi and Kosala, the nine Mallakis and nine Likkhavis, on the day of new moon, instituted an illumination on the Poshadha, which was a fasting day; for they said: 'Since the light of intelligence is gone, let us make an illumination of material matter!' (128)

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, the great Graha called Kshudratma, resembling a heap of ashes, which remains for two thousand years in one asterism, entered the natal

asterism of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira. (129) From the moment in which the great Graha, &c., entered the natal asterism of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, there will not be paid much respect and honour to the Sramanas, the Nirgrantha monks and nuns. (130) But when the great Graha, &c., leaves that natal asterism, there will be paid much respect and honour to the Sramanas, the Nirgrantha monks and nuns. (131)

In that night in which the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, the animalcule called Anuddhari was originated: which when at rest and not moving, is not easily seen by Nirgrantha monks and nuns who have not yet reached the state of perfection, but which when moving and not at rest, is easily seen by Nirgrantha monks and nuns who have not yet reached the state of perfection. (132) On seeing this (animalcule) many Nirgrantha monks and nuns must refuse to accept the offered alms.

'Master, why has this been said?' 'After this time the observance of control will be difficult.' (133)

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had an excellent community of fourteen thousand Sramanas with Indrabhuti at their head; (134) thirty-six thousand nuns with Kandana at their head; (135) one hundred and fifty-nine thousand lay votaries with Sankhasataka at their head; (136) three hundred and eighteen

thousand female lay votaries with Sulasa and Revati at their head; (137) three hundred sages who knew the fourteen Purvas, who though no Ginas came very near them, who knew the combination of all letters, and like Gina preached according to the truth; (138) thirteen hundred sages who were possessed of the Avadhi-knowledge and superior a,, qualities; (139) seven hundred Kevalins who possessed the combined best knowledge and intuition; (140) seven hundred who could transform themselves, and, though no gods, had obtained the powers (riddhi) of gods; (141) five hundred sages of mighty intellect who know the mental conditions of all developed beings possessed of intellect and five senses in the two and a half continents and two oceans; (142) four hundred professors who were never vanquished in the disputes occurring in the assemblies of gods, men, and Asuras; (143) seven hundred male and fourteen hundred female disciples who reached perfection, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains; (144) eight hundred sages in their last birth who were happy as regards their station, happy as regards their existence, lucky as regards their future. (145)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira instituted two epochs in his capacity of a Maker of an end: the epoch relating to generations, and the epoch relating to psychical condition; in the third generation ended the former epoch, and in the fourth year of his Kevaliship the latter. (146)

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira lived thirty years as a householder, more than full twelve years in a state inferior to perfection, something less than thirty years as a Kevalin, forty-two years as a monk, and seventy-two years on the whole. When his Karman which produces Vedaniya (or what one has to experience in this world), Ayus (length of life), name, and family, had been exhausted, when in this Avasarpini era the greater part of the Duhshamasushama period had elapsed and only three years and eight and a half months were left, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Svati, at the time of early morning, in the town of Papa, and in king Hastipala's office of the writers, (Mahavira) single and alone, sitting in the Samparyanka posture, reciting the fifty-five lectures which detail the results of Karman, and the thirty-six unasked questions, when he just explained the chief lecture (that of Marudeva) he died, &c. freed from all pains. (147)

Since the time that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, nine centuries have elapsed, and of the tenth century this is the eightieth year. Another redaction has ninety-third year (instead of eightieth). (148)
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LIFE OF PARSVA.

In that period, in that age lived the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, the five most important moments of whose life happened when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Visakha: in Visakha he descended (from heaven), and having descended thence, entered the womb (of his mother); in Visakha he was born; in Visakha, tearing out his hair, he left the house and entered the state of houselessness; in Visakha he obtained the highest knowledge and intuition, called Kevala, which is infinite, supreme, unobstructed, unimpeded, complete, and full; in Visakha he obtained final liberation. (149)

In that period, in that age, in the first month of summer, in the first fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Kaitra, on its fourth day, the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, descended from the Pranata Kalpa, where he had lived for twenty Sagaropamas, here on the continent Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in the town of Benares; and in the middle of the night when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Visakha, after the termination of his allotted length of life, divine nature, and existence (among the gods), he took the form of an embryo in the womb of the queen Vama, wife of Asvasena, king (of Benares). (150)

The knowledge of the Arhat Parsva, the people's

favourite, (about this) was threefold, &c.  comfortably carried her unborn child. (i51)

In that period, in that age the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite--after the lapse of nine months and seven and a half days, in the second month of winter, in the third fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Paushya, on its tenth day, in the middle of the night when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Visakha--(Vama), perfectly healthy herself, gave birth to a perfectly healthy boy. (152)

In that night in which the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, was born, &c.  therefore shall the name of our boy be Parsva. (153, 154)

The Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, clever, with the aspirations of a clever man, of great beauty, controlling his senses, lucky, and modest, lived thirty years as a householder. Then the Laukantika gods, following the established custom, addressed him with these kind, pleasing, &c., sweet, and soft words: (155)

'Victory, victory to thee, gladdener of the world!'  Thus they raised the shout of victory. (156) Before the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, had adopted the life of a householder, &c. indigent persons.

In the second month of winter, in the third fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Paushya, on its eleventh day, in the middle of the night, riding in his palankin called Visala, followed on his way by a train of gods, men, and Asuras, &c. (Parsva) went right through the town of Benares to the park called Asramapada, and proceeded to the excellent tree Asoka. There, &c.  five handfuls.

When the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Visakha, he, after fasting three and a half days without drinking water, put on a divine robe, and together with three hundred men he tore out his hair, and leaving the house entered the state of houselessness. (157)

The Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, for eighty-three days neglected his body, &c. animals. (158)

Thereafter the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, was houseless, circumspect, &c. meditated upon himself for eighty-three days.

During the eighty-fourth day--it was in the first month of summer, in the first fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Kaitra, on its fourth day, in the early part of the day, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Visakha--Parsva, under a Dhataki tree, after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, being engaged in deep meditation, reached the infinite, &c. highest knowledge and intuition called Kevala, &c. moment. (159)

The Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, had eight Ganas and eight Ganadharas (enumerated in a Sloka):

Subha and Aryaghosha, Vasishtha and Brahmakarin, Saumya and Sridhara, Virabhadra and Yasas. (160)

The Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, had an excellent community of sixteen thousand Sramanas with Aryadatta at their head; (161) thirty-eight thousand nuns with Pushpakula at their head; (162) one hundred and sixty-four thousand lay votaries with Suvrata at their head; (163) three hundred and twenty-seven thousand female lay votaries with Sunanda at their head; (164) three hundred and fifty sages who knew the fourteen Purvas, &c. ; (165) fourteen hundred sages who were possessed of the Avadhi knowledge; one thousand Kevalins; eleven hundred sages who could transform themselves, six hundred sages of correct knowledge, one thousand male and two thousand female disciples who had reached perfection, seven hundred and fifty sages of vast intellect, six hundred professors, and twelve hundred sages in their last birth. (166)

The Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, instituted two epochs in his capacity of a Maker of an end: the epoch relating to generations and the epoch relating to psychical condition; the former ended in the fourth generation, the latter in the third year of his Kevaliship. (167)

In that period, in that age the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, lived thirty years as a householder, eighty-three days in a state inferior to perfection, something less than seventy years as a Kevalin, full seventy years as a Sramana, and a hundred years on the whole.

When his fourfold Karman was exhausted and in this Avasarpini era the greater part of the Duhshamasushama period had elapsed, in the first month of the rainy season, in the second fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Sravana, on its eighth day, in the early part of the day when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Visakha, (Parsva), after fasting a month without drinking water, on the summit of mount Sammeta, in the company of eighty-three persons, stretching out his hands, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains. (168) Since the time that the Arhat Parsva, the people's favourite, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, twelve centuries have elapsed, and of the thirteenth century this is the thirtieth year. (169)

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LIFE OF ARISHTANEMI.

In that period, in that age lived the Arhat Arishtanemi, the five most important moments of whose life happened when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Kitra. In Kitra he descended from heaven, &c.  obtained final liberation. (1 70)

In that period, in that age, in the fourth month of the rainy season, in the seventh fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Karttika, on its twelfth day, the Arhat Arishtanemi descended from the great Vimana, called Aparagita, where he had lived for thirty-six Sagaropamas, here on the continent Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in the town of Sauripura, and in the middle of the night when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Kitra, he took the form of an embryo in the womb of the queen Siva, wife of the king Samudravigaya, &c. (the seeing of the dreams, the accumulation of riches, &c., should be repeated here). (171)

In that period, in that age the Arhat Arishtanemi--after the lapse of nine months and seven and a half days, in the first month of the rainy season, in the second fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Sravana, on its fifth day, &c.--(Siva), perfectly healthy herself; gave birth to a perfectly healthy boy. (Repeat the account of the birth, substituting the name Samudravigaya,

all down to) therefore shall the name of our boy be Arishtanemi.

The Arhat Arishtanemi, clever, &c.  indigent persons. (172) In the first month of the rainy season, in the second fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Sravana, on its sixth day riding in his palankin called Uttarakura, and followed on his way by a train of gods, men, and Asuras, &c. (Arishtanemi) went right through the town of Dvaravati to the park called Revatika, and proceeded to the excellent Asoka tree. There, &c. five handfuls. When the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Kitra, after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, he put on a divine robe, and together with a thousand persons he tore out his hair, and leaving the house entered the state of houselessness. (173)

The Arhat Arishtanemi for fifty-four days neglected his body, &c. . During the fifty-fifth day--it was in the third month of the rainy season, in the fifth fortnight, the dark fortnight of Asvina, on its fifteenth day, in the last part of the day, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Kitra--(Arishtanemi) under a Vetasa tree on the summit of mount Girnar, after fasting three and a half days without drinking water, &c., obtained infinite, &c., highest knowledge and intuition called Kevala, &c. moment. (174)

The Arhat Arishtanemi had eighteen Ganas and eighteen Ganadharas. (175)

The Arhat Arishtanemi had an excellent community of eighteen thousand Sramanas with Varadatta at their head; (176) forty thousand nuns with Arya Yakshini at their head; (177) one hundred and sixty-nine thousand lay votaries with Nanda at their head; (178) three hundred and thirty-six thousand female lay votaries with Mahasuvrata at their head; (179) four hundred sages who knew the fourteen Purvas, &c.; (180) fifteen hundred sages who were possessed of the Avadhi knowledge; fifteen hundred Kevalins; fifteen hundred sages who could transform themselves; one thousand sages of vast intellect; eight hundred professors; sixteen hundred sages in their last birth; fifteen hundred male and three thousand female disciples who had reached perfection.

The Arhat Arishtanemi instituted, &c.  the former ended in the eighth generation, the latter in the twelfth year of his Kevaliship. (181)

In that period, in that age the Arhat Arishtanemi lived three centuries as a prince, fifty-four days in a state inferior to perfection, something less than seven centuries as a Kevalin, full seven centuries as a Sramana, a thousand years on the whole. When his fourfold Karman was exhausted and in this Avasarpini era a great part of the Duhshamasushama period had elapsed, in the fourth month of summer, in the eighth fortnight, the light (fortnight) of Ashadha, on its eighth day, in the middle of the night when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Kitra, (Arishtanemi), after fasting a month

without drinking water, on the summit of mount Girnar, in the company of five hundred and thirty-six monks, in a squatting position, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains. (182)

Since the time that the Arhat Arishtanemi died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, eighty-four thousand years have elapsed, of the eighty-fifth millennium nine centuries have elapsed, of the tenth century this is the eightieth year. (183)

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EPOCHS OF THE INTERMEDIATE TIRTHAKARAS.

Since the time that the Arhat Nami died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, 584,979 years have elapsed, this is the eightieth year. (184) Since the death of Munisuvrata this is the year 1,184,980. Since Malli this is the year 6,584,980. Ara died 10,000,000 years before Malli; Kunthua quarter of a Palyopama before Malli; Santi three-quarters of a Palyopama; Dharma three Sagaropamas before Malli; Ananta seven Sagaropamas before Malli; Vimala sixteen Sagaropamas before Malli; Vasupugya forty Sagaropamas before Malli; Sreyamsa a hundred Sagaropamas before Malli. Sitala died a krore of Sagaropamas, less 42,003 years and eight and a half months, before the death of Vira. Suvidhi, surnamed Pushpadanta, died ten krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Kandraprabha a hundred krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Suparsva a thousand krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Padmaprabha ten thousand krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Sumati one hundred thousand krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Abhinandana one million krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Sambhava two million krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala; Agita five million krores of Sagaropamas before Sitala. (185-203)


  

LIFE OF RISHABHA.

In that period, in that age lived the Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, four important moments of whose life happened when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Uttarashadha; the fifth, when in conjunction with Abhigit: (204) in Uttarashadha he descended from heaven, &c. (all down to) in Abhigit he obtained final liberation. (205)

In that period, in that age, in the fourth month of summer, in the seventh fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Ashadha, on its fourth day, the Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, descended from the great Vimana called Sarvarthasiddha, where he had lived for thirty-three Sagaropamas, here on the continent Gambudvipa, in Bharatavarsha, in Ikshvakubhumi, and in the middle of the night, &c., he took the form of an embryo in the womb of Marudevi, wife of the patriarch Nabhi. (206)

The knowledge of the Arhat Rishabha about this, &c. (all as in the case of Mahavira, but note the following differences: the first dream is a bull 'coming forward with his face,' the other (mothers of Tirthakaras see first) an elephant. She (Marudevi) relates them to Nabhi, the patriarch; there

are no interpreters of dreams; Nabhi, the patriarch, himself interprets them). (207)

In that period, in that age the Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian,--in the first month of summer, in the first fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Kaitra, on its eighth day, &c.,--(Marudevi), perfectly healthy herself, gave birth to a perfectly healthy boy. (208)

(The circumstances connected with the birth of Rishabha are the same as in the case of that of Mahavira, only that the contents of  section section 100 and 101 do not apply to the present case.) (209)

The Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, belonged to the Kasyapa gotra, and he had five names: Rishabha, First King, First Mendicant, First Gina, and First Tirthakara. (210)

The Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, clever, with the aspirations of a clever man, of great beauty, controlling (his senses), lucky, and modest, lived two millions of former years as a prince, and six millions three hundred thousand former years as a king. During his reign he taught, for the benefit of the people, the seventy-two sciences, of which writing is the first, arithmetic the most important, and the knowledge of omens the last, the sixty-four accomplishments of women, the hundred arts, and the three occupations of men. At last he anointed his

hundred sons as kings, and gave each a kingdom. Then the Laukantika god, following the established custom, &c. indigent persons. In the first month of summer, in the first fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Kaitra, on its eighth day, in the latter part of the day, riding in his palankin called Sudarsana, followed on his way by a train of gods, men, and Asuras, &c. (Rishabha) went right through the town Vinita to the park called Siddhartha Vana, and proceeded to the excellent tree Asoka. There, &c. four handfuls. When the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Ashadha, he, after fasting two and a half days without drinking water, put on a divine robe, and together with four thousand of high, noble, royal persons, and Kshatriyas, he tore out his hair, and leaving the house entered the state of houselessness. (211)

The Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, for one thousand years neglected his body, &c. meditated upon himself for one thousand years. Thereupon--it was in the fourth month of winter, the seventh fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Phalguna, on its eleventh day, in the early part of the day, when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Ashadha, outside of the town Purimatala, in the park called Sakatamukha, under the excellent tree Nyagrodha--(Rishabha) after fasting three and a half days without drinking water, being engaged in deep meditation, reached the infinite, &c.  highest knowledge and intuition called Kevala, &c. , down to) moment. (212)

The Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, had eighty-four Ganas and eighty-four Ganadharas. (213)

The Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, had an excellent community of eighty-four thousand Sramanas with Rishabhasena at their head; (214) three hundred thousand nuns with Brahmisundari at their head; (215) three hundred and five thousand lay votaries with Sreyamsa at their head; (216) five hundred and fifty-four thousand female lay votaries with Subhadra at their head; (217) four thousand seven hundred and fifty sages who knew the fourteen Purvas, &c.; (218) nine thousand sages who were possessed of the Avadhi knowledge; (219) twenty thousand Kevalins; (220) twenty thousand six hundred sages who could transform themselves; (221) twelve thousand six hundred and fifty sages of vast intellect, &c.; (222) twelve thousand six hundred and fifty professors; (223) twenty thousand male and forty thousand female disciples who had reached perfection; (224) twenty-two thousand nine hundred sages in their last birth, &c. (225)

The Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, instituted, &c.  the former ended after numberless generations, the latter from the next Muhurta after his Kevaliship. (226)

In that period, in that age the Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, lived two millions of former years as a prince, six millions three hundred thousand former years as a king, together eight millions three hundred thousand former years as a householder; a thousand (former) years in a state inferior to perfection, nine-and-ninety thousand former years as a Kevalin, together a hundred thousand former years as a Sramana, and eight

millions four hundred thousand years on the whole. When his fourfold Karman was exhausted, and in this Avasarpini era the Sushamaduhshama period had nearly elapsed, only three years and eight and a half months being left, in the third month of winter, in the fifth fortnight, the dark (fortnight) of Magha, on its thirteenth day, in the early part of the day when the moon was in conjunction with the asterism Abhigit, (Rishabha), after fasting six and a half days without drinking water, on the summit of mount Ashtapada, in the company of ten thousand monks in the Samparyanka position, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains. (227)

Since the time that the Arhat Rishabha, the Kosalian, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains, three years and eight and a half months elapsed; thereupon one koti of kotis of Sagaropamas, less forty-two thousand and three years and eight and a half months, elapsed. At that time the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira died; after his Nirvana nine centuries elapsed, of the tenth century this is the eightieth year.


LIST OF THE STHAVIRAS.

At that period, at that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had nine Ganas and eleven Ganadharas.

'Why, now, has it been said, that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had nine Ganas, but eleven Ganadharas?'

'The oldest monk of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was Indrabhuti of the Gautama gotra, who instructed five hundred Sramanas; the middle-aged monk was Agnibhuti of the Gautama gotra, who instructed five hundred Sramanas; the youngest was Vayubhuti of the Gautama gotra, who instructed five hundred Sramanas. The Sthavira Arya-Vyakta of the Bharadvaga gotra instructed five hundred Sramanas; the Sthavira Arya-Sudharman of the Agnivesyayana gotra instructed five hundred Sramanas; the Sthavira Mandikaputra of the Vasishtha gotra instructed two hundred and fifty Sramanas; the Sthavira Mauryaputra of the Kasyapa gotra instructed two hundred and fifty Sramanas; the Sthavira Akampita of the Gautama gotra and Sthavira Akalabhratri of the Haritayana gotra, both Sthaviras instructed together three hundred Sramanas each; the Sthaviras Metarya and Prabhasa, both of the Kaundinya gotra, instructed together

three hundred Sramanas each. Therefore, Sir, has it been said that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira had nine Ganas, but eleven Ganadharas: (1)

All these eleven Ganadharas of the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, who knew the twelve Angas, the fourteen Purvas, and the whole Siddhanta of the Ganins, died, &c. (all down to) freed from all pains in Ragagriha after fasting a month without drinking water. The Sthaviras Indrabhuti and Arya Sudharman both died after the Nirvana of Mahavira. The Nirgrantha Sramanas of the present time are all (spiritual) descendants of the monk Arya Sudharman, the rest of the Ganadharas left no descendants. (2)

The Venerable Ascetic Mahavira was of the Kasyapa gotra. His disciple was:

 1. Arya Sudharman of the Agnivesyayana gotra;

 2. Arya Gambunaman of the Kasyapa gotra;

 3. Arya Prabhava of the Katyayana gotra;

 4. Arya Sayyambha, father of Manaka, was of the Vatsa gotra;

 5. Arya Yasobhadra of the Tungikayana gotra. (3)

In the short redaction the list of Sthaviras after .Arya Yasobhadra is the following:

 6. Arya Sambhutavigaya of the Mathara gotra and Arya Bhadrabahu of the Prakina gotra;

 7. Arya Sthulabhadra of the Gautama gotra;

 8. i. Arya Mahagiri of the Ailapatya gotra and

    ii. Arya Suhastin of the Vasishtha gotra;

 9. Susthita and Supratibuddha, surnamed Kotika and Kakandaka, of the Vyaghrapatya gotra;

 10. Arya Indradatta (Indadinna) of the Kausika gotra;

 11. Arya Datta (Dinna) of the Gautama gotra;

 12. Arya Simhagiri Gatismara of the Kausika gotra;

 13. Arya Vagra of the Gautama gotra;

 14. Arya Vagrasena of the Utkrishta gotra.

He had four disciples: Arya Nagila, Arya Padmila, Arya Gayanta, and Arya Tapasa, each of whom founded a Sakha called after his name, viz. the Aryanagila Sakha, the Aryapadmila Sakha, the Aryagayanti Sakha, and the Aryatapasi Sakha. (4)

In the detailed redaction the list of Sthaviras after Arya Yasobhadra is the following:

 6. i. Arya Bhadrabahu of the Prakina gotra, who had four disciples of the Kasyapa gotra:

     a. Godasa, founder of the Godasa Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. The Tamraliptika Sakha,

       b. The Kotivarshiya Sakha,

       g. The Pundravardhaniya Sakha, and

       d. The Dasikharbatika Sakha.

     b. Agnidatta,

     c. Ganadatta,

     d. Somadatta.

    ii. Arya Sambhutavigaya of the Mathara gotra, who had twelve disciples:

 7.  a. Nandanabhadra,

     b. Upananda,

     c. Tishyabhadra,

     d. Yasobhadra,

     e. Sumanobhadra,

     f. Manibhadra,

     g. Punyabhadra,

     h. Sthulabhadra of the Gautama gotra,

     i. Rigumati,

     k. Gambu,

     l. Dirghabhadra, and

     m. Pandubhadra;

and seven female disciples:

     a. Yaksha,

     b. Yakshadatta (Yakshadinna),

     c. Bhuta,

     d. Bhutadatta (Bhutadinna),

     e. Sena (also Ena),

     f. Vena,

     g Rena.

 8. i. Arya Mahagiri of the Ailapatya gotra, who had eight disciples:

     a. Uttara,

     b. Balissaha, who both together founded the Uttarabalissaha Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas

       a. Kausambika,

       b. Sautaptika (Pr. Soittiya),

       g. Kautumbini (or Kundadhari),

       d. Kandanagari.

     c. Dhanarddhi (Pr. Dhanaddha),

     d. Sirarddhi (Pr. Siriddha),

     e. Kodinya,

     f. Naga,

     g. Nagaputra,

     h. Khaluka Rohagupta of the Kausika gotra, founder of the Trairasika Sakha.

    ii. Arya Suhastin of the Vasishtha gotra, who had twelve disciples:

 9.  a. Arya Rohana of the Kasyapa gotra, founder of the Uddeha Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. Udumbarika (Pr. Udumbariggiya),

       b. Masapurika,

       g. Matipatrika,

       d. Purnapatrika (Pr. Punnapattiya, Panna degrees, Sunna degrees, or Suvanna degrees);

and into six Kulas:

       a'. Nagabhuta,

       b'. Somabhuta,

       g'. Ullagakkha (or Ardrakakkha?),

       d'. Hastilipta (Pr. Hatthiligga),

       e'. Nandika (Pr. Nandigga),

       z'. Parihasaka.

     b. Bhadrayasas of the Bharadvaga gotra, who founded the Uduvatika Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. Kampiyika (Pr. Kampiggiya),

       b. Bhadriyika (Pr. Bhaddiggiya),

       g. Kakandika,

       d. Mekhaliyika (Pr. Mehaliggiya);

and into three Kulas:

       a'. Bhadrayaska (Pr. Bhaddagasiya),

       b'. Bhadraguptika,

       g'. Yasobhadra (Pr. Gasabhadda).

     c. Megha.

     d. Kamarddhi (Pr. Kamiddhi) of the Kundala gotra, who founded the Vesavatika Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. Sravastika,

       b. Ragyapalika (Pr. Raggapaliya),

       g. Antarangika (Pr. Antariggiya),

       d. Kshemaliptika (Pr. Khemaliggiya);

and into four Kulas:

       a'. Ganika,

       b'. Maighika,

       g'. Kamarddhika,

       d'. Indrapuraka.

     e. Srigupta of the Harita gotra, founder of the Karana Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. Haritamalakari,

       b. Samkasika,

       g. Gavedhuka,

       d. Vagranagari;

and into seven Kulas:

       a'. Vatsaliya (Pr. Vakkhaligga),

       b'. Pritidharmika,

       g'. Haridraka (Pr. Haligga),

       d'. Pushyamitrika (Pr. Pusamittigga),

       e'. Malyaka (Pr. Maligga),

       z'. Aryaketaka,

       e'. Krishnasakha (Pr. Kanhasaha).

     f. Rishigupta Kakandaka of the Vasishtha gotra, founder of the Manava Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. Kasyapiya (Pr. Kasaviggiya),

       b. Gautamiya (Pr. Goyameggiya),

       g. Vasishthiya (Pr. Vasitthiya),

       d. Saurashtrika;

and into three Kulas:

       a'. Rishiguptika,

       b'. Rishidattika,

       g'. Abhiyasasa.

     g. and h. Susthita and Supratibuddha, surnamed Kautika and Kakandaka, of the Vyaghrapatya gotra, founders of the Kautika Gana, which was divided into four Sakhas:

       a. Ukkanagari,

       b. Vidyadhari,

       g. Vagri,

       d. Madhyamika (Pr. Magghimilla);

and into four Kulas:

       a'. Brahmaliptaka (Pr. Bambhaligga),

       b'. Vatsaliya (Pr. Vakkhaligga, cf. e. a'.),

       g'. Vaniya (Pr. Vanigga),

       d'. Prasnavahanaka.

Both Sthaviras had together five disciples:

 10. a. Arya Indradatta (Pr. Indadinna) of the Kasyapa gotra,

     b. Priyagantha, founder of the Madhyama Sakha,

     c. Vidyadharagopala of the Kasyapa gotra, founder of the Vidyadhari Sakha,

     d. Rishidatta,

     e. Arhaddatta (Pr. Arihadatta).

 11. Arya Datta (Pr. Dinna) of the Gautama gotra, who had two disciples:

 12. i. Arya Santisenika of the Mathara gotra, founder of the Ukkanagari Sakha, who had four disciples:

     a. Arya Senika, founder of the Aryasenika Sakha,

     b. Arya Tapasa, founder of the Aryatapasi Sakha,

     c. Arya Kubera, founder of the Aryakubera Sakha, and

     d. Arya Rishipalita, founder of the Aryarishipalita Sakha.

    ii. Arya Simhagiri Gatismara of the Gautama gotra, who had four disciples:

 13. a. Dhanagiri,

     b. Arya Samita of the Gautama gotra, founder of the Brahmadvipika Sakha,

     c. Arya Vagra of the Gautama gotra, founder of the Aryavagra Sakha,

     d. Arhaddatta (Pr. Arihadinna).

 14. i. Arya Vagrasena, founder of the Aryanagila Sakha,

    ii. Arya Padma, founder of the Aryapadma Sakha,

    iii. Arya Ratha of the Vatsa gotra, founder of the Aryagayanti Sakha.

 15. Arya Pushyagiri of the Kausika gotra.

 16. Arya Phalgumitra of the Gautama gotra.

 17. Arya Dhanagiri of the Vasishtha gotra.

 18. Arya Sivabhuti of the Kautsa gotra.

 19. Arya Bhadra of the Kasyapa gotra.

 20. Arya Nakshatra of the Kasyapa gotra.

 21. Arya Raksha of the Kasyapa gotra.

 22. Arya Naga of the Gautama gotra.

 23. Arya Gehila of the Vasishtha gotra.

 24. Arya Vishnu of the Mathara gotra.

 25. Arya Kalaka of the Gautama gotra.

 26. Arya Sampalita and Bhadra, both of the Gautama gotra.

 27. Arya Vriddha of the Gautama gotra.

 28. Arya Sanghapalita of the Gautama gotra.

 29. Arya Hastin of the Kasyapa gotra.

 30. Arya Dharma of the Suvrata gotra.

 31. Arya Simha of the Kasyapa gotra.

 32. Arya Dharma of the Kasyapa gotra.

 33. Arya Sandilya.

Bowing down my head, I pay my reverence to the Sthavira Gambu of the Gautama gotra, who possessed steady virtue, good conduct, and knowledge. ix.

I prostrate myself before the Sthavira Nandita of Kasyapa gotra, who is possessed of great clemency and of knowledge, intuition, and good conduct. x.

Then I adore the Kshamasramana Desiganin of the Kasyapa gotra, who, steady in his conduct, possesses the highest righteousness and virtue. xi.

Then I prostrate myself before the Kshamasramana Sthiragupta of the Vatsya gotra, the preserver of the sacred lore, the wise one, the ocean of wisdom, him of great virtue. xii.

Then I adore the Sthavira prince, Dharma, the virtuous Ganin, who stands well in knowledge, intuition, good conduct, and penance, and is rich in virtues. xiii.

I revere the Kshamasramana Devarddhi of the Kasyapa gotra, who wears, as it were, the jewel of the right understanding of the Sutras, and possesses the virtues of patience, self-restraint, and clemency. xiv.


RULES FOR YATIS.

1. In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira commenced the Paggusan when a month and twenty nights of the rainy season had elapsed.

Why has it been said that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira commenced the Paggusan when a month and twenty nights of the rainy season had elapsed?' (1)

'Because at that time the lay people have usually matted their houses, whitewashed them, strewn them (with straw), smeared them (with cowdung), levelled, smoothed, or perfumed them (or the floor of them), have dug gutters and drains, have furnished their houses, have rendered them comfortable, and have cleaned them. Hence it has been said that the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira commenced the Paggusan when a month and twenty nights of the rainy season had elapsed.' (2)

As the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira commenced the Paggusan when a month and twenty nights of the rainy season had elapsed, so the Ganadharas commenced the Paggusan when a month and twenty nights of the rainy season had elapsed. (3) As the Ganadharas have done, so the disciples of the Ganadharas have done. (4) As they have done,

so the Sthaviras have done. (5) As they have done, so do the Nirgrantha Sramanas of the present time. (6)

As they do, so our masters, teachers, &c. do. (7) As they do, so do we commence the Paggusan after a month and twenty nights of the rainy season have elapsed. It is allowed to commence the Paggusan earlier, but not after that time. (8)

2. Monks or nuns during the Paggusan are allowed to regard their residence as extending a Yogana and a Krosa all around, and to live there for a moderate time. (9)

3. During the Paggusan monks or nuns are allowed to go and return, for the sake of collecting alms, not farther than a Yogana and a Krosa (from their lodgings). (10) If there is (in their way) an always flowing river which always contains water, they are not allowed to travel for a Yogana and a Krosa. (11) But if the river is like the Eravati near Kunala, such that it can be crossed by putting one foot in the water and keeping the other in the air, there it is allowed to travel for a Yogana and a Krosa. (12) But where that is impossible, it is not allowed to travel for a Yogana and a Krosa. (13)

4. During the Paggusan the Akarya will say, 'Give, Sir!' Then he is allowed to give (food to a sick brother), but not to accept himself. (14) If the Akarya says, 'Accept, Sir!' then he is allowed to accept (food), but not to give. (15) If the Akarya says, 'Give, Sir! accept, Sir!' then the patient is allowed to give and to accept (food). (16)

5. Monks or nuns who are hale and healthy, and of a strong body, are not allowed during the Paggusan frequently to take the following nine drinks: milk,

thick sour milk, fresh butter, clarified butter, oil, sugar, honey, liquor, and meat. (17)

6. During the Paggusan a collector of alms might ask (the Akarya), 'Sir, is (anything of the just-mentioned articles) required for the sick man?' he (the Akarya) says, 'Yes, it is.' Then (the sick man) should be asked, 'How much do you require?' The Akarya says, 'So much is required for the sick man: you must take so much as he told you.' And he (the collector of alms) should beg, and begging he should accept (the required food). Having obtained the quantity ordered, he should say, 'No more!' Perchance (the giver of food) might ask, 'Why do you say so, Sir?' (Then he should answer), 'Thus much is required for the sick man.' Perchance, after that answer the other may say, 'Take it, Sir! You may after (the sick man has got his share) eat it or drink it.' Thus he is allowed to accept it, but he is not allowed to accept it by pretending that it is for the sick man. (18)

7. In householders' families which are converted, devoted, staunch adherers (to the law), and honour, praise, and permit (the visits of monks), Sthaviras, during the Paggusan, are not allowed to ask, 'Sir, have you got such or such a thing?' if they do not see it.

'Why, Sir, has this been said?' 'Because a devout householder might buy it or steal it.' (19)

8. During the Paggusan a monk eats only one meal a day, and should at one fixed time frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting

alms, except when he does services for the Akarya, the teacher, an ascetic, or a sick man, likewise if he or she be a novice who has not yet the marks of ripe age. (20) To a monk who during the Paggusan eats only one meal on every second day, the following special rule applies. Having gone out in the morning, he should eat and drink his pure dinner, then he should clean and rub his alms-bowl. If his dinner was sufficient, he should rest content with it for that day; if not, he is allowed for a second time to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms. (21) A monk who during the Paggusan eats on every third day, is allowed twice to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms. (22) A monk who during the Paggusan eats one meal on every fourth day, is allowed three times to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms. (23) A monk who keeps still more protracted fasts, is allowed at all (four) times to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms. (24)

9. A monk who during the Paggusan eats one meal every day, is allowed to accept all (permitted) drinks. A monk who during the Paggusan eats one meal on every second day, is allowed to accept three kinds of drinks: water used for watering flour, sesamum, or rice. A monk who eats one meal

on every third day, is allowed to accept three kinds of drinks: water used for washing sesamum, chaff, or barley. A monk who during the Paggusan eats one meal on every fourth day, is allowed to accept three kinds of water: rain-water, or sour gruel, or pure (i.e. hot) water. A monk who during the Paggusan keeps still more protracted fasts, is allowed to accept only one kind of drink: hot pure water. It must contain no boiled rice. A monk who abstains from food altogether, is allowed to accept only one kind of drink: pure hot water. It must contain no boiled rice; it must be filtered, not unfiltered; it must be a limited quantity, not an unlimited one; it must be sufficient, not insufficient. (25)

10. A monk who during the Paggusan restricts himself to a certain number of donations, is allowed to accept (e. g.) five donations of food, and five of drink; or four of food, and five of drink; or five of food, and four of drink. He may accept one donation of salt for seasoning his meat. He should

rest content for that day with the dinner he has brought together, and is not allowed a second time to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms. (26) During the Paggusan monks or nuns who restrict their visits to certain houses may go to a place where rice is cooked, if it is the seventh house from that where they are lodged. According to some, the lodging is included in the seven houses which such a mendicant must pass before he may participate in the festive entertainment; but according to others, it is not included in those seven houses. (27)

11. During the Paggusan a monk who collects alms in the hollow of his hand, is not allowed to frequent the abodes of householders, &c., if rain, even in the form of a fine spray, falls down. (28) During the Paggusan a monk who collects alms in the hollow of his hand, is not allowed to stay anywhere except in a house after having accepted alms, for it might begin to rain. But he should eat a part, and put back the rest (if it then begins to rain), covering his hand with the other hand, and laying it on his bosom or hiding it under his armpit; then he should go to well-covered (places), to a cave or the foot of a tree, where no water or drops of water or spray of water falls in his hand. (29)

12. During the Paggusan a monk who collects

alms in the hollow of his hand, is not allowed to collect alms if rain, even in the form of a fine spray, falls down. (30)

13. During the Paggusan a monk who uses an alms-bowl is not allowed to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms if it rains fast, but he is allowed to do so if it rains but little; but they must wear then an under and upper garment. (31) During the Paggusan, a monk who has entered the abode of a householder while there are single showers of rain, is allowed (when the rain ceases for a moment) to stand under a grove, or in his residence, or in the assembling-hall of the village, or at the foot of a tree. (32) If before his arrival a dish of rice was being cooked, and after it a dish of pulse was begun to be cooked, he is allowed to accept of the dish of rice, but not of the dish of pulse. (33) But if before his arrival a dish of pulse was being cooked, and after it a dish of rice was begun to be cooked, he is allowed to accept of the dish of pulse, but not of the dish of rice. (34) If both dishes were begun to be cooked before his arrival, he is allowed to accept of both. If both dishes were begun to be cooked after his arrival, he is not allowed to accept of either. He is allowed to accept of what was prepared before his arrival; he is not allowed to accept of what was prepared after his arrival. (35) During the Paggusan, &c.  tree; he is not allowed to pass there his time with the food he had collected before. But he should first eat and drink his pure (food and drink), then rub and clean his alms-bowl,

and, putting his things together, he should, while the sun has not yet set, go to the place where he is lodged; but he is not allowed to pass the night in the former place. (36) During the Paggusan, &c.  tree. (37) It is not allowed that there at the same place should stand together one monk and one nun, nor one monk and two nuns, nor two monks and one nun, nor two monks and two nuns. But if there is a fifth person, a male or female novice, or if that place can be seen (by those who pass) or doors open on it, then they are allowed to stand there together. (38) During the Paggusan, &c. tree. It is not allowed that there at the same place should stand together a monk and a lay woman, &c. (through the four cases as in  section 28). But if there is a fifth person, a Sthavira or a Sthavira, or if that place can be seen (by those who pass) or doors open on it, then they are allowed to stand there together. The same rule applies to a nun and a layman. (39)

14. During the Paggusan monks or nuns are not allowed to accept food, drink, dainties, and spices for one who has not asked them, and whom they have not promised to do so. (40)

'Why has this been said, Sir?' 'Because one who collects alms for another without being asked for it, might eat them or not, just as he lists.' (41)

15. During the Paggusan monks or nuns are not allowed to take their meals as long as their body is wet or moist. (42)

'How has this been said, Sir?' 'Seven places which retain the moisture have been declared: the hands, the lines in the hand, the nails, the top of the nails, the brows, the under lip, the upper lip.'

 But when they perceive that the water on their body has dried up and the moisture is gone, then they are allowed to take their meals. (43)

16. There are these eight classes of small things which a mendicant ought diligently to perceive, observe, and inspect, viz. living beings, mildew, seeds, sprouts, flowers, eggs, layers, and moisture.

What is understood by the small living beings? The small living beings are declared to be of five kinds: black, blue, red, yellow, and white ones. There is an animalcule called Anuddhari, which when at rest and not moving is not easily seen by monks and nuns who have not yet reached perfection, which when not at rest but moving is easily seen by monks and nuns who have not yet reached perfection. Monks and nuns who have not yet reached perfection must diligently perceive, observe, and inspect this. Those are the small living beings. (44)

What is understood by small mildew? Small mildew has been declared to be of five kinds: black, blue, &c. There is a kind of small mildew which has the same colour as the substance on which it grows. Monks, nuns, &c.  inspect this. That is small mildew.

What is understood by small seeds? Small seeds are declared to be of five kinds: black, blue, &c. There is a kind of small seeds of the same colour as grain. Monks and nuns, &c. inspect this. Those are the small seeds.

What is understood by small sprouts? Small sprouts are declared to be of five kinds: black, blue, &c. There is a kind of small sprouts of

the same colour as earth. Monks and nuns, &c. inspect them. Those are the small sprouts.

What is understood by small flowers? Small flowers are declared to be of five kinds: black, blue, &c. There is a kind of small flowers of the same colour as the tree (on which they grow). Monks and nuns, &c. inspect them. Those are the small flowers.

What is understood by small eggs? Small eggs are declared to be of five kinds: eggs of biting insects, of spiders, of ants, of lizards (or wasps), and of chameleons. Monks and nuns, &c. inspect them. Those are the small eggs.

What is understood by small caves or lairs? Small caves or lairs are declared to be of five kinds: lairs of animals of the asinine kind, chasms, holes, cavities widening below like the stem of a palm tree, and wasps' nests. Monks and nuns, &c. inspect them. Those are the small caves or lairs.

What is understood by small moisture? Small moisture is declared to be of five kinds: dew, hoarfrost, fog, hailstones, and damps. Monks and nuns,

 &c.  inspect this. That is small moisture. (45)

17. During the Paggusan a monk might wish to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms. He is not allowed to go without asking leave of the teacher, or sub-teacher, or religious guide, or Sthavira, or head of the Gana, or Ganadhara, or founder of the Gana, or whom else he regards as his superior; he is allowed to go after having asked leave of one of these persons (in this way): 'I want with your permission to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms.' If he (the superior) grants permission, one is allowed to go; if not, one is not allowed to go.

'Why has this been said, Sir?' 'The teacher knows how to make good what has been done wrong.' (46) The same rule applies concerning the visits to temples and leaving the house for easing nature, or any other business, also the wandering from village to village. (47)

18. During the Paggusan a monk might wish to take some medicine; he is not allowed to take it without asking leave of the teacher, &c.  founder of the Gana; but he is allowed to take it after having asked leave of one of these persons (in this way): 'I want, Sir, with your permission to take some medicine,' viz. so much or so often. If he, &c.  wrong. (48)

 The same rule applies if a monk wants to undergo some medical cure. (49) Also if he wants to do some exalted penance. (50) Also if he intends, after the last mortification of the flesh which is to end in death, to wait for his last hour without desiring it, in total abstinence from food and drink or in remaining motionless; also if he wants to go out or to enter, to eat food, &c., to ease nature, to learn his daily lesson, to keep religious vigils--he is not allowed to do it without asking leave. (51)

19. If during the Paggusan a monk wants to dry or warm (in the sun) his robe, alms-bowl, blanket, broom, or any other utensil, he is not allowed without asking one or many persons to frequent the abodes of householders for the sake of collecting alms, to eat food, &c., to visit temples or leave the house for easing nature, to learn his daily lesson, to lie down with outstretched limbs or stand in some posture. If there is somebody near, one or many persons, then he should say: 'Sir, please mind this (robe, &c.) while I frequent the abodes of householders, &c. (see above, down to) posture.' If that person promises to do it, then he (the monk) is allowed to go; if he does not promise it, then he is not allowed to go. (52)

20. During the Paggusan monks or nuns are not allowed to be without their proper bed or bench. This is the reason: A mendicant whose bed and bench are not reserved for his own use, are low and rickety, not sufficiently fastened, without a fixed place, and never exposed to the sun, and

who is not circumspect in what he does, nor accustomed to inspect and clean the things of his use, will find it difficult to exercise control; (53) but on the contrary, control will be easy to him. (54)

21. During the Paggusan monks or nuns must always inspect three spots where to ease nature; not so in the summer and winter, as in the rainy season. 'Why has this been said, Sir?' 'For in the rainy season living beings, grass, seeds, mildew, and sprouts frequently come forth.' (55)

22. During the Paggusan monks or nuns must have three pots, one for ordure, one for urine, and a spitting-box. (56) Monks and nuns, who wear after the Paggusan their hair as short as that of a cow, are not allowed to do so during the Paggusan after that night (of the fifth Bhadrapada); but a monk should shave his head or pluck out his hair. Shaving with a razor every month, cutting with scissors every half-month, plucking out every six months. (57) This is the conduct chiefly of Sthaviras during the rainy season.

23. During the Paggusan monks or nuns should not use harsh words after the commencement of the Paggusan; if they do, they should be warned Reverend brother (or sister), you speak unmannerly.' One who (nevertheless) uses harsh words after the commencement of the Paggusan, should be excluded from the community. (58)

24. If, during the Paggusan, among monks or nuns occurs a quarrel or dispute or dissension, the young monk should ask forgiveness of the superior, and the superior of the young monk. They should forgive and ask forgiveness, appease and be appeased, and converse without restraint. For him who is appeased, there will be success (in control); for him who is not appeased, there will be no success; therefore one should appease one's self. 'Why has this been said, Sir?' 'Peace is the essence of monachism.' (59)

25. During the Paggusan monks or nuns should have three lodging-places; (two) for occasional use,

which must be inspected; one for constant use, which must be swept. (60)

26. During the Paggusan monks or nuns should give notice of the direction or intermediate direction in which they intend to go forth for the sake of begging alms. 'Why has this been said, Sir?' 'During the Paggusan the reverend monks frequently undertake austerities; an ascetic becoming weak and exhausted might swoon or fall down. (In case of such an accident the remaining) reverend monks will undertake their search in that direction or intermediate direction (which the ascetic had named them). (61)

27. During the Paggusan monks or nuns are not allowed to travel farther than four or five Yoganas, and then to return. They are allowed to stay in some intermediate place, but not to pass there (at the end of their journey) the night. (62)

Of those Nirgrantha monks who follow, &c. (see Akaranga Sutra II, 15, v end, down to) . . . . these (rules regulating) the conduct of Sthaviras in the rainy season, some will reach perfection, &c. be freed from all pains in that same life, some in the next life, some in the third birth;

none will have to undergo more than seven or eight births. (63)

In that period, in that age the Venerable Ascetic Mahavira, in the town of Ragagriha, in the Kaitya Gunasilaka, surrounded by many monks and nuns, by many men and women of the laity, by many gods and goddesses, said thus, spoke thus, declared thus, explained thus; he proclaimed again and again the Lecture called Paryushanakalpa with its application, with its argumentation, with its information, with its text, with its meaning, with both text and meaning, with the examination of the meaning.

Thus I say. (64)

_______________________

PART I.- THE BIRTH OF THE DEITIES
 
THE BEGINNING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
 
The names of the deities that were born in the Plain of High Heaven when the Heaven and Earth began were the deity Master-of-the-August-Center-of-Heaven; next, the High-August-Producing-Wondrous deity; next, the Divine-Producing-Wondrous deity. These three deities were all deities born alone, and hid their persons. The names of the deities that were born next from a thing that sprouted up like unto a reed-shoot when the earth, young and like unto floating oil, drifted about medusa-like, were the Pleasant-Reed-Shoot-Prince-Elder deity, next the Heavenly-Eternally-Standing deity. These two deities were likewise born alone, and hid their persons.
The five deities in the above list are separate Heavenly deities.
 
THE SEVEN DIVINE GENERATIONS
 
The names of the deities that were born next were the Earthly-Eternally-Standing deity; next, the Luxuriant-Integrating-Master deity. These two deities were likewise deities born alone, and hid their persons. The names of the deities that were born next were the deity Mud-Earth-Lord; next, his Younger sister the deity -Mud-Earth-Lady; next, the Germ-Integrating deity; next, his younger sister the Life-Integrating-Deity; next, the deity of Elder-of-the-Great-Place; next, his younger sister the deity Elder-Lady-of-the-Great-Place; next, the deity Perfect-Exterior; next, his younger sister the deity Oh-Awful-Lady; next, the deity Izanagi or the Male-Who-Invites; next, his younger sister Izanami or the deity the Female-Who-Invites.
From the Earthly-Eternally-Standing deity down to the deity the Female-Who-Invites in the previous list are what are termed the Seven Divine Generations.
 
THE ISLAND OF ONOGORO
 
Hereupon all the Heavenly deities commanded the two deities His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites and Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites, ordering them to "make, consolidate, and give birth to this drifting land." Granting to them a heavenly jeweled spear, they thus deigned to charge them. So the two deities, standing upon the Floating Bridge of Heaven pushed down the jeweled spear and stirred with it, whereupon, when they had stirred the brine till it went curdle-curdle, and drew the spear up, the brine that dripped down from the end of the spear was piled up and became an island. This is the Island of Onogoro.
 
COURTSHIP OF THE DEITIES THE MALE-WHO-INVITES AND THE FEMALE-WHO-INVITES
 
Having descended from Heaven on to this island, they saw to the erection of a heavenly august pillar, they saw to the erection of a hall of eight fathoms. Then Izanagi, the Male-Who-Invites, said to Izanami, the Female-Who-Invites, "We should create children"; and he said, "Let us go around the heavenly august pillar, and when we meet on the other side let us be united. Do you go around from the left, and I will go from the right." When they met, Her Augustness, the Female-Who-Invites, spake first, exclaiming, "Ah, what a fair and lovable youth!" Then His Augustness said, "Ah what a fair and lovable maiden!" But afterward he said, " It was not well that the woman should speak first!" The child which was born to them was Hiruko (the leech-child), which when three years old was still unable to stand upright. So they placed the leech-child in a boat of reeds and let it float away. Next they gave birth to the island of Aha. This likewise is not reckoned among their children.
Hereupon the two deities took counsel, saving: "The children to whom we have now given birth are not good. It will be best to announce this in the august place of the Heavenly deities." They ascended forthwith to Heaven and inquired of Their Augustnesses the Heavenly deities. Then the Heavenly deities commanded and found out by grand divination, and ordered them, saying: "they were not good because the woman spoke first. Descend back again and amend your words." So thereupon descending back, they again went round the heavenly august pillar. Thereupon his Augustness the Male-who-Invites spoke first: " Ah! what a fair and lovely maiden!" Afterward his younger sister Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites spoke: " Ah! what a fair and lovely youth! " Next they gave birth to the Island of Futa-na in Iyo. This island has one body and four faces, and each face has a name. So the Land of Iyo is called Lovely-Princess; the Land of Sanuki is called Princess-Good-Boiled-Rice; the Land of Aha is called the Princess-of-Great-Food, the Land of Tosa is called Brave-Good-Youth. Next they gave birth to the islands of Mitsu-go near Oki, another name for which islands is Heavenly-Great-Heart-Youth. This island likewise has one body and four faces, and each face has a name. So the Land of Tsukushi is called White-Sun-Youth; the Land of Toyo is called Luxuriant-Sun-Youth; the Land of Hi is called Brave-Sun-Confronting-Luxuriant-Wondrous-Lord-Youth; the Land of Kumaso is called Brave-Sun-Youth. Next they gave birth to the Island of Iki, another name for which is Heaven's One-Pillar. Next they gave birth to the Island of Tsu, another name for which is Heavenly-Hand-Net-Good-Princess. Next they gave birth to the Island of Sado. Next they gave birth to Great-Yamato-the-Luxuriant-Island-of-the-Dragon-fly, another name for which is Heavenly-August-Sky-Luxuriant-Dragon-fly-Lord-Youth. The name of "Land-of-the-Eight-Great-Islands" therefore originated in these eight islands having been born first. After that, when they had returned, they gave birth to the Island of Koo-zhima in Kibi, another name for which island is Brave-Sun-Direction-Youth. Next they gave birth to the Island of Adzuki, another name for which is Oho-Nu-De-Hime. Next they gave birth to the Island of Oho-shima, another name for which is Oho-Tamaru-Wake. -Next they gave birth to the Island of Hime, another name for which is Heaven's-One-Root. Next they gave birth to the Island of Chika, another name for which is Heavenly-Great-Male. Next they gave birth to the islands of Futa-go, another name for which is Heaven's Two-Houses. (Six islands in all from the Island of Ko in Kibi to the Island of Heaven's-Two-Houses.)
 
BIRTH OF THE VARIOUS DEITIES
 
When they had finished giving birth to countries, they began afresh giving birth to deities. So the name of the deity they gave birth to was the deity Great-Male-of-the-Great-Thing; next, they gave birth to the deity Rock-Earth-Prince; next, they gave birth to the deity Rock-Nest-Princess; next, they gave birth to the deity Great-Door-Sun-Youth; next, they gave birth to the deity Heavenly-Blowing-Male; next, they gave birth to the deity Great-House-Prince; next, they gave birth to the deity Youth-of-the-Wind-Breath-the-Great-Male; next, they gave birth to the sea-deity, whose name is the deity Great-Ocean-Possessor next, they gave birth to the deity of the Water-Gates, whose name is the deity Prince-of-Swift-Autumn ; next they gave birth to his younger sister the deity Princess-of-Swift-Autumn. (Ten deities in all from the deity Great-Male-of-the-Great-Thing to the deity Princess-of-Autumn.) The names of the deities given birth to by these two deities Prince-of-Swift-Autumn and Princess-of-Swift-Autumn from their separate dominions of river and sea were: the deity Foam-Calm; next, the deity Foam-Waves; next the deity Bubble-Calm; next, the deity Bubble-Waves; next the deity Heavenly-Water-Divider; next, the deity Earthly-Water-Divider; next, the deity Heavenly-Water-Drawing-Gourd-Possessor; next, the deity Earthly-Water-Drawing-Gourd-Possessor. (Eight deities in all from the deity Foam-Prince to the deity Earthly-Water-Drawing-Gourd-Possessor.) Next, they gave birth to the deity of Wind, whose name is the deity Prince-of-Long-Wind. Next, they gave birth to the deity of Trees, whose name is deity Stem-Elder; next, they gave birth to the deity of Mountains, whose name is the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. Next, they gave birth to the deity of Moors, whose name is the deity Thatch-Moor-Princess, another name for whom is the deity Moor-Elder. (Four deities in all from the deity Prince-of-long-wind to Moor-Elder.) The names of the deities given birth to by these two deities, the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor and the deity, Moor-Elder from their separate dominions of mountain and moor were: the deity Heavenly-Elder-of-the Passes; next, the deity Earthly-Elder-of-the-Passes; next, the deity Heavenly-Pass-Boundary; next, the deity Earthly-Pass-Boundary; next, the deity Heavenly-Dark-Door; next, the deity Earthly-Dark-Door next, the deity Great-Vale-Prince; next, the deity Great-Vale-Princess. (Eight deities in all from the deity Heavenly-Elder-of-the-Passes to the deity Great-Vale-Princess.) The name of the deity they next gave birth to was the deity Bird's-Rock-Camphor-tree-Boat, another name for whom is the Heavenly-Bird-Boat. Next, they gave birth to the deity Princess-of-Great-Food. Next, they gave birth to the Fire-Burning-Swift-Male deity, another name for whom is the deity Fire-Shining-Prince, and another name is the deity Fire-Shining-Elder.
 
RETIREMENT OF HER AUGUSTNESS THE PRINCESS-WHO-INVITES
 
Through giving birth to this child her august private parts were burned, and she sickened and lay down. The names of the deities born from her vomit were the deity Metal-Mountain-Prince and, next, the deity Metal-Mountain-Princess. The names of the deities that were born from her feces were the deity Clay-Viscid-Prince and, next, the deity Clay-Viscid-Princess. The names of the deities that were next born from her urine were the deity Mitsubanome and, next, the Young-Wondrous-Producing deity. The child of this deity was called the deity Luxuriant-Food-Princess. So the deity the Female-Who-Invites, through giving birth to the deity of Fire, at length divinely retired. (Eight deities in all from the Heavenly-Bird-Boat to the deity Luxuriant-Food-Princess.) The total number of islands given birth to jointly by the two deities the Male- Who-Invites and the Female-Who-Invites was fourteen, and of deities thirty-five. (These are such as were given birth to before the deity the Princess-Who-Invites divinely retired. Only the Island of Onogoro was not given birth to and, moreover, the Leech-Child and the Island of Aha are not reckoned among the children.)
So then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites said: " Oh! Thine Augustness my lovely younger sister' Oh! that I should have exchanged thee for this single child! " And as he crept round her august pillow, and as he crept round her august feet and wept, there was born from his august tears the deity that dwells at Konomoto, near Unewo on Mount Kagu, and whose name is the Crying-Weeping-Female deity. So he buried the divinely retired deity the Female-Who-Invites on Mount Hiba, at the boundary of the Land of Idzumo and the Land of Hahaki.
 
TIIE SLAYING OF TIIE FIRE-DEITY
 
Then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites, drawing the ten-grasp saber that was augustly girded on him, cut off the head of his child the deity Shining-Elder. Hereupon the names of the deities that were born from the blood that stuck to the point of the august sword and bespattered the multitudinous rock-masses were: the deity Rock-Splitter; next, the deity Root-Splitter; next, the Rock-Possessing-Male deity. The names of the deities that were next born from the blood that stuck to the upper part of the august sword and again bespattered the multitudinous rock-masses were: the Awfully-Swift deity; next, the Fire-Swift deity; next, the Brave-Awful-Possessing-Male deity, another name for whom is the Brave-Snapping deity, and another name is the Luxuriant-Snapping deity. The names of the deities that were next born from the blood that collected on the hilt of the august sword and leaked out between his fingers were: the deity Kura-okami and, next, the deity Kura-mitsuba.
All the eight deities in the above list, from the deity Rock-Splitter to the deity Kura-mitsuha, are deities that were born from the august sword.
The name of the deity that was born from the bead of the deity Shining-Elder, who bad been slain, was the deity Possessor-of-the-True-Pass-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his chest was the deity Possessor-of-Descent--Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his belly was the deity Possessor-of-the-Innermost Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his private parts was the deity Possessor-of-the-Dark-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his left hand was the deity Possessor-of-the-Densely-Wooded-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his right hand was the deity Possessor-of-the-Outlying-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his left foot was the deity Possessor-of-the-Moorland-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his right foot was the deity Possessor-of-the-Outer--Mountains. (Eight deities in an from the deity Possessor-of-the-True-Pass-Mountains to the deity Possessor-of-the-Outer--Mountains.) So the name of the sword with which the -Male-Who-Invites cut off his son's head was Heavenly-Point-Blade-Extended, and another name was Majestic-Point-Blade-Extended.
 
THE KOJIKI
 
PART II.- THE QUARREL OF IZANAGA AND IZANAMI
 
THE LAND OF HADES
 
Thereupon His Augustuess the Male-Who-Invites, wishing to meet and see his younger sister Her Augustness the FemaleWho-Invites, followed after her to the Land of Hades. So when from the palace she raised the door and came out to meet him, His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites spoke, saying: "Thine Augustness, my lovelv younger sister! the lands that I and thou made are not yet finished making; so come back! " Then Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites answered, saying: " Lamentable indeed that thou camest not sooner! I have eaten of the furnace of Hades. Nevertheless, as I reverence the entry here of Thine Augustness, my lovely elder brother, I wish to return. Moreover, I will discuss it particularly with the deities of Hades. Look not at me!" Having thus spoken, she went back inside the palace; and as she tarried there very long, he could not wait. So having taken and broken off one of the end-teeth of the multitudinous and close-toothed comb stuck in the august left bunch of his hair, he lit one light and went in and looked. Maggots were swarming, and she was rotting, and in her head dwelt the Great-Thunder, in her breast dwelt the Fire-Thunder, in her left hand dwelt the Young-Thunder, in her right hand dwelt the Earth-Thunder, in her left foot dwelt the Rumbling-Thunder, in her right foot dwelt the Couchant-Thunder -- altogether eight Thunder-deities had been born and dwelt there. Hereupon His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites, overawed at the sight, fled back, whereupon his younger sister, "Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites, said: "Thou hast put me to shame," and at once sent the Ugly-Female-of-Hades to pursue him. So His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites took his black august head-dress and cast it down, and it instantly turned into grapes. While she picked them up and ate them, he fled on; but as she still pursued him, he took and broke the multitudinous and close-toothed comb in the right bunch of his hair and cast it down, and it instantly turned into bamboo-sprouts. While she pulled them up and ate them, he fled on. Again, later, his younger sister sent the eight Thunder-deities with a thousand and five hundred warriors of Hades to pursue him. So he, drawing the ten-grasp saber that was augustly girded on him, fled forward brandishing it in his back hand;" and as they still pursued, he took, on reaching the base of the Even-Pass-of-Hades, three peaches that were growing at its base, and waited and smote his pursuers therewith, so that they all fled back. Then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites announced to the peaches: "Like as ye have helped me, so must ve help all living people in the Central Land of Reed-Plains when they shall fall into troublous circumstances and be harassed! "- and he gave to the peaches the designation of Their Augustnesses Great-Divine-Fruit. Last of all, his younger sister, Her Augustness the Princess-Who-Invites, came out herself in pursuit. So he drew a thousand-draught rock, and with it blocked up the Even-Pass-of-Hades, and placed the rock in the middle; and they stood opposite to one another and exchanged leave-takings ; and Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites said: "My lovely elder brother, thine Augustness! If thou do like this, I will in one day strangle to death a thousand of the folk of thy land." Then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites replied: "My lovely younger sister, Thine Augastness! If thou do this, I will in one day set up a thousand and five hundred parturition-house. In this manner each day a thousand people would surely be born." So Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites is called the Great-Deity-of-Hades. Again it is said that, owing to her having pursued and reached her elder brother, she is called the Road-Reaching-Great deity."' Again, the rock with which he blocked up the Even-Pass-of-Hades is called the Great-Deity-of-the-Road-Turning-back, and again it is called the Blocking-Great-Deity-of-the-Door-of-Hades. So what was called the Even-Pass-of-Hades is now called the Ifuya-Pass in the Land of Idzumo.
 
THE PURIFICATION OF THE AUGUST PERSON
 
Therefore the great deity the Male-Who-Invites said: "Nay! hideous! I have come to a hideous and polluted land - I have! So I will perform the purification of my august person." So he went out to a plain covered with altagi, at a small river-mouth near Tachibana in Himuka in the island of Tsukushi, and purified and cleansed himself. So the name of the deity that was born from the august staff which he threw down was the deity Thrust-Erect-Come-Not-Place. The name of the deity that was born from the august girdle which he next threw down was the deity Road-Long-Space. The name of the deity that was born from the august skirt which he next threw down was the deity Loosen-Put. The name of the deity that was born from the august upper garment which he next threw down was the deity Master-of-Trouble. The name of the deity that was born from the august trousers which be next threw down was the Road-Fork deity. The name of the deity that was born from the august hat which he next threw down was the deity Master-of-the-Open-Mouth. The names of the deities that were born from the bracelet of his august left hand which he next threw down were the deity Offing-Distant, next, the deity Wash-Prince-of-the-Offing; next, the deity Intermediate-Direction-of-the-offing. The names of the deities that were born from the bracelet of his august right hand which he next threw down were: the deity Shore-Distant; next, the deity Wash-Prince-of-the-Shore; next, the deity Intermediate-Direction-of-the-Shore.
The twelve deities mentioned in the foregoing list from the deity Come-Not-Place down to the deity Intermediate-Direction-of-the-Shore are deities that were born from his taking off the things that were on his person.
Thereupon saying: "The water in the upper reach is too rapid; the water in the lower reach is too sluggish," he went down and plunged in the middle reach; and, as he washed, there was first born the Wondrous-Deity-of-Eighty-Evils, and next the Wondrous-Deity-of-Great-Evils. These two deities are the deities that were born from the filth he contracted when he went to that polluted, hideous land. The names of the deities that were next born to rectify those evils were: the Divine-Rectifying-Wondrous deity; next, the Great-Rectictifying-Wondrous deity; next, the Female-Deity-Idzu. The names of the deities that were next born as be bathed at the bottom of the water were: the deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Bottom and, next, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Bottom. The names of the deities that were born as he bathed in the middle of the water were: the deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Middle and, next, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Middle. The names of the deities that were born as lie bathed at the top of the water were the deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Surface and, next, His Augustness Elder--Male-of-the-Surface. These three Ocean-Possessing deities are the deities held in reverence as their ancestral-deities by the Chiefs of Adzumi. So the Chiefs of Adzumi are the descendants of His Augustness Utsushi-hi-gana-saku, a child of these Ocean-possessing deities. These three deities His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Bottom, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Middle, and His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Surface are the three great deities of the Inlet of Sumi. The name of the deity that was born as he thereupon washed his left august eye was the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. The name of the deity that was next born as he washed his right august eye was His Augustness Moon-Night-Possessor. The name of the deity that was next born as he washed his august nose was His Brave-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness.
The fourteen deities in the foregoing list from the Wondrous-Deity-of-Eighty-Evils down to His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness are deities born from the bathing of his august person.
 
THE KOJIKI
 
PART III. AMATERASU, THE SUN-GODDESS, AND THE STORM-GOD
 
INVESTITURE OF THE THREE DEITIES, THE ILLUSTRIOUS AUGUST CHILDREN
 
At this time His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites greatly rejoiced, saying: "I, begetting child after child, have at my final begetting gotten three illustrious children." With which words, at once jinglingly taking off and shaking the jewel-string forming his august necklace, be bestowed it on Amaterasu, the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. saying: "Do Thine Augustness rule the Plain-of-High-Heaven." With this charge he bestowed it on her. Now the name of this august necklace was the August-Storehouse-Shelf deity. Next he said to His Augustness Moon-Night-Possessor: "Do Thine Augustness rule the Dominion of the Night." Thus he charged him. Next he said to His-Brave-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness: "Do Thine Augustness rule the Sea-Plain."
 
THE CRYING AND WEEPING OF HIS IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS
 
So while the other two deities each assumed his and her rule according to the command with which her father had deigned to charge them, the Storm-God, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, did not assume the rule of the dominion with which he had been charged, but cried and wept till his eight-grasp beard reached to the pit of his stomach. The fashion of his weeping was such as by his weeping to wither the green mountains into withered mountains, and by his weeping to dry up all the rivers and seas. For this reason the sound of bad deities was like unto the flies in the fifth moon as they all swarmed, and in all things every portent of woe arose. So the Great August deity the Male-Who-Invites said to His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness: "How is it that, instead of ruling the land with which I charged thee, thou dost wail and weep?" He replied, saying: "I wail because I wish to depart to my deceased mother's land, to the Nether Distant Land." Then the Great August deity the Male-Who-Invites was very angry and said: If that be so,, thou shalt not dwell in this land, and forthwith expelled him with a divine expulsion. So the great deity the Male-Who-Invites dwells at Taga in Afumi.
 
THE AUGUST OATH
 
So thereupon His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness said: if that be so I will take leave of the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, and depart." With these words he forthwith went up to Heaven, whereupon all the mountains and rivers shook, and every land and country quaked. So the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, alarmed at the noise, said: " The reason of the ascent hither of His Augustness my elder brother is surely of no good intent. It is only that he wishes to wrest my land from me." And she forthwith, unbinding her august hair, twisted it into august bunches; and both into the left and into the right august bunch, as likewise into her august head-dress and likewise on to her left and her right august arm, she twisted an augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long, of five hundred jewels, and, slinging on her back a quiver holding a thousand arrows, and adding thereto a quiver holding five hundred arrows, she likewise took and slung at her side a mighty and high sounding elbow-pad, and brandished and stuck her bow upright so that the top shook, and she stamped her feet into the hard ground up to her opposing thighs, kicking away the earth like rotten snow, and stood valiantly like unto a mighty man, and, waiting, asked: "Wherefore ascendest thou hither?" Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness replied, saying: "I have no evil intent. It is only that when the Great August deity our father spoke, deigning to inquire the cause of my wailing and weeping, I said: 'I wail because I wish to go to my deceased mother's land' -- whereupon the Great-August deity said: 'Thou shalt not dwell in this land,' and deigned to expel me with a divine expulsion. It is therefore solely with the thought of taking leave of thee and departing, that I have ascended hither. I have no strange intentions." Then the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity said: " If that be so, whereby shall I know the sincerity of thine intentions? " Thereupon His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness replied, saying: "Let each of us swear and produce children." So as they then swore to each other from the opposite banks of the Tranquil River of Heaven, the august names of the deities that were born from the mist of her breath when, having first begged His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness to hand her the ten-grasp saber which was girded on him, and broken it into three fragments, and with the jewels making a jingling sound, having brandished and washed them in the True-Pool-Well of Heaven, and having crunchingly crunched them, the Heaven-Shining-Great deity blew them away, were Her Angustness Torrent-Mist-Princess, another august name for whom is Her Augustness Princess-of-the-Island-of-the-Offing; next Her Augustness Lovely-Island-Princess another august name for whom is Her Augustness Good-Princess; next Her Augustness Princess-of-the-Torrent. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when, having begged the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity to hand him the augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long - of five hundred jewels - that was twisted in the left august bunch of her hair, and with the jewels making a jingling sound having brandished and washed them in the True-Pool-Well of Heaven, and having cruncbingly crunched them, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness blew them away, was His Augustness Truly-Conqueror-I-Conqueror-Conquering-Swift-Heavenly-Great-Great-Ears. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to hand him the jewels that were twisted in the right august bunch of her hair, and having crunchingly crunched them, he blew them away, was His Augustness Ame-no-hohi. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to hand him the jewels that were twisted in her august head-dress, and having crunchingly crunched them, he blew them away, was His Augustness Prince-Lord-of-Heaven. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to hand him the jewels that were twisted on her left august arm, and having crunchingly crunched them, he blew them away, was His Augustness Prince-Lord-of-Life. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to band him the jewels that were twisted on her right august arm, and having crunchingly crunched them,, be blew them away was His-Wondrous-Augustness-of-Kumanu. ( Five deities in all.)
 
THE AUGUST DECLARATION OF THE DIVISION OF THE AUGUST MALE CHILDREN A.ND THE AUGUST FEMALE CHILDREN
 
Hereupon the Heavenly Shining-Great-August deity said to His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness: "As for the seed of the five male deities born last, their birth was from things of mine; so undoubtedly they are my children. As for the seed of the three female deities born first, their birth was from a thing of thine; so doubtless they are thy children." Thus did she declare the division. So Her Augustness Torrent-Mist-Princess, the deity born first, dwells in the inner temple of Munakata. The next, Her Augustness Lovely-Island-Princess, dwells in the middle temple of Munakata. The next, Her Augustness Princess-of-the-Torrent, dwells in the outer temple of Munakata. These three deities are of the three great deities held in reverence by the dukes of Munakata. So His Augustuess Brave-Rustic-Illuminator, child of His Augustness Ame-no-hohi, one of the five children born afterward. This is the ancestor of the rulers of the land of Idzumo, of the rulers of the land of Muzashi, of the rulers of the upper land of Unakami, of the rulers of the lower land of Unakami, of the rulers of the land of lzhimu, of the departmental suzerains of the Island of Tsu and of the rulers of the land of Tobo-tsu-Afumi. The next, His Augustness Prince-Lord-of-Heaven, is the ancestor of the rulers of the land of Ofushi-kafuchi, of the chiefs of Nukatabe-no-yuwe, of the rulers of the land of Ki, of the suzerains of Tanaka in Yamato, of the rulers of the land of Yamashiro, of the rulers of the land of Umaguta, of the rulers of the land of Kine in Michi-no-Shiri, of the rulers of the land of Suhau, of the rulers of Amuchi, in Yamato, of the departmental suzerains of Takechi, of the territorial lords of Kamafu, and of the rulers of Sakikusabe.
 
THE AUGUST RAVAGES OF HIS-IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS
 
Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness said to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity: "Owing to the sincerity of my intentions I have, in begetting children, gotten delicate females. Judging from this I have undoubtedly gained the victory." With these words, and impetuous with victory, he broke down the divisions of the rice-fields laid out by the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity filled up the ditches, and moreover strewed excrements in the palace where she partook of the great food. So, though he did thus, the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity upbraided him not, but said: "What looks like excrements must be something that His Augustness mine elder brother has vomited through drunkenness. Again, as to his breaking down the divisions of the rice-fields and filling up the ditches, it must be because be grudges the land they occupy that His Augustness mine elder brother acts thus." But notwithstanding these apologetic words, he still continued his evil acts, and was more and more violent. As the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity sat in her awful weaving-hall seeing to the weaving of the august garments of the deities, he broke a hole in the top of the weaving-hall, and through it let fall a heavenly piebald horse which he had flayed with a backward flaying, at whose sight the women weaving the heaveijy garments were so much alarmed they died of fear.
 
THE DOOR OF THE HEAVENLY ROCK-DWELLING
 
So thereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, terrified at the sight, closed behind her the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, made it fast and retired. Then the whole Plain of High Heaven was obscured and all the Central Land of Reed-Plains darkened. Owing to this, eternal night prevailed. Hereupon the voices of the myriad deities were like unto the flies in the fifth moon as they swarmed, and a myriad portents of woe all arose. Therefore did the eight hundred myriad deities assemble in a divine assembly in the bed of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and bid the deity Thought-Includer, child of the High-August-Producing-Wondrous deity, think of a plan, assembling the long-singing birds of eternal night and making them sing, taking the hard rocks of Heaven from the river-bed of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and taking the iron from the Heavenly Metal-Mountains, calling in the smith Ama-tsu-ma-ra, charging Her Augtsness I-shi-ko-ri-do-me to make a mirror, and charging His Augustness Jewel-Ancestor to make an augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long - of five hundred jewels - and summoning His Augustness Heavenly-Beekoning-Ancestor-Lord and His Augustness Great-Jewel, and causing them to pull out with a complete pulling the shoulder-blade of a true stag from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and take cherry-bark from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and perform divination, and pulling up by pulling its roots a true cleyera japonica with five hundred branches from the Heavenly Mount Kaga, and taking and putting upon its upper branches the augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long - of five hundred jewels - and taking and tying to the middle branches the mirror eight feet long, and taking and hanging upon its lower branches the white pacificatory offerings and the blue pacificatory offering His Augustness Grand-Jewel taking these divers things and holding them together with the grand august offerings, and His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord prayerfully reciting grand liturgies, and the Heavenly Hand-Strength-Male deity standing hidden beside the door, and Her Augustness Heavenly-Alarming-Female banging round her the heavenly clubmoss the Heavenly -Mount Kagu as a sash, and making the heavenly spindle-tree her head-dress and binding the leaves of the bamboo-grass of the Heavenly -Mount-Kagu in a posy for her hands, and laying a sounding-board before the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling and stamping, till she made it resound and doing as if possessed by a deity, and pulling out the nipples of her breasts, pushing down her skirt-string "usque ad privates partes". Then the Plain of High Heaven shook, and the eight hundred myriad deities laughed together.
Hereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity was greatly amazed, and, slightly opening the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, spoke thus from the inside: "Methought that owing to my retirement the Plain of Heaven would be dark, and likewise the Central Land of Reed-Plains would all be dark: how then is it that the Heavenly-Alarming-Female makes merry, and that likewise the eight hundred myriad deities all laugh? "Then the Heavenly-Alarming-Female spoke, saving: "We rejoice and are glad because there is a deity more illustrious than Thine Augustness." While she was thus speaking, His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord and His Augustness Grand-Jewel pushed forward the mirror and respectfully showed it to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, whereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, more and more astonished, gradually came forth from the door and gazed upon it, whereupon the Heavenly-Hand-Strength-Male deity, who was standing hidden, took her august hand and drew her out, and then His Augustness Grand-Jewel drew the bottom-tied rope along at her august back, and spoke, saving: "Thou must not go back further in than this"! So when the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity had come forth, both the Plain of High Heaven and the Central-Land-of-Reed-Plains of course again became light.
 
THE AUGUST EXPULSION OF HIS IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS
 
Thereupon the eight hundred myriad deities took counsel together, and imposed on High-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness a fine of a thousand tables, and likewise cut his beard, and even caused the nails of his fingers and toes to be pulled out, and expelled him with a divine expulsion. Again he begged food of the deity Princess-of-Great-Food. Then the Princess-of-Great-Food took out all sorts of dainty things from her nose, her mouth, and her fundament, and made them up into all sorts of dishes, which she offered to him. But His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness watched her proceedings, considered that she was offering up to him filth, and at once killed the deity Princess-of-Great-Food. So the things that were born in the body of the deity who had been killed were as follows: in her head were born silkworms, in her two eyes were born rice-seeds, in her two ears was born millet, in her nose were born small beans, in her private parts was born barley, in her fundament were born large beans. So His Augustness the Deity-Producing-Wondrous-Ancestor caused them to be taken and used as seeds.
 
THE EIGHT-FORKED SERPENT
So, having been expelled, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness descended to a place called Tori-kami at the headwaters of the River Hi in the Land of Idzumo. At this time some chopsticks came floating down the stream. So His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, thinking that there must be people at the head-waters of the river, went up it in quest of them, when he came upon an old man and an old woman - two of them - who had a young girl between them, and were weeping. Then he deigned to ask: "Who are ye?" So the old man replied, saving: "I am an Earthly deity, child of the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. I am called by the name of Foot-Stroking-Elder, my wife is called by the name of Hand-Stroking-Elder, and my daughter is called by the name of Wondrous-Inada-Princess." Again he asked: "What is the cause of your crying?" The old man answered, saying: "I had originally eight young girls as daughters. But the eight-forked serpent of Koshi has come every year and devoured one, and it is now its time to come, wherefore we weep." Then he asked him: "What is its form like?" The old man answered, saving: " Its eyes are like akakagachi, it has one body with eight heads and eight tails. Moreover, on its body grows moss, and also chamaecyparis and cryptomerias. Its length extends over eight valleys and eight hills, and if one look at its belly, it is all constantly bloody and inflamed." (What is called here akakagachi is the modern hohodzuki.) Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augstness said to the old man: "If this be tby daughter, wilt thou offer her to me?" He replied, saying: "With reverence, but I know not thine august name." Then be replied, saving: I am elder brother to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. So I have now descended from Heaven." Then the deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder said: "If that be so, with reverence will we offer her to thee." So His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, at once taking and changing, the young girl into a multitudinous and close-toothed comb which he stuck into his august hair-bunch, said to the deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder: " Do you distil some eightfold refined liquor. Also make a fence round about, in that fence make eight gates, at each gate tie together eight platforms, on each platform put a liquor-vat, and into each vat pour the eightfold refined liquor, and wait." So as they waited after having thus prepared everything in accordance with his bidding the eight-forked serpent came truly as the old man had said, and immediately dipped a head into each vat, and drank the liquor. Thereupon it was intoxicated with drinking, and all the heads lay down and slept. Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness drew the ten-grasp saber, that was augustly girded on him, and cut the serpent in pieces, so that the River Hi flowed on changed into a river of blood. So when he cut the middle tail, the edge of his august sword broke. Then, thinking it strange, he thrust into and split the flesh with the point of his august sword and looked, and there was a great sword within. So he took this great sword, and, thinking it a strange thing, he respectfully informed the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. This is the Herb-Quelling Great Sword.
 
THE PALACE OF SUGA
 
So thereupon His Swift-Impetuous-.Male-Augustness sought in the land of Idzumo for a place where he might build a palace. Then he arrived at a place called Suga, and said:
On coming to this place my august heart is pure" - and in that place he built a palace to dwell in. So that place is now called Suga. When this great deity, first built the palace of Suga, clouds rose up thence. Then he made an august song. That song said:
 
"Eight clouds arise. The eightfold fence of Idzumo makes an eightfold fence for the spouses to retire within. Oh! that eightfold fence."
 
[This difficult song has been rather differently rendered by Mr. Aston in the Second Appendix to his " Grammar of the Japanese Written Language." Mr. Aston translates it thus:
 
Many clouds arise:
The clouds which come forth are a manifold fence:
For the husband and wife to retire within
They have formed a manifold fence:
Oh! that manifold fence!"]
 
THE KOJIKI
PART IV.- THE BEAST-LEGENDS
THE WHITE HARE OF INABA
 
From His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness was descended the deity Master-of-the-Great-Land. He had eighty deities his brethren; but they all left the land to the deity Master-of-the-Great-Land. The reason for their leaving it was this: Each of these eighty deities had in his heart the wish to marry the Princess of Yakami in Inaba, and they went together to Inaba, putting their bag on the back of the deity Great-Name-Possessor, whom they took with them as an attendant. Hereupon, when they arrived at Cape Keta, thev found a naked hare lying down. Then the eighty deities spoke to the hare, saying: "What thou shouldest do is to bathe in the sea-water here, and lie on the slope of a high mountain exposed to the blowing of the wind." So the hare followed the instructions of the eighty deities, and lay down. Then, as the sea-water dried, the skin of its body all split with the blowing of the wind, so that it lay weeping with pain. But the deity Great-Name-Possessor, who came last of all, saw the hare, and said: "Why liest thou weeping? " The hare replied, saving: "I was in the Island of Oki, and wished to cross over to this land, but had no means of crossing over. For this reason I deceived the crocodiles of the sea, saying: ' Let you and me compete, and compute the numbers of our respective tribes. So do you go and fetch every member of your tribe, and make them all lie in a row across from this island to Cape Keta. Then I will tread on them, and count them as I run across. Hereby shall we know whether it or my tribe is the larger.' Upon my speaking thus, they were deceived and lay down in a row, and I trod on them and counted them as I came across, and was just about to get on land, when I said: 'You have been deceived by me.' As soon as I had finished speaking, the crocodile who lay the last of all seized me and stripped off all my clothing. As 1 was weeping and lamenting for this reason, the eighty deities who went by before thee commanded and exhorted me, saying: 'Bathe in the salt water, and lie down exposed to the wind.' So, on my doing as they had instructed me, my whole body was hurt." Thereupon the deity Great-Name-Possessor instructed the hare, saying: " Go quickly now to the river-mouth, wash thy body with the fresh water, then take the pollen of the sedges growing at the river-mouth, spread it about, and roll about upon it, whereupon thy body will certainly be restored to its original state." So the bare did as it was instructed, and its body became as it bad been originally. This was the White Hare of Inaba. It is now called the Hare deity. So the hare said to the deity Great-Name-Possessor: "These eighty deities shall certainly not get the Princess of Yakami. Though thou bearest the bag, Thine Augustness shall obtain her."
 
MOUNT TEMA
 
Thereupon the Princess of Yakami answered the eighty deities, saving: "I will not listen to your words. I mean to marry the deity Great-Name- Possessor." So the eighty deities, being enraged, and wishing to slay the deity Great-Name-Possessor, took counsel together, on arriving at the foot of Tema in the land of Hahaki, and said to him: "On this mountain there is a red boar. So when we drive it down, do thou wait and catch it. If thou do not wait and catch it, we will certainly slay thee." Having thus spoken, they took fire, and burned a large stone like unto a boar, and rolled it down. Then, as they drove it down and he caught it, be got stuck to and burned by the stone, and died. Thereupon Her Augustness his august parent cried and lamented, and went up to Heaven, and entreated His Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Augustness, who at once sent Princess Cockle-Shell and Princess Clam to bring him to life. Then Princess Cockle-Shell triturated and scorched her shell, and Princess Clam carried water and smeared him as with mother's milk, whereupon he became a beautiful young man, and wandered off. Hereupon the eighty deities, seeing this, again deceived him, taking him with them into the mountains, where they cut down a large tree, inserted a wedge in the tree and made him stand in the middle, whereupon they took away the wedge and tortured him to death. Then on Her Augustness his august parent again seeking him with cries, she perceived him, and at once cleaving the tree, took him out and brought him to life, and said to him: "If thou remain here, thou wilt at last be destroyed by the eighty deities." Then she sent him swiftly off to the august place of the deity Great-House-Prince in the land of Ki. Then when the eighty deities searched and pursued till they came up to him, and fixed their arrows in their bows, he escaped by dipping under the fork of a tree, and disappeared.
 
THE NETHER-DISTANT-LAND
 
The deity Great-House-Prince spoke to him, saying: Thou must set off to the Nether-Distant-Land where dwells His Impetuous-Male-Augustness. That great deity will certainly counsel thee." So on his obeying her commands and arriving at the august place of His Impetuous-Male-Augustness, the latter's daughter the Forward-Princess came out, and saw him, and they exchanged glances and were married, and she went in again, and told her father, saying: " A very beautiful deity has come." Then the great deity went out and looked, and said: " This is the Ugly-Male-Deity-of-the-Reed-Plains," and at once calling him in, made him sleep in the snake-house. Hereupon his wife, Her Augustness the Forward-Princess, gave her husband a snake-scarf, saying: " When the snakes are about to bite thee, drive them away by waving this scarf thrice." So, on his doing as she bad instructed, the snakes became quiet, so that he came forth after calm slumbers. Again on the night of the next day the Impetuous--Male deity put him into the centipede and wasp-house; but as she again gave him a centipede and wasp-scarf, and instructed him as before, he came forth calmly. Again the Impetuous-Male deity shot a whizzing barb into the middle of a large moor, and sent him to fetch the arrow, and, when be bad entered the moor, at once set fire to the moor all round. Thereupon, while he stood knowing no place of exit, a mouse came and said: " The inside is hollow-hollow; the outside is narrow-narrow." Owing to its speaking thus, he trod on the place, whereupon he fell in and hid himself, during which time the fire burned past. Then the mouse brought out in its mouth and presented to him the whizzing barb. The feathers of the arrow were brought in their months by all the mouse's children. Hereupon his wife the Forward-Princess came bearing mourning implements, and crying. Her father the great deity, thinking that the deity Great-Name-Possessor was already dead and done for, went out and stood on the moor, whereupon the deity Great-Name-Possessor brought the arrow and presented it to him, upon which the great deity, taking him into the house and calling him into an eight-foot spaced large room, made him take the lice off his head. So, on looking at the head, be saw that there were many centipedes there. Thereupon, as his wife gave to her husband berries of the muku tree and red earth, he chewed the berries to pieces, and spat them out with the red earth which he held in his mouth, so that the great deity believed him to be chewing up and spitting out the centipedes, and, feeling fond of him in his heart, fell asleep. Then the deity Great-Name-Possessor, grasping the great deity's hair, tied it fast to the various rafters of the house, and, blocking up the floor of the house with a five-hundred draught rock, and taking his wife the Forward-Princess on his back, then carried off the great deity's great life-sword and life-bow-and-arrows, as also his heavenly speaking-lute, and ran out. But the heavenly speaking-lute brushed against a tree, and the earth resounded. So the great deity, who was sleeping, started at the sound, and pulled down the house. But while he was disentangling his hair which was tied to the rafters, the deity Great-Name-Possessor fled a long way. So then, pursuing after him to the Even-Pass-of-Hades, and gazing on him from afar, be called out to the deity Great-Name-Possessor, saying: "With the great life-sword and the life-bow-and-arrows which thou carriest, pursue thy half-brethren till they crouch on the august slopes of the passes, and pursue them till they are swept into the reaches of the rivers, and do thou, wretch! become the deity Master-of-the-Great-Land; and moreover, becoming the deity Spirit-of-the-Living-Land, and making my daughter the Forward-Princess thy consort, do thou make stout the temple-pillars at the foot of Mount Uka in the nethermost rock-bottom, and make high the crossbeams to the Plain-of-High-Heaven, and dwell there, thou villain! So when, bearing the great sword and bow, he pursued and scattered the eighty deities, be did pursue them till they crouched on the august slope of every pass, he did pursue them till they were swept into every river, and then he began to make the land.
 
THE WOOING OF THE DEITY-OF-EIGHT-THOUSAND-SPEARS
 
This Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears, when he went forth to woo the Princess of Nuna-kaha, in the land of Koshi, on arriving at the house of the Princess of Nunakaha sang, saying:
 
"I, The Augustness the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears, having been unable to find a spouse in the Land of the Eight Islands, and having heard that in the far-off Land of Koshi there is a wise maiden, having heard that there is a beauteous maiden, I am standing here to truly woo her, I am going backward and forward to woo her. Without having yet untied even the cord of my sword, without having yet untied even my veil, I push back the plank-door shut by the maiden; while I am standing here, I pull it forward. While I am standing here, the nuye sings upon the green mountain, and the voice of the true bird of the moor, the pheasant, resounds; the bird of the yard, the cock, crows. Oh! the pity that the birds should sing! Oh! these birds! Would that I could beat them till they were sick! Oh! swiftly flying heaven-racing messenger, the tradition of the thing, too, this!"
 
Then the Princess of Nuna-kaba, without yet opening the door, sang from the inside, saying:
 
Thine Augustness, the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears! Being maiden like a drooping plant, my heart is just a bird on a sand-bank by the shore; it will now indeed be a dotterel. Afterward it will be a gentle bird; so as for thy life, do not deign to die. Oh! swiftly flying heaven-racing messenger! the tradition of the thing, too, this!
 
Second Song of the Princess
 
When the sun shall hide behind the green mountains, in the night black as the true jewels of the moor will I come forth. Coming radiant with smiles like the morning sun, thine arms white as rope of paper-mulberry-bark shall softly pat my breast soft as the melting snow; and patting each other interlaced, stretching out and pillowing ourselves on each other's jewel-arms - true jewel-arms - and with outstretched legs, will we sleep. So speak not too lovingly, Thine Augustness the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears! The tradition of the thing, too, this!"
 
THE CUP PLEDGE
 
Again this deity's Chief Empress, Her Augustness the Forward-Princess, was very jealous. So the deity her husband, being distressed, was about to go up from Idzumo to the Land of Yamato; and as he stood attired, with one august hand on the saddle of his august horse and one august foot in the august stirrup, he sang, saying:
 
When I take and attire myself so carefully in my august garments black as the true jewels of the moor, and, like the birds of the offing, look at my breast -though I raise my fins, I say that these are not good, and cast them off on the waves on the beach. When I take and attire myself so carefully in my august garments green as the kingfisher, and, like the birds of the offing, look at my breast -though I raise my fins, I say that these, too, are not good, and cast them off on the waves on the beach. When I take and attire myself so carefully in my raiment dyed in the sap of the dye-tree, the pounded madder sought in the mountain fields, and, like the birds of the offing, look at my breast though I raise my fins, I say that they are good. My dear young sister, Thine Augustness! Though thou say that thou wilt not weep - if like the Rocking birds, I flock and depart, if, like the led birds, I am led away and depart, thou wilt hang down thy head like a single eulalia upon the mountain and thy weeping shall indeed rise an the mist of the morning shower. Thine Augustness my spouse like the young herbal The tradition of the thing, too, this!"
 
Then his Empress, taking a great august liquor-cup, and drawing near and offering it to him, sang, saying:
 
"Oh I Thine Augustness the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears! Thou, my dear Master-of-the-Great-Land indeed, being a man, probably best on the various island-headlands that thou seest, and on every beach headland that thou lookest on, a wife like the young herbs. But as for me alas! being a woman, I have no man except thee; I have no spouse except thee. Beneath the fluttering of the ornamented fence, beneath the softness of the warm coverlet, beneath the rustling of the cloth coverlet, thine arms white as rope of paper-mulberry bark softly patting my breast soft as the melting snow, and patting each other interlaced, stretching out and pillowing ourselves on each otber's arms-true jewel-arms, and with outstretched legs, will we sleep. Lift up the luxuriant august liquor!"
 
She having thus sung, they at once pledged each other by the cup with their hands on each other's necks, and are at rest till the present time. These are called divine words.
 
THE KOJIKI
 
THE CHAMPION OF JAPAN
 
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS HIS ELDER BROTHER
 
The Heavenly Sovereign said to His Augustness Wo-usu: "Why does not thine elder brother come forth to the morning and evening great august repasts? Be thou the one to take the trouble to teach him his duty." Thus he commanded; but for five days after, still the prince came not forth. Then the Heavenly Sovereign deigned to ask His Augustness Wo-usu, saying: "Why is thine elder brother so long of coming? Hast thou perchance not yet taught him his duty?" He replied, saying: "I have been at that trouble." Again the Heavenly Sovereign said: "How didst thou take the trouble?" He replied, saying: " In the early morning when he went into the privy, I grasped hold of him and crushed him, and, pulling off his limbs, wrapped them in matting and flung them away.
 
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE KUMASO BRAVOES
 
Thereupon the Heavenly Sovereign, alarmed at the valor and ferocity of his august child's disposition, commanded him, saying: " In the West there are two Kumaso Bravoes - unsubmissive and disrespectful men. So take them "-and with this command he sent him off. It happened that at this time his august hair was bound at the brow. Then His Augustness Wo-usu was granted by his aunt Her Augustness Yamato-himeo her august upper garment and august skirt; and, with a saber hidden in his august bosom, he went forth. So, on reaching the house of the Kumaso braves, he saw that near the house there was a threefold belt of warriors, who had made a cave to dwell in. Hereupon they, noisily discussing a rejoicing for the august cave, were getting food ready. So Prince Wo-usu sauntered about the neighborhood, waiting for the day of the rejoicing. Then when the day of the rejoicing came, having combed down after the manner of girls his august hair which was bound up, and having put on his aunt's august upper garment and august skirt, he looked quite like a young girl, and, standing amidst the women, went inside the cave. Then the elder brother and the younger brother, the two Kumaso bravoes, delighted at the sight of the maiden, set her between them, and rejoiced exuberantly. So, when the feast was at its height, His Augustness Wo-usu, drawing the saber from his bosom, and catching Kumaso by the collar of his garment, thrust the saber through his chest, whereupon, alarmed at the sight, the younger bravo ran out. But pursuing after and reaching him at the bottom of the steps of the cave, and catching him by the back, Prince Wo-usu thrust the saber through his buttock. Then the Kumaso bravo spoke, saying: "Do not move the sword; I have something to say." Then His Augustness Wo-usu, respited him for a moment, holding him down as he lay prostrate. Hereupon the bravo said: " Who is Thine Augustness?" Then he said: " I am the august child of Obo-tarashi-hiko-oshiro-wake, the Heavenly Sovereign who, dwelling in the palace of Hishiro at Makimuku, rules the Land of the Eight Great Islands; and my name is King Yamata-woguna. Hearing that you two fellows, the Kumaso bravoes, were unsubmissive and disrespectful, the Heavenly Sovereign sent me with the command to take and slay you." Then the Kumaso bravo said: " That must be true. There are no persons in the West so brave and strong as we two. Yet in the Land of Great Yamato there is a man braver than we two-tbere is. Therefore will I offer thee an august name. From this time forward it is right that thou be praised as the August Child Yamato-take." As soon as he had finished saying this, the Prince ripped him up like a ripe melon, and slew him. So thenceforward he was praised by being called by the august name of his Augustness Yamato-take. When he returned up to the capital after doing this, he subdued and pacified every one of the deities of the mountains and of the deities of the rivers and likewise of the deities of Anado, and then went up to the capital.
 
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE IDZUMO BRAVO
 
Forthwith entering the land of Idzumo, and wishing to slay the Idzumo bravo, he, on arriving, forthwith bound himself to him in friendship. So, having secretly made the wood of an oak-tree into a false sword and augustly girded it, he went with the bravo to bathe in the River Hi. Then, His Augustness Yamato-take getting out of the river first, and taking and girding on the sword that the Idzumo bravo bad taken off and laid down, said: " Let us exchange swords! " So afterward the Idzumo bravo, getting out of the river, girded on His Augustness Yamato-take's false sword. Hereupon His Augustness Yamato-take, suggested, saying: "Come on! let us cross swords." Then on drawing his sword, the Idzumo bravo could not draw the false sword. Forthwith His Augustness Yamato-take drew his sword and slew the lclzumo bravo. Then he sang augustly, saying:
 
"Alas that the sword girded on the Idzumo bravo, and wound round with many a creeper, should have had no true blade!"
 
So having thus extirpated the bravoes and made the land orderly, he went up to the capital and made his report to the Heavenly Sovereign.
 
YAMATO-TAKE IS SENT TO SUBDUE THE EAST AND VISITS HIS AUNT AT ISE
 
Then the Heavenly Sovereign again urged a command on His Augustness Yamato-take, saying: "subdue and pacify the savage deities and likewise the unsubmissive people of the twelve roads of the East"; and when he sent him off, joining to him Prince -Mi-suki-tomo-mimi-take, ancestor of the Grandees of Kibi, he bestowed on him a holly-wood spear eight fathoms long. So when he had received the imperial command and started off, he went into the temple of the Great August Deity of Ise, and worshiped the deity's court, forthwith speaking to his aunt, Her Augustness Yamato-hine, saving: " It must surely be that the Heavenly Sovereign thinks I may die quickly - for after sending me to smite the wicked people of the West, I am no sooner come up again to the capital than, without bestowing on me an army, he now sends me off afresh to pacify the wicked people of the twelve circuits of the East. Consequently I think that he certainly thinks I shall die quickly." When he departed with lamentations and tears, Her Augustness Yamato-hine bestowed on him the "Herb-Quelling-Saber," and likewise bestowed on him an august bag, and said: "If there should be an emergency, open the mouth of the bag."
 
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE RULERS OF SAGAMU
 
So reaching the land of Wohari, he went into the house of Princess Miyadzu, ancestress of the rulers of Wohari, and forthwith thought to wed her; but thinking again that he would wed her when he should return up toward the capital, and having plighted his troth, he went on into the Eastern lands, and subdued and pacified all the savage deities and unsubmissive people of the mountains and rivers. So then, when he reached the land of Sagamu, the ruler of the land lied, saying: "In the middle of this moor is a great lagoon, and the deity that dwells in the middle of the lagoon is a very violent deity." Hereupon Yamato-take entered the moor to see the deity. Then the ruler of the land set fire to the moor. So, knowing that he had been deceived, he opened the mouth of the bag which his aunt, Her Augustness Yamato-hine had bestowed on him, and saw that inside of it there was a fire-striker. Hereupon he first mowed away the herbage with his august sword, took the fire-striker and struck out fire, and, kindling a counter-fire, burned the herbage and drove back the other fire and returned forth, and killed and destroyed all the rulers of that land, and forthwith set fire to and burned them. So that place is now called Yakidzu.
 
YAMATO-TAKE'S EMPRESS STILLS THE WAVES
 
When be thence penetrated on, and crossed the sea of Hashiri-midzu, the deity of that crossing raised the waves, tossing the ship so that it could not proceed across. Then Yamato-take's Empress, whose name was Her Augustness Princess Oto-tachibana, said:" Iwill enter the sea instead of the august child. The august child must complete the service on which he has been sent, and take back a report to the Heavenly Sovereign." When she was about to enter the sea, she spread eight thicknesses of sedge rugs, eight thicknesses of skin rugs, and eight thicknesses of silk rugs on the top of the waves, and sat down on the top of them. Thereupon the violent waves at once went down, and the august ship was able to proceed. Then the Empress sang, saving:
 
"Ah I thou whom I inquired of, standing in the midst of the flames of the fire burning on the little moor of Sagamu, where the true peak pierces!"
 
So seven days afterward the Empress's august comb drifted on to the sea-beach - which comb was forthwith taken and placed in an august mausoleum which was made.
 
YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE DEITY OF THE ASHIGARA PASS
 
When, having thence penetrated on and subdued all the savage Yemisi [Ainu] and likewise pacified all the savage deities of the mountains and rivers, he was returning up to the capital, he, on reaching the foot of the Ashigara Pass, was eating his august provisions, when the deity of the pass, transformed into a white deer, came and stood before him. Then forthwith, on his waiting and striking the deer with a scrap of wild chive, the deer was hit in the eye and struck dead. So, mounting to the top of the pass, he sighed three times and spoke, saying: " Adzuma ha ya!" [My Wife!] So that land is called by the name of Adzuma.
 
YAMATO-TAKE WOOS PRINCESS MIYAZU
 
When, forthwith crossing over from that land out into Kahi, he dwelt in the palace of Sakawori, he sang, saying:
 
"How many nights have I slept since passing Nihibari and Tsukuha?"
 
Then the old man, who was the lighter of the august fire, completed the august song, and sang, saying:
 
"Oh! having put the days in a row, there are of nights nine nights, and of days ten days!"
 
Therefore Yamato-take praised the old man, and forthwith bestowed on him the rulership of the Eastern lands.
Having crossed over from that land into the land of Shinanu and subdued the deity of the Shinanu pass, he came back to the land of Wohari, and went to dwell in the house of Princess Miyazu, to whom he had before plighted his troth. Hereupon, when presenting to him the great august food, Princess Miyazu lifted up a great liquor-cup and presented it to him.
After this, placing in Princess Miyazu's house his august sword "the Grass-Quelling Saber," he went forth to take the deity of Mount Ibuki.
 
YAMATO-TAKE MEETS THE DEITY OF MOUNT IBUKI
 
Hereupon he said: "As for the deity of this mountain, I will simply take him empty-handed"-- and was ascending the mountain, when there met him on the mountainside a white boar whose size was like unto that of a bull. Then he lifted up words, and said: "This creature that is transformed into a white boar must be a messenger from the deity. Though I slay it not now, I will slay it when I return"-- and so saying, ascended. Thereupon the deity caused heavy ice-rain to fall, striking and perplexing His Augustness Yamato-take. (This creature transformed into a white boar was not a messenger from the deity, but the very deity in person. Owing to the lifting up of words, he appeared and misled Yamato-take.) So when, on descending back, he reached the fresh spring of Tamakura-be and rested there, his august heart awoke somewhat. So that fresh spring is called by the name of the fresh spring of Wi-same.
 
YAMATO TAKE SICKENS AND DIES
 
When he departed thence and reached the moor of Tagi, he said: " Whereas my heart always felt like flying through the sky, my legs are now unable to walk. They have become rudder-shaped." So that place was called by the name of Tagi. Owing to his being very weary with progressing a little farther beyond that place, be leaned upon an august staff to walk a little. So that place is called by the name of the Tsuwetsuki pass. On arriving at the single pine-tree on Cape Wotsu, an august sword, which he had forgotten at that place before when augustly eating, was still there, not lost. Then he augustly sang, saying:
 
"O mine elder brother, the single pine-tree that art on Cape Wotsu which directly faces Wohari! If thou, single pine-tree! wert a person, I would gird my sword upon thee, I would clothe thee with my garments - O mine elder brother, the single pine-tree!"
 
When he departed thence and reached the village of Mihe, he again said: " My legs are like threefold crooks, and very weary." So that place was called by the name of Mihe. When he departed thence and reached the moor of Nobe, he regretting his native land, sang, saying:
 
"As for Yamato, the most secluded of land - Yamato, retired behind Mount Awogaki encompassing it with its folds, is delightful."
 
Again he sang, saying:
 
"Let those whose life may be complete stick in their hair as a headdress the leaves of the bear-oak from Mount Heguri -those children!"
 
This song is a land-regretting song. Again he sang, saying:
 
"How sweet! ah! from the direction of home clouds are rising and coming!"
 
This is an incomplete song. At this time, his august sickness very urgent. Then he sang augustly, saying:
 
The saber-sword which I placed at the maiden's bedside, alas! that sword!"
 
As soon as he had finished singing, he died. Then a courier was dispatched to the Heavenly Sovereign.
 
YAMATO-TAKE TURNS INTO A WHITE BIRD
 
Thereupon his Empresses and likewise his august children, who dwelt in Yamato, all went down and built an august mausoleum, and, forthwith crawling hither and thither in the rice fields encompassing the mausoleum, sobbed out a song, saying:
 
The Dioscorea quinqueloba crawling hither and thither among the among the rice-stubble in the rice-fields encompassing the Mausoleum.."
 
Thereupon the dead prince, turning into a white dotterel eight fathoms long, and soaring up to Heaven, flew off toward the shore. Then the Empress and likewise the august children, though they tore their feet treading on the stubble of the bamboo-grass, forgot the pain, and pursued him with lamentations. At that time they sang, saying:
 
"Our loins are impeded in the plain overgrown with short bamboo-grass. We are not going through the sky, but oh! we are on foot."
 
Again when they entered the salt sea, and suffered as they went, they sang, saying:
 
"As we go through the sea, our loins are impeded -tottering in the sea like herbs growing in a great river-bed."
 
Again when the bird flew and perched on the seaside, they sang, saying:
 
"The dotterel of the beach goes not on the beach, but follows the seaside."
 
These four songs were all sung at Yamato-take's august interment. So to the present day these songs are sung at the great interment of a Heavenly Sovereign. So the bird flew off from that country, and stopped at Shiki in the land of Kafuchi. So they made an august mausoleum there, and laid Yamato-take to rest. Forthwith that august mausoleum was called by. the name of the "August-Mausoleum of the White-Bird." Nevertheless the bird soared up thence to heaven again and flew away.
 
 Shri Guru Granth Sahib: Jup

One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace ~
Chant And Meditate:
True In The Primal Beginning. True Throughout The Ages.
True Here And Now. O Nanak, Forever And Ever True. ||1||
By thinking, He cannot be reduced to thought, even by thinking hundreds of thousands of times.
By remaining silent, inner silence is not obtained, even by remaining lovingly absorbed deep within.
The hunger of the hungry is not appeased, even by piling up loads of worldly goods.
Hundreds of thousands of clever tricks, but not even one of them will go along with you in the end.
So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn away?
O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will. ||1||
By His Command, bodies are created; His Command cannot be described.
By His Command, souls come into being; by His Command, glory and greatness are obtained.
By His Command, some are high and some are low; by His Written Command, pain and pleasure are obtained.
Some, by His Command, are blessed and forgiven; others, by His Command, wander aimlessly forever.
Everyone is subject to His Command; no one is beyond His Command.
O Nanak, one who understands His Command, does not speak in ego. ||2||
Some sing of His Power-who has that Power?
Some sing of His Gifts, and know His Sign and Insignia.
Some sing of His Glorious Virtues, Greatness and Beauty.
Some sing of knowledge obtained of Him, through difficult philosophical studies.
Some sing that He fashions the body, and then again reduces it to dust.
Some sing that He takes life away, and then again restores it.
Some sing that He seems so very far away.

Some sing that He watches over us, face to face, ever-present.
There is no shortage of those who preach and teach.
Millions upon millions offer millions of sermons and stories.
The Great Giver keeps on giving, while those who receive grow weary of receiving.
Throughout the ages, consumers consume.
The Commander, by His Command, leads us to walk on the Path.
O Nanak, He blossoms forth, Carefree and Untroubled. ||3||
True is the Master, True is His Name-speak it with infinite love.
People beg and pray, "Give to us, give to us", and the Great Giver gives His Gifts.
So what offering can we place before Him, by which we might see the Darbaar of His Court?
What words can we speak to evoke His Love?
In the Amrit Vaylaa, the ambrosial hours before dawn, chant the True Name, and contemplate His Glorious Greatness.
By the karma of past actions, the robe of this physical body is obtained. By His Grace, the Gate of Liberation is found.
O Nanak, know this well: the True One Himself is All. ||4||
He cannot be established, He cannot be created.
He Himself is Immaculate and Pure.
Those who serve Him are honored.
O Nanak, sing of the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence.
Sing, and listen, and let your mind be filled with love.
Your pain shall be sent far away, and peace shall come to your home.
The Guru's Word is the Sound-current of the Naad; the Guru's Word is the Wisdom of the Vedas; the Guru's Word is all-pervading.
The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi.
Even knowing God, I cannot describe Him; He cannot be described in words.
The Guru has given me this one understanding:
there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him! ||5||
If I am pleasing to Him, then that is my pilgrimage and cleansing bath. Without pleasing Him, what good are ritual cleansings?
I gaze upon all the created beings: without the karma of good actions, what are they given to receive?
Within the mind are gems, jewels and rubies, if you listen to the Guru's Teachings, even once.
The Guru has given me this one understanding:
there is only the One, the Giver of all souls. May I never forget Him! ||6||
Even if you could live throughout the four ages, or even ten times more,
and even if you were known throughout the nine continents and followed by all,
with a good name and reputation, with praise and fame throughout the world-
still, if the Lord does not bless you with His Glance of Grace, then who cares? What is the use?
Among worms, you would be considered a lowly worm, and even contemptible sinners would hold you in contempt.
O Nanak, God blesses the unworthy with virtue, and bestows virtue on the virtuous.
No one can even imagine anyone who can bestow virtue upon Him. ||7||
Listening-the Siddhas, the spiritual teachers, the heroic warriors, the yogic masters.
Listening-the earth, its support and the Akaashic ethers.
Listening-the oceans, the lands of the world and the nether regions of the underworld.
Listening-Death cannot even touch you.
O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
Listening-pain and sin are erased. ||8||
Listening-Shiva, Brahma and Indra.
Listening-even foul-mouthed people praise Him.
Listening-the technology of Yoga and the secrets of the body.
Listening-the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas.
O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.

Listening-pain and sin are erased. ||9||
Listening-truth, contentment and spiritual wisdom.
Listening-take your cleansing bath at the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage.
Listening-reading and reciting, honor is obtained.
Listening-intuitively grasp the essence of meditation.
O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
Listening-pain and sin are erased. ||10||
Listening-dive deep into the ocean of virtue.
Listening-the Shaykhs, religious scholars, spiritual teachers and emperors.
Listening-even the blind find the Path.
Listening-the Unreachable comes within your grasp.
O Nanak, the devotees are forever in bliss.
Listening-pain and sin are erased. ||11||
The state of the faithful cannot be described.
One who tries to describe this shall regret the attempt.
No paper, no pen, no scribe
can record the state of the faithful.
Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord.
Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. ||12||
The faithful have intuitive awareness and intelligence.
The faithful know about all worlds and realms.
The faithful shall never be struck across the face.
The faithful do not have to go with the Messenger of Death.
Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord.
Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. ||13||
The path of the faithful shall never be blocked.
The faithful shall depart with honor and fame.
The faithful do not follow empty religious rituals.
The faithful are firmly bound to the Dharma.
Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord.
Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. ||14||
The faithful find the Door of Liberation.
The faithful uplift and redeem their family and relations.
The faithful are saved, and carried across with the Sikhs of the Guru.
The faithful, O Nanak, do not wander around begging.
Such is the Name of the Immaculate Lord.
Only one who has faith comes to know such a state of mind. ||15||
The chosen ones, the self-elect, are accepted and approved.
The chosen ones are honored in the Court of the Lord.
The chosen ones look beautiful in the courts of kings.
The chosen ones meditate single-mindedly on the Guru.
No matter how much anyone tries to explain and describe them,
the actions of the Creator cannot be counted.
The mythical bull is Dharma, the son of compassion;
this is what patiently holds the earth in its place.
One who understands this becomes truthful.
What a great load there is on the bull!
So many worlds beyond this world-so very many!
What power holds them, and supports their weight?
The names and the colors of the assorted species of beings
were all inscribed by the Ever-flowing Pen of God.
Who knows how to write this account?
Just imagine what a huge scroll it would take!
What power! What fascinating beauty!
And what gifts! Who can know their extent?
You created the vast expanse of the Universe with One Word!
Hundreds of thousands of rivers began to flow.
How can Your Creative Potency be described?
I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.
Whatever pleases You is the only good done,
You, Eternal and Formless One! ||16||
Countless meditations, countless loves.
Countless worship services, countless austere disciplines.
Countless scriptures, and ritual recitations of the Vedas.
Countless Yogis, whose minds remain detached from the world.

Countless devotees contemplate the Wisdom and Virtues of the Lord.
Countless the holy, countless the givers.
Countless heroic spiritual warriors, who bear the brunt of the attack in battle (who with their mouths eat steel).
Countless silent sages, vibrating the String of His Love.
How can Your Creative Potency be described?
I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.
Whatever pleases You is the only good done,
You, Eternal and Formless One. ||17||
Countless fools, blinded by ignorance.
Countless thieves and embezzlers.
Countless impose their will by force.
Countless cut-throats and ruthless killers.
Countless sinners who keep on sinning.
Countless liars, wandering lost in their lies.
Countless wretches, eating filth as their ration.
Countless slanderers, carrying the weight of their stupid mistakes on their heads.
Nanak describes the state of the lowly.
I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.
Whatever pleases You is the only good done,
You, Eternal and Formless One. ||18||
Countless names, countless places.
Inaccessible, unapproachable, countless celestial realms.
Even to call them countless is to carry the weight on your head.
From the Word, comes the Naam; from the Word, comes Your Praise.
From the Word, comes spiritual wisdom, singing the Songs of Your Glory.
From the Word, come the written and spoken words and hymns.
From the Word, comes destiny, written on one's forehead.
But the One who wrote these Words of Destiny-no words are written on His Forehead.
As He ordains, so do we receive.
The created universe is the manifestation of Your Name.
Without Your Name, there is no place at all.
How can I describe Your Creative Power?
I cannot even once be a sacrifice to You.
Whatever pleases You is the only good done,
You, Eternal and Formless One. ||19||
When the hands and the feet and the body are dirty,
water can wash away the dirt.
When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine,
soap can wash them clean.
But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin,
it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.
Virtue and vice do not come by mere words;
actions repeated, over and over again, are engraved on the soul.
You shall harvest what you plant.
O Nanak, by the Hukam of God's Command, we come and go in reincarnation. ||20||
Pilgrimages, austere discipline, compassion and charity
-these, by themselves, bring only an iota of merit.
Listening and believing with love and humility in your mind,
cleanse yourself with the Name, at the sacred shrine deep within.
All virtues are Yours, Lord, I have none at all.
Without virtue, there is no devotional worship.
I bow to the Lord of the World, to His Word, to Brahma the Creator.
He is Beautiful, True and Eternally Joyful.
What was that time, and what was that moment? What was that day, and what was that date?
What was that season, and what was that month, when the Universe was created?
The Pandits, the religious scholars, cannot find that time, even if it is written in the Puraanas.
That time is not known to the Qazis, who study the Koran.
The day and the date are not known to the Yogis, nor is the month or the season.
The Creator who created this creation-only He Himself knows.
How can we speak of Him? How can we praise Him? How can we describe Him? How can we know Him?

O Nanak, everyone speaks of Him, each one wiser than the rest.
Great is the Master, Great is His Name. Whatever happens is according to His Will.
O Nanak, one who claims to know everything shall not be decorated in the world hereafter. ||21||
There are nether worlds beneath nether worlds, and hundreds of thousands of heavenly worlds above.
The Vedas say that you can search and search for them all, until you grow weary.
The scriptures say that there are 18,000 worlds, but in reality, there is only One Universe.
If you try to write an account of this, you will surely finish yourself before you finish writing it.
O Nanak, call Him Great! He Himself knows Himself. ||22||
The praisers praise the Lord, but they do not obtain intuitive understanding
-the streams and rivers flowing into the ocean do not know its vastness.
Even kings and emperors, with mountains of property and oceans of wealth
-these are not even equal to an ant, who does not forget God. ||23||
Endless are His Praises, endless are those who speak them.
Endless are His Actions, endless are His Gifts.
Endless is His Vision, endless is His Hearing.
His limits cannot be perceived. What is the Mystery of His Mind?
The limits of the created universe cannot be perceived.
Its limits here and beyond cannot be perceived.
Many struggle to know His limits,
but His limits cannot be found.
No one can know these limits.
The more you say about them, the more there still remains to be said.
Great is the Master, High is His Heavenly Home.
Highest of the High, above all is His Name.
Only one as Great and as High as God
can know His Lofty and Exalted State.
Only He Himself is that Great. He Himself knows Himself.
O Nanak, by His Glance of Grace, He bestows His Blessings. ||24||
His Blessings are so abundant that there can be no written account of them.
The Great Giver does not hold back anything.
There are so many great, heroic warriors begging at the Door of the Infinite Lord.
So many contemplate and dwell upon Him, that they cannot be counted.
So many waste away to death engaged in corruption.
So many take and take again, and then deny receiving.
So many foolish consumers keep on consuming.
So many endure distress, deprivation and constant abuse.
Even these are Your Gifts, O Great Giver!
Liberation from bondage comes only by Your Will.
No one else has any say in this.
If some fool should presume to say that he does,
he shall learn, and feel the effects of his folly.
He Himself knows, He Himself gives.
Few, very few are those who acknowledge this.
One who is blessed to sing the Praises of the Lord,
O Nanak, is the king of kings. ||25||
Priceless are His Virtues, Priceless are His Dealings.
Priceless are His Dealers, Priceless are His Treasures.
Priceless are those who come to Him, Priceless are those who buy from Him.
Priceless is Love for Him, Priceless is absorption into Him.
Priceless is the Divine Law of Dharma, Priceless is the Divine Court of Justice.
Priceless are the scales, priceless are the weights.
Priceless are His Blessings, Priceless is His Banner and Insignia.
Priceless is His Mercy, Priceless is His Royal Command.
Priceless, O Priceless beyond expression!
Speak of Him continually, and remain absorbed in His Love.
The Vedas and the Puraanas speak.
The scholars speak and lecture.
Brahma speaks, Indra speaks.

The Gopis and Krishna speak.
Shiva speaks, the Siddhas speak.
The many created Buddhas speak.
The demons speak, the demi-gods speak.
The spiritual warriors, the heavenly beings, the silent sages, the humble and serviceful speak.
Many speak and try to describe Him.
Many have spoken of Him over and over again, and have then arisen and departed.
If He were to create as many again as there already are,
even then, they could not describe Him.
He is as Great as He wishes to be.
O Nanak, the True Lord knows.
If anyone presumes to describe God,
he shall be known as the greatest fool of fools! ||26||
Where is that Gate, and where is that Dwelling, in which You sit and take care of all?
The Sound-current of the Naad vibrates there, and countless musicians play on all sorts of instruments there.
So many Ragas, so many musicians singing there.
The praanic wind, water and fire sing; the Righteous Judge of Dharma sings at Your Door.
Chitr and Gupt, the angels of the conscious and the subconscious who record actions, and the Righteous Judge of Dharma who judges this record sing.
Shiva, Brahma and the Goddess of Beauty, ever adorned, sing.
Indra, seated upon His Throne, sings with the deities at Your Door.
The Siddhas in Samaadhi sing; the Saadhus sing in contemplation.
The celibates, the fanatics, the peacefully accepting and the fearless warriors sing.
The Pandits, the religious scholars who recite the Vedas, with the supreme sages of all the ages, sing.
The Mohinis, the enchanting heavenly beauties who entice hearts in this world, in paradise, and in the underworld of the subconscious sing.
The celestial jewels created by You, and the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage sing.
The brave and mighty warriors sing; the spiritual heroes and the four sources of creation sing.
The planets, solar systems and galaxies, created and arranged by Your Hand, sing.
They alone sing, who are pleasing to Your Will. Your devotees are imbued with the Nectar of Your Essence.
So many others sing, they do not come to mind. O Nanak, how can I consider them all?
That True Lord is True, Forever True, and True is His Name.
He is, and shall always be. He shall not depart, even when this Universe which He has created departs.
He created the world, with its various colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya.
Having created the creation, He watches over it Himself, by His Greatness.
He does whatever He pleases. No order can be issued to Him.
He is the King, the King of kings, the Supreme Lord and Master of kings. Nanak remains subject to His Will. ||27||
Make contentment your ear-rings, humility your begging bowl, and meditation the ashes you apply to your body.
Let the remembrance of death be the patched coat you wear, let the purity of virginity be your way in the world, and let faith in the Lord be your walking stick.
See the brotherhood of all mankind as the highest order of Yogis; conquer your own mind, and conquer the world.
I bow to Him, I humbly bow.
The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is One and the Same. ||28||
Let spiritual wisdom be your food, and compassion your attendant. The Sound-current of the Naad vibrates in each and every heart.
He Himself is the Supreme Master of all; wealth and miraculous spiritual powers, and all other external tastes and pleasures, are all like beads on a string.
Union with Him, and separation from Him, come by His Will. We come to receive what is written in our destiny.

I bow to Him, I humbly bow.
The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is One and the Same. ||29||
The One Divine Mother conceived and gave birth to the three deities.
One, the Creator of the World; One, the Sustainer; and One, the Destroyer.
He makes things happen according to the Pleasure of His Will. Such is His Celestial Order.
He watches over all, but none see Him. How wonderful this is!
I bow to Him, I humbly bow.
The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is One and the Same. ||30||
On world after world are His Seats of Authority and His Storehouses.
Whatever was put into them, was put there once and for all.
Having created the creation, the Creator Lord watches over it.
O Nanak, True is the Creation of the True Lord.
I bow to Him, I humbly bow.
The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is One and the Same. ||31||
If I had 100,000 tongues, and these were then multiplied twenty times more, with each tongue,
I would repeat, hundreds of thousands of times, the Name of the One, the Lord of the Universe.
Along this path to our Husband Lord, we climb the steps of the ladder, and come to merge with Him.
Hearing of the etheric realms, even worms long to come back home.
O Nanak, by His Grace He is obtained. False are the boastings of the false. ||32||
No power to speak, no power to keep silent.
No power to beg, no power to give.
No power to live, no power to die.
No power to rule, with wealth and occult mental powers.
No power to gain intuitive understanding, spiritual wisdom and meditation.
No power to find the way to escape from the world.
He alone has the Power in His Hands. He watches over all.
O Nanak, no one is high or low. ||33||
Nights, days, weeks and seasons;
wind, water, fire and the nether regions
-in the midst of these, He established the earth as a home for Dharma.
Upon it, He placed the various species of beings.
Their names are uncounted and endless.
By their deeds and their actions, they shall be judged.
God Himself is True, and True is His Court.
There, in perfect grace and ease, sit the self-elect, the self-realized Saints.
They receive the Mark of Grace from the Merciful Lord.
The ripe and the unripe, the good and the bad, shall there be judged.
O Nanak, when you go home, you will see this. ||34||
This is righteous living in the realm of Dharma.
And now we speak of the realm of spiritual wisdom.
So many winds, waters and fires; so many Krishnas and Shivas.
So many Brahmas, fashioning forms of great beauty, adorned and dressed in many colors.
So many worlds and lands for working out karma. So very many lessons to be learned!
So many Indras, so many moons and suns, so many worlds and lands.
So many Siddhas and Buddhas, so many Yogic masters. So many goddesses of various kinds.
So many demi-gods and demons, so many silent sages. So many oceans of jewels.
So many ways of life, so many languages. So many dynasties of rulers.
So many intuitive people, so many selfless servants. O Nanak, His limit has no limit! ||35||
In the realm of wisdom, spiritual wisdom reigns supreme.
The Sound-current of the Naad vibrates there, amidst the sounds and the sights of bliss.
In the realm of humility, the Word is Beauty.
Forms of incomparable beauty are fashioned there.
These things cannot be described.
One who tries to speak of these shall regret the attempt.
The intuitive consciousness, intellect and understanding of the mind are shaped there.
The consciousness of the spiritual warriors and the Siddhas, the beings of spiritual perfection, are shaped there. ||36||
In the realm of karma, the Word is Power.
No one else dwells there,
except the warriors of great power, the spiritual heroes.
They are totally fulfilled, imbued with the Lord's Essence.
Myriads of Sitas are there, cool and calm in their majestic glory.
Their beauty cannot be described.
Neither death nor deception comes to those,
within whose minds the Lord abides.
The devotees of many worlds dwell there.
They celebrate; their minds are imbued with the True Lord.
In the realm of Truth, the Formless Lord abides.
Having created the creation, He watches over it. By His Glance of Grace, He bestows happiness.
There are planets, solar systems and galaxies.
If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end.
There are worlds upon worlds of His Creation.
As He commands, so they exist.
He watches over all, and contemplating the creation, He rejoices.
O Nanak, to describe this is as hard as steel! ||37||
Let self-control be the furnace, and patience the goldsmith.
Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tools.
With the Fear of God as the bellows, fan the flames of tapa, the body's inner heat.
In the crucible of love, melt the Nectar of the Name,
and mint the True Coin of the Shabad, the Word of God.
Such is the karma of those upon whom He has cast His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, the Merciful Lord, by His Grace, uplifts and exalts them. ||38||
Shalok:
Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all.
Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap all the world is at play.
Good deeds and bad deeds-the record is read out in the Presence of the Lord of Dharma.
According to their own actions, some are drawn closer, and some are driven farther away.
Those who have meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and departed after having worked by the sweat of their brows
-O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and many are saved along with them! ||1||

So Dar ~ That Door. Raag Aasaa, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Where is That Door of Yours, and where is That Home, in which You sit and take care of all?
The Sound-current of the Naad vibrates there for You, and countless musicians play all sorts of instruments there for You.
There are so many Ragas and musical harmonies to You; so many minstrels sing hymns of You.
Wind, water and fire sing of You. The Righteous Judge of Dharma sings at Your Door.
Chitr and Gupt, the angels of the conscious and the subconscious who keep the record of actions, and the Righteous Judge of Dharma who reads this record, sing of You.
Shiva, Brahma and the Goddess of Beauty, ever adorned by You, sing of You.
Indra, seated on His Throne, sings of You, with the deities at Your Door.
The Siddhas in Samaadhi sing of You; the Saadhus sing of You in contemplation.

The celibates, the fanatics, and the peacefully accepting sing of You; the fearless warriors sing of You.
The Pandits, the religious scholars who recite the Vedas, with the supreme sages of all the ages, sing of You.
The Mohinis, the enchanting heavenly beauties who entice hearts in paradise, in this world, and in the underworld of the subconscious, sing of You.
The celestial jewels created by You, and the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, sing of You.
The brave and mighty warriors sing of You. The spiritual heroes and the four sources of creation sing of You.
The worlds, solar systems and galaxies, created and arranged by Your Hand, sing of You.
They alone sing of You, who are pleasing to Your Will. Your devotees are imbued with Your Sublime Essence.
So many others sing of You, they do not come to mind. O Nanak, how can I think of them all?
That True Lord is True, forever True, and True is His Name.
He is, and shall always be. He shall not depart, even when this Universe which He has created departs.
He created the world, with its various colors, species of beings, and the variety of Maya.
Having created the creation, He watches over it Himself, by His Greatness.
He does whatever He pleases. No one can issue any order to Him.
He is the King, the King of kings, the Supreme Lord and Master of kings. Nanak remains subject to His Will. ||1||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Hearing of His Greatness, everyone calls Him Great.
But just how Great His Greatness is-this is known only to those who have seen Him.
His Value cannot be estimated; He cannot be described.
Those who describe You, Lord, remain immersed and absorbed in You. ||1||
O my Great Lord and Master of Unfathomable Depth, You are the Ocean of Excellence.
No one knows the extent or the vastness of Your Expanse. ||1||Pause||
All the intuitives met and practiced intuitive meditation.
All the appraisers met and made the appraisal.
The spiritual teachers, the teachers of meditation, and the teachers of teachers
-they cannot describe even an iota of Your Greatness. ||2||
All Truth, all austere discipline, all goodness,
all the great miraculous spiritual powers of the Siddhas
-without You, no one has attained such powers.
They are received only by Your Grace. No one can block them or stop their flow. ||3||
What can the poor helpless creatures do?
Your Praises are overflowing with Your Treasures.
Those, unto whom You give-how can they think of any other?
O Nanak, the True One embellishes and exalts. ||4||2||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Chanting it, I live; forgetting it, I die.
It is so difficult to chant the True Name.
If someone feels hunger for the True Name,
that hunger shall consume his pain. ||1||
How can I forget Him, O my mother?
True is the Master, True is His Name. ||1||Pause||
Trying to describe even an iota of the Greatness of the True Name,
people have grown weary, but they have not been able to evaluate it.
Even if everyone were to gather together and speak of Him,
He would not become any greater or any lesser. ||2||
That Lord does not die; there is no reason to mourn.
He continues to give, and His Provisions never run short.
This Virtue is His alone; there is no other like Him.
There never has been, and there never will be. ||3||
As Great as You Yourself are, O Lord, so Great are Your Gifts.

The One who created the day also created the night.

Those who forget their Lord and Master are vile and despicable.
O Nanak, without the Name, they are wretched outcasts. ||4||3||
Raag Goojaree, Fourth Mehl:
O humble servant of the Lord, O True Guru, O True Primal Being: I offer my humble prayer to You, O Guru.
I am a mere insect, a worm. O True Guru, I seek Your Sanctuary. Please be merciful, and bless me with the Light of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my Best Friend, O Divine Guru, please enlighten me with the Name of the Lord.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Naam is my breath of life. The Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is my life's occupation. ||1||Pause||
The servants of the Lord have the greatest good fortune; they have faith in the Lord, and a longing for the Lord.
Obtaining the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, they are satisfied; joining the Sangat, the Blessed Congregation, their virtues shine forth. ||2||
Those who have not obtained the Sublime Essence of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, are most unfortunate; they are led away by the Messenger of Death.
Those who have not sought the Sanctuary of the True Guru and the Sangat, the Holy Congregation-cursed are their lives, and cursed are their hopes of life. ||3||
Those humble servants of the Lord who have attained the Company of the True Guru, have such pre-ordained destiny inscribed on their foreheads.
Blessed, blessed is the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, where the Lord's Essence is obtained. Meeting with His humble servant, O Nanak, the Light of the Naam shines forth. ||4||4||
Raag Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Why, O mind, do you plot and plan, when the Dear Lord Himself provides for your care?
From rocks and stones He created living beings; He places their nourishment before them. ||1||
O my Dear Lord of souls, one who joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is saved.
By Guru's Grace, the supreme status is obtained, and the dry wood blossoms forth again in lush greenery. ||1||Pause||
Mothers, fathers, friends, children and spouses-no one is the support of anyone else.
For each and every person, our Lord and Master provides sustenance. Why are you so afraid, O mind? ||2||
The flamingoes fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young ones behind.
Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you ever thought of this in your mind? ||3||
All the nine treasures, and the eighteen supernatural powers are held by our Lord and Master in the Palm of His Hand.
Servant Nanak is devoted, dedicated, forever a sacrifice to You, Lord. Your Expanse has no limit, no boundary. ||4||5||
Raag Aasaa, Fourth Mehl, So Purakh ~ That Primal Being:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
That Primal Being is Immaculate and Pure. The Lord, the Primal Being, is Immaculate and Pure. The Lord is Inaccessible, Unreachable and Unrivalled.
All meditate, all meditate on You, Dear Lord, O True Creator Lord.
All living beings are Yours-You are the Giver of all souls.
Meditate on the Lord, O Saints; He is the Dispeller of all sorrow.
The Lord Himself is the Master, the Lord Himself is the Servant. O Nanak, the poor beings are wretched and miserable! ||1||

You are constant in each and every heart, and in all things. O Dear Lord, you are the One.
Some are givers, and some are beggars. This is all Your Wondrous Play.
You Yourself are the Giver, and You Yourself are the Enjoyer. I know no other than You.
You are the Supreme Lord God, Limitless and Infinite. What Virtues of Yours can I speak of and describe?
Unto those who serve You, unto those who serve You, Dear Lord, servant Nanak is a sacrifice. ||2||
Those who meditate on You, Lord, those who meditate on You-those humble beings dwell in peace in this world.
They are liberated, they are liberated-those who meditate on the Lord. For them, the noose of death is cut away.
Those who meditate on the Fearless One, on the Fearless Lord-all their fears are dispelled.
Those who serve, those who serve my Dear Lord, are absorbed into the Being of the Lord, Har, Har.
Blessed are they, blessed are they, who meditate on their Dear Lord. Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to them. ||3||
Devotion to You, devotion to You, is a treasure overflowing, infinite and beyond measure.
Your devotees, Your devotees praise You, Dear Lord, in many and various and countless ways.
For You, many, for You, so very many perform worship services, O Dear Infinite Lord; they practice disciplined meditation and chant endlessly.
For You, many, for You, so very many read the various Simritees and Shaastras. They perform rituals and religious rites.
Those devotees, those devotees are sublime, O servant Nanak, who are pleasing to my Dear Lord God. ||4||
You are the Primal Being, the Most Wonderful Creator. There is no other as Great as You.
Age after age, You are the One. Forever and ever, You are the One. You never change, O Creator Lord.
Everything happens according to Your Will. You Yourself accomplish all that occurs.
You Yourself created the entire universe, and having fashioned it, You Yourself shall destroy it all.
Servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Dear Creator, the Knower of all. ||5||1||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
You are the True Creator, my Lord and Master.
Whatever pleases You comes to pass. As You give, so do we receive. ||1||Pause||
All belong to You, all meditate on you.
Those who are blessed with Your Mercy obtain the Jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Gurmukhs obtain it, and the self-willed manmukhs lose it.
You Yourself separate them from Yourself, and You Yourself reunite with them again. ||1||
You are the River of Life; all are within You.
There is no one except You.
All living beings are Your playthings.
The separated ones meet, and by great good fortune, those suffering in separation are reunited once again. ||2||
They alone understand, whom You inspire to understand;
they continually chant and repeat the Lord's Praises.
Those who serve You find peace.
They are intuitively absorbed into the Lord's Name. ||3||

You Yourself are the Creator. Everything that happens is by Your Doing.
There is no one except You.
You created the creation; You behold it and understand it.
O servant Nanak, the Lord is revealed through the Gurmukh, the Living Expression of the Guru's Word. ||4||2||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
In that pool, people have made their homes, but the water there is as hot as fire!
In the swamp of emotional attachment, their feet cannot move. I have seen them drowning there. ||1||
In your mind, you do not remember the One Lord-you fool!
You have forgotten the Lord; your virtues shall wither away. ||1||Pause||
I am not celibate, nor truthful, nor scholarly. I was born foolish and ignorant into this world.
Prays Nanak, I seek the Sanctuary of those who have not forgotten You, O Lord! ||2||3||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
This human body has been given to you.
This is your chance to meet the Lord of the Universe.
Nothing else will work.
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; vibrate and meditate on the Jewel of the Naam. ||1||
Make every effort to cross over this terrifying world-ocean.
You are squandering this life uselessly in the love of Maya. ||1||Pause||
I have not practiced meditation, self-discipline, self-restraint or righteous living.
I have not served the Holy; I have not acknowledged the Lord, my King.
Says Nanak, my actions are contemptible!
O Lord, I seek Your Sanctuary; please, preserve my honor! ||2||4||
Sohilaa ~ The Song Of Praise. Raag Gauree Deepakee, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
In that house where the Praises of the Creator are chanted and contemplated
-in that house, sing Songs of Praise; meditate and remember the Creator Lord. ||1||
Sing the Songs of Praise of my Fearless Lord.
I am a sacrifice to that Song of Praise which brings eternal peace. ||1||Pause||
Day after day, He cares for His beings; the Great Giver watches over all.
Your Gifts cannot be appraised; how can anyone compare to the Giver? ||2||
The day of my wedding is pre-ordained. Come, gather together and pour the oil over the threshold.
My friends, give me your blessings, that I may merge with my Lord and Master. ||3||
Unto each and every home, into each and every heart, this summons is sent out; the call comes each and every day.
Remember in meditation the One who summons us; O Nanak, that day is drawing near! ||4||1||
Raag Aasaa, First Mehl:
There are six schools of philosophy, six teachers, and six sets of teachings.
But the Teacher of teachers is the One, who appears in so many forms. ||1||
O Baba: that system in which the Praises of the Creator are sung
-follow that system; in it rests true greatness. ||1||Pause||
The seconds, minutes and hours, days, weeks and months,
and the various seasons originate from the one sun;

O Nanak, in just the same way, the many forms originate from the Creator. ||2||2||
Raag Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls.
The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||
What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is! O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||
You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one.
You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2||
Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light.
By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Light shines forth.
That which is pleasing to Him is the lamp-lit worship service. ||3||
My mind is enticed by the honey-sweet Lotus Feet of the Lord. Day and night, I thirst for them.
Bestow the Water of Your Mercy upon Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, so that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||3||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
The body-village is filled to overflowing with anger and sexual desire; these were broken into bits when I met with the Holy Saint.
By pre-ordained destiny, I have met with the Guru. I have entered into the realm of the Lord's Love. ||1||
Greet the Holy Saint with your palms pressed together; this is an act of great merit.
Bow down before Him; this is a virtuous action indeed. ||1||Pause||
The wicked shaaktas, the faithless cynics, do not know the Taste of the Lord's Sublime Essence. The thorn of egotism is embedded deep within them.
The more they walk away, the deeper it pierces them, and the more they suffer in pain, until finally, the Messenger of Death smashes his club against their heads. ||2||
The humble servants of the Lord are absorbed in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. The pain of birth and the fear of death are eradicated.
They have found the Imperishable Supreme Being, the Transcendent Lord God, and they receive great honor throughout all the worlds and realms. ||3||
I am poor and meek, God, but I belong to You! Save me-please save me, O Greatest of the Great!
Servant Nanak takes the Sustenance and Support of the Naam. In the Name of the Lord, he enjoys celestial peace. ||4||4||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Fifth Mehl:
Listen, my friends, I beg of you: now is the time to serve the Saints!
In this world, earn the profit of the Lord's Name, and hereafter, you shall dwell in peace. ||1||
This life is diminishing, day and night. Meeting with the Guru, your affairs shall be resolved. ||1||Pause||
This world is engrossed in corruption and cynicism. Only those who know God are saved.
Only those who are awakened by the Lord to drink in this Sublime Essence, come to know the Unspoken Speech of the Lord. ||2||
Purchase only that for which you have come into the world, and through the Guru, the Lord shall dwell within your mind.
Within the home of your own inner being, you shall obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence with intuitive ease. You shall not be consigned again to the wheel of reincarnation. ||3||
O Inner-knower, Searcher of Hearts, O Primal Being, Architect of Destiny: please fulfill this yearning of my mind.
Nanak, Your slave, begs for this happiness: let me be the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||5||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Siree Raag, First Mehl, First House:
If I had a palace made of pearls, inlaid with jewels,
scented with musk, saffron and sandalwood, a sheer delight to behold
-seeing this, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||1||
Without the Lord, my soul is scorched and burnt.
I consulted my Guru, and now I see that there is no other place at all. ||1||Pause||
If the floor of this palace was a mosaic of diamonds and rubies, and if my bed was encased with rubies,
and if heavenly beauties, their faces adorned with emeralds, tried to entice me with sensual gestures of love
-seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||2||
If I were to become a Siddha, and work miracles, summon wealth
and become invisible and visible at will, so that people would hold me in awe
-seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||3||
If I were to become an emperor and raise a huge army, and sit on a throne,
issuing commands and collecting taxes-O Nanak, all of this could pass away like a puff of wind.
Seeing these, I might go astray and forget You, and Your Name would not enter into my mind. ||4||1||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
If I could live for millions and millions of years, and if the air was my food and drink,
and if I lived in a cave and never saw either the sun or the moon, and if I never slept, even in dreams
-even so, I could not estimate Your Value. How can I describe the Greatness of Your Name? ||1||
The True Lord, the Formless One, is Himself in His Own Place.
I have heard, over and over again, and so I tell the tale; as it pleases You, Lord, please instill within me the yearning for You. ||1||Pause||
If I was slashed and cut into pieces, over and over again, and put into the mill and ground into flour,
burnt by fire and mixed with ashes
-even then, I could not estimate Your Value. How can I describe the Greatness of Your Name? ||2||
If I was a bird, soaring and flying through hundreds of heavens,
and if I was invisible, neither eating nor drinking anything
-even so, I could not estimate Your Value. How can I describe the Greatness of Your Name? ||3||

O Nanak, if I had hundreds of thousands of stacks of paper, and if I were to read and recite and embrace love for the Lord,
and if ink were never to fail me, and if my pen were able to move like the wind
-even so, I could not estimate Your Value. How can I describe the Greatness of Your Name? ||4||2||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
As it is pre-ordained, people speak their words. As it is pre-ordained, they consume their food.
As it is pre-ordained, they walk along the way. As it is pre-ordained, they see and hear.
As it is pre-ordained, they draw their breath. Why should I go and ask the scholars about this? ||1||
O Baba, the splendor of Maya is deceptive.
The blind man has forgotten the Name; he is in limbo, neither here nor there. ||1||Pause||
Life and death come to all who are born. Everything here gets devoured by Death.
He sits and examines the accounts, there where no one goes along with anyone.
Those who weep and wail might just as well all tie bundles of straw. ||2||
Everyone says that God is the Greatest of the Great. No one calls Him any less.
No one can estimate His Worth. By speaking of Him, His Greatness is not increased.
You are the One True Lord and Master of all the other beings, of so many worlds. ||3||
Nanak seeks the company of the lowest of the low class, the very lowest of the low. Why should he try to compete with the great?
In that place where the lowly are cared for-there, the Blessings of Your Glance of Grace rain down. ||4||3||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Greed is a dog; falsehood is a filthy street-sweeper. Cheating is eating a rotting carcass.
Slandering others is putting the filth of others into your own mouth. The fire of anger is the outcaste who burns dead bodies at the crematorium.
I am caught in these tastes and flavors, and in self-conceited praise. These are my actions, O my Creator! ||1||
O Baba, speak only that which will bring you honor.
They alone are good, who are judged good at the Lord's Door. Those with bad karma can only sit and weep. ||1||Pause||
The pleasures of gold and silver, the pleasures of women, the pleasure of the fragrance of sandalwood,
the pleasure of horses, the pleasure of a soft bed in a palace, the pleasure of sweet treats and the pleasure of hearty meals
-these pleasures of the human body are so numerous; how can the Naam, the Name of the Lord, find its dwelling in the heart? ||2||
Those words are acceptable, which, when spoken, bring honor.
Harsh words bring only grief. Listen, O foolish and ignorant mind!
Those who are pleasing to Him are good. What else is there to be said? ||3||
Wisdom, honor and wealth are in the laps of those whose hearts remain permeated with the Lord.
What praise can be offered to them? What other adornments can be bestowed upon them?
O Nanak, those who lack the Lord's Glance of Grace cherish neither charity nor the Lord's Name. ||4||4||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The Great Giver has given the intoxicating drug of falsehood.
The people are intoxicated; they have forgotten death, and they have fun for a few days.
Those who do not use intoxicants are true; they dwell in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
O Nanak, know the True Lord as True.
Serving Him, peace is obtained; you shall go to His Court with honor. ||1||Pause||
The Wine of Truth is not fermented from molasses. The True Name is contained within it.

I am a sacrifice to those who hear and chant the True Name.
Only one who obtains a room in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is deemed to be truly intoxicated. ||2||
Bathe in the waters of Goodness and apply the scented oil of Truth to your body,
and your face shall become radiant. This is the gift of 100,000 gifts.
Tell your troubles to the One who is the Source of all comfort. ||3||
How can you forget the One who created your soul, and the praanaa, the breath of life?
Without Him, all that we wear and eat is impure.
Everything else is false. Whatever pleases Your Will is acceptable. ||4||5||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Burn emotional attachment, and grind it into ink. Transform your intelligence into the purest of paper.
Make the love of the Lord your pen, and let your consciousness be the scribe. Then, seek the Guru's Instructions, and record these deliberations.
Write the Praises of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; write over and over again that He has no end or limitation. ||1||
O Baba, write such an account,
that when it is asked for, it will bring the Mark of Truth. ||1||Pause||
There, where greatness, eternal peace and everlasting joy are bestowed,
the faces of those whose minds are attuned to the True Name are anointed with the Mark of Grace.
If one receives God's Grace, then such honors are received, and not by mere words. ||2||
Some come, and some arise and depart. They give themselves lofty names.
Some are born beggars, and some hold vast courts.
Going to the world hereafter, everyone shall realize that without the Name, it is all useless. ||3||
I am terrified by the Fear of You, God. Bothered and bewildered, my body is wasting away.
Those who are known as sultans and emperors shall be reduced to dust in the end.
O Nanak, arising and departing, all false attachments are cut away. ||4||6||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Believing, all tastes are sweet. Hearing, the salty flavors are tasted;
chanting with one's mouth, the spicy flavors are savored. All these spices have been made from the Sound-current of the Naad.
The thirty-six flavors of ambrosial nectar are in the Love of the One Lord; they are tasted only by one who is blessed by His Glance of Grace. ||1||
O Baba, the pleasures of other foods are false.
Eating them, the body is ruined, and wickedness and corruption enter into the mind. ||1||Pause||
My mind is imbued with the Lord's Love; it is dyed a deep crimson. Truth and charity are my white clothes.
The blackness of sin is erased by my wearing of blue clothes, and meditation on the Lord's Lotus Feet is my robe of honor.
Contentment is my cummerbund, Your Name is my wealth and youth. ||2||
O Baba, the pleasures of other clothes are false.
Wearing them, the body is ruined, and wickedness and corruption enter into the mind. ||1||Pause||
The understanding of Your Way, Lord, is horses, saddles and bags of gold for me.
The pursuit of virtue is my bow and arrow, my quiver, sword and scabbard.
To be distinguished with honor is my drum and banner. Your Mercy is my social status. ||3||
O Baba, the pleasures of other rides are false.
By such rides, the body is ruined, and wickedness and corruption enter into the mind. ||1||Pause||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the pleasure of houses and mansions. Your Glance of Grace is my family, Lord.

The Hukam of Your Command is the pleasure of Your Will, Lord. To say anything else is far beyond anyone's reach.
O Nanak, the True King does not seek advice from anyone else in His decisions. ||4||
O Baba, the pleasure of other sleep is false.
By such sleep, the body is ruined, and wickedness and corruption enter into the mind. ||1||Pause||4||7||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
With the body of saffron, and the tongue a jewel, and the breath of the body pure fragrant incense;
with the face anointed at the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage, and the heart illuminated with wisdom
-with that wisdom, chant the Praises of the True Name, the Treasure of Excellence. ||1||
O Baba, other wisdom is useless and irrelevant.
If falsehood is practiced a hundred times, it is still false in its effects. ||1||Pause||
You may be worshipped and adored as a Pir (a spiritual teacher); you may be welcomed by all the world;
you may adopt a lofty name, and be known to have supernatural spiritual powers
-even so, if you are not accepted in the Court of the Lord, then all this adoration is false. ||2||
No one can overthrow those who have been established by the True Guru.
The Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is within them, and through the Naam, they are radiant and famous.
They worship the Naam, and they believe in the Naam. The True One is forever Intact and Unbroken. ||3||
When the body mingles with dust, what happens to the soul?
All clever tricks are burnt away, and you shall depart crying.
O Nanak, those who forget the Naam-what will happen when they go to the Court of the Lord? ||4||8||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The virtuous wife exudes virtue; the unvirtuous suffer in misery.
If you long for your Husband Lord, O soul-bride, you must know that He is not met by falsehood.
No boat or raft can take you to Him. Your Husband Lord is far away. ||1||
My Lord and Master is Perfect; His Throne is Eternal and Immovable.
One who attains perfection as Gurmukh, obtains the Immeasurable True Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Palace of the Lord God is so beautiful. Within it, there are gems, rubies, pearls and flawless diamonds. A fortress of gold surrounds this Source of Nectar.
How can I climb up to the Fortress without a ladder? By meditating on the Lord, through the Guru, I am blessed and exalted. ||2||
The Guru is the Ladder, the Guru is the Boat, and the Guru is the Raft to take me to the Lord's Name.
The Guru is the Boat to carry me across the world-ocean; the Guru is the Sacred Shrine of Pilgrimage, the Guru is the Holy River.
If it pleases Him, I bathe in the Pool of Truth, and become radiant and pure. ||3||
He is called the Most Perfect of the Perfect. He sits upon His Perfect Throne.
He looks so Beautiful in His Perfect Place. He fulfills the hopes of the hopeless.
O Nanak, if one obtains the Perfect Lord, how can his virtues decrease? ||4||9||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Come, my dear sisters and spiritual companions; hug me close in your embrace.
Let's join together, and tell stories of our All-powerful Husband Lord.
All Virtues are in our True Lord and Master; we are utterly without virtue. ||1||
O Creator Lord, all are in Your Power.
I dwell upon the One Word of the Shabad. You are mine-what else do I need? ||1||Pause||
Go, and ask the happy soul-brides, "By what virtuous qualities do you enjoy your Husband Lord?"
"We are adorned with intuitive ease, contentment and sweet words.
We meet with our Beloved, the Source of Joy, when we listen to the Word of the Guru's Shabad."||2||

You have so many Creative Powers, Lord; Your Bountiful Blessings are so Great.
So many of Your beings and creatures praise You day and night.
You have so many forms and colors, so many classes, high and low. ||3||
Meeting the True One, Truth wells up. The truthful are absorbed into the True Lord.
Intuitive understanding is obtained and one is welcomed with honor, through the Guru's Word, filled with the Fear of God.
O Nanak, the True King absorbs us into Himself. ||4||10||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
It all worked out-I was saved, and the egotism within my heart was subdued.
The evil energies have been made to serve me, since I placed my faith in the True Guru.
I have renounced my useless schemes, by the Grace of the True, Carefree Lord. ||1||
O mind, meeting with the True One, fear departs.
Without the Fear of God, how can anyone become fearless? Become Gurmukh, and immerse yourself in the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
How can we describe Him with words? There is no end to the descriptions of Him.
There are so many beggars, but He is the only Giver.
He is the Giver of the soul, and the praanaa, the breath of life; when He dwells within the mind, there is peace. ||2||
The world is a drama, staged in a dream. In a moment, the play is played out.
Some attain union with the Lord, while others depart in separation.
Whatever pleases Him comes to pass; nothing else can be done. ||3||
The Gurmukhs purchase the Genuine Article. The True Merchandise is purchased with the True Capital.
Those who purchase this True Merchandise through the Perfect Guru are blessed.
O Nanak, one who stocks this True Merchandise shall recognize and realize the Genuine Article. ||4||11||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
As metal merges with metal, those who chant the Praises of the Lord are absorbed into the Praiseworthy Lord.
Like the poppies, they are dyed in the deep crimson color of Truthfulness.
Those contented souls who meditate on the Lord with single-minded love, meet the True Lord. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, become the dust of the feet of the humble Saints.
In the Society of the Saints, the Guru is found. He is the Treasure of Liberation, the Source of all good fortune. ||1||Pause||
Upon that Highest Plane of Sublime Beauty, stands the Mansion of the Lord.
By true actions, this human body is obtained, and the door within ourselves which leads to the Mansion of the Beloved, is found.
The Gurmukhs train their minds to contemplate the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||2||
By actions committed under the influence of the three qualities, hope and anxiety are produced.
Without the Guru, how can anyone be released from these three qualities? Through intuitive wisdom, we meet with Him and find peace.
Within the home of the self, the Mansion of His Presence is realized when He bestows His Glance of Grace and washes away our pollution. ||3||
Without the Guru, this pollution is not removed. Without the Lord, how can there be any homecoming?
Contemplate the One Word of the Shabad, and abandon other hopes.
O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to the one who beholds, and inspires others to behold Him. ||4||12||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The life of the discarded bride is cursed. She is deceived by the love of duality.
Like a wall of sand, day and night, she crumbles, and eventually, she breaks down altogether.
Without the Word of the Shabad, peace does not come. Without her Husband Lord, her suffering does not end. ||1||
O soul-bride, without your Husband Lord, what good are your decorations?

In this world, you shall not find any shelter; in the world hereafter, being false, you shall suffer. ||1||Pause||
The True Lord Himself knows all; He makes no mistakes. He is the Great Farmer of the Universe.
First, He prepares the ground, and then He plants the Seed of the True Name.
The nine treasures are produced from Name of the One Lord. By His Grace, we obtain His Banner and Insignia. ||2||
Some are very knowledgeable, but if they do not know the Guru, then what is the use of their lives?
The blind have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The self-willed manmukhs are in utter darkness.
Their comings and goings in reincarnation do not end; through death and rebirth, they are wasting away. ||3||
The bride may buy sandalwood oil and perfumes, and apply them in great quantities to her hair;
she may sweeten her breath with betel leaf and camphor,
but if this bride is not pleasing to her Husband Lord, then all these trappings are false. ||4||
Her enjoyment of all pleasures is futile, and all her decorations are corrupt.
Until she has been pierced through with the Shabad, how can she look beautiful at Guru's Gate?
O Nanak, blessed is that fortunate bride, who is in love with her Husband Lord. ||5||13||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The empty body is dreadful, when the soul goes out from within.
The burning fire of life is extinguished, and the smoke of the breath no longer emerges.
The five relatives (the senses) weep and wail painfully, and waste away through the love of duality. ||1||
You fool: chant the Name of the Lord, and preserve your virtue.
Egotism and possessiveness are very enticing; egotistical pride has plundered everyone. ||1||Pause||
Those who have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are attached to affairs of duality.
Attached to duality, they putrefy and die; they are filled with the fire of desire within.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved; all others are cheated and plundered by deceitful worldly affairs. ||2||
Love dies, and affection vanishes. Hatred and alienation die.
Entanglements end, and egotism dies, along with attachment to Maya, possessiveness and anger.
Those who receive His Mercy obtain the True One. The Gurmukhs dwell forever in balanced restraint. ||3||
By true actions, the True Lord is met, and the Guru's Teachings are found.
Then, they are not subject to birth and death; they do not come and go in reincarnation.
O Nanak, they are respected at the Lord's Gate; they are robed in honor in the Court of the Lord. ||4||14||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The body is burnt to ashes; by its love of Maya, the mind is rusted through.
Demerits become one's enemies, and falsehood blows the bugle of attack.
Without the Word of the Shabad, people wander lost in reincarnation. Through the love of duality, multitudes have been drowned. ||1||
O mind, swim across, by focusing your consciousness on the Shabad.
Those who do not become Gurmukh do not understand the Naam; they die, and continue coming and going in reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
That body is said to be pure, in which the True Name abides.
One whose body is imbued with the Fear of the True One, and whose tongue savors Truthfulness,
is brought to ecstasy by the True Lord's Glance of Grace. That person does not have to go through the fire of the womb again. ||2||
From the True Lord came the air, and from the air came water.
From water, He created the three worlds; in each and every heart He has infused His Light.
The Immaculate Lord does not become polluted. Attuned to the Shabad, honor is obtained. ||3||
One whose mind is contented with Truthfulness, is blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace.

The body of the five elements is dyed in the Fear of the True One; the mind is filled with the True Light.
O Nanak, your demerits shall be forgotten; the Guru shall preserve your honor. ||4||15||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
O Nanak, the Boat of Truth will ferry you across; contemplate the Guru.
Some come, and some go; they are totally filled with egotism.
Through stubborn-mindedness, the intellect is drowned; one who becomes Gurmukh and truthful is saved. ||1||
Without the Guru, how can anyone swim across to find peace?
As it pleases You, Lord, You save me. There is no other for me at all. ||1||Pause||
In front of me, I see the jungle burning; behind me, I see green plants sprouting.
We shall merge into the One from whom we came. The True One is pervading each and every heart.
He Himself unites us in Union with Himself; the True Mansion of His Presence is close at hand. ||2||
With each and every breath, I dwell upon You; I shall never forget You.
The more the Lord and Master dwells within the mind, the more the Gurmukh drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
Mind and body are Yours; You are my Master. Please rid me of my pride, and let me merge with You. ||3||
The One who formed this universe created the creation of the three worlds.
The Gurmukh knows the Divine Light, while the foolish self-willed manmukh gropes around in the darkness.
One who sees that Light within each and every heart understands the Essence of the Guru's Teachings. ||4||
Those who understand are Gurmukh; recognize and applaud them.
They meet and merge with the True One. They become the Radiant Manifestation of the Excellence of the True One.
O Nanak, they are contented with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. They offer their bodies and souls to God. ||5||16||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Listen, O my mind, my friend, my darling: now is the time to meet the Lord.
As long as there is youth and breath, give this body to Him.
Without virtue, it is useless; the body shall crumble into a pile of dust. ||1||
O my mind, earn the profit, before you return home.
The Gurmukh praises the Naam, and the fire of egotism is extinguished. ||1||Pause||
Again and again, we hear and tell stories; we read and write and understand loads of knowledge,
but still, desires increase day and night, and the disease of egotism fills us with corruption.
That Carefree Lord cannot be appraised; His Real Value is known only through the Wisdom of the Guru's Teachings. ||2||
Even if someone has hundreds of thousands of clever mental tricks, and the love and company of hundreds of thousands of people
-still, without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he will not feel satisfied. Without the Name, all suffer in sorrow.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, O my soul, you shall be emancipated; as Gurmukh, you shall come to understand your own self. ||3||
I have sold my body and mind to the Guru, and I have given my mind and head as well.
I was seeking and searching for Him throughout the three worlds; then, as Gurmukh, I sought and found Him.
The True Guru has united me in Union, O Nanak, with that God. ||4||17||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
I have no anxiety about dying, and no hope of living.
You are the Cherisher of all beings; You keep the account of our breaths and morsels of food.
You abide within the Gurmukh. As it pleases You, You decide our allotment. ||1||
O my soul, chant the Name of the Lord; the mind will be pleased and appeased.
The raging fire within is extinguished; the Gurmukh obtains spiritual wisdom. ||1||Pause||

Know the state of your inner being; meet with the Guru and get rid of your skepticism.
To reach your True Home after you die, you must conquer death while you are still alive.
The beautiful, Unstruck Sound of the Shabad is obtained, contemplating the Guru. ||2||
The Unstruck Melody of Gurbani is obtained, and egotism is eliminated.
I am forever a sacrifice to those who serve their True Guru.
They are dressed in robes of honor in the Court of the Lord; the Name of the Lord is on their lips. ||3||
Wherever I look, I see the Lord pervading there, in the union of Shiva and Shakti, of consciousness and matter.
The three qualities hold the body in bondage; whoever comes into the world is subject to their play.
Those who separate themselves from the Lord wander lost in misery. The self-willed manmukhs do not attain union with Him. ||4||
If the mind becomes balanced and detached, and comes to dwell in its own true home, imbued with the Fear of God,
then it enjoys the essence of supreme spiritual wisdom; it shall never feel hunger again.
O Nanak, conquer and subdue this mind; meet with the Lord, and you shall never again suffer in pain. ||5||18||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
This foolish mind is greedy; through greed, it becomes even more attached to greed.
The evil-minded shaaktas, the faithless cynics, are not attuned to the Shabad; they come and go in reincarnation.
One who meets with the Holy True Guru finds the Treasure of Excellence. ||1||
O mind, renounce your egotistical pride.
Serve the Lord, the Guru, the Sacred Pool, and you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Chant the Name of the Lord day and night; become Gurmukh, and know the Wealth of the Lord.
All comforts and peace, and the Essence of the Lord, are enjoyed by acquiring spiritual wisdom in the Society of the Saints.
Day and night, continually serve the Lord God; the True Guru has given the Naam. ||2||
Those who practice falsehood are dogs; those who slander the Guru shall burn in their own fire.
They wander lost and confused, deceived by doubt, suffering in terrible pain. The Messenger of Death shall beat them to a pulp.
The self-willed manmukhs find no peace, while the Gurmukhs are wondrously joyful. ||3||
In this world, people are engrossed in false pursuits, but in the world hereafter, only the account of your true actions is accepted.
The Guru serves the Lord, His Intimate Friend. The Guru's actions are supremely exalted.
O Nanak, never forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the True Lord shall bless you with His Mark of Grace. ||4||19||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Forgetting the Beloved, even for a moment, the mind is afflicted with terrible diseases.
How can honor be attained in His Court, if the Lord does not dwell in the mind?
Meeting with the Guru, peace is found. The fire is extinguished in His Glorious Praises. ||1||
O mind, enshrine the Praises of the Lord, day and night.
One who does not forget the Naam, for a moment or even an instant-how rare is such a person in this world! ||1||Pause||
When one's light merges into the Light, and one's intuitive consciousness is joined with the Intuitive Consciousness,
then one's cruel and violent instincts and egotism depart, and skepticism and sorrow are taken away.
The Lord abides within the mind of the Gurmukh, who merges in the Lord's Union, through the Guru. ||2||
If I surrender my body like a bride, the Enjoyer will enjoy me.
Do not make love with one who is just a passing show.
The Gurmukh is ravished like the pure and happy bride on the Bed of God, her Husband. ||3||

The Gurmukh puts out the four fires, with the Water of the Lord's Name.
The lotus blossoms deep within the heart, and filled with Ambrosial Nectar, one is satisfied.
O Nanak, make the True Guru your friend; going to His Court, you shall obtain the True Lord. ||4||20||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, O my beloved; follow the Guru's Teachings, and speak of the Lord.
Apply the Touchstone of Truth to your mind, and see if it comes up to its full weight.
No one has found the worth of the ruby of the heart; its value cannot be estimated. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, the Diamond of the Lord is within the Guru.
The True Guru is found in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Day and night, praise the Word of His Shabad. ||1||Pause||
The True Merchandise, Wealth and Capital are obtained through the Radiant Light of the Guru.
Just as fire is extinguished by pouring on water, desire becomes the slave of the Lord's slaves.
The Messenger of Death will not touch you; in this way, you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean, carrying others across with you. ||2||
The Gurmukhs do not like falsehood. They are imbued with Truth; they love only Truth.
The shaaktas, the faithless cynics, do not like the Truth; false are the foundations of the false.
Imbued with Truth, you shall meet the Guru. The true ones are absorbed into the True Lord. ||3||
Within the mind are emeralds and rubies, the Jewel of the Naam, treasures and diamonds.
The Naam is the True Merchandise and Wealth; in each and every heart, His Presence is deep and profound.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the Diamond of the Lord, by His Kindness and Compassion. ||4||21||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The fire of doubt is not extinguished, even by wandering through foreign lands and countries.
If inner filth is not removed, one's life is cursed, and one's clothes are cursed.
There is no other way to perform devotional worship, except through the Teachings of the True Guru. ||1||
O mind, become Gurmukh, and extinguish the fire within.
Let the Words of the Guru abide within your mind; let egotism and desires die. ||1||Pause||
The jewel of the mind is priceless; through the Name of the Lord, honor is obtained.
Join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and find the Lord. The Gurmukh embraces love for the Lord.
Give up your selfishness, and you shall find peace; like water mingling with water, you shall merge in absorption. ||2||
Those who have not contemplated the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are unworthy; they come and go in reincarnation.
One who has not met with the True Guru, the Primal Being, is bothered and bewildered in the terrifying world-ocean.
This jewel of the soul is priceless, and yet it is being squandered like this, in exchange for a mere shell. ||3||
Those who joyfully meet with the True Guru are perfectly fulfilled and wise.
Meeting with the Guru, they cross over the terrifying world-ocean. In the Court of the Lord, they are honored and approved.
O Nanak, their faces are radiant; the Music of the Shabad, the Word of God, wells up within them. ||4||22||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Make your deals, dealers, and take care of your merchandise.
Buy that object which will go along with you.
In the next world, the All-knowing Merchant will take this object and care for it. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, chant the Lord's Name, and focus your consciousness on Him.
Take the Merchandise of the Lord's Praises with you. Your Husband Lord shall see this and approve. ||1||Pause||

Those who do not have the Assets of Truth-how can they find peace?
By dealing their deals of falsehood, their minds and bodies become false.
Like the deer caught in the trap, they suffer in terrible agony; they continually cry out in pain. ||2||
The counterfeit coins are not put into the Treasury; they do not obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord-Guru.
The false ones have no social status or honor. No one succeeds through falsehood.
Practicing falsehood again and again, people come and go in reincarnation, and forfeit their honor. ||3||
O Nanak, instruct your mind through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and praise the Lord.
Those who are imbued with the love of the Name of the Lord are not loaded down by doubt.
Those who chant the Name of the Lord earn great profits; the Fearless Lord abides within their minds. ||4||23||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Second House:
Wealth, the beauty of youth and flowers are guests for only a few days.
Like the leaves of the water-lily, they wither and fade and finally die. ||1||
Be happy, dear beloved, as long as your youth is fresh and delightful.
But your days are few-you have grown weary, and now your body has grown old. ||1||Pause||
My playful friends have gone to sleep in the graveyard.
In my double-mindedness, I shall have to go as well. I cry in a feeble voice. ||2||
Haven't you heard the call from beyond, O beautiful soul-bride?
You must go to your in-laws; you cannot stay with your parents forever. ||3||
O Nanak, know that she who sleeps in her parents' home is plundered in broad daylight.
She has lost her bouquet of merits; gathering one of demerits, she departs. ||4||24||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Second House:
He Himself is the Enjoyer, and He Himself is the Enjoyment. He Himself is the Ravisher of all.
He Himself is the Bride in her dress, He Himself is the Bridegroom on the bed. ||1||
My Lord and Master is imbued with love; He is totally permeating and pervading all. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the fisherman and the fish; He Himself is the water and the net.
He Himself is the sinker, and He Himself is the bait. ||2||
He Himself loves in so many ways. O sister soul-brides, He is my Beloved.
He continually ravishes and enjoys the happy soul-brides; just look at the plight I am in without Him! ||3||
Prays Nanak, please hear my prayer: You are the pool, and You are the soul-swan.
You are the lotus flower of the day and You are the water-lily of the night. You Yourself behold them, and blossom forth in bliss. ||4||25||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Third House:
Make this body the field, and plant the seed of good actions. Water it with the Name of the Lord, who holds all the world in His Hands.
Let your mind be the farmer; the Lord shall sprout in your heart, and you shall attain the state of Nirvaanaa. ||1||
You fool! Why are you so proud of Maya?
Father, children, spouse, mother and all relatives-they shall not be your helpers in the end. ||Pause||
So weed out evil, wickedness and corruption; leave these behind, and let your soul meditate on God.
When chanting, austere meditation and self-discipline become your protectors, then the lotus blossoms forth, and the honey trickles out. ||2||
Bring the twenty-seven elements of the body under your control, and throughout the three stages of life, remember death.
See the Infinite Lord in the ten directions, and in all the variety of nature. Says Nanak, in this way, the One Lord shall carry you across. ||3||26||

Siree Raag, First Mehl, Third House:
Make good deeds the soil, and let the Word of the Shabad be the seed; irrigate it continually with the water of Truth.
Become such a farmer, and faith will sprout. This brings knowledge of heaven and hell, you fool! ||1||
Do not think that your Husband Lord can be obtained by mere words.
You are wasting this life in the pride of wealth and the splendor of beauty. ||1||Pause||
The defect of the body which leads to sin is the mud puddle, and this mind is the frog, which does not appreciate the lotus flower at all.
The bumble bee is the teacher who continually teaches the lesson. But how can one understand, unless one is made to understand? ||2||
This speaking and listening is like the song of the wind, for those whose minds are colored by the love of Maya.
The Grace of the Master is bestowed upon those who meditate on Him alone. They are pleasing to His Heart. ||3||
You may observe the thirty fasts, and say the five prayers each day, but 'Satan' can undo them.
Says Nanak, you will have to walk on the Path of Death, so why do you bother to collect wealth and property? ||4||27||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fourth House:
He is the Master who has made the world bloom; He makes the Universe blossom forth, fresh and green.
He holds the water and the land in bondage. Hail to the Creator Lord! ||1||
Death, O Mullah-death will come,
so live in the Fear of God the Creator. ||1||Pause||
You are a Mullah, and you are a Qazi, only when you know the Naam, the Name of God.
You may be very educated, but no one can remain when the measure of life is full. ||2||
He alone is a Qazi, who renounces selfishness and conceit, and makes the One Name his Support.
The True Creator Lord is, and shall always be. He was not born; He shall not die. ||3||
You may chant your prayers five times each day; you may read the Bible and the Koran.
Says Nanak, the grave is calling you, and now your food and drink are finished. ||4||28||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fourth House:
The dogs of greed are with me.
In the early morning, they continually bark at the wind.
Falsehood is my dagger; through deception, I eat the carcasses of the dead.
I live as a wild hunter, O Creator! ||1||
I have not followed good advice, nor have I done good deeds.
I am deformed and horribly disfigured.
Your Name alone, Lord, saves the world.
This is my hope; this is my support. ||1||Pause||
With my mouth I speak slander, day and night.
I spy on the houses of others-I am such a wretched low-life!
Unfulfilled sexual desire and unresolved anger dwell in my body, like the outcasts who cremate the dead.
I live as a wild hunter, O Creator! ||2||
I make plans to trap others, although I appear gentle.
I am a robber-I rob the world.
I am very clever-I carry loads of sin.
I live as a wild hunter, O Creator! ||3||
I have not appreciated what You have done for me, Lord; I take from others and exploit them.
What face shall I show You, Lord? I am a sneak and a thief.
Nanak describes the state of the lowly.
I live as a wild hunter, O Creator! ||4||29||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fourth House:
There is one awareness among all created beings.
None have been created without this awareness.

As is their awareness, so is their way.
According to the account of our actions, we come and go in reincarnation. ||1||
Why, O soul, do you try such clever tricks?
Taking away and giving back, God does not delay. ||1||Pause||
All beings belong to You; all beings are Yours. O Lord and Master,
how can You become angry with them?
Even if You, O Lord and Master, become angry with them,
still, You are theirs, and they are Yours. ||2||
We are foul-mouthed; we spoil everything with our foul words.
You weigh us in the balance of Your Glance of Grace.
When one's actions are right, the understanding is perfect.
Without good deeds, it becomes more and more deficient. ||3||
Prays Nanak, what is the nature of the spiritual people?
They are self-realized; they understand God.
By Guru's Grace, they contemplate Him;
such spiritual people are honored in His Court. ||4||30||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fourth House:
You are the River, All-knowing and All-seeing. I am just a fish-how can I find Your limit?
Wherever I look, You are there. Outside of You, I would burst and die. ||1||
I do not know of the fisherman, and I do not know of the net.
But when the pain comes, then I call upon You. ||1||Pause||
You are present everywhere. I had thought that You were far away.
Whatever I do, I do in Your Presence.
You see all my actions, and yet I deny them.
I have not worked for You, or Your Name. ||2||
Whatever You give me, that is what I eat.
There is no other door-unto which door should I go?
Nanak offers this one prayer:
this body and soul are totally Yours. ||3||
He Himself is near, and He Himself is far away; He Himself is in-between.
He Himself beholds, and He Himself listens. By His Creative Power, He created the world.
Whatever pleases Him, O Nanak-that Command is acceptable. ||4||31||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fourth House:
Why should the created beings feel pride in their minds?
The Gift is in the Hands of the Great Giver.
As it pleases Him, He may give, or not give.
What can be done by the order of the created beings? ||1||
He Himself is True; Truth is pleasing to His Will.
The spiritually blind are unripe and imperfect, inferior and worthless. ||1||Pause||
The One who owns the trees of the forest and the plants of the garden
-according to their nature, He gives them all their names.
The Flower and the Fruit of the Lord's Love are obtained by pre-ordained destiny.
As we plant, so we harvest and eat. ||2||
The wall of the body is temporary, as is the soul-mason within it.
The flavor of the intellect is bland and insipid without the Salt.
O Nanak, as He wills, He makes things right.
Without the Name, no one is approved. ||3||32||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fifth House:
The Undeceiveable is not deceived by deception. He cannot be wounded by any dagger.
As our Lord and Master keeps us, so do we exist. The soul of this greedy person is tossed this way and that. ||1||
Without the oil, how can the lamp be lit? ||1||Pause||
Let the reading of your prayer book be the oil, and let the Fear of God be the wick for the lamp of this body.
Light this lamp with the understanding of Truth. ||2||
Use this oil to light this lamp.
Light it, and meet your Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
This body is softened with the Word of the Guru's Bani;
you shall find peace, doing seva (selfless service).

All the world continues coming and going in reincarnation. ||3||
In the midst of this world, do seva,
and you shall be given a place of honor in the Court of the Lord.
Says Nanak, swing your arms in joy! ||4||33||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I serve my True Guru with single-minded devotion, and lovingly focus my consciousness on Him.
The True Guru is the mind's desire and the sacred shrine of pilgrimage, for those unto whom He has given this understanding.
The blessings of the wishes of the mind are obtained, and the fruits of one's desires.
Meditate on the Name, worship the Name, and through the Name, you shall be absorbed in intuitive peace and poise. ||1||
O my mind, drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, and your thirst shall be quenched.
Those Gurmukhs who have tasted it remain intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who serve the True Guru obtain the Treasure of the Naam.
Deep within, they are drenched with the Essence of the Lord, and the egotistical pride of the mind is subdued.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth, and they intuitively center themselves in meditation.
Their minds become pure, and they remain immersed in the Lord; they are honored in His Court. ||2||
Those who serve the True Guru in this world are very rare.
Those who keep the Lord enshrined in their hearts subdue egotism and possessiveness.
I am a sacrifice to those who are in love with the Naam.
Those who attain the Inexhaustible Name of the Infinite Lord remain happy throughout the four ages. ||3||
Meeting with the Guru, the Naam is obtained, and the thirst of emotional attachment departs.
When the mind is permeated with the Lord, one remains detached within the home of the heart.
I am a sacrifice to those who enjoy the Sublime Taste of the Lord.
O Nanak, by His Glance of Grace, the True Name, the Treasure of Excellence, is obtained. ||4||1||34||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
People wear all sorts of costumes and wander all around, but in their hearts and minds, they practice deception.
They do not attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and after death, they sink into manure. ||1||
O mind, remain detached in the midst of your household.
Practicing truth, self-discipline and good deeds, the Gurmukh is enlightened. ||1||Pause||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the mind is conquered, and one attains the State of Liberation in one's own home.
So meditate on the Name of the Lord; join and merge with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||2||
You may enjoy the pleasures of hundreds of thousands of women, and rule the nine continents of the world.
But without the True Guru, you will not find peace; you will be reincarnated over and over again. ||3||
Those who wear the Necklace of the Lord around their necks, and focus their consciousness on the Guru's Feet
-wealth and supernatural spiritual powers follow them, but they do not care for such things at all. ||4||
Whatever pleases God's Will comes to pass. Nothing else can be done.
Servant Nanak lives by chanting the Naam. O Lord, please give it to me, in Your Natural Way. ||5||2||35||

Siree Raag, Third Mehl, First House:
Everyone belongs to the One who rules the Universe.
The Gurmukh practices good deeds, and the truth is revealed in the heart.
True is the reputation of the true, within whom truth abides.
Those who meet the True Lord are not separated again; they come to dwell in the home of the self deep within. ||1||
O my Lord! Without the Lord, I have no other at all.
The True Guru leads us to meet the Immaculate True God through the Word of His Shabad. ||1||Pause||
One whom the Lord merges into Himself is merged in the Shabad, and remains so merged.
No one merges with Him through the love of duality; over and over again, they come and go in reincarnation.
The One Lord permeates all. The One Lord is pervading everywhere.
That Gurmukh, unto whom the Lord shows His Kindness, is absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
After all their reading, the Pandits, the religious scholars, and the astrologers argue and debate.
Their intellect and understanding are perverted; they just don't understand. They are filled with greed and corruption.
Through 8.4 million incarnations they wander lost and confused; through all their wandering and roaming, they are ruined.
They act according to their pre-ordained destiny, which no one can erase. ||3||
It is very difficult to serve the True Guru. Surrender your head; give up your selfishness.
Realizing the Shabad, one meets with the Lord, and all one's service is accepted.
By personally experiencing the Personality of the Guru, one's own personality is uplifted, and one's light merges into the Light.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny come to meet the True Guru. ||4||
O mind, don't cry out that you are hungry, always hungry; stop complaining.
The One who created the 8.4 million species of beings gives sustenance to all.
The Fearless Lord is forever Merciful; He takes care of all.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands, and finds the Door of Liberation. ||5||3||36||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Those who hear and believe, find the home of the self deep within.
Through the Guru's Teachings, they praise the True Lord; they find the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence.
Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, they are immaculate and pure. I am forever a sacrifice to them.
Those people, within whose hearts the Lord abides, are radiant and enlightened. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Immaculate Lord, Har, Har.
Those whose have such pre-ordained destiny written on their foreheads-those Gurmukhs remain absorbed in the Lord's Love. ||1||Pause||
O Saints, see clearly that the Lord is near at hand; He is pervading everywhere.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings realize Him, and see Him Ever-present.
He dwells forever in the minds of the virtuous. He is far removed from those worthless people who lack virtue.
The self-willed manmukhs are totally without virtue. Without the Name, they die in frustration. ||2||
Those who hear and believe in the Word of the Guru's Shabad, meditate on the Lord in their minds.
Night and day, they are steeped in devotion; their minds and bodies become pure.
The color of the world is false and weak; when it washes away, people cry out in pain.
Those who have the Radiant Light of the Naam within, become steady and stable, forever and ever. ||3||

The blessing of this human life has been obtained, but still, people do not lovingly focus their thoughts on the Name of the Lord.
Their feet slip, and they cannot stay here any longer. And in the next world, they find no place of rest at all.
This opportunity shall not come again. In the end, they depart, regretting and repenting.
Those whom the Lord blesses with His Glance of Grace are saved; they are lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||4||
They all show off and pretend, but the self-willed manmukhs do not understand.
Those Gurmukhs who are pure of heart-their service is accepted.
They sing the Glorious Praise of the Lord; they read about the Lord each day. Singing the Praise of the Lord, they merge in absorption.
O Nanak, the words of those who are lovingly attuned to the Naam are true forever. ||5||4||37||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Those who meditate single-mindedly on the Naam, and contemplate the Teachings of the Guru
-their faces are forever radiant in the Court of the True Lord.
They drink in the Ambrosial Nectar forever and ever, and they love the True Name. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, the Gurmukhs are honored forever.
They meditate forever on the Lord, Har, Har, and they wash off the filth of egotism. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Naam. Without the Name, they lose their honor.
They do not savor the Taste of the Shabad; they are attached to the love of duality.
They are worms in the filth of manure. They fall into manure, and into manure they are absorbed. ||2||
Fruitful are the lives of those who walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
Their families are saved; blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them.
By His Will He grants His Grace; those who are so blessed, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam; they eradicate selfishness and conceit from within.
They are pure, inwardly and outwardly; they merge into the Truest of the True.
O Nanak, blessed is the coming of those who follow the Guru's Teachings and meditate on the Lord. ||4||5||38||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The devotees of the Lord have the Wealth and Capital of the Lord; with Guru's Advice, they carry on their trade.
They praise the Name of the Lord forever and ever. The Name of the Lord is their Merchandise and Support.
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Name of the Lord into the Lord's devotees; it is an Inexhaustible Treasure. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, instruct your minds in this way.
O mind, why are you so lazy? Become Gurmukh, and meditate on the Naam. ||1||Pause||
Devotion to the Lord is love for the Lord. The Gurmukh reflects deeply and contemplates.
Hypocrisy is not devotion-speaking words of duality leads only to misery.
Those humble beings who are filled with keen understanding and meditative contemplation-even though they intermingle with others, they remain distinct. ||2||
Those who keep the Lord enshrined within their hearts are said to be the servants of the Lord.
Placing mind and body in offering before the Lord, they conquer and eradicate egotism from within.
Blessed and acclaimed is that Gurmukh, who shall never be defeated. ||3||
Those who receive His Grace find Him. Without His Grace, He cannot be found.

The 8.4 million species of beings all yearn for the Lord. Those whom He unites, come to be united with the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the Lord, and remains forever absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||4||6||39||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The Name of the Lord is the Ocean of Peace; the Gurmukhs obtain it.
Meditating on the Naam, night and day, they are easily and intuitively absorbed in the Naam.
Their inner beings are immersed in the True Lord; they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, the world is in misery, engrossed in the love of duality.
In the Sanctuary of the Guru, peace is found, meditating on the Naam night and day. ||1||Pause||
The truthful ones are not stained by filth. Meditating on the Lord, their minds remain pure.
The Gurmukhs realize the Word of the Shabad; they are immersed in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name.
The Guru has lit the brilliant light of spiritual wisdom, and the darkness of ignorance has been dispelled. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs are polluted. They are filled with the pollution of egotism, wickedness and desire.
Without the Shabad, this pollution is not washed off; through the cycle of death and rebirth, they waste away in misery.
Engrossed in this transitory drama, they are not at home in either this world or the next. ||3||
For the Gurmukh, the love of the Name of the Lord is chanting, deep meditation and self-discipline.
The Gurmukh meditates forever on the Name of the One Creator Lord.
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Support of all beings. ||4||7||40||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in emotional attachment; they are not balanced or detached.
They do not comprehend the Word of the Shabad. They suffer in pain forever, and lose their honor in the Court of the Lord.
The Gurmukhs shed their ego; attuned to the Naam, they find peace. ||1||
O my mind, day and night, you are always full of wishful hopes.
Serve the True Guru, and your emotional attachment shall be totally burnt away; remain detached within the home of your heart. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukhs do good deeds and blossom forth; balanced and detached in the Lord, they are in ecstasy.
Night and day, they perform devotional worship, day and night; subduing their ego, they are carefree.
By great good fortune, I found the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; I have found the Lord, with intuitive ease and ecstasy. ||2||
That person is a Holy Saadhu, and a renouncer of the world, whose heart is filled with the Naam.
His inner being is not touched by anger or dark energies at all; he has lost his selfishness and conceit.
The True Guru has revealed to him the Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he drinks in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, and is satisfied. ||3||
Whoever has found it, has done so in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Through perfect good fortune, such balanced detachment is attained.
The self-willed manmukhs wander around lost, but they do not know the True Guru. They are inwardly attached to egotism.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Shabad are dyed in the Color of the Lord's Name. Without the Fear of God, how can they retain this Color? ||4||8||41||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Within the home of your own inner being, the merchandise is obtained. All commodities are within.
Each and every moment, dwell on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the Gurmukhs obtain it.
The Treasure of the Naam is inexhaustible. By great good fortune, it is obtained. ||1||
O my mind, give up slander, egotism and arrogance.

Become Gurmukh, and meditate forever on the Dear Lord, the One and Only Creator. ||1||Pause||
The faces of the Gurmukhs are radiant and bright; they reflect on the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They obtain peace in this world and the next, chanting and meditating within their hearts on the Lord.
Within the home of their own inner being, they obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, reflecting on the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru shall have their faces blackened.
Night and day, they suffer in pain; they see the noose of Death always hovering above them.
Even in their dreams, they find no peace; they are consumed by the fires of intense anxiety. ||3||
The One Lord is the Giver of all; He Himself bestows all blessings.
No one else has any say in this; He gives just as He pleases.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs obtain Him; He Himself knows Himself. ||4||9||42||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Serve your True Lord and Master, and you shall be blessed with true greatness.
By Guru's Grace, He abides in the mind, and egotism is driven out.
This wandering mind comes to rest, when the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, become Gurmukh, and meditate on the Name of the Lord.
The Treasure of the Naam abides forever within the mind, and one's place of rest is found in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||1||Pause||
The minds and bodies of the self-willed manmukhs are filled with darkness; they find no shelter, no place of rest.
Through countless incarnations they wander lost, like crows in a deserted house.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the heart is illuminated. Through the Shabad, the Name of the Lord is received. ||2||
In the corruption of the three qualities, there is blindness; in attachment to Maya, there is darkness.
The greedy people serve others, instead of the Lord, although they loudly announce their reading of scriptures.
They are burnt to death by their own corruption; they are not at home, on either this shore or the one beyond. ||3||
In attachment to Maya, they have forgotten the Father, the Cherisher of the World.
Without the Guru, all are unconscious; they are held in bondage by the Messenger of Death.
O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, you shall be saved, contemplating the True Name. ||4||10||43||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The three qualities hold people in attachment to Maya. The Gurmukh attains the fourth state of higher consciousness.
Granting His Grace, God unites us with Himself. The Name of the Lord comes to abide within the mind.
Those who have the treasure of goodness join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, follow the Guru's Teachings and dwell in truth.
Practice truth, and only truth, and merge in the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
I am a sacrifice to those who recognize the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Renouncing selfishness, I fall at their feet, and walk in harmony with His Will.
Earning the Profit of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I am intuitively absorbed in the Naam. ||2||
Without the Guru, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is not found, and the Naam is not obtained.
Seek and find such a True Guru, who shall lead you to the True Lord.
Destroy your evil passions, and you shall dwell in peace. Whatever pleases the Lord comes to pass. ||3||
As one knows the True Guru, so is the peace obtained.
There is no doubt at all about this, but those who love Him are very rare.
O Nanak, the One Light has two forms; through the Shabad, union is attained. ||4||11||44||

Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Discarding the Ambrosial Nectar, they greedily grab the poison; they serve others, instead of the Lord.
They lose their faith, they have no understanding; night and day, they suffer in pain.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not even think of the Lord; they are drowned to death without water. ||1||
O mind, vibrate and meditate forever on the Lord; seek the Protection of His Sanctuary.
If the Word of the Guru's Shabad abides deep within, then you shall not forget the Lord. ||1||Pause||
This body is the puppet of Maya. The evil of egotism is within it.
Coming and going through birth and death, the self-willed manmukhs lose their honor.
Serving the True Guru, eternal peace is obtained, and one's light merges into the Light. ||2||
Serving the True Guru brings a deep and profound peace, and one's desires are fulfilled.
Abstinence, truthfulness and self-discipline are obtained, and the body is purified; the Lord, Har, Har, comes to dwell within the mind.
Such a person remains blissful forever, day and night. Meeting the Beloved, peace is found. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to those who seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
In the Court of the True One, they are blessed with true greatness; they are intuitively absorbed into the True Lord.
O Nanak, by His Glance of Grace He is found; the Gurmukh is united in His Union. ||4||12||45||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh performs religious rituals, like the unwanted bride decorating her body.
Her Husband Lord does not come to her bed; day after day, she grows more and more miserable.
She does not attain the Mansion of His Presence; she does not find the door to His House. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, meditate on the Naam with one-pointed mind.
Remain united with the Society of the Saints; chant the Name of the Lord, and find peace. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukh is the happy and pure soul-bride forever. She keeps her Husband Lord enshrined within her heart.
Her speech is sweet, and her way of life is humble. She enjoys the Bed of her Husband Lord.
The happy and pure soul-bride is noble; she has infinite love for the Guru. ||2||
By perfect good fortune, one meets the True Guru, when one's destiny is awakened.
Suffering and doubt are cut out from within, and peace is obtained.
One who walks in harmony with the Guru's Will shall not suffer in pain. ||3||
The Amrit, the Ambrosial Nectar, is in the Guru's Will. With intuitive ease, it is obtained.
Those who are destined to have it, drink it in; their egotism is eradicated from within.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh meditates on the Naam, and is united with the True Lord. ||4||13||46||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
If you know that He is your Husband Lord, offer your body and mind to Him.
Behave like the happy and pure soul-bride.
With intuitive ease, you shall merge with the True Lord, and He shall bless you with true greatness. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, without the Guru, there is no devotional worship.
Without the Guru, devotion is not obtained, even though everyone may long for it. ||1||Pause||
The soul-bride in love with duality goes around the wheel of reincarnation, through 8.4 million incarnations.
Without the Guru, she finds no sleep, and she passes her life-night in pain.
Without the Shabad, she does not find her Husband Lord, and her life wastes away in vain. ||2||

Practicing egotism, selfishness and conceit, she wanders around the world, but her wealth and property will not go with her.
The spiritually blind do not even think of the Naam; they are all bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death.
Meeting the True Guru, the wealth is obtained, contemplating the Name of the Lord in the heart. ||3||
Those who are attuned to the Naam are immaculate and pure; through the Guru, they obtain intuitive peace and poise.
Their minds and bodies are dyed in the Color of the Lord's Love, and their tongues savor His Sublime Essence.
O Nanak, that Primal Color which the Lord has applied, shall never fade away. ||4||14||47||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
By His Grace one becomes Gurmukh, worshipping the Lord with devotion. Without the Guru there is no devotional worship.
Those whom He unites with Himself, understand and become pure.
The Dear Lord is True, and True is the Word of His Bani. Through the Shabad, we merge with Him. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny: those who lack devotion-why have they even bothered to come into the world?
They do not serve the Perfect Guru; they waste away their lives in vain. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself, the Life of the World, is the Giver of Peace. He Himself forgives, and unites with Himself.
So what about all these poor beings and creatures? What can anyone say?
He Himself blesses the Gurmukh with glory. He Himself enjoins us to His Service. ||2||
Gazing upon their families, people are lured and trapped by emotional attachment, but none will go along with them in the end.
Serving the True Guru, one finds the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence. His Value cannot be estimated.
The Lord God is my Friend and Companion. God shall be my Helper and Support in the end. ||3||
Within your conscious mind, you may say anything, but without the Guru, selfishness is not removed.
The Dear Lord is the Giver, the Lover of His devotees. By His Grace, He comes to dwell in the mind.
O Nanak, by His Grace, He bestows enlightened awareness; God Himself blesses the Gurmukh with glorious greatness. ||4||15||48||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Blessed is the mother who gave birth; blessed and respected is the father of one who serves the True Guru and finds peace. His arrogant pride is banished from within.
Standing at the Lord's Door, the humble Saints serve Him; they find the Treasure of Excellence. ||1||
O my mind, become Gurmukh, and meditate on the Lord.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad abides within the mind, and the body and mind become pure. ||1||Pause||
By His Grace, He has come into my home; He Himself has come to meet me.
Singing His Praises through the Shabads of the Guru, we are dyed in His Color with intuitive ease.
Becoming truthful, we merge with the True One; remaining blended with Him, we shall never be separated again. ||2||
Whatever is to be done, the Lord is doing. No one else can do anything.
Those separated from Him for so long are reunited with Him once again by the True Guru, who takes them into His Own Account.
He Himself assigns all to their tasks; nothing else can be done. ||3||
One whose mind and body are imbued with the Lord's Love gives up egotism and corruption.
Day and night, the Name of the One Lord, the Fearless and Formless One, dwells within the heart.
O Nanak, He blends us with Himself, through the Perfect, Infinite Word of His Shabad. ||4||16||49||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe is the Treasure of Excellence; His limits cannot be found.
He is not obtained by mouthing mere words, but by rooting out ego from within.

Meeting the True Guru, one is permeated forever with the Fear of God, who Himself comes to dwell within the mind. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, one who becomes Gurmukh and understands this is very rare.
To act without understanding is to lose the treasure of this human life. ||1||Pause||
Those who have tasted it, enjoy its flavor; without tasting it, they wander in doubt, lost and deceived.
The True Name is the Ambrosial Nectar; no one can describe it.
Drinking it in, one becomes honorable, absorbed in the Perfect Word of the Shabad. ||2||
He Himself gives, and then we receive. Nothing else can be done.
The Gift is in the Hands of the Great Giver. At the Guru's Door, in the Gurdwara, it is received.
Whatever He does, comes to pass. All act according to His Will. ||3||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is abstinence, truthfulness, and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure.
Through perfect good fortune, the Naam comes to abide within the mind. Through the Shabad, we merge into Him.
O Nanak, one who lives in intuitive peace and poise, imbued with the Lord's Love, obtains the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||17||50||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
You may torment your body with extremes of self-discipline, practice intensive meditation and hang upside-down, but your ego will not be eliminated from within.
You may perform religious rituals, and still never obtain the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, remain dead while yet alive, and the Name of the Lord shall come to dwell within the mind. ||1||
Listen, O my mind: hurry to the Protection of the Guru's Sanctuary.
By Guru's Grace you shall be saved. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean of poison. ||1||Pause||
Everything under the influence of the three qualities shall perish; the love of duality is corrupting.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read the scriptures, but they are trapped in the bondage of emotional attachment. In love with evil, they do not understand.
Meeting the Guru, the bondage of the three qualities is cut away, and in the fourth state, the Door of Liberation is attained. ||2||
Through the Guru, the Path is found, and the darkness of emotional attachment is dispelled.
If one dies through the Shabad, then salvation is obtained, and one finds the Door of Liberation.
By Guru's Grace, one remains blended with the True Name of the Creator. ||3||
This mind is very powerful; we cannot escape it just by trying.
In the love of duality, people suffer in pain, condemned to terrible punishment.
O Nanak, those who are attached to the Naam are saved; through the Shabad, their ego is banished. ||4||18||51||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
By His Grace, the Guru is found, and the Name of the Lord is implanted within.
Without the Guru, no one has obtained it; they waste away their lives in vain.
The self-willed manmukhs create karma, and in the Court of the Lord, they receive their punishment. ||1||
O mind, give up the love of duality.
The Lord dwells within you; serving the Guru, you shall find peace. ||Pause||
When you love the Truth, your words are true; they reflect the True Word of the Shabad.
The Name of the Lord dwells within the mind; egotism and anger are wiped away.
Meditating on the Naam with a pure mind, the Door of Liberation is found. ||2||
Engrossed in egotism, the world perishes. It dies and is re-born; it continues coming and going in reincarnation.
The self-willed manmukhs do not recognize the Shabad; they forfeit their honor, and depart in disgrace.
Serving the Guru, the Name is obtained, and one remains absorbed in the True Lord. ||3||

With faith in the Shabad, the Guru is found, and selfishness is eradicated from within.
Night and day, worship the True Lord with devotion and love forever.
The Treasure of the Naam abides in the mind; O Nanak, in the poise of perfect balance, merge into the Lord. ||4||19||52||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Those who do not serve the True Guru shall be miserable throughout the four ages.
The Primal Being is within their own home, but they do not recognize Him. They are plundered by their egotistical pride and arrogance.
Cursed by the True Guru, they wander around the world begging, until they are exhausted.
They do not serve the True Word of the Shabad, which is the solution to all of their problems. ||1||
O my mind, see the Lord ever close at hand.
He shall remove the pains of death and rebirth; the Word of the Shabad shall fill you to overflowing. ||1||Pause||
Those who praise the True One are true; the True Name is their Support.
They act truthfully, in love with the True Lord.
The True King has written His Order, which no one can erase.
The self-willed manmukhs do not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. The false are plundered by falsehood. ||2||
Engrossed in egotism, the world perishes. Without the Guru, there is utter darkness.
In emotional attachment to Maya, they have forgotten the Great Giver, the Giver of Peace.
Those who serve the True Guru are saved; they keep the True One enshrined in their hearts.
By His Grace, we find the Lord, and reflect on the True Word of the Shabad. ||3||
Serving the True Guru, the mind becomes immaculate and pure; egotism and corruption are discarded.
So abandon your selfishness, and remain dead while yet alive. Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The pursuit of worldly affairs comes to an end, when you embrace love for the True One.
Those who are attuned to Truth-their faces are radiant in the Court of the True Lord. ||4||
Those who do not have faith in the Primal Being, the True Guru, and who do not enshrine love for the Shabad
-they take their cleansing baths, and give to charity again and again, but they are ultimately consumed by their love of duality.
When the Dear Lord Himself grants His Grace, they are inspired to love the Naam.
O Nanak, immerse yourself in the Naam, through the Infinite Love of the Guru. ||5||20||53||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Whom shall I serve? What shall I chant? I will go and ask the Guru.
I will accept the Will of the True Guru, and eradicate selfishness from within.
By this work and service, the Naam shall come to dwell within my mind.
Through the Naam, peace is obtained; I am adorned and embellished by the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||
O my mind, remain awake and aware night and day, and think of the Lord.
Protect your crops, or else the birds shall descend on your farm. ||1||Pause||
The desires of the mind are fulfilled, when one is filled to overflowing with the Shabad.
One who fears, loves, and is devoted to the Dear Lord day and night, sees Him always close at hand.
Doubt runs far away from the bodies of those, whose minds remain forever attuned to the True Word of the Shabad.
The Immaculate Lord and Master is found. He is True; He is the Ocean of Excellence. ||2||
Those who remain awake and aware are saved, while those who sleep are plundered.
They do not recognize the True Word of the Shabad, and like a dream, their lives fade away.
Like guests in a deserted house, they leave just exactly as they have come.

The life of the self-willed manmukh passes uselessly. What face will he show when he passes beyond? ||3||
God Himself is everything; those who are in their ego cannot even speak of this.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is realized, and the pain of egotism is eradicated from within.
I fall at the feet of those who serve their True Guru.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who are found to be true in the True Court. ||4||21||54||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Consider the time and the moment-when should we worship the Lord?
Night and day, one who is attuned to the Name of the True Lord is true.
If someone forgets the Beloved Lord, even for an instant, what sort of devotion is that?
One whose mind and body are cooled and soothed by the True Lord-no breath of his is wasted. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord.
True devotional worship is performed when the Lord comes to dwell in the mind. ||1||Pause||
With intuitive ease, cultivate your farm, and plant the Seed of the True Name.
The seedlings have sprouted luxuriantly, and with intuitive ease, the mind is satisfied.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is Ambrosial Nectar; drinking it in, thirst is quenched.
This true mind is attuned to Truth, and it remains permeated with the True One. ||2||
In speaking, in seeing and in words, remain immersed in the Shabad.
The Word of the Guru's Bani vibrates throughout the four ages. As Truth, it teaches Truth.
Egotism and possessiveness are eliminated, and the True One absorbs them into Himself.
Those who remain lovingly absorbed in the True One see the Mansion of His Presence close at hand. ||3||
By His Grace, we meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Without His Mercy, it cannot be obtained.
Through perfect good destiny, one finds the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and one comes to meet the True Guru.
Night and day, remain attuned to the Naam, and the pain of corruption shall be dispelled from within.
O Nanak, merging with the Shabad through the Name, one is immersed in the Name. ||4||22||55||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Those who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad are filled with the Fear of God.
They remain forever merged with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; they dwell upon the Glories of the True One.
They cast off the filth of their mental duality, and they keep the Lord enshrined in their hearts.
True is their speech, and true are their minds. They are in love with the True One. ||1||
O my mind, you are filled with the filth of egotism.
The Immaculate Lord is eternally Beautiful. We are adorned with the Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
God joins to Himself those whose minds are fascinated with the True Word of His Shabad.
Night and day, they are attuned to the Naam, and their light is absorbed into the Light.
Through His Light, God is revealed. Without the True Guru, understanding is not obtained.
The True Guru comes to meet those who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
Without the Name, all are miserable. In the love of duality, they are ruined.
Without Him, I cannot survive even for an instant, and my life-night passes in anguish.
Wandering in doubt, the spiritually blind come and go in reincarnation, over and over again.
When God Himself bestows His Glance of Grace, He blends us into Himself. ||3||

He hears and sees everything. How can anyone deny Him?
Those who sin again and again, shall rot and die in sin.
God's Glance of Grace does not come to them; those self-willed manmukhs do not obtain understanding.
They alone see the Lord, unto whom He reveals Himself. O Nanak, the Gurmukhs find Him. ||4||23||56||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Without the Guru, the disease is not cured, and the pain of egotism is not removed.
By Guru's Grace, He dwells in the mind, and one remains immersed in His Name.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord is found; without the Shabad, people wander, deceived by doubt. ||1||
O mind, dwell in the balanced state of your own inner being.
Praise the Lord's Name, and you shall no longer come and go in reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
The One Lord alone is the Giver, pervading everywhere. There is no other at all.
Praise the Word of the Shabad, and He shall come to dwell in your mind; you shall be blessed with intuitive peace and poise.
Everything is within the Lord's Glance of Grace. As He wishes, He gives. ||2||
In egotism, all must account for their actions. In this accounting, there is no peace.
Acting in evil and corruption, people are immersed in corruption.
Without the Name, they find no place of rest. In the City of Death, they suffer in agony. ||3||
Body and soul all belong to Him; He is the Support of all.
By Guru's Grace, understanding comes, and then the Door of Liberation is found.
O Nanak, sing the Praises of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He has no end or limitation. ||4||24||57||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Those who have the Support of the True Name are in ecstasy and peace forever.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they obtain the True One, the Destroyer of pain.
Forever and ever, they sing the Glorious Praises of the True One; they love the True Name.
When the Lord Himself grants His Grace, He bestows the treasure of devotion. ||1||
O mind, sing His Glorious Praises, and be in ecstasy forever.
Through the True Word of His Bani, the Lord is obtained, and one remains immersed in the Lord. ||1||Pause||
In true devotion, the mind is dyed in the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love, with intuitive peace and poise.
The mind is fascinated by the Word of the Guru's Shabad, which cannot be described.
The tongue imbued with the True Word of the Shabad drinks in the Amrit with delight, singing His Glorious Praises.
The Gurmukh obtains this love, when the Lord, in His Will, grants His Grace. ||2||
This world is an illusion; people pass their life-nights sleeping.
By the Pleasure of His Will, He lifts some out, and unites them with Himself.
He Himself abides in the mind, and drives out attachment to Maya.
He Himself bestows glorious greatness; He inspires the Gurmukh to understand. ||3||
The One Lord is the Giver of all. He corrects those who make mistakes.
He Himself has deceived some, and attached them to duality.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord is found, and one's light merges into the Light.
Attuned to the Name of the Lord night and day, O Nanak, you shall be absorbed into the Name. ||4||25||58||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The virtuous obtain Truth; they give up their desires for evil and corruption.
Their minds are imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad; the Love of their Beloved is on their tongues.

Without the True Guru, no one has found Him; reflect upon this in your mind and see.
The filth of the self-willed manmukhs is not washed off; they have no love for the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
O my mind, walk in harmony with the True Guru.
Dwell within the home of your own inner being, and drink in the Ambrosial Nectar; you shall attain the Peace of the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||Pause||
The unvirtuous have no merit; they are not allowed to sit in His Presence.
The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Shabad; those without virtue are far removed from God.
Those who recognize the True One are permeated and attuned to Truth.
Their minds are pierced through by the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and God Himself ushers them into His Presence. ||2||
He Himself dyes us in the Color of His Love; through the Word of His Shabad, He unites us with Himself.
This True Color shall not fade away, for those who are attuned to His Love.
The self-willed manmukhs grow weary of wandering around in all four directions, but they do not understand.
One who is united with the True Guru, meets and merges in the True Word of the Shabad. ||3||
I have grown weary of making so many friends, hoping that someone might be able to end my suffering.
Meeting with my Beloved, my suffering has ended; I have attained Union with the Word of the Shabad.
Earning Truth, and accumulating the Wealth of Truth, the truthful person gains a reputation of Truth.
Meeting with the True One, O Nanak, the Gurmukh shall not be separated from Him again. ||4||26||59||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The Creator Himself created the Creation; He produced the Universe, and He Himself watches over it.
The One and Only Lord is pervading and permeating all. The Unseen cannot be seen.
God Himself is Merciful; He Himself bestows understanding.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the True One dwells forever in the mind of those who remain lovingly attached to Him. ||1||
O my mind, surrender to the Guru's Will.
Mind and body are totally cooled and soothed, and the Naam comes to dwell in the mind. ||1||Pause||
Having created the creation, He supports it and takes care of it.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is realized, when He Himself bestows His Glance of Grace.
Those who are beautifully adorned with the Shabad in the Court of the True Lord
-those Gurmukhs are attuned to the True Word of the Shabad; the Creator unites them with Himself. ||2||
Through the Guru's Teachings, praise the True One, who has no end or limitation.
He dwells in each and every heart, by the Hukam of His Command; by His Hukam, we contemplate Him.
So praise Him through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and drive out egotism from within.
That soul-bride who lacks the Lord's Name acts without virtue, and so she grieves. ||3||
Praising the True One, attached to the True One, I am satisfied with the True Name.
Contemplating His Virtues, I accumulate virtue and merit; I wash myself clean of demerits.
He Himself unites us in His Union; there is no more separation.
O Nanak, I sing the Praises of my Guru; through Him, I find that God. ||4||27||60||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Listen, listen, O soul-bride: you are overtaken by sexual desire-why do you walk like that, swinging your arms in joy?
You do not recognize your own Husband Lord! When you go to Him, what face will you show Him?
I touch the feet of my sister soul-brides who have known their Husband Lord.
If only I could be like them! Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I am united in His Union. ||1||

O woman, the false ones are being cheated by falsehood.
God is your Husband; He is Handsome and True. He is obtained by reflecting upon the Guru. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs do not recognize their Husband Lord; how will they spend their life-night?
Filled with arrogance, they burn with desire; they suffer in the pain of the love of duality.
The happy soul-brides are attuned to the Shabad; their egotism is eliminated from within.
They enjoy their Husband Lord forever, and their life-night passes in the most blissful peace. ||2||
She is utterly lacking in spiritual wisdom; she is abandoned by her Husband Lord. She cannot obtain His Love.
In the darkness of intellectual ignorance, she cannot see her Husband, and her hunger does not depart.
Come and meet with me, my sister soul-brides, and unite me with my Husband.
She who meets the True Guru, by perfect good fortune, finds her Husband; she is absorbed in the True One. ||3||
Those upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace become His happy soul-brides.
One who recognizes her Lord and Master places her body and mind in offering before Him.
Within her own home, she finds her Husband Lord; her egotism is dispelled.
O Nanak, the happy soul-brides are embellished and exalted; night and day they are absorbed in devotional worship. ||4||28||61||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Some enjoy their Husband Lord; unto whose door should I go to ask for Him?
I serve my True Guru with love, that He may lead me to Union with my Husband Lord.
He created all, and He Himself watches over us. Some are close to Him, and some are far away.
She who knows her Husband Lord to be always with her, enjoys His Constant Presence. ||1||
O woman, you must walk in harmony with the Guru's Will.
Night and day, you shall enjoy your Husband, and you shall intuitively merge into the True One. ||1||Pause||
Attuned to the Shabad, the happy soul-brides are adorned with the True Word of the Shabad.
Within their own home, they obtain the Lord as their Husband, with love for the Guru.
Upon her beautiful and cozy bed, she enjoys the Love of her Lord. She is overflowing with the treasure of devotion.
That Beloved God abides in her mind; He gives His Support to all. ||2||
I am forever a sacrifice to those who praise their Husband Lord.
I dedicate my mind and body to them, and give my head as well; I fall at their feet.
Those who recognize the One renounce the love of duality.
The Gurmukh recognizes the Naam, O Nanak, and is absorbed into the True One. ||3||29||62||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
O Dear Lord, You are the Truest of the True. All things are in Your Power.
The 8.4 million species of beings wander around searching for You, but without the Guru, they do not find You.
When the Dear Lord grants His Forgiveness, this human body finds lasting peace.
By Guru's Grace, I serve the True One, who is Immeasurably Deep and Profound. ||1||
O my mind, attuned to the Naam, you shall find peace.
Follow the Guru's Teachings, and praise the Naam; there is no other at all. ||1||Pause||
The Righteous Judge of Dharma, by the Hukam of God's Command, sits and administers True Justice.
Those evil souls, ensnared by the love of duality, are subject to Your Command.
The souls on their spiritual journey chant and meditate within their minds on the One Lord, the Treasure of Excellence.

The Righteous Judge of Dharma serves them; blessed is the Lord who adorns them. ||2||
One who eliminates mental wickedness from within the mind, and casts out emotional attachment and egotistical pride,
comes to recognize the All-pervading Soul, and is intuitively absorbed into the Naam.
Without the True Guru, the self-willed manmukhs do not find liberation; they wander around like lunatics.
They do not contemplate the Shabad; engrossed in corruption, they utter only empty words. ||3||
He Himself is everything; there is no other at all.
I speak just as He makes me speak, when He Himself makes me speak.
The Word of the Gurmukh is God Himself. Through the Shabad, we merge in Him.
O Nanak, remember the Naam; serving Him, peace is obtained. ||4||30||63||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The world is polluted with the filth of egotism, suffering in pain. This filth sticks to them because of their love of duality.
This filth of egotism cannot be washed away, even by taking cleansing baths at hundreds of sacred shrines.
Performing all sorts of rituals, people are smeared with twice as much filth.
This filth is not removed by studying. Go ahead, and ask the wise ones. ||1||
O my mind, coming to the Sanctuary of the Guru, you shall become immaculate and pure.
The self-willed manmukhs have grown weary of chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, but their filth cannot be removed. ||1||Pause||
With a polluted mind, devotional service cannot be performed, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, cannot be obtained.
The filthy, self-willed manmukhs die in filth, and they depart in disgrace.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to abide in the mind, and the filth of egotism is dispelled.
Like a lamp lit in the darkness, the spiritual wisdom of the Guru dispels ignorance. ||2||
"I have done this, and I will do that"-I am an idiotic fool for saying this!
I have forgotten the Doer of all; I am caught in the love of duality.
There is no pain as great as the pain of Maya; it drives people to wander all around the world, until they become exhausted.
Through the Guru's Teachings, peace is found, with the True Name enshrined in the heart. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to those who meet and merge with the Lord.
This mind is attuned to devotional worship; through the True Word of Gurbani, it finds its own home.
With the mind so imbued, and the tongue imbued as well, sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
O Nanak, never forget the Naam; immerse yourself in the True One. ||4||31||64||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl, First House:
Within my mind and body is the intense pain of separation; how can my Beloved come to meet me in my home?
When I see my God, seeing God Himself, my pain is taken away.
I go and ask my friends, "How can I meet and merge with God?"||1||
O my True Guru, without You I have no other at all.
I am foolish and ignorant; I seek Your Sanctuary. Please be Merciful and unite me with the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru is the Giver of the Name of the Lord. God Himself causes us to meet Him.
The True Guru understands the Lord God. There is no other as Great as the Guru.
I have come and collapsed in the Guru's Sanctuary. In His Kindness, He has united me with God. ||2||
No one has found Him by stubborn-mindedness. All have grown weary of the effort.

Thousands of clever mental tricks have been tried, but still, the raw and undisciplined mind does not absorb the Color of the Lord's Love.
By falsehood and deception, none have found Him. Whatever you plant, you shall eat. ||3||
O God, You are the Hope of all. All beings are Yours; You are the Wealth of all.
O God, none return from You empty-handed; at Your Door, the Gurmukhs are praised and acclaimed.
In the terrifying world-ocean of poison, people are drowning-please lift them up and save them! This is servant Nanak's humble prayer. ||4||1||65||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl:
Receiving the Naam, the mind is satisfied; without the Naam, life is cursed.
If I meet the Gurmukh, my Spiritual Friend, he will show me God, the Treasure of Excellence.
I am every bit a sacrifice to one who reveals to me the Naam. ||1||
O my Beloved, I live by meditating on Your Name.
Without Your Name, my life does not even exist. My True Guru has implanted the Naam within me. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is a Priceless Jewel; it is with the Perfect True Guru.
When one is enjoined to serve the True Guru, He brings out this Jewel and bestows this enlightenment.
Blessed, and most fortunate of the very fortunate, are those who come to meet the Guru. ||2||
Those who have not met the Primal Being, the True Guru, are most unfortunate, and are subject to death.
They wander in reincarnation over and over again, as the most disgusting maggots in manure.
Do not meet with, or even approach those people, whose hearts are filled with horrible anger. ||3||
The True Guru, the Primal Being, is the Pool of Ambrosial Nectar. The very fortunate ones come to bathe in it.
The filth of many incarnations is washed away, and the Immaculate Naam is implanted within.
Servant Nanak has obtained the most exalted state, lovingly attuned to the True Guru. ||4||2||66||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl:
I sing His Glories, I describe His Glories, I speak of His Glories, O my mother.
The Gurmukhs, my spiritual friends, bestow virtue. Meeting with my spiritual friends, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The Diamond of the Guru has pierced the diamond of my mind, which is now dyed in the deep crimson color of the Name. ||1||
O my Lord of the Universe, singing Your Glorious Praises, my mind is satisfied.
Within me is the thirst for the Lord's Name; may the Guru, in His Pleasure, grant it to me. ||1||Pause||
Let your minds be imbued with His Love, O blessed and fortunate ones. By His Pleasure, the Guru bestows His Gifts.
The Guru has lovingly implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me; I am a sacrifice to the True Guru.
Without the True Guru, the Name of the Lord is not found, even though people may perform hundreds of thousands, even millions of rituals. ||2||
Without destiny, the True Guru is not found, even though He sits within the home of our own inner being, always near and close at hand.
There is ignorance within, and the pain of doubt, like a separating screen.
Without meeting with the True Guru, no one is transformed into gold. The self-willed manmukh sinks like iron, while the boat is very close. ||3||
The Boat of the True Guru is the Name of the Lord. How can we climb on board?
One who walks in harmony with the True Guru's Will comes to sit in this Boat.
Blessed, blessed are those very fortunate ones, O Nanak, who are united with the Lord through the True Guru. ||4||3||67||

Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl:
I stand by the wayside and ask the Way. If only someone would show me the Way to God-I would go with him.
I follow in the footsteps of those who enjoy the Love of my Beloved.
I beg of them, I implore them; I have such a yearning to meet God! ||1||
O my Siblings of Destiny, please unite me in Union with my Lord God.
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru, who has shown me the Lord God. ||1||Pause||
In deep humility, I fall at the Feet of the Perfect True Guru.
The Guru is the Honor of the dishonored. The Guru, the True Guru, brings approval and applause.
I am never tired of praising the Guru, who unites me with the Lord God. ||2||
Everyone, all over the world, longs for the True Guru.
Without the good fortune of destiny, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is not obtained. The unfortunate ones just sit and cry.
All things happen according to the Will of the Lord God. No one can erase the pre-ordained Writ of Destiny. ||3||
He Himself is the True Guru; He Himself is the Lord. He Himself unites in His Union.
In His Kindness, He unites us with Himself, as we follow the Guru, the True Guru.
Over all the world, He is the Life of the World, O Nanak, like water mingled with water. ||4||4||68||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl:
The Essence of the Ambrosial Naam is the most sublime essence; how can I get to taste this essence?
I go and ask the happy soul-brides, "How did you come to meet God?"
They are care-free and do not speak; I massage and wash their feet. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, meet with your spiritual friend, and dwell upon the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The True Guru, the Primal Being, is your Friend, who shall drive out pain and subdue your ego. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukhs are the happy soul-brides; their minds are filled with kindness.
The Word of the True Guru is the Jewel. One who believes in it tastes the Sublime Essence of the Lord.
Those who partake of the Lord's Sublime Essence, through the Guru's Love, are known as great and very fortunate. ||2||
This Sublime Essence of the Lord is in the forests, in the fields and everywhere, but the unfortunate ones do not taste it.
Without the True Guru, it is not obtained. The self-willed manmukhs continue to cry in misery.
They do not bow before the True Guru; the demon of anger is within them. ||3||
The Lord Himself, Har, Har, Har, is the Sublime Essence. The Lord Himself is the Essence.
In His Kindness, He blesses the Gurmukh with it; the Ambrosial Nectar of this Amrit trickles down.
Then, the body and mind totally blossom forth and flourish; O Nanak, the Lord comes to dwell within the mind. ||4||5||69||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl:
The day dawns, and then it ends, and the night passes away.
Man's life is diminishing, but he does not understand. Each day, the mouse of death is gnawing away at the rope of life.
Maya spreads out like sweet molasses; the self-willed manmukh is stuck like a fly, rotting away. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, God is my Friend and Companion.
Emotional attachment to children and spouse is poison; in the end, no one will go along with you as your helper. ||1||Pause||
Through the Guru's Teachings, some embrace love for the Lord, and are saved. They remain detached and unaffected, and they find the Sanctuary of the Lord.

They keep death constantly before their eyes; they gather the Provisions of the Lord's Name, and receive honor.
The Gurmukhs are honored in the Court of the Lord. The Lord Himself takes them in His Loving Embrace. ||2||
For the Gurmukhs, the Way is obvious. At the Lord's Door, they face no obstructions.
They praise the Lord's Name, they keep the Naam in their minds, and they remain attached to the Love of the Naam.
The Unstruck Celestial Music vibrates for them at the Lord's Door, and they are honored at the True Door. ||3||
Those Gurmukhs who praise the Naam are applauded by everyone.
Grant me their company, God-I am a beggar; this is my prayer.
O Nanak, great is the good fortune of those Gurmukhs, who are filled with the Light of the Naam within. ||4||33||31||6||70||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, First House:
Why are you so thrilled by the sight of your son and your beautifully decorated wife?
You enjoy tasty delicacies, you have lots of fun, and you indulge in endless pleasures.
You give all sorts of commands, and you act so superior.
The Creator does not come into the mind of the blind, idiotic, self-willed manmukh. ||1||
O my mind, the Lord is the Giver of peace.
By Guru's Grace, He is found. By His Mercy, He is obtained. ||1||Pause||
People are entangled in the enjoyment of fine clothes, but gold and silver are only dust.
They acquire beautiful horses and elephants, and ornate carriages of many kinds.
They think of nothing else, and they forget all their relatives.
They ignore their Creator; without the Name, they are impure. ||2||
Gathering the wealth of Maya, you earn an evil reputation.
Those whom you work to please shall pass away along with you.
The egotistical are engrossed in egotism, ensnared by the intellect of the mind.
One who is deceived by God Himself, has no position and no honor. ||3||
The True Guru, the Primal Being, has led me to meet the One, my only Friend.
The One is the Saving Grace of His humble servant. Why should the proud cry out in ego?
As the servant of the Lord wills, so does the Lord act. At the Lord's Door, none of his requests are denied.
Nanak is attuned to the Love of the Lord, whose Light pervades the entire Universe. ||4||1||71||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
With the mind caught up in playful pleasures, involved in all sorts of amusements and sights that stagger the eyes, people are led astray.
The emperors sitting on their thrones are consumed by anxiety. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, peace is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
If the Supreme Lord, the Architect of Destiny, writes such an order, then anguish and anxiety are erased. ||1||Pause||
There are so many places-I have wandered through them all.
The masters of wealth and the great land-lords have fallen, crying out, "This is mine! This is mine!"||2||
They issue their commands fearlessly, and act in pride.
They subdue all under their command, but without the Name, they are reduced to dust. ||3||
Even those who are served by the 33 million angelic beings, at whose door the Siddhas and the Saadhus stand,
who live in wondrous affluence and rule over mountains, oceans and vast dominions-O Nanak, in the end, all this vanishes like a dream! ||4||2||72||

Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Arising each day, you cherish your body, but you are idiotic, ignorant and without understanding.
You are not conscious of God, and your body shall be cast into the wilderness.
Focus your consciousness on the True Guru; you shall enjoy bliss forever and ever. ||1||
O mortal, you came here to earn a profit.
What useless activities are you attached to? Your life-night is coming to its end. ||1||Pause||
The animals and the birds frolic and play-they do not see death.
Mankind is also with them, trapped in the net of Maya.
Those who always remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are considered to be liberated. ||2||
That dwelling which you will have to abandon and vacate-you are attached to it in your mind.
And that place where you must go to dwell-you have no regard for it at all.
Those who fall at the Feet of the Guru are released from this bondage. ||3||
No one else can save you-don't look for anyone else.
I have searched in all four directions; I have come to find His Sanctuary.
O Nanak, the True King has pulled me out and saved me from drowning! ||4||3||73||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
For a brief moment, man is a guest of the Lord; he tries to resolve his affairs.
Engrossed in Maya and sexual desire, the fool does not understand.
He arises and departs with regret, and falls into the clutches of the Messenger of Death. ||1||
You are sitting on the collapsing riverbank-are you blind?
If you are so pre-destined, then act according to the Guru's Teachings. ||1||Pause||
The Reaper does not look upon any as unripe, half-ripe or fully ripe.
Picking up and wielding their sickles, the harvesters arrive.
When the landlord gives the order, they cut and measure the crop. ||2||
The first watch of the night passes away in worthless affairs, and the second passes in deep sleep.
In the third, they babble nonsense, and when the fourth watch comes, the day of death has arrived.
The thought of the One who bestows body and soul never enters the mind. ||3||
I am devoted to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I sacrifice my soul to them.
Through them, understanding has entered my mind, and I have met the All-knowing Lord God.
Nanak sees the Lord always with him-the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||4||4||74||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Let me forget everything, but let me not forget the One Lord.
All my evil pursuits have been burnt away; the Guru has blessed me with the Naam, the true object of life.
Give up all other hopes, and rely on the One Hope.
Those who serve the True Guru receive a place in the world hereafter. ||1||
O my mind, praise the Creator.
Give up all your clever tricks, and fall at the Feet of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
Pain and hunger shall not oppress you, if the Giver of Peace comes into your mind.
No undertaking shall fail, when the True Lord is always in your heart.
No one can kill that one unto whom You, Lord, give Your Hand and protect.
Serve the Guru, the Giver of Peace; He shall remove and wash off all your faults. ||2||
Your servant begs to serve those who are enjoined to Your service.

The opportunity to work hard serving the Saadh Sangat is obtained, when the Divine Lord is pleased.
Everything is in the Hands of our Lord and Master; He Himself is the Doer of deeds.
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru, who fulfills all hopes and desires. ||3||
The One appears to be my Companion; the One is my Brother and Friend.
The elements and the components are all made by the One; they are held in their order by the One.
When the mind accepts, and is satisfied with the One, then the consciousness becomes steady and stable.
Then, one's food is the True Name, one's garments are the True Name, and one's Support, O Nanak, is the True Name. ||4||5||75||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
All things are received if the One is obtained.
The precious gift of this human life becomes fruitful when one chants the True Word of the Shabad.
One who has such destiny written on his forehead enters the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, through the Guru. ||1||
O my mind, focus your consciousness on the One.
Without the One, all entanglements are worthless; emotional attachment to Maya is totally false. ||1||Pause||
Hundreds of thousands of princely pleasures are enjoyed, if the True Guru bestows His Glance of Grace.
If He bestows the Name of the Lord, for even a moment, my mind and body are cooled and soothed.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny hold tight to the Feet of the True Guru. ||2||
Fruitful is that moment, and fruitful is that time, when one is in love with the True Lord.
Suffering and sorrow do not touch those who have the Support of the Name of the Lord.
Grasping him by the arm, the Guru lifts them up and out, and carries them across to the other side. ||3||
Embellished and immaculate is that place where the Saints gather together.
He alone finds shelter, who has met the Perfect Guru.
Nanak builds his house upon that site where there is no death, no birth, and no old age. ||4||6||76||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on Him, O my soul; He is the Supreme Lord over kings and emperors.
Place the hopes of your mind in the One, in whom all have faith.
Give up all your clever tricks, and grasp the Feet of the Guru. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name with intuitive peace and poise.
Twenty-four hours a day, meditate on God. Constantly sing the Glories of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
Seek His Shelter, O my mind; there is no other as Great as He.
Remembering Him in meditation, a profound peace is obtained. Pain and suffering will not touch you at all.
Forever and ever, work for God; He is our True Lord and Master. ||2||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall become absolutely pure, and the noose of death shall be cut away.
So offer your prayers to Him, the Giver of Peace, the Destroyer of fear.
Showing His Mercy, the Merciful Master shall resolve your affairs. ||3||
The Lord is said to be the Greatest of the Great; His Kingdom is the Highest of the High.
He has no color or mark; His Value cannot be estimated.
Please show Mercy to Nanak, God, and bless him with Your True Name. ||4||7||77||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
One who meditates on the Naam is at peace; his face is radiant and bright.
Obtaining it from the Perfect Guru, he is honored all over the world.
In the Company of the Holy, the One True Lord comes to abide within the home of the self. ||1||

O my mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Naam is your Companion; it shall always be with you. It shall save you in the world hereafter. ||1||Pause||
What good is worldly greatness?
All the pleasures of Maya are tasteless and insipid. In the end, they shall all fade away.
Perfectly fulfilled and supremely acclaimed is the one, in whose heart the Lord abides. ||2||
Become the dust of the Saints; renounce your selfishness and conceit.
Give up all your schemes and your clever mental tricks, and fall at the Feet of the Guru.
He alone receives the Jewel, upon whose forehead such wondrous destiny is written. ||3||
O Siblings of Destiny, it is received only when God Himself bestows it.
People serve the True Guru only when the fever of egotism has been eradicated.
Nanak has met the Guru; all his sufferings have come to an end. ||4||8||78||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
The One is the Knower of all beings; He alone is our Savior.
The One is the Support of the mind; the One is the Support of the breath of life.
In His Sanctuary there is eternal peace. He is the Supreme Lord God, the Creator. ||1||
O my mind, give up all these efforts.
Dwell upon the Perfect Guru each day, and attach yourself to the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
The One is my Brother, the One is my Friend. The One is my Mother and Father.
The One is the Support of the mind; He has given us body and soul.
May I never forget God from my mind; He holds all in the Power of His Hands. ||2||
The One is within the home of the self, and the One is outside as well. He Himself is in all places and interspaces.
Meditate twenty-four hours a day on the One who created all beings and creatures.
Attuned to the Love of the One, there is no sorrow or suffering. ||3||
There is only the One Supreme Lord God; there is no other at all.
Soul and body all belong to Him; whatever pleases His Will comes to pass.
Through the Perfect Guru, one becomes perfect; O Nanak, meditate on the True One. ||4||9||79||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Those who focus their consciousness on the True Guru are perfectly fulfilled and famous.
Spiritual wisdom wells up in the minds of those unto whom the Lord Himself shows Mercy.
Those who have such destiny written upon their foreheads obtain the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Name of the One Lord.
The happiness of all happiness shall well up, and in the Court of the Lord, you shall be dressed in robes of honor. ||1||Pause||
The fear of death and rebirth is removed by performing loving devotional service to the Lord of the World.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one becomes immaculate and pure; the Lord Himself takes care of such a one.
The filth of birth and death is washed away, and one is uplifted, beholding the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. ||2||
The Supreme Lord God is pervading all places and interspaces.
The One is the Giver of all-there is no other at all.
In His Sanctuary, one is saved. Whatever He wishes, comes to pass. ||3||
Perfectly fulfilled and famous are those, in whose minds the Supreme Lord God abides.
Their reputation is spotless and pure; they are famous all over the world.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who meditate on my God. ||4||10||80||

Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Meeting the True Guru, all my sufferings have ended, and the Peace of the Lord has come to dwell within my mind.
The Divine Light illuminates my inner being, and I am lovingly absorbed in the One.
Meeting with the Holy Saint, my face is radiant; I have realized my pre-ordained destiny.
I constantly sing the Glories of the Lord of the Universe. Through the True Name, I have become spotlessly pure. ||1||
O my mind, you shall find peace through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Working for the Perfect Guru, no one goes away empty-handed. ||1||Pause||
The desires of the mind are fulfilled, when the Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is obtained.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is always with you; recognize Him as the Creator.
By Guru's Grace, your face shall be radiant. Chanting the Naam, you shall receive the benefits of giving charity and taking cleansing baths.
Sexual desire, anger and greed are eliminated, and all egotistical pride is abandoned. ||2||
The Profit of the Naam is obtained, and all affairs are brought to fruition.
In His Mercy, God unites us with Himself, and He blesses us with the Naam.
My comings and goings in reincarnation have come to an end; He Himself has bestowed His Mercy.
I have obtained my home in the True Mansion of His Presence, realizing the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||
His humble devotees are protected and saved; He Himself showers His Blessings upon us.
In this world and in the world hereafter, radiant are the faces of those who cherish and enshrine the Glories of the True Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, they lovingly dwell upon His Glories; they are imbued with His Infinite Love.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord God, the Ocean of Peace. ||4||11||81||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
If we meet the Perfect True Guru, we obtain the Treasure of the Shabad.
Please grant Your Grace, God, that we may meditate on Your Ambrosial Naam.
The pains of birth and death are taken away; we are intuitively centered on His Meditation. ||1||
O my mind, seek the Sanctuary of God.
Without the Lord, there is no other at all. Meditate on the One and only Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
His Value cannot be estimated; He is the Vast Ocean of Excellence.
O most fortunate ones, join the Sangat, the Blessed Congregation; purchase the True Word of the Shabad.
Serve the Lord, the Ocean of Peace, the Supreme Lord over kings and emperors. ||2||
I take the Support of the Lord's Lotus Feet; there is no other place of rest for me.
I lean upon You as my Support, O Supreme Lord God. I exist only by Your Power.
O God, You are the Honor of the dishonored. I seek to merge with You. ||3||
Chant the Lord's Name and contemplate the Lord of the World, twenty-four hours a day.
He preserves our soul, our breath of life, body and wealth. By His Grace, He protects our soul.
O Nanak, all pain has been washed away, by the Supreme Lord God, the Forgiver. ||4||12||82||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
I have fallen in love with the True Lord. He does not die, He does not come and go.
In separation, He is not separated from us; He is pervading and permeating amongst all.
He is the Destroyer of the pain and suffering of the meek. He bears True Love for His servants.
Wondrous is the Form of the Immaculate One. Through the Guru, I have met Him, O my mother! ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, make God your Friend.

Cursed is emotional attachment and love of Maya; no one is seen to be at peace. ||1||Pause||
God is Wise, Giving, Tender-hearted, Pure, Beautiful and Infinite.
He is our Companion and Helper, Supremely Great, Lofty and Utterly Infinite.
He is not known as young or old; His Court is Steady and Stable.
Whatever we seek from Him, we receive. He is the Support of the unsupported. ||2||
Seeing Him, our evil inclinations vanish; mind and body become peaceful and tranquil.
With one-pointed mind, meditate on the One Lord, and the doubts of your mind will be dispelled.
He is the Treasure of Excellence, the Ever-fresh Being. His Gift is Perfect and Complete.
Forever and ever, worship and adore Him. Day and night, do not forget Him. ||3||
One whose destiny is so pre-ordained, obtains the Lord of the Universe as his Companion.
I dedicate my body, mind, wealth and all to Him. I totally sacrifice my soul to Him.
Seeing and hearing, He is always close at hand. In each and every heart, God is pervading.
Even the ungrateful ones are cherished by God. O Nanak, He is forever the Forgiver. ||4||13||83||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
This mind, body and wealth were given by God, who naturally adorns us.
He has blessed us with all our energy, and infused His Infinite Light deep within us.
Forever and ever, meditate in remembrance on God; keep Him enshrined in your heart. ||1||
O my mind, without the Lord, there is no other at all.
Remain in God's Sanctuary forever, and no suffering shall afflict you. ||1||Pause||
Jewels, treasures, pearls, gold and silver-all these are just dust.
Mother, father, children and relatives-all relations are false.
The self-willed manmukh is an insulting beast; he does not acknowledge the One who created him. ||2||
The Lord is pervading within and beyond, and yet people think that He is far away.
They are engrossed in clinging desires; within their hearts there is ego and falsehood.
Without devotion to the Naam, crowds of people come and go. ||3||
Please preserve Your beings and creatures, God; O Creator Lord, please be merciful!
Without God, there is no saving grace. The Messenger of Death is cruel and unfeeling.
O Nanak, may I never forget the Naam! Please bless me with Your Mercy, Lord! ||4||14||84||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
"My body and my wealth; my ruling power, my beautiful form and country-mine!"
You may have children, a wife and many mistresses; you may enjoy all sorts of pleasures and fine clothes.
And yet, if the Name of the Lord does not abide within the heart, none of it has any use or value. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Always keep the Company of the Holy, and focus your consciousness on the Feet of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
Those who have such blessed destiny written on their foreheads meditate on the Treasure of the Naam.
All their affairs are brought to fruition, holding onto the Guru's Feet.
The diseases of ego and doubt are cast out; they shall not come and go in reincarnation. ||2||
Let the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, be your cleansing baths at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Your soul, breath of life, mind and body shall blossom forth in lush profusion; this is the true purpose of life.

In this world you shall be blessed with greatness, and in the Court of the Lord you shall find your place of rest. ||3||
God Himself acts, and causes others to act; everything is in His Hands.
He Himself bestows life and death; He is with us, within and beyond.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, the Master of all hearts. ||4||15||85||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru is Merciful; we seek the Sanctuary of God.
Through the Teachings of the True Guru, all worldly entanglements are eliminated.
The Name of the Lord is firmly implanted within my mind; through His Ambrosial Glance of Grace, I am exalted and enraptured. ||1||
O my mind, serve the True Guru.
God Himself grants His Grace; do not forget Him, even for an instant. ||Pause||
Continually sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, the Destroyer of demerits.
Without the Name of the Lord, there is no peace. Having tried all sorts of ostentatious displays, I have come to see this.
Intuitively imbued with His Praises, one is saved, crossing over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
The merits of pilgrimages, fasts and hundreds of thousands of techniques of austere self-discipline are found in the dust of the feet of the Holy.
From whom are you trying to hide your actions? God sees all;
He is Ever-present. My God is totally pervading all places and interspaces. ||3||
True is His Empire, and True is His Command. True is His Seat of True Authority.
True is the Creative Power which He has created. True is the world which He has fashioned.
O Nanak, chant the True Name; I am forever and ever a sacrifice to Him. ||4||16||86||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Make the effort, and chant the Lord's Name. O very fortunate ones, earn this wealth.
In the Society of the Saints, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, and wash off the filth of countless incarnations. ||1||
O my mind, chant and meditate on the Name of the Lord.
Enjoy the fruits of your mind's desires; all suffering and sorrow shall depart. ||Pause||
For His sake, you assumed this body; see God always with you.
God is pervading the water, the land and the sky; He sees all with His Glance of Grace. ||2||
The mind and body become spotlessly pure, enshrining love for the True Lord.
One who dwells upon the Feet of the Supreme Lord God has truly performed all meditations and austerities. ||3||
The Ambrosial Name of the Lord is a Gem, a Jewel, a Pearl.
The essence of intuitive peace and bliss is obtained, O servant Nanak, by singing the Glories of God. ||4||17||87||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
That is the essence of the scriptures, and that is a good omen, by which one comes to chant the Name of the Lord.
The Guru has given me the Wealth of the Lotus Feet of the Lord, and I, without shelter, have now obtained Shelter.
The True Capital, and the True Way of Life, comes by chanting His Glories, twenty-four hours a day.
Granting His Grace, God meets us, and we no longer die, or come or go in reincarnation. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate and meditate forever on the Lord, with single-minded love.
He is contained deep within each and every heart. He is always with you, as your Helper and Support. ||1||Pause||
How can I measure the happiness of meditating on the Lord of the Universe?
Those who taste it are satisfied and fulfilled; their souls know this Sublime Essence.

In the Society of the Saints, God, the Beloved, the Forgiver, comes to dwell within the mind.
One who has served his God is the emperor of kings||2||
This is the time to speak and sing the Praise and the Glory of God, which brings the merit of millions of cleansing and purifying baths.
The tongue which chants these Praises is worthy; there is no charity equal to this.
Blessing us with His Glance of Grace, the Kind and Compassionate, All-powerful Lord comes to dwell within the mind and body.
My soul, body and wealth are His. Forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||3||
One whom the Creator Lord has met and joined to Himself shall never again be separated.
The True Creator Lord breaks the bonds of His slave.
The doubter has been put back on the path; his merits and demerits have not been considered.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the One who is the Support of every heart. ||4||18||88||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
With your tongue, repeat the True Name, and your mind and body shall become pure.
Your mother and father and all your relations-without Him, there are none at all.
If God Himself bestows His Mercy, then He is not forgotten, even for an instant. ||1||
O my mind, serve the True One, as long as you have the breath of life.
Without the True One, everything is false; in the end, all shall perish. ||1||Pause||
My Lord and Master is Immaculate and Pure; without Him, I cannot even survive.
Within my mind and body, there is such a great hunger; if only someone would come and unite me with Him, O my mother!
I have searched the four corners of the world-without our Husband Lord, there is no other place of rest. ||2||
Offer your prayers to Him, who shall unite you with the Creator.
The True Guru is the Giver of the Naam; His Treasure is perfect and overflowing.
Forever and ever, praise the One, who has no end or limitation. ||3||
Praise God, the Nurturer and Cherisher; His Wondrous Ways are unlimited.
Forever and ever, worship and adore Him; this is the most wonderful wisdom.
O Nanak, God's Flavor is sweet to the minds and bodies of those who have such blessed destiny written on their foreheads. ||4||19||89||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Meet with the humble Saints, O Siblings of Destiny, and contemplate the True Name.
For the journey of the soul, gather those supplies which will go with you here and hereafter.
These are obtained from the Perfect Guru, when God bestows His Glance of Grace.
Those unto whom He is Merciful, receive His Grace. ||1||
O my mind, there is no other as great as the Guru.
I cannot imagine any other place. The Guru leads me to meet the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who go to see the Guru obtain all treasures.
Those whose minds are attached to the Guru's Feet are very fortunate, O my mother.
The Guru is the Giver, the Guru is All-powerful. The Guru is All-pervading, contained amongst all.
The Guru is the Transcendent Lord, the Supreme Lord God. The Guru lifts up and saves those who are drowning. ||2||
How shall I praise the Guru, the All-powerful Cause of causes?
Those, upon whose foreheads the Guru has placed His Hand, remain steady and stable.
The Guru has led me to drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He has released me from the cycle of birth and death.
I serve the Guru, the Transcendent Lord, the Dispeller of fear; my suffering has been taken away. ||3||

The True Guru is the Deep and Profound Ocean of Peace, the Destroyer of sin.
For those who serve their Guru, there is no punishment at the hands of the Messenger of Death.
There is none to compare with the Guru; I have searched and looked throughout the entire universe.
The True Guru has bestowed the Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. O Nanak, the mind is filled with peace. ||4||20||90||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
People eat what they believe to be sweet, but it turns out to be bitter in taste.
They attach their affections to brothers and friends, uselessly engrossed in corruption.
They vanish without a moment's delay; without God's Name, they are stunned and amazed. ||1||
O my mind, attach yourself to the service of the True Guru.
Whatever is seen, shall pass away. Abandon the intellectualizations of your mind. ||1||Pause||
Like the mad dog running around in all directions,
the greedy person, unaware, consumes everything, edible and non-edible alike.
Engrossed in the intoxication of sexual desire and anger, people wander through reincarnation over and over again. ||2||
Maya has spread out her net, and in it, she has placed the bait.
The bird of desire is caught, and cannot find any escape, O my mother.
One who does not know the Lord who created him, comes and goes in reincarnation over and over again. ||3||
By various devices, and in so many ways, this world is enticed.
They alone are saved, whom the All-powerful, Infinite Lord protects.
The servants of the Lord are saved by the Love of the Lord. O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||4||21||91||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
The herdsman comes to the pasture lands-what good are his ostentatious displays here?
When your allotted time is up, you must go. Take care of your real hearth and home. ||1||
O mind, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and serve the True Guru with love.
Why do you take pride in trivial matters? ||1||Pause||
Like an overnight guest, you shall arise and depart in the morning.
Why are you so attached to your household? It is all like flowers in the garden. ||2||
Why do you say, "Mine, mine"? Look to God, who has given it to you.
It is certain that you must arise and depart, and leave behind your hundreds of thousands and millions. ||3||
Through 8.4 million incarnations you have wandered, to obtain this rare and precious human life.
O Nanak, remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the day of departure is drawing near! ||4||22||92||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
As long as the soul-companion is with the body, it dwells in happiness.
But when the companion arises and departs, then the body-bride mingles with dust. ||1||
My mind has become detached from the world; it longs to see the Vision of God's Darshan.
Blessed is Your Place. ||1||Pause||
As long as the soul-husband dwells in the body-house, everyone greets you with respect.
But when the soul-husband arises and departs, then no one cares for you at all. ||2||
In this world of your parents' home, serve your Husband Lord; in the world beyond, in your in-laws' home, you shall dwell in peace.
Meeting with the Guru, be a sincere student of proper conduct, and suffering shall never touch you. ||3||
Everyone shall go to their Husband Lord. Everyone shall be given their ceremonial send-off after their marriage.

O Nanak, blessed are the happy soul-brides, who are in love with their Husband Lord. ||4||23||93||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House:
The One Lord is the Doer, the Cause of causes, who has created the creation.
Meditate on the One, O my mind, who is the Support of all. ||1||
Meditate within your mind on the Guru's Feet.
Give up all your clever mental tricks, and lovingly attune yourself to the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
Suffering, agony and fear do not cling to one whose heart is filled with the GurMantra.
Trying millions of things, people have grown weary, but without the Guru, none have been saved. ||2||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, the mind is comforted and all sins depart.
I am a sacrifice to those who fall at the Feet of the Guru. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the True Name of the Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
Very fortunate are those, O Nanak, whose minds are filled with this love. ||4||24||94||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Gather in the Wealth of the Lord, worship the True Guru, and give up all your corrupt ways.
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord who created and adorned you, and you shall be saved. ||1||
O mind, chant the Name of the One, the Unique and Infinite Lord.
He gave you the praanaa, the breath of life, and your mind and body. He is the Support of the heart. ||1||Pause||
The world is drunk, engrossed in sexual desire, anger and egotism.
Seek the Sanctuary of the Saints, and fall at their feet; your suffering and darkness shall be removed. ||2||
Practice truth, contentment and kindness; this is the most excellent way of life.
One who is so blessed by the Formless Lord God renounces selfishness, and becomes the dust of all. ||3||
All that is seen is You, Lord, the expansion of the expanse.
Says Nanak, the Guru has removed my doubts; I recognize God in all. ||4||25||95||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
The whole world is engrossed in bad deeds and good deeds.
God's devotee is above both, but those who understand this are very rare. ||1||
Our Lord and Master is all-pervading everywhere.
What should I say, and what should I hear? O my Lord and Master, You are Great, All-powerful and All-knowing. ||1||Pause||
One who is influenced by praise and blame is not God's servant.
One who sees the essence of reality with impartial vision, O Saints, is very rare-one among millions. ||2||
People talk on and on about Him; they consider this to be praise of God.
But rare indeed is the Gurmukh, who is above this mere talk. ||3||
He is not concerned with deliverance or bondage.
Nanak has obtained the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||26||96||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House:
Relying on Your Mercy, Dear Lord, I have indulged in sensual pleasures.
Like a foolish child, I have made mistakes. O Lord, You are my Father and Mother. ||1||
It is easy to speak and talk,
but it is difficult to accept Your Will. ||1||Pause||
I stand tall; You are my Strength. I know that You are mine.
Inside of all, and outside of all, You are our Self-sufficient Father. ||2||
O Father, I do not know-how can I know Your Way?

He frees us from bondage, O Saints, and saves us from possessiveness. ||3||
Becoming Merciful, my Lord and Master has ended my comings and goings in reincarnation.
Meeting with the Guru, Nanak has recognized the Supreme Lord God. ||4||27||97||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, First House:
Meeting with the humble beings, O Siblings of Destiny, the Messenger of Death is conquered.
The True Lord and Master has come to dwell within my mind; my Lord and Master has become Merciful.
Meeting with the Perfect True Guru, all my worldly entanglements have ended. ||1||
O my True Guru, I am a sacrifice to You.
I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. By the Pleasure of Your Will, You have blessed me with the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who have served You with love are truly wise.
Those who have the Treasure of the Naam within emancipate others as well as themselves.
There is no other Giver as great as the Guru, who has given the gift of the soul. ||2||
Blessed and acclaimed is the coming of those who have met the Guru with loving faith.
Attuned to the True One, you shall obtain a place of honor in the Court of the Lord.
Greatness is in the Hands of the Creator; it is obtained by pre-ordained destiny. ||3||
True is the Creator, True is the Doer. True is our Lord and Master, and True is His Support.
So speak the Truest of the True. Through the True One, an intuitive and discerning mind is obtained.
Nanak lives by chanting and meditating on the One, who is pervading within and contained amongst all. ||4||28||98||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
Worship the Guru, the Transcendent Lord, with your mind and body attuned to love.
The True Guru is the Giver of the soul; He gives Support to all.
Act according to the Instructions of the True Guru; this is the true philosophy.
Without being attuned to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all attachment to Maya is just dust. ||1||
O my friend, reflect upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har
. In the Saadh Sangat, He dwells within the mind, and one's works are brought to perfect fruition. ||1||Pause||
The Guru is All-powerful, the Guru is Infinite. By great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is obtained.
The Guru is Imperceptible, Immaculate and Pure. There is no other as great as the Guru.
The Guru is the Creator, the Guru is the Doer. The Gurmukh obtains true glory.
Nothing is beyond the Guru; whatever He wishes comes to pass. ||2||
The Guru is the Sacred Shrine of Pilgrimage, the Guru is the Wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree.
The Guru is the Fulfiller of the desires of the mind. The Guru is the Giver of the Name of the Lord, by which all the world is saved.
The Guru is All-powerful, the Guru is Formless; the Guru is Lofty, Inaccessible and Infinite.
The Praise of the Guru is so sublime-what can any speaker say? ||3||
All the rewards which the mind desires are with the True Guru.
One whose destiny is so pre-ordained, obtains the Wealth of the True Name.
Entering the Sanctuary of the True Guru, you shall never die again.
Nanak: may I never forget You, Lord. This soul, body and breath are Yours. ||4||29||99||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
O Saints, O Siblings of Destiny, listen: release comes only through the True Name.
Worship the Feet of the Guru. Let the Name of the Lord be your sacred shrine of pilgrimage.
Hereafter, you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord; there, even the homeless find a home. ||1||

O Siblings of Destiny, service to the True Guru alone is True.
When the True Guru is pleased, we obtain the Perfect, Unseen, Unknowable Lord. ||1||Pause||
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru, who has bestowed the True Name.
Night and day, I praise the True One; I sing the Glorious Praises of the True One.
True is the food, and true are the clothes, of those who chant the True Name of the True One. ||2||
With each breath and morsel of food, do not forget the Guru, the Embodiment of Fulfillment.
None is seen to be as great as the Guru. Meditate on Him twenty-four hours a day.
As He casts His Glance of Grace, we obtain the True Name, the Treasure of Excellence. ||3||
The Guru and the Transcendent Lord are one and the same, pervading and permeating amongst all.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, meditate on the Naam.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Guru, who does not die, or come and go in reincarnation. ||4||30||100||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Siree Raag, First Mehl, First House, Ashtapadees:
I speak and chant His Praises, vibrating the of my mind. The more I know Him, the more I vibrate it.
The One, unto whom we vibrate and sing-how great is He, and where is His Place?
Those who speak of Him and praise Him-they all continue speaking of Him with love. ||1||
O Baba, the Lord Allah is Inaccessible and Infinite.
Sacred is His Name, and Sacred is His Place. He is the True Cherisher. ||1||Pause||
The extent of Your Command cannot be seen; no one knows how to write it.
Even if a hundred poets met together, they could not describe even a tiny bit of it.
No one has found Your Value; they all merely write what they have heard again and again. ||2||
The Pirs, the Prophets, the spiritual teachers, the faithful, the innocents and the martyrs,
the Shaikhs, the mystics, the Qazis, the Mullahs and the Dervishes at His Door
-they are blessed all the more as they continue reading their prayers in praise to Him. ||3||
He seeks no advice when He builds; He seeks no advice when He destroys. He seeks no advice while giving or taking.
He alone knows His Creative Power; He Himself does all deeds.
He beholds all in His Vision. He gives to those with whom He is pleased. ||4||
His Place and His Name are not known, no one knows how great is His Name.
How great is that place where my Sovereign Lord dwells?
No one can reach it; whom shall I go and ask? ||5||
One class of people does not like the other, when one has been made great.
Greatness is only in His Great Hands; He gives to those with whom He is pleased.
By the Hukam of His Command, He Himself regenerates, without a moment's delay. ||6||
Everyone cries out, "More! More!", with the idea of receiving.
How great should we call the Giver? His Gifts are beyond estimation.
O Nanak, there is no deficiency; Your Storehouses are filled to overflowing, age after age. ||7||1||
First Mehl:
All are brides of the Husband Lord; all decorate themselves for Him.

But when the time comes to settle their accounts, their red robes are corrupt.
His Love is not obtained through hypocrisy. Her false coverings bring only ruin. ||1||
In this way, the Dear Husband Lord ravishes and enjoys His bride.
The happy soul-bride is pleasing to You, Lord; by Your Grace, You adorn her. ||1||Pause||
She is decorated with the Word of the Guru's Shabad; her mind and body belong to her Husband Lord.
With her palms pressed together, she stands, waiting on Him, and offers her True prayers to Him.
Dyed in the deep crimson of the Love of her Darling Lord, she dwells in the Fear of the True One. Imbued with His Love, she is dyed in the color of His Love. ||2||
She is said to be the hand-maiden of her Beloved Lord; His sweetheart surrenders to His Name.
True Love is never broken; she is united in Union with the True One.
Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, her mind is pierced through. I am forever a sacrifice to Him. ||3||
That bride, who is absorbed into the True Guru, shall never become a widow.
Her Husband Lord is Beautiful; His Body is forever fresh and new. The True One does not die, and shall not go.
He continually enjoys His happy soul-bride; He casts His Gracious Glance of Truth upon her, and she abides in His Will. ||4||
The bride braids her hair with Truth; her clothes are decorated with His Love.
Like the essence of sandalwood, He permeates her consciousness, and the Temple of the Tenth Gate is opened.
The lamp of the Shabad is lit, and the Name of the Lord is her necklace. ||5||
She is the most beautiful among women; upon her forehead she wears the Jewel of the Lord's Love.
Her glory and her wisdom are magnificent; her love for the Infinite Lord is True.
Other than her Beloved Lord, she knows no man. She enshrines love for the True Guru. ||6||
Asleep in the darkness of the night, how shall she pass her life-night without her Husband?
Her limbs shall burn, her body shall burn, and her mind and wealth shall burn as well.
When the Husband does not enjoy His bride, then her youth passes away in vain. ||7||
The Husband is on the Bed, but the bride is asleep, and so she does not come to know Him.
While I am asleep, my Husband Lord is awake. Where can I go for advice?
The True Guru has led me to meet Him, and now I dwell in the Fear of God. O Nanak, His Love is always with me. ||8||2||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
O Lord, You are Your Own Glorious Praise. You Yourself speak it; You Yourself hear it and contemplate it.
You Yourself are the Jewel, and You are the Appraiser. You Yourself are of Infinite Value.
O True Lord, You are Honor and Glory; You Yourself are the Giver. ||1||
O Dear Lord, You are the Creator and the Cause.
If it is Your Will, please save and protect me; please bless me with the lifestyle of the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
You Yourself are the flawless diamond; You Yourself are the deep crimson color.
You Yourself are the perfect pearl; You Yourself are the devotee and the priest.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, You are praised. In each and every heart, the Unseen is seen. ||2||
You Yourself are the ocean and the boat. You Yourself are this shore, and the one beyond.
O All-knowing Lord, You are the True Way. The Shabad is the Navigator to ferry us across.
One who does not fear God shall live in fear; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. ||3||
The Creator alone is seen to be Eternal; all others come and go.
Only You, Lord, are Immaculate and Pure. All others are bound up in worldly pursuits.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved. They are lovingly attuned to the True Lord. ||4||

Through the Shabad, they recognize the Dear Lord; through the Guru's Word, they are attuned to Truth.
Filth does not stick to the body of one who has secured a dwelling in his True Home.
When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, we obtain the True Name. Without the Name, who are our relatives? ||5||
Those who have realized the Truth are at peace throughout the four ages.
Subduing their egotism and desires, they keep the True Name enshrined in their hearts.
In this world, the only real profit is the Name of the One Lord; it is earned by contemplating the Guru. ||6||
Loading the Merchandise of the True Name, you shall gather in your profits forever with the Capital of Truth.
In the Court of the True One, you shall sit in truthful devotion and prayer.
Your account shall be settled with honor, in the Radiant Light of the Name of the Lord. ||7||
The Lord is said to be the Highest of the High; no one can perceive Him.
Wherever I look, I see only You. The True Guru has inspired me to see You.
The Divine Light within is revealed, O Nanak, through this intuitive understanding. ||8||3||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The fish did not notice the net in the deep and salty sea.
It was so clever and beautiful, but why was it so confident?
By its actions it was caught, and now death cannot be turned away from its head. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, just like this, see death hovering over your own heads!
People are just like this fish; unaware, the noose of death descends upon them. ||1||Pause||
The whole world is bound by death; without the Guru, death cannot be avoided.
Those who are attuned to Truth are saved; they renounce duality and corruption.
I am a sacrifice to those who are found to be Truthful in the True Court. ||2||
Think of the hawk preying on the birds, and the net in the hands of the hunter.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved; the others are caught by the bait.
Without the Name, they are picked up and thrown away; they have no friends or companions. ||3||
God is said to be the Truest of the True; His Place is the Truest of the True.
Those who obey the True One-their minds abide in true meditation.
Those who become Gurmukh, and obtain spiritual wisdom-their minds and mouths are known to be pure. ||4||
Offer your most sincere prayers to the True Guru, so that He may unite you with your Best Friend.
Meeting your Best Friend, you shall find peace; the Messenger of Death shall take poison and die.
I dwell deep within the Name; the Name has come to dwell within my mind. ||5||
Without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness; without the Shabad, understanding is not obtained.
Through the Guru's Teachings, you shall be enlightened; remain absorbed in the Love of the True Lord.
Death does not go there; your light shall merge with the Light. ||6||
You are my Best Friend; You are All-knowing. You are the One who unites us with Yourself.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we praise You; You have no end or limitation.
Death does not reach that place, where the Infinite Word of the Guru's Shabad resounds. ||7||
By the Hukam of His Command, all are created. By His Command, actions are performed.
By His Command, all are subject to death; by His Command, they merge in Truth.
O Nanak, whatever pleases His Will comes to pass. Nothing is in the hands of these beings. ||8||4||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
If the mind is polluted, then the body is polluted, and the tongue is polluted as well.

With false mouths, people speak falsehood. How can they be made pure?
Without the Holy Water of the Shabad, they are not cleansed. From the True One alone comes Truth. ||1||
O soul-bride, without virtue, what happiness can there be?
The Husband Lord enjoys her with pleasure and delight; she is at peace in the love of the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
When the Husband goes away, the bride suffers in the pain of separation,
like the fish in shallow water, crying for mercy.
As it pleases the Will of the Husband Lord, peace is obtained, when He Himself casts His Glance of Grace. ||2||
Praise your Husband Lord, together with your bridesmaids and friends.
The body is beautified, and the mind is fascinated. Imbued with His Love, we are enraptured.
Adorned with the Shabad, the beautiful bride enjoys her Husband with virtue. ||3||
The soul-bride is of no use at all, if she is evil and without virtue.
She does not find peace in this world or the next; she burns in falsehood and corruption.
Coming and going are very difficult for that bride who is abandoned and forgotten by her Husband Lord. ||4||
The beautiful soul-bride of the Husband Lord-by what sensual pleasures has she been doomed?
She is of no use to her Husband if she babbles in useless arguments.
At the Door of His Home, she finds no shelter; she is discarded for seeking other pleasures. ||5||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read their books, but they do not understand the real meaning.
They give instructions to others, and then walk away, but they deal in Maya themselves.
Speaking falsehood, they wander around the world, while those who remain true to the Shabad are excellent and exalted. ||6||
There are so many Pandits and astrologers who ponder over the Vedas.
They glorify their disputes and arguments, and in these controversies they continue coming and going.
Without the Guru, they are not released from their karma, although they speak and listen and preach and explain. ||7||
They all call themselves virtuous, but I have no virtue at all.
With the Lord as her Husband, the soul-bride is happy; I, too, love that God.
O Nanak, through the Shabad, union is obtained; there is no more separation. ||8||5||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
You may chant and meditate, practice austerities and self-restraint, and dwell at sacred shrines of pilgrimage;
you may give donations to charity, and perform good deeds, but without the True One, what is the use of it all?
As you plant, so shall you harvest. Without virtue, this human life passes away in vain. ||1||
O young bride, be a slave to virtue, and you shall find peace.
Renouncing wrongful actions, following the Guru's Teachings, you shall be absorbed into the Perfect One. ||1||Pause||
Without capital, the trader looks around in all four directions.
He does not understand his own origins; the merchandise remains within the door of his own house.
Without this commodity, there is great pain. The false are ruined by falsehood. ||2||
One who contemplates and appraises this Jewel day and night reaps new profits.
He finds the merchandise within his own home, and departs after arranging his affairs.
So trade with the true traders, and as Gurmukh, contemplate God. ||3||
In the Society of the Saints, He is found, if the Uniter unites us.
One whose heart is filled with His Infinite Light meets with Him, and shall never again be separated from Him.
True is his position; he abides in Truth, with love and affection for the True One. ||4||
One who understands himself finds the Mansion of the Lord's Presence within his own home.
Imbued with the True Lord, Truth is gathered in.

God is known throughout the three worlds. True is the Name of the True One. ||5||
The wife who knows that her Husband Lord is always with her is very beautiful.
The soul-bride is called to the Mansion of the His Presence, and her Husband Lord ravishes her with love.
The happy soul-bride is true and good; she is fascinated by the Glories of her Husband Lord. ||6||
Wandering around and making mistakes, I climb the plateau; having climbed the plateau, I go up the mountain.
But now I have lost my way, and I am wandering around in the forest; without the Guru, I do not understand.
If I wander around forgetting God's Name, I shall continue coming and going in reincarnation, over and over again. ||7||
Go and ask the travellers, how to walk on the Path as His slave.
They know the Lord to be their King, and at the Door to His Home, their way is not blocked.
O Nanak, the One is pervading everywhere; there is no other at all. ||8||6||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Through the Guru, the Pure One is known, and the human body becomes pure as well.
The Pure, True Lord abides within the mind; He knows the pain of our hearts.
With intuitive ease, a great peace is found, and the arrow of death shall not strike you. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, filth is washed away by bathing in the Pure Water of the Name.
You alone are Perfectly Pure, O True Lord; all other places are filled with filth. ||1||Pause||
The Temple of the Lord is beautiful; it was made by the Creator Lord.
The sun and the moon are lamps of incomparably beautiful light. Throughout the three worlds, the Infinite Light is pervading.
In the shops of the city of the body, in the fortresses and in the huts, the True Merchandise is traded. ||2||
The ointment of spiritual wisdom is the destroyer of fear; through love, the Pure One is seen.
The mysteries of the seen and the unseen are all known, if the mind is kept centered and balanced.
If one finds such a True Guru, the Lord is met with intuitive ease. ||3||
He draws us to His Touchstone, to test our love and consciousness.
The counterfeit have no place there, but the genuine are placed in His Treasury.
Let your hopes and anxieties depart; thus pollution is washed away. ||4||
Everyone begs for happiness; no one asks for suffering.
But in the wake of happiness, there comes great suffering. The self-willed manmukhs do not understand this.
Those who see pain and pleasure as one and the same find peace; they are pierced through by the Shabad. ||5||
The Vedas proclaim, and the words of Vyaasa tell us,
that the silent sages, the servants of the Lord, and those who practice a life of spiritual discipline are attuned to the Naam, the Treasure of Excellence.
Those who are attuned to the True Name win the game of life; I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||6||
Those who do not have the Naam in their mouths are filled with pollution; they are filthy throughout the four ages.
Without loving devotion to God, their faces are blackened, and their honor is lost.
Those who have forgotten the Naam are plundered by evil; they weep and wail in dismay. ||7||
I searched and searched, and found God. In the Fear of God, I have been united in His Union.
Through self-realization, people dwell within the home of their inner being; egotism and desire depart.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Name of the Lord are immaculate and radiant. ||8||7||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Listen, O deluded and demented mind: hold tight to the Guru's Feet.
Chant and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; death will be afraid of you, and suffering shall depart.
The deserted wife suffers terrible pain. How can her Husband Lord remain with her forever? ||1||

O Siblings of Destiny, I have no other place to go.
The Guru has given me the Treasure of the Wealth of the Naam; I am a sacrifice to Him. ||1||Pause||
The Guru's Teachings bring honor. Blessed is He-may I meet and be with Him!
Without Him, I cannot live, even for a moment. Without His Name, I die.
I am blind-may I never forget the Naam! Under His Protection, I shall reach my true home. ||2||
Those chaylaas, those devotees, whose spiritual teacher is blind, shall not find their place of rest.
Without the True Guru, the Name is not obtained. Without the Name, what is the use of it all?
People come and go, regretting and repenting, like crows in a deserted house. ||3||
Without the Name, the body suffers in pain; it crumbles like a wall of sand.
As long as Truth does not enter into the consciousness, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is not found.
Attuned to the Shabad, we enter our home, and obtain the Eternal State of Nirvaanaa. ||4||
I ask my Guru for His Advice, and I follow the Guru's Advice.
With the Shabads of Praise abiding in the mind, the pain of egotism is burnt away.
We are intuitively united with Him, and we meet the Truest of the True. ||5||
Those who are attuned to the Shabad are spotless and pure; they renounce sexual desire, anger, selfishness and conceit.
They sing the Praises of the Naam, forever and ever; they keep the Lord enshrined within their hearts.
How could we ever forget Him from our minds? He is the Support of all beings. ||6||
One who dies in the Shabad is beyond death, and shall never die again.
Through the Shabad, we find Him, and embrace love for the Name of the Lord.
Without the Shabad, the world is deceived; it dies and is reborn, over and over again. ||7||
All praise themselves, and call themselves the greatest of the great.
Without the Guru, one's self cannot be known. By merely speaking and listening, what is accomplished?
O Nanak, one who realizes the Shabad does not act in egotism. ||8||8||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Without her Husband, the soul-bride's youth and ornaments are useless and wretched.
She does not enjoy the pleasure of His Bed; without her Husband, her ornaments are absurd.
The discarded bride suffers terrible pain; her Husband does not come to the bed of her home. ||1||
O mind, meditate on the Lord, and find peace.
Without the Guru, love is not found. United with the Shabad, happiness is found. ||1||Pause||
Serving the Guru, she finds peace, and her Husband Lord adorns her with intuitive wisdom.
Truly, she enjoys the Bed of her Husband, through her deep love and affection.
As Gurmukh, she comes to know Him. Meeting with the Guru, she maintains a virtuous lifestyle. ||2||
Through Truth, meet your Husband Lord, O soul-bride. Enchanted by your Husband, enshrine love for Him.
Your mind and body shall blossom forth in Truth. The value of this cannot be described.
The soul-bride finds her Husband Lord in the home of her own being; she is purified by the True Name. ||3||
If the mind within the mind dies, then the Husband ravishes and enjoys His bride.
They are woven into one texture, like pearls on a necklace around the neck.
In the Society of the Saints, peace wells up; the Gurmukhs take the Support of the Naam. ||4||
In an instant, one is born, and in an instant, one dies. In an instant one comes, and in an instant one goes.
One who recognizes the Shabad merges into it, and is not afflicted by death.

Our Lord and Master is Unweighable; He cannot be weighed. He cannot be found merely by talking. ||5||
The merchants and the traders have come; their profits are pre-ordained.
Those who practice Truth reap the profits, abiding in the Will of God.
With the Merchandise of Truth, they meet the Guru, who does not have a trace of greed. ||6||
As Gurmukh, they are weighed and measured, in the balance and the scales of Truth.
The enticements of hope and desire are quieted by the Guru, whose Word is True.
He Himself weighs with the scale; perfect is the weighing of the Perfect One. ||7||
No one is saved by mere talk and speech, nor by reading loads of books.
The body does not obtain purity without loving devotion to the Lord.
O Nanak, never forget the Naam; the Guru shall unite us with the Creator. ||8||9||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Meeting the Perfect True Guru, we find the jewel of meditative reflection.
Surrendering our minds to our Guru, we find universal love.
We find the wealth of liberation, and our demerits are erased. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, without the Guru, there is no spiritual wisdom.
Go and ask Brahma, Naarad and Vyaas, the writer of the Vedas. ||1||Pause||
Know that from the vibration of the Word, we obtain spiritual wisdom and meditation. Through it, we speak the Unspoken.
He is the fruit-bearing Tree, luxuriantly green with abundant shade.
The rubies, jewels and emeralds are in the Guru's Treasury. ||2||
From the Guru's Treasury, we receive the Love of the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
We gather in the True Merchandise, through the Perfect Grace of the Infinite.
The True Guru is the Giver of peace, the Dispeller of pain, the Destroyer of demons. ||3||
The terrifying world-ocean is difficult and dreadful; there is no shore on this side or the one beyond.
There is no boat, no raft, no oars and no boatman.
The True Guru is the only boat on this terrifying ocean. His Glance of Grace carries us across. ||4||
If I forget my Beloved, even for an instant, suffering overtakes me and peace departs.
Let that tongue be burnt in flames, which does not chant the Naam with love.
When the pitcher of the body bursts, there is terrible pain; those who are caught by the Minister of Death regret and repent. ||5||
Crying out, "Mine! Mine!", they have departed, but their bodies, their wealth, and their wives did not go with them.
Without the Name, wealth is useless; deceived by wealth, they have lost their way.
So serve the True Lord; become Gurmukh, and speak the Unspoken. ||6||
Coming and going, people wander through reincarnation; they act according to their past actions.
How can one's pre-ordained destiny be erased? It is written in accordance with the Lord's Will.
Without the Name of the Lord, no one can be saved. Through the Guru's Teachings, we are united in His Union. ||7||
Without Him, I have no one to call my own. My soul and my breath of life belong to Him.
May my egotism and possessiveness be burnt to ashes, and my greed and egotistical pride consigned to the fire.
O Nanak, contemplating the Shabad, the Treasure of Excellence is obtained. ||8||10||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
O mind, love the Lord, as the lotus loves the water.
Tossed about by the waves, it still blossoms with love.
In the water, the creatures are created; outside of the water they die. ||1||

O mind, how can you be saved without love?
God permeates the inner beings of the Gurmukhs. They are blessed with the treasure of devotion. ||1||Pause||
O mind, love the Lord, as the fish loves the water.
The more the water, the more the happiness, and the greater the peace of mind and body.
Without water, she cannot live, even for an instant. God knows the suffering of her mind. ||2||
O mind, love the Lord, as the song-bird loves the rain.
The pools are overflowing with water, and the land is luxuriantly green, but what are they to her, if that single drop of rain does not fall into her mouth?
By His Grace, she receives it; otherwise, because of her past actions, she gives her head. ||3||
O mind, love the Lord, as the water loves the milk.
The water, added to the milk, itself bears the heat, and prevents the milk from burning.
God unites the separated ones with Himself again, and blesses them with true greatness. ||4||
O mind, love the Lord, as the chakvee duck loves the sun.
She does not sleep, for an instant or a moment; the sun is so far away, but she thinks that it is near.
Understanding does not come to the self-willed manmukh. But to the Gurmukh, the Lord is always close. ||5||
The self-willed manmukhs make their calculations and plans, but only the actions of the Creator come to pass.
His Value cannot be estimated, even though everyone may wish to do so.
Through the Guru's Teachings, it is revealed. Meeting with the True One, peace is found. ||6||
True love shall not be broken, if the True Guru is met.
Obtaining the wealth of spiritual wisdom, the understanding of the three worlds is acquired.
So become a customer of merit, and do not forget the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||7||
Those birds which peck at the shore of the pool have played and have departed.
In a moment, in an instant, we too must depart. Our play is only for today or tomorrow.
But those whom You unite, Lord, are united with You; they obtain a seat in the Arena of Truth. ||8||
Without the Guru, love does not well up, and the filth of egotism does not depart.
One who recognizes within himself that, "He is me", and who is pierced through by the Shabad, is satisfied.
When one becomes Gurmukh and realizes his own self, what more is there left to do or have done? ||9||
Why speak of union to those who are already united with the Lord? Receiving the Shabad, they are satisfied.
The self-willed manmukhs do not understand; separated from Him, they endure beatings.
O Nanak, there is only the one door to His Home; there is no other place at all. ||10||11||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs wander around, deluded and deceived. They find no place of rest.
Without the Guru, no one is shown the Way. Like the blind, they continue coming and going.
Having lost the treasure of spiritual wisdom, they depart, defrauded and plundered. ||1||
O Baba, Maya deceives with its illusion.
Deceived by doubt, the discarded bride is not received into the Lap of her Beloved. ||1||Pause||
The deceived bride wanders around in foreign lands; she leaves, and abandons her own home.
Deceived, she climbs the plateaus and mountains; her mind wavers in doubt.
Separated from the Primal Being, how can she meet with Him again? Plundered by pride, she cries out and bewails. ||2||
The Guru unites the separated ones with the Lord again, through the love of the Delicious Name of the Lord.

Through truth and intuitive poise, great honor is obtained, with the Support of the Naam and the Glory of the Lord.
As it pleases You, Lord, please save and protect me. Without You, O my Husband Lord, who else is there for me? ||3||
Reading their books over and over again, people continue making mistakes; they are so proud of their religious robes.
But what is the use of bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, when the filth of stubborn pride is within the mind?
Other than the Guru, who can explain that within the mind is the Lord, the King, the Emperor? ||4||
The Treasure of the Lord's Love is obtained by the Gurmukh, who contemplates the essence of reality.
The bride eradicates her selfishness, and adorns herself with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Within her own home, she finds her Husband, through infinite love for the Guru. ||5||
Applying oneself to the service of the Guru, the mind is purified, and peace is obtained.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad abides within the mind, and egotism is eliminated from within.
The Treasure of the Naam is acquired, and the mind reaps the lasting profit. ||6||
If He grants His Grace, then we obtain it. We cannot find it by our own efforts.
Remain attached to the Feet of the Guru, and eradicate selfishness from within.
Attuned to Truth, you shall obtain the True One. ||7||
Everyone makes mistakes; only the Guru and the Creator are infallible.
One who instructs his mind with the Guru's Teachings comes to embrace love for the Lord.
O Nanak, do not forget the Truth; you shall receive the Infinite Word of the Shabad. ||8||12||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
The enticing desire for Maya leads people to become emotionally attached to their children, relatives, households and spouses.
The world is deceived and plundered by riches, youth, greed and egotism.
The drug of emotional attachment has destroyed me, as it has destroyed the whole world. ||1||
O my Beloved, I have no one except You.
Without You, nothing else pleases me. Loving You, I am at peace. ||1||Pause||
I sing the Praises of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with love; I am content with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Whatever is seen shall pass away. So do not be attached to this false show.
Like a traveller in his travels, you have come. Behold the caravan leaving each day. ||2||
Many preach sermons, but without the Guru, understanding is not obtained.
If someone receives the Glory of the Naam, he is attuned to truth and blessed with honor.
Those who are pleasing to You are good; no one is counterfeit or genuine. ||3||
In the Guru's Sanctuary we are saved. The assets of the self-willed manmukhs are false.
The eight metals of the King are made into coins by the Word of His Shabad.
The Assayer Himself assays them, and He places the genuine ones in His Treasury. ||4||
Your Value cannot be appraised; I have seen and tested everything.
By speaking, His Depth cannot be found. Abiding in truth, honor is obtained.
Through the Guru's Teachings, I praise You; otherwise, I cannot describe Your Value. ||5||
That body which does not appreciate the Naam-that body is infested with egotism and conflict.
Without the Guru, spiritual wisdom is not obtained; other tastes are poison.
Without virtue, nothing is of any use. The taste of Maya is bland and insipid. ||6||
Through desire, people are cast into the womb and reborn. Through desire, they taste the sweet and sour flavors.
Bound by desire, they are led on, beaten and struck on their faces and mouths.
Bound and gagged and assaulted by evil, they are released only through the Name, through the Guru's Teachings. ||7||

In all places, You are the One and Only. As it pleases You, Lord, please save and protect me!
Through the Guru's Teachings, the True One abides within the mind. The Companionship of the Naam brings the most excellent honor.
Eradicate the disease of egotism, and chant the True Shabad, the Word of the True Lord. ||8||
You are pervading throughout the Akaashic Ethers, the nether regions and the three worlds.
You Yourself are bhakti, loving devotional worship. You Yourself unite us in Union with Yourself.
O Nanak, may I never forget the Naam! As is Your Pleasure, so is Your Will. ||9||13||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
My mind is pierced through by the Name of the Lord. What else should I contemplate?
Focusing your awareness on the Shabad, happiness wells up. Attuned to God, the most excellent peace is found.
As it pleases You, please save me, Lord. The Name of the Lord is my Support. ||1||
O mind, the Will of our Lord and Master is true.
Focus your love upon the One who created and adorned your body and mind. ||1||Pause||
If I cut my body into pieces, and burn them in the fire,
and if I make my body and mind into firewood, and night and day burn them in the fire,
and if I perform hundreds of thousands and millions of religious rituals-still, all these are not equal to the Name of the Lord. ||2||
If my body were cut in half, if a saw was put to my head,
and if my body were frozen in the Himalayas-even then, my mind would not be free of disease.
None of these are equal to the Name of the Lord. I have seen and tried and tested them all. ||3||
If I made a donation of castles of gold, and gave lots of fine horses and wondrous elephants in charity,
and if I made donations of land and cows-even then, pride and ego would still be within me.
The Name of the Lord has pierced my mind; the Guru has given me this true gift. ||4||
There are so many stubborn-minded intelligent people, and so many who contemplate the Vedas.
There are so many entanglements for the soul. Only as Gurmukh do we find the Gate of Liberation.
Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is truthful living. ||5||
Call everyone exalted; no one seems lowly.
The One Lord has fashioned the vessels, and His One Light pervades the three worlds.
Receiving His Grace, we obtain Truth. No one can erase His Primal Blessing. ||6||
When one Holy person meets another Holy person, they abide in contentment, through the Love of the Guru.
They contemplate the Unspoken Speech, merging in absorption in the True Guru.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, they are contented; they go to the Court of the Lord in robes of honor. ||7||
In each and every heart the Music of the Lord's Flute vibrates, night and day, with sublime love for the Shabad.
Only those few who become Gurmukh understand this by instructing their minds.
O Nanak, do not forget the Naam. Practicing the Shabad you shall be saved. ||8||14||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
There are painted mansions to behold, white-washed, with beautiful doors;
they were constructed to give pleasure to the mind, but this is only for the sake of the love of duality.
The inner being is empty without love. The body shall crumble into a heap of ashes. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, this body and wealth shall not go along with you.
The Lord's Name is the pure wealth; through the Guru, God bestows this gift. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's Name is the pure wealth; it is given only by the Giver.
One who has the Guru, the Creator, as his Friend, shall not be questioned hereafter.
He Himself delivers those who are delivered. He Himself is the Forgiver. ||2||

The self-willed manmukh looks upon his daughters, sons and relatives as his own.
Gazing upon his wife, he is pleased. But along with happiness, they bring grief.
The Gurmukhs are attuned to the Word of the Shabad. Day and night, they enjoy the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||3||
The consciousness of the wicked, faithless cynics wanders around in search of transitory wealth, unstable and distracted.
Searching outside of themselves, they are ruined; the object of their search is in that sacred place within the home of the heart.
The self-willed manmukhs, in their ego, miss it; the Gurmukhs receive it in their laps. ||4||
You worthless, faithless cynic-recognize your own origin!
This body is made of blood and semen. It shall be consigned to the fire in the end.
The body is under the power of the breath, according to the True Sign inscribed upon your forehead. ||5||
Everyone begs for a long life-no one wishes to die.
A life of peace and comfort comes to that Gurmukh, within whom God dwells.
Without the Naam, what good those who do not have the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of the Lord and Guru? ||6||
In their dreams at night, people wander around as long as they sleep;
just so, they are under the power of the snake Maya, as long as their hearts are filled with ego and duality.
Through the Guru's Teachings, they come to understand and see that this world is just a dream. ||7||
As thirst is quenched with water, and the baby is satisfied with mother's milk,
and as the lotus does not exist without water, and as the fish dies without water
-O Nanak, so does the Gurmukh live, receiving the Sublime Essence of the Lord, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||8||15||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
Beholding the terrifying mountain in this world of my father's home, I am terrified.
It is so difficult to climb this high mountain; there is no ladder which reaches up there.
But as Gurmukh, I know that it is within my self; the Guru has brought me to Union, and so I cross over. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, the terrifying world-ocean is so difficult to cross-I am terrified!
The Perfect True Guru, in His Pleasure, has met with me; the Guru has saved me, through the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I may say, "I am going, I am going", but I know that, in the end, I must really go.
Whoever comes must also go. Only the Guru and the Creator are Eternal.
So praise the True One continually, and love His Place of Truth. ||2||
Beautiful gates, houses and palaces, solidly built forts,
elephants, saddled horses, hundreds of thousands of uncounted armies
-none of these will go along with anyone in the end, and yet, the fools bother themselves to exhaustion with these, and then die. ||3||
You may gather gold and sliver, but wealth is just a net of entanglement.
You may beat the drum and proclaim authority over the whole world, but without the Name, death hovers over your head.
When the body falls, the play of life is over; what shall be the condition of the evil-doers then? ||4||
The husband is delighted seeing his sons, and his wife upon his bed.
He applies sandalwood and scented oils, and dresses himself in his beautiful clothes.
But dust shall mix with dust, and he shall depart, leaving hearth and home behind. ||5||
He may be called a chief, an emperor, a king, a governor or a lord;
he may present himself as a leader or a chief, but this just burns him in the fire of egotistical pride.
The self-willed manmukh has forgotten the Naam. He is like straw, burning in the forest fire. ||6||
Whoever comes into the world and indulges in ego, must depart.

The whole world is a store-house of lamp-black; the body and mind are blackened with it.
Those who are saved by the Guru are immaculate and pure; through the Word of the Shabad, they extinguish the fire of desire. ||7||
O Nanak, they swim across with the True Name of the Lord, the King above the heads of kings.
May I never forget the Name of the Lord! I have purchased the Jewel of the Lord's Name.
The self-willed manmukhs putrefy and die in the terrifying world-ocean, while the Gurmukhs cross over the bottomless ocean. ||8||16||
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Second House:
They have made this their resting place and they sit at home, but the urge to depart is always there.
This would be known as a lasting place of rest, only if they were to remain stable and unchanging. ||1||
What sort of a resting place is this world?
Doing deeds of faith, pack up the supplies for your journey, and remain committed to the Name. ||1||Pause||
The Yogis sit in their Yogic postures, and the Mullahs sit at their resting stations.
The Hindu Pandits recite from their books, and the Siddhas sit in the temples of their gods. ||2||
The angels, Siddhas, worshippers of Shiva, heavenly musicians, silent sages, Saints, priests, preachers, spiritual teachers and commanders
-each and every one has left, and all others shall depart as well. ||3||
The sultans and kings, the rich and the mighty, have marched away in succession.
In a moment or two, we shall also depart. O my heart, understand that you must go as well! ||4||
This is described in the Shabads; only a few understand this!
Nanak offers this prayer to the One who pervades the water, the land and the air. ||5||
He is Allah, the Unknowable, the Inaccessible, All-powerful and Merciful Creator.
All the world comes and goes-only the Merciful Lord is permanent. ||6||
Call permanent only the One, who does not have destiny inscribed upon His Forehead.
The sky and the earth shall pass away; He alone is permanent. ||7||
The day and the sun shall pass away; the night and the moon shall pass away; the hundreds of thousands of stars shall disappear.
He alone is permanent; Nanak speaks the Truth. ||8||17||
Seventeen Ashtapadees Of The First Mehl.
Siree Raag, Third Mehl, First House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By God's Grace, the Gurmukh practices devotion; without the Guru, there is no devotional worship.
One who merges his own self into Him understands, and so becomes pure.
The Dear Lord is True, and True is the Word of His Bani. Through the Word of the Shabad, Union with Him is obtained. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, without devotion, why have people even come into the world?
They have not served the Perfect Guru; they have wasted their lives in vain. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself, the Life of the World, is the Giver. He Himself forgives, and unites us with Himself.
What are these poor beings and creatures? What can they speak and say?
God Himself grants glory to the Gurmukhs; He joins them to His Service. ||2||
Beholding your family, you are lured away by emotional attachment, but when you leave, they will not go with you.

Serving the True Guru, I have found the Treasure of Excellence. Its value cannot be estimated.
The Dear Lord God is my Best Friend. In the end, He shall be my Companion and Support. ||3||
In this world of my father's home, the Great Giver is the Life of the World. The self-willed manmukhs have lost their honor.
Without the True Guru, no one knows the Way. The blind find no place of rest.
If the Lord, the Giver of Peace, does not dwell within the mind, then they shall depart with regret in the end. ||4||
In this world of my father's house, through the Guru's Teachings, I have cultivated within my mind the Great Giver, the Life of the World.
Night and day, performing devotional worship, day and night, ego and emotional attachment are removed.
And then, attuned to Him, we become like Him, truly absorbed in the True One. ||5||
Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He gives us His Love, and we contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Serving the True Guru, intuitive peace wells up, and ego and desire die.
The Lord, the Giver of Virtue, dwells forever within the minds of those who keep Truth enshrined within their hearts. ||6||
My God is forever Immaculate and Pure; with a pure mind, He can be found.
If the Treasure of the Name of the Lord abides within the mind, egotism and pain are totally eliminated.
The True Guru has instructed me in the Word of the Shabad. I am forever a sacrifice to Him. ||7||
Within your own conscious mind, you may say anything, but without the Guru, selfishness and conceit are not eradicated.
The Dear Lord is the Lover of His devotees, the Giver of Peace. By His Grace, He abides within the mind.
O Nanak, God blesses us with the sublime awakening of consciousness; He Himself grants glorious greatness to the Gurmukh. ||8||1||18||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Those who go around acting in egotism are struck down by the Messenger of Death with his club.
Those who serve the True Guru are uplifted and saved, in love with the Lord. ||1||
O mind, become Gurmukh, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Those who are so pre-destined by the Creator are absorbed into the Naam, through the Guru's Teachings. ||1||Pause||
Without the True Guru, faith does not come, and love for the Naam is not embraced.
Even in dreams, they find no peace; they sleep immersed in pain. ||2||
Even if you chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, with great longing, your past actions are still not erased.
The Lord's devotees surrender to His Will; those devotees are accepted at His Door. ||3||
The Guru has lovingly implanted the Word of His Shabad within me. Without His Grace, it cannot be attained.
Even if the poisonous plant is watered with ambrosial nectar a hundred times, it will still bear poisonous fruit. ||4||
Those humble beings who are in love with the True Guru are pure and true.
They act in harmony with the Will of the True Guru; they shed the poison of ego and corruption. ||5||
Acting in stubborn-mindedness, no one is saved; go and study the Simritees and the Shaastras.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and practicing the Shabads of the Guru, you shall be saved. ||6||
The Name of the Lord is the Treasure, which has no end or limitation.
The Gurmukhs are beauteous; the Creator has blessed them with His Mercy. ||7||
O Nanak, the One Lord alone is the Giver; there is no other at all.
By Guru's Grace, He is obtained. By His Mercy, He is found. ||8||2||19||

Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The soul-bird in the beautiful tree of the body pecks at Truth, with love for the Guru.
She drinks in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, and abides in intuitive ease; she does not fly around coming and going.
She obtains her home within her own heart; she is absorbed into the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
O mind, work to serve the Guru.
If you walk in harmony with the Guru's Will, you shall remain immersed in the Lord's Name, night and day. ||1||Pause||
The birds in the beautiful trees fly around in all four directions.
The more they fly around, the more they suffer; they burn and cry out in pain.
Without the Guru, they do not find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and they do not obtain the Ambrosial Fruit. ||2||
The Gurmukh is like God's tree, always green, blessed with the Sublime Love of the True One, with intuitive peace and poise.
He cuts off the three branches of the three qualities, and embraces love for the One Word of the Shabad.
The Lord alone is the Ambrosial Fruit; He Himself gives it to us to eat. ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs stand there and dry up; they do not bear any fruit, and they do not provide any shade.
Don't even bother to sit near them-they have no home or village.
They are cut down and burnt each day; they have neither the Shabad, nor the Lord's Name. ||4||
According to the Lord's Command, people perform their actions; they wander around, driven by the karma of their past actions.
By the Lord's Command, they behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. Wherever He sends them, there they go.
By His Command, the Lord, Har, Har, abides within our minds; by His Command we merge in Truth. ||5||
The wretched fools do not know the Lord's Will; they wander around making mistakes.
They go about their business stubborn-mindedly; they are disgraced forever and ever.
Inner peace does not come to them; they do not embrace love for the True Lord. ||6||
Beautiful are the faces of the Gurmukhs, who bear love and affection for the Guru.
Through true devotional worship, they are attuned to Truth; at the True Door, they are found to be true.
Blessed is their coming into being; they redeem all their ancestors. ||7||
All do their deeds under the Lord's Glance of Grace; no one is beyond His Vision.
According to the Glance of Grace with which the True Lord beholds us, so do we become.
O Nanak, the Glorious Greatness of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is received only by His Mercy. ||8||3||20||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam; the self-willed manmukhs do not understand.
The faces of the Gurmukhs are always radiant; the Lord has come to dwell within their minds.
Through intuitive understanding they are at peace, and through intuitive understanding they remain absorbed in the Lord. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, be the slaves of the Lord's slaves.
Service to the Guru is worship of the Guru. How rare are those who obtain it! ||1||Pause||
The happy soul-bride is always with her Husband Lord, if she walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
She attains her Eternal, Ever-stable Husband, who never dies or goes away.
United with the Word of the Shabad, she shall not be separated again. She is immersed in the Lap of her Beloved. ||2||
The Lord is Immaculate and Radiantly Bright; without the Guru, He cannot be found.
He cannot be understood by reading scriptures; the deceitful pretenders are deluded by doubt.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord is always found, and the tongue is permeated with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||3||
Emotional attachment to Maya is shed with intuitive ease, through the Guru's Teachings.

Without the Shabad, the world wanders lost in pain. The self-willed manmukh is consumed.
Through the Shabad, meditate on the Naam; through the Shabad, you shall merge in Truth. ||4||
The Siddhas wander around, deluded by Maya; they are not absorbed in the Samaadhi of the Lord's Sublime Love.
The three worlds are permeated by Maya; they are totally covered by it.
Without the Guru, liberation is not attained, and the double-mindedness of Maya does not go away. ||5||
What is called Maya? What does Maya do?
These beings are bound by pleasure and pain; they do their deeds in egotism.
Without the Shabad, doubt is not dispelled, and egotism is not eliminated from within. ||6||
Without love, there is no devotional worship. Without the Shabad, no one finds acceptance.
Through the Shabad, egotism is conquered and subdued, and the illusion of Maya is dispelled.
The Gurmukh obtains the Treasure of the Naam with intuitive ease. ||7||
Without the Guru, one's virtues do not shine forth; without virtue, there is no devotional worship.
The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He abides within their minds. They meet that God with intuitive ease.
O Nanak, through the Shabad, praise the Lord. By His Grace, He is obtained. ||8||4||21||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Emotional attachment to Maya is created by my God; He Himself misleads us through illusion and doubt.
The self-willed manmukhs perform their actions, but they do not understand; they waste away their lives in vain.
Gurbani is the Light to illuminate this world; by His Grace, it comes to abide within the mind. ||1||
O mind, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and find peace.
Praising the Perfect Guru, you shall easily meet with that God. ||1||Pause||
Doubt departs, and fear runs away, when you focus your consciousness on the Lord's Feet.
The Gurmukh practices the Shabad, and the Lord comes to dwell within the mind.
In the mansion of the home within the self, we merge in Truth, and the Messenger of Death cannot devour us. ||2||
Naam Dayv the printer, and Kabeer the weaver, obtained salvation through the Perfect Guru.
Those who know God and recognize His Shabad lose their ego and class consciousness.
Their Banis are sung by the angelic beings, and no one can erase them, O Siblings of Destiny! ||3||
The demon's son Prahlaad had not read about religious rituals or ceremonies, austerity or self-discipline; he did not know the love of duality.
Upon meeting with the True Guru, he became pure; night and day, he chanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He read only of the One and he understood only the One Name; he knew no other at all. ||4||
The followers of the six different life-styles and world-views, the Yogis and the Sanyaasees have gone astray in doubt without the Guru.
If they serve the True Guru, they find the state of salvation; they enshrine the Dear Lord within their minds.
They focus their consciousness on the True Bani, and their comings and goings in reincarnation are over. ||5||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read and argue and stir up controversies, but without the Guru, they are deluded by doubt.
They wander around the cycle of 8.4 million reincarnations; without the Shabad, they do not attain liberation.
But when they remember the Name, then they attain the state of salvation, when the True Guru unites them in Union. ||6||
In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the Name of the Lord wells up, when the True Guru unites us in His Sublime Love.

I offer my mind and body, and I renounce my selfishness and conceit; I walk in Harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
I am forever a sacrifice to my Guru, who has attached my consciousness to the Lord. ||7||
He alone is a Brahmin, who knows the Lord Brahma, and is attuned to the Love of the Lord.
God is close at hand; He dwells deep within the hearts of all. How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, know Him.
O Nanak, through the Naam, greatness is obtained; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is realized. ||8||5||22||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Everyone longs to be centered and balanced, but without the Guru, no one can.
The Pandits and the astrologers read and read until they grow weary, while the fanatics are deluded by doubt.
Meeting with the Guru, intuitive balance is obtained, when God, in His Will, grants His Grace. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, without the Guru, intuitive balance is not obtained.
Through the Word of the Shabad, intuitive peace and poise wells up, and that True Lord is obtained. ||1||Pause||
That which is sung intuitively is acceptable; without this intuition, all chanting is useless.
In the state of intuitive balance, devotion wells up. In intuitive balance, love is balanced and detached.
In the state of intuitive balance, peace and tranquility are produced. Without intuitive balance, life is useless. ||2||
In the state of intuitive balance, praise the Lord forever and ever. With intuitive ease, embrace Samaadhi.
In the state of intuitive balance, chant His Glories, lovingly absorbed in devotional worship.
Through the Shabad, the Lord dwells within the mind, and the tongue tastes the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||3||
In the poise of intuitive balance, death is destroyed, entering the Sanctuary of the True One.
Intuitively balanced, the Name of the Lord dwells within the mind, practicing the lifestyle of Truth.
Those who have found Him are very fortunate; they remain intuitively absorbed in Him. ||4||
Within Maya, the poise of intuitive balance is not produced. Maya leads to the love of duality.
The self-willed manmukhs perform religious rituals, but they are burnt down by their selfishness and conceit.
Their births and deaths do not cease; over and over again, they come and go in reincarnation. ||5||
In the three qualities, intuitive balance is not obtained; the three qualities lead to delusion and doubt.
What is the point of reading, studying and debating, if one loses his roots?
In the fourth state, there is intuitive balance; the Gurmukhs gather it in. ||6||
The Naam, the Name of the Formless Lord, is the treasure. Through intuitive balance, understanding is obtained.
The virtuous praise the True One; their reputation is true.
The wayward are united with God through intuitive balance; through the Shabad, union is obtained. ||7||
Without intuitive balance, all are blind. Emotional attachment to Maya is utter darkness.
In intuitive balance, understanding of the True, Infinite Shabad is obtained.
Granting forgiveness, the Perfect Guru unites us with the Creator. ||8||
In intuitive balance, the Unseen is recognized-the Fearless, Luminous, Formless Lord.
There is only the One Giver of all beings. He blends our light with His Light.
So praise God through the Perfect Word of His Shabad; He has no end or limitation. ||9||
Those who are wise take the Naam as their wealth; with intuitive ease, they trade with Him.
Night and day, they receive the Profit of the Lord's Name, which is an inexhaustible and over-flowing treasure.
O Nanak, when the Great Giver gives, nothing at all is lacking. ||10||6||23||

Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Meeting with the True Guru, you shall not have to go through the cycle of reincarnation again; the pains of birth and death will be taken away.
Through the Perfect Word of the Shabad, all understanding is obtained; remain absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my mind, focus your consciousness on the True Guru.
The Immaculate Naam itself, ever-fresh, comes to abide within the mind. ||1||Pause||
O Dear Lord, please protect and preserve me in Your Sanctuary. As You keep me, so do I remain.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Gurmukh remains dead while yet alive, and swims across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
By great good fortune, the Name is obtained. Following the Guru's Teachings, through the Shabad, you shall be exalted.
God, the Creator Himself, dwells within the mind; remain absorbed in the state of intuitive balance. ||3||
Some are self-willed manmukhs; they do not love the Word of the Shabad. Bound in chains, they wander lost in reincarnation.
Through 8.4 million lifetimes, they wander over and over again; they waste away their lives in vain. ||4||
In the minds of the devotees there is bliss; they are attuned to the Love of the True Word of the Shabad.
Night and day, they constantly sing the Glories of the Immaculate Lord; with intuitive ease, they are absorbed into the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||5||
The Gurmukhs speak the Ambrosial Bani; they recognize the Lord, the Supreme Soul in all.
They serve the One; they worship and adore the One. The Gurmukhs speak the Unspoken Speech. ||6||
The Gurmukhs serve their True Lord and Master, who comes to dwell in the mind.
They are forever attuned to the Love of the True One, who bestows His Mercy and unites them with Himself. ||7||
He Himself does, and He Himself causes others to do; He wakes some from their sleep.
He Himself unites us in Union; Nanak is absorbed in the Shabad. ||8||7||24||
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:
Serving the True Guru, the mind becomes immaculate, and the body becomes pure.
The mind obtains bliss and eternal peace, meeting with the Deep and Profound Lord.
Sitting in the Sangat, the True Congregation, the mind is comforted and consoled by the True Name. ||1||
O mind, serve the True Guru without hesitation.
Serving the True Guru, the Lord abides within the mind, and no trace of filth shall attach itself to you. ||1||Pause||
From the True Word of the Shabad comes honor. True is the Name of the True One.
I am a sacrifice to those who conquer their ego and recognize the Lord.
The self-willed manmukhs do not know the True One; they find no shelter, and no place of rest anywhere. ||2||
Those who take the Truth as their food and the Truth as their clothing, have their home in the True One.
They constantly praise the True One, and in the True Word of the Shabad they have their dwelling.
They recognize the Lord, the Supreme Soul in all, and through the Guru's Teachings they dwell in the home of their own inner self. ||3||
They see the Truth, and they speak the Truth; their bodies and minds are True.
True are their teachings, and True are their instructions; True are the reputations of the true ones.
Those who have forgotten the True One are miserable-they depart weeping and wailing. ||4||
Those who have not served the True Guru-why did they even bother to come into the world?
They are bound and gagged and beaten at Death's door, but no one hears their shrieks and cries.
They waste their lives uselessly; they die and are reincarnated over and over again. ||5||

Seeing this world on fire, I rushed to the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
The True Guru has implanted the Truth within me; I dwell steadfastly in Truth and self-restraint.
The True Guru is the Boat of Truth; in the Word of the Shabad, we cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||6||
People continue wandering through the cycle of 8.4 million incarnations; without the True Guru, liberation is not obtained.
Reading and studying, the Pandits and the silent sages have grown weary, but attached to the love of duality, they have lost their honor.
The True Guru teaches the Word of the Shabad; without the True One, there is no other at all. ||7||
Those who are linked by the True One are linked to Truth. They always act in Truth.
They attain their dwelling in the home of their own inner being, and they abide in the Mansion of Truth.
O Nanak, the devotees are happy and peaceful forever. They are absorbed in the True Name. ||8||17||8||25||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
When you are confronted with terrible hardships, and no one offers you any support,
when your friends turn into enemies, and even your relatives have deserted you,
and when all support has given way, and all hope has been lost
-if you then come to remember the Supreme Lord God, even the hot wind shall not touch you. ||1||
Our Lord and Master is the Power of the powerless.
He does not come or go; He is Eternal and Permanent. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is known as True. ||1||Pause||
If you are weakened by the pains of hunger and poverty,
with no money in your pockets, and no one will give you any comfort,
and no one will satisfy your hopes and desires, and none of your works is accomplished
-if you then come to remember the Supreme Lord God, you shall obtain the eternal kingdom. ||2||
When you are plagued by great and excessive anxiety, and diseases of the body;
when you are wrapped up in the attachments of household and family, sometimes feeling joy, and then other times sorrow;
when you are wandering around in all four directions, and you cannot sit or sleep even for a moment
-if you come to remember the Supreme Lord God, then your body and mind shall be cooled and soothed. ||3||
When you are under the power of sexual desire, anger and worldly attachment, or a greedy miser in love with your wealth;
if you have committed the four great sins and other mistakes; even if you are a murderous fiend
who has never taken the time to listen to sacred books, hymns and poetry
-if you then come to remember the Supreme Lord God, and contemplate Him, even for a moment, you shall be saved. ||4||
People may recite by heart the Shaastras, the Simritees and the four Vedas;
they may be ascetics, great, self-disciplined Yogis; they may visit sacred shrines of pilgrimage
and perform the six ceremonial rituals, over and over again, performing worship services and ritual bathings.
Even so, if they have not embraced love for the Supreme Lord God, then they shall surely go to hell. ||5||
You may possess empires, vast estates, authority over others, and the enjoyment of myriads of pleasures;
you may have delightful and beautiful gardens, and issue unquestioned commands;
you may have enjoyments and entertainments of all sorts and kinds, and continue to enjoy exciting pleasures
-and yet, if you do not come to remember the Supreme Lord God, you shall be reincarnated as a snake. ||6||
You may possess vast riches, maintain virtuous conduct, have a spotless reputation and observe religious customs;
you may have the loving affections of mother, father, children, siblings and friends;
you may have armies well-equipped with weapons, and all may salute you with respect;

But still, if you do not come to remember the Supreme Lord God, then you shall be taken and consigned to the most hideous hell! ||7||
You may have a body free of disease and deformity, and have no worries or grief at all;
you may be unmindful of death, and night and day revel in pleasures;
you may take everything as your own, and have no fear in your mind at all;
but still, if you do not come to remember the Supreme Lord God, you shall fall under the power of the Messenger of Death. ||8||
The Supreme Lord showers His Mercy, and we find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The more time we spend there, the more we come to love the Lord.
The Lord is the Master of both worlds; there is no other place of rest.
When the True Guru is pleased and satisfied, O Nanak, the True Name is obtained. ||9||1||26||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House:
I do not know what pleases my Lord.
O mind, seek out the way! ||1||Pause||
The meditatives practice meditation,
and the wise practice spiritual wisdom,
but how rare are those who know God! ||1||
The worshipper of Bhagaauti practices self-discipline,
the Yogi speaks of liberation,
and the ascetic is absorbed in asceticism. ||2||
The men of silence observe silence,
the Sanyaasees observe celibacy,
and the Udaasees abide in detachment. ||3||
There are nine forms of devotional worship.
The Pandits recite the Vedas.
The householders assert their faith in family life. ||4||
Those who utter only One Word, those who take many forms, the naked renunciates,
the wearers of patched coats, the magicians, those who remain always awake,
and those who bathe at holy places of pilgrimage-||5||
Those who go without food, those who never touch others,
the hermits who never show themselves,
and those who are wise in their own minds-||6||
Of these, no one admits to any deficiency;
all say that they have found the Lord.
But he alone is a devotee, whom the Lord has united with Himself. ||7||
Abandoning all devices and contrivances, I have sought His Sanctuary.
Nanak has fallen at the Feet of the Guru. ||8||2||27||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Third House:
Among Yogis, You are the Yogi;
among pleasure seekers, You are the Pleasure Seeker.
Your limits are not known to any of the beings in the heavens, in this world, or in the nether regions of the underworld. ||1||
I am devoted, dedicated, a sacrifice to Your Name. ||1||Pause||
You created the world,
and assigned tasks to one and all.
You watch over Your Creation, and through Your All-powerful Creative Potency, You cast the dice. ||2||
You are manifest in the Expanse of Your Workshop.
Everyone longs for Your Name,
but without the Guru, no one finds You. All are enticed and trapped by Maya. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru.
Meeting Him, the supreme status is obtained.

The angelic beings and the silent sages long for Him; the True Guru has given me this understanding. ||4||
How is the Society of the Saints to be known?
There, the Name of the One Lord is chanted.
The One Name is the Lord's Command; O Nanak, the True Guru has given me this understanding. ||5||
This world has been deluded by doubt.
You Yourself, Lord, have led it astray.
The discarded soul-brides suffer in terrible agony; they have no luck at all. ||6||
What are the signs of the discarded brides?
They miss their Husband Lord, and they wander around in dishonor.
The clothes of those brides are filthy-they pass their life-night in agony. ||7||
What actions have the happy soul-brides performed?
They have obtained the fruit of their pre-ordained destiny.
Casting His Glance of Grace, the Lord unites them with Himself. ||8||
Those, whom God causes to abide by His Will,
have the Shabad of His Word abiding deep within.
They are the true soul-brides, who embrace love for their Husband Lord. ||9||
Those who take pleasure in God's Will
remove doubt from within.
O Nanak, know Him as the True Guru, who unites all with the Lord. ||10||
Meeting with the True Guru, they receive the fruits of their destiny,
and egotism is driven out from within.
The pain of evil-mindedness is eliminated; good fortune comes and shines radiantly from their foreheads. ||11||
The Bani of Your Word is Ambrosial Nectar.
It permeates the hearts of Your devotees.
Serving You, peace is obtained; granting Your Mercy, You bestow salvation. ||12||
Meeting with the True Guru, one comes to know;
by this meeting, one comes to chant the Name.
Without the True Guru, God is not found; all have grown weary of performing religious rituals. ||13||
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru;
I was wandering in doubt, and He has set me on the right path.
If the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, He unites us with Himself. ||14||
You, Lord, are pervading in all,
and yet, the Creator keeps Himself concealed.
O Nanak, the Creator is revealed to the Gurmukh, within whom He has infused His Light. ||15||
The Master Himself bestows honor.
He creates and bestows body and soul.
He Himself preserves the honor of His servants; He places both His Hands upon their foreheads. ||16||
All strict rituals are just clever contrivances.
My God knows everything.
He has made His Glory manifest, and all people celebrate Him. ||17 |
| He has not considered my merits and demerits;
this is God's Own Nature.
Hugging me close in His Embrace, He protects me, and now, even the hot wind does not touch me. ||18||
Within my mind and body, I meditate on God.
I have obtained the fruits of my soul's desire.
You are the Supreme Lord and Master, above the heads of kings. Nanak lives by chanting Your Name. ||19||

You Yourself created the Universe;
You created the play of duality, and staged it.
The Truest of the True is pervading everywhere; He instructs those with whom He is pleased. ||20||
By Guru's Grace, I have found God.
By His Grace, I have shed emotional attachment to Maya.
Showering His Mercy, He has blended me into Himself. ||21||
You are the Gopis, the milk-maids of Krishna; You are the sacred river Jamunaa; You are Krishna, the herdsman.
You Yourself support the world.
By Your Command, human beings are fashioned. You Yourself embellish them, and then again destroy them. ||22||
Those who have focused their consciousness on the True Guru
have rid themselves of the love of duality.
The light of those mortal beings is immaculate. They depart after redeeming their lives. ||23||
Forever and ever, night and day, I praise the Greatness of Your Goodness.
You bestow Your Gifts, even if we do not ask for them. Says Nanak, contemplate the True Lord. ||24||1||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
I fall at His Feet to please and appease Him.
The True Guru has united me with the Lord, the Primal Being. There is no other as great as He. ||1||Pause||
The Lord of the Universe is my Sweet Beloved.
He is sweeter than my mother or father.
Among all sisters and brothers and friends, there is no one like You. ||1||
By Your Command, the month of Saawan has come.
I have hooked up the plow of Truth,
and I plant the seed of the Name in hopes that the Lord, in His Generosity, will bestow a bountiful harvest. ||2||
Meeting with the Guru, I recognize only the One Lord.
In my consciousness, I do not know of any other account.
The Lord has assigned one task to me; as it pleases Him, I perform it. ||3||
Enjoy yourselves and eat, O Siblings of Destiny.
In the Guru's Court, He has blessed me with the Robe of Honor.
I have become the Master of my body-village; I have taken the five rivals as prisoners. ||4||
I have come to Your Sanctuary.
The five farm-hands have become my tenants;
none dare to raise their heads against me. O Nanak, my village is populous and prosperous. ||5||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You.
I meditate on You continually.
The village was in ruins, but You have re-populated it. I am a sacrifice to You. ||6||
O Beloved Lord, I meditate on You continually;
I obtain the fruits of my mind's desires.
All my affairs are arranged, and the hunger of my mind is appeased. ||7||
I have forsaken all my entanglements;
I serve the True Lord of the Universe.
I have firmly attached the Name, the Home of the Nine Treasures to my robe. ||8||
I have obtained the comfort of comforts.
The Guru has implanted the Word of the Shabad deep within me.
The True Guru has shown me my Husband Lord; He has placed His Hand upon my forehead. ||9||
I have established the Temple of Truth.
I sought out the Guru's Sikhs, and brought them into it.
I wash their feet, and wave the fan over them. Bowing low, I fall at their feet. ||10||

I heard of the Guru, and so I went to Him.
He instilled within me the Naam, the goodness of charity and true cleansing.
All the world is liberated, O Nanak, by embarking upon the Boat of Truth. ||11||
The whole Universe serves You, day and night.
Please hear my prayer, O Dear Lord.
I have thoroughly tested and seen all-You alone, by Your Pleasure, can save us. ||12||
Now, the Merciful Lord has issued His Command.
Let no one chase after and attack anyone else.
Let all abide in peace, under this Benevolent Rule. ||13||
Softly and gently, drop by drop, the Ambrosial Nectar trickles down.
I speak as my Lord and Master causes me to speak.
I place all my faith in You; please accept me. ||14||
Your devotees are forever hungry for You.
O Lord, please fulfill my desires.
Grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Giver of Peace. Please, take me into Your Embrace. ||15||
I have not found any other as Great as You.
You pervade the continents, the worlds and the nether regions;
You are permeating all places and interspaces. Nanak: You are the True Support of Your devotees. ||16||
I am a wrestler; I belong to the Lord of the World.
I met with the Guru, and I have tied a tall, plumed turban.
All have gathered to watch the wrestling match, and the Merciful Lord Himself is seated to behold it. ||17||
The bugles play and the drums beat.
The wrestlers enter the arena and circle around.
I have thrown the five challengers to the ground, and the Guru has patted me on the back. ||18||
All have gathered together,
but we shall return home by different routes.
The Gurmukhs reap their profits and leave, while the self-willed manmukhs lose their investment and depart. ||19||
You are without color or mark.
The Lord is seen to be manifest and present.
Hearing of Your Glories again and again, Your devotees meditate on You; they are attuned to You, O Lord, Treasure of Excellence. ||20||
Through age after age, I am the servant of the Merciful Lord.
The Guru has cut away my bonds.
I shall not have to dance in the wrestling arena of life again. Nanak has searched, and found this opportunity. ||21||2||29||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Siree Raag, First Mehl, Pehray, First House:
In the first watch of the night, O my merchant friend, you were cast into the womb, by the Lord's Command.
Upside-down, within the womb, you performed penance, O my merchant friend, and you prayed to your Lord and Master.
You uttered prayers to your Lord and Master, while upside-down, and you meditated on Him with deep love and affection.
You came into this Dark Age of Kali Yuga naked, and you shall depart again naked.
As God's Pen has written on your forehead, so it shall be with your soul.
Says Nanak, in the first watch of the night, by the Hukam of the Lord's Command, you enter into the womb. ||1||

In the second watch of the night, O my merchant friend, you have forgotten to meditate.
From hand to hand, you are passed around, O my merchant friend, like Krishna in the house of Yashoda.
From hand to hand, you are passed around, and your mother says, "This is my son."
O, my thoughtless and foolish mind, think: In the end, nothing shall be yours.
You do not know the One who created the creation. Gather spiritual wisdom within your mind.
Says Nanak, in the second watch of the night, you have forgotten to meditate. ||2||
In the third watch of the night, O my merchant friend, your consciousness is focused on wealth and youth.
You have not remembered the Name of the Lord, O my merchant friend, although it would release you from bondage.
You do not remember the Name of the Lord, and you become confused by Maya.
Revelling in your riches and intoxicated with youth, you waste your life uselessly.
You have not traded in righteousness and Dharma; you have not made good deeds your friends.
Says Nanak, in the third watch of the night, your mind is attached to wealth and youth. ||3||
In the fourth watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the Grim Reaper comes to the field.
When the Messenger of Death seizes and dispatches you, O my merchant friend, no one knows the mystery of where you have gone.
So think of the Lord! No one knows this secret, of when the Messenger of Death will seize you and take you away.
All your weeping and wailing then is false. In an instant, you become a stranger.
You obtain exactly what you have longed for.
Says Nanak, in the fourth watch of the night, O mortal, the Grim Reaper has harvested your field. ||4||1||
Siree Raag, First Mehl:
In the first watch of the night, O my merchant friend, your innocent mind has a child-like understanding.
You drink milk, and you are fondled so gently, O my merchant friend. The mother and father love their child so much, but in Maya, all are caught in emotional attachment.
By the good fortune of good deeds done in the past, you have come, and now you perform actions to determine your future.
Without the Lord's Name, liberation is not obtained, and you are drowned in the love of duality.
Says Nanak, in the first watch of the night, O mortal, you shall be saved by remembering the Lord. ||1||
In the second watch of the night, O my merchant friend, you are intoxicated with the wine of youth and beauty.
Day and night, you are engrossed in sexual desire, O my merchant friend, and your consciousness is blind to the Naam.
The Lord's Name is not within your heart, but all sorts of other tastes seem sweet to you.
You have no wisdom at all, no meditation, no virtue or self-discipline; in falsehood, you are caught in the cycle of birth and death.
Pilgrimages, fasts, purification and self-discipline are of no use, nor are rituals, religious ceremonies or empty worship.
O Nanak, emancipation comes only by loving devotional worship; through duality, people are engrossed in duality. ||2||
In the third watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the swans, the white hairs, come and land upon the pool of the head.
Youth wears itself out, and old age triumphs, O my merchant friend; as time passes, your days diminish.

At the last moment, you repent-you are so blind!-when the Messenger of Death seizes you and carries you away.
You kept all your things for yourself, but in an instant, they are all lost.
Your intellect left you, your wisdom departed, and now you repent for the evil deeds you committed.
Says Nanak, O mortal, in the third watch of the night, let your consciousness be lovingly focused on God. ||3||
In the fourth watch of the night, O my merchant friend, your body grows old and weak.
Your eyes go blind, and cannot see, O my merchant friend, and your ears do not hear any words.
Your eyes go blind, and your tongue is unable to taste; you live only with the help of others.
With no virtue within, how can you find peace? The self-willed manmukh comes and goes in reincarnation.
When the crop of life has matured, it bends, breaks and perishes; why take pride in that which comes and goes?
Says Nanak, O mortal, in the fourth watch of the night, the Gurmukh recognizes the Word of the Shabad. ||4||
Your breath comes to its end, O my merchant friend, and your shoulders are weighed down by the tyrant of old age.
Not one iota of virtue came into you, O my merchant friend; bound and gagged by evil, you are driven along.
One who departs with virtue and self-discipline is not struck down, and is not consigned to the cycle of birth and death.
The Messenger of Death and his trap cannot touch him; through loving devotional worship, he crosses over the ocean of fear.
He departs with honor, and merges in intuitive peace and poise; all his pains depart.
Says Nanak, when the mortal becomes Gurmukh, he is saved and honored by the True Lord. ||5||2||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl:
In the first watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the Lord places you in the womb.
You meditate on the Lord, and chant the Lord's Name, O my merchant friend. You contemplate the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and meditating on it within the fire of the womb, your life is sustained by dwelling on the Naam.
You are born and you come out, and your mother and father are delighted to see your face.
Remember the One, O mortal, to whom the child belongs. As Gurmukh, reflect upon Him within your heart.
Says Nanak, O mortal, in the first watch of the night, dwell upon the Lord, who shall shower you with His Grace. ||1||
In the second watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the mind is attached to the love of duality.
Mother and father hug you close in their embrace, claiming, "He is mine, he is mine"; so is the child brought up, O my merchant friend.
Your mother and father constantly hug you close in their embrace; in their minds, they believe that you will provide for them and support them.
The fool does not know the One who gives; instead, he clings to the gift.
Rare is the Gurmukh who reflects upon, meditates upon, and within his mind, is lovingly attached to the Lord.
Says Nanak, in the second watch of the night, O mortal, death never devours you. ||2||
In the third watch of the night, O my merchant friend, your mind is entangled in worldly and household affairs.
You think of wealth, and gather wealth, O my merchant friend, but you do not contemplate the Lord or the Lord's Name.
You never dwell upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, who will be your only Helper and Support in the end.

This wealth, property and Maya are false. In the end, you must leave these, and depart in sorrow.
Those whom the Lord, in His Mercy, unites with the Guru, reflect upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Says Nanak, in the third watch of the night, O mortal, they go, and are united with the Lord. ||3||
In the fourth watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the Lord announces the time of departure.
Serve the Perfect True Guru, O my merchant friend; your entire life-night is passing away.
Serve the Lord each and every instant-do not delay! You shall become eternal throughout the ages.
Enjoy ecstasy forever with the Lord, and do away with the pains of birth and death.
Know that there is no difference between the Guru, the True Guru, and your Lord and Master. Meeting with Him, take pleasure in the Lord's devotional service.
Says Nanak, O mortal, in the fourth watch of the night, the life-night of the devotee is fruitful. ||4||1||3||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
In the first watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the Lord placed your soul in the womb.
In the tenth month, you were made into a human being, O my merchant friend, and you were given your allotted time to perform good deeds.
You were given this time to perform good deeds, according to your pre-ordained destiny.
God placed you with your mother, father, brothers, sons and wife.
God Himself is the Cause of causes, good and bad-no one has control over these things.
Says Nanak, O mortal, in the first watch of the night, the soul is placed in the womb. ||1||
In the second watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the fullness of youth rises in you like waves.
You do not distinguish between good and evil, O my merchant friend-your mind is intoxicated with ego.
Mortal beings do not distinguish between good and evil, and the road ahead is treacherous.
They never serve the Perfect True Guru, and the cruel tyrant Death stands over their heads.
When the Righteous Judge seizes you and interrogates you, O madman, what answer will you give him then?
Says Nanak, in the second watch of the night, O mortal, the fullness of youth tosses you about like waves in the storm. ||2||
In the third watch of the night, O my merchant friend, the blind and ignorant person gathers poison.
He is entangled in emotional attachment to his wife and sons, O my merchant friend, and deep within him, the waves of greed are rising up.
The waves of greed are rising up within him, and he does not remember God.
He does not join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and he suffers in terrible pain through countless incarnations.
He has forgotten the Creator, his Lord and Master, and he does not meditate on Him, even for an instant.
Says Nanak, in the third watch of the night, the blind and ignorant person gathers poison. ||3||
In the fourth watch of the night, O my merchant friend, that day is drawing near.
As Gurmukh, remember the Naam, O my merchant friend. It shall be your Friend in the Court of the Lord.
As Gurmukh, remember the Naam, O mortal; in the end, it shall be your only companion.

This emotional attachment to Maya shall not go with you; it is false to fall in love with it.
The entire night of your life has passed away in darkness; but by serving the True Guru, the Divine Light shall dawn within.
Says Nanak, O mortal, in the fourth watch of the night, that day is drawing near! ||4||
Receiving the summons from the Lord of the Universe, O my merchant friend, you must arise and depart with the actions you have committed.
You are not allowed a moment's delay, O my merchant friend; the Messenger of Death seizes you with firm hands.
Receiving the summons, people are seized and dispatched. The self-willed manmukhs are miserable forever.
But those who serve the Perfect True Guru are forever happy in the Court of the Lord.
The body is the field of karma in this age; whatever you plant, you shall harvest.
Says Nanak, the devotees look beautiful in the Court of the Lord; the self-willed manmukhs wander forever in reincarnation. ||5||1||4||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl, Second House, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
How can the ignorant soul-bride obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, while she is in this world of her father's home?
When the Lord Himself grants His Grace, the Gurmukh learns the duties of her Husband's Celestial Home.
The Gurmukh learns the duties of her Husband's Celestial Home; she meditates forever on the Lord, Har, Har.
She walks happily among her companions, and in the Lord's Court, she swings her arms joyfully.
Her account is cleared by the Righteous Judge of Dharma, when she chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The ignorant soul-bride becomes Gurmukh, and gains the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, while she is still in her father's house. ||1||
My marriage has been performed, O my father. As Gurmukh, I have found the Lord.
The darkness of ignorance has been dispelled. The Guru has revealed the blazing light of spiritual wisdom.
This spiritual wisdom given by the Guru shines forth, and the darkness has been dispelled. I have found the Priceless Jewel of the Lord.
The sickness of my ego has been dispelled, and my pain is over and done. Through the Guru's Teachings, my identity has consumed my identical identity.
I have obtained my Husband Lord, the Akaal Moorat, the Undying Form. He is Imperishable; He shall never die, and He shall never ever leave.
My marriage has been performed, O my father. As Gurmukh, I have found the Lord. ||2||
The Lord is the Truest of the True, O my father. Meeting with the humble servants of the Lord, the marriage procession looks beautiful.
She who chants the Lord's Name is happy in this world of her father's home, and in the next world of her Husband Lord, she shall be very beautiful.
In her Husband Lord's Celestial Home, she shall be most beautiful, if she has remembered the Naam in this world.
Fruitful are the lives of those who, as Gurmukh, have conquered their minds-they have won the game of life.
Joining with the humble Saints of the Lord, my actions bring prosperity, and I have obtained the Lord of Bliss as my Husband.
The Lord is the Truest of the True, O my father. Joining with the humble servants of the Lord, the marriage party has been embellished. ||3||
O my father, give me the Name of the Lord God as my wedding gift and dowry.

Give me the Lord as my wedding gown, and the Lord as my glory, to accomplish my works.
Through devotional worship to the Lord, this ceremony is made blissful and beautiful; the Guru, the True Guru, has given this gift.
Across the continents, and throughout the Universe, the Lord's Glory is pervading. This gift is not diminished by being diffused among all.
Any other dowry, which the self-willed manmukhs offer for show, is only false egotism and a worthless display.
O my father, please give me the Name of the Lord God as my wedding gift and dowry. ||4||
The Lord, Raam, Raam, is All-pervading, O my father. Meeting her Husband Lord, the soul-bride blossoms forth like the flourishing vine.
In age after age, through all the ages, forever and ever, those who belong to the Guru's Family shall prosper and increase.
Age after age, the Family of the True Guru shall increase. As Gurmukh, they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Almighty Lord never dies or goes away. Whatever He gives, keeps on increasing.
O Nanak, the One Lord is the Saint of Saints. Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the soul-bride is bountiful and beautiful.
The Lord, Raam, Raam, is All-pervading, O my father. Meeting her Husband Lord, the soul-bride blossoms forth like the flourishing vine. ||5||1||
Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O dear beloved mind, my friend, reflect upon the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
O dear beloved mind, my friend, the Lord shall always be with you.
The Name of the Lord shall be with you as your Helper and Support. Meditate on Him-no one who does so shall ever return empty-handed.
You shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires, by focusing your consciousness on the Lord's Lotus Feet.
He is totally pervading the water and the land; He is the Lord of the World-forest. Behold Him in exaltation in each and every heart.
Nanak gives this advice: O beloved mind, in the Company of the Holy, burn away your doubts. ||1||
O dear beloved mind, my friend, without the Lord, all outward show is false.
O dear beloved mind, my friend, the world is an ocean of poison.
Let the Lord's Lotus Feet be your Boat, so that pain and skepticism shall not touch you.
Meeting with the Perfect Guru, by great good fortune, meditate on God twenty-four hours a day.
From the very beginning, and throughout the ages, He is the Lord and Master of His servants. His Name is the Support of His devotees.
Nanak gives this advice: O beloved mind, without the Lord, all outward show is false. ||2||
O dear beloved mind, my friend, load the profitable cargo of the Lord's Name.
O dear beloved mind, my friend, enter through the eternal Door of the Lord.
One who serves at the Door of the Imperceptible and Unfathomable Lord, obtains this eternal position.
There is no birth or death there, no coming or going; anguish and anxiety are ended.
The accounts of Chitr and Gupt, the recording scribes of the conscious and the subconscious are torn up, and the Messenger of Death cannot do anything.
Nanak gives this advice: O beloved mind, load the profitable cargo of the Lord's Name. ||3||
O dear beloved mind, my friend, abide in the Society of the Saints.
O dear beloved mind, my friend, chanting the Lord's Name, the Divine Light shines within.
Remember your Lord and Master, who is easily obtained, and all desires shall be fulfilled.

By my past actions, I have found the Lord, the Greatest Lover. Separated from Him for so long, I am united with Him again.
Inside and out, He is pervading everywhere. Faith in Him has welled up within my mind.
Nanak gives this advice: O beloved mind, let the Society of the Saints be your dwelling. ||4||
O dear beloved mind, my friend, let your mind remain absorbed in loving devotion to the Lord.
O dear beloved mind, my friend, the fish of the mind lives only when it is immersed in the Water of the Lord.
Drinking in the Lord's Ambrosial Bani, the mind is satisfied, and all pleasures come to abide within.
Attaining the Lord of Excellence, I sing the Songs of Joy. The True Guru, becoming merciful, has fulfilled my desires.
He has attached me to the hem of His robe, and I have obtained the nine treasures. My Lord and Master has bestowed His Name, which is everything to me.
Nanak instructs the Saints to teach, that the mind is imbued with loving devotion to the Lord. ||5||1||2||
Chhants Of Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Dakhanaa:
My Beloved Husband Lord is deep within my heart. How can I see Him?
In the Sanctuary of the Saints, O Nanak, the Support of the breath of life is found. ||1||
Chhant:
To love the Lotus Feet of the Lord-this way of life has come into the minds of His Saints.
The love of duality, this evil practice, this bad habit, is not liked by the Lord's slaves.
It is not pleasing to the Lord's slaves; without the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, how can they find peace, even for a moment?
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the body and mind are empty; like fish out of water, they die.
Please meet with me, O my Beloved-You are the Support of my breath of life. Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
O Lord and Master of Nanak, please grant Your Grace, and permeate my body, mind and being. ||1||
DAKHANAA:
He is Beautiful in all places; I do not see any other at all.
Meeting with the True Guru, O Nanak, the doors are opened wide. ||1||
Chhant:
Your Word is Incomparable and Infinite. I contemplate the Word of Your Bani, the Support of the Saints.
I remember Him in meditation with every breath and morsel of food, with perfect faith. How could I forget Him from my mind?
How could I forget Him from my mind, even for an instant? He is the Most Worthy; He is my very life!
My Lord and Master is the Giver of the fruits of the mind's desires. He knows all the useless vanities and pains of the soul.
Meditating on the Patron of lost souls, the Companion of all, your life shall not be lost in the gamble.
Nanak offers this prayer to God: Please shower me with Your Mercy, and carry me across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
DAKHANAA:
People bathe in the dust of the feet of the Saints, when the Lord becomes merciful.
I have obtained all things, O Nanak; the Lord is my Wealth and Property. ||1||
Chhant:
My Lord and Master's Home is beautiful. It is the resting place of His devotees, who live in hopes of attaining it.
Their minds and bodies are absorbed in meditation on the Name of God; they drink in the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar.

They drink in the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar, and become eternally stable. They know that the water of corruption is insipid and tasteless.
When my God, the Lord of the Universe became merciful, I came to look upon the Saadh Sangat as the treasure.
All pleasures and supreme ecstasy, O my Beloved, come to those who sew the Jewel of the Lord into their minds.
They do not forget, even for an instant, the Support of the breath of life. They live by constantly meditating on Him, O Nanak. ||3||
DAKHANAA:
O Lord, You meet and merge with those whom you have made Your Own.
You Yourself are entranced, O Nanak, hearing Your Own Praises. ||1||
Chhant:
Administering the intoxicating drug of love, I have won over the Lord of the Universe; I have fascinated His Mind.
By the Grace of the Saints, I am held in the loving embrace of the Unfathomable Lord, and I am entranced.
Held in the Lord's loving embrace, I look beautiful, and all my pains have been dispelled. By the loving worship of His devotees, the Lord has come under their power.
All pleasures have come to dwell in the mind; the Lord of the Universe is pleased and appeased. Birth and death have been totally eliminated.
O my companions, sing the Songs of Joy. My desires have been fulfilled, and I shall never again be trapped or shaken by Maya.
Taking hold of my hand, O Nanak, my Beloved God will not let me be swallowed up by the world-ocean. ||4||
DAKHANAA:
The Master's Name is Priceless; no one knows its value.
Those who have good destiny recorded upon their foreheads, O Nanak, enjoy the Love of the Lord. ||1||
Chhant:
Those who chant are sanctified. All those who listen are blessed, and those who write save their ancestors.
Those who join the Saadh Sangat are imbued with the Lord's Love; they reflect and meditate on God.
Contemplating God, their lives are reformed and redeemed; God has showered His Perfect Mercy upon them.
Taking them by the hand, the Lord has blessed them with His Praises. They no longer have to wander in reincarnation, and they never have to die.
Through the Kind and Compassionate True Guru, I have met the Lord; I have conquered sexual desire, anger and greed.
Our Indescribable Lord and Master cannot be described. Nanak is devoted, forever a sacrifice to Him. ||5||1||3||
Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl, Vanajaaraa ~ The Merchant: One Universal CREATOR GOD. TRUTH IS THE NAME. BY GURU'S GRACE:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. By Guru's Grace:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Excellent and Sublime. He created everyone.
The Lord cherishes all beings. He permeates each and every heart.
Meditate forever on that Lord. Without Him, there is no other at all.
Those who focus their consciousness on emotional attachment to Maya must leave; they depart crying out in despair.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, his only Companion in the end. ||1||
I have none other than You, O Lord.
In the Guru's Sanctuary, the Lord is found, O my merchant friend; by great good fortune, He is obtained. ||1||Pause||

Without the humble Saints, O Siblings of Destiny, no one has obtained the Lord's Name.
Those who do their deeds in ego are like the prostitute's son, who has no name.
The father's status is obtained only if the Guru is pleased and bestows His Favor.
By great good fortune, the Guru is found; embrace love for the Lord, day and night.
Servant Nanak has realized God; he sings the Lord's Praises through the actions he does. ||2||
In my mind there is such a deep yearning for the Lord, Har, Har.
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Naam within me; I have found the Lord through the Lord God's Name. ||1||Pause||
As long as there is youth and health, meditate on the Naam.
Along the way, the Lord shall go along with you, and in the end, He shall save you.
I am a sacrifice to those, within whose minds the Lord has come to dwell.
Those who have not remembered the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, shall leave with regret in the end.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny written upon their foreheads, O servant Nanak, meditate on the Naam. ||3||
O my mind, embrace love for the Lord, Har, Har.
By great good fortune, the Guru is found; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we are carried across to the other side. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself creates, He Himself gives and takes away.
The Lord Himself leads us astray in doubt; the Lord Himself imparts understanding.
The minds of the Gurmukhs are illuminated and enlightened; they are so very rare.
I am a sacrifice to those who find the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings.
Servant Nanak's heart-lotus has blossomed forth, and the Lord, Har, Har, has come to dwell in the mind. ||4||
O mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Hurry to the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Guru, O my soul; all your sins shall be taken away. ||1||Pause||
The All-pervading Lord dwells within each and every person's heart-how can He be obtained?
By meeting the Perfect Guru, the True Guru, the Lord comes to dwell within the conscious mind.
The Naam is my Support and Sustenance. From the Lord's Name, I obtain salvation and understanding.
My faith is in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. The Lord's Name is my status and honor.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He is dyed in the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love. ||5||
Meditate on the Lord, the True Lord God.
Through the Guru's Word, you shall come to know the Lord God. From the Lord God, everything was created. ||1||Pause||
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, come to the Guru and meet Him.
They love to serve, O my merchant friend, and through the Guru, they are illuminated by the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Blessed, blessed is the trade of those traders who have loaded the merchandise of the Wealth of the Lord.
The faces of the Gurmukhs are radiant in the Court of the Lord; they come to the Lord and merge with Him.
O servant Nanak, they alone find the Guru, with whom the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence, is pleased. ||6||
Meditate on the Lord, with every breath and morsel of food.
The Gurmukhs embrace the Love of the Lord in their minds; they are continually occupied with the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||1||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Vaar Of Siree Raag, Fourth Mehl, With Shaloks:
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Among the ragas, Siree Raag is the best, if it inspires you to enshrine love for the True Lord.
The True Lord comes to abide forever in the mind, and your understanding becomes steady and unequalled.
The priceless jewel is obtained, by contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The tongue becomes true, the mind becomes true, and the body becomes true as well.
O Nanak, forever true are the dealings of those who serve the True Guru. ||1||
Third Mehl:
All other loves are transitory, as long as people do not love their Lord and Master.
This mind is enticed by Maya-it cannot see or hear.
Without seeing her Husband Lord, love does not well up; what can the blind person do?
O Nanak, the True One who takes away the eyes of spiritual wisdom-He alone can restore them. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord alone is the One Creator; there is only the One Court of the Lord.
The One Lord's Command is the One and Only-enshrine the One Lord in your consciousness.
Without that Lord, there is no other at all. Remove your fear, doubt and dread.
Praise that Lord who protects you, inside your home, and outside as well.
When that Lord becomes merciful, and one comes to chant the Lord's Name, one swims across the ocean of fear. ||1||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The gifts belong to our Lord and Master; how can we compete with Him?
Some remain awake and aware, and do not receive these gifts, while others are awakened from their sleep to be blessed. ||1||
First Mehl:
Faith, contentment and tolerance are the food and provisions of the angels.
They obtain the Perfect Vision of the Lord, while those who gossip find no place of rest. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself created all; You Yourself delegate the tasks.
You Yourself are pleased, beholding Your Own Glorious Greatness.
O Lord, there is nothing at all beyond You. You are the True Lord.
You Yourself are contained in all places.
Meditate on that Lord, O Saints; He shall rescue and save you. ||2||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Pride in social status is empty; pride in personal glory is useless.
The One Lord gives shade to all beings.
You may call yourself good;
O Nanak, this will only be known when your honor is approved in God's Account. ||1||
Second Mehl:
Die before the one whom you love;
to live after he dies is to live a worthless life in this world. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself created the earth, and the two lamps of the sun and the moon.
You created the fourteen world-shops, in which Your Business is transacted.
The Lord bestows His Profits on those who become Gurmukh.
The Messenger of Death does not touch those who drink in the True Ambrosial Nectar.
They themselves are saved, along with their family, and all those who follow them are saved as well. ||3||
Shalok, First Mehl:
He created the Creative Power of the Universe, within which He dwells.

One who reflects upon his allotted span of life, becomes the slave of God.
The value of the Creative Power of the Universe cannot be known.
Even if its value were known, it could not be described.
Some think about religious rituals and regulations,
but without understanding, how can they cross over to the other side?
Let sincere faith be your bowing in prayer, and let the conquest of your mind be your objective in life.
Wherever I look, there I see God's Presence. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Society of the Guru is not obtained like this, by trying to be near or far away.
O Nanak, you shall meet the True Guru, if your mind remains in His Presence. ||2||
Pauree:
The seven islands, seven seas, nine continents, four Vedas and eighteen Puraanas
-O Lord, You pervade and permeate all. Lord, everyone loves You.
All beings and creatures meditate on You, Lord. You hold the earth in Your Hands.
I am a sacrifice to those Gurmukhs who worship and adore the Lord.
You Yourself are All-pervading; You stage this wondrous drama! ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Why ask for a pen, and why ask for ink? Write within your heart.
Remain immersed forever in the Love of your Lord and Master, and your love for Him shall never break.
Pen and ink shall pass away, along with what has been written.
O Nanak, the Love of your Husband Lord shall never perish. The True Lord has bestowed it, as it was pre-ordained. ||1||
Third Mehl:
That which is seen, shall not go along with you. What does it take to make you see this?
The True Guru has implanted the True Name within; remain lovingly absorbed in the True One.
O Nanak, the Word of His Shabad is True. By His Grace, it is obtained. ||2||
Pauree:
O Lord, You are inside and outside as well. You are the Knower of secrets.
Whatever anyone does, the Lord knows. O my mind, think of the Lord.
The one who commits sins lives in fear, while the one who lives righteously rejoices.
O Lord, You Yourself are True, and True is Your Justice. Why should anyone be afraid?
O Nanak, those who recognize the True Lord are blended with the True One. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Burn the pen, and burn the ink; burn the paper as well.
Burn the writer who writes in the love of duality.
O Nanak, people do what is pre-ordained; they cannot do anything else. ||1||
Third Mehl:
False is other reading, and false is other speaking, in the love of Maya.
O Nanak, without the Name, nothing is permanent; those who read and read are ruined. ||2||
Pauree:
Great is the Greatness of the Lord, and the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Great is the Greatness of the Lord; His Justice is totally Righteous.
Great is the Greatness of the Lord; people receive the fruits of the soul.
Great is the Greatness of the Lord; He does not hear the words of the back-biters.
Great is the Greatness of the Lord; He gives His Gifts without being asked. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who act in ego shall all die. Their worldly possessions shall not go along with them.
Because of their love of duality, they suffer in pain. The Messenger of Death is watching all.

O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved, by contemplating the True Name. ||1||
First Mehl:
We are good at talking, but our actions are bad.
Mentally, we are impure and black, but outwardly, we appear white.
We imitate those who stand and serve at the Lord's Door.
They are attuned to the Love of their Husband Lord, and they experience the pleasure of His Love.
They remain powerless, even while they have power; they remain humble and meek.
O Nanak, our lives become profitable if we associate with them. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself are the water, You Yourself are the fish, and You Yourself are the net.
You Yourself cast the net, and You Yourself are the bait.
You Yourself are the lotus, unaffected and still brightly-colored in hundreds of feet of water.
You Yourself liberate those who think of You for even an instant.
O Lord, nothing is beyond You. I am delighted to behold You, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who does not know the Hukam of the Lord's Command cries out in terrible pain.
She is filled with deception, and she cannot sleep in peace.
But if the soul-bride follows the Will of her Lord and Master, she shall be honored in her own home, and called to the Mansion of His Presence.
O Nanak, by His Mercy, this understanding is obtained.
By Guru's Grace, she is absorbed into the True One. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O self-willed manmukh, devoid of the Naam, do not be misled upon beholding the color of the safflower.
Its color lasts for only a few days-it is worthless!
Attached to duality, the foolish, blind and stupid people waste away and die.
Like worms, they live in manure, and in it, they die over and over again.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are dyed in the color of truth; they take on the intuitive peace and poise of the Guru.
The color of devotional worship does not fade away; they remain intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
You created the entire universe, and You Yourself bring sustenance to it.
Some eat and survive by practicing fraud and deceit; from their mouths they drop falsehood and lies.
As it pleases You, You assign them their tasks.
Some understand Truthfulness; they are given the inexhaustible treasure.
Those who eat by remembering the Lord are prosperous, while those who do not remember Him stretch out their hands in need. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Pandits, the religious scholars, constantly read and recite the Vedas, for the sake of the love of Maya.
In the love of duality, the foolish people have forgotten the Lord's Name; they shall receive their punishment.
They never think of the One who gave them body and soul, who provides sustenance to all.
The noose of death shall not be cut away from their necks; they shall come and go in reincarnation over and over again.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not understand anything. They do what they are pre-ordained to do.
Through perfect destiny, they meet the True Guru, the Giver of peace, and the Naam comes to abide in the mind.
They enjoy peace, they wear peace, and they pass their lives in the peace of peace.
O Nanak, they do not forget the Naam from the mind; they are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Serving the True Guru, peace is obtained. The True Name is the Treasure of Excellence.

Follow the Guru's Teachings, and recognize your own self; the Divine Light of the Lord's Name shall shine within.
The true ones practice Truth; greatness rests in the Great Lord.
Body, soul and all things belong to the Lord-praise Him, and offer your prayers to Him.
Sing the Praises of the True Lord through the Word of His Shabad, and you shall abide in the peace of peace.
You may practice chanting, penance and austere self-discipline within your mind, but without the Name, life is useless.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Name is obtained, while the self-willed manmukh wastes away in emotional attachment.
Please protect me, by the Pleasure of Your Will. Nanak is Your slave. ||2||
Pauree:
All are Yours, and You belong to all. You are the wealth of all.
Everyone begs from You, and all offer prayers to You each day.
Those, unto whom You give, receive everything. You are far away from some, and You are close to others.
Without You, there is not even a place to stand begging. See this yourself and verify it in your mind.
All praise You, O Lord; at Your Door, the Gurmukhs are enlightened. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read and read, and shout out loud, but they are attached to the love of Maya.
They do not recognize God within themselves-they are so foolish and ignorant!
In the love of duality, they try to teach the world, but they do not understand meditative contemplation.
They lose their lives uselessly; they die, only to be re-born, over and over again. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those who serve the True Guru obtain the Name. Reflect on this and understand.
Eternal peace and joy abide in their minds; they abandon their cries and complaints.
Their identity consumes their identical identity, and their minds become pure by contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, attuned to the Shabad, they are liberated. They love their Beloved Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Service to the Lord is fruitful; through it, the Gurmukh is honored and approved.
That person, with whom the Lord is pleased, meets with the Guru, and meditates on the Name of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord is found. The Lord carries us across.
Through stubborn-mindedness, none have found Him; go and consult the Vedas on this.
O Nanak, he alone serves the Lord, whom the Lord attaches to Himself. ||10||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, he is a brave warrior, who conquers and subdues his vicious inner ego.
Praising the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Gurmukhs redeem their lives.
They themselves are liberated forever, and they save all their ancestors.
Those who love the Naam look beauteous at the Gate of Truth.
The self-willed manmukhs die in egotism-even their death is painfully ugly.
Everything happens according to the Lord's Will; what can the poor people do?
Attached to self-conceit and duality, they have forgotten their Lord and Master.
O Nanak, without the Name, everything is painful, and happiness is forgotten. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Name of the Lord within me. It has dispelled my doubts from within.
I sing the Lord's Name and the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises; the Divine Light shines, and now I see the Way.
Conquering my ego, I am lovingly focused on the One Lord; the Naam has come to dwell within me.

Following the Guru's Teachings, I cannot be touched by the Messenger of Death. I am absorbed in the True Name.
The Creator Himself is All-pervading everywhere; He links those with whom He is pleased to His Name.
Servant Nanak chants the Naam, and so he lives. Without the Name, he would die in an instant. ||2||
Pauree:
One who is accepted at the Court of the Lord shall be accepted in courts everywhere.
Wherever he goes, he is recognized as honorable. Seeing his face, all sinners are saved.
Within him is the Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Through the Naam, he is exalted.
He worships the Name, and believes in the Name; the Name erases all his sinful mistakes.
Those who meditate on the Name, with one-pointed mind and focused consciousness, remain forever stable in the world. ||11||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Worship the Divine, Supreme Soul, with the intuitive peace and poise of the Guru.
If the individual soul has faith in the Supreme Soul, then it shall obtain realization within its own home.
The soul becomes steady, and does not waver, by the natural inclination of the Guru's Loving Will.
Without the Guru, intuitive wisdom does not come, and the filth of greed does not depart from within.
If the Lord's Name abides within the mind, for a moment, even for an instant, it is like bathing at all the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Filth does not stick to those who are true, but filth attaches itself to those who love duality.
This filth cannot be washed off, even by bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
The self-willed manmukh does deeds in egotism; he earns only pain and more pain.
O Nanak, the filthy ones become clean only when they meet and surrender to the True Guru. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs may be taught, but how can they really be taught?
The manmukhs do not fit in at all. Because of their past actions, they are condemned to the cycle of reincarnation.
Loving attention to the Lord and attachment to Maya are the two separate ways; all act according to the Hukam of the Lord's Command.
The Gurmukh has conquered his own mind, by applying the Touchstone of the Shabad.
He fights with his mind, he settles with his mind, and he is at peace with his mind.
All obtain the desires of their minds, through the Love of the True Word of the Shabad.
They drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam forever; this is how the Gurmukhs act.
Those who struggle with something other than their own mind, shall depart having wasted their lives.
The self-willed manmukhs, through stubborn-mindedness and the practice of falsehood, lose the game of life.
Those who conquer their own mind, by Guru's Grace, lovingly focus their attention on the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs practice Truth, while the self-willed manmukhs continue coming and going in reincarnation. ||2||
Pauree:
O Saints of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, listen, and hear the Lord's Teachings, through the True Guru.
Those who have good destiny pre-ordained and inscribed on their foreheads, grasp it and keep it enshrined in the heart.
Through the Guru's Teachings, they intuitively taste the sublime, exquisite and ambrosial sermon of the Lord.
The Divine Light shines in their hearts, and like the sun which removes the darkness of night, it dispels the darkness of ignorance.
As Gurmukh, they behold with their eyes the Unseen, Imperceptible, Unknowable, Immaculate Lord. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:

Those who serve their True Guru are certified and accepted.
They eradicate selfishness and conceit from within; they remain lovingly absorbed in the True One.
Those who do not serve the True Guru waste away their lives in vain.
O Nanak, the Lord does just as He pleases. No one has any say in this. ||1||
Third Mehl:
With the mind encircled by wickedness and evil, people do evil deeds.
The ignorant worship the love of duality; in the Lord's Court they shall be punished.
So worship the Lord, the Light of the soul; without the True Guru, understanding is not obtained.
Meditation, penance and austere self-discipline are found by surrendering to the True Guru's Will. By His Grace this is received.
O Nanak, serve with this intuitive awareness; only that which is pleasing to the Lord is approved. ||2||
Pauree:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind; it will bring you eternal peace, day and night.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind; meditating on it, all sins and misdeeds shall be erased.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind; through it, all poverty, pain and hunger shall be removed.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind; as Gurmukh, declare your love.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead by the True Lord, chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||13||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who do not serve the True Guru, and who do not contemplate the Word of the Shabad
-spiritual wisdom does not enter into their hearts; they are like dead bodies in the world.
They go through the cycle of 8.4 million reincarnations, and they are ruined through death and rebirth.
He alone serves the True Guru, whom the Lord Himself inspires to do so.
The Treasure of the Naam is within the True Guru; by His Grace, it is obtained.
Those who are truly attuned to the Word of the Guru's Shabad-their love is forever True.
O Nanak, those who are united with Him shall not be separated again. They merge imperceptibly into God. ||1||
Third Mehl:
One who knows the Benevolent Lord God is the true devotee of Bhagaautee.
By Guru's Grace, he is self-realized.
He restrains his wandering mind, and brings it back to its own home within the self.
He remains dead while yet alive, and he chants the Name of the Lord.
Such a Bhagaautee is most exalted.
O Nanak, he merges into the True One. ||2||
Third Mehl:
He is full of deceit, and yet he calls himself a devotee of Bhagaautee.
Through hypocrisy, he shall never attain the Supreme Lord God.
He slanders others, and pollutes himself with his own filth.
Outwardly, he washes off the filth, but the impurity of his mind does not go away.
He argues with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Night and day, he suffers, engrossed in the love of duality.
He does not remember the Name of the Lord, but still, he performs all sorts of empty rituals.
That which is pre-ordained cannot be erased.
O Nanak, without serving the True Guru, liberation is not obtained. ||3||
Pauree:
Those who meditate on the True Guru shall not be burnt to ashes.
Those who meditate on the True Guru are satisfied and fulfilled.
Those who meditate on the True Guru are not afraid of the Messenger of Death.

Those upon whom the Lord showers His Mercy, fall at the Feet of the True Guru.
Here and hereafter, their faces are radiant; they go to the Lord's Court in robes of honor. ||14||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Chop off that head which does not bow to the Lord.
O Nanak, that human body, in which there is no pain of separation from the Lord-take that body and burn it. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Forgetting the Primal Lord, O Nanak, people are born and die, over and over again.
Mistaking it for musk, they have fallen into the stinking pit of filth. ||2||
Pauree:
Meditate on that Name of the Lord, O my mind, whose Command rules over all.
Chant that Name of the Lord, O my mind, which will save you at the very last moment.
Chant that Name of the Lord, O my mind, which shall drive out all hunger and desire from your mind.
Very fortunate and blessed is that Gurmukh who chants the Naam; it shall bring all slanderers and wicked enemies to fall at his feet.
O Nanak, worship and adore the Naam, the Greatest Name of all, before which all come and bow. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
She may wear good clothes, but the bride is ugly and rude; her mind is false and impure.
She does not walk in harmony with the Will of her Husband Lord. Instead, she foolishly gives Him orders.
But she who walks in harmony with the Guru's Will, shall be spared all pain and suffering.
That destiny which was pre-ordained by the Creator cannot be erased.
She must dedicate her mind and body to her Husband Lord, and enshrine love for the Word of the Shabad.
Without His Name, no one has found Him; see this and reflect upon it in your heart.
O Nanak, she is beautiful and graceful; the Creator Lord ravishes and enjoys her. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Attachment to Maya is an ocean of darkness; neither this shore nor the one beyond can be seen.
The ignorant, self-willed manmukhs suffer in terrible pain; they forget the Lord's Name and drown.
They arise in the morning and perform all sorts of rituals, but they are caught in the love of duality.
Those who serve the True Guru cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs keep the True Name enshrined in their hearts; they are absorbed into the True One. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord pervades and permeates the water, the land and the sky; there is no other at all.
The Lord Himself sits upon His Throne and administers justice. He beats and drives out the false-hearted.
The Lord bestows glorious greatness upon those who are truthful. He administers righteous justice.
So praise the Lord, everybody; He protects the poor and the lost souls.
He honors the righteous and punishes the sinners. ||16||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh, the foolish bride, is a filthy, rude and evil wife.
Forsaking her Husband Lord and leaving her own home, she gives her love to another.
Her desires are never satisfied, and she burns and cries out in pain.
O Nanak, without the Name, she is ugly and ungraceful. She is abandoned and left behind by her Husband Lord. ||1||

Third Mehl:
The happy soul-bride is attuned to the Word of the Shabad; she is in love with the True Guru.
She continually enjoys and ravishes her Beloved, with true love and affection.
She is such a loveable, beautiful and noble woman.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the happy soul-bride unites with the Lord of Union. ||2||
Pauree:
Lord, everyone sings Your Praises. You have freed us from bondage.
Lord, everyone bows in reverence to You. You have saved us from our sinful ways.
Lord, You are the Honor of the dishonored. Lord, You are the Strongest of the strong.
The Lord beats down the egocentrics and corrects the foolish, self-willed manmukhs.
The Lord bestows glorious greatness on His devotees, the poor, and the lost souls. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru, obtains the greatest glory.
The Exalted Name of the Lord abides in his mind, and no one can take it away.
That person, upon whom the Lord bestows His Grace, receives His Mercy.
O Nanak, creativity is under the control of the Creator; how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, realize this! ||1||
Third Mehl:
O Nanak, those who worship and adore the Lord's Name night and day, vibrate the String of the Lord's Love.
Maya, the maid-servant of our Lord and Master, serves them.
The Perfect One has made them perfect; by the Hukam of His Command, they are embellished.
By Guru's Grace, they understand Him, and they find the gate of salvation.
The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Lord's Command; they are beaten down by the Messenger of Death.
But the Gurmukhs, who worship and adore the Lord, cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
All their demerits are erased, and replaced with merits. The Guru Himself is their Forgiver. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord's devotees have faith in Him. The Lord knows everything.
No one is as great a Knower as the Lord; the Lord administers righteous justice.
Why should we feel any burning anxiety, since the Lord does not punish without just cause?
True is the Master, and True is His Justice; only the sinners are defeated.
O devotees, praise the Lord with your palms pressed together; the Lord saves His humble devotees. ||18||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Oh, if only I could meet my Beloved, and keep Him enshrined deep within my heart!
I praise that God forever and ever, through love and affection for the Guru.
O Nanak, that one upon whom He bestows His Glance of Grace is united with Him; such a person is the true soul-bride of the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Serving the Guru, the Lord is obtained, when He bestows His Glance of Grace.
They are transformed from humans into angels, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
They conquer their egotism and merge with the Lord; they are saved through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, they merge imperceptibly into the Lord, who has bestowed His Favor upon them. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord Himself inspires us to worship Him; He reveals His Glorious Greatness.
He Himself inspires us to place our faith in Him. Thus He performs His Own Service.

The Lord bestows bliss upon His devotees, and gives them a seat in the eternal home.
He does not give the sinners any stability or place of rest; He consigns them to the depths of hell.
The Lord blesses His devotees with His Love; He sides with them and saves them. ||19||
Shalok, First Mehl:
False-mindedness is the drummer-woman; cruelty is the butcheress; slander of others in one's heart is the cleaning-woman, and deceitful anger is the outcast-woman.
What good are the ceremonial lines drawn around your kitchen, when these four are seated there with you?
Make Truth your self-discipline, and make good deeds the lines you draw; make chanting the Name your cleansing bath.
O Nanak, those who do not walk in the ways of sin, shall be exalted in the world hereafter. ||1||
First Mehl:
Which is the swan, and which is the crane? It is only by His Glance of Grace.
Whoever is pleasing to Him, O Nanak, is transformed from a crow into a swan. ||2||
Pauree:
Whatever work you wish to accomplish-tell it to the Lord.
He will resolve your affairs; the True Guru gives His Guarantee of Truth.
In the Society of the Saints, you shall taste the treasure of the Ambrosial Nectar.
The Lord is the Merciful Destroyer of fear; He preserves and protects His slaves.
O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and see the Unseen Lord God. ||20||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Body and soul, all belong to Him. He gives His Support to all.
O Nanak, become Gurmukh and serve Him, who is forever and ever the Giver.
I am a sacrifice to those who meditate on the Formless Lord.
Their faces are forever radiant, and the whole world bows in reverence to them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Meeting the True Guru, I am totally transformed; I have obtained the nine treasures to use and consume.
The Siddhis-the eighteen supernatural spiritual powers-follow in my footsteps; I dwell in my own home, within my own self.
The Unstruck Melody constantly vibrates within; my mind is exalted and uplifted-I am lovingly absorbed in the Lord.
O Nanak, devotion to the Lord abides within the minds of those who have such pre-ordained destiny written on their foreheads. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a minstrel of the Lord God, my Lord and Master; I have come to the Lord's Door.
The Lord has heard my sad cries from within; He has called me, His minstrel, into His Presence.
The Lord called His minstrel in, and asked, "Why have you come here?"
"O Merciful God, please grant me the gift of continual meditation on the Lord's Name."
And so the Lord, the Great Giver, inspired Nanak to chant the Lord's Name, and blessed him with robes of honor. ||21||1||Sudh||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Siree Raag, Kabeer Jee: To Be Sung To The Tune Of "Ayk Su-Aan" :
The mother thinks that her son is growing up; she does not understand that, day by day, his life is diminishing.
Calling him, "Mine, mine", she fondles him lovingly, while the Messenger of Death looks on and laughs. ||1||

You have misled the world so deeply in doubt.
How can people understand You, when they are entranced by Maya? ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, give up the pleasures of corruption, or else you will surely die of them.
Meditate on the Lord, O mortal being, through the Word of His Bani; you shall be blessed with eternal life. In this way, shall you cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
As it pleases Him, people embrace love for the Lord,
and doubt and delusion are dispelled from within.
Intuitive peace and poise well up within, and the intellect is awakened to spiritual wisdom.
By Guru's Grace, the inner being is touched by the Lord's Love. ||3||
In this association, there is no death.
Recognizing the Hukam of His Command, you shall meet with your Lord and Master. ||1||Second Pause||
Siree Raag, Trilochan:
The mind is totally attached to Maya; the mortal has forgotten his fear of old age and death.
Gazing upon his family, he blossoms forth like the lotus flower; the deceitful person watches and covets the homes of others. ||1||
When the powerful Messenger of Death comes, no one can stand against his awesome power.
Rare, very rare, is that friend who comes and says,
"O my Beloved, take me into Your Embrace! O my Lord, please save me!"||1||Pause||
Indulging in all sorts of princely pleasures, O mortal, you have forgotten God; you have fallen into the world-ocean, and you think that you have become immortal.
Cheated and plundered by Maya, you do not think of God, and you waste your life in laziness. ||2||
The path you must walk is treacherous and terrifying, O mortal; neither the sun nor the moon shine there.
Your emotional attachment to Maya will be forgotten, when you have to leave this world. ||3||
Today, it became clear to my mind that the Righteous Judge of Dharma is watching us.
His messengers, with their awesome power, crush people between their hands; I cannot stand against them. ||4||
If someone is going to teach me something, let it be that the Lord is pervading the forests and fields.
O Dear Lord, You Yourself know everything; so prays Trilochan, Lord. ||5||2||
Siree Raag, Devotee Kabeer Jee:
Listen, O religious scholar: the One Lord alone is Wondrous; no one can describe Him.
He fascinates the angels, the celestial singers and the heavenly musicians; he has strung the three worlds upon His Thread. ||1||
The Unstruck Melody of the Sovereign Lord's Harp vibrates;
by His Glance of Grace, we are lovingly attuned to the Sound-current of the Naad. ||1||Pause||
The Tenth Gate of my crown chakra is the distilling fire, and the channels of the Ida and Pingala are the funnels, to pour in and empty out the golden vat.
Into that vat, there trickles a gentle stream of the most sublime and pure essence of all distilled essences. ||2||
Something wonderful has happened-the breath has become the cup.
In all the three worlds, such a Yogi is unique. What king can compare to him? ||3||
This spiritual wisdom of God, the Supreme Soul, has illuminated my being. Says Kabeer, I am attuned to His Love.
All the rest of the world is deluded by doubt, while my mind is intoxicated with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||4||3||

Sree Raag, The Word Of Devotee Baynee Jee:
TO BE SUNG TO THE TUNE OF "PEHRAY":
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O man, when you were coiled in the cradle of the womb, upside-down, you were absorbed in meditation.
You took no pride in your perishable body; night and day were all the same to you-you lived unknowing, in the silence of the void.
Remember the terrible pain and suffering of those days, now that you have spread out the net of your consciousness far and wide.
Leaving the womb, you entered this mortal world; you have forgotten the Lord from your mind. ||1||
Later, you will regret and repent-you fool! Why are you engrossed in evil-mindedness and skepticism?
Think of the Lord, or else you shall be led to the City of Death. Why are you wandering around, out of control? ||1||Pause||
You play like a child, craving sweets; moment by moment, you become more entangled in emotional attachment.
Tasting good and bad, you eat nectar and then poison, and then the five passions appear and torture you.
Abandoning meditation, penance and self-restraint, and the wisdom of good actions, you do not worship and adore the Lord's Name.
You are overflowing with sexual desire, and your intellect is stained with darkness; you are held in the grip of Shakti's power. ||2||
In the heat of youthful passion, you look with desire upon the faces of other men's wives; you do not distinguish between good and evil.
Drunk with sexual desire and other great sins, you go astray, and do not distinguish between vice and virtue.
Gazing upon your children and your property, your mind is proud and arrogant; you cast out the Lord from your heart.
When others die, you measure your own wealth in your mind; you waste your life in the pleasures of the mouth and sexual organs. ||3||
Your hair is whiter than the jasmine flower, and your voice has grown feeble, as if it comes from the seventh underworld.
Your eyes water, and your intellect and strength have left you; but still, your sexual desire churns and drives you on.
And so, your intellect has dried up through corruption, and the lotus flower of your body has wilted and withered.
You have forsaken the Bani, the Word of the Immortal Lord, in this mortal world; in the end, you shall regret and repent. ||4||
Gazing upon the tiny bodies of your children, love has welled up within your heart; you are proud of them, but you do not understand.
You long for the dignity of a long life, but your eyes can no longer see anything.
Your light has gone out, and the bird of your mind has flown away; you are no longer welcome in your own home and courtyard.
Says Baynee, listen, O devotee: who has ever attained liberation after such a death? ||5||
Sree Raag:
You are me, and I am You-what is the difference between us?
We are like gold and the bracelet, or water and the waves. ||1||
If I did not commit any sins, O Infinite Lord,
how would You have acquired the name, 'Redeemer of sinners'? ||1||Pause||
You are my Master, the Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts.
The servant is known by his God, and the Lord and Master is known by His servant. ||2||
Grant me the wisdom to worship and adore You with my body.
O Ravi Daas, one who understands that the Lord is equally in all, is very rare. ||3||

Raag Maajh, Chau-Padas, First House, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. The Name Is Truth. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind.
By great good fortune, I meditate on the Lord's Name.
The Perfect Guru has attained spiritual perfection in the Name of the Lord. How rare are those who follow the Guru's Teachings. ||1||
I have loaded my pack with the provisions of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Companion of my breath of life shall always be with me.
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Lord's Name within me. I have the Imperishable Treasure of the Lord in my lap. ||2||
The Lord, Har, Har, is my Best Friend; He is my Beloved Lord King.
If only someone would come and introduce me to Him, the Rejuvenator of my breath of life.
I cannot survive without seeing my Beloved. My eyes are welling up with tears. ||3||
My Friend, the True Guru, has been my Best Friend since I was very young.
I cannot survive without seeing Him, O my mother!
O Dear Lord, please show Mercy to me, that I may meet the Guru. Servant Nanak gathers the Wealth of the Lord's Name in his lap. ||4||1||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord is my mind, body and breath of life.
I do not know any other than the Lord.
If only I could have the good fortune to meet some friendly Saint; he might show me the Way to my Beloved Lord God. ||1||
I have searched my mind and body, through and through.
How can I meet my Darling Beloved, O my mother?
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I ask about the Path to God. In that Congregation, the Lord God abides. ||2||
My Darling Beloved True Guru is my Protector.
I am a helpless child-please cherish me.
The Guru, the Perfect True Guru, is my Mother and Father. Obtaining the Water of the Guru, the lotus of my heart blossoms forth. ||3||
Without seeing my Guru, sleep does not come.
My mind and body are afflicted with the pain of separation from the Guru.
O Lord, Har, Har, show mercy to me, that I may meet my Guru. Meeting the Guru, servant Nanak blossoms forth. ||4||2||

Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Read of the Lord's Glories and reflect upon the Lord's Glories.
Listen continually to the Sermon of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, you shall cross over the treacherous and terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Come, friends, let us meet our Lord.
Bring me a message from my Beloved.
He alone is a friend, companion, beloved and brother of mine, who shows me the way to the Lord, the Lord of all. ||2||
My illness is known only to the Lord and the Perfect Guru.
I cannot continue living without chanting the Naam.
So give me the medicine, the Mantra of the Perfect Guru. Through the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I am saved. ||3||
I am just a poor song-bird, in the Sanctuary of the True Guru,
who has placed the Drop of Water, the Lord's Name, Har, Har, in my mouth.
The Lord is the Treasure of Water; I am just a fish in that water. Without this Water, servant Nanak would die. ||4||3||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
O servants of the Lord, O Saints, O my Siblings of Destiny, let us join together!
Show me the way to my Lord God-I am so hungry for Him!
Please reward my faith, O Life of the World, O Great Giver. Obtaining the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, my mind is fulfilled. ||1||
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I chant the Bani of the Lord's Word.
The Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, is so sweet to my mind. Meeting the True Guru, I drink in this Ambrosial Nectar. ||2||
By great good fortune, the Lord's Congregation is found,
while the unfortunate ones wander around in doubt, enduring painful beatings.
Without good fortune, the Sat Sangat is not found; without this Sangat, people are stained with filth and pollution. ||3||
Come and meet me, O Life of the World, my Beloved.
Please bless me with Your Mercy, and enshrine Your Name, Har, Har, within my mind.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Sweet Name has become pleasing to my mind. Servant Nanak's mind is drenched and delighted with the Naam. ||4||4||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Through the Guru, I have obtained the Lord's spiritual wisdom. I have obtained the Sublime Essence of the Lord.
My mind is imbued with the Love of the Lord; I drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord.
With my mouth, I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; my mind is filled to overflowing with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||1||
Come, O Saints, and lead me to my Lord's Embrace.
Recite to me the Sermon of my Beloved.
I dedicate my mind to those Saints of the Lord, who chant the Word of the Guru's Bani with their mouths. ||2||
By great good fortune, the Lord has led me to meet His Saint.
The Perfect Guru has placed the Sublime Essence of the Lord into my mouth.
The unfortunate ones do not find the True Guru; the self-willed manmukhs continually endure reincarnation through the womb. ||3||
God, the Merciful, has Himself bestowed His Mercy.
He has totally removed the poisonous pollution of egotism.
O Nanak, in the shops of the city of the human body, the Gurmukhs buy the merchandise of the Lord's Name. ||4||5||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
I meditate on the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and the Name of the Lord.
Joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, the Name comes to dwell in the mind.
The Lord God is our Lord and Master, Inaccessible and Unfathomable. Meeting the True Guru, I enjoy the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||1||

Blessed, blessed are the humble servants of the Lord, who know the Lord God.
I go and ask those humble servants about the Mysteries of the Lord.
I wash and massage their feet; joining with the humble servants of the Lord, I drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||2||
The True Guru, the Giver, has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me.
By great good fortune, I have obtained the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.
The True Essence is Ambrosial Nectar; through the Ambrosial Words of the Perfect Guru, this Amrit is obtained. ||3||
O Lord, lead me to the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and the true beings.
Joining the Sat Sangat, I meditate on the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, I listen and chant the Lord's Sermon; through the Guru's Teachings, I am fulfilled by the Name of the Lord. ||4||6||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Come, dear sisters-let us join together.
I am a sacrifice to the one who tells me of my Beloved.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have found the Lord, my Best Friend. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||1||
Wherever I look, there I see my Lord and Master.
You are permeating each and every heart, O Lord, Inner-knower, Searcher of Hearts.
The Perfect Guru has shown me that the Lord is always with me. I am forever a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||2||
There is only one breath; all are made of the same clay; the light within all is the same.
The One Light pervades all the many and various beings. This Light intermingles with them, but it is not diluted or obscured.
By Guru's Grace, I have come to see the One. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||3||
Servant Nanak speaks the Ambrosial Bani of the Word.
It is dear and pleasing to the minds of the GurSikhs.
The Guru, the Perfect True Guru, shares the Teachings. The Guru, the True Guru, is Generous to all. ||4||7||
Seven Chau-Padas Of The Fourth Mehl. ||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
My mind longs for the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.
It cries out like the thirsty song-bird.
My thirst is not quenched, and I can find no peace, without the Blessed Vision of the Beloved Saint. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to the Blessed Vision of the Beloved Saint Guru. ||1||Pause||
Your Face is so Beautiful, and the Sound of Your Words imparts intuitive wisdom.
It is so long since this rainbird has had even a glimpse of water.
Blessed is that land where You dwell, O my Friend and Intimate Divine Guru. ||2||
I am a sacrifice, I am forever a sacrifice, to my Friend and Intimate Divine Guru. ||1||Pause||
When I could not be with You for just one moment, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga dawned for me.
When will I meet You, O my Beloved Lord?

I cannot endure the night, and sleep does not come, without the Sight of the Beloved Guru's Court. ||3||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to that True Court of the Beloved Guru. ||1||Pause||
By good fortune, I have met the Saint Guru.
I have found the Immortal Lord within the home of my own self.
I will now serve You forever, and I shall never be separated from You, even for an instant. Servant Nanak is Your slave, O Beloved Master. ||4||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice; servant Nanak is Your slave, Lord. ||Pause||1||8||
Raag Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Sweet is that season when I remember You.
Sublime is that work which is done for You.
Blessed is that heart in which You dwell, O Giver of all. ||1||
You are the Universal Father of all, O my Lord and Master.
Your nine treasures are an inexhaustible storehouse.
Those unto whom You give are satisfied and fulfilled; they become Your devotees, Lord. ||2||
All place their hopes in You.
You dwell deep within each and every heart.
All share in Your Grace; none are beyond You. ||3||
You Yourself liberate the Gurmukhs;
You Yourself consign the self-willed manmukhs to wander in reincarnation.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to You; Your Entire Play is self-evident, Lord. ||4||2||9||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Unstruck Melody resounds and resonates in peaceful ease.
I rejoice in the eternal bliss of the Word of the Shabad.
In the cave of intuitive wisdom I sit, absorbed in the silent trance of the Primal Void. I have obtained my seat in the heavens. ||1||
After wandering through many other homes and houses, I have returned to my own home,
and I have found what I was longing for.
I am satisfied and fulfilled; O Saints, the Guru has shown me the Fearless Lord God. ||2||
He Himself is the King, and He Himself is the people.
He Himself is in Nirvaanaa, and He Himself indulges in pleasures.
He Himself sits on the throne of true justice, answering the cries and prayers of all. ||3||
As I have seen Him, so have I described Him.
This Sublime Essence comes only to one who knows the Mystery of the Lord.
His light merges into the Light, and he finds peace. O servant Nanak, this is all the Extension of the One. ||4||3||10||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
That house, in which the soul-bride has married her Husband Lord
-in that house, O my companions, sing the songs of rejoicing.
Joy and celebrations decorate that house, in which the Husband Lord has adorned His soul-bride. ||1||
She is virtuous, and she is very fortunate;
she is blessed with sons and tender-hearted. The happy soul-bride is loved by her Husband.
She is beautiful, wise, and clever. That soul-bride is the beloved of her Husband Lord. ||2||
She is well-mannered, noble and distinguished.
She is decorated and adorned with wisdom.
She is from a most respected family; she is the queen, adorned with the Love of her Husband Lord. ||3||
Her glory cannot be described;
she melts in the Embrace of her Husband Lord.

Her marriage is eternal; her Husband is Inaccessible and Incomprehensible. O Servant Nanak, His Love is her only Support. ||4||4||11||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
I have searched and searched, seeking the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
I travelled through all sorts of woods and forests.
My Lord, Har, Har, is both absolute and related, unmanifest and manifest; is there anyone who can come and unite me with Him? ||1||
People recite from memory the wisdom of the six schools of philosophy;
they perform worship services, wear ceremonial religious marks on their foreheads, and take ritual cleansing baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
They perform the inner cleansing practice with water and adopt the eighty-four Yogic postures; but still, they find no peace in any of these. ||2||
They chant and meditate, practicing austere self-discipline for years and years;
they wander on journeys all over the earth;
and yet, their hearts are not at peace, even for an instant. The Yogi rises up and goes out, over and over again. ||3||
By His Mercy, I have met the Holy Saint.
My mind and body have been cooled and soothed; I have been blessed with patience and composure.
The Immortal Lord God has come to dwell within my heart. Nanak sings the songs of joy to the Lord. ||4||5||12||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God is Infinite and Divine;
He is Inaccessible, Incomprehensible, Invisible and Inscrutable.
Merciful to the meek, Sustainer of the World, Lord of the Universe-meditating on the Lord, the Gurmukhs find salvation. ||1||
The Gurmukhs are emancipated by the Lord.
The Lord Krishna becomes the Gurmukh's Companion.
The Gurmukh finds the Merciful Lord. He is not found any other way. ||2||
He does not need to eat; His Hair is Wondrous and Beautiful; He is free of hate.
Millions of people worship His Feet.
He alone is a devotee, who becomes Gurmukh, whose heart is filled with the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
Forever fruitful is the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; He is Infinite and Incomparable.
He is Awesome and All-powerful; He is forever the Great Giver.
As Gurmukh, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and you shall be carried across. O Nanak, rare are those who know this state! ||4||6||13||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
As You command, I obey; as You give, I receive.
You are the Pride of the meek and the poor.
You are everything; You are my Beloved. I am a sacrifice to Your Creative Power. ||1||
By Your Will, we wander in the wilderness; by Your Will, we find the path.
By Your Will, we become Gurmukh and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
By Your Will, we wander in doubt through countless lifetimes. Everything happens by Your Will. ||2||
No one is foolish, and no one is clever.
Your Will determines everything;
You are Inaccessible, Incomprehensible, Infinite and Unfathomable. Your Value cannot be expressed. ||3||
Please bless me with the dust of the Saints, O my Beloved.
I have come and fallen at Your Door, O Lord.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, my mind is fulfilled. O Nanak, with natural ease, I merge into Him. ||4||7||14||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
They forget the Lord, and they suffer in pain.
Afflicted with hunger, they run around in all directions.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, they are happy forever. The Lord, Merciful to the meek, bestows it upon them. ||1||
My True Guru is absolutely All-powerful.

When I dwell upon Him in my soul, all my sorrows depart.
The sickness of anxiety and the disease of ego are cured; He Himself cherishes me. ||2||
Like a child, I ask for everything.
God is Bountiful and Beautiful; He never comes up empty.
Again and again, I fall at His Feet. He is Merciful to the meek, the Sustainer of the World. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to the Perfect True Guru,
who has shattered all my bonds.
With the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in my heart, I have been purified. O Nanak, His Love has imbued me with nectar. ||4||8||15||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
O my Love, Sustainer of the World, Merciful, Loving Lord,
Profoundly Deep, Infinite Lord of the Universe,
Highest of the High, Unfathomable, Infinite Lord and Master: continually remembering You in deep meditation, I live. ||1||
O Destroyer of pain, Priceless Treasure,
Fearless, free of hate, Unfathomable, Immeasurable,
of Undying Form, Unborn, Self-illumined: remembering You in meditation, my mind is filled with a deep and profound peace. ||2||
The Joyous Lord, the Sustainer of the World, is my constant Companion.
He cherishes the high and the low.
The Nectar of the Name satisfies my mind. As Gurmukh, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
In suffering and in comfort, I meditate on You, O Beloved.
I have obtained this sublime understanding from the Guru.
You are Nanak's Support, O my Lord and Master; through Your Love, I swim across to the other side. ||4||9||16||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is that time when I meet the True Guru.
Gazing upon the Fruitful Vision of His Darshan, I have been saved.
Blessed are the hours, the minutes and the seconds-blessed is that Union with Him. ||1||
Making the effort, my mind has become pure.
Walking on the Lord's Path, my doubts have all been cast out.
The True Guru has inspired me to hear the Treasure of the Naam; all my illness has been dispelled. ||2||
The Word of Your Bani is inside and outside as well.
You Yourself chant it, and You Yourself speak it.
The Guru has said that He is One-All is the One. There shall never be any other. ||3||
I drink in the Lord's Ambrosial Essence from the Guru;
the Lord's Name has become my clothing and food.
The Name is my delight, the Name is my play and entertainment. O Nanak, I have made the Name my enjoyment. ||4||10||17||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
I beg of all the Saints: please, give me the merchandise.
I offer my prayers-I have forsaken my pride.
I am a sacrifice, hundreds of thousands of times a sacrifice, and I pray: please, give me the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||1||
You are the Giver, You are the Architect of Destiny.
You are All-powerful, the Giver of Eternal Peace.
You bless everyone. Please bring my life to fulfillment. ||2||
The body-temple is sanctified by the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan,
and thus, the impregnable fort of the soul is conquered.
You are the Giver, You are the Architect of Destiny. There is no other warrior as great as You. ||3||

I applied the dust of the feet of the Saints to my face.
My evil-mindedness disappeared, along with my misfortune and false-mindedness.
I sit in the true home of my self; I sing His Glorious Praises. O Nanak, my falsehood has vanished! ||4||11||18||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
I shall never forget You-You are such a Great Giver!
Please grant Your Grace, and imbue me with the love of devotional worship.
If it pleases You, let me meditate on You day and night; please, grant me this gift! ||1||
Into this blind clay, You have infused awareness.
Everything, everywhere which You have given is good.
Bliss, joyful celebrations, wondrous plays and entertainment-whatever pleases You, comes to pass. ||2||
Everything we receive is a gift from Him
-the thirty-six delicious foods to eat,
cozy beds, cooling breezes, peaceful joy and the experience of pleasure. ||3||
Give me that state of mind, by which I may not forget You.
Give me that understanding, by which I may meditate on You.
I sing Your Glorious Praises with each and every breath. Nanak takes the Support of the Guru's Feet. ||4||12||19||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
To praise You is to follow Your Command and Your Will.
That which pleases You is spiritual wisdom and meditation.
That which pleases God is chanting and meditation; to be in harmony with His Will is perfect spiritual wisdom. ||1||
He alone sings Your Ambrosial Naam, who is pleasing to Your Mind, O my Lord and Master.
You belong to the Saints, and the Saints belong to You. The minds of the Saints are attuned to You, O my Lord and Master. ||2||
You cherish and nurture the Saints.
The Saints play with You, O Sustainer of the World.
Your Saints are very dear to You. You are the breath of life of the Saints. ||3||
My mind is a sacrifice to those Saints who know You,
and are pleasing to Your Mind.
In their company I have found a lasting peace. Nanak is satisfied and fulfilled with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||4||13||20||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl
: You are the Ocean of Water, and I am Your fish.
Your Name is the drop of water, and I am a thirsty rainbird.
You are my hope, and You are my thirst. My mind is absorbed in You. ||1||
Just as the baby is satisfied by drinking milk,
and the poor person is pleased by seeing wealth,
and the thirsty person is refreshed by drinking cool water, so is this mind drenched with delight in the Lord. ||2||
Just as the darkness is lit up by the lamp,
and the hopes of the wife are fulfilled by thinking about her husband,
and people are filled with bliss upon meeting their beloved, so is my mind imbued with the Lord's Love. ||3||
The Saints have set me upon the Lord's Path.
By the Grace of the Holy Saint, I have been attuned to the Lord.
The Lord is mine, and I am the slave of the Lord. O Nanak, the Guru has blessed me with the True Word of the Shabad. ||4||14||21||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is eternally pure.
The Lord is the Giver of Peace and the Dispeller of sorrow.
I have seen and tasted all other flavors, but to my mind, the Subtle Essence of the Lord is the sweetest of all. ||1||

Whoever drinks this in, is satisfied.
Whoever obtains the Sublime Essence of the Naam becomes immortal.
The Treasure of the Naam is obtained by one whose mind is filled with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
One who obtains the Sublime Essence of the Lord is satisfied and fulfilled.
One who obtains this Flavor of the Lord does not waver.
One who has this destiny written on his forehead obtains the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The Lord has come into the hands of the One, the Guru, who has blessed so many with good fortune.
Attached to Him, a great many have been liberated.
The Gurmukh obtains the Treasure of the Naam; says Nanak, those who see the Lord are very rare. ||4||15||22||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
My Lord, Har, Har, Har, is the nine treasures, the supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas, wealth and prosperity.
He is the Deep and Profound Treasure of Life.
Hundreds of thousands, even millions of pleasures and delights are enjoyed by one who falls at the Guru's Feet. ||1||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, all are sanctified,
and all family and friends are saved.
By Guru's Grace, I meditate on the Inaccessible and Unfathomable True Lord. ||2||
The One, the Guru, who is sought by all-only a few, by great good fortune, receive His Darshan.
His Place is lofty, infinite and unfathomable; the Guru has shown me that palace. ||3||
Your Ambrosial Name is deep and profound.
That person is liberated, in whose heart You dwell.
The Guru cuts away all his bonds; O Servant Nanak, he is absorbed in the poise of intuitive peace. ||4||16||23||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
By God's Grace, I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har.
By God's Kindness, I sing the songs of joy.
While standing and sitting, while sleeping and while awake, meditate on the Lord, all your life. ||1||
The Holy Saint has given me the Medicine of the Naam.
My sins have been cut out, and I have become pure.
I am filled with bliss, and all my pains have been taken away. All my suffering has been dispelled. ||2||
One who has my Beloved on his side, is liberated from the world-ocean.
One who recognizes the Guru practices Truth; why should he be afraid? ||3||
Since I found the Company of the Holy and met the Guru, the demon of pride has departed.
With each and every breath, Nanak sings the Lord's Praises. The True Guru has covered my sins. ||4||17||24||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Through and through, the Lord is intermingled with His servant.
God, the Giver of Peace, cherishes His servant.
I carry the water, wave the fan, and grind the grain for the servant of my Lord and Master. ||1||
God has cut the noose from around my neck; He has placed me in His Service.
The Lord and Master's Command is pleasing to the mind of His servant.
He does that which pleases his Lord and Master. Inwardly and outwardly, the servant knows his Lord. ||2||
You are the All-knowing Lord and Master; You know all ways and means.

The servant of the Lord and Master enjoys the Love and Affection of the Lord.
That which belongs to the Lord and Master, belongs to His servant. The servant becomes distinguished in association with his Lord and Master. ||3||
He, whom the Lord and Master dresses in the robes of honor, is not called to answer for his account any longer.
Nanak is a sacrifice to that servant. He is the pearl of the deep and unfathomable Ocean of God. ||4||18||25||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Everything is within the home of the self; there is nothing beyond.
One who searches outside is deluded by doubt.
By Guru's Grace, one who has found the Lord within is happy, inwardly and outwardly. ||1||
Slowly, gently, drop by drop, the stream of nectar trickles down within.
The mind drinks it in, hearing and reflecting on the Word of the Shabad.
It enjoys bliss and ecstasy day and night, and plays with the Lord forever and ever. ||2||
I have now been united with the Lord after having been separated and cut off from Him for so many lifetimes;
by the Grace of the Holy Saint, the dried-up branches have blossomed forth again in their greenery.
I have obtained this sublime understanding, and I meditate on the Naam; as Gurmukh, I have met the Lord. ||3||
As the waves of water merge again with the water,
so does my light merge again into the Light.
Says Nanak, the veil of illusion has been cut away, and I shall not go out wandering any more. ||4||19||26||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to those who have heard of You.
I am a sacrifice to those whose tongues speak of You.
Again and again, I am a sacrifice to those who meditate on You with mind and body. ||1||
I wash the feet of those who walk upon Your Path.
With my eyes, I long to behold those kind people.
I offer my mind to those friends, who have met the Guru and found God. ||2||
Very fortunate are those who know You.
In the midst of all, they remain detached and balanced in Nirvaanaa.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, they cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and conquer all their evil passions. ||3||
My mind has entered their Sanctuary.
I have renounced my pride in my own strength, and the darkness of emotional attachment.
Please bless Nanak with the Gift of the Naam, the Name of the Inaccessible and Unfathomable God. ||4||20||27||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
You are the tree; Your branches have blossomed forth.
From the very small and subtle, You have become huge and manifest.
You are the Ocean of Water, and You are the foam and the bubbles on its surface. I cannot see any other except You, Lord. ||1||
You are the thread, and You are also the beads.
You are the knot, and You are the primary bead of the maalaa.
In the beginning, in the middle and in the end, there is God. I cannot see any other except You, Lord. ||2||
You transcend all qualities, and You possess the supreme qualities. You are the Giver of peace.
You are detached in Nirvaanaa, and You are the Enjoyer, imbued with love.
You Yourself know Your Own Ways; You dwell upon Yourself. ||3||
You are the Master, and then again, You are the servant.
O God, You Yourself are the Manifest and the Unmanifest.
Slave Nanak sings Your Glorious Praises forever. Please, just for a moment, bless him with Your Glance of Grace. ||4||21||28||

Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed are those words, by which the Naam is chanted.
Rare are those who know this, by Guru's Grace.
Blessed is that time when one sings and hears the Lord's Name. Blessed and approved is the coming of such a one. ||1||
Those eyes which behold the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan are approved and accepted.
Those hands which write the Praises of the Lord are good.
Those feet which walk in the Lord's Way are beautiful. I am a sacrifice to that Congregation in which the Lord is recognized. ||2||
Listen, O my beloved friends and companions:
in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall be saved in an instant.
Your sins will be cut out; your mind will be immaculate and pure. Your comings and goings shall cease. ||3||
With my palms pressed together, I offer this prayer:
please bless me with Your Mercy, and save this sinking stone.
God has become merciful to Nanak; God is pleasing to Nanak's mind. ||4||22||29||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Word of Your Bani, Lord, is Ambrosial Nectar.
Hearing it again and again, I am elevated to the supreme heights.
The burning within me has been extinguished, and my mind has been cooled and soothed, by the Blessed Vision of the True Guru. ||1||
Happiness is obtained, and sorrow runs far away,
when the Saints chant the Lord's Name.
The sea, the dry land, and the lakes are filled with the Water of the Lord's Name; no place is left empty. ||2||
The Creator has showered His Kindness;
He cherishes and nurtures all beings and creatures.
He is Merciful, Kind and Compassionate. All are satisfied and fulfilled through Him. ||3||
The woods, the meadows and the three worlds are rendered green.
The Doer of all did this in an instant.
As Gurmukh, Nanak meditates on the One who fulfills the desires of the mind. ||4||23||30||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Father, and You are my Mother.
You are my Relative, and You are my Brother.
You are my Protector everywhere; why should I feel any fear or anxiety? ||1||
By Your Grace, I recognize You.
You are my Shelter, and You are my Honor.
Without You, there is no other; the entire Universe is the Arena of Your Play. ||2||
You have created all beings and creatures.
As it pleases You, You assign tasks to one and all.
All things are Your Doing; we can do nothing ourselves. ||3||
Meditating on the Naam, I have found great peace.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, my mind is cooled and soothed.
Through the Perfect Guru, congratulations are pouring in-Nanak is victorious on the arduous battlefield of life! ||4||24||31||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
God is the Breath of Life of my soul, the Support of my mind.
His devotees live by singing the Glorious Praises of the Infinite Lord.
The Ambrosial Name of the Lord is the Treasure of Excellence. Meditating, meditating on the Lord's Name, I have found peace. ||1||
One whose heart's desires lead him from his own home to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, shall be rid of the cycle of birth and death.

His hopes and desires are fulfilled, when he gains the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. ||2||
The limits of the Inaccessible and Unfathomable Lord cannot be known.
The seekers, the Siddhas, those beings of miraculous spiritual powers, and the spiritual teachers, all meditate on Him.
Thus, their egos are erased, and their doubts are dispelled. The Guru has enlightened their minds. ||3||
I chant the Name of the Lord, the Treasure of bliss, joy, salvation, intuitive peace and poise.
When my Lord and Master blessed me with His Mercy, O Nanak, then His Name entered the home of my mind. ||4||25||32||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Hearing of You, I live.
You are my Beloved, my Lord and Master, Utterly Great.
You alone know Your Ways; I grasp Your Support, Lord of the World. ||1||
Singing Your Glorious Praises, my mind is rejuvenated.
Hearing Your Sermon, all filth is removed.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I meditate forever on the Merciful Lord. ||2||
I dwell on my God with each and every breath.
This understanding has been implanted within my mind, by Guru's Grace.
By Your Grace, the Divine Light has dawned. The Merciful Lord cherishes everyone. ||3||
True, True, True is that God.
Forever, forever and ever, He Himself is.
Your Playful Ways are revealed, O my Beloved. Beholding them, Nanak is enraptured. ||4||26||33||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
By His Command, the rain begins to fall.
The Saints and friends have met to chant the Naam.
Serene tranquility and peaceful ease have come; God Himself has brought a deep and profound peace. ||1||
God has produced everything in great abundance.
Granting His Grace, God has satisfied all.
Bless us with Your Gifts, O my Great Giver. All beings and creatures are satisfied. ||2||
True is the Master, and True is His Name.
By Guru's Grace, I meditate forever on Him.
The fear of birth and death has been dispelled; emotional attachment, sorrow and suffering have been erased. ||3||
With each and every breath, Nanak praises the Lord.
Meditating in remembrance on the Name, all bonds are cut away.
One's hopes are fulfilled in an instant, chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||4||27||34||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Come, dear friends, Saints and companions:
let us join together and sing the Glorious Praises of the Inaccessible and Infinite Lord.
Those who sing and hear these praises are liberated, so let us meditate on the One who created us. ||1||
The sins of countless incarnations depart,
and we receive the fruits of the mind's desires.
So meditate on that Lord, our True Lord and Master, who gives sustenance to all. ||2||
Chanting the Naam, all pleasures are obtained.
All fears are erased, meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
One who serves the Lord swims across to the other side, and all his affairs are resolved. ||3||
I have come to Your Sanctuary;
if it pleases You, unite me with You.

Shower Your Mercy upon me, God; let me be committed to devotional worship. Nanak drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar of Truth. ||4||28||35||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe, the Support of the earth, has become Merciful;
the rain is falling everywhere.
He is Merciful to the meek, always Kind and Gentle; the Creator has brought cooling relief. ||1||
He cherishes all His beings and creatures,
as the mother cares for her children.
The Destroyer of pain, the Ocean of Peace, the Lord and Master gives sustenance to all. ||2||
The Merciful Lord is totally pervading and permeating the water and the land.
I am forever devoted, a sacrifice to Him.
Night and day, I always meditate on Him; in an instant, He saves all. ||3||
God Himself protects all;
He drives out all sorrow and suffering.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind and body are rejuvenated. O Nanak, God has bestowed His Glance of Grace. ||4||29||36||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Where the Naam, the Name of God the Beloved is chanted
-those barren places become mansions of gold.
Where the Naam, the Name of my Lord of the Universe is not chanted-those towns are like the barren wilderness. ||1||
One who meditates as he eats dry bread,
sees the Blessed Lord inwardly and outwardly.
Know this well, that one who eats and eats while practicing evil, is like a field of poisonous plants. ||2||
One who does not feel love for the Saints,
misbehaves in the company of the wicked shaaktas, the faithless cynics;
he wastes this human body, so difficult to obtain. In his ignorance, he tears up his own roots. ||3||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O my Lord, Merciful to the meek,
Ocean of Peace, my Guru, Sustainer of the world.
Shower Your Mercy upon Nanak, that he may sing Your Glorious Praises; please, preserve my honor. ||4||30||37||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
I cherish in my heart the Feet of my Lord and Master.
All my troubles and sufferings have run away.
The music of intuitive peace, poise and tranquility wells up within; I dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
The bonds of love with the Lord are never broken.
The Lord is totally permeating and pervading inside and out.
Meditating, meditating, meditating in remembrance on Him, singing His Glorious Praises, the noose of death is cut away. ||2||
The Ambrosial Nectar, the Unstruck Melody of Gurbani rains down continually;
deep within my mind and body, peace and tranquility have come.
Your humble servants remain satisfied and fulfilled, and the True Guru blesses them with encouragement and comfort. ||3||
We are His, and from Him, we receive our rewards.
Showering His Mercy upon us, God has united us with Him.
Our comings and goings have ended, and through great good fortune, O Nanak, our hopes are fulfilled. ||4||31||38||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The rain has fallen; I have found the Transcendent Lord God.
All beings and creatures dwell in peace.
Suffering has been dispelled, and true happiness has dawned, as we meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
The One, to whom we belong, cherishes and nurtures us.
The Supreme Lord God has become our Protector.
My Lord and Master has heard my prayer; my efforts have been rewarded. ||2||

He is the Giver of all souls.
By Guru's Grace, He blesses us with His Glance of Grace.
The beings in the water, on the land and in the sky are all satisfied; I wash the Feet of the Holy. ||3||
He is the Fulfiller of the desires of the mind.
Forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him.
O Nanak, the Destroyer of pain has given this Gift; I am imbued with the Love of the Delightful Lord. ||4||32||39||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Mind and body are Yours; all wealth is Yours.
You are my God, my Lord and Master.
Body and soul and all riches are Yours. Yours is the Power, O Lord of the World. ||1||
Forever and ever, You are the Giver of Peace.
I bow down and fall at Your Feet.
I act as it pleases You, as You cause me to act, Kind and Compassionate Dear Lord. ||2||
O God, from You I receive; You are my decoration.
Whatever You give me, brings me happiness.
Wherever You keep me, is heaven. You are the Cherisher of all. ||3||
Meditating, meditating in remembrance, Nanak has found peace.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
All my hopes and desires are fulfilled; I shall never again suffer sorrow. ||4||33||40||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God has unleashed the rain clouds.
Over the sea and over the land-over all the earth's surface, in all directions, He has brought the rain.
Peace has come, and the thirst of all has been quenched; there is joy and ecstasy everywhere. ||1||
He is the Giver of Peace, the Destroyer of pain.
He gives and forgives all beings.
He Himself nurtures and cherishes His Creation. I fall at His Feet and surrender to Him. ||2||
Seeking His Sanctuary, salvation is obtained.
With each and every breath, I meditate on the Lord's Name.
Without Him, there is no other Lord and Master. All places belong to Him. ||3||
Yours is the Honor, God, and Yours is the Power.
You are the True Lord and Master, the Ocean of Excellence.
Servant Nanak utters this prayer: may I meditate on You twenty-four hours a day. ||4||34||41||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
All happiness comes, when God is pleased.
The Feet of the Perfect Guru dwell in my mind.
I am intuitively absorbed in the state of Samaadhi deep within. God alone knows this sweet pleasure. ||1||
My Lord and Master is Inaccessible and Unfathomable.
Deep within each and every heart, He dwells near and close at hand.
He is always detached; He is the Giver of souls. How rare is that person who understands his own self. ||2||
This is the sign of union with God:
in the mind, the Command of the True Lord is recognized.
Intuitive peace and poise, contentment, enduring satisfaction and bliss come through the Pleasure of the Master's Will. ||3||
God, the Great Giver, has given me His Hand.
He has erased all the sickness of birth and death.
O Nanak, those whom God has made His slaves, rejoice in the pleasure of singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||4||35||42||

Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Life of the World, the Sustainer of the Earth, has showered His Mercy;
the Guru's Feet have come to dwell within my mind.
The Creator has made me His Own. He has destroyed the city of sorrow. ||1||
The True One abides within my mind and body;
no place seems difficult to me now.
All the evil-doers and enemies have now become my friends. I long only for my Lord and Master. ||2||
Whatever He does, He does all by Himself.
No one can know His Ways.
He Himself is the Helper and Support of His Saints. God has cast out my doubts and delusions. ||3||
His Lotus Feet are the Support of His humble servants.
Twenty-four hours a day, they deal in the Name of the Lord.
In peace and pleasure, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. O Nanak, God is permeating everywhere. ||4||36||43||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
True is that temple, within which one meditates on the True Lord.
Blessed is that heart, within which the Lord's Glorious Praises are sung.
Beautiful is that land, where the Lord's humble servants dwell. I am a sacrifice to the True Name. ||1||
The extent of the True Lord's Greatness cannot be known.
His Creative Power and His Bounties cannot be described.
Your humble servants live by meditating, meditating on You. Their minds treasure the True Word of the Shabad. ||2||
The Praises of the True One are obtained by great good fortune.
By Guru's Grace, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung.
Those who are imbued with Your Love are pleasing to You. The True Name is their Banner and Insignia. ||3||
No one knows the limits of the True Lord.
In all places and interspaces, the True One is pervading.
O Nanak, meditate forever on the True One, the Searcher of hearts, the Knower of all. ||4||37||44||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Beautiful is the night, and beautiful is the day,
when one joins the Society of the Saints and chants the Ambrosial Naam.
If you remember the Lord in meditation for a moment, even for an instant, then your life will become fruitful and prosperous. ||1||
Remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all sinful mistakes are erased.
Inwardly and outwardly, the Lord God is always with us.
Fear, dread and doubt have been dispelled by the Perfect Guru; now, I see God everywhere. ||2||
God is All-powerful, Vast, Lofty and Infinite.
The Naam is overflowing with the nine treasures.
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, there is God. Nothing else even comes close to Him. ||3||
Take pity on me, O my Lord, Merciful to the meek.
I am a beggar, begging for the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Servant Nanak begs for this gift: let me meditate on the Lord, forever and ever. ||4||38||45||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
You are here, and You are hereafter.
All beings and creatures were created by You.
Without You, there is no other, O Creator. You are my Support and my Protection. ||1||
The tongue lives by chanting and meditating on the Lord's Name.
The Supreme Lord God is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
Those who serve the Lord find peace; they do not lose their lives in the gamble. ||2||
Your humble servant, who obtains the Medicine of the Naam,

is rid of the illnesses of countless lifetimes and incarnations.
So sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, day and night. This is the most fruitful occupation. ||3||
Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He has adorned His slave.
Deep within each and every heart, the Supreme Lord is humbly worshipped.
Without the One, there is no other at all. O Baba Nanak, this is the most excellent wisdom. ||4||39||46||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
My mind and body are imbued with love for the Lord.
I sacrifice everything for Him.
Twenty-four hours a day, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. Do not forget Him, for even one breath. ||1||
He is a companion, a friend, and a beloved of mine,
who reflects upon the Lord's Name, in the Company of the Holy.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, cross over the world-ocean, and the noose of death shall be cut away. ||2||
The four cardinal blessings are obtained by serving the Lord.
The Elysian Tree, the source of all blessings, is meditation on the Unseen and Unknowable Lord.
The Guru has cut out the sinful mistakes of sexual desire and anger, and my hopes have been fulfilled. ||3||
That mortal who is blessed by perfect destiny meets the Lord, the Sustainer of the Universe, in the Company of the Holy.
O Nanak, if the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells within the mind, one is approved and accepted, whether he is a house-holder or a renunciate. ||4||40||47||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, my heart is filled with peace.
By His Grace, His devotees become famous and acclaimed.
Joining the Society of the Saints, I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; the disease of laziness has disappeared. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, the nine treasures are found in the Home of the Lord;
He comes to meet those who deserve it by their past actions.
The Perfect Transcendent Lord is spiritual wisdom and meditation. God is All-powerful to do all things. ||2||
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes.
He Himself is the One, and He Himself is the Many.
Filth does not stick to the Giver, the Life of the World. Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, the pain of separation departs. ||3||
Holding on to the hem of His Robe, the entire Universe is saved.
He Himself causes His Name to be chanted.
The Boat of the Guru is found by His Grace; O Nanak, such blessed destiny is pre-ordained. ||4||41||48||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
People do whatever the Lord inspires them to do.
Wherever He keeps us is a good place.
That person is clever and honorable, unto whom the Hukam of the Lord's Command seems sweet. ||1||
Everything is strung upon the One String of the Lord.
Those whom the Lord attaches, are attached to His Feet.
Those, whose inverted lotus of the crown chakra is illuminated, see the Immaculate Lord everywhere. ||2||
Only You Yourself know Your Glory.
You Yourself recognize Your Own Self.
I am a sacrifice to Your Saints, who have crushed their sexual desire, anger and greed. ||3||
You have no hatred or vengeance; Your Saints are immaculate and pure.
Seeing them, all sins depart.
Nanak lives by meditating, meditating on the Naam. His stubborn doubt and fear have departed. ||4||42||49||

Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
One who asks for a false gift,
shall not take even an instant to die.
But one who continually serves the Supreme Lord God and meets the Guru, is said to be immortal. ||1||
One whose mind is dedicated to loving devotional worship
sings His Glorious Praises night and day, and remains forever awake and aware.
Taking him by the hand, the Lord and Master merges into Himself that person, upon whose forehead such destiny is written. ||2||
His Lotus Feet dwell in the minds of His devotees.
Without the Transcendent Lord, all are plundered.
I long for the dust of the feet of His humble servants. The Name of the True Lord is my decoration. ||3||
Standing up and sitting down, I sing the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, I obtain my Eternal Husband Lord.
God has become merciful to Nanak. I cheerfully accept Your Will. ||4||43||50||
Raag Maajh, Ashtapadees: First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By His Command, all are attuned to the Word of the Shabad,
and all are called to the Mansion of His Presence, the True Court of the Lord.
O my True Lord and Master, Merciful to the meek, my mind is pleased and appeased by the Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who are adorned with the Word of the Shabad.
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is forever the Giver of Peace. Through the Guru's Teachings, it dwells in the mind. ||1||Pause||
No one is mine, and I am no one else's.
The True Lord and Master of the three worlds is mine.
Acting in egotism, so very many have died. After making mistakes, they later repent and regret. ||2||
Those who recognize the Hukam of the Lord's Command chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are glorified with the Naam.
Everyone's account is kept in the True Court, and through the Beauty of the Naam, they are saved. ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded; they find no place of rest.
Bound and gagged at Death's Door, they are brutally beaten.
Without the Name, there are no companions or friends. Liberation comes only by meditating on the Naam. ||4||
The false shaaktas, the faithless cynics, do not like the Truth.
Bound by duality, they come and go in reincarnation.
No one can erase pre-recorded destiny; the Gurmukhs are liberated. ||5||
In this world of her parents' house, the young bride did not know her Husband.
Through falsehood, she has been separated from Him, and she cries out in misery.
Defrauded by demerits, she does not find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. But through virtuous actions, her demerits are forgiven. ||6||
She, who knows her Beloved in her parents' house,
as Gurmukh, comes to understand the essence of reality; she contemplates her Lord.
Her comings and goings cease, and she is absorbed in the True Name. ||7||
The Gurmukhs understand and describe the Indescribable.
True is our Lord and Master; He loves the Truth.
Nanak offers this true prayer: singing His Glorious Praises, I merge with the True One. ||8||1||
Maajh, Third Mehl, First House:
By His Mercy, we meet the True Guru.

Center your awareness on seva-selfless service-and focus your consciousness on the Word of the Shabad.
Subduing your ego, you shall find a lasting peace, and your emotional attachment to Maya will be dispelled. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, I am totally devoted to the True Guru.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Divine Light has dawned; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day. ||1||Pause||
Search your body and mind, and find the Name.
Restrain your wandering mind, and keep it in check.
Night and day, sing the Songs of the Guru's Bani; worship the Lord with intuitive devotion. ||2||
Within this body are countless objects.
The Gurmukh attains Truth, and comes to see them.
Beyond the nine gates, the Tenth Gate is found, and liberation is obtained. The Unstruck Melody of the Shabad vibrates. ||3||
True is the Master, and True is His Name.
By Guru's Grace, He comes to dwell within the mind.
Night and day, remain attuned to the Lord's Love forever, and you shall obtain understanding in the True Court. ||4||
Those who do not understand the nature of sin and virtue
are attached to duality; they wander around deluded.
The ignorant and blind people do not know the way; they come and go in reincarnation over and over again. ||5||
Serving the Guru, I have found eternal peace;
my ego has been silenced and subdued.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the darkness has been dispelled, and the heavy doors have been opened. ||6||
Subduing my ego, I have enshrined the Lord within my mind.
I focus my consciousness on the Guru's Feet forever.
By Guru's Grace, my mind and body are immaculate and pure; I meditate on the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||7||
From birth to death, everything is for You.
You bestow greatness upon those whom You have forgiven.
O Nanak, meditating forever on the Naam, you shall be blessed in both birth and death. ||8||1||2||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
My God is Immaculate, Inaccessible and Infinite.
Without a scale, He weighs the universe.
One who becomes Gurmukh, understands. Chanting His Glorious Praises, he is absorbed into the Lord of Virtue. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those whose minds are filled with the Name of the Lord.
Those who are committed to Truth remain awake and aware night and day. They are honored in the True Court. ||1||Pause||
He Himself hears, and He Himself sees.
Those, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace, become acceptable.
They are attached, whom the Lord Himself attaches; as Gurmukh, they live the Truth. ||2||
Those whom the Lord Himself misleads-whose hand can they take?
That which is pre-ordained, cannot be erased.
Those who meet the True Guru are very fortunate and blessed; through perfect karma, He is met. ||3||
The young bride is fast asleep in her parents' home, night and day.
She has forgotten her Husband Lord; because of her faults and demerits, she is abandoned.
She wanders around continually, crying out, night and day. Without her Husband Lord, she cannot get any sleep. ||4||
In this world of her parents' home, she may come to know the Giver of peace,
if she subdues her ego, and recognizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Her bed is beautiful; she ravishes and enjoys her Husband Lord forever. She is adorned with the Decorations of Truth. ||5||

He created the 8.4 million species of beings.
Those, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace, come to meet the Guru.
Shedding their sins, His servants are forever pure; at the True Court, they are beautified by the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||6||
When they are called to settle their accounts, who will answer then?
There shall be no peace then, from counting out by twos and threes.
The True Lord God Himself forgives, and having forgiven, He unites them with Himself. ||7||
He Himself does, and He Himself causes all to be done.
Through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru, He is met.
O Nanak, through the Naam, greatness is obtained. He Himself unites in His Union. ||8||2||3||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The One Lord Himself moves about imperceptibly.
As Gurmukh, I see Him, and then this mind is pleased and uplifted.
Renouncing desire, I have found intuitive peace and poise; I have enshrined the One within my mind. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who focus their consciousness on the One.
Through the Guru's Teachings, my mind has come to its only home; it is imbued with the True Color of the Lord's Love. ||1||Pause||
This world is deluded; You Yourself have deluded it.
Forgetting the One, it has become engrossed in duality.
Night and day, it wanders around endlessly, deluded by doubt; without the Name, it suffers in pain. ||2||
Those who are attuned to the Love of the Lord, the Architect of Destiny
-by serving the Guru, they are known throughout the four ages.
Those, upon whom the Lord bestows greatness, are absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Being in love with Maya, they do not think of the Lord.
Bound and gagged in the City of Death, they suffer in terrible pain.
Blind and deaf, they see nothing at all; the self-willed manmukhs rot away in sin. ||4||
Those, whom You attach to Your Love, are attuned to Your Love.
Through loving devotional worship, they become pleasing to Your Mind.
They serve the True Guru, the Giver of eternal peace, and all their desires are fulfilled. ||5||
O Dear Lord, I seek Your Sanctuary forever.
You Yourself forgive us, and bless us with Glorious Greatness.
The Messenger of Death does not draw near those who meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||6||
Night and day, they are attuned to His Love; they are pleasing to the Lord.
My God merges with them, and unites them in Union.
Forever and ever, O True Lord, I seek the Protection of Your Sanctuary; You Yourself inspire us to understand the Truth. ||7||
Those who know the Truth are absorbed in Truth.
They sing the Lord's Glorious Praises, and speak the Truth.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam remain unattached and balanced; in the home of the inner self, they are absorbed in the primal trance of deep meditation. ||8||3||4||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad is truly dead.
Death does not crush him, and pain does not afflict him.
His light merges and is absorbed into the Light, when he hears and merges in the Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to the Lord's Name, which brings us to glory.
One who serves the True Guru, and focuses his consciousness on Truth, following the Guru's Teachings, is absorbed in intuitive peace and poise. ||1||Pause||
This human body is transitory, and transitory are the garments it wears.
Attached to duality, no one attains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.

Night and day, day and night, they burn. Without her Husband Lord, the soul-bride suffers in terrible pain. ||2||
Her body and her status shall not go with her to the world hereafter.
Where she is called to answer for her account, there, she shall be emancipated only by true actions.
Those who serve the True Guru shall prosper; here and hereafter, they are absorbed in the Naam. ||3||
She who adorns herself with the Love and the Fear of God,
by Guru's Grace, obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence as her home.
Night and day, day and night, she constantly ravishes and enjoys her Beloved. She is dyed in the permanent color of His Love. ||4||
The Husband Lord abides with everyone, always;
but how rare are those few who, by Guru's Grace, obtain His Glance of Grace.
My God is the Highest of the High; granting His Grace, He merges us into Himself. ||5||
This world is asleep in emotional attachment to Maya.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, it ultimately comes to ruin.
The One who put it to sleep shall also awaken it. Through the Guru's Teachings, understanding dawns. ||6||
One who drinks in this Nectar, shall have his delusions dispelled.
By Guru's Grace, the state of liberation is attained.
One who is imbued with devotion to the Lord, remains always balanced and detached. Subduing selfishness and conceit, he is united with the Lord. ||7||
He Himself creates, and He Himself assigns us to our tasks.
He Himself gives sustenance to the 8.4 million species of beings.
O Nanak, those who meditate on the Naam are atuned to Truth. They do that which is pleasing to His Will. ||8||4||5||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Diamonds and rubies are produced deep within the self.
They are assayed and valued tthrough the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Those who have gathered Truth, speak Truth; they apply the Touch-stone of Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Word of the Guru's Bani within their minds.
In the midst of the darkness of the world, they obtain the Immaculate One, and their light merges into the Light. ||1||Pause||
Within this body are countless vast vistas;
the Immaculate Naam is totally Inaccessible and Infinite.
He alone becomes Gurmukh and obtains it, whom the Lord forgives, and unites with Himself. ||2||
My Lord and Master implants the Truth.
By Guru's Grace, one's consciousness is attached to the Truth.
The Truest of the True is pervading everywhere; the true ones merge in Truth. ||3||
The True Carefree Lord is my Beloved.
He cuts out our sinful mistakes and evil actions;
with love and affection, meditate forever on Him. He implants the Fear of God and loving devotional worship within us. ||4||
Devotional worship is True, if it pleases the True Lord.
He Himself bestows it; He does not regret it later.
He alone is the Giver of all beings. The Lord kills with the Word of His Shabad, and then revives. ||5||
Other than You, Lord, nothing is mine.
I serve You, Lord, and I praise You.
You unite me with Yourself, O True God. Through perfect good karma You are obtained. ||6||
For me, there is no other like You.
By Your Glance of Grace, my body is blessed and sanctified.
Night and day, the Lord takes care of us and protects us. The Gurmukhs are absorbed in intuitive peace and poise. ||7||
For me, there is no other as Great as You.
You Yourself create, and You Yourself destroy.

You Yourself create, destroy and adorn. O Nanak, we are adorned and embellished with the Naam. ||8||5||6||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
He is the Enjoyer of all hearts.
The Invisible, Inaccessible and Infinite is pervading everywhere.
Meditating on my Lord God, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I am intuitively absorbed in the Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who implant the Word of the Guru's Shabad in their minds.
When someone understands the Shabad, then he wrestles with his own mind; subduing his desires, he merges with the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The five enemies are plundering the world.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not understand or appreciate this.
Those who become Gurmukh-their houses are protected. The five enemies are destroyed by the Shabad. ||2||
The Gurmukhs are forever imbued with love for the True One.
They serve God with intuitive ease. Night and day, they are intoxicated with His Love.
Meeting with their Beloved, they sing the Glorious Praises of the True one; they are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
First, the One created Himself;
second, the sense of duality; third, the three-phased Maya.
The fourth state, the highest, is obtained by the Gurmukh, who practices Truth, and only Truth. ||4||
Everything which is pleasing to the True Lord is true.
Those who know the Truth merge in intuitive peace and poise.
The life-style of the Gurmukh is to serve the True Lord. He goes and blends with the True Lord. ||5||
Without the True One, there is no other at all.
Attached to duality, the world is distracted and distressed to death.
One who becomes Gurmukh knows only the One. Serving the One, peace is obtained. ||6||
All beings and creatures are in the Protection of Your Sanctuary.
You place the chessmen on the board; You see the imperfect and the perfect as well.
Night and day, You cause people to act; You unite them in Union with Yourself. ||7||
You Yourself unite, and You see Yourself close at hand.
You Yourself are totally pervading amongst all.
O Nanak, God Himself is pervading and permeating everywhere; only the Gurmukhs understand this. ||8||6||7||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Nectar of the Guru's Bani is very sweet.
Rare are the Gurmukhs who see and taste it.
The Divine Light dawns within, and the supreme essence is found. In the True Court, the Word of the Shabad vibrates. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who focus their consciousness on the Guru's Feet.
The True Guru is the True Pool of Nectar; bathing in it, the mind is washed clean of all filth. ||1||Pause||
Your limits, O True Lord, are not known to anyone.
Rare are those who, by Guru's Grace, focus their consciousness on You.
Praising You, I am never satisfied; such is the hunger I feel for the True Name. ||2||
I see only the One, and no other.
By Guru's Grace, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
My thirst is quenched by the Word of the Guru's Shabad; I am absorbed in intuitive peace and poise. ||3||
The Priceless Jewel is discarded like straw;
the blind self-willed manmukhs are attached to the love of duality.
As they plant, so do they harvest. They shall not obtain peace, even in their dreams. ||4||
Those who are blessed with His Mercy find the Lord.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad abides in the mind.

Night and day, they remain in the Fear of God; conquering their fears, their doubts are dispelled. ||5||
Dispelling their doubts, they find a lasting peace.
By Guru's Grace, the supreme status is attained.
Deep within, they are pure, and their words are pure as well; intuitively, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||6||
They recite the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Vedas,
but deluded by doubt, they do not understand the essence of reality.
Without serving the True Guru, they find no peace; they earn only pain and misery. ||7||
The Lord Himself acts; unto whom should we complain?
How can anyone complain that the Lord has made a mistake?
O Nanak, the Lord Himself does, and causes things to be done; chanting the Naam, we are absorbed in the Naam. ||8||7||8||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
He Himself imbues us with His Love, with effortless ease.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we are dyed in the color of the Lord's Love.
This mind and body are so imbued, and this tongue is dyed in the deep crimson color of the poppy. Through the Love and the Fear of God, we are dyed in this color. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Fearless Lord within their minds.
By Guru's Grace, I meditate on the Fearless Lord; the Shabad has carried me across the poisonous world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
The idiotic self-willed manmukhs try to be clever,
but in spite of their bathing and washing, they shall not be acceptable.
As they came, so shall they go, regretting the mistakes they made. ||2||
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not understand anything;
death was pre-ordained for them when they came into the world, but they do not understand.
The self-willed manmukhs may practice religious rituals, but they do not obtain the Name; without the Name, they lose this life in vain. ||3||
The practice of Truth is the essence of the Shabad.
Through the Perfect Guru, the gate of salvation is found.
So, night and day, listen to the Word of the Guru's Bani, and the Shabad. Let yourself be colored by this love. ||4||
The tongue, imbued with the Lord's Essence, delights in His Love.
My mind and body are enticed by the Lord's Sublime Love.
I have easily obtained my Darling Beloved; I am intuitively absorbed in celestial peace. ||5||
Those who have the Lord's Love within, sing His Glorious Praises;
through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are intuitively absorbed in celestial peace.
I am forever a sacrifice to those who dedicate their consciousness to the Guru's Service. ||6||
The True Lord is pleased with Truth, and only Truth.
By Guru's Grace, one's inner being is deeply imbued with His Love.
Sitting in that blessed place, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, who Himself inspires us to accept His Truth. ||7||
That one, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, obtains it.
By Guru's Grace, egotism departs.
O Nanak, that one, within whose mind the Name dwells, is honored in the True Court. ||8||8||9||
Maajh Third Mehl:
Serving the True Guru is the greatest greatness.
The Dear Lord automatically comes to dwell in the mind.
The Dear Lord is the fruit-bearing tree; drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, thirst is quenched. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to the one who leads me to join the True Congregation.
The Lord Himself unites me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||

I serve the True Guru; the Word of His Shabad is beautiful.
Through it, the Name of the Lord comes to dwell within the mind.
The Pure Lord removes the filth of egotism, and we are honored in the True Court. ||2||
Without the Guru, the Naam cannot be obtained.
The Siddhas and the seekers lack it; they weep and wail.
Without serving the True Guru, peace is not obtained; through perfect destiny, the Guru is found. ||3||
This mind is a mirror; how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, see themselves in it.
Rust does not stick to those who burn their ego.
The Unstruck Melody of the Bani resounds through the Pure Word of the Shabad; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we are absorbed into the True One. ||4||
Without the True Guru, the Lord cannot be seen.
Granting His Grace, He Himself has allowed me to see Him.
All by Himself, He Himself is permeating and pervading; He is intuitively absorbed in celestial peace. ||5||
One who becomes Gurmukh embraces love for the One.
Doubt and duality are burned away by the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Within his body, he deals and trades, and obtains the Treasure of the True Name. ||6||
The life-style of the Gurmukh is sublime; he sings the Praises of the Lord.
The Gurmukh finds the gate of salvation.
Night and day, he is imbued with the Lord's Love. He sings the Lord's Glorious Praises, and he is called to the Mansion of His Presence. ||7||
The True Guru, the Giver, is met when the Lord leads us to meet Him.
Through perfect destiny, the Shabad is enshrined in the mind.
O Nanak, the greatness of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is obtained by chanting the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||8||9||10||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Those who lose their own selves obtain everything.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they enshrine Love for the True one.
They trade in Truth, they gather in Truth, and they deal only in Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day.
I am Yours, You are my Lord and Master. You bestow greatness through the Word of Your Shabad. ||1||Pause||
That time, that moment is totally beautiful,
when the True One becomes pleasing to my mind.
Serving the True One, true greatness is obtained. By Guru's Grace, the True One is obtained. ||2||
The food of spiritual love is obtained when the True Guru is pleased.
Other essences are forgotten, when the Lord's Essence comes to dwell in the mind.
Truth, contentment and intuitive peace and poise are obtained from the Bani, the Word of the Perfect Guru. ||3||
The blind and ignorant fools do not serve the True Guru;
how will they find the gate of salvation?
They die and die, over and over again, only to be reborn, over and over again. They are struck down at Death's Door. ||4||
Those who know the essence of the Shabad, understand their own selves.
Immaculate is the speech of those who chant the Word of the Shabad.
Serving the True One, they find a lasting peace; they enshrine the nine treasures of the Naam within their minds. ||5||
Beautiful is that place, which is pleasing to the Lord's Mind.
There, sitting in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung.
Night and day, the True One is praised; the Immaculate Sound-current of the Naad resounds there. ||6||

The wealth of the self-willed manmukhs is false, and false is their ostentatious display.
They practice falsehood, and suffer terrible pain.
Deluded by doubt, they wander day and night; through birth and death, they lose their lives. ||7||
My True Lord and Master is very dear to me.
The Shabad of the Perfect Guru is my Support.
O Nanak, one who obtains the Greatness of the Naam, looks upon pain and pleasure as one and the same. ||8||10||11||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The four sources of creation are Yours; the spoken word is Yours.
Without the Name, all are deluded by doubt.
Serving the Guru, the Lord's Name is obtained. Without the True Guru, no one can receive it. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who focus their consciousness on the Lord.
Through devotion to the Guru, the True One is found; He comes to abide in the mind, with intuitive ease. ||1||Pause||
Serving the True Guru, all things are obtained.
As are the desires one harbors, so are the rewards one receives.
The True Guru is the Giver of all things; through perfect destiny, He is met. ||2||
This mind is filthy and polluted; it does not meditate on the One.
Deep within, it is soiled and stained by the love of duality.
The egotists may go on pilgrimages to holy rivers, sacred shrines and foreign lands, but they only gather more of the dirt of egotism. ||3||
Serving the True Guru, filth and pollution are removed.
Those who focus their consciousness on the Lord remain dead while yet alive.
The True Lord is Pure; no filth sticks to Him. Those who are attached to the True One have their filth washed away. ||4||
Without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
The ignorant ones are blind-there is only utter darkness for them.
The maggots in manure do filthy deeds, and in filth they rot and putrefy. ||5||
Serving the Lord of Liberation, liberation is achieved.
The Word of the Shabad eradicates egotism and possessiveness.
So serve the Dear True Lord, night and day. By perfect good destiny, the Guru is found. ||6||
He Himself forgives and unites in His Union.
From the Perfect Guru, the Treasure of the Naam is obtained.
By the True Name, the mind is made true forever. Serving the True Lord, sorrow is driven out. ||7||
He is always close at hand-do not think that He is far away.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, recognize the Lord deep within your own being.
O Nanak, through the Naam, glorious greatness is received. Through the Perfect Guru, the Naam is obtained. ||8||11||12||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Those who are True here, are True hereafter as well.
That mind is true, which is attuned to the True Shabad.
They serve the True One, and practice Truth; they earn Truth, and only Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those whose minds are filled with the True Name.
They serve the True One, and are absorbed into the True One, singing the Glorious Praises of the True One. ||1||Pause||
The Pandits, the religious scholars read, but they do not taste the essence.
In love with duality and Maya, their minds wander, unfocused.
The love of Maya has displaced all their understanding; making mistakes, they live in regret. ||2||
But if they should meet the True Guru, then they obtain the essence of reality;
the Name of the Lord comes to dwell in their minds.

Those who die in the Shabad and subdue their own minds, obtain the door of liberation. ||3||
They erase their sins, and eliminate their anger;
they keep the Guru's Shabad clasped tightly to their hearts.
Those who are attuned to Truth, remain balanced and detached forever. Subduing their egotism, they are united with the Lord. ||4||
Deep within the nucleus of the self is the jewel; we receive it only if the Lord inspires us to receive it.
The mind is bound by the three dispositions-the three modes of Maya.
Reading and reciting, the Pandits, the religious scholars, and the silent sages have grown weary, but they have not found the supreme essence of the fourth state. ||5||
The Lord Himself dyes us in the color of His Love.
Only those who are steeped in the Word of the Guru's Shabad are so imbued with His Love.
Imbued with the most beautiful color of the Lord's Love, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, with great pleasure and joy. ||6||
To the Gurmukh, the True Lord is wealth, miraculous spiritual powers and strict self-discipline.
Through the spiritual wisdom of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Gurmukh is liberated.
The Gurmukh practices Truth, and is absorbed in the Truest of the True. ||7||
The Gurmukh realizes that the Lord alone creates, and having created, He destroys.
To the Gurmukh, the Lord Himself is social class, status and all honor.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam; through the Naam, they merge in the Naam. ||8||12||13||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Creation and destruction happen through the Word of the Shabad.
Through the Shabad, creation happens again.
The Gurmukh knows that the True Lord is all-pervading. The Gurmukh understands creation and merger. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Perfect Guru within their minds.
From the Guru comes peace and tranquility; worship Him with devotion, day and night. Chanting His Glorious Praises, merge into the Glorious Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukh sees the Lord on the earth, and the Gurmukh sees Him in the water.
The Gurmukh sees Him in wind and fire; such is the wonder of His Play.
One who has no Guru, dies over and over again, only to be re-born. One who has no Guru continues coming and going in reincarnation. ||2||
The One Creator has set this play in motion.
In the frame of the human body, He has placed all things.
Those few who are pierced through by the Word of the Shabad, obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. He calls them into His Wondrous Palace. ||3||
True is the Banker, and true are His traders.
They purchase Truth, with infinite love for the Guru.
They deal in Truth, and they practice Truth. They earn Truth, and only Truth. ||4||
Without investment capital, how can anyone acquire merchandise?
The self-willed manmukhs have all gone astray.
Without true wealth, everyone goes empty-handed; going empty-handed, they suffer in pain. ||5||
Some deal in Truth, through love of the Guru's Shabad.
They save themselves, and save all their ancestors as well.
Very auspicious is the coming of those who meet their Beloved and find peace. ||6||
Deep within the self is the secret, but the fool looks for it outside.
The blind self-willed manmukhs wander around like demons;
but where the secret is, there, they do not find it. The manmukhs are deluded by doubt. ||7||
He Himself calls us, and bestows the Word of the Shabad.
The soul-bride finds intuitive peace and poise in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
O Nanak, she obtains the glorious greatness of the Naam; she hears it again and again, and she meditates on it. ||8||13||14||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The True Guru has imparted the True Teachings.

Think of the Lord, who shall be your Help and Support in the end.
The Lord is Inaccessible and Incomprehensible. He has no master, and He is not born. He is obtained through love of the True Guru. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who eliminate selfishness and conceit.
They eradicate selfishness and conceit, and then find the Lord; they are intuitively immersed in the Lord. ||1||Pause||
According to their pre-ordained destiny, they act out their karma.
Serving the True Guru, a lasting peace is found.
Without good fortune, the Guru is not found. Through the Word of the Shabad, they are united in the Lord's Union. ||2||
The Gurmukhs remain unaffected in the midst of the world.
The Guru is their cushion, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is their Support.
Who can oppress the Gurmukh? One who tries shall perish, writhing in pain. ||3||
The blind self-willed manmukhs have no understanding at all.
They are the assassins of the self, and the butchers of the world.
By continually slandering others, they carry a terrible load, and they carry the loads of others for nothing. ||4||
This world is a garden, and my Lord God is the Gardener.
He always takes care of it-nothing is exempt from His Care.
As is the fragrance which He bestows, so is the fragrant flower known. ||5||
The self-willed manmukhs are sick and diseased in the world.
They have forgotten the Giver of peace, the Unfathomable, the Infinite.
These miserable people wander endlessly, crying out in pain; without the Guru, they find no peace. ||6||
The One who created them, knows their condition.
And if He inspires them, then they realize the Hukam of His Command.
Whatever He places within them, that is what prevails, and so they outwardly appear. ||7||
I know of no other except the True One.
Those, whom the Lord attaches to Himself, become pure.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within the heart of those, unto whom He has given it. ||8||14||15||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Enshrining the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, in the mind,
all the pains of egotism, selfishness and conceit are eliminated.
By continually praising the Ambrosial Bani of the Word, I obtain the Amrit, the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Ambrosial Bani of the Word within their minds.
Enshrining the Ambrosial Bani in their minds, they meditate on the Ambrosial Naam. ||1||Pause||
Those who continually chant the Ambrosial Words of Nectar see and behold this Amrit everywhere with their eyes.
They continually chant the Ambrosial Sermon day and night; chanting it, they cause others to hear it. ||2||
Imbued with the Ambrosial Love of the Lord, they lovingly focus their attention on Him.
By Guru's Grace, they receive this Amrit.
They chant the Ambrosial Name with their tongues day and night; their minds and bodies are satisfied by this Amrit. ||3||
That which God does is beyond anyone's consciousness;
no one can erase the Hukam of His Command.
By His Command, the Ambrosial Bani of the Word prevails, and by His Command, we drink in the Amrit. ||4||
The actions of the Creator Lord are marvellous and wonderful.
This mind is deluded, and goes around the wheel of reincarnation.
Those who focus their consciousness on the Ambrosial Bani of the Word, hear the vibrations of the Ambrosial Word of the Shabad. ||5||

You Yourself created the counterfeit and the genuine.
You Yourself appraise all people.
You appraise the true, and place them in Your Treasury; You consign the false to wander in delusion. ||6||
How can I behold You? How can I praise You?
By Guru's Grace, I praise You through the Word of the Shabad.
In Your Sweet Will, the Amrit is found; by Your Will, You inspire us to drink in this Amrit. ||7||
The Shabad is Amrit; the Lord's Bani is Amrit.
Serving the True Guru, it permeates the heart.
O Nanak, the Ambrosial Naam is forever the Giver of peace; drinking in this Amrit, all hunger is satisfied. ||8||15||16||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Ambrosial Nectar rains down, softly and gently.
How rare are those Gurmukhs who find it.
Those who drink it in are satisfied forever. Showering His Mercy upon them, the Lord quenches their thirst. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those Gurmukhs who drink in this Ambrosial Nectar.
The tongue tastes the essence, and remains forever imbued with the Lord's Love, intuitively singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
By Guru's Grace, intuitive understanding is obtained;
subduing the sense of duality, they are in love with the One.
When He bestows His Glance of Grace, then they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; by His Grace, they merge in Truth. ||2||
Above all is Your Glance of Grace, O God.
Upon some it is bestowed less, and upon others it is bestowed more.
Without You, nothing happens at all; the Gurmukhs understand this. ||3||
The Gurmukhs contemplate the essence of reality;
Your Treasures are overflowing with Ambrosial Nectar.
Without serving the True Guru, no one obtains it. It is obtained only by Guru's Grace. ||4||
Those who serve the True Guru are beautiful.
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, entices their inner minds.
Their minds and bodies are attuned to the Ambrosial Bani of the Word; this Ambrosial Nectar is intuitively heard. ||5||
The deluded, self-willed manmukhs are ruined through the love of duality.
They do not chant the Naam, and they die, eating poison.
Night and day, they continually sit in manure. Without selfless service, their lives are wasted away. ||6||
They alone drink in this Amrit, whom the Lord Himself inspires to do so.
By Guru's Grace, they intuitively enshrine love for the Lord.
The Perfect Lord is Himself perfectly pervading everywhere; through the Guru's Teachings, He is perceived. ||7||
He Himself is the Immaculate Lord.
He who has created, shall Himself destroy.
O Nanak, remember the Naam forever, and you shall merge into the True One with intuitive ease. ||8||16||17||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Those who please You are linked to the Truth.
They serve the True One forever, with intuitive ease.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, they praise the True One, and they merge in the merging of Truth. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who praise the True One.
Those who meditate on the True One are attuned to Truth; they are absorbed into the Truest of the True. ||1||Pause||
The True One is everywhere, wherever I look.
By Guru's Grace, I enshrine Him in my mind.
True are the bodies of those whose tongues are attuned to Truth. They hear the Truth, and speak it with their mouths. ||2||

Subduing their desires, they merge with the True One;
they see in their minds that everyone comes and goes in reincarnation.
Serving the True Guru, they become stable forever, and they obtain their dwelling in the home of the self. ||3||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord is seen within one's own heart.
Through the Shabad, I have burned my emotional attachment to Maya.
I gaze upon the Truest of the True, and I praise Him. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I obtain the True One. ||4||
Those who are attuned to Truth are blessed with the Love of the True One.
Those who praise the Lord's Name are very fortunate.
Through the Word of His Shabad, the True One blends with Himself, those who join the True Congregation and sing the Glorious Praises of the True One. ||5||
We could read the account of the Lord, if He were in any account.
He is Inaccessible and Incomprehensible; through the Shabad, understanding is obtained.
Night and day, praise the True Word of the Shabad. There is no other way to know His Worth. ||6||
People read and recite until they grow weary, but they do not find peace.
Consumed by desire, they have no understanding at all.
They purchase poison, and they are thirsty with their fascination for poison. Telling lies, they eat poison. ||7||
By Guru's Grace, I know the One.
Subduing my sense of duality, my mind is absorbed into the True One.
O Nanak, the One Name is pervading deep within my mind; by Guru's Grace, I receive it. ||8||17||18||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
In all colors and forms, You are pervading.
People die over and over again; they are re-born, and make their rounds on the wheel of reincarnation.
You alone are Eternal and Unchanging, Inaccessible and Infinite. Through the Guru's Teachings, understanding is imparted. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Lord's Name in their minds.
The Lord has no form, features or color. Through the Guru's Teachings, He inspires us to understand Him. ||1||Pause||
The One Light is all-pervading; only a few know this.
Serving the True Guru, this is revealed.
In the hidden and in the obvious, He is pervading all places. Our light merges into the Light. ||2||
The world is burning in the fire of desire,
in greed, arrogance and excessive ego.
People die over and over again; they are re-born, and lose their honor. They waste away their lives in vain. ||3||
Those who understand the Word of the Guru's Shabad are very rare.
Those who subdue their egotism, come to know the three worlds.
Then, they die, never to die again. They are intuitively absorbed in the True One. ||4||
They do not focus their consciousness on Maya again.
They remain absorbed forever in the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They praise the True One, who is contained deep within all hearts. They are blessed and exalted by the Truest of the True. ||5||
Praise the True One, who is Ever-present.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is pervading everywhere.
By Guru's Grace, we come to behold the True One; from the True One, peace is obtained. ||6||
The True One permeates and pervades the mind within.
The True One is Eternal and Unchanging; He does not come and go in reincarnation.
Those who are attached to the True One are immaculate and pure. Through the Guru's Teachings, they merge in the True One. ||7||
Praise the True One, and no other.
Serving Him, eternal peace is obtained.

O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam, reflect deeply on the Truth; they practice only Truth. ||8||18||19||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Word of the Shabad is Immaculate and Pure; the Bani of the Word is Pure.
The Light which is pervading among all is Immaculate.
So praise the Immaculate Word of the Lord's Bani; chanting the Immaculate Name of the Lord, all filth is washed away. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Giver of peace within their minds.
Praise the Immaculate Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. Listen to the Shabad, and quench your thirst. ||1||Pause||
When the Immaculate Naam comes to dwell in the mind,
the mind and body become Immaculate, and emotional attachment to Maya departs.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Immaculate True Lord forever, and the Immaculate Sound-current of the Naad shall vibrate within. ||2||
The Immaculate Ambrosial Nectar is obtained from the Guru.
When selfishness and conceit are eradicated from within, then there is no attachment to Maya.
Immaculate is the spiritual wisdom, and utterly immaculate is the meditation, of those whose minds are filled with the Immaculate Bani of the Word. ||3||
One who serves the Immaculate Lord becomes immaculate.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the filth of egotism is washed away.
The Immaculate Bani and the Unstruck Melody of the Sound-current vibrate, and in the True Court, honor is obtained. ||4||
Through the Immaculate Lord, all become immaculate.
Immaculate is the mind which weaves the Word of the Lord's Shabad into itself.
Blessed and very fortunate are those who are committed to the Immaculate Name; through the Immaculate Name, they are blessed and beautified. ||5||
Immaculate is the one who is adorned with the Shabad.
The Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord, entices the mind and body.
No filth ever attaches itself to the True Name; one's face is made radiant by the True One. ||6||
The mind is polluted by the love of duality.
Filthy is that kitchen, and filthy is that dwelling;
eating filth, the self-willed manmukhs become even more filthy. Because of their filth, they suffer in pain. ||7||
The filthy, and the immaculate as well, are all subject to the Hukam of God's Command.
They alone are immaculate, who are pleasing to the True Lord.
O Nanak, the Naam abides deep within the minds of the Gurmukhs, who are cleansed of all their filth. ||8||19||20||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe is radiant, and radiant are His soul-swans.
Their minds and their speech are immaculate; they are my hope and ideal.
Their minds are radiant, and their faces are always beautiful; they meditate on the most radiant Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
So chant Gobind, Gobind, the Lord of the Universe, day and night; sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord Gobind, through the Word of His Shabad. ||1||Pause||
Sing of the Lord Gobind with intuitive ease,
in the Fear of the Guru; you shall become radiant, and the filth of egotism shall depart.
Remain in bliss forever, and perform devotional worship, day and night. Hear and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord Gobind. ||2||
Channel your dancing mind in devotional worship,
and through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, merge your mind with the Supreme Mind.
Let your true and perfect tune be the subjugation of your love of Maya, and let yourself dance to the Shabad. ||3||
People shout out loud and move their bodies,
but if they are emotionally attached to Maya, then the Messenger of Death shall hunt them down.

The love of Maya makes this mind dance, and the deceit within makes people suffer in pain. ||4||
When the Lord inspires one to become Gurmukh, and perform devotional worship,
then his body and mind are attuned to His Love with intuitive ease.
The Word of His Bani vibrates, and the Word of His Shabad resounds, for the Gurmukh whose devotional worship is accepted. ||5||
One may beat upon and play all sorts of instruments,
but no one will listen, and no one will enshrine it in the mind.
For the sake of Maya, they set the stage and dance, but they are in love with duality, and they obtain only sorrow. ||6||
Those whose inner beings are attached to the Lord's Love are liberated.
They control their sexual desires, and their lifestyle is the self-discipline of Truth.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they meditate forever on the Lord. This devotional worship is pleasing to the Lord. ||7||
To live as Gurmukh is devotional worship, throughout the four ages.
This devotional worship is not obtained by any other means.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is obtained only through devotion to the Guru. So focus your consciousness on the Guru's Feet. ||8||20||21||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Serve the True One, and praise the True One.
With the True Name, pain shall never afflict you.
Those who serve the Giver of peace find peace. They enshrine the Guru's Teachings within their minds. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who intuitively enter into the peace of Samaadhi.
Those who serve the Lord are always beautiful. The glory of their intuitive awareness is beautiful. ||1||Pause||
All call themselves Your devotees,
but they alone are Your devotees, who are pleasing to Your mind.
Through the True Word of Your Bani, they praise You; attuned to Your Love, they worship You with devotion. ||2||
All are Yours, O Dear True Lord.
Meeting the Gurmukh, this cycle of reincarnation comes to an end.
When it pleases Your Will, then we merge in the Name. You Yourself inspire us to chant the Name. ||3||
Through the Guru's Teachings, I enshrine the Lord within my mind.
Pleasure and pain, and all emotional attachments are gone.
I am lovingly centered on the One Lord forever. I enshrine the Lord's Name within my mind. ||4||
Your devotees are attuned to Your Love; they are always joyful.
The nine treasures of the Naam come to dwell within their minds.
By perfect destiny, they find the True Guru, and through the Word of the Shabad, they are united in the Lord's Union. ||5||
You are Merciful, and always the Giver of peace.
You Yourself unite us; You are known only to the Gurmukhs.
You Yourself bestow the glorious greatness of the Naam; attuned to the Naam, we find peace. ||6||
Forever and ever, O True Lord, I praise You.
As Gurmukh, I know no other at all.
My mind remains immersed in the One Lord; my mind surrenders to Him, and in my mind I meet Him. ||7||
One who becomes Gurmukh, praises the Lord.
Our True Lord and Master is Carefree.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within the mind; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we merge with the Lord. ||8||21||22||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Your devotees look beautiful in the True Court.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are adorned with the Naam.
They are forever in bliss, day and night; chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, they merge with the Lord of Glory. ||1||

I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who hear and enshrine the Naam within their minds.
The Dear Lord, the True One, the Highest of the High, subdues their ego and blends them with Himself. ||1||Pause||
True is the Dear Lord, and True is His Name.
By Guru's Grace, some merge with Him.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, those who merge with the Lord shall not be separated from Him again. They merge with intuitive ease into the True Lord. ||2||
There is nothing beyond You;
You are the One who does, sees, and knows.
The Creator Himself acts, and inspires others to act. Through the Guru's Teachings, He blends us into Himself. ||3||
The virtuous soul-bride finds the Lord;
she decorates herself with the Love and the Fear of God.
She who serves the True Guru is forever a happy soul-bride. She is absorbed in the true teachings. ||4||
Those who forget the Word of the Shabad have no home and no place of rest.
They are deluded by doubt, like a crow in a deserted house.
They forfeit both this world and the next, and they pass their lives suffering in pain and misery. ||5||
Writing on and on endlessly, they run out of paper and ink.
Through the love with duality, no one has found peace.
They write falsehood, and they practice falsehood; they are burnt to ashes by focusing their consciousness on falsehood. ||6||
The Gurmukhs write and reflect on Truth, and only Truth.
The true ones find the gate of salvation.
True is their paper, pen and ink; writing Truth, they are absorbed in the True One. ||7||
My God sits deep within the self; He watches over us.
Those who meet the Lord, by Guru's Grace, are acceptable.
O Nanak, glorious greatness is received through the Naam, which is obtained through the Perfect Guru. ||8||22||23||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Divine Light of the Supreme Soul shines forth from the Guru.
The filth stuck to the ego is removed through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
One who is imbued with devotional worship to the Lord night and day becomes pure. Worshipping the Lord, He is obtained. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who themselves worship the Lord, and inspire others to worship Him as well.
I humbly bow to those devotees who chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day. ||1||Pause||
The Creator Lord Himself is the Doer of deeds.
As He pleases, He applies us to our tasks.
Through perfect destiny, we serve the Guru; serving the Guru, peace is found. ||2||
Those who die, and remain dead while yet alive, obtain it.
By Guru's Grace, they enshrine the Lord within their minds.
Enshrining the Lord within their minds, they are liberated forever. With intuitive ease, they merge into the Lord. ||3||
They perform all sorts of rituals, but they do not obtain liberation through them.
They wander around the countryside, and in love with duality, they are ruined.
The deceitful lose their lives in vain; without the Word of the Shabad, they obtain only misery. ||4||
Those who restrain their wandering mind, keeping it steady and stable,
obtain the supreme status, by Guru's Grace.
The True Guru Himself unites us in Union with the Lord. Meeting the Beloved, peace is obtained. ||5||

Some are stuck in falsehood, and false are the rewards they receive.
In love with duality, they waste away their lives in vain.
They drown themselves, and drown their entire family; speaking lies, they eat poison. ||6||
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, look within their bodies, into their minds.
Through loving devotion, their ego evaporates.
The Siddhas, the seekers and the silent sages continually, lovingly focus their consciousness, but they have not seen the mind within the body. ||7||
The Creator Himself inspires us to work;
what can anyone else do? What can be done by our doing?
O Nanak, the Lord bestows His Name; we receive it, and enshrine it within the mind. ||8||23||24||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Within this cave, there is an inexhaustible treasure.
Within this cave, the Invisible and Infinite Lord abides.
He Himself is hidden, and He Himself is revealed; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, selfishness and conceit are eliminated. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, within their minds.
The taste of the Ambrosial Naam is very sweet! Through the Guru's Teachings, drink in this Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
Subduing egotism, the rigid doors are opened.
The Priceless Naam is obtained by Guru's Grace.
Without the Shabad, the Naam is not obtained. By Guru's Grace, it is implanted within the mind. ||2||
The Guru has applied the true ointment of spiritual wisdom to my eyes.
Deep within, the Divine Light has dawned, and the darkness of ignorance has been dispelled.
My light has merged into the Light; my mind has surrendered, and I am blessed with Glory in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Those who look outside the body, searching for the Lord, shall not receive the Naam; they shall instead be forced to suffer the terrible pains of slavery.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not understand; but when they return once again to their own home, then, as Gurmukh, they find the genuine article. ||4||
By Guru's Grace, the True Lord is found.
Within your mind and body, see the Lord, and the filth of egotism shall depart.
Sitting in that place, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever, and be absorbed in the True Word of the Shabad. ||5||
Those who close off the nine gates, and restrain the wandering mind,
come to dwell in the Home of the Tenth Gate.
There, the Unstruck Melody of the Shabad vibrates day and night. Through the Guru's Teachings, the Shabad is heard. ||6||
Without the Shabad, there is only darkness within.
The genuine article is not found, and the cycle of reincarnation does not end.
The key is in the hands of the True Guru; no one else can open this door. By perfect destiny, He is met. ||7||
You are the hidden and the revealed in all places.
Receiving Guru's Grace, this understanding is obtained.
O Nanak, praise the Naam forever; as Gurmukh, enshrine it within the mind. ||8||24||25||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs meet the Lord, and inspire others to meet Him as well.
Death does not see them, and pain does not afflict them.
Subduing egotism, they break all their bonds; as Gurmukh, they are adorned with the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who look beautiful in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Gurmukhs sing, the Gurmukhs dance, and focus their consciousness on the Lord. ||1||Pause||

The Gurmukhs are celebrated in life and death.
Their lives are not wasted; they realize the Word of the Shabad.
The Gurmukhs do not die; they are not consumed by death. The Gurmukhs are absorbed in the True Lord. ||2||
The Gurmukhs are honored in the Court of the Lord.
The Gurmukhs eradicate selfishness and conceit from within.
They save themselves, and save all their families and ancestors as well. The Gurmukhs redeem their lives. ||3||
The Gurmukhs never suffer bodily pain.
The Gurmukhs have the pain of egotism taken away.
The minds of the Gurmukhs are immaculate and pure; no filth ever sticks to them again. The Gurmukhs merge in celestial peace. ||4||
The Gurmukhs obtain the Greatness of the Naam.
The Gurmukhs sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and obtain honor.
They remain in bliss forever, day and night. The Gurmukhs practice the Word of the Shabad. ||5||
The Gurmukhs are attuned to the Shabad, night and day.
The Gurmukhs are known throughout the four ages.
The Gurmukhs always sing the Glorious Praises of the Immaculate Lord. Through the Shabad, they practice devotional worship. ||6||
Without the Guru, there is only pitch-black darkness.
Seized by the Messenger of Death, people cry out and scream.
Night and day, they are diseased, like maggots in manure, and in manure they endure agony. ||7||
The Gurmukhs know that the Lord alone acts, and causes others to act.
In the hearts of the Gurmukhs, the Lord Himself comes to dwell.
O Nanak, through the Naam, greatness is obtained. It is received from the Perfect Guru. ||8||25||26||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The One Light is the light of all bodies.
The Perfect True Guru reveals it through the Word of the Shabad.
He Himself instills the sense of separation within our hearts; He Himself created the Creation. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
Without the Guru, no one obtains intuitive wisdom; the Gurmukh is absorbed in intuitive peace. ||1||Pause||
You Yourself are Beautiful, and You Yourself entice the world.
You Yourself, by Your Kind Mercy, weave the thread of the world.
You Yourself bestow pain and pleasure, O Creator. The Lord reveals Himself to the Gurmukh. ||2||
The Creator Himself acts, and causes others to act.
Through Him, the Word of the Guru's Shabad is enshrined within the mind.
The Ambrosial Word of the Guru's Bani emanates from the Word of the Shabad. The Gurmukh speaks it and hears it. ||3||
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer.
One who breaks out of bondage is liberated forever.
The True Lord is liberated forever. The Unseen Lord causes Himself to be seen. ||4||
He Himself is Maya, and He Himself is the Illusion.
He Himself has generated emotional attachment throughout the entire universe.
He Himself is the Giver of Virtue; He Himself sings the Lord's Glorious Praises. He chants them and causes them to be heard. ||5||
He Himself acts, and causes others to act.
He Himself establishes and disestablishes.
Without You, nothing can be done. You Yourself have engaged all in their tasks. ||6||
He Himself kills, and He Himself revives.
He Himself unites us, and unites us in Union with Himself.
Through selfless service, eternal peace is obtained. The Gurmukh is absorbed in intuitive peace. ||7||

He Himself is the Highest of the High.
How rare are those who behold Him. He causes Himself to be seen.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within the hearts of those who see the Lord themselves, and inspire others to see Him as well. ||8||26||27||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
My God is pervading and permeating all places.
By Guru's Grace, I have found Him within the home of my own heart.
I serve Him constantly, and I meditate on Him single-mindedly. As Gurmukh, I am absorbed in the True One. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Lord, the Life of the World, within their minds.
Through the Guru's Teachings, I merge with intuitive ease into the Lord, the Life of the World, the Fearless One, the Great Giver. ||1||Pause||
Within the home of the self is the earth, its support and the nether regions of the underworld.
Within the home of the self is the Eternally Young Beloved.
The Giver of peace is eternally blissful. Through the Guru's Teachings, we are absorbed in intuitive peace. ||2||
When the body is filled with ego and selfishness,
the cycle of birth and death does not end.
One who becomes Gurmukh subdues egotism, and meditates on the Truest of the True. ||3||
Within this body are the two brothers, sin and virtue.
When the two joined together, the Universe was produced.
Subduing both, and entering into the Home of the One, through the Guru's Teachings, we are absorbed in intuitive peace. ||4||
Within the home of the self is the darkness of the love of duality.
When the Divine Light dawns, ego and selfishness are dispelled.
The Giver of peace is revealed through the Shabad, meditating upon the Naam, night and day. ||5||
Deep within the self is the Light of God; It radiates throughout the expanse of His creation.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the darkness of spiritual ignorance is dispelled.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth, and eternal peace is obtained, as one's light merges into the Light. ||6||
Within the mansion is the treasure house, overflowing with jewels.
The Gurmukh obtains the Infinite Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Gurmukh, the trader, always purchases the merchandise of the Naam, and always reaps profits. ||7||
The Lord Himself keeps this merchandise in stock, and He Himself distributes it.
Rare is that Gurmukh who trades in this.
O Nanak, those upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, obtain it. Through His Mercy, it is enshrined in the mind. ||8||27||28||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Lord Himself leads us to merge with Him and serve Him.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the love of duality is eradicated.
The Immaculate Lord is the Bestower of eternal virtue. The Lord Himself leads us to merge in His Virtuous Goodness. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who enshrine the Truest of the True within their hearts.
The True Name is eternally pure and immaculate. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is enshrined within the mind. ||1||Pause||
The Guru Himself is the Giver, the Architect of Destiny.
The Gurmukh, the humble servant who serves the Lord, comes to know Him.
Those humble beings look beautiful forever in the Ambrosial Naam. Through the Guru's Teachings, they receive the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
Within the cave of this body, there is one beautiful place.
Through the Perfect Guru, ego and doubt are dispelled.
Night and day, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; imbued with the Lord's Love, by Guru's Grace, you shall find Him. ||3||

Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, search this cave.
The Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within the self.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and decorate yourself with the Shabad. Meeting with your Beloved, you shall find peace. ||4||
The Messenger of Death imposes his tax on those who are attached to duality.
He inflicts punishment on those who forget the Name.
They are called to account for each instant and each moment. Every grain, every particle, is weighed and counted. ||5||
One who does not remember her Husband Lord in this world is being cheated by duality; she shall weep bitterly in the end.
She is from an evil family; she is ugly and vile. Even in her dreams, she does not meet her Husband Lord. ||6||
She who enshrines her Husband Lord in her mind in this world
-His Presence is revealed to her by the Perfect Guru.
That soul-bride keeps her Husband Lord clasped tightly to her heart, and through the Word of the Shabad, she enjoys her Husband Lord upon His Beautiful Bed. ||7||
The Lord Himself sends out the call, and He summons us to His Presence.
He enshrines His Name within our minds.
O Nanak, one who receives the greatness of the Naam night and day, constantly sings His Glorious Praises. ||8||28||29||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
Sublime is their birth, and the place where they dwell.
Those who serve the True Guru remain detached in the home of their own being.
They abide in the Lord's Love, and constantly imbued with His Love, their minds are satisfied and fulfilled with the Lord's Essence. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who read of the Lord, who understand and enshrine Him within their minds.
The Gurmukhs read and praise the Lord's Name; they are honored in the True Court. ||1||Pause||
The Unseen and Inscrutable Lord is permeating and pervading everywhere.
He cannot be obtained by any effort.
If the Lord grants His Grace, then we come to meet the True Guru. By His Kindness, we are united in His Union. ||2||
One who reads, while attached to duality, does not understand.
He yearns for the three-phased Maya.
The bonds of the three-phased Maya are broken by the Word of the Guru's Shabad. Through the Guru's Shabad, liberation is achieved. ||3||
This unstable mind cannot be held steady.
Attached to duality, it wanders in the ten directions.
It is a poisonous worm, drenched with poison, and in poison it rots away. ||4||
Practicing egotism and selfishness, they try to impress others by showing off.
They perform all sorts of rituals, but they gain no acceptance.
Without You, Lord, nothing happens at all. You forgive those who are adorned with the Word of Your Shabad. ||5||
They are born, and they die, but they do not understand the Lord.
Night and day, they wander, in love with duality.
The lives of the self-willed manmukhs are useless; in the end, they die, regretting and repenting. ||6||
The Husband is away, and the wife is getting dressed up.
This is what the blind, self-willed manmukhs are doing.
They are not honored in this world, and they shall find no shelter in the world hereafter. They are wasting their lives in vain. ||7||
How rare are those who know the Name of the Lord!
Through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru, the Lord is realized.
Night and day, they perform the Lord's devotional service; day and night, they find intuitive peace. ||8||
That One Lord is pervading in all.
Only a few, as Gurmukh, understand this.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are beautiful. Granting His Grace, God unites them with Himself. ||9||29||30||

Maajh, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs read and recite; they are called Pandits-spiritual scholars.
But they are in love with duality, and they suffer in terrible pain.
Intoxicated with vice, they understand nothing at all. They are reincarnated, over and over again. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who subdue their ego, and unite with the Lord.
They serve the Guru, and the Lord dwells within their minds; they intuitively drink in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Pandits read the Vedas, but they do not obtain the Lord's essence.
Intoxicated with Maya, they argue and debate.
The foolish intellectuals are forever in spiritual darkness. The Gurmukhs understand, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
The Indescribable is described only through the beauteous Word of the Shabad.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Truth becomes pleasing to the mind.
Those who speak of the truest of the true, day and night-their minds are imbued with the Truth. ||3||
Those who are attuned to Truth, love the Truth.
The Lord Himself bestows this gift; He shall not take it back.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the True Lord is known forever; meeting the True One, peace is found. ||4||
The filth of fraud and falsehood does not stick to those who, by Guru's Grace, remain awake and aware, night and day.
The Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within their hearts; their light merges into the Light. ||5||
They read about the three qualities, but they do not know the essential reality of the Lord.
They forget the Primal Lord, the Source of all, and they do not recognize the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They are engrossed in emotional attachment; they do not understand anything at all. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord is found. ||6||
The Vedas proclaim that Maya is of three qualities.
The self-willed manmukhs, in love with duality, do not understand.
They read of the three qualities, but they do not know the One Lord. Without understanding, they obtain only pain and suffering. ||7||
When it pleases the Lord, He unites us with Himself.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, skepticism and suffering are dispelled.
O Nanak, True is the Greatness of the Name. Believing in the Name, peace is obtained. ||8||30||31||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The Lord Himself is Unmanifest and Unrelated; He is Manifest and Related as well.
Those who recognize this essential reality are the true Pandits, the spiritual scholars.
They save themselves, and save all their families and ancestors as well, when they enshrine the Lord's Name in the mind. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who taste the essence of the Lord, and savor its taste.
Those who taste this essence of the Lord are the pure, immaculate beings. They meditate on the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who reflect upon the Shabad are beyond karma.
They subdue their ego, and find the essence of wisdom, deep within their being.
They obtain the nine treasures of the wealth of the Naam. Rising above the three qualities, they merge into the Lord. ||2||
Those who act in ego do not go beyond karma.
It is only by Guru's Grace that one is rid of ego.
Those who have discriminating minds, continually examine their own selves. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they sing the Lord's Glorious Praises. ||3||
The Lord is the most pure and sublime Ocean. The Saintly Gurmukhs continually peck at the Naam, like swans pecking at pearls in the ocean.
They bathe in it continually, day and night, and the filth of ego is washed away. ||4||
The pure swans, with love and affection, dwell in the Ocean of the Lord, and subdue their ego.

Day and night, they are in love with the True Word of the Shabad. They obtain their home in the Ocean of the Lord. ||5||
The self-willed manmukhs shall always be filthy cranes, smeared with the filth of ego.
They may bathe, but their filth is not removed.
One who dies while yet alive, and contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad, is rid of this filth of ego. ||6||
The Priceless Jewel is found, in the home of one's own being,
when one listens to the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect True Guru.
By Guru's Grace, the darkness of spiritual ignorance is dispelled; I have come to recognize the Divine Light within my own heart. ||7||
The Lord Himself creates, and He Himself beholds.
Serving the True Guru, one becomes acceptable.
O Nanak, the Naam dwells deep within the heart; by Guru's Grace, it is obtained. ||8||31||32||
Maajh, Third Mehl:
The whole world is engrossed in emotional attachment to Maya.
Those who are controlled by the three qualities are attached to Maya.
By Guru's Grace, a few come to understand; they center their consciousness in the fourth state. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who burn away their emotional attachment to Maya, through the Shabad.
Those who burn away this attachment to Maya, and focus their consciousness on the Lord are honored in the True Court, and the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||1||Pause||
The source, the root, of the gods and goddesses is Maya.
For them, the Simritees and the Shaastras were composed.
Sexual desire and anger are diffused throughout the universe. Coming and going, people suffer in pain. ||2||
The jewel of spiritual wisdom was placed within the universe.
By Guru's Grace, it is enshrined within the mind.
Celibacy, chastity, self-discipline and the practice of truthfulness are obtained from the Perfect Guru, by meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
In this world of her parents' home, the soul-bride has been deluded by doubt.
Attached to duality, she later comes to regret it.
She forfeits both this world and the next, and even in her dreams, she does not find peace. ||4||
The soul-bride who remembers her Husband Lord in this world,
by Guru's Grace, sees Him close at hand.
She remains intuitively attuned to the Love of her Beloved; she makes the Word of His Shabad her decoration. ||5||
Blessed and fruitful is the coming of those who find the True Guru;
through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they burn their love of duality.
The One Lord is permeating and pervading deep within the heart. Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||6||
Those who do not serve the True Guru-why did they even come into this world?
Cursed are their lives; they have uselessly wasted this human life.
The self-willed manmukhs do not remember the Naam. Without the Naam, they suffer in terrible pain. ||7||
The One who created the Universe, He alone knows it.
He unites with Himself those who realize the Shabad.
O Nanak, they alone receive the Naam, upon whose foreheads such pre-ordained destiny is recorded. ||8||1||32||33||
Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
The Primal Being is Himself remote and beyond.
He Himself establishes, and having established, He disestablishes.
The One Lord is pervading in all; those who become Gurmukh are honored. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Formless Lord.

He has no form or shape; He is seen within each and every heart. The Gurmukh comes to know the unknowable. ||1||Pause||
You are God, Kind and Merciful.
Without You, there is no other at all.
When the Guru showers His Grace upon us, He blesses us with the Naam; through the Naam, we merge in the Naam. ||2||
You Yourself are the True Creator Lord.
Your treasures are overflowing with devotional worship.
The Gurmukhs obtain the Naam. Their minds are enraptured, and they easily and intuitively enter into Samaadhi. ||3||
Night and day, I sing Your Glorious Praises, God.
I praise You, O my Beloved.
Without You, there is no other for me to seek out. It is only by Guru's Grace that You are found. ||4||
The limits of the Inaccessible and Incomprehensible Lord cannot be found.
Bestowing Your Mercy, You merge us into Yourself.
Through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru, we meditate on the Lord. Serving the Shabad, peace is found. ||5||
Praiseworthy is the tongue which sings the Lord's Glorious Praises.
Praising the Naam, one becomes pleasing to the True One.
The Gurmukh remains forever imbued with the Lord's Love. Meeting the True Lord, glory is obtained. ||6||
The self-willed manmukhs do their deeds in ego.
They lose their whole lives in the gamble.
Within is the terrible darkness of greed, and so they come and go in reincarnation, over and over again. ||7||
The Creator Himself bestows Glory on those whom He Himself has so pre-destined.
O Nanak, they receive the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Destroyer of fear; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they find peace. ||8||1||34||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl, First House:
The Unseen Lord is within, but He cannot be seen.
He has taken the Jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and He keeps it well concealed.
The Inaccessible and Incomprehensible Lord is the highest of all. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is known. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to those who chant the Naam, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
The Beloved Saints were established by the True Lord. By great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of their Darshan is obtained. ||1||Pause||
The One who is sought by the Siddhas and the seekers,
upon whom Brahma and Indra meditate within their hearts,
whom the three hundred thirty million demi-gods search for-meeting the Guru, one comes to sing His Praises within the heart. ||2||
Twenty-four hours a day, the wind breathes Your Name.
The earth is Your servant, a slave at Your Feet.
In the four sources of creation, and in all speech, You dwell. You are dear to the minds of all. ||3||
The True Lord and Master is known to the Gurmukhs.
He is realized through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru.
Those who drink it in are satisfied. Through the Truest of the True, they are fulfilled. ||4||
In the home of their own beings, they are peacefully and comfortably at ease.
They are blissful, enjoying pleasures, and eternally joyful.
They are wealthy, and the greatest kings; they center their minds on the Guru's Feet. ||5||
First, You created nourishment;
then, You created the living beings.
There is no other Giver as Great as You, O my Lord and Master. None approach or equal You. ||6||
Those who are pleasing to You meditate on You.
They practice the Mantra of the Holy.
They themselves swim across, and they save all their ancestors and families as well. In the Court of the Lord, they meet with no obstruction. ||7||

You are so Great! You are the Highest of the High!
You are Infinite, You are Everything!
I am a sacrifice to You. Nanak is the slave of Your slaves. ||8||1||35||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Who is liberated, and who is united?
Who is a spiritual teacher, and who is a preacher?
Who is a house-holder, and who is a renunciate? Who can estimate the Lord's Value? ||1||
How is one bound, and how is one freed of his bonds?
How can one escape from the cycle of coming and going in reincarnation?
Who is subject to karma, and who is beyond karma? Who chants the Name, and inspires others to chant it? ||2||
Who is happy, and who is sad?
Who, as sunmukh, turns toward the Guru, and who, as vaymukh, turns away from the Guru?
How can one meet the Lord? How is one separated from Him? Who can reveal the way to me? ||3||
What is that Word, by which the wandering mind can be restrained?
What are those teachings, by which we may endure pain and pleasure alike?
What is that lifestyle, by which we may come to meditate on the Supreme Lord? How may we sing the Kirtan of His Praises? ||4||
The Gurmukh is liberated, and the Gurmukh is linked.
The Gurmukh is the spiritual teacher, and the Gurmukh is the preacher.
Blessed is the Gurmukh, the householder and the renunciate. The Gurmukh knows the Lord's Value. ||5||
Egotism is bondage; as Gurmukh, one is emancipated.
The Gurmukh escapes the cycle of coming and going in reincarnation.
The Gurmukh performs actions of good karma, and the Gurmukh is beyond karma. Whatever the Gurmukh does, is done in good faith. ||6||
The Gurmukh is happy, while the self-willed manmukh is sad.
The Gurmukh turns toward the Guru, and the self-willed manmukh turns away from the Guru.
The Gurmukh is united with the Lord, while the manmukh is separated from Him. The Gurmukh reveals the way. ||7||
The Guru's Instruction is the Word, by which the wandering mind is restrained.
Through the Guru's Teachings, we can endure pain and pleasure alike.
To live as Gurmukh is the lifestyle by which we come to meditate on the Supreme Lord. The Gurmukh sings the Kirtan of His Praises. ||8||
The Lord Himself created the entire creation.
He Himself acts, and causes others to act. He Himself establishes.
From oneness, He has brought forth the countless multitudes. O Nanak, they shall merge into the One once again. ||9||2||36||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
God is Eternal and Imperishable, so why should anyone be anxious?
The Lord is Wealthy and Prosperous, so His humble servant should feel totally secure.
O Giver of peace of the soul, of life, of honor-as You ordain, I obtain peace. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to that Gurmukh whose mind and body are pleased with You.
You are my mountain, You are my shelter and shield. No one can rival You. ||1||Pause||
That person, unto whom Your actions seem sweet,
comes to see the Supreme Lord God in each and every heart.
In all places and interspaces, You exist. You are the One and Only Lord, pervading everywhere. ||2||
You are the Fulfiller of all the mind's desires.
Your treasures are overflowing with love and devotion.
Showering Your Mercy, You protect those who, through perfect destiny, merge into You. ||3||

You pulled me out of the deep, dark well onto the dry ground.
Showering Your Mercy, You blessed Your servant with Your Glance of Grace.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Perfect, Immortal Lord. By speaking and hearing these Praises, they are not used up. ||4||
Here and hereafter, You are our Protector.
In the womb of the mother, You cherish and nurture the baby.
The fire of Maya does not affect those who are imbued with the Lord's Love; they sing His Glorious Praises. ||5||
What Praises of Yours can I chant and contemplate?
Deep within my mind and body, I behold Your Presence.
You are my Friend and Companion, my Lord and Master. Without You, I do not know any other at all. ||6||
O God, that one, unto whom You have given shelter,
is not touched by the hot winds.
O my Lord and Master, You are my Sanctuary, the Giver of peace. Chanting, meditating on You in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, You are revealed. ||7||
You are Exalted, Unfathomable, Infinite and Invaluable.
You are my True Lord and Master. I am Your servant and slave.
You are the King, Your Sovereign Rule is True. Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You. ||8||3||37||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
Continually, continuously, remember the Merciful Lord.
Never forget Him from your mind. ||Pause||
Join the Society of the Saints,
and you shall not have to go down the path of Death.
Take the Provisions of the Lord's Name with you, and no stain shall attach itself to your family. ||1||
Those who meditate on the Master
shall not be thrown down into hell.
Even the hot winds shall not touch them. The Lord has come to dwell within their minds. ||2||
They alone are beautiful and attractive,
who abide in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Those who have gathered in the wealth of the Lord's Name-they alone are deep and thoughtful and vast. ||3||
Drink in the Ambrosial Essence of the Name,
and live by beholding the face of the Lord's servant.
Let all your affairs be resolved, by continually worshipping the Feet of the Guru. ||4||
He alone meditates on the Lord of the World, whom the Lord has made His Own.
He alone is a warrior, and he alone is the chosen one, upon whose forehead good destiny is recorded. ||5||
Within my mind, I meditate on God.
For me, this is like the enjoyment of princely pleasures.
Evil does not well up within me, since I am saved, and dedicated to truthful actions. ||6||
I have enshrined the Creator within my mind;
I have obtained the fruits of life's rewards.
If your Husband Lord is pleasing to your mind, then your married life shall be eternal. ||7||
I have obtained everlasting wealth;
I have found the Sanctuary of the Dispeller of fear.
Grasping hold of the hem of the Lord's robe, Nanak is saved. He has won the incomparable life. ||8||4||38||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Maajh, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
Chanting and meditating on the Lord, the mind is held steady. ||1||Pause||
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Divine Guru, one's fears are erased and dispelled. ||1||
Entering the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God, how could anyone feel grief any longer? ||2||

Serving at the Feet of the Holy Saints, all desires are fulfilled. ||3||
In each and every heart, the One Lord is pervading. He is totally permeating the water, the land, and the sky. ||4||
I serve the Destroyer of sin, and I am sanctified by the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||5||
My Lord and Master Himself has saved me completely; I am comforted by meditating on the Lord. ||6||
The Creator has passed judgement, and the evil-doers have been silenced and killed. ||7||
Nanak is attuned to the True Name; he beholds the Presence of the Ever-present Lord. ||8||5||39||1||32||1||5||39||
Baarah Maahaa ~ The Twelve Months: Maajh, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By the actions we have committed, we are separated from You. Please show Your Mercy, and unite us with Yourself, Lord.
We have grown weary of wandering to the four corners of the earth and in the ten directions. We have come to Your Sanctuary, God.
Without milk, a cow serves no purpose.
Without water, the crop withers, and it will not bring a good price.
If we do not meet the Lord, our Friend, how can we find our place of rest?
Those homes, those hearts, in which the Husband Lord is not manifest-those towns and villages are like burning furnaces.
All decorations, the chewing of betel to sweeten the breath, and the body itself, are all useless and vain.
Without God, our Husband, our Lord and Master, all friends and companions are like the Messenger of Death.
This is Nanak's prayer: "Please show Your Mercy, and bestow Your Name.
O my Lord and Master, please unite me with Yourself, O God, in the Eternal Mansion of Your Presence". ||1||
In the month of Chayt, by meditating on the Lord of the Universe, a deep and profound joy arises.
Meeting with the humble Saints, the Lord is found, as we chant His Name with our tongues.
Those who have found God-blessed is their coming into this world.
Those who live without Him, for even an instant-their lives are rendered useless.
The Lord is totally pervading the water, the land, and all space. He is contained in the forests as well.
Those who do not remember God-how much pain must they suffer!
Those who dwell upon their God have great good fortune.
My mind yearns for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. O Nanak, my mind is so thirsty!
I touch the feet of one who unites me with God in the month of Chayt. ||2||
In the month of Vaisaakh, how can the bride be patient? She is separated from her Beloved.
She has forgotten the Lord, her Life-companion, her Master; she has become attached to Maya, the deceitful one.
Neither son, nor spouse, nor wealth shall go along with you-only the Eternal Lord.
Entangled and enmeshed in the love of false occupations, the whole world is perishing.
Without the Naam, the Name of the One Lord, they lose their lives in the hereafter.
Forgetting the Merciful Lord, they are ruined. Without God, there is no other at all.
Pure is the reputation of those who are attached to the Feet of the Beloved Lord.

Nanak makes this prayer to God: "Please, come and unite me with Yourself."
The month of Vaisaakh is beautiful and pleasant, when the Saint causes me to meet the Lord. ||3||
In the month of Jayt'h, the bride longs to meet with the Lord. All bow in humility before Him.
One who has grasped the hem of the robe of the Lord, the True Friend-no one can keep him in bondage.
God's Name is the Jewel, the Pearl. It cannot be stolen or taken away.
In the Lord are all pleasures which please the mind.
As the Lord wishes, so He acts, and so His creatures act.
They alone are called blessed, whom God has made His Own.
If people could meet the Lord by their own efforts, why would they be crying out in the pain of separation?
Meeting Him in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, celestial bliss is enjoyed.
In the month of Jayt'h, the playful Husband Lord meets her, upon whose forehead such good destiny is recorded. ||4||
The month of Aasaarh seems burning hot, to those who are not close to their Husband Lord.
They have forsaken God the Primal Being, the Life of the World, and they have come to rely upon mere mortals.
In the love of duality, the soul-bride is ruined; around her neck she wears the noose of Death.
As you plant, so shall you harvest; your destiny is recorded on your forehead.
The life-night passes away, and in the end, one comes to regret and repent, and then depart with no hope at all.
Those who meet with the Holy Saints are liberated in the Court of the Lord.
Show Your Mercy to me, O God; I am thirsty for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
Without You, God, there is no other at all. This is Nanak's humble prayer.
The month of Aasaarh is pleasant, when the Feet of the Lord abide in the mind. ||5||
In the month of Saawan, the soul-bride is happy, if she falls in love with the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
Her mind and body are imbued with the Love of the True One; His Name is her only Support.
The pleasures of corruption are false. All that is seen shall turn to ashes.
The drops of the Lord's Nectar are so beautiful! Meeting the Holy Saint, we drink these in.
The forests and the meadows are rejuvenated and refreshed with the Love of God, the All-powerful, Infinite Primal Being.
My mind yearns to meet the Lord. If only He would show His Mercy, and unite me with Himself!
Those brides who have obtained God-I am forever a sacrifice to them.
O Nanak, when the Dear Lord shows kindness, He adorns His bride with the Word of His Shabad.
Saawan is delightful for those happy soul-brides whose hearts are adorned with the Necklace of the Lord's Name. ||6||
In the month of Bhaadon, she is deluded by doubt, because of her attachment to duality.
She may wear thousands of ornaments, but they are of no use at all.
On that day when the body perishes-at that time, she becomes a ghost.
The Messenger of Death seizes and holds her, and does not tell anyone his secret.
And her loved ones-in an instant, they move on, leaving her all alone.
She wrings her hands, her body writhes in pain, and she turns from black to white.
As she has planted, so does she harvest; such is the field of karma.
Nanak seeks God's Sanctuary; God has given him the Boat of His Feet.
Those who love the Guru, the Protector and Savior, in Bhaadon, shall not be thrown down into hell. ||7||
In the month of Assu, my love for the Lord overwhelms me. How can I go and meet the Lord?

My mind and body are so thirsty for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. Won't someone please come and lead me to him, O my mother.
The Saints are the helpers of the Lord's lovers; I fall and touch their feet.
Without God, how can I find peace? There is nowhere else to go.
Those who have tasted the sublime essence of His Love, remain satisfied and fulfilled.
They renounce their selfishness and conceit, and they pray, "God, please attach me to the hem of Your robe."
Those whom the Husband Lord has united with Himself, shall not be separated from Him again.
Without God, there is no other at all. Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lord.
In Assu, the Lord, the Sovereign King, has granted His Mercy, and they dwell in peace. ||8||
In the month of Katak, do good deeds. Do not try to blame anyone else.
Forgetting the Transcendent Lord, all sorts of illnesses are contracted.
Those who turn their backs on the Lord shall be separated from Him and consigned to reincarnation, over and over again.
In an instant, all of Maya's sensual pleasures turn bitter.
No one can then serve as your intermediary. Unto whom can we turn and cry?
By one's own actions, nothing can be done; destiny was pre-determined from the very beginning.
By great good fortune, I meet my God, and then all pain of separation departs.
Please protect Nanak, God; O my Lord and Master, please release me from bondage.
In Katak, in the Company of the Holy, all anxiety vanishes. ||9||
In the month of Maghar, those who sit with their Beloved Husband Lord are beautiful.
How can their glory be measured? Their Lord and Master blends them with Himself.
Their bodies and minds blossom forth in the Lord; they have the companionship of the Holy Saints.
Those who lack the Company of the Holy, remain all alone.
Their pain never departs, and they fall into the grip of the Messenger of Death.
Those who have ravished and enjoyed their God, are seen to be continually exalted and uplifted.
They wear the Necklace of the jewels, emeralds and rubies of the Lord's Name.
Nanak seeks the dust of the feet of those who take to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Door.
Those who worship and adore God in Maghar, do not suffer the cycle of reincarnation ever again. ||10||
In the month of Poh, the cold does not touch those, whom the Husband Lord hugs close in His Embrace.
Their minds are transfixed by His Lotus Feet. They are attached to the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Seek the Protection of the Lord of the Universe; His service is truly profitable.
Corruption shall not touch you, when you join the Holy Saints and sing the Lord's Praises.
From where it originated, there the soul is blended again. It is absorbed in the Love of the True Lord.
When the Supreme Lord God grasps someone's hand, he shall never again suffer separation from Him.
I am a sacrifice, 100,000 times, to the Lord, my Friend, the Unapproachable and Unfathomable.
Please preserve my honor, Lord; Nanak begs at Your Door.
Poh is beautiful, and all comforts come to that one, whom the Carefree Lord has forgiven. ||11||
In the month of Maagh, let your cleansing bath be the dust of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Meditate and listen to the Name of the Lord, and give it to everyone.
In this way, the filth of lifetimes of karma shall be removed, and egotistical pride shall vanish from your mind.

Sexual desire and anger shall not seduce you, and the dog of greed shall depart.
Those who walk on the Path of Truth shall be praised throughout the world.
Be kind to all beings-this is more meritorious than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and the giving of charity.
That person, upon whom the Lord bestows His Mercy, is a wise person.
Nanak is a sacrifice to those who have merged with God.
In Maagh, they alone are known as true, unto whom the Perfect Guru is Merciful. ||12||
In the month of Phalgun, bliss comes to those, unto whom the Lord, the Friend, has been revealed.
The Saints, the Lord's helpers, in their mercy, have united me with Him.
My bed is beautiful, and I have all comforts. I feel no sadness at all.
My desires have been fulfilled-by great good fortune, I have obtained the Sovereign Lord as my Husband.
Join with me, my sisters, and sing the songs of rejoicing and the Hymns of the Lord of the Universe.
There is no other like the Lord-there is no equal to Him.
He embellishes this world and the world hereafter, and He gives us our permanent home there.
He rescues us from the world-ocean; never again do we have to run the cycle of reincarnation.
I have only one tongue, but Your Glorious Virtues are beyond counting. Nanak is saved, falling at Your Feet.
In Phalgun, praise Him continually; He has not even an iota of greed. ||13||
Those who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord-their affairs are all resolved.
Those who meditate on the Perfect Guru, the Lord-Incarnate-they are judged true in the Court of the Lord.
The Lord's Feet are the Treasure of all peace and comfort for them; they cross over the terrifying and treacherous world-ocean.
They obtain love and devotion, and they do not burn in corruption.
Falsehood has vanished, duality has been erased, and they are totally overflowing with Truth.
They serve the Supreme Lord God, and enshrine the One Lord within their minds.
The months, the days, and the moments are auspicious, for those upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace.
Nanak begs for the blessing of Your Vision, O Lord. Please, shower Your Mercy upon me! ||14||1||
Maajh, Fifth Mehl: Day And Night:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I serve my True Guru, and meditate on Him all day and night.
Renouncing selfishness and conceit, I seek His Sanctuary, and speak sweet words to Him.
Through countless lifetimes and incarnations, I was separated from Him. O Lord, you are my Friend and Companion-please unite me with Yourself.
Those who are separated from the Lord do not dwell in peace, O sister.
Without their Husband Lord, they find no comfort. I have searched and seen all realms.
My own evil actions have kept me separate from Him; why should I accuse anyone else?
Bestow Your Mercy, God, and save me! No one else can bestow Your Mercy.
Without You, Lord, we roll around in the dust. Unto whom should we utter our cries of distress?
This is Nanak's prayer: "May my eyes behold the Lord, the Angelic Being."||1||
The Lord hears the anguish of the soul; He is the All-powerful and Infinite Primal Being.
In death and in life, worship and adore the Lord, the Support of all.

In this world and in the next, the soul-bride belongs to her Husband Lord, who has such a vast family.
He is Lofty and Inaccessible. His Wisdom is Unfathomable.
He has no end or limitation. That service is pleasing to Him, which makes one humble, like the dust of the feet of the Saints.
He is the Patron of the poor, the Merciful, Luminous Lord, the Redeemer of sinners.
From the very beginning, and throughout the ages, the True Name of the Creator has been our Saving Grace.
No one can know His Value; no one can weigh it.
He dwells deep within the mind and body. O Nanak, He cannot be measured.
I am forever a sacrifice to those who serve God, day and night. ||2||
The Saints worship and adore Him forever and ever; He is the Forgiver of all.
He fashioned the soul and the body, and by His Kindness, He bestowed the soul.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, worship and adore Him, and chant His Pure Mantra.
His Value cannot be evaluated. The Transcendent Lord is endless.
That one, within whose mind the Lord abides, is said to be most fortunate.
The soul's desires are fulfilled, upon meeting the Master, our Husband Lord.
Nanak lives by chanting the Lord's Name; all sorrows have been erased.
One who does not forget Him, day and night, is continually rejuvenated. ||3||
God is overflowing with all powers. I have no honor-He is my resting place.
I have grasped the Support of the Lord within my mind; I live by chanting and meditating on His Name.
Grant Your Grace, God, and bless me, that I may merge into the dust of the feet of the humble.
As You keep me, so do I live. I wear and eat whatever You give me.
May I make the effort, O God, to sing Your Glorious Praises in the Company of the Holy.
I can conceive of no other place; where could I go to lodge a complaint?
You are the Dispeller of ignorance, the Destroyer of darkness, O Lofty, Unfathomable and Unapproachable Lord.
Please unite this separated one with Yourself; this is Nanak's yearning.
That day shall bring every joy, O Lord, when I take to the Feet of the Guru. ||4||1||
Vaar In Maajh, And Shaloks Of The First Mehl: To Be Sung To The Tune Of "Malik Mureed And Chandrahraa Sohee-Aa"
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
Shalok, First Mehl:
The Guru is the Giver; the Guru is the House of ice. The Guru is the Light of the three worlds.
O Nanak, He is everlasting wealth. Place your mind's faith in Him, and you shall find peace. ||1||
First Mehl:
First, the baby loves mother's milk;
second, he learns of his mother and father;
third, his brothers, sisters-in-law and sisters;
fourth, the love of play awakens.
Fifth, he runs after food and drink;
sixth, in his sexual desire, he does not respect social customs.
Seventh, he gathers wealth and dwells in his house;
eighth, he becomes angry, and his body is consumed.
Ninth, he turns grey, and his breathing becomes labored;
tenth, he is cremated, and turns to ashes.
His companions send him off, crying out and lamenting.
The swan of the soul takes flight, and asks which way to go.

He came and he went, and now, even his name has died.
After he left, food was offered on leaves, and the birds were called to come and eat.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukhs love the darkness.
Without the Guru, the world is drowning. ||2||
First Mehl:
At the age of ten, he is a child; at twenty, a youth, and at thirty, he is called handsome.
At forty, he is full of life; at fifty, his foot slips, and at sixty, old age is upon him.
At seventy, he loses his intellect, and at eighty, he cannot perform his duties.
At ninety, he lies in his bed, and he cannot understand his weakness.
After seeking and searching for such a long time, O Nanak, I have seen that the world is just a mansion of smoke. ||3||
Pauree:
You, O Creator Lord, are Unfathomable. You Yourself created the Universe,
its colors, qualities and varieties, in so many ways and forms.
You created it, and You alone understand it. It is all Your Play.
Some come, and some arise and depart; but without the Name, all are bound to die.
The Gurmukhs are imbued with the deep crimson color of the poppy; they are dyed in the color of the Lord's Love.
So serve the True and Pure Lord, the Supremely Powerful Architect of Destiny.
You Yourself are All-knowing. O Lord, You are the Greatest of the Great!
O my True Lord, I am a sacrifice, a humble sacrifice, to those who meditate on You within their conscious mind. ||1||
Shalok, First Mehl:
He placed the soul in the body which He had fashioned. He protects the Creation which He has created.
With their eyes, they see, and with their tongues, they speak; with their ears, they bring the mind to awareness.
With their feet, they walk, and with their hands, they work; they wear and eat whatever is given.
They do not know the One who created the Creation. The blind fools do their dark deeds.
When the pitcher of the body breaks and shatters into pieces, it cannot be re-created again.
O Nanak, without the Guru, there is no honor; without honor, no one is carried across. ||1||
Second Mehl:
They prefer the gift, instead of the Giver; such is the way of the self-willed manmukhs.
What can anyone say about their intelligence, their understanding or their cleverness?
The deeds which one commits, while sitting in one's own home, are known far and wide, in the four directions.
One who lives righteously is known as righteous; one who commits sins is known as a sinner.
You Yourself enact the entire play, O Creator. Why should we speak of any other?
As long as Your Light is within the body, You speak through that Light. Without Your Light, who can do anything? Show me any such cleverness!
O Nanak, the Lord alone is Perfect and All-knowing; He is revealed to the Gurmukh. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself created the world, and You Yourself put it to work.
Administering the drug of emotional attachment, You Yourself have led the world astray.
The fire of desire is deep within; unsatisfied, people remain hungry and thirsty.
This world is an illusion; it dies and it is re-born-it comes and it goes in reincarnation.
Without the True Guru, emotional attachment is not broken. All have grown weary of performing empty rituals.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Filled with a joyful peace, they surrender to Your Will.
They save their families and ancestors; blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them.

Beautiful and sublime is the glory and the understanding of those who focus their consciousness on the Lord. ||2||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
To see without eyes; to hear without ears;
to walk without feet; to work without hands;
to speak without a tongue-like this, one remains dead while yet alive.
O Nanak, recognize the Hukam of the Lord's Command, and merge with your Lord and Master. ||1||
Second Mehl:
He is seen, heard and known, but His subtle essence is not obtained.
How can the lame, armless and blind person run to embrace the Lord?
Let the Fear of God be your feet, and let His Love be your hands; let His Understanding be your eyes.
Says Nanak, in this way, O wise soul-bride, you shall be united with your Husband Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Forever and ever, You are the only One; You set the play of duality in motion.
You created egotism and arrogant pride, and You placed greed within our beings.
Keep me as it pleases Your Will; everyone acts as You cause them to act.
Some are forgiven, and merge with You; through the Guru's Teachings, we are joined to You.
Some stand and serve You; without the Name, nothing else pleases them.
Any other task would be worthless to them-You have enjoined them to Your True Service.
In the midst of children, spouse and relations, some still remain detached; they are pleasing to Your Will.
Inwardly and outwardly, they are pure, and they are absorbed in the True Name. ||3||
Shalok, First Mehl:
I may make a cave, in a mountain of gold, or in the water of the nether regions;
I may remain standing on my head, upside-down, on the earth or up in the sky;
I may totally cover my body with clothes, and wash them continually;
I may shout out loud, the white, red, yellow and black Vedas;
I may even live in dirt and filth. And yet, all this is just a product of evil-mindedness, and intellectual corruption.
I was not, I am not, and I will never be anything at all! O Nanak, I dwell only on the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
First Mehl:
They wash their clothes, and scrub their bodies, and try to practice self-discipline.
But they are not aware of the filth staining their inner being, while they try and try to wash off the outer dirt.
The blind go astray, caught by the noose of Death.
They see other people's property as their own, and in egotism, they suffer in pain.
O Nanak, the egotism of the Gurmukhs is broken, and then, they meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
They chant the Naam, meditate on the Naam, and through the Naam, they are absorbed in peace. ||2||
Pauree:
Destiny has brought together and united the body and the soul-swan.
He who created them, also separates them.
The fools enjoy their pleasures; they must also endure all their pains.
From pleasures, arise diseases and the commission of sins.
From sinful pleasures come sorrow, separation, birth and death.
The fools try to account for their misdeeds, and argue uselessly.
The judgement is in the Hands of the True Guru, who puts an end to the argument.
Whatever the Creator does, comes to pass. It cannot be changed by anyone's efforts. ||4||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Telling lies, they eat dead bodies.

And yet, they go out to teach others.
They are deceived, and they deceive their companions.
O Nanak, such are the leaders of men. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Those, within whom the Truth dwells, obtain the True Name; they speak only the Truth.
They walk on the Lord's Path, and inspire others to walk on the Lord's Path as well.
Bathing in a pool of holy water, they are washed clean of filth. But, by bathing in a stagnant pond, they are contaminated with even more filth.
The True Guru is the Perfect Pool of Holy Water. Night and day, He meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
He is saved, along with his family; bestowing the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, He saves the whole world.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to one who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it as well. ||2||
Pauree:
Some pick and eat fruits and roots, and live in the wilderness.
Some wander around wearing saffron robes, as Yogis and Sanyaasees.
But there is still so much desire within them-they still yearn for clothes and food.
They waste their lives uselessly; they are neither householders nor renunciates.
The Messenger of Death hangs over their heads, and they cannot escape the three-phased desire.
Death does not even approach those who follow the Guru's Teachings, and become the slaves of the Lord's slaves.
The True Word of the Shabad abides in their true minds; within the home of their own inner beings, they remain detached.
O Nanak, those who serve their True Guru, rise from desire to desirelessness. ||5||
Shalok, First Mehl:
If one's clothes are stained with blood, the garment becomes polluted.
Those who suck the blood of human beings-how can their consciousness be pure?
O Nanak, chant the Name of God, with heart-felt devotion.
Everything else is just a pompous worldly show, and the practice of false deeds. ||1||
First Mehl:
Since I am no one, what can I say? Since I am nothing, what can I be?
As He created me, so I act. As He causes me to speak, so I speak. I am full and overflowing with sins-if only I could wash them away!
I do not understand myself, and yet I try to teach others. Such is the guide I am!
O Nanak, the one who is blind shows others the way, and misleads all his companions.
But, going to the world hereafter, he shall be beaten and kicked in the face; then, it will be obvious, what sort of guide he was! ||2||
Pauree:
Through all the months and the seasons, the minutes and the hours, I dwell upon You, O Lord.
No one has attained You by clever calculations, O True, Unseen and Infinite Lord.
That scholar who is full of greed, arrogant pride and egotism, is known to be a fool.
So read the Name, and realize the Name, and contemplate the Guru's Teachings.
Through the Guru's Teachings, I have earned the wealth of the Naam; I possess the storehouses, overflowing with devotion to the Lord.
Believing in the Immaculate Naam, one is hailed as true, in the True Court of the Lord.
The Divine Light of the Infinite Lord, who owns the soul and the breath of life, is deep within the inner being.
You alone are the True Banker, O Lord; the rest of the world is just Your petty trader. ||6||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Let mercy be your mosque, faith your prayer-mat, and honest living your Koran.
Make modesty your circumcision, and good conduct your fast. In this way, you shall be a true Muslim.
Let good conduct be your Kaabaa, Truth your spiritual guide, and the karma of good deeds your prayer and chant.
Let your rosary be that which is pleasing to His Will. O Nanak, God shall preserve your honor. ||1||

First Mehl
: To take what rightfully belongs to another, is like a Muslim eating pork, or a Hindu eating beef.
Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands by us, if we do not eat those carcasses.
By mere talk, people do not earn passage to Heaven. Salvation comes only from the practice of Truth.
By adding spices to forbidden foods, they are not made acceptable.
O Nanak, from false talk, only falsehood is obtained. ||2||
First Mehl:
There are five prayers and five times of day for prayer; the five have five names.
Let the first be truthfulness, the second honest living, and the third charity in the Name of God.
Let the fourth be good will to all, and the fifth the praise of the Lord.
Repeat the prayer of good deeds, and then, you may call yourself a Muslim.
O Nanak, the false obtain falsehood, and only falsehood. ||3||
Pauree:
Some trade in priceless jewels, while others deal in mere glass.
When the True Guru is pleased, we find the treasure of the jewel, deep within the self.
Without the Guru, no one has found this treasure. The blind and the false have died in their endless wanderings.
The self-willed manmukhs putrefy and die in duality. They do not understand contemplative meditation.
Without the One Lord, there is no other at all. Unto whom should they complain?
Some are destitute, and wander around endlessly, while others have storehouses of wealth.
Without God's Name, there is no other wealth. Everything else is just poison and ashes.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself acts, and causes others to act; by the Hukam of His Command, we are embellished and exalted. ||7||
Shalok, First Mehl:
It is difficult to be called a Muslim; if one is truly a Muslim, then he may be called one.
First, let him savor the religion of the Prophet as sweet; then, let his pride of his possessions be scraped away.
Becoming a true Muslim, a disciple of the faith of Mohammed, let him put aside the delusion of death and life.
As he submits to God's Will, and surrenders to the Creator, he is rid of selfishness and conceit.
And when, O Nanak, he is merciful to all beings, only then shall he be called a Muslim. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Renounce sexual desire, anger, falsehood and slander; forsake Maya and eliminate egotistical pride.
Renounce sexual desire and promiscuity, and give up emotional attachment. Only then shall you obtain the Immaculate Lord amidst the darkness of the world.
Renounce selfishness, conceit and arrogant pride, and your love for your children and spouse. Abandon your thirsty hopes and desires, and embrace love for the Lord.
O Nanak, the True One shall come to dwell in your mind. Through the True Word of the Shabad, you shall be absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Neither the kings, nor their subjects, nor the leaders shall remain.
The shops, the cities and the streets shall eventually disintegrate, by the Hukam of the Lord's Command.
Those solid and beautiful mansions-the fools think that they belong to them.
The treasure-houses, filled with wealth, shall be emptied out in an instant.
The horses, chariots, camels and elephants, with all their decorations; the gardens, lands, houses, tents, soft beds and satin pavilions-Oh, where are those things, which they believe to be their own?
O Nanak, the True One is the Giver of all; He is revealed through His All-powerful Creative Nature. ||8||
Shalok, First Mehl:
If the rivers became cows, giving milk, and the spring water became milk and ghee;
If all the earth became sugar, to continually excite the mind;

if the mountains became gold and silver, studded with gems and jewels
-even then, I would worship and adore You, and my longing to chant Your Praises would not decrease. ||1||
First Mehl:
If all the eighteen loads of vegetation became fruits,
and the growing grass became sweet rice; if I were able to stop the sun and the moon in their orbits and hold them perfectly steady
-even then, I would worship and adore You, and my longing to chant Your Praises would not decrease. ||2||
First Mehl:
If my body were afflicted with pain, under the evil influence of unlucky stars;
and if the blood-sucking kings were to hold power over me
-even if this were my condition, I would still worship and adore You, and my longing to chant Your Praises would not decrease. ||3||
First Mehl:
If fire and ice were my clothes, and the wind was my food;
and even if the enticing heavenly beauties were my wives, O Nanak-all this shall pass away!
Even then, I would worship and adore You, and my longing to chant Your Praises would not decrease. ||4||
Pauree:
The foolish demon, who does evil deeds, does not know his Lord and Master.
Call him a mad-man, if he does not understand himself.
The strife of this world is evil; these struggles are consuming it.
Without the Lord's Name, life is worthless. Through doubt, the people are being destroyed.
One who recognizes that all spiritual paths lead to the One shall be emancipated.
One who speaks lies shall fall into hell and burn.
In all the world, the most blessed and sanctified are those who remain absorbed in Truth.
One who eliminates selfishness and conceit is redeemed in the Court of the Lord. ||9||
First Mehl, Shalok:
They alone are truly alive, whose minds are filled with the Lord.
O Nanak, no one else is truly alive;
those who merely live shall depart in dishonor;
everything they eat is impure.
Intoxicated with power and thrilled with wealth, they delight in their pleasures, and dance about shamelessly.
O Nanak, they are deluded and defrauded.
Without the Lord's Name, they lose their honor and depart. ||1||
First Mehl:
What good is food, and what good are clothes,
if the True Lord does not abide within the mind?
What good are fruits, what good is ghee, sweet jaggery, what good is flour, and what good is meat?
What good are clothes, and what good is a soft bed, to enjoy pleasures and sensual delights?
What good is an army, and what good are soldiers, servants and mansions to live in?
O Nanak, without the True Name, all this paraphernalia shall disappear. ||2||
Pauree:
What good is social class and status? Truthfulness is measured within.
Pride in one's status is like poison-holding it in your hand and eating it, you shall die.
The True Lord's Sovereign Rule is known throughout the ages.
One who respects the Hukam of the Lord's Command is honored and respected in the Court of the Lord.
By the Order of our Lord and Master, we have been brought into this world.
The Drummer, the Guru, has announced the Lord's meditation, through the Word of the Shabad.
Some have mounted their horses in response, and others are saddling up.
Some have tied up their bridles, and others have already ridden off. ||10||
Shalok, First Mehl:
When the crop is ripe, then it is cut down; only the stalks are left standing.
The corn on the cob is put into the thresher, and the kernels are separated from the cobs.
Placing the kernels between the two mill-stones, people sit and grind the corn.
Those kernels which stick to the central axle are spared-Nanak has seen this wonderful vision! ||1||
First Mehl:
Look, and see how the sugar-cane is cut down. After cutting away its branches, its feet are bound together into bundles,

and then, it is placed between the wooden rollers and crushed.
What punishment is inflicted upon it! Its juice is extracted and placed in the cauldron; as it is heated, it groans and cries out.
And then, the crushed cane is collected and burnt in the fire below.
Nanak: come, people, and see how the sweet sugar-cane is treated! ||2||
Pauree:
Some do not think of death; they entertain great hopes.
They die, and are re-born, and die, over and over again. They are of no use at all!
In their conscious minds, they call themselves good.
The King of the Angels of Death hunts down those self-willed manmukhs, over and over again.
The manmukhs are false to their own selves; they feel no gratitude for what they have been given.
Those who merely perform rituals of worship are not pleasing to their Lord and Master.
Those who attain the True Lord and chant His Name are pleasing to the Lord.
They worship the Lord and bow at His Throne. They fulfill their pre-ordained destiny. ||11||
First Mehl, Shalok:
What can deep water do to a fish? What can the vast sky do to a bird?
What can cold do to a stone? What is married life to a eunuch?
You may apply sandalwood oil to a dog, but he will still be a dog.
You may try to teach a deaf person by reading the Simritees to him, but how will he learn?
You may place a light before a blind man and burn fifty lamps, but how will he see?
You may place gold before a herd of cattle, but they will pick out the grass to eat.
You may add flux to iron and melt it, but it will not become soft like cotton.
O Nanak, this is the nature of a fool-everything he speaks is useless and wasted. ||1||
First Mehl:
When pieces of bronze or gold or iron break,
the metal-smith welds them together again in the fire, and the bond is established.
If a husband leaves his wife,
their children may bring them back together in the world, and the bond is established.
When the king makes a demand, and it is met, the bond is established.
When the hungry man eats, he is satisfied, and the bond is established.
In the famine, the rain fills the streams to overflowing, and the bond is established.
There is a bond between love and words of sweetness.
When one speaks the Truth, a bond is established with the Holy Scriptures.
Through goodness and truth, the dead establish a bond with the living.
Such are the bonds which prevail in the world.
The fool establishes his bonds only when he is slapped in the face.
Nanak says this after deep reflection:
through the Lord's Praise, we establish a bond with His Court. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created and adorned the Universe, and He Himself contemplates it.
Some are counterfeit, and some are genuine. He Himself is the Appraiser.
The genuine are placed in His Treasury, while the counterfeit are thrown away.
The counterfeit are thrown out of the True Court-unto whom should they complain?
They should worship and follow the True Guru-this is the lifestyle of excellence.
The True Guru converts the counterfeit into genuine; through the Word of the Shabad, He embellishes and exalts us.
Those who have enshrined love and affection for the Guru, are honored in the True Court.
Who can estimate the value of those who have been forgiven by the Creator Lord Himself? ||12||
Shalok, First Mehl:
All the spiritual teachers, their disciples and the rulers of the world shall be buried under the ground.
The emperors shall also pass away; God alone is Eternal.
You alone, Lord, You alone. ||1||
First Mehl:
Neither the angels, nor the demons, nor human beings, nor the Siddhas, nor the seekers shall remain on the earth.
Who else is there?

You alone, Lord, You alone. ||2||
First Mehl:
Neither the just, nor the generous, nor any humans at all, nor the seven realms beneath the earth, shall remain.
The One Lord alone exists. Who else is there?
You alone, Lord, You alone. ||3||
First Mehl:
Neither the sun, nor the moon, nor the planets, nor the seven continents, nor the oceans, nor food, nor the wind-nothing is permanent.
You alone, Lord, You alone. ||4||
First Mehl:
Our sustenance is not in the hands of any person.
The hopes of all rest in the One Lord.
The One Lord alone exists-who else is there?
You alone, Lord, You alone. ||5||
First Mehl:
The birds have no money in their pockets.
They place their hopes on trees and water.
He alone is the Giver.
You alone, Lord, You alone. ||6||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, that destiny which is pre-ordained and written on one's forehead
-no one can erase it.
The Lord infuses strength, and He takes it away again.
You alone, O Lord, You alone. ||7||
Pauree:
True is the Hukam of Your Command. To the Gurmukh, it is known.
Through the Guru's Teachings, selfishness and conceit are eradicated, and the Truth is realized.
True is Your Court. It is proclaimed and revealed through the Word of the Shabad.
Meditating deeply on the True Word of the Shabad, I have merged into the Truth.
The self-willed manmukhs are always false; they are deluded by doubt.
They dwell in manure, and they do not know the taste of the Name.
Without the Name, they suffer the agonies of coming and going.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself is the Appraiser, who distinguishes the counterfeit from the genuine. ||13||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Tigers, hawks, falcons and eagles-the Lord could make them eat grass.
And those animals which eat grass-He could make them eat meat. He could make them follow this way of life.
He could raise dry land from the rivers, and turn the deserts into bottomless oceans.
He could appoint a worm as king, and reduce an army to ashes.
All beings and creatures live by breathing, but He could keep us alive, even without the breath.
O Nanak, as it pleases the True Lord, He gives us sustenance. ||1||
First Mehl:
Some eat meat, while others eat grass.
Some have all the thirty-six varieties of delicacies,
while others live in the dirt and eat mud.
Some control the breath, and regulate their breathing.
Some live by the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Formless Lord.
The Great Giver lives; no one dies.
O Nanak, those who do not enshrine the Lord within their minds are deluded. ||2||
Pauree:
By the karma of good actions, some come to serve the Perfect Guru.
Through the Guru's Teachings, some eliminate selfishness and conceit, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Undertaking any other task, they waste their lives in vain.
Without the Name, all that they wear and eat is poison.
Praising the True Word of the Shabad, they merge with the True Lord.
Without serving the True Guru, they do not obtain the home of peace; they are consigned to reincarnation, over and over again.
Investing counterfeit capital, they earn only falsehood in the world.
O Nanak, singing the Praises of the Pure, True Lord, they depart with honor. ||14||
Shalok, First Mehl:
When it pleases You, we play music and sing; when it pleases You, we bathe in water.

When it pleases You, we smear our bodies with ashes, and blow the horn and the conch shell.
When it pleases You, we read the Islamic Scriptures, and are acclaimed as Mullahs and Shaykhs.
When it pleases You, we become kings, and enjoy all sorts of tastes and pleasures.
When it pleases You, we wield the sword, and cut off the heads of our enemies.
When it pleases You, we go out to foreign lands; hearing news of home, we come back again.
When it pleases You, we are attuned to the Name, and when it pleases You, we become pleasing to You.
Nanak utters this one prayer; everything else is just the practice of falsehood. ||1||
First Mehl:
You are so Great-all Greatness flows from You. You are So Good-Goodness radiates from You.
You are True-all that flows from You is True. Nothing at all is false.
Talking, seeing, speaking, walking, living and dying-all these are transitory.
By the Hukam of His Command, He creates, and in His Command, He keeps us. O Nanak, He Himself is True. ||2||
Pauree:
Serve the True Guru fearlessly, and your doubt shall be dispelled.
Do that work which the True Guru asks you to do.
When the True Guru becomes merciful, we meditate on the Naam.
The profit of devotional worship is excellent. It is obtained by the Gurmukh.
The self-willed manmukhs are trapped in the darkness of falsehood; they practice nothing but falsehood.
Go to the Gate of Truth, and speak the Truth.
The True Lord calls the true ones to the Mansion of His Presence.
O Nanak, the true ones are forever true; they are absorbed in the True Lord. ||15||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The Dark Age of Kali Yuga is the knife, and the kings are butchers; righteousness has sprouted wings and flown away.
In this dark night of falsehood, the moon of Truth is not visible anywhere.
I have searched in vain, and I am so confused; in this darkness, I cannot find the path.
In egotism, they cry out in pain.
Says Nanak, how will they be saved? ||1||
Third Mehl:
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise has appeared as a Light in the world.
How rare are those few Gurmukhs who swim across to the other side!
The Lord bestows His Glance of Grace;
O Nanak, the Gurmukh receives the jewel. ||2||
Pauree:
Between the Lord's devotees and the people of the world, there can never be any true alliance.
The Creator Himself is infallible. He cannot be fooled; no one can fool Him.
He blends His devotees with Himself; they practice Truth, and only Truth.
The Lord Himself leads the people of the world astray; they tell lies, and by telling lies, they eat poison.
They do not recognize the ultimate reality, that we all must go; they continue to cultivate the poisons of sexual desire and anger.
The devotees serve the Lord; night and day, they meditate on the Naam.
Becoming the slaves of the Lord's slaves, they eradicate selfishness and conceit from within.
In the Court of their Lord and Master, their faces are radiant; they are embellished and exalted with the True Word of the Shabad. ||16||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Those who praise the Lord in the early hours of the morning and meditate on Him single-mindedly,
are the perfect kings; at the right time, they die fighting.
In the second watch, the focus of the mind is scattered in all sorts of ways.
So many fall into the bottomless pit; they are dragged under, and they cannot get out again.

In the third watch, both hunger and thirst bark for attention, and food is put into the mouth.
That which is eaten becomes dust, but they are still attached to eating.
In the fourth watch, they become drowsy. They close their eyes and begin to dream.
Rising up again, they engage in conflicts; they set the stage as if they will live for 100 years.
If at all times, at each and every moment, they live in the fear of God
-O Nanak, the Lord dwells within their minds, and their cleansing bath is true. ||1||
Second Mehl:
They are the perfect kings, who have found the Perfect Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, they remain unconcerned, imbued with the Love of the One Lord.
Only a few obtain the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of the Unimaginably Beauteous Lord.
Through the perfect karma of good deeds, one meets the Perfect Guru, whose speech is perfect.
O Nanak, when the Guru makes one perfect, one's weight does not decrease. ||2||
Pauree:
When You are with me, what more could I want? I speak only the Truth.
Plundered by the thieves of worldly affairs, she does not obtain the Mansion of His Presence.
Being so stone-hearted, she has lost her chance to serve the Lord.
That heart, in which the True Lord is not found, should be torn down and re-built.
How can she be weighed accurately, upon the scale of perfection?
No one will say that her weight has been shorted, if she rids herself of egotism.
The genuine are assayed, and accepted in the Court of the All-knowing Lord.
The genuine merchandise is found only in one shop-it is obtained from the Perfect Guru. ||17||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Twenty-four hours a day, destroy the eight things, and in the ninth place, conquer the body.
Within the body are the nine treasures of the Name of the Lord-seek the depths of these virtues.
Those blessed with the karma of good actions praise the Lord. O Nanak, they make the Guru their spiritual teacher.
In the fourth watch of the early morning hours, a longing arises in their higher consciousness.
They are attuned to the river of life; the True Name is in their minds and on their lips.
The Ambrosial Nectar is distributed, and those with good karma receive this gift.
Their bodies become golden, and take on the color of spirituality.
If the Jeweller casts His Glance of Grace, they are not placed in the fire again.
Throughout the other seven watches of the day, it is good to speak the Truth, and sit with the spiritually wise.
There, vice and virtue are distinguished, and the capital of falsehood is decreased.
There, the counterfeit are cast aside, and the genuine are cheered.
Speech is vain and useless. O Nanak, pain and pleasure are in the power of our Lord and Master. ||1||
Second Mehl:
Air is the Guru, Water is the Father, and Earth is the Great Mother of all.
Day and night are the two nurses, in whose lap all the world is at play.
Good deeds and bad deeds-the record is read out in the Presence of the Lord of Dharma.
According to their own actions, some are drawn closer, and some are driven farther away.
Those who have meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and departed after having worked by the sweat of their brow
-O Nanak, their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and many others are saved along with them! ||2||
Pauree:
The True Food is the Love of the Lord; the True Guru has spoken.
With this True Food, I am satisfied, and with the Truth, I am delighted.
True are the cities and the villages, where one abides in the True Home of the self.
When the True Guru is pleased, one receives the Lord's Name, and blossoms forth in His Love.
No one enters the Court of the True Lord through falsehood.
By uttering falsehood and only falsehood, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is lost.

No one blocks the way of those who are blessed with the Banner of the True Word of the Shabad.
Hearing, understanding and speaking Truth, one is called to the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||18||
Shalok, First Mehl:
If I dressed myself in fire, and built my house of snow, and made iron my food;
and if I were to drink in all pain like water, and drive the entire earth before me;
and if I were to place the earth upon a scale and balance it with a single copper coin;
and if I were to become so great that I could not be contained, and if I were to control and lead all;
and if I were to possess so much power within my mind that I could cause others to do my bidding-so what?
As Great as our Lord and Master is, so great are His gifts. He bestows them according to His Will.
O Nanak, those upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, obtain the glorious greatness of the True Name. ||1||
Second Mehl:
The mouth is not satisfied by speaking, and the ears are not satisfied by hearing.
The eyes are not satisfied by seeing-each organ seeks out one sensory quality.
The hunger of the hungry is not appeased; by mere words, hunger is not relieved.
O Nanak, hunger is relieved only when one utters the Glorious Praises of the Praiseworthy Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Without the True One, all are false, and all practice falsehood.
Without the True One, the false ones are bound and gagged and driven off.
Without the True One, the body is just ashes, and it mingles again with ashes.
Without the True Ome, all food and clothes are unsatisfying.
Without the True One, the false ones do not attain the Lord's Court.
Attached to false attachments, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is lost.
The whole world is deceived by deception, coming and going in reincarnation.
Within the body is the fire of desire; through the Word of the Shabad, it is quenched. ||19||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, the Guru is the tree of contentment, with flowers of faith, and fruits of spiritual wisdom.
Watered with the Lord's Love, it remains forever green; through the karma of good deeds and meditation, it ripens.
Honor is obtained by eating this tasty dish; of all gifts, this is the greatest gift. ||1||
First Mehl:
The Guru is the tree of gold, with leaves of coral, and blossoms of jewels and rubies.
The Words from His Mouth are fruits of jewels. Within His Heart, He beholds the Lord.
O Nanak, He is obtained by those, upon whose faces and foreheads such pre-recorded destiny is written.
The sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage are contained in the constant worship of the feet of the Exalted Guru.
Cruelty, material attachment, greed and anger are the four rivers of fire.
Falling into them, one is burned, O Nanak! One is saved only by holding tight to good deeds. ||2||
Pauree:
While you are alive, conquer death, and you shall have no regrets in the end.
This world is false, but only a few understand this.
People do not enshrine love for the Truth; they chase after worldly affairs instead.
The terrible time of death and annihilation hovers over the heads of the world.
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, the Messenger of Death smashes his club over their heads.
The Lord Himself gives His Love, and enshrines it within their minds.
Not a moment or an instant's delay is permitted, when one's measure of life is full.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to know the True One, and is absorbed into Him. ||20||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Bitter melon, swallow-wort, thorn-apple and nim fruit
-these bitter poisons lodge in the minds and mouths of those who do not remember You.
O Nanak, how shall I tell them this? Without the karma of good deeds, they are only destroying themselves. ||1||
First Mehl:
The intellect is a bird; on account of its actions, it is sometimes high, and sometimes low.

Sometimes it is perched on the sandalwood tree, and sometimes it is on the branch of the poisonous swallow-wort. Sometimes, it soars through the heavens.
O Nanak, our Lord and Master leads us on, according to the Hukam of His Command; such is His Way. ||2||
Pauree:
Some speak and expound, and while speaking and lecturing, they pass away.
The Vedas speak and expound on the Lord, but they do not know His limits.
Not by studying, but through understanding, is the Lord's Mystery revealed.
There are six pathways in the Shaastras, but how rare are those who merge in the True Lord through them.
The True Lord is Unknowable; through the Word of His Shabad, we are embellished.
One who believes in the Name of the Infinite Lord, attains the Court of the Lord.
I humbly bow to the Creator Lord; I am a minstrel singing His Praises.
Nanak enshrines the Lord within his mind. He is the One, throughout the ages. ||21||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Those who charm scorpions and handle snakes only brand themselves with their own hands.
By the pre-ordained Order of our Lord and Master, they are beaten badly, and struck down.
If the self-willed manmukhs fight with the Gurmukh, they are condemned by the Lord, the True Judge.
He Himself is the Lord and Master of both worlds. He beholds all and makes the exact determination.
O Nanak, know this well: everything is in accordance with His Will. ||1||
Second Mehl:
O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge.
If someone understands both the disease and the medicine, only then is he a wise physician.
Do not involve yourself in idle business on the way; remember that you are only a guest here.
Speak with those who know the Primal Lord, and renounce your evil ways.
That virtuous person who does not walk in the way of greed, and who abides in Truth, is accepted and famous.
If an arrow is shot at the sky, how can it reach there?
The sky above is unreachable-know this well, O archer! ||2||
Pauree:
The soul-bride loves her Husband Lord; she is embellished with His Love.
She worships Him day and night; she cannot be restrained from doing so.
In the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, she has made her home; she is adorned with the Word of His Shabad.
She is humble, and she offers her true and sincere prayer.
She is beautiful in the Company of her Lord and Master; she walks in the Way of His Will.
With her dear friends, she offers her heart-felt prayers to her Beloved.
Cursed is that home, and shameful is that life, which is without the Name of the Lord.
But she who is adorned with the Word of His Shabad, drinks in the Amrit of His Nectar. ||22||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The desert is not satisfied by rain, and the fire is not quenched by desire.
The king is not satisfied with his kingdom, and the oceans are full, but still they thirst for more.
O Nanak, how many times must I seek and ask for the True Name? ||1||
Second Mehl:
Life is useless, as long as one does not know the Lord God.
Only a few cross over the world-ocean, by Guru's Grace.
The Lord is the All-powerful Cause of causes, says Nanak after deep deliberation.
The creation is subject to the Creator, who sustains it by His Almighty Power. ||2||
Pauree:
In the Court of the Lord and Master, His minstrels dwell.
Singing the Praises of their True Lord and Master, the lotuses of their hearts have blossomed forth.
Obtaining their Perfect Lord and Master, their minds are transfixed with ecstasy.
Their enemies have been driven out and subdued, and their friends are very pleased.
Those who serve the Truthful True Guru are shown the True Path.

Reflecting on the True Word of the Shabad, death is overcome.
Speaking the Unspoken Speech of the Lord, one is adorned with the Word of His Shabad.
Nanak holds tight to the Treasure of Virtue, and meets with the Dear, Beloved Lord. ||23||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Born because of the karma of their past mistakes, they make more mistakes, and fall into mistakes.
By washing, their pollution is not removed, even though they may wash hundreds of times.
O Nanak, if God forgives, they are forgiven; otherwise, they are kicked and beaten. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, it is absurd to ask to be spared from pain by begging for comfort.
Pleasure and pain are the two garments given, to be worn in the Court of the Lord.
Where you are bound to lose by speaking, there, you ought to remain silent. ||2||
Pauree:
After looking around in the four directions, I looked within my own self.
There, I saw the True, Invisible Lord Creator.
I was wandering in the wilderness, but now the Guru has shown me the Way.
Hail to the True, True Guru, through whom we merge in the Truth.
I have found the jewel within the home of my own self; the lamp within has been lit.
Those who praise the True Word of the Shabad, abide in the peace of Truth.
But those who do not have the Fear of God, are overtaken by fear. They are destroyed by their own pride.
Having forgotten the Name, the world is roaming around like a wild demon. ||24||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In fear we are born, and in fear we die. Fear is always present in the mind.
O Nanak, if one dies in the fear of God, his coming into the world is blessed and approved. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Without the fear of God, you may live very, very long, and savor the most enjoyable pleasures.
O Nanak, if you die without the fear of God, you will arise and depart with a blackened face. ||2||
Pauree:
When the True Guru is merciful, then your desires will be fulfilled.
When the True Guru is merciful, you will never grieve.
When the True Guru is merciful, you will know no pain.
When the True Guru is merciful, you will enjoy the Lord's Love.
When the True Guru is merciful, then why should you fear death?
When the True Guru is merciful, the body is always at peace.
When the True Guru is merciful, the nine treasures are obtained.
When the True Guru is merciful, you shall be absorbed in the True Lord. ||25||
Shalok, First Mehl:
They pluck the hair out of their heads, and drink in filthy water; they beg endlessly and eat the garbage which others have thrown away.
They spread manure, they suck in rotting smells, and they are afraid of clean water.
Their hands are smeared with ashes, and the hair on their heads is plucked out-they are like sheep!
They have renounced the lifestyle of their mothers and fathers, and their families and relatives cry out in distress.
No one offers the rice dishes at their last rites, and no one lights the lamps for them. After their death, where will they be sent?
The sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage give them no place of protection, and no Brahmin will eat their food.
They remain polluted forever, day and night; they do not apply the ceremonial tilak mark to their foreheads.
They sit together in silence, as if in mourning; they do not go to the Lord's Court.
With their begging bowls hanging from their waists, and their fly-brushes in their hands, they walk along in single file.
They are not Yogis, and they are not Jangams, followers of Shiva. They are not Qazis or Mullahs.

Ruined by the Merciful Lord, they wander around in disgrace, and their entire troop is contaminated.
The Lord alone kills and restores to life; no one else can protect anyone from Him.
They go without giving alms or any cleansing baths; their shaven heads become covered with dust.
The jewel emerged from the water, when the mountain of gold was used to churn it.
The gods established the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, where the festivals are celebrated and hymns are chanted.
After bathing, the Muslims recite their prayers, and after bathing, the Hindus perform their worship services. The wise always take cleansing baths.
At the time of death, and at the time of birth, they are purified, when water is poured on their heads.
O Nanak, the shaven-headed ones are devils. They are not pleased to hear these words.
When it rains, there is happiness. Water is the key to all life.
When it rains, the corn grows, and the sugar cane, and the cotton, which provides clothing for all.
When it rains, the cows always have grass to graze upon, and housewives can churn the milk into butter.
With that ghee, sacred feasts and worship services are performed; all these efforts are blessed.
The Guru is the ocean, and all His Teachings are the river. Bathing within it, glorious greatness is obtained.
O Nanak, if the shaven-headed ones do not bathe, then seven handfuls of ashes are upon their heads. ||1||
Second Mehl:
What can the cold do to the fire? How can the night affect the sun?
What can the darkness do to the moon? What can social status do to air and water?
What are personal possessions to the earth, from which all things are produced?
O Nanak, he alone is known as honorable, whose honor the Lord preserves. ||2||
Pauree:
It is of You, O my True and Wondrous Lord, that I sing forever.
Yours is the True Court. All others are subject to coming and going.
Those who ask for the gift of the True Name are like You.
Your Command is True; we are adorned with the Word of Your Shabad.
Through faith and trust, we receive spiritual wisdom and meditation from You.
By Your Grace, the banner of honor is obtained. It cannot be taken away or lost.
You are the True Giver; You give continually. Your Gifts continue to increase.
Nanak begs for that gift which is pleasing to You. ||26||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Those who have accepted the Guru's Teachings, and who have found the path, remain absorbed in the Praises of the True Lord.
What teachings can be imparted to those who have the Divine Guru Nanak as their Guru? ||1||
First Mehl:
We understand the Lord only when He Himself inspires us to understand Him.
He alone knows everything, unto whom the Lord Himself gives knowledge.
One may talk and preach and give sermons but still yearn after Maya.
The Lord, by the Hukam of His Command, has created the entire creation.
He Himself knows the inner nature of all.
O Nanak, He Himself uttered the Word.
Doubt departs from one who receives this gift. ||2||
Pauree:
I was a minstrel, out of work, when the Lord took me into His service.
To sing His Praises day and night, He gave me His Order, right from the start.
My Lord and Master has summoned me, His minstrel, to the True Mansion of His Presence.
He has dressed me in the robes of His True Praise and Glory.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name has become my food.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings, who eat this food and are satisfied, find peace.
His minstrel spreads His Glory, singing and vibrating the Word of His Shabad.
O Nanak, praising the True Lord, I have obtained His Perfection. ||27||SUDH||
	
Raag Gauree Gwaarayree, First Mehl, Chau-Padas & Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
The Fear of God is overpowering, and so very heavy,
while the intellect is lightweight, as is the speech one speaks.
So place the Fear of God upon your head, and bear that weight;
by the Grace of the Merciful Lord, contemplate the Guru. ||1||
Without the Fear of God, no one crosses over the world-ocean.
This Fear of God adorns the Love of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The fire of fear within the body is burnt away by the Fear of God.
Through this Fear of God, we are adorned with the Word of the Shabad.
Without the Fear of God, all that is fashioned is false.
Useless is the mold, and useless are the hammer-strokes on the mold. ||2||
The desire for the worldly drama arises in the intellect,
but even with thousands of clever mental tricks, the heat of the Fear of God does not come into play.
O Nanak, the speech of the self-willed manmukh is just wind.
His words are worthless and empty, like the wind. ||3||1||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Place the Fear of God within the home of your heart; with this Fear of God in your heart, all other fears shall be frightened away.
What sort of fear is that, which frightens other fears?
Without You, I have other place of rest at all.
Whatever happens is all according to Your Will. ||1||
Be afraid, if you have any fear, other than the Fear of God.
Afraid of fear, and living in fear, the mind is held in tumult. ||1||Pause||
The soul does not die; it does not drown, and it does not swim across.
The One who created everything does everything.
By the Hukam of His Command we come, and by the Hukam of His Command we go.
Before and after, His Command is pervading. ||2||
Cruelty, attachment, desire and egotism
- there is great hunger in these, like the raging torrent of a wild stream.
Let the Fear of God be your food, drink and support.
Without doing this, the fools simply die. ||3||
If anyone really has anyone else - how rare is that person!
All are Yours - You are the Lord of all.
All beings and creatures, wealth and property belong to Him.
O Nanak, it is so difficult to describe and contemplate Him. ||4||2||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Let wisdom be your mother, and contentment your father.
Let Truth be your brother - these are your best relatives. ||1||
He has been described, but He cannot be described at all.
Your All-pervading creative nature cannot be estimated. ||1||Pause||

Modesty, humility and intuitive understanding are my mother-in-law and father-in-law;
I have made good deeds my spouse. ||2||
Union with the Holy is my wedding date, and separation from the world is my marriage.
Says Nanak, Truth is the child born of this Union. ||3||3||
Gauree, First Mehl:
The union of air, water and fire
- the body is the play-thing of the fickle and unsteady intellect.
It has nine doors, and then there is the Tenth Gate.
Reflect upon this and understand it, O wise one. ||1||
The Lord is the One who speaks, teaches and listens.
One who contemplates his own self is truly wise. ||1||Pause||
The body is dust; the wind speaks through it.
Understand, O wise one, who has died.
Awareness, conflict and ego have died,
but the One who sees does not die. ||2||
For the sake of it, you journey to sacred shrines and holy rivers;
but this priceless jewel is within your own heart.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read and read endlessly; they stir up arguments and controversies,
but they do not know the secret deep within. ||3||
I have not died - that evil nature within me has died.
The One who is pervading everywhere does not die.
Says Nanak, the Guru has revealed God to me,
and now I see that there is no such thing as birth or death. ||4||4||
Gauree, First Mehl, Dakhanee:
I am forever a sacrifice to the one who listens and hears, who understands and believes in the Name.
When the Lord Himself leads us astray, there is no other place of rest for us to find.
You impart understanding, and You unite us in Your Union. ||1||
I obtain the Naam, which shall go along with me in the end.
Without the Name, all are held in the grip of Death. ||1||Pause||
My farming and my trading are by the Support of the Name.
The seeds of sin and virtue are bound together.
Sexual desire and anger are the wounds of the soul.
The evil-minded ones forget the Naam, and then depart. ||2||
True are the Teachings of the True Guru.
The body and mind are cooled and soothed, by the touchstone of Truth.
This is the true mark of wisdom: that one remains detached, like the water-lily, or the lotus upon the water.
Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, one becomes sweet, like the juice of the sugar cane. ||3||
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, the castle of the body has ten gates.
The five passions dwell there, together with the Divine Light of the Infinite.
The Lord Himself is the merchandise, and He Himself is the trader.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, we are adorned and rejuvenated. ||4||5||
Gauree, First Mehl:
How can we know where we came from?
Where did we originate, and where will we go and merge?
How are we bound, and how do we obtain liberation?
How do we merge with intuitive ease into the Eternal, Imperishable Lord? ||1||
With the Naam in the heart and the Ambrosial Naam on our lips,
through the Name of the Lord, we rise above desire, like the Lord. ||1||Pause||
With intuitive ease we come, and with intuitive ease we depart.
From the mind we originate, and into the mind we are absorbed.
As Gurmukh, we are liberated, and are not bound.
Contemplating the Word of the Shabad, we are emancipated through the Name of the Lord. ||2||
At night, lots of birds settle on the tree.
Some are happy, and some are sad. Caught in the desires of the mind, they perish.
And when the life-night comes to its end, then they look to the sky.
They fly away in all ten directions, according to their pre-ordained destiny. ||3||

Those who are committed to the Naam, see the world as merely a temporary pasture.
Sexual desire and anger are broken, like a jar of poison.
Without the merchandise of the Name, the house of the body and the store of the mind are empty.
Meeting the Guru, the hard and heavy doors are opened. ||4||
One meets the Holy Saint only through perfect destiny.
The Lord's perfect people rejoice in the Truth.
Surrendering their minds and bodies, they find the Lord with intuitive ease.
Nanak falls at their feet. ||5||6||
Gauree, First Mehl:
The conscious mind is engrossed in sexual desire, anger and Maya.
The conscious mind is awake only to falsehood, corruption and attachment.
It gathers in the assets of sin and greed.
So swim across the river of life, O my mind, with the Sacred Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! - Great! Great is my True Lord! I seek Your All-powerful Support.
I am a sinner - You alone are pure. ||1||Pause||
Fire and water join together, and the breath roars in its fury!
The tongue and the sex organs each seek to taste.
The eyes which look upon corruption do not know the Love and the Fear of God.
Conquering self-conceit, one obtains the Name. ||2||
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad, shall never again have to die.
Without such a death, how can one attain perfection?
The mind is engrossed in deception, treachery and duality.
Whatever the Immortal Lord does, comes to pass. ||3||
So get aboard that boat when your turn comes.
Those who fail to embark upon that boat shall be beaten in the Court of the Lord.
Blessed is that Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, where the Praises of the True Lord are sung.
O Nanak, the One Creator Lord is pervading hearth and home. ||4||7||
Gauree, First Mehl:
The inverted heart-lotus has been turned upright, through reflective meditation on God.
From the Sky of the Tenth Gate, the Ambrosial Nectar trickles down.
The Lord Himself is pervading the three worlds. ||1||
O my mind, do not give in to doubt.
When the mind surrenders to the Name, it drinks in the essence of Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
So win the game of life; let your mind surrender and accept death.
When the self dies, the individual mind comes to know the Supreme Mind.
As the inner vision is awakened, one comes to know one's own home, deep within the self. ||2||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is austerity, chastity and cleansing baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
What good are ostentatious displays?
The All-pervading Lord is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||3||
If I had faith in someone else, then I would go to that one's house.
But where should I go, to beg? There is no other place for me.
O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, I am intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||4||8||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Meeting the True Guru, we are shown the way to die.
Remaining alive in this death brings joy deep within.
Overcoming egotistical pride, the Tenth Gate is found. ||1||
Death is pre-ordained - no one who comes can remain here.
So chant and meditate on the Lord, and remain in the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Meeting the True Guru, duality is dispelled.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth, and the mind is attached to the Lord God.
One who remains dead while yet alive obtains the greatest happiness hereafter. ||2||
Meeting the True Guru, one becomes truthful, chaste and pure.
Climbing up the steps of the Guru's Path, one becomes the highest of the high.
When the Lord grants His Mercy, the fear of death is conquered. ||3||
Uniting in Guru's Union, we are absorbed in His Loving Embrace.
Granting His Grace, He reveals the Mansion of His Presence, within the home of the self.
O Nanak, conquering egotism, we are absorbed into the Lord. ||4||9||

Gauree, First Mehl:
Past actions cannot be erased.
What do we know of what will happen hereafter?
Whatever pleases Him shall come to pass.
There is no other Doer except Him. ||1||
I do not know about karma, or how great Your gifts are.
The karma of actions, the Dharma of righteousness, social class and status, are contained within Your Name. ||1||Pause||
You are So Great, O Giver, O Great Giver!
The treasure of Your devotional worship is never exhausted.
One who takes pride in himself shall never be right.
The soul and body are all at Your disposal. ||2||
You kill and rejuvenate. You forgive and merge us into Yourself.
As it pleases You, You inspire us to chant Your Name.
You are All-knowing, All-seeing and True, O my Supreme Lord.
Please, bless me with the Guru's Teachings; my faith is in You alone. ||3||
One whose mind is attuned to the Lord, has no pollution in his body.
Through the Guru's Word, the True Shabad is realized.
All Power is Yours, through the greatness of Your Name.
Nanak abides in the Sanctuary of Your devotees. ||4||10||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Those who speak the Unspoken, drink in the Nectar.
Other fears are forgotten, and they are absorbed into the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Why should we fear, when fear is dispelled by the Fear of God?
Through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru, I recognize God. ||1||Pause||
Those whose hearts are filled with the Lord's essence are blessed and acclaimed, and intuitively absorbed into the Lord. ||2||
Those whom the Lord puts to sleep, evening and morning
- those self-willed manmukhs are bound and gagged by Death, here and hereafter. ||3||
Those whose hearts are filled with the Lord, day and night, are perfect.
O Nanak, they merge into the Lord, and their doubts are cast away. ||4||11||
Gauree, First Mehl:
One who loves the three qualities is subject to birth and death.
The four Vedas speak only of the visible forms.
They describe and explain the three states of mind,
but the fourth state, union with the Lord, is known only through the True Guru. ||1||
Through devotional worship of the Lord, and service to the Guru, one swims across.
Then, one is not born again, and is not subject to death. ||1||Pause||
Everyone speaks of the four great blessings;
the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Pandits speak of them as well.
But without the Guru, they do not understand their true significance.
The treasure of liberation is obtained through devotional worship of the Lord. ||2||
Those, within whose hearts the Lord dwells,
become Gurmukh; they receive the blessings of devotional worship.
Through devotional worship of the Lord, liberation and bliss are obtained.
Through the Guru's Teachings, supreme ecstasy is obtained. ||3||
One who meets the Guru, beholds Him, and inspires others to behold Him as well.
In the midst of hope, the Guru teaches us to live above hope and desire.
He is the Master of the meek, the Giver of peace to all.
Nanak's mind is imbued with the Lotus Feet of the Lord. ||4||12||
Gauree Chaytee, First Mehl:
With your nectar-like body, you live in comfort, but this world is just a passing drama.
You practice greed, avarice and great falsehood, and you carry such a heavy burden.
O body, I have seen you blowing away like dust on the earth. ||1||
Listen - listen to my advice!
Only the good deeds which you have done shall remain with you, O my soul. This opportunity shall not come again! ||1||Pause||

I say to you, O my body: listen to my advice!
You slander, and then praise others; you indulge in lies and gossip.
You gaze upon the wives of others, O my soul; you steal and commit evil deeds.
But when the swan departs, you shall remain behind, like an abandoned woman. ||2||
O body, you are living in a dream! What good deeds have you done?
When I stole something by deception, then my mind was pleased.
I have no honor in this world, and I shall find no shelter in the world hereafter. My life has been lost, wasted in vain! ||3||
I am totally miserable! O Baba Nanak, no one cares for me at all! ||1||Pause||
Turkish horses, gold, silver and loads of gorgeous clothes
- none of these shall go with you, O Nanak. They are lost and left behind, you fool!
I have tasted all the sugar candy and sweets, but Your Name alone is Ambrosial Nectar. ||4||
Digging deep foundations, the walls are constructed, but in the end, the buildings return to heaps of dust.
People gather and hoard their possessions, and give nothing to anyone else - the poor fools think that everything is theirs.
Riches do not remain with anyone - not even the golden palaces of Sri Lanka. ||5||
Listen, you foolish and ignorant mind
- only His Will prevails. ||1||Pause||
My Banker is the Great Lord and Master. I am only His petty merchant.
This soul and body all are His. He Himself kills, and brings back to life. ||6||1||13||
Gauree Chaytee, First Mehl:
There are five of them, but I am all alone. How can I protect my hearth and home, O my mind?
They are beating and plundering me over and over again; unto whom can I complain? ||1||
Chant the Name of the Supreme Lord, O my mind.
Otherwise, in the world hereafter, you will have to face the awesome and cruel army of Death. ||1||Pause||
God has erected the temple of the body; He has placed the nine doors, and the soul-bride sits within.
She enjoys the sweet play again and again, while the five demons are plundering her. ||2||
In this way, the temple is being demolished; the body is being plundered, and the soul-bride, left all alone, is captured.
Death strikes her down with his rod, the shackles are placed around her neck, and now the five have left. ||3||
The wife yearns for gold and silver, and her friends, the senses, yearn for good food.
O Nanak, she commits sins for their sake; she shall go, bound and gagged, to the City of Death. ||4||2||14||
Gauree Chaytee, First Mehl:
Let your ear-rings be those ear-rings which pierce deep within your heart. Let your body be your patched coat.
Let the five passions be disciples under your control, O begging Yogi, and make this mind your walking stick. ||1||
Thus you shall find the Way of Yoga.
There is only the One Word of the Shabad; everything else shall pass away. Let this be the fruits and roots of your mind's diet. ||1||Pause||
Some try to find the Guru by shaving their heads at the Ganges, but I have made the Guru my Ganges.
The Saving Grace of the three worlds is the One Lord and Master, but those in darkness do not remember Him. ||2||
Practicing hypocrisy and attaching your mind to worldly objects, your doubt shall never depart.

If you focus your consciousness on the Feet of the One Lord, what reason would you have to chase after greed? ||3||
Meditate on the Immaculate Lord, and saturate your mind with Him.
Why, O Yogi, do you make so many false and deceptive claims? ||1||Pause||
The body is wild, and the mind is foolish. Practicing egotism, selfishness and conceit, your life is passing away.
Prays Nanak, when the naked body is cremated, then you will come to regret and repent. ||4||3||15||
Gauree Chaytee, First Mehl:
O mind, there is only the One medicine, mantra and healing herb - center your consciousness firmly on the One Lord.
Take to the Lord, the Destroyer of the sins and karma of past incarnations. ||1||
The One Lord and Master is pleasing to my mind.
In Your three qualities, the world is engrossed; the Unknowable cannot be known. ||1||Pause||
Maya is so sweet to the body, like sugar or molasses. We all carry loads of it.
In the dark of the night, nothing can be seen. The mouse of death is gnawing away at the rope of life, O Siblings of Destiny! ||2||
As the self-willed manmukhs act, they suffer in pain. The Gurmukh obtains honor and greatness.
Whatever He does, that alone happens; past actions cannot be erased. ||3||
Those who are imbued with, and committed to the Lord's Love, are filled to overflowing; they never lack anything.
If Nanak could be the dust of their feet, then he, the ignorant one, might also obtain some. ||4||4||16||
Gauree Chaytee, First Mehl:
Who is our mother, and who is our father? Where did we come from?
We are formed from the fire of the womb within, and the bubble of water of the sperm. For what purpose are we created? ||1||
O my Master, who can know Your Glorious Virtues?
My own demerits cannot be counted. ||1||Pause||
I took the form of so many plants and trees, and so many animals.
Many times I entered the families of snakes and flying birds. ||2||
I broke into the shops of the city and well-guarded palaces; stealing from them, I snuck home again.
I looked in front of me, and I looked behind me, but where could I hide from You? ||3||
I saw the banks of sacred rivers, the nine continents, the shops and bazaars of the cities.
Taking the scale, the merchant begins to weigh his actions within his own heart. ||4||
As the seas and the oceans are overflowing with water, so vast are my own sins.
Please, shower me with Your Mercy, and take pity upon me. I am a sinking stone - please carry me across! ||5||
My soul is burning like fire, and the knife is cutting deep.
Prays Nanak, recognizing the Lord's Command, I am at peace, day and night. ||6||5||17||
Gauree Bairaagan, First Mehl:
The nights are wasted sleeping, and the days are wasted eating.
Human life is such a precious jewel, but it is being lost in exchange for a mere shell. ||1||
You do not know the Name of the Lord.
You fool - you shall regret and repent in the end! ||1||Pause||
You bury your temporary wealth in the ground, but how can you love that which is temporary?
Those who have departed, after craving for temporary wealth, have returned home without this temporary wealth. ||2||
If people could gather it in by their own efforts, then everyone would be so lucky.

According to the karma of past actions, one's destiny unfolds, even though everyone wants to be so lucky. ||3||
O Nanak, the One who created the creation - He alone takes care of it.
The Hukam of our Lord and Master's Command cannot be known; He Himself blesses us with greatness. ||4||1||18||
Gauree Bairaagan, First Mehl:
What if I were to become a deer, and live in the forest, picking and eating fruits and roots
- by Guru's Grace, I am a sacrifice to my Master. Again and again, I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice. ||1||
I am the shop-keeper of the Lord.
Your Name is my merchandise and trade. ||1||Pause||
If I were to become a cuckoo, living in a mango tree, I would still contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
I would still meet my Lord and Master, with intuitive ease; the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of His Form, is incomparably beautiful. ||2||
If I were to become a fish, living in the water, I would still remember the Lord, who watches over all beings and creatures.
My Husband Lord dwells on this shore, and on the shore beyond; I would still meet Him, and hug Him close in my embrace. ||3||
If I were to become a snake, living in the ground, the Shabad would still dwell in my mind, and my fears would be dispelled.
O Nanak, they are forever the happy soul-brides, whose light merges into His Light. ||4||2||19||
Gauree Poorbee Deepkee, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
In that house where the Praises of the Creator are chanted
- in that house, sing the Songs of Praise, and meditate in remembrance on the Creator Lord. ||1||
Sing the Songs of Praise of my Fearless Lord.
I am a sacrifice to that Song of Praise which brings eternal peace. ||1||Pause||
Day after day, He cares for His beings; the Great Giver watches over all.
Your gifts cannot be appraised; how can anyone compare to the Giver? ||2||
The day of my wedding is pre-ordained. Come - let's gather together and pour the oil over the threshold.
My friends, give me your blessings, that I may merge with my Lord and Master. ||3||
Unto each and every home, into each and every heart, this summons is sent out; the call comes each and every day.
Remember in meditation the One who summons us; O Nanak, that day is drawing near! ||4||1||20||
Raag Gauree Gwaarayree:
Third Mehl, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meeting the Guru, we meet the Lord.
He Himself unites us in His Union.
My God knows all His Own Ways.
By the Hukam of His Command, He unites those who recognize the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
By the Fear of the True Guru, doubt and fear are dispelled.
Imbued with His Fear, we are absorbed in the Love of the True One. ||1||Pause||
Meeting the Guru, the Lord naturally dwells within the mind.
My God is Great and Almighty; His value cannot be estimated.
Through the Shabad, I praise Him; He has no end or limitations.
My God is the Forgiver. I pray that He may forgive me. ||2||
Meeting the Guru, all wisdom and understanding are obtained.

The mind becomes pure, when the True Lord dwells within.
When one dwells in Truth, all actions become true.
The ultimate action is to contemplate the Word of the Shabad. ||3||
Through the Guru, true service is performed.
How rare is that Gurmukh who recognizes the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Giver, the Great Giver, lives forever.
Nanak enshrines love for the Name of the Lord. ||4||1||21||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
Those who obtain spiritual wisdom from the Guru are very rare.
Those who obtain this understanding from the Guru become acceptable.
Through the Guru, we intuitively contemplate the True One.
Through the Guru, the Gate of Liberation is found. ||1||
Through perfect good destiny, we come to meet the Guru.
The true ones are intuitively absorbed in the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Meeting the Guru, the fire of desire is quenched.
Through the Guru, peace and tranquility come to dwell within the mind.
Through the Guru, we become pure, holy and true.
Through the Guru, we are absorbed in the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Without the Guru, everyone wanders in doubt.
Without the Name, they suffer in terrible pain.
Those who meditate on the Naam become Gurmukh.
True honor is obtained through the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of the True Lord. ||3||
Why speak of any other? He alone is the Giver.
When He grants His Grace, union with the Shabad is obtained.
Meeting with my Beloved, I sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
O Nanak, becoming true, I am absorbed in the True One. ||4||2||22||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
True is that place, where the mind becomes pure.
True is the one who abides in Truth.
The True Bani of the Word is known throughout the four ages.
The True One Himself is everything. ||1||
Through the karma of good actions, one joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Sing the Glories of the Lord, sitting in that place. ||1||Pause||
Burn this tongue, which loves duality,
which does not taste the sublime essence of the Lord, and which utters insipid words.
Without understanding, the body and mind become tasteless and insipid.
Without the Name, the miserable ones depart crying out in pain. ||2||
One whose tongue naturally and intuitively tastes the Lord's sublime essence, by Guru's Grace, is absorbed in the True Lord.
Imbued with Truth, one contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad,
and drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar, from the immaculate stream within. ||3||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is collected in the vessel of the mind.
Nothing is collected if the vessel is upside-down.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Naam abides within the mind.
O Nanak, True is that vessel of the mind, which thirsts for the Shabad. ||4||3||23||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
Some sing on and on, but their minds do not find happiness.
In egotism, they sing, but it is wasted uselessly.
Those who love the Naam, sing the song.
They contemplate the True Bani of the Word, and the Shabad. ||1||
They sing on and on, if it pleases the True Guru.
Their minds and bodies are embellished and adorned, attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Some sing, and some perform devotional worship.
Without heart-felt love, the Naam is not obtained.
True devotional worship consists of love for the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The devotee keeps his Beloved clasped tightly to his heart. ||2||

The fools perform devotional worship by showing off;
they dance and dance and jump all around, but they only suffer in terrible pain.
By dancing and jumping, devotional worship is not performed.
But one who dies in the Word of the Shabad, obtains devotional worship. ||3||
The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He inspires them to perform devotional worship.
True devotional worship consists of eliminating selfishness and conceit from within.
My True God knows all ways and means.
O Nanak, He forgives those who recognize the Naam. ||4||4||24||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
When someone kills and subdues his own mind, his wandering nature is also subdued.
Without such a death, how can one find the Lord?
Only a few know the medicine to kill the mind.
One whose mind dies in the Word of the Shabad, understands Him. ||1||
He grants greatness to those whom He forgives.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell within the mind. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukh practices doing good deeds;
thus he comes to understand this mind.
The mind is like an elephant, drunk with wine.
The Guru is the rod which controls it, and shows it the way. ||2||
The mind is uncontrollable; how rare are those who subdue it.
Those who move the immovable become pure.
The Gurmukhs embellish and beautify this mind.
They eradicate egotism and corruption from within. ||3||
Those who, by pre-ordained destiny, are united in the Lord's Union,
are never separated from Him again; they are absorbed in the Shabad.
He Himself knows His Own Almighty Power.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||5||25||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
The entire world has gone insane in egotism.
In the love of duality, it wanders deluded by doubt.
The mind is distracted by great anxiety; no one recognizes one's own self.
Occupied with their own affairs, their nights and days are passing away. ||1||
Meditate on the Lord in your hearts, O my Siblings of Destiny.
The Gurmukh's tongue savors the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukhs recognize the Lord in their own hearts;
they serve the Lord, the Life of the World. They are famous throughout the four ages.
They subdue egotism, and realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
God, the Architect of Destiny, showers His Mercy upon them. ||2||
True are those who merge into the Word of the Guru's Shabad;
they restrain their wandering mind and keep it steady.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the nine treasures. It is obtained from the Guru.
By the Lord's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind. ||3||
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, the body becomes peaceful and tranquil.
He dwells deep within - the pain of death does not touch Him.
He Himself is our Lord and Master; He is His Own Advisor.
O Nanak, serve the Lord forever; He is the treasure of glorious virtue. ||4||6||26||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
Why forget Him, unto whom the soul and the breath of life belong?
Why forget Him, who is all-pervading?
Serving Him, one is honored and accepted in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to the Name of the Lord.
If I were to forget You, at that very instant, I would die. ||1||Pause||
Those whom You Yourself have led astray, forget You.

Thse who are in love with duality forget You.
The ignorant, self-willed manmukhs are consigned to reincarnation. ||2||
Those who are pleasing to the One Lord are assigned to His service and enshrine Him within their minds.
Through the Guru's Teachings, they are absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||3||
Those who have virtue as their treasure, contemplate spiritual wisdom.
Those who have virtue as their treasure, subdue egotism.
Nanak is a sacrifice to those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||7||27||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
You are Indescribable; how can I describe You?
Those who subdue their minds, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, are absorbed in You.
Your Glorious Virtues are countless; their value cannot be estimated. ||1||
The Word of His Bani belongs to Him; in Him, it is diffused.
Your Speech cannot be spoken; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is chanted. ||1||Pause||
Where the True Guru is - there is the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Where the True Guru is - there, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are intuitively sung.
Where the True Guru is - there egotism is burnt away, through the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
The Gurmukhs serve Him; they obtain a place in the Mansion of His Presence.
The Gurmukhs enshrine the Naam within the mind.
The Gurmukhs worship the Lord, and are absorbed in the Naam. ||3||
The Giver Himself gives His Gifts,
as we enshrine love for the True Guru.
Nanak celebrates those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||8||28||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
All forms and colors come from the One Lord.
Air, water and fire are all kept together.
The Lord God beholds the many and various colors. ||1||
The One Lord is wondrous and amazing! He is the One, the One and Only.
How rare is that Gurmukh who meditates on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
God is naturally pervading all places.
Sometimes He is hidden, and sometimes He is revealed; thus God has made the world of His making.
He Himself wakes us from sleep. ||2||
No one can estimate His value,
although everyone has tried, over and over again, to describe Him.
Those who merge in the Word of the Guru's Shabad, come to understand the Lord. ||3||
They listen to the Shabad continually; beholding Him, they merge into Him.
They obtain glorious greatness by serving the Guru.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Name are absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||4||9||29||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs are asleep, in love and attachment to Maya.
The Gurmukhs are awake, contemplating spiritual wisdom and the Glory of God.
Those humble beings who love the Naam, are awake and aware. ||1||
One who is awake to this intuitive wisdom does not fall asleep.
How rare are those humble beings who understand this through the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
The unsaintly blockhead shall never understand.
He babbles on and on, but he is infatuated with Maya.
Blind and ignorant, he shall never be reformed. ||2||
In this age, salvation comes only from the Lord's Name.
How rare are those who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They save themselves, and save all their family and ancestors as well. ||3||

In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, no one is interested in good karma, or Dharmic faith.
This Dark Age was born in the house of evil.
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no one is liberated. ||4||10||30||
Gauree, Third Mehl, Gwaarayree:
True is the Lord King, True is His Royal Command.
Those whose minds are attuned to the True, Carefree Lord enter the True Mansion of His Presence, and merge in the True Name. ||1||
Listen, O my mind: contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
Chant the Lord's Name, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
In doubt he comes, and in doubt he goes.
This world is born out of the love of duality.
The self-willed manmukh does not remember the Lord; he continues coming and going in reincarnation. ||2||
Does he himself go astray, or does God lead him astray?
This soul is enjoined to the service of someone else.
It earns only terrible pain, and this life is lost in vain. ||3||
Granting His Grace, He leads us to meet the True Guru.
Remembering the One Name, doubt is cast out from within.
O Nanak, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the nine treasures of the Name are obtained. ||4||11||31||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
Go and ask the Gurmukhs, who meditate on the Lord.
Serving the Guru, the mind is satisfied.
Those who earn the Lord's Name are wealthy.
Through the Perfect Guru, understanding is obtained. ||1||
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my Siblings of Destiny.
The Gurmukhs serve the Lord, and so they are accepted. ||1||Pause||
Those who recognize the self - their minds become pure.
They become Jivan-mukta, liberated while yet alive, and they find the Lord.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the intellect becomes pure and sublime,
and they are easily and intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||2||
In the love of duality, no one can serve the Lord.
In egotism and Maya, they are eating toxic poison.
They are emotionally attached to their children, family and home.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs come and go in reincarnation. ||3||
Those, unto whom the Lord bestows His Name, worship Him night and day, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
How rare are those who understand the Guru's Teachings!
O Nanak, they are absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||12||32||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
The Guru's service has been performed throughout the four ages.
Very few are those perfect ones who do this good deed.
The wealth of the Lord's Name is inexhaustible; it shall never be exhausted.
In this world, it brings a constant peace, and at the Lord's Gate, it brings honor. ||1||
O my mind, have no doubt about this.
Those Gurmukhs who serve, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
Those who serve the True Guru are the greatest people of the world.
They save themselves, and they redeem all their generations as well.
They keep the Name of the Lord clasped tightly to their hearts.
Attuned to the Naam, they cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Serving the True Guru, the mind becomes humble forever.
Egotism is subdued, and the heart-lotus blossoms forth.
The Unstruck Melody vibrates, as they dwell within the home of the self.
Attuned to the Naam, they remain detached within their own home. ||3||
Serving the True Guru, their words are true.
Throughout the ages, the devotees chant and repeat these words.
Night and day, they meditate on the Lord, the Sustainer of the Earth.

O Nanak, attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they are detached, in the perfect balance of Nirvaanaa. ||4||13||33||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:
Through great good fortune and high destiny, one meets the True Guru.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is constantly within the heart, and one enjoys the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||
O mortal, become Gurmukh, and meditate on the Name of the Lord.
Be victorious in the game of life, and earn the profit of the Naam. ||1||Pause||
Spiritual wisdom and meditation come to those unto whom the Word of the Guru's Shabad is sweet.
By Guru's Grace, a few have tasted, and seen it. ||2||
They may perform all sorts of religious rituals and good actions,
but without the Name, the egotistical ones are cursed and doomed. ||3||
They are bound and gagged, and hung by Maya's noose;
O servant Nanak, they shall be released only by Guru's Grace. ||4||14||34||
Third Mehl, Gauree Bairaagan:
The clouds pour their rain down upon the earth, but isn't there water within the earth as well?
Water is contained within the earth; without feet, the clouds run around and let down their rain. ||1||
O Baba, get rid of your doubts like this.
As you act, so shall you become, and so you shall go and mingle. ||1||Pause||
As woman or man, what can anyone do?
The many and various forms are always Yours, O Lord; they shall merge again into You. ||2||
In countless incarnations, I went astray. Now that I have found You, I shall no longer wander.
It is His work; those who are absorbed in the Word of the Guru's Shabad come to know it well. ||3||
The Shabad is Yours; You are Yourself. Where is there any doubt?
O Nanak, one whose essence is merged with the Lord's essence does not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again. ||4||1||15||35||
Gauree Bairaagan, Third Mehl:
The whole world is under the power of Death, bound by the love of duality.
The self-willed manmukhs do their deeds in ego; they receive their just rewards. ||1||
O my mind, focus your consciousness on the Guru's Feet.
As Gurmukh, you shall be awarded the treasure of the Naam. In the Court of the Lord, you shall be saved. ||1||Pause||
Through 8.4 million incarnations, people wander lost; in stubborn-mindedness, they come and go.
They do not realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad; they are reincarnated over and over again. ||2||
The Gurmukh understands his own self. The Lord's Name comes to dwell within the mind.
Imbued with devotion to the Lord's Name, night and day, he merges in peace. ||3||
When one's mind dies in the Shabad, one radiates faith and confidence, shedding egotism and corruption.
O servant Nanak, through the karma of good actions, the treasure of devotional worship and the Name of the Lord are attained. ||4||2||16||36||
Gauree Bairaagan, Third Mehl:
The Lord, Har, Har, has ordained that the soul is to stay in her parents' home for only a few short days.
Glorious is that soul-bride, who as Gurmukh, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
She who cultivates virtue in her parents' home, shall obtain a home at her in-laws.
The Gurmukhs are intuitively absorbed into the Lord. The Lord is pleasing to their minds. ||1||
Our Husband Lord dwells in this world, and in the world beyond. Tell me, how can He be found?
The Immaculate Lord Himself is unseen. He unites us with Himself. ||1||Pause||

God Himself bestows wisdom; meditate on the Name of the Lord.
By great good fortune, one meets the True Guru, who places the Ambrosial Nectar in the mouth.
When egotism and duality are eradicated, one intuitively merges in peace.
He Himself is All-pervading; He Himself links us to His Name. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs, in their arrogant pride, do not find God; they are so ignorant and foolish!
They do not serve the True Guru, and in the end, they regret and repent, over and over again.
They are cast into the womb to be reincarnated, and within the womb, they rot.
As it pleases my Creator Lord, the self-willed manmukhs wander around lost. ||3||
My Lord God inscribed the full pre-ordained destiny upon the forehead.
When one meets the Great and Courageous Guru, one meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Lord's Name is my mother and father; the Lord is my relative and brother.
O Lord, Har, Har, please forgive me and unite me with Yourself. Servant Nanak is a lowly worm. ||4||3||17||37||
Gauree Bairaagan, Third Mehl:
From the True Guru, I obtained spiritual wisdom; I contemplate the Lord's essence.
My polluted intellect was enlightened by chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The distinction between Shiva and Shakti - mind and matter - has been destroyed, and the darkness has been dispelled.
The Lord's Name is loved by those, upon whose foreheads such pre-ordained destiny was written. ||1||
How can the Lord be obtained, O Saints? Seeing Him, my life is sustained.
Without the Lord, I cannot live, even for an instant. Unite me with the Guru, so that I may drink in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and I listen to them daily; the Lord, Har, Har, has emancipated me.
I have obtained the Lord's essence from the Guru; my mind and body are drenched with it.
Blessed, blessed is the Guru, the True Being, who has blessed me with devotional worship of the Lord.
From the Guru, I have obtained the Lord; I have made Him my Guru. ||2||
The Sovereign Lord is the Giver of virtue. I am worthless and without virtue.
The sinners sink like stones; through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord carries us across.
You are the Giver of virtue, O Immaculate Lord; I am worthless and without virtue.
I have entered Your Sanctuary, Lord; please save me, as You have saved the idiots and fools. ||3||
Eternal celestial bliss comes through the Guru's Teachings, by meditating continually on the Lord, Har, Har.
I have obtained the Lord God as my Best Friend, within the home of my own self. I sing the Songs of Joy.
Please shower me with Your Mercy, O Lord God, that I may meditate on Your Name, Har, Har.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of those who have found the True Guru. ||4||4||18||38||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Pandit - the religious scholar - recites the Shaastras and the Simritees;
the Yogi cries out, "Gorakh, Gorakh".
But I am just a fool - I just chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
I do not know what my condition shall be, Lord.
O my mind, vibrate and meditate on the Name of the Lord. You shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||

The Sannyaasee smears his body with ashes;
renouncing other men's women, he practices celibacy.
I am just a fool, Lord; I place my hopes in You! ||2||
The Kh'shaatriya acts bravely, and is recognized as a warrior.
The Shoodra and the Vaisha work and slave for others;
I am just a fool - I am saved by the Lord's Name. ||3||
The entire Universe is Yours; You Yourself permeate and pervade it.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are blessed with glorious greatness.
I am blind - I have taken the Lord as my Support. ||4||1||39||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl:
The Speech of the Lord is the most sublime speech, free of any attributes.
Vibrate on it, meditate on it, and join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Cross over the terrifying world-ocean, listening to the Unspoken Speech of the Lord. ||1||
O Lord of the Universe, unite me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
My tongue savors the sublime essence of the Lord, singing the Lord's Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
Those humble beings who meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har
- please make me the slave of their slaves, Lord.
Serving Your slaves is the ultimate good deed. ||2||
One who chants the Speech of the Lord
- that humble servant is pleasing to my conscious mind.
Those who are blessed with great good fortune obtain the dust of the feet of the humble. ||3||
Those who are blessed with such pre-ordained destiny are in love with the humble Saints.
Those humble beings, O Nanak, are absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||2||40||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl:
The mother loves to see her son eat.
The fish loves to bathe in the water.
The True Guru loves to place food in the mouth of His GurSikh. ||1||
If only I could meet those humble servants of the Lord, O my Beloved.
Meeting with them, my sorrows depart. ||1||Pause||
As the cow shows her love to her strayed calf when she finds it,
and as the bride shows her love for her husband when he returns home,
so does the Lord's humble servant love to sing the Praises of the Lord. ||2||
The rainbird loves the rainwater, falling in torrents;
the king loves to see his wealth on display.
The humble servant of the Lord loves to meditate on the Formless Lord. ||3||
The mortal man loves to accumulate wealth and property.
The GurSikh loves to meet and embrace the Guru.
Servant Nanak loves to kiss the feet of the Holy. ||4||3||41||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl:
The beggar loves to receive charity from the wealthy landlord.
The hungry person loves to eat food.
The GurSikh loves to find satisfaction by meeting the Guru. ||1||
O Lord, grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; I place my hopes in You, Lord.
Shower me with Your Mercy, and fulfill my longing. ||1||Pause||
The song-bird loves the sun shining in her face.
Meeting her Beloved, all her pains are left behind.
The GurSikh loves to gaze upon the Face of the Guru. ||2||
The calf loves to suck its mother's milk;
its heart blossoms forth upon seeing its mother.
The GurSikh loves to gaze upon the Face of the Guru. ||3||
All other loves and emotional attachment to Maya are false.
They shall pass away, like false and transitory decorations.
Servant Nanak is fulfilled, through the Love of the True Guru. ||4||4||42||

Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl:
Service to the True Guru is fruitful and rewarding;
meeting Him, I meditate on the Name of the Lord, the Lord Master.
So many are emancipated along with those who meditate on the Lord. ||1||
O GurSikhs, chant the Name of the Lord, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Chanting the Lord's Name, all sins are washed away. ||1||Pause||
When one meets the Guru, then the mind becomes centered.
The five passions, running wild, are brought to rest by meditating on the Lord.
Night and day, within the body-village, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung. ||2||
Those who apply the dust of the Feet of the True Guru to their faces,
renounce falsehood and enshrine love for the Lord.
Their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny. ||3||
Service to the Guru is pleasing to the Lord Himself.
Even Krishna and Balbhadar meditated on the Lord, falling at the Guru's Feet.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself saves the Gurmukhs. ||4||5||43||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord Himself is the Yogi, who wields the staff of authority.
The Lord Himself practices tapa - intense self-disciplined meditation; He is deeply absorbed in His primal trance. ||1||
Such is my Lord, who is all-pervading everywhere.
He dwells near at hand - the Lord is not far away. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself is the Word of the Shabad. He Himself is the awareness, attuned to its music.
The Lord Himself beholds, and He Himself blossoms forth.
The Lord Himself chants, and the Lord Himself inspires others to chant. ||2||
He Himself is the rainbird, and the Ambrosial Nectar raining down.
The Lord is the Ambrosial Nectar; He Himself leads us to drink it in.
The Lord Himself is the Doer; He Himself is our Saving Grace. ||3||
The Lord Himself is the Boat, the Raft and the Boatman.
The Lord Himself, through the Guru's Teachings, saves us.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself carries us across to the other side. ||4||6||44||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
O Master, You are my Banker. I receive only that capital which You give me.
I would purchase the Lord's Name with love, if You Yourself, in Your Mercy, would sell it to me. ||1||
I am the merchant, the peddler of the Lord.
I trade in the merchandise and capital of the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
I have earned the profit, the wealth of devotional worship of the Lord. I have become pleasing to the Mind of the Lord, the True Banker.
I chant and meditate on the Lord, loading the merchandise of the Lord's Name. The Messenger of Death, the tax collector, does not even approach me. ||2||
Those traders who trade in other merchandise, are caught up in the endless waves of the pain of Maya.
According to the business in which the Lord has placed them, so are the rewards they obtain. ||3||
People trade in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, when the God shows His Mercy and bestows it.
Servant Nanak serves the Lord, the Banker; he shall never again be called to render his account. ||4||1||7||45||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
The mother nourishes the fetus in the womb, hoping for a son,
who will grow and earn and give her money to enjoy herself.
In just the same way, the humble servant of the Lord loves the Lord, who extends His Helping Hand to us. ||1||

O my Lord, I am so foolish; save me, O my Lord God!
Your servant's praise is Your Own Glorious Greatness. ||1||Pause||
Those whose minds are pleased by the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, are joyful in the palaces of their own homes.
Their mouths savor all the sweet delicacies when they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The Lord's humble servants are the saviors of their families; they save their families for twenty-one generations - they save the entire world! ||2||
Whatever has been done, has been done by the Lord; it is the Glorious Greatness of the Lord.
O Lord, in Your creatures, You are pervading; You inspire them to worship You.
The Lord leads us to the treasure of devotional worship; He Himself bestows it. ||3||
I am a slave, purchased in Your market; what clever tricks do I have?
If the Lord were to set me upon a throne, I would still be His slave. If I were a grass-cutter, I would still chant the Lord's Name.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Lord; contemplate the Glorious Greatness of the Lord||4||2||8||46||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
The farmers love to work their farms;
they plow and work the fields, so that their sons and daughters may eat.
In just the same way, the Lord's humble servants chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and in the end, the Lord shall save them. ||1||
I am foolish - save me, O my Lord!
O Lord, enjoin me to work and serve the Guru, the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
The traders buy horses, planning to trade them.
They hope to earn wealth; their attachment to Maya increases.
In just the same way, the Lord's humble servants chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; chanting the Lord's Name, they find peace. ||2||
The shop-keepers collect poison, sitting in their shops, carrying on their business.
Their love is false, their displays are false, and they are engrossed in falsehood.
In just the same way, the Lord's humble servants gather the wealth of the Lord's Name; they take the Lord's Name as their supplies. ||3||
This emotional attachment to Maya and family, and the love of duality, is a noose around the neck.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the humble servants are carried across; they become the slaves of the Lord's slaves.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam; the Gurmukh is enlightened. ||4||3||9||47||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
Continuously, day and night, they are gripped by greed and deluded by doubt.
The slaves labor in slavery, carrying the loads upon their heads.
That humble being who serves the Guru is put to work by the Lord in His Home. ||1||
O my Lord, please break these bonds of Maya, and put me to work in Your Home.
I continuously sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; I am absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Mortal men work for kings, all for the sake of wealth and Maya.
But the king either imprisons them, or fines them, or else dies himself.
Blessed, rewarding and fruitful is the service of the True Guru; through it, I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and I have found peace. ||2||
Everyday, people carry on their business, with all sorts of devices to earn interest, for the sake of Maya.
If they earn a profit, they are pleased, but their hearts are broken by losses.
One who is worthy, becomes a partner with the Guru, and finds a lasting peace forever. ||3||

The more one feels hunger for other tastes and pleasures, the more this hunger persists.
Those unto whom the Lord Himself shows mercy, sell their head to the Guru.
Servant Nanak is satisfied by the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. He shall never feel hungry again. ||4||4||10||48||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
Within my conscious mind is the constant longing for the Lord. How can I behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, Lord?
One who loves the Lord knows this; the Lord is very dear to my conscious mind.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has re-united me with my Creator Lord; I was separated from Him for such a long time! ||1||
O my Lord, I am a sinner; I have come to Your Sanctuary, and fallen at Your Door, Lord.
My intellect is worthless; I am filthy and polluted. Please shower me with Your Mercy sometime. ||1||Pause||
My demerits are so many and numerous. I have sinned so many times, over and over again. O Lord, they cannot be counted.
You, Lord, are the Merciful Treasure of Virtue. When it pleases You, Lord, You forgive me.
I am a sinner, saved only by the Company of the Guru. He has bestowed the Teachings of the Lord's Name, which saves me. ||2||
What Glorious Virtues of Yours can I describe, O my True Guru? When the Guru speaks, I am transfixed with wonder.
Can anyone else save a sinner like me? The True Guru has protected and saved me.
O Guru, You are my father. O Guru, You are my mother. O Guru, You are my relative, companion and friend. ||3||
My condition, O my True Guru - that condition, O Lord, is known only to You.
I was rolling around in the dirt, and no one cared for me at all. In the Company of the Guru, the True Guru, I, the worm, have been raised up and exalted.
Blessed, blessed is the Guru of servant Nanak; meeting Him, all my sorrows and troubles have come to an end. ||4||5||11||49||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
The soul of the man is lured by gold and women; emotional attachment to Maya is so sweet to him.
The mind has become attached to the pleasures of houses, palaces, horses and other enjoyments.
The Lord God does not even enter his thoughts; how can he be saved, O my Lord King? ||1||
O my Lord, these are my lowly actions, O my Lord.
O Lord, Har, Har, Treasure of Virtue, Merciful Lord: please bless me with Your Grace and forgive me for all my mistakes. ||1||Pause||
I have no beauty, no social status, no manners.
With what face am I to speak? I have no virtue at all; I have not chanted Your Name.
I am a sinner, saved only by the Company of the Guru. This is the generous blessing of the True Guru. ||2||
He gave all beings souls, bodies, mouths, noses and water to drink.
He gave them corn to eat, clothes to wear, and other pleasures to enjoy.
But they do not remember the One who gave them all this. The animals think that they made themselves! ||3||
You made them all; You are all-pervading. You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
What can these wretched creatures do? This whole drama is Yours, O Lord and Master.
Servant Nanak was purchased in the slave-market. He is the slave of the Lord's slaves. ||4||6||12||50||

Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
Just as the mother, having given birth to a son, feeds him and keeps him in her vision
- indoors and outdoors, she puts food in his mouth; each and every moment, she caresses him.
In just the same way, the True Guru protects His GurSikhs, who love their Beloved Lord. ||1||
O my Lord, we are just the ignorant children of our Lord God.
Hail, hail, to the Guru, the Guru, the True Guru, the Divine Teacher who has made me wise through the Lord's Teachings. ||1||Pause||
The white flamingo circles through the sky,
but she keeps her young ones in her mind; she has left them behind, but she constantly remembers them in her heart.
In just the same way, the True Guru loves His Sikhs. The Lord cherishes His GurSikhs, and keeps them clasped to His Heart. ||2||
Just as the tongue, made of flesh and blood, is protected within the scissors of the thirty-two teeth
- who thinks that the power lies in the flesh or the scissors? Everything is in the Power of the Lord.
In just the same way, when someone slanders the Saint, the Lord preserves the honor of His servant. ||3||
O Siblings of Destiny, let none think that they have any power. All act as the Lord causes them to act.
Old age, death, fever, poisons and snakes - everything is in the Hands of the Lord. Nothing can touch anyone without the Lord's Order.
Within your conscious mind, O servant Nanak, meditate forever on the Name of the Lord, who shall deliver you in the end. ||4||7||13||51||
Gauree Bairaagan, Fourth Mehl:
Meeting Him, the mind is filled with bliss. He is called the True Guru.
Double-mindedness departs, and the supreme status of the Lord is obtained. ||1||
How can I meet my Beloved True Guru?
Each and every moment, I humbly bow to Him. How will I meet my Perfect Guru? ||1||Pause||
Granting His Grace, the Lord has led me to meet my Perfect True Guru.
The desire of His humble servant has been fulfilled. I have received the dust of the Feet of the True Guru. ||2||
Those who meet the True Guru implant devotional worship to the Lord, and listen to this devotional worship of the Lord.
They never suffer any loss; they continually earn the profit of the Lord. ||3||
One whose heart blossoms forth, is not in love with duality.
O Nanak, meeting the Guru, one is saved, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||8||14||52||
Fourth Mehl, Gauree Poorbee:
The Merciful Lord God showered me with His Mercy; with mind and body and mouth, I chant the Lord's Name.
As Gurmukh, I have been dyed in the deep and lasting color of the Lord's Love. The robe of my body is drenched with His Love. ||1||
I am the maid-servant of my Lord God.
When my mind surrendered to the Lord, He made all the world my slave. ||1||Pause||
Consider this well, O Saints, O Siblings of Destiny - search your own hearts, seek and find Him there.
The Beauty and the Light of the Lord, Har, Har, is present in all. In all places, the Lord dwells near by, close at hand. ||2||

The Lord, Har, Har, dwells close by, all over the world. He is Infinite, All-powerful and Immeasurable.
The Perfect Guru has revealed the Lord, Har, Har, to me. I have sold my head to the Guru. ||3||
O Dear Lord, inside and outside, I am in the protection of Your Sanctuary; You are the Greatest of the Great, All-powerful Lord.
Servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day, meeting the Guru, the True Guru, the Divine Intermediary. ||4||1||15||53||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
Life of the World, Infinite Lord and Master, Master of the Universe, All-powerful Architect of Destiny.
Whichever way You turn me, O my Lord and Master, that is the way I shall go. ||1||
O Lord, my mind is attuned to the Lord's Love.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have obtained the sublime essence of the Lord. I am absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Lord, Har, Har, and the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the panacea, the medicine for the world. The Lord, and the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, bring peace and tranquility.
Those who partake of the Lord's sublime essence, through the Guru's Teachings - their sins and sufferings are all eliminated. ||2||
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny inscribed on their foreheads, bathe in the pool of contentment of the Guru.
The filth of evil-mindedness is totally washed away, from those who are imbued with the Love of the Lord's Name. ||3||
O Lord, You Yourself are Your Own Master, O God. There is no other Giver as Great as You.
Servant Nanak lives by the Naam, the Name of the Lord; by the Lord's Mercy, he chants the Lord's Name. ||4||2||16||54||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
Show Mercy to me, O Life of the World, O Great Giver, so that my mind may merge with the Lord.
The True Guru has bestowed His most pure and sacred Teachings. Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, my mind is transfixed and enraptured. ||1||
O Lord, my mind and body have been pierced through by the True Lord.
The whole world is caught and held in the mouth of Death. Through the Teachings of the Guru, the True Guru, O Lord, I am saved. ||1||Pause||
Those who are not in love with the Lord are foolish and false - they are faithless cynics.
They suffer the most extreme agonies of birth and death; they die over and over again, and they rot away in manure. ||2||
You are the Merciful Cherisher of those who seek Your Sanctuary. I beg of You: please grant me Your gift, Lord.
Make me the slave of the Lord's slaves, so that my mind might dance in Your Love. ||3||
He Himself is the Great Banker; God is our Lord and Master. I am His petty merchant.
My mind, body and soul are all Your capital assets. You, O God, are the True Banker of servant Nanak. ||4||3||17||55||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
You are Merciful, the Destroyer of all pain. Please give me Your Ear and listen to my prayer.
Please unite me with the True Guru, my breath of life; through Him, O my Lord and Master, You are known. ||1||
O Lord, I acknowledge the True Guru as the Supreme Lord God.
I am foolish and ignorant, and my intellect is impure. Through the Teachings of the Guru, the True Guru, O Lord, I come to know You. ||1||Pause||
All the pleasures and enjoyments which I have seen - I have found them all to be bland and insipid.

I have tasted the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, by meeting the True Guru. It is sweet, like the juice of the sugarcane. ||2||
Those who have not met the Guru, the True Guru, are foolish and insane - they are faithless cynics.
Those who were pre-ordained to have no good karma at all - gazing into the lamp of emotional attachment, they are burnt, like moths in a flame. ||3||
Those whom You, in Your Mercy, have met, Lord, are committed to Your Service.
Servant Nanak chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. He is famous, and through the Guru's Teachings, He merges in the Name. ||4||4||18||56||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, God is always with you; He is your Lord and Master. Tell me, where could you run to get away from the Lord?
The True Lord God Himself grants forgiveness; we are emancipated only when the Lord Himself emancipates us. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har - chant it in your mind.
Quickly now, run to the Sanctuary of the True Guru, O my mind; following the Guru, the True Guru, you shall be saved. ||1||Pause||
O my mind, serve God, the Giver of all peace; serving Him, you shall come to dwell in your own home deep within.
As Gurmukh, go and enter your own home; anoint yourself with the sandalwood oil of the Lord's Praises. ||2||
O my mind, the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, are exalted and sublime. Earn the profit of the Lord's Name, and let your mind be happy.
If the Lord, Har, Har, in His Mercy, bestows it, then we partake of the ambrosial essence of the Lord's Name. ||3||
O my mind, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and attached to duality, those faithless cynics are strangled by the Messenger of Death.
Such faithless cynics, who have forgotten the Naam, are thieves. O my mind, do not even go near them. ||4||
O my mind, serve the Unknowable and Immaculate Lord, the Man-lion; serving Him, your account will be cleared.
The Lord God has made servant Nanak perfect; he is not diminished by even the tiniest particle. ||5||5||19||57||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
My breath of life is in Your Power, God; my soul and body are totally Yours.
Be merciful to me, and show me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. There is such a great longing within my mind and body! ||1||
O my Lord, there is such a great longing within my mind and body to meet the Lord.
When the Guru, the Merciful Guru, showed just a little mercy to me, my Lord God came and met me. ||1||Pause||
Whatever is in my conscious mind, O Lord and Master - that condition of mine is known only to You, Lord.
Night and day, I chant Your Name, and I find peace. I live by placing my hopes in You, Lord. ||2||
The Guru, the True Guru, the Giver, has shown me the Way; my Lord God came and met me.
Night and day, I am filled with bliss; by great good fortune, all of the hopes of His humble servant have been fulfilled. ||3||
O Lord of the World, Master of the Universe, everything is under Your control.
Servant Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary, Lord; please, preserve the honor of Your humble servant. ||4||6||20||58||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
This mind does not hold still, even for an instant. Distracted by all sorts of distractions, it wanders around aimlessly in the ten directions.

I have found the Perfect Guru, through great good fortune; He has given me the Mantra of the Lord's Name, and my mind has become quiet and tranquil. ||1||
O Lord, I am the slave of the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
My forehead has been branded with His brand; I owe such a great debt to the Guru.
He has been so generous and kind to me; He has carried me across the treacherous and terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Those who do not have love for the Lord within their hearts, harbor only false intentions and goals.
As paper breaks down and dissolves in water, the self-willed manmukh wastes away in arrogant pride. ||3||
I know nothing, and I do not know the future; as the Lord keeps me, so do I stand.
For my failings and mistakes, O Guru, grant me Your Grace; servant Nanak is Your obedient dog. ||4||7||21||59||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
The body-village is filled to overflowing with sexual desire and anger, which were broken into bits when I met with the Holy Saint.
By pre-ordained destiny, I have met with the Guru. I have entered into the realm of the Lord's Love. ||1||
Greet the Holy Saint with your palms pressed together; this is an act of great merit.
Bow down before Him; this is a virtuous action indeed. ||1||Pause||
The wicked shaaktas, the faithless cynics, do not know the taste of the Lord's sublime essence. The thorn of egotism is embedded deep within them.
The more they walk away, the deeper it sticks into them, and the more they suffer in pain, until finally, the Messenger of Death smashes his club against their heads. ||2||
The humble servants of the Lord are absorbed in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. The pain of birth and the fear of death are eradicated.
They have obtained the Imperishable Supreme Being, the Transcendent Lord God, and they obtain great honor throughout all the worlds and realms. ||3||
I am poor and meek, God, but I am Yours! Save me, please save me, O Greatest of the Great!
Servant Nanak takes the Sustenance and Support of the Naam. In the Name of the Lord, he enjoys celestial peace. ||4||8||22||60||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
Within this body-fortress is the Lord, the Sovereign Lord King, but the stubborn ones do not find the taste.
When the Lord, Merciful to the meek, showed His Mercy, I found and tasted it, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Lovingly focused upon the Guru, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise has become sweet to me. ||1||Pause||
The Lord, the Supreme Lord God, is Inaccessible and Unfathomable. Those who are committed to the True Guru, the Divine Intermediary, meet the Lord.
Those whose hearts are pleased with the Guru's Teachings - the Lord's Presence is revealed to them. ||2||
The hearts of the self-willed manmukhs are hard and cruel; their inner beings are dark.
Even if the poisonous snake is fed large amounts of milk, it will still yield only poison. ||3||
O Lord God, please unite me with the Holy Guru, so that I might joyfully grind and eat the Shabad.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Guru; in the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, the bitter becomes sweet. ||4||9||23||61||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
For the sake of the Lord, Har, Har, I have sold my body to the Perfect Guru.
The True Guru, the Giver, has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me. A very blessed and fortunate destiny is recorded upon my forehead. ||1||
Through the Guru's Teachings, I am lovingly centered on the Lord. ||1||Pause||

The All-pervading Sovereign Lord King is contained in each and every heart. Through the Guru, and the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I am lovingly centered on the Lord.
Cutting my mind and body into pieces, I offer them to my Guru. The Guru's Teachings have dispelled my doubt and fear. ||2||
In the darkness, the Guru has lit the lamp of the Guru's wisdom; I am lovingly focused on the Lord.
The darkness of ignorance has been dispelled, and my mind has been awakened; within the home of my inner being, I have found the genuine article. ||3||
The vicious hunters, the faithless cynics, are hunted down by the Messenger of Death.
They have not sold their heads to the True Guru; those wretched, unfortunate ones continue coming and going in reincarnation. ||4||
Hear my prayer, O God, my Lord and Master: I beg for the Sanctuary of the Lord God.
Servant Nanak's honor and respect is the Guru; he has sold his head to the True Guru. ||5||10||24||62||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
I am egotistical and conceited, and my intellect is ignorant. Meeting the Guru, my selfishness and conceit have been abolished.
The illness of egotism is gone, and I have found peace. Blessed, blessed is the Guru, the Sovereign Lord King. ||1||
I have found the Lord, through the Teachings of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
My heart is filled with love for the Sovereign Lord King; the Guru has shown me the path and the way to find Him.
My soul and body all belong to the Guru; I was separated, and He has led me into the Lord's Embrace. ||2||
Deep within myself, I would love to see the Lord; the Guru has inspired me to see Him within my heart.
Within my mind, intuitive peace and bliss have arisen; I have sold myself to the Guru. ||3||
I am a sinner - I have committed so many sins; I am a villainous, thieving thief.
Now, Nanak has come to the Lord's Sanctuary; preserve my honor, Lord, as it pleases Your Will. ||4||11||25||63||
Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl:
Through the Guru's Teachings, the unstruck music resounds; through the Guru's Teachings, the mind sings.
By great good fortune, I received the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. Blessed, blessed is the Guru, who has led me to love the Lord. ||1||
The Gurmukh is lovingly centered on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
My Lord and Master is the Perfect True Guru. My mind works to serve the Guru.
I massage and wash the Feet of the Guru, who recites the Sermon of the Lord. ||2||
The Teachings of the Guru are in my heart; the Lord is the Source of nectar. My tongue sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
My mind is immersed in, and drenched with the Lord's essence. Fulfilled with the Lord's Love, I shall never feel hunger again. ||3||
People try all sorts of things, but without the Lord's Mercy, His Name is not obtained.
The Lord has showered His Mercy upon servant Nanak; through the wisdom of the Guru's Teachings, he has enshrined the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||12||26||64||
Raag Gauree Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
O my soul, as Gurmukh, do this deed: chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Make that teaching your mother, that it may teach you to keep the Lord's Name in your mouth.
Let contentment be your father; the Guru is the Primal Being, beyond birth or incarnation.

By great good fortune, you shall meet with the Lord. ||1||
I have met the Guru, the Yogi, the Primal Being; I am delighted with His Love.
The Guru is imbued with the Love of the Lord; He dwells forever in Nirvaanaa.
By great good fortune, I met the most accomplished and all-knowing Lord.
My mind and body are drenched in the Love of the Lord. ||2||
Come, O Saints - let's meet together and chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, let's earn the lasting profit of the Naam.
Let's serve the Saints, and drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
By one's karma and pre-ordained destiny, they are met. ||3||
In the month of Saawan, the clouds of Ambrosial Nectar hang over the world.
The peacock of the mind chirps, and receives the Word of the Shabad, in its mouth;
the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord rains down, and the Sovereign Lord King is met.
Servant Nanak is imbued with the Love of the Lord. ||4||1||27||65||
Gauree Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Come, O sisters - let's make virtue our charms.
Let's join the Saints, and enjoy the pleasure of the Lord's Love.
The lamp of the Guru's spiritual wisdom burns steadily in my mind.
The Lord, being pleased and moved by pity, has led me to meet Him. ||1||
My mind and body are filled with love for my Darling Lord.
The True Guru, the Divine Intermediary, has united me with my Friend.
I offer my mind to the Guru, who has led me to meet my God.
I am forever a sacrifice to the Lord. ||2||
Dwell, O my Beloved, dwell, O my Lord of the Universe; O Lord, show mercy to me and come to dwell within my mind.
I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires, O my Lord of the Universe; I am transfixed with ecstasy, gazing upon the Perfect Guru.
The happy soul-brides receive the Lord's Name, O my Lord of the Universe; night and day, their minds are blissful and happy.
By great good fortune, the Lord is found, O my Lord of the Universe; earning profit continually, the mind laughs with joy. ||3||
The Lord Himself creates, and the Lord Himself beholds; the Lord Himself assigns all to their tasks.
Some partake of the bounty of the Lord's favor, which never runs out, while others receive only a handful.
Some sit upon thrones as kings, and enjoy constant pleasures, while others must beg for charity.
The Word of the Shabad is pervading in everyone, O my Lord of the Universe; servant Nanak meditates on the Naam. ||4||2||28||66||
Gauree Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
From within my mind, from within my mind, O my Lord of the Universe, I am imbued with the Love of the Lord, from within my mind.
The Lord's Love is with me, but it cannot be seen, O my Lord of the Universe; the Perfect Guru has led me to see the unseen.
He has revealed the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my Lord of the Universe; all poverty and pain have departed.
I have obtained the supreme status of the Lord, O my Lord of the Universe; by great good fortune, I am absorbed in the Naam. ||1||
With his eyes, O my Beloved, with his eyes, O my Lord of the Universe - has anyone ever seen the Lord God with his eyes?
My mind and body are sad and depressed, O my Lord of the Universe; without her Husband Lord, the soul-bride is withering away.

Meeting the Saints, O my Lord of the Universe, I have found my Lord God, my Companion, my Best Friend.
The Lord, the Life of the World, has come to meet me, O my Lord of the Universe. The night of my life now passes in peace. ||2||
O Saints, unite me with my Lord God, my Best Friend; my mind and body are hungry for Him.
I cannot survive without seeing my Beloved; deep within, I feel the pain of separation from the Lord.
The Sovereign Lord King is my Beloved, my Best Friend. Through the Guru, I have met Him, and my mind has been rejuvenated.
The hopes of my mind and body have been fulfilled, O my Lord of the Universe; meeting the Lord, my mind vibrates with joy. ||3||
A sacrifice, O my Lord of the Universe, a sacrifice, O my Beloved; I am forever a sacrifice to You.
My mind and body are filled with love for my Husband Lord; O my Lord of the Universe, please preserve my assets.
Unite me with the True Guru, Your Advisor, O my Lord of the Universe; through His guidance, He shall lead me to the Lord.
I have obtained the Lord's Name, by Your Mercy, O my Lord of the Universe; servant Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary. ||4||3||29||67||
Gauree Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
Playful is my Lord of the Universe; playful is my Beloved. My Lord God is wondrous and playful.
The Lord Himself created Krishna, O my Lord of the Universe; the Lord Himself is the milkmaids who seek Him.
The Lord Himself enjoys every heart, O my Lord of the Universe; He Himself is the Ravisher and the Enjoyer.
The Lord is All-knowing - He cannot be fooled, O my Lord of the Universe. He is the True Guru, the Yogi. ||1||
He Himself created the world, O my Lord of the Universe; the Lord Himself plays in so many ways!
Some enjoy enjoyments, O my Lord of the Universe, while others wander around naked, the poorest of the poor.
He Himself created the world, O my Lord of the Universe; the Lord gives His gifts to all who beg for them.
His devotees have the Support of the Naam, O my Lord of the Universe; they beg for the sublime sermon of the Lord. ||2||
The Lord Himself inspires His devotees to worship Him, O my Lord of the Universe; the Lord fulfills the desires of the minds of His devotees.
He Himself is permeating and pervading the waters and the lands, O my Lord of the Universe; He is All-pervading - He is not far away.
The Lord Himself is within the self, and outside as well, O my Lord of the Universe; the Lord Himself is fully pervading everywhere.
The Lord, the Supreme Soul, is diffused everywhere, O my Lord of the Universe. The Lord Himself beholds all; His Immanent Presence is pervading everywhere. ||3||
O Lord, the music of the praanic wind is deep within, O my Lord of the Universe; as the Lord Himself plays this music, so does it vibrate and resound.
O Lord, the treasure of the Naam is deep within, O my Lord of the Universe; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord God is revealed.
He Himself leads us to enter His Sanctuary, O my Lord of the Universe; the Lord preserves the honor of His devotees.

By great good fortune, one joins the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, O my Lord of the Universe; O servant Nanak, through the Naam, one's affairs are resolved. ||4||4||30||68||
Gauree Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord has implanted a longing for the Lord's Name within me.
I have met the Lord God, my Best Friend, and I have found peace.
Beholding my Lord God, I live, O my mother.
The Lord's Name is my Friend and Brother. ||1||
O Dear Saints, sing the Glorious Praises of my Lord God.
As Gurmukh, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O very fortunate ones.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is my soul and my breath of life.
I shall never again have to cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
How shall I behold my Lord God? My mind and body yearn for Him.
Unite me with the Lord, Dear Saints; my mind is in love with Him.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I have found the Sovereign Lord, my Beloved.
O very fortunate ones, chant the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Within my mind and body, there is such a great longing for God, the Lord of the Universe.
Unite me with the Lord, Dear Saints. God, the Lord of the Universe, is so close to me.
Through the Teachings of the True Guru, the Naam is always revealed;
the desires of servant Nanak's mind have been fulfilled. ||4||5||31||69||
Gauree Maajh, Fourth Mehl:
If I receive my Love, the Naam, then I live.
In the temple of the mind, is the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord; through the Guru's Teachings, we drink it in.
My mind is drenched with the Love of the Lord. I continually drink in the sublime essence of the Lord.
I have found the Lord within my mind, and so I live. ||1||
The arrow of the Lord's Love has pierced by mind and body.
The Lord, the Primal Being, is All-knowing; He is my Beloved and my Best Friend.
The Saintly Guru has united me with the All-knowing and All-seeing Lord.
I am a sacrifice to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
I seek my Lord, Har, Har, my Intimate, my Best Friend.
Show me the way to the Lord, Dear Saints; I am searching all over for Him.
The Kind and Compassionate True Guru has shown me the Way, and I have found the Lord.
Through the Name of the Lord, I am absorbed in the Naam. ||3||
I am consumed with the pain of separation from the Love of the Lord.
The Guru has fulfilled my desire, and I have received the Ambrosial Nectar in my mouth.
The Lord has become merciful, and now I meditate on the Name of the Lord.
Servant Nanak has obtained the sublime essence of the Lord. ||4||6||20||18||32||70||
Fifth Mehl, Raag Gauree Gwaarayree, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
How can happiness be found, O my Siblings of Destiny?
How can the Lord, our Help and Support, be found? ||1||Pause||
There is no happiness in owning one's own home, in all of Maya,
or in lofty mansions casting beautiful shadows.
In fraud and greed, this human life is being wasted. ||1||

He is pleased at the sight of his elephants and horses
and his armies assembled, his servants and his soldiers.
But the noose of egotism is tightening around his neck. ||2||
His rule may extend in all ten directions;
he may revel in pleasures, and enjoy many women
- but he is just a beggar, who in his dream, is a king. ||3||
The True Guru has shown me that there is only one pleasure.
Whatever the Lord does, is pleasing to the Lord's devotee.
Servant Nanak has abolished his ego, and he is absorbed in the Lord. ||4||
This is the way to find happiness, O my Siblings of Destiny.
This is the way to find the Lord, our Help and Support. ||1||Second Pause||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Why do you doubt? What do you doubt?
God is pervading the water, the land and the sky.
The Gurmukhs are saved, while the self-willed manmukhs lose their honor. ||1||
One who is protected by the Merciful Lord
- no one else can rival him. ||1||Pause||
The Infinite One is pervading among all.
So sleep in peace, and don't worry.
He knows everything which happens. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs are dying in the thirst of duality.
They wander lost through countless incarnations; this is their pre-ordained destiny.
As they plant, so shall they harvest. ||3||
Beholding the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, my mind has blossomed forth.
And now everywhere I look, God is revealed to me.
Servant Nanak's hopes have been fulfilled by the Lord. ||4||2||71||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
In so many incarnations, you were a worm and an insect;
in so many incarnations, you were an elephant, a fish and a deer.
In so many incarnations, you were a bird and a snake.
In so many incarnations, you were yoked as an ox and a horse. ||1||
Meet the Lord of the Universe - now is the time to meet Him.
After so very long, this human body was fashioned for you. ||1||Pause||
In so many incarnations, you were rocks and mountains;
in so many incarnations, you were aborted in the womb;
in so many incarnations, you developed branches and leaves;
you wandered through 8.4 million incarnations. ||2||
Through the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you obtained this human life.
Do seva - selfless service; follow the Guru's Teachings, and vibrate the Lord's Name, Har, Har.
Abandon pride, falsehood and arrogance.
Remain dead while yet alive, and you shall be welcomed in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Whatever has been, and whatever shall be, comes from You, Lord.
No one else can do anything at all.
We are united with You, when You unite us with Yourself.
Says Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||3||72||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
In the field of karma, plant the seed of the Naam.
Your works shall be brought to fruition.
You shall obtain these fruits, and the fear of death shall be dispelled.
Sing continually the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Keep the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, enshrined in your heart,
and your affairs shall be quickly resolved. ||1||Pause||
Be always attentive to your God;
thus you shall be honored in His Court.

Give up all your clever tricks and devices,
and hold tight to the Feet of the Saints. ||2||
The One, who holds all creatures in His Hands,
is never separated from them; He is with them all.
Abandon your clever devices, and grasp hold of His Support.
In an instant, you shall be saved. ||3||
Know that He is always near at hand.
Accept the Order of God as True.
Through the Guru's Teachings, eradicate selfishness and conceit.
O Nanak, chant and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||4||73||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru's Word is eternal and everlasting.
The Guru's Word cuts away the noose of Death.
The Guru's Word is always with the soul.
Through the Guru's Word, one is immersed in the Love of the Lord. ||1||
Whatever the Guru gives, is useful to the mind.
Whatever the Saint does - accept that as True. ||1||Pause||
The Guru's Word is infallible and unchanging.
Through the Guru's Word, doubt and prejudice are dispelled.
The Guru's Word never goes away;
through the Guru's Word, we sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
The Guru's Word accompanies the soul.
The Guru's Word is the Master of the masterless.
The Guru's Word saves one from falling into hell.
Through the Guru's Word, the tongue savors the Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
The Guru's Word is revealed in the world.
Through the Guru's Word, no one suffers defeat.
O Nanak, the True Guru is always kind and compassionate, unto those whom the Lord Himself has blessed with His Mercy. ||4||5||74||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
He makes jewels out of the dust,
and He managed to preserve you in the womb.
He has given you fame and greatness;
meditate on that God, twenty-four hours a day. ||1||
O Lord, I seek the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Meeting the Guru, I meditate on my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
He transformed me, the fool, into a fine speaker,
and He made the unconscious become conscious;
by His Grace, I have obtained the nine treasures.
May I never forget that God from my mind. ||2||
He has given a home to the homeless;
He has given honor to the dishonored.
He has fulfilled all desires;
remember Him in meditation, day and night, with every breath and every morsel of food. ||3||
By His Grace, the bonds of Maya are cut away.
By Guru's Grace, the bitter poison has become Ambrosial Nectar.
Says Nanak, I cannot do anything;
I praise the Lord, the Protector. ||4||6||75||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
In His Sanctuary, there is no fear or sorrow.
Without Him, nothing at all can be done.
I have renounced clever tricks, power and intellectual corruption.
God is the Protector of His servant. ||1||
Meditate, O my mind, on the Lord, Raam, Raam, with love.
Within your home, and beyond it, He is always with you. ||1||Pause||
Keep His Support in your mind.

Taste the ambrosial essence, the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Of what use are other efforts?
Showing His Mercy, the Lord Himself protects our honor. ||2||
What is the human? What power does he have?
All the tumult of Maya is false.
Our Lord and Master is the One who acts, and causes others to act.
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of all hearts. ||3||
Of all comforts, this is the true comfort.
Keep the Guru's Teachings in your mind.
Those who bear love for the Name of the Lord
- says Nanak, they are blessed, and very fortunate. ||4||7||76||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Listening to the Lord's sermon, my pollution has been washed away.
I have become totally pure, and I now walk in peace.
By great good fortune, I found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy;
I have fallen in love with the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, His servant has been carried across.
The Guru has lifted me up and carried me across the ocean of fire. ||1||Pause||
Singing the Kirtan of His Praises, my mind has become peaceful;
the sins of countless incarnations have been washed away.
I have seen all the treasures within my own mind;
why should I now go out searching for them? ||2||
When God Himself becomes merciful,
the work of His servant becomes perfect.
He has cut away my bonds, and made me His slave.
Remember, remember, remember Him in meditation; He is the treasure of excellence. ||3||
He alone is in the mind; He alone is everywhere.
The Perfect Lord is totally permeating and pervading everywhere.
The Perfect Guru has dispelled all doubts.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, Nanak has found peace. ||4||8||77||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who have died have been forgotten.
Those who survive have fastened their belts.
They are busily occupied in their affairs;
they cling twice as hard to Maya. ||1||
No one thinks of the time of death;
people grasp to hold that which shall pass away. ||1||Pause||
The fools - their bodies are bound down by desires.
They are mired in sexual desire, anger and attachment;
the Righteous Judge of Dharma stands over their heads.
Believing it to be sweet, the fools eat poison. ||2||
They say, "I shall tie up my enemy, and I shall cut him down. Who dares to set foot upon my land?
I am learned, I am clever and wise."
The ignorant ones do not recognize their Creator. ||3||
The Lord Himself knows His Own state and condition.
What can anyone say? How can anyone describe Him?
Whatever He attaches us to - to that we are attached.
Everyone begs for their own good. ||4||
Everything is Yours; You are the Creator Lord.
You have no end or limitation.
Please give this gift to Your servant,
that Nanak might never forget the Naam. ||5||9||78||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
By all sorts of efforts, people do not find salvation.
Through clever tricks, the weight is only piled on more and more.
Serving the Lord with a pure heart,
you shall be received with honor at God's Court. ||1||

O my mind, hold tight to the Support of the Lord's Name.
The hot winds shall never even touch you. ||1||Pause||
Like a boat in the ocean of fear;
like a lamp which illumines the darkness;
like fire which takes away the pain of cold
- just so, chanting the Name, the mind becomes peaceful. ||2||
The thirst of your mind shall be quenched,
and all hopes shall be fulfilled.
Your consciousness shall not waver.
Meditate on the Ambrosial Naam as Gurmukh, O my friend. ||3||
He alone receives the panacea, the medicine of the Naam,
unto whom the Lord, in His Grace, bestows it.
One whose heart is filled with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har
- O Nanak, his pains and sorrows are eliminated. ||4||10||79||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Even with vast sums of wealth, the mind is not satisfied.
Gazing upon countless beauties, the man is not satisfied.
He is so involved with his wife and sons - he believes that they belong to him.
That wealth shall pass away, and those relatives shall be reduced to ashes. ||1||
Without meditating and vibrating on the Lord, they are crying out in pain.
Their bodies are cursed, and their wealth is cursed - they are imbued with Maya. ||1||Pause||
The servant carries the bags of money on his head,
but it goes to his master's house, and he receives only pain.
The man sits as a king in his dreams,
but when he opens his eyes, he sees that it was all in vain. ||2||
The watchman oversees the field of another,
but the field belongs to his master, while he must get up and depart.
He works so hard, and suffers for that field,
but still, nothing comes into his hands. ||3||
The dream is His, and the kingdom is His;
He who has given the wealth of Maya, has infused the desire for it.
He Himself annihilates, and He Himself restores.
Nanak offers this prayer to God. ||4||11||80||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
I have gazed upon the many forms of Maya, in so many ways.
With pen and paper, I have written clever things.
I have seen what it is to be a chief, a king, and an emperor,
but they do not satisfy the mind. ||1||
Show me that peace, O Saints,
which will quench my thirst and satisfy my mind. ||1||Pause||
You may have horses as fast as the wind, elephants to ride on,
sandalwood oil, and beautiful women in bed,
actors in dramas, singing in theaters
- but even with them, the mind does not find contentment. ||2||
You may have a throne at the royal court, with beautiful decorations and soft carpets,
all sorts of luscious fruits and beautiful gardens,
the excitement of the chase and princely pleasures
- but still, the mind is not made happy by such illusory diversions. ||3||
In their kindness, the Saints have told me of the True One,
and so I have obtained all comforts and joy.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Says Nanak, through great good fortune, I have found this. ||4||
One who obtains the wealth of the Lord becomes happy.
By God's Grace, I have joined the Saadh Sangat. ||1||Second Pause||12||81||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:

The mortal claims this body as his own.
Again and again, he clings to it.
He is entangled with his children, his wife and household affairs.
He cannot be the slave of the Lord. ||1||
What is that way, by which the Lord's Praises might be sung?
What is that intellect, by which this person might swim across, O mother? ||1||Pause||
That which is for his own good, he thinks is evil.
If someone tells him the truth, he looks upon that as poison.
He cannot tell victory from defeat.
This is the way of life in the world of the faithless cynic. ||2||
The demented fool drinks in the deadly poison,
while he believes the Ambrosial Naam to be bitter.
He does not even approach the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy;
he wanders lost through 8.4 million incarnations. ||3||
The birds are caught in the net of Maya;
immersed in the pleasures of love, they frolic in so many ways.
Says Nanak, the Perfect Guru has cut away the noose from those, unto whom the Lord has shown His Mercy. ||4||13||82||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
By Your Grace, we find the Way.
By God's Grace, we meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By God's Grace, we are released from our bondage.
By Your Grace, egotism is eradicated. ||1||
As You assign me, so I take to Your service.
By myself, I cannot do anything at all, O Divine Lord. ||1||Pause||
If it pleases You, then I sing the Word of Your Bani.
If it pleases You, then I speak the Truth.
If it pleases You, then the True Guru showers His Mercy upon me.
All peace comes by Your Kindness, God. ||2||
Whatever pleases You is a pure action of karma.
Whatever pleases You is the true faith of Dharma.
The treasure of all excellence is with You.
Your servant prays to You, O Lord and Master. ||3||
The mind and body become immaculate through the Lord's Love.
All peace is found in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
My mind remains attuned to Your Name;
Nanak affirms this as his greatest pleasure. ||4||14||83||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
You may taste the other flavors,
but your thirst shall not depart, even for an instant.
But when you taste the sweet flavor the the Lord's sublime essence
- upon tasting it, you shall be wonder-struck and amazed. ||1||
O dear beloved tongue, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
Imbued with this sublime essence, you shall be satisfied. ||1||Pause||
O tongue, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Each and every moment, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
Do not listen to any other, and do not go anywhere else.
By great good fortune, you shall find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||
Twenty-four hours a day, O tongue, dwell upon God, the Unfathomable, Supreme Lord and Master.
Here and hereafter, you shall be happy forever.
Chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O tongue, you shall become priceless. ||3||
All the vegetation will blossom forth for you, flowering in fruition;
imbued with this sublime essence, you shall never leave it again.
No other sweet and tasty flavors can compare to it.
Says Nanak, the Guru has become my Support. ||4||15||84||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
The mind is the temple, and the body is the fence built around it.

The infinite substance is within it.
Within it, the great merchant is said to dwell.
Who is the trader who deals there? ||1||
How rare is that trader who deals in the jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He takes the Ambrosial Nectar as his food. ||1||Pause||
He dedicates his mind and body to serving the Lord.
How can we please the Lord?
I fall at His Feet, and I renounce all sense of 'mine and yours'.
Who can settle this bargain? ||2||
How can I attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence?
How can I get Him to call me inside?
You are the Great Merchant; You have millions of traders.
Who is the benefactor? Who can take me to Him? ||3||
Seeking and searching, I have found my own home, deep within my own being.
The True Lord has shown me the priceless jewel.
When the Great Merchant shows His Mercy, He blends us into Himself.
Says Nanak, place your faith in the Guru. ||4||16||85||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl, Gwaarayree:
Night and day, they remain in the Love of the One.
They know that God is always with them.
They make the Name of their Lord and Master their way of life;
they are satisfied and fulfilled with the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||1||
Imbued with the Love of the Lord, their minds and bodies are rejuvenated,
entering the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's Lotus Feet are the Support of the soul.
They see only the One, and obey His Order.
There is only one trade, and one occupation.
They know no other than the Formless Lord. ||2||
They are free of both pleasure and pain.
They remain unattached, joined to the Lord's Way.
They are seen among all, and yet they are distinct from all.
They focus their meditation on the Supreme Lord God. ||3||
How can I describe the Glories of the Saints?
Their knowledge is unfathomable; their limits cannot be known.
O Supreme Lord God, please shower Your Mercy upon me.
Bless Nanak with the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||17||86||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Companion; You are my Best Friend.
You are my Beloved; I am in love with You.
You are my honor; You are my decoration.
Without You, I cannot survive, even for an instant. ||1||
You are my Intimate Beloved, You are my breath of life.
You are my Lord and Master; You are my Leader. ||1||Pause||
As You keep me, so do I survive.
Whatever You say, that is what I do.
Wherever I look, there I see You dwelling.
O my Fearless Lord, with my tongue, I chant Your Name. ||2||
You are my nine treasures, You are my storehouse.
I am imbued with Your Love; You are the Support of my mind.
You are my Glory; I am blended with You.
You are my Shelter; You are my Anchoring Support. ||3||
Deep within my mind and body, I meditate on You.
I have obtained Your secret from the Guru.
Through the True Guru, the One and only Lord was implanted within me;
servant Nanak has taken to the Support of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||4||18||87||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:

It torments us with the expression of pleasure and pain.
It torments us through incarnations in heaven and hell.
It is seen to afflict the rich, the poor and the glorious.
The source of this illness which torments us is greed. ||1||
Maya torments us in so many ways.
But the Saints live under Your Protection, God. ||1||Pause||
It torments us through intoxication with intellectual pride.
It torments us through the love of children and spouse.
It torments us through elephants, horses and beautiful clothes.
It torments us through the intoxication of wine and the beauty of youth. ||2||
It torments landlords, paupers and lovers of pleasure.
It torments us through the sweet sounds of music and parties.
It torments us through beautiful beds, palaces and decorations.
It torments us through the darkness of the five evil passions. ||3||
It torments those who act, entangled in ego.
It torments us through household affairs, and it torments us in renunciation.
It torments us through character, lifestyle and social status.
It torments us through everything, except for those who are imbued with the Love of the Lord. ||4||
The Sovereign Lord King has cut away the bonds of His Saints.
How can Maya torment them?
Says Nanak, Maya does not draw near those who have obtained the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||5||19||88||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
The eyes are asleep in corruption, gazing upon the beauty of another.
The ears are asleep, listening to slanderous stories.
The tongue is asleep, in its desire for sweet flavors.
The mind is asleep, fascinated by Maya. ||1||
Those who remain awake in this house are very rare;
by doing so, they receive the whole thing. ||1||Pause||
All of my companions are intoxicated with their sensory pleasures;
they do not know how to guard their own home.
The five thieves have plundered them;
the thugs descend upon the unguarded village. ||2||
Our mothers and fathers cannot save us from them;
friends and brothers cannot protect us from them
- they cannot be restrained by wealth or cleverness.
Only through the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, can those villains be brought under control. ||3||
Have Mercy upon me, O Lord, Sustainer of the world.
The dust of the feet of the Saints is all the treasure I need.
In the Company of the True Guru, one's investment remains intact.
Nanak is awake to the Love of the Supreme Lord. ||4||
He alone is awake, unto whom God shows His Mercy.
This investment, wealth and property shall remain intact. ||1||Second Pause||20||89||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Kings and emperors are under His Power.
The whole world is under His Power.
Everything is done by His doing;
other than Him, there is nothing at all. ||1||
Offer your prayers to your True Guru;
He will resolve your affairs. ||1||Pause||
The Darbaar of His Court is the most exalted of all.
His Name is the Support of all His devotees.
The Perfect Master is pervading everywhere.
His Glory is manifest in each and every heart. ||2||
Remembering Him in meditation, the home of sorrow is abolished.
Remembering Him in meditation, the Messenger of Death shall not touch you.
Remembering Him in meditation, the dry branches become green again.

Remembering Him in meditation, sinking stones are made to float. ||3||
I salute and applaud the Society of the Saints.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the Support of the breath of life of His servant.
Says Nanak, the Lord has heard my prayer;
by the Grace of the Saints, I dwell in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||21||90||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
By the Blessed Vision of the True Guru's Darshan, the fire of desire is quenched.
Meeting the True Guru, egotism is subdued.
In the Company of the True Guru, the mind does not waver.
The Gurmukh speaks the Ambrosial Word of Gurbani. ||1||
He sees the True One pervading the whole world; he is imbued with the True One.
I have become cool and tranquil, knowing God, through the Guru. ||1||Pause||
By the Grace of the Saints, one chants the Lord's Name.
By the Grace of the Saints, one sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
By the Grace of the Saints, all pains are erased.
By the Grace of the Saints, one is released from bondage. ||2||
By the kind Mercy of the Saints, emotional attachment and doubt are removed.
Taking a bath in the dust of the feet of the Holy - this is true Dharmic faith.
By the kindness of the Holy, the Lord of the Universe becomes merciful.
The life of my soul is with the Holy. ||3||
Meditating on the Merciful Lord, the Treasure of Mercy, I have obtained a seat in the Saadh Sangat.
I am worthless, but God has been kind to me.
In the Saadh Sangat, Nanak has taken to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||22||91||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I meditate on the Lord God.
The Guru has given me the Mantra of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Shedding my ego, I have become free of hate.
Twenty-four hours a day, I worship the Guru's Feet. ||1||
Now, my evil sense of alienation is eliminated,
since I have heard the Praises of the Lord with my ears. ||1||Pause||
The Savior Lord is the treasure of intuitive peace, poise and bliss.
He shall save me in the end.
My pains, sufferings, fears and doubts have been erased.
He has mercifully saved me from coming and going in reincarnation. ||2||
He Himself beholds, speaks and hears all.
O my mind, meditate on the One who is always with you.
By the Grace of the Saints, the Light has dawned.
The One Lord, the Treasure of Excellence, is perfectly pervading everywhere. ||3||
Pure are those who speak, and sanctified are those who hear and sing, forever and ever, the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Says Nanak, when the Lord bestows His Mercy,
all one's efforts are fulfilled. ||4||23||92||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
He breaks our bonds, and inspires us to chant the Lord's Name.
With the mind centered in meditation on the True Lord, anguish is eradicated, and one comes to dwell in peace.
Such is the True Guru, the Great Giver. ||1||
He alone is the Giver of peace, who inspires us to chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By His Grace, He leads us to merge with Him. ||1||Pause||
He unites with Himself those unto whom He has shown His Mercy.
All treasures are received from the Guru.
Renouncing selfishness and conceit, coming and going come to an end.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Supreme Lord God is recognized. ||2||
God has become merciful to His humble servant.

The One Lord of the Universe is the Support of His humble servants.
They love the One Lord; their minds are filled with love for the Lord.
The Name of the Lord is all treasures for them. ||3||
They are in love with the Supreme Lord God;
their actions are pure, and their lifestyle is true.
The Perfect Guru has dispelled the darkness.
Nanak's God is Incomparable and Infinite. ||4||24||93||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Those whose minds are filled with the Lord, swim across.
Those who have the blessing of good karma, meet with the Lord.
Pain, disease and fear do not affect them at all.
They meditate on the Ambrosial Name of the Lord within their hearts. ||1||
Meditate on the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord.
From the Perfect Guru, this understanding is obtained. ||1||Pause||
The Merciful Lord is the Doer, the Cause of causes.
He cherishes and nurtures all beings and creatures.
He is Inaccessible, Incomprehensible, Eternal and Infinite.
Meditate on Him, O my mind, through the Teachings of the Perfect Guru. ||2||
Serving Him, all treasures are obtained.
Worshipping God, honor is obtained.
Working for Him is never in vain;
forever and ever, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
Show Mercy to me, O God, O Searcher of hearts.
The Unseen Lord and Master is the Treasure of Peace.
All beings and creatures seek Your Sanctuary;
Nanak is blessed to receive the greatness of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||25||94||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
Our way of life is in His Hands;
remember Him, the Master of the masterless.
When God comes to mind, all pains depart.
All fears are dispelled through the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Why do you fear any other than the Lord?
Forgetting the Lord, why do you pretend to be at peace? ||1||Pause||
He established the many worlds and skies.
The soul is illumined with His Light;
no one can revoke His Blessing.
Meditate, meditate in remembrance on God, and become fearless. ||2||
Twenty-four hours a day, meditate in remembrance on God's Name.
In it are the many sacred shrines of pilgrimage and cleansing baths.
Seek the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God.
Millions of mistakes shall be erased in an instant. ||3||
The Perfect King is self-sufficient.
God's servant has true faith in Him.
Giving him His Hand, the Perfect Guru protects him.
O Nanak, the Supreme Lord God is All-powerful. ||4||26||95||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
By Guru's Grace, my mind is attached to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Asleep for so many incarnations, it is now awakened.
I chant the Ambrosial Bani, the Glorious Praises of God.
The Pure Teachings of the Perfect Guru have been revealed to me. ||1||
Meditating in remembrance on God, I have found total peace.
Within my home, and outside as well, there is peace and poise all around. ||1||Pause||
I have recognized the One who created me.
Showing His Mercy, God has blended me with Himself.
Taking me by the arm, He has made me His Own.
I continually chant and meditate on the Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
Mantras, tantras, all-curing medicines and acts of atonement,

are all in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Support of the soul and the breath of life.
I have obtained the true wealth of the Lord's Love.
I have crossed over the treacherous world-ocean in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||
Sit in peace, O Saints, with the family of friends.
Earn the wealth of the Lord, which is beyond estimation.
He alone obtains it, unto whom the Guru has bestowed it.
O Nanak, no one shall go away empty-handed. ||4||27||96||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
The hands are sanctified instantly,
and the entanglements of Maya are dispelled.
Repeat constantly with your tongue the Glorious Praises of the Lord,
and you shall find peace, O my friends, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
With pen and ink, write upon your paper
the Name of the Lord, the Ambrosial Word of the Lord's Bani. ||1||Pause||
By this act, your sins shall be washed away.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, you shall not be punished by the Messenger of Death.
The couriers of the Righteous Judge of Dharma shall not touch you.
The intoxication of Maya shall not entice you at all. ||2||
You shall be redeemed, and through you, the whole world shall be saved,
if you chant the Name of the One and Only Lord.
Practice this yourself, and teach others;
instill the Lord's Name in your heart. ||3||
That person, who has this treasure upon his forehead
- that person meditates on God.
Twenty-four hours a day, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||4||28||97||
Raag Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
That which belongs to another - he claims as his own.
That which he must abandon - to that, his mind is attracted. ||1||
Tell me, how can he meet the Lord of the World?
That which is forbidden - with that, he is in love. ||1||Pause||
That which is false - he deems as true.
That which is true - his mind is not attached to that at all. ||2||
He takes the crooked path of the unrighteous way;
leaving the straight and narrow path, he weaves his way backwards. ||3||
God is the Lord and Master of both worlds.
He, whom the Lord unites with Himself, O Nanak, is liberated. ||4||29||98||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, they come together through destiny.
As long as the Lord commands, they enjoy their pleasures. ||1||
By burning oneself, the Beloved Lord is not obtained.
Only by the actions of destiny does she rise up and burn herself, as a 'satee'. ||1||Pause||
Imitating what she sees, with her stubborn mind-set, she goes into the fire.
She does not obtain the Company of her Beloved Lord, and she wanders through countless incarnations. ||2||
With pure conduct and self-restraint, she surrenders to her Husband Lord's Will;
that woman shall not suffer pain at the hands of the Messenger of Death. ||3||
Says Nanak, she who looks upon the Transcendent Lord as her Husband,
is the blessed 'satee'; she is received with honor in the Court of the Lord. ||4||30||99||
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl:
I am prosperous and fortunate, for I have received the True Name.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, with natural, intuitive ease. ||1||Pause||

When I opened it up and gazed upon the treasures of my father and grandfather,
then my mind became very happy. ||1||
The storehouse is inexhaustible and immeasurable, overflowing with priceless jewels and rubies. ||2||
The Siblings of Destiny meet together, and eat and spend,
but these resources do not diminish; they continue to increase. ||3||
Says Nanak, one who has such destiny written on his forehead,
becomes a partner in these treasures. ||4||31||100||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I was scared, scared to death, when I thought that He was far away.
But my fear was removed, when I saw that He is pervading everywhere. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru.
He shall not abandon me; He shall surely carry me across. ||1||Pause||
Pain, disease and sorrow come when one forgets the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Eternal bliss comes when one sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Do not say that anyone is good or bad.
Renounce your arrogant pride, and grasp the Feet of the Lord. ||3||
Says Nanak, remember the GurMantra;
you shall find peace at the True Court. ||4||32||101||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who have the Lord as their Friend and Companion
- tell me, what else do they need? ||1||
Those who are in love with the Lord of the Universe
- pain, suffering and doubt run away from them. ||1||Pause||
Those who have enjoyed the flavor of the Lord's sublime essence
are not attracted to any other pleasures. ||2||
Those whose speech is accepted in the Court of the Lord
- what do they care about anything else? ||3||
Those who belong to the One, unto whom all things belong
- O Nanak, they find a lasting peace. ||4||33||102||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who look alike upon pleasure and pain
- how can anxiety touch them? ||1||
The Lord's Holy Saints abide in celestial bliss.
They remain obedient to the Lord, the Sovereign Lord King. ||1||Pause||
Those who have the Carefree Lord abiding in their minds
- no cares will ever bother them. ||2||
Those who have banished doubt from their minds
are not afraid of death at all. ||3||
Those whose hearts are filled with the Lord's Name by the Guru
- says Nanak, all treasures come to them. ||4||34||103||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of Unfathomable Form has His Place in the mind.
By Guru's Grace, a rare few come to understand this. ||1||
The Ambrosial Pools of the celestial sermon
- those who find them, drink them in. ||1||Pause||
The unstruck melody of the Guru's Bani vibrates in that most special place.
The Lord of the World is fascinated with this melody. ||2||
The numerous, countless places of celestial peace
- there, the Saints dwell, in the Company of the Supreme Lord God. ||3||
There is infinite joy, and no sorrow or duality.
The Guru has blessed Nanak with this home. ||4||35||104||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
What form of Yours should I worship and adore?
What Yoga should I practice to control my body? ||1||

What is that virtue, by which I may sing of You?
What is that speech, by which I may please the Supreme Lord God? ||1||Pause||
What worship service shall I perform for You?
How can I cross over the terrifying world-ocean? ||2||
What is that penance, by which I may become a penitent?
What is that Name, by which the filth of egotism may be washed away? ||3||
Virtue, worship, spiritual wisdom, meditation and all service, O Nanak,
are obtained from the True Guru, when, in His Mercy and Kindness, He meets us. ||4||
They alone receive this merit, and they alone know God,
who are approved by the Giver of peace. ||1||Second Pause||36||105||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The body which you are so proud of, does not belong to you.
Power, property and wealth are not yours. ||1||
They are not yours, so why do you cling to them?
Only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is yours; it is received from the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
Children, spouse and siblings are not yours.
Dear friends, mother and father are not yours. ||2||
Gold, silver and money are not yours.
Fine horses and magnificent elephants are of no use to you. ||3||
Says Nanak, those whom the Guru forgives, meet with the Lord.
Everything belongs to those who have the Lord as their King. ||4||37||106||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I place the Guru's Feet on my forehead,
and all my pains are gone. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru.
I have come to understand my soul, and I enjoy supreme bliss. ||1||Pause||
I have applied the dust of the Guru's Feet to my face,
which has removed all my arrogant intellect. ||2||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad has become sweet to my mind,
and I behold the Supreme Lord God. ||3||
The Guru is the Giver of peace; the Guru is the Creator.
O Nanak, the Guru is the Support of the breath of life and the soul. ||4||38||107||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, seek the One who lacks nothing. ||1||
Make the Beloved Lord your friend.
Keep Him constantly in your mind; He is the Support of the breath of life. ||1||Pause||
O my mind, serve Him;
He is the Primal Being, the Infinite Divine Lord. ||2||
Place your hopes in the One
who is the Support of all beings, from the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages. ||3||
His Love brings eternal peace;
meeting the Guru, Nanak sings His Glorious Praises. ||4||39||108||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever my Friend does, I accept.
My Friend's actions are pleasing to me. ||1||
Within my conscious mind, the One Lord is my only Support.
One who does this is my Friend. ||1||Pause||
My Friend is Carefree.
By Guru's Grace, I give my love to Him. ||2||
My Friend is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He is the All-powerful Being, the Supreme Lord and Master. ||3||
I am Your servant; You are my Lord and Master.

Nanak: my honor and glory are Yours, God. ||4||40||109||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who have You on their side, O All-powerful Lord
- no black stain can stick to them. ||1||
O Lord of wealth, those who place their hopes in You
- nothing of the world can touch them at all. ||1||Pause||
Those whose hearts are filled with their Lord and Master
- no anxiety can affect them. ||2||
Those, unto whom You give Your consolation, God
- pain does not even approach them. ||3||
Says Nanak, I have found that Guru,
who has shown me the Perfect, Supreme Lord God. ||4||41||110||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
This human body is so difficult to obtain; it is only obtained by great good fortune.
Those who do not meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are murderers of the soul. ||1||
Those who forget the Lord might just as well die.
Without the Naam, of what use are their lives? ||1||Pause||
Eating, drinking, playing, laughing and showing off
- what use are the ostentatious displays of the dead? ||2||
Those who do not listen to the Praises of the Lord of supreme bliss,
are worse off than beasts, birds or creeping creatures. ||3||
Says Nanak, the GurMantra has been implanted within me;
the Name alone is contained within my heart. ||4||42||111||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Whose mother is this? Whose father is this?
They are relatives in name only- they are all false. ||1||
Why are you screaming and shouting, you fool?
By good destiny and the Lord's Order, you have come into the world. ||1||Pause||
There is the one dust, the one light,
the one praanic wind. Why are you crying? For whom do you cry? ||2||
People weep and cry out, "Mine, mine!"
This soul is not perishable. ||3||
Says Nanak, the Guru has opened my shutters;
I am liberated, and my doubts have been dispelled. ||4||43||112||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who seem to be great and powerful,
are afflicted by the disease of anxiety. ||1||
Who is great by the greatness of Maya?
They alone are great, who are lovingly attached to the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The landlord fights over his land each day.
He shall have to leave it in the end, and yet his desire is still not satisfied. ||2||
Says Nanak, this is the essence of Truth:
without the Lord's meditation, there is no salvation. ||3||44||113||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Perfect is the path; perfect is the cleansing bath.
Everything is perfect, if the Naam is in the heart. ||1||
One's honor remains perfect, when the Perfect Lord preserves it.
His servant takes to the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Perfect is the peace; perfect is the contentment.
Perfect is the penance; perfect is the Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||2||
On the Lord's Path, sinners are purified.
Perfect is their glory; perfect is their humanity. ||3||
They dwell forever in the Presence of the Creator Lord.
Says Nanak, my True Guru is Perfect. ||4||45||114||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Millions of sins are wiped away by the dust of the feet of the Saints.

By the Grace of the Saints, one is released from birth and death. ||1||
The Blessed Vision of the Saints is the perfect cleansing bath.
By the Grace of the Saints, one comes to chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
In the Society of the Saints, egotism is shed,
and the One Lord is seen everywhere. ||2||
By the pleasure of the Saints, the five passions are overpowered,
and the heart is irrigated with the Ambrosial Naam. ||3||
Says Nanak, one whose karma is perfect,
touches the feet of the Holy. ||4||46||115||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on the Glories of the Lord, the heart-lotus blossoms radiantly.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, all fears are dispelled. ||1||
Perfect is that intellect, by which the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung.
By great good fortune, one finds the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the treasure of the Name is obtained.
In the Saadh Sangat, all one's works are brought to fruition. ||2||
Through devotion to the Lord, one's life is approved.
By Guru's Grace, one chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Says Nanak, that humble being is accepted,
within whose heart the Lord God abides. ||4||47||116||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those whose minds are imbued with the One Lord,
forget to feel jealous of others. ||1||
They see none other than the Lord of the Universe.
The Creator is the Doer, the Cause of causes. ||1||Pause||
Those who work willingly, and chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har
- they do not waver, here or hereafter. ||2||
Those who possess the wealth of the Lord are the true bankers.
The Perfect Guru has established their line of credit. ||3||
The Giver of life, the Sovereign Lord King meets them.
Says Nanak, they attain the supreme status. ||4||48||117||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Support of the breath of life of His devotees.
The Naam is their wealth, the Naam is their occupation. ||1||
By the greatness of the Naam, His humble servants are blessed with glory.
The Lord Himself bestows it, in His Mercy. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is the home of peace of His devotees.
Attuned to the Naam, His devotees are approved. ||2||
The Name of the Lord is the support of His humble servants.
With each and every breath, they remember the Naam. ||3||
Says Nanak, those who have perfect destiny
- their minds are attached to the Naam. ||4||49||118||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
By the Grace of the Saints, I meditated on the Name of the Lord.
Since then, my restless mind has been satisfied. ||1||
I have obtained the home of peace, singing His Glorious Praises.
My troubles have ended, and the demon has been destroyed. ||1||Pause||
Worship and adore the Lotus Feet of the Lord God.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, my anxiety has come to an end. ||2||
I have renounced all - I am an orphan. I have come to the Sanctuary of the One Lord.
Since then, I have found the highest celestial home. ||3||
My pains, troubles, doubts and fears are gone.
The Creator Lord abides in Nanak's mind. ||4||50||119||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
With my hands I do His work; with my tongue I sing His Glorious Praises.

With my feet, I walk on the Path of my Lord and Master. ||1||
It is a good time, when I remember Him in meditation.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
With your eyes, behold the Blessed Vision of the Saints.
Record the Immortal Lord God within your mind. ||2||
Listen to the Kirtan of His Praises, at the Feet of the Holy.
Your fears of birth and death shall depart. ||3||
Enshrine the Lotus Feet of your Lord and Master within your heart.
Thus this human life, so difficult to obtain, shall be redeemed. ||4||51||120||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those, upon whom the Lord Himself showers His Mercy,
chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with their tongues. ||1||
Forgetting the Lord, superstition and sorrow shall overtake you.
Meditating on the Naam, doubt and fear shall depart. ||1||Pause||
Listening to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and singing the Lord's Kirtan,
misfortune shall not even come near you. ||2||
Working for the Lord, His humble servants look beautiful.
The fire of Maya does not touch them. ||3||
Within their minds, bodies and mouths, is the Name of the Merciful Lord.
Nanak has renounced other entanglements. ||4||52||121||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Renounce your cleverness, and your cunning tricks.
Seek the Support of the Perfect Guru. ||1||
Your pain shall depart, and in peace, you shall sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Meeting the Perfect Guru, let yourself be absorbed in the Lord's Love. ||1||Pause||
The Guru has given me the Mantra of the Name of the Lord.
My worries are forgotten, and my anxiety is gone. ||2||
Meeting with the Merciful Guru, I am in ecstasy.
Showering His Mercy, He has cut away the noose of the Messenger of Death. ||3||
Says Nanak, I have found the Perfect Guru;
Maya shall no longer harass me. ||4||53||122||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru Himself has saved me.
The self-willed manmukhs are afflicted with misfortune. ||1||
Chant and meditate on the Guru, the Guru, O my friend.
Your face shall be radiant in the Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Enshrine the Feet of the Guru within your heart;
your pains, enemies and bad luck shall be destroyed. ||2||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is your Companion and Helper.
O Siblings of Destiny, all beings shall be kind to you. ||3||
When the Perfect Guru granted His Grace,
says Nanak, I was totally, completely fulfilled. ||4||54||123||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Like beasts, they consume all sorts of tasty treats.
With the rope of emotional attachment, they are bound and gagged like thieves. ||1||
Their bodies are corpses, without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
They come and go in reincarnation, and are destroyed by pain. ||1||Pause||
They wear all sorts of beautiful robes,
but they are still just scarecrows in the field, frightening away the birds. ||2||
All bodies are of some use,
but those who do not meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are totally useless. ||3||
Says Nanak, those unto whom the Lord becomes Merciful,
join the Saadh Sangat, and meditate on the Lord of the Universe. ||4||55||124||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:

The Word of the Guru's Shabad quiets worries and troubles.
Coming and going ceases, and all comforts are obtained. ||1||
Fear is dispelled, meditating on the Fearless Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I have enshrined the Lotus Feet of the Lord within my heart.
The Guru has carried me across the ocean of fire. ||2||
I was sinking down, and the Perfect Guru pulled me out.
I was cut off from the Lord for countless incarnations, and now the Guru united me with Him again. ||3||
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru;
meeting Him, I have been saved. ||4||56||125||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, seek His Sanctuary.
Place your mind and body in offering before Him. ||1||
Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Name, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the fire of desire is totally quenched. ||1||Pause||
Renounce your arrogant pride, and end the cycle of birth and death.
Bow in humility to the feet of the Lord's slave. ||2||
Remember God in your mind, with each and every breath.
Gather only that wealth, which shall go with you. ||3||
He alone obtains it, upon whose forehead such destiny is written.
Says Nanak, fall at the Feet of that Lord. ||4||57||126||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The dried branches are made green again in an instant.
His Ambrosial Glance irrigates and revives them. ||1||
The Perfect Divine Guru has removed my sorrow.
He blesses His servant with His service. ||1||Pause||
Anxiety is removed, and the desires of the mind are fulfilled,
when the True Guru, the Treasure of Excellence, shows His Kindness. ||2||
Pain is driven far away, and peace comes in its place;
there is no delay, when the Guru gives the Order. ||3||
Desires are fulfilled, when one meets the True Guru;
O Nanak, His humble servant is fruitful and prosperous. ||4||58||127||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The fever has departed; God has showered us with peace and tranquility.
A cooling peace prevails; God has granted this gift. ||1||
By God's Grace, we have become comfortable.
Separated from Him for countless incarnations, we are now reunited with Him. ||1||Pause||
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on God's Name,
the dwelling of all disease is destroyed. ||2||
In intuitive peace and poise, chant the Word of the Lord's Bani.
Twenty-four hours a day, O mortal, meditate on God. ||3||
Pain, suffering and the Messenger of Death do not even approach that one,
says Nanak, who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||59||128||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Auspicious is the day, and auspicious is the chance,
which brought me to the Supreme Lord God, the Unjoined, Unlimited One. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to that time,
when my mind chants the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Blessed is that moment, and blessed is that time,
when my tongue chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Haree. ||2||
Blessed is that forehead, which bows in humility to the Saints.
Sacred are those feet, which walk on the Lord's Path. ||3||
Says Nanak, auspicious is my karma,
which has led me to touch the Feet of the Holy. ||4||60||129||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Keep the Word of the Guru's Shabad in your mind.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all anxiety is removed. ||1||
Without the Lord God, there is no one else at all.
He alone preserves and destroys. ||1||Pause||
Enshrine the Guru's Feet in your heart.
Meditate on Him and cross over the ocean of fire. ||2||
Focus your meditation on the Guru's Sublime Form.
Here and hereafter, you shall be honored. ||3||
Renouncing everything, I have come to the Guru's Sanctuary.
My anxieties are over - O Nanak, I have found peace. ||4||61||130||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering Him in meditation, all pains are gone.
The jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell in the mind. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Bani, the Hymns of the Lord of the Universe.
The Holy People chant the Lord's Name with their tongues. ||1||Pause||
Without the One Lord, there is no other at all.
By His Glance of Grace, eternal peace is obtained. ||2||
Make the One Lord your friend, intimate and companion.
Write in your mind the Word of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The Lord Master is totally pervading everywhere.
Nanak sings the Praises of the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||4||62||131||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The whole world is engrossed in fear.
Those who have the Naam, the Name of the Lord, as their Support, feel no fear. ||1||
Fear does not affect those who take to Your Sanctuary.
You do whatever You please. ||1||Pause||
In pleasure and in pain, the world is coming and going in reincarnation.
Those who are pleasing to God, find peace. ||2||
Maya pervades the awesome ocean of fire.
Those who have found the True Guru are calm and cool. ||3||
Please preserve me, O God, O Great Preserver!
Says Nanak, what a helpless creature I am! ||4||63||132||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
By Your Grace, I chant Your Name.
By Your Grace, I obtain a seat in Your Court. ||1||
Without You, O Supreme Lord God, there is no one.
By Your Grace, everlasting peace is obtained. ||1||Pause||
If You abide in the mind, we do not suffer in sorrow.
By Your Grace, doubt and fear run away. ||2||
O Supreme Lord God, Infinite Lord and Master,
You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of all hearts. ||3||
I offer this prayer to the True Guru:
O Nanak, may I be blessed with the treasure of the True Name. ||4||64||133||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
As the husk is empty without the grain,
so is the mouth empty without the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O mortal, chant continually the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Without the Naam, cursed is the body, which shall be taken back by Death. ||1||Pause||
Without the Naam, no one's face shows good fortune.
Without the Husband, where is the marriage? ||2||
Forgetting the Naam, and attached to other tastes,
no desires are fulfilled. ||3||
O God, grant Your Grace, and give me this gift.
Please, let Nanak chant Your Name, day and night. ||4||65||134||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
You are All-powerful, You are my Lord and Master.
Everything comes from You; You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||1||
The Perfect Supreme Lord God is the Support of His humble servant.
Millions are saved in Your Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
As many creatures as there are - they are all Yours.
By Your Grace, all sorts of comforts are obtained. ||2||
Whatever happens, is all according to Your Will.
One who understands the Hukam of the Lord's Command, is absorbed in the True Lord. ||3||
Please grant Your Grace, God, and bestow this gift
upon Nanak, that he may meditate on the treasure of the Naam. ||4||66||135||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
By great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is obtained,
by those who are lovingly absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||1||
Those whose minds are filled with the Lord,
do not suffer pain, even in dreams. ||1||Pause||
All treasures have been placed within the minds of His humble servants.
In their company, sinful mistakes and sorrows are taken away. ||2||
The Glories of the Lord's humble servants cannot be described.
The servants of the Supreme Lord God remain absorbed in Him. ||3||
Grant Your Grace, God, and hear my prayer:
please bless Nanak with the dust of the feet of Your slave. ||4||67||136||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering the Lord in meditation, your misfortune shall be taken away,
and all joy shall come to abide in your mind. ||1||
Meditate, O my mind, on the One Name.
It alone shall be of use to your soul. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, sing the Glorious Praises of the Infinite Lord,
through the Pure Mantra of the Perfect Guru. ||2||
Give up other efforts, and place your faith in the Support of the One Lord.
Taste the Ambrosial Essence of this, the greatest treasure. ||3||
They alone cross over the treacherous world-ocean,
O Nanak, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. ||4||68||137||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I have enshrined the Lotus Feet of God within my heart.
Meeting the Perfect True Guru, I am emancipated. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Joining the Holy Saints, meditate on the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
This human body, so difficult to obtain, is redeemed
when one receives the banner of the Naam from the True Guru. ||2||
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the state of perfection is attained.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, fear and doubt depart. ||3||
Wherever I look, there I see the Lord pervading.
Slave Nanak has entered the Lord's Sanctuary. ||4||69||138||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.
Chanting and meditating on the Name of the True Guru, I live. ||1||
O Supreme Lord God, O Perfect Divine Guru,
show mercy to me, and commit me to Your service. ||1||Pause||
I enshrine His Lotus Feet within my heart.
I offer my mind, body and wealth to the Guru, the Support of the breath of life. ||2||
My life is prosperous, fruitful and approved;
I know that the Guru, the Supreme Lord God, is near me. ||3||
By great good fortune, I have obtained the dust of the feet of the Saints.
O Nanak, meeting the Guru, I have fallen in love with the Lord. ||4||70||139||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
They do their evil deeds, and pretend otherwise;
but in the Court of the Lord, they shall be bound and gagged like thieves. ||1||
Those who remember the Lord belong to the Lord.
The One Lord is contained in the water, the land and the sky. ||1||Pause||
Their inner beings are filled with poison, and yet with their mouths, they preach words of Ambrosial Nectar.
Bound and gagged in the City of Death, they are punished and beaten. ||2||
Hiding behind many screens, they commit acts of corruption,
but in an instant, they are revealed to all the world. ||3||
Those whose inner beings are true, who are attuned to the ambrosial essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord
- O Nanak, the Lord, the Architect of Destiny, is merciful to them. ||4||71||140||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's Love shall never leave or depart.
They alone understand, unto whom the Perfect Guru gives it. ||1||
One whose mind is attuned to the Lord's Love is true.
The Love of the Beloved, the Architect of Destiny, is perfect. ||1||Pause||
Sitting in the Society of the Saints, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The color of His Love shall never fade away. ||2||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, peace is not found.
All the other loves and tastes of Maya are bland and insipid. ||3||
Those who are imbued with love by the Guru become happy.
Says Nanak, the Guru has become merciful to them. ||4||72||141||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord Master, sinful mistakes are erased,
and one comes to abide in peace, celestial joy and bliss. ||1||
The Lord's humble servants place their faith in the Lord.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all anxieties are dispelled. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, there is no fear or doubt.
The Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung there, day and night. ||2||
Granting His Grace, God has released me from bondage.
He has given me the Support of His Lotus Feet. ||3||
Says Nanak, faith comes into the mind of His servant, who continually drinks in the Immaculate Praises of the Lord. ||4||73||142||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who keep their minds attached to the Lord's Feet
- pain, suffering and doubt run away from them. ||1||
Those who deal in the Lord's wealth are perfect.
Those who are honored by the Lord are the true spiritual heroes. ||1||Pause||
Those humble beings, unto whom the Lord of the Universe shows mercy,
fall at the Guru's Feet. ||2||
They are blessed with peace, celestial bliss, tranquility and ecstasy;
chanting and meditating, they live in supreme bliss. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, I have earned the wealth of the Naam.
Says Nanak, God has relieved my pain. ||4||74||143||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, all suffering is eradicated.
The Lord's Lotus Feet are enshrined within my mind. ||1||
Chant the Lord's Name, hundreds of thousands of times, O my dear,
and drink deeply of the Ambrosial Essence of God. ||1||Pause||
Peace, celestial bliss, pleasures and the greatest ecstasy are obtained;
chanting and meditating, you shall live in supreme bliss. ||2||
Sexual desire, anger, greed and ego are eradicated;
in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all sinful mistakes are washed away. ||3||
Grant Your Grace, O God, O Merciful to the meek.
Please bless Nanak with the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||75||144||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
They wear and eat the gifts from the Lord;
how can laziness help them, O mother? ||1||
Forgetting her Husband Lord, and attaching herself to other affairs,
the soul-bride throws away the precious jewel in exchange for a mere shell. ||1||Pause||
Forsaking God, she is attached to other desires.
But who has gained honor by saluting the slave? ||2||
They consume food and drink, delicious and sublime as ambrosial nectar.
But the dog does not know the One who has bestowed these. ||3||
Says Nanak, I have been unfaithful to my own nature.
Please forgive me, O God, O Searcher of hearts. ||4||76||145||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I meditate on the Feet of God within my mind.
This is my cleansing bath at all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||1||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord every day, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Thus, the filth of millions of incarnations shall be taken away. ||1||Pause||
Enshrine the Lord's Sermon within your heart,
and you shall obtain all the desires of your mind. ||2||
Redeemed is the life, death and birth of those,
within whose hearts the Lord God abides. ||3||
Says Nanak, those humble beings are perfect,
who are blessed with the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||77||146||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
They eat and wear what they are given, but still, they deny the Lord.
The messengers of the Righteous Judge of Dharma shall hunt them down. ||1||
They are unfaithful to the One, who has given them body and soul.
Through millions of incarnations, for so many lifetimes, they wander lost. ||1||Pause||
Such is the lifestyle of the faithless cynics;
everything they do is evil. ||2||
Within their minds, they have forgotten that Lord and Master, who created the soul, breath of life, mind and body. ||3||
Their wickedness and corruption have increased - they are recorded in volumes of books.
O Nanak, they are saved only by the Mercy of God, the Ocean of peace. ||4||
O Supreme Lord God, I have come to Your Sanctuary.
Break my bonds, and carry me across, with the Lord's Name. ||1||Second Pause||78||147||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
For their own advantage, they make God their friend.
He fulfills all their desires, and blesses them with the state of liberation. ||1||
Everyone should make Him such a friend.
No one goes away empty-handed from Him. ||1||Pause||
For their own purposes, they enshrine the Lord in the heart;
all pain, suffering and disease are taken away. ||2||
Their tongues learn the habit of chanting the Lord's Name,
and all their works are brought to perfection. ||3||
So many times, Nanak is a sacrifice to Him;
fruitful is the Blessed Vision, the Darshan, of my Lord of the Universe. ||4||79||148||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Millions of obstacles are removed in an instant,
for those who listen to the Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
They drink in the sublime essence of the Lord's Name, the Ambrosial Elixir.
Meditating on the Lord's Feet, hunger is taken away. ||1||Pause||
The treasure of all happiness, celestial peace and poise,
are obtained by those, whose hearts are filled with the Lord God. ||2||

All medicines and remedies, mantras and tantras are nothing more than ashes.
Enshrine the Creator Lord within your heart. ||3||
Renounce all your doubts, and vibrate upon the Supreme Lord God.
Says Nanak, this path of Dharma is eternal and unchanging. ||4||80||149||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord bestowed His Mercy, and led me to meet the Guru.
By His power, no disease afflicts me. ||1||
Remembering the Lord, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
In the Sanctuary of the spiritual warrior, the account books of the Messenger of Death are torn up. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru has given me the Mantra of the Lord's Name.
By this Support, my affairs have been resolved. ||2||
Meditation, self-discipline, self-control and perfect greatness were obtained when the Merciful Lord, the Guru, became my Help and Support. ||3||
The Guru has dispelled pride, emotional attachment and superstition.
Nanak sees the Supreme Lord God pervading everywhere. ||4||81||150||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The blind beggar is better off than the vicious king.
Overcome by pain, the blind man invokes the Lord's Name. ||1||
You are the glorious greatness of Your slave.
The intoxication of Maya leads the others to hell. ||1||Pause||
Gripped by disease, they invoke the Name.
But those who are intoxicated with vice shall find no home, no place of rest. ||2||
One who is in love with the Lord's Lotus Feet,
does not think of any other comforts. ||3||
Forever and ever, meditate on God, your Lord and Master.
O Nanak, meet with the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||4||82||151||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Twenty-four hours a day, the highway robbers are my companions.
Granting His Grace, God has driven them away. ||1||
Everyone should dwell on the Sweet Name of such a Lord.
God is overflowing with all power. ||1||Pause||
The world-ocean is burning hot!
In an instant, God saves us, and carries us across. ||2||
There are so many bonds, they cannot be broken.
Remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the fruit of liberation is obtained. ||3||
By clever devices, nothing is accomplished.
Grant Your Grace to Nanak, that he may sing the Glories of God. ||4||83||152||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who obtain the wealth of the Lord's Name
move freely in the world; all their affairs are resolved. ||1||
By great good fortune, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung.
O Supreme Lord God, as You give, so do I receive. ||1||Pause||
Enshrine the Lord's Feet within your heart.
Get aboard this boat, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Everyone who joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
obtains eternal peace; pain does not afflict them any longer. ||3||
With loving devotional worship, meditate on the treasure of excellence.
O Nanak, you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. ||4||84||153||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord, our Friend, is totally pervading the water, the land and the skies.
Doubts are dispelled by continually singing the Lord's Glorious Praises. ||1||
While rising up, and while lying down in sleep, the Lord is always with you, watching over you.
Remembering Him in meditation, the fear of Death departs. ||1||Pause||
With God's Lotus Feet abiding in the heart,

all suffering comes to an end. ||2||
The One Lord is my hope, honor, power and wealth.
Within my mind is the Support of the True Banker. ||3||
I am the poorest and most helpless servant of the Holy.
O Nanak, giving me His Hand, God has protected me. ||4||85||154||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Taking my cleansing bath in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have been purified.
Its reward surpasses the giving of charity at millions of solar eclipses. ||1||Pause||
With the Lord's Feet abiding in the heart,
the sinful mistakes of countless incarnations are removed. ||1||
I have obtained the reward of the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
I no longer have to gaze upon the way of death. ||2||
In thought, word and deed, seek the Support of the Lord of the Universe;
thus you shall be saved from the poisonous world-ocean. ||3||
Granting His Grace, God has made me His Own.
Nanak chants and meditates on the Chant of the Lord's Name. ||4||86||155||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Seek the Sanctuary of those who have come to know the Lord.
Your mind and body shall become cool and peaceful, imbued with the Feet of the Lord. ||1||
If God, the Destroyer of fear, does not dwell within your mind,
you shall spend countless incarnations in fear and dread. ||1||Pause||
Those who have the Lord's Name dwelling within their hearts
have all their desires and tasks fulfilled. ||2||
Birth, old age and death are in His Power,
so remember that All-powerful Lord with each breath and morsel of food. ||3||
The One God is my Intimate, Best Friend and Companion.
The Naam, the Name of my Lord and Master, is Nanak's only Support. ||4||87||156||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
When they are out and about, they keep Him enshrined in their hearts;
returning home, the Lord of the Universe is still with them. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the Companion of His Saints.
Their minds and bodies are imbued with the Love of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
By Guru's Grace, one crosses over the world-ocean;
the sinful mistakes of countless incarnations are all washed away. ||2||
Honor and intuitive awareness are acquired through the Name of the Lord God.
The Teachings of the Perfect Guru are immaculate and pure. ||3||
Within your heart, meditate on the His Lotus Feet.
Nanak lives by beholding the Lord's Expansive Power. ||4||88||157||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is this place, where the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe are sung.
God Himself bestows peace and pleasure. ||1||Pause||
Misfortune occurs where the Lord is not remembered in meditation.
There are millions of joys where the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung. ||1||
Forgetting the Lord, all sorts of pains and diseases come.
Serving God, the Messenger of Death will not even approach you. ||2||
Very blessed, stable and sublime is that place,
where the Name of God alone is chanted. ||3||
Wherever I go, my Lord and Master is with me.
Nanak has met the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||4||89||158||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
That mortal who meditates on the Lord of the Universe,
whether educated or uneducated, obtains the state of supreme dignity. ||1||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate on the Lord of the World.
Without the Name, wealth and property are false. ||1||Pause||

They alone are handsome, clever and wise,
who surrender to the Will of God. ||2||
Blessed is their coming into this world,
if they recognize their Lord and Master in each and every heart. ||3||
Says Nanak, their good fortune is perfect,
if they enshrine the Lord's Feet within their minds. ||4||90||159||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's servant does not associate with the faithless cynic.
One is in the clutches of vice, while the other is in love with the Lord. ||1||Pause||
It would be like an imaginary rider on a decorated horse,
or a eunuch caressing a woman. ||1||
It would be like tying up an ox and trying to milk it,
or riding a cow to chase a tiger. ||2||
It would be like taking a sheep and worshipping it as the Elysian cow,
the giver of all blessings; it would be like going out shopping without any money. ||3||
O Nanak, consciously meditate on the Lord's Name.
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord Master, your Best Friend. ||4||91||160||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Pure and steady is that intellect,
which drinks in the Lord's sublime essence. ||1||
Keep the Support of the Lord's Feet in your heart,
and you shall be saved from the cycle of birth and death. ||1||Pause||
Pure is that body, in which sin does not arise.
In the Love of the Lord is pure glory. ||2||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, corruption is eradicated.
This is the greatest blessing of all. ||3||
Imbued with loving devotional worship of the Sustainer of the Universe,
Nanak asks for the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||92||161||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Such is my love for the Lord of the Universe;
through perfect good destiny, I have been united with Him. ||1||Pause||
As the wife is delighted upon beholding her husband,
so does the Lord's humble servant live by chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
As the mother is rejuvenated upon seeing her son,
so is the Lord's humble servant imbued with Him, through and through. ||2||
As the greedy man rejoices upon beholding his wealth,
so is the mind of the Lord's humble servant attached to His Lotus Feet. ||3||
May I never forget You, for even an instant, O Great Giver!
Nanak's God is the Support of his breath of life. ||4||93||162||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those humble beings who are accustomed to the Lord's sublime essence,
are pierced through with loving devotional worship of the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||1||Pause||
All other pleasures look like ashes;
without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the world is fruitless. ||1||
He Himself rescues us from the deep dark well.
Wondrous and Glorious are the Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||2||
In the woods and meadows, and throughout the three worlds, the Sustainer of the Universe is pervading.
The Expansive Lord God is Merciful to all beings. ||3||
Says Nanak, that speech alone is excellent,
which is approved by the Creator Lord. ||4||94||163||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Every day, take your bath in the Sacred Pool of the Lord.
Mix and drink in the most delicious, sublime Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The water of the Name of the Lord of the Universe is immaculate and pure.
Take your cleansing bath in it, and all your affairs shall be resolved. ||1||

In the Society of the Saints, spiritual conversations take place.
The sinful mistakes of millions of incarnations are erased. ||2||
The Holy Saints meditate in remembrance, in ecstasy.
Their minds and bodies are immersed in supreme ecstasy. ||3||
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to those who have obtained the treasure of the Lord's Feet. ||4||95||164||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Do only that, by which no filth or pollution shall stick to you.
Let your mind remain awake and aware, singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||1||Pause||
Meditate in remembrance on the One Lord; do not be in love with duality.
In the Society of the Saints, chant only the Name. ||1||
The karma of good actions, the Dharma of righteous living, religious rituals, fasts and worship
- practice these, but do not know any other than the Supreme Lord God. ||2||
Those who place their love in God - their works are brought to fruition. ||3||
Infinitely invaluable is that Vaishnaav, that worshipper of Vishnu,
says Nanak, who has renounced corruption. ||4||96||165||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
They desert you even when you are alive, O madman;
what good can they do when someone is dead? ||1||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe in your mind and body - this is your pre-ordained destiny.
The poison of Maya is of no use at all. ||1||Pause||
Those who have eaten this poison of deception
- their thirst shall never depart. ||2||
The treacherous world-ocean is filled with terrible pain.
Without the Lord's Name, how can anyone cross over? ||3||
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall be saved here and hereafter.
O Nanak, worship and adore the Name of the Lord. ||4||97||166||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The bearded emperor who struck down the poor,
has been burnt in the fire by the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
The Creator administers true justice.
He is the Saving Grace of His slaves. ||1||Pause||
In the beginning, and throughout the ages, His glory is manifest.
The slanderer died after contracting the deadly fever. ||2||
He is killed, and no one can save him.
Here and hereafter, his reputation is evil. ||3||
The Lord hugs His slaves close in His Embrace.
Nanak seeks the Lord's Sanctuary, and meditates on the Naam. ||4||98||167||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The memorandum was proven to be false by the Lord Himself.
The sinner is now suffering in despair. ||1||
Those who have my Lord of the Universe as their support
- death does not even approach them. ||1||Pause||
In the True Court, they lie;
the blind fools strike their own heads with their own hands. ||2||
Sickness afflicts those who commit sins;
God Himself sits as the Judge. ||3||
By their own actions, they are bound and gagged.
All their wealth is gone, along with their lives. ||4||
Nanak has taken to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Court;
my Creator has preserved my honor. ||5||99||168||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The dust of the feet of the humble beings is so sweet to my mind.
Perfect karma is the mortal's pre-ordained destiny. ||1||Pause||

The mind is overflowing with the greasy dirt of egotistical pride.
With the dust of the feet of the Holy, it is scrubbed clean. ||1||
The body may be washed with loads of water,
and yet its filth is not removed, and it does not become clean. ||2||
I have met the True Guru, who is merciful forever.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, I am rid of the fear of death. ||3||
Liberation, pleasures and worldly success are all in the Lord's Name.
With loving devotional worship, O Nanak, sing His Glorious Praises. ||4||100||169||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's slaves attain the highest status of life.
Meeting them, the soul is enlightened. ||1||
Those who listen with their mind and ears to the Lord's meditative remembrance,
are blessed with peace at the Lord's Gate, O mortal. ||1||Pause||
Twenty-four hours a day, meditate on the Sustainer of the World.
O Nanak, gazing on the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, I am enraptured. ||2||101||170||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Peace and tranquility have come; the Guru, the Lord of the Universe, has brought it.
The burning sins have departed, O my Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
With your tongue, continually chant the Lord's Name.
Disease shall depart, and you shall be saved. ||1||
Contemplate the Glorious Virtues of the Unfathomable Supreme Lord God.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall be emancipated. ||2||
Sing the Glories of God each and every day;
your afflictions shall be dispelled, and you shall be saved, my humble friend. ||3||
In thought, word and deed, I meditate on my God.
Slave Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary. ||4||102||171||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Divine Guru has opened his eyes.
Doubt has been dispelled; my service has been successful. ||1||Pause||
The Giver of joy has saved him from smallpox.
The Supreme Lord God has granted His Grace. ||1||
O Nanak, he alone lives, who chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, drink deeply of the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar. ||2||103||172||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is that forehead, and blessed are those eyes;
blessed are those devotees who are in love with You. ||1||
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, how anyone find peace?
With your tongue, chant the Praises of the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Nanak is a sacrifice to those
who meditate on the Lord of Nirvaanaa. ||2||104||173||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Advisor; You are always with me.
You preserve, protect and care for me. ||1||
Such is the Lord, our Help and Support in this world and the next.
He protects the honor of His slave, O my Sibling of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
He alone exists hereafter; this place is in His Power.
Twenty-four hours a day, O my mind, chant and meditate on the Lord. ||2||
His honor is acknowledged, and he bears the True Insignia;
the Lord Himself issues His Royal Command. ||3||
He Himself is the Giver; He Himself is the Cherisher.
Continually, continuously, O Nanak, dwell upon the Name of the Lord. ||4||105||174||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
When the Perfect True Guru becomes merciful,
the Lord of the World abides in the heart forever. ||1||
Meditating on the Lord, I have found eternal peace.

The Sovereign Lord, the Perfect King, has shown His Mercy to me. ||1||Pause||
Says Nanak, one whose destiny is perfect,
meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Everlasting Husband. ||2||106||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
He opens his loin-cloth, and spreads it out beneath him.
Like a donkey, he gulps down all that comes his way. ||1||
Without good deeds, liberation is not obtained.
The wealth of liberation is only obtained by meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
He performs worship ceremonies, applies the ceremonial tilak mark to his forehead, and takes his ritual cleansing baths;
he pulls out his knife, and demands donations. ||2||
With his mouth, he recites the Vedas in sweet musical measures,
and yet he does not hesitate to take the lives of others. ||3||
Says Nanak, when God showers His Mercy,
even his heart becomes pure, and he contemplates God. ||4||107||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Remain steady in the home of your own self, O beloved servant of the Lord.
The True Guru shall resolve all your affairs. ||1||Pause||
The Transcendent Lord has struck down the wicked and the evil.
The Creator has preserved the honor of His servant. ||1||
The kings and emperors are all under his power;
he drinks deeply of the most sublime essence of the Ambrosial Naam. ||2||
Meditate fearlessly on the Lord God.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, this gift is given. ||3||
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts;
he grasps the Support of God, his Lord and Master. ||4||108||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
One who is attuned to the Lord, shall not be burned in the fire.
One who is attuned to the Lord, shall not be enticed by Maya.
One who is attuned to the Lord, shall not be drowned in water.
One who is attuned to the Lord, is prosperous and fruitful. ||1||
All fear is eradicated by Your Name.
Joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||Pause||
One who is attuned to the Lord, is free of all anxieties.
One who is attuned to the Lord, is blessed with the Mantra of the Holy.
One who is attuned to the Lord, is not haunted by the fear of death.
One who is attuned to the Lord, sees all his hopes fulfilled. ||2||
One who is attuned to the Lord, does not suffer in pain.
One who is attuned to the Lord, remains awake and aware, night and day.
One who is attuned to the Lord, dwells in the home of intuitive peace.
One who is attuned to the Lord, sees his doubts and fears run away. ||3||
One who is attuned to the Lord, has the most sublime and exalted intellect.
One who is attuned to the Lord, has a pure and spotless reputation.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who do not forget my God. ||4||109||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Through sincere efforts, the mind is made peaceful and calm.
Walking on the Lord's Way, all pains are taken away.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind becomes blissful.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, supreme bliss is obtained. ||1||
There is joy all around, and peace has come to my home.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, misfortune disappears. ||Pause||
My eyes are purified, beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Blessed is the forehead which touches His Lotus Feet.
Working for the Lord of the Universe, the body becomes fruitful.

By the Grace of the Saints, I have obtained the supreme status. ||2||
The Lord is the Help and Support of His humble servant.
I have found peace, falling at the feet of His slaves.
When selfishness is gone, then one becomes the Lord Himself;
seek the Sanctuary of the treasure of mercy. ||3||
When someone finds the One he has desired,
then where should he go to look for Him?
I have become steady and stable, and I dwell in the seat of peace.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak has entered the home of peace. ||4||110||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The merits of taking millions of ceremonial cleansing baths,
the giving of hundreds of thousands, billions and trillions in charity
- these are obtained by those whose minds are filled with the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Those who sing the Glories of the Lord of the World are totally pure.
Their sins are erased, in the Sanctuary of the Kind and Holy Saints. ||Pause||
The merits of performing all sorts of austere acts of penance and self-discipline,
earning huge profits and seeing one's desires fulfilled
- these are obtained by chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, with the tongue. ||2||
The merits of reciting the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Vedas,
knowledge of the science of Yoga, spiritual wisdom and the pleasure of miraculous spiritual powers
- these come by surrendering the mind and meditating on the Name of God. ||3||
The wisdom of the Inaccessible and Infinite Lord is incomprehensible.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and contemplating the Naam within our hearts,
O Nanak, God has showered His Mercy upon us. ||4||111||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating, meditating, meditating in remembrance, I have found peace.
I have enshrined the Lotus Feet of the Guru within my heart. ||1||
The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, the Supreme Lord God, is perfect.
Worshipping Him, my mind has found a lasting peace. ||Pause||
Night and day, I meditate on the Guru, and the Name of the Guru.
Thus all my works are brought to perfection. ||2||
Beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, my mind has become cool and tranquil,
and the sinful mistakes of countless incarnations have been washed away. ||3||
Says Nanak, where is fear now, O Siblings of Destiny?
The Guru Himself has preserved the honor of His servant. ||4||112||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord Himself is the Help and Support of His servants.
He always cherishes them, like their father and mother. ||1||
In God's Sanctuary, everyone is saved.
That Perfect True Lord is the Doer, the Cause of causes. ||Pause||
My mind now dwells in the Creator Lord.
My fears have been dispelled, and my soul has found the most sublime peace. ||2||
The Lord has granted His Grace, and saved His humble servant.
The sinful mistakes of so many incarnations have been washed away. ||3||
The Greatness of God cannot be described.
Servant Nanak is forever in His Sanctuary. ||4||113||
Raag Gauree Chaytee, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The power of the Lord is universal and perfect, O Siblings of Destiny.
So no pain can ever afflict me. ||1||Pause||
Whatever the Lord's slave wishes, O mother,
the Creator Himself causes that to be done. ||1||
God causes the slanderers to lose their honor.
Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Fearless Lord. ||2||114||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O Brave and Powerful God, Ocean of Peace, I fell into the pit - please, take my hand. ||1||Pause||
My ears do not hear, and my eyes are not beautiful. I am in such pain; I am a poor cripple, crying at Your Door. ||1||
O Master of the poor and helpless, O Embodiment of Compassion, You are my Friend and Intimate, my Father and Mother.
Nanak holds tight to the Lord's Lotus Feet in his heart; thus the Saints cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||2||115||
Raag Gauree Bairaagan, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Dear Lord God, my Best Friend, please, abide with me. ||1||Pause||
Without You, I cannot live, even for an instant, and my life in this world is cursed.
O Breath of Life of the soul, O Giver of peace, each and every instant I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||
Please, God, give me the Support of Your Hand; lift me up and pull me out of this pit, O Lord of the World.
I am worthless, with such a shallow intellect; You are always Merciful to the meek. ||2||
What comforts of Yours can I dwell upon? How can I contemplate You?
You lovingly absorb Your slaves into Your Sanctuary, O Lofty, Inaccessible and Infinite Lord. ||3||
All wealth, and the eight miraculous spiritual powers are in the supremely sublime essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Those humble beings, with whom the beautifully-haired Lord is thoroughly pleased, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||
You are my mother, father, son and relative; You are the Support of the breath of life.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak meditates on the Lord, and swims across the poisonous world-ocean. ||5||1||116||
Gauree Bairaagan, Chhants Of Rehoay, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Is there anyone who will sing of the Beloved Lord?
Surely, this will bring all pleasures and comforts. ||Pause||
The renunciate goes out into the woods, searching for Him.
But those who embrace love for the One Lord are very rare.
Those who find the Lord are very fortunate and blessed. ||1||
The Gods like Brahma and Sanak yearn for Him;
the Yogis, celibates and Siddhas yearn for the Lord.
One who is so blessed, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
I seek the Sanctuary of those who have not forgotten Him.
By great good fortune, one meets the Lord's Saint.
They are not subject to the cycle of birth and death. ||3||
Show Your Mercy, and lead me to meet You, O my Darling Beloved.
Hear my prayer, O Lofty and Infinite God;
Nanak begs for the Support of Your Name. ||4||1||117||

Raag Gauree Poorbee, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By what virtues can I meet the Lord of life, O my mother? ||1||Pause||
I have no beauty, understanding or strength; I am a stranger, from far away. ||1||
I am not wealthy or youthful. I am an orphan - please, unite me with Yourself. ||2||
Searching and searching, I have become a renunciate, free of desire. I wander around, searching for the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan. ||3||
God is Compassionate, and Merciful to the meek; O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the fire of desire has been quenched. ||4||1||118||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The loving desire to meet my Beloved has arisen within my mind.
I touch His Feet, and offer my prayer to Him. If only I had the great good fortune to meet the Saint. ||1||Pause||
I surrender my mind to Him; I place my wealth before Him. I totally renounce my selfish ways.
One who teaches me the Sermon of the Lord God - night and day, I shall follow Him. ||1||
When the seed of the karma of past actions sprouted, I met the Lord; He is both the Enjoyer and the Renunciate.
My darkness was dispelled when I met the Lord. O Nanak, after being asleep for countless incarnations, I have awakened. ||2||2||119||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Come out, O soul-bird, and let the meditative remembrance of the Lord be your wings.
Meet the Holy Saint, take to His Sanctuary, and keep the perfect jewel of the Lord enshrined in your heart. ||1||Pause||
Superstition is the well, thirst for pleasure is the mud, and emotional attachment is the noose, so tight around your neck.
The only one who can cut this is the Guru of the World, the Lord of the Universe. So let yourself dwell at His Lotus Feet. ||1||
Bestow Your Mercy, O Lord of the Universe, O God, My Beloved, Master of the meek - please, listen to my prayer.
Take my hand, O Lord and Master of Nanak; my body and soul all belong to You. ||2||3||120||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
My mind yearns to behold the Lord in meditation.
I think of Him, I hope and thirst for Him, day and night; is there any Saint who may bring Him near me? ||1||Pause||
I serve the slaves of His slaves; in so many ways, I beg of Him.
Setting them upon the scale, I have weighed all comforts and pleasures; without the Lord's Blessed Vision, they are all totally inadequate. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, I sing the Praises of the Ocean of virtue; after countless incarnations, I have been released.
Meeting the Lord, Nanak has found peace and bliss; his life is redeemed, and prosperity dawns for him. ||2||4||121||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
How may I meet my Master, the King, the Lord of the Universe?
Is there any Saint, who can bestow such celestial peace, and show me the Way to Him? ||1||Pause||

The Unseen Lord is deep within the self; He cannot be seen; the curtain of egotism intervenes.
In emotional attachment to Maya, all the world is asleep. Tell me, how can this doubt be dispelled? ||1||
The one lives together with the other in the same house, but they do not talk to one another, O Siblings of Destiny.
Without the one substance, the five are miserable; that substance is in the unapproachable place. ||2||
And the one whose home it is, has locked it up, and given the key to the Guru.
You may make all sorts of efforts, but it cannot be obtained, without the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||3||
Those whose bonds have been broken by the True Guru, enshrine love for the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The self-elect, the self-realized beings, meet together and sing the joyous songs of the Lord. Nanak, there is no difference between them, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||
This is how my Sovereign Lord King, the Lord of the Universe, is met;
celestial bliss is attained in an instant, and doubt is dispelled. Meeting Him, my light merges in the Light. ||1||Second Pause||1||122||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am intimate with Him;
granting His Grace, my Kind Beloved has told me of the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
Wherever I look, there You are; I am totally convinced of this.
Unto whom should I pray? The Lord Himself hears all. ||1||
My anxiety is over. The Guru has cut away my bonds, and I have found eternal peace.
Whatever shall be, shall be in the end; so where can pain and pleasure be seen? ||2||
The continents and the solar systems rest in the support of the One Lord. The Guru has removed the veil of illusion, and shown this to me.
The nine treasures of the wealth of the Name of the Lord are in that one place. Where else should we go? ||3||
The same gold is fashioned into various articles; just so, the Lord has made the many patterns of the creation.
Says Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubt; in this way, my essence merges into God's essence. ||4||2||123||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
This life is diminishing, day and night.
Meeting with the Guru, your affairs shall be resolved. ||1||Pause||
Listen, my friends, I beg of you: now is the time to serve the Saints!
In this world, earn the profit of the Lord's Name, and hereafter, you shall dwell in peace. ||1||
This world is engrossed in corruption and cynicism. Only those who know God are saved.
Those who are awakened by the Lord to drink in this sublime essence, come to know the Unspoken Speech of the Lord. ||2||
Purchase only that for which you have come into the world, and through the Guru, the Lord shall dwell within your mind.
Within the home of your own inner being, you shall obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence with intuitive ease. You shall not be consigned again to the wheel of reincarnation. ||3||
O Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts, Primal Being, Architect of Destiny: please fulfill this yearning of my mind.
Nanak, Your slave, begs for this happiness: let me be the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||3||124||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Save me, O My Father God.
I am worthless and without virtue; all virtues are Yours. ||1||Pause||
The five vicious thieves are assaulting my poor being; save me, O Savior Lord!
They are tormenting and torturing me. I have come, seeking Your Sanctuary. ||1||

Trying all sorts of things, I have grown weary, but still, they will not leave me alone.
But I have heard that they can be rooted out, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; and so I seek their Shelter. ||2||
In their Mercy, the Saints have met me, and from them, I have obtained satisfaction.
The Saints have given me the Mantra of the Fearless Lord, and now I practice the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||
I have now conquered those terrible evil-doers, and my speech is now sweet and sublime.
Says Nanak, the Divine Light has dawned within my mind; I have obtained the state of Nirvaanaa. ||4||4||125||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
He is the Eternal King.
The Fearless Lord abides with you. So where does this fear come from? ||1||Pause||
In one person, You are arrogant and proud, and in another, You are meek and humble.
In one person, You are all by Yourself, and in another, You are poor. ||1||
In one person, you are a Pandit, a religious scholar and a preacher, and in another, You are just a fool.
In one person, You grab hold of everything, and in another, You accept nothing. ||2||
What can the poor wooden puppet do? The Master Puppeteer knows everything.
As the Puppeteer dresses the puppet, so is the role the puppet plays. ||3||
The Lord has created the various chambers of assorted descriptions, and He Himself protects them.
As is that vessel in which the Lord places the soul, so does it dwell. What can this poor being do? ||4||
The One who created the thing, understands it; He has fashioned all of this.
Says Nanak, the Lord and Master is Infinite; He alone understands the value of His Creation. ||5||5||126||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Give them up - give up the pleasures of corruption;
you are entangled in them, you crazy fool, like an animal grazing in the green fields. ||1||Pause||
That which you believe to be of use to you, shall not go even an inch with you.
Naked you came, and naked you shall depart. You shall go round and round the cycle of birth and death, and you shall be food for Death. ||1||
Watching, watching the transitory dramas of the world, you are embroiled and enmeshed in them, and you laugh with delight.
The string of life is wearing thin, day and night, and you have done nothing for your soul. ||2||
Doing your deeds, you have grown old; your voice fails you, and your body has become weak.
You were enticed by Maya in your youth, and your attachment for it has not diminished, one little bit. ||3||
The Guru has shown me that this is the way of the world; I have abandoned the dwelling of pride, and entered Your Sanctuary.
The Saint has shown me the Path of God; slave Nanak has implanted devotional worship and the Praise of the Lord. ||4||6||127||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Except for You, who is mine?
O my Beloved, You are the Support of the breath of life. ||1||Pause||
You alone know the condition of my inner being. You are my Beautiful Friend.
I receive all comforts from You, O my Unfathomable and Immeasurable Lord and Master. ||1||

I cannot describe Your Manifestations, O Treasure of Excellence, O Giver of peace.
God is Inaccessible, Incomprehensible and Imperishable; He is known through the Perfect Guru. ||2||
My doubt and fear have been taken away, and I have been made pure, since my ego was conquered.
My fear of birth and death has been abolished, beholding Your Blessed Vision in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||
I wash the Guru's Feet and serve Him; I am a sacrifice to Him, 100,000 times.
By His Grace, servant Nanak has crossed over this terrifying world-ocean; I am united with my Beloved. ||4||7||128||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Who can please You, except You Yourself?
Gazing upon Your Beauteous Form, all are entranced. ||1||Pause||
In the heavenly paradise, in the nether regions of the underworld, on the planet earth and throughout the galaxies, the One Lord is pervading everywhere.
Everyone calls upon You with their palms pressed together, saying, "Shiva, Shiva". O Merciful Lord and Master, everyone cries out for Your Help. ||1||
Your Name, O Lord and Master, is the Purifier of sinners, the Giver of peace, immaculate, cooling and soothing.
O Nanak, spiritual wisdom, meditation and glorious greatness come from dialogue and discourse with Your Saints. ||2||8||129||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Meet with me, O my Dear Beloved.
O God, whatever You do - that alone happens. ||1||Pause||
Wandering around through countless incarnations, I endured pain and suffering in so many lives, over and over again.
By Your Grace, I obtained this human body; grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Sovereign Lord King. ||1||
That which pleases His Will has come to pass; no one else can do anything.
By Your Will, enticed by the illusion of emotional attachment, the people are asleep; they do not wake up. ||2||
Please hear my prayer, O Lord of Life, O Beloved, Ocean of mercy and compassion.
Save me, O my Father God. I am an orphan - please, cherish me! ||3||
You reveal the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, for the sake of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Grant Your Grace, and bless us with the dust of the feet of the Saints; Nanak yearns for this peace. ||4||9||130||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to those
who take the Support of the Naam. ||1||Pause||
How can I recount the praises of those humble beings who are attuned to the Love of the Supreme Lord God?
Peace, intuitive poise and bliss are with them. There are no other givers equal to them. ||1||
They have come to save the world - those humble beings who thirst for His Blessed Vision.
Those who seek their Sanctuary are carried across; in the Society of the Saints, their hopes are fulfilled. ||2||
If I fall at their Feet, then I live; associating with those humble beings, I remain happy.
O God, please be merciful to me, that my mind might become the dust of the feet of Your devotees. ||3||
Power and authority, youth and age - whatever is seen in this world, all of it shall fade away.
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is forever new and immaculate. Nanak has earned this wealth of the Lord. ||4||10||131||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I came to the Guru, to learn the Way of Yoga.
The True Guru has revealed it to me through the Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
He is contained in the nine continents of the world, and within this body; each and every moment, I humbly bow to Him.
I have made the Guru's Teachings my ear-rings, and I have enshrined the One Formless Lord within my being. ||1||
I have brought the five disciples together, and they are now under the control of the one mind.
When the ten hermits become obedient to the Lord, then I became an immaculate Yogi. ||2||
I have burnt my doubt, and smeared my body with the ashes. My path is to see the One and Only Lord.
I have made that intuitive peace my food; the Lord Master has written this pre-ordained destiny upon my forehead. ||3||
In that place where there is no fear, I have assumed my Yogic posture. The unstruck melody of His Bani is my horn.
I have made contemplation upon the essential reality my Yogic staff. The Love of the Name in my mind is my Yogic lifestyle. ||4||
By great good fortune, such a Yogi is met, who cuts away the bonds of Maya.
Nanak serves and adores this wondrous person, and kisses his feet. ||5||11||132||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is an incomparably beautiful treasure. Listen, everyone, and meditate on it, O friends.
Those, unto whom the Guru has given the Lord's medicine - their minds become pure and immaculate. ||1||Pause||
Darkness is dispelled from within that body, in which the Divine Light of the Guru's Shabad shines.
The noose of doubt is cut away from those who place their faith in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
The treacherous and terrifying world-ocean is crossed over, in the boat of the Saadh Sangat.
My mind's desires are fulfilled, meeting the Guru, in love with the Lord. ||2||
The devotees have found the treasure of the Naam; their minds and bodies are satisfied and satiated.
O Nanak, the Dear Lord gives it only to those who surrender to the Lord's Command. ||3||12||133||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Please be kind and compassionate, O Lord of my life; I am helpless, and I seek Your Sanctuary, God.
Please, give me Your Hand, and lift me up, out of the deep dark pit. I have no clever tricks at all. ||1||Pause||
You are the Doer, the Cause of causes - You are everything. You are All-powerful; there is no other than You.
You alone know Your condition and extent. They alone become Your servants, upon whose foreheads such good destiny is recorded. ||1||
You are imbued with Your servant, God; Your devotees are woven into Your Fabric, through and through.
O Darling Beloved, they yearn for Your Name and the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, like the chakvee bird which longs to see the moon. ||2||
Between the Lord and His Saint, there is no difference at all. Among hundreds of thousands and millions, there is scarcely one humble being.
Those whose hearts are illuminated by God, sing the Kirtan of His Praises night and day with their tongues. ||3||
You are All-powerful and Infinite, the most lofty and exalted, the Giver of peace; O God, You are the Support of the breath of life.
Please show mercy to Nanak, O God, that he may remain in the Society of the Saints. ||4||13||134||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O Saint, You are attuned to the Lord.
Please stand my me, Architect of Destiny; please take me to my destination, Great Giver. ||1||Pause||
You alone know Your mystery; You are the Perfect Architect of Destiny.
I am a helpless orphan - please keep me under Your Protection and save me. ||1||
Your Feet are the boat to carry us across the world-ocean; You alone know Your ways.
Those whom You keep protected, by Your Kindness, cross over to the other side. ||2||
Here and hereafter, God, You are All-powerful; everything is in Your Hands.
Please give me that treasure, which will go along with me, O servant of the Lord. ||3||
I am without virtue - please bless me with virtue, so that my mind might chant the Name of the Lord.
By the Grace of the Saints, Nanak has met the Lord; his mind and body are soothed and satisfied. ||4||14||135||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am intuitively absorbed in the Divine Lord.
The Divine True Guru has become Merciful to me. ||1||Pause||
Cutting away the halter, He has made me His slave, and now I work for the Saints.
I have become a worshipper of the One Name; the Guru has shown me this amazing wonder. ||1||
The Divine Light has dawned, and everything is illuminated; the Guru has revealed this spiritual wisdom to my mind.
Drinking deeply of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, my mind is satisfied, and my fears have been vanquished. ||2||
Accepting the Command of the Lord's Will, I have found total peace; the home of suffering has been destroyed.
When God, our Lord and Master was totally pleased, He revealed everything in the form of ecstasy. ||3||
Nothing comes, and nothing goes; this play is all set in motion by the Lord, the Sovereign King.
Says Nanak, our Lord and Master is inaccessible and unfathomable. The Lord's devotees take His Name as their Support. ||4||15||136||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
He is the Supreme Lord God, the Perfect Transcendent Lord; O my mind, hold tight to the Support of the One
who established the solar systems and galaxies. Chant the Name of that Lord. ||1||Pause||
Renounce the intellectual cleverness of your mind, O humble servants of the Lord; understanding the Hukam of His Command, peace is found.
Whatever God does, accept that with pleasure; in comfort and in suffering, meditate on Him. ||1||
The Creator emancipates millions of sinners in an instant, without a moment's delay.
The Lord, the Destroyer of the pain and sorrow of the poor, blesses those with whom He is pleased. ||2||
He is Mother and Father, the Cherisher of all; He is the Breath of life of all beings, the Ocean of peace.
While giving so generously, the Creator does not diminish at all. The Source of jewels, He is All-pervading. ||3||
The beggar begs for Your Name, O Lord and Master; God is contained deep within the nucleus of each and every heart.
Slave Nanak has entered His Sanctuary; no one returns from Him empty-handed. ||4||16||137||

Raag Gauree Poorbee, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Never forget the Lord, Har, Har, from your mind.
Here and hereafter, He is the Giver of all peace. He is the Cherisher of all hearts. ||1||Pause||
He removes the most terrible pains in an instant, if the tongue repeats His Name.
In the Lord's Sanctuary there is soothing coolness, peace and tranquility. He has extinguished the burning fire. ||1||
He saves us from the hellish pit of the womb, and carries us across the terrifying world-ocean.
Adoring His Lotus Feet in the mind, the fear of death is banished. ||2||
He is the Perfect, Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, lofty, unfathomable and infinite.
Singing His Glorious Praises, and meditating on the Ocean of peace, one's life is not lost in the gamble. ||3||
My mind is engrossed in sexual desire, anger, greed and attachment, O Giver to the unworthy.
Please grant Your Grace, and bless me with Your Name; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||4||1||138||
Raag Gauree Chaytee, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
There is no peace without devotional worship of the Lord.
Be victorious, and win the priceless jewel of this human life, by meditating on Him in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, even for an instant. ||1||Pause||
Many have renounced and left their children, wealth, spouses, joyful games and pleasures. ||1||
Horses, elephants and the pleasures of power
- leaving these behind, the fool must depart naked. ||2||
The body, scented with musk and sandalwood
- that body shall come to roll in the dust. ||3||
Infatuated with emotional attachment, they think that God is far away.
Says Nanak, he is Ever-present! ||4||1||139||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O mind, cross over with the Support of the Lord's Name.
The Guru is the boat to carry you across the world-ocean, through the waves of cynicism and doubt. ||1||Pause||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, there is only pitch darkness.
The lamp of the Guru's spiritual wisdom illuminates and enlightens. ||1||
The poison of corruption is spread out far and wide.
Only the virtuous are saved, chanting and meditating on the Lord. ||2||
Intoxicated with Maya, the people are asleep.
Meeting the Guru, doubt and fear are dispelled. ||3||
Says Nanak, meditate on the One Lord;
behold Him in each and every heart. ||4||2||140||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
You alone are my Chief Advisor.
I serve You with the Support of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
By various devices, I could not find You.
Taking hold of me, the Guru has made me Your slave. ||1||
I have conquered the five tyrants.
By Guru's Grace, I have vanquished the army of evil. ||2||
I have received the One Name as His bounty and blessing.
Now, I dwell in peace, poise and bliss. ||3||

The slaves of God are good.
O Nanak, their faces are radiant. ||4||3||141||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Hey, soul: your only Support is the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Whatever else you do or make happen, the fear of death still hangs over you. ||1||Pause||
He is not obtained by any other efforts.
By great good fortune, meditate on the Lord. ||1||
You may know hundreds of thousands of clever tricks,
but not even one will be of any use at all hereafter. ||2||
Good deeds done in the pride of ego are swept away, like the house of sand by water. ||3||
When God the Merciful shows His Mercy,
Nanak receives the Naam in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||4||4||142||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice, dedicated hundreds of thousands of times, to my Lord and Master.
His Name, and His Name alone, is the Support of the breath of life. ||1||Pause||
You alone are the Doer, the Cause of causes.
You are the Support of all beings and creatures. ||1||
O God, You are my power, authority and youth. You are absolute, without attributes, and also related, with the most sublime attributes. ||2||
Here and hereafter, You are my Savior and Protector.
By Guru's Grace, some understand You. ||3||
God is All-knowing, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
You are Nanak's strength and support. ||4||5||143||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
In the Society of the Saints, He dwells in the mind; doubt, emotional attachment and fear are vanquished. ||1||Pause||
The Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees are heard to proclaim
that the Lord's servant dwells as the highest of all. ||1||
All places are filled with fear - know this well.
Only the Lord's servants are free of fear. ||2||
People wander through 8.4 million incarnations.
God's people are not subject to birth and death. ||3||
Nanak has taken to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Holy Saints; he has given up power, wisdom, cleverness and egotism. ||4||6||144||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name.
Serve the Lord continually and continuously; with each and every breath, meditate on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
In the Society of the Saints, the Lord dwells in the mind,
and pain, suffering, darkness and doubt depart. ||1||
That humble being, who meditates on the Lord, by the Grace of the Saints, is not afflicted with pain. ||2||
Those unto whom the Guru gives the Mantra of the Lord's Name,
are saved from the fire of Maya. ||3||
Be kind to Nanak, O God;
let the Lord's Name dwell within my mind and body. ||4||7||145||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
With your tongue, chant the Name of the One Lord.
In this world, it shall bring you peace, comfort and great joy; hereafter, it shall go with your soul, and shall be of use to you. ||1||Pause||
The disease of your ego shall be eradicated.
By Guru's Grace, practice Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||1||
Those who taste the sublime essence of the Lord
have their thirst quenched. ||2||
Those who have found the Lord, the Treasure of peace,
shall not go anywhere else again. ||3||
Those, unto whom the Guru has given the Lord's Name, Har, Har
- O Nanak, their fears are removed. ||4||8||146||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
One who forgets the Lord's Name, suffers in pain.
Those who join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and dwell upon the Lord, find the Ocean of virtue. ||1||Pause||
Those Gurmukhs whose hearts are filled with wisdom,
hold the nine treasures, and the miraculous spiritual powers of the Siddhas in the palms of their hands. ||1||
Those who know the Lord God as their Master,
do not lack anything. ||2||
Those who realize the Creator Lord,
enjoy all peace and pleasure. ||3||
Those whose inner homes are filled with the Lord's wealth
- says Nanak, in their company, pain departs. ||4||9||147||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Your pride is so great, but what about your origins?
You cannot remain, no matter how much you try to hold on. ||1||Pause||
That which is forbidden by the Vedas and the Saints - with that, you are in love.
Like the gambler losing the game of chance, you are held in the power of sensory desires. ||1||
The One who is All-powerful to empty out and fill up - you have no love for His Lotus Feet.
O Nanak, I have been saved, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. I have been blessed by the Treasure of Mercy. ||2||10||148||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am the slave of my Lord and Master.
I eat whatever God gives me. ||1||Pause||
Such is my Lord and Master.
In an instant, He creates and embellishes. ||1||
I do that work which pleases my Lord and Master.
I sing the songs of God's glory, and His wondrous play. ||2||
I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord's Prime Minister;
beholding Him, my mind is comforted and consoled. ||3||
The One Lord is my support, the One is my steady anchor.
Servant Nanak is engaged in the Lord's work. ||4||11||149||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Is there anyone, who can shatter his ego,
and turn his mind away from this sweet Maya? ||1||Pause||
Humanity is in spiritual ignorance; people see things that do not exist.
The night is dark and gloomy; how will the morning dawn? ||1||
Wandering, wandering all around, I have grown weary; trying all sorts of things, I have been searching.
Says Nanak, He has shown mercy to me; I have found the treasure of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||12||150||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
He is the Wish-fulfilling Jewel, the Embodiment of Mercy. ||1||Pause||
The Supreme Lord God is Merciful to the meek;
meditating in remembrance on Him, peace is obtained. ||1||
The Wisdom of the Undying Primal Being is beyond comprehension.
Hearing His Praises, millions of sins are erased. ||2||
O God, Treasure of Mercy, please bless Nanak with Your kindness, that he may repeat the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||13||151||
Gauree Poorbee, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, in the Sanctuary of God, peace is found.
That day, when the Giver of life and peace is forgotten - that day passes uselessly. ||1||Pause||
You have come as a guest for one short night, and yet you hope to live for many ages.
Households, mansions and wealth - whatever is seen, is like the shade of a tree. ||1||
My body, wealth, and all my gardens and property shall all pass away.
You have forgotten your Lord and Master, the Great Giver. In an instant, these shall belong to somebody else. ||2||

You wear white clothes and take cleansing baths, and anoint yourself with sandalwood oil.
But you do not remember the Fearless, Formless Lord - you are like an elephant bathing in the mud. ||3||
When God becomes merciful, He leads you to meet the True Guru; all peace is in the Name of the Lord.
The Guru has liberated me from bondage; servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||14||152||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, dwell always upon the Guru, Guru, Guru.
The Guru has made the jewel of this human life prosperous and fruitful. I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||Pause||
As many breaths and morsels as you take, O my mind - so many times, sing His Glorious Praises.
When the True Guru becomes merciful, then this wisdom and understanding is obtained. ||1||
O my mind, taking the Naam, you shall be released from the bondage of death, and the peace of all peace will be found.
Serving your Lord and Master, the True Guru, the Great Giver, you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires. ||2||
The Name of the Creator is your beloved friend and child; it alone shall go along with you, O my mind.
So serve your True Guru, and you shall receive the Name from the Guru. ||3||
When God, the Merciful Guru, showered His Mercy upon me, all my anxieties were dispelled.
Nanak has found the peace of the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. All his sorrows have been dispelled. ||4||15||153||
Raag Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The thirst of only a few is quenched. ||1||Pause||
People may accumulate hundreds of thousands, millions, tens of millions, and yet the mind is not restrained.
They only yearn for more and more. ||1||
They may have all sorts of beautiful women, but still, they commit adultery in the homes of others.
They do not distinguish between good and bad. ||2||
They wander around lost, trapped in the myriad bonds of Maya; they do not sing the Praises of the Treasure of Virtue.
Their minds are engrossed in poison and corruption. ||3||
Those, unto whom the Lord shows His Mercy, remain dead while yet alive. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, they cross over the ocean of Maya.
O Nanak, those humble beings are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||4||1||154||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord is the essence of all. ||1||Pause||
Some practice Yoga, some indulge in pleasures; some live in spiritual wisdom, some live in meditation.
Some are bearers of the staff. ||1||
Some chant in meditation, some practice deep, austere meditation; some worship Him in adoration, some practice daily rituals.
Some live the life of a wanderer. ||2||
Some live by the shore, some live on the water; some study the Vedas.
Nanak loves to worship the Lord. ||3||2||155||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
To sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is my treasure. ||1||Pause||
You are my delight, You are my praise. You are my beauty, You are my love.
O God, You are my hope and support. ||1||
You are my pride, You are my wealth. You are my honor, You are my breath of life.
The Guru has repaired that which was broken. ||2||
You are in the household, and You are in the forest. You are in the village, and You are in the wilderness.

Nanak: You are near, so very near! ||3||3||156||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I am intoxicated, intoxicated with the Love of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I drink it in - I am drunk with it. The Guru has given it to me in charity.
My mind is drenched with it. ||1||
It is my furnace, it is the cooling plaster. It is my love, it is my longing.
My mind knows it as peace. ||2||
I enjoy intuitive peace, and I play in bliss; the cycle of reincarnation is ended for me, and I am merged with the Lord.
Nanak is pierced through with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||4||157||
Raag Gauree Maalwaa, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Chant the Lord's Name; O my friend, chant it. Hereafter, the path is terrifying and treacherous. ||1||Pause||
Serve, serve, forever serve the Lord. Death hangs over your head.
Do seva, selfless service, for the Holy Saints, and the noose of Death shall be cut away. ||1||
You may make burnt offerings, sacrificial feasts and pilgrimages to sacred shrines in egotism, but your corruption only increases.
You are subject to both heaven and hell, and you are reincarnated over and over again. ||2||
The realm of Shiva, the realms of Brahma and Indra as well - no place anywhere is permanent.
Without serving the Lord, there is no peace at all. The faithless cynic comes and goes in reincarnation. ||3||
As the Guru has taught me, so have I spoken.
Says Nanak, listen, people: sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and you shall be saved. ||4||1||158||
Raag Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Adopting the innocent mind of a child, I have found peace.
Joy and sorrow, profit and loss, birth and death, pain and pleasure - they are all the same to my consciousness, since I met the Guru. ||1||Pause||
As long as I plotted and planned things, I was full of frustration.
When I met the Kind, Perfect Guru, then I obtained bliss so easily. ||1||
The more clever tricks I tried, the more bonds I was saddled with.
When the Holy Saint placed His Hand upon my forehead, then I was liberated. ||2||
As long as I claimed, "Mine, mine!", I was surrounded by wickedness and corruption.
But when I dedicated my mind, body and intellect to my Lord and Master, then I began to sleep in peace. ||3||
As long as I walked along, carrying the load, I continued to pay the fine.
But I threw away that bundle, when I met the Perfect Guru; O Nanak, then I became fearless. ||4||1||159||
Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have renounced my desires; I have renounced them.
I have renounced them; meeting the Guru, I have renounced them.
All peace, joy, happiness and pleasures have come since I surrendered to the Will of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||

Honor and dishonor are the same to me; I have placed my forehead upon the Guru's Feet.
Wealth does not excite me, and misfortune does not disturb me; I have embraced love for my Lord and Master. ||1||
The One Lord and Master dwells in the home; He is seen in the wilderness as well.
I have become fearless; the Saint has removed my doubts. The All-knowing Lord is pervading everywhere. ||2||
Whatever the Creator does, my mind is not troubled.
By the Grace of the Saints and the Company of the Holy, my sleeping mind has been awakened. ||3||
Servant Nanak seeks Your Support; he has come to Your Sanctuary.
In the Love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he enjoys intuitive peace; pain no longer touches him. ||4||2||160||
Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have found the jewel of my Beloved within my mind.
My body is cooled, my mind is cooled and soothed, and I am absorbed into the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
My hunger has departed, my thirst has totally departed, and all my anxiety is forgotten.
The Perfect Guru has placed His Hand upon my forehead; conquering my mind, I have conquered the whole world. ||1||
Satisfied and satiated, I remain steady within my heart, and now, I do not waver at all.
The True Guru has given me the inexhaustible treasure; it never decreases, and never runs out. ||2||
Listen to this wonder, O Siblings of Destiny: the Guru has given me this understanding.
I threw off the veil of illusion, when I met my Lord and Master; then, I forgot my jealousy of others. ||3||
This is a wonder which cannot be described. They alone know it, who have tasted it.
Says Nanak, the Truth has been revealed to me. The Guru has given me the treasure; I have taken it and enshrined it within my heart. ||4||3||161||
Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
Those who take to the Sanctuary of the Lord, the King, are saved.
All other people, in the mansion of Maya, fall flat on their faces on the ground. ||1||Pause||
The great men have studied the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas, and they have said this:
"Without the Lord's meditation, there is no emancipation, and no one has ever found peace."||1||
People may accumulate the wealth of the three worlds, but the waves of greed are still not subdued.
Without devotional worship of the Lord, where can anyone find stability? People wander around endlessly. ||2||
People engage in all sorts of mind-enticing pastimes, but their passions are not fulfilled.
They burn and burn, and are never satisfied; without the Lord's Name, it is all useless. ||3||
Chant the Name of the Lord, my friend; this is the essence of perfect peace.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, birth and death are ended. Nanak is the dust of the feet of the humble. ||4||4||162||
Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
Who can help me understand my condition?
Only the Creator knows it. ||1||Pause||
This person does things in ignorance; he does not chant in meditation, and does not perform any deep, self-disciplined meditation.
This mind wanders around in the ten directions - how can it be restrained? ||1||
"I am the lord, the master of my mind, body, wealth and lands. These are mine."

In doubt and emotional attachment, this person understands nothing; with this leash, these feet are tied up. ||2||
What did this person do, when he did not exist?
When the Immaculate and Formless Lord God was all alone, He did everything by Himself. ||3||
He alone knows His actions; He created this creation.
Says Nanak, the Lord Himself is the Doer. The True Guru has dispelled my doubts. ||4||5||163||
Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Lord, other actions are useless.
Meditative chants, intense deep meditation, austere self-discipline and rituals - these are plundered in this world. ||1||Pause||
Fasting, daily rituals, and austere self-discipline - those who keep the practice of these, are rewarded with less than a shell.
Hereafter, the way is different, O Siblings of Destiny. There, these things are of no use at all. ||1||
Those who bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and wander over the earth, find no place of rest hereafter.
There, these are of no use at all. By these things, they only please other people. ||2||
Reciting the four Vedas from memory, they do not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence hereafter.
Those who do not understand the One Pure Word, utter total nonsense. ||3||
Nanak voices this opinion: those who practice it, swim across.
Serve the Guru, and meditate on the Naam; renounce the egotistical pride from your mind. ||4||6||164||
Gauree Maalaa, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord, I chant Your Name, Har, Har, Har.
I cannot do anything by myself, O Lord and Master. As You keep me, so I remain. ||1||Pause||
What can the mere mortal do? What is in the hands of this poor creature?
As You attach us, so we are attached, O my Perfect Lord and Master. ||1||
Take pity on me, O Great Giver of all, that I may enshrine love for Your Form alone.
Nanak offers this prayer to the Lord, that he may chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||7||165||
Raag Gauree Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Merciful to the meek, O Dear Lord King,
You have engaged millions of people in Your Service.
You are the Lover of Your devotees; this is Your Nature.
You are totally pervading all places. ||1||
How can I behold my Beloved? What is that way of life?
Become the slave of the Saints, and serve at their feet.
I dedicate this soul; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them.
Bowing low, I fall at the Feet of the Lord. ||2||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, study the books of the Vedas.
Some become renunciates, and bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Some sing tunes and melodies and songs.
But I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Fearless Lord. ||3||
My Lord and Master has become merciful to me.
I was a sinner, and I have been sanctified, taking to the Guru's Feet.

Dispelling my doubts and fears, the Guru has rid me of hatred.
The Guru has fulfilled the desires of my mind. ||4||
One who has obtained the Name is wealthy.
One who meditates on God is glorified.
Sublime are all the actions of those who join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Servant Nanak is intuitively absorbed into the Lord. ||5||1||166||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl, Maajh:
Come to me, O my Beloved Lord.
Night and day, with each and every breath, I think of You.
O Saints, give Him this message; I fall at Your Feet.
Without You, how can I be saved? ||1||
In Your Company, I am in ecstasy.
In the forest, the fields and the three worlds, there is peace and supreme bliss.
My bed is beautiful, and my mind blossoms forth in ecstasy.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I have found this peace. ||2||
I wash Your Feet, and constantly serve You.
O Divine Lord, I worship and adore You; I bow down before You.
I am the slave of Your slaves; I chant Your Name.
I offer this prayer to my Lord and Master. ||3||
My desires are fulfilled, and my mind and body are rejuvenated.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, all my pains have been taken away.
Chanting and meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have been saved.
Nanak endures this unendurable celestial bliss. ||4||2||167||
Gauree Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Listen, listen, O my friend and companion, O Beloved of my mind:
my mind and body are Yours. This life is a sacrifice to You as well.
May I never forget God, the Support of the breath of life.
I have come to Your Eternal Sanctuary. ||1||
Meeting Him, my mind is revived, O Siblings of Destiny.
By Guru's Grace, I have found the Lord, Har, Har.
All things belong to God; all places belong to God.
I am forever a sacrifice to God. ||2||
Very fortunate are those who meditate on this treasure.
They enshrine love for the Naam, the Name of the One Immaculate Lord.
Finding the Perfect Guru, all suffering is dispelled.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing the Glories of God. ||3||
Your Name is the treasure of jewels, Lord.
You are the True Banker; Your devotee is the trader.
True is the trade of those who have the wealth of the Lord's assets.
Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice. ||4||3||168||
Raag Gauree Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am so proud of You, O Creator; I am so proud of You.
Through Your Almighty Power, I dwell in peace. The True Word of the Shabad is my banner and insignia. ||1||Pause||
He hears and knows everything, but he keeps silent.
Bewitched by Maya, he never regains awareness. ||1||
The riddles and hints are given, and he sees them with his eyes.

But he is foolish and greedy, and he never listens to what he is told. ||2||
Why bother to count one, two, three, four? The whole world is defrauded by the same enticements.
Hardly anyone loves the Lord's Name; how rare is that place which is in bloom. ||3||
The devotees look beautiful in the True Court; night and day, they are happy.
They are imbued with the Love of the Transcendent Lord; servant Nanak is a sacrifice to them. ||4||1||169||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl, Maajh:
The Destroyer of sorrow is Your Name, Lord; the Destroyer of sorrow is Your Name.
Twenty-four hours a day, dwell upon the wisdom of the Perfect True Guru. ||1||Pause||
That heart, in which the Supreme Lord God abides, is the most beautiful place.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach those who chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord with the tongue. ||1||
I have not understood the wisdom of serving Him, nor have I worshipped Him in meditation.
You are my Support, O Life of the World; O my Lord and Master, Inaccessible and Incomprehensible. ||2||
When the Lord of the Universe became merciful, sorrow and suffering departed.
The hot winds do not even touch those who are protected by the True Guru. ||3||
The Guru is the All-pervading Lord, the Guru is the Merciful Master; the Guru is the True Creator Lord.
When the Guru was totally satisfied, I obtained everything. Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||4||2||170||
Gauree Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord, the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam:
meditating on Him, all affairs are resolved. ||1||Pause||
Chanting the Name of the Lord of the Universe, one's mouth is sanctified.
One who recites to me the Praises of the Lord is my friend and brother. ||1||
All treasures, all rewards and all virtues are in the Lord of the Universe.
Why forget Him from your mind? Remembering Him in meditation, pain departs. ||2||
Grasping the hem of His robe, we live, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one is saved, and one's face becomes radiant in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
The Praise of the Sustainer of the Universe is the essence of life, and the wealth of His Saints.
Nanak is saved, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord; in the True Court, he is cheered and applauded. ||4||3||171||
Gauree Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the Sweet Praises of the Lord, O my soul, sing the Sweet Praises of the Lord.
Attuned to the True One, even the homeless find a home. ||1||Pause||
All other tastes are bland and insipid; through them, the body and mind are rendered insipid as well.
Without the Transcendent Lord, what can anyone do? Cursed is his life, and cursed his reputation. ||1||
Grasping the hem of the robe of the Holy Saint, we cross over the world-ocean.
Worship and adore the Supreme Lord God, and all your family will be saved as well. ||2||
He is a companion, a relative, and a good friend of mine, who implants the Lord's Name within my heart.
He washes off all my demerits, and is so generous to me. ||3||
Wealth, treasures, and household are all just ruins; the Lord's Feet are the only treasure.
Nanak is a beggar standing at Your Door, God; he begs for Your charity. ||4||4||172||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Gauree, Ninth Mehl
: Holy Saadhus: forsake the pride of your mind.
Sexual desire, anger and the company of evil people - run away from them, day and night. ||1||Pause||
One who knows that pain and pleasure are both the same, and honor and dishonor as well,
who remains detached from joy and sorrow, realizes the true essence in the world. ||1||
Renounce both praise and blame; seek instead the state of Nirvaanaa.
O servant Nanak, this is such a difficult game; only a few Gurmukhs understand it! ||2||1||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
Holy Saadhus: the Lord fashioned the creation.
One person passes away, and another thinks that he will live forever - this is a wonder beyond understanding! ||1||Pause||
The mortal beings are held in the power of sexual desire, anger and emotional attachment; they have forgotten the Lord, the Immortal Form.
The body is false, but they believe it to be true; it is like a dream in the night. ||1||
Whatever is seen, shall all pass away, like the shadow of a cloud.
O servant Nanak, one who knows the world to be unreal, dwells in the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||2||2||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
The Praise of the Lord does not come to dwell in the minds of the mortal beings.
Day and night, they remain engrossed in Maya. Tell me, how can they sing God's Glories? ||1||Pause||
In this way, they bind themselves to children, friends, Maya and possessiveness.
Like the deer's delusion, this world is false; and yet, beholding it, they chase after it. ||1||
Our Lord and Master is the source of pleasures and liberation; and yet, the fool forgets Him.
O servant Nanak, among millions, there is scarcely anyone who attains the Lord's meditation. ||2||3||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
Holy Saadhus: this mind cannot be restrained.
Fickle desires dwell with it, and so it cannot remain steady. ||1||Pause||
The heart is filled with anger and violence, which cause all sense to be forgotten.
The jewel of spiritual wisdom has been taken away from everyone; nothing can withstand it. ||1||
The Yogis have tried everything and failed; the virtuous have grown weary of singing God's Glories.
O servant Nanak, when the Lord becomes merciful, then every effort is successful. ||2||4||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
Holy Saadhus: sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
You have obtained the priceless jewel of this human life; why are you uselessly wasting it? ||1||Pause||
He is the Purifier of sinners, the Friend of the poor. Come, and enter the Lord's Sanctuary.
Remembering Him, the elephant's fear was removed; so why do you forget Him? ||1||
Renounce your egotistical pride and your emotional attachment to Maya; focus your consciousness on the Lord's meditation.
Says Nanak, this is the path to liberation. Become Gurmukh, and attain it. ||2||5||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
O mother, if only someone would instruct my wayward mind.

This mind listens to the Vedas, the Puraanas, and the ways of the Holy Saints, but it does not sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, for even an instant. ||1||Pause||
Having obtained this human body, so very difficult to obtain, it is now being uselessly wasted.
Emotional attachment to Maya is such a treacherous wilderness, and yet, people are in love with it. ||1||
Inwardly and outwardly, God is always with them, and yet, they do not enshrine Love for Him.
O Nanak, know that those whose hearts are filled with the Lord are liberated. ||2||6||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
Holy Saadhus: rest and peace are in the Sanctuary of the Lord.
This is the blessing of studying the Vedas and the Puraanas, that you may meditate on the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Greed, emotional attachment to Maya, possessiveness, the service of evil, pleasure and pain - those who are not touched by these, are the very embodiment of the Divine Lord. ||1||
Heaven and hell, ambrosial nectar and poison, gold and copper - these are all alike to them.
Praise and slander are all the same to them, as are greed and attachment. ||2||
They are not bound by pleasure and pain - know that they are truly wise.
O Nanak, recognize those mortal beings as liberated, who live this way of life. ||3||7||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
O mind, why have you gone crazy?
Don't you know that your life is decreasing, day and night? Your life is made worthless with greed. ||1||Pause||
That body, which you believe to be your own, and your beautiful home and spouse
- none of these is yours to keep. See this, reflect upon it and understand. ||1||
You have wasted the precious jewel of this human life; you do not know the Way of the Lord of the Universe.
You have not been absorbed in the Lord's Feet, even for an instant. Your life has passed away in vain! ||2||
Says Nanak, that man is happy, who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name.
All the rest of the world is enticed by Maya; they do not obtain the state of fearless dignity. ||3||8||
Gauree, Ninth Mehl:
You people are unconscious; you should be afraid of sin.
Seek the Sanctuary of the Lord, Merciful to the meek, Destroyer of all fear. ||1||Pause||
The Vedas and the Puraanas sing His Praises; enshrine His Name within your heart.
Pure and sublime is the Name of the Lord in the world. Remembering it in meditation, all sinful mistakes shall be washed away. ||1||
You shall not obtain this human body again; make the effort - try to achieve liberation!
Says Nanak, sing of the Lord of compassion, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||9||251||
Raag Gauree, Ashtapadees, First Mehl: Gauree Gwaarayree:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
The nine treasures and the miraculous spiritual powers come by contemplating the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Perfect Lord is All-pervading everywhere; He destroys the poison of Maya.
I am rid of the three-phased Maya, dwelling in the Pure Lord.

The Guru's Teachings are useful to my soul. ||1||
Chanting the Lord's Name in this way, my mind is satisfied.
I have obtained the ointment of spiritual wisdom, recognizing the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||
Blended with the One Lord, I enjoy intuitive peace.
Through the Immaculate Bani of the Word, my doubts have been dispelled.
Instead of the pale color of Maya, I am imbued with the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love.
By the Lord's Glance of Grace, the poison has been eliminated. ||2||
When I turned away, and became dead while yet alive, I was awakened.
Chanting the Word of the Shabad, my mind is attached to the Lord.
I have gathered in the Lord's sublime essence, and cast out the poison.
Abiding in His Love, the fear of death has run away. ||3||
My taste for pleasure ended, along with conflict and egotism.
My consciousness is attuned to the Lord, by the Order of the Infinite.
My pursuit for worldy pride and honour is over.
When He blessed me with His Glance of Grace, peace was established in my soul. ||4||
Without You, I see no friend at all.
Whom should I serve? Unto whom should I dedicate my consciousness?
Whom should I ask? At whose feet should I fall?
By whose teachings will I remain absorbed in His Love? ||5||
I serve the Guru, and I fall at the Guru's Feet.
I worship Him, and I am absorbed in the Lord's Name.
The Lord's Love is my instruction, sermon and food.
Enjoined to the Lord's Command, I have entered the home of my inner self. ||6||
With the extinction of pride, my soul has found peace and meditation.
The Divine Light has dawned, and I am absorbed in the Light.
Pre-ordained destiny cannot be erased; the Shabad is my banner and insignia.
I know the Creator, the Creator of His Creation. ||7||
I am not a learned Pandit, I am not clever or wise.
I do not wander; I am not deluded by doubt.
I do not speak empty speech; I have recognized the Hukam of His Command.
Nanak is absorbed in intuitive peace through the Guru's Teachings. ||8||1||
Gauree Gwaarayree, First Mehl:
The mind is an elephant in the forest of the body.
The Guru is the controlling stick; when the Insignia of the True Shabad is applied, one obtains honor in the Court of God the King. ||1||
He cannot be known through clever tricks.
Without subduing the mind, how can His value be estimated? ||1||Pause||
In the house of the self is the Ambrosial Nectar, which is being stolen by the thieves.
No one can say no to them.
He Himself protects us, and blesses us with greatness. ||2||
There are billions, countless billions of fires of desire at the seat of the mind.
They are extinguished only with the water of understanding, imparted by the Guru.
Offering my mind, I have attained it, and I joyfully sing His Glorious Praises. ||3||
Just as He is within the home of the self, so is He beyond.
But how can I describe Him, sitting in a cave?
The Fearless Lord is in the oceans, just as He is in the mountains. ||4||
Tell me, who can kill someone who is already dead?
What does he fear? Who can frighten the fearless one?
He recognizes the Word of the Shabad, throughout the three worlds. ||5||
One who speaks, merely describes speech.
But one who understands, intuitively realizes.
Seeing and reflecting upon it, my mind surrenders. ||6||
Praise, beauty and liberation are in the One Name.
In it, the Immaculate Lord is permeating and pervading.
He dwells in the home of the self, and in His own sublime place. ||7||
The many silent sages lovingly praise Him.

Their bodies and minds are purified, as they enshrine the True Lord in their consciousness.
O Nanak, meditate on the Lord, each and every day. ||8||2||
Gauree Gwaarayree, First Mehl:
The mind does not die, so the job is not accomplished.
The mind is under the power of the demons of evil intellect and duality.
But when the mind surrenders, through the Guru, it becomes one. ||1||
The Lord is without attributes; the attributes of virtue are under His control.
One who eliminates selfishness contemplates Him. ||1||Pause||
The deluded mind thinks of all sorts of corruption.
When the mind is deluded, the load of wickedness falls on the head.
But when the mind surrenders to the Lord, it realizes the One and Only Lord. ||2||
The deluded mind enters the house of Maya.
Engrossed in sexual desire, it does not remain steady.
O mortal, lovingly vibrate the Lord's Name with your tongue. ||3||
Elephants, horses, gold, children and spouses
- in the anxious affairs of all these, people lose the game and depart.
In the game of chess, their pieces do not reach their destination. ||4||
They gather wealth, but only evil comes from it.
Pleasure and pain stand in the doorway.
Intuitive peace comes by meditating on the Lord, within the heart. ||5||
When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, then He unites us in His Union.
Through the Word of the Shabad, merits are gathered in, and demerits are burned away.
The Gurmukh obtains the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||6||
Without the Name, all live in pain.
The consciousness of the foolish, self-willed manmukh is the dwelling place of Maya.
The Gurmukh obtains spiritual wisdom, according to pre-ordained destiny. ||7||
The fickle mind continuously runs after fleeting things.
The Pure True Lord is not pleased by filth.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||8||3||
Gauree Gwaarayree, First Mehl:
Acting in egotism, peace is not obtained.
The intellect of the mind is false; only the Lord is True.
All who love duality are ruined.
People act as they are pre-ordained. ||1||
I have seen the world to be such a gambler;
all beg for peace, but they forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
If the Unseen Lord could be seen, then He could be described.
Without seeing Him, all descriptions are useless.
The Gurmukh sees Him with intuitive ease.
So serve the One Lord, with loving awareness. ||2||
People beg for peace, but they receive severe pain.
They are all weaving a wreath of corruption.
You are false - without the One, there is no liberation.
The Creator created the creation, and He watches over it. ||3||
The fire of desire is quenched by the Word of the Shabad.
Duality and doubt are automatically eliminated.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the Naam abides in the heart.
Through the True Word of His Bani, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||
The True Lord abides within the body of that Gurmukh who enshrines love for Him.
Without the Naam, none obtain their own place.
The Beloved Lord King is dedicated to love.
If He bestows His Glance of Grace, then we realize His Name. ||5||
Emotional attachment to Maya is total entanglement.
The self-willed manmukh is filthy, cursed and dreadful.
Serving the True Guru, these entanglements are ended.
In the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, you shall abide in lasting peace. ||6||
The Gurmukhs understand the One Lord, and enshrine love for Him.
They dwell in the home of their own inner beings, and merge in the True Lord.
The cycle of birth and death is ended.
This understanding is obtained from the Perfect Guru. ||7||
Speaking the speech, there is no end to it.

I have consulted the Guru, and I have seen that there is no other door than His.
Pain and pleasure reside in the Pleasure of His Will and His Command.
Nanak, the lowly, says embrace love for the Lord. ||8||4||
Gauree, First Mehl:
The duality of Maya dwells in the consciousness of the people of the world.
They are destroyed by sexual desire, anger and egotism. ||1||
Whom should I call the second, when there is only the One?
The One Immaculate Lord is pervading among all. ||1||Pause||
The dual-minded evil intellect speaks of a second.
One who harbors duality comes and goes and dies. ||2||
In the earth and in the sky, I do not see any second.
Among all the women and the men, His Light is shining. ||3||
In the lamps of the sun and the moon, I see His Light.
Dwelling among all is my ever-youthful Beloved. ||4||
In His Mercy, He attuned my consciousness to the Lord.
The True Guru has led me to understand the One Lord. ||5||
The Gurmukh knows the One Immaculate Lord.
Subduing duality, one comes to realize the Word of the Shabad. ||6||
The Command of the One Lord prevails throughout all the worlds.
From the One, all have arisen. ||7||
There are two routes, but remember that their Lord and Master is only One.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, recognize the Hukam of the Lord's Command. ||8||
He is contained in all forms, colors and minds.
Says Nanak, praise the One Lord. ||9||5||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Those who live a spiritual lifestyle - they alone are true.
What can the false know about the secrets of liberation? ||1||
Those who contemplate the Way are Yogis.
They conquer the five thieves, and enshrine the True Lord in the heart. ||1||Pause||
Those who enshrine the True Lord deep within,
realize the value of the Way of Yoga. ||2||
The sun and the moon are one and the same for them, as are household and wilderness.
The karma of their daily practice is to praise the Lord. ||3||
They beg for the alms of the one and only Shabad.
They remain awake and aware in spiritual wisdom and meditation, and the true way of life. ||4||
They remain absorbed in the fear of God; they never leave it.
Who can estimate their value? They remain lovingly absorbed in the Lord. ||5||
The Lord unites them with Himself, dispelling their doubts.
By Guru's Grace, the supreme status is obtained. ||6||
In the Guru's service is reflection upon the Shabad.
Subduing ego, practice pure actions. ||7||
Chanting, meditation, austere self-discipline and the reading of the Puraanas,
says Nanak, are contained in surrender to the Unlimited Lord. ||8||6||
Gauree, First Mehl:
To practice forgiveness is the true fast, good conduct and contentment.
Disease does not afflict me, nor does the pain of death.
I am liberated, and absorbed into God, who has no form or feature. ||1||
What fear does the Yogi have?
The Lord is among the trees and the plants, within the household and outside as well. ||1||Pause||
The Yogis meditate on the Fearless, Immaculate Lord.
Night and day, they remain awake and aware, embracing love for the True Lord.
Those Yogis are pleasing to my mind. ||2||
The trap of death is burnt by the Fire of God.
Old age, death and pride are conquered.
They swim across, and save their ancestors as well. ||3||
Those who serve the True Guru are the Yogis.
Those who remain immersed in the Fear of God become fearless.
They become just like the One they serve. ||4||

The Name makes a man pure and fearless.
It makes the masterless become the master of all. I am a sacrifice to him.
Such a person is not reincarnated again; he sings the Glories of God. ||5||
Inwardly and outwardly, he knows the One Lord;
through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he realizes himself.
He bears the Banner and Insignia of the True Shabad in the Lord's Court. ||6||
One who dies in the Shabad abides in his own home within.
He does not come or go in reincarnation, and his hopes are subdued.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, his heart-lotus blossoms forth. ||7||
Whoever is seen, is driven by hope and despair,
by sexual desire, anger, corruption, hunger and thirst.
O Nanak, those detached recluses who meet the Lord are so very rare. ||8||7||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Meeting such a slave, peace is obtained.
Pain is forgotten, when the True Lord is found. ||1||
Beholding the blessed vision of his darshan, my understanding has become perfect.
The cleansing baths at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage are in the dust of his feet. ||1||Pause||
My eyes are contented with the constant love of the One Lord.
My tongue is purified by the most sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
True are my actions, and deep within my being, I serve Him.
My mind is satisfied by the Inscrutable, Mysterious Lord. ||3||
Wherever I look, there I find the True Lord.
Without understanding, the world argues in falsehood. ||4||
When the Guru instructs, understanding is obtained.
How rare is that Gurmukh who understands. ||5||
Show Your Mercy, and save me, O Savior Lord!
Without understanding, people become beasts and demons. ||6||
The Guru has said that there is no other at all.
So tell me, who should I see, and who should I worship? ||7||
For the sake of the Saints, God has established the three worlds.
One who understands his own soul, contemplates the essence of reality. ||8||
One whose heart is filled with Truth and true love
- prays Nanak, I am his servant. ||9||8||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Brahma acted in pride, and did not understand.
Only when he was faced with the downfall of the Vedas did he repent.
Remembering God in meditation, the mind is conciliated. ||1||
Such is the horrible pride of the world.
The Guru eliminates the pride of those who meet Him. ||1||Pause||
Bal the King, in Maya and egotism,
held his ceremonial feasts, but he was puffed up with pride.
Without the Guru's advice, he had to go to the underworld. ||2||
Hari Chand gave in charity, and earned public praise.
But without the Guru, he did not find the limits of the Mysterious Lord.
The Lord Himself misleads people, and He Himself imparts understanding. ||3||
The evil-minded Harnaakhash committed evil deeds.
God, the Lord of all, is the Destroyer of pride.
He bestowed His Mercy, and saved Prahlaad. ||4||
Raawan was deluded, foolish and unwise.
Sri Lanka was plundered, and he lost his head.
He indulged in ego, and lacked the love of the True Guru. ||5||
The Lord killed the thousand-armed Arjun, and the demons Madhu-keetab and Meh-khaasaa.
He seized Harnaakhash and tore him apart with his nails.
The demons were slain; they did not practice devotional worship. ||6||
The demons Jaraa-sandh and Kaal-jamun were destroyed.
Rakat-beej and Kaal-naym were annihilated.
Slaying the demons, the Lord saved His Saints. ||7||
He Himself, as the True Guru, contemplates the Shabad.

Because of the love of duality, God killed the demons.
By their true devotion, the Gurmukhs have been saved. ||8||
Sinking down, Durodhan lost his honor.
He did not know the Creator Lord.
One who makes the Lord's humble servant suffer, shall himself suffer and rot. ||9||
Janameja did not know the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Deluded by doubt, how could he find peace?
Making a mistake, for even an instant, you shall regret and repent later on. ||10||
Kansa the King and his warriors Kays and Chandoor had no equals.
But they did not remember the Lord, and they lost their honor.
Without the Lord of the Universe, no one can be saved. ||11||
Without the Guru, pride cannot be eradicated.
Following the Guru's Teachings, one obtains Dharmic faith, composure and the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, singing the Glories of God, His Name is received. ||12||9||
Gauree, First Mehl:
I may anoint my limbs with sandalwood oil.
I may dress up and wear silk and satin clothes.
But without the Lord's Name, where would I find peace? ||1||
So what should I wear? In what clothes should I display myself?
Without the Lord of the Universe, how can I find peace? ||1||Pause||
I may wear ear-rings, and a pearl necklace around my neck;
my bed may be adorned with red blankets, flowers and red powder;
but without the Lord of the Universe, where can I search for peace? ||2||
I may have a beautiful woman with fascinating eyes;
she may decorate herself with the sixteen adornments, and make herself appear gorgeous.
But without meditating on the Lord of the Universe, there is only continual suffering. ||3||
In his hearth and home, in his palace, upon his soft and comfortable bed,
day and night, the flower-girls scatter flower petals;
but without the Lord's Name, the body is miserable. ||4||
Horses, elephants, lances, marching bands,
armies, standard bearers, royal attendants and ostentatious displays
- without the Lord of the Universe, these undertakings are all useless. ||5||
He may be called a Siddha, a man of spiritual perfection, and he may summon riches and supernatural powers;
he may place a crown upon his head, and carry a royal umbrella;
but without the Lord of the Universe, where can Truth be found? ||6||
He may be called an emperor, a lord, and a king;
he may give orders - "Do this now, do this then" - but this is a false display.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, his works are not accomplished. ||7||
Egotism and possessiveness are dispelled by the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
With the Guru's Teachings in my heart, I have come to know the Lord.
Prays Nanak, I seek Your Sanctuary. ||8||10||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Those who serve the One Lord, do not know any other.
They abandon the bitter worldly conflicts.
Through love and truth, they meet the Truest of the True. ||1||
Such are the humble devotees of the Lord.
They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and their pollution is washed away. ||1||Pause||
The heart-lotus of the entire universe is upside-down.
The fire of evil-mindedness is burning up the world.
They alone are saved, who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
The bumble bee, the moth, the elephant, the fish
and the deer - all suffer for their actions, and die.
Trapped by desire, they cannot see reality. ||3||
The lover of women is obsessed with sex.
All the wicked are ruined by their anger.
Honor and good sense are lost, when one forgets the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||

The self-willed manmukh is lured by another man's wife.
The noose is around his neck, and he is entangled in petty conflicts.
The Gurmukh is emancipated, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||5||
The lonely widow gives her body to a stranger;
she allows her mind to be controlled by others for lust or money
, but without her husband, she is never satisfied. ||6||
You may read, recite and study the scriptures, the Simritees, Vedas and Puraanas;
but without being imbued with the Lord's essence, the mind wanders endlessly. ||7||
As the rainbird thirsts longingly for the drop of rain,
and as the fish delights in the water,
Nanak is satisfied by the sublime essence of the Lord. ||8||11||
Gauree, First Mehl:
One who dies in stubbornness shall not be approved,
even though he may wear religious robes and smear his body all over with ashes.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he comes to regret and repent in the end. ||1||
Believe in the Dear Lord, and you shall find peace of mind.
Forgetting the Naam, you shall have to endure the pain of death. ||1||Pause||
The smell of musk, sandalwood and camphor,
and the intoxication of Maya, takes one far away from the state of supreme dignity.
Forgetting the Naam, one becomes the most false of all the false. ||2||
Lances and swords, marching bands, thrones and the salutes of others
only increase his desire; he is engrossed in sexual desire.
Without seeking the Lord, neither devotional worship nor the Naam are obtained. ||3||
Union with God is not obtained by arguments and egotism.
But by offering your mind, the comfort of the Naam is obtained.
In the love of duality and ignorance, you shall suffer. ||4||
Without money, you cannot buy anything in the store.
Without a boat, you cannot cross over the ocean.
Without serving the Guru, everything is lost. ||5||
Waaho! Waaho! - Hail, hail, to the one who shows us the Way.
Waaho! Waaho! - Hail, hail, to the one who teaches the Word of the Shabad.
Waaho! Waaho! - Hail, hail, to the one who unites me in the Lord's Union. ||6||
Waaho! Waaho! - Hail, hail, to the one who is the Keeper of this soul.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, contemplate this Ambrosial Nectar.
The Glorious Greatness of the Naam is bestowed according to the Pleasure of Your Will. ||7||
Without the Naam, how can I live, O mother?
Night and day, I chant it; I remain in the Protection of Your Sanctuary.
O Nanak, attuned to the Naam, honor is attained. ||8||12||
Gauree, First Mehl:
Acting in egotism, the Lord is not known, even by wearing religious robes.
How rare is that Gurmukh, who surrenders his mind in devotional worship. ||1||
By actions done in egotism, selfishness and conceit, the True Lord is not obtained.
But when egotism departs, then the state of supreme dignity is obtained. ||1||Pause||
The kings act in egotism, and undertake all sorts of expeditions.
But through their egotism, they are ruined; they die, only to be reborn over and over again. ||2||
Egotism is overcome only by contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
One who restrains his fickle mind subdues the five passions. ||3||
With the True Lord deep within the self, the Celestial Mansion is intuitively found.
Understanding the Sovereign Lord, the state of supreme dignity is obtained. ||4||
The Guru dispels the doubts of those whose actions are true.
They focus their attention on the Home of the Fearless Lord. ||5||
Those who act in egotism, selfishness and conceit die; what do they gain?
Those who meet the Perfect Guru are rid of all conflicts. ||6||
Whatever exists, is in reality nothing.
Obtaining spiritual wisdom from the Guru, I sing the Glories of God. ||7||

Egotism binds people in bondage, and causes them to wander around lost.
O Nanak, peace is obtained through devotional worship of the Lord. ||8||13||
Gauree, First Mehl:
First, Brahma entered the house of Death.
Brahma entered the lotus, and searched the nether regions, but he did not find the end of it.
He did not accept the Lord's Order - he was deluded by doubt. ||1||
Whoever is created, shall be destroyed by Death.
But I am protected by the Lord; I contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||
All the gods and goddesses are enticed by Maya.
Death cannot be avoided, without serving the Guru.
That Lord is Imperishable, Invisible and Inscrutable. ||2||
The sultans, emperors and kings shall not remain.
Forgetting the Name, they shall endure the pain of death.
My only Support is the Naam, the Name of the Lord; as He keeps me, I survive. ||3||
The leaders and kings shall not remain.
The bankers shall die, after accumulating their wealth and money.
Grant me, O Lord, the wealth of Your Ambrosial Naam. ||4||
The people, rulers, leaders and chiefs
- none of them shall be able to remain in the world.
Death is inevitable; it strikes the heads of the false. ||5||
Only the One Lord, the Truest of the True, is permanent.
He who created and fashioned everything, shall destroy it.
One who becomes Gurmukh and meditates on the Lord is honored. ||6||
The Qazis, Shaykhs and Fakeers in religious robes
call themselves great; but through their egotism, their bodies are suffering in pain.
Death does not spare them, without the Support of the True Guru. ||7||
The trap of Death is hanging over their tongues and eyes.
Death is over their ears, when they hear talk of evil.
Without the Shabad, they are plundered, day and night. ||8||
Death cannot touch those whose hearts are filled with the True Name of the Lord, and who sing the Glories of God.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is absorbed in the Word of the Shabad. ||9||14||
Gauree, First Mehl:
They speak the Truth - not an iota of falsehood.
The Gurmukhs walk in the Way of the Lord's Command.
They remain unattached, in the Sanctuary of the True Lord. ||1||
They dwell in their true home, and Death does not touch them.
The self-willed manmukhs come and go, in the pain of emotional attachment. ||1||Pause||
So, drink deeply of this Nectar, and speak the Unspoken Speech.
Dwelling in the home of your own being within, you shall find the home of intuitive peace.
One who is imbued with the Lord's sublime essence, is said to experience this peace. ||2||
Following the Guru's Teachings, one becomes perfectly stable, and never wavers.
Following the Guru's Teachings, one intuitively chants the Name of the True Lord.
Drinking in this Ambrosial Nectar, and churning it, the essential reality is discerned. ||3||
Beholding the True Guru, I have received His Teachings.
I have offered my mind and body, after searching deep within my own being.
I have come to realize the value of understanding my own soul. ||4||
The Naam, the Name of the Immaculate Lord, is the most excellent and sublime food.
The pure swan-souls see the True Light of the Infinite Lord.
Wherever I look, I see the One and Only Lord. ||5||
One who remains pure and unblemished and practices only true deeds,
obtains the supreme status, serving at the Guru's Feet.
The mind is reconciliated with the mind, and the ego's wandering ways come to an end. ||6||
In this way, who - who has not been saved?
The Lord's Praises have saved His Saints and devotees.

I have found God - I am not searching for any other. ||7||
The Guru has shown me the unseen Mansion of the True Lord.
His Mansion is eternal and unchanging; it is not a mere reflection of Maya.
Through truth and contentment, doubt is dispelled. ||8||
That person, within whose mind the True Lord dwells
- in his company, one becomes Gurmukh.
O Nanak, the True Name washes off the pollution. ||9||15||
Gauree, First Mehl:
One whose consciousness is permeated with the Lord's Name
- receive the blessing of his darshan in the early light of dawn. ||1||
If you do not meditate on the Lord, it is your own misfortune.
In each and every age, the Great Giver is my Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Following the Guru's Teachings, the perfect humble beings meditate on the Lord.
Within their hearts, the unstruck melody vibrates. ||2||
Those who worship the Lord and love the Lord
- showering His Mercy, God protects them. ||3||
Those whose hearts are filled with the Lord, Har, Har
- gazing upon the blessed vision of their darshan, peace is obtained. ||4||
Among all beings, the One Lord is pervading.
The eogtistical, self-willed manmukhs wander in reincarnation. ||5||
They alone understand, who have found the True Guru.
Subduing their ego, they receive the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||6||
How can anyone know of the Union between the being below and the Supreme Being above?
The Gurmukhs obtain this Union; their minds are reconciliated. ||7||
I am a worthless sinner, without merit. What merit do I have?
When God showers His Mercy, servant Nanak is emancipated. ||8||16||
Sixteen Ashtapadees Of Gwaarayree Gauree||
Gauree Bairaagan, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
As the dairy farmer watches over and protects his cows, so does the Lord cherish and protect us, night and day. He blesses the soul with peace. ||1||
Please protect me here and hereafter, O Lord, Merciful to the meek.
I seek Your Sanctuary; please bless me with Your Glance of Grace. ||1||Pause||
Wherever I look, there You are. Save me, O Savior Lord!
You are the Giver, and You are the Enjoyer; You are the Support of the breath of life. ||2||
According to the karma of past actions, people descend to the depths or rise to the heights, unless they contemplate spiritual wisdom.
Without the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, the darkness is not dispelled. ||3||
I have seen the world being destroyed by greed and egotism.
Only by serving the Guru is God obtained, and the true gate of liberation found. ||4||
The Mansion of the Infinite Lord's Presence is within the home of one's own being. He is beyond any boundaries.
Without the Word of the Shabad, nothing shall endure. Through understanding, peace is obtained. ||5||
What have you brought, and what will you take away, when you are caught by the noose of Death?
Like the bucket tied to the rope in the well, you are pulled up to the Akaashic Ethers, and then lowered down to the nether regions of the underworld. ||6||
Follow the Guru's Teachings, and do not forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord; you shall automatically obtain honor.
Deep within the self is the treasure of the Shabad; it is obtained only by eradicating selfishness and conceit. ||7||
When God bestows His Glance of Grace, people settle in the Lap of the Virtuous Lord.
O Nanak, this Union cannot be broken; the true profit is obtained. ||8||1||17||

Gauree, First Mehl:
By Guru's Grace, one comes to understand, and then, the account is settled.
In each and every heart is the Name of the Immaculate Lord; He is my Lord and Master. ||1||
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, no one is emancipated. See this, and reflect upon it.
Even though you may perform hundreds of thousands of rituals, without the Guru, there is only darkness. ||1||Pause||
What can you say, to one who is blind and without wisdom?
Without the Guru, the Path cannot be seen. How can anyone proceed? ||2||
He calls the counterfeit genuine, and does not know the value of the genuine.
The blind man is known as an appraiser; this Dark Age of Kali Yuga is so strange! ||3||
The sleeper is said to be awake, and those who are awake are like sleepers.
The living are said to be dead, and no one mourns for those who have died. ||4||
One who is coming is said to be going, and one who is gone is said to have come.
That which belongs to others, he calls his own, but he has no liking for that which is his. ||5||
That which is sweet is said to be bitter, and the bitter is said to be sweet.
One who is imbued with the Lord's Love is slandered - his is what I have seen in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||6||
He serves the maid, and does not see his Lord and Master.
Churning the water in the pond, no butter is produced. ||7||
One who understands the meaning of this verse is my Guru.
O Nanak, one who knows his own self, is infinite and incomparable. ||8||
He Himself is All-pervading; He Himself misleads the people.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to understand, that God is contained in all. ||9||2||18||
Raag Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The pollution of the mind is the love of duality.
Deluded by doubt, people come and go in reincarnation. ||1||
The pollution of the self-willed manmukhs will never go away,
as long as they do not dwell on the Shabad, and the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
All the created beings are contaminated by emotional attachment;
they die and are reborn, only to die over and over again. ||2||
Fire, air and water are polluted.
The food which is eaten is polluted. ||3||
The actions of those who do not worship the Lord are polluted.
Attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind becomes immaculate. ||4||
Serving the True Guru, pollution is eradicated,
and then, one does not suffer death and rebirth, or get devoured by death. ||5||
You may study and examine the Shaastras and the Simritees,
but without the Name, no one is liberated. ||6||
Throughout the four ages, the Naam is the ultimate; reflect upon the Word of the Shabad.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, only the Gurmukhs cross over. ||7||
The True Lord does not die; He does not come or go.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh remains absorbed in the Lord. ||8||1||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Selfless service is the support of the breath of life of the Gurmukh.
Keep the Dear Lord enshrined in your heart.
The Gurmukh is honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||1||
O Pandit, O religious scholar, read about the Lord, and renounce your corrupt ways.
The Gurmukh crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||

The Gurmukh eradicates egotism from within.
No filth sticks to the Gurmukh.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell within the mind of the Gurmukh. ||2||
Through karma and Dharma, good actions and righteous faith, the Gurmukh becomes true.
The Gurmukh burns away egotism and duality.
The Gurmukh is attuned to the Naam, and is at peace. ||3||
Instruct your own mind, and understand Him.
You may preach to other people, but no one will listen.
The Gurmukh understands, and is always at peace. ||4||
The self-willed manmukhs are such clever hypocrites.
No matter what they do, it is not acceptable.
They come and go in reincarnation, and find no place of rest. ||5||
The manmukhs perform their rituals, but they are totally selfish and conceited.
They sit there, like storks, pretending to meditate.
Caught by the Messenger of Death, they shall regret and repent in the end. ||6||
Without serving the True Guru, liberation is not obtained.
By Guru's Grace, one meets the Lord.
The Guru is the Great Giver, throughout the four ages. ||7||
For the Gurmukh, the Naam is social status, honor and glorious greatness.
Maya, the daughter of the ocean, has been slain.
O Nanak, without the Name, all clever tricks are false. ||8||2||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Learn the Dharma of this age, O Siblings of Destiny;
all understanding is obtained from the Perfect Guru.
Here and hereafter, the Lord's Name is our Companion. ||1||
Learn of the Lord, and contemplate Him in your mind.
By Guru's Grace, your filth shall be washed away. ||1||Pause||
Through argument and debate, He cannot be found.
The mind and body are made insipid through the love of duality.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, lovingly attune yourself to the True Lord. ||2||
This world is polluted with egotism.
By taking cleansing baths daily at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, egotism is not eliminated.
Without meeting the Guru, they are tortured by Death. ||3||
Those humble beings are true, who conquer their ego.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they conquer the five thieves.
They save themselves, and save all their generations as well. ||4||
The Actor has staged the drama of emotional attachment to Maya.
The self-willed manmukhs cling blindly to it.
The Gurmukhs remain detached, and lovingly attune themselves to the Lord. ||5||
The disguisers put on their various disguises.
Desire rages within them, and they carry on egotistically.
They do not understand themselves, and they lose the game of life. ||6||
Putting on religious robes, they act so clever,
but they are totally deluded by doubt and emotional attachment to Maya.
Without serving the Guru, they suffer in terrible pain. ||7||
Those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, remain detached forever.
Even as householders, they lovingly attune themselves to the True Lord.
O Nanak, those who serve the True Guru are blessed and very fortunate. ||8||3||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Brahma is the founder of the study of the Vedas.
From him emanated the gods, enticed by desire.
They wander in the three qualities, and they do not dwell within their own home. ||1||
The Lord has saved me; I have met the True Guru.
He has implanted devotional worship of the Lord's Name, night and day. ||1||Pause||
The songs of Brahma entangle people in the three qualities.
Reading about the debates and disputes, they are hit over the head by the Messenger of Death.

They do not understand the essence of reality, and they gather their worthless bundles of straw. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs, in ignorance, take the path of evil.
They forget the Lord's Name, and in its place, they establish all sorts of rituals.
They drown in the terrifying world-ocean, in the love of duality. ||3||
Driven crazy, infatuated by Maya, they call themselves Pandits - religious scholars;
stained with corruption, they suffer terrible pain.
The noose of the Messenger of Death is around their necks; they are constantly tormented by death. ||4||
The Messenger of Death does not even approach the Gurmukhs.
Through the Word of the Shabad, they burn away their ego and duality.
Attuned to the Name, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||5||
Maya is the slave of the Lord's devotees; it works for them.
One who falls at their feet attains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
He is forever immaculate; he is absorbed in intuitive peace. ||6||
Those who listen to the Lord's Sermon are seen to be the wealthy people in this world.
Everyone bows down to them, and adores them, night and day.
They intuitively savor the Glories of the True Lord within their minds. ||7||
The Perfect True Guru has revealed the Shabad;
it eradicates the three qualities, and attunes the consciousness to the fourth state.
O Nanak, subduing egotism, one is absorbed into God. ||8||4||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Brahma studied the Vedas, but these lead only to debates and disputes.
He is filled with darkness; he does not understand himself.
And yet, if he chants the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he finds God. ||1||
So serve the Guru, and you shall not be consumed by death.
The self-willed manmukhs have been consumed by the love of duality. ||1||Pause||
Becoming Gurmukh, the sinful mortals are purified.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they find intuitive peace and poise deep within.
I have found my God, through the Guru's Shabad, and I have been reformed. ||2||
God Himself unites us in Union with the True Guru,
when we become pleasing to the Mind of my True God.
They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, in the poise of celestial peace. ||3||
Without the True Guru, they are deluded by doubt.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs constantly eat poison.
They are beaten by the Messenger of Death with his rod, and they suffer in constant pain. ||4||
The Messenger of Death does not catch sight of those who enter the Sanctuary of the Lord.
Subduing egotism, they lovingly center their consciousness on the True Lord.
They keep their consciousness constantly focused on the Lord's Name. ||5||
Those humble beings who serve the True Guru are pure and immaculate.
Merging their minds into the Mind, they conquer the entire world.
In this way, you too shall find happiness, O my friend. ||6||
Those who serve the True Guru are blessed with fruitful rewards.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides in their hearts; selfishness and conceit depart from within them.
The unstruck melody of the Shabad vibrates for them. ||7||
Who - who has not been purified by the True Guru, O my Siblings of Destiny?
The devotees are purified, and honored in His Court.
O Nanak, greatness is in the Lord's Name. ||8||5||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Those who speak of the three qualities - their doubts do not depart.
Their bonds are not broken, and they do not obtain liberation.
The True Guru is the Bestower of liberation in this age. ||1||
Those mortals who become Gurmukh give up their doubts.
The celestial music wells up, when they lovingly attune their consciousness to the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who are controlled by the three qualities have death hovering over their heads.

They do not remember the Name of the Creator Lord.
They die, and are reborn, over and over, again and again. ||2||
Those whose guru is spiritually blind - their doubts are not dispelled.
Abandoning the Source of all, they have become attached to the love of duality.
Infected with poison, they are immersed in poison. ||3||
Believing Maya to be the source of all, they wander in doubt.
They have forgotten the Dear Lord, and they are in love with duality.
The supreme status is obtained only by those who are blessed with His Glance of Grace. ||4||
One who has Truth pervading within, radiates Truth outwardly as well.
The Truth does not remain hidden, even though one may try to hide it.
The spiritually wise know this intuitively. ||5||
The Gurmukhs keep their consciousness lovingly centered on the Lord.
Ego and Maya are burned away by the Word of the Shabad.
My True God unites them in His Union. ||6||
The True Guru, The Giver, preaches the Shabad.
He controls, and restrains, and holds still the wandering mind.
Understanding is obtained through the Perfect Guru. ||7||
The Creator Himself has created the universe; He Himself shall destroy it.
Without Him, there is no other at all.
O Nanak, how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, understand this! ||8||6||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs obtain the Naam, the Priceless Name of the Lord.
They serve the Name, and through the Name, they are absorbed in intuitive peace and poise.
With their tongues, they continually sing the Ambrosial Naam.
They obtain the Lord's Name; the Lord showers His Mercy upon them. ||1||
Night and day, within your heart, meditate on the Lord of the Universe.
The Gurmukhs obtain the supreme state of peace. ||1||Pause||
Peace comes to fill the hearts of those
who, as Gurmukh, sing of the True Lord, the treasure of excellence.
They become the constant slaves of the slaves of the Lord's slaves.
Within their households and families, they remain always detached. ||2||
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, become Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive.
They alone obtain the supreme treasure.
Eradicating the three qualities, they become pure.
They are intuitively absorbed in the True Lord God. ||3||
Emotional attachment to family does not exist,
when the True Lord abides within the heart.
The mind of the Gurmukh is pierced through and held steady.
One who recognizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command understands the True Lord. ||4||
You are the Creator Lord - there is no other for me.
I serve You, and through You, I obtain honor.
God showers His Mercy, and I sing His Praises.
The light of the jewel of the Naam permeates the entire world. ||5||
To the Gurmukhs, the Word of God's Bani seems so sweet.
Deep within, their hearts blossom forth; night and day, they lovingly center themselves on the Lord.
The True Lord is intuitively obtained, by His Grace.
The True Guru is obtained by the destiny of perfect good fortune. ||6||
Egotism, possessiveness, evil-mindedness and suffering depart,
when the Lord's Name, the Ocean of Virtue, comes to dwell within the heart.
The intellect of the Gurmukhs is awakened, and they praise God,
when the Lord's Lotus Feet come to dwell within the heart. ||7||
They alone receive the Naam, unto whom it is given.
The Gurmukhs shed their ego, and merge with the Lord.
The True Name abides within their hearts.
O Nanak, they are intuitively absorbed in the True Lord. ||8||7||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
The mind has intuitively healed itself, through the Fear of God.

The mind is attuned to the Word of the Shabad; it is lovingly attuned to the Lord.
It abides within its own home, in harmony with the Lord's Will. ||1||
Serving the True Guru, egotistical pride departs,
and the Lord of the Universe, the Treasure of Excellence, is obtained. ||1||Pause||
The mind becomes detached and free of desire, when it experiences the Fear of God, through the Shabad.
My Immaculate God is pervading and contained among all.
By Guru's Grace, one is united in His Union. ||2||
The slave of the Lord's slave attains peace.
My Lord God is found in this way.
By the Grace of the Lord, one comes to sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
Cursed is that long life, during which love for the Lord's Name is not enshrined.
Cursed is that comfortable bed which lures one into the darkness of attachment to sexual desire.
Fruitful is the birth of that person who takes the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||
Cursed, cursed is that home and family, in which the love of the Lord is not embraced.
He alone is my friend, who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Without the Lord's Name, there is no other for me. ||5||
From the True Guru, I have obtained salvation and honor.
I have meditated on the Name of the Lord, and all my sufferings have been erased.
I am in constant bliss, lovingly attuned to the Lord's Name. ||6||
Meeting the Guru, I came to understand my body.
The fires of ego and desire have been totally quenched.
Anger has been dispelled, and I have grasped hold of tolerance. ||7||
The Lord Himself showers His Mercy, and bestows the Naam.
How rare is that Gurmukh, who receives the jewel of the Naam.
O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Unknowable, the Incomprehensible. ||8||8||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Gauree Bairaagan, Third Mehl:
Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru, are seen to be unfaithful and evil.
They shall be bound and beaten night and day; they shall not have this opportunity again. ||1||
O Lord, please shower Your Mercy upon me, and save me!
O Lord God, please lead me to meet the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, that I may dwell upon the Glorious Praises of the Lord within my heart. ||1||Pause||
Those devotees are pleasing to the Lord, who as Gurmukh, walk in harmony with the Way of the Lord's Will.
Subduing their selfishness and conceit, and performing selfless service, they remain dead while yet alive. ||2||
The body and the breath of life belong to the One - perform the greatest service to Him.
Why forget Him from your mind? Keep the Lord enshrined in your heart. ||3||
Receiving the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one obtains honor; believing in the Naam, one is at peace.
The Naam is obtained from the True Guru; by His Grace, God is found. ||4||
They turn their faces away from the True Guru; they continue to wander aimlessly.
They are not accepted by the earth or the sky; they fall into manure, and rot. ||5||
This world is deluded by doubt - it has taken the drug of emotional attachment.
Maya does not draw near those who have met with the True Guru. ||6||
Those who serve the True Guru are very beautiful; they cast off the filth of selfishness and conceit.

Those who are attuned to the Shabad are immaculate and pure. They walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru. ||7||
O Lord God, You are the One and Only Giver; You forgive us, and unite us with Yourself.
Servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; if it is Your Will, please save him! ||8||1||9||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Fourth Mehl, Karhalay:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my wandering mind, you are like a camel - how will you meet the Lord, your Mother?
When I found the Guru, by the destiny of perfect good fortune, my Beloved came and embraced me. ||1||
O camel-like mind, meditate on the True Guru, the Primal Being. ||1||Pause||
O camel-like mind, contemplate the Lord, and meditate on the Lord's Name.
When you are called to answer for your account, the Lord Himself shall release you. ||2||
O camel-like mind, you were once very pure; the filth of egotism has now attached itself to you.
Your Beloved Husband is now manifest before you in your own home, but you are separated from Him, and you suffer such pain! ||3||
O my beloved camel-like mind, search for the Lord within your own heart.
He cannot be found by any device; the Guru will show you the Lord within your heart. ||4||
O my beloved camel-like mind, day and night, lovingly attune yourself to the Lord.
Return to your own home, and find the palace of love; meet the Guru, and meet the Lord. ||5||
O camel-like mind, you are my friend; abandon hypocrisy and greed.
The hypocritical and the greedy are struck down; the Messenger of Death punishes them with his club. ||6||
O camel-like mind, you are my breath of life; rid yourself of the pollution of hypocrisy and doubt.
The Perfect Guru is the Ambrosial Pool of the Lord's Nectar; join the Holy Congregation, and wash away this pollution. ||7||
O my dear beloved camel-like mind, listen only to the Teachings of the Guru.
This emotional attachment to Maya is so pervasive. Ultimately, nothing shall go along with anyone. ||8||
O camel-like mind, my good friend, take the supplies of the Lord's Name, and obtain honor.
In the Court of the Lord, you shall be robed with honor, and the Lord Himself shall embrace you. ||9||
O camel-like mind, one who surrenders to the Guru becomes Gurmukh, and works for the Lord.
Offer your prayers to the Guru; O servant Nanak, He shall unite you with the Lord. ||10||1||
Gauree, Fourth Mehl:
O contemplative camel-like mind, contemplate and look carefully.
The forest-dwellers have grown weary of wandering in the forests; following the Guru's Teachings, see your Husband Lord within your heart. ||1||
O camel-like mind, dwell upon the Guru and the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
O camel-like contemplative mind, the self-willed manmukhs are caught in the great net.
The mortal who becomes Gurmukh is liberated, dwelling upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
O my dear beloved camel-like mind, seek the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and the True Guru.
Joining the Sat Sangat, meditate on the Lord, and the Lord, Har, Har, shall go along with you. ||3||
O very fortunate camel-like mind, with one Glance of Grace from the Lord, you shall be enraptured.

If the Lord Himself saves you, then you shall be saved. Dwell upon the Feet of the True Guru. ||4||
O my dear beloved camel-like mind, dwell upon the Divine Light within the body.
The Guru has shown me the nine treasures of the Naam. The Merciful Lord has bestowed this gift. ||5||
O camel-like mind, you are so fickle; give up your cleverness and corruption.
Dwell upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; at the very last moment, the Lord shall liberate you. ||6||
O camel-like mind, you are so very fortunate; dwell upon the jewel of spiritual wisdom.
You hold in your hands the sword of the Guru's spiritual wisdom; with this destroyer of death, kill the Messenger of Death. ||7||
The treasure is deep within, O camel-like mind, but you wander around outside in doubt, searching for it.
Meeting the Perfect Guru, the Primal Being, you shall discover that the Lord, your Best Friend, is with you. ||8||
You are engrossed in pleasures, O camel-like mind; dwell upon the Lord's lasting love instead!
The color of the Lord's Love never fades away; serve the Guru, and dwell upon the Word of the Shabad. ||9||
We are birds, O camel-like mind; the Lord, the Immortal Primal Being, is the tree.
The Gurmukhs are very fortunate - they find it. O servant Nanak, dwell upon the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||10||2||
Raag Gauree Gwaarayree, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
When this mind is filled with pride,
then it wanders around like a madman and a lunatic.
But when it becomes the dust of all,
then it recognizes the Lord in each and every heart. ||1||
The fruit of humility is intuitive peace and pleasure.
My True Guru has given me this gift. ||1||Pause||
When he believes others to be bad,
then everyone lays traps for him.
But when he stops thinking in terms of 'mine' and 'yours',
then no one is angry with him. ||2||
When he clings to 'my own, my own',
then he is in deep trouble.
But when he recognizes the Creator Lord,
then he is free of torment. ||3||
When he entangles himself in emotional attachment,
he comes and goes in reincarnation, under the constant gaze of Death.
But when all his doubts are removed,
then there is no difference between him and the Supreme Lord God. ||4||
When he perceives differences,
then he suffers pain, punishment and sorrow.
But when he recognizes the One and Only Lord,
he understands everything. ||5||
When he runs around for the sake of Maya and riches,
he is not satisfied, and his desires are not quenched.
But when he runs away from Maya,
then the Goddess of Wealth gets up and follows him. ||6||
When, by His Grace, the True Guru is met,
the lamp is lit within the temple of the mind.
When he realizes what victory and defeat really are,
then he comes to appreciate the true value of his own home. ||7||

The One Lord is the Creator of all things, the Cause of causes.
He Himself is wisdom, contemplation and discerning understanding.
He is not far away; He is near at hand, with all.
So praise the True One, O Nanak, with love! ||8||1||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Serving the Guru, one is committed to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
It is received only by those who have such good destiny inscribed upon their foreheads.
The Lord dwells within their hearts.
Their minds and bodies become peaceful and stable. ||1||
O my mind, sing such Praises of the Lord,
which shall be of use to you here and hereafter. ||1||Pause||
Meditating on Him, fear and misfortune depart,
and the wandering mind is held steady.
Meditating on Him, suffering shall never again overtake you.
Meditating on Him, this ego runs away. ||2||
Meditating on Him, the five passions are overcome.
Meditating on Him, Ambrosial Nectar is collected in the heart.
Meditating on Him, this desire is quenched.
Meditating on Him, one is approved in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Meditating on Him, millions of mistakes are erased.
Meditating on Him, one becomes Holy, blessed by the Lord.
Meditating on Him, the mind is cooled and soothed.
Meditating on Him, all filth is washed away. ||4||
Meditating on Him, the jewel of the Lord is obtained.
One is reconciled with the Lord, and shall not abandon Him again.
Meditating on Him, many acquire a home in the heavens.
Meditating on Him, one abides in intuitive peace. ||5||
Meditating on Him, one is not affected by this fire.
Meditating on Him, one is not under the gaze of Death.
Meditating on Him, your forehead shall be immaculate.
Meditating on Him, all pains are destroyed. ||6||
Meditating on Him, no difficulties are encountered.
Meditating on Him, one hears the unstruck melody.
Meditating on Him, one acquires this pure reputation.
Meditating on Him, the heart-lotus is turned upright. ||7||
The Guru has bestowed His Glance of Grace upon all,
within whose hearts the Lord has implanted His Mantra.
The unbroken Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is their food and nourishment.
Says Nanak, they have the Perfect True Guru. ||8||2||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Those who implant the Word of the Guru's Shabad within their hearts
cut their connections with the five passions.
They keep the ten organs under their control;
their souls are enlightened. ||1||
They alone acquire such stability,
whom God blesses with His Mercy and Grace. ||1||Pause||
Friend and foe are one and the same to them.
Whatever they speak is wisdom.
Whatever they hear is the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Whatever they see is meditation. ||2||
They awaken in peace and poise; they sleep in peace and poise.
That which is meant to be, automatically happens.
In peace and poise, they remain detached; in peace and poise, they laugh.
In peace and poise, they remain silent; in peace and poise, they chant. ||3||
In peace and poise they eat; in peace and poise they love.
The illusion of duality is easily and totally removed.
They naturally join the Saadh Sangat, the Society of the Holy.
In peace and poise, they meet and merge with the Supreme Lord God. ||4||
They are at peace in their homes, and they are at peace while detached.

In peace, their bodies' duality is eliminated.
Bliss comes naturally to their minds.
They meet the Lord, the Embodiment of Supreme Bliss. ||5||
In peaceful poise, they drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In peace and poise, they give to the poor.
Their souls naturally delight in the Lord's Sermon.
The Imperishable Lord abides with them. ||6||
In peace and poise, they assume the unchanging position.
In peace and poise, the unstruck vibration of the Shabad resounds.
In peace and poise, the celestial bells resound.
Within their homes, the Supreme Lord God is pervading. ||7||
With intuitive ease, they meet the Lord, according to their karma.
With intuitive ease, they meet with the Guru, in the true Dharma.
Those who know, attain the poise of intuitive peace.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to them. ||8||3||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
First, they come forth from the womb.
They become attached to their children, spouses and families.
The foods of various sorts and appearances will surely pass away, O wretched mortal! ||1||
What is that place which never perishes?
What is that Word by which the dirt of the mind is removed? ||1||Pause||
In the Realm of Indra, death is sure and certain.
The Realm of Brahma shall not remain permanent.
The Realm of Shiva shall also perish.
The three dispositions, Maya and the demons shall vanish. ||2||
The mountains, the trees, the earth, the sky and the stars;
the sun, the moon, the wind, water and fire;
day and night, fasting days and their determination;
the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas shall pass away. ||3||
The sacred shrines of pilgrimage, gods, temples and holy books;
rosaries, ceremonial tilak marks on the forehead, meditative people, the pure, and the performers of burnt offerings;
wearing loin cloths, bowing in reverence and the enjoyment of sacred foods
- all these, and all people, shall pass away. ||4||
Social classes, races, Muslims and Hindus;
beasts, birds and the many varieties of beings and creatures;
the entire world and the visible universe
- all forms of existence shall pass away. ||5||
Through the Praises of the Lord, devotional worship, spiritual wisdom and the essence of reality,
eternal bliss and the imperishable true place are obtained.
There, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Lord's Glorious Praises are sung with love.
There, in the city of fearlessness, He dwells forever. ||6||
There is no fear, doubt, suffering or anxiety there;
there is no coming or going, and no death there.
There is eternal bliss, and the unstruck celestial music there.
The devotees dwell there, with the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises as their support. ||7||
There is no end or limitation to the Supreme Lord God.
Who can embrace His contemplation?
Says Nanak, when the Lord showers His Mercy,
the imperishable home is obtained; in the Saadh Sangat, you shall be saved. ||8||4||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
One who kills this is a spiritual hero.
One who kills this is perfect.
One who kills this obtains glorious greatness.
One who kills this is freed of suffering. ||1||
How rare is such a person, who kills and casts off duality.
Killing it, he attains Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||1||Pause||

One who kills this has no fear.
One who kills this is absorbed in the Naam.
One who kills this has his desires quenched.
One who kills this is approved in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
One who kills this is wealthy and prosperous.
One who kills this is honorable.
One who kills this is truly a celibate.
One who kills this attains salvation. ||3||
One who kills this - his coming is auspicious.
One who kills this is steady and wealthy.
One who kills this is very fortunate.
One who kills this remains awake and aware, night and day. ||4||
One who kills this is Jivan Mukta, liberated while yet alive.
One who kills this lives a pure lifestyle.
One who kills this is spiritually wise.
One who kills this meditates intuitively. ||5||
Without killing this, one is not acceptable, even though one may perform millions of rituals, chants and austerities.
Without killing this, one does not escape the cycle of reincarnation.
Without killing this, one does not escape death. ||6||
Without killing this, one does not obtain spiritual wisdom.
Without killing this, one's impurity is not washed off.
Without killing this, everything is filthy.
Without killing this, everything is a losing game. ||7||
When the Lord, the Treasure of Mercy, bestows His Mercy,
one obtains release, and attains total perfection.
One whose duality has been killed by the Guru,
says Nanak, contemplates God. ||8||5||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
When someone attaches himself to the Lord, then everyone is his friend.
When someone attaches himself to the Lord, then his consciousness is steady.
When someone attaches himself to the Lord, he is not afflicted by worries.
When someone attaches himself to the Lord, he is emancipated. ||1||
O my mind, unite yourself with the Lord.
Nothing else is of any use to you. ||1||Pause||
The great and powerful people of the world
are of no use, you fool!
The Lord's slave may be born of humble origins,
but in his company, you shall be saved in an instant. ||2||
Hearing the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is equal to millions of cleansing baths.
Meditating on it is equal to millions of worship ceremonies.
Hearing the Word of the Lord's Bani is equal to giving millions in alms.
To know the way, through the Guru, is equal to millions of rewards. ||3||
Within your mind, over and over again, think of Him,
and your love of Maya shall depart.
The Imperishable Lord is always with you.
O my mind, immerse yourself in the Love of the Lord. ||4||
Working for Him, all hunger departs.
Working for Him, the Messenger of Death will not be watching you.
Working for Him, you shall obtain glorious greatness.
Working for Him, you shall become immortal. ||5||
His servant does not suffer punishment.
His servant suffers no loss.
In His Court, His servant does not have to answer for his account.
So serve Him with distinction. ||6||
He is not lacking in anything.
He Himself is One, although He appears in so many forms.
By His Glance of Grace, you shall be happy forever.
So work for Him, O my mind. ||7||
No one is clever, and no one is foolish.
No one is weak, and no one is a hero.

As the Lord attaches someone, so is he attached.
He alone is the Lord's servant, O Nanak, who is so blessed. ||8||6||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one's life is like that of a snake.
This is how the faithless cynic lives, forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
One who lives in meditative remembrance, even for an instant,
lives for hundreds of thousands and millions of days, and becomes stable forever. ||1||Pause||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one's actions and works are cursed.
Like the crow's beak, he dwells in manure. ||2||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one acts like a dog.
The faithless cynic is nameless, like the prostitute's son. ||3||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one is like a horned ram.
The faithless cynic barks out his lies, and his face is blackened. ||4||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one is like a donkey.
The faithless cynic wanders around in polluted places. ||5||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one is like a mad dog.
The greedy, faithless cynic falls into entanglements. ||6||
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, he murders his own soul.
The faithless cynic is wretched, without family or social standing. ||7||
When the Lord becomes merciful, one joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Says Nanak, the Guru has saved the world. ||8||7||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Through the Guru's Word, I have attained the supreme status.
The Perfect Guru has preserved my honor. ||1||
Through the Guru's Word, I meditate on the Name.
By Guru's Grace, I have obtained a place of rest. ||1||Pause||
I listen to the Guru's Word, and chant it with my tongue.
By Guru's Grace, my speech is like nectar. ||2||
Through the Guru's Word, my selfishness and conceit have been removed.
Through the Guru's kindness, I have obtained glorious greatness. ||3||
Through the Guru's Word, my doubts have been removed.
Through the Guru's Word, I see God everywhere. ||4||
Through the Guru's Word, I practice Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success.
In the Company of the Guru, all the people of the world are saved. ||5||
Through the Guru's Word, my affairs are resolved.
Through the Guru's Word, I have obtained the nine treasures. ||6||
Whoever places his hopes in my Guru,
has the noose of death cut away. ||7||
Through the Guru's Word, my good karma has been awakened.
O Nanak, meeting with the Guru, I have found the Supreme Lord God. ||8||8||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
I remember the Guru with each and every breath.
The Guru is my breath of life, the True Guru is my wealth. ||1||Pause||
Beholding the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, I live.
I wash the Guru's Feet, and drink in this water. ||1||
I take my daily bath in the dust of the Guru's Feet.
The egotistical filth of countless incarnations is washed off. ||2||
I wave the fan over the Guru.
Giving me His Hand, He has saved me from the great fire. ||3||
I carry water for the Guru's household;
from the Guru, I have learned the Way of the One Lord. ||4||
I grind the corn for the Guru's household.
By His Grace, all my enemies have become friends. ||5||

The Guru who gave me my soul,
has Himself purchased me, and made me His slave. ||6||
He Himself has blessed me with His Love.
Forever and ever, I humbly bow to the Guru. ||7||
My troubles, conflicts, fears, doubts and pains have been dispelled;
says Nanak, my Guru is All-powerful. ||8||9||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Meet me, O my Lord of the Universe. Please bless me with Your Name.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, cursed, cursed is love and intimacy. ||1||Pause||
Without the Naam, one who dresses and eats well
is like a dog, who falls in and eats impure foods. ||1||
Without the Naam, all occupations are useless, like decorations on a dead body. ||2||
One who forgets the Naam and indulges in pleasures,
shall find no peace, even in dreams; his body shall become diseased. ||3||
One who renounces the Naam and engages in other occupations,
shall see all of his false pretenses fall away. ||4||
One whose mind does not embrace love for the Naam
shall go to hell, even though he may perform millions of ceremonial rituals. ||5||
One whose mind does not contemplate the Name of the Lord
is bound like a thief, in the City of Death. ||6||
Hundreds of thousands of ostentatious shows and great expanses
- without the Naam, all these displays are false. ||7||
That humble being repeats the Name of the Lord,
O Nanak, whom the Lord blesses with His Mercy. ||8||10||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
My mind longs for that Friend, who shall stand by me in the beginning, in the middle and in the end. ||1||
The Lord's Love goes with us forever.
The Perfect and Merciful Lord cherishes all. ||1||Pause||
He shall never perish, and He shall never abandon me.
Wherever I look, there I see Him pervading and permeating. ||2||
He is Beautiful, All-knowing, the most Clever, the Giver of life.
God is my Brother, Son, Father and Mother. ||3||
He is the Support of the breath of life; He is my Wealth.
Abiding within my heart, He inspires me to enshrine love for Him. ||4||
The Lord of the World has cut away the noose of Maya.
He has made me His own, blessing me with His Glance of Grace. ||5||
Remembering, remembering Him in meditation, all diseases are healed.
Meditating on His Feet, all comforts are enjoyed. ||6||
The Perfect Primal Lord is Ever-fresh and Ever-young.
The Lord is with me, inwardly and outwardly, as my Protector. ||7||
Says Nanak, that devotee who realizes the state of the Lord, Har, Har, is blessed with the treasure of the Naam. ||8||11||
Raag Gauree Maajh, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Countless are those who wander around searching for You, but they do not find Your limits.
They alone are Your devotees, who are blessed by Your Grace. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||Pause||
Continually hearing of the terrifying path, I am so afraid.
I have sought the Protection of the Saints; please, save me! ||2||

The Fascinating and Beauteous Beloved is the Giver of support to all.
I bow low and fall at the Feet of the Guru; if only I could see the Lord! ||3||
I have made many friends, but I am a sacrifice to the One alone.
No one has all virtues; the Lord alone is filled to overflowing with them. ||4||
His Name is chanted in the four directions; those who chant it are embellished with peace.
I seek Your Protection; Nanak is a sacrifice to You. ||5||
The Guru reached out to me, and gave me His Arm; He lifted me up, out of the pit of emotional attachment.
I have won the incomparable life, and I shall not lose it again. ||6||
I have obtained the treasure of all; His Speech is unspoken and subtle.
In the Court of the Lord, I am honored and glorified; I swing my arms in joy. ||7||
Servant Nanak has received the invaluable and incomparable jewel.
Serving the Guru, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean; I proclaim this loudly to all. ||8||12||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Dye yourself in the color of the Lord's Love.
Chant the Name of the One Lord with your tongue, and ask for Him alone. ||1||Pause||
Renounce your ego, and dwell upon the spiritual wisdom of the Guru.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, join the Sangat, the Holy Congregation. ||1||
Whatever you see, shall not go with you.
The foolish, faithless cynics are attached - they waste away and die. ||2||
The Name of the Fascinating Lord is all-pervading forever.
Among millions, how rare is that Gurmukh who attains the Name. ||3||
Greet the Lord's Saints humbly, with deep respect.
You shall obtain the nine treasures, and receive infinite peace. ||4||
With your eyes, behold the holy people;
in your heart, sing the treasure of the Naam. ||5||
Abandon sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment.
Thus you shall be rid of both birth and death. ||6||
Pain and darkness shall depart from your home,
when the Guru implants spiritual wisdom within you, and lights that lamp. ||7||
One who serves the Lord crosses over to the other side.
O servant Nanak, the Gurmukh saves the world. ||8||1||13||
Fifth Mehl, Gauree:
Dwelling upon the Lord, Har, Har, and the Guru, the Guru, my doubts have been dispelled.
My mind has obtained all comforts. ||1||Pause||
I was burning, on fire, and the Guru poured water on me; He is cooling and soothing, like the sandalwood tree. ||1||
The darkness of ignorance has been dispelled; the Guru has lit the lamp of spiritual wisdom. ||2||
The ocean of fire is so deep; the Saints have crossed over, in the boat of the Lord's Name. ||3||
I have no good karma; I have no Dharmic faith or purity. But God has taken me by the arm, and made me His own. ||4||
The Destroyer of fear, the Dispeller of pain, the Lover of His Saints - these are the Names of the Lord. ||5||
He is the Master of the masterless, Merciful to the meek, All-powerful, the Support of His Saints. ||6||
I am worthless - I offer this prayer, O my Lord King: "Please, grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan."||7||
Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary, O my Lord and Master; Your servant has come to Your Door. ||8||2||14||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
He is immersed in the enjoyment of corrupt pleasures; engrossed in them, the blind fool does not understand. ||1||
"I am earning profits, I am getting rich", he says, as his life passes away. ||Pause||
"I am a hero, I am famous and distinguished; no one is equal to me."||2||
"I am young, cultured, and born of a good family." In his mind, he is proud and arrogant like this. ||3||
He is trapped by his false intellect, and he does not forget this until he dies. ||4||
Brothers, friends, relatives and companions who live after him - he entrusts his wealth to them. ||5||
That desire, to which the mind is attached, at the last moment, becomes manifest. ||6||
He may perform religious deeds, but his mind is egotistical, and he is bound by these bonds. ||7||
O Merciful Lord, please bless me Your Mercy, that Nanak may become the slave of Your slaves. ||8||3||15||44||Total||
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Chhant, First Mehl:
For the bride, the night is painful; sleep does not come.
The soul-bride has grown weak, in the pain of separation from her Husband Lord.
The soul-bride is wasting away, in the pain of separation from her Husband; how can she see Him with her eyes?
Her decorations, sweet foods, sensuous pleasures and delicacies are all false; they are of no account at all.
Intoxicated with the wine of youthful pride, she has been ruined, and her breasts no longer yield milk.
O Nanak, the soul-bride meets her Husband Lord, when He causes her to meet Him; without Him, sleep does not come to her. ||1||
The bride is dishonored without her Beloved Husband Lord.
How can she find peace, without enshrining Him in her heart?
Without her Husband, her home is not worth living in; go and ask your sisters and companions.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, there is no love and affection; but with her True Lord, she abides in peace. Through mental truthfulness and contentment, union with the True Friend is attained; through the Guru's Teachings, the Husb
O Nanak, that soul-bride who does not abandon the Naam, is intuitively absorbed in the Naam. ||2||
Come, O my sisters and companions - let's enjoy our Husband Lord.
I will ask the Guru, and write His Word as my love-note.
The Guru has shown me the True Word of the Shabad. The self-willed manmukhs will regret and repent.
My wandering mind became steady, when I recognized the True One.
The Teachings of Truth are forever new; the love of the Shabad is forever fresh.
O Nanak, through the Glance of Grace of the True Lord, celestial peace is obtained; let's meet Him, O my sisters and companions. ||3||
My desire has been fulfilled - my Friend has come to my home.
At the Union of husband and wife, the songs of rejoicing were sung.
Singing the songs of joyful praise and love to Him, the soul-bride's mind is thrilled and delighted.
My friends are happy, and my enemies are unhappy; meditating on the True Lord, the true profit is obtained.
With her palms pressed together, the soul-bride prays, that she may remain immersed in the Love of her Lord, night and day.
O Nanak, the Husband Lord and the soul-bride revel together; my desires are fulfilled. ||4||1||

Gauree, Chhant, First Mehl:
Hear me, O my Dear Husband God - I am all alone in the wilderness.
How can I find comfort without You, O my Carefree Husband God?
The soul-bride cannot live without her Husband; the night is so painful for her.
Sleep does not come. I am in love with my Beloved. Please, listen to my prayer!
Other than my Beloved, no one cares for me; I cry all alone in the wilderness.
O Nanak, the bride meets Him when He causes her to meet Him; without her Beloved, she suffers in pain. ||1||
She is separated from her Husband Lord - who can unite her with Him?
Tasting His Love, she meets Him, through the Beautiful Word of His Shabad.
Adorned with the Shabad, she obtains her Husband, and her body is illuminated with the lamp of spiritual wisdom.
Listen, O my friends and companions - she who is at peace dwells upon the True Lord and His True Praises.
Meeting the True Guru, she is ravished and enjoyed by her Husband Lord; she blossoms forth with the Ambrosial Word of His Bani.
O Nanak, the Husband Lord enjoys His bride when she is pleasing to His Mind. ||2||
Fascination with Maya made her homeless; the false are cheated by falsehood.
How can the noose around her neck be untied, without the Most Beloved Guru?
One who loves the Beloved Lord, and reflects upon the Shabad, belongs to Him.
How can giving donations to charities and countless cleansing baths wash off the filth within the heart?
Without the Naam, no one attains salvation. Stubborn self-discipline and living in the wilderness are of no use at all.
O Nanak, the home of Truth is attained through the Shabad. How can the Mansion of His Presence be known through duality? ||3||
True is Your Name, O Dear Lord; True is contemplation of Your Shabad.
True is the Mansion of Your Presence, O Dear Lord, and True is trade in Your Name.
Trade in Your Name is very sweet; the devotees earn this profit night and day.
Other than this, I can think of no other merchandise. So chant the Naam each and every moment.
The account is read; by the Grace of the True Lord and good karma, the Perfect Lord is obtained.
O Nanak, the Nectar of the Name is so sweet. Through the Perfect True Guru, it is obtained. ||4||2||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Chhant, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
The soul-bride offers her prayers to her Dear Lord; she dwells upon His Glorious Virtues.
She cannot live without her Beloved Lord, for a moment, even for an instant.
She cannot live without her Beloved Lord; without the Guru, the Mansion of His Presence is not found.
Whatever the Guru says, she should surely do, to extinguish the fire of desire.
The Lord is True; there is no one except Him. Without serving Him, peace is not found.
O Nanak, that soul-bride, whom the Lord Himself unites, is united with Him; He Himself merges with her. ||1||
The life-night of the soul-bride is blessed and joyful, when she focuses her consciousness on her Dear Lord.
She serves the True Guru with love; she eradicates selfishness from within.
Eradicating selfishness and conceit from within, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, she is in love with the Lord, night and day.
Listen, dear friends and companions of the soul - immerse yourselves in the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

Dwell upon the Lord's Glories, and you shall be loved by your Husband, embracing love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, the soul-bride who wears the necklace of the Lord's Name around her neck is loved by her Husband Lord. ||2||
The soul-bride who is without her beloved Husband is all alone.
She is cheated by the love of duality, without the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Without the Shabad of her Beloved, how can she cross over the treacherous ocean? Attachment to Maya has led her astray.
Ruined by falsehood, she is deserted by her Husband Lord. The soul-bride does not attain the Mansion of His Presence.
But she who is attuned to the Guru's Shabad is intoxicated with celestial love; night and day, she remains absorbed in Him.
O Nanak, that soul-bride who remains constantly steeped in His Love, is blended by the Lord into Himself. ||3||
If the Lord merges us with Himself, we are merged with Him. Without the Dear Lord, who can merge us with Him?
Without our Beloved Guru, who can dispel our doubt?
Through the Guru, doubt is dispelled. O my mother, this is the way to meet Him; this is how the soul-bride finds peace.
Without serving the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. Without the Guru, the Way is not found.
That wife who is intuitively imbued with the color of His Love, contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, the soul-bride obtains the Lord as her Husband, by enshrining love for the Beloved Guru. ||4||1||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Without my Husband, I am utterly dishonored. Without my Husband Lord, how can I live, O my mother?
Without my Husband, sleep does not come, and my body is not adorned with my bridal dress.
The bridal dress looks beautiful upon my body, when I am pleasing to my Husband Lord. Following the Guru's Teachings, my consciousness is focused on Him.
I become His happy soul-bride forever, when I serve the True Guru; I sit in the Lap of the Guru.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the soul-bride meets her Husband Lord, who ravishes and enjoys her. The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the only profit in this world.
O Nanak, the soul-bride is loved by her Husband, when she dwells upon the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
The soul-bride enjoys the Love of her Beloved.
Imbued with His Love night and day, she contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Contemplating the Guru's Shabad, she conquers her ego, and in this way, she meets her Beloved.
She is the happy soul-bride of her Lord, who is forever imbued with the Love of the True Name of her Beloved.
Abiding in the Company of our Guru, we grasp the Ambrosial Nectar; we conquer and cast out our sense of duality.
O Nanak, the soul-bride attains her Husband Lord, and forgets all her pains. ||2||
The soul-bride has forgotten her Husband Lord, because of love and emotional attachment to Maya.
The false bride is attached to falsehood; the insincere one is cheated by insincerity.
She who drives out her falsehood, and acts according to the Guru's Teachings, does not lose her life in the gamble.
One who serves the Word of the Guru's Shabad is absorbed in the True Lord; she eradicates egotism from within.
So let the Name of the Lord abide within your heart; decorate yourself in this way.
O Nanak, the soul-bride who takes the Support of the True Name is intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||3||
Meet me, O my Dear Beloved. Without You, I am totally dishonored.
Sleep does not come to my eyes, and I have no desire for food or water.
I have no desire for food or water, and I am dying from the pain of separation. Without my Husband Lord, how can I find peace?

I offer my prayers to the Guru; if it pleases the Guru, He shall unite me with Himself.
The Giver of peace has united me with Himself; He Himself has come to my home to meet me.
O Nanak, the soul-bride is forever the Lord's favorite wife; her Husband Lord does not die, and He shall never leave. ||4||2||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
The soul-bride is pierced through with the sublime essence of the Lord, in intuitive peace and poise.
The Enticer of hearts has enticed her, and her sense of duality has been easily dispelled.
Her sense of duality has been easily dispelled, and the soul-bride obtains her Husband Lord; following the Guru's Teachings, she makes merry.
This body is filled to overflowing with falsehood, deception and the commission of sins.
The Gurmukh practices that devotional worship, by which the celestial music wells up; without this devotional worship, filth is not removed.
O Nanak, the soul-bride who sheds selfishness and conceit from within, is dear to her Beloved. ||1||
The soul-bride has found her Husband Lord, through the love and affection of the Guru.
She passes her life-night sleeping in peace, enshrining the Lord in her heart.
Enshrining Him deep within her heart night and day, she meets her Beloved, and her pains depart.
Deep within the mansion of her inner being, she enjoys her Husband Lord, reflecting upon the Guru's Teachings.
She drinks deeply of the Nectar of the Naam, day and night; she conquers and casts off her sense of duality.
O Nanak, the happy soul-bride meets her True Lord, through the Infinite Love of the Guru. ||2||
Come, and shower Your Mercy upon me, my most Darling, Dear Beloved.
The soul-bride offers her prayers to You, to adorn her with the True Word of Your Shabad.
Adorned with the True Word of Your Shabad, she conquers her ego, and as Gurmukh, her affairs are resolved.
Throughout the ages, the One Lord is True; through the Guru's Wisdom, He is known.
The self-willed manmukh is engrossed in sexual desire, and tormented by emotional attachment. With whom should she lodge her complaints?
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukh finds no place of rest, without the most Beloved Guru. ||3||
The bride is foolish, ignorant and unworthy. Her Husband Lord is Unapproachable and Incomparable.
He Himself unites us in His Union; He Himself forgives us.
The soul-bride's Beloved Husband Lord is the Forgiver of sins; He is contained in each and every heart.
The True Guru has made me understand this understanding, that the Lord is obtained through love, affection and loving devotion.
She remains forever in bliss, day and night; she remains immersed in His Love, night and day.
O Nanak, that soul-bride who obtains the nine treasures, intuitively obtains her Husband Lord. ||4||3||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
The sea of Maya is agitated and turbulent; how can anyone cross over this terrifying world-ocean?
Make the Lord's Name your boat, and install the Word of the Shabad as the boatman.
With the Shabad installed as the boatman, the Lord Himself shall take you across. In this way, the difficult ocean is crossed.
The Gurmukh obtains devotional worship of the Lord, and thus remains dead while yet alive.
In an instant, the Lord's Name erases his sinful mistakes, and his body becomes pure.
O Nanak, through the Lord's Name, emancipation is obtained, and the slag iron is transformed into gold. ||1||

Men and women are obsessed with sex; they do not know the Way of the Lord's Name.
Mother, father, children and siblings are very dear, but they drown, even without water.
They are drowned to death without water - they do not know the path of salvation, and they wander around the world in egotism.
All those who come into the world shall depart. Only those who contemplate the Guru shall be saved.
Those who become Gurmukh and chant the Lord's Name, save themselves and save their families as well.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within their hearts; through the Guru's Teachings, they meet their Beloved. ||2||
Without the Lord's Name, nothing is stable. This world is just a drama.
Implant true devotional worship within your heart, and trade in the Name of the Lord.
Trade in the Lord's Name is infinite and unfathomable. Through the Guru's Teachings, this wealth is obtained.
This selfless service, meditation and devotion is true, if you eliminate selfishness and conceit from within.
I am senseless, foolish, idiotic and blind, but the True Guru has placed me on the Path.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are adorned with the Shabad; night and day, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
He Himself acts, and inspires others to act; He Himself embellishes us with the Word of His Shabad.
He Himself is the True Guru, and He Himself is the Shabad; in each and every age, He loves His devotees.
In age after age, He loves His devotees; the Lord Himself adorns them, and He Himself enjoins them to worship Him with devotion.
He Himself is All-knowing, and He Himself is All-seeing; He inspires us to serve Him.
He Himself is the Giver of merits, and the Destroyer of demerits; He causes His Name to dwell within our hearts.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to the True Lord, who Himself is the Doer, the Cause of causes. ||4||4||
Gauree, Third Mehl:
Serve the Guru, O my dear soul; meditate on the Lord's Name.
Do not leave me, O my dear soul - you shall find the Lord while sitting within the home of your own being.
You shall obtain the Lord while sitting within the home of your own being, focusing your consciousness constantly upon the Lord, with true intuitive faith.
Serving the Guru brings great peace; they alone do it, whom the Lord inspires to do so.
They plant the seed of the Name, and the Name sprouts within; the Name abides within the mind.
O Nanak, glorious greatness rests in the True Name; It is obtained by perfect pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
The Name of the Lord is so sweet, O my dear; taste it, and focus your consciousness on it.
Taste the sublime essence of the Lord with your tongue, my dear, and renounce the pleasures of other tastes.
You shall obtain the everlasting essence of the Lord when it pleases the Lord; your tongue shall be adorned with the Word of His Shabad.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, a lasting peace is obtained; so remain lovingly focused on the Naam.
From the Naam we originate, and into the Naam we shall pass; through the Naam, we are absorbed in the Truth.
O Nanak, the Naam is obtained through the Guru's Teachings; He Himself attaches us to it. ||2||
Working for someone else, O my dear, is like forsaking the bride, and going to foreign countries.
In duality, no one has ever found peace, O my dear; you are greedy for corruption and greed.
Greedy for corruption and greed, and deluded by doubt, how can anyone find peace?
Working for strangers is very painful; doing so, one sells himself and loses his faith in the Dharma.

Bound by Maya, the mind is not stable. Each and every moment, it suffers in pain.
O Nanak, the pain of Maya is taken away by focusing one's consciousness on the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs are foolish and crazy, O my dear; they do not enshrine the Shabad within their minds.
The delusion of Maya has made them blind, O my dear; how can they find the Way of the Lord?
How can they find the Way, without the Will of the True Guru? The manmukhs foolishly display themselves.
The Lord's servants are forever comfortable. They focus their consciousness on the Guru's Feet.
Those unto whom the Lord shows His Mercy, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever.
O Nanak, the jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the only profit in this world. The Lord Himself imparts this understanding to the Gurmukh. ||4||5||7||
Raag Gauree, Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My mind has become sad and depressed; how can I see God, the Great Giver?
My Friend and Companion is the Dear Lord, the Guru, the Architect of Destiny.
The One Lord, the Architect of Destiny, is the Master of the Goddess of Wealth; how can I, in my sadness, meet You?
My hands serve You, and my head is at Your Feet. My mind, dishonored, yearns for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
With each and every breath, I think of You, day and night; I do not forget You, for an instant, even for a moment.
O Nanak, I am thirsty, like the rainbird; how can I meet God, the Great Giver? ||1||
I offer this one prayer - please listen, O my Beloved Husband Lord.
My mind and body are enticed, beholding Your wondrous play.
Beholding Your wondrous play, I am enticed; but how can the sad, forlorn bride find contentment?
My Lord is Meritorious, Merciful and Eternally Young; He is overflowing with all excellences.
The fault is not with my Husband Lord, the Giver of peace; I am separated from Him by my own mistakes.
Prays Nanak, please be merciful to me, and return home, O my Beloved Husband Lord. ||2||
I surrender my mind, I surrender my whole body; I surrender all my lands.
I surrender my head to that beloved friend, who brings me news of God.
I have offered my head to the Guru, the most exalted; He has shown me that God is with me.
In an instant, all suffering is removed. I have obtained all my mind's desires.
Day and night, the soul-bride makes merry; all her anxieties are erased.
Prays Nanak, I have met the Husband Lord of my longing. ||3||
My mind is filled with bliss, and congratulations are pouring in.
My Darling Beloved has come home to me, and all my desires have been satisfied.
I have met my Sweet Lord and Master of the Universe, and my companions sing the songs of joy.
All my friends and relatives are happy, and all traces of my enemies have been removed.
The unstruck melody vibrates in my home, and the bed has been made up for my Beloved.
Prays Nanak, I am in celestial bliss. I have obtained the Lord, the Giver of peace, as my Husband. ||4||1||

Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
O Mohan, your temple is so lofty, and your mansion is unsurpassed.
O Mohan, your gates are so beautiful. They are the worship-houses of the Saints.
In these incomparable worship-houses, they continually sing Kirtan, the Praises of their Lord and Master.
Where the Saints and the Holy gather together, there they meditate on you.
Be Kind and Compassionate, O Merciful Lord; be Merciful to the meek.
Prays Nanak, I thirst for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; receiving Your Darshan, I am totally at peace. ||1||
O Mohan, your speech is incomparable; wondrous are your ways.
O Mohan, you believe in the One. Everything else is dust to you.
You adore the One Lord, the Unknowable Lord and Master; His Power gives Support to all.
Through the Guru's Word, you have captured the heart of the Primal Being, the Lord of the World.
You Yourself move, and You Yourself stand still; You Yourself support the whole creation.
Prays Nanak, please preserve my honor; all Your servants seek the Protection of Your Sanctuary. ||2||
O Mohan, the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, meditates on you; they meditate on the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
O Mohan, the Messenger of Death does not even approach those who meditate on You, at the last moment.
The Messenger of Death cannot touch those who meditate on You single-mindedly.
Those who worship and adore You in thought, word and deed, obtain all fruits and rewards.
Those who are foolish and stupid, filthy with urine and manure, become all-knowing upon gaining the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
Prays Nanak, Your Kingdom is Eternal, O Perfect Primal Lord God. ||3||
O Mohan, you have blossomed forth with the flower of your family.
O Mohan, your children, friends, siblings and relatives have all been saved.
You save those who give up their egotistical pride, upon gaining the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach those who call you 'blessed'.
Your Virtues are unlimited - they cannot be described, O True Guru, Primal Being, Destroyer of demons.
Prays Nanak, Yours is that Anchor, holding onto which the whole world is saved. ||4||2||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl,
Shalok:
Countless sinners have been purified; I am a sacrifice, over and over again, to You.
O Nanak, meditation on the Lord's Name is the fire which burns away sinful mistakes like straw. ||1||
Chhant:
Meditate, O my mind, on the Lord God, the Lord of the Universe, the Lord, the Master of Wealth.
Meditate, O my mind, on the Lord, the Destroyer of ego, the Giver of salvation, who cuts away the noose of agonizing death.
Meditate lovingly on the Lotus Feet of the Lord, the Destroyer of distress, the Protector of the poor, the Lord of excellence.
The treacherous path of death and the terrifying ocean of fire are crossed over by meditating in remembrance on the Lord, even for an instant.
Meditate day and night on the Lord, the Destroyer of desire, the Purifier of pollution.
Prays Nanak, please be Merciful to me, O Cherisher of the world, Lord of the Universe, Lord of wealth. ||1||
O my mind, remember the Lord in meditation; He is the Destroyer of pain, the Eradicator of fear, the Sovereign Lord King.
He is the Greatest Lover, the Merciful Master, the Enticer of the mind, the Support of His devotees - this is His very nature.

The Perfect Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He fulfills the desires of the mind.
He lifts us up out of the deep, dark pit; enshrine His Name within your mind.
The gods, the Siddhas, the angels, the heavenly singers, the silent sages and the devotees sing Your countless Glorious Praises.
Prays Nanak, please be merciful to me, O Supreme Lord God, my King. ||2||
O my mind, be conscious of the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, who wields all power.
He is All-powerful, the Embodiment of compassion. He is the Master of each and every heart;
He is the Support of the breath of life. He is the Giver of the breath of life, of mind, body and soul. He is Infinite, Inaccessible and Unfathomable.
The All-powerful Lord is our Sanctuary; He is the Enticer of the mind, who banishes all sorrows.
All illnesses, sufferings and pains are dispelled, by chanting the Name of the Lord.
Prays Nanak, please be merciful to me, All-powerful Lord; You are the Wielder of all power. ||3||
O my mind, sing the Glorious Praises of the Imperishable, Eternal, Merciful Master, the Highest of all.
The One Lord is the Sustainer of the Universe, the Great Giver; He is the Cherisher of all.
The Cherisher Lord is so very merciful and wise; He is compassionate to all.
The pains of death, greed and emotional attachment simply vanish, when God comes to dwell in the soul.
When the Lord is thoroughly pleased, then one's service becomes perfectly fruitful.
Prays Nanak, my desires are fulfilled by meditating on the Lord, Merciful to the meek. ||4||3||
Gauree, Fifth Mehl:
Listen, O my companions: let's join together and make the effort, to surrender to our Husband Lord.
Renouncing our pride, let's charm Him with the potion of devotional worship, and the mantra of the Holy Saints.
O my companions, when He comes under our power, He shall never leave us again. This is the good nature of the Lord God.
O Nanak, God dispels the fear of old age, death and hell; He purifies His beings. ||1||
Listen, O my companions, to my sincere prayer: let's make this firm resolve.
In the peaceful poise of intuitive bliss, violence will be gone, as we sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Our pains and troubles shall be eradicated, and our doubts shall be dispelled; we will receive the fruits of our minds' desires.
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Supreme Lord God, the Perfect, Transcendent Lord. ||2||
O my companions, I yearn for Him continually; I invoke His Blessings, and pray that God may fulfill my hopes.
I thirst for His Feet, and I long for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; I look for Him everywhere.
I search for traces of the Lord in the Society of the Saints; they will unite me with the All-powerful Primal Lord God.
O Nanak, those humble, noble beings who meet the Lord, the Giver of peace, are very blessed, O my mother. ||3||
O my companions, now I dwell with my Beloved Husband; my mind and body are attuned to the Lord.
Listen, O my companions: now I sleep well, since I found my Husband Lord.
My doubts have been dispelled, and I have found intuitive peace and tranquility through my Lord and Master. I have been enlightened, and my heart-lotus has blossomed forth.
I have obtained God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, as my Husband; O Nanak, my marriage shall last forever. ||4||4||2||5||11||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Gauree, Baavan Akhree ~ The 52 Letters, Fifth Mehl:
Shalok:
The Divine Guru is my mother, the Divine Guru is my father; the Divine Guru is my Transcendent Lord and Master.
The Divine Guru is my companion, the Destroyer of ignorance; the Divine Guru is my relative and brother.
The Divine Guru is the Giver, the Teacher of the Lord's Name. The Divine Guru is the Mantra which never fails.
The Divine Guru is the Image of peace, truth and wisdom. The Divine Guru is the Philosopher's Stone - touching it, one is transformed.
The Divine Guru is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage, and the pool of divine ambrosia; bathing in the Guru's wisdom, one experiences the Infinite.
The Divine Guru is the Creator, and the Destroyer of all sins; the Divine Guru is the Purifier of sinners.
The Divine Guru existed at the primal beginning, throughout the ages, in each and every age. The Divine Guru is the Mantra of the Lord's Name; chanting it, one is saved.
O God, please be merciful to me, that I may be with the Divine Guru; I am a foolish sinner, but holding onto Him, I am carried across.
The Divine Guru is the True Guru, the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord; Nanak bows in humble reverence to the Lord, the Divine Guru. ||1||
Shalok:
He Himself acts, and causes others to act; He Himself can do everything.
O Nanak, the One Lord is pervading everywhere; there has never been any other, and there never shall be. ||1||
Pauree:
ONG: I humbly bow in reverence to the One Universal Creator, to the Holy True Guru.
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, He is the Formless Lord.
He Himself is in the absolute state of primal meditation; He Himself is in the seat of peace.
He Himself listens to His Own Praises.
He Himself created Himself.
He is His Own Father, He is His Own Mother.
He Himself is subtle and etheric; He Himself is manifest and obvious.
O Nanak, His wondrous play cannot be understood. ||1||
O God, Merciful to the meek, please be kind to me,
that my mind might become the dust of the feet of Your Saints. ||Pause||
Shalok:
He Himself is formless, and also formed; the One Lord is without attributes, and also with attributes.
Describe the One Lord as One, and Only One; O Nanak, He is the One, and the many. ||1||
Pauree:
ONG: The One Universal Creator created the Creation through the Word of the Primal Guru.
He strung it upon His one thread.
He created the diverse expanse of the three qualities.
From formless, He appeared as form.
The Creator has created the creation of all sorts.
The attachment of the mind has led to birth and death.
He Himself is above both, untouched and unaffected.
O Nanak, He has no end or limitation. ||2||
Shalok:
Those who gather Truth, and the riches of the Lord's Name, are rich and very fortunate.
O Nanak, truthfulness and purity are obtained from Saints such as these. ||1||
Pauree:
SASSA: True, True, True is that Lord.
No one is separate from the True Primal Lord.
They alone enter the Lord's Sanctuary, whom the Lord inspires to enter.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance, they sing and preach the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Doubt and skepticism do not affect them at all.
They behold the manifest glory of the Lord.
They are the Holy Saints - they reach this destination.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to them. ||3||
Shalok:
Why are you crying out for riches and wealth? All this emotional attachment to Maya is false.

Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, all are reduced to dust. ||1||
Pauree:
DHADHA: The dust of the feet of the Saints is sacred.
Blessed are those whose minds are filled with this longing.
They do not seek wealth, and they do not desire paradise.
They are immersed in the deep love of their Beloved, and the dust of the feet of the Holy.
How can worldly affairs affect those who do not abandon the One Lord, and who go nowhere else?
One whose heart is filled with God's Name,
O Nanak, is a perfect spiritual being of God. ||4||
Shalok:
By all sorts of religious robes, knowledge, meditation and stubborn-mindedness, no one has ever met God.
Says Nanak, those upon whom God showers His Mercy, are devotees of spiritual wisdom. ||1||
Pauree:
NGANGA: Spiritual wisdom is not obtained by mere words of mouth.
It is not obtained through the various debates of the Shaastras and scriptures.
They alone are spiritually wise, whose minds are firmly fixed on the Lord.
Hearing and telling stories, no one attains Yoga.
They alone are spiritually wise, who remain firmly committed to the Lord's Command.
Heat and cold are all the same to them.
The true people of spiritual wisdom are the Gurmukhs, who contemplate the essence of reality;
O Nanak, the Lord showers His Mercy upon them. ||5||
Shalok:
Those who have come into the world without understanding are like animals and beasts.
O Nanak, those who become Gurmukh understand; upon their foreheads is such pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
Pauree:
They have come into this world to meditate on the One Lord.
But ever since their birth, they have been enticed by the fascination of Maya.
Upside-down in the chamber of the womb, they performed intense meditation.
They remembered God in meditation with each and every breath.
But now, they are entangled in things which they must leave behind.
They forget the Great Giver from their minds.
O Nanak, those upon whom the Lord showers His Mercy, do not forget Him, here or hereafter. ||6||
Shalok:
By His Command, we come, and by His Command, we go; no one is beyond His Command.
Coming and going in reincarnation is ended, O Nanak, for those whose minds are filled with the Lord. ||1||
Pauree:
This soul has lived in many wombs.
Enticed by sweet attachment, it has been trapped in reincarnation.
This Maya has subjugated beings through the three qualities.
Maya has infused attachment to itself in each and every heart.
O friend, tell me some way,
by which I may swim across this treacherous ocean of Maya.
The Lord showers His Mercy, and leads us to join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
O Nanak, Maya does not even come near. ||7||
Shalok:
God Himself causes one to perform good and bad actions.
The beast indulges in egotism, selfishness and conceit; O Nanak, without the Lord, what can anyone do? ||1||
Pauree:
The One Lord Himself is the Cause of all actions.
He Himself distributes sins and noble acts.
In this age, people are attached as the Lord attaches them.
They receive that which the Lord Himself gives.
No one knows His limits.
Whatever He does, comes to pass.
From the One, the entire expanse of the Universe emanated.
O Nanak, He Himself is our Saving Grace. ||8||
Shalok:
Man remains engrossed in women and playful pleasures; the tumult of his passion is like the dye of the safflower, which fades away all too soon.
O Nanak, seek God's Sanctuary, and your selfishness and conceit shall be taken away. ||1||

Pauree:
O mind: without the Lord, whatever you are involved in shall bind you in chains.
The faithless cynic does those deeds which will never allow him to be emancipated.
Acting in egotism, selfishness and conceit, the lovers of rituals carry the unbearable load.
When there is no love for the Naam, then these rituals are corrupt.
The rope of death binds those who are in love with the sweet taste of Maya.
Deluded by doubt, they do not understand that God is always with them.
When their accounts are called for, they shall not be released; their wall of mud cannot be washed clean.
One who is made to understand - O Nanak, that Gurmukh obtains immaculate understanding. ||9||
Shalok:
One whose bonds are cut away joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Those who are imbued with the Love of the One Lord, O Nanak, take on the deep and lasting color of His Love. ||1||
Pauree:
RARRA: Dye this heart of yours in the color of the Lord's Love.
Meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har - chant it with your tongue.
In the Court of the Lord, no one shall speak harshly to you.
Everyone shall welcome you, saying, "Come, and sit down."
In that Mansion of the Lord's Presence, you shall find a home.
There is no birth or death, or destruction there.
One who has such karma written on his forehead,
O Nanak, has the wealth of the Lord in his home. ||10||
Shalok:
Greed, falsehood, corruption and emotional attachment entangle the blind and the foolish.
Bound down by Maya, O Nanak, a foul odor clings to them. ||1||
Pauree:
LALLA: People are entangled in the love of corrupt pleasures;
they are drunk with the wine of egotistical intellect and Maya.
In this Maya, they are born and die.
People act according to the Hukam of the Lord's Command.
No one is perfect, and no one is imperfect.
No one is wise, and no one is foolish.
Wherever the Lord engages someone, there he is engaged.
O Nanak, our Lord and Master is forever detached. ||11||
Shalok:
My Beloved God, the Sustainer of the World, the Lord of the Universe, is deep, profound and unfathomable.
There is no other like Him; O Nanak, He is not worried. ||1||
Pauree:
LALLA: There is no one equal to Him.
He Himself is the One; there shall never be any other.
He is now, He has been, and He shall always be.
No one has ever found His limit.
In the ant and in the elephant, He is totally pervading.
The Lord, the Primal Being, is known by everyone everywhere.
That one, unto whom the Lord has given His Love
- O Nanak, that Gurmukh chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||12||
Shalok:
One who knows the taste of the Lord's sublime essence, intuitively enjoys the Lord's Love.
O Nanak, blessed, blessed, blessed are the Lord's humble servants; how fortunate is their coming into the world! ||1||
Pauree:
How fruitful is the coming into the world, of those
whose tongues celebrate the Praises of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
They come and dwell with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy;
night and day, they lovingly meditate on the Naam.
Blessed is the birth of those humble beings who are attuned to the Naam;
the Lord, the Architect of Destiny, bestows His Kind Mercy upon them.
They are born only once - they shall not be reincarnated again.
O Nanak, they are absorbed into the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||13||
Shalok:
Chanting it, the mind is filled with bliss; love of duality is eliminated, and pain, distress and desires are quenched. O Nanak, immerse yourself in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||

Pauree:
YAYYA: Burn away duality and evil-mindedness.
Give them up, and sleep in intuitive peace and poise.
Yaya: Go, and seek the Sanctuary of the Saints;
with their help, you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Yaya: One who weaves the One Name into his heart, does not have to take birth again.
Yaya: This human life shall not be wasted, if you take the Support of the Perfect Guru.
O Nanak, one whose heart is filled with the One Lord finds peace. ||14||
Shalok:
The One who dwells deep within the mind and body is your friend here and hereafter.
The Perfect Guru has taught me, O Nanak, to chant His Name continually. ||1||
Pauree:
Night and day, meditate in remembrance on the One who will be your Help and Support in the end.
This poison shall last for only a few days; everyone must depart, and leave it behind.
Who is our mother, father, son and daughter?
Household, wife, and other things shall not go along with you.
So gather that wealth which shall never perish,
so that you may go to your true home with honor.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, those who sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy
- O Nanak, they do not have to endure reincarnation again. ||15||
Shalok:
He may be very handsome, born into a highly respected family, very wise, a famous spiritual teacher, prosperous and wealthy;
but even so, he is looked upon as a corpse, O Nanak, if he does not love the Lord God. ||1||
Pauree:
NGANGA: He may be a scholar of the six Shaastras.
He may practice inhaling, exhaling and holding the breath.
He may practice spiritual wisdom, meditation, pilgrimages to sacred shrines and ritual cleansing baths.
He may cook his own food, and never touch anyone else's; he may live in the wilderness like a hermit.
But if he does not enshrine love for the Lord's Name within his heart,
then everything he does is transitory.
Even an untouchable pariah is superior to him,
O Nanak, if the Lord of the World abides in his mind. ||16||
Shalok:
He wanders around in the four quarters and in the ten directions, according to the dictates of his karma.
Pleasure and pain, liberation and reincarnation, O Nanak, come according to one's pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
Pauree:
KAKKA: He is the Creator, the Cause of causes.
No one can erase His pre-ordained plan.
Nothing can be done a second time.
The Creator Lord does not make mistakes.
To some, He Himself shows the Way.
While He causes others to wander miserably in the wilderness.
He Himself has set His own play in motion.
Whatever He gives, O Nanak, that is what we receive. ||17||
Shalok:
People continue to eat and consume and enjoy, but the Lord's warehouses are never exhausted.
So many chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; O Nanak, they cannot be counted. ||1||
Pauree:
KHAKHA: The All-powerful Lord lacks nothing;
whatever He is to give, He continues to give - let anyone go anywhere he pleases.
The wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a treasure to spend; it is the capital of His devotees.
With tolerance, humility, bliss and intuitive poise, they continue to meditate on the Lord, the Treasure of excellence.
Those, unto whom the Lord shows His Mercy, play happily and blossom forth.
Those who have the wealth of the Lord's Name in their homes are forever wealthy and beautiful.
Those who are blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace suffer neither torture, nor pain, nor punishment.
O Nanak, those who are pleasing to God become perfectly successful. ||18||

Shalok:
See, that even by calculating and scheming in their minds, people must surely depart in the end.
Hopes and desires for transitory things are erased for the Gurmukh; O Nanak, the Name alone brings true health. ||1||
Pauree:
GAGGA: Chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe with each and every breath; meditate on Him forever.
How can you rely on the body? Do not delay, my friend;
there is nothing to stand in Death's way - neither in childhood, nor in youth, nor in old age.
That time is not known, when the noose of Death shall come and fall on you.
See, that even spiritual scholars, those who meditate, and those who are clever shall not stay in this place.
Only the fool clings to that, which everyone else has abandoned and left behind.
By Guru's Grace, one who has such good destiny written on his forehead remembers the Lord in meditation.
O Nanak, blessed and fruitful is the coming of those who obtain the Beloved Lord as their Husband. ||19||
Shalok:
I have searched all the Shaastras and the Vedas, and they say nothing except this:
"In the beginning, throughout the ages, now and forevermore, O Nanak, the One Lord alone exists."||1||
Pauree:
GHAGHA: Put this into your mind, that there is no one except the Lord.
There never was, and there never shall be. He is pervading everywhere.
You shall be absorbed into Him, O mind, if you come to His Sanctuary.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, shall be of any real use to you.
So many work and slave continually, but they come to regret and repent in the end.
Without devotional worship of the Lord, how can they find stability?
They alone taste the supreme essence, and drink in the Ambrosial Nectar,
O Nanak, unto whom the Lord, the Guru, gives it. ||20||
Shalok:
He has counted all the days and the breaths, and placed them in people's destiny; they do not increase or decrease one little bit.
Those who long to live in doubt and emotional attachment, O Nanak, are total fools. ||1||
Pauree:
NGANGA: Death seizes those whom God has made into faithless cynics.
They are born and they die, enduring countless incarnations; they do not realize the Lord, the Supreme Soul.
They alone find spiritual wisdom and meditation,
whom the Lord blesses with His Mercy;
no one is emancipated by counting and calculating.
The vessel of clay shall surely break.
They alone live, who, while alive, meditate on the Lord.
They are respected, O Nanak, and do not remain hidden. ||21||
Shalok:
Focus your consciousness on His Lotus Feet, and the inverted lotus of your heart shall blossom forth.
The Lord of the Universe Himself becomes manifest, O Nanak, through the Teachings of the Saints. ||1||
Pauree:
CHACHA: Blessed, blessed is that day, when I became attached to the Lord's Lotus Feet.
After wandering around in the four quarters and the ten directions,
God showed His Mercy to me, and then I obtained the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
By pure lifestyle and meditation, all duality is removed.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the mind becomes immaculate.
Anxieties are forgotten, and the One Lord alone is seen,
O Nanak, by those whose eyes are anointed with the ointment of spiritual wisdom. ||22||
Shalok:
The heart is cooled and soothed, and the mind is at peace, chanting and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Show such Mercy, O God, that Nanak may become the slave of Your slaves. ||1||
Pauree:
CHHACHHA: I am Your child-slave.
I am the water-carrier of the slave of Your slaves.
Chhachha: I long to become the dust under the feet of Your Saints.

Please shower me with Your Mercy, O Lord God!
I have given up my excessive cleverness and scheming,
and I have taken the support of the Saints as my mind's support.
Even a puppet of ashes attains the supreme status,
O Nanak, if it has the help and support of the Saints. ||23||
Shalok:
Practicing oppression and tyranny, he puffs himself up; he acts in corruption with his frail, perishable body.
He is bound by his egotistical intellect; O Nanak, salvation comes only through the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Pauree:
JAJJA: When someone, in his ego, believes that he has become something,
he is caught in his error, like a parrot in a trap.
When he believes, in his ego, that he is a devotee and a spiritual teacher,
then, in the world hereafter, the Lord of the Universe shall have no regard for him at all.
When he believes himself to be a preacher,
he is merely a peddler wandering over the earth.
But one who conquers his ego in the Company of the Holy,
O Nanak, meets the Lord. ||24||
Shalok:
Rise early in the morning, and chant the Naam; worship and adore the Lord, night and day.
Anxiety shall not afflict you, O Nanak, and your misfortune shall vanish. ||1||
Pauree:
JHAJHA: Your sorrows shall depart,
when you deal with the Lord's Name.
The faithless cynic dies in sorrow and pain;
his heart is filled with the love of duality.
Your evil deeds and sins shall fall away, O my mind,
listening to the ambrosial speech in the Society of the Saints.
Sexual desire, anger and wickedness fall away,
O Nanak, from those who are blessed by the Mercy of the Lord of the World. ||25||
Shalok:
You can try all sorts of things, but you still cannot remain here, my friend.
But you shall live forevermore, O Nanak, if you vibrate and love the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Pauree:
NYANYA: Know this as absolutely correct, that that this ordinary love shall come to an end.
You may count and calculate as much as you want, but you cannot count how many have arisen and departed.
Whoever I see shall perish. With whom should I associate?
Know this as true in your consciousness, that the love of Maya is false.
He alone knows, and he alone is a Saint, who is free of doubt.
He is lifted up and out of the deep dark pit; the Lord is totally pleased with him.
God's Hand is All-powerful; He is the Creator, the Cause of causes.
O Nanak, praise the One, who joins us to Himself. ||26||
Shalok:
The bondage of birth and death is broken and peace is obtained, by serving the Holy.
O Nanak, may I never forget from my mind, the Treasure of Virtue, the Sovereign Lord of the Universe. ||1||
Pauree:
Work for the One Lord; no one returns empty-handed from Him.
When the Lord abides within your mind, body, mouth and heart, then whatever you desire shall come to pass.
He alone obtains the Lord's service, and the Mansion of His Presence, unto whom the Holy Saint is compassionate.
He joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, only when the Lord Himself shows His Mercy.
I have searched and searched, across so many worlds, but without the Name, there is no peace.
The Messenger of Death retreats from those who dwell in the Saadh Sangat.
Again and again, I am forever devoted to the Saints.
O Nanak, my sins from so long ago have been erased. ||27||
Shalok:
Those beings, with whom the Lord is thoroughly pleased, meet with no obstacles at His Door.
Those humble beings whom God has made His own, O Nanak, are blessed, so very blessed. ||1||

Pauree:
T'HAT'HA: Those who have abandoned all else, and who cling to the One Lord alone, do not make trouble for anyone's mind.
Those who are totally absorbed and preoccupied with Maya are dead;
they do not find happiness anywhere.
One who dwells in the Society of the Saints finds a great peace;
the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam becomes sweet to his soul.
That humble being, who is pleasing to his Lord and Master
- O Nanak, his mind is cooled and soothed. ||28||
Shalok:
I bow down, and fall to the ground in humble adoration, countless times, to the All-powerful Lord, who possesses all powers.
Please protect me, and save me from wandering, God. Reach out and give Nanak Your Hand. ||1||
Pauree:
DADDA: This is not your true place; you must know where that place really is.
You shall come to realize the way to that place, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
This place, here, is established by hard work,
but not one iota of this shall go there with you.
The value of that place beyond is known only to those,
upon whom the Perfect Lord God casts His Glance of Grace.
That permanent and true place is obtained in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy;
O Nanak, those humble beings do not waver or wander. ||29||
Shalok:
When the Righteous Judge of Dharma begins to destroy someone, no one can place any obstacle in His Way.
O Nanak, those who join the Saadh Sangat and meditate on the Lord are saved. ||1||
Pauree:
DHADHA: Where are you going, wandering and searching? Search instead within your own mind.
God is with you, so why do you wander around from forest to forest?
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, tear down the mound of your frightful, egotistical pride.
You shall find peace, and abide in intuitive bliss; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan, you shall be delighted.
One who has such a mound as this, dies and suffers the pain of reincarnation through the womb.
One who is intoxicated by emotional attachment, entangled in egotism, selfishness and conceit, shall continue coming and going in reincarnation.
Slowly and steadily, I have now surrendered to the Holy Saints; I have come to their Sanctuary.
God has cut away the noose of my pain; O Nanak, He has merged me into Himself. ||30||
Shalok:
Where the Holy people constantly vibrate the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, O Nanak
- the Righteous Judge says, "Do not approach that place, O Messenger of Death, or else neither you nor I shall escape!"||1||
Pauree:
NANNA: One who conquers his own soul, wins the battle of life.
One who dies, while fighting against egotism and alienation, becomes sublime and beautiful.
One who eradicates his ego, remains dead while yet alive, through the Teachings of the Perfect Guru.
He conquers his mind, and meets the Lord; he is dressed in robes of honor.
He does not claim anything as his own; the One Lord is his Anchor and Support.
Night and day, he continually contemplates the Almighty, Infinite Lord God.
He makes his mind the dust of all; such is the karma of the deeds he does.
Understanding the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he attains everlasting peace. O Nanak, such is his pre-ordained destiny. ||31||
Shalok:
I offer my body, mind and wealth to anyone who can unite me with God.
O Nanak, my doubts and fears have been dispelled, and the Messenger of Death does not see me any longer. ||1||
Pauree:
TATTA: Embrace love for the Treasure of Excellence, the Sovereign Lord of the Universe.
You shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires, and your burning thirst shall be quenched.

One whose heart is filled with the Name shall have no fear on the path of death.
He shall obtain salvation, and his intellect shall be enlightened; he will find his place in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Neither wealth, nor household, nor youth, nor power shall go along with you.
In the Society of the Saints, meditate in remembrance on the Lord. This alone shall be of use to you.
There will be no burning at all, when He Himself takes away your fever.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself cherishes us; He is our Mother and Father. ||32||
Shalok:
They have grown weary, struggling in all sorts of ways; but they are not satisfied, and their thirst is not quenched.
Gathering in and hoarding what they can, the faithless cynics die, O Nanak, but the wealth of Maya does not go with them in the end. ||1||
Pauree:
T'HAT'HA: Nothing is permanent - why do you stretch out your feet?
You commit so many fraudulent and deceitful actions as you chase after Maya.
You work to fill up your bag, you fool, and then you fall down exhausted.
But this shall be of no use to you at all at that very last instant.
You shall find stability only by vibrating upon the Lord of the Universe, and accepting the Teachings of the Saints.
Embrace love for the One Lord forever - this is true love!
He is the Doer, the Cause of causes. All ways and means are in His Hands alone.
Whatever You attach me to, to that I am attached; O Nanak, I am just a helpless creature. ||33||
Shalok:
His slaves have gazed upon the One Lord, the Giver of everything.
They continue to contemplate Him with each and every breath; O Nanak, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is their Support. ||1||
Pauree:
DADDA: The One Lord is the Great Giver; He is the Giver to all.
There is no limit to His Giving. His countless warehouses are filled to overflowing.
The Great Giver is alive forever.
O foolish mind, why have you forgotten Him?
No one is at fault, my friend.
God created the bondage of emotional attachment to Maya.
He Himself removes the pains of the Gurmukh; O Nanak, he is fulfilled. ||34||
Shalok:
O my soul, grasp the Support of the One Lord; give up your hopes in others.
O Nanak, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, your affairs shall be resolved. ||1||
Pauree:
DHADHA: The mind's wanderings cease, when one comes to dwell in the Society of the Saints.
If the Lord is Merciful from the very beginning, then one's mind is enlightened.
Those who have the true wealth are the true bankers.
The Lord, Har, Har, is their wealth, and they trade in His Name.
Patience, glory and honor come to those
who listen to the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
That Gurmukh whose heart remains merged with the Lord,
O Nanak, obtains glorious greatness. ||35||
Shalok:
O Nanak, one who chants the Naam, and meditates on the Naam with love inwardly and outwardly,
receives the Teachings from the Perfect Guru; he joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and does not fall into hell. ||1||
Pauree:
NANNA: Those whose minds and bodies are filled with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, shall not fall into hell.
Those Gurmukhs who chant the treasure of the Naam,
are not destroyed by the poison of Maya.
Those who have been given the Mantra of the Naam by the Guru, shall not be turned away.

They are filled and fulfilled with the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord, the Treasure of sublime wealth;
O Nanak, the unstruck celestial melody vibrates for them. ||36||
Shalok:
The Guru, the Supreme Lord God, preserved my honor, when I renounced hypocrisy, emotional attachment and corruption.
O Nanak, worship and adore the One, who has no end or limitation. ||1||
Pauree:
PAPPA: He is beyond estimation; His limits cannot be found.
The Sovereign Lord King is inaccessible;
He is the Purifier of sinners. Millions of sinners are purified;
they meet the Holy, and chant the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Deception, fraud and emotional attachment are eliminated,
by those who are protected by the Lord of the World.
He is the Supreme King, with the royal canopy above His Head.
O Nanak, there is no other at all. ||37||
Shalok:
The noose of Death is cut, and one's wanderings cease; victory is obtained, when one conquers his own mind.
O Nanak, eternal stability is obtained from the Guru, and one's day-to-day wanderings cease. ||1||
Pauree:
FAFFA: After wandering and wandering for so long, you have come;
in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, you have obtained this human body, so very difficult to obtain.
This opportunity shall not come into your hands again.
So chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and the noose of Death shall be cut away.
You shall not have to come and go in reincarnation over and over again,
if you chant and meditate on the One and Only Lord.
Shower Your Mercy, O God, Creator Lord,
and unite poor Nanak with Yourself. ||38||
Shalok:
Hear my prayer, O Supreme Lord God, Merciful to the meek, Lord of the World.
The dust of the feet of the Holy is peace, wealth, great enjoyment and pleasure for Nanak. ||1||
Pauree:
BABBA: One who knows God is a Brahmin.
A Vaishnaav is one who, as Gurmukh, lives the righteous life of Dharma.
One who eradicates his own evil is a brave warrior;
no evil even approaches him.
Man is bound by the chains of his own egotism, selfishness and conceit.
The spiritually blind place the blame on others.
But all debates and clever tricks are of no use at all.
O Nanak, he alone comes to know, whom the Lord inspires to know. ||39||
Shalok:
The Destroyer of fear, the Eradicator of sin and sorrow - enshrine that Lord in your mind.
One whose heart abides in the Society of the Saints, O Nanak, does not wander around in doubt. ||1||
Pauree:
BHABHA: Cast out your doubt and delusion
- this world is just a dream.
The angelic beings, goddesses and gods are deluded by doubt.
The Siddhas and seekers, and even Brahma are deluded by doubt.
Wandering around, deluded by doubt, people are ruined.
It is so very difficult and treacherous to cross over this ocean of Maya.
That Gurmukh who has eradicated doubt, fear and attachment,
O Nanak, obtains supreme peace. ||40||
Shalok:
Maya clings to the mind, and causes it to waver in so many ways.
When You, O Lord, restrain someone from asking for wealth, then, O Nanak, he comes to love the Name. ||1||
Pauree:
MAMMA: The beggar is so ignorant
- the Great Giver continues to give. He is All-knowing.
Whatever He gives, He gives once and for all.
O foolish mind, why do you complain, and cry out so loud?
Whenever you ask for something, you ask for worldly things;
no one has obtained happiness from these.
If you must ask for a gift, then ask for the One Lord.
O Nanak, by Him, you shall be saved. ||41||

Shalok:
Perfect is the intellect, and most distinguished is the reputation, of those whose minds are filled with the Mantra of the Perfect Guru.
Those who come to know their God, O Nanak, are very fortunate. ||1||
Pauree:
MAMMA: Those who understand God's mystery are satisfied, joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
They look upon pleasure and pain as the same.
They are exempt from incarnation into heaven or hell.
They live in the world, and yet they are detached from it.
The Sublime Lord, the Primal Being, is totally pervading each and every heart.
In His Love, they find peace.
O Nanak, Maya does not cling to them at all. ||42||
Shalok:
Listen, my dear friends and companions: without the Lord, there is no salvation.
O Nanak, one who falls at the Feet of the Guru, has his bonds cut away. ||1||
Pauree:
YAYYA: People try all sorts of things,
but without the One Name, how far can they succeed?
Those efforts, by which emancipation may be attained
- those efforts are made in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Everyone has this idea of salvation,
but without meditation, there can be no salvation.
The All-powerful Lord is the boat to carry us across.
O Lord, please save these worthless beings!
Those whom the Lord Himself instructs in thought, word and deed
- O Nanak, their intellect is enlightened. ||43||
Shalok:
Do not be angry with anyone else; look within your own self instead.
Be humble in this world, O Nanak, and by His Grace you shall be carried across. ||1||
Pauree:
RARRA: Be the dust under the feet of all.
Give up your egotistical pride, and the balance of your account shall be written off.
Then, you shall win the battle in the Court of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny.
As Gurmukh, lovingly attune yourself to the Lord's Name.
Your evil ways shall be slowly and steadily blotted out, by the Shabad, the Incomparable Word of the Perfect Guru.
You shall be imbued with the Lord's Love, and intoxicated with the Nectar of the Naam.
O Nanak, the Lord, the Guru, has given this gift. ||44||
Shalok:
The afflictions of greed, falsehood and corruption abide in this body.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, O Nanak, the Gurmukh abides in peace. ||1||
Pauree:
LALLA: One who takes the medicine of the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
is cured of his pain and sorrow in an instant.
One whose heart is filled with the medicine of the Naam,
is not infested with disease, even in his dreams.
The medicine of the Lord's Name is in all hearts, O Siblings of Destiny.
Without the Perfect Guru, no one knows how to prepare it.
When the Perfect Guru gives the instructions to prepare it,
then, O Nanak, one does not suffer illness again. ||45||
Shalok:
The All-pervading Lord is in all places. There is no place where He does not exist.
Inside and outside, He is with you. O Nanak, what can be hidden from Him? ||1||
Pauree:
WAWWA: Do not harbor hatred against anyone.
In each and every heart, God is contained.
The All-pervading Lord is permeating and pervading the oceans and the land.
How rare are those who, by Guru's Grace, sing of Him.
Hatred and alienation depart from those
who, as Gurmukh, listen to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
O Nanak, one who becomes Gurmukh chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and rises above all social classes and status symbols. ||46||

Shalok:
Acting in egotism, selfishness and conceit, the foolish, ignorant, faithless cynic wastes his life.
He dies in agony, like one dying of thirst; O Nanak, this is because of the deeds he has done. ||1||
Pauree:
RARRA: Conflict is eliminated in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy;
meditate in adoration on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the essence of karma and Dharma.
When the Beautiful Lord abides within the heart,
conflict is erased and ended.
The foolish, faithless cynic picks arguments
- his heart is filled with corruption and egotistical intellect.
RARRA: For the Gurmukh, conflict is eliminated in an instant, O Nanak, through the Teachings. ||47||
Shalok:
O mind, grasp the Support of the Holy Saint; give up your clever arguments.
One who has the Guru's Teachings within his mind, O Nanak, has good destiny inscribed upon his forehead. ||1||
Pauree:
SASSA: I have now entered Your Sanctuary, Lord; I am so tired of reciting the Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas.
I searched and searched and searched, and now I have come to realize,
that without meditating on the Lord, there is no emancipation.
With each and every breath, I make mistakes.
You are All-powerful, endless and infinite.
I seek Your Sanctuary - please save me, Merciful Lord!
Nanak is Your child, O Lord of the World. ||48||
Shalok:
When selfishness and conceit are erased, peace comes, and the mind and body are healed.
O Nanak, then He comes to be seen - the One who is worthy of praise. ||1||
Pauree:
KHAKHA: Praise and extol Him on High,
who fills the empty to over-flowing in an instant.
When the mortal being becomes totally humble,
then he meditates night and day on God, the Detached Lord of Nirvaanaa.
If it pleases the Will of our Lord and Master, then He blesses us with peace.
Such is the Infinite, Supreme Lord God.
He forgives countless sins in an instant.
O Nanak, our Lord and Master is merciful forever. ||49||
Shalok:
I speak the Truth - listen, O my mind: take to the Sanctuary of the Sovereign Lord King.
Give up all your clever tricks, O Nanak, and He shall absorb you into Himself. ||1||
Pauree:
SASSA: Give up your clever tricks, you ignorant fool!
God is not pleased with clever tricks and commands.
You may practice a thousand forms of cleverness,
but not even one will go along with you in the end.
Meditate on that Lord, that Lord, day and night.
O soul, He alone shall go along with you.
Those whom the Lord Himself commits to the service of the Holy,
O Nanak, are not afflicted by suffering. ||50||
Shalok:
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and keeping it in your mind, you shall find peace.
O Nanak, the Lord is pervading everywhere; He is contained in all spaces and interspaces. ||1||
Pauree:
Behold! The Lord God is totally pervading each and every heart.
Forever and ever, the Guru's wisdom has been the Destroyer of pain.
Quieting the ego, ecstasy is obtained. Where the ego does not exist, God Himself is there.
The pain of birth and death is removed, by the power of the Society of the Saints.
He becomes kind to those who lovingly enshrine the Name of the Merciful Lord within their hearts, in the Society of the Saints.

In this world, no one accomplishes anything by himself.
O Nanak, everything is done by God. ||51||
Shalok:
Because of the balance due on his account, he can never be released; he makes mistakes each and every moment.
O Forgiving Lord, please forgive me, and carry Nanak across. ||1||
Pauree:
The sinner is unfaithful to himself; he is ignorant, with shallow understanding.
He does not know the essence of all, the One who gave him body, soul and peace.
For the sake of personal profit and Maya, he goes out, searching in the ten directions.
He does not enshrine the Generous Lord God, the Great Giver, in his mind, even for an instant.
Greed, falsehood, corruption and emotional attachment - these are what he collects within his mind.
The worst perverts, thieves and slanderers - he passes his time with them.
But if it pleases You, Lord, then You forgive the counterfeit along with the genuine.
O Nanak, if it pleases the Supreme Lord God, then even a stone will float on water. ||52||
Shalok:
Eating, drinking, playing and laughing, I have wandered through countless incarnations.
Please, God, lift me up and out of the terrifying world-ocean. Nanak seeks Your Support. ||1||
Pauree:
Playing, playing, I have been reincarnated countless times, but this has only brought pain.
Troubles are removed, when one meets with the Holy; immerse yourself in the Word of the True Guru.
Adopting an attitude of tolerance, and gathering truth, partake of the Ambrosial Nectar of the Name.
When my Lord and Master showed His Great Mercy, I found peace, happiness and bliss.
My merchandise has arrived safely, and I have made a great profit; I have returned home with honor.
The Guru has given me great consolation, and the Lord God has come to meet me.
He Himself has acted, and He Himself acts. He was in the past, and He shall be in the future.
O Nanak, praise the One, who is contained in each and every heart. ||53||
Shalok:
O God, I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Merciful Lord, Ocean of compassion.
One whose mind is filled with the One Word of the Lord, O Nanak, becomes totally blissful. ||1||
Pauree:
In the Word, God established the three worlds.
Created from the Word, the Vedas are contemplated.
From the Word, came the Shaastras, Simritees and Puraanas.
From the Word, came the sound current of the Naad, speeches and explanations.
From the Word, comes the way of liberation from fear and doubt.
From the Word, come religious rituals, karma, sacredness and Dharma.
In the visible universe, the Word is seen.
O Nanak, the Supreme Lord God remains unattached and untouched. ||54||
Shalok:
With pen in hand, the Inaccessible Lord writes man's destiny on his forehead.
The Lord of Incomparable Beauty is involved with all.
I cannot describe Your Praises with my mouth, O Lord.
Nanak is fascinated, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; he is a sacrifice to You. ||1||
Pauree:
O Immovable Lord, O Supreme Lord God, Imperishable, Destroyer of sins:
O Perfect, All-pervading Lord, Destroyer of pain, Treasure of virtue:
O Companion, Formless, Absolute Lord, Support of all:
O Lord of the Universe, Treasure of excellence, with clear eternal understanding:
Most Remote of the Remote, Lord God: You are, You were, and You shall always be.
O Constant Companion of the Saints, You are the Support of the unsupported.
O my Lord and Master, I am Your slave. I am worthless, I have no worth at all.

Nanak: grant me the Gift of Your Name, Lord, that I may string it and keep it within my heart. ||55||
Shalok:
The Divine Guru is our mother, the Divine Guru is our father; the Divine Guru is our Lord and Master, the Transcendent Lord.
The Divine Guru is my companion, the Destroyer of ignorance; the Divine Guru is my relative and brother.
The Divine Guru is the Giver, the Teacher of the Lord's Name. The Divine Guru is the Mantra which never fails.
The Divine Guru is the image of peace, truth and wisdom. The Divine Guru is the Philosopher's Stone - touching it, one is transformed.
The Divine Guru is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage, and the pool of divine nectar; bathing in the Guru's wisdom, one experiences the Infinite.
The Divine Guru is the Creator, and the Destroyer of all sins; the Divine Guru is the Purifier of sinners.
The Divine Guru existed in the very beginning, throughout the ages, in each and every age. The Divine Guru is the Mantra of the Lord's Name; chanting it, one is saved.
O God, please be merciful to me, that I may be with the Divine Guru; I am a foolish sinner, but holding onto Him, I will be carried across.
The Divine Guru is the True Guru, the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord; Nanak bows in humble reverence to the Lord, the Divine Guru. ||1||
Read this Shalok at the beginning, and at the end. ||
Gauree Sukhmani, Fifth Mehl,
Shalok:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I bow to the Primal Guru.
I bow to the Guru of the ages.
I bow to the True Guru.
I bow to the Great, Divine Guru. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Meditate, meditate, meditate in remembrance of Him, and find peace.
Worry and anguish shall be dispelled from your body.
Remember in praise the One who pervades the whole Universe.
His Name is chanted by countless people, in so many ways.
The Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, the purest of utterances,
were created from the One Word of the Name of the Lord.
That one, in whose soul the One Lord dwells
- the praises of his glory cannot be recounted.
Those who yearn only for the blessing of Your Darshan
- Nanak: save me along with them! ||1||
Sukhmani: Peace of Mind, the Nectar of the Name of God.
The minds of the devotees abide in a joyful peace. ||Pause||
Remembering God, one does not have to enter into the womb again.
Remembering God, the pain of death is dispelled.
Remembering God, death is eliminated.
Remembering God, one's enemies are repelled.
Remembering God, no obstacles are met.
Remembering God, one remains awake and aware, night and day.
Remembering God, one is not touched by fear.
Remembering God, one does not suffer sorrow.
The meditative remembrance of God is in the Company of the Holy.
All treasures, O Nanak, are in the Love of the Lord. ||2||
In the remembrance of God are wealth, miraculous spiritual powers and the nine treasures.
In the remembrance of God are knowledge, meditation and the essence of wisdom.
In the remembrance of God are chanting, intense meditation and devotional worship.
In the remembrance of God, duality is removed.
In the remembrance of God are purifying baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
In the remembrance of God, one attains honor in the Court of the Lord.
In the remembrance of God, one becomes good.
In the remembrance of God, one flowers in fruition.
They alone remember Him in meditation, whom He inspires to meditate.

Nanak grasps the feet of those humble beings. ||3||
The remembrance of God is the highest and most exalted of all.
In the remembrance of God, many are saved.
In the remembrance of God, thirst is quenched.
In the remembrance of God, all things are known.
In the remembrance of God, there is no fear of death.
In the remembrance of God, hopes are fulfilled.
In the remembrance of God, the filth of the mind is removed.
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is absorbed into the heart.
God abides upon the tongues of His Saints.
Nanak is the servant of the slave of His slaves. ||4||
Those who remember God are wealthy.
Those who remember God are honorable.
Those who remember God are approved.
Those who remember God are the most distinguished persons.
Those who remember God are not lacking.
Those who remember God are the rulers of all.
Those who remember God dwell in peace.
Those who remember God are immortal and eternal.
They alone hold to the remembrance of Him, unto whom He Himself shows His Mercy.
Nanak begs for the dust of their feet. ||5||
Those who remember God generously help others.
Those who remember God - to them, I am forever a sacrifice.
Those who remember God - their faces are beautiful.
Those who remember God abide in peace.
Those who remember God conquer their souls.
Those who remember God have a pure and spotless lifestyle.
Those who remember God experience all sorts of joys.
Those who remember God abide near the Lord.
By the Grace of the Saints, one remains awake and aware, night and day.
O Nanak, this meditative remembrance comes only by perfect destiny. ||6||
Remembering God, one's works are accomplished.
Remembering God, one never grieves.
Remembering God, one speaks the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Remembering God, one is absorbed into the state of intuitive ease.
Remembering God, one attains the unchanging position.
Remembering God, the heart-lotus blossoms forth.
Remembering God, the unstruck melody vibrates.
The peace of the meditative remembrance of God has no end or limitation.
They alone remember Him, upon whom God bestows His Grace.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of those humble beings. ||7||
Remembering the Lord, His devotees are famous and radiant.
Remembering the Lord, the Vedas were composed.
Remembering the Lord, we become Siddhas, celibates and givers.
Remembering the Lord, the lowly become known in all four directions.
For the remembrance of the Lord, the whole world was established.
Remember, remember in meditation the Lord, the Creator, the Cause of causes.
For the remembrance of the Lord, He created the whole creation.
In the remembrance of the Lord, He Himself is Formless.
By His Grace, He Himself bestows understanding.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh attains the remembrance of the Lord. ||8||1||
Shalok:
O Destroyer of the pains and the suffering of the poor, O Master of each and every heart, O Masterless One:
I have come seeking Your Sanctuary. O God, please be with Nanak! ||1||

ASHTAPADEE:
Where there is no mother, father, children, friends or siblings
- O my mind, there, only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, shall be with you as your help and support.
Where the great and terrible Messenger of Death shall try to crush you,
there, only the Naam shall go along with you.
Where the obstacles are so very heavy,
the Name of the Lord shall rescue you in an instant.
By performing countless religious rituals, you shall not be saved.
The Name of the Lord washes off millions of sins.
As Gurmukh, chant the Naam, O my mind.
O Nanak, you shall obtain countless joys. ||1||
The rulers of the all the world are unhappy;
one who chants the Name of the Lord becomes happy.
Acquiring hundreds of thousands and millions, your desires shall not be contained.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, you shall find release.
By the countless pleasures of Maya, your thirst shall not be quenched.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, you shall be satisfied.
Upon that path where you must go all alone,
there, only the Lord's Name shall go with you to sustain you.
On such a Name, O my mind, meditate forever.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, you shall obtain the state of supreme dignity. ||2||
You shall not be saved by hundreds of thousands and millions of helping hands.
Chanting the Naam, you shall be lifted up and carried across.
Where countless misfortunes threaten to destroy you,
the Name of the Lord shall rescue you in an instant.
Through countless incarnations, people are born and die.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, you shall come to rest in peace.
The ego is polluted by a filth which can never be washed off.
The Name of the Lord erases millions of sins.
Chant such a Name with love, O my mind.
O Nanak, it is obtained in the Company of the Holy. ||3||
On that path where the miles cannot be counted,
there, the Name of the Lord shall be your sustenance.
On that journey of total, pitch-black darkness,
the Name of the Lord shall be the Light with you.
On that journey where no one knows you,
with the Name of the Lord, you shall be recognized.
Where there is awesome and terrible heat and blazing sunshine,
there, the Name of the Lord will give you shade.
Where thirst, O my mind, torments you to cry out,
there, O Nanak, the Ambrosial Name, Har, Har, shall rain down upon you. ||4||
Unto the devotee, the Naam is an article of daily use.
The minds of the humble Saints are at peace.
The Name of the Lord is the Support of His servants.
By the Name of the Lord, millions have been saved.
The Saints chant the Praises of the Lord, day and night.
Har, Har - the Lord's Name - the Holy use it as their healing medicine.
The Lord's Name is the treasure of the Lord's servant.
The Supreme Lord God has blessed His humble servant with this gift.
Mind and body are imbued with ecstasy in the Love of the One Lord.
O Nanak, careful and discerning understanding is the way of the Lord's humble servant. ||5||
The Name of the Lord is the path of liberation for His humble servants.
With the food of the Name of the Lord, His servants are satisfied.
The Name of the Lord is the beauty and delight of His servants.
Chanting the Lord's Name, one is never blocked by obstacles.
The Name of the Lord is the glorious greatness of His servants.
Through the Name of the Lord, His servants obtain honor.

The Name of the Lord is the enjoyment and Yoga of His servants.
Chanting the Lord's Name, there is no separation from Him.
His servants are imbued with the service of the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, worship the Lord, the Lord Divine, Har, Har. ||6||
The Lord's Name, Har, Har, is the treasure of wealth of His servants.
The treasure of the Lord has been bestowed on His servants by God Himself.
The Lord, Har, Har is the All-powerful Protection of His servants.
His servants know no other than the Lord's Magnificence.
Through and through, His servants are imbued with the Lord's Love.
In deepest Samaadhi, they are intoxicated with the essence of the Naam.
Twenty-four hours a day, His servants chant Har, Har.
The devotees of the Lord are known and respected; they do not hide in secrecy.
Through devotion to the Lord, many have been liberated.
O Nanak, along with His servants, many others are saved. ||7||
This Elysian Tree of miraculous powers is the Name of the Lord.
The Khaamadhayn, the cow of miraculous powers, is the singing of the Glory of the Lord's Name, Har, Har.
Highest of all is the Lord's Speech.
Hearing the Naam, pain and sorrow are removed.
The Glory of the Naam abides in the hearts of His Saints.
By the Saint's kind intervention, all guilt is dispelled.
The Society of the Saints is obtained by great good fortune.
Serving the Saint, one meditates on the Naam.
There is nothing equal to the Naam.
O Nanak, rare are those, who, as Gurmukh, obtain the Naam. ||8||2||
Shalok:
The many Shaastras and the many Simritees - I have seen and searched through them all.
They are not equal to Har, Haray - O Nanak, the Lord's Invaluable Name. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Chanting, intense meditation, spiritual wisdom and all meditations;
the six schools of philosophy and sermons on the scriptures;
the practice of Yoga and righteous conduct;
the renunciation of everything and wandering around in the wilderness;
the performance of all sorts of works;
donations to charities and offerings of jewels to fire;
cutting the body apart and making the pieces into ceremonial fire offerings;
keeping fasts and making vows of all sorts
- none of these are equal to the contemplation of the Name of the Lord,
O Nanak, if, as Gurmukh, one chants the Naam, even once. ||1||
You may roam over the nine continents of the world and live a very long life;
you may become a great ascetic and a master of disciplined meditation
and burn yourself in fire;
you may give away gold, horses, elephants and land;
you may practice techniques of inner cleansing and all sorts of Yogic postures;
you may adopt the self-mortifying ways of the Jains and great spiritual disciplines;
piece by piece, you may cut your body apart;
but even so, the filth of your ego shall not depart.
There is nothing equal to the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, chant the Naam, and obtain salvation. ||2||
With your mind filled with desire, you may give up your body at a sacred shrine of pilgrimage;
but even so, egotistical pride shall not be removed from your mind.
You may practice cleansing day and night,
but the filth of your mind shall not leave your body.
You may subject your body to all sorts of disciplines,
but your mind will never be rid of its corruption.
You may wash this transitory body with loads of water,
but how can a wall of mud be washed clean?
O my mind, the Glorious Praise of the Name of the Lord is the highest;
O Nanak, the Naam has saved so many of the worst sinners. ||3||
Even with great cleverness, the fear of death clings to you.

You try all sorts of things, but your thirst is still not satisfied.
Wearing various religious robes, the fire is not extinguished.
Even making millions of efforts, you shall not be accepted in the Court of the Lord.
You cannot escape to the heavens, or to the nether regions,
if you are entangled in emotional attachment and the net of Maya.
All other efforts are punished by the Messenger of Death,
which accepts nothing at all, except meditation on the Lord of the Universe.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, sorrow is dispelled.
O Nanak, chant it with intuitive ease. ||4||
One who prays for the four cardinal blessings
should commit himself to the service of the Saints.
If you wish to erase your sorrows,
sing the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within your heart.
If you long for honor for yourself,
then renounce your ego in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
If you fear the cycle of birth and death,
then seek the Sanctuary of the Holy.
Those who thirst for the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan
- Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them. ||5||
Among all persons, the supreme person is the one
who gives up his egotistical pride in the Company of the Holy.
One who sees himself as lowly,
shall be accounted as the highest of all.
One whose mind is the dust of all,
recognizes the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in each and every heart.
One who eradicates cruelty from within his own mind,
looks upon all the world as his friend.
One who looks upon pleasure and pain as one and the same,
O Nanak, is not affected by sin or virtue. ||6||
To the poor, Your Name is wealth.
To the homeless, Your Name is home.
To the dishonored, You, O God, are honor.
To all, You are the Giver of gifts.
O Creator Lord, Cause of causes, O Lord and Master,
Inner-knower, Searcher of all hearts:
You alone know Your own condition and state.
You Yourself, God, are imbued with Yourself.
You alone can celebrate Your Praises.
O Nanak, no one else knows. ||7||
Of all religions, the best religion
is to chant the Name of the Lord and maintain pure conduct.
Of all religious rituals, the most sublime ritual
is to erase the filth of the dirty mind in the Company of the Holy.
Of all efforts, the best effort
is to chant the Name of the Lord in the heart, forever.
Of all speech, the most ambrosial speech
is to hear the Lord's Praise and chant it with the tongue.
Of all places, the most sublime place,
O Nanak, is that heart in which the Name of the Lord abides. ||8||3||
Shalok:
You worthless, ignorant fool - dwell upon God forever.
Cherish in your consciousness the One who created you; O Nanak, He alone shall go along with you. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Think of the Glory of the All-pervading Lord, O mortal;
what is your origin, and what is your appearance?
He who fashioned, adorned and decorated you
- in the fire of the womb, He preserved you.
In your infancy, He gave you milk to drink.
In the flower of your youth, He gave you food, pleasure and understanding.
As you grow old, family and friends are there to feed you as you rest.

This worthless person has not appreciated in the least, all the good deeds done for him.
If you bless him with forgiveness, O Nanak, only then will he be saved. ||1||
By His Grace, you abide in comfort upon the earth.
With your children, siblings, friends and spouse, you laugh.
By His Grace, you drink in cool water.
You have peaceful breezes and priceless fire.
By His Grace, you enjoy all sorts of pleasures.
You are provided with all the necessities of life.
He gave you hands, feet, ears, eyes and tongue,
and yet, you forsake Him and attach yourself to others.
Such sinful mistakes cling to the blind fools;
Nanak: uplift and save them, God! ||2||
From beginning to end, He is our Protector,
and yet, the ignorant do not give their love to Him.
Serving Him, the nine treasures are obtained,
and yet, the foolish do not link their minds with Him.
Our Lord and Master is Ever-present, forever and ever,
and yet, the spiritually blind believe that He is far away.
In His service, one obtains honor in the Court of the Lord,
and yet, the ignorant fool forgets Him.
Forever and ever, this person makes mistakes;
O Nanak, the Infinite Lord is our Saving Grace. ||3||
Forsaking the jewel, they are engrossed with a shell.
They renounce Truth and embrace falsehood.
That which passes away, they believe to be permanent.
That which is immanent, they believe to be far off.
They struggle for what they must eventually leave.
They turn away from the Lord, their Help and Support, who is always with them.
They wash off the sandalwood paste;
like donkeys, they are in love with the mud.
They have fallen into the deep, dark pit.
Nanak: lift them up and save them, O Merciful Lord God! ||4||
They belong to the human species, but they act like animals.
They curse others day and night.
Outwardly, they wear religious robes, but within is the filth of Maya.
They cannot conceal this, no matter how hard they try.
Outwardly, they display knowledge, meditation and purification,
but within clings the dog of greed.
The fire of desire rages within; outwardly they apply ashes to their bodies.
There is a stone around their neck - how can they cross the unfathomable ocean?
Those, within whom God Himself abides
- O Nanak, those humble beings are intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||5||
By listening, how can the blind find the path?
Take hold of his hand, and then he can reach his destination.
How can a riddle be understood by the deaf?
Say 'night', and he thinks you said 'day'.
How can the mute sing the Songs of the Lord?
He may try, but his voice will fail him.
How can the cripple climb up the mountain?
He simply cannot go there.
O Creator, Lord of Mercy - Your humble servant prays;
Nanak: by Your Grace, please save me. ||6||
The Lord, our Help and Support, is always with us, but the mortal does not remember Him.
He shows love to his enemies.
He lives in a castle of sand.
He enjoys the games of pleasure and the tastes of Maya.
He believes them to be permanent - this is the belief of his mind.
Death does not even come to mind for the fool.
Hate, conflict, sexual desire, anger, emotional attachment,
falsehood, corruption, immense greed and deceit:

So many lifetimes are wasted in these ways.
Nanak: uplift them, and redeem them, O Lord - show Your Mercy! ||7||
You are our Lord and Master; to You, I offer this prayer.
This body and soul are all Your property.
You are our mother and father; we are Your children.
In Your Grace, there are so many joys!
No one knows Your limits.
O Highest of the High, Most Generous God,
the whole creation is strung on Your thread.
That which has come from You is under Your Command.
You alone know Your state and extent.
Nanak, Your slave, is forever a sacrifice. ||8||4||
Shalok:
One who renounces God the Giver, and attaches himself to other affairs
- O Nanak, he shall never succeed. Without the Name, he shall lose his honor. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
He obtains ten things, and puts them behind him;
for the sake of one thing withheld, he forfeits his faith.
But what if that one thing were not given, and the ten were taken away?
Then, what could the fool say or do?
Our Lord and Master cannot be moved by force.
Unto Him, bow forever in adoration.
That one, unto whose mind God seems sweet
- all pleasures come to abide in his mind.
One who abides by the Lord's Will,
O Nanak, obtains all things. ||1||
God the Banker gives endless capital to the mortal,
who eats, drinks and expends it with pleasure and joy.
If some of this capital is later taken back by the Banker,
the ignorant person shows his anger.
He himself destroys his own credibility,
and he shall not again be trusted.
When one offers to the Lord, that which belongs to the Lord,
and willingly abides by the Will of God's Order,
the Lord will make him happy four times over.
O Nanak, our Lord and Master is merciful forever. ||2||
The many forms of attachment to Maya shall surely pass away - know that they are transitory.
People fall in love with the shade of the tree,
and when it passes away, they feel regret in their minds.
Whatever is seen, shall pass away;
and yet, the blindest of the blind cling to it.
One who gives her love to a passing traveler
- nothing shall come into her hands in this way.
O mind, the love of the Name of the Lord bestows peace.
O Nanak, the Lord, in His Mercy, unites us with Himself. ||3||
False are body, wealth, and all relations.
False are ego, possessiveness and Maya.
False are power, youth, wealth and property.
False are sexual desire and wild anger.
False are chariots, elephants, horses and expensive clothes.
False is the love of gathering wealth, and reveling in the sight of it.
False are deception, emotional attachment and egotistical pride.
False are pride and self-conceit.
Only devotional worship is permanent, and the Sanctuary of the Holy.
Nanak lives by meditating, meditating on the Lotus Feet of the Lord. ||4||
False are the ears which listen to the slander of others.
False are the hands which steal the wealth of others.

False are the eyes which gaze upon the beauty of another's wife.
False is the tongue which enjoys delicacies and external tastes.
False are the feet which run to do evil to others.
False is the mind which covets the wealth of others.
False is the body which does not do good to others.
False is the nose which inhales corruption.
Without understanding, everything is false.
Fruitful is the body, O Nanak, which takes to the Lord's Name. ||5||
The life of the faithless cynic is totally useless.
Without the Truth, how can anyone be pure?
Useless is the body of the spiritually blind, without the Name of the Lord.
From his mouth, a foul smell issues forth.
Without the remembrance of the Lord, day and night pass in vain,
like the crop which withers without rain.
Without meditation on the Lord of the Universe, all works are in vain,
like the wealth of a miser, which lies useless.
Blessed, blessed are those, whose hearts are filled with the Name of the Lord.
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them. ||6||
He says one thing, and does something else.
There is no love in his heart, and yet with his mouth he talks tall.
The Omniscient Lord God is the Knower of all.
He is not impressed by outward display.
One who does not practice what he preaches to others,
shall come and go in reincarnation, through birth and death.
One whose inner being is filled with the Formless Lord
- by his teachings, the world is saved.
Those who are pleasing to You, God, know You.
Nanak falls at their feet. ||7||
Offer your prayers to the Supreme Lord God, who knows everything.
He Himself values His own creatures.
He Himself, by Himself, makes the decisions.
To some, He appears far away, while others perceive Him near at hand.
He is beyond all efforts and clever tricks.
He knows all the ways and means of the soul.
Those with whom He is pleased are attached to the hem of His robe.
He is pervading all places and interspaces.
Those upon whom He bestows His favor, become His servants.
Each and every moment, O Nanak, meditate on the Lord. ||8||5||
Shalok:
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - may these be gone, and egotism as well.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; please bless me with Your Grace, O Divine Guru. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
By His Grace, you partake of the thirty-six delicacies;
enshrine that Lord and Master within your mind.
By His Grace, you apply scented oils to your body;
remembering Him, the supreme status is obtained.
By His Grace, you dwell in the palace of peace;
meditate forever on Him within your mind.
By His Grace, you abide with your family in peace;
keep His remembrance upon your tongue, twenty-four hours a day.
By His Grace, you enjoy tastes and pleasures;
O Nanak, meditate forever on the One, who is worthy of meditation. ||1||
By His Grace, you wear silks and satins;
why abandon Him, to attach yourself to another?
By His Grace, you sleep in a cozy bed;
O my mind, sing His Praises, twenty-four hours a day.
By His Grace, you are honored by everyone;

with your mouth and with your tongue, chant His Praises.
By His Grace, you remain in the Dharma;
O mind, meditate continually on the Supreme Lord God.
Meditating on God, you shall be honored in His Court;
O Nanak, you shall return to your true home with honor. ||2||
By His Grace, you have a healthy, golden body;
attune yourself to that Loving Lord.
By His Grace, your honor is preserved;
O mind, chant the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, and find peace.
By His Grace, all your deficits are covered;
O mind, seek the Sanctuary of God, our Lord and Master.
By His Grace, no one can rival you;
O mind, with each and every breath, remember God on High.
By His Grace, you obtained this precious human body;
O Nanak, worship Him with devotion. ||3||
By His Grace, you wear decorations;
O mind, why are you so lazy? Why don't you remember Him in meditation?
By His Grace, you have horses and elephants to ride;
O mind, never forget that God.
By His Grace, you have land, gardens and wealth;
keep God enshrined in your heart.
O mind, the One who formed your form
- standing up and sitting down, meditate always on Him.
Meditate on Him - the One Invisible Lord;
here and hereafter, O Nanak, He shall save you. ||4||
By His Grace, you give donations in abundance to charities;
O mind, meditate on Him, twenty-four hours a day.
By His Grace, you perform religious rituals and worldly duties;
think of God with each and every breath.
By His Grace, your form is so beautiful;
constantly remember God, the Incomparably Beautiful One.
By His Grace, you have such high social status;
remember God always, day and night.
By His Grace, your honor is preserved;
by Guru's Grace, O Nanak, chant His Praises. ||5||
By His Grace, you listen to the sound current of the Naad.
By His Grace, you behold amazing wonders.
By His Grace, you speak ambrosial words with your tongue.
By His Grace, you abide in peace and ease.
By His Grace, your hands move and work.
By His Grace, you are completely fulfilled.
By His Grace, you obtain the supreme status.
By His Grace, you are absorbed into celestial peace.
Why forsake God, and attach yourself to another?
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, awaken your mind! ||6||
By His Grace, you are famous all over the world;
never forget God from your mind.
By His Grace, you have prestige;
O foolish mind, meditate on Him!
By His Grace, your works are completed;
O mind, know Him to be close at hand.
By His Grace, you find the Truth;
O my mind, merge yourself into Him.
By His Grace, everyone is saved;
O Nanak, meditate, and chant His Chant. ||7||
Those, whom He inspires to chant, chant His Name.
Those, whom He inspires to sing, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.

By God's Grace, enlightenment comes.
By God's Kind Mercy, the heart-lotus blossoms forth.
When God is totally pleased, He comes to dwell in the mind.
By God's Kind Mercy, the intellect is exalted.
All treasures, O Lord, come by Your Kind Mercy.
No one obtains anything by himself.
As You have delegated, so do we apply ourselves, O Lord and Master.
O Nanak, nothing is in our hands. ||8||6||
Shalok:
Unapproachable and Unfathomable is the Supreme Lord God;
whoever speaks of Him shall be liberated.
Listen, O friends, Nanak prays, to the wonderful story of the Holy. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
In the Company of the Holy, one's face becomes radiant.
In the Company of the Holy, all filth is removed.
In the Company of the Holy, egotism is eliminated.
In the Company of the Holy, spiritual wisdom is revealed.
In the Company of the Holy, God is understood to be near at hand.
In the Company of the Holy, all conflicts are settled.
In the Company of the Holy, one obtains the jewel of the Naam.
In the Company of the Holy, one's efforts are directed toward the One Lord.
What mortal can speak of the Glorious Praises of the Holy?
O Nanak, the glory of the Holy people merges into God. ||1||
In the Company of the Holy, one meets the Incomprehensible Lord.
In the Company of the Holy, one flourishes forever.
In the Company of the Holy, the five passions are brought to rest.
In the Company of the Holy, one enjoys the essence of ambrosia.
In the Company of the Holy, one becomes the dust of all.
In the Company of the Holy, one's speech is enticing.
In the Company of the Holy, the mind does not wander.
In the Company of the Holy, the mind becomes stable.
In the Company of the Holy, one is rid of Maya.
In the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, God is totally pleased. ||2||
In the Company of the Holy, all one's enemies become friends.
In the Company of the Holy, there is great purity.
In the Company of the Holy, no one is hated.
In the Company of the Holy, one's feet do not wander.
In the Company of the Holy, no one seems evil.
In the Company of the Holy, supreme bliss is known.
In the Company of the Holy, the fever of ego departs.
In the Company of the Holy, one renounces all selfishness.
He Himself knows the greatness of the Holy.
O Nanak, the Holy are at one with God. ||3||
In the Company of the Holy, the mind never wanders.
In the Company of the Holy, one obtains everlasting peace.
In the Company of the Holy, one grasps the Incomprehensible.
In the Company of the Holy, one can endure the unendurable.
In the Company of the Holy, one abides in the loftiest place.
In the Company of the Holy, one attains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
In the Company of the Holy, one's Dharmic faith is firmly established.
In the Company of the Holy, one dwells with the Supreme Lord God.
In the Company of the Holy, one obtains the treasure of the Naam.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Holy. ||4||
In the Company of the Holy, all one's family is saved.
In the Company of the Holy, one's friends, acquaintances and relatives are redeemed.
In the Company of the Holy, that wealth is obtained.
Everyone benefits from that wealth.
In the Company of the Holy, the Lord of Dharma serves.
In the Company of the Holy, the divine, angelic beings sing God's Praises.
In the Company of the Holy, one's sins fly away.
In the Company of the Holy, one sings the Ambrosial Glories.
In the Company of the Holy, all places are within reach.

O Nanak, in the Company of the Holy, one's life becomes fruitful. ||5||
In the Company of the Holy, there is no suffering.
The Blessed Vision of their Darshan brings a sublime, happy peace.
In the Company of the Holy, blemishes are removed.
In the Company of the Holy, hell is far away.
In the Company of the Holy, one is happy here and hereafter.
In the Company of the Holy, the separated ones are reunited with the Lord.
The fruits of one's desires are obtained.
In the Company of the Holy, no one goes empty-handed.
The Supreme Lord God dwells in the hearts of the Holy.
O Nanak, listening to the sweet words of the Holy, one is saved. ||6||
In the Company of the Holy, listen to the Name of the Lord.
In the Company of the Holy, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
In the Company of the Holy, do not forget Him from your mind.
In the Company of the Holy, you shall surely be saved.
In the Company of the Holy, God seems very sweet.
In the Company of the Holy, He is seen in each and every heart.
In the Company of the Holy, we become obedient to the Lord.
In the Company of the Holy, we obtain the state of salvation.
In the Company of the Holy, all diseases are cured.
O Nanak, one meets with the Holy, by highest destiny. ||7||
The glory of the Holy people is not known to the Vedas.
They can describe only what they have heard.
The greatness of the Holy people is beyond the three qualities.
The greatness of the Holy people is all-pervading.
The glory of the Holy people has no limit.
The glory of the Holy people is infinite and eternal.
The glory of the Holy people is the highest of the high.
The glory of the Holy people is the greatest of the great.
The glory of the Holy people is theirs alone;
O Nanak, there is no difference between the Holy people and God. ||8||7||
Shalok:
The True One is on his mind, and the True One is upon his lips.
He sees only the One.
O Nanak, these are the qualities of the God-conscious being. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
The God-conscious being is always unattached,
as the lotus in the water remains detached.
The God-conscious being is always unstained,
like the sun, which gives its comfort and warmth to all.
The God-conscious being looks upon all alike,
like the wind, which blows equally upon the king and the poor beggar.
The God-conscious being has a steady patience,
like the earth, which is dug up by one, and anointed with sandal paste by another.
This is the quality of the God-conscious being:
O Nanak, his inherent nature is like a warming fire. ||1||
The God-conscious being is the purest of the pure;
filth does not stick to water.
The God-conscious being's mind is enlightened,
like the sky above the earth.
To the God-conscious being, friend and foe are the same.
The God-conscious being has no egotistical pride.
The God-conscious being is the highest of the high.
Within his own mind, he is the most humble of all.
They alone become God-conscious beings,
O Nanak, whom God Himself makes so. ||2||
The God-conscious being is the dust of all.
The God-conscious being knows the nature of the soul.
The God-conscious being shows kindness to all.
No evil comes from the God-conscious being.
The God-conscious being is always impartial.

Nectar rains down from the glance of the God-conscious being.
The God-conscious being is free from entanglements.
The lifestyle of the God-conscious being is spotlessly pure.
Spiritual wisdom is the food of the God-conscious being.
O Nanak, the God-conscious being is absorbed in God's meditation. ||3||
The God-conscious being centers his hopes on the One alone.
The God-conscious being shall never perish.
The God-conscious being is steeped in humility.
The God-conscious being delights in doing good to others.
The God-conscious being has no worldly entanglements.
The God-conscious being holds his wandering mind under control.
The God-conscious being acts in the common good.
The God-conscious being blossoms in fruitfulness.
In the Company of the God-conscious being, all are saved.
O Nanak, through the God-conscious being, the whole world meditates on God. ||4||
The God-conscious being loves the One Lord alone.
The God-conscious being dwells with God.
The God-conscious being takes the Naam as his Support.
The God-conscious being has the Naam as his Family.
The God-conscious being is awake and aware, forever and ever.
The God-conscious being renounces his proud ego.
In the mind of the God-conscious being, there is supreme bliss.
In the home of the God-conscious being, there is everlasting bliss.
The God-conscious being dwells in peaceful ease.
O Nanak, the God-conscious being shall never perish. ||5||
The God-conscious being knows God.
The God-conscious being is in love with the One alone.
The God-conscious being is carefree.
Pure are the Teachings of the God-conscious being.
The God-conscious being is made so by God Himself.
The God-conscious being is gloriously great.
The Darshan, the Blessed Vision of the God-conscious being, is obtained by great good fortune.
To the God-conscious being, I make my life a sacrifice.
The God-conscious being is sought by the great god Shiva.
O Nanak, the God-conscious being is Himself the Supreme Lord God. ||6||
The God-conscious being cannot be appraised.
The God-conscious being has all within his mind.
Who can know the mystery of the God-conscious being?
Forever bow to the God-conscious being.
The God-conscious being cannot be described in words.
The God-conscious being is the Lord and Master of all.
Who can describe the limits of the God-conscious being?
Only the God-conscious being can know the state of the God-conscious being.
The God-conscious being has no end or limitation.
O Nanak, to the God-conscious being, bow forever in reverence. ||7||
The God-conscious being is the Creator of all the world.
The God-conscious being lives forever, and does not die.
The God-conscious being is the Giver of the way of liberation of the soul.
The God-conscious being is the Perfect Supreme Being, who orchestrates all.
The God-conscious being is the helper of the helpless.
The God-conscious being extends his hand to all.
The God-conscious being owns the entire creation.

The God-conscious being is himself the Formless Lord.
The glory of the God-conscious being belongs to the God-conscious being alone.
O Nanak, the God-conscious being is the Lord of all. ||8||8||
Shalok:
One who enshrines the Naam within the heart,
who sees the Lord God in all,
who, each and every moment, bows in reverence to the Lord Master
- O Nanak, such a one is the true 'touch-nothing Saint', who emancipates everyone. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
One whose tongue does not touch falsehood;
whose mind is filled with love for the Blessed Vision of the Pure Lord,
whose eyes do not gaze upon the beauty of others' wives,
who serves the Holy and loves the Saints' Congregation,
whose ears do not listen to slander against anyone,
who deems himself to be the worst of all,
who, by Guru's Grace, renounces corruption,
who banishes the mind's evil desires from his mind,
who conquers his sexual instincts and is free of the five sinful passions
- O Nanak, among millions, there is scarcely one such 'touch-nothing Saint'. ||1||
The true Vaishnaav, the devotee of Vishnu, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased.
He dwells apart from Maya.
Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards.
Spotlessly pure is the religion of such a Vaishnaav;
he has no desire for the fruits of his labors.
He is absorbed in devotional worship and the singing of Kirtan, the songs of the Lord's Glory.
Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe.
He is kind to all creatures.
He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it.
O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the supreme status. ||2||
The true Bhagaautee, the devotee of Adi Shakti, loves the devotional worship of God.
He forsakes the company of all wicked people.
All doubts are removed from his mind.
He performs devotional service to the Supreme Lord God in all.
In the Company of the Holy, the filth of sin is washed away.
The wisdom of such a Bhagaautee becomes supreme.
He constantly performs the service of the Supreme Lord God.
He dedicates his mind and body to the Love of God.
The Lotus Feet of the Lord abide in his heart.
O Nanak, such a Bhagaautee attains the Lord God. ||3||
He is a true Pandit, a religious scholar, who instructs his own mind.
He searches for the Lord's Name within his own soul.
He drinks in the Exquisite Nectar of the Lord's Name.
By that Pandit's teachings, the world lives.
He implants the Sermon of the Lord in his heart.
Such a Pandit is not cast into the womb of reincarnation again.
He understands the fundamental essence of the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees.
In the unmanifest, he sees the manifest world to exist.
He gives instruction to people of all castes and social classes.
O Nanak, to such a Pandit, I bow in salutation forever. ||4||
The Beej Mantra, the Seed Mantra, is spiritual wisdom for everyone.
Anyone, from any class, may chant the Naam.
Whoever chants it, is emancipated.
And yet, rare are those who attain it, in the Company of the Holy.
By His Grace, He enshrines it within.
Even beasts, ghosts and the stone-hearted are saved.
The Naam is the panacea, the remedy to cure all ills.
Singing the Glory of God is the embodiment of bliss and emancipation.
It cannot be obtained by any religious rituals.
O Nanak, he alone obtains it, whose karma is so pre-ordained. ||5||
One whose mind is a home for the Supreme Lord God

- his name is truly Ram Das, the Lord's servant.
He comes to have the Vision of the Lord, the Supreme Soul.
Deeming himself to be the slave of the Lord's slaves, he obtains it.
He knows the Lord to be Ever-present, close at hand.
Such a servant is honored in the Court of the Lord.
To His servant, He Himself shows His Mercy.
Such a servant understands everything.
Amidst all, his soul is unattached.
Such is the way, O Nanak, of the Lord's servant. ||6||
One who, in his soul, loves the Will of God,
is said to be Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive.
As is joy, so is sorrow to him.
He is in eternal bliss, and is not separated from God.
As is gold, so is dust to him.
As is ambrosial nectar, so is bitter poison to him.
As is honor, so is dishonor.
As is the beggar, so is the king.
Whatever God ordains, that is his way.
O Nanak, that being is known as Jivan Mukta. ||7||
All places belong to the Supreme Lord God.
According to the homes in which they are placed, so are His creatures named.
He Himself is the Doer, the Cause of causes.
Whatever pleases God, ultimately comes to pass.
He Himself is All-pervading, in endless waves.
The playful sport of the Supreme Lord God cannot be known.
As the understanding is given, so is one enlightened.
The Supreme Lord God, the Creator, is eternal and everlasting.
Forever, forever and ever, He is merciful.
Remembering Him, remembering Him in meditation, O Nanak, one is blessed with ecstasy. ||8||9||
Shalok:
Many people praise the Lord. He has no end or limitation.
O Nanak, God created the creation, with its many ways and various species. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Many millions are His devotees.
Many millions perform religious rituals and worldly duties.
Many millions become dwellers at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Many millions wander as renunciates in the wilderness.
Many millions listen to the Vedas.
Many millions become austere penitents.
Many millions enshrine meditation within their souls.
Many millions of poets contemplate Him through poetry.
Many millions meditate on His eternally new Naam.
O Nanak, none can find the limits of the Creator. ||1||
Many millions become self-centered.
Many millions are blinded by ignorance.
Many millions are stone-hearted misers.
Many millions are heartless, with dry, withered souls.
Many millions steal the wealth of others.
Many millions slander others.
Many millions struggle in Maya.
Many millions wander in foreign lands.
Whatever God attaches them to - with that they are engaged.
O Nanak, the Creator alone knows the workings of His creation. ||2||
Many millions are Siddhas, celibates and Yogis.
Many millions are kings, enjoying worldly pleasures.
Many millions of birds and snakes have been created.
Many millions of stones and trees have been produced.
Many millions are the winds, waters and fires.
Many millions are the countries and realms of the world.
Many millions are the moons, suns and stars.

Many millions are the demi-gods, demons and Indras, under their regal canopies.
He has strung the entire creation upon His thread.
O Nanak, He emancipates those with whom He is pleased. ||3||
Many millions abide in heated activity, slothful darkness and peaceful light.
Many millions are the Vedas, Puraanas, Simritees and Shaastras.
Many millions are the pearls of the oceans.
Many millions are the beings of so many descriptions.
Many millions are made long-lived.
Many millions of hills and mountains have been made of gold.
Many millions are the Yakhshas - the servants of the god of wealth, the Kinnars - the gods of celestial music, and the evil spirits of the Pisaach.
Many millions are the evil nature-spirits, ghosts, pigs and tigers.
He is near to all, and yet far from all;
O Nanak, He Himself remains distinct, while yet pervading all. ||4||
Many millions inhabit the nether regions.
Many millions dwell in heaven and hell.
Many millions are born, live and die.
Many millions are reincarnated, over and over again.
Many millions eat while sitting at ease.
Many millions are exhausted by their labors.
Many millions are created wealthy.
Many millions are anxiously involved in Maya.
Wherever He wills, there He keeps us.
O Nanak, everything is in the Hands of God. ||5||
Many millions become Bairaagees, who renounce the world.
They have attached themselves to the Lord's Name.
Many millions are searching for God.
Within their souls, they find the Supreme Lord God.
Many millions thirst for the Blessing of God's Darshan.
They meet with God, the Eternal.
Many millions pray for the Society of the Saints.
They are imbued with the Love of the Supreme Lord God.
Those with whom He Himself is pleased,
O Nanak, are blessed, forever blessed. ||6||
Many millions are the fields of creation and the galaxies.
Many millions are the etheric skies and the solar systems.
Many millions are the divine incarnations.
In so many ways, He has unfolded Himself.
So many times, He has expanded His expansion.
Forever and ever, He is the One, the One Universal Creator.
Many millions are created in various forms.
From God they emanate, and into God they merge once again.
His limits are not known to anyone.
Of Himself, and by Himself, O Nanak, God exists. ||7||
Many millions are the servants of the Supreme Lord God.
Their souls are enlightened.
Many millions know the essence of reality.
Their eyes gaze forever on the One alone.
Many millions drink in the essence of the Naam.
They become immortal; they live forever and ever.
Many millions sing the Glorious Praises of the Naam.
They are absorbed in intuitive peace and pleasure.
He remembers His servants with each and every breath.
O Nanak, they are the beloveds of the Transcendent Lord God. ||8||10||
Shalok:
God alone is the Doer of deeds - there is no other at all.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the One, who pervades the waters, the lands, the sky and all space. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
The Doer, the Cause of causes, is potent to do anything.
That which pleases Him, comes to pass.
In an instant, He creates and destroys.

He has no end or limitation.
By His Order, He established the earth, and He maintains it unsupported.
By His Order, the world was created; by His Order, it shall merge again into Him.
By His Order, one's occupation is high or low.
By His Order, there are so many colors and forms.
Having created the Creation, He beholds His own greatness.
O Nanak, He is pervading in all. ||1||
If it pleases God, one attains salvation.
If it pleases God, then even stones can swim.
If it pleases God, the body is preserved, even without the breath of life.
If it pleases God, then one chants the Lord's Glorious Praises.
If it pleases God, then even sinners are saved.
He Himself acts, and He Himself contemplates.
He Himself is the Master of both worlds.
He plays and He enjoys; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
As He wills, He causes actions to be done.
Nanak sees no other than Him. ||2||
Tell me - what can a mere mortal do?
Whatever pleases God is what He causes us to do.
If it were in our hands, we would grab up everything.
Whatever pleases God - that is what He does.
Through ignorance, people are engrossed in corruption.
If they knew better, they would save themselves.
Deluded by doubt, they wander around in the ten directions.
In an instant, their minds go around the four corners of the world and come back again.
Those whom the Lord mercifully blesses with His devotional worship
- O Nanak, they are absorbed into the Naam. ||3||
In an instant, the lowly worm is transformed into a king.
The Supreme Lord God is the Protector of the humble.
Even one who has never been seen at all,
becomes instantly famous in the ten directions.
And that one upon whom He bestows His blessings
- the Lord of the world does not hold him to his account.
Soul and body are all His property.
Each and every heart is illuminated by the Perfect Lord God.
He Himself fashioned His own handiwork.
Nanak lives by beholding His greatness. ||4||
There is no power in the hands of mortal beings;
the Doer, the Cause of causes is the Lord of all.
The helpless beings are subject to His Command.
That which pleases Him, ultimately comes to pass.
Sometimes, they abide in exaltation; sometimes, they are depressed.
Sometimes, they are sad, and sometimes they laugh with joy and delight.
Sometimes, they are occupied with slander and anxiety.
Sometimes, they are high in the Akaashic Ethers, sometimes in the nether regions of the underworld.
Sometimes, they know the contemplation of God.
O Nanak, God Himself unites them with Himself. ||5||
Sometimes, they dance in various ways.
Sometimes, they remain asleep day and night.
Sometimes, they are awesome, in terrible rage.
Sometimes, they are the dust of the feet of all.
Sometimes, they sit as great kings.
Sometimes, they wear the coat of a lowly beggar.
Sometimes, they come to have evil reputations.
Sometimes, they are known as very, very good.
As God keeps them, so they remain.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, the Truth is told. ||6||
Sometimes, as scholars, they deliver lectures.
Sometimes, they hold to silence in deep meditation.
Sometimes, they take cleansing baths at places of pilgrimage.
Sometimes, as Siddhas or seekers, they impart spiritual wisdom.
Sometimes, they becomes worms, elephants, or moths.
They may wander and roam through countless incarnations.

In various costumes, like actors, they appear.
As it pleases God, they dance.
Whatever pleases Him, comes to pass.
O Nanak, there is no other at all. ||7||
Sometimes, this being attains the Company of the Holy.
From that place, he does not have to come back again.
The light of spiritual wisdom dawns within.
That place does not perish.
The mind and body are imbued with the Love of the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
He dwells forever with the Supreme Lord God.
As water comes to blend with water,
his light blends into the Light.
Reincarnation is ended, and eternal peace is found.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to God. ||8||11||
Shalok:
The humble beings abide in peace; subduing egotism, they are meek.
The very proud and arrogant persons, O Nanak, are consumed by their own pride. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
One who has the pride of power within,
shall dwell in hell, and become a dog.
One who deems himself to have the beauty of youth,
shall become a maggot in manure.
One who claims to act virtuously,
shall live and die, wandering through countless reincarnations.
One who takes pride in wealth and lands
is a fool, blind and ignorant.
One whose heart is mercifully blessed with abiding humility,
O Nanak, is liberated here, and obtains peace hereafter. ||1||
One who becomes wealthy and takes pride in it
- not even a piece of straw shall go along with him.
He may place his hopes on a large army of men,
but he shall vanish in an instant.
One who deems himself to be the strongest of all,
in an instant, shall be reduced to ashes.
One who thinks of no one else except his own prideful self
- the Righteous Judge of Dharma shall expose his disgrace.
One who, by Guru's Grace, eliminates his ego,
O Nanak, becomes acceptable in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
If someone does millions of good deeds, while acting in ego,
he shall incur only trouble; all this is in vain.
If someone performs great penance, while acting in selfishness and conceit,
he shall be reincarnated into heaven and hell, over and over again.
He makes all sorts of efforts, but his soul is still not softened
- how can he go to the Court of the Lord?
One who calls himself good
- goodness shall not draw near him.
One whose mind is the dust of all
- says Nanak, his reputation is spotlessly pure. ||3||
As long as someone thinks that he is the one who acts,
he shall have no peace.
As long as this mortal thinks that he is the one who does things,
he shall wander in reincarnation through the womb.
As long as he considers one an enemy, and another a friend,
his mind shall not come to rest.
As long as he is intoxicated with attachment to Maya,
the Righteous Judge shall punish him.
By God's Grace, his bonds are shattered;
by Guru's Grace, O Nanak, his ego is eliminated. ||4||
Earning a thousand, he runs after a hundred thousand.

Satisfaction is not obtained by chasing after Maya.
He may enjoy all sorts of corrupt pleasures,
but he is still not satisfied; he indulges again and again, wearing himself out, until he dies.
Without contentment, no one is satisfied.
Like the objects in a dream, all his efforts are in vain.
Through the love of the Naam, all peace is obtained.
Only a few obtain this, by great good fortune.
He Himself is Himself the Cause of causes.
Forever and ever, O Nanak, chant the Lord's Name. ||5||
The Doer, the Cause of causes, is the Creator Lord.
What deliberations are in the hands of mortal beings?
As God casts His Glance of Grace, they come to be.
God Himself, of Himself, is unto Himself.
Whatever He created, was by His Own Pleasure.
He is far from all, and yet with all.
He understands, He sees, and He passes judgment.
He Himself is the One, and He Himself is the many.
He does not die or perish; He does not come or go.
O Nanak, He remains forever All-pervading. ||6||
He Himself instructs, and He Himself learns.
He Himself mingles with all.
He Himself created His own expanse.
All things are His; He is the Creator.
Without Him, what could be done?
In the spaces and interspaces, He is the One.
In His own play, He Himself is the Actor.
He produces His plays with infinite variety.
He Himself is in the mind, and the mind is in Him.
O Nanak, His worth cannot be estimated. ||7||
True, True, True is God, our Lord and Master.
By Guru's Grace, some speak of Him.
True, True, True is the Creator of all.
Out of millions, scarcely anyone knows Him.
Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful is Your Sublime Form.
You are Exquisitely Beautiful, Infinite and Incomparable.
Pure, Pure, Pure is the Word of Your Bani,
heard in each and every heart, spoken to the ears.
Holy, Holy, Holy and Sublimely Pure
- chant the Naam, O Nanak, with heart-felt love. ||8||12||
Shalok:
One who seeks the Sanctuary of the Saints shall be saved.
One who slanders the Saints, O Nanak, shall be reincarnated over and over again. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Slandering the Saints, one's life is cut short.
Slandering the Saints, one shall not escape the Messenger of Death.
Slandering the Saints, all happiness vanishes.
Slandering the Saints, one falls into hell.
Slandering the Saints, the intellect is polluted.
Slandering the Saints, one's reputation is lost.
One who is cursed by a Saint cannot be saved.
Slandering the Saints, one's place is defiled.
But if the Compassionate Saint shows His Kindness,
O Nanak, in the Company of the Saints, the slanderer may still be saved. ||1||
Slandering the Saints, one becomes a wry-faced malcontent.
Slandering the Saints, one croaks like a raven.
Slandering the Saints, one is reincarnated as a snake.
Slandering the Saints, one is reincarnated as a wiggling worm.
Slandering the Saints, one burns in the fire of desire.
Slandering the Saints, one tries to deceive everyone.
Slandering the Saints, all one's influence vanishes.
Slandering the Saints, one becomes the lowest of the low.
For the slanderer of the Saint, there is no place of rest.

O Nanak, if it pleases the Saint, even then, he may be saved. ||2||
The slanderer of the Saint is the worst evil-doer.
The slanderer of the Saint has not even a moment's rest.
The slanderer of the Saint is a brutal butcher.
The slanderer of the Saint is cursed by the Transcendent Lord.
The slanderer of the Saint has no kingdom.
The slanderer of the Saint becomes miserable and poor.
The slanderer of the Saint contracts all diseases.
The slanderer of the Saint is forever separated.
To slander a Saint is the worst sin of sins.
O Nanak, if it pleases the Saint, then even this one may be liberated. ||3||
The slanderer of the Saint is forever impure.
The slanderer of the Saint is nobody's friend.
The slanderer of the Saint shall be punished.
The slanderer of the Saint is abandoned by all.
The slanderer of the Saint is totally egocentric.
The slanderer of the Saint is forever corrupt.
The slanderer of the Saint must endure birth and death.
The slanderer of the Saint is devoid of peace.
The slanderer of the Saint has no place of rest.
O Nanak, if it pleases the Saint, then even such a one may merge in union. ||4||
The slanderer of the Saint breaks down mid-way.
The slanderer of the Saint cannot accomplish his tasks.
The slanderer of the Saint wanders in the wilderness.
The slanderer of the Saint is misled into desolation.
The slanderer of the Saint is empty inside,
like the corpse of a dead man, without the breath of life.
The slanderer of the Saint has no heritage at all.
He himself must eat what he has planted.
The slanderer of the Saint cannot be saved by anyone else.
O Nanak, if it pleases the Saint, then even he may be saved. ||5||
The slanderer of the Saint bewails like this
- like a fish, out of water, writhing in agony.
The slanderer of the Saint is hungry and is never satisfied,
as fire is not satisfied by fuel.
The slanderer of the Saint is left all alone,
like the miserable barren sesame stalk abandoned in the field.
The slanderer of the Saint is devoid of faith.
The slanderer of the Saint constantly lies.
The fate of the slanderer is pre-ordained from the very beginning of time.
O Nanak, whatever pleases God's Will comes to pass. ||6||
The slanderer of the Saint becomes deformed.
The slanderer of the Saint receives his punishment in the Court of the Lord.
The slanderer of the Saint is eternally in limbo.
He does not die, but he does not live either.
The hopes of the slanderer of the Saint are not fulfilled.
The slanderer of the Saint departs disappointed.
Slandering the Saint, no one attains satisfaction.
As it pleases the Lord, so do people become;
no one can erase their past actions.
O Nanak, the True Lord alone knows all. ||7||
All hearts are His; He is the Creator.
Forever and ever, I bow to Him in reverence.
Praise God, day and night.
Meditate on Him with every breath and morsel of food.
Everything happens as He wills.
As He wills, so people become.
He Himself is the play, and He Himself is the actor.
Who else can speak or deliberate upon this?

He Himself gives His Name to those, upon whom He bestows His Mercy.
Very fortunate, O Nanak, are those people. ||8||13||
Shalok:
Give up your cleverness, good people - remember the Lord God, your King!
Enshrine in your heart, your hopes in the One Lord. O Nanak, your pain, doubt and fear shall depart. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Reliance on mortals is in vain - know this well.
The Great Giver is the One Lord God.
By His gifts, we are satisfied,
and we suffer from thirst no longer.
The One Lord Himself destroys and also preserves.
Nothing at all is in the hands of mortal beings.
Understanding His Order, there is peace.
So take His Name, and wear it as your necklace.
Remember, remember, remember God in meditation.
O Nanak, no obstacle shall stand in your way. ||1||
Praise the Formless Lord in your mind.
O my mind, make this your true occupation.
Let your tongue become pure, drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar.
Your soul shall be forever peaceful.
With your eyes, see the wondrous play of your Lord and Master.
In the Company of the Holy, all other associations vanish.
With your feet, walk in the Way of the Lord.
Sins are washed away, chanting the Lord's Name, even for a moment.
So do the Lord's Work, and listen to the Lord's Sermon.
In the Lord's Court, O Nanak, your face shall be radiant. ||2||
Very fortunate are those humble beings in this world,
who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, forever and ever.
Those who dwell upon the Lord's Name,
are the most wealthy and prosperous in the world.
Those who speak of the Supreme Lord in thought, word and deed
- know that they are peaceful and happy, forever and ever.
One who recognizes the One and only Lord as One,
understands this world and the next.
One whose mind accepts the Company of the Naam,
the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, knows the Immaculate Lord. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, one understands himself;
know that then, his thirst is quenched.
In the Company of the Holy, one chants the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har.
Such a devotee of the Lord is free of all disease.
Night and day, sing the Kirtan, the Praises of the One Lord.
In the midst of your household, remain balanced and unattached.
One who places his hopes in the One Lord
- the noose of Death is cut away from his neck.
One whose mind hungers for the Supreme Lord God,
O Nanak, shall not suffer pain. ||4||
One who focuses his conscious mind on the Lord God
- that Saint is at peace; he does not waver.
Those unto whom God has granted His Grace
- who do those servants need to fear?
As God is, so does He appear;
in His Own creation, He Himself is pervading.
Searching, searching, searching, and finally, success!
By Guru's Grace, the essence of all reality is understood.
Wherever I look, there I see Him, at the root of all things.
O Nanak, He is the subtle, and He is also the manifest. ||5||
Nothing is born, and nothing dies.
He Himself stages His own drama.
Coming and going, seen and unseen,
all the world is obedient to His Will.

He Himself is All-in-Himself.
In His many ways, He establishes and disestablishes.
He is Imperishable; nothing can be broken.
He lends His Support to maintain the Universe.
Unfathomable and Inscrutable is the Glory of the Lord.
As He inspires us to meditate, O Nanak, so do we meditate. ||6||
Those who know God are glorious.
The whole world is redeemed by their teachings.
God's servants redeem all.
God's servants cause sorrows to be forgotten.
The Merciful Lord unites them with Himself.
Chanting the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they become ecstatic.
He alone is committed to serve them,
upon whom God bestows His Mercy, by great good fortune.
Those who chant the Naam find their place of rest.
O Nanak, respect those persons as the most noble. ||7||
Whatever you do, do it for the Love of God.
Forever and ever, abide with the Lord.
By its own natural course, whatever will be will be.
Acknowledge that Creator Lord;
God's doings are sweet to His humble servant.
As He is, so does He appear.
From Him we came, and into Him we shall merge again.
He is the treasure of peace, and so does His servant become.
Unto His own, He has given His honor.
O Nanak, know that God and His humble servant are one and the same. ||8||14||
Shalok:
God is totally imbued with all powers; He is the Knower of our troubles.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, we are saved; Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
The Lord of the World is the Mender of the broken.
He Himself cherishes all beings.
The cares of all are on His Mind;
no one is turned away from Him.
O my mind, meditate forever on the Lord.
The Imperishable Lord God is Himself All-in-all.
By one's own actions, nothing is accomplished,
even though the mortal may wish it so, hundreds of times.
Without Him, nothing is of any use to you.
Salvation, O Nanak, is attained by chanting the Name of the One Lord. ||1||
One who is good-looking should not be vain;
the Light of God is in all hearts.
Why should anyone be proud of being rich?
All riches are His gifts.
One may call himself a great hero,
but without God's Power, what can anyone do?
One who brags about giving to charities
- the Great Giver shall judge him to be a fool.
One who, by Guru's Grace, is cured of the disease of ego
- O Nanak, that person is forever healthy. ||2||
As a palace is supported by its pillars,
so does the Guru's Word support the mind.
As a stone placed in a boat can cross over the river,
so is the mortal saved, grasping hold of the Guru's Feet.
As the darkness is illuminated by the lamp,
so does the mind blossom forth, beholding the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.
The path is found through the great wilderness by joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and one's light shines forth.
I seek the dust of the feet of those Saints;
O Lord, fulfill Nanak's longing! ||3||
O foolish mind, why do you cry and bewail?

You shall obtain your pre-ordained destiny.
God is the Giver of pain and pleasure.
Abandon others, and think of Him alone.
Whatever He does - take comfort in that.
Why do you wander around, you ignorant fool?
What things did you bring with you?
You cling to worldly pleasures like a greedy moth.
Dwell upon the Lord's Name in your heart.
O Nanak, thus you shall return to your home with honor. ||4||
This merchandise, which you have come to obtai
n - the Lord's Name is obtained in the home of the Saints.
Renounce your egotistical pride, and with your mind, purchase the Lord's Name - measure it out within your heart.
Load up this merchandise, and set out with the Saints.
Give up other corrupt entanglements.
"Blessed, blessed", everyone will call you,
and your face shall be radiant in the Court of the Lord.
In this trade, only a few are trading.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to them. ||5||
Wash the feet of the Holy, and drink in this water.
Dedicate your soul to the Holy.
Take your cleansing bath in the dust of the feet of the Holy.
To the Holy, make your life a sacrifice.
Service to the Holy is obtained by great good fortune.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is sung.
From all sorts of dangers, the Saint saves us.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, we taste the ambrosial essence.
Seeking the Protection of the Saints, we have come to their door.
All comforts, O Nanak, are so obtained. ||6||
He infuses life back into the dead.
He gives food to the hungry.
All treasures are within His Glance of Grace.
People obtain that which they are pre-ordained to receive.
All things are His; He is the Doer of all.
Other than Him, there has never been any other, and there shall never be.
Meditate on Him forever and ever, day and night.
This way of life is exalted and immaculate.
One whom the Lord, in His Grace, blesses with His Name
- O Nanak, that person becomes immaculate and pure. ||7||
One who has faith in the Guru in his mind
comes to dwell upon the Lord God.
He is acclaimed as a devotee, a humble devotee throughout the three worlds.
The One Lord is in his heart.
True are his actions; true are his ways.
True is his heart; Truth is what he speaks with his mouth.
True is his vision; true is his form.
He distributes Truth and he spreads Truth.
One who recognizes the Supreme Lord God as True
- O Nanak, that humble being is absorbed into the True One. ||8||15||
Shalok:
He has no form, no shape, no color; God is beyond the three qualities.
They alone understand Him, O Nanak, with whom He is pleased. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Keep the Immortal Lord God enshrined within your mind.
Renounce your love and attachment to people.
Beyond Him, there is nothing at all.
The One Lord is pervading among all.
He Himself is All-seeing; He Himself is All-knowing,
Unfathomable, Profound, Deep and All-knowing.
He is the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, the Lord of the Universe,
the Treasure of mercy, compassion and forgiveness.
To fall at the Feet of Your Holy Beings

- this is the longing of Nanak's mind. ||1||
He is the Fulfiller of wishes, who can give us Sanctuary;
that which He has written, comes to pass.
He destroys and creates in the twinkling of an eye.
No one else knows the mystery of His ways.
He is the embodiment of ecstasy and everlasting joy.
I have heard that all things are in His home.
Among kings, He is the King; among yogis, He is the Yogi.
Among ascetics, He is the Ascetic; among householders, He is the Enjoyer.
By constant meditation, His devotee finds peace.
O Nanak, no one has found the limits of that Supreme Being. ||2||
There is no limit to His play.
All the demigods have grown weary of searching for it.
What does the son know of his father's birth?
All are strung upon His string.
He bestows good sense, spiritual wisdom and meditation on His humble servants and slaves who meditate on the Naam.
He leads some astray in the three qualities;
they are born and die, coming and going over and over again.
The high and the low are His places.
As He inspires us to know Him, O Nanak, so is He known. ||3||
Many are His forms; many are His colors.
Many are the appearances which He assumes, and yet He is still the One.
In so many ways, He has extended Himself.
The Eternal Lord God is the One, the Creator.
He performs His many plays in an instant.
The Perfect Lord is pervading all places.
In so many ways, He created the creation.
He alone can estimate His worth.
All hearts are His, and all places are His.
Nanak lives by chanting, chanting the Name of the Lord. ||4||
The Naam is the Support of all creatures.
The Naam is the Support of the earth and solar systems.
The Naam is the Support of the Simritees, the Vedas and the Puraanas.
The Naam is the Support by which we hear of spiritual wisdom and meditation.
The Naam is the Support of the Akaashic ethers and the nether regions.
The Naam is the Support of all bodies.
The Naam is the Support of all worlds and realms.
Associating with the Naam, listening to it with the ears, one is saved.
Those whom the Lord mercifully attaches to His Naam
- O Nanak, in the fourth state, those humble servants attain salvation. ||5||
His form is true, and true is His place.
His personality is true - He alone is supreme.
His acts are true, and true is His Word.
The True Lord is permeating all.
True are His actions; His creation is true.
His root is true, and true is what originates from it.
True is His lifestyle, the purest of the pure.
All goes well for those who know Him.
The True Name of God is the Giver of peace.
Nanak has obtained true faith from the Guru. ||6||
True are the Teachings, and the Instructions of the Holy.
True are those into whose hearts He enters.
One who knows and loves the Truth
- chanting the Naam, he obtains salvation.
He Himself is True, and all that He has made is true.
He Himself knows His own state and condition.

He is the Creator Lord of His world.
No one else understands Him, although they may try.
The created cannot know the extent of the Creator.
O Nanak, whatever pleases Him comes to pass. ||7||
Gazing upon His wondrous wonder, I am wonder-struck and amazed!
One who realizes this, comes to taste this state of joy.
God's humble servants remain absorbed in His Love.
Following the Guru's Teachings, they receive the four cardinal blessings.
They are the givers, the dispellers of pain.
In their company, the world is saved.
The slave of the Lord's servant is so very blessed.
In the company of His servant, one becomes attached to the Love of the One.
His humble servant sings the Kirtan, the songs of the glory of God.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, he receives the fruits of his rewards. ||8||16||
Shalok:
True in the beginning, True throughout the ages,
True here and now. O Nanak, He shall forever be True. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
His Lotus Feet are True, and True are those who touch Them.
His devotional worship is True, and True are those who worship Him.
The Blessing of His Vision is True, and True are those who behold it.
His Naam is True, and True are those who meditate on it.
He Himself is True, and True is all that He sustains.
He Himself is virtuous goodness, and He Himself is the Bestower of virtue.
The Word of His Shabad is True, and True are those who speak of God.
Those ears are True, and True are those who listen to His Praises.
All is True to one who understands.
O Nanak, True, True is He, the Lord God. ||1||
One who believes in the Embodiment of Truth with all his heart
recognizes the Cause of causes as the Root of all.
One whose heart is filled with faith in God
- the essence of spiritual wisdom is revealed to his mind.
Coming out of fear, he comes to live without fear.
He is absorbed into the One, from whom he originated.
When something blends with its own,
it cannot be said to be separate from it.
This is understood only by one of discerning understanding.
Meeting with the Lord, O Nanak, he becomes one with Him. ||2||
The servant is obedient to his Lord and Master.
The servant worships his Lord and Master forever.
The servant of the Lord Master has faith in his mind.
The servant of the Lord Master lives a pure lifestyle.
The servant of the Lord Master knows that the Lord is with him.
God's servant is attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
God is the Cherisher of His servant.
The Formless Lord preserves His servant.
Unto His servant, God bestows His Mercy.
O Nanak, that servant remembers Him with each and every breath. ||3||
He covers the faults of His servant.
He surely preserves the honor of His servant.
He blesses His slave with greatness.
He inspires His servant to chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He Himself preserves the honor of His servant.
No one knows His state and extent.
No one is equal to the servant of God.
The servant of God is the highest of the high.
One whom God applies to His own service, O Nanak
- that servant is famous in the ten directions. ||4||
He infuses His Power into the tiny ant;
it can then reduce the armies of millions to ashes
Those whose breath of life He Himself does not take away

- He preserves them, and holds out His Hands to protect them.
You may make all sorts of efforts,
but these attempts are in vain.
No one else can kill or preserve
- He is the Protector of all beings.
So why are you so anxious, O mortal?
Meditate, O Nanak, on God, the invisible, the wonderful! ||5||
Time after time, again and again, meditate on God.
Drinking in this Nectar, this mind and body are satisfied.
The jewel of the Naam is obtained by the Gurmukhs;
they see no other than God.
Unto them, the Naam is wealth, the Naam is beauty and delight.
The Naam is peace, the Lord's Name is their companion.
Those who are satisfied by the essence of the Naam
- their minds and bodies are drenched with the Naam.
While standing up, sitting down and sleeping, the Naam,
says Nanak, is forever the occupation of God's humble servant. ||6||
Chant His Praises with your tongue, day and night.
God Himself has given this gift to His servants.
Performing devotional worship with heart-felt love,
they remain absorbed in God Himself.
They know the past and the present.
They recognize God's Own Command.
Who can describe His Glory?
I cannot describe even one of His virtuous qualities.
Those who dwell in God's Presence, twenty-four hours a day
- says Nanak, they are the perfect persons. ||7||
O my mind, seek their protection;
give your mind and body to those humble beings.
Those humble beings who recognizes God
are the givers of all things.
In His Sanctuary, all comforts are obtained.
By the Blessing of His Darshan, all sins are erased.
So renounce all other clever devices,
and enjoin yourself to the service of those servants.
Your comings and goings shall be ended.
O Nanak, worship the feet of God's humble servants forever. ||8||17||
Shalok:
The one who knows the True Lord God, is called the True Guru.
In His Company, the Sikh is saved, O Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
The True Guru cherishes His Sikh.
The Guru is always merciful to His servant.
The Guru washes away the filth of the evil intellect of His Sikh.
Through the Guru's Teachings, he chants the Lord's Name.
The True Guru cuts away the bonds of His Sikh.
The Sikh of the Guru abstains from evil deeds.
The True Guru gives His Sikh the wealth of the Naam.
The Sikh of the Guru is very fortunate.
The True Guru arranges this world and the next for His Sikh.
O Nanak, with the fullness of His heart, the True Guru mends His Sikh. ||1||
That selfless servant, who lives in the Guru's household,
is to obey the Guru's Commands with all his mind.
He is not to call attention to himself in any way.
He is to meditate constantly within his heart on the Name of the Lord.
One who sells his mind to the True Guru
- that humble servant's affairs are resolved.
One who performs selfless service, without thought of reward,
shall attain his Lord and Master.

He Himself grants His Grace;
O Nanak, that selfless servant lives the Guru's Teachings. ||2||
One who obeys the Guru's Teachings one hundred per cent
- that selfless servant comes to know the state of the Transcendent Lord.
The True Guru's Heart is filled with the Name of the Lord.
So many times, I am a sacrifice to the Guru.
He is the treasure of everything, the Giver of life.
Twenty-four hours a day, He is imbued with the Love of the Supreme Lord God.
The servant is in God, and God is in the servant.
He Himself is One - there is no doubt about this.
By thousands of clever tricks, He is not found.
O Nanak, such a Guru is obtained by the greatest good fortune. ||3||
Blessed is His Darshan; receiving it, one is purified.
Touching His Feet, one's conduct and lifestyle become pure.
Abiding in His Company, one chants the Lord's Praise,
and reaches the Court of the Supreme Lord God.
Listening to His Teachings, one's ears are satisfied.
The mind is contented, and the soul is fulfilled.
The Guru is perfect; His Teachings are everlasting.
Beholding His Ambrosial Glance, one becomes saintly.
Endless are His virtuous qualities; His worth cannot be appraised.
O Nanak, one who pleases Him is united with Him. ||4||
The tongue is one, but His Praises are many.
The True Lord, of perfect perfection - no speech can take the mortal to Him.
God is Inaccessible, Incomprehensible, balanced in the state of Nirvaanaa.
He is not sustained by food; He has no hatred or vengeance; He is the Giver of peace.
No one can estimate His worth.
Countless devotees continually bow in reverence to Him.
In their hearts, they meditate on His Lotus Feet.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to the True Guru;
by His Grace, he meditates on God. ||5||
Only a few obtain this ambrosial essence of the Lord's Name.
Drinking in this Nectar, one becomes immortal.
That person whose mind is illuminated by the treasure of excellence, never dies.
Twenty-four hours a day, he takes the Name of the Lord.
The Lord gives true instruction to His servant.
He is not polluted by emotional attachment to Maya.
In his mind, he cherishes the One Lord, Har, Har.
In the pitch darkness, a lamp shines forth.
O Nanak, doubt, emotional attachment and pain are erased. ||6||
In the burning heat, a soothing coolness prevails.
Happiness ensues and pain departs, O Siblings of Destiny.
The fear of birth and death is dispelled,
by the perfect Teachings of the Holy Saint.
Fear is lifted, and one abides in fearlessness.
All evils are dispelled from the mind.
He takes us into His favor as His own.
In the Company of the Holy, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Stability is attained; doubt and wandering cease,
O Nanak, listening with one's ears to the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||7||
He Himself is absolute and unrelated; He Himself is also involved and related.
Manifesting His power, He fascinates the entire world.
God Himself sets His play in motion.
Only He Himself can estimate His worth.
There is none, other than the Lord.
Permeating all, He is the One.
Through and through, He pervades in form and color.
He is revealed in the Company of the Holy.

Having created the creation, He infuses His own power into it.
So many times, Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||8||18||
Shalok:
Nothing shall go along with you, except your devotion. All corruption is like ashes.
Practice the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. O Nanak, this is the most excellent wealth. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Joining the Company of the Saints, practice deep meditation.
Remember the One, and take the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Forget all other efforts, O my friend
- enshrine the Lord's Lotus Feet within your heart.
God is All-powerful; He is the Cause of causes.
Grasp firmly the object of the Lord's Name.
Gather this wealth, and become very fortunate.
Pure are the instructions of the humble Saints.
Keep faith in the One Lord within your mind.
All disease, O Nanak, shall then be dispelled. ||1||
The wealth which you chase after in the four directions
- you shall obtain that wealth by serving the Lord.
The peace, which you always yearn for, O friend
- that peace comes by the love of the Company of the Holy.
The glory, for which you perform good deeds
- you shall obtain that glory by seeking the Lord's Sanctuary.
All sorts of remedies have not cured the disease
- the disease is cured only by giving the medicine of the Lord's Name.
Of all treasures, the Lord's Name is the supreme treasure.
Chant it, O Nanak, and be accepted in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Enlighten your mind with the Name of the Lord.
Having wandered around in the ten directions, it comes to its place of rest.
No obstacle stands in the way of one
whose heart is filled with the Lord.
The Dark Age of Kali Yuga is so hot; the Lord's Name is soothing and cool.
Remember, remember it in meditation, and obtain everlasting peace.
Your fear shall be dispelled, and your hopes shall be fulfilled.
By devotional worship and loving adoration, your soul shall be enlightened.
You shall go to that home, and live forever.
Says Nanak, the noose of death is cut away. ||3||
One who contemplates the essence of reality, is said to be the true person.
Birth and death are the lot of the false and the insincere.
Coming and going in reincarnation is ended by serving God.
Give up your selfishness and conceit, and seek the Sanctuary of the Divine Guru.
Thus the jewel of this human life is saved.
Remember the Lord, Har, Har, the Support of the breath of life.
By all sorts of efforts, people are not saved
- not by studying the Simritees, the Shaastras or the Vedas.
Worship the Lord with whole-hearted devotion.
O Nanak, you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desire. ||4||
Your wealth shall not go with you;
why do you cling to it, you fool?
Children, friends, family and spouse
- who of these shall accompany you?
Power, pleasure, and the vast expanse of Maya
- who has ever escaped from these?
Horses, elephants, chariots and pageantry
- false shows and false displays.
The fool does not acknowledge the One who gave this;
forgetting the Naam, O Nanak, he will repent in the end. ||5||
Take the Guru's advice, you ignorant fool;
without devotion, even the clever have drowned.
Worship the Lord with heart-felt devotion, my friend;
your consciousness shall become pure.
Enshrine the Lord's Lotus Feet in your mind;

the sins of countless lifetimes shall depart.
Chant the Naam yourself, and inspire others to chant it as well.
Hearing, speaking and living it, emancipation is obtained.
The essential reality is the True Name of the Lord.
With intuitive ease, O Nanak, sing His Glorious Praises. ||6||
Chanting His Glories, your filth shall be washed off.
The all-consuming poison of ego will be gone.
You shall become carefree, and you shall dwell in peace.
With every breath and every morsel of food, cherish the Lord's Name.
Renounce all clever tricks, O mind.
In the Company of the Holy, you shall obtain the true wealth.
So gather the Lord's Name as your capital, and trade in it.
In this world you shall be at peace, and in the Court of the Lord, you shall be acclaimed.
See the One permeating all;
says Nanak, your destiny is pre-ordained. ||7||
Meditate on the One, and worship the One.
Remember the One, and yearn for the One in your mind.
Sing the endless Glorious Praises of the One.
With mind and body, meditate on the One Lord God.
The One Lord Himself is the One and Only.
The Pervading Lord God is totally permeating all.
The many expanses of the creation have all come from the One.
Adoring the One, past sins are removed.
Mind and body within are imbued with the One God.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, the One is known. ||8||19||
Shalok:
After wandering and wandering, O God, I have come, and entered Your Sanctuary.
This is Nanak's prayer, O God: please, attach me to Your devotional service. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
I am a beggar; I beg for this gift from You:
please, by Your Mercy, Lord, give me Your Name.
I ask for the dust of the feet of the Holy.
O Supreme Lord God, please fulfill my yearning;
may I sing the Glorious Praises of God forever and ever.
With each and every breath, may I meditate on You, O God.
May I enshrine affection for Your Lotus Feet.
May I perform devotional worship to God each and every day.
You are my only Shelter, my only Support.
Nanak asks for the most sublime, the Naam, the Name of God. ||1||
By God's Gracious Glance, there is great peace.
Rare are those who obtain the juice of the Lord's essence.
Those who taste it are satisfied.
They are fulfilled and realized beings - they do not waver.
They are totally filled to over-flowing with the sweet delight of His Love.
Spiritual delight wells up within, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Taking to His Sanctuary, they forsake all others.
Deep within, they are enlightened, and they center themselves on Him, day and night.
Most fortunate are those who meditate on God.
O Nanak, attuned to the Naam, they are at peace. ||2||
The wishes of the Lord's servant are fulfilled.
From the True Guru, the pure teachings are obtained.
Unto His humble servant, God has shown His kindness.
He has made His servant eternally happy.
The bonds of His humble servant are cut away, and he is liberated.
The pains of birth and death, and doubt are gone.
Desires are satisfied, and faith is fully rewarded,
imbued forever with His all-pervading peace.
He is His - he merges in Union with Him.
Nanak is absorbed in devotional worship of the Naam. ||3||
Why forget Him, who does not overlook our efforts?
Why forget Him, who acknowledges what we do?

Why forget Him, who has given us everything?
Why forget Him, who is the Life of the living beings?
Why forget Him, who preserves us in the fire of the womb?
By Guru's Grace, rare is the one who realizes this.
Why forget Him, who lifts us up out of corruption?
Those separated from Him for countless lifetimes, are re-united with Him once again.
Through the Perfect Guru, this essential reality is understood.
O Nanak, God's humble servants meditate on Him. ||4||
O friends, O Saints, make this your work.
Renounce everything else, and chant the Name of the Lord.
Meditate, meditate, meditate in remembrance of Him, and find peace.
Chant the Naam yourself, and inspire others to chant it.
By loving devotional worship, you shall cross over the world-ocean.
Without devotional meditation, the body will be just ashes.
All joys and comforts are in the treasure of the Naam.
Even the drowning can reach the place of rest and safety.
All sorrows shall vanish.
O Nanak, chant the Naam, the treasure of excellence. ||5||
Love and affection, and the taste of yearning, have welled up within;
within my mind and body, this is my purpose:
beholding with my eyes His Blessed Vision, I am at peace.
My mind blossoms forth in ecstasy, washing the feet of the Holy.
The minds and bodies of His devotees are infused with His Love.
Rare is the one who obtains their company.
Show Your mercy - please, grant me this one request:
by Guru's Grace, may I chant the Naam.
His Praises cannot be spoken;
O Nanak, He is contained among all. ||6||
God, the Forgiving Lord, is kind to the poor.
He loves His devotees, and He is always merciful to them.
The Patron of the patronless, the Lord of the Universe, the Sustainer of the world,
the Nourisher of all beings.
The Primal Being, the Creator of the Creation.
The Support of the breath of life of His devotees.
Whoever meditates on Him is sanctified,
focusing the mind in loving devotional worship.
I am unworthy, lowly and ignorant.
Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, O Supreme Lord God. ||7||
Everything is obtained: the heavens, liberation and deliverance,
if one sings the Lord's Glories, even for an instant.
So many realms of power, pleasures and great glories,
come to one whose mind is pleased with the Sermon of the Lord's Name.
Abundant foods, clothes and music
come to one whose tongue continually chants the Lord's Name, Har, Har.
His actions are good, he is glorious and wealthy;
the Mantra of the Perfect Guru dwells within his heart.
O God, grant me a home in the Company of the Holy.
All pleasures, O Nanak, are so revealed. ||8||20||
Shalok:
He possesses all qualities; He transcends all qualities; He is the Formless Lord. He Himself is in Primal Samaadhi.
Through His Creation, O Nanak, He meditates on Himself. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
When this world had not yet appeared in any form,
who then committed sins and performed good deeds?
When the Lord Himself was in Profound Samaadhi,
then against whom were hate and jealousy directed?
When there was no color or shape to be seen,
then who experienced joy and sorrow?
When the Supreme Lord Himself was Himself All-in-all,
then where was emotional attachment, and who had doubts?

He Himself has staged His own drama;
O Nanak, there is no other Creator. ||1||
When there was only God the Master,
then who was called bound or liberated?
When there was only the Lord, Unfathomable and Infinite,
then who entered hell, and who entered heaven?
When God was without attributes, in absolute poise,
then where was mind and where was matter - where was Shiva and Shakti?
When He held His Own Light unto Himself,
then who was fearless, and who was afraid?
He Himself is the Performer in His own plays;
O Nanak, the Lord Master is Unfathomable and Infinite. ||2||
When the Immortal Lord was seated at ease,
then where was birth, death and dissolution?
When there was only God, the Perfect Creator,
then who was afraid of death?
When there was only the One Lord, unmanifest and incomprehensible,
then who was called to account by the recording scribes of the conscious and the subconscious?
When there was only the Immaculate, Incomprehensible, Unfathomable Master,
then who was emancipated, and who was held in bondage?
He Himself, in and of Himself, is the most wonderful.
O Nanak, He Himself created His Own Form. ||3||
When there was only the Immaculate Being, the Lord of beings,
there was no filth, so what was there to be washed clean?
When there was only the Pure, Formless Lord in Nirvaanaa,
then who was honored, and who was dishonored?
When there was only the Form of the Lord of the Universe,
then who was tainted by fraud and sin?
When the Embodiment of Light was immersed in His Own Light,
then who was hungry, and who was satisfied?
He is the Cause of causes, the Creator Lord.
O Nanak, the Creator is beyond calculation. ||4||
When His Glory was contained within Himself,
then who was mother, father, friend, child or sibling?
When all power and wisdom was latent within Him,
then where were the Vedas and the scriptures, and who was there to read them?
When He kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart,
then who considered omens to be good or bad?
When He Himself was lofty, and He Himself was near at hand,
then who was called master, and who was called disciple?
We are wonder-struck at the wondrous wonder of the Lord.
O Nanak, He alone knows His own state. ||5||
When the Undeceiveable, Impenetrable, Inscrutable One was self-absorbed,
then who was swayed by Maya?
When He paid homage to Himself,
then the three qualities were not prevailing.
When there was only the One, the One and Only Lord God,
then who was not anxious, and who felt anxiety?
When He Himself was satisfied with Himself,
then who spoke and who listened?
He is vast and infinite, the highest of the high.
O Nanak, He alone can reach Himself. ||6||
When He Himself fashioned the visible world of the creation,
he made the world subject to the three dispositions.
Sin and virtue then began to be spoken of.

Some have gone to hell, and some yearn for paradise.
Worldly snares and entanglements of Maya,
egotism, attachment, doubt and loads of fear;
pain and pleasure, honor and dishonor
- these came to be described in various ways.
He Himself creates and beholds His own drama.
He winds up the drama, and then, O Nanak, He alone remains. ||7||
Wherever the Eternal Lord's devotee is, He Himself is there.
He unfolds the expanse of His creation for the glory of His Saint.
He Himself is the Master of both worlds.
His Praise is to Himself alone.
He Himself performs and plays His amusements and games.
He Himself enjoys pleasures, and yet He is unaffected and untouched.
He attaches whomever He pleases to His Name.
He causes whomever He pleases to play in His play.
He is beyond calculation, beyond measure, uncountable and unfathomable.
As You inspire him to speak, O Lord, so does servant Nanak speak. ||8||21||
Shalok:
O Lord and Master of all beings and creatures, You Yourself are prevailing everywhere.
O Nanak, The One is All-pervading; where is any other to be seen? ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
He Himself is the speaker, and He Himself is the listener.
He Himself is the One, and He Himself is the many.
When it pleases Him, He creates the world.
As He pleases, He absorbs it back into Himself.
Without You, nothing can be done.
Upon Your thread, You have strung the whole world.
One whom God Himself inspires to understand
- that person obtains the True Name.
He looks impartially upon all, and he knows the essential reality.
O Nanak, he conquers the whole world. ||1||
All beings and creatures are in His Hands.
He is Merciful to the meek, the Patron of the patronless.
No one can kill those who are protected by Him.
One who is forgotten by God, is already dead.
Leaving Him, where else could anyone go?
Over the heads of all is the One, the Immaculate King.
The ways and means of all beings are in His Hands.
Inwardly and outwardly, know that He is with you.
He is the Ocean of excellence, infinite and endless.
Slave Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||
The Perfect, Merciful Lord is pervading everywhere.
His kindness extends to all.
He Himself knows His own ways.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is present everywhere.
He cherishes His living beings in so many ways.
That which He has created meditates on Him.
Whoever pleases Him, He blends into Himself.
They perform His devotional service and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
With heart-felt faith, they believe in Him.
O Nanak, they realize the One, the Creator Lord. ||3||
The Lord's humble servant is committed to His Name.
His hopes do not go in vain.
The servant's purpose is to serve;
obeying the Lord's Command, the supreme status is obtained.
Beyond this, he has no other thought.
Within his mind, the Formless Lord abides.
His bonds are cut away, and he becomes free of hatred.
Night and day, he worships the Feet of the Guru.
He is at peace in this world, and happy in the next.

O Nanak, the Lord God unites him with Himself. ||4||
Join the Company of the Holy, and be happy.
Sing the Glories of God, the embodiment of supreme bliss.
Contemplate the essence of the Lord's Name.
Redeem this human body, so difficult to obtain.
Sing the Ambrosial Words of the Lord's Glorious Praises;
this is the way to save your mortal soul.
Behold God near at hand, twenty-four hours a day.
Ignorance shall depart, and darkness shall be dispelled.
Listen to the Teachings, and enshrine them in your heart.
O Nanak, you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires. ||5||
Embellish both this world and the next;
enshrine the Lord's Name deep within your heart.
Perfect are the Teachings of the Perfect Guru.
That person, within whose mind it abides, realizes the Truth.
With your mind and body, chant the Naam; lovingly attune yourself to it.
Sorrow, pain and fear shall depart from your mind.
Deal in the true trade, O trader,
and your merchandise shall be safe in the Court of the Lord.
Keep the Support of the One in your mind.
O Nanak, you shall not have to come and go in reincarnation again. ||6||
Where can anyone go, to get away from Him?
Meditating on the Protector Lord, you shall be saved.
Meditating on the Fearless Lord, all fear departs.
By God's Grace, mortals are released.
One who is protected by God never suffers in pain.
Chanting the Naam, the mind becomes peaceful.
Anxiety departs, and ego is eliminated.
No one can equal that humble servant.
The Brave and Powerful Guru stands over his head.
O Nanak, his efforts are fulfilled. ||7||
His wisdom is perfect, and His Glance is Ambrosial.
Beholding His Vision, the universe is saved.
His Lotus Feet are incomparably beautiful.
The Blessed Vision of His Darshan is fruitful and rewarding; His Lordly Form is beautiful.
Blessed is His service; His servant is famous.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is the most exalted Supreme Being.
That one, within whose mind He abides, is blissfully happy.
Death does not draw near him.
One becomes immortal, and obtains the immortal status,
meditating on the Lord, O Nanak, in the Company of the Holy. ||8||22||
Shalok:
The Guru has given the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom, and dispelled the darkness of ignorance.
By the Lord's Grace, I have met the Saint; O Nanak, my mind is enlightened. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
In the Society of the Saints, I see God deep within my being.
God's Name is sweet to me.
All things are contained in the Heart of the One,
although they appear in so many various colors.
The nine treasures are in the Ambrosial Name of God.
Within the human body is its place of rest.
The Deepest Samaadhi, and the unstruck sound current of the Naad are there.
The wonder and marvel of it cannot be described.
He alone sees it, unto whom God Himself reveals it.
O Nanak, that humble being understands. ||1||
The Infinite Lord is inside, and outside as well.
Deep within each and every heart, the Lord God is pervading.
In the earth, in the Akaashic ethers, and in the nether regions of the underworld
- in all worlds, He is the Perfect Cherisher.

In the forests, fields and mountains, He is the Supreme Lord God.
As He orders, so do His creatures act.
He permeates the winds and the waters.
He is pervading in the four corners and in the ten directions.
Without Him, there is no place at all.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, peace is obtained. ||2||
See Him in the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees.
In the moon, the sun and the stars, He is the One.
The Bani of God's Word is spoken by everyone.
He Himself is unwavering - He never wavers.
With absolute power, He plays His play.
His value cannot be estimated; His virtues are invaluable.
In all light, is His Light.
The Lord and Master supports the weave of the fabric of the universe.
By Guru's Grace, doubt is dispelled.
O Nanak, this faith is firmly implanted within. ||3||
In the eye of the Saint, everything is God.
In the heart of the Saint, everything is Dharma.
The Saint hears words of goodness.
He is absorbed in the All-pervading Lord.
This is the way of life of one who knows God.
True are all the words spoken by the Holy.
Whatever happens, he peacefully accepts.
He knows God as the Doer, the Cause of causes.
He dwells inside, and outside as well.
O Nanak, beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, all are fascinated. ||4||
He Himself is True, and all that He has made is True.
The entire creation came from God.
As it pleases Him, He creates the expanse.
As it pleases Him, He becomes the One and Only again.
His powers are so numerous, they cannot be known.
As it pleases Him, He merges us into Himself again.
Who is near, and who is far away?
He Himself is Himself pervading everywhere.
One whom God causes to know that He is within the heart
- O Nanak, He causes that person to understand Him. ||5||
In all forms, He Himself is pervading.
Through all eyes, He Himself is watching.
All the creation is His Body.
He Himself listens to His Own Praise.
The One has created the drama of coming and going.
He made Maya subservient to His Will.
In the midst of all, He remains unattached.
Whatever is said, He Himself says.
By His Will we come, and by His Will we go.
O Nanak, when it pleases Him, then He absorbs us into Himself. ||6||
If it comes from Him, it cannot be bad.
Other than Him, who can do anything?
He Himself is good; His actions are the very best.
He Himself knows His Own Being.
He Himself is True, and all that He has established is True.
Through and through, He is blended with His creation.
His state and extent cannot be described.
If there were another like Him, then only he could understand Him.
His actions are all approved and accepted.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, this is known. ||7||
One who knows Him, obtains everlasting peace.
God blends that one into Himself.
He is wealth and prosperous, and of noble birth.
He is Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive; the Lord God abides in his heart.
Blessed, blessed, blessed is the coming of that humble being;

by his grace, the whole world is saved.
This is his purpose in life;
in the Company of this humble servant, the Lord's Name comes to mind.
He Himself is liberated, and He liberates the universe.
O Nanak, to that humble servant, I bow in reverence forever. ||8||23||
Shalok:
I worship and adore the Perfect Lord God. Perfect is His Name.
O Nanak, I have obtained the Perfect One; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Perfect Lord. ||1||
ASHTAPADEE:
Listen to the Teachings of the Perfect Guru;
see the Supreme Lord God near you.
With each and every breath, meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe,
and the anxiety within your mind shall depart.
Abandon the waves of fleeting desire,
and pray for the dust of the feet of the Saints.
Renounce your selfishness and conceit and offer your prayers.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, cross over the ocean of fire.
Fill your stores with the wealth of the Lord.
Nanak bows in humility and reverence to the Perfect Guru. ||1||
Happiness, intuitive peace, poise and bliss
- in the Company of the Holy, meditate on the Lord of supreme bliss.
You shall be spared from hell - save your soul!
Drink in the ambrosial essence of the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Focus your consciousness on the One, the All-pervading Lord
- He has One Form, but He has many manifestations.
Sustainer of the Universe, Lord of the world, Kind to the poor,
Destroyer of sorrow, perfectly Merciful.
Meditate, meditate in remembrance on the Naam, again and again.
O Nanak, it is the Support of the soul. ||2||
The most sublime hymns are the Words of the Holy.
These are priceless rubies and gems.
One who listens and acts on them is saved.
He himself swims across, and saves others as well.
His life is prosperous, and his company is fruitful;
his mind is imbued with the love of the Lord.
Hail, hail to him, for whom the sound current of the Shabad vibrates.
Hearing it again and again, he is in bliss, proclaiming God's Praises.
The Lord radiates from the foreheads of the Holy.
Nanak is saved in their company. ||3||
Hearing that He can give Sanctuary, I have come seeking His Sanctuary.
Bestowing His Mercy, God has blended me with Himself.
Hatred is gone, and I have become the dust of all.
I have received the Ambrosial Naam in the Company of the Holy.
The Divine Guru is perfectly pleased;
the service of His servant has been rewarded.
I have been released from worldly entanglements and corruption,
hearing the Lord's Name and chanting it with my tongue.
By His Grace, God has bestowed His Mercy.
O Nanak, my merchandise has arrived save and sound. ||4||
Sing the Praises of God, O Saints, O friends,
with total concentration and one-pointedness of mind.
Sukhmani is the peaceful ease, the Glory of God, the Naam.
When it abides in the mind, one becomes wealthy.
All desires are fulfilled.
One becomes the most respected person, famous all over the world.
He obtains the highest place of all.
He does not come and go in reincarnation any longer.
One who departs, after earning the wealth of the Lord's Name,
O Nanak, realizes it. ||5||
Comfort, peace and tranquility, wealth and the nine treasures;
wisdom, knowledge, and all spiritual powers;
learning, penance, Yoga and meditation on God;

The most sublime wisdom and purifying baths;
the four cardinal blessings, the opening of the heart-lotus;
in the midst of all, and yet detached from all;
beauty, intelligence, and the realization of reality;
to look impartially upon all, and to see only the One
- these blessings come to one who, through Guru Nanak, chants the Naam with his mouth, and hears the Word with his ears. ||6||
One who chants this treasure in his mind
- in every age, he attains salvation.
In it is the Glory of God, the Naam, the chanting of Gurbani.
The Simritees, the Shaastras and the Vedas speak of it.
The essence of all religion is the Lord's Name alone.
It abides in the minds of the devotees of God.
Millions of sins are erased, in the Company of the Holy.
By the Grace of the Saint, one escapes the Messenger of Death.
Those, who have such pre-ordained destiny on their foreheads,
O Nanak, enter the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||7||
One, within whose mind it abides, and who listens to it with love
- that humble person consciously remembers the Lord God.
The pains of birth and death are removed.
The human body, so difficult to obtain, is instantly redeemed.
Spotlessly pure is his reputation, and ambrosial is his speech.
The One Name permeates his mind.
Sorrow, sickness, fear and doubt depart.
He is called a Holy person; his actions are immaculate and pure.
His glory becomes the highest of all.
O Nanak, by these Glorious Virtues, this is named Sukhmani, Peace of mind. ||8||24||
T'hitee ~ The Lunar Days: Gauree, Fifth Mehl,
Shalok:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Creator Lord and Master is pervading the water, the land, and the sky.
In so many ways, the One, the Universal Creator has diffused Himself, O Nanak. ||1||
Pauree:
The first day of the lunar cycle: Bow in humility and meditate on the One, the Universal Creator Lord God.
Praise God, the Lord of the Universe, the Sustainer of the World; seek the Sanctuary of the Lord, our King.
Place your hopes in Him, for salvation and peace; all things come from Him.
I wandered around the four corners of the world and in the ten directions, but I saw nothing except Him.
I listened to the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, and I pondered over them in so many ways.
The Saving Grace of sinners, the Destroyer of fear, the Ocean of peace, the Formless Lord.
The Great Giver, the Enjoyer, the Bestower - there is no place at all without Him.
You shall obtain all that you desire, O Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
Sing the Praises of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, each and every day.
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and vibrate, meditate on Him, O my friend. ||1||Pause||
Shalok:
Bow in humility to the Lord, over and over again, and enter the Sanctuary of the Lord, our King.
Doubt is eradicated, O Nanak, in the Company of the Holy, and the love of duality is eliminated. ||2||
Pauree:
The second day of the lunar cycle: Get rid of your evil-mindedness, and serve the Guru continually.
The jewel of the Lord's Name shall come to dwell in your mind and body, when you renounce sexual desire, anger and greed, O my friend.
Conquer death and obtain eternal life; all your troubles will depart.
Renounce your self-conceit and vibrate upon the Lord of the Universe; loving devotion to Him shall permeate your being.

You shall earn profit and suffer no loss, and in the Court of the Lord you shall be honored.
Those who gather in the riches of the Lord's Name are truly wealthy, and very blessed.
So, when standing up and sitting down, vibrate upon the Lord, and cherish the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O Nanak, evil-mindedness is eradicated, when the Supreme Lord God comes to dwell in the mind. ||2||
Shalok:
The world is in the grip of the three qualities; only a few attain the fourth state of absorption.
O Nanak, the Saints are pure and immaculate; the Lord abides within their minds. ||3||
Pauree:
The third day of the lunar cycle: Those who are bound by the three qualities gather poison as their fruit; now they are good, and now they are bad.
They wander endlessly in heaven and hell, until death annihilates them.
In pleasure and pain and worldly cynicism, they pass their lives acting in ego.
They do not know the One who created them; they think up all sorts of schemes and plans.
Their minds and bodies are distracted by pleasure and pain, and their fever never departs.
They do not realize the glorious radiance of the Supreme Lord God, the Perfect Lord and Master.
So many are being drowned in emotional attachment and doubt; they dwell in the most horrible hell.
Please bless me with Your Mercy, God, and save me! Nanak places his hopes in You. ||3||
Shalok:
One who renounces egotistical pride is intelligent, wise and refined.
The four cardinal blessings, and the eight spiritual powers of the Siddhas are obtained, O Nanak, by meditating, vibrating on the Lord's Name. ||4||
Pauree:
The fourth day of the lunar cycle: Listening to the four Vedas, and contemplating the essence of reality, I have come to realize
that the treasure of all joy and comfort is found in sublime meditation on the Lord's Name.
One is saved from hell, suffering is destroyed, countless pains depart,
death is overcome, and one escapes the Messenger of Death, by absorption in the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Fear departs, and one savors the Ambrosial Nectar, imbued with the Love of the Formless Lord.
Pain, poverty and impurity are removed, with the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The angels, the seers and the silent sages search for the Ocean of peace, the Sustainer of the world.
The mind becomes pure, and one's face is radiant, O Nanak, when one becomes the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||
Shalok:
The five evil passions dwell in the mind of one who is engrossed in Maya.
In the Saadh Sangat, one becomes pure, O Nanak, imbued with the Love of God. ||5||
Pauree:
The fifth day of the lunar cycle: They are the self-elect, the most distinguished, who know the true nature of the world.
The many colors and scents of flowers - all worldly deceptions are transitory and false.
People do not see, and they do not understand; they do not reflect upon anything.
The world is pierced through with attachment to tastes and pleasures, engrossed in ignorance.
Those who perform empty religious rituals will be born, only to die again. They wander through endless incarnations.
They do not meditate in remembrance on the Creator Lord; their minds do not understand.
By loving devotion to the Lord God, you shall not be polluted by Maya at all.
O Nanak, how rare are those, who are not engrossed in worldly entanglements. ||5||
Shalok:
The six Shaastras proclaim Him to be the greatest; He has no end or limitation.
The devotees look beauteous, O Nanak, when they sing the Glories of God at His Door. ||6||
Pauree:
The sixth day of the lunar cycle: The six Shaastras say, and countless Simritees assert,

that the Supreme Lord God is the most sublime and lofty. Even the thousand-tongued serpent does not know the limits of His Glories.
Naarad, the humble beings, Suk and Vyaasa sing the Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
They are imbued with the Lord's essence; united with Him; they are absorbed in devotional worship of the Lord God.
Emotional attachment, pride and doubt are eliminated, when one takes to the Sanctuary of the Merciful Lord.
His Lotus Feet abide within my mind and body and I am enraptured, beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
People reap their profits, and suffer no loss, when they embrace love for the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
They gather in the treasure of the Lord, the Ocean of Excellence, O Nanak, by meditating on the Naam. ||6||
Shalok:
In the gathering of the Saints, chant the Praises of the Lord, and speak the Truth with love.
O Nanak, the mind becomes contented, enshrining love for the One Lord. ||7||
Pauree:
The seventh day of the lunar cycle: Gather the wealth of the Naam; this is a treasure which shall never be exhausted.
In the Society of the Saints, He is obtained; He has no end or limitations.
Renounce your selfishness and conceit, and meditate, vibrate on the Lord of the Universe; take to the Sanctuary of the Lord, our King.
Your pains shall depart - swim across the terrifying world-ocean, and obtain the fruits of your mind's desires.
One who meditates on the Lord twenty-four hours a day - fruitful and blessed is his coming into the world.
Inwardly and outwardly, realize that the Creator Lord is always with you.
He is your friend, your companion, your very best friend, who imparts the Teachings of the Lord.
Nanak is a sacrifice to one who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||7||
Shalok:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord twenty-four hours a day; renounce other entanglements.
The Minister of Death cannot even see that person, O Nanak, unto whom God is merciful. ||8||
Pauree:
The eighth day of the lunar cycle: The eight spiritual powers of the Siddhas, the nine treasures,
all precious things, perfect intellect,
the opening of the heart-lotus, eternal bliss,
pure lifestyle, the infallible Mantra,
all Dharmic virtues, sacred purifying baths,
the most lofty and sublime spiritual wisdom
- these are obtained by meditating, vibrating upon the Lord, Har, Har, in the Company of the Perfect Guru.
You shall be saved, O Nanak, by lovingly chanting the Lord's Name. ||8||
Shalok:
He does not remember the Lord in meditation; he is fascinated by the pleasures of corruption.
O Nanak, forgetting the Naam, he is reincarnated into heaven and hell. ||9||
Pauree:
The ninth day of the lunar cycle: The nine holes of the body are defiled.
People do not chant the Lord's Name; instead, they practice evil.
They commit adultery, slander the Saints,
and do not listen to even a tiny bit of the Lord's Praise.
They steal others' wealth for the sake of their own bellies,
but the fire is not extinguished, and their thirst is not quenched.
Without serving the Lord, these are their rewards.
O Nanak, forgetting God, the unfortunate people are born, only to die. ||9||
Shalok:
I have wandered, searching in the ten directions - wherever I look, there I see Him.
The mind comes to be controlled, O Nanak, if He grants His Perfect Grace. ||10||
Pauree:
The tenth day of the lunar cycle: Overpower the ten sensory and motor organs;
your mind will be content, as you chant the Naam.
With your ears, hear the Praises of the Lord of the World;
with your eyes, behold the kind, Holy Saints.
With your tongue, sing the Glorious Praises of the Infinite Lord.
In your mind, remember the Perfect Lord God.

With your hands and feet, work for the Saints.
O Nanak, this way of life is obtained by God's Grace. ||10||
Shalok:
Describe the Lord as the One, the One and Only. How rare are those who know the taste of this essence.
The Glories of the Lord of the Universe cannot be known. O Nanak, He is totally amazing and wonderful! ||11||
Pauree:
The eleventh day of the lunar cycle: Behold the Lord, the Lord, near at hand.
Subdue the desires of your sexual organs, and listen to the Lord's Name.
Let your mind be content, and be kind to all beings.
In this way, your fast will be successful.
Keep your wandering mind restrained in one place.
Your mind and body shall become pure, chanting the Lord's Name.
The Supreme Lord God is pervading amongst all.
O Nanak, sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises; this alone is the eternal faith of Dharma. ||11||
Shalok:
Evil-mindedness is eliminated, by meeting with and serving the compassionate Holy Saints.
Nanak is merged with God; all his entanglements have come to an end. ||12||
Pauree:
The twelfth day of the lunar cycle: Dedicate yourself to giving charity, chanting the Naam and purification.
Worship the Lord with devotion, and get rid of your pride.
Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The mind is satisfied by lovingly singing the Kirtan of God's Praises.
The Sweet Words of His Bani soothe everyone.
The soul, the subtle essence of the five elements, cherishes the Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
This faith is obtained from the Perfect Guru.
O Nanak, dwelling upon the Lord, you shall not enter the womb of reincarnation again. ||12||
Shalok:
Engrossed in the three qualities, one's efforts do not succeed.
When the Saving Grace of sinners dwells in the mind, O Nanak, then one is saved by the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||13||
Pauree:
The thirteenth day of the lunar cycle: The world is in the fever of the three qualities.
It comes and goes, and is reincarnated in hell.
Meditation on the Lord, Har, Har, does not enter into the minds of the people.
They do not sing the Praises of God, the Ocean of peace, even for an instant.
This body is the embodiment of pleasure and pain.
It suffers from the chronic and incurable disease of Maya.
By day, people practice corruption, wearing themselves out.
And then with sleep in their eyes, they mutter in dreams.
Forgetting the Lord, this is their condition.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, the kind and compassionate Primal Being. ||13||
Shalok:
The Lord is pervading in all the four directions and the fourteen worlds.
O Nanak, He is not seen to be lacking anything; His works are perfectly complete. ||14||
Pauree:
The fourteenth day of the lunar cycle: God Himself is in all four directions.
On all worlds, His radiant glory is perfect.
The One God is diffused in the ten directions.
Behold God in all the earth and sky.
In the water, on the land, in the forests and mountains, and in the nether regions of the underworld,
the Merciful Transcendent Lord is abiding.
The Lord God is in all mind and matter, subtle and manifest.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes God. ||14||
Shalok:
The soul is conquered, through the Guru's Teachings, singing the Glories of God.
By the Grace of the Saints, fear is dispelled, O Nanak, and anxiety is ended. ||15||
Pauree:
The day of the new moon: My soul is at peace; the Divine Guru has blessed me with contentment.

My mind and body are cooled and soothed, in intuitive peace and poise; I have dedicated myself to serving God.
One who meditates in remembrance on the Name of the Lord - his bonds are broken, all his sins are erased, and his works are brought to perfect fruition; his evil-mindedness disappears, and his ego is subdued.
Taking to the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God, his comings and goings in reincarnation are ended.
He saves himself, along with his family, chanting the Praises of God, the Lord of the Universe.
I serve the Lord, and I chant the Name of God.
From the Perfect Guru, Nanak has obtained peace and comfortable ease. ||15||
Shalok:
The perfect person never wavers; God Himself made him perfect.
Day by day, he prospers; O Nanak, he shall not fail. ||16||
Pauree:
The day of the full moon: God alone is Perfect; He is the All-powerful Cause of causes.
The Lord is kind and compassionate to all beings and creatures; His Protecting Hand is over all.
He is the Treasure of Excellence, the Lord of the Universe; through the Guru, He acts.
God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is All-knowing, Unseen and Immaculately Pure.
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, is the Knower of all ways and means.
He is the Support of His Saints, with the Power to give Sanctuary. Twenty-four hours a day, I bow in reverence to Him.
His Unspoken Speech cannot be understood; I meditate on the Feet of the Lord.
He is the Saving Grace of sinners, the Master of the masterless; Nanak has entered God's Sanctuary. ||16||
Shalok:
My pain is gone, and my sorrows have departed, since I took to the Sanctuary of the Lord, my King.
I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires, O Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||17||
Pauree:
Some sing, some listen, and some contemplate;
some preach, and some implant the Name within; this is how they are saved.
Their sinful mistakes are erased, and they become pure; the filth of countless incarnations is washed away.
In this world and the next, their faces shall be radiant; they shall not be touched by Maya.
They are intuitively wise, and they are Vaishnaavs, worshippers of Vishnu; they are spiritually wise, wealthy and prosperous.
They are spiritual heros, of noble birth, who vibrate upon the Lord God.
The Kh'shatriyas, the Brahmins, the low-caste Soodras, the Vaisha workers and the outcast pariahs are all saved,
meditating on the Lord. Nanak is the dust of the feet of those who know his God. ||17||
Vaar In Gauree, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok Fourth Mehl:
The True Guru, the Primal Being, is kind and compassionate; all are alike to Him.
He looks upon all impartially; with pure faith in the mind, He is obtained.
The Ambrosial Nectar is within the True Guru; He is exalted and sublime, of Godly status.
O Nanak, by His Grace, one meditates on the Lord; the Gurmukhs obtain Him. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Egotism and Maya are total poison; in these, people continually suffer loss in this world.
The Gurmukh earns the profit of the wealth of the Lord's Name, contemplating the Word of the Shabad.
The poisonous filth of egotism is removed, when one enshrines the Ambrosial Name of the Lord within the heart.

All the Gurmukh's affairs are brought to perfect completion; the Lord has showered him with His Mercy.
O Nanak, one who meets the Primal Lord remains blended with the Lord, the Creator Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
You are True, O True Lord and Master. You are the Truest of the True, O Lord of the World.
Everyone meditates on You; everyone falls at Your Feet.
Your Praises are graceful and beautiful; You save those who speak them.
You reward the Gurmukhs, who are absorbed in the True Name.
O my Great Lord and Master, great is Your glorious greatness. ||1||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Without the Name, all other praise and speech is insipid and tasteless.
The self-willed manmukhs praise their own egos; their attachment to egotism is useless.
Those whom they praise, die; they all waste away in conflict.
O servant Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Embodiment of Supreme Bliss. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
O True Guru, tell me of my Lord God, that I may meditate on the Naam within my mind.
O Nanak, the Lord's Name is sacred and pure; chanting it, all my pain has been taken away. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself are the Formless Lord, the Immaculate Lord, our Sovereign King.
Those who meditate on You, O True Lord with one-pointed mind, are rid of all their pain.
You have no equal, next to whom I might sit and speak of You.
You are the only Giver as great as Yourself. You are Immaculate; O True Lord, you are pleasing to my mind.
O my True Lord and Master, Your Name is the Truest of the True. ||2||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Deep within the mind is the disease of ego; the self-willed manmukhs, the evil beings, are deluded by doubt.
O Nanak, this disease is eradicated, only when one meets the True Guru, our Holy Friend. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The mind and body of the Gurmukh are imbued with the Love of the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue.
Servant Nanak has taken to the Sanctuary of the Lord. Hail to the Guru, who has united me with the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
You are the Personification of Creativity, the Inaccessible Lord. With whom should I compare You?
If there was anyone else as great as You, I would name him; You alone are like Yourself.
You are the One, permeating each and every heart; You are revealed to the Gurmukh.
You are the True Lord and Master of all; You are the Highest of all.
Whatever You do, O True Lord - that is what happens, so why should we grieve? ||3||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
My mind and body are imbued with the Love of my Beloved, twenty-four hours a day.
Shower Your Mercy upon servant Nanak, O God, that he may dwell in peace with the True Guru. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Those whose inner beings are filled with the Love of their Beloved, look beautiful as they speak.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself knows all; the Beloved Lord has infused His Love. ||2||
Pauree:
O Creator Lord, You Yourself are infallible; You never make mistakes.
Whatever You do is good, O True Lord; this understanding is obtained through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
You are the Cause of causes, the All-powerful Lord; there is no other at all.
O Lord and Master, You are inaccessible and merciful. Everyone meditates on You.

All beings are Yours; You belong to all. You deliver all. ||4||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Listen, O my Friend, to my message of love; my eyes are fixed upon You.
The Guru was pleased - He united servant Nanak with his friend, and now he sleeps in peace. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The True Guru is the Merciful Giver; He is always compassionate.
The True Guru has no hatred within Him; He beholds the One God everywhere.
Anyone who directs hate against the One who has no hate, shall never be satisfied within.
The True Guru wishes everyone well; how can anything bad happen to Him?
As one feels towards the True Guru, so are the rewards he receives.
O Nanak, the Creator knows everything; nothing can be hidden from Him. ||2||
Pauree:
One who has been made great by his Lord and Master - know him to be great!
By His Pleasure, the Lord and Master forgives those who are pleasing to His Mind.
One who tries to compete with Him is a senseless fool.
One who is united with the Lord by the True Guru, sings His Praises and speaks His Glories.
O Nanak, the True Lord is True; one who understands Him is absorbed in Truth. ||5||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord is true, immaculate and eternal; He has no fear, hatred or form.
Those who chant and meditate on Him, who single-mindedly focus their consciousness on Him, are rid of the burden of their ego.
Those Gurmukhs who worship and adore the Lord - hail to those Saintly beings!
If someone slanders the Perfect True Guru, he will be rebuked and reproached by the whole world.
The Lord Himself abides within the True Guru; He Himself is His Protector.
Blessed, Blessed is the Guru, who sings the Glories of God. Unto Him, I bow forever and ever in deepest reverence.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to those who have meditated on the Creator Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
He Himself made the earth; He Himself made the sky.
He Himself created the beings there, and He Himself places food in their mouths.
He Himself is All-pervading; He Himself is the Treasure of Excellence.
O servant Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He shall take away all your sinful mistakes. ||2||
Pauree:
You, O True Lord and Master, are True; the Truth is pleasing to the True One.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach those who praise You, O True Lord.
Their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord; the Lord is pleasing to their hearts.
The false ones are left behind; because of the falsehood and deceit in their hearts, they suffer in terrible pain.
Black are the faces of the false; the false remain just false. ||6||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The True Guru is the field of Dharma; as one plants the seeds there, so are the fruits obtained.
The GurSikhs plant ambrosial nectar, and obtain the Lord as their ambrosial fruit.
Their faces are radiant in this world and the next; in the Court of the Lord, they are robed with honor.
Some have cruelty in their hearts - they constantly act in cruelty; as they plant, so are the fruits which they eat.

When the True Guru, the Tester, observes with His Glance, the selfish ones are all exposed.
As one thinks, so does he receive, and so does the Lord make him known.
O Nanak, the Lord and Master is pervading at both ends; He continually acts, and beholds His own play. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The mortal is of one mind - whatever he dedicates it to, in that he is successful.
Some talk a lot, but they eat only that which is in their own homes.
Without the True Guru, understanding is not obtained, and egotism does not depart from within.
Suffering and hunger cling to the egotistical people; they hold out their hands and beg from door to door.
Their falsehood and fraud cannot remain concealed; their false appearances fall off in the end.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny comes to meet God through the True Guru.
Just as iron is transmuted into gold by the touch of the Philosopher's Stone, so are people transformed by joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation.
O God, You are the Master of servant Nanak; as it pleases You, You lead him. ||2||
Pauree:
One who serves the Lord with all his heart - the Lord Himself unites him with Himself.
He enters into a partnership with virtue and merit, and burns off all his demerits with the fire of the Shabad.
Demerits are purchased cheap, like straw; he alone gathers merit, who is so blessed by the True Lord.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has erased my demerits, and revealed my virtuous merits.
The Gurmukh chants the glorious greatness of the great Lord God. ||7||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Great is the greatness within the True Guru, who meditates night and day on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The repetition of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is his purity and self-restraint; with the Name of the Lord, He is satisfied.
The Lord's Name is His power, and the Lord's Name is His Royal Court; the Lord's Name protects Him.
One who centers his consciousness and worships the Guru, obtains the fruits of his mind's desires.
But one who slanders the Perfect True Guru, shall be killed and destroyed by the Creator.
This opportunity shall not come into his hands again; he must eat what he himself has planted.
He shall be taken to the most horrible hell, with his face blackened like a thief, and a noose around his neck.
But if he should again take to the Sanctuary of the True Guru, and meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, then he shall be saved.
Nanak speaks and proclaims the Lord's Story; as it pleases the Creator, so does he speak. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
One who does not obey the Hukam, the Command of the Perfect Guru - that self-willed manmukh is plundered by his ignorance and poisoned by Maya.
Within him is falsehood, and he sees everyone else as false; the Lord has tied these useless conflicts around his neck.
He babbles on and on, but the words he speaks please no one.
He wanders from house to house like an abandoned woman; whoever associates with him is stained by the mark of evil as well.
Those who become Gurmukh avoid him; they forsake his company and sit hear the Guru.

O chosen people, O self-elect, one who does not publicly affirm his Guru is not a good person; he loses all his profits and capital.
People used to chant and recite the Shaastras and the Vedas, O Nanak, but now the Words of the Perfect Guru have come to be the most exalted of all.
The glorious greatness of the Perfect Guru is pleasing to the GurSikh; the self-willed manmukhs have lost this opportunity. ||2||
Pauree:
The True Lord is truly the greatest of all; he alone obtains Him, who is anointed by the Guru.
He is the True Guru, who meditates on the True Lord. The True Lord and the True Guru are truly One.
He is the True Guru, the Primal Being, who has totally conquered his five passions.
One who does not serve the True Guru, and who praises himself, is filled with falsehood within. Cursed, cursed is his ugly face.
His words are not pleasing to anyone; his face is blackened, and he is separated from the True Guru. ||8||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Everyone is the field of the Lord God; the Lord Himself cultivates this field.
The Gurmukh grows the crop of forgiveness, while the self-willed manmukh loses even his roots.
They all plant for their own good, but the Lord causes to grow only that field with which He is pleased.
The GurSikh plants the seed of the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar, and obtains the Lord's Ambrosial Naam as his Ambrosial Fruit.
The mouse of Death is continually gnawing away at the crop, but the Creator Lord has beaten it off and driven it away.
The farm was successful, by the Love of the Lord, and the crop was produced by God's Grace.
He has removed all the burning and anxiety of those, who have meditated on the True Guru, the Primal Being.
O servant Nanak, one who worships and adores the Naam, the Name of the Lord, swims across, and saves the whole world as well. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is occupied with greed all day long, although he may claim otherwise.
At night, he is overcome by fatigue, and all his nine holes are weakened.
Over the head of the manmukh is the order of the woman; to her, he ever holds out his promises of goodness.
Those men who act according to the orders of women are impure, filthy and foolish.
Those impure men are engrossed in sexual desire; they consult their women and walk accordingly.
One who walks as the True Guru tells him to, is the true man, the best of the best.
He Himself created all women and men; the Lord Himself plays every play.
You created the entire creation; O Nanak, it is the best of the best. ||2||
Pauree:
You are carefree, unfathomable and immeasurable; how can You be measured?
Those who have met the True Guru and who meditate on You are very fortunate.
The Word of the True Guru's Bani is the embodiment of Truth; through Gurbani, one becomes perfect.
Jealously emulating the True Guru, some others may speak of good and bad, but the false are destroyed by their falsehood.
Deep within them is one thing, and in their mouths is another; they suck in the poison of Maya, and then they painfully waste away. ||9||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Service to the True Guru is immaculate and pure; those humble beings who are pure perform this service.
Those who have deceit, corruption and falsehood within - the True Lord Himself casts them out like lepers.

The truthful Sikhs sit by the True Guru's side and serve Him. The false ones search, but find no place of rest.
Those who are not pleased with the Words of the True Guru - their faces are cursed, and they wander around, condemned by God.
Those who do not have the Love of the Lord within their hearts - how long can those demonic, self-willed manmukhs be consoled?
One who meets the True Guru, keeps his mind in its own place; he spends only his own assets.
O servant Nanak, some are united with the Guru; to some, the Lord grants peace, while others - deceitful cheats - suffer in isolation. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Those who have the treasure of the Lord's Name deep within their hearts - the Lord resolves their affairs.
They are no longer subservient to other people; the Lord God sits by them, at their side.
When the Creator is on their side, then everyone is on their side. Beholding their vision, everyone applauds them.
Kings and emperors are all created by the Lord; they all come and bow in reverence to the Lord's humble servant.
Great is the greatness of the Perfect Guru. Serving the Great Lord, I have obtained immeasurable peace.
The Lord has bestowed this eternal gift upon the Perfect Guru; His blessings increase day by day.
The slanderer, who cannot endure His greatness, is destroyed by the Creator Himself.
Servant Nanak chants the Glorious Praises of the Creator, who protects His devotees forever. ||2||
Pauree:
You, O Lord and Master, are inaccessible and merciful; You are the Great Giver, All-knowing.
I can see no other as great as You; O Lord of Wisdom, You are pleasing to my mind.
Emotional attachment to your family and everything you see is temporary, coming and going.
Those who attach their consciousness to anything except the True Lord are false, and false is their pride.
O Nanak, meditate on the True Lord; without the True Lord, the ignorant rot away and putrefy to death. ||10||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
At first, he did not show respect to the Guru; later, he offered excuses, but it is no use.
The wretched, self-willed manmukhs wander around and are stuck mid-way; how can they find peace by mere words?
Those who have no love for the True Guru within their hearts come with falsehood, and leave with falsehood.
When my Lord God, the Creator, grants His Grace, then they come to see the True Guru as the Supreme Lord God.
Then, they drink in the Nectar, the Word of the Guru's Shabad; all burning, anxiety, and doubts are eliminated.
They remain in ecstasy forever, day and night; O servant Nanak, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
One who calls himself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name.
Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar.
Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased.
Then, at the rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, he is to meditate on the Lord's Name.
One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food - that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind.

That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate - upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who meditate on You, O True Lord - they are very rare.
Those who worship and adore the One Lord in their conscious minds - through their generosity, countless millions are fed.
All meditate on You, but they alone are accepted, who are pleasing to their Lord and Master.
Those who eat and dress without serving the True Guru die; after death, those wretched lepers are consigned to reincarnation.
In His Sublime Presence, they talk sweetly, but behind His back, they exude poison from their mouths.
The evil-minded are consigned to separation from the Lord. ||11||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The faithless baymukh sent out his faithless servant, wearing a blue-black coat, filled with filth and vermin.
No one in the world will sit near him; the self-willed manmukh fell into manure, and returned with even more filth covering him.
The faithless baymukh was sent to slander and back-bite others, but when he went there, the faces of both he and his faithless master were blackened instead.
It was immediately heard throughout the whole world, O Siblings of Destiny, that this faithless man, along with his servant, was kicked and beaten with shoes; in humiliation, they got up and returned to their homes.
The faithless baymukh was not allowed to mingle with others; his wife and niece then brought him home to lie down.
He has lost both this world and the next; he cries out continually, in hunger and thirst.
Blessed, blessed is the Creator, the Primal Being, our Lord and Master; He Himself sits and dispenses true justice.
One who slanders the Perfect True Guru is punished and destroyed by the True Lord.
This Word is spoken by the One who created the whole universe. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
One who has a poor beggar for a master - how can he be well-fed?
If there is something in his master's house, he can get it; but how can he get what is not there?
Serving him, who will be called to answer for his account? That service is painful and useless.
O Nanak, serve the Guru, the Lord Incarnate; the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is profitable, and in the end, you shall not be called to account. ||2||
Pauree:
O Nanak, the Saints consider, and the four Vedas proclaim,
that whatever the Lord's devotees utter with their mouths, shall come to pass.
He is manifest in His cosmic workshop. All people hear of this.
The stubborn men who fight with the Saints shall never find peace.
The Saints seek to bless them with virtue, but they only burn in their egos.
What can those wretched ones do, since, from the very beginning, their destiny is cursed with evil.
Those who are struck down by the Supreme Lord God are of no use to anyone.
Those who hate the One who has no hatred - according to the true justice of Dharma, they shall perish.
Those who are cursed by the Saints will continue wandering aimlessly.
When the tree is cut off at its roots, the branches wither and die. ||12||
Shalok Fourth Mehl:

Great is the greatness of the Guru, who meditates on the Lord within.
By His Pleasure, the Lord has bestowed this upon the Perfect True Guru; it is not diminished one bit by anyone's efforts.
The True Lord and Master is on the side of the True Guru; and so, all those who oppose Him waste away to death in anger, envy and conflict.
The Lord, the Creator, blackens the faces of the slanderers, and increases the glory of the Guru.
As the slanderers spread their slander, so does the Guru's glory increase day by day.
Servant Nanak worships the Lord, who makes everyone fall at His Feet. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
One who enters into a calculated relationship with the True Guru loses everything, this world and the next.
He grinds his teeth continually and foams at the mouth; screaming in anger, he perishes.
He continually chases after Maya and wealth, but even his own wealth flies away.
What shall he earn, and what shall he eat? Within his heart, there is only cynicism and pain.
One who hates the One who has no hatred, shall bear the load of all the sins of the world on his head.
He shall find no shelter here or hereafter; his mouth blisters with the slander in his heart.
If gold comes into his hands, it turns to dust.
But if he should come again to the Sanctuary of the Guru, then even his past sins shall be forgiven.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, night and day. Remembering the Lord in meditation, wickedness and sins are erased. ||2||
Pauree:
You are the Truest of the True; Your Regal Court is the most exalted of all.
Those who meditate on You, O True Lord, serve the Truth; O True Lord, they take pride in You.
Within them is the Truth; their faces are radiant, and they speak the Truth. O True Lord, You are their strength.
Those who, as Gurmukh, praise You are Your devotees; they have the insignia and the banner of the Shabad, the True Word of God.
I am truly a sacrifice, forever devoted to those who serve the True Lord. ||13||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Those who were cursed by the Perfect True Guru, from the very beginning, are even now cursed by the True Guru.
Even though they may have a great longing to associate with the Guru, the Creator does not allow it.
They shall not find shelter in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; in the Sangat, the Guru has proclaimed this.
Whoever goes out to meet them now, will be destroyed by the tyrant, the Messenger of Death.
Those who were condemned by Guru Nanak were declared counterfeit by Guru Angad as well.
The Guru of the third generation thought, "What lies in the hands of these poor people?"
The Guru of the fourth generation saved all these slanderers and evil-doers.
If any son or Sikh serves the True Guru, then all of his affairs will be resolved.
He obtains the fruits of his desires - children, wealth, property, union with the Lord and emancipation.
All treasures are in the True Guru, who has enshrined the Lord within the heart.
He alone obtains the Perfect True Guru, on whose forehead such blessed destiny is pre-ordained.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of those GurSikhs who love the Lord, their Friend. ||1||

Fourth Mehl:
The Lord Himself bestows glorious greatness; He Himself causes the world to come and fall at their feet.
We should only be afraid, if we try to do things by ourselves; the Creator is increasing His Power in every way.
Behold, O Siblings of Destiny: this is the Arena of the Beloved True Lord; His power brings everyone to bow in humility.
The Lord, our Lord and Master, preserves and protects His devotees; He blackens the faces of the slanderers and evil-doers.
The glorious greatness of the True Guru increases day by day; the Lord inspires His devotees to continually sing the Kirtan of His Praises.
O GurSikhs, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, night and day; through the True Guru, the Creator Lord will come to dwell within the home of your inner being.
O GurSikhs, know that the Bani, the Word of the True Guru, is true, absolutely true. The Creator Lord Himself causes the Guru to chant it.
The Beloved Lord makes the faces of His GurSikhs radiant; He makes the whole world applaud and acclaim the Guru.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Lord; the Lord Himself preserves the honor of His slave. ||2||
Pauree:
O My True Lord and Master, You Yourself are my True Lord King.
Please, implant within me the true treasure of Your Name; O God, I am Your merchant.
I serve the True One, and deal in the True One; I chant Your Wondrous Praises.
Those humble beings who serve the Lord with love meet Him; they are adorned with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O my True Lord and Master, You are unknowable; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, You are known. ||14||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
One whose heart is filled with jealousy of others, never comes to any good.
No one pays any attention to what he says; he is just a fool, crying out endlessly in the wilderness.
One whose heart is filled with malicious gossip, is known as a malicious gossip; everything he does is in vain.
Night and day, he continually gossips about others; his face has been blackened, and he cannot show it to anyone.
The body is the field of action, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; as you plant, so shall you harvest.
Justice is not passed on mere words; if someone eats poison, he dies.
O Siblings of Destiny, behold the justice of the True Creator; as people act, so they are rewarded.
The Lord has bestowed total understanding upon servant Nanak; he speaks and proclaims the words of the Lord's Court. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Those who separate themselves from the Guru, in spite of His Constant Presence - they find no place of rest in the Court of the Lord.
If someone goes to meet with those dull-faced slanderers, he will find their faces covered with spit.
Those who are cursed by the True Guru, are cursed by all the world. They wander around endlessly.
Those who do not publicly affirm their Guru wander around, moaning and groaning.
Their hunger shall never depart; afflicted by constant hunger, they cry out in pain.
No one hears what they have to say; they live in constant fear and terror, until they finally die.
They cannot bear the glorious greatness of the True Guru, and they find no place of rest, here or hereafter.
Those who go out to meet with those who have been cursed by the True Guru, lose all remnants of their honor.

They have already become like lepers; cursed by the Guru, whoever meets them is also afflicted with leprosy.
O Lord, I pray that I may not even catch sight of those, who focus their consciousness on the love of duality.
That which the Creator pre-ordained from the very beginning - there can be no escape from that.
O servant Nanak, worship and adore the Naam, the Name of the Lord; no one can equal it.
Great is the greatness of His Name; it increases, day by day. ||2||
Fourth Mehl:
Great is the greatness of that humble being, whom the Guru Himself anointed in His Presence.
All the world comes and bows to him, falling at his feet. His praises spread throughout the world.
The galaxies and solar systems bow in reverence to him; the Perfect Guru has placed His hand upon his head, and he has become perfect.
The glorious greatness of the Guru increases day by day; no one can equal it.
O servant Nanak, the Creator Lord Himself established him; God preserves his honor. ||3||
Pauree:
The human body is a great fortress, with its shops and streets within.
The Gurmukh who comes to trade gathers the cargo of the Lord's Name.
He deals in the treasure of the Lord's Name, the jewels and the diamonds.
Those who search for this treasure outside of the body, in other places, are foolish demons.
They wander around in the wilderness of doubt, like the deer who searches for the musk in the bushes. ||15||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
One who slanders the Perfect True Guru, shall have difficulty in this world.
He is caught and thrown into the most horrible hell, the well of pain and suffering.
No one listens to his shrieks and cries; he cries out in pain and misery.
He totally loses this world and the next; he has lost all of his investment and profit.
He is like the ox at the oil-press; each morning when he rises, God places the yoke upon him.
The Lord always sees and hears everything; nothing can be concealed from Him.
As you plant, so shall you harvest, according to what you planted in the past.
One who is blessed by God's Grace washes the feet of the True Guru.
He is carried across by the Guru, the True Guru, like iron which is carried across by wood.
O servant Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, peace is obtained. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Very fortunate is the soul-bride, who, as Gurmukh, meets the Lord, her King.
Her inner being is illiminated with His Divine Light; O Nanak, she is absorbed in His Name. ||2||
Pauree:
This body is the home of Dharma; the Divine Light of the True Lord is within it.
Hidden within it are the jewels of mystery; how rare is that Gurmukh, that selfless servant, who digs them out.
When someone realizes the All-pervading Soul, then he sees the One and Only Lord permeating, through and through.
He sees the One, he believes in the One, and with his ears, he listens only to the One.

O servant Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; this is your service to the Lord, the Truest of the True. ||16||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
All joy is in the hearts of those, within whose minds the Lord abides.
In the Court of the Lord, their faces are radiant, and everyone goes to see them.
Those who meditate on the Name of the Fearless Lord have no fear.
Those who have such pre-destined destiny remember the Sublime Lord.
Those, within whose minds the Lord abides, are robed with honor in the Court of the Lord.
They are carried across, along with all their family, and the whole world is saved along with them.
O Lord, please unite servant Nanak with Your humble servants; beholding them, beholding them, I live. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
That land, where my True Guru comes and sits, becomes green and fertile.
Those beings who go and behold my True Guru are rejuvenated.
Blessed, blessed is the father; blessed, blessed is the family; blessed, blessed is the mother, who gave birth to the Guru.
Blessed, blessed is the Guru, who worships and adores the Naam; He saves Himself, and emancipates those who see Him.
O Lord, be kind, and unite me with the True Guru, that servant Nanak may wash His feet. ||2||
Pauree:
Truest of the True is the Immortal True Guru; He has enshrined the Lord deep within His heart.
Truest of the True is the True Guru, the Primal Being, who has conquered sexual desire, anger and corruption.
When I see the Perfect True Guru, then deep within, my mind is comforted and consoled.
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru; I am devoted and dedicated to Him, forever and ever.
A Gurmukh wins the battle of life whereas a self-willed manmukh loses it. ||17||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
By His Grace, He leads us to meet the True Guru; then, as Gurmukh, we chant the Lord's Name, and meditate on it.
We do that which pleases the True Guru; the Perfect Guru comes to dwell in the home of the heart.
Those who have the treasure of the Naam deep within - all their fears are removed.
They are protected by the Lord Himself; others struggle and fight against them, but they only come to death.
O servant Nanak, meditate on the Naam; the Lord shall deliver you, here and hereafter. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The glorious greatness of the Guru, the True Guru, is pleasing to the GurSikh's mind.
The Lord preserves the honor of the True Guru, which increases day by day.
The Supreme Lord God is in the Mind of the Guru, the True Guru; the Supreme Lord God saves Him.
The Lord is the Power and Support of the Guru, the True Guru; all come to bow before Him.
Those who have gazed lovingly upon my True Guru - all their sins are taken away.
Their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord, and they obtain great glory.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of those GurSikhs, O my Siblings of Destiny. ||2||
Pauree:
I chant the Praises and Glories of the True One. True is the glorious greatness of the True Lord.
I praise the True Lord, and the Praises of the True Lord. His worth cannot be estimated.

Those who have tasted the true essence of the True Lord, remain satisfied and fulfilled.
They know this essence of the Lord, but they say nothing, like the mute who tastes the sweet candy, and says nothing.
The Perfect Guru serves the Lord God; His vibration vibrates and resounds in the mind. ||18||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Those who have a festering boil within - they alone know its pain.
Those who know the pain of separation from the Lord - I am forever a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them.
O Lord, please lead me to meet the Guru, the Primal Being, my Friend; my head shall roll in the dust under His feet.
I am the slave of the slaves of those GurSikhs who serve Him.
Those who are imbued with the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love - their robes are drenched in the Love of the Lord.
Grant Your Grace, and lead Nanak to meet the Guru; I have sold my head to Him. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The body is full of mistakes and misdeeds; how can it become pure, O Saints?
The Gurmukh purchases virtues, which wash off the sin of egotism.
True is the trade which purchases the True Lord with love.
No loss will come from this, and the profit comes by the Lord's Will.
O Nanak, they alone purchase the Truth, who are blessed with such pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
Pauree:
I praise the True One, who alone is worthy of praise. The True Primal Being is True - this is His unique quality.
Serving the True Lord, the Truth comes to dwell in the mind. The Lord, the Truest of the True, is my Protector.
Those who worship and adore the Truest of the True, shall go and merge with the True Lord.
Those who do not serve the Truest of the True - those self-willed manmukhs are foolish demons.
With their mouths, they babble on about this and that, like the drunkard who has drunk his wine. ||19||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Gauree Raga is auspicious, if, through it, one comes to think of his Lord and Master.
He should walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru; this should be his decoration.
The True Word of the Shabad is our spouse; ravish and enjoy it, forever and ever.
Like the deep crimson color of the madder plant - such is the dye which shall color you, when you dedicate your soul to the True One.
One who loves the True Lord is totally imbued with the Lord's Love, like the deep crimson color of the poppy.
Falsehood and deception may be covered with false coatings, but they cannot remain hidden.
False is the uttering of praises, by those who love falsehood.
O Nanak, He alone is True; He Himself casts His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the Lord's Praises are sung. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Beloved Lord is met.
Blessed is that mortal being, who shares the Teachings for the good of others.
He implants the Name of the Lord, and he preaches the Name of the Lord; through the Name of the Lord, the world is saved.
Everyone longs to see the Guru; the world, and the nine continents, bow down to Him.
You Yourself have established the True Guru; You Yourself have adorned the Guru.
You Yourself worship and adore the True Guru; You inspire others to worship Him as well, O Creator Lord.
If someone separates himself from the True Guru, his face is blackened, and he is destroyed by the Messenger of Death.

He shall find no shelter, here or hereafter; the GurSikhs have realized this in their minds.
That humble being who meets the True Guru is saved; he cherishes the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in his heart.
Servant Nanak says: O GurSikhs, O my sons, meditate on the Lord; only the Lord shall save you. ||2||
Third Mehl:
Egotism has led the world astray, along with evil-mindedness and the poison of corruption.
Meeting with the True Guru, we are blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace, while the self-willed manmukh gropes around in the darkness.
O Nanak, the Lord absorbs into Himself those whom He inspires to love the Word of His Shabad. ||3||
Pauree:
True are the Praises and the Glories of the True One; he alone speaks them, whose mind is softened within.
Those who worship the One Lord with single-minded devotion - their bodies shall never perish.
Blessed, blessed and acclaimed is that person, who tastes with his tongue the Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name.
One whose mind is pleased with the Truest of the True is accepted in the True Court.
Blessed, blessed is the birth of those true beings; the True Lord brightens their faces. ||20||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The faithless cynics go and bow before the Guru, but their minds are corrupt and false, totally false.
When the Guru says, "Rise up, my Siblings of Destiny", they sit down, crowded in like cranes.
The True Guru prevails among His GurSikhs; they pick out and expel the wanderers.
Sitting here and there, they hide their faces; being counterfeit, they cannot mix with the genuine.
There is no food for them there; the false go into the filth like sheep.
If you try to feed the faithless cynic, he will spit out poison from his mouth.
O Lord, let me not be in the company of the faithless cynic, who is cursed by the Creator Lord.
This drama belongs to the Lord; He performs it, and He watches over it. Servant Nanak cherishes the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The True Guru, the Primal Being, is inaccessible; He has enshrined the Lord's Name within His heart.
No one can equal the True Guru; the Creator Lord is on His side.
Devotional worship of the Lord is the sword and armor of the True Guru; He has killed and cast out Death, the torturer.
The Lord Himself is the Protector of the True Guru. The Lord saves all those who follow in the footsteps of the True Guru.
One who thinks evil of the Perfect True Guru - the Creator Lord Himself destroys him.
These words will be confirmed as true in the Court of the Lord; servant Nanak reveals this mystery. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who dwell upon the True Lord while asleep, utter the True Name when they are awake.
How rare in the world are those Gurmukhs who dwell upon the True Lord.
I am a sacrifice to those who chant the True Name, night and day.
The True Lord is pleasing to their minds and bodies; they go to the Court of the True Lord.
Servant Nanak chants the True Name; truly, the True Lord is forever brand new. ||21||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Who is asleep, and who is awake? Those who are Gurmukh are approved.

Those who do not forget the Lord, with each and every breath and morsel of food, are the perfect and famous persons.
By His Grace they find the True Guru; night and day, they meditate.
I join the society of those persons, and in so doing, I am honored in the Court of the Lord.
While asleep, they chant, "Waaho! Waaho!", and while awake, they chant, "Waaho!" as well.
O Nanak, radiant are the faces of those, who rise up early each day, and dwell upon the Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Serving his True Guru, one obtains the Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord.
The drowning person is lifted up and out of the terrifying world-ocean; the Great Giver gives the gift of the Lord's Name.
Blessed, blessed are those bankers who trade the Naam.
The Sikhs, the traders come, and through the Word of His Shabad, they are carried across.
O servant Nanak, they alone serve the Creator Lord, who are blessed by His Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who truly worship and adore the True Lord, are truly the humble devotees of the True Lord.
Those Gurmukhs who search and seek, find the True One within themselves.
Those who truly serve their True Lord and Master, overwhelm and conquer Death, the torturer.
The True One is truly the greatest of all; those who serve the True One are blended with the True One.
Blessed and acclaimed is the Truest of the True; serving the Truest of the True, one blossoms forth in fruition. ||22||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is foolish; he wanders around without the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Without the Guru, his mind is not held steady, and he is reincarnated, over and over again.
But when the Lord God Himself becomes merciful to him, then the True Guru comes to meet him.
O servant Nanak, praise the Naam; the pains of birth and death shall come to an end. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
I praise my Guru in so many ways, with joyful love and affection.
My mind is imbued with the True Guru; He has preserved the make of its making.
My tongue is not satisfied by praising Him; He has linked my consciousness with the Lord, my Beloved.
O Nanak, my mind hungers for the Name of the Lord; my mind is satisfied, tasting the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The True Lord is truly known for His all-powerful creative nature; He fashioned the days and the nights.
I praise that True Lord, forever and ever; True is the glorious greatness of the True Lord.
True are the Praises of the Praiseworthy True Lord; the value of the True Lord cannot be appraised.
When someone meets the Perfect True Guru, then His Sublime Presence comes to be seen.
Those Gurmukhs who praise the True Lord - all their hunger is gone. ||23||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Searching and examining my mind and body, I have found that God, whom I longed for.
I have found the Guru, the Divine Intermediary, who has united me with the Lord God. ||1||
Third Mehl:
One who is attached to Maya is totally blind and deaf.
He does not listen to the Word of the Shabad; he makes a great uproar and tumult.
The Gurmukhs chant and meditate on the Shabad, and lovingly center their consciousness on it.
They hear and believe in the Name of the Lord; they are absorbed in the Name of the Lord.
Whatever pleases God, He causes that to be done.
O Nanak, human beings are the instruments which vibrate as God plays them. ||2||

Pauree:
You, O Creator, know everything which occurs within our beings.
You Yourself, O Creator, are incalculable, while the entire world is within the realm of calculation.
Everything happens according to Your Will; You created all.
You are the One, pervading in each and every heart; O True Lord and Master, this is Your play.
One who meets the True Guru meets the Lord; no one can turn him away. ||24||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Hold this mind steady and stable; become Gurmukh and focus your consciousness.
How could you ever forget Him, with each breath and morsel of food, sitting down or standing up?
My anxiety about birth and death has ended; this soul is under the control of the Lord God.
If it pleases You, then save servant Nanak, and bless him with Your Name. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The egotistical, self-willed manmukh does not know the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; one moment he is here, and the next moment he is there.
He is always invited, but he does not go to the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. How shall he be accepted in the Court of the Lord?
How rare are those who know the Mansion of the True Guru; they stand with their palms pressed together.
If my Lord grants His Grace, O Nanak, He restores them to Himself. ||2||
Pauree:
Fruitful and rewarding is that service, which is pleasing to the Guru's Mind.
When the Mind of the True Guru is pleased, then sins and misdeeds run away.
The Sikhs listen to the Teachings imparted by the True Guru.
Those who surrender to the True Guru's Will are imbued with the four-fold Love of the Lord.
This is the unique and distinct life-style of the Gurmukhs: listening to the Guru's Teachings, their minds blossom forth. ||25||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who do not affirm their Guru shall have no home or place of rest.
They lose both this world and the next; they have no place in the Court of the Lord.
This opportunity to bow at the Feet of the True Guru shall never come again.
If they miss out on being counted by the True Guru, they shall pass their lives in pain and misery.
The True Guru, the Primal Being, has no hatred or vengeance; He unites with Himself those with whom He is pleased.
O Nanak, those who behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, are emancipated in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is ignorant, evil-minded and egotistical.
He is filled with anger within, and he loses his mind in the gamble.
He commits the sins of fraud and unrighteousness.
What can he hear, and what can he tell others?
He is blind and deaf; he loses his way, and wanders lost in the wilderness.
The blind, self-willed manmukh comes and goes in reincarnation;
without meeting the True Guru, he finds no place of rest.
O Nanak, he acts according to his pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who have hearts as hard as stone, do not sit near the True Guru.
Truth prevails there; the false ones do not attune their consciousness to it.
By hook or by crook, they pass their time, and then they go back to sit with the false ones again.
Falsehood does not mix with the Truth; O people, check it out and see.
The false go and mingle with the false, while the truthful Sikhs sit by the side of the True Guru. ||26||

Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
By their own efforts, the slanderers have destroyed all remnants of themselves.
The Support of the Saints, O Nanak, is manifest, pervading everywhere. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Those who went astray from the Primal Being in the very beginning - where can they find refuge?
O Nanak, they are struck down by the All-powerful, the Cause of causes. ||2||
Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
They take the noose in their hands, and go out at night to strangle others, but God knows everything, O mortal.
They spy on other men's women, concealed in their hiding places.
They break into well-protected places, and revel in sweet wine.
But they shall come to regret their actions - they create their own karma.
Azraa-eel, the Angel of Death, shall crush them like sesame seeds in the oil-press. ||27||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The servants of the True King are acceptable and approved.
Those ignorant ones who serve duality, O Nanak, rot, waste away and die. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
That destiny which was pre-ordained by God from the very beginning cannot be erased.
The wealth of the Lord's Name is Nanak's capital; he meditates on it forever. ||2||
Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
One who has received a kick from the Lord God - where can he place his foot?
He commits countless sins, and continually eats poison.
Slandering others, he wastes away and dies; within his body, he burns.
One who has been struck down by the True Lord and Master - who can save him now?
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Unseen Lord, the Primal Being. ||28||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
In the most horrible hell, there is terrible pain and suffering. It is the place of the ungrateful.
They are struck down by God, O Nanak, and they die a most miserable death. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
All kinds of medicines may be prepared, but there is no cure for the slanderer.
Those whom the Lord Himself misleads, O Nanak, putrefy and rot in reincarnation. ||2||
Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
By His Pleasure, the True Guru has blessed me with the inexhaustible wealth of the Name of the True Lord.
All my anxiety is ended; I am rid of the fear of death.
Sexual desire, anger and other evils have been subdued in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Those who serve another, instead of the True Lord, die unfulfilled in the end.
The Guru has blessed Nanak with forgiveness; he is united with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||29||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
He is not a penitent, who is greedy within his heart, and who constantly chases after Maya like a leper.
When this penitent was first invited, he refused our charity; but later he repented and sent his son, who was seated in the congregation.
The village elders all laughed, saying that the waves of greed have destroyed this penitent.
If he sees only a little wealth, he does not bother to go there; but when he sees a lot of wealth, the penitent forsakes his vows.
O Siblings of Destiny, he is not a penitent - he is only a stork. Sitting together, the Holy Congregation has so decided.
The penitent slanders the True Primal Being, and sings the praises of the material world. For this sin, he is cursed by the Lord.
Behold the fruit the penitent gathers, for slandering the Great Primal Being; all his labors have gone in vain.
When he sits outside among the elders, he is called a penitent;
but when he sits within the congregation, the penitent commits sin.

The Lord has exposed the penitent's secret sin to the elders.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma said to the Messenger of Death, "Take this penitent and put him with the worst of the worst murderers."
No one is to look at the face of this penitent again. He has been cursed by the True Guru.
Nanak speaks and reveals what has taken place in the Court of the Lord.
He alone understands, who is blessed and adorned by the Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The devotees of the Lord worship and adore the Lord, and the glorious greatness of the Lord.
The Lord's devotees continually sing the Kirtan of His Praises; the Name of the Lord is the Giver of peace.
The Lord ever bestows upon His devotees the glorious greatness of His Name, which increases day by day.
The Lord inspires His devotees to sit, steady and stable, in the home of their inner being. He preserves their honor.
The Lord summons the slanderers to answer for their accounts, and He punishes them severely.
As the slanderers think of acting, so are the fruits they obtain.
Actions done in secrecy are sure to come to light, even if one does it underground.
Servant Nanak blossoms forth in joy, beholding the glorious greatness of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord Himself is the Protector of His devotees; what can the sinner do to them?
The proud fool acts in pride, and eating his own poison, he dies.
His few days have come to an end, and he is cut down like the crop at harvest.
According to one's actions, so is one spoken of.
Glorious and great is the Lord and Master of servant Nanak; He is the Master of all. ||30||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs forget the Primal Lord, the Source of all; they are caught in greed and egotism.
They pass their nights and days in conflict and struggle; they do not contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
The Creator has taken away all their understanding and purity; all their speech is evil and corrupt.
No matter what they are given, they are not satisfied; within their hearts there is great desire, ignorance and darkness.
O Nanak, it is good to break away from the self-willed manmukhs, who have love and attachment to Maya. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Those whose hearts are filled with the love of duality, do not love the Gurmukhs.
They come and go, and wander in reincarnation; even in their dreams, they find no peace.
They practice falsehood and they speak falsehood; attached to falsehood, they become false.
The love of Maya is total pain; in pain they perish, and in pain they cry out.
O Nanak, there can be no union between the love of worldliness and the love of the Lord, no matter how much everyone may desire it.
Those who have the treasure of virtuous deeds find peace through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, the Saints and the silent sages think, and the four Vedas proclaim,
that whatever the Lord's devotees speak comes to pass.
He is revealed in His cosmic workshop; all people hear of it.
The foolish people, who fight with the Saints, find no peace.
The Saints seek to bless them with virtue, but they are burning with egotism.
What can those wretched ones do? Their evil destiny was pre-ordained.

Those who are struck down by the Supreme Lord God do not belong to anyone.
Those who hate the One who has no hatred, are destroyed by righteous justice.
Those who are cursed by the Saints wander around lost.
When the tree is cut off at its roots, the branches wither and die. ||31||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Guru Nanak implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me; He is All-powerful, to create and destroy.
Remember God forever, my friend, and all your suffering will disappear. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The hungry person does not care about honor, dishonor or harsh words.
Nanak begs for the Name of the Lord; please grant Your Grace, and unite me with Yourself. ||2||
Pauree:
According to the deeds which one does, so are the fruits one obtains.
If someone chews on red-hot iron, his throat will be burned.
The halter is put around his neck and he is led away, because of the evil deeds he has done.
None of his desires are fulfilled; he continually steals the filth of others.
The ungrateful wretch does not appreciate what he has been given; he wanders lost in reincarnation.
He loses all support, when the Support of the Lord is taken away from him.
He does not let the embers of strife die down, and so the Creator destroys him.
Those who indulge in egotism crumble and fall to the ground. ||32||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukh is blessed with spiritual wisdom and a discerning intellect.
He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and weaves this garland into his heart.
He becomes the purest of the pure, a being of supreme understanding.
Whoever he meets, he saves and carries across.
The fragrance of the Lord's Name permeates his being deep within.
He is honored in the Court of the Lord, and his speech is the most sublime.
Those who hear him are delighted.
O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, one obtains the wealth and property of the Naam. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The sublime state of the True Guru is not known; no one knows what pleases the Perfect True Guru.
Deep within the hearts of His GurSikhs, the True Guru is pervading. The Guru is pleased with those who long for His Sikhs.
As the True Guru directs them, they do their work and chant their prayers. The True Lord accepts the service of His GurSikhs.
But those who want the GurSikhs to work for them, without the Order of the True Guru - the Guru's Sikhs shall not come near them again.
One who works diligently for the Guru, the True Guru - the GurSikhs work for him.
One who comes to deceive, who rises up and goes out to deceive - the GurSikhs shall never come near him.
Nanak proclaims and announces this wisdom of God.
One who is not pleasing to the Mind of the True Guru may do his deeds, but that being will only suffer in terrible pain. ||2||
Pauree:
O True Lord and Master, You are so very great. As great as You are, You are the greatest of the great.
He alone is united with You, whom You unite with Yourself. You Yourself bless and forgive us, and tear up our accounts.
One whom You unite with Yourself, whole-heartedly serves the True Guru.
You are the True One, the True Lord and Master; my soul, body, flesh and bones are all Yours.
If it pleases You, then save me, True Lord. Nanak places the hopes of his mind in You alone, O greatest of the great! ||33||1||

SUDH||
Gauree Kee Vaar, Fifth Mehl: Sung To The Tune Of Vaar Of Raa-I Kamaaldee-Mojadee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Auspicious and approved is the birth of that humble being who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
I am a sacrifice to that humble being who vibrates and meditates on God, the Lord of Nirvaanaa.
The pains of birth and death are eradicated, upon meeting the All-knowing Lord, the Primal Being.
In the Society of the Saints, he crosses over the world-ocean; O servant Nanak, he has the strength and support of the True Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
I rise up in the early morning hours, and the Holy Guest comes into my home.
I wash His feet; He is always pleasing to my mind and body.
I hear the Naam, and I gather in the Naam; I am lovingly attuned to the Naam.
My home and wealth are totally sanctified as I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The Trader in the Lord's Name, O Nanak, is found by great good fortune. ||2||
Pauree:
Whatever pleases You is good; True is the Pleasure of Your Will.
You are the One, pervading in all; You are contained in all.
You are diffused throughout and permeating all places and interspaces; You are known to be deep within the hearts of all beings.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and submitting to His Will, the True Lord is found.
Nanak takes to the Sanctuary of God; he is forever and ever a sacrifice to Him. ||1||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
If you are conscious, then be conscious of the True Lord, Your Lord and Master.
O Nanak, come aboard upon the boat of the service of the True Guru, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
He wears his body, like clothes of wind - what a proud fool he is!
O Nanak, they will not go with him in the end; they shall be burnt to ashes. ||2||
Pauree:
They alone are delivered from the world, who are preserved and protected by the True Lord.
I live by beholding the faces of those who taste the Ambrosial Essence of the Lord.
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment are burnt away, in the Company of the Holy.
God grants His Grace, and the Lord Himself tests them.
O Nanak, His play is not known; no one can understand it. ||2||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, that day is beautiful, when God comes to mind.
Cursed is that day, no matter how pleasant the season, when the Supreme Lord God is forgotten. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, become friends with the One, who holds everything in His hands.
They are accounted as false friends, who do not go with you, for even one step. ||2||
Pauree:
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is Ambrosial Nectar; meet together and drink it in, O Siblings of Destiny.
Remembering Him in meditation, peace is found, and all thirst is quenched.
So serve the Supreme Lord God and the Guru, and you shall never be hungry again.
All your desires shall be fulfilled, and you shall obtain the status of immortality.
You alone are as great as Yourself, O Supreme Lord God; Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||3||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I have seen all places; there is no place without Him.
O Nanak, those who meet with the True Guru find the object of life. ||1||

Fifth Mehl:
Like the flash of lightning, worldly affairs last only for a moment.
The only thing which is pleasing, O Nanak, is that which inspires one to meditate on the Name of the Master. ||2||
Pauree:
People have searched all the Simritees and Shaastras, but no one knows the Lord's value.
That being, who joins the Saadh Sangat enjoys the Love of the Lord.
True is the Naam, the Name of the Creator, the Primal Being. It is the mine of precious jewels.
That mortal, who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead, meditates in remembrance on the Lord.
O Lord, please bless Nanak, Your humble guest, with the supplies of the True Name. ||4||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
He harbors anxiety within himself, but to the eyes, he appears to be happy; his hunger never departs.
O Nanak, without the True Name, no one's sorrows have ever departed. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Those caravans which did not load the Truth have been plundered.
O Nanak, those who meet the True Guru, and acknowledge the One Lord, are congratulated. ||2||
Pauree:
Beautiful is that place, where the Holy people dwell.
They serve their All-powerful Lord, and they give up all their evil ways.
The Saints and the Vedas proclaim, that the Supreme Lord God is the Saving Grace of sinners.
You are the Lover of Your devotees - this is Your natural way, in each and every age.
Nanak asks for the One Name, which is pleasing to his mind and body. ||5||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The sparrows are chirping, and dawn has come; the wind stirs up the waves.
Such a wondrous thing the Saints have fashioned, O Nanak, in the Love of the Naam. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Homes, palaces and pleasures are there, where You, O Lord, come to mind.
All worldly grandeur, O Nanak, is like false and evil friends. ||2||
Pauree:
The wealth of the Lord is the true capital; how rare are those who understand this.
He alone receives it, O Siblings of Destiny, unto whom the Architect of Destiny gives it.
His servant is imbued with the Love of the Lord; his body and mind blossom forth.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and all of his sufferings are removed.
O Nanak, he alone lives, who acknowledges the One Lord. ||6||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The fruit of the swallow-wort plant looks beautiful, attached to the branch of the tree;
but when it is separated from the stem of its Master, O Nanak, it breaks apart into thousands of fragments. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Those who forget the Lord die, but they cannot die a complete death.
Those who turn their backs on the Lord suffer, like the thief impaled on the gallows. ||2||
Pauree:
The One God is the treasure of peace; I have heard that He is eternal and imperishable.
He is totally pervading the water, the land and the sky; the Lord is said to be permeating each and every heart.
He looks alike upon the high and the low, the ant and the elephant.
Friends, companions, children and relatives are all created by Him.
O Nanak, one who is blessed with the Naam, enjoys the Lord's love and affection. ||7||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Those who do not forget the Lord, with each breath and morsel of food, whose minds are filled with the Mantra of the Lord's Name
- they alone are blessed; O Nanak, they are the perfect Saints. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Twenty-four hours a day, he wanders around, driven by his hunger for food.
How can he escape from falling into hell, when he does not remember the Prophet? ||2||

Pauree:
Serve Him, O mortals, who has the Lord's Name in His lap.
You shall dwell in peace and ease in this world; in the world hereafter, it shall go with you.
So build your home of true righteousness, with the unshakable pillars of Dharma.
Take the Support of the Lord, who gives support in the spiritual and material worlds.
Nanak grasps the Lotus Feet of the Lord; he humbly bows in His Court. ||8||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The beggar begs for charity: give to me, O my Beloved!
O Great Giver, O Giving Lord, my consciousness is continually centered on You.
The immeasurable warehouses of the Lord can never be emptied out.
O Nanak, the Word of the Shabad is infinite; it has arranged everything perfectly. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Sikhs, love the Word of the Shabad; in life and death, it is our only support.
Your face shall be radiant, and you shall find a lasting peace, O Nanak, remembering the One Lord in meditation. ||2||
Pauree:
There, the Ambrosial Nectar is distributed; the Lord is the Bringer of peace.
They are not placed upon the path of Death, and they shall not have to die again.
One who comes to savor the Lord's Love experiences it.
The Holy beings chant the Bani of the Word, like nectar flowing from a spring.
Nanak lives by beholding the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of those who have implanted the Lord's Name within their minds. ||9||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Serving the Perfect True Guru, suffering ends.
O Nanak, worshipping the Naam in adoration, one's affairs come to be resolved. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Remembering Him in meditation, misfortune departs, and one comes to abide in peace and bliss.
O Nanak, meditate forever on the Lord - do not forget Him, even for an instant. ||2||
Pauree:
How can I estimate the glory of those, who have found the Lord, Har, Har?
One who seeks the Sanctuary of the Holy is released from bondage.
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Imperishable Lord does not burn in the womb of reincarnation.
One who meets the Guru and the Supreme Lord God, who reads and understands, enters the state of Samaadhi.
Nanak has obtained that Lord Master, who is inaccessible and unfathomable. ||10||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
People do not perform their duties, but instead, they wander around aimlessly.
O Nanak, if they forget the Name, how can they ever find peace? ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The bitter poison of corruption is everywhere; it clings to the substance of the world.
O Nanak, the humble being has realized that the Name of the Lord alone is sweet. ||2||
Pauree:
This is the distinguishing sign of the Holy Saint, that by meeting with him, one is saved.
The Messenger of Death does not come near him; he never has to die again.
He crosses over the terrifying, poisonous world-ocean.
So weave the garland of the Lord's Glorious Praises into your mind, and all your filth shall be washed away.
Nanak remains blended with his Beloved, the Supreme Lord God. ||11||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, approved is the birth of those, within whose consciousness the Lord abides.
Useless talk and babbling is useless, my friend. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
I have come to see the Supreme Lord God, the Perfect, Inaccessible, Wonderful Lord.

Nanak has made the Lord's Name his wealth, by the Grace of the Perfect Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
Deception does not work with our Lord and Master; through their greed and emotional attachment, people are ruined.
They do their evil deeds, and sleep in the intoxication of Maya.
Time and time again, they are consigned to reincarnation, and abandoned on the path of Death.
They receive the consequences of their own actions, and are yoked to their pain.
O Nanak, if one forgets the Name, all the seasons are evil. ||12||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
While standing up, sitting down and sleeping, be at peace;
O Nanak, praising the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind and body are cooled and soothed. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Filled with greed, he constantly wanders around; he does not do any good deeds.
O Nanak, the Lord abides within the mind of one who meets with the Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
All material things are bitter; the True Name alone is sweet.
Those humble servants of the Lord who taste it, come to savor its flavor.
It comes to dwell within the mind of those who are so pre-destined by the Supreme Lord God.
The One Immaculate Lord is pervading everywhere; He destroys the love of duality.
Nanak begs for the Lord's Name, with his palms pressed together; by His Pleasure, God has granted it. ||13||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The most excellent begging is begging for the One Lord.
Other talk is corrupt, O Nanak, except that of the Lord Master. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
One who recognizes the Lord is very rare; his mind is pierced through with the Love of the Lord.
Such a Saint is the Uniter, O Nanak - he straightens out the path. ||2||
Pauree:
Serve Him, O my soul, who is the Giver and the Forgiver.
All sinful mistakes are erased, by meditating in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe.
The Holy Saint has shown me the Way to the Lord; I chant the GurMantra.
The taste of Maya is totally bland and insipid; the Lord alone is pleasing to my mind.
Meditate, O Nanak, on the Transcendent Lord, who has blessed you with your soul and your life. ||14||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The time has come to plant the seed of the Lord's Name; one who plants it, shall eat its fruit.
He alone receives it, O Nanak, whose destiny is so pre-ordained. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
If one begs, then he should beg for the Name of the True One, which is given only by His Pleasure.
Eating this gift from the Lord and Master, O Nanak, the mind is satisfied. ||2||
Pauree:
They alone earn profit in this world, who have the wealth of the Lord's Name.
They do not know the love of duality; they place their hopes in the True Lord.
They serve the One Eternal Lord, and give up everything else.
One who forgets the Supreme Lord God - useless is his breath.
God draws His humble servant close in His loving embrace and protects him - Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||15||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God gave the Order, and the rain automatically began to fall.
Grain and wealth were produced in abundance; the earth was totally satisfied and satiated.
Forever and ever, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and pain and poverty shall run away.
People obtain that which they are pre-ordained to receive, according to the Will of the Lord.
The Transcendent Lord keeps you alive; O Nanak, meditate on Him. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:

To obtain the state of life of Nirvaanaa, meditate in remembrance on the One Lord.
There is no other place; how else can we be comforted?
I have seen the whole world - without the Lord's Name, there is no peace at all.
Body and wealth shall return to dust - hardly anyone realizes this.
Pleasure, beauty and delicious tastes are useless; what are you doing, O mortal?
One whom the Lord Himself misleads, does not understand His awesome power.
Those who are imbued with the Love of the Lord attain Nirvaanaa, singing the Praises of the True One.
Nanak: those who are pleasing to Your Will, O Lord, seek Sanctuary at Your Door. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who are attached to the hem of the Lord's robe, do not suffer birth and death.
Those who remain awake to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises - their lives are approved.
Those who attain the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, are very fortunate.
But those who forget the Name - their lives are cursed, and broken like thin strands of thread.
O Nanak, the dust of the feet of the Holy is more sacred than hundreds of thousands, even millions of cleansing baths at sacred shrines. ||16||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Like the beautiful earth, adorned with jewels of grass - such is the mind, within which the Love of the Lord abides.
All one's affairs are easily resolved, O Nanak, when the Guru, the True Guru, is pleased. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Roaming and wandering in the ten directions, over water, mountains and forests
- wherever the vulture sees a dead body, he flies down and lands. ||2||
Pauree:
One who longs for all comforts and rewards should practice Truth.
Behold the Supreme Lord God near you, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
Become the dust of all men's feet, and so merge with the Lord.
Do not cause any being to suffer, and you shall go to your true home with honor.
Nanak speaks of the Purifier of sinners, the Creator, the Primal Being. ||17||
Shalok, Dohaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have made the One Lord my Friend; He is All-powerful to do everything.
My soul is a sacrifice to Him; the Lord is the treasure of my mind and body. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Take my hand, O my Beloved; I shall never forsake You.
Those who forsake the Lord, are the most evil people; they shall fall into the horrible pit of hell. ||2||
Pauree:
All treasures are in His Home; whatever the Lord does, comes to pass.
The Saints live by chanting and meditating on the Lord, washing off the filth of their sins.
With the Lotus Feet of the Lord dwelling within the heart, all misfortune is taken away.
One who meets the Perfect Guru, shall not have to suffer through birth and death.
Nanak is thirsty for the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan; by His Grace, He has bestowed it. ||18||
Shalok, Dakhanaa, Fifth Mehl:
If you can dispel your doubts, even for an instant, and love your only Beloved,
then wherever you go, there you shall find Him. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Can they mount horses and handle guns, if all they know is the game of polo?
Can they be swans, and fulfill their conscious desires, if they can only fly like chickens? ||2||
Pauree:
Those who chant the Lord's Name with their tongues and hear it with their ears are saved, O my friend.
Those hands which lovingly write the Praises of the Lord are pure.
It is like performing all sorts of virtuous deeds, and bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
They cross over the world-ocean, and conquer the fortress of corruption.

O Nanak, serve the Infinite Lord; grasp the hem of His robe, and He will save you. ||19||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Worldly affairs are unprofitable, if the One Lord does not come to mind.
O Nanak, the bodies of those who forget their Master shall burst apart. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The ghost has been transformed into an angel by the Creator Lord.
God has emancipated all the Sikhs and resolved their affairs.
He has seized the slanderers and thrown them to the ground, and declared them false in His Court.
Nanak's God is glorious and great; He Himself creates and adorns. ||2||
Pauree:
God is unlimited; He has no limit; He is the One who does everything.
The Inaccessible and Unapproachable Lord and Master is the Support of His beings.
Giving His Hand, He nurtures and cherishes; He is the Filler and Fulfiller.
He Himself is Merciful and Forgiving. Chanting the True Name, one is saved.
Whatever pleases You - that alone is good; slave Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||20||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
One who belongs to God has no hunger.
O Nanak, everyone who falls at his feet is saved. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
If the beggar begs for the Lord's Name every day, his Lord and Master will grant his request.
O Nanak, the Transcendent Lord is the most generous host; He does not lack anything at all. ||2||
Pauree:
To imbue the mind with the Lord of the Universe is the true food and dress.
To embrace love for the Name of the Lord is to possess horses and elephants.
To meditate on the Lord steadfastly is to rule over kingdoms of property and enjoy all sorts of pleasures.
The minstrel begs at God's Door - he shall never leave that Door.
Nanak has this yearning in his mind and body - he longs continually for God. ||21||1||
Sudh Keechay||
Raag Gauree, The Word Of The Devotees:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
Gauree Gwaarayree, Fourteen Chau-Padas Of Kabeer Jee:
I was on fire, but now I have found the Water of the Lord's Name.
This Water of the Lord's Name has cooled my burning body. ||1||Pause||
To subdue their minds, some go off into the forests;
but that Water is not found without the Lord God. ||1||
That fire has consumed angels and mortal beings,
but the Water of the Lord's Name saves His humble servants from burning. ||2||
In the terrifying world-ocean, there is an ocean of peace.
I continue to drink it in, but this Water is never exhausted. ||3||
Says Kabeer, meditate and vibrate upon the Lord, like the rainbird remembering the water.
The Water of the Lord's Name has quenched my thirst. ||4||1||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
O Lord, my thirst for the Water of Your Name will not go away.
The fire of my thirst burns even more brightly in that Water. ||1||Pause||
You are the Ocean of Water, and I am just a fish in that Water.
In that Water, I remain; without that Water, I would perish. ||1||
You are the cage, and I am Your parrot.
So what can the cat of death do to me? ||2||
You are the tree, and I am the bird.
I am so unfortunate - I cannot see the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan! ||3||

You are the True Guru, and I am Your new disciple.
Says Kabeer, O Lord, please meet me - this is my very last chance! ||4||2||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
When I realize that there is One, and only One Lord,
why then should the people be upset? ||1||
I am dishonored; I have lost my honor.
No one should follow in my footsteps. ||1||Pause||
I am bad, and bad in my mind as well.
I have no partnership with anyone. ||2||
I have no shame about honor or dishonor.
But you shall know, when your own false covering is laid bare. ||3||
Says Kabeer, honor is that which is accepted by the Lord.
Give up everything - meditate, vibrate upon the Lord alone. ||4||3||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
If Yoga could be obtained by wandering around naked,
then all the deer of the forest would be liberated. ||1||
What does it matter whether someone goes naked, or wears a deer skin,
if he does not remember the Lord within his soul? ||1||Pause||
If the spiritual perfection of the Siddhas could be obtained by shaving the head,
then why haven't sheep found liberation? ||2||
If someone could save himself by celibacy, O Siblings of Destiny,
why then haven't eunuchs obtained the state of supreme dignity? ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O men, O Siblings of Destiny:
without the Lord's Name, who has ever found salvation? ||4||4||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
Those who take their ritual baths in the evening and the morning
are like the frogs in the water. ||1||
When people do not love the Lord's Name,
they must all go to the Righteous Judge of Dharma. ||1||Pause||
Those who love their bodies and try different looks,
do not feel compassion, even in dreams. ||2||
The wise men call them four-footed creatures;
the Holy find peace in this ocean of pain. ||3||
Says Kabeer, why do you perform so many rituals?
Renounce everything, and drink in the supreme essence of the Lord. ||4||5||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
What use is chanting, and what use is penance, fasting or devotional worship,
to one whose heart is filled with the love of duality? ||1||
O humble people, link your mind to the Lord.
Through cleverness, the four-armed Lord is not obtained. ||Pause||
Set aside your greed and worldly ways.
Set aside sexual desire, anger and egotism. ||2||
Ritual practices bind people in egotism;
meeting together, they worship stones. ||3||
Says Kabeer, He is obtained only by devotional worship.
Through innocent love, the Lord is met. ||4||6||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
In the dwelling of the womb, there is no ancestry or social status.
All have originated from the Seed of God. ||1||
Tell me, O Pandit, O religious scholar: since when have you been a Brahmin?
Don't waste your life by continually claiming to be a Brahmin. ||1||Pause||
If you are indeed a Brahmin, born of a Brahmin mother,
then why didn't you come by some other way? ||2||
How is it that you are a Brahmin, and I am of a low social status?
How is it that I am formed of blood, and you are made of milk? ||3||
Says Kabeer, one who contemplates God,
is said to be a Brahmin among us. ||4||7||

Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
In the darkness, no one can sleep in peace.
The king and the pauper both weep and cry. ||1||
As long as the tongue does not chant the Lord's Name,
the person continues coming and going in reincarnation, crying out in pain. ||1||Pause||
It is like the shadow of a tree;
when the breath of life passes out of the mortal being, tell me, what becomes of his wealth? ||2||
It is like the music contained in the instrument;
how can anyone know the secret of the dead? ||3||
Like the swan on the lake, death hovers over the body.
Drink in the Lord's sweet elixir, Kabeer. ||4||8||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
The creation is born of the Light, and the Light is in the creation.
It bears two fruits: the false glass and the true pearl. ||1||
Where is that home, which is said to be free of fear?
There, fear is dispelled and one lives without fear. ||1||Pause||
On the banks of sacred rivers, the mind is not appeased.
People remain entangled in good and bad deeds. ||2||
Sin and virtue are both the same.
In the home of your own being, is the Philosopher's Stone; renounce your search for any other virtue. ||3||
Kabeer: O worthless mortal, do not lose the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Keep this mind of yours involved in this involvement. ||4||9||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
He claims to know the Lord, who is beyond measure and beyond thought;
by mere words, he plans to enter heaven. ||1||
I do not know where heaven is.
Everyone claims that he plans to go there. ||1||Pause||
By mere talk, the mind is not appeased.
The mind is only appeased, when egotism is conquered. ||2||
As long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven,
he does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||3||
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven. ||4||10||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
We are born, and we grow, and having grown, we pass away.
Before our very eyes, this world is passing away. ||1||
How can you not die of shame, claiming, "This world is mine"?
At the very last moment, nothing is yours. ||1||Pause||
Trying various methods, you cherish your body,
but at the time of death, it is burned in the fire. ||2||
You apply sandalwood oil to your limbs,
but that body is burned with the firewood. ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O virtuous people:
your beauty shall vanish, as the whole world watches. ||4||11||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
Why do you cry and mourn, when another person dies?
Do so only if you yourself are to live. ||1||
I shall not die as the rest of the world dies,
for now I have met the life-giving Lord. ||1||Pause||
People anoint their bodies with fragrant oils,
and in that pleasure, they forget the supreme bliss. ||2||
There is one well, and five water-carriers.
Even though the rope is broken, the fools continue trying to draw water. ||3||
Says Kabeer, through contemplation, I have obtained this one understanding.
There is no well, and no water-carrier. ||4||12||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
The mobile and immobile creatures, insects and moths
- in numerous lifetimes, I have passed through those many forms. ||1||

I lived in many such homes, O Lord,
before I came into the womb this time. ||1||Pause||
I was a Yogi, a celibate, a penitent, and a Brahmchaaree, with strict self-discipline.
Sometimes I was a king, sitting on the throne, and sometimes I was a beggar. ||2||
The faithless cynics shall die, while the Saints shall all survive.
They drink in the Lord's Ambrosial Essence with their tongues. ||3||
Says Kabeer, O God, have mercy on me.
I am so tired; now, please bless me with Your perfection. ||4||13||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, With Writings Of The Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer has seen such wonders!
Mistaking it for cream, the people are churning water. ||1||Pause||
The donkey grazes upon the green grass;
arising each day, he laughs and brays, and then dies. ||1||
The bull is intoxicated, and runs around wildly.
He romps and eats and then falls into hell. ||2||
Says Kabeer, a strange sport has become manifest:
the sheep is sucking the milk of her lamb. ||3||
Chanting the Lord's Name, my intellect is enlightened.
Says Kabeer, the Guru has blessed me with this understanding. ||4||1||14||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Panch-Padas:
I am like a fish out of water,
because in my previous life, I did not practice penance and intense meditation. ||1||
Now tell me, Lord, what will my condition be?
I left Benares - I had little common sense. ||1||Pause||
I wasted my whole life in the city of Shiva;
at the time of my death, I moved to Magahar. ||2||
For many years, I practiced penance and intense meditation at Kaashi;
now that my time to die has come, I have come to dwell at Magahar! ||3||
Kaashi and Magahar - I consider them the same.
With inadequate devotion, how can anyone swim across? ||4||
Says Kabeer, the Guru and Ganaysha and Shiva all know
that Kabeer died chanting the Lord's Name. ||5||15||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
You may anoint your limbs with sandalwood oil,
but in the end, that body will be burned with the firewood. ||1||
Why should anyone take pride in this body or wealth?
They shall end up lying on the ground; they shall not go along with you to the world beyond. ||1||Pause||
They sleep by night and work during the day,
but they do not chant the Lord's Name, even for an instant. ||2||
They hold the string of the kite in their hands, and chew betel leaves in their mouths,
but at the time of death, they shall be tied up tight, like thieves. ||3||
Through the Guru's Teachings, and immersed in His Love, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, and find peace. ||4||
In His Mercy, He implants the Naam within us;
inhale deeply the sweet aroma and fragrance of the Lord, Har, Har. ||5||
Says Kabeer, remember Him, you blind fool!
The Lord is True; all worldly affairs are false. ||6||16||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Ti-Padas And Chau-Tukas:
I have turned away from death and turned to the Lord.
Pain has been eliminated, and I dwell in peac and comfort.
My enemies have been transformed into friends.
The faithless cynics have been transformed into good-hearted people. ||1||
Now, I feel that everything brings me peace.
Peace and tranquility have come, since I realized the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||

My body was afflicted with millions of diseases.
They have been transformed into the peaceful, tranquil concentration of Samaadhi.
When someone understands his own self,
he no longer suffers from illness and the three fevers. ||2||
My mind has now been restored to its original purity.
When I became dead while yet alive, only then did I come to know the Lord.
Says Kabeer, I am now immersed in intuitive peace and poise.
I do not fear anyone, and I do not strike fear into anyone else. ||3||17||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
When the body dies, where does the soul go?
It is absorbed into the untouched, unstruck melody of the Word of the Shabad.
Only one who knows the Lord realizes Him.
The mind is satisfied and satiated, like the mute who eats the sugar candy and just smiles, without speaking. ||1||
Such is the spiritual wisdom which the Lord has imparted.
O mind, hold your breath steady within the central channel of the Sushmanaa. ||1||Pause||
Adopt such a Guru, that you shall not have to adopt another again.
Dwell in such a state, that you shall never have to dwell in any other.
Embrace such a meditation, that you shall never have to embrace any other.
Die in such a way, that you shall never have to die again. ||2||
Turn your breath away from the left channel, and away from the right channel, and unite them in the central channel of the Sushmanaa.
At their confluence within your mind, take your bath there without water.
To look upon all with an impartial eye - let this be your daily occupation.
Contemplate this essence of reality - what else is there to contemplate? ||3||
Water, fire, wind, earth and ether
- adopt such a way of life and you shall be close to the Lord.
Says Kabeer, meditate on the Immaculate Lord.
Go to that home, which you shall never have to leave. ||4||18||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Ti-Padas:
He cannot be obtained by offering your weight in gold.
But I have bought the Lord by giving my mind to Him. ||1||
Now I recognize that He is my Lord.
My mind is intuitively pleased with Him. ||1||Pause||
Brahma spoke of Him continually, but could not find His limit.
Because of my devotion to the Lord, He has come to sit within the home of my inner being. ||2||
Says Kabeer, I have renounced my restless intellect.
It is my destiny to worship the Lord alone. ||3||1||19||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
That death which terrifies the entire world
- the nature of that death has been revealed to me, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Now, how shall I die? My mind has already accepted death.
Those who do not know the Lord, die over and over again, and then depart. ||1||Pause||
Everyone says, "I will die, I will die."
But he alone becomes immortal, who dies with intuitive understanding. ||2||
Says Kabeer, my mind is filled with bliss;
my doubts have been eliminated, and I am in ecstasy. ||3||20||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
There is no special place where the soul aches; where should I apply the ointment?
I have searched the body, but I have not found such a place. ||1||
He alone knows it, who feels the pain of such love;
the arrows of the Lord's devotional worship are so sharp! ||1||Pause||
I look upon all His soul-brides with an impartial eye;
how can I know which ones are dear to the Husband Lord? ||2||
Says Kabeer, one who has such destiny inscribed upon her forehead
- her Husband Lord turns all others away, and meets with her. ||3||21||

Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
One who has the Lord as his Master, O Siblings of Destiny
- countless liberations knock at his door. ||1||
If I say now that my trust is in You alone, Lord,
then what obligation do I have to anyone else? ||1||Pause||
He bears the burden of the three worlds;
why should He not cherish you also? ||2||
Says Kabeer, through contemplation, I have obtained this one understanding.
If the mother poisons her own child, what can anyone do? ||3||22||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
Without Truth, how can the woman be a true satee - a widow who burns herself on her husband's funeral pyre?
O Pandit, O religious scholar, see this and contemplate it within your heart. ||1||
Without love, how can one's affection increase?
As long as there is attachment to pleasure, there can be no spiritual love. ||1||Pause||
One who, in his own soul, believes the Queen Maya to be true,
does not meet the Lord, even in dreams. ||2||
One who surrenders her body, mind, wealth, home and self
- she is the true soul-bride, says Kabeer. ||3||23||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
The whole world is engrossed in corruption.
This corruption has drowned entire families. ||1||
O man, why have you wrecked your boat and sunk it?
You have broken with the Lord, and joined hands with corruption. ||1||Pause||
Angels and human beings alike are burning in the raging fire.
The water is near at hand, but the beast does not drink it in. ||2||
By constant contemplation and awareness, the water is brought forth.
That water is immaculate and pure, says Kabeer. ||3||24||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
That family, whose son has no spiritual wisdom or contemplation
- why didn't his mother just become a widow? ||1||
That man who has not practiced devotional worship of the Lord
- why didn't such a sinful man die at birth? ||1||Pause||
So many pregnancies end in miscarriage - why was this one spared?
He lives his life in this world like a deformed amputee. ||2||
Says Kabeer, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, beautiful and handsome people are just ugly hunch-backs. ||3||25||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
I am forever a sacrifice to those humble beings who take the Name of their Lord and Master. ||1||
Those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Pure Lord are pure.
They are my Siblings of Destiny, so dear to my heart. ||1||Pause||
I am the dust of the lotus feet of those whose hearts are filled with the All-pervading Lord. ||2||
I am a weaver by birth, and patient of mind.
Slowly, steadily, Kabeer chants the Glories of God. ||3||26||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
From the Sky of the Tenth Gate, the nectar trickles down, distilled from my furnace.
I have gathered in this most sublime essence, making my body into firewood. ||1||
He alone is called intoxicated with intuitive peace and poise,
who drinks in the juice of the Lord's essence, contemplating spiritual wisdom. ||1||Pause||
Intuitive poise is the bar-maid who comes to serve it.
I pass my nights and days in ecstasy. ||2||
Through conscious meditation, I linked my consciousness with the Immaculate Lord.
Says Kabeer, then I obtained the Fearless Lord. ||3||27||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
The natural tendency of the mind is to chase the mind.

Who has established himself as a Siddha, a being of miraculous spiritual powers, by killing his mind? ||1||
Who is that silent sage, who has killed his mind?
By killing the mind, tell me, who is saved? ||1||Pause||
Everyone speaks through the mind.
Without killing the mind, devotional worship is not performed. ||2||
Says Kabeer, one who knows the secret of this mystery,
beholds within his own mind the Lord of the three worlds. ||3||28||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
The stars which are seen in the sky
- who is the painter who painted them? ||1||
Tell me, O Pandit, what is the sky attached to?
Very fortunate is the knower who knows this. ||1||Pause||
The sun and the moon give their light;
God's creative extension extends everywhere. ||2||
Says Kabeer, he alone knows this,
whose heart is filled with the Lord, and whose mouth is also filled with the Lord. ||3||29||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
The Simritee is the daughter of the Vedas, O Siblings of Destiny.
She has brought a chain and a rope. ||1||
She has imprisoned the people in her own city.
She has tightened the noose of emotional attachment and shot the arrow of death. ||1||Pause||
By cutting, she cannot be cut, and she cannot be broken.
She has become a serpent, and she is eating the world. ||2||
Before my very eyes, she has plundered the entire world.
Says Kabeer, chanting the Lord's Name, I have escaped her. ||3||30||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
I have grasped the reins and attached the bridle;
abandoning everything, I now ride through the skies. ||1||
I made self-reflection my mount,
and in the stirrups of intuitive poise, I placed my feet. ||1||Pause||
Come, and let me ride you to heaven.
If you hold back, then I shall strike you with the whip of spiritual love. ||2||
Says Kabeer, those who remain detached from the Vedas, the Koran and the Bible are the best riders. ||3||31||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
That mouth, which used to eat the five delicacies
- I have seen the flames being applied to that mouth. ||1||
O Lord, my King, please rid me of this one affliction:
may I not be burned in fire, or cast into the womb again. ||1||Pause||
The body is destroyed by so many ways and means.
Some burn it, and some bury it in the earth. ||2||
Says Kabeer, O Lord, please reveal to me Your Lotus Feet;
after that, go ahead and send me to my death. ||3||32||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
He Himself is the fire, and He Himself is the wind.
When our Lord and Master wishes to burn someone, then who can save him? ||1||
When I chant the Lord's Name, what does it matter if my body burns?
My consciousness remains absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Who is burned, and who suffers loss?
The Lord plays, like the juggler with his ball. ||2||
Says Kabeer, chant the two letters of the Lord's Name - Raa Maa.
If He is your Lord and Master, He will protect you. ||3||33||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee, Du-Padas:
I have not practiced Yoga, or focused my consciousness on meditation.
Without renunciation, I cannot escape Maya. ||1||
How have I passed my life?

I have not taken the Lord's Name as my Support. ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, I have searched the skies,
and have not seen another, equal to the Lord. ||2||34||
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
That head which was once embellished with the finest turban
- upon that head, the crow now cleans his beak. ||1||
What pride should we take in this body and wealth?
Why not hold tight to the Lord's Name instead? ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, listen, O my mind:
this may be your fate as well! ||2||35||
Thirty-Five Steps Of Gauree Gwaarayree. ||
Raag Gauree Gwaarayree, Ashtapadees Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
People beg for pleasure, but pain comes instead.
I would rather not beg for that pleasure. ||1||
People are involved in corruption, but still, they hope for pleasure.
How will they find their home in the Sovereign Lord King? ||1||Pause||
Even Shiva and Brahma are afraid of this pleasure,
but I have judged that pleasure to be true. ||2||
Even sages like Sanak and Naarad, and the thousand-headed serpent,
did not see the mind within the body. ||3||
Anyone can search for this mind, O Siblings of Destiny.
When it escapes from the body, where does the mind go? ||4||
By Guru's Grace, Jai Dayv and Naam Dayv
came to know this, through loving devotional worship of the Lord. ||5||
This mind does not come or go.
One whose doubt is dispelled, knows the Truth. ||6||
This mind has no form or outline.
By God's Command it was created; understanding God's Command, it will be absorbed into Him again. ||7||
Does anyone know the secret of this mind?
This mind shall merge into the Lord, the Giver of peace and pleasure. ||8||
There is One Soul, and it pervades all bodies.
Kabeer dwells upon this Mind. ||9||1||36||
Gauree Gwaarayree:
Those who are awake to the One Name, day and night
- many of them have become Siddhas - perfect spiritual beings - with their consciousness attuned to the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The seekers, the Siddhas and the silent sages have all lost the game.
The One Name is the wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree, which saves them and carries them across. ||1||
Those who are rejuvenated by the Lord, do not belong to any other.
Says Kabeer, they realize the Name of the Lord. ||2||37||
Gauree And Also Sorat'h:
O shameless being, don't you feel ashamed?
You have forsaken the Lord - now where will you go? Unto whom will you turn? ||1||Pause||
One whose Lord and Master is the highest and most exalted
- it is not proper for him to go to the house of another. ||1||
That Lord and Master is pervading everywhere.
The Lord is always with us; He is never far away. ||2||
Even Maya takes to the Sanctuary of His Lotus Feet.
Tell me, what is there which is not in His home? ||3||
Everyone speaks of Him; He is All-powerful.
He is His Own Master; He is the Giver. ||4||
Says Kabeer, he alone is perfect in this world,
in whose heart there is none other than the Lord. ||5||38||

Whose son is he? Whose father is he?
Who dies? Who inflicts pain? ||1||
The Lord is the thug, who has drugged and robbed the whole world.
I am separated from the Lord; how can I survive, O my mother? ||1||Pause||
Whose husband is he? Whose wife is she?
Contemplate this reality within your body. ||2||
Says Kabeer, my mind is pleased and satisfied with the thug.
The effects of the drug have vanished, since I recognized the thug. ||3||39||
Now, the Lord, my King, has become my help and support.
I have cut away birth and death, and attained the supreme status. ||1||Pause||
He has united me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He has rescued me from the five demons.
I chant with my tongue and meditate on the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He has made me his own slave. ||1||
The True Guru has blessed me with His generosity.
He has lifted me up, out of the world-ocean.
I have fallen in love with His Lotus Feet.
The Lord of the Universe dwells continually within my consciousness. ||2||
The burning fire of Maya has been extinguished.
My mind is contented with the Support of the Naam.
God, the Lord and Master, is totally permeating the water and the land.
Wherever I look, there is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||3||
He Himself has implanted His devotional worship within me.
By pre-ordained destiny, one meets Him, O my Siblings of Destiny.
When He grants His Grace, one is perfectly fulfilled.
Kabeer's Lord and Master is the Cherisher of the poor. ||4||40||
There is pollution in the water, and pollution on the land; whatever is born is polluted.
There is pollution in birth, and more pollution in death; all beings are ruined by pollution. ||1||
Tell me, O Pandit, O religious scholar: who is clean and pure?
Meditate on such spiritual wisdom, O my friend. ||1||Pause||
There is pollution in the eyes, and pollution in speech; there is pollution in the ears as well.
Standing up and sitting down, one is polluted; one's kitchen is polluted as well. ||2||
Everyone knows how to be caught, but hardly anyone knows how to escape.
Says Kabeer, those who meditate on the Lord within their hearts, are not polluted. ||3||41||
Gauree:
Resolve this one conflict for me, O Lord,
if you require any work from Your humble servant. ||1||Pause||
Is this mind greater, or the One to whom the mind is attuned?
Is the Lord greater, or one who knows the Lord? ||1||
Is Brahma greater, or the One who created Him?
Are the Vedas greater, or the One from which they came? ||2||
Says Kabeer, I have become depressed;
is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage greater, or the slave of the Lord? ||3||42||
Raag Gauree Chaytee:
Behold, O Siblings of Destiny, the storm of spiritual wisdom has come.
It has totally blown away the thatched huts of doubt, and torn apart the bonds of Maya. ||1||Pause||
The two pillars of double-mindedness have fallen, and the beams of emotional attachment have come crashing down.
The thatched roof of greed has caved in, and the pitcher of evil-mindedness has been broken. ||1||

Your servant is drenched with the rain that has fallen in this storm.
Says Kabeer, my mind became enlightened, when I saw the sun rise. ||2||43||
Gauree Chaytee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They do not listen to the Lord's Praises, and they do not sing the Lord's Glories,
but they try to bring down the sky with their talk. ||1||
What can anyone say to such people?
You should always be careful around those whom God has excluded from His devotional worship. ||1||Pause||
They do not offer even a handful of water,
while they slander the one who brought forth the Ganges. ||2||
Sitting down or standing up, their ways are crooked and evil.
They ruin themselves, and then they ruin others. ||3||
They know nothing except evil talk.
They would not even obey Brahma's orders. ||4||
They themselves are lost, and they mislead others as well.
They set their own temple on fire, and then they fall asleep within it. ||5||
They laugh at others, while they themselves are one-eyed.
Seeing them, Kabeer is embarrassed. ||6||1||44||
Raag Gauree Bairaagan, Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He does not honor his ancestors while they are alive, but he holds feasts in their honor after they have died.
Tell me, how can his poor ancestors receive what the crows and the dogs have eaten up? ||1||
If only someone would tell me what real happiness is!
Speaking of happiness and joy, the world is perishing. How can happiness be found? ||1||Pause||
Making gods and goddesses out of clay, people sacrifice living beings to them.
Such are your dead ancestors, who cannot ask for what they want. ||2||
You murder living beings and worship lifeless things; at your very last moment, you shall suffer in terrible pain.
You do not know the value of the Lord's Name; you shall drown in the terrifying world-ocean. ||3||
You worship gods and goddesses, but you do not know the Supreme Lord God.
Says Kabeer, you have not remembered the Lord who has no ancestors; you are clinging to your corrupt ways. ||4||1||45||
Gauree:
One who remains dead while yet alive, will live even after death; thus he merges into the Primal Void of the Absolute Lord.
Remaining pure in the midst of impurity, he will never again fall into the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
O my Lord, this is the milk to be churned.
Through the Guru's Teachings, hold your mind steady and stable, and in this way, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
The Guru's arrow has pierced the hard core of this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, and the state of enlightenment has dawned.
In the darkness of Maya, I mistook the rope for the snake, but that is over, and now I dwell in the eternal home of the Lord. ||2||
Maya has drawn her bow without an arrow, and has pierced this world, O Siblings of Destiny.

The drowning person is blown around in the ten directions by the wind, but I hold tight to the string of the Lord's Love. ||3||
The disturbed mind has been absorbed in the Lord; duality and evil-mindedness have run away.
Says Kabeer, I have seen the One Lord, the Fearless One; I am attuned to the Name of the Lord. ||4||2||46||
Gauree Bairaagan, Ti-Padas:
I turned my breath inwards, and pierced through the six chakras of the body, and my awareness was centered on the Primal Void of the Absolute Lord.
Search for the One who does not come or go, who does not die and is not born, O renunciate. ||1||
My mind has turned away from the world, and is absorbed in the Mind of God.
By Guru's Grace, my understanding has been changed; otherwise, I was totally ignorant. ||1||Pause||
That which was near has become distant, and again, that which was distant is near, for those who realize the Lord as He is.
It is like the sugar water made from the candy; only one who drinks it knows its taste. ||2||
Unto whom should I speak Your speech, O Lord; it is beyond the three qualities. Is there anyone with such discerning wisdom?
Says Kabeer, as is the fuse which you apply, so is the flash you will see. ||3||3||47||
Gauree:
There is no rainy season, ocean, sunshine or shade, no creation or destruction there.
No life or death, no pain or pleasure is felt there. There is only the Primal Trance of Samaadhi, and no duality. ||1||
The description of the state of intuitive poise is indescribable and sublime.
It is not measured, and it is not exhausted. It is neither light nor heavy. ||1||Pause||
Neither lower nor upper worlds are there; neither day nor night are there.
There is no water, wind or fire; there, the True Guru is contained. ||2||
The Inaccessible and Unfathomable Lord dwells there within Himself; by Guru's Grace, He is found.
Says Kabeer, I am a sacrifice to my Guru; I remain in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||4||48||
Gauree:
With both sin and virtue, the ox of the body is purchased; the air of the breath is the capital which has appeared.
The bag on its back is filled with desire; this is how we purchase the herd. ||1||
My Lord is such a wealthy merchant!
He has made the whole world his peddler. ||1||Pause||
Sexual desire and anger are the tax-collectors, and the waves of the mind are the highway robbers.
The five elements join together and divide up their loot. This is how our herd is disposed of! ||2||
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints: This is the state of affairs now!
Going uphill, the ox has grown weary; throwing off his load, he continues on his journey. ||3||5||49||
Gauree, Panch-Padas:
For a few short days, the soul-bride stays in her parent's house; then, she must go to her in-laws.
The blind, foolish and ignorant people do not know this. ||1||
Tell me, why is the bride wearing her ordinary clothes?
The guests have arrived at her home, and her Husband has come to take her away. ||1||Pause||
Who has lowered the rope of the breath down, into the well of the world which we see?
The rope of the breath breaks away from the pitcher of the body, and the water-carrier gets up and departs. ||2||
When the Lord and Master is kind and grants His Grace, then her affairs are all resolved.

Then she is known as the happy soul-bride, if she contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||
Bound by the actions she has committed, she wanders around - see this and understand.
What can we say to her? What can the poor soul-bride do? ||4||
Disappointed and hopeless, she gets up and departs. There is no support or encouragement in her consciousness.
So remain attached to the Lord's Lotus Feet, and hurry to His Sanctuary, Kabeer! ||5||6||50||
Gauree :
The Yogi says that Yoga is good and sweet, and nothing else is, O Siblings of Destiny.
Those who shave their heads, and those who amputate their limbs, and those who utter only a single word, all say that they have attained the spiritual perfection of the Siddhas. ||1||
Without the Lord, the blind ones are deluded by doubt.
And those, to whom I go to find release - they themselves are bound by all sorts of chains. ||1||Pause||
The soul is re-absorbed into that from which it originated, when one leaves this path of errors.
The scholarly Pandits, the virtuous, the brave and the generous, all assert that they alone are great. ||2||
He alone understands, whom the Lord inspires to understand. Without understanding, what can anyone do?
Meeting the True Guru, the darkness is dispelled, and in this way, the jewel is obtained. ||3||
Give up the evil actions of your left and right hands, and grasp hold of the Feet of the Lord.
Says Kabeer, the mute has tasted the molasses, but what can he say about it if he is asked? ||4||7||51||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Where something existed, now there is nothing. The five elements are no longer there.
The Ida, the Pingala and the Sushmanaa - O human being, how can the breaths through these be counted now? ||1||
The string has been broken, and the Sky of the Tenth Gate has been destroyed. Where has your speech gone?
This cynicism afflicts me, night and day; who can explain this to me and help me understand? ||1||Pause||
Where the world is - the body is not there; the mind is not there either.
The Joiner is forever unattached; now, within whom is the soul said to be contained? ||2||
By joining the elements, people cannot join them, and by breaking, they cannot be broken, until the body perishes.
Of whom is the soul the master, and of whom is it the servant? Where, and to whom does it go? ||3||
Says Kabeer, I have lovingly focused my attention on that place where the Lord dwells, day and night.
Only He Himself truly knows the secrets of His mystery; He is eternal and indestructible. ||4||1||52||
Gauree:
Let contemplation and intuitive meditation be your two ear-rings, and true wisdom your patched overcoat.
In the cave of silence, dwell in your Yogic posture; let the subjugation of desire be your spiritual path. ||1||
O my King, I am a Yogi, a hermit, a renunciate.
I do not die or suffer pain or separation. ||1||Pause||
The solar systems and galaxies are my horn; the whole world is the bag to carry my ashes.
Eliminating the three qualities and finding release from this world is my deep meditation. ||2||
My mind and breath are the two gourds of my fiddle, and the Lord of all the ages is its frame.

The string has become steady, and it does not break; this guitar vibrates with the unstruck melody. ||3||
Hearing it, the mind is enraptured and becomes perfect; it does not waver, and it is not affected by Maya.
Says Kabeer, the bairaagee, the renunciate, who has played such a game, is not reincarnated again into the world of form and substance. ||4||2||53||
Gauree:
Nine yards, ten yards, and twenty-one yards - weave these into the full piece of cloth;
take the sixty threads and add nine joints to the seventy-two on the loom. ||1||
Life weaves itself into its patterns.
Leaving her home, the soul goes to the world of the weaver. ||1||Pause||
This cloth cannot be measured in yards or weighed with weights; its food is two and a half measures.
If it does not obtain food right away, it quarrels with the master of the house. ||2||
How many days will you sit here, in opposition to your Lord and Master? When will this opportunity come again?
Leaving his pots and pans, and the bobbins wet with his tears, the weaver soul departs in jealous anger. ||3||
The wind-pipe is empty now; the thread of the breath does not come out any longer. The thread is tangled; it has run out.
So renounce the world of form and substance while you remain here, O poor soul; says Kabeer: you must understand this! ||4||3||54||
Gauree:
When one light merges into another, what becomes of it then?
That person, within whose heart the Lord's Name does not well up - may that person burst and die! ||1||
O my dark and beautiful Lord,
my mind is attached to You. ||1||Pause||
Meeting with the Holy, the perfection of the Siddhas is obtained. What good is Yoga or indulgence in pleasures?
When the two meet together, the business is conducted, and the link with the Lord's Name is established. ||2||
People believe that this is just a song, but it is a meditation on God.
It is like the instructions given to the dying man at Benares. ||3||
Whoever sings or listens to the Lord's Name with conscious awareness
- says Kabeer, without a doubt, in the end, he obtains the highest status. ||4||1||4||55||
Gauree:
Those who try to do things by their own efforts are drowned in the terrifying world-ocean; they cannot cross over.
Those who practice religious rituals and strict self-discipline - their egotistical pride shall consume their minds. ||1||
Your Lord and Master has given you the breath of life and food to sustain you; Oh, why have you forgotten Him?
Human birth is a priceless jewel, which has been squandered in exchange for a worthless shell. ||1||Pause||
The thirst of desire and the hunger of doubt afflict you; you do not contemplate the Lord in your heart.
Intoxicated with pride, you cheat yourself; you have not enshrined the Word of the Guru's Shabad within your mind. ||2||
Those who are deluded by sensual pleasures, who are tempted by sexual delights and enjoy wine are corrupt.
But those who, through destiny and good karma, join the Society of the Saints, float over the ocean, like iron attached to wood. ||3||
I have wandered in doubt and confusion, through birth and reincarnation; now, I am so tired. I am suffering in pain and wasting away.
Says Kabeer, meeting with the Guru, I have obtained supreme joy; my love and devotion have saved me. ||4||1||5||56||
Gauree:
Like the straw figure of a female elephant, fashioned to trap the bull elephant, O crazy mind, the Lord of the Universe has staged the drama of this world.
Attracted by the lure of sexual desire, the elephant is captured, O crazy mind, and now the halter is placed around its neck. ||1||

So escape from corruption and immerse yourself in the Lord; take this advice, O crazy mind.
You have not meditated fearlessly on the Lord, O crazy mind; you have not embarked upon the Lord's Boat. ||1||Pause||
The monkey stretches out its hand, O crazy mind, and takes a handful of corn;
now unable to escape, O crazy mind, it is made to dance door to door. ||2||
Like the parrot caught in the trap, O crazy mind, you trapped by the affairs of Maya.
Like the weak dye of the safflower, O crazy mind, so is the expanse of this world of form and substance. ||3||
There are so many holy shrines in which to bathe, O crazy mind, and so many gods to worship.
Says Kabeer, you shall not be saved like this, O crazy mind; only by serving the Lord will you find release. ||4||1||6||57||
Gauree:
Fire does not burn it, and the wind does not blow it away; thieves cannot get near it.
Accumulate the wealth of the Lord's Name; that wealth does not go anywhere. ||1||
My wealth is God, the Lord of Wealth, the Lord of the Universe, the Support of the earth: this is called the most excellent wealth.
The peace which is obtained by serving God, the Lord of the Universe - that peace cannot be found in kingdoms or power. ||1||Pause||
Shiva and Sanak, in their search for this wealth, became Udaasees, and renounced the world.
One whose mind is filled with the Lord of liberation, and whose tongue chants the Name of the Lord, shall not be caught by the noose of Death. ||2||
My own wealth is the spiritual wisdom and devotion given by the Guru; my mind is held steady in perfect neutral balance.
It is like water for the burning soul, like an anchoring support for the wandering mind; the bondage of doubt and fear is dispelled. ||3||
Says Kabeer: O you who are intoxicated with sexual desire, reflect upon this in your heart, and see.
Within your home there are hundreds of thousands, millions of horses and elephants; but within my home is the One Lord. ||4||1||7||58||
Gauree:
Like the monkey with a handful of grain, who will not let go because of greed
- just so, all the deeds committed in greed ultimately become a noose around one's neck. ||1||
Without devotional worship, human life passes away in vain.
Without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, without vibrating and meditating on the Lord God, one does not abide in Truth. ||1||Pause||
Like the flower which blossoms in the wilderness with no one to enjoy its fragrance,
so do people wander in reincarnation; over and over again, they are destroyed by Death. ||2||
This wealth, youth, children and spouse which the Lord has given you - this is all just a passing show.
Those who are caught and entangled in these are carried away by sensual desire. ||3||
Age is the fire, and the body is the house of straw; on all four sides, this play is being played out.
Says Kabeer, to cross over the terriffying world-ocean, I have taken to the Shelter of the True Guru. ||4||1||8||59||
Gauree:
The water of the sperm is cloudy, and the egg of the ovary is crimson.
From this clay, the puppet is fashioned. ||1||
I am nothing, and nothing is mine.
This body, wealth, and all delicacies are Yours, O Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
Into this clay, the breath is infused.

By Your Power, You have set this false contrivance in motion. ||2||
Some collect hundreds of thousands of dollars,
but in the end, the pitcher of the body bursts. ||3||
Says Kabeer, that single foundation which you have laid
will be destroyed in an instant - you are so egotistical. ||4||1||9||60||
Gauree:
Just as Dhroo and Prahlaad meditated on the Lord, so should you meditate on the Lord, O my soul. ||1||
O Lord, Merciful to the meek, I have placed my faith in You;
along with all my family, I have come aboard Your boat. ||1||Pause||
When it is pleasing to Him, then He inspires us to obey the Hukam of His Command.
He causes this boat to cross over. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, such understanding is infused into me;
my comings and goings in reincarnation have ended. ||3||
Says Kabeer, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord, the Sustainer of the earth.
In this world, in the world beyond and everywhere, He alone is the Giver. ||4||2||10||61||
Gauree 9:
He leaves the womb, and comes into the world;
as soon as the air touches him, he forgets his Lord and Master. ||1||
O my soul, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
You were upside-down, living in the womb; you generated the intense meditative heat of 'tapas'.
Then, you escaped the fire of the belly. ||2||
After wandering through 8.4 million incarnations, you came.
If you stumble and fall now, you shall find no home or place of rest. ||3||
Says Kabeer, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord, the Sustainer of the earth.
He is not seen to be coming or going; He is the Knower of all. ||4||1||11||62||
Gauree Poorbee:
Don't wish for a home in heaven, and don't be afraid to live in hell.
Whatever will be will be, so don't get your hopes up in your mind. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord,
from whom the most excellent treasure is obtained. ||1||Pause||
What good is chanting, penance or self-mortification? What good is fasting or cleansing baths,
unless you know the way to worship the Lord God with loving devotion? ||2||
Don't feel so delighted at the sight of wealth, and don't weep at the sight of suffering and adversity.
As is wealth, so is adversity; whatever the Lord proposes, comes to pass. ||3||
Says Kabeer, now I know that the Lord dwells within the hearts of His Saints;
that servant performs the best service, whose heart is filled with the Lord. ||4||1||12||63||
Gauree:
O my mind, even if you carry someone's burden, they don't belong to you.
This world is like the perch of the bird on the tree. ||1||
I drink in the sublime essence of the Lord.
With the taste of this essence, I have forgotten all other tastes. ||1||Pause||
Why should we weep at the death of others, when we ourselves are not permanent?
Whoever is born shall pass away; why should we cry out in grief? ||2||
We are re-absorbed into the One from whom we came; drink in the Lord's essence, and remain attached to Him.
Says Kabeer, my consciousness is filled with thoughts of remembrance of the Lord; I have become detached from the world. ||3||2||13||64||
Raag Gauree:
The bride gazes at the path, and sighs with tearful eyes.

Her heart is not happy, but she does not retrace her steps, in hopes of seeing the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||1||
So fly away, black crow,
so that I may quickly meet my Beloved Lord. ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, to obtain the status of eternal life, worship the Lord with devotion.
The Name of the Lord is my only Support; with my tongue, I chant the Lord's Name. ||2||1||14||65||
Raag Gauree 11:
All around, there are thick bushes of sweet basil, and there in the midst of the forest, the Lord is singing with joy.
Beholding His wondrous beauty, the milk-maid was entranced, and said, "Please don't leave me; please don't come and go!"||1||
My mind is attached to Your Feet, O Archer of the Universe;
he alone meets You, who is blessed by great good fortune. ||1||Pause||
In Brindaaban, where Krishna grazes his cows, he entices and fascinates my mind.
You are my Lord Master, the Archer of the Universe; my name is Kabeer. ||2||2||15||66||
Gauree Poorbee 12:
Many people wear various robes, but what is the use of living in the forest?
What good does it do if a man burns incense before his gods? What good does it do to dip one's body in water? ||1||
O soul, I know that I will have to depart.
You ignorant idiot: understand the Imperishable Lord.
Whatever you see, you will not see that again, but still, you cling to Maya. ||1||Pause||
The spiritual teachers, meditators and the great preachers are all engrossed in these worldly affairs.
Says Kabeer, without the Name of the One Lord, this world is blinded by Maya. ||2||1||16||67||
Gauree 12:
O people, O victims of this Maya, abandon your doubts and dance out in the open.
What sort of a hero is one who is afraid to face the battle? What sort of satee is she who, when her time comes, starts collecting her pots and pans? ||1||
Stop your wavering, O crazy people!
Now that you have taken up the challenge of death, let yourself burn and die, and attain perfection. ||1||Pause||
The world is engrossed in sexual desire, anger and Maya; in this way it is plundered and ruined.
Says Kabeer, do not forsake the Lord, your Sovereign King, the Highest of the High. ||2||2||17||68||
Gauree 13:
Your Command is upon my head, and I no longer question it.
You are the river, and You are the boatman; salvation comes from You. ||1||
O human being, embrace the Lord's meditation,
whether your Lord and Master is angry with you or in love with you. ||1||Pause||
Your Name is my Support, like the flower blossoming in the water.
Says Kabeer, I am the slave of Your home; I live or die as You will. ||2||18||69||
Gauree:
Wandering through 8.4 million incarnations, Krishna's father Nand was totally exhausted.
Because of his devotion, Krishna was incarnated in his home; how great was the good fortune of this poor man! ||1||
You say that Krishna was Nand's son, but whose son was Nand himself?
When there was no earth or ether or the ten directions, where was this Nand then? ||1||Pause||

He does not fall into misfortune, and He does not take birth; His Name is the Immaculate Lord.
Kabeer's Lord is such a Lord and Master, who has no mother or father. ||2||19||70||
Gauree:
Slander me, slander me - go ahead, people, and slander me.
Slander is pleasing to the Lord's humble servant.
Slander is my father, slander is my mother. ||1||Pause||
If I am slandered, I go to heaven;
the wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides within my mind.
If my heart is pure, and I am slandered,
then the slanderer washes my clothes. ||1||
One who slanders me is my friend;
the slanderer is in my thoughts.
The slanderer is the one who prevents me from being slandered.
The slanderer wishes me long life. ||2||
I have love and affection for the slanderer.
Slander is my salvation.
Slander is the best thing for servant Kabeer.
The slanderer is drowned, while I am carried across. ||3||20||71||
O my Sovereign Lord King, You are Fearless; You are the Carrier to carry us across, O my Lord King. ||1||Pause||
When I was, then You were not; now that You are, I am not.
Now, You and I have become one; seeing this, my mind is content. ||1||
When there was wisdom, how could there be strength? Now that there is wisdom, strength cannot prevail.
Says Kabeer, the Lord has taken away my wisdom, and I have attained spiritual perfection. ||2||21||72||
Gauree:
He fashioned the body chamber with six rings, and placed within it the incomparable thing.
He made the breath of life the watchman, with lock and key to protect it; the Creator did this in no time at all. ||1||
Keep your mind awake and aware now, O Sibling of Destiny.
You were careless, and you have wasted your life; your home is being plundered by thieves. ||1||Pause||
The five senses stand as guards at the gate, but now can they be trusted?
When you are conscious in your consciousness, you shall be enlightened and illuminated. ||2||
Seeing the nine openings of the body, the soul-bride is led astray; she does not obtain that incomparable thing.
Says Kabeer, the nine openings of the body are being plundered; rise up to the Tenth Gate, and discover the true essence. ||3||22||73||
Gauree:
O mother, I do not know any other, except Him.
My breath of life resides in Him, whose praises are sung by Shiva and Sanak and so many others. ||Pause||
My heart is illuminated by spiritual wisdom; meeting the Guru, I meditate in the Sky of the Tenth Gate.
The diseases of corruption, fear and bondage have run away; my mind has come to know peace in its own true home. ||1||
Imbued with a balanced single-mindedness, I know and obey God; nothing else enters my mind.
My mind has become fragrant with the scent of sandalwood; I have renounced egotistical selfishness and conceit. ||2||
That humble being, who sings and meditates on the Praises of his Lord and Master, is the dwelling-place of God.
He is blessed with great good fortune; the Lord abides in his mind. Good karma radiates from his forehead. ||3||
I have broken the bonds of Maya; the intuitive peace and poise of Shiva has dawned within me, and I am merged in oneness with the One.

Says Kabeer, meeting the Guru, I have found absolute peace. My mind has ceased its wanderings; I am happy. ||4||23||74||
Raag Gauree Poorbee, Baawan Akhree Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
Through these fifty-two letters, the three worlds and all things are described.
These letters shall perish; they cannot describe the Imperishable Lord. ||1||
Wherever there is speech, there are letters.
Where there is no speech, there, the mind rests on nothing.
He is in both speech and silence.
No one can know Him as He is. ||2||
If I come to know the Lord, what can I say; what good does it do to speak?
He is contained in the seed of the banyan-tree, and yet, His expanse spreads across the three worlds. ||3||
One who knows the Lord understands His mystery, and bit by bit, the mystery disappears.
Turning away from the world, one's mind is pierced through with this mystery, and one obtains the Indestructible, Impenetrable Lord. ||4||
The Muslim knows the Muslim way of life; the Hindu knows the Vedas and Puraanas.
To instruct their minds, people ought to study some sort of spiritual wisdom. ||5||
I know only the One, the Universal Creator, the Primal Being.
I do not believe in anyone whom the Lord writes and erases.
If someone knows the One, the Universal Creator,
he shall not perish, since he knows Him. ||6||
KAKKA: When the rays of Divine Light come into the heart-lotus,
the moon-light of Maya cannot enter the basket of the mind.
And if one obtains the subtle fragrance of that spiritual flower,
he cannot describe the indescribable; he could speak, but who would understand? ||7||
KHAKHA: The mind has entered this cave.
It does not leave this cave to wander in the ten directions.
Knowing their Lord and Master, people show compassion;
then, they become immortal, and attain the state of eternal dignity. ||8||
GAGGA: One who understands the Guru's Word
does not listen to anything else.
He remains like a hermit and does not go anywhere,
when he grasps the Ungraspable Lord and dwells in the sky of the Tenth Gate. ||9||
GHAGHA: He dwells in each and every heart.
Even when the body-pitcher bursts, he does not diminish.
When someone finds the Path to the Lord within his own heart,
why should he abandon that Path to follow some other path? ||10||
NGANGA: Restrain yourself, love the Lord, and dismiss your doubts.
Even if you do not see the Path, do not run away; this is the highest wisdom. ||11||
CHACHA: He painted the great picture of the world.
Forget this picture, and remember the Painter.
This wondrous painting is now the problem.
Forget this picture and focus your consciousness on the Painter. ||12||
CHHACHHA: The Sovereign Lord of the Universe is here with you.
Why are you so unhappy? Why don't you abandon your desires?
O my mind, each and every moment I try to instruct you,
but you forsake Him, and entangle yourself with others. ||13||
JAJJA: If someone burns his body while he is still alive,
and burns away the desires of his youth, then he finds the right way.
When he burns his desire for his own wealth, and that of others,
then he finds the Divine Light. ||14||

JHAJHA: You are entangled in the world, and you do not know how to get untangled.
You hold back in fear, and are not approved by the Lord.
Why do you talk such nonsense, trying to convince others?
Stirring up arguments, you shall only obtain more arguments. ||15||
NYANYA: He dwells near you, deep within your heart; why do you leave Him and go far away?
I searched the whole world for Him, but I found Him near myself. ||16||
TATTA: It is such a difficult path, to find Him within your own heart.
Open the doors within, and enter the Mansion of His Presence.
Beholding the Immovable Lord, you shall not slip and go anywhere else.
You shall remain firmly attached to the Lord, and your heart will be happy. ||17||
T'HAT'HA: Keep yourself far away from this mirage.
With great difficulty, I have calmed my mind.
That cheater, who cheated and devoured the whole world
- I have cheated that cheater, and my mind is now at peace. ||18||
DADDA: When the Fear of God wells up, other fears depart.
Other fears are absorbed into that Fear.
When one rejects the Fear of God, then other fears cling to him.
But if he becomes fearless, the fears of his heart run away. ||19||
DHADHA: Why do you search in other directions?
Searching for Him like this, the breath of life runs out.
When I returned after climbing the mountain,
I found Him in the fortress - the fortress which He Himself made. ||20||
NANNA: The warrior who fights on the battle-field should keep up and press on.
He should not yield, and he should not retreat.
Blessed is the coming of one
who conquers the one and renounces the many. ||21||
TATTA: The impassable world-ocean cannot be crossed over;
the body remains embroiled in the three worlds.
But when the Lord of the three worlds enters into the body,
then one's essence merges with the essence of reality, and the True Lord is attained. ||22||
T'HAT'HA: He is Unfathomable; His depths cannot be fathomed.
He is Unfathomable; this body is impermanent, and unstable.
The mortal builds his dwelling upon this tiny space;
without any pillars, he wishes to support a mansion. ||23||
DADDA: Whatever is seen shall perish.
Contemplate the One who is unseen.
When the key is inserted in the Tenth Gate,
then the Blessed Vision of the Merciful Lord's Darshan is seen. ||24||
DHADHA: When one ascends from the lower realms of the earth to the higher realms of the heavens, then everything is resolved.
The Lord dwells in both the lower and higher worlds.
Leaving the earth, the soul ascends to the heavens;
then, the lower and higher join together, and peace is obtained. ||25||
NANNA: The days and nights go by; I am looking for the Lord.
Looking for Him, my eyes have become blood-shot.
After looking and looking,when He is finally found,
then the one who was looking merges into the One who was looked for. ||26||
PAPPA: He is limitless; His limits cannot be found.
I have attuned myself to the Supreme Light.
One who controls his five senses
rises above both sin and virtue. ||27||
FAFFA: Even without the flower, the fruit is produced.
One who looks at a slice of that fruit
and reflects on it, will not be consigned to reincarnation.
A slice of that fruit slices all bodies. ||28||
BABBA: When one drop blends with another drop,
then these drops cannot be separated again.
Become the Lord's slave, and hold tight to His meditation.

If you turn your thoughts to the Lord, the Lord will take care of you like a relative. ||29||
BHABHA: When doubt is pierced, union is achieved.
I have shattered my fear, and now I have come to have faith.
I thought that He was outside of me, but now I know that He is within me.
When I came to understand this mystery, then I recognized the Lord. ||30||
MAMMA: Clinging to the source, the mind is satisfied.
One who knows this mystery understands his own mind.
Let no one delay in uniting his mind.
Those who obtain the True Lord are immersed in delight. ||31||
MAMMA: The mortal's business is with his own mind; one who disciplines his mind attains perfection.
Only the mind can deal with the mind; says Kabeer, I have not met anything like the mind. ||32||
This mind is Shakti; this mind is Shiva.
This mind is the life of the five elements.
When this mind is channeled, and guided to enlightenment,
it can describe the secrets of the three worlds. ||33||
YAYYA: If you know anything, then destroy your evil-mindedness, and subjugate the body-village.
When you are engaged in the battle, don't run away; then, you shall be known as a spiritual hero. ||34||
RARRA: I have found tastes to be tasteless.
Becoming tasteless, I have realized that taste.
Abandoning these tastes, I have found that taste.
Drinking in that taste, this taste is no longer pleasing. ||35||
LALLA: Embrace such love for the Lord in your mind,
that you shall not have to go to any other; you shall attain the supreme truth.
And if you embrace love and affection for Him there,
then you shall obtain the Lord; obtaining Him, you shall be absorbed in His Feet. ||36||
WAWA: Time and time again, dwell upon the Lord.
Dwelling upon the Lord, defeat shall not come to you.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those, who sing the praises of the Saints, the sons of the Lord.
Meeting the Lord, total Truth is obtained. ||37||
WAWA: Know Him. By knowing Him, this mortal becomes Him.
When this soul and that Lord are blended, then, having been blended, they cannot be known separately. ||38||
SASSA: Discipline your mind with sublime perfection.
Refrain from that talk which attracts the heart.
The heart is attracted, when love wells up.
The King of the three worlds is perfectly pervading and permeating there. ||39||
KHAKHA: Anyone who seeks Him, and by seeking Him, finds Him, shall not be born again.
When someone seeks Him, and comes to understand and contemplate Him,
then he crosses over the terrifying world-ocean in an instant. ||40||
SASSA: The bed of the soul-bride is adorned by her Husband Lord;
her skepticism is dispelled.
Renouncing the shallow pleasures of the world, she obtains the supreme delight.
Then, she is the soul-bride; He is called her Husband Lord. ||41||
HAHA: He exists, but He is not known to exist.
When He is known to exist, then the mind is pleased and appeased.
Of course the Lord exists, if one could only understand Him.
Then, He alone exists, and not this mortal being. ||42||
Everyone goes around saying, "I'll take this, and I'll take that."
Because of that, they suffer in terrible pain.
When someone comes to love the Lord of Lakhshmi,
his sorrow departs, and he obtains total peace. ||43||
KHAKHA: Many have wasted their lives, and then perished.
Wasting away, they do not remember the Lord, even now.
But if someone, even now, comes to know the transitory nature of the world and restrain his mind,
he shall find his permanent home, from which he was separated. ||44||

The fifty-two letters have been joined together.
But people cannot recognize the One Word of God.
Kabeer speaks the Shabad, the Word of Truth.
One who is a Pandit, a religious scholar, must remain fearless.
It is the business of the scholarly person to join letters.
The spiritual person contemplates the essence of reality.
According to the wisdom within the mind,
says Kabeer, so does one come to understand. ||45||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Gauree, T'hitee ~ The Lunar Days Of Kabeer Jee:
Shalok:
There are fifteen lunar days, and seven days of the week.
Says Kabeer, it is neither here nor there.
When the Siddhas and seekers come to know the Lord's mystery,
they themselves become the Creator; they themselves become the Divine Lord. ||1||
T'HITEE:
On the day of the new moon, give up your hopes.
Remember the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
You shall attain the Gate of Liberation while yet alive.
You shall come to know the Shabad, the Word of the Fearless Lord, and the essence of your own inner being. ||1||
One who enshrines love for the Lotus Feet of the Lord of the Universe
- by the Grace of the Saints, her mind becomes pure; night and day, she remains awake and aware, singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||1||Pause||
On the first day of the lunar cycle, contemplate the Beloved Lord.
He is playing within the heart; He has no body - He is Infinite.
The pain of death never consumes that person
who remains absorbed in the Primal Lord God. ||2||
On the second day of the lunar cycle, know that there are two beings within the fiber of the body.
Maya and God are blended with everything.
God does not increase or decrease.
He is unknowable and immaculate; He does not change. ||3||
On the third day of the lunar cycle, one who maintains his equilibrium amidst the three modes
finds the source of ecstasy and the highest status.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, faith wells up.
Outwardly, and deep within, God's Light is always radiant. ||4||
On the fourth day of the lunar cycle, restrain your fickle mind,
and do not ever associate with sexual desire or anger.
On land and sea, He Himself is in Himself.
He Himself meditates and chants His Chant. ||5||
On the fifth day of the lunar cycle, the five elements expand outward.
Men are occupied in the pursuit of gold and women.
How rare are those who drink in the pure essence of the Lord's Love.
They shall never again suffer the pains of old age and death. ||6||
On the sixth day of the lunar cycle, the six chakras run in six directions.
Without enlightenment, the body does not remain steady.
So erase your duality and hold tight to forgiveness,
and you will not have to endure the torture of karma or religious rituals. ||7||
On the seventh day of the lunar cycle, know the Word as True,
and you shall be accepted by the Lord, the Supreme Soul.
Your doubts shall be eradicated, and your pains eliminated,
and in the ocean of the celestial void, you shall find peace. ||8||
On the eighth day of the lunar cycle, the body is made of the eight ingredients.
Within it is the Unknowable Lord, the King of the supreme treasure.
The Guru, who knows this spiritual wisdom, reveals the secret of this mystery.
Turning away from the world, He abides in the Unbreakable and Impenetrable Lord. ||9||
On the ninth day of the lunar cycle, discipline the nine gates of the body.
Keep your pulsating desires restrained.
Forget all your greed and emotional attachment;

you shall live throughout the ages, eating the fruit of immortality. ||10||
On the tenth day of the lunar cycle, there is ecstasy in all directions.
Doubt is dispelled, and the Lord of the Universe is met.
He is the Embodiment of light, the incomparable essence.
He is stainless, without stain, beyond both sunshine and shade. ||11||
On the eleventh day of the lunar cycle, if you run in the direction of the One,
you will not have to suffer the pains of reincarnation again.
Your body will become cool, immaculate and pure.
The Lord was said to be far away, but He is found near at hand. ||12||
On the twelfth day of the lunar cycle, twelve suns rise.
Day and night, the celestial bugles vibrate the unstruck melody.
Then, one beholds the Father of the three worlds.
This is wonderful! The human being has become God! ||13||
On the thirteenth day of the lunar cycle, the thirteen holy books proclaim
that you must recognize the Lord in the nether regions of the underworld as well as the heavens.
There is no high or low, no honor or dishonor.
The Lord is pervading and permeating all. ||14||
On the fourteenth day of the lunar cycle, in the fourteen worlds
and on each and every hair, the Lord abides.
Center yourself and meditate on truth and contentment.
Speak the speech of God's spiritual wisdom. ||15||
On the day of the full moon, the full moon fills the heavens.
Its power is diffused through its gentle light.
In the beginning, in the end, and in the middle, God remains firm and steady.
Kabeer is immersed in the ocean of peace. ||16||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Gauree, The Seven Days Of The Week Of Kabeer Jee:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord each and every day.
Meeting with the Guru, you shall come to know the mystery of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
On Sunday, begin the devotional worship of the Lord,
and restrain the desires within the temple of the body.
When your attention is focused day and night upon that imperishable place,
then the celestial flutes play the unstruck melody in tranquil peace and poise. ||1||
On Monday, the Ambrosial Nectar trickles down from the moon.
Tasting it, all poisons are removed in an instant.
Restrained by Gurbani, the mind remains indoors;
drinking in this Nectar, it is intoxicated. ||2||
On Tuesday, understand reality;
you must know the way the five thieves work.
Those who leave their own home to go out wandering
shall feel the terrible wrath of the Lord, their King. ||3||
On Wednesday, one's understanding is enlightened.
The Lord comes to dwell in the lotus of the heart.
Meeting the Guru, one comes to look alike upon pleasure and pain,
and the inverted lotus is turned upright. ||4||
On Thursday, wash off your corruption.
Forsake the trinity, and attach yourself to the One God.
At the confluence of the three rivers of knowledge, right action and devotion, there,
why not wash away your sinful mistakes? ||5||
On Friday, keep up and complete your fast;
day and night, you must fight against your own self.
If you restrain your five senses,
then you shall not cast your glance on another. ||6||
On Saturday, keep the candle of God's Light steady within your heart;
you will be enlightened, inwardly and outwardly.
All your karma will be erased. ||7||

Know that as long as you place your hopes in others,
you shall not find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
When you embrace love for the Lord,
says Kabeer, then, you shall become pure in your very fiber. ||8||1||
Raag Gauree Chaytee, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
God makes even stones float.
So why shouldn't Your humble slave also float across, chanting Your Name, O Lord? ||1||Pause||
You saved the prostitute, and the ugly hunch-back; You helped the hunter and Ajaamal swim across as well.
The hunter who shot Krishna in the foot - even he was liberated.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those who chant the Lord's Name. ||1||
You saved Bidur, the son of the slave-girl, and Sudama; You restored Ugrasain to his throne.
Without meditation, without penance, without a good family, without good deeds, Naam Dayv's Lord and Master saved them all. ||2||1||
Raag Gauree, Padas Of Ravi Daas Jee, Gauree Gwaarayree:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. By Guru's Grace:
The company I keep is wretched and low, and I am anxious day and night;
my actions are crooked, and I am of lowly birth. ||1||
O Lord, Master of the earth, Life of the soul,
please do not forget me! I am Your humble servant. ||1||Pause||
Take away my pains, and bless Your humble servant with Your Sublime Love.
I shall not leave Your Feet, even though my body may perish. ||2||
Says Ravi Daas, I seek the protection of Your Sanctuary;
please, meet Your humble servant - do not delay! ||3||1||
Baygumpura, 'the city without sorrow', is the name of the town.
There is no suffering or anxiety there.
There are no troubles or taxes on commodities there.
There is no fear, blemish or downfall there. ||1||
Now, I have found this most excellent city.
There is lasting peace and safety there, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
God's Kingdom is steady, stable and eternal.
There is no second or third status; all are equal there.
That city is populous and eternally famous.
Those who live there are wealthy and contented. ||2||
They stroll about freely, just as they please.
They know the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and no one blocks their way.
Says Ravi Daas, the emancipated shoe-maker:
whoever is a citizen there, is a friend of mine. ||3||2||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Gauree Bairaagan, Ravi Daas Jee:
The path to God is very treacherous and mountainous, and all I have is this worthless ox.
I offer this one prayer to the Lord, to preserve my capital. ||1||
Is there any merchant of the Lord to join me? My cargo is loaded, and now I am leaving. ||1||Pause||

I am the merchant of the Lord; I deal in spiritual wisdom.
I have loaded the Wealth of the Lord's Name; the world has loaded poison. ||2||
O you who know this world and the world beyond: write whatever nonsense you please about me.
The club of the Messenger of Death shall not strike me, since I have cast off all entanglements. ||3||
Love of this world is like the pale, temporary color of the safflower.
The color of my Lord's Love, however, is permanent, like the dye of the madder plant. So says Ravi Daas, the tanner. ||4||1||
Gauree Poorbee, Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The frog in the deep well knows nothing of its own country or other lands;
just so, my mind, infatuated with corruption, understands nothing about this world or the next. ||1||
O Lord of all worlds: reveal to me, even for an instant, the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||Pause||
My intellect is polluted; I cannot understand Your state, O Lord.
Take pity on me, dispel my doubts, and teach me true wisdom. ||2||
Even the great Yogis cannot describe Your Glorious Virtues; they are beyond words.
I am dedicated to Your loving devotional worship, says Ravi Daas the tanner. ||3||1||
Gauree Bairaagan:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, was Truth; in the Silver Age of Trayta Yuga, charitable feasts; in the Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga, there was worship.
In those three ages, people held to these three ways. But in the Iron Age of Kali Yuga, the Name of the Lord is your only Support. ||1||
How can I swim across?
No one has explained to me,
so that I might understand how I can escape reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
So many forms of religion have been described; the whole world is practicing them.
What actions will bring emancipation, and total perfection? ||2||
One may distinguish between good and evil actions, and listen to the Vedas and the Puraanas,
but doubt still persists. Skepticism continually dwells in the heart, so who can eradicate egotistical pride? ||3||
Outwardly, he washes with water, but deep within, his heart is tarnished by all sorts of vices.
So how can he become pure? His method of purification is like that of an elephant, covering himself with dust right after his bath! ||4||
With the rising of the sun, the night is brought to its end; the whole world knows this.
It is believed that with the touch of the Philosopher's Stone, copper is immediately transformed into gold. ||5||
When one meets the Supreme Philosopher's Stone, the Guru, if such pre-ordained destiny is written on one's forehead,
then the soul blends with the Supreme Soul, and the stubborn doors are opened wide. ||6||
Through the way of devotion, the intellect is imbued with Truth; doubts, entanglements and vices are cut away.
The mind is restrained, and one attains joy, contemplating the One Lord, who is both with and without qualities. ||7||
I have tried many methods, but by turning it away, the noose of doubt is not turned away.
Love and devotion have not welled up within me, and so Ravi Daas is sad and depressed. ||8||1||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, First House, So Dar ~ That Gate:
What is that Gate, and what is that Home, in which You sit and take care of all?
Countless musical instruments of so many various kinds vibrate there for You; so many are the musicians there for You.
There are so many Ragas there for You, along with their accompanying harmonies; so many minstrels sing to You.
The winds sing to You, as do water and fire; the Righteous Judge of Dharma sings at Your Door.
Chitar and Gupat, the recording angels of the conscious and the subconscious, sing to You; they know, and they write, and on the basis of what they write, the Lord of Dharma passes judgement.
Shiva and Brahma and the Goddess Parvaati, so beautiful and ever adorned by You, sing to You.
The Indras, seated upon their celestial thrones, with the deities at Your Gate, sing to You.
The Siddhas in Samaadhi sing to You, and the Holy Saints, in their contemplative meditation, sing to You.
The celibates, the truthful and the patient beings sing to You, and the mighty warriors sing to You.
The scholarly Pandits sing to You, along with the holy Rishis and the readers of the Vedas throughout the ages.
The Mohinis, the heavenly beauties who entice the heart in paradise, in this world and in the nether regions, sing to You.
The fourteen priceless jewels created by You, and the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage, sing to You.
The mighty warriors and the divine heroes sing to You, and the four sources of creation sing to You.
The continents, the worlds and the solar systems, created and installed by Your Hand, sing to You.
They alone sing to You, who are pleasing to Your Will, and who are imbued with the nectar of Your devotional worship.
So many others sing to You, they do not come into my mind; how can Nanak think of them?
That Lord and Master - He is True, forever True; He is True, and True is His Name.
He who created the creation is True, and He shall always be True; He shall not depart, even when the creation departs.
He created the world of Maya with its various colors and species.
Having created the creation, He Himself watches over it, as it pleases His Greatness.
Whatever pleases Him, that is what He does. No one can issue any commands to Him.

He is the King, the King of Kings, the Emperor of Kings! Nanak lives in surrender to His Will. ||1||1||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
That Lord is Immaculate; the Lord God is Immaculate. The Lord is Unapproachable, Unfathomable and Incomparable.
All meditate, all meditate on You, O Dear Lord, O True Creator.
All beings are Yours; You are the Giver of all beings.
So meditate on the Lord, O Saints; He is the One who takes away all pain.
The Lord Himself is the Master, and He Himself is His own servant. O Nanak, how insignificant are mortal beings! ||1||
You are totally pervading within each and every heart; O Lord, You are the One Primal Being, All-permeating.
Some are givers, and some are beggars; all of this is Your wondrous play!
You Yourself are the Giver, and You Yourself are the Enjoyer. I know of no other than You.
You are the Supreme Lord God, Infinite and Eternal; what Glorious Praises of Yours should I speak and chant?
Unto those who serve, unto those who serve You, slave Nanak is a sacrifice. ||2||
Those who meditate on the Lord, those who meditate on You, O Dear Lord, those humble beings dwell in peace in this world.
They are liberated, they are liberated, who meditate on the Lord; the noose of Death is cut away from them.
Those who meditate on the Fearless One, on the Fearless Lord, all their fears are dispelled.
Those who have served, those who have served my Dear Lord, are absorbed into the Being of the Lord, Har, Har.
Blessed are they, blessed are they, who have meditated on the Dear Lord; slave Nanak is a sacrifice to them. ||3||
Devotion to You, devotion to You, is a treasure, overflowing, infinite and endless.
Your devotees, Your devotees praise You, O Dear Lord, in many and various ways.
For You, so many, for You, so very many, O Dear Lord, perform worship and adoration; they practice penance and endlessly chant in meditation.
For You, many - for You, so very many read the various Simritees and Shaastras; they perform religious rituals and the six ceremonies.
Those devotees, those devotees are good, O servant Nanak, who are pleasing to my Lord God. ||4||
You are the Primal Being, the Unrivalled Creator Lord; there is no other as Great as You.
You are the One, age after age; forever and ever, You are One and the same. You are the Eternal, Unchanging Creator.
Whatever pleases You comes to pass. Whatever You Yourself do, happens.
You Yourself created the entire Universe, and having done so, You Yourself shall destroy it all.
Servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Creator, the Knower of all. ||5||2||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Chaupaday, Second House:
Hearing, everyone calls You Great,
but only one who has seen You, knows just how Great You are.

No one can measure Your Worth, or describe You.
Those who describe You, remain absorbed in You. ||1||
O my Great Lord and Master of Unfathomable Depth, You are the Ocean of Excellence.
No one knows the greatness of Your expanse. ||1||Pause||
All the contemplators met together and practiced contemplation;
all the appraisers met together and tried to appraise You.
The theologians, the meditators and the teachers of teachers
could not express even an iota of Your Greatness. ||2||
All Truth, all austerities, all goodness,
and the greatness of the Siddhas, the beings of perfect spiritual powers
- without You, none has attained such spiritual powers.
They are obtained by Your Grace; their flow cannot be blocked. ||3||
What can the helpless speaker do?
Your bounties are overflowing with Your Praises.
And the one, unto whom You give - why should he think of any other?
O Nanak, the True Lord is the Embellisher. ||4||1||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Chanting the Name, I live; forgetting it, I die.
It is so difficult to chant the True Name.
If someone feels hunger for the True Name,
then that hunger shall consume his pains. ||1||
So how could I ever forget Him, O my Mother?
True is the Master, and True is His Name. ||1||Pause||
People have grown weary of trying to appraise the greatness of the True Name, but they have not been able to appraise even an iota of it.
Even if they were all to meet together and recount them,
You would not be made any greater or lesser. ||2||
He does not die - there is no reason to mourn.
He continues to give, but His Provisions are never exhausted.
This Glorious Virtue is His alone - no one else is like Him;
there has never been anyone like Him, and there never shall be. ||3||
As Great as You Yourself are, so Great are Your Gifts.
It is You who created day and night as well.
Those who forget their Lord and Master are vile and despicable.
O Nanak, without the Name, people are wretched outcasts. ||4||2||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
If a beggar cries out at the door, the Master hears it in His Mansion.
Whether He receives him or pushes him away, it is the Gift of the Lord's Greatness. ||1||
Recognize the Lord's Light within all, and do not consider social class or status; there are no classes or castes in the world hereafter. ||1||Pause||
He Himself acts, and He Himself inspires us to act.
He Himself considers our complaints.
Since You, O Creator Lord, are the Doer,
why should I submit to the world? ||2||
You Yourself created and You Yourself give.
You Yourself eliminate evil-mindedness;
by Guru's Grace, You come to abide in our minds,
and then, pain and darkness are dispelled from within. ||3||
He Himself infuses love for the Truth.
Unto others, the Truth is not bestowed.
If He bestows it upon someone, says Nanak, then, in the world hereafter, that person is not called to account. ||4||3||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The urges of the heart are like cymbals and ankle-bells;
the drum of the world resounds with the beat.
Naarad dances to the tune of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga;
where can the celibates and the men of truth place their feet? ||1||
Nanak is a sacrifice to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The world is blind; our Lord and Master is All-seeing. ||1||Pause||
The disciple feeds on the Guru;
out of love for bread, he comes to dwell in his home.

If one were to live and eat for hundreds of years,
that day alone would be auspicious, when he recognizes his Lord and Master. ||2||
Beholding the sight of the petitioner, compassion is not aroused.
No one lives without give and take.
The king administers justice only if his palm is greased.
No one is moved by the Name of God. ||3||
O Nanak, they are human beings in form and name only;
by their deeds they are dogs - this is the Command of the Lord's Court.
By Guru's Grace, if one sees himself as a guest in this world,
then he gains honor in the Court of the Lord. ||4||4||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
As much as the Shabad is in the mind, so much is Your melody; as much as the form of the universe is, so much is Your body, Lord.
You Yourself are the tongue, and You Yourself are the nose. Do not speak of any other, O my mother. ||1||
My Lord and Master is One;
He is the One and Only; O Siblings of Destiny, He is the One alone. ||1||Pause||
He Himself kills, and He Himself emancipates; He Himself gives and takes.
He Himself beholds, and He Himself rejoices; He Himself bestows His Glance of Grace. ||2||
Whatever He is to do, that is what He is doing. No one else can do anything.
As He projects Himself, so do we describe Him; this is all Your Glorious Greatness, Lord. ||3||
The Dark Age of Kali Yuga is the bottle of wine; Maya is the sweet wine, and the intoxicated mind continues to drink it in.
He Himself assumes all sorts of forms; thus poor Nanak speaks. ||4||5||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Make your intellect your instrument, and love your tambourine;
thus bliss and lasting pleasure shall be produced in your mind.
This is devotional worship, and this is the practice of penance.
So dance in this love, and keep the beat with your feet. ||1||
Know that the perfect beat is the Praise of the Lord;
other dances produce only temporary pleasure in the mind. ||1||Pause||
Play the two cymbals of truth and contentment.
Let your ankle bells be the lasting Vision of the Lord.
Let your harmony and music be the elimination of duality.
So dance in this love, and keep the beat with your feet. ||2||
Let the fear of God within your heart and mind be your spinning dance,
and keep up, whether sitting or standing.
To roll around in the dust is to know that the body is only ashes.
So dance in this love, and keep the beat with your feet. ||3||
Keep the company of the disciples, the students who love the teachings.
As Gurmukh, listen to the True Name.
O Nanak, chant it, over and over again.
So dance in this love, and keep the beat with your feet. ||4||6||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
He created the air, and He supports the whole world; he bound water and fire together.
The blind, ten-headed Raavan had his heads cut off, but what greatness was obtained by killing him? ||1||
What Glories of Yours can be chanted?
You are totally pervading everywhere; You love and cherish all. ||1||Pause||
You created all beings, and You hold the world in Your Hands; what greatness is it to put a ring in the nose of the black cobra, as Krishna did?
Whose Husband are You? Who is Your wife? You are subtly diffused and pervading in all. ||2||
Brahma, the bestower of blessings, entered the stem of the lotus, with his relatives, to find the extent of the universe.
Proceeding on, he could not find its limits; what glory was obtained by killing Kansa, the king? ||3||
The jewels were produced and brought forth by churning the ocean of milk. The other gods proclaimed "We are the ones who did this!"

Says Nanak, by hiding, how can the Lord be hidden? He has given each their share, one by one. ||4||7||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The vine of good actions and character has spread out, and it bears the fruit of the Lord's Name.
The Name has no form or outline; it vibrates with the unstruck Sound Current; through the Word of the Shabad, the Immaculate Lord is revealed. ||1||
One can speak on this only when he knows it.
He alone drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
Those who drink it in are enraptured; their bonds and shackles are cut away.
When one's light blends into the Divine Light, then the desire for Maya is ended. ||2||
Among all lights, I behold Your Form; all the worlds are Your Maya.
Among the tumults and forms, He sits in serene detachment; He bestows His Glance of Grace upon those who are engrossed in the illusion. ||3||
The Yogi who plays on the instrument of the Shabad gains the Blessed Vision of the Infinitely Beautiful Lord.
He, the Lord, is immersed in the Unstruck Shabad of the Word, says Nanak, the humble and meek. ||4||8||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
My virtue is that I carry the load of my words upon my head.
The real words are the Words of the Creator Lord.
How useless are eating, drinking and laughing,
if the Lord is not cherished in the heart! ||1||
Why should someone care for anything else,
if throughout his life, he gathers in that which is truly worth gathering? ||1||Pause||
The intellect of the mind is like a drunken elephant.
Whatever one utters is totally false, the most false of the false.
So what face should we put on to offer our prayer,
when both virtue and vice are close at hand as witnesses? ||2||
As You make us, so we become.
Without You, there is no other at all.
As is the understanding which You bestow, so do we receive.
As it pleases Your Will, so do You lead us. ||3||
The divine crystalline harmonies, their consorts, and their celestial families
- from them, the essence of Ambrosial Nectar is produced.
O Nanak, this is the wealth and property of the Creator Lord.
If only this essential reality were understood! ||4||9||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
When by His Grace He came to my home, then my companions met together to celebrate my marriage.
Beholding this play, my mind became blissful; my Husband Lord has come to marry me. ||1||
So sing - yes, sing the songs of wisdom and reflection, O brides.
My spouse, the Life of the world, has come into my home. ||1||Pause||
When I was married within the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, I met my Husband Lord, and I came to know Him.
The Word of His Shabad is pervading the three worlds; when my ego was quieted, my mind became happy. ||2||
He Himself arranges His own affairs; His affairs cannot be arranged by anyone else.
By the affair of this marriage, truth, contentment, mercy and faith are produced; but how rare is that Gurmukh who understands it! ||3||
Says Nanak, that Lord alone is the Husband of all.
She, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace, becomes the happy soul-bride. ||4||10||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Home and forest are the same, for one who dwells in the balance of intuitive peace and poise.
His evil-mindedness departs, and the Praises of God take its place.
To chant the True Name with one's mouth is the true ladder.

Serving the True Guru, one finds one's own place within the self. ||1||
To conquer the mind is the knowledge of the six Shaastras.
The Divine Light of the Lord God is perfectly pervading. ||1||Pause||
Excessive thirst for Maya makes people wear all sorts of religious robes.
The pain of corruption destroys the body's peace.
Sexual desire and anger steal the wealth of the self within.
But by abandoning duality, one is emancipated through the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
In the Lord's Praise and adoration is intuitive peace, poise and bliss.
The Love of the Lord God is one's family and friends.
He Himself is the Doer, and He Himself is the Forgiver.
My body and mind belong to the Lord; my life is at His Command. ||3||
Falsehood and corruption cause terrible suffering.
All the religious robes and social classes look just like dust.
Whoever is born, continues to come and go.
O Nanak, only the Naam and the Lord's Command are eternal and everlasting. ||4||11||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
In the pool is the one incomparably beautiful lotus.
It blossoms continually; its form is pure and fragrant.
The swans pick up the bright jewels.
They take on the essence of the All-powerful Lord of the Universe. ||1||
Whoever is seen, is subject to birth and death.
In the pool without water, the lotus is not seen. ||1||Pause||
How rare are those who know and understand this secret.
The Vedas continually speak of the three branches.
One who merges into the knowledge of the Lord as absolute and related,
serves the True Guru and obtains the supreme status. ||2||
One who is imbued with the Love of the Lord and dwells continually upon Him is liberated.
He is the king of kings, and blossoms forth continually.
That one whom You preserve, by bestowing Your Mercy, O Lord,
even the sinking stone - You float that one across. ||3||
Your Light is pervading the three worlds; I know that You are permeating the three worlds.
When my mind turned away from Maya, I came to dwell in my own home.
Nanak falls at the feet of that person who immerses himself in the Lord's Love, and performs devotional worship night and day. ||4||12||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Receiving the True Teachings from the Guru, arguments depart.
But through excessive cleverness, one is only plastered with dirt.
The filth of attachment is removed by the True Name of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, one remains lovingly attached to the Lord. ||1||
He is the Presence Ever-present; offer your prayers to Him.
Pain and pleasure are in the Hands of God, the True Creator. ||1||Pause||
One who practices falsehood comes and goes.
By speaking and talking, His limits cannot be found.
Whatever one sees, is not understood.
Without the Name, satisfaction does not enter into the mind. ||2||
Whoever is born is afflicted by disease,
tortured by the pain of egotism and Maya.
They alone are saved, who are protected by God.
Serving the True Guru, they drink in the Amrit, the Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
The unstable mind is restrained by tasting this Nectar.
Serving the True Guru, one comes to cherish the Ambrosial Nectar of the Shabad.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, the state of liberation is obtained.
O Nanak, self-conceit is eradicated from within. ||4||13||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Whatever He has done, has proved to be true.
The True Guru bestows the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
With the Naam in the heart, the mind is not separated from the Lord.
Night and day, one dwells with the Beloved. ||1||
O Lord, please keep me in the Protection of Your Sanctuary.

By Guru's Grace, I have obtained the sublime essence of the Lord; I have received the wealth of the Naam and the nine treasures. ||1||Pause||
Those whose karma and Dharma - whose actions and faith - are in the True Name of the True Lord
- I am forever a sacrifice to them.
Those who are imbued with the Lord are accepted and respected.
In their company, the supreme wealth is obtained. ||2||
Blessed is that bride, who has obtained the Lord as her Husband.
She is imbued with the Lord, and she reflects upon the Word of His Shabad.
She saves herself, and saves her family and friends as well.
She serves the True Guru, and contemplates the essence of reality. ||3||
The True Name is my social status and honor.
The love of the Truth is my karma and Dharma - my faith and my actions, and my self-control.
O Nanak, one who is forgiven by the Lord is not called to account.
The One Lord erases duality. ||4||14||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Some come, and after they come, they go.
Some are imbued with the Lord; they remain absorbed in Him.
Some find no place of rest at all, on the earth or in the sky.
Those who do not meditate on the Name of the Lord are the most unfortunate. ||1||
From the Perfect Guru, the way to salvation is obtained.
This world is a terrifying ocean of poison; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord helps us cross over. ||1||Pause||
Those, whom God unites with Himself,
cannot be crushed by death.
The beloved Gurmukhs remain immaculately pure,
like the lotus in the water, which remains untouched. ||2||
Tell me: who should we call good or bad?
Behold the Lord God; the truth is revealed to the Gurmukh.
I speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord, contemplating the Guru's Teachings.
I join the Sangat, the Guru's Congregation, and I find God's limits. ||3||
The Shaastras, the Vedas, the Simritees and all their many secrets;
bathing at the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage - all this is found by enshrining the sublime essence of the Lord in the heart.
The Gurmukhs are immaculately pure; no filth sticks to them.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides in the heart, by the greatest pre-ordained destiny. ||4||15||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Bowing down, again and again, I fall at the Feet of my Guru; through Him, I have seen the Lord, the Divine Self, within.
Through contemplation and meditation, the Lord dwells within the heart; see this, and understand. ||1||
So speak the Lord's Name, which shall emancipate you.
By Guru's Grace, the jewel of the Lord is found; ignorance is dispelled, and the Divine Light shines forth. ||1||Pause||
By merely saying it with the tongue, one's bonds are not broken, and egotism and doubt do not depart from within.
But when one meets the True Guru, egotism departs, and then, one realizes his destiny. ||2||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is sweet and dear to His devotees; it is the ocean of peace - enshrine it within the heart.
The Lover of His devotees, the Life of the World, the Lord bestows the Guru's Teachings upon the intellect, and one is emancipated. ||3||
One who dies fighting against his own stubborn mind finds God, and the desires of the mind are quieted.
O Nanak, if the Life of the World bestows His Mercy, one is intuitively attuned to the Love of the Lord. ||4||16||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Unto whom do they speak? Unto whom do they preach? Who understands? Let them understand themselves.
Who do they teach? Through study, they come to realize the Lord's Glorious Virtues. Through the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, they come to dwell in contentment. ||1||

Through the Guru's Teachings, realize that He is pervading in all bodies;
O my soul, vibrate on the Profound, Unfathomable Lord. ||1||Pause||
Loving devotion to the Lord brings endless waves of joy and delight.
One who dwells with the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day, is sanctified.
The birth into the world of the faithless cynic is totally useless.
The humble devotee of the Lord remains unattached. ||2||
The body which sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord is sanctified.
The soul remains conscious of the Lord, absorbed in His Love.
The Lord is the Infinite Primal Being, beyond the beyond, the priceless jewel.
My mind is totally content, imbued with my Beloved. ||3||
Those who speak and babble on and on, are truly dead.
God is not far away - O God, You are right here.
I have seen that the whole world is engrossed in Maya.
O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||17||
Aasaa, First Mehl, Ti-Tukas:
One is a beggar, living on charity;
another is a king, absorbed in himself.
One receives honor, and another dishonor.
The Lord destroys and creates; He is enshrined in His meditation.
There is no other as great as You.
So whom should I present to You? Who is good enough? ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my only Support.
You are the Great Giver, the Doer, the Creator. ||1||Pause||
I have not walked on Your Path; I have followed the crooked path.
In the Court of the Lord, I find no place to sit.
I am mentally blind, in the bondage of Maya.
The wall of my body is breaking down, wearing away, growing weaker.
You have such high hopes of eating and living
- your breaths and morsels of food are already counted! ||2||
Night and day they are blind - please, bless them with Your Light.
They are drowning in the terrifying world-ocean, crying out in pain.
I am a sacrifice to those who chant, hear and believe in the Name.
Nanak utters this one prayer;
soul and body, all belong to You, Lord. ||3||
When You bless me, I chant Your Name.
Thus I find my seat in the Court of the Lord.
When it pleases You, evil-mindedness departs,
and the jewel of spiritual wisdom comes to dwell in the mind.
When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, then one comes to meet the True Guru.
Prays Nanak, carry us across the terrifying world-ocean. ||4||18||
Aasaa, First Mehl, Panch-Padas:
A cow without milk; a bird without wings; a garden without water - totally useless!
What is an emperor, without respect? The chamber of the soul is so dark, without the Name of the Lord. ||1||
How could I ever forget You? It would be so painful!
I would suffer such pain - no, I shall not forget You! ||1||Pause||
The eyes grow blind, the tongue does not taste, and the ears do not hear any sound.
He walks on his feet only when supported by someone else; without serving the Lord, such are the fruits of life. ||2||
The Word is the tree; the garden of the heart is the farm; tend it, and irrigate it with the Lord's Love.
All these trees bear the fruit of the Name of the One Lord; but without the karma of good actions, how can anyone obtain it? ||3||
As many living beings are there are, they are all Yours. Without selfless service, no one obtains any reward.
Pain and pleasure come by Your Will; without the Name, the soul does not even exist. ||4||
To die in the Teachings is to live. Otherwise, what is life? That is not the way.

Says Nanak, He grants life to the living beings; O Lord, please keep me according to Your Will. ||5||19||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Let the body be the Brahmin, and let the mind be the loin-cloth;
let spiritual wisdom be the sacred thread, and meditation the ceremonial ring.
I seek the Name of the Lord and His Praise as my cleansing bath.
By Guru's Grace, I am absorbed into God. ||1||
O Pandit, O religious scholar, contemplate God in such a way
that His Name may sanctify you, that His Name may be your study, and His Name your wisdom and way of life. ||1||Pause||
The outer sacred thread is worthwhile only as long as the Divine Light is within.
So make the remembrance of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, your loin-cloth and the ceremonial mark on your forehead.
Here and hereafter, the Name alone shall stand by you.
Do not seek any other actions, except the Name. ||2||
Worship the Lord in loving adoration, and burn your desire for Maya.
Behold only the One Lord, and do not seek out any other.
Become aware of reality, in the Sky of the Tenth Gate;
read aloud the Lord's Word, and contemplate it. ||3||
With the diet of His Love, doubt and fear depart.
With the Lord as your night watchman, no thief will dare to break in.
Let the knowledge of the One God be the ceremonial mark on your forehead.
Let the realization that God is within you be your discrimination. ||4||
Through ritual actions, God cannot be won over;
by reciting sacred scriptures, His value cannot be estimated.
The eighteen Puraanas and the four Vedas do not know His mystery.
O Nanak, the True Guru has shown me the Lord God. ||5||20||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
He alone is the selfless servant, slave and humble devotee,
who as Gurmukh, becomes the slave of his Lord and Master.
He, who created the Universe, shall ultimately destroy it.
Without Him, there is no other at all. ||1||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Gurmukh reflects upon the True Name; in the True Court, he is found to be true. ||1||Pause||
The true supplication, the true prayer
- within the Mansion of His Sublime Presence, the True Lord Master hears and applauds these.
He summons the truthful to His Heavenly Throne
and bestows glorious greatness upon them; that which He wills, comes to pass. ||2||
The Power is Yours; You are my only Support.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is my true password.
One who obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command, goes to Him openly.
With the password of truth, his way is not blocked. ||3||
The Pandit reads and expounds on the Vedas,
but he does not know the secret of the thing within himself.
Without the Guru, understanding and realization are not obtained;
but still God is True, pervading everywhere. ||4||
What should I say, or speak or describe?
Only You Yourself know, O Lord of total wonder.
Nanak takes the Support of the Door of the One God.
There, at the True Door, the Gurmukhs sustain themselves. ||5||21||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The clay pitcher of the body is miserable; it suffers in pain through birth and death.
How can this terrifying world-ocean be crossed over? Without the Lord - Guru, it cannot be crossed. ||1||
Without You, there is no other at all, O my Beloved; without you, there is no other at all.
You are in all colors and forms; he alone is forgiven, upon whom You bestow Your Glance of Grace. ||1||Pause||
Maya, my mother-in-law, is evil; she does not let me live in my own home. The vicious one does not let me meet with my Husband Lord.
I serve at the feet of my companions and friends; the Lord has showered me with His Mercy, through Guru's Grace. ||2||

Reflecting upon my self, and conquering my mind, I have seen that there is no other friend like You.
As You keep me, so do I live. You are the Giver of peace and pleasure. Whatever You do, comes to pass. ||3||
Hope and desire have both been dispelled; I have renounced my longing for the three qualities.
The Gurmukh obtains the state of ecstasy, taking to the Shelter of the Saints' Congregation. ||4||
All wisdom and meditation, all chanting and penance, come to one whose heart is filled with the Invisible, Inscrutable Lord.
O Nanak, one whose mind is imbued with the Lord's Name, finds the Guru's Teachings, and intuitively serves. ||5||22||
Aasaa, First Mehl, Panch-Padas:
Your attachment to your family, your attachment to all your affairs
- renounce all your attachments, for they are all corrupt. ||1||
Renounce your attachments and doubts, O brother,
and dwell upon the True Name within your heart and body. ||1||Pause||
When one receives the nine treasures of the True Name,
his children do not weep, and his mother does not grieve. ||2||
In this attachment, the world is drowning.
Few are the Gurmukhs who swim across. ||3||
In this attachment, people are reincarnated over and over again.
Attached to emotional attachment, they go to the city of Death. ||4||
You have received the Guru's Teachings - now practice meditation and penance.
If attachment is not broken, no one is approved. ||5||
But if He bestows His Glance of Grace, then this attachment departs.
O Nanak, then one remains merged in the Lord. ||6||23||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
He Himself does everything, the True, Invisible, Infinite Lord.
I am a sinner, You are the Forgiver. ||1||
By Your Will, everything come to pass.
One who acts in stubborn-mindedness is ruined in the end. ||1||Pause||
The intellect of the self-willed manmukh is engrossed in falsehood.
Without the meditative remembrance of the Lord, it suffers in sin. ||2||
Renounce evil-mindedness, and you shall reap the rewards.
Whoever is born, comes through the Unknowable and Mysterious Lord. ||3||
Such is my Friend and Companion;
meeting with the Guru, the Lord, devotion was implanted within me. ||4||
In all other transactions, one suffers loss.
The Name of the Lord is pleasing to Nanak's mind. ||5||24||
Aasaa, First Mehl, Chau-Padas:
Contemplate and reflect upon knowledge, and you will become a benefactor to others.
When you conquer the five passions, then you shall come to dwell at the sacred shrine of pilgrimage. ||1||
You shall hear the vibrations of the tinkling bells, when your mind is held steady.
So what can the Messenger of Death do to me hereafter? ||1||Pause||
When you abandon hope and desire, then you become a true Sannyaasi.
When the Yogi practices abstinence, then he enjoys his body. ||2||
Through compassion, the naked hermit reflects upon his inner self.
He slays his own self, instead of slaying others. ||3||
You, O Lord, are the One, but You have so many Forms.
Nanak does not know Your wondrous plays. ||4||25||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
I am not stained by only one sin, that could be washed clean by virtue.
My Husband Lord is awake, while I sleep through the entire night of my life. ||1||
In this way, how can I become dear to my Husband Lord?
My Husband Lord remains awake, while I sleep through the entire night of my life. ||1||Pause||

With hope and desire, I approach His Bed,
but I do not know whether He will be pleased with me or not. ||2||
How do I know what will happen to me, O my mother?
Without the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, I cannot survive. ||1||Pause||
I have not tasted His Love, and my thirst is not quenched.
My beautiful youth has run away, and now I, the soul-bride, repent and regret. ||3||
Even now, I am held by hope and desire.
I am depressed; I have no hope at all. ||1||Pause||
She overcomes her egotism, and adorns herself;
the Husband Lord now ravishes and enjoys the soul-bride on His Bed. ||4||
Then, O Nanak, the bride becomes pleasing to the Mind of her Husband Lord;
she sheds her self-conceit, and is absorbed in her Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||26||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
In this world of my father's house, I, the soul-bride, have been very childish;
I did not realize the value of my Husband Lord. ||1||
My Husband is the One; there is no other like Him.
If He bestows His Glance of Grace, then I shall meet Him. ||1||Pause||
In the next world of my in-law's house, I, the the soul-bride, shall realize Truth;
I shall come to know the celestial peace of my Husband Lord. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, such wisdom comes to me,
so that the soul-bride becomes pleasing to the Mind of the Husband Lord. ||3||
Says Nanak, she who adorns herself with the Love and the Fear of God,
enjoys her Husband Lord forever on His Bed. ||4||27||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
No one is anyone else's son, and no one is anyone else's mother.
Through false attachments, people wander around in doubt. ||1||
O My Lord and Master, I am created by You.
If You give it to me, I will chant Your Name. ||1||Pause||
That person who is filled with all sorts of sins may pray at the Lord's Door,
but he is forgiven only when the Lord so wills. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, evil-mindedness is destroyed.
Wherever I look, there I find the One Lord. ||3||
Says Nanak, if one comes to such an understanding,
then he is absorbed into the Truest of the True. ||4||28||
Aasaa, First Mehl, Du-Padas:
In that pool of the world, the people have their homes; there, the Lord has created water and fire.
In the mud of earthly attachment, their feet have become mired, and I have seen them drowning there. ||1||
O foolish people, why don't you remember the One Lord?
Forgetting the Lord, your virtues shall wither away. ||1||Pause||
I am not a celibate, nor am I truthful, nor a scholar; I was born foolish and ignorant.
Prays Nanak, I seek the Sanctuary of those who do not forget You, Lord. ||2||29||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
There are six systems of philosophy, six teachers, and six doctrines;
but the Teacher of teachers is the One Lord, who appears in so many forms. ||1||
That system, where the Praises of the Creator are sung
- follow that system; in it rests greatness. ||1||Pause||
As the seconds, minutes, hours, days, weekdays months and seasons all originate from the one sun,
O Nanak, so do all forms originate from the One Creator. ||2||30||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Third House, First Mehl:
You may have thousands of armies, thousands of marching bands and lances, and thousands of men to rise and salute you.
Your rule may extend over thousands of miles, and thousands of men may rise to honor you.
But, if your honor is of no account to the Lord, then all of your ostentatious show is useless. ||1||
Without the Name of the Lord, the world is in turmoil.
Even though the fool may be taught again and again, he remains the blindest of the blind. ||1||Pause||
You may earn thousands, collect thousands, and spend thousands of dollars; thousands may come, and thousands may go.
But, if your honor is of no account to the Lord, then where will you go to find a safe haven? ||2||
Thousands of Shaastras may be explained to the mortal, and thousands of Pandits may read the Puraanas to him;
but, if his honor is of no account to the Lord, then all of this is unacceptable. ||3||
Honor comes from the True Name, the Name of the Merciful Creator.
If it abides in the heart, day and night, O Nanak, then the mortal shall swim across, by His Grace. ||4||1||31||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The One Name is my lamp; I have put the oil of suffering into it.
Its flame has dried up this oil, and I have escaped my meeting with the Messenger of Death. ||1||
O people, do not make fun of me.
Thousands of wooden logs, piled up together, need only a tiny flame to burn. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is my festive dish, of rice balls on leafy plates; the True Name of the Creator Lord is my funeral ceremony.
Here and hereafter, in the past and in the future, this is my support. ||2||
The Lord's Praise is my River Ganges and my city of Benares; my soul takes its sacred cleansing bath there.
That becomes my true cleansing bath, if night and day, I enshrine love for You. ||3||
The rice balls are offered to the gods and the dead ancestors, but it is the Brahmins who eat them!
O Nanak, the rice balls of the Lord are a gift which is never exhausted. ||4||2||32||
Aasaa, Fourth House, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Gods, yearning for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, suffered through pain and hunger at the sacred shrines.
The yogis and the celibates live their disciplined lifestyle, while others wear saffron robes and become hermits. ||1||
For Your sake, O Lord Master, they are imbued with love.
Your Names are so many, and Your Forms are endless. No one can tell how may Glorious Virtues You have. ||1||Pause||
Leaving behind hearth and home, palaces, elephants, horses and native lands, mortals have journeyed to foreign lands.
The spiritual leaders, prophets, seers and men of faith renounced the world, and became acceptable. ||2||
Renouncing tasty delicacies, comfort, happiness and pleasures, some have abandoned their clothes and now wear skins.
Those who suffer in pain, imbued with Your Name, have become beggars at Your Door. ||3||
Some wear skins, and carry begging bowls, bearing wooden staffs, and sitting on deer skins. Others raise their hair in tufts and wear sacred threads and loin-cloths.
You are the Lord Master, I am just Your puppet. Prays Nanak, what is my social status to be? ||4||1||33||

Aasaa, Fifth House, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The five evil passions dwell hidden within the mind.
They do not remain still, but move around like wanderers. ||1||
My soul does not stay held by the Merciful Lord.
It is greedy, deceitful, sinful and hypocritical, and totally attached to Maya. ||1||Pause||
I will decorate my neck with garlands of flowers.
When I meet my Beloved, then I will put on my decorations. ||2||
I have five companions and one Spouse.
It is ordained from the very beginning, that the soul must ultimately depart. ||3||
The five companions will lament together.
When the soul is trapped, prays Nanak, it is called to account. ||4||1||34||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Sixth House, First Mehl:
If the pearl of the mind is strung like a jewel on the thread of the breath,
and the soul-bride adorns her body with compassion, then the Beloved Lord will enjoy His lovely bride. ||1||
O my Love, I am fascinated by Your many glories;
Your Glorious Virtues are not found in any other. ||1||Pause||
If the bride wears the garland of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, around her neck, and if she uses the toothbrush of the Lord;
and if she fashions and wears the bracelet of the Creator Lord around her wrist, then she shall hold her consciousness steady. ||2||
She should make the Lord, the Slayer of demons, her ring, and take the Transcendent Lord as her silken clothes.
The soul-bride should weave patience into the braids of her hair, and apply the lotion of the Lord, the Great Lover. ||3||
If she lights the lamp in the mansion of her mind, and makes her body the bed of the Lord,
then, when the King of spiritual wisdom comes to her bed, He shall take her, and enjoy her. ||4||1||35||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The created being acts as he is made to act; what can be said to him, O Siblings of Destiny?
Whatever the Lord is to do, He is doing; what cleverness could be used to affect Him? ||1||
The Order of Your Will is so sweet, O Lord; this is pleasing to You.
O Nanak, he alone is honored with greatness, who is absorbed in the True Name. ||1||Pause||
The deeds are done according to pre-ordained destiny; no one can turn back this Order.
As it is written, so it comes to pass; no one can erase it. ||2||
He who talks on and on in the Lord's Court is known as a joker.
He is not successful in the game of chess, and his chessmen do not reach their goal. ||3||
By himself, no one is literate, learned or wise; no one is ignorant or evil.
When, as a slave, one praises the Lord, only then is he known as a human being. ||4||2||36||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Let the Word of the Guru's Shabad be the ear-rings in your mind, and wear the patched coat of tolerance.
Whatever the Lord does, look upon that as good; thus you shall obtain the treasure of Sehj Yoga. ||1||

O father, the soul which is united in union as a Yogi, remains united in the supreme essence throughout the ages.
One who has obtained the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Immaculate Lord - his body enjoys the pleasure of spiritual wisdom. ||1||Pause||
In the Lord's City, he sits in his Yogic posture, and he forsakes his desires and conflicts.
The sound of the horn ever rings out its beautiful melody, and day and night, he is filled with the sound current of the Naad. ||2||
My cup is reflective meditation, and spiritual wisdom is my walking stick; to dwell in the Lord's Presence is the ashes I apply to my body.
The Praise of the Lord is my occupation; and to live as Gurmukh is my pure religion. ||3||
My arm-rest is to see the Lord's Light in all, although their forms and colors are so numerous.
Says Nanak, listen, O Bharthari Yogi: love only the Supreme Lord God. ||4||3||37||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Make spiritual wisdom your molasses, and meditation your scented flowers; let good deeds be the herbs.
Let devotional faith be the distilling fire, and your love the ceramic cup. Thus the sweet nectar of life is distilled. ||1||
O Baba, the mind is intoxicated with the Naam, drinking in its Nectar. It remains absorbed in the Lord's Love.
Night and day, remaining attached to the Love of the Lord, the celestial music of the Shabad resounds. ||1||Pause||
The Perfect Lord naturally gives the cup of Truth, to the one upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace.
One who trades in this Nectar - how could he ever love the wine of the world? ||2||
The Teachings of the Guru, the Ambrosial Bani - drinking them in, one becomes acceptable and renowned.
Unto the one who loves the Lord's Court, and the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, of what use is liberation or paradise? ||3||
Imbued with the Lord's Praises, one is forever a Bairaagee, a renunciate, and one's life is not lost in the gamble.
Says Nanak, listen, O Bharthari Yogi: drink in the intoxicating nectar of the Lord. ||4||4||38||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Having attacked Khuraasaan, Baabar terrified Hindustan.
The Creator Himself does not take the blame, but has sent the Mugal as the messenger of death.
There was so much slaughter that the people screamed. Didn't You feel compassion, Lord? ||1||
O Creator Lord, You are the Master of all.
If some powerful man strikes out against another man, then no one feels any grief in their mind. ||1||Pause||
But if a powerful tiger attacks a flock of sheep and kills them, then its master must answer for it.
This priceless country has been laid waste and defiled by dogs, and no one pays any attention to the dead.
You Yourself unite, and You Yourself separate; I gaze upon Your Glorious Greatness. ||2||
One may give himself a great name, and revel in the pleasures of the mind,
but in the Eyes of the Lord and Master, he is just a worm, for all the corn that he eats.
Only one who dies to his ego while yet alive, obtains the blessings, O Nanak, by chanting the Lord's Name. ||3||5||39||
Raag Aasaa, Second House, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan is obtained by great good fortune.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, true detachment is obtained.
The six systems of philosophy are pervasive,

but the Guru's system is profound and unequalled. ||1||
The Guru's system is the way to liberation.
The True Lord Himself comes to dwell in the mind. ||1||Pause||
Through the Guru's system, the world is saved,
if it is embraced with love and affection.
How rare is that person who truly loves the Guru's Way.
Through the Guru's system, everlasting peace is obtained. ||2||
Through the Guru's system, the Door of Salvation is obtained.
Serving the True Guru, one's family is saved.
There is no salvation for those who have no Guru.
Beguiled by worthless sins, they are struck down. ||3||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the body finds peace and tranquility.
The Gurmukh is not afflicted by pain.
The Messenger of Death does not come near him.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is absorbed in the True Lord. ||4||1||40||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad, eradicates his self-conceit from within.
He serves the True Guru, with no iota of self-interest.
The Fearless Lord, the Great Giver, ever abides in his mind.
The True Bani of the Word is obtained only by good destiny. ||1||
So gather merits, and let your demerits depart from within you.
You shall be absorbed into the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
One who purchases merits, knows the value of these merits.
He chants the Ambrosial Nectar of the Word, and the Name of the Lord.
Through the True Bani of the Word, he becomes pure.
Through merit, the Name is obtained. ||2||
The invaluable merits cannot be acquired.
The pure mind is absorbed into the True Word of the Shabad.
How very fortunate are those who meditate on the Naam,
and ever enshrine in their minds the Lord, the Giver of merit. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to those who gather merits.
At the Gate of Truth, I sing the Glorious Praises of the True One.
He Himself spontaneously bestows His gifts.
O Nanak, the value of the Lord cannot be described. ||4||2||41||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Great is the greatness of the True Guru;
He merges in His Merger, those who have been separated for so long.
He Himself merges the merged in His Merger.
He Himself knows His own worth. ||1||
How can anyone appraise the Lord's worth?
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one may merge with the Infinite, Unapproachable and Incomprehensible Lord. ||1||Pause||
Few are the Gurmukhs who know His worth.
How rare are those who receive the Lord's Grace.
Through the Sublime Bani of His Word, one becomes sublime.
The Gurmukh chants the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Without the Name, the body suffers in pain;
but when one meets the True Guru, then that pain is removed.
Without meeting the Guru, the mortal earns only pain.
The self-willed manmukh receives only more punishment. ||3||
The essence of the Lord's Name is so very sweet;
he alone drinks it, whom the Lord causes to drink it.
By Guru's Grace, the essence of the Lord is obtained.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, salvation is attained. ||4||3||42||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
My God is True, deep and profound.
Serving Him, the body acquires peace and tranquility.
Through the Word of the Shabad, His humble servants easily swim across.
I fall at their feet forever and ever. ||1||

Those being whose minds are imbued and drenched with the Lord's Love
- their pains of birth and death are taken away. They are automatically ushered into the Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
One who has tasted the Shabad, obtains the true flavor.
The Name of the Lord abides within his mind.
The Lord God is Eternal and All-pervading.
He Himself is near, and He Himself is far away. ||2||
Everyone talks and speaks through speech;
the Lord Himself forgives, and unites us with Himself.
By merely speaking and talking, He is not obtained.
By Guru's Grace, He comes to abide in the mind. ||3||
The Gurmukh eradicates his self-conceit from within.
He is imbued with the Lord's Love, having discarded worldly attachment.
He contemplates the utterly Immaculate Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is our Salvation. ||4||4||43||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Attached to the love of duality, one only incurs pain.
Without the Word of the Shabad, one's life is wasted away in vain.
Serving the True Guru, understanding is obtained,
and then, one is not attached to the love of duality. ||1||
Those who hold fast to their roots, become acceptable.
Night and day, they meditate within their hearts on the Lord's Name; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they know the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
One who is attached to the branch, does not receive the fruits.
For blind actions, blind punishment is received.
The blind, self-willed manmukh finds no place of rest.
He is a maggot in manure, and in manure he shall rot away. ||2||
Serving the Guru, everlasting peace is obtained.
Joining the True Congregation, the Sat Sangat, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung.
One who contemplates the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
saves himself, and his family as well. ||3||
Through the Word of the Guru's Bani, the Naam resounds;
O Nanak, through the Word of the Shabad, one finds the Mansion of the Lord's Presence within the home of the heart.
Under Guru's Instruction, bathe in the Pool of Truth, in the Water of the Lord;
thus the filth of evil-mindedness and sin shall all be washed away. ||4||5||44||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs are dying; they are wasting away in death.
In the love of duality, they murder their own souls.
Crying out, "Mine, mine!", they are ruined.
They do not remember their souls; they are asleep in superstition. ||1||
He alone dies a real death, who dies in the Word of the Shabad.
The Guru has inspired me to realize, that praise and slander are one and the same; in this world, the profit is obtained by chanting the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are dissolved within the womb.
Useless is the birth of those who are lured by duality.
Without the Naam, all are burning in pain.
The Perfect True Guru has given me this understanding. ||2||
The fickle mind is struck down so many times.
Having lost this opportunity, no place of rest shall be found.
Cast into the womb of reincarnation, the mortal lives in manure;
in such a home, the self-willed manmukh takes up residence. ||3||
I am forever a sacrifice to my True Guru;
the light of the Gurmukh blends with the Divine Light of the Lord.
Through the Immaculate Bani of the Word, the mortal dwells within the home of his own inner self.
O Nanak, he conquers his ego, and remains forever detached. ||4||6||45||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The Lord's slave sets aside his own social status.

He dedicates his mind and body to the True Guru, and seeks His Sanctuary.
His greatest greatness is that the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is in his heart.
The Beloved Lord God is his constant companion. ||1||
He alone is the Lord's slave, who remains dead while yet alive.
He looks upon pleasure and pain alike; by Guru's Grace, he is saved through the Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
He does his deeds according to the Lord's Primal Command.
Without the Shabad, no one is approved.
Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, the Naam abides within the mind.
He Himself gives His gifts, without hesitation. ||2||
The self-willed manmukh wanders around the world in doubt.
Without any capital, he makes false transactions.
Without any capital, he does not obtain any merchandise.
The mistaken manmukh wastes away his life. ||3||
One who serves the True Guru is the Lord's slave.
His social status is exalted, and his reputation is exalted.
Climbing the Guru's Ladder, he becomes the most exalted of all.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, greatness is obtained. ||4||7||46||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh practices falsehood, only falsehood.
He never attains the Mansion of the Lord Presence.
Attached to duality, he wanders, deluded by doubt.
Entangled in worldly attachments, he comes and goes. ||1||
Behold, the decorations of the discarded bride!
Her consciousness is attached to children, spouse, wealth, and Maya, falsehood, emotional attachment, hypocrisy and corruption. ||1||Pause||
She who is pleasing to God is forever a happy soul-bride.
She makes the Word of the Guru's Shabad her decoration.
Her bed is so comfortable; she enjoys her Lord, night and day.
Meeting her Beloved, the obtains eternal peace. ||2||
She is a true, virtuous soul-bride, who enshrines love for the True Lord.
She keeps her Husband Lord always clasped to her heart.
She sees Him near at hand, ever-present.
My God is all-pervading everywhere. ||3||
Social status and beauty will not go with you hereafter.
As are the deeds done here, so does one become.
Through the Word of the Shabad, one becomes the highest of the high.
O Nanak, he is absorbed in the True Lord. ||4||8||47||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The Lord's humble servant is imbued with devotional love, effortlessly and spontaneously.
Through awe and fear of the Guru, he is truly absorbed in the True One.
Without the Perfect Guru, devotional love is not obtained.
The self-willed manmukhs lose their honor, and cry out in pain. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Lord's Name, and meditate on Him forever.
You shall always be in ecstasy, day and night, and you shall obtain the fruits of your desires. ||1||Pause||
Through the Perfect Guru, the Perfect Lord is obtained,
and the Shabad, the True Name, is enshrined in the mind.
One who bathes in the Pool of Ambrosial Nectar becomes immaculately pure within.
He becomes forever sanctified, and is absorbed in the True Lord. ||2||
He sees the Lord God ever-present.
By Guru's Grace, he sees the Lord permeating and pervading everywhere.
Wherever I go, there I see Him.
Without the Guru, there is no other Giver. ||3||
The Guru is the ocean, the perfect treasure,
the most precious jewel and priceless ruby.
By Guru's Grace, the Great Giver blesses us;
O Nanak, the Forgiving Lord forgives us. ||4||9||48||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The Guru is the Ocean; the True Guru is the Embodiment of Truth.
Through perfect good destiny, one serves the Guru.

He alone understands, whom the Lord Himself inspires to understand.
By Guru's Grace, one serves Him. ||1||
With the jewel of spiritual wisdom, total understanding is obtained.
By Guru's Grace, ignorance is dispelled; one then remains wakeful, night and day, and beholds the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, attachment and pride are burnt away.
From the Perfect Guru, true understanding is obtained.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one realizes the Lord's Presence within.
Then, one's coming and going cease, and one becomes stable, absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
The world is tied to birth and death.
The unconscious, self-willed manmukh is enveloped in the darkness of Maya and emotional attachment.
He slanders others, and practices utter falsehood.
He is a maggot in manure, and into manure he is absorbed. ||3||
Joining the True Congregation, the Sat Sangat, total understanding is obtained.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, devotional love for the Lord is implanted.
One who surrenders to the Lord's Will is peaceful forever.
O Nanak, he is absorbed into the True Lord. ||4||10||49||
Aasaa, Third Mehl, Panch-Padas:
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad, finds eternal bliss.
He is united with the True Guru, the Guru, the Lord God.
He does not die any more, and he does not come or go.
Through the Perfect Guru, he merges with the True Lord. ||1||
One who has the Naam, the Name of the Lord, written in his pre-ordained destiny,
night and day, meditates forever on the Naam; he obtains the wondrous blessing of devotional love from the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
Those, whom the Lord God has blended with Himself
- their sublime state cannot be described.
The Perfect True Guru has given the Glorious Greatness,
of the most exalted order, and I am absorbed into the Lord's Name. ||2||
Whatever the Lord does, He does all by Himself.
In an instant, He establishes, and disestablishes.
By merely speaking, talking, shouting and preaching about the Lord, even hundreds of times, the mortal is not approved. ||3||
The Guru meets with those, who take virtue as their treasure;
they listen to the True Word of the Guru's Bani, the Shabad.
Pain departs, from that place where the Shabad abides.
By the jewel of spiritual wisdom, one is easily absorbed into the True Lord. ||4||
No other wealth is as great as the Naam.
It is bestowed only by the True Lord.
Through the Perfect Word of the Shabad, it abides in the mind.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, peace is obtained. ||5||11||50||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
One may dance and play numerous instruments;
but this mind is blind and deaf, so for whose benefit is this speaking and preaching?
Deep within is the fire of greed, and the dust-storm of doubt.
The lamp of knowledge is not burning, and understanding is not obtained. ||1||
The Gurmukh has the light of devotional worship within his heart.
Understanding his own self, he meets God. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukh's dance is to embrace love for the Lord;
to the beat of the drum, he sheds his ego from within.
My God is True; He Himself is the Knower of all.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, recognize the Creator Lord within yourself. ||2||
The Gurmukh is filled with devotional love for the Beloved Lord.
He intuitively reflects upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
For the Gurmukh, loving devotional worship is the way to the True Lord.
But the dances and the worship of the hypocrites bring only pain. ||3||

True Devotion is to remain dead while yet alive.
By Guru's Grace, one crosses over the terrible world-ocean.
Through the Guru's Teachings, one's devotion is accepted,
and then, the Dear Lord Himself comes to dwell in the mind. ||4||
When the Lord bestows His Mercy, He leads us to meet the True Guru.
Then, one's devotion becomes steady, and the consciousness is centered upon the Lord.
Those who are imbued with Devotion have truthful reputations.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, peace is obtained. ||5||12||51||
Aasaa, Eighth House, Kaafee, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By the Pleasure of the Lord's Will, one meets the True Guru, and true understanding is obtained.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord abides in the mind, and one comes to understand the Lord. ||1||
My Husband Lord, the Great Giver, is One. There is no other at all.
By Guru's merciful favor, He abides in the mind, and then, a lasting peace ensues. ||1||Pause||
In this age, the Lord's Name is fearless; it is obtained by meditative reflection upon the Guru.
Without the Name, the blind, foolish, self-willed manmukh is under Death's power. ||2||
By the Pleasure of the Lord's Will, the humble being performs His service, and understands the True Lord.
By the Pleasure of the Lord's Will, He is to be praised; surrendering to His Will, peace ensues. ||3||
By the Pleasure of the Lord's Will, the prize of this human birth is obtained, and the intellect is exalted.
O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; as Gurmukh, you shall be emancipated. ||4||39||13||52||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You are the True Creator, my Lord Master.
That which is pleasing to Your Will, comes to pass. Whatever You give, that is what I receive. ||1||Pause||
All are Yours; all meditate on You.
He alone, whom You bless with Your Mercy, obtains the jewel of the Naam.
The Gurmukhs obtain it, and the self-willed manmukhs lose it.
You Yourself separate the mortals, and You Yourself unite them. ||1||
You are the River - all are within You.
Other than You, there is no one at all.
All beings and creatures are your play-things.
The united ones are separated, and the separated ones are re-united. ||2||
That humble being, whom You inspire to understand, understands;
he continually speaks and chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
One who serves the Lord, obtains peace.
He is easily absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||3||
You Yourself are the Creator; by Your doing, all things come to be.
Without You, there is no other at all.
You watch over the creation, and understand it.
O servant Nanak, the Lord is revealed to the Gurmukh. ||4||1||53||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Second House, Fourth Mehl:
Some form alliances with friends, children and siblings.
Some form alliances with in-laws and relatives.
Some form alliances with chiefs and leaders for their own selfish motives.
My alliance is with the Lord, who is pervading everywhere. ||1||
I have formed my alliance with the Lord; the Lord is my only support.
Other than the Lord, I have no other faction or alliance; I sing of the countless and endless Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those with whom you form alliances, shall perish.
Making false alliances, the mortals repent and regret in the end.
Those who practice falsehood shall not last.
I have formed my alliance with the Lord; there is no one more powerful than Him. ||2||
All these alliances are mere extensions of the love of Maya.
Only fools argue over Maya.
They are born, and they die, and they lose the game of life in the gamble.
My alliance is with the Lord, who embellishes all, in this world and the next. ||3||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the five thieves instigate alliances and conflicts.
Sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and self-conceit have increased.
One who is blessed by the Lord's Grace, joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
My alliance is with the Lord, who has destroyed all these alliances. ||4||
In the false love of duality, people sit and form alliances.
They complain about other peoples' faults, while their own self-conceit only increases.
As they plant, so shall they harvest.
Servant Nanak has joined the Lord's alliance of Dharma, which shall conquer the whole world. ||5||2||54||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Constantly listening to the Ambrosial Gurbani in the heart, it becomes pleasing to the mind.
Through Gurbani, the Incomprehensible Lord is comprehended. ||1||
As Gurmukh, listen to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O my sisters.
The One Lord is pervading and permeating deep within the heart; with your mouth, recite the Ambrosial Hymns of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
My mind and body are filled with divine love, and great sadness.
By great good fortune, I have obtained the True Guru, the Primal Being. ||2||
In the love of duality, the mortals wander through poisonous Maya.
The unfortunate ones do not meet the True Guru. ||3||
The Lord Himself inspires us to drink in the Lord's Ambrosial Elixir.
Through the Perfect Guru, O Nanak, the Lord is obtained. ||4||3||55||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
The Love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Support of my mind and body.
I chant the Naam; the Naam is the essence of peace. ||1||
So chant the Naam, O my friends and companions.
Without the Naam, there is nothing else for me. By great good fortune, as Gurmukh, I have received the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Without the Naam, I cannot live.
By great good fortune, the Gurmukhs obtain the Naam. ||2||
Those who lack the Naam have their faces rubbed in the dirt of Maya.
Without the Naam, cursed, cursed are their lives. ||3||

The Great Lord is obtained by great good destiny.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is blessed with the Naam. ||4||4||56||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
I sing His Glorious Praises, and through the Word of His Bani, I speak His Glorious Praises.
As Gurmukh, I chant and recite the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
Chanting and meditating on the Naam, my mind becomes blissful.
The True Guru has implanted the True Name of the True Lord within me; I sing His Glorious Praises, and taste the supreme ecstasy. ||1||Pause||
The humble servants of the Lord sing the Lord's Glorious Praises.
By great good fortune, the detached, absolute Lord is obtained. ||2||
Those without virtue are stained by Maya's filth.
Lacking virtue, the egotistical die, and suffer reincarnation. ||3||
The ocean of the body yields pearls of virtue.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh churns this ocean, and discovers this essence. ||4||5||57||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
I listen to the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the Naam is pleasing to my mind.
By great good fortune, the Gurmukh obtains the Lord. ||1||
Chant the Naam, as Gurmukh, and be exalted.
Without the Naam, I have no other support; the Naam is woven into all my breaths and morsels of food. ||1||Pause||
The Naam illuminates my mind; listening to it, my mind is pleased.
One who speaks the Naam - he alone is my friend and companion. ||2||
Without the Naam, the fools depart naked.
They burn away to death, chasing the poison of Maya, like the moth chasing the flame. ||3||
He Himself establishes, and, having established, disestablishes.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself bestows the Naam. ||4||6||58||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
The vine of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, has taken root in the Gurmukh.
It bears the fruit of the Lord; its taste is so tasty! ||1||
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in endless waves of joy.
Chant and repeat the Naam; through the Guru's Teachings praise the Lord, and slay the horrible serpent of the Messenger of Death. ||1||Pause||
The Lord has implanted His devotional worship in the Guru.
When the Guru is pleased, He bestows it upon His Sikh, O my siblings of Destiny. ||2||
One who acts in ego, knows nothing about the Way.
He acts like an elephant, who takes a bath, and then throws dust on his head. ||3||
If one's destiny is great and exalted,
O Nanak, one chants the Naam, the Name of the Immaculate, True Lord. ||4||7||59||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
My mind suffers hunger for the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Hearing the Naam, my mind is satisfied, O my Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
Chant the Naam, O my friends, O GurSikhs.
Chant the Naam, and through the Naam, obtain peace; through the Guru's Teachings, enshrine the Naam in your heart and mind. ||1||Pause||
Hearing the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind is in bliss.
Reaping the profit of the Naam, through the Guru's Teachings, my soul has blossomed forth. ||2||
Without the Naam, the mortal is a leper, blinded by emotional attachment.
All his actions are fruitless; they lead only to painful entanglements. ||3||
The very fortunate ones chant the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, one embraces love for the Naam. ||4||8||60||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Fourth Mehl, Raag Aasaa, 3 Of Sixth House :
You may pluck the strings with your hand, O Yogi, but your playing of the harp is in vain.
Under Guru's Instruction, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O Yogi, and this mind of yours shall be imbued with the Lord's Love. ||1||
O Yogi, give your intellect the Teachings of the Lord.
The Lord, the One Lord, is pervading throughout all the ages; I humbly bow down to Him. ||1||Pause||
You sing in so many Ragas and harmonies, and you talk so much, but this mind of yours is only playing a game.
You work the well and irrigate the fields, but the oxen have already left to graze in the jungle. ||2||
In the field of the body, plant the Lord's Name, and the Lord will sprout there, like a lush green field.
O mortal, hook up your unstable mind like an ox, and irrigate your fields with the Lord's Name, through the Guru's Teachings. ||3||
The Yogis, the wandering Jangams, and all the world is Yours, O Lord. According to the wisdom which You give them, so do they follow their ways.
O Lord God of servant Nanak, O Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts, please link my mind to You. ||4||9||61||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
How long must one search for angle bells and cymbals, and how long must one play the guitar?
In the brief instant between coming and going, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Such is the devotional love which has been produced in my mind.
Without the Lord, I cannot live even for an instant, like the fish which dies without water. ||1||Pause||
How long must one tune the five strings, and assemble the seven singers, and how long will they raise their voices in song?
In the time it takes to select and assemble these musicians, a moment elapses, and my mind sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
How long must one dance and stretch out one's feet, and how long must one reach out with one's hands?
Stretching out one's hands and feet, there is a moment's delay; and then, my mind meditates on the Lord. ||3||
How long must one satisfy the people, in order to obtain honor?
O servant Nanak, meditate forever in your heart on the Lord, and then everyone will congratulate you. ||4||10||62||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Join the Sat Sangat, the Lord's True Congregation; joining the Company of the Holy, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
With the sparkling jewel of spiritual wisdom, the heart is illumined, and ignorance is dispelled. ||1||
O humble servant of the Lord, let your dancing be meditation on the Lord, Har, Har.
If only I cold meet such Saints, O my Siblings of Destiny; I would wash the feet of such servants. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O my mind; night and day, center your consciousness on the Lord.
You shall have the fruits of your desires, and you shall never feel hunger again. ||2||
The Infinite Lord Himself is the Creator; the Lord Himself speaks, and causes us to speak.
The Saints are good, who are pleasing to Your Will; their honor is approved by You. ||3||
Nanak is not satisfied by chanting the Lord's Glorious Praises; the more he chants them, the more he is at peace.
The Lord Himself has bestowed the treasure of devotional love; His customers purchase virtues, and carry them home. ||4||11||63||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Eighth House, Kaafee, Fourth Mehl:
Death is ordained from the very beginning, and yet ego makes us cry.
Meditating on the Naam, as Gurmukh, one becomes stable and steady. ||1||
Blessed is the Perfect Guru, through whom the way of Death is known.
The sublime people earn the profit of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; they are absorbed in the Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
The days of one's life are pre-ordained; they will come to their end, O mother.
One must depart, today or tomorrow, according to the Lord's Primal Order. ||2||
Useless are the lives of those, who have forgotten the Naam.
They play the game of chance in this world, and lose their mind. ||3||
Those who have found the Guru are at peace, in life and in death.
O Nanak, the true ones are truly absorbed into the True Lord. ||4||12||64||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Having obtained the treasure of this human birth, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, I understand, and I am absorbed into the True Lord. ||1||
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny practice the Naam.
The True Lord summons the truthful to the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||Pause||
Deep within is the treasure of the Naam; it is obtained by the Gurmukh.
Night and day, meditate on the Naam, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Deep within are infinite substances, but the self-willed manmukh does not find them.
In egotism and pride, the mortal's proud self consumes him. ||3||
O Nanak, his identity consumes his identical identity.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the mind is illumined, and meets the True Lord. ||4||13||65||
Raag Aasaavaree, 2 Of Sixteenth House, Fourth Mehl, Sudhang:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Night and day, I sing the Kirtan, the Praises of the Name of the Lord.
The True Guru has revealed to me the Name of the Lord; without the Lord, I cannot live, for a moment, even an instant. ||1||Pause||
My ears hear the Lord's Kirtan, and I contemplate Him; without the Lord, I cannot live, even for an instant.
As the swan cannot live without the lake, how can the Lord's slave live without serving Him? ||1||
Some enshrine love for duality in their hearts, and some pledge love for worldly attachments and ego.
The Lord's servant embraces love for the Lord and the state of Nirvaanaa; Nanak contemplates the Lord, the Lord God. ||2||14||66||
Aasaavaree, Fourth Mehl:
O mother, my mother, tell me about my Beloved Lord.
Without the Lord, I cannot live for a moment, even an instant; I love Him, like the camel loves the vine. ||1||Pause||
My mind has become sad and distant, longing for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, my Friend.
As the bumblebee cannot live without the lotus, I cannot live without the Lord. ||1||

Keep me under Your Protection, O Beloved Master of the Universe; fulfill my faith, O Lord of the World.
Servant Nanak's mind is filled with bliss, when he beholds the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, even for an instant. ||2||39||13||15||67||
Raag Aasaa, Second House, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
One who loves her, is ultimately devoured.
One who seats her in comfort, is totally terrified by her.
Siblings, friends and family, beholding her, argue.
But she has come under my control, by Guru's Grace. ||1||
Beholding her, all are bewitched:
the strivers, the Siddhas, the demi-gods, angels and mortals. All, except the Saadhus, are deceived by her deception. ||1||Pause||
Some wander around as renunciates, but they are engrossed in sexual desire.
Some grow rich as householders, but she does not belong to them.
Some call themselves men of charity, and she torments them terribly.
The Lord has saved me, by attaching me to the Feet of the True Guru. ||2||
She leads astray the penitents who practice penance.
The scholarly Pandits are all seduced by greed.
The world of the three qualities is enticed, and the heavens are enticed.
The True Guru has saved me, by giving me His Hand. ||3||
She is the slave of those who are spiritually wise.
With her palms pressed together, she serves them and offers her prayer:
"Whatever you wish, that is what I shall do."
O servant Nanak, she does not draw near to the Gurmukh. ||4||1||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have been separated from my Beloved by Maya (my mother-in-law).
Hope and desire (my younger brother-in-law and sister-in-law) are dying of grief.
I am no longer swayed by the fear of Death (my elder brother-in-law).
I am protected by my All-knowing, Wise Husband Lord. ||1||
Listen, O people: I have tasted the elixir of love.
The evil ones are dead, and my enemies are destroyed. The True Guru has given me the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
First, I renounced my egotistical love of myself.
Second, I renounced the ways of the world.
Renouncing the three qualities, I look alike upon friend and enemy.
And then, the fourth state of bliss was revealed to me by the Holy One. ||2||
In the cave of celestial bliss, I have obtained a seat.
The Lord of Light plays the unstruck melody of bliss.
I am in ecstasy, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Imbued with my Beloved Husband Lord, I am the blessed, happy soul-bride. ||3||
Servant Nanak chants the wisdom of God;
one who listens and practices it, is carried across and saved.
He is not born, and he does not die; he does not come or go.
He remains blended with the Lord. ||4||2||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The bride shows such special devotion, and has such an agreeable disposition.
Her beauty is incomparable, and her character is perfect.
The house in which she dwells is such a praiseworthy house.
But rare are those who, as Gurmukh, attain that state||1||
As the soul-bride of pure actions, I have met with the Guru.

In worship, marriage and in the next world, such a soul-bride looks beautiful. ||1||Pause||
As long as she lived with her father,
her Husband wandered around in sadness.
I served and surrendered to the Lord, the True Being;
the Guru brought my bride to my home, and I obtained total happiness. ||2||
She is blessed with all sublime attributes, and her generations are unblemished.
Her Husband, her Lord and Master, fulfills her heart's desires.
Hope and desire (my younger brother-in-law and sister-in-law) are now totally content. ||3||
She is the most noble of all the family.
She counsels and advises her hope and desire.
How blessed is that household, in which she has appeared.
O servant Nanak, she passes her time in perfect peace and comfort. ||4||3||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever I resolve, she does not allow it to come to pass.
She stands blocking the way of goodness and self-discipline.
She wears many disguises, and assumes many forms,
and she does not allow me to dwell in my own home. She forces me to wander around in different directions. ||1||
She has become the mistress of my home, and she does not allow me to live in it.
If I try, she fights with me. ||1||Pause||
In the beginning, she was sent as a helper,
but she has overwhelmed the nine continents, all places and interspaces.
She has not spared even the river banks, the sacred shrines of pilgrimage, the Yogis and Sannyaasees,
or those who tirelessly read the Simritees and study the Vedas. ||2||
Wherever I sit, she sits there with me.
She has imposed her power upon the whole world.
Seeking meager protection, I am not protected from her.
Tell me, O my friend: unto whom should I turn for protection? ||3||
I heard of His Teachings, and so I have come to the True Guru.
The Guru has implanted the Mantra of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, within me.
And now, I dwell in the home of my own inner self; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Infinite Lord.
I have met God, O Nanak, and I have become care-free. ||4||
My home is now my own, and she is now my mistress.
She is now my servant, and the Guru has made me intimate with the Lord. ||1||Second Pause||4||4||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
First, they advised me to send a letter.
Second, they advised me to send two men.
Third, they advised me to make the effort and do something.
But I have renounced everything, and I meditate only on You, God. ||1||
Now, I am totally blissful, carefree and at ease.
The enemies and evil-doers have perished, and I have obtained peace. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru has imparted the Teachings to me.
My soul, body and everything belong to the Lord.
Whatever I do, is by Your Almighty Power.
You are my only Support, You are my only Court. ||2||
If I were to renounce You, God, unto whom could I turn?
There is no other, comparable to You.
Who else is Your servant to serve?
The faithless cynics are deluded; they wander around in the wilderness. ||3||
Your Glorious Greatness cannot be described.
Wherever I am, you save me, hugging me close in Your embrace.
Nanak, Your slave, has entered Your Sanctuary.
God has preserved his honor, and congratulations are pouring in. ||4||5||

Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Having wandered through foreign lands, I have come here to do business.
I heard of the incomparable and profitable merchandise.
I have gathered in my pockets my capital of virtue, and I have brought it here with me.
Beholding the jewel, this mind is fascinated. ||1||
I have come to the door of the Trader.
Please display the merchandise, so that the business may be transacted. ||1||Pause||
The Trader has sent me to the Banker.
The jewel is priceless, and the capital is priceless.
O my gentle brother, mediator and friend
- I have obtained the merchandise, and my consciousness is now steady and stable. ||2||
I have no fear of thieves, of wind or water.
I have easily made my purchase, and I easily take it away.
I have earned Truth, and I shall have no pain.
I have brought this merchandise home, safe and sound. ||3||
I have earned the profit, and I am happy.
Blessed is the Banker, the Perfect Bestower.
How rare is the Gurmukh who obtains this merchandise;
Nanak has brought this profitable merchandise home. ||4||6||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He does not consider my merits or demerits.
He does not look at my beauty, color or decorations.
I do not know the ways of wisdom and good conduct.
But taking me by the arm, my Husband Lord has led me to His Bed. ||1||
Hear, O my companions, my Husband, my Lord Master, possesses me.
Placing His Hand upon my forehead, He protects me as His Own. What do these ignorant people know? ||1||Pause||
My married life now appears so beauteous;
my Husband Lord has met me, and He sees all my pains.
Within the courtyard of my heart, the glory of the moon shines.
Night and day, I have fun with my Beloved. ||2||
My clothes are dyed the deep crimson color of the poppy.
All the ornaments and garlands around my neck adorn me.
Gazing upon my Beloved with my eyes, I have obtained all treasures;
I have shaken off the power of the evil demons. ||3||
I have obtained eternal bliss, and I constantly celebrate.
With the nine treasures of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I am satisfied in my own home.
Says Nanak, when the happy soul-bride is adorned by her Beloved,
she is forever happy with her Husband Lord. ||4||7||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
They give you donations and worship you.
You take from them, and then deny that they have given anything to you.
That door, through which you must ultimately go, O Brahmin
- at that door, you will come to regret and repent. ||1||
Such Brahmins shall drown, O Siblings of Destiny;
they think of doing evil to the innocent. ||1||Pause||
Within them is greed, and they wander around like mad dogs.
They slander others and carry loads of sin upon their heads.
Intoxicated by Maya, they do not think of the Lord.
Deluded by doubt, they wander off on many paths. ||2||
Outwardly, they wear various religious robes,
but within, they are enveloped by poison.
They instruct others, but do not understand themselves.
Such Brahmins will never be emancipated. ||3||
O foolish Brahmin, reflect upon God.
He watches and hears, and is always with you.
Says Nanak, if this is your destiny,
renounce your pride, and grasp the Guru's Feet. ||4||8||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:

Pain and disease have left my body, and my mind has become pure; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har.
I am in bliss, meeting with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and now, my mind does not go wandering. ||1||
My burning desires are quenched, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, O mother.
The fever of doubt has been totally eliminated; meeting the Guru, I am cooled and soothed, with intuitive ease. ||1||Pause||
My wandering has ended, since I have realized the One and Only Lord; now, I have come to dwell in the eternal place.
Your Saints are the Saving Grace of the world; beholding the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, I remain satisfied. ||2||
I have left behind the sins of countless incarnations, now that I have grasped the feet of the eternal Holy Guru.
My mind sings the celestial melody of bliss,
and death shall no longer consume it. ||3||
My Lord, the Cause of all causes, is All-powerful, the Giver of peace; He is my Lord, my Lord King.
Nanak lives by chanting Your Name, O Lord; You are my helper, with me, through and through. ||4||9||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The slanderer cries out and bewails.
He has forgotten the Supreme Lord, the Transcendent Lord; the slanderer reaps the rewards of his own actions. ||1||Pause||
If someone is his companion, then he shall be taken along with him.
Like the dragon, the slanderer carries his huge, useless loads, and burns in his own fire. ||1||
Nanak proclaims and announces what happens at the Door of the Transcendent Lord.
The humble devotees of the Lord are forever in bliss; singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, they blossom forth. ||2||10||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Even though I totally decorated myself,
still, my mind was not satisfied.
I applied various scented oils to my body,
and yet, I did not obtain even a tiny bit of pleasure from this.
Within my mind, I hold such a desire,
that I may live only to behold my Beloved, O my mother. ||1||
O mother, what should I do? This mind cannot rest.
It is bewitched by the tender love of my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
Garments, ornaments, and such exquisite pleasures
- I look upon these as of no account.
Likewise, honor, fame, dignity and greatness,
obedience by the whole world,
and a household as beautiful as a jewel.
If I am pleasing to God's Will, then I shall be blessed, and forever in bliss. ||2||
With foods and delicacies of so many different kinds,
and such abundant pleasures and entertainments,
power and property and absolute command
- with these, the mind is not satisfied, and its thirst is not quenched.
Without meeting Him, this day does not pass.
Meeting God, I find peace. ||3||
By searching and seeking, I have heard this news,
that without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, no one swims across.
One who has this good destiny written upon his forehead, finds the True Guru.
His hopes are fulfilled, and his mind is satisfied.
When one meets God, then his thirst is quenched.
Nanak has found the Lord, within his mind and body. ||4||11||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Panch-Padas:

First, your social status is high.
Second, you are honored in society.
Third, your home is beautiful.
But you are so ugly, with self-conceit in your mind. ||1||
O beautiful, attractive, wise and clever woman:
you have been trapped by your pride and attachment. ||1||Pause||
Your kitchen is so clean.
You take your bath, and worship, and apply the crimson mark upon your forehead;
with your mouth you speak wisdom, but you are destroyed by pride.
The dog of greed has ruined you in every way. ||2||
You wear your robes and enjoy pleasures;
you practice good conduct to impress people;
you apply scented oils of sandalwood and musk,
but your constant companion is the demon of anger. ||3||
Other people may be your water-carriers;
in this world, you may be a ruler.
Gold, silver and wealth may be yours,
but the goodness of your conduct has been destroyed by sexual promiscuity. ||4||
That soul, upon whom the Lord has bestowed His Glance of Grace,
is delivered from bondage.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Lord's sublime essence is obtained.
Says Nanak, how fruitful is that body. ||5||
All graces and all comforts shall come to you, as the happy soul-bride;
you shall be supremely beautiful and wise. ||1||Second Pause||12||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Ik-Tukas 2 :
One who is seen to be alive, shall surely die.
But he who is dead shall remain ever-lasting. ||1||
Those who die while yet alive, shall through this death, live on.
They place the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, as medicine in their mouths, and through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
The clay pot of the body shall be broken.
One who has eliminated the three qualities dwells in the home of his inner self. ||2||
One who climbs high, shall fall into the nether regions of the underworld.
One who lies upon the ground, shall not be touched by death. ||3||
Those who continue to wander around, achieve nothing.
Those who practice the Guru's Teachings, become steady and stable. ||4||
This body and soul all belong to the Lord.
O Nanak, meeting the Guru, I am enraptured. ||5||13||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The puppet of the body has been fashioned with great skill.
Know for sure that it shall turn to dust. ||1||
Remember your origins, O thoughtless fool.
Why are you so proud of yourself? ||1||Pause||
You are a guest, given three meals a day;
other things are entrusted to you. ||2||
you are just excrement, bones and blood, wrapped up in skin
- this is what you are taking such pride in! ||3||
If you could understand even one thing, then you would be pure.
Without understanding, you shall be forever impure. ||4||
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru;
through Him, I obtain the Lord, the All-knowing Primal Being. ||5||14||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Ik-Tukas, Chau-Padas:
One moment, one day, is for me many days.
My mind cannot survive - how can I meet my Beloved? ||1||
I cannot endure one day, even one instant without Him.

My mind's desire for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is so great. Is there any Saint who can lead me to meet my Beloved? ||1||Pause||
The four watches of the day are like the four ages.
And when night comes, I think that it shall never end. ||2||
The five demons have joined together, to separate me from my Husband Lord.
Wandering and rambling, I cry out and wring my hands. ||3||
The Lord has revealed the Blessed Vision of His Darshan to servant Nanak;
realizing his own self, he has obtained supreme peace. ||4||15||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
In the Lord's service, are the greatest treasures.
Serving the Lord, the Ambrosial Naam comes into one's mouth. ||1||
The Lord is my Companion; He is with me, as my Help and Support.
In pain and pleasure, whenever I remember Him, He is present. How can the poor Messenger of Death frighten me now? ||1||Pause||
The Lord is my Support; the Lord is my Power.
The Lord is my Friend; He is my mind's advisor. ||2||
The Lord is my capital; the Lord is my credit.
As Gurmukh, I earn the wealth, with the Lord as my Banker. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, this wisdom has come.
Servant Nanak has merged into the Being of the Lord. ||4||16||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
When God shows His Mercy, then this mind is focused on Him.
Serving the True Guru, all rewards are obtained. ||1||
O my mind, why are you so sad? My True Guru is Perfect.
He is the Giver of blessings, the treasure of all comforts; His Ambrosial Pool of Nectar is always overflowing. ||1||Pause||
One who enshrines His Lotus Feet within the heart,
meets the Beloved Lord; the Divine Light is revealed to him. ||2||
The five companions have met together to sing the songs of joy.
The unstruck melody, the sound current of the Naad, vibrates and resounds. ||3||
O Nanak, when the Guru is totally pleased, one meets the Lord, the King.
Then, the night of one's life passes in peace and natural ease. ||4||17||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Showing His Mercy, the Lord has revealed Himself to me.
Meeting the True Guru, I have received the perfect wealth. ||1||
Gather such a wealth of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny.
It cannot be burned by fire, and water cannot drown it; it does not forsake society, or go anywhere else. ||1||Pause||
It does not run short, and it does not run out.
Eating and consuming it, the mind remains satisfied. ||2||
He is the true banker, who gathers the wealth of the Lord within his own home.
With this wealth, the whole world profits. ||3||
He alone receives the Lord's wealth, who is pre-ordained to receive it.
O servant Nanak, at that very last moment, the Naam shall be your only decoration. ||4||18||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Just like the farmer, He plants His crop,
and, whether it is ripe or unripe, He cuts it down. ||1||
Just so, you must know this well, that whoever is born, shall die.
Only the devotee of the Lord of the Universe becomes stable and permanent. ||1||Pause||
The day shall certainly be followed by the night.
And when the night passes, the morning shall again dawn. ||2||
In the love of Maya, the unfortunate ones remain in sleep.
By Guru's Grace, a rare few remain awake and aware. ||3||

Says Nanak, sing continually the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Your face shall be radiant, and your consciousness shall be immaculately pure. ||4||19||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The nine treasures are Yours - all treasures are Yours.
The Fulfiller of desires saves mortals in the end. ||1||
You are my Beloved, so what hunger can I have?
When You dwell within my mind, pain does not touch me. ||1||Pause||
Whatever You do, is acceptable to me.
O True Lord and Master, True is Your Order. ||2||
When it is pleasing to Your Will, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Within Your Home, there is justice, forever and ever. ||3||
O True Lord and Master, You are unknowable and mysterious.
Nanak is committed to Your service. ||4||20||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He is near at hand; He is the eternal Companion of the soul.
His Creative Power is all-pervading, in form and color. ||1||
My mind does not worry; it does not grieve, or cry out.
Imperishable, Unshakable, Unapproachable and forever safe and sound is my Husband Lord. ||1||Pause||
Unto whom does Your servant pay homage?
His King preserves his honor. ||2||
That slave, whom God has released from the restrictions of social status
- who can now hold him in bondage? ||3||
The Lord is absolutely independent, and totally care-free;
O servant Nanak, chant His Glorious Praises. ||4||21||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Forsaking the Lord's sublime essence, the mortal is intoxicated with false essences.
The substance is within the home of the self, but the mortal goes out to find it. ||1||
He cannot hear the true ambrosial discourse.
Attached to false scriptures, he is engaged in argument. ||1||Pause||
He takes his wages from his Lord and Master, but he serves another.
With such sins, the mortal is engrossed. ||2||
He tries to hide from the One who is always with him.
He begs from Him, again and again. ||3||
Says Nanak, God is merciful to the meek.
As it pleases Him, He cherishes us. ||4||22||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my soul, my life, my wealth.
Here and hereafter, it is with me, to help me. ||1||
Without the Lord's Name, everything else is useless.
My mind is satisfied and satiated by the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||1||Pause||
Gurbani is the jewel, the treasure of devotion.
Singing, hearing and acting upon it, one is enraptured. ||2||
My mind is attached to the Lord's Lotus Feet.
The True Guru, in His Pleasure, has given this gift. ||3||
Unto Nanak, the Guru has revealed these instructions:
recognize the Imperishable Lord God in each and every heart. ||4||23||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The All-pervading Lord has established joys and celebrations.
He Himself embellishes His own works. ||1||
Perfect is the Creation of the Perfect Lord Master.
His magnificent greatness is totally all-pervading. ||1||Pause||
His Name is the treasure; His reputation is immaculate.
He Himself is the Creator; there is no other. ||2||
All beings and creatures are in His Hands.
God is pervading in all, and is always with them. ||3||

The Perfect Guru has fashioned His perfect fashion.
O Nanak, the Lord's devotees are blessed with glorious greatness. ||4||24||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have shaped this mind in the mold of the Guru's Word.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, I have gathered the wealth of the Lord. ||1||
O sublime understanding, come, enter into my mind,
that I may meditate and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and love so dearly the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
I am satisfied and satiated by the True Name.
My cleansing bath at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage is the dust of the Saints. ||2||
I recognize that the One Creator is contained in all.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, my understanding is refined. ||3||
I have become the servant of all; I have renounced my ego and pride.
The Guru has given this gift to Nanak. ||4||25||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
My intellect has been enlightened, and my understanding is perfect.
Thus my evil-mindedness, which kept me far from Him, has been removed. ||1||
Such are the Teachings which I have received from the Guru;
while I was drowning in the pitch black well, I was saved, O my Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
The Guru is the boat to cross over the totally unfathomable ocean of fire; He is treasure of jewels. ||2||
This ocean of Maya is dark and treacherous.
The Perfect Guru has revealed the way to cross over it. ||3||
I do not have the ability to chant or practice intense meditation.
Guru Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||4||26||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Ti-Padas:
One who drinks in the Lord's sublime essence is forever imbued with it,
while other essences wear off in an instant.
Intoxicated with the Lord's sublime essence, the mind is forever in ecstasy.
Other essences bring only anxiety. ||1||
One who drinks in the Lord's sublime essence, is intoxicated and enraptured;
all other essences have no effect. ||1||Pause||
The value of the Lord's sublime essence cannot be described.
The Lord's sublime essence permeates the homes of the Holy.
One may spend thousands and millions, but it cannot be purchased.
He alone obtains it, who is so pre-ordained. ||2||
Tasting it, Nanak is wonder-struck.
Through the Guru, Nanak has obtained this taste.
Here and hereafter, it does not leave him.
Nanak is imbued and enraptured with the Lord's subtle essence. ||3||27||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
If she renounces and eliminates her sexual desire, anger, greed and attachment, and her evil-mindedness and self-conceit as well;
and if, becoming humble, she serves Him, then she becomes dear to her Beloved's Heart. ||1||
Listen, O beautiful soul-bride: By the Word of the Holy Saint, you shall be saved.
Your pain, hunger and doubt shall vanish, and you shall obtain peace, O happy soul-bride. ||1||Pause||
Washing the Guru's feet, and serving Him, the soul is sanctified, and the thirst for sin is quenched.
If you become the slave of the slave of the Lord's slaves, then you shall obtain honor in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
This is right conduct, and this is the correct lifestyle, to obey the Command of the Lord's Will; this is your devotional worship.
One who practices this Mantra, O Nanak, swims across the terrifying world-ocean. ||3||28||

Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas:
You have been blessed with this human body.
This is your chance to meet the Lord of the Universe.
Other efforts are of no use to you.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, vibrate and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Make the effort, and cross over the terrifying world ocean.
This human life is passing away in vain, in the love of Maya. ||1||Pause||
I have not practiced meditation, penance, self-restraint or righteous living;
I have not served the Holy Saints, and I do not know the Lord, my King.
Says Nanak, my actions are vile and despicable;
O Lord, I seek Your Sanctuary - please, preserve my honor. ||2||29||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Without You, there is no other for me; You alone are in my mind.
You are my Friend and Companion, God; why should my soul be afraid? ||1||
You are my support, You are my hope.
While sitting down or standing up, while sleeping or waking, with every breath and morsel of food, I never forget You. ||1||Pause||
Protect me, please protect me, O God; I have come to Your Sanctuary; the ocean of fire is so horrible.
The True Guru is the Giver of peace to Nanak; I am Your child, O Lord of the World. ||2||30||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord God has saved me, His slave.
My mind has surrendered to my Beloved; my fever has taken poison and died. ||1||Pause||
Cold and heat do not touch me at all, when I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
My consciousness is not affected by the witch, Maya; I take to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, the Lord has shown His Mercy to me; He Himself is my Help and Support.
Nanak ever sings the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of excellence; his doubts and pains are eliminated. ||2||31||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have taken the medicine of the Name of the Lord.
I have found peace, and the seat of pain has been removed. ||1||
The fever has been broken, by the Teachings of the Perfect Guru.
I am in ecstasy, and all of my sorrows have been dispelled. ||1||Pause||
All beings and creatures obtain peace,
O Nanak, meditating on the Supreme Lord God. ||2||32||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
That time, which the mortal does not wish for, eventually comes.
Without the Lord's Command, how can understanding be understood? ||1||
The body is consumed by water, fire and earth.
But the soul is neither young nor old, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
Servant Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Holy.
By Guru's Grace, he has shaken off the fear of death. ||2||33||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Forever and ever, the soul is illumined;
in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, it dwells at the Feet of the Lord. ||1||
Chant the Lord's Name each and every day, O my mind.
You shall find lasting peace, contentment and tranquility, and all your sins shall depart. ||1||Pause||
Says Nanak, one who is blessed with perfect good karma,
meets the True Guru, and obtains the Perfect Supreme Lord God. ||2||34||
Thirty-four Shabads in Second House. ||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
She who has the Lord God as her Friend

her pain is dispelled, and she shall not become sad again. ||1||Pause||
Showing His Mercy, He joins her with His Feet,
and she attains celestial peace, joy and comfort. ||1||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, she sings the Glorious Praises of the Immeasurable Lord.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, O Nanak, she becomes invaluable. ||2||35||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Sexual desire, anger, intoxication with Maya and jealousy - I have lost all of these in the game of chance.
Purity, contentment, compassion, faith and truthfulness - I have ushered these into the home of my self. ||1||
All the loads of birth and death have been removed.
Joining the Saints' Society, my mind has become pure; the Perfect Guru has saved me in an instant. ||1||Pause||
My mind has become the dust of all, and everyone seems a sweet friend to me.
My Lord and Master is contained in all. He gives His Gifts to all beings, and cherishes them. ||2||
He Himself is the One and only; from the One, the One and only, came the expanse of the entire creation.
Chanting and meditating, all the humble beings have become Holy; meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, so many have been saved. ||3||
The Lord of the Universe is deep, profound and infinite; He has no end or limitation.
By Your Grace, Nanak sings Your Glorious Praises; meditating, meditating, he humbly bows to God. ||4||36||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
You are Infinite, Eternal and Incomprehensible; all this is Your Creation.
What clever games can we play, when everything is contained in You? ||1||
O my True Guru, protect me, Your child, through the power of Your play.
Grant me the good sense to ever sing Your Glorious Praises, O my Inaccessible and Infinite Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
The mortal is preserved in the womb of his mother, by the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord;
he makes merry, and with each and every breath he remembers the Lord, and the fire does not touch him. ||2||
Others' wealth, others' wives, and the slander of others - renounce your craving for these.
Serve the Lord's Lotus Feet within your heart, and hold to the Support of the Perfect Guru. ||3||
Houses, mansions and palaces which you see - none of these shall go with you.
As long as you live in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, O servant Nanak, remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||37||
Aasaa, Third House, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Power, property, youth, household, fame and the beauty of youth;
great wealth, elephants, horses and jewels, purchased with tens of thousands of dollars;
hereafter, these shall be of no avail in the Court of the Lord; the proud must depart, leaving them behind. ||1||
Why center your consciousness on any other than the Lord?
Sitting down, standing up, sleeping and waking, forever and ever, meditate on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
He may have the most wondrous and beautiful arenas, and be victorious on the field of battle.

He may proclaim, "I can kill anyone, I can capture anyone, and I can release anyone."
But when the Order comes from the Supreme Lord God, he departs and leaves in a day. ||2||
He may perform all sorts of religious rituals and good actions, but he does not know the Creator Lord, the Doer of all.
He teaches, but does not practice what he preaches; he does not realize the essential reality of the Word of the Shabad.
Naked he came, and naked he shall depart; he is like an elephant, throwing dust on himself. ||3||
O Saints, and friends, listen to me: all this world is false.
Continually claiming, "Mine, mine", the mortals are drowned; the fools waste away and die.
Meeting the Guru, O Nanak, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the True Name, I am emancipated. ||4||1||38||
Raag Aasaa, Fifth House, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The whole world is asleep in doubt; it is blinded by worldly entanglements.
How rare is that humble servant of the Lord who is awake and aware. ||1||
The mortal is intoxicated with the great enticement of Maya, which is dearer to him than life.
How rare is the one who renounces it. ||2||
The Lord's Lotus Feet are incomparably beautiful; so is the Mantra of the Saint.
How rare is that holy person who is attached to them. ||3||
O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the love of divine knowledge is awakened;
the Lord's Mercy is bestowed upon those who are blessed with such good destiny. ||4||1||39||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Sixth House, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever pleases You is acceptable to me; that alone brings peace and ease to my mind.
You are the Doer, the Cause of causes, All-powerful and Infinite; there is none other than You. ||1||
Your humble servants sing Your Glorious Praises with enthusiasm and love.
That alone is good advice, wisdom and cleverness for Your humble servant, which You do or cause to be done. ||1||Pause||
Your Name is Ambrosial Nectar, O Beloved Lord; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have obtained its sublime essence.
Those humble beings are satisfied and fulfilled, singing the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of peace. ||2||
One who has Your Support, O Lord Master, is not afflicted by anxiety.
One who is blessed by Your Kind Mercy, is the best, the most fortunate king. ||3||
Doubt, attachment, and deceit have all disappeared, since I obtained the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
Dealing in the Naam, O Nanak, we become truthful, and in the Love of the Lord's Name, we are absorbed. ||4||1 | 40||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He washes off the filth of other peoples' incarnations, but he obtains the rewards of his own actions.
He has no peace in this world, and he has no place in the Court of the Lord. In the City of Death, he is tortured. ||1||
The slanderer loses his life in vain.
He cannot succeed in anything, and in the world hereafter, he finds no place at all. ||1||Pause||
Such is the fate of the wretched slanderer - what can the poor creature do?
He is ruined there, where no one can protect him; with whom should he lodge his complaint? ||2||

The slanderer shall never attain emancipation; this is the Will of the Lord and Master.
The more the Saints are slandered, the more they dwell in peace. ||3||
The Saints have Your Support, O Lord and Master; You are the Saints' Help and Support.
Says Nanak, the Saints are saved by the Lord; the slanderers are drowned in the deep. ||4||2||41||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He washes outwardly, but within, his mind is filthy; thus he loses his place in both worlds.
Here, he is engrossed in sexual desire, anger and emotional attachment; hereafter, he shall sigh and weep. ||1||
The way to vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the Universe is different.
Destroying the snake-hole, the snake is not killed; the deaf person does not hear the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
He renounces the affairs of Maya, but he does not appreciate the value of devotional worship.
He finds fault with the Vedas and the Shaastras, and does not know the essence of Yoga. ||2||
He stands exposed, like a counterfeit coin, when inspected by the Lord, the Assayer.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, knows everything; how can we hide anything from Him? ||3||
Through falsehood, fraud and deceit, the mortal collapses in an instant - he has no foundation at all.
Truly, truly, truly, Nanak speaks; look within your own heart, and realize this. ||4||3||42||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Making the effort, the mind becomes pure; in this dance, the self is silenced.
The five passions are kept under control, and the One Lord dwells in the mind. ||1||
Your humble servant dances and sings Your Glorious Praises.
He plays upon the guitar, tambourine and cymbals, and the unstruck sound current of the Shabad resounds. ||1||Pause||
First, he instructs his own mind, and then, he leads others.
He chants the Lord's Name and meditates on it in his heart; with his mouth, he announces it to all. ||2||
He joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and washes their feet; he applies the dust of the Saints to his body
He surrenders his mind and body, and places them before the Guru; thus, he obtains the true wealth. ||3||
Whoever listens to, and beholds the Guru with faith, shall see his pains of birth and death taken away.
Such a dance eliminates hell; O Nanak, the Gurmukh remains wakeful. ||4||4||43||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The lowly outcaste becomes a Brahmin, and the untouchable sweeper becomes pure and sublime.
The burning desire of the nether regions and the etheric realms is finally quenched and extinguished. ||1||
The house-cat has been taught otherwise, and is terrified upon seeing the mouse.
The Guru has put the tiger under the control of the sheep, and now, the dog eats grass. ||1||Pause||
Without pillars, the roof is supported, and the homeless have found a home.
Without the jeweller, the jewel has been set, and the wonderful stone shines forth. ||2||
The claimant does not succeed by placing his claim, but by keeping silent, he obtains justice.
The dead sit on costly carpets, and what is seen with the eyes shall vanish. ||3||

One who claims to know, is ignorant; he does not know the Knower of all.
Says Nanak, the Guru has given me the Ambrosial Nectar to drink in; savoring it and relishing it, I blossom forth in bliss. ||4||5||44||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He has cut away my bonds, and overlooked my shortcomings, and so He has confirmed His nature.
Becoming merciful to me, like a mother or a father, he has come to cherish me as His own child. ||1||
The GurSikhs are preserved by the Guru, by the Lord of the Universe.
He rescues them from the terrible world ocean, casting His Glance of Grace upon them. ||1||Pause||
Meditating in remembrance on Him, we escape from the Messenger of Death; here and hereafter, we obtain peace.
With every breath and morsel of food, meditate, and chant with your tongue, continually, each and every day; sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Through loving devotional worship, the supreme status is obtained, and in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sorrows are dispelled.
I am not worn down, I do not die, and nothing strikes fear in me, since I have the wealth of the Lord's Immaculate Name in my purse. ||3||
At the very last moment, God becomes the mortal's Help and Support; here and hereafter, He is the Savior Lord.
He is my breath of life, my friend, support and wealth; O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to Him. ||4||6||45||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Since You are my Lord and Master, what is there for me to fear? Other than You, who else should I praise?
You are the One and only, and so do all things exist; without You, there is nothing at all for me. ||1||
O Father, I have seen that the world is poison.
Save me, O Lord of the Universe! Your Name is my only Support. ||1||Pause||
You know completely the condition of my mind; who else could I go to tell of it?
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the whole world has gone crazy; obtaining the Naam, it finds peace. ||2||
What shall I say? Unto whom shall I speak? What I have to say, I say to God.
Everything which exists was created by You. You are my hope, forever and ever. ||3||
If you bestow greatness, then it is Your greatness; here and hereafter, I meditate on You.
The Lord God of Nanak is forever the Giver of peace; Your Name is my only strength. ||4||7||46||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Your Name is Ambrosial Nectar, O Lord Master; Your humble servant drinks in this supreme elixir.
The fearful load of sins from countless incarnations has vanished; doubt and duality are also dispelled. ||1||
I live by beholding the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
Listening to Your Words, O True Guru, my mind and body are cooled and soothed. ||1||Pause||
By Your Grace, I have joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; You Yourself have caused this to happen.
Holding fast to Your Feet, O God, the poison is easily neutralized. ||2||
Your Name, O God, is the treasure of peace; I have received this everlasting Mantra.
Showing His Mercy, the True Guru has given it to me, and my fever and pain and hatred are annulled. ||3||
Blessed is the attainment of this human body, by which God blends Himself with me.
Blessed, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, is the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, where the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung.O Nanak, the Naam is my only Support. ||4||8||47||

Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Everything is pre-ordained; what else can be known through study?
The errant child has been forgiven by the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
My True Guru is always merciful; He has saved me, the meek one.
He has cured me of my disease, and I have obtained the greatest peace; He has placed the Ambrosial Name of the Lord in my mouth. ||1||Pause||
He has washed away my countless sins; He has cut away my bonds, and I am liberated.
He has taken me by the arm, and pulled me out of the terrible, deep dark pit. ||2||
I have become fearless, and all my fears have been erased. The Savior Lord has saved me.
Such is Your generosity, O my God, that You have resolved all my affairs. ||3||
My mind has met with my Lord and Master, the treasure of excellence.
Taking to His Sanctuary, Nanak has become blissful. ||4||9||48||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
If I forget You, then everyone becomes my enemy. When You come to mind, then they serve me.
I do not know any other at all, O True, Invisible, Inscrutable Lord. ||1||
When You come to mind, You are always merciful to me; what can the poor people do to me?
Tell me, who should I call good or bad, since all beings are Yours? ||1||Pause||
You are my Shelter, You are my Support; giving me Your hand, You protect me.
That humble being, upon whom You bestow Your Grace, is not touched by slander or suffering. ||2||
That is peace, and that is greatness, which is pleasing to the mind of the Dear Lord God.
You are all-knowing, You are forever compassionate; obtaining Your Name, I revel in it and make merry. ||3||
I offer my prayer to You; my body and soul are all Yours.
Says Nanak, this is all Your greatness; no one even knows my name. ||4||10||49||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Show Your Mercy, O God, O Searcher of hearts, that in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I might obtain You, Lord.
When You open Your Door, and reveal the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, the mortal is not relegated to reincarnation again. ||1||
Meeting with my Beloved Lord aand Master, all my pains are taken away.
I am saved and carried across, in the company of those who remember the Supreme Lord God in their hearts. ||1||Pause||
This world is a great wilderness, an ocean of fire, in which mortals abide, in pleasure and pain.
Meeting with the True Guru, the mortal becomes immaculately pure; with his tongue, he chants the Ambrosial Name of the Lord. ||2||
He preserves his body and wealth, and takes everything as his own; such are the subtle bonds which bind him.
By Guru's Grace, the mortal becomes liberated, meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
God, the Savior, has saved those, who are pleasing to the Will of God.
The soul and body are all Yours, O Great Giver; O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice. ||4||11||50||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
You have avoided the slumber of attachment and impurity - by whose favor has this happened?
The great enticer does not affect you. Where has your laziness gone? ||1||Pause||

How have you escaped from the treachery of sexual desire, anger and egotism?
The holy beings, angels and demons of the three qualities, and all the worlds have been plundered. ||1||
The forest fire has burnt down so much of the grass; how rare are the plants which have remained green.
He is so All-powerful, that I cannot even describe Him; no one can chant His Praises. ||2||
In the store-room of the lamp-black, I did not turn black; my color remained immaculate and pure.
The Guru has implanted the Maha Mantra, the Great Mantra, within my heart, and I have heard the wondrous Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Showing His Mercy, God has looked upon me with favor, and He has attached me to His feet.
Through loving devotional worship, O Nanak, I have obtained peace; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I am absorbed into the Lord. ||4||12||51||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Seventh House, Fifth Mehl:
That red dress looks so beautiful on your body.
Your Husband Lord is pleased, and His heart is enticed. ||1||
Whose handiwork is this red beauty of yours?
Whose love has rendered the poppy so red? ||1||Pause||
You are so beautiful; you are the happy soul-bride.
Your Beloved is in your home; good fortune is in your home. ||2||
You are pure and chaste, you are most distinguished.
You are pleasing to Your Beloved, and you have sublime understanding. ||3||
I am pleasing to my Beloved, and so I am imbued with the deep red color.
Says Nanak, I have been totally blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace. ||4||
Listen, O companions: this is my only work;
God Himself is the One who embellishes and adorns. ||1||Second Pause||1||52||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I suffered in pain, when I thought He was far away;
but now, He is Ever-present, and I receive His instructions. ||1||
My pride is gone, O friends and companions;
my doubt is dispelled, and the Guru has united me with my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
My Beloved has drawn me near to Him, and seated me on His Bed;
I have escaped the clutches of others. ||2||
In the mansion of my heart, shines the Light of the Shabad.
My Husband Lord is blissful and playful. ||3||
According to the destiny written upon my forehead, my Husband Lord has come home to me.
Servant Nanak has obtained the eternal marriage. ||4||2||53||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
My mind is attached to the True Name.
My dealings with other people are only superficial. ||1||
Outwardly, I am on good terms with all;
but I remain detached, like the lotus upon the water. ||1||Pause||
By word of mouth, I talk with everyone;
but I keep God clasped to my heart. ||2||
I may appear utterly terrible,
but my mind is the dust of all men's feet.
Servant Nanak has found the Perfect Guru.

Inwardly and outwardly, He has shown me the One Lord. ||4||3||54||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The mortal revels in joy, in the vigor of youth;
but without the Name, he mingles with dust. ||1||
He may wear ear-rings and fine clothes,
and have a comfortable bed, and his mind may be so proud. ||1||Pause||
He may have elephants to ride, and golden umbrellas over his head;
but without devotional worship to the Lord, he is buried beneath the dirt. ||2||
He may enjoy many women, of exquisite beauty;
but without the sublime essence of the Lord, all tastes are tasteless. ||3||
Deluded by Maya, the mortal is led into sin and corruption.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, the All-powerful, Compassionate Lord. ||4||4||55||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
There is a garden, in which so many plants have grown.
They bear the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam as their fruit. ||1||
Consider this, O wise one,
by which you may attain the state of Nirvaanaa.
All around this garden are pools of poison, but within it is the Ambrosial Nectar, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
There is only one gardener who tends it.
He takes care of every leaf and branch. ||2||
He brings all sorts of plants and plants them there.
They all bear fruit - none is without fruit. ||3||
One who receives the Ambrosial Fruit of the Naam from the Guru
- O Nanak, such a servant crosses over the ocean of Maya. ||4||5||56||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The pleasures of royalty are derived from Your Name.
I attain Yoga, singing the Kirtan of Your Praises. ||1||
All comforts are obtained in Your Shelter.
The True Guru has removed the veil of doubt. ||1||Pause||
Understanding the Command of the Lord's Will, I revel in pleasure and joy.
Serving the True Guru, I obtain the supreme state of Nirvaanaa. ||2||
One who recognizes You is recognized as a householder, and as a renunciate.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he dwells in Nirvaanaa. ||3||
One who has obtained the treasure of the Naam
- prays Nanak, his treasure-house is filled to overflowing. ||4||6||57||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Journeying to sacred shrines of pilgrimage, I see the mortals acting in ego.
If I ask the Pandits, I find them tainted by Maya. ||1||
Show me that place, O friend,
where the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are forever sung. ||1||Pause||
The Shaastras and the Vedas speak of sin and virtue;
they say that mortals are reincarnated into heaven and hell, over and over again. ||2||
In the householder's life, there is anxiety, and in the life of the renunciate, there is egotism.
Performing religious rituals, the soul is entangled. ||3||
By God's Grace, the mind is brought under control;
O Nanak, the Gurmukh crosses over the ocean of Maya. ||4||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
This place is found through the Guru. ||1||Second Pause||7||58||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Within my home there is peace, and outwardly there is peace as well.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, all pains are erased. ||1||
There is total peace, when You come into my mind.

He alone is pleasing to Your Will, who chants the Naam. ||1||Pause||
My body and mind are cooled and soothed, chanting the Name of the Lord.
Meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, the house of pain is demolished. ||2||
He alone, who understands the Command of the Lord's Will, is approved.
The True Shabad of the Word of God is his trademark and insignia. ||3||
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Lord's Name within me.
Prays Nanak, my mind has found peace. ||4||8||59||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Wherever You send me, there I go.
Whatever You give me, brings me peace. ||1||
I am forever the chaylaa, the humble disciple, of the Lord of the Universe, the Sustainer of the World.
By Your Grace, I am satisfied and satiated. ||1||Pause||
Whatever You give me, I wear and eat.
By Your Grace, O God, my life passes peacefully. ||2||
Deep within my mind and body, I meditate on You.
I recognize none as equal to You. ||3||
Says Nanak, this is my continual meditation:
that I may be emancipated, clinging to the Feet of the Saints. ||4||9||60||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
While standing up, and sitting down, and even while asleep, meditate on the Lord.
Walking on the Way, sing the Praises of the Lord. ||1||
With your ears, listen to the Ambrosial Sermon.
Listening to it, your mind shall be filled with bliss, and the troubles and diseases of your mind shall all depart. ||1||Pause||
While you work at your job, on the road and at the beach, meditate and chant.
By Guru's Grace, drink in the Ambrosial Essence of the Lord. ||2||
The humble being who sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, day and night,
does not have to go with the Messenger of Death. ||3||
One who does not forget the Lord, twenty-four hours a day, is emancipated;
O Nanak, I fall at his feet. ||4||10||61||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering Him in meditation, one abides in peace;
one becomes happy, and suffering is ended. ||1||
Celebrate, make merry, and sing God's Glories.
Forever and ever, surrender to the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
Act in accordance with the Shabad, the True Word of the True Guru.
Remain steady and stable within the home of your own self, and find God. ||2||
Do not harbor evil intentions against others in your mind,
and you shall not be troubled, O Siblings of Destiny, O friends. ||3||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the Tantric exercise, and the Mantra, given by the Guru.
Nanak knows this peace alone, night and day. ||4||11||62||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
That wretched being, whom no one knows
- chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he is honored in the four directions. ||1||
I beg for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; please, give it to me, O Beloved!
Serving You, who, who has not been saved? ||1||Pause||
That person, whom no one wants to be near
- the whole world comes to wash the dirt of his feet. ||2||
That mortal, who is of no use to anyone at all
- by the Grace of the Saints, he meditates on the Naam. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the sleeping mind awakens.
Then, O Nanak, God seems sweet. ||4||12||63||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
With my eyes, I behold the One and Only Lord.
Forever and ever, I contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||

I sing the Praises of the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
By the graceful favor of the Saints, I meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
Everything is strung on His string.
He is contained in each and every heart. ||2||
He creates and destroys in an instant.
He Himself remains unattached, and without attributes. ||3||
He is the Creator, the Cause of causes, the Searcher of hearts.
Nanak's Lord and Master celebrates in bliss. ||4||13||64||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
My wandering through millions of births has ended.
I have won, and not lost, this human body, so difficult to obtain. ||1||
My sins have been erased, and my sufferings and pains are gone.
I have been sanctified by the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||1||Pause||
The Saints of God have the ability to save us;
they meet with those of us who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
My mind is filled with bliss, since the Guru gave me the Mantra of the Lord's Name.
My thirst has been quenched, and my mind has become steady and stable. ||3||
The wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is for me the nine treasures, and the spiritual powers of the Siddhas.
O Nanak, I have obtained understanding from the Guru. ||4||14||65||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
My thirst, and the darkness of ignorance have been removed.
Serving the Holy Saints, countless sins are obliterated. ||1||
I have obtained celestial peace and immense joy.
Serving the Guru, my mind has become immaculately pure, and I have heard the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
The stubborn foolishness of my mind is gone;
God's Will has become sweet to me. ||2||
I have grasped the Feet of the Perfect Guru,
and the sins of countless incarnations have been washed away. ||3||
The jewel of this life has become fruitful.
Says Nanak, God has shown mercy to me. ||4||15||66||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I contemplate, forever and ever, the True Guru;
with my hair, I dust the feet of the Guru. ||1||
Be wakeful, O my awakening mind!
Without the Lord, nothing else shall be of use to you; false is emotional attachment, and useless are worldly entanglements. ||1||Pause||
Embrace love for the Word of the Guru's Bani.
When the Guru shows His Mercy, pain is destroyed. ||2||
Without the Guru, there is no other place of rest.
The Guru is the Giver, the Guru gives the Name. ||3||
The Guru is the Supreme Lord God; He Himself is the Transcendent Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, O Nanak, meditate on the Guru. ||4||16||67||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself is the tree, and the branches extending out.
He Himself preserves His own crop. ||1||
Wherever I look, I see that One Lord alone.
Deep within each and every heart, He Himself is contained. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the sun, and the rays emanating from it.
He is concealed, and He is revealed. ||2||
He is said to be of the highest attributes, and without attributes.
Both converge onto His single point. ||3||
Says Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubt and fear.
With my eyes, I perceive the Lord, the embodiment of bliss, to be everywhere. ||4||17||68||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I know nothing of arguments or cleverness.

Day and night, I chant Your Name. ||1||
I am worthless; I have no virtue at all.
God is the Creator, the Cause of all causes. ||1||Pause||
I am foolish, stupid, ignorant and thoughtless;
Your Name is my mind's only hope. ||2||
I have not practiced chanting, deep meditation, self-discipline or good actions;
but within my mind, I have worshipped God's Name. ||3||
I know nothing, and my intellect is inadequate.
Prays Nanak, O God, You are my only Support. ||4||18||69||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
These two words, Har, Har, make up my maalaa.
Continually chanting and reciting this rosary, God has become merciful to me, His humble servant. ||1||
I offer my prayer to the True Guru.
Shower Your Mercy upon me, and keep me safe in Your Sanctuary; please, give me the maalaa, the rosary of Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
One who enshrines this rosary of the Lord's Name within his heart,
is freed of the pains of birth and death. ||2||
The humble being who contemplates the Lord within his heart, and chants the Lord's Name, Har, Har, with his mouth,
never wavers, here or hereafter. ||3||
Says Nanak, one who is imbued with the Name,
goes to the next world with the maalaa of the Lord's Name. ||4||19||70||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
All things belong to Him - let yourself belong to Him as well.
No stain clings to such a humble being. ||1||
The Lord's servant is liberated forever.
Whatever He does, is pleasing to His servant; the way of life of His slave is immaculately pure. ||1||Pause||
One who renounces everything, and enters the Lord's Sanctuary
- how can Maya cling to him? ||2||
With the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in his mind,
he suffers no anxiety, even in dreams. ||3||
Says Nanak, I have found the Perfect Guru.
My doubts and attachments have been totally obliterated. ||4||20||71||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
When my God is totally pleased with me,
then, tell me, how can suffering or doubt draw near me? ||1||
Continually listening to Your Glory, I live.
I am worthless - save me, O Lord! ||1||Pause||
My suffering has been ended, and my anxiety is forgotten.
I have obtained my reward, chanting the Mantra of the True Guru. ||2||
He is True, and True is His glory.
Remembering, remembering Him in meditation, keep Him clasped to your heart. ||3||
Says Nanak, what action is there left to do,
by one whose mind is filled with the Lord's Name? ||4||21||72||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Sexual desire, anger, and egotism lead to ruin.
Meditating on the Lord, the Lord's humble servants are redeemed. ||1||
The mortals are asleep, intoxicated with the wine of Maya.
The devotees remain awake, imbued with the Lord's meditation. ||1||Pause||
In emotional attachment and doubt, the mortals wander through countless incarnations.
The devotees remain ever-stable, meditating on the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||2||
Bound to household and possessions, the mortals are lost in the deep, dark pit.
The Saints are liberated, knowing the Lord to be near at hand. ||3||
Says Nanak, one who has taken to God's Sanctuary,
obtains peace in this world, and salvation in the world hereafter. ||4||22||73||

Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
You are my waves, and I am Your fish.
You are my Lord and Master; I wait at Your Door. ||1||
You are my Creator, and I am Your servant.
I have taken to Your Sanctuary, O God, most profound and excellent. ||1||Pause||
You are my life, You are my Support.
Beholding You, my heart-lotus blossoms forth. ||2||
You are my salvation and honor; You make me acceptable.
You are All-powerful, You are my strength. ||3||
Night and day, I chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the treasure of excellence.
This is Nanak's prayer to God. ||4||23||74||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The mourner practices falsehood;
he laughs with glee, while mourning for others. ||1||
Someone has died, while there is singing in someone else's house.
One mourns and bewails, while another laughs with glee. ||1||Pause||
From childhood to old age,
the mortal does not attain his goals, and he comes to regret in the end. ||2||
The world is under the influence of the three qualities.
The mortal is reincarnated, again and again, into heaven and hell. ||3||
Says Nanak, one who is attached to the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
becomes acceptable, and his life becomes fruitful. ||4||24||75||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
She remains asleep, and does not know the news of God.
The day dawns, and then, she regrets. ||1||
Loving the Beloved, the mind is filled with celestial bliss.
You yearn to meet with God, so why do you delay? ||1||Pause||
He came and poured His Ambrosial Nectar into your hands,
but it slipped through your fingers, and fell onto the ground. ||2||
You are burdened with desire, emotional attachment and egotism;
it is not the fault of God the Creator. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the darkness of doubt is dispelled.
O Nanak, the Creator Lord blends us with Himself. ||4||25||76||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I long for the Lotus Feet of my Beloved Lord.
The wretched Messenger of Death has run away from me. ||1||
You enter into my mind, by Your Kind Mercy.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all diseases are destroyed. ||1||Pause||
Death gives so much pain to others,
but it cannot even come near Your slave. ||2||
My mind thirsts for Your Vision;
in peaceful ease and bliss, I dwell in detachment. ||3||
Hear this prayer of Nanak:
please, infuse Your Name into his heart. ||4||26||77||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
My mind is satisfied, and my entanglements have been dissolved.
God has become merciful to me. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, everything has turned out well.
His House is overflowing with all things; I have met Him, the Fearless Master. ||1||Pause||
By the Kind Mercy of the Holy Saints, the Naam has been implanted within me.
The most dreadful desires have been eliminated. ||2||
My Master has given me a gift;
the fire has been extinguished, and my mind is now at peace. ||3||
My search has ended, and my mind is absorbed in celestial bliss.

Nanak has obtained the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||27||78||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Those who are attuned to their Lord and Master
are satisfied and fulfilled with the perfect food. ||1||
The Lord's devotees never run short of anything.
They have plenty to eat, spend, enjoy and give. ||1||Pause||
One who has the Unfathomable Lord of the Universe as his Master
- how can any mere mortal stand up to him? ||2||
One who is served by the eighteen supernatural powers of the Siddhas
- grasp his feet, even for an instant. ||3||
That one, upon whom You have showered Your Mercy, O my Lord Master
- says Nanak, he does not lack anything. ||4||28||79||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
When I meditate on my True Guru,
my mind becomes supremely peaceful. ||1||
The record of my account is erased, and my doubts are dispelled.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, His humble servant is blessed with good fortune. ||1||Pause||
When I remember my Lord and Master,
my fears are dispelled, O my friend. ||2||
When I took to Your Protection, O God,
my desires were fulfilled. ||3||
Gazing upon the wonder of Your play, my mind has become encouraged.
Servant Nanak relies on You alone. ||4||29||80||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Night and day, the mouse of time gnaws away at the rope of life.
Falling into the well, the mortal eats the sweet treats of Maya. ||1||
Thinking and planning, the night of the life is passing away.
Thinking of the many pleasures of Maya, the mortal never remembers the Lord, the Sustainer of the earth. ||1||Pause||
Believing the shade of the tree to be permanent, he builds his house beneath it.
But the noose of death is around his neck, and Shakti, the power of Maya, has aimed her arrows at him. ||2||
The sandy shore is being washed away by the waves,
but the fool still believes that place to be permanent. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chant the Name of the Lord, the King.
Nanak lives by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||30||81||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Du-Tukas 9:
With that, you are engaged in playful sport;
with that, I am joined to you.
With that, everyone longs for you;
without it, no one would even look at your face. ||1||
Where is that detached soul now contained?
Without it, you are miserable. ||1||Pause||
With that, you are the woman of the house;
with that, you are respected.
With that, you are caressed;
without it, you are reduced to dust. ||2||
With that, you have honor and respect;
with that, you have relatives in the world.
With that, you are adorned in every way;
without it, you are reduced to dust. ||3||
That detached soul is neither born, nor dies.
It acts according to the Command of the Lord's Will.
O Nanak, having fashioned the body, the Lord unites the soul with it, and separates them again;
He alone knows His All-powerful creative nature. ||4||31||82||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:

He does not die, so I do not fear.
He does not perish, so I do not grieve.
He is not poor, so I do not hunger.
He is not in pain, so I do not suffer. ||1||
There is no other Destroyer than Him.
He is my very life, the Giver of life. ||1||Pause||
He is not bound, so I am not in bondage.
He has no occupation, so I have no entanglements.
He has no impurities, so I have no impurities.
He is in ecstasy, so I am always happy. ||2||
He has no anxiety, so I have no cares.
He has no stain, so I have no pollution.
He has no hunger, so I have no thirst.
Since He is immaculately pure, I correspond to Him. ||3||
I am nothing; He is the One and only.
Before and after, He alone exists.
O Nanak, the Guru has taken away my doubts and mistakes;
He and I, joining together, are of the same color. ||4||32||83||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Serve Him in many different ways;
Dedicate your soul, your breath of life and your wealth to Him.
Carry water for Him, and wave the fan over Him - renounce your ego.
Make yourself a sacrifice to Him, time and time again. ||1||
She alone is the happy soul-bride, who is pleasing to God.
In her company, I may meet Him, O my mother. ||1||Pause||
I am the water-carrier of the slaves of His slaves.
I treasure in my soul the dust of their feet.
By that good destiny inscribed upon my forehead, I obtain their society.
Through His Love, the Lord Master meets me. ||2||
I dedicate all to Him - chanting and meditation, austerity and religious observances.
I offer all to Him - good actions, righteous conduct and incense burning.
Renouncing pride and attachment, I become the dust of the feet of the Saints.
In their society, I behold God with my eyes. ||3||
Each and every moment, I contemplate and adore Him.
Day and night, I serve Him like this.
The Lord of the Universe, the Cherisher of the World, has become merciful;
in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, He forgives us. ||4||33||84||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
In the Love of God, eternal peace is obtained.
In the Love of God, one is not touched by pain.
In the Love of God, the filth of ego is washed away.
In the Love of God, one becomes forever immaculate. ||1||
Listen, O friend: show such love and affection to God,
the Support of the soul, the breath of life, of each and every heart. ||1||Pause||
In the Love of God, all treasures are obtained.
In the Love of God, the Immaculate Naam fills the heart.
In the Love of God, one is eternally embellished.
In the Love of God, all anxiety is ended. ||2||
In the Love of God, one crosses over this terrible world-ocean.
In the Love of God, one does not fear death.
In the Love of God, all are saved.
The Love of God shall go along with you. ||3||
By himself, no one is united, and no one goes astray.
One who is blessed by God's Mercy, joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to You.
O God, You are the Support and the Strength of the Saints. ||4||34||85||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Becoming a king, the mortal wields his royal authority;
oppressing the people, he gathers wealth.

Gathering it and collecting it, he fills his bags.
But God takes it away from him, and gives it to another. ||1||
The mortal is like an unbaked clay pot in water;
indulging in pride and egotism, he crumbles down and dissolves. ||1||Pause||
Being fearless, he becomes unrestrained.
He does not think of the Creator, who is ever with him.
He raises armies, and collects arms.
But when the breath leaves him, he turns to ashes. ||2||
He has lofty palaces, mansions and queens,
elephants and pairs of horses, delighting the mind;
he is blessed with a great family of sons and daughters.
But, engrossed in attachment, the blind fool wastes away to death. ||3||
The One who created him destroys him.
Enjoyments and pleasures are like just a dream.
He alone is liberated, and possesses regal power and wealth,
O Nanak, whom the Lord Master blesses with His Mercy. ||4||35||86||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The mortal is in love with this,
but the more he has, the more he longs for more.
It hangs around his neck, and does not leave him.
But falling at the feet of the True Guru, he is saved. ||1||
I have renounced and discarded Maya, the Enticer of the world.
I have met the Absolute Lord, and congratulations are pouring in. ||1||Pause||
She is so beautiful, she captivates the mind.
On the road, and the beach, at home, in the forest and in the wilderness, she touches us.
She seems so sweet to the mind and body.
But by Guru's Grace, I have seen her to be deceptive. ||2||
Her courtiers are also great deceivers.
They do not spare even their fathers or mothers.
They have enslaved their companions.
By Guru's Grace, I have subjugated them all. ||3||
Now, my mind is filled with bliss;
my fear is gone, and the noose is cut away.
Says Nanak, when I met the True Guru,
I came to dwell within my home in absolute peace. ||4||36||87||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Twenty-four hours a day, he knows the Lord to be near at hand;
he surrenders to the Sweet Will of God.
The One Name is the Support of the Saints;
they remain the dust of the feet of all. ||1||
Listen, to the way of life of the Saints, O my Siblings of Destiny;
their praises cannot be described. ||1||Pause||
Their occupation is the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Kirtan, the Praise of the Lord, the embodiment of bliss, is their rest.
Friends and enemies are one and the same to them.
They know of no other than God. ||2||
They erase millions upon millions of sins.
They dispel suffering; they are givers of the life of the soul.
They are so brave; they are men of their word.
The Saints have enticed Maya herself. ||3||
Their company is cherished even by the gods and the angels.
Blessed is their Darshan, and fruitful is their service.
With his palms pressed together, Nanak offers his prayer:
O Lord, Treasure of Excellence, please bless me with the service of the Saints. ||4||37||88||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
All peace and comforts are in the meditation of the One Name.
All righteous actions of Dharma are in the singing of the Lord's Glorious Praises.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is so very pure and sacred.

Meeting with them, love for God is embraced. ||1||
By Guru's Grace, bliss is obtained.
Meditating upon Him in remembrance, the mind is illumined; his state and condition cannot be described. ||1||Pause||
Fasts, religious vows, cleansing baths, and worship to Him;
listening to the Vedas, Puraanas, and Shaastras.
Extremely pure is he, and immaculate is his place,
who meditates upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in the Saadh Sangat. ||2||
That humble being becomes renowned all over the world.
Even sinners are purified, by the dust of his feet.
One who has met the Lord, the Lord our King,
his condition and state cannot be described. ||3||
Twenty-four hours a day, with palms pressed together, I meditate;
I yearn to obtain the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of those Holy Saints.
Merge me, the poor one, with You, O Lord;
Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary. ||4||38||89||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Twenty-four hours a day, he takes his cleansing bath in water;
he makes continual offerings to the Lord; he is a true man of wisdom.
He never leaves anything uselessly.
Again and again, he falls at the Lord's Feet. ||1||
Such is the Saalagraam, the stone idol, which I serve;
such is my worship, flower-offerings and divine adoration as well. ||1||Pause||
His bell resounds to the four corners of the world.
His seat is forever in heaven.
His chauri, his fly-brush, waves over all.
His incense is ever-fragrant. ||2||
He is treasured in each and every heart.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is His Eternal Court.
His Aartee, his lamp-lit worship service, is the Kirtan of His Praises, which brings lasting bliss.
His Greatness is so beautiful, and ever limitless. ||3||
He alone obtains it, who is so pre-ordained;
he takes to the Sanctuary of the Saints' Feet.
I hold in my hands the Saalagraam of the Lord.
Says Nanak, the Guru has given me this Gift. ||4||39||90||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Panch-Pada:
That highway, upon which the water-carrier is plundered
- that way is far removed from the Saints. ||1||
The True Guru has spoken the Truth.
Your Name, O Lord, is the Way to Salvation; the road of the Messenger of Death is far away. ||1||Pause||
That place, where the greedy toll-collector dwells
- that path remains far removed from the Lord's humble servant. ||2||
There, where so very many caravans of men are caught,
the Holy Saints remain with the Supreme Lord. ||3||
Chitra and Gupat, the recording angels of the conscious and the unconscious, write the accounts of all mortal beings,
but they cannot even see the Lord's humble devotees. ||4||
Says Nanak, one whose True Guru is Perfect
- the unblown bugles of ecstasy vibrate for him. ||5||40||91||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Du-Pada 1:
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Naam is learned;
all desires and tasks are fulfilled.
My thirst has been quenched, and I am satiated with the Lord's Praise.
I live by chanting and meditating upon the Lord, the Sustainer of the earth. ||1||
I have entered the Sanctuary of the Creator, the Cause of all causes.
By Guru's Grace, I have entered the home of celestial bliss. Darkness is dispelled, and the moon of wisdom has risen. ||1||Pause||

My treasure-house is overflowing with rubies and jewels;
I meditate on the Formless Lord, and so they never run short.
How rare is that humble being, who drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, he attains the state of highest dignity. ||2||41||92||
Aasaa, Seventh House, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate continually on the Name of the Lord within your heart.
Thus you shall save all your companions and associates. ||1||
My Guru is always with me, near at hand.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on Him, I cherish Him forever. ||1||Pause||
Your actions seem so sweet to me.
Nanak begs for the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||42||93||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The world is saved by the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The Name of the Lord is the Support of the mind. ||1||
The Saints worship and adore the Lotus Feet of the Divine Guru;
they love the Beloved Lord. ||1||Pause||
She who has such good destiny written upon her forehead,
says Nanak, is blessed with the eternal happy marriage with the Lord. ||2||43||94||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Order of my Husband Lord seems so sweet to me.
My Husband Lord has driven out the one who was my rival.
My Beloved Husband has decorated me, His happy soul-bride.
He has quieted the burning thirst of my mind. ||1||
It is good that I submitted to the Will of my Beloved Lord.
I have realized celestial peace and poise within this home of mine. ||Pause||
I am the hand-maiden, the attendant of my Beloved Lord.
He is eternal and imperishable, inaccessible and infinite.
Holding the fan, sitting at His Feet, I wave it over my Beloved.
The five demons who tortured me have run away. ||2||
I am not from a noble family, and I am not beautiful.
What do I know? Why am I pleasing to my Beloved?
I am a poor orphan, destitute and dishonored.
My Husband took me in, and made me His queen. ||3||
When I saw my Beloved's face before me,
I became so happy and peaceful; my married life was blessed.
Says Nanak, my desires are fulfilled.
The True Guru has united me with God, the treasure of excellence. ||4||1||95||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
A frown creases her forehead, and her look is evil.
Her speech is bitter, and her tongue is rude.
She is always hungry, and she believes her Husband to be far away. ||1||
Such is Maya, the woman, which the One Lord has created.
She is devouring the whole world, but the Guru has saved me, O my Siblings of Destiny. ||Pause||
Administering her poisons, she has overcome the whole world.
She has bewitched Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Only those Gurmukhs who are attuned to the Naam are blessed. ||2||
Performing fasts, religious observances and atonements, the mortals have grown weary.
They wander over the entire planet, on pilgrimages to the banks of sacred rivers.
But they alone are saved, who seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||3||
Attached to Maya, the whole world is in bondage.
The foolish self-willed manmukhs are consumed by their egotism.
Taking me by the arm, Guru Nanak has saved me. ||4||2||96||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Everything is painful, when one forgets the Lord Master.
Here and hereafter, such a mortal is useless. ||1||
The Saints are satisfied, meditating on the Lord, Har, Har.

Bestowing Your Mercy, God, You attach us to Your Name; all peace comes by Your Will. ||Pause||
The Lord is Ever-present; one who deems Him to be far away, dies again and again, repenting. ||2||
The mortals do not remember the One, who has given them everything.
Engrossed in such terrible corruption, their days and nights waste away. ||3||
Says Nanak, meditate in remembrance of the One Lord God.
Salvation is obtained, in the Shelter of the Perfect Guru. ||4||3||97||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind and body are totally rejuvenated.
All sins and sorrows are washed away. ||1||
How blessed is that day, O my Siblings of Destiny,
when the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung, and the supreme status is obtained. ||Pause||
Worshipping the feet of the Holy Saints,
troubles and hatred are eliminated from the mind. ||2||
Meeting with the Perfect Guru, conflict is ended,
and the five demons are totally subdued. ||3||
One whose mind is filled with the Name of the Lord,
O Nanak - I am a sacrifice to him. ||4||4||98||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
O singer, sing of the One,
who is the Support of the soul, the body and the breath of life.
Serving Him, all peace is obtained.
You shall no longer go to any other. ||1||
My Blissful Lord Master is forever in bliss; meditate continually and forever, on the Lord, the treasure of excellence.
I am a sacrifice to the Beloved Saints; by their kind favor, God comes to dwell in the mind. ||Pause||
His gifts are never exhausted.
In His subtle way, He easily absorbs all.
His benevolence cannot be erased.
So enshrine that True Lord within your mind. ||2||
His house is filled with all sorts of articles;
God's servants never suffer pain.
Holding to His Support, the state of fearless dignity is obtained.
With each and every breath, sing of the Lord, the treasure of excellence. ||3||
He is not far from us, wherever we go.
When He shows His Mercy, we obtain the Lord, Har, Har.
I offer this prayer to the Perfect Guru.
Nanak begs for the treasure of the Lord's Name. ||4||5||99||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
First, the pains of the body vanish;
then, the mind becomes totally peaceful.
In His Mercy, the Guru bestows the Lord's Name.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to that True Guru. ||1||
I have obtained the Perfect Guru, O my Siblings of Destiny.
All illness, sorrows and sufferings are dispelled, in the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||Pause||
The feet of the Guru abide within my heart;
I have received all the fruits of my heart's desires.
The fire is extinguished, and I am totally peaceful.
Showering His Mercy, the Guru has given this gift. ||2||
The Guru has given shelter to the shelterless.
The Guru has given honor to the dishonored.
Shattering his bonds, the Guru has saved His servant.
I taste with my tongue the Ambrosial Bani of His Word. ||3||
By great good fortune, I worship the Guru's feet.
Forsaking everything, I have obtained God's Sanctuary.

That humble being, O Nanak, unto whom the Guru grants His Mercy, is forever enraptured. ||4||6||100||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru has truly given a child.
The long-lived one has been born to this destiny.
He came to acquire a home in the womb,
and his mother's heart is so very glad. ||1||
A son is born - a devotee of the Lord of the Universe.
This pre-ordained destiny has been revealed to all. ||Pause||
In the tenth month, by the Lord's Order, the baby has been born.
Sorrow is dispelled, and great joy has ensued.
The companions blissfully sing the songs of the Guru's Bani.
This is pleasing to the Lord Master. ||2||
The vine has grown, and shall last for many generations.
The Power of the Dharma has been firmly established by the Lord.
That which my mind wishes for, the True Guru has granted.
I have become carefree, and I fix my attention on the One Lord. ||3||
As the child places so much faith in his father,
I speak as it pleases the Guru to have me speak.
This is not a hidden secret;
Guru Nanak, greatly pleased, has bestowed this gift. ||4||7||101||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Giving His Hand, the Perfect Guru has protected the child.
The glory of His servant has become manifest. ||1||
I contemplate the Guru, the Guru; I meditate on the Guru, the Guru.
I offer my heart-felt prayer to the Guru, and it is answered. ||Pause||
I have taken to the Sanctuary of the True Divine Guru.
The service of His servant has been fulfilled. ||2||
He has preserved my soul, body, youth and breath of life.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru. ||3||8||102||
Aasaa, Eighth House, Kaafee, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am Your purchased slave, O True Lord Master.
My soul and body, and all of this, everything is Yours. ||1||
You are the honor of the dishonored. O Master, in You I place my trust.
Without the True One, any other support is false - know this well. ||1||Pause||
Your Command is infinite; no one can find its limit.
One who meets with the Perfect Guru, walks in the Way of the Lord's Will. ||2||
Cunning and cleverness are of no use.
That which the Lord Master gives, by the Pleasure of His Will - that is pleasing to me. ||3||
One may perform tens of thousands of actions, but attachment to things is not satisfied.
Servant Nanak has made the Naam his Support. He has renounced other entanglements. ||4||1||103||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I have pursued all pleasures, but none is as great as the Lord.
By the Pleasure of the Guru's Will, the True Lord Master is obtained. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; I am forever and ever a sacrifice to Him.
Please, grant me this one blessing, that I may never, even for an instant, forget Your Name. ||1||Pause||
How very fortunate are those who have the wealth of the Lord deep within the heart.

They escape from the great noose of death; they are permeated with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
How can I chant the Glorious Praises of the Guru? The Guru is the ocean of Truth and clear understanding.
He is the Perfect Transcendent Lord, from the very beginning, and throughout the ages. ||3||
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, forever and ever, my mind is filled with the Love of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Guru is my soul, my breath of life, and wealth; O Nanak, He is with me forever. ||4||2||104||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
If the Invisible and Infinite Lord dwells within my mind, even for a moment,
then all my pains, troubles, and diseases vanish. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my Lord Master.
Meditating on Him, a great joy wells up within my mind and body. ||1||Pause||
I have heard only a little bit of news about the True Lord Master.
I have obtained the peace of all peace, O my mother; I cannot estimate its worth. ||2||
He is so beautiful to my eyes; beholding Him, I have been bewitched.
I am worthless, O my mother; He Himself has attached me to the hem of His robe. ||3||
He is beyond the world of the Vedas, the Koran and the Bible.
The Supreme King of Nanak is immanent and manifest. ||4||3||105||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Tens of thousands of devotees worship and adore You, chanting, "Beloved, Beloved."
How shall You unite me, the worthless and corrupt soul, with Yourself. ||1||
You are my Support, O Merciful God, Lord of the Universe, Sustainer of the World.
You are the Master of all; the entire creation is Yours. ||1||Pause||
You are the constant help and support of the Saints, who behold You Ever-present.
Those who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, shall die, engulfed in sorrow and pain. ||2||
Those servants, who lovingly perform the Lord's service, are freed from the cycle of reincarnation.
What shall be the fate of those who forget the Naam? ||3||
As are the cattle which have strayed, so is the entire world.
O God, please cut away Nanak's bonds, and unite him with Yourself. ||4||4||106||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Forget all other things, and dwell upon the Lord alone.
Lay aside your false pride, and dedicate your mind and body to Him. ||1||
Twenty-four hours a day, praise the Creator Lord.
I live by Your bountiful gifts - please, shower me with Your Mercy! ||1||Pause||
So, do that work, by which your face shall be made radiant.
He alone becomes attached to the Truth, O Lord, unto whom You give it. ||2||
So build and adorn that house, which shall never be destroyed.
Enshrine the One Lord within your consciousness; He shall never die. ||3||
The Lord is dear to those, who are pleasing to the Will of God.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak describes the indescribable. ||4||5||107||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
What are they like - those who do not forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord?
Know that there is absolutely no difference; they are exactly like the Lord. ||1||
The mind and body are enraptured, meeting with You, O Lord.
Peace is obtained, by the favor of the Lord's humble servant; all pains are taken away. ||1||Pause||
As many as are the continents of the world, so many have been saved.
Those, in whose minds You Yourself dwell, O Lord, are the perfect devotees. ||2||

Those whom You approve, are approved.
Such a celebrated and honored person is known everywhere. ||3||
Day and night, with every breath to worship and adore the Lord
- please, O True Supreme King, fulfill this, Nanak's desire. ||4||6||108||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He, my Lord Master, is fully pervading all places.
He is the One Lord Master, the roof over our heads; there is no other than Him. ||1||
As it pleases Your Will, please save me, O Savior Lord.
Without You, my eyes see no other at all. ||1||Pause||
God Himself is the Cherisher; He takes care of each and every heart.
That person, within whose mind You Yourself dwell, never forgets You. ||2||
He does that which is pleasing to Himself.
He is known as the help and support of His devotees, throughout the ages. ||3||
Chanting and meditating up the Lord's Name, the mortal never comes to regret anything.
O Nanak, I thirst for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; please, fulfill my desire, O Lord. ||4||7||109||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Why are you sleeping, and forgetting the Name, O careless and foolish mortal?
So many have been washed away and carried off by this river of life. ||1||
O mortal, get aboard the boat of the Lord's Lotus Feet, and cross over.
Twenty-four hours a day, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
You may enjoy various pleasures, but they are useless without the Name.
Without devotion to the Lord, you shall die in sorrow, again and again. ||2||
You may dress and eat and apply scented oils to your body,
but without the meditative remembrance of the Lord, your body shall surely turn to dust, and you shall have to depart. ||3||
How very treacherous is this world-ocean; how very few realize this!
Salvation rests in the Lord's Sanctuary; O Nanak, this is your pre-ordained destiny. ||4||8||110||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
No one is anyone's companion; why take any pride in others?
With the Support of the One Name, this terrible world-ocean is crossed over. ||1||
You are the True Support of me, the poor mortal, O my Perfect True Guru.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, my mind is encouraged. ||1||Pause||
Royal powers, wealth, and worldly involvements are of no use at all.
The Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is my Support; this wealth is everlasting. ||2||
As many as are the pleasures of Maya, so many are the shadows they leave.
The Gurmukhs sing of the Naam, the treasure of peace. ||3||
You are the True Lord, the treasure of excellence; O God, You are deep and unfathomable.
The Lord Master is the hope and support of Nanak's mind. ||4||9||111||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering Him, suffering is removed, and celestial peace is obtained.
Night and day, with your palms pressed together, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
He alone is Nanak's God, unto whom all beings belong.
He is totally pervading everywhere, the Truest of the True. ||1||Pause||
Inwardly and outwardly, He is my companion and my helper; He is the One to be realized.
Adoring Him, my mind is cured of all its ailments. ||2||
The Savior Lord is infinite; He saves us from the fire of the womb.

The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is soothing and cool; remembering it in meditation, the inner fire is quenched. ||3||
Peace, poise, and immense bliss, O Nanak, are obtained, when one becomes the dust of the feet of the humble servants of the Lord.
All of one's affairs are perfectly resolved, meeting with the Perfect Guru. ||4||10||112||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe is the treasure of excellence; He is known only to the Gurmukh.
When He shows His Mercy and Kindness, we revel in the Lord's Love. ||1||
Come, O Saints - let us join together and speak the Sermon of the Lord.
Night and day, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and ignore the criticism of others. ||1||Pause||
I live by chanting and meditating on the Naam, and so I obtain immense bliss.
Attachment to the world is useless and vain; it is false, and perishes in the end. ||2||
How rare are those who embrace love for the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Blessed and beautiful is that mouth, which meditates on the Lord. ||3||
The pains of birth, death and reincarnation are erased by meditating on the Lord.
That alone is Nanak's joy, which is pleasing to God. ||4||11||113||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Come, O friends: let us meet together and enjoy all the tastes and flavors.
Let us join together and chant the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and so wipe away our sins. ||1||
Reflect upon the essence of reality, O Saintly beings, and no troubles shall afflict you.
All of the thieves shall be destroyed, as the Gurmukhs remain wakeful. ||1||Pause||
Take wisdom and humility as your supplies, and burn away the poison of pride.
True is that shop, and perfect the transaction; deal only in the merchandise of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
They alone are accepted and approved, who dedicate their souls, bodies and wealth.
Those who are pleasing to their God, celebrate in happiness. ||3||
Those fools, who drink in the wine of evil-mindedness, become the husbands of prostitutes.
But those who are imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord, O Nanak, are intoxicated with the Truth. ||4||12||114||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I made the effort; I did it, and made a beginning.
I live by chanting and meditating on the Naam. The Guru has implanted this Mantra within me. ||1||
I fall at the Feet of the True Guru, who has dispelled my doubts.
Bestowing His Mercy, God has dressed me, and decorated me with the Truth. ||1||Pause||
Taking me by the hand, He made me His own, through the True Order of His Command.
That gift which God gave to me, is perfect greatness. ||2||
Forever and ever, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and chant the Name of the Destroyer of ego.
My vows have been honored, by the Grace of God and the True Guru, who has showered His Mercy. ||3||
The Perfect Guru has given the wealth of the Naam, and the profit of singing the Lord's Glorious Praises.
The Saints are the traders, O Nanak, and the Infinite Lord God is their Banker. ||4||13||115||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
One who has You as His Master, O God, is blessed with great destiny.
He is happy, and forever at peace; his doubts and fears are all dispelled. ||1||
I am the slave of the Lord of the Universe; my Master is the greatest of all.
He is the Creator, the Cause of causes; He is my True Guru. ||1||Pause||
There is no other whom I should fear.

Serving the Guru, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is obtained, and the impassable world-ocean is crossed over. ||2||
By Your Glance of Grace, peace is obtained, and the treasure fills the mind.
That servant, unto whom You bestow Your Mercy, is approved and accepted. ||3||
How rare is that person who drinks in the Ambrosial Essence of the Lord's Kirtan.
Nanak has obtained the commodity of the One Name; he lives by chanting and meditating on it within his heart. ||4||14||116||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I am God's maid-servant; He is the highest of all.
All things, big and small, are said to belong to Him. ||1||
I surrender my soul, my breath of life, and my wealth, to my Lord Master.
Through His Name, I become radiant; I am known as His slave. ||1||Pause||
You are Carefree, the Embodiment of Bliss. Your Name is a gem, a jewel.
One who has You as her Master, is satisfied, satiated and happy forever. ||2||
O my companions and fellow maidens, please implant that balanced understanding within me.
Serve the Holy Saints lovingly, and find the treasure of the Lord. ||3||
All are servants of the Lord Master, and all call Him their own.
She alone dwells in peace, O Nanak, whom the Lord adorns. ||4||15||117||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Become the servant of the Saints, and learn this way of life.
Of all virtues, the most sublime virtue is to see your Husband Lord near at hand. ||1||
So, dye this mind of yours with the color of the Lord's Love.
Renounce cleverness and cunning, and know that the Sustainer of the world is with you. ||1||Pause||
Whatever your Husband Lord says, accept that, and make it your decoration.
Forget the love of duality, and chew upon this betel leaf. ||2||
Make the Word of the Guru's Shabad your lamp, and let your bed be Truth.
Twenty-four hours a day, stand with your palms pressed together, and the Lord, your King, shall meet you. ||3||
She alone is cultured and embellished, and she alone is of incomparable beauty.
She alone is the happy soul-bride, O Nanak, who is pleasing to the Creator Lord. ||4||16||118||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
As long as there are doubts in the mind, the mortal staggers and falls.
The Guru removed my doubts, and I have obtained my place of rest. ||1||
Those quarrelsome enemies have been overcome, through the Guru.
I have now escaped from them, and they have run away from me. ||1||Pause||
He is concerned with 'mine and yours', and so he is held in bondage.
When the Guru dispelled my ignorance, then the noose of death was cut away from my neck. ||2||
As long as he does not understand the Command of God's Will, he remains miserable.
Meeting with the Guru, he comes to recognize God's Will, and then, he becomes happy. ||3||
I have no enemies and no adversaries; no one is wicked to me.
That servant, who performs the Lord's service, O Nanak, is the slave of the Lord Master. ||4||17||119||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Peace, celestial poise and absolute bliss are obtained, singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Bestowing His Name, the True Guru removes the evil omens. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him.

I am a sacrifice to the Guru; meeting Him, I am absorbed into the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Good omens and bad omens affect those who do not keep the Lord in the mind.
The Messenger of Death does not approach those who are pleasing to the Lord God. ||2||
Donations to charity, meditation and penance - above all of them is the Naam.
One who chants with his tongue the Name of the Lord, Har, Har - his works are brought to perfect completion. ||3||
His fears are removed, and his doubts and attachments are gone; he sees none other than God.
O Nanak, the Supreme Lord God preserves him, and no pain or sorrow afflicts him any longer. ||4||18||120||
Aasaa, Ninth House, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Contemplating Him within my consciousness, I obtain total peace; but hereafter, will I be pleasing to Him or not?
There is only One Giver; all others are beggars. Who else can we turn to? ||1||
When I beg from others, I am ashamed.
The One Lord Master is the Supreme King of all; who else is equal to Him? ||1||Pause||
Standing up and sitting down, I cannot live without Him. I search and search for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Even Brahma and the sages Sanak, Sanandan, Sanaatan and Sanat Kumar, find it difficult to obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||2||
He is unapproachable and unfathomable; His wisdom is deep and profound; His value cannot be appraised.
I have taken to the Sanctuary of the True Lord, the Primal Being, and I meditate on the True Guru. ||3||
God, the Lord Master, has become kind and compassionate; He has cut the noose of death away from my neck.
Says Nanak, now that I have obtained the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I shall not have to be reincarnated again. ||4||1||121||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Inwardly, I sing His Praises, and outwardly, I sing His Praises; I sing His Praises while awake and asleep.
I am a trader in the Name of the Lord of the Universe; He has given it to me as my supplies, to carry with me. ||1||
I have forgotten and forsaken other things.
The Perfect Guru has given me the Gift of the Naam; this alone is my Support. ||1||Pause||
I sing His Praises while suffering, and I sing His Praises while I am at peace as well. I contemplate Him while I walk along the Path.
The Guru has implanted the Naam within my mind, and my thirst has been quenched. ||2||
I sing His Praises during the day, and I sing His Praises during the night; I sing them with each and every breath.
In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, this faith is established, that the Lord is with us, in life and in death. ||3||
Bless servant Nanak with this gift, O God, that he may obtain, and enshrine in his heart, the dust of the feet of the Saints.
Hear the Lord's Sermon with your ears, and behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan with your eyes; place your forehead upon the Guru's Feet. ||4||2||122||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: Aasaa, Tenth House, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: Aasaa, Tenth House, Fifth Mehl:
That which you believe to be permanent, is a guest here for only a few days.

Children, wives, homes, and all possessions - attachment to all of these is false. ||1||
O mind, why do you burst out laughing?
See with your eyes, that these things are only mirages. So earn the profit of meditation on the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
It is like the clothes which you wear on your body - they wear off in a few days.
How long can you run upon a wall? Ultimately, you come to its end. ||2||
It is like salt, preserved in its container; when it is put into water, it dissolves.
When the Order of the Supreme Lord God comes, the soul arises, and departs in an instant. ||3||
O mind, your steps are numbered, your moments spent sitting are numbered, and the breaths you are to take are numbered.
Sing forever the Praises of the Lord, O Nanak, and you shall be saved, under the Shelter of the Feet of the True Guru. ||4||1||123||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
That which was upside-down has been set upright; the deadly enemies and adversaries have become friends.
In the darkness, the jewel shines forth, and the impure understanding has become pure. ||1||
When the Lord of the Universe became merciful,
I found peace, wealth and the fruit of the Lord's Name; I have met the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
No one knew me, the miserable miser, but now, I have become famous all over the world.
Before, no one would even sit with me, but now, all worship my feet. ||2||
I used to wander in search of pennies, but now, all the desires of my mind are satisfied.
I could not bear even one criticism, but now, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I am cooled and soothed. ||3||
What Glorious Virtues of the Inaccessible, Unfathomable, Profound Lord can one mere tongue describe?
Please, make me the slave of the slave of Your slaves; servant Nanak seeks the Lord's Sanctuary. ||4||2||124||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
O fool, you are so slow to earn your profits, and so quick to run up losses.
You do not purchase the inexpensive merchandise; O sinner, you are tied to your debts. ||1||
O True Guru, You are my only hope.
Your Name is the Purifier of sinners, O Supreme Lord God; You are my only Shelter. ||1||Pause||
Listening to the evil talk, you are caught up in it, but you are hesitant to chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
You are delighted by slanderous talk; your understanding is corrupt. ||2||
Others' wealth, others' wives and the slander of others - eating the uneatable, you have gone crazy.
You have not enshrined love for the True Faith of Dharma; hearing the Truth, you are enraged. ||3||
O God, Merciful to the meek, Compassionate Lord Master, Your Name is the Support of Your devotees.
Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary; O God, make him Your Own, and preserve his honor. ||4||3||125||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl
: They are attached to falsehood; clinging to the transitory, they are trapped in emotional attachment to Maya.
Wherever they go, they do not think of the Lord; they are blinded by intellectual egotism. ||1||
O mind, O renunciate, why don't you adore Him?
You dwell in that flimsy chamber, with all the sins of corruption. ||1||Pause||
Crying out, "Mine, mine", your days and nights pass away; moment by moment, your life is running out.

The sweet flavors tempt you, and you are occupied by your false and filthy business. ||2||
Your senses are beguiled by sensual pleasures of sex, by anger, greed and emotional attachment.
The All-powerful Architect of Destiny has ordained that you shall be reincarnated over and over again. ||3||
When the Destroyer of the pains of the poor becomes merciful, then, as Gurmukh, you shall find absolute peace.
Says Nanak, meditate on the Lord, day and night, and all your sickness shall be banished. ||4||
Meditate in this way, O Siblings of Destiny, on the Lord, the Architect of Destiny.
The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful; He has removed the pains of birth and death. ||1||Second Pause||4||4||126||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
For a moment of sexual pleasure, you shall suffer in pain for millions of days.
For an instant, you may savor pleasure, but afterwards, you shall regret it, again and again. ||1||
O blind man, meditate on the Lord, the Lord, your King.
Your day is drawing near. ||1||Pause||
You are deceived, beholding with your eyes, the bitter melon and swallow-wort.
But, like the companionship of a poisonous snake, so is the desire for another's spouse. ||2||
For the sake of your enemy, you commit sins, while you neglect the reality of your faith.
Your friendship is with those who abandon you, and you are angry with your friends. ||3||
The entire world is entangled in this way; he alone is saved, who has the Perfect Guru.
Says Nanak, I have crossed over the terrifying world-ocean; my body has become sanctified. ||4||5||127||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl Dupadas:
O Lord, You behold whatever we do in secrecy; the fool may stubbornly deny it.
By his own actions, he is tied down, and in the end, he regrets and repents. ||1||
My God knows, ahead of time, all things.
Deceived by doubt, you may hide your actions, but in the end, you shall have to confess the secrets of your mind. ||1||Pause||
Whatever they are attached to, they remain joined to that. What can any mere mortal do?
Please, forgive me, O Supreme Lord Master. Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||2||6||128||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself preserves His servants; He causes them to chant His Name.
Wherever the business and affairs of His servants are, there the Lord hurries to be. ||1||
The Lord appears near at hand to His servant.
Whatever the servant asks of his Lord and Master, immediately comes to pass. ||1||Pause||
I am a sacrifice to that servant, who is pleasing to his God.
Hearing of his glory, the mind is rejuvenated; Nanak comes to touch his feet. ||2||7||129||
Aasaa, Eleventh House, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The actor displays himself in many disguises, but he remains just as he is.
The soul wanders through countless incarnations in doubt, but it does not come to dwell in peace. ||1||

O Saints, my friends and companions, without the Lord, Har, Har, you shall perish.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and win this precious treasure of human life. ||1||Pause||
God has created Maya of the three qualities; tell me, how can it be crossed over?
The whirlpool is awesome and unfathomable; only through the Word of the Guru's Shabad is one carried across. ||2||
Searching and searching endlessly, seeking and deliberating, Nanak has realized the true essence of reality.
Meditating on the invaluable treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the jewel of the mind is satisfied. ||3||1||130||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Dupadas:
By Guru's Grace, He dwells within my mind; whatever I ask for, I receive.
This mind is satisfied with the Love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; it does not go out, anywhere, anymore. ||1||
My Lord and Master is the highest of all; night and day, I sing the Glories of His Praises.
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes; through Him, I frighten you. ||1||Pause||
When I behold my God, my Lord and Master, I do not pay any attention to any other.
God Himself has adorned servant Nanak; his doubts and fears have been dispelled, and he writes the account of the Lord. ||2||2||131||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The four castes and social classes, and the preachers with the six Shaastras on their finger-tips,
the beautiful, the refined, the shapely and the wise - the five passions have enticed and beguiled them all. ||1||
Who has seized and conquered the five powerful fighters? Is there anyone strong enough?
He alone, who conquers and defeats the five demons, is perfect in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||1||Pause||
They are so awesome and great; they cannot be controlled, and they do not run away. Their army is mighty and unyielding.
Says Nanak, that humble being who is under the protection of the Saadh Sangat, crushes those terrible demons. ||2||3||132||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Sublime Sermon of the Lord is the best thing for the soul. All other tastes are insipid. ||1||Pause||
The worthy beings, heavenly singers, silent sages and the knowers of the six Shaastras proclaim that nothing else is worthy of consideration. ||1||
It is the cure for evil passions, unique, unequalled and peace-giving; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, drink it in. ||2||4||133||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
My Beloved has brought forth a river of nectar. The Guru has not held it back from my mind, even for an instant. ||1||Pause||
Beholding it, and touching it, I am sweetened and delighted. It is imbued with the Creator's Love. ||1||
Chanting it even for a moment, I rise to the Guru; meditating on it, one is not trapped by the Messenger of Death. The Lord has placed it as a garland around Nanak's neck, and within his heart. ||2||5||134||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is exalted and sublime. ||Pause||
Every day, hour and moment, I continually sing and speak of Govind, Govind, the Lord of the Universe. ||1||
Walking, sitting and sleeping, I chant the Lord's Praises; I treasure His Feet in my mind and body. ||2||
I am so small, and You are so great, O Lord and Master; Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||3||6||135||

Raag Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Twelfth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Renounce all your cleverness and remember the Supreme, Formless Lord God.
Without the One True Name, everything appears as dust. ||1||
Know that God is always with you.
By Guru's Grace, one understands, and is imbued with the Love of the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
Seek the Shelter of the One All-powerful Lord; there is no other place of rest.
The vast and terrifying world-ocean is crossed over, singing continually the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Birth and death are overcome, and one does not have to suffer in the City of Death.
He alone obtains the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, unto whom God shows His Mercy. ||3||
The One Lord is my Anchor and Support; the One Lord alone is the power of my mind.
O Nanak, joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate on Him; without the Lord, there is no other at all. ||4||1||136||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The soul, the mind, the body and the breath of life belong to God. He has given all tastes and pleasures.
He is the Friend of the poor, the Giver of life, the Protector of those who seek His Sanctuary. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Here and hereafter, He is our Helper and Companion; embrace love and affection for the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
They meditate on the Vedas and the Shaastras, to swim across the world-ocean.
The many religious rituals, good deeds of karma and Dharmic worship - above all of these is the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Sexual desire, anger, and egotism depart, meeting with the Divine True Guru.
Implant the Naam within, perform devotional worship to the Lord and serve God - this is good. ||3||
I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet, O Merciful Lord; You are the Honor of the dishonored.
You are the Support of my soul, my breath of life; O God, You are Nanak's strength. ||4||2||137||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
He wavers and falters, and suffers such great pain, without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The profit of the sublime essence of the Lord of the Universe is obtained, by the Love of the One Supreme Lord God. ||1||
Chant continually the Name of the Lord.
With each and every breath, meditate on God, and renounce other love. ||1||Pause||
God is the Doer, the All-powerful Cause of causes; He Himself is the Giver of life.
So renounce all your cleverness, and meditate on God, twenty-four hours a day. ||2||
He is our best friend and companion, our help and support; He is lofty, inaccessible and infinite.
Enshrine His Lotus Feet within your heart; He is the Support of the soul. ||3||
Show Your Mercy, O Supreme Lord God, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises.
Total peace, and the greatest greatness, O Nanak, are obtained by living to chant the Name of the Lord. ||4||3||138||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
I make the effort, as You cause me to do, my Lord and Master, to behold You in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
I am imbued with the color of the Love of the Lord, Har, Har; God Himself has colored me in His Love. ||1||
I chant the Lord's Name within my mind.
Bestow Your Mercy, and dwell within my heart; please, become my Helper. ||1||Pause||
Listening continually to Your Name, O Beloved God, I yearn to behold You.

Please, be kind to me - I am just a worm. This is my object and purpose. ||2||
My body and wealth are Yours; You are my God - nothing is in my power.
As You keep me, so do I live; I eat what You give me. ||3||
The sins of countless incarnations are washed away, by bathing in the dust of the Lord's humble servants.
By loving devotional worship, doubt and fear depart; O Nanak, the Lord is Ever-present. ||4||4||139||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Blessed Vision of Your Darshan is unapproachable and incomprehensible; he alone obtains it, who has such good destiny recorded upon his forehead.
The Merciful Lord God has bestowed His Mercy, and the True Guru has granted the Lord's Name. ||1||
The Divine Guru is the Saving Grace in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
Even those fools and idiots, stained with feces and urine, have all taken to Your service. ||1||Pause||
You Yourself are the Creator, who established the entire world. You are contained in all.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma is wonder-struck, at the sight of everyone falling at the Lord's Feet. ||2||
The Golden Age of Sat Yuga, the Silver Age of Trayta Yuga, and the Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga are good; but the best is the Dark Age, the Iron Age, of Kali Yuga.
As we act, so are the rewards we receive; no one can take the place of another. ||3||
O Dear Lord, whatever Your devotees ask for, You do. This is Your Way, Your very nature.
With my palms pressed together, O Nanak, I beg for this gift; Lord, please bless Your Saints with Your Vision. ||4||5||140||
Raag Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Thirteenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O True Guru, by Your Words,
even the worthless have been saved. ||1||Pause||
Even the most argumentative, vicious and indecent people, have been purified in Your company. ||1||
Those who have wandered in reincarnation, and those who have been consigned to hell - even their families have been redeemed. ||2||
Those whom no one knew, and those whom no one respected - even they have become famous and respected at the Court of the Lord. ||3||
What praise, and what greatness should I attribute to You? Nanak is a sacrifice to You, each and every moment. ||4||1||141||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The crazy people are asleep. ||1||Pause||
They are intoxicated with attachment to their families and sensory pleasures; they are held in the grip of falsehood. ||1||
The false desires, and the dream-like delights and pleasures - these, the self-willed manmukhs call true. ||2||
The wealth of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is with them, but they do not find even a tiny bit of its mystery. ||3||
By Your Grace, O Lord, You save those, who take to the Sanctuary of the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||4||2||142||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Tipadas:
I seek the Love of my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
Gold, jewels, giant pearls and rubies - I have no need for them. ||1||
Imperial power, fortunes, royal command and mansions

- I have no desire for these. ||2||
The Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet, and dedication to the Saints
- these bring me peace and pleasure.
O Nanak, my burning fire has been put out,
obtaining the Love of the Beloved. ||3||3||143||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru has revealed Him to my eyes. ||1||Pause||
Here and there, in each and every heart, and each and every being, You, O Fascinating Lord, You exist. ||1||
You are the Creator, the Cause of causes, the Support of the earth; You are the One and only, Beauteous Lord. ||2||
Meeting the Saints, and beholding the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, Nanak is a sacrifice to them; he sleeps in absolute peace. ||3||4||144||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is priceless.
It brings peace and poise. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is my Companion and Helper; He shall not forsake me or leave me. He is unfathomable and unequalled. ||1||
He is my Beloved, my brother, father and mother; He is the Support of His devotees. ||2||
The Invisible Lord is seen through the Guru; O Nanak, this is the wondrous play of the Lord. ||3||5||145||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Please help me sustain my devotion.
O Lord Master, I have come to You. ||1||Pause||
With the wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, life becomes fruitful. Lord, please place Your Feet within my heart. ||1||
This is liberation, and this is the best way of life; please, keep me in the Society of the Saints. ||2||
Meditating on the Naam, I am absorbed in celestial peace; O Nanak, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||6||146||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Feet of my Lord and Master are so Beautiful!
The Lord's Saints obtain them. ||1||Pause||
They eradicate their self-conceit and serve the Lord; drenched in His Love, they sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||
They place their hopes in Him, and they thirst for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. Nothing else is pleasing to them. ||2||
This is Your Mercy, Lord; what can Your poor creatures do? Nanak is devoted, a sacrifice to You. ||3||7||147||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Remember the One Lord in meditation within your mind. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and enshrine Him within your heart. Without Him there is no other. ||1||
Entering God's Sanctuary, all rewards are obtained, and all pains are taken away. ||2||
He is the Giver of all beings, the Architect of Destiny; O Nanak, He is contained in each and every heart. ||3||8||148||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
One who forgets the Lord is dead. ||1||Pause||
One who meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, obtains all rewards. That person becomes happy. ||1||
One who calls himself a king, and acts in ego and pride, is caught by his doubts, like a parrot in a trap. ||2||
Says Nanak, one who meets the True Guru, becomes permanent and immortal. ||3||9||149||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Fourteenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
That love is forever fresh and new,
which is for the Beloved Lord. ||1||Pause||
One who is pleasing to God shall not be reincarnated again.
He remains absorbed in the loving devotional worship of the Lord, in the Love of the Lord. ||1||

He is blended with God, by dedicating his mind to Him.
Bless Nanak with Your Name, O Lord - please, shower Your Mercy upon him! ||2||1||150||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Please, come to me, O Beloved Lord; without You, no one can comfort me. ||1||Pause||
One may read the Simritees and the Shaastras, and perform all sorts of religious rituals; and yet, without the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, God, there is no peace at all. ||1||
People have grown weary of observing fasts, vows and rigorous self-discipline; Nanak abides with God, in the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||2||2||151||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Fifteenth House, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He sleeps, intoxicated by corruption and Maya; he does not come to realize or understand.
Seizing him by the hair, the Messenger of Death pulls him up; then, he comes to his senses. ||1||
Those who are attached to the poison of greed and sin grab at the wealth of others; they only bring pain on themselves.
They are intoxicated by their pride in those things which shall be destroyed in an instant; those demons do not understand. ||1||Pause||
The Vedas, the Shaastras and the holy men proclaim it, but the deaf do not hear it.
When the game of life is over, and he has lost, and he breathes his last, then the fool regrets and repents in his mind. ||2||
He paid the fine, but it is in vain - in the Court of the Lord, his account is not credited.
Those deeds which would have covered him - those deeds, he has not done. ||3||
The Guru has shown me the world to be thus; I sing the Kirtan of the Praises of the One Lord.
Renouncing his pride in strength and cleverness, Nanak has come to the Lord's Sanctuary. ||4||1||152||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Dealing in the Name of the Lord of the Universe,
and pleasing the Saints and holy men, obtain the Beloved Lord and sing His Glorious Praises; play the sound current of the Naad with the five instruments. ||1||Pause||
Obtaining His Mercy, I easily gained the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; now, I am imbued with the Love of the Lord of the Universe.
Serving the Saints, I feel love and affection for my Beloved Lord Master. ||1||
The Guru has implanted spiritual wisdom within my mind, and I rejoice that I shall not have to come back again. I have obtained celestial poise, and the treasure within my mind.
I have renounced all of the affairs of my mind's desires.
It has been so long, so long, so long, so very long, since my mind has felt such a great thirst.
Please, reveal to me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, and show Yourself to me.
Nanak the meek has entered Your Sanctuary; please, take me in Your embrace. ||2||2||153||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Who can destroy the fortress of sin,
and release me from hope, thirst, deception, attachment and doubt? ||1||Pause||
How can I escape the afflictions of sexual desire, anger, greed and pride? ||1||
In the Society of the Saints, love the Naam, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Night and day, meditate on God.
I have captured and demolished the walls of doubt.
O Nanak, the Naam is my only treasure. ||2||3||154||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Renounce sexual desire, anger and greed;
remember the Name of the Lord of the Universe in your mind.
Meditation on the Lord is the only fruitful action. ||1||Pause||

Renounce pride, attachment, corruption and falsehood, and chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
O mortal, attach yourself to the Feet of the Saints. ||1||
God is the Sustainer of the world, Merciful to the meek, the Purifier of sinners, the Transcendent Lord God. Awaken, and meditate on His Feet.
Perform His devotional worship, O Nanak, and your destiny shall be fulfilled. ||2||4||155||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Pleasure and pain, detachment and ecstasy - the Lord has revealed His Play. ||1||Pause||
One moment, the mortal is in fear, and the next moment he is fearless; in a moment, he gets up and departs.
One moment, he enjoys pleasures, and the next moment, he leaves and goes away. ||1||
One moment, he practices Yoga and intense meditation, and all sorts of worship; the next moment, he wanders in doubt.
One moment, O Nanak, the Lord bestows His Mercy and blesses him with His Love, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||5||156||
Raag Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Seventeenth House, Aasaavaree:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate on the Lord, the Lord of the Universe.
Cherish the Beloved Lord, Har, Har, in your mind.
The Guru says to install it in your consciousness.
Turn away from others, and turn to Him.
Thus you shall obtain your Beloved, O my companion. ||1||Pause||
In the pool of the world is the mud of attachment.
Stuck in it, his feet cannot walk towards the Lord.
The fool is stuck;
he cannot do anything else.
Only by entering the Lord's Sanctuary, O my companion, will you be released. ||1||
Thus your consciousness shall be stable and steady and firm.
Wilderness and household are the same.
Deep within dwells the One Husband Lord;
outwardly, there are many distractions.
Practice Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success.
Says Nanak, this is the way to dwell with the people, and yet remain apart from them. ||2||1||157||
Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl:
Cherish one desire only:
meditate continually on the Guru.
Install the wisdom of the Saints' Mantra.
Serve the Feet of the Guru,
and you shall meet Him, by Guru's Grace, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
All doubts are dispelled,
and the Lord is seen to be pervading all places.
The fear of death is dispelled,
and the primal place is obtained.
Then, all subservience is removed. ||1||
One who has such destiny recorded upon his forehead, obtains it;
he crosses over the terrifying ocean of fire.
He obtains a place in the home of his own self,
and enjoys the most sublime essence of the Lord's essence.
His hunger is appeased;
Nanak, he is absorbed in celestial peace, O my mind. ||2||2||158||
Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
Meditate on the celestial music.
The tongues of the holy Saints repeat it.
I have heard that this is the way to emancipation.
This is found by the greatest merit, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
The silent sages search for Him.
God is the Master of all.
It is so difficult to find Him in this world, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
He is the Dispeller of distress.
God is the Fulfiller of desires, O my mind. ||1||
O my mind, serve Him.

He is unknowable and inscrutable.
Enshrine love for Him.
He does not perish, or go away, or die.
He is known only through the Guru.
Nanak, my mind is satisfied with the Lord, O my mind. ||2||3||159||
Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl:
Grab hold of the Support of the One Lord.
Chant the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Submit to the Order of the True Lord.
Receive the treasure in your mind.
Thus you shall be absorbed in peace, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
One who is dead while yet alive,
crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
One who becomes the dust of all
- he alone is called fearless.
His anxieties are removed
by the Teachings of the Saints, O my mind. ||1||
That humble being, who takes happiness in the Naam, the Name of the Lord
- pain never draws near him.
One who listens to the Praise of the Lord, Har, Har,
is obeyed by all men.
How fortunate it is that he came into the world;
Nanak, he is pleasing to God, O my mind. ||2||4||160||
Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl:
Meeting together, let us sing the Praises of the Lord,
and attain the supreme state.
Those who obtain that sublime essence,
obtain all of the spiritual powers of the Siddhas.
They remain awake and aware night and day;
Nanak, they are blessed by great good fortune, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
Let us wash the feet of the Saints;
our evil-mindedness shall be cleansed.
Becoming the dust of the feet of the Lord's slaves,
one shall not be afflicted with pain.
Taking to the Sanctuary of His devotees,
he is no longer subject to birth and death.
They alone become eternal,
who chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind. ||1||
You are my Friend, my Best Friend.
Please, implant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me.
Without Him, there is not any other.
Within my mind, I worship Him in adoration.
I do not forget Him, even for an instant.
How can I live without Him?
I am a sacrifice to the Guru.
Nanak, chant the Name, O my mind. ||2||5||161||
Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl:
You are the Creator, the Cause of causes.
I cannot think of any other.
Whatever You do, comes to pass.
I sleep in peace and poise.
My mind has become patient,
since I fell at God's Door, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
I gained perfect control over my senses.
Ever since I rid myself of my self-conceit,
my sufferings have ended.
He has showered His Mercy upon me.
The Creator Lord has preserved my honor, O my mind. ||1||
Know that this is the only peace;
accept whatever the Lord does.
No one is bad.
Become the dust of the Feet of the Saints.
He Himself preserves those
who taste the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord, O my mind. ||2||
One who has no one to call his own
- God belongs to him.
God knows the state of our innermost being.
He knows everything.
Please, Lord, save the sinners.
This is Nanak's prayer, O my mind. ||3||6||162||
Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl, Ik-Tukas:
O my stranger soul,
listen to the call. ||1||Pause||
Whatever you are attached to,

you shall have to leave it all behind.
These things seem like only a dream,
to one who takes the Lord's Name. ||1||
Forsaking the Lord, and clinging to another,
they run toward death and reincarnation.
But those humble beings, who attach themselves to the Lord, Har, Har,
continue to live.
One who is blessed with the Lord's Mercy,
O Nanak, becomes His devotee. ||2||7||163||232||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Ninth Mehl:
Who should I tell the condition of the mind?
Engrossed in greed, running around in the ten directions, you hold to your hopes of wealth. ||1||Pause||
For the sake of pleasure, you suffer such great pain, and you have to serve each and every person.
You wander from door to door like a dog, unconscious of the Lord's meditation. ||1||
You lose this human life in vain, and You are not even ashamed when others laugh at you.
O Nanak, why not sing the Lord's Praises, so that you may be rid of the body's evil disposition? ||2||1||233||
Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He descends the treacherous precipice, to bathe in the cleansing pool;
without speaking or saying anything, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Like water vapor in the sky, he remains absorbed in the Lord.
He churns the true pleasures to obtain the supreme nectar. ||1||
Listen to such spiritual wisdom, O my mind.
The Lord is totally pervading and permeating all places. ||1||Pause||
One who makes Truthfulness his fast and religious vows, does not suffer the pain of death.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he burns away his anger.
He dwells in the Tenth Gate, immersed in the Samaadhi of deep meditation.
Touching the philosopher's stone, he obtains the supreme status. ||2||
For the benefit of the mind, churn the true essence of reality;
bathing in the over-flowing tank of nectar, filth is washed away.
We become like the One with whom we are imbued.
Whatever the Creator does, comes to pass. ||3||
The Guru is cool and soothing like ice; He puts out the fire of the mind.
Smear your body with the ashes of dedicated service,
and live in the home of peace - make this your religious order.
Let the Immaculate Bani of the Word be your playing of the flute. ||4||
Spiritual wisdom within is the supreme, sublime nectar.
Contemplation of the Guru is one's bathing at holy places of pilgrimage.
Worship and adoration within is the Lord's dwelling.
He is the One who blends one's light with the Divine Light. ||5||
He delights in the delightful wisdom of loving the One Lord.
He is one of the self-elect - he merges with the Lord, who occupies the throne.
He performs his works in obedience to the Will of his Lord and Master.
The Unknowable Lord cannot be understood. ||6||
The lotus originates in the water, and yet it remains distinct from the water.
Just so, the Divine Light pervades and permeates the water of the world.
Who is near, and who is far away?
I sing the Glories of the Lord, the treasure of virtue; I behold Him ever-present. ||7||
Inwardly and outwardly, there is none other than Him.

Whatever pleases Him, comes to pass.
Listen, O Bharthari Yogi - Nanak speaks after deliberation;
the Immaculate Name is my only Support. ||8||1||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
All meditation, all austerities, and all clever tricks,
lead one to wander in the wilderness, but he does not find the Path.
Without understanding, he is not approved;
without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, ashes are thrown upon one's head. ||1||
True is the Master; the world comes and goes.
The mortal is emancipated, as Gurmukh, as the Lord's slave. ||1||Pause||
The world is bound by its attachments to the many desires.
Through the Guru's Teachings, some become free of desire.
Within them is the Naam, and their heart lotus blossoms forth.
They have no fear of death. ||2||
The men of the world are conquered by woman; they love the ladies.
Attached to children and wife, they forget the Naam.
They waste this human life in vain, and lose the game in the gamble.
Serving the True Guru is the best occupation. ||3||
One who speaks egotistically in public,
never attains liberation within.
One who burns away his attachment to Maya, by the Word of the Guru's Shabad,
meditates forever within his heart on the Immaculate Naam. ||4||
He restrains his wandering mind, and keeps it under control.
The company of such a Sikh is obtained only by Grace.
Without the Guru, he goes astray and continues coming and going.
Bestowing His Mercy, the Lord unites him in Union. ||5||
I cannot describe the Beauteous Lord.
I speak the unspoken; I cannot estimate His value.
All pain and pleasure come by Your Will.
All pain is eradicated by the True Name. ||6||
He plays the instrument without hands, and dances without feet.
But if he understands the Word of the Shabad, then he shall behold the True Lord.
With the True Lord within the self, all happiness comes.
Showering His Mercy, the Preserving Lord preserves him. ||7||
He understands the three worlds; he eliminates his self-conceit.
He understands the Bani of the Word, and he is absorbed into the True Lord.
Contemplating the Shabad, he enshrines love for the One Lord.
O Nanak, blessed is the Lord, the Embellisher. ||8||2||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
There are innumerable writings; those who write them take pride in them.
When one's mind accepts the Truth, he understands, and speaks of it.
Words, spoken and read again and again, are useless loads.
There are innumerable writings, but the Infinite Lord remains unwritten. ||1||
Know that such a True Lord is the One and only.
Understand that birth and death come according to the Lord's Will. ||1||Pause||
Because of attachment to Maya, the world is bound by the Messenger of Death.
These bonds are released when one remembers the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Guru is the Giver of peace; do not look for any other.
In this world, and the next, He shall stand by you. ||2||
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad, embraces love for the One Lord.
One who eats the uneatable, has his doubts dispelled.
He is Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive; the Naam abides in his mind.
Becoming Gurmukh, he merges into the True Lord. ||3||
The One who created the earth and the Akaashic ethers of the sky,
established all; He establishes and disestablishes.
He Himself is permeating all.
He does not consult anyone; He Himself forgives. ||4||
You are the Ocean, over-flowing with jewels and rubies.
You are immaculate and pure, the true treasure of virtue.

Peace is enjoyed, meeting the Guru, the Spiritual Teacher.
The Lord is the only Master; He is the only Minister. ||5||
The world is held in bondage; he alone is emancipated, who conquers his ego.
How rare in the world is that wise person, who practices this.
How rare in this world is that scholar who reflects upon this.
Without meeting the True Guru, all wander in ego. ||6||
The world is unhappy; only a few are happy.
The world is diseased, from its indulgences; it weeps over its lost virtue.
The world wells up, and then subsides, losing its honor.
He alone, who becomes Gurmukh, understands. ||7||
His price is so costly; His weight is unbearable.
He is immovable and undeceivable; enshrine Him in your mind, through the Guru's Teachings.
Meet Him through love, become pleasing to Him, and act in fear of Him.
Nanak the lowly says this, after deep contemplation. ||8||3||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
When someone dies, the five passions meet and mourn his death.
Overcoming self-conceit, he washes off his filth with the Word of the Shabad.
One who knows and understands, enters the home of peace and poise.
Without understanding, he loses all his honor. ||1||
Who dies, and who weeps for him?
O Lord, Creator, Cause of causes, You are over the heads of all. ||1||Pause||
Who weeps over the pain of the dead?
Those who weep, do so over their own troubles.
God knows the condition of those who are so affected.
Whatever the Creator does, comes to pass. ||2||
One who remains dead while yet alive, is saved, and saves others as well.
Celebrate the Victory of the Lord; taking to His Sanctuary, the supreme status is obtained.
I am a sacrifice to the feet of the True Guru.
The Guru is the boat; through the Shabad of His Word, the terrifying world-ocean is crossed over. ||3||
He Himself is Fearless; His Divine Light is contained in all.
Without the Name, the world is defiled and untouchable.
Through evil-mindedness, they are ruined; why should they cry out and weep?
They are born only to die, without hearing the music of devotional worship. ||4||
Only one's true friends mourn one's death.
Those under the sway of the three dispositions continue to mourn on and on.
Disregarding pain and pleasure, center your consciousness on the Lord.
Dedicate your body and mind to the Love of the Lord. ||5||
The One Lord dwells within the various and countless beings.
There are so many rituals and religious faiths, their number is innumerable.
Without the Fear of God, and devotional worship, one's life is in vain.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the supreme wealth is obtained. ||6||
He Himself dies, and He Himself kills.
He Himself establishes, and having established, disestablishes.
He created the Universe, and by His Divine Nature, instilled His Divine Light into it.
One who reflects upon the Word of the Shabad, meets the Lord, without doubt. ||7||
Pollution is the burning fire, which is consuming the world.
Pollution is in the water, upon the land, and everywhere.
O Nanak, people are born and die in pollution.
By Guru's Grace, they drink in the Lord's sublime elixir. ||8||4||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
One who contemplates his own self, tests the worth of the jewel.
With a single glance, the Perfect Guru saves him.
When the Guru is pleased, one's mind comforts itself. ||1||
He is such a banker, who tests us.
By His True Glance of Grace, we are blessed with the Love of the One Lord, and are saved. ||1||Pause||
The capital of the Naam is immaculate and sublime.
That peddler is rendered pure, who is imbued with the Truth.
Praising the Lord, in the house of poise, he attains the Guru, the Creator. ||2||
One who burns away hope and desire through the Word of the Shabad,
chants the Lord's Name, and inspires others to chant it as well.
Through the Guru, he finds the Path home, to the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||3||

His body becomes golden, by the Lord's Incomparable Light.
He beholds the divine beauty in all the three worlds.
That inexhaustible wealth of Truth is now in my lap. ||4||
In the five elements, the three worlds, the nine regions and the four directions, the Lord is pervading.
He supports the earth and the sky, exercising His almighty power.
He turns the outgoing mind around. ||5||
The fool does not realize what he sees with his eyes.
He does not taste with his tongue, and does not understand what is said.
Intoxicated with poison, he argues with the world. ||6||
In the uplifting society, one is uplifted.
He chases after virtue and washes off his sins.
Without serving the Guru, celestial poise is not obtained. ||7||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a diamond, a jewel, a ruby.
The pearl of the mind is the inner wealth.
O Nanak, the Lord tests us, and blesses us with His Glance of Grace. ||8||5||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The Gurmukh obtains spiritual wisdom, meditation and satisfaction of the mind.
The Gurmukh realizes the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
The Gurmukh is attuned to the Word of the Shabad, as his Insignia. ||1||
Such is the loving devotional worship of the Lord's contemplation.
The Gurmukh realizes the True Name, the Destroyer of ego. ||1||Pause||
Day and night, he remains immaculately pure, and abides in the sublime place.
He gains the wisdom of the three worlds.
Through the True Guru, the Command of the Lord's Will is realized. ||2||
He enjoys true pleasure, and suffers no pain.
He enjoys the ambrosial wisdom, and the highest sublime essence.
He overcomes the five evil passions, and becomes the happiest of all men. ||3||
Your Divine Light is contained in all; everyone belongs to You.
You Yourself join and separate again.
Whatever the Creator does, comes to pass. ||4||
He demolishes, and He builds; by His Order, he merges us into Himself.
Whatever is pleasing to His Will, happens.
Without the Guru, no one obtains the Perfect Lord. ||5||
In childhood and old age, he does not understand.
In the prime of youth, he is drowned in his pride.
Without the Name, what can the fool obtain? ||6||
He does not know the One who blesses him with nourishment and wealth.
Deluded by doubt, he later regrets and repents.
The noose of death is around the neck of that crazy madman. ||7||
I saw the world drowning, and I ran away in fear.
How very fortunate are those who have been saved by the True Guru.
O Nanak, they are attached to the feet of the Guru. ||8||6||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
They sing religious songs, but their consciousness is wicked.
They sing the songs, and call themselves divine,
but without the Name, their minds are false and wicked. ||1||
Where are you going? O mind, remain in your own home.
The Gurmukhs are satisfied with the Lord's Name; searching, they easily find the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Sexual desire, anger and emotional attachment fill the mind and body;
greed and egotism lead only to pain.
How can the mind be comforted without the Lord's Name? ||2||
One who cleanses himself within, knows the True Lord.
The Gurmukh knows the condition of his innermost being.
Without the True Word of the Shabad, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is not realized. ||3||
One who merges his form into the Formless Lord,
abides in the True Lord, the Powerful, beyond power.
Such a person does not enter into the womb of reincarnation again. ||4||
Go there, where you may obtain the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

By Guru's Grace, perform good deeds.
Imbued with the Naam, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||5||
Serving the Guru, I have come to understand myself.
The Ambrosial Naam, the Giver of Peace, abides within my mind.
Night and day, I am imbued with the Word of the Guru's Bani, and the Naam. ||6||
When my God attaches someone to Him, only then is that person attached.
Conquering ego, he remains awake to the Word of the Shabad.
Here and hereafter, he enjoys lasting peace. ||7||
The fickle mind does not know the way.
The filthy self-willed manmukh does not understand the Shabad.
The Gurmukh chants the Immaculate Naam. ||8||
I offer my prayer to the Lord,
that I might dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
There, sins and sufferings are erased, and one is illumined with the Lord's Name. ||9||
In reflective meditation, I have come to love good conduct.
Through the Word of the True Guru, I recognize the One Lord.
O Nanak, my mind is imbued with the Lord's Name. ||10||7||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The mind of the faithless cynic is like a crazy elephant.
It wanders around the forest, distracted by attachment to Maya.
It goes here and there, hounded by death.
The Gurmukh seeks, and finds his own home. ||1||
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the mind finds no place of rest.
Remember in meditation the Lord's Name, the most pure and sublime; renounce your bitter egotism. ||1||Pause||
Tell me, how can this stupid mind be rescued?
Without understanding, it shall suffer the pains of death.
The Lord Himself forgives us, and unites us with the True Guru.
The True Lord conquers and overcomes the tortures of death. ||2||
This mind commits its deeds of karma, and this mind follows the Dharma.
This mind is born of the five elements.
This foolish mind is perverted and greedy.
Chanting the Naam, the mind of the Gurmukh becomes beautiful. ||3||
The mind of the Gurmukh finds the Lord's home.
The Gurmukh comes to know the three worlds.
This mind is a Yogi, an enjoyer, a practicer of austerities.
The Gurmukh understands the Lord God Himself. ||4||
This mind is a detached renunciate, forsaking egotism.
Desire and duality afflict each and every heart.
The Gurmukh drinks in the Lord's sublime essence;
at His Door, in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, He preserves his honor. ||5||
This mind is the king, the hero of cosmic battles.
The mind of the Gurmukh becomes fearless through the Naam.
Overpowering and subduing the five passions,
holding ego in its grip, it confines them to one place. ||6||
The Gurmukh renounces other songs and tastes.
The mind of the Gurmukh is awakened to devotion.
Hearing the unstruck music of the sound current, this mind contemplates the Shabad, and accepts it.
Understanding itself, this soul becomes attuned to the Formless Lord. ||7||
This mind becomes immaculately pure, in the Court and the Home of the Lord.
The Gurmukh shows his love through loving devotional worship.
Night and day, by Guru's Grace, sing the Lord's Praises.
God dwells in each and every heart, since the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages. ||8||
This mind is intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord;
The Gurmukh realizes the essence of totality.
For the sake of devotional worship, he dwells at the Guru's Feet.
Nanak is the humble servant of the slave of the Lord's slaves. ||9||8||

Aasaa, First Mehl:
When the body perishes, whose wealth is it?
Without the Guru, how can the Lord's Name be obtained?
The wealth of the Lord's Name is my Companion and Helper.
Night and day, center your loving attention on the Immaculate Lord. ||1||
Without the Lord's Name, who is ours?
I look upon pleasure and pain alike; I shall not forsake the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The Lord Himself forgives me, and blends me with Himself. ||1||Pause||
The fool loves gold and women.
Attached to duality, he has forgotten the Naam.
O Lord, he alone chants the Naam, whom You have forgiven.
Death cannot touch one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
The Lord, the Guru, is the Giver; the Lord, the Sustainer of the World.
If it is pleasing to Your Will, please preserve me, O Merciful Lord.
As Gurmukh, my mind is pleased with the Lord.
My diseases are cured, and my pains are taken away. ||3||
There is no other medicine, Tantric charm or mantra.
Meditative remembrance upon the Lord, Har, Har, destroys sins.
You Yourself cause us to stray from the path, and forget the Naam.
Showering Your Mercy, You Yourself save us. ||4||
The mind is diseased with doubt, superstition and duality.
Without the Guru, it dwells in doubt, and contemplates duality.
The Guru reveals the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of the Primal Lord.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, what use is human life? ||5||
Beholding the Marvellous Lord, I am wonder-struck and astonished.
In each and every heart, of the angels and holy men, He dwells in celestial Samaadhi.
I have enshrined the All-pervading Lord within my mind.
There is no one else equal to You. ||6||
For the sake of devotional worship, we chant Your Name.
The Lord's devotees dwell in the Society of the Saints.
Breaking his bonds, one comes to meditate on the Lord.
The Gurmukhs are emancipated, by the Guru-given knowledge of the Lord. ||7||
The Messenger of Death cannot touch him with pain;
the Lord's humble servant remains awake to the Love of the Naam.
The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He dwells with His devotees.
O Nanak, they are liberated, through the Love of the Lord. ||8||9||
Aasaa, First Mehl, Ik-Tukee:
One who serves the Guru, knows his Lord and Master.
His pains are erased, and he realizes the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Meditate on the Lord, O my friends and companions.
Serving the True Guru, you shall behold God with your eyes. ||1||Pause||
People are entangled with mother, father and the world.
They are entangled with sons, daughters and spouses. ||2||
They are entangled with religious rituals, and religious faith, acting in ego.
They are entangled with sons, wives and others in their minds. ||3||
The farmers are entangled by farming.
People suffer punishment in ego, and the Lord King exacts the penalty from them. ||4||
They are entangled in trade without contemplation.
They are not satisfied by attachment to the expanse of Maya. ||5||
They are entangled with that wealth, amassed by bankers.
Without devotion to the Lord, they do not become acceptable. ||6||
They are entangled with the Vedas, religious discussions and egotism.
They are entangled, and perish in attachment and corruption. ||7||
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's Name.
One who is saved by the True Guru, does not suffer entanglement. ||8||10||

Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Ashtapadees, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Those heads adorned with braided hair, with their parts painted with vermillion
- those heads were shaved with scissors, and their throats were choked with dust.
They lived in palatial mansions, but now, they cannot even sit near the palaces. ||1||
Hail to You, O Father Lord, Hail to You!
O Primal Lord. Your limits are not known; You create, and create, and behold the scenes. ||1||Pause||
When they were married, their husbands looked so handsome beside them.
They came in palanquins, decorated with ivory;
water was sprinkled over their heads, and glittering fans were waved above them. ||2||
They were given hundreds of thousands of coins when they sat, and hundreds of thousands of coins when they stood.
They ate coconuts and dates, and rested comfortably upon their beds.
But ropes were put around their necks, and their strings of pearls were broken. ||3||
Their wealth and youthful beauty, which gave them so much pleasure, have now become their enemies.
The order was given to the soldiers, who dishonored them, and carried them away.
If it is pleasing to God's Will, He bestows greatness; if is pleases His Will, He bestows punishment. ||4||
If someone focuses on the Lord beforehand, then why should he be punished?
The kings had lost their higher consciousness, reveling in pleasure and sensuality.
Since Baabar's rule has been proclaimed, even the princes have no food to eat. ||5||
The Muslims have lost their five times of daily prayer, and the Hindus have lost their worship as well.
Without their sacred squares, how shall the Hindu women bathe and apply the frontal marks to their foreheads?
They never remembered their Lord as Raam, and now they cannot even chant Khudaa-i||6||
Some have returned to their homes, and meeting their relatives, they ask about their safety.
For some, it is pre-ordained that they shall sit and cry out in pain.
Whatever pleases Him, comes to pass. O Nanak, what is the fate of mankind? ||7||11||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Where are the games, the stables, the horses? Where are the drums and the bugles?
Where are the sword-belts and chariots? Where are those scarlet uniforms?
Where are the rings and the beautiful faces? They are no longer to be seen here. ||1||
This world is Yours; You are the Lord of the Universe.
In an instant, You establish and disestablish. You distribute wealth as it pleases You. ||1||Pause||
Where are the houses, the gates, the hotels and palaces? Where are those beautiful way-stations?
Where are those beautiful women, reclining on their beds, whose beauty would not allow one to sleep?
Where are those betel leaves, their sellers, and the haremees? They have vanished like shadows. ||2||
For the sake of this wealth, so many were ruined; because of this wealth, so many have been disgraced.
It was not gathered without sin, and it does not go along with the dead.
Those, whom the Creator Lord would destroy - first He strips them of virtue. ||3||
Millions of religious leaders failed to halt the invader, when they heard of the Emperor's invasion.

He burned the rest-houses and the ancient temples; he cut the princes limb from limb, and cast them into the dust.
None of the Mugals went blind, and no one performed any miracle. ||4||
The battle raged between the Mugals and the Pat'haans, and the swords clashed on the battlefield.
They took aim and fired their guns, and they attacked with their elephants.
Those men whose letters were torn in the Lord's Court, were destined to die, O Siblings of Destiny. ||5||
The Hindu women, the Muslim women, the Bhattis and the Rajputs
- some had their robes torn away, from head to foot, while others came to dwell in the cremation ground.
Their husbands did not return home - how did they pass their night? ||6||
The Creator Himself acts, and causes others to act. Unto whom should we complain?
Pleasure and pain come by Your Will; unto whom should we go and cry?
The Commander issues His Command, and is pleased. O Nanak, we receive what is written in our destiny. ||7||12||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Kaafee, First Mehl, Eighth House, Ashtapadees:
As the shepherd is in the field for only a short time, so is one in the world.
Practicing falsehood, they build their homes. ||1||
Wake up! Wake up! O sleepers, see that the travelling merchant is leaving. ||1||Pause||
Go ahead and build your houses, if you think you will stay here forever and ever.
The body shall fall, and the soul shall depart; if only they knew this. ||2||
Why do you cry out and mourn for the dead? The Lord is, and shall always be.
You mourn for that person, but who will mourn for you? ||3||
You are engrossed in worldly entanglements, O Siblings of Destiny, and you are practicing falsehood.
The dead person does not hear anything at all; your cries are heard only by other people. ||4||
Only the Lord, who causes the mortal to sleep, O Nanak, can awaken him again.
One who understands his true home, does not sleep. ||5||
If the departing mortal can take his wealth with him,
then go ahead and gather wealth yourself. See this, reflect upon it, and understand. ||6||
Make your deals, and obtain the true merchandise, or else you shall regret it later.
Abandon your vices, and practice virtue, and you shall obtain the essence of reality. ||7||
Plant the seed of Truth in the soil of Dharmic faith, and practice such farming.
Only then will you be known as a merchant, if you take your profits with you. ||8||
If the Lord shows His Mercy, one meets the True Guru; contemplating Him, one comes to understand.
Then, one chants the Naam, hears the Naam, and deals only in the Naam. ||9||
As is the profit, so is the loss; this is the way of the world.
Whatever pleases His Will, O Nanak, is glory for me. ||10||13||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
I have searched in the four directions, but no one is mine.
If it pleases You, O Lord Master, then You are mine, and I am Yours. ||1||
There is no other door for me; where shall I go to worship?
You are my only Lord; Your True Name is in my mouth. ||1||Pause||
Some serve the Siddhas, the beings of spiritual perfection, and some serve spiritual teachers; they beg for wealth and miraculous powers.
May I never forget the Naam, the Name of the One Lord. This is the wisdom of the True Guru. ||2||

Why do the Yogis, the revellers, and the beggars wander in foreign lands?
They do not understand the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and the essence of excellence within them. ||3||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, the teachers and astrologers, and those who endlessly read the Puraanas,
do not know what is within; God is hidden deep within them. ||4||
Some penitents perform penance in the forests, and some dwell forever at sacred shrines.
The unenlightened people do not understand themselves - why have they become renunciates? ||5||
Some control their sexual energy, and are known as celibates.
But without the Guru's Word, they are not saved, and they wander in reincarnation. ||6||
Some are householders, servants, and seekers, attached to the Guru's Teachings.
They hold fast to the Naam, to charity, to cleansing and purification; they remain awake in devotion to the Lord. ||7||
Through the Guru, the Gate of the Lord's Home is found, and that place is recognized.
Nanak does not forget the Naam; his mind has surrendered to the True Lord. ||8||14||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Stilling the desires of the mind, the mortal truly crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
In the very beginning, and throughout the ages, You have been the Merciful Lord and Master; I seek Your Sanctuary. ||1||
You are the Giver, and I am a mere beggar. Lord, please grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
The Gurmukh meditates on the Naam; the temple of his mind resounds with joy. ||1||Pause||
Renouncing false greed, one comes to realize the Truth.
So let yourself be absorbed in the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and know this supreme realization. ||2||
This mind is a greedy king, engrossed in greed.
The Gurmukh eliminates his greed, and comes to an understanding with the Lord. ||3||
Planting the seeds in the rocky soil, how can one reap a profit?
The self-willed manmukh is not pleased with Truth; the false are buried in falsehood. ||4||
So renounce greed - you are blind! Greed only brings pain.
When the True Lord dwells within the mind, the poisonous ego is conquered. ||5||
Renounce the evil way of duality, or you shall be plundered, O Siblings of Destiny.
Day and night, praise the Naam, in the Sanctuary of the True Guru's protection. ||6||
The self-willed manmukh is a rock, a stone. His life is cursed and useless.
No matter now long a stone is kept under water, it still remains dry at its core. ||7||
The Name of the Lord is the treasure; the Perfect Guru has given it to me.
O Nanak, one who does not forget the Naam, churns and drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||8||15||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The travellers travel from one road to another.
The world is engrossed in its entanglements, and does not appreciate the Truth. ||1||
Why wander around, and why go searching, when the Guru's Shabad reveals Him to us?
Leaving behind egotism and attachment, I have arrived at my own home. ||1||Pause||
Through Truth, one meets the True One; He is not obtained through falsehood.
Centering your consciousness on the True Lord, you shall not have to come into the world again. ||2||
Why do you weep for the dead? You do not know how to weep.
Weep by praising the True Lord, and recognize His Command. ||3||
Blessed is the birth of one who is destined to abide by the Lord's Command.
He obtains the true profit, realizing the Lord's Command. ||4||

If it pleases the Commander, one goes to His Court, robed in honor.
By His Command, God's slaves are hit over the head. ||5||
The profit is earned by enshrining Truth and justice in the mind.
They obtain what is written in their destiny, and overcome pride. ||6||
The self-willed manmukhs are hit over the head, and consumed by conflict.
The cheaters are plundered by falsehood; they are chained and led away. ||7||
Enshrine the Lord Master in your mind, and you shall not have to repent.
He forgives our sins, when we practice the Teachings of the Guru's Word. ||8||
Nanak begs for the True Name, which is obtained by the Gurmukh.
Without You, I have no other at all; please, bless me with Your Glance of Grace. ||9||16||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Why should I go searching in the forests, when the woods of my home are so green?
The True Word of the Shabad has instantaneously come and settled in my heart. ||1||
Wherever I look, there He is; I know no other.
Working for the Guru, one realizes the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||1||Pause||
The True Lord blends us with Himself, when it is pleasing to His Mind.
One who ever walks in accordance with His Will, merges into His Being. ||2||
When the True Lord dwells in the mind, that mind flourishes.
He Himself grants greatness; His Gifts are never exhausted. ||3||
Serving this and that person, how can one obtain the Lord's Court?
If someone embarks on a boat of stone, he shall drown with its cargo. ||4||
So offer your mind, and surrender your head with it.
The Gurmukh realizes the true essence, and finds the home of his own self. ||5||
People discuss birth and death; the Creator created this.
Those who conquer their selfhood and remain dead, shall never have to die again. ||6||
Do those deeds which the Primal Lord has ordered for you.
If one surrenders his mind upon meeting the True Guru, who can estimate its value? ||7||
That Lord Master is the Assayer of the jewel of the mind; He places the value on it.
O Nanak, True is the Glory of that one, in whose mind the Lord Master dwells. ||8||17||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Those who have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are deluded by doubt and duality.
Those who abandon the roots and cling to the branches, shall obtain only ashes. ||1||
Without the Name, how can one be emancipated? Who knows this?
One who becomes Gurmukh is emancipated; the self-willed manmukhs lose their honor. ||1||Pause||
Those who serve the One Lord become perfect in their understanding, O Siblings of Destiny.
The Lord's humble servant finds Sanctuary in Him, the Immaculate One, from the very beginning, and throughout the ages. ||2||
My Lord and Master is the One; there is no other, O Siblings of Destiny.
By the Grace of the True Lord, celestial peace is obtained. ||3||
Without the Guru, no one has obtained Him, although many may claim to have done so.
He Himself reveals the Way, and implants true devotion within. ||4||
Even if the self-willed manmukh is instructed, he stills goes into the wilderness.
Without the Lord's Name, he shall not be emancipated; he shall die, and sink into hell. ||5||
He wanders through birth and death, and never chants the Lord's Name.
He never realizes his own value, without serving the Guru. ||6||

Whatever service the Lord causes us to do, that is just what we do.
He Himself acts; who else should be mentioned? He beholds His own greatness. ||7||
He alone serves the Guru, whom the Lord Himself inspires to do so.
O Nanak, offering his head, one is emancipated, and honored in the Court of the Lord. ||8||18||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Beautiful is the Supreme Lord and Master, and beautiful is the Word of the Guru's Bani.
By great good fortune, one meets the True Guru, and the supreme status of Nirvaanaa is obtained. ||1||
I am the lowest slave of Your slaves; I am Your most humble servant.
As You keep me, I live. Your Name is in my mouth. ||1||Pause||
I have such a great thirst for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; my mind accepts Your Will, and so You are pleased with me.
Greatness is in the Hands of my Lord and Master; by His Will, honor is obtained. ||2||
Do not think that the True Lord is far away; He is deep within.
Wherever I look, there I find Him pervading; how can I estimate His value? ||3||
He Himself does, and He Himself undoes. He Himself beholds His glorious greatness.
Becoming Gurmukh, one beholds Him, and so, His value is appraised. ||4||
So earn your profits while you are alive, by serving the Guru.
If it is so pre-ordained, then one finds the True Guru. ||5||
The self-willed manmukhs continually lose, and wander around, deluded by doubt.
The blind manmukhs do not remember the Lord; how can they obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan? ||6||
One's coming into the world is judged worthwhile only if one lovingly attunes oneself to the True Lord.
Meeting the Guru, one becomes invaluable; his light merges into the Light. ||7||
Day and night, he remains detached, and serves the Primal Lord.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Lord's Lotus Feet, are content with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||8||19||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
No matter how much one may describe the Lord, His limits still cannot be known.
I am without any support; You, O Lord, are my only Support; You are my almighty power. ||1||
This is Nanak's prayer, that he may be adorned with the True Name.
When self-conceit is eradicated, and understanding is obtained, one meets the Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||
Abandoning egotism and pride, one obtains contemplative understanding.
When the mind surrenders to the Lord Master, He bestows the support of the Truth. ||2||
Day and night, remain content with the Naam, the Name of the Lord; that is the true service.
No misfortune troubles one who follows the Command of the Lord's Will. ||3||
One who follows the Command of the Lord's Will is taken into the Lord's Treasury.
The counterfeit find no place there; they are mixed with the false ones. ||4||
Forever and ever, the genuine coins are treasured; with them, the true merchandise is purchased.
The false ones are not seen in the Lord's Treasury; they are seized and cast into the fire again. ||5||
Those who understand their own souls, are themselves the Supreme Soul.
The One Lord is the tree of ambrosial nectar, which bears the ambrosial fruit. ||6||
Those who taste the ambrosial fruit remain satisfied with Truth.
They have no doubt or sense of separation - their tongues taste the divine taste. ||7||
By His Command, and through your past actions, you came into the world; walk forever according to His Will.
Please, grant virtue to Nanak, the virtueless one; bless him with the glorious greatness of the Truth. ||8||20||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
One whose mind is attuned to the Lord's Name speaks the truth.
What would the people lose, if I became pleasing to You, O Lord? ||1||

As long as there is the breath of life, meditate on the True Lord.
You shall receive the profit of singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and find peace. ||1||Pause||
True is Your Service; bless me with it, O Merciful Lord.
I live by praising You; You are my Anchor and Support. ||2||
I am Your servant, the gate-keeper at Your Gate; You alone know my pain.
How wonderful is Your devotional worship! It removes all pains. ||3||
The Gurmukhs know that by chanting the Naam, they shall dwell in His Court, in His Presence.
True and acceptable is that time, when one recognizes the Word of the Shabad. ||4||
Those who practice Truth, contentment and love, obtain the supplies of the Lord's Name.
So banish corruption from your mind, and the True One will grant you Truth. ||5||
The True Lord inspires true love in the truthful.
He Himself administers justice, as it pleases His Will. ||6||
True is the gift of the True, Compassionate Lord.
Day and night, I serve the One whose Name is priceless. ||7||
You are so sublime, and I am so lowly, but I am called Your slave.
Please, shower Nanak with Your Glance of Grace, that he, the separated one, may merge with You again, O Lord. ||8||21||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
How can coming and going, the cycle of reincarnation be ended? And how can one meet the Lord?
The pain of birth and death is so great, in constant skepticism and duality. ||1||
Without the Name, what is life? Cleverness is detestable and cursed.
One who does not serve the Holy True Guru, is not pleased by devotion to the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Coming and going is ended only when one finds the True Guru.
He gives the wealth and capital of the Lord's Name, and false doubt is destroyed. ||2||
Joining the humble Saintly beings, let us sing the blessed, blessed Praises of the Lord.
The Primal Lord, the Infinite, is obtained by the Gurmukh. ||3||
The drama of the world is staged like the show of a buffoon.
For an instant, for a moment, the show is seen, but it disappears in no time at all. ||4||
The game of chance is played on the board of egotism, with the pieces of falsehood and ego.
The whole world loses; he alone wins, who reflects upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||5||
As is the cane in the hand of the blind man, so is the Lord's Name for me.
The Lord's Name is my Support, night and day and morning. ||6||
As You keep me, Lord, I live; the Lord's Name is my only Support.
It is my only comfort in the end; the gate of salvation is found by His humble servants. ||7||
The pain of birth and death is removed, by chanting and meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, one who does not forget the Naam, is saved by the Perfect Guru. ||8||22||
Aasaa, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Shaastras, the Vedas and the Simritees are contained in the ocean of Your Name; the River Ganges is held in Your Feet.
The intellect can understand the world of the three modes, but You, O Primal Lord, are totally astounding. ||1||
Servant Nanak meditates on His Feet, and chants the Ambrosial Word of His Bani. ||1||Pause||
Three hundred thirty million gods are Your servants. You bestow wealth, and the supernatural powers of the Siddhas; You are the Support of the breath of life.

His beauteous forms cannot be comprehended; what can anyone accomplish by discussing and debating? ||2||
Throughout the ages, You are the three qualities, and the four sources of creation.
If You show Your Mercy, then one obtains the supreme status, and speaks the Unspoken Speech. ||3||
You are the Creator; all are created by You. What can any mortal being do?
He alone, upon whom You shower Your Grace, is absorbed into the Truth. ||4||
Everyone who comes and goes chants Your Name.
When it is pleasing to Your Will, then the Gurmukh understands. Otherwise, the self-willed manmukhs wander in ignorance. ||5||
You gave the four Vedas to Brahma, for him to read and read continually, and reflect upon.
The wretched one does not understand His Command, and is reincarnated into heaven and hell. ||6||
In each and every age, He creates the kings, who are sung of as His Incarnations.
Even they have not found His limits; what can I speak of and contemplate? ||7||
You are True, and all that You do is True. If You bless me with the Truth, I will speak on it.
One whom You inspire to understand the Truth, is easily absorbed into the Naam. ||8||1||23||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The True Guru has dispelled my doubts.
He has enshrined the Immaculate Name of the Lord within my mind.
Focusing on the Word of the Shabad, I have obtained lasting peace. ||1||
Listen, O my mind, to the essence of spiritual wisdom.
The Great Giver knows our condition completely; the Gurmukh obtains the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The great glory of meeting the True Guru is
that it has quenched the fire of possessiveness and desire;
imbued with peace and poise, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Without the Perfect Guru, no one knows the Lord.
Attached to Maya, they are engrossed in duality.
The Gurmukh receives the Naam, and the Bani of the Lord's Word. ||3||
Service to the Guru is the most excellent and sublime penance of penances.
The Dear Lord dwells in the mind, and all suffering departs.
Then, at the Gate of the True Lord, one appears truthful. ||4||
Serving the Guru, one comes to know the three worlds.
Understanding his own self, he obtains the Lord.
Through the True Word of His Bani, we enter the Mansion of His Presence. ||5||
Serving the Guru, all of one's generations are saved.
Keep the Immaculate Naam enshrined within your heart.
In the Court of the True Lord, you shall be adorned with True Glory. ||6||
How very fortunate are they, who are committed to the Guru's service.
Night and day, they are engaged in devotional worship; the True Name is implanted within them.
Through the Naam, all of one's generations are saved. ||7||
Nanak chants the true thought.
Keep the Name of the Lord enshrined within your heart.
Imbued with devotion to the Lord, the gate of salvation is found. ||8||2||24||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Everyone lives, hoping in hope.
Understanding His Command, one becomes free of desire.
So many are asleep in hope.
He alone wakes up, whom the Lord awakens. ||1||
The True Guru has led me to understand the Naam, the Name of the Lord; without the Naam, hunger does not go away.

Through the Naam, the fire of desire is extinguished; the Naam is obtained by His Will. ||1||Pause||
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, realize the Word of the Shabad.
By this devotional worship, egotism is eliminated.
Serving the True Guru, one becomes approved.
So know the One, who created hope and desire. ||2||
What shall we offer to one who proclaims the Word of the Shabad?
By His Grace, the Naam is enshrined within our minds.
Offer your head, and shed your self-conceit.
One who understands the Lord's Command finds lasting peace. ||3||
He Himself does, and causes others to do.
He Himself enshrines His Name in the mind of the Gurmukh.
He Himself misleads us, and He Himself puts us back on the Path.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, we merge into the True Lord. ||4||
True is the Shabad, and True is the Word of the Lord's Bani.
In each and every age, the Gurmukhs speak it and chant it.
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded by doubt and attachment.
Without the Name, everyone wanders around insane. ||5||
Throughout the three worlds, is the one Maya.
The fool reads and reads, but holds tight to duality.
He performs all sorts of rituals, but still suffers terrible pain.
Serving the True Guru, eternal peace is obtained. ||6||
Reflective meditation upon the Shabad is such sweet nectar.
Night and day, one enjoys it, subduing his ego.
When the Lord showers His Mercy, we enjoy celestial bliss.
Imbued with the Naam, love the True Lord forever. ||7||
Meditate on the Lord, and read and reflect upon the Guru's Shabad.
Subdue your ego and meditate on the Lord.
Meditate on the Lord, and be imbued with fear and love of the True One.
O Nanak, enshrine the Naam within your heart, through the Guru's Teachings. ||8||3||25||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, Eighth House, Kaafee:
Peace emanates from the Guru; He puts out the fire of desire.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is obtained from the Guru; it is the greatest greatness. ||1||
Keep the One Name in your consciousness, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Seeing the world on fire, I have hurried to the Lord's Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
Spiritual wisdom emanates from the Guru; reflect upon the supreme essence of reality.
Through the Guru, the Lord's Mansion and His Court are attained; His devotional worship is overflowing with treasures. ||2||
The Gurmukh meditates on the Naam; he achieves reflective meditation and understanding.
The Gurmukh is the Lord's devotee, immersed in His Praises; the Infinite Word of the Shabad dwells within him. ||3||
Happiness emanates from the Gurmukh; he never suffers pain.
The Gurmukh conquers his ego, and his mind is immaculately pure. ||4||
Meeting the True Guru, self-conceit is removed, and understanding of the three worlds is obtained.
The Immaculate Divine Light is pervading and permeating everywhere; one's light merges into the Light. ||5||
The Perfect Guru instructs, and one's intellect becomes sublime.
A cooling and soothing peace comes within, and through the Naam, peace is obtained. ||6||
One meets the Perfect True Guru only when the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace.
All sins and vices are eradicated, and one shall never again suffer pain or distress. ||7||

Glory is in His Hands; He bestows His Name, and attaches us to it.
O Nanak, the treasure of the Naam abides within the mind, and glory is obtained. ||8||4||26||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Listen, O mortal: enshrine His Name within your mind; He shall come to meet with you, O my Sibling of Destiny.
Night and day, center your consciousness on true devotional worship of the True Lord. ||1||
Meditate on the One Naam, and you shall find peace, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Eradicate egotism and duality, and your glory shall be glorious. ||1||Pause||
The angels, humans and silent sages long for this devotional worship, but without the True Guru, it cannot be attained.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, and the astrologers read their books, but they do not understand. ||2||
He Himself keeps all in His Hand; nothing else can be said.
Whatever He gives, is received. The Guru has imparted this understanding to me. ||3||
All beings and creatures are His; He belongs to all.
So who can we call bad, since there is no other? ||4||
The Command of the One Lord is pervading throughout; duty to the One Lord is upon the heads of all.
He Himself has led them astray, and placed greed and corruption within their hearts. ||5||
He has sanctified those few Gurmukhs who understand Him, and reflect upon Him.
He grants devotional worship to them, and within them is the treasure. ||6||
The spiritual teachers know nothing but the Truth; they obtain true understanding.
They are led astray by Him, but they do not go astray, because they know the True Lord. ||7||
Within the homes of their bodies, the five passions are pervading, but here, the five are well-behaved.
O Nanak, without the True Guru, they are not overcome; through the Naam, the ego is conquered. ||8||5||27||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Everything is within the home of your own self; there is nothing beyond it.
By Guru's Grace, it is obtained, and the doors of the inner heart are opened wide. ||1||
From the True Guru, the Lord's Name is obtained, O Siblings of Destiny.
The treasure of the Naam is within; the Perfect True Guru has shown this to me. ||1||Pause||
One who is a buyer of the Lord's Name, finds it, and obtains the jewel of contemplation.
He opens the doors deep within, and through the Eyes of Divine Vision, beholds the treasure of liberation. ||2||
There are so many mansions within the body; the soul dwells within them.
He obtains the fruits of his mind's desires, and he shall not have to go through reincarnation again. ||3||
The appraisers cherish the commodity of the Name; they obtain understanding from the Guru.
The wealth of the Naam is priceless; how few are the Gurmukhs who obtain it. ||4||
Searching outwardly, what can anyone find? The commodity is deep within the home of the self, O Siblings of Destiny.
The entire world is wandering around, deluded by doubt; the self-willed manmukhs lose their honor. ||5||
The false one leaves his own hearth and home, and goes out to another's home.
Like a thief, he is caught, and without the Naam, he is beaten and struck down. ||6||
Those who know their own home, are happy, O Siblings of Destiny.
They realize God within their own hearts, through the glorious greatness of the Guru. ||7||
He Himself gives gifts, and He Himself bestows understanding; unto whom can we complain?
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and you shall obtain glory in the True Court. ||8||6||28||

Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Those who recognize their own selves, enjoy the sweet flavor, O Siblings of Destiny.
Those who drink in the sublime essence of the Lord are emancipated; they love the Truth. ||1||
The Beloved Lord is the purest of the pure; He comes to dwell in the pure mind.
Praising the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings, one remains unaffected by corruption. ||1||Pause||
Without the Word of the Shabad, they do not understand themselves -they are totally blind, O Siblings of Destiny.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the heart is illuminated, and in the end, only the Naam shall be your companion. ||2||
They are occupied with the Naam, and only the Naam; they deal only in the Naam.
Deep within their hearts is the Naam; upon their lips is the Naam; they contemplate the Word of God, and the Naam. ||3||
They listen to the Naam, believe in the Naam, and through the Naam, they obtain glory.
They praise the Naam, forever and ever, and through the Naam, they obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||4||
Through the Naam, their hearts are illumined, and through the Naam, they obtain honor.
Through the Naam, peace wells up; I seek the Sanctuary of the Naam. ||5||
Without the Naam, no one is accepted; the self-willed manmukhs lose their honor.
In the City of Death, they are tied down and beaten, and they lose their lives in vain. ||6||
Those Gurmukhs who realize the Naam, all serve the Naam.
So believe in the Naam, and only the Naam; through the Naam, glorious greatness is obtained. ||7||
He alone receives it, unto whom it is given. Through the Guru's Teachings, the Naam is realized.
O Nanak, everything is under the influence of the Naam; by perfect good destiny, a few obtain it. ||8||7||29||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The deserted brides do not obtain the Mansion of their Husband's Presence, nor do they know His taste.
They speak harsh words, and do not bow to Him; they are in love with another. ||1||
How can this mind come under control?
By Guru's Grace, it is held in check; instructed in spiritual wisdom, it returns to its home. ||1||Pause||
He Himself adorns the happy soul-brides; they bear Him love and affection.
They live in harmony with the Sweet Will of the True Guru, naturally adorned with the Naam. ||2||
They enjoy their Beloved forever, and their bed is decorated with Truth.
They are fascinated with the Love of their Husband Lord; meeting their Beloved, they obtain peace. ||3||
Spiritual wisdom is the incomparable decoration of the happy soul-bride.
She is so beautiful - she is the queen of all; she enjoys the love and affection of her Husband Lord. ||4||
The True Lord, the Unseen, the Infinite, has infused His Love among the happy soul-brides.
They serve their True Guru, with true love and affection. ||5||
The happy soul-bride has adorned herself with the necklace of virtue.
She applies the perfume of love to her body, and within her mind is the jewel of reflective meditation. ||6||
Those who are imbued with devotional worship are the most exalted. Their social standing and honor come from the Word of the Shabad.
Without the Naam, all are low class, like maggots in manure. ||7||
Everyone proclaims, "Me, me!"; but without the Shabad, the ego does not depart.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam lose their ego; they remain absorbed in the True Lord. ||8||8||30||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Those who are imbued with the True Lord are spotless and pure; their reputation is forever true.
Here, they are known in each and every home, and hereafter, they are famous throughout the ages. ||1||

O beauteous and joyful mind, imbue yourself with your true color.
If you imbue yourself with the Beauteous Word of the Guru's Bani, then this color shall never fade away. ||1||Pause||
I am lowly, filthy, and totally egotistical; I am attached to the corruption of duality.
But meeting with the Guru, the Philosopher's Stone, I am transformed into gold; I am blended with the Pure Light of the Infinite Lord. ||2||
Without the Guru, no one is imbued with the color of the Lord's Love; meeting with the Guru, this color is applied.
Those who are imbued with the Fear, and the Love of the Guru, are absorbed in the Praise of the True Lord. ||3||
Without fear, the cloth is not dyed, and the mind is not rendered pure.
Without fear, the performance of rituals is false, and one finds no place of rest. ||4||
Only those whom the Lord imbues, are so imbued; they join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
From the Perfect Guru, the Sat Sangat emanates, and one easily merges into the Love of the True One. ||5||
Without the Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all remain like beasts and animals.
They do not know the One who created them; without the Name, all are thieves. ||6||
Some purchase merits and sell off their demerits; through the Guru, they obtain peace and poise.
Serving the Guru, they obtain the Name, which comes to dwell deep within. ||7||
The One Lord is the Giver of all; He assigns tasks to each and every person.
O Nanak, the Lord embellishes us with the Name; attached to the Word of the Shabad, we are merged into Him. ||8||9||31||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Everyone longs for the Name, but he alone receives it, unto whom the Lord shows His Mercy.
Without the Name, there is only pain; he alone obtains peace, whose mind is filled with the Name. ||1||
You are infinite and merciful; I seek Your Sanctuary.
From the Perfect Guru, the glorious greatness of the Naam is obtained. ||1||Pause||
Inwardly and outwardly, there is only the One Lord. He has created the world, with its many varieties.
According to the Order of His Will, He makes us act. What else can we talk about, O Siblings of Destiny? ||2||
Knowledge and ignorance are all your making; You have control over these.
Some, You forgive, and unite with Yourself; while others, the wicked, you strike down and drive out of Your Court. ||3||
Some, from the very beginning, are pure and pious; You attach them to Your Name.
Serving the Guru, peace wells up; through the True Word of the Shabad, one comes to understand. ||4||
Some are crooked, filthy and vicious; the Lord Himself has led them astray from the Name.
They have no intuition, no understanding and no self-discipline; they wander around delirious. ||5||
He grants faith to those whom He has blessed with His Glance of Grace.
This mind finds truth, contentment and self-discipline, hearing the Immaculate Word of the Shabad. ||6||
By reading books, one cannot reach Him; by speaking and talking, His limits cannot be found.
Through the Guru, His value is found; through the True Word of the Shabad, understanding is obtained. ||7||
So reform this mind and body, by contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, within this body is the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; it is found through the Love of the Infinite Guru. ||8||10||32||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
The happy soul-brides are imbued with Truth; they are adorned with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

They find their Husband Lord within their own home, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Through merits, their demerits are forgiven, and they embrace love for the Lord.
The soul-bride then obtains the Lord as her Husband; meeting the Guru, this union comes about. ||1||Pause||
Some do not know the Presence of their Husband Lord; they are deluded by duality and doubt.
How can the forsaken brides meet Him? Their life night passes in pain. ||2||
Those whose minds are filled with the True Lord, perform truthful actions.
Night and day, they serve the Lord with poise, and are absorbed in the True Lord. ||3||
The forsaken brides wander around, deluded by doubt; telling lies, they eat poison.
They do not know their Husband Lord, and upon their deserted bed, they suffer in misery. ||4||
The True Lord is the One and only; do not be deluded by doubt, O my mind.
Consult with the Guru, serve the True Lord, and enshrine the Immaculate Truth within your mind. ||5||
The happy soul-bride always finds her Husband Lord; she banishes egotism and self-conceit.
She remains attached to her Husband Lord, night and day, and she finds peace upon His Bed of Truth. ||6||
Those who shouted, "Mine, mine!" have departed, without obtaining anything.
The separated one does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and departs, repenting in the end. ||7||
That Husband Lord of mine is the One and only; I am in love with the One alone.
O Nanak, if the soul-bride longs for peace, she should enshrine the Lord's Name within her mind. ||8||11||33||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Those whom the Lord has caused to drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, naturally, intuitively, enjoy the sublime essence.
The True Lord is care-free; he does not have even an iota of greed. ||1||
The True Ambrosial Nectar rains down, and trickles into the mouths of the Gurmukhs.
Their minds are forever rejuvenated, and they naturally, intuitively, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs are forever forsaken brides; they cry out and bewail at the Lord's Gate.
Those who do not enjoy the sublime taste of their Husband Lord, act according to their pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
The Gurmukh plants the seed of the True Name, and it sprouts. He deals in the True Name alone.
Those whom the Lord has attached to this profitable venture, are granted the treasure of devotional worship. ||3||
The Gurmukh is forever the true, happy soul-bride; she adorns herself with the fear of God and devotion to Him.
Night and day, she enjoys her Husband Lord; she keeps Truth enshrined within her heart. ||4||
I am a sacrifice to those who have enjoyed their Husband Lord.
They dwell forever with their Husband Lord; they eradicate self-conceit from within. ||5||
Their bodies and minds are cooled and soothed, and their faces are radiant, from the love and affection of their Husband Lord.
They enjoy their Husband Lord upon His cozy bed, having conquered their ego and desire. ||6||
Granting His Grace, He comes into our homes, through our infinite Love for the Guru.
The happy soul-bride obtains the One Lord as her Husband. ||7||
All of her sins are forgiven; the Uniter unites her with Himself.
O Nanak, chant such chants, that hearing them, He may enshrine love for you. ||8||12||34||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Merit is obtained from the True Guru, when God causes us to meet Him.

Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with intuitive ease and poise, spiritual wisdom is revealed. ||1||
O my mind, do not think of the Lord as being far away; behold Him ever close at hand.
He is always listening, and always watching over us; the Word of His Shabad is all-pervading everywhere. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukhs understand their own selves; they meditate single-mindedly on the Lord.
They enjoy their Husband Lord continually; through the True Name, they find peace. ||2||
O my mind, no one belongs to you; contemplate the Shabad, and see this.
So run to the Lord's Sanctuary, and find the gate of salvation. ||3||
Listen to the Shabad, and understand the Shabad, and lovingly focus your consciousness on the True One.
Through the Shabad, conquer your ego, and in the True Mansion of the Lord's Presence, you shall find peace. ||4||
In this age, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is glory; without the Name, there is no glory.
The glory of this Maya lasts for only a few days; it disappears in an instant. ||5||
Those who forget the Naam are already dead, and they continue dying.
They do not enjoy the sublime essence of the Lord's taste; they sink into the manure. ||6||
Some are forgiven by the Lord; He unites them with Himself, and keeps them attached to the Naam, night and day.
They practice Truth, and abide in Truth; being truthful, they merge into Truth. ||7||
Without the Shabad, the world does not hear, and does not see; deaf and blind, it wanders around.
Without the Naam, it obtains only misery; the Naam is received only by His Will. ||8||
Those persons who link their consciousness with the Word of His Bani, are immaculately pure, and approved by the Lord.
O Nanak, they never forget the Naam, and in the Court of the Lord, they are known as true. ||9||13||35||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
Through the Word of the Shabad, the devotees are known; their words are true.
They eradicate ego from within themselves; they surrender to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and meet with the True One. ||1||
Through the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, His humble servants obtain honor.
How blessed is their coming into the world! Everyone adores them. ||1||Pause||
Ego, self-centeredness, excessive anger and pride are the lot of mankind.
If one dies in the Word of the Shabad, then he is rid of this, and his light is merged into the Light of the Lord God. ||2||
Meeting with the Perfect True Guru, my life has been blessed.
I have obtained the nine treasures of the Naam, and my storehouse is inexhaustible, filled to overflowing. ||3||
Those who love the Naam come as dealers in the merchandise of the Naam.
Those who become Gurmukh obtain this wealth; deep within, they contemplate the Shabad. ||4||
The egotistical, self-willed manmukhs do not appreciate the value of devotional worship.
The Primal Lord Himself has beguiled them; they lose their lives in the gamble. ||5||
Without loving affection, devotional worship is not possible, and the body cannot be at peace.
The wealth of love is obtained from the Guru; through devotion, the mind becomes steady. ||6||
He alone performs devotional worship, whom the Lord so blesses; he contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The One Name abides in his heart, and he conquers his ego and duality. ||7||
The One Name is the social status and honor of the devotees; the Lord Himself adorns them.
They remain forever in the Protection of His Sanctuary. As it pleases His Will, He arranges their affairs. ||8||

The worship of the Lord is unique - it is known only by reflecting upon the Guru.
O Nanak, one whose mind is filled with the Naam, through the Lord's Fear and devotion, is embellished with the Naam. ||9||14||36||
Aasaa, Third Mehl:
He wanders around, engrossed in other pleasures, but without the Naam, he suffers in pain.
He does not meet the True Guru, the Primal Being, who imparts true understanding. ||1||
O my insane mind, drink in the sublime essence of the Lord, and savor its taste.
Attached to other pleasures, you wander around, and your life wastes away uselessly. ||1||Pause||
In this age, the Gurmukhs are pure; they remain absorbed in the love of the True Name.
Without the destiny of good karma, nothing can be obtained; what can we say or do? ||2||
He understands his own self, and dies in the Word of the Shabad; he banishes corruption from his mind.
He hurries to the Guru's Sanctuary, and is forgiven by the Forgiving Lord. ||3||
Without the Name, peace is not obtained, and pain does not depart from within.
This world is engrossed in attachment to Maya; it has gone astray in duality and doubt. ||4||
The forsaken soul-brides do not know the value of their Husband Lord; how can they decorate themselves?
Night and day, they continually burn, and they do not enjoy the Bed of their Husband Lord. ||5||
The happy soul-brides obtain the Mansion of His Presence, eradicating their self-conceit from within.
They decorate themselves with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and their Husband Lord unites them with Himself. ||6||
He has forgotten death, in the darkness of attachment to Maya.
The self-willed manmukhs die again and again, and are reborn; they die again, and are miserable at the Gate of Death. ||7||
They alone are united, whom the Lord unites with Himself; they contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, they are absorbed in the Naam; their faces are radiant, in that True Court. ||8||22||15||37||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When the five virtues were reconciled, and the five passions were estranged, I enshrined the five within myself, and cast out the other five. ||1||
In this way, the village of my body became inhabited, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Vice departed, and the Guru's spiritual wisdom was implanted within me. ||1||Pause||
The fence of true Dharmic religion has been built around it.
The spiritual wisdom and reflective meditation of the Guru has become its strong gate. ||2||
So plant the seed of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O friends, O Siblings of Destiny.
Deal only in the constant service of the Guru. ||3||
With intuitive peace and happiness, all the shops are filled.
The Banker and the dealers dwell in the same place. ||4||
There is no tax on non-believers, nor any fines or taxes at death.
The True Guru has set the Seal of the Primal Lord upon these goods. ||5||
So load the merchandise of the Naam, and set sail with your cargo.
Earn your profit, as Gurmukh, and you shall return to your own home. ||6||
The True Guru is the Banker, and His Sikhs are the traders.
Their merchandise is the Naam, and meditation on the True Lord is their account. ||7||
One who serves the True Guru dwells in this house.
O Nanak, the Divine City is eternal. ||8||1||

Aasaavaree, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My mind is in love with the Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har; my lifestyle is pure and true. ||1||Pause||
I have such a great thirst for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; I think of him in so many ways.
So be Merciful, O Supreme Lord; shower Your Mercy upon me, O Lord, Destroyer of pride. ||1||
My stranger soul has come to join the Saadh Sangat.
That commodity, which I longed for, I have found in the Love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
There are so many pleasures and delights of Maya, but they pass away in an instant.
Your devotees are imbued with Your Name; they enjoy peace everywhere. ||3||
The entire world is seen to be passing away; only the Lord's Name is lasting and stable.
So make friends with the Holy Saints, so that you may obtain a lasting place of rest. ||4||
Friends, acquaintances, children and relatives - none of these shall be your companion.
The Lord's Name alone shall go with you; God is the Master of the meek. ||5||
The Lord's Lotus Feet are the Boat; attached to Them, you shall cross over the world-ocean.
Meeting with the Perfect True Guru, I embrace True Love for God. ||6||
The prayer of Your Holy Saints is, "May I never forget You, for even one breath or morsel of food."
Whatever is pleasing to Your Will is good; by Your Sweet Will, my affairs are adjusted. ||7||
I have met my Beloved, the Ocean of Peace, and Supreme Bliss has welled up within me.
Says Nanak, all my pains have been eradicated, meeting with God, the Lord of Supreme Bliss. ||8||1||2||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Birharray ~ Songs Of Separation, To Be Sung In The Tune Of The Chhants. Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Remember the Supreme Lord God, O Beloved, and make yourself a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||
Remembering Him, sorrows are forgotten, O Beloved; how can one forsake Him? ||2||
I would sell this body to the Saint, O Beloved, if he would lead me to my Dear Lord. ||3||
The pleasures and adornments of corruption are insipid and useless; I have forsaken and abandoned them, O my Mother. ||4||
Lust, anger and greed left me, O Beloved, when I fell at the Feet of the True Guru. ||5||
Those humble beings who are imbued with the Lord, O Beloved, do not go anywhere else. ||6||
Those who have tasted the Lord's sublime essence, O Beloved, remain satisfied and satiated. ||7||
One who grasps the Hem of the Gown of the Holy Saint, O Nanak, crosses over the terrible world-ocean. ||8||1||3||
The pains of birth and death are removed, O Beloved, when the mortal meets with the Lord, the King. ||1||
God is so Beautiful, so Refined, so Wise - He is my very life! Reveal to me Your Darshan! ||2||
Those beings who are separated from You, O Beloved, are born only to die; they eat the poison of corruption. ||3||
He alone meets You, whom You cause to meet, O Beloved; I fall at his feet. ||4||
That happiness which one receives by beholding Your Darshan, O Beloved, cannot be described in words. ||5||
True Love cannot be broken, O Beloved; throughout the ages, it remains. ||6||

Whatever pleases You is good, O Beloved; Your Will is Eternal. ||7||
Nanak, those who are imbued with the Love of the All-Pervading Lord, O Beloved, remain intoxicated with His Love, in natural ease. ||8||2||4||
You know all about my condition, O Beloved; who can I speak to about it? ||1||
You are the Giver of all beings; they eat and wear what You give them. ||2||
Pleasure and pain come by Your Will, O Beloved; they do not come from any other. ||3||
Whatever You cause me to do, that I do, O Beloved; I cannot do anything else. ||4||
All my days and nights are blessed, O Beloved, when I chant and meditate on the Lord's Name. ||5||
He does the deeds, O Beloved, which are pre-ordained, and inscribed upon his forehead. ||6||
The One is Himself prevailing everywhere, O Beloved; He is pervading in each and every heart. ||7||
Lift me up out of the deep pit of the world, O Beloved; Nanak has taken to Your Sanctuary. ||8||3||22||15||2||42||
Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Patee Likhee ~ The Poem Of The Alphabet:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Sassa: He who created the world, is the One Lord and Master of all.
Those whose consciousness remains committed to His Service - blessed is their birth and their coming into the world. ||1||
O mind, why forget Him? You foolish mind!
When your account is adjusted, O brother, only then shall you be judged wise. ||1||Pause||
Eevree: The Primal Lord is the Giver; He alone is True.
No accounting is due from the Gurmukh who understands the Lord through these letters. ||2||
Ooraa: Sing the Praises of the One whose limit cannot be found.
Those who perform service and practice truth, obtain the fruits of their rewards. ||3||
Nganga: One who understands spiritual wisdom becomes a Pandit, a religious scholar.
One who recognizes the One Lord among all beings does not talk of ego. ||4||
Kakka: When the hair grows grey, then it shines without shampoo.
The hunters of the King of Death come, and bind him in the chains of Maya. ||5||
Khakha: The Creator is the King of the world; He enslaves by giving nourishment.
By His Binding, all the world is bound; no other Command prevails. ||6||
Gagga: One who renounces the singing of the songs of the Lord of the Universe, becomes arrogant in his speech.
One who has shaped the pots, and made the world the kiln, decides when to put them in it. ||7||
Ghagha: The servant who performs service, remains attached to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
One who recognizes bad and good as one and the same - in this way he is absorbed into the Lord and Master. ||8||
Chacha: He created the four Vedas, the four sources of creation, and the four ages
- through each and every age, He Himself has been the Yogi, the enjoyer, the Pandit and the scholar. ||9||

Chhachha: Ignorance exists within everyone; doubt is Your doing, O Lord.
Having created doubt, You Yourself cause them to wander in delusion; those whom You bless with Your Mercy meet with the Guru. ||10||
Jajja: That humble being who begs for wisdom has wandered begging through 8.4 million incarnations.
The One Lord takes away, and the One Lord gives; I have not heard of any other. ||11||
Jhajha: O mortal being, why are you dying of anxiety? Whatever the Lord is to give, He shall keep on giving.
He gives, and gives, and watches over us; according to the Orders which He issues, His beings receive nourishment. ||12||
Nyanya: When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, then I do not behold any other.
The One Lord is totally pervading everywhere; the One Lord abides within the mind. ||13||
Tatta: Why do you practice hypocrisy, O mortal? In a moment, in an instant, you shall have to get up and depart.
Don't lose your life in the gamble - hurry to the Lord's Sanctuary. ||14||
T'hat'ha: Peace pervades within those who link their consciousness to the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Those humble beings, whose consciousness is so linked, are saved; by Your Grace, they obtain peace. ||15||
Dadda: Why do you make such ostentatious shows, O mortal? Whatever exists, shall all pass away.
So serve Him, who is contained and pervading among everyone, and you shall obtain peace. ||16||
Dhadha: He Himself establishes and disestablishes; as it pleases His Will, so does He act.
Having created the creation, He watches over it; He issues His Commands, and emancipates those, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace. ||17||
Nanna: One whose heart is filled with the Lord, sings His Glorious Praises.
One whom the Creator Lord unites with Himself, is not consigned to reincarnation. ||18||
Tatta: The terrible world-ocean is so very deep; its limits cannot be found.
I do not have a boat, or even a raft; I am drowning - save me, O Savior King! ||19||
T'hat'ha: In all places and interspaces, He is; everything which exists, is by His doing.
What is doubt? What is called Maya? Whatever pleases Him is good. ||20||
Dadda: Do not blame anyone else; blame instead your own actions.
Whatever I did, for that I have suffered; I do not blame anyone else. ||21||
Dhadha: His power established and upholds the earth; the Lord has imparted His color to everything.
His gifts are received by everyone; all act according to His Command. ||22||
Nanna: The Husband Lord enjoys eternal pleasures, but He is not seen or understood.
I am called the happy soul-bride, O sister, but my Husband Lord has never met me. ||23||
Pappa: The Supreme King, the Transcendent Lord, created the world, and watches over it.
He sees and understands, and knows everything; inwardly and outwardly, he is fully pervading. ||24||
Faffa: The whole world is caught in the noose of Death, and all are bound by its chains.
By Guru's Grace, they alone are saved, who hurry to enter the Lord's Sanctuary. ||25||
Babba: He set out to play the game, on the chess-board of the four ages.

He made all beings and creatures his chessmen, and He Himself threw the dice. ||26||
Bhabha: Those who search, find the fruits of their rewards; by Guru's Grace, they live in the Fear of God.
The self-willed manmukhs wander around, and they do not remember the Lord; the fools are consigned to the cycle of 8.4 million incarnations. ||27||
Mamma: In emotional attachment, he dies; he only thinks of the Lord, the Love of Nectar, when he dies.
As long as the body is alive, he reads other things, and forgets the letter 'm', which stands for marnaa - death. ||28||
Yaya: He is never reincarnated again, if he recognizes the True Lord.
The Gurmukh speaks, the Gurmukh understands, and the Gurmukh knows only the One Lord. ||29||
Rarra: The Lord is contained among all; He created all beings.
Having created His beings, He has put them all to work; they alone remember the Naam, upon whom He bestows His Grace. ||30||
Lalla: He has assigned people to their tasks, and made the love of Maya seem sweet to them.
We eat and drink; we should endure equally whatever occurs, by His Will, by His Command. ||31||
Wawa: The all-pervading Transcendent Lord beholds the world; He created the form it wears.
He beholds, tastes, and knows everything; He is pervading and permeating inwardly and outwardly. ||32||
Rarra: Why do you quarrel, O mortal? Meditate on the Imperishable Lord, and be absorbed into the True One. Become a sacrifice to Him. ||33||
Haha: There is no other Giver than Him; having created the creatures, He gives them nourishment.
Meditate on the Lord's Name, be absorbed into the Lord's Name, and night and day, reap the Profit of the Lord's Name. ||34||
Airaa: He Himself created the world; whatever He has to do, He continues to do.
He acts, and causes others to act, and He knows everything; so says Nanak, the poet. ||35||1||
Raag Aasaa, Third Mehl, Patee - The Alphabet:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Ayo, Angai: The whole world which was created - Kaahkai, Ghangai: It shall pass away.
Reeree, Laalee: People commit sins, and falling into vice, forget virtue. ||1||
O mortal, why have you studied such an account,
which shall call you to answer for payment? ||1||Pause||
Sidhan, Ngaayiyai: You do not remember the Lord. Nanna: You do not take the Lord's Name.
Chhachha: You are wearing away, every night and day; you fool, how will you find release? You are held in the grip of death. ||2||
Babba: You do not understand, you fool; deluded by doubt, you are wasting your life.
Without justification, you call yourself a teacher; thus you take on the loads of others. ||3||
Jajja: You have been robbed of your Light, you fool; in the end, you shall have to depart, and you shall regret and repent.
You have not remembered the One Word of the Shabad, and so you shall have to enter the womb over and over again. ||4||
Read that which is written on your forehead, O Pandit, and do not teach wickedness to others.

First, the teacher is tied down, and then, the noose is placed around the pupil's neck. ||5||
Sassa: You have lost your self-discipline, you fool, and you have accepted an offering under false pretenses.
The daughter of the alms-giver is just like your own; by accepting this payment for performing the wedding ceremony, you have cursed your own life. ||6||
Mamma: You have been cheated out your intellect, you fool, and you are afflicted with the great disease of ego.
Within your innermost self, you do not recognize God, and you compromise yourself for the sake of Maya. ||7||
Kakka: You wander around in sexual desire and anger, you fool; attached to possessiveness, you have forgotten the Lord.
You read, and reflect, and proclaim out loud, but without understanding, you are drowned to death. ||8||
Tatta: In anger, you are burnt, you fool. T'hat'ha: That place where you live, is cursed.
Ghagha: You go begging from door to door, you fool. Dadda: But still, you do not receive the gift. ||9||
Pappa: You shall not be able to swim across, you fool, since you are engrossed in worldly affairs.
The True Lord Himself has ruined you, you fool; this is the destiny written on your forehead. ||10||
Bhabha: You have drowned in the terrifying world-ocean, you fool, and you have become engrossed in Maya.
One who comes to know the One Lord, by Guru's Grace, is carried across in an instant. ||11||
Wawa: Your turn has come, you fool, but you have forgotten the Lord of Light.
This opportunity shall not come again, you fool; you shall fall under the power of the Messenger of Death. ||12||
Jhajha: You shall never have to regret and repent, you fool, if you listen to the Teachings of the True Guru, for even an instant.
Without the True Guru, there is no Guru at all; one who is without a Guru has a bad reputation. ||13||
Dhadha: Restrain your wandering mind, you fool; deep within you the treasure is to be found.
When one becomes Gurmukh, then he drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord; throughout the ages, he continues to drink it in. ||14||
Gagga: Keep the Lord of the Universe in your mind, you fool; by mere words, no one has ever attained Him.
Enshrine the Guru's feet within your heart, you fool, and all your past sins shall be forgiven. ||15||
Haha: Understand the Lord's Sermon, you fool; only then shall you attain eternal peace.
The more the self-willed manmukhs read, the more pain they suffer. Without the True Guru, liberation is not obtained. ||16||
Rarra: Center your consciousness on the Lord, you fool; abide with those whose hearts are filled with the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, those who recognize the Lord, understand the absolute Lord. ||17||
Your limits cannot be known; the indescribable Lord cannot be described.
O Nanak, whose who have met the True Guru, have their accounts settled. ||18||1||2||
Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Chhant, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O beautiful young bride, my Beloved Lord is very playful.
When the bride enshrines great love for her Husband Lord, He becomes merciful, and loves her in return.

The soul-bride meets her Husband Lord, when the Lord Master Himself showers His favor upon her.
Her bed is decorated in the company of her Beloved, and her seven pools are filled with ambrosial nectar.
Be kind and compassionate to me, O Merciful True Lord, that I may obtain the Word of the Shabad, and sing Your Glorious Praises.
O Nanak, gazing upon her Husband Lord, the soul-bride is delighted, and her mind is filled with joy. ||1||
O bride of natural beauty, offer your loving prayers to the Lord.
The Lord is pleasing to my mind and body; I am intoxicated in my Lord God's Company.
Imbued with the Love of God, I pray to the Lord, and through the Lord's Name, I abide in peace.
If you recognize His Glorious Virtues, then you shall come to know God; thus virtue shall dwell in you, and sin shall run away.
Without You, I cannot survive, even for an instant; by merely talking and listening about You, I am not satisfied.
Nanak proclaims, "O Beloved, O Beloved!" His tongue and mind are drenched with the Lord's sublime essence. ||2||
O my companions and friends, my Husband Lord is the merchant.
I have purchased the Lord's Name; its sweetness and value are unlimited.
His value is invaluable; the Beloved dwells in His true home. If it is pleasing to God, then He blesses His bride.
Some enjoy sweet pleasures with the Lord, while I stand crying at His door.
The Creator, the Cause of causes, the All-powerful Lord Himself arranges our affairs.
O Nanak, blessed is the soul-bride, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace; she enshrines the Word of the Shabad in her heart. ||3||
In my home, the true songs of rejoicing resound; the Lord God, my Friend, has come to me.
He enjoys me, and imbued with His Love, I have captivated His heart, and given mine to Him.
I gave my mind, and obtained the Lord as my Husband; as it pleases His Will, He enjoys me.
I have placed my body and mind before my Husband Lord, and through the Shabad, I have been blessed. Within the home of my own self, I have obtained the ambrosial fruit.
He is not obtained by intellectual recitation or great cleverness; only by love does the mind obtain Him.
O Nanak, the Lord Master is my Best Friend; I am not an ordinary person. ||4||1||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
The unstruck melody of the sound current resounds with the vibrations of the celestial instruments.
My mind, my mind is imbued with the Love of my Darling Beloved.
Night and day, my detached mind remains absorbed in the Lord, and I obtain my home in the profound trance of the celestial void.
The True Guru has revealed to me the Primal Lord, the Infinite, my Beloved, the Unseen.
The Lord's posture and His seat are permanent; my mind is absorbed in reflective contemplation upon Him.
O Nanak, the detached ones are imbued with His Name, the unstruck melody, and the celestial vibrations. ||1||
Tell me, how can I reach that unreachable, that unreachable city?
By practicing truthfulness and self-restraint, by contemplating His Glorious Virtues, and living the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Practicing the True Word of the Shabad, one comes to the home of his own inner being, and obtains the treasure of virtue.
He has no stems, roots, leaves or branches, but He is the Supreme Lord over the heads of all.
Practicing intensive meditation, chanting and self-discipline, people have grown weary; stubbornly practicing these rituals, they still have not found Him.
O Nanak, through spiritual wisdom, the Lord, the Life of the world, is met; the True Guru imparts this understanding. ||2||
The Guru is the ocean, the mountain of jewels, overflowing with jewels.

Take your bath in the seven seas, O my mind, and become pure.
One bathes in the water of purity when it is pleasing to God, and obtains the five virtues by reflective meditation.
Renouncing sexual desire, anger, deceit and corruption, he enshrines the True Name in his heart.
When the waves of ego, greed and avarice subside, he finds the Lord Master, Merciful to the meek.
O Nanak, there is no place of pilgrimage comparable to the Guru; the True Guru is the Lord of the world. ||3||
I have searched the jungles and forests, and looked upon all the fields.
You created the three worlds, the entire universe, everything.
You created everything; You alone are permanent. Nothing is equal to You.
You are the Giver - all are Your beggars; without You, who should we praise?
You bestow Your gifts, even when we do not ask for them, O Great Giver; devotion to You is a treasure over-flowing.
Without the Lord's Name, there is no liberation; so says Nanak, the meek. ||4||2||
Aasaa, First Mehl:
My mind, my mind is attuned to the Love of my Beloved Lord.
The True Lord Master, the Primal Being, the Infinite One, is the Support of the earth.
He is unfathomable, unapproachable, infinite and incomparable. He is the Supreme Lord God, the Lord above all.
He is the Lord, from the beginning, throughout the ages, now and forevermore; know that all else is false.
If one does not appreciate the value of good deeds and Dharmic faith, how can one obtain clarity of consciousness and liberation?
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes the Word of the Shabad; night and day, he meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
My mind, my mind has come to accept, that the Naam is our only Friend.
Egotism, worldly attachment, and the lures of Maya shall not go with you.
Mother, father, famliy, children, cleverness, property and spouses - none of these shall go with you.
I have renounced Maya, the daughter of the ocean; reflecting upon reality, I have trampled it under my feet.
The Primal Lord has revealed this wondrous show; wherever I look, there I see Him.
O Nanak, I shall not forsake the Lord's devotional worship; in the natural course, what shall be, shall be. ||2||
My mind, my mind has become immaculately pure, contemplating the True Lord.
I have dispelled my vices, and now I walk in the company of the virtuous.
Discarding my vices, I do good deeds, and in the True Court, I am judged as true.
My coming and going has come to an end; as Gurmukh, I reflect upon the nature of reality.
O my Dear Friend, You are my all-knowing companion; grant me the glory of Your True Name.
O Nanak, the jewel of the Naam has been revealed to me; such are the Teachings I have received from the Guru. ||3||
I have carefully applied the healing ointment to my eyes, and I am attuned to the Immaculate Lord.
He is permeating my mind and body, the Life of the world, the Lord, the Great Giver.
My mind is imbued with the Lord, the Great Giver, the Life of the world; I have merged and blended with Him, with intuitive ease.
In the Company of the Holy, and the Saints' Society, by God's Grace, peace is obtained.
The renunciates remain absorbed in devotional worship to the Lord; they are rid of emotional attachment and desire.
O Nanak, how rare is that unattached servant, who conquers his ego, and remains pleased with the Lord. ||4||3||

Raag Aasaa, First Mehl, Chhant, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You are everywhere, wherever I go, O True Creator Lord.
You are the Giver of all, the Architect of Destiny, the Dispeller of distress.
The Lord Master is the Dispeller of distress; all that happens is by His doing.
Millions upon millions of sins, He destroys in an instant.
He calls a swan a swan, and a crane a crane; He contemplates each and every heart.
You are everywhere, wherever I go, O True Creator Lord. ||1||
Those who meditate on Him single-mindedly obtain peace; how rare are they in this world.
The Messenger of Death does not draw near those who live the Guru's Teachings; they never return defeated.
Those who appreciate the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, never suffer defeat; the Messenger of Death does not even approach them.
Birth and death are ended for those who are attached to the feet of the Lord.
Through the Guru's Teachings, they obtain the sublime essence of the Lord, and the fruit of the Lord; they enshrine the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in their hearts.
Those who meditate on Him single-mindedly obtain peace; how rare are they in this world. ||2||
He who created the world and assigned all to their tasks - unto Him I am a sacrifice.
So serve Him, and gather profit, and you shall obtain honor in the Court of the Lord.
That humble being, who recognizes the One Lord alone, obtains honor in the Court of the Lord.
One who meditates on the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings, obtains the nine treasures; he chants and repeats continually the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Day and night, take the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the most sublime Primal Being.
The One who created the world and assigned all to their tasks - I am a sacrifice to Him. ||3||
Those who chant the Naam look beautiful; they obtain the fruit of peace. Those who believe in the Name win the game of life.
Their blessings are not exhausted, if it pleases the Lord, even though numerous ages may pass.
Even though numerous ages may pass, O Lord Master, their blessings are not exhausted.
They do not age, they do not die and fall into hell, if they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Those who chant the Lord's Name, Har, Har, do not wither, O Nanak; they are not afflicted by pain.
Those who chant the Naam look beautiful; they obtain the fruit of peace. Those who believe in the Name win the game of life. ||4||1||4||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, First Mehl, Chhant, Third House:
Listen, O black deer: why are you so attached to the orchard of passion?
The fruit of sin is sweet for only a few days, and then it grows hot and bitter.
That fruit which intoxicated you has now become bitter and painful, without the Naam.

It is temporary, like the waves on the sea, and the flash of lightning.
Without the Lord, there is no other protector, but you have forgotten Him.
Nanak speaks the Truth. Reflect upon it, O mind; you shall die, O black deer. ||1||
O bumble bee, you wander among the flowers, but terrible pain awaits you.
I have asked my Guru for true understanding.
I have asked my True Guru for understanding about the bumble bee, who is so involved with the flowers of the garden.
When the sun rises, the body will fall, and it will be cooked in hot oil.
You shall be bound and beaten on the road of Death, without the Word of the Shabad, O madman.
Nanak speaks the Truth. Reflect upon it, O mind; you shall die, O bumble bee. ||2||
O my stranger soul, why do you fall into entanglements?
The True Lord abides within your mind; why are you trapped by the noose of Death?
The fish leaves the water with tearful eyes, when the fisherman casts his net.
The love of Maya is sweet to the world, but in the end, this delusion is dispelled.
So perform devotional worship, link your consciousness to the Lord, and dispel anxiety from your mind.
Nanak speaks the Truth; focus your consciousness on the Lord, O my stranger soul. ||3||
The rivers and streams which separate may sometime be united again.
In age after age, that which is sweet, is full of poison; how rare is the Yogi who understands this.
That rare person who centers his consciousness on the True Guru, knows intuitively and realizes the Lord.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the thoughtless fools wander in doubt, and are ruined.
Those whose hearts are not touched by devotional worship and the Name of the True Lord, shall weep and wail loudly in the end.
Nanak speaks the Truth; through the True Word of the Shabad, those long separated from the Lord, are united once again. ||4||1||5||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Third Mehl, Chhant, First House:
Within my home, the true wedding songs of rejoicing are sung; my home is adorned with the True Word of the Shabad.
The soul-bride has met her Husband Lord; God Himself has consummated this union.
God Himself has consummated this union; the soul-bride enshrines Truth within her mind, intoxicated with peaceful poise.
Embellished with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and beautified with Truth, she enjoys her Beloved forever, imbued with His Love.
Eradicating her ego, she obtains her Husband Lord, and then, the sublime essence of the Lord dwells within her mind.
Says Nanak, fruitful and prosperous is her entire life; she is embellished with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
The soul-bride who has been led astray by duality and doubt, does not attain her Husband Lord.
That soul-bride has no virtue, and she wastes her life in vain.
The self-willed, ignorant and disgraceful manmukh wastes her life in vain, and in the end, she comes to grief.
But when she serves her True Guru, she obtains peace, and then she meets her Husband Lord, face to face.
Beholding her Husband Lord, she blossoms forth; her heart is delighted, and she is beautified by the True Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, without the Name, the soul-bride wanders around, deluded by doubt. Meeting her Beloved, she obtains peace. ||2||

The soul-bride knows that her Husband Lord is with her; the Guru unites her in this union.
Within her heart, she is merged with the Shabad, and the fire of her desire is easily extinguished.
The Shabad has quenched the fire of desire, and within her heart, peace and tranquility have come; she tastes the Lord's essence with intuitive ease.
Meeting her Beloved, she enjoys His Love continually, and her speech rings with the True Shabad.
Reading and studying continually, the Pandits, the religious scholars, and the silent sages have grown weary; wearing religious robes, liberation is not obtained.
O Nanak, without devotional worship, the world has gone insane; through the True Word of the Shabad, one meets the Lord. ||3||
Bliss permeates the mind of the soul-bride, who meets her Beloved Lord.
The soul-bride is enraptured with the sublime essence of the Lord, through the incomparable Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Through the incomparable Word of the Guru's Shabad, she meets her Beloved; she continually contemplates and enshrines His Glorious Virtues in her mind.
Her bed was adorned when she enjoyed her Husband Lord; meeting with her Beloved, her demerits were erased.
That house, within which the Lord's Name is continually meditated upon, resounds with the wedding songs of rejoicing, throughout the four ages.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, we are in bliss forever; meeting the Lord, our affairs are resolved. ||4||1||6||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Third Mehl, Chhant, Third House:
O my beloved friend, dedicate yourself to the devotional worship of your Husband Lord.
Serve your Guru constantly, and obtain the wealth of the Naam.
Dedicate yourself to the worship of your Husband Lord; this is pleasing to your Beloved Husband.
If you walk in accordance with your own will, then your Husband Lord will not be pleased with you.
This path of loving devotional worship is very difficult; how rare are those who find it, through the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate.
Says Nanak, that one, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, links his consciousness to the worship of the Lord. ||1||
O my detached mind, unto whom do you show your detachment?
Those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord live in the joy of the Lord, forever and ever.
So become detached, and renounce hypocrisy; Your Husband Lord knows everything.
The One Lord is pervading the water, the land and the sky; the Gurmukh realizes the Command of His Will.
One who realizes the Lord's Command, obtains all peace and comforts.
Thus says Nanak: such a detached soul remains absorbed in the Lord's Love, day and night. ||2||
Wherever you wander, O my mind, the Lord is there with you.
Renounce your cleverness, O my mind, and reflect upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Your Husband Lord is always with you, if you remember the Lord's Name, even for an instant.
The sins of countless incarnations shall be washed away, and in the end, you shall obtain the supreme status.
You shall be linked to the True Lord, and as Gurmukh, remember Him forever.
Thus says Nanak: wherever you go, O my mind, the Lord is there with you. ||3||
Meeting the True Guru, the wandering mind is held steady; it comes to abide in its own home.
It purchases the Naam, chants the Naam, and remains absorbed in the Naam.

The outgoing, wandering soul, upon meeting the True Guru, opens the Tenth Gate.
There, Ambrosial Nectar is food and the celestial music resounds; the world is held spell-bound by the music of the Word.
The many strains of the unstruck melody resound there, as one merges in Truth.
Thus says Nanak: by meeting the True Guru, the wandering soul becomes steady, and comes to dwell in the home of its own self. ||4||
O my mind, you are the embodiment of the Divine Light - recognize your own origin.
O my mind, the Dear Lord is with you; through the Guru's Teachings, enjoy His Love.
Acknowledge your origin, and then you shall know your Husband Lord, and so understand death and birth.
By Guru's Grace, know the One; then, you shall not love any other.
Peace comes to the mind, and gladness resounds; then, you shall be acclaimed.
Thus says Nanak: O my mind, you are the very image of the Luminous Lord; recognize the true origin of your self. ||5||
O mind, you are so full of pride; loaded with pride, you shall depart.
The fascinating Maya has fascinated you, over and over again, and lured you into reincarnation.
Clinging to pride, you shall depart, O foolish mind, and in the end, you shall regret and repent.
You are afflicted with the diseases of ego and desire, and you are wasting your life away in vain.
The foolish self-willed manmukh does not remember the Lord, and shall regret and repent hereafter.
Thus says Nanak: O mind, you are full of pride; loaded with pride, you shall depart. ||6||
O mind, don't be so proud of yourself, as if you know it all; the Gurmukh is humble and modest.
Within the intellect are ignorance and ego; through the True Word of the Shabad, this filth is washed off.
So be humble, and surrender to the True Guru; do not attach your identity to your ego.
The world is consumed by ego and self-identity; see this, lest you lose your own self as well.
Make yourself follow the Sweet Will of the True Guru; remain attached to His Sweet Will.
Thus says Nanak: renounce your ego and self-conceit, and obtain peace; let your mind abide in humility. ||7||
Blessed is that time, when I met the True Guru, and my Husband Lord came into my consciousness.
I became so very blissful, and my mind and body found such a natural peace.
My Husband Lord came into my consciousness; I enshrined Him within my mind, and I renounced all vice.
When it pleased Him, virtues appeared in me, and the True Guru Himself adorned me.
Those humble beings become acceptable, who cling to the One Name and renounce the love of duality.
Thus says Nanak: blessed is the time when I met the True Guru, and my Husband Lord came into my consciousness. ||8||
Some people wander around, deluded by doubt; their Husband Lord Himself has misled them.
They wander around in the love of duality, and they do their deeds in ego.
Their Husband Lord Himself has misled them, and put them on the path of evil. Nothing lies in their power.
You alone know their ups and downs, You, who created the creation.
The Command of Your Will is very strict; how rare is the Gurmukh who understands.
Thus says Nanak: what can the poor creatures do, when You mislead them into doubt? ||9||

O My True Lord Master, True is Your glorious greatness.
You are the Supreme Lord God, the Infinite Lord and Master. Your creative power cannot be described.
True is Your glorious greatness; when You enshrine it within the mind, one sings Your Glorious Praises forever.
He sings Your Glorious Praises, when it is pleasing to You, O True Lord; he centers his consciousness on You.
One whom You unite with Yourself, as Gurmukh, remains absorbed in You.
Thus says Nanak: O my True Lord Master, True is Your Glorious Greatness. ||10||2||7||5||2||7||
Raag Aasaa, Chhant, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Life - I have found real life, as Gurmukh, through His Love.
The Lord's Name - He has given me the Lord's Name, and enshrined it within my breath of life.
He has enshrined the Name of the Lord, Har, Har within my breath of lfe, and all my doubts and sorrows have departed.
I have meditated on the invisible and unapproachable Lord, through the Guru's Word, and I have obtained the pure, supreme status.
The unstruck melody resounds, and the instruments ever vibrate, singing the Bani of the True Guru.
O Nanak, God the Great Giver has given me a gift; He has blended my light into the Light. ||1||
The self-willed manmukhs die in their self-willed stubbornness, declaring that the wealth of Maya is theirs.
They attach their consciousness to the foul-smelling pile of filth, which comes for a moment, and departs in an instant.
They attach their consciousness to the foul-smelling pile of filth, which is transitory, like the fading color of the safflower.
One moment, they are facing east, and the next instant, they are facing west; they continue spinning around, like the potter's wheel.
In sorrow, they eat, and in sorrow, they gather things and try to enjoy them, but they only increase their stores of sorrow.
O Nanak, one easily crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, when he comes to the Sanctuary of the Guru. ||2||
My Lord, my Lord Master is sublime, unapproachable and unfathomable.
The wealth of the Lord - I seek the wealth of the Lord, from my True Guru, the Divine Banker.
I seek the wealth of the Lord, to purchase the Naam; I sing and love the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
I have totally renounced sleep and hunger, and through deep meditation, I am absorbed into the Absolute Lord.
The traders of one kind come and take away the Name of the Lord as their profit.
O Nanak, dedicate your mind and body to the Guru; one who is so destined, attains it. ||3||
The great ocean is full of the treasures of jewels upon jewels.
Those who are committed to the Word of the Guru's Bani, see them come into their hands.
This priceless, incomparable jewel comes into the hands of those who are committed to the Word of the Guru's Bani.
They obtain the immeasurable Name of the Lord, Har, Har; their treasure is overflowing with devotional worship.
I have churned the ocean of the body, and I have seen the incomparable thing come into view.
The Guru is God, and God is the Guru, O Nanak; there is no difference between the two, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||1||8||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Slowly, slowly, slowly, very slowly, the drops of Ambrosial Nectar trickle down.

As Gurmukh, the Gurmukh beholds the Lord, the Beloved Lord.
The Name of the Lord, the Emancipator of the world, is dear to him; the Name of the Lord is his glory.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the boat, which carries the Gurmukh across.
This world, and the world hereafter, are adorned with the Lord's Name; the Gurmukh's lifestyle is the most excellent.
O Nanak, bestowing His kindness, the Lord gives the gift of His emancipating Name. ||1||
I chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, which destroys my sorrows and erases my sins.
Associating with the Guru, associating with the Guru, I practice meditation; I have enshrined the Lord within my heart.
I enshrined the Lord within my heart, and obtained the supreme status, when I came to the Sanctuary of the Guru.
My boat was sinking under the weight of greed and corruption, but it was uplifted when the True Guru implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me.
The Perfect Guru has given me the gift of spiritual life, and I center my consciousness on the Lord's Name.
The Merciful Lord Himself has mercifully given this gift to me; O Nanak, I take to the Sanctuary of the Guru. ||2||
Hearing the Bani of the Lord's Name, all my affairs were brought to perfection and embellished.
With each and every hair, with each and every hair, as Gurmukh, I meditate on the Lord.
I meditate on the Lord's Name, and become pure; He has no form or shape.
The Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, is permeating my heart deep within, and all of my desire and hunger has disappeared.
My mind and body are totally adorned with peace and tranquility; through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord has been revealed to me.
The Lord Himself has shown His kind mercy to Nanak; He has made me the slave of the slaves of His slaves. ||3||
Those who forget the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, are foolish, unfortunate, self-willed manmukhs.
Within, they are engrossed in emotional attachment; each and every moment, Maya clings to them.
The filth of Maya clings to them, and they become unfortunate fools - they do not love the Lord's Name.
The egotistical and proud perform all sorts of rituals, but they shy away from the Lord's Name.
The path of Death is very arduous and painful; it is stained with the darkness of emotional attachment.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh meditates on the Naam, and finds the gate of salvation. ||4||
The Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, and the Lord Guru, are known by the Gurmukh.
One moment, this mind is in the heavens, and the next, it is in the nether regions; the Guru brings the wandering mind back to one-pointedness.
When the mind returns to one-pointedness, one totally understands the value of salvation, and enjoys the subtle essence of the Lord's Name.
The Lord's Name preserves the honor of His servant, as He preserved and emancipated Prahlaad.
So repeat continually the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam; chanting His Glorious Virtues, His limit cannot be found.
Nanak is drenched in happiness, hearing the Name of the Lord; he is merged in the Name of the Lord. ||5||
Those beings, whose minds are filled the Lord's Name, forsake all anxiety.
They obtain all wealth, and all Dharmic faith, and the fruits of their minds' desires.
They obtain the fruits of their hearts' desires, meditating on the Lord's Name, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name.
Evil-mindedness and duality depart, and their understanding is enlightened. They attach their minds to the Name of the Lord.

Their lives and bodies become totally blessed and fruitful; the Lord's Name illumines them.
O Nanak, by continually vibrating upon the Lord, day and night, the Gurmukhs abide in the home of the inner self. ||6||
Those who place their faith in the Lord's Name, do not attach their consciousness to another.
Even if the entire earth were to be transformed into gold, and given to them, without the Naam, they love nothing else.
The Lord's Name is pleasing to their minds, and they obtain supreme peace; when they depart in the end, it shall go with them as their support.
I have gathered the capital, the wealth of the Lord's Name; it does not sink, and does not depart.
The Lord's Name is the only true support in this age; the Messenger of Death does not draw near it.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs recognize the Lord; in His Mercy, He unites them with Himself. ||7||
True, True is the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam; the Gurmukh knows the Lord.
The Lord's servant is the one who commits himself to the Guru's service, and dedicates his mind and body as an offering to Him.
He dedicates his mind and body to Him, placing great faith in Him; the Guru lovingly unites His servant with Himself.
The Master of the meek, the Giver of souls, is obtained through the Perfect Guru.
The Guru's Sikh, and the Sikh's Guru, are one and the same; both spread the Guru's Teachings.
The Mantra of the Lord's Name is enshrined within the heart, O Nanak, and we merge with the Lord so easily. ||8||2||9||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Chhant, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
The Creator Lord, Har, Har, is the Destroyer of distress; the Name of the Lord is the Purifier of sinners.
One who lovingly serves the Lord, obtains the supreme status. Service to the Lord, Har, Har, is more exalted than anything.
Chanting the Name of the Lord is the most exalted occupation; chanting the Name of the Lord, one becomes immortal.
The pains of both birth and death are eradicated, and one comes to sleep in peaceful ease.
O Lord, O Lord and Master, shower Your Mercy upon me; within my mind, I chant the Name of the Lord.
The Creator Lord, Har, Har, is the Destroyer of distress; the Name of the Lord is the Purifier of sinners. ||1||
The wealth of the Lord's Name is the most exalted in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; chant the Lord's Name according to the Way of the True Guru.
As Gurmukh, read of the Lord; as Gurmukh, hear of the Lord. Chanting and listening to the Lord's Name, pain departs.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, pains are removed. Through the Name of the Lord, supreme peace is obtained.
The spiritual wisdom of the True Guru illumines the heart; this Light dispels the darkness of spiritual ignorance.
They alone meditate on the Lord's Name, Har, Har, upon whose foreheads such destiny is written.
The wealth of the Lord's Name is the most exalted in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; chant the Lord's Name according to the Way of the True Guru. ||2||
One whose mind loves the Lord, Har, Har, obtains supreme peace. He reaps the profit of the Lord's Name, the state of Nirvaanaa.
He embraces love for the Lord, and the Lord's Name becomes his companion. His doubts, and his comings and goings are ended.

His comings and goings, doubts and fears come to an end, and he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
The sins and pains of countless incarnations are washed away, and he merges into the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Those who are blessed by such pre-ordained destiny, meditate on the Lord, and their lives become fruitful and approved.
One whose mind loves the Lord, Har, Har, obtains supreme peace. He reaps the profit of the Lord's Name, the state of Nirvaanaa. ||3||
Celebrated are those people, unto whom the Lord seems sweet; how exalted are those people of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Lord's Name is their glorious greatness; the Lord's Name is their companion and helper. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they enjoy the sublime essence of the Lord.
They enjoy the sublime essence of the Lord, and remain totally detached. By great good fortune, they obtain the sublime essence of the Lord.
So very blessed and truly perfect are those, who through Guru's Instruction meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of the Holy; his mind is rid of sorrow and separation.
Celebrated are those people, unto whom the Lord seems sweet; how exalted are those people of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||3||10||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, everyone embodied contentment and meditation; religion stood upon four feet.
With mind and body, they sang of the Lord, and attained supreme peace. In their hearts was the spiritual wisdom of the Lord's Glorious Virtues.
Their wealth was the spiritual wisdom of the Lord's Glorious Virtues; the Lord was their success, and to live as Gurmukh was their glory.
Inwardly and outwardly, they saw only the One Lord God; for them there was no other second.
They centered their consciousness lovingly on the Lord, Har, Har. The Lord's Name was their companion, and in the Court of the Lord, they obtained honor.
In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, everyone embodied contentment and meditation; religion stood upon four feet. ||1||
Then came the Silver Age of Trayta Yuga; men's minds were ruled by power, and they practiced celibacy and self-discipline.
The fourth foot of religion dropped off, and three remained. Their hearts and minds were inflamed with anger.
Their hearts and minds were filled with the horribly poisonous essence of anger. The kings fought their wars and obtained only pain.
Their minds were afflicted with the illness of egotism, and their self-conceit and arrogance increased.
If my Lord, Har, Har, shows His Mercy, my Lord and Master eradicates the poison by the Guru's Teachings and the Lord's Name.
Then came the Silver Age of Trayta Yuga; men's minds were ruled by power, and they practiced celibacy and self-discipline. ||2||
The Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga came, and people wandered in doubt. The Lord created the Gopis and Krishna.
The penitents practiced penance, they offered sacred feasts and charity, and performed many rituals and religious rites.
They performed many rituals and religious rites; two legs of religion dropped away, and only two legs remained.
So many heroes waged great wars; in their egos they were ruined, and they ruined others as well.
The Lord, Compassionate to the poor, led them to meet the Holy Guru. Meeting the True Guru, their filth is washed away.
The Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga came, and the people wandered in doubt. The Lord created the Gopis and Krishna. ||3||

The Lord ushered in the Dark Age, the Iron Age of Kali Yuga; three legs of religion were lost, and only the fourth leg remained intact.
Acting in accordance with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the medicine of the Lord's Name is obtained. Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, divine peace is obtained.
The season of singing the Lord's Praise has arrived; the Lord's Name is glorified, and the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, grows in the field of the body.
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, if one plants any other seed than the Name, all profit and capital is lost.
Servant Nanak has found the Perfect Guru, who has revealed to him the Naam within his heart and mind.
The Lord ushered in the Dark Age, the Iron Age of Kali Yuga; three legs of religion were lost, and only the fourth leg remained intact. ||4||4||11||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
One whose mind is pleased with the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, attains the supreme status; the Lord seems so sweet to her mind and body.
She obtains the sublime essence of the Lord, Har, Har; through the Guru's Teachings, she meditates on the Lord, and the destiny written on her forehead is fulfilled.
By that high destiny written on her forehead, she chants the Name of the Lord, her Husband, and through the Name of the Lord, she sings the Lord's Glorious Praises.
The jewel of immense love sparkles on her forehead, and she is adorned with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Her light blends with the Supreme Light, and she obtains God; meeting the True Guru, her mind is satisfied.
One whose mind is pleased with the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, attains the supreme status; the Lord seems sweet to her mind and body. ||1||
Those who sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, obtain the supreme status; they are the most exalted and acclaimed people.
I bow at their feet; each and every moment, I wash the feet of those, unto whom the Lord seems sweet.
The Lord seems sweet to them, and they obtain the supreme status; their faces are radiant and beautiful with good fortune.
Under Guru's Instruction, they sing the Lord's Name, and wear the garland of the Lord's Name around their necks; they keep the Lord's Name in their throats.
They look upon all with equality, and recognize the Supreme Soul, the Lord, pervading among all.
Those who sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, obtain the supreme status; they are the most exalted and acclaimed people. ||2||
One whose mind is pleased with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, savors the sublime essence of the Lord; in the Sangat, is this essence of the Lord.
He meditates in adoration upon the Lord, Har, Har, and through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he blossoms forth. He plants no other seed.
There is no Nectar, other than the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar. One who drinks it in, knows the way.
Hail, hail to the Perfect Guru; through Him, God is found. Joining the Sangat, the Naam is understood.
I serve the Naam, and I meditate on the Naam. Without the Naam, there is no other at all.
One whose mind is pleased with the Sat Sangat, savors the sublime essence of the Lord; in the Sangat, is this essence of the Lord. ||3||
O Lord God, shower Your Mercy upon me; I am just a stone. Please, carry me across, and lift me up with ease, through the Word of the Shabad.
I am stuck in the swamp of emotional attachment, and I am sinking. O Lord God, please, take me by the arm.
God took me by the arm, and I obtained the highest understanding; as His slave, I grasped the Guru's feet.

I chant and meditate in adoration upon the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, according to the good destiny written upon my forehead.
The Lord has showered His Mercy upon servant Nanak, and the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, seems so sweet to his mind.
O Lord God, shower Your Mercy upon me; I am just a stone. Please, carry me across, and lift me up with ease, through the Word of the Shabad. ||4||5||12||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
One who chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har in his mind - the Lord is pleasing to his mind. In the mind of the devotees there is a great yearning for the Lord.
Those humble beings who remain dead while yet alive, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar; through the Guru's Teachings, their minds embrace love for the Lord.
Their minds love the Lord, Har, Har, and the Guru is Merciful to them. They are Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive, and they are at peace.
Their birth and death, through the Name of the Lord, are illustrious, and in their hearts and minds, the Lord, Har, Har, abides.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, abides in their minds, and through the Guru's Teachings, they savor the Lord, Har, Har; they drink in the sublime essence of the Lord with abandon.
One who chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in his mind - the Lord is pleasing to his mind. In the mind of the devotees there is such a great yearning for the Lord. ||1||
The people of the world do not like death; they try to hide from it. They are afraid that the Messenger of Death may catch them and take them away.
Inwardly and outwardly, the Lord God is the One and Only; this soul cannot be concealed from Him.
How can one keep one's soul, when the Lord wishes to have it? All things belong to Him, and He shall take them away.
The self-willed manmukhs wander around in pathetic lamentation, trying all medicines and remedies.
God, the Master, unto whom all things belong, shall take them away; the Lord's servant is redeemed by living the Word of the Shabad.
The people of the world do not like death; they try to hide from it. They are afraid that the Messenger of Death may catch them and take them away. ||2||
Death is pre-ordained; the Gurmukhs look beauteous, and the humble beings are saved, meditating on the Lord, Har, Har.
Through the Lord they obtain honor, and through the Lord's Name, glorious greatness. In the Court of the Lord, they are robed in honor.
Robed in honor in the Court of the Lord, in the perfection of the Lord's Name, they obtain peace through the Lord's Name.
The pains of both birth and death are eliminated, and they merge into the Name of the Lord.
The Lord's servants meet with God and merge into Oneness. The Lord's servant and God are one and the same.
Death is pre-ordained; the Gurmukhs look beauteous, and the humble beings are saved, meditating on the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The people of the world are born, only to perish, and perish, and perish again. Only by attaching oneself to the Lord as Gurmukh, does one become permanent.
The Guru implants His Mantra within the heart, and one savors the sublime essence of the Lord; the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord trickles into his mouth.
Obtaining the Ambrosial Essence of the Lord, the dead are restored to life, and do not die again.
Through the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, one obtains the immortal status, and merges into the Lord's Name.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the only Support and Anchor of servant Nanak; without the Naam, there is nothing else at all.
The people of the world are born, only to perish, and perish, and perish again. Only by attaching oneself to the Lord as Gurmukh, does one become permanent. ||4||6||13||

Aasaa, Fourth Mehl, Chhant:
My Lord of the Universe is great, unapproachable, unfathomable, primal, immaculate and formless.
His condition cannot be described; His Glorious Greatness is immeasurable. My Lord of the Universe is invisible and infinite.
The Lord of the Universe is invisible, infinite and unlimited. He Himself knows Himself.
What should these poor creatures say? How can they speak of and describe You?
That Gurmukh who is blessed by Your Glance of Grace contemplates You.
My Lord of the Universe is great, unapproachable, unfathomable, primal, immaculate and formless. ||1||
You, O Lord, O Primal Being, are the Limitless Creator; Your limits cannot be found.
You are pervading and permeating each and every heart, everywhere, You are contained in all.
Within the heart is the Transcendent, Supreme Lord God, whose limits cannot be found.
He has no form or shape; He is unseen and unknown. The Gurmukh sees the unseen Lord.
He remains in continual ecstasy, day and night, and is spontaneously absorbed into the Naam.
You, O Lord, O Primal Being, are the Limitless Creator; Your limits cannot be found. ||2||
You are the True, Transcendent Lord, forever imperishable. The Lord, Har, Har, is the treasure of virtue.
The Lord God, Har, Har, is the One and only; there is no other at all. You Yourself are the all-knowing Lord.
You are the all-knowing Lord, the most exalted and auspicious; there is no other as great as You.
The Word of Your Shabad is pervading in all; whatever You do, comes to pass.
The One Lord God is permeating all; the Gurmukh comes to understand the Lord's Name.
You are the True, Transcendent Lord, forever imperishable. The Lord, Har, Har, is the treasure of virtue. ||3||
You are the Creator of all, and all greatness is Yours. As it pleases Your Will, so do we act.
As it pleases Your Will, so do we act. All are merged into Your Shabad.
When it pleases Your Will, we obtain greatness through Your Shabad.
The Gurmukh obtains wisdom, and eliminates his self-conceit, and remains absorbed in the Shabad.
The Gurmukh obtains Your incomprehensible Shabad; O Nanak, he remains merged in the Naam.
You are the Creator of all, and all greatness is Yours. As it pleases Your Will, so do we act. ||4||7||14||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl, Chhant, Fourth House:
My eyes are wet with the Nectar of the Lord, and my mind is imbued with His Love, O Lord King.
The Lord applied His touch-stone to my mind, and found it one hundred per cent gold.
As Gurmukh, I am dyed in the deep red of the poppy, and my mind and body are drenched with His Love.

Servant Nanak is drenched with His Fragrance; blessed, blessed is his entire life. ||1||
The Bani of the Lord's Love is the pointed arrow, which has pierced my mind, O Lord King.
Only those who feel the pain of this love, know how to endure it.
Those who die, and remain dead while yet alive, are said to be Jivan Mukta, liberated while yet alive.
O Lord, unite servant Nanak with the True Guru, that he may cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
I am foolish and ignorant, but I have taken to His Sanctuary; may I merge in the Love of the Lord of the Universe, O Lord King.
Through the Perfect Guru, I have obtained the Lord, and I beg for the one blessing of devotion to the Lord.
My mind and body blossom forth through the Word of the Shabad; I meditate on the Lord of infinite waves.
Meeting with the humble Saints, Nanak finds the Lord, in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||3||
O Merciful to the meek, hear my prayer, O Lord God; You are my Master, O Lord King.
I beg for the Sanctuary of the Lord's Name, Har, Har; please, place it in my mouth.
It is the Lord's natural way to love His devotees; O Lord, please preserve my honor!
Servant Nanak has entered His Sanctuary, and has been saved by the Name of the Lord. ||4||8||15||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
As Gurmukh, I searched and searched, and found the Lord, my Friend, my Sovereign Lord King.
Within the walled fortress of my golden body, the Lord, Har, Har, is revealed.
The Lord, Har, Har, is a jewel, a diamond; my mind and body are pierced through.
By the great good fortune of pre-ordained destiny, I have found the Lord. Nanak is permeated with His sublime essence. ||1||
I stand by the roadside, and ask the way; I am just a youthful bride of the Lord King.
The Guru has caused me to remember the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; I follow the Path to Him.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Support of my mind and body; I have burnt away the poison of ego.
O True Guru, unite me with the Lord, unite me with the Lord, adorned with garlands of flowers. ||2||
O my Love, come and meet me as Gurmukh; I have been separated from You for so long, Lord King.
My mind and body are sad; my eyes are wet with the Lord's sublime essence.
Show me my Lord God, my Love, O Guru; meeting the Lord, my mind is pleased.
I am just a fool, O Nanak, but the Lord has appointed me to perform His service. ||3||
The Guru's body is drenched with Ambrosial Nectar; He sprinkles it upon me, O Lord King.
Those whose minds are pleased with the Word of the Guru's Bani, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar again and again.
As the Guru is pleased, the Lord is obtained, and you shall not be pushed around any more.
The Lord's humble servant becomes the Lord, Har, Har; O Nanak, the Lord and His servant are one and the same. ||4||9||16||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
The treasure of Ambrosial Nectar, the Lord's devotional service, is found through the Guru, the True Guru, O Lord King.
The Guru, the True Guru, is the True Banker, who gives to His Sikh the capital of the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is the trader and the trade; how wonderful is the Banker, the Guru!
O servant Nanak, they alone obtain the Guru, who have such pre-ordained destiny written upon their foreheads. ||1||
You are my True Banker, O Lord; the whole world is Your trader, O Lord King.
You fashioned all vessels, O Lord, and that which dwells within is also Yours.
Whatever You place in that vessel, that alone comes out again. What can the poor creatures do?

The Lord has given the treasure of His devotional worship to servant Nanak. ||2||
What Glorious Virtues of Yours can I describe, O Lord and Master? You are the most infinite of the infinite, O Lord King.
I praise the Lord's Name, day and night; this alone is my hope and support.
I am a fool, and I know nothing. How can I find Your limits?
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Lord, the water-carrier of the slaves of the Lord. ||3||
As it pleases You, You save me; I have come seeking Your Sanctuary, O God, O Lord King.
I am wandering around, ruining myself day and night; O Lord, please save my honor!
I am just a child; You, O Guru, are my father. Please give me understanding and instruction.
Servant Nanak is known as the Lord's slave; O Lord, please preserve his honor! ||4||10||17||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Those who have the blessed pre-ordained destiny of the Lord written on their foreheads, meet the True Guru, the Lord King.
The Guru removes the darkness of ignorance, and spiritual wisdom illuminates their hearts.
They find the wealth of the jewel of the Lord, and then, they do not wander any longer.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and in meditation, he meets the Lord. ||1||
Those who have not kept the Lord's Name in their consciousness - why did they bother to come into the world, O Lord King?
It is so difficult to obtain this human incarnation, and without the Naam, it is all futile and useless.
Now, in this most fortunate season, he does not plant the seed of the Lord's Name; what will the hungry soul eat, in the world hereafter?
The self-willed manmukhs are born again and again. O Nanak, such is the Lord's Will. ||2||
You, O Lord, belong to all, and all belong to You. You created all, O Lord King.
Nothing is in anyone's hands; all walk as You cause them to walk.
They alone are united with You, O Beloved, whom You cause to be so united; they alone are pleasing to Your Mind.
Servant Nanak has met the True Guru, and through the Lord's Name, he has been carried across. ||3||
Some sing of the Lord, through musical Ragas and the sound current of the Naad, through the Vedas, and in so many ways. But the Lord, Har, Har, is not pleased by these, O Lord King.
Those who are filled with fraud and corruption within - what good does it do for them to cry out?
The Creator Lord knows everything, although they may try to hide their sins and the causes of their diseases.
O Nanak, those Gurmukhs whose hearts are pure, obtain the Lord, Har, Har, by devotional worship. ||4||11||18||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Those whose hearts are filled with the love of the Lord, Har, Har, are the wisest and most clever people, O Lord King.
Even if they misspeak outwardly, they are still very pleasing to the Lord.
The Lord's Saints have no other place. The Lord is the honor of the dishonored.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Royal Court for servant Nanak; the Lord's power is his only power. ||1||
Wherever my True Guru goes and sits, that place is beautiful, O Lord King.
The Guru's Sikhs seek out that place; they take the dust and apply it to their faces.
The works of the Guru's Sikhs, who meditate on the Lord's Name, are approved.
Those who worship the True Guru, O Nanak - the Lord causes them to be worshipped in turn. ||2||
The Guru's Sikh keeps the Love of the Lord, and the Name of the Lord, in his mind. He loves You, O Lord, O Lord King.

He serves the Perfect True Guru, and his hunger and self-conceit are eliminated.
The hunger of the Gursikh is totally eliminated; indeed, many others are satisfied through them.
Servant Nanak has planted the Seed of the Lord's Goodness; this Goodness of the Lord shall never be exhausted. ||3||
The minds of the Gursikhs rejoice, because they have seen my True Guru, O Lord King.
If someone recites to them the story of the Lord's Name, it seems so sweet to the mind of those Gursikhs.
The Gursikhs are robed in honor in the Court of the Lord; my True Guru is very pleased with them.
Servant Nanak has become the Lord, Har, Har; the Lord, Har, Har, abides within his mind. ||4||12||19||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl:
Those who meet my Perfect True Guru - He implants within them the Name of the Lord, the Lord King.
Those who meditate on the Lord's Name have all of their desire and hunger removed.
Those who meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har - the Messenger of Death cannot even approach them.
O Lord, shower Your Mercy upon servant Nanak, that he may ever chant the Name of the Lord; through the Name of the Lord, he is saved. ||1||
Those who, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Naam, meet no obstacles in their path, O Lord King.
Those who are pleasing to the almighty True Guru are worshipped by everyone.
Those who serve their Beloved True Guru obtain eternal peace.
Those who meet the True Guru, O Nanak - the Lord Himself meets them. ||2||
Those Gurmukhs, who are filled with His Love, have the Lord as their Saving Grace, O Lord King.
How can anyone slander them? The Lord's Name is dear to them.
Those whose minds are in harmony with the Lord - all their enemies attack them in vain.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Lord Protector. ||3||
In each and every age, He creates His devotees and preserves their honor, O Lord King.
The Lord killed the wicked Harnaakhash, and saved Prahlaad.
He turned his back on the egotists and slanderers, and showed His Face to Naam Dayv.
Servant Nanak has so served the Lord, that He will deliver him in the end. ||4||13||20||
Aasaa, Fourth Mehl, Chhant, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my dear beloved stranger mind, please come home!
Meet with the Lord-Guru, O my dear beloved, and He will dwell in the home of your self.
Revel in His Love, O my dear beloved, as the Lord bestows His Mercy.
As Guru Nanak is pleased, O my dear beloved, we are united with the Lord. ||1||
I have not tasted divine love, O my dear beloved, within my heart.
The mind's desires are not quenched, O my dear beloved, but I still hold out hope.
Youth is passing away, O my dear beloved, and death is stealing away the breath of life.
The virtuous bride realizes the good fortune of her destiny, O my dear beloved; O Nanak, she enshrines the Lord within her heart. ||2||

My eyes are drenched with the Love of my Husband Lord, O my dear beloved, like the song-bird with the rain drop.
My mind is cooled and soothed, O my dear beloved, by drinking in the rain drops of the Lord.
Separation from my Lord keeps my body awake, O my dear beloved; I cannot sleep at all.
Nanak has found the Lord, the True Friend, O my dear beloved, by loving the Guru. ||3||
In the month of Chayt, O my dear beloved, the pleasant season of spring begins.
But without my Husband Lord, O my dear beloved, my courtyard is filled with dust.
But my sad mind is still hopeful, O my dear beloved; my eyes are both fixed upon Him.
Beholding the Guru, Nanak is filled with wondrous joy, like a child, gazing upon his mother. ||4||
The True Guru has preached the sermon of the Lord, O my dear beloved.
I am a sacrifice to the Guru, O my dear beloved, who has united me with the Lord.
The Lord has fulfilled all my hopes, O my dear beloved; I have obtained the fruits of my heart's desires.
When the Lord is pleased, O my dear beloved, servant Nanak is absorbed into the Naam. ||5||
Without the Beloved Lord, there is no play of love.
How can I find the Guru? Grasping hold of Him, I behold my Beloved.
O Lord, O Great Giver, let me meet the Guru; as Gurmukh, may I merge with You.
Nanak has found the Guru, O my dear beloved; such was the destiny inscribed upon his forehead. ||6||14||21||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, First House:
Joy - great joy! I have seen the Lord God!
Tasted - I have tasted the sweet essence of the Lord.
The sweet essence of the Lord has rained down in my mind; by the pleasure of the True Guru, I have attained peaceful ease.
I have come to dwell in the home of my own self, and I sing the songs of joy; the five villains have fled.
I am soothed and satisfied with the Ambrosial Bani of His Word; the friendly Saint is my advocate.
Says Nanak, my mind is in harmony with the Lord; I have seen God with my eyes. ||1||
Adorned - adorned are my beauteous gates, O Lord.
Guests - my guests are the Beloved Saints, O Lord.
The Beloved Saints have resolved my affairs; I humbly bowed to them, and committed myself to their service.
He Himself is the groom's party, and He Himself the bride's party; He Himself is the Lord and Master; He Himself is the Divine Lord.
He Himself resolves His own affairs; He Himself sustains the Universe.
Says Nanak, my Bridegroom is sitting in my home; the gates of my body are beautifully adorned. ||2||
The nine treasures - the nine treasures come into my home, Lord.
Everything - I obtain everything, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Meditating on the Naam, the Lord of the Universe becomes the one's eternal companion, and he dwells in peaceful ease.
His calculations are ended, his wanderings cease, and his mind is no longer afflicted with anxiety.
When the Lord of the Universe reveals Himself, and the unstruck melody of the sound current vibrates, the drama of wondrous splendor is enacted.
Says Nanak, when my Husband Lord is with me, I obtain the nine treasures. ||3||
Over-joyed - over-joyed are all my brothers and friends.

Meeting the Guru, I have won the most arduous battle in the arena of life.
Meeting the Guru, I am victorious; praising the Lord, Har, Har, the walls of the fortress of doubt have been destroyed.
I have obtained the wealth of so many treasures; the Lord Himself has stood by my side.
He is the man of spiritual wisdom, and he is the leader, whom God has made His own.
Says Nanak, when the Lord and Master is on my side, then my brothers and friends rejoice. ||4||1||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Inexpressible is the sermon of the inexpressible Lord; it cannot be known at all.
The demi-gods, mortal beings, angels and silent sages express it in their peaceful poise.
In their poise, they recite the Ambrosial Bani of the Lord's Word; they embrace love for the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Meditating on the One incomprehensible and immaculate Lord, they obtain the fruits of their heart's desires.
Renouncing self-conceit, emotional attachment, corruption and duality, their light merges into the Light.
Prays Nanak, by Guru's Grace, one enjoys the Lord's Love forever. ||1||
The Lord's Saints - the Lord's Saints are my friends, my best friends and helpers.
By great good fortune, by great good fortune, I have obtained the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
By great good fortune, I obtained it, and I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; my pains and sufferings have been taken away.
I have grasped the Guru's Feet, and my doubts and fears are gone. He Himself has erased my self-conceit.
Granting His Grace, God has united me with Himself; no longer do I suffer the pains of separation, and I shall not have to go anywhere.
Prays Nanak, I am forever Your slave, Lord; I seek Your Sanctuary. ||2||
The Lord's Gate - at the Lord's Gate, Your beloved devotees look beautiful.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, again and again a sacrifice to them.
I am forever a sacrifice, and I humbly bow to them; meeting them, I know God.
The Perfect and All-powerful Lord, the Architect of Destiny, is contained in each and every heart, everywhere.
Meeting the Perfect Guru, we meditate on the Naam, and do not lose this life in the gamble.
Prays Nanak, I seek Your Sanctuary; please, shower Your Mercy upon me, and protect me. ||3||
Innumerable - innumerable are Your Glorious Virtues; how many of them can I sing?
The dust of Your feet, of Your feet, I have obtained, by great good fortune.
Bathing in the Lord's dust, my filth has been washed away, and the pains of birth and death have departed.
Inwardly and outwardly, the Transcendent Lord God is ever-present, always with us.
Suffering departs, and there is peace; singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, one is not consigned to reincarnation again.
Prays Nanak, in the Guru's Sanctuary, one swims across, and is pleasing to God. ||4||2||
Aasaa, Chhant, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My mind is pierced by the Lord's Lotus Feet; He alone is sweet to my mind, the Lord King.
Joining the Society of the Saints, I meditate on the Lord in adoration; I behold the Lord King in each and every heart.
I behold the Lord in each and every heart, and the Ambrosial Nectar rains down upon me; the pains of birth and death are gone.
Singing the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of virtue, all my pains are erased, and the knot of ego has been untied.

My Beloved shall not leave me to go anywhere - this is His natural way; my mind is imbued with the lasting color of the Lord's Love.
The Lotus Feet of the Lord have pierced Nanak's mind, and now, nothing else seems sweet to him. ||1||
Just like the fish which revels in water, I am intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord, my Lord King.
The Perfect Guru has instructed me, and blessed me with salvation in my life; I love the Lord, my King.
The Lord Master, the Searcher of hearts, blesses me with salvation in my life; He Himself attaches me to His Love.
The Lord is the treasure of jewels, the perfect manifestation; He shall not forsake us to go anywhere else.
God, the Lord Master, is so accomplished, beauteous, and all-knowing; His gifts are never exhausted.
As the fish is enraptured by the water, so is Nanak intoxicated by the Lord. ||2||
As the song-bird yearns for the rain-drop, the Lord, the Lord my King, is the Support of my breath of life.
My Lord King is more beloved than all wealth, treasure, children, siblings and friends.
The absolute Lord, the Primal Being, is more beloved than all; His condition cannot be known.
I shall never forget the Lord, for an instant, for a single breath; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I enjoy His Love.
The Primal Lord God is the Life of the Universe; His Saints drink in the Lord's sublime essence. Meditating on Him, doubts, attachments and pains are shaken off.
As the song-bird yearns for the rain-drop, so does Nanak love the Lord. ||3||
Meeting the Lord, my Lord King, my desires are fulfilled.
The walls of doubt have been torn down, meeting the Brave Guru, O Lord King.
The Perfect Guru is obtained by perfect pre-ordained destiny; God is the Giver of all treasures - He is merciful to the meek.
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, is God, the most beautiful Guru, the Sustainer of the World.
The dust of the feet of the Holy purifies sinners, and brings great joy, bliss and ecstasy.
The Lord, the Infinite Lord, has met with Nanak, and his desires are fulfilled. ||4||1||3||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok:
Those beings, unto whom the Lord God shows His Mercy, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har.
O Nanak, they embrace love for the Lord, meeting the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
Chhant:
Just like water, which loves milk so much that it will not let it burn - O my mind, so love the Lord.
The bumble bee becomes enticed by the lotus, intoxicated by its fragrance, and does not leave it, even for a moment.
Do not let up your love for the Lord, even for an instant; dedicate all your decorations and pleasures to Him.
Where painful cries are heard, and the Way of Death is shown, there, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall not be afraid.
Sing the Kirtan, the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and all sins and sorrows shall depart.
Says Nanak, chant the Hymns of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, O mind, and enshrine love for the Lord; love the Lord this way in your mind. ||1||
As the fish loves the water, and is not content even for an instant outside it, O my mind, love the Lord in this way.

Like the song-bird, thirsting for the rain-drops, chirping each and every moment to the beautiful rain clouds.
So love the Lord, and give to Him this mind of yours; totally focus your consciousness on the Lord.
Do not take pride in yourself, but seek the Sanctuary of the Lord, and make yourself a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
When the Guru is totally pleased, the separated soul-bride is re-united with her Husband Lord; she sends the message of her true love.
Says Nanak, chant the Hymns of the Infinite Lord Master; O my mind, love Him and enshrine such love for Him. ||2||
The chakvi bird is in love with the sun, and thinks of it constantly; her greatest longing is to behold the dawn.
The cuckoo is in love with the mango tree, and sings so sweetly. O my mind, love the Lord in this way.
Love the Lord, and do not take pride in yourself; everyone is a guest for a single night.
Now, why are you entangled in pleasures, and engrossed in emotional attachment? Naked we come, and naked we go.
Seek the eternal Sanctuary of the Holy and fall at their feet, and the attachments which you feel shall depart.
Says Nanak, chant the Hymns of the Merciful Lord God, and enshrine love for the Lord, O my mind; otherwise, how will you come to behold the dawn? ||3||
Like the deer in the night, who hears the sound of the bell and gives his heart - O my mind, love the Lord in this way.
Like the wife, who is bound by love to her husband, and serves her beloved - like this, give your heart to the Beloved Lord.
Give your heart to your Beloved Lord, and enjoy His bed, and enjoy all pleasure and bliss.
I have obtained my Husband Lord, and I am dyed in the deep crimson color of His Love; after such a long time, I have met my Friend.
When the Guru became my advocate, then I saw the Lord with my eyes. No one else looks like my Beloved Husband Lord.
Says Nanak, chant the Hymns of the merciful and fascinating Lord, O mind. Grasp the lotus feet of the Lord, and enshrine such love for Him in your mind. ||4||1||4||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl||
Shalok:
From forest to forest, I wandered searching; I am so tired of taking baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
O Nanak, when I met the Holy Saint, I found the Lord within my mind. ||1||
Chhant:
Countless silent sages and innumerable ascetics seek Him;
millions of Brahmas meditate and adore Him; the spiritual teachers meditate and chant His Name.
Through chanting, deep meditation, strict and austere self-discipline, religious rituals, sincere worship, endless purifications and humble salutations,
wandering all over the earth and bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, people seek to meet the Pure Lord.
Mortals, forests, blades of grass, animals and birds all meditate on You.
The Merciful Beloved Lord, the Lord of the Universe is found; O Nanak, joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, salvation is attained. ||1||
Millions of incarnations of Vishnu and Shiva, with matted hair
yearn for You, O Merciful Lord; their minds and bodies are filled with infinite longing.
The Lord Master, the Lord of the Universe, is infinite and unapproachable; God is the all-pervading Lord of all.
The angels, the Siddhas, the beings of spiritual perfection, the heavenly heralds and celestial singers meditate on You. The Yakhsha demons, the guards of the divine treasures, and the Kinnars, the dancers of the god of wealth chant Your Gl
Millions of Indras and countless gods and super-human beings meditate on the Lord Master and celebrate His Praises.
The Merciful Lord is the Master of the masterless, O Nanak; joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one is saved. ||2||
Millions of gods and goddesses of wealth serve Him in so many ways.

The invisible and visible beings worship Him in adoration, along with wind and water, day and night.
The stars, the moon and the sun meditate on Him; the earth and the sky sing to Him.
All the sources of creation, and all languages meditate on Him, forever and ever.
The Simritees, the Puraanas, the four Vedas and the six Shaastras meditate on Him.
He is the Purifier of sinners, the Lover of His Saints; O Nanak, He is met in the Society of the Saints. ||3||
As much as God has revealed to us, that much we can speak with our tongues.
Those unknown ones who serve You cannot be counted.
Imperishable, incalculable, and unfathomable is the Lord and Master; He is everywhere, inside and out.
We are all beggars, He is the One and only Giver; He is not far away, but is with us, ever-present.
He is in the power of His devotees; those whose souls are united with Him - how can their praises be sung?
May Nanak receive this gift and honor, of placing his head on the feet of the Holy Saints. ||4||2||5||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl,
Shalok:
Make the effort, O very fortunate ones, and meditate on the Lord, the Lord King.
O Nanak, remembering Him in meditation, you shall obtain total peace, and your pains and troubles and doubts shall depart. ||1||
Chhant:
Chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe; don't be lazy.
Meeting with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall not have to go to the City of Death.
Pain, trouble and fear will not afflict you; meditating on the Naam, a lasting peace is found.
With each and every breath, worship the Lord in adoration; meditate on the Lord God in your mind and with your mouth.
O kind and compassionate Lord, O treasure of sublime essence, treasure of excellence, please link me to Your service.
Prays Nanak: may I meditate on the Lord's lotus feet, and not be lazy in chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||
The Purifier of sinners is the Naam, the Pure Name of the Immaculate Lord.
The darkness of doubt is removed by the healing ointment of the Guru's spiritual wisdom.
By the healing ointment of the Guru's spiritual wisdom, one meets the Immaculate Lord God, who is totally pervading the water, the land and the sky.
If He dwells within the heart, for even an instant, sorrows are forgotten.
The wisdom of the all-powerful Lord and Master is incomprehensible; He is the Destroyer of the fears of all.
Prays Nanak, I meditate on the Lord's lotus feet. The Purifier of sinners is the Naam, the Pure Name of the Immaculate Lord. ||2||
I have grasped the protection of the merciful Lord, the Sustainer of the Universe, the treasure of grace.
I take the support of Your lotus feet, and in the protection of Your Sanctuary, I attain perfection.
The Lord's lotus feet are the cause of causes; the Lord Master saves even the sinners.
So many are saved; they cross over the terrifying world-ocean, contemplating the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In the beginning and in the end, countless are those who seek the Lord. I have heard that the Society of the Saints is the way to salvation.
Prays Nanak, I meditate on the Lord's lotus feet, and grasp the protection of the Lord of the Universe, the merciful, the ocean of kindness. ||3||
The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; this is His natural way.
Wherever the Saints worship the Lord in adoration, there He is revealed.
God blends Himself with His devotees in His natural way, and resolves their affairs.
In the ecstasy of the Lord's Praises, they obtain supreme joy, and forget all their sorrows.

The brilliant flash of the One Lord is revealed to them - they behold Him in the ten directions.
Prays Nanak, I meditate on the Lord's lotus feet; the Lord is the Lover of His devotees; this is His natural way. ||4||3||6||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Husband Lord of the Saints is eternal; He does not die or go away.
She, whose home is blessed by her Husband Lord, enjoys Him forever.
God is eternal and immortal, forever young and immaculately pure.
He is not far away, He is ever-present; the Lord and Master fills the ten directions, forever and ever.
He is the Lord of souls, the source of salvation and wisdom. The Love of my Dear Beloved is pleasing to me.
Nanak speaks what the Guru's Teachings have led him to know. The Husband Lord of the Saints is eternal; He does not die or go away. ||1||
One who has the Lord as her Husband enjoys great bliss.
That soul-bride is happy, and her glory is perfect.
She obtains honor, greatness and happiness, singing the Praise of the Lord. God, the Great Being, is always with her.
She attains total perfection and the nine treasures; her home lacks nothing. - everything is there.
Her speech is so sweet; she obeys her Beloved Lord; her marriage is permanent and everlasting.
Nanak chants what he knows through the Guru's Teachings: One who has the Lord as her Husband enjoys great bliss. ||2||
Come, O my companions, let us dedicate ourselves to serving the Saints.
Let us grind their corn, wash their feet and so renounce our self-conceit.
Let us shed our egos, and our troubles shall be removed; let us not display ourselves.
Let us take to His Sanctuary and obey Him, and be happy with whatever He does.
Let us become the slaves of His slaves, and shed our sadness, and with our palms pressed together, remain wakeful day and night.
Nanak chants what he knows through the Guru's Teachings; come, O my companions, let us dedicate ourselves to serving the Saints. ||3||
One who has such good destiny written upon his forehead, dedicates himself to His service.
One who attains the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, has his desires fulfilled.
In the Saadh Sangat, immerse yourself in the Love of the Lord; remember the Lord of the Universe in meditation.
Doubt, emotional attachment, sin and duality - he renounces them all.
Peace, poise and tranquility fill his mind, and he sings the Lord's Glorious Praises with joy and delight.
Nanak chants what he knows through the Guru's Teachings: one who has such good destiny written upon his forehead, dedicates himself to His service. ||4||4||7||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl,
Shalok:
If you chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Messenger of Death will have nothing to say to you.
O Nanak, the mind and body will be at peace, and in the end, you shall merge with the Lord of the world. ||1||
Chhant:
Let me join the Society of the Saints - save me, Lord!
With my palms pressed together, I offer my prayer: give me Your Name, O Lord, Har, Har.
I beg for the Lord's Name, and fall at His feet; I renounce my self-conceit, by Your kindness.
I shall not wander anywhere else, but take to Your Sanctuary. O God, embodiment of mercy, have mercy on me.
O all-powerful, indescribable, infinite and immaculate Lord Master, listen to this, my prayer.
With palms pressed together, Nanak begs for this blessing: O Lord, let my cycle of birth and death come to an end. ||1||

I am a sinner, devoid of wisdom, worthless, destitute and vile.
I am deceitful, hard-hearted, lowly and entangled in the mud of emotional attachment.
I am stuck in the filth of doubt and egotistical actions, and I try not to think of death.
In ignorance, I cling to the pleasures of woman and the joys of Maya.
My youth is wasting away, old age is approaching, and Death, my companion, is counting my days.
Prays Nanak, my hope is in You, Lord; please preserve me, the lowly one, in the Sanctuary of the Holy. ||2||
I have wandered through countless incarnations, suffering terrible pain in these lives.
I am entangled in sweet pleasures and gold.
After wandering around with such great loads of sin, I have come, after wandering through so many foreign lands.
Now, I have taken the protection of God, and I have found total peace in the Name of the Lord.
God, my Beloved, is my protector; nothing was done, or will ever be done, by myself alone.
I have found peace, poise and bliss, O Nanak; by Your mercy, I swim across the world-ocean. ||3||
You saved those who only pretended to believe, so what doubts should Your true devotees have?
By every means possible, listen to the Praises of the Lord with your ears.
Listen with your ears to the Word of the Lord's Bani, the hymns of spiritual wisdom; thus you shall obtain the treasure in your mind.
Attuned to the Love of the Lord God, the Architect of Destiny, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The earth is the paper, the forest is the pen and the wind is the writer,
but still, the end of the endless Lord cannot be found. O Nanak, I have taken to the Sanctuary of His lotus feet. ||4||5||8||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
The Primal Lord is the Lord God of all beings. I have taken to His Sanctuary.
My life has become fearless, and all my anxieties have been removed.
I know the Lord as my mother, father, son, friend, well-wisher and close relative.
The Guru has led me to embrace Him; the Saints chant His Pure Praises.
His Glorious Virtues are infinite, and His greatness is unlimited. His value cannot be described at all.
God is the One and only, the Unseen Lord and Master; O Nanak, I have grasped His protection. ||1||
The world is a pool of nectar, when the Lord becomes our helper.
One who wears the necklace of the Lord's Name - his days of suffering are ended.
His state of doubt, attachment and sin is erased, and the cycle of reincarnation into the womb is totally ended.
The ocean of fire becomes cool, when one grasps the hem of the robe of the Holy Saint.
The Lord of the Universe, the Sustainer of the World, the merciful all-powerful Lord - the Holy Saints proclaim the victory of the Lord.
O Nanak, meditating on the Naam, in the perfect Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have obtained the supreme status. ||2||
Wherever I look, there I find the One Lord permeating and pervading all.
In each and every heart, He Himself dwells, but how rare is that person who realizes this.
The Lord is permeating and pervading the water, the land and the sky; He is contained in the ant and the elephant.
In the beginning, in the middle and in the end, He exists. By Guru's Grace, He is known.
God created the expanse of the universe, God created the play of the world. His humble servants call Him the Lord of the Universe, the treasure of virtue.
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord Master, the Searcher of hearts; O Nanak, He is the One, pervading and permeating all. ||3||
Day and night, become beauteous by remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

In love with the Lord's Lotus Feet, corruption and sin depart.
Pain, hunger and poverty run away, and the path is clearly revealed.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one is attuned to the Naam, and obtains the desires of the mind.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, desires are fulfilled; all one's family and relatives are saved.
Day and night, he is in bliss, night and day, remembering the Lord in meditation, O Nanak. ||4||6||9||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok:
It is the most sublime contemplation, to speak of the Lord of the Universe in the pure Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O Nanak, never the Naam, even for a moment; bless me with Your Grace, Lord God! ||1||
Chhant:
The night is wet with dew, and the stars twinkle in the heavens.
The Saints remain wakeful; they are the Beloveds of my Lord.
The Beloveds of the Lord remain ever wakeful, remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night.
In their hearts, they meditate on the lotus feet of God; they do not forget Him, even for an instant.
They renounce their pride, emotional attachment and mental corruption, and burn away the pain of wickedness.
Prays Nanak, the Saints, the beloved servants of the Lord, remain ever wakeful. ||1||
My bed is adorned in splendor.
My mind is filled with bliss, since I heard that God is coming.
Meeting God, the Lord and Master, I have entered the realm of peace; I am filled with joy and delight.
He is joined to me, in my very fiber; my sorrows have departed, and my body, mind and soul are all rejuvenated.
I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires, meditating on God; the day of my wedding is auspicious.
Prays Nanak, when I meet the Lord of excellence, I came to experience all pleasure and bliss. ||2||
I meet with my companions and say, "Show me the insignia of my Husband Lord."
I am filled with the sublime essence of His Love, and I do not know how to say anything.
The Glorious Virtues of the Creator are profound, mysterious and infinite; even the Vedas cannot find His limits.
With loving devotion, I meditate on the Lord Master, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever.
Filled with all virtues and spiritual wisdom, I have become pleasing to my God.
Prays Nanak, imbued with the color of the Lord's Love, I am imperceptibly absorbed into Him. ||3||
When I began to sing the songs of rejoicing to the Lord, my friends became glad, and my troubles and enemies departed.
My peace and happiness increased; I rejoiced in the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and God Himself blessed me with His mercy.
I have grasped the Lord's feet, and remaining ever wakeful, I have met the Lord, the Creator.
The appointed day came, and I attained peace and poise; all treasures are in the feet of God.
Prays Nanak, the Lord's humble servants always seek the Sanctuary of the Lord and Master. ||4||1||10||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Rise up and go forth, O traveller; why do you delay?
Your allotted time is now complete - why are you engrossed in falsehood?
You desire that which is false; deceived by Maya, you commit innumerable sins.
Your body shall become a pile of dust; the Messenger of Death has spotted you, and will conquer you.

Abandoning your wealth and youth, you will have to leave, without any food or clothing.
O Nanak, only your actions shall go with you; the consequences of your actions cannot be erased. ||1||
Like the deer, captured on a moon-lit night,
so does the constant commission of sins turn pleasure into pain.
The sins you have committed shall not leave you; placing the noose around your neck, they shall lead you away.
Beholding an illusion, you are deceived, and on your bed, you enjoy a false lover.
You are intoxicated with greed, avarice and egotism; you are engrossed in self-conceit.
O Nanak, like the deer, you are being destroyed by your ignorance; your comings and goings shall never end. ||2||
The fly is caught in the sweet candy - how can it fly away?
The elephant has fallen into the pit - how can it escape?
It shall be so difficult to swim across, for one who does not remember the Lord and Master, even for an instant.
His sufferings and punishments are beyond reckoning; he receives the consequences of his own actions.
His secret deeds are exposed, and he is ruined here and hereafter.
O Nanak, without the True Guru, the self-willed egotistical manmukh is defrauded. ||3||
The Lord's slaves live by holding on to God's feet.
The Lord and Master embraces those who seek His Sanctuary.
He blesses them with power, wisdom, knowledge and meditation; He Himself inspires them to chant His Name.
He Himself is the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and He Himself saves the world.
The Preserver preserves those whose actions are always pure.
O Nanak, they never have to go to hell; the Lord's Saints are under the Lord's Protection. ||4||2||11||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Be gone, O my laziness, that I may pray to the Lord.
I enjoy my Husband Lord, and look beautiful with my God.
I look beautiful in the Company of my Husband Lord; I enjoy my Lord Master day and night.
I live by remembering God with each and every breath, beholding the Lord, and singing His Glorious Praises.
The pain of separation has grown shy, for I have obtained the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; His Ambrosial Glance of Grace has filled me with bliss.
Prays Nanak, my desires are fulfilled; I have met the One I was seeking. ||1||
Run away, O sins; the Creator has entered my home.
The demons within me have been burnt; the Lord of the Universe has revealed Himself to me.
The Beloved Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the World has revealed Himself; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I chant His Name.
I have seen the Wondrous Lord; He showers His Ambrosial Nectar upon me, and by Guru's Grace, I know Him.
My mind is at peace, resounding with the music of bliss; the Lord's limits cannot be found.
Prays Nanak, God brings us to union with Himself, in the poise of celestial peace. ||2||
They do not have to see hell, if they remember the Lord in meditation.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma applauds them, and the Messenger of Death runs away from them.
Dharmic faith, patience, peace and poise are obtained by vibrating upon the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Showering His Blessings, He saves those who renounce all attachments and egotism.
The Lord embraces us; the Guru unites us with Him. Meditating on the Lord of the Universe, we are satisfied.
Prays Nanak, remembering the Lord and Master in meditation, all hopes are fulfilled. ||3||

Grasping the Lord's Feet, the treasure of the Siddhas, what suffering can I feel?
Everything is in His Power - He is my God.
Holding me the the arm, He blesses me with His Name; placing His Hand upon my forehead, He saves me.
The world-ocean does not trouble me, for I have drunk the sublime elixir of the Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I am victorious on the great battlefield of life.
Prays Nanak, I have entered the Sanctuary of the Lord and Master; the Messenger of Death shall not destroy me again. ||4||3||12||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl:
Those actions you perform, day and night, are recorded upon your forehead.
And the One, from whom you hide these actions - He sees them, and is always with you.
The Creator Lord is with you; He sees you, so why commit sins?
So perform good deeds, and chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord; you shall never have to go to hell.
Twenty-four hours a day, dwell upon the Lord's Name in meditation; it alone shall go along with you.
So vibrate continually in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, and the sins you committed shall be erased. ||1||
Practicing deceit, you fill your belly, you ignorant fool!
The Lord, the Great Giver, continues to give you everything.
The Great Giver is always merciful. Why should we forget the Lord Master from our minds?
Join the Saadh Sangat, and vibrate fearlessly; all your relations shall be saved.
The Siddhas, the seekers, the demi-gods, the silent sages and the devotees, all take the Naam as their support.
Prays Nanak, vibrate continually upon God, the One Creator Lord. ||2||
Do not practice deception - God is the Assayer of all.
Those who practice falsehood and deceit are reincarnated in the world.
Those who meditate on the One Lord, cross over the world-ocean.
Renouncing sexual desire, anger, flattery and slander, they enter the Sanctuary of God.
The lofty, inaccessible and infinite Lord and Master is pervading the water, the land and the sky.
Prays Nanak, He is the support of His servants; His Lotus Feet are their only sustenance. ||3||
Behold - the world is a mirage; nothing here is permanent.
The pleasures of Maya which are here, shall not go with you.
The Lord, your companion, is always with you; remember Him day and night.
Without the One Lord, there is no other; burn away the love of duality.
Know in your mind, that the One God is your friend, youth, wealth and everything.
Prays Nanak, by great good fortune, we find the Lord, and merge in peace and celestial poise. ||4||4||13||
Aasaa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, Eighth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Maya is the wall of doubt - Maya is the wall of doubt. It is such a powerful and destructive intoxicant; it corrupts and wastes away one's life.
In the terrible, impenetrable world-forest - in the terrible, impenetrable world-forest, the thieves are plundering man's house in broad daylight; night and day, this life is being consumed.
The days of your life are being consumed; they are passing away without God. So meet God, the Merciful Lord.

I passed through so many births and deaths; without Union with the Beloved, I did not obtain salvation.
I am without the status of high birth, beauty, glory or spiritual wisdom; without You, who is mine, O Mother?
With my palms pressed together, O Nanak, I enter the Lord's Sanctuary; O beloved almighty Lord and Master, please, save me! ||1||
Like a fish out of water - like a fish out of water, separated from the Lord, the mind and body perish; how can I live, without my Beloved?
Facing the arrow head-on - facing the arrow head-on, the deer surrenders his mind, body and breath of life; he is struck by the hunter's soothing music.
I have enshrined love for my Beloved. In order to meet Him, I have become a renunciate. Cursed is that body which remains without Him, even for an instant.
My eyelids do not close, for I am absorbed in the love of my Beloved. Day and night, my mind thinks only of God.
Attuned to the Lord, intoxicated with the Naam, fear, doubt and duality have all left me.
Bestow Your mercy and compassion, O merciful and perfect Lord, that Nanak may be intoxicated with Your Love. ||2||
The bumble-bee is buzzing - the bumble-bee is buzzing, intoxicated with the honey, the flavor and the fragrance; because of its love for the lotus, it entangles itself.
The mind of the rainbird thirsts - the mind of the rainbird thirsts; its mind longs for the beautiful rain-drops from the clouds. Drinking them in, its fever departs.
O Destroyer of fever, Remover of pain, please unite me with You. My mind and body have such great love for You.
O my beautiful, wise and all-knowing Lord and Master, with what tongue should I chant Your Praises?
Take me by the arm, and grant me Your Name. One who is blessed with Your Glance of Grace, has his sins erased.
Nanak meditates on the Lord, the Purifier of sinners; beholding His Vision, he suffers no more. ||3||
I focus my consciousness on the Lord - I focus my consciousness upon the Lord; I am helpless - please, keep me under Your Protection. I yearn to meet You, my soul hungers for You.
I meditate on Your beautiful body - I meditate on Your beautiful body; my mind is fascinated by Your spiritual wisdom, O Lord of the world. Please, preserve the honor of Your humble servants and beggars.
God bestows perfect honor and destroys pain; He has fulfilled all my desires.
How very blessed was that day when the Lord embraced me; meeting my Husband Lord, my bed was beautified.
When God granted His Grace and met me, all my sins were erased.
Prays Nanak, my hopes are fulfilled; I have met the Lord, the Lord of Lakshmi, the treasure of excellence. ||4||1||14||
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Aasaa, First Mehl:
Vaar With Shaloks, And Shaloks Written By The First Mehl. To Be Sung To The Tune Of 'Tunda-Asraajaa':
Shalok, First Mehl:
A hundred times a day, I am a sacrifice to my Guru;
He made angels out of men, without delay. ||1||

Second Mehl:
If a hundred moons were to rise, and a thousand suns appeared,
even with such light, there would still be pitch darkness without the Guru. ||2||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, those who do not think of the Guru, and who think of themselves as clever,
shall be left abandoned in the field, like the scattered sesame.
They are abandoned in the field, says Nanak, and they have a hundred masters to please.
The wretches bear fruit and flower, but within their bodies, they are filled with ashes. ||3||
Pauree:
He Himself created Himself; He Himself assumed His Name.
Secondly, He fashioned the creation; seated within the creation, He beholds it with delight.
You Yourself are the Giver and the Creator; by Your Pleasure, You bestow Your Mercy.
You are the Knower of all; You give life, and take it away again with a word.
Seated within the creation, You behold it with delight. ||1||
Shalok, First Mehl:
True are Your worlds, True are Your solar Systems.
True are Your realms, True is Your creation.
True are Your actions, and all Your deliberations.
True is Your Command, and True is Your Court.
True is the Command of Your Will, True is Your Order.
True is Your Mercy, True is Your Insignia.
Hundreds of thousands and millions call You True.
In the True Lord is all power, in the True Lord is all might.
True is Your Praise, True is Your Adoration.
True is Your almighty creative power, True King.
O Nanak, true are those who meditate on the True One.
Those who are subject to birth and death are totally false. ||1||
First Mehl:
Great is His greatness, as great as His Name.
Great is His greatness, as True is His justice.
Great is His greatness, as permanent as His Throne.
Great is His greatness, as He knows our utterances.
Great is His greatness, as He understands all our affections.
Great is His greatness, as He gives without being asked.
Great is His greatness, as He Himself is all-in-all.
O Nanak, His actions cannot be described.
Whatever He has done, or will do, is all by His Own Will. ||2||
Second Mehl:
This world is the room of the True Lord; within it is the dwelling of the True Lord.
By His Command, some are merged into Him, and some, by His Command, are destroyed.
Some, by the Pleasure of His Will, are lifted up out of Maya, while others are made to dwell within it.
No one can say who will be rescued.
O Nanak, he alone is known as Gurmukh, unto whom the Lord reveals Himself. ||3||
Pauree:
O Nanak, having created the souls, the Lord installed the Righteous Judge of Dharma to read and record their accounts.
There, only the Truth is judged true; the sinners are picked out and separated.
The false find no place there, and they go to hell with their faces blackened.
Those who are imbued with Your Name win, while the cheaters lose.
The Lord installed the Righteous Judge of Dharma to read and record the accounts. ||2||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Wonderful is the sound current of the Naad, wonderful is the knowledge of the Vedas.
Wonderful are the beings, wonderful are the species.
Wonderful are the forms, wonderful are the colors.
Wonderful are the beings who wander around naked.

Wonderful is the wind, wonderful is the water.
Wonderful is fire, which works wonders.
Wonderful is the earth, wonderful the sources of creation.
Wonderful are the tastes to which mortals are attached.
Wonderful is union, and wonderful is separation.
Wonderful is hunger, wonderful is satisfaction.
Wonderful is His Praise, wonderful is His adoration.
Wonderful is the wilderness, wonderful is the path.
Wonderful is closeness, wonderful is distance.
How wonderful to behold the Lord, ever-present here.
Beholding His wonders, I am wonder-struck.
O Nanak, those who understand this are blessed with perfect destiny. ||1||
First Mehl:
By His Power we see, by His Power we hear; by His Power we have fear, and the essence of happiness.
By His Power the nether worlds exist, and the Akaashic ethers; by His Power the entire creation exists.
By His Power the Vedas and the Puraanas exist, and the Holy Scriptures of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions. By His Power all deliberations exist.
By His Power we eat, drink and dress; by His Power all love exists.
- By His Power come the species of all kinds and colors; by His Power the living beings of the world exist.
By His Power virtues exist, and by His Power vices exist. By His Power come honor and dishonor.
By His Power wind, water and fire exist; by His Power earth and dust exist.
Everything is in Your Power, Lord; You are the all-powerful Creator. Your Name is the Holiest of the Holy.
O Nanak, through the Command of His Will, He beholds and pervades the creation; He is absolutely unrivalled. ||2||
Pauree:
Enjoying his pleasures, one is reduced to a pile of ashes, and the soul passes away.
He may be great, but when he dies, the chain is thrown around his neck, and he is led away.
There, his good and bad deeds are added up; sitting there, his account is read.
He is whipped, but finds no place of rest, and no one hears his cries of pain.
The blind man has wasted his life away. ||3||
Shalok, First Mehl:
In the Fear of God, the wind and breezes ever blow.
In the Fear of God, thousands of rivers flow.
In the Fear of God, fire is forced to labor.
In the Fear of God, the earth is crushed under its burden.
In the Fear of God, the clouds move across the sky.
In the Fear of God, the Righteous Judge of Dharma stands at His Door.
In the Fear of God, the sun shines, and in the Fear of God, the moon reflects.
They travel millions of miles, endlessly.
In the Fear of God, the Siddhas exist, as do the Buddhas, the demi-gods and Yogis.
In the Fear of God, the Akaashic ethers are stretched across the sky.
In the Fear of God, the warriors and the most powerful heroes exist.
In the Fear of God, multitudes come and go.
God has inscribed the Inscription of His Fear upon the heads of all.
O Nanak, the Fearless Lord, the Formless Lord, the True Lord, is One. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, the Lord is fearless and formless; myriads of others, like Rama, are mere dust before Him.
There are so many stories of Krishna, so many who reflect over the Vedas.
So many beggars dance, spinning around to the beat.
The magicians perform their magic in the market place, creating a false illusion.
They sing as kings and queens, and speak of this and that.
They wear earrings, and necklaces worth thousands of dollars.
Those bodies on which they are worn, O Nanak, those bodies turn to ashes.

Wisdom cannot be found through mere words. To explain it is as hard as iron.
When the Lord bestows His Grace, then alone it is received; other tricks and orders are useless. ||2||
Pauree:
If the Merciful Lord shows His Mercy, then the True Guru is found.
This soul wandered through countless incarnations, until the True Guru instructed it in the Word of the Shabad.
There is no giver as great as the True Guru; hear this, all you people.
Meeting the True Guru, the True Lord is found; He removes self-conceit from within,
and instructs us in the Truth of Truths. ||4||
Shalok, First Mehl:
All the hours are the milk-maids, and the quarters of the day are the Krishnas.
The wind, water and fire are the ornaments; the sun and moon are the incarnations.
All of the earth, property, wealth and articles are all entanglements.
O Nanak, without divine knowledge, one is plundered, and devoured by the Messenger of Death. ||1||
First Mehl:
The disciples play the music, and the gurus dance.
They move their feet and roll their heads.
The dust flies and falls upon their hair.
Beholding them, the people laugh, and then go home.
They beat the drums for the sake of bread.
They throw themselves upon the ground.
They sing of the milk-maids, they sing of the Krishnas.
They sing of Sitas, and Ramas and kings.
The Lord is fearless and formless; His Name is True.
The entire universe is His Creation.
Those servants, whose destiny is awakened, serve the Lord.
The night of their lives is cool with dew; their minds are filled with love for the Lord.
Contemplating the Guru, I have been taught these teachings;
granting His Grace, He carries His servants across.
The oil-press, the spinning wheel, the grinding stones, the potter's wheel,
the numerous, countless whirlwinds in the desert,
the spinning tops, the churning sticks, the threshers,
the breathless tumblings of the birds,
and the men moving round and round on spindles
- O Nanak, the tumblers are countless and endless.
The Lord binds us in bondage - so do we spin around.
According to their actions, so do all people dance.
Those who dance and dance and laugh, shall weep on their ultimate departure.
They do not fly to the heavens, nor do they become Siddhas.
They dance and jump around on the urgings of their minds.
O Nanak, those whose minds are filled with the Fear of God, have the love of God in their minds as well. ||2||
Pauree:
Your Name is the Fearless Lord; chanting Your Name, one does not have to go to hell.
Soul and body all belong to Him; asking Him to give us sustenance is a waste.
If you yearn for goodness, then perform good deeds and feel humble.
Even if you remove the signs of old age, old age shall still come in the guise of death.
No one remains here when the count of the breaths is full. ||5||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The Muslims praise the Islamic law; they read and reflect upon it.
The Lord's bound servants are those who bind themselves to see the Lord's Vision.
The Hindus praise the Praiseworthy Lord; the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, His form is incomparable.
They bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, making offerings of flowers, and burning incense before idols.
The Yogis meditate on the absolute Lord there; they call the Creator the Unseen Lord.

But to the subtle image of the Immaculate Name, they apply the form of a body.
In the minds of the virtuous, contentment is produced, thinking about their giving.
They give and give, but ask a thousand-fold more, and hope that the world will honor them.
The thieves, adulterers, perjurers, evil-doers and sinners
- after using up what good karma they had, they depart; have they done any good deeds here at all?
There are beings and creatures in the water and on the land, in the worlds and universes, form upon form.
Whatever they say, You know; You care for them all.
O Nanak, the hunger of the devotees is to praise You; the True Name is their only support.
They live in eternal bliss, day and night; they are the dust of the feet of the virtuous. ||1||
First Mehl:
The clay of the Muslim's grave becomes clay for the potter's wheel.
Pots and bricks are fashioned from it, and it cries out as it burns.
The poor clay burns, burns and weeps, as the fiery coals fall upon it.
O Nanak, the Creator created the creation; the Creator Lord alone knows. ||2||
Pauree:
Without the True Guru, no one has obtained the Lord; without the True Guru, no one has obtained the Lord.
He has placed Himself within the True Guru; revealing Himself, He declares this openly.
Meeting the True Guru, eternal liberation is obtained; He has banished attachment from within.
This is the highest thought, that one's consciousness is attached to the True Lord.
Thus the Lord of the World, the Great Giver is obtained. ||6||
Shalok, First Mehl:
In ego they come, and in ego they go.
In ego they are born, and in ego they die.
In ego they give, and in ego they take.
In ego they earn, and in ego they lose.
In ego they become truthful or false.
In ego they reflect on virtue and sin.
In ego they go to heaven or hell.
In ego they laugh, and in ego they weep.
In ego they become dirty, and in ego they are washed clean.
In ego they lose social status and class.
In ego they are ignorant, and in ego they are wise.
They do not know the value of salvation and liberation.
In ego they love Maya, and in ego they are kept in darkness by it.
Living in ego, mortal beings are created.
When one understands ego, then the Lord's gate is known.
Without spiritual wisdom, they babble and argue.
O Nanak, by the Lord's Command, destiny is recorded.
As the Lord sees us, so are we seen. ||1||
Second Mehl:
This is the nature of ego, that people perform their actions in ego.
This is the bondage of ego, that time and time again, they are reborn.
Where does ego come from? How can it be removed?
This ego exists by the Lord's Order; people wander according to their past actions.
Ego is a chronic disease, but it contains its own cure as well.
If the Lord grants His Grace, one acts according to the Teachings of the Guru's Shabad.
Nanak says, listen, people: in this way, troubles depart. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who serve are content. They meditate on the Truest of the True.

They do not place their feet in sin, but do good deeds and live righteously in Dharma.
They burn away the bonds of the world, and eat a simple diet of grain and water.
You are the Great Forgiver; You give continually, more and more each day.
By His greatness, the Great Lord is obtained. ||7||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Men, trees, sacred shrines of pilgrimage, banks of sacred rivers, clouds, fields,
islands, continents, worlds, solar systems, and universes;
the four sources of creation - born of eggs, born of the womb, born of the earth and born of sweat;
oceans, mountains, and all beings - O Nanak, He alone knows their condition.
O Nanak, having created the living beings, He cherishes them all.
The Creator who created the creation, takes care of it as well.
He, the Creator who formed the world, cares for it.
Unto Him I bow and offer my reverence; His Royal Court is eternal.
O Nanak, without the True Name, of what use is the frontal mark of the Hindus, or their sacred thread? ||1||
First Mehl:
Hundreds of thousands of virtues and good actions, and hundreds of thousands of blessed charities,
hundreds of thousands of penances at sacred shrines, and the practice of Sehj Yoga in the wilderness,
hundreds of thousands of courageous actions and giving up the breath of life on the field of battle,
hundreds of thousands of divine understandings, hundreds of thousands of divine wisdoms and meditations and readings of the Vedas and the Puraanas
- before the Creator who created the creation, and who ordained coming and going,
O Nanak, all these things are false. True is the Insignia of His Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
You alone are the True Lord. The Truth of Truths is pervading everywhere.
He alone receives the Truth, unto whom You give it; then, he practices Truth.
Meeting the True Guru, Truth is found. In His Heart, Truth is abiding.
The fools do not know the Truth. The self-willed manmukhs waste their lives away in vain.
Why have they even come into the world? ||8||
Shalok, First Mehl:
You may read and read loads of books; you may read and study vast multitudes of books.
You may read and read boat-loads of books; you may read and read and fill pits with them.
You may read them year after year; you may read them as many months are there are.
You may read them all your life; you may read them with every breath.
O Nanak, only one thing is of any account: everything else is useless babbling and idle talk in ego. ||1||
First Mehl:
The more one write and reads,
the more one burns.
The more one wanders at sacred shrines of pilgrimage,
the more one talks uselessly.
The more one wears religious robes, the more pain he causes his body.
O my soul, you must endure the consequences of your own actions.
One who does not eat the corn, misses out on the taste.
One obtains great pain, in the love of duality.
One who does not wear any clothes,
suffers night and day.
Through silence, he is ruined.
How can the sleeping one be awakened without the Guru?
One who goes barefoot
suffers by his own actions.
One who eats filth and throws ashes on his head
- the blind fool loses his honor.
Without the Name, nothing is of any use.
One who lives in the wilderness, in cemetaries and cremation grounds
- that blind man does not know the Lord; he regrets and repents in the end.

One who meets the True Guru finds peace.
He enshrines the Name of the Lord in his mind.
O Nanak, when the Lord grants His Grace, He is obtained.
He becomes free of hope and fear, and burns away his ego with the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Pauree:
Your devotees are pleasing to Your Mind, Lord. They look beautiful at Your door, singing Your Praises.
O Nanak, those who are denied Your Grace, find no shelter at Your Door; they continue wandering.
Some do not understand their origins, and without cause, they display their self-conceit.
I am the Lord's minstrel, of low social status; others call themselves high caste.
I seek those who meditate on You. ||9||
Shalok, First Mehl:
False is the king, false are the subjects; false is the whole world.
False is the mansion, false are the skyscrapers; false are those who live in them.
False is gold, and false is silver; false are those who wear them.
False is the body, false are the clothes; false is incomparable beauty.
False is the husband, false is the wife; they mourn and waste away.
The false ones love falsehood, and forget their Creator.
With whom should I become friends, if all the world shall pass away?
False is sweetness, false is honey; through falsehood, boat-loads of men have drowned.
Nanak speaks this prayer: without You, Lord, everything is totally false. ||1||
First Mehl:
One knows the Truth only when the Truth is in his heart.
The filth of falsehood departs, and the body is washed clean.
One knows the Truth only when he bears love to the True Lord.
Hearing the Name, the mind is enraptured; then, he attains the gate of salvation.
One knows the Truth only when he knows the true way of life.
Preparing the field of the body, he plants the Seed of the Creator.
One knows the Truth only when he receives true instruction.
Showing mercy to other beings, he makes donations to charities.
One knows the Truth only when he dwells in the sacred shrine of pilgrimage of his own soul.
He sits and receives instruction from the True Guru, and lives in accordance with His Will.
Truth is the medicine for all; it removes and washes away our sins.
Nanak speaks this prayer to those who have Truth in their laps. ||2||
Pauree:
The gift I seek is the dust of the feet of the Saints; if I were to obtain it, I would apply it to my forehead.
Renounce false greed, and meditate single-mindedly on the unseen Lord.
As are the actions we commit, so are the rewards we receive.
If it is so pre-ordained, then one obtains the dust of the feet of the Saints.
But through small-mindedness, we forfeit the merits of selfless service. ||10||
Shalok, First Mehl:
There is a famine of Truth; falsehood prevails, and the blackness of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga has turned men into demons.
Those who planted their seed have departed with honor; now, how can the shattered seed sprout?
If the seed is whole, and it is the proper season, then the seed will sprout.
O Nanak, without treatment, the raw fabric cannot be dyed.
In the Fear of God it is bleached white, if the treatment of modesty is applied to the cloth of the body.
O Nanak, if one is imbued with devotional worship, his reputation is not false. ||1||
First Mehl:
Greed and sin are the king and prime minister; falsehood is the treasurer.
Sexual desire, the chief advisor, is summoned and consulted; they all sit together and contemplate their plans.

Their subjects are blind, and without wisdom, they try to please the will of the dead.
The spiritually wise dance and play their musical instruments, adorning themselves with beautiful decorations.
They shout out loud, and sing epic poems and heroic stories.
The fools call themselves spiritual scholars, and by their clever tricks, they love to gather wealth.
The righteous waste their righteousness, by asking for the door of salvation.
They call themselves celibate, and abandon their homes, but they do not know the true way of life.
Everyone calls himself perfect; none call themselves imperfect.
If the weight of honor is placed on the scale, then, O Nanak, one sees his true weight. ||2||
First Mehl:
Evil actions become publicly known; O Nanak, the True Lord sees everything.
Everyone makes the attempt, but that alone happens which the Creator Lord does.
In the world hereafter, social status and power mean nothing; hereafter, the soul is new.
Those few, whose honor is confirmed, are good. ||3||
Pauree:
Only those whose karma You have pre-ordained from the very beginning, O Lord, meditate on You.
Nothing is in the power of these beings; You created the various worlds.
Some, You unite with Yourself, and some, You lead astray.
By Guru's Grace You are known; through Him, You reveal Yourself.
We are easily absorbed in You. ||11||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Suffering is the medicine, and pleasure the disease, because where there is pleasure, there is no desire for God.
You are the Creator Lord; I can do nothing. Even if I try, nothing happens. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to Your almighty creative power which is pervading everywhere.
Your limits cannot be known. ||1||Pause||
Your Light is in Your creatures, and Your creatures are in Your Light; Your almighty power is pervading everywhere.
You are the True Lord and Master; Your Praise is so beautiful. One who sings it, is carried across.
Nanak speaks the stories of the Creator Lord; whatever He is to do, He does. ||2||
Second Mehl:
The Way of Yoga is the Way of spiritual wisdom; the Vedas are the Way of the Brahmins.
The Way of the Khshatriya is the Way of bravery; the Way of the Shudras is service to others.
The Way of all is the Way of the One; Nanak is a slave to one who knows this secret; he himself is the Immaculate Divine Lord. ||3||
Second Mehl:
The One Lord Krishna is the Divine Lord of all; He is the Divinity of the individual soul.
Nanak is a slave to anyone who understands this mystery of the all-pervading Lord; he himself is the Immaculate Divine Lord. ||4||
First Mehl:
Water remains confined within the pitcher, but without water, the pitcher could not have been formed;
just so, the mind is restrained by spiritual wisdom, but without the Guru, there is no spiritual wisdom. ||5||
Pauree:
If an educated person is a sinner, then the illiterate holy man is not to be punished.
As are the deeds done, so is the reputation one acquires.
So do not play such a game, which will bring you to ruin at the Court of the Lord.
The accounts of the educated and the illiterate shall be judged in the world hereafter.
One who stubbornly follows his own mind shall suffer in the world hereafter. ||12||

Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, the soul of the body has one chariot and one charioteer.
In age after age they change; the spiritually wise understand this.
In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, contentment was the chariot and righteousness the charioteer.
In the Silver Age of Traytaa Yuga, celibacy was the chariot and power the charioteer.
In the Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga, penance was the chariot and truth the charioteer.
In the Iron Age of Kali Yuga, fire is the chariot and falsehood the charioteer. ||1||
First Mehl:
The Sama Veda says that the Lord Master is robed in white; in the Age of Truth, everyone desired Truth, abided in Truth, and was merged in the Truth.
The Rig Veda says that God is permeating and pervading everywhere;
among the deities, the Lord's Name is the most exalted.
Chanting the Name, sins depart;
O Nanak, then, one obtains salvation.
In the Jujar Veda, Kaan Krishna of the Yaadva tribe seduced Chandraavali by force.
He brought the Elysian Tree for his milk-maid, and revelled in Brindaaban.
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Atharva Veda became prominent; Allah became the Name of God.
Men began to wear blue robes and garments; Turks and Pat'haans assumed power.
The four Vedas each claim to be true.
Reading and studying them, four doctrines are found.
With loving devotional worship, abiding in humility, O Nanak, salvation is attained. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru; meeting Him, I have come to cherish the Lord Master.
He has taught me and given me the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom, and with these eyes, I behold the world.
Those dealers who abandon their Lord and Master and attach themselves to another, are drowned.
The True Guru is the boat, but few are those who realize this.
Granting His Grace, He carries them across. ||13||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The simmal tree is straight as an arrow; it is very tall, and very thick.
But those birds which visit it hopefully, depart disappointed.
Its fruits are tasteless, its flowers are nauseating, and its leaves are useless.
Sweetness and humility, O Nanak, are the essence of virtue and goodness.
Everyone bows down to himself; no one bows down to another.
When something is placed on the balancing scale and weighed, the side which descends is heavier.
The sinner, like the deer hunter, bows down twice as much.
But what can be achieved by bowing the head, when the heart is impure? ||1||
First Mehl:
You read your books and say your prayers, and then engage in debate;
you worship stones and sit like a stork, pretending to be in Samaadhi.
With your mouth you utter falsehood, and you adorn yourself with precious decorations;
you recite the three lines of the Gayatri three times a day.
Around your neck is a rosary, and on your forehead is a sacred mark;
upon your head is a turban, and you wear two loin cloths.
If you knew the nature of God,
you would know that all of these beliefs and rituals are in vain.
Says Nanak, meditate with deep faith;
without the True Guru, no one finds the Way. ||2||
Pauree:
Abandoning the world of beauty, and beautiful clothes, one must depart.
He obtains the rewards of his good and bad deeds.
He may issue whatever commands he wishes, but he shall have to take to the narrow path hereafter.

He goes to hell naked, and he looks hideous then.
He regrets the sins he committed. ||14||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Make compassion the cotton, contentment the thread, modesty the knot and truth the twist.
This is the sacred thread of the soul; if you have it, then go ahead and put it on me.
It does not break, it cannot be soiled by filth, it cannot be burnt, or lost.
Blessed are those mortal beings, O Nanak, who wear such a thread around their necks.
You buy the thread for a few shells, and seated in your enclosure, you put it on.
Whispering instructions into others' ears, the Brahmin becomes a guru.
But he dies, and the sacred thread falls away, and the soul departs without it. ||1||
First Mehl:
He commits thousands of robberies, thousands of acts of adultery, thousands of falsehoods and thousands of abuses.
He practices thousands of deceptions and secret deeds, night and day, against his fellow beings.
The thread is spun from cotton, and the Brahmin comes and twists it.
The goat is killed, cooked and eaten, and everyone then says, "Put on the sacred thread."
When it wears out, it is thrown away, and another one is put on.
O Nanak, the thread would not break, if it had any real strength. ||2||
First Mehl:
Believing in the Name, honor is obtained. The Lord's Praise is the true sacred thread.
Such a sacred thread is worn in the Court of the Lord; it shall never break. ||3||
First Mehl:
There is no sacred thread for the sexual organ, and no thread for woman.
The man's beard is spat upon daily.
There is no sacred thread for the feet, and no thread for the hands;
no thread for the tongue, and no thread for the eyes.
The Brahmin himself goes to the world hereafter without a sacred thread.
Twisting the threads, he puts them on others.
He takes payment for performing marriages;
reading their horoscopes, he shows them the way.
Hear, and see, O people, this wondrous thing.
He is mentally blind, and yet his name is wisdom. ||4||
Pauree:
One, upon whom the Merciful Lord bestows His Grace, performs His service.
That servant, whom the Lord causes to obey the Order of His Will, serves Him.
Obeying the Order of His Will, he becomes acceptable, and then, he obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
One who acts to please His Lord and Master, obtains the fruits of his mind's desires.
Then, he goes to the Court of the Lord, wearing robes of honor. ||15||
Shalok, First Mehl:
They tax the cows and the Brahmins, but the cow-dung they apply to their kitchen will not save them.
They wear their loin cloths, apply ritual frontal marks to their foreheads, and carry their rosaries, but they eat food with the Muslims.
O Siblings of Destiny, you perform devotional worship indoors, but read the Islamic sacred texts, and adopt the Muslim way of life.
Renounce your hypocrisy!
Taking the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you shall swim across. ||1||
First Mehl:
The man-eaters say their prayers.
Those who wield the knife wear the sacred thread around their necks.
In their homes, the Brahmins sound the conch.
They too have the same taste.
False is their capital, and false is their trade.
Speaking falsehood, they take their food.
The home of modesty and Dharma is far from them.
O Nanak, they are totally permeated with falsehood.
The sacred marks are on their foreheads, and the saffron loin-cloths are around their waists;
in their hands they hold the knives - they are the butchers of the world!

Wearing blue robes, they seek the approval of the Muslim rulers.
Accepting bread from the Muslim rulers, they still worship the Puraanas.
They eat the meat of the goats, killed after the Muslim prayers are read over them,
but they do not allow anyone else to enter their kitchen areas.
They draw lines around them, plastering the ground with cow-dung.
The false come and sit within them.
They cry out, "Do not touch our food, or it will be polluted!"
But with their polluted bodies, they commit evil deeds.
With filthy minds, they try to cleanse their mouths.
Says Nanak, meditate on the True Lord.
If you are pure, you will obtain the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
All are within Your mind; You see and move them under Your Glance of Grace, O Lord.
You Yourself grant them glory, and You Yourself cause them to act.
The Lord is the greatest of the great; great is His world. He enjoins all to their tasks.
If he should cast an angry glance, He can transform kings into blades of grass.
Even though they may beg from door to door, no one will give them charity. ||16||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The thief robs a house, and offers the stolen goods to his ancestors.
In the world hereafter, this is recognized, and his ancestors are considered thieves as well.
The hands of the go-between are cut off; this is the Lord's justice.
O Nanak, in the world hereafter, that alone is received, which one gives to the needy from his own earnings and labor. ||1||
First Mehl:
As a woman has her periods, month after month,
so does falsehood dwell in the mouth of the false; they suffer forever, again and again.
They are not called pure, who sit down after merely washing their bodies.
Only they are pure, O Nanak, within whose minds the Lord abides. ||2||
Pauree:
With saddled horses, as fast as the wind, and harems decorated in every way;
in houses and pavilions and lofty mansions, they dwell, making ostentatious shows.
They act out their minds' desires, but they do not understand the Lord, and so they are ruined.
Asserting their authority, they eat, and beholding their mansions, they forget about death.
But old age comes, and youth is lost. ||17||
Shalok, First Mehl:
If one accepts the concept of impurity, then there is impurity everywhere.
In cow-dung and wood there are worms.
As many as are the grains of corn, none is without life.
First, there is life in the water, by which everything else is made green.
How can it be protected from impurity? It touches our own kitchen.
O Nanak, impurity cannot be removed in this way; it is washed away only by spiritual wisdom. ||1||
First Mehl:
The impurity of the mind is greed, and the impurity of the tongue is falsehood.
The impurity of the eyes is to gaze upon the beauty of another man's wife, and his wealth.
The impurity of the ears is to listen to the slander of others.
O Nanak, the mortal's soul goes, bound and gagged to the city of Death. ||2||
First Mehl:
All impurity comes from doubt and attachment to duality.
Birth and death are subject to the Command of the Lord's Will; through His Will we come and go.
Eating and drinking are pure, since the Lord gives nourishment to all.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs, who understand the Lord, are not stained by impurity. ||3||

Pauree:
Praise the Great True Guru; within Him is the greatest greatness.
When the Lord causes us to meet the Guru, then we come to see them.
When it pleases Him, they come to dwell in our minds.
By His Command, when He places His hand on our foreheads, wickedness departs from within.
When the Lord is thoroughly pleased, the nine treasures are obtained. ||18||
Shalok, First Mehl:
First, purifying himself, the Brahmin comes and sits in his purified enclosure.
The pure foods, which no one else has touched, are placed before him.
Being purified, he takes his food, and begins to read his sacred verses.
But it is then thrown into a filthy place - whose fault is this?
The corn is sacred, the water is sacred; the fire and salt are sacred as well; when the fifth thing, the ghee, is added,
then the food becomes pure and sanctified.
Coming into contact with the sinful human body, the food becomes so impure that is is spat upon.
That mouth which does not chant the Naam, and without the Name eats tasty foods
- O Nanak, know this: such a mouth is to be spat upon. ||1||
First Mehl:
From woman, man is born; within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.
Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.
So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.
From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.
O Nanak, only the True Lord is without a woman.
That mouth which praises the Lord continually is blessed and beautiful.
O Nanak, those faces shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
All call You their own, Lord; one who does not own You, is picked up and thrown away.
Everyone receives the rewards of his own actions; his account is adjusted accordingly.
Since one is not destined to remain in this world anyway, why should he ruin himself in pride?
Do not call anyone bad; read these words, and understand.
Don't argue with fools. ||19||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, speaking insipid words, the body and mind become insipid.
He is called the most insipid of the insipid; the most insipid of the insipid is his reputation.
The insipid person is discarded in the Court of the Lord, and the insipid one's face is spat upon.
The insipid one is called a fool; he is beaten with shoes in punishment. ||1||
First Mehl:
Those who are false within, and honorable on the outside, are very common in this world.
Even though they may bathe at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, still, their filth does not depart.
Those who have silk on the inside and rags on the outside, are the good ones in this world.
They embrace love for the Lord, and contemplate beholding Him.
In the Lord's Love, they laugh, and in the Lord's Love, they weep, and also keep silent.
They do not care for anything else, except their True Husband Lord.
Sitting, waiting at the Lord's Door, they beg for food, and when He gives to them, they eat.
There is only One Court of the Lord, and He has only one pen; there, you and I shall meet.
In the Court of the Lord, the accounts are examined; O Nanak, the sinners are crushed, like oil seeds in the press. ||2||

Pauree:
You Yourself created the creation; You Yourself infused Your power into it.
You behold Your creation, like the losing and winning dice of the earth.
Whoever has come, shall depart; all shall have their turn.
He who owns our soul, and our very breath of life - why should we forget that Lord and Master from our minds?
With our own hands, let us resolve our own affairs. ||20||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
What sort of love is this, which clings to duality?
O Nanak, he alone is called a lover, who remains forever immersed in absorption.
But one who feels good only when good is done for him, and feels bad when things go badly
- do not call him a lover. He trades only for his own account. ||1||
Second Mehl:
One who offers both respectful greetings and rude refusal to his master, has gone wrong from the very beginning.
O Nanak, both of his actions are false; he obtains no place in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Serving Him, peace is obtained; meditate and dwell upon that Lord and Master forever.
Why do you do such evil deeds, that you shall have to suffer so?
Do not do any evil at all; look ahead to the future with foresight.
So throw the dice in such a way, that you shall not lose with your Lord and Master.
Do those deeds which shall bring you profit. ||21||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
If a servant performs service, while being vain and argumentative,
he may talk as much as he wants, but he shall not be pleasing to his Master.
But if he eliminates his self-conceit and then performs service, he shall be honored.
O Nanak, if he merges with the one with whom he is attached, his attachment becomes acceptable. ||1||
Second Mehl:
Whatever is in the mind, comes forth; spoken words by themselves are just wind.
He sows seeds of poison, and demands Ambrosial Nectar. Behold - what justice is this? ||2||
Second Mehl:
Friendship with a fool never works out right.
As he knows, he acts; behold, and see that it is so.
One thing can be absorbed into another thing, but duality keeps them apart.
No one can issue commands to the Lord Master; offer instead humble prayers.
Practicing falsehood, only falsehood is obtained. O Nanak, through the Lord's Praise, one blossoms forth. ||3||
Second Mehl:
Friendship with a fool, and love with a pompous person,
are like lines drawn in water, leaving no trace or mark. ||4||
Second Mehl:
If a fool does a job, he cannot do it right.
Even if he does something right, he does the next thing wrong. ||5||
Pauree:
If a servant, performing service, obeys the Will of his Master,
his honor increases, and he receives double his wages.
But if he claims to be equal to his Master, he earns his Master's displeasure.
He loses his entire salary, and is also beaten on his face with shoes.
Let us all celebrate Him, from whom we receive our nourishment.
O Nanak, no one can issue commands to the Lord Master; let us offer prayers instead. ||22||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
What sort of gift is this, which we receive only by our own asking?

O Nanak, that is the most wonderful gift, which is received from the Lord, when He is totally pleased. ||1||
Second Mehl:
What sort of service is this, by which the fear of the Lord Master does not depart?
O Nanak, he alone is called a servant, who merges with the Lord Master. ||2||
Pauree:
O Nanak, the Lord's limits cannot be known; He has no end or limitation.
He Himself creates, and then He Himself destroys.
Some have chains around their necks, while some ride on many horses.
He Himself acts, and He Himself causes us to act. Unto whom should I complain?
O Nanak, the One who created the creation - He Himself takes care of it. ||23||
Shalok, First Mehl:
He Himself fashioned the vessel of the body, and He Himself fills it.
Into some, milk is poured, while others remain on the fire.
Some lie down and sleep on soft beds, while others remain watchful.
He adorns those, O Nanak, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Second Mehl:
He Himself creates and fashions the world, and He Himself keeps it in order.
Having created the beings within it, He oversees their birth and death.
Unto whom should we speak, O Nanak, when He Himself is all-in-all? ||2||
Pauree:
The description of the greatness of the Great Lord cannot be described.
He is the Creator, all-lowerful and benevolent; He gives sustenance to all beings.
The mortal does that work, which has been pre-destined from the very beginning.
O Nanak, except for the One Lord, there is no other place at all.
He does whatever He wills. ||24||1||
Sudh||One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Aasaa, The Word Of The Devotees:
Kabeer, Naam Dayv And Ravi Daas.
Aasaa, Kabeer Jee:
Falling at the Feet of the Guru, I pray, and ask Him, "Why was man created?
What deeds cause the world to come into being, and be destroyed? Tell me, that I may understand."||1||
O Divine Guru, please, show Mercy to me, and place me on the right path, by which the bonds of fear may be cut away.
The pains of birth and death come from past actions and karma; peace comes when the soul finds release from reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
The mortal does not break free from the bonds of the noose of Maya, and he does not seek the shelter of the profound, absolute Lord.
He does not realize the dignity of the self, and Nirvaanaa; because of this, his doubt does not depart. ||2||
The soul is not born, even though he thinks it is born; it is free from birth and death.
When the mortal gives up his ideas of birth and death, he remains constantly absorbed in the Lord's Love. ||3||
As the reflection of an object blends in the water when the pitcher is broken,
says Kabeer, just so virtue dispels doubt, and then the soul is absorbed in the profound, absolute Lord. ||4||1||

Aasaa:
They wear loin cloths, three and a half yards long, and triple-wound sacred threads.
They have rosaries around their necks, and they carry glittering jugs in their hands.
They are not called Saints of the Lord - they are thugs of Benares. ||1||
Such 'saints' are not pleasing to me;
they eat the trees along with the branches. ||1||Pause||
They wash their pots and pans before putting them on the stove, and they wash the wood before lighting it.
They dig up the earth and make two fireplaces, but they eat the whole person! ||2||
Those sinners continually wander in evil deeds, while they call themselves touch-nothing saints.
They wander around forever and ever in their self-conceit, and all their families are drowned. ||3||
He is attached to that, to which the Lord has attached him, and he acts accordingly.
Says Kabeer, one who meets the True Guru, is not reincarnated again. ||4||2||
Aasaa:
My Father has comforted me. He has given me a cozy bed, and placed His Ambrosial Nectar in my mouth.
How could I forget that Father from my mind?
When I go to the world hereafter, I shall not lose the game. ||1||
Maya is dead, O mother, and I am very happy.
I do not wear the patched coat, nor do I feel the chill. ||1||Pause||
I am a sacrifice to my Father, who gave me life.
He put an end to my association with the five deadly sins.
I have conquered those five demons, and trampled them underfoot.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, my mind and body are drenched with His Love. ||2||
My Father is the Great Lord of the Universe.
How shall I go to that Father?
When I met the True Guru, He showed me the Way.
The Father of the Universe is pleasing to my mind. ||3||
I am Your son, and You are my Father.
We both dwell in the same place.
Says Kabeer, the Lord's humble servant knows only the One.
By Guru's Grace, I have come to know everything. ||4||3||
Aasaa:
In one pot, they put a boiled chicken, and in the other pot, they put wine.
The five Yogis of the Tantric ritual sit there, and in their midst sits the noseless one, the shameless queen. ||1||
The bell of the shameless queen, Maya, rings in both worlds.
Some rare person of discriminating wisdom has cut off your nose. ||1||Pause||
Within all dwells the noseless Maya, who kills all, and destroys them.
She says, "I am the sister, and the daughter of the sister of everyone; I am the hand-maiden of one who marries me."||2||
My Husband is the Great One of discriminating wisdom; He alone is called a Saint.
He stands by me, and no one else comes near me. ||3||
I have cut off her nose, and cut off her ears, and cutting her into bits, I have expelled her.
Says Kabeer, she is the darling of the three worlds, but the enemy of the Saints. ||4||4||
Aasaa:
The Yogis, celibates, penitents and Sannyaasees make pilgrimages to all the sacred places.
The Jains with shaven heads, the silent ones, the beggars with matted hair - in the end, they all shall die. ||1||
Meditate, therefore, on the Lord.
What can the Messenger of Death do to one whose tongue loves the Name of the Lord? ||1||Pause||
Those who know the Shaastras and the Vedas, astrology and the rules of grammar of many languages;

those who know Tantras and mantras and all medicines - even they shall die in the end. ||2||
Those who enjoy regal power and rule, royal canopies and thrones, many beautiful women,
betel nuts, camphor and fragrant sandalwood oil - in the end, they too shall die. ||3||
I have searched all the Vedas, Puraanas and Simritees, but none of these can save anyone.
Says Kabeer, meditate on the Lord, and eliminate birth and death. ||4||5||
Aasaa:
The elephant is the guitar player, the ox is the drummer, and the crow plays the cymbals.
Putting on the skirt, the donkey dances around, and the water buffalo performs devotional worship. ||1||
The Lord, the King, has cooked the cakes of ice,
but only the rare man of understanding eats them. ||1||Pause||
Sitting in his den, the lion prepares the betel leaves, and the muskrat brings the betel nuts.
Going from house to house, the mouse sings the songs of joy, and the turtle blows on the conch-shell. ||2||
The son of the sterile woman goes to get married, and the golden canopy is spread out for him.
He marries a beautiful and enticing young woman; the rabbit and the lion sing their praises. ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints - the ant has eaten the mountain.
The turtle says, "I need a burning coal, also." Listen to this mystery of the Shabad. ||4||6||
Aasaa:
The body is a bag with seventy-two chambers, and one opening, the Tenth Gate.
He alone is a real Yogi on this earth, who asks for the primal world of the nine regions. ||1||
Such a Yogi obtains the nine treasures.
He lifts his soul up from below, to the skies of the Tenth Gate. ||1||Pause||
He makes spiritual wisdom his patched coat, and meditation his needle. He twists the thread of the Word of the Shabad.
Making the five elements his deer skin to sit on, he walks on the Guru's Path. ||2||
He makes compassion his shovel, his body the firewood, and he kindles the fire of divine vision.
He places love within his heart, and he remains in deep meditation throughout the four ages. ||3||
All Yoga is in the Name of the Lord; the body and the breath of life belong to Him.
Says Kabeer, if God grants His Grace, He bestows the insignia of Truth. ||4||7||
Aasaa:
Where have the Hindus and Muslims come from? Who put them on their different paths?
Think of this, and contemplate it within your mind, O men of evil intentions. Who will go to heaven and hell? ||1||
O Qazi, which book have you read?
Such scholars and students have all died, and none of them have discovered the inner meaning. ||1||Pause||
Because of the love of woman, circumcision is done; I don't believe in it, O Siblings of Destiny.
If God wished me to be a Muslim, it would be cut off by itself. ||2||
If circumcision makes one a Muslim, then what about a woman?
She is the other half of a man's body, and she does not leave him, so he remains a Hindu. ||3||
Give up your holy books, and remember the Lord, you fool, and stop oppressing others so badly.
Kabeer has grasped hold of the Lord's Support, and the Muslims have utterly failed. ||4||8||
Aasaa:
As long as the oil and the wick are in the lamp, everything is illuminated.

But when the oil is burnt, the wick goes out, and the mansion becomes desolate. ||1||
O mad-man, no one will keep you, for even a moment.
Meditate on the Name of that Lord. ||1||Pause||
Tell me, whose mother is that, whose father is that, and which man has a wife?
When the pitcher of the body breaks, no one cares for you at all. Everyone says, "Take him away, take him away!"||2||
Sitting on the threshold, his mother cries, and his brothers take away the coffin.
Taking down her hair, his wife cries out in sorrow, and the swan-soul departs all alone. ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints, about the terrifying world-ocean.
This human suffers torture and the Messenger of Death will not leave him alone, O Lord of the World. ||4||9||
Du-Tukas
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa Of Kabeer Jee, Chau-Padas, Ik-Tukas:
Sanak and Sanand, the sons of Brahma, could not find the Lord's limits.
Brahma wasted his life away, continually reading the Vedas. ||1||
Churn the churn of the Lord, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Churn it steadily, so that the essence, the butter, may not be lost. ||1||Pause||
Make your body the churning jar, and use the stick of your mind to churn it.
Gather the curds of the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
The churning of the Lord is to reflect upon Him within your mind.
By Guru's Grace, the Ambrosial Nectar flows into us. ||3||
Says Kabeer, if the Lord, our King casts His Glance of Grace,
one is carried across to the other side, holding fast to the Lord's Name. ||4||1||10||
Aasaa:
The wick has dried up, and the oil is exhausted.
The drum does not sound, and the actor has gone to sleep. ||1||
The fire has gone out, and no smoke is produced.
The One Lord is pervading and permeating everywhere; there is no other second. ||1||Pause||
The string has broken, and the guitar makes no sound.
He mistakenly ruins his own affairs. ||2||
When one comes to understand, he forgets his preaching, ranting and raving, and arguing. ||3||
Says Kabeer, the state of supreme dignity is never far from those who conquer the five demons of the body passions. ||4||2||11||
Aasaa:
As many mistakes as the son commits,
his mother does not hold them against him in her mind. ||1||
O Lord, I am Your child.
Why not destroy my sins? ||1||Pause||
If the son, in anger, runs away,
even then, his mother does not hold it against him in her mind. ||2||
My mind has fallen into the whirlpool of anxiety.
Without the Naam, how can I cross over to the other side? ||3||
Please, bless my body with pure and lasting understanding, Lord;
in peace and poise, Kabeer chants the Praises of the Lord. ||4||3||12||
Aasaa:
My pilgrimage to Mecca is on the banks of the Gomati River;
the spiritual teacher in his yellow robes dwells there. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! Hail! Hail! How wondrously he sings.
The Name of the Lord is pleasing to my mind. ||1||Pause||

Naarada the sage, and Shaarada the goddess of knowledge, serve the Lord.
The goddess Lakhshmi sits by Him as His slave. ||2||
The mala is around my neck, and the Lord's Name is upon my tongue.
I repeat the Naam, the Name of the Lord, a thousand times, and bow in reverence to Him. ||3||
Says Kabeer, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord;
I teach both Hindus and Muslims. ||4||4||13||
Aasaa, Kabeer Jee, 9 Panch-Padas, 5 Du-Tukas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You tear off the leaves, O gardener, but in each and every leaf, there is life.
That stone idol, for which you tear off those leaves - that stone idol is lifeless. ||1||
In this, you are mistaken, O gardener.
The True Guru is the Living Lord. ||1||Pause||
Brahma is in the leaves, Vishnu is in the branches, and Shiva is in the flowers.
When you break these three gods, whose service are you performing? ||2||
The sculptor carves the stone and fashions it into an idol, placing his feet upon its chest.
If this stone god was true, it would devour the sculptor for this! ||3||
Rice and beans, candies, cakes and cookies
- the priest enjoys these, while he puts ashes into the mouth of the idol. ||4||
The gardener is mistaken, and the world is mistaken, but I am not mistaken.
Says Kabeer, the Lord preserves me; the Lord, my King, has showered His Blessings upon me. ||5||1||14||
Aasaa:
Twelve years pass in childhood, and for another twenty years, he does not practice self-discipline and austerity.
For another thirty years, he does not worship God in any way, and then, when he is old, he repents and regrets. ||1||
His life wastes away as he cries out, "Mine, mine!"
The pool of his power has dried up. ||1||Pause||
He makes a dam around the dried-up pool, and with his hands, he makes a fence around the harvested field.
When the thief of Death comes, he quickly carries away what the fool had tried to preserve as his own. ||2||
His feet and head and hands begin to tremble, and the tears flow copiously from his eyes.
His tongue has not spoken the correct words, but now, he hopes to practice religion! ||3||
If the Dear Lord shows His Mercy, one enshrines love for Him, and obtains the Profit of the Lord's Name.
By Guru's Grace, he receives the wealth of the Lord's Name, which alone shall go with him, when he departs in the end. ||4||
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints - he shall not take any other wealth with him.
When the summons comes from the King, the Lord of the Universe, the mortal departs, leaving behind his wealth and mansions. ||5||2||15||
Aasaa:
To some, the Lord has given silks and satins, and to some, beds decorated with cotton ribbons.
Some do not even have a poor patched coat, and some live in thatched huts. ||1||
Do not indulge in envy and bickering, O my mind.
By continually doing good deeds, these are obtained, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
The potter works the same clay, and colors the pots in different ways.
Into some, he sets pearls, while to others, he attaches filth. ||2||
God gave wealth to the miser for him to preserve, but the fool calls it his own.

When the Messenger of Death strikes him with his club, in an instant, everything is settled. ||3||
The Lord's humble servant is called the most exalted Saint; he obeys the Command of the Lord's Order, and obtains peace.
Whatever is pleasing to the Lord, he accepts as True; he enshrines the Lord's Will within his mind. ||4||
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints - it is false to call out, "Mine, mine."
Breaking the bird cage, death takes the bird away, and only the torn threads remain. ||5||3||16||
Aasaa:
I am Your humble servant, Lord; Your Praises are pleasing to my mind.
The Lord, the Primal Being, the Master of the poor, does not ordain that they should be oppressed. ||1||
O Qazi, it is not right to speak before Him. ||1||Pause||
Keeping your fasts, reciting your prayers, and reading the Kalma, the Islamic creed, shall not take you to paradise.
The Temple of Mecca is hidden within your mind, if you only knew it. ||2||
That should be your prayer, to administer justice. Let your Kalma be the knowledge of the unknowable Lord.
Spread your prayer mat by conquering your five desires, and you shall recognize the true religion. ||3||
Recognize Your Lord and Master, and fear Him within your heart; conquer your egotism, and make it worthless.
As you see yourself, see others as well; only then will you become a partner in heaven. ||4||
The clay is one, but it has taken many forms; I recognize the One Lord within them all.
Says Kabeer, I have abandoned paradise, and reconciled my mind to hell. ||5||4||17||
Aasaa:
From the city of the Tenth Gate, the sky of the mind, not even a drop rains down. Where is the music of the sound current of the Naad, which was contained in it?
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, the Master of wealth has taken away the Supreme Soul. ||1||
O Father, tell me: where has it gone? It used to dwell within the body,
and dance in the mind, teaching and speaking. ||1||Pause||
Where has the player gone - he who made this temple his own?
No story, word or understanding is produced; the Lord has drained off all the power. ||2||
The ears, your companions, have gone deaf, and the power of your organs is exhausted.
Your feet have failed, your hands have gone limp, and no words issue forth from your mouth. ||3||
Having grown weary, the five enemies and all the thieves have wandered away according to their own will.
The elephant of the mind has grown weary, and the heart has grown weary as well; through its power, it used to pull the strings. ||4||
He is dead, and the bonds of the ten gates are opened; he has left all his friends and brothers.
Says Kabeer, one who meditates on the Lord, breaks his bonds, even while yet alive. ||5||5||18||
Aasaa, 4 Ik-Tukas:
No one is more powerful than the she-serpent Maya,
who deceived even Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. ||1||
Having bitten and struck them down, she now sits in the immaculate waters.
By Guru's Grace, I have seen her, who has bitten the three worlds. ||1||Pause||
O Siblings of Destiny, why is she called a she-serpent?
One who realizes the True Lord, devours the she-serpent. ||2||
No one else is more frivolous than this she-serpent.
When the she-serpent is overcome, what can the Messengers of the King of Death do? ||3||

This she-serpent is created by Him.
What power or weakness does she have by herself? ||4||
If she abides with the mortal, then his soul abides in his body.
By Guru's Grace, Kabeer has easily crossed over. ||5||6||19||
Aasaa:
Why bother to read the Simritees to a dog?
Why bother to sing the Lord's Praises to the faithless cynic? ||1||
Remain absorbed in the Lord's Name, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Do not bother to speak of it to the faithless cynic, even by mistake. ||1||Pause||
Why offer camphor to a crow?
Why give the snake milk to drink? ||2||
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, discriminating understanding is attained.
That iron which touches the Philosopher's Stone becomes gold. ||3||
The dog, the faithless cynic, does everything as the Lord causes him to do.
He does the deeds pre-ordained from the very beginning. ||4||
If you take Ambrosial Nectar and irrigate the neem tree with it,
still, says Kabeer, its natural qualities are not changed. ||5||7||20||
Aasaa:
A fortress like that of Sri Lanka, with the ocean as a moat around it
- there is no news about that house of Raavan. ||1||
What shall I ask for? Nothing is permanent.
I see with my eyes that the world is passing away. ||1||Pause||
Thousands of sons and thousands of grandsons
- but in that house of Raavan, the lamps and wicks have gone out. ||2||
The moon and the sun cooked his food.
The fire washed his clothes. ||3||
Under Guru's Instructions, one whose mind is filled with the Lord's Name,
becomes permanent, and does not go anywhere. ||4||
Says Kabeer, listen, people:
without the Lord's Name, no one is liberated. ||5||8||21||
Aasaa:
First, the son was born, and then, his mother.
The guru falls at the feet of the disciple. ||1||
Listen to this wonderful thing, O Siblings of Destiny!
I saw the lion herding the cows. ||1||Pause||
The fish of the water gives birth upon a tree.
I saw a cat carrying away a dog. ||2||
The branches are below, and the roots are above.
The trunk of that tree bears fruits and flowers. ||3||
Riding a horse, the buffalo takes him out to graze.
The bull is away, while his load has come home. ||4||
Says Kabeer, one who understands this hymn,
and chants the Lord's Name, comes to understand everything. ||5||9||22||
22 Chau-Padas And Panch-Padas, Aasaa Of Kabeer Jee, 8 Tri-Padas, 7 Du-Tukas, 1 Ik-Tuka:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord created the body from sperm, and protected it in the fire pit.
For ten months He preserved you in your mother's womb, and then, after you were born, you became attached to Maya. ||1||
O mortal, why have you attached yourself to greed, and lost the jewel of life?
You did not plant the seeds of good actions in the earth of your past lives. ||1||Pause||
From an infant, you have grown old. That which was to happen, has happened.
When the Messenger of Death comes and grabs you by your hair, why do you cry out then? ||2||

You hope for long life, while Death counts your breaths.
The world is a game, O Kabeer, so throw the dice consciously. ||3||1||23||
Aasaa:
I make my body the dying vat, and within it, I dye my mind. I make the five elements my marriage guests.
I take my marriage vows with the Lord, my King; my soul is imbued with His Love. ||1||
Sing, sing, O brides of the Lord, the marriage songs of the Lord.
The Lord, my King, has come to my house as my Husband. ||1||Pause||
Within the lotus of my heart, I have made my bridal pavilion, and I have spoken the wisdom of God.
I have obtained the Lord King as my Husband - such is my great good fortune. ||2||
The angles, holy men, silent sages, and the 330,000,000 deities have come in their heavenly chariots to see this spectacle.
Says Kabeer, I have been taken in marriage by the One Supreme Being, the Lord God. ||3||2||24||
Aasaa:
I am bothered by my mother-in-law, Maya, and loved by my father-in-law, the Lord. I fear even the name of my husband's elder brother, Death.
O my mates and companions, my husband's sister, misunderstanding has seized me, and I am burning with the pain of separation from my husband's younger brother, divine knowledge. ||1||
My mind has gone insane, since I forgot the Lord. How can I lead a virtuous lifestyle?
He rests in the bed of my mind, but I cannot see Him with my eyes. Unto whom should I tell my sufferings? ||1||Pause||
My step-father, egotism, fights with me, and my mother, desire, is always intoxicated.
When I stayed with my elder brother, meditation, then I was loved by my Husband Lord. ||2||
Says Kabeer, the five passions argue with me, and in these arguments, my life is wasting away.
The false Maya has bound the whole world, but I have obtained peace, chanting the Name of the Lord. ||3||3||25||
Aasaa:
In my house, I constantly weave the thread, while you wear the thread around your neck, O Brahmin.
You read the Vedas and sacred hymns, while I have enshrined the Lord of the Universe in my heart. ||1||
Upon my tongue, within my eyes, and within my heart, abides the Lord, the Lord of the Universe.
When you are interrogated at Death's door, O mad-man, what will you say then? ||1||Pause||
I am a cow, and You are the herdsman, the Sustainer of the World. You are my Saving Grace, lifetime after lifetime.
You have never taken me across to graze there - what sort of a herdsman are You? ||2||
You are a Brahmin, and I am a weaver of Benares; can You understand my wisdom?
You beg from emperors and kings, while I meditate on the Lord. ||3||4||26||
Aasaa:
The life of the world is only a dream; life is just a dream.
Believing it to be true, I grasped at it, and abandoned the supreme treasure. ||1||
O Father, I have enshrined love and affection for Maya,
which has taken the jewel of spiritual wisdom away from me. ||1||Pause||
The moth sees with its eyes, but it still becomes entangled; the insect does not see the fire.
Attached to gold and woman, the fool does not think of the noose of Death. ||2||
Reflect upon this, and abandon sin; the Lord is a boat to carry you across.
Says Kabeer, such is the Lord, the Life of the World; there is no one equal to Him. ||3||5||27||
Aasaa:

In the past, I have taken many forms, but I shall not take form again.
The strings and wires of the musical instrument are worn out, and I am in the power of the Lord's Name. ||1||
Now, I no longer dance to the tune.
My mind no longer beats the drum. ||1||Pause||
I have burnt away sexual desire, anger and attachment to Maya, and the pitcher of my desires has burst.
The gown of sensuous pleasures is worn out, and all my doubts have been dispelled. ||2||
I look upon all beings alike, and my conflict and strife are ended.
Says Kabeer, when the Lord showed His Favor, I obtained Him, the Perfect One. ||3||6||28||
Aasaa:
You keep your fasts to please Allah, while you murder other beings for pleasure.
You look after your own interests, and so not see the interests of others. What good is your word? ||1||
O Qazi, the One Lord is within you, but you do not behold Him by thought or contemplation.
You do not care for others, you are a religious fanatic, and your life is of no account at all. ||1||Pause||
Your holy scriptures say that Allah is True, and that he is neither male nor female.
But you gain nothing by reading and studying, O mad-man, if you do not gain the understanding in your heart. ||2||
Allah is hidden in every heart; reflect upon this in your mind.
The One Lord is within both Hindu and Muslim; Kabeer proclaims this out loud. ||3||7||29||
Aasaa, Ti-Pada, Ik-Tuka:
I have decorated myself to meet my Husband Lord.
But the Lord, the Life of the Word, the Sustainer of the Universe, has not come to meet me. ||1||
The Lord is my Husband, and I am the Lord's bride.
The Lord is so great, and I am infinitesimally small. ||1||Pause||
The bride and the Groom dwell together.
They lie upon the one bed, but their union is difficult. ||2||
Blessed is the soul-bride, who is pleasing to her Husband Lord.
Says Kabeer, she shall not have to be reincarnated again. ||3||8||30||
Aasaa Of Kabeer Jee, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When the Diamond of the Lord pierces the diamond of my mind, the fickle mind waving in the wind is easily absorbed into Him.
This Diamond fills all with Divine Light; through the True Guru's Teachings, I have found Him. ||1||
The sermon of the Lord is the unstruck, endless song.
Becoming a swan, one recognizes the Diamond of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, I have seen such a Diamond, permeating and pervading the world.
The hidden diamond became visible, when the Guru revealed it to me. ||2||1||31||
Aasaa:
My first wife, ignorance, was ugly, of low social status and bad character; she was evil in my home, and in her parents' home.
My present bride, divine understanding, is beautiful, wise and well-behaved; I have taken her to my heart. ||1||
It has turned out so well, that my first wife has died.
May she, whom I have now married, live throughout the ages. ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, when the younger bride came, the elder one lost her husband.
The younger bride is with me now, and the elder one has taken another husband. ||2||2||32||

Aasaa:
My daughter-in-law was first called Dhannia, the woman of wealth,
but now she is called Raam-jannia, the servant of the Lord. ||1||
These shaven-headed saints have ruined my house.
They have caused my son to start chanting the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, listen, O mother:
these shaven-headed saints have done away with my low social status. ||2||3||33||
Aasaa:
Stay, stay, O daughter-in-law - do not cover your face with a veil.
In the end, this shall not bring you even half a shell. ||1||Pause||
The one before you used to veil her face;
do not follow in her footsteps. ||1||
The only merit in veiling your face is
that for a few days, people will say, "What a noble bride has come". ||2||
Your veil shall be true only if
you skip, dance and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
Says Kabeer, the soul-bride shall win,
only if she passes her life singing the Lord's Praises. ||4||1||34||
Aasaa:
I would rather be cut apart by a saw, than have You turn Your back on me.
Hug me close, and listen to my prayer. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to You - please, turn Your face to me, O Beloved Lord.
Why have You turned Your back to me? Why have You killed me? ||1||Pause||
Even if You cut my body apart, I shall not pull my limbs away from You.
Even if my body falls, I shall not break my bonds of love with You. ||2||
Between You and I, there is no other.
You are the Husband Lord, and I am the soul-bride. ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O people:
now, I place no reliance in you. ||4||2||35||
Aasaa:
No one knows the secret of God, the Cosmic Weaver.
He has stretched out the fabric of the whole world. ||1||Pause||
When you listen to the Vedas and the Puraanas,
you shall know that the whole world is only a small piece of His woven fabric. ||1||
He has made the earth and sky His loom.
Upon it, He moves the two bobbins of the sun and the moon. ||2||
Placing my feet together, I have accomplished one thing - my mind is pleased with that Weaver.
I have come to understand my own home, and recognize the Lord within my heart. ||3||
Says Kabeer, when my body workshop breaks,
the Weaver shall blend my thread with His thread. ||4||3||36||
Aasaa:
With filth within the heart, even if one bathes at sacred places of pilgrimage, still, he shall not go to heaven.
Nothing is gained by trying to please others - the Lord cannot be fooled. ||1||
Worship the One Divine Lord.
The true cleansing bath is service to the Guru. ||1||Pause||
If salvation can be obtained by bathing in water, then what about the frog, which is always bathing in water?
As is the frog, so is that mortal; he is reincarnated, over and over again. ||2||
If the hard-hearted sinner dies in Benaares, he cannot escape hell.
And even if the Lord's Saint dies in the cursed land of Haramba, still, he saves all his family. ||3||
Where there is neither day nor night, and neither Vedas nor Shaastras, there, the Formless Lord abides.
Says Kabeer, meditate on Him, O mad-men of the world. ||4||4||37||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Aasaa, The Word Of The Reverend Naam Dayv Jee:
In the one and in the many, He is pervading and permeating; wherever I look, there He is.
The marvellous image of Maya is so fascinating; how few understand this. ||1||
God is everything, God is everything. Without God, there is nothing at all.
As one thread holds hundreds and thousands of beads, He is woven into His creation. ||1||Pause||
The waves of the water, the foam and bubbles, are not distinct from the water.
This manifested world is the playful game of the Supreme Lord God; reflecting upon it, we find that it is not different from Him. ||2||
False doubts and dream objects - man believes them to be true.
The Guru has instructed me to try to do good deeds, and my awakened mind has accepted this. ||3||
Says Naam Dayv, see the Creation of the Lord, and reflect upon it in your heart.
In each and every heart, and deep within the very nucleus of all, is the One Lord. ||4||1||
Aasaa:
Bringing the pitcher, I fill it with water, to bathe the Lord.
But 4.2 million species of beings are in the water - how can I use it for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny? ||1||
Wherever I go, the Lord is there.
He continually plays in supreme bliss. ||1||Pause||
I bring flowers to weave a garland, in worshipful adoration of the Lord.
But the bumble bee has already sucked out the fragrance - how can I use it for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny? ||2||
I carry milk and cook it to make pudding, with which to feed the Lord.
But the calf has already tasted the milk - how can I use it for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny? ||3||
The Lord is here, the Lord is there; without the Lord, there is no world at all.
Prays Naam Dayv, O Lord, You are totally permeating and pervading all places and interspaces. ||4||2||
Aasaa:
My mind is the yardstick, and my tongue is the scissors.
I measure it out and cut off the noose of death. ||1||
What do I have to do with social status? What do I have to with ancestry?
I meditate on the Name of the Lord, day and night. ||1||Pause||
I dye myself in the color of the Lord, and sew what has to be sewn.
Without the Lord's Name, I cannot live, even for a moment. ||2||
I perform devotional worship, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate on my Lord and Master. ||3||
My needle is gold, and my thread is silver.
Naam Dayv's mind is attached to the Lord. ||4||3||
Aasaa:
The snake sheds its skin, but does not lose its venom.
The heron appears to be meditating, but it is concentrating on the water. ||1||
Why do you practice meditation and chanting,
when your mind is not pure? ||1||Pause||
That man who feeds like a lion,
is called the god of thieves. ||2||
Naam Dayv's Lord and Master has settled my inner conflicts.

Drink in the sublime elixir of the Lord, O deceitful one. ||3||4||
Aasaa:
One who recognizes the Supreme Lord God, dislikes other desires.
He focuses his consciousness on the Lord's devotional worship, and keeps his mind free of anxiety. ||1||
O my mind, how will you cross over the world-ocean, if you are filled with the water of corruption?
Gazing upon the falseness of Maya, you have gone astray, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
You have given me birth in the house of a calico-printer, but I have found the Teachings of the Guru.
By the Grace of the Saint, Naam Dayv has met the Lord. ||2||5||
Aasaa, The Word Of The Reverend Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The deer, the fish, the bumble bee, the moth and the elephant are destroyed, each for a single defect.
So the one who is filled with the five incurable vices - what hope is there for him? ||1||
O Lord, he is in love with ignorance.
His lamp of clear wisdom has grown dim. ||1||Pause||
The creeping creatures live thoughtless lives, and cannot discriminate between good and evil.
It is so difficult to obtain this human incarnation, and yet, they keep company with the low. ||2||
Wherever the beings and creatures are, they are born according to the karma of their past actions.
The noose of death is unforgiving, and it shall catch them; it cannot be warded off. ||3||
O servant Ravi Daas, dispel your sorrow and doubt, and know that Guru-given spiritual wisdom is the penance of penances.
O Lord, Destroyer of the fears of Your humble devotees, make me supremely blissful in the end. ||4||1||
Aasaa:
Your Saints are Your body, and their company is Your breath of life.
By the True Guru-given spiritual wisdom, I know the Saints as the gods of gods. ||1||
O Lord, God of gods, grant me the Society of the Saints, the sublime essence of the Saints' conversation, and the Love of the Saints. ||1||Pause||
The Character of the Saints, the lifestyle of the Saints, and the service of the servant of the Saints. ||2||
I ask for these, and for one thing more - devotional worship, which shall fulfill my desires.
Do not show me the wicked sinners. ||3||
Says Ravi Daas, he alone is wise, who knows this:
there is no difference between the Saints and the Infinite Lord. ||4||2||
Aasaa:
You are sandalwood, and I am the poor castor oil plant, dwelling close to you.
From a lowly tree, I have become exalted; Your fragrance, Your exquisite fragrance now permeates me. ||1||
O Lord, I seek the Sanctuary of the company of Your Saints;
I am worthless, and You are so benevolent. ||1||Pause||
You are the white and yellow threads of silk, and I am like a poor worm.
O Lord, I seek to live in the Company of the Saints, like the bee with its honey. ||2||
My social status is low, my ancestry is low, and my birth is low as well.
I have not performed the service of the Lord, the Lord, says Ravi Daas the cobbler. ||3||3||
Aasaa:
What would it matter, if my body were cut into pieces?
If I were to lose Your Love, Lord, then Your humble servant would be afraid. ||1||
Your lotus feet are the home of my mind.
Drinking in Your Nectar, I have obtained the wealth of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Prosperity, adversity, property and wealth are just Maya.

Your humble servant is not engrossed in them. ||2||
Your humble servant is tied by the rope of Your Love.
Says Ravi Daas, what benefit would I get by escaping from it? ||3||4||
Aasaa:
The Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, Haray.
Meditating on the Lord, the humble are carried across to salvation. ||1||Pause||
Through the Lord's Name, Kabeer became famous and respected.
The accounts of his past incarnations were torn up. ||1||
Because of Naam Dayv's devotion, the Lord drank the milk he offered.
He shall not have to suffer the pains of reincarnation into the world again. ||2||
Servant Ravi Daas is imbued with the Lord's Love.
By Guru's Grace, he shall not have to go to hell. ||3||5||
How does the puppet of clay dance?
He looks and listens, hears and speaks, and runs around. ||1||Pause||
When he acquires something, he is inflated with ego.
But when his wealth is gone, then he cries and bewails. ||1||
In thought, word and deed, he is attached to the sweet and tangy flavors.
When he dies, no one knows where he has gone. ||2||
Says Ravi Daas, the world is just a dramatic play, O Siblings of Destiny.
I have enshrined love for the Lord, the star of the show. ||3||6||
Aasaa, The Word Of Devotee Dhanna Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I wandered through countless incarnations, but mind, body and wealth never remain stable.
Attached to, and stained by the poisons of sexual desire and greed, the mind has forgotten the jewel of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The poisonous fruit seems sweet to the demented mind, which does not know the difference between good and evil.
Turning away from virtue, his love for other things increases, and he weaves again the web of birth and death. ||1||
He does not know the way to the Lord, who dwells within his heart; burning in the trap, he is caught by the noose of death.
Gathering the poisonous fruits, he fills his mind with them, and he forgets God, the Supreme Being, from his mind. ||2||
The Guru has given the wealth of spiritual wisdom; practicing meditation, the mind becomes one with Him.
Embracing loving devotional worship for the Lord, I have come to know peace; satisfied and satiated, I have been liberated. ||3||
One who is filled with the Divine Light, recognizes the undeceivable Lord God.
Dhanna has obtained the Lord, the Sustainer of the World, as his wealth; meeting the humble Saints, he merges in the Lord. ||4||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Naam Dayv's mind was absorbed into God, Gobind, Gobind, Gobind.
The calico-printer, worth half a shell, became worth millions. ||1||Pause||
Abandoning weaving and stretching thread, Kabeer enshrined love for the Lord's lotus feet.
A weaver from a lowly family, he became an ocean of excellence. ||1||
Ravi Daas, who used to carry dead cows every day, renounced the world of Maya.
He became famous in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and obtained the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||2||
Sain, the barber, the village drudge, became famous in each and every house.
The Supreme Lord God dwelled in his heart, and he was counted among the devotees. ||3||

Hearing this, Dhanna the Jaat applied himself to devotional worship.
The Lord of the Universe met him personally; Dhanna was so very blessed. ||4||2||
O my consciousness, why don't you remain conscious of the Merciful Lord? How can you recognize any other?
You may run around the whole universe, but that alone happens which the Creator Lord does. ||1||Pause||
In the water of the mother's womb, He fashioned the body with ten gates.
He gives it sustenance, and preserves it in fire - such is my Lord and Master. ||1||
The mother turtle is in the water, and her babies are out of the water. She has no wings to protect them, and no milk to feed them.
The Perfect Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss, the Fascinating Lord takes care of them. See this, and understand it in your mind||2||
The worm lies hidden under the stone - there is no way for him to escape.
Says Dhanna, the Perfect Lord takes care of him. Fear not, O my soul. ||3||3||
Aasaa, The Word Of Shaykh Fareed Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They alone are true, whose love for God is deep and heart-felt.
Those who have one thing in their heart, and something else in their mouth, are judged to be false. ||1||
Those who are imbued with love for the Lord, are delighted by His Vision.
Those who forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are a burden on the earth. ||1||Pause||
Those whom the Lord attaches to the hem of His robe, are the true dervishes at His Door.
Blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them, and fruitful is their coming into the world. ||2||
O Lord, Sustainer and Cherisher, You are infinite, unfathomable and endless.
Those who recognize the True Lord - I kiss their feet. ||3||
I seek Your Protection - You are the Forgiving Lord.
Please, bless Shaykh Fareed with the bounty of Your meditative worship. ||4||1||
Aasaa:
Says Shaykh Fareed, O my dear friend, attach yourself to the Lord.
This body shall turn to dust, and its home shall be a neglected graveyard. ||1||
You can meet the Lord today, O Shaykh Fareed, if you restrain your bird-like desires which keep your mind in turmoil. ||1||Pause||
If I had known that I was to die, and not return again,
I would not have ruined myself by clinging to the world of falsehood. ||2||
So speak the Truth, in righteousness, and do not speak falsehood.
The disciple ought to travel the route, pointed out by the Guru. ||3||
Seeing the youths being carried across, the hearts of the beautiful young soul-brides are encouraged.
Those who side with the glitter of gold, are cut down with a saw. ||4||
O Shaykh, no one's life is permanent in this world.
That seat, upon which we now sit - many others sat on it and have since departed. ||5||
As the swallows appear in the month of Katik, forest fires in the month of Chayt, and lightning in Saawan,
and as the bride's arms adorn her husband's neck in winter;||6||
Just so, the transitory human bodies pass away. Reflect upon this in your mind.
It takes six months to form the body, but it breaks in an instant. ||7||
O Fareed, the earth asks the sky, "Where have the boatmen gone?"
Some have been cremated, and some lie in their graves; their souls are suffering rebukes. ||8||2||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Goojaree, First Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
I would make Your Name the sandalwood, and my mind the stone to rub it on;
for saffron, I would offer good deeds; thus, I perform worship and adoration within my heart. ||1||
Perform worship and adoration by meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; without the Name, there is no worship and adoration. ||1||Pause||
If one were to wash his heart inwardly, like the stone idol which is washed on the outside,
his filth would be removed, his soul would be cleansed, and he would be liberated when he departs. ||2||
Even beasts have value, as they eat grass and give milk.
Without the Naam, the mortal's life is cursed, as are the actions he performs. ||3||
The Lord is hear at hand - do not think that He is far away. He always cherishes us, and remembers us.
Whatever He gives us, we eat; says Nanak, He is the True Lord. ||4||1||
Goojaree, First Mehl:
From the lotus of Vishnu's navel, Brahma was born; He chanted the Vedas with a melodious voice.
He could not find the Lord's limits, and he remained in the darkness of coming and going. ||1||
Why should I forget my Beloved? He is the support of my very breath of life.
The perfect beings perform devotional worship to Him. The silent sages serve Him through the Guru's Teachings. ||1||Pause||
His lamps are the sun and the moon; the One Light of the Destroyer of ego fills the three worlds.
One who becomes Gurmukh remains immaculately pure, day and night, while the self-willed manmukh is enveloped by the darkness of night. ||2||
The Siddhas in Samaadhi are continually in conflict; what can they see with their two eyes?
One who has the Divine Light within his heart, and is awakened to the melody of the Word of the Shabad - the True Guru settles his conflicts. ||3||
O Lord of angels and men, infinite and unborn, Your True Mansion is incomparable.
Nanak merges imperceptibly into the Life of the world; shower Your mercy upon him, and save him. ||4||2||

Raag Goojaree, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Cursed is that life, in which the Lord's Love is not obtained.
Cursed is that occupation, in which the Lord is forgotten, and one becomes attached to duality. ||1||
Serve such a True Guru, O my mind, that by serving Him, God's Love may be produced, and all others may be forgotten.
Your consciousness shall remain attached to the Lord; there shall be no fear of old age, and the supreme status shall be obtained. ||1||Pause||
A divine peace wells up from God's Love; behold, it comes from devotional worship.
When my identity consumed my identical identity, then my mind became immaculately pure, and my light was blended with the Divine Light. ||2||
Without good fortune, such a True Guru cannot be found, no matter how much all may yearn for Him.
If the veil of falsehood is removed from within, then lasting peace is obtained. ||3||
O Nanak, what service can the servant perform for such a True Guru? He should offer his life, his very soul, to the Guru.
If he focuses his consciousness on the Will of the True Guru, then the True Guru Himself will bless him. ||4||1||3||
Goojaree, Third Mehl:
Serve the Lord; do not serve anyone else.
Serving the Lord, you shall obtain the fruits of your heart's desires; serving another, your life shall pass away in vain. ||1||
The Lord is my Love, the Lord is my way of life, the Lord is my speech and conversation.
By Guru's Grace, my mind is saturated with the Lord's Love; this is what makes up my service. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is my Simritees, the Lord is my Shaastras; the Lord is my relative and the Lord is my brother.
I am hungry for the Lord; my mind is satisfied with the Name of the Lord. The Lord is my relation, my helper in the end. ||2||
Without the Lord, other assets are false. They do not go with the mortal when he departs.
The Lord is my wealth, which shall go with me; wherever I go, it will go. ||3||
One who is attached to falsehood is false; false are the deeds he does.
Says Nanak, everything happens according to the Will of the Lord; no one has any say in this at all. ||4||2||4||
Goojaree, Third Mehl:
It is so difficult to obtain the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in this age; only the Gurmukh obtains it.
Without the Name, no one is liberated; let anyone make other efforts, and see. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; I am forever a sacrifice to Him.
Meeting the True Guru, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and one remains absorbed in Him. ||1||Pause||
When God instills His fear, a balanced detachment springs up in the mind.
Through this detachment, the Lord is obtained, and one remains absorbed in the Lord. ||2||
He alone is liberated, who conquers his mind; Maya does not stick to him again.
He dwells in the Tenth Gate, and obtains the understanding of the three worlds. ||3||
O Nanak, through the Guru, one becomes the Guru; behold, His Wondrous Will.

This deed was done by the Creator Lord; one's light merges into the Light. ||4||3||5||
Goojaree, Third Mehl:
Everyone chants the Lord's Name, Raam, Raam; but by such chanting, the Lord is not obtained.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and then, the fruits are obtained. ||1||
One who enshrines love for God within his mind,
never forgets the Lord; he continually chants the Lord's Name, Har, Har, in his conscious mind. ||1||Pause||
Those whose hearts are filled with hypocrisy, who are called saints only for their outward show
- their desires are never satisfied, and they depart grieving in the end. ||2||
Although one may bathe at many places of pilgrimage, still, his ego never departs.
That man, whose sense of duality does not depart - the Righteous Judge of Dharma shall punish him. ||3||
That humble being, unto whom God showers His Mercy, obtains Him; how few are the Gurmukhs who understand Him.
O Nanak, if one conquers his ego within, then he comes to meet the Lord. ||4||4||6||
Goojaree, Third Mehl:
That humble being who eliminates his ego is at peace; he is blessed with an ever-stable intellect.
That humble being is immaculately pure, who, as Gurmukh, understands the Lord, and focuses his consciousness on the Lord's Feet. ||1||
O my unconscious mind, remain conscious of the Lord, and you shall obtain the fruits of your desires.
By Guru's Grace, you shall obtain the sublime elixir of the Lord; by continually drinking it in, you shall have eternal peace. ||1||Pause||
When one meets the True Guru, he becomes the philosopher's stone, with the ability to transform others, inspiring them to worship the Lord.
One who worships the Lord in adoration, obtains his rewards; instructing others, he reveals the Truth. ||2||
Without becoming the philosopher's stone, he does not inspire others to worship the Lord; without instructing his own mind, how can he instruct others?
The ignorant, blind man calls himself the guru, but to whom can he show the way? ||3||
O Nanak, without His Mercy, nothing can be obtained. One upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace, obtains Him.
By Guru's Grace, God bestows greatness, and projects the Word of His Shabad. ||4||5||7||
Goojaree, Third Mehl, Panch-Padas:
Wisdom is not produced in Benares, nor is wisdom lost in Benares.
Meeting the True Guru, wisdom is produced, and then, one obtains this understanding. ||1||
Listen to the sermon of the Lord, O mind, and enshrine the Shabad of His Word within your mind.
If your intellect remains stable and steady, then doubt shall depart from within you. ||1||Pause||
Enshrine the Lord's lotus feet within your heart, and your sins shall be erased.
If your soul overcomes the five elements, then you shall come to have a home at the true place of pilgrimage. ||2||
This mind of the self-centered manmukh is so stupid; it does not obtain any understanding at all.
It does not understand the Name of the Lord; it departs repenting in the end. ||3||
In this mind are found Benares, all sacred shrines of pilgrimage and the Shaastras; the True Guru has explained this.
The sixty-eight places of pilgrimage remain with one, whose heart is filled with the Lord. ||4||
O Nanak, upon meeting the True Guru, the Order of the Lord's Will is understood, and the One Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
Those who are pleasing to You, O True Lord, are true. They remain absorbed in You. ||5||6||8||

Goojaree, Third Mehl:
The One Name is the treasure, O Pandit. Listen to these True Teachings.
No matter what you read in duality, reading and contemplating it, you shall only continue to suffer. ||1||
So grasp the Lord's lotus feet; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you shall come to understand.
With your tongue, taste the sublime elixir of the Lord, and your mind shall be rendered immaculately pure. ||1||Pause||
Meeting the True Guru, the mind becomes content, and then, hunger and desire will not trouble you any longer.
Obtaining the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one does not go knocking at other doors. ||2||
The self-willed manmukh babbles on and on, but he does not understand.
One whose heart is illumined, by Guru's Teachings, obtains the Name of the Lord. ||3||
You may listen to the Shaastras, but you do not understand, and so you wander from door to door.
He is a fool, who does not understand his own self, and who does not enshrine love for the True Lord. ||4||
The True Lord has fooled the world - no one has any say in this at all.
O Nanak, He does whatever He pleases, according to His Will. ||5||7||9||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Goojaree, Fourth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
O Servant of the Lord, O True Guru, O True Primal Being, I offer my prayers to You, O Guru.
I am an insect and a worm; O True Guru, I seek Your Sanctuary; please, be merciful and bestow upon me the Light of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my Best Friend, O Divine Guru, please illuminate me with the Light of the Lord.
By Guru's Instructions, the Naam is my breath of life, and the Praise of the Lord is my occupation. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's servants have the greatest good fortune; they have faith in the Lord, Har, Har, and a thirst for the Lord.
Obtaining the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, they are satisfied; joining the Company of the Holy, their virtues shine forth. ||2||
Those who have not obtained the essence of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are most unfortunate; they are taken away by the Messenger of Death.
Those who have not sought the Sanctuary of the True Guru and the Company of the Holy - cursed are their lives, and cursed are their hopes of life. ||3||
Those humble servants of the Lord, who have obtained the Company of the True Guru, have such pre-ordained destiny written on their foreheads.
Blessed, blessed is the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, where the sublime essence of the Lord is obtained. Meeting with His humble servant, O Nanak, the Naam shines forth. ||4||1||
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord, the Lord of the Universe is the Beloved of the minds of those who join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. The Shabad of His Word fascinates their minds.
Chant, and meditate on the Lord, the Lord of the Universe; God is the One who gives gifts to all. ||1||
O my Siblings of Destiny, the Lord of the Universe, Govind, Govind, Govind, has enticed and fascinated my mind.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, Govind, Govind, Govind; joining the Holy Society of the Guru, Your humble servant is beautified. ||1||Pause||
Devotional worship to the Lord is an ocean of peace; through the Guru's Teachings, wealth, prosperity and the spiritual powers of the Siddhas fall at our feet.
The Lord's Name is the Support of His humble servant; he chants the Lord's Name, and with the Lord's Name he is adorned. ||2||

Evil-minded, unfortunate and shallow-minded are those who feel anger in their minds, when they hear the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
You may place ambrosial nectar before crows and ravens, but they will be satisfied only by eating manure and dung with their mouths. ||3||
The True Guru, the Speaker of Truth, is the pool of Ambrosial Nectar; bathing within it, the crow becomes a swan.
O Nanak, blessed, blessed and very fortunate are those who, through the Guru's Teachings, with the Naam, wash away the filth of their hearts. ||4||2||
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl:
The humble servants of the Lord are exalted, and exalted is their speech. With their mouths, they speak for the benefit of others.
Those who listen to them with faith and devotion, are blessed by the Lord; showering His Mercy, He saves them. ||1||
Lord, please, let me meet the beloved servants of the Lord.
The True Guru, the Perfect Guru, is my Beloved, my very breath of life; the Guru has saved me, the sinner. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukhs are fortunate, so very fortunate; their Support is the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
They obtain the Ambrosial Nectar of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; through the Guru's Teachings, they obtain this treasure-house of devotional worship. ||2||
Those who do not obtain the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the True Guru, the True Primal Being, are most unfortunate; they are destroyed by the Messenger of Death.
They are like dogs, pigs and jackasses; they are cast into the womb of reincarnation, and the Lord strikes them down as the worst of murderers. ||3||
O Lord, Kind to the poor, please shower Your mercy upon Your humble servant, and save him.
Servant Nanak has entered the Lord's Sanctuary; if it pleases You, Lord, please save him. ||4||3||
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl:
Be Merciful and attune my mind, so that I might meditate continually on the Lord's Name, night and day.
The Lord is all peace, all virtue and all wealth; remembering Him, all misery and hunger depart. ||1||
O my mind, the Lord's Name is my companion and brother.
Under Guru's Instruction, I sing the Praises of the Lord's Name; it shall be my help and support in the end, and it shall deliver me in the Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
You Yourself are the Giver, O God, Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts; by Your Grace, You have infused longing for You in my mind.
My mind and body long for the Lord; God has fulfilled my longing. I have entered the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||2||
Human birth is obtained through good actions; without the Name, it is cursed, totally cursed, and it passes away in vain.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one obtains only suffering for his delicacies to eat. His mouth is insipid, and his face is spat upon, again and again. ||3||
Those humble beings, who have entered the Sanctuary of the Lord God, Har, Har, are blessed with glory in the Court of the Lord, Har, Har.
Blessed, blessed and congratulations, says God to His humble servant. O servant Nanak, He embraces him, and blends him with Himself. ||4||4||
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl:
O Gurmukhs, O my friends and companions, give me the gift of the Lord's Name, the life of my very life.
I am the slave, the servant of the Guru's Sikhs, who meditate on the Lord God, the Primal Being, night and day. ||1||
Within my mind and body, I have enshrined love for the feet of the Guru's Sikhs.
O my life-mates, O Sikhs of the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, instruct me in the Teachings, that I might merge in the Lord's Merger. ||1||Pause||

When it pleases the Lord God, he causes us to meet the Gurmukhs; the Hymns of the Guru, the True Guru, are very sweet to their minds.
Very fortunate are the beloved Sikhs of the Guru; through the Lord, they attain the supreme state of Nirvaanaa. ||2||
The Sat Sangat, the True Congregation of the Guru, is loved by the Lord. The Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is sweet and pleasing to their minds.
One who does not obtain the Association of the True Guru, is a most unfortunate sinner; he is consumed by the Messenger of Death. ||3||
If God, the Kind Master, Himself shows His kindness, then the Lord causes the Gurmukh to merge into Himself.
Servant Nanak chants the Glorious Words of the Guru's Bani; through them, one is absorbed into the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||5||
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl:
One who has found the Lord God through the True Guru, has made the Lord seem so sweet to me, through the His Teachings.
My mind and body have been cooled and soothed, and totally rejuvenated; by great good fortune, I meditate on the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, let anyone who can implant the Lord's Name within me, come and meet with me.
Unto my Beloved, I give my mind and body, and my very breath of life. He speaks to me of the sermon of my Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Through the Guru's Teachings, I have obtained courage, faith and the Lord. He keeps my mind focused continually on the Lord, and the Name of the Lord.
The Words of the True Guru's Teachings are Ambrosial Nectar; this Amrit trickles into the mouth of the one who chants them. ||2||
Immaculate is the Naam, which cannot be stained by filth. Through the Guru's Teachings, chant the Naam with love.
That man who has not found the wealth of the Naam is most unfortunate; he dies over and over again. ||3||
The source of bliss, the Life of the world, the Great Giver brings bliss to all who meditate on the Lord.
You are the Great Giver, all beings belong to You. O servant Nanak, You forgive the Gurmukhs, and merge them into Yourself. ||4||6||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl, Third House:
Mother, father and sons are all made by the Lord;
the relationships of all are established by the Lord. ||1||
I have given up all my strength, O my brother.
The mind and body belong to the Lord, and the human body is entirely under His control. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself infuses devotion into His humble devotees.
In the midst of family life, they remain unattached. ||2||
When inner love is established with the Lord,
then whatever one does, is pleasing to my Lord God. ||3||
I do those deeds and tasks which the Lord has set me to;
I do that which He makes me to do. ||4||
Those whose devotional worship is pleasing to my God
- O Nanak, those humble beings center their minds lovingly on the Lord's Name. ||5||1||7||16||

Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Why, O mind, do you contrive your schemes, when the Dear Lord Himself provides for your care?
From rocks and stones, He created the living beings, and He places before them their sustenance. ||1||
O my Dear Lord of Souls, one who meets with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is saved.
By Guru's Grace, he obtains the supreme status, and the dry branch blossoms forth in greenery. ||1||Pause||
Mother, father, friends, children, and spouse - no one is the support of any other.
For each and every individual, the Lord and Master provides sustenance; why do you fear, O my mind? ||2||
The flamingoes fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young ones behind.
Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you ever thought of this in your mind? ||3||
All treasures and the eighteen supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas are held by the Lord and Master in the palm of His hand.
Servant Nanak is devoted, dedicated, and forever a sacrifice to You - Your vast expanse has no limit. ||4||1||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They perform the four rituals and six religious rites; the world is engrossed in these.
They are not cleansed of the filth of their ego within; without the Guru, they lose the game of life. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, please, grant Your Grace and preserve me.
Out of millions, hardly anyone is a servant of the Lord. All the others are mere traders. ||1||Pause||
I have searched all the Shaastras, the Vedas and the Simritees, and they all affirm one thing:
without the Guru, no one obtains liberation; see, and reflect upon this in your mind. ||2||
Even if one takes cleansing baths at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and wanders over the whole planet,
and performs all the rituals of purification day and night, still, without the True Guru, there is only darkness. ||3||
Roaming and wandering around, I have travelled over the whole world, and now, I have arrived at the Lord's Door.
The Lord has eliminated my evil-mindedness, and enlightened my intellect; O servant Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved. ||4||1||2||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
The wealth of the Lord is my chanting, the wealth of the Lord is my deep meditation; the wealth of the Lord is the food I enjoy.
I do not forget the Lord, Har, Har, from my mind, even for an instant; I have found Him in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
O mother, your son has returned home with a profit:
the wealth of the Lord while walking, the wealth of the Lord while sitting, and the wealth of the Lord while waking and sleeping. ||1||Pause||
The wealth of the Lord is my cleansing bath, the wealth of the Lord is my wisdom; I center my meditation on the Lord.
The wealth of the Lord is my raft, the wealth of the Lord is my boat; the Lord, Har, Har, is the ship to carry me across. ||2||

Through the wealth of the Lord, I have forgotten my anxiety; through the wealth of the Lord, my doubt has been dispelled.
From the wealth of the Lord, I have obtained the nine treasures; the true essence of the Lord has come into my hands. ||3||
No matter how much I eat and expend this wealth, it is not exhausted; here and hereafter, it remains with me.
Loading the treasure, Guru Nanak has given it, and this mind is imbued with the Lord's Love. ||4||2||3||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering Him, all sins are erased, and ones generations are saved.
So meditate continually on the Lord, Har, Har; He has no end or limitation. ||1||
O son, this is your mother's hope and prayer,
that you may never forget the Lord, Har, Har, even for an instant. May you ever vibrate upon the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
May the True Guru be kind to you, and may you love the Society of the Saints.
May the preservation of your honor by the Transcendent Lord be your clothes, and may the singing of His Praises be your food. ||2||
So drink in forever the Ambrosial Nectar; may you live long, and may the meditative remembrance of the Lord give you infinite delight.
May joy and pleasure be yours; may your hopes be fulfilled, and may you never be troubled by worries. ||3||
Let this mind of yours be the bumble bee, and let the Lord's feet be the lotus flower.
Says servant Nanak, attach your mind to them, and blossom forth like the song-bird, upon finding the rain-drop. ||4||3||4||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
He decides to go to the west, but the Lord leads him away to the east.
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes; He holds all matters in His hands. ||1||
Cleverness is of no use at all.
Whatever my Lord and Master deems to be right - that alone comes to pass. ||1||Pause||
In his desire to acquire land and accumulate wealth, one's breath escapes him.
He must leave all his armies, assistants and servants; rising up, he departs to the City of Death. ||2||
Believing himself to be unique, he clings to his stubborn mind, and shows himself off.
That food, which the blameless people have condemned and discarded, he eats again and again. ||3||
One, unto whom the Lord shows His natural mercy, has the noose of Death cut away from him.
Says Nanak, one who meets the Perfect Guru, is celebrated as a householder as well as a renunciate. ||4||4||5||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Those humble beings who chant the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, have their bonds broken.
Sexual desirer, anger, the poison of Maya and egotism - they are rid of these afflictions. ||1||
One who joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and chants the Praises of the Lord,
has his mind purified, by Guru's Grace, and he obtains the joy of all joys. ||1||Pause||
Whatever the Lord does, he sees that as good; such is the devotional service he performs.
He sees friends and enemies as all the same; this is the sign of the Way of Yoga. ||2||
The all-pervading Lord is fully filling all places; why should I go anywhere else?
He is permeating and pervading within each and every heart; I am immersed in His Love, dyed in the color of His Love. ||3||
When the Lord of the Universe becomes kind and compassionate, then one enters the home of the Fearless Lord.

His troubles and worries are ended in an instant; O Nanak, he merges in celestial peace. ||4||5||6||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Whoever I approach to ask for help, I find him full of his own troubles.
One who worships in his heart the Supreme Lord God, crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
No one, except the Guru-Lord, can dispel our pain and sorrow.
Forsaking God, and serving another, one's honor, dignity and reputation are decreased. ||1||Pause||
Relatives, relations and family bound through Maya are of no avail.
The Lord's servant, although of lowly birth, is exalted. Associating with him, one obtains the fruits of his mind's desires. ||2||
Through corruption, one may obtain thousands and millions of enjoyments, but even so, his desires are not satisfied through them.
Remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, millions of lights appear, and the incomprehensible is understood. ||3||
Wandering and roaming around, I have come to Your Door, Destroyer of fear, O Lord King.
Servant Nanak yearns for the dust of the feet of the Holy; in it, he finds peace. ||4||6||7||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Panch-Pada, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
First, he came to dwell in his mother's womb; leaving it, he came into the world.
Splendid mansions, beautiful gardens and palaces - none of these shall go with him. ||1||
All other greeds of the greedy are false.
The Perfect Guru has given me the Name of the Lord, which my soul has come to treasure. ||1||Pause||
Surrounded by dear friends, relatives, children, siblings and spouse, he laughs playfully.
But when the very last moment arrives, Death seizes him, while they merely look on. ||2||
By continual oppression and exploitation, he accumulates wealth, gold, silver and money,
but the load-bearer gets only paltry wages, while the rest of the money passes on to others. ||3||
He grabs and collects horses, elephants and chariots, and claims them as his own.
But when he sets out on the long journey, they will not go even one step with him. ||4||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my wealth; the Naam is my princely pleasure; the Naam is my family and helper.
The Guru has given Nanak the wealth of the Naam; it neither perishes, nor comes or goes. ||5||1||8||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Ti-Padas, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My sorrows are ended, and I am filled with peace. The fire of desire within me has been quenched.
The True Guru has implanted the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me; it neither dies, nor goes anywhere. ||1||
Meditating on the Lord, the bonds of Maya are cut away.
When my God becomes kind and compassionate, one joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and is emancipated. ||1||Pause||

Twenty-four hours a day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, absorbed in loving devotional worship.
He remains unaffected by both fortune and misfortune, and he recognizes the Creator Lord. ||2||
The Lord saves those who belong to Him, and all pathways are opened to them.
Says Nanak, the value of the Merciful Lord God cannot be described. ||3||1||9||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord has sanctified the sinners and made them His own; all bow in reverence to Him.
No one asks about their ancestry and social status; instead, they yearn for the dust of their feet. ||1||
O Lord Master, such is Your Name.
You are called the Lord of all creation; You give Your unique support to Your servant. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak has obtained understanding; singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is his only support.
The Lord's servants, Naam Dayv, Trilochan, Kabeer and Ravi Daas the shoe-maker have been liberated. ||2||1||10||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
No one understands the Lord; who can understand His plans?
Shiva, Brahma and all the silent sages cannot understand the state of the Lord. ||1||
God's sermon is profound and unfathomable.
He is heard to be one thing, but He is understood to be something else again; He is beyond description and explanation. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the devotee, and He Himself is the Lord and Master; He is imbued with Himself.
Nanak's God is pervading and permeating everywhere; wherever he looks, He is there. ||2||2||11||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
The humble servant of the Lord has no plans, politics or other clever tricks.
Whenever the occasion arises, there, he meditates on the Lord. ||1||
It is the very nature of God to love His devotees;
He cherishes His servant, and caresses him as His own child. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's servant sings the Kirtan of His Praises as his worship, deep meditation, self-discipline and religious observances.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of his Lord and Master, and has received the blessings of fearlessness and peace. ||2||3||12||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Worship the Lord in adoration, day and night, O my dear - do not delay for a moment.
Serve the Saints with loving faith, and set aside your pride and stubbornness. ||1||
The fascinating, playful Lord is my very breath of life and honor.
He abides in my heart; beholding His playful games, my mind is fascinated. ||1||Pause||
Remembering Him, my mind is in bliss, and the rust of my mind is removed.
The great honor of meeting the Lord cannot be described; O Nanak, it is infinite, beyond measure. ||2||4||13||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
They call themselves silent sages, Yogis and scholars of the Shaastras, but Maya has has them all under her control.
The three gods, and the 330,000,000 demi-gods, were astonished. ||1||

The power of Maya is pervading everywhere.
Her secret is known only by Guru's Grace - no one else knows it. ||1||Pause||
Conquering and conquering, she has conquered everywhere, and she clings to the whole world.
Says Nanak, she surrenders to the Holy Saint; becoming his servant, she falls at his feet. ||2||5||14||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
With my palms pressed together, I offer my prayer, meditating on my Lord and Master.
Giving me His hand, the Transcendent Lord has saved me, and erased all my sins. ||1||
The Lord and Master Himself has become merciful.
I have been emancipated, the embodiment of bliss; I am the child of the Lord of the Universe - He has carried me across. ||1||Pause||
Meeting her Husband, the soul-bride sings the songs of joy, and celebrates her Lord and Master.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru, who has emancipated everyone. ||2||6||15||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Mother, father, siblings, children and relatives - their power is insignificant.
I have seen the many pleasures of Maya, but none goes with them in the end. ||1||
O Lord Master, other than You, no one is mine.
I am a worthless orphan, devoid of merit; I long for Your Support. ||1||Pause||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Your lotus feet; here and hereafter, Yours is the only power.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak has obtained the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; my obligations to all others are annulled. ||2||7||16||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
He rids us of entanglements, doubt and emotional attachment, and leads us to love God.
He implants this instruction in our minds, for us to sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, in peace and poise. ||1||
O friend, the Saintly Guru is such a helper.
Meeting Him, the bonds of Maya are released, and one never forgets the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Practicing, practicing various actions in so many ways, I came to recognize this as the best way.
Joining the Company of the Holy, Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||8||17||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes; His value cannot be described.
He turns the king into a beggar in an instant, and He infuses splendor into the lowly. ||1||
Meditate forever on Your Lord.
Why should I feel worry or anxiety, when I am here for only a short time. ||1||Pause||
You are my support, O my Perfect True Guru; my mind has taken to the protection of Your Sanctuary.
Nanak, I am a foolish and ignorant child; reach out to me with Your hand, Lord, and save me. ||2||9||18||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
You are the Giver of all beings; please, come to dwell within my mind.
That heart, within which Your lotus feet are enshrined, suffers no darkness or doubt. ||1||
O Lord Master, wherever I remember You, there I find You.
Show Mercy to me, O God, Cherisher of all, that I may sing Your Praises forever. ||1||Pause||
With each and every breath, I contemplate Your Name; O God, I long for You alone.
O Nanak, my support is the Creator Lord; I have renounced all other hopes. ||2||10||19||

Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Show Mercy to me, and grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. I sing Your Praises night and day.
With my hair, I wash the feet of Your slave; this is my life's purpose. ||1||
O Lord and Master, without You, there is no other at all.
O Lord, in my mind I remain conscious of You; with my tongue I worship You, and with my eyes, I gaze upon You. ||1||Pause||
O Merciful Lord, O Lord and Master of all, with my palms pressed together I pray to You.
Nanak, Your slave, chants Your Name, and is redeemed in the twinkling of an eye. ||2||11||20||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Overwhelming the realm of Brahma, the realm of Shiva and the realm of Indra, Maya has come running here.
But she cannot touch the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; she washes and massages their feet. ||1||
Now, I have come and entered the Lord's Sanctuary.
This awful fire has burned so many; the True Guru has cautioned me about it. ||1||Pause||
It clings to the necks of the Siddhas, and the seekers, the demi-gods, angels and mortals.
Servant Nanak has the support of God the Creator, who has millions of slaves like her. ||2||12||21||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
His bad reputation is erased, he is acclaimed all over the world, and he obtains a seat in the Court of the Lord.
The fear of death is removed in an instant, and he goes to the Lord's House in peace and bliss. ||1||
His works do not go in vain.
Twenty-four hours a day, remember your God in meditation; meditate on Him continually in your mind and body. ||1||Pause||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O Destroyer of the pains of the poor; whatever You give me, God, that is what I receive.
Nanak is imbued with the love of Your lotus feet; O Lord, please preserve the honor of Your slave. ||2||13||22||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
The all-sustaining Lord is the Giver of all beings; His devotional worship is an overflowing treasure.
Service to Him is not wasted; in an instant, He emancipates. ||1||
O my mind, immerse yourself in the Lord's lotus feet.
Seek from Him, who is worshipped by all beings. ||1||Pause||
Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, O Creator Lord; You, O God, are the support of my breath of life.
He who is protected by You, O Helper Lord - what can the world do to him? ||2||14||23||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord Himself has protected the honor of His humble servant.
The Guru has given the medicine of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, and all afflictions are gone. ||1||Pause||
The Transcendent Lord, in His Mercy, has preserved Har Gobind.
The disease is over, and there is joy all around; we ever contemplate the Glories of God. ||1||
My Creator Lord has made me His own; such is the glorious greatness of the Perfect Guru.
Guru Nanak laid the immovable foundation, which grows higher and higher each day. ||2||15||24||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
You never focused your consciousness on the Lord.

You have spent your life engaged in worldly pursuits; you have not sung the Glorious Praises of the treasure of the Naam. ||1||Pause||
Shell by shell, you accumulate money; in various ways, you work for this.
Forgetting God, you suffer awful pain beyond measure, and you are consumed by the Great Enticer, Maya. ||1||
Show Mercy to me, O my Lord and Master, and do not hold me to account for my actions.
O merciful and compassionate Lord God, ocean of peace, Nanak has taken to Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||2||16||25||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
With your tongue, chant the Lord's Name, Raam, Raam.
Renounce other false occupations, and vibrate forever on the Lord God. ||1||Pause||
The One Name is the support of His devotees; in this world, and in the world hereafter, it is their anchor and support.
In His mercy and kindness, the Guru has given me the divine wisdom of God, and a discriminating intellect. ||1||
The all-powerful Lord is the Creator, the Cause of causes; He is the Master of wealth - I seek His Sanctuary.
Liberation and worldly success come from the dust of the feet of the Holy Saints; Nanak has obtained the Lord's treasure. ||2||17||26||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Give up all your clever tricks, and seek the Sanctuary of the Holy Saint.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord. ||1||
O my consciousness, contemplate and adore the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
You shall obtain total peace and salvation, and all troubles shall depart. ||1||Pause||
Mother, father, children, friends and siblings - without the Lord, none of them are real.
Here and hereafter, He is the companion of the soul; He is pervading everywhere. ||2||
Millions of plans, tricks, and efforts are of no use, and serve no purpose.
In the Sanctuary of the Holy, one becomes immaculate and pure, and obtains salvation, through the Name of God. ||3||
God is profound and merciful, lofty and exalted; He gives Sanctuary to the Holy.
He alone obtains the Lord, O Nanak, who is blessed with such pre-ordained destiny to meet Him. ||4||1||27||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Serve your Guru forever, and chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
With each and every breath, worship the Lord, Har, Har, in adoration, and the anxiety of your mind will be dispelled. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name of God.
You shall be blessed with peace, poise and pleasure, and you shall find the immaculate place. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, redeem your mind, and adore the Lord, twenty-four hours a day.
Sexual desire, anger and egotism will be dispelled, and all troubles shall end. ||2||
The Lord Master is immovable, immortal and inscrutable; seek His Sanctuary.
Worship in adoration the lotus feet of the Lord in your heart, and center your consciousness lovingly on Him alone. ||3||
The Supreme Lord God has shown mercy to me, and He Himself has forgiven me.
The Lord has given me His Name, the treasure of peace; O Nanak, meditate on that God. ||4||2||28||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
By Guru's Grace, I meditate on God, and my doubts are gone.

Pain, ignorance and fear have left me, and my sins have been dispelled. ||1||
My mind is filled with love for the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Meeting the Holy Saint, under His Instruction, I meditate on the Lord of the Universe, in the most immaculate way. ||1||Pause||
Chanting, deep meditation and various rituals are contained in the fruitful meditative remembrance of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Showing His Mercy, the Lord Himself has protected me, and all my works have been brought to fruition. ||2||
With each and every breath, may I never forget You, O God, Almighty Lord and Master.
How can my tongue describe Your countless virtues? They are uncountable, and forever indescribable. ||3||
You are the Remover of the pains of the poor, the Savior, the Compassionate Lord, the Bestower of Mercy.
Remembering the Naam in meditation, the state of eternal dignity is obtained; Nanak has grasped the protection of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||3||29||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
Intellectual egotism and great love for Maya are the most serious chronic diseases.
The Lord's Name is the medicine, which is potent to cure everything. The Guru has given me the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
My mind and body yearn for the dust of the Lord's humble servants.
With it, the sins of millions of incarnations are obliterated. O Lord of the Universe, please fulfill my desire. ||1||Pause||
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, one is hounded by dreadful desires.
Through the Guru's spiritual wisdom, we sing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and the noose of death is cut away. ||2||
Those who are cheated by sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment suffer reincarnation forever.
By loving devotional worship to God, and meditative remembrance of the Lord of the World, one's wandering in reincarnation is ended. ||3||
Friends, children, spouses and well-wishers are burnt by the three fevers.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, one's miseries are ended, as one meets the Saintly servants of the Lord. ||4||
Wandering around in all directions, they cry out, "Nothing can save us!"
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lotus Feet of the Infinite Lord; he holds fast to their Support. ||5||4||30||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Worship and adore the Lord of wealth, the fulfilling vision, the Almighty Cause of causes.
Uttering His Praises, and hearing of His infinite glory, you shall never suffer separation from Him again. ||1||
O my mind, worship the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Meditating in remembrance, strife and sorrow are ended, and the noose of the Messenger of Death is snapped. ||1||Pause||
Chant the Name of the Lord, and your enemies shall be consumed; there is no other way.
Show Mercy, O my God, and bestow upon Nanak the taste of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||1||31||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl:
You are the Almighty Lord, the Giver of Sanctuary, the Destroyer of pain, the King of happiness.
Troubles depart, and fear and doubt are dispelled, singing the Glorious Praises of the Immaculate Lord God. ||1||
O Lord of the Universe, without You, there is no other place.
Show Mercy to me, O Supreme Lord Master, that I may chant Your Name. ||Pause||
Serving the True Guru, I am attached to the Lord's Lotus Feet; by great good fortune, I have embraced love for Him.

My heart lotus blossoms forth in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I have renounced evil-mindedness and intellectualism. ||2||
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, twenty-four hours a day, and remembers the Lord in meditation, who is Kind to the poor,
saves himself, and redeems all his generations; all of his bonds are released. ||3||
I take the Support of Your Feet, O God, O Lord and Master; you are with me through and through, God.
Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, God; giving him His hand, the Lord has protected him. ||4||2||32||
Goojaree, Ashtapadees, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
In the one village of the body, live the five thieves; they have been warned, but they still go out stealing.
One who keeps his assets safe from the three modes and the ten passions, O Nanak, attains liberation and emancipation. ||1||
Center your mind on the all-pervading Lord, the Wearer of garlands of the jungles.
Let your rosary be the chanting of the Lord's Name in your heart. ||1||Pause||
Its roots extend upwards, and its branches reach down; the four Vedas are attached to it.
He alone reaches this tree with ease, O Nanak, who remains wakeful in the Love of the Supreme Lord God. ||2||
The Elysian Tree is the courtyard of my house; in it are the flowers, leaves and stems of reality.
Meditate on the self-existent, immaculate Lord, whose Light is pervading everywhere; renounce all your worldly entanglements. ||3||
Listen, O seekers of Truth - Nanak begs you to renounce the traps of Maya.
Reflect within your mind, that by enshrining love for the One Lord, you shall not be subject to birth and death again. ||4||
He alone is said to be a Guru, he alone is said to be a Sikh, and he alone is said to be a physician, who knows the patient's illness.
He is not affected by actions, responsibilities and entanglements; in the entanglements of his household, he maintains the detachment of Yoga. ||5||
He renounces sexual desire, anger, egotism, greed, attachment and Maya.
Within his mind, he meditates on the reality of the Imperishable Lord; by Guru's Grace he finds Him. ||6||
Spiritual wisdom and meditation are all said to be God's gifts; all of the demons are turned white before him.
He enjoys the taste of the honey of God's lotus; he remains awake, and does not fall asleep. ||7||
This lotus is very deep; its leaves are the nether regions, and it is connected to the whole universe.
Under Guru's Instruction, I shall not have to enter the womb again; I have renounced the poison of corruption, and I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||8||1||
Goojaree, First Mehl:
Those who beg of God the Great Giver - their numbers cannot be counted.
You, Almighty True Lord, fulfill the desires within their hearts. ||1||
O Dear Lord, chanting, deep meditation, self-discipline and truth are my foundations.
Bless me with Your Name, Lord, that I may find peace. Your devotional worship is a treasure over-flowing. ||1||Pause||
Some remain absorbed in Samaadhi, their minds fixed lovingly on the One Lord; they reflect only on the Word of the Shabad.
In that state, there is no water, land, earth or sky; only the Creator Lord Himself exists. ||2||
There is no intoxication of Maya there, and no shadow, nor the infinite light of the sun or the moon.
The eyes within the mind which see everything - with one glance, they see the three worlds. ||3||

He created air, water and fire, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - the whole creation.
All are beggars; You alone are the Great Giver, God. You give Your gifts according to Your own considerations. ||4||
Three hundred thirty million gods beg of God the Master; even as He gives, His treasures are never exhausted.
Nothing can be contained in a vessel turned upside-down; Ambrosial Nectar pours into the upright one. ||5||
The Siddhas in Samaadhi beg for wealth and miracles, and proclaim His victory.
As is the thirst within their minds, so is the water which You give to them. ||6||
The most fortunate ones serve their Guru; there is no difference between the Divine Guru and the Lord.
The Messenger of Death cannot see those who come to realize within their minds the contemplative meditation of the Word of the Shabad. ||7||
I shall never ask anything else of the Lord; please, bless me with the Love of Your Immaculate Name.
Nanak, the song-bird, begs for the Ambrosial Water; O Lord, shower Your Mercy upon him, and bless him with Your Praise. ||8||2||
Goojaree, First Mehl:
O Dear One, he is born, and then dies; he continues coming and going; without the Guru, he is not emancipated.
Those mortals who become Gurmukhs are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the Name, they obtain salvation and honor. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, focus your consciousness lovingly on the Lord's Name.
By Guru's Grace, one begs of the Lord God; such is the glorious greatness of the Naam. ||1||Pause||
O Dear One, so many wear various religious robes, for begging and filling their bellies.
Without devotional worship to the Lord, O mortal, there can be no peace. Without the Guru, pride does not depart. ||2||
O Dear One, death hangs constantly over his head. Incarnation after incarnation, it is his enemy.
Those who are attuned to the True Word of the Shabad are saved. The True Guru has imparted this understanding. ||3||
In the Guru's Sanctuary, the Messenger of Death cannot see the mortal, or torture him.
I am imbued with the Imperishable and Immaculate Lord Master, and lovingly attached to the Fearless Lord. ||4||
O Dear One, implant the Naam within me; lovingly attached to the Naam, I lean on the True Guru's Support.
Whatever pleases Him, He does; no one can erase His actions. ||5||
O Dear One, I have hurried to the Sanctuary of the Guru; I have no love for any other except You.
I constantly call upon the One Lord; since the very beginning, and throughout the ages, He has been my help and support. ||6||
O Dear One, please preserve the Honor of Your Name; I am hand and glove with You.
Bless me with Your Mercy, and reveal to me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Guru. Through the Word of the Shabad, I have burnt away my ego. ||7||
O Dear One, what should I ask of You? Nothing appears permanent; whoever comes into this world shall depart.
Bless Nanak with the wealth of the Naam, to adorn his heart and neck. ||8||3||
Goojaree, First Mehl:
O Dear One, I am not high or low or in the middle. I am the Lord's slave, and I seek the Lord's Sanctuary.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I am detached from the world; I have forgotten sorrow, separation and disease. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, by Guru's Grace, I perform devotional worship to my Lord and Master.

One whose heart is filled with the Hymns of the True Guru, obtains the Pure Lord. He is not under the power of the Messenger of Death, nor does he owe Death anything. ||1||Pause||
He chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord with his tongue, and abides with God; he does whatever pleases the Lord.
Without the Lord's Name, life passes in vain in the world, and every moment is useless. ||2||
The false have no place of rest, either inside or outside; the slanderer does not find salvation.
Even if one is resentful, God does not withhold His blessings; day by day, they increase. ||3||
No one can take away the Guru's gifts; my Lord and Master Himself has given them.
The black-faced slanderers, with slander in their mouths, do not appreciate the Guru's gifts. ||4||
God forgives and blends with Himself those who take to His Sanctuary; He does not delay for an instant.
He is the source of bliss, the Greatest Lord; through the True Guru, we are united in His Union. ||5||
Through His Kindness, the Kind Lord pervades us; through Guru's Teachings, our wanderings cease.
Touching the philosopher's stone, metal is transformed into gold. Such is the glorious greatness of the Society of the Saints. ||6||
The Lord is the immaculate water; the mind is the bather, and the True Guru is the bath attendant, O Siblings of Destiny.
That humble being who joins the Sat Sangat shall not be consigned to reincarnation again; his light merges into the Light. ||7||
You are the Great Primal Lord, the infinite tree of life; I am a bird perched on Your branches.
Grant to Nanak the Immaculate Naam; throughout the ages, he sings the Praises of the Shabad. ||8||4||
Goojaree, First Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The devotees worship the Lord in loving adoration. They thirst for the True Lord, with infinite affection.
They tearfully beg and implore the Lord; in love and affection, their consciousness is at peace. ||1||
Chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O my mind, and take to His Sanctuary.
The Lord's Name is the boat to cross over the world-ocean. Practice such a way of life. ||1||Pause||
O mind, even death wishes you well, when you remember the Lord through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The intellect receives the treasure, the knowledge of reality and supreme bliss, by repeating the Lord's Name in the mind. ||2||
The fickle consciousness wanders around chasing after wealth; it is intoxicated with worldly love and emotional attachment.
Devotion to the Naam is permanently implanted within the mind, when it is attuned to the Guru's Teachings and His Shabad. ||3||
Wandering around, doubt is not dispelled; afflicted by reincarnation, the world is being ruined.
The Lord's eternal throne is free of this affliction; he is truly wise, who takes the Naam as his deep meditation. ||4||
This world is engrossed in attachment and transitory love; it suffers the terrible pains of birth and death.
Run to the Sanctuary of the True Guru, chant the Lord's Name in your heart, and you shall swim across. ||5||
Following the Guru's Teaching, the mind becomes stable; the mind accepts it, and reflects upon it in peaceful poise.
That mind is pure, which enshrines Truth within, and the most excellent jewel of spiritual wisdom. ||6||
By the Fear of God, and Love of God, and by devotion, man crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, focusing his consciousness on the Lord's Lotus Feet.

The Name of the Lord, the most pure and sacred, is within my heart; this body is Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||7||
The waves of greed and avarice are subdued, by treasuring the Lord's Name in the mind.
Subdue my mind, O Pure Immaculate Lord; says Nanak, I have entered Your Sanctuary. ||8||1||5||
Goojaree, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I dance, and make this mind dance as well.
By Guru's Grace, I eliminate my self-conceit.
One who keeps his consciousness focused on the Lord is liberated; he obtains the fruits of his desires. ||1||
So dance, O mind, before your Guru.
If you dance according to the Guru's Will, you shall obtain peace, and in the end, the fear of death shall leave you. ||Pause||
One whom the Lord Himself causes to dance, is called a devotee. He Himself links us to His Love.
He Himself sings, He Himself listens, and He puts this blind mind on the right path. ||2||
One who dances night and day, and banishes Shakti's Maya, enters the House of the Lord Shiva, where there is no sleep.
The world is asleep in Maya, the house of Shakti; it dances, jumps and sings in duality. The self-willed manmukh has no devotion. ||3||
The angels, mortals, renunciates, ritualists, silent sages and beings of spiritual wisdom dance.
The Siddhas and seekers, lovingly focused on the Lord, dance, as do the Gurmukhs, whose minds dwell in reflective meditation. ||4||
The planets and solar systems dance in the three qualities, as do those who bear love for You, Lord.
The beings and creatures all dance, and the four sources of creation dance. ||5||
They alone dance, who are pleasing to You, and who, as Gurmukhs, embrace love for the Word of the Shabad.
They are devotees, with the essence of spiritual wisdom, who obey the Hukam of His Command. ||6||
This is devotional worship, that one loves the True Lord; without service, one cannot be a devotee.
If one remains dead while yet alive, he reflects upon the Shabad, and then, he obtains the True Lord. ||7||
So many people dance for the sake of Maya; how rare are those who contemplate reality.
By Guru's Grace, that humble being obtains You, Lord, upon whom You show Mercy. ||8||
If I forget the True Lord, even for an instant, that time passes in vain.
With each and every breath, constantly remember the Lord; He Himself shall forgive you, according to His Will. ||9||
They alone dance, who are pleasing to Your Will, and who, as Gurmukhs, contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
Says Nanak, they alone find celestial peace, whom You bless with Your Grace. ||10||1||6||
Goojaree, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Without the Lord, my soul cannot survive, like an infant without milk.
The inaccessible and incomprehensible Lord God is obtained by the Gurmukh; I am a sacrifice to my True Guru. ||1||
O my mind, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is a boat to carry you across.
The Gurmukhs obtain the Ambrosial Water of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. You bless them with Your Grace. ||Pause||

Sanak, Sanandan and Naarad the sage serve You; night and day, they continue to chant Your Name, O Lord of the jungle.
Slave Prahlaad sought Your Sanctuary, and You saved his honor. ||2||
The One unseen immaculate Lord is pervading everywhere, as is the Light of the Lord.
All are beggars, You alone are the Great Giver. Reaching out our hands, we beg from You. ||3||
The speech of the humble devotees is sublime; they sing continually the wondrous, Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
Their lives become fruitful; they save themselves, and all their generations. ||4||
The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in duality and evil-mindedness; within them is the darkness of attachment.
They do not love the sermon of the humble Saints, and they are drowned along with their families. ||5||
By slandering, the slanderer washes the filth off others; he is an eater of filth, and a worshipper of Maya.
He indulges in the slander of the humble Saints; he is neither on this shore, nor the shore beyond. ||6||
All this worldly drama is set in motion by the Creator Lord; He has infused His almighty strength into all.
The thread of the One Lord runs through the world; when He pulls out this thread, the One Creator alone remains. ||7||
With their tongues, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and savor Them. They place the sublime essence of the Lord upon their tongues, and savor it.
O Nanak, other than the Lord, I ask for nothing else; I am in love with the Love of the Lord's sublime essence. ||8||1||7||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Among kings, You are called the King. Among land-lords, You are the Land-lord.
Among masters, You are the Master. Among tribes, Yours is the Supreme Tribe. ||1||
My Father is wealthy, deep and profound.
What praises should I chant, O Creator Lord? Beholding You, I am wonder-struck. ||1||Pause||
Among the peaceful, You are called the Peaceful One. Among givers, You are the Greatest Giver.
Among the glorious, You are said to be the Most Glorious. Among revellers, You are the Reveller. ||2||
Among warriors, You are called the Warrior. Among indulgers, You are the Indulger.
Among householders, You are the Great Householder. Among yogis, You are the Yogi. ||3||
Among creators, You are called the Creator. Among the cultured, You are the Cultured One.
Among bankers, You are the True Banker. Among merchants, You are the Merchant. ||4||
Among courts, Yours is the Court. Yours is the Most Sublime of Sanctuaries.
The extent of Your wealth cannot be determined. Your Coins cannot be counted. ||5||
Among names, Your Name, God, is the most respected. Among the wise, You are the Wisest.
Among ways, Yours, God, is the Best Way. Among purifying baths, Yours is the Most Purifying. ||6||
Among spiritual powers, Yours, O God, are the Spiritual Powers. Among actions, Yours are the Greatest Actions.
Among wills, Your Will, God, is the Supreme Will. Of commands, Yours is the Supreme Command. ||7||

As You cause me to speak, so do I speak, O Lord Master. What other power do I have?
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, sing His Praises; they are so very dear to God. ||8||1||8||
Goojaree, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Lord, Man-lion Incarnate, Companion to the poor, Divine Purifier of sinners;
O Destroyer of fear and dread, Merciful Lord Master, Treasure of Excellence, fruitful is Your service. ||1||
O Lord, Cherisher of the World, Guru-Lord of the Universe.
I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet, O Merciful Lord. Carry me across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
O Dispeller of sexual desire and anger, Eliminator of intoxication and attachment, Destroyer of ego, Honey of the mind;
set me free from birth and death, O Sustainer of the earth, and preserve my honor, O Embodiment of supreme bliss. ||2||
The many waves of desire for Maya are burnt away, when the Guru's spiritual wisdom is enshrined in the heart, through the Guru's Mantra.
Destroy my egotism, O Merciful Lord; dispel my anxiety, O Infinite Primal Lord. ||3||
Remember in meditation the Almighty Lord, every moment and every instant; meditate on God in the celestial peace of Samaadhi.
O Merciful to the meek, perfectly blissful Lord, I beg for the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||
Emotional attachment is false, desire is filthy, and longing is corrupt.
Please, preserve my faith, dispel these doubts from my mind, and save me, O Formless Lord. ||5||
They have become wealthy, loaded with the treasures of the Lord's riches; they were lacking even clothes.
The idiotic, foolish and senseless people have become virtuous and patient, receiving the Gracious Glance of the Lord of wealth. ||6||
Become Jivan-Mukta, liberated while yet alive, by meditating on the Lord of the Universe, O mind, and maintaining faith in Him in your heart.
Show kindness and mercy to all beings, and realize that the Lord is pervading everywhere; this is the way of life of the enlightened soul, the supreme swan. ||7||
He grants the Blessed Vision of His Darshan to those who listen to His Praises, and who, with their tongues, chant His Name.
They are part and parcel, life and limb with the Lord God; O Nanak, they feel the Touch of God, the Savior of sinners. ||8||1||2||5||1||1||2||57||
Goojaree Ki Vaar, Third Mehl, Sung In The Tune Of The Vaar Of Sikandar & Biraahim:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Third Mehl:
This world perishing in attachment and possessiveness; no one knows the way of life.
One who walks in harmony with the Guru's Will, obtains the supreme status of life.
Those humble beings who focus their consciousness on the Lord's Feet, live forever and ever.
O Nanak, by His Grace, the Lord abides in the minds of the Gurmukhs, who merge in celestial bliss. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Within the self is the pain of doubt; engrossed in worldly affairs, they are killing themselves.
Asleep in the love of duality, they never wake up; they are in love with, and attached to Maya.
They do not think of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and they do not contemplate the Word of the Shabad. This is the conduct of the self-willed manmukhs.

They do not obtain the Lord's Name, and they waste away their lives in vain; O Nanak, the Messenger of Death punishes and dishonors them. ||2||
Pauree:
He created Himself - at that time, there was no other.
He consulted Himself for advice, and what He did came to pass.
At that time, there were no Akaashic Ethers, no nether regions, nor the three worlds.
At that time, only the Formless Lord Himself existed - there was no creation.
As it pleased Him, so did He act; without Him, there was no other. ||1||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
My Master is eternal. He is seen by practicing the Word of the Shabad.
He never perishes; He does not come or go in reincarnation.
So serve Him, forever and ever; He is contained in all.
Why serve another who is born, and then dies?
Fruitless is the life of those who do not know their Lord and Master, and who center their consciousness on others.
O Nanak, it cannot be known, how much punishment the Creator shall inflict on them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Meditate on the True Name; the True Lord is pervading everywhere.
O Nanak, by understanding the Hukam of the Lord's Command, one becomes acceptable, and then obtains the fruit of Truth.
He wanders around babbling and speaking, but he does not understand the Lord's Command at all. He is blind, the falsest of the false. ||2||
Pauree:
Creating union and separation, He laid the foundations of the Universe.
By His Command, the Lord of Light fashioned the Universe, and infused His Divine Light into it.
From the Lord of Light, all light originates. The True Guru proclaims the Word of the Shabad.
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, under the influence of the three dispositions, were put to their tasks.
He created the root of Maya, and the peace obtained in the fourth state of consciousness. ||2||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
That alone is chanting, and that alone is deep meditation, which is pleasing to the True Guru.
Pleasing the True Guru, glorious greatness is obtained.
O Nanak, renouncing self-conceit, one merges into the Guru. ||1||
Third Mehl:
How rare are those who receive the Guru's Teachings.
O Nanak, he alone receives it, whom the Lord Himself blesses with glorious greatness. ||2||
Pauree:
Emotional attachment to Maya is spiritual darkness; it is very difficult and such a heavy load.
Loaded with so very many stones of sin, how can the boat cross over?
Those who are attuned to the Lord's devotional worship night and day are carried across.
Under the Instruction of the Guru's Shabad, one sheds egotism and corruption, and the mind becomes immaculate.
Meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; the Lord, Har, Har, is our Saving Grace. ||3||
Shalok:
O Kabeer, the gate of liberation is narrow, less than one-tenth of a mustard seed.
The mind has become as big as an elephant; how can it pass through this gate?
If one meets such a True Guru, by His Pleasure, He shows His Mercy.
Then, the gate of liberation becomes wide open, and the soul easily passes through. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O Nanak, the gate of liberation is very narrow; only the very tiny can pass through.
Through egotism, the mind has become bloated. How can it pass through?
Meeting the True Guru, egotism departs, and one is filled with the Divine Light.

Then, this soul is liberated forever, and it remains absorbed in celestial bliss. ||2||
Pauree:
God created the Universe, and He keeps it under His power.
God cannot be obtained by counting; the mortal wanders in doubt.
Meeting the True Guru, one remains dead while yet alive; understanding Him, he is absorbed in the Truth.
Through the Word of the Shabad, egotism is eradicated, and one is united in the Lord's Union.
He knows everything, and Himself does everything; beholding His Creation, He rejoices. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who has not focused his consciousness on the True Guru, and into whose mind the Naam does not come
- cursed is such a life. What has he gained by coming into the world?
Maya is false capital; in an instant, its false covering falls off.
When it slips from his hand, his body turns black, and his face withers away.
Those who focus their consciousness on the True Guru - peace comes to abide in their minds.
They meditate on the Name of the Lord with love; they are lovingly attuned to the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, the True Guru has bestowed upon them the wealth, which remains contained within their hearts.
They are imbued with supreme love; its color increases day by day. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Maya is a serpent, clinging to the world.
Whoever serves her, she ultimately devours.
The Gurmukh is a snake-charmer; he has trampled her and thrown her down, and crushed her underfoot.
O Nanak, they alone are saved, who remain lovingly absorbed in the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The minstrel cries out, and God hears him.
He is comforted within his mind, and he obtains the Perfect Lord.
Whatever destiny is pre-ordained by the Lord, those are the deeds he does.
When the Lord and Master becomes Merciful, then one obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence as his home.
That God of mine is so very great; as Gurmukh, I have met Him. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
There is One Lord God of all; He remains ever-present.
O Nanak, if one does not obey the Hukam of the Lord's Command, then within one's own home, the Lord seems far away.
They alone obey the Lord's Command, upon whom He casts His Glance of Grace.
Obeying His Command, one obtains peace, and becomes the happy, loving soul-bride. ||1||
Third Mehl:
She who does not love her Husband Lord, burns and wastes away all through the night of her life.
O Nanak, the soul-brides dwell in peace; they have the Lord, their King, as their Husband. ||2||
Pauree:
Roaming over the entire world, I have seen that the Lord is the only Giver.
The Lord cannot be obtained by any device at all; He is the Architect of Karma.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and the Lord is easily revealed within.
The fire of desire within is quenched, and one bathes in the Lord's Pool of Ambrosial Nectar.
The great greatness of the great Lord God - the Gurmukh speaks of this. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
What love is this between the body and soul, which ends when the body falls?
Why feed it by telling lies? When you leave, it does not go with you.

The body is merely blind dust; go, and ask the soul.
The soul answers, "I am enticed by Maya, and so I come and go, again and again."
O Nanak, I do not know my Lord and Master's Command, by which I would merge in the Truth. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the only permanent wealth; all other wealth comes and goes.
Thieves cannot steal this wealth, nor can robbers take it away.
This wealth of the Lord is embedded in the soul, and with the soul, it shall depart.
It is obtained from the Perfect Guru; the self-willed manmukhs do not receive it.
Blessed are the traders, O Nanak, who have come to earn the wealth of the Naam. ||2||
Pauree:
My Master is so very great, true, profound and unfathomable.
The whole world is under His power; everything is the projection of Him.
By Guru's Grace, the eternal wealth is obtained, bringing peace and patience to the mind.
By His Grace, the Lord dwells in the mind, and one meets the Brave Guru.
The virtuous praise the ever-stable, permanent, perfect Lord. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Cursed is the life of those who forsake and throw away the peace of the Lord's Name, and suffer pain instead by practicing ego and sin.
The ignorant self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in the love of Maya; they have no understanding at all.
In this world and in the world beyond, they do not find peace; in the end, they depart regretting and repenting.
By Guru's Grace, one may meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and egotism departs from within him.
O Nanak, one who has such pre-ordained destiny, comes and falls at the Guru's Feet. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is like the inverted lotus; he has neither devotional worship, nor the Lord's Name.
He remains engrossed in material wealth, and his efforts are false.
His consciousness is not softened within, and the words from his mouth are insipid.
He does not mingle with the righteous; within him are falsehood and selfishness.
O Nanak, the Creator Lord has arranged things, so that the self-willed manmukhs are drowned by telling lies, while the Gurmukhs are saved by chanting the Lord's Name. ||2||
Pauree:
Without understanding, one must wander around the cycle of reincarnation, and continue coming and going.
One who has not served the True Guru, shall depart regretting and repenting in the end.
But if the Lord shows His Mercy, one finds the Guru, and ego is banished from within.
Hunger and thirst depart from within, and peace comes to dwell in the mind.
Forever and ever, praise Him with love in your heart. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who serves his True Guru, is worshipped by everyone.
Of all efforts, the supreme effort is the attainment of the Lord's Name.
Peace and tranquility come to dwell within the mind; meditating within the heart, there comes a lasting peace.
The Ambrosial Amrit is his food, and the Ambrosial Amrit is his clothes; O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, greatness is obtained. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O mind, listen to the Guru's Teachings, and you shall obtain the treasure of virtue.

The Lord, the Giver of peace, shall dwell in your mind, and your egotism and pride shall depart.
O Nanak, when the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, then, night and day, one centers his meditation on the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The Gurmukh is totally truthful, content and pure.
Deception and wickedness have departed from within him, and he easily conquers his mind.
There, the Divine Light and the essence of bliss are manifest, and ignorance is eliminated.
Night and day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and manifests the excellence of the Lord.
The One Lord is the Giver of all; the Lord alone is our friend. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who understands God, who lovingly centers his mind on the Lord night and day, is called a Brahmin.
Consulting the True Guru, he practices Truth and self-restraint, and he is rid of the disease of ego.
He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and gathers in His Praises; his light is blended with the Light.
In this world, one who knows God is very rare; eradicating ego, he is absorbed in God.
O Nanak, meeting him, peace is obtained; night and day, he meditates on the Lord's Name. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Within the ignorant self-willed manmukh is deception; with his tongue, he speaks lies.
Practicing deception, he does not please the Lord God, who always sees and hears with natural ease.
In the love of duality, he goes to instruct the world, but he is engrossed in the poison of Maya and attachment to pleasure.
By doing so, he suffers in constant pain; he is born and then dies, and comes and goes again and again.
His doubts do not leave him at all, and he rots away in manure.
One, unto whom my Lord Master shows His Mercy, listens to the Guru's Teachings.
He meditates on the Lord's Name, and sings the Lord's Name; in the end, the Lord's Name will deliver him. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who obey the Hukam of the Lord's Command, are the perfect persons in the world.
They serve their Lord Master, and reflect upon the Perfect Word of the Shabad.
They serve the Lord, and love the True Word of the Shabad.
They attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, as they eradicate egotism from within.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs remain united with Him, chanting the Name of the Lord, and enshrining it within their hearts. ||10||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukh meditates on the Lord; the celestial sound-current resounds within him, and he focuses his consciousness on the True Name.
The Gurmukh remains imbued with the Lord's Love, night and day; his mind is pleased with the Name of the Lord.
The Gurmukh beholds the Lord, the Gurmukh speaks of the Lord, and the Gurmukh naturally loves the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh attains spiritual wisdom, and the pitch-black darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
One who is blessed by the Perfect Lord's Grace - as Gurmukh, he meditates on the Lord's Name. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those who do not serve the True Guru do not embrace love for the Word of the Shabad.
They do not meditate on the Celestial Naam, the Name of the Lord - why did they even bother to come into the world?
Time and time again, they are reincarnated, and they rot away forever in manure.
They are attached to false greed; they are not on this shore, nor on the one beyond.

O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved; the Creator Lord unites them with Himself. ||2||
Pauree:
The devotees look beauteous in the True Court of the Lord; they abide in the True Word of the Shabad.
The Lord's Love wells up in them; they are attracted by the Lord's Love.
They abide in the Lord's Love, they remain imbued with the Lord's Love forever, and with their tongues, they drink in the sublime essence of the Lord.
Fruitful are the lives of those Gurmukhs who recognize the Lord and enshrine Him in their hearts.
Without the Guru, they wander around crying out in misery; in the love of duality, they are ruined. ||11||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the devotees earn the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; they obtain the supreme status of the Lord.
Serving the True Guru, they enshrine the Lord's Name in their minds, and they meditate on the Naam, night and day.
Within the home of their own selves, they remain unattached, through the Guru's Teachings; they burn away egotism and emotional attachment.
They save themselves, and they save the whole world. Blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them.
He alone finds such a True Guru, upon whose forehead the Lord inscribed such pre-ordained destiny.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to his Guru; when he was wandering in doubt, He placed him on the Path. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Beholding Maya with her three dispositions, he goes astray; he is like the moth, which sees the flame, and is consumed.
The mistaken, deluded Pandits gaze upon Maya, and watch to see whether anyone has offered them something.
In the love of duality, they read continually about sin, while the Lord has withheld His Name from them.
The Yogis, the wandering hermits and the Sannyaasees have gone astray; their egotism and arrogance have increased greatly.
They do not accept the true donations of clothes and food, and their lives are ruined by their stubborn minds.
Among these, he alone is a man of poise, who, as Gurmukh, meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Unto whom should servant Nanak speak and complain? All act as the Lord causes them to act. ||2||
Pauree:
Emotional attachment to Maya, sexual desire, anger and egotism are demons.
Because of them, mortals are subject to death; above their heads hangs the heavy club of the Messenger of Death.
The self-willed manmukhs, in love with duality, are led onto the path of Death.
In the City of Death, they are tied up and beaten, and no one hears their cries.
One who is blessed by the Lord's Grace meets the Guru; as Gurmukh, he is emancipated. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
By egotism and pride, the self-willed manmukhs are enticed, and consumed.
Those who center their consciousness on duality are caught in it, and remain stuck.
But when it is burnt away by the Word of the Guru's Shabad, only then does it depart from within.
The body and mind become radiant and bright, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell within the mind.
O Nanak, the Lord's Name is the antidote to Maya; the Gurmukh obtains it. ||1||
Third Mehl:
This mind has wandered through so many ages; it has not remained stable - it continues coming and going.
When it is pleasing to the Lord's Will, then He causes the soul to wander; He has set the world-drama in motion.
When the Lord forgives, then one meets the Guru, and becoming stable, he remains absorbed in the Lord.

O Nanak, through the mind, the mind is satisfied, and then, nothing comes or goes. ||2||
Pauree:
The body is the fortress of the Infinite Lord; it is obtained only by destiny.
The Lord Himself dwells within the body; He Himself is the Enjoyer of pleasures.
He Himself remains detached and unaffected; while unattached, He is still attached.
He does whatever He pleases, and whatever He does, comes to pass.
The Gurmukh meditates on the Lord's Name, and separation from the Lord is ended. ||13||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! The Lord Himself causes us to praise Him, through the True Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Waaho! Waaho! is His Eulogy and Praise; how rare are the Gurmukhs who understand this.
Waaho! Waaho! is the True Word of His Bani, by which we meet our True Lord.
O Nanak, chanting Waaho! Waaho! God is attained; by His Grace, He is obtained. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Chanting Waaho! Waaho! the tongue is adorned with the Word of the Shabad.
Through the Perfect Shabad, one comes to meet God.
How very fortunate are those, who with their mouths, chant Waaho! Waaho!
How beautiful are those persons who chant Waaho! Waaho! ; people come to venerate them.
Waaho! Waaho! is obtained by His Grace; O Nanak, honor is obtained at the Gate of the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Within the fortress of body, are the hard and rigid doors of falsehood, deception and pride.
Deluded by doubt, the blind and ignorant self-willed manmukhs cannot see them.
They cannot be found by any efforts; wearing their religious robes, the wearers have grown weary of trying.
The doors are opened only by the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and then, one chants the Name of the Lord.
The Dear Lord is the Tree of Ambrosial Nectar; those who drink in this Nectar are satisfied. ||14||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Chanting Waaho! Waaho! the night of one's life passes in peace.
Chanting Waaho! Waaho! I am in eternal bliss, O my mother!
Chanting Waaho! Waaho!, I have fallen in love with the Lord.
Waaho! Waaho! Through the karma of good deeds, I chant it, and inspire others to chant it as well.
Chanting Waaho! Waaho!, one obtains honor.
O Nanak, Waaho! Waaho! is the Will of the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! is the Bani of the True Word. Searching, the Gurmukhs have found it.
Waaho! Waaho! They chant the Word of the Shabad. Waaho! Waaho! They enshrine it in their hearts.
Chanting Waaho! Waaho! the Gurmukhs easily obtain the Lord, after searching.
O Nanak, very fortunate are those who reflect upon the Lord, Har, Har, within their hearts. ||2||
Pauree:
O my utterly greedy mind, you are constantly engrossed in greed.
In your desire for the enticing Maya, you wander in the ten directions.
Your name and social status shall not go with you hereafter; the self-willed manmukh is consumed by pain.
Your tongue does not taste the sublime essence of the Lord; it utters only insipid words.
Those Gurmukhs who drink in the Ambrosial Nectar are satisfied. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Chant Waaho! Waaho! to the Lord, who is True, profound and unfathomable.
Chant Waaho! Waaho! to the Lord, who is the Giver of virtue, intelligence and patience.

Chant Waaho! Waaho! to the Lord, who is permeating and pervading in all.
Chant Waaho! Waaho! to the Lord, who is the Giver of sustenance to all.
O Nanak, Waaho! Waaho! - praise the One Lord, revealed by the True Guru. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! The Gurmukhs praise the Lord continually, while the self-willed manmukhs eat poison and die.
They have no love for the Lord's Praises, and they pass their lives in misery.
The Gurmukhs drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, and they center their consciousness on the Lord's Praises.
O Nanak, those who chant Waaho! Waaho! are immaculate and pure; they obtain the knowledge of the three worlds. ||2||
Pauree:
By the Lord's Will, one meets the Guru, serves Him, and worships the Lord.
By the Lord's Will, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and one easily drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord.
By the Lord's Will, one finds peace, and continually earns the Lord's Profit.
He is seated on the Lord's throne, and he dwells continually in the home of his own being.
He alone surrenders to the Lord's Will, who meets the Guru. ||16||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! Those humble beings ever praise the Lord, unto whom the Lord Himself grants understanding.
Chanting Waaho! Waaho!, the mind is purified, and egotism departs from within.
The Gurmukh who continually chants Waaho! Waaho! attains the fruits of his heart's desires.
Beauteous are those humble beings who chant Waaho! Waaho! O Lord, let me join them!
Within my heart, I chant Waaho! Waaho!, and with my mouth, Waaho! Waaho!
O Nanak, those who chant Waaho! Waaho! - unto them I dedicate my body and mind. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! is the True Lord Master; His Name is Ambrosial Nectar.
Those who serve the Lord are blessed with the fruit; I am a sacrifice to them.
Waaho! Waaho! is the treasure of virtue; he alone tastes it, who is so blessed.
Waaho! Waaho! The Lord is pervading and permeating the oceans and the land; the Gurmukh attains Him.
Waaho! Waaho! Let all the Gursikhs continually praise Him. Waaho! Waaho! The Perfect Guru is pleased with His Praises.
O Nanak, one who chants Waaho! Waaho! with his heart and mind - the Messenger of Death does not approach him. ||2||
Pauree:
The Dear Lord is the Truest of the True; True is the Word of the Guru's Bani.
Through the True Guru, the Truth is realized, and one is easily absorbed in the True Lord.
Night and day, they remain awake, and do not sleep; in wakefulness, the night of their lives passes.
Those who taste the sublime essence of the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings, are the most worthy persons.
Without the Guru, no one has obtained the Lord; the ignorant rot away and die. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! is the Bani, the Word, of the Formless Lord. There is no other as great as He is.
Waaho! Waaho! The Lord is unfathomable and inaccessible. Waaho! Waaho! He is the True One.
Waaho! Waaho! He is the self-existent Lord. Waaho! Waaho! As He wills, so it comes to pass.
Waaho! Waaho! is the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, obtained by the Gurmukh.
Waaho! Waaho! This is realized by His Grace, as He Himself grants His Grace.

O Nanak, Waaho! Waaho! This is obtained by the Gurmukhs, who hold tight to the Naam, night and day. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, peace is not obtained, and the sense of duality does not depart.
No matter how much one may wish, without the Lord's Grace, He is not found.
Those who are filled with greed and corruption are ruined by the love of duality.
They cannot escape birth and death, and with egotism within them, they suffer in misery.
Those who center their consciousness on the True Guru, never go empty-handed.
They are not summoned by the Messenger of Death, and they do not suffer in pain.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved; they merge in the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He alone is called a minstrel, who enshrines love for his Lord and Master.
Standing at the Lord's Door, he serves the Lord, and reflects upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The minstrel attains the Lord's Gate and Mansion, and he keeps the True Lord clasped to his heart.
The status of the minstrel is exalted; he loves the Name of the Lord.
The service of the minstrel is to meditate on the Lord; he is emancipated by the Lord. ||18||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The milkmaid's status is very low, but she attains her Husband Lord
when she reflects upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and chants the Lord's Name, night and day.
She who meets the True Guru, lives in the Fear of God; she is a woman of noble birth.
She alone realizes the Hukam of her Husband Lord's Command, who is blessed by the Creator Lord's Mercy.
She who is of little merit and ill-mannered, is discarded and forsaken by her Husband Lord.
By the Fear of God, filth is washed off, and the body becomes immaculately pure.
The soul is enlightened, and the intellect is exalted, meditating on the Lord, the ocean of excellence.
One who dwells in the Fear of God, lives in the Fear of God, and acts in the Fear of God.
He obtains peace and glorious greatness here, in the Lord's Court, and at the Gate of Salvation.
Through the Fear of God, the Fearless Lord is obtained, and one's light merges in the Infinite Light.
O Nanak, that bride alone is good, who is pleasing to her Lord and Master, and whom the Creator Lord Himself forgives. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Praise the Lord, forever and ever, and make yourself a sacrifice to the True Lord.
O Nanak, let that tongue be burnt, which renounces the One Lord, and attaches itself to another. ||2||
Pauree:
From a single particle of His greatness, He created His incarnations, but they indulged in the love of duality.
They ruled like kings, and fought for pleasure and pain.
Those who serve Shiva and Brahma do not find the limits of the Lord.
The Fearless, Formless Lord is unseen and invisible; He is revealed only to the Gurmukh.
There, one does not suffer sorrow or separation; he becomes stable and immortal in the world. ||19||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
All these things come and go, all these things of the world.
One who knows this written account is acceptable and approved.
O Nanak, anyone who takes pride in himself is foolish and unwise. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The mind is the elephant, the Guru is the elephant-driver, and knowledge is the whip. Wherever the Guru drives the mind, it goes.
O Nanak, without the whip, the elephant wanders into the wilderness, again and again. ||2||
Pauree:
I offer my prayer to the One, from whom I was created.

Serving my True Guru, I have obtained all the fruits.
I meditate continually on the Ambrosial Name of the Lord.
In the Society of the Saints, I am rid of my pain and suffering.
O Nanak, I have become care-free; I have obtained the imperishable wealth of the Lord. ||20||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Raising the embankments of the mind's field, I gaze at the heavenly mansion.
When devotion comes to the mind of the soul-bride, she is visited by the friendly guest.
O clouds, if you are going to rain, then go ahead and rain; why rain after the season has passed?
Nanak is a sacrifice to those Gurmukhs who obtain the Lord in their minds. ||1||
Third Mehl:
That which is pleasing is sweet, and one who is sincere is a friend.
O Nanak, he is known as a Gurmukh, whom the Lord Himself enlightens. ||2||
Pauree:
O God, Your humble servant offers his prayer to You; You are my True Master.
You are my Protector, forever and ever; I meditate on You.
All the beings and creatures are Yours; You are pervading and permeating in them.
One who slanders Your slave is crushed and destroyed.
Falling at Your Feet, Nanak has renounced his cares, and has become care-free. ||21||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Building up its hopes, the world dies, but its hopes do not die or depart.
O Nanak, hopes are fulfilled only by attaching one's consciousness to the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Hopes and desires shall die only when He, who created them, takes them away.
O Nanak, nothing is permanent, except the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created the world, with His perfect workmanship.
He Himself is the true banker, He Himself is the merchant, and He Himself is the store.
He Himself is the ocean, He Himself is the boat, and He Himself is the boatman.
He Himself is the Guru, He Himself is the disciple, and He Himself shows the destination.
O servant Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and all your sins shall be eradicated. ||22||1||SUDH||
Raag Goojaree, Vaar, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Deep within yourself, worship the Guru in adoration, and with your tongue, chant the Guru's Name.
Let your eyes behold the True Guru, and let your ears hear the Guru's Name.
Attuned to the True Guru, you shall receive a place of honor in the Court of the Lord.
Says Nanak, this treasure is bestowed on those who are blessed with His Mercy.
In the midst of the world, they are known as the most pious - they are rare indeed. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Savior Lord, save us and take us across.
Falling at the feet of the Guru, our works are embellished with perfection.
You have become kind, merciful and compassionate; we do not forget You from our minds.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, we are carried across the terrifying world-ocean.
In an instant, You have destroyed the faithless cynics and slanderous enemies.
That Lord and Master is my Anchor and Support; O Nanak, hold firm in your mind.

Remembering Him in meditation, happiness comes, and all sorrows and pains simply vanish. ||2||
Pauree:
He is without relatives, immaculate, all-powerful, unapproachable and infinite.
Truly, the True Lord is seen to be the Truest of the True.
Nothing established by You appears to be false.
The Great Giver gives sustenance to all those He has created.
He has strung all on only one thread; He has infused His Light in them.
By His Will, some drown in the terrifying world-ocean, and by His Will, some are carried across.
O Dear Lord, he alone meditates on You, upon whose forehead such blessed destiny is inscribed.
Your condition and state cannot be known; I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, you automatically come to dwell within my mind.
When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, I find the nine treasures within the home of my own self.
When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, I act according to the Guru's Instructions.
When You are pleased, O Merciful Lord, then Nanak is absorbed in the True One. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Many sit on thrones, to the sounds of musical instruments.
O Nanak, without the True Name, no one's honor is safe. ||2||
Pauree:
The followers of the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran, standing at Your Door, meditate on You.
Uncounted are those who fall at Your Door.
Brahma meditates on You, as does Indra on his throne.
Shiva and Vishnu, and their incarnations, chant the Lord's Praise with their mouths,
as do the Pirs, the spiritual teachers, the prophets and the Shaykhs, the silent sages and the seers.
Through and through, the Formless Lord is woven into each and every heart.
One is destroyed through falsehood; through righteousness, one prospers.
Whatever the Lord links him to, to that he is linked. ||2||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
He is reluctant to do good, but eager to practice evil.
O Nanak, today or tomorrow, the feet of the careless fool shall fall into the trap. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
No matter how evil my ways are, still, Your Love for me is not concealed.
Nanak: You, O Lord, conceal my short-comings and dwell within my mind; You are my true friend. ||2||
Pauree:
I beg of You, O Merciful Lord: please, make me the slave of Your slaves.
I obtain the nine treasures and royalty; chanting Your Name, I live.
The great ambrosial treasure, the Nectar of the Naam, is in the home of the Lord's slaves.
In their company, I am in ecstasy, listening to Your Praises with my ears.
Serving them, my body is purified.
I wave the fans over them, and carry water for them; I grind the corn for them, and washing their feet, I am over-joyed.
By myself, I can do nothing; O God, bless me with Your Glance of Grace.
I am worthless - please, bless me with a seat in the place of worship of the Saints. ||3||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
O Friend, I pray that I may remain forever the dust of Your Feet.
Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, and beholds You ever-present. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Countless sinners become pure, by fixing their minds on the Feet of the Lord.
The Name of God is the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage, O Nanak, for one who has such destiny written upon his forehead. ||2||
Pauree:
With every breath and morsel of food, chant the Name of the Lord, the Cherisher.
The Lord does not forget one upon whom He has bestowed His Grace.
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself destroys.

The Knower knows everything; He understands and contemplates.
By His creative power, He assumes numerous forms in an instant.
One whom the Lord attaches to the Truth is redeemed.
One who has God on his side is never conquered.
His Court is eternal and imperishable; I humbly bow to Him. ||4||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Renounce sexual desire, anger and greed, and burn them in the fire.
As long as you are alive, O Nanak, meditate continually on the True Name. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on my God, I have obtained all the fruits.
O Nanak, I worship the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the Perfect Guru has united me with the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
One who has been instructed by the Guru is liberated in this world.
He avoids disaster, and his anxiety is dispelled.
Beholding the blessed vision of his Darshan, the world is over-joyed.
In the company of the Lord's humble servants, the world is over-joyed, and the filth of sin is washed away.
There, they meditate on the Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name.
The mind becomes content, and its hunger is satisfied.
One whose heart is filled with the Name, has his bonds cut away.
By Guru's Grace, some rare person earns the wealth of the Lord's Name. ||5||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Within my mind, I think thoughts of always rising early, and making the effort.
O Lord, my Friend, please bless Nanak with the habit of singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Casting His Glance of Grace, God has saved me; my mind and body are imbued with the Primal Being.
O Nanak, those who are pleasing to God, have their cries of suffering taken away. ||2||
Pauree:
When your soul is feeling sad, offer your prayers to the Guru.
Renounce all your cleverness, and dedicate your mind and body to Him.
Worship the Feet of the Guru, and your evil-mindedness shall be burnt away.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall cross over the terrifying and difficult world-ocean.
Serve the True Guru, and in the world hereafter, you shall not die of fear.
In an instant, he shall make you happy, and the empty vessel shall be filled to overflowing.
The mind becomes content, meditating forever on the Lord.
He alone dedicates himself to the Guru's service, unto whom the Lord has granted His Grace. ||6||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I am attached to the right place; the Uniter has united me.
O Nanak, there are hundreds and thousands of waves, but my Husband Lord does not let me drown. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
In the dreadful wilderness, I have found the one and only companion; the Name of the Lord is the Destroyer of distress.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Beloved Saints, O Nanak; through them, my affairs have been brought to fulfillment. ||2||
Pauree:
All treasures are obtained, when we are attuned to Your Love.
One does not have to suffer regret and repentance, when he meditates on You.
No one can equal Your humble servant, who has Your Support.
Waaho! Waaho! How wonderful is the Perfect Guru! Cherishing Him in my mind, I obtain peace.
The treasure of the Lord's Praise comes from the Guru; by His Mercy, it is obtained.
When the True Guru bestows His Glance of Grace, one does not wander any more.
The Merciful Lord preserves him - He makes him His own slave.
Listening, hearing the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, I live. ||7||

Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
O Husband Lord, You have given me the silk gown of Your Love to cover and protect my honor.
You are all-wise and all-knowing, O my Master; Nanak: I have not appreciated Your value, Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
By Your meditative remembrance, I have found everything; nothing seems difficult to me.
One whose honor the True Lord Master has preserved - O Nanak, no one can dishonor him. ||2||
Pauree:
Meditating on the Lord, there comes a great peace.
Multitudes of illnesses vanish, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Utter peace pervades within, when God comes to mind.
One's hopes are fulfilled, when one's mind is filled with the Name.
No obstacles stand in the way, when one eliminates his self-conceit.
The intellect attains the blessing of spiritual wisdom from the Guru.
He receives everything, unto whom the Lord Himself gives.
You are the Lord and Master of all; all are under Your Protection. ||8||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Crossing the stream, my foot does not get stuck - I am filled with love for You.
O Lord, my heart is attached to Your Feet; the Lord is Nanak's raft and boat. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The sight of them banishes my evil-mindedness; they are my only true friends.
I have searched the whole world; O servant Nanak, how rare are such persons! ||2||
Pauree:
You come to mind, O Lord and Master, when I behold Your devotees.
The filth of my mind is removed, when I dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The fear of birth and death is dispelled, meditating on the Word of His humble servant.
The Saints untie the bonds, and all the demons are dispelled.
They inspire us to love Him, the One who established the entire universe.
The seat of the inaccessible and infinite Lord is the highest of the high.
Night and day, with your palms pressed together, with each and every breath, meditate on Him.
When the Lord Himself becomes merciful, then we attain the Society of His devotees. ||9||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
In this wondrous forest of the world, there is chaos and confusion; shrieks emanate from the highways.
I am in love with You, O my Husband Lord; O Nanak, I cross the jungle joyfully. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The true society is the company of those who meditate on the Name of the Lord.
Do not associate with those, O Nanak, who look out only for their own interests. ||2||
Pauree:
Approved is that time, when one meets the True Guru.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he does not suffer pain again.
When he attains the eternal place, he does not have to enter the womb again.
He comes to see the One God everywhere.
He focuses his meditation on the essence of spiritual wisdom, and withdraws his attention from other sights.
All chants are chanted by one who chants them with his mouth.
Realizing the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he becomes happy, and he is filled with peace and tranquility.
Those who are assayed, and placed in the Lord's treasury, are not declared counterfeit again. ||10||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The pincers of separation are so painful to endure.
If only the Master would come to meet me! O Nanak, I would then obtain all the true comforts. ||1||

Fifth Mehl:
The earth is in the water, and the fire is contained in the wood.
O Nanak, yearn for that Lord, who is the Support of all. ||2||
Pauree:
The works which You have done, O Lord, could only have been performed by You.
That alone happens in the world, which You, O Master, have done.
I am wonderstruck beholding the wonder of Your Almighty Creative Power.
I seek Your Sanctuary - I am Your slave; if it is Your Will, I shall be emancipated.
The treasure is in Your Hands; according to Your Will, You bestow it.
One, upon whom You have bestowed Your Mercy, is blessed with the Lord's Name.
You are unapproachable, unfathomable and infinite; Your limits cannot be found.
One, unto whom You have been compassionate, meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||11||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The ladles cruise through the food, but they do not know the taste of it.
I long to see the faces of those, O Nanak, who are imbued with the essence of the Lord's Love. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Through the Tracker, I discovered the tracks of those who ruined my crops.
You, O Lord, have put up the fence; O Nanak, my fields shall not be plundered again. ||2||
Pauree:
Worship in adoration that True Lord; everything is under His Power.
He Himself is the Master of both ends; in an instant, He adjusts our affairs.
Renounce all your efforts, and hold fast to His Support.
Run to His Sanctuary, and you shall obtain the comfort of all comforts.
The karma of good deeds, the righteousness of Dharma and the essence of spiritual wisdom are obtained in the Society of the Saints.
Chanting the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, no obstacle shall block your way.
The Lord abides in the mind of one who is blessed by His Kindness.
All treasures are obtained, when the Lord and Master is pleased. ||12||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I have found the object of my search - my Beloved took pity on me.
There is One Creator; O Nanak, I do not see any other. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Take aim with the arrow of Truth, and shoot down sin.
Cherish the Words of the Guru's Mantra, O Nanak, and you shall not suffer in pain. ||2||
Pauree:
Waaho! Waaho! The Creator Lord Himself has brought about peace and tranquility.
He is Kind to all beings and creatures; meditate forever on Him.
The all-powerful Lord has shown Mercy, and my cries of suffering are ended.
My fevers, pains and diseases are gone, by the Grace of the Perfect Guru.
The Lord has established me, and protected me; He is the Cherisher of the poor.
He Himself has delivered me, breaking all my bonds.
My thirst is quenched, my hopes are fulfilled, and my mind is contented and satisfied.
The greatest of the great, the Infinite Lord and Master - He is not affected by virtue and vice. ||13||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
They alone meditate on the Lord God, Har, Har, unto whom the Lord is Merciful.
O Nanak, they enshrine love for the Lord, meeting the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Contemplate the Lord, O very fortunate ones; He is pervading in the water, the land and the sky.
O Nanak, worshipping the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mortal encounters no misfortune. ||2||
Pauree:
The speech of the devotees is approved; it is accepted in the Court of the Lord.
Your devotees take to Your Support; they are imbued with the True Name.
One unto whom You are Merciful, has his sufferings depart.

O Merciful Lord, You bless Your devotees with Your Grace.
Suffering, pain, terrible disease and Maya do not afflict them.
This is the Support of the devotees, that they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Forever and ever, day and night, they meditate on the One and Only Lord.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Amrit of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, His humble servants remain satisfied with the Naam. ||14||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Millions of obstacles stand in the way of one who forgets the Name.
O Nanak, night and day, he croaks like a raven in a deserted house. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Beauteous is that season, when I am united with my Beloved.
I do not forget Him for a moment or an instant; O Nanak, I contemplate Him constantly. ||2||
Pauree:
Even brave and mighty men cannot withstand the powerful and overwhelming army which the five passions have gathered.
The ten organs of sensation attach even detached renunciates to sensory pleasures.
They seek to conquer and overpower them, and so increase their following.
The world of the three dispositions is under their influence; no one can stand against them.
So tell me - how can the fort of doubt and the moat of Maya be overcome?
Worshipping the Perfect Guru, this awesome force is subdued.
I stand before Him, day and night, with my palms pressed together. ||15||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
All sins are washed away, by continually singing the Lord's Glories.
Millions of afflictions are produced, O Nanak, when the Name is forgotten. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, one comes to know the Perfect Way.
While laughing, playing, dressing and eating, he is liberated. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed is the True Guru, who has demolished the fortress of doubt.
Waaho! Waaho! - Hail! Hail! to the True Guru, who has united me with the Lord.
The Guru has given me the medicine of the inexhaustible treasure of the Naam.
He has banished the great and terrible disease.
I have obtained the great treasure of the wealth of the Naam.
I have obtained eternal life, recognizing my own self.
The Glory of the all-powerful Divine Guru cannot be described.
The Guru is the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, infinite, unseen and unknowable. ||16||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Make the effort, and you shall live; practicing it, you shall enjoy peace.
Meditating, you shall meet God, O Nanak, and your anxiety shall vanish. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Bless me with sublime thoughts, O Lord of the Universe, and contemplation in the immaculate Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O Nanak, may I never forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, for even an instant; be merciful to me, Lord God. ||2||
Pauree:
Whatever happens is according to Your Will, so why should I be afraid?
Meeting Him, I meditate on the Name - I offer my soul to Him.
When the Infinite Lord comes to mind, one is enraptured.
Who can touch one who has the Formless Lord on his side?
Everything is under His control; no one is beyond Him.
He, the True Lord, dwells in the minds of His devotees.
Your slaves meditate on You; You are the Savior, the Protector Lord.

You are the Almighty Overlord of all; You bless us with Your Glance of Grace. ||17||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Take away my sexual desire, anger, pride, greed, emotional attachment and evil desires.
Protect me, O my God; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
By eating and eating, the mouth is worn out; by wearing clothes, the limbs grow weary.
O Nanak, cursed are the lives of those who are not attuned to the Love of the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
As is the Hukam of Your Command, so do things happen.
Wherever You keep me, there I go and stand.
With the Love of Your Name, I wash away my evil-mindedness.
By continually meditating on You, O Formless Lord, my doubts and fears are dispelled.
Those who are attuned to Your Love, shall not be trapped in reincarnation.
Inwardly and outwardly, they behold the One Lord with their eyes.
Those who recognize the Lord's Command never weep.
O Nanak, they are blessed with the gift of the Name, woven into the fabric of their minds. ||18||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Those who do not remember the Lord while they are alive, shall mix with the dust when they die.
O Nanak, the foolish and filthy faithless cynic passes his life engrossed in the world. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
One who remembers the Lord while he is alive, shall be imbued with the Lord's Love when he dies.
The precious gift of his life is redeemed, O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||
Pauree:
From the beginning, and through the ages, You have been our Protector and Preserver.
True is Your Name, O Creator Lord, and True is Your Creation.
You do not lack anything; You are filling each and every heart.
You are merciful and all-powerful; You Yourself cause us to serve You.
Those whose minds in which You dwell are forever at peace.
Having created the creation, You Yourself cherish it.
You Yourself are everything, O infinite, endless Lord.
Nanak seeks the Protection and Support of the Perfect Guru. ||19||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
In the beginning, in the middle and in the end, the Transcendent Lord has saved me.
The True Guru has blessed me with the Lord's Name, and I have tasted the Ambrosial Nectar.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day.
I have obtained all my objectives, and I shall not wander in reincarnation again.
Everything is in the Hands of the Creator; He does what is done.
Nanak begs for the gift of the dust of the feet of the Holy, which shall deliver him. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Enshrine Him in your mind, the One who created you.
Whoever meditates on the Lord and Master obtains peace.
Fruitful is the birth, and approved is the coming of the Gurmukh.
One who realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command shall be blessed - so has the Lord and Master ordained.
One who is blessed with the Lord's Mercy does not wander.
Whatever the Lord and Master gives him, with that he is content.
O Nanak, one who is blessed with the kindness of the Lord, our Friend, realizes the Hukam of His Command.
But those whom the Lord Himself causes to wander, continue to die, and take reincarnation again. ||2||
Pauree:
The slanderers are destroyed in an instant; they are not spared for even a moment.
God will not endure the sufferings of His slaves, but catching the slanderers, He binds them to the cycle of reincarnation.

Grabbing them by the hair on their heads, the Lord throws them down, and leaves them on the path of Death.
They cry out in pain, in the darkest of hells.
But hugging His slaves close to His Heart, O Nanak, the True Lord saves them. ||20||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the Lord, O fortunate ones; He is pervading the waters and the earth.
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and no misfortune shall strike you. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Millions of misfortunes block the way of one who forgets the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, like a crow in a deserted house, he cries out, night and day. ||2||
Pauree:
Meditating, meditating in remembrance of the Great Giver, one's heart's desires are fulfilled.
The hopes and desires of the mind are realized, and sorrows are forgotten.
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is obtained; I have searched for it for so long.
My light is merged into the Light, and my labors are over.
I abide in that house of peace, poise and bliss.
My comings and goings have ended - there is no birth or death there.
The Master and the servant have become one, with no sense of separation.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak is absorbed in the True Lord. ||21||1||2||SUDH||
Raag Goojaree, The Words Of The Devotees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Chau-Padas Of Kabeer Jee, Second House:
With four feet, two horns and a mute mouth, how could you sing the Praises of the Lord?
Standing up and sitting down, the stick shall still fall on you, so where will you hide your head? ||1||
Without the Lord, you are like a stray ox;
with your nose torn, and your shoulders injured, you shall have only the straw of coarse grain to eat. ||1||Pause||
All day long, you shall wander in the forest, and even then, your belly will not be full.
You did not follow the advice of the humble devotees, and so you shall obtain the fruits of your actions. ||2||
Enduring pleasure and pain, drowned in the great ocean of doubt, you shall wander in numerous reincarnations.
You have lost the jewel of human birth by forgetting God; when will you have such an opportunity again? ||3||
You turn on the wheel of reincarnation, like an ox at the oil-press; the night of your life passes away without salvation.
Says Kabeer, without the Name of the Lord, you shall pound your head, and regret and repent. ||4||1||
GOOJAREE, THIRD HOUSE:
Kabeer's mother sobs, cries and bewails
- O Lord, how will my grandchildren live? ||1||
Kabeer has given up all his spinning and weaving,
and written the Name of the Lord on his body. ||1||Pause||
As long as I pass the thread through the bobbin,
I forget the Lord, my Beloved. ||2||
My intellect is lowly - I am a weaver by birth,
but I have earned the profit of the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O my mother
- the Lord alone is the Provider, for me and my children. ||4||2||

Goojaree, Padas Of Naam Dayv Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If You gave me an empire, then what glory would be in it for me?
If You made me beg for charity, what would it take away from me? ||1||
Meditate and vibrate upon the Lord, O my mind, and you shall obtain the state of Nirvaanaa.
You shall not have to come and go in reincarnation any longer. ||1||Pause||
You created all, and You lead them astray in doubt.
They alone understand, unto whom You give understanding. ||2||
Meeting the True Guru, doubt is dispelled.
Who else should I worship? I can see no other. ||3||
One stone is lovingly decorated,
while another stone is walked upon.
If one is a god, then the other must also be a god.
Says Naam Dayv, I serve the Lord. ||4||1||
GOOJAREE, FIRST HOUSE:
He does not have even a trace of impurity - He is beyond impurity. He is fragrantly scented - He has come to take His Seat in my mind.
No one saw Him come - who can know Him, O Siblings of Destiny? ||1||
Who can describe Him? Who can understand Him? The all-pervading Lord has no ancestors, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
As the path of a bird's flight across the sky cannot be seen,
and the path of a fish through the water cannot be seen;||2||
As the mirage leads one to mistake the sky for a pitcher filled with water
- so is God, the Lord and Master of Naam Dayv, who fits these three comparisons. ||3||2||
Goojaree, Padas Of Ravi Daas Jee, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The calf has contaminated the milk in the teats.
The bumble bee has contaminated the flower, and the fish the water. ||1||
O mother, where shall I find any offering for the Lord's worship?
I cannot find any other flowers worthy of the incomparable Lord. ||1||Pause||
The snakes encircle the sandalwood trees.
Poison and nectar dwell there together. ||2||
Even with incense, lamps, offerings of food and fragrant flowers,
how are Your slaves to worship You? ||3||
I dedicate and offer my body and mind to You.
By Guru's Grace, I attain the immaculate Lord. ||4||
I cannot worship You, nor offer You flowers.
Says Ravi Daas, what shall my condition be hereafter? ||5||1||
Goojaree, Padas Of Trilochan Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You have not cleansed the filth from within yourself, although outwardly, you wear the dress of a renunciate.
In the heart-lotus of your self, you have not recognized God - why have you become a Sannyaasee? ||1||

Deluded by doubt, O Jai Chand,
you have not realized the Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss. ||1||Pause||
You eat in each and every house, fattening your body; you wear the patched coat and the ear-rings of the beggar, for the sake of wealth.
You apply the ashes of cremation to your body, but without a Guru, you have not found the essence of reality. ||2||
Why bother to chant your spells? Why bother to practice austerities? Why bother to churn water?
Meditate on the Lord of Nirvaanaa, who has created the 8.4 million species of beings. ||3||
Why bother to carry the water-pot, O saffron-robed Yogi? Why bother to visit the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage?
Says Trilochan, listen, mortal: you have no corn - what are you trying to thresh? ||4||1||
GOOJAREE:
At the very last moment, one who thinks of wealth, and dies in such thoughts,
shall be reincarnated over and over again, in the form of serpents. ||1||
O sister, do not forget the Name of the Lord of the Universe. ||Pause||
At the very last moment, he who thinks of women, and dies in such thoughts,
shall be reincarnated over and over again as a prostitute. ||2||
At the very last moment, one who thinks of his children, and dies in such thoughts,
shall be reincarnated over and over again as a pig. ||3||
At the very last moment, one who thinks of mansions, and dies in such thoughts,
shall be reincarnated over and over again as a goblin. ||4||
At the very last moment, one who thinks of the Lord, and dies in such thoughts,
says Trilochan, that man shall be liberated; the Lord shall abide in his heart. ||5||2||
Goojaree, Padas Of Jai Dayv Jee, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
In the very beginning, was the Primal Lord, unrivalled, the Lover of Truth and other virtues.
He is absolutely wonderful, transcending creation; remembering Him, all are emancipated. ||1||
Dwell only upon the beauteous Name of the Lord,
the embodiment of ambrosial nectar and reality.
Remembering Him in meditation, the fear of birth, old age and death will not trouble you. ||1||Pause||
If you desire to escape the fear of the Messenger of Death, then praise the Lord joyfully, and do good deeds.
In the past, present and future, He is always the same; He is the embodiment of supreme bliss. ||2||
If you seek the path of good conduct, forsake greed, and do not look upon other men's property and women.
Renounce all evil actions and evil inclinations, and hurry to the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||3||
Worship the immaculate Lord, in thought, word and deed.
What is the good of practicing Yoga, giving feasts and charity, and practicing penance? ||4||
Meditate on the Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the Universe, O man; He is the source of all the spiritual powers of the Siddhas.
Jai Dayv has openly come to Him; He is the salvation of all, in the past, present and future. ||5||1||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fourth Mehl, First House:
Those who become the humble servants of the Lord and Master, lovingly focus their minds on Him.
Those who chant Your Praises, through the Guru's Teachings, have great good fortune recorded upon their foreheads. ||1||Pause||
The bonds and shackles of Maya are shattered, by lovingly focusing their minds on the Name of the Lord.
My mind is enticed by the Guru, the Enticer; beholding Him, I am wonder-struck. ||1||
I slept through the entire dark night of my life, but through the tiniest bit of the Guru's Grace, I have been awakened.
O Beautiful Lord God, Master of servant Nanak, there is none comparable to You. ||2||1||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
Tell me - on what path will I find my Beauteous Lord?
O Saints of the Lord, show me the Way, and I shall follow. ||1||Pause||
I cherish in my heart the Words of my Beloved; this is the best way.
The bride may be hunch-backed and short, but if she is loved by her Lord Master, she becomes beautiful, and she melts in the Lord's embrace. ||1||
There is only the One Beloved - we are all soul-brides of our Husband Lord. She who is pleasing to her Husband Lord is good.
What can poor, helpless Nanak do? As it pleases the Lord, so does he walk. ||2||2||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
The Gurmukh is imbued with the deep red color of the poppy. His shawl is saturated with the Lord's Love. ||1||Pause||
I wander around here and there, like a madman, bewildered, seeking out my Darling Lord.
I shall be the slave of the slave of whoever unites me with my Darling Beloved. ||1||
So align yourself with the Almighty True Guru; drink in and savor the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, servant Nanak has obtained the wealth of the Lord within. ||2||3||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
Now, I have come, exhausted, to my Lord and Master.
Now that I have come seeking Your Sanctuary, God, please, either save me, or kill me. ||1||Pause||

I have burnt in the fire the clever devices and praises of the world.
Some speak good of me, and some speak ill of me, but I have surrendered my body to You. ||1||
Whoever comes to Your Sanctuary, O God, Lord and Master, You save by Your Merciful Grace.
Servant Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary, Dear Lord; O Lord, please, protect his honor! ||2||4||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
I am a sacrifice to one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
I live by continuously beholding the Blessed Vision of the Holy Guru's Darshan; within His Mind is the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
You are pure and immaculate, O God, Almighty Lord and Master; how can I, the impure one, meet You?
I have one thing in my mind, and another thing on my lips; I am such a poor, unfortunate liar! ||1||
I appear to chant the Lord's Name, but within my heart, I am the most wicked of the wicked.
As it pleases You, save me, O Lord and Master; servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||2||5||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
Without the Name of the Lord, the beautiful are just like the noseless ones.
Like the son, born into the house of a prostitute, his name is cursed. ||1||Pause||
Those who do not have the Name of their Lord and Master within their hearts, are the most wretched, deformed lepers.
Like the person who has no Guru, they may know many things, but they are cursed in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
Those, unto whom my Lord Master becomes Merciful, long for the feet of the Holy.
O Nanak, the sinners become pure, joining the Company of the Holy; following the Guru, the True Guru, they are emancipated. ||2||6|| First Set of Six||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mother, I focus my consciousness on the Guru's feet.
As God shows His Mercy, the lotus of my heart blossoms, and forever and ever, I meditate on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The One Lord is within, and the One Lord is outside; the One Lord is contained in all.
Within the heart, beyond the heart, and in all places, God, the Perfect One, is seen to be permeating. ||1||
So many of Your servants and silent sages sing Your Praises, but no one has found Your limits.
O Giver of peace, Destroyer of pain, Lord and Master - servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||2||1||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
O mother, whatever is to be, shall be.
God pervades His pervading creation; one gains, while another loses. ||1||Pause||
Sometimes he blossoms in bliss, while at other times, he suffers in mourning. Sometimes he laughs, and sometimes he weeps.
Sometimes he is filled with the filth of ego, while at other times, he washes it off in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
No one can erase the actions of God; I cannot see any other like Him.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru; by His Grace, I sleep in peace. ||2||2||

DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
O mother, I hear of death, and think of it, and I am filled with fear.
Renouncing 'mine and yours' and egotism, I have sought the Sanctuary of the Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
Whatever He says, I accept that as good. I do not say "No" to what He says.
Let me not forget Him, even for an instant; forgetting Him, I die. ||1||
The Giver of peace, God, the Perfect Creator, endures my great ignorance.
I am worthless, ugly and of low birth, O Nanak, but my Husband Lord is the embodiment of bliss. ||2||3||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
O my mind, chant forever the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
By singing, hearing and meditating on Him, all, whether of high or low status, are saved. ||1||Pause||
He is absorbed into the One from which he originated, when he understands the Way.
Wherever this body was fashioned, it was not allowed to remain there. ||1||
Peace comes, and fear and doubt are dispelled, when God becomes Merciful.
Says Nanak, my hopes have been fulfilled, renouncing my greed in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||4||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
O my mind, act as it pleases God.
Become the lowest of the low, the very least of the tiny, and speak in utmost humility. ||1||Pause||
The many ostentatious shows of Maya are useless; I withhold my love from these.
As something pleases my Lord and Master, in that I find my glory. ||1||
I am the slave of His slaves; becoming the dust of the feet of his slaves, I serve His humble servants.
I obtain all peace and greatness, O Nanak, living to chant His Name with my mouth. ||2||5||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
Dear God, by Your Grace, my doubts have been dispelled.
By Your Mercy, all are mine; I reflect upon this in my mind. ||1||Pause||
Millions of sins are erased, by serving You; the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan drives away sorrow.
Chanting Your Name, I have obtained supreme peace, and my anxieties and diseases have been cast out. ||1||
Sexual desire, anger, greed, falsehood and slander are forgotten, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The ocean of mercy has cut away the bonds of Maya; O Nanak, He has saved me. ||2||6||
DAYV-GANDHAAREE:
All the cleverness of my mind is gone.
The Lord and Master is the Doer, the Cause of causes; Nanak holds tight to His Support. ||1||Pause||
Erasing my self-conceit, I have entered His Sanctuary; these are the Teachings spoken by the Holy Guru.
Surrendering to the Will of God, I attain peace, and the darkness of doubt is dispelled. ||1||
I know that You are all-wise, O God, my Lord and Master; I seek Your Sanctuary.
In an instant, You establish and disestablish; the value of Your Almighty Creative Power cannot be estimated. ||2||7||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord God is my praanaa, my breath of life; He is the Giver of peace.
By Guru's Grace, only a few know Him. ||1||Pause||
Your Saints are Your Beloveds; death does not consume them.
They are dyed in the deep crimson color of Your Love, and they are intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord's Name. ||1||

The greatest sins, and millions of pains and diseases are destroyed by Your Gracious Glance, O God.
While sleeping and waking, Nanak sings the Lord's Name, Har, Har, Har; he falls at the Guru's feet. ||2||8||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
I have seen that God with my eyes everywhere.
The Giver of peace, the Giver of souls, His Speech is Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
The Saints dispel the darkness of ignorance; the Guru is the Giver of the gift of life.
Granting His Grace, the Lord has made me His own; I was on fire, but now I am cooled. ||1||
The karma of good deeds, and the Dharma of righteous faith, have not been produced in me, in the least; nor has pure conduct welled up in me.
Renouncing cleverness and self-mortification, O Nanak, I fall at the Guru's feet. ||2||9||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Chant the Lord's Name, and earn the profit.
You shall attain salvation, peace, poise and bliss, and the noose of Death shall be cut away. ||1||Pause||
Searching, searching, searching and reflecting, I have found that the Lord's Name is with the Saints.
They alone obtain this treasure, who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
They are very fortunate and honorable; they are the perfect bankers.
They are beautiful, so very wise and handsome; O Nanak, purchase the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||10||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
O mind, why are you so puffed up with egotism?
Whatever is seen in this foul, impure and filthy world, is only ashes. ||1||Pause||
Remember the One who created you, O mortal; He is the Support of your soul, and the breath of life.
One who forsakes Him, and attaches himself to another, dies to be reborn; he is such an ignorant fool! ||1||
I am blind, mute, crippled and totally lacking in understanding; O God, Preserver of all, please preserve me!
The Creator, the Cause of causes is all-powerful; O Nanak, how helpless are His beings! ||2||11||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
God is the nearest of the near.
Remember Him, meditate on Him, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, day and night, evening and morning. ||1||Pause||
Redeem your body in the invaluable Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Do not delay for an instant, even for a moment. Death is keeping you constantly in his vision. ||1||
Lift me up out of the dark dungeon, O Creator Lord; what is there which is not in Your home?
Bless Nanak with the Support of Your Name, that he may find great happiness and peace. ||2||12||
Second Set of Six||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
O mind, meet with the Guru, and worship the Naam in adoration.
You shall obtain peace, poise, bliss, joy and pleasure, and lay the foundation of eternal life. ||1||Pause||
Showing His Mercy, the Lord has made me His slave, and shattered the bonds of Maya.
Through loving devotion, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, I have escaped the Path of Death. ||1||
When he became Merciful, the rust was removed, and I found the priceless treasure.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice, a hundred thousand times, to my unapproachable, unfathomable Lord and Master. ||2||13||

Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, how fruitful is the birth of one who sings the Glories of God, and enshrines love for the Supreme Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Beautiful, wise, brave and divine is one who obtains the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with his tongue, and does not have to wander in reincarnation again. ||1||
The Perfect Lord God pervades his mind and body; he does not look upon any other.
Hell and disease do not afflict one who joins the Company of the Lord's humble servants, O Nanak; the Lord attaches him to the hem of His robe. ||2||14||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
His fickle mind is entangled in a dream.
He does not even understand this much, that someday he shall have to depart; he has gone crazy with Maya. ||1||Pause||
He is engrossed in the delight of the flower's color; he strives only to indulge in corruption.
Hearing about greed, he feels happy in his mind, and he runs after it. ||1||
Wandering and roaming all around, I have endured great pain, but now, I have come to the door of the Saint.
Granting His Grace, the Supreme Lord Master has blended Nanak with Himself. ||2||15||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
All peace is found in the Guru's feet.
They drive away my sins and purify my mind; their Support carries me across. ||1||Pause||
This is the labor which I perform: worship, flower-offerings, service and devotion.
My mind blossoms forth and is enlightened, and I am not cast into the womb again. ||1||
I behold the fruitful vision of the Saint; this is the meditation I have taken.
The Lord Master has become Merciful to Nanak, and he has entered the Sanctuary of the Holy. ||2||16||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Offer your prayer to your Lord.
You shall obtain the four blessings, and the treasures of bliss, pleasure, peace, poise and the spiritual powers of the Siddhas. ||1||Pause||
Renounce your self-conceit, and grasp hold of the Guru's feet; hold tight to the hem of God's robe.
The heat of the ocean of fire does not affect one who longs for the Lord and Master's Sanctuary. ||1||
Again and again, God puts up with the millions of sins of the supremely ungrateful ones.
The embodiment of mercy, the Perfect Transcendent Lord - Nanak longs for His Sanctuary. ||2||17||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Place the Guru's feet within your heart,
and all illness, sorrow and pain shall be dispelled; all suffering shall come to an end. ||1||Pause||
The sins of countless incarnations are erased, as if one has taken purifying baths at millions of sacred shrines.
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is obtained by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and centering one's mind in meditation on Him. ||1||
Showing His Mercy, the Lord has made me His slave; breaking my bonds, He has saved me.
I live by chanting and meditating on the Naam, and the Bani of Your Word; slave Nanak is a sacrifice to You. ||2||18||
Third Set of Six||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, I long to see the Feet of God.

Be Merciful to me, O my Lord and Master, that I might never forsake them from my mind. ||1||Pause||
Applying the dust of the feet of the Holy to my face and forehead, I burn away the poison of sexual desire and anger.
I judge myself to be the lowest of all; in this way, I instill peace within my mind. ||1||
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Imperishable Lord and Master, and I shake off all my sins.
I have found the gift of the treasure of the Naam, O Nanak; I hug it close, and enshrine it in my heart. ||2||19||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Dear God, I long to behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
I cherish this beautiful meditation day and night; You are dearer to me than my soul, dearer than life itself. ||1||Pause||
I have studied and contemplated the essence of the Shaastras, the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Protector of the meek, Lord of the breath of life, O Perfect One, carry us across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Since the very beginning, and throughout the ages, the humble devotees have been Your servants; in the midst of the world of corruption, You are their Support.
Nanak longs for the dust of the feet of such humble beings; the Transcendent Lord is the Giver of all. ||2||20||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Your humble servant, O Lord, is intoxicated with Your sublime essence.
One who obtains the treasure of the Nectar of Your Love, does not renounce it to go somewhere else. ||1||Pause||
While sitting, he repeats the Lord's Name, Har, Har; while sleeping, he repeats the Lord's Name, Har, Har; he eats the Nectar of the Lord's Name as his food.
Bathing in the dust of the feet of the Holy is equal to taking cleansing baths at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||1||
How fruitful is the birth of the Lord's humble servant; the Creator is his Father.
O Nanak, one who recognizes the Perfect Lord God, takes all with him, and saves everyone. ||2||21||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, without the Guru, spiritual wisdom is not obtained.
They wander around, weeping and crying out in various ways, but the Lord of the World does not meet them. ||1||Pause||
The body is tied up with emotional attachment, disease and sorrow, and so it is lured into countless reincarnations.
He finds no place of rest without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; to whom should he go and cry? ||1||
When my Lord and Master shows His Mercy, we lovingly focus our consciousness on the feet of the Holy.
The most horrible agonies are dispelled in an instant, O Nanak, and we merge in the Blessed Vision of the Lord. ||2||22||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord and Master Himself has become Merciful.
I have been emancipated, and I have become the embodiment of bliss; I am the Lord's child - He has saved me. ||Pause||
With my palms pressed together, I offer my prayer; within my mind, I meditate on the Supreme Lord God.
Giving me His hand, the Transcendent Lord has eradicated all my sins. ||1||
Husband and wife join together in rejoicing, celebrating the Victory of the Lord Master.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the humble servant of the Lord, who emancipates everyone. ||2||23||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
I offer my prayer to my True Guru.
The Destroyer of distress has become kind and merciful, and all my anxiety is over. ||Pause||
I am a sinner, hypocritical and greedy, but still, He puts up with all of my merits and demerits.
Placing His hand on my forehead, He has exalted me. The wicked ones who wanted to destroy me have been killed. ||1||
He is generous and benevolent, the beautifier of all, the embodiment of peace; the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is so fruitful!
Says Nanak, He is the Giver to the unworthy; I enshrine His Lotus Feet within my heart. ||2||24||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
My God is the Master of the masterless.
I have come to the Sanctuary of the Savior Lord. ||Pause||
Protect me on all sides, O Lord;
protect me in the future, in the past, and at the very last moment. ||1||
Whenever something comes to mind, it is You.
Contemplating Your virtues, my mind is sanctified. ||2||
I hear and sing the Hymns of the Guru's Word.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Holy. ||3||
Within my mind, I have the Support of the One Lord alone.
O Nanak, my God is the Creator of all. ||4||25||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
God, this is my heart's desire:
O treasure of kindness, O Merciful Lord, please make me the slave of your Saints. ||Pause||
In the early hours of the morning, I fall at the feet of Your humble servants; night and day, I obtain the Blessed Vision of their Darshan.
Dedicating my body and mind, I serve the humble servant of the Lord; with my tongue, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
With each and every breath, I meditate in remembrance on my God; I live continually in the Society of the Saints.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my only support and wealth; O Nanak, from this, I obtain bliss. ||2||26||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O friend, such is the Dear Lord whom I have obtained.
He does not leave me, and He always keeps me company. Meeting the Guru, night and day, I sing His Praises. ||1||Pause||
I met the Fascinating Lord, who has blessed me with all comforts; He does not leave me to go anywhere else.
I have seen the mortals of many and various types, but they are not equal to even a hair of my Beloved. ||1||
His palace is so beautiful! His gate is so wonderful! The celestial melody of the sound current resounds there.
Says Nanak, I enjoy eternal bliss; I have obtained a permanent place in the home of my Beloved. ||2||1||27||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
My mind longs for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, and His Name.
I have wandered everywhere, and now I have come to follow the Saint. ||1||Pause||
Whom should I serve? Whom should I worship in adoration? Whoever I see shall pass away.

I have sought the Sanctuary of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; my mind longs for the dust of their Feet. ||1||
I do not know the way, and I have no virtue. It is so difficult to escape from Maya!
Nanak has come and fallen at the Guru's feet; all of his evil inclinations have vanished. ||2||2||28||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
O Beloved, Your Words are Ambrosial Nectar.
O supremely beautiful Enticer, O Beloved, You are among all, and yet distinct from all. ||1||Pause||
I do not seek power, and I do not seek liberation. My mind is in love with Your Lotus Feet.
Brahma, Shiva, the Siddhas, the silent sages and Indra - I seek only the Blessed Vision of my Lord and Master's Darshan. ||1||
I have come, helpless, to Your Door, O Lord Master; I am exhausted - I seek the Sanctuary of the Saints.
Says Nanak, I have met my Enticing Lord God; my mind is cooled and soothed - it blossoms forth in joy. ||2||3||29||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on the Lord, His servant swims across to salvation.
When God becomes merciful to the meek, then one does not have to suffer reincarnation, only to die again. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and he does not lose the jewel of this human life.
Singing the Glories of God, he crosses over the ocean of poison, and saves all his generations as well. ||1||
The Lotus Feet of the Lord abide within his heart, and with every breath and morsel of food, he chants the Lord's Name.
Nanak has grasped the Support of the Lord of the Universe; again and again, he is a sacrifice to Him. ||2||4||30||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Some wander around the forests, wearing religious robes, but the Fascinating Lord remains distant from them. ||1||Pause||
They talk, preach, and sing their lovely songs, but within their minds, the filth of their sins remains. ||1||
They may be very beautiful, extremely clever, wise and educated, and they may speak very sweetly. ||2||
To forsake pride, emotional attachment, and the sense of 'mine and yours', is the path of the double-edged sword. ||3||
Says Nanak, they alone swim across the terrifying world-ocean, who, by God's Grace, join the Society of the Saints. ||4||1||31||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I have seen the Lord to be on high; the Fascinating Lord is the highest of all.
No one else is equal to Him - I have made the most extensive search on this. ||1||Pause||
Utterly infinite, exceedingly great, deep and unfathomable - He is lofty, beyond reach.
His weight cannot be weighed, His value cannot be estimated. How can the Enticer of the mind be obtained? ||1||
Millions search for Him, on various paths, but without the Guru, none find Him.
Says Nanak, the Lord Master has become Merciful. Meeting the Holy Saint, I drink in the sublime essence. ||2||1||32||

Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
I have looked in so many ways, but there is no other like the Lord.
On all the continents and islands, He is permeating and fully pervading; He is in all worlds. ||1||Pause||
He is the most unfathomable of the unfathomable; who can chant His Praises? My mind lives by hearing news of Him.
People in the four stages of life, and in the four social classes are liberated, by serving You, Lord. ||1||
The Guru has implanted the Word of His Shabad within me; I have attained the supreme status. My sense of duality has been dispelled, and now, I am at peace.
Says Nanak, I have easily crossed over the terrifying world-ocean, obtaining the treasure of the Lord's Name. ||2||2||33||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Know that there is One and only One Lord.
O Gurmukh, know that He is One. ||1||Pause||
Why are you wandering around? O Siblings of Destiny, don't wander around; He is permeating and pervading everywhere. ||1||
As the fire in the forest, without control, cannot serve any purpose
- just so, without the Guru, one cannot attain the Gate of the Lord.
Joining the Society of the Saints, renounce your ego; says Nanak, in this way, the supreme treasure is obtained. ||2||1||34||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
His state cannot be known. ||1||Pause||
How can I behold Him through clever tricks? Those who tell this story are wonder-struck and amazed. ||1||
The servants of God, the celestial singers, the Siddhas and the seekers,
the angelic and divine beings, Brahma and those like Brahma,
and the four Vedas proclaim, day and night,
that the Lord and Master is inaccessible, unapproachable and unfathomable.
Endless, endless are His Glories, says Nanak; they cannot be described - they are beyond our reach. ||2||2||35||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
I meditate, and sing of the Creator Lord.
I have become fearless, and I have found peace, poise and bliss, remembering the infinite Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Guru, of the most fruitful image, has placed His hand upon my forehead.
Wherever I look, there, I find Him with me.
The Lotus Feet of the Lord are the Support of my very breath of life. ||1||
My God is all-powerful, unfathomable and utterly vast.
The Lord and Master is close at hand - He dwells in each and every heart.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary and the Support of God, who has no end or limitation. ||2||3||36||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Turn away, O my mind, turn away.
Turn away from the faithless cynic.
False is the love of the false one; break the ties, O my mind, and your ties shall be broken. Break your ties with the faithless cynic. ||1||Pause||
One who enters a house filled with soot is blackened.
Run far away from such people! One who meets the Guru escapes from the bondage of the three dispositions. ||1||
I beg this blessing of You, O Merciful Lord, ocean of mercy - please, don't bring me face to face with the faithless cyincs.

Make servant Nanak the slave of Your slave; let his head roll in the dust under the feet of the Holy. ||2||4||37||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You are all-powerful, at all times; You show me the Way; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You.
Your Saints sing to You with love; I fall at their feet. ||1||Pause||
O Praiseworthy Lord, Enjoyer of celestial peace, Embodiment of mercy, One Infinite Lord, Your place is so beautiful. ||1||
Riches, supernatural spiritual powers and wealth are in the palm of Your hand. O Lord, Life of the World, Master of all, infinite is Your Name.
Show Kindness, Mercy and Compassion to Nanak; hearing Your Praises, I live. ||2||1||38||6||44||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Ninth Mehl:
This mind does not follow my advice one tiny bit.
I am so tired of giving it instructions - it will not refrain from its evil-mindedness. ||1||Pause||
It has gone insane with the intoxication of Maya; it does not chant the Lord's Praise.
Practicing deception, it tries to cheat the world, and so it fills its belly. ||1||
Like a dog's tail, it cannot be straightened; it will not listen to what I tell it.
Says Nanak, vibrate forever the Name of the Lord, and all your affairs shall be adjusted. ||2||1||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Ninth Mehl:
All things are mere diversions of life:
mother, father, siblings, children, relatives and the wife of your home. ||1||Pause||
When the soul is separated from the body, then they will cry out, calling you a ghost.
No one will let you stay, for even half an hour; they drive you out of the house. ||1||
The created world is like an illusion, a mirage - see this, and reflect upon it in your mind.
Says Nanak, vibrate forever the Name of the Lord, which shall deliver you. ||2||2||
Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Ninth Mehl:
In this world, I have seen love to be false.
Whether they are spouses or friends, all are concerned only with their own happiness. ||1||Pause||
All say, "Mine, mine", and attach their consciousness to you with love.
But at the very last moment, none shall go along with you. How strange are the ways of the world! ||1||
The foolish mind has not yet reformed itself, although I have grown weary of continually instructing it.
O Nanak, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, singing the Songs of God. ||2||3||6||38||47||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Bihaagraa, Chau-Padas, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
To associate with your arch enemies,
is to live with poisonous snakes;
I have made the effort to shake them off. ||1||
Then, I repeated the Name of the Lord, Har, Har,
and I obtained celestial peace. ||1||Pause||
False is the love of the many emotional attachments,
which suck the mortal into the whirlpool of reincarnation. ||2||
All are travellers,
who have gathered under the world-tree,
and are bound by their many bonds. ||3||
Eternal is the Company of the Holy,
where the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung.
Nanak seeks this Sanctuary. ||4||1||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Bihaagraa, Ninth Mehl:
No one knows the state of the Lord.
The Yogis, the celibates, the penitents, and all sorts of clever people have failed. ||1||Pause||
In an instant, He changes the beggar into a king, and the king into a beggar.
He fills what is empty, and empties what is full - such are His ways. ||1||
He Himself spread out the expanse of His Maya, and He Himself beholds it.
He assumes so many forms, and plays so many games, and yet, He remains detached from it all. ||2||
Incalculable, infinite, incomprehensible and immaculate is He, who has misled the entire world.
Cast off all your doubts; prays Nanak, O mortal, focus your consciousness on His Feet. ||3||1||2||
Raag Bihaagraa, Chhant, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my soul; as Gurmukh, meditate on the invaluable Name of the Lord.
My mind is pierced through by the sublime essence of the Lord's Name. The Lord is dear to my mind. With the sublime essence of the Lord's Name, my mind is washed clean.

Under Guru's Instructions, hold your mind steady; O my soul, do not let it wander anywhere.
One who utters the Bani of the Praises of the Lord God, O Nanak, obtains the fruits of his heart's desires. ||1||
Under Guru's Instruction, the Ambrosial Name abides within the mind, O my soul; with your mouth, utter the words of ambrosia.
The Words of the devotees are Ambrosial Nectar, O my soul; hearing them in the mind, embrace loving affection for the Lord.
Separated for so very long, I have found the Lord God; He holds me close in His loving embrace.
Servant Nanak's mind is filled with bliss, O my soul; the unstruck sound-current of the Shabad vibrates within. ||2||
If only my friends and companions would come and unite me with my Lord God, O my soul.
I offer my mind to the one who recites the sermon of my Lord God, O my soul.
As Gurmukh, ever worship the Lord in adoration, O my soul, and you shall obtain the fruits of your heart's desires.
O Nanak, hurry to the Lord's Sanctuary; O my soul, those who meditate on the Lord's Name are very fortunate. ||3||
By His Mercy, God comes to meet us, O my soul; through the Guru's Teachings, He reveals His Name.
Without the Lord, I am so sad, O my soul - as sad as the lotus without water.
The Perfect Guru has united me, O my soul, with the Lord, my best friend, the Lord God.
Blessed, blessed is the Guru, who has shown me the Lord, O my soul; servant Nanak blossoms forth in the Name of the Lord. ||4||1||
Raag Bihaagraa, Fourth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Ambrosial Nectar, O my soul; through the Guru's Teachings, this Nectar is obtained.
Pride in Maya is poison, O my soul; through the Ambrosial Nectar of the Name, this poison is eradicated.
The dry mind is rejuvenated, O my soul, meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Lord has given me the pre-ordained blessing of high destiny, O my soul; servant Nanak merges in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
My mind is attached to the Lord, O my soul, like the infant, sucking his mother's milk.
Without the Lord, I find no peace, O my soul; I am like the song-bird, crying out without the rain drops.
Go, and seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru, O my soul; He shall tell you of the Glorious Virtues of the Lord God.
Servant Nanak has merged into the Lord, O my soul; the many melodies of the Shabad resound within his heart. ||2||
Through egotism, the self-willed manmukhs are separated, O my soul; bound to poison, they are burnt by egotism.
Like the pigeon, which itself falls into the trap, O my soul, all the self-willed manmukhs fall under the influence of death.
Those self-willed manmukhs who focus their consciousness on Maya, O my soul, are foolish, evil demons.

The Lord's humble servants beseech and implore Him, and enter His Sanctuary, O my soul; Guru Nanak becomes their Divine Protector. ||3||
The Lord's humble servants are saved, through the Love of the Lord, O my soul; by their pre-ordained good destiny, they obtain the Lord.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the ship, O my soul, and the Guru is the helmsman. Through the Word of the Shabad, He ferries us across.
The Lord, Har, Har, is all-powerful and very kind, O my soul; through the Guru, the True Guru, He seems so sweet.
Shower Your Mercy upon me, and hear my prayer, O Lord, Har, Har; please, let servant Nanak meditate on Your Name. ||4||2||
Bihaagraa, Fourth Mehl:
In this world, the best occupation is to sing the Praises of the Naam, O my soul. Singing the Praises of the Lord, the Lord is enshrined in the mind.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is immaculate and pure, O my soul. Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, one is saved.
All sins and errors are erased, O my soul; with the Naam, the Gurmukh washes off this filth.
By great good fortune, servant Nanak meditates on the Lord; even fools and idiots like me have been saved. ||1||
Those who meditate on the Lord's Name, O my soul, overpower the five passions.
The nine treasures of the Naam are within, O my soul; the Great Guru has made me see the unseen Lord.
The Guru has fulfilled my hopes and desires, O my soul; meeting the Lord, all my hunger is satisfied.
O servant Nanak, he alone sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O my soul, upon whose forehead God has inscribed such pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
I am a deceitful sinner, O my soul, a cheat, and a robber of others' wealth.
But, by great good fortune, I have found the Guru, O my soul; through the Perfect Guru, I have found the way to salvation.
The Guru has poured the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name into my mouth, O my soul, and now, my dead soul has come to life again.
O servant Nanak: those who meet the True Guru, O my soul, have all of their pains taken away. ||3||
The Name of the Lord is sublime, O my soul; chanting it, one's sins are washed away.
The Guru, the Lord, has purified even the sinners, O my soul; now, they are famous and respected in the four directions and throughout the four ages.
The filth of egotism is totally wiped away, O my soul, by bathing in the Ambrosial Pool of the Lord's Name.
Even sinners are carried across, O my soul, if they are imbued with the Lord's Name, even for an instant, O servant Nanak. ||4||3||
Bihaagraa, Fourth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice, O my soul, to those who take the Support of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Guru, the True Guru, implanted the Name within me, O my soul, and He has carried me across the terrifying world-ocean of poison.
Those who have meditated one-pointedly on the Lord, O my soul - I proclaim the Victory of those saintly beings.

Nanak has found peace, meditating on the Lord, O my soul; the Lord is the Destroyer of all pain. ||1||
Blessed, blessed is that tongue, O my soul, which sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord God.
Sublime and splendid are those ears, O my soul, which listen to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Sublime, pure and pious is that head, O my soul, which falls at the Guru's Feet.
Nanak is a sacrifice to that Guru, O my soul; the Guru has placed the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in my mind. ||2||
Blessed and approved are those eyes, O my soul, which gaze upon the Holy True Guru.
Sacred and sanctified are those hands, O my soul, which write the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har.
I worship continually the feet of that humble being, O my soul, who walks on the Path of Dharma - the path of righteousness.
Nanak is a sacrifice to those, O my soul, who hear of the Lord, and believe in the Lord's Name. ||3||
The earth, the nether regions of the underworld, and the Akaashic ethers, O my soul, all meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Wind, water and fire, O my soul, continually sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
The woods, the meadows and the whole world, O my soul, chant with their mouths the Lord's Name, and meditate on the Lord.
O Nanak, one who, as Gurmukh, focuses his consciousness on the Lord's devotional worship - O my soul, he is robed in honor in the Court of the Lord. ||4||4||
Bihaagraa, Fourth Mehl:
Those who do not remember the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my soul - those self-willed manmukhs are foolish and ignorant.
Those who attach their consciousness to emotional attachment and Maya, O my soul, depart regretfully in the end.
They find no place of rest in the Court of the Lord, O my soul; those self-willed manmukhs are deluded by sin.
O servant Nanak, those who meet the Guru are saved, O my soul; chanting the Name of the Lord, they are absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Go, everyone, and meet the True Guru; O my soul, He implants the Name of the Lord, Har, har, within the heart.
Do not hesitate for an instant - meditate on the Lord, O my soul; who knows whether he shall draw another breath?
That time, that moment, that instant, that second is so fruitful, O my soul, when my Lord comes into my mind.
Servant Nanak has meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O my soul, and now, the Messenger of Death does not draw near him. ||2||
The Lord continually watches, and hears everything, O my soul; he alone is afraid, who commits sins.
One whose heart is pure within, O my soul, casts off all his fears.
One who has faith in the Fearless Name of the Lord, O my soul - all his enemies and attackers speak against him in vain.

Nanak has served the Perfect Guru, O my soul, who causes all to fall at His feet. ||3||
Serve such a Lord continuously, O my soul, who is the Great Lord and Master of all.
Those who single-mindedly worship Him in adoration, O my soul, are not subservient to anyone.
Serving the Guru, I have obtained the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, O my soul; all the slanderers and trouble-makers bark in vain.
Servant Nanak has meditated on the Name, O my soul; such is the pre-ordained destiny which the Lord written on his forehead. ||4||5||
Bihaagraa, Fourth Mehl:
All beings are Yours - You permeate them all. O my Lord God, You know what they do in their hearts.
The Lord is with them, inwardly and outwardly, O my soul; He sees everything, but the mortal denies the Lord in his mind.
The Lord is far away from the self-willed manmukhs, O my soul; all their efforts are in vain.
Servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, meditates on the Lord, O my soul; he beholds the Lord ever-present. ||1||
They are devotees, and they are servants, O my soul, who are pleasing to the Mind of my God.
They are robed in honor in the Court of the Lord, O my soul; night and day, they remain absorbed in the True Lord.
In their company, the filth of one's sins is washed away, O my soul; imbued with the Lord's Love, one comes to bear the Mark of His Grace.
Nanak offers his prayer to God, O my soul; joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he is satisfied. ||2||
O tongue, chant the Name of God; O my soul, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, your desires shall be extinguished.
He, unto whom my Supreme Lord God shows Mercy, O my soul, enshrines the Name in his mind.
One who meets the Perfect True Guru, O my soul, obtains the treasure of the Lord's wealth.
By great good fortune, one joins the Company of the Holy, O my soul. O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
In the places and interspaces, O my soul, the Supreme Lord God, the Great Giver, is pervading.
His limits cannot be found, O my soul; He is the Perfect Architect of Destiny.
He cherishes all beings, O my soul, as the mother and father cherish their child.
By thousands of clever tricks, He cannot be obtained, O my soul; servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, has come to know the Lord. ||4||6||
First Set of Six||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I have seen one miracle of the Lord, O my Dear Beloved - whatever He does is righteous and just.
The Lord has fashioned this beautiful arena, O my Dear Beloved, where all come and go.

The One who fashioned the world causes them to come and go.
Some meet the True Guru - the Lord invites them into the Mansion of His Presence; others wander around, deluded by doubt.
You alone know Your limits; You are contained in all.
Nanak speaks the Truth: listen, Saints - the Lord dispenses even-handed justice. ||1||
Come and join me, O my beautiful dear beloveds; let's worship the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Let's serve the Perfect True Guru, O my dear beloveds, and clear away the Path of Death.
Having cleared the treacherous path, as Gurmukhs, we shall obtain honor in the Court of the Lord.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, lovingly focus their consciousness on the Lord, night and day.
Self-conceit, egotism and emotional attachment are eradicated when one joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Says servant Nanak, one who contemplates the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is liberated. ||2||
Let's join hands, O Saints; let's come together, O my dear beloveds, and worship the imperishable, Almighty Lord.
I sought Him through uncounted forms of adoration, O my dear beloveds; now, I dedicate my entire mind and body to the Lord.
The mind, body and all wealth belong to God; so what can anyone offer to Him in worship?
He alone merges in the lap of God, unto whom the Merciful Lord Master becomes compassionate.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny written on his forehead, comes to bear love for the Guru.
Says servant Nanak, joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, let's worship the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
I wandered around, searching in the ten directions, O my dear beloveds, but I came to find the Lord in the home of my own being.
The Dear Lord has fashioned the body as the temple of the Lord, O my dear beloveds; the Lord continues to dwell there.
The Lord and Master Himself is pervading everywhere; through the Guru, He is revealed.
Darkness is dispelled, and pains are removed, when the sublime essence of the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar trickles down.
Wherever I look, the Lord and Master is there. The Supreme Lord God is everywhere.
Says servant Nanak, meeting the True Guru, I have found the Lord, within the home of my own being. ||4||1||
Raag Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl:
He is dear to me; He fascinates my mind; He is the ornament of my heart, the support of the breath of life.
The Glory of the Beloved, Merciful Lord of the Universe is beautiful; He is infinite and without limit.
O Compassionate Sustainer of the World, Beloved Lord of the Universe, please, join with Your humble soul-bride.
My eyes long for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; the night passes, but I cannot sleep.
I have applied the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom to my eyes; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my food. These are all my decorations.
Prays Nanak, let's meditate on the Saint, that he may unite us with our Husband Lord. ||1||
I endure thousands of reprimands, and still, my Lord has not met with me.
I make the effort to meet with my Lord, but none of my efforts work.
Unsteady is my consciousness, and unstable is my wealth; without my Lord, I cannot be consoled.

Food, drink and decorations are useless; without my Husband Lord, how can I survive?
I yearn for Him, and desire Him night and day. I cannot live without Him, even for an instant.
Prays Nanak, O Saint, I am Your slave; by Your Grace, I meet my Husband Lord. ||2||
I share a bed with my Beloved, but I do not behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
I have endless demerits - how can my Lord call me to the Mansion of His Presence?
The worthless, dishonored and orphaned soul-bride prays, "Meet with me, O God, treasure of mercy."
The wall of doubt has been shattered, and now I sleep in peace, beholding God, the Lord of the nine treasures, even for an instant.
If only I could come into the Mansion of my Beloved Lord's Presence! Joining with Him, I sing the songs of joy.
Prays Nanak, I seek the Sanctuary of the Saints; please, reveal to me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||3||
By the Grace of the Saints, I have obtained the Lord, Har, Har.
My desires are fulfilled, and my mind is at peace; the fire within has been quenched.
Fruitful is that day, and beauteous is that night, and countless are the joys, celebrations and pleasures.
The Lord of the Universe, the Beloved Sustainer of the World, has been revealed. With what tongue can I speak of His Glory?
Doubt, greed, emotional attachment and corruption are taken away; joining with my companions, I sing the songs of joy.
Prays Nanak, I meditate on the Saint, who has led me to merge with the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||2||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl:
Shower Your Mercy upon me, O Guru, O Perfect Supreme Lord God, that I might chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, night and day.
I speak the Ambrosial Words of the Guru's Bani, praising the Lord. Your Will is sweet to me, Lord.
Show kindness and compassion, O Sustainer of the Word, Lord of the Universe; without You, I have no other.
Almighty, sublime, infinite, perfect Lord - my soul, body, wealth and mind are Yours.
I am foolish, stupid, masterless, fickle, powerless, lowly and ignorant.
Prays Nanak, I seek Your Sanctuary - please save me from coming and going in reincarnation. ||1||
In the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints, I have found the Dear Lord, and I constantly sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Applying the dust of the devotees to the mind and body, O Dear Lord, all sinners are sanctified.
The sinners are sanctified in the company of those who have met the Creator Lord.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they are given the gift of the life of the soul; their gifts increase day by day.
Wealth, the supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas, and the nine treasures come to those who meditate on the Lord, and conquer their own soul.
Prays Nanak, it is only by great good fortune that the Holy Saints, the Lord's companions, are found, O friends. ||2||
Those who deal in Truth, O Dear Lord, are the perfect bankers.
They possess the great treasure, O Dear Lord, and they reap the profit of the Lord's Praise.
Sexual desire, anger and greed do not cling to those who are attuned to God.
They know the One, and they believe in the One; they are intoxicated with the Lord's Love.
They fall at the Feet of the Saints, and seek their Sanctuary; their minds are filled with joy.
Prays Nanak, those who have the Naam in their laps are the true bankers. ||3||
O Nanak, meditate on that Dear Lord, who supports all by His almighty strength.

In their minds, the Gurmukhs do not forget the Dear Lord, the Primal Creator Lord.
Pain, disease and fear do not cling to those who meditate on the Lord, Har, Har.
By the Grace of the Saints, they cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and obtain their pre-ordained destiny.
They are congratulated and applauded, their minds are at peace, and they meet the infinite Lord God.
Prays Nanak, by meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har, my desires are fulfilled. ||4||3||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O peaceful night, grow longer - I have come to enshrine love for my Beloved.
O painful sleep, grow shorter, so that I may constantly grasp His Feet.
I long for the dust of His Feet, and beg for His Name; for His Love, I have renounced the world.
I am imbued with the Love of my Beloved, and I am naturally intoxicated with it; I have forsaken my awful evil-mindedness.
He has taken me by the arm, and I am saturated with His Love; I have met my Beloved on the Path of Truth.
Prays Nanak, please Lord, shower Your Mercy on me, that I may remain attached to Your Feet. ||1||
O my friends and companions, let us remain attached to the Feet of God.
Within my mind is great love for my Beloved; I beg for the Lord's devotional worship.
The Lord's devotional worship is obtained, meditating on God. Let us go and meet the humble servants of the Lord.
Renounce pride, emotional attachment and corruption, and dedicate this body, wealth and mind to Him.
The Lord God is great, perfect, glorious, absolutely perfect; meeting the Lord, Har, Har, the wall of doubt is torn down.
Prays Nanak, hear these teachings, O friends - chant the Lord's Name constantly, over and over again. ||2||
The Lord's bride is a happy wife; she enjoys all pleasures.
She does not sit around like a widow, because the Lord God lives forever.
She does not suffer pain - she meditates on God. She is blessed, and very fortunate.
She sleeps in peaceful ease, her sins are erased, and she wakes to the joy and love of the Naam.
She remains absorbed in her Beloved - the Lord's Name is her ornament. The Words of her Beloved are sweet and pleasing to her.
Prays Nanak, I have obtained my mind's desires; I have met my eternal Husband Lord. ||3||
The songs of bliss resound, and millions of pleasures are found in that house;
the mind and body are permeated by God, the Lord of supreme bliss.
My Husband Lord is infinite and merciful; He is the Lord of wealth, the Lord of the Universe, the Saving Grace of sinners.
God, the Giver of mercy, the Lord, the Destroyer of pride, carries us across the terrifying world-ocean of poison.
The Lord lovingly embraces whoever comes to the Lord's Sanctuary - this is the way of the Lord and Master.
Prays Nanak, I have met my Husband Lord, who plays with me forever. ||4||1||4||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's Feet are the Pools of Ambrosial Nectar; your dwelling is there, O my mind.

Take your cleansing bath in the Ambrosial Pool of the Lord, and all of your sins shall be wiped away, O my soul.
Take your cleansing ever in the Lord God, O friends, and the pain of darkness shall be dispelled.
Birth and death shall not touch you, and the noose of Death shall be cut away.
So join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and be imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord; there, your hopes shall be fulfilled.
Prays Nanak, shower Your Mercy upon me, O Lord, that I might dwell at Your Lotus Feet. ||1||
There is bliss and ecstasy there always, and the unstruck celestial melody resounds there.
Meeting together, the Saints sing God's Praises, and celebrate His Victory.
Meeting together, the Saints sing the Praises of the Lord Master; they are pleasing to the Lord, and saturated with the sublime essence of His love and affection.
They obtain the profit of the Lord, eliminate their self-conceit, and meet Him, from whom they were separated for so long.
Taking them by the arm, He makes them His own; God, the One, inaccessible and infinite, bestows His kindness.
Prays Nanak, forever immaculate are those who sing the Praises of the True Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Listen, O most fortunate ones, to the Ambrosial Bani of the Word of the Lord.
He alone, whose karma is so pre-ordained, has it enter into his heart.
He alone knows the Unspoken Speech, unto whom God has shown His Mercy.
He becomes immortal, and shall not die again; his troubles, disputes and pains are dispelled.
He finds the Sanctuary of the Lord; he does not forsake the Lord, and does not leave. God's Love is pleasing to his mind and body.
Prays Nanak, sing forever the Sacred Ambrosial Bani of His Word. ||3||
My mind and body are intoxicated - this state cannot be described.
We originated from Him, and into Him we shall merge once again.
I merge into God's Light, through and through, like water merging into water.
The One Lord permeates the water, the land and the sky - I do not see any other.
He is totally permeating the woods, meadows and the three worlds. I cannot express His worth.
Prays Nanak, He alone knows - He who created this creation. ||4||2||5||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Saints go around, searching for God, the support of their breath of life.
They lose the strength of their bodies, if they do not merge with their Beloved Lord.
O God, my Beloved, please, bestow Your kindness upon me, that I may merge with You; by Your Mercy, attach me to the hem of Your robe.
Bless me with Your Name, that I may chant it, O Lord and Master; beholding the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I live.
He is all-powerful, perfect, eternal and unchanging, exalted, unapproachable and infinite.
Prays Nanak, bestow Your Mercy upon me, O Beloved of my soul, that I may merge with You. ||1||
I have practiced chanting, intensive meditation and fasting, to see Your Feet, O Lord.
But still, my burning is not quenched, without the Sanctuary of the Lord Master.
I seek Your Sanctuary, God - please, cut away my bonds and carry me across the world-ocean.
I am masterless, worthless, and I know nothing; please do not count up my merits and demerits.
O Lord, Merciful to the meek, Sustainer of the world, O Beloved, Almighty Cause of causes.
Nanak, the song-bird, begs for the rain-drop of the Lord's Name; meditating on the Feet of the Lord, Har, Har, he lives. ||2||

Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar from the pool of the Lord; chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
In the Society of the Saints, one meets the Lord; meditating on Him, one's affairs are resolved.
God is the One who accomplishes everything; He is the Dispeller of pain. Never forget Him from your mind, even for an instant.
He is blissful, night and day; He is forever True. All Glories are contained in the Lord in the Universe.
Incalculable, lofty and infinite is the Lord and Master. Unapproachable is His home.
Prays Nanak, my desires are fulfilled; I have met the Lord, the Greatest Lover. ||3||
The fruits of many millions of charitable feasts come to those who listen to and sing the Lord's Praise.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, all one's generations are carried across.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, one is beautified; what Praises of His can I chant?
I shall never forget the Lord; He is the Beloved of my soul. My mind constantly yearns for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Auspicious is that day, when God, the lofty, inaccessible and infinite, hugs me close in His embrace.
Prays Nanak, everything is fruitful - I have met my supremely beloved Lord God. ||4||3||6||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
Why are you imbued with the love of another? That path is very dangerous.
O sinner, no one is your friend.
No one shall be your friend, and you shall forever regret your actions.
You have not chanted with your tongue the Praises of the Sustainer of the World; when will these days come again?
The leaf, separated from the branch, shall not be joined with it again; all alone, it falls on its way to death.
Prays Nanak, without the Lord's Name, the soul wanders, forever suffering. ||1||
You are practicing deception secretly, but the Lord, the Knower, knows all.
When the Righteous Judge of Dharma reads your account, you shall be squeezed like a sesame seed in the oil-press.
For the actions you committed, you shall suffer the penalty; you shall be consigned to countless reincarnations.
Imbued with the love of Maya, the great enticer, you shall lose the jewel of this human life.
Except for the One Name of the Lord, you are clever in everything else.
Prays Nanak, those who have such pre-ordained destiny are attracted to doubt and emotional attachment. ||2||
No one advocates for the ungrateful person, who is separated from the Lord.
The hard-hearted Messenger of Death comes and seizes him.
He seizes him, and leads him away, to pay for his evil deeds; he was imbued with Maya, the great enticer.
He was not Gurmukh - he did not chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe; and now, the hot irons are put to his chest.
He is ruined by sexual desire, anger and egotism; deprived of spiritual wisdom, he comes to regret.
Prays Nanak, by his cursed destiny he has gone astray; with his tongue, he does not chant the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Without You, God, no one is our savior.
It is Your Nature, Lord, to save the sinners.
O Savior of sinners, I have entered Your Sanctuary, O Lord and Master, Compassionate Ocean of Mercy.
Please, rescue me from the deep, dark pit, O Creator, Cherisher of all hearts.
I seek Your Sanctuary; please, cut away these heavy bonds, and give me the Support of the One Name.

Prays Nanak, please, give me Your Hand and save me, O Lord of the Universe, Merciful to the meek. ||4||
That day is judged to be fruitful, when I merged with my Lord.
Total happiness was revealed, and pain was taken far away.
Peace, tranquility, joy and eternal happiness come from constantly singing the Glorious Praises of the Sustainer of the World.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I lovingly remember the Lord; I shall not wander again in reincarnation.
He has naturally hugged me close in His Loving Embrace, and the seed of my primal destiny has sprouted.
Prays Nanak, He Himself has met me, and He shall never again leave me. ||5||4||7||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
Listen to my prayer, O my Lord and Master.
I am filled with millions of sins, but still, I am Your slave.
O Destroyer of pain, Bestower of Mercy, Fascinating Lord, Destroyer of sorrow and strife,
I have come to Your Sanctuary; please preserve my honor. You are all-pervading, O Immaculate Lord.
He hears and beholds all; God is with us, the nearest of the near.
O Lord and Master, hear Nanak's prayer; please save the servants of Your household. ||1||
You are eternal and all-powerful; I am a mere beggar, Lord.
I am intoxicated with the love of Maya - save me, Lord!
Bound down by greed, emotional attachment and corruption, I have made so many mistakes.
The creator is both attached and detached from entanglements; one obtains the fruits of his own actions.
Show kindness to me, O Purifier of sinners; I am so tired of wandering through reincarnation.
Prays Nanak, I am the slave of the Lord; God is the Support of my soul, and my breath of life. ||2||
You are great and all-powerful; my understanding is so inadequate, O Lord.
You cherish even the ungrateful ones; Your Glance of Grace is perfect, Lord.
Your wisdom is unfathomable, O Infinite Creator. I am lowly, and I know nothing.
Forsaking the jewel, I have saved the shell; I am a lowly, ignorant beast.
I have kept that which forsakes me, and is very fickle, continually committing sins, again and again.
Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary, Almighty Lord and Master; please, preserve my honor. ||3||
I was separated from Him, and now, He has united me with Himself.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Singing the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, the ever-sublime blissful Lord is revealed to me.
My bed is adorned with God; my God has made me His own.
Abandoning anxiety, I have become carefree, and I shall not suffer in pain any longer.
Nanak lives by beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, the ocean of excellence. ||4||5||8||
Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
O you of sublime faith, chant the Lord's Name; why do you remain silent?
with your eyes, you have seen the treacherous ways of Maya.
Nothing shall go along with you, except the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
Land, clothes, gold and silver - all of these things are useless.
Children, spouse, worldly honors, elephants, horses and other corrupting influences shall not go with you.
Prays Nanak, without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the whole world is false. ||1||

O king, why are you sleeping? Why don't you wake up to reality?
It is useless to cry and whine about Maya, but so many cry out and bewail.
So many cry out for Maya, the great enticer, but without the Name of the Lord, there is no peace.
Thousands of clever tricks and efforts will not succeed. One goes wherever the Lord wills him to go.
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, He is all-pervading everywhere; He is in each and every heart.
Prays Nanak, those who join the Saadh Sangat go to the house of the Lord with honor. ||2||
O king of mortals, know that your palaces and wise servants shall be of no use in the end.
You shall certainly have to separate yourself from them, and their attachment shall make you feel regret.
Beholding the phantom city, you have gone astray; how can you now find stability?
Absorbed in things other than the Name of the Lord, this human life is wasted in vain.
Indulging in egotistical actions, your thirst is not quenched. Your desires are not fulfilled, and you do not attain spiritual wisdom.
Prays Nanak, without the Name of the Lord, so many have departed with regret. ||3||
Showering His blessings, the Lord has made me His own.
Grasping me by the arm, He has pulled me out of the mud, and He has blessed me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Worshipping the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, all my sins and sufferings are burnt away.
This is the greatest religion, and the best act of charity; this alone shall go along with you.
My tongue chants in adoration the Name of the One Lord and Master; my mind and body are drenched in the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, whoever the Lord unites with Himself, is filled with all virtues. ||4||6||9||
Vaar Of Bihaagraa, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Serving the Guru, peace is obtained; do not search for peace anywhere else.
The soul is pierced by the Word of the Guru's Shabad. The Lord dwells ever with the soul.
O Nanak, they alone obtain the Naam, the Name of the Lord, who are blessed by the Lord with His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The treasure of the Lord's Praise is such a blessed gift; he alone obtains it to spend, unto whom the Lord bestows it.
Without the True Guru, it does not come to hand; all have grown weary of performing religious rituals.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukhs of the world lack this wealth; when they are hungry in the next world, what will they have to eat there? ||2||
Pauree:
All are Yours, and You belong to all. You created all.
You are pervading within all - all meditate on You.
You accept the devotional worship of those who are pleasing to Your Mind.
Whatever pleases the Lord God happens; all act as You cause them to act.
Praise the Lord, the greatest of all; He preserves the honor of the Saints. ||1||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, the spiritually wise one has conquered all others.
Through the Name, his affairs are brought to perfection; whatever happens is by His Will.
Under Guru's Instruction, his mind is held steady; no one can make him waver.
The Lord makes His devotee His own, and his affairs are adjusted.

The self-willed manmukhs have been led astray from the very beginning; within them lurks greed, avarice and ego.
Their nights and days pass in argument, and they do not reflect upon the Word of the Shabad.
The Creator has taken away their subtle intellect, and all their speech is corrupt.
No matter what they are given, they are not satisfied; within them is desire, and the great darkness of ignorance.
O Nanak, it is right to break with the self-willed manmukhs; to them, the love of Maya is sweet. ||1||
Third Mehl:
What can fear and doubt do to those, who have given their heads to the Creator, and to the True Guru?
He who has preserved honor from the beginning of time, He shall preserve their honor as well.
Meeting their Beloved, they find peace; they reflect upon the True Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, I serve the Giver of Peace; He Himself is the Assessor. ||2||
Pauree:
All beings are Yours; You are the wealth of all.
One unto whom You give, obtains everything; there is no one else to rival You.
You alone are the Great Giver of all; I offer my prayer unto You, Lord.
One with whom You are pleased, is accepted by You; how blessed is such a person!
Your wondrous play is pervading everywhere. I place my pain and pleasure before You. ||2||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs are pleasing to the True Lord; they are judged to be true in the True Court.
The minds of such friends are filled with bliss, as they reflect upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They enshrine the Shabad within their hearts; their pain is dispelled, and the Creator blesses them with the Divine Light.
O Nanak, the Savior Lord shall save them, and shower them with His Mercy. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Serve the Guru, and wait upon Him; as you work, maintain the Fear of God.
As you serve Him, you will become like Him, as you walk according to His Will.
O Nanak, He Himself is everything; there is no other place to go. ||2||
Pauree:
You alone know Your greatness - no one else is as great as You.
If there were some other rival as great as You, then I would speak of him. You alone are as great as You are.
One who serves You obtains peace; who else can compare to You?
You are all-powerful to destroy and create, O Great Giver; with palms pressed together, all stand begging before You.
I see none as great as You, O Great Giver; You give in charity to the beings of all the continents, worlds, solar systems, nether regions and universes. ||3||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O mind, you have no faith, and you have not embraced love for the Celestial Lord;
you do not enjoy the sublime taste of the Word of the Shabad - what Praises of the Lord will you stubborn-mindedly sing?
O Nanak, his coming alone is approved, who, as Gurmukh, merges into the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The fool does not understand his own self; he annoys others with his speech.
His underlying nature does not leave him; separated from the Lord, he suffers cruel blows.
Through the fear of the True Guru, he has not changed and reformed himself, so that he might merge in the lap of God.

Night and day, his doubts never stop; without the Word of the Shabad, he suffers in pain.
Sexual desire, anger and greed are so powerful within him; he passes his life constantly entangled in worldly affairs.
His feet, hands, eyes and ears are exhausted; his days are numbered, and his death is immanent.
The True Name does not seem sweet to him - the Name by which the nine treasures are obtained.
But if he remains dead while yet alive, then by so dying, he truly lives; thus, he attains liberation.
But if he is not blessed with such pre-ordained karma, then without this karma, what can he obtain?
Meditate in remembrance on the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you fool; through the Shabad, you shall obtain salvation and wisdom.
O Nanak, he alone finds the True Guru, who eliminates self-conceit from within. ||2||
Pauree:
One whose consciousness is filled with my Lord Master - why should he feel anxious about anything?
The Lord is the Giver of Peace, the Lord of all things; why would we turn our faces away from His meditation, even for a moment, or an instant?
One who meditates on the Lord obtains all pleasures and comforts; let us go each and every day, to sit in the Saints' Society.
All the pain, hunger, and disease of the Lord's servant are eradicated; the bonds of the humble beings are torn away.
By the Lord's Grace, one becomes the Lord's devotee; beholding the face of the Lord's humble devotee, the whole world is saved and carried across. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Let that tongue, which has not tasted the Name of the Lord, be burnt.
O Nanak, one whose mind is filled with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har - his tongue savors the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Let that tongue, which has forgotten the Name of the Lord, be burnt.
O Nanak, the tongue of the Gurmukh chants the Lord's Name, and loves the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord Himself is the Master, the servant and the devotee; the Lord Himself is the Cause of causes.
The Lord Himself beholds, and He Himself rejoices. As He wills, so does He enjoin us.
The Lord places some on the Path, and the Lord leads others into the wilderness.
The Lord is the True Master; True is His justice. He arranges and beholds all His plays.
By Guru's Grace, servant Nanak speaks and sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
How rare is the dervish, the Saintly renunciate, who understands renunciation.
Cursed is the life, and cursed are the clothes, of one who wanders around, begging from door to door.
But, if he abandons hope and anxiety, and as Gurmukh receives the Name as his charity,
then Nanak washes his feet, and is a sacrifice to him. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O Nanak, the tree has one fruit, but two birds are perched upon it.
They are not seen coming or going; these birds have no wings.
One enjoys so many pleasures, while the other, through the Word of the Shabad, remains in Nirvaanaa.
Imbued with the subtle essence of the fruit of the Lord's Name, O Nanak, the soul bears the True Insignia of God's Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is the field, and He Himself is the farmer. He Himself grows and grinds the corn.
He Himself cooks it, He Himself puts the food in the dishes, and He Himself sits down to eat.

He Himself is the water, He Himself gives the tooth-pick, and He Himself offers the mouthwash.
He Himself calls and seats the congregation, and He Himself bids them goodbye.
One whom the Lord Himself blesses with His Mercy - the Lord causes him to walk according to His Will. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Rituals and religions are all just entanglements; bad and good are bound up with them.
Those things done for the sake of children and spouse, in ego and attachment, are just more bonds.
Wherever I look, there I see the noose of attachment to Maya.
O Nanak, without the True Name, the world is engrossed in blind entanglements. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The blind receive the Divine Light, when they merge with the Will of the True Guru.
They break their bonds, and dwell in Truth, and the darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
They see that everything belongs to the One who created and fashioned the body.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Creator - the Creator preserves his honor. ||2||
Pauree:
When the Creator, sitting all by Himself, created the Universe, he did not consult with any of His servants;
so what can anyone take, and what can anyone give, when He did not create any other like Himself?
Then, after fashioning the world, the Creator blessed all with His blessings.
He Himself instructs us in His service, and as Gurmukh, we drink in His Ambrosial Nectar.
He Himself is formless, and He Himself is formed; whatever He Himself does, comes to pass. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs serve God forever; night and day, they are steeped in the Love of the True Lord.
They are in bliss forever, singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord; in this world and in the next, they keep Him clasped to their hearts.
Their Beloved dwells deep within; the Creator pre-ordained this destiny.
O Nanak, He blends them into Himself; He Himself showers His Mercy upon them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
By merely talking and speaking, He is not found. Night and day, sing His Glorious Praises continually.
Without His Merciful Grace, no one finds Him; many have died barking and bewailing.
When the mind and body are saturated with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord Himself comes to dwell in his mind.
O Nanak, by His Grace, He is found; He unites us in His Union. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is the Vedas, the Puraanas and all the Shaastras; He Himself chants them, and He Himself is pleased.
He Himself sits down to worship, and He Himself creates the world.
He Himself is a householder, and He Himself is a renunciate; He Himself utters the Unutterable.
He Himself is all goodness, and He Himself causes us to act; He Himself remains detached.
He Himself grants pleasure and pain; the Creator Himself bestows His gifts. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Shaykh, abandon your cruel nature; live in the Fear of God and give up your madness.
Through the Fear of the Guru, many have been saved; in this fear, find the Fearless Lord.
Pierce your stone heart with the Word of the Shabad; let peace and tranquility come to abide in your mind.
If good deeds are done in this state of peace, they are approved by the Lord and Master.
O Nanak, through sexual desire and anger, no one has ever found God - go, and ask any wise man. ||1||
Third Mehl:

The self-willed manmukh is emotionally attached to Maya - he has no love for the Naam.
He practices falsehood, gathers in falsehood, and makes falsehood his sustenance.
He collects the poisonous wealth of Maya, and then dies; in the end, it is all reduced to ashes.
He practices religious rituals, purity and austere self-discipline, but within, there is greed and corruption.
O Nanak, whatever the self-willed manmukh does, is not acceptable; in the Court of the Lord, he is dishonored. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created the four sources of creation, and He Himself fashioned speech; He Himself formed the worlds and solar systems.
He Himself is the ocean, and He Himself is the sea; He Himself puts the pearls in it.
By His Grace, the Lord enables the Gurmukh to find these pearls.
He Himself is the terrifying world-ocean, and He Himself is the boat; He Himself is the boatman, and He Himself ferries us across.
The Creator Himself acts, and causes us to act; no one else can equal You, Lord. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Fruitful is service to the True Guru, if one does so with a sincere mind.
The treasure of the Naam, is obtained, and the mind comes to be free of anxiety.
The pains of birth and death are eradicated, and the mind is rid of egotism and self-conceit.
One achieves the ultimate state, and remains absorbed in the True Lord.
O Nanak, the True Guru comes and meets those who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The True Guru is imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He is the boat in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
One who becomes Gurmukh crosses over; the True Lord dwells within him.
He remembers the Naam, he gathers in the Naam, and he obtains honor through the Naam.
Nanak has found the True Guru; by His Grace, the Name is obtained. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is the Philosopher's Stone, He Himself is the metal, and He Himself is transformed into gold.
He Himself is the Lord and Master, He Himself is the servant, and He Himself is the Destroyer of sins.
He Himself enjoys every heart; the Lord Master Himself is the basis of all illusion.
He Himself is the discerning one, and He Himself is the Knower of all; He Himself breaks the bonds of the Gurmukhs.
Servant Nanak is not satisfied by merely praising You, O Creator Lord; You are the Great Giver of peace. ||10||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, the deeds which are done are only chains binding the soul.
Without serving the True Guru, they find no place of rest. They die, only to be born again - they continue coming and going.
Without serving the True Guru, their speech is insipid. They do not enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in the mind.
O Nanak, without serving the True Guru, they are bound and gagged, and beaten in the City of Death; they depart with blackened faces. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Some wait upon and serve the True Guru; they embrace love for the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, they reform their lives, and redeem their generations as well. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is the school, He Himself is the teacher, and He Himself brings the students to be taught.
He Himself is the father, He Himself is the mother, and He Himself makes the children wise.
In one place, He teaches them to read and understand everything, while in another place, He Himself makes them ignorant.
Some, You summon to the Mansion of Your Presence within, when they are pleasing to Your Mind, O True Lord.

That Gurmukh, whom You have blessed with greatness - that humble being is known in Your True Court. ||11||
Shalok, Mardaanaa:
The Dark Age of Kali Yuga is the vessel, filled with the wine of sexual desire; the mind is the drunkard.
Anger is the cup, filled with emotional attachment, and egotism is the server.
Drinking too much in the company of falsehood and greed, one is ruined.
So let good deeds be your distillery, and Truth your molasses; in this way, make the most excellent wine of Truth.
Make virtue your bread, good conduct the ghee, and modesty the meat to eat.
As Gurmukh, these are obtained, O Nanak; partaking of them, one's sins depart. ||1||
MARDAANAA:
The human body is the vat, self-conceit is the wine, and desire is the company of drinking buddies.
The cup of the mind's longing is overflowing with falsehood, and the Messenger of Death is the cup-bearer.
Drinking in this wine, O Nanak, one takes on countless sins and corruptions.
So make spiritual wisdom your molasses, the Praise of God your bread, and the Fear of God the meat you eat.
O Nanak, this is the true food; let the True Name be your only Support. ||2||
If the human body is the vat, and self-realization is the wine, then a stream of Ambrosial Nectar is produced.
Meeting with the Society of the Saints, the cup of the Lord's Love is filled with this Ambrosial Nectar; drinking it in, one's corruptions and sins are wiped away. ||3||
Pauree:
He Himself is the angelic being, the heavenly herald, and the celestial singer. He Himself is the one who explains the six schools of philosophy.
He Himself is Shiva, Shankara and Mahaysh; He Himself is the Gurmukh, who speaks the Unspoken Speech.
He Himself is the Yogi, He Himself is the Sensual Enjoyer, and He Himself is the Sannyaasee, wandering through the wilderness.
He discusses with Himself, and He teaches Himself; He Himself is discrete, graceful and wise.
Staging His own play, He Himself watches it; He Himself is the Knower of all beings. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
That evening prayer alone is acceptable, which brings the Lord God to my consciousness.
Love for the Lord wells up within me, and my attachment to Maya is burnt away.
By Guru's Grace, duality is conquered, and the mind becomes stable; I have made contemplative meditation my evening prayer.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukh may recite his evening prayers, but his mind is not centered on it; through birth and death, he is ruined. ||1||
Third Mehl:
I wandered over the whole world, crying out, "Love, O Love!", but my thirst was not quenched.
O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, my desires are satisfied; I found my Beloved, when I returned to my own home. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is the supreme essence, He Himself is the essence of all. He Himself is the Lord and Master, and He Himself is the servant.
He Himself created the people of the eighteen castes; God Himself acquired His domain.
He Himself kills, and He Himself redeems; He Himself, in His Kindness, forgives us. He is infallible
- He never errs; the justice of the True Lord is totally True.
Those whom the Lord Himself instructs as Gurmukh - duality and doubt depart from within them. ||13||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
That body, which does not remember the Lord's Name in meditation in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, shall be reduced to dust.
Cursed and insipid is that body, O Nanak, which does not know the One who created it. ||1||

Fifth Mehl:
Let the Lotus Feet of the Lord abide within your heart, and with your tongue, chant God's Name.
O Nanak, meditate in remembrance on God, and nurture this body. ||2||
Pauree:
The Creator Himself is the sixty-eight sacred places of pilgrimage; He Himself takes the cleansing bath in them.
He Himself practices austere self-discipline; the Lord Master Himself causes us to chant His Name.
He Himself becomes merciful to us; the Destroyer of fear Himself gives in charity to all.
One whom He has enlightened and made Gurmukh, ever obtains honor in His Court.
One whose honor the Lord Master has preserved, comes to know the True Lord. ||14||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, without meeting the True Guru, the world is blind, and it does blind deeds.
It does not focus its consciousness on the Word of the Shabad, which would bring peace to abide in the mind.
Always afflicted with the dark passions of low energy, it wanders around, passing its days and nights burning.
Whatever pleases Him, comes to pass; no one has any say in this. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The True Guru has commanded us to do this:
through the Guru's Gate, meditate on the Lord Master.
The Lord Master is ever-present. He tears away the veil of doubt, and installs His Light within the mind.
The Name of the Lord is Ambrosial Nectar - take this healing medicine!
Enshrine the Will of the True Guru in your consciousness, and make the True Lord's Love your self-discipline.
O Nanak, you shall be kept in peace here, and hereafter, you shall celebrate with the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is the vast variety of Nature, and He Himself makes it bear fruit.
He Himself is the Gardener, He Himself irrigates all the plants, and He Himself puts them in His mouth.
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer; He Himself gives, and causes others to give.
He Himself is the Lord and Master, and He Himself is the Protector; He Himself is permeating and pervading everywhere.
Servant Nanak speaks of the greatness of the Lord, the Creator, who has no greed at all. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One person brings a full bottle, and another fills his cup.
Drinking the wine, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind;
he cannot distinguish between his own and others, and he is struck down by his Lord and Master.
Drinking it, he forgets his Lord and Master, and he is punished in the Court of the Lord.
Do not drink the false wine at all, if it is in your power.
O Nanak, the True Guru comes and meets the mortal; by His Grace, one obtains the True Wine.
He shall dwell forever in the Love of the Lord Master, and obtain a seat in the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||
Third Mehl:
When this world comes to understand, it remains dead while yet alive.
When the Lord puts him to sleep, he remains asleep; when He wakes him up, he regains consciousness.
O Nanak, when the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, He causes him to meet the True Guru.
By Guru's Grace, remain dead while yet alive, and you shall not have to die again. ||2||
Pauree:
By His doing, everything happens; what does He care for anyone else?
O Dear Lord, everyone eats whatever You give - all are subservient to You.

One who praises You obtains everything; You bestow Your Mercy upon him, O Immaculate Lord.
He alone is a true banker and trader, who loads the merchandise of the wealth of the Your Name, O Lord.
O Saints, let everyone praise the Lord, who has destroyed the pile of the love of duality. ||16||
Shalok:
Kabeer, the world is dying - dying to death, but no one knows how to truly die.
Whoever dies, let him die such a death, that he does not have to die again. ||1||
Third Mehl:
What do I know? How will I die? What sort of death will it be?
If I do not forget the Lord Master from my mind, then my death will be easy.
The world is terrified of death; everyone longs to live.
By Guru's Grace, one who dies while yet alive, understands the Lord's Will.
O Nanak, one who dies such a death, lives forever. ||2||
Pauree:
When the Lord Master Himself becomes merciful, the Lord Himself causes His Name to be chanted.
He Himself causes us to meet the True Guru, and blesses us with peace. His servant is pleasing to the Lord.
He Himself preserves the honor of His servants; He causes others to fall at the feet of His devotees.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma is a creation of the Lord; he does not approach the humble servant of the Lord.
One who is dear to the Lord, is dear to all; so many others come and go in vain. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The entire world roams around, chanting, "Raam, Raam, Lord, Lord", but the Lord cannot be obtained like this.
He is inaccessible, unfathomable and so very great; He is unweighable, and cannot be weighed.
No one can evaluate Him; He cannot be purchased at any price.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, His mystery is known; in this way, He comes to dwell in the mind.
O Nanak, He Himself is infinite; by Guru's Grace, He is known to be permeating and pervading everywhere.
He Himself comes to blend, and having blended, remains blended. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O my soul, this is the wealth of the Naam; through it, comes peace, forever and ever.
It never brings any loss; through it, one earns profits forever.
Eating and spending it, it never decreases; He continues to give, forever and ever.
One who has no skepticism at all never suffers humiliation.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh obtains the Name of the Lord, when the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is deep within all hearts, and He Himself is outside them.
He Himself is prevailing unmanifest, and He Himself is manifest.
For thirty-six ages, He created the darkness, abiding in the void.
There were no Vedas, Puraanas or Shaastras there; only the Lord Himself existed.
He Himself sat in the absolute trance, withdrawn from everything.
Only He Himself knows His state; He Himself is the unfathomable ocean. ||18||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In egotism, the world is dead; it dies and dies, again and again.

As long as there is breath in the body, he does not remember the Lord; what will he do in the world hereafter?
One who remembers the Lord is a spiritual teacher; the ignorant one acts blindly.
O Nanak, whatever one does in this world, determines what he shall receive in the world hereafter. ||1||
Third Mehl:
From the very beginning, it has been the Will of the Lord Master, that He cannot be remembered without the True Guru.
Meeting the True Guru, he realizes that the Lord is permeating and pervading deep within him; he remains forever absorbed in the Lord's Love.
With each and every breath, he constantly remembers the Lord in meditation; not a single breath passes in vain.
His fears of birth and death depart, and he obtains the honored state of eternal life.
O Nanak, He bestows this rank upon that mortal, upon whom He showers His Mercy. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is all-wise and all-knowing; He Himself is supreme.
He Himself reveals His form, and He Himself enjoins us to His meditation.
He Himself poses as a silent sage, and He Himself speaks spiritual wisdom.
He does not seem bitter to anyone; He is pleasing to all.
His Praises cannot be described; forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||19||
Shalok, First Mehl:
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, O Nanak, the demons have taken birth.
The son is a demon, and the daughter is a demon; the wife is the chief of the demons. ||1||
First Mehl:
The Hindus have forgotten the Primal Lord; they are going the wrong way.
As Naarad instructed them, they are worshipping idols. They are blind and mute, the blindest of the blind.
The ignorant fools pick up stones and worship them.
But when those stones themselves sink, who will carry you across? ||2||
Pauree:
Everything is in Your power; You are the True King.
The devotees are imbued with the Love of the One Lord; they have perfect faith in Him.
The Name of the Lord is the ambrosial food; His humble servants eat their fill.
All treasures are obtained - meditative remembrance on the Lord is the true profit.
The Saints are very dear to the Supreme Lord God, O Nanak; the Lord is unapproachable and unfathomable. ||20||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Everything comes by the Lord's Will, and everything goes by the Lord's Will.
If some fool believes that he is the creator, he is blind, and acts in blindness.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands the Hukam of the Lord's Command; the Lord showers His Mercy upon him. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He alone is a Yogi, and he alone finds the Way, who, as Gurmukh, obtains the Naam.
In the body-village of that Yogi are all blessings; this Yoga is not obtained by outward show.
O Nanak, such a Yogi is very rare; the Lord is manifest in his heart. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created the creatures, and He Himself supports them.
He Himself is seen to be subtle, and He Himself is obvious.
He Himself remains a solitary recluse, and He Himself has a huge family.
Nanak asks for the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints of the Lord.
I cannot see any other Giver; You alone are the Giver, O Lord. ||21||1|| Sudh||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Wadahans, First Mehl, First House:
To the addict, there is nothing like the drug; to the fish, there is nothing else like water.
Those who are attuned to their Lord - everyone is pleasing to them. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, cut apart into pieces, a sacrifice to Your Name, O Lord Master. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is the fruitful tree; His Name is ambrosial nectar.
Those who drink it in are satisfied; I am a sacrifice to them. ||2||
You are not visible to me, although You dwell with everyone.
How can the thirst of the thirsty be quenched, with that wall between me and the pond? ||3||
Nanak is Your merchant; You, O Lord Master, are my merchandise.
My mind is cleansed of doubt, only when I praise You, and pray to You. ||4||1||
Wadahans, First Mehl:
The virtuous bride enjoys her Husband Lord; why does the unworthy one cry out?
If she were to become virtuous, then she too could enjoy her Husband Lord. ||1||
My Husband Lord is loving and playful; why should the soul-bride enjoy anyone else? ||1||Pause||
If the soul-bride does good deeds, and strings them on the thread of her mind,
she obtains the jewel, which cannot be purchased for any price, strung upon the thread of her consciousness. ||2||
I ask, but do not follow the way shown to me; still, I claim to have reached my destination.
I do not speak with You, O my Husband Lord; how then can I come to have a place in Your home? ||3||
O Nanak, without the One Lord, there is no other at all.
If the soul-bride remains attached to You, then she shall enjoy her Husband Lord. ||4||2||
Wadahans, First Mehl, Second House:
The peacocks are singing so sweetly, O sister; the rainy season of Saawan has come.
Your beauteous eyes are like a string of charms, fascinating and enticing the soul-bride.
I would cut myself into pieces for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; I am a sacrifice to Your Name.
I take pride in You; without You, what could I be proud of?
So smash your bracelets along with your bed, O soul-bride, and break your arms, along with the arms of your couch.
In spite of all the decorations which you have made, O soul-bride, your Husband Lord is enjoying someone else.

You don't have the bracelets of gold, nor the good crystal jewelry; you haven't dealt with the true jeweller.
Those arms, which do not embrace the neck of the Husband Lord, burn in anguish.
All my companions have gone to enjoy their Husband Lord; which door should I, the wretched one, go to?
O friend, I may look very attractive, but I am not pleasing to my Husband Lord at all.
I have woven my hair into lovely braids, and saturated their partings with vermillion;
but when I go before Him, I am not accepted, and I die, suffering in anguish.
I weep; the whole world weeps; even the birds of the forest weep with me.
The only thing which doesn't weep is my body's sense of separateness, which has separated me from my Lord.
In a dream, He came, and went away again; I cried so many tears.
I can't come to You, O my Beloved, and I can't send anyone to You.
Come to me, O blessed sleep - perhaps I will see my Husband Lord again.
One who brings me a message from my Lord and Master - says Nanak, what shall I give to Him?
Cutting off my head, I give it to Him to sit upon; without my head, I shall still serve Him.
Why haven't I died? Why hasn't my life just ended? My Husband Lord has become a stranger to me. ||1||3||
Wadahans, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When the mind is filthy, everything is filthy; by washing the body, the mind is not cleaned.
This world is deluded by doubt; how rare are those who understand this. ||1||
O my mind, chant the One Name.
The True Guru has given me this treasure. ||1||Pause||
Even if one learns the Yogic postures of the Siddhas, and holds his sexual energy in check,
still, the filth of the mind is not removed, and the filth of egotism is not eliminated. ||2||
This mind is not controlled by any other discipline, except the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
Meeting the True Guru, one is transformed beyond description. ||3||
Prays Nanak, one who dies upon meeting the True Guru, shall be rejuvenated through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The filth of his attachment and possessiveness shall depart, and his mind shall become pure. ||4||1||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
By His Grace, one serves the True Guru; by His Grace, service is performed.
By His grace, this mind is controlled, and by His Grace, it becomes pure. ||1||
O my mind, think of the True Lord.
Think of the One Lord, and you shall obtain peace; you shall never suffer in sorrow again. ||1||Pause||
By His Grace, one dies while yet alive, and by His Grace, the Word of the Shabad is enshrined in the mind.
By His Grace, one understands the Hukam of the Lord's Command, and by His Command, one merges into the Lord. ||2||
That tongue, which does not savor the sublime essence of the Lord - may that tongue be burned off!
It remains attached to other pleasures, and through the love of duality, it suffers in pain. ||3||
The One Lord grants His Grace to all; He Himself makes distinctions.
O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, the fruits are obtained, and one is blessed with the Glorious Greatness of the Naam. ||4||2||

Wadahans, Third Mehl:
Emotional attachment to Maya is darkness; without the Guru, there is no wisdom.
Those who are attached to the Word of the Shabad understand; duality has ruined the people. ||1||
O my mind, under Guru's Instruction, do good deeds.
Dwell forever and ever upon the Lord God, and you shall find the gate of salvation. ||1||Pause||
The Lord alone is the treasure of virtue; He Himself gives, and then one receives.
Without the Name, all are separated from the Lord; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one meets the Lord. ||2||
Acting in ego, they lose, and nothing comes into their hands.
Meeting the True Guru, they find Truth, and merge into the True Name. ||3||
Hope and desire abide in this body, but the Lord's Light shines within as well.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukhs remain in bondage; the Gurmukhs are liberated. ||4||3||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
The faces of the happy soul-brides are radiant forever; through the Guru, they are peacefully poised.
They enjoy their Husband Lord constantly, eradicating their ego from within. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The True Guru has led me to understand the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The abandoned brides cry out in their suffering; they do not attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
In the love of duality, they appear so ugly; they suffer in pain as they go to the world beyond. ||2||
The virtuous soul-bride constantly chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord; she enshrines the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within her heart.
The unvirtuous woman suffers, and cries out in pain. ||3||
The One Lord and Master is the Husband Lord of all; His Praises cannot be expressed.
O Nanak, He has separated some from Himself, while others are to His Name. ||4||4||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam is always sweet to me; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I come to taste it.
Through the True Word of the Guru's Bani, I am merged in peace and poise; the Dear Lord is enshrined in the mind. ||1||
The Lord, showing His Mercy, has caused me to meet the True Guru.
Through the Perfect True Guru, I meditate on the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Through Brahma, the hymns of the Vedas were revealed, but the love of Maya spread.
The wise one, Shiva, remains absorbed in himself, but he is engrossed in dark passions and excessive egotism. ||2||
Vishnu is always busy reincarnating himself - who will save the world?
The Gurmukhs are imbued with spiritual wisdom in this age; they are rid of the darkness of emotional attachment. ||3||
Serving the True Guru, one is emancipated; the Gurmukh crosses over the world-ocean.
The detached renunciates are imbued with the True Name; they attain the gate of salvation. ||4||
The One True Lord is pervading and permeating everywhere; He cherishes everyone.
O Nanak, without the One Lord, I do not know any other; He is the Merciful Master of all. ||5||5||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukh practices true self-discipline, and attains the essence of wisdom.
The Gurmukh meditates on the True Lord. ||1||

As Gurmukh, O my mind, remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
It shall stand by you always, and go with you. ||Pause||
The True Lord is the social status and honor of the Gurmukh.
Within the Gurmukh, is God, his friend and helper. ||2||
He alone becomes Gurmukh, whom the Lord so blesses.
He Himself blesses the Gurmukh with greatness. ||3||
The Gurmukh lives the True Word of the Shabad, and practices good deeds.
The Gurmukh, O Nanak, emancipates his family and relations. ||4||6||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
My tongue is intuitively attracted to the taste of the Lord.
My mind is satisfied, meditating on the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Lasting peace is obtained, contemplating the Shabad, the True Word of God.
I am forever a sacrifice to my True Guru. ||1||Pause||
My eyes are content, lovingly focused on the One Lord.
My mind is content, having forsaken the love of duality. ||2||
The frame of my body is at peace, through the Shabad, and the Name of the Lord.
The fragrance of the Naam permeates my heart. ||3||
O Nanak, one who has such great destiny written upon his forehead,
through the Bani of the Guru's Word, easily and intuitively becomes free of desire. ||4||7||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
From the Perfect Guru, the Naam is obtained.
Through the Shabad, the True Word of God, one merges in the True Lord. ||1||
O my soul, obtain the treasure of the Naam,
by submitting to the Will of your Guru. ||1||Pause||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, filth is washed away from within.
The Immaculate Naam comes to abide within the mind. ||2||
Deluded by doubt, the world wanders around.
It dies, and is born again, and is ruined by the Messenger of Death. ||3||
O Nanak, very fortunate are those who meditate on the Name of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, they enshrine the Name within their minds. ||4||8||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
Ego is opposed to the Name of the Lord; the two do not dwell in the same place.
In egotism, selfless service cannot be performed, and so the soul goes unfulfilled. ||1||
O my mind, think of the Lord, and practice the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
If you submit to the Hukam of the Lord's Command, then you shall meet with the Lord; only then will your ego depart from within. ||Pause||
Egotism is within all bodies; through egotism, we come to be born.
Egotism is total darkness; in egotism, no one can understand anything. ||2||
In egotism, devotional worship cannot be performed, and the Hukam of the Lord's Command cannot be understood.
In egotism, the soul is in bondage, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, does not come to abide in the mind. ||3||
O Nanak, meeting with the True Guru, egotism is eliminated, and then, the True Lord comes to dwell in the mind||
One starts practicing truth, abides in truth and by serving the True One gets absorbed in Him. ||4||9||12||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
There is one bed, and One Lord God.
The Gurmukh enjoys the Lord, the ocean of peace. ||1||
My mind longs to meet my Beloved Lord.

The Perfect Guru leads me to meet my Beloved; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to my Guru. ||1||Pause||
My body is over-flowing with corruption;
how can I meet my Perfect Beloved? ||2||
The virtuous ones obtain my Beloved;
I do not have these virtues. How can I meet Him, O my mother? ||3||
I am so tired of making all these efforts.
Please protect Nanak, the meek one, O my Lord. ||4||1||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl:
My Lord God is so beautiful. I do not know His worth.
Abandoning my Lord God, I have become entangled in duality. ||1||
How can I meet with my Husband? I don't know.
She who pleases her Husband Lord is a happy soul-bride. She meets with her Husband Lord - she is so wise. ||1||Pause||
I am filled with faults; how can I attain my Husband Lord?
You have many loves, but I am not in Your thoughts, O my Husband Lord. ||2||
She who enjoys her Husband Lord, is the good soul-bride.
I don't have these virtues; what can I, the discarded bride, do? ||3||
The soul-bride continually, constantly enjoys her Husband Lord.
I have no good fortune; will He ever hold me close in His embrace? ||4||
You, O Husband Lord, are meritorious, while I am without merit.
I am worthless; please forgive Nanak, the meek. ||5||2||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Within my mind there is such a great yearning; how will I attain the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan?
I go and ask my True Guru; with the Guru's advice, I shall teach my foolish mind.
The foolish mind is instructed in the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and meditates forever on the Lord, Har, Har.
O Nanak, one who is blessed with the Mercy of my Beloved, focuses his consciousness on the Lord's Feet. ||1||
I dress myself in all sorts of robes for my Husband, so that my True Lord God will be pleased.
But my Beloved Husband Lord does not even cast a glance in my direction; how can I be consoled?
For His sake, I adorn myself with adornments, but my Husband is imbued with the love of another.
O Nanak, blessed, blessed, blessed is that soul-bride, who enjoys her True, Sublime Husband Lord. ||2||
I go and ask the fortunate, happy soul-bride, "How did you attain Him - your Husband Lord, my God?"
She answers, "My True Husband blessed me with His Mercy; I abandoned the distinction between mine and yours.
Dedicate everything, mind, body and soul, to the Lord God; this is the Path to meet Him, O sister."
If her God gazes upon her with favor, O Nanak, her light merges into the Light. ||3||
I dedicate my mind and body to the one who brings me a message from my Lord God.
I wave the fan over him every day, serve him and carry water for him.
Constantly and continuously, I serve the Lord's humble servant, who recites to me the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har.

Hail, hail unto the Guru, the Guru, the Perfect True Guru, who fulfills Nanak's heart's desires. ||4||
O Lord, let me meet the Guru, my best friend; meeting Him, I meditate on the Lord's Name.
I seek the Lord's sermon from the Guru, the True Guru; joining with Him, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Each and every day, forever, I sing the Lord's Praises; my mind lives by hearing Your Name.
O Nanak, that moment when I forget my Lord and Master - at that moment, my soul dies. ||5||
Everyone longs to see the Lord, but he alone sees Him, whom the Lord causes to see Him.
One upon whom my Beloved bestows His Glance of Grace, cherishes the Lord, Har, Har forever.
He alone cherishes the Lord, Har, Har, forever and ever, who meets my Perfect True Guru.
O Nanak, the Lord's humble servant and the Lord become One; meditating on the Lord, he blends with the Lord. ||6||1||3||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
His Darbaar, His Court, is the most lofty and exalted.
It has no end or limitations.
Millions, millions, tens of millions seek,
but they cannot find even a tiny bit of His Mansion. ||1||
What is that auspicious moment, when God is met? ||1||Pause||
Tens of thousands of devotees worship Him in adoration.
Tens of thousands of ascetics practice austere discipline.
Tens of thousands of Yogis practice Yoga.
Tens of thousands of pleasure seekers seek pleasure. ||2||
He dwells in each and every heart, but only a few know this.
Is there any friend who can rip apart the screen of separation?
I can only make the effort, if the Lord is merciful to me.
I sacrifice my body and soul to Him. ||3||
After wandering around for so long, I have finally come to the Saints;
all of my pains and doubts have been eradicated.
God summoned me to the Mansion of His Presence, and blessed me with the Ambrosial Nectar of His Name.
Says Nanak, my God is lofty and exalted. ||4||1||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is that time, when the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is given;
I am a sacrifice to the feet of the True Guru. ||1||
You are the Giver of souls, O my Beloved God.
My soul lives by reflecting upon the Name of God. ||1||Pause||
True is Your Mantra, Ambrosial is the Bani of Your Word.
Cooling and soothing is Your Presence, all-knowing is Your gaze. ||2||
True is Your Command; You sit upon the eternal throne.
My eternal God does not come or go. ||3||
You are the Merciful Master; I am Your humble servant.
O Nanak, the Lord and Master is totally permeating and pervading everywhere. ||4||2||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
You are infinite - only a few know this.
By Guru's Grace, some come to understand You through the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Your servant offers this prayer, O Beloved:

I live by meditating on Your Feet, God. ||1||Pause||
O my Merciful and Almighty God, O Great Giver,
he alone knows You, whom You so bless. ||2||
Forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to You.
Here and hereafter, I seek Your Protection. ||3||
I am without virtue; I know none of Your Glorious Virtues.
O Nanak, seeing the Holy Saint, my mind is imbued with You. ||4||3||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
God is perfect - He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He blesses us with the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||1||
Bless me with Your Grace, God, O Merciful to the meek.
I seek Your Protection, O Perfect Lord, Sustainer of the World. ||1||Pause||
He is totally pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky.
God is near at hand, not far away. ||2||
One whom He blesses with His Grace, meditates on Him.
Twenty-four hours a day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
He cherishes and sustains all beings and creatures.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's Door. ||4||4||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
You are the Great Giver, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
God, the Perfect Lord and Master, is permeating and pervading in all. ||1||
The Name of my Beloved God is my only support.
I live by hearing, continually hearing Your Name. ||1||Pause||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O my Perfect True Guru.
My mind is purified by the dust of the Saints. ||2||
I have enshrined His Lotus Feet within my heart.
I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||3||
Show mercy unto me, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises.
O Nanak, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I obtain peace. ||4||5||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord.
The soul does not die, nor does it ever waste away. ||1||
By great good fortune, one meets the Perfect Guru.
By Guru's Grace, one meditates on God. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is the jewel, the pearl, the gem, the diamond.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on God, I am in ecstasy. ||2||
Wherever I look, I see the Sanctuary of the Holy.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, my soul becomes immaculately pure. ||3||
Within each and every heart, dwells my Lord and Master.
O Nanak, one obtains the Naam, the Name of the Lord, when God bestows His Mercy. ||4||6||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
Do not forget me, O God, Merciful to the meek.
I seek Your Sanctuary, O Perfect, Compassionate Lord. ||1||Pause||
Wherever You come to mind, that place is blessed.
The moment I forget You, I am stricken with regret. ||1||
All beings are Yours; You are their constant companion.
Please, give me Your hand, and pull me up out of this world-ocean. ||2||
Coming and going are by Your Will.
One whom You save is not afflicted by suffering. ||3||
You are the One and only Lord and Master; there is no other.
Nanak offers this prayer with his palms pressed together. ||4||7||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
When You allow Yourself to be known, then we know You.
We chant Your Name, which You have given to us. ||1||
You are wonderful! Your creative potency is amazing! ||1||Pause||

You Yourself are the Cause of causes, You Yourself are the Creator.
By Your Will, we are born, and by Your Will, we die. ||2||
Your Name is the Support of our mind and body.
This is Your blessing to Nanak, Your slave. ||3||8||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Deep within me, there is a longing to meet my Beloved; how can I attain my Perfect Guru?
Even though a baby may play hundreds of games, he cannot survive without milk.
The hunger within me is not satisfied, O my friend, even though I am served hundreds of dishes.
My mind and body are filled with love for my Beloved; how can my soul find relief, without the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan? ||1||
Listen, O my dear friends and siblings - lead me to my True Friend, the Giver of peace.
He knows all the troubles of my soul; every day, he tells me stories of the Lord.
I cannot live without Him, even for an instant. I cry out for Him, just as the song-bird cries for the drop of water.
Which of Your Glorious Virtues should I sing? You save even worthless beings like me. ||2||
I have become depressed, waiting for my Husband Lord, O my friend; when shall my eyes behold my Husband?
I have forgotten how to enjoy all pleasures; without my Husband Lord, they are of no use at all.
These clothes do not please my body; I cannot dress myself.
I bow to those friends of mine, who have enjoyed their Beloved Husband Lord. ||3||
I have adorned myself with all sorts of decorations, O my friend, but without my Husband Lord, they are of no use at all.
When my Husband does not care for me, O my friend, then my youth passes, totally useless.
Blessed, blessed are the happy soul-brides, O my friend, who are blended with their Husband Lord.
I am a sacrifice to those happy soul-brides; I wash their feet again and again. ||4||
As long as I suffered from duality and doubt, O my friend, I thought God was far away.
But when I met the Perfect True Guru, O my friend, then all my hopes and desires were fulfilled.
I have obtained all pleasures and comforts, O my friend; my Husband Lord is all-pervading everywhere.
Servant Nanak enjoys the Lord's Love, O my friend; I fall at the feet of the Guru, the True Guru. ||5||1||9||
Wadahans, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
True is the Bani of His Word, and True is the melody; True is contemplative meditation on the Word of the Shabad.
Night and day, I praise the True Lord. Blessed, blessed is my great good fortune. ||1||
O my mind, let yourself be a sacrifice to the True Name.
If you become the slave of the Lord's slaves, you shall obtain the True Name. ||1||Pause||

True is the tongue which is imbued with Truth, and true are the mind and body.
By praising any other than the True Lord, one's whole life is wasted. ||2||
Let Truth be the farm, Truth the seed, and Truth the merchandise you trade.
Night and day, you shall earn the profit of the Lord's Name; you shall have the treasure overflowing with the wealth of devotional worship. ||3||
Let Truth be your food, and let Truth be your clothes; let your True Support be the Name of the Lord.
One who is so blessed by the Lord, obtains a seat in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||4||
In Truth we come, and in Truth we go, and then, we are not consigned to reincarnation again.
The Gurmukhs are hailed as True in the True Court; they merge in the True Lord. ||5||
Deep within they are True, and their minds are True; they sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
In the true place, they praise the True Lord; I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||6||
True is the time, and true is the moment, when one falls in love with the True Lord.
Then, he sees Truth, and speaks the Truth; he realizes the True Lord pervading the entire Universe. ||7||
O Nanak, one merges with the True Lord, when He merges with Himself.
As it pleases Him, He preserves us; He Himself ordains His Will. ||8||1||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
His mind wanders in the ten directions - how can he sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord?
The sensory organs are totally engrossed in sensuality; sexual desire and anger constantly afflict him. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! Hail! Hail! Chant His Glorious Praises.
The Lord's Name is so difficult to obtain in this age; under Guru's Instruction, drink in the subtle essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Remembering the Word of the Shabad, the mind becomes immaculately pure, and then, one sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Under Guru's Instruction, one comes to understand his own self, and then, he comes to dwell in the home of his inner self. ||2||
O my mind, be imbued forever with the Lord's Love, and sing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The Immaculate Lord is forever the Giver of peace; from Him, one receives the fruits of his heart's desires. ||3||
I am lowly, but I have been exalted, entering the Sanctuary of the Lord.
He has lifted up the sinking stone; True is His glorious greatness. ||4||
From poison, I have been transformed into Ambrosial Nectar; under Guru's Instruction, I have obtained wisdom.
From bitter herbs, I have been transformed into sandalwood; this fragrance permeates me deep within. ||5||
This human birth is so precious; one must earn the right to come into the world.
By perfect destiny, I met the True Guru, and I meditate on the Lord's Name. ||6||
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded; attached to corruption, they waste away their lives in vain.
The Name of the Lord is forever an ocean of peace, but the manmukhs do not love the Word of the Shabad. ||7||
Everyone can chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har with their mouths, but only a few enshrine it within their hearts.
O Nanak, those who enshrine the Lord within their hearts, attain liberation and emancipation. ||8||2||
Wadahans, First Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Why bother to wash the body, polluted by falsehood?
One's cleansing bath is only approved, if he practices Truth.
When there is Truth within the heart, then one becomes True, and obtains the True Lord.

Without pre-ordained destiny, understanding is not attained; talking and babbling, one wastes his life away.
Wherever you go and sit, speak well, and write the Word of the Shabad in your consciousness.
Why bother to wash the body which is polluted by falsehood? ||1||
When I have spoken, I spoke as You made me speak.
The Ambrosial Name of the Lord is pleasing to my mind.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, seems so sweet to my mind; it has destroyed the dwelling of pain.
Peace came to dwell in my mind, when You gave the Order.
It is Yours to bestow Your Grace, and it is mine to speak this prayer; You created Yourself.
When I have spoken, I spoke as You made me speak. ||2||
The Lord and Master gives them their turn, according to the deeds they have done.
Do not speak ill of others, or get involved in arguments.
Do not get into arguments with the Lord, or you shall ruin yourself.
If you challenge the One, with whom you must abide, you will cry in the end.
Be satisfied with what God gives you; tell your mind not to complain uselessly.
The Lord and Master gives them their turn, according to the deeds they have done. ||3||
He Himself created all, and He blesses then with His Glance of Grace.
No one asks for that which is bitter; everyone asks for sweets.
Let everyone ask for sweets, and behold, it is as the Lord wills.
Giving donations to charity, and performing various religious rituals are not equal to the contemplation of the Naam.
O Nanak, those who are blessed with the Naam have had such good karma pre-ordained.
He Himself created all, and He blesses them with His Glance of Grace. ||4||1||
Wadahans, First Mehl:
Show mercy to me, that I may chant Your Name.
You Yourself created all, and You are pervading among all.
You Yourself are pervading among all, and You link them to their tasks.
Some, You have made kings, while others go about begging.
You have made greed and emotional attachment seem sweet; they are deluded by this delusion.
Be ever merciful to me; only then can I chant Your Name. ||1||
Your Name is True, and ever pleasing to my mind.
My pains are dispelled, and I am permeated with peace.
The angels, the mortals and the silent sages sing of You.
The angels, the mortals and the silent sages sing of You; they are pleasing to Your Mind.
Enticed by Maya, they do not remember the Lord, and they waste away their lives in vain.
Some fools and idiots never think of the Lord; whoever has come, shall have to go.
Your Name is True, and ever pleasing to my mind. ||2||
Beauteous is Your time, O Lord; the Bani of Your Word is Ambrosial Nectar.
Your servants serve You with love; these mortals are attached to Your essence.
Those mortals are attached to Your essence, who are blessed with the Ambrosial Name.
Those who are imbued with Your Name, prosper more and more, day by day.
Some do not practice good deeds, or live righteously; nor do they practice self-restraint. They do not realize the One Lord.
Ever beauteous is Your time, O Lord; the Bani of Your Word is Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to the True Name.

Your rule shall never end.
Your rule is eternal and unchanging; it shall never come to an end.
He alone becomes Your servant, who contemplates You in peaceful ease.
Enemies and pains shall never touch him, and sin shall never draw near him.
I am forever a sacrifice to the One Lord, and Your Name. ||4||
Throughout the ages, Your devotees sing the Kirtan of Your Praises, O Lord Master, at Your Door.
They meditate on the One True Lord.
Only then do they meditate on the True Lord, when they enshrine Him in their minds.
Doubt and delusion are Your making; when these are dispelled,
then, by Guru's Grace, You grant Your Grace, and save them from the noose of Death.
Throughout the ages, they are Your devotees. ||5||
O my Great Lord and Master, You are unfathomable and infinite.
How should I make and offer my prayer? I do not know what to say.
If You bless me with Your Glance of Grace, I realize the Truth.
Only then do I come to realize the Truth, when You Yourself instruct me.
The pain and hunger of the world are Your making; dispel this doubt.
Prays Nanak, ones skepticism is taken away, when he understands the Guru's wisdom.
The Great Lord Master is unfathomable and infinite. ||6||
Your eyes are so beautiful, and Your teeth are delightful.
Your nose is so graceful, and Your hair is so long.
Your body is so precious, cast in gold.
His body is cast in gold, and He wears Krishna's mala; meditate on Him, O sisters.
You shall not have to stand at Death's door, O sisters, if you listen to these teachings.
From a crane, you shall be transformed into a swan, and the filth of your mind shall be removed.
Your eyes are so beautiful, and Your teeth are delightful. ||7||
Your walk is so graceful, and Your speech is so sweet.
You coo like a songbird, and your youthful beauty is alluring.
Your youthful beauty is so alluring; it pleases You, and it fulfills the heart's desires.
Like an elephant, You step with Your Feet so carefully; You are satisfied with Yourself.
She who is imbued with the Love of such a Great Lord, flows intoxicated, like the waters of the Ganges.
Prays Nanak, I am Your slave, O Lord; Your walk is so graceful, and Your speech is so sweet. ||8||2||
Wadahans, Third Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Let yourself be imbued with the Love of your Husband Lord, O beautiful, mortal bride.
Let yourself remain merged in the True Word of the Shabad, O mortal bride; savor and enjoy the Love of your Beloved Husband Lord.
The Husband Lord embellishes His beloved bride with His True Love; she is in love with the Lord, Har, Har.
Renouncing her self-centeredness, she attains her Husband Lord, and remains merged in the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
That soul bride is adorned, who is attracted by His Love, and who treasures the Love of her Beloved within her heart.
O Nanak, the Lord blends that soul bride with Himself; the True King adorns her. ||1||
O worthless bride, see your Husband Lord ever-present.
One who, as Gurmukh, enjoys her Husband Lord, O mortal bride, knows Him to be all-pervading everywhere.

The Lord is all-pervading everywhere; behold Him ever-present. Throughout the ages, know Him as the One.
The young, innocent bride enjoys her Husband Lord; she meets Him, the Architect of karma.
One who tastes the sublime essence of the Lord, and utters the sublime Word of the Shabad, remains immersed in the Lord's Ambrosial Pool.
O Nanak, that soul bride is pleasing to her Husband Lord, who, through the Shabad, remains in His Presence. ||2||
Go and ask the happy soul-brides, O mortal bride, who have eradicated their self-conceit from within.
Those who have not eradicated their self-conceit, O mortal bride, do not realize the Hukam of their Husband Lord's Command.
Those who eradicate their self-conceit, obtain their Husband Lord; they delight in His Love.
Ever imbued with His Love, in perfect poise and grace, she repeats His Name, night and day.
Very fortunate is that bride, who focuses her consciousness on Him; her Lord's Love is so sweet to her.
O Nanak, that soul-bride who is adorned with Truth, is imbued with her Lord's Love, in the state of perfect poise. ||3||
Overcome your egotism, O mortal bride, and walk in the Guru's Way.
Thus you shall ever enjoy your Husband Lord, O mortal bride, and obtain an abode in the home of your own inner being.
Obtaining an abode in the home of her inner being, she vibrates the Word of the Shabad, and is a happy soul-bride forever.
The Husband Lord is delightful, and forever young; night and day, He embellishes His bride.
Her Husband Lord activates the destiny written on her forehead, and she is adorned with the True Shabad.
O Nanak, the soul-bride is imbued with the Love of the Lord, when she walks according to the Will of the True Guru. ||4||1||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
All dealings of the Gurmukh are good, if they are accomplished with poise and grace.
Night and day, he repeats the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and he earns his profits, drinking in the subtle essence of the Lord.
He earns the profit of the subtle essence of the Lord, meditating on the Lord, and repeating the Naam, night and day.
He gathers in merits, and eliminates demerits, and realizes his own self.
Under Guru's Instruction, he is blessed with glorious greatness; he drinks in the essence of the True Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, devotional worship of the Lord is wonderful, but only a few Gurmukhs perform it. ||1||
As Gurmukh, plant the crop of the Lord within the field of your body, and let it grow.
Within the home of your own being, enjoy the Lord's subtle essence, and earn profits in the world hereafter.
This profit is earned by enshrining the Lord within your mind; blessed is this farming and trade.
Meditating on the Lord's Name, and enshrining Him within your mind, you shall come to understand the Guru's Teachings.
The self-willed manmukhs have grown weary of this farming and trade; their hunger and thirst will not go away.
O Nanak, plant the seed of the Name within your mind, and adorn yourself with the True Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Those humble beings engage in the Lord's Trade, who have the jewel of such pre-ordained destiny upon their foreheads.
Under Guru's Instruction, the soul dwells in the home of the self; through the True Word of the Shabad, she becomes unattached.
By the destiny written upon their foreheads, they become truly unattached, and by reflective meditation, they are imbued with Truth.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the whole world is insane; through the Shabad, the ego is conquered.
Attached to the True Word of the Shabad, wisdom comes forth. The Gurmukh obtains the Naam, the Name of the Husband Lord.

O Nanak, through the Shabad, one meets the Lord, the Destroyer of fear, and by the destiny written on her forehead, she enjoys Him. ||3||
All farming and trading is by Hukam of His Will; surrendering to the Lord's Will, glorious greatness is obtained.
Under Guru's Instruction, one comes to understand the Lord's Will, and by His Will, he is united in His Union.
By His Will, one merges and easily blends with Him. The Shabads of the Guru are incomparable.
Through the Guru, true greatness is obtained, and one is embellished with Truth.
He finds the Destroyer of fear, and eradicates his self-conceit; as Gurmukh, he is united in His Union.
Says Nanak, the Name of the immaculate, inaccessible, unfathomable Commander is permeating and pervading everywhere. ||4||2||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
O my mind, contemplate the True Lord forever.
Dwell in peace in the home of your own self, and the Messenger of Death shall not touch you.
The noose of the Messenger of Death shall not touch you, when you embrace love for the True Word of the Shabad.
Ever imbued with the True Lord, the mind becomes immaculate, and its coming and going is ended.
The love of duality and doubt have ruined the self-willed manmukh, who is lured away by the Messenger of Death.
Says Nanak, listen, O my mind: contemplate the True Lord forever. ||1||
O my mind, the treasure is within you; do not search for it on the outside.
Eat only that which is pleasing to the Lord, and as Gurmukh, receive the blessing of His Glance of Grace.
As Gurmukh, receive the blessing of His Glance of Grace, O my mind; the Name of the Lord, your help and support, is within you.
The self-willed manmukhs are blind, and devoid of wisdom; they are ruined by the love of duality.
Without the Name, no one is emancipated. All are bound by the Messenger of Death.
O Nanak, the treasure is within you; do not search for it on the outside. ||2||
O my mind, obtaining the blessing of this human birth, some are engaged in the trade of Truth.
They serve their True Guru, and the Infinite Word of the Shabad resounds within them.
Within them is the Infinite Shabad, and the Beloved Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the Naam, the nine treasures are obtained.
The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in emotional attachment to Maya; they suffer in pain, and through duality, they lose their honor.
But those who conquer their ego, and merge in the True Shabad, are totally imbued with Truth.
O Nanak, it is so difficult to obtain this human life; the True Guru imparts this understanding. ||3||
O my mind, those who serve their True Guru are the most fortunate beings.
Those who conquer their minds are beings of renunciation and detachment.
They are beings of renunciation and detachment, who lovingly focus their consciousness on the True Lord; they realize and understand their own selves.
Their intellect is steady, deep and profound; as Gurmukh, they naturally chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Some are lovers of beautiful young women; emotional attachment to Maya is very dear to them. The unfortunate self-willed manmukhs remain asleep.
O Nanak, those who intuitively serve their Guru, have perfect destiny. ||4||3||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
Purchase the jewel, the invaluable treasure; the True Guru has given this understanding.
The profit of profits is the devotional worship of the Lord; one's virtues merge into the virtues of the Lord.

One's virtues merge into the virtues of the Lord; he comes to understand his own self. He earns the profit of devotional worship in this world.
Without devotion, there is no peace; through duality, one's honor is lost, but under Guru's Instruction, he is blessed with the Support of the Naam.
He ever earns the profit of the merchandise of the Naam, whom the Lord employs in this Trade.
He purchases the jewel, the invaluable treasure, unto whom the True Guru has given this understanding. ||1||
The love of Maya is totally painful; this is a bad deal.
Speaking falsehood, one eats poison, and the evil within increases greatly.
The evil within increases greatly, in this world of doubt; without the Name, one's honor is lost.
Reading and studying, the religious scholars argue and debate; but without understanding, there is no peace.
Their comings and goings never end; emotional attachment to Maya is dear to them.
The love of Maya is totally painful; this is a bad deal. ||2||
The counterfeit and the genuine are all assayed in the Court of the True Lord.
The counterfeit are cast out of the Court, and they stand there, crying out in misery.
They stand there, crying out in misery; the foolish, idiotic, self-willed manmukhs have wasted their lives.
Maya is the poison which has deluded the world; it does not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The self-willed manmukhs are resentful toward the Saints; they harvest only pain in this world.
The counterfeit and the genuine are assayed in that True Court of the Lord. ||3||
He Himself acts; who else should I ask? No one else can do anything.
As He pleases, He engages us; such is His glorious greatness.
Such is His glorious greatness - He Himself causes all to act; no one is a warrior or a coward.
The Life of the World, the Great Giver, the Architect of karma - He Himself grants forgiveness.
By Guru's Grace, self-conceit is eradicated, O Nanak, and through the Naam, honor is obtained.
He Himself acts; who else should I ask? No one else can do anything. ||4||4||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
The True merchandise is the Lord's Name. This is the true trade.
Under Guru's Instruction, we trade in the Lord's Name; its value is very great.
The value of this true trade is very great; those who are engaged in the true trade are very fortunate.
Inwardly and outwardly, they are imbued with devotion, and they enshrine love for the True Name.
One who is blessed with the Lord's Favor, obtains Truth, and reflects upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Name find peace; they deal only in the True Name. ||1||
Egotistical involvement in Maya is filth; Maya is overflowing with filth.
Under Guru's Instruction, the mind is made pure and the tongue tastes the subtle essence of the Lord.
The tongue tastes the subtle essence of the Lord, and deep within, the heart is drenched with His Love, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad.
Deep within, the well of the heart is overflowing with the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar; the water-carrier draws and drinks in the water of the Shabad.
One who is blessed with the Lord's favor is attuned to the Truth; with his tongue, he chants the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are immaculate. The others are full of the filth of egotism. ||2||
All the religious scholars and astrologers read and study, and argue and shout. Who are they trying to teach?

The filth of attachment to Maya clings to their hearts; they deal in Maya alone.
They love to deal in Maya in this world; coming and going, they suffer in pain.
The worm of poison is addicted to poison; it is immersed in manure.
He does what is pre-ordained for him; no one can erase his destiny.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, lasting peace is found; the ignorant fools die screaming. ||3||
Their minds are colored by emotional attachment to Maya; because of this emotional attachment, they do not understand.
The soul of the Gurmukh is imbued with the Lord's Love; the love of duality departs.
The love of duality departs, and the soul merges in Truth; the warehouse is overflowing with Truth.
One who becomes Gurmukh, comes to understand; the Lord embellishes him with Truth.
He alone merges with the Lord, whom the Lord causes to merge; nothing else can be said or done.
O Nanak, without the Name, one is deluded by doubt; but some, imbued with the Name, enshrine love for the Lord. ||4||5||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
O my mind, the world comes and goes in birth and death; only the True Name shall emancipate you in the end.
When the True Lord Himself grants forgiveness, then one does not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again.
He does not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again, and he is emancipated in the end; as Gurmukh, he obtains glorious greatness.
Imbued with love for the True Lord, he is intoxicated with celestial bliss, and he remains absorbed in the Celestial Lord.
The True Lord is pleasing to his mind; he enshrines the True Lord in his mind; attuned to the Word of the Shabad, he is emancipated in the end.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam, merge in the True Lord; they are not cast into the terrifying world-ocean again. ||1||
Emotional attachment to Maya is total madness; through the love of duality, one is ruined.
Mother and father - all are subject to this love; in this love, they are entangled.
They are entangled in this love, on account of their past actions, which no one can erase.
The One who created the Universe, beholds it; no other is as great as He.
The blind, self-willed manmukh is consumed by his burning rage; without the Word of the Shabad, peace is not obtained.
O Nanak, without the Name, everyone is deluded, ruined by emotional attachment to Maya. ||2||
Seeing that this world on fire, I have hurried to the Sanctuary of the Lord.
I offer my prayer to the Perfect Guru: please save me, and bless me with Your glorious greatness.
Preserve me in Your Sanctuary, and bless me with the glorious greatness of the Name of the Lord; there is no other Giver as great as You.
Those who are engaged in serving You are very fortunate; throughout the ages, they know the One Lord.
You may practice celibacy, truth, austere self-discipline and rituals, but without the Guru, you shall not be emancipated.
O Nanak, he alone understands the Word of the Shabad, who goes and seeks the Lord's Sanctuary. ||3||
That understanding, imparted by the Lord, wells up; there is no other understanding.
Deep within, and beyond as well, You alone are, O Lord; You Yourself impart this understanding.
One whom He Himself blesses with this understanding, does not love any other. As Gurmukh, he tastes the subtle essence of the Lord.
In the True Court, he is forever True; with love, he chants the True Word of the Shabad.

Within his home, he finds the home of his own being; the True Guru blesses him with glorious greatness.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; their understanding is true, and approved. ||4||6||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My mind, my mind - the True Guru has blessed it with the Lord's Love.
He has enshrined the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, within my mind.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, dwells within my mind; He is the Destroyer of all pain.
By great good fortune, I have obtained the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan; blessed, blessed is my True Guru.
While standing up and sitting down, I serve the True Guru; serving Him, I have found peace.
My mind, my mind - the True Guru has blessed it with the Lord's Love. ||1||
I live, I live, and I blossom forth, beholding the True Guru.
The Name of the Lord, the Name of the Lord, He has implanted within me; chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I blossom forth.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the heart-lotus blossoms forth, and through the Name of the Lord, I have obtained the nine treasures.
The disease of egotism has been eradicated, suffering has been eliminated, and I have entered the Lord's state of celestial Samaadhi.
I have obtained the glorious greatness of Name of the Lord from the True Guru; beholding the Divine True Guru, my mind is at peace.
I live, I live, and I blossom forth, beholding the True Guru. ||2||
If only someone would come, if only someone would come, and lead me to meet my Perfect True Guru.
My mind and body, my mind and body - I cut my body into pieces, and I dedicate these to Him.
Cutting my mind and body apart, cutting them into pieces, I offer these to the one, who recites to me the Words of the True Guru.
My unattached mind has renounced the world; obtaining the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, it has found peace.
O Lord, Har, Har, O Giver of Peace, please, grant Your Grace, and bless me with the dust of the feet of the True Guru.
If only someone would come, if only someone would come, and lead me to meet my Perfect True Guru. ||3||
A Giver as great as the Guru, as great as the Guru - I cannot see any other.
He blesses me with the gift of the Lord's Name, the gift of the Lord's Name; He is the Immaculate Lord God.
Those who worship in adoration the Name of the Lord, Har, Har - their pain, doubts and fears are dispelled.
Through their loving service, those very fortunate ones, whose minds are attached to the Guru's Feet, meet Him.
Says Nanak, the Lord Himself causes us to meet the Guru; meeting the Almighty True Guru, peace is obtained.
A Giver as great as the Guru, as great as the Guru - I cannot see any other. ||4||1||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl:
Without the Guru, I am - without the Guru, I am totally dishonored.
The Life of the World, the Life of the World, the Great Giver has led me to meet and merge with the Guru.
Meeting with the True Guru, I have merged into the Naam, the Name of the Lord. I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and meditate on it.
I was seeking and searching for Him, the Lord, my best friend, and I have found Him within the home of my own being.

I see the One Lord, and I know the One Lord; I realize Him within my soul.
Without the Guru, I am - without the Guru, I am totally dishonored. ||1||
Those who have found the True Guru, the True Guru, the Lord God unites them in His Union.
Their feet, their feet, I adore; I fall at their feet.
O Lord, Har, Har, I adore the feet of those who meditate on the True Guru, and the Almighty Lord God.
You are the Greatest Giver, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; please, reward my faith, O Lord King.
Meeting the Gursikh, my faith is rewarded; night and day, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Those who have found the True Guru, the True Guru, the Lord God unites them in His Union. ||2||
I am a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice to the Gursikhs, my dear friends.
They chant the Lord's Name, the Lord's Name; the Beloved Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my only Support.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the companion of my breath of life; without it, I cannot live for an instant or a moment.
The Lord, Har, Har, the Giver of peace, shows His Mercy, and the Gurmukh drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
The Lord blesses him with faith, and unites him in His Union; He Himself adorns him.
I am a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice to the Gursikhs, my dear friends. ||3||
The Lord Himself, the Lord Himself, is the Immaculate Almighty Lord God.
The Lord Himself, the Lord Himself, unites us with Himself; that which He does, comes to pass.
Whatever is pleasing to the Lord God, that alone comes to pass; nothing else can be done.
Even by very clever tricks, He cannot be obtained; all have grown weary of practicing cleverness.
By Guru's Grace, servant Nanak beholds the Lord; without the Lord, I have no other at all.
The Lord Himself, the Lord Himself, is the Immaculate Almighty Lord God. ||4||2||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord, the True Guru, the Lord, the True Guru - if only I could meet the Lord, the True Guru; His Lotus Feet are so pleasing to me.
The darkness of my ignorance was dispelled, when the Guru applied the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom to my eyes.
The True Guru has applied the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom to my eyes, and the darkness of ignorance has been dispelled.
Serving the Guru, I have obtained the supreme status; I meditate on the Lord with every breath, and every morsel of food.
Those, upon whom the Lord God has bestowed His Grace, are committed to the service of the True Guru.
The Lord, the True Guru, the Lord, the True Guru - if only I could meet the Lord, the True Guru; His Lotus Feet are so pleasing to me. ||1||
My True Guru, my True Guru is my Beloved; without the Guru, I cannot live.
He gives me the Name of the Lord, the Name of the Lord, my only companion in the end.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is my only companion in the end; the Guru, the True Guru, has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me.
There, where neither child nor spouse shall accompany you, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har shall emancipate you.
Blessed, blessed is the True Guru, the Immaculate, Almighty Lord God; meeting Him, I meditate on the Name of the Lord.
My True Guru, my True Guru is my Beloved; without the Guru, I cannot live. ||2||

Those who have not obtained the Blessed Vision, the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the True Guru, the Almighty Lord God,
they have fruitlessly, fruitlessly wasted their whole lives in vain.
They have wasted away their whole lives in vain; those faithless cynics die a regretful death.
They have the jewel-treasure in their own homes, but still, they are hungry; those unlucky wretches are far away from the Lord.
O Lord, please, let me not see those who do not meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har,
and who have not obtained the Blessed Vision, the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the True Guru, the Almighty Lord God. ||3||
I am a song-bird, I am a meek song-bird; I offer my prayer to the Lord.
If only I could meet the Guru, meet the Guru, O my Beloved; I dedicate myself to the devotional worship of the True Guru.
I worship the Lord, Har, Har, and the True Guru; the Lord God has granted His Grace.
Without the Guru, I have no other friend. The Guru, the True Guru, is my very breath of life.
Says Nanak, the Guru has implanted the Naam within me; the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the True Name.
I am a song-bird, I am a meek song-bird; I offer my prayer to the Lord. ||4||3||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl:
O Lord, show Your Mercy, show Your Mercy, and let me meet the True Guru, the Giver of peace.
I go and ask, I go and ask from the True Guru, about the sermon of the Lord.
I ask about the sermon of the Lord from the True Guru, who has obtained the treasure of the Naam.
I bow at His Feet constantly, and pray to Him; the Guru, the True Guru, has shown me the Way.
He alone is a devotee, who looks alike upon pleasure and pain; he is imbued with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
O Lord, show Your Mercy, show Your Mercy, and let me meet the True Guru, the Giver of peace. ||1||
Listen as Gurmukh, listen as Gurmukh, to the Naam, the Name of the Lord; all egotism and sins are eradicated.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the troubles of the world vanish.
Those who contemplate the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are rid of their suffering and sins.
The True Guru has placed the sword of spiritual wisdom in my hands; I have overcome and slain the Messenger of Death.
The Lord God, the Giver of peace, has granted His Grace, and I am rid of pain, sin and disease.
Listen as Gurmukh, listen as Gurmukh, to the Naam, the Name of the Lord; all egotism and sins are eradicated. ||2||
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is so pleasing to my mind.
Speaking as Gurmukh, speaking as Gurmukh, chanting the Naam, all disease is eradicated.
As Gurmukh, chanting the Naam, all disease is eradicated, and the body becomes free of disease.
Night and day, one remains absorbed in the Perfect Poise of Samaadhi; meditate on the Name of the Lord, the inaccessible and unfathomable Lord.
Whether of high or low social status, one who meditates on the Naam obtains the supreme treasure.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind. ||3||

Grant Your Grace, grant Your Grace, O Lord, and save me.
I am a sinner, I am a worthless sinner, I am meek, but I am Yours, O Lord.
I am a worthless sinner, and I am meek, but I am Yours; I seek Your Sanctuary, O Merciful Lord.
You are the Destroyer of pain, the Giver of absolute peace; I am a stone - carry me across and save me.
Meeting the True Guru, servant Nanak has obtained the subtle essence of the Lord; through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he is saved.
Grant Your Grace, grant Your Grace, Lord, and save me. ||4||4||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl, Ghorees ~ The Wedding Procession Songs:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
This body-horse was created by the Lord.
Blessed is human life, which is obtained by virtuous actions.
Human life is obtained only by the most virtuous actions; this body is radiant and golden.
The Gurmukh is imbued with the deep red color of the poppy; he is imbued with the new color of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, Har.
This body is so very beautiful; it chants the Name of the Lord, and it is adorned with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
By great good fortune, the body is obtained; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is its companion; O servant Nanak, the Lord has created it. ||1||
I place the saddle on the body-horse, the saddle of realization of the Good Lord.
Riding this horse, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
The terrifying world-ocean is rocked by countless waves, but the Gurmukh is carried across.
Embarking upon the boat of the Lord, the very fortunate ones cross over; the Guru, the Boatman, carries them across through the Word of the Shabad.
Night and day, imbued with the Lord's Love, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Lord's lover loves the Lord.
Servant Nanak has obtained the state of Nirvaanaa, the state of ultimate goodness, the state of the Lord. ||2||
For a bridle in my mouth, the Guru has implanted spiritual wisdom within me.
He has applied the whip of the Lord's Love to my body.
Applying the whip of the Lord's Love to his body, the Gurmukh conquers his mind, and wins the battle of life.
He trains his untrained mind with the Word of the Shabad, and drinks in the rejuvenating essence of the Lord's Nectar.
Listen with your ears to the Word, uttered by the Guru, and attune your body-horse to the Lord's Love.
Servant Nanak has crossed over the long and treacherous path. ||3||
The transitory body-horse was created by the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is that body-horse which meditates on the Lord God.
Blessed and acclaimed is that body-horse which meditates on the Lord God; it is obtained by the merits of past actions.
Riding the body-horse, one crosses over the terrifying world ocean; the Gurmukh meets the Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss.
The Lord, Har, Har, has perfectly arranged this wedding; the Saints have come together as a marriage party.
Servant Nanak has obtained the Lord as his Spouse; joining together, the Saints sing the songs of joy and congratulations. ||4||1||5||
Wadahans, Fourth Mehl:
The body is the Lord's horse; the Lord imbues it with the fresh and new color.
From the Guru, I ask for the Lord's spiritual wisdom.

I ask for the Lord's spiritual wisdom, and the Lord's sublime sermon; through the Name of the Lord, I have come to know His value and His state.
The Creator has made my life totally fruitful; I chant the Name of the Lord.
The Lord's humble servant begs for the Lord's Name, for the Lord's Praises, and for devotional worship of the Lord God.
Says servant Nanak, listen, O Saints: devotional worship of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, is sublime and good. ||1||
The golden body is saddled with the saddle of gold.
It is adorned with the jewel of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Adorned with the jewel of the Naam, one obtains the Lord of the Universe; he meets the Lord, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and obtains all sorts of comforts.
He obtains the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and he meditates on the Name of the Lord; by great good fortune, he assumes the color of the Lord's Love.
He meets his Lord and Master, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; His body is ever-new, and His color is ever-fresh.
Nanak chants and realizes the Naam; he begs for the Name of the Lord, the Lord God. ||2||
The Guru has placed the reins in the mouth of the body-horse.
The mind-elephant is overpowered by the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The bride obtains the supreme status, as her mind is brought under control; she is the beloved of her Husband Lord.
Deep within her inner self, she is in love with her Lord; in His home, she is beautiful - she is the bride of her Lord God.
Imbued with the Lord's Love, she is intuitively absorbed in bliss; she obtains the Lord God, Har, Har.
Servant Nanak, the Lord's slave, says that only the very fortunate meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The body is the horse, upon which one rides to the Lord.
Meeting with the True Guru, one sings the songs of joy.
Sing the songs of joy to the Lord, serve the Name of the Lord, and become the servant of His servants.
You shall go and enter the Mansion of the Beloved Lord's Presence, and lovingly enjoy His Love.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, so pleasing to my mind; following the Guru's Teachings, I meditate on the Lord within my mind.
The Lord has showered His Mercy upon servant Nanak; mounting the body-horse, he has found the Lord. ||4||2||6||
Raag Wadahans, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meeting with the Guru, I have found my Beloved Lord God.
I have made this body and mind a sacrifice, a sacrificial offering to my Lord.
Dedicating my body and mind, I have crossed over the terrifying world-ocean, and shaken off the fear of death.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, I have become immortal; my comings and goings have ceased.
I have found that home, of celestial Samaadhi; the Name of the Lord is my only Support.
Says Nanak, I enjoy peace and pleasure; I bow in reverence to the Perfect Guru. ||1||
Listen, O my friend and companion
- the Guru has given the Mantra of the Shabad, the True Word of God.
Meditating on this True Shabad, I sing the songs of joy, and my mind is rid of anxiety.
I have found God, who never leaves; forever and ever, He sits with me.
One who is pleasing to God receives true honor. The Lord God blesses him with wealth.

Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to such a humble being. O Lord, You bless all with Your bountiful blessings. ||2||
When it pleases You, then I am satisfied and satiated.
My mind is soothed and calmed, and all my thirst is quenched.
My mind is soothed and calmed, the burning has ceased, and I have found so many treasures.
All the Sikhs and servants partake of them; I am a sacrifice to my True Guru.
I have become fearless, imbued with the Love of my Lord Master, and I have shaken off the fear of death.
Slave Nanak, Your humble servant, lovingly embraces Your meditation; O Lord, be with me always. ||3||
My hopes and desires have been fulfilled, O my Lord.
I am worthless, without virtue; all virtues are Yours, O Lord.
All virtues are Yours, O my Lord and Master; with what mouth should I praise You?
You did not consider my merits and demerits; you forgave me in an instant.
I have obtained the nine treasures, congratulations are pouring in, and the unstruck melody resounds.
Says Nanak, I have found my Husband Lord within my own home, and all my anxiety is forgotten. ||4||1||
Shalok:
Why do you listen to falsehood? It shall vanish like a gust of wind.
O Nanak, those ears are acceptable, which listen to the True Master. ||1||
Chhant:
I am a sacrifice to those who listen with their ears to the Lord God.
Blissful and comfortable are those, who with their tongues chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
They are naturally embellished, with priceless virtues; they have come to save the world.
God's Feet are the boat, which carries so many across the terrifying world-ocean.
Those who are blessed with the favor of my Lord and Master, are not asked to render their account.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who listen to God with their ears. ||1||
Shalok:
With my eyes, I have seen the Light of the Lord, but my great thirst is not quenched.
O Nanak, those eyes are different, which behold my Husband Lord. ||1||
Chhant:
I am a sacrifice to those who have seen the Lord God.
In the True Court of the Lord, they are approved.
They are approved by their Lord and Master, and acclaimed as supreme; they are imbued with the Lord's Love.
They are satiated with the sublime essence of the Lord, and they merge in celestial peace; in each and every heart, they see the all-pervading Lord.
They alone are the friendly Saints, and they alone are happy, who are pleasing to their Lord and Master.
Says Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to those who have seen the Lord God. ||2||
Shalok:
The body is blind, totally blind and desolate, without the Naam.
O Nanak, fruitful is the life of that being, within whose heart the True Lord and Master abides. ||1||
Chhant:
I am cut into pieces as a sacrifice, to those who have seen my Lord God.
His humble servants partake of the Sweet Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord, Har, Har, and are satiated.
The Lord seems sweet to their minds; God is merciful to them, His Ambrosial Nectar rains down upon them, and they are at peace.
Pain is eliminated and doubt is dispelled from the body; chanting the Name of the Lord of the World, their victory is celebrated.
They are rid of emotional attachment, their sins are erased, and their association with the five passions is broken off.

Says Nanak, I am every bit a sacrifice to those, within whose hearts my Lord God abides. ||3||
Shalok:
Those who long for the Lord, are said to be His servants.
Nanak knows this Truth, that the Lord is not different from His Saint. ||1||
Chhant:
As water mixes and blends with water,
so does one's light mix and blend with the Lord's Light.
Merging with the perfect, all-powerful Creator, one comes to know his own self.
Then, he enters the celestial state of absolute Samaadhi, and speaks of the One and Only Lord.
He Himself is unmanifest, and He Himself is liberated; He Himself speaks of Himself.
O Nanak, doubt, fear and the limitations of the three qualities are dispelled, as one merges into the Lord, like water blending with water. ||4||2||
Wadahans, Fifth Mehl:
God is the all-powerful Creator, the Cause of causes.
He preserves the whole world, reaching out with His hand.
He is the all-powerful, safe Sanctuary, Lord and Master, Treasure of mercy, Giver of peace.
I am a sacrifice to Your slaves, who recognize only the One Lord.
His color and shape cannot be seen; His description is indescribable.
Prays Nanak, hear my prayer, O God, Almighty Creator, Cause of causes. ||1||
These beings are Yours; You are their Creator.
God is the Destroyer of pain, suffering and doubt.
Eliminate my doubt, pain and suffering in an instant, and preserve me, O Lord, Merciful to the meek.
You are mother, father and friend, O Lord and Master; the whole world is Your child, O Lord of the World.
One who comes seeking Your Sanctuary, obtains the treasure of virtue, and does not have to enter the cycle of birth and death again.
Prays Nanak, I am Your slave. All beings are Yours; You are their Creator. ||2||
Meditating on the Lord, twenty-four hours a day,
the fruits of the heart's desires are obtained.
Your heart's desires are obtained, meditating on God, and the fear of death is dispelled.
I sing of the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and my hopes are fulfilled.
Renouncing egotism, emotional attachment and all corruption, we become pleasing to the Mind of God.
Prays Nanak, day and night, meditate forever on the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
At the Lord's Door, the unstruck melody resounds.
In each and every heart, the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, sings.
The Lord of the Universe sings, and abides forever; He is unfathomable, profoundly deep, lofty and exalted.
His virtues are infinite - none of them can be described. No one can reach Him.
He Himself creates, and He Himself sustains; all beings and creatures are fashioned by Him.
Prays Nanak, happiness comes from devotional worship of the Naam; at His Door, the unstruck melody resounds. ||4||3||
Raag Wadahans, First Mehl, Fifth House, Alaahanees ~ Songs Of Mourning:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Blessed is the Creator, the True King, who has linked the whole world to its tasks.
When one's time is up, and the measure is full, this dear soul is caught, and driven off.

This dear soul is driven off, when the pre-ordained Order is received, and all the relatives cry out in mourning.
The body and the swan-soul are separated, when one's days are past and done, O my mother.
As is one's pre-ordained Destiny, so does one receive, according to one's past actions.
Blessed is the Creator, the True King, who has linked the whole world to its tasks. ||1||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master, O my Siblings of Destiny; everyone has to pass this way.
These false entanglements last for only a few days; then, one must surely move on to the world hereafter.
He must surely move on to the world hereafter, like a guest; so why does he indulge in ego?
Chant the Name of the Lord; serving Him, you shall obtain peace in His Court.
In the world hereafter, no one's commands will be obeyed. According to their actions, each and every person proceeds.
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master, O my Siblings of Destiny; everyone has to pass this way. ||2||
Whatever pleases the Almighty Lord, that alone comes to pass; this world is an opportunity to please Him.
The True Creator Lord is pervading and permeating the water, the land and the air.
The True Creator Lord is invisible and infinite; His limits cannot be found.
Fruitful is the coming of those, who meditate single-mindedly on Him.
He destroys, and having destroyed, He creates; by His Order, He adorns us.
Whatever pleases the Almighty Lord, that alone comes to pass; this world is an opportunity to please Him. ||3||
Nanak: he alone truly weeps, O Baba, who weeps in the Lord's Love.
One who weeps for the sake of worldly objects, O Baba, weeps totally in vain.
This weeping is all in vain; the world forgets the Lord, and weeps for the sake of Maya.
He does not distinguish between good and evil, and wastes away this life in vain.
Everyone who comes here, shall have to leave; to act in ego is false.
Nanak: he alone truly weeps, O Baba, who weeps in the Lord's Love. ||4||1||
Wadahans, First Mehl:
Come, O my companions - let us meet together and dwell upon the True Name.
Let us weep over the body's separation from the Lord and Master; let us remember Him in contemplation.
Let us remember the Lord and Master in contemplation, and keep a watchful eye on the Path. We shall have to go there as well.
He who has created, also destroys; whatever happens is by His Will.
Whatever He has done, has come to pass; how can we command Him?
Come, O my companions - let us meet together and dwell upon the True Name. ||1||
Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die.
Serve your Almighty Lord and Master, and your path in the world hereafter will be easy.
Take this easy path, and you shall obtain the fruits of your rewards, and receive honor in the world hereafter.
Go there with your offering, and you shall merge in the True Lord; your honor shall be confirmed.
You shall obtain a place in the Mansion of the Lord Master's Presence; being pleasing to Him, you shall enjoy the pleasures of His Love.
Death would not be called bad, O people, if one knew how to truly die. ||2||
The death of brave heroes is blessed, if it is approved by God.

They alone are acclaimed as brave warriors in the world hereafter, who receive true honor in the Court of the Lord.
They are honored in the Court of the Lord; they depart with honor, and they do not suffer pain in the world hereafter.
They meditate on the One Lord, and obtain the fruits of their rewards. Serving the Lord, their fear is dispelled.
Do not indulge in egotism, and dwell within your own mind; the Knower Himself knows everything.
The death of brave heroes is blessed, if it is approved by God. ||3||
Nanak: for whom should we mourn, O Baba? This world is merely a play.
The Lord Master beholds His work, and contemplates His creative potency.
He contemplates His creative potency, having established the Universe. He who created it, He alone knows.
He Himself beholds it, and He Himself understands it. He Himself realizes the Hukam of His Command.
He who created these things, He alone knows. His subtle form is infinite.
Nanak: for whom should we mourn, O Baba? This world is merely a play. ||4||2||
Wadahans, First Mehl, Dakhanee:
The True Creator Lord is True - know this well; He is the True Sustainer.
He Himself fashioned His Own Self; the True Lord is invisible and infinite.
He brought together, and then separated, the two grinding stones of the earth and the sky; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
He created the sun and the moon; night and day, they move according to His Thought. ||1||
O True Lord and Master, You are True. O True Lord, bless me with Your Love. ||Pause||
You created the Universe; You are the Giver of pain and pleasure.
You created woman and man, the love of poison, and emotional attachment to Maya.
The four sources of creation, and the power of the Word, are also of Your making. You give Support to all beings.
You have made the Creation as Your Throne; You are the True Judge. ||2||
You created comings and goings, but You are ever-stable, O Creator Lord.
In birth and death, in coming and going, this soul is held in bondage by corruption.
The evil person has forgotten the Naam; he has drowned - what can he do now?
Forsaking merit, he has loaded the poisonous cargo of demerits; he is a trader of sins. ||3||
The beloved soul has received the Call, the Command of the True Creator Lord.
The soul, the husband, has become separated from the body, the bride. The Lord is the Re-uniter of the separated ones.
No one cares for your beauty, O beautiful bride.; the Messenger of Death is bound only by the Lord Commander's Command.
He does not distinguish between young children and old people; he tears apart love and affection. ||4||
The nine doors are closed by the True Lord's Command, and the swan-soul takes flight into the skies.
The body-bride is separated, and defrauded by falsehood; she is now a widow - her husband's body lies dead in the courtyard.
The widow cries out at the door, "The light of my mind has gone out, O my mother, with his death."
So cry out, O soul-brides of the Husband Lord, and dwell on the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||5||
Her loved one is cleansed, bathed in water, and dressed in silken robes.
The musicians play, and the Bani of the True Lord's Words are sung; the five relatives feel as if they too are dead, so deadened are their minds.
"Separation from my beloved is like death to me!" cries the widow. "My life in this world is cursed and worthless!"
But she alone is approved, who dies, while yet still alive; she lives for the sake of the Love of her Beloved. ||6||
So cry out in mourning, you who have come to mourn; this world is false and fraudulent.

I too have been defrauded, chasing after worldly entanglements; my Husband Lord has forsaken me - I practice the evil deeds of a wife without a spouse.
In each and every home, are the brides of the Husband Lord; they gaze upon their Handsome Lord with love and affection.
I sing the Praises of my True Husband Lord, and through the Naam, the Name of my Husband Lord, I blossom forth. ||7||
Meeting with the Guru, the soul-bride's dress is transformed, and she is adorned with Truth.
Come and meet with me, O brides of the Lord; let's meditate in remembrance on the Creator Lord.
Through the Naam, the soul-bride becomes the Lord's favorite; she is adorned with Truth.
Do not sing the songs of separation, O Nanak; reflect upon God. ||8||3||
Wadahans, First Mehl:
The One who creates and dissolves the world - that Lord and Master alone knows His creative power.
Do not search for the True Lord far away; recognize the Word of the Shabad in each and every heart.
Recognize the Shabad, and do not think that the Lord is far away; He created this creation.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one obtains peace; without the Naam, he plays a losing game.
The One who established the Universe, He alone knows the Way; what can anyone say?
The One who established the world cast the net of Maya over it; accept Him as your Lord and Master. ||1||
O Baba, he has come, and now he must get up and depart; this world is only a way-station.
Upon each and every head, the True Lord writes their destiny of pain and pleasure, according to their past actions.
He bestows pain and pleasure, according to the deeds done; the record of these deeds stays with the soul.
He does those deeds which the Creator Lord causes him to do; he attempts no other actions.
The Lord Himself is detached, while the world is entangled in conflict; by His Command, He emancipates it.
He may put this off today, but tomorrow he is seized by death; in love with duality, he practices corruption. ||2||
The path of death is dark and dismal; the way cannot be seen.
There is no water, no quilt or mattress, and no food there.
He receives no food there, no honor or water, no clothes or decorations.
The chain is put around his neck, and the Messenger of Death standing over his head strikes him; he cannot see the door of his home.
The seeds planted on this path do not sprout; bearing the weight of his sins upon his head, he regrets and repents.
Without the True Lord, no one is his friend; reflect upon this as true. ||3||
O Baba, they alone are known to truly weep and wail, who meet together and weep, chanting the Praises of the Lord.
Defrauded by Maya and worldly affairs, the weepers weep.
They weep for the sake of worldly affairs, and they do not wash off their own filth; the world is merely a dream.
Like the juggler, deceiving by his tricks, one is deluded by egotism, falsehood and illusion.
The Lord Himself reveals the Path; He Himself is the Doer of deeds.
Those who are imbued with the Naam, are protected by the Perfect Guru, O Nanak; they merge in celestial bliss. ||4||4||
Wadahans, First Mehl:
O Baba, whoever has come, will rise up and leave; this world is merely a false show.
One's true home is obtained by serving the True Lord; real Truth is obtained by being truthful.
By falsehood and greed, no place of rest is found, and no place in the world hereafter is obtained.
No one invites him to come in and sit down. He is like a crow in a deserted home.
Trapped by birth and death, he is separated from the Lord for such a long time; the whole world is wasting away.
Greed, worldly entanglements and Maya deceive the world. Death hovers over its head, and causes it to weep. ||1||

Come, O Baba, and Siblings of Destiny - let's join together; take me in your arms, and bless me with your prayers.
O Baba, union with the True Lord cannot be broken; bless me with your prayers for union with my Beloved.
Bless me with your prayers, that I may perform devotional worship service to my Lord; for those already united with Him, what is there to unite?
Some have wandered away from the Name of the Lord, and lost the Path. The Word of the Guru's Shabad is the true game.
Do not go on Death's path; remain merged in the Word of the Shabad, the true form throughout the ages.
Through good fortune, we meet such friends and relatives, who meet with the Guru, and escape the noose of Death. ||2||
O Baba, we come into the world naked, into pain and pleasure, according to the record of our account.
The call of our pre-ordained destiny cannot be altered; it follows from our past actions.
The True Lord sits and writes of ambrosial nectar, and bitter poison; as the Lord attaches us, so are we attached.
The Charmer, Maya, has worked her charms, and the multi-colored thread is around everyone's neck.
Through shallow intellect, the mind becomes shallow, and one eats the fly, along with the sweets.
Contrary to custom, he comes into the Dark Age of Kali Yuga naked, and naked he is bound down and sent away again. ||3||
O Baba, weep and mourn if you must; the beloved soul is bound and driven off.
The pre-ordained record of destiny cannot be erased; the summons has come from the Lord's Court.
The messenger comes, when it pleases the Lord, and the mourners begin to mourn.
Sons, brothers, nephews and very dear friends weep and wail.
Let him weep, who weeps in the Fear of God, cherishing the virtues of God. No one dies with the dead.
O Nanak, throughout the ages, they are known as wise, who weep, remembering the True Lord. ||4||5||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Praise God, the True Lord; He is all-powerful to do all things.
The soul-bride shall never be a widow, and she shall never have to endure suffering.
She shall never suffer - night and day, she enjoys pleasures; that soul-bride merges in the Mansion of her Lord's Presence.
She knows her Beloved, the Architect of karma, and she speaks words of ambrosial sweetness.
The virtuous soul-brides dwell on the Lord's virtues; they keep their Husband Lord in their remembrance, and so they never suffer separation from Him.
So praise your True Husband Lord, who is all-powerful to do all things. ||1||
The True Lord and Master is realized through the Word of His Shabad; He blends all with Himself.
That soul-bride is imbued with the Love of her Husband Lord, who banishes her self-conceit from within.
Eradicating her ego from within herself, death shall not consume her again; as Gurmukh, she knows the One Lord God.
The desire of the soul-bride is fulfilled; deep within herself, she is drenched in His Love. She meets the Great Giver, the Life of the World.
Imbued with love for the Shabad, she is like a youth intoxicated; she merges into the very being of her Husband Lord.
The True Lord Master is realized through the Word of His Shabad. He blends all with Himself. ||2||
Those who have realized their Husband Lord - I go and ask those Saints about Him.

Renouncing ego, I serve them; thus I meet my True Husband Lord, with intuitive ease.
The True Husband Lord comes to meet the soul-bride who practices Truth, and is imbued with the True Word of the Shabad.
She shall never become a widow; she shall always be a happy bride. Deep within herself, she dwells in the celestial bliss of Samaadhi.
Her Husband Lord is fully pervading everywhere; beholding Him ever-present, she enjoys His Love, with intuitive ease.
Those who have realized their Husband Lord - I go and ask those Saints about Him. ||3||
The separated ones also meet with their Husband Lord, if they fall at the Feet of the True Guru.
The True Guru is forever merciful; through the Word of His Shabad, demerits are burnt away.
Burning away her demerits through the Shabad, the soul-bride eradicates her love of duality, and remains absorbed in the True, True Lord.
Through the True Shabad, everlasting peace is obtained, and egotism and doubt are dispelled.
The Immaculate Husband Lord is forever the Giver of peace; O Nanak, through the Word of His Shabad, He is met.
The separated ones also meet with their Husband Lord, if they fall at the feet of the True Guru. ||4||1||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
Listen, O brides of the Lord: serve your Beloved Husband Lord, and contemplate the Word of His Shabad.
The worthless bride does not know her Husband Lord - she is deluded; forgetting her Husband Lord, she weeps and wails.
She weeps, thinking of her Husband Lord, and she cherishes His virtues; her Husband Lord does not die, and does not leave.
As Gurmukh, she knows the Lord; through the Word of His Shabad, He is realized; through True Love, she merges with Him.
She who does not know her Husband Lord, the Architect of karma, is deluded by falsehood - she herself is false.
Listen, O brides of the Lord: serve your Beloved Husband Lord, and contemplate the Word of His Shabad. ||1||
He Himself created the whole world; the world comes and goes.
The love of Maya has ruined the world; people die, to be re-born, over and over again.
People die to be re-born, over and over again, while their sins increase; without spiritual wisdom, they are deluded.
Without the Word of the Shabad, the Husband Lord is not found; the worthless, false bride wastes her life away, weeping and wailing.
He is my Beloved Husband Lord, the Life of the World - for whom should I weep? They alone weep, who forget their Husband Lord.
He Himself created the whole world; the world comes and goes. ||2||
That Husband Lord is True, forever True; He does not die, and He does not leave.
The ignorant soul-bride wanders in delusion; in the love of duality, she sits like a widow.
She sits like a widow, in the love of duality; through emotional attachment to Maya, she suffers in pain. She is growing old, and her body is withering away.
Whatever has come, all that shall pass away; through the love of duality, they suffer in pain.
They do not see the Messenger of Death; they long for Maya, and their consciousness is attached to greed.
That Husband Lord is True, forever True; He does not die, and He does not leave. ||3||
Some weep and wail, separated from their Husband Lord; the blind ones do not know that their Husband is with them.
By Guru's Grace, they may meet with their True Husband, and cherish Him always deep within.
She cherishes her Husband deep within herself - He is always with her; the self-willed manmukhs think that He is far away.
This body rolls in the dust, and is totally useless; it does not realize the Presence of the Lord and Master.

O Nanak, that soul-bride is united in Union; she cherishes her Beloved Husband forever, deep within herself.
Some weep and wail, separated from their Husband Lord; the blind ones do not know that their Husband is with them. ||4||2||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
Those who are separated from their Beloved Husband Lord weep and wail, but my True Husband Lord is always with me.
Those who know that they must depart, serve the True Guru, and dwell upon the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
They dwell constantly upon the Naam, and the True Guru is with them; they serve the True Guru, and so obtain peace.
Through the Shabad, they kill death, and enshrine the True Lord within their hearts; they shall not have to come and go again.
True is the Lord and Master, and True is His Name; bestowing His Gracious Glance, one is enraptured.
Those who are separated from their Beloved Husband Lord weep and wail, but my True Husband Lord is always with me. ||1||
God, my Lord and Master, is the highest of all; how can I meet my Dear Beloved?
When the True Guru united me, then I was naturally united with my Husband Lord, and now, I keep Him clasped to my heart.
I constantly, lovingly cherish my Beloved within my heart; through the True Guru, I see my Beloved.
The cloak of Maya's love is false; wearing it, one slips and loses his footing.
That cloak is true, which is dyed in the color of the Love of my Beloved; wearing it, my inner thirst is quenched.
God, my Lord and Master, is the highest of all; how can I meet my Dear Beloved? ||2||
I have realized my True Lord God, while the other worthless ones have gone astray.
I dwell constantly upon my Beloved Husband Lord, and reflect upon the True Word of the Shabad.
The bride reflects upon the True Shabad, and is imbued with His Love; she meets with the True Guru, and finds her Beloved.
Deep within, she is imbued with His Love, and intoxicated with delight; her enemies and sufferings are all taken away.
Surrender body and soul to your Guru, and then you shall become happy; your thirst and pain shall be taken away.
I have realized my True Lord God, while the other worthless ones have gone astray. ||3||
The True Lord Himself created the world; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
He Himself unites, and causes us to unite with Him; He Himself blesses us with His Love.
He Himself blesses us with His Love, and deals in celestial peace; the life of the Gurmukh is reformed.
Blessed is his coming into the world; he banishes his self-conceit, and is acclaimed as true in the Court of the True Lord.
The light of the jewel of spiritual wisdom shines within his heart, O Nanak, and he loves the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The True Lord Himself created the world; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. ||4||3||
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
This body is frail; old age is overtaking it.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved, while others die, to be reincarnated; they continue coming and going.
Others die, to be reincarnated; they continue coming and going, and in the end, they depart regretfully. Without the Name, there is no peace.
As one acts here, so does he obtain his rewards; the self-willed manmukh loses his honor.
In the City of Death, there is pitch darkness, and huge clouds of dust; neither sister nor brother is there.
This body is frail; old age is overtaking it. ||1||
The body becomes like gold, when the True Guru unites one with Himself.

Doubt and Maya have been removed from within me, and I am merged in the Naam, the True Name of the Lord.
Merged in the True Name of the Lord, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; meeting my Beloved, I have found peace.
I am in constant bliss, day and night; egotism has been dispelled from within me.
I fall at the feet of those who enshrine the Naam within their consciousness.
The body becomes like gold, when the True Guru unites one with Himself. ||2||
We truly praise the True Lord, when the True Guru imparts understanding.
Without the True Guru, they are deluded by doubt; going to the world hereafter, what face will they display?
What face will they show, when they go there? They will regret and repent for their sins; their actions will bring them only pain and suffering.
Those who are imbued with the Naam are dyed in the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love; they merge into the Being of their Husband Lord.
I can conceive of no other as great as the Lord; unto whom should I go and speak?
We truly praise the True Lord, when the True Guru imparts understanding. ||3||
I fall at the feet of those who praise the Truest of the True.
Those humble beings are true, and immaculately pure; meeting them, all filth is washed off.
Meeting them, all filth is washed off; bathing in the Pool of Truth, one becomes truthful, with intuitive ease.
The True Guru has given me the realization of the Naam, the Immaculate Name of the Lord, the unfathomable, the imperceptible.
Those who perform devotional worship to the Lord night and day, are imbued with His Love; O Nanak, they are absorbed in the True Lord.
I fall at the feet of those who meditate on the Truest of the True. ||4||4||
Vaar Of Wadahans, Fourth Mehl: To Be Sung In The Tune Of Lalaa-Behleemaa:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The great swans are imbued with the Word of the Shabad; they enshrine the True Name within their hearts.
They gather Truth, remain always in Truth, and love the True Name.
They are always pure and immaculate - filth does not touch them; they are blessed with the Grace of the Creator Lord.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who, night and day, meditate on the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
I thought that he was a great swan, so I associated with him.
If I had known that he was only a wretched heron from birth, I would not have touched him. ||2||
Third Mehl:
Seeing the swans swimming, the herons became envious.
But the poor herons drowned and died, and floated with their heads down, and their feet above. ||3||
Pauree:
You Yourself are Yourself, all by Yourself; You Yourself created the creation.
You Yourself are Yourself the Formless Lord; there is no other than You.
You are the all-powerful Cause of causes; what You do, comes to be.
You give gifts to all beings, without their asking.
Everyone proclaims, "Waaho! Waaho! Blessed, blessed is the True Guru, who has given the supreme gift of the Name of the Lord. ||1||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
The entire universe is in fear; only the Dear Lord is fearless.
Serving the True Guru, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind, and then, fear cannot stay there.
Enemies and pain cannot come close, and no one can touch him.
The Gurmukh reflects upon the Lord in his mind; whatever pleases the Lord - that alone comes to pass.
O Nanak, He Himself preserves one's honor; He alone resolves our affairs. ||1||-
Third Mehl:
Some friends are leaving, some have already left, and those remaining will eventually leave.
Those who do not serve the True Guru, come and go regretting.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to Truth are not separated; serving the True Guru, they merge into the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Meet with that True Guru, the True Friend, within whose mind the Lord, the virtuous One, abides.
Meet with that Beloved True Guru, who has subdued ego from within himself.
Blessed, blessed is the Perfect True Guru, who has given the Lord's Teachings to reform the whole world.
O Saints, meditate constantly on the Lord's Name, and cross over the terrifying, poisonous world-ocean.
The Perfect Guru has taught me about the Lord; I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru. ||2||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Service to, and obedience to the True Guru, is the essence of comfort and peace.
Doing so, one obtains honor here, and the door of salvation in the Court of the Lord.
In this way, perform the tasks of Truth, wear Truth, and take the Support of the True Name.
Associating with Truth, obtain Truth, and love the True Name.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, be always happy, and you shall be acclaimed as True in the True Court.
O Nanak, he alone serves the True Guru, whom the Creator has blessed with His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Cursed is the life, and cursed is the dwelling, of those who serve another.
Abandoning the Ambrosial Nectar, they turn to poison; they earn poison, and poison is their only wealth.
Poison is their food, and poison is their dress; they fill their mouths with morsels of poison.
In this world, they earn only pain and suffering, and dying, they go to abide in hell.
The self-willed manmukhs have filthy faces; they do not know the Word of the Shabad; in sexual desire and anger they waste away.
They forsake the Fear of the True Guru, and because of their stubborn ego, their efforts do not come to fruition.
In the City of Death, they are bound and beaten, and no one hears their prayers.
O Nanak, they act according to their pre-ordained destiny; the Gurmukh abides in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Serve the True Guru, O Holy people; He implants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in our minds.
Worship the True Guru day and night; He leads us the meditate on the Lord of the Universe, the Master of the Universe.
Behold the True Guru, each and every moment; He shows us the Divine Path of the Lord.
Let everyone fall at the feet of the True Guru; He has dispelled the darkness of emotional attachment.
Let everyone hail and praise the True Guru, who has led us to find the treasure of the Lord's devotional worship. ||3||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Meeting with the True Guru, hunger departs; by wearing the robes of a beggar, hunger does not depart.

Afflicted with pain, he wanders from house to house, and in the world hereafter, he receives double punishment.
Peace does not come to his heart - he is not content to eat what comes his way.
With his stubborn mind, he begs, and grabs, and annoys those who give.
Instead of wearing these beggar's robes, it is better to be a householder, and give to others.
Those who are attuned to the Word of the Shabad, acquire understanding; the others wander, deluded by doubt.
They act according to their past actions; it is useless to talk to them.
O Nanak, those who are pleasing unto the Lord are good; He upholds their honor. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Serving the True Guru, one finds a lasting peace; the pains of birth and death are removed.
He is not troubled by anxiety, and the carefree Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
Deep within himself, is the sacred shrine of spiritual wisdom, revealed by the True Guru.
His filth is removed, and his soul becomes immaculately pure, bathing in the sacred shrine, the pool of Ambrosial Nectar.
The friend meets with the True Friend, the Lord, through the love of the Shabad.
Within the home of his own being, he finds the Divine Self, and his light blends with the Light.
The Messenger of Death does not leave the hypocrite; he is led away in dishonor.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam are saved; they are in love with the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Go, and sit in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, where the Name of the Lord is churned.
In peace and poise, contemplate the Lord's Name - don't lose the essence of the Lord.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, constantly, day and night, and you shall be accepted in the Court of the Lord.
He alone finds the Perfect True Guru, on whose forehead such a pre-ordained destiny is written.
Let everyone bow in worship to the Guru, who utters the sermon of the Lord. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The friends who love the True Guru, meet with the Lord, the True Friend.
Meeting their Beloved, they meditate on the True Lord with love and affection.
Their minds are appeased by their own minds, through the incomparable Word of the Guru's Shabad.
These friends are united, and will not be separated again; they have been united by the Creator Lord Himself.
Some do not believe in the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan; they do not contemplate the Shabad.
The separated ones are in love with duality - what more separation can they suffer?
Friendship with the self-willed manmukhs lasts for only a few short days.
This friendship is broken in an instant; this friendship leads to corruption.
They do not fear the True Lord within their hearts, and they do not love the Naam.
O Nanak, why become friends with those whom the Creator Lord Himself has misled? ||1||
Third Mehl:
Some remain constantly imbued with the Lord's Love; I am forever a sacrifice to them.
I dedicate my mind, soul and wealth to them; bowing low, I fall at their feet.
Meeting them, the soul is satisfied, and one's hunger and thirst all depart.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are happy forever; they lovingly focus their minds on the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a sacrifice to the Guru, who recites the sermon of the Lord's Teachings.

I am forever a sacrifice to that Guru, who has led me to serve the Lord.
That Beloved True Guru is always with me; wherever I may be, He will save me.
Most blessed is that Guru, who imparts understanding of the Lord.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru, who has given me the Lord's Name, and fulfilled the desires of my mind. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Consumed by desires, the world is burning and dying; burning and burning, it cries out.
But if it meets with the cooling and soothing True Guru, it does not burn any longer.
O Nanak, without the Name, and without contemplating the Word of the Shabad, no one becomes fearless. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Wearing ceremonial robes, the fire is not quenched, and the mind is filled with anxiety.
Destroying the snake's hole, the snake is not killed; it is just like doing deeds without a Guru.
Serving the Giver, the True Guru, the Shabad comes to abide in the mind.
The mind and body are cooled and soothed; peace ensues, and the fire of desire is quenched.
The supreme comforts and lasting peace are obtained, when one eradicates ego from within.
He alone becomes a detached Gurmukh, who lovingly focuses his consciousness on the True Lord.
Anxiety does not affect him at all; he is satisfied and satiated with the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, without the Naam, no one is saved; they are utterly ruined by egotism. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, obtain all peace and comforts.
Fruitful is the entire life of those, who hunger for the Name of the Lord in their minds.
Those who worship the Lord in adoration, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, forget all their pains and suffering.
Those Gursikhs are good Saints, who care for nothing other than the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is their Guru, whose mouth tastes the Ambrosial Fruit of the Lord's Name. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Messenger of Death is the enemy of life, but he acts according to the Lord's Command.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved, while the self-willed manmukhs receive their punishment.
The world is under the control, and in the bondage of the Messenger of Death; no one can hold him back.
So serve the One who created Death; as Gurmukh, no pain shall touch you.
O Nanak, Death serves the Gurmukhs; the True Lord abides in their minds. ||1||
Third Mehl:
This body is filled with disease; without the Word of the Shabad, the pain of the disease of ego does not depart.
When one meets the True Guru, then he becomes immaculately pure, and he enshrines the Lord's Name within his mind.
O Nanak, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Peace-Giving Lord, his pains are automatically forgotten. ||2||
Pauree:
I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru, who has taught me about the Lord, the Life of the World.
I am every bit a sacrifice to the Guru, the Lover of Nectar, who has revealed the Name of the Lord.
I am a sacrifice to the Guru, who has totally cured me of the fatal disease of egotism.
Glorious and great are the virtues of the Guru, who has eradicated evil, and instructed me in virtue.

The True Guru meets with those upon whose foreheads such blessed destiny is recorded. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
They alone worship the Lord, who remain dead while yet alive; the Gurmukhs worship the Lord continually.
The Lord blesses them with the treasure of devotional worship, which no one can destroy.
They obtain the treasure of virtue, the One True Lord, within their minds.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs remain united with the Lord; they shall never be separated again. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He does not serve the True Guru; how can he reflect upon the Lord?
He does not appreciate the value of the Shabad; the fool wanders in corruption and sin.
The blind and ignorant perform all sorts of ritualistic actions; they are in love with duality.
Those who take unjustified pride in themselves, are punished and humiliated by the Messenger of Death.
O Nanak, who else is there to ask? The Lord Himself is the Forgiver. ||2||
Pauree:
You, O Creator, know all things; all beings belong to You.
Those who are pleasing to You, You unite with Yourself; what can the poor creatures do?
You are all-powerful, the Cause of causes, the True Creator Lord.
Only those unite with you, Beloved Lord, whom you approve and who meditate on Guru's Word.
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru, who has allowed me to see my unseen Lord. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
He is the Assayer of jewels; He contemplates the jewel.
He is ignorant and totally blind - he does not appreciate the value of the jewel.
The Jewel is the Word of the Guru's Shabad; the Knower alone knows it.
The fools take pride in themselves, and are ruined in birth and death.
O Nanak, he alone obtains the jewel, who, as Gurmukh, enshrines love for it.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, forever and ever, make the Name of the Lord your daily occupation.
If the Lord shows His Mercy, then I keep Him enshrined within my heart. ||1||
Third Mehl:
They do not serve the True Guru, and they do not embrace love for the Lord's Name.
Do not even think that they are alive - the Creator Lord Himself has killed them.
Egotism is such a terrible disease; in the love of duality, they do their deeds.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukhs are in a living death; forgetting the Lord, they suffer in pain. ||2||
Pauree:
Let all bow in reverence, to that humble being whose heart is pure within.
I am a sacrifice to that humble being whose mind is filled with the treasure of the Naam.
He has a discriminating intellect; he meditates on the Name of the Lord.
That True Guru is a friend to all; everyone is dear to Him.
The Lord, the Supreme Soul, is pervading everywhere; reflect upon the wisdom of the Guru's Teachings. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, the soul is in the bondage of deeds done in ego.
Without serving the True Guru, one finds no place of rest; he dies, and is reincarnated, and continues coming and going.
Without serving the True Guru, one's speech is vapid and insipid; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, does not abide in his mind.

O Nanak, without serving the True Guru, they are bound and beaten in the City of Death; they arise and depart with blackened faces. ||1||
First Mehl:
Burn away those rituals which lead you to forget the Beloved Lord.
O Nanak, sublime is that love, which preserves my honor with my Lord Master. ||2||
Pauree:
Serve the One Lord, the Great Giver; meditate on the One Lord.
Beg from the One Lord, the Great Giver, and you shall obtain your heart's desires.
But if you beg from another, then you shall be shamed and destroyed.
One who serves the Lord obtains the fruits of his rewards; all of his hunger is satisfied.
Nanak is a sacrifice to those, who night and day, meditate within their hearts on the Name of the Lord. ||10||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
He Himself is pleased with His humble devotees; my Beloved Lord attaches them to Himself.
The Lord blesses His humble devotees with royalty; He fashions the true crown upon their heads.
They are always at peace, and immaculately pure; they perform service for the True Guru.
They are not said to be kings, who die in conflict, and then enter again the cycle of reincarnation.
O Nanak, without the Name of the Lord, they wander about with their noses cut off in disgrace; they get no respect at all. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Hearing the teachings, he does not appreciate them, as long as he is not Gurmukh, attached to the Word of the Shabad.
Serving the True Guru, the Naam comes to abide in the mind, and doubts and fears run away.
As he knows the True Guru, so he is transformed, and then, he lovingly focuses his consciousness on the Naam.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, greatness is obtained; he shall be resplendent in the Court of the Lord hereafter. ||2||
Pauree:
The minds of the Gursikhs are filled with the love of the Lord; they come and worship the Guru.
They trade lovingly in the Lord's Name, and depart after earning the profit of the Lord's Name.
The faces of the Gursikhs are radiant; in the Court of the Lord, they are approved.
The Guru, the True Guru, is the treasure of the Lord's Name; how very fortunate are the Sikhs who share in this treasure of virtue.
I am a sacrifice to those Gursikhs who, sitting and standing, meditate on the Lord's Name. ||11||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the treasure, which the Gurmukhs obtain.
The self-willed manmukhs are blind; they do not realize that it is within their own home. They die barking and crying. ||1||
Third Mehl:
That body is golden and immaculate, which is attached to the True Name of the True Lord.
The Gurmukh obtains the Pure Light of the Luminous Lord, and his doubts and fears run away.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs find lasting peace; night and day, they remain detached, while in the Love of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed are those Gursikhs, who, with their ears, listen to the Guru's Teachings about the Lord.
The Guru, the True Guru, implants the Naam within them, and their egotism and duality are silenced.
There is no friend, other than the Name of the Lord; the Lord's humble servants reflect upon this and see.

Those Gursikhs, with whom the Lord is pleased, accept the Word of the True Guru.
Those Gurmukhs who meditate on the Naam are imbued with the four-fold color of the Lord's Love. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is cowardly and ugly; lacking the Name of the Lord, his nose is cut off in disgrace.
Night and day, he is engrossed in worldly affairs, and even in his dreams, he finds no peace.
O Nanak, if he becomes Gurmukh, then he shall be saved; otherwise, he is held in bondage, and suffers in pain. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs always look beautiful in the Court of the Lord; they practice the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
There is a lasting peace and happiness deep within them; at the Court of the True Lord, they receive honor.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are blessed with the Name of the Lord; they merge imperceptibly into the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
As Gurmukh, Prahlaad meditated on the Lord, and was saved.
As Gurmukh, Janak lovingly centered his consciousness on the Lord's Name.
As Gurmukh, Vashisht taught the Teachings of the Lord.
Without the Guru, no one has found the Lord's Name, O my Siblings of Destiny.
The Lord blesses the Gurmukh with devotion. ||13||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who has no faith in the True Guru, and who does not love the Word of the Shabad,
shall find no peace, even though he may come and go hundreds of times.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh meets the True Lord with natural ease; he is in love with the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O mind, search for such a True Guru, by serving whom the pains of birth and death are dispelled.
Doubt shall never afflict you, and your ego shall be burnt away through the Word of the Shabad.
The veil of falsehood shall be torn down from within you, and Truth shall come to dwell in the mind.
Peace and happiness shall fill your mind deep within, if you act according to truth and self-discipline.
O Nanak, by perfect good karma, you shall meet the True Guru, and then the Dear Lord, by His Sweet Will, shall bless you with His Mercy. ||2||
Pauree:
The whole world comes under the control of one whose home is filled with the Lord, the King.
He is subject to no one else's rule, and the Lord, the King, causes everyone to fall at his feet.
One may run away from the courts of other men, but where can one go to escape the Lord's Kingdom?
The Lord is such a King, who abides in the hearts of His devotees; He brings the others, and makes them stand before His devotees.
The glorious greatness of the Lord's Name is obtained only by His Grace; how few are the Gurmukhs who meditate on Him. ||14||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, the people of the world are dead; they waste their lives away in vain.
In love with duality, they suffer terrible pain; they die, and are reincarnated, and continue coming and going.
They live in manure, and are reincarnated again and again.
O Nanak, without the Name, the Messenger of Death punishes them; in the end, they depart regretting and repenting. ||1||
Third Mehl:
In this world, there is one Husband Lord; all other beings are His brides.

He enjoys the hearts of all, and yet He remains detached; He is unseen; He cannot be described.
The Perfect Guru reveals Him, and through the Word of His Shabad, we come to understand Him.
Those who serve their Husband Lord, become like Him; their egos are burnt away by His Shabad.
He has no rival, no attacker, no enemy.
His rule is unchanging and eternal; He does not come or go.
Night and day, His servant serves Him, singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
Beholding the Glorious Greatness of the True Lord, Nanak blossoms forth. ||2||
Pauree:
Those whose hearts are forever filled with the Name of the Lord, have the Name of the Lord as their Protector.
The Lord's Name is my father, the Lord's Name is my mother; the Lord's Name is my helper and friend.
My conversation is with the Lord's Name, and my counseling is with the Lord's Name; the Lord's Name always takes care of me.
The Lord's Name is my most beloved society, the Lord's Name is my ancestry, and the Lord's Name is my family.
The Guru, the Lord Incarnate, has bestowed upon servant Nanak the Name of the Lord; in this world, and in the next, the Lord ever saves me. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who meet the True Guru, ever sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
The Lord's Name naturally fills their minds, and they are absorbed in the Shabad, the Word of the True Lord.
They redeem their generations, and they themselves obtain the state of liberation.
The Supreme Lord God is pleased with those who fall at the Guru's Feet.
Servant Nanak is the Lord's slave; by His Grace, the Lord preserves his honor. ||1||
Third Mehl:
In egotism, one is assailed by fear; he passes his life totally troubled by fear.
Egotism is such a terrible disease; he dies, to be reincarnated - he continues coming and going.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny meet with the True Guru, God Incarnate.
O Nanak, by Guru's Grace, they are redeemed; their egos are burnt away through the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord's Name is my immortal, unfathomable, imperishable Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny.
I serve the Lord's Name, I worship the Lord's Name, and my soul is imbued with the Lord's Name.
I know of no other as great as the Lord's Name; the Lord's Name shall deliver me in the end.
The Generous Guru has given me the Lord's Name; blessed, blessed are the Guru's mother and father.
I ever bow in humble reverence to my True Guru; meeting Him, I have come to know the Lord's Name. ||16||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who does not serve the Guru as Gurmukh, who does not love the Lord's Name,
and who does not savor the taste of the Shabad, shall die, and be reborn, over and over again.
The blind, self-willed manmukh does not think of the Lord; why did he even come into the world?
O Nanak, that Gurmukh, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, crosses over the world-ocean. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Only the Guru is awake; the rest of the world is asleep in emotional attachment and desire.
Those who serve the True Guru and remain wakeful, are imbued with the True Name, the treasure of virtue.

The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not think of the Lord; they are ruined through birth and death.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; this is their destiny, pre-ordained by the Primal Lord God. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord's Name is my food; eating the thirty-six varieties of it, I am satisfied and satiated.
The Lord's Name is my clothing; wearing it, I shall never be naked again, and my desire to wear other clothing is gone.
The Lord's Name is my business, the Lord's Name is my commerce; the True Guru has blessed me with its use.
I record the account of the Lord's Name, and I shall not be subject to death again.
Only a few, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Lord's Name; they are blessed by the Lord, and receive their pre-ordained destiny. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The world is blind and ignorant; in the love of duality, it engages in actions.
But those actions which are performed in the love of duality, cause only pain to the body.
By Guru's Grace, peace wells up, when one acts according to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He acts according to the True Word of the Guru's Bani; night and day, he meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, as the Lord Himself engages him, so is he engaged; no one has any say in this matter. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Within the home of my own being, is the everlasting treasure of the Naam; it is a treasure house, overflowing with devotion.
The True Guru is the Giver of the life of the soul; the Great Giver lives forever.
Night and day, I continually sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise, through the Infinite Word of the Guru's Shabad.
I recite continually the Guru's Shabads, which have been effective throughout the ages.
This mind ever abides in peace, dealing in peace and poise.
Deep within me is the Guru's Wisdom, the Lord's jewel, the Bringer of liberation.
O Nanak, one who is blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace obtains this, and is judged to be True in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, who goes and falls at the Feet of the True Guru.
Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, who with his mouth, utters the Name of the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, whose mind, upon hearing the Lord's Name, becomes blissful.
Blessed, blessed is that Sikh of the Guru, who serves the True Guru, and so obtains the Lord's Name.
I bow forever in deepest respect to that Sikh of the Guru, who walks in the Way of the Guru. ||18||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
No one has ever found the Lord through stubborn-mindedness. All have grown weary of performing such actions.
Through their stubborn-mindedness, and by wearing their disguises, they are deluded; they suffer in pain from the love of duality.
Riches and the supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas are all emotional attachments; through them, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, does not come to dwell in the mind.
Serving the Guru, the mind becomes immaculately pure, and the darkness of spiritual ignorance is dispelled.
The jewel of the Naam is revealed in the home of one's own being; O Nanak, one merges in celestial bliss. ||1||
Third Mehl:

One who does not savor the taste of the Shabad, who does not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
and who speaks insipid words with his tongue, is ruined, again and again.
O Nanak, he acts according to the karma of his past actions, which no one can erase. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed is the True Being, my True Guru; meeting Him, I have found peace.
Blessed, blessed is the True Being, my True Guru; meeting Him, I have attained the Lord's devotional worship.
Blessed, blessed is the Lord's devotee, my True Guru; serving Him, I have come to enshrine love for the Name of the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is the Knower of the Lord, my True Guru; He has taught me to look upon friend and foe alike.
Blessed, blessed is the True Guru, my best friend; He has led me to embrace love for the Name of the Lord. ||19||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The soul-bride is at home, while the Husband Lord is away; she cherishes His memory, and mourns His absence.
She shall meet Him without delay, if she rids herself of duality. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, false is the speech of one who acts without loving the Lord.
He judges things to be good, only as long as the Lord gives and he receives. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord, who created the creatures, also protects them.
I have tasted the food of Ambrosial Nectar, the True Name.
I am satisfied and satiated, and my hunger is appeased.
The One Lord is pervading in all, but rare are those who realize this.
Servant Nanak is enraptured, in the Protection of God. ||20||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
All the living beings of the world behold the True Guru.
One is not liberated by merely seeing Him, unless one contemplates the Word of His Shabad.
The filth of ego is not removed, and he does not enshrine love for the Naam.
The Lord forgives some, and unites them with Himself; they forsake their duality and sinful ways.
O Nanak, some behold the Blessed Vision of the True Guru's Darshan, with love and affection; conquering their ego, they meet with the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The foolish, blind clown does not serve the True Guru.
In love with duality, he endures terrible suffering, and burning, he cries out in pain.
He forgets the Guru, for the sake of mere objects, but they will not come to his rescue in the end.
Through the Guru's Instructions, Nanak has found peace; the Forgiving Lord has forgiven him. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself, all by Yourself, are the Creator of all. If there were any other, then I would speak of another.
The Lord Himself speaks, and causes us to speak; He Himself is pervading the water and the land.
The Lord Himself destroys, and the Lord Himself saves. O mind, seek and remain in the Lord's Sanctuary.
Other than the Lord, no one can kill or rejuvenate. O mind, do not be anxious - remain fearless.
While standing, sitting, and sleeping, forever and ever, meditate on the Lord's Name; O servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, you shall attain the Lord. ||21||1||SUDH||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Sorat'h, First Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
Death comes to all, and all must suffer separation.
Go and ask the clever people, whether they shall meet in the world hereafter.
Those who forget my Lord and Master shall suffer in terrible pain. ||1||
So praise the True Lord,
by whose Grace peace ever prevails. ||Pause||
Praise Him as great; He is, and He shall ever be.
You alone are the Great Giver; mankind cannot give anything.
Whatever pleases Him, comes to pass; what good does it do to cry out in protest? ||2||
Many have proclaimed their sovereignty over millions of fortresses on the earth, but they have now departed.
And those, whom even the sky could not contain, had ropes put through their noses.
O mind, if you only knew the torment in your future, you would not relish the sweet pleasures of the present. ||3||
O Nanak, as many as are the sins one commits, so many are the chains around his neck.
If he possesses virtues, then the chains are cut away; these virtues are his brothers, his true brothers.
Going to the world hereafter, those who have no Guru are not accepted; they are beaten, and expelled. ||4||1||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, First House:
Make your mind the farmer, good deeds the farm, modesty the water, and your body the field.
Let the Lord's Name be the seed, contentment the plow, and your humble dress the fence.
Doing deeds of love, the seed shall sprout, and you shall see your home flourish. ||1||
O Baba, the wealth of Maya does not go with anyone.
This Maya has bewitched the world, but only a rare few understand this. ||Pause||
Make your ever-decreasing life your shop, and make the Lord's Name your merchandise.
Make understanding and contemplation your warehouse, and in that warehouse, store the Lord's Name.
Deal with the Lord's dealers, earn your profits, and rejoice in your mind. ||2||
Let your trade be listening to scripture, and let Truth be the horses you take to sell.
Gather up merits for your travelling expenses, and do not think of tomorrow in your mind.
When you arrive in the land of the Formless Lord, you shall find peace in the Mansion of His Presence. ||3||
Let your service be the focusing of your consciousness, and let your occupation be the placing of faith in the Naam.

Let your work be restraint from sin; only then will people call you blessed.
O Nanak, the Lord shall look upon you with His Glance of Grace, and you shall be blessed with honor four times over. ||4||2||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, Chau-Tukas:
The son is dear to his mother and father; he is the wise son-in-law to his father-in-law.
The father is dear to his son and daughter, and the brother is very dear to his brother.
By the Order of the Lord's Command, he leaves his house and goes outside, and in an instant, everything becomes alien to him.
The self-willed manmukh does not remember the Name of the Lord, does not give in charity, and does not cleanse his consciousness; his body rolls in the dust. ||1||
The mind is comforted by the Comforter of the Naam.
I fall at the Guru's feet - I am a sacrifice to Him; He has given me to understand the true understanding. ||Pause||
The mind is impressed with the false love of the world; he quarrels with the Lord's humble servant.
Infatuated with Maya, night and day, he sees only the worldly path; he does not chant the Naam, and drinking poison, he dies.
He is imbued and infatuated with vicious talk; the Word of the Shabad does not come into his consciousness.
He is not imbued with the Lord's Love, and he is not impressed by the taste of the Name; the self-willed manmukh loses his honor. ||2||
He does not enjoy celestial peace in the Company of the Holy, and there is not even a bit of sweetness on his tongue.
He calls his mind, body and wealth his own; he has no knowledge of the Court of the Lord.
Closing his eyes, he walks in darkness; he cannot see the home of his own being, O Siblings of Destiny.
Tied up at Death's door, he finds no place of rest; he receives the rewards of his own actions. ||3||
When the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, then I see Him with my own eyes; He is indescribable, and cannot be described.
With my ears, I continually listen to the Word of the Shabad, and I praise Him; His Ambrosial Name abides within my heart.
He is Fearless, Formless and absolutely without vengeance; I am absorbed in His Perfect Light.
O Nanak, without the Guru, doubt is not dispelled; through the True Name, glorious greatness is obtained. ||4||3||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, Du-Tukas:
In the realm of land, and in the realm of water, Your seat is the chamber of the four directions.
Yours is the one and only form of the entire universe; Your mouth is the mint to fashion all. ||1||
O my Lord Master, Your play is so wonderful!
You are pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky; You Yourself are contained in all. ||Pause||
Wherever I look, there I see Your Light, but what is Your form?
You have one form, but it is unseen; there is none like any other. ||2||
The beings born of eggs, born of the womb, born of the earth and born of sweat, all are created by You.
I have seen one glory of Yours, that You are pervading and permeating in all. ||3||
Your Glories are so numerous, and I do not know even one of them; I am such a fool - please, give me some of them!
Prays Nanak, listen, O my Lord Master: I am sinking like a stone - please, save me! ||4||4||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
I am a wicked sinner and a great hypocrite; You are the Immaculate and Formless Lord.
Tasting the Ambrosial Nectar, I am imbued with supreme bliss; O Lord and Master, I seek Your Sanctuary. ||1||
O Creator Lord, You are the honor of the dishonored.
In my lap is the honor and glory of the wealth of the Name; I merge into the True Word of the Shabad. ||Pause||
You are perfect, while I am worthless and imperfect. You are profound, while I am trivial.

My mind is imbued with You, day and night and morning, O Lord; my tongue chants Your Name, and my mind meditates on You. ||2||
You are True, and I am absorbed into You; through the mystery of the Shabad, I shall ultimately become True as well.
Those who are imbued with the Naam day and night are pure, while those who die to be reborn are impure. ||3||
I do not see any other like the Lord; who else should I praise? No one is equal to Him.
Prays Nanak, I am the slave of His slaves; by Guru's Instruction, I know Him. ||4||5||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
He is unknowable, infinite, unapproachable and imperceptible. He is not subject to death or karma.
His caste is casteless; He is unborn, self-illumined, and free of doubt and desire. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to the Truest of the True.
He has no form, no color and no features; through the True Word of the Shabad, He reveals Himself. ||Pause||
He has no mother, father, sons or relatives; He is free of sexual desire; He has no wife.
He has no ancestry; He is immaculate. He is infinite and endless; O Lord, Your Light is pervading all. ||2||
Deep within each and every heart, God is hidden; His Light is in each and every heart.
The heavy doors are opened by Guru's Instructions; one becomes fearless, in the trance of deep meditation. ||3||
The Lord created all beings, and placed death over the heads of all; all the world is under His Power.
Serving the True Guru, the treasure is obtained; living the Word of the Shabad, one is emancipated. ||4||
In the pure vessel, the True Name is contained; how few are those who practice true conduct.
The individual soul is united with the Supreme Soul; Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||5||6||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
Like a fish without water is the faithless cynic, who dies of thirst.
So shall you die, O mind, without the Lord, as your breath goes in vain. ||1||
O mind, chant the Lord's Name, and praise Him.
Without the Guru, how will you obtain this juice? The Guru shall unite you with the Lord. ||Pause||
For the Gurmukh, meeting with the Society of the Saints is like making a pilgrimage to a sacred shrine.
The benefit of bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage is obtained by the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. ||2||
Like the Yogi without abstinence, and like penance without truth and contentment,
so is the body without the Lord's Name; death will slay it, because of the sin within. ||3||
The faithless cynic does not obtain the Lord's Love; the Lord's Love is obtained only through the True Guru.
One who meets with the Guru, the Giver of pleasure and pain, says Nanak, is absorbed in the Lord's Praise. ||4||7||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
You, God, are the Giver of gifts, the Lord of perfect understanding; I am a mere beggar at Your Door.
What should I beg for? Nothing remains permanent; O Lord, please, bless me with Your Beloved Name. ||1||
In each and every heart, the Lord, the Lord of the forest, is permeating and pervading.
In the water, on the land, and in the sky, He is pervading but hidden; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is revealed. ||Pause||
In this world, in the nether regions of the underworld, and in the Akaashic Ethers, the Guru, the True Guru, has shown me the Lord; He has showered me with His Mercy.
He is the unborn Lord God; He is, and shall ever be. Deep within your heart, behold Him, the Destroyer of ego. ||2||

This wretched world is caught in birth and death; in the love of duality, it has forgotten devotional worship of the Lord.
Meeting the True Guru, the Guru's Teachings are obtained; the faithless cynic loses the game of life. ||3||
Breaking my bonds, the True Guru has set me free, and I shall not be cast into the womb of reincarnation again.
O Nanak, the jewel of spiritual wisdom shines forth, and the Lord, the Formless Lord, dwells within my mind. ||4||8||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
The treasure of the Name, for which you have come into the world - that Ambrosial Nectar is with the Guru.
Renounce costumes, disguises and clever tricks; this fruit is not obtained by duplicity. ||1||
O my mind, remain steady, and do not wander away.
By searching around on the outside, you shall only suffer great pain; the Ambrosial Nectar is found within the home of your own being. ||Pause||
Renounce corruption, and seek virtue; committing sins, you shall only come to regret and repent.
You do not know the difference between good and evil; again and again, you sink into the mud. ||2||
Within you is the great filth of greed and falsehood; why do you bother to wash your body on the outside?
Chant the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord always, under Guru's Instruction; only then will your innermost being be emancipated. ||3||
Let greed and slander be far away from you, and renounce falsehood; through the True Word of the Guru's Shabad, you shall obtain the true fruit.
As it pleases You, You preserve me, Dear Lord; servant Nanak sings the Praises of Your Shabad. ||4||9||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, Panch-Padas:
You cannot save your own home from being plundered; why do you spy on the houses of others?
That Gurmukh who joins himself to the Guru's service, saves his own home, and tastes the Lord's Nectar. ||1||
O mind, you must realize what your intellect is focused on.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one is involved with other tastes; the unfortunate wretch shall come to regret it in the end. ||Pause||
When things come, he is pleased, but when they go, he weeps and wails; this pain and pleasure remains attached to him.
The Lord Himself causes him to enjoy pleasure and endure pain; the Gurmukh, however, remains unaffected. ||2||
What else can be said to be above the subtle essence of the Lord? One who drinks it in is satisfied and satiated.
One who is lured by Maya loses this juice; that faithless cynic is tied to his evil-mindedness. ||3||
The Lord is the life of the mind, the Master of the breath of life; the Divine Lord is contained in the body.
If You so bless us, Lord, then we sing Your Praises; the mind is satisfied and fulfilled, lovingly attached to the Lord. ||4||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the subtle essence of the Lord is obtained; meeting the Guru, the fear of death departs.
O Nanak, chant the Name of the Lord, as Gurmukh; you shall obtain the Lord, and realize your pre-ordained destiny. ||5||10||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
Destiny, pre-ordained by the Lord, looms over the heads of all beings; no one is without this pre-ordained destiny.
Only He Himself is beyond destiny; creating the creation by His creative power, He beholds it, and causes His Command to be followed. ||1||
O mind, chant the Name of the Lord, and be at peace.
Day and night, serve at the Guru's feet; the Lord is the Giver, and the Enjoyer. ||Pause||

He is within - see Him outside as well; there is no one, other than Him.
As Gurmukh, look upon all with the single eye of equality; in each and every heart, the Divine Light is contained. ||2||
Restrain your fickle mind, and keep it steady within its own home; meeting the Guru, this understanding is obtained.
Seeing the unseen Lord, you shall be amazed and delighted; forgetting your pain, you shall be at peace. ||3||
Drinking in the ambrosial nectar, you shall attain the highest bliss, and dwell within the home of your own self.
So sing the Praises of the Lord, the Destroyer of the fear of birth and death, and you shall not be reincarnated again. ||4||
The essence, the immaculate Lord, the Light of all - I am He and He is me - there is no difference between us.
The Infinite Transcendent Lord, the Supreme Lord God - Nanak has met with Him, the Guru. ||5||11||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When I am pleasing to Him, then I sing His Praises.
Singing His Praises, I receive the fruits of my rewards.
The rewards of singing His Praises are obtained when He Himself gives them. ||1||
O my mind, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the treasure is obtained;
this is why I remain immersed in the True Name. ||Pause||
When I awoke within myself to the Guru's Teachings,
then I renounced my fickle intellect.
When the Light of the Guru's Teachings dawned,
and then all darkness was dispelled. ||2||
When the mind is attached to the Guru's Feet,
then the Path of Death recedes.
Through the Fear of God, one attains the Fearless Lord;
then, one enters the home of celestial bliss. ||3||
Prays Nanak, how rare are those who reflect and understand,
the most sublime action in this world.
The noblest deed is to sing the Lord's Praises,
and so meet the Lord Himself. ||4||1||12||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
All of Your servants, who relish the Word of Your Shabad, serve You.
By Guru's Grace, they become pure, eradicating self-conceit from within.
Night and day, they continually sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord; they are adorned with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, I am Your child; I seek Your Sanctuary.
You are the One and Only Lord, the Truest of the True; You Yourself are the Destroyer of ego. ||Pause||
Those who remain wakeful obtain God; through the Word of the Shabad, they conquer their ego.
Immersed in family life, the Lord's humble servant ever remains detached; he reflects upon the essence of spiritual wisdom.
Serving the True Guru, he finds eternal peace, and he keeps the Lord enshrined in his heart. ||2||
This mind wanders in the ten directions; it is consumed by the love of duality.

The foolish self-willed manmukh does not remember the Lord's Name; he wastes away his life in vain.
But when he meets the True Guru, then he obtains the Name; he sheds egotism and emotional attachment. ||3||
The Lord's humble servants are True - they practice Truth, and reflect upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The True Lord God unites them with Himself, and they keep the True Lord enshrined in their hearts.
O Nanak, through the Name, I have obtained salvation and understanding; this alone is my wealth. ||4||1||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
The True Lord has blessed His devotees with the treasure of devotional worship, and the wealth of the Lord's Name.
The wealth of the Naam, shall never be exhausted; no one can estimate its worth.
With the wealth of the Naam, their faces are radiant, and they attain the True Lord. ||1||
O my mind, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord is found.
Without the Shabad, the world wanders around, and receives its punishment in the Court of the Lord. ||Pause||
Within this body dwell the five thieves: sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and egotism.
They plunder the Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh does not realize it; no one hears his complaint.
The world is blind, and its dealings are blind as well; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. ||2||
Indulging in egotism and possessiveness, they are ruined; when they depart, nothing goes along with them.
But one who becomes Gurmukh meditates on the Naam, and ever contemplates the Lord's Name.
Through the True Word of Gurbani, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord; blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace, he is enraptured. ||3||
The spiritual wisdom of the True Guru is a steady light within the heart. The Lord's decree is over the heads of even kings.
Night and day, the Lord's devotees worship Him; night and day, they gather in the true profit of the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, through the Lord's Name, one is emancipated; attuned to the Shabad, he finds the Lord. ||4||2||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
If one becomes the slave of the Lord's slaves, then he finds the Lord, and eradicates ego from within.
The Lord of bliss is his object of devotion; night and day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, the Lord's devotees remain ever as one, absorbed in the Lord. ||1||
O Dear Lord, Your Glance of Grace is True.
Show mercy to Your slave, O Beloved Lord, and preserve my honor. ||Pause||
Continually praising the Word of the Shabad, I live; under Guru's Instruction, my fear has been dispelled.
My True Lord God is so beautiful! Serving the Guru, my consciousness is focused on Him.
One who chants the True Word of the Shabad, and the Truest of the True, the Word of His Bani, remains wakeful, day and night. ||2||
He is so very deep and profound, the Giver of eternal peace; no one can find His limit.
Serving the Perfect Guru, one becomes carefree, enshrining the Lord within the mind.
The mind and body become immaculately pure, and a lasting peace fills the heart; doubt is eradicated from within. ||3||
The Way of the Lord is always such a difficult path; only a few find it, contemplating the Guru.
Imbued with the Lord's Love, and intoxicated with the Shabad, he renounces ego and corruption.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, and the Love of the One Lord, he is embellished with the Word of the Shabad. ||4||3||

Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
Dear Beloved Lord, I praise You continually, as long as there is the breath within my body.
If I were to forget You, for a moment, even for an instant, O Lord Master, it would be like fifty years for me.
I was always such a fool and an idiot, O Siblings of Destiny, but now, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, my mind is enlightened. ||1||
Dear Lord, You Yourself bestow understanding.
Dear Lord, I am forever a sacrifice to You; I am dedicated and devoted to Your Name. ||Pause||
I have died in the Word of the Shabad, and through the Shabad, I am dead while yet alive, O Siblings of Destiny; through the Shabad, I have been liberated.
Through the Shabad, my mind and body have been purified, and the Lord has come to dwell within my mind.
The Guru is the Giver of the Shabad; my mind is imbued with it, and I remain absorbed in the Lord. ||2||
Those who do not know the Shabad are blind and deaf; why did they even bother to come into the world?
They do not obtain the subtle essence of the Lord's elixir; they waste away their lives, and are reincarnated over and over again.
The blind, idiotic, self-willed manmukhs are like maggots in manure, and in manure they rot away. ||3||
The Lord Himself creates us, watches over us, and places us on the Path, O Siblings of Destiny; there is no one other than Him.
No one can erase that which is pre-ordained, O Siblings of Destiny; whatever the Creator wills, comes to pass.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within the mind; O Siblings of Destiny, there is no other at all. ||4||4||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs practice devotional worship, and become pleasing to God; night and day, they chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
You Yourself protect and take care of Your devotees, who are pleasing to Your Mind.
You are the Giver of virtue, realized through the Word of Your Shabad. Uttering Your Glories, we merge with You, O Glorious Lord. ||1||
O my mind, remember always the Dear Lord.
At the very last moment, He alone shall be your best friend; He shall always stand by you. ||Pause||
The gathering of the wicked enemies shall always practice falsehood; they do not contemplate understanding.
Who can obtain fruit from the slander of evil enemies? Remember that Harnaakhash was torn apart by the Lord's claws.
Prahlaad, the Lord's humble servant, constantly sang the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and the Dear Lord saved him. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs see themselves as being very virtuous; they have absolutely no understanding at all.
They indulge in slander of the humble spiritual people; they waste their lives away, and then they have to depart.
They never think of the Lord's Name, and in the end, they depart, regretting and repenting. ||3||
The Lord makes the lives of His devotees fruitful; He Himself links them to the Guru's service.
Imbued with the Word of the Shabad, and intoxicated with celestial bliss, night and day, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Slave Nanak utters this prayer: O Lord, please, let me fall at their feet. ||4||5||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
He alone is a Sikh, a friend, a relative and a sibling, who walks in the Way of the Guru's Will.
One who walks according to his own will, O Siblings of Destiny, suffers separation from the Lord, and shall be punished.
Without the True Guru, peace is never obtained, O Siblings of Destiny; again and again, he regrets and repents. ||1||
The Lord's slaves are happy, O Siblings of Destiny.

The sins and sorrows of countless lifetimes are eradicated; the Lord Himself unites them in His Union. ||Pause||
All of these relatives are like chains upon the soul, O Siblings of Destiny; the world is deluded by doubt.
Without the Guru, the chains cannot be broken; the Gurmukhs find the door of salvation.
One who performs rituals without realizing the Word of the Guru's Shabad, shall die and be reborn, again and again. ||2||
The world is entangled in egotism and possessiveness, O Siblings of Destiny, but no one belongs to anyone else.
The Gurmukhs attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, singing the Glories of the Lord; they dwell in the home of their own inner being.
One who understands here, realizes himself; the Lord God belongs to him. ||3||
The True Guru is forever merciful, O Siblings of Destiny; without good destiny, what can anyone obtain?
He looks alike upon all with His Glance of Grace, but people receive the fruits of their rewards according to their love for the Lord.
O Nanak, when the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell within the mind, then self-conceit is eradicated from within. ||4||6||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, Chau-Tukas:
True devotional worship is obtained only through the True Guru, when the True Word of His Bani is in the heart.
Serving the True Guru, eternal peace is obtained; egotism is obliterated through the Word of the Shabad.
Without the Guru, there is no true devotion; otherwise, people wander around, deluded by ignorance.
The self-willed manmukhs wander around, suffering in constant pain; they drown and die, even without water. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, remain forever in the Lord's Sanctuary, under His Protection.
Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He preserves our honor, and blesses us with the glory of the Lord's Name. ||Pause||
Through the Perfect Guru, one comes to understand himself, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad.
The Lord, the Life of the world, ever abides in his heart, and he renounces sexual desire, anger and egotism.
The Lord is ever-present, permeating and pervading all places; the Name of the Infinite Lord is enshrined within the heart.
Throughout the ages, through the Word of His Bani, His Shabad is realized, and the Name becomes so sweet and beloved to the mind. ||2||
Serving the Guru, one realizes the Naam, the Name of the Lord; fruitful is his life, and his coming into the world.
Tasting the sublime elixir of the Lord, his mind is satisfied and satiated forever; singing the Glories of the Glorious Lord, he is fulfilled and satisfied.
The lotus of his heart blossoms forth, he is ever imbued with the Lord's Love, and the unstruck melody of the Shabad resounds within him.
His body and mind become immaculately pure; his speech becomes immaculate as well, and he merges in the Truest of the True. ||3||
No one knows the state of the Lord's Name; through the Guru's Teachings, it comes to abide in the heart.
One who becomes Gurmukh, understands the Path; his tongue savors the sublime essence of the Lord's Nectar.
Meditation, austere self-discipline and self-restraint are all obtained from the Guru; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to abide within the heart.
O Nanak, those humble beings who praise the Naam are beautiful; they are honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||4||7||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, Du-Tukas:
Meeting the True Guru, one turns away from the world, O Siblings of Destiny; when he remains dead while yet alive, he obtains true understanding.
He alone is the Guru, and he alone is a Sikh, O Siblings of Destiny, whose light merges in the Light. ||1||
O my mind, be lovingly attuned to the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, it seems so sweet to the mind, O Siblings of Destiny; the Gurmukhs obtain a place in the Court of the Lord. ||Pause||

Without the Guru, love for the Lord does not well up, O Siblings of Destiny; the self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in the love of duality.
Actions performed by the manmukh are like the threshing of the chaff - they obtain nothing for their efforts. ||2||
Meeting the Guru, the Naam comes to permeate the mind, O Siblings of Destiny, with true love and affection.
He always sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, with infinite love for the Guru. ||3||
How blessed and approved is his coming into the world, O Siblings of Destiny, who focuses his mind on serving the Guru.
O Nanak, the Name of the Lord is obtained, O Siblings of Destiny, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and we merge with the Lord. ||4||8||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, First House:
The three worlds are entangled in the three qualities, O Siblings of Destiny; the Guru imparts understanding.
Attached to the Lord's Name, one is emancipated, O Siblings of Destiny; go and ask the wise ones about this. ||1||
O mind, renounce the three qualities, and focus your consciousness on the fourth state.
The Dear Lord abides in the mind, O Siblings of Destiny; ever sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||Pause||
From the Naam, everyone originated, O Siblings of Destiny; forgetting the Naam, they die away.
The ignorant world is blind, O Siblings of Destiny; those who sleep are plundered. ||2||
Those Gurmukhs who remain awake are saved, O Siblings of Destiny; they cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
In this world, the Name of the Lord is the true profit, O Siblings of Destiny; keep it enshrined within your heart. ||3||
In the Guru's Sanctuary, O Siblings of Destiny, you shall be saved; be lovingly attuned to the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, the Name of the Lord is the boat, and the Name is the raft, O Siblings of Destiny; setting out on it, the Lord's humble servant crosses over the world-ocean. ||4||9||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, First House:
The True Guru is the ocean of peace in the world; there is no other place of rest and peace.
The world is afflicted with the painful disease of egotism; dying, only to be reborn, it cries out in pain. ||1||
O mind, serve the True Guru, and obtain peace.
If you serve the True Guru, you shall find peace; otherwise, you shall depart, after wasting away your life in vain. ||Pause||
Led around by the three qualities, he does many deeds, but he does not come to taste and savor the subtle essence of the Lord.
He says his evening prayers, and makes offerings of water, and recites his morning prayers, but without true understanding, he still suffers in pain. ||2||
One who serves the True Guru is very fortunate; as the Lord so wills, he meets with the Guru.
Drinking in the sublime essence of the Lord, His humble servants remain ever satisfied; they eradicate self-conceit from within themselves. ||3||
This world is blind, and all act blindly; without the Guru, no one finds the Path.
O Nanak, meeting with the True Guru, one sees with his eyes, and finds the True Lord within the home of his own being. ||4||10||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, he suffers in terrible pain, and throughout the four ages, he wanders aimlessly.
I am poor and meek, and throughout the ages, You are the Great Giver - please, grant me the understanding of the Shabad. ||1||
O Dear Beloved Lord, please show mercy to me.
Unite me in the Union of the True Guru, the Great Giver, and give me the support of the Lord's Name. ||Pause||
Conquering my desires and duality, I have merged in celestial peace, and I have found the Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord.
I have tasted the sublime essence of the Lord, and my soul has become immaculately pure; the Lord is the Destroyer of sins. ||2||

Dying in the Word of the Shabad, you shall live forever, and you shall never die again.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam is ever-sweet to the mind; but how few are those who obtain the Shabad. ||3||
The Great Giver keeps His Gifts in His Hand; He gives them to those with whom He is pleased.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, they find peace, and in the Court of the Lord, they are exalted. ||4||11||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
Serving the True Guru, the divine melody wells up within, and one is blessed with wisdom and salvation.
The True Name of the Lord comes to abide in the mind, and through the Name, one merges in the Name. ||1||
Without the True Guru, the whole world is insane.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not realize the Word of the Shabad; they are deluded by false doubts. ||Pause||
The three-faced Maya had led them astray in doubt, and they are snared by the noose of egotism.
Birth and death hang over their heads, and being reborn from the womb, they suffer in pain. ||2||
The three qualities permeate the whole world; acting in ego, it loses its honor.
But one who becomes Gurmukh comes to realize the fourth state of celestial bliss; he finds peace through the Name of the Lord. ||3||
The three qualities are all Yours, O Lord; You Yourself created them. Whatever You do, comes to pass.
O Nanak, through the Lord's Name, one is emancipated; through the Shabad, he is rid of egotism. ||4||12||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My Beloved Lord Himself pervades and permeates all; He Himself is, all by Himself.
My Beloved Himself is the trader in this world; He Himself is the true banker.
My Beloved Himself is the trade and the trader; He Himself is the true credit. ||1||
O mind, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, and praise His Name.
By Guru's Grace, the Beloved, Ambrosial, unapproachable and unfathomable Lord is obtained. ||Pause||
The Beloved Himself sees and hears everything; He Himself speaks through the mouths of all beings.
The Beloved Himself leads us into the wilderness, and He Himself shows us the Way.
The Beloved Himself is Himself all-in-all; He Himself is carefree. ||2||
The Beloved Himself, all by Himself, created everything; He Himself links all to their tasks.
The Beloved Himself creates the Creation, and He Himself destroys it.
He Himself is the wharf, and He Himself is the ferryman, who ferries us across. ||3||
The Beloved Himself is the ocean, and the boat; He Himself is the Guru, the boatman who steers it
. The Beloved Himself sets sail and crosses over; He, the King, beholds His wondrous play.
The Beloved Himself is the Merciful Master; O servant Nanak, He forgives and blends with Himself. ||4||1||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
He Himself is born of the egg, from the womb, from sweat and from the earth; He Himself is the continents and all the worlds.
He Himself is the thread, and He Himself is the many beads; through His Almighty Power, He has strung the worlds.

He holds the thread, and when He withdraws the thread, the beads scatter into heaps. ||1||
O my mind, there is no other than the Lord for me.
The treasure of the Beloved Naam is within the True Guru; in His Mercy, he pours the Ambrosial Nectar into my mouth. ||Pause||
The Beloved Himself is in all the oceans and lands; whatever God does, comes to pass.
The Beloved brings nourishment to all; there is no other than Him.
The Beloved Himself plays, and whatever He Himself does, comes to pass. ||2||
The Beloved Himself, all by Himself, is immaculate and pure; He Himself is immaculate and pure.
The Beloved Himself determines the value of all; whatever He does comes to pass.
The Beloved Himself is unseen - He cannot be seen; He Himself causes us to see. ||3||
The Beloved Himself is deep and profound and unfathomable; there is no other as great as He.
The Beloved Himself enjoys every heart; He is contained within every woman and man.
O Nanak, the Beloved is pervading everywhere, but He is hidden; through the Guru, He is revealed. ||4||2||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
He Himself, the Beloved, is Himself all-in-all; He Himself establishes and disestablishes.
The Beloved Himself beholds, and rejoices; God Himself works wonders, and beholds them.
The Beloved Himself is contained in all the woods and meadows; as Gurmukh, He reveals Himself. ||1||
Meditate, O mind, on the Lord, Har, Har; through the sublime essence of Lord's Name, you shall be satisfied.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, is the sweetest juice; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, its taste is revealed. ||Pause||
The Beloved is Himself the place of pilgrimage and the raft; God Himself ferries Himself across.
The Beloved Himself casts the net over all the world; the Lord Himself is the fish.
The Beloved Himself is infallible; He makes no mistakes. There is no other like Him to be seen. ||2||
The Beloved Himself is the Yogi's horn, and the sound current of the Naad; He Himself plays the tune.
The Beloved Himself is the Yogi, the Primal Being; He Himself practices intense meditation.
He Himself is the True Guru, and He Himself is the disciple; God Himself imparts the Teachings. ||3||
The Beloved Himself inspires us to chant His Name, and He Himself practices meditation.
The Beloved Himself is the Ambrosial Nectar; He Himself is the juice of it.
The Beloved Himself praises Himself; servant Nanak is satisfied, with the sublime essence of the Lord. ||4||3||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
God Himself is the balance scale, He Himself is the weigher, and He Himself weighs with the weights.
He Himself is the banker, He Himself is the trader, and He Himself makes the trades.
The Beloved Himself fashioned the world, and He Himself counter-balances it with a gram. ||1||
My mind meditates on the Lord, Har, Har, and finds peace.
The Name of the Beloved Lord, Har, Har, is a treasure; the Perfect Guru has made it seem sweet to me. ||Pause||
The Beloved Himself is the earth, and He Himself is the water; He Himself acts, and causes others to act.
The Beloved Himself issues His Commands, and keeps the water and the land bound down.
The Beloved Himself instills the Fear of God; He binds the tiger and the goat together. ||2||

The Beloved Lord Himself is the firewood, and He Himself keeps the fire within the wood.
The Beloved Lord Himself, all by Himself, permeates them, and because of the Fear of God, the fire cannot burn the wood.
The Beloved Himself kills and revives; all draw the breath of life, given by Him. ||3||
The Beloved Himself is power and presence; He Himself engages us in our work.
As the Beloved makes me walk, I walk, as it pleases my Lord God.
The Beloved Himself is the musician, and the musical instrument; servant Nanak vibrates His vibration. ||4||4||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
The Beloved Himself created the Universe; He made the light of the sun and the moon.
The Beloved Himself is the power of the powerless; He Himself is the honor of the dishonored.
The Beloved Himself grants His Grace and protects us; He Himself is wise and all-knowing. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, and receive His Insignia.
Join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and meditate on the Lord, Har, Har; you shall not have to come and go in reincarnation again. ||Pause||
The Beloved Himself pervades His Glorious Praises, and He Himself approves them.
The Beloved Himself grants His forgiveness, and He Himself bestows the Insignia of Truth.
The Beloved Himself obeys His Will, and He Himself issues His Command. ||2||
The Beloved Himself is the treasure of devotion; He Himself gives His gifts.
The Beloved Himself commits some to His service, and He Himself blesses them with honor.
The Beloved Himself is absorbed in Samaadhi; He Himself is the treasure of excellence. ||3||
The Beloved Himself is the greatest; He Himself is supreme.
The Beloved Himself appraises the value; He Himself is the scale, and the weights.
The Beloved Himself is unweighable - He weighs Himself; servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||4||5||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
The Beloved Himself commits some to His service; He Himself blesses them with the joy of devotional worship.
The Beloved Himself causes us to sing His Glorious Praises; He Himself is absorbed in the Word of His Shabad.
He Himself is the pen, and He Himself is the scribe; He Himself inscribes His inscription. ||1||
O my mind, joyfully chant the Name of the Lord.
Those very fortunate ones are in ecstasy night and day; through the Perfect Guru, they obtain the profit of the Lord's Name. ||Pause||
The Beloved Himself is the milk-maid and Krishna; He Himself herds the cows in the woods.
The Beloved Himself is the blue-skinned, handsome one; He Himself plays on His flute.
The Beloved Himself took the form of a child, and destroyed Kuwalia-peer, the mad elephant. ||2||
The Beloved Himself sets the stage; He performs the plays, and He Himself watches them.
The Beloved Himself assumed the form of the child, and killed the demons Chandoor, Kansa and Kaysee.
The Beloved Himself, by Himself, is the embodiment of power; He shatters the power of the fools and idiots. ||3||
The Beloved Himself created the whole world. In His hands He holds the power of the ages.

The Beloved Himself puts the chains around their necks; as God pulls them, must they go.
Whoever harbors pride shall be destroyed, O Beloved; meditating on the Lord, Nanak is absorbed in devotional worship. ||4||6||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl, Du-Tukas:
Separated from the Lord for countless lifetimes, the self-willed manmukh suffers in pain, engaged in acts of egotism.
Beholding the Holy Saint, I found God; O Lord of the Universe, I seek Your Sanctuary. ||1||
The Love of God is very dear to me.
When I joined the Sat Sangat, the Company of the Holy People, the Lord, the embodiment of peace, came into my heart. ||Pause||
You dwell, hidden, within my heart day and night, Lord; but the poor fools do not understand Your Love.
Meeting with the Almighty True Guru, God was revealed to me; I sing His Glorious Praises, and reflect upon His Glories. ||2||
As Gurmukh, I have become enlightened; peace has come, and evil-mindedness has been dispelled from my mind.
Understanding the relationship of the individual soul with God, I have found peace, in Your Sat Sangat, Your True Congregation, O Lord. ||3||
Those who are blessed by Your Kind Mercy, meet the Almighty Lord, and find the Guru.
Nanak has found the immeasurable, celestial peace; night and day, he remains awake to the Lord, the Master of the Forest of the Universe. ||4||7||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
The inner depths of my mind are pierced by love for the Lord; I cannot live without the Lord.
Just as the fish dies without water, I die without the Lord's Name. ||1||
O my God, please bless me with the water of Your Name.
I beg for Your Name, deep within myself, day and night; through the Name, I find peace. ||Pause||
The song-bird cries out for lack of water - without water, its thirst cannot be quenched.
The Gurmukh obtains the water of celestial bliss, and is rejuvenated, blossoming forth through the blessed Love of the Lord. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs are hungry, wandering around in the ten directions; without the Name, they suffer in pain.
They are born, only to die, and enter into reincarnation again; in the Court of the Lord, they are punished. ||3||
But if the Lord shows His Mercy, then one comes to sing His Glorious Praises; deep within the nucleus of his own self, he finds the sublime essence of the Lord's elixir.
The Lord has become Merciful to meek Nanak, and through the Word of the Shabad, his desires are quenched. ||4||8||
Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl, Panch-Padas:
If one eats the uneatable, then he becomes a Siddha, a being of perfect spirituality; through this perfection, he obtains wisdom.
When the arrow of the Lord's Love pierces his body, then his doubt is eradicated. ||1||
O my Lord of the Universe, please bless Your humble servant with glory.
Under Guru's Instructions, enlighten me with the Lord's Name, that I may dwell forever in Your Sanctuary. ||Pause||
This whole world is engrossed in coming and going; O my foolish and ignorant mind, be mindful of the Lord.
O Dear Lord, please, take pity upon me, and unite me with the Guru, that I may merge in the Lord's Name. ||2||
Only one who has it knows God; he alone has it, to whom God has given it - so very beautiful, unapproachable and unfathomable. Through the Perfect Guru, the unknowable is known. ||3||
Only one who tastes it knows it, like the mute, who tastes the sweet candy, but cannot speak of it.

The jewel is concealed, but it is not concealed, even though one may try to conceal it. ||4||
Everything is Yours, O Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts; You are the Lord God of all.
He alone receives the gift, unto whom You give it; O servant Nanak, there is no one else. ||5||9||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, First House, Ti-Tukas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Who should I ask? Who should I worship? All were created by Him.
Whoever appears to be the greatest of the great, shall ultimately be mixed with the dust.
The Fearless, Formless Lord, the Destroyer of Fear bestows all comforts, and the nine treasures. ||1||
O Dear Lord, Your gifts alone satisfy me.
Why should I praise the poor helpless man? Why should I feel subservient to him? ||Pause||
All things come to one who meditates on the Lord; the Lord satisfies his hunger.
The Lord, the Giver of peace, bestows such wealth, that it can never be exhausted.
I am in ecstasy, absorbed in celestial peace; the True Guru has united me in His Union. ||2||
O mind, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord; worship the Naam, night and day, and recite the Naam.
Listen to the Teachings of the Holy Saints, and all fear of death will be dispelled.
Those blessed by God's Grace are attached to the Word of the Guru's Bani. ||3||
Who can estimate Your worth, God? You are kind and compassionate to all beings.
Everything which You do, prevails; I am just a poor child - what can I do?
Protect and preserve Your servant Nanak; be kind to him, like a father to his son. ||4||1||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, First House, Chau-Tukas:
Praise the Guru, and the Lord of the Universe, O Siblings of Destiny; enshrine Him in your mind, body and heart.
Let the True Lord and Master abide in your mind, O Siblings of Destiny; this is the most excellent way of life.
Those bodies, in which the Name of the Lord does not well up, O Siblings of Destiny - those bodies are reduced to ashes.
I am a sacrifice to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Siblings of Destiny; they take the Support of the One and Only Lord. ||1||
So worship and adore that True Lord, O Siblings of Destiny; He alone does everything.
The Perfect Guru has taught me, O Siblings of Destiny, that without Him, there is no other at all. ||Pause||
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they putrefy and die, O Siblings of Destiny; their numbers cannot be counted.
Without Truth, purity cannot be achieved, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord is true and unfathomable.
Coming and going do not end, O Siblings of Destiny; pride in worldly valuables is false.
The Gurmukh saves millions of people, O Siblings of Destiny, blessing them with even a particle of the Name. ||2||
I have searched through the Simritees and the Shaastras, O Siblings of Destiny - without the True Guru, doubt does not depart.
They are so tired of performing their many deeds, O Siblings of Destiny, but they fall into bondage again and again.
I have searched in the four directions, O Siblings of Destiny, but without the True Guru, there is no place at all.

By great good fortune, I found the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, and I meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The Truth is forever pure, O Siblings of Destiny; those who are true are pure.
When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, O Siblings of Destiny, then one obtains Him.
Among millions, O Siblings of Destiny, hardly one humble servant of the Lord is found.
Nanak is imbued with the True Name, O Siblings of Destiny; hearing it, the mind and body become immaculately pure. ||4||2||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Du-Tukas:
As long as this person believes in love and hate, it is difficult for him to meet the Lord.
As long as he discriminates between himself and others, he will distance himself from the Lord. ||1||
O Lord, grant me such understanding,
that I might serve the Holy Saints, and seek the protection of their feet, and not forget them, for a moment, even an instant. ||Pause||
O foolish, thoughtless and fickle mind, such understanding did not come into your heart.
Renouncing the Lord of Life, you have become engrossed in other things, and you are involved with your enemies. ||2||
Sorrow does not afflict one who does not harbor self-conceit; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have attained this understanding.
Know that the babbling of the faithless cynic is like wind passing by. ||3||
This mind is inundated by millions of sins - what can I say?
Nanak, Your humble servant has come to Your Sanctuary, God; please, erase all his accounts. ||4||3||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Children, spouses, men and women in one's household, are all bound by Maya.
At the very last moment, none of them shall stand by you; their love is totally false. ||1||
O man, why do you pamper your body so?
It shall disperse like a cloud of smoke; vibrate upon the One, the Beloved Lord. ||Pause||
There are three ways in which the body can be consumed - it can be thrown into water, given to the dogs, or cremated to ashes.
He considers himself to be immortal; he sits in his home, and forgets the Lord, the Cause of causes. ||2||
In various ways, the Lord has fashioned the beads, and strung them on a slender thread.
The thread shall break, O wretched man, and then, you shall repent and regret. ||3||
He created you, and after creating you, He adorned you - meditate on Him day and night.
God has showered His Mercy upon servant Nanak; I hold tight to the Support of the True Guru. ||4||4||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I met the True Guru, by great good fortune, and my mind has been enlightened.
No one else can equal me, because I have the loving support of my Lord and Master. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru.
I am at peace in this world, and I shall be in celestial peace in the next; my home is filled with bliss. ||Pause||
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, the Creator, my Lord and Master.
I have become fearless, attached to the Guru's feet; I take the Support of the Name of the One Lord. ||2||
Fruitful is the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; the Form of God is deathless; He is and shall always be.
He hugs His humble servants close, and protects and preserves them; their love for Him is sweet to Him. ||3||
Great is His glorious greatness, and wondrous is His magnificence; through Him, all affairs are resolved.

Nanak has met with the Perfect Guru; all his sorrows have been dispelled. ||4||5||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
To the happy person, everyone seems happy; to the sick person, everyone seems sick.
The Lord and Master acts, and causes us to act; union is in His Hands. ||1||
O my mind, no one appears to be mistaken, to one who has dispelled his own doubts; he realizes that everyone is God. ||Pause||
One whose mind is comforted in the Society of the Saints, believes that all are joyful.
One whose mind is afflicted by the disease of egotism, cries out in birth and death. ||2||
Everything is clear to one whose eyes are blessed with the ointment of spiritual wisdom.
In the darkness of spiritual ignorance, he sees nothing at all; he wanders around in reincarnation, over and over again. ||3||
Hear my prayer, O Lord and Master; Nanak begs for this happiness:
whereever Your Holy Saints sing the Kirtan of Your Praises, let my mind be attached to that place. ||4||6||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
My body belongs to the Saints, my wealth belongs to the Saints, and my mind belongs to the Saints.
By the Grace of the Saints, I meditate on the Lord's Name, and then, all comforts come to me. ||1||
Without the Saints, there are no other givers.
Whoever takes to the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints, is carried across. ||Pause||
Millions of sins are erased by serving the humble Saints, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord with love.
One finds peace in this world, and one's face is radiant in the next world, by associating with the humble Saints, through great good fortune. ||2||
I have only one tongue, and the Lord's humble servant is filled with countless virtues; how can I sing his praises?
The inaccessible, unapproachable and eternally unchanging Lord is obtained in the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||3||
I am worthless, lowly, without friends or support, and full of sins; I long for the Shelter of the Saints.
I am drowning in the deep, dark pit of household attachments - please save me, Lord! ||4||7||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, First House:
O Creator Lord, You fulfill the desires of those, within whose heart You abide.
Your slaves do not forget You; the dust of Your feet is pleasing to their minds. ||1||
Your Unspoken Speech cannot be spoken.
O treasure of excellence, Giver of peace, Lord and Master, Your greatness is the highest of all. ||Pause||
The mortal does those deeds, and those alone, which You ordained by destiny.
Your servant, whom You bless with Your service, is satisfied and fulfilled, beholding the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||2||
You are contained in all, but he alone realizes this, whom You bless with understanding.
By Guru's Grace, his spiritual ignorance is dispelled, and he is respected everywhere. ||3||
He alone is spiritually enlightened, he alone is a meditator, and he alone is a man of good nature.
Says Nanak, one unto whom the Lord becomes Merciful, does not forget the Lord from his mind. ||4||8||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The whole creation is engrossed in emotional attachment; sometimes, one is high, and at other times, low.
No one can be purified by any rituals or devices; they cannot reach their goal. ||1||

O my mind, emancipation is attained in the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints.
Without the Perfect Guru, births and deaths do not cease, and one comes and goes, over and over again. ||Pause||
The whole world is entangled in what is called the delusion of doubt.
The perfect devotee of the Primal Lord God remains detached from everything. ||2||
Don't indulge in slander for any reason, for everything is the creation of the Lord and Master.
One who is blessed with the Mercy of my God, dwells on the Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, the True Guru, saves all.
Says Nanak, without the Guru, no one crosses over; this is the perfect essence of all contemplation. ||4||9||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I have searched and searched and searched, and found that the Lord's Name is the most sublime reality.
Contemplating it for even an instant, sins are erased; the Gurmukh is carried across and saved. ||1||
Drink in the sublime essence of the Lord's Name, O man of spiritual wisdom.
Listening to the Ambrosial Words of the Holy Saints, the mind finds absolute fulfillment and satisfaction. ||Pause||
Liberation, pleasures, and the true way of life are obtained from the Lord, the Giver of all peace.
The Perfect Lord, the Architect of Destiny, blesses His slave with the gift of devotional worship. ||2||
Hear with your ears, and sing with your tongue, and meditate within your heart on Him.
The Lord and Master is all-powerful, the Cause of causes; without Him, there is nothing at all. ||3||
By great good fortune, I have obtained the jewel of human life; have mercy on me, O Merciful Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and contemplates Him forever in meditation. ||4||10||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
After taking your cleansing bath, remember your God in meditation, and your mind and body shall be free of disease.
Millions of obstacles are removed, in the Sanctuary of God, and good fortune dawns. ||1||
The Word of God's Bani, and His Shabad, are the best utterances.
So constantly sing them, listen to them, and read them, O Siblings of Destiny, and the Perfect Guru shall save you. ||Pause||
The glorious greatness of the True Lord is immeasurable; the Merciful Lord is the Lover of His devotees.
He has preserved the honor of His Saints; from the very beginning of time, His Nature is to cherish them. ||2||
So eat the Ambrosial Name of the Lord as your food; put it into your mouth at all times.
The pains of old age and death shall all depart, when you constantly sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||3||
My Lord and Master has heard my prayer, and all my affairs have been resolved.
The glorious greatness of Guru Nanak is manifest, throughout all the ages. ||4||11||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The One God is our father; we are the children of the One God. You are our Guru.
Listen, friends: my soul is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You; O Lord, reveal to me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||

Listen, friends: I am a sacrifice to the dust of Your feet.
This mind is yours, O Siblings of Destiny. ||Pause||
I wash your feet, I massage and clean them; I give this mind to you.
Listen, friends: I have come to Your Sanctuary; teach me, that I might unite with God. ||2||
Do not be proud; seek His Sanctuary, and accept as good all that He does.
Listen, friends: dedicate your soul, body and your whole being to Him; thus you shall receive the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||3||
He has shown mercy to me, by the Grace of the Saints; the Lord's Name is sweet to me.
The Guru has shown mercy to servant Nanak; I see the casteless, immaculate Lord everywhere. ||4||1||12||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
God is the Lord and Master of millions of universes; He is the Giver of all beings.
He ever cherishes and cares for all beings, but the fool does not appreciate any of His virtues. ||1||
I do not know how to worship the Lord in adoration.
I can only repeat, "Lord, Lord, Guru, Guru."
O Dear Lord, I go by the name of the Lord's slave. ||Pause||
The Compassionate Lord is Merciful to the meek, the ocean of peace; He fills all hearts.
He sees, hears, and is always with me; but I am a fool, and I think that He is far away. ||2||
The Lord is limitless, but I can only describe Him within my limitations; what do I know, about what He is like?
I offer my prayer to my True Guru; I am so foolish - please, teach me! ||3||
I am just a fool, but millions of sinners just like me have been saved.
Those who have heard, and seen Guru Nanak, do not descend into the womb of reincarnation again. ||4||2||13||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Those things, which caused me such anxiety, have all vanished.
Now, I sleep in peace and tranquility, and my mind is in a state of deep and profound peace; the inverted lotus of my heart has blossomed forth. ||1||
Behold, a wondrous miracle has happened!
That Lord and Master, whose wisdom is said to be unfathomable, has been enshrined within my heart, by the Guru. ||Pause||
The demons which tormented me so much, have themselves become terrified.
They pray: please, save us from your Lord Master; we seek your protection. ||2||
When the treasure of the Lord of the Universe is opened, those who are pre-destined, receive it.
The Guru has given me the one jewel, and my mind and body have become peaceful and tranquil. ||3||
The Guru has blessed me with the one drop of Ambrosial Nectar, and so I have become stable, unmoving and immortal - I shall not die.
The Lord blessed Guru Nanak with the treasure of devotional worship, and did not call him to account again. ||4||3||14||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Those whose minds are attached to the lotus feet of the Lord - those humble beings are satisfied and fulfilled.
But those, within whose hearts the priceless virtue does not abide - those men remain thirsty and unsatisfied. ||1||
Worshipping the Lord in adoration, one becomes happy, and free of disease.
But one who forgets my Dear Lord - know him to be afflicted with tens of thousands of illnesses. ||Pause||

Those who hold tightly to Your Support, God, are happy in Your Sanctuary.
But those humble beings who forget the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, are counted among the most miserable beings. ||2||
One who has faith in the Guru, and who is lovingly attached to God, enjoys the delights of supreme ecstasy.
One who forgets God and forsakes the Guru, falls into the most horrible hell. ||3||
As the Lord engages someone, so he is engaged, and so does he perform.
Nanak has taken to the Shelter of the Saints; his heart is absorbed in the Lord's feet. ||4||4||15||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
As the king is entangled in kingly affairs, and the egotist in his own egotism,
and the greedy man is enticed by greed, so is the spiritually enlightened being absorbed in the Love of the Lord. ||1||
This is what befits the Lord's servant.
Beholding the Lord near at hand, he serves the True Guru, and he is satisfied through the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||Pause||
The addict is addicted to his drug, and the landlord is in love with his land.
As the baby is attached to his milk, so the Saint is in love with God. ||2||
The scholar is absorbed in scholarship, and the eyes are happy to see.
As the tongue savors the tastes, so does the humble servant of the Lord sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
As is the hunger, so is the fulfiller; He is the Lord and Master of all hearts.
Nanak thirsts for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan; he has met God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||4||5||16||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
We are filthy, and You are immaculate, O Creator Lord; we are worthless, and You are the Great Giver.
We are fools, and You are wise and all-knowing. You are the knower of all things. ||1||
O Lord, this is what we are, and this is what You are.
We are sinners, and You are the Destroyer of sins. Your abode is so beautiful, O Lord and Master. ||Pause||
You fashion all, and having fashioned them, You bless them. You bestow upon them soul, body and the breath of life.
We are worthless - we have no virtue at all; please, bless us with Your gift, O Merciful Lordand Master. ||2||
You do good for us, but we do not see it as good; You are kind and compassionate, forever and ever.
You are the Giver of peace, the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny; please, save us, Your children! ||3||
You are the treasure, eternal Lord King; all beings and creatures beg of You.
Says Nanak, such is our condition; please, Lord, keep us on the Path of the Saints. ||4||6||17||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
In our mother's womb, You blessed us with Your meditative remembrance, and You preserved us there.
Through the countless waves of the ocean of fire, please, carry us across and save us, O Savior Lord! ||1||
O Lord, You are the Master above my head.
Here and hereafter, You alone are my Support. ||Pause||
He looks upon the creation like a mountain of gold, and sees the Creator as a blade of grass.
You are the Great Giver, and we are all mere beggars; O God, You give gifts according to Your Will. ||2||
In an instant, You are one thing, and in another instant, You are another. Wondrous are Your ways!
You are beautiful, mysterious, profound, unfathomable, lofty, inaccessible and infinite. ||3||

When You brought me to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, then I heard the Bani of Your Word.
Nanak is in ecstasy, beholding the Glory of the Primal Lord of Nirvaanaa. ||4||7||18||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I am the dust of the feet of the Beloved Saints; I seek the Protection of their Sanctuary.
The Saints are my all-powerful Support; the Saints are my ornament and decoration. ||1||
I am hand and glove with the Saints.
I have realized my pre-ordained destiny.
This mind is yours, O Siblings of Destiny. ||Pause||
My dealings are with the Saints, and my business is with the Saints.
I have earned the profit with the Saints, and the treasure filled to over-flowing with devotion to the Lord. ||2||
The Saints entrusted to me the capital, and my mind's delusion was dispelled.
What can the Righteous Judge of Dharma do now? All my accounts have been torn up. ||3||
I have found the greatest bliss, and I am at peace, by the Grace of the Saints.
Says Nanak, my mind is reconciled with the Lord; it is imbued with the wondrous Love of the Lord. ||4||8||19||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
All the things that you see, O man, you shall have to leave behind.
Let your dealings be with the Lord's Name, and you shall attain the state of Nirvaanaa. ||1||
O my Beloved, You are the Giver of peace.
The Perfect Guru has given me these Teachings, and I am attuned to You. ||Pause||
In sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and self-conceit, peace is not to be found.
So be the dust of the feet of all, O my mind, and then you shall find bliss, joy and peace. ||2||
He knows the condition of your inner self, and He will not let your work go in vain - serve Him, O mind.
Worship Him, and dedicate this mind unto Him, the Image of the Undying Lord, the Divine Guru. ||3||
He is the Lord of the Universe, the Compassionate Lord, the Supreme Lord God, the Formless Lord.
The Naam is my merchandise, the Naam is my nourishment; the Naam, O Nanak, is the Support of my breath of life. ||4||9||20||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
He infuses the breath into the dead bodies, and he reunited the separated ones.
Even beasts, demons and fools become attentive listeners, when He sings the Praises of the Lord's Name. ||1||
Behold the glorious greatness of the Perfect Guru.
His worth cannot be described. ||Pause||
He has demolished the abode of sorrow and disease, and brought bliss, joy and happiness.
He effortlessly awards the fruits of the mind's desire, and all works are brought to perfection. ||2||
He finds peace in this world, and his face is radiant in the world hereafter; his comings and goings are finished.
He becomes fearless, and his heart is filled with the Naam, the Name of the Lord; his mind is pleasing to the True Guru. ||3||
Standing up and sitting down, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord; his pain, sorrow and doubt are dispelled.
Says Nanak, his karma is perfect; his mind is attached to the Guru's feet. ||4||10||21||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Forsaking the jewel, he is attached to the shell; nothing will come of it.

O my mind, meditate forever on the Perfect, Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord. ||1||
Meditate in remembrance on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O mortal.
Your frail body shall perish, you ignorant fool. ||Pause||
Illusions and dream-objects possess nothing of greatness.
Without meditating on the Lord, nothing succeeds, and nothing will go along with you. ||2||
Acting in egotism and pride, his life passes away, and he does nothing for his soul.
Wandering and wandering all around, he is never satisfied; he does not remember the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Intoxicated with the taste of corruption, cruel pleasures and countless sins, he is consigned to the cycle of reincarnation.
Nanak offers his prayer to God, to eradicate his demerits. ||4||11||22||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Perfect, Imperishable Lord, and the poison of sexual desire and anger shall be burnt away.
You shall cross over the awesome, arduous ocean of fire, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
The Perfect Guru has dispelled the darkness of doubt.
Remember God with love and devotion; He is near at hand. ||Pause||
Drink in the sublime essence, the treasure of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and your mind and body shall remain satisfied.
The Transcendent Lord is totally permeating and pervading everywhere; where would He come from, and where would He go? ||2||
One whose mind is filled with the Lord, is a person of meditation, penance, self-restraint and spiritual wisdom, and a knower of reality.
The Gurmukh obtains the jewel of the Naam; his efforts come to perfect fruition. ||3||
All his struggles, sufferings and pains are dispelled, and the noose of death is cut away from him.
Says Nanak, God has extended His Mercy, and so his mind and body blossom forth. ||4||12||23||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
God is the Doer, the Cause of causes, the Great Giver; God is the Supreme Lord and Master.
The Merciful Lord created all beings; God is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||1||
My Guru is Himself my friend and support.
I am in celestial peace, bliss, joy, pleasure and wondrous glory. ||Pause||
Seeking the Sanctuary of the Guru, my fears have been dispelled, and I am accepted in the Court of the True Lord.
Singing His Glorious Praises, and worshipping in adoration the Name of the Lord, I have reached my destination. ||2||
Everyone applauds and congratulates me; the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is dear to me.
I am forever a sacrifice to my God, who has totally protected and preserved my honor. ||3||
They are saved, who receive the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; they listen to the spiritual dialogue of the Naam.
Nanak's God has become Merciful to him; he has arrived home in ecstasy. ||4||13||24||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
In God's Sanctuary, all fears depart, suffering disappears, and peace is obtained.
When the Supreme Lord God and Master becomes merciful, we meditate on the Perfect True Guru. ||1||
O Dear God, You are my Lord Master and Great Giver.
By Your Mercy, O God, Merciful to the meek, imbue me with Your Love, that I might sing Your Glorious Praises. ||Pause||
The True Guru has implanted the treasure of the Naam within me, and all my anxieties have been dispelled.

By His Mercy, He has made me His own, and the imperishable Lord has come to dwell within my mind. ||2||
No misfortune afflicts one who is protected by the True Guru.
The Lotus Feet of God come to abide within his heart, and he savors the sublime essence of the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
So, as a servant, serve your God, who fulfills your mind's desires.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to the Perfect Lord, who has protected and preserved his honor. ||4||14||25||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Infatuated with the darkness of emotional attachment to Maya, he does not know the Lord, the Great Giver.
The Lord created his body and fashioned his soul, but he claims that his power is his own. ||1||
O foolish mind, God, your Lord and Master is watching over you.
Whatever you do, He knows; nothing can remain concealed from Him. ||Pause||
You are intoxicated with the tastes of the tongue, with greed and pride; countless sins spring from these.
You wandered in pain through countless incarnations, weighed down by the chains of egotism. ||2||
Behind closed doors, hidden by many screens, the man takes his pleasure with another man's wife.
When Chitr and Gupt, the celestial accountants of the conscious and subconscious, call for your account, who will screen you then? ||3||
O Perfect Lord, Merciful to the meek, Destroyer of pain, without You, I have no shelter at all.
Please, lift me up out of the world-ocean; O God, I have come to Your Sanctuary. ||4||15||26||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God has become my helper and friend; His sermon and the Kirtan of His Praises have brought me peace.
Chant the Word of the Perfect Guru's Bani, and be ever in bliss, O mortal. ||1||
Remember the True Lord in meditation, O Siblings of Destiny.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, eternal peace is obtained, and the Lord is never forgotten. ||Pause||
Your Name, O Transcendent Lord, is Ambrosial Nectar; whoever meditates on it, lives.
One who is blessed with God's Grace - that humble servant becomes immaculate and pure. ||2||
Obstacles are removed, and all pains are eliminated; my mind is attached to the Guru's feet.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the immovable and imperishable Lord, one remains awake to the Lord's Love, day and night. ||3||
He obtains the fruits of his mind's desires, listening to the comforting sermon of the Lord.
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, God is Nanak's best friend. ||4||16||27||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Panch-Padas:
May my emotional attachment, my sense of mine and yours, and my self-conceit be dispelled. ||1||
O Saints, show me such a way,
by which my egotism and pride might be eliminated. ||1||Pause||
I see the Supreme Lord God in all beings, and I am the dust of all. ||2||
I see God always with me, and the wall of doubt has been shattered. ||3||
The medicine of the Naam, and the Immaculate Water of Ambrosial Nectar, are obtained through the Guru's Gate. ||4||
Says Nanak, one who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead, meets with the Guru, and his diseases are cured. ||5||17||28||

Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Fire is contained in all firewood, and butter is contained in all milk.
God's Light is contained in the high and the low; the Lord is in the hearts of all beings. ||1||
O Saints, He is pervading and permeating each and every heart.
The Perfect Lord is completely permeating everyone, everywhere; He is diffused in the water and the land. ||1||Pause||
Nanak sings the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of excellence; the True Guru has dispelled his doubt.
The Lord is pervading everywhere, permeating all, and yet, He is unattached from all. ||2||1||29||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on Him, one is in ecstasy; the pains of birth and death and fear are removed.
The four cardinal blessings, and the nine treasures are received; you shall never feel hunger or thirst again. ||1||
Chanting His Name, you shall be at peace.
With each and every breath, meditate on the Lord and Master, O my soul, with mind, body and mouth. ||1||Pause||
You shall find peace, and your mind shall be soothed and cooled; the fire of desire shall not burn within you.
The Guru has revealed God to Nanak, in the three worlds, in the water, the earth and the woods. ||2||2||30||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Sexual desire, anger, greed, falsehood and slander - please, save me from these, O Lord.
Please eradicate these from within me, and call me to come close to You. ||1||
You alone teach me Your Ways.
With the Lord's humble servants, I sing His Praises. ||1||Pause||
May I never forget the Lord within my heart; please, instill such understanding within my mind.
By great good fortune, servant Nanak has met with the Perfect Guru, and now, he will not go anywhere else. ||2||3||31||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on Him, all things are obtained, and one's efforts shall not be in vain.
Forsaking God, why do you attach yourself to another? He is contained in everything. ||1||
O Saints, meditate in remembrance on the World-Lord, Har, Har.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; your efforts shall be rewarded. ||1||Pause||
He ever preserves and cherishes His servant; with Love, He hugs him close.
Says Nanak, forgetting You, O God, how can the world find life? ||2||4||32||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
He is imperishable, the Giver of all beings; meditating on Him, all filth is removed.
He is the treasure of excellence, the object of His devotees, but rare are those who find Him. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Guru, and God, the Cherisher of the world.
Seeking His Sanctuary, one finds peace, and he shall not suffer in pain again. ||1||Pause||
By great good fortune, one obtains the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Meeting them, evil-mindedness is eliminated.

Slave Nanak yearns for the dust of the feet of those, who have woven the Lord's Name into their hearts. ||2||5||33||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
He dispels the pains of countless incarnations, and lends support to the dry and shrivelled mind.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, one is enraptured, contemplating the Name of the Lord. ||1||
My physician is the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
He places the medicine of the Naam into my mouth, and cuts away the noose of Death. ||1||Pause||
He is the all-powerful, Perfect Lord, the Architect of Destiny; He Himself is the Doer of deeds.
The Lord Himself saves His slave; Nanak takes the Support of the Naam. ||2||6||34||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Only You know the state of my innermost self; You alone can judge me.
Please forgive me, O Lord God Master; I have committed thousands of sins and mistakes. ||1||
O my Dear Lord God Master, You are always near me.
O Lord, please bless Your disciple with the shelter of Your feet. ||1||Pause||
Infinite and endless is my Lord and Master; He is lofty, virtuous and profoundly deep.
Cutting away the noose of death, the Lord has made Nanak His slave, and now, what does he owe to anyone else? ||2||7||35||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, became merciful to me, and I obtained all of my mind's desires.
I have become stable and steady, touching the Lord's Feet, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||
It is a good time, a perfectly auspicious time.
I am in celestial peace, tranquility and ecstasy, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the unstruck melody of the sound current vibrates and resounds. ||1||Pause||
Meeting with my Beloved Lord and Master, my home has become a mansion filled with happiness.
Servant Nanak has attained the treasure of the Lord's Name; all his desires have been fulfilled. ||2||8||36||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru's feet abide within my heart; God has blessed me with good fortune.
The Perfect Transcendent Lord became merciful to me, and I found the treasure of the Naam within my mind. ||1||
My Guru is my Saving Grace, my only best friend.
Over and over again, He blesses me with double, even four-fold, greatness. ||1||Pause||
God saves all beings and creatures, giving them the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Wondrous is the glorious greatness of the Perfect Guru; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||9||37||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I gather in and collect the immaculate wealth of the Naam; this commodity is inaccessible and incomparable.
Revel in it, delight in it, be happy and enjoy peace, and live long, O Sikhs and brethren. ||1||
I have the support of the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
By the Grace of the Saints, I have found the boat of Truth; embarking on it, I sail across the ocean of poison. ||1||Pause||
The perfect, imperishable Lord has become merciful; He Himself has taken care of me.
Beholding, beholding His Vision, Nanak has blossomed forth in ecstasy. O Nanak, He is beyond estimation. ||2||10||38||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has revealed His power, and compassion has welled up in every heart.
Blending me with Himself, He has blessed me with glorious greatness, and I have found pleasure and happiness. ||1||
The Perfect True Guru is always with me.

Meditating on the Supreme Lord God, I am forever in ecstasy. ||Pause||
Inwardly and outwardly, in all places and interspaces, wherever I look, He is there.
Nanak has found the Guru, by great good fortune; no one else is as great as He. ||2||11||39||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I have been blessed with peace, pleasure, bliss, and the celestial sound current, gazing upon the feet of God.
The Savior has saved His child, and the True Guru has cured his fever. ||1||
I have been saved, in the True Guru's Sanctuary;
service to Him does not go in vain. ||1||Pause||
There is peace within the home of one's heart, and there is peace outside as well, when God becomes kind and compassionate.
O Nanak, no obstacles block my way; my God has become gracious and merciful to me. ||2||12||40||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, my mind became excited, and I sang the Praises of the jewel of the Naam.
My anxiety was dispelled, meditating in remembrance on the Infinite Lord; I have crossed over the world ocean, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
I enshrine the Lord's Feet within my heart.
I have found peace, and the celestial sound current resounds within me; countless diseases have been eradicated. ||Pause||
Which of Your Glorious Virtues can I speak and describe? Your worth cannot be estimated.
O Nanak, the Lord's devotees become imperishable and immortal; their God becomes their friend and support. ||2||13||41||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
My sufferings have come to an end, and all diseases have been eradicated.
God has showered me with His Grace. Twenty-four hours a day, I worship and adore my Lord and Master; my efforts have come to fruition. ||1||
O Dear Lord, You are my peace, wealth and capital.
Please, save me, O my Beloved! I offer this prayer to my God. ||Pause||
Whatever I ask for, I receive; I have total faith in my Master.
Says Nanak, I have met with the Perfect Guru, and all my fears have been dispelled. ||2||14||42||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on my Guru, the True Guru, all pains have been eradicated.
The fever and the disease are gone, through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, and I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires. ||1||
My Perfect Guru is the Giver of peace.
He is the Doer, the Cause of causes, the Almighty Lord and Master, the Perfect Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny. ||Pause||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord in bliss, joy and ecstasy; Guru Nanak has become kind and compassionate.
Shouts of cheers and congratulations ring out all over the world; the Supreme Lord God has become my Savior and Protector. ||2||15||43||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
He did not take my accounts into account; such is His forgiving nature.
He gave me His hand, and saved me and made me His own; forever and ever, I enjoy His Love. ||1||
The True Lord and Master is forever merciful and forgiving.
My Perfect Guru has bound me to Him, and now, I am in absolute ecstasy. ||Pause||
The One who fashioned the body and placed the soul within, who gives you clothing and nourishment
- He Himself preserves the honor of His slaves. Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||16||44||

Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord God Himself has rid the whole world of its sins, and saved it.
The Supreme Lord God extended His mercy, and confirmed His innate nature. ||1||
I have attained the Protective Sanctuary of the Lord, my King.
In celestial peace and ecstasy, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and my mind, body and being are at peace. ||Pause||
My True Guru is the Savior of sinners; I have placed my trust and faith in Him.
The True Lord has heard Nanak's prayer, and He has forgiven everything. ||2||17||45||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, has forgiven me, and all diseases have been cured.
Those who come to the Sanctuary of the True Guru are saved, and all their affairs are resolved. ||1||
The Lord's humble servant meditates in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; this is his only support.
The Perfect True Guru extended His Mercy, and the fever has been dispelled. ||Pause||
So celebrate and be happy, my beloveds - the Guru has saved Hargobind.
Great is the glorious greatness of the Creator, O Nanak; True is the Word of His Shabad, and True is the sermon of His Teachings. ||2||18||46||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
My Lord and Master has become Merciful, in His True Court.
The True Guru has taken away the fever, and the whole world is at peace, O Siblings of Destiny.
The Lord Himself protects His beings and creatures, and the Messenger of Death is out of work. ||1||
Enshrine the Lord's feet within your heart.
Forever and ever, meditate in remembrance on God, O Siblings of Destiny. He is the Eradicator of suffering and sins. ||1||Pause||
He fashioned all beings, O Siblings of Destiny, and His Sanctuary saves them.
He is the Almighty Creator, the Cause of causes, O Siblings of Destiny; He, the True Lord, is True.
Nanak: meditate on God, O Siblings of Destiny, and your mind and body shall be cool and calm. ||2||19||47||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
O Saints, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Never forget God, the ocean of peace; thus you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires. ||1||Pause||
Extending His Mercy, the Perfect True Guru has dispelled the fever.
The Supreme Lord God has become kind and compassionate, and my whole family is now free of pain and suffering. ||1||
The Treasure of absolute joy, sublime elixir and beauty, the Name of the Lord is my only Support.
O Nanak, the Transcendent Lord has preserved my honor, and saved the whole world. ||2||20||48||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
My True Guru is my Savior and Protector.
Showering us with His Mercy and Grace, God extended His Hand, and saved Hargobind, who is now safe and secure. ||1||Pause||
The fever is gone - God Himself eradicated it, and preserved the honor of His servant.
I have obtained all blessings from the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||1||
God has saved me, both here and hereafter. He has not taken my merits and demerits into account.

Your Word is eternal, O Guru Nanak; You placed Your Hand of blessing upon my forehead. ||2||21||49||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
All beings and creatures were created by Him; He alone is the support and friend of the Saints.
He Himself preserves the honor of His servants; their glorious greatness becomes perfect. ||1||
The Perfect Supreme Lord God is always with me.
The Perfect Guru has perfectly and totally protected me, and now everyone is kind and compassionate to me. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He is the Giver of the soul, and the breath of life itself.
He hugs His slave close in His loving embrace, like the mother and father hug their child. ||2||22||50||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Third House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meeting with the council, my doubts were not dispelled.
The chiefs did not give me satisfaction.
I presented my dispute to the noblemen as well.
But it was only settled by meeting with the King, my Lord. ||1||
Now, I do not go searching anywhere else,
because I have met the Guru, the Lord of the Universe. ||Pause||
When I came to God's Darbaar, His Holy Court,
then all of my cries and complaints were settled.
Now that I have attained what I had sought,
where should I come and where should I go? ||2||
There, true justice is administered.
There, the Lord Master and His disciple are one and the same.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, knows.
Without our speaking, He understands. ||3||
He is the King of all places.
There, the unstruck melody of the Shabad resounds.
Of what use is cleverness when dealing with Him?
Meeting with Him, O Nanak, one loses his self-conceit. ||4||1||51||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your heart;
sitting within your own home, meditate on the Guru.
The Perfect Guru has spoken the Truth;
the True Peace is obtained only from the Lord. ||1||
My Guru has become merciful.
In bliss, peace, pleasure and joy, I have returned to my own home, after my purifying bath. ||Pause||
True is the glorious greatness of the Guru;
His worth cannot be described.
He is the Supreme Overlord of kings.
Meeting with the Guru, the mind is enraptured. ||2||
All sins are washed away,
meeting with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The Lord's Name is the treasure of excellence;
chanting it, one's affairs are perfectly resolved. ||3||
The Guru has opened the door of liberation,
and the entire world applauds Him with cheers of victory.
O Nanak, God is always with me;
my fears of birth and death are gone. ||4||2||52||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has granted His Grace,
and God has fulfilled my desire.
After taking my bath of purification, I returned to my home,
and I found bliss, happiness and peace. ||1||
O Saints, salvation comes from the Lord's Name.
While standing up and sitting down, meditate on the Lord's Name. Night and day, do good deeds. ||1||Pause||

The way of the Saints is the ladder of righteous living, found only by great good fortune.
The sins of millions of incarnations are washed away, by focusing your consciousness on the Lord's feet. ||2||
So sing the Praises of your God forever; His almighty power is perfect.
All beings and creatures are purified, listening to the True Teachings of the True Guru. ||3||
The True Guru has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me; it is the Eliminator of obstructions, the Destroyer of all pains.
All of my sins were erased, and I have been purified; servant Nanak has returned to his home of peace. ||4||3||53||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord Master, You are the ocean of excellence.
My home and all my possessions are Yours.
The Guru, the Lord of the world, is my Savior.
All beings have become kind and compassionate to me. ||1||
Meditating on the Guru's feet, I am in bliss.
There is no fear at all, in God's Sanctuary. ||Pause||
You dwell in the hearts of Your slaves, Lord.
God has laid the eternal foundation.
You are my strength, wealth and support.
You are my Almighty Lord and Master. ||2||
Whoever finds the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
is saved by God Himself.
By His Grace, He has blessed me with the sublime essence of the Naam.
All joy and pleasure then came to me. ||3||
God became my helper and my best friend;
everyone rises up and bows down at my feet.
With each and every breath, meditate on God;
O Nanak, sing the songs of joy to the Lord. ||4||4||54||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Celestial peace and bliss have come,
meeting God, who is so pleasing to my mind.
The Perfect Guru showered me with His Mercy,
and I attained salvation. ||1||
My mind is absorbed in loving devotional worship of the Lord,
and the unstruck melody of the celestial sound current ever resounds within me. ||Pause||
The Lord's feet are my all-powerful shelter and support;
my dependence on other people is totally finished.
I have found the Life of the world, the Great Giver;
in joyful rapture, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
God has cut away the noose of death.
My mind's desires have been fulfilled;
wherever I look, He is there.
Without the Lord God, there is no other at all. ||3||
In His Mercy, God has protected and preserved me.
I am rid of all the pains of countless incarnations.
I have meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Fearless Lord;
O Nanak, I have found eternal peace. ||4||5||55||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Creator has brought utter peace to my home;
the fever has left my family.
The Perfect Guru has saved us.
I sought the Sanctuary of the True Lord. ||1||
The Transcendent Lord Himself has become my Protector.
Tranquility, intuitive peace and poise welled up in an instant, and my mind was comforted forever. ||Pause||
The Lord, Har, Har, gave me the medicine of His Name,
which has cured all disease.
He extended His Mercy to me,
and resolved all these affairs. ||2||
God confirmed His loving nature;
He did not take my merits or demerits into account.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad has become manifest,

and through it, my honor was totally preserved. ||3||
I speak as You cause me to speak;
O Lord and Master, You are the ocean of excellence.
Nanak chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, according to the Teachings of Truth.
God preserves the honor of His slaves. ||4||6||56||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Creator Lord Himself stood between us,
and not a hair upon my head was touched.
The Guru made my cleansing bath successful;
meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, my sins were erased. ||1||
O Saints, the purifying pool of Ram Das is sublime.
Whoever bathes in it, his family and ancestry are saved, and his soul is saved as well. ||1||Pause||
The world sings cheers of victory,
and the fruits of his mind's desires are obtained.
Whoever comes and bathes here, and meditates on his God, is safe and sound. ||2||
One who bathes in the healing pool of the Saints,
that humble being obtains the supreme status.
He does not die, or come and go in reincarnation;
he meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
He alone knows this about God,
whom God blesses with His kindness.
Baba Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God;
all his worries and anxieties are dispelled. ||4||7||57||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God has stood by me and fulfilled me,
and nothing is left unfinished.
Attached to the Guru's feet, I am saved;
I contemplate and cherish the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
He is forever the Savior of His slaves.
Bestowing His Mercy, He made me His own and preserved me; like a mother or father, He cherishes me. ||1||Pause||
By great good fortune, I found the True Guru,
who obliterated the path of the Messenger of Death.
My consciousness is focused on loving, devotional worship of the Lord.
One who lives in this meditation is very fortunate indeed. ||2||
He sings the Ambrosial Word of the Guru's Bani,
and bathes in the dust of the feet of the Holy.
He Himself bestows His Name.
God, the Creator, saves us. ||3||
The Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan is the support of the breath of life.
This is the perfect, pure wisdom.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, has granted His Mercy;
slave Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of his Lord and Master. ||4||8||58||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has attached me to His feet.
I have obtained the Lord as my companion, my support, my best friend.
Wherever I go, I am happy there.
By His Kind Mercy, God united me with Himself. ||1||
So sing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord with loving devotion.
You shall obtain all the fruits of your mind's desires, and the Lord shall become the companion and the support of your soul. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is the support of the breath of life.
I am the dust of the feet of the Holy people.
I am a sinner, but the Lord made me pure.
By His Kind Mercy, the Lord blessed me with His Praises. ||2||
The Supreme Lord God cherishes and nurtures me.
He is always with me, the Protector of my soul.
Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises day and night,
I shall not be consigned to reincarnation again. ||3||
One who is blessed by the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny,
realizes the subtle essence of the Lord.
The Messenger of Death does not come near him.
In the Lord's Sanctuary, Nanak has found peace. ||4||9||59||

Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has made me perfect.
God is totally pervading and permeating everywhere.
With joy and pleasure, I take my purifying bath.
I am a sacrifice to the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
I enshrine the lotus feet of the Guru within my heart.
Not even the tiniest obstacle blocks my way; all my affairs are resolved. ||1||Pause||
Meeting with the Holy Saints, my evil-mindedness was eradicated.
All the sinners are purified.
Bathing in the sacred pool of Guru Ram Das,
all the sins one has committed are washed away. ||2||
So sing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe;
joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate on Him.
The fruits of your mind's desires are obtained
by meditating on the Perfect Guru within your heart. ||3||
The Guru, the Lord of the World, is blissful;
chanting, meditating on the Lord of supreme bliss, He lives.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
God has confirmed His innate nature. ||4||10||60||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
In the ten directions, the clouds cover the sky like a canopy; through the dark clouds, lightning flashes, and I am terrified.
By bed is empty, and my eyes are sleepless; my Husband Lord has gone far away. ||1||
Now, I receive no messages from Him, O mother!
When my Beloved used to go even a mile away, He would send me four letters. ||Pause||
How could I forget this Dear Beloved of mine? He is the Giver of peace, and all virtues.
Ascending to His Mansion, I gaze upon His path, and my eyes are filled with tears. ||2||
The wall of egotism and pride separates us, but I can hear Him nearby.
There is a veil between us, like the wings of a butterfly; without being able to see Him, He seems so far away. ||3||
The Lord and Master of all has become merciful; He has dispelled all my sufferings.
Says Nanak, when the Guru tore down the wall of egotism, then, I found my Merciful Lord and Master. ||4||
All my fears have been dispelled, O mother!
Whoever I seek, the Guru leads me to find.
The Lord, our King, is the treasure of all virtue. ||Second Pause||11||61||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Restorer of what was taken away, the Liberator from captivity; the Formless Lord, the Destroyer of pain.
I do not know about karma and good deeds; I do not know about Dharma and righteous living. I am so greedy, chasing after Maya.
I go by the name of God's devotee; please, save this honor of Yours. ||1||
O Dear Lord, You are the honor of the dishonored.
You make the unworthy ones worthy, O my Lord of the Universe; I am a sacrifice to Your almighty creative power. ||Pause||
Like the child, innocently making thousands of mistakes
- his father teaches him, and scolds him so many times, but still, he hugs him close in his embrace.
Please forgive my past actions, God, and place me on Your path for the future. ||2||
The Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, knows all about my state of mind; so who else should I go to and speak to?
The Lord, the Lord of the Universe, is not pleased by mere recitation of words; if it is pleasing to His Will, He preserves our honor.
I have seen all other shelters, but Yours alone remains for me. ||3||

Becoming kind and compassionate, God the Lord and Master Himself listens to my prayer.
He unites me in Union with the Perfect True Guru, and all the cares and anxieties of my mind are dispelled.
The Lord, Har, Har, has placed the medicine of the Naam into my mouth; servant Nanak abides in peace. ||4||12||62||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering, remembering God in meditation, bliss ensues, and one is rid of all suffering and pain.
Singing the Glorious Praises of God, and meditating on Him, all my affairs are brought into harmony. ||1||
Your Name is the Life of the world.
The Perfect Guru has taught me, that by meditating, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||Pause||
You are Your own advisor; You hear everything, God, and You do everything.
You Yourself are the Giver, and You Yourself are the Enjoyer. What can this poor creature do? ||2||
Which of Your Glorious Virtues should I describe and speak of? Your value cannot be described.
I live by beholding, beholding You, O God. Your glorious greatness is wonderful and amazing! ||3||
Granting His Grace, God my Lord and Master Himself saved my honor, and my intellect has been made perfect.
Forever and ever, Nanak is a sacrifice, longing for the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||13||63||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I bow in reverence to the Perfect Guru.
God has resolved all my affairs.
The Lord has showered me with His Mercy.
God has perfectly preserved my honor. ||1||
He has become the help and support of His slave.
The Creator has achieved all my goals, and now, nothing is lacking. ||Pause||
The Creator Lord has caused the pool of nectar to be constructed.
The wealth of Maya follows in my footsteps,
and now, nothing is lacking at all.
This is pleasing to my Perfect True Guru. ||2||
Remembering, remembering the Merciful Lord in meditation,
all beings have become kind and compassionate to me.
Hail! Hail to the Lord of the world,
who created the perfect creation. ||3||
You are my Great Lord and Master.
These blessings and wealth are Yours.
Servant Nanak has meditated on the One Lord;
he has obtained the fruitful rewards for all good deeds. ||4||14||64||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Third House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Bathing in the nectar tank of Ram Das,
all sins are erased.
One becomes immaculately pure, taking this cleansing bath.
The Perfect Guru has bestowed this gift. ||1||
God has blessed all with peace and pleasure.
Everything is safe and sound, as we contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, filth is washed off.
The Supreme Lord God has become our friend and helper.
Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He has found God, the Primal Being. ||2||1||65||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God has established that home, in which He comes to mind.

I found the Guru, the ocean of peace, and all my doubts were dispelled. ||1||
This is the glorious greatness of the Naam.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing His Glorious Praises.
I obtained this from the Perfect Guru. ||Pause||
God's sermon is inexpressible.
His humble servants speak words of Ambrosial Nectar.
Slave Nanak has spoken.
Through the Perfect Guru, it is known. ||2||2||66||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru has blessed me with peace here,
and the Guru has arranged peace and pleasure for me hereafter.
I have all treasures and comforts,
meditating on the Guru in my heart. ||1||
This is the glorious greatness of my True Guru;
I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires.
O Saints, His Glory increases day by day. ||Pause||
All beings and creatures have become kind and compassionate to me; my God has made them so.
Nanak has met with the Lord of the world with intuitive ease, and with Truth, he is pleased. ||2||3||67||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is my Saving Grace.
It is a guardian posted on all four sides around me.
My mind is attached to the Lord's Name.
The Messenger of Death has run away in shame. ||1||
O Dear Lord, You are my Giver of peace.
The Perfect Lord, the Architect of Destiny, has shattered my bonds, and made my mind immaculately pure. ||Pause||
O Nanak, God is eternal and imperishable.
Service to Him shall never go unrewarded.
Your slaves are in bliss;
chanting and meditating, their desires are fulfilled. ||2||4||68||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to my Guru.
He has totally preserved my honor.
I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires.
I meditate forever on my God. ||1||
O Saints, without Him, there is no other at all.
He is God, the Cause of causes. ||Pause||
My God has given me His Blessing.
He has made all creatures subject to me.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
and all his sorrows depart. ||2||5||69||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has dispelled the fever.
The unstruck melody of the sound current resounds.
God has bestowed all comforts.
In His Mercy, He Himself has given them. ||1||
The True Guru Himself has eradicated the disease.
All the Sikhs and Saints are filled with joy, meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||Pause||
They obtain that which they ask for.
God gives to His Saints.
God saved Hargobind.
Servant Nanak speaks the Truth. ||2||6||70||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
You make me do what pleases You.
I have no cleverness at all.
I am just a child - I seek Your Protection.
God Himself preserves my honor. ||1||
The Lord is my King; He is my mother and father.
In Your Mercy, You cherish me; I do whatever You make me do. ||Pause||
The beings and creatures are Your creation.
O God, their reins are in Your hands.

Whatever You cause us to do, we do.
Nanak, Your slave, seeks Your Protection. ||2||7||71||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I have woven the Lord's Name into the fabric of my heart.
All my affairs are resolved.
His mind is attached to God's feet,
whose destiny is perfect. ||1||
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I meditate on the Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, I worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har; I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires. ||Pause||
The seeds of my past actions have sprouted.
My mind is attached to the Lord's Name.
My mind and body are absorbed into the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Slave Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||2||8||72||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Meeting with the Guru, I contemplate God.
All of my affairs have been resolved.
No one speaks ill of me.
Everyone congratulates me on my victory. ||1||
O Saints, I seek the True Sanctuary of the Lord and Master.
All beings and creatures are in His hands; He is God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||Pause||
He has resolved all of my affairs.
God has confirmed His innate nature.
God's Name is the Purifier of sinners.
Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||9||73||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God created and embellished him.
The Guru has saved this small child.
So celebrate and be happy, father and mother.
The Transcendent Lord is the Giver of souls. ||1||
Your slaves, O Lord, focus on pure thoughts.
You preserve the honor of Your slaves, and You Yourself arrange their affairs. ||Pause||
My God is so benevolent.
His Almighty Power is manifest.
Nanak has come to His Sanctuary.
He has obtained the fruits of his mind's desires. ||2||10||74||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Forever and ever, I chant the Lord's Name.
God Himself has saved my child.
He healed him from the smallpox.
My troubles have been removed through the Lord's Name. ||1||
My God is forever Merciful.
He heard the prayer of His devotee, and now all beings are kind and compassionate to him. ||Pause||
God is Almighty, the Cause of causes.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, all pains and sorrows vanish.
He has heard the prayer of His slave.
O Nanak, now everyone sleeps in peace. ||2||11||75||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I meditated on my Guru.
I met with Him, and returned home in joy.
This is the glorious greatness of the Naam.
Its value cannot be estimated. ||1||
O Saints, worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
Worship the Lord in adoration, and you shall obtain everything; your affairs shall all be resolved. ||Pause||
He alone is attached in loving devotion to God,
who realizes his great destiny.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He obtains the rewards of all joys and peace. ||2||12||76||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Transcendent Lord has given me His support.
The house of pain and disease has been demolished.
The men and women celebrate.
The Lord God, Har, Har, has extended His Mercy. ||1||

O Saints, there is peace everywhere.
The Supreme Lord God, the Perfect Transcendent Lord, is pervading everywhere. ||Pause||
The Bani of His Word emanated from the Primal Lord.
It eradicates all anxiety.
The Lord is merciful, kind and compassionate.
Nanak chants the Naam, the Name of the True Lord. ||2||13||77||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Here and hereafter, He is our Savior.
God, the True Guru, is Merciful to the meek.
He Himself protects His slaves.
In each and every heart, the Beautiful Word of His Shabad resounds. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to the Guru's Feet.
Day and night, with each and every breath, I remember Him; He is totally pervading and permeating all places. ||Pause||
He Himself has become my help and support.
True is the support of the True Lord.
Glorious and great is devotional worship to You.
Nanak has found God's Sanctuary. ||2||14||78||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
When it was pleasing to the Perfect True Guru,
then I chanted the Naam, the Name of the Pervading Lord.
The Lord of the Universe extended His Mercy to me,
and God saved my honor. ||1||
The Lord's feet are forever peace-giving.
Whatever fruit one desires, he receives; his hopes shall not go in vain. ||1||Pause||
That Saint, unto whom the Lord of Life, the Great Giver, extends His Mercy - he alone sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
His soul is absorbed in loving devotional worship; his mind is pleasing to the Supreme Lord God. ||2||
Twenty-four hours a day, he chants the Praises of the Lord, and the bitter poison does not affect him.
My Creator Lord has united me with Himself, and the Holy Saints have become my companions. ||3||
Taking me by the hand, He has given me everything, and blended me with Himself.
Says Nanak, everything has been perfectly resolved; I have found the Perfect True Guru. ||4||15||79||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Humility is my spiked club.
My dagger is to be the dust of all men's feet.
No evil-doer can withstand these weapons.
The Perfect Guru has given me this understanding. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the support and shelter of the Saints.
One who remembers the Lord in meditation, is emancipated; millions have been saved in this way. ||1||Pause||
In the Society of the Saints, I sing His Praises.
I have found this, the perfect wealth of the Lord.
Says Nanak, I have eradicated my self-conceit.
I see the Supreme Lord God everywhere. ||2||16||80||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has done it perfectly.
He blessed me with forgiveness.
I have found lasting peace and bliss.
Everywhere, the people dwell in peace. ||1||
Devotional worship to the Lord is what gives rewards.
The Perfect Guru, by His Grace, gave it to me; how rare are those who know this. ||Pause||
Sing the Word of the Guru's Bani, O Siblings of Destiny.
That is always rewarding and peace-giving.
Nanak has meditated on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He has realized his pre-ordained destiny. ||2||17||81||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:

I worship and adore the Perfect Guru.
All my affairs have been resolved.
All desires have been fulfilled.
The unstruck melody of the sound current resounds. ||1||
O Saints, meditating on the Lord, we obtain peace.
In the home of the Saints, celestial peace is pervading; all pain and suffering is dispelled. ||1||Pause||
The Word of the Perfect Guru's Bani
is pleasing to the Mind of the Supreme Lord God.
Slave Nanak speaks
the Unspoken, immaculate sermon of the Lord. ||2||18||82||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The hungry man is not ashamed to eat.
Just so, the humble servant of the Lord sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
Why are you so lazy in your own affairs?
Remembering Him in meditation, your face shall be radiant in the Court of the Lord; you shall find peace, forever and ever. ||1||Pause||
Just as the lustful man is enticed by lust,
so is the Lord's slave pleased with the Lord's Praise. ||2||
Just as the mother holds her baby close,
so does the spiritual person cherish the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
This is obtained from the Perfect Guru.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||19||83||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Safe and sound, I have returned home.
The slanderer's face is blackened with ashes.
The Perfect Guru has dressed in robes of honor.
All my pains and sufferings are over. ||1||
O Saints, this is the glorious greatness of the True Lord.
He has created such wonder and glory! ||1||Pause||
I speak according to the Will of my Lord and Master.
God's slave chants the Word of His Bani.
O Nanak, God is the Giver of peace.
He has created the perfect creation. ||2||20||84||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Within my heart, I meditate on God.
I have returned home safe and sound.
The world has become contented.
The Perfect Guru has saved me. ||1||
O Saints, my God is forever merciful.
The Lord of the world does not call His devotee to account; He protects His children. ||1||Pause||
I have enshrined the Lord's Name within my heart.
He has resolved all my affairs.
The Perfect Guru was pleased, and blessed me,
and now, Nanak shall never again suffer pain. ||2||21||85||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord abides in my mind and body.
Everyone congratulates me on my victory.
This is the glorious greatness of the Perfect Guru.
His value cannot be described. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to Your Name.
He alone, whom You have forgiven, O my Beloved, sings Your Praises. ||1||Pause||
You are my Great Lord and Master.
You are the support of the Saints.
Nanak has entered God's Sanctuary.
The faces of the slanderers are blackened with ashes. ||2||22||86||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Peace in this world, O my friends,
and bliss in the world hereafter - God has given me this.
The Transcendent Lord has arranged these arrangements;
I shall never waver again. ||1||
My mind is pleased with the True Lord Master.
I know the Lord to be pervading all. ||1||Pause||

All beings are Yours, O Merciful Lord.
You cherish Your devotees.
Your glorious greatness is wonderful and marvellous.
Nanak ever meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||23||87||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord is always with me.
The Messenger of Death does not approach me.
God holds me close in His embrace, and protects me.
True are the Teachings of the True Guru. ||1||
The Perfect Guru has done it perfectly.
He has beaten and driven off my enemies, and given me, His slave, the sublime understanding of the neutral mind. ||1||Pause||
God has blessed all places with prosperity.
I have returned again safe and sound.
Nanak has entered God's Sanctuary.
It has eradicated all disease. ||2||24||88||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru is the Giver of all peace and comfort - seek His Sanctuary.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, bliss ensues, pain is dispelled, and one sings the Lord's Praises. ||1||
Drink in the sublime essence of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny.
Chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord; worship the Naam in adoration, and enter the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru. ||Pause||
Only one who has such pre-ordained destiny receives it; he alone becomes perfect, O Siblings of Destiny.
Nanak's prayer, O Dear God, is to remain lovingly absorbed in the Naam. ||2||25||89||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord is the Cause of Causes, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; He preserves the honor of His servant.
He is hailed and congratulated throughout the world, and he tastes the sublime essence of the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Dear God, Lord of the world, You are my only support.
You are all-powerful, the Giver of Sanctuary; twenty-four hours a day, I meditate on You. ||Pause||
That humble being, who vibrates upon You, O God, is not afflicted by anxiety.
Attached to the Feet of the True Guru, his fear is dispelled, and within his mind, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
He abides in celestial peace and utter ecstasy; the True Guru has comforted him.
He has returned home victorious, with honor, and his hopes have been fulfilled. ||3||
Perfect are the Teachings of the Perfect Guru; Perfect are the actions of God.
Grasping hold of the Guru's feet, Nanak has crossed over the terrifying world-ocean, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||26||90||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Becoming merciful, the Destroyer of the pains of the poor has Himself devised all devices.
In an instant, He has saved His humble servant; the Perfect Guru has cut away his bonds. ||1||
O my mind, meditate forever on the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
All illness shall depart from this body, and you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires. ||Pause||
God created all beings and creatures; He is lofty, inaccessible and infinite.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; his face is radiant in the Court of the Lord. ||2||27||91||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
I meditate in remembrance on my Lord.
Day and night, I ever meditate on Him.
He gave me His hand, and protected me.
I drink in the most sublime essence of the Lord's Name. ||1||

I am a sacrifice to my Guru.
God, the Great Giver, the Perfect One, has become merciful to me, and now, all are kind to me. ||Pause||
Servant Nanak has entered His Sanctuary.
He has perfectly preserved his honor.
All suffering has been dispelled.
So enjoy peace, O my Siblings of Destiny! ||2||28||92||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
Hear my prayer, O my Lord and Master; all beings and creatures were created by You.
You preserve the honor of Your Name, O Lord, Cause of causes. ||1||
O Dear God, Beloved, please, make me Your own.
Whether good or bad, I am Yours. ||Pause||
The Almighty Lord and Master heard my prayer; cutting away my bonds, He has adorned me.
He dressed me in robes of honor, and blended His servant with Himself; Nanak is revealed in glory throughout the world. ||2||29||93||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
All beings and creatures are subservient to all those who serve in the Lord's Court.
Their God made them His own, and carried them across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
He resolves all the affairs of His Saints.
He is merciful to the meek, kind and compassionate, the ocean of kindness, my Perfect Lord and Master. ||Pause||
I am asked to come and be seated, everywhere I go, and I lack nothing.
The Lord blesses His humble devotee with robes of honor; O Nanak, the Glory of God is manifest. ||2||30||94||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mind, love the Lord.
With your ears, hear the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and with your tongue, sing His song. ||1||Pause||
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and meditate in remembrance on the Lord; even a sinner like yourself will become pure.
Death is on the prowl, with its mouth wide open, friend. ||1||
Today or tomorrow, eventually it will seize you; understand this in your consciousness.
Says Nanak, meditate, and vibrate upon the Lord; this opportunity is slipping away! ||2||1||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
The mind remains in the mind.
He does not meditate on the Lord, nor does he perform service at sacred shrines, and so death seizes him by the hair. ||1||Pause||
Wife, friends, children, carriages, property, total wealth, the entire world
- know that all of these things are false. The Lord's meditation alone is true. ||1||
Wandering, wandering around for so many ages, he has grown weary, and finally, he obtained this human body.
Says Nanak, this is the opportunity to meet the Lord; why don't you remember Him in meditation? ||2||2||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O mind, what evil-mindedness have you developed?
You are engrossed in the pleasures of other men's wives, and slander; you have not worshipped the Lord at all. ||1||Pause||
You do not know the way to liberation, but you run all around chasing wealth.

In the end, nothing shall go along with you; you have entrapped yourself in vain. ||1||
You have not meditated or vibrated upon the Lord; you have not served the Guru, or His humble servants; spiritual wisdom has not welled up within you.
The Immaculate Lord is within your heart, and yet you search for Him in the wilderness. ||2||
You have wandered through many many births; you are exhausted but have still not found a way out of this endless cycle.
Now that you have obtained this human body, meditate on the Lord's Feet; Nanak advises with this advice. ||3||3||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O mind, contemplate the Sanctuary of God.
Meditating on Him in remembrance, Ganika the prostitute was saved; enshrine His Praises within your heart. ||1||Pause||
Meditating on Him in remembrance, Dhroo became immortal, and obtained the state of fearlessness.
The Lord and Master removes suffering in this way - why have you forgotten Him? ||1||
As soon as the elephant took to the protective Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of mercy, he escaped from the crocodile.
How much can I describe the Glorious Praises of the Naam? Whoever chants the Lord's Name, his bonds are broken. ||2||
Ajaamal, known throughout the world as a sinner, was redeemed in an instant.
Says Nanak, remember the Chintaamani, the jewel which fulfills all desires, and you too shall be carried across and saved. ||3||4||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
What efforts should the mortal make,
to attain devotional worship of the Lord, and eradicate the fear of death? ||1||Pause||
Which actions, what sort of knowledge, and what religion - what Dharma should one practice?
What Name of the Guru should one remember in meditation, to cross over the terrifying world-ocean? ||1||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Name of the One Lord is the treasure of mercy; chanting it, one obtains salvation.
No other religion is comparable to this; so speak the Vedas. ||2||
He is beyond pain and pleasure, forever unattached; He is called the Lord of the world.
He dwells deep within your inner self, O Nanak, like the image in a mirror. ||3||5||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O mother, how can I see the Lord of the world?
In the utter darkness of emotional attachment and spiritual ignorance, my mind remains entangled. ||1||Pause||
Deluded by doubt, I have wasted my whole life; I have not obtained a stable intellect.
I remain under the influence of corrupting sins, night and day, and I have not renounced wickedness. ||1||
I never joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and I did not sing the Kirtan of God's Praises.
O servant Nanak, I have no virtues at all; keep me in Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||2||6||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O mother, my mind is out of control.
Night and day, it runs after sin and corruption. How can I restrain it? ||1||Pause||
He listens to the teachings of the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, but he does not enshrine them in his heart, even for an instant.
Engrossed in the wealth and women of others, his life passes away uselessly. ||1||
He has gone insane with the wine of Maya, and does not understand even a bit of spiritual wisdom.
Deep within his heart, the Immaculate Lord dwells, but he does not know this secret. ||2||

When I came to the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints, all my evil-mindedness was dispelled.
Then, O Nanak, I remembered the Chintaamani, the jewel which fulfills all desires, and the noose of Death was snapped. ||3||7||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O man, grasp this Truth firmly in your soul.
The whole world is just like a dream; it will pass away in an instant. ||1||Pause||
Like a wall of sand, built up and plastered with great care, which does not last even a few days,
just so are the pleasures of Maya. Why are you entangled in them, you ignorant fool? ||1||
Understand this today - it is not yet too late! Chant and vibrate the Name of the Lord.
Says Nanak, this is the subtle wisdom of the Holy Saints, which I proclaim out loud to you. ||2||8||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
In this world, I have not found any true friend.
The whole world is attached to its own pleasures, and when trouble comes, no one is with you. ||1||Pause||
Wives, friends, children and relatives - all are attached to wealth.
When they see a poor man, they all forsake his company and run away. ||1||
So what should I say to this crazy mind, which is affectionately attached to them?
The Lord is the Master of the meek, the Destroyer of all fears, and I have forgotten to praise Him. ||2||
Like a dog's tail, which will never straighten out, the mind will not change, no matter how many things are tried.
Says Nanak, please, Lord, uphold the honor of Your innate nature; I chant Your Name. ||3||9||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O mind, you have not accepted the Guru's Teachings.
What is the use of shaving your head, and wearing saffron robes? ||1||Pause||
Abandoning Truth, you cling to falsehood; your life is uselessly wasting away.
Practicing hypocrisy, you fill your belly, and then sleep like an animal. ||1||
You do not know the Way of the Lord's meditation; you have sold yourself into Maya's hands.
The madman remains entangled in vice and corruption; he has forgotten the jewel of the Naam. ||2||
He remains thoughtless, not thinking of the Lord of the Universe; his life is uselessly passing away.
Says Nanak, O Lord, please, confirm your innate nature; this mortal is continually making mistakes. ||3||10||
Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
That man, who in the midst of pain, does not feel pain,
who is not affected by pleasure, affection or fear, and who looks alike upon gold and dust;||1||Pause||
Who is not swayed by either slander or praise, nor affected by greed, attachment or pride;
who remains unaffected by joy and sorrow, honor and dishonor;||1||
who renounces all hopes and desires and remains desireless in the world;
who is not touched by sexual desire or anger - within his heart, God dwells. ||2||
That man, blessed by Guru's Grace, understands this way.
O Nanak, he merges with the Lord of the Universe, like water with water. ||3||11||

Sorat'h, Ninth Mehl:
O dear friend, know this in your mind.
The world is entangled in its own pleasures; no one is for anyone else. ||1||Pause||
In good times, many come and sit together, surrounding you on all four sides.
But when hard times come, they all leave, and no one comes near you. ||1||
Your wife, whom you love so much, and who has remained ever attached to you,
runs away crying, "Ghost! Ghost!", as soon as the swan-soul leaves this body. ||2||
This is the way they act - those whom we love so much.
At the very last moment, O Nanak, no one is any use at all, except the Dear Lord. ||3||12||139||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, First House, Ashtapadees, Chau-Tukas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am not torn by duality, because I do not worship any other than the Lord; I do not visit tombs or crematoriums.
I do not enter the houses of strangers, engrossed in desire. The Naam, the Name of the Lord, has satisfied my desires.
Deep within my heart, the Guru has shown me the home of my being, and my mind is imbued with peace and poise, O Siblings of Destiny.
You Yourself are all-knowing, and You Yourself are all-seeing; You alone bestow intelligence, O Lord. ||1||
My mind is detached, imbued with detachment; the Word of the Shabad has pierced my mind, O my mother.
God's Light shines continually within the nucleus of my deepest self; I am lovingly attached to the Bani, the Word of the True Lord Master. ||Pause||
Countless detached renunciates talk of detachment and renunciation, but he alone is a true renunciate, who is pleasing to the Lord Master.
The Word of the Shabad is ever in his heart; he is absorbed in the Fear of God, and he works to serve the Guru.
He remembers the One Lord, his mind does not waver, and he restrains its wanderings.
He is intoxicated with celestial bliss, and is ever imbued with the Lord's Love; he sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||2||
The mind is like the wind, but if it comes to rest in peace, even for an instant, then he shall abide in the peace of the Name, O Siblings of Destiny.
His tongue, eyes and ears are imbued with Truth; O Lord, You quench the fires of desire.
In hope, the renunciate remains free of hopes; in the home of his own inner self, he is absorbed in the trance of deep meditation.
He remains content, satisfied with the charity of the Naam; he drinks in the Ambrosial Amrit with ease. ||3||
There is no renunciation in duality, as long as there is even a particle of duality.
The whole world is Yours, Lord; You alone are the Giver. There is not any other, O Siblings of Destiny.
The self-willed manmukh dwells in misery forever, while the Lord bestows greatness upon the Gurmukh.
God is infinite, endless, inaccessible and unfathomable; His worth cannot be described. ||4||
The consciousness in deep Samaadhi, the Supreme Being, the Lord of the three worlds - these are Your Names, Lord.
The creatures born into this world have their destiny inscribed upon their foreheads; they experience according to their destinies.
The Lord Himself causes them to do good and bad deeds; He Himself makes them steadfast in devotional worship.
The filth of their mind and mouth is washed off when they live in the Fear of God; the inaccessible Lord Himself blesses them with spiritual wisdom. ||5||

Only those who taste it know its sweet taste, like the mute, who eats the candy, and only smiles.
How can I describe the indescribable, O Siblings of Destiny? I shall follow His Will forever.
If one meets with the Guru, the Generous Giver, then he understands; those who have no Guru cannot understand this.
As the Lord causes us to act, so do we act, O Siblings of Destiny. What other clever tricks can anyone try? ||6||
Some are deluded by doubt, while others are imbued with devotional worship; Your play is infinite and endless.
As You engage them, they receive the fruits of their rewards; You alone are the One who issues Your Commands.
I would serve You, if anything were my own; my soul and body are Yours.
One who meets with the True Guru, by His Grace, takes the Support of the Ambrosial Naam. ||7||
He dwells in the heavenly realms, and his virtues radiantly shine forth; meditation and spiritual wisdom are found in virtue.
The Naam is pleasing to his mind; he speaks it, and causes others to speak it as well. He speaks the essential essence of wisdom.
The Word of the Shabad is his Guru and spiritual teacher, profound and unfathomable; without the Shabad, the world is insane.
He is a perfect renunciate, naturally at ease, O Nanak, whose mind is pleased with the True Lord. ||8||1||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, Ti-Tukas:
Hope and desire are entrapments, O Siblings of Destiny. Religious rituals and ceremonies are traps.
Because of good and bad deeds, one is born into the world, O Siblings of Destiny; forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he is ruined.
This Maya is the enticer of the world, O Siblings of Destiny; all such actions are corrupt. ||1||
Listen, O ritualistic Pandit:
that religious ritual which produces happiness, O Siblings of Destiny, is contemplation of the essence of the soul. ||Pause||
You may stand and recite the Shaastras and the Vedas, O Siblings of Destiny, but these are just worldly actions.
Filth cannot be washed away by hypocrisy, O Siblings of Destiny; the filth of corruption and sin is within you.
This is how the spider is destroyed, O Siblings of Destiny, by falling head-long in its own web. ||2||
So many are destroyed by their own evil-mindedness, O Siblings of Destiny; in the love of duality, they are ruined.
Without the True Guru, the Name is not obtained, O Siblings of Destiny; without the Name, doubt does not depart.
If one serves the True Guru, then he obtains peace, O Siblings of Destiny; his comings and goings are ended. ||3||
True celestial peace comes from the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny; the immaculate mind is absorbed into the True Lord.
One who serves the Guru, understands, O Siblings of Destiny; without the Guru, the way is not found.
What can anyone do, with greed within? O Siblings of Destiny, by telling lies, they eat poison. ||4||
O Pandit, by churning cream, butter is produced.
By churning water, you shall only see water, O Siblings of Destiny; this world is like that.
Without the Guru, he is ruined by doubt, O Siblings of Destiny; the unseen Divine Lord is in each and every heart. ||5||
This world is like a thread of cotton, O Siblings of Destiny, which Maya has tied on all ten sides.
Without the Guru, the knots cannot be untied, O Siblings of Destiny; I am so tired of religious rituals.
This world is deluded by doubt, O Siblings of Destiny; no one can say anything about it. ||6||
Meeting with the Guru, the Fear of God comes to abide in the mind; to die in the Fear of God is one's true destiny.
In the Court of the Lord, the Naam is far superior to ritualistic cleansing baths, charity and good deeds, O Siblings of Destiny.

One who implants the Naam within himself, through the Guru's halter - O Siblings of Destiny, the Lord dwells in his mind, and he is free of hypocrisy. ||7||
This body is the jeweller's shop, O Siblings of Destiny; the incomparable Naam is the merchandise.
The merchant secures this merchandise, O Siblings of Destiny, by contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Blessed is the merchant, O Nanak, who meets the Guru, and engages in this trade. ||8||2||
Sorat'h, First Mehl:
Those who serve the True Guru, O Beloved, their companions are saved as well.
No one blocks their way, O Beloved, and the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar is on their tongue.
Without the Fear of God, they are so heavy that they sink and drown, O Beloved; but the Lord, casting His Glance of Grace, carries them across. ||1||
I ever praise You, O Beloved, I ever sing Your Praises.
Without the boat, one is drowned in the sea of fear, O Beloved; how can I reach the distant shore? ||1||Pause||
I praise the Praiseworthy Lord, O Beloved; there is no other one to praise.
Those who praise my God are good, O Beloved; they are imbued with the Word of the Shabad, and His Love.
If I join them, O Beloved, I can churn the essence and so find joy. ||2||
The gateway to honor is Truth, O Beloved; it bears the Insignia of the True Name of the Lord.
We come into the world, and we depart, with our destiny written and pre-ordained, O Beloved; realize the Command of the Commander.
Without the Guru, this Command is not understood, O Beloved; True is the Power of the True Lord. ||3||
By His Command, we are conceived, O Beloved, and by His Command, we grow in the womb.
By His Command, we are born, O Beloved, head-first, and upside-down.
The Gurmukh is honored in the Court of the Lord, O Beloved; he departs after resolving his affairs. ||4||
By His Command, one comes into the world, O Beloved, and by His Will, he goes.
By His Will, some are bound and gagged and driven away, O Beloved; the self-willed manmukhs suffer their punishment.
By His Command, the Word of the Shabad, is realized, O Beloved, and one goes to the Court of the Lord robed in honor. ||5||
By His Command, some accounts are accounted for, O Beloved; by His Command, some suffer in egotism and duality.
By His Command, one wanders in reincarnation, O Beloved; deceived by sins and demerits, he cries out in his suffering.
If he comes to realize the Command of the Lord's Will, O Beloved, then he is blessed with Truth and Honor. ||6||
It is so difficult to speak it, O Beloved; how can we speak, and hear, the True Name?
I am a sacrifice to those who praise the Lord, O Beloved.
I have obtained the Name, and I am satisfied, O Beloved; by His Grace, I am united in His Union. ||7||
If my body were to become the paper, O Beloved, and my mind the inkpot;
and if my tongue became the pen, O Beloved, I would write, and contemplate, the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
Blessed is that scribe, O Nanak, who writes the True Name, and enshrines it within his heart. ||8||3||
Sorat'h, First Mehl, Du-Tukas:
You are the Giver of virtue, O Immaculate Lord, but my mind is not immaculate, O Siblings of Destiny.
I am a worthless sinner, O Siblings of Destiny; virtue is obtained from You alone, Lord. ||1||
O my Beloved Creator Lord, You create, and You behold.
I am a hypocritical sinner, O Siblings of Destiny. Bless my mind and body with Your Name, O Lord. ||Pause||

The poisonous Maya has enticed the consciousness, O Siblings of Destiny; through clever tricks, one loses his honor.
The True Lord and Master abides in the consciousness, O Siblings of Destiny, if the Guru's spiritual wisdom permeates it. ||2||
Beautiful, beautiful, the Lord is called, O Siblings of Destiny; beautiful, like the deep crimson color of the poppy.
If man loves the Lord with detachment, O Siblings of Destiny, he is judged to be true and infallible in the Lord's court and home. ||3||
You are pervading the realms of the underworld and the heavenly skies; Your wisdom and glories are in each and every heart.
Meeting with the Guru, one finds peace, O Siblings of Destiny, and pride is dispelled from the mind. ||4||
Scrubbing with water, the body can be cleaned, O Siblings of Destiny, but the body becomes dirty again.
Bathing in the supreme essence of spiritual wisdom, O Siblings of Destiny, the mind and body become pure. ||5||
Why worship gods and goddesses, O Siblings of Destiny? What can we ask of them? What can they give us?
The stone gods are washed with water, O Siblings of Destiny, but they just sink in the water. ||6||
Without the Guru, the unseen Lord cannot be seen, O Siblings of Destiny; the world is drowning, having lost its honor.
Greatness is in the hands of my Lord and Master, O Siblings of Destiny; as He is pleased, He gives. ||7||
That soul-bride, who talks sweetly and speaks the Truth, O Siblings of Destiny, becomes pleasing to her Husband Lord.
Pierced by His Love, she abides in Truth, O Siblings of Destiny, deeply imbued with the Lord's Name. ||8||
Everyone calls God his own, O Siblings of Destiny, but the all-knowing Lord is known only through the Guru.
Those who are pierced by His Love are saved, O Siblings of Destiny; they bear the Insignia of the True Word of the Shabad. ||9||
A large pile of firewood, O Siblings of Destiny, will burn if a small fire is applied.
In the same way, if the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells in the heart for a moment, even for an instant, O Siblings of Destiny, then one meets the Lord with ease, O Nanak. ||10||4||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, First House, Ti-Tukas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You always preserve the honor of Your devotees, O Dear Lord; You have protected them from the very beginning of time.
You protected Your servant Prahlaad, O Dear Lord, and annihilated Harnaakhash.
The Gurmukhs place their faith in the Dear Lord, but the self-willed manmukhs are deluded by doubt. ||1||
O Dear Lord, this is Your Glory.
You preserve the honor of Your devotees, O Lord Master; Your devotees seek Your Sanctuary. ||Pause||
The Messenger of Death cannot touch Your devotees; death cannot even approach them.
The Name of the Lord alone abides in their minds; through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they find liberation.
Wealth and all the spiritual powers of the Siddhis fall at the feet of the Lord's devotees; they obtain peace and poise from the Guru. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs have no faith; they are filled with greed and self-interest.
They are not Gurmukh - they do not understand the Word of the Shabad in their hearts; they do not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Their masks of falsehood and hypocrisy shall fall off; the self-willed manmukhs speak with insipid words. ||3||
You are pervading through Your devotees, O Dear God; through Your devotees, You are known.
All the people are enticed by Maya; they are Yours, Lord - You alone are the Architect of Destiny.

Overcoming my egotism and quieting the desires within my mind, I have come to realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||4||
God automatically does the work of those who love the Name of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, he ever dwells in their minds, and He resolves all their affairs.
Whoever challenges them is destroyed; they have the Lord God as their Savior. ||5||
Without serving the True Guru, no one finds the Lord; the self-willed manmukhs die crying out in pain.
They come and go, and find no place of rest; in pain and suffering, they perish.
But one who becomes Gurmukh drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar, and is easily absorbed in the True Name. ||6||
Without serving the True Guru, one cannot escape reincarnation, even by performing numerous rituals.
Those who read the Vedas, and argue and debate without the Lord, lose their honor.
True is the True Guru, and True is the Word of His Bani; in the Guru's Sanctuary, one is saved. ||7||
Those whose minds are filled with the Lord are judged as true in the Court of the Lord; they are hailed as true in the True Court.
Their praises echo throughout the ages, and no one can erase them.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those who enshrine the Lord within their hearts. ||8||1||
Sorat'h, Third Mehl, Du-Tukas:
He Himself forgives the worthless, O Siblings of Destiny; He commits them to the service of the True Guru.
Service to the True Guru is sublime, O Siblings of Destiny; through it, one's consciousness is attached to the Lord's Name. ||1||
The Dear Lord forgives, and unites with Himself.
I am a sinner, totally without virtue, O Siblings of Destiny; the Perfect True Guru has blended me. ||Pause||
So many, so many sinners have been forgiven, O beloved one, by contemplating the True Word of the Shabad.
They got on board the boat of the True Guru, who carried them across the terrifying world-ocean, O Siblings of Destiny. ||2||
I have been transformed from rusty iron into gold, O Siblings of Destiny, united in Union with the Guru, the Philosopher's Stone.
Eliminating my self-conceit, the Name has come to dwell within my mind, O Siblings of Destiny; my light has merged in the Light. ||3||
I am a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice, O Siblings of Destiny, I am forever a sacrifice to my True Guru.
He has given me the treasure of the Naam; O Siblings of Destiny, through the Guru's Teachings, I am absorbed in celestial bliss. ||4||
Without the Guru, celestial peace is not produced, O Siblings of Destiny; go and ask the spiritual teachers about this.
Serve the True Guru forever, O Siblings of Destiny, and eradicate self-conceit from within. ||5||
Under Guru's Instruction, the Fear of God is produced, O Siblings of Destiny; true and excellent are the deeds done in the Fear of God.
Then, one is blessed with the treasure of the Lord's Love, O Siblings of Destiny, and the Support of the True Name. ||6||
I fall at the feet of those who serve their True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny.
I have fulfilled my life, O Siblings of Destiny, and my family has been saved as well. ||7||
The True Word of the Guru's Bani, and the True Word of the Shabad, O Siblings of Destiny, are obtained only by Guru's Grace.
O Nanak, with the Name of the Lord abiding in one's mind, no obstacles stand in one's way, O Siblings of Destiny. ||8||2||

Sorat'h, Third Mehl:
The Dear Lord is realized through the Word of His Shabad, O Siblings of Destiny, which is found only by perfect destiny.
The happy soul-brides are forever in peace, O Siblings of Destiny; night and day, they are attuned to the Lord's Love. ||1||
O Dear Lord, You Yourself color us in Your Love.
Sing, continually sing His Praises, imbued with His Love, O Siblings of Destiny; be in love with the Lord. ||Pause||
Work to serve the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny; abandon self-conceit, and focus your consciousness.
You shall be in peace forever, and you shall not suffer in pain any longer, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord Himself shall come and abide in your mind. ||2||
She who does not know the Will of her Husband Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, is an ill-mannered and bitter bride.
She does things with a stubborn mind, O Siblings of Destiny; without the Name, she is false. ||3||
They alone sing the Lord's Praises, who have such pre-ordained destiny written upon their foreheads, O Siblings of Destiny; through the Love of the True Lord, they find detachment.
Night and day, they are imbued with His Love; they utter His Glorious Praises, O Siblings of Destiny, and they lovingly focus their consciousness on the Fearless Guru. ||4||
He kills and revives all, O Siblings of Destiny; serve Him, day and night.
How can we forget Him from our minds, O Siblings of Destiny? His gifts are glorious and great. ||5||
The self-willed manmukh is filthy and double-minded, O Siblings of Destiny; the finds no place of rest in the Court of the Lord.
But if she becomes Gurmukh, then she chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny; the meets her True Beloved, and merges in Him. ||6||
In this life, she has not focused her consciousness on the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny; how can she show her face when she leaves?
In spite of the warning calls which were sounded, she has been plundered, O Siblings of Destiny; she yearned only for corruption. ||7||
Those who dwell upon the Naam, O Siblings of Destiny, their bodies are ever peaceful and tranquil.
O Nanak, dwell upon the Naam; the Lord is infinite, virtuous and unfathomable, O Siblings of Destiny. ||8||3||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, First House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The One who created the whole world, O Siblings of Destiny, is the Almighty Lord, the Cause of causes.
He fashioned the soul and the body, O Siblings of Destiny, by His own power.
How can He be described? How can He be seen, O Siblings of Destiny? The Creator is One; He is indescribable.
Praise the Guru, the Lord of the Universe, O Siblings of Destiny; through Him, the essence is known. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Lord, the Lord God.
He blesses His servant with the gift of the Naam; He is the Destroyer of pain and suffering. ||Pause||
Everything is in His home, O Siblings of Destiny; His warehouse is overflowing with the nine treasures.
His worth cannot be estimated, O Siblings of Destiny; He is lofty, inaccessible and infinite.
He cherishes all beings and creatures, O Siblings of Destiny; he continually takes care of them.
So meet with the Perfect True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, and merge in the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Adoring the feet of the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, doubt and fear are dispelled.
Joining the Society of the Saints, cleanse your mind, O Siblings of Destiny, and dwell in the Name of the Lord.
The darkness of ignorance shall be dispelled, O Siblings of Destiny, and the lotus of your heart shall blossom forth.
By the Guru's Word, peace wells up, O Siblings of Destiny; all fruits are with the True Guru. ||3||

Give up your sense of mine and yours, O Siblings of Destiny, and become the dust of the feet of all.
In each and every heart, God is contained, O Siblings of Destiny; He sees, and hears, and is ever-present with us.
On that day when one forgets the Supreme Lord God, O Siblings of Destiny, on that day, one ought to die crying out in pain.
He is the all-powerful Cause of Causes, O Siblings of Destiny; he is totally filled with all powers. ||4||
The Love of the Name is the greatest treasure, O Siblings of Destiny; through it, emotional attachment to Maya is dispelled.
If it is pleasing to His Will, then He unites us in His Union, O Siblings of Destiny; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to abide in the mind.
The heart-lotus of the Gurmukh blossoms forth, O Siblings of Destiny, and the heart is illumined.
The Glory of God has been revealed, O Siblings of Destiny, and the earth and sky have blossomed forth. ||5||
The Perfect Guru has blessed me with contentment, O Siblings of Destiny; day and night, I remain attached to the Lord's Love.
My tongue continually chants the Lord's Name, O Siblings of Destiny; this is the true taste, and the object of human life.
Listening with my ears, I hear and so I live, O Siblings of Destiny; I have obtained the unchanging, unmoving state.
That soul,which does not place its faith in the Lord shall burn, O Siblings of Destiny. ||6||
My Lord and Master has so many virtues, O Siblings of Destiny; I am a sacrifice to Him.
He nurtures even the most worthless, O Siblings of Destiny, and gives home to the homeless.
He gives us nourishment with each and every breath, O Siblings of Destiny; His Name is everlasting.
One who meets with the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny, does so only by perfect destiny. ||7||
Without Him, I cannot live, even for an instant, O Siblings of Destiny; He is totally filled with all powers.
With every breath and morsel of food, I will not forget Him, O Siblings of Destiny; I behold Him ever-present.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I meet Him, O Siblings of Destiny; He is totally pervading and permeating everywhere.
Those who do not embrace love for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, always die crying out in pain. ||8||
Grasping hold of the hem of His robe, O Siblings of Destiny, we are carried across the world-ocean of fear and pain.
By His Glance of Grace, He has blessed us, O Siblings of Destiny; He shall be with us until the very end.
My mind and body are soothed and calmed, O Siblings of Destiny, nourished by the food of the Naam.
Nanak has entered His Sanctuary, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord is the Destroyer of sins. ||9||1||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl:
The womb of the mother is an ocean of pain, O Beloved; even there, the Lord causes His Name to be chanted.
When he emerges, he finds corruption pervading everywhere, O Beloved, and he becomes increasingly attached to Maya.
One whom the Lord blesses with His kind favor, O Beloved, meets the Perfect Guru.
He worships the Lord in adoration with each and every breath, O Beloved; he is lovingly attached to the Lord's Name. ||1||
You are the support of my mind and body, O Beloved; You are the support of my mind and body.
There is no other Creator except for You, O Beloved; You alone are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||Pause||
After wandering in doubt for millions of incarnations, he comes into the world, O Beloved; for uncounted lifetimes, he has suffered in pain.
He has forgotten his True Lord and Master, O Beloved, and so he suffers terrible punishment.
Those who meet with the Perfect True Guru, O Beloved, are attached to the True Name.

We are saved by following those, O Beloved, who seek the Sanctuary of the True Lord. ||2||
He thinks that his food is so sweet, O Beloved, but it makes his body ill.
It turns out to be bitter, O Beloved, and it produces only sadness.
The Lord leads him astray in the enjoyment of pleasures, O Beloved, and so his sense of separation does not depart.
Those who meet the Guru are saved, O Beloved; this is their pre-ordained destiny. ||3||
He is filled with longing for Maya, O Beloved, and so the Lord does not ever come into his mind.
Those who forget You, O Supreme Lord Master, their bodies turn to dust.
They cry out and scream horribly, O Beloved, but their torment does not end.
Those who meet the Guru, and reform themselves, O Beloved, their capital remains intact. ||4||
As far as possible, do not associate with the faithless cynics, O Beloved.
Meeting with them, the Lord is forgotten, O Beloved, and you rise and depart with a blackened face.
The self-willed manmukh finds no rest or shelter, O Beloved; in the Court of the Lord, they are punished.
Those who meet with the Guru, and reform themselves, O Beloved, their affairs are resolved. ||5||
One may have thousands of clever tricks and techniques of austere self-discipline, O Beloved, but not even one of them will go with him.
Those who turn their backs on the Lord of the Universe, O Beloved, their families are stained with disgrace.
They do not realize that they do have Him , O Beloved; falsehood will not go with them.
Those who meet with the True Guru, O Beloved, dwell upon the True Name. ||6||
When the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, O Beloved, one is blessed with Truth, contentment, wisdom and meditation.
Night and day, he sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, O Beloved, totally filled with Ambrosial Nectar.
He crosses over the sea of pain, O Beloved, and swims across the terrifying world-ocean.
One who is pleasing to His Will, He unites with Himself, O Beloved; he is forever true. ||7||
The all-powerful Divine Lord is compassionate, O Beloved; He is the Support of His devotees.
I seek His Sanctuary, O Beloved; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He has adorned me in this world and the next, O Beloved; He has placed the Emblem of Truth upon my forehead.
I shall never forget that God, O Beloved; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||8||2||
Sorat'h, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They read scriptures, and contemplate the Vedas; they practice the inner cleansing techniques of Yoga, and control of the breath.
But they cannot escape from the company of the five passions; they are increasingly bound to egotism. ||1||
O Beloved, this is not the way to meet the Lord; I have performed these rituals so many times.
I have collapsed, exhausted, at the Door of my Lord Master; I pray that He may grant me a discerning intellect. ||Pause||
One may remain silent and use his hands as begging bowls, and wander naked in the forest.
He may make pilgrimages to river banks and sacred shrines all over the world, but his sense of duality will not leave him. ||2||

His mind's desires may lead him to go and dwell at sacred places of pilgrimage, and offer his head to be sawn off;
but this will not cause the filth of his mind to depart, even though he may make thousands of efforts. ||3||
He may give gifts of all sorts - gold, women, horses and elephants.
He may make offerings of corn, clothes and land in abundance, but this will not lead him to the Lord's Door. ||4||
He may remain devoted to worship and adoration, bowing his forehead to the floor, practicing the six religious rituals.
He indulges in egotism and pride, and falls into entanglements, but he does not meet the Lord by these devices. ||5||
He practices the eighty-four postures of Yoga, and acquires the supernatural powers of the Siddhas, but he gets tired of practicing these.
He lives a long life, but is reincarnated again and again; he has not met with the Lord. ||6||
He may enjoy princely pleasures, and regal pomp and ceremony, and issue unchallenged commands.
He may lie on beautiful beds, perfumed with sandalwood oil, but this will led him only to the gates of the most horrible hell. ||7||
Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the highest of all actions.
Says Nanak, he alone obtains it, who is pre-destined to receive it. ||8||
Your slave is intoxicated with this Love of Yours.
The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful to me, and this mind is imbued with the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||Second Pause||1||3||
Vaar Of Raag Sorat'h, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, First Mehl:
Sorat'h is always beautiful, if it brings the True Lord to dwell in the mind of the soul-bride.
Her teeth are clean and her mind is not split by duality; the Name of the True Lord is on her tongue.
Here and hereafter, she abides in the Fear of God, and serves the True Guru without hesitation.
Discarding worldly adornments, she meets her Husband Lord, and she celebrates joyfully with Him.
She is adorned forever with the Name in her mind, and she does not have even an iota of filth.
Her husband's younger and elder brothers, the corrupt desires, have died, suffering in pain; and now, who fears Maya, the mother-in-law?
If she becomes pleasing to her Husband Lord, O Nanak, she bears the jewel of good karma upon her forehead, and everything is Truth to her. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Sorat'h is beautiful only when it leads the soul-bride to seek the Lord's Name.
She pleases her Guru and God; under Guru's Instruction, she speaks the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
She is attracted to the Lord's Name, day and night, and her body is drenched in the color of the Love of the Lord, Har, Har.
No other being like the Lord God can be found; I have looked and searched over the whole world.
The Guru, the True Guru, has implanted the Naam within me; my mind does not waver any more.
Servant Nanak is the Lord's slave, the slave of the slaves of the Guru, the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself are the Creator, the Fashioner of the world.
You Yourself have arranged the play, and You Yourself arrange it.
You Yourself are the Giver and the Creator; You Yourself are the Enjoyer.
The Word of Your Shabad is pervading everywhere, O Creator Lord.
As Gurmukh, I ever praise the Lord; I am a sacrifice to the Guru. ||1||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
In the flames of egotism, he is burnt to death; he wanders in doubt and the love of duality.
The Perfect True Guru saves him, making him His own.
This world is burning; through the Sublime Word of the Guru's Shabad, this comes to be seen.
Those who are attuned to the Shabad are cooled and soothed; O Nanak, they practice Truth. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Service to the True Guru is fruitful and rewarding; blessed and acceptable is such a life.
Those who do not forget the True Guru, in life and in death, are truly wise people.
Their families are saved, and they are approved by the Lord.
The Gurmukhs are approved in death as in life, while the self-willed manmukhs continue the cycle of birth and death.
O Nanak, they are not described as dead, who are absorbed in the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
Pauree:
Serve the Immaculate Lord God, and meditate on the Lord's Name.
Join the Society of the Holy Saints, and be absorbed in the Lord's Name.
O Lord, glorious and great is service to You; I am so foolish
- please, commit me to it. I am Your servant and slave; command me, according to Your Will.
As Gurmukh, I shall serve You, as Guru has instructed me. ||2||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
He acts according to pre-ordained destiny, written by the Creator Himself.
Emotional attachment has drugged him, and he has forgotten the Lord, the treasure of virtue.
Don't think that he is alive in the world - he is dead, through the love of duality.
Those who do not meditate on the Lord, as Gurmukh, are not permitted to sit near the Lord.
They suffer the most horrible pain and suffering, and neither their sons nor their wives go along with them.
Their faces are blackened among men, and they sigh in deep regret.
No one places any reliance in the self-willed manmukhs; trust in them is lost.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs live in absolute peace; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides within them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
They alone are relatives, and they alone are friends, who, as Gurmukh, join together in love.
Night and day, they act according to the True Guru's Will; they remain absorbed in the True Name.
Those who are attached to the love of duality are not called friends; they practice egotism and corruption.
The self-willed manmukhs are selfish; they cannot resolve anyone's affairs.
O Nanak, they act according to their pre-ordained destiny; no one can erase it. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself created the world, and You Yourself arranged the play of it.
You Yourself created the three qualities, and fostered emotional attachment to Maya.
He is called to account for his deeds done in egotism; he continues coming and going in reincarnation.
The Guru instructs those whom the Lord Himself blesses with Grace.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||3||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The love of Maya is enticing; without teeth, it has eaten up the world.
The self-willed manmukhs are eaten away, while the Gurmukhs are saved; they focus their consciousness on the True Name.
Without the Name, the world wanders around insane; the Gurmukhs come to see this.

Involved in worldly affairs, he wastes his life in vain; the peace-giving Lord does not come to abide in his mind.
O Nanak, they alone obtain the Name, who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The home within is filled with Ambrosial Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh does not get to taste it.
He is like the deer, who does not recognize its own musk-scent; it wanders around, deluded by doubt.
The manmukh forsakes the Ambrosial Nectar, and instead gathers poison; the Creator Himself has fooled him.
How rare are the Gurmukhs, who obtain this understanding; they behold the Lord God within themselves.
Their minds and bodies are cooled and soothed, and their tongues enjoy the sublime taste of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Shabad, the Name wells up; through the Shabad, we are united in the Lord's Union.
Without the Shabad, the whole world is insane, and it loses its life in vain.
The Shabad alone is Ambrosial Nectar; O Nanak, the Gurmukhs obtain it. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord God is inaccessible; tell me, how can we find Him?
He has no form or feature, and He cannot be seen; tell me, how can we meditate on Him?
The Lord is formless, immaculate and inaccessible; which of His Virtues should we speak of and sing?
They alone walk on the Lord's Path, whom the Lord Himself instructs.
The Perfect Guru has revealed Him to me; serving the Guru, He is found. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
It is as if my body has been crushed in the oil-press, without yielding even a drop of blood;
it is as if my soul has been cut apart into pieces for the sake of the Love of the True Lord;
O Nanak, still, night and day, my Union with the Lord is not broken. ||1||
Third Mehl:
My Friend is so full of joy and love; He colors my mind with the color of His Love,
like the fabric which is treated to retain the color of the dye.
O Nanak, this color does not depart, and no other color can be imparted to this fabric. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord Himself is pervading everywhere; the Lord Himself causes us to chant His Name.
The Lord Himself created the creation; He commits all to their tasks.
He engages some in devotional worship, and others, He causes to stray.
He places some on the Path, while He leads others into the wilderness.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; as Gurmukh, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Service to the True Guru is fruitful and rewarding, if one performs it with his mind focused on it.
The fruits of the mind's desires are obtained, and egotism departs from within.
His bonds are broken, and he is liberated; he remains absorbed in the True Lord.
It is so difficult to obtain the Naam in this world; it comes to dwell in the mind of the Gurmukh.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to one who serves his True Guru. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The mind of the self-willed manmukh is so very stubborn; it is stuck in the love of duality.
He does not find peace, even in dreams; he passes his life in misery and suffering.
The Pandits have grown weary of going door to door, reading and reciting their scriptures; the Siddhas have gone into their trances of Samaadhi.
This mind cannot be controlled; they are tired of performing religious rituals.
The impersonators have grown weary of wearing false costumes, and bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines.

They do not know the state of their own minds; they are deluded by doubt and egotism.
By Guru's Grace, the Fear of God is obtained; by great good fortune, the Lord comes to abide in the mind.
When the Fear of God comes, the mind is restrained, and through the Word of the Shabad, the ego is burnt away.
Those who are imbued with Truth are immaculate; their light merges in the Light.
Meeting the True Guru, one obtains the Name; O Nanak, he is absorbed in peace. ||2||
Pauree:
The pleasures of kings and emperors are pleasing, but they last for only a few days.
These pleasures of Maya are like the color of the safflower, which wears off in a moment.
They do not go with him when he departs; instead, he carries the load of sins upon his head.
When death seizes him, and marches him away, then he looks absolutely hideous.
That lost opportunity will not come into his hands again, and in the end, he regrets and repents. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru, suffer in sorrow and bondage.
Again and again, they are born only to die; they cannot meet their Lord.
The disease of doubt does not depart, and they find only pain and more pain.
O Nanak, if the Gracious Lord forgives, then one is united in Union with the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru, shall find no place of rest or shelter.
They wander around from door to door, like a woman forsaken, with a bad character and a bad reputation.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are forgiven, and united in Union with the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who serve the True Lord, the Destroyer of ego, cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Those who chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are passed over by the Messenger of Death.
Those who meditate on the Lord, go to His Court in robes of honor.
They alone serve You, O Lord, whom You bless with Grace.
I sing continually Your Glorious Praises, O Beloved; as Gurmukh, my doubts and fears have been dispelled. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Upon the plate, three things have been placed; this is the sublime, ambrosial food of the Lord.
Eating this, the mind is satisfied, and the Door of Salvation is found.
It is so difficult to obtain this food, O Saints; it is obtained only by contemplating the Guru.
Why should we cast this riddle out of our minds? We should keep it ever enshrined in our hearts.
The True Guru has posed this riddle. The Guru's Sikhs have found its solution.
O Nanak, he alone understands this, whom the Lord inspires to understand. The Gurmukhs work hard, and find the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those whom the Primal Lord unites, remain in Union with Him; they focus their consciousness on the True Guru.
Those whom the Lord Himself separates, remain separated; in the love of duality, they are ruined.
O Nanak, without good karma, what can anyone obtain? He earns what he is pre-destined to receive. ||2||
Pauree:
Sitting together, the companions sing the Songs of the Lord's Praises.
They praise the Lord's Name continually; they are a sacrifice to the Lord.
Those who hear, and believe in the Lord's Name, to them I am a sacrifice.
O Lord, let me unite with the Gurmukhs, who are united with You.
I am a sacrifice to those who, day and night, behold their Guru. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:

Without the Name of the Lord, everyone wanders around the world, losing.
The self-willed manmukhs do their deeds in the pitch black darkness of egotism.
The Gurmukhs drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, O Nanak, contemplating the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He wakes in peace, and he sleeps in peace.
The Gurmukh praises the Lord night and day.
The self-willed manmukh remains deluded by his doubts.
He is filled with anxiety, and he cannot even sleep.
The spiritually wise wake and sleep in peace.
Nanak is a sacrifice to those who are imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
They alone meditate on the Lord's Name, who are imbued with the Lord.
They meditate on the One Lord; the One and Only Lord is True.
The One Lord is pervading everywhere; the One Lord created the Universe.
Those who meditate on the Lord's Name, cast out their fears.
The Lord Himself blesses them with Guru's Instruction; the Gurmukh meditates on the Lord. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Spiritual wisdom, which would bring understanding, does not enter into his mind.
Without seeing, how can he praise the Lord? The blind act in blindness.
O Nanak, when one realizes the Word of the Shabad, then the Naam comes to abide in the mind. ||1||
Third Mehl:
There is One Bani; there is One Guru; there is one Shabad to contemplate.
True is the merchandise, and true is the shop; the warehouses are overflowing with jewels.
By Guru's Grace, they are obtained, if the Great Giver gives them.
Dealing in this true merchandise, one earns the profit of the incomparable Naam.
In the midst of poison, the Ambrosial Nectar is revealed; by His Mercy, one drinks it in.
O Nanak, praise the True Lord; blessed is the Creator, the Embellisher. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who are permeated by falsehood, do not love the Truth.
If someone speaks the Truth, falsehood is burnt away.
The false are satisfied by falsehood, like the crows who eat manure.
When the Lord grants His Grace, then one meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
As Gurmukh, worship the Lord's Name in adoration; fraud and sin shall disappear. ||10||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Shaykh, you wander in the four directions, blown by the four winds; bring your mind back to the home of the One Lord.
Renounce your petty arguments, and realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Bow in humble respect before the True Guru; He is the Knower who knows everything.
Burn away your hopes and desires, and live like a guest in this world.
If you walk in harmony with the True Guru's Will, then you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.
O Nanak, those who do not contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord - cursed are their clothes, and cursed is their food. ||1||
Third Mehl:
There is no end to the Lord's Glorious Praises; His worth cannot be described.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord; they are absorbed in His Glorious Virtues. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord has adorned the coat of the body; He has embroidered it with devotional worship.
The Lord has woven His silk into it, in so many ways and fashions.
How rare is that man of understanding, who understands, and deliberates within.
He alone understands these deliberations, whom the Lord Himself inspires to understand.
Poor servant Nanak speaks: the Gurmukhs know the Lord, the Lord is True. ||11||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
Great men speak the teachings by relating them to individual situations, but the whole world shares in them.
One who becomes Gurmukh knows the Fear of God, and realizes his own self.
If, by Guru's Grace, one remains dead while yet alive, the mind becomes content in itself.
Those who have no faith in their own minds, O Nanak - how can they speak of spiritual wisdom? ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those who do not focus their consciousness on the Lord, as Gurmukh, suffer pain and grief in the end.
They are blind, inwardly and outwardly, and they do not understand anything.
O Pandit, O religious scholar, the whole world is fed for the sake of those who are attuned to the Lord's Name.
Those who praise the Word of the Guru's Shabad, remain blended with the Lord.
O Pandit, O religious scholar, no one is satisfied, and no one finds true wealth through the love of duality.
They have grown weary of reading scriptures, but still, they do not find contentment, and they pass their lives burning, night and day.
Their cries and complaints never end, and doubt does not depart from within them.
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they rise up and depart with blackened faces. ||2||
Pauree:
O Beloved, lead me to meet my True Friend; meeting with Him, I shall ask Him to show me the Path.
I am a sacrifice to that Friend, who shows it to me.
I share His Virtues with Him, and meditate on the Lord's Name.
I serve my Beloved Lord forever; serving the Lord, I have found peace.
I am a sacrifice to the True Guru, who has imparted this understanding to me. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Pandit, O religious scholar, your filth shall not be erased, even if you read the Vedas for four ages.
The three qualities are the roots of Maya; in egotism, one forgets the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Pandits are deluded, attached to duality, and they deal only in Maya.
They are filled with thirst and hunger; the ignorant fools starve to death.
Serving the True Guru, peace is obtained, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad.
Hunger and thirst have departed from within me; I am in love with the True Name.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam, who keep the Lord clasped tightly to their hearts, are automatically satisfied. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh does not serve the Lord's Name, and so he suffers in horrible pain.
He is filled with the darkness of ignorance, and he does not understand anything.
Because of his stubborn mind, he does not plant the seeds of intuitive peace; what will he eat in the world hereafter, to satisfy his hunger?
He has forgotten the treasure of the Naam; he is caught in the love of duality.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are honored with glory, when the Lord Himself unites them in His Union. ||2||
Pauree:
The tongue which sings the Lord's Praises, is so very beautiful.
One who speaks the Lord's Name, with mind, body and mouth, is pleasing to the Lord.
That Gurmukh tastes the the sublime taste of the Lord, and is satisfied.
She sings continually the Glorious Praises of her Beloved; singing His Glorious Praises, she is uplifted.
She is blessed with the Lord's Mercy, and she chants the Words of the Guru, the True Guru. ||13||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The elephant offers its head to the reins, and the anvil offers itself to the hammer;
just so, we offer our minds and bodies to our Guru; we stand before Him, and serve Him.

This is how the Gurmukhs eliminate their self-conceit, and come to rule the whole world.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands, when the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Blessed and approved is the coming into the world, of those Gurmukhs who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, they save their families, and they are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The Guru unites His Sikhs, the Gurmukhs, with the Lord.
The Guru keeps some of them with Himself, and engages others in His Service.
Those who cherish their Beloved in their conscious minds, the Guru blesses them with His Love.
The Guru loves all of His Gursikhs equally well, like friends, children and siblings.
So chant the Name of the Guru, the True Guru, everyone! Chanting the Name of the Guru, Guru, you shall be rejuvenated. ||14||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, the blind, ignorant fools do not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord; they involve themselves in other activities.
They are bound and gagged at the door of the Messenger of Death; they are punished, and in the end, they rot away in manure. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O Nanak, those humble beings are true and approved, who serve their True Guru.
They remain absorbed in the Name of the Lord, and their comings and goings cease. ||2||
Pauree:
Gathering the wealth and property of Maya, brings only pain in the end.
Homes, mansions and adorned palaces will not go with anyone.
He may breed horses of various colors, but these will not be of any use to him.
O human, link your consciousness to the Lord's Name, and in the end, it shall be your companion and helper.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the Gurmukh is blessed with peace. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Without the karma of good actions, the Name is not obtained; it can be obtained only by perfect good karma.
O Nanak, if the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, then under Guru's Instruction, one is united in His Union. ||1||
First Mehl:
Some are cremated, and some are buried; some are eaten by dogs.
Some are thrown into water, while others are thrown into wells.
O Nanak, it is not known, where they go and into what they merge. ||2||
Pauree:
The food and clothes, and all the worldly possessions of those who are attuned to the Lord's Name are sacred.
All the homes, temples, palaces and way-stations are sacred, where the Gurmukhs, the selfless servants, the Sikhs and the renouncers of the world, go and take their rest.
All the horses, saddles and horse blankets are sacred, upon which the Gurmukhs, the Sikhs, the Holy and the Saints, mount and ride.
All the rituals and Dharmic practices and deeds are sacred, for those who utter the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the True Name of the Lord.
Those Gurmukhs, those Sikhs, who have purity as their treasure, go to their Guru. ||16||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, forsaking the Name, he loses everything, in this world and the next.
Chanting, deep meditation and austere self-disciplined practices are all wasted; he is deceived by the love of duality.
He is bound and gagged at the door of the Messenger of Death. He is beaten, and receives terrible punishment. ||1||

Third Mehl:
They inflict their hatred upon the Saints, and they love the wicked sinners.
They find no peace in either this world or the next; they are born only to die, again and again.
Their hunger is never satisfied, and they are ruined by duality.
The faces of these slanderers are blackened in the Court of the True Lord.
O Nanak, without the Naam, they find no shelter on either this shore, or the one beyond. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who meditate on the Lord's Name, are imbued with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in their minds.
For those who worship the One Lord in their conscious minds, there is no other than the One Lord.
They alone serve the Lord, upon whose foreheads such pre-ordained destiny is written.
They continually sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and singing the Glories of the Glorious Lord, they are uplifted.
Great is the greatness of the Gurmukhs, who, through the Perfect Guru, remain absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
It is very difficult to serve the True Guru; offer your head, and eradicate self-conceit.
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad shall never have to die again; his service is totally approved.
Touching the philosopher's stone, one becomes the philosopher's stone, which transforms lead into gold; remain lovingly attached to the True Lord.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny, comes to meet the True Guru and God.
O Nanak, the Lord's servant does not meet Him because of his own account; he alone is acceptable, whom the Lord forgives. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The fools do not know the difference between good and bad; they are deceived by their self-interests.
But if they contemplate the Word of the Shabad, they obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and their light merges in the Light.
The Fear of God is always on their minds, and so they come to understand everything.
The True Guru is pervading the homes within; He Himself blends them with the Lord.
O Nanak, they meet the True Guru, and all their desires are fulfilled, if the Lord grants His Grace and so wills. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed is the good fortune of those devotees, who, with their mouths, utter the Name of the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is the good fortune of those Saints, who, with their ears, listen to the Lord's Praises.
Blessed, blessed is the good fortune of those holy people, who sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and so become virtuous.
Blessed, blessed is the good fortune of those Gurmukhs, who live as Gursikhs, and conquer their minds.
But the greatest good fortune of all, is that of the Guru's Sikhs, who fall at the Guru's feet. ||18||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
One who knows God, and who lovingly focuses his attention on the One Word of the Shabad, keeps his spirituality intact.
The nine treasures and the eighteen spiritual powers of the Siddhas follow him, who keeps the Lord enshrined in his heart.
Without the True Guru, the Name is not found; understand this, and reflect upon it.
O Nanak, through perfect good destiny, one meets the True Guru, and finds peace, throughout the four ages. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Whether he is young or old, the self-willed manmukh cannot escape hunger and thirst.
The Gurmukhs are imbued with the Word of the Shabad; they are at peace, having lost their self-conceit.
They are satisfied and satiated within; they never feel hungry again.

O Nanak, whatever the Gurmukhs do is acceptable; they remain lovingly absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a sacrifice to those Sikhs who are Gurmukhs.
I behold the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of those who meditate on the Lord's Name.
Listening to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, I contemplate His virtues; I write His Praises on the fabric of my mind.
I praise the Lord's Name with love, and eradicate all my sins.
Blessed, blessed and beauteous is that body and place, where my Guru places His feet. ||19||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Without the Guru, spiritual wisdom is not obtained, and peace does not come to abide in the mind.
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the self-willed manmukhs depart, after having wasted their lives. ||1||
Third Mehl:
All the Siddhas, spiritual masters and seekers search for the Name; they have grown weary of concentrating and focusing their attention.
Without the True Guru, no one finds the Name; the Gurmukhs unite in Union with the Lord.
Without the Name, all food and clothes are worthless; cursed is such spirituality, and cursed are such miraculous powers.
That alone is spirituality, and that alone is miraculous power, which the Carefree Lord spontaneously bestows.
O Nanak, the Lord's Name abides in the mind of the Gurmukh; this is spirituality, and this is miraculous power. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a minstrel of God, my Lord and Master; every day, I sing the songs of the Lord's Glorious Praises.
I sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and I listen to the Praises of the Lord, the Master of wealth and Maya.
The Lord is the Great Giver; all the world is begging; all beings and creatures are beggars.
O Lord, You are kind and compassionate; You give Your gifts to even worms and insects among the rocks.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; as Gurmukh, he has become truly wealthy. ||20||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Reading and studying are just worldly pursuits, if there is thirst and corruption within.
Reading in egotism, all have grown weary; through the love of duality, they are ruined.
He alone is educated, and he alone is a wise Pandit, who contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He searches within himself, and finds the true essence; he finds the Door of Salvation.
He finds the Lord, the treasure of excellence, and peacefully contemplates Him.
Blessed is the trader, O Nanak, who, as Gurmukh, takes the Name as his only Support. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Without conquering his mind, no one can be successful. See this, and concentrate on it.
The wandering holy men are tired of of making pilgrimages to sacred shrines; they have not been able to conquer their minds.
The Gurmukh has conquered his mind, and he remains lovingly absorbed in the True Lord.
O Nanak, this is how the filth of the mind is removed; the Word of the Shabad burns away the ego. ||2||
Pauree:
O Saints of the Lord, O my Siblings of Destiny, please meet with me, and implant the Name of the One Lord within me.
O humble servants of the Lord, adorn me with the decorations of the Lord, Har, Har; let me wear the robes of the Lord's forgiveness.
Such decorations are pleasing to my God; such love is dear to the Lord.
I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, day and night; in an instant, all sins are eradicated.
That Gurmukh, unto whom the Lord becomes merciful, chants the Lord's Name, and wins the game of life. ||21||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
The filth of countless incarnations sticks to this mind; it has become pitch black.
The oily rag cannot be cleaned by merely washing it, even if it is washed a hundred times.
By Guru's Grace, one remains dead while yet alive; his intellect is transformed, and he becomes detached from the world.
O Nanak, no filth sticks to him, and he does not fall into the womb again. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Kali Yuga is called the Dark Age, but the most sublime state is attained in this age.
The Gurmukh obtains the fruit, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises; this is his destiny, ordained by the Lord.
O Nanak, by Guru's Grace, he worships the Lord night and day; he chants the Lord's Name, and remains absorbed in the Lord's devotional worship. ||2||
Pauree:
O Lord, unite me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, so that with my mouth, I may speak the sublime Word of the Guru's Bani.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and constantly chant the Lord's Name; through the Guru's Teachings, I enjoy the Lord's Love constantly.
I take the medicine of meditation on the Lord's Name, which has cured all diseases and multitudes of sufferings.
Those who do not forget the Lord, while breathing or eating - know them to be the perfect servants of the Lord.
Those Gurmukhs who worship the Lord in adoration end their subservience to the Messenger of Death, and to the world. ||22||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O man, you have been tormented by a nightmare, and you have passed your life in sleep.
You did not wake to hear the Word of the True Guru's Shabad; you have no inspiration within yourself.
That body burns, which has no virtue, and which does not serve the Guru.
I have seen that the world is burning, in egotism and the love of duality.
O Nanak, those who seek the Guru's Sanctuary are saved; within their minds, they meditate on the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, the soul-bride is rid of egotism, and she is glorified.
If she walks steadily in the way of His Will, then she is adorned with decorations.
Her couch becomes beautiful, and she constantly enjoys her Husband Lord; she obtains the Lord as her Husband.
The Lord does not die, and she never suffers pain; she is a happy soul-bride forever.
O Nanak, the Lord God unites her with Himself; she enshrines love and affection for the Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who conceal and deny their Guru, are the most evil people.
O Dear Lord, let me not even see them; they are the worst sinners and murderers.
They wander from house to house, with impure minds, like wicked, forsaken women.
But by great good fortune, they may meet the Company of the Holy; as Gurmukhs, they are reformed.
O Lord, please be kind and let me meet the True Guru; I am a sacrifice to the Guru. ||23||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Serving the Guru, peace is produced, and then, one does not suffer in pain.
The cycle of birth and death is brought to an end, and death has no power over at all.
His mind is imbued with the Lord, and he remains merged in the True Lord.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who walk in the Way of the True Guru's Will. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Without the Word of the Shabad, purity is not obtained, even though the soul-bride may adorn herself with all sorts of decorations.

She does not know the value of her Husband Lord; she is attached to the love of duality.
She is impure, and ill-mannered, O Nanak; among women, she is the most evil woman. ||2||
Pauree:
Be kind to me, Lord, that I might chant the Word of Your Bani.
May I meditate on the Lord's Name, chant the Lord's Name, and obtain the profit of the Lord's Name.
I am a sacrifice to those who chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, day and night.
May I behold with my eyes those who worship and adore my Beloved True Guru.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has united me with my Lord, my friend, my very best friend. ||24||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord loves His slaves; the Lord is the friend of His slaves.
The Lord is under the control of His slaves, like the musical instrument under the control of the musician.
The Lord's slaves meditate on the Lord; they love their Beloved.
Please, hear me, O God - let Your Grace rain over the whole world.
The praise of the Lord's slaves is the Glory of the Lord.
The Lord loves His Own Glory, and so His humble servant is celebrated and hailed.
That humble servant of the Lord meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the Lord, and the Lord's humble servant, are one and the same.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Lord; O Lord, O God, please, preserve his honor. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Nanak loves the True Lord; without Him, he cannot even survive.
Meeting the True Guru, one finds the Perfect Lord, and the tongue enjoys the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Night and day, morning and night, I sing to You, Lord.
All beings and creatures meditate on Your Name.
You are the Giver, the Great Giver; we eat whatever You give us.
In the congregation of the devotees, sins are eradicated.
Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, O Lord. ||25||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
He has spiritual ignorance within, and his intellect is dull and dim; he does not place his faith in the True Guru.
He has deceit within himself, and so he sees deception in all others; through his deceptions, he is totally ruined.
The True Guru's Will does not enter into his consciousness, and so he wanders around, pursuing his own interests.
If He grants His Grace, then Nanak is absorbed into the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in emotional attachment to Maya; in the love of duality, their minds are unsteady.
Night and day, they are burning; day and night, they are totally ruined by their egotism.
Within them, is the total pitch darkness of greed, and no one even approaches them.
They themselves are miserable, and they never find peace; they are born, only to die, and die again.
O Nanak, the True Lord God forgives those, who focus their consciousness on the Guru's feet. ||2||
Pauree:
That Saint, that devotee, is acceptable, who is loved by God.
Those beings are wise, who meditate on the Lord.
They eat the food, the treasure of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
They apply the dust of the feet of the Saints to their foreheads.

O Nanak, they are purified, bathing in the sacred shrine of the Lord. ||26||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Within the Gurmukh is peace and tranquility; his mind and body are absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He contemplates the Naam, he studies the Naam, and he remains lovingly absorbed in the Naam.
He obtains the treasure of the Naam, and his anxiety is dispelled.
Meeting with the Guru, the Naam wells up, and his thirst and hunger are completely relieved.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, he gathers in the Naam. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
One who is cursed by the True Guru, abandons his home, and wanders around aimlessly.
He is jeered at, and his face is blackened in the world hereafter.
He babbles incoherently, and foaming at the mouth, he dies.
What can anyone do? Such is his destiny, according to his past deeds.
Wherever he goes, he is a liar, and by telling lies, he not liked by anyone.
O Siblings of Destiny, behold this, the glorious greatness of our Lord and Master, O Saints; as one behaves, so does he receive.
This shall be God's determination in His True Court; servant Nanak predicts and proclaims this. ||2||
Pauree:
The True Guru has established the village; the Guru has appointed its guards and protectors.
My hopes are fulfilled, and my mind is imbued with the love of the Guru's Feet.
The Guru is infinitely merciful; He has erased all my sins.
The Guru has showered me with His Mercy, and He has made me His own.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to the Guru, who has countless virtues. ||27||
Shalok, First Mehl:
By His Command, we receive our pre-ordained rewards; so what can we do now, O Pandit?
When His Command is received, then it is decided; all beings move and act accordingly. ||1||
Second Mehl:
The string through the nose is in the hands of the Lord Master; one's own actions drive him on.
Wherever his food is, there he eats it; O Nanak, this is the Truth. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord Himself puts everything in its proper place.
He Himself created the creation, and He Himself destroys it.
He Himself fashions His creatures, and He Himself nourishes them.
He hugs His slaves close in His embrace, and blesses them with His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, His devotees are forever in bliss; they have burnt away the love of duality. ||28||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O mind, meditate on the Dear Lord, with single-minded conscious concentration.
The glorious greatness of the Lord shall last forever and ever; He never regrets what He gives.
I am forever a sacrifice to the Lord; serving Him, peace is obtained.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh remains merged with the Lord; he burns away his ego through the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He Himself enjoins us to serve Him, and He Himself blesses us with forgiveness.
He Himself is the father and mother of all; He Himself cares for us.
O Nanak, those who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abide in the home of their inner being; they are honored throughout the ages. ||2||
Pauree:
You are the Creator, all-powerful, able to do anything. Without You, there is no other at all.

You Yourself created the world, and You Yourself shall destroy it in the end.
The Word of Your Shabad alone is pervading everywhere; whatever You do, comes to pass.
God blesses the Gurmukh with glorious greatness, and then, he finds the Lord.
As Gurmukh, Nanak worships and adores the Lord; let everyone proclaim, "Blessed, blessed, blessed is He, the Guru!"||29||1||SUDH||
Raag Sorat'h, The Word Of Devotee Kabeer Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Worshipping their idols, the Hindus die; the Muslims die bowing their heads.
The Hindus cremate their dead, while the Muslims bury theirs; neither finds Your true state, Lord. ||1||
O mind, the world is a deep, dark pit.
On all four sides, Death has spread his net. ||1||Pause||
Reciting their poems, the poets die; the mystical ascetics die while journeying to Kaydaar Naat'h.
The Yogis die, with their matted hair, but even they do not find Your state, Lord. ||2||
The kings die, gathering and hoarding their money, burying great quantities of gold.
The Pandits die, reading and reciting the Vedas; women die, gazing at their own beauty. ||3||
Without the Lord's Name, all come to ruin; behold, and know this, O body.
Without the Name of the Lord, who can find salvation? Kabeer speaks the Teachings. ||4||1||
When the body is burnt, it turns to ashes; if it is not cremated, then it is eaten by armies of worms.
The unbaked clay pitcher dissolves, when water is poured into it; this is also the nature of the body. ||1||
Why, O Siblings of Destiny, do you strut around, all puffed up with pride?
Have you forgotten those days, when you were hanging, face down, for ten months? ||1||Pause||
Like the bee which collects honey, the fool eagerly gathers and collects wealth.
At the time of death, they shout, "Take him away, take him away! Why leave a ghost lying around?"||2||
His wife accompanies him to the threshold, and his friends and companions beyond.
All the people and relatives go as far as the cremation grounds, and then, the soul-swan goes on alone. ||3||
Says Kabeer, listen, O mortal being: you have been seized by Death, and you have fallen into the deep, dark pit.
You have entangled yourself in the false wealth of Maya, like the parrot caught in the trap. ||4||2||
Listening to all the teachings of the Vedas and the Puraanas, I wanted to perform the religious rituals.
But seeing all the wise men caught by Death, I arose and left the Pandits; now I am free of this desire. ||1||
O mind, you have not completed the only task you were given;
you have not meditated on the Lord, your King. ||1||Pause||
Going to the forests, they practice Yoga and deep, austere meditation; they live on roots and the fruits they gather.
The musicians, the Vedic scholars, the chanters of one word and the men of silence, all are listed on the Register of Death. ||2||
Loving devotional worship does not enter into your heart; pampering and adorning your body, you must still give it up.
You sit and play music, but you are still a hypocrite; what do you expect to receive from the Lord? ||3||
Death has fallen on the whole world; the doubting religious scholars are also listed on the Register of Death.

Says Kabeer, those humble people become pure - they become Khalsa - who know the Lord's loving devotional worship. ||4||3||
SECOND HOUSE||
With both of my eyes, I look around;
I don't see anything except the Lord.
My eyes gaze lovingly upon Him,
and now, I cannot speak of anything else. ||1||
My doubts were removed, and my fear ran away,
when my consciousness became attached to the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
When the magician beats his tambourine,
everyone comes to see the show.
When the magician winds up his show,
then he enjoys its play all alone. ||2||
By preaching sermons, one's doubt is not dispelled.
Everyone is tired of preaching and teaching.
The Lord causes the Gurmukh to understand;
his heart remains permeated with the Lord. ||3||
When the Guru grants even a bit of His Grace,
one's body, mind and entire being are absorbed into the Lord.
Says Kabeer, I am imbued with the Lord's Love;
I have met with the Life of the world, the Great Giver. ||4||4||
Let the sacred scriptures be your milk and cream,
and the ocean of the mind the churning vat.
Be the butter-churner of the Lord,
and your buttermilk shall not be wasted. ||1||
O soul-bride slave, why don't you take the Lord as your Husband?
He is the Life of the world, the Support of the breath of life. ||1||Pause||
The chain is around your neck, and the cuffs are on your feet.
The Lord has sent you wandering around from house to house.
And still, you do not meditate on the Lord, O soul-bride, slave.
Death is watching you, O wretched woman. ||2||
The Lord God is the Cause of causes.
What is in the hands of the poor soul-bride, the slave?
She awakens from her slumber,
and she becomes attached to whatever the Lord attaches her. ||3||
O soul-bride, slave, where did you obtain that wisdom,
by which you erased your inscription of doubt?
Kabeer has tasted that subtle essence;
by Guru's Grace, his mind is reconciled with the Lord. ||4||5||
Without Him, we cannot even live;
when we meet Him, then our task is completed.
People say it is good to live forever,
but without dying, there is no life. ||1||
So now, what sort wisdom should I contemplate and preach?
As I watch, worldly things dissipate. ||1||Pause||
Saffron is ground up, and mixed with sandalwood;
without eyes, the world is seen.
The son has given birth to his father;
without a place, the city has been established. ||2||
The humble beggar has found the Great Giver,
but he is unable to eat what he has been given.
He cannot leave it alone, but it is never exhausted.
He shall not go to beg from others any longer. ||3||
Those select few, who know how to die while yet alive, enjoy great peace.
Kabeer has found that wealth;
meeting with the Lord, he has erased his self-conceit. ||4||6||
What use is it to read, and what use is it to study?
What use is it to listen to the Vedas and the Puraanas?
What use is reading and listening,
if celestial peace is not attained? ||1||
The fool does not chant the Name of the Lord.
So what does he think of, over and over again? ||1||Pause||
In the darkness, we need a lamp

to find the incomprehensible thing.
I have found this incomprehensible thing;
my mind is illuminated and enlightened. ||2||
Says Kabeer, now I know Him;
since I know Him, my mind is pleased and appeased.
My mind is pleased and appeased, and yet, people do not believe it.
They do not believe it, so what can I do? ||3||7||
In his heart there is deception, and yet in his mouth are words of wisdom.
You are false - why are you churning water? ||1||
Why do you bother to wash your body?
Your heart is still full of filth. ||1||Pause||
The gourd may be washed at the sixty-eight sacred shrines,
but even then, its bitterness is not removed. ||2||
Says Kabeer after deep contemplation,
please help me cross over the terrifying world-ocean, O Lord, O Destroyer of ego. ||3||8||
Sorat'h:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Practicing great hypocrisy, he acquires the wealth of others.
Returning home, he squanders it on his wife and children. ||1||
O my mind, do not practice deception, even inadvertently.
In the end, your own soul shall have to answer for its account. ||1||Pause||
Moment by moment, the body is wearing away, and old age is asserting itself.
And then, when you are old, no one shall pour water into your cup. ||2||
Says Kabeer, no one belongs to you.
Why not chant the Lord's Name in your heart, when you are still young? ||3||9||
O Saints, my windy mind has now become peaceful and still.
It seems that I have learned something of the science of Yoga. ||Pause||
The Guru has shown me the hole,
through which the deer carefully enters.
I have now closed off the doors,
and the unstruck celestial sound current resounds. ||1||
The pitcher of my heart-lotus is filled with water;
I have spilled out the water, and set it upright.
Says Kabeer, the Lord's humble servant, this I know.
Now that I know this, my mind is pleased and appeased. ||2||10||
Raag Sorat'h:
I am so hungry, I cannot perform devotional worship service.
Here, Lord, take back Your mala.
I beg for the dust of the feet of the Saints.
I do not owe anyone anything. ||1||
O Lord, how can I be with You?
If You do not give me Yourself, then I shall beg until I get You. ||Pause||
I ask for two kilos of flour,
and half a pound of ghee, and salt.
I ask for a pound of beans,
which I shall eat twice a day. ||2||
I ask for a cot, with four legs,
and a pillow and mattress.
I ask for a quit to cover myself.
Your humble servant shall perform Your devotional worship service with love. ||3||
I have no greed;
Your Name is the only ornament I wish for.
Says Kabeer, my mind is pleased and appeased;
now that my mind is pleased and appeased, I have come to know the Lord. ||4||11||
Raag Sorat'h, The Word Of Devotee Naam Dayv Jee, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When I see Him, I sing His Praises.
Then I, his humble servant, become patient. ||1||

Meeting the Divine True Guru, I merge into the sound current of the Naad. ||1||Pause||
Where the dazzling white light is seen,
there the unstruck sound current of the Shabad resounds.
One's light merges in the Light;
by Guru's Grace, I know this. ||2||
The jewels are in the treasure chamber of the heart-lotus.
They sparkle and glitter like lightning.
The Lord is near at hand, not far away.
He is totally permeating and pervading in my soul. ||3||
Where the light of the undying sun shines,
the light of burning lamps seems insignificant.
By Guru's Grace, I know this.
Servant Naam Dayv is absorbed in the Celestial Lord. ||4||1||
FOURTH HOUSE, SORAT'H:
The woman next door asked Naam Dayv, "Who built your house?
I shall pay him double wages. Tell me, who is your carpenter?"||1||
O sister, I cannot give this carpenter to you.
Behold, my carpenter is pervading everywhere.
My carpenter is the Support of the breath of life. ||1||Pause||
This carpenter demands the wages of love, if someone wants Him to build their house.
When one breaks his ties with all the people and relatives, then the carpenter comes of His own accord. ||2||
I cannot describe such a carpenter, who is contained in everything, everywhere.
The mute tastes the most sublime ambrosial nectar, but if you ask him to describe it, he cannot. ||3||
Listen to the virtues of this carpenter, O sister; He stopped the oceans, and established Dhroo as the pole star.
Naam Dayv's Lord Master brought Sita back, and gave Sri Lanka to Bhabheekhan. ||4||2||
SORAT'H, THIRD HOUSE:
The skinless drum plays.
Without the rainy season, the clouds shake with thunder.
Without clouds, the rain falls,
if one contemplates the essence of reality. ||1||
I have met my Beloved Lord.
Meeting with Him, my body is made beauteous and sublime. ||1||Pause||
Touching the philosopher's stone, I have been transformed into gold.
I have threaded the jewels into my mouth and mind.
I love Him as my own, and my doubt has been dispelled.
Seeking the Guru's guidance, my mind is content. ||2||
The water is contained within the pitcher;
I know that the One Lord is contained in all.
The mind of the disciple has faith in the Guru.
Servant Naam Dayv understands the essence of reality. ||3||3||
Raag Sorat'h, The Word Of Devotee Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When I am in my ego, then You are not with me. Now that You are with me, there is no egotism within me.
The wind may raise up huge waves in the vast ocean, but they are just water in water. ||1||
O Lord, what can I say about such an illusion?
Things are not as they seem. ||1||Pause||
It is like the king, who falls asleep upon his throne, and dreams that he is a beggar.
His kingdom is intact, but separated from it, he suffers in sorrow. Such is my own condition. ||2||

Like the story of the rope mistaken for a snake, the mystery has now been explained to me.
Like the many bracelets, which I mistakenly thought were gold; now, I do not say what I said then. ||3||
The One Lord is pervading the many forms; He enjoys Himself in all hearts.
Says Ravi Daas, the Lord is nearer than our own hands and feet. Whatever will be, will be. ||4||1||
If I am bound by the noose of emotional attachment, then I shall bind You, Lord, with the bonds of love.
Go ahead and try to escape, Lord; I have escaped by worshipping and adoring You. ||1||
O Lord, You know my love for You.
Now, what will You do? ||1||Pause||
A fish is caught, cut up, and cooked it in many different ways.
Bit by bit, it is eaten, but still, it does not forget the water. ||2||
The Lord, our King, is father to no one, except those who love Him.
The veil of emotional attachment has been cast over the entire world, but it does not bother the Lord's devotee. ||3||
Says Ravi Daas, my devotion to the One Lord is increasing; now, who can I tell this to?
That which brought me to worship and adore You - I am still suffering that pain. ||4||2||
I obtained this precious human life as a reward for my past actions, but without discriminating wisdom, it is wasted in vain.
Tell me, without devotional worship of the Lord, of what use are mansions and thrones like those of King Indra? ||1||
You have not considered the sublime essence of the Name of the Lord, our King;
this sublime essence shall cause you to forget all other essences. ||1||Pause||
We do not know what we need to know, and we have become insane. We do not consider what we should consider; our days are passing away.
Our passions are strong, and our discriminating intellect is weak; we have no access to the supreme objective. ||2||
We say one thing, and do something else; entangled in endless Maya, we do not understand anything.
Says Ravi Daas, Your slave, O Lord, I am disillusioned and detached; please, spare me Your anger, and have mercy on my soul. ||3||3||
He is the ocean of peace; the miraculous tree of life, the wish-fulfilling jewel, and the Kaamadhayna, the cow which fulfills all desires, all are in His power.
The four great blessings, the eighteen supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas, and the nine treasures, are all in the palm of His hand. ||1||
You do not chant with your tongue the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
Abandon your involvement in all other words. ||1||Pause||
The various Shaastras, Puranaas, and the Vedas of Brahma, are made up of thirty-four letters.
After deep contemplation, Vyaas spoke of the supreme objective; there is nothing equal to the Lord's Name. ||2||
Very fortunate are those who are absorbed in celestial bliss, and released from their entanglements; they are lovingly attached to the Lord.
Says Ravi Daas, enshrine the Lord's Light within your heart, and your fear of birth and death shall run away from you. ||3||4||
If You are the mountain, Lord, then I am the peacock.
If You are the moon, then I am the partridge in love with it. ||1||
O Lord, if You will not break with me, then I will not break with You.
For, if I were to break with You, with whom would I then join? ||1||Pause||
If You are the lamp, then I am the wick.
If You are the sacred place of pilgrimage, then I am the pilgrim. ||2||

I am joined in true love with You, Lord.
I am joined with You, and I have broken with all others. ||3||
Wherever I go, there I serve You.
There is no other Lord Master than You, O Divine Lord. ||4||
Meditating, vibrating upon You, the noose of death is cut away.
To attain devotional worship, Ravi Daas sings to You, Lord. ||5||5||
The body is a wall of water, supported by the pillars of air; the egg and sperm are the mortar.
The framework is made up of bones, flesh and veins; the poor soul-bird dwells within it. ||1||
O mortal, what is mine, and what is yours?
The soul is like a bird perched upon a tree. ||1||Pause||
You lay the foundation and build the walls.
But in the end, three and a half cubits will be your measured space. ||2||
You make your hair beautiful, and wear a stylish turban on your head.
But in the end, this body shall be reduced to a pile of ashes. ||3||
Your palaces are lofty, and your brides are beautiful.
But without the Lord's Name, you shall lose the game entirely. ||4||
My social status is low, my ancestry is low, and my life is wretched.
I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Luminous Lord, my King; so says Ravi Daas, the shoemaker. ||5||6||
I am a shoemaker, but I do not know how to mend shoes.
People come to me to mend their shoes. ||1||Pause||
I have no awl to stitch them;
I have no knife to patch them. ||1||
Mending, mending, people waste their lives and ruin themselves.
Without wasting my time mending, I have found the Lord. ||2||
Ravi Daas chants the Lord's Name;
he is not concerned with the Messenger of Death. ||3||7||
Raag Sorat'h, The Word Of Devotee Bheekhan Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Tears well up in my eyes, my body has become weak, and my hair has become milky-white.
My throat is tight, and I cannot utter even one word; what can I do now? I am a mere mortal. ||1||
O Lord, my King, Gardener of the world-garden, be my Physician,
and save me, Your Saint. ||1||Pause||
My head aches, my body is burning, and my heart is filled with anguish.
Such is the disease that has struck me; there is no medicine to cure it. ||2||
The Name of the Lord, the ambrosial, immaculate water, is the best medicine in the world.
By Guru's Grace, says servant Bheekhan, I have found the Door of Salvation. ||3||1||
Such is the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the invaluable jewel, the most sublime wealth, which I have found through good deeds.
By various efforts, I have enshrined it within my heart; this jewel cannot be hidden by hiding it. ||1||
The Glorious Praises of the Lord cannot be spoken by speaking.
They are like the sweet candies given to a mute. ||1||Pause||
The tongue speaks, the ears listen, and the mind contemplates the Lord; they find peace and comfort.
Says Bheekhan, my eyes are content; wherever I look, there I see the Lord. ||2||2||

Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
My soul is afraid; to whom should I complain?
I serve Him, who makes me forget my pains; He is the Giver, forever and ever. ||1||
My Lord and Master is forever new; He is the Giver, forever and ever. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, I serve my Lord and Master; He shall save me in the end.
Hearing and listening, O my dear sister, I have crossed over. ||2||
O Merciful Lord, Your Name carries me across.
I am forever a sacrifice to You. ||1||Pause||
In all the world, there is only the One True Lord; there is no other at all.
He alone serves the Lord, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace. ||3||
Without You, O Beloved, how could I even live?
Bless me with such greatness, that I may remain attached to Your Name.
There is no other, O Beloved, to whom I can go and speak. ||1||Pause||
I serve my Lord and Master; I ask for no other.
Nanak is His slave; moment by moment, bit by bit, he is a sacrifice to Him. ||4||
O Lord Master, I am a sacrifice to Your Name, moment by moment, bit by bit. ||1||Pause||4||1||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
We are human beings of the briefest moment; we do not know the appointed time of our departure.
Prays Nanak, serve the One, to whom our soul and breath of life belong. ||1||
You are blind - see and consider, how many days your life shall last. ||1||Pause||
My breath, my flesh and my soul are all Yours, Lord; You are so very dear to me.
Nanak, the poet, says this, O True Lord Cherisher. ||2||
If you gave nothing, O my Lord and Master, what could anyone pledge to You?
Nanak prays, we receive that which we are pre-destined to receive. ||3||
The deceitful person does not remember the Lord's Name; he practices only deceit.
When he is marched in chains to Death's door, then, he regrets his actions. ||4||

As long as we are in this world, O Nanak, we should listen, and speak of the Lord.
I have searched, but I have found no way to remain here; so, remain dead while yet alive. ||5||2||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
How can I remember the Lord in meditation? I cannot meditate on Him in remembrance.
My heart is burning, and my soul is crying out in pain.
The True Lord creates and adorns.
Forgetting Him, how can one be good? ||1||
By clever tricks and commands, He cannot be found.
How am I to meet my True Lord, O my mother? ||1||Pause||
How rare is the one who goes out, and searches for the merchandise of the Naam.
No one tastes it, and no one eats it.
Honor is not obtained by trying to please other people.
One's honor is preserved, only if the Lord preserves it. ||2||
Wherever I look, there I see Him, pervading and permeating.
Without You, I have no other place of rest.
He may try, but what can anyone do by his own doing?
He alone is blessed, whom the True Lord forgives. ||3||
Now, I shall have to get up and depart, in an instant, in the clapping of hands.
What face will I show the Lord? I have no virtue at all.
As is the Lord's Glance of Grace, so it is.
Without His Glance of Grace, O Nanak, no one is blessed. ||4||1||3||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
If the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, then one remembers Him in meditation.
The soul is softened, and he remains absorbed in the Lord's Love.
His soul and the Supreme Soul become one.
The duality of the inner mind is overcome. ||1||
By Guru's Grace, God is found.
One's consciousness is attached to the Lord, and so Death does not devour him. ||1||Pause||
Remembering the True Lord in meditation, one is enlightened.
Then, in the midst of Maya, he remains detached.
Such is the Glory of the True Guru;
in the midst of children and spouses, they attain emancipation. ||2||
Such is the service which the Lord's servant performs,
that he dedicates his soul to the Lord, to whom it belongs.
One who is pleasing to the Lord and Master is acceptable.
Such a servant obtains honor in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
He enshrines the image of the True Guru in his heart.
He obtains the rewards which he desires.
The True Lord and Master grants His Grace;
how can such a servant be afraid of death? ||4||
Prays Nanak, practice contemplation,
and enshrine love for the True Word of His Bani.
Then, you shall find the Gate of Salvation.
This Shabad is the most excellent of all chanting and austere meditations. ||5||2||4||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
My soul burns, over and over again.
Burning and burning, it is ruined, and it falls into evil.
That body, which forgets the Word of the Guru's Bani,
cries out in pain, like a chronic patient. ||1||
To speak too much and babble is useless.
Even without our speaking, He knows everything. ||1||Pause||
He created our ears, eyes and nose.
He gave us our tongue to speak so fluently.

He preserved the mind in the fire of the womb;
at His Command, the wind blows everywhere. ||2||
These worldly attachments, loves and pleasurable tastes,
all are just black stains.
One who departs, with these black stains of sin on his face
shall find no place to sit in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
By Your Grace, we chant Your Name.
Becoming attached to it, one is saved; there is no other way.
Even if one is drowning, still, he may be saved.
O Nanak, the True Lord is the Giver of all. ||4||3||5||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
If a thief praises someone, his mind is not pleased.
If a thief curses him, no damage is done.
No one will take responsibility for a thief.
How can a thief's actions be good? ||1||
Listen, O mind, you blind, false dog!
Even without your speaking, the Lord knows and understands. ||1||Pause||
A thief may be handsome, and a thief may be wise,
but he is still just a counterfeit coin, worth only a shell.
If it is kept and mixed with other coins,
it will be found to be false, when the coins are inspected. ||2||
As one acts, so does he receive.
As he plants, so does he eat.
He may praise himself gloriously,
but still, according to his understanding, so is the path he must follow. ||3||
He may tell hundreds of lies to conceal his falsehood,
and all the world may call him good.
If it pleases You, Lord, even the foolish are approved.
O Nanak, the Lord is wise, knowing, all-knowing. ||4||4||6||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
The body is the paper, and the mind is the inscription written upon it.
The ignorant fool does not read what is written on his forehead.
In the Court of the Lord, three inscriptions are recorded.
Behold, the counterfeit coin is worthless there. ||1||
O Nanak, if there is silver in it,
then everyone proclaims, "It is genuine, it is genuine."||1||Pause||
The Qazi tells lies and eats filth;
the Brahmin kills and then takes cleansing baths.
The Yogi is blind, and does not know the Way.
The three of them devise their own destruction. ||2||
He alone is a Yogi, who understands the Way.
By Guru's Grace, he knows the One Lord.
He alone is a Qazi, who turns away from the world,
and who, by Guru's Grace, remains dead while yet alive.
He alone is a Brahmin, who contemplates God.
He saves himself, and saves all his generations as well. ||3||
One who cleanses his own mind is wise.
One who cleanses himself of impurity is a Muslim.
One who reads and understands is acceptable.
Upon his forehead is the Insignia of the Court of the Lord. ||4||5||7||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
No, no, this is not the time, when people know the way to Yoga and Truth.
The holy places of worship in the world are polluted, and so the world is drowning. ||1||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the most sublime.
Some people try to deceive the world by closing their eyes and holding their nostrils closed. ||1||Pause||
They close off their nostrils with their fingers, and claim to see the three worlds.

But they cannot even see what is behind them. What a strange lotus pose this is! ||2||
The K'shatriyas have abandoned their religion, and have adopted a foreign language.
The whole world has been reduced to the same social status; the state of righteousness and Dharma has been lost. ||3||
They analyze eight chapters of (Panini's) grammar and the Puraanas. They study the Vedas,
but without the Lord's Name, no one is liberated; so says Nanak, the Lord's slave. ||4||1||6||8||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Aartee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
In the bowl of the sky, the sun and moon are the lamps; the stars in the constellations are the pearls.
The fragrance of sandalwood is the incense, the wind is the fan, and all the vegetation are flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1||
What a beautiful lamp-lit worship service this is! O Destroyer of fear, this is Your Aartee, Your worship service.
The sound current of the Shabad is the sounding of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||
Thousands are Your eyes, and yet You have no eyes. Thousands are Your forms, and yet You have not even one form.
Thousands are Your lotus feet, and yet You have no feet. Without a nose, thousands are Your noses. I am enchanted with Your play! ||2||
The Divine Light is within everyone; You are that Light.
Yours is that Light which shines within everyone.
By the Guru's Teachings, this Divine Light is revealed.
That which pleases the Lord is the true worship service. ||3||
My soul is enticed by the honey-sweet lotus feet of the Lord; night and day, I thirst for them.
Bless Nanak, the thirsty song-bird, with the water of Your Mercy, that he may come to dwell in Your Name. ||4||1||7||9||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl, Second House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
This wealth is inexhaustible. It shall never be exhausted, and it shall never be lost.
The Perfect True Guru has revealed it to me.
I am forever a sacrifice to my True Guru.
By Guru's Grace, I have enshrined the Lord within my mind. ||1||
They alone are wealthy, who lovingly attune themselves to the Lord's Name.
The Perfect Guru has revealed to me the Lord's treasure; by the Lord's Grace, it has come to abide in my mind. ||Pause||
He is rid of his demerits, and his heart is permeated with merit and virtue.
By Guru's Grace, he naturally dwells in celestial peace.
True is the Word of the Perfect Guru's Bani.
They bring peace to the mind, and celestial peace is absorbed within. ||2||
O my humble Siblings of Destiny, behold this strange and wonderful thing:
duality is overcome, and the Lord dwells within his mind.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is priceless; it cannot be taken.
By Guru's Grace, it comes to abide in the mind. ||3||
He is the One God, abiding within all.
Through the Guru's Teachings, He is revealed in the heart.
One who intuitively knows and realizes God,

O Nanak, obtains the Naam; his mind is pleased and appeased. ||4||1||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
The wealth of the Lord's Name is immaculate, and absolutely infinite.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is over-flowing with treasure.
Know that, except for the wealth of the Name, all other wealth is poison.
The egotistical people are burning in their attachment to Maya. ||1||
How rare is that Gurmukh who tastes the sublime essence of the Lord.
He is always in bliss, day and night; through perfect good destiny, he obtains the Name. ||Pause||
The Word of the Shabad is a lamp, illuminating the three worlds.
One who tastes it, becomes immaculate.
The immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord, washes off the filth of ego.
True devotional worship brings lasting peace. ||2||
One who tastes the sublime essence of the Lord is the Lord's humble servant.
He is forever happy; he is never sad.
He himself is liberated, and he liberates others as well.
He chants the Lord's Name, and through the Lord, he finds peace. ||3||
Without the True Guru, everyone dies, crying out in pain.
Night and day, they burn, and find no peace.
But meeting the True Guru, all thirst is quenched.
O Nanak, through the Naam, one finds peace and tranquility. ||4||2||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
Gather in and cherish forever the wealth of the Lord's Name, deep within;
He cherishes and nurtures all beings and creatures.
They alone obtain the treasure of Liberation,
who are lovingly imbued with, and focused on the Lord's Name. ||1||
Serving the Guru, one obtains the wealth of the Lord's Name.
He is illumined and enlightened within, and he meditates on the Lord's Name. ||Pause||
This love for the Lord is like the love of the bride for her husband.
God ravishes and enjoys the soul-bride who is adorned with peace and tranquility.
No one finds God through egotism.
Wandering away from the Primal Lord, the root of all, one wastes his life in vain. ||2||
Tranquility, celestial peace, pleasure and the Word of His Bani come from the Guru.
True is that service, which leads one to merge in the Naam.
Blessed with the Word of the Shabad, he meditates forever on the Lord, the Beloved.
Through the True Name, glorious greatness is obtained. ||3||
The Creator Himself abides throughout the ages.
If He casts His Glance of Grace, then we meet Him.
Through the Word of Gurbani, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
O Nanak, God unites with Himself those who are imbued with Truth. ||4||3||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
The world is polluted, and those in the world become polluted as well.
In attachment to duality, it comes and goes.
This love of duality has ruined the entire world.
The self-willed manmukh suffers punishment, and forfeits his honor. ||1||
Serving the Guru, one becomes immaculate.
He enshrines the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within, and his state becomes exalted. ||Pause||
The Gurmukhs are saved, taking to the Lord's Sanctuary.
Attuned to the Lord's Name, they commit themselves to devotional worship.
The Lord's humble servant performs devotional worship, and is blessed with greatness.
Attuned to Truth, he is absorbed in celestial peace. ||2||
Know that one who purchases the True Name is very rare.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he comes to understand himself.
True is his capital, and true is his trade.
Blessed is that person, who loves the Naam. ||3||
God, the True Lord, has attached some to His True Name.
They listen to the most sublime Word of His Bani, and the Word of His Shabad.

True is service to the True Lord God.
O Nanak, the Naam is the Embellisher. ||4||4||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to those who serve the Lord.
The Truth is in their hearts, and the True Name is on their lips.
Dwelling upon the Truest of the True, their pains are dispelled.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, the Lord comes to dwell in their minds. ||1||
Listening to the Word of Gurbani, filth is washed off,
and they naturally enshrine the Lord's Name in their minds. ||1||Pause||
One who conquers fraud, deceit and the fire of desire
finds tranquility, peace and pleasure within.
If one walks in harmony with the Guru's Will, he eliminates his self-conceit.
He finds the True Mansion of the Lord's Presence, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
The blind, self-willed manmukh does not understand the Shabad; he does not know the Word of the Guru's Bani,
and so he passes his life in misery.
But if he meets the True Guru, then he finds peace,
and the ego within is silenced. ||3||
Who else should I speak to? The One Lord is the Giver of all.
When He grants His Grace, then we obtain the Word of the Shabad.
Meeting with my Beloved, I sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
O Nanak, becoming truthful, I have become pleasing to the True Lord. ||4||5||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
When the mind is conquered, its turbulent wanderings are stopped.
Without conquering the mind, how can the Lord be found?
Rare is the one who knows the medicine to conquer the mind.
The mind is conquered through the Word of the Shabad; this is known to the Lord's humble servant. ||1||
The Lord forgives him, and blesses him with glory.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind. ||Pause||
The Gurmukh does good deeds,
and so, he comes to understand this mind.
The mind is intoxicated, like the elephant with wine.
The Guru places the harness upon it, and rejuvenates it. ||2||
The mind is undisciplined; only a rare few can discipline it.
If someone eats the uneatable, then he becomes immaculate.
As Gurmukh, his mind is embellished.
Egotism and corruption are eradicated from within. ||3||
Those whom the Primal Lord keeps united in His Union,
shall never be separated from Him; they are merged in the Word of the Shabad.
Only God Himself knows His own power.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||6||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
The ignorant fools amass false wealth.
The blind, foolish, self-willed manmukhs have gone astray.
Poisonous wealth brings constant pain.
It will not go with you, and it will not yield any profit. ||1||
True wealth is obtained through the Guru's Teachings.
False wealth continues coming and going. ||Pause||
The foolish self-willed manmukhs all go astray and die.
They drown in the terrifying world-ocean, and they cannot reach either this shore, or the one beyond.
But by perfect destiny, they meet the True Guru;
imbued with the True Name, day and night, they remain detached from the world. ||2||
Throughout the four ages, the True Bani of His Word is Ambrosial Nectar.
By perfect destiny, one is absorbed in the True Name.
The Siddhas, the seekers and all men long for the Name.
It is obtained only by perfect destiny. ||3||
The True Lord is everything; He is True.
Only a few realize the exalted Lord God.
He is the Truest of the True; He Himself implants the True Name within.

O Nanak, the Lord Himself sees all; He Himself links us to the Truth. ||4||7||
Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl:
The value and worth of the Lord's Name cannot be described.
Blessed are those humble beings, who lovingly focus their minds on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
True are the Guru's Teachings, and True is contemplative meditation.
God Himself forgives, and bestows contemplative meditation. ||1||
The Lord's Name is wonderful! God Himself imparts it.
In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Gurmukhs obtain it. ||1||Pause||
We are ignorant; ignorance fills our minds.
We do all our deeds in ego.
By Guru's Grace, egotism is eradicated.
Forgiving us, the Lord blends us with Himself. ||2||
Poisonous wealth gives rise to great arrogance.
Drowning in egotism, no one is honored.
Forsaking self-conceit, one finds lasting peace.
Under Guru's Instruction, he praises the True Lord. ||3||
The Creator Lord Himself fashions all.
Without Him, there is no other at all.
He alone is attached to Truth, whom the Lord Himself so attaches.
O Nanak, through the Naam, lasting peace is attained in the hereafter. ||4||8||
Raag Dhanaasaree, Third Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am just a poor beggar of Yours; You are Your Own Lord Master, You are the Great Giver.
Be Merciful, and bless me, a humble beggar, with Your Name, so that I may forever remain imbued with Your Love. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to Your Name, O True Lord.
The One Lord is the Cause of causes; there is no other at all. ||1||Pause||
I was wretched; I wandered through so many cycles of reincarnation. Now, Lord, please bless me with Your Grace.
Be merciful, and grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; please grant me such a gift. ||2||
Prays Nanak, the shutters of doubt have been opened wide; by Guru's Grace, I have come to know the Lord.
I am filled to overflowing with true love; my mind is pleased and appeased by the True Guru. ||3||1||9||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Those Saints and devotees who serve the Lord have all their sins washed away.
Have Mercy on me, O Lord and Master, and keep me in the Sangat, the Congregation that You love. ||1||
I cannot even speak the Praises of the Lord, the Gardener of the world.
We are sinners, sinking like stones in water; grant Your Grace, and carry us stones across. ||Pause||
The rust of poison and corruption from countless incarnations sticks to us; joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, it is cleaned away.
It is just like gold, which is heated in the fire, to remove the impurities from it. ||2||
I chant the chant of the Name of the Lord, day and night; I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, and enshrine it within my heart.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, is the most perfect medicine in this world; chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have conquered my ego. ||3||

The Lord, Har, Har, is unapproachable, of unfathomable wisdom, unlimited, all-powerful and infinite.
Show Mercy to Your humble servant, O Life of the world, and save the honor of servant Nanak. ||4||1||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
The humble Saints of the Lord meditate on the Lord; their pain, doubt and fear have run away.
The Lord Himself inspires them to serve Him; they are awakened within to the Guru's Teachings. ||1||
Imbued with the Lord's Name, they are unattached to the world.
Listening to the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, their minds are pleased; through Guru's Instruction, they enshrine love for the Lord. ||1||Pause||
God, the Lord and Master, is the caste and social status of His humble Saints. You are the Lord and Master; I am just Your puppet.
As is the understanding You bless us with, so are the words we speak. ||2||
What are we? Tiny worms, and microscopic germs. You are our great and glorious Lord and Master.
I cannot describe Your state and extent. O God, how can we unfortunate ones meet with You? ||3||
O God, my Lord and Master, shower me with Your Mercy, and commit me to Your service.
Make Nanak the slave of Your slaves, God; I speak the speech of the Lord's sermon. ||4||2||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
The True Guru is the Lord's Saint, the True Being, who chants the Bani of the Lord, Har, Har.
Whoever chants it, and listens to it, is liberated; I am forever a sacrifice to him. ||1||
O Saints of the Lord, listen to the Lord's Praises with your ears.
Listen to the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, for a moment, for even an instant, and all your sins and mistakes shall be erased. ||1||Pause||
Those who find such humble, Holy Saints, are the greatest of the great persons.
I beg for the dust of their feet; I long for the longing for God, my Lord and Master. ||2||
The Name of God, the Lord and Master, Har, Har, is the fruit-bearing tree; those who meditate on it are satisfied.
Drinking in the ambrosia of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I am satisfied; all my hunger and thirst is quenched. ||3||
Those who are blessed with the highest, loftiest destiny, chant and meditate on the Lord.
Let me join their congregation, O God, my Lord and Master; Nanak is the slave of their slaves. ||4||3||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
I am blind, totally blind, entangled in corruption and poison. How can I walk on the Guru's Path?
If the True Guru, the Giver of peace, shows His kindness, He attaches us to the hem of His robe. ||1||
O Sikhs of the Guru, O friends, walk on the Guru's Path.
Whatever the Guru says, accept that as good; the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, is unique and wonderful. ||1||Pause||
O Saints of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny, listen: serve the Guru, quickly now!
Let your service to the True Guru be your supplies on the Lord's Path; pack them up, and don't think of today or tomorrow. ||2||
O Saints of the Lord, chant the chant of the Lord's Name; the Lord's Saints walk with the Lord.
Those who meditate on the Lord, become the Lord; the playful, wondrous Lord meets them. ||3||
To chant the chant of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, is the longing I long for; have Mercy upon me, O Lord of the world-forest.
O Lord, unite servant Nanak with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; make me the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||4||

Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord, Har, Har, is the rain-drop; I am the song-bird, crying, crying out for it.
O Lord God, please bless me with Your Mercy, and pour Your Name into my mouth, even if for only an instant. ||1||
Without the Lord, I cannot live for even a second.
Like the addict who dies without his drug, I die without the Lord. ||Pause||
You, Lord, are the deepest, most unfathomable ocean; I cannot find even a trace of Your limits.
You are the most remote of the remote, limitless and transcendent; O Lord Master, You alone know Your state and extent. ||2||
The Lord's humble Saints meditate on the Lord; they are imbued with the deep crimson color of the Guru's Love.
Meditating on the Lord, they attain great glory, and the most sublime honor. ||3||
He Himself is the Lord and Master, and He Himself is the servant; He Himself creates His environments.
Servant Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary, O Lord; protect and preserve the honor of Your devotee. ||4||5||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
Tell me, O Siblings of Destiny, the religion for this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. I seek emancipation - how can I be emancipated?
Meditation on the Lord, Har, Har, is the boat, the raft; meditating on the Lord, the swimmer swims across. ||1||
O Dear Lord, protect and preserve the honor of Your humble servant.
O Lord, Har, Har, please make me chant the chant of Your Name; I beg only for Your devotional worship. ||Pause||
The Lord's servants are very dear to the Lord; they chant the Word of the Lord's Bani.
The account of the recording angels, Chitr and Gupt, and the account with the Messenger of Death is totally erased. ||2||
The Saints of the Lord meditate on the Lord in their minds; they join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The piercing sun of desires has set, and the cool moon has risen. ||3||
You are the Greatest Being, absolutely unapproachable and unfathomable; You created the Universe from Your Own Being.
O God, take pity on servant Nanak, and make him the slave of the slave of Your slaves. ||4||6||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl, Fifth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Enshrine the Lord within your heart, and contemplate Him. Dwell upon Him, reflect upon Him, and chant the Name of the Lord, the Enticer of hearts.
The Lord Master is unseen, unfathomable and unreachable; through the Perfect Guru, He is revealed. ||1||
The Lord is the philosopher's stone, which transforms lead into gold, and sandalwood, while I am just dry wood and iron.
Associating with the Lord, and the Sat Sangat, the Lord's True Congregation, the Lord has transformed me into gold and sandalwood. ||1||Pause||
One may repeat, verbatim, the nine grammars and the six Shaastras, but my Lord God is not pleased by this.
O servant Nanak, meditate forever on the Lord in your heart; this is what pleases my Lord God. ||2||1||7||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:

Chant His Praises, learn of the Lord, and serve the True Guru; in this way, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
In the Court of the Lord, He shall be pleased with you, and you shall not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again; you shall merge in the Divine Light of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||1||
Chant the Name of the Lord, O my mind, and you shall be totally at peace.
The Lord's Praises are the most sublime, the most exalted; serving the Lord, Har, Har, Har, you shall be emancipated. ||Pause||
The Lord, the treasure of mercy, blessed me, and so the Guru blessed me with the Lord's devotional worship; I have come to be in love with the Lord.
I have forgotten my cares and anxieties, and enshrined the Lord's Name in my heart; O Nanak, the Lord has become my friend and companion. ||2||2||8||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
Read about the Lord, write about the Lord, chant the Lord's Name, and sing the Lord's Praises; the Lord will carry you across the terrifying world-ocean.
In your mind, by your words, and within your heart, meditate on the Lord, and He will be pleased. In this way, repeat the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O mind, meditate on the Lord, the Lord of the World.
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O friend.
You shall be happy forever, day and night; sing the Praises of the Lord, the Lord of the world-forest. ||Pause||
When the Lord, Har, Har, casts His Glance of Grace, then I made the effort in my mind; meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have been emancipated.
Preserve the honor of servant Nanak, O my Lord and Master; I have come seeking Your Sanctuary. ||2||3||9||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
The eighty-four Siddhas, the spiritual masters, the Buddhas, the three hundred thirty million gods and the silent sages, all long for Your Name, O Dear Lord.
By Guru's Grace, a rare few obtain it; upon their foreheads, the pre-ordained destiny of loving devotion is written. ||1||
O mind, chant the Name of the Lord; singing the Lord's Praises is the most exalted activity.
I am forever a sacrifice to those who sing, and hear Your Praises, O Lord and Master. ||Pause||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O Cherisher God, my Lord and Master; whatever You give me, I accept.
O Lord, Merciful to the meek, give me this blessing; Nanak longs for the Lord's meditative remembrance. ||2||4||10||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
All the Sikhs and servants come to worship and adore You; they sing the sublime Bani of the Lord, Har, Har.
Their singing and listening is approved by the Lord; they accept the Order of the True Guru as True, totally True. ||1||
Chant the Lord's Praises, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage in the terrifying world-ocean.
They alone are praised in the Court of the Lord, O Saints, who know and understand the Lord's sermon. ||Pause||
He Himself is the Guru, and He Himself is the disciple; the Lord God Himself plays His wondrous games.
O servant Nanak, he alone merges with the Lord, whom the Lord Himself merges; all the others are forsaken, but the Lord loves him. ||2||5||11||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord is the Fulfiller of desires, the Giver of total peace; the Kaamadhaynaa, the wish-fulfilling cow, is in His power.
So meditate on such a Lord, O my soul. Then, you shall obtain total peace, O my mind. ||1||

Chant, O my mind, the True Name, Sat Naam, the True Name.
In this world, and in the world beyond, your face shall be radiant, by meditating continually on the immaculate Lord God. ||Pause||
Wherever anyone remembers the Lord in meditation, disaster runs away from that place. By great good fortune, we meditate on the Lord.
The Guru has blessed servant Nanak with this understanding, that by meditating on the Lord, we cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||6||12||
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
O my King, beholding the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, I am at peace.
You alone know my inner pain, O King; what can anyone else know? ||Pause||
O True Lord and Master, You are truly my King; whatever You do, all that is True.
Who should I call a liar? There is no other than You, O King. ||1||
You are pervading and permeating in all; O King, everyone meditates on You, day and night.
Everyone begs of You, O my King; You alone give gifts to all. ||2||
All are under Your Power, O my King; none at all are beyond You.
All beings are Yours-You belong to all, O my King. All shall merge and be absorbed in You. ||3||
You are the hope of all, O my Beloved; all meditate on You, O my King.
As it pleases You, protect and preserve me, O my Beloved; You are the True King of Nanak. ||4||7||13||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Destroyer of fear, Remover of suffering, Lord and Master, Lover of Your devotees, Formless Lord.
Millions of sins are eradicated in an instant when, as Gurmukh, one contemplates the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
My mind is attached to my Beloved Lord.
God, Merciful to the meek, granted His Grace, and placed the five enemies under my control. ||1||Pause||
Your place is so beautiful; Your form is so beautiful; Your devotees look so beautiful in Your Court.
O Lord and Master, Giver of all beings, please, grant Your Grace, and save me. ||2||
Your color is not known, and Your form is not seen; who can contemplate Your Almighty Creative Power?
You are contained in the water, the land and the sky, everywhere, O Lord of unfathomable form, Holder of the mountain. ||3||
All beings sing Your Praises; You are the imperishable Primal Being, the Destroyer of ego.
As it pleases You, please protect and preserve me; servant Nanak seeks Sanctuary at Your Door. ||4||1||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The fish out of water loses its life; it is deeply in love with the water.
The bumble bee, totally in love with the lotus flower, is lost in it; it cannot find the way to escape from it. ||1||
Now, my mind has nurtured love for the One Lord.
He does not die, and is not born; He is always with me. Through the Word of the True Guru's Shabad, I know Him. ||1||Pause||

Lured by sexual desire, the elephant is trapped; the poor beast falls into the power of another.
Lured by the sound of the hunter's bell, the deer offers its head; because of this enticement, it is killed. ||2||
Gazing upon his family, the mortal is enticed by greed; he clings in attachment to Maya.
Totally engrossed in worldly things, he considers them to be his own; but in the end, he shall surely have to leave them behind. ||3||
Know it well, that anyone who loves any other than God, shall be miserable forever.
Says Nanak, the Guru has explained this to me, that love for God brings lasting bliss. ||4||2||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Granting His Grace, God has blessed me with His Name, and released me of my bonds.
I have forgotten all worldly entanglements, and I am attached to the Guru's feet. ||1||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have renounced my other cares and anxieties.
I dug a deep pit, and buried my egotistical pride, emotional attachment and the desires of my mind. ||1||Pause||
No one is my enemy, and I am no one's enemy.
God, who expanded His expanse, is within all; I learned this from the True Guru. ||2||
I am a friend to all; I am everyone's friend.
When the sense of separation was removed from my mind, then I was united with the Lord, my King. ||3||
My stubbornness is gone, Ambrosial Nectar rains down, and the Word of the Guru's Shabad seems so sweet to me.
He is pervading everywhere, in the water, on the land and in the sky; Nanak beholds the all-pervading Lord. ||4||3||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Ever since I obtained the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Holy, my days have been blessed and prosperous.
I have found lasting bliss, singing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Primal Lord, the Architect of destiny. ||1||
Now, I sing the Praises of the Lord within my mind.
My mind has been illumined and enlightened, and it is always at peace; I have found the Perfect True Guru. ||1||Pause||
The Lord, the treasure of virtue, abides deep within the heart, and so pain, doubt and fear have been dispelled.
I have obtained the most incomprehensible thing, enshrining love for the Name of the Lord. ||2||
I was anxious, and now I am free of anxiety; I was worried, and now I am free of worry; my grief, greed and emotional attachments are gone.
By His Grace, I am cured of the disease of egotism, and the Messenger of Death no longer terrifies me. ||3||
Working for the Guru, serving the Guru and the Guru's Command, all are pleasing to me.
Says Nanak, He has released me from the clutches of Death; I am a sacrifice to that Guru. ||4||4||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Body, mind, wealth and everything belong to Him; He alone is all-wise and all-knowing.
He listens to my pains and pleasures, and then my condition improves. ||1||
My soul is satisfied with the One Lord alone.
People make all sorts of other efforts, but they have no value at all. ||Pause||
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a priceless jewel. The Guru has given me this advice.
It cannot be lost, and it cannot be shaken off; it remains steady, and I am perfectly satisfied with it. ||2||
Those things which tore me away from You, Lord, are now gone.

When golden ornaments are melted down into a lump, they are still said to be gold. ||3||
The Divine Light has illuminated me, and I am filled with celestial peace and glory; the unstruck melody of the Lord's Bani resounds within me.
Says Nanak, I have built my eternal home; the Guru has constructed it for me. ||4||5||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The desires of the greatest of the great kings and landlords cannot be satisfied.
They remain engrossed in Maya, intoxicated with the pleasures of their wealth; their eyes see nothing else at all. ||1||
No one has ever found satisfaction in sin and corruption.
The flame is not satisfied by more fuel; how can one be satisfied without the Lord? ||Pause||
Day after day, he eats his meals with many different foods, but his hunger is not eradicated.
He runs around like a dog, searching in the four directions. ||2||
The lustful, lecherous man desires many women, and he never stops peeking into the homes of others.
Day after day, he commits adultery again and again, and then he regrets his actions; he wastes away in misery and greed. ||3||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is incomparable and priceless; it is the treasure of Ambrosial Nectar.
The Saints abide in peace, poise and bliss; O Nanak, through the Guru, this is known. ||4||6||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Nothing which this mortal being runs after, can compare to it.
He alone comes to have it, whom the Guru blesses with this Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||
The desire to eat, to wear new clothes, and all other desires, do not abide in the mind of one who comes to know the subtle essence of the One Lord. ||Pause||
The mind and body blossom forth in abundance, when one receives even a drop of this Nectar.
I cannot express His glory; I cannot describe His worth. ||2||
We cannot meet the Lord by our own efforts, nor can we meet Him through service; He comes and meets us spontaneously.
One who is blessed by my Lord Master's Grace, practices the Teachings of the Guru's Mantra. ||3||
He is merciful to the meek, always kind and compassionate; He cherishes and nurtures all beings.
The Lord is mingled with Nanak, through and through; He cherishes him, like the mother her child. ||4||7||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has implanted the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within me.
In the utter darkness of the wilderness, He showed me the straight path. ||1||
The Lord of the universe, the Cherisher of the world, He is my breath of life.
Here and hereafter, he takes care of everything for me. ||1||Pause||
Meditating on Him in remembrance, I have found all treasures, respect, greatness and perfect honor.
Remembering His Name, millions of sins are erased; all His devotees long for the dust of His feet. ||2||
If someone wishes for the fulfillment of all his hopes and desires, he should serve the one supreme treasure.
He is the Supreme Lord God, infinite Lord and Master; meditating on Him in remembrance, one is carried across. ||3||
I have found total peace and tranquility in the Society of the Saints; my honor has been preserved.
To gather in the Lord's wealth, and to taste the food of the Lord's Name - Nanak has made this his feast. ||4||8||

Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
You have made it your habit to practice those deeds which will bring you shame.
You slander the Saints, and you worship the faithless cynics; such are the corrupt ways you have adopted. ||1||
Deluded by your emotional attachment to Maya, you love other things,
like the enchanted city of Hari-chandauree, or the green leaves of the forest - such is your way of life. ||1||Pause||
Its body may be anointed with sandalwood oil, but the donkey still loves to roll in the mud.
He is not fond of the Ambrosial Nectar; instead, he loves the poisonous drug of corruption. ||2||
The Saints are noble and sublime; they are blessed with good fortune. They alone are pure and holy in this world.
The jewel of this human life is passing away uselessly, lost in exchange for mere glass. ||3||
The sins and sorrows of uncounted incarnations run away, when the Guru applies the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom to the eyes.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have escaped from these troubles; Nanak loves the One Lord. ||4||9||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I carry the water, wave the fan, and grind the corn for the Saints; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
With each and every breath, my mind remembers the Naam, the Name of the Lord; in this way, it finds the treasure of peace. ||1||
Have pity on me, O my Lord and Master.
Bless me with such understanding, O my Lord and Master, that I may forever and ever meditate on You. ||1||Pause||
By Your Grace, emotional attachment and egotism are eradicated, and doubt is dispelled.
The Lord, the embodiment of bliss, is pervading and permeating in all; wherever I go, there I see Him. ||2||
You are kind and compassionate, the treasure of mercy, the Purifier of sinners, Lord of the world.
I obtain millions of joys, comforts and kingdoms, if You inspire me to chant Your Name with my mouth, even for an instant. ||3||
That alone is perfect chanting, meditation, penance and devotional worship service, which is pleasing to God's Mind.
Chanting the Naam, all thirst and desire is satisfied; Nanak is satisfied and fulfilled. ||4||10||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
She controls the three qualities and the four directions of the world.
She destroys sacrificial feasts, cleansing baths, penances and sacred places of pilgrimage; what is this poor person to do? ||1||
I grasped God's Support and Protection, and then I was emancipated.
By the Grace of the Holy Saints, I sang the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, and my sins and afflictions were taken away. ||1||Pause||
She is not heard - she does not speak with a mouth; she is not seen enticing mortals.
She administers her intoxicating drug, and so confuses them; thus she seems sweet to everyone's mind. ||2||
In each and every home, she has implanted the sense of duality in mother, father, children, friends and siblings.
Some have more, and some have less; they fight and fight, to the death. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru, who has shown me this wondrous play.
The world is being consumed by this hidden fire, but Maya does not cling to the Lord's devotees. ||4||
By the Grace of the Saints, I have obtained supreme bliss, and all my bonds have been broken.
Nanak has obtained the wealth of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; having earned his profits, he has now returned home. ||5||11||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
You are the Giver, O Lord, O Cherisher, my Master, my Husband Lord.

Each and every moment, You cherish and nurture me; I am Your child, and I rely upon You alone. ||1||
I have only one tongue - which of Your Glorious Virtues can I describe?
Unlimited, infinite Lord and Master - no one knows Your limits. ||1||Pause||
You destroy millions of my sins, and teach me in so many ways.
I am so ignorant - I understand nothing at all. Please honor Your innate nature, and save me! ||2||
I seek Your Sanctuary - You are my only hope. You are my companion, and my best friend.
Save me, O Merciful Saviour Lord; Nanak is the slave of Your home. ||3||12||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Worship, fasting, ceremonial marks on one's forehead, cleansing baths, generous donations to charities and self-mortification
- the Lord Master is not pleased with any of these rituals, no matter how sweetly one may speak. ||1||
Chanting the Name of God, the mind is soothed and pacified.
Everyone searches for Him in different ways, but the search is so difficult, and He cannot be found. ||1||Pause||
Chanting, deep meditation and penance, wandering over the face of the earth, the performance of austerities with the arms stretched up to the sky
- the Lord is not pleased by any of these means, though one may follow the path of Yogis and Jains. ||2||
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, and the Praises of the Lord are priceless; he alone obtains them, whom the Lord blesses with His Mercy.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak lives in the Love of God; his life-night passes in peace. ||3||13||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Is there anyone who can release me from my bondage, unite me with God, recite the Name of the Lord, Har, Har,
and make this mind steady and stable, so that it no longer wanders around? ||1||
Do I have any such friend?
I would give him all my property, my soul and my heart; I would devote my consciousness to him. ||1||Pause||
Others' wealth, others' bodies, and the slander of others - do not attach your love to them.
Associate with the Saints, speak with the Saints, and keep your mind awake to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||2||
God is the treasure of virtue, kind and compassionate, the source of all comfort.
Nanak begs for the gift of Your Name; O Lord of the world, love him, like the mother loves her child. ||3||14||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord saves His Saints.
One who wishes misfortune upon the Lord's slaves, shall be destroyed by the Lord eventually. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the help and support of His humble servants; He defeats the slanderers, and chases them away.
Wandering around aimlessly, they die out there; they never return to their homes again. ||1||
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Destroyer of pain; he sings the Glorious Praises of the infinite Lord forever.
The faces of the slanderers are blackened in the courts of this world, and the world beyond. ||2||15||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Now, I contemplate and meditate on the Lord, the Saviour Lord.
He purifies sinners in an instant, and cures all diseases. ||1||Pause||
Talking with the Holy Saints, my sexual desire, anger and greed have been eradicated.
Remembering, remembering the Perfect Lord in meditation, I have saved all my companions. ||1||

The Mul Mantra, the Root Mantra, is the only cure for the mind; I have installed faith in God in my mind.
Nanak ever longs for the dust of the Lord's feet; again and again, he is a sacrifice to the Lord. ||2||16||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I have fallen in love with the Lord.
My True Guru is always my help and support; He has torn down the banner of pain. ||1||Pause||
Giving me His hand, He has protected me as His own, and removed all my troubles.
He has blackened the faces of the slanderers, and He Himself has become the help and support of His humble servant. ||1||
The True Lord and Master has become my Saviour; hugging me close in His embrace, He has saved me.
Nanak has become fearless, and he enjoys eternal peace, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||17||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Your Name is the medicine, O Merciful Lord.
I am so miserable, I do not know Your state; You Yourself cherish me, Lord. ||1||Pause||
Take pity on me, O my Lord and Master, and remove the love of duality from within me.
Break my bonds, and take me as Your own, so that I may never come to lose. ||1||
Seeking Your Sanctuary, I live, almighty and merciful Lord and Master.
Twenty-four hours a day, I worship God; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||18||
Raag Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O God, please save me!
By myself, I cannot do anything, O my Lord and Master; by Your Grace, please bless me with Your Name. ||1||Pause||
Family and worldly affairs are an ocean of fire.
Through doubt, emotional attachment and ignorance, we are enveloped in darkness. ||1||
High and low, pleasure and pain.
Hunger and thirst are not satisfied. ||2||
The mind is engrossed in passion, and the disease of corruption.
The five thieves, the companions, are totally incorrigible. ||3||
The beings and souls and wealth of the world are all Yours.
O Nanak, know that the Lord is always near at hand. ||4||1||19||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord and Master destroys the pain of the poor; He preserves and protects the honor of His servants.
The Lord is the ship to carry us across; He is the treasure of virtue - pain cannot touch Him. ||1||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord of the world.
I cannot think of any other way; make this effort, and make it in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||Pause||
In the beginning, and in the end, there is none other than the perfect, merciful Lord.
The cycle of birth and death is ended, chanting the Lord's Name, and remembering the Lord Master in meditation. ||2||
The Vedas, the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Lord's devotees contemplate Him;
liberation is attained in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and the darkness of ignorance is dispelled. ||3||
The lotus feet of the Lord are the support of His humble servants. They are his only capital and investment.

The True Lord is Nanak's strength, honor and support; He alone is his protection. ||4||2||20||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Wandering and roaming around, I met the Holy Perfect Guru, who has taught me.
All other devices did not work, so I meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
For this reason, I sought the Protection and Support of my Lord, the Cherisher of the Universe.
I sought the Sanctuary of the Perfect Transcendent Lord, and all my entanglements were dissolved. ||Pause||
Paradise, the earth, the nether regions of the underworld, and the globe of the world - all are engrossed in Maya.
To save your soul, and liberate all your ancestors, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
O Nanak, singing the Naam, the Name of the Immaculate Lord, all treasures are obtained.
Only that rare person, whom the Lord and Master blesses with His Grace, comes to know this. ||3||3||21||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You shall have to abandon the straw which you have collected.
These entanglements shall be of no use to you.
You are in love with those things that will not go with you.
You think that your enemies are friends. ||1||
In such confusion, the world has gone astray.
The foolish mortal wastes this precious human life. ||Pause||
He does not like to see Truth and righteousness.
He is attached to falsehood and deception; they seem sweet to him.
He loves gifts, but he forgets the Giver.
The wretched creature does not even think of death. ||2||
He cries for the possessions of others.
He forfeits all the merits of his good deeds and religion.
He does not understand the Hukam of the Lord's Command, and so he continues coming and going in reincarnation.
He sins, and then regrets and repents. ||3||
Whatever pleases You, Lord, that alone is acceptable.
I am a sacrifice to Your Will.
Poor Nanak is Your slave, Your humble servant.
Save me, O my Lord God Master! ||4||1||22||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I am meek and poor; the Name of God is my only Support.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is my occupation and earnings.
I gather only the Lord's Name.
It is useful in both this world and the next. ||1||
Imbued with the Love of the Lord God's Infinite Name,
the Holy Saints sing the Glorious Praises of the One Lord, the Formless Lord. ||Pause||
The Glory of the Holy Saints comes from their total humility.
The Saints realize that their greatness rests in the Praises of the Lord.
Meditating on the Lord of the Universe, the Saints are in bliss.
The Saints find peace, and their anxieties are dispelled. ||2||
Wherever the Holy Saints gather,
there they sing the Praises of the Lord, in music and poetry.
In the Society of the Saints, there is bliss and peace.
They alone obtain this Society, upon whose foreheads such destiny is written. ||3||
With my palms pressed together, I offer my prayer.
I wash their feet, and chant the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of virtue.
O God, merciful and compassionate, let me remain in Your Presence.
Nanak lives, in the dust of the Saints. ||4||2||23||

Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
One who contemplates his Lord and Master - why should he be afraid?
The wretched self-willed manmukhs are ruined through fear and dread. ||1||Pause||
The Divine Guru, my mother and father, is over my head.
His image brings prosperity; serving Him, we become pure.
The One Lord, the Immaculate Lord, is our capital.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, we are illumined and enlightened. ||1||
The Giver of all beings is totally pervading everywhere.
Millions of pains are removed by the Lord's Name.
All the pains of birth and death are taken away
from the Gurmukh, within whose mind and body the Lord dwells. ||2||
He alone, whom the Lord has attached to the hem of His robe,
obtains a place in the Court of the Lord.
They alone are devotees, who are pleasing to the True Lord.
They are freed from the Messenger of Death. ||3||
True is the Lord, and True is His Court.
Who can contemplate and describe His value?
He is within each and every heart, the Support of all.
Nanak begs for the dust of the Saints. ||4||3||24||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
At home, and outside, I place my trust in You; You are always with Your humble servant.
Bestow Your Mercy, O my Beloved God, that I may chant the Lord's Name with love. ||1||
God is the strength of His humble servants.
Whatever You do, or cause to be done, O Lord and Master, that outcome is acceptable to me. ||Pause||
The Transcendent Lord is my honor; the Lord is my emancipation; the glorious sermon of the Lord is my wealth.
Slave Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's feet; from the Saints, he has learned this way of life. ||2||1||25||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
God has fulfilled all my desires. Holding me close in His embrace, the Guru has saved me.
He has saved me from burning in the ocean of fire, and now, no one calls it impassible. ||1||
Those who have true faith in their minds,
continually behold the Glory of the Lord; they are forever happy and blissful. ||Pause||
I seek the Sanctuary of the feet of the Perfect Transcendent Lord, the Searcher of hearts; I behold Him ever-present.
In His wisdom, the Lord has made Nanak His own; He has preserved the roots of His devotees. ||2||2||26||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Wherever I look, there I see Him present; He is never far away.
He is all-pervading, everywhere; O my mind, meditate on Him forever. ||1||
He alone is called your companion, who will not be separated from you, here or hereafter.
That pleasure, which passes away in an instant, is trivial. ||Pause||
He cherishes us, and gives us sustenance; He does not lack anything.
With each and every breath, my God takes care of His creatures. ||2||
God is undeceiveable, impenetrable and infinite; His form is lofty and exalted.
Chanting and meditating on the embodiment of wonder and beauty, His humble servants are in bliss. ||3||
Bless me with such understanding, O Merciful Lord God, that I might remember You.

Nanak begs God for the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||3||27||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The One who sent you, has now recalled you; return to your home now in peace and pleasure.
In bliss and ecstasy, sing His Glorious Praises; by this celestial tune, you shall acquire your everlasting kingdom. ||1||
Come back to your home, O my friend.
The Lord Himself has eliminated your enemies, and your misfortunes are past. ||Pause||
God, the Creator Lord, has glorified you, and your running and rushing around has ended.
In your home, there is rejoicing; the musical instruments continually play, and your Husband Lord has exalted you. ||2||
Remain firm and steady, and do not ever waver; take the Guru's Word as your Support.
You shall be applauded and congratulated all over the world, and your face shall be radiant in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
All beings belong to Him; He Himself transforms them, and He Himself becomes their help and support.
The Creator Lord has worked a wondrous miracle; O Nanak, His glorious greatness is true. ||4||4||28||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Listen, O Dear Beloved Saints, to my prayer.
Without the Lord, no one is liberated. ||Pause||
O mind, do only deeds of purity; the Lord is the only boat to carry you across. Other entanglements shall be of no use to you.
True living is serving the Divine, Supreme Lord God; the Guru has imparted this teaching to me. ||1||
Do not fall in love with trivial things; in the end, they shall not go along with you.
Worship and adore the Lord with your mind and body, O Beloved Saint of the Lord; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall be released from bondage. ||2||
In your heart, hold fast to the Sanctuary of the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord God; do not place your hopes in any other support.
He alone is a devotee, spiritually wise, a meditator, and a penitent, O Nanak, who is blessed by the Lord's Mercy. ||3||1||29||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
O my dear beloved, it is good, it is better, it is best, to ask for the Lord's Name.
Behold, with your eyes wide-open, and listen to the Words of the Holy Saints; enshrine in your consciousness the Lord of Life - remember that all must die. ||Pause||
The application of sandalwood oil, the enjoyment of pleasures and the practice of many corrupt sins - look upon all of these as insipid and worthless. The Name of the Lord of the Universe alone is sublime; so say the Holy Saints.
You claim that your body and wealth are your own; you do not chant the Lord's Name even for an instant. Look and see, that none of your possessions or riches shall go along with you. ||1||
One who has good karma, grasps the Protection of the hem of the Saint's robe; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Messenger of Death cannot threaten him.
I have obtained the supreme treasure, and my egotism has been eradicated; Nanak's mind is attached to the One Formless Lord. ||2||2||30||

Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate in remembrance on the One Lord; meditate in remembrance on the One Lord; meditate in remembrance on the One Lord, O my Beloved.
He shall save you from strife, suffering, greed, attachment, and the most terrifying world-ocean. ||Pause||
With each and every breath, each and every instant, day and night, dwell upon Him.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate on Him fearlessly, and enshrine the treasure of His Name in your mind. ||1||
Worship His lotus feet, and contemplate the glorious virtues of the Lord of the Universe.
O Nanak, the dust of the feet of the Holy shall bless you with pleasure and peace. ||2||1||31||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Eighth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Remembering, remembering, remembering Him in meditation, I find peace; with each and every breath, I dwell upon Him.
In this world, and in the world beyond, He is with me, as my help and support; wherever I go, He protects me. ||1||
The Guru's Word abides with my soul.
It does not sink in water; thieves cannot steal it, and fire cannot burn it. ||1||Pause||
It is like wealth to the poor, a cane for the blind, and mother's milk for the infant.
In the ocean of the world, I have found the boat of the Lord; the Merciful Lord has bestowed His Mercy upon Nanak. ||2||1||32||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe has become kind and merciful; His Ambrosial Nectar permeates my heart.
The nine treasures, riches and the miraculous spiritual powers of the Siddhas cling to the feet of the Lord's humble servant. ||1||
The Saints are in ecstasy everywhere.
Within the home, and outside as well, the Lord and Master of His devotees is totally pervading and permeating everywhere. ||1||Pause||
No one can equal one who has the Lord of the Universe on his side.
The fear of the Messenger of Death is eradicated, remembering Him in meditation; Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||2||33||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The rich man gazes upon his riches, and is proud of himself; the landlord takes pride in his lands.
The king believes that the whole kingdom belongs to him; in the same way, the humble servant of the Lord looks upon the support of his Lord and Master. ||1||
When one considers the Lord to be his only support,
then the Lord uses His power to help him; this power cannot be defeated. ||1||Pause||
Renouncing all others, I have sought the Support of the One Lord; I have come to Him, pleading, "Save me, save me!"
By the kindness and the Grace of the Saints, my mind has been purified; Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||3||34||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
He alone is called a warrior, who is attached to the Lord's Love in this age.
Through the Perfect True Guru, he conquers his own soul, and then everything comes under his control. ||1||

Sing the Praises of the Lord and Master, with the love of your soul.
Those who seek His Sanctuary, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are blended with the Lord in celestial peace. ||1||Pause||
The feet of the Lord's humble servant abide in my heart; with them, my body is made pure.
O treasure of mercy, please bless Nanak with the dust of the feet of Your humble servants; this alone brings peace. ||2||4||35||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
People try to deceive others, but the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, knows everything.
They commit sins, and then deny them, while they pretend to be in Nirvaanaa. ||1||
They believe that You are far away, but You, O God, are near at hand.
Looking around, this way and that, the greedy people come and go. ||Pause||
As long as the doubts of the mind are not removed, liberation is not found.
Says Nanak, he alone is a Saint, a devotee, and a humble servant of the Lord, to whom the Lord and Master is merciful. ||2||5||36||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
My Guru gives the Naam, the Name of the Lord, to those who have such karma written on their foreheads.
He implants the Naam, and inspires us to chant the Naam; this is Dharma, true religion, in this world. ||1||
The Naam is the glory and greatness of the Lord's humble servant.
The Naam is his salvation, and the Naam is his honor; he accepts whatever comes to pass. ||1||Pause||
That humble servant, who has the Naam as his wealth, is the perfect banker.
The Naam is his occupation, O Nanak, and his only support; the Naam is the profit he earns. ||2||6||37||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
My eyes have been purified, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, and touching my forehead to the dust of His feet.
With joy and happiness, I sing the Glorious Praises of my Lord and Master; the Lord of the World abides within my heart. ||1||
You are my Merciful Protector, Lord.
O beautiful, wise, infinite Father God, be Merciful to me, God. ||1||Pause||
O Lord of supreme ecstasy and blissful form, Your Word is so beautiful, so drenched with Nectar.
With the Lord's lotus feet enshrined in his heart, Nanak has tied the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, to the hem of his robe. ||2||7||38||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
In His own way, He provides us with our food; in His own way, He plays with us.
He blesses us with all comforts, enjoyments and delicacies, and he permeates our minds. ||1||
Our Father is the Lord of the World, the Merciful Lord.
Just as the mother protects her children, God nurtures and cares for us. ||1||Pause||
You are my friend and companion, the Master of all excellences, O eternal and permanent Divine Lord.
Here, there and everywhere, You are pervading; please, bless Nanak to serve the Saints. ||2||8||39||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Saints are kind and compassionate; they burn away their sexual desire, anger and corruption.
My power, wealth, youth, body and soul are a sacrifice to them. ||1||
With my mind and body, I love the Lord's Name.
With peace, poise, pleasure and joy, He has carried me across the terrifying world-ocean. ||Pause||

Blessed is that place, and blessed is that house, in which the Saints dwell.
Fulfill this desire of servant Nanak, O Lord Master, that he may bow in reverence to Your devotees. ||2||9||40||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
He has saved me from the awful power of Maya, by attaching me to His feet.
He gave my mind the Mantra of the Naam, the Name of the One Lord, which shall never perish or leave me. ||1||
The Perfect True Guru has given this gift.
He has blessed me with the Kirtan of the Praises of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and I am emancipated. ||Pause||
My God has made me His own, and saved the honor of His devotee.
Nanak has grasped the feet of his God, and has found peace, day and night. ||2||10||41||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Stealing the property of others, acting in greed, lying and slandering - in these ways, he passes his life.
He places his hopes in false mirages, believing them to be sweet; this is the support he installs in his mind. ||1||
The faithless cynic passes his life uselessly.
He is like the mouse, gnawing away at the pile of paper, making it useless to the poor wretch. ||Pause||
Have mercy on me, O Supreme Lord God, and release me from these bonds.
The blind are sinking, O Nanak; God saves them, uniting them with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||11||42||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering, remembering God, the Lord Master in meditation, my body, mind and heart are cooled and soothed.
The Supreme Lord God is my beauty, pleasure, peace, wealth, soul and social status. ||1||
My tongue is intoxicated with the Lord, the source of nectar.
I am in love, in love with the Lord's lotus feet, the treasure of riches. ||Pause||
I am His - He has saved me; this is God's perfect way.
The Giver of peace has blended Nanak with Himself; the Lord has preserved his honor. ||2||12||43||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
All demons and enemies are eradicated by You, Lord; Your glory is manifest and radiant.
Whoever harms Your devotees, You destroy in an instant. ||1||
I look to You continually, Lord.
O Lord, Destroyer of ego, please, be the helper and companion of Your slaves; take my hand, and save me, O my Friend! ||Pause||
My Lord and Master has heard my prayer, and given me His protection.
Nanak is in ecstasy, and his pains are gone; he meditates on the Lord, forever and ever. ||2||13||44||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
He has extended His power in all four directions, and placed His hand upon my head.
Gazing upon me with his Eye of Mercy, He has dispelled the pains of His slave. ||1||
The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, has saved the Lord's humble servant.
Hugging me close in His embrace, the merciful, forgiving Lord has erased all my sins. ||Pause||
Whatever I ask for from my Lord and Master, he gives that to me.
Whatever the Lord's slave Nanak utters with his mouth, proves to be true, here and hereafter. ||2||14||45||

Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
He does not let His devotees see the difficult times; this is His innate nature.
Giving His hand, He protects His devotee; with each and every breath, He cherishes him. ||1||
My consciousness remains attached to God.
In the beginning, and in the end, God is always my helper and companion; blessed is my friend. ||Pause||
My mind is delighted, gazing upon the marvellous, glorious greatness of the Lord and Master.
Remembering, remembering the Lord in meditation, Nanak is in ecstasy; God, in His perfection, has protected and preserved his honor. ||2||15||46||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
One who forgets the Lord of life, the Great Giver - know that he is most unfortunate.
One whose mind is in love with the Lord's lotus feet, obtains the pool of ambrosial nectar. ||1||
Your humble servant awakes in the Love of the Lord's Name.
All laziness has departed from his body, and his mind is attached to the Beloved Lord. ||Pause||
Wherever I look, the Lord is there; He is the string, upon which all hearts are strung.
Drinking in the water of the Naam, servant Nanak has renounced all other loves. ||2||16||47||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
All the affairs of the Lord's humble servant are perfectly resolved.
In the utterly poisonous Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord preserves and protects his honor. ||1||Pause||
Remembering, remembering God, his Lord and Master in meditation, the Messenger of Death does not approach him.
Liberation and heaven are found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; his humble servant finds the home of the Lord. ||1||
The Lord's lotus feet are the treasure of His humble servant; in them, he finds millions of pleasures and comforts.
He remembers the Lord God in meditation, day and night; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to him. ||2||17||48||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I beg for one gift only from the Lord.
May all my desires be fulfilled, meditating on, and remembering Your Name, O Lord. ||1||Pause||
May Your feet abide within my heart, and may I find the Society of the Saints.
May my mind not be afflicted by the fire of sorrow; may I sing Your Glorious Praises, twenty-four hours a day. ||1||
May I serve the Lord in my childhood and youth, and meditate on God in my middle and old age.
O Nanak, one who is imbued with the Love of the Transcendent Lord, is not reincarnated again to die. ||2||18||49||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I beg only from the Lord for all things.
I would hesitate to beg from other people. Remembering God in meditation, liberation is obtained. ||1||Pause||
I have studied with the silent sages, and carefully read the Simritees, the Puraanas and the Vedas; they all proclaim that,
by serving the Lord, the ocean of mercy, Truth is obtained, and both this world and the next are embellished. ||1||
All other rituals and customs are useless, without remembering the Lord in meditation.
O Nanak, the fear of birth and death has been removed; meeting the Holy Saint, sorrow is dispelled. ||2||19||50||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Desire is quenched, through the Lord's Name.
Great peace and contentment come through the Guru's Word, and one's meditation is perfectly focused upon God. ||1||Pause||

Please shower Your Mercy upon me, and permit me to ignore the great enticements of Maya, O Lord, Merciful to the meek.
Give me Your Name - chanting it, I live; please bring the efforts of Your slave to fruition. ||1||
All desires, power, pleasure, joy and lasting bliss, are found by chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and singing the Kirtan of His Praises.
That humble servant of the Lord, who has such karma pre-ordained by the Creator Lord, O Nanak - his efforts are brought to perfect fruition. ||2||20||51||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God takes care of His humble servant.
The slanderers are not allowed to stay; they are pulled out by their roots, like useless weeds. ||1||Pause||
Wherever I look, there I see my Lord and Master; no one can harm me.
Whoever shows disrespect to the Lord's humble servant, is instantly reduced to ashes. ||1||
The Creator Lord has become my protector; He has no end or limitation.
O Nanak, God has protected and saved His slaves; He has driven out and destroyed the slanderers. ||2||21||52||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Ninth House, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Lord, I seek the Sanctuary of Your feet; Lord of the Universe, Destroyer of pain, please bless Your slave with Your Name.
Be Merciful, God, and bless me with Your Glance of Grace; take my arm and save me - pull me up out of this pit! ||Pause||
He is blinded by sexual desire and anger, bound by Maya; his body and clothes are filled with countless sins.
Without God, there is no other protector; help me to chant Your Name, Almighty Warrior, Sheltering Lord. ||1||
Redeemer of sinners, Saving Grace of all beings and creatures, even those who recite the Vedas have not found Your limit.
God is the ocean of virtue and peace, the source of jewels; Nanak sings the Praises of the Lover of His devotees. ||2||1||53||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
Peace in this world, peace in the next world and peace forever, remembering Him in meditation. Chant forever the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
The sins of past lives are erased, by joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; new life is infused into the dead. ||1||Pause||
In power, youth and Maya, the Lord is forgotten; this is the greatest tragedy - so say the spiritual sages.
Hope and desire to sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises - this is the treasure of the most fortunate devotees. ||1||
O Lord of Sanctuary, all-powerful, imperceptible and unfathomable - Your Name is the Purifier of sinners.
The Inner-knower, the Lord and Master of Nanak is totally pervading and permeating everywhere; He is my Lord and Master. ||2||2||54||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Twelfth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I bow in reverence to the Lord, I bow in reverence. I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, my King. ||Pause||
By great good fortune, one meets the Divine Guru.
Millions of sins are erased by serving the Lord. ||1||

One whose mind is imbued with the Lord's lotus feet
is not afflicted by the fire of sorrow. ||2||
He crosses over the world-ocean in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He chants the Name of the Fearless Lord, and is imbued with the Lord's Love. ||3||
One who does not steal the wealth of others, who does not commit evil deeds or sinful acts
- the Messenger of Death does not even approach him. ||4||
God Himself quenches the fires of desire.
O Nanak, in God's Sanctuary, one is saved. ||5||1||55||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
I am satisfied and satiated, eating the food of Truth.
With my mind, body and tongue, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Life, spiritual life, is in the Lord.
Spiritual life consists of chanting the Lord's Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
He is dressed in robes of all sorts,
if he sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Glorious Praises, day and night. ||2||
He rides upon elephants, chariots and horses,
if he sees the Lord's Path within his own heart. ||3||
Meditating on the Lord's Feet, deep within his mind and body,
slave Nanak has found the Lord, the treasure of peace. ||4||2||56||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru's feet emancipate the soul.
They carry it across the world-ocean in an instant. ||1||Pause||
Some love rituals, and some bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
The Lord's slaves meditate on His Name. ||1||
The Lord Master is the Breaker of bonds.
Servant Nanak meditates in remembrance on the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||2||3||57||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl:
The lifestyle of Your slave is so pure, that nothing can break his love for You. ||1||Pause||
He is more dear to me than my soul, my breath of life, my mind and my wealth.
The Lord is the Giver, the Restrainer of the ego. ||1||
I am in love with the Lord's lotus feet.
This alone is Nanak's prayer. ||2||4||58||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Dhanaasaree, Ninth Mehl:
Why do you go looking for Him in the forest?
Although he is unattached, he dwells everywhere. He is always with you as your companion. ||1||Pause||
Like the fragrance which remains in the flower, and like the reflection in the mirror,
the Lord dwells deep within; search for Him within your own heart, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
Outside and inside, know that there is only the One Lord; the Guru has imparted this wisdom to me.
O servant Nanak, without knowing one's own self, the moss of doubt is not removed. ||2||1||
Dhanaasaree, Ninth Mehl:
O Holy people, this world is deluded by doubt.
It has forsaken the meditative remembrance of the Lord's Name, and sold itself out to Maya. ||1||Pause||
Mother, father, siblings, children and spouse - he is entangled in their love.

In the pride of youth, wealth and glory, day and night, he remains intoxicated. ||1||
God is merciful to the meek, and forever the Destroyer of pain, but the mortal does not center his mind on Him.
O servant Nanak, among millions, only a rare few, as Gurmukh, realize God. ||2||2||
Dhanaasaree, Ninth Mehl:
That Yogi does not know the way.
Understand that his heart is filled with greed, emotional attachment, Maya and egotism. ||1||Pause||
One who does not slander or praise others, who looks upon gold and iron alike,
who is free from pleasure and pain - he alone is called a true Yogi. ||1||
The restless mind wanders in the ten directions - it needs to be pacified and restrained.
Says Nanak, whoever knows this technique is judged to be liberated. ||2||3||
Dhanaasaree, Ninth Mehl:
Now, what efforts should I make?
How can I dispel the anxieties of my mind? How can I cross over the terrifying world-ocean? ||1||Pause||
Obtaining this human incarnation, I have done no good deeds; this makes me very afraid!
In thought, word and deed, I have not sung the Lord's Praises; this thought worries my mind. ||1||
I listened to the Guru's Teachings, but spiritual wisdom did not well up within me; like a beast, I fill my belly.
Says Nanak, O God, please confirm Your Law of Grace; for only then can I, the sinner, be saved. ||2||4||9||9||13||58||4||93||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Second House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Guru is the ocean, filled with pearls.
The Saints gather in the Ambrosial Nectar; they do not go far away from there.
They taste the subtle essence of the Lord; they are loved by God.
Within this pool, the swans find their Lord, the Lord of their souls. ||1||
What can the poor crane accomplish by bathing in the mud puddle?
It sinks into the mire, and its filth is not washed away. ||1||Pause||
After careful deliberation, the thoughtful person takes a step.
Forsaking duality, he becomes a devotee of the Formless Lord.
He obtains the treasure of liberation, and enjoys the sublime essence of the Lord.
His comings and goings end, and the Guru protects him. ||2||
The swan do not leave this pool.
In loving devotional worship, they merge in the Celestial Lord.
The swans are in the pool, and the pool is in the swans.
They speak the Unspoken Speech, and they honor and revere the Guru's Word. ||3||
The Yogi, the Primal Lord, sits within the celestial sphere of deepest Samaadhi.
He is not male, and He is not female; how can anyone describe Him?
The three worlds continue to center their attention on His Light.
The silent sages and the Yogic masters seek the Sanctuary of the True Lord. ||4||
The Lord is the source of bliss, the support of the helpless.
The Gurmukhs worship and contemplate the Celestial Lord.
God is the Lover of His devotees, the Destroyer of fear.
Subduing ego, one meets the Lord, and places his feet on the Path. ||5||
He makes many efforts, but still, the Messenger of Death tortures him.
Destined only to die, he comes into the world.

He wastes this precious human life through duality.
He does not know his own self, and trapped by doubts, he cries out in pain. ||6||
Speak, read and hear of the One Lord.
The Support of the earth shall bless you with courage, righteousness and protection.
Chastity, purity and self-restraint are infused into the heart,
when one centers his mind in the fourth state. ||7||
They are immaculate and true, and filth does not stick to them.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, their doubt and fear depart.
The form and personality of the Primal Lord are incomparably beautiful.
Nanak begs for the Lord, the Embodiment of Truth. ||8||1||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
That union with the Lord is acceptable, which is united in intuitive poise.
Thereafter, one does not die, and does not come and go in reincarnation.
The Lord's slave is in the Lord, and the Lord is in His slave.
Wherever I look, I see none other than the Lord. ||1||
The Gurmukhs worship the Lord, and find His celestial home.
Without meeting the Guru, they die, and come and go in reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
So make Him your Guru, who implants the Truth within you,
who leads you to speak the Unspoken Speech, and who merges you in the Word of the Shabad.
God's people have no other work to do;
they love the True Lord and Master, and they love the Truth. ||2||
The mind is in the body, and the True Lord is in the mind.
Merging into the True Lord, one is absorbed into Truth.
God's servant bows at His feet.
Meeting the True Guru, one meets with the Lord. ||3||
He Himself watches over us, and He Himself makes us see.
He is not pleased by stubborn-mindedness, nor by various religious robes.
He fashioned the body-vessels, and infused the Ambrosial Nectar into them;
God's Mind is pleased only by loving devotional worship. ||4||
Reading and studying, one becomes confused, and suffers punishment.
By great cleverness, one is consigned to coming and going in reincarnation.
One who chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and eats the food of the Fear of God
becomes Gurmukh, the Lord's servant, and remains absorbed in the Lord. ||5||
He worships stones, dwells at sacred shrines of pilgrimage and in the jungles,
wanders, roams around and becomes a renunciate.
But his mind is still filthy - how can he become pure?
One who meets the True Lord obtains honor. ||6||
One who embodies good conduct and contemplative meditation,
his mind abides in intuitive poise and contentment, since the beginning of time, and throughout the ages.
In the twinkling of an eye, he saves millions.
Have mercy on me, O my Beloved, and let me meet the Guru. ||7||
Unto whom, O God, should I praise You?
Without You, there is no other at all.
As it pleases You, keep me under Your Will.
Nanak, with intuitive poise and natural love, sings Your Glorious Praises. ||8||2||
Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House, Ashtapadee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Whoever is born into the world, is entangled in it; human birth is obtained only by good destiny.
I look to Your support, O Holy Saint; give me Your hand, and protect me. By Your Grace, let me meet the Lord, my King. ||1||
I wandered through countless incarnations, but I did not find stability anywhere.
I serve the Guru, and I fall at His feet, praying, "O Dear Lord of the Universe, please, show me the way."||1||Pause||
I have tried so many things to acquire the wealth of Maya, and to cherish it in my mind; I have passed my life constantly crying out, "Mine, mine!"

Is there any such Saint, who would meet with me, take away my anxiety, and lead me to enshrine love for my Lord and Master. ||2||
I have read all the Vedas, and yet the sense of separation in my mind still has not been removed; the five thieves of my house are not quieted, even for an instant.
Is there any devotee, who is unattached to Maya, who may irrigate my mind with the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the One Lord? ||3||
In spite of the many places of pilgrimage for people to bathe in, their minds are still stained by their stubborn ego; the Lord Master is not pleased by this at all.
When will I find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy? There, I shall be always in the ecstasy of the Lord, Har, Har, and my mind shall take its cleansing bath in the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom. ||4||
I have followed the four stages of life, but my mind is not satisfied; I wash my body, but it is totally lacking in understanding.
If only I could meet some devotee of the Supreme Lord God, imbued with the Lord's Love, who could eradicate the filthy evil-mindedness from my mind. ||5||
One who is attached to religious rituals, does not love the Lord, even for an instant; he is filled with pride, and he is of no account.
One who meets with the rewarding personality of the Guru, continually sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. By Guru's Grace, such a rare one beholds the Lord with his eyes. ||6||
One who acts through stubbornness is of no account at all; like a crane, he pretends to meditate, but he is still stuck in Maya.
Is there any such Giver of peace, who can recite to me the sermon of God? Meeting him, I would be emancipated. ||7||
When the Lord, my King, is totally pleased with me, He will break the bonds of Maya for me; my mind is imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
I am in ecstasy, forever and ever, meeting the Fearless Lord, the Lord of the Universe. Falling at the Lord's Feet, Nanak has found peace. ||8||
My Yatra, my life pilgrimage, has become fruitful, fruitful, fruitful.
My comings and goings have ended, since I met the Holy Saint. ||1||Second Pause||1||3||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Why should I bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage? The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage.
My sacred shrine of pilgrimage is spiritual wisdom within, and contemplation on the Word of the Shabad.
The spiritual wisdom given by the Guru is the True sacred shrine of pilgrimage, where the ten festivals are always observed.
I constantly beg for the Name of the Lord; grant it to me, O God, Sustainer of the world.
The world is sick, and the Naam is the medicine to cure it; without the True Lord, filth sticks to it.
The Guru's Word is immaculate and pure; it radiates a steady Light. Constantly bathe in such a true shrine of pilgrimage. ||1||
Filth does not stick to the true ones; what filth do they have to wash off?
If one strings a garland of virtues for oneself, what is there to cry for?
One who conquers his own self through contemplation is saved, and saves others as well; he does not come to be born again.
The supreme meditator is Himself the philosopher's stone, which transforms lead into gold. The true man is pleasing to the True Lord.
He is in ecstasy, truly happy, night and day; his sorrows and sins are taken away.
He finds the True Name, and beholds the Guru; with the True Name in his mind, no filth sticks to him. ||2||
O friend, association with the Holy is the perfect cleansing bath.

The singer who sings the Lord's Praises is adorned with the Word of the Shabad.
Worship the True Lord, and believe in the True Guru; this brings the merit of making donations to charity, kindness and compassion.
The soul-bride who loves to be with her Husband Lord bathes at the Triveni, the sacred place where the Ganges, Jamuna and Saraswaati Rivers converge, the Truest of the True.
Worship and adore the One Creator, the True Lord, who constantly gives, whose gifts continually increase.
Salvation is attained by associating with the Society of the Saints, O friend; granting His Grace, God unites us in His Union. ||3||
Everyone speaks and talks; how great should I say He is?
I am foolish, lowly and ignorant; it is only through the Guru's Teachings that I understand.
True are the Teachings of the Guru. His Words are Ambrosial Nectar; my mind is pleased and appeased by them.
Loaded down with corruption and sin, people depart, and then come back again; the True Shabad is found through my Guru.
There is no end to the treasure of devotion; the Lord is pervading everywhere.
Nanak utters this true prayer; one who purifies his mind is True. ||4||1||
Dhanaasaree, First Mehl:
I live by Your Name; my mind is in ecstasy, Lord.
True is the Name of the True Lord. Glorious are the Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Infinite is the spiritual wisdom imparted by the Guru. The Creator Lord who created, shall also destroy.
The call of death is sent out by the Lord's Command; no one can challenge it.
He Himself creates, and watches; His written command is above each and every head. He Himself imparts understanding and awareness.
O Nanak, the Lord Master is inaccessible and unfathomable; I live by His True Name. ||1||
No one can compare to You, Lord; all come and go.
By Your Command, the account is settled, and doubt is dispelled.
The Guru dispels doubt, and makes us speak the Unspoken Speech; the true ones are absorbed into Truth.
He Himself creates, and He Himself destroys; I accept the Command of the Commander Lord.
True greatness comes from the Guru; You alone are the mind's companion in the end.
O Nanak, there is no other than the Lord and Master; greatness comes from Your Name. ||2||
You are the True Creator Lord, the unknowable Maker.
There is only the One Lord and Master, but there are two paths, by which conflict increases.
All follow these two paths, by the Hukam of the Lord's Command; the world is born, only to die.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mortal has no friend at all; he carries loads of sin on his head.
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he comes, but he does not understand this Hukam; the Lord's Hukam is the Embellisher.
O Nanak, through the Shabad, the Word of the Lord and Master, the True Creator Lord is realized. ||3||
Your devotees look beautiful in Your Court, embellished with the Shabad.
They chant the Ambrosial Word of His Bani, savoring it with their tongues.
Savoring it with their tongues, they thirst for the Naam; they are a sacrifice to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Touching the philosopher's stone, they become the philosopher's stone, which transforms lead into gold; O Lord, they become pleasing to your mind.
They attain the immortal status and eradicate their self-conceit; how rare is that person, who contemplates spiritual wisdom.
O Nanak, the devotees look beautiful in the Court of the True Lord; they are dealers in the Truth. ||4||
I am hungry and thirsty for wealth; how will I be able to go to the Lord's Court?

I shall go and ask the True Guru, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
I meditate on the True Name, chant the True Name, and as Gurmukh, I realize the True Name.
Night and day, I chant the Name of the merciful, immaculate Lord, the Master of the poor.
The Primal Lord has ordained the tasks to be done; self-conceit is overcome, and the mind is subdued.
O Nanak, the Naam is the sweetest essence; through the Naam, thirst and desire are stilled. ||5||2||
Dhanaasaree, Chhant, First Mehl:
Your Husband Lord is with you, O deluded soul-bride, but you do are not aware of Him.
Your destiny is written on your forehead, according to your past actions.
This inscription of past deeds cannot be erased; what do I know about what will happen?
You have not adopted a virtuous lifestyle, and you are not attuned to the Lord's Love; you sit there, crying over your past misdeeds.
Wealth and youth are like the shade of the bitter swallow-wort plant; you are growing old, and your days are coming to their end.
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you shall end up as a discarded, divorced bride; your own falsehood shall separate you from the Lord. ||1||
You have drowned, and your house is ruined; walk in the Way of the Guru's Will.
Meditate on the True Name, and you shall find peace in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Meditate on the Lord's Name, and you shall find peace; your stay in this world shall last only four days.
Sit in the home of your own being, and you shall find Truth; night and day, be with your Beloved.
Without loving devotion, you cannot dwell in your own home - listen, everyone!
O Nanak, she is happy, and she obtains her Husband Lord, if she is attuned to the True Name. ||2||
If the soul-bride is pleasing to her Husband Lord, then the Husband Lord will love His bride.
Imbued with the love of her Beloved, she contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
She contemplates the Guru's Shabads, and her Husband Lord loves her; in deep humility, she worships Him in loving devotion.
She burns away her emotional attachment to Maya, and in love, she loves her Beloved.
She is imbued and drenched with the Love of the True Lord; she has become beautiful, by conquering her mind.
O Nanak, the happy soul-bride abides in Truth; she loves to love her Husband Lord. ||3||
The soul-bride looks so beautiful in the home of her Husband Lord, if she is pleasing to Him.
It is of no use at all to speak false words.
If she speaks false, it is of no use to her, and she does not see her Husband Lord with her eyes.
Worthless, forgotten and abandoned by her Husband Lord, she passes her life-night without her Lord and Master.
Such a wife does not believe in the Word of the Guru's Shabad; she is caught in the net of the world, and does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
O Nanak, if she understands her own self, then, as Gurmukh, she merges in celestial peace. ||4||
Blessed is that soul-bride, who knows her Husband Lord.
Without the Naam, she is false, and her actions are false as well.
Devotional worship of the Lord is beautiful; the True Lord loves it. So immerse yourself in loving devotional worship of God.
My Husband Lord is playful and innocent; imbued with His Love, I enjoy Him.
She blossoms forth through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; she ravishes her Husband Lord, and obtains the most noble reward.
O Nanak, in Truth, she obtains glory; in her Husband's home, the soul-bride looks beautiful. ||5||3||

Dhanaasaree, Chhant, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When the Dear Lord grants His Grace, one meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Meeting the True Guru, through loving faith and devotion, one intuitively sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Singing His Glorious Praises continually, night and day, one blossoms forth, when it is pleasing to the True Lord.
Egotism, self-conceit and Maya are forsaken, and he is intuitively absorbed into the Naam.
The Creator Himself acts; when He gives, then we receive.
When the Dear Lord grants His Grace, we meditate on the Naam. ||1||
Deep within, I feel true love for the Perfect True Guru.
I serve Him day and night; I never forget Him.
I never forget Him; I remember Him night and day. When I chant the Naam, then I live.
With my ears, I hear about Him, and my mind is satisfied. As Gurmukh, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
If He bestows His Glance of Grace, then I shall meet the True Guru; my discriminating intellect would contemplate Him, night and day.
Deep within, I feel true love for the Perfect True Guru. ||2||
By great good fortune, one joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; then, one comes to savor the subtle essence of the Lord.
Night and day, he remains lovingly focused on the Lord; he merges in celestial peace.
Merging in celestial peace, he becomes pleasing to the Lord's Mind; he remains forever unattached and untouched.
He receives honor in this world and the next, lovingly focused on the Lord's Name.
He is liberated from both pleasure and pain; he is pleased by whatever God does.
By great good fortune, one joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and then, one comes to savor the subtle essence of the Lord. ||3||
In the love of duality, there is pain and suffering; the Messenger of Death eyes the self-willed manmukhs.
They cry and howl, day and night, caught by the pain of Maya.
Caught by the pain of Maya, provoked by his ego, he passes his life crying out, "Mine, mine!".
He does not remember God, the Giver, and in the end, he departs regretting and repenting.
Without the Name, nothing shall go along with him; not his children, spouse or the enticements of Maya.
In the love of duality, there is pain and suffering; the Messenger of Death eyes the self-willed manmukhs. ||4||
Granting His Grace, the Lord has merged me with Himself; I have found the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
I remain standing with my palms pressed together; I have become pleasing to God's Mind.
When one is pleasing to God's Mind, then he merges in the Hukam of the Lord's Command; surrendering to His Hukam, he finds peace.
Night and day, he chants the Lord's Name, day and night; intuitively, naturally, he meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Through the Naam, the glorious greatness of the Naam is obtained; the Naam is pleasing to Nanak's mind.
Granting His Grace, the Lord has merged me with Himself; I have found the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||5||1||

Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The True Guru is merciful to the meek; in His Presence, the Lord's Praises are sung.
The Ambrosial Name of the Lord is chanted in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Vibrating, and worshipping the One Lord in the Company of the Holy, the pains of birth and death are removed.
Those who have such karma pre-ordained, study and learn the Truth; the noose of Death is removed from their necks.
Their fears and doubts are dispelled, the knot of death is untied, and they never have to walk on Death's path.
Prays Nanak, shower me with Your Mercy, Lord; let me sing Your Glorious Praises forever. ||1||
The Name of the One, Immaculate Lord is the Support of the unsupported.
You are the Giver, the Great Giver, the Dispeller of all sorrow.
O Destroyer of pain, Creator Lord, Master of peace and bliss, I have come seeking the Sanctuary of the Holy;
please, help me to cross over the terrifying and difficult world-ocean in an instant.
I saw the Lord pervading and permeating everywhere, when the healing ointment of the Guru's wisdom was applied to my eyes.
Prays Nanak, remember Him forever in meditation, the Destroyer of all sorrow and fear. ||2||
He Himself has attached me to the hem of His robe; He has showered me with His Mercy.
I am worthless, lowly and helpless; God is unfathomable and infinite.
My Lord and Master is always merciful, kind and compassionate; He uplifts and establishes the lowly.
All beings and creatures are under Your power; You take care of all.
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer; He Himself is the Contemplator of all.
Prays Nanak, singing Your Glorious Praises, I live, chanting the Chant of the Lord, the Lord of the world-forest. ||3||
The Blessed Vision of Your Darshan is incomparable; Your Name is utterly priceless.
O my Incomputable Lord, Your humble servants ever meditate on You.
You dwell on the tongues of the Saints, by Your own pleasure; they are intoxicated with Your sublime essence, O Lord.
Those who are attached to Your feet are very blessed; night and day, they remain always awake and aware.
Forever and ever, meditate in remembrance on the Lord and Master; with each and every breath, speak His Glorious Praises.
Prays Nanak, let me become the dust of the feet of the Saints. God's Name is invaluable. ||4||1||
Raag Dhanaasaree, The Word Of Devotee Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Beings like Sanak, Sanand, Shiva and Shaysh-naaga - none of them know Your mystery, Lord. ||1||
In the Society of the Saints, the Lord dwells within the heart. ||1||Pause||
Beings like Hanumaan, Garura, Indra the King of the gods and the rulers of humans - none of them know Your Glories, Lord. ||2||
The four Vedas, the Simritees and the Puraanas, Vishnu the Lord of Lakshmi and Lakshmi herself - none of them know the Lord. ||3||
Says Kabeer, one who falls at the Lord's feet, and remains in His Sanctuary, does not wander around lost. ||4||1||

Day by day, hour by hour, life runs its course, and the body withers away.
Death, like a hunter, a butcher, is on the prowl; tell me, what can we do? ||1||
That day is rapidly approaching.
Mother, father, siblings, children and spouse - tell me, who belongs to whom? ||1||Pause||
As long as the light remains in the body, the beast does not understand himself.
He acts in greed to maintain his life and status, and sees nothing with his eyes. ||2||
Says Kabeer, listen, O mortal: Renounce the doubts of your mind.
Chant only the One Naam, the Name of the Lord, O mortal, and seek the Sanctuary of the One Lord. ||3||2||
That humble being, who knows even a little about loving devotional worship - what surprises are there for him?
Like water, dripping into water, which cannot be separated out again, so is the weaver Kabeer, with softened heart, merged into the Lord. ||1||
O people of the Lord, I am just a simple-minded fool.
If Kabeer were to leave his body at Benares, and so liberate himself, what obligation would he have to the Lord? ||1||Pause||
Says Kabeer, listen, O people - do not be deluded by doubt.
What is the difference between Benares and the barren land of Maghar, if the Lord is within one's heart? ||2||3||
Mortals may go to the Realm of Indra, or the Realm of Shiva,
but because of their hypocrisy and false prayers, they must leave again. ||1||
What should I ask for? Nothing lasts forever.
Enshrine the Lord's Name within your mind. ||1||Pause||
Fame and glory, power, wealth and glorious greatness
- none of these will go with you or help you in the end. ||2||
Children, spouse, wealth and Maya
- who has ever obtained peace from these? ||3||
Says Kabeer, nothing else is of any use.
Within my mind is the wealth of the Lord's Name. ||4||4||
Remember the Lord, remember the Lord, remember the Lord in meditation, O Siblings of Destiny.
Without remembering the Lord's Name in meditation, a great many are drowned. ||1||Pause||
Your spouse, children, body, house and possessions - you think these will give you peace.
But none of these shall be yours, when the time of death comes. ||1||
Ajaamal, the elephant, and the prostitute committed many sins,
but still, they crossed over the world-ocean, by chanting the Lord's Name. ||2||
You have wandered in reincarnation, as pigs and dogs - did you feel no shame?
Forsaking the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, why do you eat poison? ||3||
Abandon your doubts about do's and dont's, and take to the Lord's Name.
By Guru's Grace, O servant Kabeer, love the Lord. ||4||5||
Dhanaasaree, The Word Of Devotee Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They dig deep foundations, and build lofty palaces.
Can anyone live longer than Markanda, who passed his days with only a handful of straw upon his head? ||1||
The Creator Lord is our only friend.
O man, why are you so proud? This body is only temporary - it shall pass away. ||1||Pause||

The Kaurvas, who had brothers like Duryodhan, used to proclaim, "This is ours! This is ours!"
Their royal procession extended over sixty miles, and yet their bodies were eaten by vultures. ||2||
Sri Lanka was totally rich with gold; was anyone greater than its ruler Raavan?
What happened to the elephants, tethered at his gate? In an instant, it all belonged to someone else. ||3||
The Yaadvas deceived Durbaasaa, and received their rewards.
The Lord has shown mercy to His humble servant, and now Naam Dayv sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||1||
I have brought the ten sensory organs under my control, and erased every trace of the five thieves.
I have filled the seventy-two thousand nerve channels with Ambrosial Nectar, and drained out the poison. ||1||
I shall not come into the world again.
I chant the Ambrosial Bani of the Word from the depths of my heart, and I have instructed my soul. ||1||Pause||
I fell at the Guru's feet and begged of Him; with the mighty axe, I have chopped off emotional attachment.
Turning away from the world, I have become the servant of the Saints; I fear no one except the Lord's devotees. ||2||
I shall be released from this world, when I stop clinging to Maya.
Maya is the name of the power which causes us to be born; renouncing it, we obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||3||
That humble being, who performs devotional worship in this way, is rid of all fear.
Says Naam Dayv, why are you wandering around out there? This is the way to find the Lord. ||4||2||
As water is very precious in the desert, and the creeper weeds are dear to the camel,
and the tune of the hunter's bell at night is enticing to the deer, so is the Lord to my mind. ||1||
Your Name is so beautiful! Your form is so beautiful! Your Love is so very beautiful, O my Lord. ||1||Pause||
As rain is dear to the earth, and the flower's fragrance is dear to the bumble bee,
and the mango is dear to the cuckoo, so is the Lord to my mind. ||2||
As the sun is dear to the chakvi duck, and the lake of Man Sarovar is dear to the swan,
and the husband is dear to his wife, so is the Lord to my mind. ||3||
As milk is dear to the baby, and the raindrop is dear to the mouth of the rainbird,
and as water is dear to the fish, so is the Lord to my mind. ||4||
All the seekers, Siddhas and silent sages seek Him, but only a rare few behold Him.
Just as Your Name is dear to all the Universe, so is the Lord dear to Naam Dayv's mind. ||5||3||
First of all, the lotuses bloomed in the woods;
from them, all the swan-souls came into being.
Know that, through Krishna, the Lord, Har, Har, the dance of creation dances. ||1||
First of all, there was only the Primal Being.
From that Primal Being, Maya was produced.
All that is, is His.
In this Garden of the Lord, we all dance, like water in the pots of the Persian wheel. ||1||Pause||
Women and men both dance.
There is no other than the Lord.
Don't dispute this,
and don't doubt this.
The Lord says, "This creation and I are one and the same."||2||

Like the pots on the Persian wheel, sometimes the world is high, and sometimes it is low.
Wandering and roaming around, I have come at last to Your Door.
"Who are you?"
"I am Naam Dayv, Sir."
O Lord, please save me from Maya, the cause of death. ||3||4||
O Lord, You are the Purifier of sinners - this is Your innate nature.
Blessed are those silent sages and humble beings, who meditate on my Lord God. ||1||
I have applied to my forehead the dust of the feet of the Lord of the Universe.
This is something which is far away from the gods, mortal men and silent sages. ||1||Pause||
O Lord, Merciful to the meek, Destroyer of pride
- Naam Dayv seeks the Sanctuary of Your feet; he is a sacrifice to You. ||2||5||
Dhanaasaree, Devotee Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
There is none as forlorn as I am, and none as Compassionate as You; what need is there to test us now?
May my mind surrender to Your Word; please, bless Your humble servant with this perfection. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Lord.
O Lord, why are You silent? ||Pause||
For so many incarnations, I have been separated from You, Lord; I dedicate this life to You.
Says Ravi Daas: placing my hopes in You, I live; it is so long since I have gazed upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||2||1||
In my consciousness, I remember You in meditation; with my eyes, I behold You; I fill my ears with the Word of Your Bani, and Your Sublime Praise.
My mind is the bumble bee; I enshrine Your feet within my heart, and with my tongue, I chant the Ambrosial Name of the Lord. ||1||
My love for the Lord of the Universe does not decrease.
I paid for it dearly, in exchange for my soul. ||1||Pause||
Without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, love for the Lord does not well up; without this love, Your devotional worship cannot be performed.
Ravi Daas offers this one prayer unto the Lord: please preserve and protect my honor, O Lord, my King. ||2||2||
Your Name, Lord, is my adoration and cleansing bath.
Without the Name of the Lord, all ostentatious displays are useless. ||1||Pause||
Your Name is my prayer mat, and Your Name is the stone to grind the sandalwood. Your Name is the saffron which I take and sprinkle in offering to You.
Your Name is the water, and Your Name is the sandalwood. The chanting of Your Name is the grinding of the sandalwood. I take it and offer all this to You. ||1||
Your Name is the lamp, and Your Name is the wick. Your Name is the oil I pour into it.
Your Name is the light applied to this lamp, which enlightens and illuminates the entire world. ||2||
Your Name is the thread, and Your Name is the garland of flowers. The eighteen loads of vegetation are all too impure to offer to You.
Why should I offer to You, that which You Yourself created? Your Name is the fan, which I wave over You. ||3||
The whole world is engrossed in the eighteen Puraanas, the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and the four sources of creation.
Says Ravi Daas, Your Name is my Aartee, my lamp-lit worship-service. The True Name, Sat Naam, is the food which I offer to You. ||4||3||

Dhanaasaree, The Word Of Devotee Trilochan Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Why do you slander the Lord? You are ignorant and deluded.
Pain and pleasure are the result of your own actions. ||1||Pause||
The moon dwells in Shiva's forehead; it takes its cleansing bath in the Ganges.
Among the men of the moon's family, Krishna was born;
even so, the stains from its past actions remain on the moon's face. ||1||
Aruna was a charioteer; his master was the sun, the lamp of the world. His brother was Garuda, the king of birds;
and yet, Aruna was made a cripple, because of the karma of his past actions. ||2||
Shiva, the destroyer of countless sins, the Lord and Master of the three worlds, wandered from sacred shrine to sacred shrine; he never found an end to them.
And yet, he could not erase the karma of cutting off Brahma's head. ||3||
Through the nectar, the moon, the wish-fulfilling cow, Lakshmi, the miraculous tree of life, Sikhar the sun's horse, and Dhanavantar the wise physician - all arose from the ocean, the lord of rivers;
and yet, because of its karma, its saltiness has not left it. ||4||
Hanuman burnt the fortress of Sri Lanka, uprooted the garden of Raawan, and brought healing herbs for the wounds of Lachhman, pleasing Lord Raamaa;
and yet, because of his karma, he could not be rid of his loin cloth. ||5||
The karma of past actions cannot be erased, O wife of my house; this is why I chant the Name of the Lord.
So prays Trilochan, Dear Lord. ||6||1||
Sri Sain:
With incense, lamps and ghee, I offer this lamp-lit worship service.
I am a sacrifice to the Lord of Lakshmi. ||1||
Hail to You, Lord, hail to You! Again and again, hail to You, Lord King, Ruler of all! ||1||Pause||
Sublime is the lamp, and pure is the wick.
You are immaculate and pure, O Brilliant Lord of Wealth! ||2||
Raamaanand knows the devotional worship of the Lord.
He says that the Lord is all-pervading, the embodiment of supreme joy. ||3||
The Lord of the world, of wondrous form, has carried me across the terrifying world-ocean.
Says Sain, remember the Lord, the embodiment of supreme joy! ||4||2||
Peepaa:
Within the body, the Divine Lord is embodied. The body is the temple, the place of pilgrimage, and the pilgrim.
Within the body are incense, lamps and offerings. Within the body are the flower offerings. ||1||
I searched throughout many realms, but I found the nine treasures within the body.
Nothing comes, and nothing goes; I pray to the Lord for Mercy. ||1||Pause||
The One who pervades the Universe also dwells in the body; whoever seeks Him, finds Him there.
Peepaa prays, the Lord is the supreme essence; He reveals Himself through the True Guru. ||2||3||
Dhannaa:
O Lord of the world, this is Your lamp-lit worship service.
You are the Arranger of the affairs of those humble beings who perform Your devotional worship service. ||1||Pause||
Lentils, flour and ghee - these things, I beg of You.
My mind shall ever be pleased.
Shoes, fine clothes, and grain of seven kinds - I beg of You. ||1||
A milk cow, and a water buffalo, I beg of You,
and a fine Turkestani horse.
A good wife to care for my home
- Your humble servant Dhanna begs for these things, Lord. ||2||4||

Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Jewel of the Lord's Name abides within my heart; the Guru has placed His hand on my forehead.
The sins and pains of countless incarnations have been cast out. The Guru has blessed me with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and my debt has been paid off. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate the Lord's Name, and all your affairs shall be resolved.
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Lord's Name within me; without the Name, life is useless. ||Pause||
Without the Guru, the self-willed manmukhs are foolish and ignorant; they are forever entangled in emotional attachment to Maya.
They never serve the feet of the Holy; their lives are totally useless. ||2||
Those who serve at the feet of the Holy, the feet of the Holy, their lives are made fruitful, and they belong to the Lord.
Make me the slave of the slave of the slaves of the Lord; bless me with Your Mercy, O Lord of the Universe. ||3||
I am blind, ignorant and totally without wisdom; how can I walk on the Path?
I am blind - O Guru, please let me grasp the hem of Your robe, so that servant Nanak may walk in harmony with You. ||4||1||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
A jewel or a diamond may be very valuable and heavy, but without a purchaser, it is worth only straw.
When the Holy Guru, the Purchaser, saw this jewel, He purchased it for hundreds of thousands of dollars. ||1||
The Lord has kept this jewel hidden within my mind.
The Lord, merciful to the meek, led me to meet the Holy Guru; meeting the Guru, I came to appreciate this jewel. ||Pause||
The rooms of the self-willed manmukhs are dark with ignorance; in their homes, the jewel is not visible.
Those fools die, wandering in the wilderness, eating the poison of the snake, Maya. ||2||
O Lord, Har, Har, let me meet the humble, holy beings; O Lord, keep me in the Sanctuary of the Holy.
O Lord, make me Your own; O God, Lord and Master, I have hurried to Your side. ||3||
What Glorious Virtues of Yours can I speak and describe? You are great and unfathomable, the Greatest Being.
The Lord has bestowed His Mercy on servant Nanak; He has saved the sinking stone. ||4||2||

Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
I am Your child; I know nothing about Your state and extent; I am foolish, idiotic and ignorant.
O Lord, shower me with Your Mercy; bless me with an enlightened intellect; I am foolish - make me clever. ||1||
My mind is lazy and sleepy.
The Lord, Har, Har, has led me to meet the Holy Guru; meeting the Holy, the shutters have been opened wide. ||Pause||
O Guru, each and every instant, fill my heart with love; the Name of my Beloved is my breath of life.
Without the Name, I would die; the Name of my Lord and Master is to me like the drug to the addict. ||2||
Those who enshrine love for the Lord within their minds fulfill their pre-ordained destiny.
I worship their feet, each and every instant; the Lord seems very sweet to them. ||3||
My Lord and Master, Har, Har, has showered His Mercy upon His humble servant; separated for so long, he is now re-united with the Lord.
Blessed, blessed is the True Guru, who has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord within me; servant Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||4||3||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
I have found the True Guru, my Friend, the Greatest Being. Love and affection for the Lord has blossomed forth.
Maya, the snake, has seized the mortal; through the Word of the Guru, the Lord neutralizes the venom. ||1||
My mind is attached to the sublime essence of the Lord's Name.
The Lord has purified the sinners, uniting them with the Holy Guru; now, they taste the Lord's Name, and the sublime essence of the Lord. ||Pause||
Blessed, blessed is the good fortune of those who meet the Holy Guru; meeting with the Holy, they lovingly center themselves in the state of absolute absorption.
The fire of desire within them is quenched, and they find peace; they sing the Glorious Praises of the Immaculate Lord. ||2||
Those who do not obtain the Blessed Vision of the True Guru's Darshan, have misfortune pre-ordained for them.
In the love of duality, they are consigned to reincarnation through the womb, and they pass their lives totally uselessly. ||3||
O Lord, please, bless me with pure understanding, that I may serve the Feet of the Holy Guru; the Lord seems sweet to me.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of the Holy; O Lord, be Merciful, and bless me with it. ||4||4||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord's Name does not abide within their hearts - their mothers should have been sterile.
These bodies wander around, forlorn and abandoned, without the Name; their lives waste away, and they die, crying out in pain. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, the Lord within you.
The Merciful Lord God, Har, Har, has showered me with His Mercy; the Guru has imparted spiritual wisdom to me, and my mind has been instructed. ||Pause||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise brings the most noble and exalted status; the Lord is found through the True Guru.
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru, who has revealed the Lord's hidden Name to me. ||2||
By great good fortune, I obtained the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Holy; it removes all stains of sin.
I have found the True Guru, the great, all-knowing King; He has shared with me the many Glorious Virtues of the Lord. ||3||

Those, unto whom the Lord, the Life of the world, has shown Mercy, enshrine Him within their hearts, and cherish Him in their minds.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma, in the Court of the Lord, has torn up my papers; servant Nanak's account has been settled. ||4||5||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I found the Holy, by great good fortune; my restless mind has been quieted.
The unstruck melody ever vibrates and resounds; I have taken in the sublime essence of the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar, showering down. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, the beauteous Lord.
The True Guru has drenched my mind and body with the Love of the Lord, who has met me and lovingly embraced me. ||Pause||
The faithless cynics are bound and gagged in the chains of Maya; they are actively engaged, gathering in the poisonous wealth.
They cannot spend this in harmony with the Lord, and so they must endure the pain which the Messenger of Death inflicts upon their heads. ||2||
The Holy Guru has dedicated His Being to the Lord's service; with great devotion, apply the dust of His feet to your face.
In this world and the next, you shall receive the Lord's honor, and your mind shall be imbued with the permanent color of the Lord's Love. ||3||
O Lord, Har, Har, please unite me with the Holy; compared to these Holy people, I am just a worm.
Servant Nanak has enshrined love for the feet of the Holy Guru; meeting with this Holy One, my foolish, stone-like mind has blossomed forth in lush profusion. ||4||6||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Remember in meditation the Lord, Har, Har, the unfathomable, infinite Lord.
Remembering Him in meditation, pains are dispelled.
O Lord, Har, Har, lead me to meet the True Guru; meeting the Guru, I am at peace. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O my friend.
Cherish the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in your heart.
Read the Ambrosial Words of the Lord, Har, Har; meeting with the Guru, the Lord is revealed. ||2||
The Lord, the Slayer of demons, is my breath of life.
His Ambrosial Amrit is so sweet to my mind and body.
O Lord, Har, Har, have mercy upon me, and lead me to meet the Guru, the immaculate Primal Being. ||3||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is forever the Giver of peace.
My mind is imbued with the Lord's Love.
O Lord Har, Har, lead me to meet the Guru, the Greatest Being; through the Name of Guru Nanak, I have found peace. ||4||1||7||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har.
As Gurmukh, ever earn the profit of the Naam.
Implant within yourself devotion to the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har; sincerely dedicate yourself to the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Meditate on the Name of the Merciful Lord, Har, Har.
WIth love, forever sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Dance to the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har; meet with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, with sincerity. ||2||
Come, O companions - let us unite in the Lord's Union.
Listening to the sermon of the Lord, earn the profit of the Naam.

O Lord, Har, Har, be merciful to me, and lead me to meet the Guru; meeting the Guru, a sincere yearning for the Lord wells up in me. ||3||
Praise Him, the unfathomable and inaccessible Lord.
Each and every moment, sing the Lord's Name.
Be merciful, and meet me, O Guru, Great Giver; Nanak yearns for the Lord's devotional worship. ||4||2||8||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
With love and energetic affection, praise the Lord, the storehouse of Nectar.
My mind is drenched with the Lord's Name, and so it earns this profit.
Each and every moment, worship Him in devotion, day and night; through the Guru's Teachings, sincere love and devotion well up. ||1||
Chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, Har, Har.
Conquering mind and body, I have earned the profit of the Shabad.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the five demons are over-powered, and the mind and body are filled with a sincere yearning for the Lord. ||2||
The Name is a jewel - chant the Lord's Name.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and forever earn this profit.
O Lord, merciful to the meek, be kind to me, and bless me with sincere longing for the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
Meditate on the Lord of the world - meditate within your mind.
The Lord of the Universe, Har, Har, is the only real profit in this world.
Blessed, blessed, is my Great Lord and Master God; O Nanak, meditate on Him, worship Him with sincere love and devotion. ||4||3||9||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
He Himself is the Yogi, and the way throughout the ages.
The Fearless Lord Himself is absorbed in Samaadhi.
He Himself, all by Himself, is all-pervading; He Himself blesses us with sincere love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
He Himself is the lamp, and the Light pervading all the worlds.
He Himself is the True Guru; He Himself churns the ocean.
He Himself churns it, churning up the essence; meditating on the jewel of the Naam, sincere love comes to the surface. ||2||
O my companions, let us meet and join together, and sing His Glorious Praises.
As Gurmukh, chant the Naam, and earn the profit of the Lord's Name.
Devotional worship of the Lord, Har, Har, has been implanted within me; it is pleasing to my mind. The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, brings a sincere love. ||3||
He Himself is supremely wise, the greatest King.
As Gurmukh, purchase the merchandise of the Naam.
O Lord God, Har, Har, bless me with such a gift, that Your Glorious Virtues seem pleasing to me; Nanak is filled with sincere love and yearning for the Lord. ||4||4||10||
Jaitsree, Fourth Mehl:
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and associating with the Guru,
the Gurmukh gathers in the merchandise of the Naam.
O Lord, Har, Har, Destroyer of demons, have mercy upon me; bless me with a sincere yearning to join the Sat Sangat. ||1||
Let me hear with my ears the Banis, the Hymns, in praise of the Lord;
be merciful, and let me meet the True Guru.
I sing His Glorious Praises, I speak the Bani of His Word; chanting His Glorious Praises, a sincere yearning for the Lord wells up. ||2||
I have tried visiting all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage, fasting, ceremonial feasts and giving to charities.
They do not measure up to the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Lord's Name is unweighable, utterly heavy in weight; through the Guru's Teachings, a sincere yearning to chant the Name has welled up in me. ||3||
All good karma and righteous living are found in meditation on the Lord's Name.
It washes away the stains of sins and mistakes.
Be merciful to meek, humble Nanak; bless him with sincere love and yearning for the Lord. ||4||5||11||

Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Does anyone know, who is our friend in this world?
He alone understands this, whom the Lord blesses with His Mercy. Immaculate and unstained is his way of life. ||1||Pause||
Mother, father, spouse, children, relatives, lovers, friends and siblings meet, having been associated in previous lives; but none of them will be your companion and support in the end. ||1||
Pearl necklaces, gold, rubies and diamonds please the mind, but they are only Maya.
Possessing them, one passes his life in agony; he obtains no contentment from them. ||2||
Elephants, chariots, horses as fast as the wind, wealth, land, and armies of four kinds
- none of these will go with him; he must get up and depart, naked. ||3||
The Lord's Saints are the beloved lovers of God; sing of the Lord, Har, Har, with them.
O Nanak, in the Society of the Saints, you shall obtain peace in this world, and in the next world, your face shall be radiant and bright. ||4||1||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Third House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Give me a message from my Beloved - tell me, tell me!
I am wonder-struck, hearing the many reports of Him; tell them to me, O my happy sister soul-brides. ||1||Pause||
Some say that He is beyond the world - totally beyond it, while others say that He is totally within it.
His color cannot be seen, and His pattern cannot be discerned. O happy soul-brides, tell me the truth! ||1||
He is pervading everywhere, and He dwells in each and every heart; He is not stained - He is unstained.
Says Nanak, listen, O people: He dwells upon the tongues of the Saints. ||2||1||2||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
I am calmed, calmed and soothed, hearing of God. ||1||Pause||
I dedicate my soul, my breath of life, my mind, body and everything to Him: I behold God near, very near. ||1||
Beholding God, the inestimable, infinite and Great Giver, I cherish Him in my mind. ||2||
Whatever I wish for, I receive; my hopes and desires are fulfilled, meditating on God. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, God dwells in Nanak's mind; he never suffers or grieves, having realized God. ||4||2||3||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
I seek my Friend the Lord.
In each and every home, sing the sublime songs of rejoicing; He abides in each and every heart. ||1||Pause||
In good times, worship and adore Him; in bad times, worship and adore Him; do not ever forget Him.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the light of millions of suns shines forth, and the darkness of doubt is dispelled. ||1||
In all the spaces and interspaces, everywhere, whatever we see is Yours.
One who finds the Society of the Saints, O Nanak, is not consigned to reincarnation again. ||2||3||4||

Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Now, I have found peace, bowing before the Guru.
I have abandoned cleverness, quieted my anxiety, and renounced my egotism. ||1||Pause||
When I looked, I saw that everyone was enticed by emotional attachment; then, I hurried to the Guru's Sanctuary.
In His Grace, the Guru engaged me in the Lord's service, and then, the Messenger of Death gave up pursuing me. ||1||
I swam across the ocean of fire, when I met the Saints, through great good fortune.
O servant Nanak, I have found total peace; my consciousness is attached to the Lord's feet. ||2||1||5||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
Within my mind, I cherish and meditate on the True Guru.
He has implanted within me spiritual wisdom and the Mantra of the Lord's Name; Dear God has shown mercy to me. ||1||Pause||
Death's noose and its mighty entanglements have vanished, along with the fear of death.
I have come to the Sanctuary of the Merciful Lord, the Destroyer of pain; I am holding tight to the Support of His feet. ||1||
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, has assumed the form of a boat, to cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, and my doubts are shattered; says Nanak, I can bear the unbearable. ||2||2||6||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
One who has the Lord of the Universe as his help and support
is blessed with all peace, poise and bliss; no afflictions cling to him. ||1||Pause||
He appears to keep company with everyone, but he remains detached, and Maya does not cling to him.
He is absorbed in love of the One Lord; he understands the essence of reality, and he is blessed with wisdom by the True Guru. ||1||
Those whom the Lord and Master blesses with His kindness, compassion and mercy are the sublime and sanctified Saints.
Associating with them, Nanak is saved; with love and exuberant joy, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||3||7||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe is my existence, my breath of life, wealth and beauty.
The ignorant are totally intoxicated with emotional attachment; in this darkness, the Lord is the only lamp. ||1||Pause||
Fruitful is the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Beloved God; Your lotus feet are incomparably beautiful!
So many times, I bow in reverence to Him, offering my mind as incense to Him. ||1||
Exhausted, I have fallen at Your Door, O God; I am holding tight to Your Support.
Please, lift Your humble servant Nanak up, out of the pit of fire of the world. ||2||4||8||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
If only someone would unite me with the Lord!
I hold tight to His feet, and utter sweet words with my tongue; I make my breath of life an offering to Him. ||1||Pause||
I make my mind and body into pure little gardens, and irrigate them with the sublime essence of the Lord.
I am drenched with this sublime essence by His Grace, and the powerful hold of Maya's corruption has been broken. ||1||
I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Destroyer of the suffering of the innocent; I keep my consciousness focused on You.

Bless me with the gifts of the state of fearlessness, and meditative remembrance, Lord and Master; O Nanak, God is the Breaker of bonds. ||2||5||9||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
The rainbird longs for the rain to fall.
O God, ocean of mercy, shower Your mercy on me, that I may yearn for loving devotional worship of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The chakvi duck does not desire many comforts, but it is filled with bliss upon seeing the dawn.
The fish cannot survive any other way - without water, it dies. ||1||
I am a helpless orphan - I seek Your Sanctuary, O My Lord and Master; please bless me with Your mercy.
Nanak worships and adores the Lord's lotus feet; without Him, there is no other at all. ||2||6||10||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord, my very breath of life, abides in my mind and body.
Bless me with Your mercy, and unite me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O perfect, all-knowing Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Those, unto whom You give the intoxicating herb of Your Love, drink in the supreme sublime essence.
I cannot describe their value; what power do I have? ||1||
The Lord attaches His humble servants to the hem of His robe, and they swim across the world-ocean.
Meditating, meditating, meditating in remembrance on God, peace is obtained; Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of Your Door. ||2||7||11||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
After wandering through so many incarnations, I have come to Your Sanctuary.
Save me - lift my body up out of the deep, dark pit of the world, and attach me to Your feet. ||1||Pause||
I do not know anything about spiritual wisdom, meditation or karma, and my way of life is not clean and pure.
Please attach me to the hem of the robe of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; help me to cross over the terrible river. ||1||
Comforts, riches and the sweet pleasures of Maya - do not implant these within your mind.
Slave Nanak is satisfied and satiated by the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan; his only ornamentation is the love of the Lord's Name. ||2||8||12||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl:
O humble servants of the Lord, remember the Lord in meditation within your heart.
Misfortune does not even approach the Lord's humble servant; the works of His slave are perfectly fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
Millions of obstacles are removed, by serving the Lord, and one enters into the eternal dwelling of the Lord of the Universe.
The Lord's devotee is very fortunate; he has absolutely no fear. Even the Messenger of Death pays homage to him. ||1||
Forsaking the Lord of the world, he does other deeds, but these are temporary and transitory.
Grasp the Lord's lotus feet, and hold them in your heart, O Nanak; you shall obtain absolute peace and bliss. ||2||9||13||
Jaitsree, Ninth Mehl: One Universal Creator God.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My mind is deluded, entangled in Maya.
Whatever I do, while engaged in greed, only serves to bind me down. ||1||Pause||
I have no understanding at all; I am engrossed in the pleasures of corruption, and I have forgotten the Praises of the Lord.
The Lord and Master is with me, but I do not know Him. Instead, I run into the forest, looking for Him. ||1||

The Jewel of the Lord is deep within my heart, but I do not have any knowledge of Him.
O servant Nanak, without vibrating, meditating on the Lord God, human life is uselessly wasted and lost. ||2||1||
Jaitsree, Ninth Mehl:
O Dear Lord, please, save my honor!
The fear of death has entered my heart; I cling to the Protection of Your Sanctuary, O Lord, ocean of mercy. ||1||Pause||
I am a great sinner, foolish and greedy; but now, at last, I have grown weary of committing sins.
I cannot forget the fear of dying; this anxiety is consuming my body. ||1||
I have been trying to liberate myself, running around in the ten directions.
The pure, immaculate Lord abides deep within my heart, but I do not understand the secret of His mystery. ||2||
I have no merit, and I know nothing about meditation or austerities; what should I do now?
O Nanak, I am exhausted; I seek the shelter of Your Sanctuary; O God, please bless me with the gift of fearlessness. ||3||2||
Jaitsree, Ninth Mehl:
O mind, embrace true contemplation.
Without the Lord's Name, know that this whole world is false. ||1||Pause||
The Yogis are tired of searching for Him, but they have not found His limit.
You must understand that the Lord and Master is near at hand, but He has no form or feature. ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord is purifying in the world, and yet you never remember it.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the One, before whom the whole world bows down; please, preserve and protect me, by Your innate nature. ||2||3||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok:
I am thirsty for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, day and night; I yearn for Him constantly, night and day.
Opening the door, O Nanak, the Guru has led me to meet with the Lord, my Friend. ||1||
Chhant:
Listen, O my intimate friend - I have just one prayer to make.
I have been wandering around, searching for that enticing, sweet Beloved.
Whoever leads me to my Beloved - I would cut off my head and offer it to him, even if I were granted the Blessed Vision of His Darshan for just an instant.
My eyes are drenched with the Love of my Beloved; without Him, I do not have even a moment's peace.
My mind is attached to the Lord, like the fish to the water, and the rainbird, thirsty for the raindrops.
Servant Nanak has found the Perfect Guru; his thirst is totally quenched. ||1||
O intimate friend, my Beloved has all these loving companions; I cannot compare to any of them.
O intimate friend, each of them is more beautiful than the others; who could consider me?
Each of them is more beautiful than the others; countless are His lovers, constantly enjoying bliss with Him.
Beholding them, desire wells up in my mind; when will I obtain the Lord, the treasure of virtue?
I dedicate my mind to those who please and attract my Beloved.
Says Nanak, hear my prayer, O happy soul-brides; tell me, what does my Husband Lord look like? ||2||
O intimate friend, my Husband Lord does whatever He pleases; He is not dependent on anyone.

O intimate friend, you have enjoyed your Beloved; please, tell me about Him.
They alone find their Beloved, who eradicate self-conceit; such is the good destiny written on their foreheads.
Taking me by the arm, the Lord and Master has made me His own; He has not considered my merits or demerits.
She, whom You have adorned with the necklace of virtue, and dyed in the deep crimson color of His Love - everything looks beautiful on her.
O servant Nanak, blessed is that happy soul-bride, who dwells with her Husband Lord. ||3||
O intimate friend, I have found that peace which I sought.
My sought-after Husband Lord has come home, and now, congratulations are pouring in.
Great joy and happiness welled up, when my Husband Lord, of ever-fresh beauty, showed mercy to me.
By great good fortune, I have found Him; the Guru has united me with Him, through the Saadh Sangat, the True Congregation of the Holy.
My hopes and desires have all been fulfilled; my Beloved Husband Lord has hugged me close in His embrace.
Prays Nanak, I have found that peace which I sought, meeting with the Guru. ||4||1||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok:
God is lofty, unapproachable and infinite. He is indescribable - He cannot be described.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, who is all-powerful to save us. ||1||
Chhant:
Save me, any way You can; O Lord God, I am Yours.
My demerits are uncountable; how many of them should I count?
The sins and crimes I committed are countless; day by day, I continually make mistakes.
I am intoxicated by emotional attachment to Maya, the treacherous one; by Your Grace alone can I be saved.
Secretly, I commit hideous sins of corruption, even though God is the nearest of the near.
Prays Nanak, shower me with Your Mercy, Lord, and lift me up, out of the whirlpool of the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Shalok:
Countless are His virtues; they cannot be enumerated. God's Name is lofty and exalted.
This is Nanak's humble prayer, to bless the homeless with a home. ||2||
Chhant:
There is no other place at all - where else should I go?
Twenty-four hours a day, with my palms pressed together, I meditate on God.
Meditating forever on my God, I receive the fruits of my mind's desires.
Renouncing pride, attachment, corruption and duality, I lovingly center my attention on the One Lord.
Dedicate your mind and body to God; eradicate all your self-conceit.
Prays Nanak, shower me with Your mercy, Lord, that I may be absorbed in Your True Name. ||2||
Shalok:
O mind, meditate on the One, who holds everything in His hands.
Gather the wealth of the Lord's Name; O Nanak, it shall always be with You. ||3||
Chhant:
God is our only True Friend; there is not any other.
In the places and interspaces, in the water and on the land, He Himself is pervading everywhere.
He is totally permeating the water, the land and the sky; God is the Great Giver, the Lord and Master of all.
The Lord of the world, the Lord of the universe has no limit; His Glorious Virtues are unlimited - how can I count them?
I have hurried to the Sanctuary of the Lord Master, the Bringer of peace; without Him, there is no other at all.
Prays Nanak, that being, unto whom the Lord shows mercy - he alone obtains the Naam. ||3||

Shalok:
Whatever I wish for, that I receive.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Nanak has found total peace. ||4||
Chhant:
My mind is now emancipated; I have joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
As Gurmukh, I chant the Naam, and my light has merged into the Light.
Remembering the Lord's Name in meditation, my sins have been erased; the fire has been extinguished, and I am satisfied.
He has taken me by the arm, and blessed me with His kind mercy; He has accepted me His own.
The Lord has hugged me in His embrace, and merged me with Himself; the pains of birth and death have been burnt away.
Prays Nanak, He has blessed me with His kind mercy; in an instant, He unites me with Himself. ||4||2||
Jaitsree, Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
The world is like a temporary way-station, but it is filled with pride.
People commit countless sins; they are dyed in the color of the love of Maya.
In greed, emotional attachment and egotism, they are drowning; they do not even think of dying.
Children, friends, worldly occupations and spouses - they talk of these things, while their lives are passing away.
When their pre-ordained days have run their course, O mother, they behold the Messengers of the Righteous Judge of Dharma, and they suffer.
The karma of their past deeds cannot be erased, O Nanak, if they have not earned the wealth of the Lord's Name. ||1||
He makes all sorts of efforts, but he does not sing the Lord's Name.
He wanders around in countless incarnations; he dies, only to be born again.
As beasts, birds, stones and trees - their number cannot be known.
As are the seeds he plants, so are the pleasures he enjoys; he receives the consequences of his own actions.
He loses the jewel of this human life in the gamble, and God is not pleased with him at all.
Prays Nanak, wandering in doubt, he does not find any rest, even for an instant. ||2||
Youth has passed, and old age has taken its place.
The hands tremble, the head shakes, and the eyes do not see.
The eyes do not see, without vibrating and meditating on the Lord; he must leave behind the attractions of Maya, and depart.
He burnt his mind and body for his relatives, but now, they do not listen to him, and they throw dust on his head.
Love for the infinite, Perfect Lord does not abide in his mind, even for an instant.
Prays Nanak, the fort of paper is false - it is destroyed in an instant. ||3||
Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of the Lord's lotus feet.
God Himself has carried Him across the impassable, terrifying world-ocean.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I vibrate and meditate on the Lord; God has made me His own, and saved me.
The Lord has approved of me, and blessed me with His Name; He did not take anything else into consideration.
I have found the infinite Lord and Master, the treasure of virtue, which my mind had yearned for.
Prays Nanak, I am satisfied forever; I have eaten the food of the Lord's Name. ||4||2||3||
Jaitsree, Fifth Mehl, Vaar With Shaloks:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok:
In the beginning, He was pervading; in the middle, He is pervading; in the end, He will be pervading. He is the Transcendent Lord.
The Saints remember in meditation the all-pervading Lord God. O Nanak, He is the Destroyer of sins, the Lord of the universe. ||1||

See, hear, speak and implant the True Lord within your mind.
He is all-pervading, permeating everywhere; O Nanak, be absorbed in the Lord's Love. ||2||
Pauree:
Sing the Praise of the One, the Immaculate Lord; He is contained within all.
The Cause of causes, the Almighty Lord God; whatever He wills, comes to pass.
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes; without Him, there is no other.
He pervades the continents, solar systems, nether worlds, islands and all worlds.
He alone understands, whom the Lord Himself instructs; he alone is a pure and unstained being. ||1||
Shalok:
Creating the soul, the Lord places this creation in the womb of the mother.
With each and every breath, it meditates in remembrance on the Lord, O Nanak; it is not consumed by the great fire. ||1||
With its head down, and feet up, it dwells in that slimy place.
O Nanak, how could we forget the Master? Through His Name, we are saved. ||2||
Pauree:
From egg and sperm, you were conceived, and placed in the fire of the womb.
Head downwards, you abided restlessly in that dark, dismal, terrible hell.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, you were not burnt; enshrine Him in your heart, mind and body.
In that treacherous place, He protected and preserved you; do not forget Him, even for an instant.
Forgetting God, you shall never find peace; you shall forfeit your life, and depart. ||2||
Shalok:
He grants our hearts' desires, and fulfills all our hopes.
He destroys pain and suffering; remember God in meditation, O Nanak - He is not far away. ||1||
Love Him, with whom you enjoy all pleasures.
Do not forget that Lord, even for an instant; O Nanak, He fashioned this beautiful body. ||2||
Pauree:
He gave you your soul, breath of life, body and wealth; He gave you pleasures to enjoy.
He gave you households, mansions, chariots and horses; He ordained your good destiny.
He gave you your children, spouse, friends and servants; God is the all-powerful Great Giver.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the body and mind are rejuvenated, and sorrow departs.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chant the Praises of the Lord, and all your sickness shall vanish. ||3||
Shalok:
For his family, he works very hard; for the sake of Maya, he makes countless efforts.
But without loving devotional worship of the Lord, O Nanak, he forgets God, and then, he is a mere ghost. ||1||
That love shall break, which is established with any other than the Lord.
O Nanak, that way of life is true, which inspires love of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Forgetting Him, one's body turns to dust, and everyone calls him a ghost.
And those, with whom he was so much in love - they do not let him stay in their home, even for an instant.
Practicing exploitation, he gathers wealth, but what use will it be in the end?
As one plants, so does he harvest; the body is the field of actions.
The ungrateful wretches forget the Lord, and wander in reincarnation. ||4||
Shalok:
The benefits of millions of charitable donations and cleansing baths, and countless ceremonies of purification and piety,
O Nanak, are obtained by chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har with one's tongue; all sins are washed away. ||1||
I gathered together a great stack of firewood, and applied a tiny flame to light it.

When the True Lord and Master abides in one's mind, O Nanak, all sins are dispelled. ||2||
Pauree:
Millions of sins are totally erased, by meditating on the Lord's Name.
The fruits of one's heart's desires are obtained, by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The fear of birth and death is eradicated, and one's eternal, unchanging true home is obtained.
If it is so pre-ordained, one is absorbed in the Lord's lotus feet.
Bless me with Your mercy, God - please preserve and save me! Nanak is a sacrifice to You. ||5||
Shalok:
They are involved in their beautiful houses, and the pleasures of the mind's desires.
They never remember the Lord in meditation; O Nanak, they are like maggots in manure. ||1||
They are engrossed in ostentatious displays, lovingly attached to all their possessions.
That body which forgets the Lord, O Nanak, shall be reduced to ashes. ||2||
Pauree:
He may enjoy a beautiful bed, countless pleasures and all sorts of enjoyments.
He may possess mansions of gold, studded with pearls and rubies, plastered with fragrant sandalwood oil.
He may relish in the pleasures of his mind's desires, and have no anxiety at all.
But if he does not remember God, he is like a maggot in manure.
Without the Lord's Name, there is no peace at all. How can the mind be comforted? ||6||
Shalok:
One who loves the Lord's lotus feet searches for Him in the ten directions.
He renounces the deceptive illusion of Maya, and joins the blissful form of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
The Lord is in my mind, and with my mouth I chant His Name; I seek Him in all the lands of the world.
O Nanak, all ostentatious displays are false; hearing the Praises of the True Lord, I live. ||2||
Pauree:
He dwells in a broken-down shack, in tattered clothes,
with no social status, no honor and no respect; he wanders in the wilderness,
with no friend or lover, without wealth, beauty, relatives or relations.
Even so, he is the king of the whole world, if his mind is imbued with the Lord's Name.
With the dust of his feet, men are redeemed, because God is very pleased with him. ||7||
Shalok:
The various sorts of pleasures, powers, joys, beauty, canopies, cooling fans and thrones to sit on
- the foolish, ignorant and blind are engrossed in these things. O Nanak, desire for Maya is just a dream. ||1||
In a dream, he enjoys all sorts of pleasures, and emotional attachment seems so sweet.
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the beauty of Maya's illusion is fake. ||2||
Pauree:
The fool attaches his consciousness to the dream.
When he awakes, he forgets the power, pleasures and enjoyments, and he is sad.
He passes his life chasing after worldly affairs.
His works are not completed, because he is enticed by Maya.
What can the poor helpless creature do? The Lord Himself has deluded him. ||8||
Shalok:
They may live in heavenly realms, and conquer the nine regions of the world,
but if they forget the Lord of the world, O Nanak, they are just wanderers in the wilderness. ||1||
In the midst of millions of games and entertainments, the Lord's Name does not come to their minds.
O Nanak, their home is like a wilderness, in the depths of hell. ||2||
Pauree:
He sees the terrible, awful wilderness as a city.
Gazing upon the false objects, he believes them to be real.

Engrossed in sexual desire, anger and egotism, he wanders around insane.
When the Messenger of Death hits him on the head with his club, then he regrets and repents.
Without the Perfect, Divine Guru, he roams around like Satan. ||9||
Shalok:
Power is fraudulent, beauty is fraudulent, and wealth is fraudulent, as is pride of ancestry.
One may gather poison through deception and fraud, O Nanak, but without the Lord, nothing shall go along with him in the end. ||1||
Beholding the bitter melon, he is deceived, since it appears so pretty
But it is not worth even a shell, O Nanak; the riches of Maya will not go along with anyone. ||2||
Pauree:
It shall not go along with you when you depart - why do you bother to collect it?
Tell me, why do you try so hard to acquire that which you must leave behind in the end?
Forgetting the Lord, how can you be satisfied? Your mind cannot be pleased.
One who forsakes God, and attaches himself to another, shall be immersed in hell.
Be kind and compassionate to Nanak, O Lord, and dispel his fear. ||10||
Shalok:
Princely pleasures are not sweet; sensual enjoyments are not sweet; the pleasures of Maya are not sweet.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is sweet, O slave Nanak; the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan is sweet. ||1||
I have enshrined that love which drenches my soul.
I have been pierced by the Truth, O Nanak; the Master seems so sweet to me. ||2||
Pauree:
Nothing seems sweet to His devotees, except the Lord.
All other tastes are bland and insipid; I have tested them and seen them.
Ignorance, doubt and suffering are dispelled, when the Guru becomes one's advocate.
The Lord's lotus feet have pierced my mind, and I am dyed in the deep crimson color of His Love.
My soul, breath of life, body and mind belong to God; all falsehood has left me. ||11||
Shalok:
Leaving the water, the fish cannot live; the rainbird cannot live without the raindrops from the clouds.
The deer is enticed by the sound of the hunter's bell, and shot through with the arrow; the bumble bee is entangled in the fragrance of the flowers.
The Saints are entranced by the Lord's lotus feet; O Nanak, they desire nothing else. ||1||
Show me Your face, for even an instant, Lord, and I will not give my consciousness to any other.
My life is with the Lord Master, O Nanak, the Friend of the Saints. ||2||
Pauree:
How can the fish live without water?
Without the raindrops, how can the rainbird be satisfied?
The deer, entranced by the sound of the hunter's bell, runs straight to him;
the bumble bee is greedy for the flower's fragrance; finding it, he traps himself in it.
Just so, the humble Saints love the Lord; beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, they are satisfied and satiated. ||12||
Shalok:
They contemplate the Lord's lotus feet; they worship and adore Him with each and every breath.
They do not forget the Name of the imperishable Lord; O Nanak, the Transcendent Lord fulfills their hopes. ||1||
He is woven into the fabric of my mind; He is not outside of it, even for an instant.
O Nanak, the True Lord and Master fulfills my hopes, and always watches over me. ||2||
Pauree:
My hopes rest in You, O Lord of the universe; please, fulfill them.
Meeting with the Lord of the world, the Lord of the universe, I shall never grieve.
Grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, the desire of my mind, and my worries shall be over.

By body is sanctified, by the dust of Your feet.
O Supreme Lord God, Divine Guru, You are always with me, ever-present. ||13||
Shalok:
With my tongue, I chant the Lord's Name; with my ears, I listen to the Ambrosial Word of His Shabad.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those who meditate on the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
All concerns are false, except those of the One Lord.
O Nanak, blessed are those, who are in love with their True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
I am forever a sacrifice to those who listen to the sermon of the Lord.
Those who bow their heads before God are perfect and distinguished.
Those hands, which write the Praises of the infinite Lord are beautiful.
Those feet which walk on God's Path are pure and holy.
In the Society of the Saints, they are emancipated; all their sorrows depart. ||14||
Shalok:
One's destiny is activated, when one chants the Lord's Name, through perfect good fortune.
Fruitful is that moment, O Nanak, when one obtains the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||
Its value cannot be estimated; it brings peace beyond measure.
O Nanak, that time alone is approved, when my Beloved meets with me. ||2||
Pauree:
Tell me, what is that time, when I shall find God?
Blessed and auspicious is that moment, and that destiny, when I shall find the Lord of the Universe.
Meditating on the Lord, twenty-four hours a day, my mind's desires are fulfilled.
By great good fortune, I have found the Society of the Saints; I bow and touch their feet.
My mind thirsts for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan; Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||15||
Shalok:
The Lord of the Universe is the Purifier of sinners; He is the Dispeller of all distress.
The Lord God is Mighty, giving His Protective Sanctuary; Nanak chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Renouncing all self-conceit, I hold tight to the Lord's Feet.
My sorrows and troubles have departed, O Nanak, beholding God. ||2||
Pauree:
Unite with me, O Merciful Lord; I have fallen at Your Door.
O Merciful to the meek, save me. I have wandered enough; now I am tired.
It is Your very nature to love Your devotees, and save sinners.
Without You, there is no other at all; I offer this prayer to You.
Take me by the hand, O Merciful Lord, and carry me across the world-ocean. ||16||
Shalok:
The Merciful Lord is the Savior of the Saints; their only support is to sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
One becomes immaculate and pure, by associating with the Saints, O Nanak, and taking the Protection of the Transcendent Lord. ||1||
The burning of the heart is not dispelled at all, by sandalwood paste, the moon, or the cold season.
It only becomes cool, O Nanak, by chanting the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Through the Protection and Support of the Lord's lotus feet, all beings are saved.
Hearing of the Glory of the Lord of the Universe, the mind becomes fearless.
Nothing at all is lacking, when one gathers the wealth of the Naam.
The Society of the Saints is obtained, by very good deeds.
Twenty-four hours a day, meditate on the Lord, and listen continually to the Lord's Praises. ||17||
Shalok:
The Lord grants His Grace, and dispels the pains of those who sing the Kirtan of the Praises of His Name.
When the Lord God shows His Kindness, O Nanak, one is no longer engrossed in Maya. ||1||

The burning fire has been put out; God Himself has saved me.
Meditate on that God, O Nanak, who created the universe. ||2||
Pauree:
When God becomes merciful, Maya does not cling.
Millions of sins are eliminated, by meditating on the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
The body is made immaculate and pure, bathing in the dust of the feet of the Lord's humble servants.
The mind and body become contented, finding the Perfect Lord God.
One is saved, along with his family, and all his ancestors. ||18||
Shalok:
The Guru is the Lord of the Universe; the Guru is the Lord of the world; the Guru is the Perfect Pervading Lord God.
The Guru is compassionate; the Guru is all-powerful; the Guru, O Nanak, is the Saving Grace of sinners. ||1||
The Guru is the boat, to cross over the dangerous, treacherous, unfathomable world-ocean.
O Nanak, by perfect good karma, one is attached to the feet of the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed is the Divine Guru; associating with Him, one meditates on the Lord.
When the Guru becomes merciful, then all one's demerits are dispelled.
The Supreme Lord God, the Divine Guru, uplifts and exalts the lowly.
Cutting away the painful noose of Maya, He makes us His own slaves.
With my tongue, I sing the Glorious Praises of the infinite Lord God. ||19||
Shalok:
I see only the One Lord; I hear only the One Lord; the One Lord is all-pervading.
Nanak begs for the gift of the Naam; O Merciful Lord God, please grant Your Grace. ||1||
I serve the One Lord, I contemplate the One Lord, and to the One Lord, I offer my prayer.
Nanak has gathered in the wealth, the merchandise of the Naam; this is the true capital. ||2||
Pauree:
God is merciful and infinite. The One and Only is all-pervading.
He Himself is all-in-all. Who else can we speak of?
God Himself grants His gifts, and He Himself receives them.
Coming and going are all by the Hukam of Your Will; Your place is steady and unchanging.
Nanak begs for this gift; by Your Grace, Lord, please grant me Your Name. ||20||1||
Jaitsree, The Word Of The Devotees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my Lord and Master, I know nothing.
My mind has sold out, and is in Maya's hands. ||1||Pause||
You are called the Lord and Master, the Guru of the World.
I am called a lustful being of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||1||
The five vices have corrupted my mind.
Moment by moment, they lead me further away from the Lord. ||2||
Wherever I look, I see loads of pain and suffering.
I do not have faith, even though the Vedas bear witness to the Lord. ||3||
Shiva cut off Brahma's head, and Gautam's wife and the Lord Indra mated; Brahma's head got stuck to Shiva's hand, and Indra came to bear the marks of a thousand female organs. ||4||
These demons have fooled, bound and destroyed me.
I am very shameless - even now, I am not tired of them. ||5||
Says Ravi Daas, what am I to do now?
Without the Sanctuary of the Lord's Protection, who else's should I seek? ||6||1||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Todee, Chau-Padas, Fourth Mehl, First House:
Without the Lord, my mind cannot survive.
If the Guru unites me with my Beloved Lord God, my breath of life, then I shall not have to face the wheel of reincarnation again in the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
My heart is gripped by a yearning for my Lord God, and with my eyes, I behold my Lord God.
The merciful True Guru has implanted the Name of the Lord within me; this is the Path leading to my Lord God. ||1||
Through the Lord's Love, I have found the Naam, the Name of my Lord God, the Lord of the Universe, the Lord my God.
The Lord seems so very sweet to my heart, mind and body; upon my face, upon my forehead, my good destiny is inscribed. ||2||
Those whose minds are attached to greed and corruption forget the Lord, the good Lord God.
Those self-willed manmukhs are called foolish and ignorant; misfortune and bad destiny are written on their foreheads. ||3||
From the True Guru, I have obtained a discriminating intellect; the Guru has revealed the spiritual wisdom of God.
Servant Nanak has obtained the Naam from the Guru; such is the destiny inscribed upon his forehead. ||4||1||
Todee, Fifth Mehl, First House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Saints do not know any other.
They are carefree, ever in the Lord's Love; the Lord and Master is on their side. ||Pause||
Your canopy is so high, O Lord and Master; no one else has any power.
Such is the immortal Lord and Master the devotees have found; the spiritually wise remain absorbed in His Love. ||1||
Disease, sorrow, pain, old age and death do not even approach the humble servant of the Lord.
They remain fearless, in the Love of the One Lord; O Nanak, they have surrendered their minds to the Lord. ||2||1||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
Forgetting the Lord, one is ruined forever.
How can anyone be deceived, who has Your Support, O Lord? ||Pause||

Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, life is like a burning fire, even if one lives long, like a snake.
One may rule over the nine regions of the earth, but in the end, he shall have to depart, losing the game of life. ||1||
He alone sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the treasure of virtue, upon whom the Lord showers His Grace.
He is at peace, and his birth is blessed; Nanak is a sacrifice to him. ||2||2||
Todee, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The mind wanders, wandering in the ten directions.
It is intoxicated by Maya, enticed by the taste of greed. God Himself has deluded it. ||Pause||
He does not focus his mind, even for a moment, on the Lord's sermon, or the Lord's Praises, or the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He is excited, gazing on the transitory color of the safflower, and looking at other men's wives. ||1||
He does not love the Lord's lotus feet, and he does not please the True Lord.
He runs around chasing the fleeting objects of the world, in all directions, like the ox around the oil press. ||2||
He does not practice the Naam, the Name of the Lord; nor does he practice charity or inner cleansing.
He does not sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, even for an instant. Clinging to his many falsehoods, he does not please his own mind, and he does not understand his own self. ||3||
He never does good deeds for others; he does not serve or meditate on the True Guru.
He is entangled in the company and the advice of the five demons, intoxicated by the wine of Maya. ||4||
I offer my prayer in the Saadh Sangat; hearing that the Lord is the Lover of His devotees, I have come.
Nanak runs after the Lord, and pleads, "Protect my honor, Lord, and make me Your own."||5||1||3||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
Without understanding, his coming into the world is useless.
He puts on various ornaments and many decorations, but it is like dressing a corpse. ||Pause||
With great effort and exertion, the miser works to gather in the riches of Maya.
He does not give anything in charity or generosity, and he does not serve the Saints; his wealth does not do him any good at all. ||1||
The soul-bride puts on her ornaments, embellishes her bed, and fashions decorations.
But if she does not obtain the company of her Husband Lord, the sight of these decorations only brings her pain. ||2||
The man works all day long, threshing the husks with the pestle.
He is depressed, like a forced laborer, and so he is of no use to his own home. ||3||
But when God shows His Mercy and Grace, He implants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within the heart.
Search the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, and find the sublime essence of the Lord. ||4||2||4||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord, ocean of mercy, please abide forever in my heart.
Please awaken such understanding within me, that I may be in love with You, God. ||Pause||
Please, bless me with the dust of the feet of Your slaves; I touch it to my forehead.
I was a great sinner, but I have been made pure, singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Glorious Praises. ||1||

Your Will seems so sweet to me; whatever You do, is pleasing to me.
Whatever You give me, with that I am satisfied; I shall chase after no one else. ||2||
I know that my Lord and Master God is always with me; I am the dust of all men's feet.
If I find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I shall obtain God. ||3||
Forever and ever, I am Your child; You are my God, my King.
Nanak is Your child; You are my mother and father; please, give me Your Name, like milk in my mouth. ||4||3||5||
Todee, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I beg for the Gift of Your Name, O my Lord and Master.
Nothing else shall go along with me in the end; by Your Grace, please allow me to sing Your Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
Power, wealth, various pleasures and enjoyments, all are just like the shadow of a tree.
He runs, runs, runs around in many directions, but all of his pursuits are useless. ||1||
Except for the Lord of the Universe, everything he desires appears transitory.
Says Nanak, I beg for the dust of the feet of the Saints, so that my mind may find peace and tranquility. ||2||1||6||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Dear Lord, is the Support of my mind.
It is my life, my breath of life, my peace of mind; for me, it is an article of daily use. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is my social status, the Naam is my honor; the Naam is my family.
The Naam is my companion; it is always with me. The Lord's Name is my emancipation. ||1||
Sensual pleasures are talked about a lot, but none of them goes along with anyone in the end.
The Naam is Nanak's dearest friend; the Lord's Name is my treasure. ||2||2||7||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the sublime Praises of the Lord, and your disease shall be eradicated.
Your face shall become radiant and bright, and your mind shall be immaculately pure. You shall be saved here and hereafter. ||1||Pause||
I wash the Guru's feet and serve Him; I dedicate my mind as an offering to Him.
Renounce self-conceit, negativity and egotism, and accept what comes to pass. ||1||
He alone commits himself to the service of the Saints, upon whose forehead such destiny is inscribed.
Says Nanak, other than the One Lord, there is not any other able to act. ||2||3||8||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O True Guru, I have come to Your Sanctuary.
Grant me the peace and glory of the Lord's Name, and remove my anxiety. ||1||Pause||
I cannot see any other place of shelter; I have grown weary, and collapsed at Your door.
Please ignore my account; only then may I be saved. I am worthless - please, save me! ||1||
You are always forgiving, and always merciful; You give support to all.
Slave Nanak follows the Path of the Saints; save him, O Lord, this time. ||2||4||9||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
My tongue sings the Praises of the Lord of the world, the ocean of virtue.
Peace, tranquility, poise and delight well up in my mind, and all sorrows run away. ||1||Pause||

Whatever I ask for, I receive; I serve at the Lord's feet, the source of nectar.
I am released from the bondage of birth and death, and so I cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Searching and seeking, I have come to understand the essence of reality; the slave of the Lord of the Universe is dedicated to Him.
If you desire eternal bliss, O Nanak, ever remember the Lord in meditation. ||2||5||10||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
The slanderer, by Guru's Grace, has been turned away.
The Supreme Lord God has become merciful; with Shiva's arrow, He shot his head off. ||1||Pause||
Death, and the noose of death, cannot see me; I have adopted the Path of Truth.
I have earned the wealth, the jewel of the Lord's Name; eating and spending, it is never used up. ||1||
In an instant, the slanderer was reduced to ashes; he received the rewards of his own actions.
Servant Nanak speaks the truth of the scriptures; the whole world is witness to it. ||2||6||11||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O miser, your body and mind are full of sin.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, vibrate, meditate on the Lord and Master; He alone can cover your sins. ||1||Pause||
When many holes appear in your boat, you cannot plug them with your hands.
Worship and adore the One, to whom your boat belongs; He saves the counterfeit along with the genuine. ||1||
People want to lift up the mountain with mere words, but it just stays there.
Nanak has no strength or power at all; O God, please protect me - I seek Your Sanctuary. ||2||7||12||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the lotus feet of the Lord within your mind.
The Name of the Lord is the medicine; it is like an axe, which destroys the diseases caused by anger and egotism. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is the One who removes the three fevers; He is the Destroyer of pain, the warehouse of peace.
No obstacles block the path of one who prays before God. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, the Lord has become my physician; God alone is the Doer, the Cause of causes.
He is the Giver of perfect peace to the innocent-minded people; O Nanak, the Lord, Har, Har, is my support. ||2||8||13||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, forever and ever.
Showering His Kind Mercy, the Supreme Lord God Himself has blessed the town. ||1||Pause||
The One who owns me, has again taken care of me; my sorrow and suffering is past.
He gave me His hand, and saved me, His humble servant; the Lord is my mother and father. ||1||
All beings and creatures have become kind to me; my Lord and Master blessed me with His Kind Mercy.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Destroyer of pain; His glory is so great! ||2||9||14||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord and Master, I seek the Sanctuary of Your Court.
Destroyer of millions of sins, O Great Giver, other than You, who else can save me? ||1||Pause||
Searching, searching in so many ways, I have contemplated all the objects of life.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the supreme state is attained. But those who are engrossed in the bondage of Maya, lose the game of life. ||1||

My mind is in love with the Lord's lotus feet; I have met the Beloved Guru, the noble, heroic being.
Nanak celebrates in bliss; chanting and meditating on the Lord, all sickness has been cured. ||2||10||15||
Todee, Fifth Mehl, Third House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Oh! Oh! You cling to Maya, you fool; this is not a trivial matter.
That which you consider to be yours, is not yours. ||Pause||
You do not remember your Lord, even for an instant.
That which belongs to others, you believe to be your own. ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is always with you, but you do not enshrine it within your mind.
You have attached your consciousness to that which you must eventually abandon. ||2||
You collect that which will bring you only hunger and thirst.
You have not obtained the supplies of the Ambrosial Naam. ||3||
You have fallen into the pit of sexual desire, anger and emotional attachment.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, a rare few are saved. ||4||1||16||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
I have only the One Lord, my God.
I do not recognize any other. ||Pause||
By great good fortune, I have found my Guru.
The Guru has implanted the Name of the Lord within me. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is my meditation, austerity, fasting and daily religious practice.
Meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, I have found total joy and bliss. ||2||
The Praises of the Lord are my good conduct, occupation and social class.
Listening to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, I am in absolute ecstasy. ||3||
Says Nanak, everything comes to the homes of those who have found their Lord and Master. ||4||2||17||
Todee, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My beautiful mind longs for the Love of the Lord.
By mere words, the Lord's Love does not come. ||Pause||
I have searched for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, looking in each and every street.
Meeting with the Guru, my doubts have been dispelled. ||1||
I have obtained this wisdom from the Holy Saints, according to the pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon my forehead.
In this way, Nanak has seen the Lord with his eyes. ||2||1||18||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
My foolish heart is in the grip of pride.
By the Will of my Lord God, Maya, like a witch, has swallowed my soul. ||Pause||
More and more, he continually yearns for more; but unless he is destined to receive, how can he obtain it?
He is entangled in wealth, bestowed by the Lord God; the unfortunate one attaches himself to the fire of desires. ||1||
Listen, O mind, to the Teachings of the Holy Saints, and all your sins shall be totally washed away.
One who is destined to receive from the Lord, O servant Nanak, shall not be cast into the womb of reincarnation again. ||2||2||19||

Todee, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Such is the blessing my God has bestowed upon me.
He has totally banished the five evils and the illness of egotism from my body. ||Pause||
Breaking my bonds, and releasing me from vice and corruption, He has enshrined the Word of the Guru's Shabad within my heart.
The Lord has not considered my beauty or ugliness; instead, He has held me with love. I am drenched with His Love. ||1||
I behold my Beloved, now that the curtain has been torn away. My mind is happy, pleased and satisfied.
My house is His; He is my God. Nanak is obedient to His Lord and Master. ||2||1||20||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O my mother, my mind is in love.
This is my karma and my Dharma; this is my meditation. The Lord's Name is my immaculate, unstained way of life. ||Pause||
The Support of my breath of life, the wealth of my life, is to gaze upon the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan.
On the road, and on the river, these supplies are always with me. I have made my mind the Lord's companion. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, my mind has become immaculate and pure. In His mercy, He has made me His own.
Remembering, remembering Him in meditation, Nanak has found peace. From the very beginning, and throughout the ages, He is the friend of His devotees. ||2||2||21||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
Dear God, please meet me; You are my breath of life.
Do not let me forget You from my heart, even for an instant; please, bless Your devotee with Your gift of perfection. ||Pause||
Dispel my doubt, and save me, O my Beloved, all-knowing Lord, O Inner-knower, O Searcher of hearts.
The wealth of the Naam is worth millions of kingdoms to me; O God, please bless me with Your Ambrosial Glance of Grace. ||1||
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing Your Glorious Praises. They totally satisfy my ears, O my all-powerful Lord.
I seek Your Sanctuary, O Lord, O Giver of life to the soul; forever and ever, Nanak is a sacrifice to You. ||2||3||22||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O God, I am the dust of Your feet.
O merciful to the meek, Beloved mind-enticing Lord, by Your Kind Mercy, please fulfill my yearning. ||Pause||
In the ten directions, Your Praises are permeating and pervading, O Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts, O Lord ever-present.
Those who sing Your Praises, O Creator Lord, those humble beings never die or grieve. ||1||
The worldly affairs and entanglements of Maya disappear, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; all sorrows are taken away.
The comforts of wealth and the enjoyments of the soul - O Nanak, without the Lord, know them to be false. ||2||4||23||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O my mother, my mind is so thirsty.
I cannot survive, even for an instant, without my Beloved. My mind is filled with the desire to behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||Pause||
I meditate in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the immaculate Creator Lord; all the sins and errors of my mind and body are washed away.
The Perfect Supreme Lord God, the eternal, imperishable Giver of peace - spotless and pure are His Praises. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, my desires have been fulfilled; in His Mercy, the Lord, the treasure of virtue, has met me.

Peace and tranquility, poise and pleasure, have welled up within my mind; millions of suns, O Nanak, illuminate me. ||2||5||24||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord, Har, Har, is the Purifier of sinners;
He is the soul, the breath of life, the Giver of peace and honor, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; He is pleasing to my mind. ||Pause||
He is beautiful and wise, clever and all-knowing. He dwells within the hearts of His slaves; His devotees sing His Glorious Praises.
His form is immaculate and pure; He is the incomparable Lord and Master. Upon the field of actions and karma, whatever one plants, one eats. ||1||
I am amazed, and wonder-struck by His wonder. There is none other than Him.
Meditating in remembrance on His Praises with my tongue, I live; slave Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||6||25||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O my mother, Maya is so misleading and deceptive.
Without meditating on the Lord of the Universe, it is like straw on fire, or the shadow of a cloud, or the running of the flood-waters. ||Pause||
Renounce your cleverness and all your mental tricks; with your palms pressed together, walk on the Path of the Holy Saints.
Remember the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; this is the most sublime reward of this human incarnation. ||1||
The Holy Saints preach the teachings of the Vedas, but the unfortunate fools do not understand them.
Servant Nanak is absorbed in loving devotional worship; meditating in remembrance on the Lord, one's dirt is burnt away. ||2||7||26||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, the Guru's feet are so sweet.
By great good fortune, the Transcendent Lord has blessed me with them. Millions of rewards come from the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. ||Pause||
Singing the Glorious Praises of the imperishable, indestructible Lord, sexual desire, anger and stubborn pride vanish.
Those who are imbued with the Love of the True Lord become permanent and eternal; birth and death do not grind them down any more. ||1||
Without the Lord's meditation, all joys and pleasures are totally false and worthless; by the Kind Mercy of the Saints, I know this.
Servant Nanak has found the jewel of the Naam; without the Naam, all must depart, cheated and plundered. ||2||8||27||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I contemplate the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
I am in peaceful poise and bliss, day and night; the seed of my destiny has sprouted. ||Pause||
I have met the True Guru, by great good fortune; He has no end or limitation.
Taking His humble servant by the hand, He pulls him out of the poisonous world-ocean. ||1||
Birth and death are ended for me, by the Word of the Guru's Teachings; I shall no longer pass through the door of pain and suffering.
Nanak holds tight to the Sanctuary of his Lord and Master; again and again, he bows in humility and reverence to Him. ||2||9||28||
Todee, Fifth Mehl:
O my mother, my mind is at peace.
I enjoy the ecstasy of millions of princely pleasures; remembering the Lord in meditation, all pains have been dispelled. ||1||Pause||
The sins of millions of lifetimes are erased, by meditating on the Lord; becoming pure, my mind and body have found peace.
Gazing upon the Lord's form of perfect beauty, my hopes have been fulfilled; attaining the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, my hunger has been appeased. ||1||
The four great blessings, the eight supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhas, the wish-fulfilling Elysian cow, and the wish-fulfilling tree of life - all these come from the Lord, Har, Har.
O Nanak, holding tight to the Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of peace, you shall not suffer the pains of birth and death, or fall into the womb of reincarnation again. ||2||10||29||

Todee, Fifth Mehl:
I have enshrined the Lord's Feet within my heart.
Contemplating my Lord and Master, my True Guru, all my affairs have been resolved. ||1||Pause||
The merits of giving donations to charity and devotional worship come from the Kirtan of the Praises of the Transcendent Lord; this is the true essence of wisdom.
Singing the Praises of the unapproachable, infinite Lord and Master, I have found immeasurable peace. ||1||
The Supreme Lord God does not consider the merits and demerits of those humble beings whom He makes His own.
Hearing, chanting and meditating on the jewel of the Naam, I live; Nanak wears the Lord as his necklace. ||2||11||30||
Todee, Ninth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
What can I say about my base nature?
I am entangled in the love of gold and women, and I have not sung the Kirtan of God's Praises. ||1||Pause||
I judge the false world to be true, and I have fallen in love with it.
I have never contemplated the friend of the poor, who shall be my companion and helper in the end. ||1||
I remain intoxicated by Maya, night and day, and the filth of my mind will not depart.
Says Nanak, now, without the Lord's Sanctuary, I cannot find salvation in any other way. ||2||1||31||
Todee, The Word Of The Devotees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Some say that He is near, and others say that He is far away.
We might just as well say that the fish climbs out of the water, up the tree. ||1||
Why do you speak such nonsense?
One who has found the Lord, keeps quiet about it. ||1||Pause||
Those who become Pandits, religious scholars, recite the Vedas,
but foolish Naam Dayv knows only the Lord. ||2||1||
Whose blemishes remain, when one chants the Lord's Name?
Sinners become pure, chanting the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
With the Lord, servant Naam Dayv has come to have faith.
I have stopped fasting on the eleventh day of each month; why should I bother to go on pilgrimages to sacred shrines? ||1||
Prays Naam Dayv, I have become a man of good deeds and good thoughts.
Chanting the Lord's Name, under Guru's Instructions, who has not gone to heaven? ||2||2||
Here is a verse with a three-fold play on words. ||1||Pause||
In the potter's home there are pots, and in the king's home there are camels.
In the Brahmin's home there are widows. So here they are: haandee, saandee, raandee. ||1||
In the home of the grocer there is asafoetida; on the forehead of the buffalo there are horns.
In the temple of Shiva there are lingams. So here they are: heeng, seeng, leeng. ||2||
In the house of the oil-presser there is oil; in the forest there are vines.
In the gardener's home there are bananas. So here they are: tayl, bayl, kayl. ||3||
The Lord of the Universe, Govind, is within His Saints; Krishna, Shyaam, is in Gokal.
The Lord, Raam, is in Naam Dayv. So here they are: Raam, Shyaam, Govind. ||4||3||

Raag Bairaaree, Fourth Mehl, First House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Listen, O mind, to the Unspoken Speech of the Lord's Name.
Riches, wisdom, supernatural spiritual powers and peace are obtained, by vibrating, meditating on the Lord God, under Guru's Instruction. ||1||Pause||
Numerous legends, the Puraanas, and the six Shaastras, sing the sublime Praises of the Lord.
Shiva and the three hundred thirty million gods meditate on the Lord, but they do not know the secret of His mystery. ||1||
The angelic and divine beings, and the celestial singers sing His Praises; all Creation sings of Him.
O Nanak, those whom the Lord blesses with His Kind Mercy, become the good Saints of the Lord God. ||2||1||
Bairaaree, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, those who meet the Lord's humble servants, sing His Praises.
They are blessed with the gift of the jewel of the Lord, Har, Har, the sublime jewel of the Lord, by the Guru, the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
I offer my mind, body and everything to that humble being who recites the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
I offer my wealth, the riches of Maya and my property to that one who leads me to meet the Lord, my friend. ||1||
When the Lord of the world bestowed just a tiny bit of His Mercy, for just an instant, then I meditated on the Praise of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
The Lord and Master has met servant Nanak, and the pain of the sickness of egotism has been eliminated. ||2||2||
Bairaaree, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord's humble servant sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name.
Even if someone slanders the Lord's humble servant, he does not give up his own goodness. ||1||Pause||
Whatever the Lord and Master does, He does by Himself; the Lord Himself does the deeds.
The Lord and Master Himself imparts understanding; the Lord Himself inspires us to speak. ||1||

The Lord Himself directs the evolution of the world of the five elements; He Himself infuses the five senses into it.
O servant Nanak, the Lord Himself unites us with the True Guru; He Himself resolves the conflicts. ||2||3||
Bairaaree, Fourth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, O mind, and you shall be emancipated.
The Lord shall destroy all the sins of millions upon millions of incarnations, and carry you across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
In the body-village, the Lord Master abides; the Lord is without fear, without vengeance, and without form.
The Lord is dwelling near at hand, but He cannot be seen. By the Guru's Teachings, the Lord is obtained. ||1||
The Lord Himself is the banker, the jeweller, the jewel, the gem; the Lord Himself created the entire expanse of the creation.
O Nanak, one who is blessed by the Lord's Kind Mercy, trades in the Lord's Name; He alone is the true banker, the true trader. ||2||4||
Bairaaree, Fourth Mehl:
Meditate, O mind, on the immaculate, formless Lord.
Forever and ever, meditate on the Lord, the Giver of peace; He has no end or limitation. ||1||Pause||
In the fiery pit of the womb, when you were hanging upside-down, the Lord absorbed You in His Love, and preserved You.
So serve such a Lord, O my mind; the Lord shall deliver you in the end. ||1||
Bow down in reverence to that humble being, within whose heart the Lord, Har, Har, abides.
By the Lord's Kind Mercy, O Nanak, one obtains the Lord's meditation, and the support of the Naam. ||2||5||
Bairaaree, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; meditate on it continually.
You shall obtain the fruits of your heart's desires, and pain shall never touch you again. ||1||Pause||
That is chanting, that is deep meditation and austerity, that is fasting and worship, which inspires love for the Lord.
Without the Lord's Love, every other love is false; in an instant, it is all forgotten. ||1||
You are infinite, the Master of all power; Your value cannot be described at all.
Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary, O Dear Lord; as it pleases You, save him. ||2||6||
Raag Bairaaree, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meeting with the humble Saints, sing the Praises of the Lord.
The pains of millions of incarnations shall be eradicated. ||1||Pause||
Whatever your mind desires, that you shall obtain.
By His Kind Mercy, the Lord blesses us with His Name. ||1||
All happiness and greatness are in the Lord's Name.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak has gained this understanding. ||2||1||7||

Raag Tilang, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
I offer this one prayer to You; please listen to it, O Creator Lord.
You are true, great, merciful and spotless, O Cherisher Lord. ||1||
The world is a transitory place of mortality - know this for certain in your mind.
Azraa-eel, the Messenger of Death, has caught me by the hair on my head, and yet, I do not know it at all in my mind. ||1||Pause||
Spouse, children, parents and siblings - none of them will be there to hold your hand.
And when at last I fall, and the time of my last prayer has come, there shall be no one to rescue me. ||2||
Night and day, I wandered around in greed, contemplating evil schemes.
I never did good deeds; this is my condition. ||3||
I am unfortunate, miserly, negligent, shameless and without the Fear of God.
Says Nanak, I am Your humble servant, the dust of the feet of Your slaves. ||4||1||
Tilang, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Fear of You, O Lord God, is my marijuana; my consciousness is the pouch which holds it.
I have become an intoxicated hermit.
My hands are my begging bowl; I am so hungry for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
I beg at Your Door, day after day. ||1||
I long for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
I am a beggar at Your Door - please bless me with Your charity. ||1||Pause||
Saffron, flowers, musk oil and gold embellish the bodies of all.
The Lord's devotees are like sandalwood, which imparts its fragrance to everyone. ||2||
No one says that ghee or silk are polluted.
Such is the Lord's devotee, no matter what his social status is.
Those who bow in reverence to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, remain absorbed in Your Love.
Nanak begs for charity at their door. ||3||1||2||
Tilang, First Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
This body fabric is conditioned by Maya, O beloved; this cloth is dyed in greed.

My Husband Lord is not pleased by these clothes, O Beloved; how can the soul-bride go to His bed? ||1||
I am a sacrifice, O Dear Merciful Lord; I am a sacrifice to You.
I am a sacrifice to those who take to Your Name.
Unto those who take to Your Name, I am forever a sacrifice. ||1||Pause||
If the body becomes the dyer's vat, O Beloved, and the Name is placed within it as the dye,
and if the Dyer who dyes this cloth is the Lord Master - O, such a color has never been seen before! ||2||
Those whose shawls are so dyed, O Beloved, their Husband Lord is always with them.
Bless me with the dust of those humble beings, O Dear Lord. Says Nanak, this is my prayer. ||3||
He Himself creates, and He Himself imbues us. He Himself bestows His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, if the soul-bride becomes pleasing to her Husband Lord, He Himself enjoys her. ||4||1||3||
Tilang, First Mehl:
O foolish and ignorant soul-bride, why are you so proud?
Within the home of your own self, why do you not enjoy the Love of your Lord?
Your Husband Lord is so very near, O foolish bride; why do you search for Him outside?
Apply the Fear of God as the maascara to adorn your eyes, and make the Love of the Lord your ornament.
Then, you shall be known as a devoted and committed soul-bride, when you enshrine love for your Husband Lord. ||1||
What can the silly young bride do, if she is not pleasing to her Husband Lord?
She may plead and implore so many times, but still, such a bride shall not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Without the karma of good deeds, nothing is obtained, although she may run around frantically.
She is intoxicated with greed, pride and egotism, and engrossed in Maya.
She cannot obtain her Husband Lord in these ways; the young bride is so foolish! ||2||
Go and ask the happy, pure soul-brides, how did they obtain their Husband Lord?
Whatever the Lord does, accept that as good; do away with your own cleverness and self-will.
By His Love, true wealth is obtained; link your consciousness to His lotus feet.
As your Husband Lord directs, so you must act; surrender your body and mind to Him, and apply this perfume to yourself.
So speaks the happy soul-bride, O sister; in this way, the Husband Lord is obtained. ||3||
Give up your selfhood, and so obtain your Husband Lord; what other clever tricks are of any use?
When the Husband Lord looks upon the soul-bride with His Gracious Glance, that day is historic - the bride obtains the nine treasures.
She who is loved by her Husband Lord, is the true soul-bride; O Nanak, she is the queen of all.
Thus she is imbued with His Love, intoxicated with delight; day and night, she is absorbed in His Love.
She is beautiful, glorious and brilliant; she is known as truly wise. ||4||2||4||
Tilang, First Mehl:
As the Word of the Forgiving Lord comes to me, so do I express it, O Lalo.
Bringing the marriage party of sin, Babar has invaded from Kaabul, demanding our land as his wedding gift, O Lalo.
Modesty and righteousness both have vanished, and falsehood struts around like a leader, O Lalo.
The Qazis and the Brahmins have lost their roles, and Satan now conducts the marriage rites, O Lalo.
The Muslim women read the Koran, and in their misery, they call upon God, O Lalo.
The Hindu women of high social status, and others of lowly status as well, are put into the same category, O Lalo.

The wedding songs of murder are sung, O Nanak, and blood is sprinkled instead of saffron, O Lalo. ||1||
Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord and Master in the city of corpses, and voices this account.
The One who created, and attached the mortals to pleasures, sits alone, and watches this.
The Lord and Master is True, and True is His justice. He issues His Commands according to His judgement.
The body-fabric will be torn apart into shreds, and then India will remember these words.
Coming in seventy-eight (1521 A.D.), they will depart in ninety-seven (1540 A.D.), and then another disciple of man will rise up.
Nanak speaks the Word of Truth; he proclaims the Truth at this, the right time. ||2||3||5||
Tilang, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Everyone comes by Command of the Lord and Master. The Hukam of His Command extends to all.
True is the Lord and Master, and True is His play. The Lord is the Master of all. ||1||
So praise the True Lord; the Lord is the Master over all.
No one is equal to Him; am I of any account? ||Pause||
Air, water, earth and sky - the Lord has made these His home and temple.
He Himself is pervading everywhere, O Nanak. Tell me: what can be counted as false? ||2||1||
Tilang, Fourth Mehl:
The evil-minded person continually does fruitless deeds, all puffed up with pride.
When he brings home what he has acquired, by practicing deception and falsehood, he thinks that he has conquered the world. ||1||
Such is the drama of the world, that he does not contemplate the Lord's Name.
In an instant, all this false play shall perish; O my mind, meditate on the Lord. ||Pause||
He does not think of that time, when Death, the Torturer, shall come and seize him.
O Nanak, the Lord saves that one, within whose heart the Lord, in His Kind Mercy, dwells. ||2||2||
Tilang, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord infused His Light into the dust, and created the world, the universe.
The sky, the earth, the trees, and the water - all are the Creation of the Lord. ||1||
O human being, whatever you can see with your eyes, shall perish.
The world eats dead carcasses, living by neglect and greed. ||Pause||
Like a goblin, or a beast, they kill and eat the forbidden carcasses of meat.
So control your urges, or else you will be seized by the Lord, and thrown into the tortures of hell. ||2||
Your benefactors, presents, companions, courts, lands and homes
- when Azraa-eel, the Messenger of Death seizes you, what good will these be to you then? ||3||
The Pure Lord God knows your condition.
O Nanak, recite your prayer to the holy people. ||4||1||
Tilang, Second House, Fifth Mehl:
There is no other than You, Lord.
You are the Creator; whatever You do, that alone happens.
You are the strength, and You are the support of the mind.
Forever and ever, meditate, O Nanak, on the One. ||1||
The Great Giver is the Supreme Lord God over all.
You are our support, You are our sustainer. ||Pause||

You are, You are, and You shall ever be, O inaccessible, unfathomable, lofty and infinite Lord.
Those who serve You, are not touched by fear or suffering.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Whatever is seen, is Your form, O treasure of virtue, O Lord of the Universe, O Lord of incomparable beauty.
Remembering, remembering, remembering the Lord in meditation, His humble servant becomes like Him.
O Nanak, by His Grace, we obtain Him. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to those who meditate on the Lord.
Associating with them, the whole world is saved.
Says Nanak, God fulfills our hopes and aspirations.
I long for the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||4||2||
Tilang, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
Merciful, the Lord Master is Merciful.
My Lord Master is Merciful.
He gives His gifts to all beings. ||Pause||
Why do you waver, O mortal being? The Creator Lord Himself shall protect you.
He who created you, will also give you nourishment. ||1||
The One who created the world, takes care of it.
In each and every heart and mind, the Lord is the True Cherisher. ||2||
His creative potency and His value cannot be known; He is the Great and carefree Lord.
O human being, meditate on the Lord, as long as there is breath in your body. ||3||
O God, You are all-powerful, inexpressible and imperceptible; my soul and body are Your capital.
By Your Mercy, may I find peace; this is Nanak's lasting prayer. ||4||3||
Tilang, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
O Creator, through Your creative potency, I am in love with You.
You alone are my spiritual and temporal Lord; and yet, You are detached from all Your creation. ||Pause||
In an instant, You establish and disestablish. Wondrous is Your form!
Who can know Your play? You are the Light in the darkness. ||1||
You are the Master of Your creation, the Lord of all the world, O Merciful Lord God.
One who worships You day and night - why should he have to go to hell? ||2||
Azraa-eel, the Messenger of Death, is the friend of the human being who has Your support, Lord.
His sins are all forgiven; Your humble servant gazes upon Your Vision. ||3||
All worldly considerations are for the present only. True peace comes only from Your Name.
Meeting the Guru, Nanak understands; He sings only Your Praises forever, O Lord. ||4||4||
Tilang, Fifth Mehl:
Think of the Lord in your mind, O wise one.
Enshrine love for the True Lord in your mind and body; He is the Liberator from bondage. ||1||Pause||
The value of seeing the Vision of the Lord Master cannot be estimated.
You are the Pure Cherisher; You Yourself are the great and immeasurable Lord and Master. ||1||
Give me Your help, O brave and generous Lord; You are the One, You are the Only Lord.
O Creator Lord, by Your creative potency, You created the world; Nanak holds tight to Your support. ||2||5||
Tilang, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The One who created the world watches over it; what more can we say, O Siblings of Destiny?

He Himself knows, and He Himself acts; He laid out the garden of the world. ||1||
Savor the story, the story of the Beloved Lord, which brings a lasting peace. ||Pause||
She who does not enjoy the Love of her Husband Lord, shall come to regret and repent in the end.
She wrings her hands, and bangs her head, when the night of her life has passed away. ||2||
Nothing comes from repentance, when the game is already finished.
She shall have the opportunity to enjoy her Beloved, only when her turn comes again. ||3||
The happy soul-bride attains her Husband Lord - she is so much better than I am.
I have none of her merits or virtues; whom should I blame? ||4||
I shall go and ask those sisters who have enjoyed their Husband Lord.
I touch their feet, and ask them to show me the Path. ||5||
She who understands the Hukam of His Command, O Nanak, applies the Fear of God as her sandalwood oil;
she charms her Beloved with her virtue, and so obtains Him. ||6||
She who meets her Beloved in her heart, remains united with Him; this is truly called union.
As much as she may long for Him, she shall not meet Him through mere words. ||7||
As metal melts into metal again, so does love melt into love.
By Guru's Grace, this understanding is obtained, and then, one obtains the Fearless Lord. ||8||
There may be an orchard of betel nut trees in the garden, but the donkey does not appreciate its value.
If someone savors a fragrance, then he can truly appreciate its flower. ||9||
One who drinks in the ambrosia, O Nanak, abandons his doubts and wanderings.
Easily and intuitively, he remains blended with the Lord, and obtains the immortal status. ||10||1||
Tilang, Fourth Mehl:
The Guru, my friend, has told me the stories and the sermon of the Lord.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; to the Guru, I am a sacrifice. ||1||
Come, join with me, O Sikh of the Guru, come and join with me. You are my Guru's Beloved. ||Pause||
The Glorious Praises of the Lord are pleasing to the Lord; I have obtained them from the Guru.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those who surrender to, and obey the Guru's Will. ||2||
I am dedicated and devoted to those who gaze upon the Beloved True Guru.
I am forever a sacrifice to those who perform service for the Guru. ||3||
Your Name, O Lord, Har, Har, is the Destroyer of sorrow.
Serving the Guru, it is obtained, and as Gurmukh, one is emancipated. ||4||
Those humble beings who meditate on the Lord's Name, are celebrated and acclaimed.
Nanak is a sacrifice to them, forever and ever a devoted sacrifice. ||5||
O Lord, that alone is Praise to You, which is pleasing to Your Will, O Lord God.
Those Gurmukhs, who serve their Beloved Lord, obtain Him as their reward. ||6||
Those who cherish love for the Lord, their souls are always with God.
Chanting and meditating on their Beloved, they live in, and gather in, the Lord's Name. ||7||
I am a sacrifice to those Gurmukhs who serve their Beloved Lord.
They themselves are saved, along with their families, and through them, all the world is saved. ||8||
My Beloved Guru serves the Lord. Blessed is the Guru, Blessed is the Guru.
The Guru has shown me the Lord's Path; the Guru has done the greatest good deed. ||9||

Those Sikhs of the Guru, who serve the Guru, are the most blessed beings.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to them; He is forever and ever a sacrifice. ||10||
The Lord Himself is pleased with the Gurmukhs, the fellowship of the companions.
In the Lord's Court, they are given robes of honor, and the Lord Himself hugs them close in His embrace. ||11||
Please bless me with the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of those Gurmukhs, who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
I wash their feet, and drink in the dust of their feet, dissolved in the wash water. ||12||
Those who eat betel nuts and betel leaf and apply lipstick,
but do not contemplate the Lord, Har, Har - the Messenger of Death will seize them and take them away. ||13||
The Messenger of Death does not even approach those who contemplate the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and keep Him enshrined in their hearts. The Guru's Sikhs are the Guru's Beloveds. ||14||
The Name of the Lord is a treasure, known only to the few Gurmukhs.
O Nanak, those who meet with the True Guru, enjoy peace and pleasure. ||15||
The True Guru is called the Giver; in His Mercy, He grants His Grace.
I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru, who has blessed me with the Lord's Name. ||16||
Blessed, very blessed is the Guru, who brings the Lord's message.
I gaze upon the Guru, the Guru, the True Guru embodied, and I blossom forth in bliss. ||17||
The Guru's tongue recites Words of Ambrosial Nectar; He is adorned with the Lord's Name.
Those Sikhs who hear and obey the Guru - all their desires depart. ||18||
Some speak of the Lord's Path; tell me, how can I walk on it?
O Lord, Har, Har, Your Name is my supplies; I will take it with me and set out. ||19||
Those Gurmukhs who worship and adore the Lord, are wealthy and very wise.
I am forever a sacrifice to the True Guru; I am absorbed in the Words of the Guru's Teachings. ||20||
You are the Master, my Lord and Master; You are my Ruler and King.
If it is pleasing to Your Will, then I worship and serve You; You are the treasure of virtue. ||21||
The Lord Himself is absolute; He is The One and Only; but He Himself is also manifested in many forms.
Whatever pleases Him, O Nanak, that alone is good. ||22||2||
Tilang, Ninth Mehl, Kaafee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If you are conscious, then be conscious of Him night and day, O mortal.
Each and every moment, your life is passing away, like water from a cracked pitcher. ||1||Pause||
Why do you not sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, you ignorant fool?
You are attached to false greed, and you do not even consider death. ||1||
Even now, no harm has been done, if you will only sing God's Praises.
Says Nanak, by meditating and vibrating upon Him, you shall obtain the state of fearlessness. ||2||1||
Tilang, Ninth Mehl:
Wake up, O mind! Wake up! Why are you sleeping unaware?
That body, which you were born with, shall not go along with you in the end. ||1||Pause||
Mother, father, children and relatives whom you love,
will throw your body into the fire, when your soul departs from it. ||1||

Your worldly affairs exist only as long as you are alive; know this well.
O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; everything is like a dream. ||2||2||
Tilang, Ninth Mehl:
Sing the Lord's Praises, O mind; He is your only true companion.
Your time is passing away; listen carefully to what I say. ||1||Pause||
You are so in love with property, chariots, wealth and power.
When the noose of death tightens around your neck, they will all belong to others. ||1||
Know this well, O madman - you have ruined your affairs.
You did not restrain yourself from committing sins, and you did not eradicate your ego. ||2||
So listen to the Teachings imparted by the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny.
Nanak proclaims: hold tight to the Protection and the Sanctuary of God. ||3||3||
Tilang, The Word Of Devotee Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Vedas and the Scriptures are only make-believe, O Siblings of Destiny; they do not relieve the anxiety of the heart.
If you will only center yourself on the Lord, even for just a breath, then you shall see the Lord face-to-face, present before you. ||1||
O human being, search your own heart every day, and do not wander around in confusion.
This world is just a magic-show; no one will be holding your hand. ||1||Pause||
Reading and studying falsehood, people are happy; in their ignorance, they speak nonsense.
The True Creator Lord is diffused into His creation; He is not just the dark-skinned Krishna of legends. ||2||
Through the Tenth Gate, the stream of nectar flows; take your bath in this.
Serve the Lord forever; use your eyes, and see Him ever-present everywhere. ||3||
The Lord is the purest of the pure; only through doubt could there be another.
O Kabeer, mercy flows from the Merciful Lord; He alone knows who acts. ||4||1||
Naam Dayv Jee:
I am blind; Your Name, O Creator Lord, is my only anchor and support.
I am poor, and I am meek. Your Name is my only support. ||1||Pause||
O beautiful Lord, benevolent and merciful Lord, You are so wealthy and generous.
You are ever-present in every presence, within and before me. ||1||
You are the river of life, You are the Giver of all; You are so very wealthy.
You alone give, and You alone take away; there is no other at all. ||2||
You are wise, You are the supreme seer; how could I make You an object of thought?
O Lord and Master of Naam Dayv, You are the merciful Lord of forgiveness. ||3||1||2||
Hello, my friend, hello my friend. Is there any good news?
I am a sacrifice, a devoted sacrifice, a dedicated and devoted sacrifice, to You.
Slavery to You is so sublime; Your Name is noble and exalted. ||1||Pause||
Where did you come from? Where have You been? And where are You going?
Tell me the truth, in the holy city of Dwaarikaa. ||1||
How handsome is your turban! And how sweet is your speech.
Why are there Moghals in the holy city of Dwaarikaa? ||2||
You alone are the Lord of so many thousands of worlds.
You are my Lord King, like the dark-skinned Krishna. ||3||
You are the Lord of the sun, Lord Indra and Lord Brahma, the King of men.
You are the Lord and Master of Naam Dayv, the King, the Liberator of all. ||4||2||3||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Soohee, First Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
Wash the vessel, sit down and anoint it with fragrance; then, go out and get the milk.
Add the rennet of clear consciousness to the milk of good deeds, and then, free of desire, let it curdle. ||1||
Chant the Name of the One Lord.
All other actions are fruitless. ||1||Pause||
Let your mind be the handles, and then churn it, without sleeping.
If you chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord ,with your tongue, then the curd will be churned. In this way, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained. ||2||
Wash your mind in the pool of Truth, and let it be the vessel of the Lord; let this be your offering to please Him.
That humble servant who dedicates and offers his life, and who serves in this way, remains absorbed in his Lord and Master. ||3||
The speakers speak and speak and speak, and then they depart. There is no other to compare to You.
Servant Nanak, lacking devotion, humbly prays: may I sing the Praises of the True Lord. ||4||1||
Soohee, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Deep within the self, the Lord abides; do not go outside looking for Him.
You have renounced the Ambrosial Nectar - why are you eating poison? ||1||
Meditate on such spiritual wisdom, O my mind,
and become the slave of the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Everyone speaks of wisdom and meditation;
but bound in bondage, the whole world is wandering around in confusion. ||2||
One who serves the Lord is His servant.
The Lord is pervading and permeating the water, the land, and the sky. ||3||
I am not good; no one is bad.
Prays Nanak, He alone saves us! ||4||1||2||

Soohee, First Mehl, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Bronze is bright and shiny, but when it is rubbed, its blackness appears.
Washing it, its impurity is not removed, even if it is washed a hundred times. ||1||
They alone are my friends, who travel along with me;
and in that place, where the accounts are called for, they appear standing with me. ||1||Pause||
There are houses, mansions and tall buildings, painted on all sides;
but they are empty within, and they crumble like useless ruins. ||2||
The herons in their white feathers dwell in the sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
They tear apart and eat the living beings, and so they are not called white. ||3||
My body is like the simmal tree; seeing me, other people are fooled.
Its fruits are useless - just like the qualities of my body. ||4||
The blind man is carrying such a heavy load, and his journey through the mountains is so long.
My eyes can see, but I cannot find the Way. How can I climb up and cross over the mountain? ||5||
What good does it do to serve, and be good, and be clever?
O Nanak, contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and you shall be released from bondage. ||6||1||3||
Soohee, First Mehl:
Build the raft of meditation and self-discipline, to carry you across the river.
There will be no ocean, and no rising tides to stop you; this is how comfortable your path shall be. ||1||
Your Name alone is the color, in which the robe of my body is dyed. This color is permanent, O my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
My beloved friends have departed; how will they meet the Lord?
If they have virtue in their pack, the Lord will unite them with Himself. ||2||
Once united with Him, they will not be separated again, if they are truly united.
The True Lord brings their comings and goings to an end. ||3||
One who subdues and eradicates egotism, sews the robe of devotion.
Following the Word of the Guru's Teachings, she receives the fruits of her reward, the Ambrosial Words of the Lord. ||4||
Says Nanak, O soul-brides, our Husband Lord is so dear!
We are the servants, the hand-maidens of the Lord; He is our True Lord and Master. ||5||2||4||
Soohee, First Mehl:
Those whose minds are filled with love of the Lord, are blessed and exalted.
They are blessed with peace, and their pains are forgotten.
He will undoubtedly, certainly save them. ||1||
The Guru comes to meet those whose destiny is so pre-ordained.
He blesses them with the Teachings of the Ambrosial Name of the Lord.
Those who walk in the Will of the True Guru, never wander begging. ||2||
And one who lives in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, why should he bow down to any other?
The gate-keeper at the Lord's Gate shall not stop him to ask any questions.
And one who is blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace - by his words, others are emancipated as well. ||3||
The Lord Himself sends out, and recalls the mortal beings; no one else gives Him advice.
He Himself demolishes, constructs and creates; He knows everything.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord is the blessing, given to those who receive His Mercy, and His Grace. ||4||3||5||

Soohee, First Mehl:
That vessel alone is pure, which is pleasing to Him.
The filthiest vessel does not become pure, simply by being washed.
Through the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, one obtains understanding.
By being washed through this Gate, it becomes pure.
The Lord Himself sets the standards to differentiate between the dirty and the pure.
Do not think that you will automatically find a place of rest hereafter.
According to the actions one has committed, so does the mortal become.
He Himself bestows the Ambrosial Name of the Lord.
Such a mortal departs with honor and renown; his life is embellished and redeemed, and the trumpets resound with his glory.
Why speak of poor mortals? His glory shall echo throughout the three worlds.
O Nanak, he himself shall be enraptured, and he shall save his entire ancestry. ||1||4||6||
Soohee, First Mehl:
The Yogi practices yoga, and the pleasure-seeker practices eating.
The austere practice austerities, bathing and rubbing themselves at sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||1||
Let me hear some news of You, O Beloved; if only someone would come and sit with me, and tell me. ||1||Pause||
As one plants, so does he harvest; whatever he earns, he eats.
In the world hereafter, his account is not called for, if he goes with the insignia of the Lord. ||2||
According to the actions the mortal commits, so is he proclaimed.
And that breath which is drawn without thinking of the Lord, that breath goes in vain. ||3||
I would sell this body, if someone would only purchase it.
O Nanak, that body is of no use at all, if it does not enshrine the Name of the True Lord. ||4||5||7||
Soohee, First Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Yoga is not the patched coat, Yoga is not the walking stick. Yoga is not smearing the body with ashes.
Yoga is not the ear-rings, and not the shaven head. Yoga is not the blowing of the horn.
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||1||
By mere words, Yoga is not attained.
One who looks upon all with a single eye, and knows them to be one and the same - he alone is known as a Yogi. ||1||Pause||
Yoga is not wandering to the tombs of the dead; Yoga is not sitting in trances.
Yoga is not wandering through foreign lands; Yoga is not bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||2||
Meeting with the True Guru, doubt is dispelled, and the wandering mind is restrained.
Nectar rains down, celestial music resounds, and deep within, wisdom is obtained.
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||3||
O Nanak, remain dead while yet alive - practice such a Yoga.
When the horn is blown without being blown, then you shall attain the state of fearless dignity.
Remaining unblemished in the midst of the filth of the world - this is the way to attain Yoga. ||4||1||8||
Soohee, First Mehl:
What scale, what weights, and what assayer shall I call for You, Lord?
From what guru should I receive instruction? By whom should I have Your value appraised? ||1||

O my Dear Beloved Lord, Your limits are not known.
You pervade the water, the land, and the sky; You Yourself are All-pervading. ||1||Pause||
Mind is the scale, consciousness the weights, and the performance of Your service is the appraiser.
Deep within my heart, I weigh my Husband Lord; in this way I focus my consciousness. ||2||
You Yourself are the balance, the weights and the scale; You Yourself are the weigher.
You Yourself see, and You Yourself understand; You Yourself are the trader. ||3||
The blind, low class wandering soul, comes for a moment, and departs in an instant.
In its company, Nanak dwells; how can the fool attain the Lord? ||4||2||9||
Raag Soohee, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My mind worships and adores the Lord's Name, through the Guru, and the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
All the desires of my mind and body have been fulfilled; all fear of death has been dispelled. ||1||
O my mind, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name.
And when the Guru is pleased and satisfied, the mind is instructed; it then joyfully drinks in the subtle essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Sat Sangat, the True Congregation of the True Guru, is sublime and exalted. They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord God.
Bless me with Your Mercy, Lord, and unite me with the Sat Sangat; I wash the feet of Your humble servants. ||2||
The Lord's Name is all. The Lord's Name is the essence of the Guru's Teachings, the juice, the sweetness of it.
I have found the Ambrosial Nectar, the Divine Water of the Lord's Name, and all my thirst for it is quenched. ||3||
The Guru, the True Guru, is my social status and honor; I have sold my head to the Guru.
Servant Nanak is called the chaylaa, the disciple of the Guru; O Guru, save the honor of Your servant. ||4||1||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
I chant and vibrate the Name of the Lord God, the Supreme Being, Har, Har; my poverty and problems have all been eradicated.
The fear of birth and death has been erased, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; serving the Unmoving, Unchanging Lord, I am absorbed in peace. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate the Name of the most Beloved, Darling Lord.
I have dedicated my mind and body, and placed them in offering before the Guru; I have sold my head to the Guru, for a very dear price. ||1||Pause||
The kings and the rulers of men enjoy pleasures and delights, but without the Name of the Lord, death seizes and dispatches them all.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma strikes them over the heads with his staff, and when the fruits of their actions come into their hands, then they regret and repent. ||2||
Save me, save me, Lord; I am Your humble servant, a mere worm. I seek the Protection of Your Sanctuary, O Primal Lord, Cherisher and Nourisher.
Please bless me with the Blessed Vision of the Saint's Darshan, that I may find peace. O God, please fulfill the desires of Your humble servant. ||3||
You are the All-powerful, Great, Primal God, my Lord and Master. O Lord, please bless me with the gift of humility.
Servant Nanak has found the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and is at peace; I am forever a sacrifice to the Naam. ||4||2||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord's Name is the Love of the Lord. The Lord's Love is the permanent color.
When the Guru is totally satisfied and pleased, He colors us with the Lord's Love; this color shall never fade away. ||1||

O my mind, enshrine love for the Name of the Lord.
The Guru, satisfied and pleased, taught me about the Lord, and my Sovereign Lord King met with me at once. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukh is like the ignorant bride, who comes and goes again and again in reincarnation.
The Lord God does not come into her consciousness, and her mind is stuck in the love of duality. ||2||
I am full of filth, and I practice evil deeds; O Lord, save me, be with me, merge me into Your Being!
The Guru has bathed me in the pool of Ambrosial Nectar, and all my dirty sins and mistakes have been washed away. ||3||
O Lord God, Merciful to the meek and the poor, please unite me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Joining the Sangat, servant Nanak has obtained the Lord's Love; my mind and body are drenched in it. ||4||3||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
One who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, while constantly practicing deception, shall never become pure of heart.
He may perform all sorts of rituals, night and day, but he shall not find peace, even in dreams. ||1||
O wise ones, without the Guru, there is no devotional worship.
The untreated cloth does not take up the dye, no matter how much everyone may wish it. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukh may perform chants, meditations, austere self-discipline, fasts and devotional worship, but his sickness does not go away.
Deep within him is the sickness of excessive egotism; in the love of duality he is ruined. ||2||
Outwardly, he wears religious robes and he is very clever, but his mind wanders in the ten directions.
Engrossed in ego, he does not remember the Word of the Shabad; over and over again, he is reincarnated. ||3||
O Nanak, that mortal who is blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace, understands Him; that humble servant meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, he understands the One Lord, and is absorbed into the One Lord. ||4||4||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Following the Guru's Teachings, I searched and searched the body-village;
I found the wealth of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
The Lord, Har, Har, has enshrined peace within my mind.
The fire of desire was extinguished in an instant, when I met the Guru; all my hunger has been satisfied. ||1||Pause||
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I live, O my mother.
The Merciful True Guru implanted the Glorious Praises of the Naam within me. ||2||
I search for and seek out my Beloved Lord God, Har, Har.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have obtained the subtle essence of the Lord. ||3||
By the pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon my forehead, I have found the Lord.
Guru Nanak, pleased and satisfied, has united me with the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||1||5||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
Showering His Mercy, the Lord imbues the mind with His Love.
The Gurmukh merges in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Imbued with the Lord's Love, the mortal enjoys the pleasure of His Love.
He remains always blissful, day and night, and he merges into the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
Everyone longs for the Lord's Love;
the Gurmukh is imbued with the deep red color of His Love. ||2||
The foolish, self-willed manmukh is left pale and uncolored.

Even if he wishes it a hundred times, he does not obtain the Lord's Love. ||3||
But if the Lord blesses him with His Glance of Grace, then he meets the True Guru.
Nanak is absorbed into the subtle essence of the Lord's Love. ||4||2||6||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
My tongue remains satisfied with the subtle essence of the Lord.
The Gurmukh drinks it in, and merges in celestial peace. ||1||
If you taste the subtle essence of the Lord, O humble Siblings of Destiny,
then how can you be enticed by other flavors? ||1||Pause||
Under Guru's Instructions, keep this subtle essence enshrined in your heart.
Those who are imbued with the subtle essence of the Lord, are immersed in celestial bliss. ||2||
The self-willed manmukh cannot even taste the subtle essence of the Lord.
He acts out in ego, and suffers terrible punishment. ||3||
But if he is blessed with the Lord's Kind Mercy, then he obtains the subtle essence of the Lord.
O Nanak, absorbed in this subtle essence of the Lord, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||3||7||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When someone of low social class chants the Lord's Name, he obtains the state of highest dignity.
Go and ask Bidar, the son of a maid; Krishna himself stayed in his house. ||1||
Listen, O humble Siblings of Destiny, to the Unspoken Speech of the Lord; it removes all anxiety, pain and hunger. ||1||Pause||
Ravi Daas, the leather-worker, praised the Lord, and sang the Kirtan of His Praises each and every instant.
Although he was of low social status, he was exalted and elevated, and people of all four castes came and bowed at his feet. ||2||
Naam Dayv loved the Lord; the people called him a fabric dyer.
The Lord turned His back on the high-class Kh'shaatriyas and Brahmins, and showed His face to Naam Dayv. ||3||
All of the devotees and servants of the Lord have the tilak, the ceremonial mark, applied to their foreheads at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Servant Nanak shall touch their feet night and day, if the Lord, the King, grants His Grace. ||4||1||8||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
They alone worship and adore the Lord deep within, who are blessed with such pre-ordained destiny from the very beginning of time.
What can anyone do to undermine them? My Creator Lord is on their side. ||1||
So meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind. Meditate on the Lord, O mind; He is the Eliminator of all the pains of reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
In the very beginning, the Lord blessed His devotees with the Ambrosial Nectar, the treasure of devotion.
Anyone who tries to compete with them is a fool; his face shall be blackened here and hereafter. ||2||
They alone are devotees, and they alone are selfless servants, who love the Lord's Name.
By their selfless service, they find the Lord, while ashes fall on the heads of the slanderers. ||3||
He alone knows this, who experiences it within the home of his own self. Ask Guru Nanak, the Guru of the world, and reflect upon it.
Throughout the four generations of the Gurus, from the beginning of time and throughout the ages, no one has ever found the Lord by back-biting and undermining. Only by serving the Lord with love, is one emancipated. ||4||2||9||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
Wherever the Lord is worshipped in adoration, there the Lord becomes one's friend and helper.

By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way. ||1||
So gather in the wealth of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny,
so that in this world and the next, the Lord shall be your friend and companion. ||1||Pause||
In the company of the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, you shall earn the wealth of the Lord; this wealth of the Lord is not obtained anywhere else, by any other means, at all.
The dealer in the Lord's Jewels purchases the wealth of the Lord's jewels; the dealer in cheap glass jewels cannot acquire the Lord's wealth by empty words. ||2||
The Lord's wealth is like jewels, gems and rubies. At the appointed time in the Amrit Vaylaa, the ambrosial hours of the morning, the Lord's devotees lovingly center their attention on the Lord, and the wealth of the Lord.
The devotees of the Lord plant the seed of the Lord's wealth in the ambrosial hours of the Amrit Vaylaa; they eat it, and spend it, but it is never exhausted.
In this world and the next, the devotees are blessed with glorious greatness, the wealth of the Lord. ||3||
The wealth of the Fearless Lord is permanent, forever and ever, and true. This wealth of the Lord cannot be destroyed by fire or water; neither thieves nor the Messenger of Death can take it away.
Thieves cannot even approach the Lord's wealth; Death, the tax collector cannot tax it. ||4||
The faithless cynics commit sins and gather in their poisonous wealth, but it shall not go along with them for even a single step.
In this world, the faithless cynics become miserable, as it slips away through their hands. In the world hereafter, the faithless cynics find no shelter in the Court of the Lord. ||5||
The Lord Himself is the Banker of this wealth, O Saints; when the Lord gives it, the mortal loads it and takes it away.
This wealth of the Lord is never exhausted; the Guru has given this understanding to servant Nanak. ||6||3||10||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
That mortal, with whom the Lord is pleased, repeats the Glorious Praises of the Lord; he alone is a devotee, and he alone is approved.
How can his glory be described? Within his heart, the Primal Lord, the Lord God, abides. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe; focus your meditation on the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
He is the True Guru - service to the True Guru is fruitful and rewarding. By this service, the greatest treasure is obtained.
The faithless cynics in their love of duality and sensual desires, harbor foul-smelling urges. They are totally useless and ignorant. ||2||
One who has faith - his singing is approved. He is honored in the Court of the Lord.
Those who lack faith may close their eyes, hypocritically pretending and faking devotion, but their false pretenses shall soon wear off. ||3||
My soul and body are totally Yours, Lord; You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, my Primal Lord God.
So speaks servant Nanak, the slave of Your slaves; as You make me speak, so do I speak. ||4||4||11||

Soohee, Fourth Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Which, which of Your Glorious Virtues should I sing and recount, Lord? You are my Lord and Master, the treasure of excellence.
I cannot express Your Glorious Praises. You are my Lord and Master, lofty and benevolent. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is my only support.
If it pleases You, please save me, O my Lord and Master; without You, I have no other at all. ||1||Pause||
You alone are my strength, and my Court, O my Lord and Master; unto You alone I pray.
There is no other place where I can offer my prayers; I can tell my pains and pleasures only to You. ||2||
Water is locked up in the earth, and fire is locked up in wood.
The sheep and the lions are kept in one place; O mortal, meditate on the Lord, and your doubts and fears shall be removed. ||3||
So behold the glorious greatness of the Lord, O Saints; the Lord blesses the dishonored with honor.
As dust rises from underfoot, O Nanak, so does the Lord make all people fall at the feet of the Holy. ||4||1||12||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
You Yourself, O Creator, know everything; what can I possibly tell You?
You know all the bad and the good; as we act, so are we rewarded. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, You alone know the state of my inner being.
You know all the bad and the good; as it pleases You, so You make us speak. ||1||Pause||
The Lord has infused the love of Maya into all bodies; through this human body, there comes the opportunity to worship the Lord with devotion.
You unite some with the True Guru, and bless them with peace; while others, the self-willed manmukhs, are engrossed in worldly affairs. ||2||
All belong to You, and You belong to all, O my Creator Lord; You wrote the words of destiny on the forehead of everyone.
As You bestow Your Glance of Grace, so are mortals made; without Your Gracious Glance, no one assumes any form. ||3||
You alone know Your Glorious Greatness; everyone constantly meditates on You.
That being, with whom You are pleased, is united with You; O servant Nanak, only such a mortal is accepted. ||4||2||13||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
Those beings, within whose inner selves my Lord, Har, Har, dwells - all their diseases are cured.
They alone become liberated, who meditate on the Name of the Lord; they obtain the supreme status. ||1||
O my Lord, the Lord's humble servants become healthy.
Those who meditate on my Lord, Har, Har, through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, are rid of the disease of ego. ||1||Pause||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva suffer from the disease of the three gunas - the three qualities; they do their deeds in egotism.
The poor fools do not remember the One who created them; this understanding of the Lord is only obtained by those who become Gurmukh. ||2||
The entire world is afflicted by the disease of egotism. They suffer the terrible pains of birth and death.

By Guru's Grace, a few rare ones are saved; I am a sacrifice to those humble beings. ||3||
The One who created the Universe, that Lord alone knows. His beauty is incomparable.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself gazes upon it, and is pleased. The Gurmukh contemplates God. ||4||3||14||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
All that happens, and all that will happen, is by His Will. If we could do something by ourselves, we would.
By ourselves, we cannot do anything at all. As it pleases the Lord, He preserves us. ||1||
O my Dear Lord, everything is in Your power.
I have no power to do anything at all. As it pleases You, You forgive us. ||1||Pause||
You Yourself bless us with soul, body and everything. You Yourself cause us to act.
As You issue Your Commands, so do we act, according to our pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
You created the entire Universe out of the five elements; if anyone can create a sixth, let him.
You unite some with the True Guru, and cause them to understand, while others, the self-willed manmukhs, do their deeds and cry out in pain. ||3||
I cannot describe the glorious greatness of the Lord; I am foolish, thoughtless, idiotic and lowly.
Please, forgive servant Nanak, O my Lord and Master; I am ignorant, but I have entered Your Sanctuary. ||4||4||15||24||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The actor stages the play,
playing the many characters in different costumes;
but when the play ends, he takes off the costumes,
and then he is one, and only one. ||1||
How many forms and images appeared and disappeared?
Where have they gone? Where did they come from? ||1||Pause||
Countless waves rise up from the water.
Jewels and ornaments of many different forms are fashioned from gold.
I have seen seeds of all kinds being planted
- when the fruit ripens, the seeds appear in the same form as the original. ||2||
The one sky is reflected in thousands of water jugs,
but when the jugs are broken, only the sky remains.
Doubt comes from greed, emotional attachment and the corruption of Maya.
Freed from doubt, one realizes the One Lord alone. ||3||
He is imperishable; He will never pass away.
He does not come, and He does not go.
The Perfect Guru has washed away the filth of ego.
Says Nanak, I have obtained the supreme status. ||4||1||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever God wills, that alone happens.
Without You, there is no other at all.
The humble being serves Him, and so all his works are perfectly successful.
O Lord, please preserve the honor of Your slaves. ||1||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O Perfect, Merciful Lord.
Without You, who would cherish and love me? ||1||Pause||
He is permeating and pervading the water, the land and the sky.
God dwells near at hand; He is not far away.
By trying to please other people, nothing is accomplished.
When someone is attached to the True Lord, his ego is taken away. ||2||

He alone is attached, whom the Lord Himself attaches.
The jewel of spiritual wisdom is awakened deep within.
Evil-mindedness is eradicated, and the supreme status is attained.
By Guru's Grace, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Pressing my palms together, I offer my prayer;
if it pleases You, Lord, please bless me and fulfill me.
Grant Your Mercy, Lord, and bless me with devotion.
Servant Nanak meditates on God forever. ||4||2||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is that soul-bride, who realizes God.
She obeys the Hukam of His Order, and abandons her self-conceit.
Imbued with her Beloved, she celebrates in delight. ||1||
Listen, O my companions - these are the signs on the Path to meet God.
Dedicate your mind and body to Him; stop living to please others. ||1||Pause||
One soul-bride counsels another,
to do only that which pleases God.
Such a soul-bride merges into the Being of God. ||2||
One who is in the grip of pride does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
She regrets and repents, when her life-night passes away.
The unfortunate self-willed manmukhs suffer in pain. ||3||
I pray to God, but I think that He is far away.
God is imperishable and eternal; He is pervading and permeating everywhere.
Servant Nanak sings of Him; I see Him Ever-present everywhere. ||4||3||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Giver has put this household of my being under my own control. I am now the mistress of the Lord's Home.
My Husband Lord has made the ten senses and organs of actions my slaves.
I have gathered together all the faculties and facilities of this house.
I am thirsty with desire and longing for my Husband Lord. ||1||
What Glorious Virtues of my Beloved Husband Lord should I describe?
He is All-knowing, totally beautiful and merciful; He is the Destroyer of ego. ||1||Pause||
I am adorned with Truth, and I have applied the mascara of the Fear of God to my eyes.
I have chewed the betel-leaf of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
My bracelets, robes and ornaments beautifully adorn me.
The soul-bride becomes totally happy, when her Husband Lord comes to her home. ||2||
By the charms of virtue, I have enticed and fascinated my Husband Lord.
He is under my power - the Guru has dispelled my doubts.
My mansion is lofty and elevated.
Renouncing all other brides, my Beloved has become my lover. ||3||
The sun has risen, and its light shines brightly.
I have prepared my bed with infinite care and faith.
My Darling Beloved is new and fresh; He has come to my bed to enjoy me.
O Servant Nanak, my Husband Lord has come; the soul-bride has found peace. ||4||4||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
An intense yearning to meet God has welled up in my heart.
I have gone out searching to find my Beloved Husband Lord.
Hearing news of my Beloved, I have laid out my bed in my home.
Wandering, wandering all around, I came, but I did not even see Him. ||1||
How can this poor heart be comforted?
Come and meet me, O Friend; I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||Pause||
One bed is spread out for the bride and her Husband Lord.
The bride is asleep, while her Husband Lord is always awake.
The bride is intoxicated, as if she has drunk wine.
The soul-bride only awakens when her Husband Lord calls to her. ||2||
She has lost hope - so many days have passed.
I have travelled through all the lands and the countries.

I cannot survive, even for an instant, without the feet of my Beloved.
When God becomes Merciful, I become fortunate, and then I meet Him. ||3||
Becoming Merciful, He has united me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
The fire has been quenched, and I have found my Husband Lord within my own home.
I am now adorned with all sorts of decorations.
Says Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubt. ||4||
Wherever I look, I see my Husband Lord there, O Siblings of Destiny.
When the door is opened, then the mind is restrained. ||1||Second Pause||5||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
What virtues and excellences of Yours should I cherish and contemplate? I am worthless, while You are the Great Giver.
I am Your slave - what clever tricks could I ever try? This soul and body are totally Yours||1||
O my Darling, Blissful Beloved, who fascinates my mind - I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||Pause||
O God, You are the Great Giver, and I am just a poor beggar; You are forever and ever benevolent.
I cannot accomplish anything by myself, O my Unapproachable and Infinite Lord and Master. ||2||
What service can I perform? What should I say to please You? How can I gain the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan?
Your extent cannot be found - Your limits cannot be found. My mind longs for Your Feet. ||3||
I beg with persistence to receive this gift, that the dust of the Saints might touch my face.
The Guru has showered His Mercy upon servant Nanak; reaching out with His Hand, God has delivered him. ||4||6||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
His service is insignificant, but his demands are very great.
He does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, but he says that he has arrived there||1||
He competes with those who have been accepted by the Beloved Lord.
This is how stubborn the false fool is! ||1||Pause||
He wears religious robes, but he does not practice Truth.
He says that he has found the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, but he cannot even get near it. ||2||
He says that he is unattached, but he is intoxicated with Maya.
There is no love in his mind, and yet he says that he is imbued with the Lord. ||3||
Says Nanak, hear my prayer, God:
I am silly, stubborn and filled with sexual desire - please, liberate me! ||4||
I gaze upon the glorious greatness of the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
You are the Giver of Peace, the Loving Primal Being. ||1||Second Pause||1||7||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
He gets up early, to do his evil deeds,
but when it is time to meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, then he sleeps. ||1||
The ignorant person does not take advantage of the opportunity.
He is attached to Maya, and engrossed in worldly delights. ||1||Pause||
He rides the waves of greed, puffed up with joy.
He does not see the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Holy. ||2||
The ignorant clown will never understand.
Again and again, he becomes engrossed in entanglements. ||1||Pause||
He listens to the sounds of sin and the music of corruption, and he is pleased.
His mind is too lazy to listen to the Praises of the Lord. ||3||
You do not see with your eyes - you are so blind!
You shall have to leave all these false affairs. ||1||Pause||
Says Nanak, please forgive me, God.

Have Mercy upon me, and bless me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||4||
He alone obtains something, who becomes the dust under the feet of all.
And he alone repeats the Naam, whom God causes to understand. ||1||Pause||2||8||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Within the home of his own self, he does not even come to see his Lord and Master.
And yet, around his neck, he hangs a stone god. ||1||
The faithless cynic wanders around, deluded by doubt.
He churns water, and after wasting his life away, he dies. ||1||Pause||
That stone, which he calls his god,
that stone pulls him down and drowns him. ||2||
O sinner, you are untrue to your own self;
a boat of stone will not carry you across. ||3||
Meeting the Guru, O Nanak, I know my Lord and Master.
The Perfect Architect of Destiny is pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky. ||4||3||9||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
How have you enjoyed your Dear Beloved?
O sister, please teach me, please show me. ||1||
Crimson, crimson, crimson - this is the color of the soul-bride who is imbued with the Love of her Beloved. ||1||Pause||
I wash Your Feet with my eye-lashes.
Wherever You send me, there I will go. ||2||
I would trade meditation, austerity, self-discipline and celibacy,
if I could only meet the Lord of my life, for even an instant. ||3||
She who eradicates her self-conceit, power and arrogant intellect,
O Nanak, is the true soul-bride. ||4||4||10||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Life, the very Support of my breath of life.
Gazing upon You, beholding You, my mind is soothed and comforted. ||1||
You are my Friend, You are my Beloved.
I shall never forget You. ||1||Pause||
I am Your indentured servant; I am Your slave.
You are my Great Lord and Master, the treasure of excellence. ||2||
There are millions of servants in Your Court - Your Royal Darbaar.
Each and every instant, You dwell with them. ||3||
I am nothing; everything is Yours.
Through and through, You abide with Nanak. ||4||5||11||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
His Mansions are so comfortable, and His gates are so lofty.
Within them, His beloved devotees dwell. ||1||
The Natural Speech of God is so very sweet.
How rare is that person, who sees it with his eyes. ||1||Pause||
There, in the arena of the congregation, the divine music of the Naad, the sound current, is sung.
There, the Saints celebrate with their Lord. ||2||
Neither birth nor death is there, neither pain nor pleasure.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name rains down there. ||3||
From the Guru, I have come to know the mystery of this speech.
Nanak speaks the Bani of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||6||12||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
By the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, millions of sins are erased.
Meeting with them, this terrifying world-ocean is crossed over||1||
They are my companions, and they are my dear friends,
who inspire me to remember the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Hearing the Word of His Shabad, I am totally at peace.
When I serve Him, the Messenger of Death is chased away. ||2||
His comfort and consolation soothes and supports my mind.
Remembering Him in meditation, my face is radiant and bright. ||3||
God embellishes and supports His servants.
Nanak seeks the Protection of their Sanctuary; he is forever a sacrifice to them. ||4||7||13||

Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The angelic beings and demi-gods are not permitted to remain here.
The silent sages and humble servants also must arise and depart. ||1||
Only those who meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, are seen to live on.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, they obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||1||Pause||
Kings, emperors and merchants must die.
Whoever is seen shall be consumed by death. ||2||
Mortal beings are entangled, clinging to false worldly attachments.
And when they must leave them behind, then they regret and grieve. ||3||
O Lord, O treasure of mercy, please bless Nanak with this gift,
that he may chant Your Name, day and night. ||4||8||14||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
You dwell deep within the heart of each and every being.
The entire universe is strung on Your Thread. ||1||
You are my Beloved, the Support of my breath of life.
Beholding You, gazing upon You, my mind blossoms forth. ||1||Pause||
Wandering, wandering, wandering through countless incarnations, I have grown so weary.
Now, I hold tight to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||
You are inaccessible, incomprehensible, invisible and infinite.
Nanak remembers You in meditation, day and night. ||3||9||15||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
What is the use of the glory of Maya?
It disappears in no time at all. ||1||
This is a dream, but the sleeper does not know it.
In his unconscious state, he clings to it. ||1||Pause||
The poor fool is enticed by the great attachments of the world.
Gazing upon them, watching them, he must still arise and depart. ||2||
The Royal Court of His Darbaar is the highest of the high.
He creates and destroys countless beings. ||3||
There has never been any other, and there shall never be.
O Nanak, meditate on the One God. ||4||10||16||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on Him, I live.
I wash Your Lotus Feet, and drink in the wash water. ||1||
He is my Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
My Lord and Master abides with His humble devotees. ||1||Pause||
Hearing, hearing Your Ambrosial Naam, I meditate on it.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing Your Glorious Praises. ||2||
Beholding, beholding Your divine play, my mind is in bliss.
Your Glorious Virtues are infinite, O God, O Lord of supreme bliss. ||3||
Meditating in remembrance on Him, fear cannot touch me.
Forever and ever, Nanak meditates on the Lord. ||4||11||17||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Within my heart, I meditate on the Word of the Guru's Teachings.
With my tongue, I chant the Chant of the Lord. ||1||
The image of His vision is fruitful; I am a sacrifice to it.
His Lotus Feet are the Support of the mind, the Support of the very breath of life. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the cycle of birth and death is ended.
To hear the Ambrosial Sermon is the support of my ears. ||2||
I have renounced sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment.
I have enshrined the Naam within myself, with charity, true cleansing and righteous conduct. ||3||
Says Nanak, I have contemplated this essence of reality;
chanting the Name of the Lord, I am carried across. ||4||12||18||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The sinner is absorbed in greed and emotional attachment.

He has not performed any service to the Creator Lord. ||1||
O God, Your Name is the Purifier of sinners.
I am worthless - please save me! ||1||Pause||
O God, You are the Great Giver, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
The body of the egotistical human is perishable. ||2||
Tastes and pleasures, conflicts and jealousy, and intoxication with Maya
- attached to these, the jewel of human life is wasted. ||3||
The Sovereign Lord King is the Destroyer of pain, the Life of the world.
Forsaking everything, Nanak has entered His Sanctuary. ||4||13||19||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
He sees with his eyes, but he is called blind; he hears, but he does not hear.
And the One who dwells near at hand, he thinks that He is far away; the sinner is committing sins. ||1||
Do only those deeds which will save you, O mortal being.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and the Ambrosial Word of His Bani. ||1||Pause||
You are forever imbued with the love of horses and mansions.
Nothing shall go along with you. ||2||
You may clean and decorate the vessel of clay,
but it is so very filthy; it shall receive its punishment from the Messenger of Death. ||3||
You are bound by sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment.
You are sinking down into the great pit. ||4||
Hear this prayer of Nanak, O Lord;
I am a stone, sinking down - please, rescue me! ||5||14||20||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
One who remains dead while yet alive understands God.
He meets that humble being according to the karma of his past actions. ||1||
Listen, O friend - this is how to cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Meet with the Holy, and chant the Lord's Name||1||Pause||
There is no other to know, except for the One Lord.
So realize that the Supreme Lord God is within each and every heart. ||2||
Whatever He does, accept that as good.
Know the value of the beginning and the end. ||3||
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to that humble being,
within whose heart the Lord dwells. ||4||15||21||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru is the Transcendent Lord, the Creator Lord.
He gives His Support to the entire Universe. ||1||
Meditate within your mind on the Lotus Feet of the Guru.
Pain and suffering shall leave this body. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru saves the drowning being from the terrifying world-ocean.
He reunites those who were separated for countless incarnations. ||2||
Serve the Guru, day and night.
Your mind shall come to have peace, pleasure and poise. ||3||
By great good fortune, one obtains the dust of the feet of the True Guru.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||4||16||22||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Meditate in remembrance on God, your Lord and Master.
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of all hearts. ||1||Pause||
So love the Lord's Lotus Feet,
and live a lifestyle which is true, perfect and spotless. ||2||
By the Grace of the Saints, the Lord comes to dwell within the mind,
and the sins of countless incarnations are eradicated. ||3||
Please be Merciful, O God, O Merciful to the meek.
Nanak begs for the dust of the Saints. ||4||17||23||

Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I live.
My karma is perfect, O my God. ||1||
Please, listen to this prayer, O my God.
Please bless me with Your Name, and make me Your chaylaa, Your disciple. ||1||Pause||
Please keep me under Your Protection, O God, O Great Giver.
By Guru's Grace, a few people understand this. ||2||
Please hear my prayer, O God, my Friend.
May Your Lotus Feet abide within my consciousness. ||3||
Nanak makes one prayer:
may I never forget You, O perfect treasure of virtue. ||4||18||24||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
He is my friend, companion, child, relative and sibling.
Wherever I look, I see the Lord as my companion and helper. ||1||
The Lord's Name is my social status, my honor and wealth.
He is my pleasure, poise, bliss and peace. ||1||Pause||
I have strapped on the armor of meditation on the Supreme Lord God.
It cannot be pierced, even by millions of weapons. ||2||
The Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet is my fortress and battlement.
The Messenger of Death, the torturer, cannot demolish it. ||3||
Slave Nanak is forever a sacrifice
to the selfless servants and Saints of the Sovereign Lord, the Destroyer of ego. ||4||19||25||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Where the Glorious Praises of God, the Lord of the world are continually sung,
there is bliss, joy, happiness and peace. ||1||
Come, O my companions - let us go and enjoy God.
Let us fall at the feet of the holy, humble beings. ||1||Pause||
I pray for the dust of the feet of the humble.
It shall wash away the sins of countless incarnations. ||2||
I dedicate my mind, body, breath of life and soul to God.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, I have eradicated pride and emotional attachment. ||3||
O Lord, O Merciful to the meek, please give me faith and confidence,
so that slave Nanak may remain absorbed in Your Sanctuary. ||4||20||26||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The city of heaven is where the Saints dwell.
They enshrine the Lotus Feet of God within their hearts. ||1||
Listen, O my mind and body, and let me show you the way to find peace,
so that you may eat and enjoy the various delicacies of the Lord||1||Pause||
Taste the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your mind.
Its taste is wondrous - it cannot be described. ||2||
Your greed shall die, and your thirst shall be quenched.
The humble beings seek the Sanctuary of the Supreme Lord God. ||3||
The Lord dispels the fears and attachments of countless incarnations.
God has showered His Mercy and Grace upon slave Nanak. ||4||21||27||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
God covers the many shortcomings of His slaves.
Granting His Mercy, God makes them His own. ||1||
You emancipate Your humble servant,
and rescue him from the noose of the world, which is just a dream. ||1||Pause||
Even huge mountains of sin and corruption
are removed in an instant by the Merciful Lord. ||2||
Sorrow, disease and the most terrible calamities
are removed by meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He attaches us to the hem of His robe.

Grasping the Lord's Feet, O Nanak, we enter His Sanctuary. ||4||22||28||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
One who withdraws from God's Path, and attaches himself to the world,
is known as a sinner in both worlds. ||1||
He alone is approved, who pleases the Lord.
Only He Himself knows His creative omnipotence. ||1||Pause||
One who practices truth, righteous living, charity and good deeds,
has the supplies for God's Path. Worldly success shall not fail him. ||2||
Within and among all, the One Lord is awake.
As He attaches us, so are we attached. ||3||
You are inaccessible and unfathomable, O my True Lord and Master.
Nanak speaks as You inspire him to speak. ||4||23||29||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
In the early hours of the morning, I chant the Lord's Name.
I have fashioned a shelter for myself, hear and hereafter. ||1||
Forever and ever, I chant the Lord's Name,
and the desires of my mind are fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
Sing the Praises of the Eternal, Imperishable Lord God, night and day.
In life, and in death, you shall find your eternal, unchanging home. ||2||
So serve the Sovereign Lord, and you shall never lack anything.
While eating and consuming, you shall pass your life in peace. ||3||
O Life of the World, O Primal Being, I have found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||24||30||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
When the Perfect Guru becomes merciful,
my pains are taken away, and my works are perfectly completed. ||1||
Gazing upon, beholding the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I live;
I am a sacrifice to Your Lotus Feet.
Without You, O my Lord and Master, who belongs to me? ||1||Pause||
I have fallen in love with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
by the karma of my past actions and my pre-ordained destiny. ||2||
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; how wondrous is His glory!
The three types of illness cannot consume it. ||3||
May I never forget, even for an instant, the Lord's Feet.
Nanak begs for this gift, O my Beloved. ||4||25||31||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
May there be such an auspicious time, O my Beloved,
when, with my tongue, I may chant the Lord's Name||1||
Hear my prayer, O God, O Merciful to the meek.
The Holy Saints ever sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Source of Nectar. ||1||Pause||
Your meditation and remembrance is life-giving, God.
You dwell near those upon whom You show mercy. ||2||
Your Name is the food to satisfy the hunger of Your humble servants.
You are the Great Giver, O Lord God. ||3||
The Saints take pleasure in repeating the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, the Lord, the Great Giver, is All-knowing. ||4||26||32||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Your life is slipping away, but you never even notice.
You are constantly entangled in false attachments and conflicts. ||1||
Meditate, vibrate constantly, day and night, on the Lord.
You shall be victorious in this priceless human life, in the Protection of the Lord's Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
You eagerly commit sins and practice corruption, but you do not enshrine the jewel of the Lord's Name within your heart, even for an instant. ||2||
Feeding and pampering your body, your life is passing away,

but you do not experience the state of victory of the Lord of the Universe. ||3||
So enter the Sanctuary of the All-powerful, Unfathomable Lord and Master.
O God, O Searcher of hearts, please, save Nanak! ||4||27||33||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Cross over the terrifying world-ocean in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Remember in meditation the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the source of jewels. ||1||
Remembering, remembering the Lord in meditation, I live.
All pain, disease and suffering is dispelled, meeting the Perfect Guru; sin has been eradicated. ||1||Pause||
The immortal status is obtained through the Name of the Lord;
the mind and body become spotless and pure, which is the true purpose of life. ||2||
Twenty-four hours a day, meditate on the Supreme Lord God.
By pre-ordained destiny, the Name is obtained. ||3||
I have entered His Sanctuary, and I meditate on the Lord, Merciful to the meek.
Nanak longs for the dust of the Saints. ||4||28||34||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The beautiful one does not know the work of his own home.
The fool is engrossed in false attachments. ||1||
As You attach us, so we are attached.
When You bless us with Your Name, we chant it. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's slaves are imbued with the Love of the Lord.
They are intoxicated with the Lord, night and day. ||2||
Reaching out to grasp hold of our arms, God lifts us up.
Separated for countless incarnations, we are united with Him again. ||3||
Save me, O God, O my Lord and Master - shower me with Your Mercy.
Slave Nanak seeks Sanctuary at Your Door, O Lord. ||4||29||35||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
By the Grace of the Saints, I have found my eternal home.
I have found total peace, and I shall not waver again. ||1||
I meditate on the Guru, and the Lord's Feet, within my mind.
In this way, the Creator Lord has made me steady and stable. ||1||Pause||
I sing the Glorious Praises of the unchanging, eternal Lord God,
and the noose of death is snapped. ||2||
Showering His Mercy, he has attached me to the hem of His robe.
In constant bliss, Nanak sings His Glorious Praises. ||3||30||36||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Words, the Teachings of the Holy Saints, are Ambrosial Nectar.
Whoever meditates on the Lord's Name is emancipated; he chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, with his tongue. ||1||Pause||
The pains and sufferings of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga are eradicated,
when the One Name abides within the mind. ||1||
I apply the dust of the feet of the Holy to my face and forehead.
Nanak has been saved, in the Sanctuary of the Guru, the Lord. ||2||31||37||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl: Third House:
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, the Merciful Lord.
Please, bless me with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Perfect, Compassionate Lord. ||Pause||
Please, grant Your Grace, and cherish me.
My soul and body are all Your property. ||1||
Only meditation on the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, will go along with you.
Nanak begs for the dust of the Saints. ||2||32||38||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Without Him, there is no other at all.
The True Lord Himself is our anchor. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is our only support.
The Creator, the Cause of causes, is All-powerful and Infinite. ||1||Pause||
He has eradicated all illness, and healed me.
O Nanak, He Himself has become my Savior. ||2||33||39||

Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Everyone longs for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
By perfect destiny, it is obtained. ||Pause||
Forsaking the Beautiful Lord, how can they go to sleep?
The great enticer Maya has led them down the path of sin. ||1||
This butcher has separated them from the Beloved Lord.
This merciless one shows no mercy at all to the poor beings. ||2||
Countless lifetimes have passed away, wandering aimlessly.
The terrible, treacherous Maya does not even allow them to dwell in their own home. ||3||
Day and night, they receive the rewards of their own actions.
Don't blame anyone else; your own actions lead you astray. ||4||
Listen, O Friend, O Saint, O humble Sibling of Destiny:
in the Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet, Nanak has found Salvation. ||5||34||40||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Even a crude hut is sublime and beautiful, if the Lord's Praises are sung within it.
Those mansions where the Lord is forgotten are useless. ||1||Pause||
Even poverty is bliss, if God comes to mind in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
This worldly glory might just as well burn; it only traps the mortals in Maya. ||1||
One may have to grind corn, and wear a coarse blanket, but still, one can find peace of mind and contentment.
Even empires are of no use at all, if they do not bring satisfaction. ||2||
Someone may wander around naked, but if he loves the One Lord, he receives honor and respect.
Silk and satin clothes are worthless, if they lead to greed. ||3||
Everything is in Your Hands, God. You Yourself are the Doer, the Cause of causes.
With each and every breath, may I continue to remember You. Please, bless Nanak with this gift. ||4||1||41||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's Saint is my life and wealth. I am his water-carrier.
He is dearer to me than all my siblings, friends and children. ||1||Pause||
I make my hair into a fan, and wave it over the Saint.
I bow my head low, to touch his feet, and apply his dust to my face. ||1||
I offer my prayer with sweet words, in sincere humility.
Renouncing egotism, I enter His Sanctuary. I have found the Lord, the treasure of virtue. ||2||
I gaze upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's humble servant, again and again.
I cherish and gather in His Ambrosial Words within my mind; time and time again, I bow to Him. ||3||
In my mind, I wish, hope and beg for the Society of the Lord's humble servants.
Be Merciful to Nanak, O God, and lead him to the feet of Your slaves. ||4||2||42||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
She has enticed the worlds and solar systems; I have fallen into her clutches.
O Lord, please save this corrupt soul of mine; please bless me with Your Name. ||1||Pause||
She has not brought anyone peace, but still, I chase after her.
She forsakes everyone, but still, I cling to her, again and again. ||1||
Have Mercy on me, O Lord of Compassion; please let me sing Your Glorious Praises, O Lord.
This is Nanak's prayer, O Lord, that he may join and merge with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||3||43||

Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Love of the enticing Beloved Lord is the most glorious love.
Meditate, O mind, on the One Lord of the Universe - nothing else is of any account. Attach your mind to the Saints, and abandon the path of duality. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is absolute and unmanifest; He has assumed the most sublime manifestation. He has fashioned countless body chambers of many, varied, different, myriad forms.
Within them, the mind is the policeman;
my Beloved lives in the temple of my inner self.
He plays there in ecstasy.
He does not die, and he never grows old. ||1||
He is engrossed in worldly activities, wandering around in various ways. He steals the property of others,
and is surrounded by corruption and sin.
But now, he joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
and stands before the Lord's Gate.
He obtains the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Nanak has met the Guru;
he shall not be reincarnated again. ||2||1||44||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord has made this world a stage;
He fashioned the expanse of the entire creation. ||1||Pause||
He fashioned it in various ways, with limitless colors and forms.
He watches over it with joy, and He never tires of enjoying it.
He enjoys all the delights, and yet He remains unattached. ||1||
He has no color, no sign, no mouth and no beard.
I cannot describe Your play.
Nanak is the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||2||2||45||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
I have come to You. I have come to Your Sanctuary.
I have come to place my faith in You. I have come seeking Mercy.
If it pleases You, save me, O my Lord and Master. The Guru has placed me upon the Path. ||1||Pause||
Maya is very treacherous and difficult to pass through. It is like a violent wind-storm. ||1||
I am so afraid to hear
that the Righteous Judge of Dharma is so strict and stern. ||2||
The world is a deep, dark pit;
it is all on fire. ||3||
I have grasped the Support of the Holy Saints.
Nanak meditates on the Lord.
Now, I have found the Perfect Lord. ||4||3||46||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I offer this prayer to the True Guru, to bless me with the sustenance of the Naam.
When the True King is pleased, the world is rid of its diseases. ||1||
You are the Support of Your devotees, and the Shelter of the Saints, O True Creator Lord. ||1||Pause||
True are Your devices, and True is Your Court.
True are Your treasures, and True is Your expanse. ||2||
Your Form is inaccessible, and Your Vision is incomparably beautiful.
I am a sacrifice to Your servants; they love Your Name, O Lord. ||3||

All desires are fulfilled, when the Inaccessible and Infinite Lord is obtained.
Guru Nanak has met the Supreme Lord God; I am a sacrifice to Your Feet. ||4||1||47||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He alone obeys Your Will, O Lord, unto whom You are Merciful.
That alone is devotional worship, which is pleasing to Your Will. You are the Cherisher of all beings. ||1||
O my Sovereign Lord, You are the Support of the Saints.
Whatever pleases You, they accept. You are the sustenance of their minds and bodies. ||1||Pause||
You are kind and compassionate, the treasure of mercy, the fulfiller of our hopes.
You are the Beloved Lord of life of all Your devotees; You are the Beloved of Your devotees. ||2||
You are unfathomable, infinite, lofty and exalted. There is no one else like You.
This is my prayer, O my Lord and Master; may I never forget You, O Peace-giving Lord. ||3||
Day and night, with each and every breath, I sing Your Glorious Praises, if it is pleasing to Your Will.
Nanak begs for the peace of Your Name, O Lord and Master; as it is pleasing to Your Will, I shall attain it. ||4||1||48||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Where is that place, where You are never forgotten, Lord?
Twenty-four hours a day, they meditate on You, and their bodies become spotless and pure. ||1||
O my Lord, I have come searching for that place.
After seeking and searching, I found Sanctuary in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
Reading and reciting the Vedas, Brahma grew weary, but he did not find even a tiny bit of God's worth.
The seekers and Siddhas wander around bewailing; they too are enticed by Maya. ||2||
There were ten regal incarnations of Vishnu; and then there was Shiva, the renunciate.
He did not find Your limits either, although he grew weary of smearing his body with ashes. ||3||
Peace, poise and bliss are found in the subtle essence of the Naam. The Lord's Saints sing the songs of joy.
I have obtained the Fruitful Vision of Guru Nanak's Darshan, and with my mind and body I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||2||49||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The religious rites, rituals and hypocrisies which are seen, are plundered by the Messenger of Death, the ultimate tax collector.
In the state of Nirvaanaa, sing the Kirtan of the Creator's Praises; contemplating Him in meditation, even for an instant, one is saved. ||1||
O Saints, cross over the world-ocean.
One who practices the Teachings of the Saints, by Guru's Grace, is carried across. ||1||Pause||
Millions of cleansing baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage only fill the mortal with filth in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, becomes spotlessly pure. ||2||
One may read all the books of the Vedas, the Bible, the Simritees and the Shaastras, but they will not bring liberation.
One who, as Gurmukh, chants the One Word, acquires a spotlessly pure reputation. ||3||
The four castes - the Kh'shaatriyas, Brahmins, Soodras and Vaishyas - are equal in respect to the teachings.

One who, as Gurmukh, chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is saved. In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, O Nanak, God is permeating the hearts of each and every being. ||4||3||50||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever God causes to happen is accepted, by those who are attuned to the Love of the Lord's Name.
Those who fall at the Feet of God are respected everywhere. ||1||
O my Lord, no one is as great as the Lord's Saints.
The devotees are in harmony with their God; He is in the water, the land, and the sky. ||1||Pause||
Millions of sinners have been saved in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; the Messenger of Death does not even approach them.
Those who have been separated from the Lord, for countless incarnations, are reunited with the Lord again. ||2||
Attachment to Maya, doubt and fear are eradicated, when one enters the Sanctuary of the Saints.
Whatever wishes one harbors, are obtained from the Saints. ||3||
How can I describe the glory of the Lord's humble servants? They are pleasing to their God.
Says Nanak, those who meet the True Guru, become independent of all obligations. ||4||4||51||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Giving me Your Hand, You saved me from the terrible fire, when I sought Your Sanctuary.
Deep within my heart, I respect Your strength; I have abandoned all other hopes. ||1||
O my Sovereign Lord, when You enter my consciousness, I am saved.
You are my support. I count on You. Meditating on You, I am saved. ||1||Pause||
You pulled me up out of the deep, dark pit. You have become merciful to me.
You care for me, and bless me with total peace; You Yourself cherish me. ||2||
The Transcendent Lord has blessed me with His Glance of Grace; breaking my bonds, He has delivered me.
God Himself inspires me to worship Him; He Himself inspires me to serve Him. ||3||
My doubts have gone, my fears and infatuations have been dispelled, and all my sorrows are gone.
O Nanak, the Lord, the Giver of peace has been merciful to me. I have met the Perfect True Guru. ||4||5||52||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
When nothing existed, what deeds were being done? And what karma caused anyone to be born at all?
The Lord Himself set His play in motion, and He Himself beholds it. He created the Creation. ||1||
O my Sovereign Lord, I cannot do anything at all by myself.
He Himself is the Creator, He Himself is the Cause. He is pervading deep within all. ||1||Pause||
If my account were to be judged, I would never be saved. My body is transitory and ignorant.
Take pity upon me, O Creator Lord God; Your Forgiving Grace is singular and unique. ||2||
You created all beings and creatures. Each and every heart meditates on You.
Your condition and expanse are known only to You; the value of Your creative omnipotence cannot be estimated. ||3||
I am worthless, foolish, thoughtless and ignorant. I know nothing about good actions and righteous living.
Take pity on Nanak, that he may sing Your Glorious Praises; and that Your Will may seem sweet to him. ||4||6||53||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:

Your Saints are very fortunate; their homes are filled with the wealth of the Lord's Name.
Their birth is approved, and their actions are fruitful. ||1||
O my Lord, I am a sacrifice to the humble servants of the Lord.
I make my hair into a fan, and wave it over them; I apply the dust of their feet to my face. ||1||Pause||
Those generous, humble beings are above both birth and death.
They give the gift of the soul, and practice devotional worship; they inspire others to meet the Lord. ||2||
True are their commands, and true are their empires; they are attuned to the Truth.
True is their happiness, and true is their greatness. They know the Lord, to whom they belong. ||3||
I wave the fan over them, carry water for them, and grind corn for the humble servants of the Lord.
Nanak offers this prayer to God - please, grant me the sight of Your humble servants. ||4||7||54||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru is the Transcendent Lord, the Supreme Lord God; He Himself is the Creator Lord.
Your servant begs for the dust of Your feet. I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||
O my Sovereign Lord, as You keep me, so do I remain.
When it pleases You, I chant Your Name. You alone can grant me peace. ||1||Pause||
Liberation, comfort and proper lifestyle come from serving You; You alone cause us to serve You.
That place is heaven, where the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung. You Yourself instill faith into us. ||2||
Meditating, meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Naam, I live; my mind and body are enraptured.
I wash Your Lotus Feet, and drink in this water, O my True Guru, O Merciful to the meek. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to that most wonderful time when I came to Your Door.
God has become compassionate to Nanak; I have found the Perfect True Guru. ||4||8||55||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
When You come to mind, I am totally in bliss. One who forgets You might just as well be dead.
That being, whom You bless with Your Mercy, O Creator Lord, constantly meditates on You. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, You are the honor of the dishonored such as me.
I offer my prayer to You, God; listening, listening to the Word of Your Bani, I live. ||1||Pause||
May I become the dust of the feet of Your humble servants. I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
I enshrine Your Ambrosial Word within my heart. By Your Grace, I have found the Company of the Holy. ||2||
I place the state of my inner being before You; there is no other as great as You.
He alone is attached, whom You attach; he alone is Your devotee. ||3||
With my palms pressed together, I beg for this one gift; O my Lord and Master, if it pleases You, I shall obtain it.
With each and every breath, Nanak adores You; twenty-four hours a day, I sing Your Glorious Praises. ||4||9||56||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
When You stand over our heads, O Lord and Master, how can we suffer in pain?
The mortal being does not know how to chant Your Name - he is intoxicated with the wine of Maya, and the thought of death does not even enter his mind. ||1||
O my Sovereign Lord, You belong to the Saints, and the Saints belong to You.

Your servant is not afraid of anything; the Messenger of Death cannot even approach him. ||1||Pause||
Those who are attuned to Your Love, O my Lord and Master, are released from the pains of birth and death.
No one can erase Your Blessings; the True Guru has given me this assurance. ||2||
Those who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, obtain the fruits of peace. Twenty-four hours a day, they worship and adore You.
In Your Sanctuary, with Your Support, they subdue the five villains. ||3||
I know nothing about wisdom, meditation and good deeds; I know nothing about Your excellence.
Guru Nanak is the greatest of all; He saved my honor in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||4||10||57||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Renouncing everything, I have come to the Guru's Sanctuary; save me, O my Savior Lord!
Whatever You link me to, to that I am linked; what can this poor creature do? ||1||
O my Dear Lord God, You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
Be Merciful to me, O Divine, Compassionate Guru, that I may constantly sing the Glorious Praises of my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate on my God; by Guru's Grace, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Renouncing self-conceit, I have become the dust of all men's feet; in this way, I die, while I am still alive. ||2||
How fruitful is the life of that being in this world, who chants the Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
All desires are fulfilled, for the one who is blessed with God's Kindness and Mercy. ||3||
O Merciful to the meek, Kind and Compassionate Lord God, I seek Your Sanctuary.
Take pity upon me, and bless me with Your Name. Nanak is the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||4||11||58||
Raag Soohee, Ashtapadee, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am totally without virtue; I have no virtue at all.
How can I meet my Husband Lord? ||1||
I have no beauty, no enticing eyes.
I do not have a noble family, good manners or a sweet voice. ||1||Pause||
The soul-bride adorns herself with peace and poise.
But she is a happy soul-bride, only if her Husband Lord is pleased with her. ||2||
He has no form or feature;
at the very last instant, he cannot suddenly be contemplated. ||3||
I have no understanding, intellect or cleverness.
Have Mercy upon me, God, and attach me to Your Feet. ||4||
She may be very clever, but this does not please her Husband Lord.
Attached to Maya, she is deluded by doubt. ||5||
But if she gets rid of her ego, then she merges in her Husband Lord.
Only then can the soul-bride obtain the nine treasures of her Beloved. ||6||
Separated from You for countless incarnations, I have suffered in pain.
Please take my hand, O my Beloved Sovereign Lord God. ||7||
Prays Nanak, the Lord is, and shall always be.
She alone is ravished and enjoyed, with whom the Beloved Lord is pleased. ||8||1||

Soohee, First Mehl, Ninth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The color of safflower is transitory; it lasts for only a few days.
Without the Name, the false woman is deluded by doubt and plundered by thieves.
But those who are attuned to the True Lord, are not reincarnated again. ||1||
How can one who is already dyed in the color of the Lord's Love, be colored any other color?
So serve God the Dyer, and focus your consciousness on the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
You wander around in the four directions, but without the good fortune of destiny, you shall never obtain wealth.
If you are plundered by corruption and vice, you shall wander around, but like a fugitive, you shall find no place of rest.
Only those who are protected by the Guru are saved; their minds are attuned to the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Those who wear white clothes, but have filthy and stone-hearted minds,
may chant the Lord's Name with their mouths, but they are engrossed in duality; they are thieves.
They do not understand their own roots; they are beasts. They are just animals! ||3||
Constantly, continually, the mortal seeks pleasures. Constantly, continually, he begs for peace.
But he does not think of the Creator Lord, and so he is overtaken by pain, again and again.
But one, within whose mind the Giver of pleasure and pain dwells - how can his body feel any need? ||4||
One who has a karmic debt to pay off is summoned, and the Messenger of Death smashes his head.
When his account is called for, it has to be given. After it is reviewed, payment is demanded.
Only love for the True One will save you; the Forgiver forgives. ||5||
If you make any friend other than God, you shall die and mingle with the dust.
Gazing upon the many games of love, you are beguiled and bewildered; you come and go in reincarnation.
Only by God's Grace can you be saved. By His Grace, He unites in His Union. ||6||
O careless one, you are totally lacking any wisdom; do not seek wisdom without the Guru.
By indecision and inner conflict, you shall come to ruin. Good and bad both pull at you.
Without being attuned to the Word of the Shabad and the Fear of God, all come under the gaze of the Messenger of Death. ||7||
He who created the creation and sustains it, gives sustenance to all.
How can you forget Him from your mind? He is the Great Giver, forever and ever.
Nanak shall never forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Support of the unsupported. ||8||1||2||
Soohee, First Mehl, Kaafee, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
This human birth is so difficult to obtain; the Gurmukh obtains it.
The mind and body are dyed in the deep red color of devotional love, if it pleases the True Guru. ||1||
He departs with his life embellished and successful, taking the merchandise of the True Name.
He is honored in the Darbaar, the Royal Court, of the Lord, through the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, and the Fear of God. ||1||Pause||
One who praises the True Lord with his mind and body, pleases the Mind of the True Lord.

Attuned to the Beloved Lord, the mind is appeased, and finds the Perfect Guru. ||2||
I live, by cherishing Your Glorious Virtues; You dwell deep within me.
You dwell within my mind, and so it naturally celebrates in joyful delight. ||3||
O my foolish mind, how can I teach and instruct you?
As Gurmukh, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and so become attuned to His Love. ||4||
Continually, continuously, remember and cherish your Beloved Lord in your heart.
For if you depart with virtue, then pain shall never afflict you. ||5||
The self-willed manmukh wanders around, deluded by doubt; he does not enshrine love for the Lord.
He dies as a stranger to his own self, and his mind and body are spoiled. ||6||
Performing service to the Guru, you shall go home with the profit.
Through the Word of the Guru's Bani, and the Shabad, the Word of God, the state of Nirvaanaa is attained. ||7||
Nanak makes this one prayer: if it pleases Your Will,
bless me with a home in Your Name, Lord, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises. ||8||1||3||
Soohee, First Mehl:
As iron is melted in the forge and re-shaped,
so is the godless materialist reincarnated, and forced to wander aimlessly. ||1||
Without understanding, everything is suffering, earning only more suffering.
In his ego, he comes and goes, wandering in confusion, deluded by doubt. ||1||Pause||
You save those who are Gurmukh, O Lord, through meditation on Your Naam.
You blend with Yourself, by Your Will, those who practice the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
You created the Creation, and You Yourself gaze upon it; whatever You give, is received.
You watch, establish and disestablish; You keep all in Your vision at Your Door. ||3||
The body shall turn to dust, and the soul shall fly away.
So where are their homes and resting places now? They do not find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, either. ||4||
In the pitch darkness of broad daylight, their wealth is being plundered.
Pride is looting their homes like a thief; where can they file their complaint? ||5||
The thief does not break into the home of the Gurmukh; he is awake in the Name of the Lord.
The Word of the Shabad puts out the fire of desire; God's Light illuminates and enlightens. ||6||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a jewel, a ruby; the Guru has taught me the Word of the Shabad.
One who follows the Guru's Teachings remains forever free of desire. ||7||
Night and day, enshrine the Lord's Name within your mind.
Please unite Nanak in Union, O Lord, if it is pleasing to Your Will. ||8||2||4||
Soohee, First Mehl:
Never forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, from your mind; night and day, meditate on it.
As You keep me, in Your Merciful Grace, so do I find peace. ||1||
I am blind, and the Lord's Name is my cane.
I remain under the Sheltering Support of my Lord and Master; I am not enticed by Maya the enticer. ||1||Pause||
Wherever I look, there the Guru has shown me that God is always with me.
Searching inwardly and outwardly as well, I came to see Him, through the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
So serve the True Guru with love, through the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
As it pleases You, so by Your Will, You destroy my doubts and fears. ||3||
At the very moment of birth, he is afflicted with pain, and in the end, he comes only to die.
Birth and death are validated and approved, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||
When there is no ego, there You are; You fashioned all of this.

You Yourself establish and disestablish; through the Word of Your Shabad, You elevate and exalt. ||5||
When the body rolls in the dust, it is not known where the soul has gone.
He Himself is permeating and pervading; this is wonderful and amazing! ||6||
You are not far away, God; You know everything.
The Gurmukh sees You ever-present; You are deep within the nucleus of our inner self. ||7||
Please, bless me with a home in Your Name; may my inner self be at peace.
May slave Nanak sing Your Glorious Praises; O True Guru, please share the Teachings with me. ||8||3||5||
Raag Soohee, Third Mehl, First House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Everything comes from the Naam, the Name of the Lord; without the True Guru, the Naam is not experienced.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is the sweetest and most sublime essence, but without tasting it, its flavor cannot be experienced.
He wastes this human life in exchange for a mere shell; he does not understand his own self.
But, if he becomes Gurmukh, then he comes to know the One Lord, and the disease of egotism does not afflict him. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has lovingly attached me to the True Lord.
Concentrating on the Word of the Shabad, the soul is illumined and enlightened. I remain absorbed in celestial ecstasy. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukh sings the Praises of the Lord; the Gurmukh understands. The Gurmukh contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
Body and soul are totally rejuvenated through the Guru; the Gurmukh's affairs are resolved in his favor.
The blind self-willed manmukh acts blindly, and earns only poison in this world.
Enticed by Maya, he suffers in constant pain, without the most Beloved Guru. ||2||
He alone is a selfless servant, who serves the True Guru, and walks in harmony with the True Guru's Will.
The True Shabad, the Word of God, is the True Praise of God; enshrine the True Lord within your mind.
The Gurmukh speaks the True Word of Gurbani, and egotism departs from within.
He Himself is the Giver, and True are His actions. He proclaims the True Word of the Shabad. ||3||
The Gurmukh works, and the Gurmukh earns; the Gurmukh inspires others to chant the Naam.
He is forever unattached, imbued with the Love of the True Lord, intuitively in harmony with the Guru.
The self-willed manmukh always tells lies; he plants the seeds of poison, and eats only poison.
He is bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death, and burnt in the fire of desire; who can save him, except the Guru? ||4||
True is that place of pilgrimage, where one bathes in the pool of Truth, and achieves self-realization as Gurmukh. The Gurmukh understands his own self.
The Lord has shown that the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage; bathing in it, filth is washed away.
True and Immaculate is the True Word of His Shabad; no filth touches or clings to Him.
True Praise, True Devotional Praise, is obtained from the Perfect Guru. ||5||
Body, mind, everything belongs to the Lord; but the evil-minded ones cannot even say this.
If such is the Hukam of the Lord's Command, then one becomes pure and spotless, and the ego is taken away from within.
I have intuitively tasted the Guru's Teachings, and the fire of my desire has been quenched.
Attuned to the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one is naturally intoxicated, merging imperceptibly into the Lord. ||6||

The Name of the Lord is known as True, through the Love of the Beloved Guru.
True Glorious Greatness is obtained from the Guru, through the Beloved True Name.
The One True Lord is permeating and pervading among all; how rare is the one who contemplates this.
The Lord Himself unites us in Union, and forgives us; He embellishes us with true devotional worship. ||7||
All is Truth; Truth, and Truth alone is pervading; how rare is the Gurmukh who knows this.
Birth and death occur by the Hukam of His Command; the Gurmukh understands his own self.
He meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and so pleases the True Guru. He receives whatever rewards he desires.
O Nanak, one who eradicates self-conceit from within, has everything. ||8||1||
Soohee, Third Mehl:
The body-bride is very beautiful; she dwells with her Husband Lord.
She becomes the happy soul-bride of her True Husband Lord, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The Lord's devotee is forever attuned to the Lord's Love; her ego is burnt away from within. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed, blessed is the Word of the Perfect Guru's Bani.
It wells up and springs forth from the Perfect Guru, and merges into Truth. ||1||Pause||
Everything is within the Lord - the continents, worlds and nether regions.
The Life of the World, the Great Giver, dwells within the body; He is the Cherisher of all.
The body-bride is eternally beautiful; the Gurmukh contemplates the Naam. ||2||
The Lord Himself dwells within the body; He is invisible and cannot be seen.
The foolish self-willed manmukh does not understand; he goes out searching for the Lord externally.
One who serves the True Guru is always at peace; the True Guru has shown me the Invisible Lord. ||3||
Within the body there are jewels and precious treasures, the over-flowing treasure of devotion.
Within this body are the nine continents of the earth, its markets, cities and streets.
Within this body are the nine treasures of the Naam; contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is obtained. ||4||
Within the body, the Lord estimates the weight; He Himself is the weigher.
This mind is the jewel, the gem, the diamond; it is absolutely priceless.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, cannot be purchased at any price; the Naam is obtained by contemplating the Guru. ||5||
One who becomes Gurmukh searches this body; all others just wander around in confusion.
That humble being alone obtains it, unto whom the Lord bestows it. What other clever tricks can anyone try?
Within the body, the Fear of God and Love for Him abides; by Guru's Grace, they are obtained. ||6||
Within the body, are Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, from whom the whole world emanated.
The True Lord has staged and contrived His own play; the expanse of the Universe comes and goes.
The Perfect True Guru Himself has made it clear, that emancipation comes through the True Name. ||7||
That body, which serves the True Guru, is embellished by the True Lord Himself.
Without the Name, the mortal finds no place of rest in the Court of the Lord; he shall be tortured by the Messenger of Death.
O Nanak, true glory is bestowed, when the Lord showers His Mercy. ||8||2||

Raag Soohee, Third Mehl, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Do not praise the world; it shall simply pass away.
Do not praise other people; they shall die and turn to dust. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! Hail, hail to my Lord and Master.
As Gurmukh, forever praise the One who is forever True, Independent and Carefree. ||1||Pause||
Making worldly friendships, the self-willed manmukhs burn and die.
In the City of Death, they are bound and gagged and beaten; this opportunity shall never come again. ||2||
The lives of the Gurmukhs are fruitful and blessed; they are committed to the True Word of the Shabad.
Their souls are illuminated by the Lord, and they dwell in peace and pleasure. ||3||
Those who forget the Word of the Guru's Shabad are engrossed in the love of duality.
Their hunger and thirst never leave them, and night and day, they wander around burning. ||4||
Those who make friendships with the wicked, and harbor animosity to the Saints,
shall drown with their families, and their entire lineage shall be obliterated. ||5||
It is not good to slander anyone, but the foolish, self-willed manmukhs still do it.
The faces of the slanderers turn black, and they fall into the most horrible hell. ||6||
O mind, as you serve, so do you become, and so are the deeds that you do.
Whatever you yourself plant, that is what you shall have to eat; nothing else can be said about this. ||7||
The speech of the great spiritual beings has a higher purpose.
They are filled to over-flowing with Ambrosial Nectar, and they have absolutely no greed at all. ||8||
The virtuous accumulate virtue, and teach others.
Those who meet with them are so very fortunate; night and day, they chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||9||
He who created the Universe, gives sustenance to it.
The One Lord alone is the Great Giver. He Himself is the True Master. ||10||
That True Lord is always with you; the Gurmukh is blessed with His Glance of Grace.
He Himself shall forgive you, and merge you into Himself; forever cherish and contemplate God. ||11||
The mind is impure; only the True Lord is pure. So how can it merge into Him?
God merges it into Himself, and then it remains merged; through the Word of His Shabad, the ego is burnt away. ||12||
Cursed is the life in this world, of one who forgets her True Husband Lord.
The Lord grants His Mercy, and she does not forget Him, if she contemplates the Guru's Teachings. ||13||
The True Guru unites her, and so she remains united with Him, with the True Lord enshrined within her heart.
And so united, she will not be separated again; she remains in the love and affection of the Guru. ||14||
I praise my Husband Lord, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Meeting with my Beloved, I have found peace; I am His most beautiful and happy soul-bride. ||15||
The mind of the self-willed manmukh is not softened; his consciousness is totally polluted and stone-hearted.
Even if the venomous snake is fed on milk, it shall still be filled with poison. ||16||
He Himself does - who else should I ask? He Himself is the Forgiving Lord.
Through the Guru's Teachings, filth is washed away, and then, one is embellished with the ornament of Truth. ||17||

True is the Banker, and True are His traders. The false ones cannot remain there.
They do not love the Truth - they are consumed by their pain. ||18||
The world wanders around in the filth of egotism; it dies, and is re-born, over and again.
He acts in accordance with the karma of his past actions, which no one can erase. ||19||
But if he joins the Society of the Saints, then he comes to embrace love for the Truth.
Praising the True Lord with a truthful mind, he becomes true in the Court of the True Lord. ||20||
The Teachings of the Perfect Guru are perfect; meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night.
Egotism and self-conceit are terrible diseases; tranquility and stillness come from within. ||21||
I praise my Guru; bowing down to Him again and again, I fall at His Feet.
I place my body and mind in offering unto Him, eradicating self-conceit from within. ||22||
Indecision leads to ruin; focus your attention on the One Lord.
Renounce egotism and self-conceit, and remain merged in Truth. ||23||
Those who meet with the True Guru are my Siblings of Destiny; they are committed to the True Word of the Shabad.
Those who merge with the True Lord shall not be separated again; they are judged to be True in the Court of the Lord. ||24||
They are my Siblings of Destiny, and they are my friends, who serve the True Lord.
They sell off their sins and demerits like straw, and enter into the partnership of virtue. ||25||
In the partnership of virtue, peace wells up, and they perform true devotional worship service.
They deal in Truth, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and they earn the profit of the Naam. ||26||
Gold and silver may be earned by committing sins, but they will not go with you when you die.
Nothing will go with you in the end, except the Name; all are plundered by the Messenger of Death. ||27||
The Lord's Name is the nourishment of the mind; cherish it, and preserve it carefully within your heart.
This nourishment is inexhaustible; it is always with the Gurmukhs. ||28||
O mind, if you forget the Primal Lord, you shall depart, having lost your honor.
This world is engrossed in the love of duality; follow the Guru's Teachings, and meditate on the True Lord. ||29||
The Lord's value cannot be estimated; the Lord's Praises cannot be written down.
When one's mind and body are attuned to the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one remains merged in the Lord. ||30||
My Husband Lord is playful; He has imbued me with His Love, with natural ease.
The soul-bride is imbued with His Love, when her Husband Lord merges her into His Being. ||31||
Even those who have been separated for so very long, are reunited with Him, when they serve the True Guru.
The nine treasures of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are deep within the nucleus of the self; consuming them, they are still never exhausted. Chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, with natural ease. ||32||
They are not born, and they do not die; they do not suffer in pain.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved. They celebrate with the Lord. ||33||
Those who are united with the Lord, the True Friend, are not separated again; night and day, they remain blended with Him.
In this world, only a rare few are known, O Nanak, to have obtained the True Lord. ||34||1||3||
Soohee, Third Mehl:
The Dear Lord is subtle and inaccessible; how can we ever meet Him?
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, doubt is dispelled, and the Carefree Lord comes to abide in the mind. ||1||
The Gurmukhs chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.

I am a sacrifice to those who chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord in their minds forever. ||1||Pause||
The Guru is like the Mansarovar Lake; only the very fortunate beings find Him.
The Gurmukhs, the selfless servants, seek out the Guru; the swan-souls feed there on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam, and remain linked to the Naam.
Whatever is pre-ordained, accept it as the Will of the Guru. ||3||
By great good fortune, I searched my home, and found the treasure of the Naam.
The Perfect Guru has shown God to me; I have realized the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||4||
There is One God of all; there is no other at all.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to abide in the mind; in the heart of such a one, He is revealed. ||5||
God is the Inner-knower of all hearts; God dwells in every place.
So who should we call evil? Behold the Word of the Shabad, and lovingly dwell upon it. ||6||
He calls others bad and good, as long as he is in duality.
The Gurmukh understands the One and Only Lord; He is absorbed in the One Lord. ||7||
That is selfless service, which pleases God, and which is approved by God.
Servant Nanak worships the Lord in adoration; he focuses his consciousness on the Guru's Feet. ||8||2||4||9||
Raag Soohee, Ashtapadees, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If only someone would come, and lead me to meet my Darling Beloved; I would sell myself to him. ||1||
I long for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
When the Lord shows Mercy unto me, then I meet the True Guru; I meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
If You will bless me with happiness, then I will worship and adore You. Even in pain, I will meditate on You. ||2||
Even if You give me hunger, I will still feel satisfied; I am joyful, even in the midst of sorrow. ||3||
I would cut my mind and body apart into pieces, and offer them all to You; I would burn myself in fire. ||4||
I wave the fan over You, and carry water for You; whatever You give me, I take. ||5||
Poor Nanak has fallen at the Lord's Door; please, O Lord, unite me with Yourself, by Your Glorious Greatness. ||6||
Taking out my eyes, I place them at Your Feet; after travelling over the entire earth, I have come to understand this. ||7||
If You seat me near You, then I worship and adore You. Even if You beat me and drive me out, I will still meditate on You. ||8||
If people praise me, the praise is Yours. Even if they slander me, I will not leave You. ||9||
If You are on my side, then anyone can say anything. But if I were to forget You, then I would die. ||10||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to my Guru; falling at His Feet, I surrender to the Saintly Guru. ||11||
Poor Nanak has gone insane, longing for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||12||
Even in violent storms and torrential rain, I go out to catch a glimpse of my Guru. ||13||
Even though the oceans and the salty seas are very vast, the GurSikh will cross over it to get to his Guru. ||14||
Just as the mortal dies without water, so does the Sikh die without the Guru. ||15||

Just as the earth looks beautiful when the rain falls, so does the Sikh blossom forth meeting the Guru. ||16||
I long to be the servant of Your servants; I call upon You reverently in prayer. ||17||
Nanak offers this prayer to the Lord, that he may meet the Guru, and find peace. ||18||
You Yourself are the Guru, and You Yourself are the chaylaa, the disciple; through the Guru, I meditate on You. ||19||
Those who serve You, become You. You preserve the honor of Your servants. ||20||
O Lord, Your devotional worship is a treasure over-flowing. One who loves You, is blessed with it. ||21||
That humble being alone receives it, unto whom You bestow it. All other clever tricks are fruitless. ||22||
Remembering, remembering, remembering my Guru in meditation, my sleeping mind is awakened. ||23||
Poor Nanak begs for this one blessing, that he may become the slave of the slaves of the Lord. ||24||
Even if the Guru rebukes me, He still seems very sweet to me. And if He actually forgives me, that is the Guru's greatness. ||25||
That which Gurmukh speaks is certified and approved. Whatever the self-willed manmukh says is not accepted. ||26||
Even in the cold, the frost and the snow, the GurSikh still goes out to see his Guru. ||27||
All day and night, I gaze upon my Guru; I install the Guru's Feet in my eyes. ||28||
I make so many efforts for the sake of the Guru; only that which pleases the Guru is accepted and approved. ||29||
Night and day, I worship the Guru's Feet in adoration; have Mercy upon me, O my Lord and Master. ||30||
The Guru is Nanak's body and soul; meeting the Guru, he is satisfied and satiated. ||31||
Nanak's God is perfectly permeating and all-pervading. Here and there and everywhere, the Lord of the Universe. ||32||1||
Raag Soohee, Fourth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Deep within myself, I have enshrined true love for my Beloved.
My body and soul are in ecstasy; I see my Guru before me. ||1||
I have purchased the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
I have obtained the Inaccessible and Unfathomable Ambrosial Nectar from the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon the True Guru, I blossom forth in ecstasy; I am in love with the Name of the Lord.
Through His Mercy, the Lord has united me with Himself, and I have found the Door of Salvation. ||2||
The True Guru is the Lover of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Meeting Him, I dedicate my body and mind to Him.
And if it is so pre-ordained, then I shall automatically drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
Praise the Guru while you are asleep, and call on the Guru while you are up.
If only I could meet such a Gurmukh; I would wash His Feet. ||4||
I long for such a Friend, to unite me with my Beloved.
Meeting the True Guru, I have found the Lord. He has met me, easily and effortlessly. ||5||

The True Guru is the Ocean of Virtue of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. I have such a yearning to see Him!
Without Him, I cannot live, even for an instant. If I do not see Him, I die. ||6||
As the fish cannot survive at all without water,
the Saint cannot live without the Lord. Without the Lord's Name, he dies. ||7||
I am so much in love with my True Guru! How could I even live without the Guru, O my mother?
I have the Support of the Word of the Guru's Bani. Attached to Gurbani, I survive. ||8||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is a jewel; by the Pleasure of His Will, the Guru has given it, O my mother.
The True Name is my only Support. I remain lovingly absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||9||
The wisdom of the Guru is the treasure of the Naam. The Guru implants and enshrines the Lord's Name.
He alone receives it, he alone gets it, who comes and falls at the Guru's Feet. ||10||
If only someone would come and tell me the Unspoken Speech of the Love of my Beloved.
I would dedicate my mind to him; I would bow down in humble respect, and fall at his feet. ||11||
You are my only Friend, O my All-knowing, All-powerful Creator Lord.
You have brought me to meet with my True Guru. Forever and ever, You are my only strength. ||12||
My True Guru, forever and ever, does not come and go.
He is the Imperishable Creator Lord; He is permeating and pervading among all. ||13||
I have gathered in the wealth of the Lord's Name. My facilities and faculties are intact, safe and sound.
O Nanak, I am approved and respected in the Court of the Lord; the Perfect Guru has blessed me! ||14||1||2||11||
Raag Soohee, Ashtapadees, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He is entangled in sinful associations;
his mind is troubled by so very many waves. ||1||
O my mind, how can the Unapproachable and Incomprehensible Lord be found? He is the Perfect Transcendent Lord. ||1||Pause||
He remains entangled in the intoxication of worldly love.
His excessive thirst is never quenched. ||2||
Anger is the outcaste which hides within his body;
he is in the utter darkness of ignorance, and he does not understand. ||3||
Afflicted by doubt, the shutters are shut tight;
he cannot go to God's Court. ||4||
The mortal is bound and gagged by hope and fear;
he cannot find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and so he wanders around like a stranger. ||5||
He falls under the power of all negative influences;
he wanders around thirsty like a fish out of water. ||6||
I have no clever tricks or techniques;
You are my only hope, O my Lord God Master. ||7||
Nanak offers this prayer to the Saints
- please let me merge and blend with You. ||8||
God has shown Mercy, and I have found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Nanak is satisfied, finding the Perfect Lord. ||1||Second Pause||1||

Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Attachment to sex is an ocean of fire and pain.
By Your Grace, O Sublime Lord, please save me from it. ||1||
I seek the Sanctuary of the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
He is the Master of the meek, the Support of His devotees. ||1||Pause||
Master of the masterless, Patron of the forlorn, Eradicator of fear of His devotees.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Messenger of Death cannot even touch them. ||2||
The Merciful, Incomparably Beautiful, Embodiment of Life.
Vibrating the Glorious Virtues of the Lord, the noose of the Messenger of Death is cut away. ||3||
One who constantly chants the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam with his tongue,
is not touched or affected by Maya, the embodiment of disease. ||4||
Chant and meditate on God, the Lord of the Universe, and all of your companions shall be carried across;
the five thieves will not even approach. ||5||
One who meditates on the One God in thought, word and deed
- that humble being receives the fruits of all rewards. ||6||
Showering His Mercy, God has made me His own;
He has blessed me with the unique and singular Naam, and the sublime essence of devotion. ||7||
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, He is God.
O Nanak, without Him, there is no other at all. ||8||1||2||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Ninth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Gazing upon them, my mind is enraptured. How can I join them and be with them?
They are Saints and friends, good friends of my mind, who inspire me and help me tune in to God's Love.
My love for them shall never die; it shall never, ever be broken. ||1||
O Supreme Lord God, please grant me Your Grace, that I might constantly sing Your Glorious Praises.
Come, and meet with me, O Saints, and good friends; let us chant and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Best Friend of my mind. ||1||Pause||
He does not see, he does not hear, and he does not understand; he is blind, enticed and bewitched by Maya.
His body is false and transitory; it shall perish. And still, he entangles himself in false pursuits.
They alone depart victorious, who have meditated on the Naam; they stick with the Perfect Guru. ||2||
By the Hukam of God's Will, they come into this world, and they leave upon receipt of His Hukam.
By His Hukam, the Expanse of the Universe is expanded. By His Hukam, they enjoy pleasures.
One who forgets the Creator Lord, suffers sorrow and separation. ||3||
One who is pleasing to his God, goes to His Court dressed in robes of honor.
One who meditates on the Naam, the One Name, finds peace in this world; his face is radiant and bright.
The Supreme Lord confers honor and respect on those who serve the Guru with true love. ||4||
He is pervading and permeating the spaces and interspaces; He loves and cherishes all beings.
I have accumulated the true treasure, the wealth and riches of the One Name.
I shall never forget Him from my mind, since He has been so merciful to me. ||5||

My comings and goings have ended; the Formless Lord now dwells within my mind.
His limits cannot be found; He is lofty and exalted, inaccessible and infinite.
One who forgets His God, shall die and be reincarnated, hundreds of thousands of times. ||6||
They alone bear true love for their God, within whose minds He Himself dwells.
So dwell only with those who share their virtues; chant and meditate on God, twenty-four hours a day.
They are attuned to the Love of the Transcendent Lord; all their sorrows and afflictions are dispelled. ||7||
You are the Creator, You are the Cause of causes; You are the One and the many.
You are All-powerful, You are present everywhere; You are the subtle intellect, the clear wisdom.
Nanak chants and meditates forever on the Naam, the Support of the humble devotees. ||8||1||3||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Tenth House, Kaafee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Even though I have made mistakes, and even though I have been wrong, I am still called Yours, O my Lord and Master.
Those who enshrine love for another, die regretting and repenting. ||1||
I shall never leave my Husband Lord's side.
My Beloved Lover is always and forever beautiful. He is my hope and inspiration. ||1||Pause||
You are my Best Friend; You are my relative. I am so proud of You.
And when You dwell within me, I am at peace. I am without honor - You are my honor. ||2||
And when You are pleased with me, O treasure of mercy, then I do not see any other.
Please grant me this blessing, that that I may forever dwell upon You and cherish You within my heart. ||3||
Let my feet walk on Your Path, and let my eyes behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
With my ears, I will listen to Your Sermon, if the Guru becomes merciful to me. ||4||
Hundreds of thousands and millions do not equal even one hair of Yours, O my Beloved.
You are the King of kings; I cannot even describe Your Glorious Praises. ||5||
Your brides are countless; they are all greater than I am.
Please bless me with Your Glance of Grace, even for an instant; please bless me with Your Darshan, that I may revel in Your Love. ||6||
Seeing Him, my mind is comforted and consoled, and my sins and mistakes are far removed.
How could I ever forget Him, O my mother? He is permeating and pervading everywhere. ||7||
In humility, I bowed down in surrender to Him, and He naturally met me.
I have received what was pre-ordained for me, O Nanak, with the help and assistance of the Saints. ||8||1||4||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Simritees, the Vedas, the Puraanas and the other holy scriptures proclaim
that without the Naam, everything is false and worthless. ||1||
The infinite treasure of the Naam abides within the minds of the devotees.
Birth and death, attachment and suffering, are erased in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
Those who indulge in attachment, conflict and egotism shall surely weep and cry.
Those who are separated from the Naam shall never find any peace. ||2||
Crying out, "Mine! Mine!", he is bound in bondage.
Entangled in Maya, he is reincarnated in heaven and hell. ||3||
Searching, searching, searching, I have come to understand the essence of reality.
Without the Naam, there is no peace at all, and the mortal will surely fail. ||4||

Many come and go; they die, and die again, and are reincarnated.
Without understanding, they are totally useless, and they wander in reincarnation. ||5||
They alone join the Saadh Sangat, unto whom the Lord becomes Merciful.
They chant and meditate on the Ambrosial Name of the Lord. ||6||
Uncounted millions, so many they are endless, search for Him.
But only that one, who understands his own self, sees God near at hand. ||7||
Never forget me, O Great Giver - please bless me with Your Naam.
To sing Your Glorious Praises day and night - O Nanak, this is my heart-felt desire. ||8||2||5||16||
Raag Soohee, First Mehl, Kuchajee ~ The Ungraceful Bride:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am ungraceful and ill-mannered, full of endless faults. How can I go to enjoy my Husband Lord?
Each of His soul-brides is better than the rest - who even knows my name?
Those brides who enjoy their Husband Lord are very blessed, resting in the shade of the mango tree.
I do not have their virtue - who can I blame for this?
Which of Your Virtues, O Lord, should I speak of? Which of Your Names should I chant?
I cannot even reach one of Your Virtues. I am forever a sacrifice to You.
Gold, silver, pearls and rubies are pleasing.
My Husband Lord has blessed me with these things, and I have focused my thoughts on them.
Palaces of brick and mud are built and decorated with stones;
I have been fooled by these decorations, and I do not sit near my Husband Lord.
The cranes shriek overhead in the sky, and the herons have come to rest.
The bride has gone to her father-in-law's house; in the world hereafter, what face will she show?
She kept sleeping as the day dawned; she forgot all about her journey.
She separated herself from her Husband Lord, and now she suffers in pain.
Virtue is in You, O Lord; I am totally without virtue. This is Nanak's only prayer:
You give all Your nights to the virtuous soul-brides. I know I am unworthy, but isn't there a night for me as well? ||1||
Soohee, First Mehl, Suchajee ~ The Noble And Graceful Bride:
When I have You, then I have everything. O my Lord and Master, You are my wealth and capital.
Within You, I abide in peace; within You, I am congratulated.
By the Pleasure of Your Will, You bestow thrones and greatness. And by the Pleasure of Your Will, You make us beggars and wanderers.
By the Pleasure of Your Will, the ocean flows in the desert, and the lotus blossoms in the sky.
By the Pleasure of Your Will, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean; by the Pleasure of Your Will, he sinks down into it.
By the Pleasure of His Will, that Lord becomes my Husband, and I am imbued with the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of virtue.
By the Pleasure of Your Will, O my Husband Lord, I am afraid of You, and I come and go, and die.
You, O my Husband Lord, are inaccessible and immeasurable; talking and speaking of You, I have fallen at Your Feet.
What should I beg for? What should I say and hear? I am hungry and thirsty for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, I have found my Husband Lord. This is Nanak's true prayer. ||2||

Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Gunvantee ~ The Worthy And Virtuous Bride:
When I see a Sikh of the Guru, I humbly bow and fall at his feet.
I tell to him the pain of my soul, and beg him to unite me with the Guru, my Best Friend.
I ask that he impart to me such an understanding, that my mind will not go out wandering anywhere else.
I dedicate this mind to you. Please, show me the Path to God.
I have come so far, seeking the Protection of Your Sanctuary.
Within my mind, I place my hopes in You; please, take my pain and suffering away!
So walk on this Path, O sister soul-brides; do that work which the Guru tells you to do.
Abandon the intellectual pursuits of the mind, and forget the love of duality.
In this way, you shall obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan; the hot winds shall not even touch you.
By myself, I do not even know how to speak; I speak all that the Lord commands.
I am blessed with the treasure of the Lord's devotional worship; Guru Nanak has been kind and compassionate to me.
I shall never again feel hunger or thirst; I am satisfied, satiated and fulfilled.
When I see a Sikh of the Guru, I humbly bow and fall at his feet. ||3||
Raag Soohee, Chhant, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Intoxicated with the wine of youth, I did not realize that I was only a guest at my parents' home (in this world).
My consciousness is polluted with faults and mistakes; without the Guru, virtue does not even enter into me.
I have not known the value of virtue; I have been deluded by doubt. I have wasted away my youth in vain.
I have not known my Husband Lord, His celestial home and gate, or the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. I have not had the pleasure of my Husband Lord's celestial peace.
After consulting the True Guru, I have not walked on the Path; the night of my life is passing away in sleep.
O Nanak, in the prime of my youth, I am a widow; without my Husband Lord, the soul-bride is wasting away. ||1||
O father, give me in marriage to the Lord; I am pleased with Him as my Husband. I belong to Him.
He is pervading throughout the four ages, and the Word of His Bani permeates the three worlds.
The Husband Lord of the three worlds ravishes and enjoys His virtuous brides, but He keeps the ungraceful and unvirtuous ones far away.
As are our hopes, so are our minds' desires, which the All-pervading Lord brings to fulfillment.
The bride of the Lord is forever happy and virtuous; she shall never be a widow, and she shall never have to wear dirty clothes.
O Nanak, I love my True Husband Lord; my Beloved is the same, age after age. ||2||
O Baba, calculate that auspicious moment, when I too shall be going to my in-laws' house.
The moment of that marriage will be set by the Hukam of God's Command; His Will cannot be changed.
The karmic record of past deeds, written by the Creator Lord, cannot be erased by anyone.
The most respected member of the marriage party, my Husband, is the independent Lord of all beings, pervading and permeating the three worlds.
Maya, crying out in pain, leaves, seeing that the bride and the groom are in love.
O Nanak, the peace of the Mansion of God's Presence comes through the True Word of the Shabad; the bride keeps the Guru's Feet enshrined in her mind. ||3||

My father has given me in marriage far away, and I shall not return to my parents' home.
I am delighted to see my Husband Lord near at hand; in His Home, I am so beautiful.
My True Beloved Husband Lord desires me; He has joined me to Himself, and made my intellect pure and sublime.
By good destiny I met Him, and was given a place of rest; through the Guru's Wisdom, I have become virtuous.
I gather lasting Truth and contentment in my lap, and my Beloved is pleased with my truthful speech.
O Nanak, I shall not suffer the pain of separation; through the Guru's Teachings, I merge into the loving embrace of the Lord's Being. ||4||1||
Raag Soohee, First Mehl, Chhant, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My friends have come into my home.
The True Lord has united me with them.
The Lord automatically united me with them when it pleased Him; uniting with the chosen ones, I have found peace.
I have obtained that thing, which my mind desired.
Meeting with them, night and day, my mind is pleased; my home and mansion are beautified.
The unstruck sound current of the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, vibrates and resounds; my friends have come into my home. ||1||
So come, my beloved friends, and sing the songs of joy, O sisters.
Sing the true songs of joy and God will be pleased. You shall be celebrated throughout the four ages.
My Husband Lord has come into my home, and my place is adorned and decorated. Through the Shabad, my affairs have been resolved.
Applying the ointment, the supreme essence, of divine wisdom to my eyes, I see the Lord's form throughout the three worlds.
So join with me, my sisters, and sing the songs of joy and delight; my friends have come into my home. ||2||
My mind and body are drenched with Ambrosial Nectar;
deep within the nucleus of my self, is the jewel of the Lord's Love.
This invaluable jewel is deep within me; I contemplate the supreme essence of reality.
Living beings are mere beggars; You are the Giver of rewards; You are the Giver to each and every being.
You are Wise and All-knowing, the Inner-knower; You Yourself created the creation.
So listen, O my sisters - the Enticer has enticed my mind. My body and mind are drenched with Nectar. ||3||
O Supreme Soul of the World,
Your play is true.
Your play is true, O Inaccessible and Infinite Lord; without You, who can make me understand?
There are millions of Siddhas and enlightened seekers, but without You, who can call himself one?
Death and rebirth drive the mind insane; only the Guru can hold it in its place.
O Nanak, one who burns away his demerits and faults with the Shabad, accumulates virtue, and finds God. ||4||1||2||
Raag Soohee, First Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Come, my friend, so that I may behold the blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
I stand in my doorway, watching for You; my mind is filled with such a great yearning.
My mind is filled with such a great yearning; hear me, O God - I place my faith in You.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I have become free of desire; the pains of birth and death are taken away.

Your Light is in everyone; through it, You are known. Through love, You are easily met.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to my Friend; He has come home to meet with those who are true. ||1||
When her Friend comes to her home, the bride is very pleased.
She is fascinated with the True Word of the Lord's Shabad; gazing upon her Lord and Master, she is filled with joy.
She is filled with virtuous joy, and is totally pleased, when she is ravished and enjoyed by her Lord, and imbued with His Love.
Her faults and demerits are eradicated, and she roofs her home with virtue, through the Perfect Lord, the Architect of Destiny.
Conquering the thieves, she dwells as the mistress of her home, and administers justice wisely.
O Nanak, through the Lord's Name, she is emancipated; through the Guru's Teachings, she meets her Beloved. ||2||
The young bride has found her Husband Lord; her hopes and desires are fulfilled.
She enjoys and ravishes her Husband Lord, and blends into the Word of the Shabad, pervading and permeating everywhere; the Lord is not far away.
God is not far away; He is in each and every heart. All are His brides.
He Himself is the Enjoyer, He Himself ravishes and enjoys; this is His glorious greatness.
He is imperishable, immovable, invaluable and infinite. The True Lord is obtained through the Perfect Guru.
O Nanak, He Himself unites in Union; by His Glance of Grace, He lovingly attunes them to Himself. ||3||
My Husband Lord dwells in the loftiest balcony; He is the Supreme Lord of the three worlds.
I am amazed, gazing upon His glorious excellence; the unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates and resonates.
I contemplate the Shabad, and perform sublime deeds; I am blessed with the insignia, the banner of the Lord's Name.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the false find no place of rest; only the jewel of the Naam brings acceptance and renown.
Perfect is my honor, perfect is my intellect and password. I shall not have to come or go.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands her own self; she becomes like her Imperishable Lord God. ||4||1||3||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Soohee, Chhant, First Mehl, Fourth House:
The One who created the world, watches over it; He enjoins the people of the world to their tasks.
Your gifts, O Lord, illuminate the heart, and the moon casts its light on the body.
The moon glows, by the Lord's gift, and the darkness of suffering is taken away.
The marriage party of virtue looks beautiful with the Groom; He chooses His enticing bride with care.
The wedding is performed with glorious splendor; He has arrived, accompanied by the vibrations of the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds.
The One who created the world, watches over it; He enjoins the people of the world to their tasks. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my pure friends, the immaculate Saints.
This body is attached to them, and we have shared our minds.
We have shared our minds - how could I forget those friends?
Seeing them brings joy to my heart; I keep them clasped to my soul.
They have all virtues and merits, forever and ever; they have no demerits or faults at all.
I am a sacrifice to my pure friends, the immaculate Saints. ||2||
One who has a basket of fragrant virtues, should enjoy its fragrance.
If my friends have virtues, I will share in them.

Let us form a partnership, and share our virtues; let us abandon our faults, and walk on the Path.
Let us wear our virtues like silk clothes; let us decorate ourselves, and enter the arena.
Let us speak of goodness, wherever we go and sit; let us skim off the Ambrosial Nectar, and drink it in.
One who has a basket of fragrant virtues, should enjoy its fragrance. ||3||
He Himself acts; unto whom should we complain? No one else does anything.
Go ahead and complain to Him, if He makes a mistake.
If He makes a mistake, go ahead and complain to Him; but how can the Creator Himself make a mistake?
He sees, He hears, and without our asking, without our begging, He gives His gifts.
The Great Giver, the Architect of the Universe, gives His gifts. O Nanak, He is the True Lord.
He Himself acts; unto whom should we complain? No one else does anything. ||4||1||4||
Soohee, First Mehl:
My mind is imbued with His Glorious Praises; I chant them, and He is pleasing to my mind.
Truth is the ladder to the Guru; climbing up to the True Lord, peace is obtained.
Celestial peace comes; the Truth pleases me. How could these True Teachings ever be erased?
He Himself is Undeceivable; how could He ever be deceived by cleansing baths, charity, spiritual wisdom or ritual bathings?
Fraud, attachment and corruption are taken away, as are falsehood, hypocrisy and duality.
My mind is imbued with His Glorious Praises; I chant them, and He is pleasing to my mind. ||1||
So praise your Lord and Master, who created the creation.
Filth sticks to the polluted mind; how rare are those who drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
Churn this Ambrosial Nectar, and drink it in; dedicate this mind to the Guru, and He will value it highly.
I intuitively realized my God, when I linked my mind to the True Lord.
I will sing the Lord's Glorious Praises with Him, if it pleases Him; how could I meet Him by being a stranger to Him?
So praise your Lord and Master, who created the creation. ||2||
When He comes, what else remains behind? How can there be any coming or going then?
When the mind is reconciled with its Beloved Lord, it is blended with Him.
True is the speech of one who is imbued with the Love of his Lord and Master, who fashioned the body fortress from a mere bubble.
He is the Master of the five elements; He Himself is the Creator Lord. He embellished the body with Truth.
I am worthless; please hear me, O my Beloved! Whatever pleases You is True.
One who is blessed with true understanding, does not come and go. ||3||
Apply such an ointment to your eyes, which is pleasing to your Beloved.
I realize, understand and know Him, only if He Himself causes me to know Him.
He Himself shows me the Way, and He Himself leads me to it, attracting my mind.
He Himself causes us to do good and bad deeds; who can know the value of the Mysterious Lord?
I know nothing of Tantric spells, magical mantras and hypocritical rituals; enshrining the Lord within my heart, my mind is satisfied.
The ointment of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is only understood by one who realizes the Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||4||
I have my own friends; why should I go to the home of a stranger?
My friends are imbued with the True Lord; He is with them, in their minds.
In their minds, these friends celebrate in happiness; all good karma, righteousness and Dharma, the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage, charity and worship, are found in the love of the True Name.

He Himself creates, establishes and beholds all, by the Pleasure of His Will.
My friends are happy in the Love of the Lord; they nurture love for their Beloved. ||5||
If a blind man is made the leader, how will he know the way?
He is impaired, and his understanding is inadequate; how will he know the way?
How can he follow the path and reach the Mansion of the Lord's Presence? Blind is the understanding of the blind.
Without the Lord's Name, they cannot see anything; the blind are drowned in worldly entanglements.
Day and night, the Divine Light shines forth and joy wells up, when the Word of the Guru's Shabad abides in the mind.
With your palms pressed together, pray to the Guru to show you the way. ||6||
If the man becomes a stranger to God, then all the world becomes a stranger to him.
Unto whom should I tie up and give the bundle of my pains?
The whole world is overflowing with pain and suffering; who can know the state of my inner self?
Comings and goings are terrible and dreadful; there is no end to the rounds of reincarnation.
Without the Naam, he is vacant and sad; he does not listen to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
If the mind becomes a stranger to God, then all the world becomes a stranger to him. ||7||
One who finds the Guru's Mansion within the home of his own being, merges in the All-pervading Lord.
The sevadar performs selfless service when he is pleased, and confirmed in the True Word of the Shabad.
Confirmed in the Shabad, with her being softened by devotion, the bride dwells in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, deep within her being.
The Creator Himself creates; God Himself, in the end, is endless.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the mortal is united, and then embellished; the unstruck melody of the sound current resounds.
One who finds the Guru's Mansion within the home of his own being, merges in the All-pervading Lord. ||8||
Why praise that which is created? Praise instead the One who created it and watches over it.
His value cannot be estimated, no matter how much one may wish.
He alone can estimate the Lord's value, whom the Lord Himself causes to know. He is not mistaken; He does not make mistakes.
He alone celebrates victory, who is pleasing to You, through the Invaluable Word of the Guru's Shabad.
I am lowly and abject - I offer my prayer; may I never forsake the True Name, O Sibling of Destiny.
O Nanak, the One who created the creation, watches over it; He alone bestows understanding. ||9||2||5||
Raag Soohee, Chhant, Third Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate on the Lord, and find peace and pleasure.
As Gurmukh, obtain the Lord's fruitful rewards.
As Gurmukh, obtain the fruit of the Lord, and meditate on the Lord's Name; the pains of countless lifetimes shall be erased.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has arranged and resolved all my affairs.
The Lord God will bestow His Grace, if you meditate on the Lord; O humble servant of the Lord, you shall obtain the fruit of peace.
Says Nanak, listen O humble Sibling of Destiny: meditate on the Lord, and find peace and pleasure. ||1||
Hearing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I am intuitively drenched with His Love.
Under Guru's Instruction, I meditate intuitively on the Naam.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, meet the Guru, and their fears of birth and death leave them.

One who eliminates evil-mindedness and duality from within himself, that humble being lovingly focuses his mind on the Lord.
Those, upon whom my Lord and Master bestows His Grace, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day.
Hearing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I am intuitively drenched with His Love. ||2||
In this age, emancipation comes only from the Lord's Name.
Contemplative meditation on the Word of the Shabad emanates from the Guru.
Contemplating the Guru's Shabad, one comes to love the Lord's Name; he alone obtains it, unto whom the Lord shows Mercy.
In peace and poise, he sings the Lord's Praises day and night, and all sins are eradicated.
All are Yours, and You belong to all. I am Yours, and You are mine.
In this age, emancipation comes only from the Lord's Name. ||3||
The Lord, my Friend has come to dwell within the home of my heart;
singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, one is satisfied and fulfilled.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, one is satisfied forever, never to feel hunger again.
That humble servant of the Lord, who meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is worshipped in the ten directions.
O Nanak, He Himself joins and separates; there is no other than the Lord.
The Lord, my Friend has come to dwell within the home of my heart. ||4||1||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Soohee, Third Mehl, Third House:
The Dear Lord protects His humble devotees; throughout the ages, He has protected them.
Those devotees who become Gurmukh burn away their ego, through the Word of the Shabad.
Those who burn away their ego through the Shabad, become pleasing to my Lord; their speech becomes True.
They perform the Lord's true devotional service, day and night, as the Guru has instructed them.
The devotees' lifestyle is true, and absolutely pure; the True Name is pleasing to their minds.
O Nanak, the those devotees, who practice Truth, and only Truth, look beauteous in the Court of the True Lord. ||1||
The Lord is the social class and honor of His devotees; the Lord's devotees merge in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
They worship the Lord in devotion, and eradicate self-conceit from within themselves; they understand merits and demerits.
They understand merits and demerits, and chant the Lord's Name; devotional worship is sweet to them.
Night and day, they perform devotional worship, day and night, and in the home of the self, they remain detached.
Imbued with devotion, their minds remain forever immaculate and pure; they see their Dear Lord always with them.
O Nanak, those devotees are True in the Court of the Lord; night and day, they dwell upon the Naam. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs practice devotional rituals without the True Guru, but without the True Guru, there is no devotion.
They are afflicted with the diseases of egotism and Maya, and they suffer the pains of death and rebirth.
The world suffers the pains of death and rebirth, and through the love of duality, it is ruined; without the Guru, the essence of reality is not known.
Without devotional worship, everyone in the world is deluded and confused, and in the end, they depart with regrets.

Among millions, there is scarcely one who realizes the Name of the True Lord.
O Nanak, through the Naam, greatness is obtained; in the love of duality, all honor is lost. ||3||
In the home of the devotees, is the joy of true marriage; they chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever.
He Himself blesses them with the treasure of devotion; conquering the thorny pain of death, they merge in the Lord.
Conquering the thorny pain of death, they merge in the Lord; they are pleasing to the Lord's Mind, and they obtain the true treasure of the Naam.
This treasure is inexhaustible; it will never be exhausted. The Lord automatically blesses them with it.
The humble servants of the Lord are exalted and elevated, forever on high; they are adorned with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, He Himself forgives them, and merges them with Himself; throughout the ages, they are glorified. ||4||1||2||
Soohee, Third Mehl:
Through the True Word of the Shabad, true happiness prevails, there where the True Lord is contemplated.
Egotism and all sins are eradicated, when one keeps the True Lord enshrined in the heart.
One who keeps the True Lord enshrined in the heart, crosses over the terrible and dreadful world-ocean; he shall not have to cross over it again.
True is the True Guru, and True is the Word of His Bani; through it, the True Lord is seen.
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord merges in Truth; he beholds the True Lord everywhere.
O Nanak, True is the Lord and Master, and True is His Name; through Truth, comes emancipation. ||1||
The True Guru reveals the True Lord; the True Lord preserves our honor.
The true food is love for the True Lord; through the True Name, peace is obtained.
Through the True Name, the mortal finds peace; he shall never die, and never again enter the womb of reincarnation.
His light blends with the Light, and he merges into the True Lord; he is illuminated and enlightened with the True Name.
Those who know the Truth are True; night and day, they meditate on Truth.
O Nanak, those whose hearts are filled with the True Name, never suffer the pains of separation. ||2||
In that home, and in that heart, where the True Bani of the Lord's True Praises are sung, the songs of joy resound.
Through the immaculate virtues of the True Lord, the body and mind are rendered True, and God, the True Primal Being, dwells within.
Such a person practices only Truth, and speaks only Truth; whatever the True Lord does, that alone comes to pass.
Wherever I look, there I see the True Lord pervading; there is no other at all.
From the True Lord, we emanate, and into the True Lord, we shall merge; death and birth come from duality.
O Nanak, He Himself does everything; He Himself is the Cause. ||3||
The true devotees look beautiful in the Darbaar of the Lord's Court. They speak Truth, and only Truth.
Deep within the nucleus of their heart, is the True Word of the Lord's Bani. Through the Truth, they understand themselves.
They understand themselves, and so know the True Lord, through their true intuition.
True is the Shabad, and True is its Glory; peace comes only from Truth.
Imbued with Truth, the devotees love the One Lord; they do not love any other.
O Nanak, he alone obtains the True Lord, who has such pre-ordained destiny written upon his forehead. ||4||2||3||
Soohee, Third Mehl:
The soul-bride may wander throughout the four ages, but still, without the True Guru, she will not find her True Husband Lord.

The Kingdom of the Lord is permanent, and forever unchanging; there is no other than Him.
There is no other than Him - He is True forever; the Gurmukh knows the One Lord.
That soul-bride, whose mind accepts the Guru's Teachings, meets her Husband Lord.
Meeting the True Guru, she finds the Lord; without the Lord's Name, there is no liberation.
O Nanak, the soul-bride ravishes and enjoys her Husband Lord; her mind accepts Him, and she finds peace. ||1||
Serve the True Guru, O young and innocent bride; thus you shall obtain the Lord as your Husband.
You shall be the virtuous and happy bride of the True Lord forever; and you shall never again wear soiled clothes.
Your clothes shall never again be soiled; how rare are those few, who, as Gurmukh, recognize this, and conquer their ego.
So make your practice the practice of good deeds; merge into the Word of the Shabad, and deep within, come to know the One Lord.
The Gurmukh enjoys God, day and night, and so obtains true glory.
O Nanak, the soul-bride enjoys and ravishes her Beloved; God is pervading and permeating everywhere. ||2||
Serve the Guru, O young and innocent soul-bride, and he will lead to you meet your Husband Lord.
The bride is imbued with the Love of her Lord; meeting with her Beloved, she finds peace.
Meeting her Beloved, she finds peace, and merges in the True Lord; the True Lord is pervading everywhere.
The bride makes Truth her decorations, day and night, and remains absorbed in the True Lord.
The Lord, the Giver of peace, is realized through His Shabad; He hugs His bride close in His embrace.
O Nanak, the bride obtains the Mansion of His Presence; through the Guru's Teachings, she finds her Lord. ||3||
The Primal Lord, my God, has united His young and innocent bride with Himself.
Through the Guru's Teachings, her heart is illumined and enlightened; God is permeating and pervading everywhere.
God is permeating and pervading everywhere; He dwells in her mind, and she realizes her pre-ordained destiny.
On his cozy bed, she is pleasing to my God; she fashions her decorations of Truth.
The bride is immaculate and pure; she washes away the filth of egotism, and through the Guru's Teachings, she merges in the True Lord.
O Nanak, the Creator Lord blends her into Himself, and she obtains the nine treasure of the Naam. ||4||3||4||
Soohee, Third Mehl:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har; the Gurmukh obtains the Lord.
Night and day, chant the Word of the Shabad; night and day, the Shabad shall vibrate and resound.
The unstruck melody of the Shabad vibrates, and the Dear Lord comes into the home of my heart; O ladies, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
That soul-bride, who performs devotional worship service to the Guru night and day, becomes the Beloved bride of her Lord.
Those humble beings, whose hearts are filled with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, are adorned with the Shabad.
O Nanak, their hearts are forever filled with happiness; the Lord, in His Mercy, enters into their hearts. ||1||
The minds of the devotees are filled with bliss; they remain lovingly absorbed in the Lord's Name.
The mind of the Gurmukh is immaculate and pure; she sings the Immaculate Praises of the Lord.
Singing His Immaculate Praises, she enshrines in her mind the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and the Ambrosial Word of His Bani.
Those humble beings, within whose minds it abides, are emancipated; the Shabad permeates each and every heart.

Singing Your Glorious Praises, they merge naturally into You, O Lord; through the Shabad, they are united in Union with You.
O Nanak, their lives are fruitful; the True Guru places them on the Lord's Path. ||2||
Those who join the Society of the Saints are absorbed in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are forever 'jivan mukta' - liberated while yet alive; they are lovingly absorbed in the Name of the Lord.
They center their consciousness on the Lord's Name; through the Guru, they are united in His Union. Their minds are imbued with the Lord's Love.
They find the Lord, the Giver of peace, and they eradicate attachments; night and day, they contemplate the Naam.
They are imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and intoxicated with celestial peace; the Naam abides in their minds.
O Nanak, the homes of their hearts are filled with happiness, forever and always; they are absorbed in serving the True Guru. ||3||
Without the True Guru, the world is deluded by doubt; it does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
As Gurmukh, some are united in the Lord's Union, and their pains are dispelled.
Their pains are dispelled, when it is pleasing to the Lord's Mind; imbued with His Love, they sing His Praises forever.
The Lord's devotees are pure and humble forever; throughout the ages, they are forever respected.
They perform true devotional worship service, and are honored in the Lord's Court; the True Lord is their hearth and home.
O Nanak, true are their songs of joy, and true is their word; through the Word of the Shabad, they find peace. ||4||4||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
If you long for your Husband Lord, O young and innocent bride, then focus your consciousness on the Guru's feet.
You shall be a happy soul bride of your Dear Lord forever; He does not die or leave.
The Dear Lord does not die, and He does not leave; through the peaceful poise of the Guru, the soul bride becomes the lover of her Husband Lord.
Through truth and self-control, she is forever immaculate and pure; she is embellished with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
My God is True, forever and ever; He Himself created Himself.
O Nanak, she who focuses her consciousness on the Guru's feet, enjoys her Husband Lord. ||1||
When the young, innocent bride finds her Husband Lord, she is automatically intoxicated with Him, night and day.
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, her mind becomes blissful, and her body is not tinged with filth at all.
Her body is not tinged with filth at all, and she is imbued with her Lord God; my God unites her in Union.
Night and day, she enjoys her Lord God; her egotism is banished from within.
Through the Guru's Teachings, she easily finds and meets Him. She is imbued with her Beloved.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, she obtains glorious greatness. She ravishes and enjoys her God; she is imbued with His Love. ||2||
Ravishing her Husband Lord, she is imbued with His Love; she obtains the Mansion of His Presence.
She is utterly immaculate and pure; the Great Giver banishes self-conceit from within her.
The Lord drives out attachment from within her, when it pleases Him. The soul bride becomes pleasing to the Lord's Mind.
Night and day, she continually sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord; she speaks the Unspoken Speech.
Throughout the four ages, the One True Lord is permeating and pervading; without the Guru, no one finds Him.

O Nanak, she revels in joy, imbued with His Love; she focuses her consciousness on the Lord. ||3||
The mind of the soul bride is very happy, when she meets her Friend, her Beloved Lord.
Through the Guru's Teachings, her mind becomes immaculate; she enshrines the Lord within her heart.
Keeping the Lord enshrined within her heart, her affairs are arranged and resolved; through the Guru's Teachings, she knows her Lord.
My Beloved has enticed my mind; I have obtained the Lord, the Architect of Destiny.
Serving the True Guru, she finds lasting peace; the Lord, the Destroyer of pride, dwells in her mind.
O Nanak, she merges with her Guru, embellished and adorned with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||4||5||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The song of joy is the Naam, the Name of the Lord; contemplate it, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The mind and body of the Gurmukh is drenched with the Lord, the Beloved Lord.
Through the Name of the Beloved Lord, all one's ancestors and generations are redeemed; chant the Lord's Name with your mouth.
Comings and goings cease, peace is obtained, and in the home of the heart, one's awareness is absorbed in the unstruck melody of the sound current.
I have found the One and only Lord, Har, Har. The Lord God has showered His Mercy upon Nanak.
The song of joy is the Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, contemplate it. ||1||
I am lowly, and God is lofty and exalted. How will I ever meet Him?
The Guru has very mercifully blessed me and united me with the Lord; through the Shabad, the Word of the Lord, I am lovingly embellished.
Merging in the Word of the Shabad, I am lovingly embellished; my ego is eradicated, and I revel in joyous love.
My bed is so comfortable, since I became pleasing to God; I am absorbed in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
O Nanak, that soul bride is so very blessed, who walks in harmony with the True Guru's Will.
I am lowly, and God is lofty and exalted. How will I ever meet Him? ||2||
In each and every heart, and deep within all, is the One Lord, the Husband Lord of all.
God dwells far away from some, while for others, He is the Support of the mind.
For some, the Creator Lord is the Support of the mind; He is obtained by great good fortune, through the Guru.
The One Lord God, the Master, is in each and every heart; the Gurmukh sees the unseen.
The mind is satisfied, in natural ecstasy, O Nanak, contemplating God.
In each and every heart, and deep within all, is the One Lord, the Husband Lord of all. ||3||
Those who serve the Guru, the True Guru, the Giver, merge in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
O Lord, please bless me with the dust of the feet of the Perfect Guru, so that I, a sinner, may be liberated.
Even sinners are liberated, by eradicating their egotism; they obtain a home within their own heart.
With clear unerstanding, the night of their lives passes peacefully; through the Guru's Teachings, the Naam is revealed to them.
Through the Lord, Har, Har, I am in ecstasy, day and night. O Nanak, the Lord seems sweet.
Those who serve the Guru, the True Guru, the Giver, merge in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||6||7||5||7||12||

Raag Soohee, Fourth Mehl, Chhant, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If only I could meet the True Guru, the Primal Being. Discarding my faults and sins, I would chant the Lord's Glorious Praises.
I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. Continuously, continually, I chant the Word of the Guru's Bani.
Gurbani always seems so sweet; I have eradicated the sins from within.
The disease of egotism is gone, fear has left, and I am absorbed in celestial peace.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the bed of my body has become cozy and beautiful, and I enjoy the essence of spiritual wisdom.
Night and day, I continually enjoy peace and pleasure. O Nanak, this is my pre-ordained destiny. ||1||
The soul-bride is lovingly embellished with truth and contentment; her Father, the Guru, has come to engage her in marriage to her Husband Lord.
Joining with the humble Saints, I sing Gurbani.
Singing the Guru's Bani, I have obtained the supreme status; meeting with the Saints, the self-elect, I am blessed and adorned.
Anger and attachment have left my body and run away; I have eradicated hypocrisy and doubt.
The pain of egotism is gone, and I have found peace; my body has become healthy and free of disease.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, I have realized God, the ocean of virtue. ||2||
The self-willed manmukh is separated, far away from God; she does not obtain the Mansion of His Presence, and she burns.
Egotism and falsehood are deep within her; deluded by falsehood, she deals only in falsehood.
Practicing fraud and falsehood, she suffers terrible pain; without the True Guru, she does not find the way.
The foolish soul-bride wanders along dismal pathways; each and every moment, she is bumped and pushed.
God, the Great Giver, shows His Mercy, and leads her to meet the True Guru, the Primal Being.
Those beings who have been separated for countless incarnations, O Nanak, are reunited with the Lord, with intuitive ease. ||3||
Calculating the most auspicious moment, the Lord comes into the bride's home; her heart is filled with ecstasy.
The Pandits and astrologers have come, to sit and consult the almanacs.
They have consulted the almanacs, and the bride's mind vibrates with bliss, when she hears that her Friend is coming into the home of her heart.
The virtuous and wise men sat down and decided to perform the marriage immediately.
She has found her Husband, the Inaccessible, Unfathomable Primal Lord, who is forever young; He is her Best Friend from her earliest childhood.
O Nanak, he has mercifully united the bride with Himself. She shall never be separated again. ||4||1||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl:
In the first round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord sets out His Instructions for performing the daily duties of married life.
Instead of the hymns of the Vedas to Brahma, embrace the righteous conduct of Dharma, and renounce sinful actions.
Meditate on the Lord's Name; embrace and enshrine the contemplative remembrance of the Naam.
Worship and adore the Guru, the Perfect True Guru, and all your sins shall be dispelled.
By great good fortune, celestial bliss is attained, and the Lord, Har, Har, seems sweet to the mind.

Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the first round of the marriage ceremony, the marriage ceremony has begun. ||1||
In the second round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord leads you to meet the True Guru, the Primal Being.
With the Fear of God, the Fearless Lord in the mind, the filth of egotism is eradicated.
In the Fear of God, the Immaculate Lord, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and behold the Lord's Presence before you.
The Lord, the Supreme Soul, is the Lord and Master of the Universe; He is pervading and permeating everywhere, fully filling all spaces.
Deep within, and outside as well, there is only the One Lord God. Meeting together, the humble servants of the Lord sing the songs of joy.
Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the second round of the marriage ceremony, the unstruck sound current of the Shabad resounds. ||2||
In the third round of the marriage ceremony, the mind is filled with Divine Love.
Meeting with the humble Saints of the Lord, I have found the Lord, by great good fortune.
I have found the Immaculate Lord, and I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. I speak the Word of the Lord's Bani.
By great good fortune, I have found the humble Saints, and I speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, vibrates and resounds within my heart; meditating on the Lord, I have realized the destiny inscribed upon my forehead.
Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the third round of the marriage ceremony, the mind is filled with Divine Love for the Lord. ||3||
In the fourth round of the marriage ceremony, my mind has become peaceful; I have found the Lord.
As Gurmukh, I have met Him, with intuitive ease; the Lord seems so sweet to my mind and body.
The Lord seems so sweet; I am pleasing to my God. Night and day, I lovingly focus my consciousness on the Lord.
I have obtained my Lord and Master, the fruit of my mind's desires. The Lord's Name resounds and resonates.
The Lord God, my Lord and Master, blends with His bride, and her heart blossoms forth in the Naam.
Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the fourth round of the marriage ceremony, we have found the Eternal Lord God. ||4||2||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Soohee, Chhant, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
The Gurmukhs sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord;
in their hearts, and on their tongues, they enjoy and savor His taste.
They enjoy and savor His taste, and are pleasing to my God, who meets them with natural ease.
Night and day, they enjoy enjoyments, and they sleep in peace; they remain lovingly absorbed in the Word of the Shabad.
By great good fortune, one obtains the Perfect Guru; night and day, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In absolute ease and poise, one meets the Life of the World. O Nanak, one is absorbed in the state of absolute absorption. ||1||
Joining the Society of the Saints, I bathe in the Immaculate Pool of the Lord.
Bathing in these Immaculate Waters, my filth is removed, and my body is purified and sanctified.
The filth of intellectual evil-mindedness is removed, doubt is gone, and the pain of egotism is dispelled.
By God's Grace, I found the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. I dwell in the home of my own inner being.

My tongue tastes the taste of the Lord's joyous song; O Nanak, the Naam shines forth brightly. ||2||
The Gurmukh loves the Name of the Lord; deep within, she contemplates the jewel of the Naam.
Those who love the Lord's Name are emancipated through the Word of the Shabad. The darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
Spiritual wisdom burns brilliantly, illuminating the heart; their homes and temples are embellished and blessed.
I have made my body and mind into adornments, and dedicated them to the True Lord God, pleasing Him.
Whatever God says, I gladly do. O Nanak, I have merged into the fiber of His Being. ||3||
The Lord God has arranged the marriage ceremony;
He has come to marry the Gurmukh.
He has come to marry the Gurmukh, who has found the Lord. That bride is very dear to her Lord.
The humble Saints join together and sing the songs of joy; the Dear Lord Himself has adorned the soul-bride.
The angels and mortal beings, the heavenly heralds and celestial singers, have come together and formed a wondrous wedding party.
O Nanak, I have found my True Lord God, who never dies, and is not born. ||4||1||3||
Raag Soohee, Chhant, Fourth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Come, humble Saints, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Let us gather together as Gurmukh; within the home of our own heart, the Shabad vibrates and resonates.
The many melodies of the Shabad are Yours, O Lord God; O Creator Lord, You are everywhere.
Day and night, I chant His Praises forever, lovingly focusing on the True Word of the Shabad.
Night and day, I remain intuitively attuned to the Lord's Love; in my heart, I worship the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, I have realized the One Lord; I do not know any other. ||1||
He is contained amongst all; He is God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
One who meditates and dwells upon God, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, knows that God, my Lord and Master, is pervading everywhere.
God, my Lord and Master, is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; He pervades and permeates each and every heart.
Through the Guru's Teachings, Truth is obtained, and then, one merges in celestial bliss. There is no other than Him.
I sing His Praises with intuitive ease. If it pleases God, He shall unite me with Himself.
O Nanak, through the Shabad, God is known; meditate on the Naam, day and night. ||2||
This world is treacherous and impassable; the self-willed manmukh cannot cross over.
Within him is egotism, self-conceit, sexual desire, anger and cleverness.
Within him is cleverness; he is not approved, and his life is uselessly wasted and lost.
On the Path of Death, he suffers in pain, and must endure abuse; in the end, he departs regretfully.
Without the Name, he has no friends, no children, family or relatives.
O Nanak, the wealth of Maya, attachment and ostentatious shows - none of them shall go along with him to the world hereafter. ||3||
I ask my True Guru, the Giver, how to cross over the treacherous and difficult world-ocean.
Walk in harmony with the True Guru's Will, and remain dead while yet alive.
Remaining dead while yet alive, cross over the terrifying world-ocean; as Gurmukh, merge in the Naam.

One obtains the Perfect Primal Lord, by great good fortune, lovingly focusing on the True Name.
The intellect is enlightened, and the mind is satisfied, through the glory of the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, God is found, merging in the Shabad, and one's light blends into the Light. ||4||1||4||
Soohee, Fourth Mehl, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O humble Saints, I have met my Beloved Guru; the fire of my desire is quenched, and my yearning is gone.
I dedicate my mind and body to the True Guru; I pray that may He unite me with God, the treasure of virtue.
Blessed, blessed is the Guru, the Supreme Being, who tells me of the most blessed Lord.
By great good fortune, servant Nanak has found the Lord; he blossoms forth in the Naam. ||1||
I have met my Beloved Friend, the Guru, who has shown me the Path to the Lord.
Come home - I have been separated from You for so long! Please, let me merge with You, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, O my Lord God.
Without You, I am so sad; like a fish out of water, I shall die.
The very fortunate ones meditate on the Lord; servant Nanak merges into the Naam. ||2||
The mind runs around in the ten directions; the self-willed manmukh wanders around, deluded by doubt.
In his mind, he continually conjures up hopes; his mind is gripped by hunger and thirst.
There is an infinite treasure buried within the mind, but still, he goes out, searching for poison.
O servant Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; without the Name, he rots away, and wastes away to death. ||3||
Finding the beautiful and fascinating Guru, I have conquered my mind, through the Bani, the Word of my Beloved Lord.
My heart has forgotten its common sense and wisdom; my mind has forgotten its hopes and cares.
Deep within my self, I feel the pains of divine love. Beholding the Guru, my mind is comforted and consoled.
Awaken my good destiny, O God - please, come and meet me! Each and every instant, servant Nanak is a sacrifice to You. ||4||1||5||
Soohee, Chhant, Fourth Mehl:
Eradicate the poison of egotism, O human being; it is holding you back from meeting your Lord God.
This golden-colored body has been disfigured and ruined by egotism.
Attachment to Maya is total darkness; this foolish, self-willed manmukh is attached to it.
O servant Nanak, the Gurmukh is saved; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is released from egotism. ||1||
Overcome and subdue this mind; your mind wanders around continually, like a falcon.
The mortal's life-night passes painfully, in constant hope and desire.
I have found the Guru, O humble Saints; my mind's hopes are fulfilled, chanting the Lord's Name.
Please bless servant Nanak, O God, with such understanding, that abandoning false hopes, he may always sleep in peace. ||2||
The bride hopes in her mind, that her Sovereign Lord God will come to her bed.
My Lord and Master is infinitely compassionate; O Sovereign Lord, be merciful, and merge me into Yourself.

My mind and body long to behold the Guru's face. O Sovereign Lord, I have spread out my bed of loving faith.
O servant Nanak, when the bride pleases her Lord God, her Sovereign Lord meets her with natural ease. ||3||
My Lord God, my Sovereign Lord, is on the one bed. The Guru has shown me how to meet my Lord.
My mind and body are filled with love and affection for my Sovereign Lord. In His Mercy, the Guru has united me with Him.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, O my Sovereign Lord; I surrender my soul to the True Guru.
When the Guru is totally pleased, O servant Nanak, he unites the soul with the Lord, the Sovereign Lord. ||4||2||6||5||7||6||18||
Raag Soohee, Chhant, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Listen, madman: gazing upon the world, why have you gone crazy?
Listen, madman: you have been trapped by false love, which is transitory, like the fading color of the safflower.
Gazing upon the false world, you are fooled. It is not worth even half a shell. Only the Name of the Lord of the Universe is permanent.
You shall take on the deep and lasting red color of the poppy, contemplating the sweet Word of the Guru's Shabad.
You remain intoxicated with false emotional attachment; you are attached to falsehood.
Nanak, meek and humble, seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, the treasure of mercy. He preserves the honor of His devotees. ||1||
Listen, madman: serve your Lord, the Master of the breath of life.
Listen, madman: whoever comes, shall go.
Listen, O wandering stranger: that which you believe to be permanent, shall all pass away; so remain in the Saints' Congregation.
Listen, renunciate: by your good destiny, obtain the Lord, and remain attached to God's Feet.
Dedicate and surrender this mind to the Lord, and have no doubts; as Gurmukh, renounce your great pride.
O Nanak, the Lord carries the meek and humble devotees across the terrifying world-ocean. What Glorious Virtues of Your should I chant and recite? ||2||
Listen, madman: why do you harbor false pride?
Listen, madman: all your egotism and pride shall be overcome.
What you think is permanent, shall all pass away. Pride is false, so become the slave of God's Saints.
Remain dead while still alive, and you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean, if it is your pre-ordained destiny.
One whom the Lord causes to meditate intuitively, serves the Guru, and drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's Door; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to Him. ||3||
Listen, madman: do not think that you have found God.
Listen, madman: be the dust under the feet of those who meditate on God.
Those who meditate on God find peace. By great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of their Darshan is obtained.
Be humble, and be forever a sacrifice, and your self-conceit shall be totally eradicated.
One who has found God is pure, with blessed destiny. I would sell myself to him.
Nanak, the meek and humble, seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of peace. Make him Your own, and preserve his honor. ||4||1||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru was satisfied with me, and blessed me with the Support of the Lord's Lotus Feet. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.

The Lord's Ambrosial Nectar is an overflowing treasure; everything is in His Home. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
My Father is absolutely all-powerful. God is the Doer, the Cause of causes.
Remembering Him in meditation, pain does not touch me; thus I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
In the beginning, and throughout the ages, He is the Protector of His devotees. Praising Him continually, I live.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the sweetest and most sublime essence. Night and day, I drink it in with my mind and body. ||1||
The Lord unites me with Himself; how could I feel any separation? I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
One who has Your Support lives forever and ever. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
I take my support from You alone, O True Creator Lord.
No one lacks this Support; such is my God.
Meeting with the humble Saints, I sing the songs of joy; day and night, I place my hopes in You.
I have obtained the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of the Perfect Guru. Nanak is forever a sacrifice. ||2||
Contemplating, dwelling upon the Lord's true home, I receive honor, greatness and truth. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
Meeting the Merciful True Guru, I sing the Praises of the Imperishable Lord. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, continually, continuously; He is the Beloved Master of the breath of life.
Good times have come; the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, has met me, and hugged me close in His Embrace.
The musical instruments of truth and contentment vibrate, and the unstruck melody of the sound current resounds.
Hearing this, all my fears have been dispelled; O Nanak, God is the Primal Being, the Creator Lord. ||3||
The essence of spiritual wisdom has welled up; in this world, and the next, the One Lord is pervading. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
When God meets the God within the self, no one can separate them. I am a sacrifice to the Lord.
I gaze upon the Wondrous Lord, and listen to the Wondrous Lord; the Wondrous Lord has come into my vision.
The Perfect Lord and Master is pervading the water, the land and the sky, in each and every heart.
I have merged again into the One from whom I originated. The value of this cannot be described.
Nanak meditates on Him. ||4||2||
Raag Soohee, Chhant, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
I am awake, night and day, in the Lord's Love.
Awake to the Lord's Love, my sins have left me. I meet with the Beloved Saints.
Attached to the Guru's Feet, my doubts are dispelled, and all my affairs are resolved.
Listening to the Word of the Guru's Bani with my ears, I know celestial peace. By great good fortune, I meditate on the Lord's Name.
Prays Nanak, I have entered my Lord and Master's Sanctuary. I dedicate my body and soul to God. ||1||
The unstruck melody of the Shabad, the Word of God is so very beautiful.
True joy comes from singing the Lord's Praises.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, pain is dispelled, and my mind is filled with tremendous joy.
My mind and body have become immaculate and pure, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan; I chant the Name of God.

I am the dust of the feet of the Holy. Worshipping God in adoration, my God is pleased with me.
Prays Nanak, please bless me with Your Mercy, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises forever. ||2||
Meeting with the Guru, I cross over the world-ocean.
Meditating on the Lord's Feet, I am emancipated.
Meditating on the Lord's Feet, I have obtained the fruits of all rewards, and my comings and goings have ceased.
With loving devotional worship, I meditate intuitively on the Lord, and my God is pleased.
Meditate on the One, Unseen, Infinite, Perfect Lord; there is no other than Him.
Prays Nanak, the Guru has erased my doubts; wherever I look, there I see Him. ||3||
The Lord's Name is the Purifier of sinners.
It resolves the affairs of the humble Saints.
I have found the Saintly Guru, meditating on God. All my desires have been fulfilled.
The fever of egotism has been dispelled, and I am always happy. I have met God, from whom I was separated for so long.
My mind has found peace and tranquility; congratulations are pouring in. I shall never forget Him from my mind.
Prays Nanak, the True Guru has taught me this, to vibrate and meditate forever on the Lord of the Universe. ||4||1||3||
Raag Soohee, Chhant, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my Lord and Master, You are unattached; You have so many hand-maidens like me, Lord.
You are the ocean, the source of jewels; I do not know Your value, Lord.
I do not know Your value; You are the wisest of all; please show Mercy unto me, O Lord.
Show Your Mercy, and bless me with such understanding, that I may meditate on You, twenty-four hours a day.
O soul, don't be so arrogant - become the dust of all, and you shall be saved.
Nanak's Lord is the Master of all; He has so many hand-maidens like me. ||1||
Your depth is profound and utterly unfathomable; You are my Husband Lord, and I am Your bride.
You are the greatest of the great, exalted and lofty on high; I am infinitesimally small.
I am nothing; You are the One and only. You Yourself are All-knowing.
With just a momentary Glance of Your Grace, God, I live; I enjoy all pleasures and delights.
I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet; I am the slave of Your slaves. My mind has blossomed forth, and my body is rejuvenated.
O Nanak, the Lord and Master is contained amongst all; He does just as He pleases. ||2||
I take pride in You; You are my only Strength, Lord.
You are my understanding, intellect and knowledge. I know only what You cause me to know, Lord.
He alone knows, and he alone understands, upon whom the Creator Lord bestows His Grace.
The self-willed manmukh wanders along many paths, and is trapped in the net of Maya.
She alone is virtuous, who is pleasing to her Lord and Master. She alone enjoys all the pleasures.
You, O Lord, are Nanak's only support. You are Nanak's only pride. ||3||
I am a sacrifice, devoted and dedicated to You; You are my sheltering mountain, Lord.
I am a sacrifice, thousands, hundreds of thousands of times, to the Lord. He has torn away the veil of doubt;

darkness has been eliminated, and I have renounced corruption and sin. My mind is reconciled with my Lord and Master.
I have become pleasing to my Dear God, and I have become carefree. My life is fulfilled and approved.
I have become invaluable, of tremendous weight and value. The Door, and the Path of liberation are open to me now.
Says Nanak, I am fearless; God has become my Shelter and Shield. ||4||1||4||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
My Perfect True Guru is my Best Friend, the Primal Being. I do not know any other than Him, Lord.
He is my mother, father, sibling, child, relative, soul and breath of life. He is so pleasing to my mind, O Lord.
My body and soul are all His blessings. He is overflowing with every quality of virtue.
My God is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. He is totally permeating and pervading everywhere.
In His Sanctuary, I receive every comfort and pleasure. I am totally, completely happy.
Forever and ever, Nanak is a sacrifice to God, forever, a devoted sacrifice. ||1||
By great good fortune, one finds such a Guru, meeting whom, the Lord God is known.
The sins of countless lifetimes are erased, bathing continually in the dust of the feet of God's Saints.
Bathing in the dust of the feet of the Lord, and meditating on God, you shall not have to enter into the womb of reincarnation again.
Grasping hold of the Guru's Feet, doubt and fear are dispelled, and you receive the fruits of your mind's desires.
Continually singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you shall no longer suffer in pain and sorrow.
O Nanak, God is the Giver of all souls; His radiant glory is perfect! ||2||
The Lord, Har, Har, is the treasure of virtue; the Lord is under the power of His Saints.
Those who are dedicated to the feet of the Saints, and to serving the Guru, obtain the supreme status, O Lord.
They obtain the supreme status, and eradicate self-conceit; the Perfect Lord showers His Grace upon them.
Their lives are fruitful, their fears are dispelled, and they meet the One Lord, the Destroyer of ego.
He blends into the One, to whom he belongs; his light merges into the Light.
O Nanak, chant the Naam, the Name of the Immaculate Lord; meeting the True Guru, peace is obtained. ||3||
Sing continually the songs of joy, O humble beings of the Lord; all your desires shall be fulfilled.
Those who are imbued with the Love of their Lord and Master do not die, or come or go in reincarnation.
The Imperishable Lord is obtained, meditating on the Naam, and all one's wishes are fulfilled.
Peace, poise, and all ecstasy are obtained, attaching one's mind to the Guru's feet.
The Imperishable Lord is permeating and pervading each and every heart; He is in all places and interspaces.
Says Nanak, all affairs are perfectly resolved, focusing one's mind on the Guru's Feet. ||4||2||5||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Be Merciful, O my Beloved Lord and Master, that I may behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan with my eyes.
Please bless me, O my Beloved, with thousands of tongues, to worship and adore You with my mouth, O Lord.
Worshipping the Lord in adoration, the Path of Death is overcome, and no pain or suffering will afflict you.
The Lord and Master is pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky; wherever I look, there He is.
Doubt, attachment and corruption are gone. God is the nearest of the near.

Please bless Nanak with Your Merciful Grace, O God, that his eyes may behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||
Please bless me, O Beloved God, with millions of ears, with which I may hear the Glorious Praises of the Imperishable Lord.
Listening, listening to these, this mind becomes spotless and pure, and the noose of Death is cut.
The noose of Death is cut, meditating on the Imperishable Lord, and all happiness and wisdom are obtained.
Chant, and meditate, day and night, on the Lord, Har, Har. Focus your meditation on the Celestial Lord.
The painful sins are burnt away, by keeping God in one's thoughts; evil-mindedness is erased.
Says Nanak, O God, please be Merciful to me, that I may listen to Your Glorious Praises, O Imperishable Lord. ||2||
Please give me millions of hands to serve You, God, and let my feet walk on Your Path.
Service to the Lord is the boat to carry us across the terrifying world-ocean.
So cross over the terrifying world-ocean, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har; all wishes shall be fulfilled.
Even the worst corruption is taken away; peace wells up, and the unstruck celestial harmony vibrates and resounds.
All the fruits of the mind's desires are obtained; His creative power is infinitely valuable.
Says Nanak, please be Merciful to me, God, that my mind may follow Your Path forever. ||3||
This opportunity, this glorious greatness, this blessing and wealth, come by great good fortune.
These pleasures, these delightful enjoyments, come when my mind is attached to the Lord's Feet.
My mind is attached to God's Feet; I seek His Sanctuary. He is the Creator, the Cause of causes, the Cherisher of the world.
Everything is Yours; You are my God, O my Lord and Master, Merciful to the meek.
I am worthless, O my Beloved, ocean of peace. In the Saints' Congregation, my mind is awakened.
Says Nanak, God has been Merciful to me; my mind is attached to His Lotus Feet. ||4||3||6||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on the Lord, the Lord's Temple has been built; the Saints and devotees sing the Lord's Glorious Praises.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance of God, their Lord and Master, they discard and renounce all their sins.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the supreme status is obtained. The Word of God's Bani is sublime and exalted.
God's Sermon is so very sweet. It brings celestial peace. It is to speak the Unspoken Speech.
The time and the moment were auspicious, blessed and true, when the eternal foundation of this Temple was placed.
O servant Nanak, God has been kind and compassionate; with all His powers, He has blessed me. ||1||
The sounds of ecstasy vibrate through me continuously. I have enshrined the Supreme Lord within my mind.
As Gurmukh, my lifestyle is excellent and true; my false hopes and doubts are dispelled.
The Gurmukh chants the Bani of the unstruck melody; hearing it, listening to it, my mind and body are rejuvenated.
All pleasures are obtained, by that one whom God makes His Own.
Within the home of the heart are the nine treasures, filled to overflowing. He has fallen in love with the Lord's Name.
Servant Nanak shall never forget God; his destiny is perfectly fulfilled. ||2||
God, the King, has given me shade under His canopy, and the fire of desire has been totally extinguished.
The home of sorrow and sin has been demolished, and all affairs have been resolved.
When the Lord God so commands, misfortune is averted; true righteousness, Dharma and charity flourish.

Meditate forever on your God, when you sleep and sit and stand.
The Lord and Master is the treasure of virtue, the ocean of peace; He pervades the water, the land and the sky.
Servant Nanak has entered God's Sanctuary; there is no other than Him. ||3||
My home is made, the garden and pool are made, and my Sovereign Lord God has met me.
My mind is adorned, and my friends rejoice; I sing the songs of joy, and the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord God, all desires are fulfilled.
Those who are attached to the Guru's Feet are always awake and aware; His Praises resound and resonate through their minds.
My Lord and Master, the bringer of peace, has blessed me with His Grace; He has arranged this world, and the world hereafter for me.
Prays Nanak, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord forever; He is the Support of the body and soul. ||4||4||7||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The terrifying world-ocean, the terrifying world-ocean - I have crossed over it, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
I worship and adore the Lord's Feet, the boat to carry me across. Meeting the True Guru, I am carried over.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I cross over, and I shall not die again; my comings and goings are ended.
Whatever He does, I accept as good, and my mind merges in celestial peace.
Neither pain, nor hunger, nor disease afflicts me. I have found the Sanctuary of the Lord, the ocean of peace.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Nanak is imbued with His Love; his mind's anxieties are dispelled. ||1||
The humble Saints have implanted the Lord's Mantra within me, and the Lord, my Best Friend, has come under my power.
I have dedicated my mind to my Lord and Master, and offered it to Him, and He has blessed me with everything.
He has made me His hand-maiden and slave; my sadness is dispelled, and in the Lord's Temple, I have found stability.
My joy and bliss are in meditating on my True God; I shall never be separated from Him again.
She alone is very fortunate, and a true soul-bride, who contemplates the Glorious Vision of the Lord's Name.
Says Nanak, I am imbued with His Love, drenched in the supreme, sublime essence of His Love. ||2||
I am in continual bliss and ecstasy, O my companions; I sing the songs of joy forever.
God Himself has embellished her, and she has become His virtuous soul-bride.
With natural ease, He has become Merciful to her. He does not consider her merits or demerits.
He hugs His humble servants close in His Loving Embrace; they enshrine the Lord's Name in their hearts.
Everyone is engrossed in arrogant pride, attachment and intoxication; in His Mercy, He has freed me of them.
Says Nanak, I have crossed over the terrifying world-ocean, and all my affairs are perfectly resolved. ||3||
Continually sing the Glorious Praises of the World-Lord, O my companions; all your wishes shall be granted.
Life becomes fruitful, meeting with the Holy Saints, and meditating on the One God, the Creator of the Universe.
Chant, and meditate on the One God, who permeates and pervades the many beings of the whole Universe.
God created it, and God spreads through it everywhere. Everywhere I look, I see God.
The Perfect Lord is perfectly pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky; there is no place without Him.

Beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, Nanak has blossomed forth; the Lord has united him in Union. ||4||5||8||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
Eternal and immovable is the City of God and Guru; chanting His Name, I have found peace.
I have obtained the fruits of my mind's desires; the Creator Himself established it.
The Creator Himself established it. I have found total peace; my children, siblings and Sikhs have all blossomed forth in bliss.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Perfect Transcendent Lord, my affairs have come to be resolved.
God Himself is my Lord and Master. He Himself is my Saving Grace; He Himself is my father and mother.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the True Guru, who has embellished and adorned this place. ||1||
Homes, mansions, stores and markets are beautiful, when the Lord's Name abides within.
The Saints and devotees worship the Lord's Name in adoration, and the noose of Death is cut away.
The noose of Death is cut away, meditating on the Name of the Eternal, Unchanging Lord, Har, Har.
Everything is perfect for them, and they obtain the fruits of their mind's desires.
The Saints and friends enjoy peace and pleasure; their pain, suffering and doubts are dispelled.
The Perfect True Guru has embellished them with the Word of the Shabad; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to them. ||2||
The gift of our Lord and Master is perfect; it increases day by day.
The Supreme Lord God has made me His own; His Glorious Greatness is so great!
From the very beginning, and throughout the ages, He is the Protector of His devotees; God has become merciful to me.
All beings and creatures now dwell in peace; God Himself cherishes and cares for them.
The Praises of the Lord and Master are totally pervading in the ten directions; I cannot express His worth.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the True Guru, who has laid this eternal foundation. ||3||
The spiritual wisdom and meditation of the Perfect Transcendent Lord, and the Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, are continually heard there.
The devotees of the Lord, the Destroyer of fear, play endlessly there, and the unstruck melody resounds and vibrates there.
The unstruck melody resounds and resonates, and the Saints contemplate the essence of reality; this discourse is their daily routine.
They worship the Lord's Name, and all their filth is washed away; they rid themselves of all sins.
There is no birth or death there, no coming or going, and no entering into the womb of reincarnation again.
Nanak has found the Guru, the Transcendent Lord; by His Grace, desires are fulfilled. ||4||6||9||
Soohee, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord Himself has stood up to resolve the affairs of the Saints; He has come to complete their tasks.
The land is beautiful, and the pool is beautiful; within it is contained the Ambrosial Water.
The Ambrosial Water is filling it, and my job is perfectly complete; all my desires are fulfilled.
Congratulations are pouring in from all over the world; all my sorrows are eliminated.
The Vedas and the Puraanas sing the Praises of the Perfect, Unchanging, Imperishable Primal Lord.
The Transcendent Lord has kept His promise, and confirmed His nature; Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
The Creator has given me the nine treasures, wealth and spiritual powers, and I do not lack anything.

Eating, spending and enjoying, I have found peace; the gifts of the Creator Lord continually increase.
His gifts increase and shall never be exhausted; I have found the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
Millions of obstacles have all been removed, and pain does not even approach me.
Tranquility, peace, poise and bliss in abundance prevail, and all my hunger is satisfied.
Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of his Lord and Master, whose Glorious Greatness is wonderful and amazing. ||2||
It was His job, and He has done it; what can the mere mortal being do?
The devotees are adorned, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; they proclaim His eternal victory.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, bliss wells up, and we are friends with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He who made the effort to construct this sacred pool - how can his praises be recounted?
The merits of the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, charity, good deeds and immaculate lifestyle, are found in this sacred pool.
It is the natural way of the Lord and Master to purify sinners; Nanak takes the Support of the Word of the Shabad. ||3||
The treasure of virtue is my God, the Creator Lord; what Praises of Yours should I sing, O Lord?
The prayer of the Saints is, "O Lord and Master, please bless us with the supreme, sublime essence of Your Name."
Please, grant us Your Name, grant us this blessing, and do not forget us, even for an instant.
Chant the Glorious Praises of the World-Lord, O my tongue; sing them forever, night and day.
One who enshrines love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord, his mind and body are drenched with Ambrosial Nectar.
Prays Nanak, my desires have been fulfilled; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord, I live. ||4||7||10||
Raag Soohee, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My Dear Lord and Master, my Friend, speaks so sweetly.
I have grown weary of testing Him, but still, He never speaks harshly to me.
He does not know any bitter words; the Perfect Lord God does not even consider my faults and demerits.
It is the Lord's natural way to purify sinners; He does not overlook even an iota of service.
He dwells in each and every heart, pervading everywhere; He is the nearest of the near.
Slave Nanak seeks His Sanctuary forever; the Lord is my Ambrosial Friend. ||1||
I am wonder-struck, gazing upon the incomparable Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
My Dear Lord and Master is so beautiful; I am the dust of His Lotus Feet.
Gazing upon God, I live, and I am at peace; no one else is as great as He is.
Present at the beginning, end and middle of time, He pervades the sea, the land and the sky.
Meditating on His Lotus Feet, I have crossed over the sea, the terrifying world-ocean.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Perfect Transcendent Lord; You have no end or limitation, Lord. ||2||
I shall not forsake, even for an instant, my Dear Beloved Lord, the Support of the breath of life.
The Guru, the True Guru, has instructed me in the contemplation of the True, Inaccessible Lord.
Meeting with the humble, Holy Saint, I obtained the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and the pains of birth and death left me.
I have been blessed with peace, poise and abundant bliss, and the knot of egotism has been untied.

He is inside all, and outside of all; He is untouched by love or hate.
Slave Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lord of the Universe; the Beloved Lord is the Support of the mind. ||3||
I searched and searched, and found the immovable, unchanging home of the Lord.
I have seen that everything is transitory and perishable, and so I have linked my consciousness to the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
God is eternal and unchanging, and I am just His hand-maiden; He does not die, or come and go in reincarnation.
He is overflowing with Dharmic faith, wealth and success; He fulfills the desires of the mind.
The Vedas and the Simritees sing the Praises of the Creator, while the Siddhas, seekers and silent sages meditate on Him.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of his Lord and Master, the treasure of mercy; by great good fortune, he sings the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||1||11||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Vaar Of Soohee, With Shaloks Of The Third Mehl:
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In her red robes, the discarded bride goes out, seeking enjoyment with another's husband.
She leaves the husband of her own home, enticed by her love of duality.
She finds it sweet, and eats it up; her excessive sensuality only makes her disease worse.
She forsakes the Lord, her sublime Husband, and then later, she suffers the pain of separation from Him.
But she who becomes Gurmukh, turns away from corruption and adorns herself, attuned to the Love of the Lord.
She enjoys her celestial Husband Lord, and enshrines the Lord's Name within her heart.
She is humble and obedient; she is His virtuous bride forever; the Creator unites her with Himself.
O Nanak, she who has obtained the True Lord as her husband, is a happy soul-bride forever. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O meek, red-robed bride, keep your Husband Lord always in your thoughts.
O Nanak, your life shall be embellished, and your generations shall be saved along with you. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself established His throne, in the Akaashic ethers and the nether worlds.
By the Hukam of His Command, He created the earth, the true home of Dharma.
He Himself created and destroys; He is the True Lord, merciful to the meek.
You give sustenance to all; how wonderful and unique is the Hukam of Your Command!
You Yourself are permeating and pervading; You Yourself are the Cherisher. ||1||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The red-robed woman becomes a happy soul-bride, only when she accepts the True Name.
Become pleasing to your True Guru, and you shall be totally beautified; otherwise, there is no place of rest.
So decorate yourself with the decorations that will never stain, and love the Lord day and night.
O Nanak, what is the character of the happy soul-bride? Within her, is Truth; her face is bright and radiant, and she is absorbed in her Lord and Master. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O people: I am in red, dressed in a red robe.
But my Husband Lord is not obtained by any robes; I have tried and tried, and given up wearing robes.
O Nanak, they alone obtain their Husband Lord, who listen to the Guru's Teachings.
Whatever pleases Him, happens. In this way, the Husband Lord is met. ||2||

Pauree:
By His Command, He created the creation, the world with its many species of beings.
I do not know how great Your Command is, O Unseen and Infinite True Lord.
You join some with Yourself; they reflect on the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Those who are imbued with the True Lord are immaculate and pure; they conquer egotism and corruption.
He alone is united with You, whom You unite with Yourself; he alone is true. ||2||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O red-robed woman, the whole world is red, engrossed in evil-mindedness and the love of duality.
In an instant, this falsehood totally vanishes; like the shade of a tree, it is gone.
The Gurmukh is the deepest crimson of crimson, dyed in the permanent color of the Lord's Love.
She turns away from Maya, and enters the celestial home of the Lord; the Ambrosial Name of the Lord dwells within her mind.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to my Guru; meeting Him, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The red color is vain and useless; it cannot help you obtain your Husband Lord.
This color does not take long to fade; she who loves duality, ends up a widow.
She who loves to wear her red dress is foolish and double-minded.
So make the True Word of the Shabad your red dress, and let the Fear of God, and the Love of God, be your ornaments and decorations.
O Nanak, she is a happy soul-bride forever, who walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created Himself, and He Himself evaluates Himself.
His limits cannot be known; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is understood.
In the darkness of attachment to Maya, the world wanders in duality.
The self-willed manmukhs find no place of rest; they continue coming and going.
Whatever pleases Him, that alone happens. All walk according to His Will. ||3||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The red-robed bride is vicious; she forsakes God, and cultivates love for another man.
She has neither modesty or self-discipline; the self-willed manmukh constantly tells lies, and is ruined by the bad karma of evil deeds.
She who has such pre-ordained destiny, obtains the True Guru has her Husband.
She discards all her red dresses, and wears the ornaments of mercy and forgiveness around her neck.
In this world and the next, she receives great honor, and the whole world worships her.
She who is enjoyed by her Creator Lord stands out, and does not blend in with the crowd.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is the happy soul-bride forever; she has the Imperishable Lord God as her Husband. ||1||
First Mehl:
The red color is like a dream in the night; it is like a necklace without a string.
The Gurmukhs take on the permanent color, contemplating the Lord God.
O Nanak, with the supreme sublime essence of the Lord's Love, all sins and evil deeds are turned to ashes. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created this world, and staged this wondrous play.
Into the body of the five elements, He infused attachment, falsehood and self-conceit.
The ignorant, self-willed manmukh comes and goes, wandering in reincarnation.
He Himself teaches some to become Gurmukh, through the spiritual wisdom of the Lord.
He blesses them with the treasure of devotional worship, and the wealth of the Lord's Name. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O red-robed woman, discard your red dress, and then, you shall come to love your Husband Lord.

By wearing her red dress, no one has found her Husband Lord; the self-willed manmukh is burnt to death.
Meeting the True Guru, she discards her red dress, and eradicates egotism from within.
Her mind and body are imbued with the deep red color of His Love, and her tongue is imbued, singing His Praises and excellences.
She becomes His soul-bride forever, with the Word of the Shabad in her mind; she makes the Fear of God and the Love of God her ornaments and decorations.
O Nanak, by His Merciful Grace, she obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and keeps Him enshrined in her heart. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O bride, forsake your red dress, and decorate yourself with the crimson color of His Love.
Your comings and goings shall be forgotten, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The soul-bride is adorned and beautiful; the Celestial Lord, her Husband, abides in her home.
O Nanak, the bride ravishes and enjoys Him; and He, the Ravisher, ravishes and enjoys her. ||2||
Pauree:
The foolish, self-willed manmukh is engrossed in false attachment to family.
Practicing egotism and self-conceit, he dies and departs, taking nothing along with him.
He does not understand that the Messenger of Death is hovering over his head; he is deluded by duality.
This opportunity will not come into his hands again; the Messenger of Death will seize him.
He acts according to his pre-ordained destiny. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Do not call them 'satee', who burn themselves along with their husbands' corpses.
O Nanak, they alone are known as 'satee', who die from the shock of separation. ||1||
Third Mehl:
They are also known as 'satee', who abide in modesty and contentment.
They serve their Lord, and rise in the early hours to contemplate Him. ||2||
Third Mehl:
The widows burn themselves in the fire, along with their husbands' corpses.
If they truly knew their husbands, then they suffer terrible bodily pain.
O Nanak, if they did not truly know their husbands, why should they burn themselves in the fire?
Whether their husbands are alive or dead, those wives remain far away from them. ||3||
Pauree:
You created pain along with pleasure; O Creator, such is the writ You have written.
There is no other gift as great as the Name; it has no form or sign.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is an inexhaustible treasure; it abides in the mind of the Gurmukh.
In His Mercy, He blesses us with the Naam, and then, the writ of pain and pleasure is not written.
Those humble servants who serve with love, meet the Lord, chanting the Chant of the Lord. ||6||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
They know that they will have to depart, so why do they make such ostentatious displays?
Those who do not know that they will have to depart, continue to arrange their affairs. ||1||
Second Mehl:
He accumulates wealth during the night of his life, but in the morning, he must depart.
O Nanak, it shall not go along with him, and so he regrets. ||2||
Second Mehl:
Paying a fine under pressure, does not bring either merit or goodness.
That alone is a good deed, O Nanak, which is done by one's own free will. ||3||
Second Mehl:
Stubborn-mindedness will not win the Lord to one's side, no matter how much it is tried.
The Lord is won over to your side, by offering Him your true love, O servant Nanak, and contemplating the Word of the Shabad. ||4||
Pauree:
The Creator created the world; He alone understands it.
He Himself created the Universe, and He Himself shall destroy it afterwards.

All have grown weary of wandering throughout the four ages, but none know the Lord's worth.
The True Guru has shown me the One Lord, and my mind and body are at peace.
The Gurmukh praises the Lord forever; that alone happens, which the Creator Lord does. ||7||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Those who have the Fear of God, have no other fears; those who do not have the Fear of God, are very afraid.
O Nanak, this mystery is revealed at the Court of the Lord. ||1||
Second Mehl:
That which flows, mingles with that which flows; that which blows, mingles with that which blows.
The living mingle with the living, and the dead mingle with the dead.
O Nanak, praise the One who created the creation. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who meditate on the True Lord are true; they contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They subdue their ego, purify their minds, and enshrine the Lord's Name within their hearts.
The fools are attached to their homes, mansions and balconies.
The self-willed manmukhs are caught in darkness; they do not know the One who created them.
He alone understands, whom the True Lord causes to understand; what can the helpless creatures do? ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O bride, decorate yourself, after you surrender and accept your Husband Lord.
Otherwise, your Husband Lord will not come to your bed, and your ornaments will be useless.
O bride, your decorations will adorn you, only when your Husband Lord's Mind is pleased.
Your ornaments will be acceptable and approved, only when your Husband Lord loves you.
So make the Fear of God your ornaments, joy your betel nuts to chew, and love your food.
Surrender your body and mind to your Husband Lord, and then, O Nanak, He will enjoy you. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The wife takes flowers, and fragrance of betel, and decorates herself.
But her Husband Lord does not come to her bed, and so these efforts are useless. ||2||
Third Mehl:
They are not said to be husband and wife, who merely sit together.
They alone are called husband and wife, who have one light in two bodies. ||3||
Pauree:
Without the Fear of God, there is no devotional worship, and no love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Meeting with the True Guru, the Fear of God wells up, and one is embellished with the Fear and the Love of God.
When the body and mind are imbued with the Lord's Love, egotism and desire are conquered and subdued.
The mind and body become immaculately pure and very beautiful, when one meets the Lord, the Destroyer of ego.
Fear and love all belong to Him; He is the True Lord, permeating and pervading the Universe. ||9||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Waaho! Waaho! You are wonderful and great, O Lord and Master; You created the creation, and made us.
You made the waters, waves, oceans, pools, plants, clouds and mountains.
You Yourself stand in the midst of what You Yourself created.
The selfless service of the Gurmukhs is approved; in celestial peace, they live the essence of reality.
They receive the wages of their labor, begging at the Door of their Lord and Master.
O Nanak, the Court of the Lord is overflowing and carefree; O my True Carefree Lord, no one returns empty-handed from Your Court. ||1||
First Mehl:
The teeth are like brilliant, beautiful pearls, and the eyes are like sparkling jewels.
Old age is their enemy, O Nanak; when they grow old, they waste away. ||2||

Pauree:
Praise the Lord, forever and ever; dedicate your body and mind to Him.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I have found the True, Profound and Unfathomable Lord.
The Lord, the jewel of jewels, is permeating my mind, body and heart.
The pains of birth and death are gone, and I shall never again be consigned to the cycle of reincarnation.
O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the ocean of excellence. ||10||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, burn this body; this burnt body has forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The dirt is piling up, and in the world hereafter, your hand shall not be able to reach down into this stagnant pond to clean it out. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, wicked are the uncountable actions of the mind.
They bring terrible and painful retributions, but if the Lord forgives me, then I will be spared this punishment. ||2||
Pauree:
True is the Command He sends forth, and True are the Orders He issues.
Forever unmoving and unchanging, permeating and pervading everywhere, He is the All-knowing Primal Lord.
By Guru's Grace, serve Him, through the True Insignia of the Shabad.
That which He makes is perfect; through the Guru's Teachings, enjoy His Love.
He is inaccessible, unfathomable and unseen; as Gurmukh, know the Lord. ||11||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, the bags of coins are brought in
and placed in the Court of our Lord and Master, and there, the genuine and the counterfeit are separated. ||1||
First Mehl:
They go and bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, but their minds are still evil, and their bodies are thieves.
Some of their filth is washed off by these baths, but they only accumulate twice as much.
Like a gourd, they may be washed off on the outside, but on the inside, they are still filled with poison.
The holy man is blessed, even without such bathing, while a thief is a thief, no matter how much he bathes. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself issues His Commands, and links the people of the world to their tasks.
He Himself joins some to Himself, and through the Guru, they find peace.
The mind runs around in the ten directions; the Guru holds it still.
Everyone longs for the Name, but it is only found through the Guru's Teachings.
Your pre-ordained destiny, written by the Lord in the very beginning, cannot be erased. ||12||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The two lamps light the fourteen markets.
There are just as many traders as there are living beings.
The shops are open, and trading is going on;
whoever comes there, is bound to depart.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma is the broker, who gives his sign of approval.
O Nanak, those who earn the profit of the Naam are accepted and approved.
And when they return home, they are greeted with cheers;
they obtain the glorious greatness of the True Name. ||1||
First Mehl:
Even when the night is dark, whatever is white retains its white color.
And even when the light of day is dazzlingly bright, whatever is black retains its black color.
The blind fools have no wisdom at all; their understanding is blind.
O Nanak, without the Lord's Grace, they will never receive honor. ||2||
Pauree:
The True Lord Himself created the body-fortress.
Some are ruined through the love of duality, engrossed in egotism.
This human body is so difficult to obtain; the self-willed manmukhs suffer in pain.
He alone understands, whom the Lord Himself causes to understand; he is blessed by the True Guru.
He created the entire world for His play; He is pervading amongst all. ||13||

Shalok, First Mehl:
Thieves, adulterers, prostitutes and pimps, make friendships with the unrighteous, and eat with the unrighteous.
They do not know the value of the Lord's Praises, and Satan is always with them.
If a donkey is anointed with sandalwood paste, he still loves to roll in the dirt.
O Nanak, by spinning falsehood, a fabric of falsehood is woven.
False is the cloth and its measurement, and false is pride in such a garment. ||1||
First Mehl:
The callers to prayer, the flute-players, the horn-blowers, and also the singers
- some are givers, and some are beggars; they become acceptable only through Your Name, Lord.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who hear and accept the Name. ||2||
Pauree:
Attachment to Maya is totally false, and false are those who go that way.
Through egotism, the world is caught in conflict and strife, and it dies.
The Gurmukh is free of conflict and strife, and sees the One Lord, pervading everywhere.
Recognizing that the Supreme Soul is everywhere, he crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
His light merges into the Light, and he is absorbed into the Lord's Name. ||14||
Shalok: First Mehl:
O True Guru, bless me with Your charity; You are the All-powerful Giver.
May I subdue and quiet my egotism, pride, sexual desire, anger and self-conceit.
Burn away all my greed, and give me the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Day and night, keep me ever-fresh and new, spotless and pure; let me never be soiled by sin.
O Nanak, in this way I am saved; by Your Grace, I have found peace. ||1||
First Mehl:
There is only the one Husband Lord, for all who stand at His Door.
O Nanak, they ask for news of their Husband Lord, from those who are imbued with His Love. ||2||
First Mehl:
All are imbued with love for their Husband Lord; I am a discarded bride - what good am I?
My body is filled with so many faults; my Lord and Master does not even turn His thoughts to me. ||3||
First Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to those who praise the Lord with their mouths.
All the nights are for the happy soul-brides; I am a discarded bride - if only I could have even one night with Him! ||4||
Pauree:
I am a beggar at Your Door, begging for charity; O Lord, please grant me Your Mercy, and give to me.
As Gurmukh, unite me, your humble servant, with You, that I may receive Your Name.
Then, the unstruck melody of the Shabad will vibrate and resound, and my light will blend with the Light.
Within my heart, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and celebrate the Word of the Lord's Shabad.
The Lord Himself is pervading and permeating the world; so fall in love with Him! ||15||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Those who do not obtain the sublime essence, the love and delight of their Husband Lord,
are like guests in a deserted house; they leave just as they have come, empty-handed. ||1||
First Mehl:
He receives hundreds and thousands of reprimands, day and night;
the swan-soul has renounced the Lord's Praises, and attached itself to a rotting carcass.
Cursed is that life, in which one only eats to fill his belly.
O Nanak, without the True Name, all one's friends turn to enemies. ||2||
Pauree:
The minstrel continually sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, to embellish his life.
The Gurmukh serves and praises the True Lord, enshrining Him within his heart.

He obtains his own home and mansion, by loving the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
As Gurmukh, I have obtained the Naam; I am a sacrifice to the Guru.
You Yourself embellish and adorn us, O Creator Lord. ||16||
Shalok, First Mehl:
When the lamp is lit, the darkness is dispelled;
reading the Vedas, sinful intellect is destroyed.
When the sun rises, the moon is not visible.
Wherever spiritual wisdom appears, ignorance is dispelled.
Reading the Vedas is the world's occupation;
the Pandits read them, study them and contemplate them.
Without understanding, all are ruined.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is carried across. ||1||
First Mehl:
Those who do not savor the Word of the Shabad, do not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
They speak insipidly with their tongues, and are continually disgraced.
O Nanak, they act according to the karma of their past actions, which no one can erase. ||2||
Pauree:
One who praises his God, receives honor.
He drives out egotism from within himself, and enshrines the True Name within his mind.
Through the True Word of the Guru's Bani, he chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and finds true peace.
He is united with the Lord, after being separated for so long; the Guru, the Primal Being, unites him with the Lord.
In this way, his filthy mind is cleansed and purified, and he meditates on the Name of the Lord. ||17||
Shalok, First Mehl:
With the fresh leaves of the body, and the flowers of virtue, Nanak has weaved his garland.
The Lord is pleased with such garlands, so why pick any other flowers? ||1||
Second Mehl:
O Nanak, it is the spring season for those, within whose homes their Husband Lord abides.
But those, whose Husband Lord is far away in distant lands, continue burning, day and night. ||2||
Pauree:
The Merciful Lord Himself forgives those who dwell upon the Word of the Guru, the True Guru.
Night and day, I serve the True Lord, and chant His Glorious Praises; my mind merges into Him.
My God is infinite; no one knows His limit.
Grasping hold of the feet of the True Guru, meditate continually on the Lord's Name.
Thus you shall obtain the fruits of your desires, and all wishes shall be fulfilled within your home. ||18||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Spring brings forth the first blossoms, but the Lord blossoms earlier still.
By His blossoming, everything blossoms; no one else causes Him to blossom forth. ||1||
Second Mehl:
He blossoms forth even earlier than the spring; reflect upon Him.
O Nanak, praise the One who gives Support to all. ||2||
Second Mehl:
By uniting, the united one is not united; he unites, only if he is united.
But if he unites deep within his soul, then he is said to be united. ||3||
Pauree:
Praise the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and practice truthful deeds.
Attached to other deeds, one is consigned to wander in reincarnation.
Attuned to the Name, one obtains the Name, and through the Name, sings the Lord's Praises.
Praising the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he merges in the Lord's Name.
Service to the True Guru is fruitful and rewarding; serving Him, the fruits are obtained. ||19||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Some people have others, but I am forlorn and dishonored; I have only You, Lord.

I might as well just die crying, if You will not come into my mind. ||1||
Second Mehl:
When there is peace and pleasure, that is the time to remember your Husband Lord. In times of suffering and pain, remember Him then as well.
Says Nanak, O wise bride, this is the way to meet your Husband Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a worm - how can I praise You, O Lord; Your glorious greatness is so great!
You are inaccessible, merciful and unapproachable; You Yourself unite us with Yourself.
I have no other friend except You; in the end, You alone will be my Companion and Support.
You save those who enter Your Sanctuary.
O Nanak, He is care-free; He has no greed at all. ||20||1||
Raag Soohee, The Word Of Kabeer Jee, And Other Devotees.
Of Kabeer
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Since your birth, what have you done?
You have never even chanted the Name of the Lord. ||1||
You have not meditated on the Lord; what thoughts are you attached to?
What preparations are you making for your death, O unfortunate one? ||1||Pause||
Through pain and pleasure, you have taken care of your family.
But at the time of death, you shall have to endure the agony all alone. ||2||
When you are seized by the neck, then you shall cry out.
Says Kabeer, why didn't you remember the Lord before this? ||3||1||
Soohee, Kabeer Jee:
My innocent soul trembles and shakes.
I do not know how my Husband Lord will deal with me. ||1||
The night of my youth has passed away; will the day of old age also pass away?
My dark hairs, like bumble bees, have gone away, and grey hairs, like cranes, have settled upon my head. ||1||Pause||
Water does not remain in the unbaked clay pot;
when the soul-swan departs, the body withers away. ||2||
I decorate myself like a young virgin;
but how can I enjoy pleasures, without my Husband Lord? ||3||
My arm is tired, driving away the crows.
Says Kabeer, this is the way the story of my life ends. ||4||2||
Soohee, Kabeer Jee:
Your time of service is at its end, and you will have to give your account.
The hard-hearted Messenger of Death has come to take you away.
What have you earned, and what have you lost?
Come immediately! You are summoned to His Court! ||1||
Get going! Come just as you are! You have been summoned to His Court.
The Order has come from the Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I pray to the Messenger of Death: please, I still have some outstanding debts to collect in the village.
I will collect them tonight;
I will also pay you something for your expenses,
and I will recite my morning prayers on the way. ||2||
Blessed, blessed is the most fortunate servant of the Lord, who is imbued with the Lord's Love, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Here and there, the humble servants of the Lord are always happy.
They win the priceless treasure of this human life. ||3||
When he is awake, he is sleeping, and so he loses this life.
The property and wealth he has accumulated passes on to someone else.
Says Kabeer, those people are deluded,
who forget their Lord and Master, and roll in the dust. ||4||3||

Soohee, Kabeer Jee, Lallit:
My eyes are exhausted, and my ears are tired of hearing; my beautiful body is exhausted.
Driven forward by old age, all my senses are exhausted; only my attachment to Maya is not exhausted. ||1||
O mad man, you have not obtained spiritual wisdom and meditation.
You have wasted this human life, and lost. ||1||Pause||
O mortal, serve the Lord, as long as the breath of life remains in the body.
And even when your body dies, your love for the Lord shall not die; you shall dwell at the Feet of the Lord. ||2||
When the Word of the Shabad abides deep within, thirst and desire are quenched.
When one understands the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he plays the game of chess with the Lord; throwing the dice, he conquers his own mind. ||3||
Those humble beings, who know the Imperishable Lord and meditate on Him, are not destroyed at all.
Says Kabeer, those humble beings who know how to throw these dice, never lose the game of life. ||4||4||
Soohee, Lalit, Kabeer Jee:
In the one fortress of the body, there are five rulers, and all five demand payment of taxes.
I have not farmed anyone's land, so such payment is difficult for me to pay. ||1||
O people of the Lord, the tax-collector is constantly torturing me!
Raising my arms up, I complained to my Guru, and He has saved me. ||1||Pause||
The nine tax-assessors and the ten magistrates go out; they do not allow their subjects to live in peace.
They do not measure with a full tape, and they take huge amounts in bribes. ||2||
The One Lord is contained in the seventy-two chambers of the body, and He has written off my account.
The records of the Righteous Judge of Dharma have been searched, and I owe absolutely nothing. ||3||
Let no one slander the Saints, because the Saints and the Lord are as one.
Says Kabeer, I have found that Guru, whose Name is Clear Understanding. ||4||5||
Raag Soohee, The Word Of Sree Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The happy soul-bride knows the worth of her Husband Lord.
Renouncing pride, she enjoys peace and pleasure.
She surrenders her body and mind to Him, and does not remain separate from Him.
She does not see or hear, or speak to another. ||1||
How can anyone know the pain of another,
if there is no compassion and sympathy within? ||1||Pause||
The discarded bride is miserable, and loses both worlds;
she does not worship her Husband Lord.
The bridge over the fire of hell is difficult and treacherous.
No one will accompany you there; you will have to go all alone. ||2||
Suffering in pain, I have come to Your Door, O Compassionate Lord.
I am so thirsty for You, but You do not answer me.
Says Ravi Daas, I seek Your Sanctuary, God;
as You know me, so will You save me. ||3||1||
SOOHEE:
That day which comes, that day shall go.
You must march on; nothing remains stable.
Our companions are leaving, and we must leave as well.
We must go far away. Death is hovering over our heads. ||1||

Why are you asleep? Wake up, you ignorant fool!
You believe that your life in the world is true. ||1||Pause||
The One who gave you life shall also provide you with nourishment.
In each and every heart, He runs His shop.
Meditate on the Lord, and renounce your egotism and self-conceit.
Within your heart, contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord, sometime. ||2||
Your life has passed away, but you have not arranged your path.
Evening has set in, and soon there will be darkness on all sides.
Says Ravi Daas, O ignorant mad-man,
don't you realize, that this world is the house of death?! ||3||2||
SOOHEE:
You may have lofty mansions, halls and kitchens.
But you cannot stay in them, even for an instant, after death. ||1||
This body is like a house of straw.
When it is burnt, it mixes with dust. ||1||Pause||
Even relatives, family and friends begin to say, "Take his body out, immediately!"||2||
And the wife of his house, who was so attached to his body and heart,
runs away, crying out, "Ghost! Ghost!"||3||
Says Ravi Daas, the whole world has been plundered,
but I have escaped, chanting the Name of the One Lord. ||4||3||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Soohee, The Word Of Shaykh Fareed Jee:
Burning and burning, writhing in pain, I wring my hands.
I have gone insane, seeking my Husband Lord.
O my Husband Lord, You are angry with me in Your Mind.
The fault is with me, and not with my Husband Lord. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, I do not know Your excellence and worth.
Having wasted my youth, now I come to regret and repent. ||1||Pause||
O black bird, what qualities have made you black?
"I have been burnt by separation from my Beloved."
Without her Husband Lord, how can the soul-bride ever find peace?
When He becomes merciful, then God unites us with Himself. ||2||
The lonely soul-bride suffers in the pit of the world.
She has no companions, and no friends.
In His Mercy, God has united me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
And when I look again, then I find God as my Helper. ||3||
The path upon which I must walk is very depressing.
It is sharper than a two-edged sword, and very narrow.
That is where my path lies.
O Shaykh Fareed, think of that path early on. ||4||1||
SOOHEE, LALIT:
You were not able to make yourself a raft when you should have.
When the ocean is churning and over-flowing, then it is very difficult to cross over it. ||1||
Do not touch the safflower with your hands; its color will fade away, my dear. ||1||Pause||
First, the bride herself is weak, and then, her Husband Lord's Order is hard to bear.
Milk does not return to the breast; it will not be collected again. ||2||
Says Fareed, O my companions, when our Husband Lord calls,
the soul departs, sad at heart, and this body returns to dust. ||3||2||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Bilaaval, First Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
You are the Emperor, and I call You a chief - how does this add to Your greatness?
As You permit me, I praise You, O Lord and Master; I am ignorant, and I cannot chant Your Praises. ||1||
Please bless me with such understanding, that I may sing Your Glorious Praises.
May I dwell in Truth, according to Your Will. ||1||Pause||
Whatever has happened, has all come from You. You are All-knowing.
Your limits cannot be known, O my Lord and Master; I am blind - what wisdom do I have? ||2||
What should I say? While talking, I talk of seeing, but I cannot describe the indescribable.
As it pleases Your Will, I speak; it is just the tiniest bit of Your greatness. ||3||
Among so many dogs, I am an outcast; I bark for my body's belly.
Without devotional worship, O Nanak, even so, still, my Master's Name does not leave me. ||4||1||
Bilaawal, First Mehl:
My mind is the temple, and my body is the simple cloth of the humble seeker; deep within my heart, I bathe at the sacred shrine.
The One Word of the Shabad abides within my mind; I shall not come to be born again. ||1||
My mind is pierced through by the Merciful Lord, O my mother!
Who can know the pain of another?
I think of none other than the Lord. ||1||Pause||
O Lord, inaccessible, unfathomable, invisible and infinite: please, take care of me!
In the water, on the land and in sky, You are totally pervading. Your Light is in each and every heart. ||2||
All teachings, instructions and understandings are Yours; the mansions and sanctuaries are Yours as well.
Without You, I know no other, O my Lord and Master; I continually sing Your Glorious Praises. ||3||
All beings and creatures seek the Protection of Your Sanctuary; all thought of their care rests with You.
That which pleases Your Will is good; this alone is Nanak's prayer. ||4||2||
Bilaawal, First Mehl:
He Himself is the Word of the Shabad, and He Himself is the Insignia.
He Himself is the Listener, and He Himself is the Knower.
He Himself created the creation, and He Himself beholds His almighty power.
You are the Great Giver; Your Name alone is approved. ||1||

Such is the Name of the Immaculate, Divine Lord.
I am just a beggar; You are invisible and unknowable. ||1||Pause||
Love of Maya is like a cursed woman, ugly, dirty and promiscuous.
Power and beauty are false, and last for only a few days.
But when one is blessed with the Naam, the darkness within is illuminated. ||2||
I tasted Maya and renounced it, and now, I have no doubts.
One whose father is known, cannot be illegitimate.
One who belongs to the One Lord, has no fear.
The Creator acts, and causes all to act. ||3||
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad conquers his mind, through his mind.
Keeping his mind restrained, he enshrines the True Lord within his heart.
He does not know any other, and he is a sacrifice to the Guru.
O Nanak, attuned to the Naam, he is emancipated. ||4||3||
Bilaaval, First Mehl:
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, the mind intuitively meditates on the Lord.
Imbued with the Lord's Love, the mind is satisfied.
The insane, self-willed manmukhs wander around, deluded by doubt.
Without the Lord, how can anyone survive? Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is realized. ||1||
Without the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, how can I live, O my mother?
Without the Lord, my soul cannot survive, even for an instant; the True Guru has helped me understand this. ||1||Pause||
Forgetting my God, I die in pain.
With each breath and morsel of food, I meditate on my Lord, and seek Him.
I remain always detached, but I am enraptured with the Lord's Name.
Now, as Gurmukh, I know that the Lord is always with me. ||2||
The Unspoken Speech is spoken, by the Will of the Guru.
He shows us that God is unapproachable and unfathomable.
Without the Guru, what lifestyle could we practice, and what work could we do?
Eradicating egotism, and walking in harmony with the Guru's Will, I am absorbed in the Word of the Shabad. ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs are separated from the Lord, gathering false wealth.
The Gurmukhs are celebrated with the glory of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Lord has showered His Mercy upon me, and made me the slave of His slaves.
The Name of the Lord is the wealth and capital of servant Nanak. ||4||4||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Cursed, cursed is the food; cursed, cursed is the sleep; cursed, cursed are the clothes worn on the body.
Cursed is the body, along with family and friends, when one does not find his Lord and Master in this life.
He misses the step of the ladder, and this opportunity will not come into his hands again; his life is wasted, uselessly. ||1||
The love of duality does not allow him to lovingly focus his attention on the Lord; he forgets the Feet of the Lord.
O Life of the World, O Great Giver, you eradicate the sorrows of your humble servants. ||1||Pause||
You are Merciful, O Great Giver of Mercy; what are these poor beings?
All are liberated or placed into bondage by You; this is all one can say.
One who becomes Gurmukh is said to be liberated, while the poor self-willed manmukhs are in bondage. ||2||
He alone is liberated, who lovingly focuses his attention on the One Lord, always dwelling with the Lord.
His depth and condition cannot be described. The True Lord Himself embellishes him.

Those who wander around, deluded by doubt, are called manmukhs; they are neither on this side, nor on the other side. ||3||
That humble being, who is blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace obtains Him, and contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
In the midst of Maya, the Lord's servant is emancipated.
O Nanak, one who has such destiny inscribed upon his forehead, conquers and destroys death. ||4||1||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
How can the unweighable be weighed?
If there is anyone else as great, then he alone could understand the Lord.
There is no other than Him.
How can His value be estimated? ||1||
By Guru's Grace, He comes to dwell in the mind.
One comes to know Him, when duality departs. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the Assayer, applying the touch-stone to test it.
He Himself analyzes the coin, and He Himself approves it as currency.
He Himself weights it perfectly.
He alone knows; He is the One and Only Lord. ||2||
All the forms of Maya emanate from Him.
He alone becomes pure and immaculate, who is united with the Lord.
He alone is attached, whom the Lord attaches.
All Truth is revealed to him, and then, he merges in the True Lord. ||3||
He Himself leads the mortals to focus on Him, and He Himself causes them to chase after Maya.
He Himself imparts understanding, and He reveals Himself.
He Himself is the True Guru, and He Himself is the Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, He Himself speaks and teaches. ||4||2||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
My Lord and Master has made me His servant, and blessed me with His service; how can anyone argue about this?
Such is Your play, One and Only Lord; You are the One, contained among all. ||1||
When the True Guru is pleased and appeased, one is absorbed in the Lord's Name. One who is blessed by the Lord's Mercy, finds the True Guru; night and day, he automatically remains focused on the Lord's meditation. ||1||Pause||
How can I serve You? How can I be proud of this?
When You withdraw Your Light, O Lord and Master, then who can speak and teach? ||2||
You Yourself are the Guru, and You Yourself are the chaylaa, the humble disciple; You Yourself are the treasure of virtue.
As You cause us to move, so do we move, according to the Pleasure of Your Will, O Lord God. ||3||
Says Nanak, You are the True Lord and Master; who can know Your actions?
Some are blessed with glory in their own homes, while others wander in doubt and pride. ||4||3||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
The perfect Lord has fashioned the Perfect Creation. Behold the Lord pervading everywhere.
In this play of the world, is the glorious greatness of the True Name. No one should take pride in himself. ||1||
One who accepts the wisdom of the True Guru's Teachings, is absorbed into the True Guru.
The Lord's Name abides deep within the nucleus of one who realizes the Bani of the Guru's Word within his soul. ||1||Pause||
Now, this is the essence of the teachings of the four ages: for the human race, the Name of the One Lord is the greatest treasure.
Celibacy, self-discipline and pilgrimages were the essence of Dharma in those past ages; but in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Praise of the Lord's Name is the essence of Dharma. ||2||
Each and every age has its own essence of Dharma; study the Vedas and the Puraanas, and see this as true.
They are Gurmukh, who meditate on the Lord, Har, Har; in this world, they are perfect and approved. ||3||

Says Nanak, loving the True Lord, the mind's egotism and self-conceit is eradicated.
Those who speak and listen to the Lord's Name, all find peace. Those who believe in it, obtain the supreme treasure. ||4||4||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
The Lord Himself attaches the Gurmukh to His Love;
joyful melodies permeate his home, and he is embellished with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The women come and sing the songs of joy.
Meeting with their Beloved, lasting peace is obtained. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to those, whose minds are filled with the Lord.
Meeting with the humble servant of the Lord, peace is obtained, and one intuitively sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
They are always imbued with Your Joyful Love;
O Dear Lord, You Yourself come to dwell in their minds.
They obtain eternal glory.
The Gurmukhs are united in the Lord's Union. ||2||
The Gurmukhs are imbued with the love of the Word of the Shabad.
They abide in the home of their own being, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
They are dyed in the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love; they look so beautiful.
This dye never fades away; they are absorbed in the True Lord. ||3||
The Shabad deep within the nucleus of the self dispels the darkness of ignorance.
Meeting with my Friend, the True Guru, I have obtained spiritual wisdom.
Those who are attuned to the True Lord, do not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation again.
O Nanak, my Perfect Guru implants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, deep within. ||4||5||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
From the Perfect Guru, I have obtained glorious greatness.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, has spontaneously come to abide in my mind.
Through the Word of the Shabad, I have burnt away egotism and Maya.
Through the Guru, I have obtained honor in the Court of the True Lord. ||1||
I serve the Lord of the Universe; I have no other work to do.
Night and day, my mind is in ecstasy; as Gurmukh, I beg for the bliss-giving Naam. ||1||Pause||
From the mind itself, mental faith is obtained.
Through the Guru, I have realized the Shabad.
How rare is that person, who looks upon life and death alike.
She shall never die again, and shall not have to see the Messenger of Death. ||2||
Within the home of the self are all the millions of treasures.
The True Guru has revealed them, and my egotistical pride is gone.
I keep my meditation always focused on the Cosmic Lord.
Night and day, I sing the One Name. ||3||
I have obtained glorious greatness in this age,
from the Perfect Guru, meditating on the Naam.
Wherever I look, I see the Lord permeating and pervading.
He is forever the Giver of peace; His worth cannot be estimated. ||4||
By perfect destiny, I have found the Perfect Guru.
He has revealed to me the treasure of the Naam, deep within the nucleus of my self.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is so very sweet.
O Nanak, my thirst is quenched, and my mind and body have found peace. ||5||6||4||6||10||
Raag Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Effort and intelligence come from God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; as He wills, they act.
As the violinist plays upon the strings of the violin, so does the Lord play the living beings. ||1||

Chant the Name of the Lord with your tongue, O mind.
According to the pre-ordained destiny written upon my forehead, I have found the Guru, and the Lord abides within my heart. ||1||Pause||
Entangled in Maya, the mortal wanders around. Save Your humble servant, O Lord,
as you saved Prahlaad from the clutches of Harnaakash; keep him in Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||2||
How can I describe the state and the condition, O Lord, of those many sinners you have purified?
Ravi Daas, the leather-worker, who worked with hides and carried dead animals was saved, by entering the Lord's Sanctuary. ||3||
O God, Merciful to the meek, carry Your devotees across the world-ocean; I am a sinner - save me from sin!
O Lord, make me the slave of the slave of Your slaves; servant Nanak is the slave of Your slaves. ||4||1||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
I am foolish, idiotic and ignorant; I seek Your Sanctuary, O Primal Being, O Lord beyond birth.
Have Mercy upon me, and save me, O my Lord and Master; I am a lowly stone, with no good karma at all. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate and meditate on the Lord, the Name of the Lord.
Under Guru's Instructions, obtain the sublime, subtle essence of the Lord; renounce other fruitless actions. ||1||Pause||
The humble servants of the Lord are saved by the Lord; I am worthless - it is Your glory to save me.
I have no other than You, O my Lord and Master; I meditate on the Lord, by my good karma. ||2||
Those who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, their lives are cursed, and they must endure terrible pain.
They are consigned to reincarnation over and over again; they are the most unfortunate fools, with no good karma at all. ||3||
The Naam is the Support of the Lord's humble servants; their good karma is pre-ordained.
The Guru, the True Guru, has implanted the Naam within servant Nanak, and his life is fruitful. ||4||2||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
My consciousness is lured by emotional attachment and corruption; is is filled with evil-minded filth.
I cannot serve You, O God; I am ignorant - how can I cross over? ||1||
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, the Lord, the Lord of man.
God has showered His Mercy upon His humble servant; meeting with the True Guru, he is carried across. ||1||Pause||
O my Father, my Lord and Master, Lord God, please bless me with such understanding, that I may sing Your Praises.
Those who are attached to You are saved, like iron which is carried across with wood. ||2||
The faithless cynics have little or no understanding; they do not serve the Lord, Har, Har.
Those beings are unfortunate and vicious; they die, and are consigned to reincarnation, over and over again. ||3||
Those whom You unite with Yourself, O Lord and Master, bathe in the Guru's cleansing pool of contentment.
Vibrating upon the Lord, the filth of their evil-mindedness is washed away; servant Nanak is carried across. ||4||3||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
Come, O Saints, and join together, O my Siblings of Destiny; let us tell the Stories of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the boat in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the boatman to ferry us across. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
According to the pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon your forehead, sing the Praises of the Lord; join the Holy Congregation, and cross over the world-ocean. ||1||Pause||

Within the body-village is the Lord's supreme, sublime essence. How can I obtain it? Teach me, O humble Saints.
Serving the True Guru, you shall obtain the Fruitful Vision of the Lord's Darshan; meeting Him, drink in the ambrosial essence of the Lord's Nectar. ||2||
The Ambrosial Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is so sweet; O Saints of the Lord, taste it, and see.
Under Guru's Instruction, the Lord's essence seems so sweet; through it, all corrupt sensual pleasures are forgotten. ||3||
The Name of the Lord is the medicine to cure all diseases; so serve the Lord, O humble Saints.
The four great blessings are obtained, O Nanak, by vibrating upon the Lord, under Guru's Instruction. ||4||4||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
Anyone, from any class - Kh'shaatriya, Brahman, Soodra or Vaishya - can chant, and meditate on the Mantra of the Lord's Name.
Worship the Guru, the True Guru, as the Supreme Lord God; serve Him constantly, all day and night. ||1||
O humble servants of the Lord, behold the True Guru with your eyes.
Whatever you wish for, you shall receive, chanting the Word of the Lord's Name, under Guru's Instruction. ||1||Pause||
People think of many and various efforts, but that alone happens, which is to happen.
All beings seek goodness for themselves, but what the Lord does - that may not be what we think and expect. ||2||
So renounce the clever intellect of your mind, O humble servants of the Lord, no matter how hard this may be.
Night and day, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; accept the wisdom of the Guru, the True Guru. ||3||
Wisdom, balanced wisdom is in Your power, O Lord and Master; I am the instrument, and You are the player, O Primal Lord.
O God, O Creator, Lord and Master of servant Nanak, as You wish, so do I speak. ||4||5||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
I meditate on the source of bliss, the Sublime Primal Being; night and day, I am in ecstasy and bliss.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma has no power over me; I have cast off all subservience to the Messenger of Death. ||1||
Meditate, O mind, on the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
By great good fortune, I have found the Guru, the True Guru; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of supreme bliss. ||1||Pause||
The foolish faithless cynics are held captive by Maya; in Maya, they continue wandering, wandering around.
Burnt by desire, and bound by the karma of their past actions, they go round and round, like the ox at the mill press. ||2||
The Gurmukhs, who focus on serving the Guru, are saved; by great good fortune, they perform service.
Those who meditate on the Lord obtain the fruits of their rewards, and the bonds of Maya are all broken. ||3||
He Himself is the Lord and Master, and He Himself is the servant. The Lord of the Universe Himself is all by Himself.
O servant Nanak, He Himself is All-pervading; as He keeps us, we remain. ||4||6||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl, Partaal, Thirteenth House:
O Siblings of Destiny, chant the Name of the Lord, the Purifier of sinners.
The Lord emancipates his Saints and devotees.

The Lord is totally permeating and pervading everywhere;
the Name of the Lord is pervading the water and the land.
So sing continuously of the Lord, the Dispeller of pain. ||1||Pause||
The Lord has made my life fruitful and rewarding.
I meditate on the Lord, the Dispeller of pain.
I have met the Guru, the Giver of liberation.
The Lord has made my life's journey fruitful and rewarding.
Joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
O mortal, place your hopes in the Name of the Lord,
and your love of duality shall simply vanish.
One who, in hope, remains unattached to hope,
such a humble being meets with his Lord.
And one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name
- servant Nanak falls at his feet. ||2||1||7||4||6||7||17||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He is attached to what he sees.
How can I meet You, O Imperishable God?
Have Mercy upon me, and place me upon the Path;
let me be attached to the hem of the robe of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
How can I cross over the poisonous world-ocean?
The True Guru is the boat to carry us across. ||1||Pause||
The wind of Maya blows and shakes us,
but the Lord's devotees remain ever-stable.
They remain unaffected by pleasure and pain.
The Guru Himself is the Savior above their heads. ||2||
Maya, the snake, holds all in her coils.
They burn to death in egotism, like the moth lured by seeing the flame.
They make all sorts of decorations, but they do not find the Lord.
When the Guru becomes Merciful, He leads them to meet the Lord. ||3||
I wander around, sad and depressed, seeking the jewel of the One Lord.
This priceless jewel is not obtained by any efforts.
That jewel is within the body, the Temple of the Lord.
The Guru has torn away the veil of illusion, and beholding the jewel, I am delighted. ||4||
One who has tasted it, comes to know its flavor;
he is like the mute, whose mind is filled with wonder.
I see the Lord, the source of bliss, everywhere.
Servant Nanak speaks the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and merges in Him. ||5||1||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Divine Guru has blessed me with total happiness.
He has linked His servant to His service.
No obstacles block my path, meditating on the incomprehensible, inscrutable Lord. ||1||
The soil has been sanctified, singing the Glories of His Praises.
The sins are eradicated, meditating on the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is pervading everywhere;
from the very beginning, and throughout the ages, His Glory has been radiantly manifest.
By Guru's Grace, sorrow does not touch me. ||2||
The Guru's Feet seem so sweet to my mind.
He is unobstructed, dwelling everywhere.
I found total peace, when the Guru was pleased. ||3||
The Supreme Lord God has become my Savior.
Wherever I look, I see Him there with me.
O Nanak, the Lord and Master protects and cherishes His slaves. ||4||2||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
You are the treasure of peace, O my Beloved God.

Your Glories are uncounted, O God, my Lord and Master.
I am an orphan, entering Your Sanctuary.
Have Mercy on me, O Lord, that I may meditate on Your Feet. ||1||
Take pity upon me, and abide within my mind;
I am worthless - please let me grasp hold of the hem of Your robe. ||1||Pause||
When God comes into my consciousness, what misfortune can strike me?
The Lord's servant does not suffer pain from the Messenger of Death.
All pains are dispelled, when one remembers the Lord in meditation;
God abides with him forever. ||2||
The Name of God is the Support of my mind and body.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the body is reduced to ashes.
When God comes into my consciousness, all my affairs are resolved.
Forgetting the Lord, one becomes subservient to all. ||3||
I am in love with the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
I am rid of all evil-minded ways.
The Mantra of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, is deep within my mind and body.
O Nanak, eternal bliss fills the home of the Lord's devotees. ||4||3||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Second House, To Be Sung To The Tune Of Yaan-Ree-Ay:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You are the Support of my mind, O my Beloved, You are the Support of my mind.
All other clever tricks are useless, O Beloved; You alone are my Protector. ||1||Pause||
One who meets with the Perfect True Guru, O Beloved, that humble person is enraptured.
He alone serves the Guru, O Beloved, unto whom the Lord becomes merciful.
Fruitful is the form of the Divine Guru, O Lord and Master; He is overflowing with all powers.
O Nanak, the Guru is the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord; He is ever-present, forever and ever. ||1||
I live by hearing, hearing of those who know their God.
They contemplate the Lord's Name, they chant the Lord's Name, and their minds are imbued with the Lord's Name.
I am Your servant; I beg to serve Your humble servants. By the karma of perfect destiny, I do this.
This is Nanak's prayer: O my Lord and Master, may I obtain the Blessed Vision of Your humble servants. ||2||
They are said to be very fortunate, O Beloved, who who dwell in the Society of the Saints.
They contemplate the Immaculate, Ambrosial Naam, and their minds are illuminated.
The pains of birth and death are eradicated, O Beloved, and the fear of the Messenger of Death is ended.
They alone obtain the Blessed Vision of this Darshan, O Nanak, who are pleasing to their God. ||3||
O my lofty, incomparable and infinite Lord and Master, who can know Your Glorious Virtues?
Those who sing them are saved, and those who listen to them are saved; all their sins are erased.
You save the beasts, demons and fools, and even stones are carried across.
Slave Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; he is forever and ever a sacrifice to You. ||4||1||4||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Renounce the tasteless water of corruption, O my companion, and drink in the supreme nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Without the taste of this nectar, all have drowned, and their souls have not found happiness.
You have no honor, glory or power - become the slave of the Holy Saints.

O Nanak, they alone look beautiful in the Court of the Lord, whom the Lord has made His Own. ||1||
Maya is a mirage, which deludes the mind, O my companion, like the scent-crazed deer, or the transitory shade of a tree.
Maya is fickle, and does not go with you, O my companion; in the end, it will leave you.
He may enjoy pleasures and sensual delights with supremely beautiful women, but no one finds peace in this way.
Blessed, blessed are the humble, Holy Saints of the Lord, O my companion. O Nanak, they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Go, O my very fortunate companion: dwell in the Company of the Saints, and merge with the Lord.
There, neither pain nor hunger nor disease will afflict you; enshrine love for the Lord's Lotus Feet.
There is no birth or death there, no coming or going in reincarnation, when you enter the Sanctuary of the Eternal Lord.
Love does not end, and attachment does not grip you, O Nanak, when you meditate on the One Lord. ||3||
Bestowing His Glance of Grace, my Beloved has pierced my mind, and I am intuitively attuned to His Love.
My bed is embellished, meeting with my Beloved; in ecstasy and bliss, I sing His Glorious Praises.
O my friends and companions, I am imbued with the Lord's Love; the desires of my mind and body are satisfied.
O Nanak, the wonder-struck soul blends with the Wonderful Lord; this state cannot be described. ||4||2||5||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The entire Universe is the form of the One Lord.
He Himself is the trade, and He Himself is the trader. ||1||
How rare is that one who is blessed with such spiritual wisdom.
Wherever I go, there I see Him. ||1||Pause||
He manifests many forms, while still unmanifest and absolute, and yet He has One Form.
He Himself is the water, and He Himself is the waves. ||2||
He Himself is the temple, and He Himself is selfless service.
He Himself is the worshipper, and He Himself is the idol. ||3||
He Himself is the Yoga; He Himself is the Way.
Nanak's God is forever liberated. ||4||1||6||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself creates, and He Himself supports.
He Himself causes all to act; He takes no blame Himself. ||1||
He Himself is the teaching, and He Himself is the teacher.
He Himself is the splendor, and He Himself is the experiencer of it. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is silent, and He Himself is the speaker.
He Himself is undeceivable; He cannot be deceived. ||2||
He Himself is hidden, and He Himself is manifest.
He Himself is in each and every heart; He Himself is unattached. ||3||
He Himself is absolute, and He Himself is with the Universe.
Says Nanak, all are beggars of God. ||4||2||7||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He places the one who strays back on the Path;
such a Guru is found by great good fortune. ||1||
Meditate, contemplate the Name of the Lord, O mind.
The Beloved Feet of the Guru abide within my heart. ||1||Pause||

The mind is engrossed in sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment.
Breaking my bonds, the Guru has liberated me. ||2||
Experiencing pain and pleasure, one is born, only to die again.
The Lotus Feet of the Guru bring peace and shelter. ||3||
The world is drowning in the ocean of fire.
O Nanak, holding me by the arm, the True Guru has saved me. ||4||3||8||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Body, mind, wealth and everything, I surrender to my Lord.
What is that wisdom, by which I may come to chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har? ||1||
Nurturing hope, I have come to beg from God.
Gazing upon You, the courtyard of my heart is embellished. ||1||Pause||
Trying several methods, I reflect deeply upon the Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, this mind is saved. ||2||
I have neither intelligence, wisdom, common sense nor cleverness.
I meet You, only if You lead me to meet You. ||3||
My eyes are content, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan.
Says Nanak, such a life is fruitful and rewarding. ||4||4||9||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Mother, father, children and the wealth of Maya, will not go along with you.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all pain is dispelled. ||1||
God Himself is pervading, and permeating all.
Chant the Name of the Lord with your tongue, and pain will not afflict you. ||1||Pause||
One who is afflicted by the terrible fire of thirst and desire,
becomes cool, chanting the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
By millions of efforts, peace is not obtained;
the mind is satisfied only by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
Please bless me with devotion, O God, O Searcher of hearts.
This is Nanak's prayer, O Lord and Master. ||4||5||10||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
By great good fortune, the Perfect Guru is found.
Meeting with the Holy Saints, meditate on the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Supreme Lord God, I seek Your Sanctuary.
Meditating on the Guru's Feet, sinful mistakes are erased. ||1||Pause||
All other rituals are just worldly affairs;
joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one is saved. ||2||
One may contemplate the Simritees, Shaastras and Vedas,
but only by chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is one saved and carried across. ||3||
Have Mercy upon servant Nanak, O God,
and bless him with the dust of the feet of the Holy, that he may be emancipated. ||4||6||11||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad within my heart;
all my hopes and desires are fulfilled. ||1||
The faces of the humble Saints are radiant and bright;
the Lord has mercifully blessed them with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Holding them by the hand, He has lifted them up out of the deep, dark pit,
and their victory is celebrated throughout the world. ||2||
He elevates and exalts the lowly, and fills the empty.
They receive the supreme, sublime essence of the Ambrosial Naam. ||3||
The mind and body are made immaculate and pure, and sins are burnt to ashes.
Says Nanak, God is pleased with me. ||4||7||12||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
All desires are fulfilled, O my friend,

lovingly centering your consciousness on the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to those who meditate on God.
The fire of desire is quenched, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
One's life become fruitful and rewarding, by great good fortune.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, enshrine love for the Lord. ||2||
Wisdom, honor, wealth, peace and celestial bliss are attained, if one does not forget the Lord of supreme bliss, even for an instant. ||3||
My mind is so very thirsty for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Prays Nanak, O God, I seek Your Sanctuary. ||4||8||13||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I am worthless, totally lacking all virtues.
Bless me with Your Mercy, and make me Your Own. ||1||
My mind and body are embellished by the Lord, the Lord of the World.
Granting His Mercy, God has come into the home of my heart. ||1||Pause||
He is the Lover and Protector of His devotees, the Destroyer of fear.
Now, I have been carried across the world-ocean. ||2||
It is God's Way to purify sinners, say the Vedas.
I have seen the Supreme Lord with my eyes. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Lord becomes manifest.
O slave Nanak, all pains are relieved. ||4||9||14||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Who can know the value of serving You, God?
God is imperishable, invisible and incomprehensible. ||1||
His Glorious Virtues are infinite; God is profound and unfathomable.
The Mansion of God, my Lord and Master, is lofty and high.
You are unlimited, O my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
There is no other than the One Lord.
You alone know Your worship and adoration. ||2||
No one can do anything by himself, O Siblings of Destiny.
He alone obtains the Naam, the Name of the Lord, unto whom God bestows it. ||3||
Says Nanak, that humble being who pleases God,
he alone finds God, the treasure of virtue. ||4||10||15||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Extending His Hand, the Lord protected you in your mother's womb.
Renouncing the sublime essence of the Lord, you have tasted the fruit of poison. ||1||
Meditate, vibrate on the Lord of the Universe, and renounce all entanglements.
When the Messenger of Death comes to murder you, O fool, then your body will be shattered and helplessly crumble. ||1||Pause||
You hold onto your body, mind and wealth as your own,
and you do not meditate on the Creator Lord, even for an instant. ||2||
You have fallen into the deep, dark pit of great attachment.
Caught in the illusion of Maya, you have forgotten the Supreme Lord. ||3||
By great good fortune, one sings the Kirtan of God's Praises.
In the Society of the Saints, Nanak has found God. ||4||11||16||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Mother, father, children, relatives and siblings
- O Nanak, the Supreme Lord is our help and support. ||1||
He blesses us with peace, and abundant celestial bliss.
Perfect is the Bani, the Word of the Perfect Guru. His Virtues are so many, they cannot be counted. ||1||Pause||
God Himself makes all arrangements.
Meditating on God, desires are fulfilled. ||2||
He is the Giver of wealth, Dharmic faith, pleasure and liberation.

Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny, I am fulfilled. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak enjoys the Lord's Love.
He has returned home, with the Perfect Guru. ||4||12||17||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
All treasures come from the Perfect Divine Guru. ||1||Pause||
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the man lives.
The faithless cynic dies in shame and misery. ||1||
The Name of the Lord has become my Protector.
The wretched, faithless cynic makes only useless efforts. ||2||
Spreading slander, many have been ruined.
Their necks, heads and feet are tied by death's noose. ||3||
Says Nanak, the humble devotees chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach them. ||4||13||18||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
What blessed destiny will lead me to meet my God?
Each and every moment and instant, I continually meditate on the Lord. ||1||
I meditate continually on the Lotus Feet of God.
What wisdom will lead me to attain my Beloved? ||1||Pause||
Please, bless me with such Mercy, O my God,
that Nanak may never, ever forget You. ||2||1||19||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Within my heart, I meditate on the Lotus Feet of God.
Disease is gone, and I have found total peace. ||1||
The Guru relieved my sufferings, and blessed me with the gift.
My birth has been rendered fruitful, and my life is approved. ||1||Pause||
The Ambrosial Bani of God's Word is the Unspoken Speech.
Says Nanak, the spiritually wise live by meditating on God. ||2||2||20||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru, the Perfect True Guru, has blessed me with peace and tranquility.
Peace and joy have welled up, and the mystical trumpets of the unstruck sound current vibrate. ||1||Pause||
Sufferings, sins and afflictions have been dispelled.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, all sinful mistakes have been erased. ||1||
Joining together, O beautiful soul-brides, celebrate and make merry.
Guru Nanak has saved my honor. ||2||3||21||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Intoxicated with the wine of attachment, love of worldly possessions and deceit, and bound in bondage, he is wild and hideous.
Day by day, his life is winding down; practicing sin and corruption, he is trapped by the noose of Death. ||1||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O God, Merciful to the meek.
I have crossed over the terrible, treacherous, enormous world-ocean, with the dust of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
O God, Giver of peace, All-powerful Lord and Master, my soul, body and all wealth are Yours.
Please, break my bonds of doubt, O Transcendent Lord, forever Merciful God of Nanak. ||2||4||22||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Transcendent Lord has brought bliss to all; He has confirmed His Natural Way.
He has become Merciful to the humble, holy Saints, and all my relatives blossom forth in joy. ||1||
The True Guru Himself has resolved my affairs.

He has blessed Hargobind with long life, and taken care of my comfort, happiness and well-being. ||1||Pause||
The forests, meadows and the three worlds have blossomed forth in greenery; He gives His Support to all beings.
Nanak has obtained the fruits of his mind's desires; his desires are totally fulfilled. ||2||5||23||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
One who is blessed by the Lord's Mercy,
passes his time in contemplative meditation. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate, and vibrate upon the Lord of the Universe.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the noose of death is cut away. ||1||
He Himself is the True Guru, and He Himself is the Cherisher.
Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||2||6||24||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Irrigate your mind with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Night and day, sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||1||
Enshrine such love, O my mind,
that twenty-four hours a day, God will seem near to you. ||1||Pause||
Says Nanak, one who has such immaculate destiny
- his mind is attached to the Lord's Feet. ||2||7||25||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The disease is gone; God Himself took it away.
I sleep in peace; peaceful poise has come to my home. ||1||Pause||
Eat to your fill, O my Siblings of Destiny.
Meditate on the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your heart. ||1||
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru,
who has preserved the honor of His Name. ||2||8||26||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru has protected my hearth and home, and made them permanent. ||Pause||
Whoever slanders these homes, is pre-destined by the Creator Lord to be destroyed. ||1||
Slave Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; the Word of His Shabad is unbreakable and infinite. ||2||9||27||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The fever and sickness are gone, and the diseases are all dispelled.
The Supreme Lord God has forgiven you, so enjoy the happiness of the Saints. ||Pause||
All joys have entered your world, and your mind and body are free of disease.
So chant continuously the Glorious Praises of the Lord; this is the only potent medicine. ||1||
So come, and dwell in your home and native land; this is such a blessed and auspicious occasion.
O Nanak, God is totally pleased with you; your time of separation has come to an end. ||2||10||28||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The entanglements of Maya do not go along with anyone.
Even kings and rulers must arise and depart, according to the wisdom of the Saints. ||Pause||
Pride goes before the fall - this is a primal law.
Those who practice corruption and sin, are born into countless incarnations, only to die again. ||1||
The Holy Saints chant Words of Truth; they meditate continually on the Lord of the Universe.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance, O Nanak, those who are imbued with the color of the Lord's Love are carried across. ||2||11||29||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has blessed me with celestial Samaadhi, bliss and peace.
God is always my Helper and Companion; I contemplate His Ambrosial Virtues. ||Pause||

Triumphant cheers greet me all across the world, and all beings yearn for me.
The True Guru and God are totally pleased with me; no obstacle blocks my way. ||1||
One who has the Merciful Lord God on his side - everyone becomes his slave.
Forever and ever, O Nanak, glorious greatness rests with the Guru. ||2||12||30||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
This perishable realm and world has been made like a house of sand.
In no time at all, it is destroyed, like the paper drenched with water. ||1||
Listen to me, people: behold, and consider this within your mind.
The Siddhas, the seekers, house-holders and Yogis have forsaken their homes and left. ||1||Pause||
This world is like a dream in the night.
All that is seen shall perish. Why are you attached to it, you fool? ||2||
Where are your brothers and friends? Open your eyes and see!
Some have gone, and some will go; everyone must take his turn. ||3||
Those who serve the Perfect True Guru, remain ever-stable at the Door of the Lord.
Servant Nanak is the Lord's slave; preserve his honor, O Lord, Destroyer of ego. ||4||1||31||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The glories of the world, I cast into the fire.
I chant those words, by which I may meet my Beloved. ||1||
When God becomes Merciful, then He enjoins me to His devotional service.
My mind clings to worldly desires; meeting with the Guru, I have renounced them. ||1||Pause||
I pray with intense devotion, and offer this soul to Him.
I would sacrifice all other riches, for a moment's union with my Beloved. ||2||
Through the Guru, I am rid of the five villains, as well as emotional love and hate.
My heart is illumined, and the Lord has become manifest; night and day, I remain awake and aware. ||3||
The blessed soul-bride seeks His Sanctuary; her destiny is recorded on her forehead.
Says Nanak, she obtains her Husband Lord; her body and mind are cooled and soothed. ||4||2||32||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
One is dyed in the color of the Lord's Love, by great good fortune.
This color is never muddied; no stain ever sticks to it. ||1||
He finds God, the Giver of peace, with feelings of joy.
The Celestial Lord blends into his soul, and he can never leave Him. ||1||Pause||
Old age and death cannot touch him, and he shall not suffer pain again.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, he is satisfied; the Guru makes him immortal. ||2||
He alone knows its taste, who tastes the Priceless Name of the Lord.
Its value cannot be estimated; what can I say with my mouth? ||3||
Fruitful is the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Supreme Lord God. The Word of Your Bani is the treasure of virtue.

Please bless me with the dust of the feet of Your slaves; Nanak is a sacrifice. ||4||3||33||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Keep me under Your Protection, God; shower me with Your Mercy.
I do not know how to serve You; I am just a low-life fool. ||1||
I take pride in You, O my Darling Beloved.
I am a sinner, continuously making mistakes; You are the Forgiving Lord. ||1||Pause||
I make mistakes each and every day. You are the Great Giver;
I am worthless. I associate with Maya, your hand-maiden, and I renounce You, God; such are my actions. ||2||
You bless me with everything, showering me with Mercy; And I am such an ungrateful wretch!
I am attached to Your gifts, but I do not even think of You, O my Lord and Master. ||3||
There is none other than You, O Lord, Destroyer of fear.
Says Nanak, I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Merciful Guru; I am so foolish - please, save me! ||4||4||34||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Don't blame anyone else; meditate on your God.
Serving Him, great peace is obtained; O mind, sing His Praises. ||1||
O Beloved, other than You, who else should I ask?
You are my Merciful Lord and Master; I am filled with all faults. ||1||Pause||
As You keep me, I remain; there is no other way.
You are the Support of the unsupported; You Name is my only Support. ||2||
One who accepts whatever You do as good - that mind is liberated.
The entire creation is Yours; all are subject to Your Ways. ||3||
I wash Your Feet and serve You, if it pleases You, O Lord and Master.
Be Merciful, O God of Compassion, that Nanak may sing Your Glorious Praises. ||4||5||35||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Death hovers over his head, laughing, but the beast does not understand.
Entangled in conflict, pleasure and egotism, he does not even think of death. ||1||
So serve your True Guru; why wander around miserable and unfortunate?
You gaze upon the transitory, beautiful safflower, but why do you get attached to it? ||1||Pause||
You commit sins again and again, to gather wealth to spend.
But your dust shall mix with dust; you shall arise and depart naked. ||2||
Those for whom you work, will become your spiteful enemies.
In the end, they will run away from you; why do you burn for them in anger? ||3||
He alone becomes the dust of the Lord's slaves, who has such good karma upon his forehead.
Says Nanak, he is released from bondage, in the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||4||6||36||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The cripple crosses over the mountain, the fool becomes a wise man,
and the blind man sees the three worlds, by meeting with the True Guru and being purified. ||1||
This is the Glory of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; listen, O my friends.
Filth is washed away, millions of sins are dispelled, and the consciousness becomes immaculate and pure. ||1||Pause||
Such is devotional worship of the Lord of the Universe, that the ant can overpower the elephant.
Whoever the Lord makes His own, is blessed with the gift of fearlessness. ||2||
The lion becomes a cat, and the mountain looks like a blade of grass.

Those who worked for half a shell, will be judged very wealthy. ||3||
What glorious greatness of Yours can I describe, O Lord of infinite excellences?
Please bless me with Your Mercy, and grant me Your Name; O Nanak, I am lost without the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||4||7||37||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He is constantly entangled in pride, conflict, greed and tasty flavors.
He is involved in deception, fraud, household affairs and corruption. ||1||
I have seen this with my eyes, by the Grace of the Perfect Guru.
Power, property, wealth and youth are useless, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Beauty, incense, scented oils, beautiful clothes and foods
- when they come into contact with the body of the sinner, they stink. ||2||
Wandering, wandering around, the soul is reincarnated as a human, but this body lasts only for an instant.
Losing this opportunity, he must wander again through countless incarnations. ||3||
By God's Grace, he meets the Guru; contemplating the Lord, Har, Har, he is wonderstruck.
He is blessed with peace, poise and bliss, O Nanak, through the perfect sound current of the Naad. ||4||8||38||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The feet of the Saints are the boat, to cross over the world-ocean.
In the wilderness, the Guru places them on the Path, and reveals the secrets of the Lord's Mystery. ||1||
O Lord, Har Har Har, Har Har Haray, Har Har Har, I love You.
While standing up, sitting down and sleeping, think of the Lord, Har Har Har. ||1||Pause||
The five thieves run away, when one joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
His investment is intact, and he earns great profits; his household is blessed with honor. ||2||
His position is unmoving and eternal, his anxiety is ended, and he wavers no more.
His doubts and misgivings are dispelled, and he sees God everywhere. ||3||
The Virtues of our Virtuous Lord and Master are so profound; how many of His Glorious Virtues should I speak?
Nanak has obtained the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord, Har, Har, in the Company of the Holy. ||4||9||39||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
That life, which has no contact with the Holy, is useless.
Joining their congregation, all doubts are dispelled, and I am emancipated. ||1||
That day, when I meet with the Holy - I am a sacrifice to that day.
Again and again, I sacrifice my body, mind and soul to them. ||1||Pause||
They have helped me renounce this ego, and implant this humility within myself.
This mind has become the dust of all men's feet, and my self-conceit has been dispelled. ||2||
In an instant, I burnt away the ideas of slander and ill-will towards others.
I see close at hand, the Lord of mercy and compassion; He is not far away at all. ||3||
My body and mind are cooled and soothed, and now, I am liberated from the world.
Love, consciousness, the breath of life, wealth and everything, O Nanak, are in the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||4||10||40||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I perform service for Your slave, O Lord, and wipe his feet with my hair.
I offer my head to him, and listen to the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the source of bliss. ||1||
Meeting You, my mind is rejuvenated, so please meet me, O Merciful Lord.
Night and day, my mind enjoys bliss, contemplating the Lord of Compassion. ||1||Pause||

God's Holy people are the saviors of the world; I grab hold of the hem of their robes.
Bless me, O God, with the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||2||
I have no skill or wisdom at all, nor any work to my credit.
Please, protect me from doubt, fear and emotional attachment, and cut away the noose of Death from my neck. ||3||
I beg of You, O Lord of Mercy, O my Father, please cherish me!
I sing Your Glorious Praises, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Lord, Home of peace. ||4||11||41||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever You wish, You do. Without You, there is nothing.
Gazing upon Your Glory, the Messenger of Death leaves and goes away. ||1||
By Your Grace, one is emancipated, and egotism is dispelled.
God is omnipotent, possessing all powers; He is obtained through the Perfect, Divine Guru. ||1||Pause||
Searching, searching, searching - without the Naam, everything is false.
All the comforts of life are found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; God is the Fulfiller of desires. ||2||
Whatever You attach me to, to that I am attached; I have burnt away all my cleverness.
You are permeating and pervading everywhere, O my Lord, Merciful to the meek. ||3||
I ask for everything from You, but only the very fortunate ones obtain it.
This is Nanak's prayer, O God, I live by singing Your Glorious Praises. ||4||12||42||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Dwelling in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all sins are erased.
One who is attuned to the Love of God, is not cast into the womb of reincarnation. ||1||
Chanting the Name of the Lord of the Universe, the tongue becomes holy.
The mind and body become immaculate and pure, chanting the Chant of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
Tasting the subtle essence of the Lord, one is satisfied; receiving this essence, the mind becomes happy.
The intellect is brightened and illuminated; turning away from the world, the heart-lotus blossoms forth. ||2||
He is cooled and soothed, peaceful and content; all his thirst is quenched.
The mind's wandering in the ten directions is stopped, and one dwells in the immaculate place. ||3||
The Savior Lord saves him, and his doubts are burnt to ashes.
Nanak is blessed with the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. He finds peace, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Saints' Darshan. ||4||13||43||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Carry water for the Lord's slave, wave the fan over him, and grind his corn; then, you shall be happy.
Burn in the fire your power, property and authority. ||1||
Grasp hold of the feet of the servant of the humble Saints.
Renounce and abandon the wealthy, the regal overlords and kings. ||1||Pause||
The dry bread of the Saints is equal to all treasures.
The thirty-six tasty dishes of the faithless cynic, are just like poison. ||2||
Wearing the old blankets of the humble devotees, one is not naked.
But by putting on the silk clothes of the faithless cynic, one loses one's honor. ||3||
Friendship with the faithless cynic breaks down mid-way.
But whoever serves the humble servants of the Lord, is emancipated here and hereafter. ||4||
Everything comes from You, O Lord; You Yourself created the creation.
Blessed with the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Holy, Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||5||14||44||

Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
With my ears, I listen to the Lord, Har, Har; I sing the Praises of my Lord and Master.
I place my hands and my head upon the feet of the Saints, and meditate on the Lord's Name. ||1||
Be kind to me, O Merciful God, and bless me with this wealth and success.
Obtaining the dust of the feet of the Saints, I apply it to my forehead. ||1||Pause||
I am the lowest of the low, absolutely the lowest; I offer my humble prayer.
I wash their feet, and renounce my self-conceit; I merge in the Saints' Congregation. ||2||
With each and every breath, I never forget the Lord; I never go to another.
Obtaining the Fruitful Vision of the Guru's Darshan, I discard my pride and attachment. ||3||
I am embellished with truth, contentment, compassion and Dharmic faith.
My spiritual marriage is fruitful, O Nanak; I am pleasing to my God. ||4||15||45||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The words of the Holy are eternal and unchanging; this is apparent to everyone.
That humble being, who joins the Saadh Sangat, meets the Sovereign Lord. ||1||
This faith in the Lord of the Universe, and peace, are found by meditating on the Lord.
Everyone is speaking in various ways, but the Guru has brought the Lord into the home of my self. ||1||Pause||
He preserves the honor of those who seek His Sanctuary; there is no doubt about this at all.
In the field of actions and karma, plant the Lord's Name; this opportunity is so difficult to obtain! ||2||
God Himself is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; He does, and causes everything to be done.
He purifies so many sinners; this is the natural way of our Lord and Master. ||3||
Don't be fooled, O mortal being, by the illusion of Maya.
O Nanak, God saves the honor of those of whom He approves. ||4||16||46||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He fashioned you from clay, and made your priceless body.
He covers the many faults in your mind, and makes you look immaculate and pure. ||1||
So why do you forget God from your mind? He has done so many good things for you.
One who forsakes God, and blends himself with another, in the end is blended with dust. ||1||Pause||
Meditate, meditate in remembrance with each and every breath - do not delay!
Renounce worldly affairs, and merge yourself into God; forsake false loves. ||2||
He is many, and He is One; He takes part in the many plays. This is as He is, and shall be.
So serve that Supreme Lord God, and accept the Guru's Teachings. ||3||
God is said to be the highest of the high, the greatest of all, our companion.
Please, let Nanak be the slave of the slave of Your slaves. ||4||17||47||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe is my only Support. I have renounced all other hopes.
God is All-powerful, above all; He is the perfect treasure of virtue. ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Support of the humble servant who seeks God's Sanctuary.
In their minds, the Saints take the Support of the Transcendent Lord. ||1||Pause||
He Himself preserves, and He Himself gives. He Himself cherishes.

Merciful to the meek, the treasure of mercy, He remembers and protects us with each and every breath. ||2||
Whatever the Creator Lord does is glorious and great.
The Perfect Guru has instructed me, that peace comes by the Will of our Lord and Master. ||3||
Anxieties, worries and calculations are dismissed; the Lord's humble servant accepts the Hukam of His Command.
He does not die, and He does not leave; Nanak is attuned to His Love. ||4||18||48||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The great fire is put out and cooled; meeting with the Guru, sins run away.
I fell into the deep dark pit; giving me His Hand, He pulled me out. ||1||
He is my friend; I am the dust of His Feet.
Meeting with Him, I am at peace; He blesses me with the gift of the soul. ||1||Pause||
I have now received my pre-ordained destiny.
Dwelling with the Lord's Holy Saints, my hopes are fulfilled. ||2||
The fear of the three worlds is dispelled, and I have found my place of rest and peace.
The all-powerful Guru has taken pity upon me, and the Naam has come to dwell in my mind. ||3||
O God, You are the Anchor and Support of Nanak.
He is the Doer, the Cause of causes; the All-powerful Lord God is inaccessible and infinite. ||4||19||49||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
One who forgets God is filthy, poor and low.
The fool does not understand the Creator Lord; instead, he thinks that he himself is the doer. ||1||
Pain comes, when one forgets Him. Peace comes when one remembers God.
This is the way the Saints are in bliss - they continually sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The high, He makes low, and the low, he elevates in an instant.
The value of the glory of our Lord and Master cannot be estimated. ||2||
While he gazes upon beautiful dramas and plays, the day of his departure dawns.
The dream becomes the dream, and his actions do not go along with him. ||3||
God is All-powerful, the Cause of causes; I seek Your Sanctuary.
Day and night, Nanak meditates on the Lord; forever and ever he is a sacrifice. ||4||20||50||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I carry water on my head, and with my hands I wash their feet.
Tens of thousands of times, I am a sacrifice to them; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, I live. ||1||
The hopes which I cherish in my mind - my God fulfills them all.
With my broom, I sweep the homes of the Holy Saints, and wave the fan over them. ||1||Pause||
The Saints chant the Ambrosial Praises of the Lord; I listen, and my mind drinks it in.
That sublime essence calms and soothes me, and quenches the fire of sin and corruption. ||2||
When the galaxy of Saints worship the Lord in devotion, I join them, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
I bow in reverence to the humble devotees, and apply the dust of their feet to my face. ||3||
Sitting down and standing up, I chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord; this is what I do.
This is Nanak's prayer to God, that he may merge in the Lord's Sanctuary. ||4||21||51||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He alone crosses over this world-ocean, who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
He dwells with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; by great good fortune, he finds the Lord. ||1||

Your slave lives by hearing, hearing the Word of Your Bani, chanted by Your humble servant.
The Guru is revealed in all the worlds; He saves the honor of His servant. ||1||Pause||
God has pulled me out of the ocean of fire, and quenched my burning thirst.
The Guru has sprinkled the Ambrosial Water of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He has become my Helper. ||2||
The pains of birth and death are removed, and I have obtained a resting place of peace.
The noose of doubt and emotional attachment has been snapped; I have become pleasing to my God. ||3||
Let no one think that there is any other at all; everything is in the Hands of God.
Nanak has found total peace, in the Society of the Saints. ||4||22||52||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
My bonds have been snapped; God Himself has become compassionate.
The Supreme Lord God is Merciful to the meek; by His Glance of Grace, I am in ecstasy. ||1||
The Perfect Guru has shown mercy to me, and eradicated my pains and illnesses.
My mind and body have been cooled and soothed, meditating on God, most worthy of meditation. ||1||Pause||
The Name of the Lord is the medicine to cure all disease; with it, no disease afflicts me.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the mind and body are tinged with the Lord's Love, and I do not suffer pain any longer. ||2||
I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, lovingly centering my inner being on Him.
Sinful mistakes are erased and I am sanctified, in the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints. ||3||
Misfortune is kept far away from those who hear and chant the Praises of the Lord's Name.
Nanak chants the Mahaa Mantra, the Great Mantra, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||23||53||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
From the Fear of God, devotion wells up, and deep within, there is peace.
Chanting the Name of the Lord of the Universe, doubt and delusions are dispelled. ||1||
One who meets with the Perfect Guru, is blessed with peace.
So renounce the intellectual cleverness of your mind, and listen to the Teachings. ||1||Pause||
Meditate, meditate, meditate in remembrance on the Primal Lord, the Great Giver.
May I never forget that Primal, Infinite Lord from my mind. ||2||
I have enshrined love for the Lotus Feet of the Wondrous Divine Guru.
One who is blessed by Your Mercy, God, is committed to Your service. ||3||
I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, the treasure of wealth, and my mind and body are in bliss.
Nanak never forgets God, the Lord of supreme bliss. ||4||24||54||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Desire is stilled, and egotism is gone; fear and doubt have run away.
I have found stability, and I am in ecstasy; the Guru has blessed me with Dharmic faith. ||1||
Worshipping the Perfect Guru in adoration, my anguish is eradicated.
My body and mind are totally cooled and soothed; I have found peace, O my brother. ||1||Pause||
I have awakened from sleep, chanting the Name of the Lord; gazing upon Him, I am filled with wonder.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, I am satisfied. How wondrous is its taste! ||2||
I myself am liberated, and my companions swim across; my family and ancestors are also saved.
Service to the Divine Guru is fruitful; it has made me pure in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
I am lowly, without a master, ignorant, worthless and without virtue.

Nanak has been blessed with God's Mercy; God has made him His Slave. ||4||25||55||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord is the Hope and Support of His devotees; there is nowhere else for them to go.
O God, Your Name is my power, realm, relatives and riches. ||1||
God has granted His Mercy, and saved His slaves.
The slanderers rot in their slander; they are seized by the Messenger of Death. ||1||Pause||
The Saints meditate on the One Lord, and no other.
They offer their prayers to the One Lord, who is pervading and permeating all places. ||2||
I have heard this old story, spoken by the devotees,
that all the wicked are cut apart into pieces, while His humble servants are blessed with honor. ||3||
Nanak speaks the true words, which are obvious to all.
God's servants are under God's Protection; they have absolutely no fear. ||4||26||56||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
God breaks the bonds which hold us; He holds all power in His hands.
No other actions will bring release; save me, O my Lord and Master. ||1||
I have entered Your Sanctuary, O Perfect Lord of Mercy.
Those whom You preserve and protect, O Lord of the Universe, are saved from the trap of the world. ||1||Pause||
Hope, doubt, corruption and emotional attachment - in these, he is engrossed.
The false material world abides in his mind, and he does not understand the Supreme Lord God. ||2||
O Perfect Lord of Supreme Light, all beings belong to You.
As You keep us, we live, O infinite, inaccessible God. ||3||
Cause of causes, All-powerful Lord God, please bless me with Your Name.
Nanak is carried across in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||27||57||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Who? Who has not fallen, by placing their hopes in you?
You are enticed by the great enticer - this is the way to hell! ||1||
O vicious mind, no faith can be placed in you; you are totally intoxicated.
The donkey's leash is only removed, after the load is placed on his back. ||1||Pause||
You destroy the value of chanting, intensive meditation and self-discipline; you shall suffer in pain, beaten by the Messenger of Death.
You do not meditate, so you shall suffer the pains of reincarnation, you shameless buffoon! ||2||
The Lord is your Companion, your Helper, your Best Friend; but you disagree with Him.
You are in love with the five thieves; this brings terrible pain. ||3||
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Saints, who have conquered their minds.
He gives body, wealth and everything to the slaves of God. ||4||28||58||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Try to meditate, and contemplate the source of peace, and bliss will come to you.
Chanting, and meditating on the Name of the Lord of the Universe, perfect understanding is achieved. ||1||
Meditating on the Lotus Feet of the Guru, and chanting the Name of the Lord, I live.
Worshipping the Supreme Lord God in adoration, my mouth drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
All beings and creatures dwell in peace; the minds of all yearn for the Lord.
Those who continually remember the Lord, do good deeds for others; they harbor no ill will towards anyone. ||2||

Blessed is that place, and blessed are those who dwell there, where they chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Sermon and the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung there very often; there is peace, poise and tranquility. ||3||
In my mind, I never forget the Lord; He is the Master of the masterless.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God; everything is in His hands. ||4||29||59||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The One who bound you in the womb and then released you, placed you in the world of joy.
Contemplate His Lotus Feet forever, and you shall be cooled and soothed. ||1||
In life and in death, this Maya is of no use.
He created this creation, but rare are those who enshrine love for Him. ||1||Pause||
O mortal, the Creator Lord made summer and winter; He saves you from the heat.
From the ant, He makes an elephant; He reunites those who have been separated. ||2||
Eggs, wombs, sweat and earth - these are God's workshops of creation.
It is fruitful for all to practice contemplation of the Lord. ||3||
I cannot do anything; O God, I seek the Sanctuary of the Holy.
Guru Nanak pulled me up, out of the deep, dark pit, the intoxication of attachment. ||4||30||60||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Searching, searching, I wander around searching, in the woods and other places.
He is undeceivable, imperishable, inscrutable; such is my Lord God. ||1||
When shall I behold my God, and delight my soul?
Even better than being awake, is the dream in which I dwell with God. ||1||Pause||
Listening to the Shaastras teaching about the four social classes and the four stages of life, I grow thirsty for the Blessed Vision of the Lord.
He has no form or outline, and He is not made of the five elements; our Lord and Master is imperishable. ||2||
How rare are those Saints and great Yogis, who describe the beautiful form of the Lord.
Blessed, blessed are they, whom the Lord meets in His Mercy. ||3||
They know that He is deep within, and outside as well; their doubts are dispelled.
O Nanak, God meets those, whose karma is perfect. ||4||31||61||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
All beings and creatures are totally pleased, gazing on God's glorious radiance.
The True Guru has paid off my debt; He Himself did it. ||1||
Eating and expending it, it is always available; the Word of the Guru's Shabad is inexhaustible.
Everything is perfectly arranged; it is never exhausted. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I worship and adore the Lord, the infinite treasure.
He does not hesitate to bless me with Dharmic faith, wealth, sexual success and liberation. ||2||
The devotees worship and adore the Lord of the Universe with single-minded love.
They gather in the wealth of the Lord's Name, which cannot be estimated. ||3||
O God, I seek Your Sanctuary, the glorious greatness of God. Nanak:
Your end or limitation cannot be found, O Infinite World-Lord. ||4||32||62||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate, meditate in remembrance of the Perfect Lord God, and your affairs shall be perfectly resolved.
In Kartaarpur, the City of the Creator Lord, the Saints dwell with the Creator. ||1||Pause||
No obstacles will block your way, when you offer your prayers to the Guru.
The Sovereign Lord of the Universe is the Saving Grace, the Protector of the capital of His devotees. ||1||

There is never any deficiency at all; the Lord's treasures are over-flowing.
His Lotus Feet are enshrined within my mind and body; God is inaccessible and infinite. ||2||
All those who work for Him dwell in peace; you can see that they lack nothing.
By the Grace of the Saints, I have met God, the Perfect Lord of the Universe. ||3||
Everyone congratulates me, and celebrates my victory; the home of the True Lord is so beautiful!
Nanak chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the treasure of peace; I have found the Perfect Guru. ||4||33||63||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har, Har, and you shall be free of disease.
This is the Lord's healing rod, which eradicates all disease. ||1||Pause||
Meditating on the Lord, through the Perfect Guru, he constantly enjoys pleasure.
I am devoted to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I have been united with my Lord. ||1||
Contemplating Him, peace is obtained, and separation is ended.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, the All-powerful Creator, the Cause of causes. ||2||34||64||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I have given up all other efforts, and have taken the medicine of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Fevers, sins and all diseases are eradicated, and my mind is cooled and soothed. ||1||
Worshipping the Perfect Guru in adoration, all pains are dispelled.
The Savior Lord has saved me; He has blessed me with His Kind Mercy. ||1||Pause||
Grabbing hold of my arm, God has pulled me up and out; He has made me His own.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance, my mind and body are at peace; Nanak has become fearless. ||2||1||65||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Placing His Hand upon my forehead, God has given me the gift of His Name.
One who performs fruitful service for the Supreme Lord God, never suffers any loss. ||1||
God Himself saves the honor of His devotees.
Whatever God's Holy servants wish for, He grants to them. ||1||Pause||
God's humble servants seek the Sanctuary of His Lotus Feet; they are God's very breath of life.
O Nanak, they automatically, intuitively meet God; their light merges into the Light. ||2||2||66||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
God Himself has given me the Support of His Lotus Feet.
God's humble servants seek His Sanctuary; they are respected and famous forever. ||1||
God is the unparalleled Savior and Protector; service to Him is immaculate and pure.
The Divine Guru has built the City of Ramdaspur, the royal domain of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Forever and ever, meditate on the Lord, and no obstacles will obstruct you.
O Nanak, praising the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the fear of enemies runs away. ||2||3||67||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Worship and adore God in your mind and body; join the Company of the Holy.
Chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, the Messenger of Death runs far away. ||1||
That humble being who chants the Lord's Name, remains always awake and aware, night and day.

He is not affected by charms and spells, nor is he harmed by the evil eye. ||1||Pause||
Sexual desire, anger, the intoxication of egotism and emotional attachment are dispelled, by loving devotion.
One who enters the Lord's Sanctuary, O Nanak, remains merged in ecstasy in the subtle essence of the Lord's Love. ||2||4||68||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The living creatures and their ways are in God's power. Whatever He says, they do.
When the Sovereign Lord of the Universe is pleased, there is nothing at all to fear. ||1||
Pain shall never afflict you, if you remember the Supreme Lord God.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach the beloved Sikhs of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
The All-powerful Lord is the Cause of causes; there is no other than Him.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God; the True Lord has given strength to the mind. ||2||5||69||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering, remembering my God in meditation, the house of pain is removed.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have found peace and tranquility; I shall not wander away from there again. ||1||
I am devoted to my Guru; I am a sacrifice to His Feet.
I am blessed with ecstasy, peace and happiness, gazing upon the Guru, and singing the Lord's Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
This is my life's purpose, to sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and listen to the vibrations of the sound current of the Naad.
O Nanak, God is totally pleased with me; I have obtained the fruits of my desires. ||2||6||70||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
This is the prayer of Your slave: please elighten my heart.
By Your Mercy, O Supreme Lord God, please erase my sins. ||1||
I take the Support of Your Lotus Feet, O God, Primal Lord, treasure of virtue.
I shall meditate in remembrance on the Praises of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, as long as there is breath in my body. ||1||Pause||
You are my mother, father and relative; You are abiding within all.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; His Praise is immaculate and pure. ||2||7||71||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
All perfect spiritual powers are obtained, when one sings the Lord's Praises; everyone wishes him well.
Everyone calls him holy and spiritual; hearing of him, the Lord's slaves come to meet him. ||1||
The Perfect Guru blesses him with peace, poise, salvation and happiness.
All living beings become compassionate to him; he remembers the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
He is permeating and pervading everywhere; God is the ocean of virtue.
O Nanak, the devotees are in bliss, gazing upon God's abiding stability. ||2||8||72||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
God, the Great Giver, has become merciful; He has listened to my prayer.
He has saved His servant, and put ashes into the mouth of the slanderer. ||1||
No one can threaten you now, O my humble friend, for you are the slave of the Guru.
The Supreme Lord God reached out with His Hand and saved you. ||1||Pause||
The One Lord is the Giver of all beings; there is no other at all.
Nanak prays, You are my only strength, God. ||2||9||73||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Universe has saved my friends and companions.
The slanderers have died, so do not worry. ||1||Pause||
God has fulfilled all hopes and desires; I have met the Divine Guru.

God is celebrated and acclaimed all over the world; it is fruitful and rewarding to serve Him. ||1||
Lofty, infinite and immeasurable is the Lord; all beings are in His Hands.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God; He is with me everywhere. ||2||10||74||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I worship the Perfect Guru in adoration; He has become merciful to me.
The Saint has shown me the Way, and the noose of Death has been cut away. ||1||
Pain, hunger and scepticism have been dispelled, singing the Name of God.
I am blessed with celestial peace, poise, bliss and pleasure, and all my affairs have been perfectly resolved. ||1||Pause||
The fire of desire has been quenched, and I am cooled and soothed; God Himself saved me.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God; His glorious radiance is so great! ||2||11||75||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The earth is beautified, all places are fruitful, and my affairs are perfectly resolved.
Fear runs away, and doubt is dispelled, dwelling constantly upon the Lord. ||1||
Dwelling with the humble Holy people, one finds peace, poise and tranquility.
Blessed and auspicious is that time, when one meditates in remembrance on the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
They have become famous throughout the world; before this, no one even knew their names.
Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of the One who knows each and every heart. ||2||12||76||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
God Himself eradicated the disease; peace and tranquility have welled up.
The Lord blessed me with the gifts of great, glorious radiance and wondrous form. ||1||
The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, has shown mercy to me, and saved my brother.
I am under His Protection; He is always my help and support. ||1||Pause||
The prayer of the Lord's humble servant is never offered in vain.
Nanak takes the strength of the Perfect Lord of the Universe, the treasure of excellence. ||2||13||77||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Those who forget the Giver of life, die, over and over again, only to be reborn and die.
The humble servant of the Supreme Lord God serves Him; night and day, he remains imbued with His Love. ||1||
I have found peace, tranquility and great ecstasy; my hopes have been fulfilled.
I have found peace in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I meditate in remembrance on the Lord, the treasure of virtue. ||1||Pause||
O my Lord and Master, please listen to the prayer of Your humble servant; You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
Nanak's Lord and Master is permeating and pervading all places and interspaces. ||2||14||78||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The hot wind does not even touch one who is under the Protection of the Supreme Lord God.
On all four sides I am surrounded by the Lord's Circle of Protection; pain does not afflict me, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
I have met the Perfect True Guru, who has done this deed.
He has given me the medicine of the Lord's Name, and I enshrine love for the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Savior Lord has saved me, and eradicated all my sickness.
Says Nanak, God has showered me with His Mercy; He has become my help and support. ||2||15||79||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God, through the Divine Guru, has Himself protected and preserved His children.
Celestial peace, tranquility and bliss have come to pass; my service has been perfect. ||1||Pause||

God Himself has heard the prayers of His humble devotees.
He dispelled my disease, and rejuvenated me; His glorious radiance is so great! ||1||
He has forgiven me for my sins, and interceded with His power.
I have been blessed with the fruits of my mind's desires; Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||2||16||80||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas And Du-Padas, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my fascinating Lord, let me not listen to the faithless cynic, singing his songs and tunes, and chanting his useless words. ||1||Pause||
I serve, serve, serve, serve the Holy Saints; forever and ever, I do this.
The Primal Lord, the Great Giver, has blessed me with the gift of fearlessness. Joining the Company of the Holy, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
My tongue is imbued with the Praises of the inaccessible and unfathomable Lord, and my eyes are drenched with the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Be Merciful to me, O Destroyer of the pains of the meek, that I may enshrine Your Lotus Feet within my heart. ||2||
Beneath all, and above all; this is the vision I saw.
I have destroyed, destroyed, destroyed my pride, since the True Guru implanted His Mantra within me. ||3||
Immeasurable, immeasurable, immeasurable is the Merciful Lord; he cannot be weighed. He is the Lover of His devotees.
Whoever enters the Sanctuary of Guru Nanak, is blessed with the gifts of fearlessness and peace. ||4||||1||81||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
O Dear God, You are the Support of my breath of life.
I how in humility and reverence to You; so many times, I am a sacrifice. ||1||Pause||
Sitting down, standing up, sleeping and waking, this mind thinks of You.
I describe to You my pleasure and pain, and the state of this mind. ||1||
You are my shelter and support, power, intellect and wealth; You are my family.
Whatever You do, I know that is good. Gazing upon Your Lotus Feet, Nanak is at peace. ||2||2||82||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I have heard that God is the Savior of all.
Intoxicated by attachment, in the company of sinners, the mortal has forgotten such a Lord from his mind. ||1||Pause||
He has collected poison, and grasped it firmly. But he has cast out the Ambrosial Nectar from his mind.
He is imbued with sexual desire, anger, greed and slander; he has abandoned truth and contentment. ||1||
Lift me up, and pull me out of these, O my Lord and Master. I have entered Your Sanctuary.
Nanak prays to God: I am a poor beggar; carry me across, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||3||83||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I listen to God's Teachings from the Saints.
The Lord's Sermon, the Kirtan of His Praises and the songs of bliss perfectly resonate, day and night. ||1||Pause||
In His Mercy, God has made them His own, and blessed them with the gift of His Name.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing the Glorious Praises of God. Sexual desire and anger have left this body. ||1||

I am satisfied and satiated, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan. I eat the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's sublime food.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of Your Feet, O God; in Your Mercy, unite him with the Society of the Saints. ||2||4||84||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself has saved His humble servant.
In His Mercy, the Lord, Har, Har, has blessed me with His Name, and all my pains and afflictions have been dispelled. ||1||Pause||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, all you humble servants of the Lord; chant the jewels, the songs of the Lord with your tongue.
The desires of millions of incarnations shall be quenched, and your soul shall be satisfied with the sweet, sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||
I have grasped the Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet; He is the Giver of peace; through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, I meditate and chant the Chant of the Lord.
I have crossed over the world-ocean, and my doubt and fear are dispelled, says Nanak, through the glorious granduer of our Lord and Master. ||2||5||85||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Through the Guru, the Creator Lord has subdued the fever.
I am a sacrifice to my True Guru, who has saved the honor of the whole world. ||1||Pause||
Placing His Hand on the child's forehead, He saved him.
God blessed me with the supreme, sublime essence of the Ambrosial Naam. ||1||
The Merciful Lord saves the honor of His slave.
Guru Nanak speaks - it is confirmed in the Court of the Lord. ||2||6||86||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas And Du-Padas, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, is the light of the lamp.
It dispels the darkness from the body-mansion, and opens the beautiful chamber of jewels. ||1||Pause||
I was wonderstruck and astonished, when I looked inside; I cannot even describe its glory and grandeur.
I am intoxicated and enraptured with it, and I am wrapped in it, through and through. ||1||
No worldly entanglements or snares can trap me, and no trace of egotistical pride remains.
You are the highest of the high, and no curtain separates us; I am Yours, and You are mine. ||2||
The One Creator Lord created the expanse of the one universe; the One Lord is unlimited and infinite.
The One Lord pervades the one universe; the One Lord is totally permeating everywhere; the One Lord is the Support of the breath of life. ||3||
He is the most immaculate of the immaculate, the purest of the pure, so pure, so pure.
He has no end or limitation; He is forever unlimited. Says Nanak, He is the highest of the high. ||4||1||87||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Lord, nothing is of any use.
You are totally attached to that Enticer Maya; she is enticing you. ||1||Pause||
You shall have to leave behind your gold, your woman and your beautiful bed; you shall have to depart in an instant.
You are entangled in the lures of sexual pleasures, and you are eating poisonous drugs. ||1||
You have built and adorned a palace of straw, and under it, you light a fire.
Sitting all puffed-up in such a castle, you stubborn-minded fool, what do you think you will gain? ||2||
The five thieves stand over your head and seize you. Grabbing you by your hair, they will drive you on.

You do not see them, you blind and ignorant fool; intoxicated with ego, you just keep sleeping. ||3||
The net has been spread out, and the bait has been scattered; like a bird, you are being trapped.
Says Nanak, my bonds have been broken; I meditate on the True Guru, the Primal Being. ||4||2||88||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is infinite and priceless.
It is the Beloved of my breath of life, and the Support of my mind; I remember it, as the betel leaf chewer remembers the betel leaf. ||1||Pause||
I have been absorbed in celestial bliss, following the Guru's Teachings; my body-garment is imbued with the Lord's Love.
I come face to face with my Beloved, by great good fortune; my Husband Lord never wavers. ||1||
I do not need any image, or incense, or perfume, or lamps; through and through, He is blossoming forth, with me, life and limb.
Says Nanak, my Husband Lord has ravished and enjoyed His soul-bride; my bed has become very beautiful and sublime. ||2||3||89||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Chanting the Name of the Lord of the Universe, Gobind, Gobind, Gobind, we become like Him.
Since I met the compassionate, Holy Saints, my evil-mindedness has been driven far away. ||1||Pause||
The Perfect Lord is perfectly pervading everywhere. He is cool and calm, peaceful and compassionate.
Sexual desire, anger and egotistical desires have all been eliminated from my body. ||1||
Truth, contentment, compassion, Dharmic faith and purity - I have received these from the Teachings of the Saints.
Says Nanak, one who realizes this in his mind, achieves total understanding. ||2||4||90||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
What am I? Just a poor living being. I cannot even describe one of Your hairs, O Lord.
Even Brahma, Shiva, the Siddhas and the silent sages do not know Your State, O Infinite Lord and Master. ||1||
What can I say? I cannot say anything.
Wherever I look, I see the Lord pervading. ||1||Pause||
And there, where the most terrible tortures are heard to be inflicted by the Messenger of Death, You are my only help and support, O my God.
I have sought His Sanctuary, and grasped hold of the Lord's Lotus Feet; God has helped Guru Nanak to understand this understanding. ||2||5||91||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
O Inaccessible, Beautiful, Imperishable Creator Lord, Purifier of sinners, let me meditate on You, even for an instant.
O Wondrous Lord, I have heard that You are found by meeting the Saints, and focusing the mind on their feet, their holy feet. ||1||
In what way, and by what discipline, is He obtained?
Tell me, O good man, by what means can we meditate on Him? ||1||Pause||
If one human being serves another human being, the one served stands by him.
Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary and Protection, O Lord, ocean of peace; He takes the Support of Your Name alone. ||2||6||92||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I seek the Sanctuary of the Saints, and I serve the Saints.
I am rid of all worldly concerns, bonds, entanglements and other affairs. ||1||Pause||
I have obtained peace, poise and great bliss from the Guru, through the Lord's Name.

Such is the sublime essence of the Lord, that I cannot describe it. The Perfect Guru has turned me away from the world. ||1||
I behold the Fascinating Lord with everyone. No one is without Him - He is pervading everywhere.
The Perfect Lord, the treasure of mercy, is permeating everywhere. Says Nanak, I am fully fulfilled. ||2||7||93||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
What does the mind say? What can I say?
You are wise and all-knowing, O God, my Lord and Master; what can I say to You? ||1||Pause||
You know even what is not said, whatever is in the soul.
O mind, why do you deceive others? How long will you do this? The Lord is with you; He hears and sees everything. ||1||
Knowing this, my mind has become blissful; there is no other Creator.
Says Nanak, the Guru has become kind to me; my love for the Lord shall never wear off. ||2||8||94||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Thus, the slanderer crumbles away.
This is the distinctive sign - listen, O Siblings of Destiny: he collapses like a wall of sand. ||1||Pause||
When the slanderer sees a fault in someone else, he is pleased. Seeing goodness, he is depressed.
Twenty-four hours a day, he plots, but nothing works. The evil man dies, constantly thinking up evil plans. ||1||
The slanderer forgets God, death approaches him, and he starts to argue with the humble servant of the Lord.
God Himself, the Lord and Master, is Nanak's protector. What can any wretched person do to him? ||2||9||95||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Why do you wander in delusion like this?
You act, and incite others to act, and then deny it. The Lord is always with you; He sees and hears everything. ||1||Pause||
You purchase glass, and discard gold; you are in love with your enemy, while you renounce your true friend.
That which exists, seems bitter; that which does not exist, seems sweet to you. Engrossed in corruption, you are burning away. ||1||
The mortal has fallen into the deep, dark pit, and is entangled in the darkness of doubt, and the bondage of emotional attachment.
Says Nanak, when God becomes merciful, one meets with the Guru, who takes him by the arm, and lifts him out. ||2||10||96||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
With my mind, body and tongue, I remember the Lord.
I am in ecstasy, and my anxieties are dispelled; the Guru has blessed me with total peace. ||1||Pause||
My ignorance has been totally transformed into wisdom. My God is wise and all-knowing.
Giving me His Hand, He saved me, and now no one can harm me at all. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of the Holy; by their Grace, I contemplate the Lord's Name.
Says Nanak, I place my faith in my Lord and Master; within my mind, I do not believe in any other, even for an instant. ||2||11||97||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect Guru has has saved me.
He has enshrined the Ambrosial Name of the Lord within my heart, and the filth of countless incarnations has been washed away. ||1||Pause||
The demons and wicked enemies are driven out, by meditating, and chanting the Chant of the Perfect Guru.

What can any wretched creature do to me? The radiance of my God is gloriously great. ||1||
Meditating, meditating, meditating in remembrance, I have found peace; I have enshrined His Lotus Feet within my mind.
Slave Nanak has entered His Sanctuary; there is none above Him. ||2||12||98||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Forever and ever, chant the Name of God.
The pains of old age and death shall not afflict you, and in the Court of the Lord hereafter, your affairs shall be perfectly resolved. ||1||Pause||
So forsake your self-conceit, and ever seek Sanctuary. This treasure is obtained only from the Guru.
The noose of birth and death is snapped; this is the insignia, the hallmark, of the Court of the True Lord. ||1||
Whatever You do, I accept as good. I have eradicated all egotistical pride from my mind.
Says Nanak, I am under His protection; He created the entire Universe. ||2||13||99||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Deep within the nucleus of his mind and body, is God.
He continually sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and always does good for others; his tongue is priceless. ||1||Pause||
All his generations are redeemed and saved in an instant, and the filth of countless incarnations is washed away.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on God, his Lord and Master, he passes blissfully through the forest of poison. ||1||
I have obtained the boat of God's Feet, to carry me across the terrifying world-ocean.
The Saints, servants and devotees belong to the Lord; Nanak's mind is attached to Him. ||2||14||100||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I am reassured, gazing upon Your wondrous play.
You are my Lord and Master, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; You dwell with the Holy Saints. ||1||Pause||
In an instant, our Lord and Master establishes and exalts. From a lowly worm, He creates a king. ||1||
May I never forget You from my heart; slave Nanak prays for this blessing. ||2||15||101||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The imperishable Lord God is worthy of worship and adoration.
Dedicating my mind and body, I place them before the Lord, the Cherisher of all beings. ||1||Pause||
His Sanctuary is All-powerful; He cannot be described; He is the Giver of peace, the ocean of mercy, supremely compassionate.
Holding him close in His embrace, the Lord protects and saves him, and then even the hot wind cannot touch him. ||1||
Our Merciful Lord and Master is wealth, property and everything to His humble Saints.
Nanak, a beggar, asks for the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan; please, bless him with the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||2||16||102||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is equal to millions of efforts.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and the Messenger of Death will be frightened away. ||1||Pause||
To enshrine the Feet of God in one's mind and body, is to perform all sorts of acts of atonement.
Coming and going, doubt and fear have run away, and the sins of countless incarnations are burnt away. ||1||
So become fearless, and vibrate upon the Lord of the Universe. This is true wealth, obtained only by great good fortune.

Be merciful, O Perfect God, Great Giver, that slave Nanak may chant Your immaculate Praises. ||2||17||103||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord saved me from Sulhi Khan.
The emperor did not succeed in his plot, and he died in disgrace. ||1||Pause||
The Lord and Master raised His axe, and chopped off his head; in an instant, he was reduced to dust. ||1||
Plotting and planning evil, he was destroyed. The One who created him, gave him a push.
Of his sons, friends and wealth, nothing remains; he departed, leaving behind all his brothers and relatives.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to God, who fulfilled the word of His slave. ||2||18||104||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Perfect is service to the Perfect Guru.
Our Lord and Master Himself is Himself all-pervading. The Divine Guru has resolved all my affairs. ||1||Pause||
In the beginning, in the middle and in the end, God is our only Lord and Master. He Himself fashioned His Creation.
He Himself saves His servant. Great is the glorious grandeur of my God! ||1||
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord is the True Guru; all beings are in His power.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of His Lotus Feet, chanting the Lord's Name, the immaculate Mantra. ||2||19||105||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself protects me from suffering and sin.
Falling at the Guru's Feet, I am cooled and soothed; I meditate on the Lord's Name within my heart. ||1||Pause||
Granting His Mercy, God has extended His Hands. He is the Emancipator of the World; His glorious radiance pervades the nine continents.
My pain has been dispelled, and peace and pleasure have come; my desire is quenched, and my mind and body are truly satisfied. ||1||
He is the Master of the masterless, All-powerful to give Sanctuary. He is the Mother and Father of the whole Universe.
He is the Lover of His devotees, the Destroyer of fear; Nanak sings and chants the Glorious Praises of his Lord and Master. ||2||20||106||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Acknowledge the One, from whom You originated.
Meditating on the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, I have found peace, pleasure and salvation. ||1||Pause||
I met the Perfect Guru, by great good fortune, and so found the wise and all-knowing Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He gave me His Hand, and making me His own, He saved me; He is absolutely all-powerful, the honor of the dishonored. ||1||
Doubt and fear have been dispelled in an instant, and in the darkness, the Divine Light shines forth.
With each and every breath, Nanak worships and adores the Lord; forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||2||21||107||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Both here and hereafter, the Mighty Guru protects me.
God has embellished this world and the next for me, and all my affairs are perfectly resolved. ||1||Pause||
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have found peace and poise, bathing in the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Comings and goings have ceased, and I have found stability; the pains of birth and death are eradicated. ||1||
I cross over the ocean of doubt and fear, and the fear of death is gone; the One Lord is permeating and pervading in each and every heart.

Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Destroyer of pain; I behold His Presence deep within, and all around as well. ||2||22||108||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, all pains run away.
Please, never leave my vision, O Lord; please abide with my soul. ||1||Pause||
My Beloved Lord and Master is the Support of the breath of life.
God, the Inner-knower, is all-pervading. ||1||
Which of Your Glorious Virtues should I contemplate and remember?
With each and every breath, O God, I remember You. ||2||
God is the ocean of mercy, merciful to the meek;
He cherishes all beings and creatures. ||3||
Twenty-four hours a day, Your humble servant chants Your Name.
You Yourself, O God, have inspired Nanak to love You. ||4||23||109||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Body, wealth and youth pass away.
You have not meditated and vibrated upon the Lord's Name; while you commit your sins of corruption in the night, the light of day dawns upon you. ||1||Pause||
Continually eating all sorts of foods, the teeth in your mouth crumble, decay and fall out.
Living in egotism and possessiveness, you are deluded; committing sins, you have no kindness for others. ||1||
The great sins are the terrible ocean of pain; the mortal is engrossed in them.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of his Lord and Master; taking him by the arm, God has lifted him up and out. ||2||24||110||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
God Himself has come into my consciousness.
My enemies and opponents have grown weary of attacking me, and now, I have become happy, O my friends and Siblings of Destiny. ||1||Pause||
The disease is gone, and all misfortunes have been averted; the Creator Lord has made me His own.
I have found peace, tranquility and total bliss, enshrining the Name of my Beloved Lord within my heart. ||1||
My soul, body and wealth are all Your capital; O God, You are my All-powerful Lord and Master.
You are the Saving Grace of Your slaves; slave Nanak is forever Your slave. ||2||25||111||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe, I am emancipated.
Suffering is eradicated, and true peace has come, meditating on the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||1||Pause||
All beings belong to Him - He makes them happy. He is the true power of His humble devotees.
He Himself saves and protects His slaves, who believe in their Creator, the Destroyer of fear. ||1||
I have found friendship, and hatred has been eradicated; the Lord has rooted out the enemies and villains.
Nanak has been blessed with celestial peace and poise and total bliss; chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, he lives. ||2||26||112||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God has become Merciful.
The True Guru has arranged all my affairs; chanting and meditating with the Holy Saints, I have become happy. ||1||Pause||
God has made me His own, and all my enemies have been reduced to dust.
He hugs us close in His embrace, and protects His humble servants; attaching us to the hem of His robe, he saves us. ||1||

Safe and sound, we have returned home, while the slanderer's face is blackened.
Says Nanak, my True Guru is Perfect; by the Grace of God and Guru, I am so happy. ||2||27||113||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I have fallen in love with my Beloved Lord. ||Pause||
Cutting it, it does not break, and releasing it, it does not let go. Such is the string the Lord has tied me with. ||1||
Day and night, He dwells within my mind; please bless me with Your Mercy, O my God. ||2||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to my beauteous Lord; I have heard his Unspoken Speech and Story. ||3||
Servant Nanak is said to be the slave of His slaves; O my Lord and Master, please bless me with Your Mercy. ||4||28||114||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I meditate on the Lord's Feet; I am a sacrifice to Them.
My Guru is the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord; I enshrine Him within my heart, and meditate on Him within my mind. ||1||Pause||
Meditate, meditate, meditate in remembrance on the Giver of peace, who created the whole Universe.
With your tongue, savor the One Lord, and you shall be honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||1||
He alone obtains this treasure, who joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O Lord and Master, mercifully bless Nanak with this gift, that he may ever sing the Glorious Praises of Your Kirtan. ||2||29||115||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I have been saved, in the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
I am cheered and applauded throughout the world; my Supreme Lord God carries me across. ||1||Pause||
The Perfect Lord fills the Universe; He is the Giver of peace; He cherishes and fulfills the whole Universe.
He is completely filling all places and interspaces; I am a devoted sacrifice to the Lord's Feet. ||1||
The ways of all beings are in Your Power, O my Lord and Master. All supernatural spiritual powers are Yours; You are the Creator, the Cause of causes.
In the beginning, and throughout the ages, God is our Savior and Protector; remembering the Lord in meditation, O Nanak, fear is eliminated. ||2||30||116||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas, Eighth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am nothing, God; everything is Yours.
In this world, You are the absolute, formless Lord; in the world hereafter, You are the related Lord of form. You play it both ways, O my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
You exist within the city, and beyond it as well; O my God, You are everywhere.
You Yourself are the King, and You Yourself are the subject. In one place, You are the Lord and Master, and in another place, You are the slave. ||1||
From whom should I hide? Whom should I try to deceive? Wherever I look, I see Him near at hand.
I have met with Guru Nanak, the Embodiment of the Holy Saints. When the drop of water merges into the ocean, it cannot be distinguished as separate again. ||2||1||117||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:

You are the all-powerful Cause of causes.
Please cover my faults, Lord of the Universe, O my Guru; I am a sinner - I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet. ||1||Pause||
Whatever we do, You see and know; there is no way anyone can stubbornly deny this.
Your glorious radiance is great! So I have heard, O God. Millions of sins are destroyed by Your Name. ||1||
It is my nature to make mistakes, forever and ever; it is Your Natural Way to save sinners.
You are the embodiment of kindness, and the treasure of compassion, O Merciful Lord; through the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, Nanak has found the state of redemption in life. ||2||2||118||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Bless me with such mercy, Lord,
that my forehead may touch the feet of the Saints, and my eyes may behold the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, and my body may fall at the dust of their feet. ||1||Pause||
May the Word of the Guru's Shabad abide within my heart, and the Lord's Name be enshrined within my mind.
Drive out the five thieves, O my Lord and Master, and let my doubts all burn like incense. ||1||
Whatever You do, I accept as good; I have driven out the sense of duality.
You are Nanak's God, the Great Giver; in the Congregation of the Saints, emancipate me. ||2||3||119||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
I ask for such advice from Your humble servants,
that I may meditate on You, and love You,
and serve You, and become part and parcel of Your Being. ||1||Pause||
I serve His humble servants, and speak with them, and abide with them.
I apply the dust of the feet of His humble servants to my face and forehead; my hopes, and the many waves of desire, are fulfilled. ||1||
Immaculate and pure are the praises of the humble servants of the Supreme Lord God; the feet of His humble servants are equal to millions of sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Nanak bathes in the dust of the feet of His humble servants; the sinful resides of countless incarnations have been washed away. ||2||4||120||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
If it pleases You, then cherish me.
O Supreme Lord God, Transcendent Lord, O True Guru, I am Your child, and You are my Merciful Father. ||1||Pause||
I am worthless; I have no virtues at all. I cannot understand Your actions.
You alone know Your state and extent. My soul, body and property are all Yours. ||1||
You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, the Primal Lord and Master; You know even what is unspoken.
My body and mind are cooled and soothed, O Nanak, by God's Glance of Grace. ||2||5||121||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Keep me with You forever, O God.
You are my Beloved, the Enticer of my mind; without You, my life is totally useless. ||1||Pause||
In an instant, You transform the beggar into a king; O my God, You are the Master of the masterless.
You save Your humble servants from the burning fire; You make them Your own, and with Your Hand, You protect them. ||1||
I have found peace and cool tranquility, and my mind is satisfied; meditating in remembrance on the Lord, all struggles are ended.
Service to the Lord, O Nanak, is the treasure of treasures; all other clever tricks are useless. ||2||6||122||

Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Never forget Your servant, O Lord.
Hug me close in Your embrace, O God, my Lord and Master; consider my primal love for You, O Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
It is Your Natural Way, God, to purify sinners; please do not keep my errors in Your Heart.
You are my life, my breath of life, O Lord, my wealth and peace; be merciful to me, and burn away the curtain of egotism. ||1||
Without water, how can the fish survive? Without milk, how can the baby survive?
Servant Nanak thirsts for the Lord's Lotus Feet; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of his Lord and Master's Darshan, he finds the essence of peace. ||2||7||123||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Here, and hereafter, there is happiness.
The Perfect Guru has perfectly, totally saved me; the Supreme Lord God has been kind to me. ||1||Pause||
The Lord, my Beloved, is pervading and permeating my mind and body; all my pains and sufferings are dispelled.
In celestial peace, tranquility and bliss, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; my enemies and adversaries have been totally destroyed. ||1||
God has not considered my merits and demerits; in His Mercy, He has made me His own.
Unweighable is the greatness of the immovable and imperishable Lord; Nanak proclaims the victory of the Lord. ||2||8||124||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Fear of God, and devotional worship, how can anyone cross over the world-ocean?
Be kind to me, O Saving Grace of sinners; preserve my faith in You, O my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
The mortal does not remember the Lord in meditation; he wanders around intoxicated by egotism; he is engrossed in corruption like a dog.
Utterly cheated, his life is slipping away; committing sins, he is sinking away. ||1||
I have come to Your Sanctuary, Destroyer of pain; O Primal Immaculate Lord, may I dwell upon You in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O Lord of beautiful hair, Destroyer of pain, Eradicator of sins, Nanak lives, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||2||9||125||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas, Ninth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He Himself merges us with Himself.
When I came to Your Sanctuary, my sins vanished. ||1||Pause||
Renouncing egotistical pride and other anxieties, I have sought the Sanctuary of the Holy Saints.
Chanting, meditating on Your Name, O my Beloved, disease is eradicated from my body. ||1||
Even utterly foolish, ignorant and thoughtless persons have been saved by the Kind Lord.
Says Nanak, I have met the Perfect Guru; my comings and goings have ended. ||2||1||126||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Hearing Your Name, I live.
When the Perfect Guru became pleased with me, then my hopes were fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
Pain is gone, and my mind is comforted; the music of bliss fascinates me.
The yearning to meet my Beloved God has welled up within me. I cannot live without Him, even for an instant. ||1||

You have saved so many devotees, so many humble servants; so many silent sages contemplate You.
The support of the blind, the wealth of the poor; Nanak has found God, of endless virtues. ||2||2||127||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Thirteenth House, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Enticing Lord, I cannot sleep; I sigh. I am adorned with necklaces, gowns, ornaments and make-up.
I am sad, sad and depressed.
When will You come home? ||1||Pause||
I seek the Sanctuary of the happy soul-brides; I place my head upon their feet.
Unite me with my Beloved.
When will He come to my home? ||1||
Listen, my companions: tell me how to meet Him. Eradicate all egotism, and then you shall find your Beloved Lord within the home of your heart.
Then, in delight, you shall sing the songs of joy and praise.
Meditate on the Lord, the embodiment of bliss.
O Nanak, I came to the Lord's Door,
and then, I found my Beloved. ||2||
The Enticing Lord has revealed His form to me,
and now, sleep seems sweet to me.
My thirst is totally quenched,
and now, I am absorbed in celestial bliss.
How sweet is the story of my Husband Lord.
I have found my Beloved, Enticing Lord. ||Second Pause||1||128||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
My ego is gone; I have obtained the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
I am absorbed in my Lord and Master, the help and support of the Saints.
Now, I hold tight to His Feet. ||1||Pause||
My mind longs for Him, and does not love any other. I am totally absorbed, in love with His Lotus Feet, like the bumble bee attached to the honey of the lotus flower.
I do not desire any other taste; I seek only the One Lord. ||1||
I have broken away from the others, and I have been released from the Messenger of Death.
O mind, drink in the subtle essence of the Lord; join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and turn away from the world.
There is no other, none other than the Lord.
O Nanak, love the Feet, the Feet of the Lord. ||2||2||129||
Raag Bilaaval, Ninth Mehl, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Name of the Lord is the Dispeller of sorrow - realize this.
Remembering Him in meditation, even Ajaamal the robber and Ganikaa the prostitute were liberated; let your soul know this. ||1||Pause||
The elephant's fear was taken away in an instant, as soon as he chanted the Lord's Name.
Listening to Naarad's teachings, the child Dhroo was absorbed in deep meditation. ||1||
He obtained the immovable, eternal state of fearlessness, and all the world was amazed.
Says Nanak, the Lord is the Saving Grace and the Protector of His devotees; believe it - He is close to you. ||2||1||
Bilaaval, Ninth Mehl:
Without the Name of the Lord, you shall only find pain.
Without devotional worship, doubt is not dispelled; the Guru has revealed this secret. ||1||Pause||
Of what use are sacred shrines of pilgrimage, if one does not enter the Sanctuary of the Lord?

Know that Yoga and sacrificial feasts are fruitless, if one forgets the Praises of God. ||1||
One who lays aside both pride and attachment, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Says Nanak, the mortal who does this is said to be 'jivan mukta' - liberated while yet alive. ||2||2||
Bilaaval, Ninth Mehl:
There is no meditation on the Lord within him.
That man wastes his life uselessly - keep this in mind. ||1||Pause||
He bathes at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and adheres to fasts, but he has no control over his mind.
Know that such religion is useless to him. I speak the Truth for his sake. ||1||
It's like a stone, kept immersed in water; still, the water does not penetrate it.
So, understand it: that mortal being who lacks devotional worship is just like that. ||2||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, liberation comes from the Naam. The Guru has revealed this secret.
Says Nanak, he alone is a great man, who sings the Praises of God. ||3||3||
Bilaaval, Ashtapadees, First Mehl, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He dwells close at hand, and sees all,
but how rare is the Gurmukh who understands this.
Without the Fear of God, there is no devotional worship.
Imbued with the Word of the Shabad, eternal peace is attained. ||1||
Such is the spiritual wisdom, the treasure of the Naam;
obtaining it, the Gurmukhs enjoy the subtle essence of this nectar. ||1||Pause||
Everyone talks about spiritual wisdom and spiritual knowledge.
Talking, talking, they argue, and suffer.
No one can stop talking and discussing it.
Without being imbued with the subtle essence, there is no liberation. ||2||
Spiritual wisdom and meditation all come from the Guru.
Through the lifestyle of Truth, the True Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
The self-willed manmukh talks about it, but does not practice it.
Forgetting the Name, he finds no place of rest. ||3||
Maya has caught the mind in the trap of the whirlpool.
Each and every heart is trapped by this bait of poison and sin.
See that whoever has come, is subject to death.
Your affairs shall be adjusted, if you contemplate the Lord in your heart. ||4||
He alone is a spiritual teacher, who lovingly focuses his consciousness on the Word of the Shabad.
The self-willed, egotistical manmukh loses his honor.
The Creator Lord Himself inspires us to His devotional worship.
He Himself blesses the Gurmukh with glorious greatness. ||5||
The life-night is dark, while the Divine Light is immaculate.
Those who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are false, filthy and untouchable.
The Vedas preach sermons of devotional worship.
Listening, hearing and believing, one beholds the Divine Light. ||6||
The Shaastras and Simritees implant the Naam within.
The Gurmukh lives in peace and tranquility, doing deeds of sublime purity.
The self-willed manmukh suffers the pains of reincarnation.
His bonds are broken, enshrining the Name of the One Lord. ||7||
Believing in the Naam, one obtains true honor and adoration.
Who should I see? There is none other than the Lord.
I see, and I say, that He alone is pleasing to my mind.
Says Nanak, there is no other at all. ||8||1||

Bilaaval, First Mehl:
The human acts according to the wishes of the mind.
This mind feeds on virtue and vice.
Intoxicated with the wine of Maya, satisfaction never comes.
Satisfaction and liberation come, only to one whose mind is pleasing to the True Lord. ||1||
Gazing upon his body, wealth, wife and all his possessions, he is proud.
But without the Name of the Lord, nothing shall go along with him. ||1||Pause||
He enjoys tastes, pleasures and joys in his mind.
But his wealth will pass on to other people, and his body will be reduced to ashes.
The entire expanse, like dust, shall mix with dust.
Without the Word of the Shabad, his filth is not removed. ||2||
The various songs, tunes and rhythms are false.
Trapped by the three qualities, people come and go, far from the Lord.
In duality, the pain of their evil-mindedness does not leave them.
But the Gurmukh is emancipated by taking the medicine, and singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
He may wear a clean loin-cloth, apply the ceremonial mark to his forehead, and wear a mala around his neck;
but if there is anger within him, he is merely reading his part, like an actor in a play.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he drinks in the wine of Maya.
Without devotional worship to the Guru, there is no peace. ||4||
The human is a pig, a dog, a donkey, a cat,
a beast, a filthy, lowly wretch, an outcast,
if he turns his face away from the Guru. He shall wander in reincarnation.
Bound in bondage, he comes and goes. ||5||
Serving the Guru, the treasure is found.
With the Naam in the heart, one always prospers.
And in the Court of the True Lord, you shall not called to account.
One who obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command, is approved at the Lord's Door. ||6||
Meeting the True Guru, one knows the Lord.
Understanding the Hukam of His Command, one acts according to His Will.
Understanding the Hukam of His Command, he dwells in the Court of the True Lord.
Through the Shabad, death and birth are ended. ||7||
He remains detached, knowing that everything belongs to God.
He dedicates his body and mind unto the One who owns them.
He does not come, and he does not go.
O Nanak, absorbed in Truth, he merges in the True Lord. ||8||2||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The world is like a crow; with its beak, it croaks spiritual wisdom.
But deep within there is greed, falsehood and pride.
Without the Name of the Lord, your thin outer covering shall wear off, you fool. ||1||
Serving the True Guru, the Naam shall dwell in your conscious mind.
Meeting with the Guru, the Name of the Lord comes to mind. Without the Name, other loves are false. ||1||Pause||
So do that work, which the Guru tells you to do.
Contemplating the Word of the Shabad, you shall come to the home of celestial bliss.
Through the True Name, you shall obtain glorious greatness. ||2||
One who does not understand his own self, but still tries to instruct others,
is mentally blind, and acts in blindness.
How can he ever find a home and a place of rest, in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence? ||3||
Serve the Dear Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts;
deep within each and every heart, His Light is shining forth.
How can anyone hide anything from Him? ||4||

The True Name is known through the True Word of the Shabad.
The Lord Himself meets that one who eradicates egotistical pride.
The Gurmukh chants the Naam, forever and ever. ||5||
Serving the True Guru, duality and evil-mindedness are taken away.
Guilty mistakes are erased, and the sinful intellect is cleansed.
One's body sparkles like gold, and one's light merges into the Light. ||6||
Meeting with the True Guru, one is blessed with glorious greatness.
Pain is taken away, and the Naam comes to dwell within the heart.
Imbued with the Naam, one finds eternal peace. ||7||
Obeying the Gur's instructions, one's actions are purified.
Obeying the Guru's Instructions, one finds the state of salvation.
O Nanak, those who follow the Guru's Teachings are saved, along with their families. ||8||1||3||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Eleventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
One who eliminates his self-centeredness, and eradicates his ego, night and day sings the songs of the Lord's Love.
The Gurmukh is inspired, his body is golden, and his light merges into the Light of the Fearless Lord. ||1||
I take the Support of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
I cannot live, for a moment, even for an instant, without the Name of the Lord; the Gurmukh reads the Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
In the one house of the body, there are ten gates; night and day, the five thieves break in.
They steal the entire wealth of one's Dharmic faith, but the blind, self-willed manmukh does not know it. ||2||
The fortress of the body is overflowing with gold and jewels; when it is awakened by spiritual wisdom, one enshrines love for the essence of reality.
The thieves and robbers hide out in the body; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are arrested and locked up. ||3||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the boat, and the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the boatman, to carry us across.
The Messenger of Death, the tax collector, does not even come close, and no thieves or robbers can plunder you. ||4||
I continuously sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, day and night; singing the Lord's Praises, I cannot find His limits.
The mind of the Gurmukh returns to its own home; it meets the Lord of the Universe, to the beat of the celestial drum. ||5||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan with my eyes, my mind is satisfied; with my ears, I listen to the Guru's Bani, and the Word of His Shabad.
Listening, listening, my soul is softened, delighted by His subtle essence, chanting the Name of the Lord of the Universe. ||6||
In the grip of the three qualities, they are engrossed in love and attachment to Maya; only as Gurmukh do they find the absolute quality, absorption in bliss.
With a single, impartial eye, look upon all alike, and see God pervading all. ||7||
The Light of the Lord's Name permeates all; the Gurmukh knows the unknowable.
O Nanak, the Lord has become merciful to the meek; through loving adoration, he merges in the Lord's Name. ||8||1||4||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
Meditate on the cool water of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. Perfume yourself with the fragrant scent of the Lord, the sandalwood tree.

Joining the Society of the Saints, I have obtained the supreme status. I am just a castor-oil tree, made fragrant by their association. ||1||
Meditate on the Lord of the Universe, the Master of the world, the Lord of creation.
Those humble beings who seek the Lord's Sanctuary are saved, like Prahlaad; they are emancipated and merge with the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Of all plants, the sandalwood tree is the most sublime. Everything near the sandalwood tree becomes fragrant like sandalwood.
The stubborn, false faithless cynics are dried up; their egotistical pride separates them far from the Lord. ||2||
Only the Creator Lord Himself knows the state and condition of everyone; the Lord Himself makes all the arrangements.
One who meets the True Guru is transformed into gold. Whatever is pre-ordained, is not erased by erasing. ||3||
The treasure of jewels is found in the ocean of the Guru's Teachings. The treasure of devotional worship is opened to me.
Focused on the Guru's Feet, faith wells up within me; chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I hunger for more. ||4||
I am totally detached, continually, continuously meditating on the Lord; chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I express my love for Him.
Time and time again, each and every moment and instant, I express it. I cannot find the Lord's limits; He is the farthest of the far. ||5||
The Shaastras, the Vedas and the Puraanas advise righteous actions, and the performance of the six religious rituals.
The hypocritical, self-willed manmukhs are ruined by doubt; in the waves of greed, their boat is heavily loaded, and it sinks. ||6||
So chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and through the Naam, find emancipation. The Simritees and Shaastras recommend the Naam.
Eradicating egotism, one becomes pure. The Gurmukh is inspired, and obtains the supreme status. ||7||
This world, with its colors and forms, is all Yours, O Lord; as You attach us, so do we do our deeds.
O Nanak, we are the instruments upon which He plays; as He wills, so is the path we take. ||8||2||5||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
The Gurmukh meditates on the Inaccessible, Unfathomable Lord. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the True Guru, the True Primal Being.
He has brought the Lord's Name to dwell upon my breath of life; meeting with the True Guru, I am absorbed into the Lord's Name. ||1||
The Name of the Lord is the only Support of His humble servants.
I shall live under the protection of the True Guru. By Guru's Grace, I shall attain the Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
This body is the field of karma; the Gurmukhs plow and work it, and harvest the essence.
The priceless jewel of the Naam becomes manifest, and it pours into their vessels of love. ||2||
Become the slave of the slave of the slave, of that humble being who has become the devotee of the Lord.
I dedicate my mind and intellect, and place them in offering before my Guru; by Guru's Grace, I speak the Unspoken. ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in attachment to Maya; their minds are thirsty, burning with desire.
Following the Guru's Teachings, I have obtained the Ambrosial Water of the Naam, and the fire has been put out. The Word of the Guru's Shabad has put it out. ||4||
This mind dances before the True Guru. The unstruck sound current of the Shabad resounds, vibrating the celestial melody.

I praise the Lord, day and night, moving my feet to the beat of the drum. ||5||
Imbued with the Lord's Love, my mind sings His Praise, joyfully chanting the Shabad, the source of nectar and bliss.
The stream of immaculate purity flows through the home of the self within; one who drinks it in, finds peace. ||6||
The stubborn-minded, egotistical, proud-minded person performs rituals, but these are like sand castles built by children.
When the waves of the ocean come in, they crumble and dissolve in an instant. ||7||
The Lord is the pool, and the Lord Himself is the ocean; this world is all a play which He has staged.
As the waves of water merge into the water again, O Nanak, so does He merge into Himself. ||8||3||6||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
My mind wears the ear-rings of the True Guru's acquaintance; I apply the ashes of the Word of the Guru's Shabad to my body.
By body has become immortal, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Both birth and death have come to an end for me. ||1||
O my mind, remain united with the Saadh Sangat.
Be merciful to me, O Lord; each and every instant, let me wash the Feet of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
Forsaking family life, he wanders in the forest, but his mind does not remain at rest, even for an instant.
The wandering mind returns home, only when it seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's Holy people. ||2||
The Sannyaasi renounces his daughters and sons, but his mind still conjures up all sorts of hopes and desires.
With these hopes and desires, he still does not understand, that only through the Word of the Guru's Shabad does one become free of desires, and find peace. ||3||
When detachment from the world wells up within, he become a naked hermit, but still, his mind roams, wanders and rambles in the ten directions.
He wanders around, but his desires are not satisfied; joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he finds the house of kindness and compassion. ||4||
The Siddhas learn many Yogis postures, but their minds still yearn for riches, miraculous powers and energy.
Satisfaction, contentment and tranquility do not come to their minds; but meeting the Holy Saints, they are satisfied, and through the Name of the Lord, spiritual perfection is attained. ||5||
Life is born from the egg, from the womb, from sweat and from the earth; God created the beings and creatures of all colors and forms.
One who seeks the Sanctuary of the Holy is saved, whether he is a Kh'shaatriya, a Brahmin, a Soodra, a Vaishya or the most untouchable of the untouchables. ||6||
Naam Dayv, Jai Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan and Ravi Daas the low-caste leather-worker,
blessed Dhanna and Sain; all those who joined the humble Saadh Sangat, met the Merciful Lord. ||7||
The Lord protects the honor of His humble servants; He is the Lover of His devotees - He makes them His own.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Life of the world, who has showered His Mercy upon him, and saved him. ||8||||4||7||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
The thirst for God has welled up deep within me; hearing the Word of the Guru's Teachings, my mind is pierced by His arrow.

The pain of my mind is known only to my own mind; who can know the pain of another? ||1||
The Lord, the Guru, the Enticer, has enticed my mind.
I am stunned and amazed, gazing upon my Guru; I have entered the realm of wonder and bliss. ||1||Pause||
I wander around, exploring all lands and foreign countries; within my mind, I have such a great longing to see my God.
I sacrifice my mind and body to the Guru, who has shown me the Way, the Path to my Lord God. ||2||
If only someone would bring me news of God; He seems so sweet to my heart, mind and body.
I would cut off my head and place it under the feet of that one who leads me to meet and unite with my Lord God. ||3||
Let us go, O my companions, and understand our God; with the spell of virtue, let us obtain our Lord God.
He is called the Lover of His devotees; let us follow in the footsteps of those who seek God's Sanctuary. ||4||
If the soul-bride adorns herself with compassion and forgiveness, God is pleased, and her mind is illumined with the lamp of the Guru's wisdom.
With happiness and ecstasy, my God enjoys her; I offer each and every bit of my soul to Him. ||5||
I have made the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, my necklace; my mind tinged with devotion is the intricate ornament of crowning glory.
I have spread out my bed of faith in the Lord, Har, Har. I cannot abandon Him - my mind is filled with such a great love for Him. ||6||
If God says one thing, and the soul-bride does something else, then all her decorations are useless and false.
She may adorn herself to meet her Husband Lord, but still, only the virtuous soul-bride meets God, and the other's face is spat upon. ||7||
I am Your hand-maiden, O Inaccessible Lord of the Universe; what can I do by myself? I am under Your power.
Be merciful, Lord, to the meek, and save them; Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lord, and the Guru. ||8||5||8||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
My mind and body are filled with love for my Inaccessible Lord and Master. Each and every instant, I am filled with immense faith and devotion.
Gazing upon the Guru, my mind's faith is fulfilled, like the song-bird, which cries and cries, until the rain-drop falls into its mouth. ||1||
Join with me, join with me, O my companions, and teach me the Sermon of the Lord.
The True Guru has mercifully united me with God. Cutting off my head, and chopping it into pieces, I offer it to Him. ||1||Pause||
Each and every hair on my head, and my mind and body, suffer the pains of separation; without seeing my God, I cannot sleep.
The doctors and healers look at me, and are perplexed. Within my heart, mind and body, I feel the pain of divine love. ||2||
I cannot live for a moment, for even an instant, without my Beloved, like the opium addict who cannot live without opium.
Those who thirst for God, do not love any other. Without the Lord, there is no other at all. ||3||
If only someone would come and unite me with God; I am devoted, dedicated, a sacrifice to him.
After being separated from the Lord for countless incarnations, I am re-united with Him, entering the Sanctuary of the True, True, True Guru. ||4||

There is one bed for the soul-bride, and the same bed for God, her Lord and Master. The self-willed manmukh does not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; she wanders around, in limbo.
Uttering, "Guru, Guru", she seeks His Sanctuary; so God comes to meet her, without a moment's delay. ||5||
One may perform many rituals, but the mind is filled with hypocrisy, evil deeds and greed.
When a son is born in the house of a prostitute, who can tell the name of his father? ||6||
Because of devotional worship in my past incarnations, I have been born into this life. The Guru has inspired me to worship the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har.
Worshipping, worshipping Him with devotion, I found the Lord, and then I merged into the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har. ||7||
God Himself came and ground the henna leaves into powder, and applied it to my body.
Our Lord and Master showers His Mercy upon us, and grasps hold of our arms; O Nanak, He lifts us up and saves us. ||8||6||9||2||1||6||9||
Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Twelfth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I cannot express the Praises of my God; I cannot express His Praises.
I have abandoned all others, seeking His Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
God's Lotus Feet are Infinite.
I am forever a sacrifice to Them.
My mind is in love with Them.
If I were to abandon Them, there is nowhere else I could go. ||1||
I chant the Lord's Name with my tongue.
The filth of my sins and evil mistakes is burnt off.
Climbing aboard the Boat of the Saints, I am emancipated.
I have been carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
My mind is tied to the Lord with the string of love and devotion.
This is the Immaculate Way of the Saints.
They forsake sin and corruption.
They meet the Formless Lord God. ||3||
Gazing upon God, I am wonderstruck.
I taste the Perfect Flavor of Bliss.
I do not waver or wander here or there.
The Lord God, Har, Har, dwells within my consciousness. ||4||
Those who constantly remember God, the treasure of virtue, will never go to hell.
Those who listen, fascinated, to the Unstruck Sound-Current of the Word, will never have to see the Messenger of Death with their eyes. ||5||
I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Heroic Lord of the World.
The Merciful Lord God is under the power of His devotees.
The Vedas do not know the Mystery of the Lord.
The silent sages constantly serve Him. ||6||
He is the Destroyer of the pains and sorrows of the poor.
It is so very difficult to serve Him.
No one knows His limits.
He is pervading the water, the land and the sky. ||7||
Hundreds of thousands of times, I humbly bow to Him.
I have grown weary, and I have collapsed at God's Door.
O God, make me the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Please fulfill this, Nanak's wish. ||8||1||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
God, please release me from birth and death.
I have grown weary, and collapsed at Your door.
I grasp Your Feet, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The Love of the Lord, Har, Har, is sweet to my mind.

Be Merciful, and attach me to the hem of Your robe.
Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Merciful Master of the meek, You are my Lord and Master, O Merciful Master of the meek.
I yearn for the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||1||Pause||
The world is a pit of poison,
filled with the utter darkness of ignorance and emotional attachment.
Please take my hand, and save me, Dear God.
Please bless me with Your Name, Lord.
Without You, God, I have no place at all.
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You. ||2||
The human body is in the grip of greed and attachment.
Without meditating and vibrating upon the Lord, it is reduced to ashes.
The Messenger of Death is dreadful and horrible.
The recording scribes of the conscious and the unconscious, Chitr and Gupt, know all actions and karma.
Day and night, they bear witness.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||3||
O Lord, Destroyer of fear and egotism,
be merciful, and save the sinners.
My sins cannot even be counted.
Without the Lord, who can hide them?
I thought of Your Support, and seized it, O my Lord and Master.
Please, give Nanak Your hand and save him, Lord! ||4||
The Lord, the treasure of virtue, the Lord of the world,
cherishes and and sustains every heart.
My mind is thirsty for Your Love, and the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
O Lord of the Universe, please fulfill my hopes.
I cannot survive, even for an instant.
By great good fortune, Nanak has found the Lord. ||5||
Without You, God, there is no other at all.
My mind loves You, as the partridge loves the moon,
as the fish loves the water,
as the bee and the lotus cannot be separated.
As the chakvi bird longs for the sun,
so does Nanak thirst for the Lord's feet. ||6||
As the young bride places the hopes of her life in her husband,
as the greedy person looks upon the gift of wealth,
as milk is joined to water,
as food is to the very hungry man,
and as the mother loves her son,
so does Nanak constantly remember the Lord in meditation. ||7||
As the moth falls into the lamp,
as the thief steals without hesitation,
as the elephant is trapped by its sexual urges,
as the sinner is caught in his sins,
as the gambler's addiction does not leave him,
so is this mind of Nanak's attached to the Lord. ||8||
As the deer loves the sound of the bell,
and as the song-bird longs for the rain,
the Lord's humble servant lives in the Society of the Saints,
lovingly meditating and vibrating upon the Lord of the Universe.
My tongue chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Please bless Nanak with the gift of the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||9||
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and hears them, and writes them,
receives all fruits and rewards from the Lord.
He saves all his ancestors and generations,
and crosses over the world-ocean.
The Lord's Feet are the boat to carry him across.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he sings the Praises of the Lord.
The Lord protects his honor.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's door. ||10||2||
Bilaaval, First Mehl, T'hitee ~ The Lunar Days, Tenth House, To The Drum-Beat Jat:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The First Day: The One Universal Creator is unique,
immortal, unborn, beyond social class or involvement.
He is inaccessible and unfathomable, with no form or feature.
Searching, searching, I have seen Him in each and every heart.

I am a sacrifice to one who sees, and inspires others to see Him.
By Guru's Grace, I have obtained the supreme status. ||1||
Whose Name should I chant, and meditate on, except the Lord of the Universe?
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is revealed within the home of one's own heart. ||1||Pause||
The Second Day: Those who are in love with another, come to regret and repent.
The are tied up at Death's door, and continue coming and going.
What have they brought, and what will they take with them when they go?
The Messenger of Death looms over their heads, and they endure his beating.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, no one finds release.
Practicing hypocrisy, no one finds liberation. ||2||
The True Lord Himself created the universe, joining the elements together.
Breaking the cosmic egg, He united, and separated.
He made the earth and the sky into places to live.
He created day and night, fear and love.
The One who created the Creation, also watches over it.
There is no other Creator Lord. ||3||
The Third Day: He created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva,
the gods, goddesses and various manifestations.
The lights and forms cannot be counted.
The One who fashioned them, knows their value.
He evaluates them, and totally pervades them.
Who is close, and who is far away? ||4||
The Fourth Day: He created the four Vedas,
the four sources of creation, and distinct forms of speech.
He created the eighteen Puraanas, the six Shaastras and the three qualities.
He alone understands, whom the Lord causes to understand.
One who overcomes the three qualities, dwells in the fourth state.
Prays Nanak, I am his slave. ||5||
The Fifth Day: The five elements are demons.
The Lord Himself is unfathomable and detached.
Some are gripped by doubt, hunger, emotional attachment and desire.
Some taste the sublime essence of the Shabad, and are satisfied.
Some are imbued with the Lord's Love, while some die, and are reduced to dust.
Some attain the Court and the Mansion of the True Lord, and behold Him, ever-present. ||6||
The false one has no honor or fame;
like the black crow, he never becomes pure.
He is like the bird, imprisoned in a cage;
he paces back and forth behind the bars, but he is not released.
He alone is emancipated, whom the Lord and Master emancipates.
He follows the Guru's Teachings, and enshrines devotional worship. ||7||
The Sixth Day: God organized the six systems of Yoga.
The unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates of itself.
If God wills it so, then one is summoned to the Mansion of His Presence.
One who is pierced through by the Shabad, obtains honor.
Those who wear religious robes burn, and are ruined.
Through Truth, the truthful ones merge into the True Lord. ||8||
The Seventh Day: When the body is imbued with Truth and contentment,
the seven seas within are filled with the Immaculate Water.
Bathing in good conduct, and contemplating the True Lord within the heart,
one obtains the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and carries everyone across.
With the True Lord in the mind, and the True Lord lovingly on one's lips,
one is blessed with the banner of Truth, and meets with no obstructions. ||9||
The Eighth Day: The eight miraculous powers come when one subdues his own mind,
and contemplates the True Lord through pure actions.
Forget the three qualities of wind, water and fire,
and concentrate on the pure True Name.
That human who remains lovingly focused on the Lord,
prays Nanak, shall not be consumed by death. ||10||
The Ninth Day: The Name is the supreme almighty Master of the nine masters of Yoga, the nine realms of the earth, and each and every heart.

This whole world is the child of Maya.
I bow in submission to God, my Protector from the very beginning of time.
He was in the beginning, He has been throughout the ages, He is now, and He shall always be.
He is unlimited, and capable of doing everything. ||11||
The Tenth Day: Meditate on the Naam, give to charity, and purify yourself.
Night and day, bathe in spiritual wisdom and the Glorious Virtues of the True Lord.
Truth cannot be polluted; doubt and fear run away from it.
The flimsy thread breaks in an instant.
Know that the world is just like this thread.
Your consciousness shall become steady and stable, enjoying the Love of the True Lord. ||12||
The Eleventh Day: Enshrine the One Lord within your heart.
Eradicate cruelty, egotism and emotional attachment.
Earn the fruitful rewards, by observing the fast of knowing your own self.
One who is engrossed in hypocrisy, does not see the true essence.
The Lord is immaculate, self-sustaining and unattached.
The Pure, True Lord cannot be polluted. ||13||
Wherever I look, I see the One Lord there.
He created the other beings, of many and various kinds.
Eating only fruits, one loses the fruits of life.
Eating only delicacies of various sorts, one loses the true taste.
In fraud and greed, people are engrossed and entangled.
The Gurmukh is emancipated, practicing Truth. ||14||
The Twelfth Day: One whose mind is not attached to the twelve signs,
remains awake day and night, and never sleeps.
He remains awake and aware, lovingly centered on the Lord.
With faith in the Guru, he is not consumed by death.
Those who become detached, and conquer the five enemies
- prays Nanak, they are lovingly absorbed in the Lord. ||15||
The Twelfth Day: Know, and practice, compassion and charity.
Bring your out-going mind back home.
Observe the fast of remaining free of desire.
Chant the unchanted Chant of the Naam with your mouth.
Know that the One Lord is contained in the three worlds.
Purity and self-discipline are all contained in knowing the Truth. ||16||
The Thirteenth Day: He is like a tree on the sea-shore.
But his roots can become immortal, if his mind is attuned to the Lord's Love.
Then, he will not die of fear or anxiety, and he will never drown.
Without the Fear of God, he drowns and dies, and loses his honor.
With the Fear of God in his heart, and his heart in the Fear of God, he knows God.
He sits on the throne, and becomes pleasing to the Mind of the True Lord. ||17||
The Fourteenth Day: One who enters into the fourth state,
overcomes time, and the three qualities of raajas, taamas and satva.
Then the sun enters into the house of the moon,
and one knows the value of the technology of Yoga.
He remains lovingly focused on God, who is permeating the fourteen worlds, the nether regions of the underworld, the galaxies and solar systems. ||18||
Amaavas - The Night of the New Moon: The moon is hidden in the sky.
O wise one, understand and contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
The moon in the sky illuminates the three worlds.
Creating the creation, the Creator beholds it.
One who sees, through the Guru, merges into Him.
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded, coming and going in reincarnation. ||19||
One who establishes his home within his own heart, obtains the most beautiful, permanent place.
One comes to understand his own self, when he finds the True Guru.
Wherever there is hope, there is destruction and desolation.
The bowl of duality and selfishness breaks.
Prays Nanak, I am the slave of that one, who remains detached amidst the traps of attachment. ||20||1||

Bilaaval, Third Mehl, The Seven Days, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Sunday: He, the Lord, is the Primal Being.
He Himself is the Pervading Lord; there is no other at all.
Through and through, He is woven into the fabric of the world.
Whatever the Creator Himself does, that alone happens.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one is forever in peace.
But how rare is the one, who, as Gurmukh, understands this. ||1||
Within my heart, I chant the Chant of the Lord, the treasure of virtue.
The Lord, my Lord and Master, is inaccessible, unfathomable and unlimited. Grasping the feet of the Lord's humble servants, I meditate on Him, and become the slave of His slaves. ||1||Pause||
Monday: The True Lord is permeating and pervading.
His value cannot be described.
Talking and speaking about Him, all keep themselves lovingly focused on Him.
Devotion falls into the laps of those whom He so blesses.
He is inaccessible and unfathomable; He cannot be seen.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord is seen to be permeating and pervading everywhere. ||2||
Tuesday: The Lord created love and attachment to Maya.
He Himself has enjoined each and every being to their tasks.
He alone understands, whom the Lord causes to understand.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one understands his heart and home.
He worships the Lord in loving devotion.
His egotism and self-conceit are burnt away by the Shabad. ||3||
Wednesday: He Himself bestows sublime understanding.
The Gurmukh does good deeds, and contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind become pure and immaculate.
He sings the Glorious Glorious Praises of the Lord, and washes off the filth of egotism.
In the Court of the True Lord, he obtains lasting glory.
Imbued with the Naam, he is embellished with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||4||
The profit of the Naam is obtained through the Door of the Guru.
The Great Giver Himself gives it.
I am a sacrifice to the One who gives it.
By Guru's Grace, self-conceit is eradicated.
O Nanak, enshrine the Naam within your heart.
I celebrate the victory of the Lord, the Great Giver. ||5||
Thursday: The fifty-two warriors were deluded by doubt.
All the goblins and demons are attached to duality.
God Himself created them, and sees each one distinct.
O Creator Lord, You are the Support of all.
The beings and creatures are under Your protection.
He alone meets You, whom You Yourself meet. ||6||
Friday: God is permeating and pervading everywhere.
He Himself created all, and appraises the value of all.
One who become Gurmukh, contemplates the Lord.
He practices truth and self-restraint.
Without genuine understanding, all fasts, religious rituals and daily worship services lead only to the love of duality. ||7||
Saturday: Contemplating good omens and the Shaastras,
in egotism and self-conceit, the world wanders in delusion.
The blind, self-willed manmukh in engrossed in the love of duality.
Bound and gagged at death's door, he is beaten and punished.
By Guru's Grace, one finds lasting peace.
He practices Truth, and lovingly focuses on the Truth. ||8||
Those who serve the True Guru are very fortunate.
Conquering their ego, they embrace love for the True Lord.
They are automatically imbued with Your Love, O Lord.

You are the Giver of peace; You merge them into Yourself.
Everything comes from the One and only Lord; there is no other at all.
The Gurmukh realizes this, and understands. ||9||
The fifteen lunar days, the seven days of the week,
the months, seasons, days and nights, come over and over again;
so the world goes on.
Coming and going were created by the Creator Lord.
The True Lord remains steady and stable, by His almighty power.
O Nanak, how rare is that Gurmukh who understands, and contemplates the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||10||1||
Bilaaval, Third Mehl:
The Primal Lord Himself formed the Universe.
The beings and creatures are engrossed in emotional attachment to Maya.
In the love of duality, they are attached to the illusory material world.
The unfortunate ones die, and continue to come and go.
Meeting with the True Guru, understanding is obtained.
Then, the illusion of the material world is shattered, and one merges in Truth. ||1||
One who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead
- the One God abides within his mind. ||1||Pause||
He created the Universe, and He Himself beholds all.
No one can erase Your record, Lord.
If someone calls himself a Siddha or a seeker,
he is deluded by doubt, and will continue coming and going.
That humble being alone understands, who serves the True Guru.
Conquering his ego, he finds the Lord's Door. ||2||
From the One Lord, all others were formed.
The One Lord is pervading everywhere; there is no other at all.
Renouncing duality, one comes to know the One Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one knows the Lord's Door, and His Banner.
Meeting the True Guru, one finds the One Lord.
Duality is subdued within. ||3||
One who belongs to the All-powerful Lord and Master
- no one can destroy him.
The Lord's servant remains under His protection;
The Lord Himself forgives him, and blesses him with glorious greatness.
There is none higher than Him.
Why should he be afraid? What should he ever fear? ||4||
Through the Guru's Teachings, peace and tranquility abide within the body.
Remember the Word of the Shabad, and you shall never suffer pain.
You shall not have to come or go, or suffer in sorrow.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you shall merge in celestial peace.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh beholds Him ever-present, close at hand.
My God is always fully pervading everywhere. ||5||
Some are selfless servants, while others wander, deluded by doubt.
The Lord Himself does, and causes everything to be done.
The One Lord is all-pervading; there is no other at all.
The mortal might complain, if there were any other.
Serve the True Guru; this is the most excellent action.
In the Court of the True Lord, you shall be judged true. ||6||
All the lunar days, and the days of the week are beautiful, when one contemplates the Shabad.
If one serves the True Guru, he obtains the fruits of his rewards.
The omens and days all come and go.
But the Word of the Guru's Shabad is eternal and unchanging. Through it, one merges in the True Lord.
The days are auspicious, when one is imbued with Truth.
Without the Name, all the false ones wander deluded. ||7||
The self-willed manmukhs die, and dead, they fall into the most evil state.
They do not remember the One Lord; they are deluded by duality.
The human body is unconscious, ignorant and blind.
Without the Word of the Shabad, how can anyone cross over?
The Creator Himself creates.
He Himself contemplates the Guru's Word. ||8||
The religious fanatics wear all sorts of religious robes.
They roll around and wander around, like the false dice on the board.
They find no peace, here or hereafter.

The self-willed manmukhs waste away their lives, and die.
Serving the True Guru, doubt is driven away.
Deep within the home of the heart, one finds the Mansion of the True Lord's Presence. ||9||
Whatever the Perfect Lord does, that alone happens.
Concern with these omens and days leads only to duality.
Without the True Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
Only idiots and fools worry about these omens and days.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh obtains understanding and realization;
he remains forever merged in the Name of the One Lord. ||10||2||
Bilaaval, First Mehl, Chhant, Dakhnee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The young, innocent soul-bride has come to the pasture lands of the world.
Laying aside her pitcher of worldly concern, she lovingly attunes herself to her Lord.
She remains lovingly absorbed in the pasture of the Lord, automatically embellished with the Word of the Shabad.
With her palms pressed together, she prays to the Guru, to unite her with her True Beloved Lord.
Seeing His bride's loving devotion, the Beloved Lord eradicates unfulfilled sexual desire and unresolved anger.
O Nanak, the young, innocent bride is so beautiful; seeing her Husband Lord, she is comforted. ||1||
Truthfully, O young soul-bride, your youth keeps you innocent.
Do not come and go anywhere; stay with your Husband Lord.
I will stay with my Husband Lord; I am His hand-maiden. Devotional worship to the Lord is pleasing to me.
I know the unknowable, and speak the unspoken; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Celestial Lord God.
She who chants and savors the taste of the Lord's Name is loved by the True Lord.
The Guru grants her the gift of the Shabad; O Nanak, she contemplates and reflects upon it. ||2||
She who is fascinated by the Supreme Lord, sleeps with her Husband Lord.
She walks in harmony with the Guru's Will, attuned to the Lord.
The soul-bride is attuned to the Truth, and sleeps with the Lord, along with her companions and sister soul-brides.
Loving the One Lord, with one-pointed mind, the Naam dwells within; I am united with the True Guru.
Day and night, with each and every breath, I do not forget the Immaculate Lord, for a moment, even for an instant.
So light the lamp of the Shabad, O Nanak, and burn away your fear. ||3||
O soul-bride, the Lord's Light pervades all the three worlds.
He is pervading each and every heart, the Invisible and Infinite Lord.
He is Invisible and Infinite, Infinite and True; subduing his self-conceit, one meets Him.
So burn away your egotistical pride, attachment and greed, with the Word of the Shabad; wash away your filth.
When you go to the Lord's Door, you shall receive the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; by His Will, the Savior will carry you across and save you.
Tasting the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name, the soul-bride is satisfied; O Nanak, she enshrines Him in her heart. ||4||1||
Bilaaval, First Mehl:
My mind is filled with such a great joy; I have blossomed forth in Truth.
I am enticed by the love of my Husband Lord, the Eternal, Imperishable Lord God.
The Lord is everlasting, the Master of masters. Whatever He wills, happens.
O Great Giver, You are always kind and compassionate. You infuse life into all living beings.

I have no other spiritual wisdom, meditation or worship; the Name of the Lord alone dwells deep within me.
I know nothing about religious robes, pilgrimages or stubborn fanaticism; O Nanak, I hold tight to the Truth. ||1||
The night is beautiful, drenched with dew, and the day is delightful,
when her Husband Lord wakes the sleeping soul-bride, in the home of the self.
The young bride has awakened to the Word of the Shabad; she is pleasing to her Husband Lord.
So renounce falsehood, fraud, love of duality and working for people.
The Name of the Lord is my necklace, and I am anointed with the True Shabad.
With his palms pressed together, Nanak begs for the gift of the True Name; please, bless me with Your Grace, through the pleasure of Your Will. ||2||
Awake, O bride of splendored eyes, and chant the Word of the Guru's Bani.
Listen, and place your faith in the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
The Unspoken Speech, the state of Nirvaanaa - how rare is the Gurmukh who understands this.
Merging in the Word of the Shabad, self-conceit is eradicated, and the three worlds are revealed to her understanding.
Remaining detached, with infinity infusing, the true mind cherishes the virtues of the Lord.
He is fully pervading and permeating all places; Nanak has enshrined Him within his heart. ||3||
The Lord is calling you to the Mansion of His Presence; O soul-bride, He is the Lover of His devotees.
Following the Guru's Teachings, your mind shall be delighted, and your body shall be fulfilled.
Conquer and subdue your mind, and love the Word of the Shabad; reform yourself, and realize the Lord of the three worlds.
Her mind shall not waver or wander anywhere else, when she comes to know her Husband Lord.
You are my only Support, You are my Lord and Master. You are my strength and anchor.
She is forever truthful and pure, O Nanak; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, conflicts are resolved. ||4||2||
Chhant, Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl, Mangal ~ The Song Of Joy:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My Lord God has come to my bed, and my mind is merged with the Lord.
As it pleases the Guru, I have found the Lord God, and I revel and delight in His Love.
Very fortunate are those happy soul-brides, who have the jewel of the Naam upon their foreheads.
The Lord, the Lord God, is Nanak's Husband Lord, pleasing to his mind. ||1||
The Lord is the honor of the dishonored. The Lord, the Lord God is Himself by Himself.
The Gurmukh eradicates self-conceit, and constantly chants the Name of the Lord.
My Lord God does whatever He pleases; the Lord imbues mortal beings with the color of His Love.
Servant Nanak is easily merged into the Celestial Lord. He is satisfied with the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
The Lord is found only through this human incarnation. This is the time to contemplate the Lord.
As Gurmukhs, the happy soul-brides meet Him, and their love for Him is abundant.
Those who have not attained human incarnation, are cursed by evil destiny.
O Lord, God, Har, Har, Har, Har, save Nanak; he is Your humble servant. ||3||
The Guru has implanted within me the Name of the Inaccessible Lord God; my mind and body are drenched with the Lord's Love.

The Name of the Lord is the Lover of His devotees; the Gurmukhs attain the Lord.
Without the Name of the Lord, they cannot even live, like the fish without water.
Finding the Lord, my life has become fruitful; O Nanak, the Lord God has fulfilled me. ||4||1||3||
Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl, Shalok:
Seek out the Lord God, your only true Friend. He shall dwell in your mind, by great good fortune.
The True Guru shall reveal Him to you; O Nanak, lovingly focus yourself on the Lord. ||1||
Chhant:
The soul-bride has come to ravish and enjoy her Lord God, after eradicating the poison of egotism.
Following the Guru's Teachings, she has eliminated her self-conceit; she is lovingly attuned to her Lord, Har, Har.
Her heart-lotus deep within has blossomed forth, and through the Guru, spiritual wisdom has been awakened within her.
Servant Nanak has found the Lord God, by perfect, great good fortune. ||1||
The Lord, the Lord God, is pleasing to her mind; the Lord's Name resounds within her.
Through the Perfect Guru, God is obtained; she is lovingly focused on the Lord, Har, Har.
The darkness of ignorance is dispelled, and the Divine Light radiantly shines forth.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is Nanak's only Support; he merges into the Lord's Name. ||2||
The soul-bride is ravished and enjoyed by her Beloved Lord God, when the Lord God is pleased with her.
My eyes are drawn to His Love, like the cat to the mouse.
The Perfect Guru has united me with the Lord; I am satisfied by the subtle essence of the Lord.
Servant Nanak blossoms forth in the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he is lovingly attuned to the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
I am a fool and an idiot, but the Lord showered me with His Mercy, and united me with Himself.
Blessed, blessed is the most wonderful Guru, who has conquered egotism.
Very fortunate, of blessed destiny are those, who enshrine the Lord, Har, Har, in their hearts.
O servant Nanak, praise the Naam, and be a sacrifice to the Naam. ||4||2||4||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The time of rejoicing has come; I sing of my Lord God.
I have heard of my Imperishable Husband Lord, and happiness fills my mind.
My mind is in love with Him; when shall I realize my great good fortune, and meet with my Perfect Husband?
If only I could meet the Lord of the Universe, and be automatically absorbed into Him; tell me how, O my companions!
Day and night, I stand and serve my God; how can I attain Him?
Prays Nanak, have mercy on me, and attach me to the hem of Your robe, O Lord. ||1||
Joy has come! I have purchased the jewel of the Lord.
Searching, the seeker has found the Lord with the Saints.
I have met the Beloved Saints, and they have blessed me with their kindness; I contemplate the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
With my consciousness centered, and my mind one-pointed, I meditate on my Lord and Master, with love and affection.
With my palms pressed together, I pray unto God, to bless me with the profit of the Lord's Praise.
Prays Nanak, I am Your slave. My God is inaccessible and unfathomable. ||2||

The date for my wedding is set, and cannot be changed; my union with the Lord is perfect.
I am totally at peace, and my separation from Him has ended.
The Saints meet and come together, and meditate on God; they form a wondrous wedding party.
Gathering together, they arrive with poise and grace, and love fills the minds of the bride's family.
Her light blends with His Light, through and through, and everyone enjoys the Nectar of the Lord's Name.
Prays Nanak, the Saints have totally united me with God, the All-powerful Cause of causes. ||3||
Beautiful is my home, and beauteous is the earth.
God has entered the home of my heart; I touch the Guru's feet.
Grasping the Guru's feet, I awake in peace and poise. All my desires are fulfilled.
My hopes are fulfilled, through the dust of the feet of the Saints. After such a long separation, I have met my Husband Lord.
Night and day, the sounds of ecstasy resound and resonate; I have forsaken my stubborn-minded intellect.
Prays Nanak, I seek the Sanctuary of my Lord and Master; in the Society of the Saints, I am lovingly attuned to Him. ||4||1||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
By blessed destiny, I have found my Husband Lord.
The unstruck sound current vibrates and resounds in the Court of the Lord.
Night and day, the sounds of ecstasy resound and resonate; day and night, I am enraptured.
Disease, sorrow and suffering do not afflict anyone there; there is no birth or death there.
There are treasures overflowing there - wealth, miraculous powers, ambrosial nectar and devotional worship.
Prays Nanak, I am a sacrifice, devoted to the Supreme Lord God, the Support of the breath of life. ||1||
Listen, O my companions, and sister soul-brides, let's join together and sing the songs of joy.
Loving our God with mind and body, let's ravish and enjoy Him.
Lovingly enjoying Him, we become pleasing to Him; let's not reject Him, for a moment, even for an instant.
Let's hug Him close in our embrace, and not feel shy; let's bathe our minds in the dust of His feet.
With the intoxicating drug of devotional worship, let's entice Him, and not wander anywhere else.
Prays Nanak, meeting with our True Friend, we attain the immortal status. ||2||
I am wonder-struck and amazed, gazing upon the Glories of my Imperishable Lord.
He took my hand, and held my arm, and cut away the noose of Death.
Holding me by the arm, He made me His slave; the branch has sprouted in abundance.
Pollution, attachment and corruption have run away; the immaculate day has dawned.
Casting His Glance of Grace, the Lord loves me with His Mind; my immense evil-mindedness is dispelled.
Prays Nanak, I have become immaculate and pure; I have met the Imperishable Lord God. ||3||
The rays of light merge with the sun, and water merges with water.
One's light blends with the Light, and one becomes totally perfect.
I see God, hear God, and speak of the One and only God.
The soul is the Creator of the expanse of creation. Without God, I know no other at all.
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer. He created the Creation.
Prays Nanak, they alone know this, who drink in the subtle essence of the Lord. ||4||2||

Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Come, O my sisters, come, O my companions, and let us remain under the Lord's control. Let's sing the Songs of Bliss of our Husband Lord.
Renounce your pride, O my companions, renounce your egotistical pride, O my sisters, so that you may become pleasing to your Beloved.
Renounce pride, emotional attachment, corruption and duality, and serve the One Immaculate Lord.
Hold tight to the Sanctuary of the Feet of the Merciful Lord, your Beloved, the Destroyer of all sins.
Be the slave of His slaves, forsake sorrow and sadness, and do not bother with other devices.
Prays Nanak, O Lord, please bless me with Your Mercy, that I may sing Your songs of bliss. ||1||
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of my Beloved, is like a cane to a blind man.
Maya seduces in so many ways, like a beautiful enticing woman.
This enticer is so incredibly beautiful and clever; she entices with countless suggestive gestures.
Maya is stubborn and persistent; she seems so sweet to the mind, and then he does not chant the Naam.
At home, in the forest, on the banks of sacred rivers, fasting, worshipping, on the roads and on the shore, she is spying.
Prays Nanak, please bless me with Your Kindness, Lord; I am blind, and Your Name is my cane. ||2||
I am helpless and masterless; You, O my Beloved, are my Lord and Master. As it pleases You, so do You protect me.
I have no wisdom or cleverness; what face should I put on to please You?
I am not clever, skillful or wise; I am worthless, without any virtue at all.
I have no beauty or pleasing smell, no beautiful eyes. As it pleases You, please preserve me, O Lord.
His victory is celebrated by all; how can I know the state of the Lord of Mercy?
Prays Nanak, I am the servant of Your servants; as it pleases You, please preserve me. ||3||
I am the fish, and You are the water; without You, what can I do?
I am the rainbird, and You are the rain-drop; when it falls into my mouth, I am satisfied.
When it falls into my mouth, my thirst is quenched; You are the Lord of my soul, my heart, my breath of life.
Touch me, and caress me, O Lord, You are in all; let me meet You, so that I may be emancipated.
In my consciousness I remember You, and the darkness is dispelled, like the chakvi duck, which longs to see the dawn.
Prays Nanak, O my Beloved, please unite me with Yourself; the fish never forgets the water. ||4||
Blessed, blessed is my destiny; my Husband Lord has come into my home.
The gate of my mansion is so beautiful, and all my gardens are so green and alive.
My peace-giving Lord and Master has rejuvenated me, and blessed me with great joy, bliss and love.
My Young Husband Lord is eternally young, and His body is forever youthful; what tongue can I use to chant His Glorious Praises?
My bed is beautiful; gazing upon Him, I am fascinated, and all my doubts and pains are dispelled.
Prays Nanak, my hopes are fulfilled; my Lord and Master is unlimited. ||5||1||3||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chhant, Mangal ~ The Song Of Joy:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok:
God is beautiful, tranquil and merciful; He is the treasure of absolute peace, my Husband Lord.

Meeting with God, the Ocean of Peace, O Nanak, this soul becomes happy. ||1||
Chhant:
One finds God, the Ocean of Peace, when destiny is activated.
Abandoning the distinctions of honor and dishonor, grasp the Feet of the Lord.
Renounce cleverness and trickery, and forsake your evil-minded intellect.
O Nanak, seek the Sanctuary of the Sovereign Lord, Your King, and your marriage will be permanent and stable. ||1||
Why forsake God, and attach yourself to another? Without the Lord, you cannot even live.
The ignorant fool does not feel any shame; the evil man wanders around deluded.
God is the Purifier of sinners; if he forsakes God, tell me, where he can find a place of rest?
O Nanak, by loving devotional worship of the Merciful Lord, he attains the state of eternal life. ||2||
May that vicious tongue that does not chant the Name of the Great Lord of the World, be burnt.
One who does not serve God, the Lover of His devotees, shall have his body eaten by crows.
Enticed by doubt, he does not understand the pain it brings; he wanders through millions of incarnations.
O Nanak, if you desire anything other than the Lord, you shall be consumed, like a maggot in manure. ||3||
Embrace love for the Lord God, and in detachment, unite with Him.
Give up your sandalwood oil, expensive clothes, perfumes, tasty flavors and the poison of egotism.
Do not waver this way or that, but remain wakeful in the service of the Lord.
O Nanak, she who has obtained her God, is a happy soul-bride forever. ||4||1||4||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl:
Seek the Lord, O fortunate ones, and join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe forever, imbued with the Love of the Supreme Lord God.
Serving God forever, you shall obtain the fruitful rewards you desire.
O Nanak, seek the Sanctuary of God; meditate on the Lord, and ride the many waves of the mind. ||1||
I shall not forget God, even for an instant; He has blessed me with everything.
By great good fortune, I have met Him; as Gurmukh, I contemplate my Husband Lord.
Holding me by the arm, He has lifted me up and pulled me out of the darkness, and made me His own.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Nanak lives; his mind and heart are cooled and soothed. ||2||
What virtues of Yours can I speak, O God, O Searcher of hearts?
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, I have crossed over to the other shore.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, all my desires are fulfilled.
Nanak is saved, meditating on the Lord, the Lord and Master of all. ||3||
Sublime are those eyes, which are drenched with the Love of the Lord.
Gazing upon God, my desires are fulfilled; I have met the Lord, the Friend of my soul.
I have obtained the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Love, and now the taste of corruption is insipid and tasteless to me.
O Nanak, as water mingles with water, my light has merged into the Light. ||4||2||5||9||

Vaar Of Bilaaval, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
I sing of the sublime Lord, the Lord God, in the melody of Raag Bilaaval.
Hearing the Guru's Teachings, I obey them; this is the pre-ordained destiny written upon my forehead.
All day and night, I chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har; within my heart, I am lovingly attuned to Him.
My body and mind are totally rejuvenated, and the garden of my mind has blossomed forth in lush abundance.
The darkness of ignorance has been dispelled, with the light of the lamp of the Guru's wisdom. Servant Nanak lives by beholding the Lord.
Let me behold Your face, for a moment, even an instant! ||1||
Third Mehl:
Be happy and sing in Bilaaval, when the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is in your mouth.
The melody and music, and the Word of the Shabad are beautiful, when one focuses his meditation on the celestial Lord.
So leave behind the melody and music, and serve the Lord; then, you shall obtain honor in the Court of the Lord.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, contemplate God, and rid your mind of egotistical pride. ||2||
Pauree:
O Lord God, You Yourself are inaccessible; You formed everything.
You Yourself are totally permeating and pervading the entire universe.
You Yourself are absorbed in the state of deep meditation; You Yourself sing Your Glorious Praises.
Meditate on the Lord, O devotees, day and night; He shall deliver you in the end.
Those who serve the Lord, find peace; they are absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In the love of duality, the happiness of Bilaaval does not come; the self-willed manmukh finds no place of rest.
Through hypocrisy, devotional worship does not come, and the Supreme Lord God is not found.
By stubborn-mindedly performing religious rituals, no one obtains the approval of the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands himself, and eradicates self-conceit from within.
He Himself is the Supreme Lord God; the Supreme Lord God comes to dwell in his mind.
Birth and death are erased, and his light blends with the Light. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Be happy in Bilaaval, O my beloveds, and embrace love for the One Lord.
The pains of birth and death shall be eradicated, and you shall remain absorbed in the True Lord.
You shall be blissful forever in Bilaaval, if you walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
Sitting in the Saints' Congregation, sing with love the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever.
O Nanak, beautiful are those humble beings, who, as Gurmukh, are united in the Lord's Union. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord Himself is within all beings. The Lord is the friend of His devotees.
Everyone is under the Lord's control; in the home of the devotees there is bliss.
The Lord is the friend and companion of His devotees; all His humble servants stretch out and sleep in peace.
The Lord is the Lord and Master of all; O humble devotee, remember Him.
No one can equal You, Lord. Those who try, struggle and die in frustration. ||2||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
He alone knows God, and he alone is a Brahmin, who walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
One whose heart is filled with the Lord, is freed of egotism and disease.
He chants the Lord's Praises, gathers virtue, and his light merges into the Light.
How rare are those Brahmins who, in this age, come to know God, by lovingly focusing their consciousness on Him.
O Nanak, those who are blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace, remain lovingly attuned to the Name of the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
One who does not serve the True Guru, and who does not love the Word of the Shabad,
earns the very painful disease of egotism; he is so very selfish.
Acting stubborn-mindedly, he is reincarnated over and over again.
The birth of the Gurmukh is fruitful and auspicious. The Lord unites him with Himself.
O Nanak, when the Merciful Lord grants His Mercy, one obtains the wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
All glorious greatness is in the Name of the Lord; as Gurmukh, meditate on the Lord.
One obtains all that he asks for, if he keeps his consciousness focused on the Lord.
If he tells the secrets of his soul to the True Guru, then he finds absolute peace.
When the Perfect Guru bestows the Lord's Teachings, then all hunger departs.
One who is blessed with such pre-ordained destiny, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
No one goes away empty-handed from the True Guru; He unites me in Union with my God.
Fruitful is the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the True Guru; through it, one obtains whatever fruitful rewards he desires.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is Ambrosial Nectar. It banishes all hunger and thirst.
Drinking in the sublime essence of the Lord brings contentment; the True Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
Meditating on the True Lord, the status of immortality is obtained; the Unstruck Word of the Shabad vibrates and resounds.
The True Lord is pervading in the ten directions; through the Guru, this is intuitively known.
O Nanak, those humble beings who have the Truth deep within, are never hidden, even if others try to hide them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Serving the Guru, one finds the Lord, when the Lord blesses him with His Glance of Grace.
Human beings become angels, when the Lord blesses them with true devotional worship.
Conquering egotism, they are blended with the Lord; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are purified.
O Nanak, they remain merged with the Lord; they are blessed with the glorious greatness of the Naam. ||2||
Pauree:
Within the Guru, the True Guru, is the glorious greatness of the Name. The Creator Lord Himself has magnified it.
All His servants and Sikhs live by gazing, gazing upon it. It is pleasing to their hearts deep within.
The slanderers and evil-doers cannot see this glorious greatness; they do not appreciate the goodness of others.
What can be achieved by anyone babbling? The Guru is in love with the True Lord.
That which is pleasing to the Creator Lord, increases day by day, while all the people babble uselessly. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Cursed are the hopes in the love of duality; they tie the consciousness to love and attachment to Maya.
One who forsakes the peace of the Lord in exchange for straw, and forgets the Naam, suffers in pain.

The ignorant self-willed manmukhs are blind. They are born, only to die again, and continue coming and going.
Their affairs are not resolved, and in the end, they depart, regretting and repenting.
One who is blessed with the Lord's Grace, meets the True Guru; he alone meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Imbued with the Naam, the humble servants of the Lord find a lasting peace; servant Nanak is a sacrifice to them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Hope and desire entice the world; they entice the whole universe.
Everyone, and all that has been created, is under the domination of Death.
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, Death seizes the mortal; he alone is saved, whom the Creator Lord forgives.
O Nanak, by Guru's Grace, this mortal swims across, if he abandons his ego.
Conquer hope and desire, and remain unattached; contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
Pauree:
Wherever I go in this world, I see the Lord there.
In the world hereafter as well, the Lord, the True Judge Himself, is pervading and permeating everywhere.
The faces of the false are cursed, while the true devotees are blessed with glorious greatness.
True is the Lord and Master, and true is His justice. The heads of the slanderers are covered with ashes.
Servant Nanak worships the True Lord in adoration; as Gurmukh, he finds peace. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
By perfect destiny, one finds the True Guru, if the Lord God grants forgiveness.
Of all efforts, the best effort is to attain the Lord's Name.
It brings a cooling, soothing tranquility deep within the heart, and eternal peace.
Then, one eats and wears the Ambrosial Nectar; O Nanak, through the Name, comes glorious greatness. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O mind, listening to the Guru's Teachings, you shall obtain the treasure of virtue.
The Giver of peace shall dwell in your mind; you shall be rid of egotism and pride.
O Nanak, by His Grace, one is blessed with the Ambrosial Nectar of the treasure of virtue. ||2||
Pauree:
The kings, emperors, rulers, lords, nobles and chiefs, are all created by the Lord.
Whatever the Lord causes them to do, they do; they are all beggars, dependent on the Lord.
Such is God, the Lord of all; He is on the True Guru's side. All castes and social classes, the four sources of creation, and the whole universe are slaves of the True Guru; God makes them work for Him.
See the glorious greatness of serving the Lord, O Saints of the Lord; He has conquered and driven all the enemies and evil-doers out of the body-village.
The Lord, Har, Har, is Merciful to His humble devotees; granting His Grace, the Lord Himself protects and preserves them. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Fraud and hypocrisy within bring constant pain; the self-willed manmukh does not practice meditation.
Suffering in pain, he does his deeds; he is immersed in pain, and he shall suffer in pain hereafter.
By his karma, he meets the True Guru, and then, he is lovingly attuned to the True Name.
O Nanak, he is naturally at peace; doubt and fear run away and leave him. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Gurmukh is in love with the Lord forever. The Name of the Lord is pleasing to his mind.

The Gurmukh beholds and speaks the Naam, the Name of the Lord; chanting the Naam, he finds peace.
O Nanak, the spiritual wisdom of the Gurmukh shines forth; the black darkness of ignorance is dispelled. ||2||
Third Mehl:
The filthy, foolish, self-willed manmukhs die.
The Gurmukhs are immaculate and pure; they keep the Lord enshrined within their hearts.
Prays Nanak, listen, O Siblings of Destiny!
Serve the True Guru, and the filth of your ego shall be gone.
Deep within, the pain of skepticism afflicts them; their heads are constantly assaulted by worldly entanglements.
Asleep in the love of duality, they never wake up; they are attached to the love of Maya.
They do not remember the Name, and they do not contemplate the Word of the Shabad; this is the view of the self-willed manmukhs.
They do not love the Lord's Name, and they lose their life uselessly. O Nanak, the Messenger of Death attacks them, and humiliates them. ||3||
Pauree:
He alone is a true king, whom the Lord blesses with true devotion.
People pledge their allegiance to him; no other store stocks this merchandise, nor deals in this trade.
That humble devotee who turns his face towards the Guru and becomes sunmukh, receives the Lord's wealth; the faithless baymukh, who turns his face away from the Guru, gathers only ashes.
The Lord's devotees are dealers in the Name of the Lord. The Messenger of Death, the tax-collector, does not even approach them.
Servant Nanak has loaded the wealth of the Name of the Lord, who is forever independent and care-free. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In this age, the devotee earns the wealth of the Lord; all the rest of the world wanders deluded in doubt.
By Guru's Grace, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell in his mind; night and day, he meditates on the Naam.
In the midst of corruption, he remains detached; through the Word of the Shabad, he burns away his ego.
He crosses over, and saves his relatives as well; blessed is the mother who gave birth to him.
Peace and poise fill his mind forever, and he embraces love for the True Lord.
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva wander in the three qualities, while their egotism and desire increase.
The Pandits, the religious scholars and the silent sages read and debate in confusion; their consciousness is centered on the love of duality.
The Yogis, wandering pilgrims and Sanyaasees are deluded; without the Guru, they do not find the essence of reality.
The miserable self-willed manmukhs are forever deluded by doubt; they waste away their lives uselessly.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam are balanced and poised; forgiving them, the Lord blends them with Himself. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O Nanak, praise Him, who has control over everything.
Remember Him, O mortals - without Him, there is no other at all.
He dwells deep within those who are Gurmukh; forever and ever, they are at peace. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who do not become Gurmukh and earn the wealth of the Lord's Name, are bankrupt in this age.
They wander around begging all over the world, but no one even spits in their faces.
They gossip about others, and lose their credit, and expose themselves as well.
That wealth, for which they slander others, does not come into their hands, no matter where they go.

Through loving service, the Gurmukhs receive the wealth of the Naam, but the unfortunate ones cannot receive it. This wealth is not found anywhere else, in this country or in any other. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukh does not have an iota of skepticism or doubt; worries depart from within him.
Whatever he does, he does with grace and poise. Nothing else can be said about him.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself hears the speech of those whom He makes His own. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He conquers death, and subdues the desires of his mind; the Immaculate Name abides deep within him.
Night and day, he remains awake and aware; he never sleeps, and he intuitively drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
His speech is sweet, and his words are nectar; night and day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
He dwells in the home of his own self, and appears beautiful forever; meeting him, Nanak finds peace. ||2||
Pauree:
The wealth of the Lord is a jewel, a gem; the Guru has caused the Lord to grant that wealth of the Lord.
If someone sees something, he may ask for it; or, someone may cause it to be given to him. But no one can take a share of this wealth of the Lord by force.
He alone obtains a share of the wealth of the Lord, who is blessed by the Creator with faith and devotion to the True Guru, according to his pre-ordained destiny.
No one is a share-holder in this wealth of the Lord, and no one owns any of it. It has no boundaries or borders to be disputed. If anyone speaks ill of the wealth of the Lord, his face will be blackened in the four directions.
No one's power or slander can prevail against the gifts of the Lord; day by day they continually, continuously increase. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The world is going up in flames - shower it with Your Mercy, and save it!
Save it, and deliver it, by whatever method it takes.
The True Guru has shown the way to peace, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad.
Nanak knows no other than the Lord, the Forgiving Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Through egotism, fascination with Maya has trapped them in duality.
It cannot be killed, it does not die, and it cannot be sold in a store.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is burnt away, and then it departs from within.
The body and mind become pure, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell within the mind.
O Nanak, the Shabad is the killer of Maya; the Gurmukh obtains it. ||2||
Pauree:
The glorious greatness of the True Guru was bestowed by the True Guru; He understood this as the Insignia, the Mark of the Primal Lord's Will.
He tested His sons, nephews, sons-in-law and relatives, and subdued the egotistical pride of them all.
Wherever anyone looks, my True Guru is there; the Lord blessed Him with the whole world.
One who meets with, and believes in the True Guru, is embellished here and hereafter. Whoever turns his back on the Guru and becomes baymukh, shall wander in cursed and evil places.

My Lord and Master is on the side of servant Nanak. The All-powerful and All-knowing Lord God is my Best Friend.
Seeing the food being distributed, everyone came and fell at the feet of the True Guru, who cleansed the minds of all of their egotistical pride. ||10||
Shalok, First Mehl:
One plants the seed, another harvests the crop, and still another beats the grain from the chaff.
O Nanak, it is not known, who will ultimately eat the grain. ||1||
First Mehl:
He alone is carried across, within whose mind the Lord abides.
O Nanak, that alone happens, which is pleasing to His Will. ||2||
Pauree:
The Merciful Supreme Lord God has carried me across the world-ocean.
The compassionate perfect Guru has eradicated my doubts and fears.
Unsatisfied sexual desire and unresolved anger, the horrible demons, have been totally destroyed.
I have enshrined the treasure of the Ambrosial Naam within my throat and heart.
O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, my birth and death have been adorned and redeemed. ||11||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are said to be false.
The five thieves plunder their homes, and egotism breaks in.
The faithless cynics are defrauded by their own evil-mindedness; they do not know the sublime essence of the Lord.
Those who lose the Ambrosial Nectar through doubt, remain engrossed and entangled in corruption.
They make friends with the wicked, and argue with the humble servants of the Lord.
O Nanak, the faithless cynics are bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death, and suffer agony in hell.
They act according to the karma of the actions they committed before; as the Lord keeps them, so do they live. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those who serve the True Guru, are transformed from powerless into powerful.
With every breath and morsel of food, the Lord abides in their minds forever, and the Messenger of Death cannot even see them.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, fills their hearts, and Maya is their servant.
One who becomes the slave of the Lord's slaves, obtains the greatest treasure.
O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to that one, within whose mind and body God dwells.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny, he alone is in love with the humble Saints. ||2||
Pauree:
Whatever the Perfect True Guru says, the Transcendent Lord hears.
It pervades and permeates the whole world, and it is on the mouth of each and every being.
So numerous are the great glories of the Lord, they cannot even be counted.
Truth, poise and bliss rest in the True Guru; the Guru bestows the jewel of Truth.
O Nanak, the Supreme Lord God embellishes the Saints, who become like the True Lord. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
He does not understand himself; he believes the Lord God to be far away.
He forgets to serve the Guru; how can his mind remain in the Lord's Presence?
The self-willed manmukh wastes away his life in worthless greed and falsehood.
O Nanak, the Lord forgives, and blends them with Himself; through the True Word of the Shabad, He is ever-present. ||1||
Third Mehl:
True is the Praise of the Lord God; the Gurmukh chants the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
Praising the Naam night and day, and meditating on the Lord, the mind becomes blissful.
By great good fortune, I have found the Lord, the perfect embodiment of supreme bliss.
Servant Nanak praises the Naam; his mind and body shall never again be shattered. ||2||

Pauree:
If someone slanders the True Guru, and then comes seeking the Guru's Protection,
the True Guru forgives him for his past sins, and unites him with the Saints' Congregation.
When the rain falls, the water in the streams, rivers and ponds flows into the Ganges; flowing into the Ganges, it is made sacred and pure.
Such is the glorious greatness of the True Guru, who has no vengeance; meeting with Him, thirst and hunger are quenched, and instantly, one attains celestial peace.
O Nanak, behold this wonder of the Lord, my True King! Everyone is pleased with one who obeys and believes in the True Guru. ||13||1||
Sudh||
Bilaaval, The Word Of The Devotees.
Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified By Guru's Grace:
This world is a drama; no one can remain here.
Walk the straight path; otherwise, you will be pushed around. ||1||Pause||
The children, the young and the old, O Siblings of Destiny, will be taken away by the Messenger of Death.
The Lord has made the poor man a mouse, and the cat of Death is eating him up. ||1||
It gives no special consideration to either the rich or the poor.
The king and his subjects are equally killed; such is the power of Death. ||2||
Those who are pleasing to the Lord are the servants of the Lord; their story is unique and singular.
They do not come and go, and they never die; they remain with the Supreme Lord God. ||3||
Know this in your soul, that by renouncing your children, spouse, wealth and property
- says Kabeer, listen, O Saints - you shall be united with the Lord of the Universe. ||4||1||
BILAAVAL:
I do not read books of knowledge, and I do not understand the debates.
I have gone insane, chanting and hearing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
O my father, I have gone insane; the whole world is sane, and I am insane.
I am spoiled; let no one else be spoiled like me. ||1||Pause||
I have not made myself go insane - the Lord made me go insane.
The True Guru has burnt away my doubt. ||2||
I am spoiled; I have lost my intellect.
Let no one go astray in doubt like me. ||3||
He alone is insane, who does not understand himself.
When he understands himself, then he knows the One Lord. ||4||
One who is not intoxicated with the Lord now, shall never be intoxicated.
Says Kabeer, I am imbued with the Lord's Love. ||5||2||
BILAAVAL:
Abandoning his household, he may go to the forest, and live by eating roots;
but even so, his sinful, evil mind does not renounce corruption. ||1||
How can anyone be saved? How can anyone cross over the terrifying world-ocean?
Save me, save me, O my Lord! Your humble servant seeks Your Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
I cannot escape my desire for sin and corruption.
I make all sorts of efforts to hold back from this desire, but it clings to me, again and again. ||2||

Youth and old age - my entire life has passed, but I haven't done any good.
This priceless soul has been treated as if if were worth no more than a shell. ||3||
Says Kabeer, O my Lord, You are contained in all.
There is none as merciful as You are, and none as sinful as I am. ||4||3||
BILAAVAL:
Every day, he rises early, and brings a fresh clay pot; he passes his life embellishing and glazing it.
He does not think at all of worldly weaving; he is absorbed in the subtle essence of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Who in our family has ever chanted the Name of the Lord?
Ever since this worthless son of mine began chanting with his mala, we have had no peace at all! ||1||Pause||
Listen, O my sisters-in-law, a wondrous thing has happened!
This boy has ruined our weaving business. Why didn't he simply die? ||2||
O mother, the One Lord, the Lord and Master, is the source of all peace. The Guru has blessed me with His Name.
He preserved the honor of Prahlaad, and destroyed Harnaakhash with his nails. ||3||
I have renounced the gods and ancestors of my house, for the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Says Kabeer, God is the Destroyer of all sins; He is the Saving Grace of His Saints. ||4||4||
BILAAVAL:
There is no king equal to the Lord.
All these lords of the world last for only a few days, putting on their false displays. ||1||Pause||
How can Your humble servant waver? You spread Your shadow over the three worlds.
Who can raise his hand against Your humble servant? No one can describe the Lord's expanse. ||1||
Remember Him, O my thoughtless and foolish mind, and the unstruck melody of the sound current will resonate and resound.
Says Kabeer, my skepticism and doubt have been dispelled; the Lord has exalted me, as He did Dhroo and Prahlaad. ||2||5||
BILAAVAL:
Save me! I have disobeyed You.
I have not practiced humility, righteousness or devotional worship; I am proud and egotistical, and I have taken a crooked path. ||1||Pause||
Believing this body to be immortal, I pampered it, but it is a fragile and perishable vessel.
Forgetting the Lord who formed, fashioned and embellished me, I have become attached to another. ||1||
I am Your thief; I cannot be called holy. I have fallen at Your feet, seeking Your Sanctuary.
Says Kabeer, please listen to this prayer of mine, O Lord; please do not send me sommons of the Messenger of Death. ||2||6||
BILAAVAL:
I stand humbly at Your Court.
Who else can take care of me, other than You? Please open Your door, and grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||Pause||
You are the richest of the rich, generous and unattached. With my ears, I listen to Your Praises.
From whom should I beg? I see that all are beggars. My salvation comes only from You. ||1||
You blessed Jai Dayv, Naam Dayv and Sudaamaa the Brahmin with Your infinite mercy.
Says Kabeer, You are the All-powerful Lord, the Great Giver; in an instant, You bestow the four great blessings. ||2||7||
BILAAVAL:
He has a walking stick, ear-rings, a patched coat and a begging bowl.
Wearing the robes of a beggar, he wanders around, deluded by doubt. ||1||

Abandon your Yogic postures and breath control exercises, O madman.
Renounce fraud and deception, and meditate continuously on the Lord, O madman. ||1||Pause||
That which you beg for, has been enjoyed in the three worlds.
Says Kabeer, the Lord is the only Yogi in the world. ||2||8||
BILAAVAL:
This Maya has made me forget Your feet, O Lord of the World, Master of the Universe.
Not even a bit of love wells up in Your humble servant; what can Your poor servant do? ||1||Pause||
Cursed is the body, cursed is the wealth, and cursed is this Maya; cursed, cursed is the clever intellect and understanding.
Restrain and hold back this Maya; overcome it, through the Word of the Guru's Teachings. ||1||
What good is farming, and what good is trading? Worldly entanglements and pride are false.
Says Kabeer, in the end, they are ruined; ultimately, Death will come for them. ||2||9||
BILAAVAL:
Within the pool of the body, there is an incomparably beautiful lotus flower.
Within it, is the Supreme Light, the Supreme Soul, who has no feature or form. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate, meditate on the Lord, and forsake your doubt. The Lord is the Life of the World. ||1||Pause||
Nothing is seen coming into the world, and nothing is seen leaving it.
Where the body is born, there it dies, like the leaves of the water-lily. ||2||
Maya is false and transitory; forsaking it, one obtains peaceful, celestial contemplation.
Says Kabeer, serve Him within your mind; He is the Enemy of ego, the Destroyer of demons. ||3||10||
BILAAVAL:
The illusion of birth and death is gone; I lovingly focus on the Lord of the Universe.
In my life, I am absorbed in deep silent meditation; the Guru's Teachings have awakened me. ||1||Pause||
The sound made from bronze, that sound goes into the bronze again.
But when the bronze is broken, O Pandit, O religious scholar, where does the sound go then? ||1||
I gaze upon the world, the confluence of the three qualities; God is awake and aware in each and every heart.
Such is the understanding revealed to me; within my heart, I have become a detached renunciate. ||2||
I have come to know my own self, and my light has merged in the Light.
Says Kabeer, now I know the Lord of the Universe, and my mind is satisfied. ||3||11||
BILAAVAL:
When Your Lotus Feet dwell within one's heart, why should that person waver, O Divine Lord?
I know that all comforts, and the nine treasures, come to one who intuitively, naturally, chants the Praise of the Divine Lord. ||Pause||
Such wisdom comes, only when one sees the Lord in all, and unties the knot of hypocrisy.
Time and time again, he must hold himself back from Maya; let him take the scale of the Lord, and weigh his mind. ||1||
Then wherever he goes, he will find peace, and Maya will not shake him.
Says Kabeer, my mind believes in the Lord; I am absorbed in the Love of the Divine Lord. ||2||12||
Bilaaval, The Word Of Devotee Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Guru has made my life fruitful.

My pain is forgotten, and I have found peace deep within myself. ||1||
The Guru has blessed me with the ointment of spiritual wisdom.
Without the Lord's Name, life is mindless. ||1||Pause||
Meditating in remembrance, Naam Dayv has come to know the Lord.
His soul is blended with the Lord, the Life of the World. ||2||1||
Bilaaval, The Word Of Devotee Ravi Daas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Seeing my poverty, everyone laughed. Such was my condition.
Now, I hold the eighteen miraculous spiritual powers in the palm of my hand; everything is by Your Grace. ||1||
You know, and I am nothing, O Lord, Destroyer of fear.
All beings seek Your Sanctuary, O God, Fulfiller, Resolver of our affairs. ||1||Pause||
Whoever enters Your Sanctuary, is relieved of his burden of sin.
You have saved the high and the low from the shameless world. ||2||
Says Ravi Daas, what more can be said about the Unspoken Speech?
Whatever You are, You are, O Lord; how can anything compare with Your Praises? ||3||1||
BILAAVAL:
That family, into which a holy person is born,
whether of high or low social class, whether rich or poor, shall have its pure fragrance spread all over the world. ||1||Pause||
Whether he is a Brahmin, a Vaishya, a Soodra, or a Kh'shaatriya; whether he is a poet, an outcaste, or a filthy-minded person,
he becomes pure, by meditating on the Lord God. He saves himself, and the families of both his parents. ||1||
Blessed is that village, and blessed is the place of his birth; blessed is his pure family, throughout all the worlds.
One who drinks in the sublime essence abandons other tastes; intoxicated with this divine essence, he discards sin and corruption. ||2||
Among the religious scholars, warriors and kings, there is no other equal to the Lord's devotee.
As the leaves of the water lily float free in the water, says Ravi Daas, so is their life in the world. ||3||2||
The Word Of Sadhana, Raag Bilaaval:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
For a king's daughter, a man disguised himself as Vishnu.
He did it for sexual exploitation, and for selfish motives, but the Lord protected his honor. ||1||
What is Your value, O Guru of the world, if You will not erase the karma of my past actions?
Why seek safety from a lion, if one is to be eaten by a jackal? ||1||Pause||
For the sake of a single rain-drop, the rainbird suffers in pain.
When its breath of life is gone, even an ocean is of no use to it. ||2||
Now, my life has grown weary, and I shall not last much longer; how can I be patient?
If I drown and die, and then a boat comes along, tell me, how shall I climb aboard? ||3||
I am nothing, I have nothing, and nothing belongs to me.
Now, protect my honor; Sadhana is Your humble servant. ||4||1||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Gond, Chau-Padas, Fourth Mehl, First House:
If, in his conscious mind, he places his hopes in the Lord, then he shall obtain the fruits of all the many desires of his mind.
The Lord knows everything which happens to the soul. Not even an iota of one's effort goes to waste.
Place your hopes in the Lord, O my mind; the Lord and Master is pervading and permeating all. ||1||
O my mind, place your hopes in the Lord of the World, the Master of the Universe.
That hope which is placed in any other than the Lord - that hope is fruitless, and totally useless. ||1||Pause||
That which you can see, Maya, and all attachment to family - don't place your hopes in them, or your life will be wasted and lost.
Nothing is in their hands; what can these poor creatures do? By their actions, nothing can be done.
O my mind, place your hopes in the Lord, your Beloved, who shall carry you across, and save your whole family as well. ||2||
If you place your hopes in any other, in any friend other than the Lord, then you shall come to know that it is of no use at all.
This hope placed in other friends comes from the love of duality. In an instant, it is gone; it is totally false.
O my mind, place your hopes in the Lord, your True Beloved, who shall approve and reward you for all your efforts. ||3||
Hope and desire are all Yours, O my Lord and Master. As You inspire hope, so are the hopes held.
Section 21 - Raag Gond - Part 002

Nothing is in the hands of anyone, O my Lord and Master; such is the understanding the True Guru has given me to understand.
You alone know the hope of servant Nanak, O Lord; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, he is satisfied. ||4||1||
Gond, Fourth Mehl:
Serve such a Lord, and ever meditate on Him, who in an instant erases all sins and mistakes.
If someone forsakes the Lord and places his hopes in another, then all his service to the Lord is rendered fruitless.
O my mind, serve the Lord, the Giver of peace; serving Him, all your hunger shall depart. ||1||
O my mind, place your faith in the Lord.
Wherever I go, my Lord and Master is there with me. The Lord saves the honor of His humble servants and slaves. ||1||Pause||
If you tell your sorrows to another, then he, in return, will tell you of his greater sorrows.
So tell your sorrows to the Lord, your Lord and Master, who shall instantly dispel your pain.
Forsaking such a Lord God, if you tell your sorrows to another, then you shall die of shame. ||2||
The relatives, friends and siblings of the world that you see, O my mind, all meet with you for their own purposes.
And that day, when their self-interests are not served, on that day, they shall not come near you.
O my mind, serve your Lord, day and night; He shall help you in good times and bad. ||3||
Why place your faith in anyone, O my mind, who cannot come to your rescue at the last instant?
Chant the Lord's Mantra, take the Guru's Teachings, and meditate on Him. In the end, the Lord saves those who love Him in their consciousness.
Servant Nanak speaks: night and day, chant the Lord's Name, O Saints; this is the only true hope for emancipation. ||4||2||
Gond, Fourth Mehl:
Remembering the Lord in meditation, you shall find bliss and peace forever deep within, and your mind will become tranquil and cool.
It is like the harsh sun of Maya, with its burning heat; seeing the moon, the Guru, its heat totally vanishes. ||1||
O my mind, night and day, meditate, and chant the Lord's Name.
Here and hereafter, He shall protect you, everywhere; serve such a God forever. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the Lord, who contains all treasures, O my mind; as Gurmukh, search for the jewel, the Lord.
Those who meditate on the Lord, find the Lord, my Lord and Master; I wash the feet of those slaves of the Lord. ||2||
One who realizes the Word of the Shabad, obtains the sublime essence of the Lord; such a Saint is lofty and sublime, the greatest of the great.
The Lord Himself magnifies the glory of that humble servant. No one can lessen or decrease that glory, not even a bit. ||3||

He shall give you peace, O my mind; meditate forever, every day on Him, with your palms pressed together.
Please bless servant Nanak with this one gift, O Lord, that Your feet may dwell within my heart forever. ||4||3||
Gond, Fourth Mehl:
All the kings, emperors, nobles, lords and chiefs are false and transitory, engrossed in duality - know this well.
The eternal Lord is permanent and unchanging; meditate on Him, O my mind, and you shall be approved. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate, and meditate on the Lord's Name, which shall be your defender forever.
One who obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, through the Word of the Guru's Teachings - no one else's power is as great as his. ||1||Pause||
All the wealthy, high class property owners which you see, O my mind, shall vanish, like the fading color of the safflower.
Serve the True, Immaculate Lord forever, O my mind, and you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
There are four castes: Brahmin, Kh'shaatriya, Soodra and Vaishya, and there are four stages of life. One who meditates on the Lord, is the most distinguished and renowned.
The poor castor oil plant, growing near the sandalwood tree, becomes fragrant; in the same way, the sinner, associating with the Saints, becomes acceptable and approved. ||3||
He, within whose heart the Lord abides, is the highest of all, and the purest of all.
Servant Nanak washes the feet of thM at humble servant of the Lord; he may be from a low class family, but he is now the Lord's servant. ||4||4||
Gond, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is all-pervading. As the Lord causes them to act, so do they act.
So serve forever such a Lord, O my mind, who will protect you from everything. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Lord, and read about the Lord every day.
Other than the Lord, no one can kill you or save you; so why do you worry, O my mind? ||1||Pause||
The Creator created the entire universe, and infused His Light into it.
The One Lord speaks, and the One Lord causes all to speak.The Perfect Guru has revealed the One Lord. ||2||
The Lord is with you, inside and out; tell me, O mind, how can You hide anything from Him?
Serve the Lord open-heartedly, and then, O my mind, you shall find total peace. ||3||
Everything is under His control; He is the greatest of all. O my mind, meditate forever on Him.
O Servant Nanak, that Lord is always with you. Meditate forever on your Lord, and He shall emancipate you. ||4||5||
Gond, Fourth Mehl:
My mind yearns so deeply for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, like the thirsty man without water. ||1||
My mind is pierced through by the arrow of the Lord's Love.
The Lord God knows my anguish, and the pain deep within my mind. ||1||Pause||
Whoever tells me the Stories of my Beloved Lord is my Sibling of Destiny, and my friend. ||2||

Come, and join together, O my companions; let's sing the Glorious Praises of my God, and follow the comforting advice of the True Guru.. ||3||
Please fulfill the hopes of servant Nanak, O Lord; his body finds peace and tranquility in the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||4||6||
First set of six. ||
Raag Gond, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He is the Creator of all, He is the Enjoyer of all. ||1||Pause||
The Creator listens, and the Creator sees.
The Creator is unseen, and the Creator is seen.
The Creator forms, and the Creator destroys.
The Creator touches, and the Creator is detached. ||1||
The Creator is the One who speaks, and the Creator is the One who understands.
The Creator comes, and the Creator also goes.
The Creator is absolute and without qualities; the Creator is related, with the most excellent qualities.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak looks upon all the same. ||2||1||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
You are caught, like the fish and the monkey; you are entangled in the transitory world.
Your foot-steps and your breaths are numbered; only by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord will you be saved. ||1||
O mind, reform yourself, and forsake your aimless wandering.
You have found no place of rest for yourself; so why do you try to teach others? ||1||Pause||
Like the elephant, driven by sexual desire, you are attached to your family.
People are like birds that come together, and fly apart again; you shall become stable and steady, only when you meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, in the Company of the Holy. ||2||
Like the fish, which perishes because of its desire to taste, the fool is ruined by his greed.
You have fallen under the power of the five thieves; escape is only possible in the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||3||
Be Merciful to me, O Destroyer of the pains of the meek; all beings and creatures belong to You.
May I obtain the gift of always seeing the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; meeting with You, Nanak is the slave of Your slaves. ||4||2||
Raag Gond, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He fashioned the soul and the breath of life,
and infused His Light into the dust;
He exalted you and gave you everything to use, and food to eat and enjoy
- how can you forsake that God, you fool! Where else will you go? ||1||
Commit yourself to the service of the Transcendent Lord.
Through the Guru, one understands the Immaculate, Divine Lord. ||1||Pause||
He created plays and dramas of all sorts;
He creates and destroys in an instant;
His state and condition cannot be described.
Meditate forever on that God, O my mind. ||2||
The unchanging Lord does not come or go.
His Glorious Virtues are infinite; how many of them can I count?

His treasure is overflowing with the rubies of the Name.
He gives Support to all hearts. ||3||
The Name is the True Primal Being;
millions of sins are washed away in an instant, singing His Praises.
The Lord God is your best friend, your playmate from earliest childhood.
He is the Support of the breath of life; O Nanak, He is love, He is consciousness. ||4||1||3||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
I trade in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Naam is the Support of the mind.
My consciousness takes to the Shelter of the Naam.
Chanting the Naam, millions of sins are erased. ||1||
The Lord has blessed me with the wealth of the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
The wish of my mind is to meditate on the Naam, in association with the Guru. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is the wealth of my soul.
Wherever I go, the Naam is with me.
The Naam is sweet to my mind.
In the water, on the land, and everywhere, I see the Naam. ||2||
Through the Naam, one's face becomes radiant in the Court of the Lord.
Through the Naam, all one's generations are saved.
Through the Naam, my affairs are resolved.
My mind is accustomed to the Naam. ||3||
Through the Naam, I have become fearless.
Through the Naam, my comings and goings have ceased.
The Perfect Guru has united me with the Lord, the treasure of virtue.
Says Nanak, I dwell in celestial peace. ||4||2||4||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
He grants honor to the dishonored,
and gives gifts to all the hungry;
he protects those in the terrible womb.
So humbly bow forever to that Lord and Master. ||1||
Meditate on such a God in your mind.
He shall be your help and support everywhere, in good times and bad. ||1||Pause||
The beggar and the king are all the same to Him.
He sustains and fulfills both the ant and the elephant.
He does not consult or seek anyone's advice.
Whatever He does, He does Himself. ||2||
No one knows His limit.
He Himself is the Immaculate Lord.
He Himself is formed, and He Himself is formless.
In the heart, in each and every heart, He is the Support of all hearts. ||3||
Through the Love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the devotees become His Beloveds.
Singing the Praises of the Creator, the Saints are forever in bliss.
Through the Love of the Naam, the Lord's humble servants remain satisfied.
Nanak falls at the feet of those humble servants of the Lord. ||4||3||5||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Associating with them, this mind becomes immaculate and pure.
Associating with them, one meditates in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har.
Associating with them, all the sins are erased.
Associating with them, the heart is illumined. ||1||
Those Saints of the Lord are my friends.
It is their custom to sing only the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
By their mantra, the Lord, Har, Har, dwells in the mind.
By their teachings, doubt and fear are dispelled.
By their kirtan, they become immaculate and sublime.
The world longs for the dust of their feet. ||2||
Millions of sinners are saved by associating with them.
They have the Support of the Name of the One Formless Lord.
He knows the secrets of all beings;
He is the treasure of mercy, the divine immaculate Lord. ||3||
When the Supreme Lord God becomes merciful,
then one meets the Merciful Holy Guru.

Day and night, Nanak meditates on the Naam.
Through the Lord's Name, he is blessed with peace, poise and bliss. ||4||4||6||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the image of the Guru within your mind;
let your mind accept the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and His Mantra.
Enshrine the Guru's feet within your heart.
Bow in humility forever before the Guru, the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
Let no one wander in doubt in the world.
Without the Guru, no one can cross over. ||1||Pause||
The Guru shows the Path to those who have wandered off.
He leads them to renounce others, and attaches them to devotional worship of the Lord.
He obliterates the fear of birth and death.
The glorious greatness of the Perfect Guru is endless. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, the inverted heart-lotus blossoms forth,
and the Light shines forth in the darkness.
Through the Guru, know the One who created you.
By the Guru's Mercy, the foolish mind comes to believe. ||3||
The Guru is the Creator; the Guru has the power to do everything.
The Guru is the Transcendent Lord; He is, and always shall be.
Says Nanak, God has inspired me to know this.
Without the Guru, liberation is not obtained, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||5||7||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Chant Guru, Guru, Guru, O my mind.
I have no other than the Guru.
I lean upon the Support of the Guru, day and night.
No one can decrease His bounty. ||1||
Know that the Guru and the Transcendent Lord are One.
Whatever pleases Him is acceptable and approved. ||1||Pause||
One whose mind is attached to the Guru's feet
- his pains, sufferings and doubts run away.
Serving the Guru, honor is obtained.
I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru. ||2||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, I am exalted.
The work of the Guru's servant is perfect.
Pain does not afflict the Guru's servant.
The Guru's servant is famous in the ten directions. ||3||
The Guru's glory cannot be described.
The Guru remains absorbed in the Supreme Lord God.
Says Nanak, one who is blessed with perfect destiny
- his mind is attached to the Guru's feet. ||4||6||8||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
I worship and adore my Guru; the Guru is the Lord of the Universe.
My Guru is the Supreme Lord God; the Guru is the Lord God.
My Guru is divine, invisible and mysterious.
I serve at the Guru's feet, which are worshipped by all. ||1||
Without the Guru, I have no other place at all.
Night and day, I chant the Name of Guru, Guru. ||1||Pause||
The Guru is my spiritual wisdom, the Guru is the meditation within my heart.
The Guru is the Lord of the World, the Primal Being, the Lord God.
With my palms pressed together, I remain in the Guru's Sanctuary.
Without the Guru, I have no other at all. ||2||
The Guru is the boat to cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Serving the Guru, one is released from the Messenger of Death.
In the darkness, the Guru's Mantra shines forth.
With the Guru, all are saved. ||3||
The Perfect Guru is found, by great good fortune.
Serving the Guru, pain does not afflict anyone.
No one can erase the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Nanak is the Guru; Nanak is the Lord Himself. ||4||7||9||

Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Deal and trade only with the Lord, Raam, Raam.
The Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, is the Support of the breath of life.
Sing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
The Lord is ever-present, all-pervading. ||1||
Joining the humble Saints, chant the Lord's Name.
This is the most immaculate and perfect occupation of all. ||1||Pause||
Gather the treasure, the wealth of the Lord, Raam, Raam.
Let your sustenance be the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Never forget the Lord, Raam, Raam.
In His Mercy, the Guru has revealed this to me. ||2||
The Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, is always our help and support.
Embrace love for the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Through the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, I have become immaculate.
The sins of countless incarnations have been taken away. ||3||
Uttering the Lord's Name, birth and death are finished.
Repeating the Lord's Name, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
The Luminous Lord is the highest of all.
Night and day, servant Nanak meditates on Him. ||4||8||10||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
My Lord and Master has held back the five demons.
He conquered them, and scared them away from the Lord's slave.
They cannot find the mansion of the Lord's devotee.
Joining together, the Lord's humble servants sing the songs of joy. ||1||
The five demons are the rulers of the whole world,
but they are just water-carriers for the Lord's devotee. ||1||Pause||
They collect taxes from the world,
but they bow in subservience to God's devotees.
They plunder and dishonor the faithless cynics,
but they massage and wash the feet of the Holy. ||2||
The One Mother gave birth to the five sons,
and began the play of the created world.
With the three qualities joined together, they celebrate.
Renouncing these three qualities, the Lord's humble servants rise above them. ||3||
In His Mercy, He saves His humble servants.
They belong to Him, and so He saves them by driving out the five.
Says Nanak, devotion to God is noble and sublime.
Without devotion, all just waste away uselessly. ||4||9||11||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Suffering and troubles are eradicated by the Lord's Name.
Pain is dispelled, and peace takes its place.
Meditating, chanting the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, I am satisfied.
By the Grace of the Saints, I have received all fruitful rewards. ||1||
Meditating on the Lord, His humble servant is carried across,
and the sins of countless incarnations are taken away. ||1||Pause||
I have enshrined the Guru's feet within my heart,
and crossed over the ocean of fire.
All the painful diseases of birth and death have been eradicated.
I am attached to God in celestial Samaadhi. ||2||
In all places and interspaces, the One, our Lord and Master is contained.
He is the Inner-knower of all hearts.
One whom the Lord blesses with understanding,
chants the Name of God, twenty-four hours a day. ||3||
Deep within, God Himself abides;
within his heart, the Divine Light shines forth.
With loving devotion, sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Meditate on the Supreme Lord God, O Nanak, and you shall be saved. ||4||10||12||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:

Bow in humility to the lotus feet of the Guru.
Eliminate sexual desire and anger from this body.
Be the dust of all,
and see the Lord in each and every heart, in all. ||1||
In this way, dwell upon the Lord of the World, the Lord of the Universe.
My body and wealth belong to God; my soul belongs to God. ||1||Pause||
Twenty-four hours a day, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
This is the purpose of human life.
Renounce your egotistical pride, and know that God is with you.
By the Grace of the Holy, let your mind be imbued with the Lord's Love. ||2||
Know the One who created you,
and in the world hereafter you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.
Your mind and body will be immaculate and blissful;
chant the Name of the Lord of the Universe with your tongue. ||3||
Grant Your Kind Mercy, O my Lord, Merciful to the meek.
My mind begs for the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Be merciful, and bless me with this gift,
that Nanak may live, chanting God's Name. ||4||11||13||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
My incense and lamps are my service to the Lord.
Time and time again, I humbly bow to the Creator.
I have renounced everything, and grasped the Sanctuary of God.
By great good fortune, the Guru has become pleased and satisfied with me. ||1||
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing of the Lord of the Universe.
My body and wealth belong to God; my soul belongs to God. ||1||Pause||
Chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I am in bliss.
The Supreme Lord God is the Perfect Forgiver.
Granting His Mercy, He has linked His humble servants to His service.
He has rid me of the pains of birth and death, and merged me with Himself. ||2||
This is the essence of karma, righteous conduct and spiritual wisdom,
to chant the Lord's Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
God's Feet are the boat to cross over the world-ocean.
God, the Inner-knower, is the Cause of causes. ||3||
Showering His Mercy, He Himself has saved me.
The five hideous demons have run away.
Do not lose your life in the gamble.
The Creator Lord has taken Nanak's side. ||4||12||14||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
In His Mercy, He has blessed me with peace and bliss.
The Divine Guru has saved His child.
God is kind and compassionate; He is the Lord of the Universe.
He forgives all beings and creatures. ||1||
I seek Your Sanctuary, O God, O Merciful to the meek.
Meditating on the Supreme Lord God, I am forever in ecstasy. ||1||Pause||
There is no other like the Merciful Lord God.
He is contained deep within each and every heart.
He embellishes His slave, here and hereafter.
It is Your nature, God, to purify sinners. ||2||
Meditation on the Lord of the Universe is the medicine to cure millions of illnesses.
My Tantra and Mantra is to meditate, to vibrate upon the Lord God.
Illnesses and pains are dispelled, meditating on God.
The fruits of the mind's desires are fulfilled. ||3||
He is the Cause of causes, the All-powerful Merciful Lord.
Contemplating Him is the greatest of all treasures.
God Himself has forgiven Nanak;
forever and ever, he chants the Name of the One Lord. ||4||13||15||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my friend.

Your consciousness shall become immaculate and pure.
All the misfortunes of your mind and body shall be taken away,
and all your pain and darkness will be dispelled. ||1||
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, cross over the world-ocean.
By great good fortune, one attains the Infinite Lord, the Primal Being. ||1||Pause||
The Messenger of Death cannot even touch that humble being, who sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
The Gurmukh realizes his Lord and Master; his coming into this world is approved. ||2||
He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, by the Grace of the Saints;
his sexual desire, anger and madness are eradicated.
He knows the Lord God to be ever-present.
This is the Perfect Teaching of the Perfect Guru. ||3||
He earns the treasure of the Lord's wealth.
Meeting with the True Guru, all his affairs are resolved.
He is awake and aware in the Love of the Lord's Name;
O Nanak, his mind is attached to the Lord's Feet. ||4||14||16||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's Feet are the boat to cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he does not die again.
Chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, he does not have to walk on the Path of Death.
Contemplating the Supreme Lord, the five demons are conquered. ||1||
I have entered Your Sanctuary, O Perfect Lord and Master.
Please give Your hand to Your creatures. ||1||Pause||
The Simritees, Shaastras, Vedas and Puraanas
expound upon the Supreme Lord God.
The Yogis, celibates, Vaishnavs and followers of Ram Das
cannot find the limits of the Eternal Lord God. ||2||
Shiva and the gods lament and moan,
but they do not understand even a tiny bit of the unseen and unknown Lord.
One whom the Lord Himself blesses with loving devotional worship,
is very rare in this world. ||3||
I am worthless, with absolutely no virtue at all;
all treasures are in Your Glance of Grace.
Nanak, the meek, desires only to serve You.
Please be merciful, and grant him this blessing, O Divine Guru. ||4||15||17||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
One who is cursed by the Saints, is thrown down on the ground.
The slanderer of the Saints is thrown down from the skies.
I hold the Saints close to my soul.
The Saints are saved instantaneously. ||1||
He alone is a Saint, who is pleasing to the Lord.
The Saints, and God, have only one job to do. ||1||Pause||
God gives His hand to shelter the Saints.
He dwells with His Saints, day and night.
With each and every breath, He cherishes His Saints.
He takes the power away from the enemies of the Saints. ||2||
Let no one slander the Saints.
Whoever slanders them, will be destroyed.
One who is protected by the Creator Lord,
cannot be harmed, no matter how much the whole world may try. ||3||
I place my faith in my God.
My soul and body all belong to Him.
This is the faith which inspires Nanak:
the self-willed manmukhs will fail, while the Gurmukhs will always win. ||4||16||18||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
The Name of the Immaculate Lord is the Ambrosial Water.
Chanting it with the tongue, sins are washed away. ||1||Pause||

The Lord abides in everyone.
The Lord illumines each and every heart.
Chanting the Lord's Name, one does not fall into hell.
Serving the Lord, all fruitful rewards are obtained. ||1||
Within my mind is the Support of the Lord.
The Lord is the boat to cross over the world-ocean.
Chant the Lord's Name, and the Messenger of Death will run away.
The Lord breaks the teeth of Maya, the witch. ||2||
The Lord is forever and ever the Forgiver.
The Lord blesses us with peace and bliss.
The Lord has revealed His glory.
The Lord is the mother and father of His Saint. ||3||
The Lord, the Lord, is in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Time and time again, I sing the Lord's Praises.
Meeting with the Guru, I have attained the incomprehensible object.
Slave Nanak has grasped the Support of the Lord. ||4||17||19||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
One who is protected by the Protector Lord
- the Formless Lord is on his side. ||1||Pause||
In the mother's womb, the fire does not touch him.
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment do not affect him.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he meditates on the Formless Lord.
Dust is thrown into the faces of the slanderers. ||1||
The Lord's protective spell is the armor of His slave.
The wicked, evil demons cannot even touch him.
Whoever indulges in egotistical pride, shall waste away to ruin.
God is the Sanctuary of His humble slave. ||2||
Whoever enters the Sanctuary of the Sovereign Lord
- He saves that slave, hugging him close in His embrace.
Whoever takes great pride in himself,
in an instant, shall be like dust mixing with dust. ||3||
The True Lord is, and shall always be.
Forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him.
Granting His Mercy, He saves His slaves.
God is the Support of Nanak's breath of life. ||4||18||20||
Gond, Fifth Mehl:
Wondrous and beautiful is the description of the beauty of the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Lord God. ||Pause||
He is not old; He is not young.
He is not in pain; He is not caught in Death's noose.
He does not die; He does not go away.
In the beginning, and throughout the ages, He is permeating everywhere. ||1||
He is not hot; He is not cold.
He has no enemy; He has no friend.
He is not happy; He is not sad.
Everything belongs to Him; He can do anything. ||2||
He has no father; He has no mother.
He is beyond the beyond, and has always been so.
He is not affected by virtue or vice.
Deep within each and every heart, He is always awake and aware. ||3||
From the three qualities, the one mechanism of Maya was produced.
The great Maya is only His shadow.
He is undeceivable, impenetrable, unfathomable and merciful.
He is merciful to the meek, forever compassionate.
His state and limits cannot ever be known.
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Him. ||4||19||21||

Gond, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to the Saints.
Associating with the Saints, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
By the Grace of the Saints, all the sins are taken away.
By great good fortune, one finds the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||1||
Meditating on the Lord, no obstacles will block your way.
By Guru's Grace, meditate on God. ||1||Pause||
When the Supreme Lord God becomes merciful,
he makes me the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Sexual desire and anger leave his body,
and the Lord, the jewel, comes to dwell in his mind. ||2||
Fruitful and approved is the life of one
who knows the Supreme Lord God to be close.
One who is committed to loving devotional worship of God, and the Kirtan of His Praises,
awakens from the sleep of countless incarnations. ||3||
The Lord's Lotus Feet are the Support of His humble servant.
To chant the Praises of the Lord of the Universe is the true trade.
Please fulfill the hopes of Your humble slave.
Nanak finds peace in the dust of the feet of the humble. ||4||20||22||6||28||
Raag Gond, Ashtapadees, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Humbly bow to the Perfect Divine Guru.
Fruitful is His image, and fruitful is service to Him.
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, the Architect of Destiny.
Twenty-four hours a day, he remains imbued with the love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
The Guru is the Lord of the Universe, the Guru is the Lord of the World.
He is the Saving Grace of His slaves. ||1||Pause||
He satisfies the kings, emperors and nobles.
He destroys the egotistical villains.
He puts illness into the mouths of the slanderers.
All the people celebrate His victory. ||2||
Supreme bliss fills the minds of the Saints.
The Saints meditate on the Divine Guru, the Lord God.
The faces of His companions become radiant and bright.
The slanderers lose all places of rest. ||3||
With each and every breath, the Lord's humble slaves praise Him.
The Supreme Lord God and the Guru are care-free.
All fears are eradicated, in His Sanctuary.
Smashing all the slanderers, the Lord knocks them to the ground. ||4||
Let no one slander the Lord's humble servants.
Whoever does so, will be miserable.
Twenty-four hours a day, the Lord's humble servant meditates on Him alone.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach him. ||5||
The Lord's humble servant has no vengeance. The slanderer is egotistical.
The Lord's humble servant wishes well, while the slanderer dwells on evil.
The Sikh of the Guru meditates on the True Guru.
The Lord's humble servants are saved, while the slanderer is cast into hell. ||6||
Listen, O my beloved friends and companions:
these words shall be true in the Court of the Lord.
As you plant, so shall you harvest.
The proud, egotistical person will surely be uprooted. ||7||
O True Guru, You are the Support of the unsupported.
Be merciful, and save Your humble servant.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru;
remembering Him in meditation, my honor has been saved. ||8||1||29||

Raag Gond, The Word Of The Devotees.
Kabeer Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When you meet a Saint, talk to him and listen.
Meeting with an unsaintly person, just remain silent. ||1||
O father, if I speak, what words should I utter?
Speak such words, by which you may remain absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Speaking with the Saints, one becomes generous.
To speak with a fool is to babble uselessly. ||2||
By speaking and only speaking, corruption only increases.
If I do not speak, what can the poor wretch do? ||3||
Says Kabeer, the empty pitcher makes noise,
but that which is full makes no sound. ||4||1||
GOND:
When a man dies, he is of no use to anyone.
But when an animal dies, it is used in ten ways. ||1||
What do I know, about the state of my karma?
What do I know, O Baba? ||1||Pause||
His bones burn, like a bundle of logs;
his hair burns like a bale of hay. ||2||
Says Kabeer, the man wakes up,
only when the Messenger of Death hits him over the head with his club. ||3||2||
GOND:
The Celestial Lord is in the Akaashic ethers of the skies, the Celestial Lord is in the nether regions of the underworld; in the four directions, the Celestial Lord is pervading.
The Supreme Lord God is forever the source of bliss. When the vessel of the body perishes, the Celestial Lord does not perish. ||1||
I have become sad,
wondering where the soul comes from, and where it goes. ||1||Pause||
The body is formed from the union of the five tatvas; but where were the five tatvas created?
You say that the soul is tied to its karma, but who gave karma to the body? ||2||
The body is contained in the Lord, and the Lord is contained in the body. He is permeating within all.
Says Kabeer, I shall not renounce the Lord's Name. I shall accept whatever happens. ||3||3||
Raag Gond, The Word Of Kabeer Jee, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They tied my arms, bundled me up, and threw me before an elephant.
The elephant driver struck him on the head, and infuriated him.
But the elephant ran away, trumpeting,
"I am a sacrifice to this image of the Lord."||1||
O my Lord and Master, You are my strength.
The Qazi shouted at the driver to drive the elephant on. ||1||Pause||
He yelled out, "O driver, I shall cut you into pieces.
Hit him, and drive him on!"
But the elephant did not move; instead, he began to meditate.
The Lord God abides within his mind. ||2||
What sin has this Saint committed,
that you have made him into a bundle and thrown him before the elephant?
Lifting up the bundle, the elephant bows down before it.
The Qazi could not understand it; he was blind. ||3||
Three times, he tried to do it.

Even then, his hardened mind was not satisfied.
Says Kabeer, such is my Lord and Master.
The soul of His humble servant dwells in the fourth state. ||4||1||4||
GOND:
It is not human, and it is not a god.
It is not called celibate, or a worshipper of Shiva.
It is not a Yogi, and it is not a hermit.
It is not a mother, or anyone's son. ||1||
Then what is it, which dwells in this temple of the body?
No one can find its limits. ||1||Pause||
It is not a house-holder, and it is not a renouncer of the world.
It is not a king, and it is not a beggar.
It has no body, no drop of blood.
It is not a Brahmin, and it is not a Kh'shaatriya. ||2||
It is not called a man of austere self-discipline, or a Shaykh.
It does not live, and it is not seen to die.
If someone cries over its death,
that person loses his honor. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, I have found the Path.
Birth and death have both been erased.
Says Kabeer, this is formed of the same essence as the Lord.
It is like the ink on the paper which cannot be erased. ||4||2||5||
GOND:
The threads are broken, and the starch has run out.
Bare reeds glisten at the front door.
The poor brushes are scattered in pieces.
Death has entered this shaven head. ||1||
This shaven-headed mendicant has wasted all his wealth.
All this coming and going has irritated him. ||1||Pause||
He has given up all talk of his weaving equipment.
His mind is attuned to the Lord's Name.
His daughters and sons have nothing to eat,
while the shaven-headed mendicants night and day eat their fill. ||2||
One or two are in the house, and one or two more are on the way.
We sleep on the floor, while they sleep in the beds.
They rub their bare heads, and carry prayer-books in their waist-bands.
We get dry grains, while they get loaves of bread. ||3||
He will become one of these shaven-headed mendicants.
They are the support of the drowning.
Listen, O blind and unguided Loi:
Kabeer has taken shelter with these shaven-headed mendicants. ||4||3||6||
GOND:
When her husband dies, the woman does not cry.
Someone else becomes her protector.
When this protector dies,
he falls into the world of hell hereafter, for the sexual pleasures he enjoyed in this world. ||1||
The world loves only the one bride, Maya.
She is the wife of all beings and creatures. ||1||Pause||
With her necklace around her neck, this bride looks beautiful.
She is poison to the Saint, but the world is delighted with her.
Adorning herself, she sits like a prostitute.
Cursed by the Saints, she wanders around like a wretch. ||2||
She runs around, chasing after the Saints.
She is afraid of being beaten by those blessed with the Guru's Grace.
She is the body, the breath of life, of the faithless cynics.
She appears to me like a blood-thirsty witch. ||3||
I know her secrets well
- in His Mercy, the Divine Guru met me.
Says Kabeer, now I have thrown her out.
She clings to the skirt of the world. ||4||4||7||

GOND:
When someone's household has no glory,
the guests who come there depart still hungry.
Deep within, there is no contentment.
Without his bride, the wealth of Maya, he suffers in pain. ||1||
So praise this bride, which can shake the consciousness of even the most dedicated ascetics and sages. ||1||Pause||
This bride is the daughter of a wretched miser.
Abandoning the Lord's servant, she sleeps with the world.
Standing at the door of the holy man,
she says, "I have come to your sanctuary; now save me!"||2||
This bride is so beautiful.
The bells on her ankles make soft music.
As long as there is the breath of life in the man, she remains attached to him.
But when it is no more, she quickly gets up and departs, bare-footed. ||3||
This bride has conquered the three worlds.
The eighteen Puraanas and the sacred shrines of pilgrimage love her as well.
She pierced the hearts of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu.
She destroyed the great emperors and kings of the world. ||4||
This bride has no restraint or limits.
She is in collusion with the five thieving passions.
When the clay pot of these five passions bursts,
then, says Kabeer, by Guru's Mercy, one is released. ||5||5||8||
GOND:
As the house will not stand when the supporting beams are removed from within it,
just so, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, how can anyone be carried across?
Without the pitcher, the water is not contained;
just so, without the Holy Saint, the mortal departs in misery. ||1||
One who does not remember the Lord - let him burn;
his body and mind have remained absorbed in this field of the world. ||1||Pause||
Without a farmer, the land is not planted;
without a thread, how can the beads be strung?
Without a loop, how can the knot be tied?
Just so, without the Holy Saint, the mortal departs in misery. ||2||
Without a mother or father there is no child;
just so, without water, how can the clothes be washed?
Without a horse, how can there be a rider?
Without the Holy Saint, one cannot reach the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Just as without music, there is no dancing,
the bride rejected by her husband is dishonored.
Says Kabeer, do this one thing:
become Gurmukh, and you shall never die again. ||4||6||9||
GOND:
He alone is a pimp, who pounds down his mind.
Pounding down his mind, he escapes from the Messenger of Death.
Pounding and beating his mind, he puts it to the test;
such a pimp attains total liberation. ||1||
Who is called a pimp in this world?
In all speech, one must carefully consider. ||1||Pause||
He alone is a dancer, who dances with his mind.
The Lord is not satisfied with falsehood; He is pleased only with Truth.
So play the beat of the drum in the mind.
The Lord is the Protector of the dancer with such a mind. ||2||
She alone is a street-dancer, who cleanses her body-street,
and educates the five passions.
She who embraces devotional worship for the Lord
- I accept such a street-dancer as my Guru. ||3||
He alone is a thief, who is above envy,
and who uses his sense organs to chant the Lord's Name.
Says Kabeer, these are the qualities of the one
I know as my Blessed Divine Guru, who is the most beautiful and wise. ||4||7||10||

GOND:
Blessed is the Lord of the World. Blessed is the Divine Guru.
Blessed is that grain, by which the heart-lotus of the hungry blossoms forth.
Blessed are those Saints, who know this.
Meeting with them, one meets the Lord, the Sustainer of the World. ||1||
This grain comes from the Primal Lord God.
One chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, only when he tastes this grain. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the Naam, and meditate on this grain.
Mixed with water, its taste becomes sublime.
One who abstains from this grain,
loses his honor in the three worlds. ||2||
One who discards this grain, is practicing hypocrisy.
She is neither a happy soul-bride, nor a widow.
Those who claim in this world that they live on milk alone,
secretly eat whole loads of food. ||3||
Without this grain, time does not pass in peace.
Forsaking this grain, one does not meet the Lord of the World.
Says Kabeer, this I know:
blessed is that grain, which brings faith in the Lord and Master to the mind. ||4||8||11||
Raag Gond, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The ritual sacrifice of horses,
giving one's weight in gold to charities,
and ceremonial cleansing baths -||1||
These are not equal to singing the Praises of the Lord's Name.
Meditate on your Lord, you lazy man! ||1||Pause||
Offering sweet rice at Gaya,
living on the river banks at Benares,
reciting the four Vedas by heart;||2||
Completing all religious rituals,
restraining sexual passion by the spiritual wisdom given by the Guru,
and performing the six rituals;||3||
Expounding on Shiva and Shakti
- O man, renounce and abandon all these things.
Meditate, meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe.
Meditate, O Naam Dayv, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||4||1||
GOND:
The deer is lured by the sound of the hunter's bell;
it loses its life, but it cannot stop thinking about it. ||1||
In the same way, I look upon my Lord.
I will not abandon my Lord, and turn my thoughts to another. ||1||Pause||
As the fisherman looks upon the fish,
and the goldsmith looks upon the gold he fashions;||2||
As the man driven by sex looks upon another man's wife,
and the gambler looks upon the throwing of the dice -||3||
In the same way, wherever Naam Dayv looks, he sees the Lord.
Naam Dayv meditates continuously on the Feet of the Lord. ||4||2||
GOND:
Carry me across, O Lord, carry me across.
I am ignorant, and I do not know how to swim. O my Beloved Father, please give me Your arm. ||1||Pause||
I have been transformed from a mortal being into an angel, in an instant; the True Guru has taught me this.
Born of human flesh, I have conquered the heavens; such is the medicine I was given. ||1||
Please place me where You placed Dhroo and Naarad, O my Master.
With the Support of Your Name, so many have been saved; this is Naam Dayv's understanding. ||2||3||

GOND:
I am restless and unhappy.
Without her calf, the cow is lonely. ||1||
Without water, the fish writhes in pain.
So is poor Naam Dayv without the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Like the cow's calf, which, when let loose,
sucks at her udders and drinks her milk -||2||
So has Naam Dayv found the Lord.
Meeting the Guru, I have seen the Unseen Lord. ||3||
As the man driven by sex wants another man's wife,
so does Naam Dayv love the Lord. ||4||
As the earth burns in the dazzling sunlight,
so does poor Naam Dayv burn without the Lord's Name. ||5||4||
Raag Gond, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, all doubts are dispelled.
Chanting the Name of the Lord is the highest religion.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, erases social classes and ancestral pedigrees.
The Lord is the walking stick of the blind. ||1||
I bow to the Lord, I humbly bow to the Lord.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, you will not be tormented by the Messenger of Death. ||1||Pause||
The Lord took the life of Harnaakhash,
and gave Ajaamal a place in heaven.
Teaching a parrot to speak the Lord's Name, Ganika the prostitute was saved.
That Lord is the light of my eyes. ||2||
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Pootna was saved,
even though she was a deceitful child-killer.
Contemplating the Lord, Dropadi was saved.
Gautam's wife, turned to stone, was saved. ||3||
The Lord, who killed Kaysee and Kans,
gave the gift of life to Kali.
Prays Naam Dayv, such is my Lord;
meditating on Him, fear and suffering are dispelled. ||4||1||5||
GOND:
One who chases after the god Bhairau, evil spirits and the goddess of smallpox,
is riding on a donkey, kicking up the dust. ||1||
I take only the Name of the One Lord.
I have given away all other gods in exchange for Him. ||1||Pause||
That man who chants "Shiva, Shiva", and meditates on him,
is riding on a bull, shaking a tambourine. ||2||
One who worships the Great Goddess Maya
will be reincarnated as a woman, and not a man. ||3||
You are called the Primal Goddess.
At the time of liberation, where will you hide then? ||4||
Follow the Guru's Teachings, and hold tight to the Lord's Name, O friend.
Thus prays Naam Dayv, and so says the Gita as well. ||5||2||6||
BILAAVAL GOND:
Today, Naam Dayv saw the Lord, and so I will instruct the ignorant. ||Pause||
O Pandit, O religious scholar, your Gayatri was grazing in the fields.
Taking a stick, the farmer broke its leg, and now it walks with a limp. ||1||
O Pandit, I saw your great god Shiva, riding along on a white bull.
In the merchant's house, a banquet was prepared for him - he killed the merchant's son. ||2||

O Pandit, I saw your Raam Chand coming too
; he lost his wife, fighting a war against Raawan. ||3||
The Hindu is sightless; the Muslim has only one eye.
The spiritual teacher is wiser than both of them.
The Hindu worships at the temple, the Muslim at the mosque.
Naam Dayv serves that Lord, who is not limited to either the temple or the mosque. ||4||3||7||
Raag Gond, The Word Of Ravi Daas Jee, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate on the Lord Mukanday, the Liberator, O people of the world.
Without Mukanday, the body shall be reduced to ashes.
Mukanday is the Giver of liberation.
Mukanday is my father and mother. ||1||
Meditate on Mukanday in life, and meditate on Mukanday in death.
His servant is blissful forever. ||1||Pause||
The Lord, Mukanday, is my breath of life.
Meditating on Mukanday, one's forehead will bear the Lord's insignia of approval.
The renunciate serves Mukanday.
Mukanday is the wealth of the poor and forlorn. ||2||
When the One Liberator does me a favor,
then what can the world do to me?
Erasing my social status, I have entered His Court.
You, Mukanday, are potent throughout the four ages. ||3||
Spiritual wisdom has welled up, and I have been enlightened.
In His Mercy, the Lord has made this worm His slave.
Says Ravi Daas, now my thirst is quenched;
I meditate on Mukanday the Liberator, and I serve Him. ||4||1||
GOND:
Someone may bathe at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage,
and worship the twelve Shiva-lingam stones,
and dig wells and pools,
but if he indulges in slander, then all of this is useless. ||1||
How can the slanderer of the Holy Saints be saved?
Know for certain, that he shall go to hell. ||1||Pause||
Someone may bathe at Kuruk-shaytra during a solar eclipse,
and give his decorated wife in offering,
and listen to all the Simritees,
but if he indulges in slander, these are of no account. ||2||
Someone may give countless feasts,
and donate land, and build splendid buildings;
he may neglect his own affairs to work for others,
but if he indulges in slander, he shall wander in countless incarnations. ||3||
Why do you indulge in slander, O people of the world?
The emptiness of the slanderer is soon exposed.
I have thought, and determined the fate of the slanderer.
Says Ravi Daas, he is a sinner; he shall go to hell. ||4||2||11||7||2||49|| Total||

Raamkalee, First Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Some read the Sanskrit scriptures, and some read the Puraanas.
Some meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and chant it on their malas, focusing on it in meditation.
I know nothing, now or ever; I recognize only Your One Name, Lord. ||1||
I do not know, Lord, what my condition shall be.
I am foolish and ignorant; I seek Your Sanctuary, God. Please, save my honor and my self-respect. ||1||Pause||
Sometimes, the soul soars high in the heavens, and sometimes it falls to the depths of the nether regions.
The greedy soul does not remain stable; it searches in the four directions. ||2||
With death pre-ordained, the soul comes into the world, gathering the riches of life.
I see that some have already gone, O my Lord and Master; the burning fire is coming closer! ||3||
No one has any friend, and no one has any brother; no one has any father or mother.
Prays Nanak, if You bless me with Your Name, it shall be my help and support in the end. ||4||1||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Your Light is prevailing everywhere.
Wherever I look, there I see the Lord. ||1||
Please rid me of the desire to live, O my Lord and Master.
My mind is entangled in the deep dark pit of Maya. How can I cross over, O Lord and Master? ||1||Pause||
He dwells deep within, inside the heart; how can He not be outside as well?
Our Lord and Master always takes care of us, and keeps us in His thoughts. ||2||
He Himself is near at hand, and He is far away.
He Himself is all-pervading, permeating everywhere.
Meeting the True Guru, the darkness is dispelled.

Wherever I look, there I see Him pervading. ||3||
There is doubt within me, and Maya is outside; it hits me in the eyes like an arrow.
Prays Nanak, the slave of the Lord's slaves: such a mortal suffers terribly. ||4||2||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Where is that door, where You live, O Lord? What is that door called? Among all doors, who can find that door?
For the sake of that door, I wander around sadly, detached from the world; if only someone would come and tell me about that door. ||1||
How can I cross over the world-ocean?
While I am living, I cannot be dead. ||1||Pause||
Pain is the door, and anger is the guard; hope and anxiety are the two shutters.
Maya is the water in the moat; in the middle of this moat, he has built his home. The Primal Lord sits in the Seat of Truth. ||2||
You have so many Names, Lord, I do not know their limit. There is no other equal to You.
Do not speak out loud - remain in your mind. The Lord Himself knows, and He Himself acts. ||3||
As long as there is hope, there is anxiety; so how can anyone speak of the One Lord?
In the midst of hope, remain untouched by hope; then, O Nanak, you shall meet the One Lord. ||4||
In this way, you shall cross over the world-ocean.
This is the way to remain dead while yet alive. ||1||Second Pause||3||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Awareness of the Shabad and the Teachings is my horn; the people hear the sound of its vibrations.
Honor is my begging-bowl, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the charity I receive. ||1||
O Baba, Gorakh is the Lord of the Universe; He is always awake and aware.
He alone is Gorakh, who sustains the earth; He created it in an instant. ||1||Pause||
Binding together water and air, He infused the breath of life into the body, and made the lamps of the sun and the moon.
To die and to live, He gave us the earth, but we have forgotten these blessings. ||2||
There are so many Siddhas, seekers, Yogis, wandering pilgrims, spiritual teachers and good people.
If I meet them, I chant the Lord's Praises, and then, my mind serves Him. ||3||
Paper and salt, protected by ghee, remain untouched by water, as the lotus remains unaffected in water.
Those who meet with such devotees, O servant Nanak - what can death do to them? ||4||4||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Listen, Machhindra, to what Nanak says.
One who subdues the five passions does not waver.
One who practices Yoga in such a way,
saves himself, and saves all his generations. ||1||
He alone is a hermit, who attains such understanding.
Day and night, he remains absorbed in deepest Samaadhi. ||1||Pause||
He begs for loving devotion to the Lord, and lives in the Fear of God.
He is satisfied, with the priceless gift of contentment.
Becoming the embodiment of meditation, he attains the true Yogic posture.
He focuses his consciousness in the deep trance of the True Name. ||2||
Nanak chants the Ambrosial Bani.
Listen, O Machhindra: this is the insignia of the true hermit.
One who, in the midst of hope, remains untouched by hope,
shall truly find the Creator Lord. ||3||
Prays Nanak, I share the mysterious secrets of God.
The Guru and His disciple are joined together!
One who eats this food, this medicine of the Teachings,

has the wisdom of the six Shaastras. ||4||5||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
My boat is wobbly and unsteady; it is filled with sins. The wind is rising - what if it tips over?
As sunmukh, I have turned to the Guru; O my Perfect Master; please be sure to bless me with Your glorious greatness. ||1||
O Guru, my Saving Grace, please carry me across the world-ocean.
Bless me with devotion to the perfect, imperishable Lord God; I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||Pause||
He alone is a Siddha, a seeker, a Yogi, a wandering pilgrim, who meditates on the One Perfect Lord.
Touching the feet of the Lord Master, they are emancipated; they come to receive the Word of the Teachings. ||2||
I know nothing of charity, meditation, self-discipline or religious rituals; I only chant Your Name, God.
Nanak has met the Guru, the Transcendent Lord God; through the True Word of His Shabad, he is set free. ||3||6||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Focus your consciousness in deep absorption on the Lord.
Make your body a raft, to cross over.
Deep within is the fire of desire; keep it in check.
Day and night, that lamp shall burn unceasingly. ||1||
Float such a lamp upon the water;
this lamp will bring total understanding. ||1||Pause||
This understanding is good clay;
a lamp made of such clay is acceptable to the Lord.
So shape this lamp on the wheel of good actions.
In this world and in the next, this lamp shall be with you. ||2||
When He Himself grants His Grace,
then, as Gurmukh, one may understand Him.
Within the heart, this lamp is permanently lit.
It is not extinguished by water or wind.
Such a lamp will carry you across the water. ||3||
Wind does not shake it, or put it out.
Its light reveals the Divine Throne.
The Kh'shaatriyas, Brahmins, Soodras and Vaishyas
cannot find its value, even by thousands of calculations.
If any of them lights such a lamp,
O Nanak, he is emancipated. ||4||7||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
To place one's faith in Your Name, Lord, is true worship.
With an offering of Truth, one obtains a place to sit.
If a prayer is offered with truth and contentment,
the Lord will hear it, and call him in to sit by Him. ||1||
O Nanak, no one returns empty-handed;
such is the Court of the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
The treasure I seek is the gift of Your Grace.
Please bless this humble beggar - this is what I seek.
Please, pour Your Love into the cup of my heart.
This is Your pre-determined value. ||2||
The One who created everything, does everything.
He Himself appraises His own value.
The Sovereign Lord King becomes manifest to the Gurmukh.
He does not come, and He does not go. ||3||
People curse at the beggar; by begging, he does not receive honor.
O Lord, You inspire me to speak Your Words, and tell the Story of Your Court. ||4||8||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
The drop is in the ocean, and the ocean is in the drop. Who understands, and knows this?
He Himself creates the wondrous play of the world. He Himself contemplates it, and understands its true essence. ||1||

How rare are those who contemplate this spiritual wisdom.
Through this, the supreme state of liberation is attained. ||1||Pause||
The night is in the day, and the day is in the night. The same is true of hot and cold.
No one else knows His state and extent; without the Guru, this is not understood. ||2||
The female is in the male, and the male is in the female. Understand this, O God-realized being!
The meditation is in the music, and knowledge is in meditation. Become Gurmukh, and speak the Unspoken Speech. ||3||
The Light is in the mind, and the mind is in the Light. The Guru brings the five senses together, like brothers.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those who enshrine love for the One Word of the Shabad. ||4||9||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
When the Lord God showered His Mercy,
egotism was eradicated from within me.
That humble servant who contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad, is very dear to the Lord. ||1||
That humble servant of the Lord is pleasing to his Lord God;
day and night, he performs devotional worship, day and night. Disregarding his own honor, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The unstruck melody of the sound current resonates and resounds;
my mind is appeased by the subtle essence of the Lord.
Through the Perfect Guru, I am absorbed in Truth.
Through the Guru, I have found the Lord, the Primal Being. ||2||
Gurbani is the sound current of the Naad, the Vedas, everything.
My mind is attuned to the Lord of the Universe.
He is my sacred shrine of pilgrimage, fasting and austere self-discipline.
The Lord saves, and carries across, those who meet with the Guru. ||3||
One whose self-conceit is gone, sees his fears run away.
That servant grasps the Guru's feet.
The Guru, the True Guru, has expelled my doubts.
Says Nanak, I have merged into the Word of the Shabad. ||4||10||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
He runs around, begging for clothes and food.
He burns with hunger and corruption, and will suffer in the world hereafter.
He does not follow the Guru's Teachings; through his evil-mindedness, he loses his honor.
Only through the Guru's Teachings will such a person become devoted. ||1||
The way of the Yogi is to dwell in the celestial home of bliss.
He looks impartially, equally upon all. He receives the charity of the Lord's Love, and the Word of the Shabad, and so he is satisfied. ||1||Pause||
The five bulls, the senses, pull the wagon of the body around.
By the Lord's power, one's honor is preserved.
But when the axle breaks, the wagon falls and crashes.
It falls apart, like a pile of logs. ||2||
Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad, Yogi.
Look upon pain and pleasure as one and the same, sorrow and separation.
Let your food be contemplative meditation upon the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Your wall shall be permanent, by meditating on the Formless Lord. ||3||
Wear the loin-cloth of poise, and be free of entanglements.
The Guru's Word shall release you from sexual desire and anger.
In your mind, let your ear-rings be the Sanctuary of the Guru, the Lord.
O Nanak, worshipping the Lord in deep devotion, the humble are carried across. ||4||11||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raamkalee, Third Mehl, First House:
In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, everyone spoke the Truth.
In each and every home, devotional worship was performed by the people, according to the Guru's Teachings.
In that Golden Age, Dharma had four feet.
How rare are those people who, as Gurmukh, contemplate this and understand. ||1||
In all four ages, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is glory and greatness.
One who holds tight to the Naam is liberated; without the Guru, no one obtains the Naam. ||1||Pause||
In the Silver Age of Traytaa Yuga, one leg was removed.
Hypocrisy became prevalent, and people thought that the Lord was far away.
The Gurmukhs still understood and realized;
the Naam abided deep within them, and they were at peace. ||2||
In the Brass Age of Dwaapur Yuga, duality and double-mindedness arose.
Deluded by doubt, they knew duality.
In this Brass Age, Dharma was left with only two feet.
Those who became Gurmukh implanted the Naam deep within. ||3||
In the Iron Age of Kali Yuga, Dharma was left with only one power.
It walks on just one foot; love and emotional attachment to Maya have increased.
Love and emotional attachment to Maya bring total darkness.
If someone meets the True Guru, he is saved, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||
Throughout the ages, there is only the One True Lord.
Among all, is the True Lord; there is no other at all.
Praising the True Lord, true peace is attained.
How rare are those, who as Gurmukh, chant the Naam. ||5||
Throughout all the ages, the Naam is the ultimate, the most sublime.
How rare are those, who as Gurmukh, understand this.
One who meditates on the Lord's Name is a humble devotee.
O Nanak, in each and every age, the Naam is glory and greatness. ||6||1||
Raamkalee, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If someone is very fortunate, and is blessed with great high destiny, then he meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he finds peace, and merges in the Naam. ||1||
O mortal, as Gurmukh, worship the Lord in devotion forever.
Your heart shall be illumined; through the Guru's Teachings, lovingly attune yourself to the Lord. You shall merge in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
The Great Giver is filled with diamonds, emeralds, rubies and pearls;
one who has good fortune and great destiny inscribed upon his forehead, digs them out, by following the Guru's Teachings. ||2||
The Lord's Name is the jewel, the emerald, the ruby; digging it out, the Guru has placed it in your palm.
The unfortunate, self-willed manmukh does not obtain it; this priceless jewel remains hidden behind a curtain of straw. ||3||
If such pre-ordained destiny is written upon one's forehead, then the True Guru enjoins him to serve Him.
O Nanak, then he obtains the jewel, the gem; blessed, blessed is that one who follows the Guru's Teachings, and finds the Lord. ||4||1||
Raamkalee, Fourth Mehl:
Meeting with the humble servants of the Lord, I am in ecstasy; they preach the sublime sermon of the Lord.
The filth of evil-mindedness is totally washed away; joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, one is blessed with understanding. ||1||

O humble servant of the Lord, follow the Guru's Teachings, and chant the Name of the Lord.
Whoever hears and speaks it is liberated; chanting the Lord's Name, one is embellished with beauty. ||1||Pause||
If someone has supremely high destiny written on his forehead, the Lord leads him to meet the humble servants of the Lord.
Be merciful, and grant me the Blessed Vision of the Saints' Darshan, which shall rid me of all poverty and pain. ||2||
The Lord's people are good and sublime; the unfortunate ones do not like them at all.
The more the Lord's exalted servants speak of Him, the more the slanderers attack and sting them. ||3||
Cursed, cursed are the slanderers who do not like the humble, the friends and companions of the Lord.
Those who do not like the honor and glory of the Guru are faithless, black-faced thieves, who have turned their backs on the Lord. ||4||
Have mercy, have mercy, please save me, Dear Lord. I am meek and humble - I seek Your protection.
I am Your child, and You are my father, God. Please forgive servant Nanak and merge him with Yourself. ||5||2||
Raamkalee, Fourth Mehl:
The friends of the Lord, the humble, Holy Saints are sublime; the Lord spreads out His protecting hands above them.
The Gurmukhs are the Holy Saints, pleasing to God; in His mercy, He blends them with Himself. ||1||
O Lord, my mind longs to meet with the humble servants of the Lord.
The sweet, subtle essence of the Lord is immortalizing ambrosia. Meeting the Saints, I drink it in. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's people are the most lofty and exalted. Meeting with them, the most exalted status is obtained.
I am the slave of the slave of the Lord's slaves; my Lord and Master is pleased with me. ||2||
The humble servant serves; one who enshrines love for the Lord in his heart, mind and body is very fortunate.
One who talks too much without love, speaks falsely, and obtains only false rewards. ||3||
Take pity on me, O Lord of the World, O Great Giver; let me fall at the feet of the Saints.
I would cut off my head, and cut it into pieces, O Nanak, and set it down for the Saints to walk upon. ||4||3||
Raamkalee, Fourth Mehl:
If I am blessed with supreme high destiny, I will meet the humble servants of the Lord, without delay.
The Lord's humble servants are pools of ambrosial nectar; by great good fortune, one bathes in them. ||1||
O Lord, let me work for the humble servants of the Lord.
I carry water, wave the fan and grind the corn for them; I massage and wash their feet. I apply the dust of their feet to my forehead. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's humble servants are great, very great, the greatest and most exalted; they lead us to meet the True Guru.
No one else is as great as the True Guru; meeting the True Guru, I meditate on the Lord, the Primal Being. ||2||
Those who seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru find the Lord. My Lord and Master saves their honor.
Some come for their own purposes, and sit before the Guru; they pretend to be in Samaadhi, like storks with their eyes closed. ||3||
Associating with the wretched and the lowly, like the stork and the crow, is like feeding on a carcass of poison.
Nanak: O God, unite me with the Sangat, the Congregation. United with the Sangat, I will become a swan. ||4||4||

Raamkalee, Fourth Mehl:
O True Guru, please be kind, and unite me with the Lord. My Sovereign Lord is the Beloved of my breath of life.
I am a slave; I fall at the Guru's feet. He has shown me the Path, the Way to my Lord God. ||1||
The Name of my Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind.
I have no friend except the Lord; the Lord is my father, my mother, my companion. ||1||Pause||
My breath of life will not survive for an instant, without my Beloved; unless I see Him, I will die, O my mother!
Blessed, blessed is my great, high destiny, that I have come to the Guru's Sanctuary. Meeting with the Guru, I have obtained the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||2||
I do not know or understand any other within my mind; I meditate and chant the Lord's Chant.
Those who lack the Naam, wander in shame; their noses are chopped off, bit by bit. ||3||
O Life of the World, rejuvenate me! O my Lord and Master, enshrine Your Name deep within my heart.
O Nanak, perfect is the Guru, the Guru. Meeting the True Guru, I meditate on the Naam. ||4||5||
Raamkalee, Fourth Mehl:
The True Guru, the Great Giver, is the Great, Primal Being; meeting Him, the Lord is enshrined within the heart.
The Perfect Guru has granted me the life of the soul; I meditate in remembrance on the Ambrosial Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Lord, the Guru has implanted the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within my heart.
As Gurmukh, I have heard His sermon, which pleases my mind; blessed, blessed is my great destiny. ||1||Pause||
Millions, three hundred thirty millions of gods meditate on Him, but they cannot find His end or limitation.
With sexual urges in their hearts, they beg for beautiful women; stretching out their hands, they beg for riches. ||2||
One who chants the Praises of the Lord is the greatest of the great; the Gurmukh keeps the Lord clasped to his heart.
If one is blessed with high destiny, he meditates on the Lord, who carries him across the terrifying world-ocean. ||3||
The Lord is close to His humble servant, and His humble servant is close to the Lord; He keeps His humble servant clasped to His Heart.
O Nanak, the Lord God is our father and mother. I am His child; the Lord cherishes me. ||4||6||18||
Raag Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Have mercy on me, O Generous Giver, Lord of the meek; please do not consider my merits and demerits.
How can dust be washed? O my Lord and Master, such is the state of mankind. ||1||
O my mind, serve the True Guru, and be at peace.
Whatever you desire, you shall receive that reward, and you shall not be afflicted by pain any longer. ||1||Pause||
He creates and adorns the earthen vessels; He infuses His Light within them.
As is the destiny pre-ordained by the Creator, so are the deeds we do. ||2||
He believes the mind and body are all his own; this is the cause of his coming and going.
He does not think of the One who gave him these; he is blind, entangled in emotional attachment. ||3||

One who knows that God created him, reaches the Incomparable Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Worshipping the Lord, I sing His Glorious Praises. Nanak is Your slave. ||4||1||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Place yourself beneath all men's feet, and you will be uplifted; serve Him in this way.
Know that all are above you, and you shall find peace in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
O Saints, speak that speech which purifies the gods and sanctifies the divine beings. As Gurmukh, chant the Word of His Bani, even for an instant. ||1||Pause||
Renounce your fraudulent plans, and dwell in the celestial palace; do not call anyone else false.
Meeting with the True Guru, you shall receive the nine treasures; in this way, you shall find the essence of reality. ||2||
Eradicate doubt, and as Gurmukh, enshrine love for the Lord; understand your own soul, O Siblings of Destiny.
Know that God is near at hand, and ever-present. How could you try to hurt anyone else? ||3||
Meeting with the True Guru, your path shall be clear, and you shall easily meet your Lord and Master.
Blessed, blessed are those humble beings, who, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, find the Lord. Nanak is forever a sacrifice to them. ||4||2||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Coming does not please me, and going does not bring me pain, and so my mind is not afflicted by disease.
I am in bliss forever, for I have found the Perfect Guru; my separation from the Lord is totally ended. ||1||
This is how I have joined my mind to the Lord.
Attachment, sorrow, disease and public opinion do not affect me, and so, I enjoy the subtle essence of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
I am pure in the heavenly realm, pure on this earth, and pure in the nether regions of the underworld. I remain apart from the people of the world.
Obedient to the Lord, I enjoy peace forever; wherever I look, I see the Lord of glorious virtues. ||2||
There is no Shiva or Shakti, no energy or matter, no water or wind, no world of form there,
where the True Guru, the Yogi, dwells, where the Imperishable Lord God, the Unapproachable Master abides. ||3||
Body and mind belong to the Lord; all wealth belongs to the Lord; what glorious virtues of the Lord can I describe?
Says Nanak, the Guru has destroyed my sense of 'mine and yours'. Like water with water, I am blended with God. ||4||3||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
It is beyond the three qualities; it remains untouched. The seekers and Siddhas do not know it.
There is a chamber filled with jewels, overflowing with Ambrosial Nectar, in the Guru's Treasury. ||1||
This thing is wonderful and amazing! It cannot be described.
It is an unfathomable object, O Siblings of Destiny! ||1||Pause||
Its value cannot be estimated at all; what can anyone say about it?
By speaking and describing it, it cannot be understood; only one who sees it realizes it. ||2||
Only the Creator Lord knows it; what can any poor creature do?
Only He Himself knows His own state and extent. The Lord Himself is the treasure overflowing. ||3||
Tasting such Ambrosial Nectar, the mind remains satisfied and satiated.
Says Nanak, my hopes are fulfilled; I have found the Guru's Sanctuary. ||4||4||

Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
God has made me His own, and vanquished all my enemies.
Those enemies who have plundered this world, have all been placed in bondage. ||1||
The True Guru is my Transcendent Lord.
I enjoy countless pleasures of power and tasty delights, chanting Your Name, and placing my faith in You. ||1||Pause||
I do not think of any other at all. The Lord is my protector, above my head.
I am carefree and independent, when I have the Support of Your Name, O my Lord and Master. ||2||
I have become perfect, meeting with the Giver of peace, and now, I lack nothing at all.
I have obtained the essence of excellence, the supreme status; I shall not forsake it to go anywhere else. ||3||
I cannot describe how You are, O True Lord, unseen, infinite,
immeasurable, unfathomable and unmoving Lord. O Nanak, He is my Lord and Master. ||4||5||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
You are wise; You are eternal and unchanging. You are my social class and honor.
You are unmoving - You never move at all. How can I be worried? ||1||
You alone are the One and only Lord;
You alone are the king.
By Your Grace, I have found peace. ||1||Pause||
You are the ocean, and I am Your swan; the pearls and rubies are in You.
You give, and You do not hesitate for an instant; I receive, forever enraptured. ||2||
I am Your child, and You are my father; You place the milk in my mouth.
I play with You, and You caress me in every way. You are forever the ocean of excellence. ||3||
You are perfect, perfectly all-pervading; I am fulfilled with You as well.
I am merged, merged, merged and remain merged; O Nanak, I cannot describe it! ||4||6||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Make your hands the cymbals, your eyes the tambourines, and your forehead the guitar you play.
Let the sweet flute music resound in your ears, and with your tongue, vibrate this song.
Move your mind like the rhythmic hand-motions; do the dance, and shake your ankle bracelets. ||1||
This is the rhythmic dance of the Lord.
The Merciful Audience, the Lord, sees all your make-up and decorations. ||1||Pause||
The whole earth is the stage, with the canopy of the sky overhead.
The wind is the director; people are born of water.
From the five elements, the puppet was created with its actions. ||2||
The sun and the moon are the two lamps which shine, with the four corners of the world placed between them.
The ten senses are the dancing girls, and the five passions are the chorus; they sit together within the one body.
They all put on their own shows, and speak in different languages. ||3||
In each and every home there is dancing, day and night; in each and every home, the bugles blow.
Some are made to dance, and some are whirled around; some come and some go, and some are reduced to dust.
Says Nanak, one who meets with the True Guru, does not have to dance the dance of reincarnation again. ||4||7||

Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
He sings the song of the One Universal Creator; he sings the tune of the One Lord.
He lives in the land of the One Lord, shows the way to the One Lord, and remains attuned to the One Lord.
He centers his consciousness on the One Lord, and serves only the One Lord, who is known through the Guru. ||1||
Blessed and good is such a kirtanee, who sings such Praises.
He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord,
and renounces the entanglements and pursuits of Maya. ||1||Pause||
He makes the five virtues, like contentment, his musical instruments, and plays the seven notes of the love of the Lord.
The notes he plays are the renunciation of pride and power; his feet keep the beat on the straight path.
He does not enter the cycle of reincarnation ever again; he keeps the One Word of the Shabad tied to the hem of his robe. ||2||
To play like Naarad, is to know that the Lord is ever-present.
The tinkling of the ankle bells is the shedding of sorrows and worries.
The dramatic gestures of acting are celestial bliss.
Such a dancer is not reincarnated again. ||3||
If anyone, out of millions of people, becomes pleasing to his Lord and Master, he sings the Lord's Praises in this way.
I have taken the Support of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Says Nanak, the Kirtan of the One Lord's Praises are sung there. ||4||8||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Some call Him, 'Raam, Raam', and some call Him, 'Khudaa-i'.
Some serve Him as 'Gusain', others as 'Allaah'. ||1||
He is the Cause of causes, the Generous Lord.
He showers His Grace and Mercy upon us. ||1||Pause||
Some bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and some make the pilgrimage to Mecca.|
Some perform devotional worship services, and some bow their heads in prayer. ||2||
Some read the Vedas, and some the Koran.
Some wear blue robes, and some wear white. ||3||
Some call themselves Muslim, and some call themselves Hindu.
Some yearn for paradise, and others long for heaven. ||4||
Says Nanak, one who realizes the Hukam of God's Will,
knows the secrets of his Lord and Master. ||5||9||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The wind merges into the wind.
The light blends into the light.
The dust becomes one with the dust.
What support is there for the one who is lamenting? ||1||
Who has died? O, who has died?
O God-realized beings, meet together and consider this. What a wondrous thing has happened! ||1||Pause||
No one knows what happens after death.
The one who is lamenting will also arise and depart.
Mortal beings are bound by the bonds of doubt and attachment.
When life becomes a dream, the blind man babbles and grieves in vain. ||2||
The Creator Lord created this creation.
It comes and goes, subject to the Will of the Infinite Lord.
No one dies; no one is capable of dying.
The soul does not perish; it is imperishable. ||3||
That which is known, does not exist.
I am a sacrifice to the one who knows this.
Says Nanak, the Guru has dispelled my doubt.
No one dies; no one comes or goes. ||4||10||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the Lord of the Universe, the Beloved Lord of the World.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord's Name, you shall live, and the Great Death shall not consume you ever again. ||1||Pause||
Through millions of incarnations, you have come, wandering, wandering, wandering.

By the highest destiny, you found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
Without the Perfect Guru, no one is saved.
This is what Baba Nanak says, after deep reflection. ||2||11||
Raag Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The four Vedas proclaim it, but you don't believe them.
The six Shaastras also say one thing.
The eighteen Puraanas all speak of the One God.
Even so, Yogi, you do not understand this mystery. ||1||
The celestial harp plays the incomparable melody,
but in your intoxication, you do not hear it, O Yogi. ||1||Pause||
In the first age, the Golden Age, the village of truth was inhabited.
In the Silver Age of Traytaa Yuga, things began to decline.
In the Brass Age of Dwaapur Yuga, half of it was gone.
Now, only one leg of Truth remains, and the One Lord is revealed. ||2||
The beads are strung upon the one thread.
By means of many, various, diverse knots, they are tied, and kept separate on the string.
The beads of the mala are lovingly chanted upon in many ways.
When the thread is pulled out, the beads come together in one place. ||3||
Throughout the four ages, the One Lord made the body His temple.
It is a treacherous place, with several windows.
Searching and searching, one comes to the Lord's door.
Then, O Nanak, the Yogi attains a home in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||4||
Thus, the celestial harp plays the incomparable melody;
hearing it, the Yogi's mind finds it sweet. ||1||Second Pause||1||12||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The body is a patch-work of threads.
The muscles are stitched together with the needles of the bones.
The Lord has erected a pillar of water.
O Yogi, why are you so proud? ||1||
Meditate on your Lord Master, day and night.
The patched coat of the body shall last for only a few days. ||1||Pause||
Smearing ashes on your body, you sit in a deep meditative trance.
You wear the ear-rings of 'mine and yours'.
You beg for bread, but you are not satisfied.
Abandoning your Lord Master, you beg from others; you should feel ashamed. ||2||
Your consciousness is restless, Yogi, as you sit in your Yogic postures.
You blow your horn, but still feel sad.
You do not understand Gorakh, your guru.
Again and again, Yogi, you come and go. ||3||
He, unto whom the Master shows Mercy
- unto Him, the Guru, the Lord of the World, I offer my prayer.
One who has the Name as his patched coat, and the Name as his robe,
O servant Nanak, such a Yogi is steady and stable. ||4||
One who meditates on the Master in this way, night and day,
finds the Guru, the Lord of the World, in this life. ||1||Second Pause||2||13||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
He is the Creator, the Cause of causes;
I do not see any other at all.
My Lord and Master is wise and all-knowing.
Meeting with the Gurmukh, I enjoy His Love. ||1||
Such is the sweet, subtle essence of the Lord.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, taste it. ||1||Pause||
The Light of the Ambrosial Name of the Lord is immaculate and pure.

Drinking it in, one becomes immortal and free of desire.
The body and mind are cooled and soothed, and the fire is extinguished.
Such a being is the embodiment of bliss, famous throughout the world. ||2||
What can I offer You, Lord? Everything belongs to You.
I am forever a sacrifice to You, hundreds of thousands of times.
You blessed me, and fashioned my body, mind and soul.
By Guru's Grace, this lowly being was exalted. ||3||
Opening the door, You summoned me to the Mansion of Your Presence.
As You are, so You have revealed Yourself to me.
Says Nanak, the screen is totally torn away;
I am Yours, and You are enshrined within my mind. ||4||3||14||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
He has linked His servant to His service.
The Divine Guru has poured the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, into his mouth.
He has subdued all his anxiety.
I am forever a sacrifice to that Guru. ||1||
The True Guru has perfectly resolved my affairs.
The True Guru vibrates the unstruck melody of the sound current. ||1||Pause||
His Glory is profound and unfathomable.
One whom He blesses with patience becomes blissful.
One whose bonds are shattered by the Sovereign Lord
is not cast into the womb of reincarnation again. ||2||
One who is illuminated by the Lord's radiance within,
is not touched by pain and sorrow.
He holds in his robe the gems and jewels.
That humble being is saved, along with all his generations. ||3||
He has no doubt, double-mindedness or duality at all.
He worships and adores the One Immaculate Lord alone.
Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord.
Says Nanak, I have found God, the source of nectar. ||4||4||15||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
My self-conceit has been eliminated from my body.
The Will of God is dear to me.
Whatever He does, seems sweet to my mind.
And then, these eyes behold the wondrous Lord. ||1||
Now, I have become wise and my demons are gone.
My thirst is quenched, and my attachment is dispelled. The Perfect Guru has instructed me. ||1||Pause||
In His Mercy, the Guru has kept me under His protection.
The Guru has attached me to the Lord's Feet.
When the mind is totally held in check,
one sees the Guru and the Supreme Lord God as one and the same. ||2||
Whoever You have created, I am his slave.
My God dwells in all.
I have no enemies, no adversaries.
I walk arm in arm, like brothers, with all. ||3||
One whom the Guru, the Lord, blesses with peace,
does not suffer in pain any longer.
He Himself cherishes all.
Nanak is imbued with the love of the Lord of the World. ||4||5||16||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
You read the scriptures, and the commentaries,
but the Perfect Lord does not dwell in your heart.
You preach to others to have faith,
but you do not practice what you preach. ||1||
O Pandit, O religious scholar, contemplate the Vedas.
Eradicate anger from your mind, O Pandit. ||1||Pause||
You place your stone god before yourself,

but your mind wanders in the ten directions.
You apply a ceremonial tilak mark to its forehead, and fall at its feet.
You try to appease the people, and act blindly. ||2||
You perform the six religious rituals, and sit wearing your loin-cloth.
In the homes of the wealthy, you read the prayer book.
You chant on your mala, and beg for money.
No one has ever been saved in this way, friend. ||3||
He alone is a Pandit, who lives the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Maya, of the three qualities, leaves him.
The four Vedas are completely contained within the Lord's Name.
Nanak seeks His Sanctuary. ||4||6||17||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Millions of troubles do not come near him;
the many manifestations of Maya are his hand-maidens;
countless sins are his water-carriers;
he is blessed with the Grace of the Creator Lord. ||1||
One who has the Lord God as his help and support
- all his efforts are fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
He is protected by the Creator Lord; what harm can anyone do to him?
Even an ant can conquer the whole world.
His glory is endless; how can I describe it?
I am a sacrifice, a devoted sacrifice, to His feet. ||2||
He alone performs worship, austerities and meditation;
he alone is a giver to various charities;
he alone is approved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga,
whom the Lord Master blesses with honor. ||3||
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I am enlightened.
I have found celestial peace, and my hopes are fulfilled.
The Perfect True Guru has blessed me with faith.
Nanak is the slave of His slaves. ||4||7||18||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Don't blame others, O people;
as you plant, so shall you harvest.
By your actions, you have bound yourself.
You come and go, entangled in Maya. ||1||
Such is the understanding of the Saintly people.
You shall be enlightened, through the Word of the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
Body, wealth, spouse and ostentatious displays are false.
Horses and elephants will pass away.
Power, pleasures and beauty are all false.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, everything is reduced to dust. ||2||
The egotistical people are deluded by useless doubt.
Of all this expanse, nothing shall go along with you.
Through pleasure and pain, the body is growing old.
Doing these things, the faithless cynics are passing their lives. ||3||
The Name of the Lord is Ambrosial Nectar in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
This treasure is obtained from the Holy.
O Nanak, whoever pleases the Guru,
the Lord of the Universe, beholds the Lord in each and every heart. ||4||8||19||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds, echo the perfect sound current of the Naad.
The wondrous, amazing unstruck melody vibrates.
The Saintly people play there with the Lord.
They remain totally detached, absorbed in the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
It is the realm of celestial peace and bliss.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sits and sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. There is no disease or sorrow there, no birth or death. ||1||Pause||
There, they meditate only on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
How rare are those who find this place of rest.
The love of God is their food, and the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is their support.

They obtain a permanent seat in the infinite. ||2||
No one falls there, or wavers, or goes anywhere.
By Guru's Grace, some find this mansion.
They are not touched by doubt, fear, attachment or the traps of Maya.
They enter the deepest state of Samaadhi, through the kind mercy of God. ||3||
He has no end or limitation.
He Himself is unmanifest, and He Himself is manifest.
One who enjoys the taste of the Lord, Har, Har, deep within himself,
O Nanak, his wondrous state cannot be described. ||4||9||20||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Meeting with the Sangat, the Congregation, the Supreme Lord God has come into my consciousness.
In the Sangat, my mind has found contentment.
I touch my forehead to the feet of the Saints.
Countless times, I humbly bow to the Saints. ||1||
This mind is a sacrifice to the Saints;
holding tight to their support, I have found peace, and in their mercy, they have protected me. ||1||Pause||
I wash the feet of the Saints, and drink in that water.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Saints' Darshan, I live.
My mind rests its hopes in the Saints.
The Saints are my immaculate wealth. ||2||
The Saints have covered my faults.
By the Grace of the Saints, I am no longer tormented.
The Merciful Lord has blessed me with the Saints' Congregation.
The Compassionate Saints have become my help and support. ||3||
My consciousness, intellect and wisdom have been enlightened.
The Lord is profound, unfathomable, infinite, the treasure of virtue.
He cherishes all beings and creatures.
Nanak is enraptured, seeing the Saints. ||4||10||21||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Your home, power and wealth will be of no use to you.
Your corrupt worldly entanglements will be of no use to you.
Know that all your dear friends are fake.
Only the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, will go along with you. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name, O friend; remembering the Lord in meditation, your honor shall be saved.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, the Messenger of Death will not touch you. ||1||Pause||
Without the Lord, all pursuits are useless.
Gold, silver and wealth are just dust.
Chanting the Word of the Guru's Shabad, your mind shall be at peace.
Here and hereafter, your face shall be radiant and bright. ||2||
Even the greatest of the great worked and worked until they were exhausted.
None of them ever accomplished the tasks of Maya.
Any humble being who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har,
will have all his hopes fulfilled. ||3||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the anchor and support of the Lord's devotees.
The Saints are victorious in this priceless human life.
Whatever the Lord's Saint does, is approved and accepted.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to him. ||4||11||22||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
You gather wealth by exploiting people.
It is of no use to you; it was meant for others.
You practice egotism, and act like a blind man.
In the world hereafter, you shall be tied to the leash of the Messenger of Death. ||1||
Give up your envy of others, you fool!
You only live here for a night, you fool!
You are intoxicated with Maya, but you must soon arise and depart.
You are totally involved in the dream. ||1||Pause||
In his childhood, the child is blind.
In the fullness of youth, he is involved in foul-smelling sins.

In the third stage of life, he gathers the wealth of Maya.
And when he grows old, he must leave all this; he departs regretting and repenting. ||2||
After a very long time, one obtains this precious human body, so difficult to obtain.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, it is reduced to dust.
Worse than a beast, a demon or an idiot,
is that one who does not understand who created him. ||3||
Listen, O Creator Lord, Lord of the Universe, Lord of the World,
Merciful to the meek, forever compassionate
- If You emancipate the human, then his bonds are broken.
O Nanak, the people of world are blind; please, Lord, forgive them, and unite them with Yourself. ||4||12||23||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Joining the elements together, the robe of the body is fashioned.
The ignorant fool is engrossed in it.
He cherishes it, and constantly takes care of it.
But at the very last moment, he must arise and depart. ||1||
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, everything is false, O mortal.
Those who do not vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the Universe, but instead are imbued with other things, - all those mortals are plundered by Maya. ||1||Pause||
Bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, filth is not washed off.
Religious rituals are all just egotistical displays.
By pleasing and appeasing people, no one is saved.
Without the Naam, they shall depart weeping. ||2||
Without the Lord's Name, the screen is not torn away.
I have studied all the Shaastras and Simritees.
He alone chants the Naam, whom the Lord Himself inspires to chant.
He obtains all fruits and rewards, and merges in peace. ||3||
O Savior Lord, please save me!
All peace and comforts are in Your Hand, God.
Whatever you attach me to, to that I am attached, O my Lord and Master.
O Nanak, the Lord is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||4||13||24||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever He does makes me happy.
The ignorant mind is encouraged, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Now, it does not waver at all; it has become stable and steady.
Receiving Truth, it is merged in the True Lord. ||1||
Pain is gone, and all illness is gone.
I have accepted the Will of God in my mind, associating with the Great Person, the Guru. ||1||Pause||
All is pure; all is immaculate.
Whatever exists is good.
Wherever He keeps me, that is the place of liberation for me.
Whatever He makes me chant, is His Name. ||2||
That is the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, where the Holy place their feet,
and that is heaven, where the Naam is chanted.
All bliss comes, when one obtains the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
I sing continuously, continually, the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
The Lord Himself is pervading in each and every heart.
The glory of the Merciful Lord is radiant and manifest.
The shutters are opened, and doubts have run away.
Nanak has met with the Perfect Guru. ||4||14||25||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Millions of meditations and austerities rest in him,
along with wealth, wisdom, miraculous spiritual powers and angelic spiritual insight.
He enjoys the various shows and forms, pleasures and delicacies;
the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells within the heart of the Gurmukh. ||1||
Such is the glorious greatness of the Name of the Lord.
Its value cannot be described. ||1||Pause||
He alone is brave, patient and perfectly wise;

he is intuitively in Samaadhi, profound and unfathomable.
He is liberated forever and all his affairs are perfectly resolved;
the Lord's Name abides within his heart. ||2||
He is totally peaceful, blissful and healthy;
he looks upon all impartially, and is perfectly detached.
He does not come and go, and he never wavers;
the Naam abides in his mind. ||3||
God is Merciful to the meek; He is the Lord of the World, the Lord of the Universe.
The Gurmukh meditates on Him, and his worries are gone.
The Guru has blessed Nanak with the Naam;
he serves the Saints, and works for the Saints. ||4||15||26||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and the Beej Mantra, the Seed Mantra.
Even the homeless find a home in the world hereafter.
Fall at the feet of the Perfect Guru;
you have slept for so many incarnations - wake up! ||1||
Chant the Chant of the Lord's Name, Har, Har.
By Guru's Grace, it shall be enshrined within your heart, and you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the eternal treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O mind,
and then, the screen of Maya shall be torn away.
Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Guru's Shabad,
and then your soul shall be rendered immaculate and pure. ||2||
Searching, searching, searching, I have realized
that without devotional worship of the Lord, no one is saved.
So vibrate, and meditate on that Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy;
your mind and body shall be imbued with love for the Lord. ||3||
Renounce all your cleverness and trickery.
O mind, without the Lord's Name, there is no place of rest.
The Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the World, has taken pity on me.
Nanak seeks the protection and support of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||16||27||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
In the Saints' Congregation, play joyfully with the Lord,
and you will not have to meet the Messenger of Death hereafter.
Your egotistical intellect shall be dispelled,
and your evil-mindedness will be totally taken away. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name, O Pandit.
Religious rituals and egotism are of no use at all. You shall go home with happiness, O Pandit. ||1||Pause||
I have earned the profit, the wealth of the Lord's praise.
All my hopes have been fulfilled.
Pain has left me, and peace has come to my home.
By the Grace of the Saints, my heart-lotus blossoms forth. ||2||
One who is blessed with the gift of the jewel of the Name,
obtains all treasures.
His mind becomes content, finding the Perfect Lord.
Why should he ever go begging again? ||3||
Hearing the Lord's sermon, he becomes pure and holy.
Chanting it with his tongue, he finds the way to salvation.
He alone is approved, who enshrines the Lord within his heart.
Nanak: such a humble being is exalted, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||17||28||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
No matter how hard you try to grab it, it does not come into your hands.
No matter how much you may love it, it does not go along with you.
Says Nanak, when you abandon it,
then it comes and falls at your feet. ||1||
Listen, O Saints: this is the pure philosophy.
Without the Lord's Name, there is no salvation. Meeting with the Perfect Guru, one is saved. ||1||Pause||

When someone tries to appease her,
then she takes pride in herself.
But when someone puts her out of his thoughts,
then she serves him like a slave. ||2||
She seems to please, but in the end, she deceives.
She does not remain in any one place.
She has bewitched a great many worlds.
The Lord's humble servants cut her apart into pieces. ||3||
Whoever begs from her remains hungry.
Whoever is infatuated with her obtains nothing.
But one who renounces her, and joins the Society of the Saints,
by great good fortune, O Nanak, is saved. ||4||18||29||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
See the Lord, the Universal Soul, in all.
The One God is perfect, and all-pervading.
Know that the priceless jewel is within your own heart.
Realize that your essence is within your own self. ||1||
Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, by the Grace of the Saints.
One who is blessed with high destiny, obtains it. Without a tongue, how can one know the taste? ||1||Pause||
How can a deaf person listen to the eighteen Puraanas and the Vedas?
The blind man cannot see even a million lights.
The beast loves grass, and remains attached to it.
One who has not been taught - how can he understand? ||2||
God, the Knower, knows all.
He is with His devotees, through and through.
Those who sing God's Praises with joy and delight,
O Nanak - the Messenger of Death does not even approach them. ||3||19||30||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Blessing me with His Name, He has purified and sanctified me.
The Lord's wealth is my capital. False hope has left me; this is my wealth.
Breaking my bonds, the Lord has linked me to His service.
I am a devotee of the Lord, Har, Har; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
The unstruck sound current vibrates and resounds.
The Lord's humble servants sing His Glorious Praises with love and delight; they are honored by the Divine Guru. ||1||Pause||
My pre-ordained destiny has been activated;
I have awakened from the sleep of countless incarnations.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, my aversion is gone.
My mind and body are imbued with love for the Lord. ||2||
The Merciful Savior Lord has saved me.
I have no service or work to my credit.
In His Mercy, God has taken pity on me;
He lifted me up and pulled me out, when I was suffering in pain. ||3||
Listening, listening to His Praises, joy has welled up within my mind.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Singing, singing His Praises, I have obtained the supreme status.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak is lovingly focused on the Lord. ||4||20||31||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
In exchange for a shell, he gives up a jewel.
He tries to get what he must give up.
He collects those things which are worthless.
Enticed by Maya, he takes the crooked path. ||1||
You unfortunate man - have you no shame?
You do not remember in your mind the ocean of peace, the perfect Transcendent Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Nectar seems bitter to you, and poison is sweet.
Such is your condition, you faithless cynic, which I have seen with my own eyes.
You are fond of falsehood, fraud and egotism.

If you hear the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you feel like you have been stung by a scorpion. ||2||
You continually yearn for Maya,
and you never chant the Lord's Praises with your mouth.
The Lord is fearless and formless; He is the Great Giver.
But you do not love Him, you fool! ||3||
God, the True King, is above the heads of all kings.
He is the independent, perfect Lord King.
People are intoxicated by emotional attachment, entangled in doubt and family life.
Nanak: they are saved only by Your Mercy, Lord. ||4||21||32||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Night and day, I chant the Lord's Name.
Hereafter, I shall obtain a seat in the Court of the Lord.
I am in bliss forever; I have no sorrow.
The disease of ego never afflicts me. ||1||
O Saints of the Lord, seek out those who know God.
You shall be wonderstruck with wonder at the wonderful Lord; meditate in remembrance on the Lord, O mortal, and obtain the supreme status. ||1||Pause||
Calculating, measuring, and thinking in every way,
see that without the Naam, no one can be carried across.
Of all your efforts, none will go along with you.
You can cross over the terrifying world-ocean only through the love of God. ||2||
By merely washing the body, one's filth is not removed.
Afflicted by egotism, duality only increases.
That humble being who takes the medicine of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har
- all his diseases are eradicated. ||3||
Take pity on me, O merciful, Supreme Lord God;
let me never forget the Lord of the World from my mind.
Let me be the dust of the feet of Your slaves;
O God, please fulfill Nanak's hope. ||4||22||33||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Protection, O perfect Divine Guru.
There is no other than You.
You are all-powerful, O perfect Supreme Lord God.
He alone meditates on You, whose karma is perfect. ||1||
You Name, God, is the boat to carry us across.
My mind has grasped Your protection alone. Other than You, I have no place of rest at all. ||1||Pause||
Chanting, meditating on Your Name, I live,
and hereafter, I will obtain a seat in the Court of the Lord.
Pain and darkness are gone from my mind;
my evil-mindedness is dispelled, and I am absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||2||
I have enshrined love for the Lord's lotus feet.
The lifestyle of the Perfect Guru is immaculate and pure.
My fear has run away, and the fearless Lord dwells within my mind.
My tongue continually chants the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
The nooses of millions of incarnations are cut away.
I have obtained the profit of the true wealth.
This treasure is inexhaustible; it will never run out.
O Nanak, the devotees look beautiful in the Court of the Lord. ||4||23||34||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a jewel, a ruby.
It brings Truth, contentment and spiritual wisdom.
The Lord entrusts the treasures of peace, intuition and kindness to His devotees. ||1||
This is the treasure of my Lord.
Consuming and expending it, it is never used up. The Lord has no end or limitation. ||1||Pause||
The Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is a priceless diamond.
It is the ocean of bliss and virtue.
In the Word of the Guru's Bani is the wealth of the unstruck sound current.
The Saints hold the key to it in their hands. ||2||

They sit there, in the cave of deep Samaadhi;
the unique, perfect Lord God dwells there.
God holds conversations with His devotees.
There is no pleasure or pain, no birth or death there. ||3||
One whom the Lord Himself blesses with His Mercy,
obtains the Lord's wealth in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Nanak prays to the merciful Primal Lord;
the Lord is my merchandise, and the Lord is my capital. ||4||24||35||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The Vedas do not know His greatness.
Brahma does not know His mystery.
Incarnated beings do not know His limit.
The Transcendent Lord, the Supreme Lord God, is infinite. ||1||
Only He Himself knows His own state.
Others speak of Him only by hearsay. ||1||Pause||
Shiva does not know His mystery.
The gods gave grown weary of searching for Him.
The goddesses do not know His mystery.
Above all is the unseen, Supreme Lord God. ||2||
The Creator Lord plays His own plays.
He Himself separates, and He Himself unites.
Some wander around, while others are linked to His devotional worship.
By His actions, He makes Himself known. ||3||
Listen to the true story of the Saints.
They speak only of what they see with their eyes.
He is not involved with virtue or vice.
Nanak's God is Himself all-in-all. ||4||25||36||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
I have not tried to do anything through knowledge.
I have no knowledge, intelligence or spiritual wisdom.
I have not practiced chanting, deep meditation, humility or righteousness.
I know nothing of such good karma. ||1||
O my Beloved God, my Lord and Master,
there is none other than You. Even though I wander and make mistakes, I am still Yours, God. ||1||Pause||
I have no wealth, no intelligence, no miraculous spiritual powers; I am not enlightened.
I dwell in the village of corruption and sickness.
O my One Creator Lord God,
Your Name is the support of my mind. ||2||
Hearing, hearing Your Name, I live; this is my mind's consolation.
Your Name, God, is the Destroyer of sins.
You, O Limitless Lord, are the Giver of the soul.
He alone knows You, unto whom You reveal Yourself. ||3||
Whoever has been created, rests his hopes in You.
All worship and adore You, God, O treasure of excellence.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to You.
My merciful Lord and Master is infinite. ||4||26||37||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The Savior Lord is merciful.
Millions of incarnations are eradicated in an instant, contemplating the Lord.
All beings worship and adore Him.
Receiving the Guru's Mantra, one meets God. ||1||
My God is the Giver of souls.
The Perfect Transcendent Lord Master, my God, imbues each and every heart. ||1||Pause||
My mind has grasped His Support.
My bonds have been shattered.
Within my heart, I meditate on the Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss.
My mind is filled with ecstasy. ||2||
The Lord's Sanctuary is the boat to carry us across.
The Lord's Feet are the embodiment of life itself.

They are the Support of the breath of life of the Saints.
God is infinite, the highest of the high. ||3||
That mind is excellent and sublime, which meditates in remembrance on the Lord.
In His Mercy, the Lord Himself bestows it.
Peace, intuitive poise and bliss are found in the Lord's Name.
Meeting with the Guru, Nanak chants the Name. ||4||27||38||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Abandon all your clever tricks.
Become His servant, and serve Him.
Totally erase your self-conceit.
You shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires. ||1||
Be awake and aware with your Guru.
Your hopes and desires shall be fulfilled, and you shall obtain all treasures from the Guru. ||1||Pause||
Let no one think that God and Guru are separate.
The True Guru is the Immaculate Lord.
Do not believe that He is a mere human being;
He gives honor to the dishonored. ||2||
Hold tight to the Support of the Guru, the Lord.
Give up all other hopes.
Ask for the treasure of the Name of the Lord,
and then you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Chant the Mantra of the Guru's Word.
This is the essence of true devotional worship.
When the True Guru becomes merciful,
slave Nanak is enraptured. ||4||28||39||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever happens, accept that as good.
Leave your egotistical pride behind.
Day and night, continually sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
This is the perfect purpose of human life. ||1||
Meditate on the Lord, O Saints, and be in bliss.
Renounce your cleverness and all your tricks. Chant the Immaculate Chant of the Guru's Mantra. ||1||Pause||
Place the hopes of your mind in the One Lord.
Chant the Immaculate Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Bow down to the Guru's Feet,
and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
The Lord God is the Great Giver.
He has no end or limitation.
All treasures are in His home.
He will be your Saving Grace in the end. ||3||
Nanak has obtained this treasure,
the immaculate Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Whoever chants it, is emancipated.
It is obtained only by His Grace. ||4||29||40||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Make this invaluable human life fruitful.
You shall not be destroyed when you go to the Lord's Court.
In this world and the next, you shall obtain honor and glory.
At the very last moment, He will save you. ||1||
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
In both this world and the next, you shall be embellished with beauty, meditating on the wondrous Primal Lord God. ||1||Pause||
While standing up and sitting down, meditate on the Lord,
and all your troubles shall depart.
All your enemies will become friends.
Your consciousness shall be immaculate and pure. ||2||
This is the most exalted deed.
Of all faiths, this is the most sublime and excellent faith.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, you shall be saved.
You shall be rid of the burden of countless incarnations. ||3||
Your hopes shall be fulfilled,
and the noose of the Messenger of Death will be cut away.
So listen to the Guru's Teachings.
O Nanak, you shall be absorbed in celestial peace. ||4||30||41||

Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Honor the One, to whom everything belongs.
Leave your egotistical pride behind.
You belong to Him; everyone belongs to Him.
Worship and adore Him, and you shall be at peace forever. ||1||
Why do you wander in doubt, you fool?
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, nothing is of any use at all. Crying out, 'Mine, mine', a great many have departed, regretfully repenting. ||1||Pause||
Whatever the Lord has done, accept that as good.
Without accepting, you shall mingle with dust.
His Will seems sweet to me.
By Guru's Grace, He comes to dwell in the mind. ||2||
He Himself is carefree and independent, imperceptible.
Twenty-four hours a day, O mind, meditate on Him.
When He comes into the consciousness, pain is dispelled.
Here and hereafter, your face shall be radiant and bright. ||3||
Who, and how many have been saved, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord?
They cannot be counted or evaluated.
Even the sinking iron is saved, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
O Nanak, as His Grace is received. ||4||31||42||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
In your mind, meditate on the Lord God.
This is the Teaching given by the Perfect Guru.
All fears and terrors are taken away,
and your hopes shall be fulfilled. ||1||
Service to the Divine Guru is fruitful and rewarding.
His value cannot be described; the True Lord is unseen and mysterious. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the Doer, the Cause of causes.
Meditate on Him forever, O my mind, and continually serve Him.
You shall be blessed with truth, intuition and peace, O my friend. ||2||
My Lord and Master is so very great.
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes.
There is no other than Him.
He is the Saving Grace of His humble servant. ||3||
Please take pity on me, and hear my prayer,
that Your servant may behold the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
Nanak chants the Chant of the Lord,
whose glory and radiance are the highest of all. ||4||32||43||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Reliance on mortal man is useless.
O God, my Lord and Master, You are my only Support.
I have discarded all other hopes.
I have met with my carefree Lord and Master, the treasure of virtue. ||1||
Meditate on the Name of the Lord alone, O my mind.
Your affairs shall be perfectly resolved; sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
You are the Doer, the Cause of causes.
Your lotus feet, Lord, are my Sanctuary.
I meditate on the Lord in my mind and body.
The blissful Lord has revealed His form to me. ||2||
I seek His eternal support;
He is the Creator of all beings.
Remembering the Lord in meditation, the treasure is obtained.
At the very last instant, He shall be your Savior. ||3||
Be the dust of all men's feet.
Eradicate self-conceit, and merge in the Lord.
Night and day, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, this is the most rewarding activity. ||4||33||44||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
He is the Doer, the Cause of causes, the bountiful Lord.
The merciful Lord cherishes all.
The Lord is unseen and infinite.
God is great and endless. ||1||

I humbly pray to invoke the Universal Lord God, the Lord of the World.
The Creator Lord is all-pervading, everywhere. ||1||Pause||
He is the Lord of the Universe, the Life of the World.
Within your heart, worship and adore the Destroyer of fear.
The Master Rishi of the senses, Lord of the World, Lord of the Universe.
He is perfect, ever-present everywhere, the Liberator. ||2||
You are the One and only merciful Master,
spiritual teacher, prophet, religious teacher.
Master of hearts, Dispenser of justice,
more sacred than the Koran and the Bible. ||3||
The Lord is powerful and merciful.
The all-pervading Lord is the support of each and every heart.
The luminous Lord dwells everywhere.
His play cannot be known. ||4||
Be kind and compassionate to me, O Creator Lord.
Bless me with devotion and meditation, O Lord Creator.
Says Nanak, the Guru has rid me of doubt.
The Muslim God Allah and the Hindu God Paarbrahm are one and the same. ||5||34||45||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The sins of millions of incarnations are eradicated.
Meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, pain will not afflict you.
When the Lord's lotus feet are enshrined in the mind,
all terrible evils are taken away from the body. ||1||
Sing the Praise of the Lord of the World, O mortal being.
The Unspoken Speech of the True Lord God is perfect. Dwelling upon it, one's light merges into the Light. ||1||Pause||
Hunger and thirst are totally quenched;
by the Grace of the Saints, meditate on the immortal Lord.
Night and day, serve God.
This is the sign that one has met with the Lord. ||2||
Worldly entanglements are ended, when God becomes merciful.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, I am enraptured.
My perfect pre-destined karma has been activated.
With my tongue, I continually sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
The Saints of the Lord are accepted and approved forever.
The foreheads of the Saintly people are marked with the Lord's insignia.
One who is blessed with the dust of the feet of the Lord's slave,
O Nanak, obtains the supreme status. ||4||35||46||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Let yourself be a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Focus your heart's meditation on the Lord's lotus feet.
Apply the dust of the feet of the Saints to your forehead,
and the filthy evil-mindedness of countless incarnations will be washed off. ||1||
Meeting Him, egotistical pride is eradicated,
and you will come to see the Supreme Lord God in all. The Perfect Lord God has showered His Mercy. ||1||Pause||
This is the Guru's Praise, to chant the Name of the Lord.
This is devotion to the Guru, to sing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
This is contemplation upon the Guru, to know that the Lord is close at hand.
Accept the Word of the Guru's Shabad as Truth. ||2||
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, look upon pleasure and pain as one and the same.
Hunger and thirst shall never afflict you.
The mind becomes content and satisfied through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Meditate on the Lord of the Universe, and He will cover all your faults. ||3||
The Guru is the Supreme Lord God; the Guru is the Lord of the Universe.
The Guru is the Great Giver, merciful and forgiving.
One whose mind is attached to the Guru's feet,
O slave Nanak, is blessed with perfect destiny. ||4||36||47||

Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
What supports you in this world?
You ignorant fool, who is your companion?
The Lord is your only companion; no one knows His condition.
You look upon the five thieves as your friends. ||1||
Serve that home, which will save you, my friend.
Chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, day and night; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, love Him in your mind. ||1||Pause||
This human life is passing away in egotism and conflict.
You are not satisfied; such is the flavor of sin.
Wandering and roaming around, you suffer terrible pain.
You cannot cross over the impassable sea of Maya. ||2||
You do the deeds which do not help you at all.
As you plant, so shall you harvest.
There is none other than the Lord to save you.
You will be saved, only if God grants His Grace. ||3||
Your Name, God, is the Purifier of sinners.
Please bless Your slave with that gift.
Please grant Your Grace, God, and emancipate me.
Nanak has grasped Your Sanctuary, God. ||4||37||48||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
I have found peace in this world.
I will not have to appear before the Righteous Judge of Dharma to give my account.
I will be respected in the Court of the Lord,
and I will not have to enter the womb of reincarnation ever again. ||1||
Now, I know the value of friendship with the Saints.
In His Mercy, the Lord has blessed me with His Name. My pre-ordained destiny has been fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
My consciousness is attached to the Guru's feet.
Blessed, blessed is this fortunate time of union.
I have applied the dust of the Saints' feet to my forehead,
and all my sins and pains have been eradicated. ||2||
Performing true service to the Holy,
the mortal's mind is purified.
I have seen the fruitful vision of the Lord's humble slave.
God's Name dwells within each and every heart. ||3||
All my troubles and sufferings have been taken away;
I have merged into the One, from whom I originated.
The Lord of the Universe, incomparably beautiful, has become merciful.
O Nanak, God is perfect and forgiving. ||4||38||49||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The tiger leads the cow to the pasture,
the shell is worth thousands of dollars,
and the elephant nurses the goat,
when God bestows His Glance of Grace. ||1||
You are the treasure of mercy, O my Beloved Lord God.
I cannot even describe Your many Glorious Virtues. ||1||Pause||
The cat sees the meat, but does not eat it,
and the great butcher throws away his knife;
the Creator Lord God abides in the heart;
the net holding the fish breaks apart. ||2||
The dry wood blossoms forth in greenery and red flowers;
in the high desert, the beautiful lotus flower blooms.
The Divine True Guru puts out the fire.
He links His servant to His service. ||3||
He saves even the ungrateful;
my God is forever merciful.
He is forever the helper and support of the humble Saints.
Nanak has found the Sanctuary of His lotus feet. ||4||39||50||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:

God killed the five tigers.
He has driven out the ten wolves.
The three whirl-pools have stopped spinning.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the fear of reincarnation is gone. ||1||
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe, I live.
In His Mercy, He protects His slave; the True Lord is forever and ever the forgiver. ||1||Pause||
The mountain of sin is burnt down, like straw,
by chanting and meditating on the Name, and worshipping God's feet.
God, the embodiment of bliss, becomes manifest everywhere.
Linked to His loving devotional worship, I enjoy peace. ||2||
I have crossed over the world-ocean, as if it were no bigger than a calf's footprint on the ground.
I shall never again have to endure suffering or grief.
The ocean is contained in the pitcher.
This is not such an amazing thing for the Creator to do. ||3||
When I am separated from Him, then I am consigned to the nether regions.
When He lifts me up and pulls me out, then I am enraptured by His Glance of Grace.
Vice and virtue are not under my control.
With love and affection, Nanak sings His Glorious Praises. ||4||40||51||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Neither your body nor your mind belong to you.
Attached to Maya, you are entangled in fraud.
You play like a baby lamb.
But suddenly, Death will catch you in its noose. ||1||
Seek the Sanctuary of the Lord's lotus feet, O my mind.
Chant the Name of the Lord, which will be your help and support. As Gurmukh, you shall obtain the true wealth. ||1||Pause||
Your unfinished worldly affairs will never be resolved.
You shall always regret your sexual desire, anger and pride.
You act in corruption in order to survive,
but not even an iota will go along with you, you ignorant fool! ||2||
You practice deception, and you know many tricks;
for the sake of mere shells, you throw dust upon your head.
You never even think of the One who gave you life.
The pain of false greed never leaves you. ||3||
When the Supreme Lord God becomes merciful,
this mind becomes the dust of the feet of the Holy.
With His lotus hands, He has attached us to the hem of His robe.
Nanak merges in the Truest of the True. ||4||41||52||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
I seek the Sanctuary of the Sovereign Lord.
I have become fearless, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, my pains have been taken away. ||1||Pause||
That person, within whose mind the Lord abides,
does not see the impassible world-ocean.
All one's affairs are resolved,
by chanting continually the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Why should His slave feel any anxiety? The Guru places His hand upon my forehead.
The fear of birth and death is dispelled;
I am a sacrifice to the Perfect Guru. ||2||
I am enraptured, meeting with the Guru, the Transcendent Lord.
He alone obtains the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, who is blessed by His Mercy.
One who is blessed by the Grace of the Supreme Lord God,
crosses over the terrifying world-ocean in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||
Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, O Beloved Holy people.
Your face shall be radiant and bright in the Court of the Lord.
Celebrate and be blissful, and abandon all corruption.
O Nanak, meditate on the Lord and cross over. ||4||42||53||

Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
The fire runs away from the fuel.
The water runs away from the dust in all directions.
The feet are above, and the sky is beneath.
The ocean appears in the cup. ||1||
Such is our all-powerful dear Lord.
His devotees do not forget Him, even for an instant. Twenty-four hours a day, O mind, meditate on Him. ||1||Pause||
First comes the butter, and then the milk.
The dirt cleans the soap.
The fearless are afraid of fear.
The living are killed by the dead. ||2||
The visible body is hidden, and the etheric body is seen.
The Lord of the world does all these things.
The one who is cheated, is not cheated by the cheat.
With no merchandise, the trader trades again and again. ||3||
So join the Society of the Saints, and chant the Lord's Name.
So say the Simritees, Shaastras, Vedas and Puraanas.
Rare are those who contemplate and meditate on God.
O Nanak, they attain the supreme status. ||4||43||54||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Whatever pleases Him happens.
Forever and ever, I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord.There is none other than God. ||1||Pause||
You look upon your children, spouse and wealth; none of these will go along with you.
Eating the poisonous potion, you have gone astray. You will have to go, and leave Maya and your mansions. ||1||
Slandering others, you are totally ruined; because of your past actions, you shall be consigned to the womb of reincarnation.
Your past actions will not just go away; the most horrible Messenger of Death shall seize you. ||2||
You tell lies, and do not practice what you preach. Your desires are not satisfied - what a shame.
You have contracted an incurable disease; slandering the Saints, your body is wasting away; you are utterly ruined. ||3||
He embellishes those whom He has fashioned. He Himself gave life to the Saints.
O Nanak, He hugs His slaves close in His Embrace. Please grant Your Grace, O Supreme Lord God, and be kind to me as well. ||4||44||55||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Such is the Perfect Divine Guru, my help and support.
Meditation on Him is not wasted. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, I am enraptured.
The dust of His feet snaps the noose of Death.
His lotus feet dwell within my mind,
and so all the affairs of my body are arranged and resolved. ||1||
One upon whom He places His Hand, is protected.
My God is the Master of the masterless.
He is the Savior of sinners, the treasure of mercy.
Forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||2||
One whom He blesses with His Immaculate Mantra,
renounces corruption; his egotistical pride is dispelled.
Meditate on the One Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Sins are erased, through the love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
The Guru, the Transcendent Lord, dwells among all.
The treasure of virtue pervades and permeates each and every heart.
Please grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan;
O God, I place my hopes in You. Nanak continually offers this true prayer. ||4||45||56||

Raag Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Sing the songs of Praise of the Lord.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, total peace is obtained; coming and going is ended, my friend. ||1||Pause||
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, one is enlightened,
and comes to dwell in His lotus feet. ||1||
In the Society of the Saints, one is saved.
O Nanak, he crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||1||57||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
My Guru is perfect, my Guru is perfect.
Chanting the Lord's Name, I am always at peace; all my illness and fraud is dispelled. ||1||Pause||
Worship and adore that One Lord alone.
In His Sanctuary, eternal peace is obtained. ||1||
One who feels hunger for the Naam sleeps in peace.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, all pains are dispelled. ||2||
Enjoy celestial bliss, O my Siblings of Destiny.
The Perfect Guru has eradicated all anxiety. ||3||
Twenty-four hours a day, chant God's Chant.
O Nanak, He Himself shall save you. ||4||2||58||
Raag Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Partaal, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I humbly bow to the Lord, the Supreme Being.
The One, the One and Only Creator Lord permeates the water, the land, the earth and the sky. ||1||Pause||
Over and over again, the Creator Lord destroys, sustains and creates.
He has no home; He needs no nourishment. ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is deep and profound, strong, poised, lofty, exalted and infinite.
He stages His plays; His Virtues are priceless. Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||2||1||59||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
You must abandon your beauty, pleasures, fragrances and enjoyments; beguiled by gold and sexual desire, you must still leave Maya behind. ||1||Pause||
You gaze upon billions and trillions of treasures and riches, which delight and comfort your mind,
but these will not go along with you. ||1||
Entangled with children, spouse, siblings and friends, you are enticed and fooled; these pass like the shadow of a tree.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of His lotus feet; He has found peace in the faith of the Saints. ||2||2||60||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Raamkalee, Ninth Mehl, Ti-Padas:
O mind, take the sheltering support of the Lord's Name.
Remembering Him in meditation, evil-mindedness is dispelled, and the state of Nirvaanaa is obtained. ||1||Pause||
Know that one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord is very fortunate.
The sins of countless incarnations are washed off, and he attains the heavenly realm. ||1||

At the very last moment, Ajaamal became aware of the Lord;
that state which even the supreme Yogis desire - he attained that state in an instant. ||2||
The elephant had no virtue and no knowledge; what religious rituals has he performed?
O Nanak, behold the way of the Lord, who bestowed the gift of fearlessness. ||3||1||
Raamkalee, Ninth Mehl:
Holy people: what way should I now adopt,
by which all evil-mindedness may be dispelled, and the mind may vibrate in devotional worship to the Lord? ||1||Pause||
My mind is entangled in Maya; it knows nothing at all of spiritual wisdom.
What is that Name, by which the world, contemplating it, might attain the state of Nirvaanaa? ||1||
When the Saints became kind and compassionate, they told me this.
Understand, that whoever sings the Kirtan of God's Praises, has performed all religious rituals. ||2||
One who enshrines the Lord's Name in his heart night and day - even for an instant
- has his fear of Death eradicated. O Nanak, his life is approved and fulfilled. ||3||2||
Raamkalee, Ninth Mehl:
O mortal, focus your thoughts on the Lord.
Moment by moment, your life is running out; night and day, your body is passing away in vain. ||1||Pause||
You have wasted your youth in corrupt pleasures, and your childhood in ignorance.
You have grown old, and even now, you do not understand, the evil-mindedness in which you are entangled. ||1||
Why have you forgotten your Lord and Master, who blessed you with this human life?
Remembering Him in meditation, one is liberated. And yet, you do not sing His Praises, even for an instant. ||2||
Why are you intoxicated with Maya? It will not go along with you.
Says Nanak, think of Him, remember Him in your mind. He is the Fulfiller of desires, who will be your help and support in the end. ||3||3||81||
Raamkalee, First Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The same moon rises, and the same stars; the same sun shines in the sky.
The earth is the same, and the same wind blows. The age in which we dwell affects living beings, but not these places. ||1||
Give up your attachment to life.
Those who act like tyrants are accepted and approved - recognize that this is the sign of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||1||Pause||
Kali Yuga has not been heard to have come to any country, or to be sitting at any sacred shrine.
It is not where the generous person gives to charities, nor seated in the mansion he has built. ||2||
If someone practices Truth, he is frustrated; prosperity does not come to the home of the sincere.
If someone chants the Lord's Name, he is scorned. These are the signs of Kali Yuga. ||3||
Whoever is in charge, is humiliated. Why should the servant be afraid,
when the master is put in chains? He dies at the hands of his servant. ||4||

Chant the Praises of the Lord; Kali Yuga has come.
The justice of the previous three ages is gone. One obtains virtue, only if the Lord bestows it. ||1||Pause||
In this turbulent age of Kali Yuga, Muslim law decides the cases, and the blue-robed Qazi is the judge.
The Guru's Bani has taken the place of Brahma's Veda, and the singing of the Lord's Praises are good deeds. ||5||
Worship without faith; self-discipline without truthfulness; the ritual of the sacred thread without chastity - what good are these?
You may bathe and wash, and apply a ritualistic tilak mark to your forehead, but without inner purity, there is no understanding. ||6||
In Kali Yuga, the Koran and the Bible have become famous.
The Pandit's scriptures and the Puraanas are not respected.
O Nanak, the Lord's Name now is Rehmaan, the Merciful.
Know that there is only One Creator of the creation. ||7||
Nanak has obtained the glorious greatness of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. There is no action higher than this.
If someone goes out to beg for what is already in his own home, then he should be chastised. ||8||1||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
You preach to the world, and set up your house.
Abandoning your Yogic postures, how will you find the True Lord?
You are attached to possessiveness and the love of sexual pleasure.
You are not a renunciate, nor a man of the world. ||1||
Yogi, remain seated, and the pain of duality will run away from you.
You beg from door to door, and you don't feel ashamed. ||1||Pause||
You sing the songs, but you do not understand your own self.
How will the burning pain within be relieved?
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, let your mind be absorbed in the Lord's Love,
and you will intuitively experience the charity of contemplation. ||2||
You apply ashes to your body, while acting in hypocrisy.
Attached to Maya, you will be beaten by Death's heavy club.
Your begging bowl is broken; it will not hold the charity of the Lord's Love.
Bound in bondage, you come and go. ||3||
You do not control your seed and semen, and yet you claim to practice abstinence.
You beg from Maya, lured by the three qualities.
You have no compassion; the Lord's Light does not shine in you.
You are drowned, drowned in worldly entanglements. ||4||
You wear religious robes, and your patched coat assumes many disguises.
You play all sorts of false tricks, like a juggler.
The fire of anxiety burns brightly within you.
Without the karma of good actions, how can you cross over? ||5||
You make ear-rings of glass to wear in your ears.
But liberation does not come from learning without understanding.
You are lured by the tastes of the tongue and sex organs.
You have become a beast; this sign cannot be erased. ||6||
The people of the world are entangled in the three modes; the Yogis are entangled in the three modes.
Contemplating the Word of the Shabad, sorrows are dispelled.
Through the Shabad, one becomes radiant, pure and truthful.
One who contemplates the true lifestyle is a Yogi. ||7||
The nine treasures are with You, Lord; You are potent, the Cause of causes.
You establish and disestablish; whatever You do, happens.
One who practices celibacy, chastity, self-control, truth and pure consciousness
- O Nanak, that Yogi is the friend of the three worlds. ||8||2||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Above the six chakras of the body dwells the detached mind.
Awareness of the vibration of the Word of the Shabad has been awakened deep within.
The unstruck melody of the sound current resonates and resounds within; my mind is attuned to it.
Through the Guru's Teachings, my faith is confirmed in the True Name. ||1||
O mortal, through devotion to the Lord, peace is obtained.
The Lord, Har, Har, seems sweet to the Gurmukh, who merges in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||

Eradicating attachment to Maya, one merges into the Lord.
Meeting with the True Guru, we unite in His Union.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a priceless jewel, a diamond.
Attuned to it, the mind is comforted and encouraged. ||2||
The diseases of egotism and possessiveness do not afflict
one who worships the Lord. Fear of the Messenger of Death runs away.
The Messenger of Death, the enemy of the soul, does not touch me at all.
The Immaculate Name of the Lord illuminates my heart. ||3||
Contemplating the Shabad, we become Nirankaari - we come to belong to the Formless Lord God.
Awakening to the Guru's Teachings, evil-mindedness is taken away.
Remaining awake and aware night and day, lovingly focused on the Lord,
one becomes Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive. He finds this state deep within himself. ||4||
In the secluded cave, I remain unattached.
With the Word of the Shabad, I have killed the five thieves.
My mind does not waver or go to the home of any other.
I remain intuitively absorbed deep within. ||5||
As Gurmukh, I remain awake and aware, unattached.
Forever detached, I am woven into the essence of reality.
The world is asleep; it dies, and comes and goes in reincarnation.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it does not understand. ||6||
The unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates day and night.
The Gurmukh knows the state of the eternal, unchanging Lord God.
When someone realizes the Shabad, then he truly knows.
The One Lord is permeating and pervading everywhere in Nirvaanaa. ||7||
My mind is intuitively absorbed in the state of deepest Samaadhi;
renouncing egotism and greed, I have come to know the One Lord.
When the disciple's mind accepts the Guru,
O Nanak, duality is eradicated, and he merges in the Lord. ||8||3||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
You calculate the auspicious days, but you do not understand
that the One Creator Lord is above these auspicious days.
He alone knows the way, who meets the Guru.
When one follows the Guru's Teachings, then he realizes the Hukam of God's Command. ||1||
Do not tell lies, O Pandit; O religious scholar, speak the Truth.
When egotism is eradicated through the Word of the Shabad, then one finds His home. ||1||Pause||
Calculating and counting, the astrologer draws the horoscope.
He studies it and announces it, but he does not understand reality.
Understand, that the Word of the Guru's Shabad is above all.
Do not speak of anything else; it is all just ashes. ||2||
You bathe, wash, and worship stones.
But without being imbued with the Lord, you are the filthiest of the filthy.
Subduing your pride, you shall receive the supreme wealth of God.
The mortal is liberated and emancipated, meditating on the Lord. ||3||
You study the arguments, but do not contemplate the Vedas.
You drown yourself - how will you save your ancestors?
How rare is that person who realizes that God is in each and every heart.
When one meets the True Guru, then he understands. ||4||
Making his calculations, cynicism and suffering afflict his soul.
Seeking the Sanctuary of the Guru, peace is found.
I sinned and made mistakes, but now I seek Your Sanctuary.
The Guru led me to meet the Lord, according to my past actions. ||5||
If one does not enter the Guru's Sanctuary, God cannot be found.
Deluded by doubt, one is born, only to die, and come back again.
Dying in corruption, he is bound and gagged at Death's door.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is not in his heart, and he does not act according to the Shabad. ||6||
Some call themselves Pandits, religious scholars and spiritual teachers.
Tinged with double-mindedness, they do not find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.

One who takes the Support of the Naam, by Guru's Grace,
is a rare person, one among millions, incomparable. ||7||
One is bad, and another good, but the One True Lord is contained in all.
Understand this, O spiritual teacher, through the support of the True Guru:
rare indeed is that Gurmukh, who realizes the One Lord.
His comings and goings cease, and he merges in the Lord. ||8||
Those who have the One Universal Creator Lord within their hearts,
possess all virtues; they contemplate the True Lord.
One who acts in harmony with the Guru's Will,
O Nanak, is absorbed in the Truest of the True. ||9||4||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
Practicing restraint by Hatha Yoga, the body wears away.
The mind is not softened by fasting or austerities.
Nothing else is equal to worship of the Lord's Name. ||1||
Serve the Guru, O mind, and associate with the humble servants of the Lord.
The tyrannical Messenger of Death cannot touch you, and the serpent of Maya cannot sting you, when you drink in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The world reads the arguments, and is softened only by music.
In the three modes and corruption, they are born and die.
Without the Lord's Name, they endure suffering and pain. ||2||
The Yogi draws the breath upwards, and opens the Tenth Gate.
He practices inner cleansing and the six rituals of purification.
But without the Lord's Name, the breath he draws is useless. ||3||
The fire of the five passions burns within him; how can he be calm?
The thief is within him; how can he taste the taste?
One who becomes Gurmukh conquers the body-fortress. ||4||
With filth within, he wanders around at places of pilgrimage.
His mind is not pure, so what is the use of performing ritual cleansings?
He carries the karma of his own past actions; who else can he blame? ||5||
He does not eat food; he tortures his body.
Without the Guru's wisdom, he is not satisfied.
The self-willed manmukh is born only to die, and be born again. ||6||
Go, and ask the True Guru, and associate with the Lord's humble servants.
Your mind shall merge into the Lord, and you shall not be reincarnated to die again.
Without the Lord's Name, what can anyone do? ||7||
Silence the mouse scurrying around within you.
Serve the Primal Lord, by chanting the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, God blesses us with His Name, when He grants His Grace. ||8||5||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
The created Universe emanated from within You; there is no other at all.
Whatever is said to be, is from You, O God.
He is the True Lord and Master, throughout the ages.
Creation and destruction do not come from anyone else. ||1||
Such is my Lord and Master, profound and unfathomable.
Whoever meditates on Him, finds peace. The arrow of the Messenger of Death does not strike one who has the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is a priceless jewel, a diamond.
The True Lord Master is immortal and immeasurable.
That tongue which chants the True Name is pure.
The True Lord is in the home of the self; there is no doubt about it. ||2||
Some sit in the forests, and some make their home in the mountains.
Forgetting the Naam, they rot away in egotistical pride.
Without the Naam, what is the use of spiritual wisdom and meditation?
The Gurmukhs are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Acting stubbornly in egotism, one does not find the Lord.
Studying the scriptures, reading them to other people,

and wandering around at places of pilgrimage, the disease is not taken away.
Without the Naam, how can one find peace? ||4||
No matter how much he tries, he cannot control his semen and seed.
His mind wavers, and he falls into hell.
Bound and gagged in the City of Death, he is tortured.
Without the Name, his soul cries out in agony. ||5||
The many Siddhas and seekers, silent sages and demi-gods
cannot satisfy themselves by practicing restraint through Hatha Yoga.
One who contemplates the Word of the Shabad, and serves the Guru
- his mind and body become immaculate, and his egotistical pride is obliterated. ||6||
Blessed with Your Grace, I obtain the True Name.
I remain in Your Sanctuary, in loving devotion.
Love for Your devotional worship has welled up within me.
As Gurmukh, I chant and meditate on the Lord's Name. ||7||
When one is rid of egotism and pride, his mind is drenched in the Lord's Love.
Practicing fraud and hypocrisy, he does not find God.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he cannot find the Lord's Door.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh contemplates the essence of reality. ||8||6||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
As you come, so will you leave, you fool; as you were born, so will you die.
As you enjoy pleasures, so will you suffer pain. Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you will fall into the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
Gazing upon your body and wealth, you are so proud.
Your love for gold and sexual pleasures increases; why have you forgotten the Naam, and why do you wander in doubt? ||1||Pause||
You do not practice truth, abstinence, self-discipline or humility; the ghost within your skeleton has turned to dry wood.
You have not practiced charity, donations, cleansing baths or austerities. Without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, your life has gone in vain. ||2||
Attached to greed, you have forgotten the Naam. Coming and going, your life has been ruined.
When the Messenger of Death grabs you by your hair, you will be punished. You are unconscious, and have fallen into Death's mouth. ||3||
Day and night, you jealously slander others; in your heart, you have neither the Naam, nor compassion for all.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you will not find salvation or honor. Without the Lord's Name, you shall go to hell. ||4||
In an instant, you change into various costumes, like a juggler; you are entangled in emotional attachment and sin.
You gaze here and there upon the expanse of Maya; you are intoxicated with attachment to Maya. ||5||
You act in corruption, and put on ostentatious shows, but without awareness of the Shabad, you have fallen into confusion.
You suffer great pain from the disease of egotism. Following the Guru's Teachings, you shall be rid of this disease. ||6||
Seeing peace and wealth come to him, the faithless cynic become proud in his mind.
But He who owns this body and wealth, takes them back again, and then the mortal feels anxiety and pain deep within. ||7||
At the very last instant, nothing goes along with you; all is visible only by His Mercy.
God is our Primal and Infinite Lord; enshrining the Lord's Name in the heart, one crosses over. ||8||
You weep for the dead, but who hears you weeping? The dead have fallen to the serpent in the terrifying world-ocean.
Gazing upon his family, wealth, household and mansions, the faithless cynic is entangled in worthless worldly affairs. ||9||

He comes when the Lord sends him; when the Lord calls him back, he goes.
Whatever he does, the Lord is doing. The Forgiving Lord forgives him. ||10||
I seek to be with those who have tasted this sublime essence of the Lord.
Wealth, miraculous spiritual powers, wisdom and spiritual knowledge, are obtained from the Guru. The treasure of liberation is obtained in His Sanctuary. ||11||
The Gurmukh looks upon pain and pleasure as one and the same; he remains untouched by joy and sorrow.
Conquering his self-conceit, the Gurmukh finds the Lord; O Nanak, he intuitively merges into the Lord. ||12||7||
Raamkalee, Dakhanee, First Mehl:
Abstinence, chastity, self-control and truthfulness have been implanted within me; I am imbued with the sublime essence of the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||
My Merciful Guru remains forever imbued with the Lord's Love.
Day and night, He remains lovingly focused on the One Lord; gazing upon the True Lord, He is pleased. ||1||Pause||
He abides in the Tenth Gate, and looks equally upon all; He is imbued with the unstruck sound current of the Shabad. ||2||
Wearing the loin-cloth of chastity, He remains absorbed in the all-pervading Lord; His tongue enjoys the taste of God's Love. ||3||
The One who created the creation has met the True Guru; contemplating the Guru's lifestyle, He is pleased. ||4||
All are in the One, and the One is in all. This is what the True Guru has shown me. ||5||
He who created the worlds, solar systems and galaxies - that God cannot be known. ||6||
From the lamp of God, the lamp within is lit; the Divine Light illuminates the three worlds. ||7||
The Guru sits on the true throne in the true mansion; He is attuned, absorbed in the Fearless Lord. ||8||
The Guru, the detached Yogi, has enticed the hearts of all; He plays His harp in each and every heart. ||9||
O Nanak, in God's Sanctuary, one is emancipated; the True Guru becomes our true help and support. ||10||8||
Raamkalee, First Mehl:
He has made His home in the monastery of the heart; He has infused His power into the earth and the sky. ||1||
Through the Word of the Shabad, the Gurmukhs have saved so very many, O Saints. ||1||Pause||
He conquers attachment, and eradicates egotism, and sees Your Divine Light pervading the three worlds, Lord. ||2||
He conquers desire, and enshrines the Lord within his mind; he contemplates the Word of the True Guru's Shabad. ||3||
The horn of consciousness vibrates the unstruck sound current; Your Light illuminates each and every heart, Lord. ||4||
He plays the flute of the universe in his mind, and lights the fire of God. ||5||
Bringing together the five elements, day and night, the Lord's lamp shines with the Immaculate Light of the Infinite. ||6||
The right and left nostrils, the sun and the moon channels, are the strings of the body-harp; they vibrate the wondrous melody of the Shabad. ||7||
The true hermit obtains a seat in the City of God, the invisible, inaccessible, infinite. ||8||
The mind is the king of the city of the body; the five sources of knowledge dwell within it. ||9||
Seated in his home, this king chants the Shabad; he administers justice and virtue. ||10||
What can poor death or birth say to him? Conquering his mind, he remains dead while yet alive. ||11||

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are manifestations of the One God. He Himself is the Doer of deeds. ||12||
One who purifies his body, crosses over the terrifying world-ocean; he contemplates the essence of his own soul. ||13||
Serving the Guru, he finds everlasting peace; deep within, the Shabad permeates him, coloring him with virtue. ||14||
The Giver of virtue unites with Himself, one who conquers egotism and desire. ||15||
Eradicating the three qualities, dwell in the fourth state. This is the unparalleled devotional worship. ||16||
This is the Yoga of the Gurmukh: Through the Shabad, he understands his own soul, and he enshrines within his heart the One Lord. ||17||
Imbued with the Shabad, his mind becomes steady and stable; this is the most excellent action. ||18||
This true hermit does not enter into religious debates or hypocrisy; the Gurmukh contemplates the Shabad. ||19||
The Gurmukh practices Yoga - he is the true hermit; he practices abstinence and truth, and contemplates the Shabad. ||20||
One who dies in the Shabad and conquers his mind is the true hermit; he understands the Way of Yoga. ||21||
Attachment to Maya is the terrifying world-ocean; through the Shabad, the true hermit saves himself, and his ancestors as well. ||22||
Contemplating the Shabad, you shall be a hero throughout the four ages, O hermit; contemplate the Word of the Guru's Bani in devotion. ||23||
This mind is enticed by Maya, O hermit; contemplating the Shabad, you shall find release. ||24||
He Himself forgives, and unites in His Union; Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary, Lord. ||25||9||
Raamkalee, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Make humility your ear-rings, Yogi, and compassion your patched coat.
Let coming and going be the ashes you apply to your body, Yogi, and then you shall conquer the three worlds. ||1||
Play that harp, Yogi,
which vibrates the unstruck sound current, and remain lovingly absorbed in the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Make truth and contentment your plate and pouch, Yogi; take the Ambrosial Naam as your food.
Make meditation your walking stick, Yogi, and make higher consciousness the horn you blow. ||2||
Make your stable mind the Yogic posture you sit in, Yogi, and then you shall be rid of your tormenting desires.
Go begging in the village of the body, Yogi, and then, you shall obtain the Naam in your lap. ||3||
This harp does not center you in meditation, Yogi, nor does it bring the True Name into your lap.
This harp does not bring you peace, Yogi, nor eliminate egotism from within you. ||4||
Make the Fear of God, and the Love of God, the two gourds of your lute, Yogi, and make this body its neck.
Become Gurmukh, and then vibrate the strings; in this way, your desires shall depart. ||5||
One who understands the Hukam of the Lord's Command is called a Yogi; he links his consciousness to the One Lord.
His cynicism is dispelled, and he becomes immaculately pure; this is how he finds the Way of Yoga. ||6||
Everything that comes into view shall be destroyed; focus your consciousness on the Lord.
Enshrine love for the True Guru, and then you shall obtain this understanding. ||7||

This is not Yoga, O Yogi, to abandon your family and wander around.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is within the household of the body. By Guru's Grace, you shall find your Lord God. ||8||
This world is a puppet of clay, Yogi; the terrible disease, the desire for Maya is in it.
Making all sorts of efforts, and wearing religious robes, Yogi, this disease cannot be cured. ||9||
The Name of the Lord is the medicine, Yogi; the Lord enshrines it in the mind.
One who becomes Gurmukh understands this; he alone finds the Way of Yoga. ||10||
The Path of Yoga is very difficult, Yogi; he alone finds it, whom God blesses with His Grace.
Inside and outside, he sees the One Lord; he eliminates doubt from within himself. ||11||
So play the harp which vibrates without being played, Yogi.
Says Nanak, thus you shall be liberated, Yogi, and remain merged in the True Lord. ||12||1||10||
Raamkalee, Third Mehl:
The treasure of devotional worship is revealed to the Gurmukh; the True Guru has inspired me to understand this understanding. ||1||
O Saints, the Gurmukh is blessed with glorious greatness. ||1||Pause||
Dwelling always in Truth, celestial peace wells up; sexual desire and anger are eliminated from within. ||2||
Eradicating self-conceit, remain lovingly focused on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the Word of the Shabad, burn away possessiveness. ||3||
By Him we are created, and by Him we are destroyed; in the end, the Naam will be our only help and support. ||4||
He is ever-present; don't think that He is far away. He created the creation. ||5||
Deep within your heart, chant the True Word of the Shabad; remain lovingly absorbed in the True Lord. ||6||
The Priceless Naam is in the Society of the Saints; by great good fortune, it is obtained. ||7||
Do not be deluded by doubt; serve the True Guru, and keep your mind steady in one place. ||8||
Without the Name, everyone wanders around in confusion; they waste away their lives in vain. ||9||
Yogi, you have lost the Way; you wander around confused. Through hypocrisy, Yoga is not attained. ||10||
Sitting in Yogic postures in the City of God, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you shall find Yoga. ||11||
Restrain your restless wanderings through the Shabad, and the Naam will come to dwell in your mind. ||12||
This body is a pool, O Saints; bathe in it, and enshrine love for the Lord. ||13||
Those who cleanse themselves through the Naam, are the most immaculate people; through the Shabad, they wash off their filth. ||14||
Trapped by the three qualities, the unconscious person does not think of the Naam; without the Name, he wastes away. ||15||
The three forms of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are trapped in the three qualities, lost in confusion. ||16||
By Guru's Grace, this triad is eradicated, and one is lovingly absorbed in the fourth state. ||17||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read, study and discuss the arguments; they do not understand. ||18||
Engrossed in corruption, they wander in confusion; who can they possibly instruct, O Siblings of Destiny? ||19||
The Bani, the Word of the humble devotee is the most sublime and exalted; it prevails throughout the ages. ||20||
One who is committed to this Bani is emancipated, and through the Shabad, merges in Truth. ||21||

One who searches the village of the body, through the Shabad, obtains the nine treasures of the Naam. ||22||
Conquering desire, the mind is absorbed in intuitive ease, and then one chants the Lord's Praises without speaking. ||23||
Let your eyes gaze upon the Wondrous Lord; let your consciousness be attached to the Unseen Lord. ||24||
The Unseen Lord is forever absolute and immaculate; one's light merges into the Light. ||25||
I praise my Guru forever, who has inspired me to understand this true understanding. ||26||
Nanak offers this one prayer: through the Name, may I find salvation and honor. ||27||2||11||
Raamkalee, Third Mehl:
It is so hard to obtain that devotional worship of the Lord, O Saints. It cannot be described at all. ||1||
O Saints, as Gurmukh, find the Perfect Lord,
and worship the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Without the Lord, everything is filthy, O Saints; what offering should I place before Him? ||2||
Whatever pleases the True Lord is devotional worship; His Will abides in the mind. ||3||
Everyone worships Him, O Saints, but the self-willed manmukh is not accepted or approved. ||4||
If someone dies in the Word of the Shabad, his mind become immaculate, O Saints; such worship is accepted and approved. ||5||
Sanctified and pure are those true beings, who enshrine love for the Shabad. ||6||
There is no worship of the Lord, other than the Name; the world wanders, deluded by doubt. ||7||
The Gurmukh understands his own self, O Saints; he lolvingly centers his mind on the Lord's Name. ||8||
The Immaculate Lord Himself inspires worship of Him; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is accepted and approved. ||9||
Those who worship Him, but do not know the Way, are polluted with the love of duality. ||10||
One who becomes Gurmukh, knows what worship is; the Lord's Will abides within his mind. ||11||
One who accepts the Lord's Will obtains total peace, O Saints; in the end, the Naam will be our help and support. ||12||
One who does not understand his own self, O Saints, falsely flatters himself. ||13||
The Messenger of Death does not give up on those who practices hypocrisy; they are dragged away in disgrace. ||14||
Those who have the Shabad deep within, understand themselves; they find the way of salvation. ||15||
Their minds enter into the deepest state of Samaadhi, and their light is absorbed into the Light. ||16||
The Gurmukhs listen constantly to the Naam, and chant it in the True Congregation. ||17||
The Gurmukhs sing the Lord's Praises, and erase self-conceit; they obtain true honor in the Court of the Lord. ||18||
True are their words; they speak only the Truth; they lovingly focus on the True Name. ||19||
My God is the Destroyer of fear, the Destroyer of sin; in the end, He is our only help and support. ||20||
He Himself pervades and permeates everything; O Nanak, glorious greatness is obtained through the Naam. ||21||3||12||
Raamkalee, Third Mehl:
I am filthy and polluted, proud and egotistical; receiving the Word of the Shabad, my filth is taken away. ||1||
O Saints, the Gurmukhs are saved through the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The True Name abides deep within their hearts. The Creator Himself embellishes them. ||1||Pause||

Touching the philosopher's stone, they themselves become the philosopher's stone; the Dear Lord Himself blesses them with His Mercy. ||2||
Some wear religious robes, and wander around in pride; they lose their life in the gamble. ||3||
Some worship the Lord in devotion, night and day; day and night, they keep the Lord's Name enshrined in their hearts. ||4||
Those who are imbued with Him night and day, are spontaneously intoxicated with Him; they intuitively conquer their ego. ||5||
Without the Fear of God, devotional worship is never performed; through the Love and the Fear of God, devotional worship is embellished. ||6||
The Shabad burns away emotional attachment to Maya, and then one contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom. ||7||
The Creator Himself inspires us to act; He Himself blesses us with His treasure. ||8||
The limits of His virtues cannot be found; I sing His Praises and contemplate the Word of the Shabad. ||9||
I chant the Lord's Name, and praise my Dear Lord; egotism is eradicated from within me. ||10||
The treasure of the Naam is obtained from the Guru; the treasures of the True Lord are inexhaustible. ||11||
He Himself is pleased with His devotees; by His Grace, He infuses His strength within them. ||12||
They always feel hunger for the True Name; they sing and contemplate the Shabad. ||13||
Soul, body and everything are His; it is so difficult to speak of, and contemplate Him. ||14||
Those humble beings who are attached to the Shabad are saved; they cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||15||
Without the True Lord, no one can cross over; how rare are those who contemplate and understand this. ||16||
We obtain only that which is pre-ordained; receiving the Lord's Shabad, we are embellished. ||17||
Imbued with the Shabad, the body becomes golden, and loves only the True Name. ||18||
The body is then filled to overflowing with Ambrosial Nectar, obtained by contemplating the Shabad. ||19||
Those who seek God, find Him; others burst and die from their own egotism. ||20||
The debaters waste away, while the servants serve, with love and affection for the Guru. ||21||
He alone is a Yogi, who contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom, and conquers egotism and thirsty desire. ||22||
The True Guru, the Great Giver, is revealed to those upon whom You bestow Your Grace, O Lord. ||23||
Those who do not serve the True Guru, and who are attached to Maya, are drowned; they die in their own egotism. ||24||
As long as there is breath within you, so long you should serve the Lord; then, you will go and meet the Lord. ||25||
Night and day, she remains awake and aware, day and night; she is the darling bride of her Beloved Husband Lord. ||26||
I offer my body and mind in sacrifice to my Guru; I am a sacrifice to Him. ||27||
Attachment to Maya will end and go away; only by contemplating the Shabad will you be saved. ||28||
They are awake and aware, whom the Lord Himself awakens; so contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||29||
O Nanak, those who do not remember the Naam are dead. The devotees live in contemplative meditation. ||30||4||13||
Raamkalee, Third Mehl:
Receiving the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, from the Guru, I remain satisfied and fulfilled. ||1||
O Saints, the Gurmukhs attain the state of liberation.

The One Name abides deep within my heart; such is the glorious greatness of the Perfect Lord. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer. He Himself gives sustenance to all. ||2||
Whatever He wants to do, He is doing; no one else can do anything. ||3||
He Himself fashions and creates the creation; He links each and every person to their task. ||4||
If you serve Him, then you will find peace; the True Guru will unite you in His Union. ||5||
The Lord Himself creates Himself; the Unseen Lord cannot be seen. ||6||
He Himself kills, and brings back to life; He does not have even an iota of greed. ||7||
Some are made givers, and some are made beggars; He Himself inspires us to devotional worship. ||8||
Those who know the One Lord are very fortunate; they remain absorbed in the True Lord. ||9||
He Himself is beautiful, He Himself is wise and clever; His worth cannot be expressed. ||10||
He Himself infuses pain and pleasure; He Himself makes them wander around in doubt. ||11||
The Great Giver is revealed to the Gurmukh; without the Guru, the world wanders in darkness. ||12||
Those who taste, enjoy the flavor; the True Guru imparts this understanding. ||13||
Some, the Lord causes to forget and lose the Name; others become Gurmukh, and are granted this understanding. ||14||
Forever and ever, praise the Lord, O Saints; how glorious is His greatness! ||15||
There is no other King except Him; He administers justice, as He has made it. ||16||
His justice is always True; how rare are those who accept His Command. ||17||
O mortal, meditate forever on the Lord, who has made the Gurmukh in His making. ||18||
That humble being who meets with the True Guru is fulfilled; the Naam abides in his heart. ||19||
The True Lord is Himself forever True; He announces His Bani, the Word of His Shabad. ||20||
Nanak is wonderstruck, hearing and seeing His Lord; my God is all-pervading, everywhere. ||21||5||14||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Some make a big show of their worldly influence.
Some make a big show of devotional worship.
Some practice inner cleansing teahniques, and control the breath through Kundalini Yoga.
I am meek; I worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
I place my faith in You alone, O Beloved Lord.
I do not know any other way. ||1||Pause||
Some abandon their homes, and live in the forests.
Some put themselves on silence, and call themselves hermits.
Some claim that they are devotees of the One Lord alone.
I am meek; I seek the shelter and support of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
Some say that they live at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Some refuse food and become Udaasis, shaven-headed renunciates.
Some have wandered all across the earth.
I am meek; I have fallen at the door of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
Some say that they belong to great and noble families.

Some say that they have the arms of their many brothers to protect them.
Some say that they have great expanses of wealth.
I am meek; I have the support of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||
Some dance, wearing ankle bells.
Some fast and take vows, and wear malas.
Some apply ceremonial tilak marks to their foreheads.
I am meek; I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||5||
Some work spells using the miraculous spiritual powers of the Siddhas.
Some wear various religious robes and establish their authority.
Some perform Tantric spells, and chant various mantras.
I am meek; I serve the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||6||
One calls himself a wise Pandit, a religious scholar.
One performs the six rituals to appease Shiva.
One maintains the rituals of pure lifestyle, and does good deeds.
I am meek; I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||7||
I have studied the religions and rituals of all the ages.
Without the Name, this mind is not awakened.
Says Nanak, when I found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
my thirsty desires were satisfied, and I was totally cooled and soothed. ||8||1||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
He created you out of this water.
From clay, He fashioned your body.
He blessed you with the light of reason and clear consciousness.
In your mother's womb, He preserved you. ||1||
Contemplate your Savior Lord.
Give up all others thoughts, O mind. ||1||Pause||
He gave you your mother and father;
he gave you your charming children and siblings;
he gave you your spouse and friends;
enshrine that Lord and Master in your consciousness. ||2||
He gave you the invaluable air;
He gave you the priceless water;
He gave you burning fire;
let your mind remain in the Sanctuary of that Lord and Master. ||3||
He gave you the thirty-six varieties of tasty foods;
He gave you a place within to hold them;
He gave you the earth, and things to use;
enshrine in your consciousness the feet of that Lord and Master. ||4||
He gave you eyes to see, and ears to hear;
He gave you hands to work with, and a nose and a tongue;
He gave you feet to walk upon, and the crowning glory of your head;
O mind, worship the Feet of that Lord and Master. ||5||
He transformed you from impure to pure;
He installed you above the heads of all creatures;
now, you may fulfill your destiny or not;
Your affairs shall be resolved, O mind, meditating on God. ||6||
Here and there, only the One God exists.
Wherever I look, there You are.
My mind is reluctant to serve Him;
forgetting Him, I cannot survive, even for an instant. ||7||
I am a sinner, without any virtue at all.
I do not serve You, or do any good deeds.
By great good fortune, I have found the boat - the Guru.
Slave Nanak has crossed over, with Him. ||8||2||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Some pass their lives enjoying pleasures and beauty.

Some pass their lives with their mothers, fathers and children.
Some pass their lives in power, estates and trade.
The Saints pass their lives with the support of the Lord's Name. ||1||
The world is the creation of the True Lord.
He alone is the Master of all. ||1||Pause||
Some pass their lives in arguments and debates about scriptures.
Some pass their lives tasting flavors.
Some pass their lives attached to women.
The Saints are absorbed only in the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Some pass their lives gambling.
Some pass their lives getting drunk.
Some pass their lives stealing the property of others.
The humble servants of the Lord pass their lives meditating on the Naam. ||3||
Some pass their lives in Yoga, strict meditation, worship and adoration.
Some, in sickness, sorrow and doubt.
Some pass their lives practicing control of the breath.
The Saints pass their lives singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||4||
Some pass their lives walking day and night.
Some pass their lives on the fields of battle.
Some pass their lives teaching children.
The Saints pass their lives singing the Lord's Praise. ||5||
Some pass their lives as actors, acting and dancing.
Some pass their lives taking the lives of others.
Some pass their lives ruling by intimidation.
The Saints pass their lives chanting the Lord's Praises. ||6||
Some pass their lives counseling and giving advice.
Some pass their lives forced to serve others.
Some pass their lives exploring life's mysteries.
The Saints pass their lives drinking in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||7||
As the Lord attaches us, so we are attached.
No one is foolish, and no one is wise.
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those who are blessed by His Grace to receive His Name. ||8||3||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Even in a forest fire, some trees remain green.
The infant is released from the pain of the mother's womb.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, fear is dispelled.
Just so, the Sovereign Lord protects and saves the Saints. ||1||
Such is the Merciful Lord, my Protector.
Wherever I look, I see You cherishing and nurturing. ||1||Pause||
As thirst is quenched by drinking water;
as the bride blossoms forth when her husband comes home;
as wealth is the support of the greedy person
- just so, the humble servant of the Lord loves the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
As the farmer protects his fields;
as the mother and father show compassion to their child;
as the lover merges on seeing the beloved;
just so does the Lord hug His humble servant close in His Embrace. ||3||
As the blind man is in ecstasy, when he can see again;
and the mute, when he is able to speak and sing songs;
and the cripple, being able to climb over the mountain
- just so, the Name of the Lord saves all. ||4||
As cold is dispelled by fire,
sins are driven out in the Society of the Saints.
As cloth is cleaned by soap,
just so, by chanting the Naam, all doubts and fears are dispelled. ||5||
As the chakvi bird longs for the sun,
as the rainbird thirsts for the rain drop,
as the deer's ears are attuned to the sound of the bell,
the Lord's Name is pleasing to the mind of the Lord's humble servant. ||6||

By Your Grace, we love You.
When You show Mercy, then You come into our minds.
When the Support of the earth granted His Grace,
then I was released from my bonds. ||7||
I have seen all places with my eyes wide open.
There is no other than Him.
Doubt and fear are dispelled, by Guru's Grace.
Nanak sees the wondrous Lord everywhere. ||8||4||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
All beings and creatures that are seen, God, depend on Your Support. ||1||
This mind is saved through the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes, by His Creative Power. All is the Creation of the Creator. ||2||
Sexual desire, anger, greed, falsehood and slander are banished in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind becomes immaculate, and life is passed in absolute peace. ||4||
That mortal who enters the Sanctuary of the devotees, does not lose out, here or hereafter. ||5||
Pleasure and pain, and the condition of this mind, I place before You, Lord. ||6||
You are the Giver of all beings; You cherish what You have made. ||7||
So many millions of times, Nanak is a sacrifice to Your humble servants. ||8||5||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Receiving the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, all sins are erased, and He unites me with the Lord. ||1||
My Guru is the Transcendent Lord, the Giver of peace.
He implants the Naam, the Name of the Supreme Lord God within us; in the end, He is our help and support. ||1||Pause||
The source of all pain within is destroyed; I apply the dust of the feet of the Saints to my forehead. ||2||
In an instant, He purifies the sinners, and dispels the darkness of ignorance. ||3||
The Lord is all-powerful, the Cause of causes. Nanak seeks His Sanctuary. ||4||
Shattering the bonds, the Guru implants the Lord's lotus feet within, and lovingly attunes us to the One Word of the Shabad. ||5||
He has lifted me up, and pulled me out of the deep, dark pit of sin; I am attuned to the True Shabad. ||6||
The fear of birth and death is taken away; I shall never wander again. ||7||
This mind is imbued with the sublime elixir of the Naam; drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, it is satisfied. ||8||
Joining the Society of the Saints, I sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises; I dwell in the eternal, unchanging place. ||9||
The Perfect Guru has given me the perfect teachings; there is nothing except the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny. ||10||
I have obtained the treasure of the Naam, by great good fortune; O Nanak, I shall not fall into hell. ||11||
Clever tricks have not worked for me; I shall act according to the Instructions of the Perfect Guru. ||12||
He is chanting, intense meditation, austere self-discipline and purification. He Himself acts, and causes us to act. ||13||
In the midst of children and spouse, and utter corruption, the True Guru has carried me across. ||14||

You Yourself take care of Your beings; You Yourself attach them to the hem of Your robe. ||15||
I have built the boat of true Dharmic faith, to cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||16||
The Lord Master is unlimited and endless; Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Him. ||17||
Being of Immortal Manifestation, He is not born; He is self-existent; He is the Light in the darkness of Kali Yuga. ||18||
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, the Giver of souls; gazing upon Him, I am satisfied and fulfilled. ||19||
He is the One Universal Creator Lord, immaculate and fearless; He is permeating and pervading all the water and the land. ||20||
He blesses His devotees with the Gift of devotional worship; Nanak longs for the Lord, O my mother. ||21||1||6||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl,
Shalok:
Study the Word of the Shabad, O beloveds. It is your anchoring support in life and in death.
Your face shall be radiant, and you will be at peace forever, O Nanak, meditating in remembrance on the One Lord. ||1||
My mind and body are imbued with my Beloved Lord; I have been blessed with loving devotion to the Lord, O Saints. ||1||
The True Guru has approved my cargo, O Saints.
He has blessed His slave with the profit of the Lord's Name; all my thirst is quenched, O Saints. ||1||Pause||
Searching and searching, I have found the One Lord, the jewel; I cannot express His value, O Saints. ||2||
I focus my meditation on His Lotus Feet; I am absorbed in the True Vision of His Darshan, O Saints. ||3||
Singing, singing His Glorious Praises, I am enraptured; meditating in remembrance on the Lord, I am satisfied and fulfilled, O Saints. ||4||
The Lord, the Supreme Soul, is permeating within all; what comes, and what goes, O Saints? ||5||
At the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, He is, and He shall always be; He is the Giver of peace to all beings, O Saints. ||6||
He Himself is endless; His end cannot be found. He is totally pervading and permeating everywhere, O Saints. ||7||
Nanak: the Lord is my friend, companion, wealth, youth, son, father and mother, O Saints. ||8||2||7||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
In thought, word and deed, I contemplate the Lord's Name.
The horrible world-ocean is very treacherous; O Nanak, the Gurmukh is carried across. ||1||Pause||
Inwardly, peace, and outwardly, peace; meditating on the Lord, evil tendencies are crushed. ||1||
He has rid me of what was clinging to me; my Dear Lord God has blessed me with His Grace. ||2||
The Saints are saved, in His Sanctuary; the very egotistical people rot away and die. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have obtained this fruit, the Support of the One Name alone. ||4||
No one is strong, and no one is weak; all are manifestations of Your Light, Lord. ||5||
You are the all-powerful, indescribable, unfathomable, all-pervading Lord. ||6||
Who can estimate Your value, O Creator Lord? God has no end or limitation. ||7||
Please bless Nanak with the glorious greatness of the gift of the Naam, and the dust of the feet of Your Saints. ||8||3||8||22||

Raamkalee, Third Mehl, Anand ~ The Song Of Bliss:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am in ecstasy, O my mother, for I have found my True Guru.
I have found the True Guru, with intuitive ease, and my mind vibrates with the music of bliss.
The jewelled melodies and their related celestial harmonies have come to sing the Word of the Shabad.
The Lord dwells within the minds of those who sing the Shabad.
Says Nanak, I am in ecstasy, for I have found my True Guru. ||1||
O my mind, remain always with the Lord.
Remain always with the Lord, O my mind, and all sufferings will be forgotten.
He will accept You as His own, and all your affairs will be perfectly arranged.
Our Lord and Master is all-powerful to do all things, so why forget Him from your mind?
Says Nanak, O my mind, remain always with the Lord. ||2||
O my True Lord and Master, what is there which is not in Your celestial home?
Everything is in Your home; they receive, unto whom You give.
Constantly singing Your Praises and Glories, Your Name is enshrined in the mind.
The divine melody of the Shabad vibrates for those, within whose minds the Naam abides.
Says Nanak, O my True Lord and Master, what is there which is not in Your home? ||3||
The True Name is my only support.
The True Name is my only support; it satisfies all hunger.
It has brought peace and tranquility to my mind; it has fulfilled all my desires.
I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru, who possesses such glorious greatness.
Says Nanak, listen, O Saints; enshrine love for the Shabad.
The True Name is my only support. ||4||
The Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds, vibrate in that blessed house.
In that blessed house, the Shabad vibrates; He infuses His almighty power into it.
Through You, we subdue the five demons of desire, and slay Death, the torturer.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny are attached to the Lord's Name.
Says Nanak, they are at peace, and the unstruck sound current vibrates within their homes. ||5||
Without the true love of devotion, the body is without honor.
The body is dishonored without devotional love; what can the poor wretches do?
No one except You is all-powerful; please bestow Your Mercy, O Lord of all nature.
There is no place of rest, other than the Name; attached to the Shabad, we are embellished with beauty.
Says Nanak, without devotional love, what can the poor wretches do? ||6||
Bliss, bliss - everyone talks of bliss; bliss is known only through the Guru.
Eternal bliss in known only through the Guru, when the Beloved Lord grants His Grace.
Granting His Grace, He cuts away our sins; He blesses us with the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom.
Those who eradicate attachment from within themselves, are adorned with the Shabad, the Word of the True Lord.
Says Nanak, this alone is bliss - bliss which is known through the Guru. ||7||

O Baba, he alone receives it, unto whom You give it.
He alone receives it, unto whom You give it; what can the other poor wretched beings do?
Some are deluded by doubt, wandering in the ten directions; some are adorned with attachment to the Naam.
By Guru's Grace, the mind becomes immaculate and pure, for those who follow God's Will.
Says Nanak, he alone receives it, unto whom You give it, O Beloved Lord. ||8||
Come, Beloved Saints, let us speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
How can we speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord? Through which door will we find Him?
Surrender body, mind, wealth, and everything to the Guru; obey the Order of His Will, and you will find Him.
Obey the Hukam of the Guru's Command, and sing the True Word of His Bani.
Says Nanak, listen, O Saints, and speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord. ||9||
O fickle mind, through cleverness, no one has found the Lord.
Through cleverness, no one has found Him; listen, O my mind.
This Maya is so fascinating; because of it, people wander in doubt.
This fascinating Maya was created by the One who has administered this potion.
I am a sacrifice to the One who has made emotional attachment sweet.
Says Nanak, O fickle mind, no one has found Him through cleverness. ||10||
O beloved mind, contemplate the True Lord forever.
This family which you see shall not go along with you.
They shall not go along with you, so why do you focus your attention on them?
Don't do anything that you will regret in the end.
Listen to the Teachings of the True Guru - these shall go along with you.
Says Nanak, O beloved mind, contemplate the True Lord forever. ||11||
O inaccessible and unfathomable Lord, Your limits cannot be found.
No one has found Your limits; only You Yourself know.
All living beings and creatures are Your play; how can anyone describe You?
You speak, and You gaze upon all; You created the Universe.
Says Nanak, You are forever inaccessible; Your limits cannot be found. ||12||
The angelic beings and the silent sages search for the Ambrosial Nectar; this Amrit is obtained from the Guru.
This Amrit is obtained, when the Guru grants His Grace; He enshrines the True Lord within the mind.
All living beings and creatures were created by You; only some come to see the Guru, and seek His blessing.
Their greed, avarice and egotism are dispelled, and the True Guru seems sweet.
Says Nanak, those with whom the Lord is pleased, obtain the Amrit, through the Guru. ||13||
The lifestyle of the devotees is unique and distinct.
The devotees' lifestyle is unique and distinct; they follow the most difficult path.
They renounce greed, avarice, egotism and desire; they do not talk too much.
The path they take is sharper than a two-edged sword, and finer than a hair.

By Guru's Grace, they shed their selfishness and conceit; their hopes are merged in the Lord.
Says Nanak, the lifestyle of the devotees, in each and every age, is unique and distinct. ||14||
As You make me walk, so do I walk, O my Lord and Master; what else do I know of Your Glorious Virtues?
As You cause them to walk, they walk - You have placed them on the Path.
In Your Mercy, You attach them to the Naam; they meditate forever on the Lord, Har, Har.
Those whom You cause to listen to Your sermon, find peace in the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate.
Says Nanak, O my True Lord and Master, you make us walk according to Your Will. ||15||
This song of praise is the Shabad, the most beautiful Word of God.
This beauteous Shabad is the everlasting song of praise, spoken by the True Guru.
This is enshrined in the minds of those who are so pre-destined by the Lord.
Some wander around, babbling on and on, but none obtain Him by babbling.
Says Nanak, the Shabad, this song of praise, has been spoken by the True Guru. ||16||
Those humble beings who meditate on the Lord become pure.
Meditating on the Lord, they become pure; as Gurmukh, they meditate on Him.
They are pure, along with their mothers, fathers, family and friends; all their companions are pure as well.
Pure are those who speak, and pure are those who listen; those who enshrine it within their minds are pure.
Says Nanak, pure and holy are those who, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||17||
By religious rituals, intuitive poise is not found; without intuitive poise, skepticism does not depart.
Skepticism does not depart by contrived actions; everybody is tired of performing these rituals.
The soul is polluted by skepticism; how can it be cleansed?
Wash your mind by attaching it to the Shabad, and keep your consciousness focused on the Lord.
Says Nanak, by Guru's Grace, intuitive poise is produced, and this skepticism is dispelled. ||18||
Inwardly polluted, and outwardly pure.
Those who are outwardly pure and yet polluted within, lose their lives in the gamble.
They contract this terrible disease of desire, and in their minds, they forget about dying.
In the Vedas, the ultimate objective is the Naam, the Name of the Lord; but they do not hear this, and they wander around like demons.
Says Nanak, those who forsake Truth and cling to falsehood, lose their lives in the gamble. ||19||
Inwardly pure, and outwardly pure.
Those who are outwardly pure and also pure within, through the Guru, perform good deeds.
Not even an iota of falsehood touches them; their hopes are absorbed in the Truth.
Those who earn the jewel of this human life, are the most excellent of merchants.
Says Nanak, those whose minds are pure, abide with the Guru forever. ||20||
If a Sikh turns to the Guru with sincere faith, as sunmukh
- if a Sikh turns to the Guru with sincere faith, as sunmukh, his soul abides with the Guru.
Within his heart, he meditates on the lotus feet of the Guru; deep within his soul, he contemplates Him.
Renouncing selfishness and conceit, he remains always on the side of the Guru; he does not know anyone except the Guru.

Says Nanak, listen, O Saints: such a Sikh turns toward the Guru with sincere faith, and becomes sunmukh. ||21||
One who turns away from the Guru, and becomes baymukh - without the True Guru, he shall not find liberation.
He shall not find liberation anywhere else either; go and ask the wise ones about this.
He shall wander through countless incarnations; without the True Guru, he shall not find liberation.
But liberation is attained, when one is attached to the feet of the True Guru, chanting the Word of the Shabad.
Says Nanak, contemplate this and see, that without the True Guru, there is no liberation. ||22||
Come, O beloved Sikhs of the True Guru, and sing the True Word of His Bani.
Sing the Guru's Bani, the supreme Word of Words.
Those who are blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace - their hearts are imbued with this Bani.
Drink in this Ambrosial Nectar, and remain in the Lord's Love forever; meditate on the Lord, the Sustainer of the world.
Says Nanak, sing this True Bani forever. ||23||
Without the True Guru, other songs are false.
The songs are false without the True Guru; all other songs are false.
The speakers are false, and the listeners are false; those who speak and recite are false.
They may continually chant, 'Har, Har' with their tongues, but they do not know what they are saying.
Their consciousness is lured by Maya; they are just reciting mechanically.
Says Nanak, without the True Guru, other songs are false. ||24||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is a jewel, studded with diamonds.
The mind which is attached to this jewel, merges into the Shabad.
One whose mind is attuned to the Shabad, enshrines love for the True Lord.
He Himself is the diamond, and He Himself is the jewel; one who is blessed, understands its value.
Says Nanak, the Shabad is a jewel, studded with diamonds. ||25||
He Himself created Shiva and Shakti, mind and matter; the Creator subjects them to His Command.
Enforcing His Order, He Himself sees all. How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, come to know Him.
They break their bonds, and attain liberation; they enshrine the Shabad within their minds.
Those whom the Lord Himself makes Gurmukh, lovingly focus their consciousness on the One Lord.
Says Nanak, He Himself is the Creator; He Himself reveals the Hukam of His Command. ||26||
The Simritees and the Shaastras discriminate between good and evil, but they do not know the true essence of reality.
They do not know the true essence of reality without the Guru; they do not know the true essence of reality.
The world is asleep in the three modes and doubt; it passes the night of its life sleeping.
Those humble beings remain awake and aware, within whose minds, by Guru's Grace, the Lord abides; they chant the Ambrosial Word of the Guru's Bani.
Says Nanak, they alone obtain the essence of reality, who night and day remain lovingly absorbed in the Lord; they pass the night of their life awake and aware. ||27||
He nourished us in the mother's womb; why forget Him from the mind?
Why forget from the mind such a Great Giver, who gave us sustenance in the fire of the womb?
Nothing can harm one, whom the Lord inspires to embrace His Love.

He Himself is the love, and He Himself is the embrace; the Gurmukh contemplates Him forever.
Says Nanak, why forget such a Great Giver from the mind? ||28||
As is the fire within the womb, so is Maya outside.
The fire of Maya is one and the same; the Creator has staged this play.
According to His Will, the child is born, and the family is very pleased.
Love for the Lord wears off, and the child becomes attached to desires; the script of Maya runs its course.
This is Maya, by which the Lord is forgotten; emotional attachment and love of duality well up.
Says Nanak, by Guru's Grace, those who enshrine love for the Lord find Him, in the midst of Maya. ||29||
The Lord Himself is priceless; His worth cannot be estimated.
His worth cannot be estimated, even though people have grown weary of trying.
If you meet such a True Guru, offer your head to Him; your selfishness and conceit will be eradicated from within.
Your soul belongs to Him; remain united with Him, and the Lord will come to dwell in your mind.
The Lord Himself is priceless; very fortunate are those, O Nanak, who attain to the Lord. ||30||
The Lord is my capital; my mind is the merchant.
The Lord is my capital, and my mind is the merchant; through the True Guru, I know my capital.
Meditate continually on the Lord, Har, Har, O my soul, and you shall collect your profits daily.
This wealth is obtained by those who are pleasing to the Lord's Will.
Says Nanak, the Lord is my capital, and my mind is the merchant. ||31||
O my tongue, you are engrossed in other tastes, but your thirsty desire is not quenched.
Your thirst shall not be quenched by any means, until you attain the subtle essence of the Lord.
If you do obtain the subtle essence of the Lord, and drink in this essence of the Lord, you shall not be troubled by desire again.
This subtle essence of the Lord is obtained by good karma, when one comes to meet with the True Guru.
Says Nanak, all other tastes and essences are forgotten, when the Lord comes to dwell within the mind. ||32||
O my body, the Lord infused His Light into you, and then you came into the world.
The Lord infused His Light into you, and then you came into the world.
The Lord Himself is your mother, and He Himself is your father; He created the created beings, and revealed the world to them.
By Guru's Grace, some understand, and then it's a show; it seems like just a show.
Says Nanak, He laid the foundation of the Universe, and infused His Light, and then you came into the world. ||33||
My mind has become joyful, hearing of God's coming.
Sing the songs of joy to welcome the Lord, O my companions; my household has become the Lord's Mansion.
Sing continually the songs of joy to welcome the Lord, O my companions, and sorrow and suffering will not afflict you.
Blessed is that day, when I am attached to the Guru's feet and meditate on my Husband Lord.
I have come to know the unstruck sound current and the Word of the Guru's Shabad; I enjoy the sublime essence of the Lord, the Lord's Name.

Says Nanak, God Himself has met me; He is the Doer, the Cause of causes. ||34||
O my body, why have you come into this world? What actions have you committed?
And what actions have you committed, O my body, since you came into this world?
The Lord who formed your form - you have not enshrined that Lord in your mind.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord abides within the mind, and one's pre-ordained destiny is fulfilled.
Says Nanak, this body is adorned and honored, when one's consciousness is focused on the True Guru. ||35||
O my eyes, the Lord has infused His Light into you; do not look upon any other than the Lord.
Do not look upon any other than the Lord; the Lord alone is worthy of beholding.
This whole world which you see is the image of the Lord; only the image of the Lord is seen.
By Guru's Grace, I understand, and I see only the One Lord; there is no one except the Lord.
Says Nanak, these eyes were blind; but meeting the True Guru, they became all-seeing. ||36||
O my ears, you were created only to hear the Truth.
To hear the Truth, you were created and attached to the body; listen to the True Bani.
Hearing it, the mind and body are rejuvenated, and the tongue is absorbed in Ambrosial Nectar.
The True Lord is unseen and wondrous; His state cannot be described.
Says Nanak, listen to the Ambrosial Naam and become holy; you were created only to hear the Truth. ||37||
The Lord placed the soul to the cave of the body, and blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body.
He blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body, and revealed the nine doors; but He kept the Tenth Door hidden.
Through the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, some are blessed with loving faith, and the Tenth Door is revealed to them.
There are many images of the Lord, and the nine treasures of the Naam; His limits cannot be found.
Says Nanak, the Lord placed the soul to the cave of the body, and blew the breath of life into the musical instrument of the body. ||38||
Sing this true song of praise in the true home of your soul.
Sing the song of praise in your true home; meditate there on the True Lord forever.
They alone meditate on You, O True Lord, who are pleasing to Your Will; as Gurmukh, they understand.
This Truth is the Lord and Master of all; whoever is blessed, obtains it.
Says Nanak, sing the true song of praise in the true home of your soul. ||39||
Listen to the song of bliss, O most fortunate ones; all your longings shall be fulfilled.
I have obtained the Supreme Lord God, and all sorrows have been forgotten.
Pain, illness and suffering have departed, listening to the True Bani.
The Saints and their friends are in ecstasy, knowing the Perfect Guru.
Pure are the listeners, and pure are the speakers; the True Guru is all-pervading and permeating.
Prays Nanak, touching the Guru's Feet, the unstruck sound current of the celestial bugles vibrates and resounds. ||40||1||

Raamkalee, Sadd ~ The Call Of Death:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He is the Great Giver of the Universe, the Lover of His devotees, throughout the three worlds.
One who is merged in the Word of the Guru's Shabad does not know any other.
Dwelling upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he does not know any other; he meditates on the One Name of the Lord.
By the Grace of Guru Nanak and Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das obtained the supreme status.
And when the call came for Him to depart, He merged in the Name of the Lord.
Through devotional worship in this world, the imperishable, immovable, immeasurable Lord is found. ||1||
The Guru gladly accepted the Lord's Will, and so the Guru easily reached the Lord God's Presence.
The True Guru prays to the Lord, "Please, save my honor. This is my prayer".
Please save the honor of Your humble servant, O Lord; please bless him with Your Immaculate Name.
At this time of final departure, it is our only help and support; it destroys death, and the Messenger of Death.
The Lord God heard the prayer of the True Guru, and granted His request.
The Lord showered His Mercy, and blended the True Guru with Himself; He said, "Blessed! Blessed! Wonderful!"||2||
Listen O my Sikhs, my children and Siblings of Destiny; it is my Lord's Will that I must now go to Him.
The Guru gladly accepted the Lord's Will, and my Lord God applauded Him.
One who is pleased with the Lord God's Will is a devotee, the True Guru, the Primal Lord.
The unstruck sound current of bliss resounds and vibrates; the Lord hugs him close in His embrace.
O my children, siblings and family, look carefully in your minds, and see.
The pre-ordained death warrant cannot be avoided; the Guru is going to be with the Lord God. ||3||
The True Guru, in His Own Sweet Will, sat up and summoned His family.
Let no one weep for me after I am gone. That would not please me at all.
When a friend receives a robe of honor, then his friends are pleased with his honor.
Consider this and see, O my children and siblings; the Lord has given the True Guru the robe of supreme honor.
The True Guru Himself sat up, and appointed the successor to the Throne of Raja Yoga, the Yoga of Meditation and Success.
All the Sikhs, relatives, children and siblings have fallen at the Feet of Guru Ram Das. ||4||
Finally, the True Guru said, "When I am gone, sing Kirtan in Praise of the Lord, in Nirvaanaa."
Call in the long-haired scholarly Saints of the Lord, to read the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har.
Read the sermon of the Lord, and listen to the Lord's Name; the Guru is pleased with love for the Lord.
Do not bother with offering rice-balls on leaves, lighting lamps, and other rituals like floating the body out on the Ganges; instead, let my remains be given up to the Lord's Pool.
The Lord was pleased as the True Guru spoke; he was blended then with the all-knowing Primal Lord God.
The Guru then blessed the Sodhi Ram Das with the ceremonial tilak mark, the insignia of the True Word of the Shabad. ||5||

And as the True Guru, the Primal Lord spoke, and the Gursikhs obeyed His Will.
His son Mohri turned sunmukh, and become obedient to Him; he bowed, and touched Ram Das' feet.
Then, everyone bowed and touched the feet of Ram Das, into whom the Guru infused His essence.
And any that did not bow then because of envy - later, the True Guru brought them around to bow in humility.
It pleased the Guru, the Lord, to bestow glorious greatness upon Him; such was the pre-ordained destiny of the Lord's Will.
Says Sundar, listen, O Saints: all the world fell at His feet. ||6||1||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Chhant:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Friend, my Friend - standing so near to me is my Friend!
Beloved, the Lord my Beloved - with my eyes, I have seen the Lord, my Beloved!
With my eyes I have seen Him, sleeping upon the bed within each and every heart; my Beloved is the sweetest ambrosial nectar.
He is with all, but he cannot be found; the fool does not know His taste.
Intoxicated with the wine of Maya, the mortal babbles on about trivial affairs; giving in to the illusion, he cannot meet the Lord.
Says Nanak, without the Guru, he cannot understand the Lord, the Friend who is standing near everyone. ||1||
God, my God - the Support of the breath of life is my God.
Merciful Lord, my Merciful Lord - the Giver of gifts is my Merciful Lord.
The Giver of gifts is infinite and unlimited; deep within each and every heart, He is so beautiful!
He created Maya, His slave, so powerfully pervasive - she has enticed all beings and creatures.
One whom the Lord saves, chants the True Name, and contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Says Nanak, one who is pleasing to God - God is very dear to him. ||2||
I take pride, I take pride in God; I take pride in my God.
Wise, God is wise; my Lord and Master is all-wise, and all-knowing.
All-wise and all-knowing, and forever supreme; the Name of the Lord is Ambrosial Nectar.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny recorded upon their foreheads, taste it, and are satisfied with the Lord of the Universe.
They meditate on Him, and find Him; they place all their pride in Him.
Says Nanak, He is seated on His eternal throne; True is His royal court. ||3||
The song of joy, the Lord's song of joy; listen to the song of joy of my God.
The wedding song, God's wedding song; the unstruck sound current of His wedding song resounds.
The unstruck sound current vibrates, and the Word of the Shabad resounds; there is continuous, continual rejoicing.
Meditating on that God, everything is obtained; He does not die, or come or go.
Thirst is quenched, and hopes are fulfilled; the Gurmukh meets with the absolute, unmanifest Lord.
Says Nanak, in the Home of my God, the songs of joy are continuously, continually heard. ||4||1||

Raamkalee Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, O mind; don't forget Him, even for an instant.
Enshrine the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, Raam, within your heart and throat.
Enshrine within your heart the Primal Lord, Har, Har, the all-pervading, supreme, immaculate Lord God.
He sends fear far away; He is the Destroyer of sin; He eradicates the unbearable pains of the terrifying world-ocean.
Contemplate the Lord of the World, the Cherisher of the World, the Lord, the Virtuous Lord of the Universe.
Prays Nanak, joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, remember the Lord, day and night. ||1||
His lotus feet are the support and anchor of His humble servants.
He takes the Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord, as his wealth, property and treasure.
Those who have the treasure of the Lord's Name, enjoy the taste of the One Lord.
They meditate on the Infinite Lord with each and every breath, as their pleasure, joy and beauty.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Destroyer of sins, the only deed of redemption. The Naam drives out the fear of the Messenger of Death.
Prays Nanak, the support of His lotus feet is the capital of His humble servant. ||2||
Your Glorious Virtues are endless, O my Lord and Master; no one knows them all.
Seeing and hearing of Your wondrous plays, O Merciful Lord, Your devotees narrate them.
All beings and creatures meditate on You, O Primal Transcendent Lord, Master of men.
All beings are beggars; You are the One Giver, O Lord of the Universe, Embodiment of mercy.
He alone is holy, a Saint, a truly wise person, who is accepted by the Dear Lord.
Prays Nanak, they alone realize You, unto whom You show Mercy. ||3||
I am unworthy and without any master; I seek Your Sanctuary, Lord.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Divine Guru, who has implanted the Naam within me.
The Guru blessed me with the Naam; happiness came, and all my desires were fulfilled.
The fire of desire has been quenched, and peace and tranquility have come; after such a long separation, I have met my Lord again.
I have found ecstasy, pleasure and true intuitive poise, singing the great glories, the song of bliss of the Lord.
Prays Nanak, I have obtained the Name of God from the Perfect Guru. ||4||2||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Rise early each morning, and with the Saints, sing the melodious harmony, the unstruck sound current of the Shabad.
All sins and sufferings are erased, chanting the Lord's Name, under Guru's Instructions.
Dwell upon the Lord's Name, and drink in the Nectar; day and night, worship and adore Him.
The merits of Yoga, charity and religious rituals are obtained by grasping His lotus feet.
Loving devotion to the merciful, enticing Lord takes away all pain.
Prays Nanak, cross over the world-ocean, meditating on the Lord, your Lord and Master. ||1||
Meditation on the Lord of the Universe is an ocean of peace; Your devotees sing Your Glorious Praises, Lord.
Ecstasy, bliss and great happiness are obtained by grasping hold of the Guru's feet.
Meeting with the treasure of peace, their pains are taken away; granting His Grace, God protects them.
Those who grasp the Lord's feet - their fears and doubts run away, and they chant the Name of the Lord.
He thinks of the One Lord, and he sings of the One God; he gazes upon the One Lord alone.

Prays Nanak, God has granted His Grace, and I have found the Perfect True Guru. ||2||
Meet with the holy, humble servants of God; meeting with the Lord, listen to the Kirtan of His Praises.
God is the Merciful Master, the Lord of wealth; there is no end to His Virtues.
The Merciful Lord is the Dispeller of pain, the Giver of Sanctuary, the Eradicator of all evil.
Emotional attachment, sorrow, corruption and pain - chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one is saved from these.
All beings are Yours, O my God; bless me with Your Mercy, that I may become the dust under the feet of all men.
Prays Nanak, O God, be kind to me, that I may chant Your Name, and live. ||3||
God saves His humble devotees, attaching them to His feet.
Twenty-four hours a day, they meditate in remembrance on their God; they meditae on the One Name.
Meditating on that God, they cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and their comings and goings cease.
They enjoy eternal peace and pleasure, singing the Kirtan of God's Praises; His Will seems so sweet to them.
All my desires are fulfilled, meeting with the Perfect True Guru.
Prays Nanak, God has blended me with Himself; I shall never suffer pain or sorrow again. ||4||3||
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Chhant.
Shalok:
In the Sanctuary of His lotus feet, I sing His Glorious Praises in ecstasy and bliss.
O Nanak, worship God in adoration, the Eradicator of misfortune. ||1||
Chhant:
God is the Eradicator of misfortune; there is none other than Him.
Forever and ever, remember the Lord in meditation; He is permeating the water, the land and the sky.
He is permeating and pervading the water, the land and the sky; do not forget Him from your mind, even for an instant.
Blessed was that day, when I grasped the Guru's feet; all virtues rest in the Lord of the Universe.
So serve Him day and night, O servant; whatever pleases Him, happens.
Nanak is a sacrifice to the Giver of peace; his mind and body are enlightened. ||1||
Shalok:
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the mind and body find peace; the thought of duality is dispelled.
Nanak takes the support of the Lord of the World, the Lord of the Universe, the Destroyer of troubles. ||1||
Chhant:
The Merciful Lord has eradicated my fears and troubles.
In ecstasy, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; God is the Cherisher, the Master of the meek.
The Cherishing Lord is imperishable, the One and only Primal Lord; I am imbued with His Love.
When I placed my hands and forehead upon His Feet, He blended me with Himself; I became awake and aware forever, night and day.
My soul, body, household and home belong to Him, along with my body, youth, wealth and property.
Forever and ever, Nanak is a sacrifice to Him, who cherishes and nurtures all beings. ||2||
Shalok:
My tongue chants the Name of the Lord, and chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Nanak has grasped the sheltering support of the One Transcendent Lord, who shall save him in the end. ||1||
Chhant:
He is God, our Lord and Master, our Saving Grace. Grab hold of the hem of His robe.
Vibrate, and meditate on the Merciful Divine Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; renounce your intellectual mind.

Seek the Support of the One Lord, and surrender your soul to Him; place your hopes only in the Sustainer of the World.
Those who are imbued with the Lord's Name, in the Saadh Sangat, cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
The corrupting sins of birth and death are eradicated, and no stain ever sticks to them again.
Nanak is a sacrifice to the Perfect Primal Lord; His marriage is eternal. ||3||
Shalok:
Righteous faith, wealth, sexual success and salvation; the Lord bestows these four blessings.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny upon his forehead, O Nanak, has all his desires fulfilled. ||1||
Chhant:
All my desires are fulfilled, meeting with my Immaculate, Sovereign Lord.
I am in ecstasy, O very fortunate ones; the Dear Lord has become manifest in my own home.
My Beloved has come to my home, because of my past actions; how can I count His Glories?
The Lord, the Giver of peace and intuition, is infinite and perfect; with what tongue can I describe His Glorious Virtues?
He hugs me close in His embrace, and merges me into Himself; there is no place of rest other than Him.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to the Creator, who is contained in, and permeating all. ||4||4||
Raag Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the melodious harmonies, O my companions, and meditate on the One Lord.
Serve your True Guru, O my companions, and you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires.
Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl, Ruti ~ The Seasons. Shalok:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Bow to the Supreme Lord God, and seek the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Cast out your self-conceit, and vibrate, meditate, on the Lord, Har, Har. O Nanak, God is all-pervading. ||1||
He is the Eradicator of sins, the Destroyer of fear, the Ocean of peace, the Sovereign Lord King.
Merciful to the meek, the Destroyer of pain: O Nanak, always meditate on Him. ||2||
Chhant:
Sing His Praises, O very fortunate ones, and the Dear Lord God shall bless you with His Mercy.
Blessed and auspicious is that season, that month, that moment, that hour, when you chant the Lord's Glorious Praises.
Blessed are those humble beings, who are imbued with love for His Praises, and who meditate single-mindedly on Him.
Their lives become fruitful, and they find that Lord God.
Donations to charities and religious rituals are not equal to meditation on the Lord, who destroys all sins.
Prays Nanak, meditating in remembrance on Him, I live; birth and death are finished for me. ||1||
Shalok:
Strive for the inaccessible and unfathomable Lord, and bow in humility to His lotus feet.
O Nanak, that sermon alone is pleasing to You, Lord, which inspires us to take the Support of the Name. ||1||
Seek the Sanctuary of the Saints, O friends; meditate in remembrance on your infinite Lord and Master.
The dried branch shall blossom forth in its greenery again, O Nanak, meditating on the Lord God. ||2||
Chhant:
The season of spring is delightful; the months of Chayt and Baisaakhi are the most pleasant months.
I have obtained the Dear Lord as my Husband, and my mind, body and breath have blossomed forth.
The eternal, unchanging Lord has come into my home as my Husband, O my companions; dwelling upon His lotus feet, I blossom forth in bliss.

The Lord of the Universe is beautiful, proficient, wise and all-knowing;
His Virtues are priceless. By great good fortune, I have found Him; my pain is dispelled, and my hopes are fulfilled.
Prays Nanak, I have entered Your Sanctuary, Lord, and my fear of death is eradicated. ||2||
Shalok:
Without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one dies wandering around in confusion, performing all sorts of rituals.
O Nanak, all are bound by the attractive bonds of Maya, and the karmic record of past actions. ||1||
Those who are pleasing to God are united with Him; He separates others from Himself.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God; His greatness is glorious! ||2||
Chhant:
In the summer season, in the months of Jayt'h and Asaarh, the heat is terrible, intense and severe.
The discarded bride is separated from His Love, and the Lord does not even look at her.
She does not see her Lord, and she dies with an aching sigh; she is defrauded and plundered by her great pride.
She flails around, like a fish out of water; attached to Maya, she is alienated from the Lord.
She sins, and so she is fearful of reincarnation; the Messenger of Death will surely punish her.
Prays Nanak, take me under Your sheltering support, Lord, and protect me; You are the Fulfiller of desire. ||3||
Shalok:
With loving faith, I am attached to my Beloved; I cannot survive without Him, even for an instant.
He is permeating and pervading my mind and body, O Nanak, with intuitive ease. ||1||
My Friend has taken me by the hand; He has been my best friend, lifetime after lifetime.
He has made me the slave of His feet; O Nanak, my consciousness is filled with love for God. ||2||
Chhant:
The rainy season is beautiful; the months of Saawan and Bhaadon bring bliss.
The clouds are low, and heavy with rain; the waters and the lands are filled with honey.
God is all-pervading everywhere; the nine treasures of the Lord's Name fill the homes of all hearts.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord and Master, the Searcher of hearts, all one's ancestry is saved.
No blemish sticks to that being who remains awake and aware in the Love of the Lord; the Merciful Lord is forever forgiving.
Prays Nanak, I have found my Husband Lord, who is forever pleasing to my mind. ||4||
Shalok:
Thirsty with desire, I wander around; when will I behold the Lord of the World?
Is there any humble Saint, any friend, O Nanak, who can lead me to meet with God? ||1||
Without meeting Him, I have no peace or tranquility; I cannot survive for a moment, even for an instant.
Entering the Sanctuary of the Lord's Holy Saints, O Nanak, my desires are fulfilled. ||2||
Chhant:
In the cool, autumn season, in the months of Assu and Katik, I am thirsty for the Lord.
Searching for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, I wander around wondering, when will I meet my Lord, the treasure of virtue?
Without my Beloved Husband Lord, I find no peace, and all my necklaces and bracelets become cursed.
So beautiful, so wise, so clever and knowing; still, without the breath, it is just a body.
I look here and there, in the ten directions; my mind is so thirsty to meet God!
Prays Nanak, shower Your Mercy upon me; unite me with Yourself, O God, O treasure of virtue. ||5||
Shalok:
The fire of desire is cooled and quenched; my mind and body are filled with peace and tranquility.
O Nanak, I have met my Perfect God; the illusion of duality is dispelled. ||1||

The Lord Himself sent His Holy Saints, to tell us that He is not far away.
O Nanak, doubt and fear are dispelled, chanting the Name of the all-pervading Lord. ||2||
Chhant:
In the cold season of Maghar and Poh, the Lord reveals Himself.
My burning desires were quenched, when I obtained the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; the fraudulent illusion of Maya is gone.
All my desires have been fulfilled, meeting the Lord face-to-face; I am His servant, I serve at His feet.
My necklaces, hair-ties, all decorations and adornments, are in singing the Glorious Praises of the unseen, mysterious Lord.
I long for loving devotion to the Lord of the Universe, and so the Messenger of Death cannot even see me.
Prays Nanak, God has united me with Himself; I shall never suffer separation from my Beloved again. ||6||
Shalok:
The happy soul bride has found the wealth of the Lord; her consciousness does not waver.
Joining together with the Saints, O Nanak, God, my Friend, has revealed Himself in my home. ||1||
With her Beloved Husband Lord, she enjoys millions of melodies, pleasures and joys.
The fruits of the mind's desires are obtained, O Nanak, chanting the Lord's Name. ||2||
Chhant:
The snowy winter season, the months of Maagh and Phagun, are pleasing and ennobling to the mind.
O my friends and companions, sing the songs of joy; my Husband Lord has come into my home.
My Beloved has come into my home; I meditate on Him in my mind. The bed of my heart is beautifully adorned.
The woods, the meadows and the three worlds have blossomed forth in their greenery; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, I am fascinated.
I have met my Lord and Master, and my desires are fulfilled; my mind chants His Immaculate Mantra.
Prays Nanak, I celebrate continuously; I have met my Husband Lord, the Lord of excellence. ||7||
Shalok:
The Saints are the helpers, the support of the soul; they carry us cross the terrifying world-ocean.
Know that they are the highest of all; O Nanak, they love the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Those who know Him, cross over; they are the brave heroes, the heroic warriors.
Nanak is a sacrifice to those who meditate on the Lord, and cross over to the other shore. ||2||
Chhant:
His feet are exalted above all. They eradicate all suffering.
They destroy the pains of coming and going. They bring loving devotion to the Lord.
Imbued with the Lord's Love, one is intoxicated with intuitive peace and poise, and does not forget the Lord from his mind, even for an instant.
Shedding my self-conceit, I have entered the Sanctuary of His Feet; all virtues rest in the Lord of the Universe.
I bow in humility to the Lord of the Universe, the treasure of virtue, the Lord of excellence, our Primal Lord and Master.
Prays Nanak, shower me with Your Mercy, Lord; throughout the ages, You take the same form. ||8||1||6||8||
Raamkalee, First Mehl, Dakhanee, Ongkaar:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
From Ongkaar, the One Universal Creator God, Brahma was created.
He kept Ongkaar in his consciousness.
From Ongkaar, the mountains and the ages were created.
Ongkaar created the Vedas.

Ongkaar saves the world through the Shabad.
Ongkaar saves the Gurmukhs.
Listen to the Message of the Universal, Imperishable Creator Lord.
The Universal, Imperishable Creator Lord is the essence of the three worlds. ||1||
Listen, O Pandit, O religious scholar, why are you writing about worldly debates?
As Gurmukh, write only the Name of the Lord, the Lord of the World. ||1||Pause||
Sassa: He created the entire universe with ease; His One Light pervades the three worlds.
Become Gurmukh, and obtain the real thing; gather the gems and pearls.
If one understands, realizes and comprehends what he reads and studies, in the end he shall realize that the True Lord dwells deep within his nucleus.
The Gurmukh sees and contemplates the True Lord; without the True Lord, the world is false. ||2||
Dhadha: Those who enshrine Dharmic faith and dwell in the City of Dharma are worthy; their minds are steadfast and stable.
Dhadha: If the dust of their feet touches one's face and forehead, he is transformed from iron into gold.
Blessed is the Support of the Earth; He Himself is not born; His measure and speech are perfect and True.
Only the Creator Himself knows His own extent; He alone knows the Brave Guru. ||3||
In love with duality, spiritual wisdom is lost; the mortal rots away in pride, and eats poison.
He thinks that the sublime essence of the Guru's song is useless, and he does not like to hear it. He loses the profound, unfathomable Lord.
Through the Guru's Words of Truth, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained, and the mind and body find joy in the True Lord.
He Himself is the Gurmukh, and He Himself bestows the Ambrosial Nectar; He Himself leads us to drink it in. ||4||
Everyone says that God is the One and only, but they are engrossed in egotism and pride.
Realize that the One God is inside and outside; understand this, that the Mansion of His Presence is within the home of your heart.
God is near at hand; do not think that God is far away. The One Lord permeates the entire universe.
There in One Universal Creator Lord; there is no other at all. O Nanak, merge into the One Lord. ||5||
How can you keep the Creator under your control? He cannot be seized or measured.
Maya has made the mortal insane; she has administered the poisonous drug of falsehood.
Addicted to greed and avarice, the mortal is ruined, and then later, he regrets and repents.
So serve the One Lord, and attain the state of Salvation; your comings and goings shall cease. ||6||
The One Lord is in all actions, colors and forms.
He manifests in many shapes through wind, water and fire.
The One Soul wanders through the three worlds.
One who understands and comprehends the One Lord is honored.
One who gathers in spiritual wisdom and meditation, dwells in the state of balance.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, attain the One Lord.
They alone find peace, whom the Lord blesses with His Grace.
In the Gurdwara, the Guru's Door, they speak and hear of the Lord. ||7||
His Light illuminates the ocean and the earth.
Throughout the three worlds, is the Guru, the Lord of the World.
The Lord reveals His various forms;
granting His Grace, He enters the home of the heart.
The clouds hang low, and the rain is pouring down.
The Lord embellishes and exalts with the Sublime Word of the Shabad.
One who knows the mystery of the One God,
is Himself the Creator, Himself the Divine Lord. ||8||
When the sun rises, the demons are slain;
the mortal looks upwards, and contemplates the Shabad.
The Lord is beyond the beginning and the end, beyond the three worlds.
He Himself acts, speaks and listens.

He is the Architect of Destiny; He blesses us with mind and body.
That Architect of Destiny is in my mind and mouth.
God is the Life of the world; there is no other at all.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one is honored. ||9||
One who lovingly chants the Name of the Sovereign Lord King,
fights the battle and conquers his own mind;
day and night, he remains imbued with the Lord's Love.
He is famous throughout the three worlds and the four ages.
One who knows the Lord, becomes like Him.
He becomes absolutely immaculate, and his body is sanctified.
His heart is happy, in love with the One Lord.
He lovingly centers his attention deep within upon the True Word of the Shabad. ||10||
Don't be angry - drink in the Ambrosial Nectar; you shall not remain in this world forever.
The ruling kings and the paupers shall not remain; they come and go, throughout the four ages.
Everyone says that they will remain, but none of them remain; unto whom should I offer my prayer?
The One Shabad, the Name of the Lord, will never fail you; the Guru grants honor and understanding. ||11||
My shyness and hesitation have died and gone, and I walk with my face unveiled.
The confusion and doubt from my crazy, insane mother-in-law has been removed from over my head.
My Beloved has summoned me with joyful caresses; my mind is filled with the bliss of the Shabad.
Imbued with the Love of my Beloved, I have become Gurmukh, and carefree. ||12||
Chant the jewel of the Naam, and earn the profit of the Lord.
Greed, avarice, evil and egotism;
slander, inuendo and gossip;
the self-willed manmukh is blind, foolish and ignorant.
For the sake of earning the profit of the Lord, the mortal comes into the world.
But he becomes a mere slave laborer, and is mugged by the mugger, Maya.
One who earns the profit of the Naam, with the capital of faith,
O Nanak, is truly honored by the True Supreme King. ||13||
The world is ruined on the path of Death.
No one has the power to erase Maya's influence.
If wealth visits the home of the lowliest clown,
seeing that wealth, all pay their respects to him.
Even an idiot is thought of as clever, if he is rich.
Without devotional worship, the world is insane.
The One Lord is contained among all.
He reveals Himself, unto those whom He blesses with His Grace. ||14||
Throughout the ages, the Lord is eternally established; He has no vengeance.
He is not subject to birth and death; He is not entangled in worldly affairs.
Whatever is seen, is the Lord Himself.
Creating Himself, He establishes Himself in the heart.
He Himself is unfathomable; He links people to their affairs.
He is the Way of Yoga, the Life of the World.
Living a righteous lifestyle, true peace is found.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, how can anyone find liberation? ||15||
Without the Name, even one's own body is an enemy.
Why not meet the Lord, and take away the pain of your mind?
The traveller comes and goes along the highway.
What did he bring when he came, and what will he take away when he goes?
Without the Name, one loses everywhere.
The profit is earned, when the Lord grants understanding.
In merchandise and trade, the merchant is trading.
Without the Name, how can one find honor and nobility? ||16||
One who contemplates the Lord's Virtues is spiritually wise.
Through His Virtues, one receives spiritual wisdom.
How rare in this world, is the Giver of virtue.
The True way of life comes through contemplation of the Guru.
The Lord is inaccessible and unfathomable. His worth cannot be estimated.

They alone meet Him, whom the Lord causes to meet.
The virtuous soul bride continually contemplates His Virtues.
O Nanak, following the Guru's Teachings, one meets the Lord, the true friend. ||17||
Unfulfilled sexual desire and unresolved anger waste the body away,
as gold is dissolved by borax.
The gold is touched to the touchstone, and tested by fire;
when its pure color shows through, it is pleasing to the eye of the assayer.
The world is a beast, and arrogent Death is the butcher.
The created beings of the Creator receive the karma of their actions.
He who created the world, knows its worth.
What else can be said? There is nothing at all to say. ||18||
Searching, searching, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
I have adopted the way of tolerance, and given my mind to the True Guru.
Everyone calls himself true and genuine.
He alone is true, who obtains the jewel throughout the four ages.
Eating and drinking, one dies, but still does not know.
He dies in an instant, when he realizes the Word of the Shabad.
His consciousness becomes permanently stable, and his mind accepts death.
By Guru's Grace, he realizes the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||19||
The Profound Lord dwells in the sky of the mind, the Tenth Gate;
singing His Glorious Praises, one dwells in intuitive poise and peace.
He does not go to come, or come to go.
By Guru's Grace, he remains lovingly focused on the Lord.
The Lord of the mind-sky is inaccessible, independent and beyond birth.
The most worthy Samaadhi is to keep the consciousness stable, focused on Him.
Remembering the Lord's Name, one is not subject to reincarnation.
The Guru's Teachings are the most Excellent; all other ways lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||20||
Wandering to countless doorsteps and homes, I have grown weary.
My incarnations are countless, without limit.
I have had so many mothers and fathers, sons and daughters.
I have had so many gurus and disciples.
Through a false guru, liberation is not found.
There are so many brides of the One Husband Lord - consider this.
The Gurmukh dies, and lives with God.
Searching in the ten directions, I found Him within my own home.
I have met Him; the True Guru has led me to meet Him. ||21||
The Gurmukh sings, and the Gurmukh speaks.
The Gurmukh evaluates the value of the Lord, and inspires others to evaluate Him as well.
The Gurmukh comes and goes without fear.
His filth is taken away, and his stains are burnt off.
The Gurmukh contemplates the sound current of the Naad for his Vedas.
The Gurmukh's cleansing bath is the performance of good deeds.
For the Gurmukh, the Shabad is the most excellent Ambrosial Nectar.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh crosses over. ||22||
The fickle consciousness does not remain stable.
The deer secretly nibbles at the green sprouts.
One who enshrines the Lord's lotus feet in his heart and consciousness
lives long, always remembering the Lord.
Everyone has worries and cares.
He alone finds peace, who thinks of the One Lord.
When the Lord dwells in the consciousness, and one is absorbed in the Lord's Name,
one is liberated, and returns home with honor. ||23||
The body falls apart, when one knot is untied.
Behold, the world is on the decline; it will be totally destroyed.
Only one who looks alike upon sunshine and shade
has his bonds shattered; he is liberated and returns home.
Maya is empty and petty; she has defrauded the world.
Such destiny is pre-ordained by past actions.
Youth is wasting away; old age and death hover above the head.

The body falls apart, like algae upon the water. ||24||
God Himself appears throughout the three worlds.
Throughout the ages, He is the Great Giver; there is no other at all.
As it pleases You, You protect and preserve us.
I ask for the Lord's Praises, which bless me with honor and credit.
Remaining awake and aware, I am pleasing to You, O Lord.
When You unite me with Yourself, then I am merged in You.
I chant Your Victorious Praises, O Life of the World.
Accepting the Guru's Teachings, one is sure to merge in the One Lord. ||25||
Why do you speak such nonsense, and argue with the world?
You shall die repenting, when you see your own insanity.
He is born, only to die, but he does not wish to live.
He comes hopeful, and then goes, without hope.
Regretting, repenting and grieving, he is dust mixing with dust.
Death does not chew up one who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The nine treasures are obtained through the Name of the Lord;
the Lord bestows intuitive peace and poise. ||26||
He speaks spiritual wisdom, and He Himself understands it.
He Himself knows it, and He Himself comprehends it.
One who takes the Words of the Guru into his very fiber,
is immaculate and holy, and is pleasing to the True Lord.
In the ocean of the Guru, there is no shortage of pearls.
The treasure of jewels is truly inexhaustible.
Do those deeds which the Guru has ordained.
Why are you chasing after the Guru's actions?
O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, merge in the True Lord. ||27||
Love is broken, when one speaks in defiance.
The arm is broken, when it is pulled from both sides.
Love breaks, when the speech goes sour.
The Husband Lord abandons and leaves behind the evil-minded bride.
The broken knot is tied again, through contemplation and meditation.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one's affairs are resolved in one's own home.
One who earns the profit of the True Name, will not lose it again;
the Lord and Master of the three worlds is your best friend. ||28||
Control your mind, and keep it in its place.
The world is destroyed by conflict, regretting its sinful mistakes.
There is one Husband Lord, and all are His brides.
The false bride wears many costumes.
He stops her from going into the homes of others;
He summons her to the Mansion of His Presence, and no obstacles block her path.
She is embellished with the Word of the Shabad, and is loved by the True Lord.
She is the happy soul bride, who takes the Support of her Lord and Master. ||29||
Wandering and roaming around, O my companion, your beautiful robes are torn.
In jealousy, the body is not at peace; without the Fear of God, multitudes are ruined.
One who remains dead within her own home, through the Fear of God, is looked upon with favor by her all-knowing Husband Lord.
She maintains fear of her Guru, and chants the Name of the Fearless Lord.
Living on the mountain, I suffer such great thirst; when I see Him, I know that He is not far away.
My thirst is quenched, and I have accepted the Word of the Shabad. I drink my fill of the Ambrosial Nectar.
Everyone says, "Give! Give!" As He pleases, He gives.
Through the Gurdwara, the Guru's Door, He gives, and quenches the thirst. ||30||
Searching and seeking, I fell down and collapsed upon the bank of the river of life.
Those who are heavy with sin sink down, but those who are light swim across.
I am a sacrifice to those who meet the immortal and immeasurable Lord.
The dust of their feet brings emancipation; in their company, we are united in the Lord's Union.
I gave my mind to my Guru, and received the Immaculate Name.

I serve the One who gave me the Naam; I am a sacrifice to Him.
He who builds, also demolishes; there is no other than Him.
By Guru's Grace, I contemplate Him, and then my body does not suffer in pain. ||31||
No one is mine - whose gown should I grasp and hold? No one ever was, and no one shall ever be mine.
Coming and going, one is ruined, afflicted with the disease of dual-mindedness.
Those beings who lack the Naam, the Name of the Lord, collapse like pillars of salt.
Without the Name, how can they find release? They fall into hell in the end.
Using a limited number of words, we describe the unlimited True Lord.
The ignorant lack understanding. Without the Guru, there is no spiritual wisdom.
The separated soul is like the broken string of a guitar, which does not vibrate its sound.
God unites the separated souls with Himself, awakening their destiny. ||32||
The body is the tree, and the mind is the bird; the birds in the tree are the five senses.
They peck at the essence of reality, and merge with the One Lord. They are never trapped at all.
But the others fly away in a hurry, when they see the food.
Their feathers are clipped, and they are caught in the noose; through their mistakes, they are caught in disaster.
Without the True Lord, how can anyone find release? The jewel of the Lord's Glorious Praises comes by the karma of good actions.
When He Himself releases them, only then are they released. He Himself is the Great Master.
By Guru's Grace, they are released, when He Himself grants His Grace.
Glorious greatness rests in His Hands. He blesses those with whom He is pleased. ||33||
The soul trembles and shakes, when it loses its mooring and support.
Only the support of the True Lord brings honor and glory. Through it, one's works are never in vain.
The Lord is eternal and forever stable; the Guru is stable, and contemplation upon the True Lord is stable.
O Lord and Master of angels, men and Yogic masters, You are the support of the unsupported.
In all places and interspaces, You are the Giver, the Great Giver.
Wherever I look, there I see You, Lord; You have no end or limitation.
You are pervading and permeating the places and interspaces; reflecting upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad, You are found.
You give gifts even when they are not asked for; You are great, inaccessible and infinite. ||34||
O Merciful Lord, You are the embodiment of mercy; creating the Creation, You behold it.
Please shower Your Mercy upon me, O God, and unite me with Yourself. In an instant, You destroy and rebuild.
You are all-wise and all-seeing; You are the Greatest Giver of all givers.
He is the Eradicator of poverty, and the Destroyer of pain; the Gurmukh realizes spiritual wisdom and meditation. ||35||
Losing his wealth, he cries out in anguish; the fool's consciousness is engrossed in wealth.
How rare are those who gather the wealth of Truth, and love the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
If by losing your wealth, you may become absorbed in the Love of the One Lord, then just let it go.
Dedicate your mind, and surrender your head; seek only the Support of the Creator Lord.
Worldly affairs and wanderings cease, when the mind is filled with the bliss of the Shabad.
Even one's enemies become friends, meeting with the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
Wandering from forest to forest searching, you will find that those things are within the home of your own heart.
United by the True Guru, you shall remain united, and the pains of birth and death will be ended. ||36||
Through various rituals, one does not find release. Without virtue, one is sent to the City of Death.
One will not have this world or the next; committing sinful mistakes, one comes to regret and repent in the end.

He has neither spiritual wisdom or meditation; neither Dharmic faith mor meditation.
Without the Name, how can one be fearless? How can he understand egotistical pride?
I am so tired - how can I get there? This ocean has no bottom or end.
I have no loving companions, whom I can ask for help.
O Nanak, crying out, "Beloved, Beloved", we are united with the Uniter.
He who separated me, unites me again; my love for the Guru is infinite. ||37||
Sin is bad, but it is dear to the sinner.
He loads himself with sin, and expands his world through sin.
Sin is far away from one who understands himself.
He is not afflicted by sorrow or separation.
How can one avoid falling into hell? How can he cheat the Messenger of Death?
How can coming and going be forgotten? Falsehood is bad, and death is cruel.
The mind is enveloped by entanglements, and into entanglements it falls.
Without the Name, how can anyone be saved? They rot away in sin. ||38||
Again and again, the crow falls into the trap.
Then he regrets it, but what can he do now?
Even though he is trapped, he pecks at the food; he does not understand.
If he meets the True Guru, then he sees with his eyes.
Like a fish, he is caught in the noose of death.
Do not seek liberation from anyone else, except the Guru, the Great Giver.
Over and over again, he comes; over and over again, he goes.
Be absorbed in love for the One Lord, and remain lovingly focused on Him.
In this way you shall be saved, and you shall not fall into the trap again. ||39||
She calls out, "Brother, O brother - stay, O brother!" But he becomes a stranger.
Her brother departs for his own home, and his sister burns with the pain of separation.
In this world, her father's home, the daughter, the innocent soul bride, loves her Young Husband Lord.
If you long for your Husband Lord, O soul bride, then serve the True Guru with love.
How rare are the spiritually wise, who meet the True Guru, and truly understand.
All glorious greatness rests in the Lord and Master's Hands. He grants them, when He is pleased.
How rare are those who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Bani; they become Gurmukh.
This is the Bani of the Supreme Being; through it, one dwells within the home of his inner being. ||40||
Shattering and breaking apart, He creates and re-creates; creating, He shatters again. He builds up what He has demolished, and demolishes what He has built.
He dries up the pools which are full, and fills the dried tanks again. He is all-powerful and independent.
Deluded by doubt, they have gone insane; without destiny, what do they obtain?
The Gurmukhs know that God holds the string; wherever He pulls it, they must go.
Those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, are forever imbued with His Love; they never again feel regret.
Bhabha: If someone seeks, and then becomes Gurmukh, then he comes to dwell in the home of his own heart.
Bhabha: The way of the terrifying world-ocean is treacherous. Remain free of hope, in the midst of hope, and you shall cross over.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to understand himself; in this way, he remains dead while yet alive. ||41||
Crying out for the wealth and riches of Maya, they die; but Maya does not go along with them.
The soul-swan arises and departs, sad and depressed, leaving its wealth behind.
The false mind is hunted by the Messenger of Death; it carries its faults along when it goes.
The mind turns inward, and merges with mind, when it is with virtue.

Crying out, "Mine, mine!", they have died, but without the Name, they find only pain.
So where are their forts, mansions, palaces and courts? They are like a short story.
O Nanak, without the True Name, the false just come and go.
He Himself is clever and so very beautiful; He Himself is wise and all-knowing. ||42||
Those who come, must go in the end; they come and go, regretting and repenting.
They will pass through 8.4 millions species; this number does not decrease or rise.
They alone are saved, who love the Lord.
Their worldly entanglements are ended, and Maya is conquered.
Whoever is seen, shall depart; who should I make my friend?
I dedicate my soul, and place my body and mind in offering before Him.
You are eternally stable, O Creator, Lord and Master; I lean on Your Support.
Conquered by virtue, egotism is killed; imbued with the Word of the Shabad, the mind rejects the world. ||43||
Neither the kings nor the nobles will remain; neither the rich nor the poor will remain.
When one's turn comes, no one can stay here.
The path is difficult and treacherous; the pools and mountains are impassable.
My body is filled with faults; I am dying of grief. Without virtue, how can I enter my home?
The virtuous take virtue, and meet God; how can I meet them with love?
If ony I could be like them, chanting and meditating within my heart on the Lord.
He is overflowing with faults and demerits, but virtue dwells within him as well.
Without the True Guru, he does not see God's Virtues; he does not chant the Glorious Virtues of God. ||44||
God's soldiers take care of their homes; their pay is pre-ordained, before they come into the world.
They serve their Supreme Lord and Master, and obtain the profit.
They renounce greed, avarice and evil, and forget them from their minds.
In the fortress of the body, they announce the victory of their Supreme King; they are never ever vanquished.
One who calls himself a servant of his Lord and Master, and yet speaks defiantly to Him,
shall forfeit his pay, and not be seated upon the throne.
Glorious greatness rests in the hands of my Beloved; He gives, according to the Pleasure of His Will.
He Himself does everything; who else should we address? No one else does anything. ||45||
I cannot conceive of any other, who could be seated upon the royal cushions.
The Supreme Man of men eradicates hell; He is True, and True is His Name.
I wandered around searching for Him in the forests and meadows; I contemplate Him within my mind.
The treasures of myriads of pearls, jewels and emeralds are in the hands of the True Guru.
Meeting with God, I am exalted and elevated; I love the One Lord single-mindedly.
O Nanak, one who lovingly meets with his Beloved, earns profit in the world hereafter.
He who created and formed the creation, made your form as well.
As Gurmukh, meditate on the Infinite Lord, who has no end or limitation. ||46||
Rharha: The Dear Lord is beautiful;
There is no other king, except Him.
Rharha: Listen to the spell, and the Lord will come to dwell in your mind.
By Guru's Grace, one finds the Lord; do not be deluded by doubt.
He alone is the true banker, who has the capital of the wealth of the Lord.
The Gurmukh is perfect - applaud him!
Through the beautiful Word of the Guru's Bani, the Lord is obtained; contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

Self-conceit is eliminated, and pain is eradicated; the soul bride obtains her Husband Lord. ||47||
He hoards gold and silver, but this wealth is false and poisonous, nothing more than ashes.
He calls himself a banker, gathering wealth, but he is ruined by his dual-mindedness.
The truthful ones gather Truth; the True Name is priceless.
The Lord is immaculate and pure; through Him, their honor is true, and their speech is true.
You are my friend and companion, all-knowing Lord; You are the lake, and You are the swan.
I am a sacrifice to that being, whose mind is filled with the True Lord and Master.
Know the One who created love and attachment to Maya, the Enticer.
One who realizes the all-knowing Primal Lord, looks alike upon poison and nectar. ||48||
Without patience and forgiveness, countless hundreds of thousands have perished.
Their numbers cannot be counted; how could I count them? Bothered and bewildered, uncounted numbers have died.
One who realizes his Lord and Master is set free, and not bound by chains.
Through the Word of the Shabad, enter the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; you shall be blessed with patience, forgiveness, truth and peace.
Partake of the true wealth of meditation, and the Lord Himself shall abide within your body.
With mind, body and mouth, chant His Glorious Virtues forever; courage and composure shall enter deep within your mind.
Through egotism, one is distracted and ruined; other than the Lord, all things are corrupt.
Forming His creatures, He placed Himself within them; the Creator is unattached and infinite. ||49||
No one knows the mystery of the Creator of the World.
Whatever the Creator of the World does, is certain to occur.
For wealth, some meditate on the Lord.
By pre-ordained destiny, wealth is obtained.
For the sake of wealth, some become servants or thieves.
Wealth does not go along with them when they die; it passes into the hands of others.
Without Truth, honor is not obtained in the Court of the Lord.
Drinking in the subtle essence of the Lord, one is emancipated in the end. ||50||
Seeing and perceiving, O my companions, I am wonder-struck and amazed.
My egotism, which proclaimed itself in possessiveness and self-conceit, is dead. My mind chants the Word of the Shabad, and attains spiritual wisdom.
I am so tired of wearing all these necklaces, hair-ties and bracelets, and decorating myself.
Meeting with my Beloved, I have found peace; now, I wear the necklace of total virtue.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh attains the Lord, with love and affection.
Without the Lord, who has found peace? Reflect upon this in your mind, and see.
Read about the Lord, understand the Lord, and enshrine love for the Lord.
Chant the Lord's Name, and meditate on the Lord; hold tight to the Support of the Name of the Lord. ||51||
The inscription inscribed by the Creator Lord cannot be erased, O my companions.
He who created the universe, in His Mercy, installs His Feet within us.
Glorious greatness rests in the Hands of the Creator; reflect upon the Guru, and understand this.
This inscription cannot be challenged. As it pleases You, You care for me.
By Your Glance of Grace, I have found peace; O Nanak, reflect upon the Shabad.
The self-willed manmukhs are confused; they rot away and die. Only by reflecting upon the Guru can they be saved.
What can anyone say, about that Primal Lord, who cannot be seen?
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has revealed Him to me, within my own heart. ||52||
That Pandit, that religious scholar, is said to be well-educated, if he contemplates knowledge with intuitive ease.

Considering his knowledge, he finds the essence of reality, and lovingly focuses his attention on the Name of the Lord.
The self-willed manmukh sells his knowledge; he earns poison, and eats poison.
The fool does not think of the Word of the Shabad. He has no understanding, no comprehension. ||53||
That Pandit is called Gurmukh, who imparts understanding to his students.
Contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord; gather in the Naam, and earn the true profit in this world.
With the true notebook of the true mind, study the most sublime Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, he alone is learned, and he alone is a wise Pandit, who wears the necklace of the Lord's Name. ||54||1||
Raamkalee, First Mehl, Sidh Gosht ~ Conversations With The Siddhas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Siddhas formed an assembly; sitting in their Yogic postures, they shouted, "Salute this gathering of Saints."
I offer my salutation to the One who is true, infinite and incomparably beautiful.
I cut off my head, and offer it to Him; I dedicate my body and mind to Him.
O Nanak, meeting with the Saints, Truth is obtained, and one is spontaneously blessed with distinction. ||1||
What is the use of wandering around? Purity comes only through Truth.
Without the True Word of the Shabad, no one finds liberation. ||1||Pause||
"Who are you? What is your name? What is your way? What is your goal?
We pray that you will answer us truthfully; we are a sacrifice to the humble Saints.
Where is your seat? Where do you live, boy? Where did you come from, and where are you going?
Tell us, Nanak - the detached Siddhas wait to hear your reply. What is your path?"||2||
He dwells deep within the nucleus of each and every heart. This is my seat and my home. I walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
I came from the Celestial Lord God; I go wherever He orders me to go. I am Nanak, forever under the Command of His Will.
I sit in the posture of the eternal, imperishable Lord. These are the Teachings I have received from the Guru.
As Gurmukh, I have come to understand and realize myself; I merge in the Truest of the True. ||3||
"The world-ocean is treacherous and impassable; how can one cross over?
Charpat the Yogi says, O Nanak, think it over, and give us your true reply."
What answer can I give to someone, who claims to understand himself?
I speak the Truth; if you have already crossed over, how can I argue with you? ||4||
The lotus flower floats untouched upon the surface of the water, and the duck swims through the stream;
with one's consciousness focused on the Word of the Shabad, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. O Nanak, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
One who lives alone, as a hermit, enshrining the One Lord in his mind, remaining unaffected by hope in the midst of hope,
sees and inspires others to see the inaccessible, unfathomable Lord. Nanak is his slave. ||5||
"Listen, Lord, to our prayer. We seek your true opinion.
Don't be angry with us - please tell us: How can we find the Guru's Door?"
This fickle mind sits in its true home, O Nanak, through the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Creator Himself unites us in Union, and inspires us to love the Truth. ||6||
"Away from stores and highways, we live in the woods, among plants and trees.
For food, we take fruits and roots. This is the spiritual wisdom spoken by the renunciates.

We bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and obtain the fruits of peace; not even an iota of filth sticks to us.
Luhaareepaa, the disciple of Gorakh says, this is the Way of Yoga."||7||
In the stores and on the road, do not sleep; do not let your consciousness covet anyone else's home.
Without the Name, the mind has no firm support; O Nanak, this hunger never departs.
The Guru has revealed the stores and the city within the home of my own heart, where I intuitively carry on the true trade.
Sleep little, and eat little; O Nanak, this is the essence of wisdom. ||8||
"Wear the robes of the sect of Yogis who follow Gorakh; put on the ear-rings, begging wallet and patched coat.
Among the twelve schools of Yoga, ours is the highest; among the six schools of philosophy, ours is the best path.
This is the way to instruct the mind, so you will never suffer beatings again."
Nanak speaks: the Gurmukh understands; this is the way that Yoga is attained. ||9||
Let constant absorption in the Word of the Shabad deep within be your ear-rings; eradicate egotism and attachment.
Discard sexual desire, anger and egotism, and through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, attain true understanding.
For your patched coat and begging bowl, see the Lord God pervading and permeating everywhere; O Nanak, the One Lord will carry you across.
True is our Lord and Master, and True is His Name. Analyze it, and you shall find the Word of the Guru to be True. ||10||
Let your mind turn away in detachment from the world, and let this be your begging bowl. Let the lessons of the five elements be your cap.
Let the body be your meditation mat, and the mind your loin cloth.
Let truth, contentment and self-discipline be your companions.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh dwells on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||11||
"Who is hidden? Who is liberated?
Who is united, inwardly and outwardly?
Who comes, and who goes?
Who is permeating and pervading the three worlds?"||12||
He is hidden within each and every heart. The Gurmukh is liberated.
Through the Word of the Shabad, one is united, inwardly and outwardly.
The self-willed manmukh perishes, and comes and goes.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh merges in Truth. ||13||
"How is one placed in bondage, and consumed by the serpent of Maya?
How does one lose, and how does one gain?
How does one become immaculate and pure? How is the darkness of ignorance removed?
One who understands this essence of reality is our Guru."||14||
Man is bound by evil-mindedness, and consumed by Maya, the serpent.
The self-willed manmukh loses, and the Gurmukh gains.
Meeting the True Guru, darkness is dispelled.
O Nanak, eradicating egotism, one merges in the Lord. ||15||
Focused deep within, in perfect absorption,
the soul-swan does not fly away, and the body-wall does not collapse.
Then, one knows that his true home is in the cave of intuitive poise.
O Nanak, the True Lord loves those who are truthful. ||16||
"Why have you left your house and become a wandering Udaasee?
Why have you adopted these religious robes?
What merchandise do you trade?
How will you carry others across with you?"||17||
I became a wandering Udaasee, searching for the Gurmukhs.
I have adopted these robes seeking the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
I trade in the merchandise of Truth.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, I carry others across. ||18||
"How have you changed the course of your life?
With what have you linked your mind?

How have you subdued your hopes and desires?
How have you found the Light deep within your nucleus?
Without teeth, how can you eat iron?
Give us your true opinion, Nanak."||19||
Born into the House of the True Guru, my wandering in reincarnation ended.
My mind is attached and attuned to the unstruck sound current.
Through the Word of the Shabad, my hopes and desires have been burnt away.
As Gurmukh, I found the Light deep within the nucleus of my self.
Eradicating the three qualities, one eats iron.
O Nanak, the Emancipator emancipates. ||20||
"What can you tell us about the beginning? In what home did the absolute dwell then?
What are the ear-rings of spiritual wisdom? Who dwells in each and every heart?
How can one avoid the attack of death? How can one enter the home of fearlessness?
How can one know the posture of intuition and contentment, and overcome one's adversaries?"
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, egotism and corruption are conquered, and then one comes to dwell in the home of the self within.
One who realizes the Shabad of the One who created the creation - Nanak is his slave. ||21||
"Where did we come from? Where are we going? Where will we be absorbed?
One who reveals the meaning of this Shabad is the Guru, who has no greed at all.
How can one find the essence of the unmanifest reality? How does one become Gurmukh, and enshrine love for the Lord?
He Himself is consciousness, He Himself is the Creator; share with us, Nanak, your wisdom."
By His Command we come, and by His Command we go; by His Command, we merge in absorption.
Through the Perfect Guru, live the Truth; through the Word of the Shabad, the state of dignity is attained. ||22||
We can only express a sense of wonder about the beginning. The absolute abided endlessly deep within Himself then.
Consider freedom from desire to be the ear-rings of the Guru's spiritual wisdom. The True Lord, the Soul of all, dwells within each and every heart.
Through the Guru's Word, one merges in the absolute, and intuitively receives the immaculate essence.
O Nanak, that Sikh who seeks and finds the Way does not serve any other.
Wonderful and amazing is His Command; He alone realizes His Command and knows the true way of life of His creatures.
One who eradicates his self-conceit becomes free of desire; he alone is a Yogi, who enshrines the True Lord deep within. ||23||
From His state of absolute existence, He assumed the immaculate form; from formless, He assumed the supreme form.
By pleasing the True Guru, the supreme status is obtained, and one is absorbed in the True Word of the Shabad.
He knows the True Lord as the One and only; he sends his egotism and duality far away.
He alone is a Yogi, who realizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad; the lotus of the heart blossoms forth within.
If one remains dead while yet alive, then he understands everything; he knows the Lord deep within himself, who is kind and compassionate to all.
O Nanak, he is blessed with glorious greatness; he realizes himself in all beings. ||24||
We emerge from Truth, and merge into Truth again. The pure being merges into the One True Lord.
The false come, and find no place of rest; in duality, they come and go.
This coming and going in reincarnation is ended through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; the Lord Himself analyzes and grants His forgiveness.
One who suffers from the disease of duality, forgets the Naam, the source of nectar.

He alone understands, whom the Lord inspires to understand. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one is liberated.
O Nanak, the Emancipator emancipates one who drives out egotism and duality. ||25||
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded, under the shadow of death.
They look into the homes of others, and lose.
The manmukhs are confused by doubt, wandering in the wilderness.
Having lost their way, they are plundered; they chant their mantras at cremation grounds.
They do not think of the Shabad; instead, they utter obscenities.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Truth know peace. ||26||
The Gurmukh lives in the Fear of God, the True Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Bani, the Gurmukh refines the unrefined.
The Gurmukh sings the immaculate, Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The Gurmukh attains the supreme, sanctified status.
The Gurmukh meditates on the Lord with every hair of his body.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh merges in Truth. ||27||
The Gurmukh is pleasing to the True Guru; this is contemplation on the Vedas.
Pleasing the True Guru, the Gurmukh is carried across.
Pleasing the True Guru, the Gurmukh receives the spiritual wisdom of the Shabad.
Pleasing the True Guru, the Gurmukh comes to know the path within.
The Gurmukh attains the unseen and infinite Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the door of liberation. ||28||
The Gurmukh speaks the unspoken wisdom.
In the midst of his family, the Gurmukh lives a spiritual life.
The Gurmukh lovingly meditates deep within.
The Gurmukh obtains the Shabad, and righteous conduct.
He knows the mystery of the Shabad, and inspires others to know it.
O Nanak, burning away his ego, he merges in the Lord. ||29||
The True Lord fashioned the earth for the sake of the Gurmukhs.
There, he set in motion the play of creation and destruction.
One who is filled with the Word of the Guru's Shabad enshrines love for the Lord.
Attuned to the Truth, he goes to his home with honor.
Without the True Word of the Shabad, no one receives honor.
O Nanak, without the Name, how can one be absorbed in Truth? ||30||
The Gurmukh obtains the eight miraculous spiritual powers, and all wisdom.
The Gurmukh crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, and obtains true understanding.
The Gurmukh knows the ways of truth and untruth.
The Gurmukh knows worldliness and renunciation.
The Gurmukh crosses over, and carries others across as well.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is emancipated through the Shabad. ||31||
Attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, egotism is dispelled.
Attuned to the Naam, they remain absorbed in the True Lord.
Attuned to the Naam, they contemplate the Way of Yoga.
Attuned to the Naam, they find the door of liberation.
Attuned to the Naam, they understand the three worlds.
O Nanak, attuned to the Naam, eternal peace is found. ||32||
Attuned to the Naam, they attain Sidh Gosht - conversation with the Siddhas.
Attuned to the Naam, they practice intense meditation forever.
Attuned to the Naam, they live the true and excellent lifestyle.
Attuned to the Naam, they contemplate the Lord's virtues and spiritual wisdom.
Without the Name, all that is spoken is useless.
O Nanak, attuned to the Naam, their victory is celebrated. ||33||
Through the Perfect Guru, one obtains the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Way of Yoga is to remain absorbed in Truth.
The Yogis wander in the twelve schools of Yoga; the Sannyaasis in six and four.
One who remains dead while yet alive, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, finds the door of liberation.

Without the Shabad, all are attached to duality. Contemplate this in your heart, and see.
O Nanak, blessed and very fortunate are those who keep the True Lord enshrined in their hearts. ||34||
The Gurmukh obtains the jewel, lovingly focused on the Lord.
The Gurmukh intuitively recognizes the value of this jewel.
The Gurmukh practices Truth in action.
The mind of the Gurmukh is pleased with the True Lord.
The Gurmukh sees the unseen, when it pleases the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh does not have to endure punishment. ||35||
The Gurmukh is blessed with the Name, charity and purification.
The Gurmukh centers his meditation on the celestial Lord.
The Gurmukh obtains honor in the Court of the Lord.
The Gurmukh obtains the Supreme Lord, the Destroyer of fear.
The Gurmukh does good deeds, an inspires others to do so.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh unites in the Lord's Union. ||36||
The Gurmukh understands the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Vedas.
The Gurmukh knows the secrets of each and every heart.
The Gurmukh eliminates hate and envy.
The Gurmukh erases all accounting.
The Gurmukh is imbued with love for the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes his Lord and Master. ||37||
Without the Guru, one wanders, coming and going in reincarnation.
Without the Guru, one's work is useless.
Without the Guru, the mind is totally unsteady.
Without the Guru, one is unsatisfied, and eats poison.
Without the Guru, one is stung by the poisonous snake of Maya, and dies.
O Nanak without the Guru, all is lost. ||38||
One who meets the Guru is carried across.
His sins are erased, and he is emancipated through virtue.
The supreme peace of liberation is attained, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The Gurmukh is never defeated.
In the store of the body, this mind is the merchant;
O Nanak, it deals intuitively in Truth. ||39||
The Gurmukh is the bridge, built by the Architect of Destiny.
The demons of passion which plundered Sri Lanka - the body - have been conquered.
Ram Chand - the mind - has slaughtered Raawan - pride;
the Gurmukh understands the secret revealed by Babheekhan.
The Gurmukh carries even stones across the ocean.
The Gurmukh saves millions of people. ||40||
The comings and goings in reincarnation are ended for the Gurmukh.
The Gurmukh is honored in the Court of the Lord.
The Gurmukh distinguishes the true from the false.
The Gurmukh focuses his meditation on the celestial Lord.
In the Court of the Lord, the Gurmukh is absorbed in His Praises.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is not bound by bonds. ||41||
The Gurmukh obtains the Name of the Immaculate Lord.
Through the Shabad, the Gurmukh burns away his ego.
The Gurmukh sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
The Gurmukh remains absorbed in the True Lord.
Through the True Name, the Gurmukh is honored and exalted.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh understands all the worlds. ||42||
"What is the root, the source of all? What teachings hold for these times?
Who is your guru? Whose disciple are you?
What is that speech, by which you remain unattached?
Listen to what we say, O Nanak, you little boy.
Give us your opinion on what we have said.
How can the Shabad carry us across the terrifying world-ocean?"||43||

From the air came the beginning. This is the age of the True Guru's Teachings.
The Shabad is the Guru, upon whom I lovingly focus my consciousness; I am the chaylaa, the disciple.
Speaking the Unspoken Speech, I remain unattached.
O Nanak, throughout the ages, the Lord of the World is my Guru.
I contemplate the sermon of the Shabad, the Word of the One God.
The Gurmukh puts out the fire of egotism. ||44||
"With teeth of wax, how can one chew iron?
What is that food, which takes away pride?
How can one live in the palace, the home of snow, wearing robes of fire?
Where is that cave, within which one may remain unshaken?
Who should we know to be pervading here and there?
What is that meditation, which leads the mind to be absorbed in itself?"||45||
Eradicating egotism and individualism from within,
and erasing duality, the mortal becomes one with God.
The world is difficult for the foolish, self-willed manmukh;
practicing the Shabad, one chews iron.
Know the One Lord, inside and out.
O Nanak, the fire is quenched, through the Pleasure of the True Guru's Will. ||46||
Imbued with the True Fear of God, pride is taken away;
realize that He is One, and contemplate the Shabad.
With the True Shabad abiding deep within the heart,
the body and mind are cooled and soothed, and colored with the Lord's Love.
The fire of sexual desire, anger and corruption is quenched.
O Nanak, the Beloved bestows His Glance of Grace. ||47||
"The moon of the mind is cool and dark; how is it enlightened?
How does the sun blaze so brilliantly?
How can the constant watchful gaze of Death be turned away?
By what understanding is the honor of the Gurmukh preserved?
Who is the warrior, who conquers Death?
Give us your thoughtful reply, O Nanak."||48||
Giving voice to the Shabad, the moon of the mind is illuminated with infinity.
When the sun dwells in the house of the moon, the darkness is dispelled.
Pleasure and pain are just the same, when one takes the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He Himself saves, and carries us across.
With faith in the Guru, the mind merges in Truth,
and then, prays Nanak, one is not consumed by Death. ||49||
The essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is known to be the most exalted and excellent of all.
Without the Name, one is afflicted by pain and death.
When one's essence merges into the essence, the mind is satisfied and fulfilled.
Duality is gone, and one enters into the home of the One Lord.
The breath blows across the sky of the Tenth Gate and vibrates.
O Nanak, the mortal then intuitively meets the eternal, unchanging Lord. ||50||
The absolute Lord is deep within; the absolute Lord is outside us as well. The absolute Lord totally fills the three worlds.
One who knows the Lord in the fourth state, is not subject to virtue or vice.
One who knows the mystery of God the Absolute, who pervades each and every heart, knows the Primal Being, the Immaculate Divine Lord.
That humble being who is imbued with the Immaculate Naam,
O Nanak, is himself the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny. ||51||
"Everyone speaks of the Absolute Lord, the unmanifest void.
How can one find this absolute void?
Who are they, who are attuned to this absolute void?"
They are like the Lord, from whom they originated.
They are not born, they do not die; they do not come and go.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs instruct their minds. ||52||
By practicing control over the nine gates, one attains perfect control over the Tenth Gate.
There, the unstruck sound current of the absolute Lord vibrates and resounds.
Behold the True Lord ever-present, and merge with Him.
The True Lord is pervading and permeating each and every heart.

The hidden Bani of the Word is revealed.
O Nanak, the True Lord is revealed and known. ||53||
Meeting with the Lord through intuition and love, peace is found.
The Gurmukh remains awake and aware; he does not fall sleep.
He enshrines the unlimited, absolute Shabad deep within.
Chanting the Shabad, he is liberated, and saves others as well.
Those who practice the Guru's Teachings are attuned to the Truth.
O Nanak, those who eradicate their self-conceit meet with the Lord; they do not remain separated by doubt. ||54||
"Where is that place, where evil thoughts are destroyed?
The mortal does not understand the essence of reality; why must he suffer in pain?"
No one can save one who is tied up at Death's door.
Without the Shabad, no one has any credit or honor.
"How can one obtain understanding and cross over?"
O Nanak, the foolish self-willed manmukh does not understand. ||55||
Evil thoughts are erased, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Meeting with the True Guru, the door of liberation is found.
The self-willed manmukh does not understand the essence of reality, and is burnt to ashes.
His evil-mindedness separates him from the Lord, and he suffers.
Accepting the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he is blessed with all virtues and spiritual wisdom.
O Nanak, he is honored in the Court of the Lord. ||56||
One who possesses the merchandise, the wealth of the True Name,
crosses over, and carries others across with him as well.
One who intuitively understands, and is attuned to the Lord, is honored.
No one can estimate his worth.
Wherever I look, I see the Lord permeating and pervading.
O Nanak, through the Love of the True Lord, one crosses over. ||57||
"Where is the Shabad said to dwell? What will carry us across the terrifying world-ocean?
The breath, when exhaled, extends out ten finger lengths; what is the support of the breath?
Speaking and playing, how can one be stable and steady? How can the unseen be seen?"
Listen, O master; Nanak prays truly. Instruct your own mind.
The Gurmukh is lovingly attuned to the True Shabad. Bestowing His Glance of Grace, He unites us in His Union.
He Himself is all-knowing and all-seeing. By perfect destiny, we merge in Him. ||58||
That Shabad dwells deep within the nucleus of all beings. God is invisible; wherever I look, there I see Him.
The air is the dwelling place of the absolute Lord. He has no qualities; He has all qualities.
When He bestows His Glance of Grace, the Shabad comes to abide within the heart, and doubt is eradicated from within.
The body and mind become immaculate, through the Immaculate Word of His Bani. Let His Name be enshrined in your mind.
The Shabad is the Guru, to carry you across the terrifying world-ocean. Know the One Lord alone, here and hereafter.
He has no form or color, shadow or illusion; O Nanak, realize the Shabad. ||59||
O reclusive hermit, the True, Absolute Lord is the support of the exhaled breath, which extends out ten finger lengths.
The Gurmukh speaks and churns the essence of reality, and realizes the unseen, infinite Lord.
Eradicating the three qualities, he enshrines the Shabad within, and then, his mind is rid of egotism.
Inside and out, he knows the One Lord alone; he is in love with the Name of the Lord.
He understands the Sushmana, Ida and Pingala, when the unseen Lord reveals Himself.
O Nanak, the True Lord is above these three energy channels. Through the Word, the Shabad of the True Guru, one merges with Him. ||60||
"The air is said to be the soul of the mind. But what does the air feed on?
What is the way of the spiritual teacher, and the reclusive hermit? What is the occupation of the Siddha?"

Without the Shabad, the essence does not come, O hermit, and the thirst of egotism does not depart.
Imbued with the Shabad, one finds the ambrosial essence, and remains fulfilled with the True Name.
"What is that wisdom, by which one remains steady and stable? What food brings satisfaction?"
O Nanak, when one looks upon pain and pleasure alike, through the True Guru, then he is not consumed by Death. ||61||
If one is not imbued with the Lord's Love, nor intoxicated with His subtle essence,
without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is frustrated, and consumed by his own inner fire.
He does not preserve his semen and seed, and does not chant the Shabad.
He does not control his breath; he does not worship and adore the True Lord.
But one who speaks the Unspoken Speech, and remains balanced,
O Nanak, attains the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||62||
By Guru's Grace, one is attuned to the Lord's Love.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, he is intoxicated with the Truth.
Contemplating the Guru, the fire within is put out.
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar, the soul settles in peace.
Worshipping the True Lord in adoration, the Gurmukh crosses over the river of life.
O Nanak, after deep contemplation, this is understood. ||63||
"Where does this mind-elephant live? Where does the breath reside?
Where should the Shabad reside, so that the wanderings of the mind may cease?"
When the Lord blesses one with His Glance of Grace, he leads him to the True Guru. Then, this mind dwells in its own home within.
When the individual consumes his egotism, he becomes immaculate, and his wandering mind is restrained.
"How can the root, the source of all be realized? How can the soul know itself? How can the sun enter into the house of the moon?"
The Gurmukh eliminates egotism from within; then, O Nanak, the sun naturally enters into the home of the moon. ||64||
When the mind becomes steady and stable, it abides in the heart, and then the Gurmukh realizes the root, the source of all.
The breath is seated in the home of the navel; the Gurmukh searches, and finds the essence of reality.
This Shabad permeates the nucleus of the self, deep within, in its own home; the Light of this Shabad pervades the three worlds.
Hunger for the True Lord shall consume your pain, and through the True Lord, you shall be satisfied.
The Gurmukh knows the unstruck sound current of the Bani; how rare are those who understand.
Says Nanak, one who speaks the Truth is dyed in the color of Truth, which will never fade away. ||65||
"When this heart and body did not exist, where did the mind reside?
When there was no support of the navel lotus, then in which home did the breath reside?
When there was no form or shape, then how could anyone lovingly focus on the Shabad?
When there was no dungeon formed from egg and sperm, who could measure the Lord's value and extent?
When color, dress and form could not be seen, how could the True Lord be known?"
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are detached. Then and now, they see the Truest of the True. ||66||
When the heart and the body did not exist, O hermit, then the mind resided in the absolute, detached Lord.
When there was no support of the lotus of the navel, the breath remained in its own home, attuned to the Lord's Love.
When there was no form or shape or social class, then the Shabad, in its essence, resided in the unmanifest Lord.
When the world and the sky did not even exist, the Light of the Formless Lord filled the three worlds.

Color, dress and form were contained in the One Lord; the Shabad was contained in the One, Wondrous Lord.
Without the True Name, no one can become pure; O Nanak, this is the Unspoken Speech. ||67||
"How, in what way, was the world formed, O man? And what disaster will end it?"
In egotism, the world was formed, O man; forgetting the Naam, it suffers and dies.
One who becomes Gurmukh contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom; through the Shabad, he burns away his egotism.
His body and mind become immaculate, through the Immaculate Bani of the Word. He remains absorbed in Truth.
Through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he remains detached; he enshrines the True Name in his heart.
O Nanak, without the Name, Yoga is never attained; reflect upon this in your heart, and see. ||68||
The Gurmukh is one who reflects upon the True Word of the Shabad.
The True Bani is revealed to the Gurmukh.
The mind of the Gurmukh is drenched with the Lord's Love, but how rare are those who understand this.
The Gurmukh dwells in the home of the self, deep within.
The Gurmukh realizes the Way of Yoga.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh knows the One Lord alone. ||69||
Without serving the True Guru, Yoga is not attained;
without meeting the True Guru, no one is liberated.
Without meeting the True Guru, the Naam cannot be found.
Without meeting the True Guru, one suffers in terrible pain.
Without meeting the True Guru, there is only the deep darkness of egotistical pride.
O Nanak, without the True Guru, one dies, having lost the opportunity of this life. ||70||
The Gurmukh conquers his mind by subduing his ego.
The Gurmukh enshrines Truth in his heart.
The Gurmukh conquers the world; he knocks down the Messenger of Death, and kills it.
The Gurmukh does not lose in the Court of the Lord.
The Gurmukh is united in God's Union; he alone knows.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes the Word of the Shabad. ||71||
This is the essence of the Shabad - listen, you hermits and Yogis. Without the Name, there is no Yoga.
Those who are attuned to the Name, remain intoxicated night and day; through the Name, they find peace.
Through the Name, everything is revealed; through the Name, understanding is obtained.
Without the Name, people wear all sorts of religious robes; the True Lord Himself has confused them.
The Name is obtained only from the True Guru, O hermit, and then, the Way of Yoga is found.
Reflect upon this in your mind, and see; O Nanak, without the Name, there is no liberation. ||72||
You alone know Your state and extent, Lord; What can anyone say about it?
You Yourself are hidden, and You Yourself are revealed. You Yourself enjoy all pleasures.
The seekers, the Siddhas, the many gurus and disciples wander around searching for You, according to Your Will.
They beg for Your Name, and You bless them with this charity. I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
The eternal imperishable Lord God has staged this play; the Gurmukh understands it.
O Nanak, He extends Himself throughout the ages; there is no other than Him. ||73||1||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Vaar Of Raamkalee, Third Mehl,
To Be Sung To The Tune Of 'Jodha And Veera Poorbaanee':
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The True Guru is the field of intuitive wisdom. One who is inspired to love Him,
plants the seed of the Name there. The Name sprouts up, and he remains absorbed in the Name.
But this egotism is the seed of skepticism; it has been uprooted.
It is not planted there, and it does not sprout; whatever God grants us, we eat.
When water mixes with water, it cannot be separated again.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is wonderful; come, poeple, and see!
But what can the poor people see? They do not understand.
He alone sees, whom the Lord causes to see; the Lord comes to dwell in his mind. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is the field of sorrow and suffering. He plains sorrow, and eats sorrow.
In sorrow he is born, and in sorrow he dies. Acting in egotism, his life passes away.
He does not understand the coming and going of reincarnation; the blind man acts in blindness.
He does not know the One who gives, but he is attached to what is given.
O Nanak, he acts according to his pre-ordained destiny. He cannot do anything else. ||2||
Third Mehl:
Meeting the True Guru, everlasting peace is obtained. He Himself leads us to meet Him.
This is the true meaning of peace, that one becomes immaculate within oneself.
The doubt of ignorance is eradicated, and spiritual wisdom is obtained.
Nanak comes to gaze upon the One Lord alone; wherever he looks, there He is. ||3||
Pauree:
The True Lord created His throne, upon which He sits.
He Himself is everything; this is what the Word of the Guru's Shabad says.
Through His almighty creative power, He created and fashioned the mansions and hotels.
He made the two lamps, the sun and the moon; He formed the perfect form.
He Himself sees, and He Himself hears; meditate on the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! Hail, hail, O True King! True is Your Name. ||1||Pause||
Shalok:
Kabeer, I have ground myself into henna paste.
O my Husband Lord, You took no notice of me; You never applied me to Your feet. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O Nanak, my Husband Lord keeps me like henna paste; He blesses me with His Glance of Grace.
He Himself grinds me, and He Himself rubs me; He Himself applies me to His feet.
This is the cup of love of my Lord and Master; He gives it as He chooses. ||2||
Pauree:
You created the world with its variety; by the Hukam of Your Command, it comes, goes, and merges again in You.
You Yourself see, and blossom forth; there is no one else at all.
As it pleases You, You keep me. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I understand You.
You are the strength of all. As it pleases You, You lead us on.
There is no other as great as You; unto whom should I speak and talk? ||2||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Deluded by doubt, I wandered over the whole world. Searching, I became frustrated.

My Husband Lord has not blessed me with peace and tranquility; what will work with Him?
By Guru's Grace, I meditate on the Lord; I enshrine Him deep within my heart.
O Nanak, seated in his her own home, she finds her Husband Lord, when the Creator Lord grants His Grace. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Chasing after worldly affairs, the day is wasted, and the night passes in sleep.
Speaking lies, one eats poison; the self-willed manmukh departs, crying out in pain.
The Mesenger of Death holds his club over the mortal's head; in the love of duality, he loses his honor.
He never even thinks of the Name of the Lord; over and over again, he comes and goes in reincarnation.
But if, by Guru's Grace, the Lord's Name comes to dwell in his mind, then the Messenger of Death will not strike him down with his club.
Then, O Nanak, he merges intuitively into the Lord, receiving His Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
Some are linked to His Praises, when the Lord blesses them with the Guru's Teachings.
Some are blessed with the Name of the eternal, unchanging True Lord.
Water, air and fire, by His Will, worship Him.
They are held in the Fear of God; He has formed the perfect form.
The Hukam, the Command of the One Lord is all-pervasive; accepting it, peace is found. ||3||
Shalok:
Kabeer, such is the touchstone of the Lord; the false cannot even touch it.
He alone passes this test of the Lord, who remains dead while yet alive. ||1||
Third Mehl:
How can this mind be conquered? How can it be killed?
If one does not accept the Word of the Shabad, egotism does not depart.
By Guru's Grace, egotism is eradicated, and then, one is Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive.
O Nanak, one whom the Lord forgives is united with Him, and then no obstacles block his way. ||2||
Third Mehl:
Everyone can say that they are dead while yet alive; how can they be liberated while yet alive?
If someone restrains himself through the Fear of God, and takes the medicine of the Love of God,
night and day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. In celestial peace and poise, he crosses over the poisonous, terrifying world-ocean, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the Lord; he is blessed with His Glance of Grace. ||3||
Pauree:
God created the love of duality, and the three modes which pervade the universe.
He created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who act according to His Will.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, and the astrologers study their books, but they do not understand contemplation.
Everything is Your play, O True Creator Lord.
As it pleases You, You bless us with forgiveness, and merge us in the True Word of the Shabad. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The man of false mind practices falsehood.
He runs after Maya, and yet pretends to be a man of disciplined meditation.
Deluded by doubt, he visits all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
How can such a man of disciplined meditation attain the supreme status?
By Guru's Grace, one lives the Truth.
O Nanak, such a man of disciplined meditation attains liberation. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He alone is a man of disciplined meditation, who practices this self-discipline.
Meeting with the True Guru, he contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
Serving the True Guru - this is the only acceptable disciplined meditation.
O Nanak, such a man of disciplined meditation is honored in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He created the night and the day, for the activities of the world.

Following the Guru's Teachings, one's heart is illumined, and the darkness is dispelled.
By the Hukam of His Command, He creates everything; He pervades and permeates all the woods and meadows.
He Himself is everything; the Gurmukh constantly chants the Lord's Name.
Through the Shabad, understanding comes; the True Lord Himself inspires us to understand. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
He is not called a renunciate, whose consciousness is filled with doubt.
Donations to him bring proportionate rewards.
He hungers for the supreme status of the Fearless, Immaculate Lord;
O Nanak, how rare are those who offer him this food. ||1||
Third Mehl:
They are not called renunciates, who take food in the homes of others.
For the sake of their bellies, they wear various religious robes.
They alone are renunciates, O Nanak, who enter into their own souls.
They seek and find their Husband Lord; they dwell within the home of their own inner self. ||2||
Pauree:
They sky and the earth are separate, but the True Lord supports them from within.
True are all those homes and gates, within which the True Name is enshrined.
The Hukam of the True Lord's Command is effective everywhere. The Gurmukh merges in the True Lord.
He Himself is True, and True is His throne. Seated upon it, He administers true justice.
The Truest of the True is all-pervading everywhere; the Gurmukh sees the unseen. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In the world-ocean, the Infinite Lord abides. The false come and go in reincarnation.
One who walks according to his own will, suffers terrible punishment.
All things are in the world-ocean, but they are obtained only by the karma of good actions.
O Nanak, he alone obtains the nine treasures, who walks in the Will of the Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
One who intuitively serves the True Guru, loses his life in egotism.
His tongue does not taste the sublime essence of the Lord, and his heart-lotus does not blossom forth.
The self-willed manmukh eats poison and dies; he is ruined by love and attachment to Maya.
Without the Name of the One Lord, his life is cursed, and his home is cursed as well.
When God Himself bestows His Glance of Grace, then one becomes the slave of His slaves.
And then, night and day, he serves the True Guru, and never leaves His side.
As the lotus flower floats unaffected in the water, so does he remain detached in his own household.
O servant Nanak, the Lord acts, and inspires everyone to act, according to the Pleasure of His Will. He is the treasure of virtue. ||2||
Pauree:
For thirty-six ages, there was utter darkness. Then, the Lord revealed Himself.
He Himself created the entire universe. He Himself blessed it with understanding.
He created the Simritees and the Shaastras; He calculates the accounts of virtue and vice.
He alone understands, whom the Lord inspires to understand and to be pleased with the True Word of the Shabad.
He Himself is all-pervading; He Himself forgives, and unites with Himself. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
This body is all blood; without blood, the body cannot exist.
Those who are attuned to their Lord - their bodies are not filled with the blood of greed.
In the Fear of God, the body becomes thin, and the blood of greed passes out of the body.

As fire purifies metal, so does the Fear of the Lord eradicate the filth of evil-mindedness.
O Nanak, beautiful are those humble beings, who are imbued with the Lord's Love. ||1||
Third Mehl:
In Raamkalee, I have enshrined the Lord in my mind; thus I have been embellished.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, my heart-lotus has blossomed forth; the Lord blessed me with the treasure of devotional worship.
My doubt was dispelled, and I woke up; the darkness of ignorance was dispelled.
She who is in love with her Lord, is the most infinitely beautiful.
Such a beautiful, happy soul-bride enjoys her Husband Lord forever.
The self-willed manmukhs do not know how to decorate themselves; wasting their whole lives, they depart.
Those who decorate themselves without devotional worship to the Lord, are continually reincarnated to suffer.
They do not obtain respect in this world; the Creator Lord alone knows what will happen to them in the world hereafter.
O Nanak, the True Lord is the One and only; duality exists only in the world.
He Himself enjoins them to good and bad; they do only that which the Creator Lord causes them to do. ||2||
Third Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, tranquility is not obtained. It cannot be found anywhere else.
No matter how much one may long for it, without the karma of good actions, it cannot be found.
Those whose inner beings are filled with greed and corruption, are ruined through the love of duality.
The cycle of birth and death is not ended, and filled with egotism, they suffer in pain.
Those who focus their consciousness on the True Guru, do not remain unfulfilled.
They are not summoned by the Messenger of Death, and they do not suffer in pain.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is saved, merging in the True Word of the Shabad. ||3||
Pauree:
He Himself remains unattached forever; all others run after worldly affairs.
He Himself is eternal, unchanging and unmoving; the others continue coming and going in reincarnation.
Meditating on the Lord forever and ever, the Gurmukh finds peace.
He dwells in the home of his own inner being, absorbed in the Praise of the True Lord.
The True Lord is profound and unfathomable; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is understood. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Meditate on the True Name; the True Lord is all-pervading.
O Nanak, one who realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command, obtains the fruit of Truth.
One who merely mouths the words, does not understand the Hukam of the True Lord's Command.
O Nanak, one who accepts the Will of the Lord is His devotee. Without accepting it, he is the falsest of the false. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs do not know what they are saying. They are filled with sexual desire, anger and egotism.
They do not understand right places and wrong places; they are filled with greed and corruption.
They come, and sit and talk for their own purposes. The Messenger of Death strikes them down.
Hereafter, they are called to account in the Court of the Lord; the false ones are struck down and humiliated.
How can this filth of falsehood be washed off? Can anyone think about this, and find the way?
If one meets with the True Guru, He implants the Naam, the Name of the Lord within; all his sins are destroyed.
Let all bow in humility to that humble being who chants the Naam, and worships the Naam in adoration.

The Naam washes off the filth of falsehood; chanting the Naam, one becomes truthful.
O servant Nanak, wondrous are the plays of the Lord, the Giver of life. ||2||
Pauree:
You are the Great Giver; no other is as great as You. Unto whom should I speak and talk?
By Guru's Grace, I find You; You eradicate egotism from within.
You are beyond sweet and salty flavors; True is Your glorious greatness.
You bless those whom You forgive, and unite them with Yourself.
You have placed the Ambrosial Nectar deep within the heart; the Gurmukh drinks it in. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The stories of one's ancestors make the children good children.
They accept what is pleasing to the Will of the True Guru, and act accordingly.
Go and consult the Simritees, the Shaastras, the writings of Vyaas, Suk Dayv, Naarad, and all those who preach to the world.
Those, whom the True Lord attaches, are attached to the Truth; they contemplate the True Name forever.
O Nanak, their coming into the world is approved; they redeem all their ancestors. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The disciples whose teacher is blind, act blindly as well.
They walk according to their own wills, and continually speak falsehood and lies.
They practice falsehood and deception, and endlessly slander others.
Slandering others, they drown themselves, and drown all their generations as well.
O Nanak, whatever the Lord links them to, to that they are linked; what can the poor creatures do? ||2||
Pauree:
He keeps all under His Gaze; He created the entire Universe.
He has linked some to falsehood and deception; these self-willed manmukhs are plundered.
The Gurmukhs meditate on the Lord forever; their inner beings are filled with love.
Those who have the treasure of virtue, chant the Praises of the Lord.
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, and the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||10||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Men of charity gather wealth by committing sins, and then give it away in donations to charity.
Their spiritual teachers go to their homes to instruct them.
The woman loves the man only for his wealth;
they come and go as they please.
No one obeys the Shaastras or the Vedas.
Everyone worships himself.
Becoming judges, they sit and administer justice.
They chant on their malas, and call upon God.
They accept bribes, and block justice.
If someone asks them, they read quotations from their books.
The Muslim scriptures are in their ears and in their hearts.
They plunder the people, and engage in gossip and flattery.
They anoint their kitchens to try to become pure.
Behold, such is the Hindu.
The Yogi, with matted hair and ashes on his body, has become a householder.
The children weep in front of him and behind him.
He does not attain Yoga - he has lost his way.
Why does he apply ashes to his forehead?
O Nanak, this is the sign of the Dark Age of Kali Yuga;
everyone says that he himself knows. ||1||
First Mehl:
The Hindu comes to the house of a Hindu.
He puts the sacred thread around his neck and reads the scriptures.
He puts on the thread, but does evil deeds.
His cleansings and washings will not be approved.
The Muslim glorifies his own faith.

Without the Guru or a spiritual teacher, no one is accepted.
They may be shown the way, but only a few go there.
Without the karma of good actions, heaven is not attained.
The Way of Yoga is demonstrated in the Yogi's monastery.
They wear ear-rings to show the way.
Wearing ear-rings, they wander around the world.
The Creator Lord is everywhere.
There are as many travellers as there are beings.
When one's death warrant is issued, there is no delay.
One who knows the Lord here, realizes Him there as well.
Others, whether Hindu or Muslim, are just babbling.
Everyone's account is read in the Court of the Lord;
without the karma of good actions, no one crosses over.
One who speaks the True Name of the True Lord,
O Nanak, is not called to account hereafter. ||2||
Pauree:
The fortress of the body is called the Mansion of the Lord.
The rubies and gems are found within it; the Gurmukh chants the Name of the Lord.
The body, the Mansion of the Lord, is very beautiful, when the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is implanted deep within.
The self-willed manmukhs ruin themselves; they boil continuously in attachment to Maya.
The One Lord is the Master of all. He is found only by perfect destiny. ||11||
Shalok, First Mehl:
There is no Truth in suffering, there is no Truth in comfort. There is no Truth in wandering like animals through the water.
There is no Truth in shaving one's head; there is no Truth is studying the scriptures or wandering in foreign lands.
There is no Truth in trees, plants or stones, in mutilating oneself or suffering in pain.
There is no Truth in binding elephants in chains; there is no Truth in grazing cows.
He alone grants it, whose hands hold spritual perfection; he alone receives it, unto whom it is given.
O Nanak, he alone is blessed with glorious greatness, whose heart is filled with the Word of the Shabad.
God says, all hearts are mine, and I am in all hearts. Who can explain this to one who is confused?
Who can confuse that being, unto whom I have shown the Way?
And who can show the Path to that being whom I have confused since the beginning of time? ||1||
First Mehl:
He alone is a householder, who restrains his passions
and begs for meditation, austerity and self-discipline.
He gives donations to charity with his body;
such a householder is as pure as the water of the Ganges.
Says Eeshar, the Lord is the embodiment of Truth.
The supreme essence of reality has no shape or form. ||2||
First Mehl:
He alone is a detached hermit, who burns away his self-conceit.
He begs for suffering as his food.
In the city of the heart, he begs for charity.
Such a renunciate ascends to the City of God.
Says Gorakh, God is the embodiment of Truth;
the supreme essence of reality has no shape or form. ||3||
First Mehl:
He alone is an Udasi, a shaven-headed renunciate, who embraces renunciation.
He sees the Immaculate Lord dwelling in both the upper and lower regions.
He balances the sun and the moon energies.
The body-wall of such an Udasi does not collapse.
Says Gopi Chand, God is the embodiment of Truth;
the supreme essence of reality has no shape or form. ||4||
First Mehl:
He alone is a Paakhandi, who cleanses his body of filth.
The fire of his body illuminates God within.
He does not waste his energy in wet dreams.

Such a Paakhandi does not grow old or die.
Says Charpat, God is the embodiment of Truth;
the supreme essence of reality has no shape or form. ||5||
First Mehl:
He alone is a Bairaagi, who turns himself toward God.
In the Tenth Gate, the sky of the mind, he erects his pillar.
Night and day, he remains in deep inner meditation.
Such a Bairaagi is just like the True Lord.
Says Bhart'har, God is the embodiment of Truth;
the supreme essence of reality has no shape or form. ||6||
First Mehl:
How is evil eradicated? How can the true way of life be found?
What is the use of piercing the ears, or begging for food?
Throughout existence and non-existence, there is only the Name of the One Lord.
What is that Word, which holds the heart in its place?
When you look alike upon sunshine and shade,
says Nanak, then the Guru will speak to you.
The students follow the six systems.
They are neither worldly people, nor detached renunciates.
One who remains absorbed in the Formless Lord
- why should he go out begging? ||7||
Pauree:
That alone is said to be the Lord's temple, where the Lord is known.
In the human body, the Guru's Word is found, when one understands that the Lord, the Supreme Soul, is in all.
Don't look for Him outside your self. The Creator, the Architect of Destiny, is within the home of your own heart.
The self-willed manmukh does not appreciate the value of the Lord's temple; they waste away and lose their lives.
The One Lord is pervading in all; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He can be found. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Only a fool listens to the words of the fool.
What are the signs of the fool? What does the fool do?
A fool is stupid; he dies of egotism.
His actions always bring him pain; he lives in pain.
If someone's beloved friend falls into the pit, what can be used to pull him out?
One who becomes Gurmukh contemplates the Lord, and remains detached.
Chanting the Lord's Name, he saves himself, and he carries across those who are drowning as well.
O Nanak, he acts in accordance with the Will of God; he endures whatever he is given. ||1||
First Mehl:
Says Nanak, listen, O mind, to the True Teachings.
Opening His ledger, God will call you to account.
Those rebels who have unpaid accounts shall be called out.
Azraa-eel, the Angel of Death, shall be appointed to punish them.
They will find no way to escape coming and going in reincarnation; they are trapped in the narrow path.
Falsehood will come to an end, O Nanak, and Truth will prevail in the end. ||2||
Pauree:
The body and everything belongs to the Lord; the Lord Himself is all-pervading.
The Lord's value cannot be estimated; nothing can be said about it.
By Guru's Grace, one praises the Lord, imbued with feelings of devotion.
The mind and body are totally rejuvenated, and egotism is eradicated.
Everything is the play of the Lord. The Gurmukh understands this. ||13||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Branded with a thousand marks of disgrace, Indra cried in shame.
Paras Raam returned home crying.
Ajai cried and wept, when he was made to eat the manure he had given, pretending it was charity.
Such is the punishment received in the Court of the Lord.
Rama wept when he was sent into exile,

and separated from Sita and Lakhshman.
The ten-headed Raawan, who stole away Sita with the beat of his tambourine, wept when he lost Sri Lanka.
The Paandavas once lived in the Presence of the Lord; they were made slaves, and wept.
Janmayjaa wept, that he had lost his way.
One mistake, and he became a sinner.
The Shaykhs, Pirs and spiritual teachers weep;
at the very last instant, they suffer in agony.
The kings weep - their ears are cut;
they go begging from house to house.
The miser weeps; he has to leave behind the wealth he has gathered.
The Pandit, the religious scholar, weeps when his learning is gone.
The young woman weeps because she has no husband.
O Nanak, the whole world is suffering.
He alone is victorious, who believes in the Lord's Name.
No other action is of any account. ||1||
Second Mehl:
Meditation, austerity and everything come through belief in the Lord's Name. All other actions are useless.
O Nanak, believe in the One who is worth believing in. By Guru's Grace, he is realized. ||2||
Pauree:
The union of the body and the soul-swan was pre-ordained by the Creator Lord.
He is hidden, and yet pervading all. He is revealed to the Gurmukh.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and chanting His Praises, one merges in His Glories.
True is the True Word of the Guru's Bani. One unites in Union with the True Lord.
He Himself is everything; He Himself grants glorious greatness. ||14||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
O Nanak, the blind man may go to appraise the jewels,
but he will not know their value; he will return home after exposing his ignorance. ||1||
Second Mehl:
The Jeweller has come, and opened up the bag of jewels.
The merchandise and the merchant are merged together.
They alone purchase the gem, O Nanak, who have virtue in their purse.
Those who do not appreciate the value of the jewels, wander like blind men in the world. ||2||
Pauree:
The fortress of the body has nine gates; the tenth gate is kept hidden.
The rigid door is not open; only through the Word of the Guru's Shabad can it be opened.
The unstruck sound current resounds and vibrates there. The Word of the Guru's Shabad is heard.
Deep within the nucleus of the heart, the Divine Light shines forth. Through devotional worship, one meets the Lord.
The One Lord is pervading and permeating all. He Himself created the creation. ||15||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
He is truly blind, who follows the way shown by the blind man.
O Nanak, why should the one who can see, get lost?
Do not call them blind, who have no eyes in their face.
They alone are blind, O Nanak, who wander away from their Lord and Master. ||1||
Second Mehl:
One whom the Lord has made blind - the Lord can make him see again.
He acts only as he knows, although he may be spoken to a hundred times.
Where the real thing is not seen, self-conceit prevails there - know this well.
O Nanak, how can the purshaser purchase the real thing, if he cannot recognize it? ||2||
Second Mehl:
How can someone be called blind, if he was made blind by the Lord's Command?
O Nanak, one who does not understand the Hukam of the Lord's Command should be called blind. ||3||

Pauree:
Deep within the body is the fortress of the Lord, and all lands and countries.
He Himself sits in primal, profound Samaadhi; He Himself is all-pervading.
He Himself created the Universe, and He Himself remains hidden within it.
Serving the Guru, the Lord is known, and the Truth is revealed.
He is True, the Truest of the True; the Guru has imparted this understanding. ||16||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Night is the summer season, and day is the winter season; sexual desire and anger are the two fields planted.
Greed prepares the soil, and the seed of falsehood is planted; attachment and love are the farmer and hired hand.
Contemplation is the plow, and corruption is the harvest; this is what one earns and eats, according to the Hukam of the Lord's Command.
O Nanak, when one is called to give his account, he will be barren and infertile. ||1||
First Mehl:
Make the Fear of God the farm, purity the water, truth and contentment the cows and bulls,
humility the plow, consciousness the plowman, remembrance the preparation of the soil, and union with the Lord the planting time.
Let the Lord's Name be the seed, and His Forgiving Grace the harvest. Do this, and the whole world will seem false.
O Nanak, if He bestows His Merciful Glance of Grace, then all your separation will be ended. ||2||
Pauree:
The self-willed manmukh is trapped in the darkness of emotional attachment; in the love of duality he speaks.
The love of duality brings pain forever; he churns the water endlessly.
The Gurmukh meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he churns, and obtains the essence of reality.
The Divine Light illuminates his heart deep within; he seeks the Lord, and obtains Him.
He Himself deludes in doubt; no one can comment on this. ||17||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
O Nanak, don't be anxious; the Lord will take care of you.
He created the creatures in water, and He gives them their nourishment.
There are no stores open there, and no one farms there.
No business is ever transacted there, and no one buys or sells.
Animals eat other animals; this is what the Lord has given them as food.
He created them in the oceans, and He provides for them as well.
O Nanak, don't be anxious; the Lord will take care of you. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, this soul is the fish, and death is the hungry fisherman.
The blind man does not even think of this. And suddenly, the net is cast.
O Nanak, his consciousness is unconscious, and he departs, bound by anxiety.
But if the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, then He unites the soul with Himself. ||2||
Pauree:
They are true, forever true, who drink in the sublime essence of the Lord.
The True Lord abides in the mind of the Gurmukh; He strikes the true bargain.
Everything is in the home of the self within; only the very fortunate obtain it.
The hunger within is conquered and overcome, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
He Himself unites in His Union; He Himself blesses them with understanding. ||18||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The cotton is ginned, woven and spun;
the cloth is laid out, washed and bleached white.
The tailor cuts it with his scissors, and sews it with his thread.
Thus, the torn and tattered honor is sewn up again, through the Lord's Praise, O Nanak, and one lives the true life.
Becoming worn, the cloth is torn; with needle and thread it is sewn up again.
It will not last for a month, or even a week. It barely lasts for an hour, or even a moment.

But the Truth does not grow old; and when it is stitched, it is never torn again.
O Nanak, the Lord and Master is the Truest of the True. While we meditate on Him, we see Him. ||1||
First Mehl:
The knife is Truth, and its steel is totally True.
Its workmanship is incomparably beautiful.
It is sharpened on the grindstone of the Shabad.
It is placed in the scabbard of virtue.
If the Shaykh is killed with that,
then the blood of greed will spill out.
One who is slaughtered in this ritualistic way, will be attached to the Lord.
O Nanak, at the Lord's door, he is absorbed into His Blessed Vision. ||2||
First Mehl:
A beautiful dagger hangs by your waist, and you ride such a beautiful horse.
But don't be too proud; O Nanak, you may fall head first to the ground. ||3||
Pauree:
They alone walk as Gurmukh, who receive the Shabad in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Meditating on the True Lord, they become truthful; they carry in their robes the supplies of the Lord's wealth.
The devotees look beautiful, singing the Praises of the Lord; following the Guru's Teachings, they become stable and unchanging.
They enshrine the jewel of contemplation within their minds, and the most sublime Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He Himself unites in His Union; He Himself grants glorious greatness. ||19||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Everyone is filled with hope; hardly anyone is free of hope.
O Nanak, blessed is the birth of one, who remains dead while yet alive. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Nothing is in the hands of hope. How can one become free of hope?
What can this poor being do? The Lord Himself creates confusion. ||2||
Pauree:
Cursed is the life in this world, without the True Name.
God is the Great Giver of givers. His wealth is permanent and unchanging.
That humble being is immaculate, who worships the Lord with each and every breath.
With your tongue, vibrate the One Inaccessible Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He is all-pervading everywhere. Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||20||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The union between the lake of the True Guru, and the swan of the soul, was pre-ordained from the very beginning, by the Pleasure of the Lord's Will.
The diamonds are in this lake; they are the food of the swans.
The cranes and the ravens may be very wise, but they do not remain in this lake.
They do not find their food there; their food is different.
Practicing Truth, the True Lord is found. False is the pride of the false.
O Nanak, they alone meet the True Guru, who are so pre-destined by the Lord's Command. ||1||
First Mehl:
My Lord and Master is immaculate, as are those who think of Him.
O Nanak, serve Him, who gives to you forever and ever.
O Nanak, serve Him; by serving Him, sorrow is dispelled.
Faults and demerits vanish, and virtues take their place; peace comes to dwell in the mind. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself is all-pervading; He Himself is absorbed in the profound state of Samaadhi.
He Himself instructs; the Gurmukh is satisfied and fulfilled.
Some, He causes to wander in the wilderness, while others are committed to His devotional worship.
He alone understands, whom the Lord causes to understand; He Himself attaches mortals to His Name.
O Nanak, meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, true greatness is obtained. ||21||1||
Sudh||

Vaar Of Raamkalee, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
As I have heard of the True Guru, so I have seen Him.
He re-unites the separated ones with God; He is the Mediator at the Court of the Lord.
He implants the Mantra of the Lord's Name, and eradicates the illness of egotism.
O Nanak, he alone meets the True Guru, who has such union pre-ordained. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
If the One Lord is my Friend, then all are my friends. If the One Lord is my enemy, then all fight with me.
The Perfect Guru has shown me that, without the Name, everything is useless.
The faithless cynics and the evil people wander in reincarnation; they are attached to other tastes.
Servant Nanak has realized the Lord God, by the Grace of the Guru, the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
The Creator Lord created the Creation.
He Himself is the perfect Banker; He Himself earns His profit.
He Himself made the expansive Universe; He Himself is imbued with joy.
The value of God's almighty creative power cannot be estimated.
He is inaccessible, unfathomable, endless, the farthest of the far.
He Himself is the greatest Emperor; He Himself is His own Prime Minister.
No one knows His worth, or the greatness of His resting place.
He Himself is our True Lord and Master. He reveals Himself to the Gurmukh. ||1||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Listen, O my beloved friend: please show me the True Guru.
I dedicate my mind to Him; I keep Him continually enshrined within my heart.
Without the One and Only True Guru, life in this world is cursed.
O servant Nanak, they alone meet the True Guru, with whom He constantly abides. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Deep within me is the longing to meet You; how can I find You, God?
I will search for someone, some friend, who will unite me with my Beloved.
The Perfect Guru has united me with Him; wherever I look, there He is.
Servant Nanak serves that God; there is no other as great as He is. ||2||
Pauree:
He is the Great Giver, the Generous Lord; with what mouth can I praise Him?
In His Mercy, He protects, preserves and sustains us.
No one is under anyone else's control; He is the One Support of all.
He cherishes all as His children, and reaches out with His hand.
He stages His joyous plays, which no one understands at all.
The all-powerful Lord gives His Support to all; I am a sacrifice to Him.
Night and day, sing the Praises of the One who is worthy of being praised.
Those who fall at the Guru's Feet, enjoy the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
He has widened the narrow path for me, and preserved my integrity, along with that of my family.
He Himself has arranged and resolved my affairs. I dwell upon that God forever.
God is my mother and father; He hugs me close in His embrace, and cherishes me, like His tiny baby.
All beings and creatures have become kind and compassionate to me. O Nanak, the Lord has blessed me with His Glance of Grace. ||1||

Fifth Mehl:
To ask for any other than You, Lord, is the most miserable of miseries.
Please bless me with Your Name, and make me content; may the hunger of my mind be satisfied.
The Guru has made the woods and meadows green again. O Nanak, is it any wonder that He blesses human beings as well? ||2||
Pauree:
Such is that Great Giver; may I never forget Him from my mind.
I cannot survive without Him, for an instant, for a moment, for a second.
Inwardly and outwardly, He is with us; how can we hide anything from Him?
One whose honor He Himself has preserved, crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
He alone is a devotee, a spiritual teacher, and a disciplined pratictioner of meditation, whom the Lord has so blessed.
He alone is perfect and renowned as supreme, whom the Lord has blessed with His power.
He alone endures the unendurable, whom the Lord inspires to endure it.
And he alone meets the True Lord, within whose mind the Guru's Mantra is implanted. ||3||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed are those beautiful Ragas which, when chanted, quench all thirst.
Blessed are those beautiful people who, as Gurmukh, chant the Name of the Lord.
I am a sacrifice to those who single-mindedly worship and adore the One Lord.
I yearn for the dust of their feet; by His Grace, it is obtained.
I am a sacrifice to those who are imbued with love for the Lord of the Universe.
I tell them the state of my soul, and pray that I may be united with the Sovereign Lord King, my Friend.
The Perfect Guru has united me with Him, and the pains of birth and death have departed.
Servant Nanak has found the inaccessible, infinitely beautiful Lord, and he will not go anywhere else. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is that time, blessed is that hour, blessed is that second, excellent is that instant;
blessed is that day, and that opportunity, when I gazed upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.
The mind's desires are fulfilled, when the inaccessible, unfathomable Lord is obtained.
Egotism and emotional attachment are eradicated, and one leans only on the Support of the True Name.
O servant Nanak, one who is committed to the Lord's service - the whole world is saved along with him. ||2||
Pauree:
How rare are those who are blessed to praise the Lord, in devotional worship.
Those who are blessed with the Lord's treasures are not called to give their account again.
Those who are imbued with His Love are absorbed in ecstasy.
They take the Support of the One Name; the One Name is their only food.
For their sake, the world eats and enjoys.
Their Beloved Lord belongs to them alone.
The Guru comes and meets them; they alone know God.
I am a sacrifice to those who are pleasing to their Lord and Master. ||4||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
My friendship is with the One Lord alone; I am in love with the One Lord alone.
The Lord is my only friend; my companionship is with the One Lord alone.
My conversation is with the One Lord alone; He never frowns, or turns His face away.
He alone knows the state of my soul; He never ignores my love.
He is my only counselor, all-powerful to destroy and create.
The Lord is my only Giver. He places His hand upon the heads of the generous in the world.
I take the Support of the One Lord alone; He is all-powerful, over the heads of all.
The Saint, the True Guru, has united me with the Lord. He placed His hand on my forehead.

The Guru led me to meet the greatest Lord and Master; He saved the whole world.
The desires of the mind are fulfilled; I have attained my pre-destined Union with God.
Nanak has obtained the True Name; He enjoys the enjoyments forever. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Friendship with the self-willed manmukhs is an alliance with Maya.
As we watch, they run away; they never stand firm.
As long as they get food and clothing, they stick around.
But on that day when they receive nothing, then they start to curse.
The self-willed manmukhs are ignorant and blind; they do not know the secrets of the soul.
The false bond does not last; it is like stones joined with mud.
The blind do not understand themselves; they are engrossed in false worldly entanglements.
Entangled in false attachments, they pass their lives in egotism and self-conceit.
But that being, whom the Lord has blessed with His Mercy from the very beginning, does perfect deeds, and accumulates good karma.
O servant Nanak, those humble beings alone are saved, who enter the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who are imbued with the Lord's Vision, speak the Truth.
How can I obtain the dust of those who realize their Lord and Master?
The mind, stained by corruption, becomes pure by associating with them.
One sees the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, when the door of doubt is opened.
That one, unto whom the Mansion of the Lord's Presence is revealed, is never pushed or shoved.
My mind and body are enraptured, when the Lord blesses me, even for an instant, with His Glance of Grace.
The nine treasures, and the treasure of the Naam are obtained by commitment to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He alone is blessed with the dust of the feet of the Saints, upon whose forehead such pre-ordained desiny is inscribed. ||5||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
O deer-eyed bride, I speak the Truth, which shall save you.
Listen to these beautiful words, O beauteous bride; your Beloved Lord is your mind's only support.
You have fallen in love with an evil person; tell me - show me why!
I lack nothing, and I am not sad or depressed; I have no deficiency at all.
I abandoned and lost my fascinating and beautiful Husband Lord; in this evil-mindedness, I have lost my good fortune.
I am not mistaken, and I am not confused; I have no egotism, and commit no offense.
As You have linked me, so I am linked; listen to my true message.
She alone is the blessed soul-bride, and she alone is fortunate, upon whom the Husband Lord has showered His Mercy.
Her Husband Lord takes away all her faults and mistakes; hugging her close in His embrace, He embellishes her.
The unfortunate soul-bride makes this prayer: O Nanak, when will my turn come?
All the blessed soul-brides celebrate and make merry; bless me as well with a night of bliss, O Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Why do you waver, O my mind? The Lord is the Fulfiller of hopes and desires.
Meditate on the True Guru, the Primal Being; He is the Destroyer of all pains.
Worship and adore the Lord's Name, O my mind; all sins and corruption shall be washed away.
Those who are blessed with such pre-ordained destiny, are in love with the Formless Lord.
They abandon the tastes of Maya, and gather in the infinite wealth of the Naam.
Twenty-four hours a day, they are lovingly absorbed in the One Lord; they surrender and accept the Will of the Infinite Lord.

Servant Nanak begs for this one gift: please bless me, Lord, with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; my mind is in love with You. ||2||
Pauree:
One who is conscious of You finds everlasting peace.
One who is conscious of You does not suffer at the hands of the Messenger of Death.
One who is conscious of You is not anxious.
One who has the Creator as his Friend - all his affairs are resolved.
One who is conscious of You is renowned and respected.
One who is conscious of You becomes very wealthy.
One who is conscious of You has a great family.
One who is conscious of You saves his ancestors. ||6||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Blind inwardly, and blind outwardly, he sings falsely, falsely.
He washes his body, and draws ritual marks on it, and totally runs after wealth.
But the filth of his egotism is not removed from within, and over and over again, he comes and goes in reincarnation.
Engulfed in sleep, and tormented by frustrated sexual desire, he chants the Lord's Name with his mouth.
He is called a Vaishnav, but he is bound to deeds of egotism; by threshing only husks, what rewards can be obtained?
Sitting among the swans, the crane does not become one of them; sitting there, he keeps staring at the fish.
And when the gathering of swans looks and sees, they realize that they can never form an alliance with the crane.
The swans peck at the diamonds and pearls, while the crane chases after frogs.
The poor crane flies away, so that his secret will not be exposed.
Whatever the Lord attaches one to, to that he is attached. Who is to blame, when the Lord wills it so?
The True Guru is the lake, overflowing with pearls. One who meets the True Guru obtains them.
The Sikh-swans gather at the lake, according to the Will of the True Guru.
The lake is filled with the wealth of these jewels and pearls; they are spent and consumed, but they never run out.
The swan never leaves the lake; such is the Pleasure of the Creator's Will.
O servant Nanak, one who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead - that Sikh comes to the Guru.
He saves himself, and saves all his generations as well; he emancipates the whole world. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
He is called a Pandit, a religious scholar, and yet he wanders along many pathways. He is as hard as uncooked beans.
He is filled with attachment, and constantly engrossed in doubt; his body cannot hold still.
False is his coming, and false is his going; he is continually on the lookout for Maya.
If someone speaks the truth, then he is aggravated; he is totally filled with anger.
The evil fool is engrossed in evil-mindedness and false intellectualizations; his mind is attached to emotional attachment.
The deceiver abides with the five deceivers; it is a gathering of like minds.
And when the Jeweller, the True Guru, appraises him, then he is exposed as mere iron.
Mixed and mingled with others, he was passed off as genuine in many places; but now, the veil has been lifted, and he stands naked before all.
One who comes to the Sanctuary of the True Guru, shall be transformed from iron into gold.
The True Guru has no anger or vengeance; He looks upon son and enemy alike. Removing faults and mistakes, He purifies the human body.
O Nanak, one who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead, is in love with the True Guru.

The Word of the Perfect True Guru's Bani is Ambrosial Nectar; it dwells in the heart of one who is blessed by the Guru's Mercy.
His coming and going in reincarnation is ended; forever and ever, he is at peace. ||2||
Pauree:
He alone understands You, Lord, with whom You are pleased.
He alone is approved in the Court of the Lord, with whom You are pleased.
Egotism is eradicated, when You bestow Your Grace.
Sins are erased, when You are thoroughly pleased.
One who has the Lord Master on his side, becomes fearless.
One who is blessed with Your Mercy, becomes truthful.
One who is blessed with Your Kindness, is not touched by fire.
You are forever Merciful to those who are receptive to the Guru's Teachings. ||7||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Please grant Your Grace, O Merciful Lord; please forgive me.
Forever and ever, I chant Your Name; I fall at the feet of the True Guru.
Please, dwell within my mind and body, and end my sufferings.
Please give me Your hand, and save me, that fear may not afflict me.
May I sing Your Glorious Praises day and night; please commit me to this task.
Associating with the humble Saints, the disease of egotism is eradicated.
The One Lord and Master is all-pervading, permeating everywhere.
By Guru's Grace, I have truly found the Truest of the True.
Please bless me with Your Kindness, O Kind Lord, and bless me with Your Praises.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I am in ecstasy; this is what Nanak loves. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the One Lord within your mind, and enter the Sanctuary of the One Lord alone.
Be in love with the One Lord; there is no other at all.
Beg from the One Lord, the Great Giver, and you will be blessed with everything.
In your mind and body, with each breath and morsel of food, meditate on the One and only Lord God.
The Gurmukh obtains the true treasure, the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Very fortunate are those humble Saints, within whose minds the Lord has come to abide.
He is pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky; there is no other at all.
Meditating on the Naam, and chanting the Naam, Nanak abides in the Will of his Lord and Master. ||2||
Pauree:
One who has You as his Saving Grace - who can kill him?
One who has You as his Saving Grace conquers the three worlds.
One who has You on his side - his face is radiant and bright.
One who has You on his side, is the purest of the Pure.
One who is blessed with Your Grace is not called to give his account.
One with whom You are pleased, obtains the nine treasures.
One who has You on his side, God - unto whom is he subservient?
One who is blessed with Your Kind Mercy is dedicated to Your worship. ||8||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Be Merciful, O my Lord and Master, that I may pass my life in the Society of the Saints.
Those who forget You are born only to die and be reincarnated again; their sufferings will never end. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Meditate in remembrance within your heart on the True Guru, whether you are on the most difficult path, on the mountain or by the river bank.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, no one shall block your way. ||2||
Pauree:

Where You are, Almighty Lord, there is no one else.
There, in the fire of the mother's womb, You protected us.
Hearing Your Name, the Messenger of Death runs away.
The terrifying, treacherous, impassible world-ocean is crossed over, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Those who feel thirst for You, take in Your Ambrosial Nectar.
This is the only act of goodness in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, to sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
He is Merciful to all; He sustains us with each and every breath.
Those who come to You with love and faith are never turned away empty-handed. ||9||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Those whom You bless with the Support of Your Name, O Supreme Lord God, do not know any other.
Inaccessible, Unfathomable Lord and Master, All-powerful True Great Giver:
You are eternal and unchanging, without vengeance and True; True is the Darbaar of Your Court.
Your worth cannot be described; You have no end or limitation.
To forsake God, and ask for something else, is all corruption and ashes.
They alone find peace, and they are the true kings, whose dealings are true.
Those who are in love with God's Name, intuitively enjoy the essence of peace.
Nanak worships and adores the One Lord; he seeks the dust of the Saints. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, bliss, peace and rest are obtained.
Forsake other clever tricks, O Nanak; only through the Name will you be saved. ||2||
Pauree:
No one can bring You under control, by despising the world.
No one can bring You under control, by studying the Vedas.
No one can bring You under control, by bathing at the holy places.
No one can bring You under control, by wandering all over the world.
No one can bring You under control, by any clever tricks.
No one can bring You under control, by giving huge donations to charities.
Everyone is under Your power, O inaccessible, unfathomable Lord.
You are under the control of Your devotees; You are the strength of Your devotees. ||10||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord Himself is the true physician.
These physicians of the world only burden the soul with pain.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is Ambrosial Nectar; it is so delicious to eat.
O Nanak, one whose mind is filled with this Nectar - all his pains are dispelled. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
By the Hukam of Lord's Command, they move about; by the Lord's Command, they remain still.
By His Hukam, they endure pain and pleasure alike.
By His Hukam, they chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night.
O Nanak, he alone does so, who is blessed.
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, they die; by the Hukam of His Command, they live.
By His Hukam, they become tiny, and huge.
By His Hukam, they receive pain, happiness and bliss.
By His Hukam, they chant the Guru's Mantra, which always works.
By His Hukam, coming and going in reincarnation cease,
O Nanak, when He links them to His devotional worship. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a sacrifice to that musician who is Your servant, O Lord.
I am a sacrifice to that musician who sings the Glorious Praises of the Infinite Lord.
Blessed, blessed is that musician, for whom the Formless Lord Himself longs.
Very fortunate is that musician who comes to the gate of the Court of the True Lord.
That musician meditates on You, Lord, and praises You day and night.
He begs for the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, and will never be defeated.
His clothes and his food are true, and he enshrines love for the Lord within.
Praiseworthy is that musician who loves God. ||11||

Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The Bani of the Guru's Word is Ambrosial Nectar; its taste is sweet. The Name of the Lord is Ambrosial Nectar.
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord in your mind, body and heart; twenty-four hours a day, sing His Glorious Praises.
Listen to these Teachings, O Sikhs of the Guru. This is the true purpose of life.
This priceless human life will be made fruitful; embrace love for the Lord in your mind.
Celestial peace and absolute bliss come when one meditates on God - suffering is dispelled.
O Nanak, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, peace wells up, and one obtains a place in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; this is the Teaching imparted by the Perfect Guru.
In the Lord's Will, they practice meditation, austerity and self-discipline; in the Lord's Will, they are released.
In the Lord's Will, they are made to wander in reincarnation; in the Lord's Will, they are forgiven.
In the Lord's Will, pain and pleasure are experienced; in the Lord's Will, actions are performed.
In the Lord's Will, clay is fashioned into form; in the Lord's Will, His Light is infused into it.
In the Lord's Will, enjoyments are enjoyed; in the Lord's Will, these enjoyments are denied.
In the Lord's Will, they are incarnated in heaven and hell; in the Lord's Will, they fall to the ground.
In the Lord's Will, they are committed to His devotional worship and Praise; O Nanak, how rare are these! ||2||
Pauree:
Hearing, hearing of the glorious greatness of the True Name, I live.
Even ignorant beasts and goblins can be saved, in an instant.
Day and night, chant the Name, forever and ever.
The most horrible thirst and hunger is satisfied through Your Name, O Lord.
Disease, sorrow and pain run away, when the Name dwells within the mind.
He alone attains his Beloved, who loves the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The worlds and solar systems are saved by the Infinite Lord.
Your glory is Yours alone, O my Beloved True Lord. ||12||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I abandoned and lost my Beloved Friend, O Nanak; I was fooled by the transitory color of the safflower, which fades away.
I did not know Your value, O my Friend; without You, I am not worth even half a shell. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
My mother-in-law is my enemy, O Nanak; my father-in-law is argumentative and my brother-in-law burns me at every step.
They can all just play in the dust, when You are my Friend, O Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
You relieve the pains of those, within whose consciousness You dwell, O Lord.
Those, within whose consciousness You dwell, never lose.
One who meets the Perfect Guru will surely be saved.
One who is attached to Truth, contemplates Truth.
One, into whose hands the treasure comes, stops searching.
He alone is known as a devotee, who loves the One Lord.
He is the dust under the feet of all; he is the lover of the Lord's feet.
Everything is Your wonderful play; the whole creation is Yours. ||13||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I have totally discarded praise and slander, O Nanak; I have forsaken and abandoned everything.
I have seen that all relationships are false, and so I have grasped hold of the hem of Your robe, Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
I wandered and wandered and went crazy, O Nanak, in countless foreign lands and pathways.
But then, I slept in peace and comfort, when I met the Guru, and found my Friend. ||2||

Pauree:
When I forget You, I endure all pains and afflictions.
Making thousands of efforts, they are still not eliminated.
One who forgets the Name, is known as a poor person.
One who forgets the Name, wanders in reincarnation.
One who does not remember his Lord and Master, is punished by the Messenger of Death.
One who does not remember his Lord and Master, is judged to be a sick person.
One who does not remember his Lord and Master, is egotistical and proud.
One who forgets the Name is miserable in this world. ||14||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I have not seen any other like You. You alone are pleasing to Nanak's mind.
I am a dedicated, devoted sacrifice to that friend, that mediator, who leads me to recognize my Husband Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Beautiful are those feet which walk towards You; beautiful is that head which falls at Your Feet.
Beautiful is that mouth which sings Your Praises; beautiful is that soul which seeks Your Sanctuary. ||2||
Pauree:
Meeting the Lord's brides, in the True Congregation, I sing the songs of joy.
The home of my heart is now held steady, and I shall not go out wandering again.
Evil-mindedness has been dispelled, along with sin and my bad reputation.
I am well-known as being calm and good-natured; my heart is filled with Truth.
Inwardly and outwardly, the One and only Lord is my way.
My mind is thirsty for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. I am a slave at His feet.
I am glorified and embellished, when my Lord and Master enjoys me.
I meet Him through my blessed destiny, when it is pleasing to His Will. ||15||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
All virtues are Yours, Dear Lord; You bestow them upon us. I am unworthy - what can I achieve, O Nanak?
There is no other Giver as great as You. I am a beggar; I beg from You forever. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
My body was wasting away, and I was depressed. The Guru, my Friend, has encouraged and consoled me.
I sleep in total peace and comfort; I have conquered the whole world. ||2||
Pauree:
The Darbaar of Your Court is glorious and great. Your holy throne is True.
You are the Emperor over the heads of kings. Your canopy and chauree (fly-brush) are permanent and unchanging.
That alone is true justice, which is pleasing to the Will of the Supreme Lord God.
Even the homeless receive a home, when it is pleasing to the Will of the Supreme Lord God.
Whatever the Creator Lord does, is a good thing.
Those who recognize their Lord and Master, are seated in the Court of the Lord.
True is Your Command; no one can challenge it.
O Merciful Lord, Cause of causes, Your creative power is all-powerful. ||16||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Hearing of You, my body and mind have blossomed forth; chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I am flushed with life.
Walking on the Path, I have found cool tranquility deep within; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, I am enraptured. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
I have found the jewel within my heart.
I was not charged for it; the True Guru gave it to me.
My search has ended, and I have become stable.
O Nanak, I have conquered this priceless human life. ||2||
Pauree:
One who has such good karma inscribed upon his forehead, is committed to the Lord's service.
One whose heart lotus blossoms forth upon meeting the Guru, remains awake and aware, night and day.
All doubt and fear run away from one who is in love with the Lord's lotus feet.

He conquers his soul, following the Guru's Teachings, and attains the Imperishable Lord.
He alone keeps up in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, who meditates on the Supreme Lord God.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he is immaculate, as if he has bathed at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
He alone is a man of good fortune, who has met with God.
Nanak is a sacrifice to such a one, whose destiny is so great! ||17||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
When the Husband Lord is within the heart, then Maya, the bride, goes outside.
When one's Husband Lord is outside of oneself, then Maya, the bride, is supreme.
Without the Name, one wanders all around.
The True Guru shows us that the Lord is with us.
Servant Nanak merges in the Truest of the True. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Making all sorts of efforts, they wander around; but they do not make even one effort.
O Nanak, how rare are those who understand the effort which saves the world. ||2||
Pauree:
The greatest of the great, infinite is Your dignity.
Your colors and hues are so numerous; no one can know Your actions.
You are the Soul within all souls; You alone know everything.
Everything is under Your control; Your home is beautiful.
Your home is filled with bliss, which resonates and resounds throughout Your home.
Your honor, majesty and glory are Yours alone.
You are overflowing with all powers; wherever we look, there You are.
Nanak, the slave of Your slaves, prays to You alone. ||18||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Your streets are covered with canopies; under them, the traders look beautiful.
O Nanak, he alone is truly a banker, who buys the infinite commodity. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, no one is mine, and I belong to no one.
I am absorbed in the One, who created this creation. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord is the most beautiful fruit tree, bearing fruits of Ambrosial Nectar.
My mind longs to meet Him; how can I ever find Him?
He has no color or form; He is inaccessible and unconquerable.
I love Him with all my soul; He opens the door for me.
I shall serve you forever, if you tell me of my Friend.
I am a sacrifice, a dedicated, devoted sacrifice to Him.
The Beloved Saints tell us, to listen with our consciousness.
One who has such pre-ordained destiny, O slave Nanak, is blessed with the Ambrosial Name by the True Guru. ||19||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, the earth belongs to the Holy, but the thieves have come and now sit among them.
The earth does not feel their weight; even they profit. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, for the sake of the rice, the husks are beaten and threshed.
When one sits in the company of evil people, then he will be called to account by the Righteous Judge of Dharma. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself has the greatest family; He Himself is all alone.
He alone knows His own worth.
He Himself, by Himself, created everything.
Only He Himself can describe His own creation.
Blessed is Your place, where You dwell, Lord.

Blessed are Your devotees, who see You, O True Lord.
He alone praises You, who is blessed by Your Grace.
One who meets the Guru, O Nanak, is immaculate and sanctified. ||20||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, this world is beautiful, but there is a thorny garden within it.
Those who are blessed by their spiritual teacher are not even scratched. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, blessed is the life, with such a beautiful body.
How rare are those who are found to love their Beloved Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He alone obtains meditation, austerities, self-discipline, compassion and Dharmic faith, whom the Lord so blesses.
He alone meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, whose fire the Lord puts out.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, the Inaccessible Primal Lord, inspires us to look upon all with an impartial eye.
With the support of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one falls in love with God.
One's faults are eradicated, and one's face becomes radiant and bright; through the Lord's Name, one crosses over.
The fear of birth and death is removed, and he is not reincarnated again.
God lifts him up and pulls him out of the deep, dark pit, and attaches him to the hem of His robe.
O Nanak, God forgives him, and holds him close in His embrace. ||21||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
One who loves God is imbued with the deep crimson color of His love.
O Nanak, such a person is rarely found; the value of such a humble person can never be estimated. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The True Name has pierced the nucleus of my self deep within. Outside, I see the True Lord as well.
O Nanak, He is pervading and permeating all places, the forests and the meadows, the three worlds, and every hair. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created the Universe; He Himself imbues it.
He Himself is One, and He Himself has numerous forms.
He Himself is within all, and He Himself is beyond them.
He Himself is known to be far away, and He Himself is right here.
He Himself is hidden, and He Himself is revealed.
No one can estimate the value of Your Creation, Lord.
You are deep and profound, unfathomable, infinite and invaluable.
O Nanak, the One Lord is all-pervading. You are the One and only. ||22||1||2||
Sudh||
Vaar Of Raamkalee, Uttered By Satta And Balwand The Drummer:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
One who chants the Name of the Almighty Creator - how can his words be judged?
His divine virtues are the true sisters and brothers; through them, the gift of supreme status is obtained.
Nanak established the kingdom; He built the true fortress on the strongest foundations.
He installed the royal canopy over Lehna's head; chanting the Lord's Praises, He drank in the Ambrosial Nectar.
The Guru implanted the almighty sword of the Teachings to illuminate his soul.
The Guru bowed down to His disciple, while Nanak was still alive.
The King, while still alive, applied the ceremonial mark to his forehead. ||1||
Nanak proclaimed Lehna's succession - he earned it.
They shared the One Light and the same way; the King just changed His body.
The immaculate canopy waves over Him, and He sits on the throne in the Guru's shop.
He does as the Guru commands; He tasted the tasteless stone of Yoga.

The Langar - the Kitchen of the Guru's Shabad has been opened, and its supplies never run short.
Whatever His Master gave, He spent; He distributed it all to be eaten.
The Praises of the Master were sung, and the Divine Light descended from the heavens to the earth.
Gazing upon You, O True King, the filth of countless past lives is washed away.
The Guru gave the True Command; why should we hesitate to proclaim this?
His sons did not obey His Word; they turned their backs on Him as Guru.
These evil-hearted ones became rebellious; they carry loads of sin on their backs.
Whatever the Guru said, Lehna did, and so he was installed on the throne.
Who has lost, and who has won? ||2||
He who did the work, is accepted as Guru; so which is better - the thistle or the rice?
The Righteous Judge of Dharma considered the arguments and made the decision.
Whatever the True Guru says, the True Lord does; it comes to pass instantaneously.
Guru Angad was proclaimed, and the True Creator confirmed it.
Nanak merely changed his body; He still sits on the throne, with hundreds of branches reaching out.
Standing at His door, His followers serve Him; by this service, their rust is scraped off.
He is the Dervish - the Saint, at the door of His Lord and Master; He loves the True Name, and the Bani of the Guru's Word.
Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all.
She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia.
The faces of the Guru's Sikhs are radiant and bright; the self-willed manmukhs are pale, like straw.
The Master gave His approval, when Angad exerted Himself heroically.
Such is the Husband of mother Khivi; He sustains the world. ||3||
It is as if the Guru made the Ganges flow in the opposite direction, and the world wonders: what has he done?
Nanak, the Lord, the Lord of the World, spoke the words out loud.
Making the mountain his churning stick, and the snake-king his churning string, He has churned the Word of the Shabad.
From it, He extracted the fourteen jewels, and illuminated the world.
He revealed such creative power, and touched such greatness.
He raised the royal canopy to wave over the head of Lehna, and raised His glory to the skies.
His Light merged into the Light, and He blended Him into Himself.
Guru Nanak tested His Sikhs and His sons, and everyone saw what happened.
When Lehna alone was found to be pure, then He was set on the throne. ||4||
Then, the True Guru, the son of Pheru, came to dwell at Khadoor.
Meditation, austerities and self-discipline rest with You, while the others are filled with excessive pride.
Greed ruins mankind, like the green algae in the water.
In the Guru's Court, the Divine Light shines in its creative power.
You are the cooling peace, whose depth cannot be found.
You are overflowing with the nine treasures, and the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Whoever slanders You will be totally ruined and destroyed.
People of the world can see only what is near at hand, but You can see far beyond.
Then the True Guru, the son of Pheru, came to dwell at Khadoor. ||5||

The same mark on the forehead, the same throne, and the same Royal Court.
Just like the father and grandfather, the son is approved.
He took the thousand-headed serpent as his churning string, and with the force of devotional love, he churned the ocean of the world with his churning stick, the Sumayr mountain.
He extracted the fourteen jewels, and brought forth the Divine Light.
He made intuition his horse, and chastity his saddle.
He placed the arrow of the Lord's Praise in the bow of Truth.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, there was only pitch darkness. Then, He rose like the sun to illuminate the darkness.
He farms the field of Truth, and spreads out the canopy of Truth.
Your kitchen always has ghee and flour to eat.
You understand the four corners of the universe; in your mind, the Word of the Shabad is approved and supreme.
You eliminate the comings and goings of reincarnation, and bestow the insignia of Your Glance of Grace.
You are the Avataar, the Incarnation of the all-knowing Primal Lord.
You are not pushed or shaken by the storm and the wind; you are like the Sumayr Mountain.
You know the inner state of the soul; You are the Knower of knowers.
How can I praise You, O True Supreme King, when You are so wise and all-knowing?
Those blessings granted by the Pleasure of the True Guru - please bless Satta with those gifts.
Seeing Nanak's canopy waving over Your head, everyone was astonished.
The same mark on the forehead, the same throne, and the same Royal Court.
Just like the father and grandfather, the son is approved. ||6||
Blessed, blessed is Guru Raam Daas; He who created You, has also exalted You.
Perfect is Your miracle; the Creator Lord Himself has installed You on the throne.
The Sikhs and all the Congregation recognize You as the Supreme Lord God, and bow down to You.
You are unchanging, unfathomable and immeasurable; You have no end or limitation.
Those who serve You with love - You carry them across.
Greed, envy, sexual desire, anger and emotional attachment - You have beaten them and driven them out.
Blessed is Your place, and True is Your magnificent glory.
You are Nanak, You are Angad, and You are Amar Daas; so do I recognize You.
When I saw the Guru, then my mind was comforted and consoled. ||7||
The four Gurus enlightened the four ages; the Lord Himself assumed the fifth form.
He created Himself, and He Himself is the supporting pillar.
He Himself is the paper, He Himself is the pen, and He Himself is the writer.
All His followers come and go; He alone is fresh and new.
Guru Arjun sits on the throne; the royal canopy waves over the True Guru.
From east to west, He illuminates the four directions.
Those self-willed manmukhs who do not serve the Guru die in shame.
Your miracles increase two-fold, even four-fold; this is the True Lord's true blessing.
The four Gurus enlightened the four ages; the Lord Himself assumed the fifth form. ||8||1||
Raamkalee, The Word Of The Devotees.
Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Make your body the vat, and mix in the yeast. Let the Word of the Guru's Shabad be the molasses.

Cut up desire, sexuality, anger, pride and envy, and let them be the fermenting bark. ||1||
Is there any Saint, with intuitive peace and poise deep within, unto whom I might offer my meditation and austerities as payment?
I dedicate my body and mind to whoever gives me even a drop of this wine from such a vat. ||1||Pause||
I have made the fourteen worlds the furnace, and I have burnt my body with the fire of God.
My mudra - my hand-gesture, is the pipe; tuning into the celestial sound current within, the Shushmanaa - the central spinal channel, is my cooling pad. ||2||
Pilgrimages, fasting, vows, purifications, self-discipline, austerities and breath control through the sun and moon channels - all these I pledge.
My focused consciousness is the cup, and the Ambrosial Nectar is the pure juice. I drink in the supreme, sublime essence of this juice. ||3||
The pure stream constantly trickles forth, and my mind is intoxicated by this sublime essence.
Says Kabeer, all other wines are trivial and tasteless; this is the only true, sublime essence. ||4||1||
Make spiritual wisdom the molasses, meditation the flowers, and the Fear of God the fire enshrined in your mind.
The Shushmanaa, the central spinal channel, is intuitively balanced, and the drinker drinks in this wine. ||1||
O hermit Yogi, my mind is intoxicated.
When that wine rises up, one tastes the sublime essence of this juice, and sees across the three worlds. ||1||Pause||
Joining the two channels of the breath, I have lit the furnace, and I drink in the supreme, sublime essence.
I have burnt both sexual desire and anger, and I have been emancipated from the world. ||2||
The light of spiritual wisdom enlightens me; meeting with the Guru, the True Guru, I have obtained this understanding.
Slave Kabeer is intoxicated with that wine, which never wears off. ||3||2||
You are my Sumayr Mountain, O my Lord and Master; I have grasped Your Support.
You do not shake, and I do not fall. You have preserved my honor. ||1||
Now and then, here and there, You, only You.
By Your Grace, I am forever in peace. ||1||Pause||
Relying upon You, I can live even in the cursed place of Magahar; You have put out the fire of my body.
First, I obtained the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan in Magahar; then, I came to dwell at Benares. ||2||
As is Magahar, so is Benares; I see them as one and the same.
I am poor, but I have obtained this wealth of the Lord; the proud are bursting with pride, and die. ||3||
One who takes pride in himself is stuck with thorns; no one can pull them out.
Here, he cries bitterly, and hereafter, he burns in the most hideous hell. ||4||
What is hell, and what is heaven? The Saints reject them both.
I have no obligation to either of them, by the Grace of my Guru. ||5||
Now, I have mounted to the throne of the Lord; I have met the Lord, the Sustainer of the World.
The Lord and Kabeer have become one. No one can tell them apart. ||6||3||
I honor and obey the Saints, and punish the wicked; this is my duty as God's police officer.
Day and night, I wash Your feet, Lord; I wave my hair as the chauree, to brush away the flies. ||1||
I am a dog at Your Court, Lord.
I open my snout and bark before it. ||1||Pause||

In my past life, I was Your servant; now, I cannot leave You.
The celestial sound current resounds at Your Door. Your insignia is stamped upon my forehead. ||2||
Those who are branded with Your brand fight bravely in battle; those without Your brand run away.
One who becomes a Holy person, appreciates the value of devotional worship to the Lord. The Lord places him in His treasury. ||3||
In the fortress is the chamber; by contemplative meditation it becomes the supreme chamber.
The Guru has blessed Kabeer with the commodity, saying, "Take this commodity; cherish it and keep it secure."||4||
Kabeer gives it to the world, but he alone receives it, upon whose forehead such destiny is recorded.
Permanent is the marriage, of one who receives this ambrosial essence. ||5||4||
O Brahmin, how can you forget the One, from whose mouth the Vedas and the Gayitri prayer issured forth?
The whole world falls at His feet; why don't you chant the Name of that Lord, O Pandit? ||1||
Why, O my Brahmin, do you not chant the Lord's Name?
If you don't chant the Lord's Name, O Pandit, you will only suffer in hell. ||1||Pause||
You think that you are high, but you take food from the houses of the lowly; you fill up your belly by forcibly practicing your rituals.
On the fourteenth day, and the night of the new moon, you go out begging; even though you hold the lamp in your hands, still, you fall into the pit. ||2||
You are a Brahmin, and I am only a weaver from Benares. How can I compare to you?
Chanting the Lord's Name, I have been saved; relying on the Vedas, O Brahmin, you shall drown and die. ||3||5||
There is a single tree, with countless branches and twigs; its flowers and leaves are filled with its juice.
This world is a garden of Ambrosial Nectar. The Perfect Lord created it. ||1||
I have come to know the story of my Sovereign Lord.
How rare is that Gurmukh who knows, and whose inner being is illumined by the Lord's Light. ||1||Pause||
The bumble bee, addicted to the nectar of the twelve-petalled flowers, enshrines it in the heart.
He holds his breath suspended in the sixteen-petalled sky of the Akaashic Ethers, and beats his wings in esctasy. ||2||
In the profound void of intuitive Samaadhi, the one tree rises up; it soaks up the water of desire from the ground.
Says Kabeer, I am the servant of those who have seen this celestial tree. ||3||6||
Make silence your ear-rings, and compassion your wallet; let meditation be your begging bowl.
Sew this body as your patched coat, and take the Lord's Name as your support. ||1||
Practice such Yoga, O Yogi.
As Gurmukh, enjoy meditation, austerities and self-discipline. ||1||Pause||
Apply the ashes of wisdom to your body; let your horn be your focused consciousness.
Become detached, and wander through the city of your body; play the harp of your mind. ||2||
Enshrine the five tatvas - the five elements, within your heart; let your deep meditative trance be undisturbed.
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints: make righteousness and compassion your garden. ||3||7||
For what purpose were you created and brought into the world? What rewards have you received in this life?
God is the boat to carry you across the terrifying world-ocean; He is the Fulfiller of the mind's desires. You have not centered your mind on Him, even for an instant. ||1||

O Lord of the Universe, I am such a sinner!
God gave me body and soul, but I have not practiced loving devotional worship to Him. ||1||Pause||
Others' wealth, others' bodies, others' wives, others' slander and others' fights - I have not given them up.
For the sake of these, coming and going in reincarnation happens over and over again, and this story never ends. ||2||
That house, in which the Saints speak of the Lord - I have not visited it, even for an instant.
Drunkards, thieves, and evil-doers - I constantly dwell with them. ||3||
Sexual desire, anger, the wine of Maya, and envy - these are what I collect within myself.
Compassion, righteousness, and service to the Guru - these do not visit me, even in my dreams. ||4||
He is merciful to the meek, compassionate and benevolent, the Lover of His devotees, the Destroyer of fear.
Says Kabeer, please protect Your humble servant from disaster; O Lord, I serve only You. ||5||8||
Remembering Him in meditation, the door of liberation is found.
You shall go to heaven, and not return to this earth.
In the home of the Fearless Lord, the celestial trumpets resound.
The unstruck sound current will vibrate and resonate forever. ||1||
Practice such meditative remembrance in your mind.
Without this meditative remembrance, liberation will never be found. ||1||Pause||
Remembering Him in meditation, you will meet with no obstruction.
You will be liberated, and the great load will be taken away.
Bow in humility within your heart,
and you will not have to be reincarnated over and over again. ||2||
Remember Him in meditation, celebrate and be happy.
God has placed His lamp deep within you, which burns without any oil.
That lamp makes the world immortal;
it conquers and drives out the poisons of sexual desire and anger. ||3||
Remembering Him in meditation, you shall obtain salvation.
Wear that meditative remembrance as your necklace.
Practice that meditative remembrance, and never let it go.
By Guru's Grace, you shall cross over. ||4||
Remembering Him in meditation, you shall not be obligated to others.
You shall sleep in your mansion, in blankets of silk.
Your soul shall blossom forth in happiness, on this comfortable bed.
So drink in this meditative remembrance, night and day. ||5||
Remembering Him in meditation, your troubles will depart.
Remembering Him in meditation, Maya will not bother you.
Meditate, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har, and sing His Praises in your mind.
This meditative remembrance is obtained from the True Guru. ||6||
Forever and ever, remember Him, day and night,
while standing up and sitting down, with every breath and morsel of food.
While awake and asleep, enjoy the essence of this meditative remembrance.
The Lord's meditative remembrance is obtained by good destiny. ||7||
Remembering Him in meditation, you shall not be loaded down.
Make this meditative remembrance of the Lord's Name your Support.
Says Kabeer, He has no limits;
no tantras or mantras can be used against Him. ||8||9||
Raamkalee, Second House, The Word Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Maya, the Trapper, has sprung her trap.
The Guru, the Liberated One, has put out the fire.

When I came to understand this mind, from the tips of my toes to the crown of my head,
then I took my cleansing bath, deep within my self. ||1||
The mind, the master of the breath, abides in the state of supreme bliss.
There is no death, no re-birth, and no aging for me now. ||1||Pause||
Turning away from materialism, I have found intuitive support.
I have entered into the sky of the mind, and opened the Tenth Gate.
The chakras of the coiled Kundalini energy have been opened,
and I have met my Sovereign Lord King without fear. ||2||
My attachment to Maya has been eradicated;
the moon energy has devoured the sun energy.
When I was focused and merged into the all-pervading Lord,
then the unstruck sound current began to vibrate. ||3||
The Speaker has spoken, and proclaimed the Word of the Shabad.
The hearer has heard, and enshrined it in the mind.
Chanting to the Creator, one crosses over.
Says Kabeer, this is the essence. ||4||1||10||
The moon and the sun are both the embodiment of light.
Within their light, is God, the incomparable. ||1||
O spiritual teacher, contemplate God.
In this light is contained the expanse of the created universe. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon the diamond, I humbly salute this diamond.
Says Kabeer, the Immaculate Lord is indescribable. ||2||2||11||
People of the world, remain awake and aware. Even though you are awake, you are being robbed, O Siblings of Destiny.
While the Vedas stand guard watching, the Messenger of Death carries you away. ||1||Pause||
He thinks that the bitter nimm fruit is a mango, and the mango is a bitter nimm. He imagines the ripe banana on the thorny bush.
He thinks that the ripe coconut hangs on the barren simmal tree; what a stupid, idiotic fool he is! ||1||
The Lord is like sugar, spilled onto the sand; the elephant cannot pick it up.
Says Kabeer, give up your ancestry, social status and honor; be like the tiny ant - pick up and eat the sugar. ||2||3||12||
The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee, Raamkalee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The boy takes paper, cuts it and makes a kite, and flies it in the sky.
Talking with his friends, he still keeps his attention on the kite string. ||1||
My mind has been pierced by the Name of the Lord,
like the goldsmith, whose attention is held by his work. ||1||Pause||
The young girl in the city takes a pitcher, and fills it with water.
She laughs, and plays, and talks with her friends, but she keeps her attention focused on the pitcher of water. ||2||
The cow is let loose, out of the mansion of the ten gates, to graze in the field.
It grazes up to five miles away, but keeps its attention focused on its calf. ||3||
Says Naam Dayv, listen, O Trilochan: the child is laid down in the cradle.
Its mother is at work, inside and outside, but she holds her child in her thoughts. ||4||1||
There are countless Vedas, Puraanas and Shaastras; I do not sing their songs and hymns.

In the imperishable realm of the Formless Lord, I play the flute of the unstruck sound current. ||1||
Becoming detached, I sing the Lord's Praises.
Imbued with the unattached, unstruck Word of the Shabad, I shall go to the home of the Lord, who has no ancestors. ||1||Pause||
Then, I shall no longer control the breath through the energy channels of the Ida, Pingala and Shushmanaa.
I look upon both the moon and the sun as the same, and I shall merge in the Light of God. ||2||
I do not go to see sacred shrines of pilgrimage, or bathe in their waters; I do not bother any beings or creatures.
The Guru has shown me the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage within my own heart, where I now take my cleansing bath. ||3||
I do not pay attention to anyone praising me, or calling me good and nice.
Says Naam Dayv, my consciousness is imbued with the Lord; I am absorbed in the profound state of Samaadhi. ||4||2||
When there was no mother and no father, no karma and no human body,
when I was not and you were not, then who came from where? ||1||
O Lord, no one belongs to anyone else.
We are like birds perched on a tree. ||1||Pause||
When there was no moon and no sun, then water and air were blended together.
When there were no Shaastras and no Vedas, then where did karma come from? ||2||
Control of the breath and positioning of the tongue, focusing at the third eye and wearing malas of tulsi beads, are all obtained through Guru's Grace.
Naam Dayv prays, this is the supreme essence of reality; the True Guru has inspired this realization. ||3||3||
RAAMKALEE, SECOND HOUSE:
Someone may practice austerities at Benares, or die upside-down at a sacred shrine ofpilgrimage, or burn his body in fire, or rejuvenate his body to life almost forever;
he may perform the horse-sacrifice ceremony, or give donations of gold covered over, but none of these is equal to the worship of the Lord's Name. ||1||
O hypocrite, renounce and abandon your hypocrisy; do not practice deception.
Constantly, continually, chant the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Someone may go to the Ganges or the Godaavari, or to the Kumbha festival, or bathe at Kaydaar Naat'h, or make donations of thousands of cows at Gomti;
he may make millions of pilgrimages to sacred shrines, or freeze his body in the Himalayas; still, none of these is equal to the worship of the Lord's Name. ||2||
Someone may give away horses and elephants, or women on their beds, or land; he may give such gifts over and over again.
He may purify his soul, and give away in charity his body weight in gold; none of these is equal to the worship of the Lord's Name. ||3||
Do not harbor anger in your mind, or blame the Messenger of Death; instead, realize the immaculate state of Nirvaanaa.
My Sovereign Lord King is Raam Chandra, the Son of the King Dasrat'h; prays Naam Dayv, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||4||4||
Raamkalee, The Word Of Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They read and reflect upon all the Names of God; they listen, but they do not see the Lord, the embodiment of love and intuition.
How can iron be transformed into gold, unless it touches the Philosopher's Stone? ||1||

O Divine Lord, the knot of skepticism cannot be untied.
Sexual desire, anger, Maya, intoxication and jealousy - these five have combined to plunder the world. ||1||Pause||
I am a great poet, of noble heritage; I am a Pandit, a religious scholar, a Yogi and a Sannyaasi;
I am a spiritual teacher, a warrior and a giver - such thinking never ends. ||2||
Says Ravi Daas, no one understands; they all run around, deluded like madmen.
The Lord's Name is my only Support; He is my life, my breath of life, my wealth. ||3||1||
Raamkalee, The Word Of Baynee Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The energy channels of the Ida, Pingala and Shushmanaa: these three dwell in one place.
This is the true place of confluence of the three sacred rivers: this is where my mind takes its cleansing bath. ||1||
O Saints, the Immaculate Lord dwells there;
how rare are those who go to the Guru, and understand this.
The all-pervading immaculate Lord is there. ||1||Pause||
What is the insignia of the Divine Lord's dwelling?
The unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates there.
There is no moon or sun, no air or water there.
The Gurmukh becomes aware, and knows the Teachings. ||2||
Spiritual wisdom wells up, and evil-mindedness departs;
the nucleus of the mind sky is drenched with Ambrosial Nectar.
One who knows the secret of this device,
meets the Supreme Divine Guru. ||3||
The Tenth Gate is the home of the inaccessible, infinite Supreme Lord.
Above the store is a niche, and within this niche is the commodity. ||4||
One who remains awake, never sleeps.
The three qualities and the three worlds vanish, in the state of Samaadhi.
He takes the Beej Mantra, the Seed Mantra, and keeps it in his heart.
Turning his mind away from the world, he focuses on the cosmic void of the absolute Lord. ||5||
He remains awake, and he does not lie.
He keeps the five sensory organs under his control.
He cherishes in his consciousness the Guru's Teachings.
He dedicates his mind and body to the Lord's Love. ||6||
He considers his hands to be the leaves and branches of the tree.
He does not lose his life in the gamble.
He plugs up the source of the river of evil tendencies.
Turning away from the west, he makes the sun rise in the east.
He bears the unbearable, and the drops trickle down within;
then, he speaks with the Lord of the world. ||7||
The four-sided lamp illuminates the Tenth Gate.
The Primal Lord is at the center of the countless leaves.
He Himself abides there with all His powers.
He weaves the jewels into the pearl of the mind. ||8||
The lotus is at the forehead, and the jewels surround it.
Within it is the Immaculate Lord, the Master of the three worlds.
The Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds, resound and vibrate their in their purity.
The chauris - the fly brushes wave, and the conch shells blare like thunder.
The Gurmukh tramples the demons underfoot with his spiritual wisdom.
Baynee longs for Your Name, Lord. ||9||1||

Raag Nat Naaraayan, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, day and night.
Millions and millions of sins and mistakes, committed through countless lifetimes, shall all be put aside and sent away. ||1||Pause||
Those who chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and worship Him in adoration, and serve Him with love, are genuine.
All their sins are erased, just as water washes off the dirt. ||1||
That being, who sings the Lord's Praises each and every instant, chants with his mouth the Name of the Lord.
In a moment, in an instant, the Lord rids him of the five incurable diseases of the body-village. ||2||
Very fortunate are those who meditate on the Lord's Name; they alone are the Lord's devotees.
I beg for the Sangat, the Congregation; O God, please bless me with them. I am a fool, and an idiot - please save me! ||3||
Shower me with Your Mercy and Grace, O Life of the World; save me, I seek Your Sanctuary.
Servant Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary; O Lord, please preserve my honor! ||4||1||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
Meditating on the Lord, His humble servants are blended with the Lord's Name.
Chanting the Lord's Name, following the Guru's Teachings, the Lord showers His Mercy upon them. ||1||Pause||
Our Lord and Master, Har, Har, is inaccessible and unfathomable. Meditating on Him, His humble servant merges with Him, like water with water.
Meeting with the Lord's Saints, I have obtained the sublime essence of the Lord. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to His humble servants. ||1||
The Lord's humble servant sings the Praises of the Name of the Supreme, Primal Soul, and all poverty and pain are destroyed.
Within the body are the five evil and uncontrollable passions. The Lord destroys them in an instant. ||2||
The Lord's Saint loves the Lord in his mind, like the lotus flower gazing at the moon.
The clouds hang low, the clouds tremble with thunder, and the mind dances joyfully like the peacock. ||3||
My Lord and Master has placed this yearning within me; I live by seeing and meeting my Lord.
Servant Nanak is addicted to the intoxication of the Lord; meeting with the Lord, he finds sublime bliss. ||4||2||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, your only Friend.

By Guru's Grace, I meditate on the Name of the Lord; I wash the Feet of the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
The Exalted Lord of the World, the Master of the Universe, keeps a sinner like me in His Sanctuary
You are the Greatest Being, Lord, Destroyer of the pains of the meek; You have placed Your Name in my mouth, Lord. ||1||
I am lowly, but I sing the Lofty Praises of the Lord, meeting with the Guru, the True Guru, my Friend.
Like the bitter nimm tree, growing near the sandalwood tree, I am permeated with the fragrance of sandalwood. ||2||
My faults and sins of corruption are countless; over and over again, I commit them.
I am unworthy, I am a heavy stone sinking down; but the Lord has carried me across, in association with His humble servants. ||3||
Those whom You save, Lord - all their sins are destroyed.
O Merciful God, Lord and Master of servant Nanak, You have carried across even evil villains like Harnaakhash. ||4||3||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, with love.
When the Lord of the Universe, Har, Har, granted His Grace, then I fell at the feet of the humble, and I meditate on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Mistaken and confused for so many past lives, I have now come and entered the Sanctuary of God.
O my Lord and Master, You are the Cherisher of those who come to Your Sanctuary. I am such a great sinner - please save me! ||1||
Associating with You, Lord, who would not be saved? Only God sanctifies the sinners.
Naam Dayv, the calico printer, was driven out by the evil villains, as he sang Your Glorious Praises; O God, You protected the honor of Your humble servant. ||2||
Those who sing Your Glorious Praises, O my Lord and Master - I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them.
Those houses and homes are sanctified, upon which the dust of the feet of the humble settles. ||3||
I cannot describe Your Glorious Virtues, God; You are the greatest of the great, O Great Primal Lord God.
Please shower Your Mercy upon servant Nanak, God; I serve at the feet of Yor humble servants. ||4||4||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, believe in and chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
God, the Master of the Universe, has showered His Mercy upon me, and through the Guru's Teachings, my intellect has been molded by the Naam. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's humble servant sings the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, listening to the Guru's Teachings.
The Lord's Name cuts down all sins, like the farmer cutting down his crops. ||1||
You alone know Your Praises, God; I cannot even describe Your Glorious Virtues, Lord.
You are what You are, God; You alone know Your Glorious Virtues, God. ||2||
The mortals are bound by the many bonds of Maya's noose. Meditating on the Lord, the knot is untied,
like the elephant, which was caught in the water by the crococile; it remembered the Lord, and chanted the Lord's Name, and was released. ||3||
O my Lord and Master, Supreme Lord God, Transcendent Lord, throughout the ages, mortals search for You.
Your extent cannot be estimated or known, O Great God of servant Nanak. ||4||5||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is worthy and commendable.
When the Merciful Lord God shows kindness and compassion, then one falls at the feet of the True Guru, and meditates on the Lord. ||1||Pause||

O my Lord and Master, You are great, inaccessible and unfathomable; all meditate on You, O Beautiful Lord.
Those whom You view with Your Great Eye of Grace, meditate on You, Lord, and become Gurmukh. ||1||
The expanse of this creation is Your work, O God, my Lord and Master, Life of the entire universe, united with all.
Countless waves rise up from the water, and then they merge into the water again. ||2||
You alone, God, know whatever You do. O Lord, I do not know.
I am Your child; please enshrine Your Praises within my heart, God, so that I may remember You in meditation. ||3||
You are the treasure of water, O Lord, the Maansarovar Lake. Whoever serves You receives all fruitful rewards.
Servant Nanak longs for the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har; bless him, Lord, with Your Mercy. ||4||6||
Nat Naaraayan, Fourth Mehl, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my mind, serve the Lord, and receive the fruits of your rewards.
Receive the dust of the Guru's feet.
All poverty will be eliminated, and your pains will disappear.
The Lord shall bless you with His Glance of Grace, and you shall be enraptured. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself embellishes His household. The Lord's Mansion of Love is studded with countless jewels, the jewels of the Beloved Lord.
The Lord Himself has granted His Grace, and He has come into my home.The Guru is my advocate before the Lord. Gazing upon the Lord, I have become blissful, blissful, blissful. ||1||
From the Guru, I received news of the Lord's arrival. My mind and body became ecstatic and blissful, hearing of the arrival of the Lord, my Beloved Love, my Lord.
Servant Nanak has met with the Lord, Har, Har; he is intoxicated, enraptured, enraptured. ||2||1||7||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, join the Society of the Saints, and become noble and exalted.
Listen to the Unspoken Speech of the peace-giving Lord.
All sins will be washed away.
Meet with the Lord, according to your pre-ordained destiny. ||1||Pause||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise is lofty and exalted. Following the Guru's Teachings, the intellect dwells on the sermon of the Lord.
I am a sacrifice to that person who listens and believes. ||1||
One who tastes the sublime essence of the Unspoken Speech of the Lord - all his hunger is satisfied.
Servant Nanak listens to the sermon of the Lord, and is satisfied; chanting the Lord's Name, Har, Har, Har, he has become like the Lord. ||2||2||8||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
If only someone would come and tell me the Lord's sermon.
I would be a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to him.
That humble servant of the Lord is the best of the best.

Meeting with the Lord, you be enraptured. ||1||Pause||
The Guru, the Saint, has shown me the Lord's Path. The Guru has shown me the way to walk on the Lord's Path.
Cast out deception from within yourself, O my Gursikhs, and without deception, serve the Lord. You shall be enraptured, enraptured, enraptured. ||1||
Those Sikhs of the Guru, who realize that my Lord God is with them, are pleasing to my Lord God.
The Lord God has blessed servant Nanak with understanding; seeing his Lord hear at hand, his is enraptured, enraptured, enraptured, enraptured. ||2||3||9||
Raag Nat Naaraayan, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Lord, how can I know what pleases You?
Within my mind is such a great thirst for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||Pause||
He alone is a spiritual teacher, and he alone is Your humble servant, to whom You have given Your approval.
He alone meditates on You forever and ever, O Primal Lord, O Architect of Destiny, unto whom You grant Your Grace. ||1||
What sort of Yoga, what spiritual wisdom and meditation, and what virtues please You?
He alone is a humble servant, and he alone is God's own devotee, with whom You are in love. ||2||
That alone is intelligence, that alone is wisdom and cleverness, which inspires one to never forget God, even for an instant.
Joining the Society of the Saints, I have found this peace, singing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
I have seen the Wondrous Lord, the embodiment of supreme bliss, and now, I see nothing else at all.
Says Nanak, the Guru has rubbed sway the rust; now how could I ever enter the womb of reincarnation again? ||4||1||
Raag Nat Naaraayan, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I don't blame anyone else.
Whatever You do is sweet to my mind. ||1||Pause||
Understanding and obeying Your Order, I have found peace; hearing, listening to Your Name, I live.
Here and hereafter, O Lord, You, only You. The Guru has implanted this Mantra within me. ||1||
Since I came to realize this, I have been blessed with total peace and pleasure.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, this has been revealed to Nanak, and now, there is no other for him at all. ||2||1||2||
Nat, Fifth Mehl:
Whoever has You for support,
has the fear of death removed; peace is found, and the disease of egotism is taken away. ||1||Pause||
The fire within is quenched, and one is satisfied through the Ambrosial Word of the Guru's Bani, as the baby is satisfied by milk.
The Saints are my mother, father and friends. The Saints are my help and support, and my brothers. ||1||

The doors of doubt are thrown open, and I have met the Lord of the World; God's diamond has pierced the diamond of my mind.
Nanak blossoms forth in ecstasy, singing the Lord's Praises; my Lord and Master is the ocean of virtue. ||2||2||3||
Nat, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself saves His humble servant.
Twenty-four hours a day, He dwells with His humble servant; He never forgets him from His Mind. ||1||Pause||
The Lord does not look at his color or form; He does not consider the ancestry of His slave.
Granting His Grace, the Lord blesses him with His Name, and embellishes him with intuitive ease. ||1||
The ocean of fire is treacherous and difficult, but he is carried across.
Seeing, seeing Him, Nanak blossoms forth, over and over again, a sacrifice to Him. ||2||3||4||
Nat, Fifth Mehl:
One who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within his mind
- millions of sins are erased in an instant, and pain is relieved. ||1||Pause||
Seeking and searching, I have become detached; I have found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Renouncing everything, I am lovingly focused on the One Lord. I grab hold of the feet of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Whoever chants His Name is liberated; whoever listens to it is saved, as is anyone who seeks His Sanctuary.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on God the Lord and Master, says Nanak, I am in ecstasy! ||2||4||5||
Nat, Fifth Mehl:
I am in love with Your Lotus Feet.
O Lord, ocean of peace, please bless me with the supreme status. ||1||Pause||
He has inspired His humble servant to grasp the hem of His robe; his mind is pierced through with the intoxication of divine love.
Singing His Praises, love wells up within the devotee, and the trap of Maya is broken. ||1||
The Lord, the ocean of mercy, is all-pervading, permeating everywhere; I do not see any other at all.
He has united slave Nanak with Himself; His Love never diminishes. ||2||5||6||
Nat, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, chant, and meditate on the Lord.
I shall never forget Him from my mind; twenty-four hours a day, I sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
I take my daily cleansing bath in the dust of the feet of the Holy, and I am rid of all my sins.
The Lord, the ocean of mercy, is all-pervading, permeating everywhere; He is seen to be contained in each and every heart. ||1||
Hundreds of thousands and millions of meditations, austerities and worships are not equal to remembering the Lord in meditation.
With his palms pressed together, Nanak begs for this blessing, that he may become the slave of the slaves of Your slaves. ||2||6||7||
Nat, Fifth Mehl:
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is everything for me.
Granting His Grace, He has led me to join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; the True Guru has granted this gift. ||1||Pause||
Sing the Kirtan, the Praises of the Lord, the Giver of peace, the Destroyer of pain; He shall bless you with perfect spiritual wisdom.
Sexual desire, anger and greed shall be shattered and destroyed, and your foolish ego will be dispelled. ||1||
What Glorious Virtues of Yours should I chant? O God, You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
I seek the Sanctuary of Your Lotus Feet, O Lord, ocean of peace; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||2||7||8||

Nat, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Guru, the Lord of the World. ||1||Pause||
I am unworthy; You are the Perfect Giver. You are the Merciful Master of the meek. ||1||
While standing up and sitting down, while sleeping and awake, You are my soul, my breath of life, my wealth and property. ||2||
Within my mind there is such a great thirst for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. Nanak is enraptured with Your Glance of Grace. ||3||8||9||
Nat Partaal, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Is there any friend or companion of mine,
who will constantly share the Lord's Name with me?
Will he rid me of my pains and evil tendencies?
I would surrender my mind, body, consciousness and everything. ||1||Pause||
How rare is that one whom the Lord makes His own,
and whose mind is sewn into the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Granting His Grace, the Lord blesses him with His Praise. ||1||
Vibrating, meditating on the Lord, he is victorious in this precious human life,
and millions of sinners are sanctified.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Him. ||2||1||10||19||
Nat Ashtapadees, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Lord, Your Name is the support of my mind and body.
I cannot survive for a moment, even for an instant, without serving You. Following the Guru's Teachings, I dwell upon the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Within my mind, I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har. The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is so dear to me.
When God, my Lord and Master, became merciful to me the meek one, I was exalted by the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Almighty Lord, Slayer of demons, Life of the World, my Lord and Master, inaccessible and infinite:
I offer this one prayer to the Guru, to bless me, that I may wash the feet of the Holy. ||2||
The thousands of eyes are the eyes of God; the One God, the Primal Being, remains unattached.
The One God, our Lord and Master, has thousands of forms; God alone, through the Guru's Teachings, saves us. ||3||
Following the Guru's Teachings, I have been blessed with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. I have enshrined within my heart the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, is so very sweet; like the mute, I taste its sweetness, but I cannot describe it at all. ||4||
The tongue savors the bland, insipid taste of the love of duality, greed and corruption.
The Gurmukh tastes the flavor of the Lord's Name, and all other tastes and flavors are forgotten. ||5||
Following the Guru's Teachings, I have obtained the wealth of the Lord's Name; hearing it, and chanting it, sins are eradicated.
The Messenger of Death and the Righteous Judge of Dharma do not even approach the beloved servant of my Lord and Master. ||6||
With as many breaths as I have, I chant the Naam, under Guru's Instructions.
Each and every breath which escapes me without the Naam - that breath is useless and corrupt. ||7||
Please grant Your Grace; I am meek; I seek Your Sanctuary, God. Unite me with Your beloved, humble servants.

Nanak, the slave of Your slaves, says, I am the water-carrier of Your slaves. ||8||1||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O Lord, I am an unworthy stone.
The Merciful Lord, in His Mercy, has led me to meet the Guru; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, this stone is carried across. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru has implanted within me the exceedingly sweet Naam, the Name of the Lord; it is like the most fragrant sandalwood.
Through the Name, my awareness extends in the ten directions; the fragrance of the fragrant Lord permeates the air. ||1||
Your unlimited sermon is the most sweet sermon; I contemplate the most Sublime Word of the Guru.
Singing, singing, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; singing His Glorious Praises, the Guru saves me. ||2||
The Guru is wise and clear; the Guru looks upon all alike. Meeting with Him, doubt and skepticism are removed.
Meeting with the True Guru, I have obtained the supreme status. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||3||
Practicing hypocrisy and deception, people wander around in confusion. Greed and hypocrisy are evils in this world.
In this world and the next, they are miserable; the Messenger of Death hovers over their heads, and strikes them down. ||4||
At the break of day, they take care of their affairs, and the poisonous entanglements of Maya.
When night falls, they enter the land of dreams, and even in dreams, they take care of their corruptions and pains. ||5||
Taking a barren field, they plant falsehood; they shall harvest only falsehood.
The materialistic people shall all remain hungry; the brutal Messenger of Death stands waiting at their door. ||6||
The self-willed manmukh has accumulated a tremendous load of debt in sin; only by contemplating the Word of the Shabad, can this debt be paid off.
As much debt and as many creditors as there are, the Lord makes them into servants, who fall at his feet. ||7||
All the beings which the Lord of the Universe created - He puts the rings through their noses, and leads them all along.
O Nanak, as God drives us on, so do we follow; it is all the Will of the Beloved Lord. ||8||2||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord has bathed me in the pool of Ambrosial Nectar.
The spiritual wisdom of the True Guru is the most excellent cleansing bath; bathing in it, all the filthy sins are washed away. ||1||Pause||
The virtues of the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, are so very great. Even the prostitute was saved, by teaching the parrot to speak the Lord's Name.
Krishna was pleased, and so he touched the hunch-back Kubija, and she was transported to the heavens. ||1||
Ajaamal loved his son Naaraayan, and called out his name.
His loving devotion pleased my Lord and Master, who struck down and drove off the Messengers of Death. ||2||
The mortal speaks and by speaking, makes the people listen; but he does not reflect upon what he himself says.
But when he joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, he is confirmed in his faith, and he is saved by the Name of the Lord. ||3||
As long as his soul and body are healthy and strong, he does not remember the Lord at all.
But when his home and mansion catch fire, then, he wants to dig the well to draw water. ||4||
O mind, do not join with the faithless cynic, who has forgotten the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The word of the faithless cynic stings like a scorpion; leave the faithless cynic far, far behind. ||5||

Fall in love, fall deeply in love with the Lord; clinging to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you will be exalted and embellished.
Those who accept the Word of the Guru as True, totally True, are very dear to my Lord and Master. ||6||
Because of actions committed in past lives, one comes to love the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
By Guru's Grace, you shall obtain the ambrosial essence; sing of this essence, and reflect upon this essence. ||7||
O Lord, Har, Har, all forms and colors are Yours; O my Beloved, my deep crimson ruby.
Only that color which You impart, Lord, exists; O Nanak, what can the poor wretched being do? ||8||3||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
In the Sanctuary of the Guru, the Lord God saves and protects us,
as He protected the elephant, when the crocodile seized it and pulled it into the water; He lifted him up and pulled him out. ||1||Pause||
God's servants are sublime and exalted; they enshrine faith for Him in their minds.
Faith and devotion are pleasing to my God's Mind; He saves the honor of His humble servants. ||1||
The servant of the Lord, Har, Har, is committed to His service; He sees God pervading the entire expanse of the universe.
He sees the One and only Primal Lord God, who blesses all with His Glance of Grace. ||2||
God, our Lord and Master, is permeating and pervading all places; He takes care of the whole world as His slave.
The Merciful Lord Himself mercifully gives His gifts, even to worms in stones. ||3||
Within the deer is the heavy fragrance of musk, but he is confused and deluded, and he shakes his horns looking for it.
Wandering, rambling and roaming through the forests and woods, I exhausted myself, and then in my own home, the Perfect Guru saved me. ||4||
The Word, the Bani is Guru, and Guru is the Bani. Within the Bani, the Ambrosial Nectar is contained.
If His humble servant believes, and acts according to the Words of the Guru's Bani, then the Guru, in person, emancipates him. ||5||
All is God, and God is the whole expanse; man eats what he has planted.
When Dhrishtabudhi tormented the humble devotee Chandrahaans, he only set his own house on fire. ||6||
God's humble servant longs for Him within his heart; God watches over each breath of His humble servant.
Mercifully, mercifully, He implants devotion within his humble servant; for his sake, God saves the whole world. ||7||
God, our Lord and Master, is Himself by Himself; God Himself embellishes the universe.
O servant Nanak, He Himself is all-pervading; in His Mercy, He Himself emancipates all. ||8||4||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
Grant Your Grace, Lord, and save me,
as You saved Dropadi from shame when she was seized and brought before the court by the evil villians. ||1||Pause||
Bless me with Your Grace - I am just a humble beggar of Yours; I beg for a single blessing, O my Beloved.
I long constantly for the True Guru. Lead me to meet the Guru, O Lord, that I may be exalted and embellished. ||1||
The actions of the faithless cynic are like the churning of water; he churns, constantly churning only water.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the supreme status is obtained; the butter is produced, and eaten with delight. ||2||
He may constantly and continually wash his body; he may constantly rub, clean and polish his body.

But if the Word of my True Guru is not pleasing to his mind, then all his preparations and beautiful decorations are useless. ||3||
Walk playfully and carefree, O my friends and companions; cherish the Glorious Virtues of my Lord and Master.
To serve, as Gurmukh, is pleasing to my God. Through the True Guru, the unknown is known. ||4||
Women and men, all the men and women, all came from the One Primal Lord God.
My mind loves the dust of the feet of the humble; the Lord emancipates those who meet with the Lord's humble servants. ||5||
From village to village, throughout all the cities I wandered; and then, inspired by the Lord's humble servants, I found Him deep within the nucleus of my heart.
Faith and longing have welled up within me, and I have been blended with the Lord; the Guru, the Guru, has saved me. ||6||
The thread of my breath has been made totally sublime and pure; I contemplate the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru.
I came back to the home of my own inner self; drinking in the ambrosial essence, I see the world, without my eyes. ||7||
I cannot describe Your Glorious Virtues, Lord; You are the temple, and I am just a tiny worm.
Bless Nanak with Your Mercy, and unite him with the Guru; meditating on my Lord, my mind is comforted and consoled. ||8||5||
Nat, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, vibrate, meditate on the inaccessible and infinite Lord and Master.
I am such a great sinner; I am so unworthy. And yet the Guru, in His Mercy, has saved me. ||1||Pause||
I have found the Holy Person, the Holy and humble servant of the Lord; I offer a prayer to Him, my Beloved Guru.
Please, bless me with the wealth, the capital of the Lord's Name, and take away all my hunger and thirst. ||1||
The moth, the deer, the bumble bee, the elephant and the fish are ruined, each by the one passion that controls them.
The five powerful demons are in the body; the Guru, the True Guru turns out these sins. ||2||
I searched and searched through the Shaastras and the Vedas; Naarad the silent sage proclaimed these words as well.
Chanting the Lord's Name, salvation is attained; the Guru saves those in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||3||
In love with the Beloved Lord God, one looks at Him as the lotus looks at the sun.
The peacock dances on the mountain, when the clouds hang low and heavy. ||4||
The faithless cyinc may be totally drenched with ambrosial nectar, but even so, all his branches and flowers are filled with venom.
The more one bows down in humility before the faithless cyinc, the more he provokes, and stabs, and spits out his poison. ||5||
Remain with the Holy man, the Saint of the Saints, who chants the Lord's Praises for the benefit of all.
Meeting the Saint of Saints, the mind blossoms forth, like the lotus, exalted by obtaining the water. ||6||
The waves of greed are like mad dogs with rabies. Their madness ruins everything.
When the news reached the Court of my Lord and Master, the Guru took up the sword of spiritual wisdom, and killed them. ||7||
Save me, save me, save me, O my God; shower me with Your Mercy, and save me!
O Nanak, I have no other support; the Guru, the True Guru, has saved me. ||8||6||
First Set of Six Hymns||

Raag Maalee Gauraa, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Countless have tried, but none have found the Lord's limit.
The Lord is inaccessible, unapproachable and unfathomable; I humbly bow to the Lord God, my King. ||1||Pause||
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment bring continual conflict and strife.
Save me, save me, I am your humble creature, O Lord; I have come to Your Sanctuary, O my Lord God. ||1||
You protect and preserve those who take to Your Sanctuary, God; You are called the Lover of Your devotees.
Prahlaad, Your humble servant, was caught by Harnaakhash; but You saved Him and carried him across, Lord. ||2||
Remember the Lord, O mind, and rise up to the Mansion of His Presence; the Sovereign Lord is the Destroyer of pain.
Our Lord and Master takes away the fear of birth and death; following the Guru's Teachings, the Lord God is found. ||3||
The Name of the Lord, our Lord and Master, is the Purifier of sinners; I sing of the Lord, the Destroyer of the fears of His devotees.
One who wears the necklace of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in his heart, O servant Nanak, merges in the Naam. ||4||1||
Maalee Gauraa, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, the Giver of peace.
One who joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and enjoys the sublime taste of the Lord, as Gurmukh, comes to realize God. ||1||Pause||
By great good fortune, one obtains the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan; meeting with the Guru, the Lord God is known.
The filth of evil-mindedness is totally washed away, bathing in the Lord's ambrosial pool of nectar. ||1||
Blessed, blessed are the Holy, who have found their Lord God; I ask them to tell me the stories of the Lord.
I fall at their feet, and always pray to them, to mercifully unite me with my Lord, the Architect of Destiny. ||2||
Through the destiny written on my forehead, I have found the Holy Guru; my mind and body are imbued with the Guru's Word.
The Lord God has come to meet me; I have found peace, and I am rid of all the sins. ||3||
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings find the Lord, the source of nectar; their words are sublime and exalted.
By great good fortune, one is blessed with the dust of their feet; servant Nanak falls at their feet. ||4||2||

Maalee Gauraa, Fourth Mehl:
All the Siddhas, seekers and silent sages, with their minds full of love, meditate on the Lord.
The Supreme Lord God, my Lord and Master, is limitless; the Guru has inspired me to know the unknowable Lord. ||1||Pause||
I am low, and I commit evil actions; I have not remembered my Sovereign Lord.
The Lord has led me to meet the True Guru; in an instant, He liberated me from bondage. ||1||
Such is the destiny God wrote on my forehead; following the Guru's Teachings, I enshrine love for the Lord.
The Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds, vibrate and resound in the Court of the Lord; meeting the Lord, I sing the songs of joy. ||2||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Purifier of sinners; the unfortunate wretches do not like this.
They rot away in the womb of reincarnation; they fall apart like salt in water. ||3||
Please bless me with such understanding, O Inaccessible Lord God, my Lord and Master, that my mind may remain attached to the Guru's feet.
Servant Nanak remains attached to the Name of the Lord; he is merged in the Naam. ||4||3||
Maalee Gauraa, Fourth Mehl:
My mind is addicted to the juice of the Lord's Name.
My heart-lotus has blossomed forth, and I have found the Guru. Meditating on the Lord, my doubts and fears have run away. ||1||Pause||
In the Fear of God, my heart is committed in loving devotion to Him; following the Guru's Teachings, my sleeping mind has awakened.
All my sins have been erased, and I have found peace and tranquility; I have enshrined the Lord within my heart, by great good fortune. ||1||
The self-willed manmukh is like the false color of the safflower, which fades away; its color lasts for only a few days.
He perishes in an instant; he is tormented, and punished by the Righteous Judge of Dharma. ||2||
The Lord's Love, found in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is absolutely permanent, and colorfast.
The cloth of the body may be torn to shreds, but still, this beautiful color of the Lord's Love does not fade away. ||3||
Meeting with the Blessed Guru, one is dyed in the color of the Lord's Love, imbued with this deep crimson color.
Servant Nanak washes the feet of that humble being, who is attached to the feet of the Lord. ||4||4||
Maalee Gauraa, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, meditate, vibrate upon the Name of the Lord, the Lord of the World, Har, Har.
My mind and body are merged in the Lord's Name, and through the Guru's Teachings, my intellect is imbued with the Lord, the source of nectar. ||1||Pause||
Follow the Guru's Teachings, and meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. Chant, and meditate, on the beads of the mala of the Lord.
Those who have such destiny inscribed upon their foreheads, meet with the Lord, adorned with garlands of flowers. ||1||
Those who meditate on the Name of the Lord - all their entanglements are ended.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach them; the Guru, the Savior Lord, saves them. ||2||
I am a child; I know nothing at all. The Lord cherishes me, as my mother and father.
I continually put my hands into the fire of Maya, but the Guru saves me; He is merciful to the meek. ||3||
I was filthy, but I have become immaculate. Singing the Lord's Praises, all sins have been burnt to ashes.
My mind is in esctasy, having found the Guru; servant Nanak is enraptured through the Word of the Shabad. ||4||5||
Maalee Gauraa, Fourth Mehl:

O my mind, meditate, vibrate on the Lord, and all sins will be eradicated.
The Guru has enshried the Lord, Har, Har, within my heart; I place my head on the Guru's Path. ||1||Pause||
Whoever tells me the stories of my Lord God, I would cut my mind into slices, and dedicate it to him.
The Perfect Guru has united me with the Lord, my Friend; I have sold myself at each and every store for the Guru's Word. ||1||
One may give donations in charity at Prayaag, and cut the body in two at Benares,
but without the Lord's Name, no one attains liberation, even though one may give away huge amounts of gold. ||2||
When one follows the Guru's Teachings, and sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, the doors of the mind, held shut by deception, are thrown open again.
The three qualities are shattered, doubt and fear run away, and the clay pot of public opinion is broken. ||3||
They alone find the Perfect Guru in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, upon whose foreheads such pre-ordained destiny is inscribed.
Servant Nanak drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar; all his hunger and thirst are quenched. ||4||6||
Set of Six Hymns 1||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mind, true peace comes from serving the Lord.
Other services are false, and as punishment for them, the Messenger of Death bashes in one's head. ||1||Pause||
They alone join the Sangat, the Congregation, upon whose forehead such destiny is inscribed.
They are carried across the terrifying world-ocean by the Saints of the Infinite, Primal Lord God. ||1||
Serve forever at the feet of the Holy; renounce greed, emotional attachment and corruption.
Abandon all other hopes, and rest your hopes in the One Formless Lord. ||2||
Some are faithless cynics, deluded by doubt; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
Whatever is pre-ordained, comes to pass; no one can erase it. ||3||
The beauty of the Lord of the Universe is profound and unfathomable; the Names of the Infinite Lord are immunerable.
Blessed, blessed are those humble beings, O Nanak, who enshrine the Lord's Name in their hearts. ||4||1||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
I humbly bow to the Name of the Lord.
Chanting it, one is saved. ||1||Pause||
Meditating on Him in remembrance, conflicts are ended.
Meditating on Him, one's bonds are untied.
Meditating on Him, the fool becomes wise.
Meditating on Him, one's ancestors are saved. ||1||
Meditating on Him, fear and pain are taken away.
Meditating on Him, misfortune is avoided.
Meditating on Him, sins are erased.
Meditating on Him, agony is ended. ||2||
Meditating on Him, the heart blossoms forth.
Meditating on Him, Maya becomes one's slave.
Meditating on Him, one is blessed with the treasures of wealth.
Meditating on Him, one crosses over in the end. ||3||
The Name of the Lord is the Purifier of sinners.
It saves millions of devotees.
I am meek; I seek the Sanctuary of the slaves of the Lord's slaves.
Nanak lays his forehead on the feet of the Saints. ||4||2||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
This is the sort of helper the Name of the Lord is.
Meditating in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one's affairs are perfectly resolved. ||1||Pause||
It is like a boat to a drowning man.

It is like oil to the lamp whose flame is dying out.
It is like water poured on the burning fire.
It is like milk poured into the baby's mouth. ||1||
As one's brother becomes a helper on the field of battle;
as one's hunger is satisfied by food;
as the cloudburst saves the crops;
as one is protected in the tiger's lair;||2||
As with the magic spell of Garuda the eagle upon one's lips, one does not fear the snake;
as the cat cannot eat the parrot in its cage;
as the bird cherishes her eggs in her heart;
as the grains are spared, by sticking to the central post of the mill;||3||
Your Glory is so great; I can describe only a tiny bit of it.
O Lord, You are inaccessible, unapproachable and unfathomable.
You are lofty and high, utterly great and infinite.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, O Nanak, one is carried across. ||4||3||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
Please let my works be rewarding and fruitful.
Please cherish and exalt Your slave. ||1||Pause||
I lay my forehead on the feet of the Saints,
and with my eyes, I gaze upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, day and night.
With my hands, I work for the Saints.
I dedicate my breath of life, my mind and wealth to the Saints. ||1||
My mind loves the Society of the Saints.
The Virtues of the Saints abide within my consciousness.
The Will of the Saints is sweet to my mind.
Seeing the Saints, my heart-lotus blossoms forth. ||2||
I dwell in the Society of the Saints.
I have such a great thirst for the Saints.
The Words of the Saints are the Mantras of my mind.
By the Grace of the Saints, my corruption is taken away. ||3||
This way of liberation is my treasure.
O Merciful God, please bless me with this gift.
O God, shower Your Mercy upon Nanak.
I have enshrined the feet of the Saints within my heart. ||4||4||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
He is with all; He is not far away.
He is the Cause of causes, ever-present here and now. ||1||Pause||
Hearing His Name, one comes to life.
Pain is dispelled; peace and tranquility come to dwell within.
The Lord, Har, Har, is all treasure.
The silent sages serve Him. ||1||
Everything is contained in His home.
No one is turned away empty-handed.
He cherishes all beings and creatures.
Forever and ever, serve the Merciful Lord. ||2||
Righteous justice is dispensed in His Court forever.
He is carefree, and owes allegiance to no one.
He Himself, by Himself, does everything.
O my mind, meditate on Him. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Joining them, I am saved.
My mind and body are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
God has blessed Nanak with this gift. ||4||5||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I seek the Sanctuary of the all-powerful Lord.
My soul, body, wealth and capital belong to the One God, the Cause of causes. ||1||Pause||
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on Him, I have found everlasting peace. He is the source of life.
He is all-pervading, permeating all places; He is in subtle essence and manifest form. ||1||

Abandon all your entanglements and corruption; sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever.
With palms pressed together, Nanak begs for this blessing; please bless me with Your Name. ||2||1||6||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
God is all-powerful, divine and infinite.
Who knows Your wondrous plays? You have no end or limitation. ||1||Pause||
In an instant, You establish and disestablish; You create and destroy, O Creator Lord.
As many beings as You created, God, so many You bless with Your blessings. ||1||
I have come to Your Sanctuary, Lord; I am Your slave, O Inaccessible Lord God.
Lift me up and pull me out of the terrifying, treacherous world-ocean; servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||2||2||7||
Maalee Gauraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the World abides in my mind and body.
Friend of the meek, Lover of His devotees, forever and ever merciful. ||1||Pause||
In the beginning, in the end and in the middle, You alone exist, God; there is none other than You.
He is totally permeating and pervading all worlds; He is the One and only Lord and Master. ||1||
With my ears I hear God's Praises, and with my eyes I behold the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; with my tongue I sing the Lord's Glorious Praises.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You; please, bless me with Your Name. ||2||3||8||6||14||
Maalee Gauraa, The Word Of Devotee Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Blessed, blessed is that flute which the Lord plays.
The sweet, sweet unstruck sound current sings forth. ||1||Pause||
Blessed, blessed is the wool of the sheep;
blessed, blessed is the blanket worn by Krishna. ||1||
Blessed, blessed are you, O mother Dayvakee;
into your home the Lord was born. ||2||
Blessed, blessed are the forests of Brindaaban;
the Supreme Lord plays there. ||3||
He plays the flute, and herds the cows;
Naam Dayv's Lord and Master plays happily. ||4||1||
O my Father, Lord of wealth, blessed are You, long-haired, dark-skinned, my darling. ||1||Pause||
You hold the steel chakra in Your hand; You came down from Heaven, and saved the life of the elephant.
In the court of Duhsaasan, You saved the honor of Dropati, when her clothes were being removed. ||1||
You saved Ahliyaa, the wife of Gautam; how many have You purified and carried across?
Such a lowly outcaste as Naam Dayv has come seeking Your Sanctuary. ||2||2||
Within all hearts, the Lord speaks, the Lord speaks.
Who else speaks, other than the Lord? ||1||Pause||
Out of the same clay, the elephant, the ant, and the many sorts of species are formed.
In stationary life forms, moving beings, worms, moths and within each and every heart, the Lord is contained. ||1||
Remember the One, Infinite Lord; abandon all other hopes.
Naam Dayv prays, I have become dispassionate and detached; who is the Lord and Master, and who is the slave? ||2||3||

Raag Maaroo, First Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Shalok:
O my Friend, I shall forever remain the dust of Your feet.
Nanak seeks Your protection, and beholds You ever-present, here and now. ||1||
SHABAD:
Those who receive the call in the last hours of the night, chant the Name of their Lord and Master.
Tents, canopies, pavilions and carriages are prepared and made ready for them.
You send out the call, Lord, to those who meditate on Your Name. ||1||
Father, I am unfortunate, a fraud.
I have not found Your Name; my mind is blind and deluded by doubt. ||1||Pause||
I have enjoyed the tastes, and now my pains have come to fruition; such is my pre-ordained destiny, O my mother.
Now my joys are few, and my pains are many. In utter agony, I pass my life. ||2||
What separation could be worse than separation from the Lord? For those who are united with Him, what other union can there be?
Praise the Lord and Master, who, having created this play, beholds it. ||3||
By good destiny, this union comes about; this body enjoys its pleasures.
Those who have lost their destiny, suffer separation from this union. O Nanak, they may still be united once again! ||4||1||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The union of the mother and father brings the body into being.
The Creator inscribes upon it the inscription of its destiny.
According to this inscription, gifts, light and glorious greatness are received.
Joining with Maya, the spiritual consciousness is lost. ||1||
O foolish mind, why are you so proud?
You shall have to arise and depart when it pleases your Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
Abandon the tastes of the world, and find intuitive peace.
All must abandon their worldly homes; no one remains here forever.
Eat some, and save the rest,
if you are destined to return to the world again. ||2||
He adorns his body and ress in silk robes.
He issues all sorts of commands.
Preparing his comfortable bed, he sleeps.
When he falls into the hands of the Messenger of Death, what good does it do to cry out? ||3||
Household affairs are whirlpools of entanglements, O Siblings of Destiny.

Sin is a stone which does not float.
So let the Fear of God be the boat to carry your soul across.
Says Nanak, rare are those who are blessed with this Boat. ||4||2||
Maaroo, First Mehl, First House:
Actions are the paper, and the mind is the ink; good and bad are both recorded upon it.
As their past actions drive them, so are mortals driven. There is no end to Your Glorious Virtues, Lord. ||1||
Why do you not keep Him in your consciousness, you mad man?
Forgetting the Lord, your own virtues shall rot away. ||1||Pause||
The night is a net, and the day is a net; there are as many traps as there are moments.
With relish and delight, you continually bite at the bait; you are trapped, you fool - how will you ever escape? ||2||
The body is a furnace, and the mind is the iron within it; the five fires are heating it.
Sin is the charcoal placed upon it, which burns the mind; the tongs are anxiety and worry. ||3||
What was turned to slag is again transformed into gold, if one meets with the Guru.
He blesses the mortal with the Ambrosial Name of the One Lord, and then, O Nanak, the body is held steady. ||4||3||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
In the pure, immaculate waters, both the lotus and the slimy scum are found.
The lotus flower is with the scum and the water, but it remains untouched by any pollution. ||1||
You frog, you will never understand.
You eat the dirt, while you dwell in the immaculate waters. You know nothing of the ambrosial nectar there. ||1||Pause||
You dwell continually in the water; the bumble bee does not dwell there, but it is intoxicated with its fragrance from afar.
Intuitively sensing the moon in the distance, the lotus bows its head. ||2||
The realms of nectar are irrigated with milk and honey; you think you are clever to live in the water.
You can never escape your own inner tendencies, like the love of the flea for blood. ||3||
The fool may live with the Pandit, the religious scholar, and listen to the Vedas and the Shaastras.
You can never escape your own inner tendencies, like the crooked tail of the dog. ||4||
Some are hypocrites; they do not merge with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Some are absorbed in the Feet of the Lord, Har, Har.
The mortals obtain what they are predestined to receive; O Nanak, with your tongue, chant the Naam. ||5||4||
Maaroo, First Mehl,
Shalok:
Countless sinners are sanctified, attaching their minds to the Feet of the Lord.
The merits of the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage are found in God's Name, O Nanak, when such destiny is inscribed upon one's forehead. ||1||
SHABAD:
O friends and companions, so puffed up with pride,
listen to this one joyous story of your Husband Lord. ||1||
Who can I tell about my pain, O my mother?
Without the Lord, my soul cannot survive; how can I comfort it, O my mother? ||1||Pause||
I am a dejected, discarded bride, totally miserable.
I have lost my youth; I regret and repent. ||2||
You are my wise Lord and Master, above my head.
I serve You as Your humble slave. ||3||
Nanak humbly prays, this is my only concern:
without the Blessed Vision of my Beloved, how can I enjoy Him? ||4||5||

Maaroo, First Mehl:
I am Your slave, Your bonded servant, and so I am called fortunate.
I sold myself at Your store in exchange for the Guru's Word; whatever You link me to, to that I am linked. ||1||
What cleverness can Your servant try with You?
O my Lord and Master, I cannot carry out the Hukam of Your Command. ||1||Pause||
My mother is Your slave, and my father is Your slave; I am the child of Your slaves.
My slave mother dances, and my slave father sings; I practice devotional worship to You, O my Sovereign Lord. ||2||
If You wish to drink, then I shall get water for You; if You wish to eat, I shall grind the corn for You.
I wave the fan over You, and wash Your feet, and continue to chant Your Name. ||3||
I have been untrue to myself, but Nanak is Your slave; please forgive him, by Your glorious greatness.
Since the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, You have been the merciful and generous Lord. Without You, liberation cannot be attained. ||4||6||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Some call him a ghost; some say that he is a demon.
Some call him a mere mortal; O, poor Nanak! ||1||
Crazy Nanak has gone insane, after his Lord, the King.
I know of none other than the Lord. ||1||Pause||
He alone is known to be insane, when he goes insane with the Fear of God.
He recognizes none other than the One Lord and Master. ||2||
He alone is known to be insane, if he works for the One Lord.
Recognizing the Hukam, the Command of his Lord and Master, what other cleverness is there? ||3||
He alone is known to be insane, when he falls in love with his Lord and Master.
He sees himself as bad, and all the rest of the world as good. ||4||7||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
This wealth is all-pervading, permeating all.
The self-willed manmukh wanders around, thinking that it is far away. ||1||
That commodity, the wealth of the Naam, is within my heart.
Whoever You bless with it, is emancipated. ||1||Pause||
This wealth does not burn; it cannot be stolen by a thief.
This wealth does not drown, and its owner is never punished. ||2||
Gaze upon the glorious greatness of this wealth,
and your nights and days will pass, imbued with celestial peace. ||3||
Listen to this incomparably beautiful story, O my brothers, O Siblings of Destiny.
Tell me, without this wealth, who has ever obtained the supreme status? ||4||
Nanak humbly prays, I proclaim the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
If one meets the True Guru, then this wealth is obtained. ||5||8||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Heat up the sun energy of the right nostril, and cool down the moon energy of the left nostril; practicing this breath-control, bring them into perfect balance.
In this way, the fickle fish of the mind will be held steady; the swan-soul shall not fly away, and the body-wall will not crumble. ||1||
You fool, why are you deluded by doubt?
You do not remember the detached Lord of supreme bliss. ||1||Pause||
Seize and burn the unbearable; seize and kill the imperishable; leave behind your doubts, and then, you shall drink in the Nectar.
In this way, the fickle fish of the mind will be held steady; the swan-soul shall not fly away, and the body-wall shall not crumble. ||2||

Nanak humbly prays, if the Lord's humble servant dwells upon Him, in his mind of minds, with his every breath, then he drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
In this way, the fickle fish of the mind will be held steady; the swan-soul shall not fly away, and the body-wall shall not crumble. ||3||9||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Maya is not conquered, and the mind is not subdued; the waves of desire in the world-ocean are intoxicating wine.
The boat crosses over the water, carrying the true merchandise.
The jewel within the mind subdues the mind; attached to the Truth, it is not broken.
The king is seated upon the throne, imbued with the Fear of God and the five qualities. ||1||
O Baba, do not see your True Lord and Master as being far away.
He is the Light of all, the Life of the world; The True Lord writes His Inscription on each and every head. ||1||Pause||
Brahma and Vishnu, the Rishis and the silent sages, Shiva and Indra, penitents and beggars
- whoever obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command, looks beautiful in the Court of the True Lord, while the stubborn rebels die.
The wandering beggars, warriors, celibates and Sannyaasee hermits - through the Perfect Guru, consider this:
without selfless service, no one ever receives the fruits of their rewards. Serving the Lord is the most excellent action. ||2||
You are the wealth of the poor, the Guru of the guru-less, the honor of the dishonored.
I am blind; I have grasped hold of the jewel, the Guru. You are the strength of the weak.
He is not known through burnt offerings and ritual chanting; the True Lord is known through the Guru's Teachings.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no one finds shelter in the Court of the Lord; the false come and go in reincarnation. ||3||
So praise the True Name, and through the True Name, you will find satisfaction.
When the mind is cleaned with the jewel of spiritual wisdom, it does not become dirty again.
As long as the Lord and Master dwells in the mind, no obstacles are encountered.
O Nanak, giving one's head, one is emancipated, and the mind and body become true. ||4||10||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The Yogi who is joined to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is pure; he is not stained by even a particle of dirt.
The True Lord, his Beloved, is always with him; the rounds of birth and death are ended for him. ||1||
O Lord of the Universe, what is Your Name, and what is it like?
If You summon me into the Mansion of Your Presence, I will ask You, how I can become one with You. ||1||Pause||
He alone is a Brahmin, who takes his cleansing bath in the spiritual wisdom of God, and whose leaf-offerings in worship are the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The One Name, the One Lord, and His One Light pervade the three worlds. ||2||
My tongue is the balance of the scale, and this heart of mine is the pan of the scale; I weigh the immeasurable Naam.
There is one store, and one banker above all; the merchants deal in the one commodity. ||3||
The True Guru saves us at both ends; he alone understands, who is lovingly focused on the One Lord; his inner being remains free of doubt.
The Word of the Shabad abides within, and doubt is ended, for those who constantly serve, day and night. ||4||
Above is the sky of the mind, and beyond this sky is the Lord, the Protector of the World; the Inaccessible Lord God; the Guru abides there as well.
According to the Word of the Guru's Teachings, what is outside is the same as what is inside the home of the self. Nanak has become a detached renunciate. ||5||11||

Raag Maaroo, First Mehl, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Day and night, he remains awake and aware; he never sleeps or dreams.
He alone knows this, who feels the pain of separation from God.
My body is pierced through with the arrow of love. How can any physician know the cure? ||1||
Rare is that one, who as Gurmukh, understands, and whom the True Lord links to His Praise.
He alone appreciates the value of the Ambsosial Nectar, who deals in this Ambrosia. ||1||Pause||
The soul-bride is in love with her Husband Lord;
the focuses her consciousness on the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The soul-bride is joyously embellished with intuitive ease; her hunger and thirst are taken away. ||2||
Tear down skepticism and dispel your doubt;
with your intuition, draw the bow of the Praise of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, conquer and subdue your mind; take the support of Yoga - Union with the beautiful Lord. ||3||
Burnt by egotism, one forgets the Lord from his mind.
In the City of Death, he is attacked with massive swords.
Then, even if he asks for it, he will not receive the Lord's Name; O soul, you shall suffer terrible punishment. ||4||
You are distracted by thoughts of Maya and worldly attachment.
In the City of Death, you will be caught by the noose of the Messenger of Death.
You cannot break free from the bondage of loving attachment, and so the Messenger of Death will torture you. ||5||
I have done nothing; I am doing nothing now.
The True Guru has blessed me with the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam.
What other efforts can anyone make, when You bestow Your blessing? Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||6||1||12||
Maaroo, Third Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Wherever You seat me, there I sit, O my Lord and Master; wherever You send me, there I go.
In the entire village, there is only One King; all places are sacred. ||1||
O Baba, while I dwell in this body, let me sing Your True Praises,
that I may intuitively merge with You. ||1||Pause||
He thinks that good and bad deeds come from himself; this is the source of all evil.
Whatever happens in this world is only by the Order of our Lord and Master. ||2||
Sexual desires are so strong and compelling; where has this sexual desire come from?
The Creator Himself stages all the plays; how rare are those who realize this. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, one is lovingly focused on the One Lord, and then, duality is ended.
Whatever is in harmony with His Will, he accepts as True; the noose of Death is loosened from around his neck. ||4||
Prays Nanak, who can call him to account, when the egotistical pride of his mind has been silenced?
Even the Righteous Judge of Dharma is intimidated and afraid of him; he has entered the Sanctuary of the True Lord. ||5||1||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Coming and going in reincarnation no longer exist, when one dwells in the home of the self within.
He bestowed the Blessing of His treasure of truth; only He Himself knows. ||1||

O my mind, remember the Dear Lord, and abandon the corruption of your mind.
Meditate on the Word of the Guru's Shabad; focus lovingly on the Truth. ||1||Pause||
One who forgets the Name in this world, shall not find any place of rest anywhere else.
He shall wander in all sorts of reincarnations, and rot away in manure. ||2||
By great good fortune, I have found the Guru, according to my pre-ordained destiny, O my mother.
Night and day, I practice true devotional worship; I am united with the True Lord. ||3||
He Himself fashioned the entire universe; He Himself bestows His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is glorious and great; as He pleases, He bestows His Blessings. ||4||2||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Please forgive my past mistakes, O my Dear Lord; now, please place me on the Path.
I remain attached to the Lord's Feet, and eradicate self-conceit from within. ||1||
O my mind, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Name of the Lord.
Remain attached forever to the Lord's Feet, single-mindedly, with love for the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
I have no social status or honor; I have no place or home.
Pierced through by the Word of the Shabad, my doubts have been cut away. The Guru has inspired me to understand the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
This mind wanders around, driven by greed, totally attached to greed.
He is engrossed in false pursuits; he shall endure beatings in the City of Death. ||3||
O Nanak, God Himself Himself is all-in-all. There is no other at all.
He bestows the treasure of devotional worship, and the Gurmukhs abide in peace. ||4||3||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Seek and find those who are imbued with Truth; they are so rare in this world.
Meeting with them, one's face becomes radiant and bright, chanting the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Baba, contemplate and cherish the True Lord and Master within your heart.
Seek out and see, and ask your True Guru, and obtain the true commodity. ||1||Pause||
All serve the One True Lord; through pre-ordained destiny, they meet Him.
The Gurmukhs merge with Him, and will not be separated from Him again; they attain the True Lord. ||2||
Some do not appreciate the value of devotional worship; the self-willed manmukhs are deluded by doubt.
They are fillled with self-conceit; they cannot accomplish anything. ||3||
Stand and offer your prayer, to the One who cannot be moved by force.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides within the mind of the Gurmukh; hearing his prayer, the Lord applauds him. ||4||4||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
He transforms the burning desert into a cool oasis; he transmutes rusted iron into gold.
So praise the True Lord; there is none other as great as He is. ||1||
O my mind, night and day, meditate on the Lord's Name.
Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Teachings, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, night and day. ||1||Pause||
As Gurmukh, one comes to know the One Lord, when the True Guru instructs him.
Praise the True Guru, who imparts this understanding. ||2||
Those who forsake the True Guru, and attach themselves to duality - what will they do when they go to the world hereafter?
Bound and gagged in the City of Death, they will be beaten. They will be punished severely. ||3||

My God is independent and self-sufficient; he does not have even an iota of greed.
O Nanak, run to His Sanctuary; granting His forgiveness, He merges us into Himself. ||4||5||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Suk-deva and Janak meditated on the Naam; following the Guru's Teachings, they sought the Sanctuary of the Lord, Har, Har.
God met Sudama and removed his poverty; through loving devotional worship, he crossed over.
God is the Lover of His devotees; the Lord's Name is fufilling; God showers His Mercy on the Gurmukhs. ||1||
O my mind, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you will be saved.
Dhroo, Prahlaad and Bidar the slave-girl's son, became Gurmukh, and through the Naam, crossed over. ||1||Pause||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Naam is the supreme wealth; it saves the humble devotees.
All the faults of Naam Dayv, Jai Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan and Ravi Daas the leather-worker were covered.
Those who become Gurmukh, and remain attached to the Naam, are saved; all their sins are washed off. ||2||
Whoever chants the Naam, all his sins and mistakes are taken away.
Ajaamal, who had sex with prostitites, was saved, by chanting the Name of the Lord.
Chanting the Naam, Ugar Sain obtained salvation; his bonds were broken, and he was liberated. ||3||
God Himself takes pity on His humble servants, and makes them His own.
My Lord of the Universe saves the honor of His servants; those who seek His Sanctuary are saved.
The Lord has showered servant Nanak with His Mercy; he has enshrined the Lord's Name within his heart. ||4||1||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
The Siddhas in Samaadhi meditate on Him; they are lovingly focused on Him. The seekers and the silent sages meditate on Him as well.
The celibates, the true and contented beings meditate on Him; Indra and the other gods chant His Name with their mouths.
Those who seek His Sanctuary meditate on Him; they become Gurmukh and swim across. ||1||
O my mind, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and cross over.
Dhanna the farmer, and Balmik the highway robber, became Gurmukh, and crossed over. ||1||Pause||
Angels, men, heavenly heralds and celestial singers meditate on Him; even the humble Rishis sing of the Lord.
Shiva, Brahma and the goddess Lakhshmi, meditate, and chant with their mouths the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Those whose minds are drenched with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, as Gurmukh, cross over. ||2||
Millions and millions, three hundred thirty million gods meditate on Him; there is no end to those who meditate on the Lord.
The Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees meditate on the Lord; the Pandits, the religious scholars, sing the Lord's Praises as well.
Those whose minds are filled with the Naam, the source of nectar - as Gurmukh, they cross over. ||3||
Those who chant the Naam in endless waves - I cannot even count their number.
The Lord of the Universe bestows His Mercy, and those who are pleasing to the Mind of the Lord God, find their place.
The Guru, granting His Grace, implants the Lord's Name within; servant Nanak chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||2||

Maaroo, Fourth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Take the treasure of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. Follow the Guru's Teachings, and the Lord shall bless you with honor.
Here and hereafter, the Lord goes with you; in the end, He shall deliver you.
Where the path is difficult and the street is narrow, there the Lord shall liberate you. ||1||
O my True Guru, implant within me the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Lord is my mother, father, child and relative; I have none other than the Lord, O my mother. ||1||Pause||
I feel the pains of love and yearning for the Lord, and the Name of the Lord. If only someone would come and unite me with Him, O my mother.
I bow in humble devotion to one who inspires me to meet with my Beloved.
The almighty and merciful True Guru unites me with the Lord God instantaneously. ||2||
Those who do not remember the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are most unfortunate, and are slaughtered.
They wander in reincarnation, again and again; they die, and are re-born, and continue coming and going.
Bound and gagged at Death's Door, they are cruelly beaten, and punished in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
O God, I seek Your Sanctuary; O my Sovereign Lord King, please unite me with Yourself.
O Lord, Life of the World, please shower me with Your Mercy; grant me the Sanctuary of the Guru, the True Guru.
The Dear Lord, becoming merciful, has blended servant Nanak with Himself. ||4||1||3||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
I inquire about the commodity of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Is there anyone who can show me the wealth, the capital of the Lord?
I cut myself into pieces, and make myself a sacrifice to that one who leads me to meet my Lord God.
I am filled with the Love of my Beloved; how can I meet my Friend, and merge with Him? ||1||
O my beloved friend, my mind, I take the wealth, the capital of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Naam within me; the Lord is my support - I celebrate the Lord. ||1||Pause||
O my Guru, please unite me with the Lord, Har, Har; show me the wealth, the capital of the Lord.
Without the Guru, love does not well up; see this, and know it in your mind.
The Lord has installed Himself within the Guru; so praise the Guru, who unites us with the Lord. ||2||
The ocean, the treasure of devotional worship of the Lord, rests with the Perfect True Guru.
When it pleases the True Guru, He opens the treasure, and and the Gurmukhs are illuminated by the Lord's Light.
The unfortunate self-willed manmukhs die of thirst, on the very bank of the river. ||3||
The Guru is the Great Giver; I beg for this gift from the Guru,
that He may unite me with God, from whom I was separated for so long! This is the great hope of my mind and body.
If it pleases You, O my Guru, please listen to my prayer; this is servant Nanak's prayer. ||4||2||4||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
O Lord God, please preach Your sermon to me. Through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord is merged into my heart.
Meditate on the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, O very fortunate ones; the Lord shall bless you with the most sublime status of Nirvaanaa.

The minds of the Gurmukhs are filled with faith; through the Perfect Guru, they merge in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my mind, the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind.
Continually and forever, speak the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har; as Gurmukh, speak the Unspoken Speech. ||1||Pause||
I have searched through and through my mind and body; how can I attain this Unspoken Speech?
Meeting with the humble Saints, I have found it; listening to the Unspoken Speech, my mind is pleased.
The Lord's Name is the Support of my mind and body; I am united with the all-knowing Primal Lord God. ||2||
The Guru, the Primal Being, has united me with the Primal Lord God. My consciousness has merged into the supreme consciousness.
By great good fortune, I serve the Guru, and I have found my Lord, all-wise and all-knowing.
The self-willed manmukhs are very unfortunate; they pass their life-night in misery and pain. ||3||
I am just a meek beggar at Your Door, God; please, place the Ambrosial Word of Your Bani in my mouth.
The True Guru is my friend; He unites me with my all-wise, all-knowing Lord God.
Servant Nanak has entered Your Sanctuary; grant Your Grace, and merge me into Your Name. ||4||3||5||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
Detached from the world, I am in love with the Lord; by great good fortune, I have enshrined the Lord within my mind.
Joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, faith has welled up within me; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I taste the sublime essence of the Lord.
My mind and body have totally blossomed forth; through the Word of the Guru's Bani, I chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
O my beloved mind, my friend, taste the sublime essence of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Through the Perfect Guru, I have found the Lord, who saves my honor, here and hereafter. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; as Gurmukh, taste the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises.
Plant the seed of the Lord in the body-farm. The Lord God is enshrined within the Sangat, the Holy Congregation.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Ambrosial Nectar. Through the Perfect Guru, taste the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs are filled with hunger and thirst; their minds run around in the ten directions, hoping for great wealth.
Without the Name of the Lord, their life is cursed; the manmukhs are stuck in manure.
They come and go, and are consigned to wander through uncounted incarnations, eating stinking rot. ||3||
Begging, imploring, I seek Your Sanctuary; Lord, shower me with Your Mercy, and save me, God.
Lead me to join the Society of the Saints, and bless me with the honor and glory of the Lord's Name.
I have obtained the wealth of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; servant Nanak chants the Lord's Name, through the Guru's Teachings. ||4||4||6||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Devotional worship to the Lord, Har, Har, is an overflowing treasure.
The Gurmukh is emancipated by the Lord.
One who is blessed by the Mercy of my Lord and Master sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
O Lord, Har, Har, take pity on me,
that within my heart, I may dwell upon You, Lord, forever and ever.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my soul; chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, you shall be emancipated. ||1||Pause||

The Ambrosial Name of the Lord is the ocean of peace.
The beggar begs for it; O Lord, please bless him, in Your kindness.
True, True is the Lord; the Lord is forever True; the True Lord is pleasing to my mind. ||2||
The nine holes pour out filth.
Chanting the Lord's Name, they are all purified and sanctified.
When my Lord and Master is totally pleased, He leads the mortal to meditate in remembrance on the Lord, and then his filth is taken away. ||3||
Attachment to Maya is terribly treacherous.
How can one cross over the difficult world-ocean?
The True Lord bestows the boat of the True Guru; meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, one is carried across. ||4||
You are everywhere; all are Yours.
Whatever You do, God, that alone comes to pass.
Poor servant Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord; as it pleases the Lord, He bestows His approval. ||5||1||7||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind.
The Lord shall eradicate all your sins.
Treasure the Lord's wealth, and gather in the Lord's wealth; when you depart in the end, the Lord shall go along with you as your only friend and companion. ||1||
He alone meditates on the Lord, unto whom He grants His Grace.
He continually chants the Lord's Chant; meditating on the Lord, one finds peace.
By Guru's Grace, the sublime essence of the Lord is obtained. Meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, one is carried across. ||1||Pause||
The fearless, formless Lord - the Name is Truth.
To chant it is the most sublime and exalted activity in this world.
Doing so, the Messenger of Death, the evil enemy, is killed. Death does not even approach the Lord's servant. ||2||
One whose mind is satisfied with the Lord
- that servant is known throughout the four ages, in all four directions.
If some sinner speaks evil of him, the Messenger of Death chews him up. ||3||
The One Pure Creator Lord is in all.
He stages all His wondrous plays, and watches them.
Who can kill that person, whom the Lord has saved? The Creator Lord Himself delivers him. ||4||
I chant the Name of the Creator Lord, night and day.
He saves all His servants and devotees.
Consult the eighteen Puraanas and the four Vedas; O servant Nanak, only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, will deliver you. ||5||2||8||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The earth, the Akaashic ethers and the stars abide in the Fear of God. The almighty Order of the Lord is over the heads of all.
Wind, water and fire abide in the Fear of God; poor Indra abides in the Fear of God as well. ||1||
I have heard one thing, that the One Lord alone is fearless.
He alone is at peace, and he alone is embellished forever, who meets with the Guru, and sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The embodied and the divine beings abide in the Fear of God. The Siddhas and seekers die in the Fear of God.
The 8.4 millions species of beings die, and die again, and are born over and over again. They are consigned to reincarnation. ||2||

Those who embody the energies of sattva-white light, raajas-red passion, and taamas-black darkness, abide in the Fear of God, along with the many created forms.
This miserable deceiver Maya abides in the Fear of God; the Righteous Judge of Dharma is utterly afraid of Him as well. ||3||
The entire expanse of the Universe is in the Fear of God; only the Creator Lord is without this Fear.
Says Nanak, God is the companion of His devotees; His devotees look beautiful in the Court of the Lord. ||4||1||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The five year old orphan boy Dhroo, by meditating in remembrance on the Lord, became stationary and permanent.
For the sake of his son, Ajaamal called out, "O Lord, Naaraayan", who struck down and killed the Messenger of Death. ||1||
My Lord and Master has saved many, countless beings.
I am meek, with little or no understanding, and unworthy; I seek protection at the Lord's Door. ||1||Pause||
Baalmeek the outcaste was saved, and the poor hunter was saved as well.
The elephant remembered the Lord in his mind for an instant, and so was carried across. ||2||
He saved His devotee Prahlaad, and tore Harnaakhash with his nails.
Bidar, the son of a slave-girl, was purified, and all his generations were redeemed. ||3||
What sins of mine should I speak of? I am intoxicated with false emotional attachment.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Lord; please, reach out and take me into Your embrace. ||4||2||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
For the sake of riches, I wandered around in so many ways; I rushed around, making all sorts of efforts.
The deeds I did in egotism and pride, have all been done in vain. ||1||
Other days are of no use to me;
please bless me with those days, O Dear God, on which I may sing the Lord's Praises. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon children, spouse, household and possessions, one is entangled in these.
Tasting the wine of Maya, one is intoxicated, and never sings of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
In this way, I have examined lots of methods, but without the Saints, it is not found.
You are the Great Giver, the great and almighty God; I have come to beg a gift from You. ||3||
Abandoning all pride and self-importance, I have sought the Sanctuary of the dust of the feet of the Lord's slave.
Says Nanak, meeting with the Lord, I have become one with Him; I have found supreme bliss and peace. ||4||3||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
In what place is the Name established? Where does egotism dwell?
What injury have you suffered, listening to abuse from someone else's mouth? ||1||
Listen: who are you, and where did you come from?
You don't even know how long you will stay here; you have no hint of when you shall leave. ||1||Pause||
Wind and water have patience and tolerance; the earth has compassion and forgiveness, no doubt.
The union of the five tattvas - the five elements - has brought you into being. Which of these is evil? ||2||
The Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, formed your form; He also burdened you with egotism.
He alone is born and dies; He alone comes and goes. ||3||
Nothing of the color and the form of the creation shall remain; the entire expanse is transitory.
Prays Nanak, when He brings His play to its close, then only the One, the One Lord remains. ||4||4||

Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Pride, emotional attachment, greed and corruption are gone; I have not placed anything else, other than the Lord, within my consciousness.
I have purchased the jewel of the Naam and the Glorious Praises of the Lord; loading this merchandise, I have set out on my journey. ||1||
The love which the Lord's servant feels for the Lord lasts forever.
In my life, I served my Lord and Master, and as I depart, I keep Him enshrined in my consciousness. ||1||Pause||
I have not turned my face away from my Lord and Master's Command.
He fills my household with celestial peace and bliss; if He asks me to leave, I leave at once. ||2||
When I am under the Lord's Command, I find even hunger pleasurable; I know no difference between sorrow and joy.
Whatever the Command of my Lord and Master is, I bow my forehead and accept it. ||3||
The Lord and Master has become merciful to His servant; He has embellished both this world and the next.
Blessed is that servant, and fruitful is his birth; O Nanak, he realizes his Lord and Master. ||4||5||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Good karma has dawned for me - my Lord and Master has become merciful. I sing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har.
My struggle is ended; I have found peace and tranquility. All my wanderings have ceased. ||1||
Now, I have obtained the state of eternal life.
The Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, has come into my conscious mind; I seek the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||1||Pause||
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment are eradicated; all my enemies are eliminated.
He is always ever-present, here and now, watching over me; He is never far away. ||2||
In peace and cool tranquility, my faith has been totally fulfilled; the Saints are my Helpers and Support.
He has purified the sinners in an instant; I cannot express His Glorious Praises. ||3||
I have become fearless; all fear has departed. The feet of the Lord of the Universe are my only Shelter.
Nanak sings the Praises of his Lord and Master; night and day, he is lovingly focused on Him. ||4||6||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
He is all-powerful, the Master of all virtues, but you never sing of Him!
You shall have to leave all this in an instant, but again and again, you chase after it. ||1||
Why do you not contemplate your God?
You are entangled in association with your enemies, and the enjoyment of pleasures; your soul is burning up with them! ||1||Pause||
Hearing His Name, the Messenger of Death will release you, and yet, you do not enter His Sanctuary!
Turn out this wretched jackal, and seek the Shelter of that God. ||2||
Praising Him, you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and yet, you have not fallen in love with Him!
This meager, short-lived dream, this thing - you are engrossed in it, over and over again. ||3||
When our Lord and Master, the ocean of mercy, grants His Grace, one finds honor in the Society of the Saints.
Says Nanak, I am rid of the illusion of the three-phased Maya, when God becomes my help and support. ||4||7||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, knows everything; what can anyone hide from Him?
Your hands and feet will fall off in an instant, when you are burnt in the fire. ||1||

You fool, you have forgotten the Lord from your mind!
You eat His salt, and then you are untrue to Him; before your very eyes, you shall be torn apart. ||1||Pause||
The incurable disease has arisen in your body; it cannot be removed or overcome.
Forgetting God, one endures utter agony; this is the essence of reality which Nanak has realized. ||2||8||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
I have enshrined the lotus feet of God within my consciousness.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, continually, continuously.
There is none other than Him at all.
He alone exists, in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. ||1||
He Himself is the Shelter of the Saints. ||1||Pause||
The entire universe is under His control.
He Himself, the Formless Lord, is Himself by Himself.
Nanak holds tight to that True Lord.
He has found peace, and shall never suffer pain again. ||2||9||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He is the Giver of peace to the breath of life, the Giver of life to the soul; how can you forget Him, you ignorant person?
You taste the weak, insipid wine, and you have gone insane. You have uselessly wasted this precious human life. ||1||
O man, such is the foolishness you practice.
Renouncing the Lord, the Support of the earth, you wander, deluded by doubt; you are engrossed in emotional attachment, associating with Maya, the slave-girl. ||1||Pause||
Abandoning the Lord, the Support of the earth, you serve her of lowly ancestry, and you pass you life acting egotistically.
You do useless deeds, you ignorant person; this is why you are called a blind, self-willed manmukh. ||2||
That which is true, you believe to be untrue; what is transitory, you believe to be permanent.
You grasp as your own, what belongs to others; in such delusions you are deluded. ||3||
The Kh'shaatriyas, Brahmins, Soodras and Vaishyas all cross over, through the Name of the One Lord.
Guru Nanak speaks the Teachings; whoever listens to them is carried across. ||4||1||10||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
You may act in secrecy, but God is still with you; you can only deceive other people.
Forgetting your Dear Lord, you enjoy corrupt pleasures, and so you shall have to embrace red-hot pillars. ||1||
O man, why do you go out to the households of others?
You filthy, heartless, lustful donkey! Haven't you heard of the Righteous Judge of Dharma? ||1||Pause||
The stone of corruption is tied around your neck, and the load of slander is on your head.
You must cross over the vast open ocean, but you cannot cross over to the other side. ||2||
You are engrossed in sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment; you have turned your eyes away from the Truth.
You cannot even raise your head above the water of the vast, impassable sea of Maya. ||3||
The sun is liberated, and the moon is liberated; the God-realized being is pure and untouched.
His inner nature is like that of fire, untouched and forever immaculate. ||4||
When good karma dawns, the wall of doubt is torn down. He lovingly accepts the Guru's Will.

One who is blessed with the medicine of the GurMantra, the Name of the Lord, O servant Nanak, does not suffer the agonies of reincarnation. ||5||2||
O man, in this way, you shall cross over to the other side.
Meditate on your Dear Lord, and be dead to the world; renounce your love of duality. ||Second Pause||2||11||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
I have quit searching outside; the Guru has shown me that God is within the home of my own heart.
I have seen God, fearless, of wondrous beauty; my mind shall never leave Him to go anywhere else. ||1||
I have found the jewel; I have found the Perfect Lord.
The invaluable value cannot be obtained; in His Mercy, the Guru bestows it. ||1||Pause||
The Supreme Lord God is imperceptible and unfathomable; meeting the Holy Saint, I speak the Unspoken Speech.
The unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates and resounds in the Tenth Gate; the Ambrosial Naam trickles down there. ||2||
I lack nothing; the thirsty desires of my mind are satisfied. The inexhaustible treasure has entered into my being.
I serve the feet, the feet, the feet of the Guru, and manage the unmanageable. I have found the juice, the sublime essence. ||3||
Intuitively I come, and intuively I go; my mind intuitively plays.
Says Nanak, when the Guru drives out doubt, then the soul-bride enters the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||4||3||12||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
You feel no love for the One who created and embellished you.
The seed, planted out season, does not germinate; it does not produce flower or fruit. ||1||
O mind, this is the time to plant the seed of the Name.
Focus your mind, and cultivate this crop; at the proper time, make this your purpose. ||1||Pause||
Eradicate the stubbornness and doubt of your mind, and go to the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
He alone does such deeds, who has such pre-ordained karma. ||2||
He falls in love with the Lord of the Universe, and his efforts are approved.
My crop has germinated, and it shall never be used up. ||3||
I have obtained the priceless wealth, which shall never leave me or go anywhere else.
Says Nanak, I have found peace; I am satisfied and fulfilled. ||4||4||13||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The egg of doubt has burst; my mind has been enlightened.
The Guru has shattered the shackles on my feet, and has set me free. ||1||
My coming and going in reincarnation is ended.
The boiling cauldron has cooled down; the Guru has blessed me with the cooling, soothing Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Since I joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, those who were eyeing me have left.
The one who tied me up, has released me; what can the Watchman of Death do to me now? ||2||
The load of my karma has been removed, and I am now free of karma.
I have crossed the world-ocean, and reached the other shore; the Guru has blessed me with this Dharma. ||3||
True is my place, and True is my seat; I have made Truth my life's purpose.
True is my capital, and True is the merchandise, which Nanak has placed into the home of the heart. ||4||5||14||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:

The Pandit, the religious scholar, proclaims the Vedas, but he is slow to act on them.
Another person on silence sits alone, but his heart is tied in knots of desire.
Another becomes an Udaasi, a renunciate; he abandons his home and walks out on his family, but his wandering impulses do not leave him. ||1||
Who can I tell about the state of my soul?
Where can I find such a person who is liberated, and who can unite me with my God? ||1||Pause||
Someone may practice intensive meditation, and discipline his body, but his mind still runs around in ten directions.
The celibate practices celibacy, but his heart is filled with pride.
The Sannyaasi wanders around at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, but his mindless anger is still within him. ||2||
The temple dancers tie bells around their ankles to earn their living.
Others go on fasts, take vows, perform the six rituals and wear religious robes for show.
Some sing songs and melodies and hymns, but their minds do not sing of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The Lord's Saints are immaculately pure; they are beyond pleasure and pain, beyond greed and attachment.
My mind obtains the dust of their feet, when the Lord God shows mercy.
Says Nanak, I met the Perfect Guru, and then the anxiety of my mind was removed. ||4||
My Sovereign Lord is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
The Beloved of my soul knows everything; all trivial talk is forgotten. ||1||Second Pause||6||15||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
One who has Your Name in his heart is the king of all the hundreds of thousands and millions of beings.
Those, whom my True Guru has not blessed with Your Name, are poor idiots, who die and are reborn. ||1||
My True Guru protects and preserves my honor.
When You come to mind, Lord, then I obtain perfect honor. Forgetting You, I roll in the dust. ||1||Pause||
The mind's pleasures of love and beauty bring just as many blames and sins.
The Name of the Lord is the treasure of Emancipation; it is absolute peace and poise. ||2||
The pleasures of Maya fade away in an instant, like the shade of a passing cloud.
They alone are dyed in the deep crimson of the Lord's Love, who meet the Guru, and sing the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
My Lord and Master is lofty and exalted, grand and infinite. The Darbaar of His Court is inaccessible.
Through the Naam, glorious greatness and respect are obtained; O Nanak, my Lord and Master is my Beloved. ||4||7||16||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The One Universal Creator Lord created the creation.
He made all the days and the nights.
The forests, meadows, three worlds, water,
the four Vedas, the four sources of creation,
the countries, the continents and all the worlds,
have all come from the One Word of the Lord. ||1||
Hey - understand the Creator Lord.
If you meet the True Guru, then you'll understand. ||1||Pause||
He formed the expanse of the entire universe from the three gunas, the three qualities.
People are incarnated in heaven and in hell.
In egotism, they come and go.
The mind cannot hold still, even for an instant.

Without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
Meeting with the True Guru, one is emancipated. ||2||
All the deeds done in egotism,
are just chains around the neck.
Harboring self-conceit and self-interest
is just like placing chains around one's ankles.
He alone meets with the Guru, and realizes the One Lord,
who has such destiny written on his forehead. ||3||
He alone meets the Lord, who is pleasing to His Mind.
He alone is deluded, who is deluded by God.
No one, by himself, is ignorant or wise.
He alone chants the Naam, whom the Lord inspires to do so.
You have no end or limitation.
Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||4||1||17||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Maya, the enticer, has enticed the world of the three gunas, the three qualities.
The false world is engrossed in greed.
Crying out, "Mine, mine!" they collect possessions, but in the end, they are all deceived. ||1||
The Lord is fearless, formless and merciful.
He is the Cherisher of all beings and creatures. ||1||Pause||
Some collect wealth, and bury it in the ground.
Some cannot abandon wealth, even in their dreams.
The king exercises his power, and fills his money-bags, but this fickle companion will not go along with him. ||2||
Some love this wealth even more than their body and breath of life.
Some collect it, forsaking their fathers and mothers.
Some hide it from their children, friends and siblings, but it will not remain with them. ||3||
Some become hermits, and sit in meditative trances.
Some are Yogis, celibates, religious scholars and thinkers.
Some dwell in homes, graveyards, cremation grounds and forests; but Maya still clings to them there. ||4||
When the Lord and Master releases one from his bonds,
the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, comes to dwell in his soul.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, His humble servants are liberated; O Nanak, they are redeemed and enraptured by the Lord's Glance of Grace. ||5||2||18||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate in remembrance on the One Immaculate Lord.
No one is turned away from Him empty-handed.
He cherished and preserved you in your mother's womb;
He blessed you with body and soul, and embellished you.
Each and every instant, meditate on that Creator Lord.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, all faults and mistakes are covered.
Enshrine the Lord's lotus feet deep within the nucleus of your self.
Save your soul from the waters of corruption.
Your cries and shrieks shall be ended;
meditating on the Lord of the Universe, your doubts and fears shall be dispelled.
Rare is that being, who finds the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Him. ||1||
The Lord's Name is the support of my mind and body.
Whoever meditates on Him is emancipated. ||1||Pause||
He believes that the false thing is true.
The ignorant fool falls in love with it.
He is intoxicated with the wine of sexual desire, anger and greed;
he loses this human life in exchance for a mere shell.
He abandons his own, and loves that of others.
His mind and body are permeated with the intoxication of Maya.
His thirsty desires are not quenched, although he indulges in pleasures.
His hopes are not fulfilled, and all his words are false.
He comes alone, and he goes alone.

False is all his talk of me and you.
The Lord Himself administers the poisonous potion, to mislead and delude.
O Nanak, the the karma of past actions cannot be erased. ||2||
Beasts, birds, demons and ghosts
- in these many ways, the false wander in reincarnation.
Wherever they go, they cannot remain there.
They have no place of rest; they rise up again and again and run around.
Their minds and bodies are filled with immense, expansive desires.
The poor wretches are cheated by egotism.
They are filled with countless sins, and are severely punished.
The extent of this cannot be estimated.
Forgetting God, they fall into hell.
There are no mothers there, no siblings, no friends and no spouses.
Those humble beings, unto whom the Lord and Master becomes Merciful,
O Nanak, cross over. ||3||
Rambling and roaming, wandering around, I came to seek the Sanctuary of God.
He is the Master of the meek, the father and mother of the world.
The Merciful Lord God is the Destroyer of sorrow and suffering.
He emancipates whoever He pleases.
He lifts them up and pulls him out of the deep dark pit.
Emancipation comes through loving devotional worship.
The Holy Saint is the very embodiment of the Lord's form.
He Himself saves us from the great fire.
By myself, I cannot practice meditation, austerities, penance and self-discipline.
In the beginning and in the end, God is inaccessible and unfathomable.
Please bless me with Your Name, Lord; Your slave begs only for this.
O Nanak, my Lord God is the Giver of the true state of life. ||4||3||19||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Why do you try to deceive others, O people of the world? The Fascinating Lord is Merciful to the meek. ||1||
This is what I have come to know.
The brave and heroic Guru, the Generous Giver, gives Sanctuary and preserves our honor. ||1||Pause||
He submits to the Will of His devotees; He is forever and ever the Giver of peace. ||2||
Please bless me with Your Mercy, that I may meditate on Your Name alone. ||3||
Nanak, the meek and humble, begs for the Naam, the Name of the Lord; it eradicates duality and doubt. ||4||4||20||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
My Lord and Master is utterly powerful.
I am just His poor servant. ||1||
My Enticing Beloved is very dear to my mind and my breath of life.
He blesses me with His gift. ||1||Pause||
I have seen and tested all.
There is none other than Him. ||2||
He sustains and nurtures all beings.
He was, and shall always be. ||3||
Please bless me with Your Mercy, O Divine Lord,
and link Nanak to Your service. ||4||5||21||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The Redeemer of sinners, who carries us across; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Him.
If only I could meet with such a Saint, who would inspire me to meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||1||
No one knows me; I am called Your slave.
This is my support and sustenance. ||1||Pause||
You support and cherish all; I am meek and humble - this is my only prayer.
You alone know Your Way; You are the water, and I am the fish. ||2||
O Perfect and Expansive Lord and Master, I follow You in love.
O God, You are pervading all the worlds, solar systems and galaxies. ||3||

You are eternal and unchanging, imperishable, invisible and infinite, O divine fascinating Lord.
Please bless Nanak with the gift of the Society of the Saints, and the dust of the feet of Your slaves. ||4||6||22||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The Saints are fulfilled and satisfied;
they know the Guru's Mantra and the Teachings.
They cannot even be described;
they are blessed with the glorious greatness of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
My Beloved is a priceless jewel.
His Name is unattainable and immeasurable. ||1||Pause||
One whose mind is satisfied believing in the imperishable Lord God,
becomes Gurmukh and attains the essence of spiritual wisdom.
He sees all in his meditation.
He banishes egotistical pride from his mind. ||2||
Permanent is the place of those
who, through the Guru, realize the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Meeting the Guru, they remain awake and aware night and day;
they are committed to the Lord's service. ||3||
They are perfectly fulfilled and satisfied,
intuitively absorbed in Samaadhi.
The Lord's treasure comes into their hands;
O Nanak, through the Guru, they attain it. ||4||7||23||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Abandon all your clever tricks; meet with the Holy, and renounce your egotistical pride.
Everything else is false; with your tongue, chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam. ||1||
O my mind, with your ears, listen to the Name of the Lord.
The sins of your many past lifetimes shall be washed away; then, what can the wretched Messenger of Death do to you? ||1||Pause||
Pain, poverty and fear shall not afflict you, and you shall find peace and pleasure.
By Guru's Grace, Nanak speaks; meditation on the Lord is the essence of spiritual wisdom. ||2||1||24||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Those who have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord - I have seen them reduced to dust.
The love of children and friends, and the pleasures of married life are torn apart. ||1||
O my mind, continually, continuously chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
You shall not burn in the ocean of fire, and your mind and body shall be blessed with peace. ||1||Pause||
Like the shade of a tree, these things shall pass away, like the clouds blown away by the wind.
Meeting with the Holy, devotional worship to the Lord is implanted within; O Nanak, only this shall work for you. ||2||2||25||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The perfect, primal Lord is the Giver of peace; He is always with you.
He does not die, and he does not come or go in reincarnation. He does not perish, and He is not affected by heat or cold. ||1||
O my mind, be in love with the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Within the mind, think of the Lord, Har, Har, the treasure. This is the purest way of life. ||1||Pause||
Whoever meditates on the merciful compassionate Lord, the Lord of the Universe, is successful.
He is always new, fresh and young, clever and beautiful; Nanak's mind is pierced through with His Love. ||2||3||26||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
While walking and sitting, sleeping and waking, contemplate within your heart the GurMantra.
Run to the Lord's lotus feet, and join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and reach the other side. ||1||

O my mind, enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your heart.
Love the Lord, and commit your mind and body to Him; forget everything else. ||1||Pause||
Soul, mind, body and breath of life belong to God; eliminate your self-conceit.
Meditate, vibrate on the Lord of the Universe, and all your desires shall be fulfilled; O Nanak, you shall never be defeated. ||2||4||27||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Renounce your self-conceit, and the fever shall depart; become the dust of the feet of the Holy.
He alone receives Your Name, Lord, whom You bless with Your Mercy. ||1||
O my mind, drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Abandon other bland, insipid tastes; become immortal, and live throughout the ages. ||1||Pause||
Savor the essence of the One and only Naam; love the Naam, focus and attune yourself to the Naam.
Nanak has made the One Lord his only friend, companion and relative. ||2||5||28||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
He nourishes and preserves mortals in the womb of the mother, so that the fiery heat does not hurt them.
That Lord and Master protects us here. Understand this in your mind. ||1||
O my mind, take the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Understand the One who created you; the One God is the Cause of causes. ||1||Pause||
Remember the One Lord in your mind, renounce your clever tricks, and give up all your religious robes.
Meditating in remembrance forever on the Lord, Har, Har, O Nanak, countless beings have been saved. ||2||6||29||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
His Name is the Purifier of sinners; He is the Master of the masterless.
In the vast and terrifying world-ocean, he is the raft for those who have such destiny inscribed on their foreheads. ||1||
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, huge numbers of companions have drowned.
Even if someone does not remember the Lord, the Cause of causes, still, the Lord reaches out with His hand, and saves him. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and take the Path of the Ambrosial Name of the Lord.
Shower me with Your Mercy, O Lord; listening to Your sermon, Nanak lives. ||2||7||30||
Maaroo, Anjulee ~ With Hands Cupped In Prayer, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Union and separation are ordained by the Primal Lord God.
The puppet is made from the five elements.
By the Command of the Dear Lord King, the soul came and entered into the body. ||1||
In that place, where the fire rages like an oven,
in that darkness where the body lies face down
- there, one remembers his Lord and Master with each and every breath, and then he is rescued. ||2||
Then, one comes out from within the womb,
and forgetting his Lord and Master, he attaches his consciousness to the world.
He comes and goes, and wanders in reincarnation; he cannot remain anywhere. ||3||
The Merciful Lord Himself emancipates.
He created and established all beings and creatures.
Those who depart after having been victorious in this priceless human life - O Nanak, their coming into the world is approved. ||4||1||31||

Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The One Lord alone is our help and support; neither physician nor friend, nor sister nor brother can be this. ||1||
His actions alone come to pass; He washes off the filth of sins. Meditate in remembrance on that Supreme Lord. ||2||
He abides in each and every heart, and dwells in all; His seat and place are eternal. ||3||
He does not come or go, and He is always with us. His actions are perfect. ||4||
He is the Savior and the Protector of His devotees.
The Saints live by meditating on God, the support of the breath of life.
The Almighty Lord and Master is the Cause of causes; Nanak is a sacrifice to Him. ||5||2||32||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Maaroo, Ninth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord is forever the Giver of peace.
Meditating in remembrance on it, Ajaamal was saved, and Ganika the prostitute was emancipated. ||1||Pause||
Dropadi the princess of Panchaala remembered the Lord's Name in the royal court.
The Lord, the embodiment of mercy, removed her suffering; thus His own glory was increased. ||1||
That man, who sings the Praise of the Lord, the treasure of mercy, has the help and support of the Lord.
Says Nanak, I have come to rely on this. I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||2||1||
Maaroo, Ninth Mehl:
What should I do now, O mother?
I have wasted my whole life in sin and corruption; I never remembered the Lord. ||1||Pause||
When Death places the noose around my neck, then I lose all my senses.
Now, in this disaster, other than the Name of the Lord, who will be my help and support? ||1||
That wealth, which he believes to be his own, in an instant, belongs to another.
Says Nanak, this still really bothers my mind - I never sang the Praises of the Lord. ||2||2||
Maaroo, Ninth Mehl:
O my mother, I have not renounced the pride of my mind.
I have wasted my life intoxicated with Maya; I have not focused myself in meditation on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
When Death's club falls on my head, then I will be wakened from my sleep.
But what good will it do to repent at that time? I cannot escape by running away. ||1||
When this anxiety arises in the heart, then, one comes to love the Guru's feet.
My life becomes fruitful, O Nanak, only when I am absorbed in the Praises of God. ||2||3||
Maaroo, Ashtapadees, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Reciting and listening to the Vedas and the Puraanas, countless wise men have grown weary.
So many in their various religious robes have grown weary, wandering to the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
The True Lord and Master is immaculate and pure. The mind is satisfied only by the One Lord. ||1||
You are eternal; You do not grow old. All others pass away.
One who lovingly focuses on the Naam, the source of nectar - his pains are taken away. ||1||Pause||

Study the Lord's Name, and understand the Lord's Name; follow the Guru's Teachings, and through the Naam, you shall be saved.
Perfect are the Teachings of the Perfect Guru; contemplate the Perfect Word of the Shabad.
The Lord's Name is the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, and the Eradicator of sins. ||2||
The blind ignorant mortal stirs the water and churns the water, wishing to obtain butter.
Following the Guru's Teachings, one churns the cream, and the treasure of the Ambrosial Naam is obtained.
The self-willed manmukh is a beast; he does not know the essence of reality that is contained within himself. ||3||
Dying in egotism and self-conceit, one dies, and dies again, only to be reincarnated over and over again.
But when he dies in the Word of the Guru's Shabad, then he does not die, ever again.
When he follows the Guru's Teachings, and enshrines the Lord, the Life of the World, within his mind, he redeems all his generations. ||4||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the true object, the true commodity.
The Naam is the only true profit in this world. Follow the Guru's Teachings, and contemplate it.
To work in the love of duality, brings constant loss in this world. ||5||
True is one's association, true is one's place, and true is one's hearth and home, when one has the support of the Naam.
Contemplating the True Word of the Guru's Bani, and the True Word of the Shabad, one becomes content. ||6||
Enjoying princely pleasures, one shall be destroyed in pain and pleasure.
Adopting a name of greatness, one strings heavy sins around his neck.
Mankind cannot give gifts; You alone are the Giver of everything. ||7||
You are inaccessible and unfathomable; O Lord, You are imperishable and infinite.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, seeking at the Lord's Door, one finds the treasure of liberation.
O Nanak, this union is not broken, if one deals in the merchandise of Truth. ||8||1||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The boat is loaded with sin and corruption, and launched into the sea.
The shore cannot be seen on this side, nor on the shore beyond.
There are no oars, nor any boatmen, to cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
O Baba, the world is caught in the great noose.
By Guru's Grace, they are saved, contemplating the True Name. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru is the boat; the Word of the Shabad will carry them across.
There is neither wind nor fire, neither water nor form there.
The True Name of the True Lord is there; it carries them across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
The Gurmukhs reach the shore beyond, lovingly focusing on the True Lord.
Their comings and goings are ended, and their light merges into the Light.
Following the Guru's Teachings, intuitive peace wells up within them, and they remain merged in the True Lord. ||3||
The snake may be locked in a basket, but it is still poisonous, and the anger within its mind remains.
One obtains what is pre-ordained; why does he blame others?
If one, as Gurmukh, hears and believes in the Name, the charm against poison, his mind becomes content. ||4||
The crocodile is caught by the hook and line;
caught in the trap of evil-mindedness, he regrets and repents, again and again.
He does not understand birth and death; the inscription of one's past actions cannot be erased. ||5||
Injecting the poison of egotism, the world was created; with the Shabad enshrined within, the poison is eliminated.
Old age cannot torment one who remains lovingly absorbed in the True Lord.
He alone is called Jivan-Mikta, liberated while yet alive, from within whom egotism is eradicated. ||6||

The world is chasing after worldly affairs; caught and bound, it does not understand contemplative meditation.
The foolish, ignorant, self-willed manmukh has forgotten birth and death.
Those whom the Guru has protected are saved, contemplating the True Word of the Shabad. ||7||
In the cage of divine love, the parrot, speaks.
It pecks at the Truth, and drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar; it flies away, only once.
Meeting with the Guru, one recognizes his Lord and Master; says Nanak, he finds the gate of liberation. ||8||2||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
One who dies in the Word of the Shabad conquers death; otherwise, where can you run?
Through the Fear of God, fear runs away; His Name is Ambrosial Nectar.
You alone kill and protect; except for You, there is no place at all. ||1||
O Baba, I am filthy, shallow and totally without understanding.
Without the Naam, no one is anything; the Perfect Guru has made my intellect perfect. ||1||Pause||
I am full of faults, and I have no virtue at all. Without virtues, how can I go home?
Through the Word of the Shabad, intuitive peace wells up; without good destiny, the wealth is not obtained.
Those whose minds are not filled with the Naam are bound and gagged, and suffer in pain. ||2||
Those who have forgotten the Naam - why have they even come into the world?
Here and hereafter, they do not find any peace; they have loaded their carts with ashes.
Those who are separated, do not meet with the Lord; they suffer in terrible pain at Death's Door. ||3||
I do not know what will happen in the world hereafter; I am so confused - please teach me, Lord!
I am confused; I would fall at the feet of one who shows me the Way.
Without the Guru, there is no giver at all; His value cannot be described. ||4||
If I see my friend, then I will embrace Him; I have sent Him the letter of Truth.
His soul-bride stands waiting expectantly; as Gurmukh, I see Him with my eyes.
By the Pleasure of Your Will, You abide in my mind, and bless me with Your Glance of Grace. ||5||
One who is wandering hungry and thirsty - what can he give, and what can anyone ask from him?
I cannot conceive of any other, who can bless my mind and body with perfection.
The One who created me takes care of me; He Himself blesses me with glory. ||6||
In the body-village is my Lord and Master, whose body is ever-new, Innocent and child-like, incomparably playful.
He is neither a woman, nor a man, nor a bird; the True Lord is so wise and beautiful.
Whatever pleases Him, happens; You are the lamp, and You are the incense. ||7||
He hears the songs and tastes the flavors, but these flavors are useless and insipid, and bring only disease to the body.
One who loves the Truth and speaks the Truth, escapes from the sorrow of separation.
Nanak does not forget the Naam; whatever happens is by the Lord's Will. ||8||3||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Practice Truth - other greed and attachments are useless.
The True Lord has fascinated this mind, and my tongue enjoys the taste of Truth.
Without the Name, there is no juice; the others depart, loaded with poison. ||1||
I am such a slave of Yours, O my Beloved Lord and Master.
I walk in harmony with Your Command, O my True, Sweet Beloved. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, the slave works for his overlord.
I have sold my mind for the Word of the Guru's Shabad; my mind is comforted and consoled by the Shabad.

The Perfect Guru is honored and celebrated; He has taken away the pains of my mind. ||2||
I am the servant and slave of my Master; what glorious greatness of His can I describe?
The Perfect Master, by the Pleasure of His Will, forgives, and then one practices Truth.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who re-unites the separated ones. ||3||
The intellect of His servant and slave is noble and true; it is made so by the Guru's intellect.
The intuition of those who are true is beautiful; the intellect of the self-willed manmukh is insipid.
My mind and body belong to You, God; from the very beginning, Truth has been my only support. ||4||
In Truth I sit and stand; I eat and speak the Truth.
With Truth in my consciousness, I gather the wealth of Truth, and drink in the sublime essence of Truth.
In the home of Truth, the True Lord protects me; I speak the Words of the Guru's Teachings with love. ||5||
The self-willed manmukh is very lazy; he is trapped in the wilderness.
He is drawn to the bait, and continually pecking at it, he is trapped; his link to the Lord is ruined.
By Guru's Grace, one is liberated, absorbed in the primal trance of Truth. ||6||
His slave remains continually pierced through with love and affection for God.
Without the True Lord, the soul of the false, corrupt person is burnt to ashes.
Abandoning all evil actions, he crosses over in the boat of Truth. ||7||
Those who have forgotten the Naam have no home, no place of rest.
The Lord's slave renounces greed and attachment, and obtains the Lord's Name.
If You forgive him, Lord, then He is united with You; Nanak is a sacrifice. ||8||4||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The Lord's slave renounces his egotistical pride, through the Guru's Fear, intuitively and easily.
The slave realizes his Lord and Master; glorious is his greatness!
Meeting with his Lord and Master, he finds peace; His value cannot be desribed. ||1||
I am the slave and servant of my Lord and Master; all glory is to my Master.
By Guru's Grace, I am saved, in the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The slave has been given the most excellent task, by the Primal Command of the Master.
The slave realizes the Hukam of His Command, and submits to His Will forever.
The Lord King Himself grants forgiveness; how glorious is His greatness! ||2||
He Himself is True, and everything is True; this is revealed through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He alone serves You, whom You have enjoined to do so.
Without serving Him, no one finds Him; in duality and doubt, they are ruined. ||3||
How could we forget Him from our minds? The gifts which he bestows increase day by day.
Soul and body, all belong to Him; He infused the breath into us.
If he shows His Mercy, then we serve Him; serving Him, we merge in Truth. ||4||
He alone is the Lord's slave, who remains dead while yet alive, and eradicates egotism from within.
His bonds are broken, the fire of his desire is quenched, and he is liberated.
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is within all, but how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, obtain it. ||5||
Within the Lord's slave, there is no virtue at all; the Lord's slave is totally unworthy.
There is no Giver as great as You, Lord; You alone are the Forgiver.
Your slave obeys the Hukam of Your Command; this is the most excellent action. ||6||
The Guru is the pool of nectar in the world-ocean; whatever one desires, that fruit is obtained.
The treasure of the Naam brings immortality; enshrine it in your heart and mind.

Serving the Guru, eternal peace is obtained, by those whom the Lord inspires to obey the Hukam of His Command. ||7||
Gold and silver, and all metals, mix with dust in the end
Without the Name, nothing goes along with you; the True Guru has imparted this understanding.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are immaculate and pure; they remain merged in the Truth. ||8||5||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The Order is issued, and he cannot remain; the permit to stay has been torn up.
This mind is tied to its faults; it suffers terrible pain in its body.
The Perfect Guru forgives all the mistakes of the beggar at His Door. ||1||
How can he stay here? He must get up and depart. Contemplate the Word of the Shabad, and understand this.
He alone is united, whom You, O Lord, unite. Such is the Primal Command of the Infinite Lord. ||1||Pause||
As You keep me, I remain; whatever You give me, I eat.
As You lead me, I follow, with the Ambrosial Name in my mouth.
All glorious greatness rests in the hands of my Lord and Master; my mind yearns to unite with You. ||2||
Why should anyone praise any other created being? That Lord acts and sees.
The One who created me, abides within my mind; there is no other at all.
So praise that True Lord, and you shall be blessed with true honor. ||3||
The Pandit, the religious scholar, reads, but does not reach the Lord; he is totally entangled in worldly affairs.
He keeps the company of both virtue and vice, tormented by hunger and the Messenger of Death.
One who is protected by the Perfect Lord, forgets separation and fear. ||4||
They alone are perfect, O Siblings of Destiny, whose honor is certified.
Perfect is the intellect of the Perfect Lord. True is His glorious greatness.
His gifts never run short, although those who receive may grow weary of receiving. ||5||
Searching the salty sea, one finds the pearl.
It looks beautiful for a few days, but in the end, it is eaten away by dust.
If one serves the Guru, the ocean of Truth, the gifts one receives never run short. ||6||
They alone are pure, who are pleasing to my God; all others are soiled with filth.
The filthy become pure, when they meet with the Guru, the Philosopher's Stone.
Who can estimate the value of the color of the true jewel? ||7||
Wearing religious robes, the Lord is not obtained, nor is He obtained by giving donations at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Go and ask the readers of the Vedas; without faith, the world is cheated.
O Nanak, he alone values the jewel, who is blessed with the spiritual wisdom of the Perfect Guru. ||8||6||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh, in a fit of passion, abandons his home, and is ruined; then, he spies on the homes of others.
He neglects his household duties, and does not meet with the True Guru; he is caught in the whirlpool of evil-mindedness.
Wandering in foreign lands and reading scriptures, he grows weary, and his thirsty desires only increase.
His perishable body does not remember the Word of the Shabad; like a beast, he fills his belly. ||1||
O Baba, this is the way of life of the Sannyaasi, the renunciate.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is to enshrine love for the One Lord. Imbued with Your Name, Lord, he remains satisfied and fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
He dyes his robes with saffron dye, and wearing these robes, he goes out begging.
Tearing his robes, he makes a patched coat, and puts the money in his wallet.
From house to house he goes begging, and tries to teach the world; but his mind is blind, and so he loses his honor.
He is deluded by doubt, and does not remember the Word of the Shabad. He loses his life in the gamble. ||2||

Without the Guru, the fire within is not quenched; and outside, the fire still burns.
Without serving the Guru, there is no devotional worship. How can anyone, by himself, know the Lord?
Slandering others, one lives in hell; within him is hazy darkness.
Wandering to the eixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, he is ruined. How can the filth of sin be washed away? ||3||
He sifts through the dust, and applies ashes to his body, but he is searching for the path of Maya's wealth.
Inwardly and outwardly, he does not know the One Lord; if someone tells him the Truth, he grows angry.
He reads the scriptures, but tells lies; such is the intellect of one who has no guru.
Without chanting the Naam, how can he find peace? Without the Name, how can he look good? ||4||
Some shave their heads, some keep their hair in matted tangles; some keep it in braids, while some keep silent, filled with egotistical pride.
Their minds waver and wander in ten directions, without loving devotion and enlightenment of the soul.
They abandon the Ambrosial Nectar, and drink the deadly poison, driven mad by Maya.
Past actions cannot be erased; without understanding the Hukam of the Lord's Command, they become beasts. ||5||
With bowl in hand, wearing his patched coat, great desires well up in his mind.
Abandoning his own wife, he is engrossed in sexual desire; his thoughts are on the wives of others.
He teaches and preaches, but does not contemplate the Shabad; he is bought and sold on the street.
With poison within, he pretends to be free of doubt; he is ruined and humiliated by the Messenger of Death. ||6||
He alone is a Sannyaasi, who serves the True Guru, and removes his self-conceit from within.
He does not ask for clothes or food; without asking, he accepts whatever he receives.
He does not speak empty words; he gathers in the wealth of tolerance, and burns away his anger with the Naam.
Blessed is such a householder, Sannyaasi and Yogi, who focuses his consciousness on the Lord's feet. ||7||
Amidst hope, the Sannyaasi remains unmoved by hope; he remains lovingly focused on the One Lord.
He drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord, and so finds peace and tranquility; in the home of his own being, he remains absorbed in the deep trance of meditation.
His mind does not waver; as Gurmukh, he understands. He restrains it from wandering out.
Following the Guru's Teachings, he searches the home of his body, and obtains the wealth of the Naam. ||8||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are exalted, imbued with contemplative meditation on the Naam.
The sources of creation, speech, the heavens and the underworld, all beings and creatures, are infused with Your Light.
All comforts and liberation are found in the Naam, and the vibrations of the Guru's Bani; I have enshrined the True Name within my heart.
Without the Naam, no one is saved; O Nanak, with the Truth, cross over to the other side. ||9||7||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Through the union of mother and father, the fetus is formed. The egg and sperm join together to make the body.
Upside-down within the womb, it lovingly dwells on the Lord; God provides for it, and gives it nourishment there. ||1||
How can he cross over the terrifying world-ocean?
The Gurmukh obtains the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord; the unbearable load of sins is removed. ||1||Pause||
I have forgotten Your Virtues, Lord; I am insane - what can I do now?
You are the Merciful Giver, above the heads of all. Day and night, You give gifts, and take care of all. ||2||
One is born to achieve the four great objectives of life. The spirit has taken up its home in the material world.

Driven by hunger, it sees the path of Maya's riches; this emotional attachment takes away the treasure of liberation. ||3||
Weeping and wailing, he does not receive them; he searches here and there, and grows weary.
Engrossed in sexual desire, anger and egotism, he falls in love with his false relatives. ||4||
He eats and enjoys, listens and watches, and dresses up to show off in this house of death.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he does not undersand himself. Without the Lord's Name, death cannot be avoided. ||5||
The more attachment and egotism delude and confuse him, the more he cries out, "Mine, mine!", and the more he loses out.
His body and wealth pass away, and he is torn by skepticism and cynicism; in the end, he regrets and repents, when the dust falls on his face. ||6||
He grows old, his body and youth waste away, and his throat is plugged with mucous; water flows from his eyes.
He feet fail him, and his hands shake and tremble; the faithless cynic does not enshrine the Lord in his heart. ||7||
His intellect fails him, his black hair turns white, and no one wants to keep him in their home.
Forgetting the Naam, these are the stigmas which stick to him; the Messenger of Death beats him, and drags him to hell. ||8||
The record of one's past actions cannot be erased; who else is to blame for one's birth and death?
Without the Guru, life and death are pointless; without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, life just burns away. ||9||
The pleasures enjoyed in happiness bring ruin; acting in corruption is useless indulgence.
Forgetting the Naam, and caught by greed, he betrays his own source; the club of the Righteous Judge of Dharma will strike him over the head. ||10||
The Gurmukhs sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name; the Lord God blesses them with His Glance of Grace.
Those beings are pure, perfect unlimited and infinite; in this world, they are the embodiment of the Guru, the Lord of the Universe. ||11||
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord; meditate and contemplate the Guru's Word, and love to associate with the humble servants of the Lord.
The Lord's humble servants are the embodiment of the Guru; they are supreme and respected in the Court of the Lord. Nanak seeks the dust of the feet of those humble servants of the Lord. ||12||8||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Maaroo, Kaafee, First Mehl, Second House:
The double-minded person comes and goes, and has numerous friends.
The soul-bride is separated from her Lord, and she has no place of rest; how can she be comforted? ||1||
My mind is attuned to the Love of my Husband Lord.
I am devoted, dedicated, a sacrifice to the Lord; if only He would bless me with His Glance of Grace, even for an instant! ||1||Pause||
I am a rejected bride, abandoned in my parents' home; how can I go to my in-laws now?
I wear my faults around my neck; without my Husband Lord, I am grieving, and wasting away to death. ||2||
But if, in my parents' home, I remember my Husband Lord, then I will come to dwell in the home of my in-laws yet.
The happy soul-brides sleep in peace; they find their Husband Lord, the treasure of virtue. ||3||
Their blankets and mattresses are made of silk, and so are the clothes on their bodies.
The Lord rejects the impure soul-brides. Their life-night passes in misery. ||4||

I have tasted many flavors, and worn many robes,
but without my Husband Lord, my youth is slipping away uselessly; I am separated from Him, and I cry out in pain. ||5||
I have heard the True Lord's message, contemplating the Guru.
True is the home of the True Lord; by His Gracious Grace, I love Him. ||6||
The spiritual teacher applies the ointment of Truth to his eyes, and sees God, the Seer.
The Gurmukh comes to know and understand; ego and pride are subdued. ||7||
O Lord, You are pleased with those who are like Yourself; there are many more like me.
O Nanak, the Husband does not separate from those who are imbued with Truth. ||8||1||9||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Neither the sisters, nor the sisters-in-law, nor the mothers-in-law, shall remain.
The true relationship with the Lord cannot be broken; it was established by the Lord, O sister soul-brides. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; I am forever a sacrifice to Him.
Wandering so far without the Guru, I grew weary; now, the Guru has united me in Union with my Husband Lord. ||1||Pause||
Aunts, uncles, grandparents and sisters-in-law
- they all come and go; they cannot remain. They are like boatloads of passengers embarking. ||2||
Uncles, aunts, and cousins of all sorts, cannot remain.
The caravans are full, and great crowds of them are loading up at the riverbank. ||3||
O sister-friends, my Husband Lord is dyed in the color of Truth.
She who lovingly remembers her True Husband Lord is not separated from Him again. ||4||
All the seasons are good, in which the soul-bride falls in love with the True Lord.
That soul-bride, who knows her Husband Lord, sleeps in peace, night and day. ||5||
At the ferry, the ferryman announces, "O travellers, hurry up and cross over."
I have seen them crossing over there, on the boat of the True Guru. ||6||
Some are getting on board, and some have already set out; some are weighed down with their loads.
Those who deal in Truth, remain with their True Lord God. ||7||
I am not called good, and I see none who are bad.
O Nanak, one who conquers and subdues his ego, becomes just like the True Lord. ||8||2||10||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
I do not believe that anyone is foolish; I do not believe that anyone is clever.
Imbued forever with the Love of my Lord and Master, I chant His Name, night and day. ||1||
O Baba, I am so foolish, but I am a sacrifice to the Name.
You are the Creator, You are wise and all-seeing. Through Your Name, we are carried across. ||1||Pause||
The same person is foolish and wise; the same light within has two names.
The most foolish of the foolish are those who do not believe in the Name. ||2||
Through the Guru's Gate, the Gurdwara, the Name is obtained. Without the True Guru, it is not received.
Through the Pleasure of the True Guru's Will, the Name comes to dwell in the mind, and then, night and day, one remains lovingly absorbed in the Lord. ||3||
In power, pleasures, beauty, wealth and youth, one gambles his life away.
Bound by the Hukam of God's Command, the dice are thrown; he is just a piece in the game of chess. ||4||
The world is clever and wise, but it is deluded by doubt, and forgets the Name; the Pandit, the religious scholar, studies the scriptures, but he is still a fool.
Forgetting the Name, he dwells upon the Vedas; he writes, but he is confused by his poisonous corruption. ||5||

He is like the crop planted in the salty soil, or the tree growing on the river bank, or the white clothes sprinkled with dirt.
This world is the house of desire; whoever enters it, is burnt down by egotistical pride. ||6||
Where are all the kings and their subjects? Those who are immersed in duality are destroyed.
Says Nanak, these are the steps of the ladder, of the Teachings of the True Guru; only the Unseen Lord shall remain. ||7||3||11||
Maaroo, Third Mehl, Fifth House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
One whose mind is filled with the Lord's Love,
is intuitively exalted by the True Word of the Shabad.
He alone knows the pain of this love; what does anyone else know about its cure? ||1||
He Himself unites in His Union.
He Himself inspires us with His Love.
He alone appreciates the value of Your Love, upon whom You shower Your Grace, O Lord. ||1||Pause||
One whose spiritual vision is awakened - his doubt is driven out.
By Guru's Grace, he obtains the supreme status.
He alone is a Yogi, who understands this way, and contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
By good destiny, the soul-bride is united with her Husband Lord.
Following the Guru's Teachings, she eradicates her evil-mindedness from within.
With love, she continually enjoys pleasure with Him; she becomes the beloved of her Husband Lord. ||3||
Other than the True Guru, there is no physician.
He Himself is the Immaculate Lord.
Meeting with the True Guru, evil is conquered, and spiritual wisdom is contemplated. ||4||
One who is committed to this most sublime Shabad
becomes Gurmukh, and is rid of thirst and hunger.
By one's own efforts, nothing can be accomplished; the Lord, in His Mercy, bestows power. ||5||
The True Guru has revealed the essence of the Shaastras and the Vedas.
In His Mercy, He has come into the home of my self.
In the midst of Maya, the Immaculate Lord is known, by those upon whom You bestow Your Grace. ||6||
One who becomes Gurmukh, obtains the essence of reality;
he eradictes his self-conceit from within.
Without the True Guru, all are entangled in worldly affairs; consider this in your mind, and see. ||7||
Some are deluded by doubt; they strut around egotistically.
Some, as Gurmukh, subdue their egotism.
Attuned to the True Word of the Shabad, they remain detached from the world. The other ignorant fools wander, confused and deluded by doubt. ||8||
Those who have not become Gurmukh, and who have not found the Naam, the Name of the Lord
- those self-willed manmukhs waste their lives uselessly.
In the world hereafter, nothing except the Name will be of any assistance; this is understood by contemplating the Guru. ||9||
The Ambrosial Naam is the Giver of peace forever.
Throughout the four ages, it is known through the Perfect Guru.
He alone receives it, unto whom You bestow it; this is the essence of reality which Nanak has realized. ||10||1||

Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Third House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Wandering and roaming through 8.4 million incarnations, you have now been given this human life, so difficult to obtain. ||1||
You fool! You are attached and clinging to such trivial pleasures!
The Ambrosial Nectar abides with you, but you are engrossed in sin and corruption. ||1||Pause||
You have come to trade in gems and jewels, but you have loaded only barren soil. ||2||
That home within which you live - you have not kept that home in your thoughts. ||3||
He is immovable, indestructible, the Giver of peace to the soul; and yet you do not sing His Praises, even for an instant. ||4||
You have forgotten that place where you must go; you have not attached your mind to the Lord, even for an instant. ||5||
Gazing upon your children, spouse, household and paraphernalia, you are entangled in them. ||6||
As God links the mortals, so are they linked, and so are the deeds they do. ||7||
When He becomes Merciful, then the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is found; servant Nanak meditates on God. ||8||1||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Granting His Grace, He has protected me; I have found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
My tongue lovingly chants the Lord's Name; this love is so sweet and intense! ||1||
He is the place of rest for my mind,
my friend, companion, associate and relative; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||1||Pause||
He created the world-ocean; I seek the Sanctuary of that God.
By Guru's Grace, I worship and adore God; the Messenger of Death can't say anything to me. ||2||
Emancipation and liberation are at His Door; He is the treasure in the hearts of the Saints.
The all-knowing Lord and Master shows us the true way of life; He is our Savior and Protector forever. ||3||
Pain, suffering and troubles are eradicated, when the Lord abides in the mind.
Death, hell and the most horrible dwelling of sin and corruption cannot even touch such a person. ||4||
Wealth, miraculous spiritual powers and the nine treasures come from the Lord, as do the streams of Ambrosial Nectar.
In the beginning, in the middle, and in the end, He is perfect, lofty, unapproachable and unfathomable. ||5||
The Siddhas, seekers, angelic beings, silent sages, and the Vedas speak of Him.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord and Master, celestial peace is enjoyed; He has no end or limitation. ||6||
Countless sins are erased in an instant, meditating on the Benevolent Lord within the heart.
Such a person becomes the purest of the pure, and is blessed with the merits of millions of donations to charity and cleansing baths. ||7||
God is power, intellect, understanding, the breath of life, wealth, and everything for the Saints.
May I never forget Him from my mind, even for an instant - this is Nanak's prayer. ||8||2||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The sharp tool cuts down the tree, but it does not feel anger in its mind.
It serves the purpose of the cutter, and does not blame him at all. ||1||
O my mind, continually, continuously, meditate on the Lord.
The Lord of the Universe is merciful, divine and compassionate. Listen - this is the way of the Saints. ||1||Pause||

He plants his feet in the boat, and then sits down in it; the fatigue of his body is relieved.
The great ocean does not even affect him; in an instant, he arrives on the other shore. ||2||
Sandalwood, aloe, and camphor-paste - the earth does not love them.
But it doesn't mind, if someone digs it up bit by bit, and applies manure and urine to it. ||3||
High and low, bad and good - the comforting canopy of the sky stretches evenly over all.
It knows nothing of friend and enemy; all beings are alike to it. ||4||
Blazing with its dazzling light, the sun rises, and dispels the darkness.
Touching both the pure and the impure, it harbors no hatred to any. ||5||
The cool and fragrant wind gently blows upon all places alike.
Wherever anything is, it touches it there, and does not hesitate a bit. ||6||
Good or bad, whoever comes close to the fire - his cold is taken away.
It knows nothing of its own or others'; it is constant in the same quality. ||7||
Whoever seeks the Sancuary of the feet of the Sublime Lord - his mind is attuned to the Love of the Beloved.
Constantly singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World, O Nanak, God becomes merciful to us. ||8||3||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Moonlight, moonlight - in the courtyard of the mind, let the moonlight of God shine down. ||1||
Meditation, meditation - sublime is meditation on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
Renunciation, renunciation - noble is the renunciation of sexual desire, anger and greed. ||3||
Begging, begging - it is noble to beg for the Lord's Praise from the Guru. ||4||
Vigils, vigils - sublime is the vigil spent singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||5||
Attachment, attachment - sublime is the attachment of the mind to the Guru's Feet. ||6||
He alone is blessed with this way of life, upon whose forehead such destiny is recorded. ||7||
Says Nanak, everything is sublime and noble, for one who enters the Sanctuary of God. ||8||1||4||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Please come, O please come into the home of my heart, that I may hear with my ears the Lord's Praises. ||1||Pause||
With your coming, my soul and body are rejuvenated, and I sing with you the Lord's Praises. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saint, the Lord dwells within the heart, and the love of duality is eradicated. ||2||
By the kindness of the devotee, the intellect is enlightened, and pain and evil-mindedness are eradicated. ||3||
Beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, one is sanctified, and is no longer consigned to the womb of reincarnation. ||4||
The nine treasures, wealth and miraculous spiritual powers are obtained, by one who is pleasing to Your mind. ||5||
Without the Saint, I have no place of rest at all; I cannot think of any other place to go. ||6||
I am unworthy; no one gives me sanctuary. But in the Society of the Saints, I merge in God. ||7||
Says Nanak, the Guru has revealed this miracle; within my mind, I enjoy the Lord, Har, Har. ||8||2||5||

Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Fruitful is the life, the life of one who hears about the Lord, and chants and meditates on Him; he lives forever. ||1||Pause||
The real drink is that which satisfies the mind; this drink is the sublime essence of the Ambrosial Naam. ||1||
The real food is that which will never leave you hungry again; it will leave you contented and satisfied forever. ||2||
The real clothes are those which protect your honor before the Transcendent Lord, and do not leave you naked ever again. ||3||
The real enjoyment within the mind is to be absorbed in the sublime essence of the Lord, in the Society of the Saints. ||4||
Sew devotional worship to the Lord into the mind, without any needle or thread. ||5||
Imbued and intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord, this experience will never wear off again. ||6||
One is blessed with all treasures, when God, in His Mercy, gives them. ||7||
O Nanak, service to the Saints beings peace; I drink in the wash water of the feet of the Saints. ||8||3||6||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Eighth House, Anjulees ~ With Hands Cupped In Prayer:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The household which is filled with abundance - that household suffers anxiety.
One whose household has little, wanders around searching for more.
He alone is happy and at peace, who is liberated from both conditions. ||1||
Householders and kings fall into hell, along with renunciates and angry men,
and all those who study and recite the Vedas in so many ways.
Perfect is the work of that humble servant, who remains unattached while in the body. ||2||
The mortal sleeps, even while he is awake; he is being plundered by doubt.
Without the Guru, liberation is not obtained, friend.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the bonds of egotism are released, and one comes to behold the One and only Lord. ||3||
Doing deeds, one is placed in bondage; but if he does not act, he is slandered.
Intoxicated with emotional attachment, the mind is afflicted with anxiety.
One who looks alike upon pleasure and pain, by Guru's Grace, sees the Lord in each and every heart. ||4||
Within the world, one is afflicted by skepticism;
he does not know the imperceptible Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
He alone understands, whom the Lord inspires to understand. The Lord cherishes him as His child. ||5||
He may try to abandon Maya, but he is not released.
If he collects things, then his mind is afraid of losing them.
I wave the fly-brush over that holy person, whose honor is protected in the midst of Maya. ||6||
He alone is a warrior hero, who remains dead to the world.
One who runs away will wander in reincarnation.
Whatever happens, accept that as good. Realize the Hukam of His Command, and your evil-mindedness will be burnt away. ||7||
Whatever He links us to, to that we are linked.
He acts, and does, and watches over His Creation.
You are the Giver of peace, the Perfect Lord of Nanak; as You grant Your blessings, I dwell upon Your Name. ||8||1||7||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Beneath the tree, all beings have gathered.
Some are hot-headed, and some speak very sweetly.
Sunset has come, and they rise up and depart; their days have run their course and expired. ||1||
Those who committed sins are sure to be ruined.
Azraa-eel, the Angel of Death, seizes and tortures them.

They are consigned to hell by the Creator Lord, and the Accountant calls them to give their account. ||2||
No brothers or sisters can go with them.
Leaving behind their property, youth and wealth, they march off.
They do not know the kind and compassionate Lord; they shall be crushed like sesame seeds in the oil-press. ||3||
You happily, cheerfully steal the possessions of others,
but the Lord God is with you, watching and listening.
Through worldly greed, you have fallen into the pit; you know nothing of the future. ||4||
You shall be born and born again, and die and die again, only to be reincarnated again.
You shall suffer terrible punishment, on your way to the land beyond.
The mortal does not know the One who created him; he is blind, and so he shall suffer. ||5||
Forgetting the Creator Lord, he is ruined.
The drama of the world is bad; it brings sadness and then happiness.
One who does not meet the Saint does not have faith or contentment; he wanders just as he pleases. ||6||
The Lord Himself stages all this drama. Some, he lifts up, and some he throws into the waves.
As He makes them dance, so do they dance. Everyone lives their lives according to their past actions. ||7||
When the Lord and Master grants His Grace, then we meditate on Him.
In the Society of the Saints, one is not consigned to hell.
Please bless Nanak with the gift of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord; he continually sings the songs of Your Glories. ||8||2||8||12||20||
Maaroo, Solahas, First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The True Lord is True; there is no other at all.
He who created, shall in the end destroy.
As it pleases You, so You keep me, and so I remain; what excuse could I offer to You? ||1||
You Yourself create, and You Yourself destroy.
You yourself link each and every person to their tasks.
You contemplate Yourself, You Yourself make us worthy; You Yourself place us on the Path. ||2||
You Yourself are all-wise, You Yourself are all-knowing.
You Yourself created the Universe, and You are pleased.
You Yourself are the air, water and fire; You Yourself unite in Union. ||3||
You Yourself are the moon, the sun, the most perfect of the perfect.
You Yourself are spiritual wisdom, meditation, and the Guru, the Warrior Hero.
The Messenger of Death, and his noose of death, cannot touch one, who is lovingly focused on You, O True Lord. ||4||
You Yourself are the male, and You Yourself are the female.
You Yourself are the chess-board, and You Yourself are the chessman.
You Yourself staged the drama in the arena of the world, and You Yourself evaluate the players. ||5||
You Yourself are the bumble bee, the flower, the fruit and the tree.
You Yourself are the water, the desert, the ocean and the pool.
You Yourself are the great fish, the tortoise, the Cause of causes; Your form cannot be known. ||6||
You Yourself are the day, and You Yourself are the night.
You Yourself are pleased by the Word of the Guru's Bani.
From the very beginning, and throughout the ages, the unstruck sound current resounds, night and day; in each and every heart, the Word of the Shabad, echoes Your Will. ||7||
You Yourself are the jewel, incomparably beautiful and priceless.
You Yourself are the Assessor, the Perfect Weigher.

You Yourself test and forgive. You Yourself give and take, O Siblings of Destiny. ||8||
He Himself is the bow, and He Himself is the archer.
He Himself is all-wise, beautiful and all-knowing.
He is the speaker, the orator and the listener. He Himself made what is made. ||9||
Air is the Guru, and water is known to be the father.
The womb of the great mother earth gives birth to all.
Night and day are the two nurses, male and female; the world plays in this play. ||10||
You Yourself are the fish, and You Yourself are the net.
You Yourself are the cows, and You yourself are their keeper.
Your Light fills all the beings of the world; they walk according to Your Command, O God. ||11||
You Yourself are the Yogi, and You Yourself are the enjoyer.
You Yourself are the reveller; You form the supreme Union.
You Yourself are speechless, formless and fearless, absorbed in the primal ecstasy of deep meditation. ||12||
The sources of creation and speech are contained within You, Lord.
All that is seen, is coming and going.
They are the true bankers and traders, whom the True Guru has inspired to understand. ||13||
The Word of the Shabad is understood through the Perfect True Guru.
The True Lord is overflowing with all powers.
You are beyond our grasp, and forever independent. You do not have even an iota of greed. ||14||
Birth and death are meaningless, for those
who enjoy the sublime celestial essence of the Shabad within their minds.
He Himself is the Giver of liberation, satisfaction and blessings, to those devotees who love Him in their minds. ||15||
He Himself is immaculate; by contact with the Guru, spiritual wisdom is obtained.
Whatever is seen, shall merge into You.
Nanak, the lowly, begs for charity at Your Door; please, bless him with the glorious greatness of Your Name. ||16||1||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
He Himself is the earth, the mythical bull which supports it and the Akaashic ethers.
The True Lord Himself reveals His Glorious Virtues.
He Himself is celibate, chaste and contented; He Himself is the Doer of deeds. ||1||
He who created the creation, beholds what He has created.
No one can erase the Inscription of the True Lord.
He Himself is the Doer, the Cause of causes; He Himself is the One who bestows glorious greatness. ||2||
The five thieves cause the fickle consciousness to waver.
It looks into the homes of others, but does not search its own home.
The body-village crumbles into dust; without the Word of the Shabad, one's honor is lost. ||3||
One who realizes the Lord through the Guru, comprehends the three worlds.
He subdues his desires, and struggles with his mind.
Those who serve You, become just like You; O Fearless Lord, You are their best friend from infancy. ||4||
You Yourself are the heavenly realms, this world and the nether regions of the underworld.
You Yourself are the embodiment of light, forever young.
With matted hair, and a horrible, dreadful form, still, You have no form or feature. ||5||
The Vedas and the Bible do not know the mystery of God.
He has no mother, father, child or brother.
He created all the mountains, and levels them again; the Unseen Lord cannot be seen. ||6||
I have grown weary of making so many friends.
No one can rid me of my sins and mistakes.
God is the Supreme Lord and Master of all the angels and mortal beings; blessed with His Love, their fear is dispelled. ||7||
He puts back on the Path those who have wandered and strayed.
You Yourself make them stray, and You teach them again.
I cannot see anything except the Name. Through the Name comes salvation and merit. ||8||

The Ganges, the Jamunaa where Krishna played, Kaydar Naat'h,
Benares, Kanchivaram, Puri, Dwaarkaa,
Ganga Saagar where the Ganges empties into the ocean, Trivaynee where the three rivers come together, and the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, are all merged in the Lord's Being. ||9||
He Himself is the Siddha, the seeker, in meditative contemplation.
He Himself is the King and the Council.
God Himself, the wise Judge, sits on the throne; He takes away doubt, duality and fear. ||10||
He Himself is the Qazi; He Himself is the Mullah.
He Himself is infallible; He never makes mistakes.
He Himself is the Giver of Grace, compassion and honor; He is no one's enemy. ||11||
Whoever He forgives, He blesses with glorious greatness.
He is the Giver of all; He does not have even an iota of greed.
The Immaculate Lord is all pervading, permeating everywhere, both hidden and manifest. ||12||
How can I praise the inaccessible, infinite Lord?
The True Creator Lord is the Enemy of ego.
He unites those whom He blesses with His Grace; uniting them in His Union, they are united. ||13||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva stand at His Door;
they serve the unseen, infinite Lord.
Millions of others can be seen crying at His door; I cannot even estimate their numbers. ||14||
True is the Kirtan of His Praise, and True is the Word of His Bani.
I can see no other in the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Truth is my capital; I sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. I have no other support at all. ||15||
In each and every age, the True Lord is, and shall always be.
Who has not died? Who shall not die?
Nanak the lowly offers this prayer; see Him within your own self, and lovingly focus on the Lord. ||16||2||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
In duality and evil-mindedness, the soul-bride is blind and deaf.
She wears the dress of sexual desire and anger.
Her Husband Lord is within the home of her own heart, but she does not know Him; without her Husband Lord, she cannot go to sleep. ||1||
The great fire of desire blazes within her.
The self-willed manmukh looks around in the four directions.
Without serving the True Guru, how can she find peace? Glorious greatness rests in the hands of the True Lord. ||2||
Eradicating sexual desire, anger and egotism,
she destroys the five thieves through the Word of the Shabad.
Taking up the sword of spiritual wisdom, she struggles with her mind, and hope and desire are smoothed over in her mind. ||3||
From the union of the mother's egg and the father's sperm,
the form of infinite beauty has been created.
The blessings of light all come from You; You are the Creator Lord, pervading everywhere. ||4||
You have created birth and death.
Why should anyone fear, if they come to understand through the Guru?
When You, O Merciful Lord, look with Your kindness, then pain and suffering leave the body. ||5||
One who sits in the home of his own self, eats his own fears.
He quiets and holds his wandering mind still.
His heart-lotus blossoms forth in the overflowing green pool, and the Lord of his soul becomes his companion and helper. ||6||
With their death already ordained, mortals come into this world.
How can they remain here? They have to go to the world beyond.
True is the Lord's Command; the true ones dwell in the eternal city. The True Lord blesses them with glorious greatness. ||7||
He Himself created the whole world.
The One who made it, assigns the tasks to it.

I cannot see any other above the True Lord. The True Lord does the appraisal. ||8||
In this green pasture, the mortal stays only a few days.
He plays and frolics in utter darkness.
The jugglers have staged their show, and left, like people mumbling in a dream. ||9||
They alone are blessed with glorious greatness at the Lord's throne,
who enshrine the fearless Lord in their minds, and lovingly center themselves on Him.
In the galaxies and solar systems, nether regions, celestial realms and the three worlds, the Lord is in the primal void of deep absorption. ||10||
True is the village, and true is the throne,
of those Gurmukhs who meet with the True Lord, and find peace.
In Truth, seated upon the true throne, they are blessed with glorious greatness; their egotism is eradicated, along with the calculation of their account. ||11||
Calculating its account, the soul becomes anxious.
How can one find peace, through duality and the three gunas - the three qualities?
The One Lord is immaculate and formless, the Great Giver; through the Perfect Guru, honor is obtained. ||12||
In each and every age, very rare are those who, as Gurmukh, realize the Lord.
Their minds are imbued with the True, all-pervading Lord.
Seeking His Shelter, they find peace, and their minds and bodies are not stained with filth. ||13||
Their tongues are imbued with the True Lord, the source of nectar;
abiding with the Lord God, they have no fear or doubt.
Hearing the Word of the Guru's Bani, their ears are satisfied, and their light merges into the Light. ||14||
Carefully, carefully, I place my feet upon the ground.
Wherever I go, I behold Your Sanctuary.
Whether You grant me pain or pleasure, You are pleasing to my mind. I am in harmony with You. ||15||
No one is anyone's companion or helper at the very last moment;
as Gurmukh, I realize You and praise You.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, I am detached; in the home of my own self deep within, I am absorbed in the primal void of deep meditation. ||16||3||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, You are infinite and incomparable.
You are my primal, immaculate Lord and Master.
I contemplate the Way of Yoga, the Way of Union with the True Lord. I am truly absorbed in the primal void of deep meditation. ||1||
For so many ages, there was only pitch darkness;
the Creator Lord was absorbed in the primal void.
There was the True Name, the glorious greatness of the Truth, and the glory of His true throne. ||2||
In the Golden Age of Truth, Truth and contentment filled the bodies.
Truth was pervasive, Truth, deep, profound and unfathomable.
The True Lord appraises the mortals on the Touchstone of Truth, and issues His True Command. ||3||
The Perfect True Guru is true and contented.
He alone is a spiritual hero, who believes in the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He alone obtains a true seat in the True Court of the Lord, who surrenders to the Command of the Commander. ||4||
In the Golden Age of Truth, everyone spoke the Truth.
Truth was pervasive - the Lord was Truth.
With Truth in their minds and mouths, mortals were rid of doubt and fear. Truth was the friend of the Gurmukhs. ||5||
In the Silver Age of Traytaa Yoga, one power of Dharma was lost.
Three feet remained; through duality, one was cut off.
Those who were Gurmukh spoke the Truth, while the self-willed manmukhs wasted away in vain. ||6||
The manmukh never succeeds in the Court of the Lord.
Without the Word of the Shabad, how can one be pleased within?
In bondage they come, and in bondage they go; they understand and comprehend nothing. ||7||
In the Brass Age of Dwaapur Yuga, compassion was cut in half.

Only a few, as Gurmukh, remembered the Lord.
Dharmic faith, which upholds and supports the earth, had only two feet; Truth was revealed to the Gurmukhs. ||8||
The kings acted righteously only out of self-interest.
Tied to hopes of reward, they gave to charities.
Without the Lord's Name, liberation did not come, although they grew weary of performing rituals. ||9||
Practicing religious rituals, they sought liberation,
but the treasure of liberation comes only by praising the Shabad.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, liberation is not obtained; practicing hypocrisy, they wander around confused. ||10||
Love and attachment to Maya cannot be abandoned.
They alone find release, who practice deeds of Truth.
Day and night, the devotees remain imbued with contemplative meditation; they become just like their Lord and Master. ||11||
Some chant and practice intensive meditation, and take cleansing baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
They walk as You will them to walk.
By stubborn rituals of self-suppression, the Lord is not pleased. No one has ever obtained honor, without the Lord, without the Guru. ||12||
In the Iron Age, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, only one power remains.
Without the Perfect Guru, no one has even described it.
The self-willed manmukhs have staged the show of falsehood. Without the True Guru, doubt does not depart. ||13||
The True Guru is the Creator Lord, independent and carefree.
He does not fear death, and He is not dependent on mortal men.
Whoever serves Him becomes immortal and imperishable, and will not be tortured by death. ||14||
The Creator Lord has enshrined Himself within the Guru.
The Gurmukh saves countless millions.
The Life of the World is the Great Giver of all beings. The Fearless Lord has no filth at all. ||15||
Everyone begs from the Guru, God's Treasurer.
He Himself is the immaculate, unknowable, infinite Lord.
Nanak speaks the Truth; he begs from God. Please bless me with the Truth, by Your Will. ||16||4||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The True Lord unites with those who are united with the Word of the Shabad.
When it pleases Him, we intuitively merge with Him.
The Light of the Transcendent Lord pervades the three worlds; there is no other at all, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
I am His servant; I serve Him.
He is unknowable and mysterious; He is pleased by the Shabad.
The Creator is the Benefactor of His devotees. He forgives them - such is His greatness. ||2||
The True Lord gives and gives; His blessings never run short.
The false ones receive, and then deny having received.
They do not understand their origins, they are not pleased with the Truth, and so they wander in duality and doubt. ||3||
The Gurmukhs remain awake and aware, day and night.
Following the Guru's Teachings, they know the Love of the True Lord.
The self-willed manmukhs remain asleep, and are plundered. The Gurmukhs remain safe and sound, O Siblings of Destiny. ||4||
The false come, and the false go;
imbued with falsehood, they practice only falsehood.
Those who are imbued with the Shabad are robed in honor in the Court of the Lord; the Gurmukhs focus their consciousness on Him. ||5||
The false are cheated, and robbed by the robbers.
The garden is laid waste, like the rough wilderness.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, nothing tastes sweet; forgetting the Lord, they suffer in sorrow. ||6||
Receiving the food of Truth, one is satisfied.
True is the glorious greatness of the jewel of the Name.
One who understands his own self, realizes the Lord. His light merges into the Light. ||7||

Wandering from the Name, he endures beatings.
Even great cleverness does not dispel doubt.
The unconscious fool does not remain conscious of the Lord; he putrifies and rots away to death, carrying his heavy load of sin. ||8||
No one is free of conflict and strife.
Show me anyone who is, and I will praise him.
Dedicating mind and body to God, one meets the Lord, the Life of the World, and becomes just like Him. ||9||
No one knows the state and extent of God.
Whoever calls himself great, will be eaten by his greatness.
There is no lack of gifts of our True Lord and Master. He created all. ||10||
Great is the glorious greatness of the independent Lord.
He Himself created, and gives sustanance to all.
The Merciful Lord is not far away; the Great Giver spontaneously unites with Himself, by His Will. ||11||
Some are sad, and some are afflicted with disease.
Whatever God does, He does by Himself.
Through loving devotion, and the Perfect Teachings of the Guru, the unstruck sound current of the Shabad is realized. ||12||
Some wander and roam around, hungry and naked.
Some act in stubbornness and die, but do not know the value of God.
They do not know the difference between good and bad; this is understood only through the practice of the Word of the Shabad. ||13||
Some bathe at sacred shrines and refuse to eat.
Some torment their bodies in burning fire.
Without the Lord's Name, liberation is not obtained; how can anyone cross over? ||14||
Abandoning the Guru's Teachings, some wander in the wilderness.
The self-willed manmukhs are destitute; they do not meditate on the Lord.
They are ruined, destroyed and drowned from practicing falsehood; death is the enemy of the false. ||15||
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, they come, and by the Hukam of His Command, they go.
One who realizes His Hukam, merges in the True Lord.
O Nanak, he merges in the True Lord, and his mind is pleased with the Lord. The Gurmukhs do His work. ||16||5||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
He Himself is the Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny.
He evaluates those whom He Himself has created.
He Himself is the True Guru, and He Himself is the servant; He Himself created the Universe. ||1||
He is near at hand, not far away.
The Gurmukhs understand Him; perfect are those humble beings.
Associating with them night and day is profitable. This is the glorious greatness of associating with the Guru. ||2||
Throughout the ages, Your Saints are holy and sublime, O God.
They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, savoring it with their tongues.
They chant His Praises, and their pain and poverty are taken away; they are not afraid of anyone else. ||3||
They remain awake and aware, and do not appear to sleep.
They serve up Truth, and so save their companions and relatives.
They are not stained with the filth of sins; they are immaculate and pure, and remain absorbed in loving devotional worship. ||4||
O humble servants of the Lord, understand the Word of the Guru's Bani.
This youth, breath and body shall pass away.
O mortal, you shall die today or tomorrow; chant, and meditate on the Lord within your heart. ||5||
O mortal, abandon falsehood and your worthless ways.
Death viciously kills the false beings.
The faithless cynic is ruined through falsehood and his egotistical mind.On the path of duality, he rots away and decomposes. ||6||

Abandon slander and envy of others.
Reading and studying, they burn, and do not find tranquility.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The Lord, the Supreme Soul, shall be your helper and companion. ||7||
Abandon sexual desire, anger and wickedness.
Abandon your involvement in egotistical affairs and conflicts.
If you seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru, then you shall be saved. In this way you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean, O Siblings of Destiny. ||8||
In the hereafter, you shall have to cross over the fiery river of poisonous flames.
No one else will be there; your soul shall be all alone.
The ocean of fire spits out waves of searing flames; the self-willed manmukhs fall into it, and are roasted there. ||9||
Liberation comes from the Guru; He grants this blessing by the Pleasure of His Will.
He alone knows the way, who obtains it.
So ask one who has obtained it, O Siblings of Destiny. Serve the True Guru, and find peace. ||10||
Without the Guru, he dies entangled in sin and corruption.
The Messenger of Death smashes his head and humiliates him.
The slanderous person is not freed of his bonds; he is drowned, slandering others. ||11||
So speak the Truth, and realize the Lord deep within.
He is not far away; look, and see Him.
No obstacles shall block your way; become Gurmukh, and cross over to the other side. This is the way to cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||12||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides deep within the body.
The Creator Lord is eternal and imperishable.
The soul does not die, and it cannot be killed; God creates and watches over all. Through the Word of the Shabad, His Will is manifest. ||13||
He is immaculate, and has no darkness.
The True Lord Himself sits upon His throne.
The faithless cynics are bound and gagged, and forced to wander in reincarnation. They die, and are reborn, and continue coming and going. ||14||
The Guru's servants are the Beloveds of the True Guru.
Contemplating the Shabad, they sit upon His throne.
They realize the essence of reality, and know the state of their inner being. This is the true glorious greatness of those who join the Sat Sangat. ||15||
He Himself saves His humble servant, and saves his ancestors as well.
His companions are liberated; He carries them across.
Nanak is the servant and slave of that Gurmukh who lovingly focuses his consciousness on the Lord. ||16||6||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
For many ages, only darkness prevailed;
the infinite, endless Lord was absorbed in the primal void.
He sat alone and unaffected in absolute darkness; the world of conflict did not exist. ||1||
Thirty-six ages passed like this.
He causes all to happen by the Pleasure of His Will.
No rival of His can be seen. He Himself is infinite and endless. ||2||
God is hidden throughout the four ages - understand this well.
He pervades each and every heart, and is contained within the belly.
The One and Only Lord prevails throughout the ages. How rare are those who contemplate the Guru, and understand this. ||3||
From the union of the sperm and the egg, the body was formed.
From the union of air, water and fire, the living being is made.
He Himself plays joyfully in the mansion of the body; all the rest is just attachment to Maya's expanse. ||4||
Within the mother's womb, upside-down, the mortal meditated on God.
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, knows everything.
With each and every breath, he contemplated the True Name, deep within himself, within the womb. ||5||

He came into the world to obtain the four great blessings.
He came to dwell in the home of the Shiva and Shakti, energy and matter.
But he forgot the One Lord, and he has lost the game. The blind person forgets the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||6||
The child dies in his childish games.
They cry and mourn, saying that he was such a playful child.
The Lord who owns him has taken him back. Those who weep and mourn are mistaken. ||7||
What can they do, if he dies in his youth?
They cry out, "His is mine, he is mine!"
They cry for the sake of Maya, and are ruined; their lives in this world are cursed. ||8||
Their black hair eventually turns grey.
Without the Name, they lose their wealth, and then leave.
They are evil-minded and blind - they are totally ruined; they are plundered, and cry out in pain. ||9||
One who understands himself, does not cry.
When he meets the True Guru, then he understands.
Without the Guru, the heavy, hard doors are not opened. Obtaining the Word of the Shabad, one is emancipated. ||10||
The body grows old, and is beaten out of shape.
But he does not meditate on the Lord, His only friend, even at the end.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he departs with his face blackened. The false are humiliated in the Court of the Lord. ||11||
Forgetting the Naam, the false ones depart.
Coming and going, dust falls on their heads.
The soul-bride finds no home in her in-laws' home, the world hereafter; she suffers in agony in this world of her parents' home. ||12||
She eats, dresses and plays joyfully,
but without loving devotional worship of the Lord, she dies uselessly.
One who does not distinguish between good and evil, is beaten by the Messenger of Death; how can anyone escape this? ||13||
One who realizes what he has to possess, and what he has to abandon,
associating with the Guru, comes to know the Word of the Shabad, within the home of his own self.
Do not call anyone else bad; follow this way of life. Those who are true are judged to be genuine by the True Lord. ||14||
Without Truth, no one succeeds in the Court of the Lord.
Through the True Shabad, one is robed in honor.
He forgives those with whom He is pleased; they silence their egotism and pride. ||15||
One who realizes the Hukam of God's Command, by the Grace of the Guru,
comes to know the lifestyle of the ages.
O Nanak, chant the Naam, and cross over to the other side. The True Lord will carry you across. ||16||1||7||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
I have no other friend like the Lord.
He gave me body and mind, and infused consciousness into my being.
He cherishes and cares for all beings; He is deep within, the wise, all-knowing Lord. ||1||
The Guru is the sacred pool, and I am His beloved swan.
In the ocean, there are so many jewels and rubies.
The Lord's Praises are pearls, gems and diamonds. Singing His Praises, my mind and body are drenched with His Love. ||2||
The Lord is inaccessible, inscrutable, unfathomable and unattached.
The Lord's limits cannot be found; the Guru is the Lord of the World.
Through the Teachings of the True Guru, the Lord carries us across to the other side. He unites in His Union those who are colored by His Love. ||3||
Without the True Guru, how can anyone be liberated?
He has been the Friend of the Lord, from the very beginning of time, and all throughout the ages.
By His Grace, He grants liberation in His Court; He forgives them for their sins. ||4||

The True Guru, the Giver, grants liberation;
all diseases are eradicated, and one is blessed with the Ambrosial Nectar.
Death, the tax collector, does not impose any tax on one whose inner fire has been put out, whose heart is cool and tranquil. ||5||
The body has developed a great love for the soul-swan.
He is a Yogi, and she is a beautiful woman.
Day and night, he enjoys her with delight, and then he arises and departs without consulting her. ||6||
Creating the Universe, God remains diffused throughout it.
In the wind, water and fire, He vibrates and resounds.
The mind wavers, keeping company with evil passions; one obtains the rewards of his own actions. ||7||
Forgetting the Naam, one suffers the misery of his evil ways.
When the order to depart is issued, how can he remain here?
He falls into the pit of hell, and suffers like a fish out of water. ||8||
The faithless cynic has to endure 8.4 million hellish incarnations.
As he acts, so does he suffer.
Without the True Guru, there is no liberation. Bound and gagged by his own actions, he is helpless. ||9||
This path is very narrow, like the sharp edge of a sword.
When his account is read, he shall be crushed like the sesame seed in the mill.
Mother, father, spouse and child - none is anyone's friend in the end. Without the Lord's Love, no one is liberated. ||10||
You may have many friends and companions in the world,
but without the Guru, the Transcendent Lord Incarnate, there is no one at all.
Service to the Guru is the way to liberation. Night and day, sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||11||
Abandon falsehood, and pursue the Truth,
and you shall obtain the fruits of your desires.
Very few are those who trade in the merchandise of Truth. Those who deal in it, obtain the true profit. ||12||
Depart with the merchandise of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har,
and you shall intuitively obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, in the Mansion of His Presence.
The Gurmukhs search for Him and find Him; they are the perfect humble beings. In this way, they see Him, who looks upon all alike. ||13||
God is endless; following the Guru's Teachings, some find Him.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they instruct their minds.
Accept as True, Perfectly True, the Word of the True Guru's Bani. In this way, you shall merge in the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||14||
Naarad and Saraswati are Your servants.
Your servants are the greatest of the great, throughout the three worlds.
Your creative power permeates all; You are the Great Giver of all. You created the whole creation. ||15||
Some serve at Your Door, and their sufferings are dispelled.
They are robed with honor in the Court of the Lord, and emancipated by the True Guru.
The True Guru breaks the bonds of egotism, and restrains the fickle consciousness. ||16||
Meet the True Guru, and search for the way,
by which you may find God, and not have to answer for your account.
Subdue your egotism, and serve the Guru; O servant Nanak, you shall be drenched with the Lord's Love. ||17||2||8||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
My Lord is the Destroyer of demons.
My Beloved Lord is pervading each and every heart.
The unseen Lord is always with us, but He is not seen at all. The Gurmukh contemplates the record. ||1||
The Holy Gurmukh seeks Your Sanctuary.

God grants His Grace, and carries him across to the other side.
The ocean is very deep, filled with fiery water; the Guru, the True Guru, carries us across to the other side. ||2||
The blind, self-willed manmukh does not understand.
He comes and goes in reincarnation, dying, and dying again.
The primal inscription of destiny cannot be erased. The spiritually blind suffer terribly at Death's door. ||3||
Some come and go, and do not find a home in their own heart.
Bound by their past actions, they commit sins.
The blind ones have no understanding, no wisdom; they are trapped and ruined by greed and egotism. ||4||
Without her Husband Lord, what good are the soul-bride's decorations?
She has forgotten her Lord and Master, and is infatuated with another's husband.
Just as no one knows who is the father of the prostitute's son, such are the worthless, useless deeds that are done. ||5||
The ghost, in the body-cage, suffers all sorts of afflictions.
Those who are blind to spiritual wisdom, putrefy in hell.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma collects the balance due on the account, of those who forget the Name of the Lord. ||6||
The scorching sun blazes with flames of poison.
The self-willed manmukh is dishonored, a beast, a demon.
Trapped by hope and desire, he practices falsehood, and is afflicted by the terrible disease of corruption. ||7||
He carries the heavy load of sins on his forehead and head.
How can he cross the terrifying world-ocean?
From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, the True Guru has been the boat; through the Lord's Name, He carries us across. ||8||
The love of one's children and spouse is so sweet in this world.
The expansive expanse of the Universe is attachment to Maya.
The True Guru snaps the noose of Death, for that Gurmukh who contemplates the essence of reality. ||9||
Cheated by falsehood, the self-willed manmukh walks along many paths;
he may be highly educated, but he burns in the fire.
The Guru is the Great Giver of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. Chanting the Naam, sublime peace is obtained. ||10||
The True Guru, in His Mercy, implants Truth within.
All suffering is eradicated, and one is placed on the Path.
Not even a thorn ever pierces the foot of one who has the True Guru as his Protector. ||11||
Dust mixes with dust, when the body wastes away.
The self-willed manmukh is like a stone slab, which is impervious to water.
He cries out and weeps and wails; he is reincarnated into heaven and then hell. ||12||
They live with the poisonous snake of Maya.
This duality has ruined so many homes.
Without the True Guru, love does not well up. Imbued with devotional worship, the soul is satisfied. ||13||
The faithless cynics chase after Maya.
Forgetting the Naam, how can they find peace?
In the three qualities, they are destroyed; they cannot cross over to the other side. ||14||
The false are called pigs and dogs.
They bark themselves to death; they bark and bark and howl in fear.
False in mind and body, they practice falsehood; through their evil-mindedness, they lose out in the Court of the Lord. ||15||
Meeting the True Guru, the mind is stabilized.
One who seeks His Sanctuary is blessed with the Lord's Name.
They are given the priceless wealth of the Lord's Name; singing His Praises, they are His beloveds in His court. ||16||

In the Sanctuary of the Holy, chant the Lord's Name.
Through the True Guru's Teachings, one comes to know His state and extent.
Nanak: chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind; the Lord, the Uniter, shall unite you with Himself. ||17||3||9||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Remain in your own home, O my foolish and ignorant mind.
Meditate on the Lord - concentrate deep within your being and meditate on Him.
Renounce your greed, and merge with the infinite Lord. In this way, you shall find the door of liberation. ||1||
If you forget Him, the Messenger of Death will catch sight of you.
All peace will be gone, and you will suffer in pain in the world hereafter.
Chant the Name of the Lord as Gurmukh, O my soul; this is the supreme essence of contemplation. ||2||
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the sweetest essence.
As Gurmukh, see the essence of the Lord deep within.
Day and night, remain imbued with the Lord's Love. This is the essence of all chanting, deep meditation and self-discipline. ||3||
Speak the Guru's Word, and the Name of the Lord.
In the Society of the Saints, search for this essence.
Follow the Guru's Teachings - seek and find the home of your own self, and you shall never be consigned to the womb of reincarnation again. ||4||
Bathe at the sacred shrine of Truth, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Reflect upon the essence of reality, and lovingly focus your consciousness on the Lord.
At the very last moment, the Messenger of Death will not be able to touch you, if you chant the Name of the Beloved Lord. ||5||
The True Guru, the Primal Being, the Great Giver, is all-knowing.
Whoever has Truth within himself, merges in the Word of the Shabad.
One whom the True Guru unites in Union, is rid of the overpowering fear of death. ||6||
The body is formed from the union of the five elements.
Know that the Lord's jewel is within it.
The soul is the Lord, and the Lord is the soul; contemplating the Shabad, the Lord is found. ||7||
Abide in truth and contentment, O humble Siblings of Destiny.
Hold tight to compassion and the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
Know your soul, and know the Supreme Soul; associating with the Guru, you shall be emancipated. ||8||
The faithless cynics are stuck in falsehood and deceit.
Day and night, they slander many others.
Without meditative remembrance, they come and then go, and are cast into the hellish womb of reincarnation. ||9||
The faithless cynic is not rid of his fear of death.
The Messenger of Death's club is never taken away.
He has to answer to the Righteous Judge of Dharma for the account of his actions; the egotistical being carries the unbearable load. ||10||
Tell me: without the Guru, what faithless cynic has been saved?
Acting egotistically, he falls into the terrifying world-ocean.
Without the Guru, no one is saved; meditating on the Lord, they are carried across to the other side. ||11||
No one can erase the Guru's blessings.
The Lord carries across those whom He forgives.
The pains of birth and death do not even approach those whose minds are filled with God, the infinite and endless. ||12||
Those who forget the Guru come and go in reincarnation.
They are born, only to die again, and continue committing sins.
The unconscious, foolish, faithless cynic does not remember the Lord; but when he is stricken with pain, then he cries out for the Lord. ||13||
Pleasure and pain are the consequences of the actions of past lives.
The Giver, who blesses us with these - He alone knows.
So who can you blame, O mortal being? The hardships you suffer are from your own actions. ||14||

Practicing egotism and possessiveness, you have come into the world.
Hope and desire bind you and lead you on.
Indulging in egotism and self-conceit, what will you be able to carry with you, except the load of ashes from poison and corruption? ||15||
Worship the Lord in devotion, O humble Siblings of Destiny.
Speak the Unspoken Speech, and the mind will merge back into the Mind.
Restrain your restless mind within its own home, and the Lord, the Destroyer, shall destroy your pain. ||16||
I seek the support of the Perfect Guru, the Lord.
The Gurmukh loves the Lord; the Gurmukh realizes the Lord.
O Nanak, through the Lord's Name, the intellect is exalted; granting His forgiveness, the Lord carries him across to the other side. ||17||4||10||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
O Divine Guru, I have entered Your Sanctuary.
You are the Almighty Lord, the Merciful Lord.
No one knows Your wondrous plays; You are the perfect Architect of Destiny. ||1||
From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, You cherish and sustain Your beings.
You are in each and every heart, O Merciful Lord of incomparable beauty.
As You will, You cause all to walk; everyone acts according to Your Command. ||2||
Deep within the nucleus of all, is the Light of the Life of the World.
The Lord enjoys the hearts of all, and drinks in their essence.
He Himself gives, and He himself takes; He is the generous father of the beings of the three worlds. ||3||
Creating the world, He has set His play into motion.
He placed the soul in the body of air, water and fire.
The body-village has nine gates; the Tenth Gate remains hidden. ||4||
There are four horrible rivers of fire.
How rare is that Gurmukh who understands this, and through the Word of the Shabad, remains unattached.
The faithless cynics are drowned and burnt through their evil-mindedness. The Guru saves those who are imbued with the Love of the Lord. ||5||
Water, fire, air, earth and ether
- in that house of the five elements, they dwell.
Those who remain imbued with the Word of the True Guru's Shabad, renounce Maya, egotism and doubt. ||6||
This mind is drenched with the Shabad, and satisfied.
Without the Name, what support can anyone have?
The temple of the body is being plundered by the thieves within, but this faithless cynic does not even recognize these demons. ||7||
They are argumentative demons, terrifying goblins.
These demons stir up conflict and strife.
Without awareness of the Shabad, one comes and goes in reincarnation; he loses his honor in this coming and going. ||8||
The body of the false person is just a pile of barren dirt.
Without the Name, what honor can you have?
Bound and gagged throughout the four ages, there is no liberation; the Messenger of Death keeps such a person under his gaze. ||9||
At Death's door, he is tied up and punished;
such a sinner does not obtain salvation.
He cries out in pain, like the fish pierced by the hook. ||10||
The faithless cynic is caught in the noose all alone.
The miserable spiritually blind person is caught in the power of Death.
Without the Lord's Name, liberation is not known. He shall waste away, today or tomorrow. ||11||
Other than the True Guru, no one is your friend.
Here and hereafter, God is the Savior.
He grants His Grace, and bestows the Lord's Name. He merges with Him, like water with water. ||12||

The Guru instructs His wandering Sikhs;
if they go astray, He sets them on the right path.
So serve the Guru, forever, day and night; He is the Destroyer of pain - He is with you as your companion. ||13||
O mortal being, what devotional worship have you performed to the Guru?
Even Brahma, Indra and Shiva do not know it.
Tell me, how can the unknowable True Guru be known? He alone attains this realization, whom the Lord forgives. ||14||
One who has love within, obtains the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
One who enshrines love for the Word of the Guru's Bani, meets with Him.
Day and night, the Gurmukh sees the immaculate Divine Light everywhere; this lamp illuminates his heart. ||15||
The food of spiritual wisdom is the supremely sweet essence.
Whoever tastes it, sees the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Beholding His Darshan, the unattached one meets the Lord; subduing the mind's desires, he merges into the Lord. ||16||
Those who serve the True Guru are supreme and famous.
Deep within each and every heart, they recognize God.
Please bless Nanak with the Lord's Praises, and the Sangat, the Congregation of the Lord's humble servants; through the True Guru, they know their Lord God. ||17||5||11||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The True Lord is the Creator of the Universe.
He established and contemplates the worldly sphere.
He Himself created the creation, and beholds it; He is True and independent. ||1||
He created the beings of different kinds.
The two travellers have set out in two directions.
Without the Perfect Guru, no one is liberated. Chanting the True Name, one profits. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs read and study, but they do not know the way.
They do not understand the Naam, the Name of the Lord; they wander, deluded by doubt.
They take bribes, and give false testimony; the noose of evil-mindedness is around their necks. ||3||
They read the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Puraanas;
they argue and debate, but do not know the essence of reality.
Without the Perfect Guru, the essence of reality is not obtained. The true and pure beings walk the Path of Truth. ||4||
All praise God and listen, and listen and speak.
He Himself is wise, and He Himself judges the Truth.
Those whom God blesses with His Glance of Grace become Gurmukh, and praise the Word of the Shabad. ||5||
Many listen and listen, and speak the Guru's Bani.
Listening and speaking, no one knows His limits.
He alone is wise, unto whom the unseen Lord reveals Himself; he speaks the Unspoken Speech. ||6||
At birth, the congratulations pour in;
the ignorant sing songs of joy.
Whoever is born, is sure to die, according to the destiny of past deeds inscribed upon his head by the Sovereign Lord King. ||7||
Union and separation were created by my God.
Creating the Universe, He gave it pain and pleasure.
The Gurmukhs remain unaffected by pain and pleasure; they wear the armor of humility. ||8||
The noble people are traders in Truth.
They purchase the true merchandise, contemplating the Guru.
One who has the wealth of the true commodity in his lap, is blessed with the rapture of the True Shabad. ||9||
The false dealings lead only to loss.
The trades of the Gurmukh are pleasing to God.
His stock is safe, and his capital is safe and sound. The noose of Death is cut away from around his neck. ||10||

Everyone speaks as they please.
The self-willed manmukh, in duality, does not know how to speak.
The blind person has a blind and deaf intellect; coming and going in reincarnation, he suffers in pain. ||11||
In pain he is born, and in pain he dies.
His pain is not relieved, without seeking the Sanctuary of the Guru.
In pain he is created, and in pain he perishes. What has he brought with himself? And what will he take away? ||12||
True are the actions of those who are under the Guru's influence.
They do not come and go in reincarnation, and they are not subject to the laws of Death.
Whoever abandons the branches, and clings to the true root, enjoys true ecstasy within his mind. ||13||
Death cannot strike down the people of the Lord.
They do not see pain on the most difficult path.
Deep within the nucleus of their hearts, they worship and adore the Lord's Name; there is nothing else at all for them. ||14||
There is no end to the Lord's sermon and Praise.
As it pleases You, I remain under Your Will.
I am embellished with robes of honor in the Court of the Lord, by the Order of the True King. ||15||
How can I chant Your uncounted glories?
Even the greatest of the great do not know Your limits.
Please bless Nanak with the Truth, and preserve his honor; You are the supreme emperor above the heads of kings. ||16||6||12||
Maaroo, First Mehl, Dakhanee:
Deep within the body-village is the fortress.
The dwelling of the True Lord is within the city of the Tenth Gate.
This place is permanent and forever immaculate. He Himself created it. ||1||
Within the fortress are balconies and bazaars.
He Himself takes care of His merchandise.
The hard and heavy doors of the Tenth Gate are closed and locked. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are thrown open. ||2||
Within the fortress is the cave, the home of the self.
He established the nine gates of this house, by His Command and His Will.
In the Tenth Gate, the Primal Lord, the unknowable and infinite dwells; the unseen Lord reveals Himself. ||3||
Within the body of air, water and fire, the One Lord dwells.
He Himself stages His wondrous dramas and plays.
By His Grace, water puts out the burning fire; He Himself stores it up in the watery ocean. ||4||
Creating the earth, He established it as the home of Dharma.
Creating and destroying, He remains unattached.
He stages the play of the breath everywhere. Withdrawing His power, He lets the beings crumble. ||5||
Your gardener is the vast vegetation of nature.
The wind blowing around is the chauree, the fly-brush, waving over You.
The Lord placed the two lamps, the sun and the moon; the sun merges in the house of the moon. ||6||
The five birds do not fly wild.
The tree of life is fruitful, bearing the fruit of Ambrosial Nectar.
The Gurmukh intuitively sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord; he eats the food of the Lord's sublime essence. ||7||
The dazzling light glitters, although neither the moon nor the stars are shining;
neither the sun's rays nor the lightning flashes across the sky.
I describe the indescribable state, which has no sign, where the all-pervading Lord is still pleasing to the mind. ||8||
The rays of Divine Light have spread out their brilliant radiance.
Having created the creation, the Merciful Lord Himself gazes upon it.
The sweet, melodious, unstruck sound current vibrates continuously in the home of the fearless Lord. ||9||

When the unstruck sound current resounds, doubt and fear run away.
God is all-pervading, giving shade to all.
All belong to You; to the Gurmukhs, You are known. Singing Your Praises, they look beautiful in Your Court. ||10||
He is the Primal Lord, immaculate and pure.
I know of no other at all.
The One Universal Creator Lord dwells within, and is pleasing to the mind of those who banishe egotism and pride. ||11||
I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar, given by the True Guru.
I do not know any other second or third.
He is the One, Unique, Infinite and Endless Lord; He evaluates all beings and places some in His treasury. ||12||
Spiritual wisdom and meditation on the True Lord are deep and profound.
No one knows Your expanse.
All that are, beg from You; You are attained only by Your Grace. ||13||
You hold karma and Dharma in Your hands, O True Lord.
O Independent Lord, Your treasures are inexhaustible.
You are forever kind and compassionate, God. You unite in Your Union. ||14||
You Yourself see, and cause Yourself to be seen.
You Yourself establish, and You Yourself disestablish.
The Creator Himself unites and separates; He Himself kills and rejuvenates. ||15||
As much as there is, is contained within You.
You gaze upon Your creation, sitting within Your royal palace.
Nanak offers this true prayer; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, I have found peace. ||16||1||13||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
If I am pleasing to You, Lord, then I obtain the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan.
In loving devotional worship, O True Lord, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
By Your Will, O Creator Lord, You have become pleasing to me, and so sweet to my tongue. ||1||
The devotees look beautiful in the Darbaar, the Court of God.
Your slaves, Lord, are liberated.
Eradicating self-conceit, they are attuned to Your Love; night and day, they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Shiva, Brahma, gods and goddesses,
Indra, ascetics and silent sages serve You.
Celibates, givers of charity and the many forest-dwellers have not found the Lord's limits. ||3||
No one knows You, unless You let them know You.
Whatever is done, is by Your Will.
You created the 8.4 million species of beings; by Your Will, they draw their breath. ||4||
Whatever is pleasing to Your Will, undoubtedly comes to pass.
The self-willed manmukh shows off, and comes to grief.
Forgetting the Name, he finds no place of rest; coming and going in reincarnation, he suffers in pain. ||5||
Pure is the body, and immaculate is the swan-soul;
within it is the immaculate essence of the Naam.
Such a being drinks in all his pains like Ambrosial Nectar; he never suffers sorrow again. ||6||
For his excessive indulgences, he receives only pain;
from his enjoyments, he contracts diseases, and in the end, he wastes away.
His pleasure can never erase his pain; without accepting the Lord's Will, he wanders lost and confused. ||7||
Without spiritual wisdom, they all just wander around.
The True Lord is pervading and permeating everywhere, lovingly engaged.
The Fearless Lord is known through the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru; one's light merges into the Light. ||8||
He is the eternal, unchanging, immeasurable Lord.
In an instant, He destroys, ang then reconstructs.
He has no form or shape, no limit or value. Pierced by the Shabad, one is satisfied. ||9||

I am the slave of Your slaves, O my Beloved.
The seekers of Truth and goodness contemplate You.
Whoever believes in the Name, wins; He Himself implants Truth within. ||10||
The Truest of the True has the Truth is His lap.
The True Lord is pleased with those who love the Shabad.
Exerting His power, the Lord has established Truth throughout the three worlds; with Truth He is pleased. ||11||
Everyone calls Him the greatest of the great.
Without the Guru, no one understands Him.
The True Lord is pleased with those who merge in Truth; they are not separated again, and they do not suffer. ||12||
Separated from the Primal Lord, they loudly weep and wail.
They die and die, only to be reborn, when their time has passed.
He blesses those whom He forgives with glorious greatness; united with Him, they do not regret or repent. ||13 |
| He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer.
He Himself is satisfied, and He Himself is liberated.
The Lord of liberation Himself grants liberation; He eradicates possessiveness and attachment. ||14||
I consider Your gifts to be the most wonderful gifts.
You are the Cause of causes, Almighty Infinite Lord.
Creating the creation, You gaze upon what You have created; You cause all to do their deeds. ||15||
They alone sing Your Glorious Praises, who are pleasing to You, O True Lord.
They issue forth from You, and merge again into You.
Nanak offers this true prayer; meeting with the True Lord, peace is obtained. ||16||2||14||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
For endless eons, there was only utter darkness.
There was no earth or sky; there was only the infinite Command of His Hukam.
There was no day or night, no moon or sun; God sat in primal, profound Samaadhi. ||1||
There were no sources of creation or powers of speech, no air or water.
There was no creation or destruction, no coming or going.
There were no continents, nether regions, seven seas, rivers or flowing water. ||2||
There were no heavenly realms, earth or nether regions of the underworld.
There was no heaven or hell, no death or time.
There was no hell or heaven, no birth or death, no coming or going in reincarnation. ||3||
There was no Brahma, Vishnu or Shiva.
No one was seen, except the One Lord.
There was no female or male, no social class or caste of birth; no one experienced pain or pleasure. ||4||
There were no people of celibacy or charity; no one lived in the forests.
There were no Siddhas or seekers, no one living in peace.
There were no Yogis, no wandering pilgrims, no religious robes; no one called himself the master. ||5||
There was no chanting or meditation, no self-discipline, fasting or worship.
No one spoke or talked in duality.
He created Himself, and rejoiced; He evaluates Himself. ||6||
There was no purification, no self-restraint, no malas of basil seeds.
There were no Gopis, no Krishna, no cows or cowherds.
There were no tantras, no mantras and no hypocrisy; no one played the flute. ||7||
There was no karma, no Dharma, no buzzing fly of Maya.
Social class and birth were not seen with any eyes.
There was no noose of attachment, no death inscribed upon the forehead; no one meditated on anything. ||8||
There was no slander, no seed, no soul and no life.
There was no Gorakh and no Maachhindra.
There was no spiritual wisdom or meditation, no ancestry or creation, no reckoning of accounts. ||9||

There were no castes or social classes, no religious robes, no Brahmin or Kh'shaatriya.
There were no demi-gods or temples, no cows or Gaayatri prayer.
There were no burnt offerings, no ceremonial feasts, no cleansing rituals at sacred shrines of pilgrimage; no one worshipped in adoration. ||10||
There was no Mullah, there was no Qazi.
There was no Shaykh, or pilgrims to Mecca.
There was no king or subjects, and no worldly egotism; no one spoke of himself. ||11||
There was no love or devotion, no Shiva or Shakti - no energy or matter.
There were no friends or companions, no semen or blood.
He Himself is the banker, and He Himself is the merchant. Such is the Pleasure of the Will of the True Lord. ||12||
There were no Vedas, Korans or Bibles, no Simritees or Shaastras.
There was no recitation of the Puraanas, no sunrise or sunset.
The Unfathomable Lord Himself was the speaker and the preacher; the unseen Lord Himself saw everything. ||13||
When He so willed, He created the world.
Without any supporting power, He sustained the universe.
He created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva; He fostered enticement and attachment to Maya. ||14||
How rare is that person who listens to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He created the creation, and watches over it; the Hukam of His Command is over all.
He formed the planets, solar systems and nether regions, and brought what was hidden to manifestation. ||15||
No one knows His limits.
This understanding comes from the Perfect Guru.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Truth are wonderstruck; singing His Glorious Praises, they are filled with wonder. ||16||3||15||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
He Himself created the creation, remaining unattached.
The Merciful Lord has established His True Home.
Binding together air, water and fire, He created the fortress of the body. ||1||
The Creator established the nine gates.
In the Tenth Gate, is the dwelling of the infinite, unseen Lord.
The seven seas are overflowing with the Ambrosial Water; the Gurmukhs are not stained with filth. ||2||
The lamps of the sun and the moon fill all with light.
Creating them, He beholds His own glorious greatness.
The Giver of peace is forever the embodiment of Light; from the True Lord, glory is obtained. ||3||
Within the fortress are the stores and markets; the business is transacted there.
The Supreme Merchant weighs with the perfect weights.
He Himself buys the jewel, and He Himself appraises its value. ||4||
The Appraiser appraises its value.
The Independent Lord is overflowing with His treasures.
He holds all powers, He is all-pervading; how few are those who, as Gurmukh, understand this. ||5||
When He bestows His Glance of Grace, one meets the Perfect Guru.
The tyrannical Messenger of Death cannot strike him then.
He blossoms forth like the lotus flower in the water; he blossoms forth in joyful meditation. ||6||
He Himself rains down the Ambrosial Stream of jewels, diamonds, and rubies of priceless value.
When they meet the True Guru, then they find the Perfect Lord; they obtain the treasure of Love. ||7||
Whoever receives the priceless treasure of Love
- his weight never decreases; he has perfect weight.
The trader of Truth becomes true, and obtains the merchandise. ||8||
How rare are those who obtain the true merchandise.
Meeting the Perfect True Guru, one meets with the Lord.

One who becomes Gurmukh realizes the Hukam of His command; surrendering to His Command, one merges in the Lord. ||9||
By His Command we come, and by His command we merge into Him again.
By His Command, the world was formed.
By His Command, the heavens, this world and the nether regions were created; by His Command, His Power supports them. ||10||
The Hukam of His Command is the mythical bull which supports the burden of the earth on its head.
By His Hukam, air, water and fire came into being.
By His Hukam, one dwells in the house of matter and energy - Shiva and Shakti. By His Hukam, He plays His plays. ||11||
By the Hukam of His command, the sky is spread above.
By His Hukam, His creatures dwell in the water, on the land and throughout the three worlds.
By His Hukam, we draw our breath and receive our food; by His Hukam, He watches over us, and inspires us to see. ||12||
By His Hukam, He created His ten incarnations,
and the uncounted and infinite gods and devils.
Whoever obeys the Hukam of His Command, is robed with honor in the Court of the Lord; united with the Truth, He merges in the Lord. ||13||
By the Hukam of His Command, the thirty-six ages passed.
By His Hukam, the Siddhas and seekers contemplate Him.
The Lord Himself has brought all under His control. Whoever He forgives, is liberated. ||14||
In the strong fortress of the body with its beautiful doors, is the king, with his special assistants and ministers.
Those gripped by falsehood and greed do not dwell in the celestial home; engrossed in greed and sin, they come to regret and repent. ||15||
Truth and contentment govern this body-village.
Chastity, truth and self-control are in the Sanctuary of the Lord.
O Nanak, one intuitively meets the Lord, the Life of the World; the Word of the Guru's Shabad brings honor. ||16||4||16||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
In the Primal Void, the Infinite Lord assumed His Power.
He Himself is unattached, infinite and incomparable.
He Himself exercised His Creative Power, and He gazes upon His creation; from the Primal Void, He formed the Void. ||1||
From this Primal Void, He fashioned air and water.
He created the universe, and the king in the fortress of the body.
Your Light pervades fire, water and souls; Your Power rests in the Primal Void. ||2||
From this Primal Void, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva issued forth.
This Primal Void is pervasive throughout all the ages.
That humble being who contemplates this state is perfect; meeting with him, doubt is dispelled. ||3||
From this Primal Void, the seven seas were established.
The One who created them, Himself contemplates them.
That human being who becomes Gurmukh, who bathes in the pool of Truth, is not cast into the womb of reincarnation again. ||4||
From this Primal Void, came the moon, the sun and the earth.
His Light pervades all the three worlds.
The Lord of this Primal Void is unseen, infinite and immaculate; He is absorbed in the Primal Trance of Deep Meditation. ||5||
From this Primal Void, the earth and the Akaashic Ethers were created.
He supports them without any visible support, by exercising His True Power.
He fashioned the three worlds, and the rope of Maya; He Himself creates and destroys. ||6||
From this Primal Void, came the four sources of creation, and the power of speech.
They were created from the Void, and they will merge into the Void.
The Supreme Creator created the play of Nature; through the Word of His Shabad, He stages His Wondrous Show. ||7||
From this Primal Void, He made both night and day;
creation and destruction, pleasure and pain.
The Gurmukh is immortal, untouched by pleasure and pain. He obtains the home of his own inner being. ||8||

The Saam Veda, the Rig Veda, the Jujar Veda and the At'harva Veda
form the mouth of Brahma; they speak of the three gunas, the three qualities of Maya.
None of them can describe His worth. We speak as He inspires us to speak. ||9||
From the Primal Void, He created the seven nether regions.
From the Primal Void, He established this world to lovingly dwell upon Him.
The Infinite Lord Himself created the creation. Everyone acts as You make them act, Lord. ||10||
Your Power is diffused through the three gunas: raajas, taamas and satva.
Through egotism, they suffer the pains of birth and death.
Those blessed by His Grace become Gurmukh; they attain the fourth state, and are liberated. ||11||
From the Primal Void, the ten incarnations welled up.
Creating the Universe, He made the expanse.
He fashioned the demi-gods and demons, the heavenly heralds and celestial musicians; everyone acts according to their past karma. ||12||
The Gurmukh understands, and does not suffer the disease.
How rare are those who understand this ladder of the Guru.
Throughout the ages, they are dedicated to liberation, and so they become liberated; thus they are honored. ||13||
From the Primal Void, the five elements became manifest.
They joined to form the body, which engages in actions.
Both bad and good are written on the forehead, the seeds of vice and virtue. ||14||
The True Guru, the Primal Being, is sublime and detached.
Attuned to the Word of the Shabad, He is intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord.
Riches, intellect, miraculous spiritual powers and spiritual wisdom are obtained from the Guru; through perfect destiny, they are received. ||15||
This mind is so in love with Maya.
Only a few are spiritually wise enough to understand and know this.
In hope and desire, egotism and skepticism, the greedy man acts falsely. ||16||
From the True Guru, contemplative meditation is obtained.
And then, one dwells with the True Lord in His celestial home, the Primal State of Absorption in Deepest Samaadhi.
O Nanak, the immaculate sound current of the Naad, and the Music of the Shabad resound; one merges into the True Name of the Lord. ||17||5||17||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Wherever I look, I see the Lord, merciful to the meek.
God is compassionate; He does not come or go in reincarnation.
He pervades all beings in His mysterious way; the Sovereign Lord remains detached. ||1||
The world is a reflection of Him; He has no father or mother.
He has not acquired any sister or brother.
There is no creation or destruction for Him; He has no ancestry or social status. The Ageless Lord is pleasing to my mind. ||2||
You are the Deathless Primal Being. Death does not hover over Your head.
You are the unseen inaccessible and detached Primal Lord.
You are true and content; the Word of Your Shabad is cool and soothing. Through it, we are lovingly, intuitively attuned to You. ||3||
The three qualities are pervasive; the Lord dwells in His home, the fourth state.
He has made death and birth into a bite of food.
The immaculate Light is the Life of the whole world. The Guru reveals the unstruck melody of the Shabad. ||4||
Sublime and good are those humble Saints, the Beloveds of the Lord.
They are intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord, and are carried across to the other side.
Nanak is the dust of the Society of the Saints; by Guru's Grace, he finds the Lord. ||5||
You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. All beings belong to You.

You are the Great Giver; I am Your slave.
Please be merciful and bless me with Your Ambrosial Naam, and the jewel, the lamp of the Guru's spiritual wisdom. ||6||
From the union of the five elements, this body was made.
Finding the Lord, the Supreme Soul, peace is established.
The good karma of past actions brings fruitful rewards, and man is blessed with the jewel of the Lord's Name. ||7||
His mind does not feel any hunger or thirst.
He knows the Immaculate Lord to be everywhere, in each and every heart.
Imbued with the Lord's Ambrosial essence, he becomes a pure, detached renunciate; he is lovingly absorbed in the Guru's Teachings. ||8||
Whoever does the deeds of the soul, day and night,
sees the immaculate Divine Light deep within.
Enraptured with the delightful essence of the Shabad, the source of nectar, my tongue plays the sweet music of the flute. ||9||
He alone plays the sweet music of this flute,
who knows the three worlds.
O Nanak, know this, through the Guru's Teachings, and lovingly focus yourself on the Lord's Name. ||10||
Rare are those beings in this world,
who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and remain detached.
They save themselves, and save all their associates and ancestors; fruitful is their birth and coming into this world. ||11||
He alone knows the home of his own heart, and the door to the temple,
who obtains perfect understanding from the Guru.
In the body-fortress is the palace; God is the True Master of this Palace. The True Lord established His True Throne there. ||12||
The fourteen realms and the two lamps are the witnesses.
The Lord's servants, the self-elect, do not taste the poison of corruption.
Deep within, is the priceless, incomparable commodity; meeting with the Guru, the wealth of the Lord is obtained. ||13||
He alone sits on the throne, who is worthy of the throne.
Following the Guru's Teachings, he subdues the five demons, and becomes the Lord's foot soldier.
He has existed from the very beginning of time and throughout the ages; He exists here and now, and will always exist. Meditating on Him, skepticism and doubt are dispelled. ||14||
The Lord of the Throne is greeted and worshipped day and night.
This true glorious greatness comes to those who love the Guru's Teachings.
O Nanak, meditate on the Lord, and swim across the river; they find the Lord, their best friend, in the end. ||15||1||18||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Gather in the wealth of the Lord, O humble Siblings of Destiny.
Serve the True Guru, and remain in His Sanctuary.
This wealth cannot be stolen; the celestial melody of the Shabad wells up and keeps us awake and aware. ||1||
You are the One Universal Creator, the Immaculate King.
You Yourself arrange and resolve the affairs of Your humble servant.
You are immortal, immovable, infinite and priceless; O Lord, Your place is beautiful and eternal. ||2||
In the body-village, the most sublime place,
the supremely noble people dwell.
Above them is the Immaculate Lord, the One Universal Creator; they are lovingly absorbed in the profound, primal state of Samaadhi. ||3||
There are nine gates to the body-village;
the Creator Lord fashioned them for each and every person.
Within the Tenth Gate, dwells the Primal Lord, detached and unequalled. The unknowable reveals Himself. ||4||
The Primal Lord cannot be held to account; True is His Celestial Court.
The Hukam of His Command is in effect; True is His Insignia.
O Nanak, search and examine your own home, and you shall find the Supreme Soul, and the Name of the Lord. ||5||

The Primal Lord is everywhere, immaculate and all-knowing.
He administers justice, and is absorbed in the spiritual wisdom of the Guru.
He seizes sexual desire and anger by their necks, and kills them; He eradicates egotism and greed. ||6||
In the True Place, the Formless Lord abides.
Whoever understands his own self, contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
He comes to abide deep within the True Mansion of His Presence, and his comings and goings are ended. ||7||
His mind does not waver, and he is not buffeted by the winds of desire.
Such a Yogi vibrates the unstruck sound current of the Shabad.
God Himself plays the pure music of the Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds to hear. ||8||
In the Fear of God, in detachment, one intuitively merges into the Lord.
Renouncing egotism, he is imbued with the unstruck sound current.
With the ointment of enlightenment, the Immaculate Lord is known; the Immaculate Lord King is pervading everywhere. ||9||
God is eternal and imperishable; He is the Destroyer of pain and fear.
He cures the disease, and cuts away the noose of death.
O Nanak, the Lord God is the Destroyer of fear; meeting the Guru, the Lord God is found. ||10||
One who knows the Immaculate Lord chews up death.
One who understands karma, realizes the Word of the Shabad.
He Himself knows, and He Himself realizes. This whole world is all His play. ||11||
He Himself is the Banker, and He Himself is the Merchant.
The Appraiser Himself appraises.
He Himself tests upon His Touchstone, and He Himself estimates the value. ||12||
God Himself, the Merciful Lord, grants His Grace.
The Gardener pervades and permeates each and every heart.
The pure, primal, detached Lord abides within all. The Guru, the Lord Incarnate, leads us to meet the Lord God. ||13||
God is wise and all-knowing; He purges men of their pride.
Eradicating duality, the One Lord reveals Himself.
Such a being remains unattached amidst hope, singing the Praise of the Immaculate Lord, who has no ancestry. ||14||
Eradicating egotism, he obtains the peace of the Shabad.
He alone is spiritually wise, who contemplates his own self.
O Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the true profit is obtained; in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the fruit of Truth is obtained. ||15||2||19||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Speak the Truth, and remain in the home of Truth.
Remain dead while yet alive, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
The Guru is the boat, the ship, the raft; meditating on the Lord in your mind, you shall be carried across to the other side. ||1||
Eliminating egotism, possessiveness and greed,
one is liberated from the nine gates, and obtains a place in the Tenth Gate.
Lofty and high, the farthest of the far and infinite, He created Himself. ||2||
Receiving the Guru's Teachings, and lovingly attuned to the Lord, one crosses over.
Singing the Praises of the absolute Lord, why should anyone be afraid of death?
Wherever I look, I see only You; I do not sing of any other at all. ||3||
True is the Lord's Name, and True is His Sanctuary.
True is the Word of the Guru's Shabad, grasping it, one is carries across.
Speaking the Unspoken, one sees the Infinite Lord, and then, he does not have to enter the womb of reincarnation again. ||4||
Without the Truth, no one finds sincerity or contentment.
Without the Guru, no one is liberated; coming and going in reincarnation continue.
Chanting the Mool Mantra, and the Name of the Lord, the source of nectar, says Nanak, I have found the Perfect Lord. ||5||

Without the Truth, the terrifying world-ocean cannot be crossed.
This ocean is vast and unfathomable; it is overflowing with the worst poison.
One who receives the Guru's Teachings, and remains aloof and detached, obtains a place in the home of the Fearless Lord. ||6||
False is the cleverness of loving attachment to the world.
In no time at all, it comes and goes.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the proud egotistical people depart; in creation and destruction they are wasted away. ||7||
In creation and destruction, they are bound in bondage.
The noose of egotism and Maya is around their necks.
Whoever does not accept the Guru's Teachings, and does not dwell upon the Lord's Name, is bound and bagged, and dragged into the City of Death. ||8||
Without the Guru, how can anyone be emancipated or liberated?
Without the Guru, how can anyone meditate on the Lord's Name?
Accepting the Guru's Teachings, cross over the arduous, terrifying world-ocean; you shall be emancipated, and find peace. ||9||
Through the Guru's Teachings, Krishna lifted up the mountain of Govardhan.
Through the Guru's Teachings, Rama floated stones across the ocean.
Accepting the Guru's Teachings, the supreme status is obtained; O Nanak, the Guru eradicates doubt. ||10||
Accepting the Guru's Teachings, cross over to the other side through Truth.
O soul, remember the Lord within your heart.
The noose of death is cut away, meditating on the Lord; you shall obtain the Immaculate Lord, who has no ancestry. ||11||
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Holy become one's friends and Siblings of Destiny.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the inner fire is subdued and extinguished.
Chant the Naam with your mind and mouth; know the unknowable Lord, the Life of the World, deep within the nucleus of your heart. ||12||
The Gurmukh understands, and is pleased with the Word of the Shabad.
Who does he praise or slander?
Know yourself, and meditate on the Lord of the Universe; let your mind be pleased with the Lord, the Master of the Universe. ||13||
Know the One who pervades all the realms of the universe.
As Gurmukh, understand and realize the Shabad.
The Enjoyer enjoys each and every heart, and yet He remains detached from all. ||14||
Through the Guru's Teachings, chant the Pure Praises of the Lord.
Through the Guru's Teachings, behold the lofty Lord with your eyes.
Whoever listens to the Lord's Name, and the Word of His Bani, O Nanak, is imbued with the color of the Lord's Love. ||15||3||20||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
Leave behind sexual desire, anger and the slander of others.
Renounce greed and possessiveness, and become carefree.
Break the chains of doubt, and remain unattached; you shall find the Lord, and the Lord's sublime essence, deep within yourself. ||1||
As one sees the flash of lightning in the night,
see the Divine Light deep within your nucleus, day and night.
The Lord, the embodiment of bliss, incomparably beautiful, reveals the Perfect Guru. ||2||
So meet with the True Guru, and God Himself will save you.
He placed the lamps of the sun and the moon in the home of the sky.
See the invisible Lord, and remain absorbed in loving devotion. God is all throughout the three worlds. ||3||
Obtaining the sublime ambrosial essence, desire and fear are dispelled.
The state of inspired illumination is obtained, and self-conceit is eradicated.
The lofty and exalted state, the highest of the high is obtained, practicing the immaculate Word of the Shabad. ||4||
The Naam, the Name of the invisible and unfathomable Lord, is infinite.

The sublime essence of the Beloved Naam is utterly sweet.
O Lord, please bless Nanak with Your Praise in each and every age; meditating on the Lord, I cannot find His limits. ||5||
With the Naam deep within the nucleus of the self, the jewel is obtained.
Meditating on the Lord, the mind is comforted and consoled by the mind itself.
On that most difficult path, the Destroyer of fear is found, and one does not have to enter the womb of reincarnation again. ||6||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, inspiration for loving devotional worship wells up.
I beg for the treasure of the Naam, and the Lord's Praise.
When it pleases the Lord, He unites me in Union with the Guru; the Lord saves the whole world. ||7||
One who chants the Lord's Chant, attains the Wisdom of the True Guru.
The tyrant, the Messenger of Death, becomes a servant at his feet.
In the noble congregation of the Sangat, one's state and way of life become noble as well, and one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. ||8||
Through the Shabad, one crosses over this terrifying world-ocean.
The duality within is burnt away from within.
Taking up the five arrows of virtue, Death is killed, drawing the Bow of the Tenth Gate in the Mind's Sky. ||9||
How can the faithless cynics attain enlightened awareness of the Shabad?
Without awareness of the Shabad, they come and go in reincarnation.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh obtains the support of liberation; by perfect destiny, he meets the Lord. ||10||
The Fearless True Guru is our Savior and Protector.
Devotional worship is obtained through the Guru, the Lord of the world.
The blissful music of the unstruck sound current vibrates and resounds; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Immaculate Lord is obtained. ||11||
He alone is fearless, who has no destiny written on His head.
God Himself is unseen; He reveals Himself through His wondrous creative power.
He Himself is unattached, unborn and self-existent. O Nanak, through the Guru's Teachings, He is found. ||12||
The True Guru knows the state of one's inner being.
He alone is fearless, who realizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He looks within his own inner being, and realizes the Lord within all; his mind does not waver at all. ||13||
He alone is fearless, within whose being the Lord abides.
Day and night, he is delighted with the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, in the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, the Lord's Praise is obtained, and one easily, intuitively meets the Lord. ||14||
One who knows God, within the self and beyond,
remains detached, and brings his wandering mind back to its home.
The True Primal Lord is over all the three worlds; O Nanak, His Ambrosial Nectar is obtained. ||15||4||21||
Maaroo, First Mehl:
The Creator Lord is infinite; His creative power is wondrous.
Created beings have no power over Him.
He formed the living beings, and He Himself sustains them; the Hukam of His Command controls each and every one. ||1||
The all-pervading Lord orchestrates all through His Hukam.
Who is near, and who is far away?
Behold the Lord, both hidden and manifest, in each and every heart; the unique Lord is permeating all. ||2||
One whom the Lord unites with Himself, merges in conscious awareness.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, meditate on the Lord's Name.
God is the embodiment of bliss, incomparably beautiful and unfathomable; meeting with the Guru, doubt is dispelled. ||3||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is more dear to me than my mind, body and wealth.
In the end, when I must depart, it shall be my only help and support.

In this world of love and attachment, no one is anyone else's friend or companion; without the Lord, without the Guru, who has ever found peace? ||4||
He, unto whom the Perfect Guru grants His Grace,
is merged in the Word of the Shabad, through the Teachings of the brave, heroic Guru.
O Nanak, dwell upon, and serve at the Guru's feet; He places those who wander back on the Path. ||5||
The wealth of the Lord's Praise is very dear to the humble Saints.
Through the Guru's Teachings, I have obtained Your Name, Lord.
The beggar serves at the Lord's door, and in the Court of the Lord, sings His Praises. ||6||
When one meets the True Guru, he is called into the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
In the True Court, he is blessed with salvation and honor.
The faithless cynic has no place of rest in the Lord's palace; he suffers the pains of birth and death. ||7||
So serve the True Guru, the unfathomable ocean,
and you shall obtain the profit, the wealth, the jewel of the Naam.
The filth of corruption is washed away, by bathing in the pool of Ambrosial Nectar. In the Guru's pool, contentment is obtained. ||8||
So serve the Guru without hesitation.
And in the midst of hope, remain unmoved by hope.
Serve the Eradicator of cynicism and suffering, and you shall never again be afflicted by the disease. ||9||
One who is pleasing to the True Lord is blessed with glorious greatness.
Who else can teach him anything?
The Lord and the Guru are pervading in one form. O Nanak, the Lord loves the Guru. ||10||
Some read scriptures, the Vedas and the Puraanas.
Some sit and listen, and read to others.
Tell me, how can the heavy, rigid doors be opened? Without the True Guru, the essence of reality is not realized. ||11||
Some collect dust, and smear their bodies with ashes;
but deep within them are the outcasts of anger and egotism.
Practicing hypocrisy, Yoga is not obtained; without the True Guru, the unseen Lord is not found. ||12||
Some make vows to visit sacred shrines of pilgrimage, keep fasts and live in the forest.
Some practice chastity, charity and self-discipline, and speak of spiritual wisdom.
But without the Lord's Name, how can anyone find peace? Without the True Guru, doubt is not dispelled. ||13||
Inner cleansing techniques, channeling the energy to raise the Kundalini to the Tenth Gate,
inhaling, exhaling and holding the breath by the force of the mind -
by empty hypocritical practices, Dharmic love for the Lord is not produced. Only through the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the sublime, supreme essence obtained. ||14||
Seeing the Lord's creative power, my mind remains satisfied.
Through the Guru's Shabad, I have realized that all is God.
O Nanak, the Lord, the Supreme Soul, is in all. The Guru, the True Guru, has inspired me to see the unseen Lord. ||15||5||22||
Maaroo, Solhay, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By the Hukam of His Command, He effortlessly created the Universe.
Creating the creation, He gazes upon His own greatness.
He Himself acts, and inspires all to act; in His Will, He pervades and permeates all. ||1||
The world is in the darkness of love and attachment to Maya.
How rare is that Gurmukh who contemplates, and understands.
He alone attains the Lord, unto whom He grants His Grace. He Himself unites in His Union. ||2||

Uniting with Himself, He bestows glorious greatness.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to know the Lord's worth.
The self-willed manmukh wanders everywhere, weeping and wailing; he is utterly ruined by the love of duality. ||3||
Egotism was instilled into the illusion of Maya.
The self-willed manmukh is deluded, and loses his honor.
But one who becomes Gurmukh is absorbed in the Name; he remains immersed in the True Lord. ||4||
Spiritual wisdom is obtained from the Guru, along with the jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Desires are subdued, and one remains immersed in the mind.
The Creator Himself stages all His plays; He Himself bestows understanding. ||5||
One who serves the True Guru eradicates self-conceit.
Meeting with his Beloved, he finds peace through the Word of the Shabad.
Deep within his inner being, he is imbued with loving devotion; intuitively, he becomes one with the Lord. ||6||
The Destroyer of pain is known through the Guru.
The Great Giver, the Life of the world, Himself has met me.
He alone understands, whom the Lord joins with Himself. Fear and doubt are taken away from his body. ||7||
He Himself is the Gurmukh, and He Himself bestows His blessings.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, serve the True Guru.
Old age and death cannot even touch one who is in harmony with the True Lord. ||8||
The world is burning up in the fire of desire.
It burns and burns, and is destroyed in all its corruption.
The self-willed manmukh finds no place of rest anywhere. The True Guru has imparted this understanding. ||9||
Those who serve the True Guru are very fortunate.
They remain lovingly focused on the True Name forever.
The Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord, permeates the nucleus of their inner being; through the Shabad, their desires are quenched. ||10||
True is the Word of the Shabad, and True is the Bani of His Word.
How rare is that Gurmukh who realizes this.
Those who are imbued with the True Shabad are detached. Their comings and goings in reincarnation are ended. ||11||
One who realizes the Shabad is cleansed of impurities.
The Immaculate Naam abides within his mind.
He serves his True Guru forever, and egotism is eradicated from within. ||12||
If one comes to understand, through the Guru, then he comes to know the Lord's Door.
But without the Naam, one babbles and argues in vain.
The glory of serving the True Guru is that it eradicates hunger and thirst. ||13||
When the Lord unites them with Himself, then they come to understand.
Without spiritual wisdom, they understand nothing at all.
One whose mind is filled with the Guru's gift forever - his inner being resounds with the Shabad, and the Word of the Guru's Bani. ||14||
He acts according to his pre-ordained destiny.
No one can erase the Command of the Primal Lord.
They alone dwell in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||15||
He alone finds the Lord, unto whom He grants His Grace.
He links his consciousness to the deep meditative state of the True Shabad.
Nanak, Your slave, offers this humble prayer; I stand at Your Door, begging for Your Name. ||16||1||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
The One and only Lord is pervading and permeating everywhere.
How rare is that person, who as Gurmukh, understands this.
The One Lord is permeating and pervading, deep within the nucleus of all. Without Him, there is no other at all. ||1||
He created the 8.4 millions species of beings.

The spiritual teachers and meditators proclaim this.
He Himself nourishes all; no one else can estimate His value. ||2||
Love and attachment to Maya are utter darkness.
Egotism and possessiveness have spread throughout the expanse of the universe.
Night and day, they burn, day and night; without the Guru, there is no peace or tranquility. ||3||
He Himself unites, and He Himself separates.
He Himself establishes, and He Himself disestablishes.
True is the Hukam of His Command, and True is the expanse of His universe. No one else can issue any Command. ||4||
He alone is attached to the Lord, whom the Lord attaches to Himself.
By Guru's Grace, the fear of death runs away.
The Shabad, the Giver of peace, dwells forever deep within the nucleus of the self. One who is Gurmukh understands. ||5||
God Himself unites those united in His Union.
Whatever is pre-ordained by destiny, cannot be erased.
Night and day, His devotees worship Him, day and night; one who becomes Gurmukh serves Him. ||6||
Serving the True Guru, lasting peace is experienced.
He Himself, the Giver of all, has come and met me.
Subduing egotism, the fire of thirst has been extinguished; contemplating the Word of the Shabad, peace is found. ||7||
One who is attached to his body and family, does not understand.
But one who becomes Gurmukh, sees the Lord with his eyes.
Night and day, he chants the Naam, day and night; meeting with his Beloved, he finds peace. ||8||
The self-willed manmukh wanders distracted, attached to duality.
That unfortunate wretch - why didn't he just die as soon as he was born?
Coming and going, he wastes away his life in vain. Without the Guru, liberation is not obtained. ||9||
That body which is stained with the filth of egotism is false and impure.
It may be washed a hundred times, but its filth is still not removed.
But if it is washed with the Word of the Shabad, then it is truly cleansed, and it shall never be soiled again. ||10||
The five demons destroy the body.
He dies and dies again, only to be reincarnated; he does not contemplate the Shabad.
The darkness of emotional attachment to Maya is within his inner being; as if in a dream, he does not understand. ||11||
Some conquer the five demons, by being attached to the Shabad.
They are blessed and very fortunate; the True Guru comes to meet them.
Within the nucleus of their inner being, they dwell upon the Truth; attuned to the Lord's Love, they intuitively merge in Him. ||12||
The Guru's Way is known through the Guru.
His perfect servant attains realization through the Shabad.
Deep within his heart, he dwells forever upon the Shabad; he tastes the sublime essence of the True Lord with his tongue. ||13||
Egotism is conquered and subdued by the Shabad.
I have enshrined the Name of the Lord within my heart.
Other than the One Lord, I know nothing at all. Whatever will be, will automatically be. ||14||
Without the True Guru, no one obtains intuitive wisdom.
The Gurmukh understands, and is immersed in the True Lord.
He serves the True Lord, and is attuned to the True Shabad. The Shabad banishes egotism. ||15||
He Himself is the Giver of virtue, the Contemplative Lord.
The Gurmukh is given the winning dice.
O Nanak, immersed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one becomes true; from the True Lord, honor is obtained. ||16||2||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
One One True Lord is the Life of the World, the Great Giver.
Serving the Guru, through the Word of the Shabad, He is realized.

There is only One Command, and there is only One Supreme King. In each and every age, He links each to their tasks. ||1||
That humble being is immaculate, who knows his own self.
The Lord, the Giver of peace, Himself comes and meets him.
His tongue is imbued with the Shabad, and he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord; he is honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||2||
The Gurmukh is blessed with the glorious greatness of the Naam.
The self-willed manmukh, the slanderer, loses his honor.
Attuned to the Naam, the supreme soul-swans remain detached; in the home of the self, they remain absorbed in deep meditative trance. ||3||
That humble being who dies in the Shabad is perfect.
The brave, heroic True Guru chants and proclaims this.
Deep within the body is the true pool of Ambrosial Nectar; the mind drinks it in with loving devotion. ||4||
The Pandit, the religious scholar, reads and instructs others,
but he does not realize that his own home is on fire.
Without serving the True Guru, the Naam is not obtained. You can read until you are exhausted, but you shall not find peace and tranquility. ||5||
Some smear their bodies with ashes, and wander around in religious disguises.
Without the Word of the Shabad, who has ever subdued egotism?
Night and day, they continue burning, day and night; they are deluded and confused by their doubt and religious costumes. ||6||
Some, in the midst of their household and family, remain always unattached.
They die in the Shabad, and dwell in the Lord's Name.
Night and day, they remain forever attuned to His Love; they focus their consciousness on loving devotion and the Fear of God. ||7||
The self-willed manmukh indulges in slander, and is ruined.
The dog of greed barks within him.
The Messenger of Death never leaves him, and in the end, he leaves, regretting and repenting. ||8||
Through the True Word of the Shabad, true honor is obtained.
Without the Name, no one attains liberation.
Without the True Guru, no one finds the Name. Such is the making which God has made. ||9||
Some are Siddhas and seekers, and great contemplators.
Some remain imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Formless Lord, day and night.
He alone understands, whom the Lord unites with Himself; through loving devotional worship, fear is dispelled. ||10||
Some take cleansing baths and give donations to charities, but they do not understand.
Some struggle with their minds, and conquer and subdue their minds.
Some are imbued with love for the True Word of the Shabad; they merge with the True Shabad. ||11||
He Himself creates and bestows glorious greatness.
By the Pleasure of His Will, He bestows union.
Bestowing His Grace, He comes to dwell in the mind; such is the Command ordained by my God. ||12||
Those humble beings who serve the True Guru are true.
The false, self-willed manmukhs do not know how to serve the Guru.
The Creator Himself creates the creation and watches over it; he attaches all according to the Pleasure of His Will. ||13||
In each and every age, the True Lord is the one and only Giver.
Through perfect destiny, one realizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Those who are immersed in the Shabad are not separated again. By His Grace, they are intuitively immersed in the Lord. ||14||
Acting in egotism, they are stained with the filth of Maya.
They die and die again, only to be reborn in the love of duality.
Without serving the True Guru, no one finds liberation. O mind, tune into this, and see. ||15||

He does whatever He pleases.
No one has done, or can do anything by himself.
O Nanak, through the Name, one is blessed with glorious greatness, and obtains honor in the Court of the True Lord. ||16||3||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
All who come shall have to depart.
In the love of duality, they are caught by the noose of the Messenger of Death.
Those humble beings who are protected by the True Guru, are saved. They merge into the Truest of the True. ||1||
The Creator Himself creates the creation, and watches over it.
Thay alone are acceptable, upon whom He bestows His Glance of Grace.
The Gurmukh attains spiritual wisdom, and understands everything. The ignorant ones act blindly. ||2||
The self-willed manmukh is cynical; he doesn't understand.
He dies and dies again, only to be reborn, and loses his life uselessly again.
The Gurmukh is imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he find peace, and is intuitively immersed in the True Lord. ||3||
Chasing after worldly affairs, the mind has become corroded and rusty.
But meeting with the Perfect Guru, it is transmuted into gold once again.
When the Lord Himself grants forgiveness, then peace is obtained; through the Perfect Word of the Shabad, one is united with Him. ||4||
The false and evil-minded are the most wicked of the wicked.
They are the most unworthy of the unworthy.
With false intellect, and insipid words of mouth, evil-minded, they do not obtain the Naam. ||5||
The unworthy soul-bride is not pleasing to her Husband Lord.
False-minded, her actions are false.
The foolish person does not know the excellence of her Husband Lord. Without the Guru, she does not understand at all. ||6||
The evil-minded, wicked soul-bride practices wickedness.
She decorates herself, but her Husband Lord is not pleased.
The virtuous soul-bride enjoys and ravishes her Husband Lord forever; the True Guru unites her in His Union. ||7||
God Himself issues the Hukam of His Command, and beholds all.
Some are forgiven, according to their pre-ordained destiny.
Night and day, they are imbued with the Naam, and they find the True Lord. He Himself unites them in His Union. ||8||
Egotism attaches them to the juice of emotional attachment, and makes them run around.
The Gurmukh is intuitively immersed in the True Love of the Lord.
He Himself unites, He Himself acts, and beholds. Without the True Guru, understanding is not obtained. ||9||
Some contemplate the Word of the Shabad; these humble beings remain always awake and aware.
Some are attached to the love of Maya; these unfortunate ones remain asleep.
He Himself acts, and inspires all to act; no one else can do anything. ||10||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, death is conquered and killed.
Keep the Name of the Lord enshrined within your heart.
Serving the True Guru, peace is obtained, and one merges in the Name of the Lord. ||11||
In the love of duality, the world wanders around insane.
Immersed in love and attachment to Maya, it suffers in pain.
Wearing all sorts of religious robes, He is not obtained. Without the True Guru, peace is not found. ||12||
Who is to blame, when He Himself does everything?
As He wills, so is the path we take.
He Himself is the Merciful Giver of peace; as He wills, so do we follow. ||13||
He Himself is the Creator, and He Himself is the Enjoyer.
He Himself is detached, and He Himself is attached.
He Himself is immaculate, compassionate, the lover of nectar; the Hukam of His Command cannot be erased. ||14||
Those who know the One Lord are very fortunate.

He dwells in each and every heart, the Great Giver, the Life of the world.
At the same time, He is both hidden and revealed. For the Gurmukh, doubt and fear are dispelled. ||15||
The Gurmukh knows the One, the Dear Lord.
Deep within the nucleus of his inner being, is the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he realizes the Word of the Shabad.
He alone receives it, unto whom You give it. O Nanak, the Naam is glorious greatness. ||16||4||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
I praise the true, profound and unfathomable Lord.
All the world is in His power.
He enjoys all hearts forever, day and night; He Himself dwells in peace. ||1||
True is the Lord and Master, and True is His Name.
By Guru's Grace, I enshrine Him in my mind.
He Himself has come to dwell deep within the nucleus of my heart; the noose of death has been snapped. ||2||
Whom should I serve, and whom should I praise?
I serve the True Guru, and praise the Word of the Shabad.
Through the True Shabad, the intellect is exalted and ennobled forever, and the lotus deep within blossoms forth. ||3||
The body is frail and perishable, like paper.
When the drop of water falls upon it, it crumbles and dissolves instantaneously.
But the body of the Gurmukh, who understands, is like gold; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells deep within. ||4||
Pure is that kitchen, which is enclosed by spiritual awareness.
The Lord's Name is my food, and Truth is my support.
Forever satisfied, sanctified and pure is that person, within whose heart the Lord's Name abides. ||5||
I am a sacrifice to those who are attached to the Truth.
They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and remain awake and aware night and day.
True peace fills them forever, and their tongues savor the sublime essence of the Lord. ||6||
I remember the Lord's Name, and no other at all.
I serve the One Lord, and no other at all.
The Perfect Guru has revealed the whole Truth to me; I dwell in the True Name. ||7||
Wandering, wandering in reincarnation, again and again, he comes into the world.
He is deluded and confused, when the Lord and Master confuses him.
He meets with the Dear Lord, when, as Gurmukh, he understands; he remembers the Shabad, the Word of the immortal, eternal Lord God. ||8||
I am a sinner, overflowing with sexual desire and anger.
With what mouth should I speak? I have no virtue, and I have rendered no service.
I am a sinking stone; please, Lord, unite me with Yourself. Your Name is eternal and imperishable. ||9||
No one does anything; no one is able to do anything.
That alone happens, which the Lord Himself does, and causes to be done.
Those whom He Himself forgives, find peace; they dwell forever in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||10||
This body is the earth, and the infinite Shabad is the seed.
Deal and trade with the True Name alone.
The True wealth increases; it is never exhausted, when the Naam dwells deep within. ||11||
O Dear Lord, please bless me, the worthless sinner, with virtue.
Forgive me, and bless me with Your Name.
One who becomes Gurmukh, is honored; he dwells in the Name of the One Lord alone. ||12||
The wealth of the Lord is deep within one's inner being, but he does not realize it.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to understand.
One who becomes Gurmukh is blessed with this wealth; he lives forever in the Naam. ||13||
Fire and wind lead him into delusions of doubt.

In love and attachment to Maya, he has no understanding at all.
The blind, self-willed manmukh sees nothing; through the Guru's Teachings, the Naam is gloriously revealed. ||14||
The manmukhs are asleep in egotism and Maya.
They do not watch over their own homes, and are ruined in the end.
They slander others, and burn in great anxiety; they dwell in pain and suffering. ||15||
The Creator Himself has created the creation.
He blesses the Gurmukh with understanding.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam - their minds become immaculate; they dwell in the Naam, and only the Naam. ||16||5||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
I serve the One Lord, who is eternal, stable and True.
Attached to duality, the whole world is false.
Following the Guru's Teachings, I praise the True Lord forever, pleased with the Truest of the True. ||1||
Your Glorious Virtues are so many, Lord; I do not know even one.
The Life of the world, the Great Giver, attaches us to himself.
He Himself forgives, and bestows glorious greatness. Following the Guru's Teachings, this mind is delighted. ||2||
The Word of the Shabad has subdued the waves of Maya.
Egotism has been conquered, and this mind has become immaculate.
I intuitively sing His Glorious Praises, imbued with the Lord's Love. My tongue chants and savors the Lord's Name. ||3||
Crying out, "Mine, mine!" he spends his life.
The self-willed manmukh does not understand; he wanders around in ignorance.
The Messenger of Death watches over him every moment, every instant; night and day, his life is wasting away. ||4||
He practices greed within, and does not understand.
He does not see the Messenger of Death hovering over his head.
Whatever one does in this world, will come to face him in the hereafter; what can he do at that very last moment? ||5||
Those who are attached to the Truth are true.
The self-willed manmukhs, attached to duality, weep and wail.
He is the Lord and Master of both worlds; He Himself delights in virtue. ||6||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, His humble servant is exalted forever.
This mind is enticed by the Naam, the source of nectar.
It is not stained at all by the dirt of attachment to Maya; through the Guru's Teachings, it is pleased and saturated with the Lord's Name. ||7||
The One Lord is contained within all.
By Guru's Grace, He is revealed.
One who subdues his ego, finds lasting peace; he drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name. ||8||
God is the Destroyer of sin and pain.
The Gurmukh serves Him, and contemplates the Word of the Shabad.
He Himself is pervading everything. The Gurmukh's body and mind are saturated and pleased. ||9||
The world is burning in the fire of Maya.
The Gurmukh extinguishes this fire, by contemplating the Shabad.
Deep within are peace and tranquility, and lasting peace is obtained. Following the Guru's Teachings, one is blessed with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||10||
Even Indra, seated upon his throne, is caught in the fear of death.
The Messenger of Death will not spare them, even though they try all sorts of things.
When one meets with the True Guru, one is liberated, drinking in and savoring the sublime essence of the Lord, Har, Har. ||11||
There is no devotion within the self-willed manmukh.
Through devotional worship, the Gurmukh obtains peace and tranquility.
Forever pure and sanctified is the Word of the Guru's Bani; following the Guru's Teachings, one's inner being is drenched in it. ||12||
I have considered Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
They are bound by the three qualities - the three gunas; they are far away from liberation.

The Gurmukh knows the spiritual wisdom of the One Lord. Night and day, he chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||13||
He may read the Vedas, but he does not realize the Lord's Name.
For the sake of Maya, he reads and recites and argues.
The ignorant and blind person is filled with filth within. How can he cross over the impassable world-ocean? ||14||
He voices all the controversies of the Vedas,
but his inner being is not saturated or satisfied, and he does not realize the Word of the Shabad.
The Vedas tell all about virtue and vice, but only the Gurmukh drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||15||
The One True Lord is all by Himself.
There is no one else except Him.
O Nanak, true is the mind of one who is attuned to the Naam; he speaks Truth, and nothing but Truth. ||16||6||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
The True Lord has established the Throne of Truth.
He dwells in His own home deep within the self, where there is no emotional attachment to Maya.
The True Lord dwells deep within the nucleus of the Gurmukh's heart forever; his actions are excellent. ||1||
True is his merchandise, and true is his trade.
There is no doubt within him, and no expanse of duality.
He has earned the true wealth, which is never exhausted. How few are those who contemplate this, and understand. ||2||
They alone are attached to the True Name, whom the Lord Himself attaches.
The Word of the Shabad is deep within the nucleus of the self; good fortune is recorded upon their foreheads.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, they sing the True Praises of the Lord; they are attuned to contemplative meditation on the Shabad. ||3||
I praise the True Lord, the Truest of the True.
I see the One Lord, and no other.
The Guru's Teachings are the ladder to reach the highest of the high. the jewel of spiritual wisdom conquers egotism. ||4||
Emotional attachment to Maya is burnt away by the Word of the Shabad.
The True One comes to dwell in the mind, when it pleases You, O Lord.
True are all the actions of the truthful; the thirst of egotism is subdued. ||5||
All by Himself, God created emotional attachment to Maya.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, realize the Lord.
One who becomes Gurmukh practices Truth; true and excellent are his actions. ||6||
He does those deeds which are pleasing to my God;
through the Shabad, he burns away egotism and the thirst of desire.
Following the Guru's Teachings, he remains forever cool and calm deep within; he conquers and subdues his ego. ||7||
Those who are attached to the Truth are pleased with everything.
They are embellished with the True Word of the Shabad.
Those who are true in this world, are true in the Court of the Lord. The Merciful Lord adorns them with His Mercy. ||8||
Those who are attached to duality, and not the Truth,
are trapped in emotional attachment to Maya; they totally suffer in pain.
Without the Guru, they do not understand pain and pleasure; attached to Maya, they suffer in terrible pain. ||9||
Those whose minds are pleased with the True Word of the Shabad
act according to pre-ordained destiny.
They serve the True Lord, and meditate on the True Lord; they are imbued with contemplative meditation on the True Lord. ||10||
Service to the Guru seems sweet to them.
Night and day, they are intuitively immersed in celestial peace.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, their minds become immaculate; they love to serve the Guru. ||11||
Those humble beings are at peace, whom the True Guru attaches to the Truth.
He Himself, in His Will, merges them into Himself.
Those humble beings, whom the True Guru protects, are saved. The rest are ruined through emotional attachment to Maya. ||12||

The Gurmukh realizes the True Word of the Shabad.
He has no family, and he has no mother.
The One and Only Lord is pervading and permeating deep within the nucleus of all. He is the Support of all beings. ||13||
Egotism, possessiveness, and the love of duality
- none of these shall go along with you; such is the pre-ordained will of our Lord and Master.
Through the True Guru, practice Truth, and the True Lord shall take away your pains. ||14||
If You so bless me, then I shall find lasting peace.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, I live the Truth.
The True Lord is within me, and my mind and body have become True. I am blessed with the overflowing treasure of devotional worship. ||15||
He Himself watches, and issues His Command.
He Himself inspires us to obey His Will.
O Nanak, only those who are attuned to the Naam are detached; their minds, bodies and tongues are embellished with the Naam. ||16||7||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
He Himself created Himself, and came into being.
The One Lord is pervading in all, remaining hidden.
The Lord, the Life of the world, takes care of all. Whoever knows his own self, realizes God. ||1||
He who created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva,
links each and every being to its tasks.
He merges into Himself, whoever is pleasing to His Will. The Gurmukh knows the One Lord. ||2||
The world is coming and going in reincarnation.
Attached to Maya, it dwells on its many sins.
One who realizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad, praises forever the eternal, unchanging True Lord. ||3||
Some are attached to the root - they find peace.
But those who are attached to the branches, waste their lives away uselessly.
Those humble beings, who chant the Name of the Ambrosial Lord, produce the ambrosial fruit. ||4||
I have no virtues; what words should I speak?
You see all, and weigh them on Your scale.
By Your will, You preserve me, and so do I remain. The Gurmukh knows the One Lord. ||5||
According to Your Will, You link me to my true tasks.
Renouncing vice, I am immersed in virtue.
The One Immaculate True Lord abides in virtue; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is realized. ||6||
Wherever I look, there I see Him.
Duality and evil-mindedness are destroyed through the Shabad.
The One Lord God is immersed in His Oneness. He is attuned forever to His own delight. ||7||
The body-lotus is withering away,
but the ignorant, self-willed manmukh does not understand the Shabad.
By Guru's Grace, he searches his body, and finds the Great Giver, the Life of the world. ||8||
The Lord frees up the body-fortress, which was seized by sins,
when one keeps the Dear Lord enshrined forever in the heart.
The fruits of his desires are obtained, and he is dyed in the permanent color of the Lord's Love. ||9||
The self-willed manmukh speaks of spiritual wisdom, but does not understand.
Again and again, he comes into the world, but he finds no place of rest.
The Gurmukh is spiritually wise, and praises the Lord forever. Throughout each and every age, the Gurmukh knows the One Lord. ||10||
All the deeds which the manmukh does bring pain - nothing but pain.
The Word of the Shabad is not within him; how can he go to the Court of the Lord?
The True Shabad dwells deep within the mind of the Gurmukh; he serves the Giver of peace forever. ||11||

Wherever I look, I see You, everywhere.
Through the Perfect Guru, all this is known.
I meditate forever and ever on the Naam; this mind is imbued with the Naam. ||12||
Imbued with the Naam, the body is sanctified.
Without the Naam, they are drowned and die without water.
They come and go, but do not understand the Naam. Some, as Gurmukh, realize the Word of the Shabad. ||13||
The Perfect True Guru has imparted this understanding.
Without the Name, no one attains liberation.
Through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one is blessed with glorious greatness; he remains intuitively attuned to the Lord's Love. ||14||
The body-village crumbles and collapses into a pile of dust.
Without the Shabad, the cycle of reincarnation is not brought to an end.
One who knows the One Lord, through the True Guru, praises the True Lord, and remains immersed in the True Lord. ||15||
The True Word of the Shabad comes to dwell in the mind, when the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Formless Lord, realize the True Lord in His True Court. ||16||8||
Maaroo, Solhay, Third Mehl:
O Creator, it is You Yourself who does all.
All beings and creatures are under Your Protection.
You are hidden, and yet permeating within all; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, You are realized. ||1||
Devotion to the Lord is a treasure overflowing.
He Himself blesses us with contemplative meditation on the Shabad.
You do whatever You please; my mind is attuned to the True Lord. ||2||
You Yourself are the priceless diamond and jewel.
In Your Mercy, You weigh with Your scale.
All beings and creatures are under Your protection. One who is blessed by Your Grace realizes his own self. ||3||
One who receives Your Mercy, O Primal Lord,
does not die, and is not reborn; he is released from the cycle of reincarnation.
He sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord, day and night, and, throughout the ages, he knows the One Lord. ||4||
Emotional attachment to Maya wells up throughout the whole world,
from Brahma, Vishnu and all the demi-gods.
Those who are pleasing to Your Will, are attached to the Naam; through spiritual wisdom and understanding, You are recognized. ||5||
The world is engrossed in vice and virtue.
Happiness and misery are totally loaded with pain.
One who becomes Gurmukh finds peace; such a Gurmukh recognizes the Naam. ||6||
No one can erase the record of one's actions.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one finds the door of salvation.
One who conquers self-conceit and recognizes the Lord, obtains the fruits of his pre-destined rewards. ||7||
Emotionally attached to Maya, one's consciousness is not attached to the Lord.
In the love of duality, he will suffer terrible agony in the world hereafter.
The hypocritical, self-willed manmukhs are deluded by doubt; at the very last moment, they regret and repent. ||8||
In accordance with the Lord's Will, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
He is rid of all sins, and all suffering.
The Lord is immaculate, and immaculate is the Word of His Bani. My mind is imbued with the Lord. ||9||
One who is blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace, obtains the Lord, the treasure of virtue.
Egotism and possessiveness are brought to an end.
The One Lord is the only Giver of virtue and vice, merits and demerits; how rare are those who, as Gurmukh, understand this. ||10||
My God is immaculate, and utterly infinite.
God unites with Himself, through contemplation of the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

He Himself forgives, and implants the Truth. The mind and body are then attuned to the True Lord. ||11||
Within the polluted mind and body is the Light of the Infinite Lord.
One who understands the Guru's Teachings, contemplates this.
Conquering egotism, the mind becomes immaculate forever; with his tongue, he serves the Lord, the Giver of peace. ||12||
In the fortress of the body there are many shops and bazaars;
within them is the Naam, the Name of the utterly infinite Lord.
In His Court, one is embellished forever with the Word of the Guru's Shabad; he conquers egotism and realizes the Lord. ||13||
The jewel is priceless, inaccessible and infinite.
How can the poor wretch estimate its worth?
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is weighed, and so the Shabad is realized deep within. ||14||
The great volumes of the Simritees and the Shaastras only extend the extension of attachment to Maya.
The fools read them, but do not understand the Word of the Shabad. How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, understand. ||15||
The Creator Himself acts, and causes all to act.
Through the True Word of His Bani, Truth is implanted deep within.
O Nanak, through the Naam, one is blessed with glorious greatness, and throughout the ages, the One Lord is known. ||16||9||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Serve the True Creator Lord.
The Word of the Shabad is the Destroyer of pain.
He is inaccessible and unfathomable; He cannot be evaluated. He Himself is inaccessible and immeasurable. ||1||
The True Lord Himself makes Truth pervasive.
He attaches some humble beings to the Truth.
They serve the True Lord and practice Truth; through the Name, they are absorbed in the True Lord. ||2||
The Primal Lord unites His devotees in His Union.
He attaches them to true devotional worship.
One who sings forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord, through the True Word of His Bani, earns the profit of this life. ||3||
The Gurmukh trades, and understands his own self.
He knows no other than the One Lord.
True is the banker, and True are His traders, who buy the merchandise of the Naam. ||4||
He Himself fashions and creates the Universe.
He inspires a few to realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Those humble beings who serve the True Guru are true. He snaps the noose of death from around their necks. ||5||
He destroys, creates, embellishes and fashions all beings,
and attaches them to duality, attachment and Maya.
The self-willed manmukhs wander around forever, acting blindly. Death has strung his noose around their necks. ||6||
He Himself forgives, and enjoins us to serve the Guru.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Naam comes to dwell within the mind.
Night and day, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the True Lord, and earn the profit of the Naam in this world. ||7||
He Himself is True, and True is His Name.
The Gurmukh bestows it, and enshrines it within the mind.
Noble and exalted are those, within whose mind the Lord abides. Their heads are free of strife. ||8||
He is inaccessible and unfathomable; His value cannot be appraised.
By Guru's Grace, He dwells within the mind.
No one calls that person to account, who praises the Word of the Shabad, the Giver of virtue. ||9||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva serve Him.
Even they cannot find the limits of the unseen, unknowable Lord.
Those who are blessed by Your Glance of Grace, become Gurmukh, and comprehend the incomprehensible. ||10||

The Perfect True Guru has imparted this understanding.
I have enshrined the Naam, the One Name, within my mind.
I chant the Naam, and meditate on the Naam. Singing His Glorious Praises, I enter the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||11||
The servant serves, and obeys the Command of the Infinite Lord.
The self-willed manmukhs do not know the value of the Lord's Command.
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, one is exalted; by His Hukam, one is glorified; by His Hukam, one becomes carefree. ||12||
By Guru's Grace, one recognizes the Lord's Hukam.
The wandering mind is restrained, and brought back to the home of the One Lord.
Imbued with the Naam, one remains forever detached; the jewel of the Naam rests within the mind. ||13||
The One Lord is pervasive throughout all the world.
By Guru's Grace, He is revealed.
Those humble beings who praise the Shabad are immaculate; they dwell within the home of their own inner self. ||14||
The devotees abide forever in Your Sanctuary, Lord.
You are inaccessible and unfathomable; Your value cannot be estimated.
As it pleases Your Will, You keep us; the Gurmukh meditates on the Naam. ||15||
Forever and ever, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
O my True Lord and Master, may I become pleasing to Your Mind.
Nanak offers this true prayer: O Lord, please bless me with Truth, that I may merge in the Truth. ||16||1||10||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Those who serve the True Guru are very fortunate.
Night and day, they remain lovingly attuned to the True Name.
The Lord, the Giver of peace, abides forever deep within their hearts; they delight in the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||
When the Lord grants His Grace, one meets with the Guru.
The Name of the Lord is enshrined within the mind.
The Lord, the Giver of peace, abides forever within the mind; the mind is delighted with the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
When the Lord bestows His Mercy, He unites in His Union.
Egotism and attachment are burned away by the Shabad.
In the Love of the One Lord, one remains liberated forever; he is not in conflict with anyone. ||3||
Without serving the True Guru, there is only pitch-black darkness.
Without the Shabad, no one crosses over to the other side.
Those who are imbued with the Shabad, are very detached. They earn the profit of the True Word of the Shabad. ||4||
Pain and pleasure are pre-ordained by the Creator.
He Himself has caused the love of duality to be pervasive.
One who becomes Gurmukh remains detached; how can anyone trust the self-willed manmukh? ||5||
Those who do not recognize the Shabad are manmukhs.
They do not know the essence of the Fear of the Guru.
Without this Fear, how can anyone find the Fearless True Lord? The Messenger of Death will pull the breath out. ||6||
The invulnerable Messenger of Death cannot be killed.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad prevents him from approaching.
When he hears the Word of the Shabad, he runs far away. He is afraid that the self-sufficient Dear Lord will kill him. ||7||
The Dear Lord is the Ruler above all.
What can this wretched Messenger of Death do?
As slave to the Hukam of the Lord's Command, the mortal acts according to His Hukam. According to His Hukam, he is deprived of his breath. ||8||
The Gurmukh realizes that the True Lord created the creation.
The Gurmukh knows that the Lord has expanded the entire expanse.
One who becomes Gurmukh, understands the True Lord. Through the True Word of the Shabad, he finds peace. ||9||
The Gurmukh knows that the Lord is the Architect of karma.

Throughout the four ages, he recognizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The Gurmukh does not die, the Gurmukh is not reborn; the Gurmukh is immersed in the Shabad. ||10||
The Gurmukh praises the Naam, and the Shabad.
God is inaccessible, unfathomable and self-sufficient.
The Naam, the Name of the One Lord, saves and redeems throughout the four ages. Through the Shabad, one trades in the Naam. ||11||
The Gurmukh obtains eternal peace and tranqulity.
The Gurmukh enshrines the Naam within his heart.
One who becomes Gurmukh recognizes the Naam, and the noose of evil-mindedness is snapped. ||12||
The Gurmukh wells up from, and then merges back into Truth.
He does not die and take birth, and is not consigned to reincarnation.
The Gurmukh remains forever imbued with the color of the Lord's Love. Night and day, he earns a profit. ||13||
The Gurmukhs, the devotees, are exalted and beautified in the Court of the Lord.
They are embellished with the True Word of His Bani, and the Word of the Shabad.
Night and day, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, day and night, and they intuitively go to their own home. ||14||
The Perfect True Guru proclaims the Shabad;
night and day, remain lovingly attuned to devotional worship.
One who sings forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord, becomes immaculate; Immaculate are the Glorious Praises of the Sovereign Lord . ||15||
The True Lord is the Giver of virtue.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, understand this.
Servant Nanak praises the Naam; he blossoms forth in the ecstasy of the Name of the self-sufficient Lord. ||16||2||11||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Serve the Dear Lord, the inaccessible and infinite.
He has no end or limitation.
By Guru's Grace, one who dwells upon the Lord deep within his heart - his heart is filled with infinite wisdom. ||1||
The One Lord is pervading and permeating amidst all.
By Guru's Grace, He is revealed.
The Life of the world nurtures and cherishes all, giving sustenance to all. ||2||
The Perfect True Guru has imparted this understanding.
By the Hukam of His Command, He created the entire Universe.
Whoever submits to His Command, finds peace; His Command is above the heads of kings and emperors. ||3||
True is the True Guru. Infinite is the Word of His Shabad.
Through His Shabad, the world is saved.
The Creator Himself created the creation; He gazes upon it, and blesses it with breath and nourishment. ||4||
Out of millions, only a few understand.
Imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are colored in His Love.
They praise the Lord, the Giver of peace forever; the Lord forgives His devotees, and blesses them with His Praise. ||5||
Those humble beings who serve the True Guru are true.
The falsest of the false die, only to be reborn.
The inaccessible, unfathomable, self-sufficient, incomprehensible Lord is the Lover of His devotees. ||6||
The Perfect True Guru implants Truth within.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, they sing His Glorious Praises forever.
The Giver of virtue is pervading deep within the nucleus of all beings; He inscribes the time of destiny upon each and every person's head. ||7||
The Gurmukh knows that God is always ever-present.
That humble being who serves the Shabad, is comforted and fulfilled.
Night and day, he serves the True Word of the Guru's Bani; he delights in the True Word of the Shabad. ||8||
The ignorant and blind cling to all sorts of rituals.
They stubborn-mindedly perform these rituals, and are consigned to reincarnation.

For the sake of poison, they act in greed and possessiveness, and evil-minded duality. ||9||
The Perfect True Guru implants devotional worship within.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he lovingly centers his consciousness on the Lord's Name.
The Lord pervades his mind, body and heart; deep within, his mind is drenched with devotional worship and praise of the Lord. ||10||
My True Lord God is the Destroyer of demons.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, His devotees are saved.
My True Lord God is forever True. He is the Emperor over the heads of kings. ||11||
True are those devotees, who are pleasing to Your Mind.
They sing the Kirtan of His Praises at His Door; they are embellished and exalted by the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Night and day, they sing the True Word of His Bani. The Naam is the wealth of the poor. ||12||
Those whom You unite, Lord, are never separated again.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they praise You forever.
You are the One Lord and Master over all. Through the Shabad, the Naam is praised. ||13||
Without the Shabad, no one knows You.
You Yourself speak the Unspoken Speech.
You Yourself are the Shabad forever, the Guru, the Great Giver; chanting the Lord's Name, You bestow Your treasure. ||14||
You Yourself are the Creator of the Universe.
No one can erase what You have written.
You Yourself bless the Gurmukh with the Naam, who is no longer skeptical, and is not held to account. ||15||
Your true devotees stand at the Door of Your Court.
They serve the Shabad with love and affection.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam remain detached; through the Naam, their affairs are resolved. ||16||3||12||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
My True Lord God has staged a play.
He has created no one like anyone else.
He made them different, and he gazes upon them with pleasure; he placed all the flavors in the body. ||1||
You Yourself vibrate the beat of the breath.
Shiva and Shakti, energy and matter - You have placed them into the body.
By Guru's Grace, one turns away from the world, and attains the jewel of spiritual wisdom, and the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
He Himself created darkness and light.
He alone is pervasive; there is no other at all.
One who realizes his own self - by Guru's Grace, the lotus of his mind blossoms forth. ||3||
Only He Himself knows His depth and extent.
Other people can only listen and hear what is spoken and said.
One who is spiritually wise, understands himself as Gurmukh; he praises the True Lord. ||4||
Deep within the body is the priceless object.
He Himself opens the doors.
The Gurmukh intuitively drings in the Ambrosial Nectar, and the fire of desire is quenched. ||5||
He placed all the flavors within the body.
How rare are those who understand, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
So search within yourself, and praise the Shabad. Why run around outside your self? ||6||
Without tasting, no one enjoys the flavor.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
The Ambrosial Nectar is drunk, and the immoral status is obtained, when one obtains the sublime essence of the Guru's Shabad. ||7||
One who realizes himself, knows all virtues.

Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he chants the Name of the Lord.
Night and day, he remains imbued with the Naam, day and night; he is rid of emotional attachment to Maya. ||8||
Serving the Guru, all things are obtained;
egotism, possessiveness and self-conceit are taken away.
The Lord, the Giver of peace Himself grants His Grace; He exalts and adorns with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||9||
The Guru's Shabad is the Ambrosial Bani.
Night and day, chant the Name of the Lord.
That heart becomes immaculate, which is filled with the True Lord, Har, Har. ||10||
His servants serve, and praise His Shabad.
Imbued forever with the color of His Love, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
He Himself forgives, and unites them with the Shabad; the fragrance of sandalwood permeates their minds. ||11||
Through the Shabad, they speak the Unspoken, and praise the Lord.
My True Lord God is self-sufficient.
The Giver of virtue Himself unites them with the Shabad; they enjoy the sublime essence of the Shabad. ||12||
The confused, self-willed manmukhs find no place of rest.
They do those deeds which they are pre-destined to do.
Imbued with poison, they search out poison, and suffer the pains of death and rebirth. ||13||
He Himself praises Himself.
Your Glorious Virtues are within You alone, God.
You Yourself are True, and True is the Word of Your Bani. You Yourself are invisible and unknowable. ||14||
Without the Guru, the Giver, no one finds the Lord,
though one may make hundreds of thousands and millions of attempts.
By Guru's Grace, He dwells deep within the heart; through the Shabad, praise the True Lord. ||15||
They alone meet Him, whom the Lord unites with Himself.
They are adorned and exalted with the True Word of His Bani, and the Shabad.
Servant Nanak continually sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord; singing His Glories, he is immersed in the Glorious Lord of Virtue. ||16||4||13||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
The One Lord is eternal and unchanging, forever True.
Through the Perfect Guru, this understanding is obtained.
Those who are drenched with the sublime essence of the Lord, meditate forever on Him; following the Guru's Teachings, they obtain the armor of humility. ||1||
Deep within, they love the True Lord forever.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they love the Lord's Name.
The Naam, the embodiment of the nine treasures, abides within their hearts; they renounce the profit of Maya. ||2||
Both the king and his subjects are involved in evil-mindedness and duality.
Without serving the True Guru, they do not become one with the Lord.
Those who meditate on the One Lord find eternal peace. Their power is eternal and unfailing. ||3||
No one can save them from coming and going.
Birth and death come from Him.
The Gurmukh meditates forever on the True Lord. Emancipation and liberation are obtained from Him. ||4||
Truth and self-control are found through the Door of the True Guru.
Egotism and anger are silenced through the Shabad.
Serving the True Guru, lasting peace is found; humility and contentment all come from Him. ||5||
Out of egotism and attachment, the Universe welled up.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all the world perishes.
Without serving the True Guru, the Naam is not obtained. The Naam is the True profit in this world. ||6||
True is His Will, beauteous and pleasing through the Word of the Shabad.
The Panch Shabad, the five primal sounds, vibrate and resonate.

Through the True Name, one's actions are forever embellished. Without the Shabad, what can anyone do? ||7||
One instant, he laughs, and the next instant, he cries.
Because of duality and evil-mindedness, his affairs are not resolved.
Union and separation are pre-ordained by the Creator. Actions already committed cannot be taken back. ||8||
One who lives the Word of the Guru's Shabad becomes Jivan Mukta - liberated while yet alive.
He remains forever immersed in the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, one is blessed with glorious greatness; he is not afflicted by the disease of egotism. ||9||
Eating tasty delicacies, he fattens up his body
and wears religious robes, but he does not live to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Deep with the nucleus of his being is the great disease; he suffers terrible pain, and eventually sinks into the manure. ||10||
He reads and studies the Vedas, and argues about them;
God is within his own heart, but he does not recognize the Word of the Shabad.
One who becomes Gurmukh churns the essence of reality; his tongue savors the sublime essence of the Lord. ||11||
Those who forsake the object within their own hearts, wander outside.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not taste the flavor of God.
Imbued with the taste of another, their tongues speak tasteless, insipid words. They never taste the sublime essence of the Lord. ||12||
The self-willed manmukh has doubt as his spouse.
He dies of evil-mindedness, and suffers forever.
His mind is attached to sexual desire, anger and duality, and he does not find peace, even in dreams. ||13||
The body becomes golden, with the Word of the Shabad as its spouse.
Night and day, enjoy the enjoyments, and be in love with the Lord.
Deep within the mansion of the self, one finds the Lord, who transcends this mansion. Realizing His Will, we merge in Him. ||14||
The Great Giver Himself gives.
No one has any power to stand against Him.
He Himself forgives, and unites us with the Shabad; The Word of His Shabad is unfathomable. ||15||
Body and soul, all belong to Him.
The True Lord is my only Lord and Master.
O Nanak, through the Word of the Guru's Bani, I have found the Lord. Chanting the Lord's Chant, I merge in Him. ||16||5||14||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukh contemplates the sound current of the Naad instead of the Vedas.
The Gurmukh attains infinite spiritual wisdom and meditation.
The Gurmukh acts in harmony with God's Will; the Gurmukh finds perfection. ||1||
The mind of the Gurmukh turns away from the world.
The Gurmukh vibrates the Naad, the sound current of the Guru's Bani.
The Gurmukh, attuned to the Truth, remains detached, and dwells in the home of the self deep within. ||2||
I speak the Ambrosial Teachings of the Guru.
I lovingly chant the Truth, through the True Word of the Shabad.
My mind remains forever imbued with the Love of the True Lord. I am immersed in the Truest of the True. ||3||
Immaculate and pure is the mind of the Gurmukh, who bathes in the Pool of Truth.
No filth attaches to him; he merges in the True Lord.
He truly practices Truth forever; true devotion is implanted within him. ||4||
True is the speech of the Gurmukh; true are the eyes of the Gurmukh.
The Gurmukh practices and lives the Truth.
He speaks the Truth forever, day and night, and inspires others to speak the Truth. ||5||
True and exalted is the speech of the Gurmukh.
The Gurmukh speaks Truth, only Truth.
The Gurmukh serves the Truest of the True forever; the Gurmukh proclaims the Word of the Shabad. ||6||

One who becomes Gurmukh understands.
He rids himself of egotism, Maya and doubt.
He ascends the sublime, exalted ladder of the Guru, and he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord at His True Door. ||7||
The Gurmukh practices true self-control, and acts in excellence.
The Gurmukh obtains the gate of salvation.
Through loving devotion, he remains forever imbued with the Lord's Love; eradicating self-conceit, he merges in the Lord. ||8||
One who becomes Gurmukh examines his own mind, and instructs others.
He is lovingly attuned to the True Name forever.
They act in harmony with the Mind of the True Lord. ||9||
As it pleases His Will, He unites us with the True Guru.
As it pleases His Will, He comes to dwell within the mind.
As it pleases His Will, He imbues us with His Love; as it pleases His Will, He comes to dwell in the mind. ||10||
Those who act stubborn-mindedly are destroyed.
Wearing all sorts of religious robes, they do not please the Lord.
Tinged by corruption, they earn only pain; they are immersed in pain. ||11||
One who becomes Gurmukh earns peace.
He comes to understand death and birth.
One who looks alike upon death and birth, is pleasing to my God. ||12||
The Gurmukh, while remaining dead, is respected and approved.
He realizes that coming and going are according to God's Will.
He does not die, he is not reborn, and he does not suffer in pain; his mind merges in the Mind of God. ||13||
Very fortunate are those who find the True Guru.
They eradicate egotism and attachment from within.
Their minds are immaculate, and they are never again stained with filth. They are honored at the Door of the True Court. ||14||
He Himself acts, and inspires all to act.
He Himself watches over all; He establishes and disestablishes.
The service of the Gurmukh is pleasing to my God; one who listens to the Truth is approved. ||15||
The Gurmukh practices Truth, and only Truth.
The Gurmukh is immaculate; no filth attaches to him.
O Nanak, those who contemplate the Naam are imbued with it. They merge in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||16||1||15||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
He Himself fashioned the Universe, through the Hukam of His Command.
He Himself establishes and disestablishes, and embellishes with grace.
The True Lord Himself administers all justice; through Truth, we merge in the True Lord. ||1||
The body takes the form of a fortress.
Emotional attachment to Maya has expanded throughout its expanse.
Without the Word of the Shabad, the body is reduced to a pile of ashes; in the end, dust mingles with dust. ||2||
The body is the infinite fortress of gold;
it is permeated by the Infinite Word of the Shabad.
The Gurmukh sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord forever; meeting his Beloved, he finds peace. ||3||
The body is the temple of the Lord; the Lord Himself embellishes it.
The Dear Lord dwells within it.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the merchants trade, and in His Grace, the Lord merges them with Himself. ||4||
He alone is pure, who eradicates anger.
He realizes the Shabad, and reforms himself.
The Creator Himself acts, and inspires all to act; He Himself abides in the mind. ||5||
Pure and unique is devotional worship.
The mind and body are washed clean, contemplating the Shabad.

One who remains forever imbued with His Love, night and day - in His Mercy, the Lord inspires him to perform devotional worship service. ||6||
In this temple of the mind, the mind wanders around.
Discarding joy like straw, it suffers in terrible pain.
Without meeting the True Guru, it finds no place of rest; He Himself has staged this play. ||7||
He Himself is infinite; He contemplates Himself.
He Himself bestows Union through actions of excellence.
What can the poor creatures do? Granting forgiveness, He unites them with Himself. ||8||
The Perfect Lord Himself unites them with the True Guru.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, he makes them brave spiritual heroes.
Uniting them with Himself, He bestows glorious greatness; He inspires them to focus their consciousness on the True Lord. ||9||
The True Lord is deep within the heart.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, realize this.
The treasure of the Naam abides deep within their hearts; they meditate on the Naam with their tongues. ||10||
He wanders through foreign lands, but does not look within himself.
Attached to Maya, he is bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death.
The noose of death around his neck will never be untied; in the love of duality, he wanders in reincarnation. ||11||
There is no real chanting, meditation, penance or self-control,
as long as one does not live to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Accepting the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one obtains Truth; through Truth, one merges in the True Lord. ||12||
Sexual desire and anger are very powerful in the world.
They lead to all sorts of actions, but these only add to all the pain.
Those who serve the True Guru find peace; they are united with the True Shabad. ||13||
Air, water and fire make up the body.
Emotional attachment to Maya rules deep within all.
When one realizes the One who created him, emotional attachment to Maya is dispelled. ||14||
Some are engrossed in emotional attachment to Maya and pride.
They are self-conceited and egotistical.
They never think about the Messenger of Death; in the end, they leave, regretting and repenting. ||15||
He alone knows the Way, who created it.
The Gurmukh, who is blessed with the Shabad, realizes Him.
Slave Nanak offers ths prayer; O Lord, let my consciousness be attached to the True Name. ||16||2||16||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, the Merciful Lord has been the Great Giver.
Through the Shabad, the Word of the Perfect Guru, He is realized.
Those who serve You are immersed in You. You unite them in Union with Yourself. ||1||
You are inaccessible and unfathomable; Your limits cannot be found.
All beings and creatures seek Your Sanctuary.
As is pleases Your Will, You guide us along; You Yourself place us on the Path. ||2||
The True Lord is, and shall always be.
He Himself creates - there is no other at all.
The Giver of peace takes care of all; He Himself sustains them. ||3||
You are inaccessible, unfathomable, invisible and infinite;
no one knows Your extent.
You Yourself realize Yourself. Through the Guru's Teachings, You reveal Yourself. ||4||
Your Almighty Command prevails throughout the nether worlds, realms and worlds of form.

By the Hukam of Your Command, You create, and by Your Command, You destroy. By Your Command, You unite in Union. ||5||
One who realizes Your Command, praises Your Command.
You are Inaccessible, Unfathomable and Self-Sufficient.
As is the understanding You give, so do I become. You Yourself reveal the Shabad. ||6||
Night and day, the days of our lives wear away.
Night and day both bear witness to this loss.
The blind, foolish, self-willed manmukh is not aware of this; death is hovering over his head. ||7||
The mind and body are cooled and soothed, holding tight to the Guru's Feet.
Doubt is eliminated from within, and fear runs away.
One is in bliss forever, singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord, and speaking the True Word of His Bani. ||8||
One who knows You as the Architect of Karma,
has the good fortune of perfect destiny, and recognizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The Lord, the Truest of the True, is his social class and honor. Conquering his ego, he is united with the Lord. ||9||
The stubborn and insensitive mind is attached to the love of duality.
Deluded by doubt, the unfortunate wander around in confusion.
But if they are blessed by God's Grace, they serve the True Guru, and easily obtain peace. ||10||
He Himself created the 8.4 million species of beings.
Only in this human life, is devotional worship to the Guru implanted within.
Without devotion, one lives in manure; he falls into manure again and again. ||11||
If one is blessed with His Grace, devotional worship to the Guru is implanted within.
Without God's Grace, how can anyone find Him?
The Creator Himself acts, and inspires all to act; as He wills, he leads us on. ||12||
The Simritees and the Shaastras do not know His limits.
The blind fool does not recognize the essence of reality.
The Creator Himself acts, and inspires all to act; He Himself deludes with doubt. ||13||
He Himself causes everything to be done.
He Himself joins each and every person to his tasks.
He Himself establishes and disestablishes, and watches over all; He reveals Himself to the Gurmukh. ||14||
The True Lord and Master is profoundly deep and unfathomable.
Praising Him forever, the mind is comforted and consoled.
He is inaccessible and unfathomable; His value cannot be estimated. He dwells in the mind of the Gurmukh. ||15||
He Himself is detached; all others are entangled in their affairs.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to understand Him.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell deep within the heart; through the Guru's Teachings, one is united in His Union. ||16||3||17||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
For thirty-six ages, utter darkness prevailed.
Only You Yourself know this, O Creator Lord.
What can anyone else say? What can anyone explain? Only You Yourself can estimate Your worth. ||1||
The One Universal Creator created the entire Universe.
All the plays and dramas are to Your glory and greatness.
The True Lord Himself makes all distinctions; He Himself breaks and builds. ||2||
The Juggler has staged His juggling show.
Through the Perfect Guru, one comes to behold it.
One who remains forever detached in the Word of the Guru's Shabad - his consciousness is attuned to the True Lord. ||3||
The musical instruments of the body vibrate and resound.
The Player Himself plays them.
The breath flows equally through the hearts of each and every being. Receiving the breath, all the instruments sing. ||4||

Whatever the Creator does, surely comes to pass.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, egotism is consumed.
By Guru's Grace, some are blessed with glorious greatness; they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||5||
There is no other profit as great as service to the Guru.
The Naam abides within my mind, and I praise the Naam.
The Naam is forever the Giver of peace. Through the Naam, we earn the profit. ||6||
Without the Name, all the world suffers in misery.
The more actions one does, the more the corruption increases.
Without serving the Naam, how can anyone find peace? Without the Naam, one suffers in pain. ||7||
He Himself acts, and inspires all to act.
By Guru's Grace, He reveals Himself to a few.
One who becomes Gurmukh breaks his bonds, and attains the home of liberation. ||8||
One who calculates his accounts, burns in the world.
His skepticism and corruption are never dispelled.
One who becomes Gurmukh abandons his calculations; through Truth, we merge in the True Lord. ||9||
If God grants Truth, then we may attain it.
By Guru's Grace, it is revealed.
One who praises the True Name, and remains imbued with the Lord's Love, by Guru's Grace, finds peace. ||10||
The Beloved Naam, the Name of the Lord, is chanting, meditation, penance and self-control.
God, the Destroyer, destroys sins.
Through the Name of the Lord, the body and mind are cooled and soothed, and one is intuitively, easily absorbed into the Celestial Lord. ||11||
With greed within them, their minds are filthy, and they spread filth around.
They do filthy deeds, and suffer in pain.
They deal in falsehood, and nothing but falsehood; telling lies, they suffer in pain. ||12||
Rare is that person who enshrines the Immaculate Bani of the Guru's Word within his mind.
By Guru's Grace, his skepticism is removed.
He walks in harmony with the Guru's Will, day and night; remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he finds peace. ||13||
The True Lord Himself is the Creator.
He Himself creates and destroys.
One who becomes Gurmukh, praises the Lord forever. Meeting the True Lord, he finds peace. ||14||
Making countless efforts, sexual desire is not overcome.
Everyone is burning in the fires of sexuality and anger.
Serving the True Guru, one brings his mind under control; conquering his mind, he merges in the Mind of God. ||15||
You Yourself created the sense of 'mine' and 'yours.'
All creatures are Yours; You created all beings.
O Nanak, contemplate the Naam forever; through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord abides in the mind. ||16||4||18||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
The Dear Lord is the Giver, inaccessible and unfathomable.
He does not have even an iota of greed; He is self-sufficient.
No one can reach up to Him; He Himself unites in His Union. ||1||
Whatever He does, surely comes to pass.
There is no other Giver, except for Him.
Whoever the Lord blesses with His gift, obtains it. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He unites him with Himself. ||2||
The fourteen worlds are Your markets.
The True Guru reveals them, along with one's inner being.
One who deals in the Name, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, obtains it. ||3||

Serving the True Guru, one obtains intuitive bliss.
The Lord of the Universe comes to dwell within the heart.
He intuitively practices devotional worship day and night; God Himself practices devotional worship. ||4||
Those who are separated from the True Guru, suffer in misery.
Night and day, they are punished, and they suffer in total agony.
Their faces are blackened, and they do not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. They suffer in sorrow and agony. ||5||
Those who serve the True Guru are very fortunate.
They intuitively enshrine love for the True Lord.
They practice Truth, forever Truth; they are united in Union with the True Lord. ||6||
He alone obtains the Truth, unto whom the True Lord gives it.
His inner being is filled with Truth, and his doubt is dispelled.
The True Lord Himself is the Giver of Truth; he alone obtains the Truth, unto whom He gives it. ||7||
He Himself is the Creator of all.
Only one whom He instructs, understands Him.
He Himself forgives, and grants glorious greatness. He himself unites in His Union. ||8||
Acting egotistically, one loses his life.
Even in the world hereafter, emotioal attachment to Maya does not leave him.
In the world hereafter, the Messenger of Death calls him to account, and crushes him like sesame seeds in the oil-press. ||9||
By perfect destiny, one serves the Guru.
If God grants His Grace, then one serves.
The Messenger of Death cannot even approach him, and in the Mansion of the True Lord's Presence, he finds peace. ||10||
They alone find peace, who are pleasing to Your Will.
By perfect destiny, they are attached to the Guru's service.
All glorious greatness rests in Your Hands; he alone obtains it, unto whom You give it. ||11||
Through the Guru, one's inner being is enlightened and illumined.
The wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to dwell in the mind.
The jewel of spiritual wisdom ever illumines the heart, and the darkness of spiritual ignorance is dispelled. ||12||
The blind and ignorant are attached to duality.
The unfortunates are drowned without water, and die.
When they depart from the world, they do not find the Lord's door and home; bound and gagged at Death's door, they suffer in pain. ||13||
Without serving the True Guru, no one finds liberation.
Go ask any spiritual teacher or meditator.
Whoever serves the True Guru is blessed with glorious greatness, and honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||14||
One who serves the True Guru, the Lord merges into Himself.
Cutting away attachment, one lovingly focuses on the True Lord.
The merchants deal forever in Truth; they earn the profit of the Naam. ||15||
The Creator Himself acts, and inspires all to act.
He alone is liberated, who dies in the Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, the Naam dwells deep within the mind; meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||16||5||19||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Whatever You do, is done.
How rare are those who walk in harmony with the Lord's Will.
One who surrenders to the Lord's Will finds peace; he finds peace in the Lord's Will. ||1||
Your Will is pleasing to the Gurmukh.
Practicing Truth, he intuitively finds peace.
Many long to walk in harmony with the Lord's Will; He Himself inspires us to surrender to His Will. ||2||
One who surrenders to Your Will, meets with You, Lord.

One who is pleased with Your Will is immersed in You.
Glorious greatness rests in God's Will; rare are those who accept it. ||3||
When it pleases His Will, He leads us to meet the Guru.
The Gurmukh finds the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By Your Will, You created the whole Universe; those whom You bless with Your favor are pleased with Your Will. ||4||
The blind, self-willed manmukhs practice cleverness.
They do not surrender to the Lord's Will, and suffer terrible pain.
Deluded by doubt, they come and go in reincarnation; they never find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. ||5||
The True Guru brings Union, and grants glorious greatness.
The Primal Lord ordained service to the True Guru.
Serving the True Guru, the Naam is obtained. Through the Naam, one finds peace. ||6||
Everything wells up from the Naam, and through the Naam, perishes.
By Guru's Grace, the mind and body are pleased with the Naam.
Meditating on the Naam, the tongue is drenched with the Lord's sublime essence. Through this essence, the Essence is obtained. ||7||
Rare are those who find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence within the mansion of their own body.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they lovingly focus their consciousness on the True Lord.
Whoever the Lord blesses with Truth obtains Truth; he merges in Truth, and only Truth. ||8||
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mind and body suffer in pain.
Attached to the love of Maya, he earns nothing but disease.
Without the Name, his mind and body are afflicted with leprosy, and he obtains his home in hell. ||9||
Those who are imbued with the Naam - their bodies are immaculate and pure.
Their soul-swan is immaculate, and in the Lord's Love, they find eternal peace.
Praising the Naam, they find eternal peace, and dwell in the home of their own inner being. ||10||
Everyone deals and trades.
Without the Name, all the world loses.
Naked they come, and naked they go; without the Name, they suffer in pain. ||11||
He alone obtains the Naam, unto whom the Lord gives it.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
By Guru's Grace, the Naam dwells deep within the heart, and one meditates upon the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||12||
Everyone who comes into the world, longs for the Name.
They alone are blessed with the Name, whose past actions were so ordained by the Primal Lord.
Those who obtain the Name are very fortunate. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they are united with God. ||13||
Utterly incomparable is the fortress of the body.
Within it, God sits in contemplation.
He administers true justice, and trades in Truth; through Him, one finds the eternal, unchanging dwelling. ||14||
Deep within the inner self are glorious homes and beautiful places.
But rare is that person who, as Gurmukh, finds these places.
If one stays in these places, and praises the True Lord, the True Lord comes to dwell in the mind. ||15||
My Creator Lord has formed this formation.
He has placed everything within this body.
O Nanak, those who deal in the Naam are imbued with His Love. The Gurmukh obtains the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||16||6||20||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
Contemplating the Word of the Shabad, the body becomes golden.
The Lord abides there; He has no end or limitation.
Night and day, serve the Lord, and chant the True Word of the Guru's Bani. Through the Shabad, meet the Dear Lord. ||1||

I am a sacrifice to those who remember the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I unite in Union with the Lord.
I touch the dust of their feet to my face and forehead; sitting in the Society of the Saints, I sing His Glorious Praises. ||2||
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, as I am pleasing to the Lord God.
With the Lord's Name deep within my inner being, I am adorned with the Word of the Shabad.
The Word of the Guru's Bani is heard throughout the four corners of the world; through it, we merge in the True Name. ||3||
That humble being, who searches within himself, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, sees the Lord with his eyes.
Through the Guru's Shabad, he applies the ointment of spiritual wisdom to his eyes; the Gracious Lord, in His Grace, unites him with Himself. ||4||
By great good fortune, I obtained this body;
in this human life, I have focused my consciousness on the Word of the Shabad.
Without the Shabad, everything is enveloped in utter darkness; only the Gurmukh understands. ||5||
Some merely waste away their lives - why have they even come into the world?
The self-willed manmukhs are attached to the love of duality.
This opportunity shall not into their hands again; their foot slips, and they come to regret and repent. ||6||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the body is sanctified.
The True Lord, the ocean of virtue, dwells within it.
One who sees the Truest of the True everywhere, hears the Truth, and enshrines it within his mind. ||7||
Egotism and mental calculations are relieved through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Keep the Dear Lord close, and enshrine Him in your heart.
One who praises the Lord forever, through the Guru's Shabad, meets with the True Lord, and finds peace. ||8||
He alone remembers the Lord, whom the Lord inspires to remember.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He comes to dwell in the mind.
He Himself sees, and He Himself understands; He merges all into Himself. ||9||
He alone knows, who has placed the object within his mind.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he comes to understand himself.
That humble being who understands himself is immaculate. He proclaims the Guru's Bani, and the Word of the Shabad. ||10||
This body is sanctified and purified;
through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it contemplates the Lord, the ocean of virtue.
One who chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord night and day, and remains attuned to His Love, chants His Glorious Virtues, immersed in the Glorious Lord. ||11||
This body is the source of all Maya;
in love with duality, it is deluded by doubt.
It does not remember the Lord, and suffers in eternal pain. Without remembering the Lord, it suffers in pain. ||12||
One who serves the True Guru is approved and respected.
His body and soul-swan are immaculate and pure; in the Court of the Lord, he is known to be true.
He serves the Lord, and enshrines the Lord in his mind; he is exalted, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||13||
Without good destiny, no one can serve the True Guru.
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded, and die weeping and wailing.
Those who are blessed by the Guru's Glance of Grace - the Dear Lord unites them with Himself. ||14||
In the body fortress, are the solidly-constructed markets.
The Gurmukh purchases the object, and takes care of it.
Meditating on the Name of the Lord, day and night, he attains the sublime, exalted status. ||15||
The True Lord Himself is the Giver of peace.
Through the Shabad of the Perfect Guru, He is realized.
Nanak praises the Naam, the True Name of the Lord; through perfect destiny, He is found. ||16||7||21||

Maaroo, Third Mehl:
The Formless Lord created the universe of form.
By the Hukam of His Command, He created attachment to Maya.
The Creator Himself stages all the plays; hearing of the True Lord, enshrine Him in your mind. ||1||
Maya, the mother, gave birth to the three gunas, the three qualities,
and proclaimed the four Vedas to Brahma.
Creating the years, months, days and dates, He infused intelligence into the world. ||2||
Service to the Guru is the most excellent action.
Enshrine the Lord's Name within your heart.
The Word of the Guru's Bani prevails throughout the world; through this Bani, the Lord's Name is obtained. ||3||
He reads the Vedas, but he starts arguments night and day.
He does not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he is bound and gagged by the Messenger of Death.
In the love of duality, he suffers in pain forever; he is deluded by doubt, and confused by the three gunas. ||4||
The Gurmukh is in love with the One Lord alone;
he submerges in his mind the three-phased desire.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, he is liberated forever; he renounces emotional attachment to Maya. ||5||
Those who are so pre-ordained to be imbued, are imbued with love for the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, they are intuitively intoxicated.
Serving the True Guru forever, they find God; He Himself unites them with Himself. ||6||
In attachment to Maya and doubt, the Lord is not found.
Attached to the love of duality, one suffers in pain.
The crimson color lasts for only a few days; all too soon, it fades away. ||7||
So color this mind in the Fear and the Love of God.
Dyed in this color, one merges in the True Lord.
By perfect destiny, some may obtain this color. Through the Guru's Teachings, this color is applied. ||8||
The self-willed manmukhs take great pride in themselves.
In the Court of the Lord, they are never honored.
Attached to duality, they waste their lives; without understanding, they suffer in pain. ||9||
My God has hidden Himself deep within the self.
By Guru's Grace, one is united in the Lord's Union.
God is True, and True is His trade, through which the priceless Naam is obtained. ||10||
No one has found this body's value.
My Lord and Master has worked His handiwork.
One who becomes Gurmukh purifies his body, and then the Lord unites him with Himself. ||11||
Within the body, one loses, and within the body, one wins.
The Gurmukh seeks the self-sustaining Lord.
The Gurmukh trades, and finds peace forever; he intuitively merges in the Celestial Lord. ||12||
True is the Lord's Mansion, and True is His treasure.
The Great Giver Himself gives.
The Gurmukh praises the Giver of peace; his mind is united with the Lord, and he comes to know His worth. ||13||
Within the body is the object; its value cannot be estimated.
He Himself grants glorious greatness to the Gurmukh.
He alone knows this object, to whom this store belongs; the Gurmukh is blessed with it, and does not come to regret. ||14||
The Dear Lord is pervading and permeating all.
By Guru's Grace, He is found.
He Himself unites in His Union; through the Word of the Shabad, one intuitively merges with Him. ||15||

The True Lord Himself unites us in the Word of His Shabad.
Within the Shabad, doubt is driven out.
O Nanak, He blesses us with His Naam, and throgh the Naam, peace is found. ||16||8||22||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
He is inaccessible, unfathomable and self-sustaining.
He Himself is merciful, inaccessible and unlimited.
No one can reach up to Him; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is met. ||1||
He alone serves You, who pleases You.
Through the Guru's Shabad, he merges in the True Lord.
Night and day, he chants the Lord's Praises, day and night; his tongue savors and delights in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||
Those who die in the Shabad - their death is exalted and glorified.
They enshrine the Lord's Glories in their hearts.
Holding tight to the Guru's feet, their lives becomes prosperous, and they are rid of the love of duality. ||3||
The Dear Lord unites them in Union with Himself.
Through the Guru's Shabad, self-conceit is dispelled.
Those who remain attuned to devotional worship to the Lord, night and day, earn the profit in this world. ||4||
What Glorious Virtues of Yours should I describe? I cannot describe them.
You have no end or limitation. Your value cannot be estimated.
When the Giver of peace Himself bestows His Mercy, the virtuous are absorbed in virtue. ||5||
In this world, emotional attachment is spread all over.
The ignorant, self-willed manmukh is immersed in utter darkness.
Chasing after worldly affairs, he wastes away his life in vain; without the Name, he suffers in pain. ||6||
If God grants His Grace, then one finds the True Guru.
Through the Shabad, the filth of egotism is burned away.
The mind becomes immaculate, and the jewel of spiritual wisdom brings enlightenment; the darkness of spiritual ignorance is dispelled. ||7||
Your Names are countless; Your value cannot be estimated.
I enshrine the Lord's True Name within my heart.
Who can estimate Your value, God? You are immersed and absorbed in Yourself. ||8||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is priceless, inaccessible and infinite.
No one can weigh it.
You Yourself weigh, and estimate all; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, You unite, when the weight is perfect. ||9||
Your servant serves, and offers this prayer.
Please, let me sit near You, and unite me with Yourself.
You are the Giver of peace to all beings; by perfect karma, we meditate on You. ||10||
Chastity, truth and self-control come by practicing and living the Truth.
This mind becomes immaculate and pure, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
In this world of poison, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained, if it pleases my Dear Lord. ||11||
He alone understands, whom God inspires to understand.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, one's inner being is awakened.
Egotism and possessiveness are silenced and subdued, and one intuitively finds the True Lord. ||12||
Without good karma, countless others wander around.
They die, and die again, only to be reborn; they cannot escape the cycle of reincarnation.
Imbued with poison, they practice poison and corruption, and they never find peace. ||13||
Many disguise themselves with religious robes.
Without the Shabad, no one has conquered egotism.
One who remains dead while yet alive is liberated, and merges in the True Name. ||14||
Spiritual ignorance and desire burn this human body.

He alone puts out this fire, who practices and lives the Guru's Shabad.
His body and mind are cooled and soothed, and his anger is silenced; conquering egotism, he merges in the Lord. ||15||
True is the Lord and Master, and True is His glorious greatness.
By Guru's Grace, a rare few attain this.
Nanak offers this one prayer: through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, may I merge in the Lord. ||16||1||23||
Maaroo, Third Mehl:
By Your Grace, please unite with Your devotees.
Your devotees ever praise You, lovingly focusing on You.
In Your Sanctuary, they are saved, O Creator Lord; You unite them in Union with Yourself. ||1||
Sublime and exalted is devotion to the Perfect Word of the Shabad.
Peace prevails within; they are pleasing to Your Mind.
One whose mind and body are imbued with true devotion, focuses his consciousness on the True Lord. ||2||
In egotism, the body is forever burning.
When God grants His Grace, one meets the Perfect Guru.
The Shabad dispels the spiritual ignorance within, and through the True Guru, one finds peace. ||3||
The blind, self-willed manmukh acts blindly.
He is in terrible trouble, and wanders in reincarnation.
He can never snap the noose of Death, and in the end, he suffers in horrible pain. ||4||
Through the Shabad, one's comings and goings in reincarnation are ended.
He keeps the True Name enshrined within his heart.
He dies in the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and conquers his mind; stilling his egotism, he merges in the Lord. ||5||
Coming and going, the people of the world are wasting away.
Without the True Guru, no one finds permanence and stability.
The Shabad shines its Light deep within the self, and one dwells in peace; one's light merges into the Light. ||6||
The five demons think of evil and corruption.
The expanse is the manifestation of emotional attachment to Maya.
Serving the True Guru, one is liberated, and the five demons are put under his control. ||7||
Without the Guru, there is only the darkness of attachment.
Over and over, time and time again, they are drowned.
Meeting the True Guru, Truth is implanted within, and the True Name becomes pleasing to the mind. ||8||
True is His Door, and True is His Court, His Royal Darbaar.
The true ones serve Him, through the Beloved Word of the Shabad.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord, in the true melody, I am immersed and absorbed in Truth. ||9||
Deep within the home of the self, one finds the home of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one easily, intuitively finds it.
There, one is not afflicted with sorrow or separation; merge into the Celestial Lord with intuitive ease. ||10||
The evil people live in the love of duality.
They wander around, totally attached and thirsty.
They sit in evil gatherings, and suffer in pain forever; they earn pain, nothing but pain. ||11||
Without the True Guru, there is no Sangat, no Congregation.
Without the Shabad, no one can cross over to the other side.
One who intuitively chants God's Glorious Praises day and night - his light merges into the Light. ||12||
The body is the tree; the bird of the soul dwells within it.
It drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar, resting in the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
It never flies away, and it does not come or go; it dwells within the home of its own self. ||13||
Purify the body, and contemplate the Shabad.
Remove the poisonous drug of emotional attachment, and eradicate doubt.
The Giver of peace Himself bestows His Mercy, and unites us in Union with Himself. ||14||

He is always near at hand; He is never far away.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, realize that He is very near.
Your heart-lotus shall blossom forth, and the ray of God's Divine Light shall illuminate your heart; He shall be revealed to You. ||15||
The True Lord is Himself the Creator.
He Himself kills, and gives life; there is no other at all.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, glorious greatness is obtained. Eradicating self-conceit, peace is found. ||16||2||24||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord Lord Himself is the One who exalts and embellishes.
Do not consider any other work.
The True Lord abides deep within the heart of the Gurmukh, who intuitively merges in the True Lord. ||1||
The True Lord dwells within the minds of all.
By Guru's Grace, they are intuitively absorbed in Him.
Calling out, "Guru, Guru", I have found eternal peace; my consciousness is focused on the Guru's feet. ||2||
The True Guru is spiritual wisdom; the True Guru is worship and adoration.
I serve the True Guru, and no other.
From the True Guru, I have obtained the wealth, the jewel of the Naam. Service to the True Guru is pleasing to me. ||3||
Without the True Guru, those who are attached to duality
come and go, and wander in reincarnation; these unfortunate ones die.
O Nanak, even after they are emancipated, those who become Gurmukh remain in the Guru's Sanctuary. ||4||
The love of the Gurmukh is forever true.
I beg for the invaluable Naam, the Name of the Lord, from the Guru.
O Dear Lord, please be kind, and grant Your Grace; please keep me in the Guru's Sanctuary. ||5||
The True Guru trickles the Ambrosial Nectar into my mouth.
My Tenth Gate has been opened and revealed.
The unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates and resounds there, with the melody of the Guru's Bani; one is easily, intuitively absorbed in the Lord. ||6||
Those who are so pre-ordained by the Creator,
pass their nights and days calling on the Guru.
Without the True Guru, no one understands; focus your consciousness on the Guru's Feet. ||7||
The Lord Himself blesses those with whom He is pleased.
The Gurmukh receives the wealth of the Naam.
When the Lord grants His Grace, He bestows the Naam; Nanak is immersed and absorbed in the Naam. ||8||
The jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed within the mind.
The wealth of the Naam is easily, intuitively received.
This glorious greatness is obtained from the Guru; I am forever a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||9||
With the rising of the sun, the darkness of the night is dispelled.
Spiritual ignorance is eradicated, by the priceless jewel of the Guru.
The True Guru is the fantastically valuable jewel of spiritual wisdom; blessed by God's Mercy, peace is found. ||10||
The Gurmukh obtains the Naam, and his good reputation increases.
In all four ages he is considered to be pure and good.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he finds peace. He remains lovingly focused on the Naam. ||11||
The Gurmukh receives the Naam.
In intuitive peace he wakes, and in intuitive peace he sleeps.

The Gurmukh is immersed and absorbed in the Naam; Nanak meditates on the Naam. ||12||
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Guru's Bani is in the mouth of the devotees.
The Gurmukhs chant and repeat the Lord's Name.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, their minds forever blossom forth; they focus their minds on the Lord's Feet. ||13||
I am foolish and ignorant; I have no wisdom at all.
From the True Guru, I have obtained understanding in my mind.
O Dear Lord, please be kind to me, and grant Your Grace; let me be committed to serving the True Guru. ||14||
Those who know the True Guru realize the One Lord.
The Giver of peace is all-pervading, permeating everywhere.
Understanding my own soul, I have obtained the Supreme Status; my awareness is immersed in selfless service. ||15||
Those who are blessed with glorious greatness by the Primal Lord God
are lovingly focused on the True Guru, who dwells within their minds.
The Giver of life to the world Himself meets them; O Nanak, they are absorbed in His Being. ||16||1||
Maaroo, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord is inaccessible and unfathomable; He is eternal and imperishable.
He dwells in the heart, and is all-pervading, permeating everywhere.
There is no other Giver except Him; worship the Lord, O mortals. ||1||
No one can kill anyone who is saved by the Savior Lord.
So serve such a Lord, O Saints, whose Bani is exalted and sublime. ||2||
When it seems that a place is empty and void,
there, the Creator Lord is permeating and pervading.
He causes the dried-up branch to blossom forth in greenery again; so meditate on the Lord - wondrous are His ways! ||3||
The One who knows the anguish of all beings
- unto that Lord and Master, I am a sacrifice.
Offer your prayers to the One who is the Giver of all peace and joy. ||4||
But one who does not know the state of the soul
- do not say anything to such an ignorant person.
Do not argue with fools, O mortals. Meditate on the Lord, in the state of Nirvaanaa. ||5||
Don't worry - let the Creator take care of it.
The Lord gives to all creatures in the water and on the land.
My God bestows His blessings without being asked, even to worms in soil and stones. ||6||
Do not place your hopes in friends, children and siblings.
Do not place your hopes in kings or the business of others.
Without the Lord's Name, no one will be your helper; so meditate on the Lord, the Lord of the world. ||7||
Night and day, chant the Naam.
All your hopes and desires shall be fulfilled.
O servant Nanak, chant the Naam, the Name of the Destroyer of fear, and your life-night shall pass in intuitive peace and poise. ||8||
Those who serve the Lord find peace.
They are intuitively absorbed in the Lord's Name.
The Lord preserves the honor of those who seek His Sanctuary; go and consult the Vedas and the Puraanas. ||9||
That humble being is attached to the Lord's service, whom the Lord so attaches.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, doubt and fear are dispelled.
In his own home, he remains unattached, like the lotus flower in the water. ||10||

One who serves in egotism is not accepted or approved.
Such a person is born, only to die again, and come and go in reincarnation.
Perfect is that penance and that service, which is pleasing to the Mind of my Lord. ||11||
What Glorious Virtues of Yours should I chant, O my Lord and Master?
You are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of all souls.
I beg for blessings from You, O Creator Lord; I repeat Your Name night and day. ||12||
Some speak in egotistical power.
Some have the power of authority and Maya.
I have no other Support at all, except the Lord. O Creator Lord, please save me, meek and dishonored. ||13||
You bless the meek and dishonored with honor, as it pleases You, O Lord.
Many others argue in conflict, coming and going in reincarnation.
Those people, whose side You take, O Lord and Master, are elevated and successful. ||14||
Those who meditate forever on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har,
by Guru's Grace, obtain the supreme status.
Those who serve the Lord find peace; without serving Him, they regret and repent. ||15||
You are pervading all, O Lord of the world.
He alone meditates on the Lord, upon whose forehead the Guru places His hand.
Entering the Sanctuary of the Lord, I meditate on the Lord; servant Nanak is the slave of His slaves. ||16||2||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He infused His power into the earth.
He suspends the heavens upon the feet of His Command.
He created fire and locked it into wood. That God protects all, O Siblings of Destiny. ||1||
He gives nourishment to all beings and creatures.
He Himself is the all-powerful Creator, the Cause of causes.
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes; He is your help and support. ||2||
He cherished you in your mother's womb.
With every breath and morsel of food, He is with you, and takes care of you.
Forever and ever, meditate on that Beloved; Great is His glorious greatness! ||3||
The sultans and nobles are reduced to dust in an instant.
God cherishes the poor, and makes them into rulers.
He is the Destroyer of egotistical pride, the Support of all. His value cannot be estimated. ||4||
He alone is honorable, and he alone is wealthy,
within whose mind the Lord God abides.
He alone is my mother, father, child, relative and sibling, who created this Universe. ||5||
I have come to God's Sanctuary, and so I fear nothing.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I am sure to be saved.
One who adores the Creator in thought, word and deed, shall never be punished. ||6||
One whose mind and body are permeated with the Lord, the treasure of virtue,
does not wander in birth, death and reincarnation.
Pain vanishes and peace prevails, when one is satisfied and fulfilled. ||7||
My Lord and Master is my best friend.

The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is in all places and interspaces.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Perfect Transcendent Lord, I am rid of all anxieties and calculations. ||8||
One who has the Name of the Lord has hundreds of thousands and millions of arms.
The wealth of the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is with him.
In His Mercy, God has blessed me with the sword of spiritual wisdom; I have attacked and killed the demons. ||9||
Chant the Chant of the Lord, the Chant of Chants.
Be a winner of the game of life and come to abide in your true home.
You shall not see the 8.4 million types of hell; sing His Glorious Praises and remain saturated with loving devotion||10||
He is the Savior of worlds and galaxies.
He is lofty, unfathomable, inaccessible and infinite.
That humble being, unto whom God grants His Grace, meditates on Him. ||11||
God has broken my bonds, and claimed me as His own.
In His Mercy, He has made me the slave of His home.
The unstruck celestial sound current resounds and vibrates, when one performs acts of true service. ||12||
O God, I have enshrined faith in You within my mind.
My egotistical intellect has been driven out.
God has made me His own, and now I have a glorious reputation in this world. ||13||
Proclaim His Glorious Victory, and meditate on the Lord of the Universe.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to my Lord God.
I do not see any other except Him. The One Lord pervades the whole world. ||14||
True, True, True is God.
By Guru's Grace, my mind is attuned to Him forever.
Your humble servants live by meditating, meditating in remembrance on You, merging in You, O One Universal Creator. ||15||
The Dear Lord is the Beloved of His humble devotees.
My Lord and Master is the Savior of all.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all desires are fulfilled. He has saved the honor of servant Nanak. ||16||1||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The body-bride is attached to the Yogi, the husband-soul.
She is involved with him, enjoying pleasure and delights.
As a consequence of past actions, they have come together, enjoying pleasurable play. ||1||
Whatever the husband does, the bride willingly accepts.
The husband adorns his bride, and keeps her with himself.
Joining together, they live in harmony day and night; the husband comforts his wife. ||2||
When the bride asks, the husband runs around in all sorts of ways.
Whatever he finds, he brings to show his bride.
But there is one thing he cannot reach, and so his bride remains hungry and thirsty. ||3||
With her palms pressed together, the bride offers her prayer,
"O my beloved, do not leave me and go to foreign lands; please stay here with me.
Do such business within our home, that my hunger and thirst may be relieved."||4||
All sorts of religious rituals are performed in this age,
but without the sublime essence of the Lord, not an iota of peace is found.
When the Lord becomes Merciful, O Nanak, then in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, the bride and the husband enjoy ecstasy and bliss. ||5||

The body-bride is blind, and the groom is clever and wise.
The creation was created of the five elements.
That merchandise, for which you have come into the world, is received only from the True Guru. ||6||
The body-bride says, "Please live with me,
O my beloved, peaceful, young lord.
Without you, I am of no account. Please give me your word, that you will not leave me". ||7||
The soul-husband says, "I am the slave of my Commander.
He is my Great Lord and Master, who is fearless and independent.
As long as He wills, I will remain with you. When He summons me, I shall arise and depart."||8||
The husband speaks words of Truth to the bride,
but the bride is restless and inexperienced, and she does not understand anything.
Again and again, she begs her husband to stay; she thinks that he is just joking when he answers her. ||9||
The Order comes, and the husband-soul is called.
He does not consult with his bride, and does not ask her opinion.
He gets up and marches off, and the discarded body-bride mingles with dust. O Nanak, behold the illusion of emotional attachment and hope. ||10||
O greedy mind - listen, O my mind!
Serve the True Guru day and night forever.
Without the True Guru, the faithless cynics rot away and die. The noose of Death is around the necks of those who have no guru. ||11||
The self-willed manmukh comes, and the self-willed manmukh goes.
The manmukh suffers beatings again and again.
The manmukh endures as many hells as there are; the Gurmukh is not even touched by them. ||12||
He alone is Gurmukh, who is pleasing to the Dear Lord.
Who can destroy anyone who is robed in honor by the Lord?
The blissful one is forever in bliss; he is dressed in robes of honor. ||13||
I am a sacrifice to the Perfect True Guru.
He is the Giver of Sanctuary, the Heroic Warrior who keeps His Word.
Such is the Lord God, the Giver of peace, whom I have met; He shall never leave me or go anywhere else. ||14||
He is the treasure of virtue; His value cannot be estimated.
He is perfectly permeating each and every heart, prevailing everywhere.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Destroyer of the pains of the poor; I am the dust of the feet of Your slaves. ||15||1||2||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My Blissful Lord is forever in bliss.
He fills each and every heart, and judges each and everyone.
The True Lord and Master is above the heads of all kings; there is none other than Him. ||1||
He is joyful, blissful and merciful.
God's Light is manifest everywhere.
He creates forms, and gazing upon them, He enjoys them; He Himself worships Himself. ||2||
He contemplates His own creative power.
The True Lord Himself creates the expanse of the Universe.
He Himself stages the play, day and night; He Himself listens, and hearing, rejoices. ||3||
True is His throne, and True is His kingdom.
True is the treasure of the True Banker.

He Himself is True, and true is all that He has established. True is the prevailing Order of the True Lord. ||4||
True is the justice of the True Lord.
Your place is forever True, O God.
True is Your Creative Power, and True is the Word of Your Bani. True is the peace which You give, O my Lord and Master. ||5||
You alone are the greatest king.
By the Hukam of Your Command, O True Lord, our affairs are fulfilled.
Inwardly and outwardly, You know everything; You Yourself are pleased with Yourself. ||6||
You are the great party-goer, You are the great enjoyer.
You are detached in Nirvaanaa, You are the Yogi.
All celestial comforts are in Your home; Your Glance of Grace rains Nectar. ||7||
You alone give Your gifts.
You grant Your gifts unto all the beings of the world.
Your treasures are overflowing, and are never exhausted; through them, we remain satisfied and fulfilled. ||8||
The Siddhas, seekers and forest-dwellers beg from You.
The celibates and abstainers, and those who abide in peace beg from You.
You alone are the Great Giver; all are beggars of You. You bless all the world with Your gifts. ||9||
Your devotees worship You with infinite love.
In an instant, You establish and disestablish.
Your weight is so heavy, O my infinite Lord and Master. Your devotees surrender to the Hukam of Your Command. ||10||
They alone know You, whom You bless with Your Glance of Grace.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they enjoy Your Love forever.
They alone are clever, handsome and wise, who are pleasing to Your Mind. ||11||
One who keeps You in his consciousness, becomes carefree and independent.
One who keeps You in his consciousness, is the true king.
One who keeps You in his consciousness - what does he have to fear? And what else does he need to do? ||12||
Thirst and desire are quenched, and one's inner being is cooled and soothed.
The True Guru has mended the broken one.
Awareness of the Word of the Shabad has awakened within my heart. Shaking it and vibrating it, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||13||
I shall not die; I shall live forever and ever.
I have become immortal; I am eternal and imperishable.
I do not come, and I do not go. The Guru has driven out my doubts. ||14||
Perfect is the Word of the Perfect Guru.
One who is attached to the Perfect Lord, is immersed in the Perfect Lord.
His love increases day by day, and when it is weighed, it does not decrease. ||15||
When the gold is made one hundred percent pure,
its color is true to the jeweller's eye.
Assaying it, it is placed in the treasury by God the Jeweller, and it is not melted down again. ||16||
Your Naam is Ambrosial Nectar, O my Lord and Master.
Nanak, Your slave, is forever a sacrifice to You.
In the Society of the Saints, I have found great peace; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, this mind is pleased and satisfied. ||17||1||3||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Solhas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Guru is the Lord of the World, the Guru is the Master of the Universe.
The Guru is merciful, and always forgiving.
The Guru is the Shaastras, the Simritees and the six rituals. The Guru is the Holy Shrine. ||1||

Meditating in remembrance on the Guru, all the sins are erased.
Meditating in remembrance on the Guru, one is not strangled by the noose of Death.
Meditating in remembrance on the Guru, the mind becomes immaculate; the Guru eliminates egotistical pride. ||2||
The Guru's servant is not consigned to hell.
The Guru's servant meditates on the Supreme Lord God.
The Guru's servant joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; the Guru ever gives the life of the soul. ||3||
At the Gurdwara, the Guru's Gate, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung.
Meeting with the True Guru, one chants the Lord's Praises.
The True Guru eradicates sorrow and suffering, and bestows honor in the Court of the Lord. ||4||
The Guru has revealed the inaccessible and unfathomable Lord.
The True Guru returns to the Path, those who have wandered away.
No obstacles stand in the way of devotion to the Lord, for one who serves the Guru. The Guru implants perfect spiritual wisdom. ||5||
The Guru has revealed the Lord everywhere.
The Lord of the Universe is permeating and pervading the water and the land.
The high and the low are all the same to Him. Focus your mind's meditation intuitively on Him. ||6||
Meeting with the Guru, all thirst is quenched.
Meeting with the Guru, one is not watched by Maya.
The Perfect Guru bestows truth and contentment; I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||7||
The Word of the Guru's Bani is contained in all.
He Himself hears it, and He Himself repeats it.
Those who meditate on it, are all emancipated; they attain the eternal and unchanging home. ||8||
The Glory of the True Guru is known only to the True Guru.
Whatever He does, is according to the Pleasure of His Will.
Your humble servants beg for the dust of the feet of the Holy; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to You. ||9||1||4||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Primal, Immaculate Lord God is formless.
The Detached Lord is Himself prevailing in all.
He has no race or social class, no identifying mark. By the Hukam of His Will, He created the entire universe. ||1||
Out of all the 8.4 million species of beings,
God blessed mankind with glory.
That human who misses this chance, shall suffer the pains of coming and going in reincarnation. ||2||
What should I say, to one who has been created.
The Gurmukh receives the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He alone is confused, whom the Lord Himself confuses. He alone understands, whom the Lord inspires to understand. ||3||
This body has been made the village of joy and sorrow.
They alone are emancipated, who seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
One who remains untouched by the three qualities, the three gunas - such a Gurmukh is blessed with glory. ||4||
You can do anything, but whatever you do, only serves to tie your feet.
The seed which is planted out of season does not sprout, and all one's capital and profits are lost. ||5||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are most sublime and exalted.
Become Gurmukh, chant and focus your meditation.

You shall save yourself, and save all your generations as well. You shall go to the Court of the Lord with honor. ||6||
All the continents, nether worlds, islands and worlds
- God Himself has made them all subject to death.
The One Imperishable Lord Himself is unmoving and unchanging. Meditating on Him, one becomes unchanging. ||7||
The Lord's servant becomes like the Lord.
Do not think that, because of his human body, he is different.
The waves of the water rise up in various ways, and then the water merges again in water. ||8||
A beggar begs for charity at His Door.
When God pleases, He takes pity on him.
Please bless me with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, to satisfy my mind, O Lord. Through the Kirtan of Your Praises, my mind is held steady. ||9||
The Beauteous Lord and Master is not controlled in any way.
The Lord does that which pleases the Saints of the Lord.
He does whatever they wish to be done; nothing blocks their way at His Door. ||10||
Wherever the mortal is confronted with difficulty,
there he should meditate on the Lord of the Universe.
Where there are no children, spouse or friends, there the Lord Himself comes to the rescue. ||11||
The Great Lord and Master is inaccessible and unfathomable.
How can anyone meet with God, the self-suficient One?
Those who have had the noose cut away from around their necks, whom God has set back upon the Path, obtain a place in the Sangat, the Congregation. ||12||
One who realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command is said to be His servant.
He endures both bad and good equally.
When egotism is silenced, then one comes to know the One Lord. Such a Gurmukh intuitively merges in the Lord. ||13||
The devotees of the Lord dwell forever in peace.
With a child-like, innocent nature, they remain detached, turning away from the world.
They enjoy various pleasures in many ways; God caresses them, like a father caressing his son. ||14||
He is inaccessible and unfathomable; His value cannot be estimated.
We meet Him, only when He causes us to meet.
The Lord is revealed to those humble Gurmukhs, who have such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon their foreheads. ||15||
You Yourself are the Creator Lord, the Cause of causes.
You created the Universe, and You support the whole earth.
Servant Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of Your Door, O Lord; if it is Your Will, please preserve his honor. ||16||1||5||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Whatever is seen is You, O One Lord.
What the ears hear is the Word of Your Bani.
There is nothing else to be seen at all. You give support to all. ||1||
You Yourself are conscious of Your Creation.
You Yourself established Yourself, O God.
Creating Yourself, You formed the expanse of the Universe; You Yourself cherish and sustain each and every heart. ||2||
You created some to hold great and royal courts.
Some turn away from the world in renunciation, and some maintain their households.

Some are hungry and some are satisfied and satiated, but all lean on Your Support. ||3||
The True Lord Himself is True, True, True.
He is woven into the essence of His devotees, through and through.
He Himself is hidden, and He Himself is revealed. He Himself spreads Himself out. ||4||
Forever, forever and ever, He shall always exist.
He is lofty, inaccessible, unfathomable and infinite.
He fills the empty, and empties out the filled; such are the plays and dramas of my Lord and Master. ||5||
With my mouth, I praise my True Lord King.
With my eyes, I behold the inaccessible and unfathomable Lord.
Listening, listening with my ears, my mind and body are rejuvenated; my Lord and Master saves all. ||6||
He created the creation, and gazes upon what He has created.
All beings and creatures meditate on Him.
He Himself knows His creative power; He blesses with His Glance of Grace. ||7||
Where the Saints gather together and sit, God dwells close at hand.
They abide in bliss and joy, beholding the Lord's wondrous play.
They sing the Glories of the Lord, and the unstruck sound current of His Bani; O Nanak, His slaves remain conscious of Him. ||8||
Coming and going is all Your wondrous play.
Creating the Creation, You gaze upon Your infinite play.
Creating the Creation, You Yourself cherish and nurture it. ||9||
Listening, listening to Your Glory, I live.
Forever and ever, I am a sacrifice to You.
With my palms pressed together, I meditate in remembrance on You, day and night, O my inaccessible, infinite Lord and Master. ||10||
Other than You, who else should I praise?
I meditate on the One and Only Lord within my mind.
Realizing the Hukam of Your Will, Your humble servants are enraptured; this is the achievement of Your devotees. ||11||
Following the Guru's Teachings, I meditate on the True Lord within my mind.
Following the Guru's Teachings, I am immersed in the Lord's Love.
Following the Guru's Teachings, all bonds are broken, and this doubt and emotional attachment are burnt away. ||12||
Wherever He keeps me, is my place of rest.
Whatever naturally happens, I accept that as good.
Hatred is gone - I have no hatred at all; I see the One Lord in all. ||13||
Fear has been removed, and darkness has been dispelled.
The all-powerful, primal, detached Lord God has been revealed.
Forsaking self-conceit, I have entered His Sanctuary, and I work for Him. ||14||
Rare are those few, very blessed people, who come into the world,
and meditate on their Lord and Master, twenty-four hours a day.
Associating with such humble people, all are saved, and their families are saved as well. ||15||
This is the blessing which I have received from my Lord and Master.
Twenty-four hours a day, with my palms pressed together, I meditate on Him.
I chant the Naam, and through the Naam, I intuitively merge into the Lord; O Nanak, may I be blessed with the Naam, and ever repeat it. ||16||1||6||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
Do not be fooled by appearances, you fool.
This is a false attachment to the expanse of an illusion.
No one can remain in this world; only the One Lord is permanent and unchanging. ||1||
Seek the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru.
He shall eradicate all emotional attachment, sorrow and doubt.
He shall administer the medicine, the Mantra of the One Name. Sing the True Name within your heart. ||2||

So many gods yearn for the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
All the devotees serve Him.
He is the Master of the masterless, the Destroyer of the pains of the poor. His Name is obtained from the Perfect Guru. ||3||
I cannot conceive of any other door.
One who wanders through the three worlds, understands nothing.
The True Guru is the banker, with the treasure of the Naam. This jewel is obtained from Him. ||4||
The dust of His feet purifies.
Even the angelic beings and gods cannot obtain it, O friend.
The True Guru is the True Primal Being, the Transcendent Lord God; meeting with Him, one is carried across to the other side. ||5||
O my beloved mind, if you wish for the 'tree of life';
if you wish for Kaamadhayna, the wish-fulfilling cow to adorn your court;
if you wish to be satisfied and contented, then serve the Perfect Guru, and practice the Naam, the source of nectar. ||6||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the five thieves of desire are conquered.
In the Fear of the Supreme Lord God, you shall become immaculate and pure.
When one meets the Perfect Guru, the Philosopher's Stone, His touch reveals the Lord, the Philosopher's Stone. ||7||
Myriads of heavens do not equal the Lord's Name.
The spiritually wise forsake mere liberation.
The One Universal Creator Lord is found through the True Guru. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. ||8||
No one knows how to serve the Guru.
The Guru is the unfathomable, Supreme Lord God.
He alone is the Guru's servant, whom the Guru Himself links to His service, and upon whose forehead such blessed destiny is inscribed. ||9||
Even the Vedas do not know the Guru's Glory.
They narrate only a tiny bit of what is heard.
The True Guru is the Supreme Lord God, the Incomparable One; meditating in remembrance on Him, the mind is cooled and soothed. ||10||
Hearing of Him, the mind comes to life.
When He dwells within the heart, one becomes peaceful and cool.
Chanting the Guru's Name with the mouth, one obtains glory, and does not have to walk on the Path of Death. ||11||
I have entered the Sanctuary of the Saints,
and placed before them my soul, my breath of life and wealth.
I know nothing about service and awareness; please take pity upon this worm. ||12||
I am unworthy; please merge me into Yourself.
Please bless me with Your Grace, and link me to Your service.
I wave the fan, and grind the corn for the Saints; washing their feet, I find peace. ||13||
After wandering around at so many doors, I have come to Yours, O Lord.
By Your Grace, I have entered Your Sanctuary.
Forever and ever, keep me in the Company of the Saints; please bless me with this Gift of Your Name. ||14||
My World-Lord has become merciful,
and I have obtained the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Perfect True Guru.
I have found eternal peace, poise and bliss; Nanak is the slave of Your slaves. ||15||2||7||
Maaroo, Solahas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The earth and the Akaashic ethers meditate in remembrance.
The moon and the sun meditate in remembrance on You, O treasure of virtue.
Air, water and fire meditate in remembrance. All creation meditates in remembrance. ||1||

All the continents, islands and worlds meditate in remembrance.
The nether worlds and spheres meditate in remembrance on that True Lord.
The sources of creation and speech meditate in remembrance; all the Lord's humble servants meditate in remembrance. ||2||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva meditate in remembrance.
The three hundred thirty million gods meditate in remembrance.
The titans and demons all meditate in remembrance; Your Praises are uncountable - they cannot be counted. ||3||
All the beasts, birds and demons meditate in remembrance.
The forests, mountains and hermits meditate in remembrance.
All the vines and branches meditate in remembrance; O my Lord and Master, You are permeating and pervading all minds. ||4||
All beings, both subtle and gross, meditate in remembrance.
The Siddhas and seekers meditate in remembrance on the Lord's Mantra.
Both the visible and the invisible meditate in remembrance on my God; God is the Master of all worlds. ||5||
Men and women, throughout the four stages of life, meditate in remembrance on You.
All social classes and souls of all races meditate in remembrance on You.
All the virtuous, clever and wise people meditate in remembrance; night and day meditate in remembrance. ||6||
Hours, minutes and seconds meditate in remembrance.
Death and life, and thoughts of purification, meditate in remembrance.
The Shaastras, with their lucky signs and joinings, meditate in remembrance; the invisible cannot be seen, even for an instant. ||7||
The Lord and Master is the Doer, the Cause of causes.
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of all hearts.
That person, whom You bless with Your Grace, and link to Your devotional service, wins this invaluable human life. ||8||
He, within whose mind God dwells,
has perfect karma, and chants the Chant of the Guru.
One who realizes God pervading deep within all, does not wander crying in reincarnation again. ||9||
Pain, sorrow and doubt run away from that one, within whose mind the Word of the Guru's Shabad abides.
Intuitive peace, poise and bliss come from the sublime essence of the Naam; the unstruck sound current of the Guru's Bani intuitively vibrates and resounds. ||10||
He alone is wealthy, who meditates on God.
He alone is honorable, who joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
That person, within whose mind the Supreme Lord God abides, has perfect karma, and becomes famous. ||11||
The Lord and Master is pervading the water, land and sky.
There is no other said to be so.
The ointment of the Guru's spiritual wisdom has eradicated all doubts; except the One Lord, I do not see any other at all. ||12||
The Lord's Court is the highest of the high.
His limit and extent cannot be described.
The Lord and Master is profoundly deep, unfathomable and unweighable; how can He be measured? ||13||
You are the Creator; all is created by You.
Without You, there is no other at all.
You alone, God, are in the beginning, the middle and the end. You are the root of the entire expanse. ||14||
The Messenger of Death does not even approach that person
who sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
All desires are fulfilled, for one who listens with his ears to the Praises of God. ||15||
You belong to all, and all belong to You, O my true, deep and profound Lord and Master.

Says Nanak, those humble beings are exalted, who are pleasing to Your Mind, O my Lord and Master. ||16||1||8||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
God is the almighty Giver of all peace and joy.
Be merciful to me, that I may meditate in remembrance on Your Name.
The Lord is the Great Giver; all beings and creatures are beggars; His humble servants yearn to beg from Him. ||1||
I beg for the dust of the feet of the humble, that I may be blessed with the supreme status,
and the filth of countless lifetimes may be erased.
The chronic diseases are cured by the medicine of the Lord's Name; I beg to be imbued with the Immaculate Lord. ||2||
With my ears, I listen to the Pure Praises of my Lord and Master.
With the Support of the One Lord, I have abandoned corruption, sexuality and desire.
I humbly bow and fall at the feet of Your slaves; I do not hesitate to do good deeds. ||3||
O Lord, with my tongue I sing Your Glorious Praises.
The sins which I have committed are erased.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on my Lord and Master, my mind lives; I am rid of the five oppressive demons. ||4||
Meditating on Your lotus feet, I have come aboard Your boat.
Joining the Society of the Saints, I cross over the world-ocean.
My flower-offering and worship is to realize that the Lord is dwelling alike in all; I shall not be reincarnated naked again. ||5||
Please make me the slave of Your slaves, O Lord of the world.
You are the treasure of Grace, merciful to the meek.
Meet with your companion and helper, the Perfect Transcendent Lord God; you shall never be separated from Him again. ||6||
I dedicate my mind and body, and place them in offering before the Lord.
Asleep for countless lifetimes, I have awakened.
He, to whom I belong, is my cherisher and nurturer. I have killed and discarded my murderous self-conceit. ||7||
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is pervading the water and the land.
The undeceivable Lord and Master is permeating each and every heart.
The Perfect Guru has demolished the wall of doubt, and now I see the One Lord pervading everywhere. ||8||
Wherever I look, there I see God, the ocean of peace.
The Lord's treasure is never exhausted; He is the storehouse of jewels.
He cannot be seized; He is inaccessible, and His limits cannot be found. He is realized when the Lord bestows His Grace. ||9||
My heart is cooled, and my mind and body are calmed and soothed.
The craving for birth and death is quenched.
Grasping hold of my hand, He has lifted me up and out; He has blessed me with His Ambrosial Glance of Grace. ||10||
The One and Only Lord is permeating and pervading everywhere.
There is none other than Him at all.
God permeates the beginning, the middle and the end; He has subdued my desires and doubts. ||11||
The Guru is the Transcendent Lord, the Guru is the Lord of the Universe.
The Guru is the Creator, the Guru is forever forgiving.
Meditating, chanting the Guru's Chant, I have obtained the fruits and rewards; in the Company of the Saints, I have been blessed with the lamp of spiritual wisdom. ||12||
Whatever I see, is my Lord and Master God.
Whatever I hear, is the Bani of God's Word.
Whatever I do, You make me do; You are the Sanctuary, the help and support of the Saints, Your children. ||13||
The beggar begs, and worships You in adoration.
You are the Purifier of the sinners, O Perfectly Holy Lord God.
Please bless me with this one gift, O treasure of all bliss and virtue; I do not ask for anything else. ||14||

God is the Creator of the body-vessel.
In the Society of the Saints, the dye is produced.
Through the Word of the Lord's Bani, one's reputation becomes immaculate, and the mind is colored by the dye of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||15||
The sixteen powers, absolute perfection and fruitful rewards are obtained,
when the Lord and Master of infinite power is revealed.
The Lord's Name is Nanak's bliss, play and peace; he drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord. ||16||2||9||
Maaroo, Solhas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You are my Lord and Master; You have made me Your servant.
My soul and body are all gifts from You.
You are the Creator, the Cause of causes; nothing belongs to me. ||1||
When You sent me, I came into the world.
Whatever is pleasing to Your Will, I do.
Without You, nothing is done, so I am not anxious at all. ||2||
In the world hereafter, the Hukam of Your Command is heard.
In this world, I chant Your Praises, Lord.
You Yourself write the account, and You Yourself erase it; no one can argue with You. ||3||
You are our father; we are all Your children.
We play as You cause us to play.
The wilderness and the path are all made by You. No one can take the wrong path. ||4||
Some remain seated within their homes.
Some wander across the country and through foreign lands.
Some are grass-cutters, and some are kings. Who among these can be called false? ||5||
Who is liberated, and who will land in hell?
Who is worldly, and who is a devotee?
Who is wise, and who is shallow? Who is aware, and who is ignorant? ||6||
By the Hukam of the Lord's Command, one is liberated, and by His Hukam, one falls into hell.
By His Hukam, one is worldly, and by His Hukam, one is a devotee.
By His Hukam, one is shallow, and by His Hukam, one is wise. There is no other side except His. ||7||
You made the ocean vast and huge.
You made some into foolish self-willed manmukhs, and dragged them into hell.
Some are carried across, in the ship of Truth of the True Guru. ||8||
You issue Your Command for this amazing thing, death.
You create all beings and creatures, and absorb them back into Yourself.
You gaze in delight upon the one arena of the world, and enjoy all the pleasures. ||9||
Great is the Lord and Master, and Great is His Name.
He is the Great Giver; Great is His place.
He is inaccessible and unfathomable, infinite and unweighable. He cannot be measureed. ||10||
No one else knows His value.
Only You Yourself, O Immaculate Lord, are equal to Yourself.
You Yourself are the spiritual teacher, You Yourself are the One who meditates. You Yourself are the great and immense Being of Truth. ||11||
For so many days, You remained invisible.
For so many days, You were absorbed in silent absorption.
For so many days, there was only pitch darkness, and then the Creator revealed Himself. ||12||
You Yourself are called the God of Supreme Power.

You Yourself are the hero, exerting Your regal power.
You Yourself spread peace within; You are cool and icy calm. ||13||
One whom You bless and make Gurmukh
- the Naam abides within him, and the unstruck sound current vibrates for him.
He is peaceful, and he is the master of all; the Messenger of Death does not even approach him. ||14||
His value cannot be described on paper.
Says Nanak, the Lord of the world is infinite.
In the beginning, in the middle and in the end, God exists. Judgement is in His Hands alone. ||15||
No one is equal to Him.
No one can stand up against Him by any means.
Nanak's God is Himself all-in-all. He creates and stages and watches His wondrous plays. ||16||1||10||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God is imperishable, the Transcendent Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He is the Slayer of demons, our Supreme Lord and Master.
The Supreme Rishi, the Master of the sensory organs, the uplifter of mountains, the joyful Lord playing His enticing flute. ||1||
The Enticer of Hearts, the Lord of wealth, Krishna, the Enemy of ego.
The Lord of the Universe, the Dear Lord, the Destroyer of demons.
The Life of the World, our eternal and ever-stable Lord and Master dwells within each and every heart, and is always with us. ||2||
The Support of the Earth, the man-lion, the Supreme Lord God.
The Protector who tears apart demons with His teeth, the Upholder of the earth.
O Creator, You assumed the form of the pygmy to humble the demons; You are the Lord God of all. ||3||
You are the Great Raam Chand, who has no form or feature.
Adorned with flowers, holding the chakra in Your hand, Your form is incomparably beautiful.
You have thousands of eyes, and thousands of forms. You alone are the Giver, and all are beggars of You. ||4||
You are the Lover of Your devotees, the Master of the masterless.
The Lord and Master of the milk-maids, You are the companion of all.
O Lord, Immacuate Great Giver, I cannot describe even an iota of Your Glorious Virtues. ||5||
Liberator, Enticing Lord, Lord of Lakshmi, Supreme Lord God.
Savior of Dropadi's honor.
Lord of Maya, miracle-worker, absorbed in delightful play, unattached. ||6||
The Blessed Vision of His Darshan is fruitful and rewarding; He is not born, He is self-existent.
His form is undying; it is never destroyed.
O imperishable, eternal, unfathomable Lord, everything is attached to You. ||7||
The Lover of greatness, who dwells in heaven.
By the Pleasure of His Will, He took incarnation as the great fish and the tortoise.
The Lord of beauteous hair, the Worker of miraculous deeds, whatever He wishes, comes to pass. ||8||
He is beyond need of any sustenance, free of hate and all-pervading.
He has staged His play; He is called the four-armed Lord.
He assumed the beautiful form of the blue-skinned Krishna; hearing His flute, all are fascinated and enticed. ||9||
He is adorned with garlands of flowers, with lotus eyes.
His ear-rings, crown and flute are so beautiful.
He carries the conch, the chakra and the war club; He is the Great Charioteer, who stays with His Saints. ||10||
The Lord of yellow robes, the Master of the three worlds.
The Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the world; with my mouth, I chant His Name.
The Archer who draws the bow, the Beloved Lord God; I cannot count all His limbs. ||11||
He is said to be free of anguish, and absolutely immaculate.
The Lord of prosperity, pervading the water, the land and the sky.

He is near this world and the nether regions of the underworld; His Place is permanent, ever-stable and imperishable. ||12||
The Purifier of sinners, the Destroyer of pain and fear.
The Eliminator of egotism, the Eradicator of coming and going.
He is pleased with devotional worship, and merciful to the meek; He cannot be appeased by any other qualities. ||13||
The Formless Lord is undeceivable and unchanging.
He is the Embodiment of Light; through Him, the whole world blossoms forth.
He alone unites with Him, whom He unites with Himself. No one can attain the Lord by himself. ||14||
He Himself is the milk-maid, and He Himself is Krishna.
He Himself grazes the cows in the forest.
You Yourself create, and You Yourself destroy. Not even a particle of filth attaches to You. ||15||
Which of Your Glorious Virtues can I chant with my one tongue?
Even the thousand-headed serpent does not know Your limit.
One may chant new names for You day and night, but even so, O God, no one can describe even one of Your Glorious Virtues. ||16||
I have grasped the Support, and entered the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Father of the world.
The Messenger of Death is terrifying and horrendous, and sea of Maya is impassable.
Please be merciful, Lord, and save me, if it is Your Will; please lead me to join with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||17||
All that is seen is an illusion.
I beg for this one gift, for the dust of the feet of the Saints, O Lord of the Universe.
Applying it to my forehead, I obtain the supreme status; he alone obtains it, unto whom You give it. ||18||
Those, unto whom the Lord, the Giver of peace, grants His Mercy,
grasp the feet of the Holy, and weave them into their hearts.
They obtain all the wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the unstruck sound current of the Shabad vibrates and resounds within their minds. ||19||
With my tongue I chant the Names given to You.
'Sat Naam' is Your perfect, primal Name.
Says Nanak, Your devotees have entered Your Sanctuary. Please bestow the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; their minds are filled with love for You. ||20||
You alone know Your state and extent.
You Yourself speak, and You Yourself describe it.
Please make Nanak the slave of Your slaves, O Lord; as it pleases Your Will, please keep him with Your slaves. ||21||2||11||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
O slave of the inaccessible Lord God Allah,
forsake thoughts of worldly entanglements.
Become the dust of the feet of the humble fakeers, and consider yourself a traveller on this journey. O saintly dervish, you shall be approved in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
Let Truth be your prayer, and faith your prayer-mat.
Subdue your desires, and overcome your hopes.
Let your body be the mosque, and your mind the priest. Let true purity be God's Word for you. ||2||
Let your practice be to live the spiritual life.
Let your spiritual cleansing be to renounce the world and seek God.
Let control of the mind be your spiritual wisdom, O holy man; meeting with God, you shall never die again. ||3||
Practice within your heart the teachings of the Koran and the Bible;
restrain the ten sensory organs from straying into evil.
Tie up the five demons of desire with faith, charity and contentment, and you shall be acceptable. ||4||
Let compassion be your Mecca, and the dust of the feet of the holy your fast.
Let Paradise be your practice of the Prophet's Word.
God is the beauty, the light and the fragrance. Meditation on Allah is the secluded meditation chamber. ||5||

He alone is a Qazi, who practices the Truth.
He alone is a Haji, a pilgrim to Mecca, who purifies his heart.
He alone is a Mullah, who banishes evil; he alone is a saintly dervish, who takes the Support of the Lord's Praise. ||6||
Always, at every moment, remember God, the Creator within your heart.
Let your meditation beads be the subjugation of the ten senses. Let good conduct and self-restraint be your circumcision. ||7||
You must know in your heart that everything is temporary.
Family, household and siblings are all entanglements.
Kings, rulers and nobles are mortal and transitory; only God's Gate is the permanent place. ||8||
First, is the Lord's Praise; second, contentment;
third, humility, and fourth, giving to charities.
Fifth is to hold one's desires in restraint. These are the five most sublime daily prayers. ||9||
Let your daily worship be the knowledge that God is everywhere.
Let renunciation of evil actions be the water-jug you carry.
Let realization of the One Lord God be your call to prayer; be a good child of God - let this be your trumpet. ||10||
Let what is earned righteously be your blessed food.
Wash away pollution with the river of your heart.
One who realizes the Prophet attains heaven. Azraa-eel, the Messenger of Death, does not cast him into hell. ||11||
Let good deeds be your body, and faith your bride.
Play and enjoy the Lord's love and delight.
Purify what is impure, and let the Lord's Presence be your religious tradition. Let your total awareness be the turban on your head. ||12||
To be Muslim is to be kind-hearted,
and wash away pollution from within the heart.
He does not even approach worldly pleasures; he is pure, like flowers, silk, ghee and the deer-skin. ||13||
One who is blessed with the mercy and compassion of the Merciful Lord,
is the manliest man among men.
He alone is a Shaykh, a preacher, a Haji, and he alone is God's slave, who is blessed with God's Grace. ||14||
The Creator Lord has Creative Power; the Merciful Lord has Mercy.
The Praises and the Love of the Merciful Lord are unfathomable.
Realize the True Hukam, the Command of the Lord, O Nanak; you shall be released from bondage, and carried across. ||15||3||12||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
The Abode of the Supreme Lord God is above all.
He Himself establishes, establishes and creates.
Holding tight to the Sanctuary of God, peace is found, and one is not afflicted by the fear of Maya. ||1||
He saved you from the fire of the womb,
and did not destroy you, when you were an egg in your mother's ovary.
Blessing you with meditative remembrance upon Himself, He nurtured you and cherished you; He is the Master of all hearts. ||2||
I have come to the Sanctuary of His lotus feet.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I sing the Praises of the Lord.
I have erased all the pains of birth and death; meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, I have no fear of death. ||3||
God is all-powerful, indescribable, unfathomable and divine.
All beings and creatures serve Him.
In so many ways, He cherishes those born from eggs, from the womb, from sweat and from the earth. ||4||
He alone obtains this wealth,
who savors and enjoys, deep within his mind, the Name of the Lord.
Grasping hold of his arm, God lifts him up and pulls him out of the deep, dark pit. Such a devotee of the Lord is very rare. ||5||

God exists in the beginning, in the middle and in the end.
Whatever the Creator Lord Himself does, comes to pass.
Doubt and fear are erased, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and then one is not afflicted by deadly pain. ||6||
I sing the most Sublime Bani, the Word of the Lord of the Universe.
I beg for the dust of the feet of the Saadh Sangat.
Eradicating desire, I have become free of desire; I have burnt away all my sins. ||7||
This is the unique way of the Saints;
they behold the Supreme Lord God with them.
With each and every breath, they worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har. How could anyone be too lazy to meditate on Him? ||8||
Wherever I look, there I see the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
I never forget God, my Lord and Master, even for an instant.
Your slaves live by meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord; You are permeating the woods, the water and the land. ||9||
Even the hot wind does not touch one
who remains awake in meditative remembrance, night and day.
He delights and enjoys meditative remembrance on the Lord; he has no attachment to Maya. ||10||
Disease, sorrow and pain do not affect him;
he sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Please bless me with Your Name, O my Beloved Lord God; please listen to my prayer, O Creator. ||11||
Your Name is a jewel, O my Beloved Lord.
Your slaves are imbued with Your Infinite Love.
Those who are imbued with Your Love, become like You; it is so rare that they are found. ||12||
My mind longs for the dust of the feet of those
who never forget the Lord.
Associating with them, I obtain the supreme status; the Lord, my Companion, is always with me. ||13||
He alone is my beloved friend and companion,
who implants the Name of the One Lord within, and eradicates evil-mindedness.
Immaculate are the teachings of that humble servant of the Lord, who casts out sexual desire, anger and egotism. ||14||
Other than You, O Lord, no one is mine.
The Guru has led me to grasp the feet of God.
I am a sacrifice to the Perfect True Guru, who has destroyed the illusion of duality. ||15||
With each and every breath, I never forget God.
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har.
O Nanak, the Saints are imbued with Your Love; You are the great and all-powerful Lord. ||16||4||13||
Maaroo, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I enshrine the Lord's lotus feet continually within my heart.
Each and every moment, I humbly bow to the Perfect Guru.
I dedicate my body, mind and everything, and place it in offering before the Lord. His Name is the most beautiful in this world. ||1||
Why forget the Lord and Master from your mind?
He blessed you with body and soul, creating and embellishing you.
With every breath and morsel of food, the Creator takes care of His beings, who receive according to what they have done. ||2||
No one returns empty-handed from Him;
twenty-four hours a day, keep the Lord in your mind.

In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate and vibrate upon your imperishable Lord and Master, and you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
The four great blessings, and the eighteen miraculous spiritual powers,
are found in the treasure of the Naam, which brings celestial peace and poise, and the nine treasures.
If you yearn in your mind for all joys, then join the Saadh Sangat, and dwell upon your Lord and Master. ||4||
The Shaastras, the Simritees and the Vedas proclaim
that the mortal must be victorious in this priceless human life.
Forsaking sexual desire, anger and slander, sing of the Lord with your tongue, O Nanak. ||5||
He has no form or shape, no ancestry or social class.
The Perfect Lord is perfectly pervading day and night.
Whoever meditates on Him is very fortunate; he is not consigned to reincarnation again. ||6||
One who forgets the Primal Lord, the Architect of karma,
wanders around burning, and remains tormented.
No one can save such an ungrateful person; he is thrown into the most horrible hell. ||7||
He blessed you with your soul, the breath of life, your body and wealth;
He preserved and nurtured you in your mother's womb.
Forsaking His Love, you are imbued with another; you shall never achieve your goals like this. ||8||
Please shower me with Your Merciful Grace, O my Lord and Master.
You dwell in each and every heart, and are near everyone.
Nothing is in my hands; he alone knows, whom You inspire to know. ||9||
One who has such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon his forehead,
that person is not afflicted by Maya.
Slave Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary forever; there is no other equal to You. ||10||
In His Will, He made all pain and pleasure.
How rare are those who remember the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord.
His value cannot be described. He is prevailing everywhere. ||11||
He is the devotee; He is the Great Giver.
He is the Perfect Primal Lord, the Architect of karma.
He is your help and support, since infancy; He fulfills your mind's desires. ||12||
Death, pain and pleasure are ordained by the Lord.
They do not increase or decrease by anyone's efforts.
That alone happens, which is pleasing to the Creator; speaking of himself, the mortal ruins himself. ||13||
He lifts us up and pulls us out of the deep dark pit;
He unites with Himself, those who were separated for so many incarnations.
Showering them with His Mercy, He protects them with His own hands. Meeting with the Holy Saints, they meditate on the Lord of the Universe. ||14||
Your worth cannot be described.
Wondrous is Your form, and Your glorious greatness.
Your humble servant begs for the gift of devotional worship. Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You. ||15||1||14||22||24||2||14||62||
Vaar Of Maaroo, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, First Mehl:
If virtue is sold when there is no buyer, then it is sold very cheap.
But if one meets a buyer of virtue, then virtue sells for hundreds of thousands.

Meeting with a virtuous person, virtue is obtained, and one is immersed in the True Guru.
Priceless virtues are not obtained for any price; they cannot be purchased in a store.
O Nanak, their weight is full and perfect; it never decreases at all. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they wander around, continually coming and going in reincarnation.
Some are in bondage, and some are set free; some are happy in the Love of the Lord.
O Nanak, believe in the True Lord, and practice Truth, through the lifestyle of Truth. ||2||
Pauree:
From the Guru, I have obtained the supremely powerful sword of spiritual wisdom.
I have cut down the fortress of duality and doubt, attachment, greed and egotism.
The Name of the Lord abides within my mind; I contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Through Truth, self-discipline and sublime understanding, the Lord has become very dear to me.
Truly, truly, the True Creator Lord is all-pervading. ||1||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Among the ragas, Kaydaaraa Raga is known as good, O Siblings of Destiny, if through it, one comes to love the Word of the Shabad,
and if one remains in the Soceity of the Saints, and enshrines love for the True Lord.
Such a person washes away the pollution from within, and saves his generations as well.
He gathes in the capital of virtue, and destroys and drives out unvirtuous sins.
O Nanak, he alone is known as united, who does not forsake his Guru, and who does not love duality. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Gazing upon the world-ocean, I am afraid of death; but if I live in the Fear of You, God, then I am not afraid.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I am content; O Nanak, I blossom forth in the Name. ||2||
Fourth Mehl:
I get on board the boat and set out, but the ocean is churning with waves.
The boat of Truth encounters no obstruction, if the Guru gives encouragement.
He takes us across to the door on the other side, as the Guru keeps watch.
O Nanak, if I am blessed with His Grace, I shall go to His Court with honor. ||3||
Pauree:
Enjoy your kingdom of bliss; as Gurmukh, practice Truth.
Sitting upon the throne of Truth, the Lord administers justice; He unites us in Union with the Society of the Saints.
Meditating on the Lord, through the True Teachings, we become just like the Lord.
If the Lord, the Giver of peace, abides in the mind, in this world, then in the end, He becomes our help and support.
Love for the Lord wells up, when the Guru imparts understanding. ||2||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Confused and deluded, I wander around, but no one shows me the way.
I go and ask the clever people, if there is there anyone who can rid me of my pain.
If the True Guru abides within my mind, then I see the Lord, my best friend, there.
O Nanak, my mind is satisfied and fulfilled, contemplating the Praises of the True Name. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He Himself is the Doer, and He is the deed; He Himself issues the Command.
He Himself forgives some, and He Himself does the deed.
O Nanak, receiving the Divine Light from the Guru, suffering and corruption are burnt away, through the Name. ||2||
Pauree:
Don't be fooled by gazing at the riches of Maya, you foolish self-willed manmukh.
It shall not go along with you when you must depart; all the wealth you see is false.
The blind and ignorant do not understand, that the sword of death is hanging over their heads.
By Guru's Grace, those who drink in the sublime essence of the Lord are saved.

He Himself is the Doer, and He Himself is the Cause; the Lord Himself is our Saving Grace. ||3||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who do not meet with the Guru, who have no Fear of God at all,
continue coming and going in reincarnation, and suffer terrible pain; their anxiety is never relieved.
They are beaten like clothes being washed on the rocks, and struck every hour like chimes.
O Nanak, without the True Name, these entanglements are not removed from hanging over one's head. ||1||
Third Mehl:
I have searched throughout the three worlds, O my friend; egotism is bad for the world.
Don't worry, O my soul; speak the Truth, O Nanak, the Truth, and only the Truth. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord Himself forgives the Gurmukhs; they are absorbed and immersed in the Lord's Name.
He Himself links them to devotional worship; they bear the Insignia of the Guru's Shabad.
Those who turn towards the Guru, as sunmukh, are beautiful. They are famous in the Court of the True Lord.
In this world, and in the world hereafter, they are liberated; they realize the Lord.
Blessed, blessed are those humble beings who serve the Lord. I am a sacrifice to them. ||4||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The rude, ill-mannered bride is encased in the body-tomb; she is blackened, and her mind is impure.
She can enjoy her Husband Lord, only if she is virtuous. O Nanak, the soul-bride is unworthy, and without virtue. ||1||
First Mehl:
She has good conduct, true self-discipline, and a perfect family.
O Nanak, day and night, she is always good; she loves her Beloved Husband Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
One who realizes his own self, is blessed with the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Granting His Mercy, the Guru merges him in the Word of His Shabad.
The Word of the Guru's Bani is immaculate and pure; through it, one drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord.
Those who taste the sublime essence of the Lord, forsake other flavors.
Drinking in the sublime essence of the Lord, they remain satisfied forever; their hunger and thirst are quenched. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Her Husband Lord is pleased, and He enjoys His bride; the soul-bride adorns her heart with the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, that bride who stands before Him, is the most noble and respected woman. ||1||
First Mehl:
In her father-in-law's home hereafter, and in her parents' home in this world, she belongs to her Husband Lord. Her Husband is inaccessible and unfathomable.
O Nanak, she is the happy soul-bride, who is pleasing to her carefree, independent Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
That king sits upon the throne, who is worthy of that throne.
Those who realize the True Lord, they alone are the true kings.
These mere earthly rulers are not called kings; in the love of duality, they suffer.
Why should someone praise someone else who is also created? They depart in no time at all.
The One True Lord is eternal and imperishable. One who, as Gurmukh, understands becomes eternal as well. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The One Lord is the Husband of all. No one is without the Husband Lord.
O Nanak, they are the pure soul-brides, who merge in the True Guru. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The mind is churning with so many waves of desire. How can one be emancipated in the Court of the Lord?
Be absorbed in the Lord's True Love, and imbued with the deep color of the Lord's Infinite Love.
O Nanak, by Guru's Grace, one is emancipated, if the consciousness is attached to the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The Name of the Lord is priceless. How can its value be estimated?

He Himself created the entire universe, and He Himself is pervading it.
The Gurmukhs praise the Lord forever, and through the Truth, they assess Him.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the heart-lotus blossoms forth, and in this way, one drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord.
Coming and going in reincarnation ceases, and one sleeps in peace and poise. ||7||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Neither dirty, nor dull, nor saffron, nor any color that fades.
O Nanak, crimson - deep crimson is the color of one who is imbued with the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The bumble bee intuitively and fearlessly dwells among the vegetation, flowers and fruits.
O Nanak, there is only one tree, one flower, and one bumble bee. ||2||
Pauree:
Those humble beings who struggle with their minds are brave and distinguished heroes.
Those who realize their own selves, remain forever united with the Lord.
This is the glory of the spiritual teachers, that they remain absorbed in their mind.
They attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and focus their meditation on the True Lord.
Those who conquer their own minds, by Guru's Grace, conquer the world. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
If I were to become a Yogi, and wander around the world, begging from door to door,
then, when I am summoned to the Court of the Lord, what answer could I give?
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the charity I beg for; contentment is my temple. The True Lord is always with me.
Nothing is obtained by wearing religious robes; all will be seized by the Messenger of Death.
O Nanak, talk is false; contemplate the True Name. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Through that door, you will be called to account; do not serve at that door.
Seek and find such a True Guru, who has no equal in His greatness.
In His Sanctuary, one is released, and no one calls him to account.
Truth is implanted within Him, and He implants Truth within others. He bestows the blessing of the True Shabad.
One who has Truth within his heart - his body and mind are also true.
O Nanak, if one submits to the Hukam, the Command of the True Lord God, he is blessed with true glory and greatness.
He is immersed and merged in the True Lord, who blesses him with His Glance of Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
They are not called heroes, who die of egotism, suffering in pain.
The blind ones do not realize their own selves; in the love of duality, they rot.
They struggle with great anger; here and hereafter, they suffer in pain.
The Dear Lord is not pleased by egotism; the Vedas proclaim this clearly.
Those who die of egotism, shall not find salvation. They die, and are reborn in reincarnation. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The crow does not become white, and an iron boat does not float across.
One who puts his faith in the treasure of his Beloved Lord is blessed; he exalts and embellishes others as well.
One who realizes the Hukam of God's Command - his face is radiant and bright; he floats across, like iron upon wood.
Forsake thirst and desire, and abide in the Fear of God; O Nanak, these are the most excellent actions. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The ignorant people who go to the desert to conquer their minds, are not able to conquer them.
O Nanak, if this mind is to be conquered, one must contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
This mind is not conquered by conquering it, even though everyone longs to do so.
O Nanak, the mind itself conquers the mind, if one meets with the True Guru. ||2||

Pauree:
He created both sides; Shiva dwells within Shakti (the soul dwells within the material universe).
Through the material universe of Shakti, no one has ever found the Lord; they continue to be born and die in reincarnation.
Serving the Guru, peace is found, meditating on the Lord with every breath and morsel of food.
Searching and looking through the Simritees and the Shaastras, I have found that the most sublime person is the slave of the Lord.
O Nanak, without the Naam, nothing is permanent and stable; I am a sacrifice to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||10||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
I might become a Pandit, a religious scholar, or an astrologer, and recite the four Vedas with my mouth;
I might be worshipped throughout the nine regions of the earth for my wisdom and thought;
let me not forget the Word of Truth, that no one can touch my sacred cooking square.
Such cooking squares are false, O Nanak; only the One Lord is True. ||1||
Third Mehl:
He Himself creates and He Himself acts; He bestows His Glance of Grace.
He Himself grants glorious greatness; says Nanak, He is the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Only death is painful; I cannot conceive of anything else as painful.
It is unstoppable; it stalks and pervades the world, and fights with the sinners.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one is immersed in the Lord. Meditating on the Lord, one comes to realize the Lord.
He alone is emancipated in the Sanctuary of the Lord, who struggles with his own mind.
One who contemplates and meditates on the Lord in his mind, succeeds in the Court of the Lord. ||11||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Submit to the Will of the Lord Commander; in His Court, only Truth is accepted.
Your Lord and Master shall call you to account; do not go astray on beholding the world.
One who keeps watch over his heart, and keeps his heart pure, is a dervish, a saintly devotee.
Love and affection, O Nanak, are in the accounts placed before the Creator. ||1||
First Mehl:
One who is unattached like the bumble bee, sees the Lord of the world everywhere.
The diamond of his mind is pierced through with the Diamond of the Lord's Name; O Nanak, his neck is embellished with it. ||2||
Pauree:
The self-willed manmukhs are afflicted by death; they cling to Maya in emotional attachment.
In an instant, they are thrown to the ground and killed; in the love of duality, they are deluded.
This opportunity shall not come into their hands again; they are beaten by the Messenger of Death with his stick.
But Death's stick does not even strike those who remain awake and aware in the Love of the Lord.
All are Yours, and cling to You; only You can save them. ||12||
Shalok, First Mehl:
See the imperishable Lord everywhere; attachment to wealth brings only great pain.
Loaded with dust, you have to cross over the world-ocean; you are not carrying the profit and capital of the Name with you. ||1||
First Mehl:
My capital is Your True Name, O Lord; this wealth is inexhaustible and infinite.
O Nanak, this merchandise is immaculate; blessed is the banker who trades in it. ||2||
First Mehl:
Know and enjoy the primal, eternal Love of the Great Lord and Master.
Blessed with the Naam, O Nanak, you shall strike down the Messenger of Death, and push his face to the ground. ||3||
Pauree:
He Himself has embellished the body, and placed the nine treasures of the Naam within it.
He confuses some in doubt; fruitless are their actions.
Some, as Gurmukh, realize their Lord, the Supreme Soul.
Some listen to the Lord, and obey Him; sublime and exalted are their actions.
Love for the Lord wells up deep within, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name. ||13||
Shalok, First Mehl:

The Fear of God abides in the mind of the innocent; this is the straight path to the One Lord.
Jealousy and envy bring terrible pain, and one is cursed throughout the three worlds. ||1||
First Mehl:
The drum of the Vedas vibrates, bringing dispute and divisiveness.
O Nanak, contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord; there is none except Him. ||2||
First Mehl:
The world-ocean of the three qualities is unfathomably deep; how can its bottom be seen?
If I meet with the great, self-sufficient True Guru, then I am carried across.
This ocean is filled up with pain and suffering.
O Nanak, without the True Name, no one's hunger is appeased. ||3||
Pauree:
Those who search their inner beings, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, are exalted and adorned.
They obtain what they wish for, meditating on the Lord's Name.
One who is blessed by God's Grace, meets with the Guru; he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma is his friend; he does not have to walk on the Path of Death.
He meditates on the Lord's Name, day and night; he is absorbed and immersed in the Lord's Name. ||14||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Listen to and speak the Name of the One Lord, who permeates the heavens, this world and the nether regions of the underworld.
The Hukam of His Command cannot be erased; whatever He has written, shall go with the mortal.
Who has died, and who kills? Who comes and who goes?
Who is enraptured, O Nanak, and whose consciousness merges in the Lord? ||1||
First Mehl:
In egotism, he dies; possessiveness kills him, and the breath flows out like a river.
Desire is exhausted, O Nanak, only when the mind is imbued with the Name.
His eyes are imbued with the eyes of the Lord, and his ears ring with celestial consciousness.
His tongue drinks in the sweet nectar, dyed crimson by chanting the Name of the Beloved Lord.
His inner being is drenched with the Lord's fragrance; his worth cannot be described. ||2||
Pauree:
In this age, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the treasure. Only the Naam goes along in the end.
It is inexhaustible; it is never empty, no matter how much one may eat, consume or spend.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach the humble servant of the Lord.
They alone are the true bankers and traders, who have the wealth of the Lord in their laps.
By the Lord's Mercy, one finds the Lord, only when the Lord Himself sends for him. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh does not appreciate the excellence of trading in Truth. He deals in poison, collects poison, and is in love with poison.
Outwardly, they call themselves Pandits, religious scholars, but in their minds they are foolish and ignorant.
They do not focus their consciousness on the Lord; they love to engage in arguments.
They speak to cause arguments, and earn their living by telling lies.
In this world, only the Lord's Name is immaculate and pure. All other objects of creation are polluted.
O Nanak, those who do not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are polluted; they die in ignorance. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Without serving the Lord, he suffers in pain; accepting the Hukam of God's Command, pain is gone.
He Himself is the Giver of peace; He Himself awards punishment.
O Nanak, know this well; all that happens is according to His Will. ||2||
Pauree:
Without the Lord's Name, the world is poor. Without the Name, no one is satisfied.
He is deluded by duality and doubt. In egotism, he suffers in pain.

Without good karma, he does not obtain anything, no matter how much he may wish for it.
Coming and going in reincarnation, and birth and death are ended, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
He Himself acts, so unto whom should we complain? There is no other at all. ||16||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In this world, the Saints earn the wealth; they come to meet God through the True Guru.
The True Guru implants the Truth within; the value of this wealth cannot be described.
Obtaining this wealth, hunger is relieved, and peace comes to dwell in the mind.
Only those who have such pre-ordained destiny, come to receive this.
The world of the self-willed manmukh is poor, crying out for Maya.
Night and day, it wanders continually, and its hunger is never relieved.
It never finds calm tranquility, and peace never comes to dwell in its mind.
It is always plagued by anxiety, and its cynicism never departs.
O Nanak, without the True Guru, the intellect is perverted; if one meets the True Guru, then one practices the Word of the Shabad.
Forever and ever, he dwells in peace, and merges in the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The One who created the world, takes care of it.
Meditate in remembrance on the One Lord, O Siblings of Destiny; there is none other than Him.
So eat the food of the Shabad and goodness; eating it, you shall remain satisfied forever.
Dress yourself in the Praise of the Lord. Forever and ever, it is radiant and bright; it is never polluted.
I have intuitively earned the true wealth, which never decreases.
The body is adorned with the Shabad, and is at peace forever and ever.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh realizes the Lord, who reveals Himself. ||2||
Pauree:
Deep within the self are meditation and austere self-discipline, when one realizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, egotism and ignorance are eliminated.
One's inner being is overflowing with Ambrosial Nectar; tasting it, the flavor is known.
Those who taste it become fearless; they are satisfied with the sublime essence of the Lord.
Those who drink it in, by the Grace of the Lord, are never again afflicted by death. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
People tie up bundles of demerits; no one deals in virtue.
Rare is that person, O Nanak, who purchases virtue.
By Guru's Grace, one is blessed with virtue, when the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Merits and demerits are the same; they are both created by the Creator.
O Nanak, one who obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command, finds peace, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
Pauree:
The King sits on the throne within the self; He Himself administers justice.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord's Court is known; within the self is the Sanctuary, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
The coins are assayed, and the genuine coins are placed in His treasury, while the counterfeit ones find no place.
The Truest of the True is all-pervading; His justice is forever True.
One comes to enjoy the Ambrosial essence, when the Name is enshrined in the mind. ||18||
Shalok, First Mehl:
When one acts in egotism, then You are not there, Lord. Wherever You are, there is no ego.

O spiritual teachers, understand this: the Unspoken Speech is in the mind.
Without the Guru, the essence of reality is not found; the Invisible Lord dwells everywhere.
One meets the True Guru, and then the Lord is known, when the Word of the Shabad comes to dwell in the mind.
When self-conceit departs, doubt and fear also depart, and the pain of birth and death is removed.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the Unseen Lord is seen; the intellect is exalted, and one is carried across.
O Nanak, chant the chant of 'Sohang hansaa' - 'He is me, and I am Him.' The three worlds are absorbed in Him. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Some assay their mind-jewel, and contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Only a few of those humble beings are known in this world, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
One's self remains blended with the Lord's Self, when egotism and duality are conquered.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam cross over the difficult, treacherous and terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Pauree:
The self-willed manmukhs do not search within their own selves; they are deluded by their egotistical pride.
Wandering in the four directions, they grow weary, tormented by burning desire within.
They do not study the Simritees and the Shaastras; the manmukhs waste away and are lost.
Without the Guru, no one finds the Naam, the Name of the True Lord.
One who contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom and meditates on the Lord is saved. ||19||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
He Himself knows, He Himself acts, and He Himself does it right.
So stand before Him, O Nanak, and offer your prayers. ||1||
First Mehl:
He who created the creation, watches over it; He Himself knows.
Unto whom should I speak, O Nanak, when everything is contained within the home of the heart? ||2||
Pauree:
Forget everything, and be friends with the One Lord alone.
Your mind and body shall be enraptured, and the Lord shall burn away your sins.
Your comings and goings in reincarnation shall cease; you shall not be reborn and die again.
The True Name shall be your Support, and you shall not burn in sorrow and attachment.
O Nanak, gather in the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your mind. ||20||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
You do not forget Maya from your mind; you beg for it with each and every breath.
You do not even think of that God; O Nanak, it is not in your karma. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Maya and its wealth shall not go along with you, so why do you cling to it - are you blind?
Meditate on the Guru's Feet, and the bonds of Maya shall be cut away from you. ||2||
Pauree:
By the Pleasure of His Will, the Lord inspires us to obey the Hukam of His Command; by the Pleasure of His Will, we find peace.
By the Pleasure of His Will, He leads us to meet the True Guru; by the Pleasure of His Will, we meditate on the Truth.
There is no other gift as great as the Pleasure of His Will; this Truth is spoken and proclaimed.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny, practice and live the Truth.
Nanak has entered His Sanctuary; He created the world. ||21||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who do not have spiritual wisdom within, do not have even an iota of the Fear of God.
O Nanak, why kill those who are already dead? The Lord of the Universe Himself has killed them. ||1||
Third Mehl:
To read the horoscope of the mind, is the most sublime joyful peace.
He alone is called a good Brahmin, who understands God in contemplative meditation.
He praises the Lord, and reads of the Lord, and contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

Celebrated and approved is the coming into the world of such a person, who saves all his generations as well.
Hereafter, no one is questioned about social status; excellent and sublime is the practice of the Word of the Shabad.
Other study is false, and other actions are false; such people are in love with poison.
They do not find any peace within themselves; the self-willed manmukhs waste away their lives.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are saved; they have infinite love for the Guru. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself creates the creation, and gazes upon it; He Himself is totally True.
One who does not understand the Hukam, the Command of his Lord and Master, is false.
By the Pleasure of His Will, the True Lord joins the Gurmukh to Himself.
He is the One Lord and Master of all; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we are blended with Him.
The Gurmukhs praise Him forever; all are beggars of Him.
O Nanak, as He Himself makes us dance, we dance. ||22||1||
Sudh||
Vaar Of Maaroo, Fifth Mehl, Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If You tell me to, O my Friend, I will cut off my head and give it to You.
My eyes long for You; when will I see Your Vision? ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
I am in love with You; I have seen that other love is false.
Even clothes and food are frightening to me, as long as I do not see my Beloved. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
I rise early, O my Husband Lord, to behold Your Vision.
Eye make-up, garlands of flowers, and the flavor of betel leaf, are all nothing but dust, without seeing You. ||3||
Pauree:
You are True, O my True Lord and Master; You uphold all that is true.
You created the world, making a place for the Gurmukhs.
By the Will of the Lord, the Vedas came into being; they discriminate between sin and virtue.
You created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and the expanse of the three qualities.
Creating the world of the nine regions, O Lord, You have embellished it with beauty.
Creating the beings of various kinds, You infused Your power into them.
No one knows Your limit, O True Creator Lord.
You Yourself know all ways and means; You Yourself save the Gurmukhs. ||1||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
If You are my friend, then don't separate Yourself from me, even for an instant.
My soul is fascinated and enticed by You; when will I see You, O my Love? ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Burn in the fire, you evil person; O separation, be dead.
O my Husband Lord, please sleep upon my bed, that all my sufferings may be gone. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
The evil person is engrossed in the love of duality; through the disease of egotism, he suffers separation.
The True Lord King is my friend; meeting with Him, I am so happy. ||3||
Pauree:
You are inaccessible, merciful and infinite; who can estimate Your worth?
You created the entire universe; You are the Master of all the worlds.
No one knows Your creative power, O my all-pervading Lord and Master.
No one can equal You; You are imperishable and eternal, the Savior of the world.

You established the four ages; You are the Creator of all worlds.
You created the comings and goings of reincarnation; not even a particle of filth sticks to You.
As you are merciful, You attach us to the Feet of the True Guru.
You cannot be found by any other efforts; You are the eternal, imperishable Creator of the Universe. ||2||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
If You come into my courtyard, all the earth becomes beautiful.
Other than the One Lord, my Husband, no one else cares for me. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
All my adornments become beautiful, when You, O Lord, sit in my courtyard and make it Yours.
Then no traveller who comes to my home shall leave empty-handed. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
I have spread out my bed for You, O my Husband Lord, and applied all my decorations.
But even this is not pleasing to me, to wear a garland around my neck. ||3||
Pauree:
O Supreme Lord God, O Transcendent Lord, You do not take birth.
By the Hukam of Your Command, You formed the Universe; forming it, You merge into it.
Your Form cannot be known; how can one meditate on You?
You are pervading and permeating all; You Yourself reveal Your creative potency.
Your treasures of devotional worship are overflowing; they never decrease.
These gems, jewels and diamonds - their value cannot be estimated.
As You Yourself become merciful, Lord, You link us to the service of the True Guru.
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, never suffers any deficiency. ||3||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
When I look within my being, I find that my Beloved is with me.
All pains are relieved, O Nanak, when He bestows His Glance of Grace. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Nanak sits, waiting for news of the Lord, and stands at the Lord's Door; serving Him for so long.
O my Beloved, only You know my objective; I stand, waiting to see the Lord's face. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
What should I say to you, you fool? Don't look at the vines of others - be a true husband.
O Nanak, the entire world is blooming, like a garden of flowers. ||3||
Pauree:
You are Wise, all-knowing and beautiful; You are pervading and permeating all.
You Yourself are the Lord and Master, and the servant; You worship and adore Yourself.
You are all-wise and all-seeing; You Yourself are true and pure.
The Immaculate Lord, my Lord God, is celibate and True.
God spreads out the expanse of the entire universe, and He Himself plays in it.
He created this coming and going of reincarnation; creating the wondrous play, He gazes upon it.
One who is blessed with the Guru's Teachings, is not consigned to the womb of reincarnation, ever again.
All walk as He makes them walk; nothing is under the control of the created beings. ||4||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
You are walking along the river-bank, but the land is giving way beneath you.
Watch out! Your foot might slip, and you'll fall in and die. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
You believe what is false and temporary to be true, and so you run on and on.
O Nanak, like butter in the fire, it shall melt away; it shall fade away like the water-lily. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
O my foolish and silly soul, why are you too lazy to serve?
Such a long time has passed. When will this opportunity come again? ||3||

Pauree:
You have no form or shape, no social class or race.
These humans believe that You are far away; but You are quite obviously apparent.
You enjoy Yourself in every heart, and no filth sticks to You.
You are the blissful and infinite Primal Lord God; Your Light is all-pervading.
Among all divine beings, You are the most divine, O Creator-architect, Rejuvenator of all.
How can my single tongue worship and adore You? You are the eternal, imperishable, infinite Lord God.
One whom You Yourself unite with the True Guru - all his generations are saved.
All Your servants serve You; Nanak is a humble servant at Your Door. ||5||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
He builds a hut of straw, and the fool lights a fire in it.
Only those who have such pre-ordained destiny on their foreheads, find Shelter with the Master. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, he grinds the corn, cooks it and places it before himself.
But without his True Guru, he sits and waits for his food to be blessed. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, the loaves of bread are baked and placed on the plate.
Those who obey their Guru, eat and are totally satisfied. ||3||
Pauree:
You have staged this play in the world, and infused egotism into all beings.
In the one temple of the body are the five thieves, who continually misbehave.
The ten brides, the sensory organs were created, and the one husband, the self; the ten are engrossed in flavors and tastes.
This Maya fascinates and entices them; they wander continually in doubt.
You created both sides, spirit and matter, Shiva and Shakti.
Matter loses out to spirit; this is pleasing to the Lord.
You enshrined spirit within, which leads to merger with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Within the bubble, You formed the bubble, which shall once again merge into the water. ||6||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
Look ahead; don't turn your face backwards.
O Nanak, be successful this time, and you shall not be reincarnated again. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
My joyful friend is called the friend of all.
All think of Him as their own; He never breaks anyone's heart. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
The hidden jewel has been found; it has appeared on my forehead.
Beautiful and exalted is that place, O Nanak, where You dwell, O my Dear Lord. ||3||
Pauree:
When You are on my side, Lord, what do I need to worry about?
You entrusted everything to me, when I became Your slave.
My wealth is inexhaustible, no matter how much I spend and consume.
The 8.4 million species of beings all work to serve me.
All these enemies have become my friends, and no one wishes me ill.
No one calls me to account, since God is my forgiver.
I have become blissful, and I have found peace, meeting with the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
All my affairs have been resolved, since You are pleased with me. ||7||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
I am so eager to see You, O Lord; what does Your face look like?
I wandered around in such a miserable state, but when I saw You, my mind was comforted and consoled. ||1||

Fifth Mehl:
The miserable endure so much suffering and pain; You alone know their pain, Lord.
I may know hundreds of thousands of remedies, but I shall live only if I see my Husband Lord. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
I have seen the river-bank washed away by the raging waters of the river.
They alone remain intact, who meet with the True Guru. ||3||
Pauree:
No pain afflicts that humble being who hungers for You, Lord.
That humble Gurmukh who understands, is celebrated in the four directions.
Sins run away from that man, who seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord.
The filth of countless incarnations is washed away, bathing in the dust of the Guru's feet.
Whoever submits to the Lord's Will does not suffer in sorrow.
O Dear Lord, You are the friend of all; all believe that You are theirs.
The glory of the Lord's humble servant is as great as the Glorious Radiance of the Lord.
Among all, His humble servant is pre-eminent; through His humble servant, the Lord is known. ||8||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
Those whom I followed, now follow me.
Those in whom I placed my hopes, now place their hopes in me. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The fly flies around, and comes to the wet lump of molasses.
Whoever sits on it, is caught; they alone are saved, who have good destiny on their foreheads. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
I see Him within all. No one is without Him.
Good destiny is inscribed on the forehead of that companion, who who enjoys the Lord, my Friend. ||3||
Pauree:
I am a minstrel at His Door, singing His Glorious Praises, to please to my Lord God.
My God is permanent and stable; others continue coming and going.
I beg for that gift from the Lord of the World, which will satisfy my hunger.
O Dear Lord God, please bless Your minstrel with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, that I might be satisfied and fulfilled.
God, the Great Giver, hears the prayer, and summons the minstrel to the Mansion of His Presence.
Gazing upon God, the minstrel is rid of pain and hunger; he does not think to ask for anything else.
All desires are fulfilled, touching the feet of God.
I am His humble, unworthy minstrel; the Primal Lord God has forgiven me. ||9||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
When the soul leaves, you shall become dust, O vacant body; why do you not realize your Husband Lord?
You are in love with evil people; by what virtues will you enjoy the Lord's Love? ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, without Him, you cannot survive, even for an instant; you cannot afford to forget Him, even for a moment.
Why are you alienated from Him, O my mind? He takes care of you. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
Those who are imbued with the Love of the Supreme Lord God, their minds and bodies are colored deep crimson.
O Nanak, without the Name, other thoughts are polluted and corrupt. ||3||
Pauree:
O Dear Lord, when You are my friend, what sorrow can afflict me?
You have beaten off and destroyed the cheats that cheat the world.
The Guru has carried me across the terrifying world-ocean, and I have won the battle.
Through the Guru's Teachings, I enjoy all the pleasures in the great world-arena.
The True Lord has brought all my senses and organs under my control.

Wherever I join them, there they are joined; they do not struggle against me.
I obtain the fruits of my desires; the Guru has directed me within.
When Guru Nanak is pleased, O Siblings of Destiny, the Lord is seen to be dwelling near at hand. ||10||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
When You come into my consciousness, then I obtain all peace and comfort.
Nanak: with Your Name within my mind, O my Husband Lord, I am filled with delight. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Enjoyment of clothes and corrupt pleasures - all these are nothing more than dust.
I long for the dust of the feet of those who are imbued with the Lord's Vision. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
Why do you look in other directions? O my heart, take the Support of the Lord alone.
Become the dust of the feet of the Saints, and find the Lord, the Giver of peace. ||3||
Pauree:
Without good karma, the Dear Lord is not found; without the True Guru, the mind is not joined to Him.
Only the Dharma remains stable in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; these sinners will not last at all.
Whatever one does with this hand, he obtains with the other hand, without a moment's delay.
I have examined the four ages, and without the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, egotism does not depart.
Egotism is never eradicated without the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
As long as one's mind is torn away from his Lord and Master, he finds no place of rest.
That humble being, who, as Gurmukh, serves the Lord, has the Support of the Imperishable Lord in the home of his heart.
By the Lord's Grace, peace is obtained, and one is attached to the feet of the Guru, the True Guru. ||11||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
I have searched everywhere for the King over the heads of kings.
That Master is within my heart; I chant His Name with my mouth. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O my mother, the Master has blessed me with the jewel.
My heart is cooled and soothed, chanting the True Name with my mouth. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
I have become the bed for my Beloved Husband Lord; my eyes have become the sheets.
If You look at me, even for an instant, then I obtain peace beyond all price. ||3||
Pauree:
My mind longs to meet the Lord; how can I obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan?
I obtain hundreds of thousands, if my Lord and Master speaks to me, even for an instant.
I have searched in four directions; there is no other as great as You, Lord.
Show me the Path, O Saints. How can I meet God?
I dedicate my mind to Him, and renounce my ego. This is the Path which I shall take.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I serve my Lord and Master continually.
All my hopes are fulfilled; the Guru has ushered me into the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
I cannot conceive of any other as great as You, O my Friend, O Lord of the World. ||12||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
I have become the throne for my Beloved Lord King.
If You place Your foot on me, I blossom forth like the lotus flower. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
If my Beloved becomes hungry, I will become food, and place myself before Him.
I may be crushed, again and again, but like sugarcane, I do not stop yielding sweet juice. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
Break off your love with the cheaters; realize that it is a mirage.
Your pleasure lasts for only two moments; this traveller wanders through countless homes. ||3||
Pauree:
God is not found by intellectual devices; He is unknowable and unseen.

The followers of the six orders wander and roam around wearing religious robes, but they do not meet God.
They keep the lunar fasts, but they are of no account.
Those who read the Vedas in their entirety, still do not see the sublime essence of reality.
They apply ceremonial marks to their foreheads, and take cleansing baths, but they are blackened within.
They wear religious robes, but without the True Teachings, God is not found.
One who had strayed, finds the Path again, if such pre-ordained destiny is written on his forehead.
One who sees the Guru with his eyes, embellishes and exalts his human life. ||13||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
Focus on that which will not pass away.
Abandon your false actions, and meditate on the True Master. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
God's Light is permeating all, like the moon reflected in the water.
He Himself is revealed, O Nanak, to one who has such destiny inscribed upon his forehead. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
One's face becomes beautiful, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and singing His Glorious Praises, twenty-four hours a day.
O Nanak, in the Court of the Lord, you shall be accepted; even the homeless find a home there. ||3||
Pauree:
By wearing religious robes outwardly, God, the Inner-knower is not found.
Without the One Dear Lord, all wander around aimlessly.
Their minds are imbued with attachment to family, and so they continually wander around, puffed up with pride.
The arrogant wander around the world; why are they so proud of their wealth?
Their wealth shall not go with them when they depart; in an instant, it is gone.
They wander around in the world, according to the Hukam of the Lord's Command.
When one's karma is activated, one finds the Guru, and through Him, the Lord and Master is found.
That humble being, who serves the Lord, has his affairs resolved by the Lord. ||14||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
All speak with their mouths, but rare are those one who realize death.
Nanak is the dust of the feet of those who have faith in the One Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Know that He dwells within all; rare are those who realize this.
There is no obscuring veil on the body of that one, O Nanak, who meets the Guru. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
I drink in the water which has washed the feet of those who share the Teachings.
My body is filled with infinite love to see my True Master. ||3||
Pauree:
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Fearless Lord, he becomes attached to Maya.
He comes and goes, and wanders, dancing in countless incarnations.
He gives his word, but then backs out. All that he says is false.
The false person is hollow within; he is totally engrossed in falsehood.
He tries to take vengeance upon the Lord, who bears no vengeance; such a person is trapped by falsehood and greed.
The True King, the Primal Lord God, kills him when He sees what he has done.
The Messenger of Death sees him, and he rots away in pain.
Even-handed justice is administered, O Nanak, in the Court of the True Lord. ||15||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
In the early hours of the morning, chant the Name of God, and meditate on the Feet of the Guru.
The filth of birth and death is erased, singing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The body is dark, blind and empty, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, fruitful is the birth of one, within whose heart the True Master dwells. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
With my eyes, I have seen the Light; my great thirst for Him is not quenched.

O Nanak, these are not the eyes which can see my Beloved Husband Lord. ||3||
Pauree:
That humble being, who, as Gurmukh, serves the Lord, obtains all peace and pleasure.
He Himself is saved, along with his family, and all the world is saved as well.
He collects the wealth of the Lord's Name, and all his thirst is quenched.
He renounces worldly greed, and his inner being is lovingly attuned to the Lord.
Forever and ever, the home of his heart is filled with bliss; the Lord is his companion, help and support.
He looks alike upon enemy and friend, and wishes well to all.
He alone is fulfilled in this world, who meditates on the spiritual wisdom of the Guru.
He obtains what is pre-ordained for him, according to the Lord. ||16||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
The true person is said to be beautiful; false is the reputation of the false.
O Nanak, rare are those who have Truth in their laps. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The face of my friend, the Lord, is incomparably beautiful; I would watch Him, twenty-four hours a day.
In sleep, I saw my Husband Lord; I am a sacrifice to that dream. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
O my friend, realize the True Lord. Just to talk about Him is useless.
See Him within your mind; your Beloved is not far away. ||3||
Pauree:
The earth, the Akaashic ethers of the sky, the nether regions of the underworld, the moon and the sun shall pass away.
Emperors, bankers, rulers and leaders shall depart, and their homes shall be demolished.
The poor and the rich, the humble and the intoxicated, all these people shall pass away.
The Qazis, Shaykhs and preachers shall all arise and depart.
The spiritual teachers, prophets and disciples - none of these shall remain permanently.
Fasts, calls to prayer and sacred scriptures - without understanding, all these shall vanish.
The 8.4 million species of beings of the earth shall all continue coming and going in reincarnation.
The One True Lord God is eternal and unchanging. The Lord's slave is also eternal. ||17||
Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
I have seen and examined all; without the One Lord, there is none at all.
Come, and show me Your face, O my friend, so that my body and mind may be cooled and soothed. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The lover is without hope, but within my mind, there is great hope.
In the midst of hope, only You, O Lord, remain free of hope; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
Even if I just hear of separation from You, I am in pain; without seeing You, O Lord, I die.
Without her Beloved, the separated lover takes no comfort. ||3||
Pauree:
River-banks, sacred shrines, idols, temples, and places of pilgrimage like Kaydarnaat'h, Mat'huraa and Benares,
the three hundred thirty million gods, along with Indra, shall all pass away.
The Simritees, Shaastras, the four Vedas and the six systems of philosophy shall vanish.
Prayer books, Pandits, religious scholars, songs, poems and poets shall also depart.
Those who are celibate, truthful and charitiable, and the Sannyaasee hermits are all subject to death.
The silent sages, the Yogis and the nudists, along with the Messengers of Death, shall pass away.
Whatever is seen shall perish; all will dissolve and disappear.
Only the Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, is permanent. His servant becomes permanent as well. ||18||
Shalok Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
Hundreds of times naked does not make the person naked; tens of thousands of hungers do not make him hungry;
millions of pains do not cause him pain. O Nanak, the Husband Lord blesses him with his Glance of Grace. ||1||

Fifth Mehl:
Even if one were to enjoy all pleasures, and be master of the entire earth,
O Nanak, all of that is just a disease. Without the Naam, he is dead. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
Yearn for the One Lord, and make Him your friend.
O Nanak, He alone fulfills your hopes; you should feel embarrassed, visiting other places. ||3||
Pauree:
The One and only Lord is eternal, imperishable, inaccessible and incomprehensible.
The treasure of the Naam is eternal and imperishable. Meditating in remembrance on Him, the Lord is attained.
The Kirtan of His Praises is eternal and imperishable; the Gurmukh sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Truth, righteousness, Dharma and intense meditation are eternal and imperishable. Day and night, worship the Lord in adoration.
Compassion, righteousness, Dharma and intense meditation are eternal and imperishable; they alone obtain these, who have such pre-ordained destiny.
The inscription inscribed upon one's forehead is eternal and imperishable; it cannot be avoided by avoidance.
The Congregation, the Company of the Holy, and the word of the humble, are eternal and imperishable. The Holy Guru is eternal and imperishable.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny worship and adore the Lord, forever and ever. ||19||
Shalok, Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
One who himself has drowned - how can he carry anyone else across?
One who is imbued with the Love of the Husband Lord - O Nanak, he himself is saved, and he saves others as well. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Wherever someone speaks and hears the Name of my Beloved Lord,
that is where I go, O Nanak, to see Him, and blossom forth in bliss. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
You are in love with your children and your wife; why do you keep calling them your own?
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the human body has no foundation. ||3||
Pauree:
With my eyes, I gaze upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan; I touch my forehead to the Guru's feet.
With my feet I walk on the Guru's Path; with my hands, I wave the fan over Him.
I meditate on Akaal Moorat, the undying form, within my heart; day and night, I meditate on Him.
I have renounced all possessiveness, and have placed my faith in the all-powerful Guru.
The Guru has blessed me with the treasure of the Naam; I am rid of all sufferings.
Eat and enjoy the Naam, the Name of the indescribable Lord, O Siblings of Destiny.
Confirm your faith in the Naam, charity and self-purification; chant the Guru's sermon forever.
Blessed with intuitive poise, I have found God; I am rid of the fear of the Messenger of Death. ||20||
Shalok, Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
I am centered and focused on my Beloved, but I am not satisfied, even by seeing Him.
The Lord and Master is within all; I do not see any other. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The sayings of the Saints are the paths of peace.
O Nanak, they alone obtain them, upon whose foreheads such destiny is written. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
He is totally permeating the mountains, oceans, deserts, lands, forests, orchards, caves,
the nether regions of the underworld, the Akaashic ethers of the skies, and all hearts.
Nanak sees that they are all strung on the same thread. ||3||
Pauree:
The Dear Lord is my mother, the Dear Lord is my father; the Dear Lord cherishes and nurtures me.
The Dear Lord takes care of me; I am the child of the Lord.
Slowly and steadily, He feeds me; He never fails.
He does not remind me of my faults; He hugs me close in His embrace.
Whatever I ask for, He give me; the Lord is my peace-giving father.

He has blessed me with the capital, the wealth of spiritual wisdom; He has made me worthy of this merchandise.
He has made me a partner with the Guru; I have obtained all peace and comforts.
He is with me, and shall never separate from me; the Lord, my father, is potent to do everything. ||21||
Shalok, Dakhanay, Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, break away from the false, and seek out the Saints, your true friends.
The false shall leave you, even while you are still alive; but the Saints shall not forsake you, even when you are dead. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
O Nanak, the lightning flashes, and thunder echoes in the dark black clouds.
The downpour from the clouds is heavy; O Nanak, the soul-brides are exalted and embellished with their Beloved. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
The ponds and the lands are overflowing with water, and the cold wind is blowing.
Her bed is adorned with gold, diamonds and rubies;
she is blessed with beautiful gowns and delicacies, O Nanak, but without her Beloved, she burns in agony. ||3||
Pauree:
He does the dees which the Creator causes him to do.
Even if you run in hundreds of directions, O mortal, you shall still receive what you are pre-destined to receive.
Without good karma, you shall obtain nothing, even if you wander across the whole world.
Meeting with the Guru, you shall know the Fear of God, and other fears shall be taken away.
Through the Fear of God, the attitude of detachment wells up, and one sets out in search of the Lord.
Searching and searching, intuitive wisdom wells up, and then, one is not born to die again.
Practicing meditation within my heart, I have found the Sanctuary of the Holy.
Whoever the Lord places on the boat of Guru Nanak, is carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||22||
Shalok, Dakhanay Fifth Mehl:
First, accept death, and give up any hope of life.
Become the dust of the feet of all, and then, you may come to me. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
See, that only one who has died, truly lives; one who is alive, consider him dead.
Those who are in love with the One Lord, are the supreme people. ||2||
Fifth Mehl:
Pain does not even approach that person, within whose mind God abides.
Hunger and thirst do not affect him, and the Messenger of Death does not approach him. ||3||
Pauree:
Your worth cannot be estimated, O True, Unmoving Lord God.
The Siddhas, seekers, spiritual teachers and meditators - who among them can measure You?
You are all-powerful, to form and break; You create and destroy all.
You are all-powerful to act, and inspire all to act; You speak through each and every heart.
You give sustanance to all; why should mankind waver?
You are deep, profound and unfathomable; Your virtuous spiritual wisdom is priceless.
They do the deeds which they are pre-ordained to do.
Without You, there is nothing at all; Nanak chants Your Glorious Praises. ||23||1||2||
Raag Maaroo, The Word Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Pandit, O religious scholar, in what foul thoughts are you engaged?
You shall be drowned, along with your family, if you do not meditate on the Lord, you unfortunate person. ||1||Pause||
What is the use of reading the Vedas and the Puraanas? It is like loading a donkey with sandalwood.

You do not know the exalted state of the Lord's Name; how will you ever cross over? ||1||
You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action?
You call yourself the most excellent sage; then who would you call a butcher? ||2||
You are blind in your mind, and do not understand your own self; how can you make others understand, O brother?
For the sake of Maya and money, you sell knowledge; your life is totally worthless. ||3||
Naarad and Vyaasa say these things; go and ask Suk Dayv as well.
Says Kabeer, chanting the Lord's Name, you shall be saved; otherwise, you shall drown, brother. ||4||1||
Living in the forest, how will you find Him? Not until you remove corruption from your mind.
Those who look alike upon home and forest, are the most perfect people in the world. ||1||
You shall find real peace in the Lord,
if you lovingly dwell on the Lord within your being. ||1||Pause||
What is the use of wearing matted hair, smearing the body with ashes, and living in a cave?
Conquering the mind, one conquers the world, and then remains detached from corruption. ||2||
They all apply make-up to their eyes; there is little difference between their objectives.
But those eyes, to which the ointment of spiritual wisdom is applied, are approved and supreme. ||3||
Says Kabeer, now I know my Lord; the Guru has blessed me with spiritual wisdom.
I have met the Lord, and I am emancipated within; now, my mind does not wander at all. ||4||2||
You have riches and miraculous spiritual powers; so what business do you have with anyone else?
What should I say about the reality of your talk? I am embarrassed even to speak to you. ||1||
One who has found the Lord,
does not wander from door to door. ||1||Pause||
The false world wanders all around, in hopes of finding wealth to use for a few days.
That humble being, who drinks in the Lord's water, never becomes thirsty again. ||2||
Whoever understands, by Guru's Grace, becomes free of hope in the midst of hope.
One comes to see the Lord everywhere, when the soul becomes detached. ||3||
I have tasted the sublime essence of the Lord's Name; the Lord's Name carries everyone across.
Says Kabeer, I have become like gold; doubt is dispelled, and I have crossed over the world-ocean. ||4||3||
Like drops of water in the water of the ocean, and like waves in the stream, I merge in the Lord.
Merging my being into the Absolute Being of God, I have become impartial and transparent, like the air. ||1||
Why should I come into the world again?
Coming and going is by the Hukam of His Command; realizing His Hukam, I shall merge in Him. ||1||Pause||
When the body, formed of the five elements, perishes, then any such doubts shall end.
Giving up the different schools of philosophy, I look upon all equally; I meditate only on the One Name. ||2||
Whatever I am attached to, to that I am attached; such are the deeds I do.
When the Dear Lord grants His Grace, then I am merged in the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||
Die while yet alive, and by so dying, be alive; thus you shall not be reborn again.

Says Kabeer, whoever is absorbed in the Naam remains lovingly absorbed in the Primal, Absolute Lord. ||4||4||
If You keep me far away from You, then tell me, what is liberation?
The One has many forms, and is contained within all; how can I be fooled now? ||1||
O Lord, where will You take me, to save me?
Tell me where, and what sort of liberation shall You give me? By Your Grace, I have already obtained it. ||1||Pause||
People talk of salvation and being saved, as long as they do not understand the essence of reality.
I have now become pure within my heart, says Kabeer, and my mind is pleased and appeased. ||2||5||
Raawan made castles and fortresses of gold, but he had to abandon them when he left. ||1||
Why do you act only to please your mind?
When Death comes and grabs you by the hair, then only the Name of the Lord will save you. ||1||Pause||
Death, and deathlessness are the creations of our Lord and Master; this show, this expanse, is only an entanglement.
Says Kabeer, those who have the sublime essence of the Lord in their hearts - in the end, they are liberated. ||2||6||
The body is a village, and the soul is the owner and farmer; the five farm-hands live there.
The eyes, nose, ears, tongue and sensory organs of touch do not obey any order. ||1||
O father, now I shall not live in this village.
The accountants summoned Chitar and Gupat, the recording scribes of the conscious and the unconscious, to ask for an account of each and every moment. ||1||Pause||
When the Righteous Judge of Dharma calls for my account, there shall be a very heavy balance against me.
The five farm-hands shall then run away, and the bailiff shall arrest the soul. ||2||
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints: settle your accounts in this farm.
O Lord, please forgive Your slave now, in this life, so that he may not have to return again to this terrifying world-ocean. ||3||7||
Raag Maaroo, The Word Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
No one has seen the Fearless Lord, O renunciate.
Without the Fear of God, how can the Fearless Lord be obtained? ||1||
If one sees the Presence of his Husband Lord near at hand, then he feels the Fear of God, O renunciate.
If he realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command, then he becomes fearless. ||2||
Don't practice hypocrisy with the Lord, O renunciate!
The whole world is filled with hypocrisy. ||3||
Thirst and desire do not just go away, O renunciate.
The body is burning in the fire of worldly love and attachment. ||4||
Anxiety is burned, and the body is burned, O renunciate,
only if one lets his mind become dead. ||5||
Without the True Guru, there can be no renunciation,
even though all the people may wish for it. ||6||
When God grants His Grace, one meets the True Guru, O renunciate,
and automatically, intuitively finds that Lord. ||7||
Says Kabeer, I offer this one prayer, O renunciate.
Carry me across the terrifying world-ocean. ||8||1||8||

O king, who will come to you?
I have seen such love from Bidur, that the poor man is pleasing to me. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon your elephants, you have gone astray in doubt; you do not know the Great Lord God.
I judge Bidur's water to be like ambrosial nectar, in comparison with your milk. ||1||
I find his rough vegetables to be like rice pudding; the night of my life passes singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Kabeer's Lord and Master is joyous and blissful; He does not care about anyone's social class. ||2||9||
Shalok, Kabeer:
The battle-drum beats in the sky of the mind; aim is taken, and the wound is inflicted.
The spiritual warriors enter the field of battle; now is the time to fight! ||1||
He alone is known as a spiritual hero, who fights in defense of religion.
He may be cut apart, piece by piece, but he never leaves the field of battle. ||2||2||
Shabad Of Kabeer, Raag Maaroo, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I have obtained the four kinds of liberation, and the four miraculous spiritual powers, in the Sanctuary of God, my Husband Lord.
I am liberated, and famous throughout the four ages; the canopy of praise and fame waves over my head. ||1||
Meditating on the Sovereign Lord God, who has not been saved?
Whoever follows the Guru's Teachings and joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is called the most devoted of the devotees. ||1||Pause||
He is adorned with the conch, the chakra, the mala and the ceremonial tilak mark on his forehead; gazing upon his radiant glory, the Messenger of Death is scared away.
He becomes fearless, and the power of the Lord thunders through him; the pains of birth and death are taken away. ||2||
The Lord blessed Ambreek with fearless dignity, and elevated Bhabhikhan to become king.
Sudama's Lord and Master blessed him with the nine treasures; he made Dhroo permanent and unmoving; as the north star, he still hasn't moved. ||3||
For the sake of His devotee Prahlaad, God assumed the form of the man-lion, and killed Harnaakhash.
Says Naam Dayv, the beautiful-haired Lord is in the power of His devotees; He is standing at Balraja's door, even now! ||4||1||
Maaroo, Kabeer Jee:
You have forgotten your religion, O madman; you have forgotten your religion.
You fill your belly, and sleep like an animal; you have wasted and lost this human life. ||1||Pause||
You never joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. You are engrossed in false pursuits.
You wander like a dog, a pig, a crow; soon, you shall have to get up and leave. ||1||
You believe that you yourself are great, and that others are small.
Those who are false in thought, word and deed, I have seen them going to hell. ||2||
The lustful, the angry, the clever, the deceitful and the lazy
waste their lives in slander, and never remember their Lord in meditation. ||3||
Says Kabeer, the fools, the idiots and the brutes do not remember the Lord.
They do not know the Lord's Name; how can they be carried across? ||4||1||

Raag Maaroo, The Word Of Jai Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The breath is drawn in through the left nostril; it is held in the central channel of the Sushmanaa, and exhaled through the right nostril, repeating the Lord's Name sixteen times.
I am powerless; my power has been broken. My unstable mind has been stabliized, and my unadorned soul has been adorned. I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||
Within my mind, I chant the Name of the Primal Lord God, the Source of virtue.
My vision, that You are I are separate, has melted away. ||1||Pause||
I worship the One who is worthy of being worshipped. I trust the One who is worthy of being trusted. Like water merging in water, I merge in the Lord.
Says Jai Dayv, I meditate and contemplate the Luminous, Triumphant Lord. I am lovingly absorbed in the Nirvaanaa of God. ||2||1||
Kabeer, Maaroo:
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord, or else you will regret it in the end, O mind.
O sinful soul, you act in greed, but today or tomorrow, you will have to get up and leave. ||1||Pause||
Clinging to greed, you have wasted your life, deluded in the doubt of Maya.
Do not take pride in your wealth and youth; you shall crumble apart like dry paper. ||1||
When the Messenger of Death comes and grabs you by the hair, and knocks you down, on that day, you shall be powerless.
You do not remember the Lord, or vibrate upon Him in meditation, and you do not practice compassion; you shall be beaten on your face. ||2||
When the Righteous Judge of Dharma calls for your account, what face will you show Him then?
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints: in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall be saved. ||3||1||
Raag Maaroo, The Word Of Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Love, who else but You could do such a thing?
O Patron of the poor, Lord of the World, You have put the canopy of Your Grace over my head. ||1||Pause||
Only You can grant Mercy to that person whose touch pollutes the world.
You exalt and elevate the lowly, O my Lord of the Universe; You are not afraid of anyone. ||1||
Naam Dayv, Kabeer, Trilochan, Sadhana and Sain crossed over.
Says Ravi Daas, listen, O Saints, through the Dear Lord, all is accomplished. ||2||1||
MAAROO:
The Lord is the ocean of peace; the miraculous tree of life, the jewel of miracles and the wish-fulfilling cow are all under His power.
The four great blessings, the eight great miraculous spiritual powers and the nine treasures are in the palm of His hand. ||1||
Why don't you chant the Lord's Name, Har, Har, Har?
Abandon all other devices of words. ||1||Pause||
The many epics, the Puraanas and the Vedas are all composed out of the letters of the alphabet.
After careful thought, Vyaasa spoke the supreme truth, that there is nothing equal to the Lord's Name. ||2||
In intuitive Samaadhi, their troubles are eliminated; the very fortunate ones lovingly focus on the Lord.
Says Ravi Daas, the Lord's slave remains detached from the world; the fear of birth and death runs away from his mind. ||3||2||15||

Tukhaari Chhant, First Mehl, Baarah Maahaa ~ The Twelve Months:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Listen: according to the karma of their past actions, each and every person experiences happiness or sorrow; whatever You give, Lord, is good.
O Lord, the Created Universe is Yours; what is my condition? Without the Lord, I cannot survive, even for an instant.
Without my Beloved, I am miserable; I have no friend at all. As Gurmukh, I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar.
The Formless Lord is contained in His Creation. To obey God is the best course of action.
O Nanak, the soul-bride is gazing upon Your Path; please listen, O Supreme Soul. ||1||
The rainbird cries out, "Pri-o! Beloved!", and the song-bird sings the Lord's Bani.
The soul-bride enjoys all the pleasures, and merges in the Being of her Beloved.
She merges into the Being of her Beloved, when she becomes pleasing to God; she is the happy, blessed soul-bride.
Establishing the nine houses, and the Royal Mansion of the Tenth Gate above them, the Lord dwells in that home deep within the self.
All are Yours, You are my Beloved; night and day, I celebrate Your Love.
O Nanak, the rainbird cries out, "Pri-o! Pri-o! Beloved! Beloved!" The song-bird is embellished with the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Please listen, O my Beloved Lord - I am drenched with Your Love.
My mind and body are absorbed in dwelling on You; I cannot forget You, even for an instant.
How could I forget You, even for an instant? I am a sacrifice to You; singing Your Glorious Praises, I live.
No one is mine; unto whom do I belong? Without the Lord, I cannot survive.
I have grasped the Support of the Lord's Feet; dwelling there, my body has become immaculate.
O Nanak, I have obtained profound insight, and found peace; my mind is comforted by the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||3||
The Ambrosial Nectar rains down on us! Its drops are so delightful!
Meeting the Guru, the Best Friend, with intuitive ease, the mortal falls in love with the Lord.
The Lord comes into the temple of the body, when it pleases God's Will; the soul-bride rises up, and sings His Glorious Praises.
In each and every home, the Husband Lord ravishes and enjoys the happy soul-brides; so why has He forgotten me?
The sky is overcast with heavy, low-hanging clouds; the rain is delightful, and my Beloved's Love is pleasing to my mind and body.
O Nanak, the Ambrosial Nectar of Gurbani rains down; the Lord, in His Grace, has come into the home of my heart. ||4||
In the month of Chayt, the lovely spring has come, and the bumble bees hum with joy.

The forest is blossoming in front of my door; if only my Beloved would return to my home!
If her Husband Lord does not return home, how can the soul-bride find peace? Her body is wasting away with the sorrow of separation.
The beautiful song-bird sings, perched on the mango tree; but how can I endure the pain in the depths of my being?
The bumble bee is buzzing around the flowering branches; but how can I survive? I am dying, O my mother!
O Nanak, in Chayt, peace is easily obtained, if the soul-bride obtains the Lord as her Husband, within the home of her own heart. ||5||
Baisakhi is so pleasant; the branches blossom with new leaves.
The soul-bride yearns to see the Lord at her door. Come, O Lord, and take pity on me!
Please come home, O my Beloved; carry me across the treacherous world-ocean. Without You, I am not worth even a shell.
Who can estimate my worth, if I am pleasing to You? I see You, and inspire others to see You, O my Love.
I know that You are not far away; I believe that You are deep within me, and I realize Your Presence.
O Nanak, finding God in Baisakhi, the consciousness is filled with the Word of the Shabad, and the mind comes to believe. ||6||
The month of Jayt'h is so sublime. How could I forget my Beloved?
The earth burns like a furnace, and the soul-bride offers her prayer.
The bride offers her prayer, and sings His Glorious Praises; singing His Praises, she becomes pleasing to God.
The Unattached Lord dwells in His true mansion. If He allows me, then I will come to Him.
The bride is dishonored and powerless; how will she find peace without her Lord?
O Nanak, in Jayt'h, she who knows her Lord becomes just like Him; grasping virtue, she meets with the Merciful Lord. ||7||
The month of Aasaarh is good; the sun blazes in the sky.
The earth suffers in pain, parched and roasted in the fire.
The fire dries up the moisture, and she dies in agony. But even then, the sun does not grow tired.
His chariot moves on, and the soul-bride seeks shade; the crickets are chirping in the forest.
She ties up her bundle of faults and demerits, and suffers in the world hereafter. But dwelling on the True Lord, she finds peace.
O Nanak, I have given this mind to Him; death and life rest with God. ||8||
In Saawan, be happy, O my mind. The rainy season has come, and the clouds have burst into showers.
My mind and body are pleased by my Lord, but my Beloved has gone away.
My Beloved has not come home, and I am dying of the sorrow of separation. The lightning flashes, and I am scared.
My bed is lonely, and I am suffering in agony. I am dying in pain, O my mother!
Tell me - without the Lord, how can I sleep, or feel hungry? My clothes give no comfort to my body.
O Nanak, she alone is a happy soul-bride, who merges in the Being of her Beloved Husband Lord. ||9||
In Bhaadon, the young woman is confused by doubt; later, she regrets and repents.
The lakes and fields are overflowing with water; the rainy season has come - the time to celebrate!
In the dark of night it rains; how can the young bride find peace? The frogs and peacocks send out their noisy calls.
"Pri-o! Pri-o! Beloved! Beloved!" cries the rainbird, while the snakes slither around, biting.
The mosquitoes bite and sting, and the ponds are filled to overflowing; without the Lord, how can she find peace?
O Nanak, I will go and ask my Guru; wherever God is, there I will go. ||10||
In Assu, come, my Beloved; the soul-bride is grieving to death.
She can only meet Him, when God leads her to meet Him; she is ruined by the love of duality.
If she is plundered by falsehood, then her Beloved forsakes her. Then, the white flowers of old age blossom in my hair.

Summer is now behind us, and the winter season is ahead. Gazing upon this play, my shaky mind wavers.
In all ten directions, the branches are green and alive. That which ripens slowly, is sweet.
O Nanak, in Assu, please meet me, my Beloved. The True Guru has become my Advocate and Friend. ||11||
In Katak, that alone comes to pass, which is pleasing to the Will of God.
The lamp of intuition burns, lit by the essence of reality.
Love is the oil in the lamp, which unites the soul-bride with her Lord. The bride is delighted, in ecstasy.
One who dies in faults and demerits - her death is not successful. But one who dies in glorious virtue, really truly dies.
Those who are blessed with devotional worship of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, sit in the home of their own inner being. They place their hopes in You.
Nanak: please open the shutters of Your Door, O Lord, and meet me. A single moment is like six months to me. ||12||
The month of Maghar is good, for those who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and merge in His Being.
The virtuous wife utters His Glorious Praises; my Beloved Husband Lord is Eternal and Unchanging.
The Primal Lord is Unmoving and Unchanging, Clever and Wise; all the world is fickle.
By virtue of spiritual wisdom and meditation, she merges in His Being; she is pleasing to God, and He is pleasing to her.
I have heard the songs and the music, and the poems of the poets; but only the Name of the Lord takes away my pain.
O Nanak, that soul-bride is pleasing to her Husband Lord, who performs loving devotional worship before her Beloved. ||13||
In Poh, the snow falls, and the sap of the trees and the fields dries up.
Why have You not come? I keep You in my mind, body and mouth.
He is permeating and pervading my mind and body; He is the Life of the World. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I enjoy His Love.
His Light fills all those born of eggs, born from the womb, born of sweat and born of the earth, each and every heart.
Grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Lord of Mercy and Compassion. O Great Giver, grant me understanding, that I might find salvation.
O Nanak, the Lord enjoys, savors and ravishes the bride who is in love with Him. ||14||
In Maagh, I become pure; I know that the sacred shrine of pilgrimage is within me.
I have met my Friend with intuitive ease; I grasp His Glorious Virtues, and merge in His Being.
O my Beloved, Beauteous Lord God, please listen: I sing Your Glories, and merge in Your Being. If it is pleasing to Your Will, I bathe in the sacred pool within.
The Ganges, Jamunaa, the sacred meeting place of the three rivers, the seven seas, charity, donations, adoration and worship all rest in the Transcendent Lord God; throughout the ages, I realize the One.
O Nanak, in Maagh, the most sublime essence is meditation on the Lord; this is the cleansing bath of the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||15||
In Phalgun, her mind is enraptured, pleased by the Love of her Beloved.
Night and day, she is enraptured, and her selfishness is gone.
Emotional attachment is eradicated from her mind, when it pleases Him; in His Mercy, He comes to my home.
I dress in various clothes, but without my Beloved, I shall not find a place in the Mansion of His Presence.
I have adorned myself with garlands of flowers, pearl necklaces, scented oils and silk robes.
O Nanak, the Guru has united me with Him. The soul-bride has found her Husband Lord, within the home of her own heart. ||16||
The twelve months, the seasons, the weeks, the days, the hours, the minutes and the seconds are all sublime, when the True Lord comes and meets her with natural ease.
God, my Beloved, has met me, and my affairs are all resolved. The Creator Lord knows all ways and means.
I am loved by the One who has embellished and exalted me; I have met Him, and I savor His Love.
The bed of my heart becomes beautiful, when my Husband Lord ravishes me. As Gurmukh, the destiny on my forehead has been awakened and activated.

O Nanak, day and night, my Beloved enjoys me; with the Lord as my Husband, my Marriage is Eternal. ||17||1||
Tukhaari, First Mehl:
In the first watch of the dark night, O bride of splendored eyes,
protect your riches; your turn is coming soon.
When your turn comes, who will wake you? While you sleep, your juice shall be sucked out by the Messenger of Death.
The night is so dark; what will become of your honor? The thieves will break into your home and rob you.
O Saviour Lord, Inaccessible and Infinite, please hear my prayer.
O Nanak, the fool never remembers Him; what can he see in the dark of night? ||1||
The second watch has begun; wake up, you unconscious being!
Protect your riches, O mortal; your farm is being eaten.
Protect your crops, and love the Lord, the Guru. Stay awake and aware, and the thieves shall not rob you.
You shall not have to go on the path of Death, and you shall not suffer in pain; your fear and terror of death shall run away.
The lamps of the sun and the moon are lit by the Guru's Teachings, through His Door, meditating on the True Lord, in the mind and with the mouth.
O Nanak, the fool still does not remember the Lord. How can he find peace in duality? ||2||
The third watch has begun, and sleep has set in.
The mortal suffers in pain, from attachment to Maya, children and spouse.
Maya, his children, his wife and the world are so dear to him; he bites the bait, and is caught.
Meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he shall find peace; following the Guru's Teachings, he shall not be seized by death.
He cannot escape from birth, dying and death; without the Name, he suffers.
O Nanak, in the third watch of the three-phased Maya, the world is engrossed in attachment to Maya. ||3||
The fourth watch has begun, and the day is about to dawn.
Those who remain awake and aware, night and day, preserve and protect their homes.
The night is pleasant and peaceful, for those who remain awake; following the Guru's advice, they focus on the Naam.
Those who practice the Word of the Guru's Shabad are not reincarnated again; the Lord God is their Best Friend.
The hands shake, the feet and body totter, the vision goes dark, and the body turns to dust.
O Nanak, people are miserable throughout the four ages, if the Name of the Lord does not abide in the mind. ||4||
The knot has been untied; rise up - the order has come!
Pleasures and comforts are gone; like a prisoner, you are driven on.
You shall be bound and gagged, when it pleases God; you will not see or hear it coming.
Everyone will have their turn; the crop ripens, and then it is cut down.
The account is kept for every second, every instant; the soul suffers for the bad and the good.
O Nanak, the angelic beings are united with the Word of the Shabad; this is the way God made it. ||5||2||
Tukhaari, First Mehl:
The meteor shoots across the sky. How can it be seen with the eyes?
The True Guru reveals the Word of the Shabad to His servant who has such perfect karma.
The Guru reveals the Shabad; dwelling on the True Lord, day and night, he beholds and reflects on God.
The five restless desires are restrained, and he knows the home of his own heart. He conquers sexual desire, anger and corruption.
His inner being is illuminated, by the Guru's Teachings; He beholds the Lord's play of karma.

O Nanak, killing his ego, he is satisfied; the meteor has shot across the sky. ||1||
The Gurmukhs remain awake and aware; their egotistical pride is eradicated.
Night and day, it is dawn for them; they merge in the True Lord.
The Gurmukhs are merged in the True Lord; they are pleasing to His Mind. The Gurmukhs are intact, safe and sound, awake and awake.
The Guru blesses them with the Ambrosial Nectar of the True Name; they are lovingly attuned to the Lord's Feet.
The Divine Light is revealed, and in that Light, they achieve realization; the self-willed manmukhs wander in doubt and confusion.
O Nanak, when the dawn breaks, their minds are satisfied; they pass their life-night awake and aware. ||2||
Forgetting faults and demerits, virtue and merit enter one's home.
The One Lord is permeating everywhere; there is no other at all.
He is All-pervading; there is no other. The mind comes to believe, from the mind.
The One who established the water, the land, the three worlds, each and every heart - that God is known by the Gurmukh.
The Infinite, All-powerful Lord is the Creator, the Cause of causes; erasing the three-phased Maya, we merge in Him.
O Nanak, then, demerits are dissolved by merits; such are the Guru's Teachings. ||3||
My coming and going in reincarnation have ended; doubt and hesitation are gone.
Conquering my ego, I have met the True Lord, and now I wear the robe of Truth.
The Guru has rid me of egotism; my sorrow and suffering are dispelled.
My might merges into the Light; I realize and understand my own self.
In this world of my parents' home, I am satisfied with the Shabad; at my in-laws' home, in the world beyond, I shall be pleasing to my Husband Lord.
O Nanak, the True Guru has united me in His Union; my dependence on people has ended. ||4||3||
Tukhaari, First Mehl:
Deluded by doubt, misled and confused, the soul-bride later regrets and repents.
Abandoning her Husband Lord, she sleeps, and does not appreciate His Worth.
Leaving her Husband Lord, she sleeps, and is plundered by her faults and demerits. The night is so painful for this bride.
Sexual desire, anger and egotism destroy her. She burns in egotism.
When the soul-swan flies away, by the Command of the Lord, her dust mingles with dust.
O Nanak, without the True Name, she is confused and deluded, and so she regrets and repents. ||1||
Please listen, O my Beloved Husband Lord, to my one prayer.
You dwell in the home of the self deep within, while I roll around like a dust-ball.
Without my Husband Lord, no one likes me at all; what can I say or do now?
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the sweetest nectar of nectars. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, with my tongue, I drink in this nectar.
Without the Name, no one has any friend or companion; millions come and go in reincarnation.
Nanak: the profit is earned and the soul returns home. True, true are Your Teachings. ||2||
O Friend, You have travelled so far from Your homeland; I send my message of love to You.
I cherish and remember that Friend; the eyes of this soul-bride are filled with tears.
The eyes of the soul-bride are filled with tears; I dwell upon Your Glorious Virtues. How can I meet my Beloved Lord God?
I do not know the treacherous path, the way to You. How can I find You and cross over, O my Husband Lord?
Through the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, the separated soul-bride meets with the Lord; I place my body and mind before You.
O Nanak, the ambrosial tree bears the most delicious fruits; meeting with my Beloved, I taste the sweet essence. ||3||
The Lord has called you to the Mansion of His Presence - do not delay!

Night and day, imbued with His Love, you shall meet with Him with intuitive ease.
In celestial peace and poise, you shall meet Him; do not harbor anger - subdue your proud self!
Imbued with Truth, I am united in His Union, while the self-willed manmukhs continue coming and going.
When you dance, what veil covers you? Break the water pot, and be unattached.
O Nanak, realize your own self; as Gurmukh, contemplate the essence of reality. ||4||4||
Tukhaari, First Mehl:
O my Dear Beloved, I am the slave of Your slaves.
The Guru has shown me the Invisible Lord, and now, I do not seek any other.
The Guru showed me the Invisible Lord, when it pleased Him, and when God showered His Blessings.
The Life of the World, the Great Giver, the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, the Lord of the woods - I have met Him with intuitive ease.
Bestow Your Glance of Grace and carry me across, to save me. Please bless me with the Truth, O Lord, Merciful to the meek.
Prays Nanak, I am the slave of Your slaves. You are the Cherisher of all souls. ||1||
My Dear Beloved is enshrined throughout the Universe.
The Shabad is pervading, through the Guru, the Embodiment of the Lord.
The Guru, the Embodiment of the Lord, is enshrined throughout the three worlds; His limits cannot be found.
He created the beings of various colors and kinds; His Blessings increase day by day.
The Infinite Lord Himself establishes and disestablishes; whatever pleases Him, happens.
O Nanak, the diamond of the mind is pierced through by the diamond of spiritual wisdom. The garland of virtue is strung. ||2||
The virtuous person merges in the Virtuous Lord; his forehead bears the insignia of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The true person merges in the True Lord; his comings and goings are over.
The true person realizes the True Lord, and is imbued with Truth. He meets the True Lord, and is pleasing to the Lord's Mind.
No one else is seen to be above the True Lord; the true person merges in the True Lord.
The Fascinating Lord has fascinated my mind; releasing me from bondage, He has set me free.
O Nanak, my light merged into the Light, when I met my most Darling Beloved. ||3||
By searching, the true home, the place of the True Guru is found.
The Gurmukh obtains spiritual wisdom, while the self-willed manmukh does not.
Whoever the Lord has blessed with the gift of Truth is accepted; the Supremely Wise Lord is forever the Great Giver.
He is known to be Immortal, Unborn and Permanent; the True Mansion of His Presence is everlasting.
The day-to-day account of deeds is not recorded for that person, who manifests the radiance of the Divine Light of the Lord.
O Nanak, the true person is absorbed in the True Lord; the Gurmukh crosses over to the other side. ||4||5||
Tukhaari, First Mehl:
O my ignorant, unconscious mind, reform yourself.
O my mind, leave behind your faults and demerits, and be absorbed in virtue.
You are deluded by so many flavors and pleasures, and you act in such confusion. You are separated, and you will not meet your Lord.
How can the impassible world-ocean be crossed? The fear of the Messenger of Death is deadly. The path of Death is agonizingly painful.
The mortal does not know the Lord in the evening, or in the morning; trapped on the treacherous path, what will he do then?
Bound in bondage, he is released only by this method: as Gurmukh, serve the Lord. ||1||
O my mind, abandon your household entanglements.
O my mind, serve the Lord, the Primal, Detached Lord.

Meditate in remembrance on the One Universal Creator; the True Lord created the entire Universe.
The Guru controls the air, water and fire; He has staged the drama of the world.
Reflect on your own self, and so practice good conduct; chant the Name of the Lord as your self-discipline and meditation.
The Name of the Lord is your Companion, Friend and Dear Beloved; chant it, and meditate on it. ||2||
O my mind, remain steady and stable, and you will not have to endure beatings.
O my mind, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, you shall merge into Him with intuitive ease.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, be happy. Apply the ointment of spiritual wisdom to your eyes.
The Word of the Shabad is the lamp which illuminates the three worlds; it slaughters the five demons.
Quieting your fears, become fearless, and you shall cross over the impassible world ocean. Meeting the Guru, your affairs shall be resolved.
You shall find the joy and the beauty of the Lord's Love and Affection; the Lord Himself shall shower you with His Grace. ||3||
O my mind, why did you come into the world? What will you take with you when you go?
O my mind, you shall be emancipated, when you eliminate your doubts.
So gather the wealth and capital of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you shall realize its value.
Filth shall be taken away, through the Immaculate Word of the Shabad; you shall know the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, your true home.
Through the Naam, you shall obtain honor, and come home. Eagerly drink in the Ambrosial Amrit.
Meditate on the Lord's Name, and you shall obtain the sublime essence of the Shabad; by great good fortune, chant the Praises of the Lord. ||4||
O my mind, without a ladder, how will you climb up to the Temple of the Lord?
O my mind, without a boat, you shall not reach the other shore.
On that far shore is Your Beloved, Infinite Friend. Only your awareness of the Guru's Shabad will carry you across.
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and you shall enjoy ecstasy; you shall not regret or repent later on.
Be Merciful, O Merciful True Lord God: please give me the Blessing of the Lord's Name, and the Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Nanak prays: please hear me, O my Beloved; instruct my mind through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||5||6||
Tukhaari Chhant, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My inner being is filled with love for my Beloved Husband Lord. How can I live without Him?
As long as I do not have the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, how can I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar?
How can I drink in the Ambrosial Nectar without the Lord? I cannot survive without Him.
Night and day, I cry out, "Pri-o! Pri-o! Beloved! Beloved!", day and night. Without my Husband Lord, my thirst is not quenched.
Please, bless me with Your Grace, O my Beloved Lord, that I may dwell on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, forever.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I have met my Beloved; I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||1||
When I see my Beloved Husband Lord, I chant the Lord's Glorious Praises with love.

My inner being blossoms forth; I continually utter, "Pri-o! Pri-o! Beloved! Beloved!"
I speak of my Dear Beloved, and through the Shabad, I am saved. Unless I can see Him, I am not satisfied.
That soul-bride who is ever adorned with the Shabad, meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Please bless this beggar, Your humble servant, with the Gift of Mercy; please unite me with my Beloved.
Night and day, I meditate on the Guru, the Lord of the World; I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||2||
I am a stone in the Boat of the Guru. Please carry me across the terrifying ocean of poison.
O Guru, please, lovingly bless me with the Word of the Shabad. I am such a fool - please save me!
I am a fool and an idiot; I know nothing of Your extent. You are known as Inaccessible and Great.
You Yourself are Merciful; please, mercifully bless me. I am unworthy and dishonored - please, unite me with Yourself!
Through countless lifetimes, I wandered in sin; now, I have come seeking Your Sanctuary.
Take pity on me and save me, Dear Lord; I have grasped the Feet of the True Guru. ||3||
The Guru is the Philosopher's Stone; by His touch, iron is transformed into gold.
My light merges into the Light, and my body-fortress is so beautiful.
My body-fortress is so beautiful; I am fascinated by my God. How could I forget Him, for even a breath, or a morsel of food?
I have seized the Unseen and Unfathomable Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru.
I place my head in offering before the True Guru, if it truly pleases the True Guru.
Take pity on me, O God, Great Giver, that Nanak may merge in Your Being. ||4||1||
Tukhaari, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord, Har, Har, is Inaccessible, Unfathomable, Infinite, the Farthest of the Far.
Those who meditate on You, O Lord of the Universe - those humble beings cross over the terrifying, treacherous world-ocean.
Those who meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, easily cross over the terrifying, treacherous world-ocean.
Those who lovingly walk in harmony with the Word of the Guru, the True Guru - the Lord, Har, Har, unites them with Himself.
The mortal's light meets the Light of God, and blends with that Divine Light when the Lord, the Support of the Earth, grants His Grace.
The Lord, Har, Har, is Inaccessible, Unfathomable, Infinite, the Farthest of the Far. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, You are Inaccessible and Unfathomable. You are totally pervading and permeating each and every heart.
You are Unseen, Unknowable and Unfathomable; You are found through the Word of the Guru, the True Guru.
Blessed, blessed are those humble, powerful and perfect people, who join the Guru's Sangat, the Society of the Saints, and chant His Glorious Praises.
With clear and precise understanding, the Gurmukhs contemplate the Guru's Shabad; each and every instant, they continually speak of the Lord.
When the Gurmukh sits down, he chants the Lord's Name. When the Gurmukh stands up, he chants the Lord's Name, Har, Har.
O my Lord and Master, You are Inaccessible and Unfathomable. You are totally pervading and permeating each and every heart. ||2||
Those humble servants who serve are accepted. They serve the Lord, and follow the Guru's Teachings.
All their millions of sins are taken away in an instant; the Lord takes them far away.
All their sin and blame is washed away. They worship and adore the One Lord with their conscious minds.

The Creator makes fruitful the lives of all those who, through the Guru's Word, chant the True Name.
Blessed are those humble beings, those great and perfect people, who follow the Guru's Teachings and meditate on the Lord; they cross over the terrifying and treacherous world-ocean.
Those humble servants who serve are accepted. They follow the Guru's Teachings, and serve the Lord. ||3||
You Yourself, Lord, are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; as You make me walk, O my Beloved, so do I walk.
Nothing is in my hands; when You unite me, then I come to be united.
Those whom You unite with Yourself, O my Lord and Master - all their accounts are settled.
No one can go through the accounts of those, O Siblings of Destiny, who through the Word of the Guru's Teachings are united with the Lord.
O Nanak, the Lord shows Mercy to those who accept the Guru's Will as good.
You Yourself, Lord, are the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts; as You make me walk, O my Beloved, so do I walk. ||4||2||
Tukhaari, Fourth Mehl:
You are the Life of the World, the Lord of the Universe, our Lord and Master, the Creator of all the Universe.
They alone meditate on You, O my Lord, who have such destiny recorded on their foreheads.
Those who are so pre-destined by their Lord and Master, worship and adore the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
All sins are erased in an instant, for those who meditate on the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings.
Blessed, blessed are those humble beings who meditate on the Lord's Name. Seeing them, I am uplifted.
You are the Life of the World, the Lord of the Universe, our Lord and Master, the Creator of all the Universe. ||1||
You are totally pervading the water, the land and the sky. O True Lord, You are the Master of all.
Those who meditate on the Lord in their conscious minds - all those who chant and meditate on the Lord are liberated.
Those mortal beings who meditate on the Lord are liberated; their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord.
Those humble beings are exalted in this world and the next; the Savior Lord saves them.
Listen to the Lord's Name in the Society of the Saints, O humble Siblings of Destiny. The Gurmukh's service to the Lord is fruitful.
You are totally pervading the water, the land and the sky. O True Lord, You are the Master of all. ||2||
You are the One Lord, the One and Only Lord, pervading all places and interspaces.
The forests and fields, the three worlds and the entire Universe, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
All chant the Name of the Creator Lord, Har, Har; countless, uncountable beings meditate on the Lord.
Blessed, blessed are those Saints and Holy People of the Lord, who are pleasing to the Creator Lord God.
O Creator, please bless me with the Fruitful Vision, the Darshan, of those who chant the Lord's Name in their hearts forever.
You are the One Lord, the One and Only Lord, pervading all places and interspaces. ||3||
The treasures of devotional worship to You are countless; he alone is blessed with them, O my Lord and Master, whom You bless.
The Lord's Glorious Virtues abide within the heart of that person, whose forehead the Guru has touched.
The Glorious Virtues of the Lord dwell in the heart of that person, whose inner being is filled with the Fear of God, and His Love.

Without the Fear of God, His Love is not obtained. Without the Fear of God, no one is carried across to the other side.
O Nanak, he alone is blessed with the Fear of God, and God's Love and Affection, whom You, Lord, bless with Your Mercy.
The treasures of devotional worship to You are countless; he alone is blessed with Them, O my Lord and Master, whom You bless. ||4||3||
Tukhaari, Fourth Mehl:
To receive the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Guru, the True Guru, is to truly bathe at the Abhaijit festival.
The filth of evil-mindedness is washed off, and the darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
Blessed by the Guru's Darshan, spiritual ignorance is dispelled, and the Divine Light illuminates the inner being.
The pains of birth and death vanish in an instant, and the Eternal, Imperishable Lord God is found.
The Creator Lord God Himself created the festival, when the True Guru went to bathe at the festival in Kuruk-shaytra.
To receive the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of the Guru, the True Guru, is to truly bathe at the Abhaijit festival. ||1||
The Sikhs travelled with the Guru, the True Guru, on the path, along the road.
Night and day, devotional worship services were held, each and every instant, with each step.
Devotional worship services to the Lord God were held, and all the people came to see the Guru.
Whoever was blessed with the Darshan of the Guru, the True Guru, the Lord united with Himself.
The True Guru made the pilgrimage to the sacred shrines, for the sake of saving all the people.
The Sikhs travelled with the Guru, the True Guru, on the path, along the road. ||2||
When the Guru, the True Guru, first arrived at Kuruk-shaytra, it was a very auspicious time.
The news spread throughout the world, and the beings of the three worlds came.
The angelic beings and silent sages from all the three worlds came to see Him.
Those who are touched by the Guru, the True Guru - all their sins and mistakes were erased and dispelled.
The Yogis, the nudists, the Sannyaasees and those of the six schools of philosophy spoke with Him, and then bowed and departed.
When the Guru, the True Guru, first arrived at Kuruk-shaytra, it was a very auspicious time. ||3||
Second, the Guru went to the river Jamunaa, where He chanted the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The tax collectors met the Guru and gave Him offerings; they did not impose the tax on His followers.
All the True Guru's followers were excused from the tax; they meditated on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach those who have walked on the path, and followed the Guru's Teachings.
All the world said, "Guru! Guru! Guru!" Uttering the Guru's Name, they were all emancipated.
Second, the Guru went to the river Jamunaa, where He chanted the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||
Third, He went to the Ganges, and a wonderful drama was played out there.
All were fascinated, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Saintly Guru's Darshan; no tax at all was imposed upon anyone.
No tax at all was collected, and the mouths of the tax collectors were sealed.
They said, "O brothers, what should we do? Who should we ask? Everyone is running after the True Guru."

The tax collectors were smart; they thought about it, and saw. They broke their cash-boxes and left.
Third, He went to the Ganges, and a wonderful drama was played out there. ||5||
The important men of the city met together, and sought the Protection of the Guru, the True Guru.
The Guru, the True Guru, the Guru is the Lord of the Universe. Go ahead and consult the Simritees - they will confirm this.
The Simritees and the Shaastras all confirm that Suk Dayv and Prahlaad meditated on the Guru, the Lord of the Universe, and knew Him as the Supreme Lord.
The five thieves and the highway robbers dwell in the fortress of the body-village; the Guru has destroyed their home and place.
The Puraanas continually praise the giving of charity, but devotional worship of the Lord is only obtained through the Word of Guru Nanak.
The important men of the city met together, and sought the Protection of the Guru, the True Guru. ||6||4||10||
Tukhaari Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my Beloved, I am a sacrifice to You. Through the Guru, I have dedicated my mind to You.
Hearing the Word of Your Shabad, my mind is enraptured.
This mind is enraptured, like the fish in the water; it is lovingly attached to the Lord.
Your Worth cannot be described, O my Lord and Master; Your Mansion is Incomparable and Unrivalled.
O Giver of all Virtue, O my Lord and Master, please hear the prayer of this humble person.
Please bless Nanak with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You. ||1||
This body and mind are Yours; all virtues are Yours.
I am a sacrifice, every little bit, to Your Darshan.
Please hear me, O my Lord God; I live only by seeing Your Vision, even if only for an instant.
I have heard that Your Name is the most Ambrosial Nectar; please bless me with Your Mercy, that I may drink it in.
My hopes and desires rest in You, O my Husband Lord; like the rainbird, I long for the rain-drop.
Says Nanak, my soul is a sacrifice to You; please bless me with Your Darshan, O my Lord God. ||2||
You are my True Lord and Master, O Infinite King.
You are my Dear Beloved, so dear to my life and consciousness.
You bring peace to my soul; You are known to the Gurmukh. All are blessed by Your Love.
The mortal does only those deeds which You ordain, Lord.
One who is blessed by Your Grace, O Lord of the Universe, conquers his mind in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Says Nanak, my soul is a sacrifice to You; You gave me my soul and body. ||3||
I am unworthy, but He has saved me, for the sake of the Saints.
The True Guru has covered by faults; I am such a sinner.
God has covered for me; He is the Giver of the soul, life and peace.
My Lord and Master is Eternal and Unchanging, Ever-present; He is the Perfect Creator, the Architect of Destiny.
Your Praise cannot be described; who can say where You are?
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to the one who blesses him with the Lord's Name, even for an instant. ||4||1||11||

Kaydaaraa, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my mind, sing continually the Name of the Lord.
The Inaccessible, Unfathomable Lord cannot be seen; meeting with the Perfect Guru, He is seen. ||Pause||
That person, upon whom my Lord and Master showers His Mercy - the Lord attunes that one to Himself.
Everyone worships the Lord, but only that person who is pleasing to the Lord is accepted. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is priceless. It rests with the Lord. If the Lord bestows it, then we meditate on the Naam.
That person, whom my Lord and Master blesses with His Name - his entire account is forgiven. ||2||
Those humble beings who worship and adore the Lord's Name, are said to be blessed. Such is the good destiny written on their foreheads.
Gazing upon them, my mind blossoms forth, like the mother who meets with her son and hugs him close. ||3||
I am a child, and You, O my Lord God, are my Father; please bless me with such understanding, that I may find the Lord.
Like the cow, which is happy upon seeing her calf, O Lord, please hug Nanak close in Your Embrace. ||4||1||
Kaydaaraa, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my mind, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har.
Wash the Feet of the True Guru, and worship them. In this way, you shall find my Lord God. ||Pause||
Sexual desire, anger, greed, attachment, egotism and corrupt pleasures - stay away from these.
Join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and speak with the Holy People about the Lord. The Love of the Lord is the healing remedy; the Name of the Lord is the healing remedy. Chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam. ||1||

So you think that the egotistical pride in power which you harbor deep within is everything. Let it go, and restrain your self-conceit.
Please be kind to servant Nanak, O Lord, my Lord and Master; please make him the dust of the Feet of the Saints. ||2||1||2||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mother, I have awakened in the Society of the Saints.
Seeing the Love of my Beloved, I chant His Name, the greatest treasure||Pause||
I am so thirsty for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. my eyes are focused on Him;
I have forgotten other thirsts. ||1||
Now, I have found my Peace-giving Guru with ease; seeing His Darshan, my mind clings to Him.
Seeing my Lord, joy has welled up in my mind; O Nanak, the speech of my Beloved is so sweet! ||2||1||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Please listen to the prayers of the humble, O Merciful Lord.
The five thieves and the three dispositions torment my mind.
O Merciful Lord, Master of the masterless, please save me from them. ||Pause||
I make all sorts of efforts and go on pilgrimages;
I perform the six rituals, and meditate in the right way.
I am so tired of making all these efforts, but the horrible demons still do not leave me. ||1||
I seek Your Sanctuary, and bow to You, O Compassionate Lord.
You are the Destroyer of fear, O Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har.
You alone are Merciful to the meek.
Nanak takes the Support of God's Feet.
I have been rescued from the ocean of doubt,
holding tight to the feet and the robes of the Saints. ||2||1||2||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Lord, O Supreme Treasure.
Love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is enshrined within my mind; I beg for the gift of Your Name. ||1||Pause||
O Pefect Transcendent Lord, Giver of Peace, please grant Your Grace and save my honor.
Please bless me with such love, O my Lord and Master, that in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I may chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord with my tongue. ||1||
O Lord of the World, Merciful Lord of the Universe, Your sermon and spiritual wisdom are immaculate and pure.
Please attune Nanak to Your Love, O Lord, and focus his meditation on Your Lotus Feet. ||2||1||3||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
My mind yearns for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
Please grant Your Grace, and unite me with the Society of the Saints; please bless me with Your Name. ||Pause||
I serve my True Beloved Lord. Wherever I hear His Praise, there my mind is in ecstasy.

I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever devoted to You. Your place is incomparably beautiful! ||1||
You cherish and nurture all; You take care of all, and Your shade covers all.
You are the Primal Creator, the God of Nanak; I behold You in each and every heart. ||2||2||4||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
I love the Love of my Beloved.
My mind is intoxicated with delight, and my consciousness is filled with hope; my eyes are drenched with Your Love. ||Pause||
Blessed is that day, that hour, minute and second when the heavy, rigid shutters are opened, and desire is quenched.
Seeing the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, I live. ||1||
What is the method, what is the effort, and what is the service, which inspires me to contemplate You?
Abandon your egotistical pride and attachment; O Nanak, you shall be saved in the Society of the Saints. ||2||3||5||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
Have Mercy on me, O Life of the World, O Lord of the Universe, that I may chant Your Name. ||Pause||
Please lift me up, God, out of vice and corruption, and attach my mind to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Doubt, fear and attachment are eradicated from that person who follows the Guru's Teachings, and gazes on the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||
Let my mind become the dust of all; may I abandon my egotistical intellect.
Please bless me with Your devotional worship, O Merciful Lord; by great good fortune, O Nanak, I have found the Lord. ||2||4||6||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Lord, life is useless.
Those who forsake the Lord, and become engrossed in other pleasures - false and useless are the clothes they wear, and the food they eat. ||Pause||
The pleasures of wealth, youth, property and comforts will not stay with you, O mother.
Seeing the mirage, the madman is entangled in it; he is imbued with pleasures that pass away, like the shade of a tree. ||1||
Totally intoxicated with the wine of pride and attachment, he has fallen into the pit of sexual desire and anger.
O Dear God, please be the Help and Support of servant Nanak; please take me by the hand, and uplift me. ||2||5||7||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
Nothing goes along with the mortal, except for the Lord.
He is the Master of the meek, the Lord of Mercy, my Lord and Master, the Master of the masterless. ||Pause||
Children, possessions and the enjoyment of corrupt pleasures do not go along with the mortal on the path of Death.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the treasure of the Naam, and the Lord of the Universe, the mortal is carried across the deep ocean. ||1||
In the Sanctuary of the All-powerful, Indescribable, Unfathomable Lord, meditate in remembrance on Him, and your pains shall vanish.
Nanak longs for the dust of the feet of the Lord's humble servant; he shall obtain it only if such pre-ordained destiny is written on his forehead. ||2||6||8||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I do not forget the Lord in my mind.
This love has now become very strong; it has burnt away other corruption. ||Pause||
How can the rainbird forsake the rain-drop? The fish cannot survive without water, even for an instant.

My tongue chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World; this has become part of my very nature. ||1||
The deer is fascinated by the sound of the bell, and so it is shot with the sharp arrow.
God's Lotus Feet are the Source of Nectar; O Nanak, I am tied to them by a knot. ||2||1||9||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
My Beloved dwells in the cave of my heart.
Shatter the wall of doubt, O my Lord and Master; please grab hold of me, and lift me up towards Yourself. ||1||Pause||
The world-ocean is so vast and deep; please be kind, lift me up and place me on the shore.
In the Society of the Saints, the Lord's Feet are the boat to carry us across. ||1||
The One who placed you in the womb of your mother's belly - no one else shall save you in the wilderness of corruption.
The power of the Lord's Sanctuary is all-powerful; Nanak does not rely on any other. ||2||2||10||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
With your tongue, chant the Name of the Lord.
Chanting the Glorious Praises of the Lord, day and night, your sins shall be eradicated. ||Pause||
You shall have to leave behind all your riches when you depart. Death is hanging over your head - know this well!
Transitory attachments and evil hopes are false. Surely you must believe this! ||1||
Within your heart, focus your meditation on the True Primal Being, Akaal Moorat, the Undying Form.
Only this profitable merchandise, the treasure of the Naam, O Nanak, shall be accepted. ||2||3||11||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
I take only the Support of the Name of the Lord.
Suffering and conflict do not afflict me; I deal only with the Society of the Saints. ||Pause||
Showering His Mercy on me, the Lord Himself has saved me, and no evil thoughts arise within me.
Whoever receives this Grace, contemplates Him in meditation; he is not burned by the fire of the world. ||1||
Peace, joy and bliss come from the Lord, Har, Har. God's Feet are sublime and excellent.
Slave Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; he is the dust of the feet of Your Saints. ||2||4||12||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Name of the Lord, one's ears are cursed.
Those who forget the Embodiment of Life - what is the point of their lives? ||Pause||
One who eats and drinks countless delicacies is no more than a donkey, a beast of burden.
Twenty-four hours a day, he endures terrible suffering, like the bull, chained to the oil-press. ||1||
Forsaking the Life of the World, and attached to another, they weep and wail in so many ways.
With his palms pressed together, Nanak begs for this gift; O Lord, please keep me strung around Your Neck. ||2||5||13||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:
I take the dust of the feet of the Saints and apply it to my face.
Hearing of the Imperishable, Eternally Perfect Lord, pain does not afflict me, even in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||Pause||
Through the Guru's Word, all affairs are resolved, and the mind is not tossed about here and there.
Whoever sees the One God to be pervading in all the many beings, does not burn in the fire of corruption. ||1||
The Lord grasps His slave by the arm, and his light merges into the Light.
Nanak, the orphan, has come seeking the Sanctuary of God's Feet; O Lord, he walks with You. ||2||6||14||
Kaydaaraa, Fifth Mehl:

My mind is filled with yearning for the Name of the Lord.
I am totally filled with tranquility and bliss; the burning desire within has been quenched. ||Pause||
Walking on the path of the Saints, millions of mortal sinners have been saved.
One who applies the dust of the feet of the humble to his forehead, is purified, as if he has bathed at countless sacred shrines. ||1||
Meditating on His Lotus Feet deep within, one realizes the Lord and Master in each and every heart.
In the Sanctuary of the Divine, Infinite Lord, Nanak shall never again be tortured by the Messenger of Death. ||2||7||15||
Kaydaaraa Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Please meet me, O my Dear Beloved. ||Pause||
He is All-pervading amongst all, the Architect of Destiny.
The Lord God has created His Path, which is known in the Society of the Saints.
The Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny, is known in the Society of the Saints; You are seen in each and every heart.
One who comes to His Sanctuary, finds absolute peace; not even a bit of his work goes unnoticed.
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue, is easily, naturally intoxicated with the supreme, sublime essence of divine love.
Slave Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; You are the Perfect Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny. ||1||
The Lord's humble servant is pierced through with loving devotion to Him; where else can he go?
The fish cannot endure separation, and without water, it will die.
Without the Lord, how can I survive? How can I endure the pain? I am like the rainbird, thirsty for the rain-drop.
"When will the night pass?," asks the chakvi bird. "I shall find peace only when the rays of the sun shine on me."
My mind is attached to the Blessed Vision of the Lord. Blessed are the nights and days, when I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord,
Slave Nanak utters this prayer; without the Lord, how can the breath of life continue to flow through me? ||2||
Without the breath, how can the body obtain glory and fame?
Without the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, the humble, holy person does not find peace, even for an instant.
Those who are without the Lord suffer in hell; my mind is pierced through with the Lord's Feet.
The Lord is both sensual and unattached; lovingly attune yourself to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. No one can ever deny Him.
Go and meet with the Lord, and dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; no one can contain that peace within his being.
Please be kind to me, O Lord and Master of Nanak, that I may merge in You. ||3||
Searching and searching, I have met with my Lord God, who has showered me with His Mercy.
I am unworthy, a lowly orphan, but He does not even consider my faults.
He does not consider my faults; He has blessed me with Perfect Peace. It is said that it is His Way to purify us.
Hearing that He is the Love of His devotees, I have grasped the hem of His robe. He is totally permeating each and every heart.
I have found the Lord, the Ocean of Peace, with intuitive ease; the pains of birth and death are gone.
Taking him by the hand, the Lord has saved Nanak, His slave; He has woven the garland of His Name into his heart. ||4||1||

Raag Kaydaaraa, The Word Of Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Those who ignore both praise and slander, who reject egotistical pride and conceit,
who look alike upon iron and gold - they are the very image of the Lord God. ||1||
Hardly anyone is a humble servant of Yours, O Lord.
Ignoring sexual desire, anger, greed and attachment, such a person becomes aware of the Lord's Feet. ||1||Pause||
Raajas, the quality of energy and activity; Taamas, the quality of darkness and inertia; and Satvas, the quality of purity and light, are all called the creations of Maya, Your illusion.
That man who realizes the fourth state - he alone obtains the supreme state. ||2||
Amidst pilgrimages, fasting, rituals, purification and self-discipline, he remains always without thought of reward.
Thirst and desire for Maya and doubt depart, remembering the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||3||
When the temple is illuminated by the lamp, its darkness is dispelled.
The Fearless Lord is All-pervading. Doubt has run away, says Kabeer, the Lord's humble slave. ||4||1||
Some deal in bronze and copper, some in cloves and betel nuts.
The Saints deal in the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe. Such is my merchandise as well. ||1||
I am a trader in the Name of the Lord.
The priceless diamond has come into my hands. I have left the world behind. ||1||Pause||
When the True Lord attached me, then I was attached to Truth. I am a trader of the True Lord.
I have loaded the commodity of Truth; It has reached the Lord, the Treasurer. ||2||
He Himself is the pearl, the jewel, the ruby; He Himself is the jeweller.
He Himself spreads out in the ten directions. The Merchant is Eternal and Unchanging. ||3||
My mind is the bull, and meditation is the road; I have filled my packs with spiritual wisdom, and loaded them on the bull.
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints: my merchandise has reached its destination! ||4||2||
You barbaric brute, with your primitive intellect - reverse your breath and turn it inward.
Let your mind be intoxicated with the stream of Ambrosial Nectar which trickles down from the furnace of the Tenth Gate. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, call on the Lord.
O Saints, drink in this wine forever; it is so difficult to obtain, and it quenches your thirst so easily. ||1||Pause||
In the Fear of God, is the Love of God. Only those few who understand His Love obtain the sublime essence of the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny.
As many hearts as there are - in all of them, is His Ambrosial Nectar; as He pleases, He causes them to drink it in. ||2||
There are nine gates to the one city of the body; restrain your mind from escaping through them.
When the knot of the three qualities is untied, then the Tenth Gate opens up, and the mind is intoxicated, O Siblings of Destiny. ||3||
When the mortal fully realizes the state of fearless dignity, then his sufferings vanish; so says Kabeer after careful deliberation.
Turning away from the world, I have obtained this wine, and I am intoxicated with it. ||4||3||
You are engrossed with unsatisfied sexual desire and unresolved anger; you do not know the State of the One Lord.
Your eyes are blinded, and you see nothing at all. You drown and die without water. ||1||

Why do you walk in that crooked, zig-zag way?
You are nothing more than a bundle of bones, wrapped in skin, filled with manure; you give off such a rotten smell! ||1||Pause||
You do not meditate on the Lord. What doubts have confused and deluded you? Death is not far away from you!
Making all sorts of efforts, you manage to preserve this body, but it shall only survive until its time is up. ||2||
By one's own efforts, nothing is done. What can the mere mortal accomplish?
When it pleases the Lord, the mortal meets the True Guru, and chants the Name of the One Lord. ||3||
You live in a house of sand, but you still puff up your body - you ignorant fool!
Says Kabeer, those who do not remember the Lord may be very clever, but they still drown. ||4||4||
Your turban is crooked, and you walk crooked; and now you have started chewing betel leaves.
You have no use at all for loving devotional worship; you say you have business in court. ||1||
In your egotistical pride, you have forgotten the Lord.
Gazing upon your gold, and your very beautiful wife, you believe that they are permanent. ||1||Pause||
You are engrossed in greed, falsehood, corruption and great arrogance. Your life is passing away.
Says Kabeer, at the very last moment, death will come and seize you, you fool! ||2||5||
The mortal beats the drum for a few days, and then he must depart.
With so much wealth and cash and buried treasure, still, he cannot take anything with him. ||1||Pause||
Sitting on the threshhold, his wife weeps and wails; his mother accompanies him to the outer gate.
All the people and relatives together go to the crematorium, but the swan-soul must go home all alone. ||1||
Those children, that wealth, that city and town - he shall not come to see them again.
Says Kabeer, why do you not meditate on the Lord? Your life is uselessly slipping away! ||2||6||
Raag Kaydaaraa, The Word Of Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
One who performs the six religious rituals and comes from a good family, but who does not have devotion to the Lord in his heart,
one who does not appreciate talk of the Lord's Lotus Feet, is just like an outcaste, a pariah. ||1||
Be conscious, be conscious, be conscious, O my unconscious mind.
Why do you not look at Baalmeek?
From such a low social status, what a high status he obtained! Devotional worship to the Lord is sublime! ||1||Pause||
The killer of dogs, the lowest of all, was lovingly embraced by Krishna.
See how the poor people praise him! His praise extends throughout the three worlds. ||2||
Ajaamal, Pingulaa, Lodhia and the elephant went to the Lord.
Even such evil-minded beings were emancipated. Why should you not also be saved, O Ravi Daas? ||3||1||

Raag Bhairao, First Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Without You, nothing happens.
You create the creatures, and gazing on them, you know them. ||1||
What can I say? I cannot say anything.
Whatever exists, is by Your Will. ||Pause||
Whatever is to be done, rests with You.
Unto whom should I offer my prayer? ||2||
I speak and hear the Bani of Your Word.
You Yourself know all Your Wondrous Play. ||3||
You Yourself act, and inspire all to act; only You Yourself know.
Says Nanak, You, Lord, see, establish and disestablish. ||4||1||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Bhairao, First Mehl, Second House:
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, so many silent sages have been saved; Indra and Brahma have also been saved.
Sanak, Sanandan and many humble men of austerity, by Guru's Grace, have been carried across to the other side. ||1||
Without the Word of the Shabad, how can anyone cross over the terrifying world-ocean?
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the world is entangled in the disease of duality, and is drowned, drowned, and dies. ||1||Pause||
The Guru is Divine; the Guru is Inscrutable and Mysterious. Serving the Guru, the three worlds are known and understood.
The Guru, the Giver, has Himself given me the Gift; I have obtained the Inscrutable, Mysterious Lord. ||2||
The mind is the king; the mind is appeased and satisfied through the mind itself, and desire is stilled in the mind.
The mind is the Yogi, the mind wastes away in separation from the Lord; singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the mind is instructed and reformed. ||3||
How very rare are those in this world who, through the Guru, subdue their minds, and contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, our Lord and Master is All-pervading; through the True Word of the Shabad, we are emancipated. ||4||1||2||
Bhairao, First Mehl:
The eyes lose their sight, and the body withers away; old age overtakes the mortal, and death hangs over his head.
Beauty, loving attachment and the pleasures of life are not permanent. How can anyone escape from the noose of death? ||1||
O mortal, meditate on the Lord - your life is passing away!

Without the True Word of the Shabad, you shall never be released, and your life shall be totally useless. ||1||Pause||
Within the body are sexual desire, anger, egotism and attachment. This pain is so great, and so difficult to endure.
As Gurmukh, chant the Lord's Name, and savor it with your tongue; in this way, you shall cross over to the other side. ||2||
Your ears are deaf, and your intellect is worthless, and still, you do not intuitively understand the Word of the Shabad.
The self-willed manmukh wastes this priceless human life and loses it. Without the Guru, the blind person cannot see. ||3||
Whoever remains detached and free of desire in the midst of desire - and whoever, unattached, intuitively meditates on the Celestial Lord
- prays Nanak, as Gurmukh, he is released. He is lovingly attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||||2||3||
Bhairao, First Mehl:
His walk becomes weak and clumsy, his feet and hands shake, and the skin of his body is withered and wrinkled.
His eyes are dim, his ears are deaf, and yet, the self-willed manmukh does not know the Naam. ||1||
O blind man, what have you obtained by coming into the world?
The Lord is not in your heart, and you do not serve the Guru. After wasting your capital, you shall have to depart. ||1||Pause||
Your tongue is not imbued with the Love of the Lord; whatever you say is tasteless and insipid.
You indulge in slander of the Saints; becoming a beast, you shall never be noble. ||2||
Only a few obtain the sublime essence of the Ambrosial Amrit, united in Union with the True Guru.
As long as the mortal does not come to understand the mystery of the Shabad, the Word of God, he shall continue to be tormented by death. ||3||
Whoever finds the door of the One True Lord, does not know any other house or door.
By Guru's Grace, I have obtained the supreme status; so says poor Nanak. ||4||3||4||
Bhairao, First Mehl:
He spends the entire night in sleep; the noose is tied around his neck. His day is wasted in worldly entanglements.
He does not know God, who created this world, for a moment, for even an instant. ||1||
O mortal, how will you escape this terrible disaster?
What did you bring with you, and what will you take away? Meditate on the Lord, the Most Worthy and Generous Lord. ||1||Pause||
The heart-lotus of the self-willed manmukh is upside-down; his intellect is shallow; his mind is blind, and his head is entangled in worldly affairs.
Death and re-birth constantly hang over your head; without the Name, your neck shall be caught in the noose. ||2||
Your steps are unsteady, and your eyes are blind; you are not aware of the Word of the Shabad, O Sibling of Destiny.
The Shaastras and the Vedas keep the mortal bound to the three modes of Maya, and so he performs his deeds blindly. ||3||
He loses his capital - how can he earn any profit? The evil-minded person has no spiritual wisdom at all.
Contemplating the Shabad, he drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord; O Nanak, his faith is confirmed in the Truth. ||4||4||5||
Bhairao, First Mehl:
He remains with the Guru, day and night, and his tongue savors the savory taste of the Lord's Love.
He does not know any other; he realizes the Word of the Shabad. He knows and realizes the Lord deep within his own being. ||1||
Such a humble person is pleasing to my mind.
He conquers his self-conceit, and is imbued with the Infinite Lord. He serves the Guru. ||1||Pause||
Deep within my being, and outside as well, is the Immaculate Lord God. I bow humbly before that Primal Lord God.
Deep within each and every heart, and amidst all, the Embodiment of Truth is permeating and pervading. ||2||

Those who are imbued with Truth - their tongues are tinged with Truth; they do not have even an iota of the filth of falsehood.
They taste the sweet Ambrosial Nectar of the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord; imbued with the Shabad, they are blessed with honor. ||3||
The virtuous meet with the virtuous, and earn the profit; as Gurmukh, they obtain the glorious greatness of the Naam.
All sorrows are erased, by serving the Guru; O Nanak, the Naam is our only Friend and Companion. ||4||5||6||
Bhairao, First Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the wealth and support of all; It is enshrined in the heart, by Guru's Grace.
One who gathers this imperishable wealth is fulfilled, and through intuitive meditation, is lovingly focused on the Lord. ||1||
O mortal, focus your consciousness on devotional worship of the Lord.
As Gurmukh, meditate on the Name of the Lord in your heart, and you shall return to your home with intuitive ease. ||1||Pause||
Doubt, separation and fear are never eradicated, and the mortal continues coming and going in reincarnation, as long as he does not know the Lord.
Without the Name of the Lord, no one is liberated; they drown and die without water. ||2||
Busy with his worldly affairs, all honor is lost; the ignorant one is not rid of his doubts.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the mortal is never liberated; he remains blindly entangled in the expanse of worldly affairs. ||3||
My mind is pleased and appeased with the Immaculate Lord, who has no ancestry. Through the mind itself, the mind is subdued.
Deep within my being, and outside as well, I know only the One Lord. O Nanak, there is no other at all. ||4||6||7||
Bhairao, First Mehl:
You may give feasts, make burnt offerings, donate to charity, perform austere penance and worship, and endure pain and suffering in the body.
But without the Lord's Name, liberation is not obtained. As Gurmukh, obtain the Naam and liberation. ||1||
Without the Lord's Name, birth into the world is useless.
Without the Name, the mortal eats poison and speaks poisonous words; he dies fruitlessly, and wanders in reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
The mortal may read scriptures, study grammar and say his prayers three times a day.
Without the Word of the Guru's Shabad, where is liberation, O mortal? Without the Lord's Name, the mortal is entangled and dies. ||2||
Walking sticks, begging bowls, hair tufts, sacred threads, loin cloths, pilgrimages to sacred shrines and wandering all around
- without the Lord's Name, peace and tranquility are not obtained. One who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, crosses over to the other side. ||3||
The mortal's hair may be matted and tangled upon his head, and he may smear his body with ashes; he may take off his clothes and go naked.
But without the Lord's Name, he is not satisfied; he wears religious robes, but he is bound by the karma of the actions he committed in past lives. ||4||
As many beings and creatures as there are in the water, on the land and in the sky - wherever they are, You are with them all, O Lord.
By Guru's Grace, please preserve Your humble servant; O Lord, Nanak stirs up this juice, and drinks it in. ||5||7||8||
Raag Bhairao, Third Mehl, Chaupadas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
No one should be proud of his social class and status.
He alone is a Brahmin, who knows God. ||1||
Do not be proud of your social class and status, you ignorant fool!

So much sin and corruption comes from this pride. ||1||Pause||
Everyone says that there are four castes, four social classes.
They all emanate from the drop of God's Seed. ||2||
The entire universe is made of the same clay.
The Potter has shaped it into all sorts of vessels. ||3||
The five elements join together, to make up the form of the human body.
Who can say which is less, and which is more? ||4||
Says Nanak, this soul is bound by its actions.
Without meeting the True Guru, it is not liberated. ||5||1||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
The Yogis, the householders, the Pandits, the religious scholars, and the beggars in religious robes
- they are all asleep in egotism. ||1||
They are asleep, intoxicated with the wine of Maya.
Only those who remain awake and aware are not robbed. ||1||Pause||
One who has met the True Guru, remains awake and aware.
Such a person overpowers the five thieves. ||2||
One who contemplates the essence of reality remains awake and aware.
He kills his self-conceit, and does not kill anyone else. ||3||
One who knows the One Lord remains awake and aware.
He abandons the service of others, and realizes the essence of reality. ||4||
Of the four castes, whoever remains awake and aware
is released from birth and death. ||5||
Says Nanak, that humble being remains awake and aware,
who applies the ointment of spiritual wisdom to his eyes. ||6||2||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
Whoever the Lord keeps in His Sanctuary,
is attached to the Truth, and receives the fruit of Truth. ||1||
O mortal, unto whom will you complain?
The Hukam of the Lord's Command is pervasive; by the Hukam of His Command, all things happen. ||1||Pause||
This Creation was established by You.
In an instant You destroy it, and You create it again without a moment's delay. ||2||
By His Grace, He has staged this Play.
By the Guru's Merciful Grace, I have obtained the supreme status. ||3||
Says Nanak, He alone kills and revives.
Understand this well - do not be confused by doubt. ||4||3||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
I am the bride; the Creator is my Husband Lord.
As He inspires me, I adorn myself. ||1||
When it pleases Him, He enjoys me.
I am joined, body and mind, to my True Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
How can anyone praise or slander anyone else?
The One Lord Himself is pervading and permeating all. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, I am attracted by His Love.
I shall meet with my Merciful Lord, and vibrate the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds. ||3||
Prays Nanak, what can anyone do?
He alone meets with the Lord, whom the Lord Himself meets. ||4||4||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
He alone is a silent sage, who subdues his mind's duality.
Subduing his duality, he contemplates God. ||1||
Let each person examine his own mind, O Siblings of Destiny.
Examine your mind, and you shall obtain the nine treasures of the Naam. ||1||Pause||
The Creator created the world, upon the foundation of worldly love and attachment.
Attaching it to possessiveness, He has led it into confusion with doubt. ||2||
From this Mind come all bodies, and the breath of life.
By mental contemplation, the mortal realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command, and merges in Him. ||3||

When the mortal has good karma, the Guru grants His Grace.
Then this mind is awakened, and the duality of this mind is subdued. ||4||
It is the innate nature of the mind to remain forever detached.
The Detached, Dispassionate Lord dwells within all. ||5||
Says Nanak, one who understands this mystery,
becomes the embodiment of the Primal, Immaculate, Divine Lord God. ||6||5||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
The world is saved through Name of the Lord.
It carries the mortal across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
By Guru's Grace, dwell upon the Lord's Name.
It shall stand by you forever. ||1||Pause||
The foolish self-willed manmukhs do not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Without the Name, how will they cross over? ||2||
The Lord, the Great Giver, Himself gives His Gifts.
Celebrate and praise the Great Giver! ||3||
Granting His Grace, the Lord unites the mortals with the True Guru.
O Nanak, the Naam is enshrined within the heart. ||4||6||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
All people are saved through the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Those who become Gurmukh are blessed to receive It. ||1||
When the Dear Lord showers His Mercy,
He blesses the Gurmukh with the glorious greatness of the Naam. ||1||Pause||
Those who love the Beloved Name of the Lord
save themselves, and save all their ancestors. ||2||
Without the Name, the self-willed manmukhs go to the City of Death.
They suffer in pain and endure beatings. ||3||
When the Creator Himself gives,
O Nanak, then the mortals receive the Naam. ||4||7||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
Love of the Lord of the Universe saved Sanak and his brother, the sons of Brahma.
They contemplated the Word of the Shabad, and the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Dear Lord, please shower me with Your Mercy,
that as Gurmukh, I may embrace love for Your Name. ||1||Pause||
Whoever has true loving devotional worship deep within his being
meets the Lord, through the Perfect Guru. ||2||
He naturally, intuitively dwells within the home of his own inner being.
The Naam abides within the mind of the Gurmukh. ||3||
The Lord, the Seer, Himself sees.
O Nanak, enshrine the Naam within your heart. ||4||8||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, enshrine the Lord's Name within your heart.
Without the Name, ashes will be blown in your face. ||1||
The Lord's Name is so difficult to obtain, O Siblings of Destiny.
By Guru's Grace, it comes to dwell in the mind. ||1||Pause||
That humble being who seeks the Lord's Name,
receives it from the Perfect Guru. ||2||
Those humble beings who accept the Will of the Lord, are approved and accepted.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they bear the insignia of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
So serve the One, whose power supports the Universe.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh loves the Naam. ||4||9||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, many rituals are performed.
But it is not the time for them, and so they are of no use. ||1||
In Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the most sublime.
As Gurmukh, be lovingly attached to Truth. ||1||Pause||
Searching my body and mind, I found Him within the home of my own heart.
The Gurmukh centers his consciousness on the Lord's Name. ||2||

The ointment of spiritual wisdom is obtained from the True Guru.
The Lord's Name is pervading the three worlds. ||3||
In Kali Yuga, it is the time for the One Dear Lord; it is not the time for anything else.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, let the Lord's Name grow within your heart. ||4||10||
Bhairao, Third Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The self-willed manmukhs are afflicted with the disease of duality; they are burnt by the intense fire of desire.
They die and die again, and are reborn; they find no place of rest. They waste their lives uselessly. ||1||
O my Beloved, grant Your Grace, and give me understanding.
The world was created in the disease of egotism; without the Word of the Shabad, the disease is not cured. ||1||Pause||
There are so many silent sages, who read the Simritees and the Shaastras; without the Shabad, they have no clear awareness.
All those under the influence of the three qualities are afflicted with the disease; through possessiveness, they lose their awareness. ||2||
O God, you save some, and you enjoin others to serve the Guru.
They obtain the treasure of the Name of the Lord; peace comes to abide within their minds. ||3||
The Gurmukhs dwell in the fourth state; they obtain a dwelling in the home of their own inner being.
The Perfect True Guru shows His Mercy to them; they eradicate their self-conceit from within. ||4||
Everyone must serve the One Lord, who created Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
O Nanak, the One True Lord is permanent and stable. He does not die, and He is not born. ||5||1||11||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh is afflicted with the disease of duality forever; the entire universe is diseased.
The Gurmukh understands, and is cured of the disease, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
O Dear Lord, please let me join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
O Nanak, the Lord blesses with glorious greatness, those who focus their consciousness on the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Death takes all those who are afflicted with the disease of possessiveness. They are subject to the Messenger of Death.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach that mortal who, as Gurmukh, enshrines the Lord within his heart. ||2||
One who does not know the Lord's Name, and who does not become Gurmukh - why did he even come into the world?
He never serves the Guru; he wastes his life uselessly. ||3||
O Nanak, those whom the True Guru enjoins to His service, have perfect good fortune.
They obtain the fruits of their desires, and find peace in the Word of the Guru's Bani. ||4||2||12||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
In pain he is born, in pain he dies, and in pain he does his deeds.
He is never released from the womb of reincarnation; he rots away in manure. ||1||
Cursed, cursed is the self-willed manmukh, who wastes his life away.
He does not serve the Perfect Guru; he does not love the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad cures all diseases; he alone is attached to it, whom the Dear Lord attaches.

Through the Naam, glorious greatness is obtained; he alone obtains it, whose mind is filled with the Lord. ||2||
Meeting the True Guru, the fruitful rewards are obtained. This true lifestyle beings sublime peace.
Those humble beings who are attached to the Lord are immaculate; they enshrine love for the Lord's Name. ||3||
If I obtain the dust of their feet, I apply it to my forehead. They meditate on the Perfect True Guru.
O Nanak, this dust is obtained only by perfect destiny. They focus their consciousness on the Lord's Name. ||4||3||13||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
That humble being who contemplates the Word of the Shabad is true; the True Lord is within his heart.
If someone performs true devotional worship day and night, then his body will not feel pain. ||1||
Everyone calls him, "Devotee, devotee."
But without serving the True Guru, devotional worship is not obtained. Only through perfect destiny does one meet God. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs lose their capital, and still, they demand profits. How can they earn any profit?
The Messenger of Death is always hovering above their heads. In the love of duality, they lose their honor. ||2||
Trying on all sorts of religious robes, they wander around day and night, but the disease of their egotism is not cured.
Reading and studying, they argue and debate; attached to Maya, they lose their awareness. ||3||
Those who serve the True Guru are blessed with the supreme status; through the Naam, they are blessed with glorious greatness.
O Nanak, those whose minds are filled with the Naam, are honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||4||4||14||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukh cannot escape false hope. In the love of duality, he is ruined.
His belly is like a river - it is never filled up. He is consumed by the fire of desire. ||1||
Eternally blissful are those who are imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, fills their hearts, and duality runs away from their minds. Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord, Har, Har, they are satisfied. ||1||Pause||
The Supreme Lord God Himself created the Universe; He links each and every person to their tasks.
He Himself created love and attachment to Maya; He Himself attaches the mortals to duality. ||2||
If there were any other, then I would speak to him; all will be merged in You.
The Gurmukh contemplates the essence of spiritual wisdom; his light merges into the Light. ||3||
God is True, Forever True, and all His Creation is True.
O Nanak, the True Guru has given me this understanding; the True Name brings emancipation. ||4||5||15||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, those who do not realize the Lord are goblins. In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, the supreme soul-swans contemplated the Lord.
In the Silver Age of Dwaapur Yuga, and the Brass Age of Traytaa Yuga, mankind prevailed, but only a rare few subdued their egos. ||1||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, glorious greatness is obtained through the Lord's Name.
In each and every age, the Gurmukhs know the One Lord; without the Name, liberation is not attained. ||1||Pause||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is revealed in the heart of the True Lord's humble servant. It dwells in the mind of the Gurmukh.
Those who are lovingly focused on the Lord's Name save themselves; they save all their ancestors as well. ||2||
My Lord God is the Giver of virtue. The Word of the Shabad burns away all faults and demerits.

Those whose minds are filled with the Naam are beautiful; they enshrine the Naam within their hearts. ||3||
The True Guru has revealed to me the Lord's Home and His Court, and the Mansion of His Presence. I joyfully enjoy His Love.
Whatever He says, I accept as good; Nanak chants the Naam. ||4||6||16||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
The desires of the mind are absorbed in the mind, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Understanding is obtained from the Perfect Guru, and then the mortal does not die over and over again. ||1||
My mind takes the Support of the Lord's Name.
By Guru's Grace, I have obtained the supreme status; the Lord is the Fulfiller of all desires. ||1||Pause||
The One Lord is permeating and pervading amongst all; without the Guru, this understanding is not obtained.
My Lord God has been revealed to me, and I have become Gurmukh. Night and day, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
The One Lord is the Giver of peace; peace is not found anywhere else.
Those who do not serve the Giver, the True Guru, depart regretfully in the end. ||3||
Serving the True Guru, lasting peace is obtained, and the mortal does not suffer in pain any longer.
Nanak has been blessed with devotional worship of the Lord; his light has merged into the Light. ||4||7||17||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
Without the Guru, the world is insane; confused and deluded, it is beaten, and it suffers.
It dies and dies again, and is reborn, always in pain, but it is unaware of the Lord's Gate. ||1||
O my mind, remain always in the Protection of the True Guru's Sanctuary.
Those people, to whose hearts the Lord's Name seems sweet, are carried across the terrifying world-ocean by the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||
The mortal wears various religious robes, but his consciousness is unsteady; deep within, he is filled with sexual desire, anger and egotism.
Deep within is the great thirst and immense hunger; he wanders from door to door. ||2||
Those who die in the Word of the Guru's Shabad are reborn; they find the door of liberation.
With constant peace and tranquility deep within, they enshrine the Lord within their hearts. ||3||
As it pleases Him, He inspires us to act. Nothing else can be done.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh contemplates the Word of the Shabad, and is blessed with the glorious greatness of the Lord's Name. ||4||8||18||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
Lost in egotism, Maya and attachment, the mortal earns pain, and eats pain.
The great disease, the rabid disease of greed, is deep within him; he wanders around indiscriminately. ||1||
The life of the self-willed manmukh in this world is cursed.
He does not remember the Lord's Name, even in his dreams. He is never in love with the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
He acts like a beast, and does not understand anything. Practicing falsehood, he becomes false.
But when the mortal meets the True Guru, his way of looking at the world changes. How rare are those humble beings who seek and find the Lord. ||2||
That person, whose heart is forever filled with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, obtains the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue.
By Guru's Grace, he finds the Perfect Lord; the egotistical pride of his mind is eradicated. ||3||
The Creator Himself acts, and causes all to act. He Himself places us on the path.

He Himself blesses the Gurmukh with glorious greatness; O Nanak, he merges in the Naam. ||4||9||19||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
Upon my writing tablet, I write the Name of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the World.
In the love of duality, the mortals are caught in the noose of the Messenger of Death.
The True Guru nurtures and sustains me.
The Lord, the Giver of peace, is always with me. ||1||
Following his Guru's instructions, Prahlaad chanted the Lord's Name;
he was a child, but he was not afraid when his teacher yelled at him. ||1||Pause||
Prahlaad's mother gave her beloved son some advice:
"My son, you must abandon the Lord's Name, and save your life!"
Prahlaad said: "Listen, O my mother;
I shall never give up the Lord's Name. My Guru has taught me this."||2||
Sandaa and Markaa, his teachers, went to his father the king, and complained:
"Prahlaad himself has gone astray, and he leads all the other pupils astray."
In the court of the wicked king, a plan was hatched.
God is the Savior of Prahlaad. ||3||
With sword in hand, and with great egotistical pride, Prahlaad's father ran up to him.
"Where is your Lord, who will save you?"
In an instant, the Lord appeared in a dreadful form, and shattered the pillar.
Harnaakhash was torn apart by His claws, and Prahlaad was saved. ||4||
The Dear Lord completes the tasks of the Saints.
He saved twenty-one generations of Prahlaad's descendents.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the poison of egotism is neutralized.
O Nanak, through the Name of the Lord, the Saints are emancipated. ||5||10||20||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
The Lord Himself makes demons pursue the Saints, and He Himself saves them.
Those who remain forever in Your Sanctuary, O Lord - their minds are never touched by sorrow. ||1||
In each and every age, the Lord saves the honor of His devotees.
Prahlaad, the demon's son, knew nothing of the Hindu morning prayer, the Gayatri, and nothing about ceremonial water-offerings to his ancestors; but through the Word of the Shabad, he was united in the Lord's Union. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, he performed devotional worship service, day and night, and through the Shabad, his duality was eradicated.
Those who are imbued with Truth are immaculate and pure; the True Lord abides within their minds. ||2||
The fools in duality read, but they do not understand anything; they waste their lives uselessly.
The wicked demon slandered the Saint, and stirred up trouble. ||3||
Prahlaad did not read in duality, and he did not abandon the Lord's Name; he was not afraid of any fear.
The Dear Lord became the Savior of the Saint, and the demonic Death could not even approach him. ||4||
The Lord Himself saved his honor, and blessed his devotee with glorious greatness.
O Nanak, Harnaakhash was torn apart by the Lord with His claws; the blind demon knew nothing of the Lord's Court. ||5||11||21||
Raag Bhairao, Fourth Mehl, Chaupadas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord, in His Mercy, attaches mortals to the feet of the Saints.

Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, vibrate and meditate on the Lord; let your awareness be absorbed in Him. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate and meditate on the Lord and the Name of the Lord.
The Lord, Har, Har, the Giver of Peace, grants His Grace; the Gurmukh crosses over the terrifying world-ocean through the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, sing of the Lord.
Follow the Guru's Teachings, and you shall obtain the Lord, the Source of Nectar. ||2||
Bathe in the pool of ambrosial nectar, the spiritual wisdom of the Holy Guru.
All sins will be eliminated and eradicated. ||3||
You Yourself are the Creator, the Support of the Universe.
Please unite servant Nanak with Yourself; he is the slave of Your slaves. ||4||1||
Bhairao, Fourth Mehl:
Fruitful is that moment when the Lord's Name is spoken.
Following the Guru's Teachings, all pains are taken away. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate the Name of the Lord.
O Lord, be merciful, and unite me with the Perfect Guru. Joining with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
Meditate on the Life of the World; remember the Lord in your mind.
Millions upon millions of your sins shall be taken away. ||2||
In the Sat Sangat, apply the dust of the feet of the holy to your face;
this is how to bathe in the sixty-eight sacred shrines, and the Ganges. ||3||
I am a fool; the Lord has shown mercy to me.
The Savior Lord has saved servant Nanak. ||4||2||
Bhairao, Fourth Mehl:
To do good deeds is the best rosary.
Chant on the beads within your heart, and it shall go along with you. ||1||
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Lord of the forest.
Have mercy on me, Lord, and unite me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, so that I may be released from Maya's noose of death. ||1||Pause||
Whoever, as Gurmukh, serves and works hard,
is molded and shaped in the true mint of the Shabad, the Word of God. ||2||
The Guru has revealed to me the Inaccessible and Unfathomable Lord.
Searching within the body-village, I have found the Lord. ||3||
I am just a child; the Lord is my Father, who nurtures and cherishes me.
Please save servant Nanak, Lord; bless him with Your Glance of Grace. ||4||3||
Bhairao, Fourth Mehl:
All hearts are Yours, Lord; You are in all.
There is nothing at all except You. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Lord, the Giver of peace.
I praise You, O Lord God, You are my Father. ||1||Pause||
Wherever I look, I see only the Lord God.
All are under Your control; there is no other at all. ||2||
O Lord, when it is Your Will to save someone,
then nothing can threaten him. ||3||
You are totally pervading and permeating the waters, the lands, the skies and all places.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Ever-present Lord. ||4||4||
Bhairao, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord's Saint is the embodiment of the Lord; within his heart is the Name of the Lord.
One who has such destiny inscribed on his forehead, follows the Guru's Teachings, and contemplates the Name of the Lord within his heart. ||1||

Enshrine Him in your heart, and meditate on the Lord.
The five plundering thieves are in the body-village; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord has beaten them and driven them out. ||1||Pause||
Those whose minds are satisfied with the Lord - the Lord Himself resolves their affairs.
Their subservience and their dependence on other people is ended; the Creator Lord is on their side. ||2||
If something were beyond the realm of the Lord's Power, only then would we have recourse to consult someone else.
Whatever the Lord does is good. Meditate on the Name of the Lord, night and day. ||3||
Whatever the Lord does, He does by Himself. He does not ask or consult anyone else.
O Nanak, meditate forever on God; granting His Grace, He unites us with the True Guru. ||4||1||5||
Bhairao, Fourth Mehl:
O my Lord and Master, please unite me with the Holy people; meditating on You, I am saved.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, my mind blossoms forth. Each and every moment, I am a sacrifice to them. ||1||
Meditate within your heart on the Name of the Lord.
Show Mercy, Mercy to me, O Father of the World, O my Lord and Master; make me the water-carrier of the slave of Your slaves. ||1||Pause||
Their intellect is sublime and exalted, and so is their honor; the Lord, the Lord of the forest, abides within their hearts.
O my Lord and Master, please link me to the service of those who meditate in remembrance on You, and are saved. ||2||
Those who do not find such a Holy True Guru are beaten, and driven out of the Court of the Lord.
These slanderous people have no honor or reputation; their noses are cut by the Creator Lord. ||3||
The Lord Himself speaks, and the Lord Himself inspires all to speak; He is Immaculate and Formless, and needs no sustenance.
O Lord, he alone meets You, whom You cause to meet. Says servant Nanak, I am a wretched creature. What can I do? ||4||2||6||
Bhairao, Fourth Mehl:
That is Your True Congregation, Lord, where the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are heard.
The minds of those who listen to the Lord's Name are drenched with bliss; I worship their feet continually. ||1||
Meditating on the Lord, the Life of the World, the mortals cross over.
Your Names are so many, they are countless, O Lord. This tongue of mine cannot even count them. ||1||Pause||
O Gursikhs, chant the Lord's Name, and sing the Praises of the Lord. Take the Guru's Teachings, and meditate on the Lord.
Whoever listens to the Guru's Teachings - that humble being receives countless comforts and pleasures from the Lord. ||2||
Blessed is the ancestry, blessed is the father, and blessed is that mother who gave birth to this humble servant.
Those who meditate on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and morsel of food - those humble servants of the Lord look beautiful in the True Court of the Lord. ||3||
O Lord, Har, Har, Your Names are profound and infinite; Your devotees cherish them deep within.
Servant Nanak has obained the wisdom of the Guru's Teachings; meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, he crosses over to the other side. ||4||3||7||

Bhairao, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Setting aside all other days, it is said that the Lord was born on the eighth lunar day. ||1||
Deluded and confused by doubt, the mortal practices falsehood.
The Lord is beyond birth and death. ||1||Pause||
You prepare sweet treats and feed them to your stone god.
God is not born, and He does not die, you foolish, faithless cynic! ||2||
You sing lullabyes to your stone god - this is the source of all your mistakes.
Let that mouth be burnt, which says that our Lord and Master is subject to birth. ||3||
He is not born, and He does not die; He does not come and go in reincarnation.
The God of Nanak is pervading and permeating everywhere. ||4||1||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Standing up, I am at peace; sitting down, I am at peace.
I feel no fear, because this is what I understand. ||1||
The One Lord, my Lord and Master, is my Protector.
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of Hearts. ||1||Pause||
I sleep without worry, and I awake without worry.
You, O God, are pervading everywhere. ||2||
I dwell in peace in my home, and I am at peace outside.
Says Nanak, the Guru has implanted His Mantra within me. ||3||2||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
I do not keep fasts, nor do I observe the month of Ramadaan.
I serve only the One, who will protect me in the end. ||1||
The One Lord, the Lord of the World, is my God Allah.
He adminsters justice to both Hindus and Muslims. ||1||Pause||
I do not make pilgrimages to Mecca, nor do I worship at Hindu sacred shrines.
I serve the One Lord, and not any other. ||2||
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers.
I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. ||3||
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim.
My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4||
Says Kabeer, this is what I say:
meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. ||5||3||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
I easily tied up the deer - the ten sensory organs.
I shot five of the desires with the Word of the Lord's Bani. ||1||
I go out hunting with the Saints,
and we capture the deer without horses or weapons. ||1||Pause||
My mind used to run around outside hunting.
But now, I have found the game within the home of my body-village. ||2||
I caught the deer and brought them home.
Dividing them up, I shared them, bit by bit. ||3||
God has given this gift.
Nanak's home is filled with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||4||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Even though he may be fed with hundreds of longings and yearnings,
still the faithless cynic does not remember the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Take in the teachings of the humble Saints.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall obtain the supreme status. ||1||Pause||
Stones may be kept under water for a long time.
Even so, they do not absorb the water; they remain hard and dry. ||2||

The six Shaastras may be read to a fool,
but it is like the wind blowing in the ten directions. ||3||
It is like threshing a crop without any corn - nothing is gained.
In the same way, no benefit comes from the faithless cynic. ||4||
As the Lord attaches them, so are all attached.
Says Nanak, God has formed such a form. ||5||5||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
He created the soul, the breath of life and the body.
He created all beings, and knows their pains. ||1||
The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, is the Helper of the soul.
Here and herafter, He always provides shade. ||1||Pause||
Worship and adoration of God is the pure way of life.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the love of duality vanishes. ||2||
Friends, well-wishers and wealth will not support you.
Blessed, blessed is my Lord. ||3||
Nanak utters the Ambrosial Bani of the Lord.
Except the One Lord, he does not know any other at all. ||4||6||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord is in front of me, and the Lord is behind me.
My Beloved Lord, the Source of Nectar, is in the middle as well. ||1||
God is my Shaastra and my favorable omen.
In His Home and Mansion, I find peace, poise and bliss. ||1||Pause||
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with my tongue, and hearing it with my ears, I live.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on God, I have become eternal, permanent and stable. ||2||
The pains of countless lifetimes have been erased.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad, the Word of God, vibrates in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
Granting His Grace, God has blended me with Himself.
Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God. ||4||7||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
It brings millions of desires to fulfillment.
On the Path of Death, It will go with you and help you. ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe, is the holy water of the Ganges.
Whoever meditates on it, is saved; drinking it in, the mortal does not wander in reincarnation again. ||1||Pause||
It is my worship, meditation, austerity and cleansing bath.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, I have become free of desire. ||2||
It is my domain and empire, wealth, mansion and court.
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam brings perfect conduct. ||3||
Slave Nanak has deliberated, and has come to this conclusion:
Without the Lord's Name, everything is false and worthless, like ashes. ||4||8||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The poison had absolutely no harmful effect.
But the wicked Brahmin died in pain. ||1||
The Supreme Lord God Himself has saved His humble servant.
The sinner died through the Power of the Guru. ||1||Pause||
The humble servant of the Lord and Master meditates on Him.
He Himself has destroyed the ignorant sinner. ||2||
God is the Mother, the Father and the Protector of His slave.
The face of the slanderer, here and hereafter, is blackened. ||3||
The Transcendent Lord has heard the prayer of servant Nanak.
The filthy sinner lost hope and died. ||4||9||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent, excellent is Your Name.
False, false, false, false is pride in the world. ||1||Pause||
The glorious vision of Your slaves, O Infinite Lord, is wonderful and beauteous.

Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the whole world is just ashes. ||1||
Your Creative Power is marvellous, and Your Lotus Feet are admirable.
Your Praise is priceless, O True King. ||2||
God is the Support of the unsupported.
Meditate day and night on the Cherisher of the meek and humble. ||3||
God has been merciful to Nanak.
May I never forget God; He is my heart, my soul, my breath of life. ||4||10||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
As Gurmukh, obtain the true wealth.
Accept the Will of God as True. ||1||
Live, live, live forever.
Rise early each day, and drink in the Nectar of the Lord.
With your tongue, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the One Name alone shall save you.
Nanak speaks the wisdom of God. ||2||11||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Serving the True Guru, all fruits and rewards are obtained.
The filth of so many lifetimes is washed away. ||1||
Your Name, God, is the Purifier of sinners.
Because of the karma of my past deeds, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I am saved.
I am blessed with honor in God's Court. ||2||
Serving at God's Feet, all comforts are obtained.
All the angels and demi-gods long for the dust of the feet of such beings. ||3||
Nanak has obtained the treasure of the Naam.
Chanting and meditating on the Lord, the whole world is saved. ||4||12||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
God hugs His slave close in His Embrace.
He throws the slanderer into the fire. ||1||
The Lord saves His servants from the sinners.
No one can save the sinner. The sinner is destroyed by his own actions. ||1||Pause||
The Lord's slave is in love with the Dear Lord.
The slanderer loves something else. ||2||
The Supreme Lord God has revealed His Innate Nature.
The evil-doer obtains the fruits of his own actions. ||3||
God does not come or go; He is All-pervading and permeating.
Slave Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||4||13||
Raag Bhairao, Fifth Mehl, Chaupadas, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Fascinating Lord, the Creator of all, the Formless Lord, is the Giver of Peace.
You have abandoned this Lord, and you serve another. Why are you intoxicated with the pleasures of corruption? ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Lord of the Universe.
I have seen all other sorts of efforts; whatever you can think of, will only bring failure. ||1||Pause||
The blind, ignorant, self-willed manmukhs forsake their Lord and Master, and dwell on His slave Maya.
They slander those who worship their Lord; they are like beasts, without a Guru. ||2||
Soul, life, body and wealth all belong to God, but the faithless cynics claim that they own them.

They are proud and arrogant, evil-minded and filthy; without the Guru, they are reincarnated into the terrifying world-ocean. ||3||
Through burnt offerings, charitable feasts, ritualistic chants, penance, all sorts of austere self-discipline and pilgrimages to sacred shrines and rivers, they do not find God.
Self-conceit is only erased when one seeks the Lord's Sanctuary and becomes Gurmukh; O Nanak, he crosses over the world-ocean. ||4||1||14||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
I have seen Him in the woods, and I have seen Him in the fields. I have seen Him in the household, and in renunciation.
I have seen Him as a Yogi carrying His staff, as a Yogi with matted hair, fasting, making vows, and visiting sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||1||
I have seen Him in the Society of the Saints, and within my own mind.
In the sky, in the nether regions of the underworld, and in everything, He is pervading and permeating. With love and joy, I sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
I have seen Him among the Yogis, the Sannyaasees, the celibates, the wandering hermits and the wearers of patched coats.
I have seen Him among the men of severe self-discipline, the silent sages, the actors, dramas and dances. ||2||
I have seen Him in the four Vedas, I have seen Him in the six Shaastras, in the eighteen Puraanas and the Simritees as well.
All together, they declare that there is only the One Lord. So tell me, from whom is He hidden? ||3||
Unfathomable and Inaccessible, He is our Infinite Lord and Master; His Value is beyond valuation.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those, within whose heart He is revealed. ||4||2||15||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
How can anyone do evil, if he realizes that the Lord is near?
One who gathers corruption, constantly feels fear.
He is near, but this mystery is not understood.
Without the True Guru, all are enticed by Maya. ||1||
Everyone says that He is near, near at hand.
But rare is that person, who, as Gurmukh, understands this mystery. ||1||Pause||
The mortal does not see the Lord near at hand; instead, he goes to the homes of others.
He steals their wealth and lives in falsehood.
Under the influence of the drug of illusion, he does not know that the Lord is with him.
Without the Guru, he is confused and deluded by doubt. ||2||
Not understanding that the Lord is near, he tells lies.
In love and attachment to Maya, the fool is plundered.
That which he seeks is within his own self, but he looks for it outside.
Without the Guru, he is confused and deluded by doubt. ||3||
One whose good karma is recorded on his forehead
serves the True Guru; thus the hard and heavy shutters of his mind are opened wide.
Within his own being and beyond, he sees the Lord near at hand.
O servant Nanak, he does not come and go in reincarnation. ||4||3||16||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Who can kill that person whom You protect, O Lord?
All beings, and the entire universe, is within You.
The mortal thinks up millions of plans,
but that alone happens, which the Lord of wondrous plays does. ||1||
Save me, save me, O Lord; shower me with Your Mercy.
I seek Your Sanctuary, and Your Court. ||1||Pause||
Whoever serves the Fearless Lord, the Giver of Peace,
is rid of all his fears; he knows the One Lord.
Whatever You do, that alone comes to pass in the end.
There is no other who can kill or protect us. ||2||
What do you think, with your human understanding?
The All-knowing Lord is the Searcher of Hearts.
The One and only Lord is my Support and Protection.
The Creator Lord knows everything. ||3||
That person who is blessed by the Creator's Glance of Grace

- all his affairs are resolved.
The One Lord is his Protector.
O servant Nanak, no one can equal him. ||4||4||17||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
We should feel sad, if God were beyond us.
We should feel sad, if we forget the Lord.
We should feel sad, if we are in love with duality.
But why should we feel sad? The Lord is pervading everywhere. ||1||
In love and attachment to Maya, the mortals are sad, and are consumed by sadness.
Without the Name, they wander and wander and wander, and waste away. ||1||Pause||
We should feel sad, if there were another Creator Lord.
We should feel sad, if someone dies by injustice.
We should feel sad, if something were not known to the Lord.
But why should we feel sad? The Lord is totally permeating everywhere. ||2||
We should feel sad, if God were a tyrant.
We should feel sad, if He made us suffer by mistake.
The Guru says that whatever happens is all by God's Will.
So I have abandoned sadness, and I now sleep without anxiety. ||3||
O God, You alone are my Lord and Master; all belong to You.
According to Your Will, You pass judgement.
There is no other at all; the One Lord is permeating and pervading everywhere.
Please save Nanak's honor; I have come to Your Sanctuary. ||4||5||18||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Without music, how is one to dance?
Without a voice, how is one to sing?
Without strings, how is a guitar to be played?
Without the Naam, all affairs are useless. ||1||
Without the Naam - tell me: who has ever been saved?
Without the True Guru, how can anyone cross over to the other side? ||1||Pause||
Without a tongue, how can anyone speak?
Without ears, how can anyone hear?
Without eyes, how can anyone see?
Without the Naam, the mortal is of no account at all. ||2||
Without learning, how can one be a Pandit - a religious scholar?
Without power, what is the glory of an empire?
Without understanding, how can the mind become steady?
Without the Naam, the whole world is insane. ||3||
Without detachment, how can one be a detached hermit?
Without renouncing egotism, how can anyone be a renunciate?
Without overcoming the five thieves, how can the mind be subdued?
Without the Naam, the mortal regrets and repents forever and ever. ||4||
Without the Guru's Teachings, how can anyone obtain spiritual wisdom?
Without seeing - tell me: how can anyone visualize in meditation?
Without the Fear of God, all speech in useless.
Says Nanak, this is the wisdom of the Lord's Court. ||5||6||19||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Mankind is afflicted with the disease of egotism.
The disease of sexual desire overwhelms the elephant.
Because of the disease of vision, the moth is burnt to death.
Because of the disease of the sound of the bell, the deer is lured to its death. ||1||
Whoever I see is diseased.
Only my True Guru, the True Yogi, is free of disease. ||1||Pause||
Because of the disease of taste, the fish is caught.
Because of the disease of smell, the bumble bee is destroyed.
The whole world is caught in the disease of attachment.
In the disease of the three qualities, corruption is multiplied. ||2||
In disease the mortals die, and in disease they are born.
In disease they wander in reincarnation again and again.

Entangled in disease, they cannot stay still, even for an instant.
Without the True Guru, the disease is never cured. ||3||
When the Supreme Lord God grants His Mercy,
He grabs hold of the mortal's arm, and pulls him up and out of the disease.
Reaching the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the mortal's bonds are broken.
Says Nanak, the Guru cures him of the disease. ||4||7||20||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
When He comes to mind, then I am in supreme bliss.
When He comes to mind, then all my pains are shattered.
When He comes to mind, my hopes are fulfilled.
When He comes to mind, I never feel sadness. ||1||
Deep within my being, my Sovereign Lord King has revealed Himself to me.
The Perfect Guru has inspired me to love Him. ||1||Pause||
When He comes to mind, I am the king of all.
When He comes to mind, all my affairs are completed.
When He comes to mind, I am dyed in the deep crimson of His Love.
When He comes to mind, I am ecstatic forever. ||2||
When He comes to mind, I am wealthy forever.
When He comes to mind, I am free of doubt forever.
When He comes to mind, then I enjoy all pleasures.
When He comes to mind, I am rid of fear. ||3||
When He comes to mind, I find the home of peace and poise.
When He comes to mind, I am absorbed in the Primal Void of God.
When He comes to mind, I continually sing the Kirtan of His Praises.
Nanak's mind is pleased and satisfied with the Lord God. ||4||8||21||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
My Father is Eternal, forever alive.
My brothers live forever as well.
My friends are permanent and imperishable.
My family abides in the home of the self within. ||1||
I have found peace, and so all are at peace.
The Perfect Guru has united me with my Father. ||1||Pause||
My mansions are the highest of all.
My countries are infinite and uncountable.
My kingdom is eternally stable.
My wealth is inexhaustible and permanent. ||2||
My glorious reputation resounds throughout the ages.
My fame has spread in all places and interspaces.
My praises echo in each and every house.
My devotional worship is known to all people. ||3||
My Father has revealed Himself within me.
The Father and son have joined together in partnership.
Says Nanak, when my Father is pleased,
then the Father and son are joined together in love, and become one. ||4||9||22||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru, the Primal Being, is free of revenge and hate; He is God, the Great Giver.
I am a sinner; You are my Forgiver.
That sinner, who finds no protection anywhere
- if he comes seeking Your Sanctuary, then he becomes immaculate and pure. ||1||
Pleasing the True Guru, I have found peace.
Meditating on the Guru, I have obtained all fruits and rewards. ||1||Pause||
I humbly bow to the Supreme Lord God, the True Guru.
My mind and body are Yours; all the world is Yours.
When the veil of illusion is removed, then I come to see You.
You are my Lord and Master; You are the King of all. ||2||
When it pleases Him, even dry wood becomes green.
When it pleases Him, rivers flow across the desert sands.
When it pleases Him, all fruits and rewards are obtained.
Grasping hold of the Guru's feet, my anxiety is dispelled. ||3||

I am unworthy and ungrateful, but He has been merciful to me.
My mind and body have been cooled and soothed; the Ambrosial Nectar rains down in my mind.
The Supreme Lord God, the Guru, has become kind and compassionate to me.
Slave Nanak beholds the Lord, enraptured. ||4||10||23||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
My True Guru is totally independent.
My True Guru is adorned with Truth.
My True Guru is the Giver of all.
My True Guru is the Primal Creator Lord, the Architect of Destiny. ||1||
There is no deity equal to the Guru.
Whoever has good destiny inscribed on his forehead, applies himself to seva - selfless service. ||1||Pause||
My True Guru is the Sustainer and Cherisher of all.
My True Guru kills and revives.
The glorious greatness of my True Guru has become manifest everywhere. ||2||
My True Guru is the power of the powerless.
My True Guru is my home and court.
I am forever a sacrifice to the True Guru.
He has shown me the path. ||3||
One who serves the Guru is not afflicted with fear.
One who serves the Guru does not suffer in pain.
Nanak has studied the Simritees and the Vedas.
There is no difference between the Supreme Lord God and the Guru. ||4||11||24||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Repeating the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mortal is exalted and glorified.
Repeating the Naam, sin is banished from the body.
Repeating the Naam, all festivals are celebrated.
Repeating the Naam, one is cleansed at the sixty-eight sacred shrines. ||1||
My sacred shrine of pilgrimage is the Name of the Lord.
The Guru has instructed me in the true essence of spiritual wisdom. ||1||Pause||
Repeating the Naam, the mortal's pains are taken away.
Repeating the Naam, the most ignorant people become spiritual teachers.
Repeating the Naam, the Divine Light blazes forth.
Repeating the Naam, one's bonds are broken. ||2||
Repeating the Naam, the Messenger of Death does not draw near.
Repeating the Naam, one finds peace in the Court of the Lord.
Repeating the Naam, God gives His Approval.
The Naam is my true wealth. ||3||
The Guru has instructed me in these sublime teachings.
The Kirtan of the Lord's Praises and the Naam are the Support of the mind.
Nanak is saved through the atonement of the Naam.
Other actions are just to please and appease the people. ||4||12||25||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
I bow in humble worship, tens of thousands of times.
I offer this mind as a sacrifice.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, sufferings are erased.
Bliss wells up, and no disease is contracted. ||1||
Such is the diamond, the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Chanting it, all works are perfectly completed. ||1||Pause||
Beholding Him, the house of pain is demolished.
The mind seizes the cooling, soothing, Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam.
Millions of devotees worship His Feet.
He is the Fulfiller of all the mind's desires. ||2||
In an instant, He fills the empty to over-flowing.
In an instant, He transforms the dry into green.
In an instant, He gives the homeless a home.
In an instant, He bestows honor on the dishonored. ||3||

The One Lord is totally pervading and permeating all.
He alone meditates on the Lord, whose True Guru is Perfect.
Such a person has the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises for his Support.
Says Nanak, the Lord Himself is merciful to him. ||4||13||26||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
I was discarded and abandoned, but He has embellished me.
He has blessed me with beauty and His Love; through His Name, I am exalted.
All my pains and sorrows have been eradicated.
The Guru has become my Mother and Father. ||1||
O my friends and companions, my household is in bliss.
Granting His Grace, my Husband Lord has met me. ||1||Pause||
The fire of desire has been extinguished, and all my desires have been fulfilled.
The darkness has been dispelled, and the Divine Light blazes forth.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad, the Word of God, is wondrous and amazing!
Perfect is the Grace of the Perfect Guru. ||2||
That person, unto whom the Lord reveals Himself
- by the Blessed Vision of his Darshan, I am forever enraptured.
He obtains all virtues and so many treasures.
The True Guru blesses him with the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
That person who meets with his Lord and Master
- his mind and body are cooled and soothed, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Says Nanak, such a humble being is pleasing to God;
only a rare few are blessed with the dust of his feet. ||4||14||27||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The mortal does not hesitate to think about sin.
He is not ashamed to spend time with prostitutes.
He works all day long,
but when it is time to remember the Lord, then a heavy stone falls on his head. ||1||
Attached to Maya, the world is deluded and confused.
The Deluder Himself has deluded the mortal, and now he is engrossed in worthless worldly affairs. ||1||Pause||
Gazing on Maya's illusion, its pleasures pass away.
He loves the shell, and ruins his life.
Bound to blind worldly affairs, his mind wavers and wanders.
The Creator Lord does not come into his mind. ||2||
Working and working like this, he only obtains pain,
and his affairs of Maya are never completed.
His mind is saturated with sexual desire, anger and greed.
Wiggling like a fish out of water, he dies. ||3||
One who has the Lord Himself as his Protector,
chants and meditates forever on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
O Nanak, he has found the Perfect True Guru. ||4||15||28||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
He alone obtains it, unto whom the Lord shows Mercy.
He enshrines the Name of the Lord in his mind.
With the True Word of the Shabad in his heart and mind,
the sins of countless incarnations vanish. ||1||
The Lord's Name is the Support of the soul.
By Guru's Grace, chant the Name continually, O Siblings of Destiny; It shall carry you across the world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
Those who have this treasure of the Lord's Name written in their destiny,
those humble beings are honored in the Court of the Lord.
Singing His Glorious Praises with peace, poise and bliss,
even the homeless obtain a home hereafter. ||2||
Throughout the ages, this has been the essence of reality.
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord, and contemplate the Truth.

He alone is attached to the hem of the Lord's robe, whom the Lord Himself attaches.
Asleep for countless incarnations, he now awakens. ||3||
Your devotees belong to You, and You belong to Your devotees.
You Yourself inspire them to chant Your Praises.
All beings and creatures are in Your Hands.
Nanak's God is always with him. ||4||16||29||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Inner-knower of my heart.
The Naam is so useful to me.
The Lord's Name permeates each and every hair of mine.
The Perfect True Guru has given me this gift. ||1||
The Jewel of the Naam is my treasure.
It is inaccessible, priceless, infinite and incomparable. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is my unmoving, unchanging Lord and Master.
The glory of the Naam spreads over the whole world.
The Naam is my perfect master of wealth.
The Naam is my independence. ||2||
The Naam is my food and love.
The Naam is the objective of my mind.
By the Grace of the Saints, I never forget the Naam.
Repeating the Naam, the Unstruck Sound-current of the Naad resounds. ||3||
By God's Grace, I have obtained the nine treasures of the Naam.
By Guru's Grace, I am tuned in to the Naam.
They alone are wealthy and supreme,
O Nanak, who have the treasure of the Naam. ||4||17||30||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Father, and You are my Mother.
You are my Soul, my Breath of Life, the Giver of Peace.
You are my Lord and Master; I am Your slave.
Without You, I have no one at all. ||1||
Please bless me with Your Mercy, God, and give me this gift,
that I may sing Your Praises, day and night. ||1||Pause||
I am Your musical instrument, and You are the Musician.
I am Your beggar; please bless me with Your charity, O Great Giver.
By Your Grace, I enjoy love and pleasures.
You are deep within each and every heart. ||2||
By Your Grace, I chant the Name.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
In Your Mercy, You take away our pains.
By Your Mercy, the heart-lotus blossoms forth. ||3||
I am a sacrifice to the Divine Guru.
The Blessed Vision of His Darshan is fruitful and rewarding; His service is immaculate and pure.
Be Merciful to me, O my Lord God and Master,
that Nanak may continually sing Your Glorious Praises. ||4||18||31||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
His Regal Court is the highest of all.
I humbly bow to Him, forever and ever.
His place is the highest of the high.
Millions of sins are erased by the Name of the Lord. ||1||
In His Sanctuary, we find eternal peace.
He Mercifully unites us with Himself. ||1||Pause||
His wondrous actions cannot even be described.
All hearts rest their faith and hope in Him.
He is manifest in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The devotees lovingly worship and adore Him night and day. ||2||
He gives, but His treasures are never exhausted.
In an instant, He establishes and disestablishes.
No one can erase the Hukam of His Command.
The True Lord is above the heads of kings. ||3||
He is my Anchor and Support; I place my hopes in Him.

I place my pain and pleasure before Him.
He covers the faults of His humble servant.
Nanak sings His Praises. ||4||19||32||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The whiner whines every day.
His attachment to his household and entanglements cloud his mind.
If someone becomes detached through understanding,
he will not have to suffer in birth and death again. ||1||
All of his conflicts are extensions of his corruption.
How rare is that person who takes the Naam as his Support. ||1||Pause||
The three-phased Maya infects all.
Whoever clings to it suffers pain and sorrow.
There is no peace without meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By great good fortune, the treasure of the Naam is received. ||2||
One who loves the actor in his mind,
later regrets it when the actor takes off his costume.
The shade from a cloud is transitory,
like the worldly paraphernalia of attachment and corruption. ||3||
If someone is blessed with the singular substance,
then all of his tasks are accomplished to perfection.
One who obtains the Naam, by Guru's Grace
- O Nanak, his coming into the world is certified and approved. ||4||20||33||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Slandering the Saints, the mortal wanders in reincarnation.
Slandering the Saints, he is diseased.
Slandering the Saints, he suffers in pain.
The slanderer is punished by the Messenger of Death. ||1||
Those who argue and fight with the Saints
- those slanderers find no happiness at all. ||1||Pause||
Slandering the devotees, the wall of the mortal's body is shattered.
Slandering the devotees, he suffers in hell.
Slandering the devotees, he rots in the womb.
Slandering the devotees, he loses his realm and power. ||2||
The slanderer finds no salvation at all.
He eats only that which he himself has planted.
He is worse than a thief, a lecher, or a gambler.
The slanderer places an unbearable burden upon his head. ||3||
The devotees of the Supreme Lord God are beyond hate and vengeance.
Whoever worships their feet is emancipated.
The Primal Lord God has deluded and confused the slanderer.
O Nanak, the record of one's past actions cannot be erased. ||4||21||34||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is for me the Vedas and the Sound-current of the Naad.
Through the Naam, my tasks are perfectly accomplished.
The Naam is my worship of deities.
The Naam is my service to the Guru. ||1||
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Naam within me.
The highest task of all is the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is my cleansing bath and purification.
The Naam is my perfect donation of charity.
Those who repeat the Naam are totally purified.
Those who chant the Naam are my friends and Siblings of Destiny. ||2||
The Naam is my auspicious omen and good fortune.
The Naam is the sublime food which satisfies me.
The Naam is my good conduct.
The Naam is my immaculate occupation. ||3||
All those humble beings whose minds are filled with the One God
have the Support of the Lord, Har, Har.
O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord with your mind and body.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Lord bestows His Name. ||4||22||35||

Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
You bless the poor with wealth, O Lord.
Countless sins are taken away, and the mind becomes immaculate and pure.
All the mind's desires are fulfilled, and one's tasks are perfectly accomplished.
You bestow Your Name upon Your devotee. ||1||
Service to the Lord, our Sovereign King, is fruitful and rewarding.
Our Lord and Master is the Creator, the Cause of causes; no one is turned away from His Door empty-handed. ||1||Pause||
God eradicates the disease from the diseased person.
God takes away the sorrows of the suffering.
And those who have no place at all - You seat them upon the place.
You link Your slave to devotional worship. ||2||
God bestows honor on the dishonored.
He makes the foolish and ignorant become clever and wise.
The fear of all fear disappears.
The Lord dwells within the mind of His humble servant. ||3||
The Supreme Lord God is the Treasure of Peace.
The Ambrosial Name of the Lord is the essence of reality.
Granting His Grace, He enjoins the mortals to serve the Saints.
O Nanak, such a person merges in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||4||23||36||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
In the Realm of the Saints, the Lord dwells in the mind.
In the Realm of the Saints, all sins run away.
In the Realm of the Saints, one's lifestyle is immaculate.
In the Society of the Saints, one comes to love the One Lord. ||1||
That alone is called the Realm of the Saints,
where only the Glorious Praises of the Supreme Lord God are sung. ||1||Pause||
In the Realm of the Saints, birth and death are ended.
In the Realm of the Saints, the Messenger of Death cannot touch the mortal.
In the Society of the Saints, one's speech becomes immaculate
In the realm of the saints, the Lord's Name is chanted. ||2||
The Realm of the Saints is the eternal, ever-stable place.
In the Realm of the Saints, sins are destroyed.
In the Realm of the Saints, the immaculate sermon is spoken.
In the Society of the Saints, the pain of egotism runs away. ||3||
The Realm of the Saints cannot be destroyed.
In the Realm of the Saints, is the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue.
The Realm of the Saints is the resting place of our Lord and Master.
O Nanak, He is woven into the fabric of His devotees, through and through. ||4||24||37||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Why worry about disease, when the Lord Himself protects us?
That person whom the Lord protects, does not suffer pain and sorrow.
That person, upon whom God showers His Mercy
- Death hovering above him is turned away. ||1||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is forever our Help and Support.
When He comes to mind, the mortal finds lasting peace, and the Messenger of Death cannot even approach him. ||1||Pause||
When this being did not exist, who created him then?
What has been produced from the source?
He Himself kills, and He Himself rejuvenates.
He cherishes His devotees forever. ||2||
Know that everything is in His Hands.
My God is the Master of the masterless.
His Name is the Destroyer of pain.
Singing His Glorious Praises, you shall find peace. ||3||
O my Lord and Master, please listen to the prayer of Your Saint.
I place my soul, my breath of life and wealth before You.
All this world is Yours; it meditates on You.

Please shower Nanak with Your Mercy and bless him with peace. ||4||25||38||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
With Your Support, I survive in the Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
With Your Support, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
With Your Support, death cannot even touch me.
With Your Support, my entanglements vanish. ||1||
In this world and the next, I have Your Support.
The One Lord, our Lord and Master, is all-pervading. ||1||Pause||
With Your Support, I celebrate blissfully.
With Your Support, I chant the Guru's Mantra.
With Your Support, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
The Perfect Lord, our Protector and Savior, is the Ocean of Peace. ||2||
With Your Support, I have no fear.
The True Lord is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
With Your Support, my mind is filled with Your Power.
Here and there, You are my Court of Appeal. ||3||
I take Your Support, and place my faith in You.
All meditate on God, the Treasure of Virtue.
Chanting and meditating on You, Your slaves celebrate in bliss.
Nanak meditates in remembrance on the True Lord, the Treasure of Virtue. ||4||26||39||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
First, I gave up slandering others.
All the anxiety of my mind was dispelled.
Greed and attachment were totally banished.
I see God ever-present, close at hand; I have become a great devotee. ||1||
Such a renunciate is very rare.
Such a humble servant chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
I have forsaken my egotistical intellect.
The love of sexual desire and anger has vanished.
I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
In the Company of the Holy, I am emancipated. ||2||
Enemy and friend are all the same to me.
The Perfect Lord God is permeating all.
Accepting the Will of God, I have found peace.
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Name of the Lord within me. ||3||
That person, whom the Lord, in His Mercy, saves
- that devotee chants and meditates on the Naam.
That person, whose mind is illumined, and who obtains understanding through the Guru
- says Nanak, he is totally fulfilled. ||4||27||40||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
There is no peace in earning lots of money.
There is no peace in watching dances and plays.
There is no peace in conquering lots of countries.
All peace comes from singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
You shall obtain peace, poise and bliss,
when you find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, by great good fortune. As Gurmukh, utter the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
Mother, father, children and spouse - all place the mortal in bondage.
Religious rituals and actions done in ego place the mortal in bondage.
If the Lord, the Shatterer of bonds, abides in the mind,
then peace is obtained, dwelling in the home of the self deep within. ||2||
Everyone is a beggar; God is the Great Giver.
The Treasure of Virtue is the Infinite, Endless Lord.
That person, unto whom God grants His Mercy
- that humble being chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
I offer my prayer to my Guru.
O Primal Lord God, Treasure of Virtue, please bless me with Your Grace.
Says Nanak, I have come to Your Sanctuary.
If it pleases You, please protect me, O Lord of the World. ||4||28||41||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Meeting with the Guru, I have forsaken the love of duality.

As Gurmukh, I chant the Name of the Lord.
My anxiety is gone, and I am in love with the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
I was asleep for countless lifetimes, but I have now awakened. ||1||
Granting His Grace, He has linked me to His service.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all pleasures are found. ||1||Pause||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad has eradicated disease and evil.
My mind has absorbed the medicine of the Naam.
Meeting with the Guru, my mind is in bliss.
All treasures are in the Name of the Lord God. ||2||
My fear of birth and death and the Messenger of Death has been dispelled.
In the Saadh Sangat, the inverted lotus of my heart has blossomed forth.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I have found eternal, abiding peace.
All my tasks are perfectly accomplished. ||3||
This human body, so difficult to obtain, is approved by the Lord.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, it has become fruitful.
Says Nanak, God has blessed me with His Mercy.
With every breath and morsel of food, I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||29||42||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
His Name is the Highest of all.
Sing His Glorious Praises, forever and ever.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, all pain is dispelled.
All pleasures come to dwell in the mind. ||1||
O my mind, meditate in remembrance on the True Lord.
In this world and the next, you shall be saved. ||1||Pause||
The Immaculate Lord God is the Creator of all.
He gives sustenance to all beings and creatures.
He forgives millions of sins and mistakes in an instant.
Through loving devotional worship, one is emancipated forever. ||2||
True wealth and true glorious greatness,
and eternal, unchanging wisdom, are obtained from the Perfect Guru.
When the Protector, the Savior Lord, bestows His Mercy,
all spiritual darkness is dispelled. ||3||
I focus my meditation on the Supreme Lord God.
The Lord of Nirvaanaa is totally pervading and permeating all.
Eradicating doubt and fear, I have met the Lord of the World.
The Guru has become merciful to Nanak. ||4||30||43||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on Him, the mind is illumined.
Suffering is eradicated, and one comes to dwell in peace and poise.
They alone receive it, unto whom God gives it.
They are blessed to serve the Perfect Guru. ||1||
All peace and comfort are in Your Name, God.
Twenty-four hours a day, O my mind, sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
You shall receive the fruits of your desires,
when the Name of the Lord comes to dwell in the mind.
Meditating on the Lord, your comings and goings cease.
Through loving devotional worship, lovingly focus your attention on God. ||2||
Sexual desire, anger and egotism are dispelled.
Love and attachment to Maya are broken.
Lean on God's Support, day and night.
The Supreme Lord God has given this gift. ||3||
Our Lord and Master is the Creator, the Cause of causes.
He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of all hearts.
Bless me with Your Grace, Lord, and link me to Your service.
Slave Nanak has come to Your Sanctuary. ||4||31||44||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
One who does not repeat the Naam, the Name of the Lord, shall die of shame.
Without the Name, how can he ever sleep in peace?
The mortal abandons meditative remembrance of the Lord, and then wishes for the state of supreme salvation;

but without roots, how can there be any branches? ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
The filth of countless incarnations shall be washed away. Breaking your bonds, you shall be united with the Lord. ||1||Pause||
How can a stone be purified by bathing at a sacred shrine of pilgrimage?
The filth of egotism clings to the mind.
Millions of rituals and actions taken are the root of entanglements.
Without meditating and vibrating on the Lord, the mortal gathers only worthless bundles of straw. ||2||
Without eating, hunger is not satisfied.
When the disease is cured, then the pain goes away.
The mortal is engrossed in sexual desire, anger, greed and attachment.
He does not meditate on God, that God who created him. ||3||
Blessed, blessed is the Holy Saint, and blessed is the Name of the Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, sing the Kirtan, the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Blessed is the devotee of the Lord, and blessed is the Creator Lord.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, the Primal, the Infinite. ||4||32||45||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
When the Guru was totally pleased, my fear was taken away.
I enshrine the Name of the Immaculate Lord within my mind.
He is Merciful to the meek, forever Compassionate.
All my entanglements are finished. ||1||
I have found peace, poise, and myriads of pleasures.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, fear and doubt are dispelled. My tongue chants the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
I have fallen in love with the Lord's Lotus Feet.
In an instant, the terrible demons are destroyed.
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate and chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Guru is Himself the Savior Lord, the Lord of the Universe. ||2||
He Himself cherishes His servant forever.
He watches over every breath of His humble devotee.
Tell me, what is the nature of human beings?
The Lord extends His Hand, and saves them from the Messenger of Death. ||3||
Immaculate is the Glory, and Immaculate is the way of life,
of those who remember the Supreme Lord God in their minds.
The Guru, in His Mercy, has granted this Gift.
Nanak has obtained the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||33||46||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
My Guru is the All-powerful Lord, the Creator, the Cause of causes.
He is the Soul, the Breath of Life, the Giver of Peace, always near.
He is the Destroyer of fear, the Eternal, Unchanging, Sovereign Lord King.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, all fear is dispelled. ||1||
Wherever I look, is the Protection of Your Sanctuary.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Feet of the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
My tasks are perfectly accomplished, meeting the Divine Guru.
He is the Giver of all rewards. Serving Him, I am immaculate.
He reaches out with His Hand to His slaves.
The Name of the Lord abides in their hearts. ||2||
They are forever in bliss, and do not suffer at all.
No pain, sorrow or disease afflicts them.
Everything is Yours, O Creator Lord.
The Guru is the Supreme Lord God, the Inaccessible and Infinite. ||3||
His Glorious Grandeur is immaculate, and the Bani of His Word is wonderful!
The Perfect Supreme Lord God is pleasing to my mind.
He is permeating the waters, the lands and the skies.
O Nanak, everything comes from God. ||4||34||47||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
My mind and body are imbued with the Love of the Lord's Feet.

All the desires of my mind have been perfectly fulfilled.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing of the Lord God.
The True Guru has imparted this perfect wisdom. ||1||
Very fortunate are those who love the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Associating with them, we cross over the world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
They are spiritual teachers, who meditate in remembrance on the One Lord.
Wealthy are those who have a discriminating intellect.
Noble are those who remember their Lord and Master in meditation.
Honorable are those who understand their own selves. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, I have obtained the supreme status.
Day and night I meditate on the Glories of God.
My bonds are broken, and my hopes are fulfilled.
The Feet of the Lord now abide in my heart. ||3||
Says Nanak, one whose karma is perfect
- that humble being enters the Sanctuary of God.
He himself is pure, and he sanctifies all.
His tongue chants the Name of the Lord, the Source of Nectar. ||4||35||48||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Repeating the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no obstacles block the way.
Listening to the Naam, the Messenger of Death runs far away.
Repeating the Naam, all pains vanish.
Chanting the Naam, the Lord's Lotus Feet dwell within. ||1||
Meditating, vibrating the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is unobstructed devotional worship.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord with loving affection and energy. ||1||Pause||
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the Eye of Death cannot see you.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, demons and ghosts shall not touch you.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, attachment and pride shall not bind you.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, you shall not be consigned to the womb of reincarnation. ||2||
Any time is a good time to meditate in remembrance on the Lord.
Among the masses, only a few meditate in remembrance on the Lord.
Social class or no social class, anyone may meditate on the Lord.
Whoever meditates on Him is emancipated. ||3||
Chant the Name of the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Perfect is the Love of the Lord's Name.
O God, shower Your Mercy on Nanak,
that he may think of you with each and every breath. ||4||36||49||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
He Himself is the Shaastras, and He Himself is the Vedas.
He knows the secrets of each and every heart.
He is the Embodiment of Light; all beings belong to Him.
The Creator, the Cause of causes, the Perfect All-powerful Lord. ||1||
Grab hold of the Support of God, O my mind.
As Gurmukh, worship and adore His Lotus Feet; enemies and pains shall not even approach you. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the Essence of the forests and fields, and all the three worlds.
The universe is strung on His Thread.
He is the Uniter of Shiva and Shakti - mind and matter.
He Himself is in the detachment of Nirvaanaa, and He Himself is the Enjoyer. ||2||
Wherever I look, there He is.
Without Him, there is no one at all.
In the Love of the Naam, the world-ocean is crossed.
Nanak sings His Glorious Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||3||
Liberation, the ways and means of enjoyment and union are under His Control.
His humble servant lacks nothing.
That person, with whom the Lord, in His Mercy, is pleased
- O slave Nanak, that humble servant is blessed. ||4||37||50||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The minds of the Lord's devotee are filled with bliss.
They become stable and permanent, and all their anxiety is gone.

Their fears and doubts are dispelled in an instant.
The Supreme Lord God comes to dwell in their minds. ||1||
The Lord is forever the Help and Support of the Saints.
Inside the home of the heart, and outside as well, the Transcendent Lord is always with us, permeating and pervading all places. ||1||Pause||
The Lord of the World is my wealth, property, youth and ways and means.
He continually cherishes and brings peace to my soul and breath of life.
He reaches out with His Hand and saves His slave.
He does not abandon us, even for an instant; He is always with us. ||2||
There is no other Beloved like the Lord.
The True Lord takes care of all.
The Lord is our Mother, Father, Son and Relation.
Since the beginning of time, and throughout the ages, His devotees sing His Glorious Praises. ||3||
My mind is filled with the Support and the Power of the Lord.
Without the Lord, there is no other at all.
Nanak's mind is encouraged by this hope,
that God will accomplish my objectives in life. ||4||38||51||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
Fear itself becomes afraid, when the mortal remembers the Lord's Name in meditation.
All the diseases of the three gunas - the three qualities - are cured, and tasks of the Lord's slaves are perfectly accomplished. ||1||Pause||
The people of the Lord always sing His Glorious Praises; they attain His Perfect Mansion.
Even the Righteous Judge of Dharma and the Messenger of Death yearn, day and night, to be sanctified by the Blessed Vision of the Lord's humble servant. ||1||
Sexual desire, anger, intoxication, egotism, slander and egotistical pride are eradicted in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
By great good fortune, such Saints are met. Nanak is forever a sacrifice to them. ||2||39||52||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
One who harbors the five thieves, becomes the embodiment of these five.
He gets up each day and tells lies.
He applies ceremonial religious marks to his body, but practices hypocrisy.
He wastes away in sadness and pain, like a lonely widow. ||1||
Without the Name of the Lord, everything is false.
Without the Perfect Guru, liberation is not obtained. In the Court of the True Lord, the faithless cynic is plundered. ||1||Pause||
One who does not know the Lord's Creative Power is polluted.
Ritualistically plastering one's kitchen square does not make it pure in the Eyes of the Lord.
If a person is polluted within, he may wash himself everyday on the outside,
but in the Court of the True Lord, he forfeits his honor. ||2||
He works for the sake of Maya,
but he never places his feet on the right path.
He never even remembers the One who created him.
He speaks falsehood, only falsehood, with his mouth. ||3||
That person, unto whom the Creator Lord shows Mercy,
deals with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
One who lovingly worships the Lord's Name,
says Nanak - no obstacles ever block his way. ||4||40||53||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The entire universe curses the slanderer.
False are the dealings of the slanderer.
The slanderer's lifestyle is filthy and polluted.
The Lord is the Saving Grace and the Protector of His slave. ||1||
The slanderer dies with the rest of the slanderers.
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, protects and saves His humble servant. Death roars and thunders over the head of the slanderer. ||1||Pause||

No one belives what the slanderer says.
The slanderer tells lies, and later regrets and repents.
He wrings his hands, and hits his head against the ground.
The Lord does not forgive the slanderer. ||2||
The Lord's slave does not wish anyone ill.
The slanderer suffers, as if stabbed by a spear.
Like a crane, he spreads his feathers, to look like a swan.
When he speaks with his mouth, then he is exposed and driven out. ||3||
The Creator is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
That person, whom the Lord makes His Own, becomes stable and steady.
The Lord's slave is true in the Court of the Lord.
Servant Nanak speaks, after contemplating the essence of reality. ||4||41||54||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
With my palms pressed together, I offer this prayer.
My soul, body and wealth are His property.
He is the Creator, my Lord and Master.
Millions of times, I am a sacrifice to Him. ||1||
The dust of the feet of the Holy brings purity.
Remembering God in meditation, the mind's corruption is eradicated, and the filth of countless incarnations is washed away. ||1||Pause||
All treasures are in His household.
Serving Him, the mortal attains honor.
He is the Fulfiller of the mind's desires.
He is the Support of the soul and the breath of life of His devotees. ||2||
His Light shines in each and every heart.
Chanting and meditating on God, the Treasure of Virtue, His devotees live.
Service to Him does not go in vain.
Deep within your mind and body, meditate on the One Lord. ||3||
Following the Guru's Teachings, compassion and contentment are found.
This Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the immaculate object.
Please grant Your Grace, O Lord, and attach me to the hem of Your robe.
Nanak meditates continually on the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||4||42||55||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru has listened to my prayer.
All my affairs have been resolved.
Deep within my mind and body, I meditate on God.
The Perfect Guru has dispelled all my fears. ||1||
The All-powerful Divine Guru is the Greatest of all.
Serving Him, I obtain all comforts. ||Pause||
Everything is done by Him.
No one can erase His Eternal Decree.
The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent Lord, is incomparably beautiful.
The Guru is the Image of Fulfillment, the Embodiment of the Lord. ||2||
The Name of the Lord abides deep within him.
Wherever he looks, he sees the Wisdom of God.
His mind is totally enlightened and illuminated.
Within that person, the Supreme Lord God abides. ||3||
I humbly bow to that Guru forever.
I am forever a sacrifice to that Guru.
I wash the feet of the Guru, and drink in this water.
Chanting and meditating forever on Guru Nanak, I live. ||4||43||56||

Raag Bhairao, Fifth Mehl, Partaal, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
God is the Compassionate Cherisher. Who can count His Glorious Virtues?
Countless colors, and countless waves of joy; He is the Master of all. ||1||Pause||
Endless spiritual wisdom, endless meditations, endless chants, intense meditations and austere self-disciplines.
Countless virtues, musical notes and playful sports; countless silent sages enshrine Him in their hearts. ||1||
Countless melodies, countless instruments, countless tastes, each and every instant. Countless mistakes and countless diseases are removed by hearing His Praise.
O Nanak, serving the Infinite, Divine Lord, one earns all the rewards and merits of performing the six rituals, fasts, worship services, pilgrimages to sacred rivers, and journeys to sacred shrines. ||2||1||57||8||21||7||57||93||
Bhairao, Ashtapadees, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord is in the soul, and the soul is in the Lord. This is realized through the Guru's Teachings.
The Ambrosial Word of the Guru's Bani is realized through the Word of the Shabad. Sorrow is dispelled, and egotism is eliminated. ||1||
O Nanak, the disease of egotism is so very deadly.
Wherever I look, I see the pain of the same disease. The Primal Lord Himself bestows the Shabad of His Word. ||1||Pause||
When the Appraiser Himself appraises the mortal, then he is not tested again.
Those who are blessed with His Grace meet with the Guru. They alone are true, who are pleasing to God. ||2||
Air, water and fire are diseased; the world with its enjoyments is diseased.
Mother, father, Maya and the body are diseased; those united with their relatives are diseased. ||3||
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are diseased; the whole world is diseased.
Those who remember the Lord's Feet and contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad are liberated. ||4||
The seven seas are diseased, along with the rivers; the continents and the nether regions of the underworlds are full of disease.
The people of the Lord dwell in Truth and peace; He blesses them with His Grace everywhere. ||5||
The six Shaastras are diseased, as are the many who follow the different religious orders.
What can the poor Vedas and Bibles do? People do not understand the One and Only Lord. ||6||
Eating sweet treats, the mortal is filled with disease; he finds no peace at all.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they walk on other paths, and at the very last moment, they regret and repent. ||7||
Wandering around at sacred shrines of pilgrimage, the mortal is not cured of his disease. Reading scripture, he gets involved in useless arguments.
The disease of duality is so very deadly; it causes dependence on Maya. ||8||
One who becomes Gurmukh and praises the True Shabad with the True Lord in his mind is cured of his disease.
O Nanak, the humble servant of the Lord is immaculate, night and day; he bears the insignia of the Lord's Grace. ||9||1||

Bhairao, Third Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Creator has staged His Wondrous Play.
I listen to the Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad, and the Bani of His Word.
The self-willed manmukhs are deluded and confused, while the Gurmukhs understand.
The Creator creates the Cause that causes. ||1||
Deep within my being, I meditate on the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
I shall never forsake the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Prahlaad's father sent him to school, to learn to read.
He took his writing tablet and went to the teacher.
He said, "I shall not read anything except the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Write the Lord's Name on my tablet."||2||
Prahlaad's mother said to her son,
"I advise you not to read anything except what you are taught."
He answered, "The Great Giver, my Fearless Lord God is always with me.
If I were to forsake the Lord, then my family would be disgraced."||3||
"Prahlaad has corrupted all the other students.
He does not listen to what I say, and he does his own thing.
He instigated devotional worship in the townspeople."
The gathering of the wicked people could not do anything against him. ||4||
Sanda and Marka, his teachers, made the complaint.
All the demons kept trying in vain.
The Lord protected His humble devotee, and preserved his honor.
What can be done by mere created beings? ||5||
Because of his past karma, the demon ruled over his kingdom.
He did not realize the Lord; the Lord Himself confused him.
He started an argument with his son Prahlaad.
The blind one did not understand that his death was approaching. ||6||
Prahlaad was placed in a cell, and the door was locked.
The fearless child was not afraid at all. He said, "Within my being, is the Guru, the Lord of the World."
The created being tried to compete with his Creator, but he assumed this name in vain.
That which was predestined for him has come to pass; he started an argument with the Lord's humble servant. ||7||
The father raised the club to strike down Prahlaad, saying,
"Where is your God, the Lord of the Universe, now?"
He replied, "The Life of the World, the Great Giver, is my Help and Support in the end.
Wherever I look, I see Him permeating and prevailing."||8||
Tearing down the pillars, the Lord Himself appeared.
The egotistical demon was killed and destroyed.
The minds of the devotees were filled with bliss, and congratulations poured in.
He blessed His servant with glorious greatness. ||9||
He created birth, death and attachment.
The Creator has ordained coming and going in reincarnation.
For the sake of Prahlaad, the Lord Himself appeared.
The word of the devotee came true. ||10||
The gods proclaimed the victory of Lakshmi, and said,
"O mother, make this form of the Man-lion disappear!"
Lakshmi was afraid, and did not approach.

The humble servant Prahlaad came and fell at the Lord's Feet. ||11||
The True Guru implanted the treasure of the Naam within.
Power, property and all Maya is false.
But still, the greedy people continue clinging to them.
Without the Name of the Lord, the mortals are punished in His Court. ||12||
Says Nanak, everyone acts as the Lord makes them act.
They alone are approved and accepted, who focus their consciousness on the Lord.
He has made His devotees His Own.
The Creator has appeared in His Own Form. ||13||1||2||
Bhairao, Third Mehl:
Serving the Guru, I obtain the Ambrosial Fruit; my egotism and desire have been quenched.
The Name of the Lord dwells within my heart and mind, and the desires of my mind are quieted. ||1||
O Dear Lord, my Beloved, please bless me with Your Mercy.
Night and day, Your humble servant begs for Your Glorious Praises; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is saved. ||1||Pause||
The Messenger of Death cannot even touch the humble Saints; it does not cause them even an iota of suffering or pain.
Those who enter Your Sanctuary, Lord, save themselves, and save all their ancestors as well. ||2||
You Yourself save the honor of Your devotees; this is Your Glory, O Lord.
You cleanse them of the sins and the pains of countless incarnations; You love them without even an iota of duality. ||3||
I am foolish and ignorant, and understand nothing. You Yourself bless me with understanding.
You do whatever You please; nothing else can be done at all. ||4||
Creating the world, You have linked all to their tasks - even the evil deeds which men do.
They lose this precious human life in the gamble, and do not understand the Word of the Shabad. ||5||
The self-willed manmukhs die, understanding nothing; they are enveloped by the darkness of evil-mindedness and ignorance.
They do not cross over the terrible world-ocean; without the Guru, they drown and die. ||6||
True are those humble beings who are imbued with the True Shabad; the Lord God unites them with Himself.
Through the Word of the Guru's Bani, they come to understand the Shabad. They remain lovingly focused on the True Lord. ||7||
You Yourself are Immaculate and Pure, and pure are Your humble servants who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those, who enshrine the Lord's Name within their hearts. ||8||2||3||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He alone is a great king, who keeps the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within his heart.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart - his tasks are perfectly accomplished.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart, obtains millions of treasures.
Without the Naam, life is useless. ||1||
I praise that person, who has the capital of the Lord's Wealth.
He is very fortunate, on whose forehead the Guru has placed His Hand. ||1||Pause||
One who keeps the Naam in his heart, has many millions of armies on his side.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart, enjoys peace and poise.

One who keeps the Naam in his heart becomes cool and calm.
Without the Naam, both life and death are cursed. ||2||
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is Jivan-mukta, liberated while yet alive.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart knows all ways and means.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart obtains the nine treasures.
Without the Naam, the mortal wanders, coming and going in reincarnation. ||3||
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is carefree and independent.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart always earns a profit.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart has a large family.
Without the Naam, the mortal is just an ignorant, self-willed manmukh. ||4||
One who keeps the Naam in his heart has a permanent position.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is seated on the throne.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is the true king.
Without the Naam, no one has any honor or respect. ||5||
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is famous everywhere.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is the Embodiment of the Creator Lord.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is the highest of all.
Without the Naam, the mortal wanders in reincarnation. ||6||
One who keeps the Naam in his heart sees the Lord manifested in His Creation.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart - his darkness is dispelled.
One who keeps the Naam in his heart is approved and accepted.
Without the Naam, the mortal continues coming and going in reincarnation. ||7||
He alone receives the Naam, who is blessed by the Lord's Mercy.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Lord of the World is understood.
Coming and going in reincarnation ends, and peace is found.
Says Nanak, my essence has merged in the Essence of the Lord. ||8||1||4||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
He created millions of incarnations of Vishnu.
He created millions of universes as places to practice righteousness.
He created and destroyed millions of Shivas.
He employed millions of Brahmas to create the worlds. ||1||
Such is my Lord and Master, the Lord of the Universe.
I cannot even describe His Many Virtues. ||1||Pause||
Millions of Mayas are His maid-servants.
Millions of souls are His beds.
Millions of universes are the limbs of His Being.
Millions of devotees abide with the Lord. ||2||
Millions of kings with their crowns and canopies bow before Him.
Millions of Indras stand at His Door.
Millions of heavenly paradises are within the scope of His Vision.
Millions of His Names cannot even be appraised. ||3||
Millions of celestial sounds resound for Him.
His Wondrous Plays are enacted on millions of stages.
Millions of Shaktis and Shivas are obedient to Him.
He gives sustenance and support to millions of beings. ||4||
In His Feet are millions of sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Millions chant His Sacred and Beautiful Name.
Millions of worshippers worship Him.
Millions of expanses are His; there is no other at all. ||5||
Millions of swan-souls sing His Immaculate Praises.
Millions of Brahma's sons sing His Praises.
He creates and destroys millions, in an instant.
Millions are Your Virtues, Lord - they cannot even be counted. ||6||
Millions of spiritual teachers teach His spiritual wisdom.
Millions of meditators focus on His meditation.
Millions of austere penitents practice austerities.

Millions of silent sages dwell in silence. ||7||
Our Eternal, Imperishable, Incomprehensible Lord and Master, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is permeating all hearts.
Wherever I look, I see Your Dwelling, O Lord.
The Guru has blessed Nanak with enlightenment. ||8||2||5||
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru has blessed me with this gift.
He has given me the Priceless Jewel of the Lord's Name.
Now, I intuitively enjoy endless pleasures and wondrous play.
God has spontaneously met with Nanak. ||1||
Says Nanak, True is the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise.
Again and again, my mind remains immersed in it. ||1||Pause||
Spontaneously, I feed on the Love of God.
Spontaneously, I take God's Name.
Spontaneously, I am saved by the Word of the Shabad.
Spontaneously, my treasures are filled to overflowing. ||2||
Spontaneously, my works are perfectly accomplished.
Spontaneously, I am rid of sorrow.
Spontaneously, my enemies have become friends.
Spontaneously, I have brought my mind under control. ||3||
Spontaneously, God has comforted me.
Spontaneously, my hopes have been fulfilled.
Spontaneously, I have totally realized the essence of reality.
Spontaneously, I have been blessed with the Guru's Mantra. ||4||
Spontaneously, I am rid of hatred.
Spontaneously, my darkness has been dispelled.
Spontaneously, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise seems so sweet to my mind.
Spontaneously, I behold God in each and every heart. ||5||
Spontaneously, all my doubts have been dispelled.
Spontaneously, peace and celestial harmony fill my mind.
Spontaneously, the Unstruck Melody of the Sound-current resounds within me.
Spontaneously, the Lord of the Universe has revealed Himself to me. ||6||
Spontaneously, my mind has been pleased and appeased.
I have spontaneously realized the Eternal, Unchanging Lord.
Spontaneously, all wisdom and knowledge has welled up within me.
Spontaneously, the Support of the Lord, Har, Har, has come into my hands. ||7||
Spontaneously, God has recorded my pre-ordained destiny.
Spontaneously, the One Lord and Master God has met me.
Spontaneously, all my cares and worries have been taken away.
Nanak, Nanak, Nanak, has merged into the Image of God. ||8||3||6||
Bhairao, The Word Of The Devotees, Kabeer Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Name of the Lord - this alone is my wealth.
I do not tie it up to hide it, nor do I sell it to make my living. ||1||Pause||
The Name is my crop, and the Name is my field.
As Your humble servant, I perform devotional worship to You; I seek Your Sanctuary. ||1||
The Name is Maya and wealth for me; the Name is my capital.
I do not forsake You; I do not know any other at all. ||2||
The Name is my family, the Name is my brother.
The Name is my companion, who will help me in the end. ||3||
One whom the Lord keeps detached from Maya
- says Kabeer, I am his slave. ||4||1||
Naked we come, and naked we go.
No one, not even the kings and queens, shall remain. ||1||

The Sovereign Lord is the nine treasures for me.
The possessions and the spouse to which the mortal is lovingly attached, are Your wealth, O Lord. ||1||Pause||
They do not come with the mortal, and they do not go with him.
What good does it do him, if he has elephants tied up at his doorway? ||2||
The fortress of Sri Lanka was made out of gold,
but what could the foolish Raawan take with him when he left? ||3||
Says Kabeer, think of doing some good deeds.
In the end, the gambler shall depart empty-handed. ||4||2||
Brahma is polluted, and Indra is polluted.
The sun is polluted, and the moon is polluted. ||1||
This world is polluted with pollution.
Only the One Lord is Immaculate; He has no end or limitation. ||1||Pause||
The rulers of kingdoms are polluted.
Nights and days, and the days of the month are polluted. ||2||
The pearl is polluted, the diamond is polluted.
Wind, fire and water are polluted. ||3||
Shiva, Shankara and Mahaysh are polluted.
The Siddhas, seekers and strivers, and those who wear religious robes, are polluted. ||4||
The Yogis and wandering hermits with their matted hair are polluted.
The body, along with the swan-soul, is polluted. ||5||
Says Kabeer, those humble beings are approved and pure, who know the Lord. ||6||3||
Let your mind be Mecca, and your body the temple of worship.
Let the Supreme Guru be the One who speaks. ||1||
O Mullah, utter the call to prayer.
The one mosque has ten doors. ||1||Pause||
So slaughter your evil nature, doubt and cruelty;
consume the five demons and you shall be blessed with contentment. ||2||
Hindus and Muslims have the same One Lord and Master.
What can the Mullah do, and what can the Shaykh do? ||3||
Says Kabeer, I have gone insane.
Slaughtering, slaughtering my mind, I have merged into the Celestial Lord. ||4||4||
When the stream flows into the Ganges, then it becomes the Ganges. ||1||
Just so, Kabeer has changed.
He has become the Embodiment of Truth, and he does not go anywhere else. ||1||Pause||
Associating with the sandalwood tree, the tree nearby is changed;
that tree begins to smell just like the sandalwood tree. ||2||
Coming into contact with the philosophers' stone, copper is transformed;
that copper is transformed into gold. ||3||
In the Society of the Saints, Kabeer is transformed;
that Kabeer is transformed into the Lord. ||4||5||
Some apply ceremonial marks to their foreheads, hold malas in their hands, and wear religious robes.
Some people think that the Lord is a play-thing. ||1||
If I am insane, then I am Yours, O Lord.
How can people know my secret? ||1||Pause||
I do not pick leaves as offerings, and I do not worship idols.
Without devotional worship of the Lord, service is useless. ||2||
I worship the True Guru; forever and ever, I surrender to Him.
By such service, I find peace in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
People say that Kabeer has gone insane.
Only the Lord realizes the secret of Kabeer. ||4||6||
Turning away from the world, I have forgotten both my social class and ancestry.
My weaving now is in the most profound celestial stillness. ||1||
I have no quarrel with anyone.

I have abandoned both the Pandits, the Hindu religious scholars, and the Mullahs, the Muslim priests. ||1||Pause||
I weave and weave, and wear what I weave.
Where egotism does not exist, there I sing God's Praises. ||2||
Whatever the Pandits and Mullahs have written,
I reject; I do not accept any of it. ||3||
My heart is pure, and so I have seen the Lord within.
Searching, searching within the self, Kabeer has met the Lord. ||4||7||
No one respects the poor man.
He may make thousands of efforts, but no one pays any attention to him. ||1||Pause||
When the poor man goes to the rich man,
and sits right in front of him, the rich man turns his back on him. ||1||
But when the rich man goes to the poor man,
the poor man welcomes him with respect. ||2||
The poor man and the rich man are both brothers.
God's pre-ordained plan cannot be erased. ||3||
Says Kabeer, he alone is poor,
who does not have the Naam, the Name of the Lord, in his heart. ||4||8||
Serving the Guru, devotional worship is practiced.
Then, this human body is obtained.
Even the gods long for this human body.
So vibrate that human body, and think of serving the Lord. ||1||
Vibrate, and meditate on the Lord of the Universe, and never forget Him.
This is the blessed opportunity of this human incarnation. ||1||Pause||
As long as the disease of old age has not come to the body,
and as long as death has not come and seized the body,
and as long as your voice has not lost its power,
O mortal being, vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the World. ||2||
If you do not vibrate and meditate on Him now, when will you, O Sibing of Destiny?
When the end comes, you will not be able to vibrate and meditate on Him.
Whatever you have to do - now is the best time to do it.
Otherwise, you shall regret and repent afterwards, and you shall not be carried across to the other side. ||3||
He alone is a servant, whom the Lord enjoins to His service.
He alone attains the Immaculate Divine Lord.
Meeting with the Guru, his doors are opened wide,
and he does not have to journey again on the path of reincarnation. ||4||
This is your chance, and this is your time.
Look deep into your own heart, and reflect on this.
Says Kabeer, you can win or lose.
In so many ways, I have proclaimed this out loud. ||5||1||9||
In the City of God, sublime understanding prevails.
There, you shall meet with the Lord, and reflect on Him.
Thus, you shall understand this world and the next.
What is the use of claiming that you own everything, if you only die in the end? ||1||
I focus my meditation on my inner self, deep within.
The Name of the Sovereign Lord is my spiritual wisdom. ||1||Pause||
In the first chakra, the root chakra, I have grasped the reins and tied them.
I have firmly placed the moon above the sun.
The sun blazes forth at the western gate.
Through the central channel of the Shushmanaa, it rises up above my head. ||2||
There is a stone at that western gate,
and above that stone, is another window.
Above that window is the Tenth Gate.
Says Kabeer, it has no end or limitation. ||3||2||10||
He alone is a Mullah, who struggles with his mind,
and through the Guru's Teachings, fights with death.
He crushes the pride of the Messenger of Death.
Unto that Mullah, I ever offer greetings of respect. ||1||

God is present, right here at hand; why do you say that He is far away?
Tie up your disturbing passions, and find the Beauteous Lord. ||1||Pause||
He alone is a Qazi, who contemplates the human body,
and through the fire of the body, is illumined by God.
He does not lose his semen, even in his dreams;
for such a Qazi, there is no old age or death. ||2||
He alone is a sultan and a king, who shoots the two arrows,
gathers in his outgoing mind,
and assembles his army in the realm of the mind's sky, the Tenth Gate.
The canopy of royalty waves over such a sultan. ||3||
The Yogi cries out, "Gorakh, Gorakh".
The Hindu utters the Name of Raam.
The Muslim has only One God.
The Lord and Master of Kabeer is all-pervading. ||4||3||11||
Fifth Mehl:
Those who call a stone their god
- their service is useless.
Those who fall at the feet of a stone god
- their work is wasted in vain. ||1||
My Lord and Master speaks forever.
God gives His gifts to all living beings. ||1||Pause||
The Divine Lord is within the self, but the spiritually blind one does not know this.
Deluded by doubt, he is caught in the noose.
The stone does not speak; it does not give anything to anyone.
Such religious rituals are useless; such service is fruitless. ||2||
If a corpse is anointed with sandalwood oil,
what good does it do?
If a corpse is rolled in manure,
what does it lose from this? ||3||
Says Kabeer, I proclaim this out loud
- behold, and understand, you ignorant, faithless cynic.
The love of duality has ruined countless homes.
The Lord's devotees are forever in bliss. ||4||4||12||
The fish in the water is attached to Maya.
The moth fluttering around the lamp is pierced through by Maya.
The sexual desire of Maya afflicts the elephant.
The snakes and bumble bees are destroyed through Maya. ||1||
Such are the enticements of Maya, O Siblings of Destiny.
As many living beings are there are, have been deceived. ||1||Pause||
The birds and the deer are imbued with Maya.
Sugar is a deadly trap for the flies.
Horses and camels are absorbed in Maya.
The eighty-four Siddhas, the beings of miraculous spiritual powers, play in Maya. ||2||
The six celibates are slaves of Maya.
So are the nine masters of Yoga, and the sun and the moon.
The austere disciplinarians and the Rishis are asleep in Maya.
Death and the five demons are in Maya. ||3||
Dogs and jackals are imbued with Maya.
Monkeys, leopards and lions,
cats, sheep, foxes,
trees and roots are planted in Maya. ||4||
Even the gods are drenched with Maya,
as are the oceans, the sky and the earth.
Says Kabeer, whoever has a belly to fill, is under the spell of Maya.
The mortal is emancipated only when he meets the Holy Saint. ||5||5||13||
As long as he cries out, "Mine! Mine!",
none of his tasks is accomplished.
When such possessiveness is erased and removed,

then God comes and resolves his affairs. ||1||
Contemplate such spiritual wisdom, O mortal man.
Why not meditate in remembrance on the Lord, the Destroyer of pain? ||1||Pause||
As long as the tiger lives in the forest,
the forest does not flower.
But when the jackal eats the tiger,
then the entire forest flowers. ||2||
The victorious are drowned, while the defeated swim across.
By Guru's Grace, one crosses over and is saved.
Slave Kabeer speaks and teaches:
remain lovingly absorbed, attuned to the Lord alone. ||3||6||14||
He has 7,000 commanders,
and hundreds of thousands of prophets;
He is said to have 88,000,000 shaykhs,
and 56,000,000 attendants. ||1||
I am meek and poor - what chance do I have of being heard there?
His Court is so far away; only a rare few attain the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||Pause||
He has 33,000,000 play-houses.
His beings wander insanely through 8.4 million incarnations.
He bestowed His Grace on Adam, the father of mankind,
who then lived in paradise for a long time. ||2||
Pale are the faces of those whose hearts are disturbed.
They have forsaken their Bible, and practice Satanic evil.
One who blames the world, and is angry with people,
shall receive the fruits of his own actions. ||3||
You are the Great Giver, O Lord; I am forever a beggar at Your Door.
If I were to deny You, then I would be a wretched sinner.
Slave Kabeer has entered Your Shelter.
Keep me near You, O Merciful Lord God - that is heaven for me. ||4||7||15||
Everyone speaks of going there,
but I do not even know where heaven is. ||1||Pause||
One who does not even know the mystery of his own self,
speaks of heaven, but it is only talk. ||1||
As long as the mortal hopes for heaven,
he will not dwell at the Lord's Feet. ||2||
Heaven is not a fort with moats and ramparts, and walls plastered with mud;
I do not know what heaven's gate is like. ||3||
Says Kabeer, now what more can I say?
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is heaven itself. ||4||8||16||
How can the beautiful fortress be conquered, O Siblings of Destiny?
It has double walls and triple moats. ||1||Pause||
It is defended by the five elements, the twenty-five categories, attachment, pride, jealousy and the awesomely powerful Maya.
The poor mortal being does not have the strength to conquer it; what should I do now, O Lord? ||1||
Sexual desire is the window, pain and pleasure are the gate-keepers, virtue and sin are the gates.
Anger is the great supreme commander, full of argument and strife, and the mind is the rebel king there. ||2||
Their armor is the pleasure of tastes and flavors, their helmets are worldly attachments; they take aim with their bows of corrupt intellect.
The greed that fills their hearts is the arrow; with these things, their fortress is impregnable. ||3||
But I have made divine love the fuse, and deep meditation the bomb; I have launched the rocket of spiritual wisdom.
The fire of God is lit by intuition, and with one shot, the fortress is taken. ||4||
Taking truth and contentment with me, I begin the battle and storm both the gates.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and by Guru's Grace, I have captured the king of the fortress. ||5||

With the army of God's devotees, and Shakti, the power of meditation, I have snapped the noose of the fear of death.
Slave Kabeer has climbed to the top of the fortress; I have obtained the eternal, imperishable domain. ||6||9||17||
The mother Ganges is deep and profound.
Tied up in chains, they took Kabeer there. ||1||
My mind was not shaken; why should my body be afraid?
My consciousness remained immersed in the Lotus Feet of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The waves of the Ganges broke the chains,
and Kabeer was seated on a deer skin. ||2||
Says Kabeer, I have no friend or companion.
On the water, and on the land, the Lord is my Protector. ||3||10||18||
Bhairao, Kabeer Jee, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
God constructed a fortress, inaccessible and unreachable, in which He dwells.
There, His Divine Light radiates forth.
Lightning blazes, and bliss prevails there,
where the Eternally Young Lord God abides. ||1||
This soul is lovingly attuned to the Lord's Name.
It is saved from old age and death, and its doubt runs away. ||1||Pause||
Those who believe in high and low social classes,
only sing songs and chants of egotism.
The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad, the Word of God, resounds in that place,
where the Supreme Lord God abides. ||2||
He creates planets, solar systems and galaxies;
He destroys the three worlds, the three gods and the three qualities.
The Inaccessible and Unfathomable Lord God dwells in the heart.
No one can find the limits or the secrets of the Lord of the World. ||3||
The Lord shines forth in the plantain flower and the sunshine.
He dwells in the pollen of the lotus flower.
The Lord's secret is within the twelve petals of the heart-lotus.
The Supreme Lord, the Lord of Lakshmi dwells there. ||4||
He is like the sky, stretching across the lower, upper and middle realms.
In the profoundly silent celestial realm, He radiates forth.
Neither the sun nor the moon are there,
but the Primal Immaculate Lord celebrates there. ||5||
Know that He is in the universe, and in the body as well.
Take your cleansing bath in the Mansarovar Lake.
Chant "Sohang" - "He is me."
He is not affected by either virtue or vice. ||6||
He is not affected by either high or low social class, sunshine or shade.
He is in the Guru's Sanctuary, and nowhere else.
He is not diverted by diversions, comings or goings.
Remain intuitively absorbed in the celestial void. ||7||
One who knows the Lord in the mind
- whatever he says, comes to pass.
One who firmly implants the Lord's Divine Light, and His Mantra within the mind
- says Kabeer, such a mortal crosses over to the other side. ||8||1||
Millions of suns shine for Him,
millions of Shivas and Kailash mountains.
Millions of Durga goddesses massage His Feet.
Millions of Brahmas chant the Vedas for Him. ||1||
When I beg, I beg only from the Lord.
I have nothing to do with any other deities. ||1||Pause||
Millions of moons twinkle in the sky.

Three hundred thirty million gods eat the Lord's offerings.
The nine stars, a million times over, stand at His Door.
Millions of Righteous Judges of Dharma are His gate-keepers. ||2||
Millions of winds blow around Him in the four directions.
Millions of serpents prepare His bed.
Millions of oceans are His water-carriers.
The eighteen million loads of vegetation are His Hair. ||3||
Millions of treasurers fill His Treasury.
Millions of Lakshmis adorn themselves for Him.
Many millions of vices and virtues look up to Him.
Millions of Indras serve Him. ||4||
Fifty-six million clouds are His.
In each and every village, His infinite fame has spread.
Wild demons with dishevelled hair move about.
The Lord plays in countless ways. ||5||
Millions of charitable feasts are held in His Court,
and millions of celestial singers celebrate His victory.
Millions of sciences all sing His Praises.
Even so, the limits of the Supreme Lord God cannot be found. ||6||
Rama, with millions of monkeys, conquered Raawan's army.
Billions of Puraanas greatly praise Him;
He humbled the pride of Duyodhan. ||7||
Millions of gods of love cannot compete with Him.
He steals the hearts of mortal beings.
Says Kabeer, please hear me, O Lord of the World.
I beg for the blessing of fearless dignity. ||8||2||18||20||
Bhairao, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my tongue, I will cut you into a hundred pieces,
if you do not chant the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my tongue, be imbued with the Lord's Name.
Meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and imbue yourself with this most excellent color. ||1||Pause||
O my tongue, other occupations are false.
The state of Nirvaanaa comes only through the Lord's Name. ||2||
The performance of countless millions of other devotions
is not equal to even one devotion to the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Prays Naam Dayv, this is my occupation.
O Lord, Your Forms are endless. ||4||1||
One who stays away from others' wealth and others' spouses
- the Lord abides near that person. ||1||
Those who do not meditate and vibrate on the Lord
- I do not even want to see them. ||1||Pause||
Those whose inner beings are not in harmony with the Lord,
are nothing more than beasts. ||2||
Prays Naam Dayv, a man without a nose
does not look handsome, even if he has the thirty-two beauty marks. ||3||2||
Naam Dayv milked the brown cow, and brought a cup of milk and a jug of water to his family god. ||1||
"Please drink this milk, O my Sovereign Lord God.
Drink this milk and my mind will be happy.
Otherwise, my father will be angry with me."||1||Pause||
Taking the golden cup, Naam Dayv filled it with the ambrosial milk,
and placed it before the Lord. ||2||
The Lord looked upon Naam Dayv and smiled. "This one devotee abides within my heart."||3||
The Lord drank the milk, and the devotee returned home.

Thus did Naam Dayv come to receive the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||4||3||
I am crazy - the Lord is my Husband.
I decorate and adorn myself for Him. ||1||
Slander me well, slander me well, slander me well, O people.
My body and mind are united with my Beloved Lord. ||1||Pause||
Do not engage in any arguments or debates with anyone.
With your tongue, savor the Lord's sublime essence. ||2||
Now, I know within my soul, that such an arrangement has been made;
I will meet with my Lord by the beat of the drum. ||3||
Anyone can praise or slander me.
Naam Dayv has met the Lord. ||4||4||
Sometimes, people do not appreciate milk, sugar and ghee.
Sometimes, they have to beg for bread from door to door.
Sometimes, they have to pick out the grain from the chaff. ||1||
As the Lord keeps us, so do we live, O Siblings of Destiny.
The Lord's Glory cannot even be described. ||1||Pause||
Sometimes, people prance around on horses.
Sometimes, they do not even have shoes for their feet. ||2||
Sometimes, people sleep on cozy beds with white sheets.
Sometimes, they do not even have straw to put down on the ground. ||3||
Naam Dayv prays, only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, can save us.
One who meets the Guru, is carried across to the other side. ||4||5||
Laughing and playing, I came to Your Temple, O Lord.
While Naam Dayv was worshipping, he was grabbed and driven out. ||1||
I am of a low social class, O Lord;
why was I born into a family of fabric dyers? ||1||Pause||
I picked up my blanket and went back,
to sit behind the temple. ||2||
As Naam Dayv uttered the Glorious Praises of the Lord,
the temple turned around to face the Lord's humble devotee. ||3||6||
Bhairao, Naam Dayv Jee, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
As the hungry person loves food,
and the thirsty person is obsessed with water,
and as the fool is attached to his family
- just so, the Lord is very dear to Naam Dayv. ||1||
Naam Dayv is in love with the Lord.
He has naturally and intuitively become detached from the world. ||1||Pause||
Like the woman who falls in love with another man,
and the greedy man who loves only wealth,
and the sexually promiscuous man who loves women and sex,
just so, Naam Dayv is in love with the Lord. ||2||
But that alone is real love, which the Lord Himself inspires;
by Guru's Grace, duality is eradicated.
Such love never breaks; through it, the mortal remains merged in the Lord.
Naam Dayv has focused his consciousness on the True Name. ||3||
Like the love between the child and its mother,
so is my mind imbued with the Lord.
Prays Naam Dayv, I am in love with the Lord.
The Lord of the Universe abides within my consciousness. ||4||1||7||
The blind fool abandons the wife of his own home,

and has an affair with another woman.
He is like the parrot, who is pleased to see the simbal tree;
but in the end, he dies, stuck to it. ||1||
The home of the sinner is on fire.
It keeps burning, and the fire cannot be extinguished. ||1||Pause||
He does not go to see where the Lord is being worshipped.
He abandons the Lord's Path, and takes the wrong path.
He forgets the Primal Lord God, and is caught in the cycle of reincarnation.
He throws away the Ambrosial Nectar, and gathers poison to eat. ||2||
He is like the prostitute, who comes to dance,
wearing beautiful clothes, decorated and adorned.
She dances to the beat, exciting the breath of those who watch her.
But the noose of the Messenger of Death is around her neck. ||3||
One who has good karma recorded on his forehead,
hurries to enter the Guru's Sanctuary.
Says Naam Dayv, consider this:
O Saints, this is the way to cross over to the other side. ||4||2||8||
Sanda and Marka went and complained to Harnaakhash,
"Your son does not read his lessons. We are tired of trying to teach him.
He chants the Lord's Name, clapping his hands to keep the beat; he has spoiled all the other students. ||1||
He chants the Lord's Name,
and he has enshrined meditative remembrance of the Lord within his heart."||1||Pause||
"Your father the king has conquered the whole world", said his mother the queen.
"O Prahlad my son, you do not obey him, so he has decided to deal with you in another way."||2||
The council of villians met and resolved to send Prahlaad into the life hereafter.
Prahlaad was thrown off a mountain, into the water, and into a fire, but the Sovereign Lord God saved him, by changing the laws of nature. ||3||
Harnaakhash thundered with rage and threatened to kill Prahlaad. "Tell me, who can save you?"
Prahlaad answered, "The Lord, the Master of the three worlds, is contained even in this pillar to which I am tied."||4||
The Lord who tore Harnaakhash apart with His nails proclaimed Himself the Lord of gods and men.
Says Naam Dayv, I meditate on the Lord, the Man-lion, the Giver of fearless dignity. ||5||3||9||
The Sultan said, "Listen, Naam Dayv:
let me see the actions of your Lord."||1||
The Sultan arrested Naam Dayv,
and said, "Let me see your Beloved Lord."||1||Pause||
"Bring this dead cow back to life.
Otherwise, I shall cut off your head here and now."||2||
Naam Dayv answered, "O king, how can this happen?
No one can bring the dead back to life. ||3||
I cannot do anything by my own actions.
Whatever the Lord does, that alone happens."||4||
The arrogant king was enraged at this reply.
He incited an elephant to attack. ||5||
Naam Dayv's mother began to cry,
and she said, "Why don't you abandon your Lord Raam, and worship his Lord Allah?"||6||
Naam Dayv answered, "I am not your son, and you are not my mother.
Even if my body dies, I will still sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord."||7||
The elephant attacked him with his trunk,
but Naam Dayv was saved, protected by the Lord. ||8||
The king said, "The Qazis and the Mullahs bow down to me,
but this Hindu has trampled my honor."||9||
The people pleaded with the king, "Hear our prayer, O king.

Here, take Naam Dayv's weight in gold, and release him."||10||
The king replied, "If I take the gold, then I will be consigned to hell,
by forsaking my faith and gathering worldly wealth."||11||
With his feet in chains, Naam Dayv kept the beat with his hands,
singing the Praises of the Lord. ||12||
"Even if the Ganges and the Jamunaa rivers flow backwards,
I will still continue singing the Praises of the Lord."||13||
Three hours passed,
and even then, the Lord of the three worlds had not come. ||14||
Playing on the instrument of the feathered wings,
the Lord of the Universe came, mounted on the eagle garura. ||15||
He cherished His devotee,
and the Lord came, mounted on the eagle garura. ||16||
The Lord said to him, "If you wish, I shall turn the earth sideways.
If you wish, I shall turn it upside down. ||17||
If you wish, I shall bring the dead cow back to life.
Everyone will see and be convinced."||18||
Naam Dayv prayed, and milked the cow.
He brought the calf to the cow, and milked her. ||19||
When the pitcher was filled with milk,
Naam Dayv took it and placed it before the king. ||20||
The king went into his palace,
and his heart was troubled. ||21||
Through the Qazis and the Mullahs, the king offered his prayer,
"Forgive me, please, O Hindu; I am just a cow before you."||22||
Naam Dayv said, "Listen, O king:
have I done this miracle? ||23||
The purpose of this miracle is
that you, O king, should walk on the path of truth and humility."||24||
Naam Dayv became famous everywhere for this.
The Hindus all went together to Naam Dayv. ||25||
If the cow had not been revived,
people would have lost faith in Naam Dayv. ||26||
The fame of Naam Dayv spread throughout the world.
The humble devotees were saved and carried across with him. ||27||
All sorts of troubles and pains afflicted the slanderer.
There is no difference between Naam Dayv and the Lord. ||28||1||10||
SECOND HOUSE:
By the Grace of the Divine Guru, one meets the Lord.
By the Grace of the Divine Guru, one is carried across to the other side.
By the Grace of the Divine Guru, one swims across to heaven.
By the Grace of the Divine Guru, one remains dead while yet alive. ||1||
True, True, True True, True is the Divine Guru.
False, false, false, false is all other service. ||1||Pause||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is implanted within.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one does not wander in the ten directions.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, the five demons are kept far away.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one does not die regretting. ||2||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one is blessed with the Ambrosial Bani of the Word.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one speaks the Unspoken Speech.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one's body becomes like ambrosial nectar.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one utters and chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one sees the three worlds.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one understands the state of supreme dignity.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one's head is in the Akaashic ethers.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one is always congratulated everywhere. ||4||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one remains detached forever.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one forsakes the slander of others.

When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one looks upon good and bad as the same.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one has good destiny written on his forehead. ||5||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, the wall of the body is not eroded.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, the temple turns itself towards the mortal.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one's home is constructed.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one's bed is lifted up out of the water. ||6||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one has bathed at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one's body is stamped with the sacred mark of Vishnu.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one has performed the twelve devotional services.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, all poison is transformed into fruit. ||7||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, skepticism is shattered.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one escapes from the Messenger of Death.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one is not subject to the cycle of reincarnation. ||8||
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one understands the rituals of the eighteen Puraanas.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, it is as if one has made an offering of the eighten loads of vegetation.
When the Divine Guru grants His Grace, one needs no other place of rest.
Naam Dayv has entered the Sanctuary of the Guru. ||9||1||2||11||
Bhairao, The Word Of Ravi Daas Jee, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Without seeing something, the yearning for it does not arise.
Whatever is seen, shall pass away.
Whoever chants and praises the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
is the true Yogi, free of desire. ||1||
When someone utters the Name of the Lord with love,
it is as if he has touched the philosopher's stone; his sense of duality is eradicated. ||1||Pause||
He alone is a silent sage, who destroys the duality of his mind.
Keeping the doors of his body closed, he merges in the Lord of the three worlds.
Everyone acts according to the inclinations of the mind.
Attuned to the Creator Lord, one remains free of fear. ||2||
Plants blossom forth to produce fruit.
When the fruit is produced, the flowers wither away.
For the sake of spiritual wisdom, people act and practice rituals.
When spiritual wisdom wells up, then actions are left behind. ||3||
For the sake of ghee, wise people churn milk.
Those who are Jivan-mukta, liberated while yet alive - are forever in the state of Nirvaanaa.
Says Ravi Daas, O you unfortunate people,
why not meditate on the Lord with love in your heart? ||4||1||
NAAM DAYV:
Come, O Lord of beautiful hair,
wearing the robes of a Sufi Saint. ||Pause||
Your cap is the realm of the Akaashic ethers; the seven nether worlds are Your sandals.
The body covered with skin is Your temple; You are so beautiful, O Lord of the World. ||1||
The fifty-six million clouds are Your gowns, the 16,000 milkmaids are your skirts.
The eighteen loads of vegetation is Your stick, and all the world is Your plate. ||2||
The human body is the mosque, and the mind is the priest, who peacefully leads the prayer.
You are married to Maya, O Formless Lord, and so You have taken form. ||3||
Performing devotional worship services to You, my cymbals were taken away; unto whom should I complain?
Naam Dayv's Lord and Master, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, wanders everywhere; He has no specific home. ||4||1||

Raag Basant, First Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas, Du-Tukas:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Among the months, blessed is this month, when spring always comes.
Blossom forth, O my consciousness, contemplating the Lord of the Universe, forever and ever. ||1||
O ignorant one, forget your egotistical intellect.
Subdue your ego, and contemplate Him in your mind; gather in the virtues of the Sublime, Virtuous Lord. ||1||Pause||
Karma is the tree, the Lord's Name the branches, Dharmic faith the flowers, and spiritual wisdom the fruit.
Realization of the Lord are the leaves, and eradication of the pride of the mind is the shade. ||2||
Whoever sees the Lord's Creative Power with his eyes, and hears the Guru's Bani with his ears, and utters the True Name with his mouth,
attains the perfect wealth of honor, and intuitively focuses his meditation on the Lord. ||3||
The months and the seasons come; see, and do your deeds.
O Nanak, those Gurmukhs who remain merged in the Lord do not wither away; they remain green forever. ||4||1||
First Mehl, Basant:
The season of spring, so delightful, has come.
Those who are imbued with love for You, O Lord, chant Your Name with joy.
Whom else should I worship? At whose feet should I bow? ||1||
I am the slave of Your slaves, O my Sovereign Lord King.
O Life of the Universe, there is no other way to meet You. ||1||Pause||
You have only One Form, and yet You have countless forms.
Which one should I worship? Before which one should I burn incense?
Your limits cannot be found. How can anyone find them?
I am the slave of Your slaves, O my Sovereign Lord King. ||2||
The cycles of years and the places of pilgrimage are Yours, O Lord.
Your Name is True, O Transcendent Lord God.
Your State cannot be known, O Eternal, Unchanging Lord God.
Although You are unknown, still we chant Your Name. ||3||
What can poor Nanak say?
All people praise the One Lord.
Nanak places his head on the feet of such people.
I am a sacrifice to Your Names, as many as there are, O Lord. ||4||2||
Basant, First Mehl:
The kitchen is golden, and the cooking pots are golden.
The lines marking the cooking square are silver.
The water is from the Ganges, and the firewood is sanctified.
The food is soft rice, cooked in milk. ||1||
O my mind, these things are worthless,

if you are not drenched with the True Name. ||1||Pause||
One may have the eighteen Puraanas written in his own hand;
he may recite the four Vedas by heart,
and take ritual baths at holy festivals and give charitable donations;
he may observe the ritual fasts, and perform religious ceremonies day and night. ||2||
He may be a Qazi, a Mullah or a Shaykh,
a Yogi or a wandering hermit wearing saffron-colored robes;
he may be a householder, working at his job;
but without understanding the essence of devotional worship, all people are eventually bound and gagged, and driven along by the Messenger of Death. ||3||
Each person's karma is written on his forehead.
According to their deeds, they shall be judged.
Only the foolish and the ignorant issue commands.
O Nanak, the treasure of praise belongs to the True Lord alone. ||4||3||
Basant, Third Mehl:
A person may take off his clothes and be naked.
What Yoga does he practice by having matted and tangled hair?
If the mind is not pure, what use is it to hold the breath at the Tenth Gate?
The fool wanders and wanders, entering the cycle of reincarnation again and again. ||1||
Meditate on the One Lord, O my foolish mind,
and you shall cross over to the other side in an instant. ||1||Pause||
Some recite and expound on the Simritees and the Shaastras;
some sing the Vedas and read the Puraanas;
but they practice hypocrisy and deception with their eyes and minds.
The Lord does not even come near them. ||2||
Even if someone practices such self-discipline,
compassion and devotional worship
- if he is filled with greed, and his mind is engrossed in corruption,
how can he find the Immaculate Lord? ||3||
What can the created being do?
The Lord Himself moves him.
If the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, then his doubts are dispelled.
If the mortal realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command, he obtains the True Lord. ||4||
If someone's soul is polluted within,
what is the use of his traveling to sacred shrines of pilgrimage all over the world?
O Nanak, when one joins the Society of the True Guru,
then the bonds of the terrifying world-ocean are broken. ||5||4||
Basant, First Mehl:
All the worlds have been fascinated and enchanted by Your Maya, O Lord.
I do not see any other at all - You are everywhere.
You are the Master of Yogis, the Divinity of the divine.
Serving at the Guru's Feet, the Name of the Lord is received. ||1||
O my Beauteous, Deep and Profound Beloved Lord.
As Gurmukh, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name. You are Infinite, the Cherisher of all. ||1||Pause||
Without the Holy Saint, association with the Lord is not obtained.
Without the Guru, one's very fiber is stained with filth.
Without the Lord's Name, one cannot become pure.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, sing the Praises of the True Lord. ||2||
O Savior Lord, that person whom You have saved
- You lead him to meet the True Guru, and so take care of him.
You take away his poisonous egotism and attachment.
You dispel all his sufferings, O Sovereign Lord God. ||3||
His state and condition are sublime; the Lord's Glorious Virtues permeate his body.
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, the diamond of the Lord's Name is revealed.
He is lovingly attuned to the Naam; he is rid of the love of duality.
O Lord, let servant Nanak meet the Guru. ||4||5||
Basant, First Mehl:
O my friends and companions, listen with love in your heart.
My Husband Lord is Incomparably Beautiful; He is always with me.
He is Unseen - He cannot be seen. How can I describe Him?

The Guru has shown me that my Sovereign Lord God is with me. ||1||
Joining together with my friends and companions, I am adorned with the Lord's Glorious Virtues.
The sublime soul-brides play with their Lord God. The Gurmukhs look within themselves; their minds are filled with faith. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs, suffering in separation, do not understand this mystery.
The Beloved Lord of all celebrates in each and every heart.
The Gurmukh is stable, knowing that God is always with him.
The Guru has implanted the Naam within me; I chant it, and meditate on it. ||2||
Without the Guru, devotional love does not well up within.
Without the Guru, one is not blessed with the Society of the Saints.
Without the Guru, the blind cry out, entangled in worldly affairs.
That mortal who becomes Gurmukh becomes immaculate; the Word of the Shabad washes away his filth. ||3||
Uniting with the Guru, the mortal conquers and subdues his mind.
Day and night, he savors the Yoga of devotional worship.
Associating with the Saint Guru, suffering and sickness are ended.
Servant Nanak merges with his Husband Lord, in the Yoga of intuitive ease. ||4||6||
Basant, First Mehl:
By His Creative Power, God fashioned the creation.
The King of kings Himself adminsters true justice.
The most sublime Word of the Guru's Teachings is always with us.
The wealth of the Lord's Name, the source of nectar, is easily acquired. ||1||
So chant the Name of the Lord; do not forget it, O my mind.
The Lord is Infinite, Inaccessible and Incomprehensible; His weight cannot be weighed, but He Himself allows the Gurmukh to weigh Him. ||1||Pause||
Your GurSikhs serve at the Guru's Feet.
Serving the Guru, they are carried across; they have abandoned any distinction between 'mine' and 'yours'.
The slanderous and greedy people are hard-hearted.
Those who do not love to serve the Guru are the most thieving of thieves. ||2||
When the Guru is pleased, He blesses the mortals with loving devotional worship of the Lord.
When the Guru is pleased, the mortal obtains a place in the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
So renounce slander, and awaken in devotional worship of the Lord.
Devotion to the Lord is wonderful; it comes through good karma and destiny. ||3||
The Guru unites in union with the Lord, and grants the gift of the Name.
The Guru loves His Sikhs, day and night.
They obtain the fruit of the Naam, when the Guru's favor is bestowed.
Says Nanak, those who receive it are very rare indeed. ||4||7||
Basant, Third Mehl, Ik-Tukas:
When it pleases our Lord and Master, His servant serves Him.
He remains dead while yet alive, and redeems all his ancestors. ||1||
I shall not renounce Your devotional worship, O Lord; what does it matter if people laugh at me?
The True Name abides within my heart. ||1||Pause||
Just as the mortal remains engrossed in attachment to Maya,
so does the Lord's humble Saint remain absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||2||
I am foolish and ignorant, O Lord; please be merciful to me.
May I remain in Your Sanctuary. ||3||
Says Nanak, worldly affairs are fruitless.
Only by Guru's Grace does one receive the Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||8||
First Mehl, Basant Hindol, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Brahmin, you worship and believe in your stone-god, and wear your ceremonial rosary beads.
Chant the Name of the Lord. Build your boat, and pray, "O Merciful Lord, please be merciful to me."||1||

Why do you irrigate the barren, alkaline soil? You are wasting your life away!
This wall of mud is crumbling. Why bother to patch it with plaster? ||1||Pause||
Let your hands be the buckets, strung on the chain, and yoke the mind as the ox to pull it; draw the water up from the well.
Irrigate your fields with the Ambrosial Nectar, and you shall be owned by God the Gardener. ||2||
Let sexual desire and anger be your two shovels, to dig up the dirt of your farm, O Siblings of Destiny.
The more you dig, the more peace you shall find. Your past actions cannot be erased. ||3||
The crane is again transformed into a swan, if You so will, O Merciful Lord.
Prays Nanak, the slave of Your slaves: O Merciful Lord, have mercy on me. ||4||1||9||
Basant, First Mehl, Hindol:
In the House of the Husband Lord - in the world hereafter, everything is jointly owned; but in this world - in the house of the soul-bride's parents, the soul-bride owns them separately.
She herself is ill-mannered; how can she blame anyone else? She does not know how to take care of these things. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, I am deluded by doubt.
I sing the Word which You have written; I do not know any other Word. ||1||Pause||
She alone is known as the Lord's bride, who embroiders her gown in the Name.
She who preserves and protects the home of her own heart and does not taste of evil, shall be the Beloved of her Husband Lord. ||2||
If you are a learned and wise religious scholar, then make a boat of the letters of the Lord's Name.
Prays Nanak, the One Lord shall carry you across, if you merge in the True Lord. ||3||2||10||
Basant Hindol, First Mehl:
The king is just a boy, and his city is vulnerable. He is in love with his wicked enemies.
He reads of his two mothers and his two fathers; O Pandit, reflect on this. ||1||
O Master Pandit, teach me about this.
How can I obtain the Lord of life? ||1||Pause||
There is fire within the plants which bloom; the ocean is tied into a bundle.
The sun and the moon dwell in the same home in the sky. You have not obtained this knowledge. ||2||
One who knows the All-pervading Lord, eats up the one mother - Maya.
Know that the sign of such a person is that he gathers the wealth of compassion. ||3||
The mind lives with those who do not listen, and do not admit what they eat.
Prays Nanak, the slave of the Lord's slave: one instant the mind is huge, and the next instant, it is tiny. ||4||3||11||
Basant Hindol, First Mehl:
The Guru is the True Banker, the Giver of peace; He unites the mortal with the Lord, and satisfies his hunger.
Granting His Grace, He implants devotional worship of the Lord within; and then night and day, we sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
O my mind, do not forget the Lord; keep Him in your consciousness.
Without the Guru, no one is liberated anywhere in the three worlds. The Gurmukh obtains the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Without devotional worship, the True Guru is not obtained. Without good destiny, devotional worship of the Lord is not obtained.
Without good destiny, the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is not obtained. By the grace of one's good karma, the Lord's Name is received. ||2||
In each and every heart, the Lord is hidden; He creates and watches over all. He reveals Himself in the humble, Saintly Gurmukhs.
Those who chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, are drenched with the Lord's Love. Their minds are drenched with the Ambrosial Water of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||3||

Those who are blessed with the glory of the Lord's Throne - those Gurmukhs are renowned as supreme.
Touching the philosopher's stone, they themselves becomes the philosopher's stone; they become the companions of the Lord, the Guru. ||4||4||12||
Basant, Third Mehl, First House, Du-Tukas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Throughout the months and the seasons, the Lord is always in bloom.
He rejuvenates all beings and creatures.
What can I say? I am just a worm.
No one has found Your beginning or Your end, O Lord. ||1||
Those who serve You, Lord,
obtain the greatest peace; their souls are so divine. ||1||Pause||
If the Lord is merciful, then the mortal is allowed to serve Him.
By Guru's Grace, he remains dead while yet alive.
Night and day, he chants the True Name;
in this way, he crosses over the treacherous world-ocean. ||2||
The Creator created both poison and nectar.
He attached these two fruits to the world-plant.
The Creator Himself is the Doer, the Cause of all.
He feeds all as He pleases. ||3||
O Nanak, when He casts His Glance of Grace,
He Himself bestows His Ambrosial Naam.
Thus, the desire for sin and corruption is ended.
The Lord Himself carries out His Own Will. ||4||1||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Those who are attuned to the True Lord's Name are happy and exalted.
Take pity on me, O God, Merciful to the meek.
Without Him, I have no other at all.
As it pleases His Will, He keeps me. ||1||
The Guru, the Lord, is pleasing to my mind.
I cannot even survive, without the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. But I shall easily unite with the Guru, if He unites me in His Union. ||1||Pause||
The greedy mind is enticed by greed.
Forgetting the Lord, it regrets and repents in the end.
The separated ones are reunited, when they are inspired to serve the Guru.
They are blessed with the Lord's Name - such is the destiny written on their foreheads. ||2||
This body is built of air and water.
The body is afflicted with the terribly painful illness of egotism.
The Gurmukh has the Medicine: singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name.
Granting His Grace, the Guru has cured the illness. ||3||
The four evils are the four rivers of fire flowing through the body.
It is burning in desire, and burning in egotism.
Those whom the Guru protects and saves are very fortunate.
Servant Nanak enshrines the Ambrosial Name of the Lord in his heart. ||4||2||
Basant, Third Mehl:
One who serves the Lord is the Lord's person.
He dwells in intuitive peace, and never suffers in sorrow.
The self-willed manmukhs are dead; the Lord is not within their minds.
They die and die again and again, and are reincarnated, only to die once more. ||1||
They alone are alive, whose minds are filled with the Lord.
They contemplate the True Lord, and are absorbed in the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who do not serve the Lord are far away from the Lord.
They wander in foreign lands, with dust thrown on their heads.
The Lord Himself enjoins His humble servants to serve Him.
They live in peace forever, and have no greed at all. ||2||

When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, egotism is eradicated.
Then, the mortal is honored in the Court of the True Lord.
He sees the Dear Lord always close at hand, ever-present.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he sees the Lord pervading and permeating all. ||3||
The Lord cherishes all beings and creatures.
By Guru's Grace, contemplate Him forever.
You shall go to your true home in the Lord's Court with honor.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you shall be blessed with glorious greatness. ||4||3||
Basant, Third Mehl:
One who worships the Lord within his mind,
sees the One and Only Lord, and no other.
People in duality suffer terrible pain.
The True Guru has shown me the One Lord. ||1||
My God is in bloom, forever in spring.
This mind blossoms forth, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
So consult the Guru, and reflect upon His wisdom;
then, you shall be in love with the True Lord God.
Abandon your self-conceit, and be His loving servant.
Then, the Life of the World shall come to dwell in your mind. ||2||
Worship Him with devotion, and see Him always ever-present, close at hand.
My God is forever permeating and pervading all.
Only a rare few know the mystery of this devotional worship.
My God is the Enlightener of all souls. ||3||
The True Guru Himself unites us in His Union.
He Himself links our consciousness to the Lord, the Life of the World.
Thus, our minds and bodies are rejuvenated with intuitive ease.
O Nanak, through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, we remain attuned to the String of His Love. ||4||4||
Basant, Third Mehl:
The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He dwells within their minds,
by Guru's Grace, with intuitive ease.
Through devotional worship, self-conceit is eradicated from within,
and then, one meets the True Lord. ||1||
His devotees are forever beauteous at the Door of the Lord God.
Loving the Guru, they have love and affection for the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
That humble being who worships the Lord with devotion becomes immaculate and pure.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, egotism is eradicated from within.
The Dear Lord Himself comes to dwell within the mind,
and the mortal remains immersed in peace, tranquility and intuitive ease. ||2||
Those who are imbued with Truth, are forever in the bloom of spring.
Their minds and bodies are rejuvenated, uttering the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Without the Lord's Name, the world is dry and parched.
It burns in the fire of desire, over and over again. ||3||
One who does only that which is pleasing to the Dear Lord
- his body is forever at peace, and his consciousness is attached to the Lord's Will.
He serves His God with intuitive ease.
O Nanak, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to abide in his mind. ||4||5||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Attachment to Maya is burnt away by the Word of the Shabad.
The mind and body are rejuvenated by the Love of the True Guru.
The tree bears fruit at the Lord's Door,
in love with the True Bani of the Guru's Word, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
This mind is rejuvenated, with intuitive ease;
loving the True Guru, it bears the fruit of truth. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is near, and He Himself is far away.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is seen to be ever-present, close at hand.
The plants have blossomed forth, giving a dense shade.
The Gurmukh blossoms forth, with intuitive ease. ||2||
Night and day, he sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, day and night.
The True Guru drives out sin and doubt from within.

Gazing upon the wonder of God's Creation, I am wonder-struck and amazed.
The Gurmukh obtains the Naam, the Name of the Lord, by His Grace. ||3||
The Creator Himself enjoys all delights.
Whatever He does, surely comes to pass.
He is the Great Giver; He has no greed at all.
O Nanak, living the Word of the Shabad, the mortal meets with God. ||4||6||
Basant, Third Mehl:
By perfect destiny, one acts in truth.
Remembering the One Lord, one does not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation.
Fruitful is the coming into the world, and the life of one
who remains intuitively absorbed in the True Name. ||1||
The Gurmukh acts, lovingly attuned to the Lord.
Be dedicated to the Lord's Name, and eradicate self-conceit from within. ||1||Pause||
True is the speech of that humble being;
through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is spread throughout the world.
Throughout the four ages, his fame and glory spread.
Imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Lord's humble servant is recognized and renowned. ||2||
Some remain lovingly attuned to the True Word of the Shabad.
True are those humble beings who love the True Lord.
They meditate on the True Lord, and behold Him near at hand, ever-present.
They are the dust of the lotus feet of the humble Saints. ||3||
There is only One Creator Lord; there is no other at all.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, comes Union with the Lord.
Whoever serves the True Lord finds joy.
O Nanak, he is intuitively absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||7||
Basant, Third Mehl:
The Lord's humble servant worships Him, and beholds Him ever-present, near at hand.
He is the dust of the lotus feet of the humble Saints.
Those who remain lovingly attuned to the Lord forever
are blessed with understanding by the Perfect True Guru. ||1||
How rare are those who become the slave of the Lord's slaves.
They attain the supreme status. ||1||Pause||
So serve the One Lord, and no other.
Serving Him, eternal peace is obtained.
He does not die; He does not come and go in reincarnation.
Why should I serve any other than Him, O my mother? ||2||
True are those humble beings who realize the True Lord.
Conquering their self-conceit, they merge intuitively into the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Gurmukhs gather in the Naam.
Their minds are immaculate, and their reputations are immaculate. ||3||
Know the Lord, who gave you spiritual wisdom,
and realize the One God, through the True Word of the Shabad.
When the mortal tastes the sublime essence of the Lord, he becomes pure and holy.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam - their reputations are true. ||4||8||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Those who are imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord - their generations are redeemed and saved.
True is their speech; they love the Naam.
Why have the wandering self-willed manmukhs even come into the world?
Forgetting the Naam, the mortals waste their lives away. ||1||
One who dies while yet alive, truly dies, and embellishes his death.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he enshrines the True Lord within his heart. ||1||Pause||
Truth is the food of the Gurmukh; his body is sanctified and pure.
His mind is immaculate; he is forever the ocean of virtue.
He is not forced to come and go in the cycle of birth and death.
By Guru's Grace, he merges in the True Lord. ||2||
Serving the True Lord, one realizes Truth.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he goes to the Lord's Court with his banners flying proudly.

In the Court of the True Lord, he obtains true glory.
He comes to dwell in the home of his own inner being. ||3||
He cannot be fooled; He is the Truest of the True.
All others are deluded; in duality, they lose their honor.
So serve the True Lord, through the True Bani of His Word.
O Nanak, through the Naam, merge in the True Lord. ||4||9||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Without the grace of good karma, all are deluded by doubt.
In attachment to Maya, they suffer in terrible pain.
The blind, self-willed manmukhs find no place of rest.
They are like maggots in manure, rotting away in manure. ||1||
That humble being who obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command is accepted.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is blessed with the insignia and the banner of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny are imbued with the Naam.
The Name of the Lord is forever pleasing to their minds.
Through the Bani, the Word of the True Guru, eternal peace is found.
Through it, one's light merges into the Light. ||2||
Only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, can save the world.
By Guru's Grace, one comes to love the Naam.
Without the Naam, no one obtains liberation.
Through the Perfect Guru, the Naam is obtained. ||3||
He alone understands, whom the Lord Himself causes to understand.
Serving the True Guru, the Naam is implanted within.
Those humble beings who know the One Lord are approved and accepted.
O Nanak, imbued with the Naam, they go to the Lord's Court with His banner and insignia. ||4||10||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Granting His Grace, the Lord leads the mortal to meet the True Guru.
The Lord Himself comes to abide in his mind.
His intellect becomes steady and stable, and his mind is strengthened forever.
He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Ocean of Virtue. ||1||
Those who forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord - those mortals die eating poison.
Their lives are wasted uselessly, and they continue coming and going in reincarnation. ||1||Pause||
They wear all sorts of religious robes, but their minds are not at peace.
In great egotism, they lose their honor.
But those who realize the Word of the Shabad, are blessed by great good fortune.
They bring their distractible minds back home. ||2||
Within the home of the inner self is the inaccessible and infinite substance.
Those who find it, by following the Guru's Teachings, contemplate the Shabad.
Those who obtain the nine treasures of the Naam within the home of their own inner being,
are forever dyed in the color of the Lord's Love; they are absorbed in the Truth. ||3||
God Himself does everything; no one can do anything at all by himself.
When God so wills, He merges the mortal into Himself.
All are near Him; no one is far away from Him.
O Nanak, the Naam is permeating and pervading everywhere. ||4||11||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, remember the Lord with love,
and you shall remain satisfied by the sublime essence of the Lord's Name.
The sins of millions upon millions of lifetimes shall be burnt away.
Remaining dead while yet alive, you shall be absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||1||
The Dear Lord Himself knows His own bountiful blessings.
This mind blossoms forth in the Guru's Shabad, chanting the Name of the Lord, the Giver of virtue. ||1||Pause||
No one is liberated by wandering around in saffron-colored robes.
Tranquility is not found by strict self-discipline.
But by following the Guru's Teachings, one is blessed to receive the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By great good fortune, one finds the Lord. ||2||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, glorious greatness comes through the Lord's Name.

Through the Perfect Guru, it is obtained.
Those who are imbued with the Naam find everlasting peace.
But without the Naam, mortals burn in egotism. ||3||
By great good furtune, some contemplate the Lord's Name.
Through the Lord's Name, all sorrows are eradicated.
He dwells within the heart, and pervades the external universe as well.
O Nanak, the Creator Lord knows all. ||4||12||
Basant, Third Mehl, Ik-Tukas:
I am just a worm, created by You, O Lord.
If you bless me, then I chant Your Primal Mantra. ||1||
I chant and reflect on His Glorious Virtues, O my mother.
Meditating on the Lord, I fall at the Lord's Feet. ||1||Pause||
By Guru's Grace, I am addicted to the favor of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Why waste your life in hatred, vengeance and conflict? ||2||
When the Guru granted His Grace, my egotism was eradicated,
and then, I obtained the Lord's Name with intuitive ease. ||3||
The most lofty and exalted occupation is to contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
Nanak chants the True Name. ||4||1||13||
Basant, Third Mehl:
The season of spring has come, and all the plants have blossomed forth.
This mind blossoms forth, in association with the True Guru. ||1||
So meditate on the True Lord, O my foolish mind.
Only then shall you find peace, O my mind. ||1||Pause||
This mind blossoms forth, and I am in ecstasy.
I am blessed with the Ambrosial Fruit of the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe. ||2||
Everyone speaks and says that the Lord is the One and Only.
By understanding the Hukam of His Command, we come to know the One Lord. ||3||
Says Nanak, no one can describe the Lord by speaking through ego.
All speech and insight comes from our Lord and Master. ||4||2||14||
Basant, Third Mehl:
All the ages were created by You, O Lord.
Meeting with the True Guru, one's intellect is awakened. ||1||
O Dear Lord, please blend me with Yourself;
let me merge in the True Name, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||
When the mind is in spring, all people are rejuvenated.
Blossoming forth and flowering through the Lord's Name, peace is obtained. ||2||
Contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad, one is in spring forever,
with the Lord's Name enshrined in the heart. ||3||
When the mind is in spring, the body and mind are rejuvenated.
O Nanak, this body is the tree which bears the fruit of the Lord's Name. ||4||3||15||
Basant, Third Mehl:
They alone are in the spring season, who sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
They come to worship the Lord with devotion, through their perfect destiny. ||1||
This mind is not even touched by spring.
This mind is burnt by duality and double-mindedness. ||1||Pause||
This mind is entangled in worldly affairs, creating more and more karma.
Enchanted by Maya, it cries out in suffering forever. ||2||
This mind is released, only when it meets with the True Guru.
Then, it does not suffer beatings by the Messenger of Death. ||3||
This mind is released, when the Guru emancipates it.
O Nanak, attachment to Maya is burnt away through the Word of the Shabad. ||4||4||16||
Basant, Third Mehl:
Spring has come, and all the plants are flowering.
These beings and creatures blossom forth when they focus their consciousness on the Lord. ||1||

In this way, this mind is rejuvenated.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, day and night, egotism is removed and washed away from the Gurmukhs. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru speaks the Bani of the Word, and the Shabad, the Word of God.
This world blossoms forth in its greenery, through the love of the True Guru. ||2||
The mortal blossoms forth in flower and fruit, when the Lord Himself so wills.
He is attached to the Lord, the Primal Root of all, when he finds the True Guru. ||3||
The Lord Himself is the season of spring; the whole world is His Garden.
O Nanak, this most unique devotional worship comes only by perfect destiny. ||4||5||17||
Basant Hindol, Third Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am a sacrifice to the Word of the Guru's Bani, O Siblings of Destiny. I am devoted and dedicated to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
I praise my Guru forever, O Siblings of Destiny. I focus my consciousness on the Guru's Feet. ||1||
O my mind, focus your consciousness on the Lord's Name.
Your mind and body shall blossom forth in lush greenery, and you shall obtain the fruit of the Name of the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved, O Siblings of Destiny. They drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's sublime essence.
The pain of egotism within is eradicated and banished, O Siblings of Destiny, and peace comes to dwell in their minds. ||2||
Those whom the Primal Lord Himself forgives, O Siblings of Destiny, are united with the Word of the Shabad.
The dust of their feet brings emancipation; in the company of Sadh Sangat, the True Congregation, we are united with the Lord. ||3||
He Himself does, and causes all to be done, O Siblings of Destiny; He makes everything blossom forth in green abundance.
O Nanak, peace fills their minds and bodies forever, O Siblings of Destiny; they are united with the Shabad. ||4||1||18||12||18||30||
Raag Basant, Fourth Mehl, First House, Ik-Tukay:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Just as the light of the sun's rays spread out,
the Lord permeates each and every heart, through and through. ||1||
The One Lord is permeating and pervading all places.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, we merge with Him, O my mother. ||1||Pause||
The One Lord is deep within each and every heart.
Meeting with the Guru, the One Lord becomes manifest, radiating forth. ||2||
The One and Only Lord is present and prevailing everywhere.
The greedy, faithless cynic thinks that God is far away. ||3||
The One and Only Lord permeates and pervades the world.
O Nanak, whatever the One Lord does comes to pass. ||4||1||
Basant, Fourth Mehl:
Day and night, the two calls are sent out.
O mortal, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, who protects you forever, and saves you in the end. ||1||
Concentrate forever on the Lord, Har, Har, O my mind.
God the Destroyer of all depression and suffering is found, through the Guru's Teachings, singing the Glorious Praises of God. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs die of their egotism, over and over again.

They are destroyed by Death's demons, and they must go to the City of Death. ||2||
The Gurmukhs are lovingly attached to the Lord, Har, Har, Har.
Their pains of both birth and death are taken away. ||3||
The Lord showers His Mercy on His humble devotees.
Guru Nanak has shown mercy to me; I have met the Lord, the Lord of the forest. ||4||2||
Basant Hindol, Fourth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord's Name is a jewel, hidden in a chamber of the palace of the body-fortress.
When one meets the True Guru, then he searches and finds it, and his light merges with the Divine Light. ||1||
O Lord, lead me to meet with the Holy Person, the Guru.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, all my sins are erased, and I obtain the supreme, sublime, sanctified status. ||1||Pause||
The five thieves join together and plunder the body-village, stealing the wealth of the Lord's Name.
But through the Guru's Teachings, they are traced and caught, and this wealth is recovered intact. ||2||
Practicing hypocrisy and superstition, people have grown weary of the effort, but still, deep within their hearts, they yearn for Maya, Maya.
By the Grace of the Holy Person, I have met with the Lord, the Primal Being, and the darkness of ignorance is dispelled. ||3||
The Lord, the Lord of the Earth, the Lord of the Universe, in His Mercy, leads me to meet the Holy Person, the Guru.
O Nanak, peace then comes to abide deep within my mind, and I constantly sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord within my heart. ||4||1||3||
Basant, Fourth Mehl, Hindol:
You are the Great Supreme Being, the Vast and Inaccessible Lord of the World; I am a mere insect, a worm created by You.
O Lord, Merciful to the meek, please grant Your Grace; O God, I long for the feet of the Guru, the True Guru. ||1||
O Dear Lord of the Universe, please be merciful and unite me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
I was overflowing with the filthy sins of countless past lives. But joining the Sangat, God made me pure again. ||1||Pause||
Your humble servant, whether of high class or low class, O Lord - by meditating on You, the sinner becomes pure.
The Lord exalts and elevates him above the whole world, and the Lord God blesses him with the Lord's Glory. ||2||
Anyone who meditates on God, whether of high class or low class, will have all of his hopes and desires fulfilled.
Those humble servants of the Lord who enshrine the Lord within their hearts, are blessed, and are made great and totally perfect. ||3||
I am so low, I am an utterly heavy lump of clay. Please shower Your Mercy on me, Lord, and unite me with Yourself.
The Lord, in His Mercy, has led servant Nanak to find the Guru; I was a sinner, and now I have become immaculate and pure. ||||4||2||4||
Basant Hindol, Fourth Mehl:
My mind cannot survive, even for an instant, without the Lord. I drink in continually the sublime essence of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
It is like a baby, who joyfully sucks at his mother's breast; when the breast is withdrawn, he weeps and cries. ||1||
O Dear Lord of the Universe, my mind and body are pierced through by the Name of the Lord.
By great good fortune, I have found the Guru, the True Guru, and in the body-village, the Lord has revealed Himself. ||1||Pause||

Each and every breath of the Lord's humble servant is pierced through with love of the Lord God.
As the lotus is totally in love with the water and withers away without seeing the water, so am I in love with the Lord. ||2||
The Lord's humble servant chants the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the Guru's Teachings, the Lord reveals Himself.
The filth of egotism which stained me for countless lifetimes has been washed away, by the Ambrosial Water of the Ocean of the Lord. ||3||
Please, do not take my karma into account, O my Lord and Master; please save the honor of Your slave.
O Lord, if it pleases You, hear my prayer; servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||4||3||5||
Basant Hindol, Fourth Mehl:
Each and every moment, my mind roams and rambles, and runs all over the place. It does not stay in its own home, even for an instant.
But when the bridle of the Shabad, the Word of God, is placed over its head, it returns to dwell in its own home. ||1||
O Dear Lord of the Universe, lead me to join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, so that I may meditate on You, Lord.
I am cured of the disease of egotism, and I have found peace; I have intuitively entered into the state of Samaadhi. ||1||Pause||
This house is loaded with countless gems, jewels, rubies and emeralds, but the wandering mind cannot find them.
As the water-diviner finds the hidden water, and the well is then dug in an instant, so do we find the object of the Name through the True Guru. ||2||
Those who do not find such a Holy True Guru - cursed, cursed are the lives of those people.
The treasure of this human life is obtained when one's virtues bear fruit, but it is lost in exchange for a mere shell. ||3||
O Lord God, please be merciful to me; be merciful, and lead me to meet the Guru.
Servant Nanak has attained the state of Nirvaanaa; meeting with the Holy people, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||4||6||
Basant Hindol, Fourth Mehl:
Coming and going, he suffers the pains of vice and corruption; the body of the self-willed manmukh is desolate and vacant.
He does not dwell on the Lord's Name, even for an instant, and so the Messenger of Death seizes him by his hair. ||1||
O Dear Lord of the Universe, please rid me of the poison of egotism and attachment.
The Sat Sangat, Guru's True Congregation is so dear to the Lord. So join the Sangat, and taste the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Please be kind to me, and unite me with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation of the Holy; I seek the Sanctuary of the Holy.
I am a heavy stone, sinking down - please lift me up and pull me out! O God, Merciful to the meek, You are the Destroyer of sorrow. ||2||
I enshrine the Praises of my Lord and Master within my heart; joining the Sat Sangat, my intellect is enlightened.
I have fallen in love with the Lord's Name; I am a sacrifice to the Lord. ||3||
O Lord God, please fulfill the desires of Your humble servant; please bless me with Your Name, O Lord.
Servant Nanak's mind and body are filled with ecstasy; the Guru has blessed him with the Mantra of the Lord's Name. ||4||5||7||12||18||7||37||

Basant, Fifth Mehl, First House, Du-Tukay:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I serve the Guru, and humbly bow to Him.
Today is a day of celebration for me.
Today I am in supreme bliss.
My anxiety is dispelled, and I have met the Lord of the Universe. ||1||
Today, it is springtime in my household.
I sing Your Glorious Praises, O Infinite Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Today, I am celebrating the festival of Phalgun.
Joining with God's companions, I have begun to play.
I celebrate the festival of Holi by serving the Saints.
I am imbued with the deep crimson color of the Lord's Divine Love. ||2||
My mind and body have blossomed forth, in utter, incomparable beauty.
They do not dry out in either sunshine or shade;
they flourish in all seasons.
It is always springtime, when I meet with the Divine Guru. ||3||
The wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree has sprouted and grown.
It bears flowers and fruits, jewels of all sorts.
I am satisfied and fulfilled, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Lord, Har, Har, Har. ||4||1||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
The shopkeeper deals in merchandise for profit.
The gambler's consciousness is focused on gambling.
The opium addict lives by consuming opium.
In the same way, the humble servant of the Lord lives by meditating on the Lord. ||1||
Everyone is absorbed in his own pleasures.
He is attached to whatever God attaches him to. ||1||Pause||
When the clouds and the rain come, the peacocks dance.
Seeing the moon, the lotus blossoms.
When the mother sees her infant, she is happy.
In the same way, the humble servant of the Lord lives by meditating on the Lord of the Universe. ||2||
The tiger always wants to eat meat.
Gazing upon the battlefield, the warrior's mind is exalted.
The miser is totally in love with his wealth.
The humble servant of the Lord leans on the Support of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
All love is contained in the Love of the One Lord.
All comforts are contained in the Comfort of the Lord's Name.
He alone receives this treasure,
O Nanak, unto whom the Guru gives His gift. ||4||2||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
He alone experiences this springtime of the soul, unto whom God grants His Grace.
He alone experiences this springtime of the soul, unto whom the Guru is merciful.
He alone is joyful, who works for the One Lord.
He alone experiences this eternal springtime of the soul, within whose heart the Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides. ||1||
This spring comes only to those homes,
in which the melody of the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises resounds. ||1||Pause||
O mortal, let your love for the Supreme Lord God blossom forth.
Practice spiritual wisdom, and consult the humble servants of the Lord.
He alone is an ascetic, who joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He alone dwells in deep, continual meditation, who loves his Guru. ||2||
He alone is fearless, who has the Fear of God.
He alone is peaceful, whose doubts are dispelled.
He alone is a hermit, who heart is steady and stable.
He alone is steady and unmoving, who has found the true place. ||3||
He seeks the One Lord, and loves the One Lord.
He loves to gaze upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
He intuitively enjoys the Love of the Lord.
Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to that humble being. ||4||3||

Basant, Fifth Mehl:
You gave us our soul, breath of life and body.
I am a fool, but You have made me beautiful, enshrining Your Light within me.
We are all beggars, O God; You are merciful to us.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, we are uplifted and exalted. ||1||
O my Beloved, only You have the potency to act,
and cause all to be done. ||1||Pause||
Chanting the Naam, the mortal is saved.
Chanting the Naam, sublime peace and poise are found.
Chanting the Naam, honor and glory are received.
Chanting the Naam, no obstacles shall block your way. ||2||
For this reason, you have been blessed with this body, so difficult to obtain.
O my Dear God, please bless me to speak the Naam.
This tranquil peace is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
May I always chant and meditate within my heart on Your Name, O God. ||3||
Other than You, there is no one at all.
Everything is Your play; it all merges again into You.
As it pleases Your Will, save me, Lord.
O Nanak, peace is obtained by meeting with the Perfect Guru. ||4||4||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
My Beloved God, my King is with me.
Gazing upon Him, I live, O my mother.
Remembering Him in meditation, there is no pain or suffering.
Please, take pity on me, and lead me on to meet Him. ||1||
My Beloved is the Support of my breath of life and mind.
This soul, breath of life, and wealth are all Yours, O Lord. ||1||Pause||
He is sought by the angels, mortals and divine beings.
The silent sages, the humble, and the religious teachers do not understand His mystery.
His state and extent cannot be described.
In each and every home of each and every heart, He is permeating and pervading. ||2||
His devotees are totally in bliss.
His devotees cannot be destroyed.
His devotees are not afraid.
His devotees are victorious forever. ||3||
What Praises of Yours can I utter?
God, the Giver of peace, is all-pervading, permeating everywhere.
Nanak begs for this one gift.
Be merciful, and bless me with Your Name. ||4||5||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
As the plant turns green upon receiving water,
just so, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, egotism is eradicated.
Just as the servant is encouraged by his ruler,
we are saved by the Guru. ||1||
You are the Great Giver, O Generous Lord God.
Each and every instant, I humbly bow to You. ||1||Pause||
Whoever enters the Saadh Sangat
- that humble being is imbued with the Love of the Supreme Lord God.
He is liberated from bondage.
His devotees worship Him in adoration; they are united in His Union. ||2||
My eyes are content, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
My tongue sings the Infinite Praises of God.
My thirst is quenched, by Guru's Grace.
My mind is satisfied, with the sublime taste of the Lord's subtle essence. ||3||
Your servant is committed to the service of Your Feet,
O Primal Infinite Divine Being.
Your Name is the Saving Grace of all.
Nanak has received this teasure. ||4||6||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
You are the Great Giver; You continue to give.
You permeate and pervade my soul, and my breath of life.
You have given me all sorts of foods and dishes.
I am unworthy; I know none of Your Virtues at all. ||1||
I do not understand anything of Your Worth.

Save me, O my Merciful Lord God. ||1||Pause||
I have not practiced meditation, austerities or good actions.
I do not know the way to meet You.
Within my mind, I have placed my hopes in the One Lord alone.
The Support of Your Name shall carry me across. ||2||
You are the Expert, O God, in all powers.
The fish cannot find the limits of the water.
You are Inaccessible and Unfathomable, the Highest of the High.
I am small, and You are so very Great. ||3||
Those who meditate on You are wealthy.
Those who attain You are rich.
Those who serve You are peaceful.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Saints. ||4||7||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
Serve the One who created You.
Worship the One who gave you life.
Become His servant, and you shall never again be punished.
Become His trustee, and you shall never again suffer sorrow. ||1||
That mortal who is blessed with such great good fortune,
attains this state of Nirvaanaa. ||1||Pause||
Life is wasted uselessly in the service of duality.
No efforts shall be rewarded, and no works brought to fruition.
It is so painful to serve only mortal beings.
Service to the Holy brings lasting peace and bliss. ||2||
If you long for eternal peace, O Siblings of Destiny,
then join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; this is the Guru's advice.
There, the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is meditated on.
In the Saadh Sangat, you shall be emancipated. ||3||
Among all essences, this is the essence of spiritual wisdom.
Among all meditations, meditation on the One Lord is the most sublime.
The Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is the ultimate melody.
Meeting with the Guru, Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||8||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
Chanting His Name, one's mouth becomes pure.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, one's reputation becomes stainless.
Worshipping Him in adoration, one is not tortured by the Messenger of Death.
Serving Him, everything is obtained. ||1||
The Lord's Name - chant the Lord's Name.
Abandon all the desires of your mind. ||1||Pause||
He is the Support of the earth and the sky.
His Light illuminates each and every heart.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, even fallen sinners are sanctified;
in the end, they will not weep and wail over and over again. ||2||
Among all religions, this is the ultimate religion.
Among all rituals and codes of conduct, this is above all.
The angels, mortals and divine beings long for Him.
To find Him, commit yourself to the service of the Society of the Saints. ||3||
One whom the Primal Lord God blesses with His bounties,
obtains the treasure of the Lord.
His state and extent cannot be described.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||9||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
My mind and body are gripped by thirst and desire.
The Merciful Guru has fulfilled my hopes.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all my sins have been taken away.
I chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord; I am in love with the Name of the Lord. ||1||
By Guru's Grace, this spring of the soul has come.
I enshrine the Lord's Lotus Feet within my heart; I listen to the Lord's Praise, forever and ever. ||1||Pause||

Our All-powerful Lord and Master is the Doer of all, the Cause of all causes.
I am an orphan - I seek Your Sanctuary, God.
All beings and creatures take Your Support.
Be merciful, God, and save me. ||2||
God is the Destroyer of fear, the Remover of pain and suffering.
The angelic beings and silent sages serve Him.
The earth and the sky are in His Power.
All beings eat what You give them. ||3||
O Merciful God, O Searcher of hearts,
please bless Your slave with Your Glance of Grace.
Please be kind and bless me with this gift,
that Nanak may live in Your Name. ||4||10||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
Loving the Lord, one's sins are taken away.
Meditating on the Lord, one does not suffer at all.
Meditating on the Lord of the Universe, all darkness is dispelled.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the cycle of reincarnation comes to an end. ||1||
The love of the Lord is springtime for me.
I am always with the humble Saints. ||1||Pause||
The Saints have shared the Teachings with me.
Blessed is that country where the devotees of the Lord of the Universe dwell.
But that place where the Lord's devotees are not, is wilderness.
By Guru's Grace, realize the Lord in each and every heart. ||2||
Sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, and enjoy the nectar of His Love.
O mortal, you must always restrain yourself from committing sins.
Behold the Creator Lord God near at hand.
Here and hereafter, God shall resolve your affairs. ||3||
I focus my meditation on the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Granting His Grace, God has blessed me with this Gift.
I yearn for the dust of the feet of Your Saints.
Nanak meditates on his Lord and Master, who is ever-present, near at hand. ||4||11||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
The True Transcendent Lord is always new, forever fresh.
By Guru's Grace, I continually chant His Name.
God is my Protector, my Mother and Father.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, I do not suffer in sorrow. ||1||
I meditate on my Lord and Master, single-mindedly, with love.
I seek the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru forever. My True Lord and Master hugs me close in His Embrace. ||1||Pause||
God Himself protects His humble servants.
The demons and wicked enemies have grown weary of struggling against Him.
Without the True Guru, there is no place to go.
Wandering through the lands and foreign countries, people only grow tired and suffer in pain. ||2||
The record of their past actions cannot be erased.
They harvest and eat what they have planted.
The Lord Himself is the Protector of His humble servants.
No one can rival the humble servant of the Lord. ||3||
By His own efforts, God protects His slave.
God's Glory is perfect and unbroken.
So sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe with your tongue forever.
Nanak lives by meditating on the Feet of the Lord. ||4||12||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
Dwelling at the Guru's Feet, pain and suffering go away.
The Supreme Lord God has shown mercy to me.
All my desires and tasks are fulfilled.
Chanting the Lord's Name, Nanak lives. ||1||
How beautiful is that season, when the Lord fills the mind.
Without the True Guru, the world weeps. The faithless cynic comes and goes in reincarnation, over and over again. ||1||Pause||

They alone are rich, who have the Wealth of the Lord God.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, sexual desire and anger are eradicated.
Their fear is dispelled, and they attain the state of fearlessness.
Meeting with the Guru, Nanak meditates on his Lord and Master. ||2||
God dwells in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Chanting and meditating on the Lord, one's hopes are fulfilled.
God permeates and pervades the water, the land and the sky.
Meeting with the Guru, Nanak chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
The eight miraculous spiritual powers and the nine treasures are contained in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. This is bestowed when God grants His Grace.
Your slaves, O God, live by chanting and meditating on Your Name.
O Nanak, the heart-lotus of the Gurmukh blossoms forth. ||4||13||
Basant, Fifth Mehl, First House, Ik-Tukay:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditating on the Lord, all desires are fulfilled,
and the mortal is re-united with God, after having been separated for so long. ||1||
Meditate on the Lord of the Universe, who is worthy of meditation.
Meditating on Him, enjoy celestial peace and poise. ||1||Pause||
Bestowing His Mercy, He blesses us with His Glance of Grace.
God Himself takes care of His slave. ||2||
My bed has been beautified by His Love.
God, the Giver of Peace, has come to meet me. ||3||
He does not consider my merits and demerits.
Nanak worships at the Feet of God. ||4||1||14||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
The sins are erased, singing the Glories of God;
night and day, celestial joy wells up. ||1||
My mind has blossomed forth, by the touch of the Lord's Feet.
By His Grace, He has led me to meet the Holy men, the humble servants of the Lord. I remain continually imbued with the love of the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
In His Mercy, the Lord of the World has revealed Himself to me.
The Lord, Merciful to the meek, has attached me to the hem of His robe and saved me. ||2||
This mind has become the dust of the Holy;
I behold my Lord and Master, continually, ever-present. ||3||
Sexual desire, anger and desire have vanished.
O Nanak, God has become kind to me. ||4||2||15||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
God Himself has cured the disease.
He laid on His Hands, and protected His child. ||1||
Celestial peace and tranquility fill my home forever, in this springtime of the soul.
I have sought the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru; I chant the Mantra of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Embodiment of emancipation. ||1||Pause||
God Himself has dispelled my sorrow and suffering.
I meditate continually, continuously, on my Guru. ||2||
That humble being who chants Your Name,
obtains all fruits and rewards; singing the Glories of God, he becomes steady and stable. ||3||
O Nanak, the way of the devotees is good.
They meditate continually, continuously, on the Lord, the Giver of peace. ||4||3||16||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
By His Will, He makes us happy.
He shows Mercy to His servant. ||1||
The Perfect Guru makes everything perfect.
He implants the Amrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, in the heart. ||1||Pause||
He does not consider the karma of my actions, or my Dharma, my spiritual practice.

Taking me by the arm, He saves me and carries me across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
God has rid me of my filth, and made me stainless and pure.
I have sought the Sanctuary of the Perfect Guru. ||3||
He Himself does, and causes everything to be done.
By His Grace, O Nanak, He saves us. ||4||4||17||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Behold the flowers flowering, and the blossoms blossoming forth!
Renounce and abandon your egotism.
Grasp hold of His Lotus Feet.
Meet with God, O blessed one.
O my mind, remain conscious of the Lord. ||Pause||
The tender young plants smell so good,
while others remain like dry wood.
The season of spring has come;
it blossoms forth luxuriantly. ||1||
Now, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga has come.
Plant the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
It is not the season to plant other seeds.
Do not wander lost in doubt and delusion.
One who has such destiny written on his forehead, shall meet with the Guru and find the Lord.
O mortal, this is the season of the Naam.
Nanak utters the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har. ||2||18||
Basant, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Hindol:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Come and join together, O my Siblings of Destiny; dispel your sense of duality and let yourselves be lovingly absorbed in the Lord.
Let yourselves be joined to the Name of the Lord; become Gurmukh, spread out your mat, and sit down. ||1||
In this way, throw the dice, O brothers.
As Gurmukh, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night. At the very last moment, you shall not have to suffer in pain. ||1||Pause||
Let righteous actions be your gameboard, and let the truth be your dice.
Conquer sexual desire, anger, greed and worldly attachment; only such a game as this is dear to the Lord. ||2||
Rise in the early hours of the morning, and take your cleansing bath. Before you go to bed at night, remember to worship the Lord.
My True Guru will assist you, even on your most difficult moves; you shall reach your true home in celestial peace and poise. ||3||
The Lord Himself plays, and He Himself watches; the Lord Himself created the creation.
O servant Nanak, that person who plays this game as Gurmukh, wins the game of life, and returns to his true home. ||4||1||19||
Basant, Fifth Mehl, Hindol:
You alone know Your Creative Power, O Lord; no one else knows it.
He alone realizes You, O my Beloved, unto whom You show Your Mercy. ||1||
I am a sacrifice to Your devotees.
Your place is eternally beautiful, God; Your wonders are infinite. ||1||Pause||
Only You Yourself can perform Your service. No one else can do it.
He alone is Your devotee, who is pleasing to You. You bless them with Your Love. ||2||

You are the Great Giver; You are so very Wise. There is no other like You.
You are my All-powerful Lord and Master; I do not know how to worship You. ||3||
Your Mansion is imperceptible, O my Beloved; it is so difficult to accept Your Will.
Says Nanak, I have collapsed at Your Door, Lord. I am foolish and ignorant - please save me! ||4||2||20||
Basant Hindol, Fifth Mehl:
The mortal does not know the Primal Lord God; he does not understand hmself. He is engrossed in doubt and egotism. ||1||
My Father is the Supreme Lord God, my Master.
I am unworthy, but please save me anyway. ||1||Pause||
Creation and destruction come only from God; this is what the Lord's humble servants believe. ||2||
Only those who are imbued with God's Name are judged to be peaceful in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||3||
It is the Guru's Word that carries us across; Nanak cannot think of any other way. ||4||3||21||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Basant Hindol, Ninth Mehl:
O Holy Saints, know that this body is false.
The Lord who dwells within it - recognize that He alone is real. ||1||Pause||
The wealth of this world is only a dream; why are you so proud of it?
None of it shall go along with you in the end; why do you cling to it? ||1||
Leave behind both praise and slander; enshrine the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises within your heart.
O servant Nanak, the One Primal Being, the Lord God, is totally permeating everywhere. ||2||1||
Basant, Ninth Mehl:
The heart of the sinner is filled with unfulfilled sexual desire.
He cannot control his fickle mind. ||1||Pause||
The Yogis, wandering ascetics and renunciates
- this net is cast over them all. ||1||
Those who contemplate the Name of the Lord
cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Servant Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord.
Please bestow the blessing of Your Name, that he may continue to sing Your Glorious Praises. ||3||2||
Basant, Ninth Mehl:
O mother, I have gathered the wealth of the Lord's Name.
My mind has stopped its wanderings, and now, it has come to rest. ||1||Pause||
Attachment to Maya has run away from my body, and immaculate spiritual wisdom has welled up within me.
Greed and attachment cannot even touch me; I have grasped hold of devotional worship of the Lord. ||1||
The cynicism of countless lifetimes has been eradicated, since I obtained the jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
My mind was rid of all its desires, and I was absorbed in the peace of my own inner being. ||2||
That person, unto whom the Merciful Lord shows compassion, sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Says Nanak, this wealth is gathered only by the Gurmukh. ||3||3||
Basant, Ninth Mehl:
O my mind, how can you forget the Lord's Name?
When the body perishes, you shall have to deal with the Messenger of Death. ||1||Pause||
This world is just a hill of smoke.

What makes you think that it is real? ||1||
Wealth, spouse, property and household
- none of them shall go along with you; you must know that this is true! ||2||
Only devotion to the Lord shall go with you.
Says Nanak, vibrate and meditate on the Lord with single-minded love. ||3||4||
Basant, Ninth Mehl:
Why do you wander lost, O mortal, attached to falsehood and greed?
Nothing has been lost yet - there is still time to wake up! ||1||Pause||
You must realize that this world is nothing more than a dream.
In an instant, it shall perish; know this as true. ||1||
The Lord constantly abides with you.
Night and day, vibrate and meditate on Him, O my friend. ||2||
At the very last instant, He shall be your Help and Support.
Says Nanak, sing His Praises. ||3||5||
Basant, First Mehl, Ashtapadees, First House, Du-Tukees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The world is a crow; it does not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Forgetting the Naam, it sees the bait, and pecks at it.
The mind wavers unsteadily, in guilt and deceit.
I have shattered my attachment to the false world. ||1||
The burden of sexual desire, anger and corruption is unbearable.
Without the Naam, how can the mortal maintain a virtuous lifestyle? ||1||Pause||
The world is like a house of sand, built on a whirlpool;
it is like a bubble formed by drops of rain.
It is formed from a mere drop, when the Lord's wheel turns round.
The lights of all souls are the servants of the Lord's Name. ||2||
My Supreme Guru has created everything.
I perform devotional worship service to You, and fall at Your Feet, O Lord.
Imbued with Your Name, I long to be Yours.
Those who do not let the Naam become manifest within themselves, depart like thieves in the end. ||3||
The mortal loses his honor, gathering sin and corruption.
But imbued with the Lord's Name, you shall go to your true home with honor.
God does whatever He wills.
One who abides in the Fear of God, becomes fearless, O my mother. ||4||
The woman desires beauty and pleasure.
But betel leaves, garlands of flowers and sweet tastes lead only to disease.
The more she plays and enjoys, the more she suffers in sorrow.
But when she enters into the Sanctuary of God, whatever she wishes comes to pass. ||5||
She wears beautiful clothes with all sorts of decorations.
But the flowers turn to dust, and her beauty leads her into evil.
Hope and desire have blocked the doorway.
Without the Naam, one's hearth and home are deserted. ||6||
O princess, my daughter, run away from this place!
Chant the True Name, and embellish your days.
Serve your Beloved Lord God, and lean on the Support of His Love.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, abandon your thirst for corruption and poison. ||7||
My Fascinating Lord has fascinated my mind.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I have realized You, Lord.
Nanak stands longingly at God's Door.
I am content and satisfied with Your Name; please shower me with Your Mercy. ||8||1||
Basant, First Mehl:
The mind is deluded by doubt; it comes and goes in reincarnation.
It is lured by the poisonous lure of Maya.
It does not remain stable in the Love of the One Lord.
Like the fish, its neck is pierced by the hook. ||1||
The deluded mind is instructed by the True Name.
It contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad, with intuitive ease. ||1||Pause||

The mind, deluded by doubt, buzzes around like a bumble bee.
The holes of the body are worthless, if the mind is filled with such great desire for corrupt passions.
It is like the elephant, trapped by its own sexual desire.
It is caught and held tight by the chains, and beaten on its head. ||2||
The mind is like a foolish frog, without devotional worship.
It is cursed and condemned in the Court of the Lord, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He has no class or honor, and no one even mentions his name.
That person who lacks virtue - all of his pains and sorrows are his only companions. ||3||
His mind wanders out, and cannot be brought back or restrained.
Without being imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord, it has no honor or credit.
You Yourself are the Listener, Lord, and You Yourself are our Protector.
You are the Support of the earth; You Yourself behold and understand it. ||4||
When You Yourself make me wander, unto whom can I complain?
Meeting the Guru, I will tell Him of my pain, O my mother.
Abandoning my worthless demerits, now I practice virtue.
Imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I am absorbed in the True Lord. ||5||
Meeting with the True Guru, the intellect is elevated and exalted.
The mind becomes immaculate, and egotism is washed away.
He is liberated forever, and no one can put him in bondage.
He chants the Naam forever, and nothing else. ||6||
The mind comes and goes according to the Will of the Lord.
The One Lord is contained amongst all; nothing else can be said.
The Hukam of His Command pervades everywhere, and all merge in His Command.
Pain and pleasure all come by His Will. ||7||
You are infallible; You never make mistakes.
Those who listen to the Word of the Guru's Shabad - their intellects become deep and profound.
You, O my Great Lord and Master, are contained in the Shabad.
O Nanak, my mind is pleased, praising the True Lord. ||8||2||
Basant, First Mehl:
That person, who thirsts for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan,
is absorbed in the One Lord, leaving duality behind.
His pains are taken away, as he churns and drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar.
The Gurmukh understands, and merges in the One Lord. ||1||
So many cry out for Your Darshan, Lord.
How rare are those who realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad and merge with Him. ||1||Pause||
The Vedas say that we should chant the Name of the One Lord.
He is endless; who can find His limits?
There is only One Creator, who created the world.
Without any pillars, He supports the earth and the sky. ||2||
Spiritual wisdom and meditation are contained in the melody of the Bani, the Word of the One Lord.
The One Lord is Untouched and Unstained; His story is unspoken.
The Shabad, the Word, is the Insignia of the One True Lord.
Through the Perfect Guru, the Knowing Lord is known. ||3||
There is only one religion of Dharma; let everyone grasp this truth.
Through the Guru's Teachings, one becomes perfect, all the ages through.
Imbued with the Unmanifest Celestial Lord, and lovingly absorbed in the One,
the Gurmukh attains the invisible and infinite. ||4||
There is one celestial throne, and One Supreme King.
The Independent Lord God is pervading all places.
The three worlds are the creation of that Sublime Lord.
The One Creator of the Creation is Unfathomable and Incomprehensible. ||5||
His Form is One, and True is His Name.
True justice is administered there.
Those who practice Truth are honored and accepted.
They are honored in the Court of the True Lord. ||6||
Devotional worship of the One Lord is the expression of love for the One Lord.
Without the Fear of God and devotional worship of Him, the mortal comes and goes in reincarnation.
One who obtains this understanding from the Guru dwells like an honored guest in this world.

That humble being who is imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord is certified and approved. ||7||
I see Him here and there; I dwell on Him intuitively.
I do not love any other than You, O Lord and Master.
O Nanak, my ego has been burnt away by the Word of the Shabad.
The True Guru has shown me the Blessed Vision of the True Lord. ||8||3||
Basant, First Mehl:
The fickle consciousness cannot find the Lord's limits.
It is caught in non-stop coming and going.
I am suffering and dying, O my Creator.
No one cares for me, except my Beloved. ||1||
All are high and exalted; how can I call anyone low?
Devotional worship of the Lord and the True Name has satisfied me. ||1||Pause||
I have taken all sorts of medicines; I am so tired of them.
How can this disease be cured, without my Guru?
Without devotional worship of the Lord, the pain is so great.
My Lord and Master is the Giver of pain and pleasure. ||2||
The disease is so deadly; how can I find the courage?
He knows my disease, and only He can take away the pain.
My mind and body are filled with faults and demerits.
I searched and searched, and found the Guru, O my brother! ||3||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad, and the Lord's Name are the cures.
As You keep me, so do I remain.
The world is sick; where should I look?
The Lord is Pure and Immaculate; Immaculate is His Name. ||4||
The Guru sees and reveals the Lord's home, deep within the home of the self;
He ushers the soul-bride into the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
When the mind remains in the mind, and the consciousness in the consciousness,
such people of the Lord remain unattached. ||5||
They remain free of any desire for happiness or sorrow;
tasting the Amrit, the Ambrosial Nectar, they abide in the Lord's Name.
They recognize their own selves, and remain lovingly attuned to the Lord.
They are victorious on the battlefield of life, following the Guru's Teachings, and their pains run away. ||6||
The Guru has given me the True Ambrosial Nectar; I drink it in.
Of course, I have died, and now I am alive to live.
Please, protect me as Your Own, if it pleases You.
One who is Yours, merges into You. ||7||
Painful diseases afflict those who are sexually promiscuous.
God appears permeating and pervading in each and every heart.
One who remains unattached, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad
- O Nanak, his heart and consciousness dwell upon and savor the Lord. ||8||4||
Basant, First Mehl, Ik-Tukee:
Do not make such a show of rubbing ashes on your body.
O naked Yogi, this is not the way of Yoga! ||1||
You fool! How can you have forgotten the Lord's Name?
At the very last moment, it and it alone shall be of any use to you. ||1||Pause||
Consult the Guru, reflect and think it over.
Wherever I look, I see the Lord of the World. ||2||
What can I say? I am nothing.
All my status and honor are in Your Name. ||3||
Why do you take such pride in gazing upon your property and wealth?
When you must leave, nothing shall go along with you. ||4||
So subdue the five thieves, and hold your consciousness in its place.
This is the basis of the way of Yoga. ||5||
Your mind is tied with the rope of egotism.
You do not even think of the Lord - you fool! He alone shall liberate you. ||6||
If you forget the Lord, you will fall into the clutches of the Messenger of Death.
At that very last moment, you fool, you shall be beaten. ||7||

Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and be rid of your ego.
True Yoga shall come to dwell in your mind. ||8||
He blessed you with body and soul, but you do not even think of Him.
You fool! Visiting graves and cremation grounds is not Yoga. ||9||
Nanak chants the sublime, glorious Bani of the Word.
Understand it, and appreciate it. ||10||5||
Basant, First Mehl:
In duality and evil-mindedness, the mortal acts blindly.
The self-willed manmukh wanders, lost in the darkness. ||1||
The blind man follows blind advice.
Unless one takes the Guru's Way, his doubt is not dispelled. ||1||Pause||
The manmukh is blind; he does not like the Guru's Teachings.
He has become a beast; he cannot get rid of his egotistical pride. ||2||
God created 8.4 million species of beings.
My Lord and Master, by the Pleasure of His Will, creates and destroys them. ||3||
All are deluded and confused, without the Word of the Shabad and good conduct.
He alone is instructed in this, who is blessed by the Guru, the Creator. ||4||
The Guru's servants are pleasing to our Lord and Master.
The Lord forgives them, and they no longer fear the Messenger of Death. ||5||
Those who love the One Lord with all their heart
- He dispels their doubts and unites them with Himself. ||6||
God is Independent, Endless and Infinite.
The Creator Lord is pleased with Truth. ||7||
O Nanak, the Guru instructs the mistaken soul.
He implants the Truth within him, and shows him the One Lord. ||8||6||
Basant, First Mehl:
He Himself is the bumble bee, the fruit and the vine.
He Himself unites us with the Sangat - the Congregation, and the Guru, our Best Friend. ||1||
O bumble bee, suck in that fragrance,
which causes the trees to flower, and the woods to grow lush foliage. ||1||Pause||
He Himself is Lakshmi, and He Himself is her husband.
He established the world by Word of His Shabad, and He Himself ravishes it. ||2||
He Himself is the calf, the cow and the milk.
He Himself is the Support of the body-mansion. ||3||
He Himself is the Deed, and He Himself is the Doer.
As Gurmukh, He contemplates Himself. ||4||
You create the creation, and gaze upon it, O Creator Lord.
You give Your Support to the uncounted beings and creatures. ||5||
You are the Profound, Unfathomable Ocean of Virtue.
You are the Unknowable, the Immaculate, the most Sublime Jewel. ||6||
You Yourself are the Creator, with the Potency to create.
You are the Independent Ruler, whose people are at peace. ||7||
Nanak is satisfied with the subtle taste of the Lord's Name.
Without the Beloved Lord and Master, life is meaningless. ||8||7||
Basant Hindol, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The nine regions, the seven continents, the fourteen worlds, the three qualities and the four ages - You established them all through the four sources of creation, and You seated them in Your mansions.
He placed the four lamps, one by one, into the hands of the four ages. ||1||
O Merciful Lord, Destroyer of demons, Lord of Lakshmi, such is Your Power - Your Shakti. ||1||Pause||
Your army is the fire in the home of each and every heart. And Dharma - righteous living is the ruling chieftain.
The earth is Your great cooking pot; Your beings receive their portions only once. Destiny is Your gate-keeper. ||2||
But the mortal becomes unsatisfied, and begs for more; his fickle mind brings him disgrace.

Greed is the dark dungeon, and demerits are the shackles on his feet. ||3||
His wealth constantly batters him, and sin acts as the police officer.
Whether the mortal is good or bad, he is as You look upon him, O Lord. ||4||
The Primal Lord God is called Allah. The Shaykh's turn has now come.
The temples of the gods are subject to taxes; this is what it has come to. ||5||
The Muslim devotional pots, calls to prayer, prayers and prayer mats are everywhere; the Lord appears in blue robes.
In each and every home, everyone uses Muslim greetings; your speech has changed, O people. ||6||
You, O my Lord and Master, are the King of the earth; what power do I have to challenge You?
In the four directions, people bow in humble adoration to You; Your Praises are sung in each and every heart. ||7||
Making pilgrimages to sacred shrines, reading the Simritees and giving donations in charity - these do bring any profit.
O Nanak, glorious greatness is obtained in an instant, remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||8||1||8||
Basant Hindol, Second House, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Within the body-village there lives a child who cannot hold still, even for an instant.
It makes so many efforts, and grows weary, but still, it wanders restlessly again and again. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, Your child has come home, to be one with You.
Meeting the True Guru, he finds the Perfect Lord. Meditating and vibrating on the Name of the Lord, he receives the Insignia of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
These are dead corpses, these bodies of all the people of the world; the Name of the Lord does not dwell in them.
The Guru leads us to taste the water of the Lord's Name, and then we savor and enjoy it, and our bodies are rejuvenated. ||2||
I have examined and studied and searched my entire body, and as Gurmukh, I behold a miraculous wonder.
All the faithless cynics searched outside and died, but following the Guru's Teachings, I have found the Lord within the home of my own heart. ||3||
God is Merciful to the meekest of the meek; Krishna came to the house of Bidar, a devotee of low social status.
Sudama loved God, who came to meet him; God sent everything to his home, and ended his poverty. ||4||
Great is the glory of the Name of the Lord. My Lord and Master Himself has enshrined it within me.
Even if all the faithless cynics continue slandering me, it is not diminished by even one iota. ||5||
The Lord's Name is the praise of His humble servant. It brings him honor in the ten directions.
The slanderers and the faithless cynics cannot endure it at all; they have set fire to their own houses. ||6||
The humble person meeting with another humble person obtains honor. In the glory of the Lord, their glory shines forth.
The servants of my Lord and Master are loved by the Beloved. They are the slaves of His slaves. ||7||
The Creator Himself is the Water; He Himself unites us in His Union.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is absorbed in celestial peace and poise, like water blending with water. ||8||1||9||

Basant, Fifth Mehl, First House, Du-Tukee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Listen to the stories of the devotees, O my mind, and meditate with love.
Ajaamal uttered the Lord's Name once, and was saved.
Baalmeek found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
The Lord definitely met Dhroo. ||1||
I beg for the dust of the feet of Your Saints.
Please bless me with Your Mercy, Lord, that I may apply it to my forehead. ||1||Pause||
Ganika the prostitute was saved, when her parrot uttered the Lord's Name.
The elephant meditated on the Lord, and was saved.
He delivered the poor Brahmin Sudama out of poverty.
O my mind, you too must meditate and vibrate on the Lord of the Universe. ||2||
Even the hunter who shot an arrow at Krishna was saved.
Kubija the hunchback was saved, when God placed His Feet on her thumb.
Bidar was saved by his attitude of humility.
O my mind, you too must meditate on the Lord. ||3||
The Lord Himself saved the honor of Prahlaad.
Even when she was being disrobed in court, Dropatee's honor was preserved.
Those who have served the Lord, even at the very last instant of their lives, are saved.
O my mind, serve Him, and you shall be carried across to the other side. ||4||
Dhanna served the Lord, with the innocence of a child.
Meeting with the Guru, Trilochan attained the perfection of the Siddhas.
The Guru blessed Baynee with His Divine Illumination.
O my mind, you too must be the Lord's slave. ||5||
Jai Dayv gave up his egotism.
Sain the barber was saved through his selfless service.
Do not let your mind waver or wander; do not let it go anywhere.
O my mind, you too shall cross over; seek the Sanctuary of God. ||6||
O my Lord and Master, You have shown Your Mercy to them.
You saved those devotees.
You do not take their merits and demerits into account.
Seeing these ways of Yours, I have dedicated my mind to Your service. ||7||
Kabeer meditated on the One Lord with love.
Naam Dayv lived with the Dear Lord.
Ravi Daas meditated on God, the Incomparably Beautiful.
Guru Nanak Dayv is the Embodiment of the Lord of the Universe. ||8||1||
Basant, Fifth Mehl:
The mortal wanders in reincarnation through countless lifetimes.
Without meditating in remembrance on the Lord, he falls into hell.
Without devotional worship, he is cut apart into pieces.
Without understanding, he is punished by the Messenger of Death. ||1||
Meditate and vibrate forever on the Lord of the Universe, O my friend.
Love forever the True Word of the Shabad. ||1||Pause||
Contentment does not come by any endeavors.
All the show of Maya is just a cloud of smoke.
The mortal does not hesitate to commit sins.
Intoxicated with poison, he comes and goes in reincarnation. ||2||
Acting in egotism and self-conceit, his corruption only increases.
The world is drowning in attachment and greed.
Sexual desire and anger hold the mind in its power.
Even in his dreams, he does not chant the Lord's Name. ||3||
Sometimes he is a king, and sometimes he is a beggar.
The world is bound by pleasure and pain.
The mortal makes no arrangements to save himself.
The bondage of sin continues to hold him. ||4||
He has no beloved friends or companions.
He himself eats what he himself plants.

He gathers up that which brings corruption;
leaving them, the fool must depart in an instant. ||5||
He wanders in attachment to Maya.
He acts in accordance with the karma of his past actions.
Only the Creator Himself remains detached.
God is not affected by virtue or vice. ||6||
Please save me, O Merciful Lord of the Universe!
I seek Your Sanctuary, O Perfect Compassionate Lord.
Without You, I have no other place of rest.
Please take pity on me, God, and bless me with Your Name. ||7||
You are the Creator, and You are the Doer.
You are High and Exalted, and You are totally Infinite.
Please be merciful, and attach me to the hem of Your robe.
Slave Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of God. ||8||2||
Basant Kee Vaar, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate on the Lord's Name, and blossom forth in green abundance.
By your high destiny, you have been blessed with this wondrous spring of the soul.
See all the three worlds in bloom, and obtain the Fruit of Ambrosial Nectar.
Meeting with the Holy Saints, peace wells up, and all sins are erased.
O Nanak, remember in meditation the One Name, and you shall never again be consigned to the womb of reincarnation.. ||1||
The five powerful desires are bound down, when you lean on the True Lord.
The Lord Himself leads us to dwell at His Feet. He stands right in our midst.
All sorrows and sicknesses are eradicated, and you become ever-fresh and rejuvenated.
Night and day, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. You shall never again die.
And the One, from whom we came, O Nanak, into Him we merge once again. ||2||
Where do we come from? Where do we live? Where do we go in the end?
All creatures belong to God, our Lord and Master. Who can place a value on Him?
Those who meditate, listen and chant, those devotees are blessed and beautified.
The Lord God is Inaccessible and Unfathomable; there is no other equal to Him.
The Perfect Guru has taught this Truth. Nanak proclaims it to the world. ||3||1||
Basant, The Word Of The Devotees,
Kabeer Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The earth is in bloom, and the sky is in bloom.
Each and every heart has blossomed forth, and the soul is illumined. ||1||
My Sovereign Lord King blossoms forth in countless ways.
Wherever I look, I see Him there pervading. ||1||Pause||
The four Vedas blossom forth in duality.
The Simritees blossom forth, along with the Koran and the Bible. ||2||
Shiva blossoms forth in Yoga and meditation.
Kabeer's Lord and Master pervades in all alike. ||3||1||
The Pandits, the Hindu religious scholars, are intoxicated, reading the Puraanas.
The Yogis are intoxicated in Yoga and meditation.
The Sannyaasees are intoxicated in egotism.
The penitents are intoxicated with the mystery of penance. ||1||
All are intoxicated with the wine of Maya; no one is awake and aware.
The thieves are with them, plundering their homes. ||1||Pause||
Suk Dayv and Akrur are awake and aware.

Hanuman with his tail is awake and aware.
Shiva is awake, serving at the Lord's Feet.
Naam Dayv and Jai Dayv are awake in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||2||
There are many ways of being awake, and sleeping.
To be awake as Gurmukh is the most excellent way.
The most sublime of all the actions of this body,
says Kabeer, is to meditate and vibrate on the Lord's Name. ||3||2||
The wife gives birth to her husband.
The son leads his father in play.
Without breasts, the mother nurses her baby. ||1||
Behold, people! This is how it is in the Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
The son marries his mother. ||1||Pause||
Without feet, the mortal jumps.
Without a mouth, he bursts into laughter.
Without feeling sleepy, he lays down and sleeps.
Without a churn, the milk is churned. ||2||
Without udders, the cow gives milk.
Without travelling, a long journey is made.
Without the True Guru, the path is not found.
Says Kabeer, see this, and understand. ||3||3||
Prahlaad was sent to school.
He took many of his friends along with him.
He asked his teacher, "Why do you teach me about worldly affairs?
Write the Name of the Dear Lord on my tablet."||1||
O Baba, I will not forsake the Name of the Lord.
I will not bother with any other lessons. ||1||Pause||
Sanda and Marka went to the king to complain.
He sent for Prahlaad to come at once.
He said to him, "Stop uttering the Lord's Name.
I shall release you at once, if you obey my words."||2||
Prahlaad answered, "Why do you annoy me, over and over again?
God created the water, land, hills and mountains.
I shall not forsake the One Lord; if I did, I would be going against my Guru.
You might as well throw me into the fire and kill me."||3||
The king became angry and drew his sword.
"Show me your protector now!"
So God emerged out of the pillar, and assumed a mighty form.
He killed Harnaakhash, tearing him apart with his nails. ||4||
The Supreme Lord God, the Divinity of the divine,
for the sake of His devotee, assumed the form of the man-lion.
Says Kabeer, no one can know the Lord's limits.
He saves His devotees like Prahlaad over and over again. ||5||4||
Within the body and mind are thieves like sexual desire,
which has stolen my jewel of spiritual wisdom.
I am a poor orphan, O God; unto whom should I complain?
Who has not been ruined by sexual desire? What am I? ||1||
O Lord, I cannot endure this agonizing pain.
What power does my fickle mind have against it? ||1||Pause||
Sanak, Sanandan, Shiva and Suk Dayv
were born out of Brahma's naval chakra.
The poets and the Yogis with their matted hair
all lived their lives with good behavior. ||2||
You are Unfathomable; I cannot know Your depth.
O God, Master of the meek, unto whom should I tell my pains?
Please rid me of the pains of birth and death, and bless me with peace.
Kabeer utters the Glorious Praises of God, the Ocean of peace. ||3||5||
There is one merchant and five traders.
The twenty-five oxen carry false merchandise.
There are nine poles which hold the ten bags.
The body is tied by the seventy-two ropes. ||1||
I don't care at all about such commerce.

It depletes my capital, and the interest charges only increase. ||Pause||
Weaving the seven threads together, they carry on their trade.
They are led on by the karma of their past actions.
The three tax-collectors argue with them.
The traders depart empty-handed. ||2||
Their capital is exhausted, and their trade is ruined.
The caravan is scattered in the ten directions.
Says Kabeer, O mortal, your tasks will be accomplished,
when you merge in the Celestial Lord; let your doubts run away. ||3||6||
Basant Hindol, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The mother is impure, and the father is impure. The fruit they produce is impure.
Impure they come, and impure they go. The unfortunate ones die in impurity. ||1||
Tell me, O Pandit, O religious scholar, which place is uncontaminated?
Where should I sit to eat my meal? ||1||Pause||
The tongue is impure, and its speech is impure. The eyes and ears are totally impure.
The impurity of the sexual organs does not depart; the Brahmin is burnt by the fire. ||2||
The fire is impure, and the water is impure. The place where you sit and cook is impure.
Impure is the ladle which serves the food. Impure is the one who sits down to eat it. ||3||
Impure is the cow dung, and impure is the kitchen square. Impure are the lines that mark it off.
Says Kabeer, they alone are pure, who have obtained pure understanding. ||4||1||7||
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1||Pause||
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Basant, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If the servant runs away when his master is in trouble,
he will not have a long life, and he brings shame to all his family. ||1||
I shall not abandon devotional worship of You, O Lord, even if the people laugh at me.
The Lord's Lotus Feet abide within my heart. ||1||Pause||
The mortal will even die for the sake of his wealth;
in the same way, the Saints do not forsake the Lord's Name. ||2||
Pilgrimages to the Ganges, the Gaya and the Godawari are merely worldly affairs.

If the Lord were totally pleased, then He would let Naam Dayv be His servant. ||3||1||
The tidal waves of greed constantly assault me.
My body is drowning, O Lord. ||1||
Please carry me across the world-ocean, O Lord of the Universe.
Carry me across, O Beloved Father. ||1||Pause||
I cannot steer my ship in this storm.
I cannot find the other shore, O Beloved Lord. ||2||
Please be merciful, and unite me with the True Guru;
carry me across, O Lord. ||3||
Says Naam Dayv, I do not know how to swim.
Give me Your Arm, give me Your Arm, O Beloved Lord. ||4||2||
Slowly at first, the body-cart loaded with dust starts to move.
Later, it is driven on by the stick. ||1||
The body moves along like the ball of dung, driven on by the dung-beetle.
The beloved soul goes down to the pool to wash itself clean. ||1||Pause||
The washerman washes, imbued with the Lord's Love.
My mind is imbued with the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||2||
Prays Naam Dayv, O Lord, You are All-pervading.
Please be kind to Your devotee. ||3||3||
Basant, The Word Of Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You know nothing.
Seeing your clothes, you are so proud of yourself.
The proud bride shall not find a place with the Lord.
Above your head, the crow of death is cawing. ||1||
Why are you so proud? You are insane.
Even the mushrooms of summer live longer than you. ||1||Pause||
The deer does not know the secret;
the musk is within its own body, but it searches for it outside.
Whoever reflects on his own body
- the Messenger of Death does not abuse him. ||2||
The man is so proud of his sons and his wife;
his Lord and Master shall call for his account.
The soul suffers in pain for the actions it has committed.
Afterwards, whom shall you call, "Dear, Dear."||3||
If you seek the Support of the Holy,
millions upon millions of your sins shall be totally erased.
Says Ravi Daas, one who chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord,
is not concerned with social class, birth and rebirth. ||4||1||
Basant, Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You walk like a cow.
The hair on your tail is shiny and lustrous. ||1||
Look around, and eat anything in this house.
But do not go out to any other. ||1||Pause||
You lick the grinding bowl, and eat the flour.
Where have you taken the kitchen rags? ||2||
Your gaze is fixed on the basket in the cupboard.
Watch out - a stick may strike you from behind. ||3||
Says Kabeer, you have over-indulged in your pleasures.
Watch out - someone may throw a brick at you. ||4||1||

Raag Saarang, Chau-Padas, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
I am the hand-maiden of my Lord and Master.
I have grasped the Feet of God, the Life of the world. He has killed and eradicated my egotism. ||1||Pause||
He is the Perfect, Supreme Light, the Supreme Lord God, my Beloved, my Breath of Life.
The Fascinating Lord has fascinated my mind; contemplating the Word of the Shabad, I have come to understand. ||1||
The worthless self-willed manmukh, with false and shallow understanding - his mind and body are held in pain's grip.
Since I came to be imbued with the Love of my Beautiful Lord, I meditate on the Lord, and my mind is encouraged. ||2||
Abandoning egotism, I have become detached. And now, I absorb true intuitive understanding.
The mind is pleased and appeased by the Pure, Immaculate Lord; the opinions of other people are irrelevant. ||3||
There is no other like You, in the past or in the future, O my Beloved, my Breath of Life, my Support.
The soul-bride is imbued with the Name of the Lord; O Nanak, the Lord is her Husband. ||4||1||
Saarang, First Mehl:
How can I survive without the Lord? I am suffering in pain.
My tongue does not taste - all is bland without the Lord's sublime essence. Without God, I suffer and die. ||1||Pause||
As long as I do not attain the Blessed Vision of my Beloved, I remain hungry and thirsty.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, my mind is pleased and appeased. The lotus blossoms forth in the water. ||1||
The low-hanging clouds crack with thunder and burst. The cuckoos and the peacocks are filled with passion,
along with the birds in the trees, the bulls and the snakes. The soul-bride is happy when her Husband Lord returns home. ||2||
She is filthy and ugly, unfeminine and ill-mannered - she has no intuitive understanding of her Husband Lord.
She is not satisfied by the sublime essence of her Lord's Love; she is evil-minded, immersed in her pain. ||3||
The soul-bride does not come and go in reincarnation or suffer in pain; her body is not touched by the pain of disease.
O Nanak, she is intuitively embellished by God; seeing God, her mind is encouraged. ||4||2||
Saarang, First Mehl:
My Beloved Lord God is not far away.
My mind is pleased and appeased by the Word of the True Guru's Teachings. I have found the Lord, the Support of my breath of life. ||1||Pause||

This is the way to meet your Husband Lord. Blessed is the soul-bride who is loved by her Husband Lord.
Social class and status, race, ancestry and skepticism are eliminated, following the Guru's Teachings and contemplating the Word of the Shabad. ||1||
One whose mind is pleased and appeased, has no egotistical pride. Violence and greed are forgotten.
The soul-bride intuitively ravishes and enjoys her Husband Lord; as Gurmukh, she is embellished by His Love. ||2||
Burn away any love of family and relatives, which increases your attachment to Maya.
One who does not savor the Lord's Love deep within, lives in duality and corruption. ||3||
His Love is a priceless jewel deep within my being; the Lover of my Beloved is not hidden.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, enshrine the Priceless Naam deep within your being, all the ages through. ||4||3||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am the dust of the feet of the humble Saints of the Lord.
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have obtained the supreme status. The Lord, the Supreme Soul, is all-pervading everywhere. ||1||Pause||
Meeting the Saintly True Guru, I have found peace and tranquility. Sins and painful mistakes are totally erased and taken away.
The Divine Light of the soul radiates forth, gazing upon the Presence of the Immaculate Lord God. ||1||
By great good fortune, I have found the Sat Sangat; the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is all-prevading everywhere.
I have taken my cleansing bath at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, bathing in the dust of the feet of the True Congregation. ||2||
Evil-minded and corrupt, filthy-minded and shallow, with impure heart, attached to enticement and falsehood.
Without good karma, how can I find the Sangat? Engrossed in egotism, the mortal remains stuck in regret. ||3||
Be kind and show Your Mercy, O Dear Lord; I beg for the dust of the feet of the Sat Sangat.
O Nanak, meeting with the Saints, the Lord is attained. The Lord's humble servant obtains the Presence of the Lord. ||4||1||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to the Feet of the Lord of the Universe.
I cannot swim across the terrifying world ocean. But chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I am carried across across. ||1||Pause||
Faith in God came to fill my heart; I serve Him intuitively, and contemplate Him.
Night and day, I chant the Lord's Name within my heart; it is all-powerful and virtuous. ||1||
God is Inaccessible and Unfathomable, All-pervading everywhere, in all minds and bodies; He is Infinite and Invisible.
When the Guru bebomes merciful, then the Unseen Lord is seen within the heart. ||2||
Deep within the inner being is the Name of the Lord, the Support of the entire earth, but to the egotistical shaakta, the faithless cynic, He seems far away.
His burning desire is never quenched, and he loses the game of life in the gamble. ||3||
Standing up and sitting down, the mortal sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, when the Guru bestows even a tiny bit of His Grace.
O Nanak, those who are blessed by His Glance of Grace - He saves and protects their honor. ||4||2||

Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
O my Beloved Lord, Har, Har, please bless me with Your Ambrosial Name.
Those whose minds are pleased to be Gurmukh - the Lord completes their projects. ||1||Pause||
Those humble beings who become meek before the Guru-their pains are taken away.
Night and day, they perform devotional worship services to the Guru; they are embellished with the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Within their hearts is the ambrosial essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; they savor this essence, sing the praises of this essence, and contemplate this essence.
By Guru's Grace, they are aware of this ambrosial essence; they find the Gate of Salvation. ||2||
The True is the Primal Being, Unmoving and Unchanging. One who takes the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord - his intellect becomes focused and steady.
I offer my soul to Him; I am a sacrifice to my True Guru. ||3||
The self-willed manmukhs are stuck in doubt and attached to duality; the darkness of spiritual ignorance is within them.
They do not see the True Guru, the Giver; they are not on this shore, or the other. ||4||
Our Lord and Master is permeating and pervading each and every heart; He is supremely Potent to exercise His Might.
Nanak, the slave of His slaves, says, please, be merciful and save me! ||5||3||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
This is the way to work for the Lord.
Whatever He does, accept that as true. As Gurmukh, remain lovingly absorbed in His Name. ||1||Pause||
The Love of the Lord of the Universe seems supremely sweet. Everything else is forgotten.
Night and day, he is in ecstasy; his mind is pleased and appeased, and his light merges into the Light. ||1||
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, his mind is satisfied. Peace and tranquility come to abide within his mind.
When the Guru becomes merciful, the mortal finds the Lord; he focuses his consciousness on the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||2||
The intellect is enlightened, meditating on the Lord. He remains lovingly attuned to the essence of spiritual wisdom.
The Divine Light radiates forth deep within his being; his mind is pleased and appeased. He merges intuitively into Celestial Samaadhi. ||3||
One whose heart is filled with falsehood, continues to practice falsehood, even while he teaches and preaches about the Lord.
Within him is the utter darkness of greed. He is thrashed like wheat, and suffers in pain. ||4||
When my God is totally pleased, the mortal tunes in and becomes Gurmukh.
Nanak has obtained the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord. Chanting the Naam, he has found peace. ||5||4||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
My mind is pleased and appeased by the Name of the Lord.
The True Guru has implanted divine love within my heart. The Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har, is pleasing to my mind. ||1||Pause||
Please be merciful to Your meek and humble servant; please bless Your humble servant with Your Unspoken Speech.
Meeting with the humble Saints, I have found the sublime essence of the Lord. The Lord seems so sweet to my mind and body. ||1||
They alone are unattached, who are imbued with the Lord's Love; through the Guru's Teachings, they realize the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Meeting with the Primal Being, one finds peace, and one's comings and goings in reincarnation are ended. ||2||
With my eyes, I gaze lovingly upon God, my Lord and Master. I chant His Name with my tongue.

With my ears, I listen to the Kirtan of His Praises, day and night. I love the Lord, Har, Har, with all my heart. ||3||
When the Guru helped me to overcome the five thieves, then I found ultimate bliss, attached to the Naam.
The Lord has showered His Mercy on servant Nanak; he merges in the Lord, in the Name of the Lord. ||4||5||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, and study His Excellence.
Without the Lord's Name, nothing is steady or stable. All the rest of the show is useless. ||1||Pause||
What is there to accept, and what is there to reject, O madman? Whatever is seen shall turn to dust.
That poison which you believe to be your own - you must abandon it and leave it behind. What a load you have to carry on your head! ||1||
Moment by moment, instant by instant, your life is running out. The fool cannot understand this.
He does things which will not go along with him in the end. This is the lifestyle of the faithless cynic. ||2||
So join together with the humble Saints, O madman, and you shall find the Gate of Salvation.
Without the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, no one finds any peace. Go and ask the scholars of the Vedas. ||3||
All the kings and queens shall depart; they must leave this false expanse.
O Nanak, the Saints are eternally steady and stable; they take the Support of the Name of the Lord. ||4||6||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl, Third House, Du-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O son, why do you argue with your father?
It is a sin to argue with the one who fathered you and raised you. ||1||Pause||
That wealth, which you are so proud of - that wealth does not belong to anyone.
In an instant, you shall have to leave behind all your corrupt pleasures; you shall be left to regret and repent. ||1||
He is God, your Lord and Master - chant the Chant of that Lord.
Servant Nanak spreads the Teachings; if you listen to it, you shall be rid of your pain. ||2||1||7||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl, Fifth House, Du-Padas, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my mind, meditate on the Lord of the World, the Master of the Universe, the Life of the World, the Enticer of the mind; fall in love with Him. I take the Support of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, all day and all night. ||1||Pause||
Endless, endless, endless are the Praises of the Lord. Suk Dayv, Naarad and the gods like Brahma sing His Glorious Praises. Your Glorious Virtues, O my Lord and Master, cannot even be counted.
O Lord, You are Infinite, O Lord, You are Infinite, O Lord, You are my Lord and Master; only You Yourself know Your Own Ways. ||1||
Those who are near, near to the Lord - those who dwell near the Lord - those humble servants of the Lord are the Holy, the devotees of the Lord.
Those humble servants of the Lord merge with their Lord, O Nanak, like water merging with water. ||2||1||8||

Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, meditate on the Lord, the Lord, your Lord and Master. The Lord is the Most Divine of all the divine beings. Chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, the Lord, my most Dear Beloved. ||1||Pause||
That household, in which the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung, in which the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung, in which His Glorious Praises are sung, where the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, resound - great is the destiny w
All the sins of that humble being are taken away, all the pains are taken away, all diseases are taken away; sexual desire, anger, greed, attachment and egotistical pride are taken away. The Lord drives the five thieves out of such a person
Chant the Name of the Lord, O Holy Saints of the Lord; meditate on the Lord of the Universe, O Holy people of the Lord. Meditate in thought, word and deed on the Lord, Har, Har. Worship and adore the Lord, O Holy people of the Lord.
Chant the Name of the Lord, chant the Name of the Lord. It shall rid you of all your sins.
Continually and continuously remain awake and aware. You shall be in ecstasy forever and ever, meditating on the Lord of the Universe.
Servant Nanak: O Lord, Your devotees obtain the fruits of their minds' desires; they obtain all the fruits and rewards, and the four great blessings - Dharmic faith, wealth and riches, sexual success and liberation. ||2||2||9||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, meditate on the Lord, the Lord of Wealth, the Source of Nectar, the Supreme Lord God, the True Transcendent Being, God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He is the Destroyer of all suffering, the Giver of all peace; sing the Praises of my Beloved Lord God. ||1||Pause||
The Lord dwells in the home of each and every heart. The Lord dwells in the water, and the Lord dwells on the land. The Lord dwells in the spaces and interspaces. I have such a great longing to see the Lord.
If only some Saint, some humble Saint of the Lord, my Holy Beloved, would come, to show me the way.
I would wash and massage the feet of that humble being. ||1||
The Lord's humble servant meets the Lord, through his faith in the Lord; meeting the Lord, he becomes Gurmukh.
My mind and body are in ecstasy; I have seen my Sovereign Lord King.
Servant Nanak has been blessed with Grace, blessed with the Lord's Grace, blessed with the Grace of the Lord of the Universe.
I meditate on the Lord, the Name of the Lord, night and day, forever, forever and ever. ||2||3||10||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, meditate on the Fearless Lord,
who is True, True, Forever True.
He is free of vengeance, the Image of the Undying,
beyond birth, Self-existent.
O my mind, meditate night and day on the Formless, Self-sustaining Lord. ||1||Pause||
For the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, the three hundred thirty million gods, and millions of Siddhas, celibates and Yogis make their pilgrimages to sacred shrines and rivers, and go on f
The service of the humble person is approved, unto whom the Lord of the World shows His Mercy. ||1||
They alone are the good Saints of the Lord, the best and most exalted devotees, who are pleasing to their Lord.
Those who have my Lord and Master on their side - O Nanak, the Lord saves their honor. ||2||4||11||

Saarang, Fourth Mehl, Partaal:
O my mind, meditate on the Lord of the Universe, the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, the Treasure of Virtue, the God of all creation. O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, the Lord, the Eternal, Imperishable, Primal Lord God. ||1||Pause||
The Name of the Lord is the Ambrosial Nectar, Har, Har, Har. He alone drinks it in, whom the Lord inspires to drink it.
The Merciful Lord Himself bestows His Mercy, and He leads the mortal to meet with the True Guru. That humble being tastes the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Those who serve my Lord, forever and ever - all their pain, doubt and fear are taken away.
Servant Nanak chants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and so he lives, like the song-bird, which is satisfied only by drinking in the water. ||2||5||12||
Saarang, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, meditate on the Supreme Lord.
The Lord, the Lord is All-pervading.
True, True is the Lord.
O Siblings of Destiny, chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, forever. He is All-pervading everywhere. ||1||Pause||
The Lord Himself is Himself the Creator of all. The Lord Himself is Himself pervading the whole world.
That person, upon whom my Sovereign Lord King, Raam, Raam, Raam, bestows His Mercy - that person is lovingly attuned to the Lord's Name. ||1||
O Saints of the Lord, behold the Glory of the Name of the Lord; His Name saves the honor of His humble devotees in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
My Sovereign Lord King has taken servant Nanak's side; his enemies and attackers have all run away. ||2||6||13||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
I am a sacrifice to the Image of the True Guru.
My inner being is filled with a great thirst, like that of the song-bird for water. When shall I find the Fruitful Vision of His Darshan? ||1||Pause||
He is the Master of the masterless, the Cherisher of all. He is the Lover of the devotees of His Name.
That mortal, whom no one can protect - You bless him with Your Support, O Lord. ||1||
Support of the unsupported, Saving Grace of the unsaved, Home of the homeless.
Wherever I go in the ten directions, You are there with me. The only thing I do is sing the Kirtan of Your Praises. ||2||
From Your Oneness, You become tens of thousands, and from tens of thousands, You become One. I cannot describe Your state and extent.
You are Infinite - Your value cannot be appraised. Everything I see is Your play. ||3||
I speak with the Company of the Holy; I am in love with the Holy people of the Lord.
Servant Nanak has found the Lord through the Guru's Teachings; please bless me with Your Blessed Vision; O Lord, my mind yearns for it. ||4||1||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Dear Lord is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
The mortal does evil deeds, and hides from others, but like the air, the Lord is present everywhere. ||1||Pause||
You call yourself a devotee of Vishnu and you practice the six rituals, but your inner being is polluted with greed.
Those who slander the Society of the Saints, shall all be drowned in their ignorance. ||1||

The mortal eats the food which he has carefully prepared, and then steals the wealth of others. His inner being is filled with falsehood and pride.
He knows nothing of the Vedas or the Shaastras; his mind is gripped by pride. ||2||
He says his evening prayers, and observes all the fasts, but this is all just a show.
God made him stray from the path, and sent him into the wilderness. All his actions are useless. ||3||
He alone is a spiritual teacher, and he alone is a devotee of Vishnu and a scholar, whom the Lord God blesses with His Grace.
Serving the True Guru, he obtains the supreme status and saves the whole world. ||4||
What can I say? I don't know what to say. As God wills, so do I speak.
I ask only for the dust of the feet of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Servant Nanak seeks their Sanctuary. ||5||2||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now, my dancing is over.
I have intuitively obtained my Darling Beloved. Through the Word of the True Guru's Teachings, I found Him. ||1||Pause||
The virgin speaks with her friends about her husband and they laugh together;
but when he comes home, she becomes shy, and modestly covers her face. ||1||
When gold is melted in the crucible, it flows freely everywhere.
But when it is made into pure solid bars of gold, then it remains stationary. ||2||
As long as the days and the nights of one's life last, the clock strikes the hours, minutes and seconds.
But when the gong player gets up and leaves, the gong is not sounded again. ||3||
When the pitcher is filled with water, the water contained within it seems distinct.
Says Nanak, when the pitcher is emptied out, the water mingles again with water. ||4||3||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now if he is asked, what can he say?
He was supposed to have gathered the sublime essence of the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, but instead, the mad-man was busy with poison. ||1||Pause||
This human life, so difficult to obtain, was finally obtained after such a long time. He is losing it in exchange for a shell.
He came to buy musk, but instead, he has loaded dust and thistle grass. ||1||
He comes in search of profits, but he is entangled in the enticing illusion of Maya.
He loses the jewel, in exchange for mere glass. When will he have this blessed opportunity again? ||2||
He is full of sins, and he has not even one redeeming virtue. Forsaking his Lord and Master, he is involved with Maya, God's slave.
And when the final silence comes, like inanimate matter, he is caught like a thief at the door. ||3||
I cannot see any other way out. I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord's slaves.
Says Nanak, the mortal is emancipated, only when all his demerits and faults are erased and eradicated. ||4||4||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, my patience is gone. I am in love with my Husband Lord.
There are so many kinds of incomparable pleasures, but I am not interested in any of them. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, I utter, "Pri-a, Pri-a - Beloved, Beloved" with my mouth. I cannot sleep, even for an instant; I remain awake and aware.
Necklaces, eye make-up, fancy clothes and decorations - without my Husband Lord, these are all poison to me. ||1||

I ask and ask, with humility, "Who can tell me which country my Husband Lord lives in?"
I would dedicate my heart to him, I offer my mind and body and everything; I place my head at his feet. ||2||
I bow at the feet of the voluntary slave of the Lord; I beg him to bless me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Show Mercy to me, that I may meet God, and gaze upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan every moment. ||3||
When He is Kind to me, He comes to dwell within my being. Night and day, my mind is calm and peaceful.
Says Nanak, I sing the Songs of Joy; the Unstruck Word of the Shabad resounds within me. ||4||5||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, True, True True is the Lord, and True, True, True is His Holy Saint.
The Word which the Perfect Guru has spoken, I have tied to my robe. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, and the stars in the sky shall vanish. The sun and the moon shall vanish.
The mountains, the earth, the water and the air shall pass away. Only the Word of the Holy Saint shall endure. ||1||
Those born of eggs shall pass away, and those born of the womb shall pass away. Those born of the earth and sweat shall pass away as well.
The four Vedas shall pass away, and the six Shaastras shall pass away. Only the Word of the Holy Saint is eternal. ||2||
Raajas, the quality of energetic activity shall pass away. Taamas, the quality of lethargic darkness shall pass away. Saatvas, the quality of peaceful light shall pass away as well.
All that is seen shall pass away. Only the Word of the Holy Saint is beyond destruction. ||3||
He Himself is Himself by Himself. All that is seen is His play.
He cannot be found by any means. O Nanak, meeting with the Guru, God is found. ||4||6||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru, the Lord of the Universe, dwells within my mind.
Wherever my Lord and Master is remembered in meditation - that village is filled with peace and bliss. ||1||Pause||
Wherever my Beloved Lord and Master is forgotten - all misery and misfortune is there.
Where the Praises of my Lord, the Embodiment of Bliss and Joy are sung - eternal peace and wealth are there. ||1||
Wherever they do not listen to the Stories of the Lord with their ears - the utterly desolate wilderness is there.
Where the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung with love in the Saadh Sangat - there is fragrance and fruit and joy in abundance. ||2||
Without meditative remembrance on the Lord, one may live for millions of years, but his life would be totally useless.
But if he vibrates and meditates on the Lord of the Universe, for even a moment, then he shall live forever and ever. ||3||
O God, I seek Your Sanctuary, Your Sanctuary, Your Sanctuary; please mercifully bless me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O Nanak, the Lord is All-pervading everywhere, amongst all. He knows the qualities and the condition of all. ||4||7||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now, I have obtained the Support of the Lord.
Those who seek the Sanctuary of the Ocean of Mercy are carried across the world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
They sleep in peace, and intuitively merge into the Lord. The Guru takes away their cynicism and doubt.
Whatever they wish for, the Lord does; they obtain the fruits of their minds' desires. ||1||
In my heart, I meditate on Him; with my eyes, I focus my meditation on Him. With my ears, I listen to His Sermon.

With my feet, I walk on my Lord and Mater's Path. With my tongue, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
With my eyes, I see the Lord, the Embodiment of Absolute Bliss; the Saint has turned away from the world.
I have found the Priceless Name of the Beloved Lord; it never leaves me or goes anywhere else. ||3||
What praise, what glory and what virtues should I utter, in order to please the Lord?
That humble being, unto whom the Merciful Lord is kind - O servant Nanak, he is the slave of God's slaves. ||4||8||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Who can I tell, and with whom can I speak, about this state of peace and bliss?
I am in ecstasy and delight, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan. My mind sings His Songs of Joy and His Glories. ||1||Pause||
I am wonderstruck, gazing upon the Wondrous Lord. The Merciful Lord is All-pervading everywhere.
I drink in the Invaluable Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Like the mute, I can only smile - I cannot speak of its flavor. ||1||
As the breath is held in bondage, no one can understand its coming in and going out.
So is that person, whose heart is enlightened by the Lord - his story cannot be told. ||2||
As many other efforts as you can think of - I have seen them and studied them all.
My Beloved, Carefree Lord has revealed Himself within the home of my own heart; thus I have realized the Inaccessible Lord. ||3||
The Absolute, Formless, Eternally Unchanging, Immeasurable Lord cannot be masured.
Says Nanak, whoever endures the unendurable - this state belongs to him alone. ||4||9||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The corrupt person passes his days and nights uselessly.
He does not vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the Universe; he is intoxicated with egotistical intellect. He loses his life in the gamble. ||1||Pause||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is priceless, but he is not in love with it. He loves only to slander others.
Weaving the grass, he builds his house of straw. At the door, he builds a fire. ||1||
He carries a load of sulfur on his head, and drives the Ambrosial Nectar out of his mind.
Wearing his good clothes, the mortal falls into the coal-pit; again and again, he tries to shake it off. ||2||
Standing on the branch, eating and eating and smiling, he cuts down the tree.
He falls down head-first and is shattered into bits and pieces. ||3||
He bears vengeance against the Lord who is free of vengeance. The fool is not up to the task.
Says Nanak, the Saving Grace of the Saints is the Formless, Supreme Lord God. ||4||10||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
All the others are deluded by doubt; they do not understand.
That person, within whose heart the One Pure Word abides, realizes the essence of the Vedas. ||1||Pause||
He walks in the ways of the world, trying to please people.
But as long as his heart is not enlightened, he is stuck in pitch black darkness. ||1||
The land may be prepared in every way, but nothing sprouts without being planted.
Just so, without the Lord's Name, no one is liberated, nor is egotistical pride eradicated. ||2||
The mortal may churn water until he is sore, but how can butter be produced?
Without meeting the Guru, no one is liberated, and the Lord of the Universe is not met. ||3||

Searching and searching, I have come to this realization: all peace and bliss are in the Name of the Lord.
Says Nanak, he alone receives it, upon whose forehead such destiny is inscribed. ||4||11||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Night and day, utter the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
You shall obtain all wealth, all pleasures and successes, and the fruits of your mind's desires. ||1||Pause||
Come, O Saints, let us meditate in remembrance on God; He is the Eternal, Imperishable Giver of Peace and Praanaa, the Breath of Life.
Master of the masterless, Destroyer of the pains of the meek and the poor; He is All-pervading and permeating, abiding in all hearts. ||1||
The very fortunate ones drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, singing, reciting and listening to the Lord's Praises.
All their sufferings and struggles are wiped away from their bodies; they remain lovingly awake and aware in the Name of the Lord. ||2||
So abandon your sexual desire, greed, falsehood and slander; meditating in remembrance on the Lord, you shall be released from bondage.
The intoxication of loving attachments, egotism and blind possessiveness are eradicated by Guru's Grace. ||3||
You are All-Powerful, O Supreme Lord God and Master; please be Merciful to Your humble servant.
My Lord and Master is All-pervading and prevailing everywhere; O Nanak, God is Near. ||4||12||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to the Feet of the Divine Guru.
I meditate with Him on the Supreme Lord God; His Teachings have emancipated me. ||1||Pause||
All pains, diseases and fears are erased, for one who comes to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Saints.
He Himself chants, and inspires others to chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord. He is Utterly All-Powerful; He carries us across to the other side. ||1||
His Mantra drives out cynicism, and totally fills the empty one.
Those who obey the Order of the Lord's slaves, do not enter into the womb of reincarnation ever again. ||2||
Whoever works for the Lord's devotees and sings His Praises - his pains of birth and death are taken away.
Those unto whom my Beloved becomes Merciful, endure the Unendurable Ecstasy of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
Those who are satisfied by the Sublime Essence of the Lord, merge intuitively into the Lord; no mouth can describe their state.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, they are content; chanting and meditating on God's Name, they are saved. ||4||13||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I sing, O I sing the Songs of Joy of my Lord, the Treasure of Virtue.
Fortunate is the time, fortunate is the day and the moment, when I become pleasing to the Lord of the World. ||1||Pause||
I touch my forehead to the Feet of the Saints.
The Saints have placed their hands on my forehead. ||1||
My mind is filled with the Mantra of the Holy Saints,
and I have risen above the three qualities||2||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of God's devotees, my eyes are filled with love.
Greed and attachment are gone, along with doubt. ||3||
Says Nanak, I have found intuitive peace, poise and bliss.
Tearing down the wall, I have met the Lord, the Embodiment of Supreme Bliss. ||4||14||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
How can I express the pain of my soul?
I am so thirsty for the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of my Enticing and Lovely Beloved. My mind cannot survive - it yearns for Him in so many ways. ||1||Pause||

I think thoughts of Him; I miss the Love of my Beloved. When will I obtain the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan?
I try, but this mind is not encouraged. Is there any Saint who can lead me to God? ||1||
Chanting, penance, self-control, good deeds and charity - I sacrifice all these in fire; I dedicate all peace and places to Him.
One who helps me to behold the Blessed Vision of my Beloved, for even an instant - I am a sacrifice to that Saint. ||2||
I offer all my prayers and entreaties to him; I serve him, day and night.
I have renounced all pride and egotism; he tells me the stories of my Beloved. ||3||
I am wonder-struck, gazing upon the wondrous play of God. The Guru, the True Guru, has led me to meet the Primal Lord.
I have found God, my Merciful Loving Lord, within the home of my own heart. O Nanak, the fire within me has been quenched. ||4||1||15||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
You fool, why are you not meditating on the Lord now?
In the awful hell of the fire of the womb, you did penance, upside-down; each and every instant, you sang His Glorious Praises. ||1||Pause||
You wandered through countless incarnations, until finally you attained this priceless human birth.
Leaving the womb, you were born, and when you came out, you became attached to other places. ||1||
You practiced evil and fraud day and night, and did useless deeds.
You thrash the straw, but it has no wheat; running around and hurrying, you obtain only pain. ||2||
The false person is attached to falsehood; he is entangled with transitory things.
And when the Righteous Judge of Dharma seizes you, O madman, you shall arise and depart with your face blackened. ||3||
He alone meets with God, whom God Himself meets, by such pre-ordained destiny written on his forehead.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to that humble being, who remains unattached within his mind. ||4||2||16||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
How can I live without my Beloved, O my mother?
Separated from Him, the mortal becomes a corpse, and is not allowed to remain within the house. ||1||Pause||
He is the Giver of the soul, the heart, the breath of life. Being with Him, we are embellished with joy.
Please bless me with Your Gace, O Saint, that I may sing the songs of joyful praise to my God. ||1||
I touch my forehead to the feet of the Saints. My eyes long for their dust.
By His Grace, we meet God; O Nanak, I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to Him. ||2||3||17||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to that occasion.
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate in remembrance on my God; by great good fortune, I have found the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Kabeer is good, the slave of the Lord's slaves; the humble barber Sain is sublime.
Highest of the high is Naam Dayv, who looked upon all alike; Ravi Daas was in tune with the Lord. ||1||
My soul, body and wealth belong to the Saints; my mind longs for the dust of the Saints.
And by the radiant Grace of the Saints, all my doubts have been erased. O Nanak, I have met the Lord. ||2||4||18||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru fulfills the mind's desires.

All wealth and treasures are obtained by remembering Him in meditation; twenty-four hours a day, O my mind, meditate on Him. ||1||Pause||
Your Name is Ambrosial Nectar, O my Lord and Master. Whoever drinks it in is satisfied.
The sins of countless incarnations are erased, and hereafter, he shall be saved and redeemed in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Creator, O Perfect Supreme Eternal Lord God.
Please be kind to me, that I may meditate on Your Lotus Feet. O Nanak, my mind and body thirst for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||2||5||19||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my mind, why are you lured away by otherness?
Here and hereafter, God is forever your Help and Support. He is your soul-mate; He will help you succeed. ||1||Pause||
The Name of your Beloved Lover, the Fascinating Lord, is Ambrosial Nectar. Drinking it in, you shall find satisfaction.
The Being of Immortal Manifestation is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Meditate on Him in that most sublime place. ||1||
The Bani, the Word of the Supreme Lord God, is the greatest Mantra of all. It eradicates pride from the mind.
Searching, Nanak found the home of peace and bliss in the Name of the Lord. ||2||1||20||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, sing forever the Songs of Joy of the Lord of the Universe.
All your disease, sorrow and sin will be erased, if you meditate on the Lord's Name, even for an instant. ||1||Pause||
Abandon all your clever tricks; go and enter the Sanctuary of the Holy.
When the Lord, the Destroyer of the pains of the poor becomes merciful, the Messenger of Death is changed into the Righteous Judge of Dharma. ||1||
Without the One Lord, there is no other at all. No one else can equal Him.
The Lord is Nanak's Mother, Father and Sibling, the Giver of Peace, his Breath of Life. ||2||2||21||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's humble servant saves those who accompany him.
Their minds are sanctified and rendered pure, and they are rid of the pains of countless incarnations. ||1||Pause||
Those who walk on the path find peace; they are saved, along with those who speak with them.
Even those who are drowning in the horrible, deep dark pit are carried across in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
Those who have such high destiny turn their faces toward the Saadh Sangat.
Nanak longs for the dust of their feet; O God, please shower Your Mercy on me! ||2||3||22||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The humble servant of the Lord meditates on the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
One who enjoys peace in the Company of the Holy, even for an instant, obtains millions of heavenly paradises. ||1||Pause||
This human body, so difficult to obtain, is sanctified by meditating on the Lord. It takes away the fear of death.
Even the sins of terrible sinners are washed away, by cherishing the Lord's Name within the heart. ||1||
Whoever listens to the Immaculate Praises of the Lord - his pains of birth and death are dispelled.
Says Nanak, the Lord is found by great good fortune, and then the mind and body blossom forth. ||2||4||23||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my Fascinating Lord, I pray to You: come into my house.
I act in pride, and speak in pride. I am mistaken and wrong, but I am still Your hand-maiden, O my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
I hear that You are near, but I cannot see You. I wander in suffering, deluded by doubt.
The Guru has become merciful to me; He has removed the veils. Meeting with my Beloved, my mind blossoms forth in abundance. ||1||
If I were to forget my Lord and Master, even for an instant, it would be like millions of days, tens of thousands of years.
When I joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, I met my Lord. ||2||1||24||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now what should I think? I have given up thinking.
You do whatever You wish to do. Please bless me with Your Name - I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||Pause||
The poison of corruption is flowering forth in the four directions; I have taken the GurMantra as my antidote.
Giving me His Hand, He has saved me as His Own; like the lotus in the water, I remain unattached. ||1||
I am nothing. What am I? You hold all in Your Power.
Nanak has run to Your Sanctuary, Lord; please save him, for the sake of Your Saints. ||2||2||25||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now I have abandoned all efforts and devices.
My Lord and Master is the All-powerful Creator, the Cause of causes, my only Saving Grace. ||1||Pause||
I have seen numerous forms of incomparable beauty, but nothing is like You.
You give Your Support to all, O my Lord and Master; You are the Giver of peace, of the soul and the breath of life. ||1||
Wandering, wandering, I grew so tired; meeting the Guru, I fell at His Feet.
Says Nanak, I have found total peace; this life-night of mine passes in peace. ||2||3||26||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now I have found the Support of my Lord.
The Guru, the Giver of peace, has become merciful to me. I was blind - I see the jewel of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I have cut away the darkness of ignorance and become immaculate; my discriminationg intellect has blossomed forth.
As the waves of water and the foam become water again, the Lord and His servant become One. ||1||
He is taken in again, into what from which he came; all is one in the One Lord.
O Nanak, I have come to see the Master of the breath of life, all-pervading everywhere. ||2||4||27||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My mind longs for the One Beloved Lord.
I have looked everywhere in every country, but nothing equals even a hair of my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
All sorts of delicacies and dainties are placed before me, but I do not even want to look at them.
I long for the sublime essence of the Lord, calling, "Pri-o! Pri-o! - Beloved! Beloved!", like the Bumble bee longing for the lotus flower. ||1||

The Treasure of Virtue, the Enticer of the mind, my Beloved is the Giver of peace to all.
Guru Nanak has led me to You, O God. Join with me, O my Best Friend, and hold me close in Your Embrace. ||2||5||28||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now my mind is pleased and appeased by my Lord and Master.
The Holy Saint has become kind and compassionate to me, and has destroyed this demon of duality. ||1||Pause||
You are so beautiful, and You are so wise; You are elegant and all-knowing.
All the Yogis, spiritual teachers and meditators do not know even a bit of Your value. ||1||
You are the Master, You are the Lord under the royal canopy; You are the perfectly pervading Lord God.
Please bless me with the gift of service to the Saints; O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Lord. ||2||6||29||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Love of my Beloved comes into my conscious mind.
I have forgotten the entangling affairs of Maya, and I spend my life-night fighting with evil. ||1||Pause||
I serve the Lord; the Lord abides within my heart. I have found my Lord in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
So I have met with my enticingly beautiful Beloved; I have obtained the peace which I asked for. ||1||
The Guru has brought my Beloved under my control, and I enjoy Him with unrestrained pleasure.
I have become fearless; O Nanak, my fears have been eradicated. Chanting the Word, I have found the Lord. ||2||7||30||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of my Dear Lord.
The Naad, the Sound-current of His Word fills my ears; my body has settled gently into the Lap of my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
I was a discarded bride, and the Guru has made me a happy soul-bride. I have found the Elegant and All-knowing Lord.
That home, in which I was not even allowed to sit - I have found that place in which I can dwell. ||1||
God, the Love of His devotees, has come under the control of those who protect the honor of His Saints.
Says Nanak, my mid is pleased and appeased with the Lord, and my subservience to other people has come to an end. ||2||8||31||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now my association with the five thieves has come to an end.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, my mind is in ecstasy; by Guru's Grace, I am released. ||1||Pause||
The impregnable place is guarded by countless ramparts and warriors.
This impregnable fortress cannot be touched, but with the assistance of the Saints, I have entered and robbed it. ||1||
I have found such a great treasure, a priceless, inexhaustible supply of jewels.
O servant Nanak, when God showered His Mercy on me, my mind drank in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||2||9||32||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now my mind is absorbed in my Lord and Master.
The Perfect Guru has blessed me with the gift of the breath of life. I am involved with the Lord, like the fish with the water. ||1||Pause||
I have cast out sexual desire, anger, greed, egotism and envy; I have offered all this as a gift.
The Guru has implanted the medicine of the Lord's Mantra within me, and I have met with the All-knowing Lord God. ||1||
My household belongs to You, O my Lord and Master; the Guru has blessed me with God, and rid me of egotism.

Says Nanak, I have found the Lord with intuitive ease, within the home of my own heart. Devotional worship of the Lord is a treasure over-flowing. ||2||10||33||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my Enticing Lord, all beings are Yours - You save them.
Even a tiny bit of Your Mercy ends all cruelty and tyranny. You save and redeem millions of universes. ||1||Pause||
I offer countless prayers; I remember You each and every instant.
Please be merciful to me, O Destroyer of the pains of the poor; please give me Your hand and save me. ||1||
And what about these poor kings? Tell me, who can they kill?
Save me, save me, save me, O Giver of peace; O Nanak, all the world is Yours. ||2||11||34||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now I have obtained the wealth of the Lord's Name.
I have become carefree, and all my thirsty desires are satisfied. Such is the destiny written on my forehead. ||1||Pause||
Searching and searching, I became depressed; I wandered all around, and finally came back to my body-village.
The Merciful Guru made this deal, and I have obtained the priceless jewel. ||1||
The other deals and trades which I did, brought only sorrow and suffering.
Fearless are those traders who deal in meditation on the Lord of the Universe. O Nanak, the Lord's Name is their capital. ||2||12||35||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Speech of my Beloved seems so sweet to my mind.
The Guru has taken hold of my arm, and linked me to God's service. My Beloved Lord is forever merciful to me. ||1||Pause||
O God, You are my Lord and Master; You are the Cherisher of all. My wife and I are totally Your slaves.
You are all my honor and power - You are. Your Name is my only Support. ||1||
If You seat me on the throne, then I am Your slave. If You make me a grass-cutter, then what can I say?
Servant Nanak's God is the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, Unfathomable and Immeasurable. ||2||13||36||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The tongue becomes beautiful, uttering the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
In an instant, He creates and destroys. Gazing upon His Wondrous Plays, my mind is fascinated. ||1||Pause||
Listening to His Praises, my mind is in utter ecstasy, and my heart is rid of pride and pain.
I have found peace, and my pains have been taken away, since I became one with God. ||1||
Sinful resides have been wiped away, and my mind is immaculate. The Guru has lifted me up and pulled me out of the deception of Maya.
Says Nanak, I have found God, the All-powerful Creator, the Cause of causes. ||2||14||37||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
With my eyes, I have seen the marvellous wonders of the Lord.
He is far from all, and yet near to all. He is Inaccessible and Unfathomable, and yet He dwells in the heart. ||1||Pause||
The Infallible Lord never makes a mistake. He does not have to write His Orders, and He does not have to consult with anyone.
In an instant, He creates, embellishes and destroys. He is the Lover of His devotees, the Treasure of Excellence. ||1||
Lighting the lamp in the deep dark pit, the Guru illumines and enlightens the heart.

Says Nanak, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, I have found peace, and all my hopes have been fulfilled. ||2||15||38||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The most beautiful path for the feet is to follow the Lord of the Universe.
The more you walk on any other path, the more you suffer in pain. ||1||Pause||
The eyes are sanctified, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. Serving Him, the hands are sanctified.
The heart is sanctified, when the Lord abides within the heart; that forehead which touches the dust of the feet of the Saints is sanctified. ||1||
All treasures are in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; he alone obtains it, who has it written in his karma.
Servant Nanak has met with the Perfect Guru; he passes his life-night in peace, poise and pleasure. ||2||16||39||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; at the very last instant, it shall be your Help and Support.
In that place where your mother, father, children and siblings shall be of no use to you at all, there, the Name alone shall save you. ||1||Pause||
He alone meditates on the Lord in the deep dark pit of his own household, upon whose forehead such destiny is written.
His bonds are loosened, and the Guru liberates him. He sees You, O Lord, everywhere. ||1||
Drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, his mind is satisfied. Tasting it, his tongue is satiated.
Says Nanak, I have obtained celestial peace and poise; the Guru has quenched all my thirst. ||2||17||40||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Meeting the Guru, I meditate on God in such a way,
that He has become kind and compassionate to me. He is the Destroyer of pain; He does not allow the hot wind to even touch me. ||1||Pause||
With each and every breath I take, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
He is not separated from me, even for an instant, and I never forget Him. He is always with me, wherever I go. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to His Lotus Feet. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.
Says Nanak, I do not care about anything else; I have found the Lord, the Ocean of peace. ||2||18||41||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Word of the Guru's Shabad seems so sweet to my mind.
My karma has been activated, and the Divine Radiance of the Lord, Har, Har, is manifest in each and every heart. ||1||Pause||
The Supreme Lord God, beyond birth, Self-existent, is seated within every heart everywhere.
I have come to obtain the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Lotus Feet of God. ||1||
I anoint my forehead with the dust of the Society of the Saints; it is as if I have bathed at all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Says Nanak, I am dyed in the deep crimson color of His Love; the Love of my Lord shall never fade away. ||2||19||42||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru has given me the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, as my Companion.
If the Word of God dwells within my heart for even an instant, all my hunger is relieved. ||1||Pause||
O Treasure of Mercy, Master of Excellence, my Lord and Master, Ocean of peace, Lord of all.
My hopes rest in You alone, O my Lord and Master; hope in anything else is useless. ||1||
My eyes were satisfied and fulfilled, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, when the Guru placed His Hand on my forehead.

Says Nanak, I have found immeasurable peace; my fear of birth and death is gone. ||2||20||43||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
You fool: why are you going somewhere else?
The Enticing Ambrosial Amrit is with you, but you are deluded, totally deluded, and you eat poison. ||1||Pause||
God is Beautiful, Wise and Incomparable; He is the Creator, the Architect of Destiny, but you have no love for Him.
The mad-man's mind is enticed by Maya, the enticer; he has taken the intoxicating drug of falsehood. ||1||
The Destroyer of pain has become kind and compassionate to me, and I am in tune with the Saints.
I have obtained all treasures within the home of my own heart; says Nanak, my light has merged into the Light. ||2||21||44||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My consciousness has loved my Beloved God, since the very beginning of time.
When You blessed me with the Teachings, O my True Guru, I was embellished with beauty. ||1||Pause||
I am mistaken; You are never mistaken. I am a sinner; You are the Saving Grace of sinners.
I am a lowly thorn-tree, and You are the sandalwood tree. Please preserve my honor by staying with me; please stay with me. ||1||
You are deep and profound, calm and benevolent. What am I? Just a poor helpless being.
The Merciful Guru Nanak has united me with the Lord. I lay on His Bed of Peace. ||2||22||45||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, blessed and approved is that day,
and fruitful is that hour, and lucky is that moment, when the True Guru blesses me with spirtual wisdom. ||1||Pause||
Blessed is my good destiny, and blessed is my Husband Lord. Blessed are those upon whom honor is bestowed.
This body is Yours, all my home and wealth are Yours; I offer my heart as a sacrifice to You. ||1||
I obtain tens of thousands and millions of regal pleasures, if I gaze upon Your Blessed Vision, even for an instant.
When You, O God, say, "My servant, stay here with me", Nanak knows unlimited peace. ||2||23||46||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now I am rid of my skepticism and sorrow.
I have abandoned and forsaken all other efforts, and come to the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||1||Pause||
I have attained total perfection, and all my works are perfectly completed; the illness of egotism has been totally eradicated.
Millions of sins are destroyed in an instant; meeting with the Guru, I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Subduing the five thieves, he Guru has made them my slaves; my mind has become stable and steady and fearless.
It does not come or go in reincarnation; it does not waver or wander anywhere. O Nanak, my empire is eternal. ||2||24||47||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Here and hereafter, God is forever my Help and Support.
He is the Enticer of my mind, the Beloved of my soul. What Glorious Praises of His can I sing and chant? ||1||Pause||
He plays with me, He fondles and caresses me. Forever and ever, He blesses me with bliss.
He cherishes me, like the father and the mother love their child. ||1||
I cannot survive without Him, even for an instant; I shall never forget Him.

Says Nanak, joining the Society of the Saints, I am enraptured, lovingly attuned to my Lord. ||2||25||48||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Sing of your Lord and Master, your Best Friend.
Do not place your hopes in anyone else; meditate on God, the Giver of peace. ||1||Pause||
Peace, joy and salvation are in His Home. Seek the Protection of His Sanctuary.
But if you forsake Him, and serve mortal beings, your honor will dissolve like salt in water. ||1||
I have grasped the Anchor and Support of my Lord and Master; meeting with the Guru, I have found wisdom and understanding.
Nanak has met God, the Treasure of Excellence; all dependence on others is gone. ||2||26||49||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I have the Almighty Support of my Dear Lord God.
I do not look up to anyone else. My honor and glory are Yours, O God. ||1||Pause||
God has taken my side; He has lifted me up and pulled me out of the whirlpool of corruption.
He has poured the medicine of the Naam, the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, into my mouth; I have fallen at the Guru's Feet. ||1||
How can I praise You with only one mouth? You are generous, even to the unworthy.
You cut away the noose, and now You own me; Nanak is blessed with myriad joys. ||2||27||50||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Remembering God in meditation, pains are dispelled.
When the Giver of peace to the soul becomes merciful, the mortal is totally redeemed. ||1||Pause||
I know of none other than God; tell me, who else should I approach?
As You know me, so do You keep me, O my Lord and Master.I have surrendered everything to You. ||1||
God gave me His Hand and saved me; He has blessed me with eternal life.
Says Nanak, my mind is in ecstasy; the noose of death has been cut away from my neck. ||2||28||51||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My mind contemplates You, O Lord, all the time.
I am Your meek and helpless child; You are God my Father. As You know me, You save me. ||1||Pause||
When I am hungry, I ask for food; when I am full, I am totally at peace.
When I dwell with You, I am free of disease; if I become separated from You, I turn to dust. ||1||
What power does the slave of Your slave have, O Establisher and Disestablisher?
If I do not forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, then I die. Nanak offers this prayer. ||2||29||52||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I have shaken off fear and dread from my mind.
With intuitive ease, peace and poise, I sing the Glorious Praises of my Kind, Sweet, Darling Beloved. ||1||Pause||
Practicing the Guru's Word, by His Grace, I do not wander anywhere anymore.
The illusion has been dispelled; I am in Samaadhi, Sukh-aasan, the position of peace. I have found the Lord, the Lover of His devotees, within the home of my own heart. ||1||
| The Sound-current of the Naad, playful joys and pleasures - I am intuitively, easily absorbed into the Celestial Lord.
He Himself is the Creator, the Cause of causes. Says Nanak, He Himself is All-in-all. ||2||30||53||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Support of the mind.
I am a sacrifice to the One who gave it to me; I humbly bow to the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
My thirst is quenched, and I have been intuitively embellished. The poisons of sexual desire and anger have been burnt away.
This mind does not come and go; it abides in that place, where the Formless Lord sits. ||1||
The One Lord is manifest and radiant; the One Lord is hidden and mysterious. The One Lord is abysmal darkness.
From the beginning, throughout the middle and until the end, is God. Says Nanak, reflect on the Truth. ||2||31||54||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Without God, I cannot survive, even for an instant.
One who finds joy in the Lord finds total peace and perfection. ||1||Pause||
God is the Embodiment of bliss, the Breath of Life and Wealth; remembering Him in meditation, I am blessed with absolute bliss.
He is utterly All-powerful, with me forever and ever; what tongue can utter His Glorious Praises? ||1||
His Place is sacred, and His Glory is sacred; sacred are those who listen and speak of Him.
Says Nanak, that dwelling is sacred, in which Your Saints live. ||2||32||55||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My tongue chants Your Name, Your Name.
In the mother's womb, You sustained me, and in this mortal world, You alone help me. ||1||Pause||
You are my Father, and You are my Mother; You are my Loving Friend and Sibling.
You are my Family, and You are my Support. You are the Giver of the Breath of Life. ||1||
You are my Treasure, and You are my Wealth. You are my Gems and Jewels.
You are the wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree. Nanak has found You through the Guru, and now he is enraptured. ||2||33||56||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Wherever he goes, his consciousness turns to his own.
Whoever is a chaylaa (a servant) goes only to his Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
He shares his sorrows, his joys and his condition only with his own.
He obtains honor from his own, and strength from his own; he gets an advantage from his own. ||1||
Some have regal power, youth, wealth and property; some have a father and a mother.
I have obtained all things, O Nanak, from the Guru. My hopes have been fulfilled. ||2||34||57||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
False is intoxication and pride in Maya.
Get rid of your fraud and attachment, O wretched mortal, and remember that the Lord of the World is with you. ||1||Pause||
False are royal powers, youth, nobility, kings, rulers and aristocrats.
False are the fine clothes, perfumes and clever tricks; false are the foods and drinks. ||1||
O Patron of the meek and the poor, I am the slave of Your slaves; I seek the Sanctuary of Your Saints.
I humbly ask, I beg of You, please relieve my anxiety; O Lord of Life, please unite Nanak with Yourself. ||2||35||58||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
By himself, the mortal cannot accomplish anything.
He runs around chasing all sorts of projects, engrossed in other entanglements. ||1||Pause||
His companions of these few days will not be there when he is in trouble.

He is hand and glove with those who are of no use to him; the poor wretch is affectionately involved with them. ||1||
I am nothing; nothing belongs to me. I have no power or control.
O Creator, Cause of causes, Lord God of Nanak, I am saved and redeemed in the Society of the Saints. ||2||36||59||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Great Enticer Maya keeps enticing, and cannot be stopped.
She is the Beloved of all the Siddhas and seekers; no one can fend her off. ||1||Pause||
Reciting the six Shaastras and visiting sacred shrines of pilgrimage do not decrease her power.
Devotional worship, ceremonial religious marks, fasting, vows and penance - none of these will make her release her hold. ||1||
The world has fallen into the deep dark pit. O Saints, please bless me with the supreme status of salvation.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak has been liberated, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, even for an instant. ||2||37||60||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Why are you working so hard to earn profits?
You are puffed up like a bag of air, and your skin is very brittle. Your body has grown old and dusty. ||1||Pause||
You move things from here to there, like the hawk swooping down on the flesh of its prey.
You are blind - you have forgotten the Great Giver. You fill your belly like a traveller at an inn. ||1||
You are entangled in the taste of false pleasures and corrupt sins; the path which you have to take is very narrow.
Says Nanak: figure it out, you ignorant fool! Today or tomorrow, the knot will be untied! ||2||38||61||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O Dear Guru, by associating with You, I have come to know the Lord.
There are millions of heroes, and no one pays any attention to them, but in the Court of the Lord, I am honored and respected. ||1||Pause||
What is the origin of the human beings? How beautiful they are!
When God infuses His Light into clay, the human body is judged to be precious. ||1||
From You, I have learned to serve; from You, I have learned to chant and meditate; from You, I have realized the essence of reality.
Placing His Hand on my forehead, He has cut away the bonds which held me; O Nanak, I am the slave of His slaves. ||2||39||62||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord has blessed His servant with His Name.
What can any poor mortal do to someone who has the Lord as his Savior and Protector? ||1||Pause||
He Himself is the Great Being; He Himself is the Leader. He Himself accomplishes the tasks of His servant.
Our Lord and Master destroys all demons; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. ||1||
He Himself saves the honor of His servants; He Himself blesses them with stability.
From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, He saves His servants. O Nanak, how rare is the person who knows God. ||2||40||63||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord, You are my Best Friend, my Companion, my Breath of Life.
My mind, wealth, body and soul are all Yours; this body is sewn together by Your Blessing. ||1||Pause||
You have blessed me with all sorts of gifts; you have blessed me with honor and respect.
Forever and ever, You preserve my honor, O Inner-knower, O Searcher of hearts. ||1||

Those Saints who know You, O Lord and Master - blessed and approved is their coming into the world.
The Congregation of those humble beings is obtained by great good fortune; Nanak is a sacrifice to the Saints. ||2||41||64||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Save me, O Merciful Saint!
You are the All-powerful Cause of causes. You have ended my separation, and joined me with God. ||1||Pause||
You save us from the corruption and sins of countless incarnations; associating with You, we obtain sublime understanding.
Forgetting God, we wandered through countless incarnations; with each and every breath, we sing the Lord's Praises. ||1||
Whoever meets with the Holy Saints - those sinners are sanctified.
Says Nanak, those who have such high destiny, win this invaluable human life. ||2||42||65||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my Lord and Master, Your humble servant has come to offer this prayer.
Hearing Your Name, I am blessed with total peace, bliss, poise and pleasure. ||1||Pause||
The Treasure of Mercy, the Ocean of Peace - His Praises are diffused everywhere.
O Lord, You celebrate in the Society of the Saints; You reveal Yourself to them. ||1||
With my eyes I see the Saints, and dedicate myself to serving them; I wash their feet with my hair.
Twenty-four hours a day, I gaze upon the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of the Saints; this is the peace and comfort which Nanak has received. ||2||43||66||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
One who is lovingly absorbed in the Lord's Name
is a good-hearted friend, intuitively embellished with happiness. He is said to be blessed and fortunate. ||1||Pause||
He is rid of sin and corruption, and detached from Maya; he has renounced the poison of egotistical intellect.
He thirsts for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, and he places his hopes in the One Lord alone. The Feet of his Beloved are the Support of his heart. ||1||
He sleeps, wakes, rises up and sits down without anxiety; he laughs and cries without anxiety.
Says Nanak, she who has cheated the world - that Maya is cheated by the humble servant of the Lord. ||2||44||67||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Now, no one complains about the Lord's humble servant.
Whoever tries to complain is destroyed by the Guru, the Transcendent Lord God. ||1||Pause||
Whoever harbors vengeance against the One who is beyond all vengenace, shall lose in the Court of the Lord.
From the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, it is the glorious greatness of God, that He preserves the honor of His humble servants. ||1||
The mortal becomes fearless, and all his fears are taken away, when he leans on the Support of the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Chanting the Name, through the Guru's Word, Nanak has become famous throughout the world. ||2||45||68||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's humble servant has discarded all self-conceit.
As You see fit, You save us, O Lord of the World. Beholding Your Glorious Grandeur, I live. ||1||Pause||
Through the Guru's Instruction, and the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all sorrow and suffering is taken away.
I look upon friend and enemy alike; all that I speak is the Lord's meditation. ||1||
The fire within me is quenched; I am cool, calm and tranquil. Hearing the unstruck celestial melody, I am wonder-struck and amazed.
I am in ecstasy, O Nanak, and my mind is filled with Truth, through the perfect perfection of the Sound-current of the Naad. ||2||46||69||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My Guru has rid me of my cynicism.
I am a sacrifice to that Guru; I am devoted to Him, forever and ever. ||1||Pause||
I chant the Guru's Name day and night; I enshrine the Guru's Feet within my mind.
I bathe continually in the dust of the Guru's Feet, washing off my dirty sins. ||1||
I continually serve the Perfect Guru; I humbly bow to my Guru.
The Perfect Guru has blessed me with all fruitful rewards; O Nanak, the Guru has emancipated me. ||2||47||70||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mortal attains salvation.
His sorrows are dispelled, and his fears are all erased; he is in love with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
His mind worships and adores the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har; his tongue sings the Praises of the Lord.
Abandoning egotistical pride, sexual desire, anger and slander, he embraces love for the Lord. ||1||
Worship and adore the Merciful Lord God; chanting the Name of the Lord of the Universe, you shall be embellished and exalted.
Says Nanak, whoever becomes the dust of all, merges in the Blesed Vision of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||48||71||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to my Perfect Guru.
My Savior Lord has saved me; He has revealed the Glory of His Name. ||1||Pause||
He makes His servants and slaves fearless, and takes away all their pain.
So renounce all other efforts, and enshrine the Lord's Lotus Feet within your mind. ||1||
God is the Support of the breath of life, my Best Friend and Companion, the One and Only Creator of the Universe.
Nanak's Lord and Master is the Highest of all; again and again, I humbly bow to Him. ||2||49||72||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Tell me: other than the Lord, who exists?
The Creator, the Embodiment of Mercy, bestows all comforts; meditate forever on that God. ||1||Pause||
All creatures are strung on His Thread; sing the Praises of that God.
Meditate in remembrance on that Lord and Master who gives you everything. Why would you go to anyone else? ||1||
Service to my Lord and Master is fruitful and rewarding; from Him, you shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires.
Says Nanak, take your profits and leave; you shall go to your true home in peace. ||2||50||73||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my Lord and Master, I have come to Your Sanctuary.
The anxiety of my mind departed, when I gazed upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||1||Pause||
You know my condition, without my speaking. You inspire me to chant Your Name.
My pains are gone, and I am absorbed in peace, poise and bliss, singing Your Glorious Praises. ||1||
Taking me by the arm, You lifted me up, out of the deep dark pit of household and Maya.
Says Nanak, the Guru has broken my bonds, and ended my separaation; He has united me with God. ||2||51||74||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord is cooling and soothing.
Searching, searching the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, the Holy Saints have realized this. ||1||Pause||
In the worlds of Shiva, Brahma and Indra, I wandered around, burning up with envy.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on my Lord and Master, I became cool and calm; my pains, sorrows and doubts are gone. ||1||
Whoever has been saved in the past or the present, was saved through loving devotional worship of the Divine Lord.
This is Nanak's prayer: O Dear God, please let me serve the humble Saints. ||2||52||75||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl;
O my tongue, sing the Ambrosial Praises of the Lord.
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, listen to the Lord's Sermon, and chant God's Name. ||1||Pause||
So gather in the jewel, the wealth of the Lord's Name; love God with your mind and body.
You must realize that all other wealth is false; this alone is the true purpose of life. ||1||
He is the Giver of the soul, the breath of life and liberation; lovingly tune in to the One and Only Lord.
Says Nanak, I have entered His Sanctuary; He gives sustenance to all. ||2||53||76||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I cannot do anything else.
I have taken this Support, meeting the Saints; I have entered the Sanctuary of the One Lord of the World. ||1||Pause||
The five wicked enemies are within this body; they lead the mortal to practice evil and corruption.
He has infinite hope, but his days are numbered, and old age is sapping his strength. ||1||
He is the Help of the helpless, the Merciful Lord, the Ocean of Peace, the Destroyer of all pains and fears.
Slave Nanak longs for this blessing, that he may live, gazing upon the Feet of God. ||2||54||77||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Lord's Name, flavors are tasteless and insipid.
Sing the Sweet Ambrosial Praises of the Lord's Kirtan; day and night, the Sound-current of the Naad will resonate and resound. ||1||Pause||
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, total peace and bliss are obtained, and all sorrows are taken away.
The profit of the Lord, Har, Har, is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; so load it and bring it on home. ||1||
He is the Highest of all, the Highest of the high; His celestial ecomony has no limit.
Nanak cannot even express His Glorious Grandeur; gazing upon Him, he is wonder-struck. ||2||55||78||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The mortal came to hear and chant the Word of the Guru's Bani.
But he has forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and he has become attached to other temptations. His life is totally worthless! ||1||Pause||
O my unconscious mind, become conscious and figure it out; the Saints speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.
So gather in your profits - worship and adore the Lord within your heart; your coming and going in reincarnation shall end. ||1||
Efforts, powers and clever tricks are Yours; if You bless me with them, I repeat Your Name.
They alone are devotees, and they alone are attached to devotional worship, O Nanak, who are pleasing to God. ||2||56||79||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Those who deal in the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are wealthy.
So become a partner with them, and earn the wealth of the Naam. Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||

Abandon your deception, and go beyond vengeance; see God who is always with you.
Deal only in this true wealth and gather in this true wealth, and you shall never suffer loss. ||1||
Eating and consuming it, it is never exhausted; God's treasures are overflowing.
Says Nanak, you shall go home to the Court of the Supreme Lord God with honor and respect. ||2||57||80||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O Dear God, I am wretched and helpless!
From what source did you create humans? This is Your Glorious Grandeur. ||1||Pause||
You are the Giver of the soul and the breath of life to all; Your Infinite Glories cannot be spoken.
You are the Beloved Lord of all, the Cherisher of all, the Support of all hearts. ||1||
No one knows Your state and extent. You alone created the expanse of the Universe.
Please, give me a seat in the boat of the Holy; O Nanak, thus I shall cross over this terrifying world-ocean, and reach the other shore. ||2||58||81||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
One who comes to the Lord's Sanctuary is very fortunate.
He knows of no other than the One Lord. He has renounced all other efforts. ||1||Pause||
He worships and adores the Lord, Har, Har, in thought, word and deed; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, he finds peace.
He enjoys bliss and pleasure, and savors the Unspoken Speech of the Lord; he merges intuitively into the True Lord. ||1||
Sublime and exalted is the speech of one whom the Lord, in His Mercy makes His Own.
Those who are imbued with God in the state of Nirvaanaa, O Nanak, are emancipated in the Saadh Sangat. ||2||59||82||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Since I grasped hold of the Sanctuary of the Holy,
my mind is illuminated with tranquility, peace and poise, and I am rid of all my pain. ||1||Pause||
Please be merciful to me, O Lord, and bless me with Your Name; this is the prayer I offer to You.
I have forgotten my other occupations; remembering God in meditation, I have obtained the true profit. ||1||
We shall merge again into the One from whom we came; He is the Essence of Being.
Says Nanak, the Guru has eradicated my doubt; my light has merged into the Light. ||2||60||83||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my tongue, sing the Praises of the Lord.
Abandon all other tastes and flavors; the taste of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is so sublime. ||1||Pause||
Enshrine the Lord's Lotus Feet within your heart; let yourself be lovingly attuned to the One Lord.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall become immaculate and pure; you shall not come to be reincarnated again. ||1||
You are the Support of the soul and the breath of life; You are the Home of the homeless.
With each and every breath, I dwell on the Lord, Har, Har; O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||61||84||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
To meditate on the Lotus Feet of the Lord of the Universe is heaven for me.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the treasure of liberation and the Lord's Ambrosial Name. ||1||Pause||
O Lord God, please be kind to me, that I may hear with my ears Your Sublime and Exalted Sermon.
My cycle of coming and going is finally completed, and I have attained peace and tranquility. ||1||

Searching and searching, I have realized the essence of reality: devotional worship is the most sublime fulfillment.
Says Nanak, without the Name of the One Lord, all other ways are imperfect. ||2||62||85||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The True Guru is the True Giver.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, all my pains are dispelled. I am a sacrifice to His Lotus Feet. ||1||Pause||
The Supreme Lord God is True, and True are the Holy Saints; the Name of the Lord is steady and stable.
So worship the Imperishable, Supreme Lord God with love, and sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||
The limits of the Inaccessible, Unfathomable Lord cannot be found; He is the Support of all hearts.
O Nanak, chant, "Waaho! Waaho!" to Him, who has no end or limitation. ||2||63||86||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Feet of the Guru abide within my mind.
My Lord and Master is permeating and pervading all places; He dwells nearby, close to all. ||1||Pause||
Breaking my bonds, I have lovingly tuned in to the Lord, and now the Saints are pleased with me.
This precious human life has been sanctified, and all my desires have been fulfilled. ||1||
O my God, whoever You bless with Your Mercy - he alone sings Your Glorious Praises.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to that person who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, twenty-four hours a day. ||2||64||87||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
A person is judged to be alive, only if he sees the Lord.
Please be merciful to me, O my Enticing Beloved Lord, and erase the record of my doubts. ||1||Pause||
By speaking and listening, tranquility and peace are not found at all. What can anyone learn without faith?
One who renounces God and longs for another - his face is blackened with filth. ||1||
One who is blessed with the wealth of our Lord and Master, the Embodiment of Peace, does not believe in any other religious doctrine.
O Nanak, one whose mind is fascinated and intoxicated with the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan - his tasks are perfectly accomplished. ||2||65||88||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
In this way, the sins of your past mistakes shall be burnt off in an instant. It is like giving millions in charity, and bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||1||Pause||
Entangled in other affairs, the mortal suffers uselessly in sorrow. Without the Lord, wisdom is useless.
The mortal is freed of the anguish of death and birth, meditating and vibrating on the Blissful Lord of the Universe. ||1||
I seek Your Sancutary, O Perfect Lord, Ocean of Peace. Please be merciful, and bless me with this gift.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on God, Nanak lives; his egotistical pride has been eradicated. ||2||66||89||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
He alone is a Dhoorat, who is attached to the Primal Lord God.
He alone is a Dhurandhar, and he alone is a Basundhar, who is absorbed in the sublime essence of Love of the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
One who practices deception and does not know where true profit lies is not a Dhoorat - he is a fool.
He abandons profitable enterprises and is involved in unprofitable ones. He does not meditate on the Beauteous Lord God. ||1||
He alone is clever and wise and a religious scholar, he alone is a brave warrior, and he alone is intelligent,
who chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. O Nanak, he alone is approved. ||2||67||90||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord, Har, Har, is the life of the humble Saints.
Instead of enjoying corrupt pleasures, they drink in the Ambrosial Essence of the Name of the Lord, the Ocean of Peace. ||1||Pause||
They gather up the priceless wealth of the Lord's Name, and weave it into the fabric of their mind and body.
Imbued with the Lord's Love, their minds are dyed in the deep crimson color of devotional love; they are intoxicated with the sublime essence of the Lord's Name. ||1||
As the fish is immersed in water, they are absorbed in the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, the Saints are like the rainbirds; they are comforted, drinking in the drops of the Lord's Name. ||2||68||91||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Name of the Lord, the mortal is a ghost.
All the actions he commits are just shackles and bonds. ||1||Pause||
Without serving God, one who serves another wastes his time uselessly.
When the Messenger of Death comes to kill you, O mortal, what will your condition be then? ||1||
Please protect Your slave, O Eternally Merciful Lord.
O Nanak, my God is the Treasure of Peace; He is the wealth and property of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||69||92||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My mind and body deal only in the Lord.
Imbued with loving devotional worship, I sing His Glorious Praises; I am not affected by worldly affairs. ||1||Pause||
This is the way of life of the Holy Saint: he listens to the Kirtan, the Praises of his Lord and Master, and meditates in remembrance on Him.
He implants the Lord's Lotus Feet deep within his heart; worship of the Lord is the support of his breath of life. ||1||
O God, Merciful to the meek, please hear my prayer, and shower Your Blessings upon me.
I continually chant the treasure of the Naam with my tongue; Nanak is forever a sacrifice. ||2||70||93||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Name of the Lord, his intellect is shallow.
He does not meditate in remembrance on the Lord, his Lord and Master; the blind fool suffers in terrible agony. ||1||Pause||
He does not embrace love for the Name of the Lord; he is totally attached to various religious robes.
His attachments are shattered in an instant; when the pitcher is broken, the water runs out. ||1||
Please bless me, that I may worship You in loving devotion. My mind is absorbed and intoxicated with Your Delicious Love.
Nanak, Your slave, has entered Your Sanctuary; without God, there is no other at all. ||2||71||94||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
In my mind, I think about that moment,
when I join the Gathering of the Friendly Saints, constantly singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
Without vibrating and meditating on the Lord, whatever deeds you do will be useless.
The Perfect Embodiment of Supreme Bliss is so sweet to my mind. Without Him, there is no other at all. ||1||
Chanting, deep meditation, austere self-discipline, good deeds and other techniques to being peace - they are not equal to even a tiny bit of the Lord's Name.
Nanak's mind is pierced through by the Lotus Feet of the Lord; it is absorbed in His Lotus Feet. ||2||72||95||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My God is always with me; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
I find happiness in the world hereafter, and peace and pleasure in this world, meditating in remembrance on the Name of my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||

The Lord is my Best Friend, my Buddy, my Companion. I sing the Glorious Praises of my Sovereign Lord King.
I shall not forget Him in my heart, even for an instant; I have met with the Perfect Guru. ||1||
In His Mercy, He protects His slave; all beings and creatures are in His Power.
One who is lovingly attuned to the One, the Perfect Transcendent Lord God, O Nanak, is rid of all fear. ||2||73||96||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
One who has the Lord's Power on his side
- all his desires are fulfilled, and no pain afflicts him. ||1||Pause||
That humble devotee is a slave of his God, who listens to Him, and so lives.
I have made the effort to gaze upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; it is obtained only by good karma. ||1||
It is only by Guru's Grace that I see His Vision with my eyes which none can equal.
Please bless Nanak with this Gift, that he may wash the Feet of the Saints, and so live. ||2||74||97||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I live by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Please be Merciful to me, O my Loving Lord of the Universe, that I may never forget You. ||1||Pause||
My mind, body, wealth and all are Yours, O my Lord and Master; there is nowhere else for me at all.
As You keep me, so do I survive; I eat and I wear whatever You give me. ||1||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I shall never again fall into reincarnation.
Slave Nanak seeks Your Sancuary, Lord; as it pleases Your Will, so do You guide him. ||2||75||98||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, the Naam is the most sublime peace.
Other affairs of Maya are corrupt. They are nothing more than dust. ||1||Pause||
The mortal has fallen into the deep dark pit of household attachment; it is a horrible, dark hell.
He wanders in various incarnations, growing weary; he wanders through them again and again. ||1||
O Purifier of sinners, O Lover of Your devotees, please shower Your Mercy on Your meek servant.
With palms pressed together, Nanak begs for this blessing: O Lord, please save me in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||76||99||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Glorious Radiance of the Lord has spread out everywhere.
The doubts of my mind and body are all erased, and I am rid of the three diseases. ||1||Pause||
My thirst is quenched, and my hopes have all been fulfilled; my sorrows and sufferings are over.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Unmoving, Eternal, Unchanging Lord God, my mind, body and soul are comforted and encouraged. ||1||
Sexual desire, anger, greed, pride and envy are destroyed in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
He is the Lover of His devotees, the Destroyer of fear; O Nanak, He is our Mother and Father. ||2||77||100||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the world is miserable.
Like a dog, its desires are never satisfied; it clings to the ashes of corruption. ||1||Pause||
Administering the intoxicating drug, God Himself leads the mortals astray; they are reincarnated again and again.
He does not meditate in remembrance on the Lord, even for an instant, and so the Messenger of Death makes him suffer. ||1||
Please be merciful to me, O Destroyer of the pains of the meek and the poor; let me be the dust of the feet of the Saints.

Slave Nanak asks for the Blessed Vision of God. It is the Support of his mind and body. ||2||78||101||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Without the Name of the Lord, the soul is polluted.
The True Lord God has Himself administered the intoxicating drug of corruption, and led the mortal astray. ||1||Pause||
Wandering through millions of incarnations in countless ways, he does not find stability anywhere.
The faithless cynic does not intuitively meet with the Perfect True Guru; he continues coming and going in reincarnation. ||1||
Please save me, O All-powerful Lord God, O Great Giver; O God, You are Inaccessible and Infinite.
Slave Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary, to cross over the terrible world-ocean, and reach the other shore. ||2||79||102||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
To chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord is Sublime.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, meditate on the Transcendent Lord God; The taste of His essence is Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
Meditating in remembrance on the One Unmoving, Eternal, Unchanging Lord God, the intoxication of Maya wears off.
One who is blessed with intuitive peace and poise, and the vibrations of the Unstruck Celestial Bani, never suffers again. ||1||
Even Brahma and his sons sing God's Praises; Sukdayv and Prahlaad sing His Praises as well.
Drinking in the fascinating Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's sublime essence, Nanak meditates on the Amazing Lord. ||2||80||103||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
He commits many millions of sins.
Day and night, he does not get tired of them, and he never finds release. ||1||Pause||
He carries on his head a terrible, heavy load of sin and corruption.
In an instant, he is exposed. The Messenger of Death seizes him by his hair. ||1||
He is consigned to countless forms of reincarnation, into beasts, ghosts, camels and donkeys.
Vibrating and meditating on the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, you shall never be struck or harmed at all. ||2||81||104||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
He is so blind! He is eating loads of poison.
His eyes, ears and body are totally exhausted; he shall lose his breath in an instant. ||1||Pause||
Making the poor suffer, he fills his belly, but the wealth of Maya shall not go with him.
Committing sinful mistakes again and again, he regrets and repents, but he can never give them up. ||1||
The Messenger of Death comes to slaughter the slanderer; he beats him on his head.
O Nanak, he cuts himself with his own dagger, and damages his own mind. ||2||82||105||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The slanderer is destroyed in mid-stream.
Our Lord and Master is the Saving Grace, the Protector of His humble servants; those who have turned their backs on the Guru are overtaken by death. ||1||Pause||
No one listens to what he says; he is not allowed to sit anywhere.
He suffers in pain here, and falls into hell hereafter. He wanders in endless reincarnations. ||1||
He has become infamous across worlds and galaxies; he receives according to what he has done.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Fearless Creator Lord; he sings His Glorious Praises in ecstasy and bliss. ||2||83||106||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Desire plays itself out in so many ways.

But it is not fulfilled at all, and in the end, it dies, exhausted. ||1||Pause||
It does not produce tranquility, peace and poise; this is the way it works.
He does not know what belongs to him, and to others. He burns in sexual desire and anger. ||1||
The world is enveloped by an ocean of pain; O Lord, please save Your slave!
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of Your Lotus Feet; Nanak is forever and ever a sacrifice. ||2||84||107||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O sinner, who taught you to sin?
You do not contemplate your Lord and Master, even for an instant; it was He who gave you your body and soul. ||1||Pause||
Eating, drinking and sleeping, you are happy, but contemplating the Naam, the Name of the Lord, you are miserable.
In the womb of your mother, you cried and whined like a wretch. ||1||
And now, bound by great pride and corruption, you shall wander in endless incarnations.
You have forgotten the Lord of the Universe; what misery will be your lot now? O Nanak, peace is found by realizing the sublime state of the Lord. ||2||85||108||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, I have grasped the Protection, the Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, my mind is fascinated, and evil-mindedness is taken away. ||1||Pause||
He is Unfathomable, Incomprehensible, Exalted and High, Eternal and Imperishable; His worth cannot be appraised.
Gazing upon Him, gazing upon Him in the water and on the land, my mind has blossomed forth in ecstasy. He is totally pervading and permeating all. ||1||
Merciful to the meek, my Beloved, Enticer of my mind; meeting with the Holy, He is known.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Nanak lives; the Messenger of Death cannot catch or torment him. ||2||86||109||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, my mind is intoxicated.
Gazing upon the Merciful Lord, I am filled with bliss and peace; imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord, I am intoxicated. ||1||Pause||
I have become spotless and pure, singing the Sacred Praises of the Lord; I shall never again be dirtied.
My awareness is focused on the Lotus Feet of God; I have met the Infinite, Supreme Being. ||1||
Taking me by the hand, He has given me everything; He has lit up my lamp.
O Nanak, savoring the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I have become detached; my generations have been carried across as well. ||2||87||110||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, by meditating in remembrance on some other, the mortal dies.
Forsaking the Lord of the Universe, the Giver of souls, the mortal is engrossed and entangled in Maya. ||1||Pause||
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he walks on some other path, and falls into the most horrible hell.
He suffers uncounted punishments, and wanders from womb to womb in reincarnation. ||1||
They alone are wealthy, and they alone are honorable, who are absorbed in the Sanctuary of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, they conquer the world; they do not come and go in reincarnation ever again. ||2||88||111||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord has cut down the crooked tree of my deceit.
The forest of doubt is burnt away in an instant, by the fire of the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
Sexual desire, anger and slander are gone; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have beaten them and driven them out.

The Gurmukh is successful in this priceless human life; he shall not lose it in the gamble ever again. ||1||
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and contemplate the Perfect Word of the Shabad.
Servant Nanak is the slave of Your slaves; over and over again, he bows in humble reverence to You. ||2||89||112||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
This Holy Book is the home of the Transcendent Lord God.
Whoever sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, has the perfect knowledge of God. ||1||Pause||
The Siddhas and seekers and all the silent sages long for the Lord, but those who meditate on Him are rare.
That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is merciful - all his tasks are perfectly accomplished. ||1||
One whose heart is filled with the Lord, the Destroyer of fear, knows the whole world.
May I never forget You, even for an instant, O my Creator Lord; Nanak begs for this blessing. ||2||90||113||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The rain has fallen everywhere.
Singing the Lord's Praises with ecstasy and bliss, the Perfect Lord is revealed. ||1||Pause||
On all four sides and in the ten directions, the Lord is an ocean. There is no place where He does not exist.
O Perfect Lord God, Ocean of Mercy, You bless all with the gift of the soul. ||1||
True, True, True is my Lord and Master; True is the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
True are those humble beings, within whom faith wells up; O Nanak, they are not deluded by doubt. ||2||91||114||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O Dear Lord of the Universe, You are the Support of my breath of life.
You are my Best Friend and Companion, my Help and Support; You are my family. ||1||Pause||
You placed Your Hand on my forehead; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I sing Your Glorious Praises.
By Your Grace, I have obtained all fruits and rewards; I meditate on the Lord's Name with delight. ||1||
The True Guru has laid the eternal foundation; it shall never be shaken.
Guru Nanak has become merciful to me, and I have been blessed with the treasure of absolute peace. ||2||92||115||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Only the true merchandise of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, stays with you.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the treasure of wealth, and earn your profit; in the midst of corruption, remain untouched. ||1||Pause||
All beings and creatures find contentment, meditating on their God.
The priceless jewel of infinite worth, this human life, is won, and they are not consigned to reincarnation ever again. ||1||
When the Lord of the Universe shows His kindness and compassion, the mortal finds the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
Nanak has found the wealth of the Lotus Feet of the Lord; he is imbued with the Love of God. ||2||93||116||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, I am wonder-struck, gazing upon the Lord.
My mind is enticed by the unstruck celestial melody; its flavor is amazing! ||1||Pause||
He is my Mother, Father and Relative. My mind delights in the Lord.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all my illusions are dispelled. ||1||
I am lovingly attached to His Lotus Feet; my doubt and fear are totally consumed.
Servant Nanak has taken the Support of the One Lord. He shall not wander in reincarnation ever again. ||2||94||117||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, I am totally intoxicated with the Lord's Feet.
I know of none other than the Lord. I have totally burnt off my sense of duality. ||1||Pause||
To abandon the Lord of the World, and become involved with anything else, is to fall into the pit of corruption.
My mind is enticed, thirsty for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. He has lifted me up and out of hell. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, I have met the Lord, the Giver of peace; the noise of egotism has been stilled.
Slave Nanak is imbued with the Love of the Lord; the forests of his mind and body have blossomed forth. ||2||95||118||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The false dealings are finished.
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and meditate, vibrate on the Lord. This is the most excellent thing in the world. ||1||Pause||
Here and hereafter, you shall never waver; enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your heart.
The boat of the Guru's Feet is found by great good fortune; it shall carry you across the world-ocean. ||1||
The Infinite Lord is totally permeating and pervading the water, the land and the sky.
Drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Name; O Nanak, all other tastes are bitter. ||2||96||119||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
You whine and cry
- you are intoxicated with the great corruption of attachment and pride, but you do not remember the Lord in meditation. ||1||Pause||
Those who meditate on the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy - the guilt of their minstakes is burnt away.
Fruitful is the body, and blessed is the birth of those who merge with God. ||1||
The four great blessings, and the eighteen supernatural spiritual powers - above all these are the Holy Saints.
Slave Nanak longs for the dust of the feet of the humble; attached to the hem of His robe, he is saved. ||2||97||120||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's humble servants yearn for the Lord's Name.
In thought, word and deed, they long for this peace, to gaze with their eyes upon the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan. ||1||Pause||
You are Endless, O God, my Supreme Lord and Master; Your state cannot be known.
My mind is pierced through by the Love of Your Lotus Feet; this is everything to me - I enshrine it deep within my being. ||1||
In the Vedas, the Puraanas and the Simritees, the humble and the Holy chant this Bani with their tongues.
Chanting the Lord's Name, O Nanak, I am emancipated; other teachings of duality are useless. ||2||98||121||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
A fly! You are just a fly, created by the Lord.
Wherever it stinks, you land there; you suck in the most toxic stench. ||1||Pause||
You don't stay put anywhere; I have seen this with my eyes.
You have not spared anyone, except the Saints - the Saints are on the side of the Lord of the Universe. ||1||
You have enticed all beings and creatures; no one knows You, except the Saints.
Slave Nanak is imbued with the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. Focusing his consciousness on the Word of the Shabad, he realizes the Presence of the True Lord. ||2||99||122||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, the noose of Death has been cut away.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have found total peace. I remain unattached in the midst of my household. ||1||Pause||

Granting His Grace, He has made me His Own. The thirst for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan wells up within me.
Joining the Society of the Saints, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; I have given up other hopes. ||1||
The Saint has pulled me out of the utterly desolate wilderness, and shown me the path.
Gazing upon His Darshan, all sins are taken away; Nanak is blessed with the jewel of the Lord. ||2||100||123||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, I am involved with the Love of the Lord;
I am intoxicated with it. My mind has such a longing and thirst for the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of my Beauteous Lord. No one can break this. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is my breath of life, honor, spouse, parent, child, relative, wealth - everything.
Cursed is this body of bones, this pile of maggots and manure, if it knows any other than the Lord. ||1||
The Destroyer of the pains of the poor has become merciful to me, by the power of the karma of my past actions.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God, the Treasure, the Ocean of Mercy; my subservience to others is past. ||2||101||124||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord's melody is noble and sublime.
The Lotus Feet of my Lord and Master are incomparably beautiful. Meditating on them, one becomes Holy. ||1||Pause||
Just by thinking of the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of the Lord of the World, the dirty sins are washed away.
The Lord cuts down and weeds out the corruption of the cycle of birth and death. ||1||
How rare is that person who has such pre-ordained destiny, to find the Lord.
Chanting the Glorious Praises of the Creator, the Lord of the Universe - O Nanak, this is Truth. ||2||102||125||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
The intellect of one who dwells on the Name of the Lord is excellent.
One who forgets the Lord and becomes involved with some other - all his showy pretensions are false. ||1||Pause||
Meditate, vibrate on our Lord and Master in the Company of the Holy, and your sins shall be eradicated.
When the Lord's Lotus Feet abide within the heart, the mortal is never again caught in the cycle of death and birth. ||1||
He showers us with His kindness and compassion; He saves and protects those who take the Support of the Naam, the Name of the One Lord.
Meditating in remembrance on Him, day and night, O Nanak, your face shall be radiant in the Court of the Lord. ||2||103||126||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Honored - you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.
Join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; your egotistical pride will be totally dispelled. ||1||Pause||
Showering His kindness and compassion, He shall make you His Own. As Gurmukh, your spiritual wisdom shall be perfect.
All peace and all sorts of ecstasy are obtained, by meditating on the Darshan, the Blessed Vision of my Lord and Master. ||1||
She who dwells close to her Lord is always the pure, happy soul-bride; she is famous in the ten directions.
She is imbued with the Love of her Loving Beloved Lord; Nanak is a sacrifice to her. ||2||104||127||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord, I take the Support of Your Lotus Feet.
You are my Best Friend and Companion; I am with You. You are our Protector, O Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
You are mine, and I am Yours; here and hereafter, You are my Saving Grace.
You are Endess and Infinite, O my Lord and Master; by Guru's Grace, a few understand. ||1||
Without being spoken, without being told, You know all, O Searcher of hearts.
One whom God unites with Himself, O Nanak, that humble being is honored in the Court of the Lord. ||2||105||128||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate, vibrate on the Lord; other actions are corrupt.
Pride, attachment and desire are not quenched; the world is in the grip of death. ||1||Pause||
Eating, drinking, laughing and sleeping, life passes uselessly.
The mortal wanders in reincarnation, burning in the hellish environment of the womb; in the end, he is destroyed by death. ||1||
He practices fraud, cruelty and slander against others; he sins, and washes his hands.
Without the True Guru, he has no understanding; he is lost in the utter darkness of anger and attachment. ||2||
He takes the intoxicating drugs of cruelty and corruption, and is plundered. He is not conscious of the Creator Lord God.
The Lord of the Universe is hidden and unattached. The mortal is like a wild elephant, intoxicated with the wine of egotism. ||3||
In His Mercy, God saves His Saints; they have the Support of His Lotus Feet.
With his palms pressed together, Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of the Primal Being, the Infinite Lord God. ||4||1||129||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Chant His Sublime Word and His Priceless Glories.
Why are you indulding in corrupt actions?
Look at this, see and understand!
Meditate on the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and attain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Imbued with the Love of the Lord, you shall totally play with Him. ||1||Pause||
The world is a dream.
Its expanse is false.
O my companion, why are you so enticed by the Enticer? Enshrine the Love of Your Beloved within your heart. ||1||
He is total love and affection.
God is always merciful.
Others - why are you involved with others?
Remain involved with the Lord.
When you join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
says Nanak, meditate on the Lord.
Now, your association with death is ended. ||2||1||130||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
You may make donations of gold,
and give away land in charity
and purify your mind in various ways,
but none of this is equal to the Lord's Name. Remain attached to the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||1||Pause||
You may recite the four Vedas with your tongue,
and listen to the eighteen Puraanas and the six Shaastras with your ears,
but these are not equal to the celestial melody of the Naam, the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
Remain attached to the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||1||
You may observe fasts, and say your prayers, purify yourself
and do good deeds; you may go on pilgrimages everywhere and eat nothing at all.
You may cook your food without touching anyone;
you may make a great show of cleansing techniques,
and burn incense and devotional lamps, but none of these are equal to the Lord's Name.
O Merciful Lord, please hear the prayer of the meek and the poor.
Please grant me the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, that I may see You with my eyes. The Naam is so sweet to servant Nanak. ||2||2||131||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam. The Lord is your Help and Support. ||1||Pause||

Grasping hold of the Feet of the Saints, I have abandoned sexual desire, anger and greed. The Guru, the Lord of the World, has been kind to me, and I have realized my destiny. ||1||
My doubts and attachments have been dispelled, and the blinding bonds of Maya have been broken. My Lord and Master is pervading and permeating everywhere; no one is an enemy.
My Lord and Master is totally satisfied with me; He has rid me of the pains of death and birth. Grasping hold of the Feet of the Saints, Nanak sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||3||132||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har; enshrine the Lord, Har, Har, within your mind. ||1||Pause||
Hear Him with your ears, and practice devotional worship - these are good deeds, which make up for past evils.
So seek the Sanctuary of the Holy, and forget all your other habits. ||1||.
Love the Lord's Feet, continually and continuously - the most sacred and sanctified.
Fear is taken away from the servant of the Lord, and the dirty sins and mistakes of the past are burnt away.
Those who speak are liberated, and those who listen are liberated; those who keep the Rehit, the Code of Conduct, are not reincarnated again.
The Lord's Name is the most sublime essence; Nanak contemplates the nature of reality. ||2||4||133||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
I beg for devotion to the Naam, the Name of the Lord; I have forsaken all other activities. ||1||Pause||
Meditate lovingly on the Lord, and sing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
I long for the dust of the feet of the Lord's humble servant, O Great Giver, my Lord and Master. ||1||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the ultimate ecstasy, bliss, happiness, peace and tranquility. The fear is death is dispelled by meditating in remembrance on the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
Only the Sanctuary of the Feet of the Lord of the Universe can destroy all the suffering of the world.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the boat, O Nanak, to carry us across to the other side. ||2||5||134||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Gazing upon my Guru, I sing the Praises of my Beloved Lord.
I escape from the five thieves, and I find the One, when I join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
Nothing of the visible world shall go along with you; abandon your pride and attachment.
Love the One Lord, and join the Saadh Sangat, and you shall be embellished and exalted. ||1||
I have found the Lord, the Treasure of Excellence; all my hopes have been fulfilled.
Nanak's mind is in ecstasy; the Guru has shattered the impregnable fortress. ||2||6||135||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
My mind is neutral and detached; I seek only the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||Pause||
Serving the Holy Saints, I meditate on my Beloved within my heart.
Gazing upon the Embodiment of Ecstasy, I rise to the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||
I work for Him; I have forsaken everything else. I seek only His Sanctuary.
O Nanak, my Lord and Master hugs me close in His Embrace; the Guru is pleased and satisfied with me. ||2||7||136||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
This is my condition.
Only my Merciful Lord knows it. ||1||Pause||
I have abandoned my mother and father, and sold my mind to the Saints.
I have lost my social status, birth-right and ancestry; I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
I have broken away from other people and family; I work only for God.
The Guru has taught me, O Nanak, to serve only the One Lord. ||2||8||137||

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
You are my Loving Beloved Enticing Lord of the World.
You are in worms, elephants, stones and all beings and creatures; You nourish and cherish them all. ||1||Pause||
You are not far away; You are totally present with all.
You are Beautiful, the Source of Nectar. ||1||
You have no caste or social class, no ancestry or family.
Nanak: God, You are Merciful. ||2||9||138||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
Acting and play-acting, the mortal sinks into corruption. Even the moon and the sun are enticed and bewitched.
The disturbing noise of corruption wells up, in the tinkling ankle bells of Maya the beautiful. With her beguiling gestures of love, she seduces everyone except the Lord. ||Pause||
Maya clings to the three worlds; those who are stuck in wrong actions cannot escape her. Drunk and engrossed in blind worldly affairs, they are tossed about on the mighty ocean. ||1||
The Saint, the slave of the Lord is saved; the noose of the Messenger of Death is snapped.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is the Purifier of sinners; O Nanak, remember Him in meditation. ||2||10||139||3||13||155||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Saarang, Ninth Mehl:
No one will be your help and support, except the Lord.
Who has any mother, father, child or spouse? Who is anyone's brother or sister? ||1||Pause||
All the wealth, land and property which you consider your own
- when you leave your body, none of it shall go along with you. Why do you cling to them? ||1||
God is Merciful to the meek, forever the Destroyer of fear, and yet you do not develop any loving relationship with Him.
Says Nanak, the whole world is totally false; it is like a dream in the night. ||2||1||
Saarang, Ninth Mehl:
O mortal, why are you engrossed in corruption?
No one is allowed to remain in this world; one comes, and another departs. ||1||Pause||
Who has a body? Who has wealth and property? With whom should we fall in love?
Whatever is seen, shall all disappear, like the shade of a passing cloud. ||1||
Abandon egotism, and grasp the Sanctuary of the Saints; you shall be liberated in an instant.
O servant Nanak, without meditating and vibrating on the Lord God, there is no peace, even in dreams. ||2||2||
Saarang, Ninth Mehl:
O mortal, why have you wasted your life?
Intoxicated with Maya and its riches, involved in corrupt pleasures, you have not sought the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
This whole world is just a dream; why does seeing it fill you with greed?
Everything that has been created will be destroyed; nothing will remain. ||1||
You see this false body as true; in this way, you have placed yourself in bondage.
O servant Nanak, he is a liberated being, whose consciousness lovingly vibrates, and meditates on the Lord. ||2||3||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl:
In my mind, I never sang the Glorious Praises of the Lord.

I remained under the influence of corruption, night and day; I did whatever I pleased. ||1||Pause||
I never listened to the Guru's Teachings; I was entangled with others' spouses.
I ran all around slandering others; I was taught, but I never learned. ||1||
How can I even describe my actions? This is how I wasted my life.
Says Nanak, I am totally filled with faults. I have come to Your Sanctuary - please save me, O Lord! ||2||4||3||13||139||4||159||
Raag Saarang, Ashtapadees, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
How can I live, O my mother?
Hail to the Lord of the Universe. I ask to sing Your Praises; without You, O Lord, I cannot even survive. ||1||Pause||
I am thirsty, thirsty for the Lord; the soul-bride gazes upon Him all through the night.
My mind is absorbed into the Lord, my Lord and Master. Only God knows the pain of another. ||1||
My body suffers in pain, without the Lord; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I find the Lord.
O Dear Lord, please be kind and compassionate to me, that I might remain merged in You, O Lord. ||2||
Follow such a path, O my conscious mind, that you may remain focused on the Feet of the Lord.
I am wonder-struck, singing the Glorious Praises of my Fascinating Lord; I am intuitively absorbed in the Fearless Lord. ||3||
That heart, in which the Eternal, Unchanging Naam vibrates and resounds, does not diminish, and cannot be evaluated.
Without the Name, everyone is poor; the True Guru has imparted this understanding. ||4||
My Beloved is my breath of life - listen, O my companion. The demons have taken poison and died.
As love for Him welled up, so it remains. My mind is imbued with His Love. ||5||
I am absorbed in celestial samaadhi, lovingly attached to the Lord forever. I live by singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I have become detached from the world. In the profound primal trance, I dwell within the home of my own inner being. ||6||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is sublimely sweet and supremely delicious; within the home of my own self, I understand the essence of the Lord.
Wherever You keep my mind, there it is. This is what the Guru has taught me. ||7||
Sanak and Sanandan, Brahma and Indra, were imbued with devotional worship, and came to be in harmony with Him.
O Nanak, without the Lord, I cannot live, even for an instant. The Name of the Lord is glorious and great. ||8||1||
Saarang, First Mehl:
Without the Lord, how can my mind be comforted?
The guilt and sin of millions of ages is erased, and one is released from the cycle of reincarnation, when the Truth is implanted within. ||1||Pause||
Anger is gone, egotism and attachment have been burnt away; I am imbued with His ever-fresh Love.
Other fears are forgotten, begging at God's Door. The Immaculate Lord is my Companion. ||1||
Forsaking my fickle intellect, I have found God, the Destroyer of fear; I am lovingly attuned to the One Word, the Shabad.
Tasting the sublime essence of the Lord, my thirst is quenched; by great good fortune, the Lord has united me with Himself. ||2||
The empty tank has been filled to overflowing. Following the Guru's Teachings, I am enraptured with the True Lord.

My mind is imbued with love for the Naam. The Immaculate Lord is merciful, from the beginning of time, and througout the ages. ||3||
My mind is fascinated with the Fascinating Lord. By great good fortune, I am lovingly attuned to Him.
Contemplating the True Lord, all the resides of sins and mistakes are wiped away. My mind is pure and immaculate in His Love. ||4||
God is the Deep and Unfathomable Ocean, the Source of all jewels; no other is worthy of worship.
I contemplate the Shabad, the Destroyer of doubt and fear; I do not know any other at all. ||5||
Subduing my mind, I have realized the pure status; I am totally imbued with the sublime essence of the Lord.
I do not know any other except the Lord. The True Guru has imparted this understanding. ||6||
God is Inaccessible and Unfathomable, Unmastered and Unborn; through the Guru's Teachings, I know the One Lord.
Filled to overflowing, my consciousness does not waver; through the Mind, my mind is pleased and appeased. ||7||
By Guru's Grace, I speak the Unspoken; I speak what He makes me speak.
O Nanak, my Lord is Merciful to the meek; I do not know any other at all. ||8||2||
Saarang, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O my mind, the Name of the Lord is glorious and great.
I know of none, other than the Lord; through the Lord's Name, I have attained liberation and emancipation. ||1||Pause||
Through the Word of the Shabad, I am lovingly attuned to the Lord, the Destroyer of fear, the Destroyer of the Messenger of Death.
As Gurmukh, I have realized the Lord, the Giver of peace; I remain intuitively absorbed in Him. ||1||
The Immaculate Name of the Lord is the food of His devotees; they wear the glory of devotional worship.
They abide in the home of their inner beings, and they serve the Lord forever; they are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
The intellect of the self-willed manmukh is false; his mind wavers and wobbles, and he cannot speak the Unspoken Speech.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the Eternal Unchanging Lord abides within the mind; the True Word of His Bani is Ambrosial Nectar. ||3||
The Shabad calms the turbulent waves of the mind; the tongue is intuively imbued with peace.
So remain united forever with your True Guru, who is lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||4||
If the mortal dies in the Shabad, then he is liberated; he focuses his consciousness on the Lord's Feet.
The Lord is an Ocean; His Water is Forever Pure. Whoever bathes in it is intuitively imbued with peace. ||5||
Those who contemplate the Shabad are forever imbued with His Love; their egotism and desires are subdued.
The Pure, Unattached Lord permeates their inner beings; the Lord, the Supreme Soul, is pervading all. ||6||
Your humble servants serve You, O Lord; those who are imbued with the Truth are pleasing to Your Mind.
Those who are involved in duality do not find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; caught in the false nature of the world, they do not discriminate between merits and demerits. ||7||
When the Lord merges us into Himself, we speak the Unspoken Speech; True is the Shabad, and True is the Word of His Bani.
O Nanak, the true people are absorbed in the Truth; they chant the Name of the Lord. ||8||1||
Saarang, Third Mehl:
O my mind, the Name of the Lord is supremely sweet.

It is the Destroyer of the sins, the guilt and fears of countless incarnations; the Gurmukh sees the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
Millions upon millions of sins are erased, when the mind comes to love the True Lord.
I do not know any other, except the Lord; the True Guru has revealed the One Lord to me. ||1||
Those whose hearts are filled with the wealth of the Lord's Love, remain intuitively absorbed in Him.
Imbued with the Shabad, they are dyed in the deep crimson color of His Love. They are imbued with the Lord's celestial peace and poise. ||2||
Contemplating the Shabad, the tongue is imbued with joy; embracing His Love, it is dyed a deep crimson.
I have come to know the Name of the Pure Detached Lord; my mind is satisfied and comforted. ||3||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, read and study, and all the silent sages have grown weary; they have grown weary of wearing their religious robes and wandering all around.
By Guru's Grace, I have found the Immaculate Lord; I contemplate the True Word of the Shabad. ||4||
My coming and going in reincarnation is ended, and I am imbued with Truth; the True Word of the Shabad is pleasing to my mind.
Serving the True Guru, eternal peace is found, and self-conceit is eliminated from within. ||5||
Through the True Word of the Shabad, the celestial melody wells up, and the mind is lovingly focused on the True Lord.
The Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Inaccessible and Unfathomable Lord, abides in the mind of the Gurmukh. ||6||
The whole world is contained in the One Lord. How rare are those who understand the One Lord.
One who dies in the Shabad comes to know everything; night and day, he realizes the One Lord. ||7||
That humble being, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, understands. Nothing else can be said.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam are forever detached from the world; they are lovingly attuned to the One Word of the Shabad. ||8||2||
Saarang, Third Mehl:
O my mind, the Speech of the Lord is unspoken.
That humble being who is blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace, obtains it. How rare is that Gurmukh who understands. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is Deep, Profound and Unfathomable, the Ocean of Excellence; He is realized through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Mortals do their deeds in all sorts of ways, in the love of duality; but without the Shabad, they are insane. ||1||
That humble being who bathes in the Lord's Name becomes immaculate; he never becomes polluted again.
Without the Name, the whole world is polluted; wandering in duality, it loses its honor. ||2||
What should I grasp? What should I gather up or leave behind? I do not know.
O Dear Lord, Your Name is the Help and Support of those whom You bless with Your kindness and compassion. ||3||
The True Lord is the True Giver, the Architect of Destiny; as He pleases, He links mortals to the Name.
He alone comes to understand, who enters the Guru's Gate, whom the Lord Himself instructs. ||4||
Even gazing upon the wonders of the Lord, this mind does not think of Him. The world comes and goes in reincarnation.
Serving the True Guru, the mortal comes to understand, and finds the Door of Salvation. ||5||
Those who understand the Lord's Court, never suffer separation from him. The True Guru has imparted this understanding.
They practice truth, self-restraint and good deeds; their comings and goings are ended. ||6||
In the Court of the True Lord, they practice Truth. The Gurmukhs take the Support of the True Lord.

The self-willed manmukhs wander, lost in doubt and duality. They do not know how to contemplate the Lord. ||7||
He Himself is the Gurmukh, and He Himself gives; He Himself creates and beholds.
O Nanak, those humble beings are approved, whose honor the Lord Himself accepts. ||8||3||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Lord of the World, I gaze upon Your wondrous glory.
You are the Doer, the Cause of causes, the Creator and Destroyer. You are the Sovereign Lord of all. ||1||Pause||
The rulers and nobles and kings shall become beggars. Their ostentatious shows are false
. My Sovereign Lord King is eternally stable. His Praises are sung in every heart. ||1||
Listen to the Praises of my Lord King, O Saints. I chant them as best I can.
My Lord King, the Great Giver, is Immeasurable. He is the Highest of the high. ||2||
He has strung His Breath throughout the creation; He locked the fire in the wood.
He placed the water and the land together, but neither blends with the other. ||3||
In each and every heart, the Story of our Sovereign Lord is told; in each and every home, they yearn for Him.
Afterwards, He created all beings and creatures; but first, He provided them with sustenance. ||4||
Whatever He does, He does by Himself. Who has ever given Him advice?
The mortals make all sorts of efforts and showy displays, but He is realized only through the Teachings of Truth. ||5||
The Lord protects and saves His devotees; He blesses them with the glory of His Name.
Whoever is disrespectful to the humble servant of the Lord, shall be swept away and destroyed. ||6||
Those who join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, are liberated; all their demerits are taken away.
Seeing them, God becomes merciful; they are carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||7||
I am lowly, I am nothing at all; You are my Great Lord and Master - how can I even contemplate Your creative potency?
My mind and body are cooled and soothed, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. Nanak takes the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||8||1||
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Listen to the Story of the Inaccessible and Unfathomable.
The glory of the Supreme Lord God is wondrous and amazing! ||1||Pause||
Forever and ever, humbly bow to the True Guru.
By Guru's Grace, sing the Glorious Praises of the Infinite Lord.
His Light shall radiate deep within your mind.
With the healing ointment of spiritual wisdom, ignorance is dispelled. ||1||
There is no limit to His Expanse.
His Glory is Infinite and Endless.
His many plays cannot be counted.
He is not subject to pleasure or pain. ||2||
Many Brahmas vibrate Him in the Vedas.
Many Shivas sit in deep meditation.

Many beings take incarnation.
Many Indras stand at the Lord's Door. ||3||
Many winds, fires and waters.
Many jewels, and oceans of butter and milk.
Many suns, moons and stars.
Many gods and goddesses of so many kinds. ||4||
Many earths, many wish-fulfilling cows.
Many miraculous Elysian trees, many Krishnas playing the flute.
Many Akaashic ethers, many nether regions of the underworld.
Many mouths chant and meditate on the Lord. ||5||
Many Shaastras, Simritees and Puraanas.
Many ways in which we speak.
Many listeners listen to the Lord of Treasure.
The Lord God totally permeates all beings. ||6||
Many righteous judges of Dharma, many gods of wealth.
Many gods of water, many mountains of gold.
Many thousand-headed snakes, chanting ever-new Names of God.
They do not know the limits of the Supreme Lord God. ||7||
Many solar systems, many galaxies.
Many forms, colors and celestial realms.
Many gardens, many fruits and roots.
He Himself is mind, and He Himself is matter. ||8||
Many ages, days and nights.
Many apocalypses, many creations.
Many beings are in His home.
The Lord is perfectly pervading all places. ||9||
Many Mayas, which cannot be known.
Many are the ways in which our Sovereign Lord plays.
Many exquisite melodies sing of the Lord.
Many recording scribes of the conscious and subconscious are revealed there. ||10||
He is above all, and yet He dwells with His devotees.
Twenty-four hours a day, they sing His Praises with love.
Many unstruck melodies resound and resonate with bliss.
There is no end or limit of that sublime essence. ||11||
True is the Primal Being, and True is His dwelling.
He is the Highest of the high, Immaculate and Detached, in Nirvaanaa.
He alone knows His handiwork.
He Himself pervades each and every heart.
The Merciful Lord is the Treasure of Compassion, O Nanak.
Those who chant and meditate on Him, O Nanak, are exalted and enraptured. ||12||1||2||2||3||7||
Saarang, Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
See the Giver of fearlessness in all.
The Detached Lord is totally permeating each and every heart.
Like waves in the water, He created the creation.
He enjoys all tastes, and takes pleasure in all hearts. There is no other like Him at all.
The color of the Lord's Love is the one color of our Lord and Master; in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, God is realized.
O Nanak, I am drenched with the Blessed Vision of the Lord, like the fish in the water. I see the Giver of fearlessness in all. ||1||
What praises should I give, and what approval should I offer to Him?
The Perfect Lord is totally pervading and permeating all places.
The Perfect Enticing Lord adorns each and every heart. When He withdraws, the mortal turns to dust.

Why do you not worship and adore Him? Join together with the Holy Saints; any instant, your time shall come.
All your property and wealth, and all that you see - none of it will go along with you.
Says Nanak, worship and adore the Lord, Har, Har. What praise, and what approval, can I offer to Him? ||2||
I ask the Saints, what is my Lord and Master like?
I offer my heart, to one who brings me news of Him.
Give me news of my Dear God; where does the Enticer live?
He is the Giver of peace to life and limb; God is totally permeating all places, interspaces and countries.
He is liberated from bondage, joined to each and every heart. I cannot say what the Lord is like.
Gazing upon His wondrous play, O Nanak, my mind is fascinated. I humbly ask, what is my Lord and Master like? ||3||
In His Kindness, He has come to His humble servant.
Blessed is that heart, in which the Lord's Feet are enshrined.
His Feet are enshrined within, in the Society of the Saints; the darkness of ignorance is dispelled.
The heart is enlightened and illumined and enraptured; God has been found.
Pain is gone, and peace has come to my house. The ultimate intuitive peace prevails.
Says Nanak, I have found the Perfect Lord; in His Kindness, He has come to His humble servant. ||4||1||
Vaar Of Saarang, Fourth Mehl, To Be Sung To The Tune Of Mehma-Hasna:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Second Mehl:
The key of the Guru opens the lock of attachment, in the house of the mind, under the roof of the body.
O Nanak, without the Guru, the door of the mind cannot be opened. No one else holds the key in hand. ||1||
First Mehl:
He is not won over by music, songs or the Vedas.
He is not won over by intuitive wisdom, meditation or Yoga.
He is not won over by feeling sad and depressed forever.
He is not won over by beauty, wealth and pleasures.
He is not won over by wandering naked at sacred shrines.
He is not won over by giving donations in charity.
He is not won over by living alone in the wilderness.
He is not won over by fighting and dying as a warrior in battle.
He is not won over by becoming the dust of the masses.
The account is written of the loves of the mind.
O Nanak, the Lord is won over only by His Name. ||2||
First Mehl:
You may study the nine grammars, the six Shaastras and the six divions of the Vedas.
You may recite the Mahaabhaarata.
Even these cannot find the limits of the Lord.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, how can anyone be liberated?
Brahma, in the lotus of the navel, does not know the limits of God.
The Gurmukh, O Nanak, realizes the Naam. ||3||
Pauree:
The Immaculate Lord Himself, by Himself, created Himself.
He Himself created the whole drama of all the world's play.
He Himself formed the three gunas, the three qualities; He increased the attachment to Maya.
By Guru's Grace, they are saved - those who love the Will of God.
O Nanak, the True Lord is pervading everywhere; all are contained within the True Lord. ||1||

Shalok, Second Mehl:
He Himself creates, O Nanak; He establishes the various creatures.
How can anyone be called bad? We have only One Lord and Master.
There is One Lord and Master of all; He watches over all, and assigns all to their tasks.
Some have less, and some have more; no one is allowed to leave empty.
Naked we come, and naked we go; in between, we put on a show.
O Nanak, one who does not understand the Hukam of God's Command - what will he have to do in the world hereafter? ||1||
First Mehl:
He sends out the various created beings, and he calls back the various created beings again.
He himself establishes, and He Himself disestablishes. He fashions them in various forms.
And all the human beings who wander around as beggars, He Himself gives in charity to them.
As it is recorded, the mortals speak, and as it is recorded, they walk. So why put on all this show?
This is the basis of intelligence; this is certified and approved. Nanak speaks and proclaims it.
By past actions, each being is judged; what else can anyone say? ||2||
Pauree:
The Guru's Word makes the drama play itself out. Through virtue, this becomes evident.
Whoever utters the Word of the Guru's Bani - the Lord is enshrined in his mind.
Maya's power is gone, and doubt is eradicated; awaken to the Light of the Lord.
Those who hold onto goodness as their treasure meet the Guru, the Primal Being.
O Nanak, they are intuitively absorbed and blended into the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
The merchants come from the Banker; He sends the account of their destiny with them.
On the basis of their accounts, He issues the Hukam of His Command, and they are left to take care of their merchandise.
The merchants have purchased their merchandise and packed up their cargo.
Some depart after having earned a good profit, while others leave, having lost their investment altogether.
No one asks to have less; who should be celebrated?
The Lord casts His Glance of Grace, O Nanak, upon those who have preserved their capital investment. ||1||
First Mehl:
United, the united separate, and separated, they unite again.
Living, the living die, and dying, they live again.
They become the fathers of many, and the sons of many; they become the gurus of many, and the disciples.
No account can be made of the future or the past; who knows what shall be, or what was?
All the actions and events of the past are recorded; the Doer did, He does, and He will do.
The self-willed manmukh dies, while the Gurmukh is saved; O Nanak, the Gracious Lord bestows His Glance of Grace. ||2||
Pauree:
The self-willed manmukh wanders in duality, lured and enticed by duality.
He practices falsehood and deception, telling lies.
Love and attachment to children and spouse is total misery and pain.
He is gagged and bound at the door of the Messenger of Death; he dies, and wanders lost in reincarnation.
The self-willed manmukh wastes his life; Nanak loves the Lord. ||3||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
Those who are blessed with the glorious greatness of Your Name - their minds are imbued with Your Love.
O Nanak, there is only One Ambrosial Nectar; there is no other nectar at all.
O Nanak, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained within the mind, by Guru's Grace.
They alone drink it in with love, who have such pre-ordained destiny. ||1||

Second Mehl:
Why praise the created being? Praise the One who created all.
O Nanak, there is no other Giver, except the One Lord.
Praise the Creator Lord, who created the creation.
Praise the Great Giver, who gives sustenence to all.
O Nanak, the treasure of the Eternal Lord is over-flowing.
Praise and honor the One, who has no end or limitation. ||2||
Pauree:
The Name of the Lord is a treasure. Serving it, peace is obtained.
I chant the Name of the Immaculate Lord, so that I may go home with honor.
The Word of the Gurmukh is the Naam; I enshrine the Naam within my heart.
The bird of the intellect comes under one's control, by meditating on the True Guru.
O Nanak, if the Lord becomes merciful, the mortal lovingly tunes in to the Naam. ||4||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
How can we speak of Him? Only He knows Himself.
His decree cannot be challenged; He is our Supreme Lord and Master.
By His Decree, even kings, nobles and commanders must step down.
Whatever is pleasing to His Will, O Nanak, is a good deed.
By His Decree, we walk; nothing rests in our hands.
When the Order comes from our Lord and Master, all must rise up and take to the road.
As His Decree is issued, so is His Command obeyed.
Those who are sent, come, O Nanak; when they are called back, they depart and go. ||1||
Second Mehl:
Those whom the Lord blesses with His Praises, are the true keepers of the treasure.
Those who are blessed with the key - they alone receive the treasure.
That treasure, from which virtue wells up - that treasure is approved.
Those who are blessed by His Glance of Grace, O Nanak, bear the Insignia of the Naam. ||2||
Pauree:
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is immaculate and pure; hearing it, peace is obtained.
Listening and hearing, It is enshrined in the mind; how rare is that humble being who realizes it.
Sitting down and standing up, I shall never forget Him, the Truest of the true.
His devotees have the Support of His Name; in His Name, they find peace.
O Nanak, He permeates and pervades mind and body; He is the Lord, the Guru's Word. ||5||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, the weight is weighed out, when the soul is placed on the scale.
Nothing is equal to speaking of the One, who perfectly unites us with the Perfect Lord.
To call Him glorious and great carries such a heavy weight.
Other intellectualisms are lightweight; other words are lightweight as well.
The weight of the earth, water and mountains
- how can the goldsmith weigh it on the scale?
What weights can balance the scale?
O Nanak, when questioned, the answer is given.
The blind fool is running around, leading the blind.
The more they say, the more they expose themselves. ||1||
First Mehl:
It is difficult to chant it; it is difficult to listen to it. It cannot be chanted with the mouth.
Some speak with their mouths and chant the Word of the Shabad - the low and the high, day and night.
If He were something, then He would be visible. His form and state cannot be seen.
The Creator Lord does all deeds; He is established in the hearts of the high and the low.

It is so difficult to chant it, O Nanak; it cannot be chanted with the mouth. ||2||
Pauree:
Hearing the Name, the mind is delighted. The Name brings peace and tranquility.
Hearing the Name, the mind is satisfied, and all pains are taken away.
Hearing the Name, one becomes famous; the Name brings glorious greatness.
The Name brings all honor and status; through the Name, salvation is obtained.
The Gurmukh meditates on the Name; Nanak is lovingly attuned to the Name. ||6||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Impurity does not come from music; impurity does not come from the Vedas.
Impurity does not come from the phases of the sun and the moon.
Impurity does not come from food; impurity does not come from ritual cleansing baths.
Impurity does not come from the rain, which falls everywhere.
Impurity does not come from the earth; impurity does not come from the water.
Impurity does not come from the air which is diffused everywhere.
O Nanak, the one who has no Guru, has no redeeming virtues at all.
Impurity comes from turning one's face away from God. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, the mouth is truly cleansed by ritual cleansing, if you really know how to do it.
For the intuitively aware, cleansing is spiritual wisdom. For the Yogi, it is self-control.
For the Brahmin, cleansing is contentment; for the householder, it is truth and charity.
For the king, cleansing is justice; for the scholar, it is true meditation.
The consciousness is not washed with water; you drink it to quench your thirst.
Water is the father of the world; in the end, water destroys it all. ||2||
Pauree:
Hearing the Name, all supernatural spiritual powers are obtained, and wealth follows along.
Hearing the Name, the nine treasures are received, and the mind's desires are obtained.
Hearing the Name, contentment comes, and Maya meditates at one's feet.
Hearing the Name, intuitive peace and poise wells up.
Through the Guru's Teachings, the Name is obtained; O Nanak, sing His Glorious Praises. ||7||
Shalok, First Mehl:
In pain, we are born; in pain, we die. In pain, we deal with the world.
Hereafter, there is said to be pain, only pain; the more the mortals read, the more they cry out.
The packages of pain are untied, but peace does not emerge.
In pain, the soul burns; in pain, it departs weeping and wailing.
O Nanak, imbued with the Lord's Praise, the mind and body blossom forth, rejuvenated.
In the fire of pain, the mortals die; but pain is also the cure. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, worldly pleasures are nothing more than dust. They are the dust of the dust of ashes.
The mortal earns only the dust of the dust; his body is covered with dust.
When the soul is taken out of the body, it too is covered with dust.
And when one's account is called for in the world hereafter, he receives only ten times more dust. ||2||
Pauree:
Hearing the Name, one is blessed with purity and self-control, and the Messenger of Death will not draw near.
Hearing the Name, the heart is illumined, and darkness is dispelled.
Hearing the Name, one comes to understand his own self, and the profit of the Name is obtained.
Hearing the Name, sins are eradicated, and one meets the Immaculate True Lord.
O Nanak, hearing the Name, one's face becomes radiant. As Gurmukh, meditate on the Name. ||8||
Shalok, First Mehl:
In your home, is the Lord God, along with all your other gods.

You wash your stone gods and worship them.
You offer saffron, sandalwood and flowers.
Falling at their feet, you try so hard to appease them.
Begging, begging from other people, you get things to wear and eat.
For your blind deeds, you will be blindly punished.
Your idol does not feed the hungry, or save the dying.
The blind assembly argues in blindness. ||1||
First Mehl:
All intuitive understanding, all Yoga, all the Vedas and Puraanas.
All actions, all penances, all songs and spiritual wisdom.
All intellect, all enlightenment, all sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
All kingdoms, all royal commands, all joys and all delicacies.
All mankind, all divinites, all Yoga and meditation.
All worlds, all celestial realms; all the beings of the universe.
According to His Hukam, He commands them. His Pen writes out the account of their actions.
O Nanak, True is the Lord, and True is His Name. True is His Congregation and His Court. ||2||
Pauree:
With faith in the Name, peace wells up; the Name brings emancipation.
With faith in the Name, honor is obtained. The Lord is enshrined in the heart.
With faith in the Name, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, and no obstructions are ever again encountered.
With faith in the Name, the Path is revealed; through the Name, one is totally enlightened.
O Nanak, meeting with the True Guru, one comes to have faith in the Name; he alone has faith, who is blessed with it. ||9||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The mortal walks on his head through the worlds and realms; he meditates, balaced on one foot.
Controlling the wind of the breath, he meditates within his mind, tucking his chin down into his chest.
What does he lean on? Where does he get his power?
What can be said, O Nanak? Who is blessed by the Creator?
God keeps all under His Command, but the fool shows off himself. ||1||
First Mehl:
He is, He is - I say it millions upon millions, millions upon millions of times.
With my mouth I say it, forever and ever; there is no end to this speech.
I do not get tired, and I will not be stopped; this is how great my determination is.
O Nanak, this is tiny and insignificant. To say that it is more, is wrong. ||2||
Pauree:
With faith in the Name, all one's ancestors and family are saved.
With faith in the Name, one's associates are saved; enshrine it within your heart.
With faith in the Name, those who hear it are saved; let your tongue delight in it.
With faith in the Name, pain and hunger are dispelled; let your consciousness be attached to the Name.
O Nanak, they alone Praise the Name, who meet with the Guru. ||10||
Shalok, First Mehl:
All nights, all days, all dates, all days of the week;
All seasons, all months, all the earth and everything on it.
All waters, all winds, all fires and underworlds.
All solar systems and galaxies, all worlds, people and forms.
No one knows how great the Hukam of His Command is; no one can describe His actions.
Mortals may utter, chant, recite and contemplate His Praises until they grow weary.
The poor fools, O Nanak, cannot find even a tiny bit of the Lord. ||1||
First Mehl:
If I were to walk around with my eyes wide open, gazing at all the created forms;
I could ask the spiritual teachers and religious scholars, and those who contemplate the Vedas;

I could ask the gods, mortal men, warriors and divine incarnations;
I could consult all the Siddhas in Samaadhi, and go to see the Lord's Court.
Hereafter, Truth is the Name of all; the Fearless Lord has no fear at all.
False are other intellectualisms, false and shallow; blind are the contemplations of the blind.
O Nanak, by the karma of good actions, the mortal comes to meditate on the Lord; by His Grace, we are carried across. ||2||
Pauree:
With faith in the Name, evil-mindedness is eradicated, and the intellect is enlightened.
With faith in the Name, egotism is eradicated, and all sickness is cured.
Believing in the Name, The Name wells up, and intuitive peace and poise are obtained.
Believing in the Name, tranquility and peace well up, and the Lord is enshrined in the mind.
O Nanak, the Name is a jewel; the Gurmukh meditates on the Lord. ||11||
Shalok, First Mehl:
If there were any other equal to You, O Lord, I would speak to them of You.
You, I praise You; I am blind, but through the Name, I am all-seeing.
Whatever is spoken, is the Word of the Shabad. Chanting it with love, we are embellished.
Nanak, this is the greatest thing to say: all glorious greatness is Yours. ||1||
First Mehl:
When there was nothing, what happened? What happens when one is born?
The Creator, the Doer, does all; He watches over all, again and again
. Whether we keep silent or beg out loud, the Great Giver blesses us with His gifts.
The One Lord is the Giver; we are all beggars. I have seen this throughout the Universe.
Nanak knows this: the Great Giver lives forever. ||2||
Pauree:
With faith in the Name, intuitive awareness wells up; through the Name, intelligence comes.
With faith in the Name, chant the Glories of God; through the Name, peace is obtained.
With faith in the Name, doubt is eradicated, and the mortal never suffers again.
With faith in the Name, sing His Praises, and your sinful intellect shall be washed clean.
O Nanak, through the Perfect Guru, one comes to have faith in the Name; they alone receive it, unto whom He gives it. ||12||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Some read the Shaastras, the Vedas and the Puraanas.
They recite them, out of ignorance.
If they really understood them, they would realize the Lord.
Nanak says, there is no need to shout so loud. ||1||
First Mehl:
When I am Yours, then everything is mine. When I am not, You are.
You Yourself are All-powerful, and You Yourself are the Intuitive Knower. The whole world is strung on the Power of Your Shakti.
You Yourself send out the mortal beings, and You Yourself call them back home. Having created the creation, You behold it.
O Nanak, True is the Name of the True Lord; through Truth, one is accepted by the Primal Lord God. ||2||
Pauree:
The Name of the Immaculate Lord is unknowable. How can it be known?
The Name of the Immaculate Lord is with the mortal being. How can it be obtained, O Siblings of Destiny?
The Name of the Immaculate Lord is all-pervading and permeating everywhere.
Through the Perfect Guru, it is obtained. It is revealed within the heart.
O Nanak, when the Merciful Lord grants His Grace, the mortal meets with the Guru, O Siblings of Desitny. ||13||
Shalok, First Mehl:
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, people have faces like dogs; they eat rotting carcasses for food.
They bark and speak, telling only lies; all thought of righteousness has left them.
Those who have no honor while alive, will have an evil reputation after they die.

Whatever is predestined, happens, O Nanak; whatever the Creator does, comes to pass. ||1||
First Mehl:
Women have become advisors, and men have become hunters.
Humility, self-control and purity have run away; people eat the uneatable, forbidden food.
Modesty has left her home, and honor has gone away with her.
O Nanak, there is only One True Lord; do not bother to search for any other as true. ||2||
Pauree:
You smear your outer body with ashes, but within, you are filled with darkness.
You wear the patched coat and all the right clothes and robes, but you are still egotistical and proud.
You do not chant the Shabad, the Word of Your Lord and Master; you are attached to the expanse of Maya.
Within, you are filled with greed and doubt; you wander around like a fool.
Says Nanak, you never even think of the Naam; you have lost the game of life in the gamble. ||14||
Shalok, First Mehl:
You may be in love with tens of thousands, and live for thousands of years; but what good are these pleasures and occupations?
And when you must separate from them, that separation is like poison, but they will be gone in an instant.
You may eat sweets for a hundred years, but eventually, you will have to eat the bitter as well.
Then, you will not remember eating the sweets; bitterness will permeate you.
The sweet and the bitter are both diseases.
O Nanak, eating them, you will come to ruin in the end.
It is useless to worry and struggle to death.
Entangled in worries and struggles, people exhaust themselves. ||1||
First Mehl:
They have fine clothes and furniture of various colors.
Their houses are painted beautifully white.
In pleasure and poise, they play their mind games.
When they approach You, O Lord, they shall be spoken to.
They think it is sweet, so they eat the bitter.
The bitter disease grows in the body.
If, later on, they receive the sweet,
then their bitterness shall be gone, O mother.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is blessed to receive
what he is predestined to receive. ||2||
Pauree:
Those whose hearts are filled with the filth of deception, may wash themselves on the outside.
They practice falsehood and deception, and their falsehood is revealed.
That which is within them, comes out; it cannot be concealed by concealment.
Attached to falsehood and greed, the mortal is consigned to reincarnation over and over again.
O Nanak, whatever the mortal plants, he must eat. The Creator Lord has written our destiny. ||15||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
The Vedas bring forth stories and legends, and thoughts of vice and virtue.
What is given, they receive, and what is received, they give. They are reincarnated in heaven and hell.
High and low, social class and status - the world wanders lost in superstition.
The Ambrosial Word of Gurbani proclaims the essence of reality. Spiritual wisdom and meditation are contained within it.
The Gurmukhs chant it, and the Gurmukhs realize it. Intuitively aware, they meditate on it.
By the Hukam of His Command, He formed the Universe, and in His Hukam, He keeps it. By His Hukam, He keeps it under His Gaze.
O Nanak, if the mortal shatters his ego before he departs, as it is pre-ordained, then he is approved. ||1||
First Mehl:
The Vedas proclaim that vice and virtue are the seeds of heaven and hell.
Whatever is planted, shall grow. The soul eats the fruits of its actions, and understands.
Whoever praises spiritual wisdom as great, becomes truthful in the True Name.
When Truth is planted, Truth grows. In the Court of the Lord, you shall find your place of honor.

The Vedas are only merchants; spiritual wisdom is the capital; by His Grace, it is received.
O Nanak, without capital, no one has ever departed with profit. ||2||
Pauree:
You can water a bitter neem tree with ambrosial nectar.
You can feed a venomous snake lots of milk.
The self-willed manmukh is resistant; he cannot be softened. You might as well water a stone.
Irrigating a poisonous plant with ambrosial nectar, only poisonous fruit is obtained.
O Lord, please unite Nanak with the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, so that he may be rid of all poison. ||16||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Death does not ask the time; it does not ask the date or the day of the week.
Some have packed up, and some who have packed up have gone.
Some are severely punished, and some are taken care of.
They must leave their armies and drums, and their beautiful mansions.
O Nanak, the pile of dust is once again reduced to dust. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, the pile shall fall apart; the fortress of the body is made of dust.
The thief has settled within you; O soul, your life is false. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who are filled with vicious slander, shall have their noses cut, and be shamed.
They are totally ugly, and always in pain. Their faces are blackened by Maya.
They rise early in the morning, to cheat and steal from others; they hide from the Lord's Name.
O Dear Lord, let me not even associate with them; save me from them, O my Sovereign Lord King.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukhs act according to their past deeds, producing nothing but pain. ||17||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Everyone belongs to our Lord and Master. Everyone came from Him.
Only by realizing the Hukam of His Command, is Truth obtained.
The Gurmukh realizes his own self; no one appears evil to him.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Fruitful is his coming into the world. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
He Himself is the Giver of all; He unites all with Himself.
O Nanak, they are united with the Word of the Shabad; serving the Lord, the Great Giver, they shall never be separated from Him again. ||2||
Pauree:
Peace and tranquility fill the heart of the Gurmukh; the Name wells up within them.
Chanting and meditation, penance and self-discipline, and bathing at sacred shrines of pilgrimage - the merits of these come by pleasing my God.
So serve the Lord with a pure heart; singing His Glorious Praises, you shall be embellished and exalted.
My Dear Lord is pleased by this; he carries the Gurmukh across.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is merged with the Lord; he is embellished in His Court. ||18||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Thus speaks the wealthy man: I should go and get more wealth.
Nanak becomes poor on that day when he forgets the Lord's Name. ||1||
First Mehl:
The sun rises and sets, and the lives of all run out.
The mind and body experience pleasures; one loses, and another wins.
Everyone is puffed up with pride; even after they are spoken to, they do not stop.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself sees all; when He takes the air out of the balloon, the body falls. ||2||
Pauree:
The treasure of the Name is in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. There, the Lord is found.

By Guru's Grace, the heart is illumined, and darkness is dispelled.
Iron is transformed into gold, when it touches the Philosopher's Stone.
O Nanak, meeting with the True Guru, the Name is obtained. Meeting Him, the mortal meditates on the Name.
Those who have virtue as their treasure, obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||19||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Cursed are the lives of those who read and write the Lord's Name to sell it.
Their crop is devastated - what harvest will they have?
Lacking truth and humility, they shall not be appreciated in the world hereafter.
Wisdom which leads to arguments is not called wisdom.
Wisdom leads us to serve our Lord and Master; through wisdom, honor is obtained.
Wisdom does not come by reading textbooks; wisdom inspires us to give in charity.
Says Nanak, this is the Path; other things lead to Satan. ||1||
Second Mehl:
Mortals are known by their actions; this is the way it has to be.
They should show goodness, and not be deformed by their actions; this is how they are called beautiful.
Whatever they desire, they shall receive; O Nanak, they become the very image of God. ||2||
Pauree:
The True Guru is the tree of ambrosia. it bears the fruit of sweet nectar.
He alone receives it, who is so pre-destined, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
One who walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru, is blended with the Lord.
The Messenger of Death cannot even see him; his heart is illumined with God's Light.
O Nanak, God forgives him, and blends him with Himself; he does not rot away in the womb of reincarnation ever again. ||20||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Those who have truth as their fast, contentment as their sacred shrine of pilgrimage, spiritual wisdom and meditation as their cleansing bath,
kindness as their deity, and forgiveness as their chanting beads - they are the most excellent people.
Those who take the Way as their loincloth, and intuitive awareness their ritualistically purified enclosure, with good deeds their ceremonial forehead mark,
and love their food - O Nanak, they are very rare. ||1||
Third Mehl:
On the ninth day of the month, make a vow to speak the Truth,
and your sexual desire, anger and desire shall be eaten up.
On the tenth day, regulate your ten doors; on the eleventh day, know that the Lord is One.
On the twelfth day, the five thieves are subdued, and then, O Nanak, the mind is pleased and appeased.
Observe such a fast as this, O Pandit, O religious scholar; of what use are all the other teachings? ||2||
Pauree:
Kings, rulers and monarchs enjoy pleasures and gather the poison of Maya.
In love with it, they collect more and more, stealing the wealth of others.
They do not trust their own children or spouses; they are totally attached to the love of Maya.
But even as they look on, Maya cheats them, and they come to regret and repent.
Bound and gagged at Death's door, they are beaten and punished; O Nanak, it pleases the Will of the Lord. ||21||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The one who lacks spiritual wisdom sings religious songs.
The hungry Mullah turns his home into a mosque.
The lazy unemployed has his ears pierced to look like a Yogi.
Someone else becomes a pan-handler, and loses his social status.
One who calls himself a guru or a spiritual teacher, while he goes around begging
- don't ever touch his feet.
One who works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has
- O Nanak, he knows the Path. ||1||

First Mehl:
Those mortals whose minds are like deep dark pits do not understand the purpose of life, even when it is explained to them.
Their minds are blind, and their heart-lotuses are upside-down; they look totally ugly.
Some know how to speak, and understand what they are told. They are wise and beautiful.
Some do not understand about the Sound-current of the Naad or the Vedas, music, virtue or vice.
Some are not blessed with understanding, intelligence, or sublime intellect; they do not grasp the mystery of God's Word.
O Nanak, they are donkeys; they are very proud of themselves, but they have no virtues at all. ||2||
Pauree:
To the Gurmukh, everything is sacred: wealth, property, Maya.
Those who spend the wealth of the Lord find peace through giving.
Those who meditate on the Lord's Name shall never be deprived.
The Gurmukhs come to see the Lord, and leave behind the things of Maya.
O Nanak, the devotees do not think of anything else; they are absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||22||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Those who serve the True Guru are very fortunate.
They are lovingly attuned to the True Shabad, the Word of the One God.
In their own household and family, they are in natural Samaadhi.
O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Naam are truly detached from the world. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Calculated service is not service at all, and what is done is not approved.
The flavor of the Shabad, the Word of God, is not tasted if the mortal is not in love with the True Lord God.
The stubborn-minded person does not even like the True Guru; he comes and goes in reincarnation.
He takes one step forward, and ten steps back.
The mortal works to serve the True Guru, if he walks in harmony with the True Guru's Will.
He loses his self-conceit, and meets the True Guru; he remains intuitively absorbed in the Lord.
O Nanak, they never forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord; they are united in Union with the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
They call themselves emperors and rulers, but none of them will be allowed to stay.
Their sturdy forts and mansions - none of them will go along with them.
Their gold and horses, fast as the wind, are cursed, and cursed are their clever tricks.
Eating the thirty-six delicacies, they become bloated with pollution.
O Nanak, the self-willed manmukh does not know the One who gives, and so he suffers in pain. ||23||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Pandits, the religious scholars and the silent sages read and recite until they get tired. They wander through foreign lands in their religious robes, until they are exhausted.
In love with duality, they never receive the Name. Held in the grasp of pain, they suffer terribly.
The blind fools serve the three gunas, the three dispositions; they deal only with Maya.
With deception in their hearts, the fools read sacred texts to fill their bellies.
One who serves the True Guru finds peace; he eradicates egotism from within.
O Nanak, there is One Name to chant and dwell on; how rare are those who reflect on this and understand. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Naked we come, and naked we go. This is by the Lord's Command; what else can we do?
The object belongs to Him; He shall take it away; with whom should one be angry.
One who becomes Gurmukh accepts God's Will; he intuitively drinks in the Lord's sublime essence.
O Nanak, praise the Giver of peace forever; with your tongue, savor the Lord. ||2||

Pauree:
The fortress of the body has been decorated and adorned in so many ways.
The wealthy wear beautiful silk robes of various colors.
They hold elegant and beautiful courts, on red and white carpets.
But they eat in pain, and in pain they seek pleasure; they are very proud of their pride.
O Nanak, the mortal does not even think of the Name, which shall deliver him in the end. ||24||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
She sleeps in intuitive peace and poise, absorbed in the Word of the Shabad.
God hugs her close in His Embrace, and merges her into Himself.
Duality is eradicated with intuitive ease.
The Naam comes to abide in her mind.
He hugs close in His Embrace those who shatter and reform their beings.
O Nanak, those who are predestined to meet Him, come and meet Him now. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those who forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord - so what if they chant other chants?
They are maggots in manure, plundered by the thief of worldly entanglements.
O Nanak, never forget the Naam; greed for anything else is false. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who praise the Naam, and believe in the Naam, are eternally stable in this world.
Within their hearts, they dwell on the Lord, and nothing else at all.
With each and every hair, they chant the Lord's Name, each and every instant, the Lord.
The birth of the Gurmukh is fruitful and certified; pure and unstained, his filth is washed away.
O Nanak, meditating on the Lord of eternal life, the status of immortality is obtained. ||25||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who forget the Naam and do other things,
O Nanak, will be bound and gagged and beaten in the City of Death, like the thief caught red-handed. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
The earth is beauteous, and the sky is lovely, chanting the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, those who lack the Naam - their carcasses are eaten by the crows. ||2||
Pauree:
Those who lovingly praise the Naam, and dwell in the mansion of the self deep within,
do not enter into reincarnation ever again; they shall never be destroyed.
They remain immersed and absorbed in the love of the Lord, with every breath and morsel of food.
The color of the Lord's Love never fades away; the Gurmukhs are enlightened.
Granting His Grace, He unites them with Himself; O Nanak, the Lord keeps them by His side. ||26||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
As long as his mind is disturbed by waves, he is caught in ego and egotistical pride.
He does not find the taste of the Shabad, and he does not embrace love for the Name.
His service is not accepted; worrying and worrying, he wastes away in misery.
O Nanak, he alone is called a selfless servant, who cuts off his head, and offers it to the Lord.
He accepts the Will of the True Guru, and enshrines the Shabad within his heart. ||1||
Third Mehl:
That is chanting and meditation, work and selfless service, which is pleasing to our Lord and Master.
The Lord Himself forgives, and takes away self-conceit, and unites the mortals with Himself.
United with the Lord, the mortal is never separated again; his light merges into the Light.
O Nanak, by Guru's Grace, the mortal understands, when the Lord allows him to understand. ||2||
Pauree:
All are held accountable, even the egotistical self-willed manmukhs.
They never even think of the Name of the Lord; the Messenger of Death shall hit them on their heads.

Their sin and corruption are like rusty slag; they carry such a heavy load.
The path is treacherous and terrifying; how can they cross over to the other side?
O Nanak, those whom the Guru protects are saved. They are saved in the Name of the Lord. ||27||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Without serving the True Guru, no one finds peace; mortals die and are reborn, over and over again.
They have been given the drug of emotional attachment; in love with duality, they are totally corrupt.
Some are saved, by Guru's Grace. Everyone humbly bows before such humble beings.
O Nanak, meditate on the Naam, deep within yourself, day and night. You shall find the Door of Salvation. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Emotionally attached to Maya, the mortal forgets truth, death and the Name of the Lord.
Engaged in worldly affairs, his life wastes away; deep within himself, he suffers in pain.
O Nanak, those who have the karma of such pre-ordained destiny, serve the True Guru and find peace. ||2||
Pauree:
Read the account of the Name of the Lord, and you shall never again be called to account.
No one will question you, and you will always be safe in the Court of the Lord.
The Messenger of Death will meet you, and be your constant servant.
Through the Perfect Guru, you shall find the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. You shall be famous throughout the world.
O Nanak, the unstruck celestial melody vibrates at your door; come and merge with the Lord. ||28||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Whoever follows the Guru's Teachings, attains the most sublime peace of all peace.
Acting in accordance with the Guru, his fear is cut away; O Nanak, he is carried across. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The True Lord does not grow old; His Naam is never dirtied.
Whoever walks in harmony with the Guru's Will, shall not be reborn again.
O Nanak, those who forget the Naam, come and go in reincarnation. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a beggar; I ask this blessing of You: O Lord, please embellish me with Your Love.
I am so thirsty for the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan; His Darshan brings me satisfaction.
I cannot live for a moment, for even an instant, without seeing Him, O my mother.
The Guru has shown me that the Lord is always with me; He is permeating and pervading all places.
He Himself wakes the sleepers, O Nanak, and lovingly attunes them to Himself. ||29||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs do not even know how to speak. They are filled with sexual desire, anger and egotism.
They do not know the difference between good and bad; they constantly think of corruption.
In the Lord's Court, they are called to account, and they are judged to be false.
He Himself creates the Universe. He Himself contemplates it.
O Nanak, whom should we tell? The True Lord is permeating and pervading all. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs worship and adore the Lord; they receive the good karma of their actions.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those whose minds are filled with the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
All people cherish hope, that they will live long lives.
They wish to live forever; they adorn and embellish their forts and mansions.
By various frauds and deceptions, they steal the wealth of others.
But the Messenger of Death keeps his gaze on their breath, and the life of those goblins decreases day by day.

Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of the Guru, and is saved. The Guru, the Lord, is his Protector. ||30||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Reading and writing, the Pandits engage in debates and disputes; they are attached to the flavors of Maya.
In the love of duality, they forget the Naam. Those foolish mortals shall receive their punishment.
They do not serve the One who created them, who gives sustenance to all.
The noose of Death around their necks is not cut off; they come and go in reincarnation, over and over again.
The True Guru comes and meets those who have such pre-ordained destiny.
Night and day, they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; O Nanak, they merge into the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Those Gurmukhs who fall at His Feet deal with the True Lord and serve the True Lord.
O Nanak, those who walk in harmony with the Guru's Will are intuitively absorbed in the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
In hope, there is very great pain; the self-willed manmukh focuses his consciousness on it.
The Gurmukhs become desireless, and attain supreme peace.
In the midst of their household, they remain detached; they are lovingly attuned to the Detached Lord.
Sorrow and separation do not cling to them at all. They are pleased with the Lord's Will.
O Nanak, they remain forever immersed in the Primal Lord, who blends them with Himself. ||31||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Why keep what is held in trust for another? Giving it back, peace is found.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad rests in the Guru; it does not appear through anyone else.
The blind man finds a jewel, and goes from house to house selling it.
But they cannot appraise it, and they do not offer him even half a shell for it.
If he cannot appraise it himself, then he should have it appraised by an appraiser.
If he focuses his consciousness, then he obtains the true object, and he is blessed with the nine treasures.
The wealth is within the house, while the world is dying of hunger. Without the True Guru, no one has a clue.
When the cooling and soothing Shabad comes to dwell in the mind and body, there is no sorrow or separation there.
The object belongs to someone else, but the fool is proud of it, and shows his shallow nature.
O Nanak, without understanding, no one obtains it; they come and go in reincarnation, over and over again. ||1||
Third Mehl:
My mind is in ecstasy; I have met my Beloved Lord. My beloved friends, the Saints, are delighted.
Those who are united with the Primal Lord shall never be separated again. The Creator has united them with Himself.
The Shabad permeates my inner being, and I have found the Guru; all my sorrows are dispelled.
I praise forever the Lord, the Giver of peace; I keep Him enshrined deep within my heart.
How can the self-willed manmukh gossip about those who are embellished and exalted in the True Word of the Shabad?
My Beloved Himself preserves the honor of those who have come to the Guru's Door seeking Sanctuary.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are filled with joy; their faces are radiant in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The husband and wife are very much in love; joining together, their love increases.
Gazing on his children and his wife, the man is pleased and attached to Maya.
Stealing the wealth of his own country and other lands, he brings it home and feeds them.

In the end, hatred and conflict well up, and no one can save him.
O Nanak, without the Name, those loving attachments are cursed; engrossed in them, he suffers in pain. ||32||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Guru's Word is the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam. Eating it, all hunger departs.
There is no thirst or desire at all, when the Naam comes to dwell in the mind.
Eating anything other than the Name, disease runs to afflict the body.
O Nanak, whoever takes the Praise of the Shabad as his spices and flavors - the Lord unites him in His Union. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The life within all living beings is the Word of the Shabad. Through it, we meet our Husband Lord.
Without the Shabad, the world is in darkness. Through the Shabad, it is enlightened.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, and the silent sages read and write until they are weary. The religious fanatics are tired of washing their bodies.
Without the Shabad, no one attains the Lord; the miserable depart weeping and wailing.
O Nanak, by His Glance of Grace, the Merciful Lord is attained. ||2||
Pauree:
The husband and wife are very much in love; sitting together, they make evil plans.
All that is seen shall pass away. This is the Will of my God.
How can anyone remain in this world forever? Some may try to devise a plan.
Working for the Perfect Guru, the wall becomes permanent and stable.
O Nanak, the Lord forgives them, and merges them into Himself; they are absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||33||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Attached to Maya, the mortal forgets the Fear of God and Guru, and love for the Infinite Lord.
The waves of greed take away his wisdom and understanding, and he does not embrace love for the True Lord.
The Word of the Shabad abides in the mind of the Gurmukhs, who find the Gate of Salvation.
O Nanak, the Lord Himself forgives them, and unites them in Union with Himself. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
O Nanak, without Him, we could not live for a moment. Forgetting Him, we could not succeed for an instant.
O mortal, how can you be angry with the One who cares for you? ||2||
Fourth Mehl:
The rainy season of Saawan has come. The Gurmukh meditates on the Lord's Name.
All pain, hunger and misfortune end, when the rain falls in torrents.
The entire earth is rejuvenated, and the grain grows in abundance.
The Carefree Lord, by His Grace, summons that mortal whom the Lord Himself approves.
So meditate on the Lord, O Saints; He shall save you in the end.
The Kirtan of the Lord's Praises and devotion to Him is bliss; peace shall come to dwell in the mind.
Those Gurmukhs who worship the Naam, the Name of the Lord - their pain and hunger departs.
Servant Nanak is satisfied, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. Please embellish him with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||3||
Pauree:
The Perfect Guru bestows His gifts, which increase day by day.
The Merciful Lord Himself bestows them; they cannot be concealed by concealment.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth, and the mortal is lovingly absorbed in the state of supreme bliss.
If anyone tries to challenge him, the Lord throws dust on his head.
O Nanak, no one can equal the glory of the Perfect True Guru. ||34||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
The Order of the Lord is beyond challenge. Clever tricks and arguments will not work against it.
So abandon your self-conceit, and take to His Sanctuary; accept the Order of His Will.
The Gurmukh eliminates self-conceit from within himself; he shall not be punished by the Messenger of Death.
O Nanak, he alone is called a selfless servant, who remains lovingly attuned to the True Lord. ||1||
Third Mehl:
All gifts, light and beauty are Yours.
Excessive cleverness and egotism are mine.
The mortal performs all sorts of rituals in greed and attachment; engrossed in egotsim, he shall never escape the cycle of reincarnation.
O Nanak, the Creator Himself inspires all to act. Whatever pleases Him is good. ||2||
Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
Let Truth be your food, and Truth your clothes, and take the Support of the True Name.
The True Guru shall lead you to meet God, the Great Giver.
When perfect destiny is activated, the mortal meditates on the Formless Lord.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, you shall cross over the world-ocean.
O Nanak, chant God's Praises, and celebrate His Victory. ||35||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
In Your Mercy, You care for all beings and creatures.
You produce corn and water in abundance; You eliminate pain and poverty, and carry all beings across.
The Great Giver listened to my prayer, and the world has been cooled and comforted.
Take me into Your Embrace, and take away all my pain.
Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the House of God is fruitful and prosperous. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
Rain is falling from the clouds - it is so beautiful! The Creator Lord issued His Order.
Grain has been produced in abundance; the world is cooled and comforted.
The mind and body are rejuvenated, meditating in remembrance on the Inaccessible and Infinite Lord.
O my True Creator Lord God, please shower Your Mercy on me.
He does whatever He pleases; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||
Pauree:
The Great Lord is Inaccessible; His glorious greatness is glorious!
Gazing upon Him through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I blossom forth in ecstasy; tranquility comes to my inner being.
All by Himself, He Himself is pervading everywhere, O Siblings of Destiny.
He Himself is the Lord and Master of all. He has subdued all, and all are under the Hukam of His Command.
O Nanak, the Lord does whatever He pleases. Everyone walks in harmony with His Will. ||36||1||
SUDH||
Raag Saarang, The Word Of The Devotees.
Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mortal, why are you so proud of small things?
With a few pounds of grain and a few coins in your pocket, you are totally puffed up with pride. ||1||Pause||
With great pomp and ceremony, you control a hundred villages, with an income of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The power you exert will last for only a few days, like the green leaves of the forest. ||1||
No one has brought this wealth with him, and no one will take it with him when he goes.
Emperors, even greater than Raawan, passed away in an instant. ||2||

The Lord's Saints are steady and stable forever; they worship and adore Him, and chant the Lord's Name.
Those who are mercifully blessed by the Lord of the Universe, join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||3||
Mother, father, spouse, children and wealth will not go along with you in the end.
Says Kabeer, meditate and vibrate on the Lord, O madman. Your life is uselessly wasting away. ||4||1||
I do not know the limits of Your Royal Ashram.
I am the humble slave of Your Saints. ||1||Pause||
The one who goes laughing returns crying, and the one who goes crying returns laughing.
What is inhabited becomes deserted, and what is deserted becomes inhabited. ||1||
The water turns into a desert, the desert turns into a well, and the well turns into a mountain.
From the earth, the mortal is exalted to the Akaashic ethers; and from the ethers on high, he is thrown down again. ||2||
The beggar is transformed into a king, and the king into a beggar.
The idiotic fool is transformed into a Pandit, a religious scholar, and the Pandit into a fool. ||3||
The woman is transformed into a man, and the men into women.
Says Kabeer, God is the Beloved of the Holy Saints. I am a sacrifice to His image. ||4||2||
Saarang, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mortal, why are you going into the forest of corruption?
You have been misled into eating the toxic drug. ||1||Pause||
You are like a fish living in the water;
you do not see the net of death.
Trying to taste the flavor, you swallow the hook.
You are bound by attachment to wealth and woman. ||1||
The bee stores up loads of honey;
then someone comes and takes the honey, and throws dust in its mouth.
The cow stores up loads of milk;
then the milkman comes and ties it by its neck and milks it. ||2||
For the sake of Maya, the mortal works very hard.
He takes the wealth of Maya, and buries it in the ground.
He acquires so much, but the fool does not appreciate it.
His wealth remains buried in the ground, while his body turns to dust. ||3||
He burns in tremendous sexual desire, unresolved anger and desire.
He never joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Says Naam Dayv, seek God's Shelter;
be fearless, and vibrate on the Lord God. ||4||1||
Why not make a bet with me, O Lord of Wealth?
From the master comes the servant, and from the servant, comes the master. This is the game I play with You. ||1||Pause||
You Yourself are the deity, and You are the temple of worship. You are the devoted worshipper.
From the water, the waves rise up, and from the waves, the water. They are only different by figures of speech. ||1||
You Yourself sing, and You Yourself dance. You Yourself blow the bugle.
Says Naam Dayv, You are my Lord and Master. Your humble servant is imperfect; You are perfect. ||2||2||
Says God: my slave is devoted only to me; he is in my very image.
The sight of him, even for an instant, cures the three fevers; his touch brings liberation from the deep dark pit of household affairs. ||1||Pause||
The devotee can release anyone from my bondage, but I cannot release anyone from his.

If, at any time, he grabs and binds me, even then, I cannot protest. ||1||
I am bound by virtue; I am the Life of all. My slaves are my very life.
Says Naam Dayv, as is the quality of his soul, so is my love which illuminates him. ||2||3||
Saarang:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
So what have you accomplished by listening to the Puraanas?
Faithful devotion has not welled up within you, and you have not been inspired to give to the hungry. ||1||Pause||
You have not forgotten sexual desire, and you have not forgotten anger; greed has not left you either.
Your mouth has not stopped slandering and gossiping about others. Your service is useless and fruitless. ||1||
By breaking into the houses of others and robbing them, you fill your belly, you sinner.
But when you go to the world beyond, your guilt will be well known, by the acts of ignorance which you committed. ||2||
Cruelty has not left your mind; you have not cherished kindness for other living beings.
Parmaanand has joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Why have you not followed the sacred teachings? ||3||1||6||
O mind, do not even associate with those who have turned their backs on the Lord.
Saarang, Fifth Mehl, Sur Daas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The people of the Lord dwell with the Lord.
They dedicate their minds and bodies to Him; they dedicate everything to Him. They are intoxicated with the celestial melody of intuitive ecstasy. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan, they are cleansed of corruption. They obtain absolutely everything.
They have nothing to do with anything else; they gaze on the beauteous Face of God. ||1||
But one who forsakes the elegantly beautiful Lord, and harbors desire for anything else, is like a leech on the body of a leper.
Says Sur Daas, God has taken my mind in His Hands. He has blessed me with the world beyond. ||2||1||8||
Saarang, Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Other than the Lord, who is the Help and Support of the mind?
Love and attachment to mother, father, sibling, child and spouse, is all just an illusion. ||1||Pause||
So build a raft to the world hereafter; what faith do you place in wealth?
What confidence do you place in this fragile vessel; it breaks with the slightest stroke. ||1||
You shall obtain the rewards of all righteousness and goodness, if you desire to be the dust of all.
Says Kabeer, listen, O Saints: this mind is like the bird, flying above the forest. ||2||1||9||

Raag Malaar, Chau-Padas, First Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Eating, drinking, laughing and sleeping, the mortal forgets about dying.
Forgetting his Lord and Master, the mortal is ruined, and his life is cursed. He cannot remain forever. ||1||
O mortal, meditate on the One Lord.
You shall go to your true home with honor. ||1 Pause||
Those who serve You - what can they give You? They beg for and receive what cannot remain.
You are the Great Giver of all souls; You are the Life within all living beings. ||2||
The Gurmukhs meditate, and receive the Ambrosial Nectar; thus they become pure.
Day and night, chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O mortal. It makes the filthy immacuate. ||3||
As is the season, so is the comfort of the body, and so is the body itself.
O Nanak, that season is beautiful; without the Name, what season is it? ||4||1||
Malaar, First Mehl:
I offer prayers to my Beloved Guru, that He may unite me with my Husband Lord.
I hear the thunder in the clouds, and my mind is cooled and soothed; imbued with the Love of my Dear Beloved, I sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||
The rain pours down, and my mind is drenched with His Love.
The drop of Ambrosial Nectar pleases my heart; the Guru has fascinated my mind, which is drenched in the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
With intuitive peace and poise, the soul-bride is loved by her Husband Lord; her mind is pleased and appeased by the Guru's Teachings.
She is the happy soul-bride of her Husband Lord; her mind and body are filled with joy by His Love. ||2||
Discarding her demerits, she becomes detached; with the Lord as her Husband, her marriage is eternal.
She never suffers separation or sorrow; her Lord God showers her with His Grace. ||3||
Her mind is steady and stable; she does not come and go in reincarnation.
She takes the Shelter of the Perfect Guru. O Nanak, as Gurmukh, chant the Naam; you shall be accepted as the true soul-bride of the Lord. ||4||2||
Malaar, First Mehl:
They pretend to understand the Truth, but they are not satisfied by the Naam; they waste their lives in egotism.

Caught in slander and attachment to the wealth and women of others, they eat poison and suffer in pain.
They think about the Shabad, but they are not released from their fear and fraud; the minds and mouths are filled with Maya, Maya.
Loading the heavy and crushing load, they die, only to be reborn, and waste their lives again. ||1||
The Word of the Shabad is so very beautiful; it is pleasing to my mind.
The mortal wanders lost in reincarnation, wearing various robes and clothes; when he is saved and protected by the Guru, then he finds the Truth. ||1||Pause||
He does not try to wash away his angry passions by bathing at sacred shrines. He does not love the Name of the Lord.
He abandons and discards the priceless jewel, and he goes back from where he came.
And so he becomes a maggot in manure, and in that, he is absorbed.
The more he tastes, the more he is diseased; without the Guru, there is no peace and poise. ||2||
Focusing my awareness on selfless service, I joyfully sing His Praises. As Gurmukh, I contemplate spiritual wisdom.
The seeker comes forth, and the debater dies down; I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Guru, the Creator Lord.
I am low and wretched, with shallow and false understanding; You embellish and exalt me through the Word of Your Shabad.
And wherever there is self-realization, You are there; O True Lord Savior, You save us and carry us across. ||3||
Where should I sit to chant Your Praises; which of Your Infinite Praises should I chant?
The Unknown cannot be known; O Inaccessible, Unborn Lord God, You are the Lord and Master of masters.
How can I compare You to anyone else I see? All are beggars - You are the Great Giver.
Lacking devotion, Nanak looks to Your Door; please bless him with Your One Name, that he may enshrine it in his heart. ||4||3||
Malaar, First Mehl:
The soul-bride who has not known delight with her Husband Lord, shall weep and wail with a wretched face.
She becomes hopeless, caught in the noose of her own karma; without the Guru, she wanders deluded by doubt. ||1||
So rain down, O clouds. My Husband Lord has come home.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru, who has led me to meet my Lord God. ||1||Pause||
My love, my Lord and Master is forever fresh; I am embellished with devotional worship night and day.
I am liberated, gazing on the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan. Devotional worship has made me glorious and exalted throughout the ages. ||2||
I am Yours; the three worlds are Yours as well. You are mine, and I am Yours.
Meeting with the True Guru, I have found the Immaculate Lord; I shall not be consigned to this terrifying world-ocean ever again. ||3||
If the soul-bride is filled with delight on seeing her Husband Lord, then her decorations are true.
With the Immaculate Celestial Lord, she becomes the truest of the true. Following the Guru's Teachings, she leans on the Support of the Naam. ||4||
She is liberated; the Guru has untied her bonds. Focusing her awareness on the Shabad, she attains honor.
O Nanak, the Lord's Name is deep within her heart; as Gurmukh, she is united in His Union. ||5||4||
First Mehl, Malaar:
Others' wives, others' wealth, greed, egotism, corruption and poison;
evil passions, slander of others, sexual desire and anger - give up all these. ||1||
The Inaccessible, Infinite Lord is sitting in His Mansion.
That humble being, whose conduct is in harmony with the jewel of the Guru's Shabad, obtains the Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||

He sees pleasure and pain as both the same, along with good and bad in the world.
Wisdom, understanding and awareness are found in the Name of the Lord. In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, embrace love for the Guru. ||2||
Day and night, profit is obtained through the Lord's Name. The Guru, the Giver, has given this gift.
That Sikh who becomes Gurmukh obtains it. The Creator blesses him with His Glance of Grace. ||3||
The body is a mansion, a temple, the home of the Lord; He has infused His Infinite Light into it.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is invited to the Mansion of the Lord's Presence; the Lord unites him in His Union. ||4||5||
Malaar, First Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Know that the creation was formed through air and water;
have no doubt that the body was made through fire.
And if you know where the soul comes from,
you shall be known as a wise religious scholar. ||1||
Who can know the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, O mother?
Without seeing Him, we cannot say anything about Him.
How can anyone speak and describe Him, O mother? ||1||Pause||
He is high above the sky, and beneath the nether worlds.
How can I speak of Him? Let me understand.
Who knows what sort of Name is chanted, in the heart, without the tongue? ||2||
Undoubtedly, words fail me.
He alone understands, who is blessed.
Day and night, deep within, he remains lovingly attuned to the Lord.
He is the true person, who is merged in the True Lord. ||3||
If someone of high social standing becomes a selfless servant,
then his praises cannot even be expressed.
And if someone from a low social class becomes a selfless servant,
O Nanak, he shall wear shoes of honor. ||4||1||6||
Malaar, First Mehl:
The pain of separation - this is the hungry pain I feel.
Another pain is the attack of the Messenger of Death.
Another pain is the disease consuming my body.
O foolish doctor, don't give me medicine. ||1||
O foolish doctor, don't give me medicine.
The pain persists, and the body continues to suffer.
Your medicine has no effect on me. ||1||Pause||
Forgetting his Lord and Master, the mortal enjoys sensual pleasures;
then, disease rises up in his body.
The blind mortal receives his punishment.
O foolish doctor, don't give me medicine. ||2||
The value of sandalwood lies in its fragrance.
The value of the human lasts only as long as the breath in the body.
When the breath is taken away, the body crumbles into dust.
After that, no one takes any food. ||3||
The mortal's body is golden, and the soul-swan is immaculate and pure,
if even a tiny particle of the Immaculate Naam is within.
All pain and disease are eradicated.
O Nanak, the mortal is saved through the True Name. ||4||2||7||
Malaar, First Mehl:
Pain is the poison. The Lord's Name is the antidote.
Grind it up in the mortar of contentment, with the pestle of charitable giving.

Take it each and every day, and your body shall not waste away.
At the very last instant, you shall strike down the Messenger of Death. ||1||
So take such medicine, O fool,
by which your corruption shall be taken away. ||1||Pause||
Power, wealth and youth are all just shadows,
as are the vehicles you see moving around.
Neither your body, nor your fame, nor your social status shall go along with you.
In the next world it is day, while here, it is all night. ||2||
Let your taste for pleasures be the firewood, let your greed be the ghee,
and your sexual desire and anger the cooking oil; burn them in the fire.
Some make burnt offerings, hold sacred feasts, and read the Puraanas.
Whatever pleases God is acceptable. ||3||
Intense meditation is the paper, and Your Name is the insignia.
Those for whom this treasure is ordered,
look wealthy when they reach their true home.
O Nanak, blessed is that mother who gave birth to them. ||4||3||8||
Malaar, First Mehl:
You wear white clothes, and speak sweet words.
Your nose is sharp, and your eyes are black.
Have you ever seen your Lord and Master, O sister? ||1||
O my All-powerful Lord and Master, by Your power, I fly and soar, and ascend to the heavens.
I see Him in the water, on the land, in the mountains, on the river-banks,
in all places and interspaces, O brother. ||2||
He fashioned the body, and gave it wings;
He gave it great thirst and desire to fly.
When He bestows His Glance of Grace, I am comforted and consoled.
As He makes me see, so do I see, O brother. ||3||
Neither this body, nor its wings, shall go to the world hereafter.
It is a fusion of air, water and fire.
O Nanak, if it is in the mortal's karma, then he meditates on the Lord, with the Guru as his Spiritual Teacher.
This body is absorbed in the Truth. ||4||4||9||
Malaar, Third Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Formless Lord is formed by Himself. He Himself deludes in doubt.
Creating the Creation, the Creator Himself beholds it; He enjoins us as He pleases.
This is the true greatness of His servant, that he obeys the Hukam of the Lord's Command. ||1||
Only He Himself knows His Will. By Guru's Grace, it is grasped.
When this play of Shiva and Shakti comes to his home, he remains dead while yet alive. ||1||Pause||
They read the Vedas, and read them again, and engage in arguments about Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
This three-phased Maya has deluded the whole world into cynicism about death and birth.
By Guru's Grace, know the One Lord, and the anxiety of your mind will be allayed. ||2||
I am meek, foolish and thoughtless, but still, You take care of me.
Please be kind to me, and make me the slave of Your slaves, so that I may serve You.
Please bless me with the treasure of the One Name, that I may chant it, day and night. ||3||
Says Nanak, by Guru's Grace, understand. Hardly anyone considers this.
Like foam bubbling up on the surface of the water, so is this world.

It shall eventually merge back into that from which it came, and all its expanse shall be gone. ||4||1||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
Those who realize the Hukam of the Lord's Command are united with Him; through the Word of His Shabad, their egotism is burnt away.
They perform true devotional worship day and night; they remain lovingly attuned to the True Lord.
They gaze on their True Lord forever, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, with loving ease. ||1||
O mortal, accept His Will and find peace.
God is pleased by the Pleasure of His Own Will. Whomever He forgives, meets no obstacles on the way. ||1||Pause||
Under the influence of the three gunas, the three dispositions, the mind wanders everywhere, without love or devotion to the Lord.
No one is ever saved or liberated, by doing deeds in ego.
Whatever our Lord and Master wills, comes to pass. People wander according to their past actions. ||2||
Meeting with the True Guru, the mind is overpowered; the Lord's Name comes to abide in the mind.
The value of such a person cannot be estimated; nothing at all can be said about him.
He comes to dwell in the fourth state; he remains merged in the True Lord. ||3||
My Lord God is Inaccessible and Unfathomable. His value cannot be expressed.
By Guru's Grace, he comes to understand, and live the Shabad.
O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord. ||4||2||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
Rare is that person who, as Gurmukh, understands; the Lord has bestowed His Glance of Grace.
There is no Giver except the Guru. He grants His Grace and forgives.
Meeting the Guru, peace and tranquility well up; chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night. ||1||
O my mind, meditate on the Ambrosial Name of the Lord.
Meeting with the True Guru and the Primal Being, the Name is obtained, and one remains forever absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs are forever separated from the Lord; no one is with them.
They are stricken with the great disease of egotism; they are hit on the head by the Messenger of Death.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings are never separated from the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. They dwell on the Naam, night and day. ||2||
You are the One and Only Creator of all. You continually create, watch over and contemplate.
Some are Gurmukh - You unite them with Yourself. You bless then with the treasure of devotion.
You Yourself know everything. Unto whom should I complain? ||3||
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Ambrosial Nectar. By the Lord's Grace, it is obtained.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, night and day, the intuitive peace and poise of the Guru is obtained.
O Nanak, the Naam is the greatest treasure. Focus your consciousness on the Naam. ||4||3||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
I praise the Guru, the Giver of peace, forever. He truly is the Lord God.
By Guru's Grace, I have obtained the supreme status. His glorious greatness is glorious!
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the True Lord, merges in the True Lord. ||1||
O mortal, contemplate the Guru's Word in your heart.
Abandon your false family, poisonous egotism and desire; remember in your heart, that you will have to leave. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru is the Giver of the Lord's Name. There is no other giver at all.

Bestowing the gift of the soul, He satisfies the mortal beings, and merges them in the True Name.
Night and day, they ravish and enjoy the Lord within the heart; they are intuitively absorbed in Samaadhi. ||2||
The Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, has pierced my mind. The True Word of His Bani permeates my heart.
My God is Unseen; He cannot be seen. The Gurmukh speaks the Unspoken.
When the Giver of peace grants His Grace, the mortal being meditates on the Lord, the Life of the Universe. ||3||
He does not come and go in renicarnation any longer; the Gurmukh meditates intuitively.
From the mind, the mind merges into our Lord and Master; the mind is absorbed into the Mind.
In truth, the True Lord is pleased with truth; eradicate egotism from within yourself. ||4||
Our One and Only Lord and Master dwells within the mind; there is no other at all.
The One Name is Sweet Ambrosial Nectar; it is Immaculate Truth in the world.
O Nanak, the Name of God is obtained, by those who are so predestined. ||5||4||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
All the heavenly heralds and celestial singers are saved through the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
They contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. Subduing their ego, the Name abides in their minds; they keep the Lord enshrined in their hearts.
He alone understands, whom the Lord causes to understand; the Lord unites him with Himself.
Night and day, he sings the Word of the Shabad and the Guru's Bani; he remains lovingly attuned to the True Lord. ||1||
O my mind, each and every moment, dwell on the Naam.
The Shabad is the Guru's Gift. It shall bring you lasting peace deep within; it shall always stand by you. ||1||Pause||
The self-willed manmukhs never give up their hypocrisy; in the love of duality, they suffer in pain.
Forgetting the Naam, their minds are imbued with corruption. They waste away their lives uselessly.
This opportunity shall not come into their hands again; night and day, they shall always regret and repent.
They die and die again and again, only to be reborn, but they never understand. They rot away in manure. ||2||
The Gurmukhs are imbued with the Naam, and are saved; they contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Meditating on the Name of the Lord, they are Jivan-mukta, liberated while yet alive. They enshrine the Lord within their hearts.
Their minds and bodies are immaculate, their intellect is immaculate and sublime. Their speech is sublime as well.
They realize the One Primal Being, the One Lord God. There is no other at all. ||3||
God Himself is the Doer, and He Himself is the Cause of causes. He Himself bestows His Glance of Grace.
My mind and body are imbued with the Word of the Guru's Bani. My consciousness is immersed in His service.
The Unseen and Inscrutable Lord dwells deep within. He is seen only by the Gurmukh.
O Nanak, He gives to whomever He pleases. According to the Pleasure of His Will, He leads the mortals on. ||4||5||
Malaar, Third Mehl, Du-Tukas:
Through the True Guru, the mortal obtains the special place, the Mansion of the Lord's Presence in his own home.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, his egotistical pride is dispelled. ||1||
Those who have the Naam inscribed on their foreheads,
meditate on the Naam night and day, forever and ever. They are honored in the True Court of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
From the True Guru, they learn the ways and means of the mind. Night and day, they focus their meditation on the Lord forever.

Imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they remain forever detached. They are honored in the True Court of the Lord. ||2||
This mind plays, subject to the Lord's Will; in an instant, it wanders out in the ten directions and returns home again.
When the True Lord God Himself bestows His Glance of Grace, then this mind is instantly brought under control by the Gurmukh. ||3||
The mortal comes to know the ways and means of the mind, realizing and contemplating the Shabad.
O Nanak, meditate forever on the Naam, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||4||6||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
Soul, body and breath of life are all His; He is permeating and pervading each and every heart.
Except the One Lord, I do not know any other at all. The True Guru has revealed this to me. ||1||
O my mind, remain lovingly attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I meditate on the Lord, the Unseen, Unfathomable and Infinite Creator. ||1||Pause||
Mind and body are pleased, lovingly attuned to the One Lord, intuitively absorbed in peace and poise.
By Guru's Grace, doubt and fear are dispelled, being lovingly attuned to the One Name. ||2||
When the mortal follows the Guru's Teachings, and lives the Truth, then he attains the state of emancipation.
Among millions, how rare is that one who understands, and is lovingly attuned to the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Wherever I look, there I see the One. This understanding has come through the Guru's Teachings.
I place my mind, body and breath of life in offering before Him; O Nanak, self-conceit is gone. ||4||7||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
My True Lord God, the Eradicator of suffering, is found through the Word of the Shabad.
Imbued with devotional worship, the mortal remains forever detached. He is honored in the True Court of the Lord. ||1||
O mind, remain absorbed in the Mind.
The mind of the Gurmukh is pleased with the Lord's Name, lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||1||Pause||
My God is totally Inaccessible and Unfathomable; through the Guru's Teachings, He is understood.
True self-discipline rests in singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||2||
He Himself is the Shabad, and He Himself is the True Teachings; He merges our light into the Light.
The breath vibrates through this frail body; the Gurmukh obtains the ambrosial nectar. ||3||
He Himself fashions, and He Himself links us to our tasks; the True Lord is pervading everywhere.
O Nanak, without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no one is anything. Through the Naam,we are blessed with glory. ||4||8||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
The mortal is enticed by the poison of corruption, burdened with such a heavy load.
The Lord has placed the magic spell of the Shabad into his mouth, and destroyed the poison of ego. ||1||
O mortal, egotism and attachment are such heavy loads of pain.
This terrifying world-ocean cannot be crossed; through the Lord's Name, the Gurmukh crosses over to the other side. ||1||Pause||
Attachment to the three-phased show of Maya pervades all the created forms.
In the Sat Sangat, the Society of the Saints, the state of supreme awareness is attained. The Merciful Lord carries us across. ||2||
The smell of sandalwood is so sublime; its fragrance spreads out far and wide.

The lifestyle of the Lord's humble servant is exalted and sublime. He spreads the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises throughout the world. ||3||
O my Lord and Master, please be merciful, merciful to me, that I may enshrine the Lord, Har, Har, Har, within my heart.
Nanak has found the Perfect True Guru; in his mind, he chants the Name of the Lord. ||4||9||
Malaar, Third Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Is this mind a householder, or is this mind a detached renunciate?
Is this mind beyond social class, eternal and unchanging?
Is this mind fickle, or is this mind detached?
How has this mind been gripped by possessiveness? ||1||
O Pandit, O religious scholar, reflect on this in your mind.
Why do you read so many other things, and carry such a heavy load? ||1||Pause||
The Creator has attached it to Maya and possessiveness.
Enforcing His Order, He created the world.
By Guru's Grace, understand this, O Siblings of Destiny.
Remain forever in the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||2||
He alone is a Pandit, who sheds the load of the three qualities.
Night and day, he chants the Name of the One Lord.
He accepts the Teachings of the True Guru.
He offers his head to the True Guru.
He remains forever unattached in the state of Nirvaanaa.
Such a Pandit is accepted in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
He preaches that the One Lord is within all beings.
As he sees the One Lord, he knows the One Lord.
That person, whom the Lord forgives, is united with Him.
He finds eternal peace, here and hereafter. ||4||
Says Nanak, what can anyone do?
He alone is liberated, whom the Lord blesses with His Grace.
Night and day, he sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Then, he no longer bothers with the proclamations of the Shaastras or the Vedas. ||5||1||10||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
The self-willed manmukhs wander lost in reincarnation, confused and deluded by doubt.
The Messenger of Death constantly beats them and disgraces them.
Serving the True Guru, the mortal's subservience to Death is ended.
He meets the Lord God, and enters the Mansion of His Presence. ||1||
O mortal, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In duality, you are ruining and wasting this priceless human life. You trade it away in exchange for a shell. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukh falls in love with the Lord, by His Grace.
He enshrines loving devotion to the Lord, Har, Har, deep within his heart.
The Word of the Shabad carries him across the terrifying world-ocean.
He appears true in the True Court of the Lord. ||2||
Performing all sorts of rituals, they do not find the True Guru.
Without the Guru, so many wander lost and confused in Maya.
Egotism, possessiveness and attachment rise up and increase within them.
In the love of dualty, the self-willed manmukhs suffer in pain. ||3||
The Creator Himself is Inaccessible and Infinite.
Chant the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and earn the true profit.
The Lord is Independent, Ever-present, here and now.

O Nanak, the Gurmukh merges in the Naam. ||4||2||11||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
Those who are attached to the Guru's Teachings, are Jivan-mukta, liberated while yet alive.
They remain forever awake and aware night and day, in devotional worship of the Lord.
They serve the True Guru, and eradicate their self-conceit.
I fall at the feet of such humble beings. ||1||
Constantly singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I live.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is such totally sweet elixir. Through the Name of the Lord, I have attained the state of liberation. ||1||Pause||
Attachment to Maya leads to the darkness of ignorance.
The self-willed manukhs are attached, foolish and ignorant.
Night and day, their lives pass away in worldly entanglements.
They die and die again and again, only to be reborn and receive their punishment. ||2||
The Gurmukh is lovingly attuned to the Name of the Lord.
He does not cling to false greed.
Whatever he does, he does with intuitive poise.
He drinks in the sublime essence of the Lord; his tongue delights in its flavor. ||3||
Among millions, hardly any understand.
The Lord Himself forgives, and bestows His glorious greatness.
Whoever meets with the Primal Lord God, shall never be separated again.
Nanak is absorbed in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||3||12||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
Everyone speaks the Name of the Lord with the tongue.
But only by serving the True Guru does the mortal receive the Name.
His bonds are shattered, and he stays in the house of liberation.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he sits in the eternal, unchanging house. ||1||
O my mind, why are you angry?
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the source of profit. Contemplate and appreciate the Guru's Teachings within your heart, night and day. ||1||Pause||
Each and every instant, the rainbird cries and calls.
Without seeing her Beloved, she does not sleep at all.
She cannot endure this separation.
When she meets the True Guru, then she intuitively meets her Beloved. ||2||
Lacking the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the mortal suffers and dies.
He is burnt in the fire of desire, and his hunger does not depart.
Without good destiny, he cannot find the Naam.
He performs all sorts of rituals until he is exhausted. ||3||
The mortal thinks about the Vedic teachings of the three gunas, the three dispositions.
He deals in corruption, filth and vice.
He dies, only to be reborn; he is ruined over and over again.
The Gurmukh enshrines the glory of the supreme state of celestial peace. ||4||
One who has faith in the Guru - everyone has faith in him.
Through the Guru's Word, the mind is cooled and soothed.
Throughout the four ages, that humble being is known to be pure.
O Nanak, that Gurmukh is so rare. ||5||4||13||9||13||22||
Raag Malaar, Fourth Mehl, First House, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Night and day, I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, within my heart; through the Guru's Teachings, my pain is forgotten.
The chains of all my hopes and desires have been snapped; my Lord God has showered me with His Mercy. ||1||
My eyes gaze eternally on the Lord, Har, Har.
Gazing on the True Guru, my mind blossoms forth. I have met with the Lord, the Lord of the World. ||1||Pause||

One who forgets such a Name of the Lord, Har, Har - his family is dishonored.
His family is sterile and barren, and his mother is made a widow. ||2||
O Lord, let me meet the Holy Guru, who night and day keep the Lord enshrined in his heart.
Seeing the Guru, the GurSikh blossoms forth, like the child seeing his mother. ||3||
The soul-bride and the Husband Lord live together as one, but the hard wall of egotism has come between them.
The Perfect Guru demolishes the wall of egotism; servant Nanak has met the Lord, the Lord of the World. ||4||1||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
The Ganges, the Jamunaa, the Godaavari and the Saraswati - these rivers strive for the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Overflowing with their filthy sins, the mortals take cleansing baths in them; the rivers' pollution is washed away by the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||1||
Instead of bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, take your cleansing bath in the Name.
When the dust of the feet of the Sat Sangat rises up into the eyes, all filthy evil-mindedness is removed. ||1||Pause||
Bhaageerat'h the penitent brought the Ganges down, and Shiva established Kaydaar.
Krishna grazed cows in Kaashi; through the humble servant of the Lord, these places became famous. ||2||
And all the sacred shrines of pilgrimage established by the gods, long for the dust of the feet of the Holy.
Meeting with the Lord's Saint, the Holy Guru, I apply the dust of His feet to my face. ||3||
And all the creatures of Your Universe, O my Lord and Master, long for the dust of the feet of the Holy.
O Nanak, one who has such destiny inscribed on his forehead, is blessed with the dust of the feet of the Holy; the Lord carries him across. ||4||2||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord seems sweet to that humble being who is blessed by the Grace of the Lord.
His hunger and pain are totally taken away; he chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Meditating on the Lord, Har, Har, Har, the mortal is emancipated.
One who listens to the Guru's Teachings and meditates on them, is carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
I am the slave of that humble being, who is blessed by the Grace of the Lord, Har, Har.
Meeting with the Lord's humble servant, peace is obtained; all the pollution and filth of evil-mindedness is washed away. ||2||
The humble servant of the Lord feels hunger only for the Lord. He is satisfied only when he chants the Lord's Glories.
The humble servant of the Lord is a fish in the Water of the Lord. Forgetting the Lord, he would dry up and die. ||3||
He alone knows this love, who enshrines it within his mind.
Servant Nanak gazes upon the Lord and is at peace; The hunger of his body is totally satisfied. ||4||3||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
All the beings and creatures which God has created - on their foreheds, He has written their destiny.
The Lord blesses His humble servant with glorious greatness. The Lord enjoins him to his tasks. ||1||
The True Guru implants the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within.

Chant the Name of the Lord, O Sikhs of the Guru, O my Siblings of Destiny. Only the Lord will carry you across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
That humble being who worships, adores and serves the Guru is pleasing to my Lord God.
To worship and adore the True Guru is to serve the Lord. In His Mercy, He saves us and carries us across. ||2||
The ignorant and the blind wander deluded by doubt; deluded and confused, they pick flowers to offer to their idols.
They worship lifeless stones and serve the tombs of the dead; all their efforts are useless. ||3||
He alone is said to be the True Guru, who realizes God, and proclaims the Sermon of the Lord, Har, Har.
Offer the Guru sacred foods, clothes, silk and satin robes of all sorts; know that He is True. The merits of this shall never leave you lacking. ||4||
The Divine True Guru is the Embodiment, the Image of the Lord; He utters the Ambrosial Word.
O Nanak, blessed and good is the destiny of that humble being, who focuses his consciousness on the Feet of the Lord. ||5||4||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
Those whose hearts are filled with my True Guru - those Saints are good and noble in every way.
Seeing them, my mind blossoms forth in bliss; I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||1||
O spiritual teacher, chant the Name of the Lord, day and night.
All hunger and thirst are satisfied, for those who partake of the sublime essence of the Lord, through the Guru's Teachings. ||1||Pause||
The slaves of the Lord are our Holy companions. Meeting with them, doubt is taken away.
As the swan separates the milk from the water, the Holy Saint removes the fire of egotism from the body. ||2||
Those who do not love the Lord in their hearts are deceitful; they continually practice deception.
What can anyone give them to eat? Whatever they themselves plant, they must eat. ||3||
This is the Quality of the Lord, and of the Lord's humble servants as well; the Lord places His Own Essence within them.
Blessed, blessed, is Guru Nanak, who looks impartially on all; He crosses over and transcends both slander and praise. ||4||5||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord is inaccessible, unfathomable, exalted and sublime. It is chanted by the Lord's Grace.
By great good fortune, I have found the True Congregation, and in the Company of the Holy, I am carried across. ||1||
My mind is in ecstasy, night and day.
By Guru's Grace, I chant the Name of the Lord. Doubt and fear are gone from my mind. ||1||Pause||
Those who chant and meditate on the Lord - O Lord, in Your Mercy, please unite me with them.
Gazing upon them, I am at peace; the pain and disease of egotism are gone. ||2||
Those who meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord in their hearts - their lives become totally fruitful.
They themselves swim across, and carry the world across with them. Their ancestors and family cross over as well. ||3||
You Yourself created the whole world, and You Yourself keep it under Your control.

God has showered His Mercy on servant Nanak; He has lifted him up, and rescued him from the ocean of poison. ||4||6||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
Those who do not drink in the Ambrosial Nectar by Guru's Grace - their thirst and hunger are not relieved.
The foolish self-willed manmukh burns in the fire of egotistical pride; he suffers painfully in egotism.
Coming and going, he wastes his life uselessly; afflicted with pain, he regrets and repents.
He does not even think of the One, from whom he originated. Cursed is his life, and cursed is his food. ||1||
O mortal, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The Lord, Har, Har, in His Mercy leads the mortal to meet the Guru; he is absorbed in the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
The life of the self-willed manmukh is useless; he comes and goes in shame.
In sexual desire and anger, the proud ones are drowned. They are burnt in their egotism.
They do not attain perfection or understanding; their intellect is dimmed. Tossed by the waves of greed, they suffer in pain.
Without the Guru, they suffer in terrible pain. Seized by Death, they weep and wail. ||2||
As Gurmukh, I have attained the Unfathomable Name of the Lord, with intuitive peace and poise.
The treasure of the Naam abides deep within my heart. My tongue sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
I am forever in bliss, day and night, lovingly attuned to the One Word of the Shabad.
I have obtained the treasure of the Naam with intuitive ease; this is the glorious greatness of the True Guru. ||3||
Through the True Guru, the Lord, Har, Har, comes to dwell within my mind. I am forever a sacrifice to the True Guru.
I have dedicated my mind and body to Him, and placed everything before Him in offering. I focus my consciousness on His Feet.
Please be merciful to me, O my Perfect Guru, and unite me with Yourself.
I am just iron; the Guru is the boat, to carry me across. ||4||7||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl, Partaal, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The humble servant of the Lord chants the Name of the Supreme Lord; he joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Lord's Holy. ||1||Pause||
Deal only in the wealth of the Lord, and gather only the wealth of the Lord. No thief can ever steal it. ||1||
The rainbirds and the peacocks sing day and night, hearing the thunder in the clouds. ||2||
Whatever the deer, the fish and the birds sing, they chant to the Lord, and no other. ||3||
Servant Nanak sings the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises; the sound and fury of Death has totally gone away. ||4||1||8||
Malaar, Fourth Mehl:
They speak and chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam; the very fortunate ones seek Him.
Whoever shows me the Way of the Lord - I fall at his feet. ||1||Pause||
The Lord is my Friend and Compansion; I am in love with the Lord.

I sing of the Lord, and I speak of the Lord; I have discarded all other loves. ||1||
My Beloved is the Enticer of the mind; The Detached Lord God is the Embodiment of Supreme bliss.
Nanak lives by gazing upon the Lord; may I see Him for a moment, for even just an instant. ||2||2||9||9||13||9||31||
Raag Malaar, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
What are you so worried about? What are you thinking? What have you tried?
Tell me - the Lord of the Universe - who controls Him? ||1||
The rain showers down from the clouds, O companion. The Guest has come into my home.
I am meek; my Lord and Master is the Ocean of Mercy. I am absorbed in the nine treasures of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I have prepared all sorts of foods in various ways, and all sorts of sweet deserts.
I have made my kitchen pure and sacred. Now, O my Sovereign Lord King, please sample my food. ||2||
The villains have been destroyed, and my friends are delighted. This is Your Own Mansion and Temple, O Lord.
When my Playful Beloved came into my household, then I found total peace. ||3||
In the Society of the Saints, I have the Support and Protection of the Perfect Guru; this is the pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon my forehead.
Servant Nanak has found his Playful Husband Lord. He shall never suffer in sorrow again. ||4||1||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
When the baby's only food is milk, it cannot survive without its milk.
The mother takes care of it, and pours milk into its mouth; then, it is satisfied and fulfilled. ||1||
I am just a baby; God, the Great Giver, is my Father.
The child is so foolish; it makes so many mistakes. But it has nowhere else to go. ||1||Pause||
The mind of the poor child is fickle; he touches even snakes and fire.
His mother and father hug him close in their embrace, and so he plays in joy and bliss. ||2||
What hunger can the child ever have, O my Lord and Master, when You are his Father?
The treasure of the Naam and the nine treasures are in Your celestial household. You fulfill the desires of the mind. ||3||
My Merciful Father has issued this Command: whatever the child asks for, is put into his mouth.
Nanak, the child, longs for the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan. May His Feet always dwell within my heart. ||4||2||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
I tried everything, and gathered all devices together; I have discarded all my anxieties.
I have begun to set all my household affairs right; I have placed my faith in my Lord and Master. ||1||
I listen to the celestial vibrations resonating and resounding.
Sunrise has come, and I gaze upon the Face of my Beloved. My household is filled with peace and pleasure. ||1||Pause||
I focus my mind, and embellish and adorn the place within; then I go out to speak with the Saints.
Seeking and searching, I have found my Husband Lord; I bow at His Feet and worship Him with devotion. ||2||

When my Beloved came to live in my house, I began to sing the songs of bliss.
My friends and companions are happy; God leads me to meet the Perfect Guru. ||3||
My friends and companions are in ecstasy; the Guru has completed all my projects.
Says Nanak, I have met my Husband, the Giver of peace; He shall never leave me and go away. ||4||3||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
From a king to a worm, and from a worm to the lord of gods, they engage in evil to fill their bellies.
They renounce the Lord, the Ocean of Mercy, and worship some other; they are thieves and killers of the soul. ||1||
Forgetting the Lord, they suffer in sorrow and die.
They wander lost in reincarnation through all sorts of species; they do not find shelter anywhere. ||1||Pause||
Those who abandon their Lord and Master and think of some other, are foolish, stupid, idiotic donkeys.
How can they cross over the ocean in a paper boat? Their eogtistical boasts that they will cross over are meaningless. ||2||
Shiva, Brahma, angels and demons, all burn in the fire of death.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord's Lotus Feet; O God, Creator, please do not send me into exile. ||3||4||
Raag Malaar, Fifth Mehl, Du-Padas, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My God is detached and free of desire.
I cannot survive without Him, even for an instant. I am so in love with Him. ||1||Pause||
Associating with the Saints, God has come into my consciousness. By their Grace, I have been awakened.
Hearing the Teachings, my mind has become immaculate. Imbued with the Lord's Love, I sing His Glorious Praises. ||1||
Dedicating this mind, I have made friends with the Saints. They have become merciful to me; I am very fortunate.
I have found absolute peace - I cannot describe it. Nanak has obtained the dust of the feet of the humble. ||2||1||5||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, please lead me to union with my Beloved.
All my friends and companions sleep totally in peace; their Beloved Lord has come into the homes of their hearts. ||1||Pause||
I am worthless; God is forever Merciful. I am unworthy; what clever tricks could I try?
I claim to be on a par with those who are imbued with the Love of their Beloved. This is my stubborn egotism. ||1||
I am dishonored - I seek the Sanctuary of the One, the Guru, the True Guru, the Primal Being, the Giver of peace.
In an instant, all my pains have been taken away; Nanak passes the night of his life in peace. ||2||2||6||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Rain down, O cloud; do not delay.
O beloved cloud, O support of the mind, you bring lasting bliss and joy to the mind. ||1||Pause||
I take to Your Support, O my Lord and Master; how could You forget me?

I am Your beautiful bride, Your servant and slave. I have no nobility without my Husband Lord. ||1||
When my Lord and Master listened to my prayer, He hurried to shower me with His Mercy.
Says Nanak, I have become just like my Husband Lord; I am blessed with honor, nobility and the lifestyle of goodness. ||2||3||7||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Meditate on the True Name of your Beloved.
The pains and sorrows of the terrifying world-ocean are dispelled, by enshrining the Image of the Guru within your heart. ||1||Pause||
Your enemies shall be destroyed, and all the evil-doers shall perish, when you come to the Sanctuary of the Lord.
The Savior Lord has given me His Hand and saved me; I have obtained the wealth of the Naam. ||1||
Granting His Grace, He has eradicated all my sins; He has placed the Immaculate Naam within my mind.
O Nanak, the Treasure of Virtue fills my mind; I shall never again suffer in pain. ||2||4||8||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
My Beloved God is the Lover of my breath of life.
Please bless me with the loving devotional worship of the Naam, O Kind and Compassionate Lord. ||1||Pause||
I meditate in remembrance on Your Feet, O my Beloved; my heart is filled with hope.
I offer my prayer to the humble Saints; my mind thirsts for the Blssed Vision of the Lord's Darshan. ||1||
Separation is death, and Union with the Lord is life. Please bless Your humble servant with Your Darshan.
O my God, please be Merciful, and bless Nanak with the support, the life and wealth of the Naam. ||2||5||9||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Now, I have become just like my Beloved.
Dwelling on my Sovereign Lord King, I have found peace. Rain down, O peace-giving cloud. ||1||Pause||
I cannot forget Him, even for an instant; He is the Ocean of peace. Through the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I have obtained the nine treasures.
My perfect destiny has been activated, meeting with the Saints, my help and support. ||1||
Peace has welled up, and all pain has been dispelled, lovingly attuned to the Supreme Lord God.
The arduous and terrifying world-ocean is crossed over, O Nanak, by meditating on the Feet of the Lord. ||2||6||10||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
The clouds have rained down all over the world.
My Beloved Lord God has become merciful to me; I am blessed with ecstasy, bliss and peace. ||1||Pause||
My sorrows are erased, and all my thirsts are quenched, meditating on the Supreme Lord God.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, death and birth come to an end, and the mortal does not wander anywhere, ever again. ||1||
My mind and body are imbued with the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord; I am lovingly attuned to His Lotus Feet.
God has made Nanak His Own; slave Nanak seeks His Sanctuary. ||2||7||11||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Separated from the Lord, how can any living being live?
My consciousness is filled with yearning and hope to meet my Lord, and drink in the sublime essence of His Lotus Feet. ||1||Pause||
Those who are thirsty for You, O my Beloved, are not separated from You.
Those who forget my Beloved Lord are dead and dying. ||1||

The Lord of the Universe is permeating and pervading my mind and body; I see Him Ever-present, here and now
. O Nanak, He is permeating the inner being of all; He is all-pervading everywhere. ||2||8||12||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Vibrating and meditating on the Lord, who has not been carried across?
Those reborn into the body of a bird, the body of a fish, the body of a deer, and the body of a bull - in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, they are saved. ||1||Pause||
The families of gods, the families of demons, titans, celestial singers and human beings are carried across the ocean.
Whoever meditates and vibrates on the Lord in the Saadh Sangat - his pains are taken away. ||1||
Sexual desire, anger and the pleasures of terrible corruption - he keeps away from these.
He meditates on the Lord, Merciful to the meek, the Embodiment of Compassion; Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||9||13||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Today, I am seated in the Lord's store.
With the wealth of the Lord, I have entered into partnership with the humble; I shall not have take the Highway of Death. ||1||Pause||
Showering me with His Kindness, the Supreme Lord God has saved me; the doors of doubt have been opened wide.
I have found God, the Banker of Infinity; I have earned the profit of the wealth of His Feet. ||1||
I have grasped the protection of the Sanctuary of the Unchanging, Unmoving, Imperishable Lord; He has picked up my sins and thrown them out.
Slave Nanak's sorrow and suffering has ended. He shall never again be squeezed into the mold of reincarnation. ||2||10||14||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
In so many ways, attachment to Maya leads to ruin.
Among millions, it is very rare to find a selfless servant who remains a perfect devotee for very long. ||1||Pause||
Roaming and wandering here and there, the mortal finds only trouble; his body and wealth become strangers to himself.
Hiding from people, he practices deception; he does not know the One who is always with him. ||1||
He wanders through troubled incarnations of low and wretched species as a deer, a bird and a fish.
Says Nanak, O God, I am a stone - please carry me across, that I may enjoy peace in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||11||15||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
The cruel and evil ones died after taking poison, O mother.
And the One, to whom all creatures belong, has saved us. God has granted His Grace. ||1||Pause||
The Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, is contained within all; why should I be afraid, O Siblings of Destiny?
God, my Help and Support, is always with me. He shall never leave; I see Him everywhere. ||1||
He is the Master of the masterless, the Destroyer of the pains of the poor; He has attached me to the hem of His robe.
O Lord, Your slaves live by Your Support; Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of God. ||2||12||16||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
O my mind, dwell on the Feet of the Lord.
My mind is enticed by thirst for the Blessed Vision of the Lord; I would take wings and fly out to meet Him. ||1||Pause||
Searching and seeking, I have found the Path, and now I serve the Holy.
O my Lord and Master, please be kind to me, that I may drink in Your most sublime essence. ||1||
Begging and pleading, I have come to Your Sanctuary; I am on fire - please shower me with Your Mercy!
Please give me Your Hand - I am Your slave, O Lord. Please make Nanak Your Own. ||2||13||17||

Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
It is God's Nature to love His devotees.
He destroys the slanderers, crushing them beneath His Feet. His Glory is manifest everywhere. ||1||Pause||
His Victory is celebrated all throughout the world. He blesses all creatures with compassion.
Hugging him close in His Embrace, the Lord saves and protects His slave. The hot winds cannot even touch him. ||1||
My Lord and Master has made me His Own; dispelling my doubts and fears, He has made me happy.
The Lord's slaves enjoy ultimate ecstasy; O Nanak, faith has welled up in my mind. ||2||14||18||
Raag Malaar, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Gurmukh sees God pervading everywhere.
The Gurmukh knows that the universe is the extension of the three gunas, the three dispositions.
The Gurmukh reflects on the Sound-current of the Naad, and the wisdom of the Vedas.
Without the Perfect Guru, there is only pitch-black darkness. ||1||
O my mind, calling on the Guru, eternal peace is found.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the Lord comes to dwell within the heart; I meditate on my Lord and Master with every breath and morsel of food. ||1||Pause||
I am a sacrifice to the Guru's Feet.
Night and day, I continually sing the Glorious Praises of the Guru.
I take my cleansing bath in the dust of the Guru's Feet.
I am honored in the True Court of the Lord. ||2||
The Guru is the boat, to carry me across the terrifying world-ocean.
Meeting with the Guru, I shall not be reincarnated ever again.
That humble being serves the Guru,
who has such karma inscribed on his forehead by the Primal Lord. ||3||
The Guru is my life; the Guru is my support.
The Guru is my way of life; the Guru is my family.
The Guru is my Lord and Master; I seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru.
O Nanak, the Guru is the Supreme Lord God; His value cannot be estimated. ||4||1||19||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
I enshrine the Lord's Feet within my heart;
in His Mercy, God has united me with Himself.
God enjoins His servant to his tasks.
His worth cannot be expressed. ||1||
Please be merciful to me, O Perfect Giver of peace.
By Your Grace, You come to mind; I am imbued with Your Love, twenty-four hours a day. ||1||Pause||
Singing and listening, it is all by Your Will.
One who understands the Hukam of Your Command is absorbed in Truth.
Chanting and meditating on Your Name, I live.
Without You, there is no place at all. ||2||
Pain and pleasure come by Your Command, O Creator Lord.
By the Pleasure of Your Will You forgive, and by the Pleasure of Your Will You award punishment.
You are the Creator of both realms.
I am a sacrifice to Your Glorious Grandeur. ||3||
You alone know Your value.
You alone understand, You Yourself speak and listen.
They alone are devotees, who are pleasing to Your Will.

Nanak is forever a sacrifice to them. ||4||2||20||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
The Transcendent Lord God has become merciful;
Ambrosial Nectar is raining down from the clouds.
All beings and creatures are satisfied;
their affairs are perfectly resolved. ||1||
O my mind, dwell on the Lord, forever and ever.
Serving the Perfect Guru, I have obtained it. It shall stay with me both here and hereafter. ||1||Pause||
He is the Destroyer of pain, the Eradicator of fear.
He takes care of His beings.
The Savior Lord is kind and compassionate forever.
I am a sacrifice to Him, forever and ever. ||2||
The Creator Himself has eliminated death.
Meditate on Him forever and ever, O my mind.
He watches all with His Glance of Grace and protects them.
Continually and continuously, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord God. ||3||
The One and Only Creator Lord is Himself by Himself.
The Lord's devotees know His Glorious Grandeur.
He preserves the Honor of His Name.
Nanak speaks as the Lord inspires him to speak. ||4||3||21||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
All treasures are found in the Sanctuary of the Guru.
Honor is obtained in the True Court of the Lord.
Doubt, fear, pain and suffering are taken away,
forever singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||
O my mind, praise the Perfect Guru.
Chant the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night. You shall obtain the fruits of your mind's desires. ||1||Pause||
No one else is as great as the True Guru.
The Guru is the Supreme Lord, the Transcendent Lord God.
He saves us from the pains of death and birth,
and we will not have to taste the poison of Maya ever again. ||2||
The Guru's glorious grandeur cannot be described.
The Guru is the Transcendent Lord, in the True Name.
True is His self-discipline, and True are all His actions.
Immaculate and pure is that mind, which is imbued with love for the Guru. ||3||
The Perfect Guru is obtained by great good fortune.
Drive out sexual desire, anger and greed from your mind.
By His Grace, the Guru's Feet are enshrined within.
Nanak offers his prayer to the True Lord God. ||4||4||22||
Raag Malaar, Fifth Mehl, Partaal, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Pleasing the Guru, I have fallen in love with my Merciful Beloved Lord.
I have made all my decorations,
and renounced all corruption;
my wandering mind has become steady and stable. ||1||Pause||
O my mind, lose your self-conceit by associating with the Holy, and you shall find Him.
The unstruck celestial melody vibrates and resounds; like a song-bird, chant the Lord's Name, with words of sweetness and utter beauty. ||1||
Such is the glory of Your Darshan, so utterly inifinte and fruitful, O my Love; so do we become by associating with the Saints.
Vibrating, chanting Your Name, we cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
They dwell on the Lord, Raam, Raam, chanting on their malas;

their minds are turned towards the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
O servant Nanak, their Beloved Lord seems so sweet to them. ||2||1||23||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
My mind wanders through the dense forest.
It walks with eagerness and love,
hoping to meet God. ||1||Pause||
Maya with her three gunas - the three dispositions - has come to entice me; whom can I tell of my pain? ||1||
I tried everything else, but nothing could rid me of my sorrow.
So hurry to the Sanctuary of the Holy, O Nanak; joining them, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||2||2||24||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
The glory of my Beloved is noble and sublime.
The celestial singers and angels sing His Sublime Praises in ecstasy, happiness and joy. ||1||Pause||
The most worthy beings sing God's Praises in beautiful harmonies, in all sorts of ways, in myriads of sublime forms. ||1||
Throughout the mountains, trees, deserts, oceans and galaxies, permeating each and every heart, the sublime grandeur of my Love is totally pervading.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Love of the Lord is found; O Nanak, sublime is that faith. ||2||3||25||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
With love for the Guru, I enshrine the Lotus Feet of my Lord deep within my heart. ||1||Pause||
I gaze on the Blessed Vision of His Fruitful Darshan; my sins are erased and taken away.
My mind is immaculate and enlightened. ||1||
I am wonderstruck, stunned and amazed.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, millions of sins are destroyed.
I fall at His Feet, and touch my forehead to them.
You alone are, You alone are, O God.
Your devotees take Your Support.
Servant Nanak has come to the Door of Your Sanctuary. ||2||4||26||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Rain down with happiness in God's Will.
Bless me with total bliss and good fortune. ||1||Pause||
My mind blossoms forth in the Society of the Saints; soaking up the rain, the earth is blessed and beautified. ||1||
The peacock loves the thunder of the rain clouds.
The rainbird's mind is drawn to the rain-drop
- so is my mind enticed by the Lord.
I have renounced Maya, the deceiver.
Joining with the Saints, Nanak is awakened. ||2||5||27||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
Sing forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World.
Enshrine the Lord's Name in your consciousness. ||1||Pause||
Forsake your pride, and abandon your ego; join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Meditate in loving remembrance on the One Lord; your sorrows shall be ended, O friend. ||1||
The Supreme Lord God has become merciful;
corrupt entanglements have come to an end.
Grasping the feet of the Holy,
Nanak sings forever the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World. ||2||6||28||
Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
The Embodiment of the Lord of the Universe roars like the thunder-cloud.
Singing His Glorious Praises brings peace and bliss. ||1||Pause||
The Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet carries us across the world-ocean. His Sublime Word is the unstruck celestial melody. ||1||
The thirsty traveller's consciousness obtains the water of the soul from the pool of nectar.
Servant Nanak loves the Blessed Vision of the Lord; in His Mercy, God has blessed him with it. ||2||7||29||

Malaar, Fifth Mehl:
O Lord of the Universe, O Lord of the World, O Dear Merciful Beloved. ||1||Pause||
You are the Master of the breath of life, the Companion of the lost and forsaken, the Destroyer of the pains of the poor. ||1||
O All-powerful, Inaccessible, Perfect Lord, please shower me with Your Mercy. ||2||
Please, carry Nanak across the terrible, deep dark pit of the world to the other side. ||3||8||30||
Malaar, First Mehl, Ashtapadees, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The chakvi bird does not long for sleepy eyes; without her beloved, she does not sleep.
When the sun rises, she sees her beloved with her eyes; she bows and touches his feet. ||1||
The Love of my Beloved is pleasing; it is my Companion and Support.
Without Him, I cannot live in this world even for an instant; such is my hunger and thirst. ||1||Pause||
The lotus in the pool blossoms forth intuitively and naturally, with the rays of the sun in the sky.
Such is the love for my Beloved which imbues me; my light has merged into the Light. ||2||
Without water, the rainbird cries out, "Pri-o! Pri-o! - Beloved! Beloved!" It cries and wails and laments.
The thundering clouds rain down in the ten directions; its thirst is not quenched until it catches the rain-drop in its mouth. ||3||
The fish lives in water, from which it was born. It finds peace and pleasure according to its past actions.
It cannot survive without water for a moment, even for an instant. Life and death depend on it. ||4||
The soul-bride is separated from her Husband Lord, who lives in His Own Country. He sends the Shabad, His Word, through the True Guru.
She gathers virtues, and enshrines God within her heart. Imbued with devotion, she is happy. ||5||
Everyone cries out, "Beloved! Beloved!" But she alone finds her Beloved, who is pleasing to the Guru.
Our Beloved is always with us; through the Truth, He blesses us with His Grace, and unites us in His Union. ||6||
He is the life of the soul in each and every soul; He permeates and pervades each and every heart.
By Guru's Grace, He is revealed within the home of my heart; I am intuitively, naturally, absorbed into Him. ||7||
He Himself shall resolve all your affairs, when you meet with the Giver of peace, the Lord of the World.
By Guru's Grace, you shall find your Husband Lord within your own home; then, O Nanak, the fire within you shall be quenched. ||8||1||
Malaar, First Mehl:
Remain awake and aware, serving the Guru; except for the Lord, no one is mine.
Even by making all sorts of efforts, you shall not remain here; it shall melt like glass in the fire. ||1||
Tell me - why are you so proud of your body and wealth?
They shall vanish in an instant; O madman, this is how the world is wasting away, in egotism and pride. ||1||Pause||
Hail to the Lord of the Universe, God, our Saving Grace; He judges and saves the mortal beings.
All that is, belongs to You. No one else is equal to You. ||2||
Creating all beings and creatures, their ways and means are under Your control; You bless the Gurmukhs with the ointment of spiritual wisdom.
My Eternal, Unmastered Lord is over the heads of all. He is the Destroyer of death and rebirth, doubt and fear. ||3||

This wretched world is a fortress of paper, of color and form and clever tricks.
A tiny drop of water or a little puff of wind destroys its glory; in an instant, its life is ended. ||4||
It is like a tree-house near the bank of a river, with a serpent's den in that house.
When the river overflows, what happens to the tree house? The snake bites, like duality in the mind. ||5||
Through the magic spell of the Guru's spiritual wisdom, and meditation on the Word of the Guru's Teachings, vice and corruption are burnt away.
The mind and body are cooled and soothed and Truth is obtained, through the wondrous and unique devotional worship of the Lord. ||6||
All that exists begs of You; You are merciful to all beings.
I seek Your Sanctuary; please save my honor, O Lord of the World, and bless me with Truth. ||7||
Bound in worldly affairs and entanglements, the blind one does not understand; he acts like a murderous butcher.
But if he meets with the True Guru, then he comprehends and understands, and his mind is imbued with true spiritual wisdom. ||8||
Without the Truth, this worthless body is false; I have consulted my Guru on this.
O Nanak, that God has revealed God to me; without the Truth, all the world is just a dream. ||9||2||
Malaar, First Mehl:
The rainbird and the fish find peace in water; the deer is pleased by the sound of the bell. ||1||
The rainbird chirps in the night, O my mother. ||1||Pause||
O my Beloved, my love for You shall never end, if it is Your Will. ||2||
Sleep is gone, and egotism is exhausted from my body; my heart is permeated with the Teachings of Truth. ||3||
Flying among the trees and plants, I remain hungry; lovingly drinking in the Naam, the Name of the Lord, I am satisfied. ||4||
I stare at You, and my tongue cries out to You; I am so thirsty for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||5||
Without my Beloved, the more I decorate myself, the more my body burns; these clothes do not look good on my body. ||6||
Without my Beloved, I cannot survive even for an instant; without meeting Him, I cannot sleep. ||7||
Her Husband Lord is nearby, but the wretched bride does not know it. The True Guru reveals Him to her. ||8||
When she meets Him with intuitive ease, she finds peace; the Word of the Shabad quenches the fire of desire. ||9||
Says Nanak, through You, O Lord, my mind is pleased and appeased; I cannot express Your worth. ||10||3||
Malaar, First Mehl, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The earth bends under the weight of the water,
the lofty mountains and the caverns of the underworld.
Contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the oceans become calm.
The path of liberation is found by subduing the ego. ||1||
I am blind; I seek the Light of the Name.
I take the Support of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. I walk on the path of mystery of the Guru's Fear. ||1||Pause||

Through the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru, the Path is known.
With the Guru's Support, one is blessed with the strength of the True Lord.
Dwell on the Naam, and realize the Beauteous Word of His Bani.
If it is Your Will, Lord, You lead me to find Your Door. ||2||
Flying high or sitting down, I am lovingly focused on the One Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I take the Naam as my Suppport.
There is no ocean of water, no mountain ranges rising up.
I dwell within the home of my own inner being, where there is no path and no one travelling on it. ||3||
You alone know the way to that House in which You dwell. No one else knows the Mansion of Your Presence.
Without the True Guru, there is no understanding. The whole world is buried under its nightmare.
The mortal tries all sorts of things, and weeps and wails, but without the Guru, he does not know the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
In the twinkling of an eye, the Naam saves him, if he realizes the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||4||
Some are foolish, blind, stupid and ignorant.
Some, through fear of the True Guru, take the Support of the Naam.
The True Word of His Bani is sweet, the source of ambrosial nectar.
Whoever drinks it in, finds the Door of Salvation. ||5||
One who, through the love and fear of God, enshrines the Naam within his heart, acts according to the Guru's Instructions and knows the True Bani.
When the clouds release their rain, the earth becomes beautiful; God's Light permeates each and every heart.
The evil-minded ones plant their seed in the barren soil; such is the sign of those who have no Guru.
Without the True Guru, there is utter darkness; they drown there, even without water. ||6||
Whatever God does, is by His Own Will.
That which is pre-ordained cannot be erased.
Bound to the Hukam of the Lord's Command, the mortal does his deeds.
Permeated by the One Word of the Shabad, the mortal is immersed in Truth. ||7||
Your Command, O God, rules in the four directions; Your Name pervades the four corners of the nether regions as well.
The True Word of the Shabad is pervading amongst all. By His Grace, the Eternal One unites us with Himself.
Birth and death hang over the heads of all beings, along with hunger, sleep and dying.
The Naam is pleasing to Nanak's mind; O True Lord, Source of bliss, please bless me with Your Grace. ||8||1||4||
Malaar, First Mehl:
You do not understand the nature of death and liberation.
You are sitting on the river-bank; realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
You stork! - how were you caught in the net?
You do not remember in your heart the Unseen Lord God. ||1||Pause||
For your one life, you consume many lives.
You were supposed to swim in the water, but you are drowning in it instead. ||2||
You have tormented all beings.
When Death seizes you, then you shall regret and repent. ||3||
When the heavy noose is placed around your neck,
you may spread your wings, but you shall not be able to fly. ||4||
You enjoy the tastes and flavors, you foolish self-willed manmukh.
You are trapped. You can only be saved by virtuous conduct, spiritual wisdom and contemplation. ||5||
Serving the True Guru, you will shatter the Messenger of Death.
In your heart, dwell on the True Word of the Shabad. ||6||
The Guru's Teachings, the True Word of the Shabad, is excellent and sublime.
Keep the Name of the Lord enshrined in your heart. ||7||
One who is obsessed with enjoying pleasures here, shall suffer in pain hereafter.
O Nanak, there is no liberation without the True Name. ||8||2||5||

Malaar, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
If it is in his karma, then he finds the True Guru; without such karma, He cannot be found.
He meets the True Guru, and he is transformed into gold, if it is the Lord's Will. ||1||
O my mind, focus your consciousness on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The Lord is found through the True Guru, and then he remains merged with the True Lord. ||1||Pause||
Spiritual wisdom wells up through the True Guru, and then this cynicism is dispelled.
Through the True Guru, the Lord is realized, and then, he is not consigned to the womb of reincarnation ever again. ||2||
By Guru's Grace, the mortal dies in life, and by so dying, lives to practice the Word of the Shabad.
He alone finds the Door of Salvation, who eradicates self-conceit from within himself. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, the mortal is reincarnated into the Home of the Lord, having eradicated Maya from within.
He eats the uneatable, and is blessed with a discriminating intellect; he meets the Supreme Person, the Primal Lord God. ||4||
The world is unconscious, like a passing show; the mortal departs, having lost his capital.
The profit of the Lord is obtained in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; by good karma, it is found. ||5||
Without the True Guru, no one finds it; see this in your mind, and consider this in your heart.
By great good fortune, the mortal finds the Guru, and crosses over the terrifying world-ocean. ||6||
The Name of the Lord is my Anchor and Support. I take only the Support of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
O Dear Lord, please be kind and lead me to meet the Guru, that I may find the Door of Salvation. ||7||
The pre-ordained destiny inscribed on the mortal's forehead by our Lord and Master cannot be erased.
O Nanak, those humble beings are perfect, who are pleased by the Lord's Will. ||8||1||
Malaar, Third Mehl:
The world is involved with the words of the Vedas, thinking about the three gunas - the three dispositions.
Without the Name, it suffers punishment by the Messenger of Death; it comes and goes in reincarnation, over and over again.
Meeting with the True Guru, the world is liberated, and finds the Door of Salvation. ||1||
O mortal, immerse yourself in service to the True Guru.
By great good fortune, the mortal finds the Perfect Guru, and meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
The Lord, by the Pleasure of His Own Will, created the Universe, and the Lord Himself gives it sustenance and support.
The Lord, by His Own Will, makes the mortal's mind immaculate, and lovingly attunes him to the Lord.
The Lord, by His Own Will, leads the mortal to meet the True Guru, the Embellisher of all his lives. ||2||
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the True Word of His Bani. Only a few, as Gurmukh, understand.
Waaho! Waaho! Praise God as Great! No one else is as Great as He.
When God's Grace is received, He Himself forgives the mortal, and unites him with Himself. ||3||
The True Guru has revealed our True, Supreme Lord and Master.
The Ambrosial Nectar rains down and the mind is satisfied, remaining lovingly attuned to the True Lord.
In the Lord's Name, it is forever rejuvenated; it shall never wither and dry up again. ||4||

Without the True Guru, no one finds the Lord; anyone can try and see.
By the Lord's Grace, the True Guru is found, and then the Lord is met with intuitive ease.
The self-willed manmukh is deluded by doubt; without good destiny, the Lord's wealth is not obtained. ||5||
The three dispositions are completely distracting; people read and study and contemplate them.
Those people are never liberated; they do not find the Door of Salvation.
Without the True Guru, they are never released from bondage; they do not embrace love for the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||6||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, and the silent sages, reading and studying the Vedas, have grown weary.
They do not even think of the Lord's Name; they do not dwell in the home of their own inner being.
The Messenger of Death hovers over their heads; they are ruined by the deceit within themselves. ||7||
Everyone longs for the Name of the Lord; without good destiny, it is not obtained.
When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, the mortal meets the True Guru, and the Lord's Name comes to dwell within the mind.
O Nanak, through the Name, honor wells up, and the mortal remains immersed in the Lord. ||8||2||
Malaar, Third Mehl, Ashtapadees, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
When the Lord shows His Mercy, He enjoins the mortal to work for the Guru.
His pains are taken away, and the Lord's Name comes to dwell within.
True deliverance comes by focusing one's consciousness on the True Lord.
Listen to the Shabad, and the Word of the Guru's Bani. ||1||
O my mind, serve the Lord, Har, Har, the true treasure.
By Guru's Grace, the wealth of the Lord is obtained. Night and day, focus your meditation on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The soul-bride who adorns herself without her Husband Lord,
is ill-mannered and vile, wasted away into ruin.
This is the useless way of life of the self-willed manmukh.
Forgetting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, he performs all sorts of empty rituals. ||2||
The bride who is Gurmukh is beautifully embellished.
Through the Word of the Shabad, she enshrines her Husband Lord within her heart.
She realizes the One Lord, and subdues her ego.
That soul-bride is virtuous and noble. ||3||
Without the Guru, the Giver, no one finds the Lord.
The greedy self-willed manmukh is attracted and engrossed in duality.
Only a few spiritual teachers realize this,
that without meeting the Guru, liberation is not obtained. ||4||
Everyone tells the stories told by others.
Without subduing the mind, devotional worship does not come.
When the intellect achieves spiritual wisdom, the heart-lotus blossoms forth.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, comes to abide in that heart. ||5||
In egotism, everyone can pretend to worship God with devotion.
But this does not soften the mind, and it does not bring peace.
By speaking and preaching, the mortal only shows off his self-conceit.
His devotional worship is useless, and his life is a total waste. ||6||
They alone are devotees, who are pleasing to the Mind of the True Guru.
Night and day, they remain lovingly attuned to the Name.
They behold the Naam, the Name of the Lord, ever-present, near at hand.

Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is pervading and permeating everywhere. ||7||
God Himself forgives, and bestows His Love.
The world is suffering from the terrible disease of egotism.
By Guru's Grace, this disease is cured.
O Nanak, through the Truth, the mortal remains immersed in the True Lord. ||8||1||3||5||8||
Raag Malaar, Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My Beloved Lord is the Giver of loving devotional worship.
His humble servants are imbued with His Love.
He is imbued with His servants, day and night; He does not forget them from His Mind, even for an instant.
He is the Lord of the World, the Treasure of virtue; He is always with me. All glorious virtues belong to the Lord of the Universe.
With His Feet, He has fascinated my mind; as His humble servant, I am intoxicated with love for His Name.
O Nanak, my Beloved is forever Merciful; out of millions, hardly anyone realizes Him. ||1||
O Beloved, Your state is inaccessible and infinite.
You save even the worst sinners.
He is the Purifier of sinners, the Lover of His devotees, the Ocean of mercy, our Lord and Master.
In the Society of the Saints, vibrate and meditate on Him with commitment forever; He is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts.
Those who wander in reincarnation through millions of births, are saved and carried across, by meditating in remembrance on the Naam.
Nanak is thirsty for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, O Dear Lord; please take care of him. ||2||
My mind is absorbed in the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
O God, You are the water; Your humble servants are fish.
O Dear God, You alone are the water and the fish. I know that there is no difference between the two.
Please take hold of my arm and bless me with Your Name. I am honored only by Your Grace.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, vibrate and meditate with love on the One Lord of the Universe, who is Merciful to the meek.
Nanak, the lowly and helpless, seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, who in His Kindness has made him His Own. ||3||
He unites us with Himself.
Our Sovereign Lord King is the Destroyer of fear.
My Wondrous Lord and Master is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. My Beloved, the Treasure of virtue, has met me.
Supreme happiness and peace well up, as I cherish the Glorious Virtues of the Lord of the Universe.
Meeting with Him, I am embellished and exalted; gazing on Him, I am fascinated, and I realize my pre-ordained destiny.
Prays Nanak, I seek the Sanctuary of those who meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||1||
Vaar Of Malaar, First Mehl, Sung To The Tune Of Rana Kailaash And Malda:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Meeting with the Guru, the mind is delighted, like the earth embellished by the rain.
Everything becomes green and lush; the pools and ponds are filled to overflowing.
The inner self is imbued with the deep crimson color of love for the True Lord.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth and the mind becomes true; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, it is ecstatic and exalted.

The self-willed manmukh is on the wrong side. You can see this with your own eyes.
He is caught in the trap like the deer; the Messenger of Death hovers over his head.
Hunger, thirst and slander are evil; sexual desire and anger are horrible.
These cannot be seen with your eyes, until you contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
Whoever is pleasing to You is content; all his entanglements are gone.
Serving the Guru, his capital is preserved. The Guru is the ladder and the boat.
O Nanak, whoever is attached to the Lord receives the essence; O True Lord, You are found when the mind is true. ||1||
First Mehl:
There is one path and one door. The Guru is the ladder to reach one's own place.
Our Lord and Master is so beautiful, O Nanak; all comfort and peace are in the Name of the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself created Himself; He Himself understands Himself.
Separating the sky and the earth, He has spread out His canopy.
Without any pillars, He supports the sky, through the insignia of His Shabad.
Creating the sun and the moon, He infused His Light into them.
He created the night and the day; Wondrous are His miraculous plays.
He created the sacred shrines of pilgrimage, where people contemplate righteousness and Dharma, and take cleansing baths on special occasions.
There is no other equal to You; how can we speak and describe You?
You are seated on the throne of Truth; all others come and go in reincarnation. ||1||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, when it rains in the month of Saawan, four are delighted:
the snake, the deer, the fish and the wealthy people who seek pleasure. ||1||
First Mehl:
O Nanak, when it rains in the month of Saawan, four suffer the pains of separation:
the cow's calves, the poor, the travellers and the servants. ||2||
Pauree:
You are True, O True Lord; You dispense True Justice.
Like a lotus, You sit in the primal celestial trance; You are hidden from view.
Brahma is called great, but even he does not know Your limits.
You have no father or mother; who gave birth to You?
You have no form or feature; You transcend all social classes.
You have no hunger or thirst; You are satisfied and satiated.
You have merged Yourself into the Guru; You are pervading through the Word of Your Shabad.
When he is pleasing to the True Lord, the mortal merges in Truth. ||2||
Shalok, First Mehl:
The physician was called in; he touched my arm and felt my pulse.
The foolish physician did not know that the pain was in the mind. ||1||
Second Mehl:
O physician, you are a competent physician, if you first diagnose the disease.
Prescribe such a remedy, by which all sorts of illnesses may be cured.
Administer that medicine, which will cure the disease, and allow peace to come and dwell in the body.
Only when you are rid of your own disease, O Nanak, will you be known as a physician. ||2||
Pauree:
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the deities were created.
Brahma was given the Vedas, and enjoined to worship God.
The ten incarnations, and Rama the king, came into being.
According to His Will, they quickly killed all the demons.
Shiva serves Him, but cannot find His limits.
He established His throne on the principles of Truth.
He enjoined all the world to its tasks, while He keeps Himself hidden from view.

The Primal Lord has ordained that mortals must practice righteousness. ||3||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
The month of Saawan has come, O my companions; think of your Husband Lord.
O Nanak, the discarded bride is in love with another; now she weeps and wails, and dies. ||1||
Second Mehl:
The month of Saawan has come, O my companions; the clouds have burst forth with rain.
O Nanak, the blessed soul-brides sleep in peace; they are in love with their Husband Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself has staged the tournament, and arranged the arena for the wrestlers.
They have entered the arena with pomp and ceremony; the Gurmukhs are joyful.
The false and foolish self-willed manmukhs are defeated and overcome.
The Lord Himself wrestles, and He Himself defeats them. He Himself staged this play.
The One God is the Lord and Master of all; this is known by the Gurmukhs.
He writes the inscription of His Hukam on the foreheads of all, without pen or ink.
In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, Union with Him is obtained; there, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are chanted forever.
O Nanak, praising the True Word of His Shabad, one comes to realize the Truth. ||4||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Hanging low, low and thick in the sky, the clouds are changing color.
How do I know whether my love for my Husband Lord shall endure?
The love of those soul-brides endures, if their minds are filled with the Love and the Fear of God.
O Nanak, she who has no Love and Fear of God - her body shall never find peace. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Hanging low, low and thick in the sky, the clouds come, and pure water rains down.
O Nanak, that soul-bride suffers in pain, whose mind is torn away from her Husband Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The One Lord created both sides and pervades the expanse.
The words of the Vedas became pervasive, with arguments and divisions.
Attachment and detachment are the two sides of it; Dharma, true religion, is the guide between the two.
The self-willed manmukhs are worthless and false. Without a doubt, they lose in the Court of the Lord.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings are the true spiritual warriors; they have conquered sexual desire and anger.
They enter into the True Mansion of the Lord's Presence, embellished and exalted by the Word of the Shabad.
Those devotees are pleasing to Your Will, O Lord; they dearly love the True Name.
I am a sacrifice to those who serve their True Guru. ||5||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Hanging low, low and thick in the sky, the clouds come, and water rains down in torrents.
O Nanak, she walks in harmony with the Will of her Husband Lord; she enjoys peace and pleasure forever. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Why are you standing up, standing up to look? You poor wretch, this cloud has nothing in its hands.
The One who sent this cloud - cherish Him in your mind.
He alone enshrines the Lord in his mind, upon whom the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, all those who lack this Grace, cry and weep and wail. ||2||
Pauree:
Serve the Lord forever; He acts in no time at all.
He stretched the sky across the heavens; in an instant, He creates and destroys.
He Himself created the world; He contemplates His Creative Omnipotence.
The self-willed manmukh will be called to account hereafter; he will be severely punished.

The Gurmukh's account is settled with honor; the Lord blesses him with the treasure of His Praise.
No one's hands can reach there; no one will hear anyone's cries.
The True Guru will be your best friend there; at the very last instant, He will save you.
These beings should serve no other than the True Guru or the Creator Lord above the heads of all. ||6||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O rainbird, the One unto whom you call - everyone longs for that Lord.
When He grants His Grace, it rains, and the forests and fields blossom forth in their greenery.
By Guru's Grace, He is found; only a rare few understand this.
Sitting down and standing up, meditate continually on Him, and be at peace forever and ever.
O Nanak, the Ambrosial Nectar rains down forever; the Lord gives it to the Gurmukh. ||1||
Third Mehl:
When the people of the world are suffering in pain, they call upon the Lord in loving prayer.
The True Lord naturally listens and hears and gives comfort.
He commands the god of rain, and the rain pours down in torrents.
Corn and wealth are produced in great abundance and prosperity; their value cannot be estimated.
O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; He reaches out and gives sustenance to all beings.
Eating this, peace is produced, and the mortal never again suffers in pain. ||2||
Pauree:
O Dear Lord, You are the Truest of the True. You blend those who are truthful into Your Own Being.
Those caught in duality are on the side of duality; entrenched in falsehood, they cannot merge into the Lord.
You Yourself unite, and You Yourself separate; You display Your Creative Omnipotence.
Attachment brings the sorrow of separation; the mortal acts in accordance with pre-ordained destiny.
I am a sacrifice to those who remain lovingly attached to the Lord's Feet.
They are like the lotus which remains detached, floating upon the water.
They are peaceful and beautiful forever; they eradicate self-conceit from within.
They never suffer sorrow or separation; they are merged in the Being of the Lord. ||7||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O Nanak, praise the Lord; everything is in His power.
Serve Him, O mortal beings; there is none other than Him.
The Lord God abides within the mind of the Gurmukh, and then he is at peace, forever and ever.
He is never cynical; all anxiety has been taken out from within him.
Whatever happens, happens naturally; no one has any say about it.
When the True Lord abides in the mind, then the mind's desires are fulfilled.
O Nanak, He Himself hears the words of those, whose accounts are in His Hands. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The Ambrosial Nectar rains down continually; realize this through realization.
Those who, as Gurmukh, realize this, keep the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar enshrined within their hearts.
They drink in the Lord's Ambrosial Nectar, and remain forever imbued with the Lord; they conquer egotism and thirsty desires.
The Name of the Lord is Ambrosial Nectar; the Lord showers His Grace, and it rains down.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh comes to behold the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||2||

Pauree:
How can the unweighable be weighed? Without weighing Him, He cannot be obtained.
Reflect on the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and immerse yourself in His Glorious Virtues.
He Himself weighs Himself; He unites in Union with Himself.
His value cannot be estimated; nothing can be said about this.
I am a sacrifice to my Guru; He has made me realize this true realization.
The world has been deceived, and the Ambrosial Nectar is being plundered. The self-willed manmukh does not realize this.
Without the Name, nothing will go along with him; he wastes his life, and departs.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings and remain awake and aware, preserve and protect the home of their heart; demons have no power against them. ||8||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O rainbird, do not cry out. Do not let this mind of yours be so thirsty for a drop of water. Obey the Hukam, the Command of your Lord and Master,
and your thirst shall be quenched. Your love for Him shall increase four-fold. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O rainbird, your place is in the water; you move around in the water.
But you do not appreciate the water, and so you cry out.
In the water and on the land, it rains down in the ten directions. No place is left dry.
With so much rain, those who are die of thirst are very unfortunate.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs understand; the Lord abides within their minds. ||2||
Pauree:
The Yogic Masters, celibates, Siddhas and spiritual teachers - none of them has found the limits of the Lord.
The Gurmukhs meditate on the Naam, and merge in You, O Lord.
For thirty-six ages, God remained in utter darkness, as He pleased.
The vast expanse of water swirled around.
The Creator of all is Infinite, Endless and Inaccessible.
He formed fire and conflict, hunger and thirst.
Death hangs over the heads of the people of the world, in the love of duality.
The Savior Lord saves those who realize the Word of the Shabad. ||9||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
This rain pours down on all; it rains down in accordance with God's Loving Will.
Those trees become green and lush, which remain immersed in the Guru's Word.
O Nanak, by His Grace, there is peace; the pain of these creatures is gone. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The night is wet with dew; lightning flashes, and the rain pours down in torrents.
Food and wealth are produced in abundance when it rains, if it is the Will of God.
Consuming it, the minds of His creatures are satisfied, and they adopt the lifestyle of the way.
This wealth is the play of the Creator Lord. Sometimes it comes, and sometimes it goes.
The Naam is the wealth of the spiritually wise. It is permeating and pervading forever.
O Nanak, those who are blessed with His Glance of Grace receive this wealth. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself does, and causes all to be done. Unto whom can I complain?
He Himself calls the mortal beings to account; He Himself causes them to act.
Whatever pleases Him happens. Only a fool issues commands.
He Himself saves and redeems; He Himself is the Forgiver.
He Himself sees, and He Himself hears; He gives His Support to all.
He alone is pervading and permeating all; He considers each and every one.

The Gurmukh reflects on the self, lovingly attached to the True Lord.
O Nanak, whom can we ask? He Himself is the Great Giver. ||10||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
This world is a rainbird; let no one be deluded by doubt.
This rainbird is an animal; it has no understanding at all.
The Name of the Lord is Ambrosial Nectar; drinking it in, thirst is quenched.
O Nanak, those Gurmukhs who drink it in shall never again be afflicted by thirst. ||1||
Third Mehl:
Malaar is a calming and soothing raga; meditating on the Lord brings peace and tranquility.
When the Dear Lord grants His Grace, then the rain falls on all the people of the world.
From this rain, all creatures find the ways and means to live, and the earth is embellished.
O Nanak, this world is all water; everything came from water.
By Guru's Grace, a rare few realize the Lord; such humble beings are liberated forever. ||2||
Pauree:
O True and Independent Lord God, You alone are my Lord and Master.
You Yourself are everything; who else is of any account?
False is the pride of man. True is Your glorious greatness.
Coming and going in reincarnation, the beings and species of the world came into being.
But if the mortal serves his True Guru, his coming into the world is judged to be worthwhile.
And if he eradicates eogtism from within himself, then how can he be judged?
The self-willed manmukh is lost in the darkness of emotional attachment, like the man lost in the wilderness.
Countless sins are erased, by even a tiny particle of the Lord's Name. ||11||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O rainbird, you do not know the Mansion of your Lord and Master's Presence. Offer your prayers to see this Mansion.
You speak as you please, but your speech is not accepted.
Your Lord and Master is the Great Giver; whatever you desire, you shall receive from Him.
Not only the thirst of the poor rainbird, but the thirst of the whole world is quenched. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The night is wet with dew; the rainbird sings the True Name with intuitive ease.
This water is my very soul; without water, I cannot survive.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, this water is obtained, and egotism is eradicated from within.
O Nanak, I cannot live without Him, even for a moment; the True Guru has led me to meet Him. ||2||
Pauree:
There are countless worlds and nether regions; I cannot calculate their number.
You are the Creator, the Lord of the Universe; You create it, and You destroy it.
The 8.4 million species of beings issued forth from You.
Some are called kings, emperors and nobles.
Some claim to be bankers and accumulate wealth, but in duality they lose their honor.
Some are givers, and some are beggars; God is above the heads of all.
Without the Name, they are vulgar, dreadful and wretched.
Falsehood shall not last, O Nanak; whatever the True Lord does, comes to pass. ||12||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
O rainbird, the virtuous soul-bride attains the Mansion of her Lord's Presence; the unworthy, unvirtuous one is far away.
Deep within your inner being, the Lord abides. The Gurmukh beholds Him ever-present.
When the Lord bestows His Glance of Grace, the mortal no longer weeps and wails.
O Nanak, those who are imbued with the Naam intuitively merge with the Lord; they practice the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||

Third Mehl:
The rainbird prays: O Lord, grant Your Grace, and bless me with the gift of the life of the soul.
Without the water, my thirst is not quenched, and my breath of life is ended and gone.
You are the Giver of peace, O Infinite Lord God; You are the Giver of the treasure of virtue.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is forgiven; in the end, the Lord God shall be your only friend. ||2||
Pauree:
He created the world; He considers the merits and demerits of the mortals.
Those who are entangled in the three gunas - the three dispositions - do not love the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Forsaking virtue, they practice evil; they shall be miserable in the Court of the Lord.
They lose their life in the gamble; why did they even come into the world?
But those who conquer and subdue their minds, through the True Word of the Shabad - night and day, they love the Naam.
Those people enshrine the True, Invisible and Infinite Lord in their hearts.
You, O Lord, are the Giver, the Treasure of virtue; I am unvirtuous and unworthy.
He alone finds You, whom You bless and forgive, and inspire to contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||13||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
The faithless cynics forget the Name of the Lord; the night of their lives does not pass in peace.
Their days and nights become comfortable, O Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
Fifth Mehl:
All sorts of jewels and gems, diamonds and rubies, shine forth from their foreheads.
O Nanak, those who are pleasing to God, look beautiful in the Court of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Serving the True Guru, I dwell on the True Lord.
The work you have done for the True Guru shall be very useful in the end.
The Messenger of Death cannot even touch that person who is protected by the True Lord.
Lighting the lamp of the Guru's Teachings, my awareness has been awakened.
The self-willed manmukhs are false; without the Name, they wander around like demons.
They are nothing more than beasts, wrapped up in human skin; they are black-hearted within.
The True Lord is pervading all; through the True Word of the Shabad, He is seen.
O Nanak, the Naam is the greatest treasure. The Perfect Guru has revealed it to me. ||14||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The rainbird realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command with intuitive ease through the Guru.
The clouds mercifully burst forth, and the rain pours down in torrents.
The cries and wailings of the rainbird have ceased, and peace has come to abide in its mind.
O Nanak, praise that Lord, who reaches out and gives sustenance to all beings and creatures. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O rainbird, you do not know what thirst is within you, or what you can drink to quench it.
You wander in the love of duality, and you do not obtain the Ambrosial Water.
When God casts His Glance of Grace, then the mortal automatically meets the True Guru.
O Nanak, the Ambrosial Water is obtained from the True Guru, and then the mortal remains merged in the Lord with intuitive ease. ||2||
Pauree:
Some go and sit in the forest realms, and do not answer any calls.
Some, in the dead of winter, break the ice and immerse themselves in freezing water.
Some rub ashes on their bodies, and never wash off their dirt.
Some look hideous, with their uncut hair matted and dishevelled. They bring dishonor to their family and ancestry.

Some wander naked day and night and never sleep.
Some burn their limbs in fire, damaging and ruining themselves.
Without the Name, the body is reduced to ashes; what good is it to speak and cry then?
Those who serve the True Guru, are embellished and exalted in the Court of their Lord and Master. ||15||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
The rainbird chirps in the ambrosial hours of the morning before the dawn; its prayers are heard in the Court of the Lord.
The order is issued to the clouds, to let the rains of mercy shower down.
I am a sacrifice to those who enshrine the True Lord within their hearts.
O Nanak, through the Name, all are rejuvenated, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
Third Mehl:
O rainbird, this is not the way to quench your thirst, even though you may cry out a hundred times.
By God's Grace, the True Guru is found; by His Grace, love wells up.
O Nanak, when the Lord and Master abides in the mind, corruption and evil leave from within. ||2||
Pauree:
Some are Jains, wasting their time in the wilderness; by their pre-ordained destiny, they are ruined.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is not on their lips; they do not bathe at sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
They pull out their hair with their hands, instead of shaving.
They remain unclean day and night; they do not love the Word of the Shabad.
They have no status, no honor, and no good karma. They waste away their lives in vain.
Their minds are false and impure; that which they eat is impure and defiled.
Without the Shabad, no one achieves a lifestyle of good conduct.
The Gurmukh is absorbed in the True Lord God, the Universal Creator. ||16||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
In the month of Saawan, the bride is happy, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
O Nanak, she is a happy soul-bride forever; her love for the Guru is unlimited. ||1||
Third Mehl:
In Saawan, she who has no virtue is burned, in attachment and love of duality.
O Nanak, she does not appreciate the value of her Husband Lord; all her decorations are worthless. ||2||
Pauree:
The True, Unseen, Mysterious Lord is not won over by stubbornness.
Some sing according to traditional ragas, but the Lord is not pleased by these ragas.
Some dance and dance and keep the beat, but they do not worship Him with devotion.
Some refuse to eat; what can be done with these fools?
Thirst and desire have greatly increased; nothing brings satisfaction.
Some are tied down by rituals; they hassle themselves to death.
In this world, profit comes by drinking in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam.
The Gurmukhs gather in loving devotional worship of the Lord. ||17||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those Gurmukhs who sing in the Raga of Malaar - their minds and bodies become cool and calm.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they realize the One, the One True Lord.
Their minds and bodies are true; they obey the True Lord, and they are known as true.
True devotional worship is deep within them; they are automatically blessed with honor.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, there is utter darkness; the self-willed manmukh cannot find the way.
O Nanak, very blessed are those Gurmukhs, unto whom the Lord is revealed. ||1||
Third Mehl:
The clouds rain down mercifully, and joy wells up in the minds of the people.
I am forever a sacrifice to the One, by whose Command the clouds burst forth with rain.

The Gurmukhs dwell on the Word of the Shabad. They sing the Glorious Praises of the True Lord.
O Nanak, those humble beings who are imbued with the Naam are pure and immaculate. They are intuitively merged in the True Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Serving the Perfect True Guru, I have found the Perfect Lord.
Meditating on the Perfect Lord, by perfect karma, I have enshrined the Shabad within my mind.
Through perfect spiritual wisdom and meditation, my filth has been washed away.
The Lord is my sacred shrine of pilgrimage and pool of purification; I wash my mind in Him.
One who dies in the Shabad and conquers his mind - blessed is the mother who gave birth to him.
He is true in the Court of the Lord, and his coming into this world is judged to be true.
No one can challenge that person, with whom our Lord and Master is pleased.
O Nanak, praising the True Lord, his pre-ordained destiny is activated. ||18||
Shalok, Third Mehl:
Those who give out ceremonial hats of recognition are fools; those who receive them have no shame.
The mouse cannot enter its hole with a basket tied around its waist.
Those who give out blessings shall die, and those that they bless shall also depart.
O Nanak, no one knows the Lord's Command, by which all must depart.
The spring harvest is the Name of the One Lord; the harvest of autumn is the True Name.
I receive a letter of pardon from my Lord and Master, when I reach His Court.
There are so many courts of the world, and so many who come and go there.
There are so many beggars begging; so many beg and beg until death. ||1||
First Mehl:
The elephant eats a hundred pounds of ghee and molasses, and five hundred pounds of corn.
He belches and grunts and scatters dust, and when the breath leaves his body, he regrets it.
The blind and arrogant die insane.
Submitting to the Lord, one become pleasing to Him.
The sparrow eats only half a grain, then it flies through the sky and chirps.
The good sparrow is pleasing to her Lord and Master, if she chirps the Name of the Lord.
The powerful tiger kills hundreds of deer, and all sorts of other animals eat what it leaves.
It becomes very strong, and cannot be contained in its den, but when it must go, it regrets.
So who is impressed by the roar of the blind beast?
He is not pleasing at all to his Lord and Master.
The insect loves the milkweed plant; perched on its branch, it eats it.
It becomes good and pleasing to its Lord and Master, if it chirps the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, the world lasts for only a few days; indulging in pleasures, pain is produced.
There are many who boast and brag, but none of them can remain detached from the world.
The fly dies for the sake of sweets.
O Lord, death does not even approach those whom You protect. You carry them across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||
Pauree:
You are Inaccessible and Unfathomable, O Invisible and Infinite True Lord Master.
You are the Giver, all are beggars of You. You alone are the Great Giver.
Those who serve You find peace, reflecting on the Guru's Teachings.
Some, according to Your Will, are in love with Maya.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, praise the Lord with love and affection within.
Without love, there is no devotion. Without the True Guru, love is not enshrined.
You are the Lord God; everyone serves You. This is the prayer of Your humble minstrel.
Please bless me with the gift of contentment, that I may receive the True Name as my Support. ||19||

Shalok, First Mehl:
Through the night the time ticks away; through the day the time ticks away.
The body wears away and turns to straw.
All are involved and entangled in worldly entanglements.
The mortal has mistakenly renounced the way of service.
The blind fool is caught in conflict, bothered and bewildered.
Those who weep after someone has died - can they bring him back to life?
Without realization, nothing can be understood.
The weepers who weep for the dead shall themselves die as well.
O Nanak, this is the Will of our Lord and Master.
Those who do not remember the Lord, are dead. ||1||
First Mehl:
Love dies, and affection dies; hatred and strife die.
The color fades, and beauty vanishes; the body suffers and collapses.
Where did he come from? Where is he going? Did he exist or not?
The self-willed manmukh made empty boasts, indulging in parties and pleasures.
O Nanak, without the True Name, his honor is torn away, from head to foot. ||2||
Pauree:
The Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, is forever the Giver of peace. It shall be your Help and Support in the end.
Without the Guru, the world is insane. It does not appreciate the worth of the Name.
Those who serve the True Guru are accepted and approved. Their light merges into the Light.
That servant who enshrines the Lord's Will within his mind, becomes just like his Lord and Master.
Tell me, who has ever found peace by following his own will? The blind act in blindness.
No one is ever satisfied and fulfilled by evil and corruption. The hunger of the fool is not satisfied.
Attached to duality, all are ruined; without the True Guru, there is no understanding.
Those who serve the True Guru find peace; they are blessed with Grace by the Will of the Lord. ||20||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Modesty and righteousness both, O Nanak, are qualities of those who are blessed with true wealth.
Do not refer to that wealth as your friend, which leads you to get your head beaten.
Those who possess only this worldly wealth are known as paupers.
But those, within whose hearts You dwell, O Lord - those people are oceans of virtue. ||1||
First Mehl:
Worldly possessions are obtained by pain and suffering; when they are gone, they leave pain and suffering.
O Nanak, without the True Name, hunger is never satisfied.
Beauty does not satisfy hunger; when the man sees beauty, he hungers even more.
As many as are the pleasures of the body, so many are the pains which afflict it. ||2||
First Mehl:
Acting blindly, the mind becomes blind. The blind mind makes the body blind.
Why make a dam with mud and plaster? Even a dam made of stones gives way.
The dam has burst. There is no boat. There is no raft. The water's depth is unfathomable.
O Nanak, without the True Name, many multitudes have drowned. ||3||
First Mehl:
Thousands of pounds of gold, and thousands of pounds of silver; the king over the heads of thousands of kings.
Thousands of armies, thousands of marching bands and spearmen; the emperor of thousands of horsemen.
The unfathomable ocean of fire and water must be crossed.
The other shore cannot be seen; only the roar of pitiful cries can be heard.
O Nanak, there, it shall be known, whether anyone is a king or an emperor. ||4||
Pauree:
Some have chains around their necks, in bondage to the Lord.
They are released from bondage, realizing the True Lord as True.

One whose pre-ordained destiny is activated, comes to know the True Lord.
By God's Command, it is ordained. When the mortal goes, he knows.
Realize the Word of the Shabad, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Thieves, adulterers and gamblers are pressed like seeds in the mill.
Slanderers and gossipers are hand-cuffed.
The Gurmukh is absorbed in the True Lord, and is famous in the Court of the Lord. ||21||
Shalok, Second Mehl:
The beggar is known as an emperor, and the fool is known as a religious scholar.
The blind man is known as a seer; this is how people talk.
The trouble-maker is called a leader, and the liar is seated with honor.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs know that this is justice in the Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||1||
First Mehl:
Deer, falcons and government officials are known to be trained and clever.
When the trap is set, they trap their own kind; hereafter they will find no place of rest.
He alone is learned and wise, and he alone is a scholar, who practices the Name.
First, the tree puts down its roots, and then it spreads out its shade above.
The kings are tigers, and their officials are dogs;
they go out and awaken the sleeping people to harass them.
The public servants inflict wounds with their nails.
The dogs lick up the blood that is spilled.
But there, in the Court of the Lord, all beings will be judged.
Those who have violated the people's trust will be disgraced; their noses will be cut off. ||2||
Pauree:
He Himself creates the world, and He himself takes care of it.
Without the Fear of God, doubt is not dispelled, and love for the Name is not embraced.
Through the True Guru, the Fear of God wells up, and the Door of Salvation is found.
Through the Fear of God, intuitive ease is obtained, and one's light merges into the Light of the Infinite.
Through the Fear of God, the terrifying world-ocean is crossed over, reflecting on the Guru's Teachings.
Through the Fear of God, the Fearless Lord is found; He has no end or limitation.
The self-willed manmukhs do not appreciate the value of the Fear of God. Burning in desire, they weep and wail.
O Nanak, through the Name, peace is obtained, by enshrining the Guru's Teachings within the heart. ||22||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Beauty and sexual desire are friends; hunger and tasty food are tied together.
Greed is bound up in its search for wealth, and sleep will use even a tiny space as a bed.
Anger barks and brings ruin on itself, blindly pursuing useless conflicts.
It is good to be silent, O Nanak; without the Name, one's mouth spews forth only filth. ||1||
First Mehl:
Royal power, wealth, beauty, social status and youth are the five thieves.
These thieves have plundered the world; no one's honor has been spared.
But these thieves themselves are robbed, by those who fall at the Guru's Feet.
O Nanak, the multitudes who do not have good karma are plundered. ||2||
Pauree:
The learned and educated are called to account for their actions.
Without the Name, they are judged false; they become miserable and suffer hardship.
Their path becomes treacherous and difficult, and their way is blocked.
Through the Shabad, the Word of the True and Independent Lord God, one becomes content.
The Lord is deep and profound and unfathomable; His depth cannot be measured.
Without the Guru, the mortals are beaten and punched in the face and the mouth, and no one is released.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, one returns to his true home with honor.
Know that the Lord, by the Hukam of His Command, gives sustenance and the breath of life. ||23||

Shalok, First Mehl:
Living beings are formed of air, water and fire. They are subject to pleasure and pain.
In this world, in the nether regions of the underworld, and in the Akaashic ethers of the heavens, some remain ministers in the Court of the Lord.
Some live long lives, while others suffer and die.
Some give and consume, and still their wealth is not exhausted, while others remain poor forever.
In His Will He creates, and in His Will He destroys thousands in an instant.
He has harnessed everyone with His harness; when He forgives, he breaks the harness.
He has no color or features; He is invisible and beyond calculation.
How can He be described? He is known as the Truest of the True.
All the actions which are done and described, O Nanak, are done by the Indescribable Lord Himself.
Whoever hears the description of the indescribable,
is blessed with wealth, intelligence, perfection, spiritual wisdom and eternal peace. ||1||
First Mehl:
One who bears the unbearable, controls the nine holes of the body.
One who worships and adores the Lord with his breath of life, gains stability in his body-wall.
Where has he come from, and where will he go?
Remaining dead while yet alive, he is accepted and approved.
Whoever understands the Hukam of the Lord's Command, realizes the essence of reality.
This is known by Guru's Grace.
O Nanak, know this: egotism leads to bondage.
Only those who have no ego and no self-conceit, are not consigned to reincarnation. ||2||
Pauree:
Read the Praise of the Lord's Name; other intellectual pursuits are false.
Without dealing in Truth, life is worthless.
No one has ever found the Lord's end or limitation.
All the world is enveloped by the darkness of egotistical pride. It does not like the Truth.
Those who depart from this world, forgetting the Naam, shall be roasted in the frying pan.
They pour the oil of duality within, and burn.
They come into the world and wander around aimlessly; they depart when the play is finished.
O Nanak, imbued with Truth, the mortals merge in Truth. ||24||
Shalok, First Mehl:
First, the mortal is conceived in the flesh, and then he dwells in the flesh.
When he comes alive, his mouth takes flesh; his bones, skin and body are flesh.
He comes out of the womb of flesh, and takes a mouthful of flesh at the breast.
His mouth is flesh, his tongue is flesh; his breath is in the flesh.
He grows up and is married, and brings his wife of flesh into his home.
Flesh is produced from flesh; all relatives are made of flesh.
When the mortal meets the True Guru, and realizes the Hukam of the Lord's Command, then he comes to be reformed.
Releasing himself, the mortal does not find release; O Nanak, through empty words, one is ruined. ||1||
First Mehl:
The fools argue about flesh and meat, but they know nothing about meditation and spiritual wisdom.
What is called meat, and what is called green vegetables? What leads to sin?
It was the habit of the gods to kill the rhinoceros, and make a feast of the burnt offering.
Those who renounce meat, and hold their noses when sitting near it, devour men at night.
They practice hypocrisy, and make a show before other people, but they do not understand anything about meditation or spiritual wisdom.
O Nanak, what can be said to the blind people? They cannot answer, or even understand what is said.
They alone are blind, who act blindly. They have no eyes in their hearts.
They are produced from the blood of their mothers and fathers, but they do not eat fish or meat.

But when men and women meet in the night, they come together in the flesh.
In the flesh we are conceived, and in the flesh we are born; we are vessels of flesh.
You know nothing of spiritual wisdom and meditation, even though you call yourself clever, O religious scholar.
O master, you believe that flesh on the outside is bad, but the flesh of those in your own home is good.
All beings and creatures are flesh; the soul has taken up its home in the flesh.
They eat the uneatable; they reject and abandon what they could eat. They have a teacher who is blind.
In the flesh we are conceived, and in the flesh we are born; we are vessels of flesh.
You know nothing of spiritual wisdom and meditation, even though you call yourself clever, O religious scholar.
Meat is allowed in the Puraanas, meat is allowed in the Bible and the Koran. Throughout the four ages, meat has been used.
It is featured in sacred feasts and marriage festivities; meat is used in them.
Women, men, kings and emperors originate from meat.
If you see them going to hell, then do not accept charitable gifts from them.
The giver goes to hell, while the receiver goes to heaven - look at this injustice.
You do not understand your own self, but you preach to other people. O Pandit, you are very wise indeed.
O Pandit, you do not know where meat originated.
Corn, sugar cane and cotton are produced from water. The three worlds came from water.
Water says, "I am good in many ways." But water takes many forms.
Forsaking these delicacies, one becomes a true Sannyaasee, a detached hermit. Nanak reflects and speaks. ||2||
Pauree:
What can I say with only one tongue? I cannot find your limits.
Those who contemplate the True Word of the Shabad are absorbed into You, O Lord.
Some wander around in saffron robes, but without the True Guru, no one finds the Lord.
They wander in foreign lands and countries until they grow weary, but You hide Yourself within them.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is a jewel, through which the Lord shines forth and reveals Himself.
Realizing one's own self, following the Guru's Teachings, the mortal is absorbed into Truth.
Coming and going, the tricksters and magicians put on their magic show.
But those whose minds are pleased by the True Lord, praise the True One, the Ever-stable Lord. ||25||
Shalok, First Mehl:
O Nanak, the tree of actions done in Maya yields ambrosial fruit and poisonous fruit.
The Creator does all deeds; we eat the fruits as He ordains. ||1||
Second Mehl:
O Nanak, burn worldly greatness and glory in the fire.
These burnt offerings have caused mortals to forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Not even one of them will go along with you in the end. ||2||
Pauree:
He judges each and every being; by the Hukam of His Command, He leads us on.
Justice is in Your Hands, O Lord; You are pleasing to my mind.
The mortal is bound and gagged by Death and lead away; no one can rescue him.
Old age, the tyrant, dances on the mortal's shoulders.
So climb aboard the boat of the True Guru, and the True Lord will rescue you.
The fire of desire burns like an oven, consuming mortals night and day.
Like trapped birds, the mortals peck at the corn; only through the Lord's Command will they find release.
Whatever the Creator does, comes to pass; falsehood shall fail in the end. ||26||

Shalok, First Mehl:
The True Guru is the All-knowing Primal Being; He shows us our true home within the home of the self.
The Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, resonate and resound within; the insignia of the Shabad is revealed there, vibrating gloriously.
Worlds and realms, nether regions, solar systems and galaxies are wondrously revealed.
The strings and the harps vibrate and resound; the true throne of the Lord is there.
Listen to the music of the home of the heart - Sukhmani, peace of mind. Lovingly tune in to His state of celestial ecstasy.
Contemplate the Unspoken Speech, and the desires of the mind are dissolved.
The heart-lotus is turned upside-down, and is filled with Ambrosial Nectar. This mind does not go out; it does not get distracted.
It does not forget the Chant which is chanted without chanting; it is immersed in the Primal Lord God of the ages.
All the sister-companions are blessed with the five virtues. The Gurmukhs dwell in the home of the self deep within.
Nanak is the slave of that one who seeks the Shabad and finds this home within. ||1||
First Mehl:
The extravagant glamor of the world is a passing show.
My twisted mind does not believe that it will end up in a grave.
I am meek and lowly; You are the great river.
Please, bless me with the one thing; everything else is poison, and does not tempt me.
You filled this fragile body with the water of life, O Lord, by Your Creative Power.
By Your Omnipotence, I have become powerful.
Nanak is a dog in the Court of the Lord, intoxicated more and more, all the time.
The world is on fire; the Name of the Lord is cooling and soothing. ||2||
New Pauree, Fifth Mehl:
His wonderful play is all-pervading; it is wonderful and amazing!
As Gurmukh, I know the the Transcendent Lord, the Supreme Lord God.
All my sins and corruption are washed away, through the insignia of the Shabad, the Word of God.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one is saved, and becomes free.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance on the Great Giver, I enjoy all comforts and pleasures.
I have become famous throughout the world, under the canopy of His kindness and grace.
He Himself has forgiven me, and united me with Himself; I am forever a sacrifice to Him.
O Nanak, by the Pleasure of His Will, my Lord and Master has blended me with Himself. ||27||
Shalok, First Mehl:
Blessed is the paper, blessed is the pen, blessed is the inkwell, and blessed is the ink.
Blessed is the writer, O Nanak, who writes the True Name. ||1||
First Mehl:
You Yourself are the writing tablet, and You Yourself are the pen. You are also what is written on it.
Speak of the One Lord, O Nanak; how could there be any other? ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself are all-pervading; You Yourself made the making.
Without You, there is no other at all; You are permeating and pervading everywhere.
You alone know Your state and extent. Only You can estimate Your worth.
You are invisible, imperceptible and inaccessible. You are revealed through the Guru's Teachings.
Deep within, there is ignorance, suffering and doubt; through the spiritual wisdom of the Guru, they are eradicated.
He alone meditates on the Naam, whom You unite with Yourself, in Your Mercy.
You are the Creator, the Inaccessible Primal Lord God; You are all-pervading everywhere.
To whatever You link the mortal, O True Lord, to that he is linked. Nanak sings Your Glorious Praises. ||28||1||
SUDH||

Raag Malaar, The Word Of The Devotee Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Serve the King, the Sovereign Lord of the World. He has no ancestry; He is immaculate and pure.
Please bless me with the gift of devotion, which the humble Saints beg for. ||1||Pause||
His Home is the pavilion seen in all directions; His ornamental heavenly realms fill the seven worlds alike.
In His Home, the virgin Lakshmi dwells. The moon and the sun are His two lamps; the wretched Messenger of Death stages his dramas, and levies taxes on all.
Such is my Sovereign Lord King, the Supreme Lord of all. ||1||
In His House, the four-faced Brahma, the cosmic potter lives. He created the entire universe.
In His House, the insane Shiva, the Guru of the World, lives; he imparts spiritual wisdom to expain the essence of reality.
Sin and virtue are the standard-bearers at His Door; Chitr and Gupt are the recording angels of the conscious and subconscious.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma, the Lord of Destruction, is the door-man.
Such is the Supreme Sovereign Lord of the World. ||2||
In His Home are the heavenly heralds, celestial singers, Rishis and poor minstrels, who sing so sweetly.
All the Shaastras take various forms in His theater, singing beautiful songs.
The wind waves the fly-brush over Him;
His hand-maiden is Maya, who has conquered the world.
The shell of the earth is His fireplace.
Such is the Sovereign Lord of the three worlds. ||3||
In His Home, the celestial turtle is the bed-frame, woven with the strings of the thousand-headed snake.
His flower-girls are the eighteen loads of vegetation; His water-carriers are the nine hundred sixty million clouds.
His sweat is the Ganges River.
The seven seas are His water-pitchers.
The creatures of the world are His household utensils.
Such is the Sovereign Lord King of the three worlds. ||4||
In His home are Arjuna, Dhroo, Prahlaad, Ambreek, Naarad, Nayjaa, the Siddhas and Buddhas, the ninety-two heavenly heralds and celestial singers in their wondrous play.
All the creatures of the world are in His House.
The Lord is diffused in the inner beings of all.
Prays Naam Dayv, seek His Protection.
All the devotees are His banner and insignia. ||5||1||
MALAAR:
Please do not forget me; please do not forget me,
please do not forget me, O Lord. ||1||Pause||
The temple priests have doubts about this, and everyone is furious with me.
Calling me low-caste and untouchable, they beat me and drove me out; what should I do now, O Beloved Father Lord? ||1||
If You liberate me after I am dead, no one will know that I am liberated.
These Pandits, these religious scholars, call me low-born; when they say this, they tarnish Your honor as well. ||2||
You are called kind and compassionate; the power of Your Arm is absolutely unrivalled.
The Lord turned the temple around to face Naam Dayv; He turned His back on the Brahmins. ||3||2||

Malaar, The Word Of The Devotee Ravi Daas Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O humble townspeople, I am obviously just a shoemaker.
In my heart I cherish the Glories of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
Even if wine is made from the water of the Ganges, O Saints, do not drink it.
This wine, and any other polluted water which mixes with the Ganges, is not separate from it. ||1||
The palmyra palm tree is considered impure, and so its leaves are considered impure as well.
But if devotional prayers are written on paper made from its leaves, then people bow in reverence and worship before it. ||2||
It is my occupation to prepare and cut leather; each day, I carry the carcasses out of the city.
Now, the important Brahmins of the city bow down before me; Ravi Daas, Your slave, seeks the Sanctuary of Your Name. ||3||1||
MALAAR:
Those humble beings who meditate on the Lord's Lotus Feet - none are equal to them.
The Lord is One, but He is diffused in many forms. Bring in, bring in, that All-pervading Lord. ||Pause||
He who writes the Praises of the Lord God, and sees nothing else at all, is a low-class, untouchable fabric-dyer by trade.
The Glory of the Name is seen in the writings of Vyaas and Sanak, throughout the seven continents. ||1||
And he whose family used to kill cows at the festivals of Eed and Bakareed, who worshipped Shayks, martyrs and spiritual teachers,
whose father used to do such things - his son Kabeer became so successful that he is now famous throughout the three worlds. ||2||
And all the leather-workers in those families still go around Benares removing the dead cattle
- the ritualistic Brahmins bow in reverence before their son Ravi Daas, the slave of the Lord's slaves. ||3||2||
Malaar:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
What sort of devotional worship will lead me to meet my Beloved, the Lord of my breath of life?
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have obtained the supreme status. ||Pause||
How long shall I wash these dirty clothes?
How long shall I remain asleep? ||1||
Whatever I was attached to, has perished.
The shop of false merchandise has closed down. ||2||
Says Ravi Daas, when the account is called for and given,
whatever the mortal has done, he shall see. ||3||1||3||

Raag Kaanraa, Chau-Padas, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Meeting with the Holy people, my mind blossoms forth.
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to those Holy beings; joining the Sangat, the Congregation, I am carried across to the other side. ||1||Pause||
O Lord, Har, Har, please bless me with Your Mercy, God, that I may fall at the feet of the Holy.
Blessed, blessed are the Holy, who know the Lord God. Meeting with the Holy, even sinners are saved. ||1||
The mind roams and rambles all around in all directions. Meeting with the Holy, it is overpowered and brought under control,
just as when the fisherman spreads his net over the water, he catches and overpowers the fish. ||2||
The Saints, the Saints of the Lord, are noble and good. Meeting with the humble Saints, filth is washed away.
All the sins and egotism are washed away, like soap washing dirty clothes. ||3||
According to that pre-ordained destiny inscribed on my forehead by my Lord and Master, I have enshrined the Feet of the Guru, the True Guru, within my heart.
I have found God, the Destroyer of all poverty and pain; servant Nanak is saved through the Naam. ||4||1||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
My mind is the dust of the feet of the Saints.
Joining the Sangat, the Congregation, I listen to the sermon of the Lord, Har, Har. My crude and uncultured mind is drenched with the Love of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
I am thoughtless and unconscious; I do not know God's state and extent. The Guru has made me thoughtful and conscious.
God is Merciful to the meek; He has made me His Own. My mind chants and meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
Meeting with the Lord's Saints, the Beloveds of the mind, I would cut out my heart, and offer it to them.
Meeting with the Lord's Saints, I meet with the Lord; this sinner has been sanctified. ||2||
The humble servants of the Lord are said to be exalted in this world; meeting with them, even stones are softened.

I cannot even describe the noble grandeur of such humble beings; the Lord, Har, Har, has made them sublime and exalted. ||3||
You, Lord are the Great Merchant-Banker; O God, my Lord and Master, I am just a poor peddler; please bless me with the wealth.
Please bestow Your Kindness and Mercy upon servant Nanak, God, so that he may load up the merchandise of the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||2||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, chant the Name of the Lord, and be enlightened.
Meet with the Saints of the Lord, and focus your love; remain balanced and detached within your own household. ||1||Pause||
I chant the Name of the Lord, Nar-Har, within my heart; God the Merciful has shown His Mercy.
Night and day, I am in ecstasy; my mind has blossomed forth, rejuvenated. I am trying - I hope to meet my Lord. ||1||
I am in love with the Lord, my Lord and Master; I love Him with every breath and morsel of food I take.
My sins were burnt away in an instant; the noose of the bondage of Maya was loosened. ||2||
I am such a worm! What karma am I creating? What can I do? I am a fool, a total idiot, but God has saved me.
I am unworthy, heavy as stone, but joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I am carried across to the other side. ||3||
The Universe which God created is all above me; I am the lowest, engrossed in corruption.
With the Guru, my faults and demerits have been erased. Servant Nanak has been united with God Himself. ||4||3||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Name of the Lord, through the Guru's Word.
The Lord, Har, Har, has shown me His Mercy, and my evil-mindedness, love of duality and sense of alienation are totally gone, thanks to the Lord of the Universe. ||1||Pause||
There are so many forms and colors of the Lord. The Lord is pervading each and every heart, and yet He is hidden from view.
Meeting with the Lord's Saints, the Lord is revealed, and the doors of corruption are shattered. ||1||
The glory of the Saintly beings is absolutely great; they lovingly enshrine the Lord of Bliss and Delight within their hearts.
Meeting with the Lord's Saints, I meet with the Lord, just as when the calf is seen - the cow is there as well. ||2||
The Lord, Har, Har, is within the humble Saints of the Lord; they are exalted - they know, and they inspire others to know as well.
The fragrance of the Lord permeates their hearts; they have abandoned the foul stench. ||3||
You make those humble beings Your Own, God; You protect Your Own, O Lord.
The Lord is servant Nanak's companion; the Lord is his sibling, mother, father, relative and relation. ||4||4||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, consciously chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
The commodity of the Lord, Har, Har, is locked in the fortress of Maya; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I have conquered the fortress. ||1||Pause||
In false doubt and superstition, people wander all around, lured by love and emotional attachment to their children and families.
But just like the passing shade of the tree, your body-wall shall crumble in an instant. ||1||
The humble beings are exalted; they are my breath of life and my beloveds; meeting them, my mind is filled with faith.
Deep within the heart, I am happy with the Pervading Lord; with love and joy, I dwell upon the Steady and Stable Lord. ||2||

The humble Saints, the Saints of the Lord, are noble and sublime; meeting them, the mind is tinged with love and joy.
The Lord's Love never fades away, and it never wears off. Through the Lord's Love, one goes and meets the Lord, Har, Har. ||3||
I am a sinner; I have committed so many sins. The Guru has cut them, cut them, and hacked them off.
The Guru has placed the healing remedy of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, into my mouth. Servant Nanak, the sinner, has been purified and sanctified. ||4||5||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
Chant, O my mind, the Name of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe.
I was caught in the whirlpool of poisonous sin and corruption. The True Guru gave me His Hand; He lifted me up and pulled me out. ||1||Pause||
O my Fearless, Immaculate Lord and Master, please save me - I am a sinner, a sinking stone.
I am lured and enticed by sexual desire, anger, greed and corruption, but associating with You, I am carried across, like iron in the wooden boat. ||1||
You are the Great Primal Being, the most Inaccessible and Unfathomable Lord God; I search for You, but cannot find Your depth.
You are the farthest of the far, beyond the beyond, O my Lord and Master; You alone know Yourself, O Lord of the Universe. ||2||
I meditate on the Name of the Unseen and Unfathomable Lord; joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, I have found the Path of the Holy.
Joining the congregation, I listen to the Gospel of the Lord, Har, Har; I meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, and speak the Unspoken Speech. ||3||
My God is the Lord of the World, the Lord of the Universe; please save me, O Lord of all Creation.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the slave of Your slaves. O God, please bless me with Your Grace; please protect me and keep me with Your humble servants. ||4||6||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl, Partaal, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mind, meditate on the Lord, the Lord of the World.
The Lord is the Jewel, the Diamond, the Ruby.
The Lord fashions the Gurmukhs in His Mint.
O Lord, please, please, be Merciful to me. ||1||Pause||
Your Glorious Virtues are inaccessible and unfathomable; how can my one poor tongue describe them? O my Beloved Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, Raam.
O Dear Lord, You, You, You alone know Your Unspoken Speech. I have become enraptured, enraptured, enraptured, meditating on the Lord. ||1||
The Lord, my Lord and Master, is my Companion and my Breath of Life; the Lord is my Best Friend. My mind, body and tongue are attuned to the Lord, Har, Haray, Haray. The Lord is my Wealth and Property.
She alone obtains her Husband Lord, who is so pre-destined. Through the Guru's Teachings, she sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, Haray, Haray. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to the Lord, O servan
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe.
Let my one tongue become two hundred thousand
- with them all, I will meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, and chant the Word of the Shabad.
O Lord, please, please, be Merciful to me. ||1||Pause||
O Lord, my Lord and Master, please be Merciful to me; please enjoin me to serve You. I chant and meditate on the Lord, I chant and meditate on the Lord, I chant and meditate on the Lord of the Universe.
Your humble servants chant and meditate on You, O Lord; they are sublime and exalted. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to them. ||1||

O Lord, You are the Greatest of the Great, the Greatest of the Great, the most Lofty and High. You do whatever You please.
Servant Nanak drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar through the Guru's Teachings. Blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed and praised is the Guru. ||2||2||8||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, meditate and vibrate on the Lord, Raam, Raam.
He has no form or feature - He is Great!
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, vibrate and meditate on the Lord.
This is the high destiny written on your forehead. ||1||Pause||
That household, that mansion, in which the Lord's Praises are sung - that home is filled with ecstasy and joy; so vibrate and meditate on the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Name of the Lord, the Beloved Lord. Through the Teachings of the Guru, the Guru, the True Guru, you shall find peace. So vibrate and meditate on the Lord, Har, Haray, Har, Haray, Haray, the Lord, Raam, Raam,
You are the Support of the whole universe, Lord; O Merciful Lord, You, You, You are the Creator of all, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; please bless him with the Guru's Teachings, that he may vibrate and meditate on the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam. ||2||3||9||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
I eagerly kiss the Feet of the True Guru.
Meeting Him, the Path to the Lord becomes smooth and easy.
I lovingly vibrate and meditate on the Lord, and gulp down His Sublime Essence.
The Lord has written this destiny on my forehead. ||1||Pause||
Some perform the six rituals and rites; the Siddhas, seekers and Yogis put on all sorts of pompous shows, with their hair all tangled and matted.
Yoga - Union with the Lord God - is not obtained by wearing religious robes; the Lord is found in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, and the Guru's Teachings. The humble Saints throw the doors wide open. ||1||
O my Lord and Master, You are the farthest of the far, utterly unfathomable. You are totally pervading the water and the land. You alone are the One and Only Unique Lord of all creation.
You alone know all Your ways and means. You alone understand Yourself. Servant Nanak's Lord God is in each heart, in every heart, in the home of each and every heart. ||2||4||10||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, chant and meditate on the Lord, the Lord of the Universe.
The Lord, Har, Har, is inaccessible and unfathomable.
Through the Guru's Teachings, my intellect attains the Lord God.
This is the pre-ordained destiny written on my forehead. ||1||Pause||
Collecting the poison of Maya, people think of all sorts of evil. But peace is found only by vibrating and meditating on the Lord; with the Saints, in the Sangat, the Society of the Saints, meet the True Guru, the Holy Guru.
Just as when the iron slag is transmuted into gold by touching the Philosopher's Stone - when the sinner joins the Sangat, he becomes pure, through the Guru's Teachings. ||1||
Just like the heavy iron which is carried across on the wooden raft, sinners are carried across in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and the Guru, the True Guru, the Holy Guru.
There are four castes, four social classes, and four stages of life. Whoever meets the Guru, Guru Nanak, is himself carried across, and he carries all his ancestors and generations across as well. ||2||5||11||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
Sing the Praises of the Lord God.
Singing His Praises, sins are washed away.
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, listen to His Praises with your ears.
The Lord shall be Merciful to you. ||1||Pause||

Your humble servants focus their consciousness and meditate on You with one-pointed mind; those Holy beings find peace, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, the Treasure of Bliss.
They sing Your Praises, God, meeting with the Holy, the Holy people, and the Guru, the True Guru, O Lord God. ||1||
They alone obtain the fruit of peace, within whose hearts You, O my Lord and Master, abide. They cross over the terrifying world-ocean - they are known as the Lord's devotees.
Please enjoin me to their service, Lord, please enjoin me to their service. O Lord God, You, You, You, You, You are the Lord of servant Nanak. ||2||6||12||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World, the Treasure of Mercy.
The True Guru is the Destroyer of pain, the Giver of peace; meeting Him, one is totally fulfilled. ||1||Pause||
Meditate in remembrance on the Naam, the Support of the mind.
Millions of sinners are carried across in an instant. ||1||
Whoever remembers his Guru,
shall not suffer sorrow, even in dreams. ||2||
Whoever keeps his Guru enshrined within
- that humble being tastes the sublime essence of the Lord with his tongue. ||3||
Says Nanak, the Guru has been Kind to me;
here and herafter, my face is radiant. ||4||1||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I worship and adore You, my Lord and Master.
Standing up and sitting down, while sleeping and awake, with each and every breath, I meditate on the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, abides within the hearts of those,
whose Lord and Master blesses them with this gift. ||1||
Peace and tranquility come into the hearts of those
who meet their Lord and Master, through the Word of the Guru. ||2||
Those whom the Guru blesses with the Mantra of the Naam are wise, and blessed with all powers,. ||3||
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those
who are blessed with the Name in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. ||4||2||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Sing the Praises of God, O my tongue.
Humbly bow to the Saints, over and over again; through them, the Feet of the Lord of the Universe shall come to abide within you. ||1||Pause||
The Door to the Lord cannot be found by any other means.
When He becomes Merciful, we come to meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||
The body is not purified by millions of rituals.
The mind is awakened and enlightened only in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||2||
Thirst and desire are not quenched by enjoying the many pleasures of Maya.
Chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, total peace is found. ||3||
When the Supreme Lord God becomes Merciful,
says Nanak, then one is rid of worldly entanglements. ||4||3||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Beg for such blessings from the Lord of the Universe:
to work for the Saints, and the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Chanting the Name of the Lord, the supreme status is obtained. ||1||Pause||
Worship the Feet of Your Lord and Master, and seek His Sanctuary.
Take joy in whatever God does. ||1||
This precious human body becomes fruitful,

when the True Guru shows His Kindness. ||2||
The house of ignorance, doubt and pain is destroyed,
for those within whose hearts the Guru's Feet abide. ||3||
In the Saadh Sangat, lovingly meditate on God.
Says Nanak, you shall obtain the Perfect Lord. ||4||4||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Devotion is the natural quality of God's devotees.
Their bodies and minds are blended with their Lord and Master; He unites them with Himself. ||1||Pause||
The singer sings the songs,
but she alone is saved, within whose consciousness the Lord abides. ||1||
The one who sets the table sees the food,
but only one who eats the food is satisfied. ||2||
People disguise themselves with all sorts of costumes,
but in the end, they are seen as they truly are. ||3||
Speaking and talking are all just entanglements.
O slave Nanak, the true way of life is excellent. ||4||5||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Your humble servant listens to Your Praises with delight. ||1||Pause||
My mind is enlightened, gazing upon the Glory of God. Wherever I look, there He is. ||1||
You are the farthest of all, the highest of the far, profound, unfathomable and unreachable. ||2||
You are united with Your devotees, through and through; You have removed Your veil for Your humble servants. ||3||
By Guru's Grace, Nanak sings Your Glorious Praises; he is intuitively absorbed in Samaadhi. ||4||6||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I have come to the Saints to save myself. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, I am sanctified; they have implanted the Mantra of the Lord, Har, Har, within me. ||1||
The disease has been eradicated, and my mind has become immaculate. I have taken the healing medicine of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||
I have become steady and stable, and I dwell in the home of peace. I shall never again wander anywhere. ||3||
By the Grace of the Saints, the people and all their generations are saved; O Nanak, they are not engrossed in Maya. ||4||7||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I have totally forgotten my jealousy of others,
since I found the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger. I get along with everyone. ||1||
Whatever God does, I accept that as good. This is the sublime wisdom I have obtained from the Holy. ||2||
The One God is pervading in all. Gazing upon Him, beholding Him, Nanak blossoms forth in happiness. ||3||8||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
O my Dear Lord and Master, You alone are my Support.
You are my Honor and Glory; I seek Your Support, and Your Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
You are my Hope, and You are my Faith. I take Your Name and enshrine it within my heart.
You are my Power; associating with You, I am embellished and exalted. I do whatever You say. ||1||
Through Your Kindness and Compassion, I find peace; when You are Merciful, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Through the Name of the Lord, I obtain the gift of fearlessness; Nanak places his head on the feet of the Saints. ||2||9||

Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
In the Sanctuary of the Holy, I focus my consciousness on the Lord's Feet.
When I was dreaming, I heard and saw only dream-objects. The True Guru has implanted the Mantra of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me. ||1||Pause||
Power, youth and wealth do not bring satisfaction; people chase after them again and again.
I have found peace and tranquility, and all my thirsty desires have been quenched, singing His Glorious Praises. ||1||
Without understanding, they are like beasts, engrossed in doubt, emotional attachment and Maya.
But in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the noose of Death is cut, O Nanak, and one intuitively merges in celestial peace. ||2||10||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Sing of the Lord's Feet within your heart.
Meditate, meditate in constant remembrance on God, the Embodiment of soothing peace and cooling tranquility. ||1||Pause||
All your hopes shall be fulfilled, and the pain of millions of deaths and births shall be gone. ||1||
Immerse yourself in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and you shall obtain the benefits of giving charitable gifts, and all sorts of good deeds.
Sorrow and suffering shall be erased, O Nanak, and you shall never again be devoured by death. ||2||11||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Third House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Speak of God's Wisdom in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Meditating in remembrance on the Perfect Supreme Divine Light, the Transcendent Lord God, honor and glory are obtained. ||1||Pause||
One's comings and goings in reincarnation cease, and suffering is dispelled, meditating in remembrance in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Sinners are sanctified in an instant, in the love of the Supreme Lord God. ||1||
Whoever speaks and listens to the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is rid of evil-mindedness.
All hopes and desires, O Nanak, are fulfilled. ||2||1||12||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
It is the Companion of the soul, its Helper and Support. ||1||Pause||
Continually bathing in the dust of the feet of the Saints,
the sins of countless incarnations are washed away. ||1||
The words of the humble Saints are lofty and exalted.
Meditating, meditating in remembrance, O Nanak, mortal beings are carried across and saved. ||2||2||13||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
O Holy people, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Haray.
Mind, body, wealth and the breath of life - all come from God; remembering Him in meditation, pain is taken away. ||1||Pause||
Why are you entangled in this and that? Let your mind be attuned to the One. ||1||
The place of the Saints is utterly sacred; meet with them, and meditate on the Lord of the Universe. ||2||
O Nanak, I have abandoned everything and come to Your Sanctuary. Please let me merge with You. ||3||3||14||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Gazing upon and beholding my Best Friend, I blossom forth in bliss; my God is the One and Only. ||1||Pause||
He is the Image of Ecstasy, Intuitive Peace and Poise. There is no other like Him. ||1||
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har, even once, millions of sins are erased. ||2||

Uttering His Glorious Praises, suffering is eradicated, and the heart becomes tranquil and calm. ||3||
Drink in the Sweet, Sublime Ambrosial Nectar, O Nanak, and be imbued with the Love of the Lord. ||4||4||15||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
O friends, O Saints, come to me. ||1||Pause||
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord with pleasure and joy, the sins will be erased and thrown away. ||1||
Touch your forehead to the feet of the Saints, and your dark household shall be illumined. ||2||
By the Grace of the Saints, the heart-lotus blossoms forth. Vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the Universe, and see Him near at hand. ||3||
By the Grace of God, I have found the Saints. Over and over again, Nanak is a sacrifice to that moment. ||4||5||16||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I seek the Sanctuary of Your Lotus Feet, O Lord of the World.
Save me from emotional attachment, pride, deception and doubt; please cut away these ropes which bind me. ||1||Pause||
I am drowning in the world-ocean.
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the Source of Jewels, I am saved. ||1||
Your Name, Lord, is cooling and soothing.
God, my Lord and Master, is Perfect. ||2||
You are the Deliverer, the Destroyer of the sufferings of the meek and the poor.
The Lord is the Treasure of Mercy, the Saving Grace of sinners. ||3||
I have suffered the pains of millions of incarnations.
Nanak is at peace; the Guru has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within me. ||4||6||17||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Blessed is that love, which is attuned to the Lord's Feet.
The peace which comes from millions of chants and deep meditations is obtained by perfect good fortune and destiny. ||1||Pause||
I am Your helpless servant and slave; I have given up all other support.
Every trace of doubt has been eradicated, remembering God in meditation. I have applied the ointment of spiritual wisdom, and awakened from my sleep. ||1||
You are Unfathomably Great and Utterly Vast, O my Lord and Master, Ocean of Mercy, Source of Jewels.
Nanak, the beggar, begs for the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; he rests his forehead upon God's Feet. ||2||7||18||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I am filthy, hard-hearted, deceitful and obsessed with sexual desire.
Please carry me across, as You wish, O my Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||
You are All-powerful and Potent to grant Sanctuary. Exerting Your Power, You protect us. ||1||
Chanting and deep meditation, penance and austere self-discipline, fasting and purification - salvation does not come by any of these means.
Please lift me up and out of this deep, dark ditch; O God, please bless Nanak with Your Glance of Grace. ||2||8||19||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Fourth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The one who bows in humble reverence to the Primal Lord, the Lord of all beings
- I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to such a Guru; He Himself is liberated, and He carries me across as well. ||1||Pause||
Which, which, which of Your Glorious Virtues should I chant? There is no end or limitation to them.
There are thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, many millions of them, but those who contemplate them are very rare. ||1||

I am wonder-struck, wonder-struck, wonder-struck and amazed, dyed in the deep crimson color of my Beloved.
Says Nanak, the Saints savor this sublime essence, like the mute, who tastes the sweet candy, but only smiles. ||2||1||20||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Saints do not know any other except God.
They look upon all equally, the high and the low; they speak of Him with their mouths, and honor Him in their minds. ||1||Pause||
He is pervading and permeating each and every heart; He is the Ocean of Peace, the Destroyer of fear. He is my praanaa - the Breath of Life.
My mind was enlightened, and my doubt was dispelled, when the Guru whispered His Mantra into my ears. ||1||
He is All-powerful, the Ocean of Mercy, the All-knowing Searcher of Hearts.
Twenty-four hours a day Nanak sings His Praises, and begs for the Gift of the Lord. ||2||2||21||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Many speak and talk about God.
But one who understands the essence of Yoga - such a humble servant is very rare||1||Pause||
He has no pain - he is totally at peace. With his eyes, he sees only the One Lord.
No one seems evil to him - all are good. There is no defeat - he is totally victorious. ||1||
He is never in sorrow - he is always happy; but he gives this up, and does not take anything.
Says Nanak, the humble servant of the Lord is himself the Lord, Har, Har; he does not come and go in reincarnation. ||2||3||22||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I pray that my heart may never forget my Beloved.
My body and mind are blended with Him, but the Enticer, Maya, is enticing me, O my mother. ||1||Pause||
Those unto whom I tell my pain and frustration - they themselves are caught and stuck.
In all sorts of ways, Maya has cast the net; the knots cannot be loosened. ||1||
Wandering and roaming, slave Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of the Saints.
The bonds of ignorance, doubt, emotional attachment and the love of Maya have been cut; God hugs me close in His Embrace. ||2||4||23||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
My home is filled with ecstasy, pleasure and joy.
I sing the Naam, and I meditate on the Naam. The Naam is the Support of my breath of life. ||1||Pause||
The Naam is spiritual wisdom, the Naam is my purifying bath. The Naam resolves all my affairs.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is glorious grandeur; the Naam is glorious greatness. The Name of the Lord carries me across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||
The Unfathomable Treasure, the Priceless Gem - I have received it, through the Guru's Feet.
Says Nanak, God has become Merciful; my heart is intoxicated by the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||2||5||24||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
My Friend, my Best Friend, my Lord and Master, is near.
He sees and hears everything; He is with everyone. You are here for such short time - why do you do evil? ||1||Pause||
Except for the Naam, whatever you are involved with is nothing - nothing is yours.
Hereafter, everything is revealed to your gaze; but in this world, all are enticed by the darkness of doubt. ||1||
People are caught in Maya, attached to their children and spouses. They have forgotten the Great and Generous Giver.

Says Nanak, I have one article of faith; my Guru is the One who releases me from bondage. ||2||6||25||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Your Saints have overwhelmed the wicked army of corruption.
They take Your Support and place their faith in You, O my Lord and Master; they seek Your Sanctuary. ||1||Pause||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, the terrible sins of countless lifetimes are erased.
I am illumined, enlightened and filled with ecstasy. I am intuitively absorbed in Samaadhi. ||1||
Who says that You cannot do everything? You are Infinitely All-powerful.
O Treasure of Mercy, Nanak savors Your Love and Your Blissful Form, earning the Profit of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||7||26||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
The drowning mortal is comforted and consoled, meditating on the Lord.
He is rid of emotional attachment, doubt, pain and suffering. ||1||Pause||
I meditate in remembrance, day and night, on the Guru's Feet.
Wherever I look, I see Your Sanctuary. ||1||
By the Grace of the Saints, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Meeting with the Guru, Nanak has found peace. ||2||8||27||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, peace of mind is found.
Meeting the Holy Saint, sing the Praises of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Granting His Grace, God has come to dwell within my heart.
I touch my forehead to the feet of the Saints. ||1||
Meditate, O my mind, on the Supreme Lord God.
As Gurmukh, Nanak listens to the Praises of the Lord. ||2||9||28||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
My mind loves to touch the Feet of God.
My tongue is satisfied with the Food of the Lord, Har, Har. My eyes are contented with the Blessed Vision of God. ||1||Pause||
My ears are filled with the Praise of my Beloved; all my foul sins and faults are erased.
My feet follow the Path of Peace to my Lord and Master; my body and limbs joyfully blossom forth in the Society of the Saints. ||1||
I have taken Sanctuary in my Perfect, Eternal, Imperishable Lord. I do not bother trying anything else.
Taking them by the hand, O Nanak, God saves His humble servants; they shall not perish in the deep, dark world-ocean. ||2||10||29||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Those fools who bellow with rage and destructive deceit, are crushed and killed innumerable times. ||1||Pause||
Intoxicated with egotism and imbued with other tastes, I am in love with my evil enemies. My Beloved watches over me as I wander through thousands of incarnations. ||1||
My dealings are false, and my lifestyle is chaotic. Intoxicated with the wine of emotion, I am burning in the fire of anger.
O Merciful Lord of the World, Embodiment of Compassion, Relative of the meek and the poor, please save Nanak; I seek Your Sanctuary. ||2||11||30||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Giver of the soul, the breath of life and honor
- forgetting the Lord, all is lost. ||1||Pause||
You have forsaken the Lord of the Universe, and become attached to another - you are throwing away the Ambrosial Nectar, to take dust.
What do you expect from corrupt pleasures? You fool! What makes you think that they will bring peace? ||1||

Engrossed in unfulfilled sexual desire, unresolved anger and greed, you shall be consigned to reincarnation.
But I have entered the Sanctuary of the Purifier of sinners. O Nanak, I know that I shall be saved. ||2||12||31||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I gaze on the Lotus-like Face of the Lord.
Searching and seeking, I have found the Jewel. I am totally rid of all anxiety. ||1||Pause||
Enshrining His Lotus Feet within my heart,
pain and wickedness have been dispelled. ||1||
The Lord of all the Universe is my kingdom, wealth and family.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak has earned the Profit; he shall never die again. ||2||13||32||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Fifth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Worship God, and adore His Name.
Grasp the Feet of the Guru, the True Guru.
The Unfathomable Lord shall come into your mind,
and by Guru's Grace, you shall be victorious in this world. ||1||Pause||
I have studied countless ways of worship in all sorts of ways, but that alone is worship, which is pleasing to the Lord's Will.
This body-puppet is made of clay - what can it do by itself?
O God, those humble beings meet You, whom You grasp by the arm, and place on the Path. ||1||
I do not know of any other support; O Lord, You are my only Hope and Support.
I am meek and poor - what prayer can I offer?
God abides in every heart.
My mind is thirsty for the Feet of God.
Servant Nanak, Your slave, speaks: I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to You. ||2||1||33||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Sixth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Your Name, O my Beloved, is the Saving Grace of the world.
The Lord's Name is the wealth of the nine treasures.
One who is imbued with the Love of the Incomparably Beautiful Lord is joyful.
O mind, why do you cling to emotional attachments?
With your eyes, gaze upon the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of the Holy.
They alone find it, who have such destiny inscribed upon their foreheads. ||1||Pause||
I serve at the feet of the Holy Saints.
I long for the dust of their feet, which purifies and sanctifies.
Just like the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage, it washes away filth and pollution.
With each and every breath I meditate on Him, and never turn my face away.
Of your thousands and millions, nothing shall go along with you.
Only the Name of God will call to you in the end. ||1||
Let it be your wish to honor and obey the One Formless Lord.
Abandon the love of everything else.
What Glorious Praises of Yours can I utter, O my Beloved?
I cannot describe even one of Your Virtues.
My mind is so thirsty for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Please come and meet Nanak, O Divine Guru of the World. ||2||1||34||

Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
How may I obtain the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan? ||1||Pause||
I hope and thirst for Your wish-fulfilling image; my heart yearns and longs for You. ||1||
The meek and humble Saints are like thirsty fish; the Saints of the Lord are absorbed in Him.
I am the dust of the feet of the Lord's Saints.
I dedicate my heart to them.
God has become Merciful to me.
Renouncing pride and leaving behind emotional attachment, O Nanak, one meets with the Dear Lord. ||2||2||35||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
The Playful Lord imbues all with the Color of His Love.
From the ant to the elephant, He is permeating and pervading all. ||1||Pause||
Some go on fasts, make vows, and take pilgrimages to sacred shrines on the Ganges.
They stand naked in the water, enduring hunger and poverty.
They sit cross-legged, perform worship services and do good deeds.
They apply religious symbols to their bodies, and ceremonial marks to their limbs.
They read through the Shaastras, but they do not join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. ||1||
They stubbornly practice ritualistic postures, standing on their heads.
They are afflicted with the disease of egotism, and their faults are not covered up.
They burn in the fire of sexual frustration, unresolved anger and compulsive desire.
He alone is liberated, O Nanak, whose True Guru is Good. ||2||3||36||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My thirst has been quenched, meeting with the Holy.
The five thieves have run away, and I am in peace and poise; singing, singing, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, I obtain the Blessed Vision of my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
That which God has done for me - how can I do that for Him in return?
I make my heart a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice to You. ||1||
First, I fall at the feet of the Saints; I meditate, meditate, lovingly attuned to You.
O God, where is that Place, where You contemplate all Your beings?
Countless slaves sing Your Praises.
He alone meets You, who is pleasing to Your Will. Servant Nanak remains absorbed in his Lord and Master.
You, You, You alone, Lord. ||2||1||37||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Eighth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Give up your pride and your self-conceit; the Loving, Merciful Lord is watching over all. O mind, become the dust of His Feet. ||1||Pause||
Through the Mantra of the Lord's Saints, experience the spiritual wisdom and meditation of the Lord of the World. ||1||
Within your heart, sing the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and be lovingly attuned to His Lotus Feet. He is the Fascinating Lord, Merciful to the meek and the humble.
O Merciful Lord, please bless me with Your Kindness and Compassion.
Nanak begs for the Gift of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
I have abandoned emotional attachment, doubt and all egotistical pride. ||2||1||38||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Speaking of God, filth and pollution are burnt away; This comes by meeting with the Guru, and not by any other efforts. ||1||Pause||

Making pilgrimages to sacred rivers, observing the six rituals, wearing matted and tangled hair, performing fire sacrifices and carrying ceremonial walking sticks - none of these are of any use. ||1||
All sorts of efforts, austerities, wanderings and various speeches - none of these will lead you to find the Lord's Place.
I have considered all considerations, O Nanak, but peace comes only by vibrating and meditating on the Name. ||2||2||39||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Ninth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Purifier of sinners, the Lover of His devotees, the Destroyer of fear - He carries us across to the other side. ||1||Pause||
My eyes are satisfied, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; my ears are satisfied, hearing His Praise. ||1||
He is the Master of the praanaa, the breath of life; He is the Giver of Support to the unsupported. I am meek and poor - I seek the Sanctuary of the Lord of the Universe.
He is the Fulfiller of hope, the Destroyer of pain. Nanak grasps the Support of the Feet of the Lord. ||2||1||40||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
I seek the Sanctuary of the Feet of my Merciful Lord and Master; I do not go anywhere else.
It is the Inherent Nature of our Lord and Master to purify sinners. Those who meditate on the Lord are saved. ||1||Pause||
The world is a swamp of wickedness and corruption. The blind sinner has fallen into the ocean of emotional attachment and pride,
bewildered by the entanglements of Maya.
God Himself has taken me by the hand and lifted me up and out of it; save me, O Sovereign Lord of the Universe. ||1||
He is the Master of the masterless, the Supporting Lord of the Saints, the Neutralizer of millions of sins.
My mind thirsts for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
God is the Perfect Treasure of Virtue.
O Nanak, sing and savor the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Kind and Compassionate Lord of the World. ||2||2||41||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Countless times, I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice
to that moment of peace, on that night when I was joined with my Beloved. ||1||Pause||
Mansions of gold, and beds of silk sheets - O sisters, I have no love for these. ||1||
Pearls, jewels and countless pleasures, O Nanak, are useless and destructive without the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Even with only dry crusts of bread, and a hard floor on which to sleep, my life passes in peace and pleasure with my Beloved, O sisters. ||2||3||42||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
Give up your ego, and turn your face to God.
Let your yearning mind call out, "Guru, Guru".
My Beloved is the Lover of Love. ||1||Pause||
The bed of your household shall be cozy, and your courtyard shall be comfortable; shatter and break the bonds which tie you to the five thieves. ||1||
You shall not come and go in reincarnation; you shall dwell in your own home deep within, and your inverted heart-lotus shall blossom forth.
The turmoil of egotism shall be silenced.
Nanak sings - he sings the Praises of God, the Ocean of Virtue. ||2||4||43||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Ninth House:
This is why you should chant and meditate on the Lord, O mind.
The Vedas and the Saints say that the path is treacherous and difficult. You are intoxicated with emotional attachment and the fever of egotism. ||Pause||
Those who are imbued and intoxicated with the wretched Maya, suffer the pains of emotional attachment. ||1||
That humble being is saved, who chants the Naam; You Yourself save him.
Emotional attachment, fear and doubt are dispelled, O Nanak, by the Grace of the Saints. ||2||5||44||

Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Tenth House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Give me that blessing, O Dear Saints, for which my soul would be a sacrifice.
Enticed by pride, entrapped and plundered by the five thieves, still, you live near them. I have come to the Sanctuary of the Holy, and I have been rescued from my association with those demons. ||1||Pause||
I wandered through millions of lifetimes and incarnations. I am so very tired - I have fallen at God's Door. ||1||
The Lord of the Universe has become Kind to me; He has blessed me with the Support of the Naam.
This precious human life has become fruitful and prosperous; O Nanak, I am carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||2||1||45||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Eleventh House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
He Himself has come to me, in His Natural Way.
I know nothing, and I show nothing.
I have met God through innocent faith, and He has blessed me with peace. ||1||Pause||
By the good fortune of my destiny, I have joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
I do not go out anywhere; I dwell in my own home.
God, the Treasure of Virtue, has been revealed in this body-robe. ||1||
I have fallen in love with His Feet; I have abandoned everything else.
In the places and interspaces, He is All-pervading.
With loving joy and excitement, Nanak speaks His Praises. ||2||1||46||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
It is so hard to meet the Lord of the Universe, my Lord and Master.
His Form is Immeasurable, Inaccessible and Unfathomable; He is All-pervading everywhere. ||1||Pause||
By speaking and wandering, nothing is gained; nothing is obtained by clever tricks and devices. ||1||
People try all sorts of things, but the Lord is only met when He shows His Mercy.
God is Kind and Compassionate, the Treasure of Mercy; servant Nanak is the dust of the feet of the Saints. ||2||2||47||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
O mother, I meditate on the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Without God, there is no other at all.
I remember His Lotus Feet with every breath, night and day. ||1||Pause||
He loves me and makes me His Own; my union with Him shall never be broken.
He is my breath of life, mind, wealth and everything. The Lord is the Treasure of Virtue and Peace. ||1||
Here and hereafter, the Lord is perfectly pervading; He is seen deep within the heart.
In the Sanctuary of the Saints, I am carried across; O Nanak, the terrible pain has been taken away. ||2||3||48||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
God's humble servant is in love with Him.
You are my Friend, my very best Friend; everything is in Your Home. ||1||Pause||
I beg for honor, I beg for strength; please bless me with wealth, property and children. ||1||
You are the Technology of liberation, the Way to worldly success, the Perfect Lord of Supreme Bliss, the Transcendent Treasure.

In the Fear of God and loving devotion, Nanak is exalted and enraptured, forever and ever a sacrifice to Him. ||2||4||49||
Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl:
The debaters debate and argue their arguments.
The Yogis and meditators, religious and spiritual teachers roam and ramble, wandering endlessly all over the earth. ||1||Pause||
They are egotistical, self-centered and conceited, foolish, stupid, idiotic and insane.
Wherever they go and wander, death is always with them, forever and ever and ever and ever. ||1||
Give up your pride and stubborn self-conceit; death, yes, death, is always close and near at hand.
Vibrate and meditate on the Lord, Har, Haray, Haray. Says Nanak, listen you fool: without vibrating, and meditating, and dwelling on Him, your life is uselessly wasting away. ||2||5||50||12||62||
Kaanraa, Ashtapadees, Fourth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Chant the Name of the Lord, O mind, and find peace.
The more you chant and meditate, the more you will be at peace; serve the True Guru, and merge in the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Each and every instant, the humble devotees long for Him; chanting the Naam, they find peace.
The taste of other pleasures is totally eradicated; nothing pleases them, except the Name. ||1||
Following the Guru's Teachings, the Lord seems sweet to them; the Guru inspires them to speak sweet words.
Through the Word of the True Guru's Bani, the Primal Lord God is revealed; so focus your consciousness on His Bani. ||2||
Hearing the Word of the Guru's Bani, my mind has been softened and saturated with it; my mind has returned to its own home deep within.
The Unstruck Melody resonates and resounds there continuously; the stream of nectar trickles down constantly. ||3||
Singing the Name of the One Lord each and every instant, and following the Guru's Teachings, the mind is absorbed in the Naam.
Listening to the Naam, the mind is pleased with the Naam, and satisfied with the Naam. ||4||
People wear lots of bracelets, glittering with gold; they wear all sorts of fine clothes.
But without the Naam, they are all bland and insipid. They are born, only to die again, in the cycle of reincarnation. ||5||
The veil of Maya is a thick and heavy veil, a whirlpool which destroys one's home.
Sins and corrupt vices are totally heavy, like rusted slag. They will not let you cross over the poisonous and treacherous world-ocean. ||6||
Let the Fear of God and neutral detachment be the boat; the Guru is the Boatman, who carries us across in the Word of the Shabad.
Meeting with the Lord, the Name of the Lord, merge in the Lord, the Name of the Lord. ||7||
Attached to ignorance, people are falling asleep; attached to the Guru's spiritual wisdom, they awaken.
O Nanak, by His Will, He makes us walk as He pleases. ||8||1||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, and be carried across.
Whoever chants and meditates on it is emancipated. Like Dhroo and Prahlaad, they merge in the Lord. ||1||Pause||

Mercy, mercy, mercy - O Dear Lord, please shower Your Mercy on me, and attach me to Your Name.
Please be Merciful, and lead me to meet the True Guru; meeting the True Guru, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
The filth of egotism from countless incarnations sticks to me; joining the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, this filth is washed away.
As iron is carried across if it is attached to wood, one who is attached to the Word of the Guru's Shabad finds the Lord. ||2||
Joining the Society of the Saints, joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, you shall come to receive the Sublime Essence of the Lord.
But not joining the Sangat, and committing actions in egotistical pride, is like drawing out clean water, and throwing it in the mud. ||3||
The Lord is the Protector and Saving Grace of His humble devotees. The Lord's Sublime Essence seems so sweet to these humble beings.
Each and every instant, they are blessed with the Glorious Greatness of the Naam; through the Teachings of the True Guru, they are absorbed in Him. ||4||
Bow forever in deep respect to the humble devotees; if you bow to those humble beings, you shall obtain the fruit of virtue.
Those wicked enemies who slander the devotees are destroyed, like Harnaakhash. ||5||
Brahma, the son of the lotus, and Vyaas, the son of the fish, practiced austere penance and were worshipped.
Whoever is a devotee - worship and adore that person. Get rid of your doubts and superstitions. ||6||
Do not be fooled by appearances of high and low social class. Suk Dayv bowed at the feet of Janak, and meditated.
Even though Janak threw his left-overs and garbage on Suk Dayv's head, his mind did not waver, even for an instant. ||7||
Janak sat upon his regal throne, and applied the dust of the nine sages to his forehead.
Please shower Nanak with your Mercy, O my Lord and Master; make him the slave of Your slaves. ||8||2||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, follow the Guru's Teachings, and joyfully sing God's Praises.
If my one tongue became hundreds of thousands and millions, I would meditate on Him millions and millions of times. ||1||Pause||
The serpent king chants and meditates on the Lord with his thousands of heads, but even by these chants, he cannot find the Lord's limits.
You are Utterly Unfathomable, Inaccessible and Infinite. Through the Wisdom of the Guru's Teachings, the mind becomes steady and balanced. ||1||
Those humble beings who meditate on You are noble and exalted. Meditating on the Lord, they are at peace.
Bidur, the son of a slave-girl, was an untouchable, but Krishna hugged him close in His Embrace. ||2||
Wood is produced from water, but by holding onto wood, one is saved from drowning.
The Lord Himself embellishes and exalts His humble servants; He confirms His Innate Nature. ||3||
I am like a stone, or a piece of iron, heavy stone and iron; in the Boat of the Guru's Congregation, I am carried across,
like Kabeer the weaver, who was saved in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. He became pleasing to the minds of the humble Saints. ||4||
Standing up, sitting down, rising up and walking on the path, I meditate.
The True Guru is the Word, and the Word is the True Guru, who teaches the Path of Liberation. ||5||
By His Training, I find strength with each and every breath; now that I am trained and tamed, I meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
By Guru's Grace, egotism is extinguished, and then, through the Guru's Teachings, I merge in the Naam. ||6||

The True Guru is the Giver of the life of the soul, but the unfortunate ones do not love Him.
This opportunity shall not come into their hands again; in the end, they will suffer in torment and regret. ||7||
If a good person seeks goodness for himself, he should bow low in humble surrender to the Guru.
Nanak prays: please show kindness and compassion to me, O my Lord and Master, that I may apply the dust of the True Guru to my forehead. ||8||3||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, be attuned to His Love, and sing.
The Fear of God makes me fearless and immaculate; I am dyed in the color of the Guru's Teachings. ||1||Pause||
Those who are attuned to the Lord's Love remain balanced and detached forever; they live near the Lord, who comes into their house.
If I am blessed with the dust of their feet, then I live. Granting His Grace, He Himself bestows it. ||1||
Mortal beings are attached to greed and duality. Their minds are unripe and unfit, and will not accept the Dye of His Love.
But their lives are transformed through the Word of the Guru's Teachings. Meeting with the Guru, the Primal Being, they are dyed in the color of His Love. ||2||
There are ten organs of sense and action; the ten wander unrestrained. Under the influence of the three dispositions, they are not stable, even for an instant.
Coming in contact with the True Guru, they are brought under control; then, salvation and liberation are attained. ||3||
The One and Only Creator of the Universe is All-pervading everywhere. All shall once again merge into the One.
His One Form has one, and many colors; He leads all according to His One Word. ||4||
The Gurmukh realizes the One and Only Lord; He is revealed to the Gurmukh.
The Gurmukh goes and meets the Lord in His Mansion deep within; the Unstruck Word of the Shabad vibrates there. ||5||
God created all the beings and creatures of the universe; He blesses the Gurmukh with glory.
Without meeting the Guru, no one obtains the Mansion of His Presence. They suffer the agony of coming and going in reincarnation. ||6||
For countless lifetimes, I have been separated from my Beloved; in His Mercy, the Guru has united me with Him.
Meeting the True Guru, I have found absolute peace, and my polluted intellect blossoms forth. ||7||
O Lord, Har, Har, please grant Your Grace; O Life of the World, instill faith in the Naam within me.
Nanak is the Guru, the Guru, the True Guru; I am immersed in the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||8||4||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, walk on the Path of the Guru's Teachings.
Just as the wild elephant is subdued by the prod, the mind is disciplined by the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||Pause||
The wandering mind wanders, roams and rambles in the ten directions; but the Guru holds it, and lovingly attunes it to the Lord.
The True Guru implants the Word of the Shabad deep within the heart; the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord, trickles into the mouth. ||1||
The snakes are filled with poisonous venom; the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the antidote - place it in your mouth.
Maya, the serpent, does not even approach one who is rid of the poison, and lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||2||
The dog of greed is very powerful in the village of the body; the Guru strikes it and drives it out in an instant.
Truth, contentment, righteousness and Dharma have settled there; in the village of the Lord, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||

The mortal beings are sinking in the swamp of emotional attachment; the Guru lifts them up, and saves them from sinking.
Crying, "Save me! Save me!", the humble come to His Sanctuary; the Guru reaches out His Hand, and lifts them up. ||4||
The whole world is like a game in a dream, all a game. God plays and causes the game to be played.
So earn the Profit of the Naam by following the Guru's Teachings; you shall go to the Court of the Lord in robes of honor. ||5||
They act in egotism, and make others act in egotism; they collect and gather up the blackness of sin.
And when death comes, they suffer in agony; they must eat what they have planted. ||6||
O Saints, gather the Wealth of the Lord's Name; if you depart after packing these provisions, you shall be honored.
So eat, spend, consume and give abundantly; the Lord will give - there will be no deficiency. ||7||
The wealth of the Lord's Name is deep within the heart. In the Sanctuary of the Guru, this wealth is found.
O Nanak, God has been kind and compassionate; He has blessed me. Removing pain and poverty, He has blended me with Himself. ||8||5||
Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru, and meditate.
Iron is transformed into gold by touching the philosopher's stone; it takes on its qualities. ||1||Pause||
The True Guru, the Great Primal Being, is the philosopher's stone. Whoever is attached to Him receives fruitful rewards.
Just as Prahlaad was saved by the Guru's Teachings, the Guru protects the honor of His servant. ||1||
The Word of the True Guru is the most Sublime and Noble Word. Through the Guru's Word, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained.
Ambreek the king was blessed with the status of immortality, meditating on the Word of the True Guru. ||2||
The Sanctuary, the Protection and Sanctuary of the True Guru is pleasing to the mind. It is sacred and pure - meditate on it.
The True Guru has become Merciful to the meek and the poor; He has shown me the Path, the Way to the Lord. ||3||
Those who enter the Sanctuary of the True Guru are firmly established; God comes to protect them.
If someone aims an arrow at the Lord's humble servant, it will turn around and hit him instead. ||4||
Those who bathe in the Sacred Pool of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, are blessed with honor in His Court.
Those who meditate on the Guru's Teachings, the Guru's Instructions, the Guru's Wisdom, are united in the Lord's Union; He hugs them close in His Embrace. ||5||
The Guru's Word is the Sound-current of the Naad, The Guru's Word is the wisdom of the Vedas; coming in contact with the Guru, meditate on the Naam.
In the Image of the Lord, Har, Har, one becomes the Embodiment of the Lord. The Lord makes His humble servant worthy of worship. ||6||
The faithless cynic does not submit to the True Guru; the Lord makes the non-believer wander in confusion.
The waves of greed are like packs of dogs. The poison of Maya sticks to the body-skeleton. ||7||
The Lord's Name is the Saving Grace of the whole world; join the Sangat, and meditate on the Naam.
O my God, please protect and preserve Nanak in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; save him, and let him merge in You. ||8||6||
FIRST SET OF SIX||

Kaanraa, Chhant, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They alone are saved, who meditate on the Lord.
Working for Maya is useless.
Meditating on the Lord, all fruits and rewards are obtained. They are blessed, blessed and very fortunate.
They are awake and aware in the True Congregation; attached to the Naam, they are lovingly attuned to the One.
I have renounced pride, emotional attachment, wickedness and corruption; attached to the Holy, I am carried across at their feet.
Prays Nanak, I have come to the Sanctuary of my Lord and Master; by great good fortune, I obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||
The Holy meet together, and continually vibrate and meditate on the Lord.
With love and excitement, they sing the Glorious Praises of their Lord and Master.
Singing His Praises they live, drinking in the Lord's Nectar; the cycle of birth and death is over for them.
Finding the True Congregation and meditating on the Lord, one is never again afflicted with pain.
By the Grace of the Great Giver, the Architect of Destiny, we work to serve the Saints.
Prays Nanak, I long for the dust of the feet of the humble; I am intuitively absorbed in the Blessed Vision of the Lord. ||2||
All beings vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the World.
This brings the merits of chanting and meditation, austere self-discipline and perfect service.
Vibrating and meditating continuously on our Lord and Master, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts, one's life becomes totally fruitful.
Those who sing and meditate continually on the Lord of the Universe - their coming into the world is blessed and approved.
The Immaculate Lord, Har, Har, is meditation and chanting, and austere self-discipline; only the Wealth of the Lord of the Universe shall go along with you in the end.
Prays Nanak, please grant Your Grace, O Lord, and bless me with the Jewel, that I may carry it in my pocket. ||3||
His Wondrous and Amazing Plays are blissful
- granting His Grace, He bestows supreme ecstasy.
God, my Lord and Master, the Bringer of peace, has met me, and the desires of my mind are fulfilled.
Congratulations pour in; I am intuitively absorbed in the Lord. I shall never again cry out in pain.
He hugs me close in His Embrace, and blesses me with peace; the evil of sin and corruption is gone.
Prays Nanak, I have met my Lord and Master, the Primal Lord, the Embodiment of Bliss. ||4||1||
Vaar Of Kaanraa, Fourth Mehl, Sung To The Tune Of The Ballad Of Musa:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Follow the Guru's Teachings, and enshrine the Treasure of the Lord's Name within your heart.
Become the slave of the Lord's slaves, and conquer egotism and corruption.
You shall win this treasure of life; you shall never lose.
Blessed, blessed and very fortunate are those, O Nanak, who savor the Sublime Essence of the Lord through the Guru's Teachings. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Govind, Govind, Govind - the Lord God, the Lord of the Universe is the Treasure of Virtue.
Meditating on Govind, Govind, the Lord of the Universe, through the Guru's Teachings, you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.

Meditating on God, chanting Govind, Govind, Govind, your face shall be radiant; you shall be famous and exalted.
O Nanak, the Guru is the Lord God, the Lord of the Universe; meeting Him, you shall obtain the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself are the Siddha and the seeker; You Yourself are the Yoga and the Yogi.
You Yourself are the Taster of tastes; You Yourself are the Enjoyer of pleasures.
You Yourself are All-pervading; whatever You do comes to pass.
Blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed is the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation of the True Guru. Join them - speak and chant the Lord's Name.
Let everyone chant together the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Haray, Har, Har, Haray; chanting Har, all sins are washed away. ||1||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Har, Har, Har, Har is the Name of the Lord; rare are those who, as Gurmukh, obtain it.
Egotism and possessiveness are eradicated, and evil-mindedness is washed away.
O Nanak, one who is blessed with such pre-ordained destiny chants the Lord's Praises, night and day. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The Lord Himself is Merciful; whatever the Lord Himself does, comes to pass.
The Lord Himself is All-pervading. There is no other as Great as the Lord.
Whatever pleases the Lord God's Will comes to pass; whatever the Lord God does is done.
No one can appraise His Value; the Lord God is Endless.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, praise the Lord; your body and mind shall be cooled and soothed. ||2||
Pauree:
You are the Light of all, the Life of the World; You imbue each and every heart with Your Love.
All meditate on You, O my Beloved; You are the True, True Primal Being, the Immaculate Lord.
The One is the Giver; the whole world is the beggar. All the beggars beg for His Gifts.
You are the servant, and You are the Lord and Master of all. Through the Guru's Teachings, we are ennobled and uplifted.
Let everyone say that the Lord is the Master of the senses, the Master of all faculties; through Him, we obtain all fruits and rewards. ||2||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.
You shall obtain the fruits that you desire, focusing your meditation on the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
All your sins and mistakes shall be wiped away, and you shall be rid of egotism and pride.
The heart-lotus of the Gurmukh blossoms forth, recognizing God within every soul.
O Lord God, please shower Your Mercy upon servant Nanak, that he may chant the Lord's Name. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Sacred and Immaculate. Chanting the Naam, pain is dispelled.
God comes to abide in the minds of those who have such pre-ordained destiny.
Those who walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru are rid of pain and poverty.
No one finds the Lord by his own will; see this, and satisfy your mind.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the slave of those who fall at the Feet of the True Guru. ||2||
Pauree:

You are pervading and permeating all places and interspaces, O Creator. You made all that has been made.
You created the entire universe, with all its colors and shades; in so many ways and means and forms You formed it.
O Lord of Light, Your Light is infused within all; You link us to the Guru's Teachings.
They alone meet the True Guru, unto whom You are Merciful; O Lord, You instruct them in the Guru's Word.
Let everyone chant the Name of the Lord, chant the Name of the Great Lord; all poverty, pain and hunger shall be taken away. ||3||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is sweet; enshrine this Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord within your heart.
The Lord God prevails in the Sangat, the Holy Congregation; reflect upon the Shabad and understand.
Meditating on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within the mind, the poison of egotism is eradicated.
One who does not remember the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, shall totally lose this life in the gamble.
By Guru's Grace, one remembers the Lord, and enshrines the Lord's Name within the heart.
O servant Nanak, his face shall be radiant in the Court of the True Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
To chant the Lord's Praise and His Name is sublime and exalted. This is the most excellent deed in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
His Praises come through the Guru's Teachings and Instructions; wear the Necklace of the Lord's Name.
Those who meditate on the Lord are very fortunate. They are entrusted with the Treasure of the Lord.
Without the Name, no matter what people may do, they continue to waste away in egotism.
Elephants can be washed and bathed in water, but they only throw dust on their heads again.
O Kind and Compassionate True Guru, please unite me with the Lord, that the One Creator of the Universe may abide within my mind.
Those Gurmukhs who listen to the Lord and believe in Him - servant Nanak salutes them. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord's Name is the most sublime and precious merchandise. The Primal Lord God is my Lord and Master.
The Lord has staged His Play, and He Himself permeates it. The whole world deals in this merchandise.
Your Light is the light in all beings, O Creator. All Your Expanse is True.
All those who meditate on You become prosperous; through the Guru's Teachings, they sing Your Praises, O Formless Lord.
Let everyone chant the Lord, the Lord of the World, the Lord of the Universe, and cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||4||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
I have only one tongue, and the Glorious Virtues of the Lord God are Unapproachable and Unfathomable.
I am ignorant - how can I meditate on You, Lord? You are Great, Unapproachable and Immeasurable.
O Lord God, please bless me with that sublime wisdom, that I may fall at the Feet of the Guru, the True Guru.
O Lord God, please lead me to the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, where even a sinner like myself may be saved.
O Lord, please bless and forgive servant Nanak; please unite him in Your Union.
O Lord, please be merciful and hear my prayer; I am a sinner and a worm - please save me! ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
O Lord, Life of the World, please bless me with Your Grace, and lead me to meet the Guru, the Merciful True Guru.
I am happy to serve the Guru; the Lord has become merciful to me.

All my hopes and desires have been forgotten; my mind is rid of its worldly entanglements.
The Guru, in His Mercy, implanted the Naam within me; I am enraptured with the Word of the Shabad.
Servant Nanak has obtained the inexhaustible wealth; the Lord's Name is his wealth and property. ||2||
Pauree:
O Lord, You are the Greatest of the Great, the Greatest of the Great, the Most Lofty and Exalted of all, the Greatest of the Great.
Those who meditate on the Infinite Lord, who meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, Har, are rejuvenated.
Those who sing and listen to Your Praises, O my Lord and Master, have millions of sins destroyed.
I know that those divine beings who follow the Guru's Teachings are just like You, Lord. They are the greatest of the great, so very fortunate.
Let everyone meditate on the Lord, who was True in the primal beginning, and True throughout the ages; He is revealed as True here and now, and He shall be True forever and ever. Servant Nanak is the slave of His slaves. ||5||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
I meditate on my Lord, the Life of the World, the Lord, chanting the Guru's Mantra.
The Lord is Unapproachable, Inaccessible and Unfathomable; the Lord, Har, Har, has spontaneously come to meet me.
The Lord Himself is pervading each and every heart; the Lord Himself is Endless.
The Lord Himself enjoys all pleasures; the Lord Himself is the Husband of Maya.
The Lord Himself gives in charity to the whole world, and all the beings and creatures which He created.
O Merciful Lord God, please bless me with Your Bountiful Gifts; the humble Saints of the Lord beg for them.
O God of servant Nanak, please come and meet me; I sing the Songs of the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord God is my Best Friend. My mind and body are drenched with the Naam.
All the hopes of the Gurmukh are fulfilled; servant Nanak is comforted, hearing the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord's Sublime Name is energizing and rejuvenating. The Immaculate Lord, the Primal Being, blossoms forth.
Maya serves at the feet of those who chant and meditate on the Lord, Har, Har, day and night.
The Lord always looks after and cares for all His beings and creatures; He is with all, near and far.
Those whom the Lord inspires to understand, understand; the True Guru, God, the Primal Being, is pleased with them.
Let everyone sing the Praise of the Lord of the Universe, the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, the Lord, the Lord of the Universe; singing the Praise of the Lord, one is absorbed in His Glorious Virtues. ||6||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
O mind, even in sleep, remember the Lord God; let yourself be intuitively absorbed into the Celestial State of Samaadhi.
Servant Nanak's mind longs for the Lord, Har, Har. As the Guru pleases, he is absorbed into the Lord, O mother. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
I am in love with the One and Only Lord; the One Lord fills my consciousness.
Servant Nanak takes the Support of the One Lord God; through the One, he obtains honor and salvation. ||2||
Pauree:
The Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, vibrate with the Wisdom of the Guru's Teachings; by great good fortune, the Unstruck Melody resonates and resounds.
I see the Lord, the Source of Bliss, everywhere; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord of the Universe is revealed.
From the primal beginning, and throughout the ages, the Lord has One Form. Through the Wisdom of the Guru's Teachings, I vibrate and meditate on the Lord God.
O Merciful Lord God, please bless me with Your Bounty; O Lord God, please preserve and protect the honor of Your humble servant.

Let everyone proclaim: Blessed is the Guru, the True Guru, the Guru, the True Guru; meeting Him, the Lord covers their faults and deficiencies. ||7||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The sacred pool of devotional worship is filled to the brim and overflowing in torrents.
Those who obey the True Guru, O servant Nanak, are very fortunate - they find it. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The Names of the Lord, Har, Har, are countless. The Glorious Virtues of the Lord, Har, Har, cannot be described.
The Lord, Har, Har, is Inaccessible and Unfathomable; how can the humble servants of the Lord be united in His Union?
Those humble beings meditate and chant the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har, but they do not attain even a tiny bit of His Worth.
O servant Nanak, the Lord God is Inaccessible; the Lord has attached me to His Robe, and united me in His Union. ||2||
Pauree:
The Lord is Inaccessible and Unfathomable. How will I see the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan?
If He were a material object, then I could describe Him, but He has no form or feature.
Understanding comes only when the Lord Himself gives understanding; only such a humble being sees it.
The Sat Sangat, the True Congregation of the True Guru, is the school of the soul, where the Glorious Virtues of the Lord are studied.
Blessed, blessed is the tongue, blessed is the hand, and blessed is the Teacher, the True Guru; meeting Him, the Account of the Lord is written. ||8||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Ambrosial Nectar. Meditate on the Lord, with love for the True Guru.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har is Sacred and Pure. Chanting it and listening to it, pain is taken away.
They alone worship and adore the Lord's Name, upon whose foreheads such pre-ordained destiny is written.
Those humble beings are honored in the Court of the Lord; the Lord comes to abide in their minds.
O servant Nanak, their faces are radiant. They listen to the Lord; their minds are filled with love. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is the greatest treasure. The Gurmukhs obtain it.
The True Guru comes to meet those who have such pre-ordained destiny written upon their foreheads.
Their bodies and minds are cooled and soothed; peace and tranquility come to dwell in their minds.
O Nanak, chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, all poverty and pain is dispelled. ||2||
Pauree:
I am a sacrifice, forever and ever, to those who have seen my Beloved True Guru.
They alone meet my True Guru, who have such pre-ordaind destiny written upon their foreheads.
I meditate on the Inaccessible Lord, according to the Guru's Teachings; God has no form or feature.
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings and meditate on the Inaccessible Lord, merge with their Lord and Master and become one with Him.
Let everyone proclaim out loud, the Name of the Lord, the Lord, the Lord; the profit of devotional worship of the Lord is blessed and sublime. ||9||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord's Name is permeating and pervading all. Repeat the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam.
The Lord is in the home of each and every soul. God created this play with its various colors and forms.
The Lord, the Life of the World, dwells near at hand. The Guru, my Friend, has made this clear.

They alone meet the Lord, the Lord God, their Lord and Master, whose love for the Lord is pre-ordained.
Servant Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord; through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, chant it consciously with your mind. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Seek the Lord God, your Best Friend; by great good fortune, He comes to dwell with the very fortunate ones.
Through the Perfect Guru, He is revealed, O Nanak, and one is lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||2||
Pauree:
Blessed, blessed, beauteous and fruitful is that moment, when service to the Lord becomes pleasing to the mind.
So proclaim the story of the Lord, O my GurSikhs; speak the Unspoken Speech of my Lord God.
How can I attain Him? How can I see Him? My Lord God is All-knowing and All-seeing.
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, the Lord reveals Himself; we merge in absorption in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Nanak is a sacrifice unto those who meditate on the Lord of Nirvaanaa. ||10||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
One's eyes are anointed by the Lord God, when the Guru bestows the ointment of spiritual wisdom.
I have found God, my Best Friend; servant Nanak is intuitively absorbed into the Lord. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
The Gurmukh is filled with peace and tranquility deep within. His mind and body are absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He thinks of the Naam, and reads the Naam; he remains lovingly attuned to the Naam.
He obtains the Treasure of the Naam, and is rid of anxiety.
Meeting with the True Guru, the Naam wells up, and all hunger and thirst depart.
O Nanak, one who is imbued with the Naam, gathers the Naam in his lap. ||2||
Pauree:
You Yourself created the world, and You Yourself control it.
Some are self-willed manmukhs - they lose. Others are united with the Guru - they win.
The Name of the Lord, the Lord God is Sublime. The fortunate ones chant it, through the Word of the Guru's Teachings.
All pain and poverty are taken away, when the Guru bestows the Lord's Name.
Let everyone serve the Enticing Enticer of the Mind, the Enticer of the World, who created the world, and controls it all. ||11||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The disease of egotism is deep within the mind; the self-willed manmukhs and the evil beings are deluded by doubt.
O Nanak, the disease is cured only by meeting with the True Guru, the Holy Friend. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
My mind and body are embellished and exalted, when I behold the Lord with my eyes.
O Nanak, meeting with that God, I live, hearing His Voice. ||2||
Pauree:
The Creator is the Lord of the World, the Master of the Universe, the Infinite Primal Immeasurable Being.
Meditate on the Lord's Name, O my GurSikhs; the Lord is Sublime, the Lord's Name is Invaluable.
Those who meditate on Him in their hearts, day and night, merge with the Lord - there is no doubt about it.
By great good fortune, they join the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, and speak the Word of the Guru, the Perfect True Guru.
Let everyone meditate on the Lord, the Lord, the All-pervading Lord, by which all disputes and conflicts with Death are ended. ||12||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
The humble servant of the Lord chants the Name, Har, Har. The foolish idiot shoots arrows at him.
O Nanak, the humble servant of the Lord is saved by the Love of the Lord. The arrow is turned around, and kills the one who shot it. ||1||

Fourth Mehl:
The eyes which are attracted by the Lord's Love behold the Lord through the Name of the Lord.
If they gaze upon something else, O servant Nanak, they ought to be gouged out. ||2||
Pauree:
The Infinite Lord totally permeates the water, the land and the sky.
He cherishes and sustains all beings and creatures; whatever He does comes to pass.
Without Him, we have no mother, father, children, sibling or friend.
He is permeating and pervading deep within each and every heart; let everyone meditate on Him.
Let all chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World, who is manifest all over the world. ||13||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
Those Gurmukhs who meet as friends are blessed with the Lord God's Love.
O servant Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; you shall go to His court in joyous high spirits. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
Lord, You are the Great Giver of all; all beings are Yours.
They all worship You in adoration; You bless them with Your Bounty, O Beloved.
The Generous Lord, the Great Giver reaches out with His Hands, and the rain pours down on the world.
The corn germinates in the fields; contemplate the Lord's Name with love.
Servant Nanak begs for the Gift of the Support of the Name of his Lord God. ||2||
Pauree:
The desires of the mind are satisfied, meditating on the Ocean of Peace.
Worship and adore the Feet of the Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the jewel mine.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, one is saved, and the Decree of Death is torn up.
The treasure of this human life is won, meditating on the Lord of Detachment.
Let everyone seek the Sanctuary of the True Guru; let the black spot of pain, the scar of suffering, be erased. ||14||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
I was seeking, searching for my Friend, but my Friend is right here with me.
O servant Nanak, the Unseen is not seen, but the Gurmukh is given to see Him. ||1||
Fourth Mehl:
O Nanak, I am in love with the True Lord; I cannot survive without Him.
Meeting the True Guru, the Perfect Lord is found, and the tongue savors His Sublime Essence. ||2||
Pauree:
Some sing, some listen, and some speek and preach.
The filth and pollution of countless lifetimes is washed away, and the wishes of the mind are fulfilled.
Coming and going in reincarnation ceases, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
They save themselves, and save their companions; they save all their generations as well.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to those who are pleasing to my Lord God. ||15||1||
Sudh||
Raag Kaanraa, The Word Of Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Such is the Sovereign Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of Hearts;
He sees everything as clearly as one's face reflected in a mirror. ||1||Pause||
He dwells in each and every heart; no stain or stigma sticks to Him.
He is liberated from bondage; He does not belong to any social class. ||1||
As one's face is reflected in the water,
so does Naam Dayv's Beloved Lord and Master appear. ||2||1||

Raag Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
The Lord, the Beauteous Lord - no one has found His limits.
I am a child - You cherish and sustain me. You are the Great Primal Being, my Mother and Father. ||1||Pause||
The Names of the Lord are Countless and Unfathomable. My Sovereign Lord is Unfathomable and Incomprehensible.
The virtuous and the spiritual teachers have given it great thought, but they have not found even an iota of His Value. ||1||
They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe forever. They sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe, but they do not find His limits.
You are Immeasurable, Unweighable, and Infinite, O Lord and Master; no matter how much one may meditate on You, Your Depth cannot be fathomed. ||2||
Lord, Your humble servants praise You, singing Your Glorious Praises, O Sovereign Lord.
You are the ocean of water, and I am Your fish. No one has ever found Your limits. ||3||
Please be Kind to Your humble servant, Lord; please bless me with the meditation of Your Name.
I am a blind fool; Your Name is my only Support. Servant Nanak, as Gurmukh, has found it. ||4||1||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
The humble servant of the Lord sings the Lord's Praise, and blossoms forth.
My intellect is embellished with devotion to the Lord, Har, Har, through the Guru's Teachings. This is the destiny which God has recorded on my forehead. ||1||Pause||
I meditate in remembrance on the Guru's Feet, day and night. The Lord, Har, Har, Har, comes to dwell in my mind.
The Praise of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, is Excellent and Sublime in this world. His Praise is the sandalwood paste which I rub. ||1||
The humble servant of the Lord is lovingly attuned to the Lord, Har, Har, Har; all the faithless cynics pursue him.
The slanderous person acts in accordance with the record of his past deeds; his foot trips over the snake, and he is stung by its bite. ||2||
O my Lord and Master, You are the Saving Grace, the Protector of Your humble servants. You protect them, age after age.
What does it matter, if a demon speaks evil? By doing so, he only gets frustrated. ||3||
All the beings and creatures created by God are caught in the mouth of Death.
The humble servants of the Lord are protected by the Lord God, Har, Har, Har; servant Nanak seeks His Sanctuary. ||4||2||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:

O my mind, chant and meditate on the Master of the Universe.
Through the Guru's Teachings, meditate on the Lord's Name, and be rid of all the painful past sins. ||1||Pause||
I have only one tongue - I cannot sing His Praises. Please bless me with many, many tongues.
Again and again, each and every instant, with all of them, I would sing His Glorious Praises; but even then, I would not be able to sing all of Your Praises, God. ||1||
I am so deeply in love with God, my Lord and Master; I long to see God's Vision.
You are the Great Giver of all beings and creatures; only You know our inner pain. ||2||
If only someone would show me the Way, the Path of God. Tell me - what could I give him?
I would surrender, offer and dedicate all my body and mind to him; if only someone would unite me in God's Union! ||3||
The Glorious Praises of the Lord are so many and numerous; I can describe only a tiny bit of them.
My intellect is under Your control, God; You are the All-powerful Lord God of servant Nanak. ||4||3||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
O my mind, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, which are said to be inexpressible.
Rightousness and Dharmic faith, success and prosperity, pleasure, the fulfillment of desires and liberation - all follow the humble servant of the Lord like a shadow. ||1||Pause||
That humble servant of the Lord who has such good fortune written on his forehead meditates on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
In that Court, where God calls for the accounts, there, you shall be saved only by meditating on the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
I am stained with the filth of the mistakes of countless lifetimes, the pain and pollution of egotism.
Showering His Mercy, the Guru bathed me in the Water of the Lord, and all my sins and mistakes were taken away. ||2||
God, our Lord and Master, is deep within the hearts of His humble servants. They vibrate the Naam, the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
And when that very last moment comes, then the Naam is our Best Friend and Protector. ||3||
Your humble servants sing Your Praises, O Lord, Har, Har; they chant and meditate on the Lord God, the Master of the Universe.
O God, my Saving Grace, Lord and Master of servant Nanak, please save me, the sinking stone. ||4||4||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
Only the Lord God knows my innermost thoughts.
If someone slanders the humble servant of the Lord, God does not believe even a tiny bit of what he says. ||1||Pause||
So give up everything else, and serve the Imperishable; The Lord God, our Lord and Master, is the Highest of all.
When you serve the Lord, Death cannot even see you. It comes and falls at the feet of those who know the Lord. ||1||
Those whom my Lord and Master protects - a balanced wisdom comes to their ears.
No one can equal them; their devotional worship is accepted by my God. ||2||
So behold the Wondrous and Amazing Play of the Lord. In an instant, He distinguishes the genuine from the counterfeit.
And that is why His humble servant is in bliss. Those of pure heart meet together, while the evil ones regret and repent. ||3||
Lord, You are the Great Giver, our All-powerful Lord and Master; O Lord, I beg for only one gift from You.
Lord, please bless servant Nanak with Your Grace, that Your Feet may abide forever within my heart. ||4||5||

Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
O God, Treasure of Mercy, please bless me, that I may sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
I always place my hopes in You; O God, when will you take me in Your Embrace? ||1||Pause||
I am a foolish and ignorant child; Father, please teach me!
Your child makes mistakes again and again, but still, You are pleased with him, O Father of the Universe. ||1||
Whatever You give me, O my Lord and Master - that is what I receive.
There is no other place where I can go. ||2||
Those devotees who are pleasing to the Lord - the Lord is pleasing to them.
Their light merges into the Light; the lights are merged and blended together. ||3||
The Lord Himself has shown mercy; He lovingly attunes me to Himself.
Servant Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Door of the Lord, who protects his honor. ||4||6||
First Set Of Six||
Kalyaan Bhopaalee, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Supreme Lord God, Transcendent Lord and Master, Destroyer of pain, Transcendental Lord God.
All Your devotees beg of You. Ocean of peace, carry us across the terrifying world-ocean; You are the Wish-fulfilling Jewel. ||1||Pause||
Merciful to the meek and poor, Lord of the world, Support of the earth, Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts, Lord of the Universe.
Those who meditate on the Supreme Lord become fearless. Through the Wisdom of the Guru's Teachings, they meditate on the Lord, the Liberator Lord. ||1||
Those who come to Sanctuary at the Feet of the Lord of the Universe - those humble beings cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
The Lord preserves the honor of His humble devotees; O servant Nanak, the Lord Himself showers them with His Grace. ||2||1||7||
Raag Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl, First House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Please grant me this blessing:
May the bumble-bee of my mind be immersed again and again in the Honey of Your Lotus Feet. ||1||Pause||
I am not concerned with any other water; please bless this songbird with a Drop of Your Water, Lord. ||1||
Unless I meet my Lord, I am not satisfied. Nanak lives, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||2||1||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
This beggar begs and begs for Your Name, Lord.
You are the Support of all, the Master of all, the Giver of absolute peace. ||1||Pause||
So many, so very many, beg for charity at Your Door; they receive only what You are pleased to give. ||1||
Fruitful, fruitful, fruitful is the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; touching His Touch, I sing His Glorious Praises.
O Nanak, one's essence is blended into the Essence; the diamond of the mind is pierced through by the Diamond of the Lord. ||2||2||

Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
O, the Wondrous Glory of my Beloved!
My mind is rejuvenated forever by His Wondrous Love. ||1||Pause||
Brahma, Shiva, the Siddhas, the silent sages and Indra beg for the charity of His Praise and devotion to Him. ||1||
Yogis, spiritual teachers, meditators and the thousand-headed serpent all meditate on the Waves of God.
Says Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Saints, who are the Eternal Companions of God. ||2||3||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl, Second House:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Belief in You, Lord, brings honor.
To see with my eyes, and hear with my ears - every limb and fiber of my being, and my breath of life are in bliss. ||1||Pause||
Here and there, and in the ten directions You are pervading, in the mountain and the blade of grass. ||1||
Wherever I look, I see the Lord, the Supreme Lord, the Primal Being.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, doubt and fear are dispelled. Nanak speaks the Wisdom of God. ||2||1||4||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
The Glory of God is the Sound-current of the Naad, the Celestial Music of Bliss, and the Wisdom of the Vedas.
Speaking and listening, the silent sages and humble beings join together, in the Realm of the Saints. ||1||Pause||
Spiritual wisdom, meditation, faith and charity are there; their minds savor the Taste of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Chanting it, sins are destroyed. ||1||
This is the technology of Yoga, spiritual wisdom, devotion, intuitive knowledge of the Shabad, certain knowledge of the Essence of Reality, chanting and unbroken intensive meditation.
Through and through, O Nanak, merging into the Light, you shall never again suffer pain and punishment. ||2||2||5||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
What should I do, and how should I do it?
Should I center myself in meditation, or study the spiritual wisdom of the Shaastras? How can I endure this unendurable state? ||1||Pause||
Vishnu, Shiva, the Siddhas, the silent sages and Indra - at whose door should I seek sanctuary? ||1||
Some have power and influence, and some are blessed with heavenly paradise, but out of millions, will anyone find liberation?
Says Nanak, I have attained the Sublime Essence of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. I touch the feet of the Holy. ||2||3||6||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
The Lord of the Breath of Life, the Merciful Primal Lord God, is my Friend.
The Lord saves us from the womb of reincarnation and the noose of death in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; He takes away our pain. ||1||Pause||
I enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within; I seek Your Sanctuary, Lord.
O Merciful Lord God, You are my only Support. ||1||
You are the only Hope of the helpless, the meek and the poor.
Your Name, O my Lord and Master, is the Mantra of the mind. ||2||
I know of nothing except You, God.
Throughout all the ages, I realize You. ||3||
O Lord, You dwell in my mind night and day.
The Lord of the Universe is Nanak's only Support. ||4||4||7||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
Within my mind and body I meditate on the Lord God.
The Perfect Guru is pleased and satisfied; I am blessed with eternal peace and happiness. ||1||Pause||
All affairs are successfuly resolved, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the World.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I dwell upon God, and the pain of death is taken away. ||1||
Please take pity on me, O my God, that I may serve You day and night.

Slave Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, the Perfect, Divine Primal Being. ||2||5||8||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
My God is the Inner-knower, the Searcher of Hearts.
Take pity on me, O Perfect Transcendent Lord; bless me with the True Eternal Insignia of the Shabad, the Word of God. ||1||Pause||
O Lord, other than You, no one is all-powerful. You are the Hope and the Strength of my mind.
You are the Giver to the hearts of all beings, O Lord and Master. I eat and wear whatever You give me. ||1||
Intuitive understanding, wisdom and cleverness, glory and beauty, pleasure, wealth and honor,
all comforts, bliss, happiness and salvation, O Nanak, come by chanting the Lord's Name. ||2||6||9||
Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:
The Sanctuary of the Lord's Feet bring salvation.
God's Name is the Purifier of sinners. ||1||Pause||
Whoever chants and meditates in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, shall undoubtedly escape being consumed by the Messenger of Death. ||1||
Liberation, the key to success, and all sorts of comforts do not equal loving devotional worship of the Lord.
Slave Nanak longs for the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan; he shall never again wander in reincarnation. ||2||||7||10||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Hearing the Name of the Lord, the All-pervading Lord, my mind is drenched with joy.
The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is Ambrosial Nectar, the most Sweet and Sublime Essence; through the Guru's Teachings, drink it in with intuitive ease. ||1||Pause||
The potential energy of fire is within the wood; it is released if you know how to rub it and generate friction.
In just the same way, the Lord's Name is the Light within all; the Essence is extracted by following the Guru's Teachings. ||1||
There are nine doors, but the taste of these nine doors is bland and insipid. The Essence of Ambrosial Nectar trickles down through the Tenth Door.
Please take pity on me - be kind and compassionate, O my Beloved, that I may drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
The body-village is the most sublime and exalted village, in which the merchandise of the Lord's Sublime Essence is traded.
The most precious and priceless gems and jewels are obtained by serving the True Guru. ||3||
The True Guru is Inaccessible; Inaccessible is our Lord and Master. He is the overflowing Ocean of bliss - worship Him with loving devotion.
Please take pity on me, and be Merciful to this meek song-bird; please pour a drop of Your Name into my mouth. ||4||
O Beloved Lord, please color my mind with the Deep Crimson Color of Your Love; I have surrendered my mind to the Guru.
Those who are imbued with the Love of the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam, continually drink in this essence in big gulps, savoring its sweet taste. ||5||
If all the gold of the seven continents and the oceans was taken out and placed before them,
the humble servants of my Lord and Master would not even want it. They beg for the Lord to bless them with the Lord's Sublime Essence. ||6||
The faithless cynics and mortal beings remain hungry forever; they continually cry out in hunger.
They hurry and run, and wander all around, caught in the love of Maya; they cover hundreds of thousands of miles in their wanderings. ||7||
The humble servants of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, are sublime and exalted. What praise can we bestow upon them?

Nothing else can equal the Glory of the Lord's Name; please bless servant Nanak with Your Grace. ||8||1||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
O Lord, please bless me with the Touch of the Guru, the Philosopher's Stone.
I was unworthy, utterly useless, rusty slag; meeting with the True Guru, I was transformed by the Philosopher's Stone. ||1||Pause||
Everyone longs for paradise, liberation and heaven; all place their hopes in them.
The humble long for the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; they do not ask for liberation. Their minds are satisfied and comforted by His Darshan. ||1||
Emotional attachment to Maya is very powerful; this attachment is a black stain which sticks.
The humble servants of my Lord and Master are unattached and liberated. They are like ducks, whose feathers do not get wet. ||2||
The fragrant sandalwood tree is encircled by snakes; how can anyone get to the sandalwood?
Drawing out the Mighty Sword of the Guru's Spiritual Wisdom, I slaughter and kill the poisonous snakes, and drink in the Sweet Nectar. ||3||
You may gather wood and stack it in a pile, but in an instant, fire reduces it to ashes.
The faithless cynic gathers the most horrendous sins, but meeting with the Holy Saint, they are placed in the fire. ||4||
The Holy, Saintly devotees are sublime and exalted. They enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, deep within.
By the touch of the Holy and the humble servants of the Lord, the Lord God is seen. ||5||
The thread of the faithless cynic is totally knotted and tangled; how can anything be woven with it?
This thread cannot be woven into yarn; do not associate with those faithless cynics. ||6||
The True Guru and the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, are exalted and sublime. Joining the Congregation, meditate on the Lord.
The gems, jewels and precious stones are deep within; by Guru's Grace, they are found. ||7||
My Lord and Master is Glorious and Great. How can I be united in His Union?
O Nanak, the Perfect Guru unites His humble servant in His Union, and blesses him with perfection. ||8||2||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
Chant the Name of the Lord, the Lord, the All-pervading Lord.
The Holy, the humble and Holy, are noble and sublime. Meeting with the Holy, I joyfully love the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The minds of all the beings and creatures of the world waver unsteadily.
Please take pity on them, be merciful to them, and unite them with the Holy; establish this support to support the world. ||1||
The earth is beneath us, and yet its dust falls down on all; let yourself be covered by the dust of the feet of the Holy.
You shall be utterly exalted, the most noble and sublime of all; the whole world will place itself at your feet. ||2||
The Gurmukhs are blessed with the Divine Light of the Lord; Maya comes to serve them.
Through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, they bite with teeth of wax and chew iron, drinking in the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||3||
The Lord has shown great mercy, and bestowed His Name; I have met with the Holy Guru, the Primal Being.
The Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name have spread out everywhere; the Lord bestows fame all over the world. ||4||
The Beloved Lord is within the minds of the Holy, the Holy Saadhus; without seeing Him, they cannot survive.
The fish in the water loves only the water. Without water, it bursts and dies in an instant. ||5||

Those who have terrible luck and bad fortune do not drink in the water which washes the dust of the feet of the Holy.
The burning fire of their desires is not extinguished; they are beaten and punished by the Righteous Judge of Dharma. ||6||
You may visit all the sacred shrines, observe fasts and sacred feasts, give generously in charity and waste away the body, melting it in the snow.
The weight of the Lord's Name is unweighable, according to the Guru's Teachings; nothing can equal its weight. ||7||
O God, You alone know Your Glorious Virtues. Servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary.
You are the Ocean of water, and I am Your fish. Please be kind, and keep me always with You. ||8||3||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
I worship and adore the Lord, the All-pervading Lord.
I surrender my mind and body, and place everything before Him; following the Guru's Teachings, spiritual wisdom is implanted within me. ||1||Pause||
God's Name is the tree, and His Glorious Virtues are the branches. Picking and gathering up the fruit, I worship Him.
The soul is divine; divine is the soul. Worship Him with love. ||1||
One of keen intellect and precise understanding is immaculate in all this world. In thoughtful consideration, he drinks in the sublime essence.
By Guru's Grace, the treasure is found; dedicate this mind to the True Guru. ||2||
Priceless and utterly sublime is the Diamond of the Lord. This Diamond pierces the diamond of the mind.
The mind becomes the jeweller, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; it appraises the Diamond of the Lord. ||3||
Attaching oneself to the Society of the Saints, one is exalted and uplifted, as the palaas tree is absorbed by the peepal tree.
That mortal being is supreme among all people, who is perfumed by the fragrance of the Lord's Name. ||4||
One who continually acts in goodness and immaculate purity, sprouts green branches in great abundance.
The Guru has taught me that Dharmic faith is the flower, and spiritual wisdom is the fruit; this fragrance permeates the world. ||5||
The One, the Light of the One, abides within my mind; God, the One, is seen in all.
The One Lord, the Supreme Soul, is spread out everywhere; all place their heads beneath His Feet. ||6||
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, people look like criminals with their noses cut off; bit by bit, their noses are cut off.
The faithless cynics are called egotistical; without the Name, their lives are cursed. ||7||
As long as the breath breathes through the mind deep within, hurry and seek God's Sanctuary.
Please shower Your Kind Mercy and take pity upon Nanak, that he may wash the feet of the Holy. ||8||4||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
O Lord, I wash the feet of the Holy.
May my sins be burnt away in an instant; O my Lord and Master, please bless me with Your Mercy. ||1||Pause||
The meek and humble beggars stand begging at Your Door. Please be generous and give to those who are yearning.
Save me, save me, O God - I have come to Your Sanctuary. Please implant the Guru's Teachings, and the Naam within me. ||1||
Sexual desire and anger are very powerful in the body-village; I rise up to fight the battle against them.
Please make me Your Own and save me; through the Perfect Guru, I drive them out. ||2||
The powerful fire of corruption is raging violently within; the Word of the Guru's Shabad is the ice water which cools and soothes.

My mind and body are calm and tranquil; the disease has been cured, and now I sleep in peace. ||3||
As the rays of the sun spread out everywhere, the Lord pervades each and every heart.
Meeting the Holy Saint, one drinks in the Sublime Essence of the Lord; sitting in the home of your own inner being, drink in the essence. ||4||
The humble being is in love with the Guru, like the chakvi bird which loves to see the sun.
She watches, and keeps on watching all through the night; and when the sun shows its face, she drinks in the Amrit. ||5||
The faithless cynic is said to be very greedy - he is a dog. He is overflowing with the filth and pollution of evil-mindedness.
He talks excessively about his own interests. How can he be trusted? ||6||
I have sought the Sanctuary of the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; I have found the Sublime Essence of the Lord.
They do good deeds for others, and speak of the Lord's many Glorious Virtues; please bless me to meet these Saints, these devotees of the Lord. ||7||
You are the Inaccessible Lord, Kind and Compassionate, the Great Giver; please shower us with Your Mercy, and save us.
You are the Life of all the beings of the world; please cherish and sustain Nanak. ||8||5||
Kalyaan, Fourth Mehl:
O Lord, please make me the slave of Your slaves.
As long as there is breath deep within my mind, let me drink in the dust of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
Shiva, Naarad, the thousand-headed cobra king and the silent sages long for the dust of the Holy.
All the worlds and realms where the Holy place their feet are sanctified. ||1||
So let go of your shame and renounce all your egotism; join with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and remain there.
Give up your fear of the Righteous Judge of Dharma, and you shall be lifted up and saved from drowning in the sea of poison. ||2||
Some are standing, parched and shrivelled up by their doubts; joining the Saadh Sangat, they are rejuvenated.
So do not delay, even for an instant - go and fall at the feet of the Holy. ||3||
The Kirtan of the Praise of the Lord's Name is a priceless jewel. The Lord has given it for the Holy to keep.
Whoever accepts and follows the Word of the Guru's Teachings as True - this Jewel is taken out and given to him. ||4||
Listen, O Saints; listen, humble Siblings of Destiny: the Guru raises His Arms and sends out the call.
If you long for everlasting peace and comfort for your soul, then enter the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||5||
If you have great good fortune and are very noble, then implant the Guru's Teachings and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within.
Emotional attachment to Maya is totally treacherous; drinking in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, you shall easily, intuitively cross over the world-ocean. ||6||
Those who are totally in love with Maya, Maya, shall rot away in Maya.
The path of ignorance and darkness is utterly treacherous; they are loaded down with the crushing load of egotism. ||7||
O Nanak, chanting the Name of the Lord, the All-pervading Lord, one is emancipated.
Meeting the True Guru, the Naam is implanted within; we are united and blended with the Lord's Name. ||8||6||
First Set Of Six||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Parbhaatee Bibhaas, First Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House:
Your Name carries us across; Your Name brings respect and worship.
Your Name embellishes us; it is the object of the awakened mind.
Your Name brings honor to everyone's name.
Without Your Name, no one is ever respected. ||1||
All other clever tricks are just for show.
Whoever the Lord blesses with forgiveness - his affairs are perfectly resolved. ||1||Pause||
Your Name is my strength; Your Name is my support.
Your Name is my army; Your Name is my king.
Your Name brings honor, glory and approval.
By Your Grace, one is blessed with the banner and the insignia of Your Mercy. ||2||
Your Name brings intuitive peace and poise; Your Name brings praise.
Your Name is the Ambrosial Nectar which cleans out the poison.
Through Your Name, all peace and comfort comes to abide in the mind.
Without the Name, they are bound and gagged, and dragged off to the City of Death. ||3||
Man is involved with his wife, hearth and home, land and country,
the pleasures of the mind and fine clothes;
but when the call comes, he cannot delay.
O Nanak, in the end, the false turn out to be false. ||4||1||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Your Name is the Jewel, and Your Grace is the Light. In awareness, there is Your Light.
Darkness fills the dark, and then everything is lost. ||1||
This whole world is corrupt.
Your Name is the only cure; nothing else works, O Infinite Creator Lord. ||1||Pause||
One side of the scale holds tens of thousands, millions of nether regions and realms.
O my Beloved, Your Worth could only be estimated if something else could be placed on the other side of the scale. ||2||

Out of pain, pleasure is produced, and out of pleasure comes pain.
That mouth which praises You - what hunger could that mouth ever suffer? ||3||
O Nanak, you alone are foolish; all the rest of the world is good.
That body in which the Naam does not well up - that body becomes miserable. ||4||2||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
For His sake, Brahma uttered the Vedas, and Shiva renounced Maya.
For His sake, the Siddhas became hermits and renunciates; even the gods have not realized His Mystery. ||1||
O Baba, keep the True Lord in your mind, and utter the Name of the True Lord with your mouth; the True Lord will carry you across.
Enemies and pain shall not even approach you; only a rare few realize the Wisdom of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Fire, water and air make up the world; these three are the slaves of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
One who does not chant the Naam is a thief, dwelling in the fortress of the five thieves. ||2||
If someone does a good deed for someone else, he totally puffs himself up in his conscious mind.
The Lord bestows so many virtues and so much goodness; He does not ever regret it. ||3||
Those who praise You gather the wealth in their laps; this is Nanak's wealth.
Whoever shows respect to them is not summoned by the Messenger of Death. ||4||3||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
One who has no beauty, no social status, no mouth, no flesh
- meeting with the True Guru, he finds the Immaculate Lord, and dwells in Your Name. ||1||
O detached Yogi, contemplate the essence of reality,
and you shall never again come to be born into the world. ||1||Pause||
One who does not have good karma or Dharmic faith, sacred rosary or mala
- through the Light of God, wisdom is bestowed; the True Guru is our Protector. ||2||
One who does not observe any fasts, make religious vows or chant
- he does not have to worry about good luck or bad, if he obeys the Command of the True Guru. ||3||
One who is not hopeful, nor hopeless, who has trained his intuitive consciousness
- his being blends with the Supreme Being. O Nanak, his awareness is awakened. ||4||4||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
What he says is approved in the Court of the Lord.
He looks upon poison and nectar as one and the same. ||1||
What can I say? You are permeating and pervading all.
Whatever happens, is all by Your Will. ||1||Pause||
The Divine Light shines radiantly, and egotistical pride is dispelled.
The True Guru bestows the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, one's birth is approved,
if one is honored in the True Court. ||3||
Speaking and listening, one goes to the Celestial Home of the Indescribable Lord.
Mere words of mouth, O Nanak, are burnt away. ||4||5||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
One who bathes in the Ambrosial Water of spiritual wisdom takes with him the virtues of the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
The Guru's Teachings are the gems and jewels; the Sikh who serves Him searches and finds them. ||1||
There is no sacred shrine equal to the Guru.
The Guru encompasses the ocean of contentment. ||1||Pause||

The Guru is the River, from which the Pure Water is obtained forever; it washes away the filth and pollution of evil-mindedness.
Finding the True Guru, the perfect cleansing bath is obtained, which transforms even beasts and ghosts into gods. ||2||
He is said to be the Guru, with the scent of sandalwood, who is imbued with the True Name to the bottom of His Heart.
By His Fragrance, the world of vegetation is perfumed. Lovingly focus yourself on His Feet. ||3||
The life of the soul wells up for the Gurmukh; the Gurmukh goes to the House of God.
The Gurmukh, O Nanak, merges in the True One; the Gurmukh attains the exalted state of the self. ||4||6||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
By Guru's Grace, contemplate spiritual knowledge; read it and study it, and you shall be honored.
Within the self, the self is revealed, when one is blessed with the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O Creator Lord, You alone are my Benefactor.
I beg for only one blessing from You: please bless me with Your Name. ||1||Pause||
The five wandering thieves are captured and held, and the egotistical pride of the mind is subdued.
Visions of corruption, vice and evil-mindedness run away. Such is the spiritual wisdom of God. ||2||
Please bless me with the rice of truth and self-restraint, the wheat of compassion, and the leaf-plate of meditation.
Bless me with the milk of good karma, and the clarified butter, the ghee, of compassion. Such are the gifts I beg of You, Lord. ||3||
Let forgiveness and patience be my milk-cows, and let the calf of my mind intuitively drink in this milk.
I beg for the clothes of modesty and the Lord's Praise; Nanak chants the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||7||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
No one can hold anyone back from coming; how could anyone hold anyone back from going?
He alone thoroughly understands this, from whom all beings come; all are merged and immersed in Him. ||1||
Waaho! - You are Great, and Wondrous is Your Will.
Whatever You do, surely comes to pass. Nothing else can happen. ||1||Pause||
The buckets on the chain of the Persian wheel rotate; one empties out to fill another.
This is just like the Play of our Lord and Master; such is His Glorious Greatness. ||2||
Following the path of intuitive awareness, one turns away from the world, and one's vision is enlightened.
Contemplate this in your mind, and see, O spiritual teacher. Who is the householder, and who is the renunciate? ||3||
Hope comes from the Lord; surrendering to Him, we remain in the state of nirvaanaa.
We come from Him; surrendering to Him, O Nanak, one is approved as a householder, and a renunciate. ||4||8||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to that one who binds in bondage his evil and corrupted gaze.
One who does not know the difference between vice and virtue wanders around uselessly. ||1||
Speak the True Name of the Creator Lord.
Then, you shall never again have to come into this world. ||1||Pause||
The Creator transforms the high into the low, and makes the lowly into kings.
Those who know the All-knowing Lord are approved and certified as perfect in this world. ||2||
If anyone is mistaken and fooled, you should go to instruct him.

The Creator Himself plays all the games; only a few understand this. ||3||
Meditate on the Name, and the Word of the Shabad, in the early hours before dawn; leave your worldly entanglements behind.
Prays Nanak, the slave of God's slaves: the world loses, and he wins. ||4||9||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
The mind is Maya, the mind is a chaser; the mind is a bird flying across the sky.
The thieves are overpowered by the Shabad, and then the body-village prospers and celebrates.
Lord, when You save someone, he is saved; his capital is safe and sound. ||1||
Such is my Treasure, the Jewel of the Naam;
please bless me with the Guru's Teachings, so that I may fall at Your Feet. ||1||Pause||
The mind is a Yogi, the mind is a pleasure-seeker; the mind is foolish and ignorant.
The mind is the giver, the mind is the beggar; the mind is the Great Guru, the Creator.
The five thieves are conquered, and peace is attained; such is the contemplative wisdom of God. ||2||
The One Lord is said to be in each and every heart, but no one can see Him.
The false are cast upside-down into the womb of reincarnation; without the Name, they lose their honor.
Those whom You unite, remain united, if it is Your Will. ||3||
God does not ask about social class or birth; you must find your true home.
That is your social class and that is your status - the karma of what you have done.
The pains of death and rebirth are eradicated; O Nanak, salvation is in the Lord's Name. ||4||10||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
He is awake, and even happy, but he is being plundered - he is blind!
The noose is around his neck, and yet, his head is busy with worldly affairs.
In hope, he comes and in desire, he leaves.
The strings of his life are all tangled up; he is utterly helpless. ||1||
The Lord of Awareness, the Lord of Life is awake and aware.
He is the Ocean of peace, the Treasure of Ambrosial Nectar. ||1||Pause||
He does not understand what he is told; he is blind - he does not see, and so he does his evil deeds.
The Transcendent Lord Himself showers His Love and Affection; by His Grace, He bestows glorious greatness. ||2||
With the coming of each and every day, his life is wearing away, bit by bit; but still, his heart is attached to Maya.
Without the Guru, he is drowned, and finds no place of rest, as long as he is caught in duality. ||3||
Day and night, God watches over and takes care of His living beings; they receive pleasure and pain according to their past actions.
Nanak, the unfortunate one, begs for the charity of Truth; please bless him with this glory. ||4||11||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
If I remain silent, the world calls me a fool.
If I talk too much, I miss out on Your Love.
My mistakes and faults will be judged in Your Court.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, how can I maintain good conduct? ||1||
Such is the falsehood which is plundering the world.
The slanderer slanders me, but even so, I love him. ||1||Pause||
He alone knows the way, who has been slandered.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is stamped with the Lord's Insignia in His Court.
He realizes the Naam, the Cause of causes, deep within himself.
He alone knows the way, who is blessed by the Lord's Glance of Grace. ||2||
I am filthy and polluted; the True Lord is Immaculate and Sublime.
Calling oneself sublime, one does not become exalted.
The self-willed manmukh openly eats the great poison.
But one who becomes Gurmukh is absorbed in the Name. ||3||
I am blind, deaf, foolish and ignorant,

the lowest of the low, the worst of the worst.
I am poor, but I have the Wealth of Your Name, O my Beloved.
This is the most excellent wealth; all else is poison and ashes. ||4||
I pay no attention to slander and praise; I contemplate the Word of the Shabad.
I celebrate the One who blesses me with His Bounty.
Whomever You forgive, O Lord, is blessed with status and honor.
Says Nanak, I speak as He causes me to speak. ||5||12||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Eating too much, one's filth only increases; wearing fancy clothes, one's home is disgraced.
Talking too much, one only starts arguments. Without the Name, everything is poison - know this well. ||1||
O Baba, such is the treacherous trap which has caught my mind;
riding out the waves of the storm, it will be enlightened by intuitive wisdom. ||1||Pause||
They eat poison, speak poison and do poisonous deeds.
Bound and gagged at Death's door, they are punished; they can be saved only through the True Name. ||2||
As they come, they go. Their actions are recorded, and go along with them.
The self-willed manmukh loses his capital, and is punished in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
The world is false and polluted; only the True One is Pure. Contemplate Him through the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Those who have God's spiritual wisdom within, are known to be very rare. ||4||
They endure the unendurable, and the Nectar of the Lord, the Embodiment of Bliss, trickles into them continuously.
O Nanak, the fish is in love with the water; if it pleases You, Lord, please enshrine such love within me. ||5||13||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Songs, sounds, pleasures and clever tricks;
joy, love and the power to command;
fine clothes and food - these have no place in one's consciousness.
True intuitive peace and poise rest in the Naam. ||1||
What do I know about what God does?
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, nothing makes my body feel good. ||1||Pause||
Yoga, thrills, delicious flavors and ecstasy;
wisdom, truth and love all come from devotion to the Lord of the Universe.
My own occupation is to work to praise the Lord.
Deep within, I dwell on the Lord of the sun and the moon. ||2||
I have lovingly enshrined the love of my Beloved within my heart.
My Husband Lord, the Lord of the World, is the Master of the meek and the poor.
Night and day, the Naam is my giving in charity and fasting.
The waves have subsided, contemplating the essence of reality. ||3||
What power do I have to speak the Unspoken?
I worship You with devotion; You inspire me to do so.
You dwell deep within; my egotism is dispelled.
So whom should I serve? There is no other than You. ||4||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is utterly sweet and sublime.
Such is the Ambrosial Nectar I see deep within.
Those who taste this, attain the state of perfection.
O Nanak, they are satisfied, and their bodies are at peace. ||5||14||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Deep within, I see the Shabad, the Word of God; my mind is pleased and appeased. Nothing else can touch and imbue me.
Day and night, God watches over and cares for His beings and creatures; He is the Ruler of all. ||1||
My God is dyed in the most beautiful and glorious color.
Merciful to the meek and the poor, my Beloved is the Enticer of the mind; He is so very sweet, imbued with the deep crimson color of His Love. ||1||Pause||
The Well is high up in the Tenth Gate; the Ambrosial Nectar flows, and I drink it in.
The creation is His; He alone knows its ways and means. The Gurmukh contemplates spiritual wisdom. ||2||

The rays of light spread out, and the heart-lotus joyfully blossoms forth; the sun enters into the house of the moon.
I have conquered death; the desires of the mind are destroyed. By Guru's Grace, I have found God. ||3||
I am dyed in the deep crimson color of His Love. I am not colored by any other color.
O Nanak, my tongue is saturated with the taste of God, who is permeating and pervading everywhere. ||4||15||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
The Yogis are divided into twelve schools, the Sannyaasees into ten.
The Yogis and those wearing religious robes, and the Jains with their all hair plucked out - without the Word of the Shabad, the noose is around their necks. ||1||
Those who are imbued with the Shabad are the perfectly detached renunciates.
They beg to receive charity in the hands of their hearts, embracing love and affection for the One. ||1||Pause||
The Brahmins study and argue about the scriptures; they perform ceremonial rituals, and lead others in these rituals.
Without true understanding, those self-willed manmukhs understand nothing. Separated from God, they suffer in pain. ||2||
Those who receive the Shabad are sanctified and pure; they are approved in the True Court.
Night and day, they remain lovingly attuned to the Naam; throughout the ages, they are merged in the True One. ||3||
Good deeds, righteousness and Dharmic faith, purification, austere self-discipline, chanting, intense meditation and pilgrimages to sacred shrines - all these abide in the Shabad.
O Nanak, united in union with the True Guru, suffering, sin and death run away. ||4||16||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
The dust of the feet of the Saints, the Company of the Holy, and the Praises of the Lord carry us across to the other side.
What can the wretched, terrified Messenger of Death do to the Gurmukhs? The Lord abides in their hearts. ||1||
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, life might just as well be burnt down.
The Gurmukh chants and meditates on the Lord, chanting the chant on the mala; the Flavor of the Lord comes into the mind. ||1||Pause||
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings find true peace - how can I even describe the glory of such a person?
The Gurmukh seeks and finds the gems and jewels, diamonds, rubies and treasures. ||2||
So center yourself on the treasures of spiritual wisdom and meditation; remain lovingly attuned to the One True Lord, and the Word of His Shabad.
Remain absorbed in the Primal State of the Fearless, Immaculate, Independent, Self-sufficient Lord. ||3||
The seven seas are overflowing with the Immaculate Water; the inverted boat floats across.
The mind which wandered in external distractions is restrained and held in check; the Gurmukh is intuitively absorbed in God. ||4||
He is a householder, he is a renunciate and God's slave, who, as Gurmukh, realizes his own self.
Says Nanak, his mind is pleased and appeased by the True Word of the Shabad; there is no other at all. ||5||17||
Raag Prabhaatee, Third Mehl, Chau-Padas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Those who become Gurmukh and understand are very rare; God is permeating and pervading through the Word of His Shabad.
Those who are imbued with the Naam, the Name of the Lord, find everlasting peace; they remain lovingly attuned to the True One. ||1||

Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O Siblings of Destiny.
By Guru's Grace, the mind becomes steady and stable; night and day, it remains satisfied with the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Night and day, perform devotional worship service to the Lord, day and night; this is the profit to be obtained in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, O Siblings of Destiny.
The humble beings are forever immaculate; no filth ever sticks to them. They focus their consciousness on the True Name. ||2||
The True Guru has revealed the ornamentation of peace; the Glorious Greatness of the Naam is Great!
The Inexhaustible Treasures are overflowing; they are never exhausted. So serve the Lord forever, O Siblings of Destiny. ||3||
The Creator comes to abide in the minds of those whom He Himself has blessed.
O Nanak, meditate forever on the Naam, which the True Guru has revealed. ||4||1||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
I am unworthy; please forgive me and bless me, O my Lord and Master, and unite me with Yourself.
You are Endless; no one can find Your limits. Through the Word of Your Shabad, You bestow understanding. ||1||
O Dear Lord, I am a sacrifice to You.
I dedicate my mind and body and place them in offering before You; I shall remain in Your Sanctuary forever. ||1||Pause||
Please keep me forever under Your Will, O my Lord and Master; please bless me with the Glorious Greatness of Your Name.
Through the Perfect Guru, God's Will is revealed; night and day, remain absorbed in peace and poise. ||2||
Those devotees who accept Your Will are pleasing to You, Lord; You Yourself forgive them, and unite them with Yourself.
Accepting Your Will, I have found everlasting peace; the Guru has extinguished the fire of desire. ||3||
Whatever You do comes to pass, O Creator; nothing else can be done.
O Nanak, nothing is as great as the Blessing of the Name; it is obtained through the Perfect Guru. ||4||2||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
The Gurmukhs praise the Lord; praising the Lord, they know Him.
Doubt and duality are gone from within; they realize the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||
O Dear Lord, You are my One and Only.
I meditate on You and praise You; salvation and wisdom come from You. ||1||Pause||
The Gurmukhs praise You; they receive the most excellent and sweet Ambrosial Nectar.
This Nectar is forever sweet; it never loses its taste. Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||2||
He makes it seem so sweet to me; I am a sacrifice to Him.
Through the Shabad, I praise the Giver of peace forever. I have eradicated self-conceit from within. ||3||
My True Guru is forever the Giver. I receive whatever fruits and rewards I desire.
O Nanak, through the Naam, glorious greatness is obtained; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the True One is found. ||4||3||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
Those who enter Your Sanctuary, Dear Lord, are saved by Your Protective Power.
I cannot even conceive of any other as Great as You. There never was, and there never shall be. ||1||
O Dear Lord, I shall remain in Your Sanctuary forever.
As it pleases You, You save me, O my Lord and Master; this is Your Glorious Greatness. ||1||Pause||
O Dear Lord, You cherish and sustain those who seek Your Sanctuary.

O Dear Lord, the Messenger of Death cannot even touch those whom You, in Your Mercy, protect. ||2||
True Is Your Sanctuary, O Dear Lord; it never diminishes or goes away.
Those who abandon the Lord, and become attached to the love of duality, shall continue to die and be reborn. ||3||
Those who seek Your Sanctuary, Dear Lord, shall never suffer in pain or hunger for anything.
O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord forever, and merge in the True Word of the Shabad. ||4||4||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
As Gurmukh, meditate on the Dear Lord forever, as long as there is the breath of life.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the mind becomes immaculate, and egotistical pride is expelled from the mind.
Fruitful and prosperous is the life of that mortal being, who is absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||1||
O my mind, listen to the Teachings of the Guru.
The Name of the Lord is the Giver of peace forever. With intuitive ease, drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
Those who understand their own origin dwell within the home of their inner being, in intuitive peace and poise.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the heart-lotus blossoms forth, and egotism and evil-mindedness are eradicated.
The One True Lord is pervading amongst all; those who realize this are very rare. ||2||
Through the Guru's Teachings, the mind becomes immaculate, speaking the Ambrosial Essence.
The Name of the Lord dwells in the mind forever; within the mind, the mind is pleased and appeased.
I am forever a sacrifice to my Guru, through whom I have realized the Lord, the Supreme Soul. ||3||
Those human beings who do not serve the True Guru - their lives are uselessly wasted.
When God bestows His Glance of Grace, then we meet the True Guru, merging in intuitive peace and poise.
O Nanak, by great good fortune, the Naam is bestowed; by perfect destiny, meditate. ||4||5||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
God Himself fashioned the many forms and colors; He created the Universe and staged the play.
Creating the creation, He watches over it. He acts, and causes all to act; He gives sustenance to all beings. ||1||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord is All-pervading.
The One God is pervading and permeating each and every heart; the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is revealed to the Gurmukh. ||1||Pause||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is hidden, but it is pervasive in the Dark Age. The Lord is totally pervading and permeating each and every heart.
The Jewel of the Naam is revealed within the hearts of those who hurry to the Sanctuary of the Guru. ||2||
Whoever overpowers the five sense organs, is blessed with forgiveness, patience and contentment, through the Guru's Teachings.
Blessed, blessed, perfect and great is that humble servant of the Lord, who is inspired by the Fear of God and detached love, to sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||
If someone turns his face away from the Guru, and does not enshrine the Guru's Words in his consciousness
- he may perform all sorts of rituals and accumulate wealth, but in the end, he will fall into hell. ||4||
The One Shabad, the Word of the One God, is prevailing everywhere. All the creation came from the One Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh is united in union. When the Gurmukh goes, he blends into the Lord, Har, Har. ||5||6||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
O my mind, praise your Guru.

Perfect destiny is inscribed upon your forehead and face; sing the Praises of the Lord forever. ||1||Pause||
The Lord bestows the Ambrosial Food of the Naam.
Out of millions, only a rare few receive it
- only those who are blessed by God's Glance of Grace. ||1||
Whoever enshrines the Guru's Feet within his mind,
is rid of pain and darkness from within.
The True Lord unites him with Himself. ||2||
So embrace love for the Word of the Guru's Bani.
Here and hereafter, this is your only Support.
The Creator Lord Himself bestows it. ||3||
One whom the Lord inspires to accept His Will,
is a wise and knowing devotee.
Nanak is forever a sacrifice to him. ||4||7||17||7||24||
Prabhaatee, Fourth Mehl, Bibhaas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Through the Guru's Teachings, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord with joyous love and delight; I am enraptured, lovingly attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I drink in the Ambrosial Essence; I am a sacrifice to the Naam. ||1||
The Lord, the Life of the World, is my Breath of Life.
The Lofty and Exalted Lord became pleasing to my heart and my inner being, when the Guru breathed the Mantra of the Lord into my ears. ||1||Pause||
Come, O Saints: let us join together, O Siblings of Destiny; let us meet and chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
How am I to find my God? Please bless me with the Gift of the Lord's Teachings. ||2||
The Lord, Har, Har, abides in the Society of the Saints; joining this Sangat, the Lord's Glories are known.
By great good fortune, the Society of the Saints is found. Through the Guru, the True Guru, I receive the Touch of the Lord God. ||3||
I sing the Glorious Praises of God, my Inaccessible Lord and Master; singing His Praises, I am enraptured.
The Guru has showered His Mercy on servant Nanak; in an instant, He blessed him with the Gift of the Lord's Name. ||4||1||
Prabhaatee, Fourth Mehl:
With the rising of the sun, the Gurmukh speaks of the Lord. All through the night, he dwells upon the Sermon of the Lord.
My God has infused this longing within me; I seek my Lord God. ||1||
My mind is the dust of the feet of the Holy.
The Guru has implanted the Sweet Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within me. I dust the Guru's Feet with my hair. ||1||Pause||
Dark are the days and nights of the faithless cynics; they are caught in the trap of attachment to Maya.
The Lord God does not dwell in their hearts, even for an instant; every hair of their heads is totally tied up in debts. ||2||
Joining the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, wisdom and understanding are obtained, and one is released from the traps of egotism and possessiveness.
The Lord's Name, and the Lord, seem sweet to me. Through the Word of His Shabad, the Guru has made me happy. ||3||
I am just a child; the Guru is the Unfathomable Lord of the World. In His Mercy, He cherishes and sustains me.
I am drowning in the ocean of poison; O God, Guru, Lord of the World, please save Your child, Nanak. ||4||2||
Prabhaatee, Fourth Mehl:
The Lord God showered me with His Mercy for an instant; I sing His Glorious Praises with joyous love and delight.

Both the singer and the listener are liberated, when, as Gurmukh, they drink in the Lord's Name, even for an instant. ||1||
The Sublime Essence of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is enshrined within my mind.
As Gurmukh, I have obtained the cooling, soothing Water of the Naam. I eagerly drink in the sublime essence of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
Those whose hearts are imbued with the Love of the Lord have the mark of radiant purity upon their foreheads.
The Glory of the Lord's humble servant is manifest throughout the world, like the moon among the stars. ||2||
Those whose hearts are not filled with the Lord's Name - all their affairs are worthless and insipid.
They may adorn and decorate their bodies, but without the Naam, they look like their noses have been cut off. ||3||
The Sovereign Lord permeates each and every heart; the One Lord is all-pervading everywhere.
The Lord has showered His Mercy upon servant Nanak; through the Word of the Guru's Teachings, I have meditated on the Lord in an instant. ||4||3||
Prabhaatee, Fourth Mehl:
God, the Inaccessible and Merciful, has showered me with His Mercy; I chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, with my mouth.
I meditate on the Name of the Lord, the Purifier of sinners; I am rid of all my sins and mistakes. ||1||
O mind, chant the Name of the All-pervading Lord.
I sing the Praises of the Lord, Merciful to the meek, Destroyer of pain. Following the Guru's Teachings, I gather in the Wealth of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The Lord abides in the body-village; through the Wisdom of the Guru's Teachings, the Lord, Har, Har, is revealed.
In the lake of the body, the Lord's Name has been revealed. Within my own home and mansion, I have obtained the Lord God. ||2||
Those beings who wander in the wilderness of doubt - those faithless cynics are foolish, and are plundered.
They are like the deer: the scent of musk comes from its own navel, but it wanders and roams around, searching for it in the bushes. ||3||
You are Great and Unfathomable; Your Wisdom, God, is Profound and Incomprehensible. Please bless me with that wisdom, by which I might attain You, O Lord God.
The Guru has placed His Hand upon servant Nanak; he chants the Name of the Lord. ||4||4||
Prabhaatee, Fourth Mehl:
My mind is in love with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; I meditate on the Great Lord God.
The Word of the True Guru has become pleasing to my heart. The Lord God has showered me with His Grace. ||1||
O my mind, vibrate and meditate on the Lord's Name every instant.
The Perfect Guru has blessed me with the gift of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. The Lord's Name abides in my mind and body. ||1||Pause||
The Lord abides in the body-village, in my home and mansion. As Gurmukh, I meditate on His Glory.
Here and hereafter, the Lord's humble servants are embellished and exalted; their faces are radiant; as Gurmukh, they are carried across. ||2||
I am lovingly attuned to the Fearless Lord, Har, Har, Har; through the Guru, I have enshrined the Lord within my heart in an instant.
Millions upon millions of the faults and mistakes of the Lord's humble servant are all taken away in an instant. ||3||
Your humble servants are known only through You, God; knowing You, they becomes supreme.
The Lord, Har, Har, has enshrined Himself within His humble servant. O Nanak, the Lord God and His servant are one and the same. ||4||5||

Prabhaatee, Fourth Mehl:
The Guru, the True Guru, has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord within me. I was dead, but chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, I have been brought back to life.
Blessed, blessed is the Guru, the Guru, the Perfect True Guru; He reached out to me with His Arm, and pulled me up and out of the ocean of poison. ||1||
O mind, meditate and worship the Lord's Name.
God is never found, even by making all sorts of new efforts. The Lord God is obtained only through the Perfect Guru. ||1||Pause||
The Sublime Essence of the Lord's Name is the source of nectar and bliss; drinking in this Sublime Essence, following the Guru's Teachings, I have become happy.
Even iron slag is transformed into gold, joining the Lord's Congregation. Through the Guru, the Lord's Light is enshrined within the heart. ||2||
Those who are continually lured by greed, egotism and corruption, who are lured away by emotional attachment to their children and spouse
- they never serve at the feet of the Saints; those self-willed manmukhs are filled with ashes. ||3||
O God, You alone know Your Glorious Virtues; I have grown weary - I seek Your Sanctuary.
As You know best, You preserve and protect me, O my Lord and Master; servant Nanak is Your slave. ||4||6||
First Set Of Six||
Prabhaatee, Bibhaas, Partaal, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O mind, meditate on the Treasure of the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
You shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.
Those who chant and meditate shall be carried across to the other shore. ||1||Pause||
Listen, O mind: meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Listen, O mind: the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises is equal to bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Listen, O mind: as Gurmukh, you shall be blessed with honor. ||1||
O mind, chant and meditate on the Supreme Transcendent Lord God.
Millions of sins shall be destroyed in an instant.
O Nanak, you shall meet with the Lord God. ||2||1||7||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl, Bibhaas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The Lord created the mind, and fashioned the entire body.
From the five elements, He formed it, and infused His Light within it.
He made the earth its bed, and water for it to use.
Do not forget Him for an instant; serve the Lord of the World. ||1||
O mind, serve the True Guru, and obtain the supreme status.
If you remain unattached and unaffected by sorrow and joy, then you shall find the Lord of Life. ||1||Pause||
He makes all the various pleasures, clothes and foods for you to enjoy.
He made your mother, father and all relatives.
He provides sustenance to all, in the water and on the land, O friend.
So serve the Lord, forever and ever. ||2||
He shall be your Helper and Support there, where no one else can help you.
He washes away millions of sins in an instant.
He bestows His Gifts, and never regrets them.
He forgives, once and for all, and never asks for one's account again. ||3||

By pre-ordained destiny, I have searched and found God.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, the Lord of the World abides.
Meeting with the Guru, I have come to Your Door.
O Lord, please bless servant Nanak with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||4||1||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
Serving God, His humble servant is glorified.
Unfulfilled sexual desire, unresolved anger and unsatisfied greed are eradicated.
Your Name is the treasure of Your humble servant.
Singing His Praises, I am in love with the Blessed Vision of God's Darshan. ||1||
You are known, O God, by Your devotees.
Breaking their bonds, You emancipate them. ||1||Pause||
Those humble beings who are imbued with God's Love
find peace in God's Congregation.
They alone understand this, to whom this subtle essence comes.
Beholding it, and gazing upon it, in their minds they are wonderstruck. ||2||
They are at peace, the most exalted of all,
within whose hearts God dwells.
They are stable and unchanging; they do not come and go in reincarnation.
Night and day, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord God. ||3||
All bow down in humble respect to those
whose minds are filled with the Formless Lord.
Show mercy unto me, O my Divine Lord and Master.
May Nanak be saved, by serving these humble beings. ||4||2||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
Singing His Glorious Praises, the mind is in ecstasy.
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate in remembrance on God.
Remembering Him in meditation, the sins go away.
I fall at the Feet of that Guru. ||1||
O beloved Saints, please bless me with wisdom;
let me meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and be emancipated. ||1||Pause||
The Guru has shown me the straight path;
I have abandoned everything else. I am enraptured with the Name of the Lord.
I am forever a sacrifice to that Guru;
I meditate in remembrance on the Lord, through the Guru. ||2||
The Guru carries those mortal beings across, and saves them from drowning.
By His Grace, they are not enticed by Maya;
in this world and the next, they are embellished and exalted by the Guru.
I am forever a sacrifice to that Guru. ||3||
From the most ignorant, I have been made spiritually wise,
through the Unspoken Speech of the Perfect Guru.
The Divine Guru, O Nanak, is the Supreme Lord God.
By great good fortune, I serve the Lord. ||4||3||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
Eradicating all my pains, He has blessed me with peace, and inspired me to chant His Name.
In His Mercy, He has enjoined me to His service, and has purged me of all my sins. ||1||
I am only a child; I seek the Sanctuary of God the Merciful.
Erasing my demerits and faults, God has made me His Own. My Guru, the Lord of the World, protects me. ||1||Pause||
My sicknesses and sins were erased in an instant, when the Lord of the World became merciful.
With each and very breath, I worship and adore the Supreme Lord God; I am a sacrifice to the True Guru. ||2||
My Lord and Master is Inaccessible, Unfathomable and Infinite. His limits cannot be found.
We earn the profit, and become wealthy, meditating on our God. ||3||

Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate on the Supreme Lord God; I sing His Glorious Praises forever and ever.
Says Nanak, my desires have been fulfilled; I have found my Guru, the Supreme Lord God. ||4||4||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in rememberance on the Naam, all my sins have been erased.
The Guru has blessed me with the Capital of the True Name.
God's servants are embellished and exalted in His Court;
serving Him, they look beauteous forever. ||1||
Chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O my Siblings of Destiny.
All sickness and sin shall be erased; your mind shall be rid of the darkness of ignorance. ||1||Pause||
The Guru has saved me from death and rebirth, O friend;
I am in love with the Name of the Lord.
The suffering of millions of incarnations is gone;
whatever pleases Him is good. ||2||
I am forever a sacrifice to the Guru;
by His Grace, I meditate on the Lord's Name.
By great good fortune, such a Guru is found;
meeting Him, one is lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||3||
Please be merciful, O Supreme Lord God, O Lord and Master,
Inner-knower, Searcher of Hearts.
Twenty-four hours a day, I am lovingly attuned to You.
Servant Nanak has come to the Sanctuary of God. ||4||5||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
In His Mercy, God has made me His Own.
He has blessed me with the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Twenty-four hours a day, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe.
Fear is dispelled, and all anxiety has been alleviated. ||1||
I have been saved, touching the Feet of the True Guru.
Whatever the Guru says is good and sweet to me. I have renounced the intellectual wisdom of my mind. ||1||Pause||
That Lord God abides within my mind and body.
There are no conflicts, pains or obstacles.
Forever and ever, God is with my soul.
Filth and pollution are washed away by the Love of the Name. ||2||
I am in love with the Lotus Feet of the Lord;
I am no longer consumed by sexual desire, anger and egotism.
Now, I know the way to meet God.
Through loving devotional worship, my mind is pleased and appeased with the Lord. ||3||
Listen, O friends, Saints, my exalted companions.
The Jewel of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is unfathomable and immeasurable.
Forever and ever, sing the Glories of God, the Treasure of Virtue.
Says Nanak, by great good fortune, He is found. ||4||6||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
They are wealthy, and they are the true merchants,
who have the credit of the Naam in the Court of the Lord. ||1||
So chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in your mind, my friends.
The Perfect Guru is found by great good fortune, and then one's lifestyle becomes perfect and immaculate. ||1||Pause||
They earn the profit, and the congratulations pour in;
by the Grace of the Saints, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Their lives are fruitful and prosperous, and their birth is approved;
by Guru's Grace, they enjoy the Love of the Lord. ||3||
Sexuality, anger and egotism are wiped away;
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, they are carried across to the other shore. ||4||7||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
The Guru is Perfect, and Perfect is His Power.

The Word of the Guru's Shabad is unchanging, forever and ever.
All pains and afflictions run away from those, whose minds are filled with the Word of the Guru's Bani. ||1||
Imbued with the Lord's Love, they sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
They are liberated, bathing in the dust of the feet of the Holy. ||1||Pause||
By Guru's Grace, they are carried across to the other shore;
they are rid of fear, doubt and corruption.
The Guru's Feet abide deep within their minds and bodies.
The Holy are fearless; they take to the Sanctuary of the Lord. ||2||
They are blessed with abundant bliss, happiness, pleasure and peace.
Enemies and pains do not even approach them.
The Perfect Guru makes them His Own, and protects them.
Chanting the Lord's Name, they are rid of all their sins. ||3||
The Saints, spiritual companions and Sikhs are exalted and uplifted.
The Perfect Guru leads them to meet God.
The painful noose of death and rebirth is snapped.
Says Nanak, the Guru covers their faults. ||4||8||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
The Perfect True Guru has bestowed the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
I am blessed with bliss and happiness, emancipation and eternal peace. All my affairs have been resolved. ||1||Pause||
The Lotus Feet of the Guru abide within my mind.
I am rid of pain, suffering, doubt and fraud. ||1||
Rise early, and sing the Glorious Word of God's Bani.
Twenty-four hours a day, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, O mortal. ||2||
Inwardly and outwardly, God is everywhere.
Wherever I go, He is always with me, my Helper and Support. ||3||
With my palms pressed together, I offer this prayer.
O Nanak, I meditate forever on the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue. ||4||9||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
The Supreme Lord God is All-wise and All-knowing.
The Perfect Guru is found by great good fortune. I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||Pause||
My sins are cut away, through the Word of the Shabad, and I have found contentment.
I have become worthy of worshipping the Naam in adoration.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I have been enlightened.
The Lord's Lotus Feet abide within my mind. ||1||
The One who made us, protects and preserves us.
God is Perfect, the Master of the masterless.
Those, upon whom He showers His Mercy
- they have perfect karma and conduct. ||2||
They sing the Glories of God, continually, continuously, forever fresh and new.
They do not wander in the 8.4 million incarnations.
Here and hereafter, they worship the Lord's Feet.
Their faces are radiant, and they are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||3||
That person, upon whose forehead the Guru places His Hand
- out of millions, how rare is that slave.
He sees God pervading and permeating the water, the land and the sky.
Nanak is saved by the dust of the feet of such a humble being. ||4||10||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
I am a sacrifice to my Perfect Guru.
By His Grace, I chant and meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause||
Listening to the Ambrosial Word of His Bani, I am exalted and enraptured.
My corrupt and poisonous entanglements are gone. ||1||
I am in love with the True Word of His Shabad.
The Lord God has come into my consciousness. ||2||
Chanting the Naam, I am enlightened.

The Word of the Guru's Shabad has come to dwell within my heart. ||3||
The Guru is All-powerful and Merciful forever.
Chanting and meditating on the Lord, Nanak is exalted and enraptured. ||4||11||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
Chanting Guru, Guru, I have found eternal peace.
God, Merciful to the meek, has become kind and compassionate; He has inspired me to chant His Name. ||1||Pause||
Joining the Society of the Saints, I am illumined and enlightened.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, my hopes have been fulfilled. ||1||
I am blessed with total salvation, and my mind is filled with peace.
I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; O Nanak, the Guru has been gracious to me. ||2||12||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl, Second House, Bibhaas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
There is no other place of rest,
none at all, without the Lord's Name.
There is total success and salvation,
and all affairs are perfectly resolved. ||1||
Constantly chant the Name of the Lord.
Sexuality, anger and egotism are wiped away; let yourself fall in love with the One Lord. ||1||Pause||
Attached to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, pain runs away. In His Sanctuary, He cherishes and sustains us.
Whoever has such pre-ordained destiny meets with the True Guru; the Messenger of Death cannot grab him. ||2||
Night and day, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har; abandon the doubts of your mind.
One who has perfect karma joins the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and meets the Lord. ||3||
The sins of countless lifetimes are erased, and one is protected by the Lord Himself.
He is our Mother, Father, Friend and Sibling; O servant Nanak, meditate on the Lord, Har, Har. ||4||1||13||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl, Bibhaas, Partaal:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, Raam.
Conflict, suffering, greed and emotional attachment shall be dispelled, and the fever of egotism shall be relieved. ||1||Pause||
Renounce your selfishness, and grasp the feet of the Saints; your mind shall be sanctified, and your sins shall be taken away. ||1||
Nanak, the child, does not know anything at all. O God, please protect me; You are my Mother and Father. ||2||1||14||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
I have taken the Shelter and Support of the Lord's Lotus Feet.
You are Lofty and Exalted, Grand and Infinite, O my Lord and Master; You alone are above all. ||1||Pause||
He is the Support of the breath of life, the Destroyer of pain, the Giver of discriminating understanding. ||1||
So bow down in respect to the Savior Lord; worship and adore the One God.
Bathing in the dust of the feet of the Saints, Nanak is blessed with countless comforts. ||2||2||15||

Prabhaatee, Ashtapadees, First Mehl, Bibhaas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The insanity of duality has driven the mind insane.
In false greed, life is wasting away.
Duality clings to the mind; it cannot be restrained.
The True Guru saves us, implanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord within. ||1||
Without subduing the mind, Maya cannot be subdued.
The One who created this, He alone understands. Contemplating the Word of the Shabad, one is carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||1||Pause||
Gathering the wealth of Maya, kings become proud and arrogant.
But this Maya that they love so much shall not go along with them in the end.
There are so many colors and flavors of attachment to Maya.
Except for the Name, no one has any friend or companion. ||2||
According to one's own mind, one sees the minds of others.
According to one's desires, one's condition is determined.
According to one's actions, one is focused and tuned in.
Seeking the advice of the True Guru, one finds the home of peace and poise. ||3||
In music and song, the mind is caught by the love of duality.
Filled with deception deep within, one suffers in terrible pain.
Meeting with the True Guru, one is blessed with clear understanding,
and remains lovingly attuned to the True Name. ||4||
Through the True Word of the Shabad, one practices Truth.
He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, through the True Word of His Bani.
He dwells in the home of his own heart deep within, and obtains the immortal status.
Then, he is blessed with honor in the Court of the True Lord. ||5||
Without serving the Guru, there is no devotional worship,
even though one may make all sorts of efforts.
If one eradicates egotism and selfishness through the Shabad,
the Immaculate Naam comes to abide in the mind. ||6||
In this world, the practice of the Shabad is the most excellent occupation.
Without the Shabad, everything else is the darkness of emotional attachment.
Through the Shabad, the Naam is enshrined within the heart.
Through the Shabad, one obtains clear understanding and the door of salvation. ||7||
There is no other Creator except the All-seeing Lord God.
The True Lord Himself is Infinite and Incomparably Beautiful.
Through the Lord's Name, one obtains the most sublime and exalted state.
O Nanak, how rare are those humble beings, who seek and find the Lord. ||8||1||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Emotional attachment to Maya is spread out all over the world.
Seeing a beautiful woman, the man is overcome with sexual desire.
His love for his children and gold steadily increases.
He sees everything as his own, but he does not own the One Lord. ||1||
I meditate as I chant on such a mala,
that I rise above pleasure and pain; I attain the most wondrous devotional worship of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
O Treasure of Virtue, Your limits cannot be found.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, I am absorbed into You.
You Yourself created the comings and goings of reincarnation.
They alone are devotees, who focus their consciousness on You. ||2||
Spiritual wisdom and meditation on the Lord, the Lord of Nirvaanaa
- without meeting the True Guru, no one knows this.
The Lord's Light fills the sacred pools of all beings.
I am a sacrifice to the Embodiment of Bliss. ||3||
Through the Guru's Teachings, one achieves loving devotional worship.
The Shabad burns away egotism from within.

The wandering mind is restrained and held in its place.
The True Name is enshrined in the mind. ||4||
The exciting and intoxicating worldly plays come to an end,
for those who accept the Guru's Teachings, and become lovingly attuned to the One Lord.
Seeing this, the fire in the water is extinguished.
They alone realize this, who are blessed by great good fortune. ||5||
Serving the True Guru, doubt is dispelled.
Those who are lovingly attuned to the True Lord remain awake and aware night and day.
They know the One Lord, and no other.
Serving the Giver of peace, they become immaculate. ||6||
Selfless service and intuitive awareness come by reflecting upon the Word of the Shabad.
Chanting, intensive meditation and austere self-discipline come by subduing the ego.
One becomes Jivan-mukta - liberated while yet alive, by listening to the Shabad.
Living a truthful way of life, one finds true peace. ||7||
The Giver of peace is the Eradicator of pain.
I cannot conceive of serving any other.
I place my body, mind and wealth in offering before Him.
Says Nanak, I have tasted the supreme, sublime Essence of the Lord. ||8||2||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
You may perform exercises of inner purification, and fire up the furnace of the Kundalini, inhaling and exhaling and holding the breath.
Without the True Guru, you will not understand; deluded by doubt, you shall drown and die.
The spiritually blind are filled with filth and pollution; they may wash, but the filth within shall never depart.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all their actions are useless, like the magician who deceives through illuions. ||1||
The merits of the six religious rituals are obtained through the Immaculate Naam.
You, O Lord, are the Ocean of virtue; I am so unworthy. ||1||Pause||
Running around chasing the entanglements of Maya is an evil-minded act of corruption.
The fool makes a show of his self-conceit; he does not know how to behave.
The self-willed manmukh is enticed by his desires for Maya; his words are useless and empty.
The ritual cleansings of the sinner are fradulent; his rituals and decorations are useless and empty. ||2||
False is the wisdom of the mind; its actions inspire useless disputes.
The false are filled with egotism; they do not obtain the sublime taste of their Lord and Master.
Without the Name, whatever else they do is tasteless and insipid.
Associating with their enemies, they are plundered and ruined. Their speech is poison, and their lives are useless. ||3||
Do not be deluded by doubt; do not invite your own death.
Serve the True Guru, and you shall be at peace forever.
Without the True Guru, no one is liberated.
They come and go in reincarnation; they die, only to be reborn and die again. ||4||
This body wanders, caught in the three dispositions.
It is afflicted by sorrow and suffering.
So serve the One who has no mother or father.
Desire and selfishness shall depart from within. ||5||
Wherever I look, I see Him.
Without meeting the True Guru, no one is liberated.
Enshrine the True One in your heart; this is the most excellent action.
All other hypocritical actions and devotions bring only ruin. ||6||
When one is rid of duality, then he realizes the Word of the Shabad.
Inside and out, he knows the One Lord.
This is the most Excellent Wisdom of the Shabad.
Ashes fall on the heads of those who are in duality. ||7||
To praise the Lord through the Guru's Teachings is the most excellent action.
In the Society of the Saints, contemplate the Glories of God and His spiritual wisdom.
Whoever subdues his mind, knows the state of being dead while yet alive.
O Nanak, by His Grace, the Gracious Lord is realized. ||8||3||

Prabhaatee, First Mehl, Dakhnee:
Ahalyaa was the wife of Gautam the seer. Seeing her, Indra was enticed.
When he received a thousand marks of disgrace on his body, then he felt regret in his mind. ||1||
O Siblings of Destiny, no one knowingly makes mistakes.
He alone is mistaken, whom the Lord Himself makes so. He alone understands, whom the Lord causes to understand. ||1||Pause||
Harichand, the king and ruler of his land, did not appreciate the value of his pre-ordained destiny.
If he had known that it was a mistake, he would not have made such a show of giving in charity, and he would not have been sold in the market. ||2||
The Lord took the form of a dwarf, and asked for some land.
If Bal the king has recognized Him, he would not have been deceived, and sent to the underworld. ||3||
Vyaas taught and warned the king Janmayjaa not to do three things.
But he performed the sacred feast and killed eighteen Brahmins; the record of one's past deeds cannot be erased. ||4||
I do not try to calculate the account; I accept the Hukam of God's Command. I speak with intuitive love and respect.
No matter what happens, I will praise the Lord. It is all Your Glorious Greatness, O Lord. ||5||
The Gurmukh remains detached; filth never attaches itself to him. He remains forever in God's Sanctuary.
The foolish self-willed manmukh does not think of the future; he is overtaken by pain, and then he regrets. ||6||
The Creator who created this creation acts, and causes all to act.
O Lord, egotistical pride does not depart from the soul. Falling into egotistical pride, one is ruined. ||7||
Everyone makes mistakes; only the Creator does not make mistakes.
O Nanak, salvation comes through the True Name. By Guru's Grace, one is released. ||8||4||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
To chant and listen to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is my Support.
Worthless entanglements are ended and gone.
The self-willed manmukh, caught in duality, loses his honor.
Except for the Name, I have no other at all. ||1||
Listen, O blind, foolish, idiotic mind.
Aren't you ashamed of your comings and goings in reincarnation? Without the Guru, you shall drown, over and over again. ||1||Pause||
This mind is ruined by its attachment to Maya.
The Command of the Primal Lord is pre-ordained. Before whom should I cry?
Only a few, as Gurmukh, understand this.
Without the Naam, no one is liberated. ||2||
People wander lost, staggering and stumbling through 8.4 million incarnations.
Without knowing the Guru, they cannot escape the noose of Death.
This mind, from one moment to the next, goes from the heavens to the underworld.
The Gurmukh contemplates the Naam, and is released. ||3||
When God sends His Summons, there is no time to delay.
When one dies in the Word of the Shabad, he lives in peace.
Without the Guru, no one understands.
The Lord Himself acts, and inspires all to act. ||4||
Inner conflict comes to an end, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.
Through the Perfect True Guru, one is intuitively absorbed into the Lord.
This wobbling, unsteady mind is stabilized,
and one lives the lifestyle of true actions. ||5||
If someone is false within his own self, then how can he be pure?
How rare are those who wash with the Shabad.
How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, live the Truth.
Their comings and goings in reincarnation are over and done. ||6||

Those who eat and drink the Fear of God, find the most excellent peace.
Associating with the humble servants of the Lord, they are carried across.
They speak the Truth, and lovingly inspire others to speak it as well.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is the most excellent occupation. ||7||
Those who take the Lord's Praises as their karma and Dharma, their honor and worship service
- their sexual desire and anger are burnt off in the fire.
They taste the sublime essence of the Lord, and their minds are drenched with it.
Prays Nanak, there is no other at all. ||8||5||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Chant the Lord's Name, and worship Him deep within your being.
Contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and no other. ||1||
The One is pervading all places.
I do not see any other; unto whom should I offer worship? ||1||Pause||
I place my mind and body in offering before You; I dedicate my soul to You.
As it pleases You, You save me, Lord; this is my prayer. ||2||
True is that tongue which is delighted by the sublime essence of the Lord.
Following the Guru's Teachings, one is saved in the Sanctuary of God. ||3||
My God created religious rituals.
He placed the glory of the Naam above these rituals. ||4||
The four great blessings are under the control of the True Guru.
When the first three are put aside, one is blessed with the fourth. ||5||
Those whom the True Guru blesses with liberation and meditation
realize the Lord's State, and become sublime. ||6||
Their minds and bodies are cooled and soothed; the Guru imparts this understanding.
Who can estimate the value of those whom God has exalted? ||7||
Says Nanak, the Guru has imparted this understanding;
without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, no one is emancipated. ||8||6||
Prabhaatee, First Mehl:
Some are forgiven by the Primal Lord God; the Perfect Guru makes the true making.
Those who are attuned to the Love of the Lord are imbued with Truth forever; their pains are dispelled, and they obtain honor. ||1||
False are the clever tricks of the evil-minded.
They shall disappear in no time at all. ||1||Pause||
Pain and suffering afflict the self-willed manmukh. The pains of the self-willed manmukh shall never depart.
The Gurmukh recognizes the Giver of pleasure and pain. He merges in His Sanctuary. ||2||
The self-willed manmukhs do not know loving devotional worship; they are insane, rotting away in their egotism.
This mind flies in an instant from the heavens to the underworld, as long as it does not know the Word of the Shabad. ||3||
The world has become hungry and thirsty; without the True Guru, it is not satisfied.
Merging intuitively in the Celestial Lord, peace is obtained, and one goes to the Lord's Court wearing robes of honor. ||4||
The Lord in His Court is Himself the Knower and Seer; the Word of the Guru's Bani is Immaculate.
He Himself is the Awareness of Truth; He Himself understands the state of nirvaanaa. ||5||
He made the waves of water, the fire and the air, and then joined the three together to form the world.
He blessed these elements with such power, that they remain subject to His Command. ||6||
How rare are those humble beings in this world, whom the Lord tests and places in His Treasury.
They rise above social status and color, and rid themselves of possessiveness and greed. ||7||
Attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they are like immaculate sacred shrines; they are rid of the pain and pollution of egotism.
Nanak washes the feet of those who, as Gurmukh, love the True Lord. ||8||7||

Prabhaatee, Third Mehl, Bibhaas:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
By Guru's Grace, see that the Temple of the Lord is within you.
The Temple of the Lord is found through the Word of the Shabad; contemplate the Lord's Name. ||1||
O my mind, be joyfully attuned to the Shabad.
True is devotional worship, and True is the Temple of the Lord; True is His Manifest Glory. ||1||Pause||
This body is the Temple of the Lord, in which the jewel of spiritual wisdom is revealed.
The self-willed manmukhs do not know anything at all; they do not believe that the Lord's Temple is within. ||2||
The Dear Lord created the Temple of the Lord; He adorns it by His Will.
All act according to their pre-ordained destiny; no one can erase it. ||3||
Contemplating the Shabad, peace is obtained, loving the True Name.
The Temple of the Lord is embellished with the Shabad; it is an Infinite Fortress of God. ||4||
This world is the Temple of the Lord; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness.
The blind and foolish self-willed manmukhs worship in the love of duality. ||5||
One's body and social status do not go along to that place, where all are called to account.
Those who are attuned to Truth are saved; those in the love of duality are miserable. ||6||
The treasure of the Naam is within the Temple of the Lord. The idiotic fools do not realize this.
By Guru's Grace, I have realized this. I keep the Lord enshrined within my heart. ||7||
Those who are attuned to the love of the Shabad know the Guru, through the Word of the Guru's Bani.
Sacred, pure and immaculate are those humble beings who are absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||8||
The Temple of the Lord is the Lord's Shop; He embellishes it with the Word of His Shabad.
In that shop is the merchandise of the One Name; the Gurmukhs adorn themselves with it. ||9||
The mind is like iron slag, within the Temple of the Lord; it is lured by the love of duality.
Meeting with the Guru, the Philosopher's Stone, the mind is transformed into gold. Its value cannot be described. ||10||
The Lord abides within the Temple of the Lord. He is pervading in all.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs trade in the merchandise of Truth. ||11||1||
Prabhaatee, Third Mehl:
Those who remain awake and aware in the Love and Fear of God, rid themselves of the filth and pollution of egotism.
They remain awake and aware forever, and protect their homes, by beating and driving out the five thieves. ||1||
O my mind, as Gurmukh, meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
O mind, do only those deeds which will lead you to the Path of the Lord. ||1||Pause||
The celestial melody wells up in the Gurmukh, and the pains of egotism are taken away.
The Name of the Lord abides in the mind, as one intuitively sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||2||
Those who follow the Guru's Teachings - their faces are radiant and beautiful. They keep the Lord enshrined in their hearts.
Here and hereafter, they find absolute peace; chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, they are carried across to the other shore. ||3||

In egotism, one cannot remain awake and aware, and one's devotional worship of the Lord is not accepted.
The self-willed manmukhs find no place in the Court of the Lord; they do their deeds in the love of duality. ||4||
Cursed is the food, and cursed are the clothes, of those who are attached to the love of duality.
They are like maggots in manure, sinking into manure. In death and rebirth, they are wasted away to ruin. ||5||
I am a sacrifice to those who meet with the True Guru.
I shall continue to associate with them; devoted to Truth, I am absorbed in Truth. ||6||
By perfect destiny, the Guru is found. He cannot be found by any efforts.
Through the True Guru, intuitive wisdom wells up; through the Word of the Shabad, egotism is burnt away. ||7||
O my mind, hurry to the Sanctuary of the Lord; He is Potent to do everything.
O Nanak, never forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Whatever He does, comes to pass. ||8||2||7||2||9||
Bibhaas, Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl, Ashtapadees:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Mother, father, siblings, children and spouse
- involved with them, people eat the food of bliss.
The mind is entangled in sweet emotional attachment.
Those who seek God's Glorious Virtues are the support of my breath of life. ||1||
My One Lord is the Inner-Knower, the Searcher of hearts.
He alone is my Support; He is my only Protection. My Great Lord and Master is over and above the heads of kings. ||1||Pause||
I have broken my ties to that deceitful serpent.
The Guru has told me that it is false and fraudulent.
Its face is sweet, but it tastes very bitter.
My mind remains satisfied with the Ambrosial Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||2||
I have broken my ties with greed and emotional attachment.
The Merciful Guru has rescued me from them.
These cheating thieves have plundered so many homes.
The Merciful Guru has protected and saved me. ||3||
I have no dealings whatsoever with sexual desire and anger.
I listen to the Guru's Teachings.
Wherever I look, I see the most horrible goblins.
My Guru, the Lord of the World, has saved me from them. ||4||
I have made widows of the ten sensory organs.
The Guru has told me that these pleasures are the fires of corruption.
Those who associate with them go to hell.
The Guru has saved me; I am lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||5||
I have forsaken the advice of my ego.
The Guru has told me that this is foolish stubbornness.
This ego is homeless; it shall never find a home.
The Guru has saved me; I am lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||6||
I have become alienated from these people.
We cannot both live together in one home.
Grasping the hem of the Guru's Robe, I have come to God.
Please be fair with me, All-knowing Lord God. ||7||
God smiled at me and spoke, passing judgement.
He made all the demons perform service for me.
You are my Lord and Master; all this home belongs to You.
Says Nanak, the Guru has passed judgement. ||8||1||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:

Within the mind dwell anger and massive ego.
Worship services are performed with great pomp and ceremony.
Ritual cleansing baths are taken, and sacred marks are applied to the body.
But still, the filth and pollution within never depart. ||1||
No one has ever found God in this way.
The sacred mudras - ritualistic hand gestures - are made, but the mind remains enticed by Maya. ||1||Pause||
They commit sins, under the influence of the five thieves.
They bathe at sacred shrines, and claim that everything has been washed off.
Then they commit them again, without fear of the consequences.
The sinners are bound and gagged, and taken to the City of Death. ||2||
The ankle-bells shake and the cymbals vibrate,
but those who have deception within wander lost like demons.
By destroying its hole, the snake is not killed.
God, who created you, knows everything. ||3||
You worship fire and wear saffron colored robes.
Stung by your misfortune, you abandon your home.
Leaving your own country, you wander in foreign lands.
But you bring the five rejects with you. ||4||
You have split your ears, and now you steal crumbs.
You beg from door to door, but you fail to be satisfied.
You have abandoned your own wife, but now you sneak glances at other women.
God is not found by wearing religious robes; you are utterly miserable! ||5||
He does not speak; he is on silence.
But he is filled with desire; he is made to wander in reincarnation.
Abstaining from food, his body suffers in pain.
He does not realize the Hukam of the Lord's Command; he is afflicted by possessiveness. ||6||
Without the True Guru, no one has attained the supreme status.
Go ahead and ask all the Vedas and the Simritees.
The self-willed manmukhs do useless deeds.
They are like a house of sand, which cannot stand. ||7||
One unto whom the Lord of the Universe becomes Merciful,
sews the Word of the Guru's Shabad into his robes.
Out of millions, it is rare that such a Saint is seen.
O Nanak, with him, we are carried across. ||8||
If one has such good destiny, then the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is obtained.
He saves himself, and carries across all his family as well. ||1||SECOND PAUSE||2||
Prabhaatee, Fifth Mehl:
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, all the sins are erased.
The accounts held by the Righteous Judge of Dharma are torn up.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
I have found the Sublime Essence of the Lord. The Supreme Lord God has melted into my heart. ||1||
Dwelling on the Lord, Har, Har, I have found peace.
Your slaves seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet. ||1||Pause||
The cycle of reincarnation is ended, and darkness is dispelled.
The Guru has revealed the door of liberation.
My mind and body are forever imbued with loving devotion to the Lord.
Now I know God, because He has made me know Him. ||2||
He is contained in each and every heart.
Without Him, there is no one at all.
Hatred, conflict, fear and doubt have been eliminated.
God, the Soul of Pure Goodness, has manifested His Righteousness. ||3||
He has rescued me from the most dangerous waves.
Separated from Him for countless lifetimes, I am united with Him once again.
Chanting, intense meditation and strict self-discipline are the contemplation of the Naam.
My Lord and Master has blessed me with His Glance of Grace. ||4||
Bliss, peace and salvation are found in that place,

where the servants of the Lord of the World abide.
God, the Lord of the World, is pleased and satisfied with me.
My disharmony with Him of so many lifetimes is ended. ||5||
Burnt offerings, sacred feasts, intense meditations with the body upside-down, worship services
and taking millions of cleansing baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage
- the merits of all these are obtained by enshrining the Lord's Lotus Feet within the heart, even for an instant.
Meditating on the Lord of the Universe, all one's affairs are resolved. ||6||
God's Place is the highest of the high.
The Lord's humble servants intuitively focus their meditation on Him.
I long for the dust of the slaves of the Lord's slaves.
My Beloved Lord is overflowing with all powers. ||7||
My Beloved Lord, my Mother and Father, is always near.
O my Friend and Companion, You are my Trusted Support.
God takes His slaves by the hand, and makes them His Own.
Nanak lives by meditating on the Lord, the Treasure of Virtue. ||8||3||2||7||12||
Bibhaas, Prabhaatee, The Word Of Devotee Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
My anxious fears of death and rebirth have been taken away.
The Celestial Lord has shown His Love for me. ||1||
The Divine Light has dawned, and darkness has been dispelled.
Contemplating the Lord, I have obtained the Jewel of His Name. ||1||Pause||
Pain runs far away from that place where there is bliss.
The jewel of the mind is focused and attuned to the essence of reality. ||2||
Whatever happens is by the Pleasure of Your Will.
Whoever understands this, is intuitively merged in the Lord. ||3||
Says Kabeer, my sins have been obliterated.
My mind has merged into the Lord, the Life of the World. ||4||1||
PRABHAATEE:
If the Lord Allah lives only in the mosque, then to whom does the rest of the world belong?
According to the Hindus, the Lord's Name abides in the idol, but there is no truth in either of these claims. ||1||
O Allah, O Raam, I live by Your Name.
Please show mercy to me, O Master. ||1||Pause||
The God of the Hindus lives in the southern lands, and the God of the Muslims lives in the west.
So search in your heart - look deep into your heart of hearts; this is the home and the place where God lives. ||2||
The Brahmins observe twenty-four fasts during the year, and the Muslims fast during the month of Ramadaan.
The Muslims set aside eleven months, and claim that the treasure is only in the one month. ||3||
What is the use of bathing at Orissa? Why do the Muslims bow their heads in the mosque?
If someone has deception in his heart, what good is it for him to utter prayers? And what good is it for him to go on pilgrimage to Mecca? ||4||
You fashioned all these men and women, Lord. All these are Your Forms.
Kabeer is the child of God, Allah, Raam. All the Gurus and prophets are mine. ||5||
Says Kabeer, listen, O men and women: seek the Sanctuary of the One.
Chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O mortals, and you shall surely be carried across. ||6||2||
PRABHAATEE:
First, Allah created the Light; then, by His Creative Power, He made all mortal beings.
From the One Light, the entire universe welled up. So who is good, and who is bad? ||1||

O people, O Siblings of Destiny, do not wander deluded by doubt.
The Creation is in the Creator, and the Creator is in the Creation, totally pervading and permeating all places. ||1||Pause||
The clay is the same, but the Fashioner has fashioned it in various ways.
There is nothing wrong with the pot of clay - there is nothing wrong with the Potter. ||2||
The One True Lord abides in all; by His making, everything is made.
Whoever realizes the Hukam of His Command, knows the One Lord. He alone is said to be the Lord's slave. ||3||
The Lord Allah is Unseen; He cannot be seen. The Guru has blessed me with this sweet molasses.
Says Kabeer, my anxiety and fear have been taken away; I see the Immaculate Lord pervading everywhere. ||4||3||
PRABHAATEE:
Do not say that the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran are false. Those who do not contemplate them are false.
You say that the One Lord is in all, so why do you kill chickens? ||1||
O Mullah, tell me: is this God's Justice?
The doubts of your mind have not been dispelled. ||1||Pause||
You seize a living creature, and then bring it home and kill its body; you have killed only the clay.
The light of the soul passes into another form. So tell me, what have you killed? ||2||
And what good are your purifications? Why do you bother to wash your face? And why do you bother to bow your head in the mosque?
Your heart is full of hypocrisy; what good are your prayers or your pilgrimage to Mecca? ||3||
You are impure; you do not understand the Pure Lord. You do not know His Mystery.
Says Kabeer, you have missed out on paradise; your mind is set on hell. ||4||4||
PRABHAATEE:
Hear my prayer, Lord; You are the Divine Light of the Divine, the Primal, All-pervading Master.
The Siddhas in Samaadhi have not found Your limits. They hold tight to the Protection of Your Sanctuary. ||1||
Worship and adoration of the Pure, Primal Lord comes by worshipping the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny.
Standing at His Door, Brahma studies the Vedas, but he cannot see the Unseen Lord. ||1||Pause||
With the oil of knowledge about the essence of reality, and the wick of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, this lamp illluminates my body.
I have applied the Light of the Lord of the Universe, and lit this lamp. God the Knower knows. ||2||
The Unstruck Melody of the Panch Shabad, the Five Primal Sounds, vibrates and resounds. I dwell with the Lord of the World.
Kabeer, Your slave, performs this Aartee, this lamp-lit worship service for You, O Formless Lord of Nirvaanaa. ||3||5||
Prabhaatee, The Word Of Devotee Naam Dayv Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The mind alone knows the state of the mind; I tell it to the Knowing Lord.
I chant the Name of the Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts - why should I be afraid? ||1||
My mind is pierced through by the love of the Lord of the World.
My God is All-pervading everywhere. ||1||Pause||
The mind is the shop, the mind is the town, and the mind is the shopkeeper.
The mind abides in various forms, wandering all across the world. ||2||
This mind is imbued with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and duality is easily overcome.

He Himself is the Commander; all are under His Command. The Fearless Lord looks on all alike. ||3||
That humble being who knows, and meditates on the Supreme Primal Being - his word becomes eternal.
Says Naam Dayv, I have found the Invisible, Wondrous Lord, the Life of the World, within my heart. ||4||1||
PRABHAATEE:
He existed in the beginning, in the primeval age, and all throughout the ages; His limits cannot be known.
The Lord is pervading and permeating amongst all; this is how His Form can be described. ||1||
The Lord of the Universe appears when the Word of His Shabad is chanted.
My Lord is the Embodiment of Bliss. ||1||Pause||
The beautiful fragrance of sandalwood emanates from the sandalwood tree, and attaches to the other trees of the forest.
God, the Primal Source of everything, is like the sandalwood tree; He transforms us woody trees into fragrant sandalwood. ||2||
You, O Lord, are the Philosopher's Stone, and I am iron; associating with You, I am transformed into gold.
You are Merciful; You are the gem and the jewel. Naam Dayv is absorbed in the Truth. ||3||2||
PRABHAATEE:
The Primal Being has no ancestry; He has staged this play.
God is hidden deep within each and every heart. ||1||
No one knows the Light of the soul.
Whatever I do, is known to You, Lord. ||1||Pause||
Just as the pitcher is made from clay,
everything is made from the Beloved Divine Creator Himself. ||2||
The mortal's actions hold the soul in the bondage of karma.
Whatever he does, he does on his own. ||3||
Prays Naam Dayv, whatever this soul wants, it obtains.
Whoever abides in the Lord, becomes immortal. ||4||3||
Prabhaatee, The Word Of Devotee Baynee Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
You rub your body with sandalwood oil, and place basil leaves on your forehead.
But you hold a knife in the hand of your heart.
You look like a thug; pretending to meditate, you pose like a crane.
You try to look like a Vaishnaav, but the breath of life escapes through your mouth. ||1||
You pray for hours to God the Beautiful.
But your gaze is evil, and your nights are wasted in conflict. ||1||Pause||
You perform daily cleansing rituals,
wear two loin-cloths, perform religious rituals and put only milk in your mouth.
But in your heart, you have drawn out the sword.
You routinely steal the property of others. ||2||
You worship the stone idol, and paint ceremonial marks of Ganesha.
You remain awake throughout the night, pretending to worship God.
You dance, but your consciousness is filled with evil.
You are lewd and depraved - this is such an unrighteous dance! ||3||
You sit on a deer-skin, and chant on your mala.
You put the sacred mark, the tilak, on your forehead.
You wear the rosary beads of Shiva around your neck, but your heart is filled with falsehood.
You are lewd and depraved - you do not chant God's Name. ||4||
Whoever does not realize the essence of the soul
- all his religious actions are hollow and false.
Says Baynee, as Gurmukh, meditate.
Without the True Guru, you shall not find the Way. ||5||1||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Raag Jaijaavantee, Ninth Mehl:
Meditate in remembrance on the Lord - meditate on the Lord; this alone shall be of use to you.
Abandon your association with Maya, and take shelter in the Sanctuary of God.
Remember that the pleasures of the world are false; this whole show is just an illusion. ||1||Pause||
You must understand that this wealth is just a dream. Why are you so proud?
The empires of the earth are like walls of sand. ||1||
Servant Nanak speaks the Truth: your body shall perish and pass away.
Moment by moment, yesterday passed. Today is passing as well. ||2||1||
Jaijaavantee, Ninth Mehl:
Meditate on the Lord - vibrate on the Lord; your life is slipping away.
Why am I telling you this again and again? You fool - why don't you understand?
Your body is like a hail-stone; it melts away in no time at all. ||1||Pause||
So give up all your doubts, and utter the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
At the very last moment, this alone shall go along with you. ||1||
Forget the poisonous sins of corruption, and enshrine the Praises of God in your heart.
Servant Nanak proclaims that this opportunity is slipping away. ||2||2||
Jaijaavantee, Ninth Mehl:
O mortal, what will your condition be?
In this world, you have not listened to the Lord's Name.
You are totally engrossed in corruption and sin; you have not turned your mind away from them at all. ||1||Pause||
You obtained this human life, but you have not remembered the Lord in meditation, even for an instant.
For the sake of pleasure, you have become subservient to your woman, and now your feet are bound. ||1||
Servant Nanak proclaims that the vast expanse of this world is just a dream.
Why not meditate on the Lord? Even Maya is His slave. ||2||3||
Jaijaavantee, Ninth Mehl:
Slipping away - your life is uselessly slipping away.
Night and day, you listen to the Puraanas, but you do not understand them, you ignorant fool!
Death has arrived; now where will you run? ||1||Pause||

You believed that this body was permanent, but it shall turn to dust.
Why don't you chant the Name of the Lord, you shameless fool? ||1||
Let devotional worship of the Lord enter into your heart, and abandon the intellectualism of your mind.
O Servant Nanak, this is the way to live in the world. ||2||4||
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Shalok Sehskritee, First Mehl:
You study the scriptures, say your prayers and argue;
you worship stones and sit like a crane, pretending to meditate.
You speak lies and well-ornamented falsehood,
and recite your daily prayers three times a day.
The mala is around your neck, and the sacred tilak mark is on your forehead.
You wear two loin cloths, and keep your head covered.
If you know God and the nature of karma,
you know that all these rituals and beliefs are useless.
Says Nanak, meditate on the Lord with faith.
Without the True Guru, no one finds the Way. ||1||
The mortal's life is fruitless, as long as he does not know God.
Only a few, by Guru's Grace, cross over the world-ocean.
The Creator, the Cause of causes, is All-powerful. Thus speaks Nanak, after deep deliberation.
The Creation is under the control of the Creator. By His Power, He sustains and supports it. ||2||
The Shabad is Yoga, the Shabad is spiritual wisdom; the Shabad is the Vedas for the Brahmin.
The Shabad is heroic bravery for the Khshaatriya; the Shabad is service to others for the Soodra.
The Shabad for all is the Shabad, the Word of the One God, for one who knows this secret.
Nanak is the slave of the Divine, Immaculate Lord. ||3||
The One Lord is the Divinity of all divinities. He is the Divinity of the soul.
Nanak is the slave of that one who knows the Secrets of the soul and the Supreme Lord God. He is the Divine Immaculate Lord Himself. ||4||
Shalok Sehskritee , Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Who is the mother, and who is the father? Who is the son, and what is the pleasure of marriage?
Who is the brother, friend, companion and relative? Who is emotionally attached to the family?
Who is restlessly attached to beauty? It leaves, as soon as we see it.
Only the meditative remembrance of God remains with us. O Nanak, it brings the blessings of the Saints, the sons of the Imperishable Lord. ||1||

Cursed is loving attachment to one's mother and father; cursed is loving attachment to one's siblings and relatives.
Cursed is attachment to the joys of family life with one's spouse and children.
Cursed is attachment to household affairs.
Only loving attachment to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is True. Nanak dwells there in peace. ||2||
The body is false; its power is temporary.
It grows old; its love for Maya increases greatly.
The human is only a temporary guest in the home of the body, but he has high hopes.
The Righteous Judge of Dharma is relentless; he counts each and every breath.
The human body, so difficult to obtain, has fallen into the deep dark pit of emotional attachment. O Nanak, its only support is God, the Essence of Reality.
O God, Lord of the World, Lord of the Universe, Master of the Universe, please be kind to me. ||3||
This fragile body-fortress is made up of water, plastered with blood and wrapped in skin.
It has nine gates, but no doors; it is supported by pillars of wind, the channels of the breath.
The ignorant person does not meditate in remembrance on the Lord of the Universe; he thinks that this body is permanent.
This precious body is saved and redeemed in the Sanctuary of the Holy, O Nanak,
chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, Haray. ||4||
O Glorious, Eternal and Imperishable, Perfect and Abundantly Compassionate,
Profound and Unfathomable, Lofty and Exalted, All-knowing and Infinite Lord God.
O Lover of Your devoted servants, Your Feet are a Sanctuary of Peace.
O Master of the masterless, Helper of the helpless, Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary. ||5||
Seeing the deer, the hunter aims his weapons.
But if one is protected by the Lord of the World, O Nanak, not a hair on his head will be touched. ||6||
He may be surrounded on all four sides by servants and powerful warriors;
he may dwell in a lofty place, difficult to approach, and never even think of death.
But when the Order comes from the Primal Lord God, O Nanak, even an ant can take away his breath of life. ||7||
To be imbued and attuned to the Word of the Shabad; to be kind and compassionate; to sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises - these are the most worthwhile actions in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
In this way, one's inner doubts and emotional attachments are dispelled.
God is pervading and permeating all places.
So obtain the Blessed Vision of His Darshan; He dwells upon the tongues of the Holy.
O Nanak, meditate and chant the Name of the Beloved Lord, Har, Har, Har, Haray. ||8||
Beauty fades away, islands fade away, the sun, moon, stars and sky fade away.
The earth, mountains, forests and lands fade away.
One's spouse, children, siblings and loved friends fade away.
Gold and jewels and the incomparable beauty of Maya fade away.
Only the Eternal, Unchanging Lord does not fade away.
O Nanak, only the humble Saints are steady and stable forever. ||9||
Do not delay in practicing righteousness; delay in committing sins.
Implant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within yourself, and abandon greed.
In the Sanctuary of the Saints, the sins are erased. The character of righteousness is received by that person,
O Nanak, with whom the Lord is pleased and satisfied. ||10||
The person of shallow understanding is dying in emotional attachment; he is engrossed in pursuits of pleasure with his wife.
With youthful beauty and golden earrings,
wondrous mansions, decorations and clothes - this is how Maya clings to him.
O Eternal, Unchanging, Benevolent Lord God, O Sanctuary of the Saints, Nanak humbly bows to You. ||11||
If there is birth, then there is death. If there is pleasure, then there is pain. If there is enjoyment, then there is disease.
If there is high, then there is low. If there is small, then there is great.

If there is power, then there is pride. If there is egotistical pride, then there will be a fall.
Engrossed in worldly ways, one is ruined.
Meditating and vibrating on the Lord of the Universe in the Company of the Holy, you shall become steady and stable. Nanak vibrates and meditates on the Lord God. ||12||
By the Grace of God, genuine understanding comes to the mind.
The intellect blossoms forth, and one finds a place in the realm of celestial bliss.
The senses are brought under control, and pride is abandoned.
The heart is cooled and soothed, and the wisdom of the Saints is implanted within.
Reincarnation is ended, and the Blessed Vision of the Lord's Darshan is obtained.
O Nanak, the musical instrument of the Word of the Shabad vibrates and resounds within. ||13||
The Vedas preach and recount God's Glories; people hear them by various ways and means.
The Merciful Lord, Har, Har, implants spiritual wisdom within.
Nanak begs for the Gift of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The Guru is the Great Giver, the Lord of the World. ||14||
Do not worry so much about your mother, father and siblings. Do not worry so much about other people.
Do not worry about your spouse, children and friends. You are obsessed with your involvements in Maya.
The One Lord God is Kind and Compassionate, O Nanak. He is the Cherisher and Nurturer of all living beings. ||15||
Wealth is temporary; conscious existence is temporary; hopes of all sorts are temporary.
The bonds of love, attachment, egotism, doubt, Maya and the pollution of corruption are temporary.
The mortal passes through the fire of the womb of reincarnation countless times. He does not remember the Lord in meditation; his understanding is polluted.
O Lord of the Universe, when You grant Your Grace, even sinners are saved. Nanak dwells in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||16||
You may drop down from the mountains, and fall into the nether regions of the underworld, or be burnt in the blazing fire,
or swept away by the unfathomable waves of water; but the worst pain of all is household anxiety, which is the source of the cycle of death and rebirth.
No matter what you do, you cannot break its bonds, O Nanak. Man's only Support, Anchor and Mainstay is the Word of the Shabad, and the Holy, Friendly Saints. ||17||
Excruciating pain, countless killings, reincarnation, poverty and terrible misery
are all destroyed by meditating in remembrance on the Lord's Name, O Nanak, just as fire reduces piles of wood to ashes. ||18||
Meditating in remembrance on the Lord, the darkness is illuminated. Dwelling on His Glorious Praises, the ugly sins are destroyed.
Enshrining the Lord deep within the heart, and with the immaculate karma of doing good deeds, one strikes fear into the demons.
The cycle of coming and going in reincarnation is ended, absolute peace is obtained, and the Fruitful Vision of the Lord's Darshan.
He is Potent to give Protection, He is the Lover of His Saints. O Nanak, the Lord God blesses all with bliss. ||19||
Those who were left behind - the Lord brings them to the front. He fulfills the hopes of the hopeless.
He makes the poor rich, and cures the illnesses of the ill.
He blesses His devotees with devotion. They sing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord's Name.
O Nanak, those who serve the Guru find the Supreme Lord God, the Great Giver||20||
He gives Support to the unsupported. The Name of the Lord is the Wealth of the poor.
The Lord of the Universe is the Master of the masterless; the Beautiful-haired Lord is the Power of the weak.
The Lord is Merciful to all beings, Eternal and Unchanging, the Family of the meek and humble.
The All-knowing, Perfect, Primal Lord God is the Lover of His devotees, the Embodiment of Mercy.

The Supreme Lord God, the Transcendent, Luminous Lord, dwells in each and every heart.
Nanak begs for this blessing from the Merciful Lord, that he may never forget Him, never forget Him. ||21||
I have no power; I do not serve You, and I do not love You, O Supreme Sublime Lord God.
By Your Grace, Nanak meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Merciful Lord, Har, Har. ||22||
The Lord feeds and sustains all living beings; He blesses them gifts of restful peace and fine clothes.
He created the jewel of human life, with all its cleverness and intelligence.
By His Grace, mortals abide in peace and bliss.
O Nanak, meditating in remembrance on the Lord, Har, Har, Haray,
the mortal is released from attachment to the world. ||23||
The kings of the earth are eating up the blessings of the good karma of their past lives.
Those cruel-minded rulers who oppress the people, O Nanak, shall suffer in pain for a very long time. ||24||
Those who meditate in remembrance on the Lord in their hearts, look upon even pain as God's Grace.
The healthy person is very sick, if he does not remember the Lord, the Embodiment of Mercy. ||25||
To sing the Kirtan of God's Praises is the righteous duty incurred by taking birth in this human body.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is Ambrosial Nectar, O Nanak. The Saints drink it in, and never have enough of it. ||26||
The Saints are tolerant and good-natured; friends and enemies are the same to them.
O Nanak, it is all the same to them, whether someone offers them all sorts of foods, or slanders them, or draws weapons to kill them. ||27||
They pay no attention to dishonor or disrespect.
They are not bothered by gossip; the miseries of the world do not touch them.
Those who join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, and chant the Name of the Lord of the Universe - O Nanak, those mortals abide in peace. ||28||
The Holy people are an invincible army of spiritual warriors; their bodies are protected by the armor of humility.
Their weapons are the Glorious Praises of the Lord which they chant; their Shelter and Shield is the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The horses, chariots and elephants they ride are their way to realize God's Path.
They walk fearlessly through the armies of their enemies; they attack them with the Kirtan of God's Praises.
They conquer the entire world, O Nanak, and overpower the five thieves. ||29||
Misled by evil-mindedness, mortals are engrossed in the mirage of the illusory world, like the passing shade of a tree.
Emotional attachment to family is false, so Nanak meditates in remembrance on the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam. ||30||
I do not possess the treasure of the wisdom of the Vedas, nor do I possess the merits of the Praises of the Naam.
I do not have a beautiful voice to sing jewelled melodies; I am not clever, wise or shrewd.
By destiny and hard work, the wealth of Maya is obtained. O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, even fools become religious scholars. ||31||
The mala around my neck is the chanting of the Lord's Name. The Love of the Lord is my silent chanting.
Chanting this most Sublime Word brings salvation and joy to the eyes. ||32||
That mortal who lacks the Guru's Mantra - cursed and contaminated is his life.
That blockhead is just a dog, a pig, a jackass, a crow, a snake. ||33||
Whoever contemplates the Lord's Lotus Feet, and enshrines His Name within the heart,

and sings the Kirtan of His Praises in the Saadh Sangat, O Nanak, shall never see the Messenger of Death. ||34||
Wealth and beauty are not so difficult to obtain. Paradise and royal power are not so difficult to obtain.
Foods and delicacies are not so difficult to obtain. Elegant clothes are not so difficuilt to obtain.
Children, friends, siblings and relatives are not so difficult to obtain. The pleasures of woman are not so difficult to obtain.
Knowledge and wisdom are not so difficult to obtain. Cleverness and trickery are not so difficult to obtain.
Only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is difficult to obtain. O Nanak, it is only obtained by God's Grace, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. ||35||
Wherever I look, I see the Lord, whether in this world, in paradise, or the nether regions of the underworld.
The Lord of the Universe is All-pervading everywhere. O Nanak, no blame or stain sticks to Him. ||36||
Poison is transformed into nectar, and enemies into friends and companions.
Pain is changed into pleasure, and the fearful become fearless.
Those who have no home or place find their place of rest in the Naam, O Nanak, when the Guru, the Lord, becomes Merciful. ||37||
He blesses all with humility; He has blessed me with humility as well. He purifies all, and He has purified me as well.
The Creator of all is the Creator of me as well. O Nanak, no blame or stain sticks to Him. ||38||
The moon-god is not cool and calm, nor is the white sandalwood tree.
The winter season is not cool; O Nanak, only the Holy friends, the Saints, are cool and calm. ||39||
Through the Mantra of the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, one meditates on the All-pervading Lord.
Those who have the wisdom to look alike upon pleasure and pain, live the immaculate lifestyle, free of vengeance.
They are kind to all beings; they have overpowered the five thieves.
They take the Kirtan of the Lord's Praise as their food; they remain untouched by Maya, like the lotus in the water.
They share the Teachings with friend and enemy alike; they love the devotional worship of God.
They do not listen to slander; renouncing self-conceit, they become the dust of all.
Whoever has these six qualities, O Nanak, is called a Holy friend. ||40||
The goat enjoys eating fruits and roots, but if it lives near a tiger, it is always anxious.
This is the condition of the world, O Nanak; it is afflicted by pleasure and pain. ||41||
Fraud, false accusations, millions of diseases, sins and the filthy residues of evil mistakes;
doubt, emotional attachment, pride, dishonor and intoxication with Maya
- these lead mortals to death and rebirth, wandering lost in hell. In spite of all sorts of efforts, salvation is not found.
Chanting and meditating on the Name of the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, mortals become immaculate and pure.
They continually dwell upon the Glorious Praises of God. ||42||
In the Sanctuary of the Kind-hearted Lord, our Transcendent Lord and Master, we are carried across.
God is the Perfect, All-powerful Cause of causes; He is the Giver of gifts.
He gives hope to the hopeless. He is the Source of all riches.
Nanak meditates in remembrance on the Treasure of Virtue; we are all beggars, begging at His Door. ||43||
The most difficult place becomes easy, and the worst pain turns into pleasure.
Evil words, differences and doubts are obliterated, and even faithless cynics and malicious gossips become good people.
They become steady and stable, whether happy or sad; their fears are taken away, and they are fearless.

The dreadful woods become a well-populated city; such are the merits of the righteous life of Dharma, given by God's Grace.
Chanting the Lord's Name in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, the Lotus Feet of the Merciful Lord are found. ||44||
O emotional attachment, you are the invincible warrior of the battlefield of life; you totally crush and destroy even the most powerful.
You entice and fascinate even the heavenly heralds, celestial singers, gods, mortals, beasts and birds.
Nanak bows in humble surrender to the Lord; he seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord of the Universe. ||45||
O sexual desire, you lead the mortals to hell; you make them wander in reincarnation through countless species.
You cheat the consciousness, and pervade the three worlds. You destroy meditation, penance and virtue.
But you give only shallow pleasure, while you make the mortals weak and unsteady; you pervade the high and the low.
Your fear is dispelled in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, O Nanak, through the Protection and Support of the Lord. ||46||
O anger, you are the root of conflict; compassion never rises up in you.
You take the corrupt, sinful beings in your power, and make them dance like monkeys.
Associating with you, mortals are debased and punished by the Messenger of Death in so many ways.
O Destroyer of the pains of the poor, O Merciful God, Nanak prays for You to protect all begins from such anger. ||47||
O greed, you cling to even the great, assaulting them with countless waves.
You cause them to run around wildly in all directions, wobbling and wavering unsteadily.
You have no respect for friends, ideals, relations, mother or father.
You make them do what they should not do. You make them eat what they should not eat. You make them accomplish what they should not accomplish.
Save me, save me - I have come to Your Sanctuary, O my Lord and Master; Nanak prays to the Lord. ||48||
O egotism, you are the root of birth and death and the cycle of reincarnation; you are the very soul of sin.
You forsake friends, and hold tight to enemies. You spread out countless illusions of Maya.
You cause the living beings to come and go until they are exhausted. You lead them to experience pain and pleasure.
You lead them to wander lost in the terrible wilderness of doubt; you lead them to contract the most horrible, incurable diseases.
The only Physician is the Supreme Lord, the Transcendent Lord God. Nanak worships and adores the Lord, Har, Har, Haray. ||49||
O Lord of the Universe, Master of the Breath of life, Treasure of Mercy, Guru of the World.
O Destroyer of the fever of the world, Embodiment of Compassion, please take away all my pain.
O Merciful Lord, Potent to give Sanctuary, Master of the meek and humble, please be kind to me.
Whether his body is healthy or sick, let Nanak meditate in remembrance on You, Lord. ||50||
I have come to the Sanctuary of the Lord's Lotus Feet, where I sing the Kirtan of His Praises.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak is carried across the utterly terrifying, difficult world-ocean. ||51||
The Supreme Lord God has procted my head and forehead; the Transcendent Lord has protected my hands and body.
God, my Lord and Master, has saved my soul; the Lord of the Universe has saved my wealth and feet.
The Merciful Guru has protected everything, and destroyed my fear and suffering.
God is the Lover of His devotees, the Master of the masterless. Nanak has entered the Sanctuary of the Imperishable Primal Lord God. ||52||
His Power supports the sky, and locks fire within wood.
His Power supports the moon, the sun and the stars, and infuses light and breath into the body.

His Power provides nourishment in the womb of the mother, and does not let disease strike.
His Power holds back the ocean, O Nanak, and does not allow the waves of water to destroy the land. ||53||
The Lord of the World is Supremely Beautiful; His Meditation is the Life of all.
In the Society of the Saints, O Nanak, He is found on the path of devotional worship of the Lord. ||54||
The mosquito pierces the stone, the ant crosses the swamp,
the cripple crosses the ocean, and the blind sees in the darkness,
meditating on the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Lord, Har, Har, Haray. ||55||
Like a Brahmin without a sacred mark on his forehead, or a king without the power of command,
or a warrior without weapons, so is the devotee of God without Dharmic Faith. ||56||
God has no conch-shell, no religious mark, no paraphernalia; he does not have blue skin.
His Form is Wondrous and Amazing. He is beyond incarnation.
The Vedas say that He is not this, and not that.
The Lord of the Universe is Lofty and High, Great and Infinite.
The Imperishable Lord abides in the hearts of the Holy. He is understood, O Nanak, by those who are very fortunate. ||57||
Living in the world, it is like a wild jungle. One's relatives are like dogs, jackals and donkeys.
In this difficult place, the mind is intoxicated with the wine of emotional attachment; the five unconquered thieves lurk there.
The mortals wander lost in love and emotional attachment, fear and doubt; they are caught in the sharp, strong noose of egotism.
The ocean of fire is terrifying and impassable. The distant shore is so far away; it cannot be reached.
Vibrate and meditate on the Lord of the World, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; O Nanak, by His Grace, we are saved at the Lotus Feet of the Lord. ||58||
When the Lord of the Universe grants His Grace, all illnesses are cured.
Nanak chants His Glorious Praises in the Saadh Sangat, in the Sanctuary of the Perfect Transcendent Lord God. ||59||
The mortal is beautiful and speaks sweet words, but in the farm of his heart, he harbors cruel vengeance.
He pretends to bow in worship, but he is false. Beware of him, O friendly Saints. ||60||
The thoughtless fool does not know that each day, his breaths are being used up.
His most beautiful body is wearing away; old age, the daughter of death, has seized it.
He is engrossed in family play; placing his hopes in transitory things, he indulges in corrupt pleasures.
Wandering lost in countless incarnations, he is exhausted. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Embodiment of Mercy. ||61||
O tongue, you love to enjoy the sweet delicacies.
You are dead to the Truth, and involved in great disputes. Instead, repeat the holy words:
Gobind, Daamodar, Maadhav. ||62||
Those who are proud, and intoxicated with the pleasures of sex,
and asserting their power over others,
never contemplate the Lord's Lotus Feet. Their lives are cursed, and as worthless as straw.
You are as tiny and insignificant as an ant, but you shall become great, by the Wealth of the Lord's Meditation.
Nanak bows in humble worship, countless times, over and over again. ||63||
The blade of grass becomes a mountain, and the barren land becomes green.
The drowning one swims across, and the empty is filled to overflowing.
Millions of suns illuminate the darkness,
prays Nanak, when the Guru, the Lord, becomes Merciful. ||64||

Associating with the Brahmin, one is saved, if his actions are perfect and God-like.
Those whose souls are imbued with the world - O Nanak, their lives are fruitless. ||65||
The mortal steals the wealth of others, and makes all sorts of problems; his preaching is only for his own livelihood.
His desire for this and that is not satisfied; his mind is caught in Maya, and he is acting like a pig. ||66||
Those who are intoxicated and absorbed in the Lord's Lotus Feet are saved from the terrifying world-ocean.
Countless sins are destroyed, O Nanak, in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; there is no doubt about this. ||67||4||
Fifth Mehl, Gaat'haa:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Camphor, flowers and perfume become contaminated, by coming into contact with the human body.
O Nanak, the ignorant one is proud of his foul-smelling marrow, blood and bones. ||1||
Even if the mortal could reduce himself to the size of an atom, and shoot through the ethers, worlds and realms in the blink of an eye, O Nanak, without the Holy Saint, he shall not be saved. ||2||
Know for sure that death will come; whatever is seen is false.
So chant the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; this alone shall go along with you in the end. ||3||
The consciousness wanders lost in Maya, attached to friends and relatives.
Vibrating and meditating on the Lord of the Universe in the Saadh Sangat, O Nanak, the eternal place of rest is found. ||4||
The lowly nim tree, growing near the sandalwood tree, becomes just like the sandalwood tree.
But the bamboo tree, also growing near it, does not pick up its fragrance; it is too tall and proud. ||5||
In this Gaat'haa, the Lord's Sermon is woven; listening to it, pride is crushed.
The five enemies are killed, O Nanak, by shooting the Arrow of the Lord. ||6||
The Words of the Holy are the path of peace. They are obtained by good karma.
The cycle of birth and death is ended, O Nanak, singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises. ||7||
When the leaves wither and fall, they cannot be attached to the branch again.
Without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, there is misery and suffering. The mortal wanders in reincarnation day and night. ||8||
One is blessed with love for the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, by great good fortune.
Whoever sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name, O Nanak, is not affected by the world-ocean. ||9||
This Gaat'haa is profound and infinite; how rare are those who understand it.
They forsake sexual desire and worldly love, O Nanak, and praise the Lord in the Saadh Sangat. ||10||
The Words of the Holy are the most sublime Mantra. They eradicate millions of sinful mistakes.
Meditating on the Lotus Feet of the Lord, O Nanak, all one's generations are saved. ||11||
That palace is beautiful, in which the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are sung.
Those who dwell on the Lord of the Universe are liberated. O Nanak, only the most fortunate are so blessed. ||12||
I have found the Lord, my Friend, my very Best Friend.
He shall never break my heart.
His dwelling is eternal; His weight cannot be weighed.
Nanak has made Him the Friend of his soul. ||13||
One's bad reputation is erased by a true son,
who meditates in his heart on the Guru's Mantra.

The Beloved Eternal Lord God,
O Nanak, carries us across the world-ocean. ||14||
It is death to forget the Lord of the Universe.
It is life to meditate on the Name of the Lord.
The Lord is found in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy,
O Nanak, by pre-ordained destiny. ||15||
The snake-charmer, by his spell, neutralizes the poison and leaves the snake without fangs.
Just so, the Saints remove suffering;
O Nanak, they are found by good karma. ||16||
The Lord is All-pervading everywhere; He gives Sanctuary to all living beings.
The mind is touched by His Love, O Nanak,
by Guru's Grace, and the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||17||
My mind is pierced through by the Lord's Lotus Feet.
I am blessed with total happiness.
Holy people have been singing this Gaat'haa, O Nanak, since the very beginning of time. ||18||
Chanting and singing the Sublime Word of God in the Saadh Sangat, mortals are saved from the world-ocean. O Nanak, they shall never again be consigned to reincarnation. ||19||
People contemplate the Vedas, Puraanas and Shaastras.
But by enshrining in their hearts the Naam, the Name of the One and Only Creator of the Universe,
everyone can be saved.
By great good fortune, O Nanak, a few cross over like this. ||20||
Meditating in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of Lord of the Universe, all one's generations are saved.
It is obtained in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. O Nanak, by great good fortune, the Blessed Vision of His Darshan is seen. ||21||
Abandon all your evil habits, and implant all Dharmic faith within.
The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is obtained, O Nanak, by those who have such destiny written upon their foreheads. ||22||
God was, is, and shall always be. He sustains and destroys all.
Know that these Holy people are true, O Nanak; they are in love with the Lord. ||23||
The mortal is engrossed in sweet words and transitory pleasures which shall soon fade away.
Disease, sorrow and separation afflict him; O Nanak, he never finds peace, even in dreams. ||24||
Phunhay, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
With Pen in Hand, the Unfathomable Lord writes the mortal's destiny upon his forehead.
The Incomparably Beautiful Lord is involved with all.
I cannot utter Your Praises with my mouth.
Nanak is fascinated, gazing upon the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. I am a sacrifice to You. ||1||
Seated in the Society of the Saints, I chant the Lord's Praises.
I dedicate all my adornments to Him, and give all this soul to Him.
With hopeful yearning for Him, I have made the bed for my Husband.
O Lord! If such good destiny is inscribed upon my forehead, then I shall find my Friend. ||2||
O my companion, I have prepared everything: make-up, garlands and betel-leaves.
I have embellished myself with the sixteen decorations, and applied the mascara to my eyes.
If my Husband Lord comes to my home, then I obtain everything.
O Lord! Without my Husband, all these adornments are useless. ||3||
Very fortunate is she, within whose home the Husband Lord abides.
She is totally adorned and decorated; she is a happy soul-bride.
I sleep in peace, without anxiety; the hopes of my mind have been fulfilled.
O Lord! When my Husband came into the home of my heart, I obtained everything. ||4||

My hope is so intense, that this hope alone should fulfill my hopes.
When the True Guru becomes merciful, then I attain the Perfect Lord.
My body is filled with so many demerits; I am covered with faults and demerits.
O Lord! When the True Guru becomes Merciful, then the mind is held in place. ||5||
Says Nanak, I have meditated on the Lord, Infinite and Endless.
This world-ocean is so difficult to cross; the True Guru has carried me across.
My comings and goings in reincarnation ended, when I met the Perfect Lord.
O Lord! I have obtained the Ambrosial Nectar of the Name of the Lord from the True Guru. ||6||
The lotus is in my hand; in the courtyard of my heart I abide in peace.
O my companion, the Jewel is around my neck; beholding it, sorrow is taken away.
I abide with the Lord of the World, the Treasury of Total Peace. O Lord!
All wealth, spiritual perfection and the nine treasures are in His Hand. ||7||
Those men who go out to enjoy other men's women shall suffer in shame.
Those who steal the wealth of others - how can their guilt be concealed?
Those who chant the Sacred Praises of the Lord save and redeem all their generations.
O Lord! Those who listen and contemplate the Supreme Lord God become pure and holy. ||8||
The sky above looks lovely, and the earth below is beautiful.
Lightning flashes in the ten directions; I behold the Face of my Beloved.
If I go searching in foreign lands, how can I find my Beloved?
O Lord! If such destiny is inscribed upon my forehead, I am absorbed in the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||9||
I have seen all places, but none can compare to You.
The Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, has established You; thus You are adorned and embellished.
Ramdaspur is prosperous and thickly populated, and incomparably beautiful.
O Lord! Bathing in the Sacred Pool of Raam Daas, the sins are washed away, O Nanak. ||10||
The rainbird is very smart; in its consciousness, it longs for the friendly rain.
It longs for that, to which its breath of life is attached.
It wanders depressed, from forest to forest, for the sake of a drop of water.
O Lord! In just the same way, the humble servant of the Lord begs for the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Nanak is a sacrifice to him. ||11||
The Consciousness of my Friend is incomparably beautiful. Its mystery cannot be known.
One who purchases the priceless virtues realizes the essence of reality.
When the consciousness is absorbed in the supreme consciousness, great joy and bliss are found.
O Lord! When the fickle thieves are overcome, the true wealth is obtained. ||12||
In a dream, I was lifted up; why didn't I grasp the hem of His Robe?
Gazing upon the Beautiful Lord relaxing there, my mind was charmed and fascinated.
I am searching for His Feet - tell me, where can I find Him?
O Lord! Tell me how I can find my Beloved, O my companion. ||13||
The eyes which do not see the Holy - those eyes are miserable.
The ears which do not hear the Sound-current of the Naad - those ears might just as well be plugged.
The tongue which does not chant the Naam ought to be cut out, bit by bit.
O Lord! When the mortal forgets the Lord of the Universe, the Sovereign Lord King, he grows weaker day by day. ||14||
The wings of the bumble bee are caught in the intoxicating fragrant petals of the lotus.
With its limbs entangled in the petals, it loses its senses.

Is there any such friend, who can untie this difficult knot?
O Nanak, the One Supreme Lord and Master of the earth reunites the separated ones. ||15||
I run around in all directions, searching for the love of God.
The five evil enemies are tormenting me; how can I destroy them?
Shoot them with the sharp arrows of meditation on the Name of God.
O Lord! The way to slaughter these terrible sadistic enemies is obtained from the Perfect Guru. ||16||
The True Guru has blessed me with the bounty which shall never be exhausted.
Eating and consuming it, all the Gurmukhs are emancipated.
The Lord, in His Mercy, has blessed me with the treasure of the Ambrosial Naam.
O Nanak, worship and adore the Lord, who never dies. ||17||
Wherever the Lord's devotee goes is a blessed, beautiful place.
All comforts are obtained, meditating on the Lord's Name.
People praise and congratulate the devotee of the Lord, while the slanderers rot and die.
Says Nanak, O friend, chant the Naam, and your mind shall be filled with bliss. ||18||
The mortal never serves the Immaculate Lord, the Purifier of sinners.
The mortal wastes away in false pleasures. How long can this go on?
Why do you take such pleasure, looking at this mirage?
O Lord! I am a sacrifice to those who are known and approved in the Court of the Lord. ||19||
The fool commits countless foolish actions and so many sinful mistakes.
The fool's body smells rotten, and turns to dust.
He wanders lost in the darkness of pride, and never thinks of dying.
O Lord! The mortal gazes upon the mirage; why does he think it is true? ||20||
When someone's days are over, who can save him?
How long can the physicians go on, suggesting various therapies?
You fool, remember the One Lord; only He shall be of use to you in the end.
O Lord! Without the Name, the body turns to dust, and everything goes to waste. ||21||
Drink in the medicine of the Incomparable, Priceless Name.
Meeting and joining together, the Saints drink it in, and give it to everyone.
He alone is blessed with it, who is destined to receive it.
O Lord! I am a sacrifice to those who enjoy the Love of the Lord. ||22||
The physicians meet together in their assembly.
The medicines are effective, when the Lord Himself stands in their midst.
Their good deeds and karma become apparent.
O Lord! Pains, diseases and sins all vanish from their bodies. ||23||
Chaubolas, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
O Samman, if one could buy this love with money,
then consider Raawan the king. He was not poor, but he could not buy it, even though he offered his head to Shiva. ||1||
My body is drenched in love and affection for the Lord; there is no distance at all between us.
My mind is pierced through by the Lotus Feet of the Lord. He is realized when one's intuitive consciousness is attuned to Him. ||2||

I would cross the oceans, mountains, wilderness, forests and the nine regions of the earth in a single step, O Musan, for the Love of my Beloved. ||3||
O Musan, the Light of the Lord's Love has spread across the sky;
I cling to my Lord, like the bumble bee caught in the lotus flower. ||4||
Chanting and intense meditation, austere self-discipline, pleasure and peace, honor, greatness and pride
- O Musan, I would dedicate and sacrifice all these for a moment of my Lord's Love. ||5||
O Musan, the world does not understand the Mystery of the Lord; it is dying and being plundered.
It is not pierced through by the Love of the Beloved Lord; it is entangled in false pursuits. ||6||
When someone's home and property are burnt, because of his attachment to them, he suffers in the sorrow of separation.
O Musan, when mortals forget the Merciful Lord God, then they are truly plundered. ||7||
Whoever enjoys the taste of the Lord's Love, remembers His Lotus Feet in his mind.
O Nanak, the lovers of God do not go anywhere else. ||8||
Climbing thousands of steep hillsides, the fickle mind becomes miserable.
Look at the humble, lowly mud, O Jamaal: the beautiful lotus grows in it. ||9||
My Lord has lotus-eyes; His Face is so beautifully adorned.
O Musan, I am intoxicated with His Mystery. I break the necklace of pride into bits. ||10||
I am intoxicated with the Love of my Husband Lord; remembering Him in meditation, I am not conscious of my own body.
He is revealed in all His Glory, all throughout the world. Nanak is a lowly moth at His Flame. ||11||
Shaloks Of Devotee Kabeer Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Kabeer, my rosary is my tongue, upon which the Lord's Name is strung.
From the very beginning, and throughout the ages, all the devotees abide in tranquil peace. ||1||
Kabeer, everyone laughs at my social class.
I am a sacrifice to this social class, in which I chant and meditate on the Creator. ||2||
Kabeer, why do you stumble? Why does your soul waver?
He is the Lord of all comforts and peace; drink in the Sublime Essence of the Lord's Name. ||3||
Kabeer, earrings made of gold and studded with jewels,
look like burnt twigs, if the Name is not in the mind. ||4||
Kabeer, rare is such a person, who remains dead while yet alive.
Singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, he is fearless. Wherever I look, the Lord is there. ||5||
Kabeer, on the day when I die, afterwards there shall be bliss.
I shall meet with my Lord God. Those with me shall meditate and vibrate on the Lord of the Universe. ||6||
Kabeer, I am the worst of all. Everyone else is good.
Whoever understands this is a friend of mine. ||7||
Kabeer, she came to me in various forms and disguises.
My Guru saved me, and now she bows humbly to me. ||8||
Kabeer, kill only that, which, when killed, shall bring peace.
Everyone shall call you good, very good, and no one shall think you are bad. ||9||
Kabeer, the night is dark, and men go about doing their dark deeds.

They take the noose and run around; but rest assured that God shall destroy them. ||10||
Kabeer, the sandalwood tree is good, even though it is surrounded by weeds.
Those who dwell near the sandalwood tree, become just like the sandalwood tree. ||11||
Kabeer, the bamboo is drowned in its egotistical pride. No one should drown like this.
Bamboo also dwells near the sandalwood tree, but it does not take up its fragrance. ||12||
Kabeer, the mortal loses his faith, for the sake of the world, but the world shall not go along with him in the end.
The idiot strikes his own foot with the axe by his own hand. ||13||
Kabeer, wherever I go, I see wonders everywhere.
But without the devotees of the One Lord, it is all wilderness to me. ||14||
Kabeer, the dwelling of the Saints is good; the dwelling of the unrighteous burns like an oven.
Those mansions in which the Lord's Name is not chanted might just as well burn down. ||15||
Kabeer, why cry at the death of a Saint? He is just going back to his home.
Cry for the wretched, faithless cynic, who is sold from store to store. ||16||
Kabeer, the faithless cynic is like a piece of garlic.
Even if you eat it sitting in a corner, it becomes obvious to everyone. ||17||
Kabeer, Maya is the butter-churn, and the breath is the churning-stick.
The Saints eat the butter, while the world drinks the whey. ||18||
Kabeer, Maya is the butter-churn; the breath flows like ice water.
Whoever does the churning eats the butter; the others are just churning-sticks. ||19||
Kabeer, Maya is the thief, which breaks in and plunders the store.
Only Kabeer is not plundered; he has cut her into twelve pieces. ||20||
Kabeer, peace does not come in this world by making lots of friends.
Those who keep their consciousness focused on the One Lord shall find eternal peace. ||21||
Kabeer, the world is afraid of death - that death fills my mind with bliss.
It is only by death that perfect, supreme bliss is obtained. ||22||
The Treasure of the Lord is obtained, O Kabeer, but do not undo its knot.
There is no market to sell it, no appraiser, no customer, and no price. ||23||
Kabeer, be in love with only that one, whose Master is the Lord.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, kings and landlords - what good is love for them? ||24||
Kabeer, when you are in love with the One Lord, duality and alienation depart.
You may have long hair, or you may shave your head bald. ||25||
Kabeer, the world is a room filled with black soot; the blind fall into its trap.
I am a sacrifice to those who are thrown in, and still escape. ||26||
Kabeer, this body shall perish; save it, if you can.
Even those who have tens of thousands and millions, must depart bare-footed in the end. ||27||
Kabeer, this body shall perish; place it on the path.
Either join the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, or sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||28||
Kabeer, dying, dying, the whole world has to die, and yet, none know how to die.

Let those who die, die such a death, that they shall never have to die again. ||29||
Kabeer, it is so difficult to obtain this human body; it does not just come over and over again.
It is like the ripe fruit on the tree; when it falls to the ground, it cannot be re-attached to the branch. ||30||
Kabeer, you are Kabeer; your name means great.
O Lord, You are Kabeer. The Jewel of the Lord is obtained, when the mortal first gives up his body. ||31||
Kabeer, do not struggle in stubborn pride; nothing happens just because you say so.
No one can erase the actions of the Merciful Lord. ||32||
Kabeer, no one who is false can withstand the Touchstone of the Lord.
He alone can pass the test of the Lord's Touchstone, who remains dead while yet alive. ||33||
Kabeer, some wear gaudy robes, and chew betel leaves and betel nuts.
Without the Name of the One Lord, they are bound and gagged and taken to the City of Death. ||34||
Kabeer, the boat is old, and it has thousands of holes.
Those who are light get across, while those who carry the weight of their sins on their heads are drowned. ||35||
Kabeer, the bones burn like wood, and the hair burns like straw.
Seeing the world burning like this, Kabeer has become sad. ||36||
Kabeer, do not be so proud of your bones wrapped up in skin.
Those who were on their horses and under their canopies, were eventually buried under the ground. ||37||
Kabeer, do not be so proud of your tall mansions.
Today or tomorrow, you shall lie beneath the ground, and the grass shall grow above you. ||38||
Kabeer, do not be so proud, and do not laugh at the poor.
Your boat is still out at sea; who knows what will happen? ||39||
Kabeer, do not be so proud, looking at your beautiful body.
Today or tomorrow, you will have to leave it behind, like the snake shedding its skin. ||40||
Kabeer, if you must rob and plunder, then plunder the plunder of the Lord's Name.
Otherwise, in the world hereafter, you will regret and repent, when the breath of life leaves the body. ||41||
Kabeer, there is no one born, who burns his own home,
and burning his five sons, remains lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||42||
Kabeer, how rare are those who sell their son and sell their daughter
and, entering into partnership with Kabeer, deal with the Lord. ||43||
Kabeer, let me remind you of this. Do not be skeptical or cynical.
Those pleasures which you enjoyed so much in the past - now you must eat their fruits. ||44||
Kabeer, at first, I thought learning was good; then I thought Yoga was better.
I shall never abandon devotional worship of the Lord, even though people may slander me. ||45||
Kabeer, how can the wretched people slander me? They have no wisdom or intelligence.
Kabeer continues to dwell upon the Lord's Name; I have abandoned all other affairs. ||46||
Kabeer, the robe of the stranger-soul has caught fire on all four sides.
The cloth of the body has been burnt and reduced to charcoal, but the fire did not touch the thread of the soul. ||47||
Kabeer, the cloth has been burnt and reduced to charcoal, and the begging bowl is shattered into pieces.
The poor Yogi has played out his game; only ashes remain on his seat. ||48||

Kabeer, the fish is in the shallow water; the fisherman has cast his net.
You shall not escape this little pool; think about returning to the ocean. ||49||
Kabeer, do not leave the ocean, even if it is very salty.
If you poke around searching from puddle to puddle, no one will call you smart. ||50||
Kabeer, those who have no guru are washed away. No one can help them.
Be meek and humble; whatever happens is what the Creator Lord does. ||51||
Kabeer, even the dog of a devotee is good, while the mother of the faithless cynic is bad.
The dog hears the Praises of the Lord's Name, while the other is engaged in sin. ||52||
Kabeer, the deer is weak, and the pool is lush with green vegetation.
Thousands of hunters are chasing after the soul; how long can it escape death? ||53||
Kabeer, some make their homes on the banks of the Ganges, and drink pure water.
Without devotional worship of the Lord, they are not liberated. Kabeer proclaims this. ||54||
Kabeer, my mind has become immaculate, like the waters of the Ganges.
The Lord follows after me, calling, "Kabeer! Kabeer!"||55||
Kabeer, tumeric is yelow, and lime is white.
You shall meet the Beloved Lord, only when both colors are lost. ||56||
Kabeer, tumeric has lost its yellow color, and no trace of lime's whiteness remains.
I am a sacrifice to this love, by which social class and status, color and ancestry are taken away. ||57||
Kabeer, the door of liberation is very narrow, less than the width of a mustard seed.
Your mind is larger than an elephant; how will it pass through? ||58||
Kabeer, if I meet such a True Guru, who mercifully blesses me with the gift,
then the door of liberation will open wide for me, and I will easily pass through. ||59||
Kabeer, I have no hut or hovel, no house or village.
I hope that the Lord will not ask who I am. I have no social status or name. ||60||
Kabeer, I long to die; let me die at the Lord's Door.
I hope that the Lord does not ask, "Who is this, lying at my door?"||61||
Kabeer, I have not done anything; I shall not do anything; my body cannot do anything.
I do not know what the Lord has done, but the call has gone out: "Kabeer, Kabeer."||62||
Kabeer, if someone utters the Name of the Lord even in dreams,
I would make my skin into shoes for his feet. ||63||
Kabeer, we are puppets of clay, but we take the name of mankind.
We are guests here for only a few days, but we take up so much space. ||64||
Kabeer, I have made myself into henna, and I grind myself into powder.
But You, O my Husband Lord, have not asked about me; You have never applied me to Your Feet. ||65||
Kabeer, that door, through which people never stop coming and going
- how can I leave such a door as that? ||66||
Kabeer, I was drowning, but the waves of virtue saved me in an instant.

When I saw that my boat was rotten, then I immediately got out. ||67||
Kabeer, the sinner does not like devotion to the Lord; he does not appreciate worship.
The fly abandons the sandalwood tree, and goes after the rotten smell. ||68||
Kabeer, the physician is dead, and the patient is dead; the whole world is dead.
Only Kabeer is not dead; there is no one to mourn for him. ||69||
Kabeer, I have not meditated on the Lord; such is the bad habit I have developed.
The body is a wooden pot; it cannot be put back on the fire. ||70||
Kabeer, it came to pass, that I did whatever I pleased.
Why should I be afraid of death? I have invited death for myself. ||71||
Kabeer, the mortals suck at the sugar cane, for the sake of the sweet juice. They should work just as hard for virtue.
The person who lacks virtue - no one calls him good. ||72||
Kabeer, the pitcher is full of water; it will break, today or tomorrow.
Those who do not remember their Guru, shall be plundered on the way. ||73||
Kabeer, I am the Lord's dog; Moti is my name.
There is a chain around my neck; wherever I am pulled, I go. ||74||
Kabeer, why do you show other people your rosary beads?
You do not remember the Lord in your heart, so what use is this rosary to you? ||75||
Kabeer, the snake of separation from the Lord abides within my mind; it does not respond to any mantra.
One who is separated from the Lord does not live; if he does live, he goes insane. ||76||
Kabeer, the philosopher's stone and sandalwood oil have the same good quality.
Whatever comes into contact with them is uplifted. Iron is transformed into gold, and ordinary wood becomes fragrant. ||77||
Kabeer, Death's club is terrible; it cannot be endured.
I have met with the holy man; he has attached me to the hem of his robe. ||78||
Kabeer, the physician says that he alone is good, and all the medicine is under his control.
But these things belong to the Lord; He takes them away whenever He wishes. ||79||
Kabeer, take your drum and beat it for ten days.
Life is like people meeting on a boat on a river; they shall not meet again. ||80||
Kabeer, if I could change the seven seas into ink and make all the vegetation my pen,
and the earth my paper, even then, I could not write the Praises of the Lord. ||81||
Kabeer, what can my lowly status as a weaver do to me? The Lord dwells in my heart.
Kabeer, the Lord hugs me close in His Embrace; I have forsaken all my entanglements. ||82||
Kabeer, will anyone set fire to his home
and kill his five sons (the five thieves) to remain lovingly attached to the Lord? ||83||
Kabeer, will anyone burn his own body?
The people are blind - they do not know, although Kabeer continues to shout at them. ||84||
Kabeer, the widow mounts the funeral pyre and cries out, "Listen, O brother funeral pyre.
All people must depart in the end; it is only you and I."||85||

Kabeer, the mind has become a bird; it soars and flies in the ten directions.
According to the company it keeps, so are the fruits it eats. ||86||
Kabeer, you have found that place which you were seeking.
You have become that which you thought was separate from yourself. ||87||
Kabeer, I have been ruined and destroyed by bad company, like the banana plant near the thorn bush.
The thorn bush waves in the wind, and pierces the banana plant; see this, and do not associate with the faithless cynics. ||88||
Kabeer, the mortal wants to walk on the path, carrying the load of others' sins on his head.
He is not afraid of his own load of sins; the road ahead shall be difficult and treacherous. ||89||
Kabeer, the forest is burning; the tree standing in it is crying out,
"Do not let me fall into the hands of the blacksmith, who would burn me a second time."||90||
Kabeer, when one died, two were dead. When two died, four were dead.
When four died, six were dead, four males and two females. ||91||
Kabeer, I have seen and observed, and searched all over the world, but I have found no place of rest anywhere.
Those who do not remember the Lord's Name - why do they delude themselves in other pursuits? ||92||
Kabeer, associate with the Holy people, who will take you to Nirvaanaa in the end.
Do not associate with the faithless cynics; they would bring you to ruin. ||93||
Kabeer, I contemplate the Lord in the world; I know that He is permeating the world.
Those who do not contemplate the Name of the Lord - their birth into this world is useless. ||94||
Kabeer, place your hopes in the Lord; other hopes lead to despair.
Those who dissociate themselves from the Lord's Name - when they fall into hell, then they will appreciate its value. ||95||
Kabeer has made many students and disciples, but he has not made God his friend.
He set out on a journey to meet the Lord, but his consciousness failed him half-way. ||96||
Kabeer, what can the poor creature do, if the Lord does not give him assistance?
Whatever branch he steps on breaks and collapses. ||97||
Kabeer, those who only preach to others - sand falls into their mouths.
They keep their eyes on the property of others, while their own farm is being eaten up. ||98||
Kabeer, I will remain in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, even if I have only coarse bread to eat.
Whatever will be, will be. I will not associate with the faithless cynics. ||99||
Kabeer, in the Saadh Sangat, love for the Lord doubles day by day.
The faithless cynic is like a black blanket, which does not become white by being washed. ||100||
Kabeer, you have not shaved your mind, so why do you shave your head?
Whatever is done, is done by the mind; it is useless to shave your head. ||101||
Kabeer, do not abandon the Lord; your body and wealth shall go, so let them go.
My consciousness is pierced by the Lord's Lotus Feet; I am absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||102||
Kabeer, all the strings of the instrument I played are broken.
What can the poor instrument do, when the player has departed as well. ||103||
Kabeer, shave the mother of that guru, who does not take away one's doubt.

He himself is drowning in the four Vedas; he drowns his disciples as well. ||104||
Kabeer, whatever sins the mortal has committed, he tries to keep hidden under cover.
But in the end, they shall all be revealed, when the Righteous Judge of Dharma investigates. ||105||
Kabeer, you have given up meditating on the Lord, and you have raised a large family.
You continue to involve yourself in worldly affairs, but none of your brothers and relatives remain. ||106||
Kabeer, those who give up meditation on the Lord, and get up at night to wake the spirits of the dead,
shall be reincarnated as snakes, and eat their own offspring. ||107||
Kabeer, the woman who gives up meditation on the Lord, and observes the ritual fast of Ahoi,
shall be reincarnated as a donkey, to carry heavy burdens. ||108||
Kabeer, it is the most clever wisdom, to chant and meditate on the Lord in the heart.
It is like playing on a pig; if you fall off, you will find no place of rest. ||109||
Kabeer, blessed is that mouth, which utters the Lord's Name.
It purifies the body, and the whole village as well. ||110||
Kabeer, that family is good, in which the Lord's slave is born.
But that family in which the Lord's slave is not born is as useless as weeds. ||111||
Kabeer, some have lots of horses, elephants and carriages, and thousands of banners waving.
But begging is better than these comforts, if one spends his days meditating in remembrance on the Lord. ||112||
Kabeer, I have wandered all over the world, carrying the drum on my shoulder.
No one belongs to anyone else; I have looked and carefully studied it. ||113||
The pearls are scattered on the road; the blind man comes along.
Without the Light of the Lord of the Universe, the world just passes them by. ||114||
My family is drowned, O Kabeer, since the birth of my son Kamaal.
He has given up meditating on the Lord, in order to bring home wealth. ||115||
Kabeer, go out to meet the holy man; do not take anyone else with you.
Do not turn back - keep on going. Whatever will be, will be. ||116||
Kabeer, do not bind yourself with that chain, which binds the whole world.
As the salt is lost in the flour, so shall your golden body be lost. ||117||
Kabeer, the soul-swan is flying away, and the body is being buried, and still he makes gestures.
Even then, the mortal does not give up the cruel look in his eyes. ||118||
Kabeer: with my eyes, I see You, Lord; with my ears, I hear Your Name.
With my tongue I chant Your Name; I enshrine Your Lotus Feet within my heart. ||119||
Kabeer, I have been spared from heaven and hell, by the Grace of the True Guru.
From beginning to end, I abide in the joy of the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||120||
Kabeer, how can I even describe the extent of the joy of the Lord's Lotus Feet?
I cannot describe its sublime glory; it has to be seen to be appreciated. ||121||
Kabeer, how can I describe what I have seen? No one will believe my words.
The Lord is just as He is. I dwell in delight, singing His Glorious Praises. ||122||

Kabeer, the flamingo pecks and feeds, and remembers her chicks. She pecks and pecks and feeds, and remembers them always. Her chicks are very dear to her, just like the love of wealth and Maya is dear to the mortal's mind. ||123||
Kabeer, the sky is overcast and cloudy; the ponds and lakes are overflowing with water.
Like the rainbird, some remain thirsty - what is their condition? ||124||
Kabeer, the chakvi duck is separated from her love through the night, but in the morning, she meets him again.
Those who are separated from the Lord do not meet Him in the day, or in the night. ||125||
Kabeer: O conch shell, remain in the ocean.
If you are separated from it, you shall scream at sunrise from temple to temple. ||126||
Kabeer, what are you doing sleeping? Wake up and cry in fear and pain.
Those who live in the grave - how can they sleep in peace? ||127||
Kabeer, what are you doing sleeping? Why not rise up and meditate on the Lord?
One day you shall sleep with your legs outstretched. ||128||
Kabeer, what are you doing sleeping? Wake up, and sit up.
Attach yourself to the One, from whom you have been separated. ||129||
Kabeer, do not leave the Society of the Saints; walk upon this Path.
See them, and be sanctified; meet them, and chant the Name. ||130||
Kabeer, do not associate with the faithless cynics; run far away from them.
If you touch a vessel stained with soot, some of the soot will stick to you. ||131||
Kabeer, you have not contemplated the Lord, and now old age has overtaken you.
Now that the door of your mansion is on fire, what can you take out? ||132||
Kabeer, the Creator does whatever He pleases.
There is none other than Him; He alone is the Creator of all. ||133||
Kabeer, the fruit trees are bearing fruit, and the mangoes are becoming ripe.
They will reach the owner, only if the crows do not eat them first. ||134||
Kabeer, some buy idols and worship them; in their stubborn-mindedness, they make pilgrimages to sacred shrines.
They look at one another, and wear religious robes, but they are deluded and lost. ||135||
Kabeer, someone sets up a stone idol and all the world worships it as the Lord.
Those who hold to this belief will be drowned in the river of darkness. ||136||
Kabeer, the paper is the prison, and the ink of rituals are the bars on the windows.
The stone idols have drowned the world, and the Pandits, the religious scholars, have plundered it on the way. ||137||
Kabeer, that which you have to do tomorrow - do it today instead; and that which you have to do now - do it immediately!
Later on, you will not be able to do anything, when death hangs over your head. ||138||
Kabeer, I have seen a person, who is as shiny as washed wax.
He seems very clever and very virtuous, but in reality, he is without understanding, and corrupt. ||139||
Kabeer, the Messenger of Death shall not compromise my understanding.
I have meditated on the Lord, the Cherisher, who created this Messenger of Death. ||140||
Kabeer, the Lord is like musk; all His slaves are like bumble bees.

The more Kabeer worships Him, the more the Lord abides within his mind. ||141||
Kabeer, the mortal has fallen into the grip of family life, and the Lord has been set aside.
The messengers of the Righteous Judge of Dharma descend upon the mortal, in the midst of all his pomp and ceremony. ||142||
Kabeer, even a pig is better than the faithless cynic; at least the pig keeps the village clean.
When the wretched, faithless cynic dies, no one even mentions his name. ||143||
Kabeer, the mortal gathers wealth, shell by shell, accumulating thousands and millions.
But when the time of his departure comes, he takes nothing at all with him. He is even stripped of his loin-cloth. ||144||
Kabeer, what good is it to become a devotee of Vishnu, and wear four malas?
On the outside, he may look like pure gold, but on the inside, he is stuffed with dust. ||145||
Kabeer, let yourself be a pebble on the path; abandon your egotistical pride.
Such a humble slave shall meet the Lord God. ||146||
Kabeer, what good would it be, to be a pebble? It would only hurt the traveller on the path.
Your slave, O Lord, is like the dust of the earth. ||147||
Kabeer, what then, if one could become dust? It is blown up by the wind, and sticks to the body.
The humble servant of the Lord should be like water, which cleans everything. ||148||
Kabeer, what then, if one could become water? It becomes cold, then hot.
The humble servant of the Lord should be just like the Lord. ||149||
The banners wave above the lofty mansions, filled with gold and beautiful women.
But better than these is dry bread, if one sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord in the Society of the Saints. ||150||
Kabeer, the wilderness is better than a city, if the Lord's devotees live there.
Without my Beloved Lord, it is like the City of Death for me. ||151||
Kabeer, between the Ganges and Jamunaa Rivers, on the shore of Celestial Silence,
there, Kabeer has made his home. The silent sages and the humble servants of the Lord search for the way to get there. ||152||
Kabeer, if the mortal continues to love the Lord in the end, as he pledged in the beginning,
no poor diamond, not even millions of jewels, can equal him. ||153||
Kabeer, I saw a strange and wonderful thing. A jewel was being sold in a store.
Because there was no buyer, it was going in exchange for a shell. ||154||
Kabeer, where there is spiritual wisdom, there is righteousness and Dharma. Where there is falsehood, there is sin.
Where there is greed, there is death. Where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself. ||155||
Kabeer, what good is it to give up Maya, if the mortal does not give up his pride?
Even the silent sages and seers are destroyed by pride; pride eats up everything. ||156||
Kabeer, the True Guru has met me; He aimed the Arrow of the Shabad at me.
As soon as it struck me, I fell to the ground with a hole in my heart. ||157||
Kabeer, what can the True Guru do, when His Sikhs are at fault?
The blind do not take in any of His Teachings; it is as useless as blowing into bamboo. ||158||
Kabeer, the wife of the king has all sorts of horses, elephants and carriages.

But she is not equal to the water-carrier of the Lord's humble servant. ||159||
Kabeer, why do you slander the wife of the king? Why do you honor the slave of the Lord?
Because one combs her hair for corruption, while the other remembers the Name of the Lord. ||160||
Kabeer, with the Support of the Lord's Pillar, I have become steady and stable.
The True Guru has given me courage. Kabeer, I have purchased the diamond, on the banks of the Mansarovar Lake. ||161||
Kabeer, the Lord is the Diamond, and the Lord's humble servant is the jeweller who has set up his shop.
As soon as an appraiser is found, the price of the jewel is set. ||162||
Kabeer, you remember the Lord in meditation, only when the need arises. You should remember Him all the time.
You shall dwell in the city of immortality, and the Lord shall restore the wealth you lost. ||163||
Kabeer, it is good to perform selfless service for two - the Saints and the Lord.
The Lord is the Giver of liberation, and the Saint inspires us to chant the Naam. ||164||
Kabeer, the crowds follow the path which the Pandits, the religious scholars, have taken.
There is a difficult and treacherous cliff on that path to the Lord; Kabeer is climbing that cliff. ||165||
Kabeer, the mortal dies of his worldly troubles and pain, after worrying about his family.
Whose family is dishonored, when he is placed on the funeral pyre? ||166||
Kabeer, you shall drown, you wretched being, from worrying about what other people think.
You know that whatever happens to your neighbors, will also happen to you. ||167||
Kabeer, even dry bread, made of various grains, is good.
No one brags about it, throughout the vast country and great empire. ||168||
Kabeer, those who brag, shall burn. Those who do not brag remain carefree.
That humble being who does not brag, looks upon the gods and the poor alike. ||169||
Kabeer, the pool is filled to overflowing, but no one can drink the water from it.
By great good fortune, you have found it; drink it in handfuls, O Kabeer. ||170||
Kabeer, just as the stars disappear at dawn, so shall this body disappear.
Only the letters of God's Name do not disappear; Kabeer holds these tight. ||171||
Kabeer, the wooden house is burning on all sides.
The Pandits, the religious scholars, have been burnt to death, while the illiterate ones run to safety. ||172||
Kabeer, give up your skepticism; let your papers float away.
Find the essence of the letters of the alphabet, and focus your consciousness on the Lord. ||173||
Kabeer, the Saint does not forsake his Saintly nature, even though he meets with millions of evil-doers.
Even when sandalwood is surrounded by snakes, it does not give up its cooling fragrance. ||174||
Kabeer, my mind is cooled and soothed; I have become God-conscious.
The fire which has burnt the world is like water to the Lord's humble servant. ||175||
Kabeer, no one knows the Play of the Creator Lord.
Only the Lord Himself and the slaves at His Court understand it. ||176||
Kabeer, it is good that I feel the Fear of God; I have forgotten everything else.

The hail-stone has melted into water, and flowed into the ocean. ||177||
Kabeer, the body is a pile of dust, collected and packed together.
It is a show which lasts for only a few days, and then dust returns to dust. ||178||
Kabeer, bodies are like the rising and setting of the sun and the moon.
Without meeting the Guru, the Lord of the Universe, they are all reduced to dust again. ||179||
Where the Fearless Lord is, there is no fear; where there is fear, the Lord is not there.
Kabeer speaks after careful consideration; hear this, O Saints, in your minds. ||180||
Kabeer, those who do not know anything, pass their lives in peaceful sleep.
But I have understood the riddle; I am faced with all sorts of troubles. ||181||
Kabeer, those who are beaten cry a lot; but the cries of the pain of separation are different.
Struck by the Mystery of God, Kabeer remains silent. ||182||
Kabeer, the stroke of a lance is easy to bear; it takes away the breath.
But one who endures the stroke of the Word of the Shabad is the Guru, and I am his slave. ||183||
Kabeer: O Mullah, why do you climb to the top of the minaret? The Lord is not hard of hearing.
Look within your own heart for the One, for whose sake you shout your prayers. ||184||
Why does the Shaykh bother to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, if he is not content with himself?
Kabeer, one whose heart is not healthy and whole - how can he attain his Lord? ||185||
Kabeer, worship the Lord Allah; meditating in remembrance on Him, troubles and pains depart.
The Lord shall be revealed within your own heart, and the burning fire within shall be extinguished by His Name. ||186||
Kabeer, to use force is tyranny, even if you call it legal.
When your account is called for in the Court of the Lord, what will your condition be then? ||187||
Kabeer, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent, if it is flavored with salt.
Who would cut his throat, to have meat with his bread? ||188||
Kabeer, one is known to have been touched by the Guru, only when his emotional attachment and physical illnesses are eradicated.
He is not burned by pleasure or pain, and so he becomes the Lord Himself. ||189||
Kabeer, it does make a difference, how you chant the Lord's Name, 'Raam'. This is something to consider.
Everyone uses the same word for the son of Dasrath and the Wondrous Lord. ||190||
Kabeer, use the word 'Raam', only to speak of the All-pervading Lord. You must make that distinction.
One 'Raam' is pervading everywhere, while the other is contained only in himself. ||191||
Kabeer, those houses in which neither the Holy nor the Lord are served
- those houses are like cremation grounds; demons dwell within them. ||192||
Kabeer, I have become mute, insane and deaf.
I am crippled - the True Guru has pierced me with His Arrow. ||193||
Kabeer, the True Guru, the Spiritual Warrior, has shot me with His Arrow.
As soon as it struck me, I fell to the ground, with a hole in my heart. ||194||
Kabeer, the pure drop of water falls from the sky, onto the dirty ground.

You must acknowledge this, that without the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, it turns into burnt ashes. ||195||
Kabeer, the pure drop of water falls from the sky, and mixes with the dust.
Millions of clever people may try, but they will fail - it cannot be made separate again. ||196||
Kabeer, I was going on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and God met me on the way.
He scolded me and asked, "Who told you that I am only there?"||197||
Kabeer, I went to Mecca - how many times, Kabeer?
O Lord, what is the problem with me? You have not spoken to me with Your Mouth. ||198||
Kabeer, they oppress living beings and kill them, and call it proper.
When the Lord calls for their account, what will their condition be? ||199||
Kabeer, it is tyranny to use force; the Lord shall call you to account.
When your account is called for, your face and mouth shall be beaten. ||200||
Kabeer, it is easy to render your account, if your heart is pure.
In the True Court of the Lord, no one will seize you. ||201||
Kabeer: O duality, you are mighty and powerful in the earth and the sky.
The six Shaastras and the eighty-four Siddhas are entrenched in skepticism. ||202||
Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself. Whatever there is, is Yours, O Lord.
If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me? ||203||
Kabeer, repeating, "You, You", I have become like You. Nothing of me remains in myself.
When the difference between myself and others is removed, then wherever I look, I see only You. ||204||
Kabeer, those who think of evil and entertain false hopes
- none of their desires shall be fulfilled; they shall depart in despair. ||205||
Kabeer, whoever meditates in remembrance on the Lord, he alone is happy in this world.
One who is protected and saved by the Creator Lord, shall never waver, here or hereafter. ||206||
Kabeer, I was being crushed like sesame seeds in the oil-press, but the True Guru saved me.
My pre-ordained primal destiny has now been revealed. ||207||
Kabeer, my days have passed, and I have postponed my payments; the interest on my account continues to increase.
I have not meditated on the Lord and my account is still pending, and now, the moment of my death has come! ||208||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, the mortal is a barking dog, chasing after a carcass.
By the Grace of good karma, I have found the True Guru, who has saved me. ||209||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, the earth belongs to the Holy, but it is being occupied by thieves.
They are not a burden to the earth; they receive its blessings. ||210||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, the rice is beaten with a mallet to get rid of the husk.
When people sit in evil company, the Righteous Judge of Dharma calls them to account. ||211||
Trilochan says, O Naam Dayv, Maya has enticed you, my friend.
Why are you printing designs on these sheets, and not focusing your consciousness on the Lord? ||212||
Naam Dayv answers, O Trilochan, chant the Lord's Name with your mouth.

With your hands and feet, do all your work, but let your consciousness remain with the Immaculate Lord. ||213||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, no one belongs to me, and I belong to no one else.
The One who created the creation - into Him I shall be absorbed. ||214||
Kabeer, the flour has fallen into the mud; nothing has come into my hands.
That which was eaten while it was being ground - that alone is of any use. ||215||
Kabeer, the mortal knows everything, and knowing, he still makes mistakes.
What good is a lamp in one's hand, if he falls into the well? ||216||
Kabeer, I am in love with the All-knowing Lord; the ignorant ones try to hold me back.
How could I ever break with the One, who owns our soul and breath of life. ||217||
Kabeer, why kill yourself for your love of decorations of your home and mansion?
In the end, only six feet, or a little more, shall be your lot. ||218||
Kabeer, whatever I wish for does not happen. What can I accomplish by merely thinking?
The Lord does whatever He wishes; it is not up to me at all. ||219||
Third Mehl:
God Himself makes the mortals anxious, and He Himself takes the anxiety away.
O Nanak, praise the One, who takes care of all. ||220||
Fifth Mehl:
Kabeer, the mortal does not remember the Lord; he wanders around, engrossed in greed.
Committing sins, he dies, and his life ends in an instant. ||221||
Kabeer, the body is like a clay vessel or a brittle metal pot.
If you wish to keep it safe and sound, then vibrate and meditate on the Lord; otherwise, the thing shall break. ||222||
Kabeer, chant the Name of the Beautifully-haired Lord; do not sleep unaware.
Chanting His Name night and day, the Lord will eventually hear your call. ||223||
Kabeer, the body is a banana forest, and the mind is an intoxicated elephant.
The jewel of spiritual wisdom is the prod, and the rare Saint is the rider. ||224||
Kabeer, the Lord's Name is the jewel, and the mouth is the purse; open this purse to the Appraiser.
If a buyer can be found, it will go for a high price. ||225||
Kabeer, the mortal does not know the Lord's Name, but he has raised a very large family.
He dies in the midst of his worldly affairs, and then he is not heard in the external world. ||226||
Kabeer, in the blink of an eye, moment by moment, life is passing by.
The mortal does not give up his worldly entanglements; the Messenger of Death walks in and beats the drum. ||227||
Kabeer, the Lord is the tree, and disillusionment with the world is the fruit.
The Holy man, who has abandoned useless arguments, is the shade of the tree. ||228||
Kabeer, plant the seeds of such a plant, which shall bear fruit throughout the twelve months,
with cooling shade and abundant fruit, upon which birds joyously play. ||229||
Kabeer, the Great Giver is the tree, which blesses all with the fruit of compassion.
When the birds migrate to other lands, O Tree, you bear the fruits. ||230||
Kabeer, the mortal finds the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, if he has such destiny written upon his forehead.

He obtains the treasure of liberation, and the difficult road to the Lord is not blocked. ||231||
Kabeer, whether is is for an hour, half an hour, or half of that,
whatever it is, it is worthwhile to speak with the Holy. ||232||
Kabeer, those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine
- no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. ||233||
Kabeer, I keep my eyes lowered, and enshrine my Friend within my heart.
I enjoy all pleasures with my Beloved, but I do not let anyone else know. ||234||
Twenty-four hours a day, every hour, my soul continues to look to You, O Lord.
Why should I keep my eyes lowered? I see my Beloved in every heart. ||235||
Listen, O my companions: my soul dwells in my Beloved, and my Beloved dwells in my soul.
I realize that there is no difference between my soul and my Beloved; I cannot tell whether my soul or my Beloved dwells in my heart. ||236||
Kabeer, the Brahmin may be the guru of the world, but he is not the Guru of the devotees.
He rots and dies in the perplexities of the four Vedas. ||237||
The Lord is like sugar, scattered in the sand; the elephant cannot pick it up.
Says Kabeer, the Guru has given me this sublime understanding: become an ant, and feed on it. ||238||
Kabeer, if you desire to play the game of love with the Lord, then cut off your head, and make it into a ball.
Lose yourself in the play of it, and then whatever will be, will be. ||239||
Kabeer, if you desire to play the game of love with the Lord, play it with someone with committment.
Pressing the unripe mustard seeds produces neither oil nor flour. ||240||
Searching, the mortal stumbles like a blind person, and does not recognize the Saint.
Says Naam Dayv, how can one obtain the Lord God, without His devotee? ||241||
Forsaking the Diamond of the Lord, the mortals put their hopes in another.
Those people shall go to hell; Ravi Daas speaks the Truth. ||242||
Kabeer, if you live the householder's life, then practice righteousness; otherwise, you might as well retire from the world.
If someone renounces the world, and then gets involved in worldly entanglements, he shall suffer terrible misfortune. ||243||
Shaloks Of Shaykh Fareed Jee:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
The day of the bride's wedding is pre-ordained.
On that day, the Messenger of Death, of whom she had only heard, comes and shows its face.
It breaks the bones of the body and pulls the helpless soul out.
That pre-ordained time of marriage cannot be avoided. Explain this to your soul.
The soul is the bride, and death is the groom. He will marry her and take her away.
After the body sends her away with its own hands, whose neck will it embrace?
The bridge to hell is narrower than a hair; haven't you heard of it with your ears?
Fareed, the call has come; be careful now - don't let yourself be robbed. ||1||
Fareed, it is so difficult to become a humble Saint at the Lord's Door.

I am so accustomed to walking in the ways of the world. I have tied and picked up the bundle; where can I go to throw it away? ||2||
I know nothing; I understand nothing. The world is a smouldering fire.
My Lord did well to warn me about it; otherwise, I would have been burnt as well. ||3||
Fareed, if I had known that I had so few sesame seeds, I would have been more careful with them in my hands.
If I had known that my Husband Lord was so young and innocent, I would not have been so arrogant. ||4||
If I had known that my robe would come loose, I would have tied a tighter knot.
I have found none as great as You, Lord; I have looked and searched throughout the world. ||5||
Fareed, if you have a keen understanding, then do not write black marks against anyone else.
Look underneath your own collar instead. ||6||
Fareed, do not turn around and strike those who strike you with their fists.
Kiss their feet, and return to your own home. ||7||
Fareed, when there was time for you to earn good karma, you were in love with the world instead.
Now, death has a strong foothold; when the load is full, it is taken away. ||8||
See, Fareed, what has happened: your beard has become grey.
That which is coming is near, and the past is left far behind. ||9||
See, Fareed, what has happened: sugar has become poison.
Without my Lord, who can I tell of my sorrow? ||10||
Fareed, my eyes have become weak, and my ears have become hard of hearing.
The body's crop has become ripe and turned color. ||11||
Fareed, those who did not enjoy their Spouse when their hair was black - hardly any of them enjoy Him when their hair turns grey.
So be in love with the Lord, so that your color may ever be new. ||12||
Third Mehl:
Fareed, whether one's hair is black or grey, our Lord and Master is always here if one remembers Him.
This loving devotion to the Lord does not come by one's own efforts, even though all may long for it.
This cup of loving devotion belongs to our Lord and Master; He gives it to whomever He likes. ||13||
Fareed, those eyes which have enticed the world - I have seen those eyes.
Once, they could not endure even a bit of mascara; now, the birds hatch their young in them! ||14||
Fareed, they shouted and yelled, and constantly gave good advice.
But those whom the devil has spoiled - how can they turn their consciousness towards God? ||15||
Fareed, become the grass on the path,
if you long for the Lord of all.
One will cut you down, and another will trample you underfoot;
then, you shall enter the Court of the Lord. ||16||
Fareed, do not slander the dust; noting is as great as dust.
When we are alive, it is under our feet, and when we are dead, it is above us. ||17||
Fareed, when there is greed, what love can there be? When there is greed, love is false.
How long can one remain in a thatched hut which leaks when it rains? ||18||
Fareed, why do you wander from jungle to jungle, crashing through the thorny trees?
The Lord abides in the heart; why are you looking for Him in the jungle? ||19||
Fareed, with these small legs, I crossed deserts and mountains.
But today, Fareed, my water jug seems hundreds of miles away. ||20||
Fareed, the nights are long, and my sides are aching in pain.

Cursed are the lives of those who place their hopes in others. ||21||
Fareed, if I had been there when my friend came, I would have made myself a sacrifice to him.
Now my flesh is burning red on the hot coals. ||22||
Fareed, the farmer plants acacia trees, and wishes for grapes.
He is spinning wool, but he wishes to wear silk. ||23||
Fareed, the path is muddy, and the house of my Beloved is so far away.
If I go out, my blanket will get soaked, but if I remain at home, then my heart will be broken. ||24||
My blanket is soaked, drenched with the downpour of the Lord's Rain.
I am going out to meet my Friend, so that my heart will not be broken. ||25||
Fareed, I was worried that my turban might become dirty.
My thoughtless self did not realize that one day, dust will consume my head as well. ||26||
Fareed: sugar cane, candy, sugar, molasses, honey and buffalo's milk
- all these things are sweet, but they are not equal to You. ||27||
Fareed, my bread is made of wood, and hunger is my appetizer.
Those who eat buttered bread, will suffer in terrible pain. ||28||
Eat dry bread, and drink cold water.
Fareed, if you see someone else's buttered bread, do not envy him for it. ||29||
This night, I did not sleep with my Husband Lord, and now my body is suffering in pain.
Go and ask the deserted bride, how she passes her night. ||30||
She finds no place of rest in her father-in-law's home, and no place in her parents' home either.
Her Husband Lord does not care for her; what sort of a blessed, happy soul-bride is she? ||31||
In her father-in-law's home hereafter, and in her parents' home in this world, she belongs to her Husband Lord. Her Husband is Inaccessible and Unfathomable.
O Nanak, she is the happy soul-bride, who is pleasing to her Carefree Lord. ||32||
Bathing, washing and decorating herself, she comes and sleeps without anxiety.
Fareed, she still smells like asafoetida; the fragrance of musk is gone. ||33||
I am not afraid of losing my youth, as long as I do not lose the Love of my Husband Lord.
Fareed, so many youths, without His Love, have dried up and withered away. ||34||
Fareed, anxiety is my bed, pain is my mattress, and the pain of separation is my blanket and quilt.
Behold, this is my life, O my True Lord and Master. ||35||
Many talk of the pain and suffering of separation; O pain, you are the ruler of all.
Fareed, that body, within which love of the Lord does not well up - look upon that body as a cremation ground. ||36||
Fareed, these are poisonous sprouts coated with sugar.
Some die planting them, and some are ruined, harvesting and enjoying them. ||37||
Fareed, the hours of the day are lost wandering around, and the hours of the night are lost in sleep.
God will call for your account, and ask you why you came into this world. ||38||
Fareed, you have gone to the Lord's Door. Have you seen the gong there?
This blameless object is being beaten - imagine what is in store for us sinners! ||39||
Each and every hour, it is beaten; it is punished every day.
This beautiful body is like the gong; it passes the night in pain. ||40||

Shaykh Fareed has grown old, and his body has begun to tremble.
Even if he could live for hundreds of years, his body will eventually turn to dust. ||41||
Fareed begs, O Lord, do not make me sit at another's door.
If this is the way you are going to keep me, then go ahead and take the life out of my body. ||42||
With the axe on his shoulder, and a bucket on his head, the blacksmith is ready to cut down the tree.
Fareed, I long for my Lord; you long only for the charcoal. ||43||
Fareed, some have lots of flour, while others do not even have salt.
When they go beyond this world, it shall be seen, who will be punished. ||44||
Drums were beaten in their honor, there were canopies above their heads, and bugles announced their coming.
They have gone to sleep in the cemetary, buried like poor orphans. ||45||
Fareed, those who built houses, mansions and lofty buildings, are also gone.
They made false deals, and were dropped into their graves. ||46||
Fareed, there are many seams on the patched coat, but there are no seams on the soul.
The shaykhs and their disciples have all departed, each in his own turn. ||47||
Fareed, the two lamps are lit, but death has come anyway.
It has captured the fortress of the body, and plundered the home of the heart; it extinguishes the lamps and departs. ||48||
Fareed, look at what has happened to the cotton and the sesame seed,
the sugar cane and paper, the clay pots and the charcoal.
This is the punishment for those who do evil deeds. ||49||
Fareed, you wear your prayer shawl on your shoulders and the robes of a Sufi; your words are sweet, but there is a dagger in your heart.
Outwardly, you look bright, but your heart is dark as night. ||50||
Fareed, not even a drop of blood would issue forth, if someone cut my body.
Those bodies which are imbued with the Lord - those bodies contain no blood. ||51||
Third Mehl:
This body is all blood; without blood, this body could not exist.
Those who are imbued with their Lord, do not have the blood of greed in their bodies.
When the Fear of God fills the body, it becomes thin; the blood of greed departs from within.
Just as metal is purified by fire, the Fear of God removes the filthy residues of evil-mindedness.
O Nanak, those humble beings are beautiful, who are imbued with the Lord's Love. ||52||
Fareed, seek that sacred pool, in which the genuine article is found.
Why do you bother to search in the pond? Your hand will only sink into the mud. ||53||
Fareed, when she is young, she does not enjoy her Husband. When she grows up, she dies.
Lying in the grave, the soul-bride cries, "I did not meet You, my Lord."||54||
Fareed, your hair has turned grey, your beard has turned grey, and your moustache has turned grey.
O my thoughtless and insane mind, why are you indulging in pleasures? ||55||
Fareed, how long can you run on the rooftop? You are asleep to your Husband Lord - give it up!
The days which were allotted to you are numbered, and they are passing, passing away. ||56||
Fareed, houses, mansions and balconies - do not attach your consciousness to these.
When these collapse into heaps of dust, none of them will be your friend. ||57||
Fareed, do not focus on mansions and wealth; center your consciousness on death, your powerful enemy.

Remember that place where you must go. ||58||
Fareed, those deeds which do not bring merit - forget about those deeds.
Otherwise, you shall be put to shame, in the Court of the Lord. ||59||
Fareed, work for your Lord and Master; dispel the doubts of your heart.
The dervishes, the humble devotees, have the patient endurance of trees. ||60||
Fareed, my clothes are black, and my outfit is black.
I wander around full of sins, and yet people call me a dervish - a holy man. ||61||
The crop which is burnt will not bloom, even if it is soaked in water.
Fareed, she who is forsaken by her Husband Lord, grieves and laments. ||62||
When she is a virgin, she is full of desire; but when she is married, then her troubles begin.
Fareed, she has this one regret, that she cannot be a virgin again. ||63||
The swans have landed in a small pond of salt water.
They dip in their bills, but do not drink; they fly away, still thirsty. ||64||
The swans fly away, and land in the fields of grain. The people go to chase them away.
The thoughtless people do not know, that the swans do not eat the grain. ||65||
The birds which lived in the pools have flown away and left.
Fareed, the overflowing pool shall also pass away, and only the lotus flowers shall remain. ||66||
Fareed, a stone will be your pillow, and the earth will be your bed. The worms shall eat into your flesh.
Countless ages will pass, and you will still be lying on one side. ||67||
Fareed, your beautiful body shall break apart, and the subtle thread of the breath shall be snapped.
In which house will the Messenger of Death be a guest today? ||68||
Fareed, your beautiful body shall break apart, and the subtle thread of the breath shall be snapped.
Those friends who were a burden on the earth - how can they come today? ||69||
Fareed: O faithless dog, this is not a good way of life.
You never come to the mosque for your five daily prayers. ||70||
Rise up, Fareed, and cleanse yourself; chant your morning prayer.
The head which does not bow to the Lord - chop off and remove that head. ||71||
That head which does not bow to the Lord - what is to be done with that head?
Put it in the fireplace, instead of firewood. ||72||
Fareed, where are your mother and father, who gave birth to you?
They have left you, but even so, you are not convinced that you shall also have to go. ||73||
Fareed, flatten out your mind; smooth out the hills and valleys.
Hereafter, the fires of hell shall not even approach you. ||74||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, the Creator is in the Creation, and the Creation abides in God.
Whom can we call bad? There is none without Him. ||75||
Fareed, if on that day when my umbilical cord was cut, my throat had been cut instead,
I would not have fallen into so many troubles, or undergone so many hardships. ||76||
My teeth, feet, eyes and ears have stopped working.
My body cries out, "Those whom I knew have left me!"||77||
Fareed, answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind with anger.

Your body shall not suffer from any disease, and you shall obtain everything. ||78||
Fareed, the bird is a guest in this beautiful world-garden.
The morning drums are beating - get ready to leave! ||79||
Fareed, musk is released at night. Those who are sleeping do not receive their share.
Those whose eyes are heavy with sleep - how can they receive it? ||80||
Fareed, I thought that I was in trouble; the whole world is in trouble!
When I climbed the hill and looked around, I saw this fire in each and every home. ||81||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, in the midst of this beautiful earth, there is a garden of thorns.
Those humble beings who are blessed by their spiritual teacher, do not suffer even a scratch. ||82||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, life is blessed and beautiful, along with the beautiful body.
Only a rare few are found, who love their Beloved Lord. ||83||
O river, do not destroy your banks; you too will be asked to give your account.
The river flows in whatever direction the Lord orders. ||84||
Fareed, the day passes painfully; the night is spent in anguish.
The boatman stands up and shouts, "The boat is caught in the whirlpool!"||85||
The river flows on and on; it loves to eat into its banks.
What can the whirlpool do to the boat, if the boatman remains alert? ||86||
Fareed, there are dozens who say they are friends; I search, but I cannot find even one.
I yearn for my beloved like a smouldering fire. ||87||
Fareed, this body is always barking. Who can stand this constant suffering?
I have put plugs in my ears; I don't care how much the wind is blowing. ||88||
Fareed, God's dates have ripened, and rivers of honey flow.
With each passing day, your life is being stolen away. ||89||
Fareed, my withered body has become a skeleton; the crows are pecking at my palms.
Even now, God has not come to help me; behold, this is the fate of all mortal beings. ||90||
The crows have searched my skeleton, and eaten all my flesh.
But please do not touch these eyes; I hope to see my Lord. ||91||
O crow, do not peck at my skeleton; if you have landed on it, fly away.
Do not eat the flesh from that skeleton, within which my Husband Lord abides. ||92||
Fareed, the poor grave calls out, "O homeless one, come back to your home.
You shall surely have to come to me; do not be afraid of death."||93||
These eyes have seen a great many leave.
Fareed, the people have their fate, and I have mine. ||94||
God says, "If you reform yourself, you shall meet me, and meeting me, you shall be at peace.
O Fareed, if you will be mine, the whole world will be yours."||95||
How long can the tree remain implanted on the river-bank?
Fareed, how long can water be kept in a soft clay pot? ||96||
Fareed, the mansions are vacant; those who lived in them have gone to live underground.

They remain there, in those unhonored graves.
O Shaykh, dedicate yourself to God; you will have to depart, today or tomorrow. ||97||
Fareed, the shore of death looks like the river-bank, being eroded away.
Beyond is the burning hell, from which cries and shrieks are heard.
Some understand this completely, while others wander around carelessly.
Those actions which are done in this world, shall be examined in the Court of the Lord. ||98||
Fareed, the crane perches on the river bank, playing joyfully.
While it is playing, a hawk suddenly pounces on it.
When the Hawk of God attacks, playful sport is forgotten.
God does what is not expected or even considered. ||99||
The body is nourished by water and grain.
The mortal comes into the world with high hopes.
But when the Messenger of Death comes, it breaks down all the doors.
It binds and gags the mortal, before the eyes of his beloved brothers.
Behold, the mortal being is going away, carried on the shoulders of four men.
Fareed, only those good deeds done in the world will be of any use in the Court of the Lord. ||100||
Fareed, I am a sacrifice to those birds which live in the jungle.
They peck at the roots and live on the ground, but they do not leave the Lord's side. ||101||
Fareed, the seasons change, the woods shake and the leaves drop from the trees.
I have searched in the four directions, but I have not found any resting place anywhere. ||102||
Fareed, I have torn my clothes to tatters; now I wear only a rough blanket.
I wear only those clothes which will lead me to meet my Lord. ||103||
Third Mehl:
Why do you tear apart your fine clothes, and take to wearing a rough blanket?
O Nanak, even sitting in your own home, you can meet the Lord, if your mind is in the right place. ||104||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, those who are very proud of their greatness, wealth and youth,
shall return empty-handed from their Lord, like sandhills after the rain. ||105||
Fareed, the faces of those who forget the Lord's Name are dreadful.
They suffer terrible pain here, and hereafter they find no place of rest or refuge. ||106||
Fareed, if you do not awaken in the early hours before dawn, you are dead while yet alive.
Although you have forgotten God, God has not forgotten you. ||107||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, my Husband Lord is full of joy; He is Great and Self-sufficient.
To be imbued with the Lord God - this is the most beautiful decoration. ||108||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, look upon pleasure and pain as the same; eradicate corruption from your heart.
Whatever pleases the Lord God is good; understand this, and you will reach His Court. ||109||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, the world dances as it dances, and you dance with it as well.
That soul alone does not dance with it, who is under the care of the Lord God. ||110||
Fifth Mehl:
Fareed, the heart is imbued with this world, but the world is of no use to it at all.

It is so difficult to be like the fakeers - the Holy Saints; it is only achieved by perfect karma. ||111||
The first watch of the night brings flowers, and the later watches of the night bring fruit.
Those who remain awake and aware, receive the gifts from the Lord. ||112||
The gifts are from our Lord and Master; who can force Him to bestow them?
Some are awake, and do not receive them, while He awakens others from sleep to bless them. ||113||
You search for your Husband Lord; you must have some fault in your body.
Those who are known as happy soul-brides, do not look to others. ||114||
Within yourself, make patience the bow, and make patience the bowstring.
Make patience the arrow, the Creator will not let you miss the target. ||115||
Those who are patient abide in patience; in this way, they burn their bodies.
They are close to the Lord, but they do not reveal their secret to anyone. ||116||
Let patience be your purpose in life; implant this within your being.
In this way, you will grow into a great river; you will not break off into a tiny stream. ||117||
Fareed, it is difficult to be a dervish - a Holy Saint; it is easier to love bread when it is buttered.
Only a rare few follow the way of the Saints. ||118||
My body is cooking like an oven; my bones are burning like firewood.
If my feet become tired, I will walk on my head, if I can meet my Beloved. ||119||
Do not heat up your body like an oven, and do not burn your bones like firewood.
What harm have your feet and head done to you? Behold your Beloved within yourself. ||120||
I search for my Friend, but my Friend is already with me.
O Nanak, the Unseen Lord cannot be seen; He is revealed only to the Gurmukh. ||121||
Seeing the swans swimming, the cranes became excited.
The poor cranes were drowned to death, with their heads below the water and their feet sticking out above. ||122||
I knew him as a great swan, so I associated with him.
If I had known that he was a only wretched crane, I would never in my life have crossed paths with him. ||123||
Who is a swan, and who is a crane, if God blesses him with His Glance of Grace?
If it pleases Him, O Nanak, He changes a crow into a swan. ||124||
There is only one bird in the lake, but there are fifty trappers.
This body is caught in the waves of desire. O my True Lord, You are my only hope! ||125||
What is that word, what is that virtue, and what is that magic mantra?
What are those clothes, which I can wear to captivate my Husband Lord? ||126||
Humility is the word, forgiveness is the virtue, and sweet speech is the magic mantra.
Wear these three robes, O sister, and you will captivate your Husband Lord. ||127||
If you are wise, be simple;
if you are powerful, be weak;
and when there is nothing to share, then share with others.
How rare is one who is known as such a devotee. ||128||
Do not utter even a single harsh word; your True Lord and Master abides in all.
Do not break anyone's heart; these are all priceless jewels. ||129||
The minds of all are like precious jewels; to harm them is not good at all.
If you desire your Beloved, then do not break anyone's heart. ||130||

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Swaiyas From The Mouth Of The Great Fifth Mehl:
O Primal Lord God, You Yourself are the Creator, the Cause of all causes.
You are All-pervading everywhere, totally filling all hearts.
You are seen pervading the world; who can know Your State? You protect all; You are our Lord and Master.
O my Imperishable and Formless Lord, You formed Yourself.
You are the One and Only; no one else is like You.
O Lord, You have no end or limitation. Who can contemplate You? You are the Father of the world, the Support of all life.
Your devotees are at Your Door, O God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue?
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. ||1||
Streams of Ambrosial Nectar flow; Your Treasures are unweighable and overflowing in abundance. You are the Farthest of the far, Infinite and Incomparably Beautiful.
You do whatever You please; You do not take advice from anyone else. In Your Home, creation and destruction happen in an instant.
No one else is equal to You; Your Light is Immaculate and Pure. Millions of sins are washed away, chanting Your Name, Har, Har.
Your devotees are at Your Door, God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue?
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. ||2||
You established all the worlds from within Yourself, and extended them outward. You are All-pervading amongst all, and yet You Yourself remain detached.
O Lord, there is no end or limit to Your Glorious Virtues; all beings and creatures are Yours. You are the Giver of all, the One Invisible Lord.

He Himself supports the Universe, revealing His All-powerful Creative Potency. He has no color, form, mouth or beard.
Your devotees are at Your Door, O God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue?
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. ||3||
You are the Treasure of all virtue; who can know the value of Your spiritual wisdom and meditation? O God, Your Place is known as the highest of the high.
Mind, wealth and the breath of life belong to You alone, Lord. The world is strung upon Your Thread. What praises can I give to You? You are the Greatest of the great.
Who can know Your Mystery? O Unfathomable, Infinite, Divine Lord, Your Power is unstoppable. O God, You are the Support of all.
Your devotees are at Your Door, O God - they are just like You. How can servant Nanak describe them with only one tongue?
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, a sacrifice, forever a sacrifice to them. ||4||
O Formless, Formed, Undeceivable, Perfect, Imperishable,
Blissful, Unlimited, Beautiful, Immaculate, Blossoming Lord:
Countless are those who sing Your Glorious Praises, but they do not know even a tiny bit of Your extent.
That humble being upon whom You shower Your Mercy meets with You, O God.
Blessed, blessed, blessed are those humble beings, upon whom the Lord, Har, Har, showers His Mercy.
Whoever meets with the Lord through Guru Nanak is rid of both birth and death. ||5||
The Lord is said to be True, True, True, True, the Truest of the True.
There is no other like Him. He is the Primal Being, the Primal Soul.
Chanting the Ambrosial Name of the Lord, the mortal is blessed with all comforts.
Those who taste it with their tongues, those humble beings are satisfied and fulfilled.
That person who becomes pleasing to his Lord and Master, loves the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
Whoever meets with the Lord through Guru Nanak, saves all his generations. ||6||
True is His Congregation and His Court. The True Lord has established Truth.
Sitting upon His Throne of Truth, He administers True Justice.
The True Lord Himself fashioned the Universe. He is Infallible, and does not make mistakes.
The Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord, is the jewel. Its value cannot be appraised - it is priceless.
That person, upon whom the Lord of the Universe showers His Mercy obtains all comforts.
Those who touch the Feet of the Lord through Guru Nanak, do not have to enter the cycle of reincarnation ever again. ||7||
What is the Yoga, what is the spiritual wisdom and meditation, and what is the way, to praise the Lord?
The Siddhas and seekers and the three hundred thirty million gods cannot find even a tiny bit of the Lord's Value.
Neither Brahma, nor Sanak, nor the thousand-headed serpent king can find the limits of His Glorious Virtues.
The Inapprehensible Lord cannot be apprehended. He is pervading and permeating amongst all.
Those whom God has mercifully freed from their nooses - those humble beings are attached to His devotional worship.
Those who meet with the Lord through Guru Nanak are liberated forever, here and hereafter. ||8||
I am a beggar; I seek the Sanctuary of God, the Giver of givers.
Please bless me with the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints; grasping them, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
Please listen to my prayer, if it pleases You, O my Lord and Master.

My mind yearns for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. This mind abides in devotional worship.
The lamp is lit in the darkness; all are saved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, through the One Name and faith in the Dharma.
The Lord is revealed in all the worlds. O servant Nanak, the Guru is the Supreme Lord God. ||9||
Swaiyas From The Mouth Of The Great Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
This body is frail and transitory, and bound to emotional attachment. I am foolish, stone-hearted, filthy and unwise.
My mind wanders and wobbles, and will not hold steady. It does not know the state of the Supreme Lord God.
I am intoxicated with the wine of youth, beauty and the riches of Maya. I wander around perplexed, in excessive egotistical pride.
The wealth and women of others, arguments and slander, are sweet and dear to my soul.
I try to hide my deception, but God, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of Hearts, sees and hears all.
I have no humility, faith, compassion or purity, but I seek Your Sanctuary, O Giver of life.
The All-powerful Lord is the Cause of causes. O Lord and Master of Nanak, please save me! ||1||
The Praises of the Creator, the Enticer of the mind, are potent to destroy sins.
The All-powerful Lord is the boat, to carry us across; He saves all our generations.
O my unconscious mind, contemplate and remember Him in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Why are you wandering around, enticed by the darkness of doubt?
Remember Him in meditation, for an hour, for a moment, even for an instant. Chant the Name of the Lord with your tongue.
You are bound to worthless deeds and shallow pleasures; why do you spend millions of lifetimes wandering in such pain?
Chant and vibrate the Name of the Lord, O Nanak, through the Teachings of the Saints. Meditate on the Lord with love in your soul. ||2||
The little sperm is planted in the body-field of the mother, and the human body, so difficult to obtain, is formed.
He eats and drinks, and enjoys pleasures; his pains are taken away, and his suffering is gone.
He is given the understanding to recognize mother, father, siblings and relatives.
He grows day by day, as the horrible specter of old age comes closer and closer.
You worthless, petty worm of Maya - remember your Lord and Master, at least for an instant!
Please take Nanak's hand, O Merciful Ocean of Mercy, and take away this heavy load of doubt. ||3||
O mind, you are a mouse, living in the mousehole of the body; you are so proud of yourself, but you act like an absolute fool.
You swing in the swing of wealth, intoxicated with Maya, and you wander around like an owl.
You take pleasure in your children, spouse, friends and relatives; your emotional attachment to them is increasing.
You have planted the seeds of egotism, and the sprout of possessiveness has come up. You pass your life making sinful mistakes.
The cat of death, with his mouth wide-open, is watching you. You eat food, but you are still hungry.
Meditate in remembrance on the Merciful Lord of the World, O Nanak, in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation. Know that the world is just a dream. ||4||

Neither body, nor house, nor love last forever. You are intoxicated with Maya; how long will you be proud of them?
Neither crown, nor canopy, nor servants last forever. You do not consider in your heart that your life is passing away.
Neither chariots, nor horses, nor elephants or royal thrones shall last forever. In an instant, you will have to leave them, and depart naked.
Neither warrior, nor hero, nor king or ruler last forever; see this with your eyes.
Neither fortress, nor shelter, nor treasure will save you; doing evil deeds, you shall depart empty-handed.
Friends, children, spouses and friends - none of them last forever; they change like the shade of a tree.
God is the Perfect Primal Being, Merciful to the meek; each and every instant, meditate in remembrance on Him, the Inaccessible and Infinite.
O Great Lord and Master, servant Nanak seeks Your Sanctuary; please shower him with Your Mercy, and carry him across. ||5||
I have used up my breath of life, sold my self-respect, begged for charity, committed highway robbery, and dedicated my consciousness to the love and pursuit of acquiring wealth.
I have kept it secretly hidden from my friends, relatives, companions, children and siblings.
I ran around practicing falsehood, burning up my body and growing old.
I gave up good deeds, righteousness and Dharma, self-discipline, purity, religious vows and all good ways; I associated with the fickle Maya.
Beasts and birds, trees and mountains - in so many ways, I wandered lost in reincarnation.
I did not remember the Naam, the Name of the Lord, for a moment, or even an instant. He is the Master of the meek, the Lord of all life.
The food and drink, and the sweet and tasty dishes became totally bitter at the last moment.
O Nanak, I was saved in the Society of the Saints, at their feet; the others, intoxicated with Maya, have gone, leaving everything behind. ||6||
Brahma, Shiva, the Vedas and the silent sages sing the Glorious Praises of their Lord and Master with love and delight.
Indra, Vishnu and Gorakh, who come to earth and then go to heaven again, seek the Lord.
The Siddhas, human beings, gods and demons cannot find even a tiny bit of His Mystery.
The Lord's humble servants are imbued with love and affection for God their Beloved; in the delight of devotional worship, they are absorbed in the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
But those who forsake Him, and beg from another, shall see their mouths, teeth and tongues wear away.
O my foolish mind, meditate in remembrance on the Lord, the Giver of peace. Slave Nanak imparts these teachings. ||7||
The pleasures of Maya shall fade away. In doubt, the mortal falls into the deep dark pit of emotional attachment.
He is so proud, even the sky cannot contain him. His belly is filled with manure, bones and worms.
He runs around in the ten directions, for the sake of the great poison of corruption. He steals the wealth of others, and in the end, he is destroyed by his own ignorance.
His youth passes away, the illnesses of old age seize him, and the Messenger of Death punishes him; such is the death he dies.
He suffers the agony of hell in countless incarnations; he rots away in the pit of pain and condemnation.
O Nanak, those whom the Saint mercifully takes as his own, are carried across by their loving devotional worship. ||8||
All virtues are obtained, all fruits and rewards, and the desires of the mind; my hopes have been totally fulfilled.
The Medicine, the Mantra, the Magic Charm, will cure all illnesses and totally take away all pain.

Lust, anger, egotism, jealousy and desire are eliminated by chanting the Name of the Lord.
The merits of cleansing baths, charity, penance, purity and good deeds, are obtained by enshrining the Lotus Feet of God within the heart.
The Lord is my Friend, my Very Best Friend, Companion and Relative. God is the Sustenance of the soul, the Support of the breath of life.
I have grasped the Shelter and Support of my All-powerful Lord and Master; slave Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. ||9||
Weapons cannot cut that person who delights in the love of the Lord's Lotus Feet.
Ropes cannot bind that person whose mind is pierced through by the Vision of the Lord's Way.
Fire cannot burn that person who is attached to the dust of the feet of the Lord's humble servant.
Water cannot drown that person whose feet walk on the Lord's Path.
O Nanak, diseases, faults, sinful mistakes and emotional attachment are pierced by the Arrow of the Name. ||1||10||
People are engaged in making all sorts of efforts; they contemplate the various aspects of the six Shaastras.
Rubbing ashes all over their bodies, they wander around at the various sacred shrines of pilgrimage; they fast until their bodies are emaciated, and braid their hair into tangled messes.
Without devotional worship of the Lord, they all suffer in pain, caught in the tangled web of their love.
They perform worship ceremonies, draw ritual marks on their bodies, cook their own food fanatically, and make pompous shows of themselves in all sorts of ways. ||2||11||20||
Swaiyas In Praise Of The First Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate single-mindedly on the Primal Lord God, the Bestower of blessings.
He is the Helper and Support of the Saints, manifest forever.
Grasp His Feet and enshrine them in your heart.
Then, let us sing the Glorious Praises of the most exalted Guru Nanak. ||1||
I sing the Glorious Praises of the most exalted Guru Nanak, the Ocean of peace, the Eradicator of sins, the sacred pool of the Shabad, the Word of God.
The beings of deep and profound understanding, oceans of wisdom, sing of Him; the Yogis and wandering hermits meditate on Him.
Indra and devotees like Prahlaad, who know the joy of the soul, sing of Him.
KAL the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||2||
King Janak and the great Yogic heroes of the Lord's Way, sing the Praises of the All-powerful Primal Being, filled with the sublime essence of the Lord.
Sanak and Brahma's sons, the Saadhus and Siddhas, the silent sages and humble servants of the Lord sing the Praises of Guru Nanak, who cannot be deceived by the great deceiver.
Dhoma the seer and Dhroo, whose realm is unmoving, sing the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the ecstasy of loving devotional worship.
KAL the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. ||3||
Kapila and the other Yogis sing of Guru Nanak. He is the Avataar, the Incarnation of the Infinite Lord.
Parasraam the son of Jamdagan, whose axe and powers were taken away by Raghuvira, sing of Him.
Udho, Akrur and Bidur sing the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the Lord, the Soul of All.
KAL the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. ||4||

The four castes and the six Shaastras sing His Glorious Praises; Brahma and the others contemplate His Virtues.
The thousand-tongued serpent king sings His Praises with delight, remaining lovingly attached to Him.
Shiva, detached and beyond desire, sings the Glorious Praises of Guru Nanak, who knows the Lord's endless meditation.
KAL the poet sings the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Raja Yoga. ||5||
He mastered Raja Yoga, and enjoys sovereignty over both worlds; the Lord, beyond hate and revenge, is enshrined within His Heart.
The whole world is saved, and carried across, chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Sanak and Janak and the others sing His Praises, age after age.
Blessed, blessed, blessed and fruitful is the sublime birth of the Guru into the world.
Even in the nether regions, His Victory is celebrated; so says KAL the poet.
You are blessed with the Nectar of the Lord's Name, O Guru Nanak; You have mastered Raja Yoga, and enjoy sovereignty over both worlds. ||6||
In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, You were pleased to deceive Baal the king, in the form of a dwarf.
In the Silver Age of Traytaa Yuga, You were called Raam of the Raghu dynasty.
In the Brass Age of Dwaapur Yuga, You were Krishna; You killed Mur the demon and saved Kans.
You blessed Ugrasain with a kingdom, and You blessed Your humble devotees with fearlessness.
In the Iron Age, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, You are known and accepted as Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Das.
The sovereign rule of the Great Guru is unchanging and permanent, according the Command of the Primal Lord God. ||7||
His Glorious Praises are sung by the devotees Ravi Daas, Jai Dayv and Trilochan.
The devotees Naam Dayv and Kabeer praise Him continually, knowing Him to be even-eyed.
The devotee Baynee sings His Praises; He intuitively enjoys the ecstasy of the soul.
He is the Master of Yoga and meditation, and the spiritual wisdom of the Guru; He knows none other except God.
Sukh Dayv and Preekhyat sing His Praises, and Gautam the rishi sings His Praise.
Says KAL the poet, the ever-fresh praises of Guru Nanak are spread throughout the world. ||8||
In the nether worlds, His Praises are sung by the devotees like Shaysh-naag in serpent form.
Shiva, the Yogis and the wandering hermits sing His Praises forever.
Vyaas the silent sage, who studied the Vedas and its grammar, sings His Praise.
His Praises are sung by Brahma, who created the entire universe by God's Command.
God fills the galaxies and realms of the universe; He is known to be the same, manifest and unmanifest.
KAL chants the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Yoga. ||9||
The nine masters of Yoga sing His Praises; blessed is the Guru, who is merged into the True Lord.
Maandhaataa, who called himself ruler of all the world, sings His Praises.
Bal the king, dwelling in the seventh underworld, sings His Praises.
Bhart'har, abiding forever with Gorakh, his guru, sings His Praises.
Doorbaasaa, King Puro and Angra sing the Praises of Guru Nanak.
Says KAL the poet, the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak intuitively permeate each and every heart. ||10||

Swaiyas In Praise Of The Second Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Blessed is the Primal Lord God, the Creator, the All-powerful Cause of causes.
Blessed is the True Guru Nanak, who placed His hand upon Your forehead.
When He placed His hand upon Your forehead, then the celestial nectar began to rain down in torrents; the gods and human beings, heavenly heralds and sages were drenched in its fragrance.
You challenged and subdued the cruel demon of death; You restrained Your wandering mind; You overpowered the five demons and You keep them in one home.
Through the Guru's Door, the Gurdwara, You have conquered the world; You play the game even-handedly. You keep the flow of your love steady for the Formless Lord.
O KAL SAHAAR, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. ||1||
The Stream of Ambrosial Nectar from His eyes washes away the slime and filth of sins; the sight of His door dispels the darkness of ignorance.
Whoever accomplishes this most difficult task of contemplating the most sublime Word of the Shabad - those people cross over the terrifying world-ocean, and cast off their loads of sin.
The Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is celestial and sublime; whoever remains awake and aware, contemplating the Guru, embodies humility, and is imbued forever with the Supreme Love of the Lord.
O KAL SAHAAR, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. ||2||
You hold tight to the Naam, the Name of the Infinite Lord; Your expanse is immaculate. You are the Support of the Siddhas and seekers, and the good and humble beings.
You are the incarnation of King Janak; the contemplation of Your Shabad is sublime throughout the universe. You abide in the world like the lotus on the water.
Like the Elyisan Tree, You cure all illnesses and take away the sufferings of the world. The three-phased soul is lovingly attuned to You alone.
O KAL SAHAAR, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. ||3||
You were blessed with glory by the Prophet; You serve the Guru, certified by the Lord, who has subdued the snake of the mind, and who abides in the state of sublime bliss.
Your Vision is like that of the Lord, Your soul is a fount of spiritual wisdom; You know the unfathomable state of the certified Guru.
Your Gaze is focused upon the unmoving, unchanging place. Your Intellect is immaculate; it is focused upon the most sublime place. Wearing the armor of humility, you have overcome Maya.
O KAL SAKAAR, chant the Praises of Lehnaa throughout the seven continents; He met with the Lord, and became Guru of the World. ||4||
Casting Your Glance of Grace, you dispel the darkness, burn away evil, and destroy sin.
You are the Heroic Warrior of the Shabad, the Word of God. Your Power destroys sexual desire and anger.
You have overpowered greed and emotional attachment; You nurture and cherish those who seek Your Sanctuary.
You gather in the joyful love of the soul; Your Words have the Potency to bring forth Ambrosial Nectar.
You are appointed the True Guru, the True Guru in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; whoever is truly attached to You is carried across.
The lion, the son of Pheru, is Guru Angad, the Guru of the World; Lehnaa practices Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||5||

Your mind remains lovingly attuned to the Lord forever; You do whatever you desire.
Like the tree heavy with fruit, You bow in humility, and endure the pain of it; You are pure of thought.
You realize this reality, that the Lord is All-pervading, Unseen and Amazing.
With intuitive ease, You send forth the rays of the Ambrosial Word of power.
You have risen to the state of the certified Guru; you grasp truth and contentment.
KAL proclaims, that whoever attains the Blessed Vision of the Darshan of Lehnaa, meets with the Lord. ||6||
My mind has faith, that the Prophet has given You access to the Profound Lord.
Your body has been purged of the deadly poison; You drink the Ambrosial Nectar deep within.
Your Heart has blossomed forth in awareness of the Unseen Lord, who has infused His Power throughout the ages.
O True Guru, You are intuitively absorbed in Samaadhi, with continuity and equality.
You are open-minded and large-hearted, the Destroyer of poverty; seeing You, sins are afraid.
Says KAL, I lovingly, continually, intuitively chant the Praises of Lehnaa with my tongue. ||7||
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is our medicine; the Naam is our support; the Naam is the peace of Samaadhi. The Naam is the insignia which embellishes us forever.
KAL is imbued with the Love of the Naam, the Naam which is the fragrance of gods and human beings.
Whoever obtains the Naam, the Philosopher's Stone, becomes the embodiment of Truth, manifest and radiant throughout the world.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, it is as if one has bathed at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage. ||8||
The True Name is the sacred shrine, the True Name is the cleansing bath of purification and food. The True Name is eternal love; chant the True Name, and be embellished.
The True Name is obtained through the Word of the Guru's Shabad; the Sangat, the Holy Congregation, is fragrant with the True Name.
KAL the poet utters the Praises of the one whose self-discipline is the True Name, and whose fast is the True Name.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan, one's life is approved and certified in the True Name. ||9||
When You bestow Your Ambrosial Glance of Grace, You eradicate all wickedness, sin and filth.
Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment - You have overcome all these powerful passions.
Your mind is filled with peace forever; You banish the sufferings of the world.
The Guru is the river of the nine treasures, washing off the dirt of our lives.
So speaks TAL the poet: serve the Guru, day and night, with intuitive love and affection.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of the Guru, the pains of death and rebirth are taken away. ||10||
Swaiyas In Praise Of The Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Dwell upon that Primal Being, the True Lord God; in this world, His One Name is Undeceivable.
He carries His devotees across the terrifying world-ocean; meditate in remembrance on His Naam, Supreme and Sublime.
Nanak delighted in the Naam; He established Lehnaa as Guru, who was imbued with all supernatural spiritual powers.
So speaks KALL the poet: the glory of the wise, sublime and humble Amar Daas is spread throughout the world.
His Praises radiate throughout the world, like the rays of the sun, and the branches of the maulsar (fragrant) tree.
In the north, south, east and west, people proclaim Your Victory.

The Guru spoke the Lord's Name with His mouth and broadcast it throughout the world, to turn the tide of the hearts of men.
That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. ||1||
The gods and heavenly heralds, the Siddhas and seekers and Shiva in Samaadhi meditate in remembrance on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
The stars and the realms of Dhroo, and devotees like Naaraad and Prahlaad meditate on the Naam.
The moon and the sun long for the Naam; it has saved even mountain ranges.
That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. ||2||
Dwelling upon that Immaculate Naam, the nine Yogic masters, Shiva and Sanak and many others have been emancipated.
The eighty-four Siddhas, the beings of supernatural spiritual powers, and the Buddhas are imbued with the Naam; it carried Ambreek across the terrifying world-ocean.
It has erased the sins of Oodho, Akroor, Trilochan, Naam Dayv and Kabeer, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.
That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. ||3||
The three hundred thirty million angels meditate, attached to the Naam; it is enshrined within the minds of the celibates and ascetics.
Bhisham Pitama, the son of the Ganges, meditated on that Naam; his consciousness delighted in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Lord's Feet.
The great and profound Guru has brought forth the Naam; accepting the teachings as true, the Holy Congregation has been saved.
That Undeceivable Naam, which carries the devotees across the world-ocean, came into Guru Amar Daas. ||4||
The Glory of the Naam shines forth, like the rays of the sun, and the branches of the Elysian Tree.
In the countries of the north, south, east and west, the Praises of the Naam are chanted.
Life is fruitful, when the Name of the Lord abides in the heart.
The angelic beings, heavenly heralds, celestial singers and the six Shaastras yearn for the Naam.
The son of Tayj Bhaan of the Bhalla dynasty is noble and famous; with his palms pressed together, KALL meditates on Him.
The Naam takes away the fears of the devotees about the word-ocean; Guru Amar Daas has obtained it. ||5||
The thirty-one million gods meditate on the Naam, along with the Siddhas and seekers; the Naam supports solar systems and galaxies.
One who meditates on the Naam in Samaadhi, endures sorrow and joy as one and the same.
The Naam is the most sublime of all; the devotees remain lovingly attuned to it.
Guru Amar Daas was blessed with the treasure of the Naam, by the Creator Lord, in His Pleasure. ||6||
He is the Warrior Hero of Truth, humility is His Power. His Loving Nature inspires the Congregation with deep and profound understanding; He is absorbed in the Lord, free of hate and vengeance.
Patience has been His white banner since the beginning of time, planted on the bridge to heaven.
The Saints meet their Beloved Guru, who is united with the Creator Lord.
Serving the True Guru, they find peace; Guru Amar Daas has given them this ability. ||7||
The Naam is His cleansing bath; the Naam is the food He eats; the Naam is the taste He enjoys. With deep yearning, He chants the Sweet Bani of the Guru's Word forever.
Blessed is service to the True Guru; by His Grace, the State of the Unfathomable Lord is known.
All Your generations are totally saved; You dwell in the Naam, the Name of the Lord.

So speaks KALL: fruitful is the life of one who meets with Guru Amar Daas, radiant with the Light of God. ||8||
On His right hand is the sign of the lotus; the Siddhis, the supernatural spiritual powers, await His Command.
On His left are worldly powers, which fascinate the three worlds.
The Inexpressible Lord abides in His Heart; He alone knows this joy.
Guru Amar Daas utters the words of devotion, imbued with the Love of the Lord.
On His forehead is the true insignia of the Lord's Mercy; with his palms pressed together, KALL meditates on Him.
Whoever meets with the Guru, the certified True Guru, has all his desires fulfilled. ||9||
Supremely fruitful are the feet which walk upon the path of Guru Amar Daas.
Supremely fruitful are the hands which touch the feet of Guru Amar Daas.
Supremely fruitful is the tongue which utters the praises of Guru Amar Daas.
Supremely fruitful are the eyes which behold Guru Amar Daas.
Supremely fruitful are the ears which hear the Praises of Guru Amar Daas.
Fruitful is the heart in which Guru Amar Daas, the Father of the world, Himself abides.
Fruitful is the head, says JAALAP, which bows forever before Guru Amar Daas. ||1||10||
They do not suffer pain or hunger, and they cannot be called poor.
They do not grieve, and their limits cannot be found.
They do not serve anyone else, but they give gifts to hundreds and thousands.
They sit on beautiful carpets; they establish and disestablish at will.
They find peace in this world, and live fearlessly amidst their enemies.
They are fruitful and prosperous, says JAALAP. Guru Amar Daas is pleased with them. ||2||11||
You read about the One Lord, and enshrine Him in Your mind; You realize the One and Only Lord.
With Your eyes and the words You speak, You dwell upon the One Lord; You do not know any other place of rest.
You know the One Lord while dreaming, and the One Lord while awake. You are absorbed in the One.
At the age of seventy-one, You began to march towards the Indestructible Lord.
The One Lord, who takes hundreds of thousands of forms, cannot be seen. He can only be described as One.
So speaks JAALAP: O Guru Amar Daas, You long for the One Lord, and believe in the One Lord alone. ||3||12||
The understanding which Jai Dayv grasped, the understanding which permeated Naam Dayv,
the understanding which was in the consciousness of Trilochan and known by the devotee Kabeer,
by which Rukmaangad constantly meditated on the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny,
which brought Ambreek and Prahlaad to seek the Sanctuary of the Lord of the Universe, and which brought them to salvation
-says JALL that sublime understanding has brought You to renounce greed, anger and desire, and to know the way.
Guru Amar Daas is the Lord's own devotee; gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, one is liberated. ||4||13||
Meeting with Guru Amar Daas, the earth is purged of its sin.
The Siddhas and seekers long to meet with Guru Amar Daas.
Meeting with Guru Amar Daas, the mortal meditates on the Lord, and his journey comes to its end.
Meeting with Guru Amar Daas, the Fearless Lord is obtained, and the cycle of reincarnation is brought to an end.

Realizing the One Lord, love of duality ceases, and one comes to accept the Sublime Mantra of the Guru.
So speaks JAALAP: countless treasures are obtained, by the sight of Guru Amar Daas. ||5||14||
Guru Nanak gathered up the True Name of the Creator Lord, and implanted it within.
Through Him, Lehnaa became manifest in the form of Guru Angad, who remained lovingly attuned to His Feet.
Guru Amar Daas of that dynasty is the home of hope. How can I express His Glorious Virtues?
His Virtues are unknowable and unfathomable. I do not know the limits of His Virtues.
The Creator, the Architect of Destiny, has made Him a boat to carry all His generations across, along with the Sangat, the Holy Congregation.
So speaks KEERAT: O Guru Amar Daas, please protect me and save me; I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet. ||1||15||
The Lord Himself wielded His Power and entered the world.
The Formless Lord took form, and with His Light He illuminated the realms of the world.
He is All-pervading everywhere; the Lamp of the Shabad, the Word, has been lit.
Whoever gathers in the essence of the teachings shall be absorbed in the Feet of the Lord.
Lehnaa, who became Guru Angad, and Guru Amar Daas, have been reincarnated into the pure house of Guru Nanak.
Guru Amar Daas is our Saving Grace, who carries us across; in lifetime after lifetime, I seek the Sanctuary of Your Feet. ||2||16||
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, the Gursikh is blessed with chanting and deep meditation, truth and contentment.
Whoever seeks His Sanctuary is saved; his account is cleared in the City of Death.
His heart is totally filled with loving devotion; he chants to the Creator Lord.
The Guru is the river of pearls; in an instant, he carries the drowning ones across.
He was reincarnated into the House of Guru Nanak; He chants the Glorious Praises of the Creator Lord.
Those who serve Guru Amar Daas - their pains and poverty are taken away, far away. ||3||17||
I consciously pray within my consciousness, but I cannot express it in words.
I place all my worries and anxieties before You; I look to the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, for help.
By the Hukam of Your Command, I am blessed with Your Insignia; I serve my Lord and Master.
When You, O Guru, gaze at me with Your Glance of Grace, the fruit of the Naam, the Name of the Creator, is placed within my mouth.
The Unfathomable and Unseen Primal Lord God, the Cause of causes - as He orders, so do I speak.
O Guru Amar Daas, Doer of deeds, Cause of causes, as You keep me, I remain; as You protect me, I survive. ||4||18||
OF BHIKHAA:
In deep meditation, and the spiritual wisdom of the Guru, one's essence merges with the essence of reality.
In truth, the True Lord is recognized and realized, when one is lovingly attuned to Him, with one-pointed consciousness.
Lust and anger are brought under control, when the breath does not fly around, wandering restlessly.
Dwelling in the land of the Formless Lord, realizing the Hukam of His Command, His contemplative wisdom is attained.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Guru is the Form of the Creator, the Primal Lord God; he alone knows, who has tried it.
So speaks BHIKHAA: I have met the Guru. With love and intuitive affection, He has bestowed the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. ||1||19||
I have been searching for the Saints; I have seen so many Holy and spiritual people.
The hermits, Sannyaasees, ascetics, penitents, fanatics and Pandits all speak sweetly.
I wandered around lost for a year, but no one touched my soul.

I listened to preachers and teachers, but I could not be happy with their lifestyles.
Those who have abandoned the Lord's Name, and become attached to duality - why should I speak in praise of them?
So speaks BHIKHAA: the Lord has led me to meet the Guru. As You keep me, I remain; as You protect me, I survive. ||2||20||
Wearing the armor of Samaadhi, the Guru has mounted the saddled horse of spiritual wisdom.
Holding the bow of Dharma in His Hands, He has shot the arrows of devotion and humility.
He is fearless in the Fear of the Eternal Lord God; He has thrust the spear of the Word of the Guru's Shabad into the mind.
He has cut down the five demons of unfulfilled sexual desire, unresolved anger, unsatisfied greed, emotional attachment and self-conceit.
Guru Amar Daas, the son of Tayj Bhaan, of the noble Bhalla dynasty, blessed by Guru Nanak, is the Master of kings.
SALL speaks the truth; O Guru Amar Daas, you have conquered the army of evil, fighting the battle this way. ||1||21||
The raindrops of the clouds, the plants of the earth, and the flowers of the spring cannot be counted.
Who can know the limits of the rays of the sun and the moon, the waves of the ocean and the Ganges?
With Shiva's meditation and the spiritual wisdom of the True Guru, says BHALL the poet, these may be counted.
O Guru Amar Daas, Your Glorious Virtues are so sublime; Your Praises belong only to You. ||1||22||
Swaiyas In Praise Of The Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate single-mindedly on the Immaculate Primal Lord God.
By Guru's Grace, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord forever.
Singing His Praises, the mind blossoms forth in ecstasy.
The True Guru fulfills the hopes of His humble servant.
Serving the True Guru, the supreme status is obtained.
Meditate on the Imperishable, Formless Lord God.
Meeting with Him, one escapes poverty.
KAL SAHAAR chants His Glorious Praises.
I chant the pure praises of that humble being who has been blessed with the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
He served the True Guru and was blessed with the sublime essence of the Shabad, the Word of God. The Immaculate Naam has been enshrined in his heart.
He enjoys and savors the Lord's Name, and purchases the Glorious Virtues of the Lord of the Universe. He seeks the essence of reality; he is the Fountain of even-handed justice.
So speaks KALL the poet: Guru Raam Daas, the son of Har Daas, fills the empty pools to overflowing. ||1||
The stream of ambrosial nectar flows and the immortal status is obtained; the pool is forever overflowing with Ambrosial Nectar.
Those Saints who have served the Lord in the past drink in this Nectar, and bathe their minds in it.
God takes their fears away, and blesses them with the state of fearless dignity. Through the Word of His Shabad, He has saved them.
So speaks KALL the poet: Guru Raam Daas, the son of Har Daas, fills the empty pools to overflowing. ||2||
The True Guru's understanding is deep and profound. The Sat Sangat is His Pure Congregation. His Soul is drenched in the deep crimson color of the Lord's Love.
The Lotus of His mind remains awake and aware, illuminated with intuitive wisdom. In His own home, He has obtained the Fearless, Immaculate Lord.

The Merciful True Guru has implanted the Lord's Name within me, and by His Grace, I have overpowered the five thieves.
So speaks KALL the poet: Guru Raam Daas, the son of Har Daas, fills the empty pools to overflowing. ||3||
With intuitive detachment, He is lovingly attuned to the Fearless, Unmanifest Lord; He met with Guru Amar Daas, the Philosopher's Stone, within his own home.
By the Grace of the True Guru, He attained the supreme status; He is overflowing with the treasures of loving devotion.
He was released from reincarnation, and the fear of death was taken away. His consciousness is attached to the Lord, the Ocean of contentment.
So speaks KALL the poet: Guru Raam Daas, the son of Har Daas, fills the empty pools to overflowing. ||4||
He fills the empty to overflowing; He has enshrined the Infinite within His heart.
Within His mind, He contemplates the essence of reality, the Destroyer of pain, the Enlightener of the soul.
He yearns for the Lord's Love forever; He Himself knows the sublime essence of this Love.
By the Grace of the True Guru, He intuitively enjoys this Love.
By the Grace of Guru Nanak, and the sublime teachings of Guru Angad, Guru Amar Daas broadcast the Lord's Command.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Raam Daas, You have attained the status of eternal and imperishable dignity. ||5||
You abide in the pool of contentment; Your tongue reveals the Ambrosial Essence.
Meeting with You, a tranquil peace wells up, and sins run far away.
You have attained the Ocean of peace, and You never grow tired on the Lord's path.
The armor of self-restraint, truth, contentment and humility can never be pierced.
The Creator Lord certified the True Guru, and now the world blows the trumpet of His Praises.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Raam Daas, You have attained the state of fearless immortality. ||6||
O certified True Guru, You have conquered the world; You meditate single-mindedly on the One Lord.
Blessed, blessed is Guru Amar Daas, the True Guru, who implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, deep within.
The Naam is the wealth of the nine treasures; prosperity and supernatural spiritual powers are His slaves.
He is blessed with the ocean of intuitive wisdom; He has met with the Imperishable Lord God.
The Guru has implanted the Naam deep within; attached to the Naam, the devotees have been carried across since ancient times.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Raam Daas, You have obtained the wealth of the Lord's Love. ||7||
The flow of loving devotion and primal love does not stop.
The True Guru drinks in the stream of nectar, the sublime essence of the Shabad, the Infinite Word of God.
Wisdom is His mother, and contentment is His father; He is absorbed in the ocean of intuitive peace and poise.
The Guru is the Embodiment of the Unborn, Self-illumined Lord; by the Word of His Teachings, the Guru carries the world across.
Within His mind, the Guru has enshrined the Shabad, the Word of the Unseen, Unfathomable, Infinite Lord.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Raam Daas, You have attained the Lord, the Saving Grace of the world. ||8||
The Saving Grace of the world, the nine treasures, carries the devotees across the world-ocean.
The Drop of Ambrosial Nectar, the Lord's Name, is the antidote to the poison of sin.
The tree of intuitive peace and poise blossoms and bears the ambrosial fruit of spiritual wisdom.
Blessed are those fortunate people who receive it, by Guru's Grace.
They are liberated through the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru; their minds are filled with the Guru's Wisdom.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Raam Daas, You beat the drum of the Shabad. ||9||

On the bed of faith, with the blankets of intuitive peace and poise and the canopy of contentment, You are embellished forever with the armor of humility.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, you practice the Naam; You lean on its Support, and give Your Fragrance to Your companions.
You abide with the Unborn Lord, the Good and Pure True Guru.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Raam Daas, You abide in the sacred pool of intuitive peace and poise. ||10||
The Lord's Name abides in the hearts of those who are pleasing to the Guru.
Sins run far away from those who are pleasing to the Guru.
Those who are pleasing to the Guru eradicate pride and egotism from within.
Those who are pleasing to the Guru are attached to the Shadad, the Word of God; they are carried across the terrifying world-ocean.
Those who are blessed with the wisdom of the certified Guru - blessed and fruitful is their birth into the world.
KALL the poet runs to the Sanctuary of the Great Guru; attached to the Guru, they are blessed with worldly enjoyments, liberation and everything. ||11||
The Guru has pitched the tent; under it, all the ages are gathered.
He carries the spear of intuition, and takes the Support of Naam, the Name of the Lord, through which the devotees are fulfilled.
Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Daas, through devotional worship, have merged into the Lord.
O Guru Raam Daas, You alone know the taste of this Raja Yoga. ||12||
He alone is enlightened like Janaka, who links the chariot of his mind to the state of ecstatic realization.
He gathers in truth and contentment, and fills up the empty pool within.
He speaks the Unspoken Speech of the eternal city. He alone obtains it, unto whom God gives it.
O Guru Raam Daas, Your sovereign rule, like that of Janak, is Yours alone. ||13||
Tell me, how can sin and suffering cling to that humble being who chants the Naam, given by the Guru, with single-minded love and firm faith?
When the Lord, the Boat to carry us across, bestows His Glance of Grace, even for an instant, the mortal contemplates the Shabad within his heart; unfulfilled sexual desire and unresolved anger are eradicated.
The Guru is the Giver to all beings; He speaks the spiritual wisdom of the Unfathomable Lord, and meditates on Him day and night. He never sleeps, even for an instant.
Seeing Him, poverty vanishes, and one is blessed with the treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The spiritual wisdom of the Guru's Word washes away the filth of evil-mindedness.
Tell me, how can sin and suffering cling to that humble being who chants the Naam, given by the Guru, with single-minded love and firm faith? ||1||
Dharmic faith and the karma of good deeds are obtained from the Perfect True Guru.
The Siddhas and Holy Saadhus, the silent sages and angelic beings, yearn to serve Him; through the most excellent Word of the Shabad, they are lovingly attuned to the One Lord.
Who can know Your limits? You are the Embodiment of the Fearless, Formless Lord. You are the Speaker of the Unspoken Speech; You alone understand this.
O foolish worldly mortal, you are deluded by doubt; give up birth and death, and you shall not be punished by the Messenger of Death. Meditate on the Guru's Teachings.
You foolish mortal being, reflect on this in your mind; chant and meditate day and night. Dharmic faith and the karma of good deeds are obtained from the Perfect True Guru. ||2||
I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, to the True Name, O my True Guru.
What Praises can I offer to You? What service can I do for You? I have only one mouth and tongue; with my palms pressed together, I chant to You with joy and delight.
In thought, word and deed, I know the Lord; I do not worship any other. The Guru has enshrined the most excellent Name of the Infinite Lord within my heart.

So speaks NALL the poet: touching the Philosopher's Stone, glass is transformed into gold, and the sandalwood tree imparts its fragrance to other trees; meditating in remembrance on the Lord, I am transformed.
Seeing His Door, I am rid of sexual desire and anger. I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice, to the True Name, O my True Guru. ||3||
Guru Raam Daas was blessed with the Throne of Raja Yoga.
First, Guru Nanak illuminated the world, like the full moon, and filled it with bliss. To carry humanity across, He bestowed His Radiance.
He blessed Guru Angad with the treasure of spiritual wisdom, and the Unspoken Speech; He overcame the five demons and the fear of the Messenger of Death.
The Great and True Guru, Guru Amar Daas, has preserved honor in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. Seeing His Lotus Feet, sin and evil are destroyed.
When His mind was totally satisfied in every way, when He was totally pleased, He bestowed upon Guru Raam Daas the Throne of Raja Yoga. ||4||
RADD:
He established the earth, the sky and the air, the water of the oceans, fire and food.
He created the moon, the starts and the sun, night and day and mountains; he blessed the trees with flowers and fruits.
He created the gods, human beings and the seven seas; He established the three worlds.
Guru Amar Daas was blessed with the Light of the One Name, the True Name of the Lord. ||1||5||
Glass is transformed into gold, listening to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Poison is transformed into ambrosial nectar, speaking the Name of the True Guru.
Iron is transformed into jewels, when the True Guru bestows His Glance of Grace.
Stones are transformed into emeralds, when the mortal chants and contemplates the spiritual wisdom of the Guru.
The True Guru transforms ordinary wood into sandalwood, eradicating the pains of poverty.
Whoever touches the Feet of the True Guru, is transformed from a beast and a ghost into an angelic being. ||2||6||
One who has the Guru on his side - how could he be proud of his wealth?
One who has the Guru on his side - what would hundreds of thousands of supporters do for him?
One who has the Guru on his side, does not depend on anyone else for spiritual wisdom and meditation.
One who has the Guru on his side contemplates the Shabad and the Teachings, and abides in the Home of Truth.
The Lord's humble slave and poet utters this prayer: whoever chants to the Guru night and day,
whoever enshrines the Name of the Guru within his heart, is rid of both birth and death. ||3||7||
Without the Guru, there is utter darkness; without the Guru, understanding does not come.
Without the Guru, there is no intuitive awareness or success; without the Guru, there is no liberation.
So make Him your Guru, and contemplate the Truth; make Him your Guru, O my mind.
Make Him your Guru, who is embellished and exalted in the Word of the Shabad; all your sins shall be washed away.
So speaks NALL the poet: with your eyes, make Him your Guru; with the words you speak, make Him your Guru, your True Guru.
Those who have not seen the Guru, who have not made Him their Guru, are useless in this world. ||4||8||
Dwell upon the Guru, the Guru, the Guru, O my mind.

The All-powerful Guru is the Boat to carry us across in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. Hearing the Word of His Shabad, we are transported into Samaadhi.
He is the Spiritual Hero who destroys pain and brings peace. Whoever meditates on Him, dwells near Him.
He is the Perfect Primal Being, who meditates in remembrance on the Lord within his heart; seeing His Face, sins run away.
If you long for wisdom, wealth, spiritual perfection and properity, O my mind, dwell upon the Guru, the Guru, the Guru. ||5||9||
Gazing upon the Face of the Guru, I find peace.
I was thirsty, yearning to drink in the Nectar; to fulfill that wish, the Guru laid out the way.
My mind has become perfect; it dwells in the Lord's Place; it had been wandering in all directions, in its desire for tastes and pleasures.
Goindwal is the City of God, built on the bank of the Beas River.
The pains of so many years have been taken away; gazing upon the Face of the Guru, I find peace. ||6||10||
The All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon my head.
The Guru was kind, and blessed me with the Lord's Name. Gazing upon His Feet, my sins were dispelled.
Night and day, the Guru meditates on the One Lord; hearing His Name, the Messenger of Death is scared away.
So speaks the Lord's slave: Guru Raam Daas placed His Faith in Guru Amar Daas, the Guru of the World; touching the Philosopher's Stone, He was transformed into the Philosopher's Stone.
Guru Raam Daas recognized the Lord as True; the All-powerful Guru placed His hand upon His head. ||7||11||
Now, please preserve the honor of Your humble slave.
God saved the honor of the devotee Prahlaad, when Harnaakhash tore him apart with his claws.
And the Dear Lord God saved the honor of Dropadi; when her clothes were stripped from her, she was blessed with even more.
Sudaamaa was saved from misfortune; and Ganikaa the prostitute - when she chanted Your Name, her affairs were perfectly resolved.
O Great True Guru, if it pleases You, please save the honor of Your slave in this Dark Age of kali Yuga. ||8||12||
JHOLNAA:
Chant Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, O mortal beings.
Chant the Shabad, the Word of the Lord, Har, Har; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, brings the nine treasures. With your tongue, taste it, day and night, and know it as true.
Then, you shall obtain His Love and Affection; become Gurmukh, and meditate on Him. Give up all other ways; vibrate and meditate on Him, O spiritual people.
Enshrine the Word of the Guru's Teachings within your heart, and overpower the five passions. Your life, and your generations, shall be saved, and you shall be honored at the Lord's Door.
If you desire all the peace and comforts of this world and the next, then chant Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, O mortal beings. ||1||13||
Chant Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, and know Him as true.
Know that the Lord is the Treasure of Excellence. Enshrine Him in your mind, and meditate on Him. Enshrine the Word of the Guru's Teachings within your heart.
Then, cleanse yourself in the Immaculate and Unfathomable Water of the Guru; O Gursikhs and Saints, cross over the Ocean of Love of the True Name.
Meditate lovingly forever on the Lord, free of hate and vengeance, Formless and Fearless; lovingly savor the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and implant devotional worship of the Lord deep within.
O foolish mind, give up your doubts; as Gurmukh, vibrate and meditate on the Naam. Chant Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, and know Him as true. ||2||14||

Chant Guru, Guru, Guru; through the Guru, the Lord is obtained.
The Guru is an Ocean, deep and profound, infinite and unfathomable. Lovingly attuned to the Lord's Name, you shall be blessed with jewels, diamonds and emeralds.
And, the Guru makes us fragrant and fruitful, and His Touch transforms us into gold. The filth of evil-mindedness is washed away, meditating on the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The Stream of Ambrosial Nectar flows constantly from His Door. The Saints and Sikhs bathe in the immaculate pool of the Guru's spiritual wisdom.
Enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within your heart, and dwell in Nirvaanaa. Chant Guru, Guru, Guru; through the Guru, the Lord is obtained. ||3||15||
Chant Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, O my mind.
Serving Him, Shiva and the Siddhas, the angels and demons and servants of the gods, and the thrity-three million gods cross over, listening to the Word of the Guru's Teachings.
And, the Saints and loving devotees are carried across, chanting Guru, Guru. Prahlaad and the silent sages met the Guru, and were carried across.
Naarad and Sanak and those men of God who became Gurmukh were carried across; attached to the One Name, they abandoned other tastes and pleasures, and were carried across.
This is the prayer of the Lord's humble slave: the Gurmukh obtains the Naam, the Name of the Lord, chanting Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, Guru, O my mind. ||4||16||29||
The Great, Supreme Guru showered His Mercy upon all;
in the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, He blessed Dhroo.
He saved the devotee Prahlaad,
placing the Lotus of His Hand upon his forehead.
The Unseen Form of the Lord cannot be seen.
The Siddhas and seekers all seek His Sanctuary.
True are the Words of the Guru's teachings. Enshrine them in your soul.
Emancipate your body, and redeem this human incarnation.
The Guru is the Boat, and the Guru is the Boatman. Without the Guru, no one can cross over.
By Guru's Grace, God is obtained. Without the Guru, no one is liberated.
Guru Nanak dwells near the Creator Lord.
He established Lehnaa as Guru, and enshrined His Light in the world.
Lehnaa established the path of righteousness and Dharma,
which He passed on to Guru Amar Daas, of the Bhalla dynasty.
Then, He firmly established the Great Raam Daas of the Sodhi dynasty.
He was blessed with the inexhaustible treasure of the Lord's Name.
He was blessed with the treasure of the Lord's Name; throughout the four ages, it is inexhaustible. Serving the Guru, He received His reward.
Those who bow at His Feet and seek His Sanctuary, are blessed with peace; those Gurmukhs are blessed with supreme bliss.
The Guru's Body is the Embodiment of the Supreme Lord God, our Lord and Master, the Form of the Primal Being, who nourishes and cherishes all.
So serve the Guru, the True Guru; His ways and means are inscrutable. The Great Guru Raam Daas is the Boat to carry us across. ||1||
The Holy people chant the Ambrosial Words of His Bani with delight in their minds.
The Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan is fruitful and rewarding in this world; it brings lasting bliss and joy.
The Guru's Darshan is fruitful and rewarding in this world, like the Ganges. Meeting Him, the supreme sacred status is obtained.
Even sinful people conquer the realm of Death, if they become the Lord's humble servants, and are imbued with the Guru's spiritual wisdom.
He is certified, like the handsome Ram Chander in the house of Dasrath of the Raghwa dynasty. Even the silent sages seek His Sanctuary.

So serve the Guru, the True Guru; His ways and means are inscrutable. The Great Guru Raam Daas is the Boat to carry us across. ||2||
The Name of the Lord, from the Mouth of the Guru, is the Raft to cross over the unfathomable world-ocean.
The cycle of birth and death in this world is ended for those who have this faith in their hearts.
Those humble beings who have this faith in their hearts, are awarded the highest status.
They forsake Maya, emotional attachment and greed; they are rid of the frustrations of possessiveness, sexual desire and anger.
They are blessed with the Inner Vision to see God, the Cause of causes, and all their doubts are dispelled.
So serve the Guru, the True Guru; His ways and means are inscrutable. The Great Guru Raam Daas is the Boat to carry us across. ||3||
The Glorious Greatness of the Guru is manifest forever in each and every heart. His humble servants sing His Praises.
Some read and listen and sing of Him, taking their cleansing bath in the early hours of the morning before the dawn.
After their cleansing bath in the hours before the dawn, they worship the Guru with their minds pure and clear.
Touching the Philosopher's Stone, their bodies are transformed into gold. They focus their meditation on the Embodiment of Divine Light.
The Master of the Universe, the very Life of the World pervades the sea and the land, manifesting Himself in myriads of ways.
So serve the Guru, the True Guru; His ways and means are inscrutable. The Great Guru Raam Daas is the Boat to carry us across. ||4||
Those who realize the Eternal, Unchanging Word of God, like Dhroo, are immune to death.
They cross over the terrifying world-ocean in an instant; the Lord created the world like a bubble of water.
The Kundalini rises in the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; through the Word of the Guru, they enjoy the Lord of Supreme Bliss.
The Supreme Guru is the Lord and Master over all; so serve the True Guru, in thought, word and deed. ||5||
Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Jee-o.
You are lotus-eyed, with sweet speech, exalted and embellished with millions of companions. Mother Yashoda invited You as Krishna to eat the sweet rice.
Gazing upon Your supremely beautiful form, and hearing the musical sounds of Your silver bells tinkling, she was intoxicated with delight.
Death's pen and command are in Your hands. Tell me, who can erase it? Shiva and Brahma yearn to enshrine Your spiritual wisdom in their hearts.
You are forever True, the Home of Excellence, the Primal Supreme Being. Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Jee-o. ||1||6||
You are blessed with the Lord's Name, the supreme mansion, and clear understanding. You are the Formless, Infinite Lord; who can compare to You?
For the sake of the pure-hearted devotee Prahlaad, You took the form of the man-lion, to tear apart and destroy Harnaakhash with your claws.
You are the Infinite Supreme Lord God; with your symbols of power, You deceived Baliraja; who can know You?
You are forever True, the Home of Excellence, the Primal Supreme Being. Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Jee-o. ||2||7||
As Krishna, You wear yellow robes, with teeth like jasmine flowers; You dwell with Your lovers, with Your mala around Your neck, and You joyfully adorn Your head with the crow of peacock feathers.

You have no advisors, You are so very patient; You are the Upholder of the Dharma, unseen and unfathomable. You have staged the play of the Universe with joy and delight.
No one can speak Your Unspoken Speech. You are pervading the three worlds. You assume the form of spiritual perfection, O King of kings.
You are forever True, the Home of Excellence, the Primal Supreme Being. Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Guru, Waahay Jee-o. ||3||8||
The True Guru, the True Guru, the True Guru is the Lord of the Universe Himself.
Enticer of Baliraja, who smothers the mighty, and fulfills the devotees; the Prince Krishna, and Kalki; the thunder of His army and the beat of His drum echoes across the Universe.
The Lord of contemplation, Destroyer of sin, who brings pleasure to the beings of all realms, He Himself is the God of gods, Divinity of the divine, the thousand-headed king cobra.
He took birth in the Incarnations of the Fish, Tortoise and Wild Boar, and played His part. He played games on the banks of the Jamunaa River.
Enshrine this most excellent Name within your heart, and renounce the wickedness of the mind, O GAYAND the True Guru, the True Guru, the True Guru is the Lord of the Universe Himself. ||4||9||
The Supreme Guru, the Supreme Guru, the Supreme Guru, the True, Dear Lord.
Respect and obey the Guru's Word; this is your own personal treasure - know this mantra as true. Night and day, you shall be saved, and blessed with the supreme status.
Renounce sexual desire, anger, greed and attachment; give up your games of deception. Snap the noose of egotism, and let yourself be at home in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.
Free your consciousness of attachment to your body, your home, your spouse, and the pleasures of this world. Serve forever at His Lotus Feet, and firmly implant these teachings within.
Enshrine this most excellent Name within your heart, and renounce the wickedness of the mind, O GAYAND. the Supreme Guru, the Supreme Guru, the Supreme Guru, the True, Dear Lord. ||5||10||
Your servants are totally fulfilled, throughout the ages; O Waahay Guru, it is all You, forever.
O Formless Lord God, You are eternally intact; no one can say how You came into being.
You created countless Brahmas and Vishnus; their minds were intoxicated with emotional attachment.
You created the 8.4 million species of beings, and provide for their sustanance.
Your servants are totally fulfilled, throughout the ages; O Waahay Guru, it is all You, forever. ||1||11||
Waaho! Waaho! Great! Great is the Play of God!
He Himself laughs, and He Himself thinks; He Himself illumines the sun and the moon.
He Himself is the water, He Himself is the earth and its support. He Himself abides in each and every heart.
He Himself is male, and He Himself is female; He Himself is the chessman, and He Himself is the board.
As Gurmukh, join the Sangat, and consider all this: Waaho! Waaho! Great! Great is the Play of God! ||2||12||
You have formed and created this play, this great game. O Waahay Guru, this is all You, forever.
You are pervading and permeating the water, land, skies and nether regions; Your Words are sweeter than Ambrosial Nectar.
Brahmas and Shivas respect and obey You. O Death of death, Formless Lord, I beg of You.

By Guru's Grace, the greatest thing is obtained, and the mind is involved with the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
You have formed and created this play, this great game. O Waahay Guru, this is all Your making. ||3||13||42||
The Lord is Inaccessible, Infinite, Eternal and Primordial; no one knows His beginning.
Shiva and Brahma meditate on Him; the Vedas describe Him again and again.
The Lord is Formless, beyond hate and vengeance; there is no one else like Him.
He creates and destroys - He is All-powerful; God is the Boat to carry all across.
He created the world in its various aspects; His humble servant MAT'HURAA delights in His Praises.
Sat Naam, the Great and Supreme True Name of God, the Personification of Creativity, dwells in the Consciousness of Guru Raam Daas. ||1||
I have grasped hold of the All-powerful Guru; He has made my mind steady and stable, and embellished me with clear consciousness.
And, His Banner of Righteousness waves proudly forever, to defend against the waves of sin.
His humble servant MAT'HRAA knows this as true, and speaks it from his soul; there is nothing else to consider.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the Great Ship, to carry us all across the terrifying world-ocean, safely to the other side. ||2||
The Saints dwell in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy; imbued with pure celestial love, they sing the Lord's Praises.
The Support of the Earth has established this Path of Dharma; He Himself remains lovingly attuned to the Lord, and does not wander in distraction.
So speaks MAT'HURAA: those blessed with good fortune receive the fruits of their minds' desires.
Those who focus their consciousness on the Guru's Feet, they do not fear the judgement of Dharamraj. ||3||
The Immaculate, Sacred Pool of the Guru is overflowing with the waves of the Shabad, radiantly revealed in the early hours before the dawn.
He is Deep and Profound, Unfathomable and utterly Great, eternally overflowing with all sorts of jewels.
The Saint-swans celebrate; their fear of death is erased, along with the accounts of their pain.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the sins are taken away; the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan is the Ocean of all peace and comfort. ||4||
For His Sake, the silent sages meditated and focused their consciousness, wandering all the ages through; rarely, if ever, their souls were enlightened.
In the Hymns of the Vedas, Brahma sang His Praises; for His Sake, Shiva the silent sage held his place on the Kailaash Mountain.
For His Sake, the Yogis, celibates, Siddhas and seekers, the countless sects of fanatics with matted hair wear religious robes, wandering as detached renunciates.
That True Guru, by the Pleasure of His Will, showered His Mercy upon all beings, and blessed Guru Raam Daas with the Glorious Greatness of the Naam. ||5||
He focuses His Meditation deep within; the Embodiment of Light, He illuminates the three worlds.
Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, doubt runs away, pain is eradicated, and celestial peace spontaneously wells up.
The selfless servants and Sikhs are always totally captivated by it, like bumble bees lured by the fragrance of the flower.
The Guru Himself established the Eternal Throne of Truth, in Guru Raam Daas. ||6||

The Universe is intoxicated with the wine of Maya, but it has been saved; the All-powerful Guru has blessed it with the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam.
And, the Praiseworthy Guru is blessed with eternal peace, wealth and prosperity; the supernatural spiritual powers of the Siddhis never leave him.
His Gifts are vast and great; His awesome Power is supreme. Your humble servant and slave speaks this truth.
One, upon whose head the Guru has placed His Hand - with whom should he be concerned? ||7||49||
He is totally pervading and permeating the three realms;
in all the world, He has not created another like Himself.
He Himself created Himself.
The angels, human beings and demons have not found His limits.
The angels, demons and human beings have not found His limits; the heavenly heralds and celestial singers wander around, searching for Him.
The Eternal, Imperishable, Unmoving and Unchanging, Unborn, Self-Existent, Primal Being of the Soul, the Infinity of the Infinite,
the Eternal All-powerful Cause of causes - all beings meditate on Him in their minds.
O Great and Supreme Guru Raam Daas, Your Victory resounds across the universe. You have attained the supreme status of the Lord. ||1||
Nanak, the True Guru, worships God single-mindedly; He surrenders His body, mind and wealth to the Lord of the Universe.
The Infinite Lord enshrined His Own Image in Guru Angad. In His heart, He delights in the spiritual wisdom of the Unfathomable Lord.
Guru Amar Daas brought the Creator Lord under His control. Waaho! Waaho! Meditate on Him!
O Great and Supreme Guru Raam Daas, Your Victory resounds across the universe. You have attained the supreme status of the Lord. ||2||
Naarad, Dhroo, Prahlaad and Sudaamaa are accounted among the Lord's devotees of the past.
Ambreek, Jai Dayv, Trilochan, Naam Dayv and Kabeer are also remembered.
They were incarnated in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga; their praises have spread over all the world.
O Great and Supreme Guru Raam Daas, Your Victory resounds across the universe. You have attained the supreme status of the Lord. ||3||
Those who meditate in remembrance on You within their minds - their sexual desire and anger are taken away.
Those who remember You in meditation with their words, are rid of their poverty and pain in an instant.
Those who obtain the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan, by the karma of their good deeds, touch the Philosopher's Stone, and like BALL the poet, sing Your Praises.
O Great and Supreme Guru Raam Daas, Your Victory resounds across the universe. You have attained the supreme status of the Lord. ||4||
Those who meditate in remembrance on the True Guru - the darkness of their eyes is removed in an instant.
Those who meditate in remembrance on the True Guru within their hearts, are blessed with the Lord's Name, day by day.
Those who meditate in remembrance on the True Guru within their souls - the fire of desire is extinguished for them.
Those who meditate in remembrance on the True Guru, are blessed with wealth and prosperity, supernatural spiritual powers and the nine treasures.
So speaks BALL the poet: Blessed is Guru Raam Daas; joining the Sangat, the Congregation, call Him blessed and great.
Meditate on the True Guru, O men, through Whom the Lord is obtained. ||5||54||
Living the Word of the Shabad, He attained the supreme status; while performing selfless service, He did not leave the side of Guru Amar Daas.
From that service, the light from the jewel of spiritual wisdom shines forth, radiant and bright; it has destroyed pain, poverty and darkness.

So speaks KEERAT the poet: those who grasp hold of the feet of the Saints, are not afraid of death, sexual desire or anger.
Just as Guru Nanak was part and parcel, life and limb with Guru Angad, so is Guru Amar Daas one with Guru Raam Daas. ||1||
Whoever serves the True Guru obtains the treasure; night and day, he dwells at the Lord's Feet.
And so, the entire Sangat loves, fears and respects You. You are the sandalwood tree; Your fragrance spreads gloriously far and wide.
Dhroo, Prahlaad, Kabeer and Trilochan chanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and His Illumination radiantly shines forth.
Seeing Him, the mind is totally delighted; Guru Raam Daas is the Helper and Support of the Saints. ||2||
Guru Nanak realized the Immaculate Naam, the Name of the Lord. He was lovingly attuned to loving devotional worship of the Lord.
Gur Angad was with Him, life and limb, like the ocean; He showered His consciousness with the Word of the Shabad.
The Unspoken Speech of Guru Amar Daas cannot be expressed with only one tongue.
Guru Raam Daas of the Sodhi dynasty has now been blessed with Glorious Greatness, to carry the whole world across. ||3||
I am overflowing with sins and demerits; I have no merits or virtues at all. I abandoned the Ambrosial Nectar, and I drank poison instead.
I am attached to Maya, and deluded by doubt; I have fallen in love with my children and spouse.
I have heard that the most exalted Path of all is the Sangat, the Guru's Congregation. Joining it, the fear of death is taken away.
KEERAT the poet offers this one prayer: O Guru Raam Daas, save me! Take me into Your Sanctuary! ||4||58||
He has crushed and overpowered emotional attachment. He seized sexual desire by the hair, and threw it down.
With His Power, He cut anger into pieces, and sent greed away in disgrace.
Life and death, with palms pressed together, respect and obey the Hukam of His Command.
He brought the terrifying world-ocean under His Control; by His Pleasure, He carried His Sikhs across.
He is seated upon the Throne of Truth, with the canopy above His Head; He is embellished with the powers of Yoga and the enjoyment of pleasures.
So speaks SALL the poet: O Guru Raam Daas, Your sovereign power is eternal and unbreakable; Your army is invincible. ||1||
You are the True Guru, throughout the four ages; You Yourself are the Transcendent Lord.
The angelic beings, seekers, Siddhas and Sikhs have served You, since the very beginning of time.
You are the Primal Lord God, from the very beginning, and throughout the ages; Your Power supports the three worlds.
You are Inaccessible; You are the Saving Grace of the Vedas. You have conquered old age and death.
Guru Amar Daas has permanently established You; You are the Emancipator, to carry all across to the other side.
So speaks SALL the poet: O Guru Raam Daas, You are the Destroyer of sins; I seek Your Sanctuary. ||2||60||
Swaiyas In Praise Of The Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Meditate in remembrance on the Primal Lord God, Eternal and Imperishable.
Remembering Him in meditation, the filth of evil-mindedness is eradicated.
I enshrine the Lotus Feet of the True Guru within my heart.

With intuitive peace and poise, I contemplate the Glorious Virtues of Guru Arjun.
He was revealed in the House of Guru Raam Daas,
and all hopes and desires were fulfilled.
From birth, He realized God through the Guru's Teachings.
With palms pressed together, KALL the poet speaks His praises.
The Lord brought Him into the world, to practice the Yoga of devotional worship.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad has been revealed, and the Lord dwells on His tongue.
Attached to Guru Nanak, Guru Angad and Guru Amar Daas, He attained the supreme status.
In the House of Guru Raam Daas, the devotee of the Lord, Guru Arjun was born. ||1||
By great good fortune, the mind is uplifted and exalted, and the Word of the Shabad dwells in the heart.
The jewel of the mind is contented; the Guru has implanted the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within.
The Inaccessible and Unfathomable, Supreme Lord God is revealed through the True Guru.
In the House of Guru Raam Daas, Guru Arjun has appeared as the Embodiment of the Fearless Lord. ||2||
The benign rule of Raja Janak has been established, and the Golden Age of Sat Yuga has begun.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the mind is pleased and appeased; the unsatisfied mind is satisfied.
Guru Nanak laid the foundation of Truth; He is blended with the True Guru.
In the House of Guru Raam Daas, Guru Arjun has appeared as the Embodiment of the Infinite Lord. ||3||
The Sovereign Lord King has staged this wondrous play; contentment was gathered together, and pure understanding was infused in the True Guru.
KALL the poet utters the Praises of the Unborn, Self-existent Lord.
Guru Nanak blessed Guru Angad, and Guru Angad blessed Guru Amar Daas with the treasure.
Guru Raam Daas blessed Guru Arjun, who touched the Philosopher's Stone, and was certified. ||4||
O Guru Arjun, You are Eternal, Invaluable, Unborn, Self-existent,
the Destroyer of fear, the Dispeller of pain, Infinite and Fearless.
You have grasped the Ungraspable, and burnt away doubt and skepticism. You bestow cooling and soothing peace.
The Self-existent, Perfect Primal Lord God Creator has taken birth.
First, Guru Nanak, then Guru Angad and Guru Amar Daas, the True Guru, have been absorbed into the Word of the Shabad.
Blessed, blessed is Guru Raam Daas, the Philosopher's Stone, who transformed Guru Arjun unto Himself. ||5||
His victory is proclaimed all over the world; His Home is blessed with good fortune; He remains united with the Lord.
By great good fortune, He has found the Perfect Guru; He remains lovingly attuned to Him, and endures the load of the earth.
He is the Destroyer of fear, the Eradicator of the pains of others. KALL SAHAAR the poet utters Your Praise, O Guru.
In the Sodhi family, is born Arjun, the son of Guru Raam Daas, the holder of the banner of Dharma and the devotee of God. ||6||
The Support of the Dharma, immersed in the deep and profound Teachings of the Guru, the Remover of the pains of others.
The Shabad is excellent and sublime, kind and generous like the Lord, the Destroyer of egotism.
The Great Giver, the spiritual wisdom of the True Guru, His mind does not grow weary of its yearning for the Lord.
The Embodiment of Truth, the Mantra of the Lord's Name, the nine treasures are never exhausted.
O Son of Guru Raam Daas, You are contained amidst all; the canopy of intuitive wisdom is spread above You.
So speaks KALL the poet: O Guru Arjun, You know the sublime essence of Raja Yoga, the Yoga of meditation and success. ||7||

In the Fear of God, You enjoy the Fearless Lord; among the thousands of beings, You see the Unseen Lord.
Through the True Guru, You have realized the state of the Inaccessible, Unfathomable, Profound Lord.
Meeting with the Guru, You are certified and approved; You practice Yoga in the midst of wealth and power.
Blessed, blessed, blessed is the Guru, who has filled to overflowing the pools which were empty.
Reaching up to the certified Guru, You endure the unendurable; You are immersed in the pool of contentment.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Arjun, You have intuitively attained the state of Yoga within Yourself. ||8||
Nectar drips from Your tongue, and Your mouth gives Blessings, O Incomprehensible and Infinite Spiritual Hero. O Guru, the Word of Your Shabad eradicates egotism.
You have overpowered the five enticers, and established with intuitive ease the Absolute Lord within Your own being.
Attached to the Lord's Name, the world is saved; enshrine the True Guru within your heart.
So speaks KALL: O Guru Arjun, You have illliminated the highest pinnacle of wisdom. ||9||
SORAT'H
: Guru Arjun is the certified Primal Person; like Arjuna, He never leaves the field of battle.
The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is His spear and insignia. He is embellished with the Shabad, the Word of the True Guru. ||1||
The Lord's Name is the Boat, the Bridge to cross over the terrifying world-ocean.
You are in love with the True Guru; attached to the Naam, You have saved the world. ||2||
The Naam is the Saving Grace of the world; by the Pleasure of the True Guru, it is obtained.
Now, I am not concerned with anything else; at Your Door, I am fulfilled. ||3||12||
The Embodiment of Light, the Lord Himself is called Guru Nanak.
From Him, came Guru Angad; His essence was absorbed into the essence.
Guru Angad showed His Mercy, and established Amar Daas as the True Guru.
Guru Amar Daas blessed Guru Raam Daas with the umbrella of immortality.
So speaks MAT'HURAA: gazing upon the Blessed Vision, the Darshan of Guru Raam Daas, His speech became as sweet as nectar.
With your eyes, see the certified Primal Person, Guru Arjun, the Fifth Manifestation of the Guru. ||1||
He is the Embodiment of Truth; He has enshrined the True Name, Sat Naam, Truth and contentment within His heart.
From the very beginning, the Primal Being has written this destiny upon His forehead.
His Divine Light shines forth, dazzling and radiant; His Glorious Grandeur pervades the realms of the world.
Meeting the Guru, touching the Philosopher's Stone, He was acclaimed as Guru.
So speaks MAT'HURAA: I constantly focus my consciousness on Him; as sunmukh, I look to Him.
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, Guru Arjun is the Boat; attached to him, the entire universe is safely carried across. ||2||
I beg from that humble being who is known all over the world, who lives in, and loves the Name, night and day.
He is supremely unattached, and imbued with the Love of the Transcendent Lord; he is free of desire, but he lives as a family man.
He is dedicated to the Love of the Infinite, Limitless Primal Lord God; he has no concerns for any other pleasure, except for the Lord God.
Guru Arjun is the All-pervading Lord God of MAT'HURAA. Devoted to His Worship, he remains attached to the Lord's Feet. ||3||

All the gods, silent sages, Indra, Shiva and Yogis have not found the Lord's limits
- not even Brahma who contemplates the Vedas. I shall not give up meditating on the Lord, even for an instant.
The God of MAT'HURAA is Merciful to the meek; He blesses and uplifts the Sangats throughout the Universe.
Guru Raam Daas, to save the world, enshrined the Guru's Light into Guru Arjun. ||4||
In the great darkness of this world, the Lord revealed Himself, incarnated as Guru Arjun.
Millions of pains are taken away, from those who drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, says MAT'HURAA.
O mortal being, do not leave this path; do not think that there is any difference between God and Guru.
The Perfect Lord God has manifested Himself; He dwells in the heart of Guru Arjun. ||5||
As long as the destiny written upon my forehead was not activated, I wandered around lost, running in all directions.
I was drowning in the horrible world-ocean of this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, and my remorse would never have ended.
O MAT'HURAA, consider this essential truth: to save the world, the Lord incarnated Himself.
Whoever meditates on Guru Arjun Dayv, shall not have to pass through the painful womb of reincarnation ever again. ||6||
In the ocean of this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name has been revealed in the Form of Guru Arjun, to save the world.
Pain and poverty are taken away from that person, within whose heart the Saint abides.
He is the Pure, Immaculate Form of the Infinite Lord; except for Him, there is no other at all.
Whoever knows Him in thought, word and deed, becomes just like Him.
He is totally pervading the earth, the sky and the nine regions of the planet. He is the Embodiment of the Light of God.
So speaks MAT'HURAA: there is no difference between God and Guru; Guru Arjun is the Personification of the Lord Himself. ||7||19||
The stream of the Lord's Name flows like the Ganges, invincible and unstoppable. The Sikhs of the Sangat all bathe in it.
It appears as if the holy texts like the Puraanaas are being recited there and Brahma himself sings the Vedas.
The invincible chauri, the fly-brush, waves over His head; with His mouth, He drinks in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam.
The Transcendent Lord Himself has placed the royal canopy over the head of Guru Arjun.
Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, Guru Amar Daas and Guru Raam Daas met together before the Lord.
So speaks HARBANS: Their Praises echo and resound all over the world; who can possibly say that the Great Gurus are dead? ||1||
When it was the Will of the Transcendent Lord Himself, Guru Raam Daas went to the City of God.
The Lord offered Him His Royal Throne, and seated the Guru upon it.
The angels and gods were delighted; they proclaimed and celebrated Your victory, O Guru.
The demons ran away; their sins made them shake and tremble inside.
Those people who found Guru Raam Daas were rid of their sins.
He gave the Royal Canopy and Throne to Guru Arjun, and came home.

One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace:
Shaloks In Addition To The Vaars.
First Mehl:
O you with swollen breasts, let your consciousness become deep and profound.
O mother-in-law, how can I bow? Because of my stiff nipples, I cannot bow.
O sister, those mansions built as high as mountains
- I have seen them come crumbling down. O bride, do not be so proud of your nipples. ||1||
O bride with deer-like eyes, listen to the words of deep and infinite wisdom.
First, examine the merchandise, and then, make the deal.
Proclaim that you will not associate with evil people; celebrate victory with your friends.
This proclamation, to meet with your friends, O bride - give it some thought.
Surrender mind and body to the Lord your Friend; this is the most excellent pleasure.
Do not fall in love with one who is destined to leave.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who understand this. ||2||
If you wish to swim across the water, then consult those who know how to swim.
Those who have survived these treacherous waves are very wise. ||3||
The storm rages and the rain floods the land; thousands of waves rise and surge.
If you cry out for help from the True Guru, you have nothing to fear - your boat will not sink. ||4||
O Nanak, what has happened to the world?
There is no guide or friend.
There is no love, even among brothers and relatives.
For the sake of the world, people have lost their faith. ||5||
They cry and weep and wail.
They slap their faces and pull their hair out.
But if they chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, they shall be absorbed into it.
O Nanak, I am a sacrifice to them. ||6||
O my mind, do not waver or walk on the crooked path; take the straight and true path.
The terrible tiger is behind you, and the pool of fire is ahead.
My soul is skeptical and doubtful, but I cannot see any other way to go.
O Nanak, as Gurmukh, dwell with your Beloved Lord, and you shall be saved. ||7||
The tiger is killed, and the mind is killed, through the Teachings of the True Guru.
One who understands himself, meets with the Lord, and never dies again.

One who sees the One and Only Lord with his eyes - his hands shall not get muddy and dirty.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved; the Guru has surrounded the ocean with the embankment of Truth. ||8||
If you wish to put out the fire, then look for water; without the Guru, the ocean of water is not found.
You shall continue to wander lost in reincarnation through birth and death, even if you do thousands of other deeds.
But you shall not be taxed by the Messenger of Death, if you walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
O Nanak, the immaculate, immortal status is obtained, and the Guru will unite you in the Lord's Union. ||9||
The crow rubs and washes itself in the mud puddle.
Its mind and body are polluted with its own mistakes and demerits, and its beak is filled with dirt.
The swan in the pool associated with the crow, not knowing that it was evil.
Such is the love of the faithless cynic; understand this, O spiritually wise ones, through love and devotion.
So proclaim the victory of the Society of the Saints, and act as Gurmukh.
Immaculate and pure is that cleansing bath, O Nanak, at the sacred shrine of the Guru's river. ||10||
What should I account as the rewards of this human life, if one does not feel love and devotion to the Lord?
Wearing clothes and eating food is useless, if the mind is filled with the love of duality.
Seeing and hearing is false, if one speaks lies.
O Nanak, praise the Naam, the Name of the Lord; everything else is coming and going in egotism. ||11||
The Saints are few and far between; everything else in the world is just a pompous show. ||12||
O Nanak, one who is struck by the Lord dies instantaneously; the power to live is lost.
If someone dies by such a stroke, then he is accepted.
He alone is struck, who is struck by the Lord; after such a stroke, he is approved.
The arrow of love, shot by the All-knowing Lord, cannot be pulled out. ||13||
Who can wash the unbaked clay pot?
Joining the five elements together, the Lord made a false cover.
When it pleases Him, He makes it right.
The supreme light shines forth, and the celestial song vibrates and resounds. ||14||
Those who are totally blind in their minds, do not have the integrity to keep their word.
With their blind minds, and their upside-down heart-lotus, they look totally ugly.
Some know how to speak and understand what they are told. Those people are wise and good-looking.
Some do not know the Sound-current of the Naad, spiritual wisdom or the joy of song. They do not even understand good and bad.
Some have no idea of perfection, wisdom or understanding; they know nothing about the mystery of the Word.
O Nanak, those people are really donkeys; they have no virtue or merit, but still, they are very proud. ||15||
He alone is a Brahmin, who knows God.
He chants and meditates, and practices austerity and good deeds.
He keeps to the Dharma, with faith, humility and contentment.
Breaking his bonds, he is liberated.
Such a Brahmin is worthy of being worshipped. ||16||
He alone is a Kh'shaatriyaa, who is a hero in good deeds.
He uses his body to give in charity;
he understands his farm, and plants the seeds of generosity.
Such a Kh'shaatriyaa is accepted in the Court of the Lord.
Whoever practices greed, possessiveness and falsehood,
shall receive the fruits of his own labors. ||17||
Do not heat your body like a furnace, or burn your bones like firewood.
What have your head and feet done wrong? See your Husband Lord within yourself. ||18||

God the Cosmic Husband dwells within all hearts; without Him, there is no heart at all.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are the happy, virtuous soul-brides; the Lord is revealed to them. ||19||
If you desire to play this game of love with Me,
then step onto My Path with your head in hand.
When you place your feet on this Path,
give Me your head, and do not pay any attention to public opinion. ||20||
False is friendship with the false and greedy. False is its foundation.
O Moollah, no one knows where death shall strike. ||21||
Without spiritual wisdom, the people worship ignorance.
They grope in the darkness, in the love of duality. ||22||
Without the Guru, there is no spiritual wisdom; without Dharma, there is no meditation.
Without Truth, there is no credit; without capital, there is no balance. ||23||
The mortals are sent into the world; then, they arise and depart.
There is no joy in this. ||24||
Raam Chand, sad at heart, assembled his army and forces.
The army of monkeys was at his service; his mind and body became eager for war.
Raawan captured his wife Sita, and Lachhman was cursed to die.
O Nanak, the Creator Lord is the Doer of all; He watches over all, and destroys what He has created. ||25||
In his mind, Raam Chand mourned for Sita and Lachhman.
Then, he remembered Hanuman the monkey-god, who came to him.
The misguided demon did not understand that God is the Doer of deeds.
O Nanak, the actions of the Self-existent Lord cannot be erased. ||26||
The city of Lahore suffered terrible destruction for four hours. ||27||
Third Mehl:
The city of Lahore is a pool of ambrosial nectar, the home of praise. ||28||
First Mehl:
What are the signs of a prosperous person? His stores of food never run out.
Prosperity dwells in his home, with the sounds of girls and women.
All the women of his home shout and cry over useless things.
Whatever he takes, he does not give back. Seeking to earn more and more, he is troubled and uneasy. ||29||
O lotus, your leaves were green, and your blossoms were gold.
What pain has burnt you, and made your body black? O Nanak, my body is battered.
I have not received that water which I love.
Seeing it, my body blossomed forth, and I was blessed with a deep and beautiful color. ||30||
No one lives long enough to accomplish all he wishes.
Only the spiritually wise live forever; they are honored for their intuitive awareness.
Bit by bit, life passes away, even though the mortal tries to hold it back.
O Nanak, unto whom should we complain? Death takes one's life away without anyone's consent. ||31||
Do not blame the Sovereign Lord; when someone grows old, his intellect leaves him.
The blind man talks and babbles, and then falls into the ditch. ||32||
All that the Perfect Lord does is perfect; there is not too little, or too much.
O Nanak, knowing this as Gurmukh, the mortal merges into the Perfect Lord God. ||33||

Shalok, Third Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Do not call the wandering beggars holy men, if their minds are filled with doubt.
Whoever gives to them, O Nanak, earns the same sort of merit. ||1||
One who begs for the supreme status of the Fearless and Immaculate Lord
- how rare are those who have the opportunity, O Nanak, to give food to such a person. ||2||
If I were a religious scholar, an astrologer, or one who could recite the four Vedas,
I could be famous throughout the nine regions of the earth, for my wisdom and thoughtful contemplation. ||3||
If a Brahmin kills a cow or a female infant, and accepts the offerings of an evil person,
he is cursed with the leprosy of curses and criticism; he is forever and ever filled with egotistical pride.
One who forgets the Naam, O Nanak, is covered by countless sins.
Let all wisdom be burnt away, except for the essence of spiritual wisdom. ||4||
No one can erase that primal destiny written upon one's forehead.
O Nanak, whatever is written there, comes to pass. He alone understands, who is blessed by God's Grace. ||5||
Those who forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and become attached to greed and fraud,
are engrossed in the entanglements of Maya the enticer, with the fire of desire within them.
Those who, like the pumpkin vine, are too stubborn climb the trellis, are cheated by Maya the cheater.
The self-willed manmukhs are bound and gagged and led away; the dogs do not join the herd of cows.
The Lord Himself misleads the misguided ones, and He Himself unites them in His Union.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are saved; they walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru. ||6||
I praise the Praiseworthy Lord, and sing the Praises of the True Lord.
O Nanak, the One Lord alone is True; stay away from all other doors. ||7||
O Nanak, wherever I go, I find the True Lord.
Wherever I look, I see the One Lord. He reveals Himself to the Gurmukh. ||8||
The Word of the Shabad is the Dispeller of sorrow, if one enshrines it in the mind.
By Guru's Grace, it dwells in the mind; by God's Mercy, it is obtained. ||9||
O Nanak, acting in egotism, countless thousands have wasted away to death.
Those who meet with the True Guru are saved, through the Shabad, the True Word of the Inscrutable Lord. ||10||
Those who serve the True Guru single-mindedly - I fall at the feet of those humble beings.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the Lord abides in the mind, and the hunger for Maya departs.
Immaculate and pure are those humble beings, who, as Gurmukh, merge in the Naam.
O Nanak, other empires are false; they alone are true emperors, who are imbued with the Naam. ||11||
The devoted wife in her husband's home has a great longing to perform loving devotional service to him;
she prepares and offers to him all sorts of sweet delicacies and dishes of all flavors.
In the same way, the devotees praise the Word of the Guru's Bani, and focus their consciousness on the Lord's Name.
They place mind, body and wealth in offering before the Guru, and sell their heads to Him.
In the Fear of God, His devotees yearn for His devotional worship; God fulfills their desires, and merges them with Himself.

My Lord God is Self-existent and Independent. What does He need to eat to be satisfied?
Whoever walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru, and sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord, is pleasing to Him.
Blessed, blessed are they, in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, O Nanak, who walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru. ||12||
Those who do not serve the True Guru, and do not keep the Shabad enshrined in their hearts
- cursed are their lives. Why did they even come into the world?
If one follows the Guru's Teachings, and keeps the Fear of God in his mind, then he is lovingly attuned to the sublime essence of the Lord.
By his primal destiny, he obtains the Name; O Nanak, he is carried across. ||13||
The world wanders lost in emotional attachment to Maya; it does not realize that its own home is being plundered.
The self-willed manmukh is blind in the world; his mind is lured away by sexual desire and anger.
With the sword of spiritual wisdom, kill the five demons. Remain awake and aware to the Guru's Teachings.
The Jewel of the Naam is revealed, and the mind and body are purified.
Those who lack the Naam wander around lost, with their noses cut off; without the Name, they sit and cry.
O Nanak, no one can erase that which is pre-ordained by the Creator Lord. ||14||
The Gurmukhs earn the wealth of the Lord, contemplating the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
They receive the wealth of the Naam; their treasures are overflowing.
Through the Word of the Guru's Bani, they utter the Glorious Praises of the Lord, whose end and limitations cannot be found.
O Nanak, the Creator is the Doer of all; the Creator Lord beholds all. ||15||
Within the Gurmukh is intuitive peace and poise; his mind ascends to the Tenth Plane of the Akaashic Ethers.
No one is sleepy or hungry there; they dwell in the peace of the Ambrosial Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, pain and pleasure do not afflict anyone, where the Light of the Lord, the Supreme Soul, illuminates. ||16||
All have come, wearing the robes of sexual desire and anger.
Some are born, and some pass away. They come and go according to the Hukam of the Lord's Command.
Their comings and goings in reincarnation do not end; they are imbued with the love of duality.
Bound in bondage, they are made to wander, and they cannot do anything about it. ||17||
Those, upon whom the Lord showers His Mercy, come and meet the True Guru.
Meeting with the True Guru, they turn away from the world; they remain dead while still alive, with intuitive peace and poise.
O Nanak, the devotees are imbued with the Lord; they are absorbed in the Name of the Lord. ||18||
The intellect of the self-willed manmukh is fickle; he is very tricky and clever within.
Whatever he has done, and all that he does, is useless. Not even an iota of it is acceptable.
The charity and generosity he pretends to give will be judged by the Righteous Judge of Dharma.
Without the True Guru, the Messenger of Death does not leave the mortal alone; he is ruined by the love of duality.
Youth slips away imperceptibly, old age comes, and then he dies.
The mortal is caught in love and emotional attachment to children and spouse, but none of them will be his helper and support in the end.
Whoever serves the True Guru finds peace; the Name comes to abide in the mind.
O Nanak, great and very fortunate are those who, as Gurmukh, are absorbed in the Naam. ||19||
The self-willed manmukhs do not even think of the Name; without the Name, they cry in pain.

They do not worship the Lord, the Supreme Soul; how can they find peace in duality?
They are filled with the filth of egotism; they do not wash it away with the Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, without the Name, they die in their filth; they waste the priceless opportunity of this human life. ||20||
The self-willed manmukhs are deaf and blind; they are filled with the fire of desire.
They have no intuitive understanding of the Guru's Bani; they are not illumined with the Shabad.
They do not know their own inner being, and they have no faith in the Guru's Word.
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is within the being of the spiritually wise ones. They always blossom in His love.
The Lord saves the honor of the spiritually wise ones.I am forever a sacrifice to them.
Servant Nanak is the slave of those Gurmukhs who serve the Lord. ||21||
The poisonous snake, the serpent of Maya, has surrounded the world with its coils, O mother!
The antidote to this poisonous venom is the Name of the Lord; the Guru places the magic spell of the Shabad into the mouth.
Those who are blessed with such pre-ordained destiny come and meet the True Guru.
Meeting with the True Guru, they become immaculate, and the poison of egotism is eradicated.
Radiant and bright are the faces of the Gurmukhs; they are honored in the Court of the Lord.
Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those who walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru. ||22||
The True Guru, the Primal Being, has no hatred or vengeance. His heart is constantly attuned to the Lord.
Whoever directs hatred against the Guru, who has no hatred at all, only sets his own home on fire.
Anger and egotism are within him night and day; he burns, and suffers constant pain.
They babble and tell lies, and keep on barking, eating the poison of the love of duality.
For the sake of the poison of Maya, they wander from house to house, and lose their honor.
They are like the son of a prostitute, who does not know the name of his father.
They do not remember the Name of the Lord, Har, Har; the Creator Himself brings them to ruin.
The Lord showers His Mercy upon the Gurmukhs, and reunites the separated ones with Himself.
Servant Nanak is a sacrifice to those who fall at the Feet of the True Guru. ||23||
Those who are attached to the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are saved; without the Name, they must go to the City of Death.
O Nanak, without the Name, they find no peace; they come and go in reincarnation with regrets. ||24||
When anxiety and wanderings come to an end, the mind becomes happy.
By Guru's Grace, the soul-bride understands, and then she sleeps without worry.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny meet with the Guru, the Lord of the Universe.
O Nanak, they merge intuitively into the Lord, the Embodiment of Supreme Bliss. ||25||
Those who serve their True Guru, who contemplate the Word of the Guru's Shabad,
who honor and obey the Will of the True Guru, who keep the Lord's Name enshrined within their hearts,
are honored, here and hereafter; they are dedicated to the business of the Lord's Name.
Through the Word of the Shabad, the Gurmukhs gain recognition in that Court of the True Lord.
The True Name is their merchandise, the True Name is their expenditure; the Love of their Beloved fills their inner beings.
The Messenger of Death does not even approach them; the Creator Lord Himself forgives them.

O Nanak, they alone are wealthy, who are imbued with the Naam; the rest of the world is poor. ||26||
The Lord's Name is the Support of the Lord's humble servants. Without the Lord's Name, the there is no other place, no place of rest.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the Name abides in the mind, and one is intuitively, automatically absorbed in the Lord.
Those with great good fortune meditate on the Naam; night and day, they embrace love for the Name.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of their feet; I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||27||
The 8.4 million species of beings burn in desire and cry in pain.
All this show of emotional attachment to Maya shall not go with you at that very last instant.
Without the Lord, peace and tranquility do not come; unto whom should we go and complain?
By great good fortune, one meets the True Guru, and comes to understand the contemplation of God.
The fire of desire is totally extinguished, O servant Nanak, enshrining the Lord within the heart. ||28||
I make so many mistakes, there is no end or limit to them.
O Lord, please be merciful and forgive me; I am a sinner, a great offender.
O Dear Lord, if You made an account of my mistakes, my turn to be forgiven would not even come. Please forgive me, and unite me with Yourself.
The Guru, in His Pleasure, has united me with the Lord God; He has cut away all my sinful mistakes.
Servant Nanak celebrates the victory of those who meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||29||
Those who have been separated and alienated from the Lord are united with Him again, through the Fear and the Love of the True Guru.
They escape the cycle of birth and death, and, as Gurmukh, they meditate on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Guru's Congregation, the diamonds and jewels are obtained.
O Nanak, the jewel is priceless; the Gurmukhs seek and find it. ||30||
The self-willed manmukhs do not even think of the Naam. Cursed are their lives, and cursed are their homes.
That Lord who gives them so much to eat and wear - they do not enshrine that Lord, the Treasure of Virtue, in their minds.
This mind is not pierced by the Word of the Shabad; how can it come to dwell in its true home?
The self-willed manmukhs are like discarded brides, ruined by coming and going in the cycle of reincarnation.
The Gurmukhs are embellished and exalted by the Naam, the Name of the Lord; the jewel of destiny is engraved upon their foreheads.
They enshrine the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, within their hearts; the Lord illumines their heart-lotus.
I am forever a sacrifice to those who serve their True Guru.
O Nanak, radiant and bright are the faces of those whose inner beings are illuminated with the Light of the Naam. ||31||
Those who die in the Word of the Shabad are saved. Without the Shabad, no one is liberated.
They wear religious robes and perform all sorts of rituals, but they are ruined; in the love of duality, their world is ruined.
O Nanak, without the True Guru, the Name is not obtained, even though one may long for it hundreds of times. ||32||
The Name of the Lord is utterly great, lofty and high, the highest of the high.
No one can climb up to it, even though one may long for it, hundreds of times.
Speaking about self-discipline, no one become pure; everyone walks around wearing religious robes.
Those blessed by the karma of good deeds go and climb the ladder of the Guru.
The Lord comes and dwells within that one who contemplates the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

O Nanak, when someone dies in the Word of the Shabad, the mind is pleased and appeased. True is the reputation of those who are true. ||33||
Emotional attachment to Maya is a treacherous ocean of pain and poison, which cannot be crossed.
Screaming, "Mine, mine!", they rot and die; they pass their lives in egotism.
The self-willed manmukhs are in limbo, neither on this side, nor the other; they are stuck in the middle.
They act as they are pre-destined; they cannot do anything else.
Following the Guru's Teachings, the jewel of spiritual wisdom abides in the mind, and then God is easily seen in all.
O Nanak, the very fortunate ones embark on the Boat of the True Guru; they are carried across the terrifying world-ocean. ||34||
Without the True Guru, there is no giver who can bestow the Support of the Lord's Name.
By Guru's Grace, the Name comes to dwell in the mind; keep it enshrined in your heart.
The fire of desire is extinguished, and one finds satisfaction, through the Love of the Name of the Lord.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh finds the Lord, when He showers His Mercy. ||35||
Without the Shabad, the world is so insane, that it cannot even be described.
Those who are protected by the Lord are saved; they remain lovingly attuned to the Word of the Shabad.
O Nanak, the Creator who made this making knows everything. ||36||
The Pandits, the religious scholars, have grown weary of making fire-offerings and sacrifices, making pilgrimages to all the sacred shrines, and reading the Puraanas.
But they cannot get rid of the poison of emotional attachment to Maya; they continue to come and go in egotism.
Meeting with the True Guru, one's filth is washed off, meditating on the Lord, the Primal Being, the All-knowing One.
Servant Nanak is forever a sacrifice to those who serve their Lord God. ||37||
Mortals give great thought to Maya and emotional attachment; they harbor great hopes, in greed and corruption.
The self-willed manmukhs do not become steady and stable; they die and are gone in an instant.
Only those who are blessed with great good fortune meet the True Guru, and leave behind their egotism and corruption.
Chanting the Name of the Lord, they find peace; servant Nanak contemplates the Word of the Shabad. ||38||
Without the True Guru, there is no devotional worship, and no love of the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
Servant Nanak worships and adores the Naam, with love and affection for the Guru. ||39||
Do not trust greedy people, if you can avoid doing so.
At the very last moment, they will deceive you there, where no one will be able to lend a helping hand.
Whoever associates with the self-willed manmukhs, will have his face blackened and dirtied.
Black are the faces of those greedy people; they lose their lives, and leave in disgrace.
O Lord, let me join the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; may the Name of the Lord God abide in my mind.
The filth and pollution of birth and death is washed away, O servant Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||40||
Whatever is pre-destined by the Lord God Creator, cannot be erased.
Body and soul are all His. The Sovereign Lord King cherishes all.
The gossipers and slanderers shall remain hungry and die, rolling in the dust; their hands cannot reach anywhere.
Outwardly, they do all the proper deeds, but they are hypocrites; in their minds and hearts, they practice deception and fraud.
Whatever is planted in the farm of the body, shall come and stand before them in the end.

Nanak offers this prayer: O Lord God, please forgive me, and unite me with Yourself. ||41||
The mortal being does not understand the comings and goings of reincarnation; he does not see the Court of the Lord.
He is wrapped up in emotional attachment and Maya, and within his being is the darkness of ignorance.
The sleeping person wakes, only when he is hit on the head by a heavy club.
The Gurmukhs dwell upon the Lord; they find the door of salvation.
O Nanak, they themselves are saved, and all their relatives are carried across as well. ||42||
Whoever dies in the Word of the Shabad, is known to be truly dead.
By Guru's Grace, the mortal is satisfied by the sublime essence of the Lord.
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, he is recognized in the Court of the Lord.
Without the Shabad, everyone is dead.
The self-willed manmukh dies; his life is wasted.
Those who do not remember the Name of the Lord, shall cry in pain in the end.
O Nanak, whatever the Creator Lord does, comes to pass. ||43||
The Gurmukhs never grow old; within them is intuitive understanding and spiritual wisdom.
They chant the Praises of the Lord, forever and ever; deep within, they intuitively meditate on the Lord.
They dwell forever in blissful knowledge of the Lord; they look upon pain and pleasure as one and the same.
They see the One Lord in all, and realize the Lord, the Supreme Soul of all. ||44||
The self-willed manmukhs are like stupid children; they do not keep the Lord in their thoughts.
They do all their deeds in egotism, and they must answer to the Righteous Judge of Dharma.
The Gurmukhs are good and immaculately pure; they are embellished and exalted with the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
Not even a tiny bit of filth sticks to them; they walk in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
The filth of the manmukhs is not washed away, even if they wash hundreds of times.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are united with the Lord; they merge into the Guru's Being. ||45||
How can someone do bad things, and still live with himself?
By his own anger, he only burns himself.
The self-willed manmukh drives himself crazy with worries and stubborn struggles.
But those who become Gurmukh understand everything.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh struggles with his own mind. ||46||
Those who do not serve the True Guru, the Primal Being, and do not reflect upon the Word of the Shabad
- do not call them human beings; they are just animals and stupid beasts.
They have no spiritual wisdom or meditation within their beings; they are not in love with the Lord.
The self-willed manmukhs die in evil and corruption; they die and are reborn, again and again.
They alone live, who join with the living; enshrine the Lord, the Lord of Life, within your heart.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs look beautiful in that Court of the True Lord. ||47||
The Lord built the Harimandir, the Temple of the Lord; the Lord dwells within it.
Following the Guru's Teachings, I have found the Lord; my emotional attachment to Maya has been burnt away.
Countless things are in the Harimandir, the Temple of the Lord; contemplate the Naam, and the nine treasures will be yours.
Blessed is that happy soul-bride, O Nanak, who, as Gurmukh, seeks and finds the Lord.
By great good fortune, one searches the temple of the body-fortress, and finds the Lord within the heart. ||48||
The self-willed manmukhs wander lost in the ten directions, led by intense desire, greed and corruption.

Their attachment to Maya does not cease; they die, only to be reborn, over and over again.
Serving the True Guru, peace is found; intense desire and corruption are discarded.
The pains of death and birth are taken away; servant Nanak reflects upon the Word of the Shabad. ||49||
Meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, O mortal being, and you shall be honored in the Court of the Lord.
All your sins and terrible mistakes shall be taken away, and you shall be rid of your pride and egotism.
The heart-lotus of the Gurmukh blossoms forth, realizing God, the Soul of all.
O Lord God, please shower Your Mercy upon servant Nanak, that he may chant the Name of the Lord. ||50||
In Dhanaasaree, the soul-bride is known to be wealthy, O Siblings of Destiny, when she works for the True Guru.
She surrenders her body, mind and soul, O Siblings of Destiny, and lives according to the Hukam of His Command.
I sit where He wishes me to sit, O Siblings of Destiny; wherever He sends me, I go.
There is no other wealth as great, O Siblings of Destiny; such is the greatness of the True Name.
I sing forever the Glorious Praises of the True Lord; I shall remain with the True One forever.
So wear the clothes of His Glorious Virtues and goodness, O Siblings of Destiny; eat and enjoy the flavor of your own honor.
How can I praise Him, O Siblings of Destiny? I am a sacrifice to the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
Great is the Glorious Greatness of the True Guru, O Siblings of Destiny; if one is blessed with good karma, He is found.
Some do not know how to submit to the Hukam of His Command, O Siblings of Destiny; they wander around lost in the love of duality.
They find no place of rest in the Sangat, O Siblings of Destiny; they find no place to sit.
Nanak: they alone submit to His Command, O Siblings of Destiny, who are pre-destined to live the Name.
I am a sacrifice to them, O Siblings of Destiny, I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||51||
Those beards are true, which brush the feet of the True Guru.
Those who serve their Guru night and day, live in bliss, night and day.
O Nanak, their faces appear beautiful in the Court of the True Lord. ||52||
True are the faces and true are the beards, of those who speak the Truth and live the Truth.
The True Word of the Shabad abides in their minds; they are absorbed in the True Guru.
True is their capital, and true is their wealth; they are blessed with the ultimate status.
They hear the Truth, they believe in the Truth; they act and work in the Truth.
They are given a place in the Court of the True Lord; they are absorbed in the True Lord.
O Nanak, without the True Guru, the True Lord is not found. The self-willed manmukhs leave, wandering around lost. ||53||
The rainbird cries, "Pri-o! Pri-o! Beloved! Beloved!" She is in love with the treasure, the water.
Meeting with the Guru, the cooling, soothing water is obtained, and all pain is taken away.
My thirst has been quenched, and intuitive peace and poise have welled up; my cries and screams of anguish are past.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are peaceful and tranquil; they enshrine the Naam, the Name of the Lord, within their hearts. ||54||
O rainbird, chirp the True Name, and let yourself be attuned to the True Lord.
Your word shall be accepted and approved, if you speak as Gurmukh.
Remember the Shabad, and your thirst shall be relieved; surrender to the Will of the Lord.

The clouds are heavy, hanging low, and the rain is pouring down on all sides; the rain-drop is received, with natural ease.
From water, everything is produced; without water, thirst is not quenched.
O Nanak, whoever drinks in the Water of the Lord, shall never feel hunger again. ||55||
O rainbird, speak the Shabad, the True Word of God, with natural peace and poise.
Everything is with you; the True Guru will show you this.
So understand your own self, and meet your Beloved; His Grace shall rain down in torrents.
Drop by drop, the Ambrosial Nectar rains down softly and gently; thirst and hunger are completely gone.
Your cries and screams of anguish have ceased; your light shall merge into the Light.
O Nanak, the happy soul-brides sleep in peace; they are absorbed in the True Name. ||56||
The Primal Lord and Master has sent out the True Hukam of His Command.
Indra mercifully sends forth the rain, which falls in torrents.
The body and mind of the rainbird are happy. only when the rain-drop falls into its mouth.
The corn grows high, wealth increases, and the earth is embellished with beauty.
Night and day, people worship the Lord with devotion, and are absorbed in the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
The True Lord Himself forgives them, and showering them with His Mercy, He leads them to walk in His Will.
O brides, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and be absorbed in the True Word of His Shabad.
Let the Fear of God be your decoration, and remain lovingly attuned to the True Lord.
O Nanak, the Naam abides in the mind, and the mortal is saved in the Court of the Lord. ||57||
The rainbird wanders all over the earth, soaring high through the skies.
But it obtains the drop of water, only when it meets the True Guru, and then, its hunger and thirst are relieved.
Soul and body and all belong to Him; everything is His.
He knows everything, without being told; unto whom should we offer our prayers?
O Nanak, the One Lord is prevading and permeating each and every heart; the Word of the Shabad brings illumination. ||58||
O Nanak, the season of spring comes to one who serves the True Guru.
The Lord rains His Mercy down upon him, and his mind and body totally blossom forth; the entire world becomes green and rejuvenated. ||59||
The Word of the Shabad brings eternal spring; it rejuvenates the mind and body.
O Nanak, do not forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, which has created everyone. ||60||
O Nanak, it is the spring season, for those Gurmukhs, within whose minds the Lord abides.
When the Lord showers His Mercy, the mind and body blossom forth, and all the world turns green and lush. ||61||
In the early hours of the morning, whose name should we chant?
Chant the Name of the Transcendent Lord, who is All-powerful to create and destroy. ||62||
The Persian wheel also cries out, "Too! Too! You! You!", with sweet and sublime sounds.
Our Lord and Master is always present; why do you cry out to Him in such a loud voice?
I am a sacrifice to that Lord who created the world, and who loves it.
Give up your selfishness, and then you shall meet your Husband Lord. Consider this Truth.
Speaking in shallow egotism, no one understands the Ways of God.
The forests and fields, and all the three worlds meditate on You, O Lord; this is the way they pass their days and nights forever.
Without the True Guru, no one finds the Lord. People have grown weary of thinking about it.

But if the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, then He Himself embellishes us.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs meditate on the Lord; blessed and approved is their coming into the world. ||63||
Yoga is not obtained by wearing saffron robes; Yoga is not obtained by wearing dirty robes.
O Nanak, Yoga is obtained even while sitting in your own home, by following the Teachings of the True Guru. ||64||
You may wander in all four directions, and read the Vedas throughout the four ages.
O Nanak, if you meet with the True Guru, the Lord shall come to dwell within your mind, and you shall find the door of salvation. ||65||
O Nanak, the Hukam, the Command of your Lord and Master, is prevailing. The intellectually confused person wanders around lost, misled by his fickle consciousness.
If you make friends with the self-willed manmukhs, O friend, who can you ask for peace?
Make friends with the Gurmukhs, and focus your consciousness on the True Guru.
The root of birth and death will be cut away, and then, you shall find peace, O friend. ||66||
The Lord Himself instructs those who are misguided, when He casts His Glance of Grace.
O Nanak, those who are not blessed by His Glance of Grace, cry and weep and wail. ||67||
Shalok, Fourth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Blessed and very fortunate are those happy soul-brides who, as Gurmukh, meet their Sovereign Lord King.
The Light of God shines within them; O Nanak, they are absorbed in the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the True Guru, the Primal Being, who has realized the True Lord.
Meeting Him, thirst is quenched, and the body and mind are cooled and soothed.
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the True Guru, the True Primal Being, who looks upon all alike.
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the True Guru, who has no hatred; slander and praise are all the same to Him.
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the All-knowing True Guru, who has realized God within.
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the Formless True Guru, who has no end or limitation.
Waaho! Waaho! Blessed and Great is the True Guru, who implants the Truth within.
O Nanak, Blessed and Great is the True Guru, through whom the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is received. ||2||
For the Gurmukh, the true Song of Praise is to chant the Name of the Lord God.
Chanting the Praises of the Lord, their minds are in ecstasy.
By great good fortune, they find the Lord, the Embodiment of perfect, supreme bliss.
Servant Nanak praises the Naam, the Name of the Lord; no obstacle will block his mind or body. ||3||
I am in love with my Beloved; how can I meet my Dear Friend?
I seek that friend, who is embellished with Truth.
The True Guru is my Friend; if I meet Him, I will offer this mind as a sacrifice to Him.
He has shown me my Beloved Lord, my Friend, the Creator.
O Nanak, I was searching for my Beloved; the True Guru has shown me that He has been with me all the time. ||4||
I stand by the side of the road, waiting for You; O my Friend, I hope that You will come.
If only someone would come today and unite me in Union with my Beloved.

I would cut my living body into four pieces for anyone who shows me my Beloved.
O Nanak, when the Lord becomes merciful, then He leads us to meet the Perfect Guru. ||5||
The power of egotism prevails within, and the body is controlled by Maya; the false ones come and go in reincarnation.
If someone does not obey the Command of the True Guru, he cannot cross over the treacherous world-ocean.
Whoever is blessed with the Lord's Glance of Grace, walks in harmony with the Will of the True Guru.
The Blessed Vision of the True Guru's Darshan is fruitful; through it, one obtains the fruits of his desires.
I touch the feet of those who believe in and obey the True Guru.
Nanak is the slave of those who, night and day, remain lovingly attuned to the Lord. ||6||
Those who are in love with their Beloved - how can they find satisfaction without His Darshan?
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs meet Him with ease, and this mind blossoms forth in joy. ||7||
Those who are in love with their Beloved - how can they live without Him?
When they see their Husband Lord, O Nanak, they are rejuvenated. ||8||
Those Gurmukhs who are filled with love for You, my True Beloved,
O Nanak, remain immersed in the Lord's Love, night and day. ||9||
The love of the Gurmukh is true; through it, the True Beloved is attained.
Night and day, remain in bliss, O Nanak, immersed in intuitive peace and poise. ||10||
True love and affection are obtained from the Perfect Guru.
They never break, O Nanak, if one sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||11||
How can those who have true love within them live without their Husband Lord?
The Lord unites the Gurmukhs with Himself, O Nanak; they were separated from Him for such a long time. ||12||
You grant Your Grace to those whom You Yourself bless with love and affection.
O Lord, please let Nanak meet with You; please bless this beggar with Your Name. ||13||
The Gurmukh laughs, and the Gurmukh cries.
Whatever the Gurmukh does, is devotional worship.
Whoever becomes Gurmukh contemplates the Lord.
The Gurmukh, O Nanak, crosses over to the other shore. ||14||
Those who have the Naam within, contemplate the Word of the Guru's Bani.
Their faces are always radiant in the Court of the True Lord.
Sitting down and standing up, they never forget the Creator, who forgives them.
O Nanak, the Gurmukhs are united with the Lord. Those united by the Creator Lord, shall never be separated again. ||15||
To work for the Guru, or a spiritual teacher, is terribly difficult, but it brings the most excellent peace.
The Lord casts His Glance of Grace, and inspires love and affection.
Joined to the service of the True Guru, the mortal being crosses over the terrifying world-ocean.
The fruits of the mind's desires are obtained, with clear contemplation and discriminating understanding within.
O Nanak, meeting the True Guru, God is found; He is the Eradicator of all sorrow. ||16||
The self-willed manmukh may perform service, but his consciousness is attached to the love of duality.
Through Maya, his emotional attachment to children, spouse and relatives increases.
He shall be called to account in the Court of the Lord, and in the end, no one will be able to save him.

Without the Lord's Name, all is pain. Attachment to Maya is agonizingly painful.
O Nanak, the Gurmukh comes to see, that attachment to Maya separates all from the Lord. ||17||
The Gurmukh obeys the Order of her Husband Lord God; through the Hukam of His Command, she finds peace.
In His Will, she serves; in His Will, she worship and adores Him.
In His Will, she merges in absorption. His Will is her fast, vow, purity and self-discipline; through it, she obtains the fruits of her mind's desires.
She is always and forever the happy, pure soul-bride, who realizes His Will; she serves the True Guru, inspired by loving absorption.
O Nanak, those upon whom the Lord showers His Mercy, are merged and immersed in His Will. ||18||
The wretched, self-willed manmukhs do not realize His Will; they continually act in ego.
By ritualistic fasts, vows, purities, self-disciplines and worship ceremonies, they still cannot get rid of their hypocrisy and doubt.
Inwardly, they are impure, pierced through by attachment to Maya; they are like elephants, who throw dirt all over themselves right after their bath.
They do not even think of the One who created them. Without thinking of Him, they cannot find peace.
O Nanak, the Primal Creator has made the drama of the Universe; all act as they are pre-ordained. ||19||
The Gurmukh has faith; his mind is contented and satisfied. Night and day, he serves the Lord, absorbed in Him.
The Guru, the True Guru, is within; all worship and adore Him. Everyone comes to see the Blessed Vision of His Darshan.
So believe in the True Guru, the supreme sublime Contemplator. Meeting with Him, hunger and thirst are completely relieved.
I am forever a sacrifice to my Guru, who leads me to meet the True Lord God.
O Nanak, those who come and fall at the Feet of the Guru are blessed with the karma of Truth. ||20||
That Beloved, with whom I am in love, that Friend of mine is with me.
I wander around inside and outside, but I always keep Him enshrined within my heart. ||21||
Those who meditate on the Lord single-mindedly, with one-pointed concentration, link their consciousness to the True Guru.
They are rid of pain, hunger, and the great illness of egotism; lovingly attuned to the Lord, they become free of pain.
They sing His Praises, and chant His Praises; in His Glorious Praises, they sleep in absorption.
O Nanak, through the Perfect Guru, they come to meet God with intuitive peace and poise. ||22||
The self-willed manmukhs are emotionally attached to Maya; they are not in love with the Naam.
They practice falsehood, gather falsehood, and eat the food of falsehood.
Gathering the poisonous wealth and property of Maya, they die; in the end, they are all reduced to ashes.
They perform religious rituals of purity and self-discipline, but they are filled with greed, evil and corruption.
O Nanak, the actions of the self-willed manmukhs are not accepted; in the Court of the Lord, they are miserable. ||23||
Among all Ragas, that one is sublime, O Siblings of Destiny, by which the Lord comes to abide in the mind.
Those Ragas which are in the Sound-current of the Naad are totally true; their value cannot be expressed.
Those Ragas which are not in the Sound-current of the Naad - by these, the Lord's Will cannot be understood.
O Nanak, they alone are right, who understand the Will of the True Guru.
Everything happens as He wills. ||24||

The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is within the True Guru.
Following the Guru's Teachings, one meditates on the Immaculate Naam, the Pure and Holy Naam.
The Ambrosial Word of His Bani is the true essence. It comes to abide in the mind of the Gurmukh.
The heart-lotus blossoms forth, and one's light merges in the Light.
O Nanak, they alone meet with the True Guru, who have such pre-ordained destiny inscribed upon their foreheads. ||25||
Within the self-willed manmukhs is the fire of desire; their hunger does not depart.
Emotional attachments to relatives are totally false; they remain engrossed in falsehood.
Night and day, they are troubled by anxiety; bound to anxiety, they depart.
Their comings and goings in reincarnation never end; they do their deeds in egotism.
But in the Guru's Sanctuary, they are saved, O Nanak, and set free. ||26||
The True Guru meditates on the Lord, the Primal Being. The Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, loves the True Guru.
Those who join the Sat Sangat, and serve the True Guru - the Guru unites them in the Lord's Union.
This world, this universe, is a terrifying ocean. On the Boat of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the Guru carries us across.
The Sikhs of the Guru accept and obey the Lord's Will; the Perfect Guru carries them across.
O Lord, please bless me with the dust of the feet of the Guru's Sikhs. I am a sinner - please save me.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny written upon their foreheads by the Lord God, come to meet Guru Nanak.
The Messenger of Death is beaten and driven away; we are saved in the Court of the Lord.
Blessed and celebrated are the Sikhs of the Guru; in His Pleasure, the Lord unites them in His Union. ||27||
The Perfect Guru has implanted the Lord's Name within me; it has dispelled my doubts from within.
Singing the Kirtan of the Praises of the Lord's Name, the Lord's path is illuminated and shown to His Sikhs.
Conquering my egotism, I remain lovingly attuned to the One Lord; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, dwells within me.
I follow the Guru's Teachings, and so the Messenger of Death cannot even see me; I am immersed in the True Name.
The Creator Himself is All-pervading; as He pleases, He links us to His Name.
Servant Nanak lives, chanting the Name. Without the Name, he dies in an instant. ||28||
Within the minds of the faithless cynics is the disease of egotism; these evil people wander around lost, deluded by doubt.
O Nanak, this disease is eradicated only by meeting with the True Guru, the Holy Friend. ||29||
Following the Guru's Teachings, chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.
Attracted by the Lord's Love, day and night, the body-robe is imbued with the Lord's Love.
I have not found any being like the Lord, although I have searched and looked all over the world.
The Guru, the True Guru, has implanted the Naam within; now, my mind does not waver or wander anywhere else.
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Lord, the slave of the slaves of the Guru, the True Guru. ||30||

Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
They alone are imbued with the Lord, who do not turn their faces away from Him - they realize Him.
The false, immature lovers do not know the way of love, and so they fall. ||1||
Without my Master, I will burn my silk and satin clothes in the fire.
Even rolling in the dust, I look beautiful, O Nanak, if my Husband Lord is with me. ||2||
Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, I worship and adore the Naam, with love and balanced detachment.
When the five enemies are overcome, O Nanak, this musical measure of Raga MAAROO becomes frtuiful. ||3||
When I have the One Lord, I have tens of thousands. Otherwise, people like me beg from door to door.
O Brahmin, your life has passed away uselessly; you have forgotten the One who created you. ||4||
In Raga Sorat'h, drink in this sublime essence, which never loses its taste.
O Nanak, singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord's Name, one's reputation is immaculate in the Court of the Lord. ||5||
No one can kill those whom God Himself protects.
The treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is within them. They cherish His Glorious Virtues forever.
They take the Support of the One, the Inaccessible Lord; they enshrine God in their mind and body.
They are imbued with the Love of the Infinite Lord, and no one can wipe it away.
The Gurmukhs sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord; they obtain the most excellent celestial peace and poise.
O Nanak, they enshrine the treasure of the Naam in their hearts. ||6||
Whatever God does, accept that as good; leave behind all other judgements.
He shall cast His Glance of Grace, and attach you to Himself.
Instruct yourself with the Teachings, and doubt will depart from within.
Everyone does that which is pre-ordained by destiny.
Everything is under His control; there is no other place at all.
Nanak is in peace and bliss, accepting the Will of God. ||7||
Those who meditate in remembrance on the Perfect Guru, are exalted and uplifted.
O Nanak, dwelling on the Naam, the Name of the Lord, all affairs are resolved. ||8||
The sinners act, and generate bad karma, and then they weep and wail.
O Nanak, just as the churning stick churns the butter, so does the Righteous Judge of Dharma churn them. ||9||
Meditating on the Naam, O friend, the treasure of life is won.
O Nanak, speaking in Righteousness, one's world becomes sanctified. ||10||
I am stuck in an evil place, trusting the sweet words of an evil advisor.
O Nanak, they alone are saved, who have such good destiny inscribed upon their foreheads. ||11||
They alone sleep and dream in peace, who are imbued with the Love of their Husband Lord.
Those who have been separated from the Love of their Master, scream and cry twenty-four hours a day. ||12||
Millions are asleep, in the false illusion of Maya.
O Nanak, they alone are awake and aware, who chant the Naam with their tongues. ||13||
Seeing the mirage, the optical illusion, the people are confused and deluded.
Those who worship and adore the True Lord, O Nanak, their minds and bodies are beautiful. ||14||
The All-powerful Supreme Lord God, the Infinite Primal Being, is the Saving Grace of sinners.

Those whom He saves, meditate in remembrance on the Creator Lord. ||15||
Forsake duality and the ways of evil; focus your consciousness on the One Lord.
In the love of duality, O Nanak, the mortals are being washed downstream. ||16||
In the markets and bazaars of the three qualities, the merchants make their deals.
Those who load the true merchandise are the true traders. ||17||
Those who do not know the way of love are foolish; they wander lost and confused.
O Nanak, forgetting the Lord, they fall into the deep, dark pit of hell. ||18||
In his mind, the mortal does not forget Maya; he begs for more and more wealth.
That God does not even come into his consciousness; O Nanak, it is not in his karma. ||19||
The mortal does not run out of capital, as long as the Lord Himself is merciful.
The Word of the Shabad is Guru Nanak's inexhaustible treasure; this wealth and capital never runs out, no matter how much it is spent and consumed. ||20||
If I could find wings for sale, I would buy them with an equal weight of my flesh.
I would attach them to my body, and seek out and find my Friend. ||21||
My Friend is the True Supreme King, the King over the heads of kings.
Sitting by His side, we are exalted and beautified; He is the Support of all. ||22||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Shalok, Ninth Mehl:
If you do not sing the Praises of the Lord, your life is rendered useless.
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord; immerse your mind in Him, like the fish in the water. ||1||
Why are you engrossed in sin and corruption? You are not detached, even for a moment!
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord, and you shall not be caught in the noose of death. ||2||
Your youth has passed away like this, and old age has overtaken your body.
Says Nanak, meditate, vibrate upon the Lord; your life is fleeting away! ||3||
You have become old, and you do not understand that death is overtaking you.
Says Nanak, you are insane! Why do you not remember and meditate on God? ||4||
Your wealth, spouse, and all the possessions which you claim as your own
- none of these shall go along with you in the end. O Nanak, know this as true. ||5||
He is the Saving Grace of sinners, the Destroyer of fear, the Master of the masterless.
Says Nanak, realize and know Him, who is always with you. ||6||
He has given you your body and wealth, but you are not in love with Him.
Says Nanak, you are insane! Why do you now shake and tremble so helplessly? ||7||
He has given you your body, wealth, property, peace and beautiful mansions.
Says Nanak, listen, mind: why don't you remember the Lord in meditation? ||8||
The Lord is the Giver of all peace and comfort. There is no other at all.
Says Nanak, listen, mind: meditating in remembrance on Him, salvation is attained. ||9||

Remembering Him in meditation, salvation is attained; vibrate and meditate on Him, O my friend.
Says Nanak, listen, mind: your life is passing away! ||10||
Your body is made up of the five elements; you are clever and wise - know this well.
Believe it - you shall merge once again into the One, O Nanak, from whom you originated. ||11||
The Dear Lord abides in each and every heart; the Saints proclaim this as true.
Says Nanak, meditate and vibrate upon Him, and you shall cross over the terrifying world-ocean. ||12||
One who is not touched by pleasure or pain, greed, emotional attachment and egotistical pride
- says Nanak, listen, mind: he is the very image of God. ||13||
One who is beyond praise and slander, who looks upon gold and iron alike
- says Nanak, listen, mind: know that such a person is liberated. ||14||
One who is not affected by pleasure or pain, who looks upon friend and enemy alike
- says Nanak, listen, mind: know that such a person is liberated. ||15||
One who does not frighten anyone, and who is not afraid of anyone else
- says Nanak, listen, mind: call him spiritually wise. ||16||
One who has forsaken all sin and corruption, who wears the robes of neutral detachment
- says Nanak, listen, mind: good destiny is written on his forehead. ||17||
One who renounces Maya and possessiveness and is detached from everything
- says Nanak, listen, mind: God abides in his heart. ||18||
That mortal, who forsakes egotism, and realizes the Creator Lord
- says Nanak, that person is liberated; O mind, know this as true. ||19||
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Name of the Lord is the Destroyer of fear, the Eradicator of evil-mindedness.
Night and day, O Nanak, whoever vibrates and meditates on the Lord's Name, sees all of his works brought to fruition. ||20||
Vibrate with your tongue the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe; with your ears, hear the Lord's Name.
Says Nanak, listen, man: you shall not have to go to the house of Death. ||21||
That mortal who renounces possessiveness, greed, emotional attachment and egotism
- says Nanak, he himself is saved, and he saves many others as well. ||22||
Like a dream and a show, so is this world, you must know.
None of this is true, O Nanak, without God. ||23||
Night and day, for the sake of Maya, the mortal wanders constantly.
Among millions, O Nanak, there is scarcely anyone, who keeps the Lord in his consciousness. ||24||
As the bubbles in the water well up and disappear again,
so is the universe created; says Nanak, listen, O my friend! ||25||
The mortal does not remember the Lord, even for a moment; he is blinded by the wine of Maya.
Says Nanak, without meditating on the Lord, he is caught by the noose of Death. ||26||
If you yearn for eternal peace, then seek the Sanctuary of the Lord.
Says Nanak, listen, mind: this human body is difficult to obtain. ||27||
For the sake of Maya, the fools and ignorant people run all around.
Says Nanak, without meditating on the Lord, life passes away uselessly. ||28||
That mortal who meditates and vibrates upon the Lord night and day - know him to be the embodiment of the Lord.

There is no difference between the Lord and the humble servant of the Lord; O Nanak, know this as true. ||29||
The mortal is entangled in Maya; he has forgotten the Name of the Lord of the Universe.
Says Nanak, without meditating on the Lord, what is the use of this human life? ||30||
The mortal does not think of the Lord; he is blinded by the wine of Maya.
Says Nanak, without meditating on the Lord, he is caught in the noose of Death. ||31||
In good times, there are many companions around, but in bad times, there is no one at all.
Says Nanak, vibrate, and meditate on the Lord; He shall be your only Help and Support in the end. ||32||
Mortals wander lost and confused through countless lifetimes; their fear of death is never removed.
Says Nanak, vibrate and meditate on the Lord, and you shall dwell in the Fearless Lord. ||33||
I have tried so many things, but the pride of my mind has not been dispelled.
I am engrossed in evil-mindedness, Nanak. O God, please save me! ||34||
Childhood, youth and old age - know these as the three stages of life.
Says Nanak, without meditating on the Lord, everything is useless; you must appreciate this. ||35||
You have not done what you should have done; you are entangled in the web of greed.
Nanak, your time is past and gone; why are you crying now, you blind fool? ||36||
The mind is absorbed in Maya - it cannot escape it, my friend.
Nanak, it is like a picture painted on the wall - it cannot leave it. ||37||
The man wishes for something, but something different happens.
He plots to deceive others, O Nanak, but he places the noose around his own neck instead. ||38||
People make all sorts of efforts to find peace and pleasure, but no one tries to earn pain.
Says Nanak, listen, mind: whatever pleases God comes to pass. ||39||
The world wanders around begging, but the Lord is the Giver of all.
Says Nanak, meditate in remembrance on Him, and all your works will be successful. ||40||
Why do you take such false pride in yourself? You must know that the world is just a dream.
None of this is yours; Nanak proclaims this truth. ||41||
You are so proud of your body; it shall perish in an instant, my friend.
That mortal who chants the Praises of the Lord, O Nanak, conquers the world. ||42||
That person, who meditates in remembrance on the Lord in his heart, is liberated - know this well.
There is no difference between that person and the Lord: O Nanak, accept this as the Truth. ||43||
That person, who does not feel devotion to God in his mind
- O Nanak, know that his body is like that of a pig, or a dog. ||44||
A dog never abandons the home of his master.
O Nanak, in just the same way, vibrate, and meditate on the Lord, single-mindedly, with one-pointed consciousness. ||45||
Those who make pilgrimages to sacred shrines, observe ritualistic fasts and make donations to charity while still taking pride in their minds
- O Nanak, their actions are useless, like the elephant, who takes a bath, and then rolls in the dust. ||46||
The head shakes, the feet stagger, and the eyes become dull and weak.
Says Nanak, this is your condition. And even now, you have not savored the sublime essence of the Lord. ||47||

I had looked upon the world as my own, but no one belongs to anyone else.
O Nanak, only devotional worship of the Lord is permanent; enshrine this in your mind. ||48||
The world and its affairs are totally false; know this well, my friend.
Says Nanak, it is like a wall of sand; it shall not endure. ||49||
Raam Chand passed away, as did Raawan, even though he had lots of relatives.
Says Nanak, nothing lasts forever; the world is like a dream. ||50||
People become anxious, when something unexpected happens.
This is the way of the world, O Nanak; nothing is stable or permanent. ||51||
Whatever has been created shall be destroyed; everyone shall perish, today or tomorrow.
O Nanak, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and give up all other entanglements. ||52||
DOHRAA:
My strength is exhausted, and I am in bondage; I cannot do anything at all.
Says Nanak, now, the Lord is my Support; He will help me, as He did the elephant. ||53||
My strength has been restored, and my bonds have been broken; now, I can do everything.
Nanak: everything is in Your hands, Lord; You are my Helper and Support. ||54||
My associates and companions have all deserted me; no one remains with me.
Says Nanak, in this tragedy, the Lord alone is my Support. ||55||
The Naam remains; the Holy Saints remain; the Guru, the Lord of the Universe, remains.
Says Nanak, how rare are those who chant the Guru's Mantra in this world. ||56||
I have enshrined the Lord's Name within my heart; there is nothing equal to it.
Meditating in remembrance on it, my troubles are taken away; I have received the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. ||57||1||
Mundaavanee, Fifth Mehl:
Upon this Plate, three things have been placed: Truth, Contentment and Contemplation.
The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of our Lord and Master, has been placed upon it as well; it is the Support of all.
One who eats it and enjoys it shall be saved.
This thing can never be forsaken; keep this always and forever in your mind.
The dark world-ocean is crossed over, by grasping the Feet of the Lord; O Nanak, it is all the extension of God. ||1||
Shalok, Fifth Mehl:
I have not appreciated what You have done for me, Lord; only You can make me worthy.
I am unworthy - I have no worth or virtues at all. You have taken pity on me.
You took pity on me, and blessed me with Your Mercy, and I have met the True Guru, my Friend.
O Nanak, if I am blessed with the Naam, I live, and my body and mind blossom forth. ||1||
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
Raag Maalaa:
Each Raga has five wives,
and eight sons, who emit distinctive notes.
In the first place is Raag Bhairao.

It is accompanied by the voices of its five Raaginis:
First come Bhairavee, and Bilaavalee;
then the songs of Punni-aakee and Bangalee;
and then Asalaykhee.
These are the five consorts of Bhairao.
The sounds of Pancham, Harakh and Disaakh;
the songs of Bangaalam, Madh and Maadhav. ||1||
Lalat and Bilaaval - each gives out its own melody.
when these eight sons of Bhairao are sung by accomplished musicians. ||1||
In the second family is Maalakausak,
who brings his five Raaginis:
Gondakaree and Dayv Gandhaaree,
the voices of Gandhaaree and Seehutee,
and the fifth song of Dhanaasaree.
This chain of Maalakausak brings along :
Maaroo, Masta-ang and Mayvaaraa,
Prabal, Chandakausak,
Khau, Khat and Bauraanad singing.
These are the eight sons of Maalakausak. ||1||
Then comes Hindol with his five wives and eight sons;
it rises in waves when the sweet-voiced chorus sings. ||1||
There come Taylangee and Darvakaree;
Basantee and Sandoor follow;
then Aheeree, the finest of women.
These five wives come together.
The sons: Surmaanand and Bhaaskar come,
Chandrabinb and Mangalan follow.
Sarasbaan and Binodaa then come,
and the thrilling songs of Basant and Kamodaa.
These are the eight sons I have listed.
Then comes the turn of Deepak. ||1||
Kachhaylee, Patamanjaree and Todee are sung;
Kaamodee and Goojaree accompany Deepak. ||1||
Kaalankaa, Kuntal and Raamaa,
Kamalakusam and Champak are their names;
Gauraa, Kaanaraa and Kaylaanaa;
these are the eight sons of Deepak. ||1||
All join together and sing Siree Raag,
which is accompanied by its five wives.:
Bairaaree and Karnaatee,
the songs of Gawree and Aasaavaree;
then follows Sindhavee.
These are the five wives of Siree Raag. ||1||
Saaloo, Saarang, Saagaraa, Gond and Gambheer
- the eight sons of Siree Raag include Gund, Kumb and Hameer. ||1||
In the sixth place, Maygh Raag is sung,
with its five wives in accompaniment:
Sorat'h, Gond, and the melody of Malaaree;
then the harmonies of Aasaa are sung.
And finally comes the high tone Soohau.
These are the five with Maygh Raag. ||1||
Bairaadhar, Gajadhar, Kaydaaraa,
Jabaleedhar, Nat and Jaladhaaraa.
Then come the songs of Shankar and Shi-aamaa.
These are the names of the sons of Maygh Raag. ||1||
So all together, they sing the six Raagas and the thirty Raaginis,
and all the forty-eight sons of the Raagas. ||1||1||

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE FIRST
 HYMN I. Agni.1 I Laud Agni, the chosen Priest, God, minister of sacrifice,The hotar, lavishest of wealth.2 Worthy is Agni to be praised by living as by ancient seers.He shall bring hitherward the Gods.3 Through Agni man obtaineth wealth, yea, plenty waxing day by day,Most rich in heroes, glorious.4 Agni, the perfect sacrifice which thou encompassest aboutVerily goeth to the Gods.5 May Agni, sapient-minded Priest, truthful, most gloriously great,The God, come hither with the Gods.6 Whatever blessing, Agni, thou wilt grant unto thy worshipper,That, Angiras, is indeed thy truth.7 To thee, dispeller of the night, O Agni, day by day with prayerBringing thee reverence, we come8 Ruler of sacrifices, guard of Law eternal, radiant One,Increasing in thine own abode.9 Be to us easy of approach, even as a father to his son:Agni, be with us for our weal.
 HYMN II. Vayu.1 BEAUTIFUL Vayu, come, for thee these Soma drops have been prepared:Drink of them, hearken to our call.2 Knowing the days, with Soma juice poured forth, the singers glorifyThee, Vayu, with their hymns of praise.3 Vayu, thy penetrating stream goes forth unto the worshipper,Far-spreading for the Soma draught.4 These, Indra-Vayu, have been shed; come for our offered dainties' sake:The drops are yearning for you both.5 Well do ye mark libations, ye Vayu and Indra, rich in spoil
So come ye swiftly hitherward.6 Vayu and Indra, come to what the Soma. presser hath prepared:Soon, Heroes, thus I make my prayer.7 Mitra, of holy strength, I call, and foe-destroying Varuna,Who make the oil-fed rite complete.8 Mitra and Varuna, through Law, lovers and cherishers of Law,Have ye obtained your might power9 Our Sages, Mitra-Varuna, wide dominion, strong by birth,Vouchsafe us strength that worketh well.
HYMN III. Asvins1 YE Asvins, rich in treasure, Lords of splendour, having nimble hands,Accept the sacrificial food.2 Ye Asvins, rich in wondrous deeds, ye heroes worthy of our praise,Accept our songs with mighty thought.3 Nisatyas, wonder-workers, yours arc these libations with clipt grass:Come ye whose paths are red with flame.4 O Indra marvellously bright, come, these libations long for thee, Thus by fine fingers purified.5 Urged by the holy singer, sped by song, come, Indra, to the prayers,Of the libation-pouring priest.6 Approach, O Indra, hasting thee, Lord of Bay Horses, to the prayers.In our libation take delight.7 Ye Visvedevas, who protect, reward, and cherish men, approachYour worshipper's drink-offering.8 Ye Visvedevas, swift at work, come hither quickly to the draught,As milch-kine hasten to their stalls.9 The Visvedevas, changing shape like serpents, fearless, void of guile,Bearers, accept the sacred draught10 Wealthy in spoil, enriched with hymns, may bright Sarsavad desire,With eager love, our sacrifice.11 Inciter of all pleasant songs, inspirer o all gracious thought,Sarasvati accept our rite12 Sarasvati, the mighty flood,- she with be light illuminates,She brightens every pious thought.
HYMN IV. Indri1 As a good cow to him who milks, we call the doer of fair deeds,To our assistance day by day.2 Come thou to our libations, drink of Soma; Soma-drinker thou!The rich One's rapture giveth kine.3 So may we be acquainted with thine innermost benevolence:Neglect us not, come hitherward.4 Go to the wise unconquered One, ask thou of Indra, skilled in song,Him who is better than thy friends.5 Whether the men who mock us say, Depart unto another place,Ye who serve Indra and none else;6 Or whether, God of wondrous deeds, all our true people call us blest,Still may we dwell in Indra's care.7 Unto the swift One bring the swift, man-cheering, grace of sacrifice,That to the Friend gives wings and joy.8 Thou, Satakratu, drankest this and wast the Vrtras' slayer; thou Helpest the warrior in the fray.9 We strengthen, Satakratu, thee, yea, thee the powerful in fight,That, Indra, we may win us wealth.10 To him the mighty stream of wealth, prompt friend ot'him who pours the juice, yea, to this Indra sing your song.
HYMN V. Indra.1 O COME ye hither, sit ye down: to Indra sing ye forth, your song, companions, bringing hymns of praise.2 To him the richest of the rich, the Lord of treasures excellent,Indra, wi th Soma juice outpoured.3 May he stand by us in our need and in abundance for our wealth:May he come nigh us with his strength.4 Whose pair of tawny horses yoked in battles foemen challenge not:To him, to Indra sing your song.5 Nigh to the Soma-drinker come, for his enjoyment, these pure drops,The Somas mingled with the curd.6 Thou, grown at once to perfect strength, wast born to drink the Soma juice,Strong Indra, for preeminence.7 O Indra, lover of the song, may these quick Somas enter thee: May they bring bliss to thee the Sage.8 Our chants of praise have strengthened thee, O Satakratu, and our laudsSo strengthen thee the songs we sing.9 Indra, whose succour never fails, accept these viands thousandfold, Wherein all manly powers abide.10 O Indra, thou who lovest song, let no man hurt our bodies, keepSlaughter far from us, for thou canst.
HYMN VI. Indra.1 They who stand round him as he moves harness the bright, the ruddy SteedThe lights are shining in the sky.2 On both sides to the car they yoke the two bay coursers dear to him,Bold, tawny, bearers of the Chief.3 Thou, making light where no light was, and form, O men: where form was not,Wast born together with the Dawns.4 Thereafter they, as is their wont, threw off the state of' babes unborn,Assuming sacrificial names.5 Thou, Indra, with the Tempest-Gods, the breakers down of what is firm 'Foundest the kine even in the cave.6 Worshipping even as they list, singers laud him who findeth wealth,The far-renowned, the mighty One.7 Mayest thou verily be seen coming by fearless Indra's side:Both joyous, equal in your sheen.8 With Indra's well beloved hosts, the blameless, hastening to heaven,The sacrificer cries aloud.9 Come from this place, O Wanderer, or downward from the light of heaven:Our songs of praise all yearn for this.10 Indra we seek to give us help, from here, from heaven above the earth,Or from the spacious firmament.
HYMN VII. Indra.1 INDRA the singers with high praise, Indra reciters with their lauds,Indra the choirs have glorified.2 Indra hath ever close to him his two bay steeds and word-yoked car,Indra the golden, thunder-armed.3 Indra hath raised the Sun on high in heaven, that he may see afar:He burst the mountain for the kine.4 Help us, O Indra, in the frays, yea, frays, where thousand spoils are gained,With awful aids, O awful One.5 In mighty battle we invoke Indra, Indra in lesser fight,The Friend who bends his bolt at fiends.6 Unclose, our manly Hero, thou for ever bounteous, yonder cloud,For us, thou irresistible.7 Still higher, at each strain of mine, thunder-armed Indra's praises rise:I find no laud worthy of him. 8 Even as the bull drives on the herds, he drives the people with his might,The Ruler irresistible:9 Indra who rules with single sway men, riches, and the fivefold raceOf those who dwell upon the earth.10 For your sake from each side we call Indra away from other men:Ours, and none others', may he be.
HYMN VIII. Indra.1 INDRA, bring wealth that gives delight, the victor's ever-conquering wealth,Most excellent, to be our aid;2 By means of which we may repel our foes in battle hand to hand,By thee assisted with the car.3 Aided by thee, the thunder-armed, Indra, may we lift up the bolt,And conquer all our foes in fight.4 With thee, O India, for ally with missile-darting heroes, mayWe conquer our embattled foes.5 Mighty is Indra, yea supreme; greatness be his, the Thunderer:Wide as the heaven extends his power6 Which aideth those to win them sons, who come as heroes to the fight,Or singers loving holy thoughts.7 His belly, drinking deepest draughts of Soma, like an ocean swells,Like wide streams from the cope of heaven.8 So also is his excellence, great, vigorous, rich in cattle, likeA ripe branch to the worshipper.9 For verily thy mighty powers, Indra, are saving helps at onceUnto a worshipper like me.10 So are his lovely gifts; let lauds and praises be to Indra sung,That he may drink the Soma juice.
HYMN IX. Indra.1 COME, Indra, and delight thee with the juice at all the Soma feasts,Protector, mighty in thy strength.2 To Indra pour ye forth thejuice, the active gladdening juice to him Ile gladdening, oinnific God.3 O Lord of all men, fair of cheek, rejoice thee in the gladdening lauds,Present at these drink-offerings.4 Songs have outpoured themselves to thee, Indra, the strong, the guardian Lord,And raised themselves unsatisfied.5 Send to us bounty manifold, O Indra, worthy of' our wish,For power supreme is only thine.6 O Indra, stimulate thereto us emulously fain for wealth,And glorious, O most splendid One.7 Give, Indra, wide and lofty fame, wealthy in cattle and in strength,Lasting our life-time, failing not.8 Grant us high fame, O Indra, grant riches bestowing thousands, thoseFair fruits of earth borne home in wains.9 Praising with songs the praise-worthy who cometh to our aid, we callIndra, the Treasure-Lord of wealth.10 To lofty Indra, dweller by each libation, the pious manSings forth aloud a strengthening hymn.
HYMN X. Indra.1 THE chanters hymn thee, they who say the word of praise magnify thee.The priests have raised thee up on high, O Satakratu, like a pole.2 As up he clomb from ridge to ridge and looked upon the toilsome task,Indra observes this wish of his, and the Rain hastens with his troop.3 Harness thy pair of strong bay steeds, long-maned, whose bodies fill the girths,And, Indra, Soma-drinker, come to listen to our songs of praise.4 Come hither, answer thou the song, sing in approval, cry aloud.Good Indra, make our prayer succeed, and prosper this our sacrifice.5 To Indra must a laud be said, to strengthen him who freely gives,That Sakra may take pleasure in our friendship and drink-offerings.6 Him, him we seek for friendship, him for riches and heroic might.For Indra, he is Sakra, he shall aid us while he gives us wealth.7 Easy to turn and drive away, Indra, is spoil bestowed by thee.Unclose the stable of the kine, and give us wealth O Thunder-armed8 The heaven and earth contain thee not, together, in thy wrathful mood.Win us the waters of the sky, and send us kine abundantly.9 Hear, thou whose ear is quick, my call; take to thee readily my songsO Indra, let this laud of mine come nearer even than thy friend.10 We know thee mightiest of all, in battles hearer of our cry.Of thee most mighty we invoke the aid that giveth thousandfold.11 O Indra, Son of Kusika, drink our libation with delight.Prolong our life anew, and cause the seer to win a thousand gifts.12 Lover of song, may these our songs on every side encompass thee: Strengthening thee of lengthened life, may they be dear delights to thee.
HYMN XI. Indra.1 ALL sacred songs have magnified Indra expansive as the sea,The best of warriors borne on cars, the Lord, the very Lord of strength.2 Strong in thy friendship, Indra, Lord of power and might, we have no fear.We glorify with praises thee, the never-conquered conqueror.3 The gifts of Indra from of' old, his saving succours, never fail,When to the praise-singers he gives the boon of substance rich in kine.4 Crusher of forts, the young, the wise, of strength unmeasured, was he bornSustainer of each sacred rite, Indra, the Thunderer, much-extolled.5 Lord of the thunder, thou didst burst the cave of Vala rich in cows.The Gods came pressing to thy side, and free from terror aided thee, 6 I, Hero, through thy bounties am come to the flood addressing thee.Song-lover, here the singers stand and testify to thee thereof.7 The wily Susna, Indra! thou o'er-threwest with thy wondrous powers.The wise beheld this deed of thine: now go beyond their eulogies.8 Our songs of praise have glorified Indra who ruleth by his might,Whose precious gifts in thousands come, yea, even more abundantly.
HYMN XII. Agni.I WE choose Agni the messenger, the herald, master of all wealth,Well skilled in this our sacrifice.2 With callings ever they invoke Agni, Agni, Lord of the House,Oblation-bearer, much beloved. 3 Bring the Gods hither, Agni, born for him who strews the sacred grass:Thou art our herald, meet for praise.4 Wake up the willing Gods, since thou, Agni, performest embassage: Sit on the sacred grass with Gods.5 O Agni, radiant One, to whom the holy oil is poured, bum upOur enemies whom fiends protect.6 By Agni Agni is inflamed, Lord of the House, wise, young, who bearsThe gift: the ladle is his mouth.7 Praise Agni in the sacrifice, the Sage whose ways are ever true,The God who driveth grief away.8 God, Agni, be his strong defence who lord of sacrificial gifts, Worshippeth thee the messenger.9 Whoso with sacred gift would fain call Agni to the feast of Gods,O Purifier, favour him.10 Such, Agni, Purifier, bright, bring hither to our sacrifice,To our oblation bring the Gods.11 So lauded by our newest song of praise bring opulence to us,And food, with heroes for our sons.12 O Agni, by effulgent flame, by all invokings of the Gods,Show pleasure in this laud of ours.
HYMN XIII. Agni1 AGNI, well-kindled, bring the Gods for him who offers holy gifts.Worship them, Purifier, Priest.2 Son of Thyself, present, O Sage, our sacrifice to the Gods today.Sweet to the taste, that they may feast.3 Dear Narasamsa, sweet of tongue, the giver of oblations, IInvoke to this our sacrifice.4 Agni, on thy most easy car, glorified, hither bring the Gods:Manu appointed thee as Priest.5 Strew, O ye wise, the sacred grass that drips with oil, in order due,Where the Immortal is beheld.6 Thrown open be the Doors Divine, unfailing, that assist the rite,For sacrifice this day and now.7 I call the lovely Night and Dawn to seat them on the holy grassAt this our solemn sacrifice.8 The two Invokers I invite, the wise, divine and sweet of tongue,To celebrate this our sacrifice.9 Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi, three Goddesses who bring delight,Be seated, peaceful, on the grass.10 Tvastar I call, the earliest born, the wearer of all forms at will:May he be ours and curs alone.11 God, Sovran of the Wood, present this our oblation to the Gods,And let the giver be renowned.12 With Svaha. pay the sacrifice to Indra in the offerer's house:Thither I call the Deities.
HYMN X1V. Visvedevas.1 To drink the Soma, Agni, come, to our service and our songs.With all these Gods; and worship them. 2 The Kanvas have invoked thee; they, O Singer, sing thee songs of praiseAgni, come hither with the Gods;3 Indra, Vayu, Brhaspati, Mitra, Agni, Pusan, Bhaga,Adityas, and the Marut host.4 For you these juices are poured forth that gladden and exhilarate,The meath-drops resting in the cup.5 The sons of Kanva fain for help adore thee, having strewn the grass,With offerings and all things prepared.6 Let the swift steeds who carry thee, thought-yoked and dropping holy oil,Bring the Gods to the Soma draught.7 Adored, the strengtheners of Law, unite them, Agni, with their Dames:Make them drink meath, O bright of tongue.8 Let them, O Agni, who deserve worship and praise drink with thy tongueTle meath in solemn sacrifice.9 Away, from the Sun's realm of light, the wise invoking Priest shall bringAll Gods awaking with the dawn.10 With all the Gods, with Indra, with Vayu, and Mitra's splendours, drink,Agni, the pleasant Soma juice.11 Ordained by Manu as our Priest, thou sittest, Agni, at each rite:Hallow thou this our sacrifice.12 Harness the Red Mares to thy car, the Bays, O God, the flaming ones:With those bring hitherward the Gods.
HYMN XV. RTU.1 O INDRA drink the Soma juice with Rtu; let the cheering dropsSink deep within, which settle there.2 Drink from the Purifier's cup, Maruts, with Rtu; sanctifyThe rite, for ye give precious gifts.3 O Nestar, with thy Dame accept our sacrifice; with Rtu drink,For thou art he who giveth wealth.4 Bring the Gods, Agni; in the three appointed places set them down:Surround them, and with Rtu drink.5 Drink Soma after the Rtus, from the Brahmana's bounty: undissolved,O Indra, is thy friendship's bond.6 Mitra, Varuna, ye whose ways are firm - a Power that none deceives-,With Rtu ye have reached the rite.7 The Soma-pressers, fain for wealth, praise the Wealth-giver in the rite,In sacrifices praise the God.8 May the Wealth-giver grant to us riches that shall be far renowned.These things we gain, among the Gods.9 He with the Rtu fain would drink, Wealth-giver, from the Nestar's bowl.Haste, give your offering, and depart.10 As we this fourth time, Wealth-giver, honour thee with the Rtus, beA Giver bountiful to us.11 Drink ye the meath, O Asvins bright with flames, whose acts are pure. who withRtus accept the sacrifice.12 With Rtu, through the house-fire, thou, kind Giver, guidest sacrifice:Worship the Gods for the pious man.
HYMN XVI. Indra.1 LET thy Bay Steeds bring thee, the Strong, hither to drink the Soma draught-Those, Indra, who are bright as suns.2 Here are the grains bedewed with oil: hither let the Bay Coursers bringIndra upon his easiest car.3 Indra at early morn we call, Indra in course of sacrifice,Indra to drink the Soma juice.4 Come hither, with thy long-maned Steeds, O Indra, to- the draught we pourWe call thee wher, the juice is shed.5 Come thou to this our song of praise, to the libation poured for theeDrink of it like a stag athirst.6 Here are the drops of Soma juice expressed on sacred grass: thereofDrink, Indra, to increase thy might.7 Welcome to thee be this our hymn, reaching thy heart, most excellent:Then drink the Soma juice expressed.8 To every draught of pressed-out juice Indra, the Vrtra-slayer, comes,To drink the Soma for delight.9 Fulfil, O Satakratu, all our wish with horses and with kine:With holy thoughts we sing thy praise.
HYMN XVII Indra-Varuna1 I CRAVE help from the Imperial Lords, from Indra-Varuna; may theyBoth favour one of us like me.2 Guardians of men, ye ever come with ready succour at the callOf every singer such as I.3 Sate you, according to your wish, O Indra-Varuna, with wealth:Fain would we have you nearest us.4 May we be sharers of the powers, sharers of the benevolenceOf you who give strength bounteously.5 Indra and Varuna, among givers of thousands, meet for praise,Are Powers who merit highest laud.6 Through their protection may we gain great store of wealth, and heap it upEnough and still to spare, be ours.7 O Indra-Varuna, on you for wealth in many a form I call:Still keep ye us victorious.8 O Indra-Varuna, - through our songs that seek to win you to ourselves,Give us at once your sheltering help.9 O Indra-Varuna, to you may fair praise which I offer come,joint eulogy which ye dignify.
HYMN XVIII. Brahmanaspati.1 O BRAHMANAPSATI, make him who presses Soma glorious,Even Kaksivan Ausija.2 The rich, the healer of disease, who giveth wealth, increaseth store,The prompt,-may he be with us still.3 Let not the foeman's curse, let not a mortal's onslaught fall on usPreserve us, Brahmanaspati.4 Ne'er is the mortal hero harmed whom Indra, Brahmanaspati,And Soma graciously inspire.5 Do, thou, O Brahmanaspati, and Indra, Soma, Daksina,Preserve that mortal from distress. 6 To the Assembly's wondrous Lord, to Indra's lovely Friend who givesWisdom, have I drawn near in prayer.7 He without whom no sacrifice, e'en of the wise man, prospers; heStirs up the series of thoughts.8 He makes the oblation prosper, he promotes the course of sacrifice:Our voice of praise goes to the Gods.9 I have seen Narasamsa, him most resolute, most widely famed,As 'twere the Household Priest of heaven.
HYMN XIX. Agni, Maruts.1 To this fair sacrifice to drink the milky draught thou art invoked:O Agni, with the Maruts come.2 No mortal man, no God exceeds thy mental power, O Mighty one -O Agni, with the Maruts come3 All Gods devoid of guile, who know the mighty region of mid-air:O Agni, with those Maruts come.4 The terrible, who sing their song, not to be overcome by might:O Agni, with those Maruts come.5 Brilliant, and awful in their form, mighty, devourers of their foes':O Agni, with those Maruts come.6 Who sit as Deities in heaven, above the sky-vault's luminous sphere:O Agni, with those Maruts come.7 Who scatter clouds about the sky, away over the billowy sea:O Agni, with those Maruts come.8 Who with their bright beams spread them forth over the ocean in their mightO Agni, with those Maruts come.9 For thee, to be thine early draught, I pour the Soma-mingled meath:O Agni, with the Maruts come.
HYMN XX Rbhus.1 FOR the Celestial Race this song of praise which gives wealth lavishlyWas made by singers with their lips.2 They who for Indra, with their mind, formed horses harnessed by a word,Attained by works to sacrifice.3 They for the two Nasatyas wrought a light car moving every way:They formed a nectar-yielding cow.4 The Rbhus with effectual prayers, honest, with constant labour, madeTheir Sire and Mother young again.5 Together came your gladdening drops with Indra by the Maruts girt,With the Adityas, with the Kings.6 The sacrificial ladle, wrought newly by the God Tvastar's hand-Four ladles have ye made thereof.7 Vouchsafe us wealth, to him who pours thrice seven libations, yea, to eachGive wealth, pleased with our eulogies.8 As ministering Priests they held, by pious acts they won themselves,A share in sacrifice with Gods.
HYMN XXI. Indra-Agni.1 INDRA and Agni I invoke fain are we for their song of praiseChief Soma-drinkers are they both. 2 Praise ye, O men, and glorify Indra-Agni in the holy rites:Sing praise to them in sacred songs.3 Indra and Agni we invite, the Soma-drinkers, for the fameOf Mitra, to the Soma-draught.4 Strong Gods, we bid them come to this libation that stands ready here:Indra and Agni, come to us.5 Indra and Agni, mighty Lords of our assembly, crush the fiends:Childless be the devouring ones.6 Watch ye, through this your truthfulness, there in the place of spacious viewIndra and Agni, send us bliss.
HYMN XXII Asvins and Others1 WAKEN the Asvin Pair who yoke their car at early morn: may theyApproach to drink this Soma juice.2 We call the Asvins Twain, the Gods borne in a noble car, the bestOf charioteers, who reach the heavens.3 Dropping with honey is your whip, Asvins, and full of pleasantnessSprinkle therewith the sacrifice.4 As ye go thither in your car, not far, O Asvins, is the homeOf him who offers Soma juice.5 For my protection I invoke the golden-handed Savitar.He knoweth, as a God, the place.6 That he may send us succour, praise the Waters' Offspring Savitar:Fain are we for his holy ways.7 We call on him, distributer of wondrous bounty and of wealth,On Savitar who looks on men.8 Come hither, friends, and seat yourselves Savitar, to be praised by us,Giving good gifts, is beautiful.9 O Agni, hither bring to us the willing Spouses of the Gods,And Tvastar, to the Soma draught.10 Most youthful Agni, hither bring their Spouses, Hotra, Bharati,Varutri, Dhisana, for aid.11 Spouses of Heroes, Goddesses, with whole wings may they come to usWith great protection and with aid.12 Indrani, Varunani, and Agnayi hither I invite,For weal, to drink the Soma juice.13 May Heaven and Earth, the Mighty Pair, bedew for us our sacrifice,And feed us full with nourishments.14 Their water rich with fatness, there in the Gandharva's steadfast place,The singers taste through sacred songs.15 Thornless be thou, O Earth, spread wide before us for a dwelling-place:Vouchsafe us shelter broad and sure.16 The Gods be gracious unto us even from the place whence Visnu strodeThrough the seven regions of the earth!17 Through all this world strode Visnu; thrice his foot he planted, and the wholeWas gathered in his footstep's dust.18 Visnu, the Guardian, he whom none deceiveth, made three steps; thenceforthEstablishing his high decrees.19 Look ye on Visnu's works, whereby the Friend of Indra, close-allied,Hath let his holy ways be seen. 20 The princes evermore behold that loftiest place where Visnu is,Laid as it were an eye in heaven.21 This, Vishnu's station most sublime, the singers, ever vigilant,Lovers of holy song, light up.
HYMN XXIII. Vayu and Others.1 STRONG are the Somas; come thou nigh; these juices have been mixt with milk:Drink, Vayu, the presented draughts.2 Both Deities who touch the heaven, Indra and Vayu we invokeTo drink of this our soma juice.3 The singers' for their aid, invoke Indra and Vayu, swift as mind,The thousand-eyed, the Lords of thought.4 Mitra and Varupa, renowned as Gods of consecrated might,We call to drink the Soma juice.5 Those who by Law uphold the Law, Lords of the shining light of Law,Mitra I call, and Varuna.6 Let Varuna be our chief defence, let Mitra guard us with all aidsBoth make us rich exceedingly.7 Indra, by Maruts girt, we call to drink the Soma juice: may heSate him in union with his troop.8 Gods, Marut hosts whom Indra leads, distributers of Pusan's gifts,Hearken ye all unto my cry.9 With conquering Indra for ally, strike Vrtra down, ye bounteous GodsLet not the wicked master us.10 We call the Universal Gods, and Maruts to the Soma draught,For passing strong are Prsni's Sons.11 Fierce comes the Maruts' thundering voice, like that of conquerors, when ye goForward to victory, O Men.12 Born of the laughing lightning. may the Maruts guard us everywhereMay they be gracious unto Us.13 Like some lost animal, drive to us, bright Pusan, him who bears up heaven,Resting on many-coloured grass.14 Pusan the Bright has found the King, concealed and bidden in a cave,Who rests on grass of many hues.15 And may he. duly bring to me the six bound closely, through these drops,As one who ploughs with steers brings corn.16 Along their paths the Mothers go, Sisters of priestly ministrants,Mingling their sweetness with the milk.17 May Waters gathered near the Sun, and those wherewith the Sun is joined,Speed forth this sacrifice of ours.18 I call the Waters, Goddesses, wherein our cattle quench their thirst;Oblations to the Streams be given.19 Amrit is in the Waters in the Waters there is healing balmBe swift, ye Gods, to give them praise.20 Within the Waters-Soma thus hath told me-dwell all balms that heal,And Agni, he who blesseth all. The Waters hold all medicines.21 O Waters, teem with medicine to keep my body safe from harm,So that I long may see the Sun.22 Whatever sin is found in me, whatever evil I have wrought.If I have lied or falsely sworn, Waters, remove it far from me. 23 The Waters I this day have sought, and to their moisture have we come:O Agni, rich in milk, come thou, and with thy splendour cover me.24 Fill me with splendour, Agni; give offspring and length of days; the GodsShall know me even as I am, and Indra with the Rsis, know.
HYMN XXIV. Varuna and Others.1 WHO now is he, what God among Immortals, of whose auspicious name we may bethink us?Who shall to mighty Aditi restore us, that I may see my Father and my Mother?2 Agni the God the first among the Immortals, - of his auspicious name let us bethink us.He shall to mighty Aditi restore us, that I may see my Father and my Mother.3 To thee, O Savitar, the Lord of precious things, who helpest usContinually, for our share we come-4 Wealth, highly lauded ere reproach hath fallen on it, which is laid,Free from all hatred, in thy hands5 Through thy protection may we come to even the height of affluenceWhich Bhaga hath dealt out to us.6 Ne'er have those birds that fly through air attained to thy high dominion or thy might or spirit;Nor these the waters that flow on for ever, nor hills, abaters of the wind's wild fury.7 Varuna, King, of hallowed might, sustaineth erect the Tree's stem in the baseless region.Its rays, whose root is high above, stream downward. Deep may they sink within us, and be hidden.8 King Varuna hath made a spacious pathway, a pathway for the Sun wherein to travel.Where no way was he made him set his footstep, and warned afar whate'er afflicts the spirit.9 A hundred balms are thine, O King, a thousand; deep and wide-reaching also be thy favours.Far from us, far away drive thou Destruction. Put from us e'en the sin we have committed.10 Whither by day depart the constellations that shine at night, set high in heaven above us?Varuna's holy laws remain unweakened, and through the night the Moon moves on in splendor11 I ask this of thee with my prayer adoring; thy worshipper craves this with his oblation.Varuna, stay thou here and be not angry; steal not our life from us, O thou Wide-Ruler.12 Nightly and daily this one thing they tell me, this too the thought of mine own heart repeateth.May he to whom prayed fettered Sunahsepa, may he the Sovran Varuna release us.13 Bound to three pillars captured Sunahsepa thus to the Aditya made his supplication.Him may the Sovran Varuna deliver, wise, ne'er deccived, loosen the bonds that bind him.14 With bending down, oblations, sacrifices, O Varuna, we deprecate thine anger:Wise Asura, thou King of wide dominion, loosen the bonds of sins by us committed.15 Loosen the bonds, O Varuna, that hold me, loosen the bonds above, between, and under.So in thy holy law may we made sinless belong to Aditi, O thou Aditya.
HYMN XXV. Varuna.I WHATEVER law of thine, O God, O Varurna, as we are men,Day after day we violate.2 give us not as a prey to death, to be destroyed by thee in wrath,To thy fierce anger when displeased.3 To gain thy mercy, Varuna, with hymns we bind thy heart, as bindsThe charioteer his tethered horse.4 They flee from me dispirited, bent only on obtaining wealthsAs to their nests the birds of air.5 When shall we bring, to be appeased, the Hero, Lord of warrior might,Him, the far-seeing Varuna?6 This, this with joy they both accept in common: never do they failThe ever-faithful worshipper. 7 He knows the path of birds that fly through heaven, and, Sovran of the sea,He knows the ships that are thereon.8 True to his holy law, he knows the twelve moons with their progeny:He knows the moon of later birth.9 He knows the pathway of the wind, the spreading, high, and mighty windHe knows the Gods who dwell above.10 Varuna, true to holy law, sits down among his people; he,Most wise, sits there to govern. all.11 From thence percerving he beholds all wondrous things, both what hath been,And what hereafter will be done.12 May that Aditya, very -wise, make fair paths for us all our days:May lie prolong our lives for us.13 Varuna, wearing golden mail, hath clad him in a shining robe.His spies are seated found about.14 The God whom enemies threaten not, nor those who tyrannize o'er men,Nor those whose minds are bent on wrong.15 He who gives glory to mankind, not glory that is incomplete,To our own bodies giving it.16 Yearning for the wide-seeing One, my thoughts move onward unto him,As kine unto their pastures move.17 Once more together let us speak, because my meath is brought: priest-likeThou eatest what is dear to thee.18 Now saw I him whom all may see, I saw his car above the earth:He hath accepted these my songs.19 Varuna, hear this call of mine: be gracious unto us this dayLonging for help I cried to thee.20 Thou, O wise God, art Lord of all, thou art the King of earth and heavenHear, as thou goest on thy way.21 Release us from the upper bond, untie the bond between, and looseThe bonds below, that I may live.
HYMN XXVI. Agni.1 O WORTHY of oblation, Lord of prospering powers, assume thy robes,And offer this our sacrifice.2 Sit ever to be chosen, as our Priest., most youthful, through our hymns,O Agni, through our heavenly word.3 For here a Father for his son, Kinsman for kinsman worshippeth,And Friend, choice-worthy, for his friend.4 Fiere let the foe-destroyers sit, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,Like men, upon our sacred grass.5 O ancient Herald, be thou glad in this our rite and fellowship:Hearken thou well to these our songs.6 Whate'er in this perpetual course we sacrifice to God and God,That gift is offered up in thee7 May he be our dear household Lord, Priest, pleasant and, choice-worthy mayWe, with bright fires, be dear to him.8 The Gods, adored with brilliant fires. have granted precious wealth to usSo, with bright fires, we pray to thee.9 And, O Immortal One, so may the eulogies of mortal menBelong to us and thee alike. 10 With all thy fires, O Agni, find pleasure in this our sacrifice,And this our speech, O Son of Strength.
HYMN XXVII. Agni.1 WITH worship will I glorify thee, Agni, like a long-tailed steed,Imperial Lord of sacred rites.2 May the far-striding Son of Strength, bringer of great felicity,Who pours his gifts like rain, be ours.3 Lord of all life, from near; from far, do thou, O Agni evermoreProtect us from the sinful man.4 O Agni, graciously announce this our oblation to the Gods,And this our newest song of praise.5 Give us a share of strength most high, a share of strength that is below,A share of strength that is between.6 Thou dealest gifts, resplendent One; nigh, as with waves of Sindhu, thouSwift streamest to the worshipper.7 That man is lord of endless strength whom thou protectest in the fight,Agni, or urgest to the fray.8 Him, whosoever he may be, no man may vanquish, mighty One:Nay, very glorious power is his.9 May he who dwells with all mankind bear us with war-steeds through the fight,And with the singers win the spoil.10 Help, thou who knowest lauds, this work, this eulogy to Rudra, himAdorable in every house.11 May this our God, great, limitless, smoke-bannered excellently bright,Urge us to strength and holy thought.12 Like some rich Lord of men may he, Agni the banner of the Gods,Refulgent, hear us through our lauds.13 Glory to Gods, the mighty and the lesser glory to Gods the younger and the elder!Let us, if we have power, pay the God worship: no better prayer than this, ye Gods, acknowledge.
HYMN XXVIII Indra, Etc.1 THERE where the broad-based stone raised on high to press the juices out,O Indra, drink with eager thirst the droppings which the mortar sheds.2 Where, like broad hips, to hold the juice the platters of the press are laid,O Indra, drink with eager thirst the droppings which the mortar sheds.3 There where the woman marks and leans the pestle's constant rise and fall,O Indra, drink with eager thirst the droppings which the mortar sheds.4 Where, as with reins to guide a horse, they bind the churning-staff with cords,O Indra, drink with eager thirst the droppings which the mortar sheds.5 If of a truth in every house, O Mortar thou art set for work,Here give thou forth thy clearest sound, loud as the drum of conquerors.6 O Sovran of the Forest, as the wind blows soft in front of thee,Mortar, for Indra press thou forth the Soma juice that he may drink.7 Best strength-givers, ye stretch wide jaws, O Sacrificial Implements,Like two bay horses champing herbs.8 Ye Sovrans of the Forest, both swift, with swift pressers press to-daySweet Soma juice for Indra's drink.9 Take up in beakers what remains: the Soma on the filter pour,and on the ox-hide set the dregs.
HYMN XXIX. Indra.1 O SOMA DRINKER, ever true, utterly hopeless though we be,Do thou, O Indra, give us hope of beauteous horses and of kine,In thousands, O most wealthy One.2 O Lord of Strength, whose jaws are strong, great deeds are thine, the powerful:Do thou, O Indra, give us hope of beauteous horses and of kine,In thousands, O most wealthy One.3 Lull thou asleep, to wake no more, the pair who on each other lookDo thou, O Indra, give us, help of beauteous horses and of kine,In thousands, O most wealthy One.4 Hero, let hostile spirits sleep, and every gentler genius wake:Do thou, O Indra,. give us hope of beauteous horses and of kine,In thousands, O most wealthy One.5 Destroy this ass, O Indra, who in tones discordant brays to thee:Do thou, O Indra, give us hope of beauteous horses and of kine,In thousands, O most wealthy One.6 Far distant on the forest fall the tempest in a circling course!Do thou, O Indra, give us hope of beauteous horses and of kine,In thousands, O most wealthy One.7 Slay each reviler, and destroy him who in secret injures us:Do thou, O Indra, give us hope of beauteous horses and of kineIn thousands, O most wealthy One.
HYMN XXX. Indra.1 WE seeking strength with Soma-drops fill full your Indra like a well,Most liberal, Lord of Hundred Powers,2 Who lets a hundred of the pure, a thousand of the milk-blent draughtsFlow, even as down a depth, to him;3 When for the strong, the rapturous joy he in this manner hath made roomWithin his belly, like the sea.4 This is thine own. Thou drawest near, as turns a pigeon to his mate:Thou carest too for this our prayer.5 O Hero, Lord of Bounties, praised in hymns, may power and joyfulnessBe his who sings the laud to thee.6 Lord of a Hundred Powers, stand up to lend us succour in this fightIn others too let us agree.7 In every need, in every fray we call as friends to succour usIndra the mightiest of all.8 If he will hear us let him come with succour of a thousand kinds,And all that strengthens, to our call.9 I call him mighty to resist, the Hero of our ancient home,Thee whom my sire invoked of old.10 We pray to thee, O much-invoked, rich in all prccious gifts, O Friend,Kind God to those who sing thy praise.11 O Soma-drinker, Thunder-armed, Friend of our lovely-featured damesAnd of our Soma-drinking friends.12 Thus, Soma-drinker, may it be; thus, Friend, who wieldest thunder, actTo aid each wish as we desire.13 With Indra splendid feasts be ours, rich in all strengthening things wherewith,
Wealthy in food, we may rejoice.14 Like thee, thyself, the singers' Friend, thou movest, as it were, besought,Bold One, the axle of the car.15 That, Satakratu, thou to grace and please thy praisers, as it were,Stirrest the axle with thy strength.16 With champing, neighing loudly-snorting horses Indra hath ever won himself great treasuresA car of gold hath he whose deeds are wondrous received from us, and let us too receive it.17 Come, Asvins, with enduring strength wealthy in horses and in kine,And gold, O ye of wondrous deeds.18 Your chariot yoked for both alike, immortal, ye of mighty acts,Travels, O Aivins, in the sea.19 High on the forehead of the Bull one chariot wheel ye ever keep,The other round the sky revolves.20 What mortal, O immortal Dawn, enjoyeth thee? Where lovest thou?To whom, O radiant, dost thou go?21 For we have had thee in our thoughts whether anear or far away,Red-hued and like a dappled mare.22 Hither, O Daughter of the Sky, come thou with these thy strengthenings,And send thou riches down to us.
HYMN XXXI. Agni.1 Thou, Agni, wast the earliest Angiras, a Seer; thou wast, a God thyself, the Gods' auspiciousFriend.After thy holy ordinance the Maruts, sage, active through wisdom, -with their glittering spears, wereborn.2 O Agni, thou, the best and earliest Angiras, fulfillest as a Sage the holy law of Gods.Sprung from two mothers, wise, through all existence spread, resting in many a place for sake ofliving man.3 To Matarisvan first thou, Agni, wast disclosed, and to Vivasvan through thy noble inward power.Heaven and Earth, Vasu! shook at the choosing of the Priest: the burthen thou didst bear, didstworship mighty Gods.4 Agni thou madest heaven to thunder for mankind; thou, yet more pious, for pious Pururavas.When thou art rapidly freed from thy parents, first eastward they bear thee round, and, after, to thewest.5 Thou, Agni, art a Bull who makes our store increase, to be invoked by him who lifts the ladle up.Well knowing the oblation with the hallowing word, uniting all who live, thou lightenest first our folk6 Agni, thou savest in the synod when pursued e'en him, farseeing One! who walks in evil ways.Thou, when the heroes fight for spoil which men rush, round, slayest in war the many by the handsof few.7 For glory, Agni, day by day, thou liftest up the mortal man to highest immortality,Even thou who yearning for both races givest them great bliss, and to the prince grantest abundantfood.8 O Agni, highly lauded, make our singer famous that he may win us store of riches:May we improve the rite with new performance. O Earth and Heaven, with all the Gods, protect us.9 O blameless Agni lying in thy Parents' lap, a God among the Gods, be watchful for our good.Former of bodies, be the singer's Providence: all good things hast thou sown for him, auspicious One!10 Agni, thou art our Providence, our Father thou - we are thy brethren and thou art our spring of life.in thee, rich in good heroes, guard of high decrees, meet hundred, thousand treasures, O infallible!11 Thee, Agni, have the Gods made the first living One for living man, Lord of the house of Nahusa.Ila they made the teacher of the sons of men, what time a Son was born to the father of my race.12 Worthy to be revered, O Agni, God, preserve our wealthy patrons with thy succours, andourselves.
Guard of our seed art thou, aiding our cows to bear, incessantly protecting in thy holy way.13 Agni, thou art a guard close to the pious man; kindled art thou, four-eyed! for him who is unarmcd.With fond heart thou acceptest e'en the poor man's prayer, when he hath brought his gift to gainsecurity.14 Thou, Agni gainest for the loudly-praising priest the highest wealth, the object of a man's desire.Thou art called Father, caring even for the weak, and wisest, to the simple one thou teachest lore.15 Agni, the man who giveth guerdon to the priests, like well-sewn armour thou guardest on everyside.He who with grateful food shows kindness in his house, an offerer to the living, is the type of heaven.16 Pardon, we pray, this sin of ours, O Agni, -- the path which we have trodden, widely straying,Dear Friend and Father, caring for the pious, who speedest nigh and who inspirest mortals.17 As erst to Manus, to Yayiti, Angiras, so Angiras! pure Agni! come thou to our hallBring hither the celestial host and seat them here upon the sacred grass, and offer what they love.18 By this our prayer be thou, O Agni, strengthened, prayer made by us after our power andknowledge.Lead thou us, therefore, to increasing riches; endow us with thy strength-bestowing favour.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.1 I WILL declare the manly deeds of Indra, the first that he achieved, the Thunder-wielder.He slew the Dragon, then disclosed the waters, and cleft the channels of the mountain torrents.2 He slew the Dragon lying on the mountain: his heavenly bolt of thunder Tvastar fashioned.Like lowing kine in rapid flow descending the waters glided downward to the ocean.3 Impetuous as a bull, he chose the Soma and in three sacred beakers drank the juices.Maghavan grasped the thunder for his weapon, and smote to death this firstborn of the dragons.4 When, Indra, thou hadst slain the dragon's firstborn, and overcome the charms of the enchanters,Then, giving life to Sun and Dawn and Heaven, thou foundest not one foe to stand against thee.5 Indra with his own great and deadly thunder smote into pieces Vrtra, worst of Vrtras.As trunks of trees, what time the axe hath felled them, low on the earth so lies the prostrate Dragon.6 He, like a mad weak warrior, challenged Indra, the great impetuous many-slaying Hero.He. brooking not the clashing of the weapons, crushed-Indra's foe-the shattered forts in falling.7 Footless and handless still he challenged Indra, who smote him with his bolt between theshoulders.Emasculate yet claiming manly vigour, thus Vrtra lay with scattered limbs dissevered.8 There as he lies like a bank-bursting river, the waters taking courage flow above him.The Dragon lies beneath the feet of torrents which Vrtra with his greatness had encompassed.9 Then humbled was the strength of Vrtra's mother: Indra hath cast his deadly bolt against her.The mother was above, the son was under and like a cow beside her calf lay Danu.10 Rolled in the midst of never-ceasing currents flowing without a rest for ever onward.The waters bear off Vrtra's nameless body: the foe of Indra sank to during darkness.11 Guarded by Ahi stood the thralls of Dasas, the waters stayed like kine held by the robber.But he, when he had smitten Vrtra, opened the cave wherein the floods had been imprisoned.12 A horse's tail wast thou when he, O Indra, smote on thy bolt; thou, God without a second,Thou hast won back the kine, hast won the Soma; thou hast let loose to flow the Seven Rivers.13 Nothing availed him lightning, nothing thunder, hailstorm or mist which had spread around him:When Indra and the Dragon strove in battle, Maghavan gained the victory for ever.14 Whom sawest thou to avenge the Dragon, Indra, that fear possessed thy heart when thou hadstslain him;That, like a hawk affrighted through the regions, thou crossedst nine-and-ninety flowing rivers?15 Indra is King of all that moves and moves not, of creatures tame and horned, the Thunder-wielder.Over all living men he rules as Sovran, containing all as spokes within the felly.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.1 Come, fain for booty let us seek to Indra: yet more shall he increase his care that guides us.Will not the Indestructible endow us with perfect knowledge of this wealth, of cattle?2 I fly to him invisible Wealth-giver as flies the falcon to his cherished eyrie,With fairest hymns of praise adoring Indra, whom those who laud him must invoke in battle.3 Mid all his host, he bindeth on the quiver he driveth cattle from what foe he pleaseth:Gathering up great store of riches, Indra. be thou no trafficker with us, most mighty.4 Thou slewest with thy bolt the wealthy Dasyu, alone, yet going with thy helpers, Indra!Far from the floor of heaven in all directions, the ancient riteless ones fled to destruction.5 Fighting with pious worshippers, the riteless turned and fled, Indra! with averted faces.When thou, fierce Lord of the Bay Steeds, the Stayer, blewest from earth and heaven and sky thegodless.6 They met in fight the army of the blameless. then the Navagvas put forth all their power.They, like emasculates with men contending, fled, conscious, by steep paths from Indra, scattered.7 Whether they weep or laugh, thou hast o'erthrown them, O Indra, on the sky's extremest limit.The Dasyu thou hast burned from heaven, and welcomed the prayer of him who pours the juice andlauds thee.8 Adorned with their array of gold and jewels, they o'er the earth a covering veil extended.Although they hastened, they o'ercame not Indra: their spies he compassed with the Sun of morning.9 As thou enjoyest heaven and earth, O Indra, on every side surrounded with thy greatness,So thou with priests bast blown away the Dasyu, and those who worship not with those whoworship.10 They who pervaded earth's extremest limit subdued not with their charms the Wealth-bestower:Indra, the Bull, made his ally the thunder, and with its light milked cows from out the darkness.11 The waters flowed according to their nature; he raid the navigable streams waxed mighty.Then Indra, with his spirit concentrated, smote him for ever with his strongest weapon.12 Indra broke through Ilibisa's strong castles, and Suspa with his horn he cut to pieces:Thou, Maghavan, for all his might and swiftness, slewest thy fighting foeman with thy thunder13 Fierce on his enemies fell Indra's weapon: with. his sharp bull he rent their forts in pieces.He with his thunderbolt dealt blows on Vrtra; and conquered, executing all his purpose.14 Indra, thou helpest Kutsa whom thou lovedst, and guardedst brave Dagadyu when he battled,The dust of trampling horses rose to heaven, and Svitri's son stood up again for conquest.15 Svitra's mild steer, O Maghavan thou helpest in combat for the land, mid Tugra's houses.Long stood they there before the task was ended: thou wast the master of the foemen's treasure.
HYMN XXXIV. Asvins.1 Ye who observe this day be with us even thrice: far-stretching is you bounty, Asvins and yourcourse.To you, as to a cloak in winter, we cleave close: you are to be drawn nigh unto us by the wise.2 Three are the fellies in your honey-bearing car, that travels after Soma's loved one, as all know.Three are the pillars set upon it for support: thrice journey ye by night, O Asvins, thrice by day.3 Thrice in the self-same day, ye Gods who banish want, sprinkle ye thrice to-day our sacrifice withmeath;And thrice vouchsafe us store of food with plenteous strength, at evening, O ye Asvins, and at breakof day.4 Thrice come ye to our home, thrice to the righteous folk, thrice triply aid the man who well deservesyour help.Thrice, O ye Asvins, bring us what shall make us glad; thrice send us store of food as nevermore tofail.5 Thrice, O ye Asvins, bring to us abundant wealth: thrice in the Gods' assembly, thrice assist ourthoughts.
Thrice, grant ye us prosperity, thrice grant us fame; for the Sun's daughter hath mounted your three-wheeled car.6 Thrice, Asvins, grant to us the heavenly medicines, thrice those of earth and thrice those that thewaters hold,Favour and health and strength bestow upon my son; triple protection, Lords of Splendour, grant tohim.7 Thrice are ye to be worshipped day by day by us: thrice, O ye Asvins, ye travel around the earth.Car-borne from far away, O ye Nasatyas, come, like vital air to bodies, come ye to the three.8 Thrice, O ye Asvins, with the Seven Mother Streams; three are the jars, the triple offering isprepared.Three are the worlds, and moving on above the sky ye guard the firm-set vault of heaven throughdays and nights.9 Where are the three wheels of your triple chariot, where are the three seats thereto firmlyfastened?When will ye yoke the mighty ass that draws it, to bring you to our sacrifice. Nasatyas?10 Nasatyas, come: the sacred gift is offered up; drink the sweet juice with lips that know thesweetness well.Savitar sends, before the dawn of day, your car, fraught with oil, various-coloured, to our sacrifice.11 Come, O Nasatyas, with the thrice-eleven Gods; come, O ye Asvins, to the drinking of the meath.Make long our days of life, and wipe out all our sins: ward off our enemies; be with us evermore.12 Borne in your triple car, O Asvins, bring us present prosperity with noble offspring.I cry to you who hear me for protection be ye our helpers where men win the booty.
HYMN XXXV. Savitar.1 AGNI I first invoke for our prosperity; I call on Mitra, Varuna, to aid us here.I call on Night who gives rest to all moving life; I call on Savitar the God to lend us help.2 Throughout the dusky firmament advancing, laying to rest the immortal and the mortal,Borne in his golden chariot he cometh, Savitar, God who looks on every creature.3 The God moves by the upward path, the downward; with two bright Bays, adorable, he journeys.Savitar comes, the God from the far distance, and chases from us all distress and sorrow.4 His chariot decked with pearl, of various colours, lofty, with golden pole, the God hath mounted,The many-rayed One, Savitar the holy, bound, bearing power and might, for darksome regions.5 Drawing the gold-yoked car his Bays, white-footed, have manifested light to all the peoples.Held in the lap of Savitar, divine One, all men, all beings have their place for ever.6 Three heavens there are; two Savitar's, adjacent: in Yama's world is one, the home of heroes,As on a linch-pin, firm, rest things immortal: he who hath known it let him here declare it.7 He, strong of wing, hath lightened up the regions, deep-quivering Asura, the gentle Leader.Where now is Surya, where is one to tell us to what celestial sphere his ray hath wandered?8 The earth's eight points his brightness hath illumined, three desert regions and the Seven Rivers.God Savitar the gold-eyed hath come hither, giving choice treasures unto him who worships.9 The golden-handed Savitar, far-seeing, goes on his way between the earth and heaven,Drives away sickness, bids the Sun approach us, and spreads the bright sky through the darksomeregion.10 May he, gold-handed Asura, kind Leader, come hither to us with his help and favour.Driving off Raksasas and Yatudhanas, the God is present, praised in hymns at evening.11 O Savitar, thine ancient dustless pathways are well established in the air's midregion:O God, come by those paths so fair to travel, preserve thou us from harm this day, and bless us.
HYMN XXXVI. Agni.1 WITH words sent forth in holy hymns, Agni we supplicate, the LordOf many families who duly serve the Gods, yea, him whom others also praise.2 Men have won Agni, him who makes their strength abound: we, with oblations, worship thee.
>Our gracious-minded Helper in our deeds of might, be thou, O Excellent, this day.3 Thee for our messenger we choose, thee, the Omniscient, for our Priest.The flames of thee the mighty are spread wide around: thy splendour reaches to the sky.4 The Gods enkindle thee their ancient messenger, - Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.That mortal man, O Agni, gains through thee all wealth, who hath poured offerings unto thee.5 Thou, Agni, art a cheering Priest, Lord of the House, men's messenger:All constant high decrees established by the Gods, gathered together, meet in thee.6 In thee, the auspicious One, O Agni, youthfullest, each sacred gift is offered up:This day, and after, gracious, worship thou our Gods, that we may have heroic sons.7 To him in his own splendour bright draw near in worship the devout.Men kindle Agni with their sacrificial gifts, victorious o'er the enemies.8 Vrtra they smote and slew, and made the earth and heaven and firmament a wide abode.The glorious Bull, invoked, hath stood at Kanva's side: loud neighed the Steed in frays for kine.9 Seat thee, for thou art mighty; shine, best entertainer of the Gods.Worthy of sacred food, praised Agni! loose the smoke, ruddy and beautiful to see.10 Bearer of offerings, whom, best sacrificing Priest, the Gods for Manu's sake ordained;Whom Kanva, whom Medhyatithi made the source of wealth, and Vrsan and Upastuta.11 Him, Agni, whom Medhyatithi, whom Kanva kindled for his rite,Him these our songs of praise, him, Agni, we extol: his powers shine out preeminent.12 Make our wealth perfect thou, O Agni, Lord divine: for thou hast kinship with the Gods.Thou rulest as a King o'er widely-famous strength: be good to us, for thou art great.13 Stand up erect to lend us aid, stand up like Savitar the God:Erect as strength-bestower we call aloud, with unguents and with priests, on thee.14 Erect, preserve us from sore trouble; with thy flame burn thou each ravening demon dead.Raise thou us up that we may walk and live. so thou shalt find our worship mid the Gods.15 Preserve us, Agni, from the fiend, preserve us from malicious wrong.Save us from him who fain would injure us or slay, Most Youthful, thou with lofty light.16 Smite down as with a club, thou who hast fire for teeth, smite thou the wicked, right and left.Let not the man who plots against us in the night, nor any foe prevail o'er us.17 Agni hath given heroic might to Kainva, and felicity:Agni hath helped our friends, hath helped Medhyitithi, hath helped Upastuta to win.18 We call on Ugradeva, Yadu, Turvasa, by means of Agni, from afar;Agni, bring Navavastva and Brhadratba, Turviti, to subdue the foe.19 Manu hath stablished thee a light, Agni, for all the race of men:Sprung from the Law, oil-fed, for Kanva hast thou blazed, thou whom the people reverence.20 The flames of Agni full of splendour and of might are fearful, not to be approached.Consume for ever all demons and sorcerers, consume thou each devouring fiend.
HYMN XXXVII. Maruts.1 SING forth, O Kanvas, to your band of Maruts unassailable,Sporting, resplendent on their car2 They who, self-luminous, were born together, with the spotted deer,Spears, swords, and glittering ornaments.3 One hears, as though 'twere close at hand, the cracking of the whips they holdThey gather glory on their way.4 Now sing ye forth the God-given hymn to your exultant Marut host,The fiercely-vigorous, the strong.5 Praise ye the Bull among the cows; for 'tis the Maruts' sportive band:It strengthened as it drank the rain.6 Who is your mightiest, Heroes, when, O shakers of the earth and heaven,
Ye shake them like a garment's hem?7 At your approach man holds him down before the fury of your wrath:The rugged-jointed mountain yields.8 They at whose racings forth the earth, like an age-weakened lord of men,Trembles in terror on their ways.9 Strong is their birth: vigour have they to issue from their Mother; strength,Yea, even twice enough, is theirs.10 And these, the Sons, the Singers, in their racings have enlarged the bounds,So that the kine must walk knee-deep.11 Before them, on the ways they go, they drop this offspring of the cloud,Long, broad, and inexhaustible.12 O Maruts, as your strength is great, so have ye cast men down on earth,So have ye made the mountains fall.13 The while the Maruts pass along, they talk together on the way:Doth any hear them as they speak?14 Come quick with swift steeds, for ye have worshippers among Kanva's sonsMay you rejoice among them well.15 All is prepared for your delight. We are their servants evermore,To live as long as life may last.
HYMN XXXVIII. Maruts.I WHAT now? When will ye take us by both hands, as a dear sire his son,Gods, for whom sacred grass is clipped?2 Now whither? To what goal of yours go ye in heaven, and not on earth?Where do your cows disport themselves?3 Where are your newest favours shown? Where, Maruts, your prosperity?Where all your high felicities?4 If, O ye Maruts, ye the Sons whom Prsni bore, were mortal, andImmortal he who sings your praise.5 Then never were your praiser loathed like a wild beast in pasture-land,Nor should he go on Yama's path.6 Let not destructive plague on plague hard to be conquered, strike its down:Let each, with drought, depart from us.7 Truly, they the fierce and mighty Sons of Rudra send their windlessRain e'en on the desert places.8 Like a cow the lightning lows and follows, motherlike, her youngling,When their rain-flood hath been loosened.9 When they inundate the earth they spread forth darkness e'en in day time,With the water-laden rain-cloud.10 O Maruts, at your voice's sound this earthly habitation shakes,And each man reels who dwells therein.11 O Maruts, with your strong-hoofed steeds, unhindered in their courses, hasteAlong the bright embanked streams.12 Firm be the fellies of your wheels, steady your horses and your cars,And may your reins be fashioned well.13 Invite thou hither with this song, for praise, Agni the Lord of Prayer,Him who is fair as Mitra is.14 Form in thy mouth the hymn of praise expand thee like, a rainy cloudSing forth the measured eulogy.15 Sing glory to the Marut host, praiseworthy, tuneful, vigorous:
>Here let the Strong Ones dwell with us.
HYMN XXXIX Maruts.1 WHEN thus, like flame, from far away, Maruts, ye cast your measure forth,To whom go Ye, to whom, O shakers of the earth, moved by whose wisdom, whose design?2 Strong let your weapons be to drive away your foes, firm for resistance let them be.Yea, passing glorious must be your warrior might, not as a guileful mortal's strength.3 When what is strong ye overthrow, and whirl about each ponderous thing,Heroes, your course is through the forest trees of earth, and through the fissures of the rocks.4 Consumers of your foes, no enemy of yours is found in heaven or on the earth:Ye Rudras, may the strength, held in this bond, be yours, to bid defiance even now.5 They make the mountains rock and reel, they rend the forest-kings apart.onward, ye Maruts, drive, like creatures drunk with wine, ye, Gods with all your company.6 Ye to your chariot have yoked the spotted deer: a red deer, as a leader, draws.Even the Earth herself listened as ye came near, and men were sorely terrified.7 O Rudras, quickly we desire your succour for this work of ours.Come to us with your aid as in the days of old, so now for frightened Kanva's sake.8 Should any monstrous foe, O Maruts, sent by you or sent by mortals threaten us,Tear ye him from us with your power and with your might, and with the succours that are yours.9 For ye, the worshipful and wise, have guarded Kanva perfectly.O Maruts, come to us with full protecting help, as lightning flashes seek the rain.10 Whole strength have ye, O Bounteous Ones; perfect, earth-shakers, is your might.Maruts, against the poet's wrathful enemy send ye an enemy like a dart.
HYMN XL. Brahmanaspati1 O BRAMANASPATI, stand up: God-serving men we pray to thee.May they who give good gifts, the Maruts, come to us. Indra, most swift, be thou with them.2 O Son of Strength, each mortal calls to thee for aid when spoil of battle waits for him.O Maruts, may this man who loves you well obtain wealth of good steeds and hero might.3 May Brahmanaspati draw nigh, may Sunrta the Goddess come,And Gods bring to this rite which gives the five-fold gift the Hero, lover of mankind.4 He who bestows a noble guerdon on the priest wins fame that never shall decay.For him we offer sacred hero-giving food, peerless and conquering easily.5 Now Brahmanaspati speaks forth aloud the solemn hymn of praise,Wherein Indra and Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, the Gods, have made their dwelling place.6 May we in holy synods, Gods! recite that hymn, peerless, that brings felicity.If you, O Heroes, graciously accept this word, may it obtain all bliss from you.7 Who shall approach the pious? who the man whose sacred grass is trimmed?The offerer with his folk advances more and more: he fills his house with precious things.8 He amplifies his lordly might, with kings he slays: e'en mid alarms he dwells secureIn great or lesser fight none checks him, none subdues,-the wielder of the thunderbolt.
HYMN XLI. Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.1 NE'ER is he injured whom the Gods Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,The excellently wise, protect.2 He prospers ever, free from scathe, whom they, as with full hands, enrich,Whom they preserve from every foe.3 The Kings drive far away from him his troubles and his enemies,And lead him safely o'er distress.4 Thornless, Adityas, is the path, easy for him who seeks the Law:
With him is naught to anger you.5 What sacrifice, Adityas, ye Heroes guide by the path direct,-May that come nigh unto your thought.6 That mortal, ever unsubdued, gains wealth and every precious thing,And children also of his own.7 How, my friends, shall we prepare Aryaman's and Mitra's laud,Glorious food of Varuna?8 I point not out to you a man who strikes the pious, or reviles:Only with hymns I call you nigh.9 Let him not love to speak ill words: but fear the One who holds all fourWithin his hand, until they fall.
HYMN XLII. Pusan.I SHORTEN our ways, O Pusan, move aside obstruction in the path:Go close before us, cloud-born God.2 Drive, Pusan, from our road the wolf, the wicked inauspicious wolf,Who lies in Wait to injure us.3 Who lurks about the path we take, the robber with a guileful heart:Far from the road chase him away.4 Tread with thy foot and trample out the firebrand of the wicked one,The double-tongued, whoe'er he be.5 Wise Pusan, Wonder-Worker, we claim of thee now the aid wherewithThou furtheredst our sires of old.6 So, Lord of all prosperity, best wielder of the golden sword,Make riches easy to be won.7 Past all pursuers lead us, make pleasant our path and fair to tread:O Pusan, find thou power for this.8 Lead us to meadows rich in grass: send on our way no early heat:O Pusan, find thou power for this.9 Be gracious to us, fill us full, give, feed us, and invigorate:O Pusan, find thou power for this.10 No blame have we for Pusan; him we magnify with songs of praise:We seek the Mighty One for wealth.
HYMN XLIII. Rudra.1 WHAT shall we sing to Rudra, strong, most bounteous, excellently wise,That shall be dearest to his heart?2 That Aditi may grant the grace of Rudra to our folk, our kine,Our cattle and our progeny;3 That Mitra and that Varuna, that Rudra may remember us,Yea, all the Gods with one accord.4 To Rudra Lord of sacrifice, of hymns and balmy medicines,We pray for joy and health and strength.5 He shines in splendour like the Sun, refulgent as bright gold is he,The good, the best among the Gods.6 May he grant health into our steeds, wellbeing to our rams and ewes,To men, to women, and to kine.7 O Soma, set thou upon us the glory of a hundred men,The great renown of mighty chiefs.8 Let not malignities, nor those who trouble Soma, hinder us.
Indu, give us a share of strength.9 Soma! head, central point, love these; Soma! know these as serving thee,Children of thee Immortal, at the highest place of holy law.
HYMN XLIV. Agni.I IMMORTAL Jatavedas, thou many-hued fulgent gift of Dawn,Agni, this day to him who pays oblations bring the Gods who waken with the morn.2 For thou art offering-bearer and loved messenger, the charioteer of sacrifice:Accordant with the Asvins and with Dawn grant us heroic strength and lofty fame.3 As messenger we choose to-day Agni the good whom many love,Smoke-bannered spreader of the light, at break of day glory of sacrificial rites.4 Him noblest and most youthful, richly worshipped guest, dear to the men who offer gifts,Him, Agni Jatavedas, I beseech at dawn that he may bring the Gods to us.5 Thee, Agni, will I glorify, deathless nourisher of the world,Immortal, offering-bearer, meet for sacred food, preserver, best at sacrifice.6 Tell good things to thy praiser, O most youthful God, as richly worshipped, honey-tongued,And, granting to Praskanva lengthened days of life, show honour to the Heavenly Host.7 For the men, Agni, kindle thee as all possessor and as Priest;So Agni, much-invoked, bring hither with all speed the Gods, the excellently wise,8 At dawn of day, at night, Usas and Savitar, the Asvins, Bhaga, Agni's self:Skilled in fair rites, with Soma poured, the Kanvas light thee, the oblation-wafting God.9 For, Agni, Lord of sacrifice and messenger of men art thou:Bring thou the Gods who wake at dawn who see the light, this day to drink the Soma juice.10 Thou shonest forth, O Agni, after former dawns, all visible, O rich in light.Thou art our help in battle-strife, the Friend of inan, the great high priest in sacrifice.11 Like Manu, we will stablish thee, Agni, performer of the rite,Invoker, ministering Priest, exceeding wise, the swift immortal messenger.12 When as the Gods' High Priest, by many loved, thou dost their mission as their nearest Friend,Then, like the far-resounding billows of the flood, thy flames, O Agni, roar aloud.13 Heat-, Agni, who hast ears to hear, with all thy train of escort Gods;Let Mitra, Aryaman,- seeking betimes our rite, seat them upon the sacred grass.14 Let those who strengthen Law, who bountiUly give, the life-tongued Maruts, hear our praise.May Law-supporting Varuna with the Asvins twain and Usas, drink the Soma juice.
HYMN XLV Agni.I WORSHIP the Vasus, Agni! here, the Rudras, the Adityas, allWho spring from Manu, those who know fair rites, who pour their blessings down.2 Agni, the Gods who understand give ear unto the worshipper:Lord of Red Steeds, who lovest song, bring thou those Three-and-Thirty Gods.3 O Jatavedas, great in act, hearken thou to Praskanva's call,As Priyamedha erst was heard, Atri, Virupa, Angiras.4 The sons of Priyamedha skilled in lofty praise have called for helpOn Agni who with fulgent flame is Ruler of all holy rites.5 Hear thou, invoked withholy oil, bountiful giver of rewards,These eulogies, whereby the sons of Kanva call thee to their aid.6 O Agni, loved by many, thou of fame most wondrous, in their homesMen call on thee whose hair is flame, to be the bearer of their gifts.7 Thee, Agni, best to find out wealth, most widely famous, quick to hear,Singers have stablished in their rites Herald and ministering Priest.8 Singers with Soma pressed have made thee, Agni, hasten to the feast,
Great light to mortal worshipper, what time they bring the sacred gift.9 Good, bounteous, Son of Strength, this day seat here on sacred grass the GodsWho come at early morn, the host of heaven, to drink the Soma juice10 Bring with joint invocations thou, O Agni, the celestial host:Here stands the Soma, bounteous Gods drink this expressed ere yesterday.
HYMN XLVI. Asvins.1 Now Morning with her earliest light shines forth, dear Daughter of the Sky:High, Asvins, I extol your praise,2 Sons of the Sea, mighty to save discoverers of riches, yeGods with deep thought who find out wealth.3 Your giant coursers hasten on over the region all in flames, -When your car flies with winged steeds.4 He, liberal, lover of the flood, Lord of the House, the vigilant,Chiefs! with oblations feeds you full.5 Ye have regard unto our hymns, Nasatyas, thinking of our words:Drink boldly of the Soma juice.6 Vouchsafe to us, O Asvin Pair, such strength as, with attendant light,May through the darkness carry us.7 Come in the ship of these our hymns to bear you to the hither shoreO Asvins, harness ye the car.8 The heaven's wide vessel is your own on the flood's shore your chariot waitsDrops, with the hymn, have been prepared.9 Kanvas, the drops are in the heaven; the wealth is at the waters' place:Where will ye manifest your form?10 Light came to lighten up the branch, the Sun appeared as it were gold:And with its-tongue shone forth the dark.11 The path of sacrifice was made to travel to the farther goal:The road of heaven was manifest.12 The singer of their praise awaits whatever grace the Asvins give,who save when Soma gladdens them.13 Ye dwellers with Vivasvan come, auspicious, as to Manu erst;come to the Soma and our praise.14 O circumambient Asvins, Dawn follows the brightness of your way:Approve with beams our solemn rites.15 Drink ye of our libations, grant protection, O ye Asvins Twain,With aids which none may interrupt.
HYMN XLVlI. Asvins.1 ASVINS, for you who strengthen Law this sweetest Soma hath been shed.Drink this expressed ere yesterday and give riches to him who offers it.2 Come, O ye Asvins, mounted on your triple car three-seated, beautiful of formTo you at sacrifice the Kanvas send the prayer: graciously listen to their call.3 O Asvins, ye who strengthen Law, drink ye this sweetest Soma juice.Borne on your wealth-fraught car come ye this day to him who offers, ye of wondrous deeds.4 Omniscient Asvins, on the thrice-heaped grass bedew with the sweet juice the sacrifice.The sons of Kanva, striving heavenward, call on you with draughts of Soma juice out-poured.5 O Asvins, with those aids wherewith ye guarded Kanva carefully,Keep us, O hords of Splendour: drink the Soma juice, ye strengtheners of holy law.6 O Mighty Ones, ye gave Sudas abundant food, brought on your treasure-laden car;
So now vouchsafe to us the wealth which many crave, either from heaven or from the sea.7 Nasatyas, whether ye be far away or close to Turvasa,Borne on your lightly-rolling chariot come to us, together with the sunbeams come.8 So let your coursers, ornaments of sacrifice, bring you to our libations here.Bestowing food on him who acts and gives aright, sit, Chiefs, upon the sacred grass.9 Come, O Nasatyas, on your car decked with a sunbright canopy,Whereon ye ever bring wealth to the worshipper, to drink the Soma's pleasant juice.10 With lauds and songs of praise we call them down to us, that they, most rich, may succour us;For ye have ever in the Kanvas' well-loved house, O Asvins, drunk the Soma juice.
HYMN XLVIII. Dawn.1 DAWN on us with prosperity, O Usas, Daughter of the Sky,Dawn with great glory, Goddess, Lady of the Light, dawn thou with riches, Bounteous One.2 They, bringing steeds and kine, boon-givers of all wealth, have oft sped forth to lighten us.O Usas, waken up for me the sounds of joy: send us the riches of the great.3 Usas hath dawned, and now shall dawn, the Goddess, driver forth of carsWhich, as she cometh nigh, have fixed their thought on her, like glory-seekers on the flood.4 Here Kanva, chief of Kanva's race, sings forth aloud the glories of the heroes' names,-The. princes who, O Usas, as thou comest near, direct their thoughts to liberal gifts.5 Like a good matron Usas comes carefully tending everything:Rousing all life she stirs all creatures that have feet, and makes the birds of air fly up.6 She sends the busy forth, each man to his pursuit: delay she knows not as she springs.O rich in opulence, after thy dawning birds that have flown forth no longer rest.7 This Dawn hath yoked her steeds afar, beyond the rising of the Sun:Borne on a hundred chariots she, auspicious Dawn, advances on her way to Men.8 To meet her glance all living creatures bend them down: Excellent One, she makes the light.Usas, the Daughter of the Sky, the opulent, shines foes and enmities away.9 Shine on us with thy radiant light, O Usas, Daughter of the Sky,Bringing to us great store of high felicity, and bearning on our solemn rites.10 For in thee is each living creature's breath and life, when, Excellent! thou dawnest forth.Borne on thy lofty car, O Lady of the Light, hear, thou of wondrous wealth, our call.11 O Usas, win thyself the strength which among men is wonderful.Bring thou thereby the pious unto holy rites, those who as priests sing praise to thee.12 Bring from the firmament, O Usas, all the Gods, that they may drink our Soma juice,And, being what thou art, vouchsafe us kine and steeds, strength meet for praist and hero might.13 May Usas whose auspicious rays are seen resplendent round about,Grant us great riches, fair in form, of all good things, wealth which light labour may attain.14 Mighty One, whom the Rsis of old time invoked for their protection and their help,O Usas, graciously answer our songs of praise with bounty and with brilliantlight.15 Usas, as thou with light to day hast opened the twin doors of heaven,So grant thou us a dwelling wide and free from foes. O Goddess, give us food with kine.16 Bring us to wealth abundant, sent in every shape, to plentiful refreshing food,To all-subduing splendour, Usas, Mighty One, to strength, thou rich in spoil and wealth.
HYMN XLIX. Dawn.1 E'EN from above the sky's bright realm come, Usas, by auspicious ways:Let red steeds bear thee to the house of him who pours the Soma, juice.2 The chariot which thou mountest, fair of shape, O Usas light to move,-Therewith, O Daughter of the Sky, aid men of noble fame today.
3 Bright Usas, when thy times return, all quadrupeds and bipeds stir,And round about flock winged birds from all theboundaries of heaven.4 Thou dawning with thy beams of light illumest all the radiant realm.Thee, as thou art, the Kanvas, fain for wealth, have called with sacred songs.
HYMN L. Surya.1 HIS bright rays bear him up aloft, the God who knoweth all that lives,Surya, that all may look on him.2 The constellations pass away, like thieves, together with their beams,Before the all-beholding Sun'3 His herald rays are seen afar refulgent o'er the world of men,Like flames of fire that burn and blaze.4 Swift and all beautiful art thou, O Surya, maker of the light,Illuming all the radiant realm.5 Thou goest to the hosts of Gods, thou comest hither to mankind,Hither all light to be belield.6 With that same eye of thine wherewith thou lookest brilliant Varuna,Upon the busy race of men,7 Traversing sky and wide mid-air, thou metest with thy beams our days,Sun, seeing all things that have birth.8 Seven Bay Steeds harnessed to thy car bear thee, O thou farseeing One,God, Surya, with the radiant hair.9 Surya hath yoked the pure bright Seven, the daughters of the car; with these,His own dear team, he goeth forth.10 Looking upon the loftier light above the darkness we have comeTo Surya, God among the Gods, the light that is most excellent.11 Rising this day, O rich in friends, ascending to the loftier heaven,Surya remove my heart's disease, take from me this my yellow hue.12 To parrots and to starlings let us give away my yellowness,Or this my yellowness let us transfer to Haritala trees.13 With all his conquering vigour this Aditya hath gone up on high,Giving my foe into mine hand: let me not be my foeman's prey.
HYMN LI. Indra.1 MAKE glad with songs that Ram whom many men invoke, worthy of songs of praise, Indra, the seaof wealth;Whose gracious deeds for men spread like the heavens abroad: sing praise to him the Sage, mostliberal for our good.2 As aids the skilful Rbhus yearned to Indra strong to save, who fills mid-air, encompassed roundwith might,Rushing in rapture; and -o'er Satakratu came the gladdening shout that urged him on to victory.3 Thou hast disclosed the kine's stall for the Angirases, and made a way for Atri by a hundred doors.On Vimada thou hast bestowed both food and wealth, making thy bolt dance in the sacrificer's fight.4 Thou hast unclosed the prisons of the waters; thou hast in the mountain seized the treasure rich ingifts.When thou hadst slain with might the dragon Vrtra, thou, Indra, didst raise the Sun in heaven for allto see.5 With wondrous might thou blewest enchanter fiends away, with powers celestial those who calledon thee in jest.Thou, hero-hearted, hast broken down Pipru's forts, and helped Rjisvan when the Dasyus were struckdead.6 Thou savedst Kutsa when Susna was smitten down; to Atithigva gavest Sambara for a prey.
E'en mighty Arbuda thou troddest under foot: thou from of old wast born to strike the Dasyus dead.7 All power and might is closely gathered up in thee; thy bounteous spirit joys in drinking Soma juice.Known is the thunderbolt that lies within thine arms: rend off therewith all manly prowess of our foe.8 Discern thou well Aryas and Dasyus; punishing the lawless give them up to him whose grass isstrewn.Be thou the sacrificer's strong encourager all these thy deeds are my delight at festivals.9 Indra gives up the lawless to the pious man, destroying by the Strong Ones those who have nostrength.Vamra when glorified destroyed the gathered piles of the still waxing great one who would reach theheaven.10 The might which Usana hath formed for thee with might rends in its greatness and with strengthboth worlds apart.O Hero-souled, the steeds of Vata, yoked by thought, have carried thee to fame while thou art filledwith power.11 When Indra hath rejoiced with Kavya Usana, he mounts his steeds who swerve wider and wideryet.The Strong hath loosed his bolt with the swift rush of rain, and he hath rent in pieces Susna's firm-built forts.12 Thou mountest on thy car amid strong Soma draughts: Saryata brought thee those in which thouhast delight.Indra, when thou art pleased with men whose Soma flows thou risest to unchallenged glory in thesky.13 To old Kaksivin, Soma-presser, skilled in song, O Indra, thou didst give the youthful Vrcaya.Thou, very wise, wast Mena, Vrsanaiva's child: those deeds of thine must all be told at Soma feasts.14 The good man's refuge in his need is Indra, firm as a doorpost, praised among the Pajras.Indra alone is Lord of wealth, the Giver, lover of riches, chariots, kine, and horses.15 To him the Mighty One, the self-resplendent, verily strong and great, this praise is uttered.May we and all the heroes, with the princes, be, in this fray, O Indra, in thy keeping.
HYMN LII. Indra.1 I GLORIFY that Ram who finds the light of heaven, whose hundred nobly-natured ones go forthwith him.With hymns may I turn hither Indra to mine aid,-the Car which like a strong steed hasteth to the call.2 Like as a mountain on firm basis, unremoved, he, thousandfold protector, waxed in mightystrength,When Indra, joying in the draughts of Soma juice, forced the clouds, slaying Vrtra stayer of their flow.3 For he stays e'en the stayers, spread o'er laden cloud, rooted in light, strengthened in rapture bythe wise.Indra with thought, with skilled activity, I call, most liberal giver, for he sates him with the juice.4 Whom those that flow in heaven on sacred grass, his own assistants, nobly-natured, fill full like thesea,-Beside that Indra when he smote down Vrtra stood his helpers, straight in form, mighty, invincible.5 To him, as in wild joy he fought with him who stayed the rain, his helpers sped like swift streamsdown a slope,When Indra, thunder-armed, made bold by Soma draughts, as Trta cleaveth Vala's fences, cleft himthrough.6 Splendour encompassed thee, forth shone thy warrior might: the rain-obstructer lay in mid-air'slowest deep,What time, O Indra, thou didst cast thy thunder down upon the jaws of Vritra hard to be restrained.7 The hymns which magnify thee, Indra, reach to thee even as water-brooks flow down and fill thelake.Tvastar gave yet more force to thine appropriate strength, and forged thy thunderbolt ofoverpowering might.
8 When, Indra, thou whose power is linked with thy Bay Steeds hadst smitten Vrtra, causing floods toflow for man,Thou heldst in thine arms the metal thunderbolt, and settest in the heaven the Sun for all to see.9 In fear they raised the lofty self-resplendent hymn, praise giving and effectual, leading up toheaven,When Indra's helpers fighting for the good of men, the Maruts, faithful to mankind, joyed in the light.10 Then Heaven himself, the mighty, at that Dragon's roar reeled back in terror when, Indra, thythunderboltIn the wild joy of Soma had struck off with might the head of Vrtra, tyrant of the earth and heaven.11 O Indra, were this earth extended forth tenfold, and men who dwell therein multiplied day by day,Still here thy conquering might, Maghavan, would be famed: it hath waxed vast as heaven in majestyand power.12 Thou, bold of heart, in thine own native might, for help, upon the limit of this mid-air and ofheaven,Hast made the earth to be the pattern of thy strength: embracing flood and light thou reachest to thesky.13 Thou art the counterpart of earth, the Master of lofty heaven with all its mighty Heroes:Thou hast filled all the region with thy greatness: yea, of a truth there is none other like thee.14 Whose amplitude the heaven and earth have not attained, whose bounds the waters of mid-airhave never reached,-Not, when in joy he fights the stayer of the rain: thou, and none else, hast made all things in orderdue.15 The Maruts sang thy praise in this encounter, and in thee all the Deities delighted,What time thou, Indra, with thy spiky weapon, thy deadly bolt, smotest the face of Vrtra.
HYMN LIII. Indra.I WE will present fair praise unto the Mighty One, our hymns to Indra in Vivasvdn's dwelling-place;For he hath ne'er found wealth in those who seem to sleep: those who give wealth to men accept nopaltry praise.2 Giver of horses, Indra, giver, thou, of kine, giver of barley, thou art Lord and guard of wealth:Man's helper from of old, not disappointing hope, Friend of our friends, to thee ,as such we sing thispraise.3 Indra, most splendid, powerful, rich in mighty deeds, this treasure spread around is known to bethine own.Gather therefrom, O Conqueror, and bring to us: fail not the hope of him who loves and sings to thee.4 Well pleased with these bright flames and with these Soma drops, take thou away our poverty withseeds and kine.With Indra scattering the Dasyu through these drops, freed from their hate may we obtain abundantfood.5 Let us obtain, O Indra, plenteous wealth and food, with strength exceeding glorious, shining to thesky:May we obtain the Goddess Providence, the strength of heroes, special source of cattle, rich insteeds.6 These our libations strength-inspiring, Soma draughts, gladdened thee in the fight with Vrtra, HeroLord,What time thou slewest for the singer with trimmed grass ten thousand Vrtras, thou resistless in thymight.7 Thou goest on from fight to fight intrepidly, destroying castle after castle here with strength.Thou, Indra, with thy friend who makes the foe bow down, slewest from far away the guilefulNamuci.8 Thou hast struck down in death Karanja, Parnaya, in Atithigva's very glorious going forth.Unyielding, when Rjisvan compassed them with siege, thou hast destroyed the hundred forts ofVangrida.
>9 With all-outstripping chariot-wheel, O Indra, thou far-famed, hast overthrown the twice ten Kings ofmen,With sixty thousand nine-and-ninety followers, who came in arms to fight with friendless Susravas.10 Thou hast protected Susravas with succour, and Turvayana with thine aid, O Indra.Thou madest Kutsa, Atithigva, Ayu, subject unto this King, the young, the mighty.11 May we protected by the Gods hereafter remain thy very prosperous friends, O Indra.Thee we extol, enjoying through thy favour life long and joyful and with store of heroes.
HYMN LIV. Indra.1 URGE us not, Maghavan, to this distressful fight, for none may comprehend the limit of thystrength.Thou with fierce shout hast made the woods and rivers roar: did not men run in crowds together intheir fear?2 Sing hymns of praise to Sakra, Lord of power and might; laud thou and magnify Indra who hearcththee,Who with his daring might, a Bull exceeding strong in strength, maketh him master of the heavenand earth.3 Sing forth to lofty Dyaus a strength-bestowing song, the Bold, whose resolute mind hathindependent sway.High glory hath the Asura, compact of strength, drawn on by two Bay Steeds: a Bull, a Car is he.4 The ridges of the lofty heaven thou madest shake; thou, daring, of thyself smotest throughSambara,When bold with gladdening juice, thou warredst with thy bolt, sharp and twoedged, against thebanded sorcerers.5 When with a roar that fills the woods, thou forcest down on wind's head the stores which 8usgakept confined,Who shall have power to stay thee firm and eager-souled from doing still this day what thou of oldhast done?6 Thou helpest Narya, Turvasa, and Yadu, and Vayya's son Turviti, Satakratu!Thou helpest horse and car in final battle thou breakest down the nine-and-ninety castles.7 A hero-lord is he, King of a mighty folk, who offers free oblations and promotes the Law,Who with a bounteous guerdon welcomes hymns of praise: for him flows down the abundant streambelow the sky.8 His power is matchless, matchless is his wisdom; chief, through their work, be some who drink theSoma,Those, Indra, who increase the lordly power, the firm heroic strength of thee the Giver.9 Therefore for thee are these abundant beakers Indra's drink, stone-pressed juices held in ladles.Quaff them and satisfy therewith thy longing; then fix thy mind upon bestowing treasure.10 There darkness stood, the vault that stayed the waters' flow: in Vrtra's hollow side the rain-cloudlay concealed.But Indra smote the rivers which the obstructer stayed, flood following after flood, down steepdeclivitics.11 So give us, Indra, bliss-increasing glory give us great sway and strength that conquers people.Preserve our wealthy patrons, save our princes; vouchsafe us wealth and food with noble offspring.
HYMN LV. Indra.1 THOUGH e'en this heaven's wide space and earth have spread them out, nor heaven nor earth maybe in greatness Indra's match.Awful and very mighty, causing woe to men, he whets his thunderbolt for sharpness, as a bull.2 Like as the watery ocean, so doth he receive the rivers spread on all sides in their ample width.He bears him like a bull to drink of Soma juice, and will, as Warrior from of old, be praised for might.3 Thou swayest, Indra, all kinds of great manly power, so as to bend, as't were, even that famedmountain down.
Foremost among the Gods is he through hero might, set in the van, the Strong One, for each arduousdeed.4 He only in the wood is praised by worshippers, when he shows forth to men his own fair Indra-power.A friendly Bull is he, a Bull to be desired when Maghavan auspiciously sends forth his voice.5 Yet verily the Warrior in his vigorous strength stirreth up with his might great battles for mankind;And men have faith in Indra, the respIendent One, what time he hurleth down his bolt, his dart ofdeath.6 Though, fain for glory, and with strength increased on earth, he with great might destroys thedwellings made with art,He makes the lights of heaven shine forth secure, he bids, exceeding wise, the floods flow for hisworshipper.7 Drinker of Soma, let thy heart incline to give; bring thy Bays hitherward, O thou who hearest praise.Those charioteers of' thine, best skilled to draw the rein, the rapid sunbeams, Indra, lead thee notastray.8 Thou bearest in both hands treasure that never fails; the famed One in his body holdsunvanquished might.O Indra, in thy members many powers abide, like wells surrounded by the ministering priests.
HYMN LVI. Indra.I FOR this man's full libations held in ladles, he hath roused him, eager, as a horse to meet the mare.He stays his golden car, yoked with Bay Horses, swift, and drinks the Soma juice which strengthensfor great deeds.2 To him the guidance-following songs of praise flow full, as those who seek gain go in company tothe flood.To him the Lord of power, the holy synod's might, as to a hill, with speed, ascend the loving ones.3 Victorious, great is he; in manly battle shines, unstained with dust, his might, as shines a mountainpeak;Wherewith the iron one, fierce e'en against the strong, in rapture, fettered wily Sushna fast in bonds.4 When Strength the Goddess, made more strong for help by thee, waits upon Indra as the Sunattends the Dawn,Then. he who with his might unflinching kills the gloom stirs up the dust aloft, with joy andtriumphing.5 When thou with might, upon the framework of the heaven, didst fix, across, air's region firmly,unremoved,In the light-winning war, Indra, in rapturous joy, thou smotest Vrtra dead and broughtest floods ofrain.6 Thou with thy might didst grasp,the holder-up of heaven, thou who art mighty also in the seats ofearth.Thou, gladdened by the juice, hast set the waters free, and broken Vrtra's stony fences through andthrough.
HYMN LVII. Indra.I To him most liberal, lofty Lord of lofty wealth, verily powerful and strong, I bring my hymn,-Whose checkless bounty, as of waters down a slope, is spread abroad for all that live, to give themstrength.2 Now all this world, for worship, shall come after thee-the offerer's libations like floods to the depth,When the well-loved one seems to rest upon the hill, the thunderbolt of Indra, shatterer wrought ofgold.3 To him the terrible, most meet for lofty praise, like bright Dawn, now bring gifts with reverence inthis rite,Whose being, for renown, yea, Indra-power and light, have been created, like bay steeds, to movewith speed.4 Thine, Indra, praised by many, excellently rich! are we who trusting in thy help draw near to thee.
Lover of praise, none else but thou receives our laud: as earth loves all her creatures, love thou thisour hymn.5 Great is thy power, O Indra, we are thine. Fulfil, O Maghavan, the wish of this thy worshipper.After thee lofty heaven hath measured out its strength: to thee and to thy power this earth hathbowed itself.6 Thou, who hast thunder for thy weapon, with thy bolt hast shattered into pieces this broad massivecloud.Thou hast sent down the obstructed floods that they may flow: thou hast, thine own for ever, allvictorious might.
HYMN LVIII., Agni.I NE'ER waxeth faint the Immortal, Son of Strength, since he, the Herald, hath become Vivasvan'smessenger.On paths most excellent he measured out mid-air: he with oblation calls to service of the Gods.2 Never decaying, seizing his appropriate food, rapidly, eagerly through the dry wood he spreads.His back, as he is sprinkled, glistens like a horse: loud hath he roared and shouted like the heights ofheaven?3 Set high in place o'er all that Vasus, Rudras do, immortal, Lord of riches, seated as High Priest;Hastening like a car to men, to those who live, the God without delay gives boons to be desired.4 Urged by the wind be spreads through dry wood as he lists, armed with his tongues for sickles,with a mighty roar.Black is thy path, Agni, changeless, with glittering waves! when like a bull thou rushest eager to thetrees.5 With teeth of flame, wind-driven, through the wood he speeds, triumphant like a bull among theherd of cows,With bright strength roaming to the everlasting air: things fixed, things moving quake before him ashe flies.6 The Bhrgus established thee among mankind for men, like as a treasure, beauteous, easy to invoke;Thee, Agni, as a herald and choice-worthy guest, as an auspicious Friend to the Celestial Race.7 Agni, the seven tongues' deftest Sacrificer, him whom the priests elect at solemn worship,The Herald, messenger of all the Vasus, I serve with dainty food, I ask for riches.8 Grant, Son of Strength, thou rich in friends, a refuge without a flaw this day to us thy praisers.O Agni, Son of Strength, with forts of iron preserve thou from distress the man who lauds thee.9 Be thou a refuge, Bright One, to the singer, a shelter, Bounteous Lord, to those who worship.Preserve the singer from distress, O Agni. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN LIX. Agni.1 THE other fires are, verily, thy branches; the Immortals all rejoice in thee, O Agni.Centre art thou, Vaigvdnara, of the people, sustaining men like a deep-founded pillar.2 The forehead of the sky, earth's centre, Agni became the messenger of earth and heaven.Vaisvanara, the Deities produced thee, a God, to be a light unto the Arya.3 As in the Sun firm rays are set for ever, treasures are in Vaisvanara, in Agni.Of all the riches in the hills, the waters, the herbs, among mankind, thou art the Sovran.4 As the great World-halves, so are their Son's praises; skilled, as a man, to act, is he the Herald.Vaisvanara, celestial, truly mighty, most manly One, hath many a youthful consort.5 Even the lofty heaven, O Jatavedas Vaisvanara, hath not attained thy greatness.Thou art the King of lands where men are settled, thou hast brought comfort to the Gods in battle.6 Now will I tell the greatness of the Hero whom Prarti's sons follow as Vrtra's slayer:Agni Vaisvanara struck down the Dasyu, cleave Sambara through and shattered down his fences.7 Vaisvanara, dwelling by his might with all men, far-shining, holy mid the Bharadvajas,Is lauded, excellent, with hundred praises by Purunitha, son of Satavani.
HYMN LX. Agni.I As 'twere Some goodly treasure Matarisvan brought, as a gift, the glorious Priest to Bhrgu,Banner of sacrifice, the good Protector, child of two births, the swiftly moving envoy.2 Both Gods and men obey this Ruler's order, Gods who are worshipped, men who yearn andworship.As Priest he takes his seat ere break of morning, House-Lord, adorable with men, Ordainer.3 May our fair praise, heart-born, most recent, reach him whose tongue, e'en at his birth, is sweet ashoney;Whom mortal priests, men, with their strong endeavour, supplied with dainty viands, have created.4 Good to mankind, the yearning Purifier hath among men been placed as Priest choice-worthy.May Agni be our Friend, Lord of the Household, protector of the riches in the dwelling.5 As such we Gotamas with hymns extol thee, O Agni, as the guardian Lord of riches,Decking thee like a horse, the swift prizewinner. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN LXI Indra.1 EVEN to him, swift, strong and high. exalted, I bring my song of praise as dainty viands,My thought to him resistless, praise-deserving, prayers offered most especially to Indra.2 Praise, like oblation, I present, and utter aloud my song, my fair hymn to the Victor.For Indra, who is Lord of old, the singers have decked their lauds with heart and mind and spirit.3 To him then with my lips mine adoration, winning heaven's light, most excellent, I offer,To magnify with songs of invocation and with fair hymns the Lord, most bounteous Giver.4 Even for him I frame a laud, as fashions the wright a chariot for the man who needs it,-Praises to him who gladly hears our praises, a hymn well-formed, all-moving, to wise Indra.5 So with my tongue I deck, to please that Indra, my hymn, as 'twere a horse, through love of glory,To reverence the Hero, bounteous Giver, famed far and wide, destroyer of the castles.6 Even for him hath Tvastar forged the thunder, most deftly wrought, celestial, for the battle,Wherewith he reached the vital parts of Vrtra, striking-the vast, the mighty with the striker.7 As soon as, at libations of his mother, great Visnu had drunk up the draught, he plundered.The dainty cates, the cooked mess; but One stronger transfixed the wild boar, shooting through themountain.8 To him, to Indra, when he slew the Dragon, the Dames, too, Consorts of the Goda, wove praises.The mighty heaven and earth hath he encompassed: thy greatness heaven and earth, combined,exceed not.9 Yea, of a truth, his magnitude surpasseth the magnitude of earth, mid-air, and heaven.Indra, approved by all men, self-resplendent, waxed in his home, loud-voiced and strong for battle.10 Through his own strength Indra with bolt of thunder cut piece-meal Vrtra, drier up of waters.He let the floods go free, like cows imprisoned, for glory, with a heart inclined to bounty.11 The rivers played, through his impetuous splendour, since with his bolt he compassed them on allsides.Using his might and favouring him who worshipped, he made a ford, victorious, for Turviti.12 Vast, with thine ample power, with eager movement, against this Vrtra cast thy bolt of thunder.Rend thou his joints, as of an ox, dissevered, with bolt oblique, that floods of rain may follow.13 Sing with new lauds his exploits wrought aforetime, the deeds of him, yea, him who movethswiftly,When, hurling forth his weapons in the battle, he with impetuous wrath lays low the foemen.14 When he, yea, he, comes forth the firm. Set mountains and the whole heaven and earth, tremblefor terror.May Nodhas, ever praising the protection of that dear Friend, gain quickly strength heroic.15 Now unto him of these things hath been given what he who rules alone o'er much, electeth.Indra hath helped Etasa, Soma-presser, contending in the race of steeds with Sarya.16 Thus to thee, Indra, yoker of Bay Coursers, the Gotamas have brought their prayers to please thee.
>Bestow upon them thought, decked with all beauty. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon andearly.
HYMN LXII. Indra.1. LIKE Angiras a gladdening laud we ponder to him who loveth song, exceeding mighty.Let us sing glory to the far-famed Hero who must be praised with fair hymns by the singer.2 Unto the great bring ye great adoration, a chant with praise to him exceeding mighty,Through whom our sires, Angirases, singing praises and knowing well the places, found the cattle.3 When Indra and the Angirases desired it, Sarama found provision for her offipring.Brhaspati cleft the mountain, found the cattle: the heroes shouted with the kine in triumph.4 Mid shout, loud shout, and roar, with the Navagvas, seven singers, hast thou, heavenly, rent themountain;Thou hast, with speeders, with Dasagvas, Indra, Sakra, with thunder rent obstructive Vala.5 Praised by Angirases, thou, foe-destroyer, hast, with the Dawn, Sun, rays, dispellcd the darkness.Thou Indra, hast spread out the earths high ridges, and firmly fixed the region under heaven.6 This is the deed most worthy of all honour, the fairest marvel of the Wonder-Worker,That, nigh where heaven bends down, he made four rivers flow full with waves that carry downsweet water.7 Unwearied, won with lauding hymns, he parted of old the ancient Pair, united ever.In highest sky like Bhaga, he the doer of marvels set both Dames and earth and heaven.8 Still born afresh, young Dames, each in her manner, unlike in hue, the Pair in alternationRound heaven and earth from ancient time have travelled, Night with her dark limbs, Dawn withlimbs of splendour.9 Rich in good actions, skilled in operation, the Son with might maintains his perfect friendship.Thou in the raw cows, black of hue or ruddy, storest the ripe milk glossy white in colour.10 Their paths, of old connected, rest uninjured; they with great might preserve the immortalstatutes.For many thousand holy works the Sisters wait on the haughty Lord like wives and matrons.11 Thoughts ancient, seeking wealth, with adoration, with newest lauds have sped to thee, OMighty.As yearning wives cleave to their yearning husband, so cleave our hymns to thee, O Lord mostpotent.12 Strong God, the riches which thy hands have holden from days of old have perished not norwasted.Splendid art thou, O Indra, wise, unbending:strengthen us with might, O Lord of Power.13 O mighty Indra, Gotama's son Nodhas hath fashioned this new prayer to thee Eternal,Sure leader, yoker of the Tawny Coursers. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN LXIII. Indra.1. THOU art the Mighty One; when born, O Indra, with power thou tcrrifiedst earth and heaven -When, in their fear of thee, all firm-set mountains and monstrous creatures shook like dust beforethee.2 When thy two wandering Bays thou drawest hither, thy praiser laid within thine arms the thunder,Wherewith, O Much-invoked, in will resistless, thou smitest foemen down and many a castle.3 Faithful art thou, these thou defiest, Indra; thou art the Rbhus' Lord, heroic, victor.Thou, by his side, for young and glorious Kutsa, with steed and car in battle slewest Susna,4 That, as a friend, thou furtheredst, O Indra, when, Thundcrer, -strong in act, thou crushedst Vrtra;When, Hero, thou, great-souled, with easy conquest didst rend the Dasyus in theirdistant dwelling.5 This doest thou, and art not harmed, O Indra, e'en in the anger of the strongest mortal.Lay thou the race-course open for our horses: as with a club, slay, Thunderarmed 1 our foemen.6 Hence men invoke thee, Indra, in the tumult of battle, in the light-bestowing conflict.
This aid of thine, O Godlike One, was ever to be implored in deeds of might in combat.7 Warring for Purukutsa thou, O Indra, Thunder-armed I breakest down the seven castles;Easily, for Sudis, like grass didst rend them, and out of need, King, broughtest gain to Puru.8 O Indra, God who movest round about us, feed us with varied food plenteous as water-Food wherewithal, O Hero, thou bestowest vigour itself to flow to us for ever.9 Prayers have been made by Gotamas, O Indra, addressed to thee, with laud for thy Bay Horses.Bring us in noble shape abundant riches. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN LXIV. Maruts.1. BRING for the manly host, wise and majestical, O Nodhas, for the Maruts bring thou a pure gift.I deck my songs as one deft-handed, wise in mind prepares the water that hath power in solemnrites.2 They spring to birth, the lofty Ones, the Bulls of Heaven, divine, the youths of Rudra, free from spotand stain;The purifiers, shining brightly even as suns, awful of form like giants, scattering rain-drops down.3 Young Rudras, demon-slayers, never growing old, they have waxed, even as mountains, irresistible.They make all beings tremble with their mighty strength, even the very strongest, both of earth andheaven.4 With glittering ornaments they deck them forth for show; for beauty on their breasts they bind theirchains of gold.The lances on their shoulders pound to pieces; they were born together, of themselves, the Men ofHeaven.5 Loud roarers, giving strength, devourers of the foe, they make the winds, they make the lightningswith their powers.The restless shakers drain the udders of the sky, and ever wandering round fill the earth full withmilk.6 The bounteous Maruts with the fatness dropping milk fill full the waters which avail in solenmrites.They lead, as 'twere, the Strong Horse forth, that it may rain: they milk the thundering, the never-failing spring.7 Mighty, with wondrous power and marvellously bright, selfstrong like mountains, ye glide swiftlyon your way.Like the wild elephants ye eat the forests up when ye assume your strength among the bright redflames.8 Exceeding wise they roar like lions mightily, they, all-possessing, are beauteous as antelopes;Stirring the darkness with lances and spotted deer, combined as priests, with serpents' fury throughtheir might.9 Heroes who march in companies, befriending man, with serpents' ire through strength, ye greet theearth and heaven.Upon the seats, O Maruts, of your chariots, upon the cars stands lightning visible as light.10 Lords of all riches, dwelling in the home of wealth, endowed with mighty vigour, singers loud ofvoice,Heroes, of powers infinite, armed with strong men's rings, the archers, they have laid the arrow ontheir arms.11 They who with golden fellies make the rain increase drive forward the big clouds like wandererson the way.Self-moving, brisk, unwearied, they o'erthrow the firm; the Maruts with bright lances make all thingsto reel.12 The progeny of Rudra we invoke with prayer, the brisk, the bright, the worshipful, the active OnesTo the strong band of Maruts cleave for happiness, the chasers of the sky, impetuous, vigorous.13 Maruts, the man whom ye have guarded with your help, he verily in strength surpasseth allmankind.Spoil with his steeds he gaineth, treasure with his men; he winneth honourable strength andprospereth.
14 O Maruts, to the worshippers give glorious strength invincible in battle, brilliant, bringing wealth,Praiseworthy, known to all men. May we foster well, during a hundred winters, son and progeny.15 Will ye then, O ye Maruts, grant us riches, durable, rich in men, defying onslaught.A hundred, thousandfold, ever increasing? May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN LXV. Agni.1 ONE-MINDED, wise, they tracked thee like a thief lurking in dark cave with a stolen cow:Thee claiming worship, bearing it to Gods -. there nigh to thee sate all the Holy Ones.2 The Gods approached the ways of holy Law; there was a gathering vast as heaven itself.The waters feed with praise the growing Babe, born nobly in the womb, the seat of Law.3 Like grateful food, like some wide dwelling place, like a fruit-bearing hill, a wholesome stream.Like a steed urged to run in swift career, rushing like Sindhu, who may check his course?4 Kin as a brother to his sister floods, he cats the woods as a King eats the rich.When through the forest, urged by wind, he spreads, verily Agni shears the hair of earth.5 Like a swan sitting in the floods he pants wisest in mind mid men he wakes at morn.A Sage like Soma, sprung from Law, he grew like some young creature, mighty, shining far.
HYMN LXVI. Agni.1. LIKE the Sun's glance, like wealth of varied sort, like breath which is the life, like one's own son,Like a swift bird, a cow who yields her milk, pure and refulgent to the wood he speeds.2 He offers safety like a pleasant home, like ripened corn, the Conqueror of men.Like a Seer lauding, famed among the folk; like a steed friendly he vouchsafes us power.3 With flame insatiate, like eternal might; caring for each one like a dame at home;Bright when he shines forth, whitish mid the folk, like a car, gold-decked, thundering to the fight.4 He strikes with terror like a dart shot forth, e'en like an archer's arrow tipped with flame;Master of present and of future life, the maidens' lover and the matrons' Lord.5 To him lead all your ways: may we attain the kindled God as cows their home at eve.He drives the flames below as floods their swell: the rays rise up to the fair place of heaven.
HYMN LXVII. Agni.1. VICTORIOUS in the wood, Friend among men, ever he claims obedience as a King.Gracious like peace, blessing like mental power, Priest was he, offering-bearer, full of thought.2 He, bearing in his hand all manly might, crouched in the cavern, struck the Gods with fear.Men filled with understanding find him there, when they have sting prayers formed within theirheart.3 He, like the Unborn, holds the broad earth up; and with effective utterance fixed the sky.O Agni, guard the spots which cattle love: thou, life of all, hast gone from lair to lair.4 Whoso hath known him dwelling in his lair, and hath approached the stream of holy Law,-They who release him, paying sacred rites, -truly to such doth he announce great wealth.5 He who grows mightily in herbs, within each fruitful mother and each babe she bears,Wise, life of all men, in the waters' home,-for him have sages built as 'twere a seat.
HYMN LXVIII. Agni.1. COMMINGLING, restless, he ascends the sky, unveiling nights and all that stands or moves,As he the sole God is preeminent in great. ness among all these other Gods.2 All men are joyful in thy power, O God, that living from the dry wood thou art born.All truly share thy Godhead while they keep, in their accustomed ways, eternal Law.3 Strong is the thought of Law, the Law's behest; all works have they performed; he quickens all.Whoso will bring oblation, gifts to thee, to him, bethinking thee, vouchsafe thou wealth.4 Seated as Priest with Manu's progeny, of all these treasures he alone is Lord.
>Men yearn for children to prolong their line, and are not disappointed in their hope.5 Eagerly they who hear his word fulfil his wish as sons obey their sire's behest.He, rich in food, unbars his wealth like doors: he, the House-Friend, bath decked heaven's vault withstars.
HYMN LXIX. Agni.1. BRIGHT, splendid, like Dawn's lover, he bath filled the two joined worlds as with the light ofheaven.When born, with might thou hast encompassed them: Father of Gods, and yet their Son wast thou.2 Agni, the Sage, the humble, who discerns like the cow's udder, the sweet taste of food,Like a bliss-giver to be drawn to men, sits gracious in the middle of the house.3 Born in the dwelling like a lovely son, pleased, like a strong steed, he bears on the folk.What time the men and I, with heroes, call, may Agni then gain all through Godlike power.4 None breaks these holy laws of thine when thou hast granted audience to these chieftains here.This is thy boast, thou smotest with thy peers, and joined with heroes dravest off disgrace.5 Like the Dawn's lover, spreading light, well-known as hued like morn, may he remember me.They, bearing of themselves, unbar the doors: they all ascend to the fair place of heaven.
HYMN LXX. Agni.1. MAY we, the pious, win much food by prayer, may Agni with fair light pervade each act,-He the observer of the heavenly laws of Gods, and of the race of mortal man.2 He who is germ of waters, germ of woods, germ of all things that move not and that move,-To him even in the rock and in the house: Immortal One, he cares for all mankind.3 Agni is Lord of riches for the man who serves him readily with sacred songs.Protect these beings thou with careful thought, knowing the races both of Gods and men.4 Whom many dawns and nights, unlike, make strong, whom, born in Law, all things that move andstand,-He bath been won, Herald who sits in light, making effectual all our holy works.5 Thou settest value on our cows and woods: all shall bring tribute to us to the light.men have served thee in many and sundry spots, parting, as 'twere, an aged father's wealth.6 Like a brave archer, like one skilled and bold, a fierce avenger, so he shines in fight.
HYMN LXXI. Agni.1. LOVING the loving One, as wives their husband, the sisters of one home have urged him forward,Bright-coloured, even, as the cows love morning, dark, breaking forth to view, and redly beaming.2 Our sires with lauds burst e'en the firmset fortress, yea, the Angirases, with roar, the mountain.They made for us a way to reach high heaven, they found us day, light, day's sign, beams of morning.3 They stablished order, made his service fruitful; then parting them among the longing faithful,Not thirsting after aught, they come, most active, while with sweet food the race of Gods theystrengthen.4 Since Matarisvan, far-diffused, bath stirred him, and he in every house grown bright and noble,He, Bhrgu-like I hath gone as his companion, as on commission to a greater Sovran.5 When man poured juice to Heaven, the mighty Father, he knew and freed himself from closeembracement.The archer boldly shot at him his arrow, and the God threw his splendour on his Daughter.6 Whoso, bath flames for thee within his dwelling, or brings the worship which thou lovest daily,Do thou of double might increase his substance: may he whom thou incitest meet with riches.7 All sacrificial viands wait on Agni as the Seven mighty Rivers seek the ocean.Not by our brethren was our food discovered: find with the Gods care for us, thou who knowest.8 When light bath filled the Lord of men for increase, straight from the heaven descends the limpidmoisture.
Agni bath brought to light and filled with spirit the youthful host blameless and well providing.9 He who like thought goes swiftly on his journey, the Sun, alone is ever Lord of riches.The Kings with fair hands, Varuna and Mitra, protect the precious nectar in our cattle.10 O Agni, break not our ancestral friendship, Sage as thou art, endowed with deepest knowledge.Old age, like gathering cloud, impairs the body: before that evil be come nigh protect me.
HYMN LXXII. Agni.1. THOUGH holding many gifts for men, he humbleth the higher powers of each wise ordainer.Agni is now the treasure-lord of treasures, for ever granting all immortal bounties.2 The Gods infallible all searching found not him, the dear Babe who still is round about us.Worn weary, following his track, devoted, they reached the lovely highest home of Agni.3 Because with holy oil the pure Ones, Agni, served thee the very pure three autumn seasons,Therefore they won them holy names for worship, and nobly born they dignified their bodies.4 Making them known to spacious earth and heaven, the holy Ones revealed the powers of Rudra.The mortal band, discerning in the distance, found Agni standing in the loftiest station.5 Nigh they approached, one-minded, with their spouses, kneeling to him adorable paid worship.Friend finding in his own friend's eye protection, they made their own the bodies which theychastened.6 Soon as the holy beings had discovered the thrice-seven mystic things contained within thee,With these, one-minded., they preserve the Amrta: guard thou the life of all their plants and cattle.7 Thou, Agni, knower of men's works, hast sent us good food in constant course for our subsistence:Thou deeply skilled in paths of Gods becamest an envoy never wearied, offeringbearer.8 Knowing the Law, the seven strong floods from heaven, full of good thought, discerned the doors ofriches.Sarama found the cattle's firm-built prison whereby the race of man is still supported.9 They who approached all noble operations making a path that leads to life immortal,To be the Bird's support, the spacious mother, Aditi, and her great Sons stood in power.10 When Gods immortal made both eyes of heaven, they gave to him the gift of beauteous glory.Now they flow forth like rivers set in motion: they knew the Red Steeds coming down, O Agni.
HYMN LXXIII. Agni.I. HE who gives food, like patrimonial riches and guides aright like some wise man's instruction,Loved like a guest who lies in pleasant lodging,-may he, as Priest, prosper his servant's dwelling.2 He who like Savitar the God, true-minded protecteth with his power. all acts of vigour,Truthful, like splendourr, glorified by many, like breath joy-giving,-all must strive to win him.3 He who on earth dwells like a king surrounded by faithful friends, like a God all-sustaining,Like heroes who preside, who sit in safety: like as a blameless dame dear to her husband.4 Thee, such, in settlements secure, O Agni, our men serve ever kindled in each dwelling.On him have they laid splendour in abundance: dear to all men, bearer be he of riches.5 May thy rich worshippers win food, O Agni, and princes gain long life who bring oblation.May we get booty from jur foe in battle, presenting to the Gods their share for glory.6 The cows of holy law, sent us by Heaven, have swelled with laden udders, loudly lowing;Soliciting his favour, from a distance the rivers to the rock have flowed together.7 Agni, with thee, soliciting thy favour, the holy Ones have gained glory in heaven.They made the Night and Dawn of different colours, and set the black and purple hues together.8 May we and those who worship be the mortals whom thou, O Agni, leadest on to riches.Thou hast filled earth and heaven and air's mid-region, and followest the whole world like a shadow.9 Aided by thee, O Agni, may we conquer steeds with steeds, men with men, heroes with heroes,Lords of the wealth transmitted by our fathers: and may our princes live a hundred winters.10 May these our hymns of praise, Agni, Ordainer, be pleasant to thee in thy heart and spirit.May we have power to hold thy steeds of riches, laying on thee the God-sent gift of glory.
HYMN LXXIV. Agni.1. As forth to sacrifice we go, a hymn to a hymn let us say,Who hears us even when afar;2 Who, from of old, in carnage, when the people gathered, hath preservedHis household for the worshipper.3 And let men say, Agni is born, e'en he who slayeth Vrtra, heWho winneth wealth in every fight.4 Him in whose house an envoy thou lovest to taste his offered gifts,And strengthenest his sacrifice,5 Him, Angiras, thou Son of Strength, all men call happy in his God,His offerings, and his sacred grass.6 Hitherward shalt thou bring these Gods to our laudation and to taste.These offered gifts, fair-shining One.7 When, Agni, on thine embassage thou goest not a sound is heard of steed or straining of thy car.8 Aided by thee uninjured, strong, one after other, goes he forth:Agni, the ofterer forward steps.9 And splendid strength, heroic, high, Agni, thou grantest from the Gods,Thou God, to him who offers gifts.
HYMN LXXV. Agni.1. ACCEPT our loudest-sounding hymn, food most delightful to the Gods,Pouring our offerings in thy mouth.2 Now, Agni, will we say to thee, O wisest and best Afigiras,Our precious, much-availing prayer.3 Who, Agni, is thy kin, of men? who is thy worthy worshipper?On whom dependent? who art thou?4 The kinsman, Agni, of mankind, their well beloved Friend art thou,A Friend whom friends may supplicate.5 Bring to us Mitra, Varuna, bring the Gods to mighty sacrifice.Bring them, O Agni, to thine home.
HYMN LXXVI. Agni.1. How may the mind draw nigh to please thee, Agni? What hymn of praise shall bring us greatestblessing?Or who hath gained thy power by sacrifices? or with what mind shall we bring thee oblations?2 Come hither, Agni; sit thee down as Hotar; be thou who never wast deceived our leader.May Heaven and Earth, the all-pervading, love thee: worship the Gods to win for us their favour.3 Burn thou up all the Riksasas, O Agni; ward thou off curses from our sacrifices.Bring hither with his Bays the Lord of Soma: here is glad welcome for the Bounteous Giver.4 Thou Priest with lip and voice that bring us children hast been invoked. Here with the Gods beseated.Thine is the task of Cleanser and Presenter: waken us, Wealth-bestower and Producer.5 As with oblations of the priestly Manus thou worshippedst the Gods, a Sage with sages,So now, O truthfullest Invoker Agni, worship this day with joy-bestowing ladle.
HYMN LXXVII. Agni.1. How shall we pay oblation unto Agni? What hymn, Godloved, is said to him refulgent?Who, deathless, true to Law, mid men a herald, bringeth the Gods as best of sacrificers?2 Bring him with reverence hither, most propitious in sacrifices, true to Law, the herald;For Agni, when he seeks the Gods for mortals, knows them full well and worships them in spirit.
3 For he is mental power, a man, and perfect; he is the bringer, friend-,like, of the wondrous.The pious Aryan tribes at sacrifices address them first to him who doeth marvels.4 May Agni, foe-destroyer, manliest Hero, accept with love our hymns and our devotion.So may the liberal lords whose strength is strongest, urged by their riches, stir our thoughts withvigour.5 Thus Agni Jatavedas, true to Order, hath by the priestly Gotamas been lauded.May he augment in them splendour and vigour: observant, as he lists, he gathers increase.
HYMN LXXVIII. Agni.1. O JATAVEDAS, keen and swift, we Gotamas with sacred song exalt thee for thy glories' sake.2 Thee, as thou art, desiring wealth Gotama worships with his song:We laud thee for thy glories' sake.3 As such, like Angiras we call on thee best winner of the spoil:We laud thee for thy glories' sake.4 Thee, best of Vrtra-slayers, thee who shakest off our Dasyu foes:We laud thee for thy glories' sake.5 A pleasant song to Agni we, sons of Rahugana, have sung:We laud thee for thy glories' sake.
HYMN LXXIX. Agni.1. HE in mid-air's expanse hath golden tresses; a raging serpent, like the rushing tempest:Purely refulgent, knowing well the morn. ing; like honourable dames, true, active workers.2 Thy well-winged flashes strengthen in their manner, when the black Bull hath bellowed roundabout us.With drops that bless and seem to smile he cometh: the waters fall, the clouds utter their thunder.3 When he comes streaming with the milk of worship, conducting by directest paths of OrderAryaman, Mitra, Varuna, Parijman fill the hide full where lies the nether press-stone.4 O Agni, thou who art the lord of wealth in kine, thou Son of Strength,Vouchsafe to us, O Jatavetlas, high renown.5 He, Agni, kindled, good and wise, must be exalted in our song:Shine, thou of many forms, shine radiantly on us.6 O Agni, shining of thyself by night and when the morning breaks,Burn, thou whose teeth are sharp, against the Raksasas.7 Adorable in all our rites, favour us, Agni, with thine.aid,When the great hymn is chanted forth.8 Bring to us ever-conquering wealth, wealth, Agni, worthy of our choice,In all our frays invincible.9 Give us, O Agni, through thy grace wealth that supporteth all our life,Thy favour so that we may live.10 O Gotama, desiring bliss present thy songs composed with careTo Agni of the pointed flames.11 May the man fall, O Agni, who near or afar assaileth us:Do thou increase and prosper us.12 Keen and swift Agni, thousand-eyed, chaseth the Raksasas afar:He singeth, herald meet for lauds.
HYMN LXXX. Indra.1. THUS in the Soma, in wild joy the Brahman hath exalted thee:Thou, mightiest It thunder-armed, hast driven by force he Dragon from the earth, lauding thine ownimperial sway.2 The mighty flowing Soma-draught, brought by the Hawk, hath gladdened thee,
That in thy strength, O Thunderer, thou hast struck down Vrtra from the floods, lauding thine ownimperial sway.3 Go forward, meet the foe, be bold; thy bolt of thunder is not checked.Manliness, Indra, is thy might: stay Vrtra, make the waters thine, lauding thine own imperial sway.4 Thou smotest Vrtra from the earth, smotest him, Indra, from the sky.Let these life-fostering waters flow attended by the Marut host, lauding thine own imperial sway.5 The wrathful Indra with his bolt of thunder rushing on the foe,Smote fierce on trembling Vrtra's back, and loosed the waters free to run, lauding his own imperialsway.6 With hundred-jointed thunderbolt Indra hath struck him on the back,And, while rejoicing in the juice, seeketh prosperity for friends, lauding his own imperial sway.7 Indra, unconquered might is thine, Thunderer, Caster of the Stone;For thou with thy surpassing power smotest to death the guileful beast, lauding thine own imperialsway.8 Far over ninety spacious floods thy thunderbolts were cast abroad:Great, Indra, is thy hero might, and strength is seated in thine arms, lauding thine own imperialsway.9 Laud him a thousand all at once, shout twenty forth the hymn of praise.Hundreds have sung aloud to him, to Indra hath the prayer been raised, lauding his own imperialsway.10 Indra hath smitten down the power of Vrtra,-might with stronger might.This was his manly exploit, he slew Vrtra and let loose the floods, lauding his own imperial sway.11 Yea, even this great Pair of Worlds trembled in terror at thy wrath,When, Indra, Thunderer, Marut-girt, thou slewest Vrtra in thy strength, lauding thine own imperialsway.12 But Vrtra scared not Indra with his shaking or his thunder roar.On him that iron thunderbolt fell fiercely with its thousand points, lauding his own imperial sway.13 Whenwith the thunder thou didst make thy dart and Vrtra meet in war,Thy might, O Indra, fain to slay the Dragon, was set firm in heaven, lauding thine own imperial sway.14 When at thy shout, O Thunder-armed, each thing both fixed and moving shook,E'en Tvastar trembled at thy wrath and quaked with fear because of thee, lauding thine own imperialsway.15 There is not, in our knowledge, one who passeth Indra in his strength:In him the Deities have stored manliness, insight, power and might, lauding his own imperial sway.16 Still as of old, whatever rite Atharvan, Manus sire of all,Dadhyach performed, their prayer and praise united in that Indra meet, lauding his own imperialsway.
HYMN LXXXI. Indra.1. THE men have lifted Indra up, the Vrtra slayer, to joy and strength:Him, verily, we invocate in battles whether great or small: be he our aid in deeds of might.2 Thou, Hero, art a warrior, thou art giver of abundant spoil.Strengthening e'en the feeble, thou aidest the sacrificer, thou givest the offerer ample wealth.3 When war and battles are on foot, booty is laid before the bold.Yoke thou thy wildly-rushing Bays. Whom wilt thou slay and whom enrich? Do thou, O Indra, makeus rich.4 Mighty through wisdom, as he lists, terrible, he hath waxed in strength.Lord of Bay Steeds, strong-jawed, sublime, he in joined hands for glory's sake hath grasped his ironthunderbolt.5 He filled the earthly atmosphere and pressed against the lights in heaven.None like thee ever hath been born, none, Indra, will be born like thee. Thou hast waxed mighty overall.
6 May he who to the offerer gives the foeman's man-sustaining food,May Indra lend his aid to us. Deal forth -abundant is thy wealth-that in thy bounty 1 may share.7 He, righteous-hearted, at each time of rapture gives us herds of kine.Gather in both thy hands for us treasures of many hundred sorts. Sharpen thou us, and bring uswealth.8 Refresh thee, Hero, with the juice outpoured for bounty and for strength.We know thee Lord of ample store, to thee have sent our hearts' desires: be therefore our Protectorthou.9 These people, Indra, keep for thee all that is worthy of thy choice.Discover thou, as Lord, the wealth of men who offer up no gifts: bring thou to us this wealth of theirs.
HYMN LXXXII. Indra.1. GRACIOUSLY listen to our songs, Maghavan, be not negligent.As thou hast made us full of joy and lettest us solicit thee, now, Indra, yoke thy two Bay Steeds.2 Well have they eaten and rejoiced; the friends have risen and passed away.The sages luminous in themselves have. praised thee with their latest hymn. Now, Indra, yoke thytwo Bay Steeds.3 Maghavan, we will reverence thee who art so fair to look upon.Thus praised, according to our wish come now with richly laden car. Now, Indra, yoke thy two BaySteeds.4 He will in very truth ascend the powerful car that finds the kine,Who thinks upon the well-filled bowl, the Tawny Coursers' harnesser. Now, Indra, yoke thy two BaySteeds.5 Let, Lord of Hundred Powers, thy Steeds be harnessed on the right and left.Therewith in rapture of the juice, draw near to thy beloved Spouse. Now, Indra, yoke thy two BaySteeds.6 With holy prayer I yoke thy long-maned pair of Bays: come hitherward; thou holdest them in boththy hands.The stirring draughts of juice outpoured have made thee glad: thou, Thunderer, hast rejoiced withPusan and thy Spouse.
HYMN LXXXIII. Indra.1. INDRA, the mortal man well guarded by thine aid goes foremost in the wealth of horses and ofkine.With amplest wealth thou fillest him, as round about the waters clearly seen afar fill Sindhu full.2 The heavenly Waters come not nigh the priestly bowl: they but look down and see how far mid-airis spread:The Deities conduct the pious man to them: like suitors they delight in him who loveth prayer.3 Praiseworthy blessing hast thou laid upon the pair who with uplifted ladle serve thee, man andwife.Unchecked he dwells and prospers in thy law: thy power brings blessing to the sacrificer pouringgifts.4 First the Angirases won themselves vital power, whose fires were kindled through good deeds andsacrifice.The men together found the Pani's hoarded wealth, the cattle, and the wealth in horses and in kine.5 Atharvan first by sacrifices laid the paths then, guardian of the Law, sprang up the loving Sun.Usana Kavya straightway hither drove the kine. Let us with offerings honour Yama's deathless birth.6 When sacred grass is trimmed to aid the auspicious work, or the hymn makes its voice of praisesound to the sky.Where the stone rings as'twere a singer skilled in laud, --Indra in truth delights when these comenear to him.
HYMN LXXXIV. Indra.1. The Soma hath been pressed for thee, O Indra; mightiest, bold One, come.May Indra-vigour fill thee full, as the Sun fills mid-air with rays.2 His pair of Tawny Coursers bring Indra of unresisted mightHither to Rsis' songs of praise and sacrifice performed by men.3 Slayer of Vrtra, mount thy car; thy Bay Steeds have been yoked by prayer.May, with its voice, the pressing-stone draw thine attention hitherward.4 This poured libation, Indra, drink, immortal, gladdening, excellent.Streams of the bright have flowed to thee here at the seat of holy Law.5 Sing glory now to Indra, say to him your solemn eulogies.The drops poured forth have made him glad: pay reverence to his might supreme.6 When, Indra, thou dost yoke thy Steeds, there is no better charioteer:None hath surpassed thee in thy might, none with good steeds o'ertaken thee.7 He who alone bestoweth on mortal man who offereth gifts,The ruler of resistless power, is Indra, sure.8 When will he trample, like a weed, the man who hath no gift for him?When, verily, will Indra hear our songs of praise?9 He who with Soma juice prepared amid the many honours thee,-Verily Indra gains thereby tremendous might.10 The juice of Soma thus diffused, sweet to the taste, the bright cows drink,Who for the sake of splendour close to mighty Indra's side rejoice, good in their own supremacy.11 Craving his touch the dappled kine mingle the Soma with their milk.The milch-kine dear to Indra send forth his death-dealing thunderbolt, good in their own supremacy.12 With veneration, passing wise, honouring his victorious might,They follow close his many laws to win them due preeminence, good in theirown supremacy.13 With bones of Dadhyac for his arms, Indra, resistless in attack,Struck nine-and-ninety Vrtras dead.14 He, searching for the horse's head, removed among the mountains, foundAt Suryanavan what he sought.15 Then verily they recognized the essential form of Tvastar's Bull,Here in the mansion of the Moon.16 Who yokes to-day unto the pole of Order the strong and passionate steers of checkless spirit,With shaft-armed mouths, heart-piercing, health-bestowing?Long shall he live who richly pays their service.17 Who fleeth forth? who suffereth? who feareth? Who knoweth Indra present, Indra near us?Who sendeth benediction on his offspring, his household, wealth and person, and the People?18 Who with poured oil and offering honours Agni, with ladle worships at appointed seasons?To whom to the Gods bring oblation quickly? What offerer, God-favoured, knows him thoroughly?19 Thou as a God, O Mightiest, verily blessest mortal man.O Maghavan, there is no comforter but thou: Indra, I speak my words to thee.20 Let not thy bounteous gifts, let not thy saving help fail us, good Lord, at any time;And measure out to us, thou lover of mankind, all riches hitherward from men.
HYMN LXXXV. Maruts.1. THEY who are glancing forth, like women, on their way, doers of mighty deeds, swift racers,Rudra's Sons,The Maruts have made heaven and earth increase and grow: in sacrifices they delight, the strong andwild.2 Grown to their perfect strength greatness have they attained; the Rudras have established theirabode in heaven.Singing their song of praise and generating might, they have put glory on, the Sons whom Prani bare.
3 When, Children of the Cow, they shine in bright attire, and on their fair limbs lay their goldenornaments,They drive away each adversary from their path, and, following their traces, fatness floweth down,4 When, mighty Warriors, ye who glitter with your spears, o'erthrowing with your strength e'en whatis ne'er o'erthrown,When, O ye Maruts, ye the host that send the rain, had harnessed to your cars the thought-fleetspotted deer.5 When ye have harnessed to your cars the spotted deer, urging the thunderbolt, O Maruts, to thefray,Forth rush the torrents of the dark red stormy cloud, and moisten, like a skin, the earth with water-floods.6 Let your swift-gliding coursers bear you hitherward with their fleet pinions. Come ye forward withyour arms.Sit on the grass; a wide scat hath been made for you: delight yourselves, O Maruts, in the pleasantfood.7 Strong in their native strength to greatness have they grown, stepped to the firmament and madetheir dwelling wide.When Visnu saved the Soma bringing wild delight, the Maruts sate like birds on their dear holy grass.8 In sooth like heroes fain for fight they rush about, like combatants fame-seeking have they strivenin war.Before the Maruts every creature is afraid: the men are like to Kings, terrible to behold.9 When Tyastar deft of hand had turned the thunderbolt, golden, with thousand edges, fashionedmore skilfully,Indra received it to perform heroic deeds. Vrtra he slew, and forced the flood of water forth.10 They with their vigorous strength pushed the well up on high, and clove the cloud in twain thoughit was passing strong.The Maruts, bounteous Givers, sending forth their voice, in the wild joy of Soma wrought theirglorious deeds.11 They drave the cloud transverse directed hitherward, and poured the fountain forth for thirstingGotama.Shining with varied light they come to him with help: they with their might fulfilled the longing of thesage.12 The shelters which ye have for him who lauds you, bestow them threefold on the man who offers.Extend the same boons unto us, ye Maruts. Give us, O Heroes, wealth with noble offipring.
HYMN LXXXVI. Maruts.1. THE best of guardians hath that man within whose dwelling place ye drink,O Maruts, giants of the sky.2 Honoured with sacrifice or with the worship of the sages' hymns,O Maruts, listen to the call.3 Yea, the strong man to whom ye have vouchsafed to give a sage, shall moveInto a stable rich in kine.4 Upon this hero's sacred grass Soma is poured in daily rites:Praise and delight are sung aloud.5 Let the strong Maruts hear him, him surpassing all men: strength be hisThat reaches even to the Sun.6 For, through the swift Gods' loving help, in many an autumn, Maruts, weHave offered up our sacrifice.7 Fortunate shall that mortal be, O Maruts most adorable,Whose offerings ye bear away.8 O Heroes truly strong, ye know the toil of him who sings your praise,The heart's desire of him who loves.9 O ye of true strength, make this thing manifest by your greatness - strike
The demon with your thunderbolt.10 Conceal the horrid darkness, drive far from us each devouring fiend.Create the light for which we long.
HYMN LXXXVII Maruts.1. LOUD Singers, never humbled, active, full of strength, immovable, impetuous, manliest, best-beloved,They have displayed themselves with glittering ornaments, a few in number only, like the heavenswith stars.2 When, Maruts, on the steeps ye pile the moving cloud, ye are like birds on whatsoever path it be.Clouds everywhere shed forth the rain upon your cars. Drop fatness, honey-hued, for him who singsyour praise.3 Earth at their racings trembles as if weak and worn, when on their ways they yoke their cars forvictory.They, sportive, loudly roaring, armed with glittering spears, shakers of all, themselves admire theirmightiness.4 Self-moving is that youthful band, with spotted steeds; thus it hath lordly sway, endued with powerand might.Truthful art thou, and blameless, searcher out of sin: so thou, Strong Host, wilt be protector of thisprayer.5 We speak by our descent from our primeval Sire; our tongue, when we behold the Soma, stirs itself.When, shouting, they had joined Indra in toil of fight, then only they obtained their sacrificial names.6 Splendours they gained for glory, they who wear bright rings; rays they obtained, and men tocelebrate their praise.Armed with their swords, impetuous and fearing naught, they have possessed the Maruts' ownbeloved home.
HYMN LXXXVIII. Maruts.1. COME hither, Maruts, on your lightning laden cars, sounding with sweet songs, armed withlances, winged with steeds.Fly unto us with noblest food, like birds, O ye of mighty power.2 With their red-hued or, haply, tawny coursers which speed their chariots on, they come for glory.Brilliant like gold is he who holds the thunder. Earth have they smitten with the chariot's felly.3 For beauty ye have swords upon your bodies. As they stir woods so may they stir our spirits.For your sake, O ye Maruts very mighty and well-born, have they set the stone, in motion.4 The days went round you and came back O yearners, back, to this prayer and to this solemnworship.The Gotamas making their prayer with singing have pushed the well's lid up to drink the water.5 No hymn way ever known like this aforetime which Gotama sang forth for you, O Maruts,What time upon your golden wheels he saw you, wild boars rushing about with tusks of iron.6 To you this freshening draught of Soma rusheth, O Maruts, like the voice of one who prayeth.It rusheth freely from our hands as these. libations wont to flow.
HYMN LXXXIX. Visvedevas.1. MAY powers auspicious come to us from every side, never deceived, unhindered, and victorious,That the Gods ever may be with us for our gain, our guardians day by day unceasing in their care.2 May the auspicious favour of the Gods be ours, on us descend the bounty of the righteous Gods.The friendship of the Gods have we devoutly sought: so may the Gods extend our life that we maylive.3 We call them hither with a hymn of olden time, Bhaga, the friendly Daksa, Mitra, Aditi,Aryaman, Varuna, Soma, the Asvins. May Sarasvati, auspicious, grant felicity.4 May the Wind waft to us that pleasant medicine, may Earth our Mother give it, and our FatherHeaven,
And the joy-giving stones that press the Soma's juice. Asvins, may ye, for whom our spirits long, hearthis.5 Him we invoke for aid who reigns supreme, the Lord of all that stands or moves, inspirer of the soul,That Pusan may promote the increase of our wealth, our keeper and our guard infallible for our good.6 Illustrious far and wide, may Indra prosper us: may Pusan prosper us, the Master of all wealth.May Tarksya with uninjured fellies prosper us: Brhaspati vouchsafe to us prosperity.7 The Maruts, Sons of Prani, borne by spotted steeds, moving in glory, oft visiting holy rites,Sages whose tongue is Agni, brilliant as the Sun,-hither let all the Gods for our protection come.8 Gods, may we with our ears listen to what is good, and with our eyes see what is good, ye HolyOnes.With limbs and bodies firm may we extolling you attain the term of life appointed by the Gods.9 A hundred autumns stand before us, O ye Gods, within whose space ye bring our bodies to decay;Within whose space our sons become fathers in turn. Break ye not in the midst our course of fleetinglife.10 Aditi is the heaven, Aditi is mid-air, Aditi is the Mother and the Sire and Son.Aditi is all Gods, Aditi five-classed men, Aditi all that hath been bom and shall be born.
HYMN XC. Visvedevas.1. MAY Varuna with guidance straight, and Mitra lead us, he who knows,And Aryaman in accord with Gods.2 For they are dealers forth of wealth, and, not deluded, with their mightGuard evermore the holy laws.3 Shelter may they vouchsafe to us, Immortal Gods to mortal men,Chasing our enemies away.4 May they mark out our paths to bliss, Indra, the Maruts, Pusan,and Bhaga, the Gods to be adored.5 Yea, Pusan, Visnu, ye who run your course, enrich our hymns with kine;Bless us with all prosperity.6 The winds waft sweets, the rivers pour sweets for the man who keeps the LawSo may the plants be sweet for us.7 Sweet be the night and sweet the dawns, sweet the terrestrial atmosphere;Sweet be our Father Heaven to us.8 May the tall tree be full of sweets for us, and full of sweets the Sun:May our milch-kine be sweet for us.9 Be Mitra gracious unto us, and Varuna and Aryaman:Indra, Brhaspati be kind, and Visnu of the mighty stride.
HYMN XCI Soma.1. Thou, Soma, art preeminent for wisdom; along the straightest path thou art our leader.Our wise forefathers by thy guidance, Indu, dealt out among the Gods their share of treasure.2 Thou by thine insight art most wise, O Soma, strong by thine energies and all possessing,Mighty art thou by all thy powers and greatness, by glories art thou glorious, guide of mortals.3 Thine are King Varuna's eternal statutes, lofty and deep, O Soma, is thy glory.All-pure art thou like Mitra the beloved, adorable, like Aryaman, O Soma.4 With all thy glories on the earth, in heaven, on mountains, in the plants, and in the waters,-With all of these, well-pleased and not in anger, accept, O royal Soma, our oblations.5 Thou, Soma, art the Lord of heroes, King, yea, Vrtra-slayer thou:Thou art auspicious energy.6 And, Soma, let it be thy wish that we maylive and may not die:Praise-loving Lord of plants art thou.
7 To him who keeps the law, both old and young, thou givest happiness,And energy that he may live.8 Guard us, King Soma, on all sides from him who threatens us: never letThe friend of one like thee be harmed.9 With those delightful aids which thou hast, Soma, for the worshipper,-Even with those protect thou us.10 Accepting this our sacrifice and this our praise, O Soma, come,And be thou nigh to prosper us.11 Well-skilled in speech we magnify thee, Soma, with our sacred songs:Come thou to us, most gracious One.12 Enricher, healer of disease, wealth-finder, prospering our store,Be, Soma, a good Friend to us.13 Soma, be happy in our heart, as milch-kine in the grassy meads,As a young man in his own house.14 O Soma, God, the mortal man who in thy friendship hath delight,Him doth the mighty Sage befriend.15 Save us from slanderous reproach, keep us., O Soma, from distress:Be unto us a gracious Friend.16 Soma, wax great. From every side may vigorous powers unite in thee:Be in the gathering-place of strength.17 Wax, O most gladdening Soma, great through all thy rays of light, and beA Friend of most illustrious fame t6 prosper us.16 In thee be juicy nutriments united, and powers and mighty foe-subduing vigour,Waxing to immortality, O Soma: win highest glories for thyself in heaven.19 Such of thy glories as with poured oblations men honour, may they all invest our worship.Wealth-giver, furtherer with troops of heroes, sparing the brave, come, Soma, to our houses.20 To him who worships Soma gives the milchcow, a fleet steed and a man of active knowledge,Skilled in home duties, meet for holy synod, for council meet, a glory to his father.21 Invincible in fight, saver in battles, guard of our camp, winner of light and water,Born amid hymns, well-housed, exceeding famous, victor, in thee will we rejoice, O Soma.22 These herbs, these milch-kine, and these running waters, all these, O Soma, thou hast generated.The spacious firmament bast thou expanded, and with the light thou hast dispelled the darkness.23 Do thou, God Soma, with thy Godlike spirit, victorious, win for us a share of riches.Let none prevent thee: thou art Lord of valour. Provide for both sides in the fray for booty.
HYMN XCII. Dawn.1. THESE Dawns have raised their banner; in the eastern half of the mid-air they spread abroad theirshinine light.Like heroes who prepare their weapons for the war, onward they come bright red in hue, the MotherCows.2 Readily have the purple beams of light shot up; the Red Cows have they harnessed, easy to beyoked.The Dawns have brought distinct perception as before: red-hued, they have attained their fulgentbrilliancy.3 They sing their song like women active in their tasks, along their common path hither from faraway,Bringing refreshment to the liberal devotee, yea, all things to the worshipper who pours the juice.4 She, like a dancer, puts her broidered garments on: as a cow yields her udder so she bares herbreast.Creating light for all the world of life, the Dawn hath laid the darkness open as the cows their stall.5 We have beheld the brightness of her shining; it spreads and drives away the darkiorne monster.
Like tints that deck the Post at sacrifices, Heaven's Daughter hath attained her wondrous splendour.6 We have o'erpast the limit of this darkness; Dawn breaking forth again brings clear perception.She like a flatterer smiles in light for glory, and fair of face hath wakened to rejoiceus.7 The Gotamas have praised Heaven's radiant Daughter, the leader of the charm of pleasant voices.Dawn, thou conferrest on us strength with offspring and men, conspicuous with kine and horses.8 O thou who shinest forth in wondrous glory, urged onward by thy strength, auspicious Lady,Dawn, may I gain that wealth, renowned and ample, in brave sons, troops of slaves, far-famed forhorses.9 Bending her looks on all the world, the Goddess shines, widely spreading with her bright eyewestward.Waking to motion every living creature, she understands the voice of each adorer.10 Ancient of days, again again born newly, decking her beauty with the self-same raiment.The Goddess wastes away the life of mortals, like a skilled hunter cutting birds in pieces.11 She hath appeared discovering heaven's borders: to the far distance she drives off her Sister.Diminishing the days of human creatures, the Lady shines with all her lover's splendour.12 The bright, the blessed One shines forth extending her rays like kine, as a flood rolls his waters.Never transgressing the divine commandments, she is beheld visible with the sunbeams.13 O Dawn enriched with ample wealth, bestow on us the wondrous giftWherewith we may support children and children's sons.14 Thou radiant mover of sweet sounds, with wealth of horses and of kineShine thou on us this day, O Dawn auspiciously.15 O Dawn enriched with holy rites, yoke to thy car thy purple steeds,And then bring thou unto us all felicities.16 O Asvins wonderful in act, do ye unanimous directYour chariot to our home wealthy in kine and gold.17 Ye who brought down the hymn from heaven, a light that giveth light to man,Do ye, O Asvius, bring strength bither unto us.18 Hither may they who wake at dawn bring, to drink Soma both the GodsHealth-givers Wonder-Workers, borne on paths of gold.
HYMN XCIII. Agni-Sona.1 AGNI and Soma, mighty Pair, graciously hearken to my call,Accept in friendly wise my hymn, and prosper him who offers gifts.2 The man who honours you to-day, Agni and Soma, with this hymn,Bestow on him heroic strength, increase of kine, and noble steeds.3 The man who offers holy oil and burnt oblations unto you,Agni and Soma, shall enjoy great strength, with offspring, all his life.4 Agni and Soma, famed is that your. prowess wherewith ye stole the kine, his food, from Pani.Ye caused the brood of Brsaya to perish; ye found the light, the single light for many.5 Agni and Soma, joined in operation ye have set up the shining lights in heaven.From curse and from reproach, Agni and Soma, ye freed the rivers that were bound in fetters.6 One of you Mitarisvan brought from heaven, the Falcon rent the other from the mountain.Strengthened by holy prayer Agni and Soma have made us ample room for sacrificing.7 Taste, Agni, Soma, this prepared oblation; accept it, Mighty Ones, and let it please you.Vouchsafe us good protection and kind favour: grant to the sacrificer health and riches.8 Whoso with oil and poured oblation honours, with God-devoted heart, Agni and Soma,-Protect his sacrifice, preserve him from distress, grant to the sacrificer great felicity.9 Invoked together, mates in wealth, AgniSoma, accept our hymns:Together be among the Gods.10 Agni and Soma, unto him who worships you with holy oil
Shine forth an ample recompense.11 Agni and Sonia, be ye pleased with these oblations brought to you,And come, together, nigh to us.12 Agni and Soma, cherish well our horses, and let our cows be fat who yield oblations.Grant power to us and to our wealthy patrons, and cause our holy rites to be successful.
HYMN XCIV. Agni1 FOR Jatavedas worthy of our praise will we frame with our mind this eulogy as 'twere a car.For good, in his assembly, is this care of ours. Let us not, in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.2 The man for whom thou sacrificest prospereth, dwelleth without a foe, gaineth heroic might.He waxeth strong, distress never approacheth him. Let us riot, in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.3 May we have power to kindle thee. Fulfil our thoughts. In thee the Gods eat the presented offering,Bring hither the Adityas, for we long for them. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.4 We will bring fuel and prepare burnt offerings, reminding thee at each successive festival.Fulfil our thought that so we may prolong our lives. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.5 His ministers move forth, the guardians of the folk, protecting quadruped and biped with their rays.Mighty art thou, the wondrous herald of the Dawn. Let us not in thy friend. ship, Agni, suffer harm.6 Thou art Presenter and the chief Invoker, thou Director, Purifier, great High Priest by birth.Knowing all priestly work thou perfectest it, Sage. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.7 Lovely of form art thou, alike on every side; though far, thou shinest brightlyas if close at hand.O God, thou seest through even the dark of night. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.8 Gods, foremost he his car who pours libations out, and let our hymn prevail o'er evil-hearted men.Attend to this our speech and make it prosper well. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.9 Smite with thy weapons those of evil speech and thought, devouring demons, whether near or taraway.Then to the singer give free way for sacrifice. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.10 When to thy chariot thou hadst yoked two red steeds and two ruddy steeds, wind-sped, thy roarwas like a bull's.Thou with smoke-bannered flame attackest forest trees. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, sufferharm.11 Then at thy roar the very birds are terrified, when, eating-up the grass, thy sparks fly forth abroad.Then is it easy for thee and thy car to pass. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.12 He hath the Power to soothe Mitra and Varuna: wonderful is the Maruts' wrath when theydescend.Be gracious; let their hearts he turned to us again. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.13 Thou art a God, thou art the wondrous Friend of Gods, the Vasu of the Vasus, fair in sacrifice.Under, thine own most wide protection may we dwell. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.14 This is thy grace that, kindled in thine own abode, invoked with Soma thou soundest forth mostbenign,Thou givest wealth and treasure to the worshipper. Let us not in thy friendship, Agni, suffer harm.15 To whom thou, Lord of goodly riches, grantest freedom from every sin with perfect wholeness,Whom with good strength thou quikenest, with children and wealth-may we be they, Eternal Being.16 Such, Agni, thou who knowest all good fortune, God, lengthen here the days of our existence.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XCV. Agni1. To fair goals travel Two unlike in semblance: each in succession nourishes an infant.One bears a Godlike Babe of golden colour; bright and fair-shining, is he with the other.2 Tvastar's ten daughters, vigilant and youthful, produced this Infant borne to sundry quarters.They bear around him whose long flames are pointed, fulgent among mankind with native splendour.
3. Three several places of his birth they honour, in mid-air, in the heaven, and in the waters.Governing in the cast of earthly regions, the seasons hath he stablished in their order.4 Who of you knows this secret One? The Infant by his own nature hath brought forth his Mothers.The germ of many, from the waters' bosom he goes forth, wise and great, of Godlike nature.5 Visible, fair, he grows in native brightness uplifted in the lap of waving waters.When he was born both Tvastar's worlds were frightened: they turn to him and reverence the Lion.6 The Two auspicious Ones, like women, tend him: like lowing cows they seek him in their manner.He is the Lord of Might among the mighty; him, on the right, they balm with their oblations.7 Like Savitar his arms with might he stretches; awful, he strives grasping the world's two borders.He forces out from all a brilliant vesture, yea, from his Mothers draws he forth new raiment.8 He makes him a most noble form of splendour, decking him in his home with milk and waters.The Sage adorns the depths of air with wisdom . this is the meeting where the Gods are worshipped.9 Wide through the firmament spreads forth triumphant the far-resplendent strength of' thee theMighty.Kindled by us do thou preserve us, Agni, with all thy self-bright undiminished succours.10 In dry spots he makes stream, and course, and torrent, and inundates the earth with floods thatglisten.All ancient things within his maw he gathers, and moves among the new fresh-sprouting grasses.11 Fed with our fuel, purifying Agni, so blaze to us auspiciously for glory.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XCVI. Agni.1. HE in the ancient way by strength engendered, lo! straight hath taken to himself all wisdom.The waters and the bowl have made him friendly. The Gods possessed the wealth bestowing Agni.2 At Ayu's ancient call he by his wisdom gave all this progeny of men their being,And, by refulgent light, heaven and the waters. The Gods possessed the wealth. bestowing Agni.3 Praise him, ye Aryan folk, as chief performer of sacrifice adored and ever toiling,Well-tended, Son of Strength, the Constant Giver. The Gods possessed the wealth bestowing Agni.4 That Matarisvan rich in wealth and treasure, light-winner, finds a pathway for his offispring.Guard of our folk, Father of earth and heaven. The Gods possessed the wealth bestowing Agni.5 Night and Dawn, changing each the other's colour, meeting together suckle one same Infant:Golden between the heaven and earth he shineth. The Gods possessed the wealth bestowing Agni.6 Root of wealth, gathering-place of treasures, banner of sacrifice, who grants the suppliant's wishes:Preserving him as their own life immortal, the Gods possessed the wealth-bestowing Agni.7 Now and of old the home of wealth, the mansion of what is born and what was born aforetime,Guard of what is and what will be hereafter,-the Gods possessed the wealth bestowing Agni.8 May the Wealth-Giver grant us conquering riches; may the Wealth-Giver grant us wealth withheroes.May the Wealth-Giver grant us food with offspring, and length of days may the Wealth-Giver send us.9 Fed with our fuel, purifying Agni, so blaze to us auspiciously for glory.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XCVII. Agni.1. CHASING with light our sin away, O Agni, shine thou wealth on us.May his light chase our sin away.2 For goodly fields, for pleasant homes, for wealth we sacrifice to thee.May his light chase our sin away.3 Best praiser of all these be he; foremost, our chiefs who sacrifice.May his light chase our sin away.4 So that thy worshippers and we, thine, Agni, in our sons may live.May his light chase our sin away.
5 As ever- conquering Agni's beams of splendour go to every side,May his light chase our sin away.6 To every side thy face is turned, thou art triumphant everywhere.May his light chase our sin away.7 O thou whose face looks every way, bear us past foes as in a ship.May his light chase our sin away.8 As in a ship, convey thou us for our advantage o'er the flood.May his light chase our sin away.
HYMN XCVIII Agni.1. STILL in Vaisvanara's grace may we continue: yea, he is King supreme o'er all things living.Sprung hence to life upon this All he looketh. Vaisvanara hath rivalry with Surya.2 Present in heaven, in earth, all-present Agni,-all plants that grow on ground hath he pervaded.May Agni, may Vaisvanara with vigour, present, preserve us day and night from foemen.3 Be this thy truth, Vaisvanara, to us-ward: let wealth in rich abundance gather round us.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XCIX. Agni.1. FOR Jatavedas let us press the Soma: may he consume the wealth of the malignant.May Agni carry us through all our troubles, through grief as in a boat across the river.
HYMN C. Indra.1. MAY he who hath his home with strength, the Mighty, the King supreme of earth and spaciousheaven,Lord of true power, to he invoked in battles,-may Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.2 Whose way is unattainable like Surya's: he in each fight is the strong Vrtra-slayer,Mightiest with his Friends in his own courses. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.3 Whose paths go forth in their great might resistless, forthmilking, as it were, heaven's genialmoisture.With manly strength triumphant, foe-subduer,-may Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.4 Among Angirases he was the chiefest, a Friend with friends, mighty amid the mighty.Praiser mid praisers, honoured most of singers. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.5 Strong with the Rudras as with his own children, in manly battle conquering his foemen 'With his close comrades doing deeds of glory,-may Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.6 Humbler of pride, exciter of the conflict, the Lord of heroes, God invoked of many,May he this day gain with our men the sunlight. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be oursuccour.7 His help hath made him cheerer in the battle, the folk have made him guardian of their comfort.Sole Lord is he of every holy service. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.8 To him the Hero, on high days of prowess, heroes for help and booty shall betake them.He hath found light even in the blinding darkness. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.9 He with his left hand checketh even the mighty, and with his righthand gathereth up the booty.Even with the humble he acquireth riches. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.10 With hosts on foot and cars he winneth treasures: well is he known this day by all the people.With manly might he conquereth those who hate him. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.11 When in his ways with kinsmen or with strangers he speedeth to the fight, invoked of many,For gain of waters, and of sons and grandsons, may Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.12 Awful and fierce, fiend-slayer, thunder-wielder, with boundless knowledge, hymned by hundreds,mighty,In strength like Soma, guard of the Five Peoples, may Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.13 Winning the light, hitherward roars his thunder like the terrific mighty voice of Heaven.Rich gifts and treasures evermore attend him. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.
14 Whose home eternal through his strength surrounds him on every side, his laud, the earth andheaven,May he, delighted with our service, save us. May Indra, girt by Maruts, be our succour.15 The limit of whose power not Gods by Godhead, nor mortal men have reached, nor yet the Waters.Both Earth and Heaven in vigour he surpasseth. May Indra, girt by Maruts, he our succour.16 The red and tawny mare, blaze-marked, high standing, celestial who, to bring Rjrasva riches,Drew at the pole the chariot yoked with stallions, joyous, among the hosts of men was noted.17 The Varsagiras unto thee, O Indra, the Mighty One, sing forth this laud to please thee,Rjrasva with his fellows, Ambarisa, Suradhas, Sahadeva, Bhayamana.18 He, much invoked, hath slain Dasyus and Simyus, after his wont, and laid them low with arrows.The mighty Thunderer with his fair-complexioned friends won the land, the sunlight, and the waters.19 May Indra evermore be our protector, and unimperilled may we win the booty.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CI. Indra.1. SING, with oblation, praise to him who maketh glad, who with Rjisvan drove the dusky broodaway.Fain for help, him the strong whose right hand wields the bolt, him girt by Maruts we invoke to beour Friend.2 Indra, who with triumphant wrath smote Vyamsa down, and Sambara, and Pipru the unrighteousone;Who extirpated Susna the insatiate, him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our Friend.3 He whose great work of manly might is heaven and earth, and Varuna and Surya keep his holy law;Indra, whose law the rivers follow as they flow,-him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our Friend.4 He who is Lord and Master of the steeds and kine, honoured -the firm and sure- at every holy act;Stayer even of the strong who pours no offering out, -him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our Friend.5 He who is Lord of all the world that moves and breathes, who for the Brahman first before all foundthe Cows;Indra who cast the Dasyus down beneath his feet,-him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our Friend.6 Whom cowards must invoke and valiant men of war, invoked by those who conquer and by thosewho flee;Indra, to whom all beings turn their constant thought,-him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our Friend.7 Refulgent in the Rudras' region he proceeds, and with the Rudras through the wide space speedsthe Dame.The hymn of praise extols Indra the far-renowned: him girt by Maruts we invoke to be our Friend.8 O girt by Maruts, whether thou delight thee in loftiest gathering-place or lowly dwelling,Come thence unto our rite, true boon-best-ower: through love of thee have we prepared oblations.9 We, fain for thee, strong Indra, have pressed Soma, and, O thou sought with prayer, have madeoblations.Now at this sacrifice, with all thy Maruts, on sacred grass, O team-borne God, rejoice thee.10 Rejoice thee with thine own Bay Steeds, O Indra, unclose thy jaws and let thy lips be open.Thou with the fair cheek, let thy Bay Steeds bring thee: gracious to us, he pleased with our oblation.11 Guards of the camp whose praisers are the Maruts, may we through Indra, get ourselves thebooty.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CII. Indra.1. To thee the Mighty One I bring this mighty hymn, for thy desire hath been gratified by my laud.In Indra, yea in him victorious through his strength, the Gods have joyed at feast and when the Somaflowed.2 The Seven Rivers bear his glory far and wide, and heaven and sky and earth display his comelyform.
The Sun and Moon in change alternate run their course, that we, O Indra, may behold and may havefaith.3 Maghavan, grant us that same car to bring us spoil, thy conquering car in which we joy in shock offight.Thou, Indra, whom our hearts praise highly in the war, grant shelter, Maghavan, to us who love theewell.4 Encourage thou our side in every fight: may we, with thee for our ally, conquer the foeman's host.Indra, bestow on us joy and felicity break down, O Maghavan, the vigour of our foes.5 For here in divers ways these men invoking thee, holder of treasures, sing hymns to win thine aid.Ascend the car that thou mayest bring spoil to us, for, Indra, thy fixt winneth the victory.6 His arms win kine, his power is boundless in each act best, with a hundred helps waker of battle'sdinIs Indra: none may rival him in mighty strength. Hence, eager for the spoil the people call on him.7 Thy glory, Maghavan, exceeds a hundred yea, more than a hundred, than a thousand mid the folk,The great bowl hath inspirited thee boundlessly: so mayst thou slay the Vrtras breaker-down of forts!8 Of thy great might there is a three counterpart, the three earths, Lord men and the three realms oflight.Above this whole world, Indra, thou hast waxen great: without a foe art thou, nature, from of old.9 We invocate thee first among the Deities: thou hast become a mighty Conquer in fight.May Indra fill with spirit this our singer's heart, and make our car impetuous, foremost in attack.10 Thou hast prevailed, and hast not kept the booty back, in trifling battles in those of great account.We make thee keen, the Mighty One, succour us: inspire us, Maghavan, when we defy the foe.11 May Indra evermore be our Protector, and unimperilled may we win the booty.This prayer of ours may Vartuna grant and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CIII. Indra.1. THAT highest Indra-power of thine is distant: that which is here sages possessed aforetime.This one is on the earth, in heaven the other, and both unite as flag with flag in battle.2 He spread the wide earth out and firmly fixed it, smote with his thunderbolt and loosed the waters.Maghavan with his puissance struck down Ahi, rent Rauhipa to death and slaughtered Vyarnsa.3 Armed with his bolt and trusting in his prowess he wandered shattering the forts of Dasas.Cast thy dart, knowing, Thunderer, at the Dasyu; increase the Arya's might and glory, Indra.4 For him who thus hath taught these human races, Maghavan, bearing a fame-worthy title,Thunderer, drawing nigh to slay the Dasyus, hath given himself the name of Son for glory.5 See this abundant wealth that he possesses, and put your trust in Indra's hero vigour.He found the cattle, and he found the horses, he found the plants, the forests and the waters.6 To him the truly strong, whose deeds are many, to him the strong Bull let us pour the Soma.The Hero, watching like a thief in ambush, goes parting the possessions of the godless.7 Well didst thou do that hero deed, O Indra, in waking with thy bolt the slumbering Ahi.in thee, delighted, Dames divine rejoiced them, the flying Maruts and all Gods were joyful.8 As thou hast smitten Susna, Pipru, Vrtra and Kuyava, and Sambara's forts O Indra.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CIV. Indra.1. THE altar hath been made for thee to rest on: come like a panting courser and be seated.Loosen thy flying Steeds, set free thy Horses who bear thee swiftly nigh at eve and morning.2 These men have come to Indra for assistance: shall he not quickly come upon these pathways?May the Gods quell the fury of the Dasa, and may they lead our folk to happy fortune.3 He who hath only wish as his possession casts on himself, casts foam amid the waters.Both wives of Kuyava in milk have bathed them: may they be drowned within the depth of Sipha.
4 This hath his kinship checked who lives beside us: with ancient streams forth speeds and rules theHero, Anjasi, Kulisi, and Virapatni, delighting him, bear milk upon their waters.5 Soon as this Dasyu's traces were discovered, as she who knows her home, he sought the dwelling.Now think thou of us, Maghavan, nor cast us away as doth a profligate his treasure.6 Indra, as such, give us a share of sunlight, of waters, sinlessness, and reputation.Do thou no harm to our yet unborn offspring: our trust is in thy mighty Indra-power.7 Now we, I think, in thee as such have trusted: lead us on, Mighty One, to ample riches.In no unready house give us, O Indra invoked of many, food and drink when hungry.8 Slay us not, Indra; do not thou forsake us: steal not away the joys which we delight in.Rend not our unborn brood, strong Lord of Bounty! our vessels with the life that is within them.9 Come to us; they have called thee Soma-lover: here is the pressed juice. Drink thereof for rapture.Widely-capacious, pour it down within thee, and, invocated, hear us like a Father.
HYMN CV. Visvedevas.1. WITHIN the waters runs the Moon, he with the beauteous wings in heaven.Ye lightnings with your golden wheels, men find not your abiding-place. Mark this my woe, ye Earthand Heaven.2 Surely men crave and gain their wish. Close to her husband clings the wife.And, in embraces intertwined, both give and take the bliss of love. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.3 O never may that light , ye Gods, fall from its station in the sky.Ne'er fail us one like Soma sweet, the spring of our felicity. Mark this my woe ye Earth and Heaven.4 I ask the last of sacrifice. As envoy he shall tell it forth.Where is the ancient law divine? Who is its new diffuser now? Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.5 Ye Gods who yonder have your home in the three lucid realms of heaven,What count ye truth and what untruth? Where is mine ancient call on you? Mark this my woe, yeEarth and Heaven.6 What is your firm support of Law? What Varuna's observant eye?How may we pass the wicked on the path of mighty Aryaman? Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.7 1 am the man who sang of old full many a laud when Soma flowed.Yet torturing cares consume me as the wolf assails the thirsty deer. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.8 Like rival wives on every side enclosing ribs oppress me sore.O Satakratu, biting cares devour me, singer of thy praise, as rats devour the weaver's threads. Markthis my woe, ye Earth and Heaven.9 Where those seven rays are shining, thence my home and family extend.This Trta Aptya knoweth well, and speaketh out for brotherhood. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.10 May those five Bulls which stand on high full in the midst of mighty heaven,Having together swiftly borne my praises to the Gods, return. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.11 High in the mid ascent of heaven those Birds of beauteous pinion sit.Back from his path they drive the wolf as he would cross the restless floods. Mark this my woe, yeEarth and Heaven.12 Firm is this new-wrought hymn of praise, and meet to be told forth, O Gods.The flowing of the floods is Law, Truth is the Sun's extended light. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.13 Worthy of laud, O Agni, is that kinship which thou hast with Gods.Here seat thee like a man: most wise, bring thou the Gods for sacrifice. Mark this my woe, ye Earthand Heaven.14 Here seated, man-like as a priest shall wisest Agni to the Gods
Speed onward our oblations, God among the Gods, intelligent. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.15 Varuna makes the holy prayer. To him who finds the path we pray.He in the heart reveals his thought. Let sacred worship rise anew. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.16 That pathway of the Sun in heaven, made to be highly glorified,Is not to be transgressed, O Gods. O mortals, ye behold it not. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.17 Trta, when buried in the well, calls on the Gods to succour him.That call of his Brhaspati heard and released him from distress. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.18 A ruddy wolf beheld me once, as I was faring on my path.He, like a carpenter whose back is aching crouched and slunk away. Mark this my woe, ye Earth andHeaven.19 Through this our song may we, allied with Indra, with all our heroes conquer in the battle.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CVI. Visvedevas.1. CALL we for aid on Indra, Mitra, Varuna and Agni and the Marut host and Aditi.Even as a chariot from a difficult ravine, bountiful Vasus, rescue us from all distress.2 Come ye Adityas for our full prosperity, in conquests of the foe, ye Gods, bring joy to us.Even as a chariot from a difficult ravine, bountiful Vasus, rescue us from all distress.3 May the most glorious Fathers aid us, and the two Goddesses, Mothers of the Gods, whostrengthen Law.Even as a chariot from a difficult ravine, bountiful Vasus, rescue us from all distress.4 To mighty Narasamsa, strengthening his might, to Pusan, ruler over men, we pray with hymns.Even as a chariot from a difficult ravine, bountiful Vasus, rescue us from all distress.5 Brhaspati, make us evermore an easy path: we crave what boon thou hast for men in rest and stir.Like as a chariot from a difficult ravine, bountiful Vasus, rescue us from all distress.6 Sunk in the pit the Rsi Kutsa called, to aid, Indra the Vrtra-slayer, Lord of power and might.Even as a chariot from a difficult ravine, bountiful Vasus, rescue us from all distress.7 May Aditi the Goddess guard us with the Gods: may the protecting God keep us with ceaselesscare.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CVII. Visvedevas.1. THE sacrifice obtains the Gods' acceptance: be graciously inclined to us, Adityas.Hitherward let your favour be directed, and be our best deliverer from trouble.2 By praise-songs of Angirases exalted, may!he Gods come to us with their protection.May Indra with his powers, Maruts with Maruts, Aditi with Adityas grant us shelter.3 This laud of ours may Varuna and Indra, Aryaman Agni, Savitar find pleasant.This prayer' of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CVIII. Indra-Agni.1. ON that most wondrous car of yours, O Indra and Agni, which looks round on all things living,Take ye your stand and come to us together, and drink libations of the flowing Soma.2 As vast as all this world is in its compass, deep as it is, with its far-stretching surface,So let this Soma be, Indra and Agni, made for your drinking till your soul be sated.3 For ye have won a blessed name together: yea, with one aim ye strove, O Vrtra-slayers.So Indra-Agni, seated here together, pour in, ye Mighty Ones, the mighty Soma.4 Both stand adorned, when fires are duly kindled, spreading the sacred grass, with lifted ladles.Drawn by strong Soma juice poured forth around us, come, Indra-Agni, and display your favour.
5 The brave deeds ye have done, Indra and Agni, the forms ye have displayed and mighty exploits,The ancient and auspicious bonds of friendship,-for sake of these drink of the flowing Soma.6 As first I said when choosing you, in battle we must contend with Asuras for this Soma.So came ye unto this my true conviction, and drank libations of the flowing Soma.7 If in your dwelling, or with prince or Brahman, ye, Indra-Agni, Holy Ones, rejoice you,Even frorn thence, ye mighty Lords, come hither, and drink libation of the flowing Soma.8 If with, the Yadus, Turvasas, ye sojourn, with Druhyus, Anus, Purus, Indra-Agni!Even from thence, ye mighty Lords, come hither, and drink libations of the flowing Soma.9 Whether, O Indra-Agni, ye be dwelling in lowest earth, in central, or in highest.Even from thence, ye mighty Lords, come hither, and drink libations of the flowing Soma.10 Whether, O Indra-Agni, ye be dwelling in highest earth, in central, or in lowest,Even from thence, ye mighty Lords, come hither, and drink libations of the flowing Soma.11 Whether ye be in heaven, O Indra-Agni, on earth, on mountains, in the herbs, or waters,Even from thence, ye mighty Lords, come hither, and drink libations of the flowing Soma.12 If, when the Sun to the mid-heaven hath mounted, ye take delight in food, O Indra-Agni,Even from thence, ye mighty Lords, come hither, and drink libations of the flowing Soma.13 Thus having drunk your fill of our libation, win us all kinds of wealth, Indra and Agni.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CIX. Indra-Agni.1. LONGING for weal I looked around, in spirit, for kinsmen, Indra-Agni, or for brothers.No providence but yours alone is with me so have I wrought for you this hymn for succour.2 For I have heard that ye give wealth more freely than worthless son-in-law or spouse's brother.So offering to you this draught of Soma, I make you this new hymn, Indra and Agni,3 Let us not break the cords: with this petition we strive to gain the powers of our forefathers.For Indra-Agni the strong drops are joyful-, for here in the bowl's lap are both the press-stones.4 For you the bowl divine, Indra and Agni, presses the Soma gladly to delight you.With hands auspicious and fair arms, ye Asvins, haste, sprinkle it with sweetness in the waters.5 You, I have heard, were mightiest, Indra-Agni, when Vrtra fell and when the spoil was parted.Sit at this sacrifice, ye ever active, on the strewn grass, and with the juice delight you.6 Surpassing all men where they shout for battle, ye Twain exceed the earth and heaven ingreatness.Greater are ye than rivers and than mountains, O Indra-Agni, and all things beside them.7 Bring wealth and give it, ye whose arms wield thunder: Indra and Agni, with your powers protectus.Now of a truth these be the very sunbeams wherewith our fathers were of old united.8 Give, ye who shatter forts, whose hands wield thunder: Indra and Agni, save us in our battles.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CX. Rbhus.1. THE holy work I wrought before is wrought again: my sweetest hymn is sung to celebrate yourpraise.Here, O ye Rbhus, is this sea for all the Gods: sate you with Soma offered with the hallowing word.2 When, seeking your enjoyment onward from afar, ye, certain of my kinsmen, wandered on yourway,Sons of Sudhanvan, after your long journeying, ye came unto the home of liberal Savitar.3 Savitar therefore gave you immortality, because ye came proclaiming him whom naught can hide;And this the drinking-chalice of the Asura, which till that time was one, ye made to be fourfold.4 When they had served with zeal at sacrifice as priests, they, mortal as they were, gainedimmortality.
The Rbhus, children of Sudhanvan, bright as suns, were in a year's course made associate withprayers.5 The Rbhus, with a rod measured, as 'twere a field, the single sacrificial chalice. wide of mouth,Lauded of all who saw, praying for what is best, desiring glorious fame among Immortal Gods.6 As oil in ladles, we through knowledge will present unto the Heroes of the firmament our hymn,-The Rbhus who came near with this great Father's speed, and rose to heaven's high sphere to cat thestrengthening food.7 Rbhu to us is Indra freshest in his might, Rbhu with powers and wealth is giver of rich gifts.Gods, through your favour may we on the happy day quell the attacks of those who pour no offeringsforth.8 Out of a skin, O Rbhus, once ye formed a cow, and brought the mother close unto her calf again.Sons of Sudhanvan, Heroes, with surpassing skill ye made your aged Parents youthful as before.9 Help us with strength where spoil is won, O Indra: joined with the gbhus give us varied bounty.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXI. Rbhus.1. WORKING with skill they wrought the lightly rolling car: they wrought the Bays who bear Indraand bring great gifts.The Rbhus for their Parents made life young again; and fashioned for the calf a mother by its side.2 For sacrifice make for us active vital power for skill and wisdom food with noble progeny.Grant to our company this power most excellent, that with a family all-heroic we may dwell.3 Do ye, O Rbhus, make prosperity for us, prosperity for car, ye Heroes, and for steed.Grant us prosperity victorious evermore,conquering foes in battle, strangers or akin.4 Indra, the Rbhus' Lord, I invocate for aid, the Rbhus, Vajas, Maruts to the Soma draught.Varuna, Mitra, both, yea, and the Asvins Twain: let them speed us to wealth, wisdom, and victory.5 May Rbhu send prosperity for battle, may Vaja conquering in the fight protect us.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXII. Asvins.1 To give first thought to them, I worship Heaven and Earth, and Agni, fair bright glow, to hastentheir approach.Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids wherewith in fight ye speed the war-cry to the spoil.2 Ample, unfailing, they have mounted as it were an eloquent car that ye may think of us and give.Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids wherewith ye help our thoughts to further holy acts.3 Ye by the might which heavenly nectar giveth you are in supreme dominion Lords of all these folk.Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids wherewith ye, Heroes, made the barren cow givemilk.4 The aids wherewith the Wanderer through his offipring's might, or the Two-Mothered Son showsswiftest mid the swift;Wherewith the sapient one acquired his triple lore,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.5 Wherewith ye raised from waters, prisoned and fast bound, Rebha, and Vandana to look upon thelight;Wherewith ye succoured Kapva as he strove to win,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.6 Wherewith ye rescued Antaka when languishing deep in the pit, and Bhujyu with unfailing help.And comforted Karkandhu, Vayya, in their woe,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.7 Wherewith ye gave gucanti wealth and happy home, and made the fiery pit friendly for Atri's sake;Wherewith ye guarded Purukutsa, Prsnigu, -Come hither unto us, O Agvin;, with those aids.8 Mighty Ones, with what powers ye gave Paravrj aid what time ye made the blind and lame to seeand walk;Wherewith ye set at liberty the swallowed quail,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.
9 Wherewith ye quickened the most sweet exhaustless flood, and comforted Vasistha, ye who ne'erdecay;And to Srutarya, Kutsa, Narya gave your help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.10 Wherewith ye helped, in battle of a thousand spoils, Vispala seeking booty, powerless to move.Wherewith ye guarded friendly Vaga, Asva's son,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.11 Whereby the cloud, ye Bounteous Givers, shed sweet rain for Dirghasravas, for the merchantAusija,Wherewith ye helped Kaksivan, singer of your praise,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.12 Wherewith ye made Rasa swell full with water-floods, and urged to victory the car without ahorse;Wherewith Trisoka drove forth his recovered cows,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.13 Wherewith ye, compass round the Sun when far away, strengthened Manddatar in his tasks aslord of lands,And to sage Bharadvija gave protecting help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.14 Wherewith, when Sambara was slain, ye guarded well great Atithigva, Divodisa, Kasoju,And Trasadasyu when the forts were shattered down,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with thoseaids.15 Wherewith ye honoured the great drinker Vamra, and Upastuta and Kali when he gained his wife,And lent to Vyasva. and to Prthi favouring help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.16 Wherewith, O Heroes, ye vouchsafed deliverance to Sayu, Atri, and to Manu long ago;Wherewith ye shot your shafts in Syumarasmi's cause.-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with thoseaids.17 Wherewith Patharva, in his majesty of form, shone in his course like to a gathered kindled fire;Wherewith ye helped Suryata in the mighty fray,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.18 Wherewith, Angirases! ye triumphed in your heart, and onward went to liberate the flood of milk;Wherewith ye helped the hero Manu with new strength,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with thoseaids.19 Wherewith ye brought awife for Vimada to wed, wherewith ye freely gave the ruddy cows away;Wherewith ye brought the host of kind Gods to Sudas-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with thoseaids.20 Wherewith ye bring great bliss to him who offers gifts, wherewith ye have protected Bhujyu,Adhrigu,And good and gracious Subhara and Rtastup,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.21 Wherewith ye served Krsanu where the shafts were shot, and helped the young man's horse toswiftness in the race;Wherewith ye bring delicious honey to the bees,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.22 Wherewith ye speed the hero as he fights for kine in hero battle, in the strife for land and sons,Wherewith ye safely guard his horses and his car,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins with those aids.23 Wherewith ye, Lords of Hundred Powers, helped Kutsa, son of Aduni, gave Turviti and Dabhitistrength,Favoured Dhvasanti and lent Purusanti help,-Come hither unto us, O Asvins, with those aids.24 Make ye our speech effectual, O ye Asvins, and this our hymn, ye mighty Wonder-Workers.In luckless game I call on you for succour . strengthen us also on the field of battle.25 With, undiminished blessings, O ye Asvins, for evermore both night and day protect us.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXIII. Dawn.1. This light is come, amid all lights the fairest; born is the brilliant, far-extending brightness.Night, sent away for Savitar's uprising, hath yielded up a birth-place for the Morning.2 The Fair, the Bright is come with her white offspring; to her the Dark One hath resigned herdwelling.Akin, immortal, following each other, changing their colours both the heavens move onward.3 Common, unending is the Sisters' pathway; taught by the Gods, alternately they travel.
Fair-formed, of different hues and yet one-minded, Night and Dawn clash not, neither do they travel.4 Bright leader of glad sounds, our eyes behold her; splendid in hue she hath unclosed the portals.She, stirring up the world, hath shown us riches: Dawn hath awakened every living creature.5 Rich Dawn, she sets afoot the coiled-up sleeper, one for enjoyment, one for wealth or worship,Those who saw little for extended vision. All living creatures hath the Dawn awakened.6 One to high sway, one to exalted glory, one to pursue his gain, and one his labour:All to regard their different vocations, all moving creatures hath the Dawn awakened.7 We see her there, the Child of Heaven apparent, the young Maid, flushing in her shining raiment.Thou soyran Lady of all earthly treasure, flush on us here, auspicious Dawn, this morning.8 She first of endless morns to come hereafter, follows the path of morns that have departed.Dawn, at her rising, urges forth the living him who is dead she wakes not from his slumber.9 As thou, Dawn, hast caused Agni to be kindled, and with the Sun's eye hast revealed creation.And hast awakened men to offer worship, thou hast performed, for Gods, a noble service.10 How long a time, and they shall be together,-Dawns that have shone and Dawns to shinehereafter?She yearns for former Dawns with eager longing, and goes forth gladly shining with the others.11 Gone are the men who in the days before us looked on the rising of the earlier Morning.We, we the living, now behold her brightness and they come nigh who shall hereafter see her.12 Foe-chaser, born of Law, the Law's protectress, joy-giver waker of all pleasant voices,Auspicious, bringing food for Gods' enjoyment, shine on us here, most bright, O Dawn, this morning.13 From days eternal hath Dawn shone, the Goddess, and shows this light to-day, endowed withriches.So will she shine on days to come immortal she moves on in her own strength, undecaying.14 In the sky's borders hath she shone in splendour: the Goddess hath thrown off the veil ofdarkness.Awakening the world with purple horses, on her well-harnessed chariot Dawn approaches.15 Bringing all life-sustaining blessings with her, showing herself she sends forth brilliant lustre.Last of the countless mornings that have vanished, first of bright morns to come hath Dawn arisen.16 Arise! the breath, the life, again hath reached us: darkness hath passed away and lightapproacheth.She for the Sun hath left a path to travel we have arrived where men prolong existence.17 Singing the praises of refulgent Mornings with his hymn's web the priest, the poet rises.Shine then to-day, rich Maid, on him who lauds thee, shine down on us the gift of life and offipring.18 Dawns giving sons all heroes, kine and horses, shining upon the man who brings oblations,-These let the Soma-presser gain when ending his glad songs louder than the voice of Vayu.19 Mother of Gods, Aditi's forui of glory, ensign of sacrifice, shine forth exalted.Rise up, bestowing praise on our devotion all-bounteous, niake us chief among the people.20 Whatever splendid wealth the Dawns bring with them to bless the man who offers praise andworship,Even that may Mitra, Varuna vouchsafe us, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXIV. Rudra.1. To the strong Rudra bring we these our songs of praise, to him the Lord of Heros with the braidedhair,That it be well with all our cattle and our men, that in this village all he healthy and well-fed.2 Be gracious unto us, O Rudra, bring us joy: thee, Lord of Heroes, thee with reverence will we serve.Whatever health and strength our father Manu won by sacrifice may we, under thy guidance, gain.3 By worship of the Gods may we, O Bounteous One, O Rudra, gain thy grace, Ruler of valiant men.Come to our families, bringing them bliss: may we, whose heroes are uninjured, bring thee sacredgifts,4 Hither we call for aid the wise, the wanderer, impetuous Rudra, perfecter of sacri fice.May he repel from us the anger of the Gods: verily we desire his favourable grace.
5 Him with the braided hair we call with reverence down, the wild-boar of the sky, the red, thedazzling shape.May he, his hand filled full of sovran medicines, grant us protection, shelter, and a home secure.6 To him the Maruts' Father is this hymn addressed, to strengthen Rudra's might, a song more sweetthan sweet.Grant us, Immortal One, the food which mortals eat: be gracious unto me, my seed, my progeny.7 O Rudra, harm not either great or small of us, harm not the growing boy, harm not the full-grownman.Slay not a sire among us, slay no mother here, and to our own dear bodies, Rudra, do not harm.8 Harm us not, Rudra, in our seed and progeny, harm us not in the living, nor in cows or steeds,Slay not our heroes in the fury of thy wrath. Bringing oblations evermore we call to thee.9 Even as a herdsman I have brought thee hymns of praise: O Father of the Maruts, give ushappiness,Blessed is thy most favouring benevolence, so, verily, do we desire thy saving help.10 Far be thy dart that killeth men or cattle: thy bliss be with us, O thou Lord of Heroes.Be gracious unto us, O God, and bless us, and then vouchsafe us doubly-strong protection.11 We, seeking help, have spoken and adored him: may Rudra, girt by Maruts, hear our calling.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXV. Surya.1. THE brilliant presence of the Gods hath risen, the eye of Mitra, Varuna and Agni.The soul of all that moveth not or moveth, the Sun hath filled the air and earth and heaven.2 Like as a young man followeth a maiden, so doth the Sun the Dawn, refulgent Goddess:Where pious men extend their generations, before the Auspicious One for happy fortune.3 Auspicious are the Sun's Bay-coloured Horses, bright, changing hues, meet for our shouts oftriumph.Bearing our prayers, die sky's ridge have they mounted, and in a moment speed round earth andheaven.4 This is the Godhead, this might of Surya: he hath withdrawn what spread o'er work unfinished.When he hath loosed his Horses from their station, straight over all Night spreadeth out her garment.5 In the sky's lap the Sun this form assumeth that Varuna and Mitra may behold it.His Bay Steeds well maintain his power eternal, at one time bright and darksome at another.6 This day, O Gods, while Surya is ascending, deliver us from trouble and dishonour.This prayer of ours may Varuna grant, and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN CXVI. Asvins.1. I TRIM like grass my song for the Nasatyas and send their lauds forth as the wind drives rain-clouds,Who, in a chariot rapid as an arrow, brought to the youthful Vimada a consort.2 Borne on by rapid steeds of mighty pinion, or proudly trusting in the Gods' incitements.That stallion ass of yours won, O Nasatyas, that thousand in the race, in Yama's contest.3 Yea, Asvins, as a dead man leaves his riches, Tugra left Bhujyu in the cloud of waters.Ye brought him back in animated vessels, traversing air, unwetted by the billows.4 Bhujyu ye bore with winged things, Nasatyas, which for three nights, three days full swiftlytravelled,To the sea's farther shore, the strand of ocean, in three cars, hundred-footed, with six horses.5 Ye wrought that hero exploit in the ocean which giveth no support, or hold or station,What time ye carried Bhujyu to his dwelling, borne in a ship with hundred oars, O Asvins.6 The white horse which of old ye gave Aghasva, Asvins, a gift to be his wealth for ever,-Still to be praised is that your glorious present, still to be famed is the braye horse of Pedu.7 O Heroes, ye gave wisdom to Kaksivan who sprang from Pajra's line, who sang your praises.Ye poured forth from the hoof of your strong charger a hundred jars of wine as from a strainer.
8 Ye warded off with cold the fire's fierce burning; food very rich in nouripliment ye furnished.Atri, cast downward in the cavern, Asvins ye brought, with all his people, forth to comfort.9 Ye lifted up the well, O ye Nasatyas, and set the base on high to open downward.Streams flowed for folk of Gotama who thirsted, like rain to bring forth thousandfold abundance.10 Ye from the old Cyavana, O Nasatyas, stripped, as 'twere mail, the skin uponhis body,Lengthened his life when all had left him helpless, Dasras! and made him lord of youthful maidens.11 Worthy of praise and worth the winning, Heroes, is that your favouring succour O Nasatyas,What time ye, knowing well his case, delivered Vandana trom the pit like hidden treasure.12 That mighty deed of yours, for gain, O Heroes, as thunder heraldeth the rain, I publish,When, by the horse's head, Atharvan's offspring Dadhyac made known to you the Soma's sweetness.13 In the great rite the wise dame called, Nasatyas, you, Lords of many treasures, to assist her.Ye heard the weakling's wife, as 'twere an order, and gave to her a son Hiranyahasta.14 Ye from the wolf's jaws, as ye stood together, set free the quail, O Heroes, O Nasatyas.Ye, Lords of many treasures, gave the poet his perfect vision as he mourned his trouble.15 When in the time of night, in Khela's battle, a leg was severed like a wild bird's pinion,Straight ye gave Vispali a leg of iron that she might move what time the conflict opened.16 His father robbed Rjrasva of his eyesight who for the she-wolf slew a hundred wethers.Ye gave him eyes, Nasatyas, Wonder-Workers, Physicians, that he saw with sight uninjured.17 The Daughter of the Sun your car ascended, first reaching as it were the goal with coursers.All Deities within their hearts assented, and ye, Nasatyas, are close linked with glory.18 When to his house ye came, to Divodasa, hasting to Bharadvaja, O ye Asvins,The car that came with you brought splendid riches: a porpoise and a bull were yoked together.19 Ye, bringing wealth with rule, and life with offspring, life rich in noble heroes; O Nasatyas,Accordant came with strength to Jahnu's children who offered you thrice every day your portion.20 Ye bore away at night by easy pathways Jahusa compassed round on every quarter,And, with your car that cleaves the toe asunder, Nasatyas never decaying! rent the mountains.21 One morn ye strengthened Vaga for the battle, to gather spoils that might be told in thousands.With Indra joined ye drove away misfortunes, yea foes of Prthusravas, O ye mighty.22 From the deep well ye raised on high the water, so that Rcatka's son, Sara, should drink it;And with your might, to help the weary Sayu, ye made the barren cow yield milk, Nasatyas.23 To Visvaka, Nasatyas! son of Krsna, the righteous man who sought your aid and praised you,Ye with your powers restored, like some lost creature, his son Visnapu for his eyes to look on.24 Asvins, ye raised, like Soma in a ladle Rebha, who for ten days and ten nights, fettered.Had lain in cruel bonds, immersed and wounded, suffering sore affliction, in the waters.25 1 have declared your wondrous deeds, O Asvins: may this be mine, and many kine and heroes.May I, enjoying lengthened life, still seeing, enter old age as 'twere the house I live in.
HYMN CXVII. Asvins.1. ASVINS, your ancient priest invites you hither to gladden you with draughts of meath of Soma.Our gift is on the grass, our song apportioned: with food and strength come hither, O Nasatyas.2 That car of yours, swifter than thought, O Asvins, which drawn by brave steeds cometh to thepeople,Whereon ye seek the dwelling of the pious,-come ye thereon to our abode, O Heroes.3 Ye freed sage Atri, whom the Five Tribes honoured, from the strait pit, ye Heroes with his people,Baffling the guiles of the malignant Dasyu, repelling them, ye Mighty in succession.4 Rebha the sage, ye mighty Heroes, Asvins! whom, like a horse, vile men had sunk in water,-Him, wounded, with your wondrous power ye rescued: your exploits of old time endure for ever.5 Ye brought forth Vandana, ye Wonder-Workers, for triumph, like fair gold that hath been buried,Like one who slumbered in destruction's bosom, or like the Sun when dwelling in the darkness.
6 Kaksivan, Pajra's son, must laud that exploit of yours, Nasatyas, Heroes, ye who wander!When from the hoof of your strong horse ye showered a hundred jars of honey for the people.7 To Krsna's son, to Visvaka who praised you, O Heroes, ye restored his son Visnapu.To Ghosa, living in her father's dwelling, stricken in years, ye gave a husband, Asvins.8 Rusati, of the mighty people, Asvins, ye gave to Syava of the line of Kanva.This deed of yours, ye Strong Ones should be published, that ye gave glory to the son of Nrsad.9 O Asvins, wearing many forms at pleasure, on Pedu ye bestowed a fleet-foot courser,Strong, winner of a thousand spoils, resistless the serpent slayer, glorious, triumphant.10 These glorious things are yours, ye Bounteous Givers; prayer, praise in both worlds are yourhabitation.O Asvins, when the sons of Paira call you, send strength with nourishment to him who knoweth.11 Hymned with the reverence of a son, O Asvins ye Swift Ones giving booty to the singer,Glorified by Agastya with devotion, established Vispala again, Nasatyas.12 Ye Sons of Heaven, ye Mighty, whither went ye, sought ye, for his fair praise the home of Kdvya.When, like a pitcher full of gold, O Asvins, on the tenth day ye lifted up the buried?13 Ye with the aid of your great powers, O Asvins, restored to youth the ancient man Cyavana.The Daughter of the Sun with all her glory, O ye Nasatyas, chose your car to bear her.14 Ye, ever-youthful Ones, again remembered Tugra, according to your ancient manner:With horses brown of hue that flew with swift wings ye brought back Bhujyu from the sea of billows.15 The son of Tugra had invoked you, Asvins; borne on he went uninjured through the ocean.Ye with your chariot swift as thought, well-harnessed, carried him off, O Mighty Ones, to safety.16 The quail had invocated you, O Asvins, when from the wolf's devouring jaws ye freed her.With conquering car ye cleft the mountain's ridges: the offspring of Visvac ye killed with poison.17 He whom for furnishing a hundred wethers to the she-wolf, his wicked father blinded,To him, Rjrasva, gave ye eyes, O Asvins; light to the blind ye sent for perfect vision.18 To bring the blind man joy thus cried the she-wolf: O Asvins, O ye Mighty Ones, O Heroes,For me Rjrasva, like a youthful lover, hath. cut piecemeal one and a hundred wethers.19 Great and weal-giving is your aid, O Asvins, ye, objects of all thought, made whole the cripple.Purandhi also for this cause invoked you, and ye, O mighty, came to her with succours.20 Ye, Wonder-Workers, filled with milk for Sayu the milkless cow, emaciated, barren;And by your powers the child of Purumitra ye brought to Vimada to be his consort.21 Ploughing and sowing barley, O ye Asvins, milking out food for men, ye Wonder-Workers,Blasting away the Dasyu with your trumpet, ye gave far-spreading light unto the Arya.22 Ye brought the horse's head, Asvins, and gave it unto Dadhyac the offspring of Atharvan.True, he revealed to you, O WonderWorkers, sweet Soma, Tvastar's secret, as your girdle.23 O Sages, evermore I crave your favour: be gracious unto all my prayers, O Asvins.Grant me, Nasatyas, riches in abundance, wealth famous and accompanied with children.24 With liberal bounty to the weakling's consorts ye, Heroes, gave a son Hiranyahasta;And Syava, cut into three several pieces, ye brougnt to life again, O bounteous Asvins.25 These your heroic exploits, O ye Asvins, done in the days. of old, have men related.May we, addressing prayer to you, ye Mighty, speak with brave sons about us to. the synod.
HYMN CXVIII. Asvins.1. FLYING, with falcons, may your chariot, Asvins, most gracious, bringing friendlyhelp, come hither,-Your chariot, swifter than the mind of mortal, fleet as the wind, three-seated O ye Mighty.2 Come to us with your chariot triple seated, three-wheeled, of triple form, that rolleth lightly.Fill full our cows, give mettle to our horses, and make each hero son grow strong, O Asvins.3 With your well-rolling car, descending swiftly, hear this the press-stone's song, ye Wonder-Workers.How then have ancient sages said, O Asvins, that ye most swiftly come to stay affliction?
4 O Asvins, let your falcons bear you hither, yoked to your chariot, swift, with flying pinions,Which, ever active, like the airy eagles, carry you, O Nasatyas, to the banquet.5 The youthful Daughter of the Sun, delighting in you, ascended there your chariot, Heroes.Borne on their swift wings let your beauteous horses, your birds of ruddy hue, convey you near us.6 Ye raised up Vandana, strong WonderWorkers! with great might, and with power ye rescuedRebha.From out the sea ye saved the son of Tugra, and gave his youth again unto Cyavana.7 To Atri, cast down to the fire that scorched him, ye gave, O Asvins, strengthening tbod and favour.Accepting his fair praises with approval, ye gave his eyes again to blinded Kanva.8 For ancient Sayti in his sore affliction ye caused his cow to swell with milk, O Asvins.The quail from her great misery ye delivered, and a new leg for Vispala provided.9 A white horse, Asvins, ye bestowed on Pedu, a serpent-slaying steed sent down by Indra,Loud-neighing, conquering the foe, highmettled, firm-limbed and vigorous, winning thousandtreasures.10 Such as ye are, O nobly horn, O Heroes, we in our trouble call on you for succour.Accepting these our songs, for our wellbeing come to us on your chariot treasure-laden.11 Come unto us combined in love, Nasatyas come with the fresh swift vigour of the falcon.Bearing oblations I invoke you, Asvins, at the first break of everlasting morning.
HYMN CXIX. Asvins.1. HITHER, that I may live, I call unto the feast your wondrous car, thought-swift, borne on by rapidsteeds.With thousand banners, hundred treasures, pouring gifts, promptly obedient, bestowing ample room.2 Even as it moveth near my hymn is lifted up, and all the regions come together to sing praise.I sweeten the oblations; now the helpers come. Urjani hath, O Asvins, mounted on your car.3 When striving man with man for glory they have met, brisk, measurcIess, eager for victory in fight,Then verily your car is seen upon the slope when ye, O Asvins, bring some choice boon to the prince.4 Ye came to Bhujyu while he struggled in the flood, with flying birds, self-yoked, ye bore him to hissires.Ye went to the far-distant home, O Mighty Ones; and famed is your great aid to Divodisa given.5 Asvins, the car which you had yoked for glorious show your own two voices urged directed to itsgoal.Then she who came for friendship, Maid of noble birth, elected you as Husbands, you to be her Lords.6 Rebha ye saved from tyranny; for Atri's sake ye quenched with cold the fiery pit that compassedhim.Ye made the cow of Sayu stream refreshing milk, and Vandana was holpen to extended life.7 Doers of marvels, skilful workers, ye restored Vandana, like a car, worn out with length of days.From earth ye brought the sage to life in wondrous mode; be your great deeds done here for him whohonours you.8 Ye went to him who mourned in a far distant place, him who was left forlorn by treachery of hissire.Rich with the light ofheaven was then the help ye gave, and marvellous your succour when ye stoodby him.9 To you in praise of sweetness sang the honey-bee: Ausija calleth you in Soma's rapturous joy.Ye drew unto yourselves the spirit of Dadhyac, and then the horse's head uttered his words to you.10 A horse did ye provide for Pedu, excellent, white, O ye Asvins, conqueror of combatants,Invincible in war by arrows, seeking heaven worthy of fame, like Indra, vanquisher of men.
HYMN CXX. Asvins.1. ASVINS, what praise may win your grace? Who may be pleasing to you both?How shall the ignorant worship you?2 Here let the ignorant ask the means of you who know-for none beside you knoweth aught -
Not of a spiritless mortal man.3 Such as ye: are, all-wise, we call you. Ye wise, declare to us this day accepted prayer.Loving you well your servant lauds you.4 Simply, ye Mighty Ones, I ask the Gods of that wondrous oblation hallowed by the mystic word.Save us from what is stronger, fiercer than ourselves.5 Forth go the hymn that shone in Ghosa Bhrgu's like, the song wherewith the son of Pajra worshipsyou,Like some wise minister.6 Hear ye the song of him who hastens speedily. O Asvins, I am he who sang your praise.Hither, ye Lords of Splendour, hither turn your eyes.7 For ye were ever nigh to deal forth ample wealth, to give the wealth that ye had gathered up.As such, ye Vasus, guard us well, and keep us safely from the wicked wolf.8 Give us not up to any man who hateth us, nor let our milch-cows stray, whose udders give us food,Far from our homes without their calves.9 May they who love you gain you for their Friends. Prepare ye us for opulence with strengtheningfood,Prepare us for the food that floweth from our cows10 1 have obtained the horseless car of Asvins rich in sacrifice,And I am well content therewith.11 May it convey me evermore: may the light chariot pass from menTo men unto the Soma draught.12 It holdeth slumber in contempt. and the rich who enjoyeth not:Both vanish quickly and are lost.
HYMN CXXI, Indra.1. WHEN Will men's guardians hasting hear with favour the song of Angiras's piouschildern?When to the people of the home he cometh he strideth to the sacrifice, the Holy.2 He stablished heaven; he poured forth, skilful worker, the wealth of kine, for strength, that nurturesheroes.The Mighty One his self-born host regarded, the horse's mate, the mother of the heifer.3 Lord of red dawns, he came victorious, daily to the Angirases' former invocation.His bolt and team hath he prepared, and stablished the heaven for quadrupeds and men two-footed.4 In joy of this thou didst restore, for worship, the lowing company of hidden cattle.When the three-pointed one descends with onslaught he opens wide the doors that cause mantrouble.5 Thine is that milk which thy swift-moving Parents brought down, a strengthening genial gift forconquest;When the pure treasure unto thee they offered, the milk shed from the cow who streameth nectar.6 There is he born. May the Swift give us rapture, and like the Sun shine forth from yonder dawning,Indu, even us who drank, whose toils are offerings, poured from the spoon, with praise, upon thealtar.7 When the wood-pile, made of good logs, is ready, at the Sun's worship to bind fast the Bullock,Then when thou shinest forth through days of action for the Car-borne, the Swift, tile Cattle-seeker.8 Eight steeds thou broughtest down from mighty heaven, when fighting for the well that givethsplendour,That men might press with stones the gladdening yellow, strengthened with milk, fermenting, toexalt thee.9 Thou hurledst forth from heaven the iron missile, brought by the Skilful, from the sling of leather,When thou, O Much-invoked, assisting Kutsa with endless deadly darts didst compass Susna.10 Bolt-armed, ere darkness overtook the sunlight, thou castest at the veiling cloud thy weapon,Thou rentest, out of heaven, though firmly knotted, the might of Susna that was thrown around him.
11 The mighty Heaven and Earth, those bright expanses that have no wheels, joyed, Indra, at thineexploit.Vrtra, the boar who lay amid the waters, to sleep thou sentest with thy mighty thunder.12 Mount Indra, lover of the men thou guardest, the well-yoked horses of the wind, best bearers.The bolt which Kavya Usana erst gave thee, strong, gladdening, Vrtra-slaying, hath he fashioned *13 The strong Bay Horses of the Sun thou stayedst: this Etasa drew not the wheel, O Indra.Casting them forth beyond the ninety rivers thou dravest down into the pit the godless.14 Indra, preserve thou us from this affliction Thunder-armed, save us from the misery near us.Vouchsafe us affluence in chariots, founded on horses, for our food and fame and gladness.15 Never may this thy loving-kindness fail us; mighty in strength, may plenteous food surround us.Maghavan, make us share the foeman's cattle: may we be thy most liberal feast companions.
HYMN CXXII Visvadevas.1. SAY, bringing sacrifice to bounteous Rudra, This juice for drink to you whose wrath is fleeting!With Dyaus the Asura's Heroes I have lauded the Maruts as with prayer to Earth and Heaven.2 Strong to exalt the early invocation are Night and Dawn who show with varied aspect.The Barren clothes her in wide-woven raiment, and fair Morn shines with Surya's golden splendour.3 Cheer us the Roamer round, who strikes at morning, the Wind delight us, pourer forth of waters!Sharpen our wits, O Parvata and Indra. May all the Gods vouchsafe to us this favour.4 And Ausija shall call for me that famous Pair who enjoy and drink, who come to brighten.Set ye the Offspring of the Floods before you; both Mothers of the Living One who beameth.5 For you shall Ausija call him who thunders, as, to win Arjuna's assent, cried Ghosa.I will invoke, that Pusan may be bounteous to you, the rich munificence of Agni.6 Hear, Mitra-Varuna, these mine invocations, hear them from all men in the hall of worship.Giver of famous gifts, kind hearer, Sindhu who gives fair fields, listen with all his waters 17 Praised, Mitra, Varuna! is your gift, a hundred cows to the Prksayamas and the Pajra.Presented by car-famous Priyaratha, supplying nourishment, they came directly.8 Praised is the gift of him the very wealthy: may we enjoy it, men with hero children:His who hath many gifts to give the Pajras, a chief who makes me rich in cars and horses.9 The folk, O Mitra-Varuna, who hate you, who sinfully hating pour you no libations,Lay in their hearts, themselves, a wasting sickness, whereas the righteous gaineth all by worship.10 That man, most puissant, wondrously urged onward, famed among heroes, liberal in giving,Moveth a warrior, evermore undaunted in all encounters even with the mighty.11 Come to the man's, the sacrificer's calling: hear, Kings of Immortality, joy-givers!While ye who speed through clouds decree your bounty largely, for fame, to him the chariot rider.12 Vigour will we bestow on that adorer whose tenfold draught we come to taste, so spake they.May all in whom rest splendour and great riches obtain refreshment in these sacrifices.13 We will rejoice to drink the tenfold present when the twicefive come bearing sacred viands.What can he do whose steeds and reins are choicest? These, the all-potent, urge brave men toconquest.14 The sea and all the Deities shall give us him with the golden car and neck bejewelled.Dawns, hasting to the praises otthe pious, be pleased with us. both offerers and singers.15 Four youthful sons of Masarsara vex me, three, of the king, the conquering Ayavasa.Now like the Sun, O Varuna and Mitra, your car hath shone, long-shaped and reined with splendour.
HYMN CXXIII. Dawn.1. THE Daksina's broad chariot hath been harnessed: this car the Gods Immortal have ascended.Fain to bring light to homes of men the noble and active Goddess hath emerged from darkness.2 She before all the living world hath wakened, the Lofty One who wins and gathers treasure.Revived and ever young on high she glances. Dawn hath come first unto our morning worship.3 If, Dawn, thou Goddess nobly born, thou dealest fortune this day to all the race of mortals,
May Savitar the God, Friend of the homestead, declare before the Sun that we are sinless.4 Showing her wonted form each day that passeth, spreading the light she visiteth each dwelling.Eager for conquest, with bright sheen she cometh. Her portion is the best of goodly treasures.5 Sister of Varuna, sister of Bhaga, first among all sing forth, O joyous Morning.Weak be the strength of him who worketh evil - may we subdue him with our car the guerdon.6 Let our glad hymns and holy thoughts rise upward, for the flames brightly burning have ascended.The far-refulgent Mornings make apparent the lovely treasures which the darkness covered.7 The one departeth and the other cometh: unlike in hue day's, halves march on successive.One hides the gloom of the surrounding Parents. Dawn on her shining chariot is resplendent.8 The same in form to-day, the same tomorrow, they still keep Varuna's eternal statute.Blameless, in turn they traverse thirty regions, and dart across the spirit in a moment.9 She who hath knowledge Of the first day's nature is born refulgent white from out the darkness.The Maiden breaketh not the law of Order, day by day coming to the place appointed.10 In pride of beauty like a maid thou goest, O Goddess, to the God who longs to win thee,And smiling youthful, as thou shinest brightly, before him thou discoverest thy bosom.11 Fair as a bride embellished by her mother thou showest forth thy form that all may see it.Blessed art thou O Dawn. Shine yet more widely. No other Dawns have reached what thou attainest.12 Rich in kine, horses, and all goodly treasures, in constant operation with the sunbeams,The Dawns depart and come again again assuming their wonted forms that promise happy fortune.13 Obedient to the rein of Law Eternal give us each thought that more and more shall bless us.Shine thou on us to-day, Dawn, swift to listen. With us be riches and with chiefs who worship.
HYMN CXXIV. Dawn.1. THE Dawn refulgent when the fire is kindled, and the Sun rising, far diffuse their brightness.Savitar, God, hath sentus forth to labour, each quadruped, each biped, to be active.2 Not interrupting heavenly ordinances, although she minisheth human generations.The last of endless morns that have departed, the first of those that come, Dawn brightly shineth.3 There in the eastern region she, Heaven's Daughter, arrayed in garments all of light, appeareth.Truly she fo1loweth the path of Order, nor faileth, knowing well, the heavenly quarters.4 Near is she seen, as 'twere the Bright One's bosom: she showeth sweet things like a new song-singer.She cometh like a fly awaking sleepers, of all. returning dames most true and constant.5 There in the east half of the watery region the Mother of the Cows hath shown her ensign.Wider and wider still she spreadeth onward, and filleth full the laps of both heir Parents.6 She, verily, exceeding vast to look on debarreth from her light nor kin nor stranger.Proud of her spotless form she, brightly shiming, turneth not from the high nor froom the humble.7 She seeketh men, as she who hath no brother, mounting her car, as 'twere to gather riches.Dawn, like a loving matron for her husband, smiling and well attired, unmasks her beauty.8 The Sister quitteth, for the elder Sister, her place, and having looked on her departeth.She decks her beauty, shining forth with sunbeams, like women trooping to the festal meeting.9 To all these Sisters who ere now have vanished a later one each day in course succeedeth.So, like the past, with days of happy fortune, may the new Dawns shine forth on us with riches.10 Rouse up, O Wealthy One, the liberal givers; let niggard traffickers sleep on unwakened:Shine richly, Wealthy One, on those who worship, richly, glad.Dawn while wasting, on the singer.11 This young Maid from the east hath shone upon us; she harnesseth her team of bright red oxen.She will beam forth, the light will hasten hither, and Agni will be present in each dwelling.12 As the birds fly forth from their resting places, so men with store of food rise at thy dawning.Yea, to the liberal mortal who remaineth at home, O Goddess Dawn, much good thou bringest.13 Praised through my prayer be ye who should be lauded. Ye have increased our wealth, ye Dawnswho love us.
Goddesses, may we win by your good favour wealth to be told by hundreds and by thousands.
HYMN CXXV. Svanaya.1. COMING at early morn he gives his treasure; the prudent one receives and entertains him.Thereby increasing still his life and offspring, he comes with brave sons to abundant riches.2 Rich shall he be in gold and kine and horses. Indra bestows on him great vital power,Who stays thee, as thou comest, with his treasure, like game caught in the net, O early comer.3 Longing, I came this morning to the pious, the son of sacrifice, with car wealth. laden.Give him to drink juice of the stalk that gladdens; prosper with pleasant hymns the Lord of Heroes.4 Health-bringing streams, as milch-cows, flow to profit him who hath worshipped, him who now willworship.To him who freely gives and fills on all sides full streams of fatness flow and make him famous.5 On the high ridge of heaven he stands exalted, yea, to the Gods he goes, the liberal giver.The streams, the waters flow for him with fatness: to him this guerdon ever yields abundance.6 For those who give rich meeds are all these splendours, for those who give rich meeds suns shine inheaven.The givers of rich meeds are made immortal; the givers of rich fees prolong their lifetime.7 Let not the liberal sink to sin and sorrow, never decay the pious -chiefs who worship!Let every man besides be their protection, and let affliction fall upon the niggard.
HYMN CXXVI. Bhavayavya.1. WITH wisdom I present these lively praises of Bhavya dweller on the bank of Sindhu;For he, unconquered King, desiring glory, hath furnished me a thousand sacrifices.2 A hundred necklets from the King, beseeching, a hundred gift-steeds I at once accepted;Of the lord's cows a thousand, I Kaksivan. His deathless glory hath he spread to heaven.3 Horses of dusky colour stood beside me, ten chariots, Svanaya's gift, with mares to draw them.Kine numbering sixty thousand followed after. Kaksivan gained them when the days were closing.4 Forty bay horses of the ten cars' master before a thousand lead the long procession.Reeling in joy Kaksivan's sons and Pajra's have grounded the coursers decked with pearly trappings.5 An earlier gift for you have I accepted eight cows, good milkers, and tree harnessed horses,Pajras, who with your wains with your great kinsman, like troops of subjects, have been fain forglory.6 [Ille loquitur]. Adhaerens, arcte adhaerens, illa quac mustelae similis se abdidit, multum humoremeffundens, dat mihi complexuum centum gaudia.7 [Illa loquitur]. Prope, prope accede; molliter me tange. Ne putes pilos corporis mei-paucos esse: totasum villosa sicut Gandharidum ovis.
HYMN CXXVII Agni.1. AGNI I hold as herald, the munificent, the gracious, Son of Strength, who knoweth all that live, asholy Singer, knowing all,Lord of fair rites, a God with form erected turning to the Gods,He, when the flame hath sprung forth from the holy oil, the offered fatness, longeth for it with hisglow.2 We, sacrificing, call on thee best worshipper, the eldest of Angirases, Singer, with hymns, thee,brilliant One! with singers' hymns;Thee, wandering round as 't were the sky, who art the invoking Priest of men,Whom, Bull with hair of flame the people must observe, the people that he speed them on.3 He with his shining glory blazing far and wide, he verily it is who slayeth demon foes, slayeth thedemons like an axe:At whose close touch things solid shake, and what is stable yields like trees.Subduing all, he keeps his ground and flinches not, from the skilled archer flinches not.4 To him, as one who knows, even things solid yield: unrough fire-sticks heated hot he gives his giftsto aid. Men offer Agni gifts for aid.
He deeply piercing many a thing hews it like wood with fervent glow.Even hard and solid food he crunches with his might, yea, hard and solid food with might.5 Here near we place the sacrificial food for him who shines forth fairer in the night than in the day,with life then stronger than by day.His life gives sure and firm defence as that one giveth to a son.The during fires enjoy things given and things not given, the during fires enjoy as food.6 He, roaring very loudly like the Maruts' host, in fertile cultivated fields adorable, in desert spotsadorable,Accepts and eats our offered gifts, ensign of sacrifice by desert;So let all, joying, love his path when he is glad, as men pursue a path for bliss.7 Even as they who sarig forth hymns, addressed to heaven, the Blirgus with their prayer and praiseinvited him, the Bhrgus rubbing, offering gifts.For radiant Agni, Lord of all these treasures, is exceeding strong.May he, the wise, accept the grateful coverings, the wise accept the coverings.8 Thee we invoke, the Lord of all our settled homes, common to all, the household's guardian, toenjoy, bearer of true hymns, to enjoy.Thee we invoke, the guest of men, by whose mouth, even as a sire's,All these Immortals come to gain their food of life, oblations come to Gods as food.9 Thou, Agni, most victorious with thy conquering strength, most Mighty One, art born for service ofthe Gods, like wealth for service of the Gods.Most mighty is thine ecstasy, most splendid is thy mental power.Therefore men wait upon thee, undecaying One, like vassals, undecaying One.10 To him the mighty, conquering with victorious strength, to Agni walking with the dawn, whosendeth kine, be sung your laud, to Agni sung;As he who with oblation comes calls him aloud in every place.Before the brands of fire he shouteth singerlike, the herald, kindler of the brands.11 Agni, beheld by us in nearest neighbourhood, accordant with the Gods, bring us, with graciouslove, great riches with thy gracious love.Give us O Mightiest, what is great, to see and to enjoy the earth.As one of awful power, stir up heroic might for those who praise thee, Bounteous Lord!
HYMN CXXVIII. Agni.1. By Manu's law was born this Agni, Priest most skilled, born for the holy work of those who yearntherefore, yea, born for his own holy work.All ear to him who seeks his love and wealth to him who strives for fame,Priest ne'er deceived, he sits in Ila's holy place, girt round in Ila's holy place.2 We call that perfecter of worship by the path or sacrifice; with reverence rich in offerings, withworship rich in offerings.Through presentation of our food he grows not old in this his from;The God whom Matarisvan brought from far away, for Manu brought from far away.3 In ordered course forthwith he traverses the earth, swift-swallowing, bellowing Steer, bearing thegenial seed, bearing the seed and bellowing.Observant with a hundred eyes the God is conqueror in the wood:Agni, who hath his seat in broad plains here below, and in the high lands far away.4 That Agni, wise High-Priest, in every house takes thought for sacrifice and holy service, yea, takesthought, with mental power, for sacrifice.Disposer, he with mental power shows all things unto him who strives;Whence he was born a guest enriched with holy oil, born as Ordainer and as Priest.5 When through his power and in his strong prevailing flames the Maruts' gladdening boons minglewith Agni's roar, boons gladdening for the active One,Then he accelerates the gift, and by the greatness of his wealth,Shall rescue us from overwhelming misery, from curse and overwhelming woe.
6 Vast, universal, good he was made messenger; the speeder with his right hand hath not loosed hishold, through love of fame not loosed his hold.He bears oblations to the Gods for whosoever supplicates.Agni bestows a blessing on each pious man, and opens wide the doors for him.7 That Agni hath been set most kind in camp of men, in sacrifice like a Lord victorious, like a dearLord in sacred rites.His are the oblations of mankind when offered up at Ili's place.He shall preserve us from Varuna's chastisement, yea, from the great God's chastisement.8 Agni the Priest they supplicate to grant them wealth: him, dear, most thoughtful, have they madetheir messenger, him, offering-bearer have they made,Beloved of all, who knoweth all, the Priest, the Holy one, the Sage-Him, Friend, for help, the Gods when they are fain for wealth, him, Friend, with hymns, when fain forwealth.
HYMN CXXIX Indra.1. THE car which Indra, thou, for service of the Gods though it be far away, O swift One, bringestnear, which, Blameless One, thou bringest near,Place swiftly nigh us for our help: be it thy will that it be strong.Blameless and active, hear this speech of orderers, this speech of us like orderers.2 Hear, Indra, thou whom men in every fight must call to show thy strength, for cry of battle with themen, with men of war for victory.He who with heroes wins the light, who with the singers gains the prize,Him the rich seek to gain even as a swift strong steed, even as a courser fleet and strong.3 Thou, Mighty, pourest forth the hide that holds the rain, thou keepest far away, Hero, the wickedman, thou shuttest out the wicked man.Indra, to thee I sing, to Dyaus, to Rudra glorious in himself,To Mitra, Varuna I sing a far-famed hymn to the kind God a far-famed hymn.4 We. wish our Indra here that he may further you, the Friend, beloved of all, the very strong ally, inwars the very strong allyIn all encounters strengthen thou our prayer to be a help to us.No enemy-whom thou smitest downsubdueth thee, no enemy, whom thou smitest down.5 Bow down the overweening pride of every foe with succour like to kindling-wood in fiercest flame,with mighty succour, Mighty One.Guide us, thou Hero, as of old, so art thou counted blameless still.Thou drivest, as a Priest, all sins of man away, as Priest, in person, seeking us.6 This may I utter to the present Soma-drop, which, meet to be invoked, with power, awakes theprayer, awakes the demon-slaying prayer.May he himself with darts of death drive far from us the scorner's hate.Far let him flee away who speaketh wickedness and vanish like a mote of dust.7 By thoughtful invocation this may we obtain, obtain great wealth, O Wealthy One, with Hero sons,wealth that is sweet with hero sons.Him who is wroth we pacify with sacred food and eulogies,Indra the Holy with our calls inspired and true, the Holy One with calls inspired.8 On, for your good and ours, come Indra with the aid of his own lordliness to drive the wicked hence,to rend the evilhearted ones!The weapon which devouring fiends cast at us shall destroy themselves.Struck down, it shall not reach the mark; hurled forth, the fire-brand shall not strike.9 With riches in abundance, Indra, come to us, come by an unobstructed path, come by a path fromdemons free.Be with us when we stray afar, be with us when our home is nigh.Protect us with thy help both near and far away: protect us ever with thy help.10 Thou art our own, O Indra, with victorious wealth: let might accompany thee, the Strong, to giveus aid, like Mitra, to give mighty aid.
O strongest saviour, helper thou, Immortal! of each warrior's car.Hurt thou another and not us, O Thunderarmed, one who would hurt, O Thunder-armed!11 Save us from injury, thou who art well extolled: ever the warder-off art thou of wicked ones, evenas a God, of wicked ones;Thou slayer of the evil fiend, saviour of singer such as I.Good Lord, the Father made thee slayer of the fiends, made thee, good Lord, to slay the fiends.
HYMN CXXX. Indra.1. Come to us, Indra, from afar, conducting us even as a lord of heroes to the gatherings, home, like aKing, his heroes' lord.We come with gifts of pleasant food, with juice poured forth, invoking thee,As sons invite a sire, that thou mayst get thee strength thee, bounteousest, to get thee strength.2 O Indra, drink the Soma juice pressed out with stones. poured from the reservoir, as an ox drinksthe spring, a very thirsty bull the spring.For the sweet draught that gladdens thee, for mightiest freshening of thy strength.Let thy Bay Horses bring thee hither as the Sun, as every day they bring the Sun.3 He found the treasure brought from heaven that lay concealed, close-hidden, like the nestling of abird, in rock, enclosed in never-enffing rock.Best Angiras, bolt-armed, he strove to win, as 'twere, the stall of kine;So Indra hath disclosed the food concealed, disclosed the doors, the food that lay concealed.4 Grasping his thunderbolt with both hands, Indra made its edge most keen, for hurling, like acarving-knife for Ahi's slaughter made it keen.Endued with majesty and strength, O Indra, and with lordly might,Thou crashest down the trees, as when a craftsman fells, crashest them down as with an axe.5 Thou, Indra, without effort hast let loose the floods to run their free course down,like chariots, to the sea, like chariots showing forth their strength.They, reaching hence away, have joined their strength for one eternal end,Even as the cows who poured forth every thing for man, Yea, poured forth all thing- for mankind.6 Eager for riches, men have formed for thee this song, like as a skilful craftsman fashioneth a car, sohave they wrought thee to their bliss;Adorning thee, O Singer, like a generous steed for deeds of might,Yea, like a steed to show his strength and win the prize, that he may bear each prize away.7 For Puru thou hast shattered, Indra ninety forts, for Divodasa thy boon servant with thy bolt, ODancer, for thy worshipper.For Atithigva he, the Strong, brought Sambara. from the mountain down,Distributing the mighty treasures with his strength, parting all treasures with his strength.8 Indra in battles help his Aryan worshipper, he who hath hundred helps at hand in every fray, infrays that win the light of heaven.Plaguing the lawless he gave up to Manu's seed the dusky skin;Blazing, 'twere, he burns each covetous man away, he burns, the tyrannous away.9 Waxed strong in might at dawn he tore the Sun's wheel off. Bright red, he steals away their speech,the Lord of Power, their speech he steals away from them,As thou with eager speed, O Sage, hast come from far away to helAs winning for thine own all happiness of men, winning all happiness each day.10 Lauded with our new hymns, O vigorous in deed, save us with strengthening help, thou Shattererof the Forts!Thou, Indra, praised by Divodasa's clansmen, as heaven grows great with days, shalt wax in glory.
HYMN CXXXI. Indra.1. To Indra Dyaus the Asura hath bowed him down, to Indra mighty Earth with wide-extendingtracts, to win the light, with wide-spread tracts.All Gods of one accord have set Indra in front preeminent.
For Indra all libations must be set apart, all man's libations set apart.2 In all libations men with hero spirit urge the Universal One, each seeking several light, each fain towin the light apart.Thee, furthering like a ship, will we set to the chariot-pole of strength,As men who win with sacrifices Indra's thought, men who win Indra with their lauds.3 Couples desirous of thine aid are storming thee, pouring their presents forth to win a stall of kine,pouring gifts, Indra, seeking thee.When two men seeking spoil or heaven thou bringest face to face in war,Thou showest, Indra, -then the bolt thy constant friend, the Bull that ever waits on thee.4 This thine heroic power men of old time have known, wherewith thou breakest down, Indra,autumnal forts, breakest them down with conquering might.Thou hast chastised, O Indra, Lord of Strength, the man who worships not,And made thine own this great earth and these water-floods; with joyous heart these waterfloods.5 And they have bruited far this hero-might when thou, O Strong One, in thy joy helpest thysuppliants, who sought to win thee for their Friend.Their battle-cry thou madest sound victorious in the shocks of war.One stream after another have they gained from thee, eager for glory have they gained.6. Also this morn may he be well inclined to us, mark at our call our offerings and our song of praise,our call that we may win the light.As thou, O Indra Thunder-armed, wilt, as the Strong One, slay the foe,Listen thou to the prayer of me a later sage, hear thou a later sage's prayer.7 O Indra, waxen strong and well-inclined to us, thou very mighty, slay the man that is our foe, slaythe man, Hero! with thy bolt.Slay thou the man who injures us: hear thou, as readiest, to hear.Far be malignity, like mischief on the march, afar be all malignity.
HYMN CXXXII. Indra.1. HELPED, Indra Maghavan, by thee in war of old, may we subdue in fight the men who strive withus, conquer the men who war with us.This day that now is close at hand bless him who pours the Soma juice.In this our sacrifice may we divide the spoil, showing our strength, the spoil of war.2 In war which wins the light, at the freegiver's call, at due oblation of the early-rising one, oblationof the active one,Indra slew, even as we know-whom each bowed head must reverence.May all thy bounteous gifts be gathered up for us, yea, the good gifts of thee the Good.3 This food glows for thee as of old at sacrifice, wherein they made thee chooser of the place , forthou choosest the place of sacrifice.Speak thou and make it known to us they see within with beams of light.Indra, indeed, is found a seeker after spoil, spoil-seeker for his own allies.4 So now must thy great deed be lauded as of old, when for the Angirases thou openedst the stall,openedst, giving aid, the stall.In the same manner for us here fight thou and be victorious:To him who pours the juice give up the lawless man, the lawless who is wroth with us.5 When with wise plan the Hero leads the people forth, they conquer in the ordered battle, seekingfame, press, eager, onward seeking fame.To him in time of need they sing for life with offspring and with strength.Their hymns with Indra find a welcome place of rest: the hynins go forward to the Gods.6 Indra and Parvata, our champions in the fight, di ive ye away each man who fain would war withus, drive him far from us with the bolt.Welcome to him concealed afar shall he the lair that he hath found.So may the Render rend our foes on every side, rend them, O Hero, everywhere.
HYMN CXXXIII. Indra.
1. WITH sacrifice I purge both earth and heaven: I burn up great she-fiends who serve not Indra,Where throttled by thy hand the foes were slaughtered, and in the pit of death lay pierced andmangled.2 O thou who castest forth the stones crushing the sorceresses' heads,Break them with thy wide-spreading foot, with thy wide-spreading mighty foot.3 Do thou, O Maghavan, beat off these sorceresses' daring strength.Cast them within the narrow pit. within the deep and narrow pit.4 Of whom thou hast ere now destroyed thrice-fifty with thy fierce attacks.That deed they count a glorious deed, though small to thee, a glorious deed.5 O Indra, crush and bray to bits the fearful fiery-weaponed fiend:Strike every demon to the ground.6 Tear down the mighty ones. O Indra, hear thou us. For heaven hath glowed like earth in fear, Onunder-armed, as dreading fierce heat, Thunder-armed!Most Mighty mid the Mighty Ones thou speedest with strong bolts of death,Not slaying men, unconquered Hero with the brave, O Hero, with the thrice-seven brave.7 The pourer of libations gains the home of wealth, pouring his gift conciliates hostilities, yea, thehostilities of Gods.Pouring, he strives, unchecked and strong, to win him riches thousandfold.Indra gives lasting wealth to him who pours forth gifts, yea, wealth he gives that long shall last.
HYMN CXXXIV. Vayu.1. Vayu, let fleet-foot coursers bring thee speedily to this our feast, to drink first of the juice we pour,to the first draught of Soma juice.May our glad hymn, discerning well, uplifted, gratify thy mind.Come with thy team-drawn car, O Vayu, to the gift, come to the sacrificer's gift.2 May the joy-giving drops, O Vayu gladden thee, effectual, well prepared, directed to the heavens,strong, blent with milk and seeking heaven;That aids, effectual to fulfil, may wait upon our skilful power.Associate teams come hitherward to grant our prayers . they shall address the hymns we sing.3 Two red steeds Vayu yokes, Vayu two purple steeds, swift-footed, to the chariot, to the pole todraw, most able, at the pole, to draw.Wake up intelligence, as when a lover wakes his sleeping love.Illumine heaven and earth, make thou the Dawns to shine, for glory make the Dawns to shine.4 For thee the radiant Dawns in the fardistant sky broaden their lovely gannents forth in wondrousbeams, bright-coloured in their new-born beams.For thee the nectar-yielding Cow pours all rich treasures forth as milk.The Marut host hast thou engendered from the womb, the Maruts from the womb of heaven.5 For thee the pure bright quickly-flowing Soma-drops, strong in their heightening power, hasten tomixthemselves, hasten to the water to be mixed.To thee the weary coward prays for luck that he may speed away.Thou by thy law protectest us from every world, yea, from the world of highest Gods.6 Thou, Vayu, who hast none before thee, first of all hast right to drink these offerings of Soma juice,hast right to drink the juice out-poured,Yea, poured by all invoking tribes who free themselves from taint of sin,For thee all cows are milked to yield the Soma-milk, to yield the butter and the milk.
HYMN CXXXV. Vayu, Indra-Vayu.1. STREWN is the sacred grass; come Vayu, to our feast, with team of thousands, come, Lord of theharnessed team, with hundreds, Lord of harnessed steeds!The drops divine are lifted up for thee, the God, to drink them first.The juices rich in sweets have raised thern for thy joy, have raised themselves to give thee strength.
2 Purified by the stones the Soma flows for thee, clothed with its lovely splendours, to the reservoir,flows clad in its refulgent light.For thee the Soma is poured forth, thy portioned share mid. Gods and men.Drive thou thy horses, Vayu, come to us with love, come well-inclined and loving us.3 Come thou with hundreds, come with thousands in thy team to this our solemn rite, to taste thesacred food, Vayu, to taste the offerings.This is thy seasonable share, that comes co-radiant with the Sun.Brought by attendant priests pure juice is offered up, Vayu, pure juice is offered up.4 The chariot with its team of horses bring you both, to guard us and to taste the well-appointedfood, Vayu, to taste the offerings!Drink of the pleasant -flavoured juice the first draught is assigned to you.O Vayu, with your splendid bounty come ye both, Indra, with bounty come ye both.5 May our songs bring you hither to our solemn rites: these drops of mighty vigour have they beautified, like a swift veed of mighty strength.Drink of them well-inclined to us, come hitherward to be our help.Drink, Indra-Vayu, of these Juices pressed with stones, Strength-givers! till they gladden you.6 These Soma juices pressed for you in waters here, borne by attendant priests, are oficredup to you:bright, Vayu, are they offered up.Swift through the strainer have they flowed, and here are shed for both ofyou,Soma-drops, fain for you, over the wether's fleece, Somas over the wether's fleece.7 O Vayu, pass thou over all the,slumberers, and where the press-stone rings enter ye both thathouse, yea, Indra, go ye both within.The joyous Maiden is beheld, the butter flows. With richly laden team come to our solemn rite, yea,Indra, come ye to the rite.8 Ride hither to the offering of the pleasant juice, the holy Fig-tree which victorious priests surround:victorious be they still for us.At once the cows yield milk, the barleymeal is dressed. For thee,O Vayu, never shall the cows grow thin, never for thee shall they be dry.9 These Bulls of thine, O Vayu with the arm of strength, who swiftly fly within the current of thystream, the Bulls increasing in their might,Horseless, yet even through the waste swift-moving, whom no shout can stay,Hard to be checked are they, like sunbeams, in their course. hard to be checked by both the hands.
HYMN CXXXVI. Mitra-Varuna.1. BRING adoration ample and most excellent, hymn, offierings, to the watchful Twain, the bountiful,your sweetest to the bounteous Ones.Sovrans adored with streams of oil and praised at every sacrifice.Their high imperial might may nowhere be assailed, ne'er may their Godhead be assailed.2 For the broad Sun was seen a path more widely laid, the path of holy law hath been maintainedwith rays, the eye with Bhaga's rays of light.Firm-set in heaven is Mitra's home, and Aryaman's and Varuna's.Thence they give forth great vital strength which merits praise, high power of life that men shallpraise.3 With Aditi the luminous, the celestial, upholder of the people, come ye day by day, ye who watchsleepless, day by day.Resplendent might have ye obtained, Adityas, Lords of liberal gifts.Movers of men, mild both, are Mitra, Varuna, mover of men is Aryaman.4 This Soma be most sweet to Mitra, Varuna: he in the drinking-feasts, shall have a share thereof,sharing, a God, among the Gods.May all the Gods of one accord accept it joyfully to-day.Therefore do ye, O Kings, accomplish what we ask, ye Righteous Ones, whate'er we ask.5 Whoso, with worship serves Mitra and VaruiIa, him guard ye carefully, uninjured, from distress,guard from distress the liberal man.
Aryaman guards him well who acts uprightly following his law,Who beautifies their service with his lauds, who makes it beautiful with songs of praise.6 Worship will I proress to lofty Dyaus, to Heaven and Earth, to Mitra and to bounteous Varuna, theBounteous, the Compassionate.Praise Indra, praise thou Agni, praise Bhaga and heavenly Aryaman.Long may we live and have attendant progeny, have progeny with Soma's help.7 With the Gods' help, with Indra still beside us, may we be held self-splendid with the Maruts.May Agni, Mitra, Varuna give us shelter this may we gain, we and our wealthy princes.
HYMN CXXXVII. Mitra-Varuna.1. WITH stones have we pressed out: O come; these gladdening drops are blent with milk, theseSoma-drops which gladden you.Come to us, Kings who reach to heaven, approach us, coming hitherward.These milky drops are yours, Mitra and Varuna, bright Soma juices blent with milk.2 Here are the droppings; come ye nigh the Soma-droppings blent with curd, juices expressed andblent with curd.Now for the wakening of your Dawn together with the Sun-God's rays,juice waits for Mitra and for Varuna to drink, fair juice for drink, for sacrihce.3 As 'twere a radiant-coloured cow, they milk with stones the stalk for you, with stones they milk theSoma-plant.May ye come nigh us, may ye turn hither to drink the Soma juice.The men pressed out this juice, Mitra and Varuna, pressed out this Soma for your drink.
HYMN CXXXVIII. Pusan.1. STRONG Pusan's majesty is lauded evermore, the glory of his lordly might is never faint, his songof praise is never faint.Seeking felicity I laud him nigh to help, the source, of bliss,Who, Vigorous one, hath drawn to him the hearts of all, drawn them, the Vigorous One, the God.2 Thee, then, O Pusan, like a swift one on his way, I urge with lauds that thou mayst make thefoemen flee, drive, camel-like, our foes afar.As I, a man, call thee, a God, giver of bliss, to be my Friend,So make our loudly-chanted praises glorious, in battles make them glorious.3 Thou, Pusan, in whose friendship they who sing forth praise enjoy advantage, even in wisdom,through thy grace, in wisdom even they are advanced.So, after this most recent course, we come to thee with prayers for wealth.Not stirred to anger, O Wide-Ruler, come to us, come thou to us in every fight.4 Not stirred to anger, come, Free-giver, nigh to us, to take this gift of ours, thou who hast goats forsteeds, Goat-borne! their gift who long for fame.So, Wonder-Worker! may we turn thee hither with effectual lauds.I slight thee not, O Pusan, thou Resplendent One: thy friendship may not be despised.
HYMN CXXXIX. Visvedevas.1. HEARD be our prayer! In thought I honour Agni first: now straightway we elect this heavenlycompany, Indra and Vayu we elect.For when our latest thought is raised and on Vivasvan centred well,Then may our holy songs go forward on their way, our songs as 'twere unto the Gods.2 As there ye, Mitra, Varuna, above the true have taken to yourselves the untrue with your mind,with wisdom's mental energy,So in the seats wherein ye dwell have we beheld the Golden One,Not with our thoughts or spirit, but with these our eyes, yea, with the eyes that Soma gives.3 Asvins, the pious call you with their hymns of praise, sounding their loud song forth to you, theseliving men, to their oblations, living men.
All glories and all nourishment, Lords of all wealth! depend on you.The fellies of your golden chariot scatter drops, Mighty Ones! of your golden car.4 Well is it known, O Mighty Ones: ye open heaven; for you the chariotsteeds are yoked for morningrites, unswerving steeds for morning rites,We set you on the chariot-scat, ye Mighty, on the golden car.Ye seek mid-air as by a path that leads aright, as by a path that leads direct.5 O Rich in Strength, through your great power vouchsafe us blessings day and night.The offerings which we bring to you shall never fail, gifts brought by us shall never fail.6 These Soma-drops, strong Indra! drink for heroes, poured, pressed out by pressing-stones, arewelling forth for thee, for thee the drops are welling forth.They shall make glad thy heart to give, to give wealth great and wonderful.Thou who acceptest praise come glorified by hymns, come thou to us benevolent.7 Quickly, O Agni, hear us: magnified by us thou shalt speck for us to the Gods adorable yea, to theKings adorable:When, O ye Deities, ye gave that Milch-cow to the Angirases,They milked her: Aryaman, joined with them, did the work: he knoweth her as well as I.8 Ne'er may these manly deeds of yours for us grow old, never may your bright glories fall into decay,never before our time decay.What deed of yours, new every age, wondrous, surpassing man, rings forth,Whatever, Maruts! may be difficult to gain, grant us, whate'er is hard to gain.9 Dadhyac of old, Anigiras, Priyamedha these, and Kanva, Atri, Manu knew my birth, yea, tbose ofancient days and Manu knew.Their long line stretcheth to the Gods, our birth-connexions are with them.To these, for their high station, 1 bow down with song, to Indra, Agni, bow with song.10 Let the Invoker bless: let offerers bring choice gifts; Brhaspati the Friend doth sacrifice withSteers, Steers that have many an excellence.Now with our ears we catch the sound of the press-stone that rings afar.The very Strong hath gained the waters by himself, the strong gained many a resting-place.11 O ye Eleven Gods whose home is heaven, O ye Eleven who make earth your dwelling,Ye who with might, Eleven, live in waters, accept this sacrifice, O Gods, with pleasure.
HYMN CXL. Agni.1 To splendid Agni seated by the altar, loving well his home, I bring the food as 'twere his place ofbirth.I clothe the bright One with my hymn as with a robe, him with the car of light, bright-hued, dispellinggloom.2 Child of a double birth he grasps at triple food; in the year's course what he hath swallowed growsanew.He, by another's mouth and tongue a noble Bull, with other, as an elephant, consumes the trees.3 The pair who dwell together, moving in the dark bestir themselves: both parents hasten to thebabe,Impetuous-tongued, destroying, springing swiftly forth, one to be watched and cherished,strengthener of his sire.4 For man, thou Friend of men, these steeds of thine are yoked, impatient, lightly running, ploughingblackened lines,Discordant-minded, fleet, gliding with easy speed, urged onward by the wind and rapid in theircourse.5 Dispelling on their way the horror of black gloom , making a glorious show these flames Of his flyforth,When o'er the spacious tract he spreads himself abroad, and rushes panting on with thunder andwith roar.6 Amid brown plants he stoops as if adorning them, and rushes bellowing like a bull upon his wives.Proving his might, he decks the glory of his form, and shakes his horns like one terrific, bard to stay.
7 Now covered, now displayed he grasps as one who knows his resting-place in those who know himwell.A second time they wax and gather Godlike power, and blending both together change their Parents'form.8 The maidens with long, tresses hold him in embrace; dead, they rise up again to meet the LivingOne.Releasing them from age with a loud roar he comes, filling them with new spirit, living, unsubdued.9 Licking the mantle of the Mother, far and wide he wanders over fields with beasts that flee apace.Strengthening all that walk, licking up all around, a blackened path, forsooth, he leaves where'er hegoes.10 O Agni, shine resplendent with our wealthy chiefs, like a loud-snorting bull, accustomed to thehouse.Thou casting off thine infant wrappings blazest forth as though thou hadst put on a coat of mail forwar.11 May this our perfect prayer be dearer unto thee than an imperfect prayer although it please theewell.With the pure brilliancy that radiates from thy form, mayest thou grant to us abundant store ofwealth.12 Grant to our chariot, to our house, O Agni, a boat with moving feet and constant oarage,One that may further well our wealthy princes and all the folk, and be our certain refuge.13 Welcome our laud with thine approval, Agni. May earth and heaven and freely flowing riversYield us long life and food and corn and cattle, and may the red Dawns choose for us their choicest.
HYMN CXLI. Agni.1. YEA, verily, the fair effulgence of the God for glory was established, since he sprang from strength.When he inclines thereto successful is the hymn: the songs of sacrifice have brought him as they flow2 Wonderful, rich in nourishment, he dwells in food; next, in the seven auspicious Mothers is hishome.Thirdly, that they might drain the treasures of the Bull, the maidens brought forth him for whom theten provide.3 What time from out the deep, from the Steer's wondrous form, the Chiefs who had the powerproduced him with their strength;When Matarisvan rubbed forth him who lay concealed, for mixture of the sweet drink, in the days ofold.4 When from the Highest Father he is brought to us, amid the plants he rises hungry, wondrously.As both together join to expedite his birth, most youthful he is born resplendent in his light.5 Then also entered he the Mothers, and in them pure and uninjured he increased in magnitude.As to the first he rose, the vigorous from of old, so now he runs among the younger lowest ones.6 Therefore they choose him Herald at the morning rites, pressing to him as unto Bhaga, pouringgifts,When, much-praised, by the power and will of Gods, he goes at all times to his mortal worshipper todrink.7 What time the Holy One, wind-urged, hath risen up, serpent-like winding through the dry grassunrestrained,Dust lies upon the way of him who burneth all, black-winged and pure of birth who follows sundrypaths.8 Like a swift chariot made by men who know their art, he with his red limbs lifts himself aloft toheaven.Thy worshippers become by burning black of hue: their strength flies as before a hero's violence.9 By thee, O Agni, Varuna who guards the Law, Mitra and Aryaman, the Bounteous, are made strong;For, as the felly holds the spokes, thou with thy might pervading hast been born encompassing themround.10 Agni, to him who toils and pours libations, thou, Most Youthful! sendest wealth and all the host ofGods.
Thee, therefore, even as Bhaga, will we set anew, young Child of Strength, most wealthy! in ourbattle-song.11 Vouchsafe us riches turned to worthy ends, good luck abiding in the house, and strong capacity,Wealth that directs both worlds as they were guiding-reins, and, very Wise, the Gods' assent insacrifice.12 May he, the Priest resplendent, joyful, hear us, he with the radiant car and rapid horses.May Agni, ever wise, with best directions to bliss and highest happiness conduct us.13 With hymns of might hath Agni now been lauded, advanced to height of universal kingship.Now may these wealthy chiefs and we together spread forth as spreads the Sun above the rain-clouds.
HYMN CXLII Apris.1. KINDLED, bring, Agni, Gods to-day for him who lifts the ladle up.Spin out the ancient thread for him who sheds, with gifts, the Soma juice.2 Thou dealest forth, Tanunapat, sweet sacrifice enriched with oil,Brought by a singer such as I who offers gifts and toils for thee.3 He wondrous, sanctifying, bright, sprinkles the sacrifice with mead,Thrice, Narasamsa from the heavens, a God mid Gods adorable.4 Agni, besought, bring hitherward Indra the Friend, the Wonderful,For this my hymn of praise, O sweet of tongue, is chanted forth to thee.5 The ladle-holders strew trimmed grass at this well-ordered sacrifice;A home for Indra is adorned, wide, fittest to receive the Gods.6 Thrown open be the Doors Divine, unfailing, that assist the rite,High, purifying, much-desired, so that the Gods may enter in.7 May Night and Morning, hymned with lauds, united, fair to look upon,Strong Mothers of the sacrifice, seat them together on the grass.8 May the two Priests Divine, the sage, the sweet-voiced lovers of the hymn,Complete this sacrifice of ours, effectual, reaching heaven to-day.9 Let Hotri pure, set amang Gods, amid the Maruts Bhirati, Ila, Sarasvati, Mahi, rest on the grass,adorable.10 May Tvastar send us genial dew abundant, wondrous, rich in gifts,For increase and for growth of wealth, Tvastar our kinsman and our Friend.11 Vanaspati, give forth, thyself, and call the Gods to sacrifice.May Agni, God intelligent, speed our oblation to the Gods.12 To Vayu joined with Pusan, with the Maruts, and the host of Gods,To Indra who inspires the hymn cry Glory! and present the gift.13 Come hither to enjoy the gifts prepared with cry of Glory! Come,O Indra, hear their calling; they invite thee to the sacrifice.
HYMN CXLIII. Agni.1. To Agni I present a newer mightier hymn, I bring my words and song unto the Son of Strength,Who, Offspring of the Waters, bearing precious things sits on the earth, in season, dear InvokingPriest.2 Soon as he sprang to birth that Agni was shown forth to Matarisvan in the highest firmament.When he was kindled, through his power and majesty his fiery splendour made the heavens andearth to shine.3 His flames that wax not old, beams fair to look upon of him whose face is lovely, shine withbeauteous sheen.The rays of Agni, him whose active force is light, through the nights glimmer sleepless, ageless, likethe floods.4 Send thou with hymns that Agni to his own abode, who rules, one Sovran Lord of wealth, likeVaruna,
Him, All-possessor, whom the Bhrgus with their might brought to earth's central point, the centre ofthe world.5 He whom no force can stay, even as the Maruts' roar, like to a dart sent forth, even as the bolt fromheaven,Agni with sharpened jaws chews up and cats the trees, and conquers them as when the warriorsmites his foes.6 And will not Agni find enjoyment in our praise, will not the Vasu grant our wish with gifts ofwealth?Will not the Inspirer speed our prayers to gain their end? Him with the radiant glance 1 laud with thismy song.7 The kindler of the flame wins Agni as a Friend, promoter of the Law, whose face is bright with oil.Inflamed and keen, refulgent in our gatherings, he lifts our hymn on high clad in his radiant hues.8 Keep us incessantly with guards that cease not, Agni, with guards auspicious, very mighty.With guards that never slumber, never heedless, never beguiled. O Helper, keep our children.
HYMN CXLIV. Agni.1. THE Priest goes forth to sacrifice, with wondrous power sending aloft the hymn of gloriousbrilliancy.He moves to meet the ladles turning to the right, which are the first to kiss the place where heabides.2 To him sang forth the flowing streams of Holy Law, encompassed in the home and birth-place ofthe God.He, when he dwelt extended in the waters' lap, absorbed those Godlike powers for which he isadored.3 Seeking in course altern to reach the selfsame end the two copartners strive to win this beauteousform.Like Bhaga must he be duly invoked by us, as he who drives the car holds fast the horse's reins.4 He whom the two copartners with observance tend, the pair who dwell together in the sameabode,By night as in the day the grey one was born young, passing untouched by eld through many an ageof man.5 Him the ten fingers, the devotions. animate: we mortals call on him a God to give us help.He speeds over the sloping surface of the land: new deeds hath he performed with those who girdhim round.6 For, Agni, like a herdsman, thou by thine own might rulest o'er all that is in heaven and on theearth;And these two Mighty Ones, bright, golden closely joined, rolling them round are come unto thysacred grass.7 Agni, accept with joy, be glad in this our prayer, joy-giver, self-sustained, strong, born of Holy Law!For fair to see art thou turning to every side, pleasant to look on as a dwelling filled with food.
HYMN CXLV. Agni.1. Ask ye of him for he is come, he knoweth it; he, full of wisdom, is implored, is now implored.With him are admonitions and with him commands: he is the Lord of Strength, the Lord of Power andMight.2 They ask of him: not all learn by their questioning what he, the Sage, hath grasped, as 'twere, withhis own mind.Forgetting not the former nor the later word, he goeth on, not careless, in his mental power.3 To him these ladles go, to him these racing mares: he only will give ear to all the words I speak.All-speeding, victor, perfecter of sacrifice, the Babe with flawless help hath mustered vigorous might.4 Whate'er he meets he grasps and then runs farther on, and straightway, newly born,creeps forwardwith his kin.He stirs the wearied man to pleasure and great joy what time the longing gifts approach him as hecomes.
5 He is a wild thing of the flood and forest: he hath been laid upon the highest surface.He hath declared the lore of works to mortals, Agni the Wise, for he knows Law, the Truthful.
HYMN CXLVI. Agni.1. I LAUD the seven-rayed, the triple-headed, Agni all-perfect in his Parents' bosom,Sunk in the lap of all that moves and moves not, him who hath filled all luminous realms of heaven.2 As a great Steer he grew to these his Parents; sublime lie stands, untouched by eld, far-reaching.He plants his footsteps on the lofty ridges of the broad earth: his red flames lick the udder.3 Coming together to their common youngling both Cows, fairshaped, spread forth in all directions,Measuring out the paths that must be travelled, entrusting all desires to him the Mighty.4 The prudent sages lead him to his dwelling, guarding with varied skill the Ever-Youthful.Longing, they turned their eyes unto the River: to these the Sun of men was manifested.5 Born noble in the regions, aim of all mens' eyes to be implored for life by great and small alike,Far as the Wealthy One hath spread himself abroad, he is the Sire all-visible of this progeny.
HYMN CXLVII. Agni.1. How, Agni, have the radiant ones, aspiring, endued thee with the vigour of the living,So that on both sides fostering seed and offspring, the Gods may joy in Holy Law's fulfilment?2 Mark this my speech, Divine One, thou, Most Youthful! offered to thee by him who gives mostfreely.One hates thee, and another sings thy praises: I thine adorer laud thy form, O Agni.3 Thy guardian rays, O Agni, when they saw him, preserved blind Mamateya from affliction.Lord of all riches, he preserved the pious the foes who fain would harm them did no mischief.4 The sinful man who worships not, O Agni, who, offering not, harms us with double-dealing,-Be this in turn to him a heavy sentence may he distress himself by his revilings.5 Yea, when a mortal knowingly, O Victor, injures with double tongue a fellow-mortal,From him, praised Agni! save thou him that lauds thee: bring us not into trouble and affliction.
HYMN CXLVIII. Agni.1. WHAT Matarisvan, piercing, formed by friction, Herald of all the Gods. in varied figure,Is he whom they have set mid human houses, gay-hued as light and shining forth for beauty.2 They shall not harm the man who brings thee praises: such as I am, Agni my help approves me.All acts of mine shall they accept with pleasure, laudation from the singer who presents it.3 Him in his constant seat men skilled in worship have taken and with praises have established.As, harnessed to a chariot fleet-foot horses, at his command let bearers lead him forward.4 Wondrous, full many a thing he chews and crunches: he shines amid the wood with spreadingbrightness.Upon his glowing flames the wind blows daily, driving them like the keen shaft of an archer.5 Him, whom while yet in embryo the hostile, both skilled and fain to harm, may never injure,Men blind and sightless through his splendour hurt not: his never-failing lovers have preserved him.
HYMN CXLIX. Agni.1. HITHER he hastens to give, Lord of great riches, King of the mighty, to the place of treasure.lie pressing-stones shall serve him speeding near us.2 As Steer of men so Steer of earth and heaven by glory, he whose streams all life hath drunken,Who hasting forward rests upon the altar.3 He who hath lighted up the joyous castle, wise Courser like the Steed of cloudy heaven,Bright like the Sun, with hundredfold existence.4 He, doubly born, hath spread in his effulgence through the three luminous realms, through all theregions,Best sacrificing Priest where waters gather.
5 Priest doubly born, he through his love of glory hath in his keeping all things worth the choosing,The man who brings him gifts hath noble offspring.
HYMN CL. Agni.1. AGNI, thy faithful servant I call upon thee with many a gift,As in the keeping of the great inciting God;2 Thou who ne'er movest thee to aid the indolent, the godless man,Him who though wealthy never brings an offering.3 Splendid, O Singer, is that man, mightiest of the great in heaven.Agni, may we be foremost, we thy worshippers.
HYMN CLI. Mitra and Varuna1. HEAVEN and earth trembled at the might and voice of him, whom, loved and Holy One, helper ofall mankind,The wise who longed for spoil in fight for kine brought forth with power, a Friend, mid waters, at thesacrifice.2 As these, like friends, have done this work for you, these prompt servants of Purumilha Soma-offerer,Give mental power to him who sings the sacred song, and hearken, Strong Ones, to the master ofthehouse.3 The folk have glorified your birth from Earth and Heaven, to be extolled, ye Strong Ones, for yourmighty power.Ye, when ye bring to singer and the rite, enjoy the sacrifice periormed with holy praise and strength.4 The people prospers, Asuras! whom ye dearly love: ye, Righteous Ones, proclaim aloud the HolyLaw.That efficacious power that comes from lofty heaven, ye bind unto the work, as to the pole an ox.5 On this great earth ye send your treasure down with might: unstained by dust, the crowding kineare in the stalls.Here in the neighbourhood they cry unto the Sun at morning and at evening, like swift birds of prey.6 The flames with curling tresses serve your sacrifice, whereto ye sing the song, Mitra and Varuna.Send down of your free will, prosper our holy songs: ye are sole Masters of the singer's hymn ofpraise.7 Whoso with sacrifices toiling brings you gifts, and worships, sage and priest, fulfilling your desire,-To him do ye draw nigh and taste his sacrifice. Come well-inclined to us unto our songs and prayer.8 With sacrifices and with milk they deck you first, ye Righteous Ones, as if through stirrings of themind.To you they bring their hymns with their collected thought, while ye with earnest soul come to usgloriously.9 Rich strength of life is yours: ye, Heroes, have obtained through your surpassing powers rich far-extending might.Not the past days conjoined with nights, not rivers, not the Papis have attained your Godhead andyour wealth.
HYMN CLII. Mitra-Varuna.1. THE robes which ye put on abound with fatness: uninterrupted courses are your counsels.All falsehood, Mitra-Varuna! ye conquer, and closely cleave unto the Law Eternal.2 This might of theirs hath no one comprehended. True is the crushing word the sage hath uttered,The fearful four-edged bolt smites down the three-edged, and those who hate the Gods first fall andperish.3 The Footless Maid precedeth footed creatures. Who marketh, Mitra-Varuna, this your doing?The Babe Unborn supporteth this world's burthen, fuIfilleth Law and overcometh falsehood.4 We look on him the darling of the Maidens, always advancing, never falling downward,Wearing inseparable, wide-spread raiment, Mitra's and Varuna's delightful glory.
5 Unbridled Courser, horn but not of horses, neighing he flieth on with back uplifted.The youthful love mystery thought-surpassing, praising in Mitra-Varuna, its glory.6 May the milch-kine who favour Mamateya prosper in this world him who loves devotion.May he, well skilled in rites, be food, and calling Aditi with his lips give us assistance.7 Gods, Mitra-Varuna, with love and worship, let me make you delight in this oblation.May our prayer be victorious in battles, may we have rain from heaven to make us prosper.
HYMN CLIII. Mitra-Varuna.1. WE worship with our reverence and oblations you, Mitra Varuna, accordant, mighty,So that with us, ye Twain whose backs are sprinkled with oil, the priests with oil and hymns supportyou.2 Your praise is like a mighty power, an impulse: to you, Twain Gods, a well-formed hymn is offered,As the priest decks yon, Strong Ones, in assemblies, and the prince fain to worship you for blessings.3 O Mitra-Varuna, Aditi the Milch-cow streams for the rite, for folk who bring oblation,When in the assembly he who worships moves you, like to a human priest, with gifts presented.4 So may the kine and heavenly Waters pour you sweet drink in families that make you joyful.Of this may he, the ancient House-Lord, give us. Enjoy, drink of the milk the cow provideth.
HYMN CLIV. Visnu1. I WILL declare the mighty deeds of Visnu, of him who measured out the earthly regions,Who propped the highest place of congregation, thrice setting down his footstep, widely striding.2 For this his mighty deed is Visnu lauded, like some wild beast, dread, prowling, mountain-roaming;He within whose three wide-extended paces all living creatures have their habitation.3 Let the hymn lift itself as strength to Visnu, the Bull far-striding, dwelling on the mountains,Him who alone with triple step hath measured this common dwelling-place, long, far extended.4 Him whose three places that are filled with sweetness, imperishable, joy as it may list them,Who verily alone upholds the threefold, the earth, the heaven, and all living creatures.5 May I attain to that his well-loved mansion where men devoted to the Gods are happy.For there springs, close akin to the Wide-Strider, the well of meath in Visnu's highest footstep.6 Fain would we go unto your dwelling-places where there are many-horned and nimble oxen,For mightily, there, shineth down upon us the widely-striding Bull's sublimest mansion.
HYMN CLV. Visnu-Indra.1. To the great Hero, him who sets his mind thereon, and Visnu, praise aloud in song your draught ofjuice,-Gods ne'er beguiled, who borne as 'twere by noble steed, have stood upon the lofty ridges of thehills.2 Your Soma-drinker keeps afar your furious rush, Indra and Visnu, when ye come with all your might.That which hath been directed well at mortal man, bow-armed Krsanu's arrow, ye turn far aside.3 These offerings increase his mighty manly strength: he brings both Parents down to share thegenial flow.He lowers, though a son, the Father's highest name; the third is that which is high in the light ofheaven.4 We laud this manly power of him the Mighty One, preserver, inoffensive, bounteous and benign;His who strode, widely pacing, with three steppings forth over the realms of earth for freedom andfor life.5 A mortal man, when he beholds two steps of him who looks upon the light, is restless with amaze.But his third step doth no one venture to approach, no, nor the feathered birds of air who fly withwings.6 He, like a rounded wheel, hath in swift motion set his ninety racing steeds together with the four.Developed, vast in form, with those who sing forth praise, a youth, no more a child, he cometh to ourcall.
HYMN CLVI. Visnu1. FAR-SHINING, widely famed, going thy wonted way, fed with the oil, be helpful. Mitra-like, to us.So, Visnu, e'en the wise must swell thy song of praise, and he who hath oblations pay thee solemnrites.2 He who brings gifts to him the Ancient and the Last, to Visnu who ordains, together with hisSpouse,Who tells the lofty birth of him the Lofty One, shall verily surpass in glory e'en his peer.3 Him have ye satisfied, singers, as well as ye know, primeval germ of Order even from his birth.Ye, knowing e'en his name, have told it forth: may we, Visnu, enjoy the grace of thee the Mighty One.4 The Sovran Varuna and both the Asvins wait on this the will of him who guides the Marut host.Visnu hath power supreme and might iliat finds the day, and with his Friend unbars the stable of thekine.5 Even he the Heavenly One who came for fellowship, Visnu to Indra, godly to the godlier,Who Maker, throned in three worlds, helps the Aryan man, and gives the worshipper his share ofHoly Law.
HYMN CLVII. Asvins.1. AGNI is wakened: Surya riseth from the earth. Mighty, refulgent Dawn hath shone with all herlight.The Asvins have equipped their chariot for the course. God Savitar hath moved the folk in sundryways.2 When, Asvins, ye equip your very mighty car, bedew, ye Twain, our power with honey and with oil.To our devotion give victorious strength in war: may we win riches in the heroes' strife for spoil.3 Nigh to us come the Asvins' lauded three-wheeled car, the car laden with meath and drawn byfleet-foot steeds,Three-seated, opulent, bestowing all delight. may it bring weal to us, to cattle and to men.4 Bring hither nourishment for us, ye Asvins Twain; sprinkle us with your whip that drops withhoney-dew.Prolong our days of life, wipe out our trespasses; destroy our foes, be our companions and ourFriends.5 Ye store the germ of life in female creatures, ye lay it up within all living beings.Ye have sent forth, O Asvins passing mighty, the fire, the sovrans of the wood, the waters,6 Leeches are ye with medicines to heal us, and charioteers are ye with skill in driving.Ye Strong, give sway to him who brings oblation and with his heart pours out his gift before you.
HYMN CLVIII. Asvins.1. YE Vasus Twain, ye Rudras full of counsel, grant us, Strong Strengtheners, when ye stand besideus,What wealth Aucathya craves of you, great Helpers when ye come forward with no niggard succour.2 Who may give you aught, Vasus, for your favour, for what, at the Cow's place, ye grant throughworship?Wake for us understanding full of riches, come with a heart that will fulfil our longing.3 As erst for Tugra's son your car, sea-crossing, strong, was equipped and set amid the waters,So may I gain your shelter and protection as with winged course a hero seeks his army.4 May this my praise preserve Ucathya's offispring: let not these Twain who fly with wings exhaustme.Let not the wood ten times up-piled consume me, when fixed for you it bites the ground it stands on.5 The most maternal streams, wherein the Dilsas cast me securely bound, have not devoured me.When Traitana would cleave my head asunder, the Dasa wounded his own breast and shoulders.6 Dirghatamas the son of Mamati hath come to length of days in the tenth age of human kind.He is the Brahman of the waters as they strive to reach their end and aim: their charioteer is he.
HYMN CLIX. Heaven and Earth.1. I PRAISE with sacrifices mighty Heaven and Earth at festivals, the wise, the Strengtheners of Law.Who, having Gods for progeny, conjoined with Gods, through wonder-working wisdom bring forthchoicest boons.2 With invocations, on the gracious Father's mind, and on the Mother's great inherent power I muse.Prolific Parents, they have made the world of life, and for their brood all round wide immortality.3 These Sons of yours well skilled in work, of wondrous power, brought forth to life the two greatMothers first of all.To keep the truth of all that stands and all that moves, ye guard the station of your Son who knowsno guile.4 They with surpassing skill, most wise, have measured out the Twins united in their birth and intheir home.They, the refulgent Sages, weave within the sky, yea, in the depths of sea, a web for ever new.5 This is to-day the goodliest gift of Savitar: this thought we have when now the God is furthering us.On us with loving-kindness Heaven and Earth bestow riches and various wealth and treasurehundredfold!
HYMN CLX. Heaven and Earth.1. THESE, Heaven and Earth, bestow prosperity on all, sustainers of the region, Holy Ones and wise,Two Bowls of noble kind: between these Goddesses the God, the fulgent Sun, travels by fixed decree.2 Widely-capacious Pair, mighty, that never fail, the Father and the Mother keep all creatures safe:The two world-halves, the spirited, the beautiful, because the Father hath clothed them in goodlyforms.3 Son of these Parents, he the Priest with power to cleanse, Sage, sanctifies the worlds with hissurpassing power.Thereto for his bright milk he milked through all the days the party-coloured Cow and the prolificBull.4 Among the skilful Gods most skilled is he, who made the two world-halves which bring prosperityto all;Who with great wisdom measured both the regions out, and stablished them with pillars that shallne'er decay.5 Extolled in song, O Heaven and Earth, bestow on us, ye mighty Pair, great glory and high lordlysway,Whereby we may extend ourselves ever over the folk; and send us strength that shall deserve thepraise of men.
HYMN CLXI. Rbhus.1 WHY hath the Best, why hath the Youngest come to us? Upon what embassy comes he? What havewe said?We have not blamed the chalice of illustrious birth. We, Brother Agni, praised the goodness of thewood.2 The chalice that is single make ye into four: thus have the Gods commanded; therefore am I come.If, O Sudhanvan's Children, ye will do this thing ye shall participate in sacrifice with Gods.3 What to the envoy Agni in reply ye spake, A courser must be made, a chariot fashioned here,A cow must be created, and the Twain made young. When we have done these things, Brother, weturn to you.4 When thus, O Rbhus, ye had done ye questioned thus, Whither went he who came to us amessenger?Then Tvastar, when he viewed the four wrought chalices, concealed himself among the Consorts ofthe Gods.5 As Tvastar thus had spoken, Let us slay these men who have reviled the chalice, drinking-cup ofGods,They gave themselves new names when Soma juice was shed, and under these new names theMaiden welcomed them.
6 Indra hath yoked his Bays, the Asvins' car is horsed, Brhaspati hath brought the Cow of every hue.Ye went as Rbhus, Vibhvan, Vaja to the Gods, and skilled in war, obtained your share in sacrifice.7 Ye by your wisdom brought a cow from out a hide; unto that ancient Pair ye gave again their youth.Out of a horse, Sudhanvan's Sons, ye formed a horse: a chariot ye equipped, and went unto the Gods.8 Drink ye this water, were the words ye spake to them; or drink ye this, the rinsing of the Munja-grass.If ye approve not even this, Sudhanvan's Sons, then at the third libation gladden ye yourselves.9 Most excellent are waters, thus said one of you; most excellent is Agni, thus another said.Another praised to many a one the lightning cloud. Then did ye shape the cups, speaking the wordsof truth.10 One downward to the water drives the crippled cow, another trims the flesh brought on thecarving-board.One carries off the refuse at the set of sun. How did the Parents aid their children in their task!11 On the high places ye have made the grass for man, and water in the valleys, by your skill, O Men.Rbhus, ye iterate not to-day that act of yours, your sleeping in the house of him whom naught canhide.12 As, compassing them round, ye glided through the worlds, where had the venerable Parents theirabode?Ye laid a curse on him who raised his arm at you: to him who spake aloud to you ye spake again.13 When ye had slept your fill, ye Rbhus, thus ye asked, O thou whom naught may hide, who nowhath wakened us?The goat declared the hound to be your wakener. That day, in a full year, ye first unclosed our eyes.14 The Maruts move in heaven, on earth this Agni; through the mid-firmament the Wind approaches.Varuna comes in the sea's gathered waters, O Sons of Strength, desirous of your presence.
HYMN CLXIL The Horse.1. SLIGHT us not Varuna, Aryaman, or Mitra, Rbhuksan, Indra, Ayu, or the Maruts,When we declare amid the congregation the virtues of the strong Steed, God-descended.2 What time they bear before the Courser, covered with trappings and with wealth, the graspedoblation,The dappled goat goeth straightforward, bleating, to the place dear to Indra and to Pusan.3 Dear. to all Gods, this goat, the share of Pusan, is first led forward with the vigorous Courser,While Tvastar sends him forward with the Charger, acceptable for sacrifice, to glory.4 When thrice the men lead round the Steed, in order, who goeth to the Gods as meet oblation,The goat precedeth him, the share of Pusan, and to the Gods the sacrifice announceth.5 Invoker, ministering priest, atoner, fire-kindler Soma-presser, sage, reciter,With this well ordered sacrifice, well finished, do ye fill full the channels of the rivers.6 The hewers of the post and those who carry it, and those who carve the knob to deck the Horse'sstake;Those who prepare the cooking-vessels for the Steed,-may the approving help of these promote ourwork.7 Forth, for the regions of the Gods, the Charger with his smooth back is come my prayer attendshim.In him rejoice the singers and the sages. A good friend have we won for the Gods' banquet.8 May the fleet Courser's halter and his heel-ropes, the head-stall and the girths and cords about him.And the grass put within his mouth to bait him,-among the Gods, too, let all these be with thee.9 What part of the Steed's flesh the fly hath eaten, or is left sticking to the post or hatchet,Or to the slayer's hands and nails adhereth,-among the Gods, too, may all this be with thee.10 Food undigested steaming from his belly, and any odour of raw flesh remaining,This let the immolators set in order and dress the sacrifice with perfect cooking.11 What from thy body which with fire is roasted, when thou art set upon the spit, distilleth,Let not that lie on earth or grass neglected, but to the longing Gods let all be offered.
12 They who observing that the Horse is ready call out and say, the smell is good; remove it;And, craving meat, await the distribution, -may their approving help promote labour.13 The trial-fork of the flesh-cooking caldron, the vessels out of which the broth is sprinkled,The warming-pots, the covers of the dishes, hooks, carving-boards,-all these attend the Charger.14 The starting-place, his place of rest and rolling, the ropes wherewith the Charger's feet werefastened,The water that he drank, the food he tasted, -among the Gods, too, may all these attend thee.15 Let not the fire, smoke-scented, make thee crackle, nor glowing caldron smell and break to pieces.Offered, beloved, approved, and consecrated,-such Charger do the Gods accept with favour.16 The robe they spread upon the Horse to clothe him, the upper covering and the golden trappings,The halters which restrain the Steed, the heel-ropes,-all these, as grateful to the Gods, they offer.17 If one, when seated, with excessive urging hath with his heel or with his whip distressed thee,All these thy woes, as with the oblations' ladle at sacrifices, with my prayer I banish.18 The four-and-thirty ribs of the. Swift Charger, kin to the Gods, the slayer's hatchet pierces.Cut ye with skill, so that the parts be flawless, and piece by piece declaring them dissect them.19 Of Tvastar's Charger there is one dissector,-this is the custom-two there are who guide him.Such of his limbs as I divide in order, these, amid the balls, in fire I offer.20 Let not thy dear soul burn thee as thou comest, let not the hatchet linger in thy body.Let not a greedy clumsy immolator, missing the joints, mangle thy limbs unduly.21 No, here thou diest not, thou art not injured: by easy paths unto the Gods thou goest.Both Bays, both spotted mares are now thy fellows, and to the ass's pole is yoked the Charger.22 May this Steed bring us all-sustaining riches, wealth in good kine,good horses, manly offspring.Freedom from sin may Aditi vouchsafe us: the Steed with our oblations gain us lordship!
HYMN CLXIII. The Horse.1. WHAT time, first springing into life, thou neighedst, proceeding from the sea or upper waters,Limbs of the deer hadst thou, and eagle pinions. O Steed, thy birth is nigh and must be lauded.2 This Steed which Yama gave hath Trita harnessed, and him, the first of all, hath Indra mounted.His bridle the Gandharva grasped. O Vasus, from out the Sun ye fashioned forth the Courser.3 Yama art thou, O Horse; thou art Aditya; Trita art thou by secret operation.Thou art divided thoroughly from Soma. They say thou hast three bonds in heaventhat hold thee.4 Three bonds, they say, thou hast in heaven that bind thee, three in the waters,three within the ocean.To me thou seernest Varuna , O Courser, there where they say is thy sublimest birth-place.5 Here-, Courser, are the places where they groomed thee, here are the traces of thy hoofs as winner.Here have I seen the auspicious reins that guide thee, which those who guard the holy Law keepsafely.6 Thyself from far I recognized in spirit,-a Bird that from below flew through the heaven.I saw thy head still soaring, striving upward by paths unsoiled by dust, pleasant to travel.7 Here I beheld thy form, matchless in glory, eager to win thee food at the Cow's station.Whene'er a man brings thee to thine enjoyment, thou swallowest the plants most greedy eater.8 After thee, Courser, come the car, the bridegroom, the kine come after, and the charm of maidens.Full companies have followed for thy friendship: the pattern of thy vigour Gods have copied.9 Horns made of gold hath he: his feet are iron: less fleet than he, though swift as thought, is Indra.The Gods have come that they may taste the oblation of him who mounted, first of all, the Courser.10 Symmetrical in flank, with rounded haunches, mettled like heroes, the Celestial CoursersPut forth their strength, like swans in lengthened order, when they, the Steeds, have reached theheavenly causeway.11 A body formed for flight hast thou, O Charger; swift as the wind in motion is thy spirit.Thy horns are spread abroad in all directions: they move with restless beat in wildernesses.
12 The strong Steed hath come forward to the slaughter, pondering with a mind directed God-ward.The goat who is his kin is led before him the sages and the singers follow after.13 The Steed is come unto the noblest mansion, is come unto his Father and his Mother.This day shall he approach the Gods, most welcome: then he declares good gifts to him who offers.
HYMN CLXIV. Visvedevas.1. OF this benignant Priest, with eld grey-coloured, the brother midmost of the three is lightning.The third is he whose back with oil is sprinkled. Here I behold the Chief with seven male children.2 Seven to the one-wheeled chariot yoke the Courser; bearing seven names the single Courser drawsit.Three-naved the wheel is, sound and undecaying, whereon are resting all these worlds of being.3 The seven who on the seven-wheeled car are mounted have horses, seven in tale, who draw themonward.Seven Sisters utter songs of praise together, in whom the names of the seven Cows are treasured.4 Who hath beheld him as he sprang to being, seen how the boneless One supports the bony?Where is the blood of earth, the life, the spirit? Who may approach the man who knows, to ask it?5 Unripe in mind, in spirit undiscerning, I ask of these the Gods' established places; For up above theyearling Calf the sages, to form a web, their own seven threads have woven.6 I ask, unknowing, those who know, the sages, as one all ignorant for sake of knowledge,What was that ONE who in the Unborn's image hath stablished and fixed firm these worlds' sixregions.7 Let him who knoweth presently declare it , this lovely Bird's securely founded station.Forth from his head the Cows draw milk, and, wearing his vesture, with their foot have drunk thewater.8 The Mother gave the Sire his share of Order: with thought, at first, she wedded him in spirit.She, the coy Dame, was filled with dew prolific: with adoration men approached to praise her.9 Yoked was the Mother to the boon Cow's car-pole: in the dank rows of cloud the Infant rested.Then the Calf lowed, and looked upon the Mother, the Cow who wears all shapes in three directions.10 Bearing three Mothers and three Fathers, single he stood erect: they never make him weary.There on the pitch of heaven they speak together in speech all-knowing but not all-impelling.11 Formed with twelve spokes, by length of time, unweakened, rolls round the heaven this wheel ofduring Order.Herein established, joined in pairs together, seven hundred Sons and twenty stand, O Agni.12 They call him in the farther half of heaven the Sire five-footed, of twelve forms, wealthy in waterystore.These others say that he, God with far-seeing eyes, is mounted on the lower seven-wheeled, six-spoked car.13 Upon this five-spoked wheel revolving ever all living creatures rest and are dependent.Its axle, heavy-laden, is not heated: the nave from ancient time remains unbroken.14 The wheel revolves, unwasting, with its felly: ten draw it, yoked to the far-stretching car-pole.The Sun's eye moves encompassed by the region: on him dependent rest all living creatures.15 Of the co-born they call the seventh single-born; the six twin pairs are called Rsis, Children ofGods.Their good gifts sought of men are ranged in order due, and various in their form move for the Lordwho guides.16 They told me these were males, though truly females: he who hath eyes sees this, the blinddiscerns not.The son who is a sage hath comprehended: who knows this rightly is his father's father.17 Beneath the upper realm, above this lower, bearing her calf at foot the Cow hath risen.Witherward, to what place hath she departed? Where calves she? Not amid this herd of cattle.18 Who, that the father of this Calf discerneth beneath the upper realm, above the lower,Showing himself a sage, may here declare it? Whence hath the Godlike spirit had its rising?
19 Those that come hitherward they call departing, those that depart they call directed hither.And what so ye have made, Indra and Soma, steeds bear as 'twere yoked to the region's car-pole.20 Two Birds with fair wings, knit with bonds of friendship, in the same sheltering tree have found arefuge.One of the twain eats the sweet Fig-tree's fruitage; the other eating not regardeth only.21 Where those fine Birds hymn ceaselessly their portion of life eternal, and the sacred synods,There is the Universe's mighty Keeper, who, wise, hath entered into me the simple.22 The, tree whereon the fine Birds eat the sweetness, where they all rest and procreate theiroffspring,-Upon its top they say the fig is luscious none gaineth it who knoweth not the Father.23 How on the Gayatri. the Gayatri was based, how from the Tristup they fashioned the Tristup forth,How on the Jagati was based the Jagati,- they who know this have won themselves immortal life.24 With Gayatri he measures out the praise-song, Sama with praise-song, triplet with the Tristup.The triplet witli the two or four-foot measure, and with the syllable they form seven metres.25 With Jagati the flood in heaven he stablished, and saw the Sun in the Rathantara Saman.Gavatri hath, they say, three brands for kindling: hence it excels in majesty and vigour.26 I invocate the milch-cow good for milking so that the milker, deft of hand, may drain her.May Savitar give goodliest stimulation. The caldron is made hot; I will proclaim it.27 She, lady of all treasure, is come hither yearning in spirit for her calf and lowing.May this cow yield her milk for both the Asvins, and may she prosper to our high advantage.28 The cow hath lowed after her blinking youngling; she licks his forehead, as she lows, to form it.His mouth she fondly calls to her warm udder, and suckles him with milk while gently lowing.29 He also snorts, by whom encompassed round the Cow laws as she clings unto the shedder of therain.She with her shrilling cries hath humbled mortal man, and, turned to lightning, hath stripped off hercovering robe.30 That which hath breath and speed and life and motion lies firmly stablished in the midst ofhouses.Living, by offerings to the Dead he moveth Immortal One, the brother of the mortal.31 I saw the Herdsman, him who never stumbles, approaching by his pathways and departing.He, clothed with gathered and diffusive splendour, within the worlds continually travels.32 He who hath made him cloth not comprehend him: from him who saw him surely is he hidden.He, yet enveloped in his Mother's bosom, source of much life, hath sunk into destruction.33 Dyaus is my Father, my begetter: kinship is here. This great earth is my kin and Mother.Between the wide-spread world-halves is the birthb-place: the Father laid the Daughter's germwithin it.341ask thee of the earth's extremest limit, where is the centre of the world, I askthee.1ask thee of the Stallion's seed prolific, I ask of highest heaven where Speech abideth.35 This altar is the earth's extremest limit; this sacrifice of ours is the world's centre.The Stallion's seed prolific is the Soma; this Brahman highest heaven where Speech abideth.36 Seven germs unripened yet are heaven's prolific, seed: their functions they maintain by Visnu'sordinance.Endued with wisdom through intelligence and thought, they compass us about present on everyside.37 What thing I truly am I know not clearly: mysterious, fettered in my mind I wander.When the first-born of holy Law approached me, then of this speech I first obtain a portion.38 Back, forward goes he, grasped by strength inherent, the Immortal born the brother of the mortalCeaseless they movelnopposite directions: men mark the one, and fail to mark the other.39 Upon what syllable of holy praise-song, as twere their highest heaven, the Gods repose them,-Who knows not this, what will he do with praise-song? But they who know it well sit hereassembled.
40 Forunate mayst thou be with goodly pasture, and may we also be exceeding wealthy.Feed on the grass, O Cow, at every season, and coming hitherward drink limpid water.41 Forming the water-floods, the buffalo hath lowed, one-footed or two-footed or four-footed, she,Who hath become eight-footed or hath got nine feet, the thou sand-syllabled in the sublimest heaven.42 From her descend in streams the seas of water; thereby the world's four regions have their being,Thence flows the imperishable flood and thence the universe hath life.43 I saw from far away the smoke of fuel with spires that rose on high o'er that beneath it.The Mighty Men have dressed the spotted bullock. These were the customs in the days aforetime,44 Three with long tresses show in ordered season. One of them sheareth when the year is ended.One with his powers the universe regardeth: Of one, the sweep is seen, but his figure.45 Speech hath been measured out in four divisions, the Brahmans who have understanding knowthem.Three kept in close concealment cause no motion; of speech, men speak only the fourth division.46 They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and he is heavenly nobly-winged Garutman.To what is One, sages give many a title they call it Agni, Yama, Matarisvan.47 Dark the descent: the birds are golden-coloured; up to the heaven they fly robed in the waters.Again descend they from the seat of Order, and all the earth is moistened with their fatness.48 Twelve are the fellies, and the wheel is single; three are the naves. What man hath understood it?Therein are set together spokes three hundred and sixty, which in nowise can be loosened.49 That breast of thine exhaustless, spring of pleasure, wherewith thou feedest all things that arechoicest,Wealth-giver, treasure. finder, free bestower,-bring that, Sarasvati, that we may drain it.50 By means of sacrifice the Gods accomplished their sacrifice: these were the earliest ordinances.These Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there where the Sadhyas, Gods of old, aredwelling.51 Uniform, with the passing days, this water mounts and fails again.The tempest-clouds give life to earth, and fires re-animate the heaven.52 The Bird Celestial, vast with noble pinion, the lovely germ of plants, the germ of waters,Him who delighteth us with rain in season, Sarasvan I invoke that he may help us.
HYMN CLXV. Indra. Maruts.1. WITH what bright beauty are the Maruts jointly invested, peers in age, who dwell together?From what place have they come? With what intention? Sing they their strength through love ofwealth, these Heroes?2 Whose prayers have they, the Youthful Ones, accepted? Who to his sacrifice hath turned theMaruts?We will delay them on their journey sweeping-with what high spirit!-through the air like eagles.3 Whence comest thou alone, thou who art mighty, Indra, Lord of the Brave? What is thy purpose?Thou greetest us when meeting us the Bright Ones. Lord of Bay Steeds, say what thou hast againstus.4 Mine are devotions, hymns; sweet are libations. Strength stirs, and hurled forth is my bolt ofthunder.They call for me, their lauds are longing for me. These my Bay Steeds bear me to these oblations.5 Therefore together with our strong companions, having adorned our bodies, now we harness,Our spotted deer with might, for thou, O Indra, hast learnt and understood our Godlike nature.6 Where was that nature then of yours, O Maruts, that ye charged me alone to slay the Dragon?For I in truth am fierce and strong and mighty. I bent away from every foeman's weapons.7 Yea, much hast thou achieved with us for comrades, with manly valour like thine own, thou Hero.Much may we too achieve, O mightiest Indra, with our great power, we Maruts, when we will it.8 Vrtra I slew by mine own strength, O Maruts, having waxed mighty in mine indignation.I with the thunder in my hand created for man these lucid softly flowing waters.
9 Nothing, O Maghavan, stands firm before thee; among the Gods not one is foundthine equal.None born or springing into life comes nigh thee. Do what thou hast to do, exceeding mighty?10 Mine only be transcendent power, whatever I, daring in my spirit, may accomplish.For I am known as terrible, O Maruts I, Indra, am the Lord of what I ruined.11 Now, O ye Maruts, hath your praise rejoiced me, the glorious hymn which ye have made me,Heroes!For me, for Indra, champion strong in battle, for me, yourselves, as lovers for a lover.12 Here, truly, they send forth their sheen to meet me, wearing their blameless glory and their vigour.When I have seen you, Matuts, in gay splendour, ye have delighted me, so now delight me.13 Who here hath magnified you, O ye Maruts? speed forward, O ye lovers, to your lovers.Ye Radiant Ones, assisting their devotions, of these my holy rites he ye regardful.14 To this hath Minya's wisdom brought us, so as to aid, as aids the poet him who worships.Bring hither quick! On to the sage, ye Maruts! These prayers for you the singer hath recited.15 May this your praise, may this your song, O Maruts, sung by the poet, Mana's son, Mandarya,Bring offspring for ourselves with food to feed us. May we find strengthening food in full abundance!
HYMN CLXVI. Maruts.1. Now let us publish, for the vigorous company the herald of the Strong One, their primeval might.With fire upon your way, O Maruts loud of voice, with battle, Mighty Ones, achieve your deeds ofstrength.2 Bringing the pleasant mcath as 'twere their own dear son, they sport in sportive wise gay at theirgatherings.The Rudras come with succour to the worshipper; self-strong they fail not him who offers sacrifice.3 To whomsoever, bringer of oblations, they immortal guardians, have given plenteous wealth,For him, like loving friends, the Maruts bringing bliss bedew the regions round with milk abundantly.4 Ye who with mighty powers have stirred the regions up, your coursers have sped forth directed bythemselves.All creatures of the earth, all dwellings are afraid, for brilliant is your coming with your spearsadvanced.5 When they in dazzling rush have made the mountains roar, and shaken heaven's high back in theirheroic strength,Each sovran of the forest fears as ye drive near, aid the shrubs fly before you swift as whirlingwheels.6 Terrible Maruts, ye with ne'er-diminished host, with grcat benevolence fulfil our heart's desire.Where'er your lightning bites armed with its gory teeth it crunches up the cattle like a well-aimeddart.7 Givers of during gifts whose bounties never fail, free from ill-will, at sacrifices glorified,They sing their song aloud that they may drink sweet juice: well do they know the Hero's first heroicdeeds.8 With castles hundredfold, O Maruts, guard ye well the man whom ye have loved from ruin and fromsin,-The man whom ye the fierce, the Mighty ones who roar, preserve from calumny by cherishing hisseed.9 O Maruts, in your cars are all things that are good: great powers are set as 'twere in rivalry therein.Rings are upon your shoulders when ye journey forth: your axle turns together both the chariotwheels.10 Held in your manly arms are many goodly things, gold chains are on your chests, and glisteringornaments,Deer-skins are on their shoulders, on their fellies knives: they spread their glory out as birds spreadout their wings.11 Mighty in mightiness, pervading, passing strong, visible from afar as 'twere with stars of heaven,
Lovely with pleasant tongues, sweet singers with their mouths, the Maruts, joined with Indra, shoutforth all around.12 This is your majesty, ye Maruts nobly born, far as the sway of Adid your bounty spreads.Even Indra by desertion never disannuls the boon bestowed by you upon the pious man.13 This is your kinship, Maruts, that, Immortals, ye were oft in olden time regardful of our call,Having vouchsafed to man a hearing through this prayer, by wondrous deeds the Heroes havedisplayed their might.14 That, O ye Maruts, we may long time flourish through your abundant riches, O swift movers,And that our men may spread in the encampment, let me complete the rite with these oblations.15 May this your laud, may this your song, O Maruts, sung by the poet, Mana's son, Mandarya,Bring offspring for ourselves with food to feed us. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXVII. Indra. Maruts.1. A THOUSAND are thy helps for us, O Indra: a thousand, Lord of Bays, thy choice refreshments.Wealth of a thousand sorts hast thou to cheer us: may precious goods come nigh to us in thousands.2 May the most sapient Maruts, with protection, with best boons brought from lofty heaven,approach us,Now when their team of the most noble horses speeds even on the sea's extremest limit.3 Close to them clings one moving in seclusion, like a man's wife, like a spear carried rearward,Well grasped, bright, decked with gold there is Vak also, like to a courtly, eloquent dame, amongthem.4 Far off the brilliant, never-weary Maruts cling to the young Maid as a joint possession.The fierce Gods drave not Rodasi before them, but wished for her to grow their friend and fellow.5 When chose immortal Rodasi to follow- she with loose tresses and heroic spirit-She climbed her servant's chariot, she like Surya with cloud-like motion and refulgent aspect.6 Upon their car the young men set the Maiden wedded to glory, mighty in assemblies,When your song, Maruts, rose, and, with oblation, the Soma-pourer sang his hymn in worship.7 I will declare the greatness of these Maruts, their real greatness, worthy to be lauded,How, with them, she though firm, strong-minded, haughty, travels to women happy in their fortune.8 Mitra and Varuna they guard from censure: Aryaman too, discovers worthless sinners Firm thingsare overthrown that ne'er were shaken: he prospers, Maruts, who gives choice oblations.9 None of us, Maruts, near or at a distance, hath ever reached the limit of your vigour.They in courageous might still waxing boldly have compassed round their foemen like an ocean.10 May we this day be dearest friends of Indra, and let us call on him in fight to-morrow.So were we erst. New might attend us daily! So be with us! Rbhuksan of the Heroes!11 May this your laud, may this your song, O Maruts, sung by the poet, Mana'sson, Mandarya,Bring offspring for ourselves with. food to feed us. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXVIII. Maruts.1. SWIFT gain is his who hath you near at every rite: ye welcome every song of himwho serves theGods.So may I turn you hither with fair hymns of praise to give great succour for the weal of both theworlds.2 Surrounding, as it were, self-born, self-powerful, they spring to life the shakers-down of food andlight;Like as the countess undulations of the floods, worthy of praise when near, like bullocks and likekine.3 They who, like Somas with their well-grown stalks pressed out, imbibed within the heart, dwellthere in friendly wise.Upon their shoulders rests as 'twere a warrior's spear and in their hand they hold a dagger and aring.
4 Self-yoked they have descended lightly from the sky. With your own lash, Immortals, urgeyourselve's to speed.Unstained by dust the Maruts, mighty in their strength, have cast down e'en firm things, armed withtheir shining spears.5 Who among you, O Maruts armed with lightning-spears, moveth you by himself, as with the tonguehis jaws?Ye rush from heaven's floor as though ye sought for food, on many errands like the Sun's diurnalSteed.6 Say where, then, is this mighty region's farthest bound, where, Maruts, is the lowest depth that yehave reached,When ye cast down like chaff the firmly stablished pile, and from the mountain send the glitteringwater-flood?7 Your winning is with strength, dazzling, with heavenly light, with fruit mature, O Maruts, fall ofplenteousness.Auspicious is your gift like a free giver's meed, victorious, spreading far, as of immortal Gods.8 The rivers roar before your chariot fellies when they are uttering the voice of rain-clouds.The lightnings laugh upon the earth beneath them, what time the Maruts scatter forth their fatness.9 Prani brought forth, to fight the mighty battle, the glittering army of the restless Maruts.Nurtured together they begat the monster, and then looked round them for the food thatstrengthens.10 May this your laud, may this your song O Maruts, sung by the poet Mana's son,Mandarya,Bring offspring for ourselves with food to feed us. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXIX. Indra.1. As, Indra, from great treason thou protectest, yea, from great treachery these who approach us,So, marking well, Controller of the Maruts grant us their blessings, for they are thy dearest.2 The various doings of all mortal people by thee are ordered, in thy wisdom, Indra.The host of Marutg goeth forth exulting to win the light-bestowing spoil of battle.3 That spear of thine sat firm for us, O Indra: the Maruts set their whole dread power in motion.E'en Agni shines resplendent in the brush-wood: the viands hold him as floods hold an island.4 Vouchsafe us now that opulence, O Indra, as guerdon won by mightiest donation.May hymns that please thee cause the breast of Vayu to swell as with the mead's refreshingsweetness.5 With thee, O Indra, are most bounteous riches that further every one who lives uprightly.Now may these Maruts show us loving-kindness, Gods who of old were ever prompt to help us.6 Bring forth the Men who rain down boons, O Indra: exert thee in the great terrestrial region;For their broad-chested speckled deer are standing like a King's armies on the field of battle.7 Heard is the roar of the advancing Maruts, terrific, glittering, and swiftly moving,Who with their rush o'erthrow as 'twere a sinner the mortal who would fight with those who lovehim8 Give to the Manas, Indra with Maruts, gifts universal, gifts of cattle foremost.Thou, God, art praised with Gods who must be lauded. May we find strengthening food in fullabundance.
HYMN CLXX. Indra. Maruts.1. NAUGHT is to-day, to-morrow naught. Who comprehends the mystery?We must address ourselves unto another's thought, and lost is then the hope we formed.2 The Maruts are thy brothers. Why, O Indra, wouldst thou take our lives?Agree with them in friendly wise, and do not slay us in the fight.3 Agastya, brother, why dost thou neglect us, thou who art our friend?We know the nature of thy mind. Verity thou wilt give us naught.
4 Let them prepare the altar, let them kindle fire in front: we twoHere will spread sacrifice for thee, that the Immortal may observe.5 Thou, Lord of Wealth, art Master of all treasures, thou, Lord of friends, art thyfriends' best supporter.O Indra, speak thou kindly with the Maruts, and taste oblations in their proper season.
HYMN CLXXI. Maruts.1. To you I come with this mine adoration, and with a hymn I crave the Strong Ones' favourA hymn that truly makes you joyful, Maruts. Suppress your anger and unyoke your horses.2 Maruts, to you this laud with prayer and worship, formed in the mind and heart, ye Gods, is offered.Come ye to us, rejoicing in your spirit, for ye are they who make our prayer effective.3 The Maruts, praised by us, shall show us favour; Maghavan, lauded, shall be most propitious.Maruts,, may all our days that are to follow be very pleasant, lovely and triumphant.4 I fled in terrror from this mighty Indra, my body trembling in alarm, O Maruts.Oblations meant for you had been made ready; these have we set aside: for this forgive us.5 By whom the Manas recognize the day-springs, by whose strength at the dawn of endlessmornings,Give us, thou Mighty, glory with Maruts. fierce with the fierce, the Strong who givest triumph.6 Do thou, O Indra, guard the conquering Heroes, and rid thee of thy wrath against the Maruts,With them, the wise, victorious and bestowing. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXII. Maruts.1. WONDERFUL let your coming be, wondrous with help, ye Bounteous Ones,Maruts, who gleam as serpents gleam.2 Far be from us, O Maruts, ye free givers, your impetuous shaft;Far from us be the stone ye hurl.3 O Bounteous Givers, touch ye not, O Maruts, Trnskanda's folk;Lift ye us up that we may live.
HYMN CLXXIII. Indra.1. THE praise-song let him sing forth bursting bird-like: sing we that hymn which like heaven's lightexpandeth,That the milk-giving cows may, unimpeded call to the sacred grass the Gods' assembly.2 Let the Bull sing with Bulls whose toil is worship, with a loud roar like some wild beast thathungers.Praised God! the glad priest brings his heart's devotion; the holy youth presents twofold oblation.3 May the Priest come circling the measured stations, and with him bring the earth's autumnalfruitage.Let the Horse neigh led near, let the Steer bellow: let the Voice go between both worlds as herald,4 To him we offer welcomest oblations, the pious bring their strength-inspiring praises.May Indra, wondrous in his might, accept them, car-borne and swift to move like the Nasatyas.5 Praise thou that Indra who is truly mighty, the car-borne Warrior, Maghavan the Hero;Stronger in war than those who fight against him, borne by strong steeds, who kills enclosingdarkness;6 Him who surpasses heroes in his greatness: the earth and heavens suffice not for his girdles.Indra endues the earth to be his garment, and, God-like, wears the heaven as 'twere a frontlet,7 Thee, Hero, guardian of the brave in battles, who roamest in the van,-to draw thee hither,Indra, the hosts agree beside the Soma, and joy, for his great actions, in the Chieftain.8 Libations in the sea to thee are pleasant, when thy divine Floods come to cheer these people.To thee the Cow is sum of all things grateful when with the wish thou seekest men and princes.9 So may we in this One be well befriended, well aided as it were through praise of chieftains,
That Indra still may linger at our worship, as one led swift to work, to hear our praises.10 Like men in rivalry extolling princes, our Friend be Indra, wielder of the thunder.Like true friends of some city's lord within them held in good rule with sacrifice they help him.11 For every sacrifice makes Indra stronger, yea, when he goes around angry in spirit;As pleasure at the ford invites the thirsty, as the long way brings him who gains his object.12 Let us not here contend with Gods, O Indra, for here, O Mighty One, is thine own portion,The Great, whose Friends the bounteous Maruts honour, as with a stream, his song who poursoblations.13 Addressed to thee is this our praise, O Indra: Lord of Bay Steeds, find us hereby advancement.So mayst thou lead us on, O God, to comfort. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXIV. Indra.1. THOU art the King of all the Gods, O Indra: protect the men, O Asura, preserve us.Thou Lord of Heroes, Maghavan, our saver, art faithful, very rich, the victory-giver.2 Indra, thou humbledst tribes that spake with insult by breaking down seven autumn forts, theirrefuge.Thou stirredst, Blameless! billowy floods, and gavest his foe a prey to youthful Purukutsa.3 With whom thou drivest troops whose lords are heroes, and bringest daylight now, muchworshipped Indra,With them guard lion-like wasting active Agni to dwell in our tilled fields and in our homestead.4 They through the greatness of thy spear, O Indra, shall, to thy praise, rest in this earthly station.To loose the floods, to seek, for kine, the battle, his Bays he mounted boldly seized the booty.5 Indra, bear Kutsa, him in whom thou joyest: the dark-red horses of the Wind are docile.Let the Sun roll his chariot wheel anear us, and let the Thunderer go to meet the foemen.6 Thou Indra, Lord of Bays, made strong by impulse, hast slain the vexers of thy friends, who givenot.They who beheld the Friend beside the living were cast aside by thee as they rode onward.7 Indra, the bard sang forth in inspiration: thou madest earth a covering for the Dasa.Maghavan made the three that gleam with moisture, and to his home brought Kuyavac to slay him.8 These thine old deeds new bards have sung, O Indra. Thou conqueredst, boundest many tribes forever.Like castles thou hast crushed the godless races, and bowed the godless scorner's deadly weapon.9 A Stormer thou hast made the stormy waters flow down, O Indra, like the running rivers.When o'er the flood thou broughtest them, O Hero, thou keptest Turvaga and Yadu safely.10 Indra, mayst thou be ours in all occasions, protector of the men, most gentle-hearted,Giving us victory over all our rivals. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXV. Indra.1. GLAD thee: thy glory hath been quaffed, Lord of Bay Steeds, as 'twere the bowl's enlivening mead.For thee the Strong there is strong drink, mighty, omnipotent to win.2 Let our strong drink, most excellent, exhilarating, come to thee,Victorious, Indra1 bringing gain, immortal conquering in fight,3 Thou, Hero, winner of the spoil, urgest to speed the car of man.Burn, like a vessel with the flame, the lawless Dasyu, Conqueror!4 Empowered by thine own might, O Sage, thou stolest Sarya's chariot wheel.Thou barest Kutsa with the steeds of Wind to Susna as his death.5 Most mighty is thy rapturous joy, most splendid is thine active power,Wherewith, foe-slaying, sending bliss, thou art supreme in gaining steeds.6 As thou, O Indra, to the ancient singers wast ever joy, as water to the thirsty,So unto thee I sing this invocation. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXVI. Indra.1. CHEER thee with draughts to win us bliss: Soma, pierce Indra in thy strength.Thou stormest trembling in thy rage, and findest not a foeman nigh.2 Make our songs penetrate to him who is the Only One of men;For whom the sacred food is spread, as the steer ploughs the barley in.3 Within whose hands deposited all the Five Peoples' treasures rest.Mark thou the man who injures us and kill him like the heavenly bolt.4 Slay everyone who pours no gift, who, hard to reach, delights thee not.Bestow on us what wealth he hath: this even the worshipper awaits.5 Thou helpest him the doubly strong whose hymns were sung unceasingly.When Indra fought, O Soma, thou helpest the mighty in the fray.6 As thou, O Indra, to the ancient singers wast ever joy, like water to the thirsty,So unto thee I sing this invocation. May we find strengthenifig food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXVII. Indra.1. THE Bull of men, who cherishes all people, King of the Races, Indra, called of many,Fame-loving, praised, hither to me with succour turn having yoked both vigorous Bay Horses!2 Thy mighty Stallions, yoked by prayer, O Indra, thy. Coursers to thy mighty chariot harnessed,-Ascend thou these, and borne by them come hither: with Soma juice out. poured, Indra, we call thee.3 Ascend thy mighty car: the mighty Soma is poured for thee and sweets are sprinkled round us.Come down to us-ward, Bull of human races,come, having harnessed them, with strong Bay Horses.4 Here is God-reaching sacrifice, here the victim; here, Indra,are the prayers, here is the Soma.Strewn is thesacred grass: come hither, Sakra; seatthee and drink: unyoke thy two Bay Coursers.5 Come to us, Indra, come thou highly lauded to the devotions of the singer Mana.Singing, may we find early through thy succour, may we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXVIII. Indra.1. IF, Indra, thou hast given that gracious hearing where with thou helpest those who sang thypraises.Blast not the wish that would exalt us may I gain all from thee, and pay all man's devotions.2 Let not the Sovran Indra disappoint us in what shall bring both Sisters to our dwelling.To him have run the quickly flowing waters.May Indra come to us with life and friendship.3 Victorious with the men, Hero in battles, Indra, who hearsthe singer's supplication,Will bring his car nigh to the man who offers, if he himself upholds the songs that praise him.4 Yea,Indra, with the men, through love of gloryconsumes the sacred food which friends have offered.The ever-strengthening song of him who worships is sung in fight amid the clash of voices.5Aided by thee, O Maghavan, O Indra, may we subdue our foes who count them mighty.Be our protector, strengthen and increase us.May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXIX. Rati.1 'Through many autumns have I toiled and laboured, at night and morn, through age-inducingdawnings.Old age impairs the beauty of our bodies. Let husbands still come near unto their spouses.2 For even the men aforetime, law-fulfillers, who with the Gods declared eternal statutes,--They have decided, but have not accomplished: so now let wives come near unto their husbands.3 Non inutilis est labor cui Dii favent: nos omnes aemulos et aemulas vincamus.Superemus in hac centum artium pugna in qua duas partes convenientes utrinque commovemus.4 Cupido me cepit illius tauri (viri) qui me despicit, utrum hinc utrum illinc ab aliqua parte nata sit.Lopamudra taurum (maritum suum) ad se detrahit: insipiens illa sapientem anhelantem absorbet.5 This Soma I address that is most near us, that which hath been imbibed within the spirit,To pardon any sins we have committed. Verily mortal man is full of longings.
6 Agastya thus, toiling with strong endeavour, wishing for children, progeny and power,Cherished - a sage of mighty strength - both classes, and with the Gods obtained his prayer'sfulfilment.5 Membrum suum virile, quod vrotentum fuerat, mas ille retraxit. Rursus illud quod in juvenem filiamsublatum fuerat, non aggressurus, ad se retrahit.6 Quum jam in medio connessu, semiperfecto opere, amorem in puellam pater impleverat, ambodiscedentes seminis paulum in terrae superficiem sacrorum sede effusum emiserunt.7 Quum pater suam nilam adiverat, cum ea congressus suum semen supra wrrarn effudit. Tum Diibenigni precem (brahma) progenuerunt, et Vastoshpatim, legum sacrarum custodem, formaverunt.8 Ille tauro similis spumam in certamine jactavit, tunc discedens pusillaximis huc profectus est. Quasidextro pede claudus processit, "inutiles fuerunt illi mei complexus," ita locutus.9 'The fire, burning the people, does not approach quickly (by day): the naked (Rakasas approach) notAgni by night; the giver of fuel, and the giver of food, he, the upholder (of the rite), is born,overcoming enemies by his might.'
HYMN CLXXX. Asvins.1. LIGHTLY your coursers travel through the regions when round thesea of air your car is flying.Your golden fellies scatter drops of moisture: drinking the sweetness ye atend the Mornings.2 Ye as ye travel overtake the Courser who flies apart, the Friend of man, most holy.The prayer is that the Sister may convey you, all praised, meath-drinkers! to support and strengthen.3 Ye have deposited, matured within her, in the raw cow the first milk of the milch-cow,Which the bright offerer, shining like a serpent mid trees, presents to you whose form is perfect.4 Ye made the fierce heat to be full of sweetness for Atri at his wish, like streaming water.Fire-offering thence is yours, O Asvins, Heroes: your car-wheels speed to us like springs of honey.5 Like Tugra's ancient son may I, ye Mighty, bring you to give your gifts with milk-oblations.Your greatness compasseth Earth, Heaven, and Waters: decayed for you is sorrow's net, ye Holy.6 When, Bounteous Ones, ye drive your yoked team downward, ye send, by your own natures,understanding.Swift as the wind let the prince please and feast you: he, like a pious man, gains strength forincrease.7 For verily we truthful singers praise you the niggard trafficker is here excluded.Now, even now do ye O blameless Advins, ye Mighty, guard the man whose God is near him.8 You of a truth day after day, O Asvins, that he might win the very plenteous torrent,Agastya, famous among mortal heroes, roused with a thousand lauds like sounds of music.9 When with the glory of your car ye travel, when we go speeding like the priest of mortals,And give good horses to sacrificers, may we, Nasatyas! gain our share of riches.10 With songs of praise we call to-day, O Asvins, that your new chariot, for our own well-being,That circles heaven with never-injured fellies. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXXI. Asvins1. WHAT, dearest Pair, is this in strength and riches that ye as Priests are bring from the waters?This sacrifice is your glorification, ye who protect mankind and give them treasures.2 May your pure steeds, rain-drinkers, bring you hither, swift as the tempest, your celestial coursers,Rapid as thought, with fair backs, full of vigour, resplendent in their native light, O Asvins.3 Your car is like a torrent rushing downward: may it come nigh, broad-seated, for our welfare,-Car holy, strong, that ever would be foremost, thought-swift, which ye, for whom we long, havemounted.4 Here sprung to life, they both have sung together, with bodies free from stain, with signs that markthem;One of you Prince of Sacrifice, the Victor, the other counts as Heaven's auspicious offspring.5 May your car-seat, down-gliding, golden-coloured, according to your wish approach our dwellings.Men shall feed full the bay steeds of the other, and, Asvins they with roars shall stir the regions.
6 Forth comes your strong Bull like a cloud of autumn, sending abundant food of liquid sweetness.Let them feed with the other's ways and vigour: the upper streams have come and do us service.7 Your constant song hath been sent forth, Disposers! that flows threefold in mighty strength, OAsvins.Thus lauded, give the suppliant protection moving or resting hear mine invocation.8 This song of bright contents for you is swelling in the men's hall where three-fold grass is.ready.Your strong rain-cloud, ye Mighty Ones, hath swollen, honouring men as 'twere with milk'soutpouring.9 The prudent worshipper, like Pusan, Asvins! praises you as he praises Dawn and Agni,When, singing with devotion, he invokes you. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXXII. Asvins.1. THIS was the task. Appear promptly, ye prudent Ones. Here is the chariot drawn by strong steeds:be ye glad.Heart-stirring, longed for, succourers of Vispala, here are Heaven's Sons whose sway blesses thepious man.2 Longed for, most Indra-like, mighty, most Marut-like, most w6nderful in deed, car-borne, bestcharioteers,Bring your full chariot hither heaped with liquid sweet: thereon, ye Mvins, come to him who offersgifts.3 What make ye there, ye Mighty? Wherefore linger ye with folk who, offering not, are held in highesteem?Pass over them; make ye the niggard's life decay: give light unto the singer eloquent in praise.4 Crunch up on. every side the dogs who bark at us: slay ye our foes, O Asvins this ye understand.Make wealthy every word of him who praises you: accept with favour, both Nasatyas, this my laud.5 Ye made for Tugra's son amid the water-floods that animated ship with wings to fly withal,Whereon with God-devoted mind ye brought him forth, and fled with easy flight from out the mightysurge.6 Four ships most welcome in the midst of ocean, urged by the Asvins, save the son of Tugra,Him who was cast down headlong in the waters, plunged in the thick inevitable darkness.7 What tree was that which stood fixed in surrounding sea to which the son of Tugra supplicatingclung?Like twigs, of which some winged creature may take hold, ye, Asvins, bore him off safely to yourrenown.8 Welcome to you be this the hymn of praises uttered by Manas, O Nasatyas, Heroes,From this our gathering where we offer Soma. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXXIII. Asvins.1. MAKE ready that which passes thought in swiftness, that hath three wheels and triple seat, yeMighty,Whereon ye seek the dwelling of the pious, whereon, threefold, ye fly like birds with pinions.2 Light rolls your easy chariot faring earthward, what time, for food, ye, full of wisdom, mount it.May this song, wondrous fair, attend your glory: ye, as ye travel, wait on Dawn Heaven's Daughter.3 Ascend your lightly rolling car, approaching the worshipper who turns him to his duties,-Whereon ye come unto the house to quicken man and his offspring, O Nasatyas, Heroes.4 Let not the wolf, let not the she-wolf harm you. Forsake me not, nor pass me by or others.Here stands your share, here is your hymn, ye Mighty: yours are these vessels, full of pleasant juices.5 Gotama, Purumilha, Atri bringing oblations all invoke you for protection.Like one who goes strai ht to the point directed, ye Nasatyas, to mine invocation.6 We have passed o'er the limit of this darkness: our praise hath been bestowed on you, O Asvins.Come hitherward by paths which Gods have travelled. May we find strengthening food in fullabundance.
HYMN CLXXXIV Asvins.1. LET us invoke you both this day and after the priest is here with lauds when morn is breaking:Nasatyas, wheresoe'er ye be, Heaven's Children, for him who is more liberal than the godless.2 With us, ye Mighty, let yourselves be joyful, glad in our stream of Soma slay the niggards.Graciously hear my hymns and invitations, marking, O Heroes, with your cars my longing.3 Nasatyas, Pusans, ye as Gods for glory arranged and set in order Surya's bridal.Your giant steeds move on, sprung from the waters, like ancient times of Varuna the Mighty.4 Your grace be with us, ye who love sweet juices: further the hymn sung by the poet Mana,When men are joyful in your glorious actions, to win heroic strength, ye Bounteous Givers.5 This praise was made, O liberal Lords, O Asvins, for you with fair adornment by the Manas.Come to our house for us and for our children, rejoicing, O Nasatyas, in Agastya.6 We have passed o'er the limit of this darkness: our praise hath been'bestowed on you, O Asvins.Come hitherward by paths which Gods have travelled. may we find strengthening food in fullabundance.
HYMN CLXXXV. Heaven and Earth.1. WHETHER of these is elder, whether later? How were they born? Who knoweth it, ye sages?These of themselves support all things existing: as on a car the Day and Night roll onward.2 The Twain uphold, though motionless and footless, a widespread offspring having feet and moving.Like your own fon upon his parents' bosom, protect us, Heaven and earth, from fearful danger.3 I call for Aditi's unrivalled bounty, perfect, celestial, deathless, meet for worship.Produce this, ye Twain Worlds, for him who lauds you. Protect us, Heaven and Earth, from fearfuldanger.4 May we be close to both the Worlds who suffer no pain, Parents of Gods, who aid with favour,Both mid the Gods, with Day and Night alternate. Protect us, Heaven and Earth, from fearful danger.5 Faring together, young, with meeting limits, Twin Sisters lying in their Parents' bosom,Kissing the centre of the world together. Protect us, Heaven and Earth, from fearful danger.6 Duly I call the two wide seats, the mighty, the general Parents, with the God's protection.Who, beautiful to look on, make the nectar. Protect us, Heaven and Earth, from fearful danger.7 Wide, vast, and manifold, whose bounds are distant,-these, reverent, I address at this our worship,The blessed Pair, victorious, all-sustaining. Protect us, Heaven and Earth, from fearful danger.8 What sin we have at any time committed against the Gods, our friend, our house's chieftain,Thereof may this our hymn be expiation. Protect us, Heaven and Earth, from fearful danger.9 May both these Friends of man, who bless, preserve me, may they attend me with their help andfavour.Enrich the man more liberal than the godless. May we, ye Gods, be strong with food rejoicing.10 Endowed with understanding, I have uttered this truth, for all to hear, to Earth and Heaven.Be near us, keep us from reproach and trouble. Father and Mother, with your help preserve us.11 Be this my prayer fulfilled, O Earth and Heaven, wherewith, Father and Mother, I address you.Nearest of Gods be ye with your protection. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CLXXXVI. Visvedevas.1. LOVED of all men, may Savitar, through praises offered as sacred food, come to our synod,That you too, through-our hymn, ye ever-youthful, may gladden, at your visit, all our people.2 To us may all the Gods come trooped together, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna concordant,That all may be promoters of our welfare, and with great might preserve our strength from slackness.3 Agni I sing, the guest you love most dearly: the Conqueror through our lauds is friendly-minded.That he may be our Varuna rich in glory and send food like a prince praised by the godly.4 To you I seek with reverence, Night and Morning, like a cow good to milk, with hope to conquer,Preparing on a common day the praise. song with milk of various hues within this udder.5 May the great Dragon of the Deep rejoice us: as one who nourishes her young comes Sindhu,
With whom we will incite the Child of Waters whom vigorous course swift as thought bring hither.6 Moreover Tvastar also shall approach us, one-minded with the princes at his visit.Hither shall come the Vrtra-slayer Indra, Ruler of men, as strongest of the Heroes.7 Him too our hymns delight, that yoke swift horses, like mother cows who lick their tenderyoungling.To him our songs shall yield themselves like spouses, to him the most delightful of the Heroes.8 So may the Maruts, armed with mighty weapons, rest here on heaven and earth with hearts inconcord,As Gods whose cars have dappled steeds like torrents, destroyers of the foe allies of Mitra.9 They hasten on to happy termination their orders when they are made known byglory.As on a fair bright day the arrow flieth o'er all the barren soil their missiles sparkle.10 Incline the Asvins to show grace, and Pusan, for power and might have they, their ownpossession.Friendly are Visnu, Vata, and Rbhuksan so may I bring the Gods to make us happy.11 This is my reverent thought of you, ye Holy; may it inspire you, make you dwell among us,-Thought, toiling for the Gods and seeking treasure. May we find strengthening food in fullabundance.
HYMN CLXXXVII. Praise of Food.1. Now will I glorify Food that upholds great strength,By whose invigorating power Trita rent Vrtra limb frorn limb.2 O pleasant Food, O Food of meath, thee have we chosen for our own,So be our kind protector thou.3 Come hitherward to us, O Food, auspicious with auspicious help,Health-bringing, not unkind, a dear and guileless friend.4 These juices which, O Food, are thine throughout the regions are diffused.like winds they have their place in heaven.5 These gifts of thine, O Food, O Food most sweet to taste,These savours of thy juices work like creatures that have mighty necks.6 In thee, O Food, is set the spirit of great Gods.Under thy flag brave deeds were done he slew the Dragon with thy help.7 If thou be gone unto the splendour of the clouds,Even from thence, O Food of meath, prepared for our enjoyment, come.8 Whatever morsel we consume from waters or from plants of earth, O Soma, wax thou fat thereby.9 What Soma, we enjoy from thee in milky food or barley-brew, Vatapi, grow thou fat thereby.10 O Vegetable, Cake of meal, he wholesome, firm, and strengthening: Vatapi, grow thou fat thereby.11 O Food, from thee as such have we drawn forth with lauds, like cows, our sacrificial gifts,From thee who banquetest with Gods, from thee who banquetest with us.
HYMN CLXXXVIII. April1. WINNER of thousands, kindled, thou shinest a God with Gods to-day.Bear out oblations, envoy, Sage.2 Child of Thyself the sacrifice is for the righteous blent with meath,Presenting viands thousandfold.3 Invoked and worthy of our praise bring Gods whose due is sacrifice:Thou, Agni, givest countless gifts.4 To seat a thousand Heroes they eastward have strewn the grass with might,Whereon, Adityas, ye shine forth.5 The sovran all-imperial Doors, wide, good, many and manifold,Have poured their streams of holy oil.
6 With gay adornment, fair to see, in glorious beauty shine they forth:Let Night and Morning rest them here.7 Let these two Sages first of all, heralds divine and eloquent,Perform for us this sacrifice.8 You I address, Sarasvati, and Bharati, and Ila, all:Urge ye us on to glorious fame.9 Tvastar the Lord hath made all forms and all the cattle of the fieldCause them to multiply for us.10 Send to the Gods, Vanaspati, thyself, the sacrificial draught:Let Agni make the oblations sweet.11 Agni, preceder of the Gods, is honoured with the sacred song:He glows at offerings blest with Hail!
HYMN CLXXXIX. Agni.1. BY goodly paths lead us to riches, Agni, God who knowest every sacred duty.Remove the sin that makes us stray and wander. most ample adoration will we bring thee.2 Lead us anew to happiness, O Agni; lead us beyond all danger and affliction.Be unto us a wide broad ample castle bless, prosper on their way our sons and offspring.3 Far from us, Agni, put thou all diseases let them strike lauds that have no saving Agni.God, make our home again to be a b1ess ing, with all the Immortal Deities, O Holy.4 Preserve us, Agni, with perpetual succour, refulgent in the dwelling which thou lovest.O Conqueror, most youthful, let no danger touch him who praises thee to-day or after.5 Give not us up a prey to sin, O Agni, the greedy enemy that brings us trouble;Not to the fanged that bites, not to the toothless: give not us up, thou Conqueror, to the spoiler.6 Such as thou art, born after Law, O Agni when lauded give protection to our bodies,From whosoever would reproach or injure: for thou, God, rcscuest from all oppression.7 Thou, well discerning both these classes, comest to men at early morn, O holy Agni.Be thou obedient unto man at evening, to be adorned, as keen, by eager suitors.8 To him have we addressed our pious speeches, I, Mana's son, to him victorious Agni.May we gain countless riches with the sages. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CXC. Brhaspati.1.GLORIFY thou Brhaspati, the scatheless, who must be praised with hymns, sweet-tongued andmighty,To whom as leader of the song, resplendent, worthy of lauds, both Gods and mortals listen.2 On him wait songs according to the season even as a stream of pious men set moving.Brhaspati-for helaid out the expanses- was, at the sacrifice, vast Matarisvan.3 The praise, the verse that offers adoration, may he bring forth, as the Sun sends his arms out,He who gives daily light through this God's wisdom, strong as a dread wild beast, and inoffensive.4 His song of praise pervades the earth and heaven - let the wise worshipper draw it, like a courser.These of Brhaspati, like hunters' arrows, go to the skies that change their hue like serpents.5 Those, God, who count thee as a worthless bullock, and, wealthy sinners, live on thee theBounteous,-On fools like these no blessing thou bestowest: Brhaspati, thou punishest the spiteful.6 Like a fair path is he, where grass is pleasant, though hard to win, a Friend beloved most early.Those who unharmed by enemies behold us, while: they would make them bare, stood closelycompassed.7 He to whom songs of praise go forth like torrents, as rivers eddying under banks flow sea-ward-Brhaspati the wise, the eager, closely looks upon both, the waters and the vessel.8 So hath Brhaspati, great, strong and mighty, the God exceeding powerful, been brought hither.May he thus lauded give us kine and horses. May we find strengthening food in full abundance.
HYMN CXCI Water. Grass. Sun.1. VENOMOUS, slightly venomous, or venomous aquatic worm,-Both creatures, stinging, unobserved, with poison have infected me.2 Coming, it kills the unobserved; it kills them as it goes away,It kills them as it drives them off, and bruising bruises them to death.3 Sara grass, Darbha, Kusara, and Sairya, Munja, Virana,Where all these creatures dwell unseen, with poison have infected me.4 The cows had settled in their stalls, the beasts of prey had sought their lairs,Extinguished were the lights of men, when things unseen infected me.5 Or these, thesereptiles, are observed, like lurking thieves at evening time.Seers of all, themselves unseen: be therefore very vigilant.6 Heaven is your Sire, your Mother Earth, Soma your Brother, AditiYour Sister: seeing all, unseen, keep still and dwell ye happily.7 Biters of shoulder or of limb, with needle-stings, most venomous,Unseen, whatever ye may be, vanish together and be gone.8 Slayer of things unseen, the Sun, beheld of all, mounts, eastward, up,Consuming all that are not seen, and evil spirits of the night.9 There hath the Sun-God mounted up, who scorches much and everything.Even the Aditya from the hills, all-seen, destroying things unseen.10 I hang the poison in the Sun, a wine-skin in a vintner's house,He will not die, nor shall we die: his path is far: he whom Bay Horses bear hath turned thee to sweetmeath.11 This little bird, so very small, hath swallowed all thy poison up.She will not die, nor shall we die: his path is far: he whom Bay Horses bear hath turned thee to sweetmeath.12 The three-times-seven bright sparks of fire have swallowed up the poison's strength.They will not die, nor shall we die: his path is far: he whom Bay Horses bear hath turned thee tosweet meath.13 Of ninety rivers and of nine with power to stay the venom's course,-The names of all I have secured: his path is far: he whom Bay Horses bear hath turned thee to sweetmeath.14 So have the peahens three-times-seven, so have the maiden Sisters SevenCarried thy venom far away, as girls bear water in their jars.15 The poison-insect is so small; I crush the creature with a stone.I turn the poison hence away, departed unto distant lands.16 Forth issuing from the mountain's side the poison-insect spake and said:The scorpion's venom hath no strength Scorpion, thy venom is but weak.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE SECOND
HYMN I. Agni.1. THOU, Agni, shining in thy glory through the days, art brought to life from out the waters, from thestone:From out the forest trees and herbs that grow on ground, thou, Sovran Lord of men art generatad(sic) pure.2 Thine is the Herald's task and Cleanser's duly timed; Leader art thou, and Kindler for the piousman.Thou art Director, thou the ministering Priest: thou art the Brahman, Lord and Master in our home.3 Hero of Heroes, Agni! Thou art Indra, thou art Visnu of the Mighty Stride, adorable:Thou, Brahmanaspati, the Brahman finding wealth: thou, O Sustainer, with thy wisdom tendest us.4 Agni, thou art King Varuna whose laws stand fast; as Mitra, Wonder-Worker, thou must beimplored.Aryaman, heroes' Lord, art thou, enrich ing all, and liberal Amsa in the synod, O thou God.5 Thou givest strength, as Tvastar, to the worshipper: thou wielding Mitra's power hast kinship withthe Dames.Thou, urging thy fleet coursers, givest noble steeds: a host of heroes art thou with great store ofwealth.6 Rudra art thou, the Asura of mighty heaven: thou art the Maruts' host, thou art the Lord of food,Thou goest with red winds: bliss hast thou in thine home. As Pusan thou thyself protectestworshippers.7 Giver of wealth art thou to him who honours thee; thou art God Savitar, granter of precious things.As Bhaga, Lord of men! thou rulest over wealth, and guardest in his house him who hath served theewell.8 To thee, the people's Lord within the house, the folk press forward to their King most graciouslyinclined.Lord of the lovely look, all things belong to thee: ten, hundred, yea, a thousand are outweighed bythee.9 Agni, men seek thee as a Father with their prayers, win thee, bright-formed, to brotherhood withholy act.Thou art a Son to him who duly worships thee, and as a trusty Friend thou guardest from attack.10 A Rbhu art thou, Agni, near to be adored thou art the Sovran Lord of foodful spoil and wealth.Thou shinest brightly forth, thou burnest to bestow: pervading sacrifice, thou lendest us thine help.11 Thou, God, art Aditi to him who offers gifts: thou, Hotri, Bharati, art strengthened by the song.Thou art the hundred-wintered Ila to give strength, Lord of Wealth! Vrtra-slayer and Sarasvati.12 Thou, Agni, cherished well, art highest vital power; in thy delightful hue are glories visible.Thou art the lofty might that furthers each design: thou art wealth manifold, diffused on every side.13 Thee, Agni, have the Adityas taken as their mouth; the Bright Ones have made thee, O Sage, to betheir tongue.They who love offerings cling to thee at solemn rites: by thee the Gods devour the duly offered food.14 By thee, O Agni, all the Immortal guileless Gods cat with thy mouth the oblation that is offeredthem.By thee do mortal men give sweetness to their drink. Bright art thou born, the embryo of the plants ofearth.15 With these thou art united, Agni; yea thou, God of noble birth, surpassest them in majesty,Which, through the power of good, here spreads abroad from thee, diffused through both the worlds,throughout the earth and heaven.16 The princely worshippers who send to those who sing thy praise, O Agni, guerdon graced withkine and steeds,-Lead thou both these and us forward to higher bliss. With brave men in the assembly may we speakaloud.
HYMN II. Agni.1. WITH sacrifice exalt Agni who knows all life; worship him 'with oblation and the song of praise,Well kindled, nobly fed; heaven's Lord, Celestial Priest, who labours at the pole where deeds of mightare done.2 At night and morning, Agni, have they called to thee, like milch-kine in their stalls lowing to meettheir young.As messenger of heaven thou lightest all night long the families of men. Thou Lord of precious boons.3 Him have the Gods established at the region's base, doer of wondrous deeds, Herald of heaven andearth;Like a most famous car, Agni the purely bright, like Mitra. to be glorified among the folk.4 Him have they set in his own dwelling, in the vault, like the Moon waxing, fulgent, in the realm ofair.Bird of the firmament, observant with his eyes, guard of the place as 'twere, looking to Gods andmen.5 May he as Priest encompass all the sacrifice. men throng to him with offerings and with hymns ofpraise.Raging with jaws of gold among the growing plants, like heaven with all the stars, he quickens earthand sky.6 Such as thou art, brilliantly kindled for our weal, a liberal giver, send us riches in thy shine,For our advantage, Agni, God, bring Heaven and Earth hither that they may taste oblation brought byman.7 Agni, give us great wealth, give riches thousandfold. unclose to us, like doors, strength that shallbring renown.Make Heaven and Earth propitious through the power of prayer, and like the sky's bright sheen letmornings beam on us.8 Enkindled night by night at every morning's dawn, may he shine forth with red flame like the realmof light,-Agni adored in beauteous rites with lauds of men, fair guest of living man and King of all our folk.9 Song chanted by us men, O Agni, Ancient One, has swelled unto the deathless Gods in loftyheaven-A milch-cow yielding to the singer in the rites wealth manifold, in hundreds, even as he wills.10 Agni, may we show forth our valour with the steed or with the power of prayer beyond all othermen;And over the Five Races let our glory shine high like the realm of light and unsurpassable.11 Such, Conqueror! be to us, be worthy of our praise, thou for whom princes nobly born exertthemselves;Whose sacrifice the strong seek, Agni, when it shines for never-failing offspring in thine own abode.12 Knower of all that lives, O Agni may we both, singers of praise and chiefs, be in thy keeping still.Help us to wealth exceeding good and glorious, abundant, rich in children and their progeny.13 The princely worshippers who send to those who sing thy praise, O Agni, guerdon, graced withkine and steeds,-Lead thou both these and us forward to higher bliss. With brave men in the assembly may we speakaloud.
HYMN III. Apris.1. AGNI is set upon the earth well kindled; he standeth in the presence of all beings.Wise, ancient, God, the Priest and Purifier, let Agni serve the Gods for he is worthy.2 May Narasamsa lighting up the chambers, bright in his majesty through threefold heaven,Steeping the gift with oil diffusing purpose, bedew the Gods at chiefest time of worship.3 Adored in heart, as is thy right, O Agni, serve the Gods first to-day before the mortal.Bring thou the Marut host. Ye men do worship to Indra seated on the grass, eternal.4 O Grass divine, increasing, rich in heroes, strewn for wealth' sake, well laid upon this altar,-
On this bedewed with oil sit ye, O Vasus, sit all ye Gods, ye Holy, ye Adityas.5 Wide be the Doors, the Goddesses, thrown open, easy to pass, invoked, through adorations,Let them unfold, expansive, everlasting, that sanctify the class famed, rich in heroes.6 Good work for us, the glorious Night and Morning, like female weavers, waxen from aforetime,Yielders of rich milk, interweave in concert the long-extended thread, the web of worship.7 Let the two heavenly Heralds, first, most wise, most fair, present oblation duly with the sacredverse,Worshipping God at ordered seasons decking them at three high places at the centre of the earth.8 Sarasvati who perfects our devotion, Ila divine, Bharati all surpassing,-Three Goddesses, with power inherent, seated, protect this holy Grass, our flawless refuge!9 Born is the pious hero swift of hearing, like gold in hue, well formed, and full of vigour.May Tvastar lengthen our line and kindred, and may they reach the place which Gods inhabit.10 Vanaspati shall stand anear and start us, and Agni with his arts prepare oblation.Let the skilled heavenly Immolator forward unto the Gods the offering thrice anointed.11 Oil has been mixt: oil is his habitation. In oil he rests: oil is his proper province.Come as thy wont is: O thou Steer, rejoice thee; bear off the oblation duly consecrated.
HYMN IV Agni.1. FOR you I call theglorious refulgent Agni, the guest of men, rich in oblationsWhom all must strive to win even as a lover, God among godly people, Jatavedas.2 Bhrgus who served him in the home of waters set him of old in houses of the living.Over all worlds let Agni be the Sovran, the messenger of Gods with rapid coursers.3 Among the tribes of men the Gods placed Agni as a dear Friend when they would dwell amongthem.Against the longing nights may he shine brightly, and show the offerer in the house his vigour.4 Sweet is his growth as of one's own possessions; his look when rushing fain to burn is lovely.He darts his tongue forth, like a harnessed courser who shakes his flowing tail, among the bushes.5 Since they who honour me have praised my greatness,-he gave, as 'twere, his hue to those wholove him.Known is he by his bright delightful splendour, and waxing old renews his youth for ever.6 Like one athirst, he lighteth up the forests; like water down the chariot ways he roareth.On his black path he shines in burning beauty, marked as it were the heaven that smiles throughvapour.7 Around, consuming the broad earth, he wanders, free roaming like an ox without a herdsman,-Agni refulgent, burning up the bushes, with blackened lines, as though the earth he seasoned.8 I, in remembrance of thine ancient favour have sung my hymn in this our third assembly.O Agni, give us wealth with store of heroes and mighty strength in food and noble offspring.9 May the Grtsamadas, serving in secret, through thee, O Agni, overcome their neighbours,Rich in good heroes and subduing foemen. That vital power give thou to chiefs and singers.
HYMN V. Agni.1. HERALD and teacher was he born, a guardian for our patrons' help,Earner by rites of noble wealth. That Strong One may we grasp and guide;2 In whom, Leader of sacrifice, the seven reins, far extended, meet;Who furthers, man-like, eighth in place, as Cleanser, all the work divine.3 When swift he follows this behest, bird-like he chants the holy prayers.He holds all knowledge in his grasp even as the felly rounds the wheel.4 Together with pure mental power, pure, as Director, was he born.Skilled in his own unchanging laws he waxes like the growing boughs.5 Clothing thern in his hues, the kine of him the Leader wait on him.Is he not better than the Three, the Sisters who have come to us?
6 When, laden with the holy oil, the Sitster (sic) by the Mother stands,The Priest delights in their approach, as corn at coming of the rain.7 For his support let him perform as ministrant his priestly task;Yea, song of praise and sacrifice: we have bestowed, let us obtain.8 That so this man well skilled, may pay worship to all the Holy Ones.And, Agni, this our sacrifice which wehave here prepared, to thee.
HYMN VI. Agni.1. AGNI, accept this flaming brand, this waiting with my prayer on thee:Hear graciously these songs of praise.2 With this hymn let us honour thee, seeker of horses, Son of Strength,With this fair hymn, thou nobly born.3 As such, lover of song, with songs, wealth-lover, giver of our wealth!With reverence let us worship thee.4 Be thou for us a liberal Prince, giver and Lord of precious things.Drive those who hate us far away.5 Such as thou art, give rain from heaven, give strength which no man may resist:Give food exceeding plentiful.6 To him who lauds thee, craving help, most youthful envoy! through our song,Most holy Herald! come thou nigh.7 Between both races, Agni, Sage, well skilled thou passest to and fro,As envoy friendly to mankind.8 Befriend us thou as knowing all. Sage, duly worship thou the Gods,And seat thee on this sacred grass.
HYMN VII. Agni.1. VASU, thou most youthful God, Bharata, Agni, bring us wealth,Excellent, splendid, much-desired.2 Let no malignity prevail against us, either God's or man's.Save us from this and enmity.3 So through thy favour may we force through all our enemies a way,As 'twere through streaming water-floods.4 Thou, Purifier Agni, high shinest forth, bright, adorable,When worshipped with the sacred oil.5 Ours art thou, Agni, Bharata, honoured by us with barren cows,With bullocks and with kine in calf6 Wood-fed, bedewed with sacred oil, ancient, Invoker, excellent,The Son of Strength, the Wonderful.
HYMN VIII.Agni.1. Now praise, as one who strives for strength, the harnessing of Agni's car,The liberal, the most splendid One;2 Who, guiding worshippers aright, withers, untouched by age, the foe:When worshipped fair to look upon;3 Who for his glory is extolled at eve and morning in our homes,Whose statute is inviolate;4 Who shines refulgent like the Sun, with brilliance and with fiery flame,Decked with imperishable sheen.5 Him Atri, Agni, have our songs Strengthened according to his sway:All glories hath he made his own.
6 May we with Agni's, Indra's help, with Soma's, yea, of all the Gods,Uninjured dwell together still, and conquer those who fight with us.
HYMN IX. Agni.1. ACCUSTOMED to the Herald's place, the Herald hath seated him, bright, splendid, passing mighty,Whose foresight keeps the Law from violation, excellent, pure-tongued, bringing thousands, Agni.2 Envoy art thou, protector from the foeman, strong God, thou leadest us to higher blessings.Refulgent, be an ever-heedful keeper, Agni, for us and for our seed offspring.3 May we adore thee in thy loftiest birthplace, and, with our praises, in thy lower station.The place whence thou issued forth I worship: to thee well kindled have they paid oblations.4 Agni, best Priest, pay worship with oblation; quickly commend the gift to be presented;For thou art Lord of gathered wealth and treasure. of the bright song of praise thou art inventor.5 The twofold opulence, O Wonder-Worker, of thee new-born each day never decreases.Enrich with food the man who lauds thee, Agni: make him the lord of wealth with noble offspring.6 May he, benevolent with this fair aspect, best sacrificer, bring the Gods to bless us.Sure guardian, our protector from the foemen, shine, Agni, with thine affluence and splendour.
HYMN X. Agni.1.AGNI, first, loudly calling, like a Father, kindled by man upon the seat of worship.Clothed in his glory, deathless, keen of insight, must be adorned by all, the Strong, the Famous.2 May Agni the resplendent hear my calling through all my songs, Immortal, keen of insight.Dark steeds or ruddy draw his car, or carried in sundry ways he makes them red of colour.3 On wood supine they got the well-formed Infant: a germ in various-fashioned plants was Agni;And in the night, not compassed round by darkness, he dwells exceeding wise, with rays ofsplendour.4 With oil and sacred gifts I sprinkle Agni who makes his home in front of all things living,Broad, vast, through vital power o'er all expanded, conspicuous, strong with all the food that feedshim.5 I pour to him who looks in all directions: may he accept it with a friendly spirit.Agni with bridegroom's grace and lovely colour may not be touched when all his form is fury.6 By choice victorious, recognize thy portion: with thee for envoy may we speak like Manu.Obtaining wealth, I call on perfect Agni who with an eloquent tongue dispenses sweetness.
HYMN XI. Indra.1. HEAR thou my call, O Indra; be not heedless: thine may we be for thee to give us treasures;For these presented viands, seeking riches, increase thy strength like streams of water flowing.2 Floods great and many, compassed by the Dragon, thou badest swell and settest free, O Hero.Strengthened by songs of praise thou rentest piecemeal the Dasa, him who deemed himself immortal.3 For, Hero, in the lauds wherein thou joyedst, in hymns of praise, O Indra, songs of Rudras,These streams in which is thy delight approach thee, even as the brilliant ones draw near to Vayu.4 We who add strength to thine own splendid vigour, laying within thine arms the splendid thunder-With us mayst thou, O Indra, waxen splendid, with Surya overcome the Dasa races.5 Hero, thou slewest in thy valour Ahi concealed in depths, mysterious, great enchanter,Dwelling enveloped deep within the waters, him who checked heaven and stayed the floods fromflowing.6 Indra, we laud thy great deeds wrought aforetime, we laud thine exploits later of achievement;We laud the bolt that in thine arms lies eager; we laud thy two Bay Steeds, heralds of Surya.7 Indra, thy Bay Steeds showing forth their vigour have sent a loud cry out that droppeth fatness.The earth hath spread herself in all her fulness: the cloud that was about to move hath rested.8 Down, never ceasing, hath the rain-cloud settled: bellowing, it hath wandered with the Mothers.Swelling the roar in the far distant limits, they have spread wide the blast sent forth by Indra.
9 Indra hath hurled down the magician Vrtra who lay beleaguering the mighty river.Then both the heaven and earth trembled in terror at the strong Hero's thunder when he bellowed.10 Loud roared the mighty Hero's bolt of thunder, when he, the Friend of man, burnt up the monster,And, having drunk his fill of flowing Soma, baffled the guileful Danava's devices.11 Drink thou, O Hero Indra, drink the Soma; let the joy-giving juices make thee joyful.They, filling both thy flanks, shall swell thy vigour. The juice that satisfies hath helped Indra.12 Singers have we become with thee, O Indra: may we serve duly and prepare devotion.Seeking thy help we meditate thy praises: may we at once enjoy thy gift of riches.13 May we be thine, such by thy help, O Indra, as swell thy vigour while they seek thy favour.Give us, thou God, the riches that we long for, most powerful, with stare of noble children.14 Give us a friend, give us an habitation; Indra, give us the company of Maruts,And those whose minds accord with theirs, the Vayus, who drink the first libation of the Soma.15 Let those enjoy in whom thou art delighted. Indra, drink Soma for thy strength and gladness.Thou hast exalted us to heaven, Preserver, in battles, through the lofty hymns that praise thee.16 Great, verily, are they, O thou Protector, who by their songs of praise have won the blessing.They who strew sacred grass to be thy dwelling, helped by thee have got them strength, O Indra.17 Upon the great Trikadruka days, Hero, rejoicing thee, O Indra, drink the Soma.Come with Bay Steeds to drink of libation, shaking the drops from out thy beard, contented.18 Hero, assume the might wherewith thou clavest Vrtra piecemeal, the Danava Aurnavabha.Thou hast disclosed the light to light the Arya: on thy left hand, O Indra, sank the Dasyu.19 May we gain wealth, subduing with thy succour and with the Arya, all our foes, the Dasyus.Our gain was that to Trta of our party thou gavest up Tvastar's son Visvarupa.20 He cast down Arbuda what time his vigour was strengthened by libations poured by Trta.Indra sent forth his whirling wheel like Surya, and aided by the Angirases rent Vala.21 Now let that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra, yield in return a boon to him who lauds thee.Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with brave men, in the assembly.
HYMN XII. Indra.1. HE who, just born, chief God of lofty spirit by power and might became the Gods' protector,Before whose breath through greatness of his valour the two worlds trembled, He, O men, is Indra.2 He who fixed fast and firm the earth that staggered, and set at rest the agitated mountains,Who measured out the air's wide middle region and gave the heaven support, He, men, is Indra.3 Who slew the Dragon, freed the Seven Rivers, and drove the kine forth from the cave of Vala,Begat the fire between two stones, the spoiler in warriors' battle, He, O men, is Indra.4 By whom this universe was made to tremble, who chased away the humbled brood of demons,Who, like a gambler gathering his winnings seized the foe's riches, He, O men, is Indra.5 Of whom, the Terrible, they ask, Where is He? or verily they say of him, He is not.He sweeps away, like birds, the foe's possessions. Have faith in him, for He, O men, is Indra.6 Stirrer to action of the poor and lowly, of priest, of suppliant who sings his praises;Who, fair-faced, favours him who presses Soma with stones made ready, He, O men, is Indra.7 He under whose supreme control are horses, all chariots, and the villages, and cattle;He who gave being to the Sun and Morning, who leads the waters, He, O men, is Indra.8 To whom two armies cry in close encounter, both enemies, the stronger and the weaker;Whom two invoke upon one chariot mounted, each for himself, He, O ye men, is Indra.9 Without whose help our people never conquer; whom, battling, they invoke to give them succour;He of whom all this world is but the copy, who shakes things moveless, He, O men, is Indra.10 He who hath smitten, ere they knew their danger, with his hurled weapon many grievous sinners;Who pardons not his boldness who provokes him, who slays the Dasyti, He, O men, is Indra.11 He who discovered in the fortieth autumn Sambara as he dwelt among the mountains;Who slew the Dragon putting forth his vigour, the demon lying there, He, men, is Indra.
12 Who with seven guiding reins, the Bull, the Mighty, set free the Seven great Floods to flow atpleasure;Who, thunder-armed, rent Rauhina in pieces when scaling heaven, He, O ye men, is Indra.13 Even the Heaven and Earth bow down before him, before his very breath the mountains tremble.Known as the Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, who wields the bolt, He, O ye men, is Indra.14 Who aids with favour him who pours the Soma and him who brews it, sacrificer, singer.Whom prayer exalts, and pouring forth of Soma, and this our gift, He, O ye men, Is Indra.15 Thou verily art fierce and true who sendest strength to the man who brews and pours libation.So may we evermore, thy friends, O Indra, speak loudly to the synod with our heroes.
HYMN XIII. Indra.1. THE Season was the parent, and when born therefrom it entered rapidly the floods wherein itgrows.Thence was it full of sap, streaming with milky juice: the milk of the plant's stalk is chief and meet forlauds.2 They come trooping together bearing milk to him, and bring him sustenance who gives support toall.The way is common for the downward streams to flow. Thou who didst these things first art worthyof our lauds.3 One priest announces what the institutor gives: one, altering the forms, zealously plies his task,The third corrects the imperfections left by each. Thou who didst these things first art worthy of ourlauds.4 Dealing out food unto their people there they sit, like wealth to him who comes, more than the backcan bear.Greedily with his teeth he eats the master's food. Thou who didst these things first art worthy of ourlauds.5 Thou hast created earth to look upon the sky: thou, slaying Ahi, settest free the river's paths.Thee, such, a God, the Gods have quickened with their lauds, even as a steed with waters: meet forpraise art thou.6 Thou givest increase, thou dealest to us our food: thou milkest from the moist the dry, the rich insweets.Thou by the worshipper layest thy precious store: thou art sole Lord of all. Meet for our praise artthou.7 Thou who hast spread abroad the streams by stablished law, and in the field the plants thatblossom and bear seed;Thou who hast made the matchless lightnings of the sky,-vast, compassing vast realms, meet for ourpraise art thou.8 Who broughtest Narmara with all his wealth, for sake of food, to slay him that the fiends might bedestroyed,Broughtest the face unclouded of the strengthening one, performing much even now, worthy art thouof praise.9 Thou boundest up the Dasa's hundred friends and ten, when, at one's hearing, thou belpest thyworshipper.Thou for Dabhiti boundest Dasyus not with cords; Thou wast a mighty help. Worthy of lauds art thou.10 All banks of rivers yielded to his manly might; to him they gave, to him, the Strong, gave up theirwealth.The six directions hast thou fixed, a five-fold view: thy victories reached afar. Worthy of lauds artthou.11 Meet for high praise, O Hero, is thy power, that with thy single wisdom thou obtainest wealth,The life-support of conquering Jatusthira. Indra, for all thy deeds, worthy of lauds art thou.12 Thou for Turviti heldest still the flowing floods, the river-stream for Vayya easily to passDidst raise the outcast from the depths, and gavest fame unto the halt and blind. Worthy of lauds artthou.13 Prepare thyself to grant us that great bounty, O Vasu, for abundant is thy treasure.
Snatch up the wonderful, O Indra, daily. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XIV. Indra.1. MINISTERS, bring the Soma juice for Indra, pour forth the gladdening liquor with thebeakers.logeth everTo drink of this the Hero offer it to the Bull, for this he willeth.2 Ye ministers, to him who with the lightning smote, like a tree, the rain-withholding Vrtra-Bring it to him, him who is fain to taste it, a draught of this which Indra here deserveth.3 Ye ministers, to him who smote Drhhikas who drove the kine forth, and discovered Vala,Offer this draught, like Vita in the region: clothe him with Soma even as steeds with trappings.4 Him who did Urana to death, Adhvaryus! though showing arms ninety-and-nine in number;Who cast down headlong Arbuda and slew him,-speed ye that Indra to our offered Soma.5 Ye ministers, to him who struck down Svasna, and did to death Vyamsa and greedy Susna,And Rudhikras and Namuci and Pipru,- to him, to Indra, pour ye forth libation.6 Ye ministers, to him who as with thunder demolished Sambara's hundred ancient castles;Who cast down Varcin's sons, a hundred thousand,-to him, to Indra, offer ye the Soma.7 Ye ministers, to him who slew a hundred thousand, and cast them down upon earth's bosom;Who quelled the valiant men of Atithigva, Kutsa, and Ayu,-bring to him the Soma.8 Ministers, men, whatever thing ye long for obtain ye quickly bringing gifts to Indra.Bring to the Glorious One what bands have cleansed; to Indra bring, ye pious ones, the Soma.9 Do ye, O ministers, obey his order: that purified in wood, in wood uplift ye.Well pleased he longs for what your hands have tended: offer the gladdening Soma juice to Indra.10 As the cow's udder teems with milk, Adhvaryus, so fill with Soma Indra, liberal giver.I know him: I am sure of this, the Holy knows that I fain would give to him more largely.11 Him, ministers, the Lord of heavenly treasure and all terrestrial wealth that earth possesses,Him, Indra, fill with Soma as a garner is filled with barley full: be this your labour.12 Prepare thyself to grant us that great booty, O Vasu, for abundant is thy treasure.Gather up wondrous wealth, O Indra, daily. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XV. Indra1. Now, verily, will I declare the exploits, mighty and true, of him the True and Mighty.In the Trikadrukas he drank the Soma then in its rapture Indra slew the Dragon.2 High heaven unsupported in space he stablished: he filled the two worlds and the air's mid-region.Earth he upheld, and gave it wide expansion. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.3 From front, as 'twere a house, he ruled and measured; pierced with his bolt the fountains of therivers,And made them flow at ease by paths far-reaching, These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.4 Compassing those who bore away Dabhiti, in kindled fire he burnt up all their weapons.And made him rich with kine and cars and horses. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.5 The mighty roaring flood he stayed from flowing, and carried those who swam not safely over.They having crossed the stream attained to riches. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.6 With mighty power he made the stream flow upward, crushed with his thunderbolt the car of Usas,Rending her slow steeds with his rapid coursers. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.7 Knowing the place wherein the maids were hiding, the outcast showed himself and stood beforethem.The cripple stood erect, the blind beheld them. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.8 Praised by the Angirases he slaughtered Vala, and burst apart the bulwarks of the mountain.He tore away their deftly-built defences. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.9 Thou, with sleep whelming Cumuri and Dhuni, slewest the Dasyu, keptest safe Dabhiti.There the staff-bearer found the golden treasure. These things did Indra in the Soma's rapture.10 Now let that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra , yield in return a boon to him who lauds thee.
Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with brave men, in assembly.
HYMN XVI. Indra.1. To him, your own, the best among the good, I bring eulogy, like oblation in the kindled fire.We invocate for help Indra untouched by eld, who maketh all decay, strengthened, for ever young.2 Without whom naught exists, Indra the Lofty One; in whom alone all powers heroic are combined.The Soma is within him, in his frame vast strength, the thunder in his hand and wisdom in his head.3 Not by both worlds is thine own power to be surpassed, nor may thy car be stayed by mountains orby seas.None cometh near, O Indra, to thy thunderbolt, when with swift steeds thou fliest over many aleague.4 For all men bring their will to him the Resolute, to him the Holy One, to him the Strong they cleave.Pay worship with oblation, strong and passing wise. Drink thou the Soma, Indra, through the mightyblaze.5 The vessel of the strong flows forth, the flood of meath, unto the Strong who feeds upon the strong,for drink,Strong are the two Adhvaryus, strong are both the stones. They press the Soma that is strong for himthe Strong.6 Strong is thy thunderbolt, yea, and thy car is strong; strong are thy Bay Steeds and thy weaponspowerful.Thou, Indra, Bull, art Lord of the strong gladdening drink. with the strong Soma, Indra, satisfy thyself.7 I, bold by prayer, come near thee in thy sacred rites, thee like a saving ship, thee shouting in thewar.Verily he will hear and mark this word of ours: we will pour Indra forth as 'twere a spring of wealth.8 Turn thee unto us ere calamity come nigh, as a cow full of pasture turns her to her calf.Lord of a Hundred Powers, may we once firmly cling to thy fair favours even as husbands to theirwives.9 Now let that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra, yield in return a boon to him who lauds thee.Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XVII. Indra.1. LIKE the Angirases, sing this new song forth to him, for, as in ancient days, his mighty powers areshown,When in the rapture of the Soma he unclosed with strength the solid firm-shut stables of the kine.2 Let him be even that God who, for the earliest draught measuring out his power, increased hismajesty;Hero who fortified his body in the wars, and through his greatness set the heaven upon his head.3 Thou didst perform thy first great deed of hero might what time thou showedst power, throughprayer, before this folk.Hurled down by thee the car-borne Lord of Tawny Steeds, the congregated swift ones fled in sundryways.4 He made himself by might Lord of all living things, and strong in vital power waxed great abovethem all.He, borne on high, o'erspread with light the heaven and earth, and, sewing up the turbid darkness,closed it in.5 He with his might made firm the forward-bending hills, the downward rushing of the waters heordained.Fast he upheld the earth that nourisheth all life, and stayed the heaven from falling by his wondrousskill.6 Fit for the grasping of his arms is what the Sire hath fabricated from all kind of precious wealth.The thunderbolt, wherewith, loud-roaring, he smote down, and striking him to death laid Krivi on theearth.7 As she who in her parents' house is growing old, I pray to thee as Bhaga from the seat of all.
Grant knowledge, mete it out and bring it to us here: give us the share wherewith thou makestpeople glad.8 May we invoke thee as a liberal giver thou givest us, O Indra, strength and labours.Help us with manifold assistance, Indra: Migthy One, Indra, make us yet more wealthy.9 Now may that weaithy Cow of thine, O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee.Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XVIII. Indra1. THE rich new car hath been equipped at morning; four yokes it hath, three whips, seven reins toguide it:Ten-sided, friendly to mankind, light-winner, that must be urged to speed with prayers and wishes.2 This is prepared for him the first, the second, and the third time: he is man's Priest and Herald.Others get offspring of another parent he goeth, as a noble Bull, with others.3 To Indra's car the Bay Steeds have I harnessed, that new well-spoken words may bring him hither.Here let not other worshippers detain thee, for among us are many holy singers.4 Indra, come hitherward with two Bay Coursers, come thou with four, with six when invocated.Come thou with eight, with ten, to drink the Soma. Here is the juice, brave Warrior: do not scorn it.5 O Indra, come thou hither having harnessed thy car with twenty, thirty, forty horses.Come thou with fifty well trained coursers, Indra, sixty or seventy, to drink the Soma.6 Come to us hitherward, O Indra, carried by eighty, ninety, or an hundred horses.This Soma juice among the Sunahotras hath been poured out, in love, to glad thee, Indra.7 To this my prayer, O Indra, come thou hither: bind to thy car's pole all thy two Bay Coursers.Thou art to be invoked in many places Hero, rejoice thyself in this libation.8 Ne'er be my love from Indra disunited still may his liberal Milch-cow yield us treasure.So may we under his supreme protection, safe in his arms, succeed in each forth-going.9 Now may that wealthy Cow Of thine, O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee.Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XIX. Indra.1. DRAUGHTS of this sweet juice have been drunk for rapture, of the wise Soma-presser's offereddainty,Wherein, grown mighty in the days aforetime, Indra hath found delight, and men who worship.2 Cheered by this meath Indra, whose hand wields thunder, rent piecemeal Ahi who barred up thewaters,So that the quickening currents of the rivers flowed forth like birds unto their resting-places.3 Indra, this Mighty One, the Dragon's slayer, sent forth the flood of waters to the ocean.He gave the Sun his life, he found the cattle, and with the night the works of days completed.4 To him who worshippeth hath Indra given many and matchless gifts. He slayeth Vrtra.Straight was he to be sought with supplications by men who struggled to obtain the sunlight.5 To him who poured him gifts he gave up Surya,-Indra, the God, the Mighty, to the mortal;For Etasa with worship brought him riches that keep distress afar, as 'twere his portion.6 Once to the driver of his chariot, Kutsa, he gave up greedy Surya, plague of harvest;And Indra, for the sake of Divodasa demolished Sambara's nine-and-ninety castles.7 So have we brought our hymn to thee, O Indra, strengthening thee and fain ourselves for glory.May we with best endeavours gain this friendship, and mayst thou bend the godless scorner'sweapons.8 Thus the Grtsamadas for thee, O Hero, have wrought their hymn and task as seeking favour.May they who worship thee afresh, O Indra, gain food and strength, bliss, and a happy dwelling.9 Now may that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee,Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XX. Indra.1. As one brings forth his car when fain for combat, so bring we power to thee- regard us, Indra-Well skilled in song, thoughtful in spirit, seeking great bliss from one like thee amid the Heroes.2 Indra, thou art our own with thy protection, a guardian near to men who love thee truly,Active art thou, the liberal man's defender, his who draws near to thee with right devotion.3 May Indra, called with solemn invocations. the young, the Friend, be men's auspicious keeper,One who will further with his aid the singer, the toiler, praiser, dresser of oblations.4 With laud and song let me extol that Indra in whom of old men prospered and were mighty.May he, implored, fulfil the prayer for plenty of him who worships, of the living mortal.5 He, Indra whom the Angirases' praise delighted, strengthened their prayer and made their goingsprosper.Stealing away the mornings with the sunlight, he, lauded, crushed even Asna's ancient powers.6 He verily, the God, the glorious Indra, hath raised him up for man, best Wonder-Worker.He, self-reliant, mighty and triumphant, brought low the dear head of the wicked Dasa.7 Indra theVrtra-slayer, Fort-destroyer, scattered the Dasa hosts who dwelt in darkness.For men hath he created earth and waters, and ever helped the prayer of him who worships.8 To him in might the Gods have ever yielded, to Indra in the tumult of thebattle.When in his arms they laid the bolt, he slaughtered the Dasyus and cast down their forts of iron.9 Now may that wealthy Cow of thine, O Indra, give in return a boon to him who lauds thee.Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXI.1. To him the Lord of all, the Lord of wealth, of light; him who is Lord for ever, Lord of men and tilth,Him who is Lord of horses, Lord of kine,of floods, to Indra, to the Holy bring sweet Soma juice.2 To him the potent One, who conquers and breaks down, the Victor never vanquished who disposesall,The migbty-voiced, the rider, unassailable, to Indra everconquering speak your reverent prayer.3 Still Victor, loved by mortals, ruler over men, o'erthrower, warrior, he hath waxen as he would;Host-gatherer, triumphant, honoured mid the folk. Indra's heroic deeds will I tell forth to all.4 The strong who never yields, who slew the furious fiend, the deep, the vast, of wisdomunattainable;Who speeds the good, the breaker-down, the firm, the vast,-Indra whose rites bring joy hath madethe light of Dawn.5 By sacrifice the yearning sages sending forth their songs found furtherance from him who speedsthe flood.In Indra seeking help with worship and with hymn, they drew him to themselves and won them kineand wealth.6 Indra, bestow on us the best of treasures, the spirit of ability and fortune;Increase of riches, safety of our bodies, charm of sweet speech, and days of pleasant weather.
HYMN XXII. Indra.I. At the Trikadrukas the Great and Strong hath drunk drink blent with meal. With Visnu hath hequaffed the poured out Soma juice, all that he would.That hath so heightened him the Great, the Wide, to do his mighty work.So may the God attain the God, true Indu Indra who is true.2 So he resplendent in the battle overcame Krivi by might. He with his majesty hath filled the earthand heaven, and waxen strong.One share of the libation hath he swallowed down: one share he left.So may the God attend the God, true Indu Indra who is true.3 Brought forth together with wisdom and mighty power thou grewest great; with hero deedssubduing the malevolent, most swift in act;
Giving prosperity, and lovely wealth to him who praiseth thee. So may the God attend the God, trueIndu Indra who is true.4 This, Indra, was thy hero deed, Dancer, thy first and ancient work, worthy to be told forth inheaven,What time thou sentest down life with a God's own power, freeing the floods.All that is godless may he conquer with his might, and, Lord of Hundred Powers, find for us strengthand food.
HYMN XXIII. Brahmanaspati.1. WE call thee, Lord and Leader of the heavenly hosts, the wise among the wise, the famousest ofall,The King supreme of prayers, O Brahmanaspati: hear us with help; sit down in place of sacrifice.2 Brhaspati, God immortal! verily the Gods have gained from thee, the wise, a share in holy rites.As with great light the Sun brings forth the rays of morn, so thou alone art Father of all sacred prayer.3 When thou hast chased away revilers and the gloom, thou mountest the refulgent car of sacrifice;The awful car, Brhaspati, that quells the foe, slays demons, cleaves the stall of kine, and finds thelight.4 Thou leadest with good guidance and preservest men; distress o'ertakes not him who offers gifts tothee.Him who hates prayer thou punishest, Brhaspati, quelling his wrath: herein is thy great mightiness.5 No sorrow, no distress from any side, no foes, no creatures double-tongued have overcome theman,-Thou drivest all seductive fiends away from him whom, careful guard, thou keepest Brahmanaspati.6 Thou art our keeper, wise, preparer of our paths: we, for thy service, sing to thee with hymns ofpraise.Brhaspati, whoever lays a snare for us, him may his evil fate, precipitate, destroy.7 Him, too, who threatens us without offence of ours, the evilminded, arrogant, rapacious man,-Him turn thou from our path away, Brhaspati: give us fair access to this banquet of the Gods.8 Thee as protector of our bodies we invoke, thee, saviour, as the comforter who loveth us.Strike, O Brhaspati, the Gods' revilers down, and let not the unrighteous come to highest bliss.9 Through thee, kind -prosperer, O Brahmanaspati, may we obtain the wealth of Men which alldesire:And all our enemies, who near or far away prevail against us, crush, and leave them destitute.10 With thee as our own rich and liberal ally may we, Brhaspati, gain highest power of life.Let not the guileful wicked man be lord of us:-still may we prosper, singing goodly hymns of praise.11 Strong, never yielding, hastening to the battle-cry, consumer of the foe, victorious in the strife,Thou art sin's true avenger, Brahmanaspati, who tamest e'en the fierce, the wildly passionate.12 Whoso with mind ungodly seeks to do us harm, who, deeming him a man of might mid lords,would slay,-Let not his deadly blow reach us, Brhaspati; may we humiliate the strong ill-doer's wrath.13 The mover mid the spoil, the winner of all wealth, to be invoked in fight and reverently adored,Brhaspati hath overthrown like cars of war all wicked enemies who fain would injure us.14 Burn up the demons with thy fiercest flaming brand, those who have scorned thee in thymanifested might.Show forth that power that shall deserve the hymn of praise: destroy the evil speakers, O Brhaspati.15 Brhaspati, that which the foe deserves not which shines among the folk effectual, splendid,That, Son of Law I which is with might refulgent-that treasure wonderful bestow thou on us.16 Give us not up to those who, foes in ambuscade, are greedy for the wealth of him who sits at ease,Who cherish in their heart abandonment of Gods. Brhaspati, no further rest shall they obtain.17 For Tvastar, he who knows each sacred song, brought thee to life, preeminent o'er all the thingsthat be.Guilt-scourger, guilt-avenger is Brhaspati, who slays the spoiler and upholds the mighty Law.18 The mountain, for thy glory, cleft itself apart when, Angiras! thou openedst the stall of kine.
Thoul O Brhaspati, with Indra for ally didst hurl down water-floods which gloom had compa-sedround.19 O Brahmanaspati, be thou controller of this our hymn and prosper thou our children.All that the Gods regard with love is blessed. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXIV. Brahmanaspati.1. BE pleased with this our offering, thou who art the Lord; we will adore thee with this new andmighty song.As this thy friend, our liberal patron, praises thee, do thou, Brhaspati, fulfil our hearts' desire.2 He who with might bowed down the things that should be bowed, and in his fury rent the holds ofSambara:Who overthrew what shook not, Brahmapaspati,-he made his way within the mountain stored withwealth.3 That was a great deed for the Godliest of the Gods: strong things were loosened and the firmlyfixed gave way.He drave the kine forth and cleft Vala through by prayer, dispelled the darkness and displayed thelight of heaven.4 The well with mouth of stone that poured a flood of meath, which Brahmapaspati hath opened withhis might-All they who see the light have drunk their fill thereat: together they have made the watery fountflow forth.5 Ancient will be those creatures, whatsoe'er they be; with moons, with autumns, doors unclosethemselves to you.Effortless they pass on to perfect this and that, appointed works which Brahmanaspati ordained.6 They who with much endeavour searching round obtained the Panis' noblest treasure hidden in thecave,-Those sages, having marked the falsehoods, turned them back whence they had come, and soughtagain to enter in.7 The pious ones when they had seen the falsehoods turned them back, the sages stood again uponthe lofty ways.Cast down with both their arms upon the rock they left the kindled fire, and said, No enemy is he.8 With his swift bow, strung truly, Brahmanaspati reaches the mark whate'er it be that he desires.Excellent are the arrows wherewithal he shoots, keen-eyed to look on men and springing from hisear.9 He brings together and he parts, the great High Priest; extolled is he, in battle Brahmapaspati.When, gracious, for the hymn he brings forth food and wealth, the glowing Sun untroubled sendsforth fervent heat.10 First and preeminent, excelling all besides are the kind gifts of liberal Brhaspati.These are the boons of him the Strong who should be loved, whereby both classes and the peoplehave delight.11 Thou who in every way supreme in earthly power, rejoicing, by thy mighty strength hast waxengreat,-He is the God spread forth in breadth against the Gods: he, Brahmanaspati, encompasseth this All.12 From you, twain Maghavans, all truth proceedeth: even the waters break not your commandment.Come to us, Brahmanaspati and Indra, to our oblation Iiie yoked steeds to fodder.13 The sacrificial flames most swiftly hear the call: the priest of the assembly gaineth wealth forhymns.Hating the stern, remitting at his will the debt, strong in the shock of fight is Brahmanaspati.14 The wrath of Brahmanaspati according to his will had full effect when he would do a mighty deed.The kine he drave forth and distributed to heaven, even as a copious flood with strength flowssundry ways.15 O Brahmanaspati, may we be evermore masters of wealth well-guided, full of vital strength.Heroes on heroes send abundantly to us, when thou omnipotent through prayer seekest my call.16 O Brahmanaspati, be thou controller of this our hymn, and prosper thou our children.
All that the Gods regard with love is blessed. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXV. Brahmanaspati.1. HE lighting up the flame shall conquer enemies: strong shall he be who offers prayer and brings hisgift.He with his seed spreads forth beyond another's seed, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.2 With heroes he shall overcome his hero foes, and spread his wealth by kine wise by himself is be.His children and his children's childrengrow in strength, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.3 He, mighty like a raving river's billowy flood, as a bull conquers oxen, overcomes with strength.Like Agni's blazing rush he may not be restrained, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.4 For him the floods of heaven flow never failing down: first with the heroes he goes forth to war forkine.He slays in unabated vigour with great might, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.5 All roaring rivers pour their waters down for him, and many a flawless shelter hath been grantedhim.Blest with the happiness of Gods he prospers well, whomever Brahmanaspati takes for his friend.
HYMN XXVI. Brahmanaspati.1. THE righteous singer shall o'ercome his enemies, and he who serves the Gods subdue the godlessman.The zealous man shall vanquish the invincible, the worshipper share the food of him who worshipsnot.2 Worship, thou hero, chase the arrogant afar: put on auspicious courage for the fight with foes.Prepare oblation so that thou mayst have success. we crave the favouring help of Brahmanaspati.3 He with his folk, his house, his family, his sons, gains booty for himself, and, with the heroes,wealth,believingWho with oblation and a true heart serves Brahmanaspati the Father of the Gods.4 Whoso hath honoured him with offerings rich in oil, him Brahmanaspati leads forward on his way,Saves him from sorrow, frees him from his enemy, and is his wonderful deliverer from woe.
HYMN XXVII. Adityas.1. THESE hymns that drop down fatness, with the ladle I ever offer tothe Kings Adityas.May Mitra, Aryanian, and Bhaga hear us, the mighty Varuna Daksa, and Amsa.2 With one accord may Aryaman and Mitra and Varuna this day accept this praise-song-Adityas bright and pure as streams of water, free from all guile and falsehood, blameless, perfect.3 These Gods, Adityas, vast, profound, and faithful, with many eyes, fain to deceive the wicked,Looking within behold the good and evil near to the Kings is even the thing most distant.4 Upholding that which moves and that which moves not, Adityas, Gods, protectors of all being,Provident, guarding well the world of spirits, true to eternal Law, the debt-exactors.5 May I, Adityas, share m this your favour which, Aryaman, brings profit e'en in danger.Under your guidance, Varuna and Mitra, round troubles may I pass, like rugged places.6 Smooth is your path, O Aryaman and Mitra; excellent is it, Varuna, and thornless.Thereon, Adityas, send us down your blessing: grant us a shelter hard to be demolished.7 Mother of Kings, may Aditi transport us, by fair paths Aryaman, beyond all hatred.May we uninjured, girt by many heroes, win Varuna's and Mitra's high protection.8 With their support they stay three earths, three heavens; three are their functions in the Gods'assembly.Mighty through Law, Adityas, is your greatness; fair is it, Aryaman, Varuna, and Mitra.9 Golden and splendid, pure like streams of water, they hold aloft the three bright heavenly regions.Ne'er do they slumber, never close their eyelids, faithful, far-ruling for the righteous mortal.10 Thou over all, O Varuna, art Sovran, be they Gods, Asura! or be they mortals.
Grant unto us to see a hundred autumns ours be the blest long lives of our forefathers.11 Neither the right nor left do I distinguish, neither the cast nor yet the west, Adityas.Simple and guided by your wisdom, Vasus!may I attain the light that brings no danger.12 He who bears gifts unto the Kings, true Leaders, he whom their everlasting blessings prosper,Moves with his chariot first in rank and wealthy, munificent and lauded in assemblies.13 Pure, faithful, very strong, with heroes round him, he dwells beside the waters rich with pasture.None slays, from near at hand or from a distance, him who is under the Adityas' guidance.14 Aditi, Mitra, Varuna, forgive us however we have erred and sinned against you.May I obtain the broad light free from peril: O Indra, let not during darkness seize us.15 For him the Twain united pour their fulness, the rain from heaven: he thrives most highlyfavoured.He goes to war mastering both the mansions: to him both portions of the world are gracious.16 Your guiles, ye Holy Ones, to quell oppressors, your snares spread out against the foe, Adityas,May I car-borne pass like a skilful horseman: uninjured may we dwell in spacious shelter.17 May1 not live, O Varuna, to witness my wealthy, liberal, dear friend's destitution.King, may1 never lack well-ordered riches. Lond may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXVIII. Varuna1. THIS laud of the self-radiant wise Aditya shall be supreme o'er all that is in greatness.1 beg renown of Varuna the Mighty, the God exceeding kind to him who worships.2, Having extolled thee. Varuna, with thoughtful care may we have high fortune in thy service,Sinffing thy praises like the fires at coming, day after day, of mornings rich in cattle.3 May we be in thy keeping, O thou Leader wide-ruling Varuna, Lord of many heroes.O sons of Aditi, for ever faithful, pardon us, Gods, admit us to your friendship.4 He made them flow, the Aditya, the Sustainer: the rivers run by Varuna's commandment.These feel no weariness, nor cease from flowing: swift have they flown like birds in air around us.5 Loose me from sin as from a bond that binds me: may we swell, Varuna, thy spring of Order.Let not my thread, while I weave song, be severed, nor my work's sum, before the time, be shattered.6 Far from me, Varuna, remove all danger accept me graciously, thou Holy Sovran.Cast off, like cords that hold a calf, my troubles: I am not even mine eyelid's lord without thee.7 Strike us not, Varuna, with those dread weapons which, Asura, at thy bidding wound the sinner.Let us not pass away from light to exile. Scatter, that we may live, the men who hate us8 O mighty Varuna, now and hereafter, even as of old, will we speak forth our worship.For in thyself, invincible God, thy statutes ne'er to be moved are fixed as on a mountain.9 Move far from me what sins I have committed: let me not suffer, King, for guilt of others.Full many a morn remains to dawn upon us: in these, O Varuna, while we live direct us.10 O King, whoever, be he friend or kinsman, hath threatened me affrighted in my slumber-If any wolf or robber fain would harm us, therefrom, O Varuna, give thou us protection.11May I not live O Varuna, to witness my wealthy, liberal dear friend's destitution.King, may I never lack well-ordered riches. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXIX. Visvedevas.I. UPHOLDERS of the Law, ye strong Adityas, remove my sin like her who bears in secret.You, Varuna, Mitra and all Gods who listen, I call to help me, I who know your goodness.2 Ye, Gods, are providence and ye are power: remove ye utterly all those who hate us.As givers of good things deal with us kindly: this day be gracious to us and hereafter.3 What service may we do you with our future, what service, Vasus, with our ancient friendship?O Aditi, and VaruVa and Mitra, Indra and Maruts, make us well and happy.4 Ye, O ye Gods, are verily our kinsmen as such be kind to me who now implore you.
Let not your car come slowly to our worship: of kinsmen such as you ne'er let us weary.5 I singly have sinned many a sin against you, and ye chastised me as a sire the gambler.Far be your nets, far, Gods, be mine offences: seize me not like a bird upon her offspring.6 Turn yourselves hitherward this day, ye Holy, that fearing in my heart I may approach you.Protect us, God; let not the wolf destroy us. Save us, ye Holy, from the pit and falling.7 May I not live, O Varuna, to witness my wealthy, liberal, dear friend's destitution.King, may I never lack well-ordered riches. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXX. Indra and Others.1. THE streams unceasing flow to Indra, slayer of Ahi, Savitar, God, Law's fulfiller,Day after day goes on the sheen of waters. What time hath past since they were first set flowing?2 His Mother-for she knew-spake and proclaimed him who was about to cast his bolt at Vrtra.Cutting their paths according to his pleasure day after day flow to their goal the rivers.3 Aloft he stood above the airy region, and against Vrtra shot his deadly missile.Enveloped in a cloud he rushed upon him. Indra subdued the foe with sharpened weapons.4 As with a bolt, Brhaspati, fiercely flaming, pierce thou Vrkadvaras', the Asura's, heroes.Even as in time of old with might thou slewest, so slay even now our enemy, O Indra.5 Cast down from heaven on high thy bolt of thunder wherewith in joy thou smitest dead the foeman.For gain of children make us thine, O Indra, of many children's children and of cattle.6 Whomso ye love, his power ye aid and strengthen; ye Twain are the rich worshipper's advancers.Graciously favour us, Indra and Soma; give us firm standing in this time of danger.7 Let it not vex me, tire me, make me slothful, and never let us say, Press not the Soma;For him who cares for me, gives gifts, supports me, who comes with kine to me who pour libations.8 Sarasvati, protect us: with the Maruts allied thou boldly conquerest our foemen,While Indra does to death the daring chieftain of Sandikas exulting in his prowess.9 Him who waylays, yea, him who would destroy us,-aim at him, pierce him with thy sharpenedweapon.Brhaspati, with arms thou slayest foemen O King, give up the spoiler to destruction.10 Perform, O Hero, with our valiant heroes the deeds heroic which thou hast to finish.Long have they been inflated with presumption: slay them, and bring us hither their possessions.11 I craving joy address with hymn and homage your heavenly host, the company of Maruts,That we may gain wealth with full store of heroes, each day more famous, and with troops ofchildren.
HYMN XXXI. Visvedevas.1. HELP, Varuna and Mitra, O ye Twain allied with Vasus, Rudras, and Adityas, help our car,That, as the wild birds of the forest from their home, our horses may fly forth, glad, eager for renown.2 Yea, now ye Gods of one accord speed on our car what time among the folk it seeks an act of might;When, hasting through the region with the stamp of hoofs, our swift steeds trample on the ridges ofthe earth.3 Or may our Indra here, the Friend of all mankind, coming from heaven, most.wise, girt by the Maruthost,Accompany, with aid untroubled by a foe, our car to mighty gain, to win the meed of strength.4 Or may this Tvastar, God who rules the world with power, one-minded with the Goddesses speedforth our car;Ila and Bhaga the celestial, Earth and Heaven, Pusan, Purandhi, and the Asvins, ruling Lords.5 Or, seen alternate, those two blessed Goddesses, Morning and Night who stir all living things toact:While with my newest song I praise you both, O Earth, that from what moves not ye may spreadforth threefold food.6 Your blessing as a boon for suppliants we desire: the Dragon of the Deep, and Aja-Ekapad,Trita, Rbhuksan, Savitar shall joy in us, and ihe Floods' swift Child in our worship and our prayer.
7 These earnest prayers I pray to you, ye Holy: to pay you honour, living men have formed them,Men fain to win the prize and glory. May they win, as a car-horse might the goal, your notice.
HYMN XXXII. Various Deities.1. GRACIOUSLY further, O ye Heaven and Earth, this speech striving to win reward, of me yourworshipper.First rank I give to you, Immortal, high extolled! I, fain to win me wealth, to you the migbty Pair.2 Let not man's guile annoy us, secret or by day: give not us up a prey to these calamities.Sever not thou our friendship: think thereon for us. This, with a heart that longs for bliss, we seekfrom thee.3 Bring hither with benignant mind the willing Cow teeming with plenteous milk, full, inexhaustible.O thou invoked by many, day by day I urge thee with my word, a charger rapid in his tread.4 With eulogy I call on Raka swift to hear may she, auspicious, hear us, and herself observe.With never-breaking needle may she sew her work, and give a hero son most wealthy, meet forpraise.5 All thy kind thoughts, O Raka, lovely in their form, wherewith thou grantest wealth to him whooffers gifts-With these come thou to us this day benevolent, O Blessed One, bestowing food of thousand sorts.6 O broad-tressed Sinivali, thou who art the Sister of the Gods,Accept the offered sacrifice, and, Goddess, grant us progeny.7 With lovely fingers, lovely arms, prolific Mother of many sons-Present the sacred gifts to her, to Sinlivali Queen of men.8 Her, Sinivali, her, Gungu, her, Raka, her, Sarasvati, Indrani to mine aid I call, and Vartunani for myweal.
HYMN XXXIII. Rudra.1. FATHER of Maruts, let thy bliss approach us: exclude us not from looking on the sunlight.Gracious to our fleet courser be the Hero may we transplant us, Rudra, in our children.2 With the most saving medicines which thou givest, Rudra, may I attain a hundred winters.Far from us banish enmity and hatred, and to all quarters maladies and trouble.3 Chief of all born art thou in glory, Rudra, armed with the thunder, mightiest of the mighty.Transport us over trouble to well-being repel thou from us all assaults of mis. chief.4 Let us not anger thee with worship, Rudra, ill praise, Strong God! or mingled invocation.Do thou with strengthening balms incite our heroes: I hear thee famed as best of all physicians.5 May I with praise-songs win that Rudra's favour who is adored with gifts and invocations.Ne'er may the tawny God, fair-checked, and gracious, swifthearing, yield us to this evil purpose.6 The Strong, begirt by Maruts, hath refreshed me, with most invigorating food, imploring.As he who finds a shade in fervent sunlight may I, uninjured, win the bliss of Rudra.7 Where is that gracious hand of thine, O Rudra, the hand that giveth health and bringeth comfort,Remover of the woe that Gods have sent us? O Strong One, look thou on me with compassion.8 To him the strong, great, tawny, fair-complexioned, I utter forth a mighty hymn of praises.We serve the brilliant God with adorations, we glorify, the splendid name of Rudra.9 With firm limbs, multiform, the strong, the tawny adorns himself with bright gold decorations:The strength of Godhead ne'er departs from Rudra, him who is Sovran of this world, the mighty.10 Worthy, thou carriest thy bow and arrows, worthy, thy manyhued and honoured necklace.Worthy, thou cuttest here each fiend to pieces: a mightier than thou there is not, Rudra.11 Praise him the chariot-borne, the young, the famous, fierce, slaying like a dread beast of the forest.O Rudra, praised, be gracious to the singer. let thy hosts spare us and smite down another.12 I bend to thee as thou approachest, Rudra, even as a boy before the sire who greets him.I praise thee Bounteous Giver, Lord of heroes: give medicines to us as thou art lauded.13 Of your pure medicines, O potent Martits, those that are wholesomest and healthbestowing,
Those which our father Manu hath selected, I crave from. Rudra for our gain and welfare.14 May Rudra's missile turn aside and spare us, the great wrath of the impetuous One avoid us.Turn, Bounteous God, thy strong bow from our princes, and be thou gracious to our seed andoffspring.15 O tawny Bull, thus showing forth thy nature, as neither to be wroth, O God, nor slay us.Here, Rudra, listen to our invocation. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXXIV. Maruts1. THE Maruts of resistless might who love the rain, resplendent, terrible like wild beasts in theirstrength,Glowing like flames of fire, impetuous in career, blowing the wandering raincloud, have disclosed thekine.2 They gleam with armlets as the heavens are decked with stars, like cloud-born lightnings shine thetorrents of their rain.Since the strong Rudra, O Maruts with brilliant chests, sprang into life for you in Prsni's radiant lap.3 They drip like horses in the racings of swift steeds; with the stream's rapid cars they hasten ontheir way.Maruts with helms of gold, ye who make all things shake, con e with your spotted deer, one-minded,to our food.4 They have bestowed of Mitra all that live, to feed, they who for evermore cause their swift drops toflow;Whose steeds are spotted deer, whose riches never fail, like horses in full speed, bound to the pole inwork.5 With brightly-flarning kine whose udders swell with milk, idth glittering lances on yourunobstructed paths,O Maruts, of one mind, like swans who seek their nests, come to the rapturous enjoyment of themeath.6 To these our prayers, O Maruts, come unanimous, come ye to our libations like the praise of men.Make it swell like a mare, in udder like a cow, and for the singer grace the song with plenteousstrength.7 Give us a steed, O Maruts migbty in the car; prevailing prayer that brings remembrance day by day;Food to your praisers, to your bard in deeds of might give winning wisdom, power uninjured,unsurpassed.8 When the bright-chested Maruts, lavish of their gifts, bind at the time bliss their horses to the cars,Then, as the milch-cow feeds her calf within the stalls, they pour forth food for all oblation-bringingmen.9 Save us, O Maruts, Vasus, from the injurer, the mortal foe who makes us looked upon as wolves.With chariot all aflame compass him round about: O Rudras, cast away the foeman's deadly bolt.10 Well-known, ye Maruts, is that wondrous course of yours, when they milked Prsni's udder, closeakin to her.Or when to shame the bard who lauded, Rudra's Sons, ye O infallible brought Trita to decay.11 We call youi such, great Maruts, following wonted ways, to the oblation paid to Visnu Speeder-on.With ladles lifted up, with prayer, we seek of them preeminent, golden-hued, the wealth which allextol.12 They, the Dasagvas, first of all brought sacrifice: they at the break of mornings shall inspirit us.Dawn with her purple beams uncovereth the nights, with great light glowing like a billowy sea ofmilk.13 The Rudras have rejoiced thern in the gathered bands at seats of worship as in purple ornaments.They with impetuous vigour sending down the rain have taken to themselves a bright and lovely hue.14 Soliciting their high protection for our help, with this our adoration we sing praise to them,Whom, for assistance, like the five terrestrial priests. Trita hath brought to aid us hither on his car.15 So may your favouring help be turned to us-ward, your kindness like a Iowing cow approach us,Wherewith ye bear your servant over trouble, and free your worshipper from scoff and scorning.
HYMN XXXV. Son of Waters.1. EAGER for spoil my flow of speech I utter: may the Floods' Child accept my songs with favour.Will not the rapid Son of Waters make them lovely, for he it is who shall enjoy them?2 To him let us address the song well-fashioned, forth from the heart. Shall he not understand it'The friendly Son of Waters by the greatness of Godhead hath produced all things existing.3 Some floods unite themselves and others join them: die sounding rivers fill one common storehouse.On every side the bright Floods have encompassed the bright resplendent Offspring of the Waters.4 The never-sullen waters, youthful Maidens, carefully decking, wait on him the youthful.He with bright rays shines forth in splendid beauty, unfed with wood. in waters, oil-enveloped.5 To him three Dames are oftering food to feed him, Goddesses to the God whom none may injure.Within the waters hath he pressed, as hollows, and drinks their milk who now are first mademothers.6 Here was the horse's birth; his was the sunlight. Save thou our princes from the oppressor'sonslaught.Him, indestructible, dwelling at a distance in forts unwrought lies and ill spirits reach not.7 He, in whose mansion is the teeming Milch-cow, swells the Gods' nectar and cats noble viands.lle Son of Waters, gathering strength in waters, shines for his worshipper to give him treasures.8 He who in waters with his own pure Godhead shines widely, law-abiding, everlasting-The other worlds are verily his branches, and plants are born of him with all their offspring.9 The Waters' Son hath risen, and clothed in lightning ascended up unto the curled cloud's bosom;And bearing with them his supremest glory the Youthful Ones, gold-coloured, move around him.10 Golden in form is he, like gold to look on, his colour is like gold, the Son of Waters.When he is seated fresh from golden birthplace those who present their gold give food to feed him.11 This the fair name and this the lovely aspect of him the Waters' Son increase in secret.Whom here the youthful Maids together kindle, his food is sacred oil of golden colour.12 Him, nearest Friend of many, will we worship with sacrifice. and reverence and oblation.I make his back to shine, with chips provide him; t offer food and with my songs exalt him.13 The Bull hath laid his own life-germ Within them. He sucks them as an infant, and they kiss him.He, Son of Waters, of unfading colour, hadi entered here as in another's body.14 While here he dwelleth in sublimest station, resplendent with the rays that never perish,The Waters, bearing oil to feed their ofispring, flow, Youthful Ones, in wanderings about him.15 Agni, I gave good shelter to the people, and to the princes goodly preparation.Blessed is all that Gods regard with favour. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XXXVI Various Gods.1. WATER and milk hath he endued, sent forth to thee: the men have drained him with the filters andthe stones.Drink, Indra, from the Hotar's bowlfirst right is thine-Soma hallowed and poured with Vasat andSvaha.2 Busied with sacrifice, with spotted deer and spears, gleaming upon your way with ornaments, yea,our Friends,Sitting on sacred grass, ye Sons of Bharata, drink Soma from the Potar's bowl, O Men of heaven.3 Come unto us, ye swift to listen: as at home upon the sacred grass sit and enjoy yourselves.And, Tvastar, well-content be joyful in the juice with Gods and Goddesses in gladsome company.4 Bring the Gods hither, Sage, and offer sacrifice: at the three altars seat thee willingly, O Priest.Accept for thy delight the proffered Soma meath: drink from the Kindler's bowl and fill thee with thyshare.5 This is the strengthener of thy body's manly might: strength, victory for all time are placed withinthine arms.Pressed for thee, Maghavan, it is offered unto thee: drink from the chalice of this Brahman, drink thyfill.
6 Accept the sacrifice; mark both of you, my call: the Priest hath seated him after the ancient texts.My prayer that bids them come goes forth to both the Kings: drink ye the Soma meath from theDirector's bowl.
HYMN XXXVII. Various Gods.1. Enjoy thy fill of meath out of the Hotar's cup: Adhvaryus he desires a full draught poured for him.Bring it him: seeking this he gives. Granter of Wealth, drink Sorna with the Rtus from the Hotar's cup.2 He whom of old I called on, him I call on now. He is to be invoked; his name is He who Gives,Here brought by priests is Soma meath. Granter of Wealth, drink Soma with the Rtus from the Potar'scup.3 Fat may the horses be wherewith thou specdest on: Lord of the Wood, unharming, strengthen thouthyself.Drawing and seizing, Bold One, thou who grantest wealth, drink Soma with the Rtus from theNestar's cup.4 From Hotar's cup and Potar's he hath drunk and joyed: the proffered food hath pleased him fromthe Nestar's bowl.The fourth cup undisturbed, immortal, let him drink who giveth wealth, the cup of the wealth-givingGod.5 Yoke, O ye Twain, to-day your hero-bearing car, swift-moving hitherward: your loosing-place ishere.Mix the oblations, then come hither with the meath, and drink the Soma, ye rich in abundantstrength.6 Agni, accept the fuel and our offered gift: accept the prayer of man, accept our eulogy,Do thou with all, with Rtu, O thou Excellent, fain, make the great Gods all fain taste the gift we bring.
HYMN XXXVIII. Savitar.1. UPRISEN is Savitar, this God, to quicken, Priest who neglects not this most constant duty.To the Gods, verily, he gives rich treasure, and blesses him who calls them to the banquet.2 Having gone up on high, the God broadhanded spreads his arms widely forth that all may markhim.Even the waters bend them to his service: even this wind rests in the circling region.3 Though borne by swift steeds he will yet unyoke them: e'en the fleet chariot hath he stayed fromgoing.He hath checked e'en their haste who glide like serpents. Night closely followed Savitar's dominion.4 What was spread out she weaves afresh, re-weaving: the skilful leaves his labour half-completed.He hath arisen from rest, and parted seasons: Savitar hath approached, God, holy-minded.5 Tlirough various dwellings, through entire existence, spreads, manifest, the household light ofAgni.The Mother gives her Son the goodliest portion, and Savitar hath sped to meet his summons.6 He comes again, unfolded, fain for conquest: at home was he, the love of all things moving.Each man hath come leaving his evil doings, after the Godlike Savitar's commandment.7 The wild beasts spread through desert places seeking their watery share which thou hast set inwaters.The woods are given to the birds. These statutes of the God Savitar none disobeyeth.8 With utmost speed, in restless haste at sunset Varuna seeks his watery habitation.Then seeks each bird his nest, each beast his lodging. In due place Savitar hath set each creature.9 Him whose high law not Varuna nor Indra, not Mitra, Aryaman, nor Rudra breaketh,Nor evil-hearted fiends, here for my welfare him I invoke, God Savitar, with worship.10 May they who strengthen bliss, and thought and wisdom, and the Dames' Lord and Narasamsaaid us.That good may come to us and wealth be gathered, may we be Savitar the God's beloved.11 So come to us our hearts' desire, the bounty bestowed by thee, from heaven and earth and waters,That it be well with friends and those who praise thee, and, Savitar, with the loud-lauding singer.
HYMN XX Asvins.1. SING like the two press-stones for this same purpose; come like two misers to the tree of treasure;Like two laud-singing Brahmans in the assembly, like the folk's envoys called in many places.2 Moving at morning like two chr-borne heroes, like to a pair of goats ye come electing;Like two fair dames embellishing their bodies, like a wise married pair among the people.3 Like to a pair of horns come first to usward, like to a pair of hoofs with rapid motion;Come like two Cakavas in the grey of morning, come like two chariot wheels at dawn, ye Mighty.4 Bear us across the rivers like two vessels, save us as ye were yokes, naves, spokes and fellies.Be like two dogs that injure not our bodies; preserve us, like two crutches, that we fall not.5 Like two winds ageing not, two confluent rivers, come with quick vision like two eyes before us.Come like two hands most helpful to the body, and guide us like two feet to what is precious.6 Even as two lips that with the mouth speak honey, even as two breasts that nourish our existence,Like the two nostrils that protect our being, be to us as our ears that hear distinctly.7 Like two hands give ye us increasing vigour; like heaven and earth constrain the airy regions.Asvins, these hymns that struggle to approach you, sharpen ye like an axe upon a whetstone.8 These prayers of ours exalting you, O Asvins, have the GrtSamadas, for a laud, made ready.Welcome them, O ye Heroes, and come bither. Loud may we speak. with brave men, in assembly.
HYMN XL. Soma and Pusan.1 SOMA and Pusan, Parents of all riches, Parents of earth and Parents of high heaven,You Twain, brought forth as the whole world's protectors, the Gods have made centre of life eternal.2 At birth of these two Gods all Gods are joyful: they have caused darkness, which we hate, tovanish.With these, with Soma and with Pusan, India generates ripe warm milk in the raw milch-cows.3 Soma and Pusan, urge your chariot hither, the seven-wheeIed car that measures out the region,That stirs not all, that moves to every quarter, fivc-reined and harnessed by the thought, ye Mighty.4 One in the heaven on high hath made his dwelling, on earth and in the firmament the other.May they disclose to us great store of treasure, much-longed for, rich in food, source of enjoyment.5 One of you Twain is Parent of all creatures, the otherjourneys onward all-beholding.Soma and Pusan, aid my thought with favour: with you may we o'ercome in all encounters.6 May Pusan stir our thought, the all-impelling, may Soma Lord of riches grant us riches.May Aditi the perfect Goddess aid us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XLI. Various Deities.1. O VAYU, come to us with all the thousand chariots that are thine,Team-borne, to drink the Soma juice.2 Drawn by thy team, O Vayu, come; to thee is offered this, the pure.Thou visitest the presser's house.3 Indra and Vayu, drawn by teams, ye Heroes, come today and drink.Of the bright juice when blent with milk.4 This Soma hath been shed for you, Lawstrengtheners, Mitra-Varuna!Listen ye here to this my call.5 Both Kings who never injure aught seat them in their supremest home,The thousand-pillared, firmly-based.6 Fed with oblation, Sovran Kings, Adityas, Lords of liberal gifts.They wait on him whose life is true.7 With kine, Nasatyas, and with steeds, come, Asvins, Rudras, to the houseThat will protect its heroes well;8 Such, wealthy Gods! as none afar nor standing nigh to us may harm,
Yea, no malicious mortal foe.9 As such, O longed-far Asvins, lead us on to wealth of varied sort,Wealth that shall bring us room and rest.10 Verily Indra, conquering all, driveth e'en mighty fear away,For firm is he and swift to act.11 Indra be gracious unto us: sin shall not reach us afterward,And good shall be before us still.12 From all the regions of the world let Indra send security,The foe-subduer, swift to act.13 O all ye Gods, come hitherward: hear this mine invocation, seatYourselves upon this sacred grass.14 Among ihe gunahotras strong for you is this sweet gladdening draught.Drink ye of this delightsome juice.15 Ye Martus led by Indra, Gods with Pri§an for your bounteousest,Hear all of you this call of mine.16 Best Mother, best of Rivers, best of Goddesses, Sarasvati, We are, as 'twere, of no repute and dearMother, give thou us renown.17 In thee, Sarasvati, divine, all generations have their stay.Be, glad with Sunahotra's sons: O Goddess grant us progeny.18 Enriched with sacrifice, accept Sarasvati, these prayers of ours,Thoughts which GrtSamadas beloved of Gods bring, Holy One,to thee.19 Ye who bless sacrifice, go forth, for verily we choose you both,And Agni who conveys our gifts.20 This our.effectual sacrifice, reaching the sky, shall Heaven and EarthPresent unto the Gods to-day.21 In both your laps, ye guileless Ones, the Holy Gods shall sit them downTo-day to drink the Soma here.
HYMN XLII Kapinjala.1. TELLING his race aloud with cries repeated, he sends his voice out as his boat a steersman.O Bird, be ominous of happy fortune from no side may calamity befall thee.2 Let not the falcon kill thee, nor the eagle let not the arrow-bearing archer reach thee.Still crying in the region of the Fathers, speak here auspicious, bearing joyful tidings.3 Bringing good tidings, Bird of happy omen, call thou out loudly southward of our dwellings,So that no thief, no sinner may oppress us. Loud may we speak, with heroes, in assembly.
HYMN XLIII. Kapinjala.1. HERE on the right sing forth chanters of hymns of praise, even the winged birds that in due seasonspeak.He, like: a Sama-chanter utters both the notes, skilled in the mode of Trstup and of Gayatri.2 Thou like the chanter-priest chantest the Sama, Bird; thou singest at libations like a Brahman's son.Even as a vigorous horse when he comes near the mare, announce to us good forturue, Bird, on everyside, proclaim in all directions happy luck, O Bird.3 When singing here, O Bird. announce good luck to us, and when thou sittest still think on us withkind thoughts.When flying off thou singest thou art like a lute. With brave sons in assembly may we speak aloud.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE THIRD
HYMN I. Agni.1. THOU, Agni, who wilt have the strong, hast made me the Soma's priest, to worship in assembly.Thou shinest to the Gods, I set the pressstones. I toil; be joyful in thyself, O Agni.2 East have we turned the rite; may the hymn aid it. With wood and worship shall they honour Agni.From heaven the synods of the wise have learnt it: c'en for the quick and strong they seekadvancement.3 The Prudent, he whose will is pure, brought welfare, allied by birth to Heaven and Earth in kinship.The Gods discovered in the midst of waters beautiful Agni with the Sisters' labour.4 Him, Blessed One, the Seven strong Floods augmented, him white at birth and red when waxenmighty.As mother mares run to their new-born you ling, so at his birth the Gods wondered at Agni.5 Spreading with radiant limbs throughout the region, purging his power with wise purifications,Robing himself in light, the life of waters, lie spreads abroad his high and perfect glories.6 He sought heaven's Mighty Ones, the unconsuming, the unimpaired, not clothed and yet not naked.Then they, ancient and young, who dwell together, Seven sounding Rivers, as one germ receivedhim.7 His piles, assuming every form, are scattered where flow sweet waters, at the spring of fatness;There stood the milch-kine with full-laden udders, and both paired Mighty Mothers of the Wondrous.8 Carefully cherished, Son of Strength, thou shoncst assuming lasting and refulgent beauties.Full streams of fatness and sweet juice descended, there where the Mighty One grew strong bywisdom.9 From birth he knew even his Father's bosom, he set his voices and his streams in motion;Knew him who moved with blessed Friends in secret, with the young Dames of heaven. He stayednot hidden.10 He nursed the Infant of the Sire and Maker: alone the Babe sucked many a teeming bosom.Guard, for the Bright and Strong, the fellow-spouses friendly to men and bound to him in kinship.11 The Mighty One increased in space unbounded; full many a glorious flood gave strength to Agni.Friend of the house, within the lap of Order lay Agni, in the Sister Rivers' service.12 As keen supporter where great waters gather, light-shedder whom the brood rejoice to look on;He who begat, and will beget, the dawnlights, most manly, Child of Floods, is youthful Agni.13 Him, varied in his form, the lovely Infant of floods and plants the blessed wood hath gendered.Gods even, moved in spirit, came around him, and served him at his birth, the Strong, the Wondrous.14 Like brilliant lightnings, mighty luminaries accompany the light-diffusing Agni,Waxen, as 'twere in secret, in his dwelling, while in the boundless stall they milk out Amrta.15 I sacrificing serve thee with oblations and crave with longing thy good-will and friendship.Grant, with the Gods, thy grace to him who lauds thee, protect us with thy rays that guard thehomestead.16 May we, O Agni, thou who leadest wisely, thy followers and masters of all treasures,Strong in the glory of our noble offspring, subdue the godless when they seek the battle.17 Ensign of Gods hast thou become, O Agni, joy-giver, knower of all secret wisdom.Friend of the homestead, thou hast lightened mortals: carborne thou goest to the Gods, fulfilling.18 Within the house hath sate the King immortal of mortals, filling full their sacred synods.Bedewed with holy oil he shineth widely, Agni, the knower of all secret wisdom.19 Come unto us with thine auspicious friendship, come speeding, Mighty, with thy mighty succours.Grant us abundant wealth that saves from danger, that brings a good repute, a glorious portion.20 To thee who art of old these songs, O Agni, have I declared, the ancient and the later.These great libations to the Strong are offiered: in every birth is Jatavedas stablished.21 Stablished in every birth is Jatavedas, kindled perpetual by the Visvamitras.
May we rest ever in the loving-kindness, in the auspicious grace of him the Holy.22 This sacrifice of ours do thou, O Mighty, O truly Wise, bear to the Gods rejoicing.Grant us abundant food, thou priestly Herald, vouchsafe to give us ample wealth, O Agni.23 As holy food, Agni, to thine'invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us he born a son, and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward.
HYMN II. Agni.1. To him, Vaisvanara, who strengthens Holy Law, to Agni we present our praise like oil made pure.With thoughtful insight human priests bring him anear, our Herald from of old, as an axe forms a car.2 He made the heaven and earth resplendent by his birth: Child of two Mothers he was meet to beimplored,Agni, oblation-bearer, gracious, ever-young, infallible, rich in radiant light, the guest of men.3 Within the range of their surpassinq power, by might, the Gods created Agni with inventivethought.I, eager to win strength, address him, like a steed, resplendent with his brilliance, with his amplelight.4 Eager to gain, we crave from him the friendly God strength confident, choiceworthy meet to beextolled:The Bhrgus' bounty, willing, strong with sages' lore, even Agni shining forth with light that comesfrom heaven.5 For happiness, men, having trimmed the sacred grass, set Agni glorious for his strength beforethem here;Yea, with raised ladles, him bright, dear to all the Gods, perfecting aims of works, Rudra of solemnrites.6 Around thy dwelling-place, O brightly-shining Priest, are men at sacrifice, whose sacred grass istrimmed.Wishing to do thee service, Agni, they are there, desirous of thy friendship grant them store ofwealth.7 He hath filled heaven and earth and the great realm of light, when at his birth the skilful held him intheir hold.He like a horse is led forth to the sacrifice Sage, graciously inclined, that he may win us strength.8 Honour the oblation-bearer, him who knows fair rites, serve ye the Household Friend who knows allthings that be.He drives the chariot of the lofty ordinance: Agni most active, is the great High Priest of Gods.9 They who are free from death, fain for him, purified three splendours of the mighty Agni, circling all.To man, for his enjoyment, one of these they gave: the other two have passed into the sister sphere.10 Man's sacrificial food hath sharpened like an axe, for brightness, him the Sage of men, the people'sLord,Busied with sacred rites he mounts and he descends. He hath laid down his vital germ within theseworlds.11 He stirs with life in wombs dissimilar in kind, born as a Lion or a loudly-bellowing Bull:Vaisvanara immortal with wide-reaching might, bestowing goods and wealth on him who offiersgifts.12 Vaisvanara, as of old, mounted the cope of heaven, heaven's ridge, well greeted, by those skilledin noble songs.He, as of old, producing riches for the folk, still watchful, traversesthe common way again.13 For new prosperity we seek to Agni, him whose course is splendid, gold-haired, excellently bright,Whom Matarisvan stablished, dweller in the heaven, meet for high praise and holy, sage and true toLaw.14 As pure and swift of course, beholder of the light, who stands in heaven's bright sphere a sign,who wakes at dawn,Agni, the head of heaven, whom none may turn aside-to him the Powerful with mighty prayer weseek.
15 The cheerful Priest, the pure, in whom no guile is found, Friend of the House, praise-worthy, dearto all mankind,Fair to behold for beauty like a splendid car,- Agni the Friend of men we ever seek for wealth.
HYMN III. Agni.1. To him who shines afar, Vaisvanara, shall bards give precious things that he may go on certainpaths:For Agni the Immortal serves the Deities, and therefore never breaks their everlasting laws.2 He, wondrous envoy, goes between the earth and heaven, firm seated as the Herald, great HighPriest of men.He compassethwith rays the lofty dwelling-place, Agni, sent forward by the Gods, enriched withpiayer.3 Sages shall glorify Agni with earnest thoughts, ensign of sacrifice, who fills the synod full:In whom the singers have stored up their holy acts to him the worshipper looks for joy andhappiness.4 The Sire of sacrifice, great God of holy bards, Agni, the measure and the symbol of the priests,Hath entered heaven and earth that show in varied form: the Sage whom many love rejoiceth in hismight.5 Bright Agni with the bright car, Lord of green domains, Vaisvanara dweller in the floods, who findsthe light,Pervading, swift and wild, encompassed round with powers, him very glorious have the Godsestablished here.6 Agni, together with the Gods and Manu's folk by thought extending sacrifice in varied form,Goes, car-borne, to and fro with those who crown each rite, the fleet, the Household Friend, whoturns the curse aside.7 Sing, Agni, for long life to us and noble sons: teem thou with plenty, shine upon us store of food.Increase the great man's strength, thou ever-vigilant: thou, longing for the Gods, knowest theirhymns full well.8 The Mighty One, Lord of the people and their guest, the leader of their thoughts, devoted Friend ofpriests,Our solemn rites' announcer, Jatavedas, men with worship ever praise, with urgings for their weal.9 Agni the God resplendent, giver of great joy, hath on his lovely car compassed the lands with,might.Let us with pure laudations in his house approach the high laws of the nourisher of multitudes.10 I celebrate thy glories, O Vaisvanara, wherewith thou, O farsighted God, has found the light.Thou filledst at thy birth both worlds, the earth and heaven: all this, O Agni, hast thou compassed ofthyself.11 By his great skill the Sage alone hath brought to pass a great deed, mightier than Vaisvanara'swondrous acts.Agni sprang into being, magnifying both his Parents, Heaven and Earth, rich in prolific seed.
HYMN IV Apris.1. BE friendly with each kindled log of fuel, with every flash bestow the boon of riches.Bring thou the Gods, O God, unto our worship: serve, well-inclined, as Friend thy friends, O Agni.2 Agni whom daily Varuna and Mitra the Gods bring thrice a day to this our worship,Tanunapat, enrich with meath our service that dwells with holy oil, that offers honour.3 The thought that bringeth every boon proceedeth to worship first the Priest of the libation,That we may greet the Strong One with our homage. Urged, may he bring the Gods, best Sacrificer.4 On high your way to sacrifice was made ready; the radiant flames went upward to the regions.Full in the midst of heaven the Priest is seated: sirew we the sacred grass where Gods may restthem.5 Claiming in mind the seven priests' burntoblations, inciting all, they came in settled order.To this our sacrifice approach the many who show in hero beauty at assemblies.
6 Night and Dawn, lauded, hither come together, both smiling, different are their forms in colour,That Varuna and Mitra may accept us, and Indra, girt by Maruts, with his glories.7. I crave the grace of heaven's two chief Invokers: the seven swift steeds joy in their wontedmanner.These speak of truth, praising the truth eternal, thinking on Order as the guards of Order.8 May Bharati with all her Sisters, Ila accordant with the Gods, with mortalls Agni,Sarasvati with all her kindred Rivers, come to this grass, Three Goddesses, and seat them.9 Well pleased with us do thou O God, O Tvastar, give ready issue to our procreant vigour,Whence springs the hero, powerful, skilled in action, lover of Gods, adjuster of the press-stones.10 Send to the Gods the oblation, Lord of Forests; and let the Immolator, Agni, dress it.He as the truer Priest shall offer worship, for the Gods' generations well he knoweth.11 Come thou to us, O Agni, duly kindled, together with the potent Gods and Indra.On this our grass sit Aditi, happy Mother, and let our Hail delight the Gods Immortal.
HYMN V. Agni.1. AGNI who shines against the Dawns is wakened. The holy Singer who precedes the sages.With far-spread lustre, kindled by the pious, the Priest hath thrown both gates of darkness open.2 Agni hath waxen mighty by laudations, to be adored with hymns of those who praise him.Loving the varied shows of holy Order at the first flush of dawn he shines as envoy.3 Amid men's homes hath Agni been established, fulfilling with the Law, Friend, germ of waters.Loved and adored, the height he hath ascended, the Singer, object of our invocations.4 Agni is Mitra when enkindled duly, Mitra as Priest, Varuna, Jatavedas;Mitra as active minister, and House-Friend, Mitra of flowing rivers and of mountains.5 The Earth's, the Bird's dear lofty place he guardeth, he guardeth in his might the course of Surya,Guardeth the Seven-headed in the centre, guardeth sublime the Deities enjoyment.6 The skilful God who knows all forms of knowledge made for himself a fair form, meet for worship.This Agni guards with care that never ceases the Sonia's skin, the Bird's place rich in fatness.7 Agni hath entered longingly the longing shrine rich with fatness, giving easy access.Resplendent, pure, sublime and purifying, again, again he renovates his Mothers.8 Born suddenly, by plants he grew to greatness, when tender shoots with holy oil increased him,Like waters lovely when they hasten downward may Agni in his Parents' lap protect us.9 Extolled, the Strong shone forth with kindled fuel to the earth's centre, to the height of heaven.May Agni, Friend, adorable Matarisvan, as envoy bring the Gods unto our worship.10 Best of all luminaries lofty Agni supported with his flame the height of heaven,When, far from Bhrgus, Matarisvan kindled the oblation-bearer where he lay in secret.11 As holy food, Agni to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-word.
HYMN VI. Agni.1. URGED on by deep devotion, O ye singers, bring, pious ones, the God-approaching ladle.Borne onward to the right it travels eastward, and, filled with oil, to Agni bears oblation.2 Thou at thy birth didst fill both earth and heaven, yea, Most Adorable, thou didst exceed them.Even through the heaven's and through the earth's expanses let thy swift seventongued flames rollon, O Agni.3 Both Heaven and Earth and Gods who should be worshipped establish thee as Priest for everydwelling,Whenever human families, God-devoted, bringing oblations; laud thy splendid lustre.4 Firm in the Gods' home is the Mighty seated, between vast Heaven and Earth the well-beloved-Those Cows who yield, unharmed, their nectar, Spouses of the Far-Strider, everyoung, united.5 Great are the deeds of thee, the Great, O Agni: thou by thy power hast spread out earth andheaven.
As soon as thou wast born thou wast an envoy, thou, Mighty One, was Leader of the people.6 Bind to the pole with cords of holy Order the long-maned ruddy steeds who sprinkle fatness.Bring hithier, O thou God, all Gods together: provide them noble worship, Jatavedas.7 Even from the sky thy brilliant lights shone hither: still hast thou beamed through many a radiantmorning,That the Gods praised their joyous Herald's labour eagerly burning, Agni, in the forests.8 The Gods who take delight in air's wide region, or those the dwellers in heaven's realm ofbrightness,Or those, the Holy, prompt to hear, our helpers, who, carborne, turn their horses hither, Agni---9 With these, borne on one ear, Agni, approach us, or borne on many, for thy steeds are able.Bring, witb their Dames, the Gods, the Three and-Thirty, after thy Godlike nature, and be joyful.10 He is the Priest at whose repeated worship even wide Heaven and Earth sing out for increase.They fair and true and holy coming forward stand at his sacrifice who springs from Order.11 As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to usward.
HYMN VII.1. THE seven tones risen from the whitebacked viand have made their way between the pair ofMothers.Both circumjacent Parents come together to yield us length of days they hasten forward.2 The Male who dwells in heaven hath Mares and Milchkine: he came to Goddesses who bring sweettreasure.To thee safe resting in the seat of Order the Cow alone upon her way proceedeth.3 Wise Master, wealthy finder-out of riches, he mounted those who may with case be guided.He, dark-backed, manifold with varied aspect, hath made them burst forth from their food the brush-wood.4 Strength-giving streams bear hither him eternal, fain to support the mighty work. of Tvastar.He, flashing in his home with all his members, hath entered both the worlds as they were single.5 They know the red Bull's blessing, and are joyful under the flaming-coloured Lord's dominion:They who give shine from heavenwith fair effulgence, whose lofty song like Ila must be honoured.6 Yea, by tradition from the ancient sages they brought great strength from the two mighty Parents,To where the singer's Bull, the night's dispeller, after his proper law hath waxen stronger.7 Seven holy singers guard with five Adhvaryus the Bird's beloved firmly-settled station.The willing Bulls, untouched by old, rejoice them: as Gods themselves the ways of Gods they follow.8 I crave the grace of heaven's two chief Invokers: the seven swift steeds joy in their wonted manner.These speak of truth, praising the Truth Eternal, thinking on Order as the guards of Order.9 The many seek the great Steed as a stallion: the reins obey the Lord of varied colour.O heavenly Priest, most pleasant, full of wisdom, bring the great Gods to us, and Earth and Heaven.10 Rich Lord, the Mornings have gleamed forth in splendour, fair-rayed, fair-speaking, worshippedwith all viands,Yea, with the glory of the earth, O Agni. Forgive us, for our weal, e'en sin cornmitted.11 As holy food, Agni, to thine invoker, give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us be born a son, and spreading offspring Agni, be this thy gracious will to usward.
HYMN VIII Sacrificial Post.1. GOD-SERVING men, O Sovran of the Forest, with heavenly meath at sacrifice anoint thee.Grant wealth to us when thou art standing upright as when reposing on this Mother's bosom.2 Set up to eastward of the fire enkindled, accepting prayer that wastes not, rich in hero.Driving far from us poverty and famine, lift thyself up to bring us great good fortune.3 Lord of the Forest, raise. thyself up on the loftiest spot of earth.Give splendour, fixt and measured well, to him who brings the sacrifice.
4 Well-robed, enveloped he is come, the youthful: springing to life his glory waxeth greater.Contemplative in mind and God-adoring, sages of high intelligence upraise him.5 Sprung up he rises in the days' fair weather, increasing in the men-frequented synod.With song the wise and skilful consecrate him: his voice the God-adoring singer utters.6, Ye whom religious men have firmly planted; thou Forest Sovran whom the axe hath fashioned,-Let those the Stakes divine which here are standing be fain to grant us wealth with store of children.7 O men who lift the ladles up, these hewn and planted in the ground,Bringing a blessing to the field, shall bear our precious gift to Gods.8 Adityas, Rudras, Vasus, careful leaders, Earth, Heaven, and Prthivi and Air's mid-region,Accordant Deities shall bless our worship and make our sacrifice's ensign lofty.9 Like swan's that flee in lengthened line, the Pillars have come to us arrayed in brilliant coIour.They, lifted up on high, by sages, eastward, go forth as Gods to the God's dwelling-places.10 Those Stakes upon the earth with rings that deck them seem to the eye like horns of hornedcreatures;Or, as upraised by priests in invocation, let them assist us in the rush to battle.11 Lord of the Wood, rise with a hundred branches. with thousand branches may we rise togreatness,Tlou whom this hatchct, with an edge well whetted for great felicity, hath brought before us.
HYMN IX.1. WE as thy friends have chosen thee, mortals a God, to be our help,The Waters' Child, the blessed, the resplendent One, victorious and beyond compare.2 Since thou delighting in the woods hast gone unto thy mother streams,Not to be scorned, Agni, is that return of thine when from afar thou now art here.3 O'er pungent smoke host thou prevailed, and thus art thou benevolent.Some go before, and others round about thee sit, they in whose friendship thou hast place.4 Him who had passed beyond his foes, beyond continual pursuits, Him the unerring Ones,observant, found in floods, couched like a lion in his lair.5 Him wandering at his own free will, Agni here hidden from our view,Him Matarisvan brought to us from far away produced by friction, from the Gods.6 O Bearer of Oblations, thus mortals received thee from the Gods,Whilst thou, the Friend of man, guardest each sacrifice with thine own power, Most Youthful One.7 Amid thy wonders this is good, yea, to the simple is it clear,When gathered round about thee, Agni, lie the herds where thou art kindled in the morn.8 Offer to him who knows fair rites, who burns with purifying glow,Swift envoy, active, ancient, and adorable: serve ye the God attentively.9 Three times a hundred Gods and thrice a thousand, and three times ten and nine have worshippedAgni,For him spread sacred grass, with oil bedewed him, and stablished him as Priest and Sacrificer.
HYMN X. Agni.1. THEE Agni, God, Imperial Lord of all mankind, do mortal menWith understanding kindle at thesacrifice.2 They laud thee in their solemn rites, Agni, as Minister and Priest,Shine forth in thine own home as guardian of the Law.3 He, verily, who honours thee with fuel, Knower of all life,He, Agni! wins heroic might, he prospers well.4 Ensign of sacrifices, he, Agni, with Gods is come to us,Decked by the seven priests, to him who bringeth gifts.5 ToAgni, the Invoking Priest, offer your best, your lofty speech,To him Ordainer-like who brings the light of songs.
6 Let these our hymns make Agni grow, whence, meet for laud, he springs to life,To mighty strength and great possession, fair to see.7 Best Sacrificer, bring the Gods, O Agni, to the pious man:A joyful Priest, thy splendour drive our foes afar8 As such, O Purifier, shine on us heroic glorious might:Be nearest Friend to those who laud thee, for their weal.9 So, wakeful, versed in sacred hymns, the holy singers kindly thee.Oblation-bearer, deathless, cherisher of strength.
HYMN Xl. Agni.1. AGNI is Priest, the great High Priest of sacrifice, most swift in act:He knows the rite in constant course.2 Oblation-bearer, deathless, well inclined, an eager messenger,Agni comes nigh us with the thought.3 Ensign of sacrifice from of old, Agni well knoweth with his thoughtTo prosper this man's aim and hope.4 Agni, illustrious from old time, the Son of Strength who knows all life,The Gods have made to their Priest.5 Infallible is Agni, he who goes before the tribes of men,A chariot swift and ever new.6 Strength of the Gods which none may harm, subduing all his enemies,Agni is mightiest in fame.7 By offering sacred food to him the mortal worshipper obtains.A home from him whose light makes pure.8 From Agni, by our hymns, may we gain all things that bring happiness,Singers of him who knows all life.9 O Agni, in our deeds of might may we obtain all precious things:Tle Gods are centred all in thee.
HYMN XII. Indra-Agni.1. MOVED, Indra-Agni, by our hymn, come to the juice, the precious dew:Dr.ink ye thereof, impelled by song.2 O Indra-Agni, with the man who lauds you comes the wakening rite:So drink ye both this juice assured.3 Through force of sacrifice I choose Indra-Agni who love the wise:With Sorna let these sate them here.4 Indra and Agni I invoke, joint-victors, bounteous, unsubdued,Foe-slayers, best to win the spoil.5 Indra and Agni, singers skilled in melody hymn you, bringing lauds:I choose you for the sacred food.6 Indra and Agni, ye cast down the ninety forts which DAsas held,Together, with one mighty deed.7 To Indra-Agni eeverent thoughts go forward from the holy taskAlong the path of sacred Law.8 O Indra-Agni, powers are yours, and dwellings and delightful foodGood is your readiness to act.9 Indra and Agni, in your deeds of might ye deck heaven's lucid realms:Famed is that hero strength of yours.
HYMN XIII. Agni.
1. To Agni, to this God of yours I sing aloud with utmost power.May he come to us with the Gods, and sit, best Offerer, on the grass.2 The Holy, whose are earth and heaven, and succour waits upon his strength;Him men who bring oblations laud, and they who wish to gain, for grace.3 He is the Sage who guides these men, Leader of sacred rites is he.Him your own Agni, serve ye well, who winneth and bestoweth wealth.4 So may the gracious Agni grant most goodly shelter for our use;Whence in the heavens or in the floods he shall pour wealth upon our lands.5 The singers kindle him, the Priest, Agni the Lord of tribes of men,Resplendent and without a peer through his own excellent designs.6 Help us, thou Brahman, best of all invokers of the Gods in song.Beam, Friend of Maruts, bliss on us, O Agni, a most liberal God.7 Yea, grant us treasure thousandfold with children and with nourishment,And, Agni, splendid hero strength, exalted, wasting not away.
HYMN XIV. Agni.1 THE pleasant Priest is come into the synod, true, skilled in sacrifice, most wise, Ordainer.Agni, the Son of Strength, whose car is lightning, whose hair is flame, hath shown on earth his lustre.2 To thee I offer reverent speech: accept it: to thee who markest it, victorious, faithful!Bring, thou who knowest, those who know, and seat thee amid the sacred grass, for help, O Holy.3 The Two who show their vigour, Night and Morning, by the wind's paths shall haste to thee OAgni.When men adorn the Ancient with oblations, these seek, as on two chariot-seats, the dwelling.4 To thee, strong Agni! Varuna and Mitra and all the Maruts sang a song of triumph,What time unto the people's lands thou camest, spreading them as the Sun of men, with lustre.5 Approaching with raised hands and adoration, we have this day fulfilled for thee thy longing.Worship the Gods with most devoted spirit, a Priest with no unfriendly thought, O Agni.6 For, Son of Strength, from thee come many succours, and powers abundant that a God possesses.Agni, to us with speech that hath no falsehood grant riches, real, to be told in thousands.7 Whatever, God, in sacrifice we mortals have wrought is all for thee, strong, wise of purpose!Be thou the Friend of each good chariot's master. All this enjoy thou here, immortal Agni.
HYMN XV. Agni.1. RESPLENDENT with thy wide-extending lustre, dispel the terrors of the fiends who hate usMay lofty Agni be my guide and shelter, the easily-invoked, the good Protector.2 Be thou To us, while now the morn is breaking, be thou a guardian when the Sun hath mounted..Accept, as men accept a true-born infant, my laud, O Agni nobly born in body.3 Bull, who beholdest men, through many mornings, among the dark ones shine forth red, O Agni.Lead us, good Lord, and bear us over trouble: Help us who long, Most Youthful God, to riches.4 Shine forth, a Bull invincible, O Agni, winning by conquest all the forts and treasures,Thou Jatavedas who art skilled in guiding, the chief high saving sacrifice's Leader.5 Lighting Gods hither, Agni, wisest Singer, bring thou to us many and flawless shelters.Bring vigour, like a car that gathers booty: bring us, O Agni, beauteous.Rarth and Heaven.6 Swell, O thou Bull and give those powers an impulse, e'en Earth and Heaven who yield their milk inplenty,Shining, O God, with Gods in clear effulgence. Let not a mortal's evil will obstruct us.7 Agni, as holy food to thine invoker, give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us be born a son and spreading ofrspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward.
HYMN XVI. Agni.1. THIS Agni is the Lord of great felicity and hero Strength;
Lord of wealth in herds of kine; Lord of the battles with the foe.2 Wait, Maruts, Heroes, upon him the Prosperer in whom is bliss-increasing wealth;Who in fights ever conquer evil-hearted men, who overcome the enemy.3 As such, O Agni, deal us wealth and hero might, O Bounteous One!Most lofty, very glorious, rich in progeny, free from disease and full of power.4 He who made all that lives, who passes all in might, who orders service to the Gods,He works among the Gods, he works in hero strength, yea, also in the praise of men.5 Give us not up to indigence, Agni, nor want of hero sons,Nor, Son of Strength, to lack of cattle, nor to blame. Drive. thou our enemies away.6 Help us to strength, blest Agni! rich in progeny, abundant, in our sacrifice.Flood us with riches yet more plenteous, bringing weal, with high renown, most Glorious One!
HYMN XVII. Agni.1. DULY enkindled after ancient customs, bringing all treasures, he is balmed with unguents,-Flame-haired, oil-clad, the purifying Agni, skilled in fair rites, to bring the Gods for worship.2 As thou, O Agni, skilful Jatavedas, hast sacrificed as Priest of Earth, of Heaven,So with this offering bring the Gods, and prosper this sacrifice today as erst for Manu.3 Three are thy times of life, O Jatavedas, and the three mornings are thy births, O Agni.With these, well-knowing, grant the Gods' kind favour, and help in stir aiid stress the man whoworships.4 Agni most bright and fair with song we honour, yea, the adorable, O Jatavedas.Thee, envoy, messenger, oblation-bearer, the Gods have made centre of life eternal.5 That Priest before thee, yet more skilled in worship, stablished of old, healthgiver by his nature,-After his custom offer, thou who knowest, and lay our sacrifice where Gods may taste it.
HYMN XVIII. Agni.1. AGNI, be kind to us when we approach thee good as a friend to friend, as sire and mother.The races of mankind are great oppressors burn up malignity that strives against us.2 Agni, burn up the unfriendly who are near us, burn thou the foeman's curse who pays no worship.Burn, Vasu, thou who markest well, the foolish: let thine eternal nimble beams surround thee.3 With fuel, Agni, and with oil, desirous, mine offering I present for strength and conquest,With prayer, so far as I have power, adoring-this hymn divine to gain a hundred treasures.4 Give with thy glow, thou Son of Strength, when lauded, great vital power to those who toil to servethee.Give richly, Agni, to the Visvamitras in rest and stir. Oft have we decked thy body.5 Give us, O liberal Lord, great gtore of riches, for, Agni, such art thou when duly kindled.Thou in the happy singer's home bestowest, amply with arms extended, things of beauty.
HYMN XIX. Agni.1. Aow, quick, sage, infallible, all-knowing, I choose to be our Priest at this oblation.In our Gods' service he, best skilled, shall worship: may he obtain us boons for strength and riches.2 Agni, to thee I lift the oil-fed ladle, bright, with an offering, bearing our oblation.From the right hand, choosing the Gods' attendance, he with rich presents hath arranged theworship.3 Of keenest spirit is the man thou aidest give us good offspring, thou who givest freely.In power of wealth most rich in men. O Agni, of thee, the Good, may we sing forth fair praises.4 Men as they worship thee the God, O Agni, have set on thee full many a brilliant, aspect.So bring Most Youthful One, the Gods' asserrigly, the Heavenly Host which thou to-day shalt honour.5 When Gods anoint thee Priest at their oblation, and seat thee for thy task as Sacrificer,O Agni, be thou here our kind defender, and to ourselves vouchsafe the gift of glory.
HYMN XX Agni.1. WITH lauds at break of morn the priest invoketh Agni, Dawn, Dadhikras, and both the Asvins.With one consent the Gods whose light is splendid, longing to taste our sacrifice, shall hear us.2 Three are thy powers, O Agni, three thy stations, three are thy tongues, yea, many, Child of Order!Three bodies hast thou which the Gods delight in: with these protect our hymns with care unceasing.3 O Agni, many are the names thou bearest, immortal, God, Divine, and Jatavedas.And many charms of charmers, All-Inspirer! have they laid in thee, Lord of true attendants!4 Agni, like Bhaga, leads the godly people, he who is true to Law and guards the seasons.Ancient, all-knowing, he the Vrtra-slayer shall bear the singer safe through every trouble.5 I call on Savitar the God, on Morning, Brhaspati, and Dadhikras, and Agni,On Varuna and Mitra, on the Asvins, Bhaga, the Vasus, Rudras and Adityas.
HYMN XXI. Agni.1. SET this our sacrifice among the Immortals: be pleased with these our presents, Jatavedas.O Priest, O Agni, sit thee down before us, and first enjoy the drops of oil and fatness.2 For thee, O Purifier, flow the drops of fatness rich in oil.After thy wont vouchsafe to us the choicest boon that Gods may feast.3 Agni, Most Excellent! for thee the Sage are drops that drip with oil.Thou art enkindled as the best of Seers. Help thou the sacrifice.4 To thee, O Agni, mighty and resistless, to thee stream forth the drops of oil and fatness.With great light art thou come, O praised by poets! Accept our offering, O thou Sage.5 Fatness exceeding rich, extracted from the midst,-this as our gift we offer thee.Excellent God, the drops run down upon thy skin. Deal them to each among the Gods.
HYMN XXII. Agni.1 THIS is that Agni whence the longing Indra took the pressed Soma deep within his body.Winner of spoils in thousands, like a courser, with praise art thou exalted, Jatavedas.2 That light of thine in heaven and earth, O Agni, in plants, O Holy One, and in the waters,Wherewith thou hast spread wide the air's mid-region-bright is that splendour, wavy, man-beholding.3 O Agni, to the sea of heaven thou goest: thou hast called hither Gods beheld in spirit.The waters, too, come hither, those up yonder in the Sun's realm of light, and those beneath it.4 Let fires that dwell in mist, combined with those that have their home in floods,Guileless accept our sacrifice, great viands free from all disease.5 Agni, as holy food to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us be born a son and spreading offspring. Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward.
HYMN XXIII. Agni.1. RUBBED into life, well stablished in the dwelling, Leader of sacrifice, the Sage, the youthful,Here in the wasting fuel Jatavedas, eternal, hath assumed immortal being.2 Both Bharatas, Devasravas, Devavata, have strongly rubbed to life effectual Agni.O Agni, look thou forth with ample riches: be, every day, bearer of food to feed us.3 Him nobly born of old the fingers ten produced, him whom his Mothers counted dear.Praise Devavata's Agni, thou Devasravas, him who shall be the people's Lord.4 He set thee in the earth's most lovely station, in Ila's place, in days of fair bright weather.On man, on Apaya, Agni! on the rivers Drsadvati, Sarasvati, shine richly.5 Agni, as holy food to thine invoker give wealth in cattle, lasting, rich in marvels.To us be born a son and spreading offspring Agni, be this thy gracious will to us-ward
HYMN XXIV. Agni.
1. AGNI, subdue opposing bands, and drive our enemies away.Invincible, slay godless foes: give splendour to the worshipper.2 Lit with libation, Agni, thou, deathless, who callest Gods to feast,Accept our sacrifice with joy.3 With splendour, Agni, Son of Strength, thou who art worshipped, wakeful One.Seat thee on this my sacred grass.4 With all thy fires, with all the Gods, Agni, exalt the songs we sing.And living men in holy rites.5 Grant, Agni, to the worshipper wealth rich in heroes, plenteous store,Make thou us rich with many sons.
HYMN XXV. Agni.1. THOU art the sapient Son of Dyaus, O Agni, yes and the Child of Earth, who knowest all things.Bring the Gods specially, thou Sage, for worship.2. Agni the wise bestows the might of heroes grants strengthening food, preparing it for nectar.Thou who art rich in food bring the Gods hither.3 Agni, infallible, lights Earth and Heaven, immortal Goddesses gracious to all men,-Lord through his strength, splendid through adorations.4 Come to the sacrifice, Agni and Indra come to the offerer's house who hath the Soma.Come, friendly-minded, Gods, to drink the Soma.5 In the floods' home art thou enkindled, Agni, O Jatavedas, Son of Strength, eternal,Exalting with thine help the gatheringplaces.
HYMN XXVI. Agni.1. REVERING in our heart Agni Vaisvanara, the finder of the light, whose promises are true,The liberal, gladsome, car-borne God we Kusikas invoke him with oblation, seeking wealth withsongs.2 That Agni, bright, Vaisvanara, we invoke for help, and Matarisvan worthy of the song of praise;Brhaspati for man's observance of the Gods, the Singer prompt to hear, the swiftly-moving guest.3 Age after age Vaisvanara, neighing like a horse, is kindled with the women by the Kusikas.May Agni, he who wakes among Immortal Gods, grant us heroic strength and wealth in noble steeds.4 Let them go forth, the strong, as flames of fire with might. Gathered for victory they have yokedtheir spotted deer.Pourers of floods, the Maruts, Masters of all wealth, they who can ne'er be conquered, make themountains shake.5 The Maruts, Friends of men, are glorious as the fire: their mighty and resplendent succour weimplore.Those storming Sons of Rudra clothed in robes of rain, boon-givers of good gifts, roar as the lions roar.6 We, band on band and troop following troop, entreat with fair lauds Agni's splendour and theMaruts' might,With spotted deer for steeds, with wealth that never fails, they, wise Ones, come to sacrifice at ourgatherings.7 Agni am I who know, by birth, all creatures. Mine eye is butter, in my mouth is nectar.I am light threefold, measurer of the region exhaustless heat am I, named burnt-oblation.8 Bearing in mind a thought with light accordant, he purified the Sun with three refinings;By his own nature gained the highest treasure, and looked abroad over the earth and heaven.9 The Spring that fails not with a hundred streamlets, Father inspired of' prayers that men shouldutter,The Sparkler, joyous in his Parents' bosorn, -him, the Truth-speaker, sate ye, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XXVII. Agni.1. IN ladle dropping oil your food goes in oblation up to heaven,
Goes to the Gods in search of bliss.2 Agni I laud, the Sage inspired, crowner of sacrifice through song,Who listens and gives bounteous gifts.3 O Agni, if we might obtain control of thee the potent God,Then should we overcome our foes.4 Kindled at sacrifices he is Agni, hallower, meet for praise,With flame for hair: to him we seek.5 Immortal Agni, shining far, enrobed with oil, well worshipped, bearsThe gifts of sacrifice away.6 The priests with ladles lifted up, worshipping here with holy thought,Have brought this Agni for our aid.7 Immortal, Sacrificer, God, with wondrous power he leads the way,Urging the great assembly on.8 Strong, he is set on deeds ofstrength. In sacrifices led in front,As Singer he completes the rite.9 Excellent, he was made by thought. The Germ of beings have I gained,Yea, and die Sire of active strength.10 Thee have I stablished, Excellent, O strengthened by the sage's prayer,Thee, Agni, longing, nobly bright.11 Agni, the swift and active One, singers, at time of sacrifice,Eagerly kindle with their food.12 Agni the Son of Strength who shines up to the heaven in solemn rites,The wise of heart, I glorify.13 Meet to be lauded and adored, showing in beauty through the dark,Agni, the Strong, is kindled well.14 Agni is kindled as a bull, like a horsebearer of the Gods:Men with oblations worship him.15 Thee will we kindle as a bull, we who are Bulls ourselves, O Bull.Thee, Agni, shining mightily.
HYMN XXVIII. Agni.1. AGNI who knowest all, accept our offering and the cake of meal,At dawn's libation, rich in prayer!2 Agni, the sacrificial cake hath been prepared and dressed for thee:Accept it, O Most Youthful God.3 Agni, enjoy the cake of meal and our oblation three days old:Thou, Son of Strength, art stablished at our sacrifice.4 Here at the midday sacrifice enjoy thou the sacrificial cake, wise, Jatavedas!Agni, the sages in assemblies never minish the portion due to thee the Mighty.5 O Agni, at the third libation takewith joy the offered cake of sacrifice, thou, Son of Strength.Through skill in song bear to the Gods our sacrifice, watchful and fraught with riches, to ImmortalGod.6 O waxing Agni, knower, thou, of all, accept our gifts, the cake,And that prepared ere yesterday.
HYMN XXIX. Agni.1. HERE is the gear for friction, here tinder made ready for the spark.Bring thou the Matron: we will rub Agni in ancient fashion forth.2 1n the two fire-sticks Jatavedas lieth, even as the well-set germ in pregnant women,Agni who day by day must be exalted by men who watch and worship with oblations.
3 Lay this with care on that which lies extended: straight hath she borne the Steerwhen madeprolific.With his red pillar-radiant is his splendour -in our skilled task is born the Son of Ila.4 In Ila's place we set thee down, upon the central point of earth,That, Agni Jatavedas, thou mayst bear our offerings to the Gods.5 Rub into life, ye men, the Sage, the guileless, Immortal, very wise and fair to look on.O men, bring forth the most propitious Agni, first ensign of the sacrifice to eastward.6 When with their arms they rub him straight he shineth forth like a strong courser, red in colour, inthe wood.Bright, checkless, as it were upon the Atvins' path, lie passeth by the stones and burneth up thegrass.7 Agni shines forth when born, observant, mighty, the bountiful, the Singar praised by sages;Whom, as adorable and knowing all things, Gods set at solemn rites as offeringbearer.8 Set thee, O Priest, in, thine own place, observant: lay down the sacrifice in the home of worship.Thou, dear to Gods, shalt serve them with oblation: Agni, give long life to the sacrificer.9 Raise ye a mighty smoke, my fellow-workers! Ye shall attain to wealth without obstruction.This Agni is the battle-winning Hero by whom the Gods have overcome the Dasyus.10 This is thine ordered place of birth whence sprung to life thou shonest forth.Knowing this, Agni, sit thee down, and prosper thou the songs we sing.11 As Germ Celestial he is called Tanunapat, and Narasamsa born diffused in varied shape.Formed in his Mother he is Matarisvan; he hath, in his course, become the rapid flight of wind.12 With strong attrition rubbed to life, laid down with careful hand, a Sage,Agni, make sacrifices good, and for the pious bring the Gods.13 Mortals have brought to life the God Immortal, the Conqueror with mighty jaws, unfailing.The sisters ten, unwedded and united, together grasp the Babe, the new-born Infant.14 Served by the seven priests, he shone forth from ancient time, when in his Mother's bosom, in herlap, he glowed.Giving delight each day he closeth not his eye, since from the Asura's body hewas brought to life.15 Even as the Maruts, onslaughts who attack the foe, those born the first of all knew the full powerof prayer.The Kusikas have made the glorious hymn ascend, and, each one singly in his home, have kindledfire.16 As we, O Priest observant, have elected thee this day, what time the solemn sacrifice began,So surely hast thou worshipped, surely hast thou toiled: come thou unto the Soma, wise and knowingall.
HYMN XXX. Indra.1. THE friends who offer Soma long to find thee: they pour forth Soma and present their viands.They bear unmoved the cursing of the people, for all our wisdom comes from thee, O Indra.2 Not far for thee are mid-air's loftiest regions: start hither, Lord of Bays, with thy Bay Horses.Made for the Firm and Strong are these libations. The pressing-stones are set and fire is kindled.3 Fair cheeks hath Indra, Maghavan, the Victor, Lord of a great host, Stormer, strong in action.What once thou didst in might when mortals vexed thee,-where now, O Bull, are those thy heroexploits?4 For, overthrowing what hath ne'er been shaken, thou goest forth alone destroying Vrtras.For him who followeth thy Law the mountains and heaven and earth stand as if firmly stablished.5 Yea, Much-invoked! in safety through thy glories alone thou speakest truth as Vrtra's slayer.E'en these two boundless worlds to thee, O Indra, what time thou graspest them, are but a handful.6 Forthwith thy Bay steeds down the steep, O Indra, forth, crushing foemen, go thy bolt of thunder!Slay those who meet thee, those who flee, who follow: make all thy promise true; be all completed.7 The man to whom thou givest as Provider enjoys domestic plenty undivided.Blest, Indra, is thy favour dropping fatness: thy worship, Much-invoked! brings gifts in thousands.
8 Thou, Indra, Much-invoked! didst crush to pieces Kunaru handless fiend who dwelt with Danu.Thou with might, Indra, smotest dead the scorner, the footless Vrtra as he waxed in vigour.9 Thou hast established in her seat, O Indra, the level earth, vast, vigorous, unbounded.The Bull hath propped the heaven and air's mid-region. By thee sent onward let the floods flowhither.10 He who withheld the kine, in silence I yielded in fear before thy blow, O Indra.He made paths easy to drive forth the cattle. Loud-breathing praises helped the Much-invoked One.11 Indra alone filled full the earth and heaven, the Pair who meet together, rich in treasures.Yea, bring thou near us from the air's mid-region strength, on thy car, and wholesome food, O Hero.12 Surya transgresses not the ordered limits set daily by the Lord of Tawny Coursers.When to the goal he comes, his journey ended, his Steeds he looses: this is Indra's doing.13 Men gladly in the course of night would look on the broad bright front of the refulgent Morning;And all acknowledge, when she comes in glory, the manifold and goodly works of Indra.14 A mighty splendour rests upon her bosom: bearing ripe milk the Cow, unripe, advances.All sweetness is collected in the Heifer, sweetness which Indra made for our enjoyment.15 Barring the way they come. Be firm, O Indra; aid friends to sacrifice and him who singeth.These must be slain by thee, malignant mortals, armed with ill arts, our quiverbearing foemen.16 A cry is beard from enemies most near us: against them send thy fiercest-flaming weapon.Rend them from under, crush them and subdue them. Slay, Maghavan, and make the fiends ourbooty.17 Root up the race of Raksasas, O Indra rend it in front and crush it in the middle.How long hast thou bebaved as one who wavers? Cast thy hot dart at him who hates devotion:18 When borne by strong Steeds for our weal, O Leader, thou seatest thee at many noble viands.May we be winners of abundant riches. May Indra be our wealth with store of children.19 Bestow on us resplendent wealth. O Indra let us enjoy thine overflow of bounty.Wide as a sea our longing hath expanded, fulfil it, O thou Treasure-Lord of treasures.20 With kine and horses satisfy this longing with very splendid bounty skill extend it.Seeking the light, with hymns to thee, O Indra, Kusikas have brought their gift, the singers.21 Lord of the kine, burst the kine's stable open: cows shall be ours, and strength that wins thebooty.Hero, whose might is true, thy home is heaven: to us, O Maghavan, grant gifts of cattle.22 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXI. Indra.1. WISE, teaching, following the thought of Order, the sonless gained a grandson from his daughter.Fain, as a sire, to see his child prolific, he sped to meet her with an eager spirit.2 The Son left not his portion to the brother, he made a home to hold him who should gain, it.What time his Parents gave the Priest his being, of the good pair one acted, one promoted.3 Agni was born trembling with tongue that flickered, so that the Red's great children should behonoured.Great is their germ, that born of them is mighty, great the Bays' Lord's approach through sacrifices.4 Conquering bands upon the Warrior waited: they recognized great light from out the darkness.The conscious Dawns went forth to meet his coming, and the sole Master of the kine was Indra.5 The sages freed them from their firmbuilt prison: the seven priests drove them forward with theirspirit.All holy Order's pathway they discovered he, full of knowledge, shared these deeds through worship.6 When Sarama had found the mountain's fissure, that vast and ancient place she plunderedthoroughly.In the floods' van she led them forth, light-footed: she who well knew came first unto their lowing.7 Longing for friendship came the noblest singer: the hill poured forth its treasure for the pious.
The Hero with young followers fought and conquered, and straightway Angiras was singing praises,8 Peer of each noble thing, yea, all excelling, all creatures doth he know, he slayeth Susna.Our leader, fain for war, singing from heaven, as Friend he saved his lovers from dishonour.9 They sate them down with spirit fain for booty, making with hymns a way to life eternal.And this is still their place of frequent session, whereby they sought to gain the months throughOrder.10 Drawing the milk of ancient seed prolific, they joyed as they beheld their own possession.Their shout of triumph heated earth and heaven. When the kine showed, they bade the heroes rousethem.11 Indra drove forth the kine, that Vrtra-slayer, while hymns of praise rose up and gifts were offered.For him the Cow, noble and far-extending, poured pleasant juices, bringing oil and sweetness.12 They made a mansion for their Father, deftly provided him a great and glorious dwelling;With firm support parted and stayed the Parents, and, sitting, fixed him there erected, mighty.13 What time the ample chalice had impelled him, swift waxing, vast, to pierce the earth andheaven,-Him in whom blameless songs are all united: all powers invincible belong to Indra.14 I crave thy powers, I crave thy mighty friendship: full many a team goes to the Vrtra-slayer.Great is the laud, we seek the Princes' favour. Be thou, O Maghavan, our guard and keeper.15 He, having found great, splendid, rich dominion, sent life and motion to his friends and lovers.Indra who shone together with the Heroes begot the song, the fire, and Sun and Morning.16 Vast, the House-Friend, he set the waters flowing, all-lucid, widely spread, that move together.By the wise cleansings of the meath made holy, through days, and nights they speed the swiftstreams onward.17 To thee proceed the dark, the treasure-holders, both of them sanctified by Surya's bounty.The while thy ovely storming Friends, O Indra, fail to attain the measure of thy greatness.18 Be Lord of joyous songs, O Vrtra-slayer, Bull dear to all, who gives the power of living.Come unto us with thine auspicious friendship, hastening, Mighty One, with mighty succours.19 Like Angiras I honour him with worship, and renovate old song for him the Ancient.Chase thou the many godless evil creatures, and give us, Maghavan, heaven's light to help m.20 Far forth are spread the purifying waters convey thou us across them unto safety.Save us, our Charioteer, from harm, O Indra, soon, very soon, make us win spoil of cattle.21 His kine their Lord hath shown, e'en Vrtra's slayer, through the black hosts he passed with redattendants.Teaching us pleasant things by holy Order, to, us hath he thrown open all his portals.22 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered.The Strong who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXII. Indra1. DRINK thou this Soma, Indra, Lord of Soma; drink thou the draught of noonday which thou Iovest.Puffing thy cheeks, impetuous, liberal Giver, here loose thy two Bay Horses and rejoice thee.2 Quaff it pure, meal-blent, mixt with milk, O Indra; we have poured forth the Soma for thy rapture.Knit with the prayer-fulfilling band of Maruts, yea, with the Rudras, drink till thou art sated;3 Those who gave increase to thy strength and vigour; the Maruts singing forth thy might, O Indra.Drink thou, O fair of cheek, whose hand wields thunder, with Rudras banded, at our noon libation.4 They, even the Maruts who were there, excited with song the meath-created strength of Indra.By them impelled to act he reached the vitals Of Vrtra, though he deemed that none might woundhim.5 Pleased, like a man, with our libation, Indra, drink, for enduring hero might, the Soma.Lord of Bays, moved by sacrifice come hither: thou with the Swift Ones stirrest floods and waters.6 When thou didst loose the streams to run like racers in the swift contest, having smitten VrtraWith flying weapon where he lay, O Indra, and, godless, kept the Goddesses encompassed.
7 With reverence let us worship mighty Indra, great and sublime, eternal, everyouthful,Whose greatness the dear world-halves have not measured, no, nor conceived the might of him theHoly.8 Many are Indra's nobly wrought achievements, and none of all the Gods transgress his statutes.He beareth up this earth and heaven, and, doer of marvels, he begot the Sun and Morning.9 Herein, O Guileless One, is thy true greatness, that soon as born thou drankest up the Soma.Days may not check the power of thee the Mighty, nor the nights, Indra, nor the months, norautumns.10 As soon as thou wast born in highest heaven thou drankest Soma to delight thee, Indra;And when thou hadst pervaded earth and heaven thou wast the first supporter of the singer.11 Thou, puissant God, more mighty, slewest. Ahi showing his strength when couched around thewaters.The heaven itself attained not to thy greatness when with one hip of thine the earth was shadowed.12 Sacrifice, Indra, made thee wax so mighty, the dear oblation with the flowing Soma.O Worshipful, with worship help our worship, for worship helped thy bolt when slaying Ahi.13 With sacrifice and wish have I brought Indra; still for new blessings may I turn him hither,Him magnified by ancient songs and praises, by lauds of later time and days yet recent.14 I have brought forth a song when longing seized me: ere the decisive day will I laud Indra;Then may lie safely bear us over trouble, as in a ship, when both sides invocate him.15 Full is his chalice: Glory! Like a pourer I have filled up the vessel for his drinking.Presented on the right, dear Soma juices have brought us Indra, to rejoice him, hither.16 Not the deep-flowing flood, O Much-invoked One! not hills that compass thee about restrain thee,Since here incited, for thy friends, O Indra, thou breakest e'en the firm built stall of cattle.17 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.1. FORTH from the bosom of the mountains, eager as two swift mares with loosened rein contending,Like two bright mother cows who lick their youngling, Vipas and Sutudri speed down their waters.2 Impelled by Indra whom ye pray to urge you, ye move as 'twere on chariots to the ocean.Flowing together, swelling with your billows, O lucid Streams, each of you seeks the other.3 I have attained the most maternal River, we have approached Vipas, the broad, the blessed.Licking as 'twere their calf the pair of Mothers flow onward to their common home together.4 We two who rise and swell with billowy waters move forward to the home which Gods have madeus.Our flood may not be stayed when urged to motion. What would the singer, calling to the Rivers?5 Linger a little at my friendly bidding rest, Holy Ones, a moment in your journey.With hymn sublime soliciting your favour Kusika's son hath called unto the River.6 Indra who wields the thunder dug our channels: he smote down Vrtra, him who stayed ourcurrents.Savitar, God, the lovely-handed, led us, and at his sending forth we flow expanded.7 That hero deed of Indra must be lauded for ever that he rent Ahi in pieces.He smote away the obstructors with his thunder, and eager for their course forth flowed the waters.8 Never forget this word of thine, O singer, which future generations shall reecho.In hymns, O bard, show us thy loving kindness. Humble us not mid men. To thee be honour!9 List quickly, Sisters, to the bard who cometh to you from far away with car and wagon.Bow lowly down; be easy to be traversed stay, Rivers, with your floods below our axles.10 Yea, we will listen to thy words, O singer. With wain and car from far away thou comest.Low, like a nursing mother, will I bend me, and yield me as a maiden to her lover.11 Soon as the Bharatas have fared across thee, the warrior band, urged on and sped by Indra,Then let your streams flow on in rapid motion. I crave your favour who deserve our worship.
12 The warrior host, the Bharatas, fared over the singer won the favour of the Rivers.Swell with your billows, hasting, pouring riches. Fill full your channels, and roll swiftly onward.13 So let your wave bear up the pins, and ye, O Waters, spare the thongs;And never may the pair of Bulls, harmless and sinless, waste away.
HYMN XXXIV. Indra.1. FORT-RENDER, Lord of Wealth, dispelling foemen, Indra with lightnings hath o'ercome the Dasa.Impelled by prayer and waxen great in body, he hath filled earth and heaven, the Bounteous Giver.2 I stimulate thy zeal, the Strong, the Hero decking my song of praise forth; Immortal.O Indra, thou art equally the Leader of heavenly hosts and human generations.3 Leading, his band Indra encompassed Vrtra; weak grew the wily leader of enchanters.He who burns fierce in forests slaughtered Vyamsa, and made the Milch-kine of the nights apparent.4 Indra, light-winner, days' Creator, conquered, victorious, hostile bands with those who loved him.For man the days' bright ensign he illumined, and found the light for his joy and gladness.5 Forward to fiercely falling blows pressed Indra, herolike doing many hero exploits.These holy songs he taught the bard who gaised him, and widely spread these Dawns' resplendentcolour.6 They laud the mighty acts of him the Mighty, the many glorious deeds performed by Indra.He in his strength, with all-surpassing prowess, through wondrous arts crushed the malignantDasyus.7 Lord of the brave, Indra who rules the people gave freedom to the Gods by might and battle.Wise singers glorify with chanted praises these his achievements in Vivasvan's dwelling.8 Excellent, Conqueror, the victory-giver, the winner of the light and Godlike Waters,He who hath won this broad earth and this heaven, -in Indra they rejoice who love devotions.9 He gained possession of the Sun and Horses, Indra obtained the Cow who feedeth many.Treasure of gold he won; he smote the Dasyus, and gave protection to the Aryan colour.10 He took the plants and days for his possession; he gained the forest trees and air's mid-region.Vala he cleft, and chased away opponents: thus was he tamer of the overweening.11 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers treasures.
HYMN XXXV Indra.1. MOUNT the Bay Horses to thy chariot harnessed, and come to us like Vayu with his coursers.Thou, hastening to us, shalt drink the Soma. Hail, Indra. We have poured it for thy rapture.2 For him, the God who is invoked by many, the two swift Bay Steeds to the pole I harness,That they in fleet course may bring Indra hither, e'en to this sacrifice arranged completely.3 Bring the strong Steeds who drink the warm libation, and, Bull of Godlike nature, be thou gracious.Let thy Steeds eat; set free thy Tawny Horses, and roasted grain like this consume thou daily.4 Those who are yoked by prayer I harness, fleet friendly Bays who take their joy together.Mounting thy firm and easy car, O Indra, wise and all-knowing come thou to the Soma.5 No other worshippers must stay beside them thy Bays, thy vigorous and smooth-backed Coursers.Pass by them all and hasten onward hither: with Soma pressed we will prepare to feast thee.6 Thine is this Sorna: hasten to approach it. Drink thou thereof, benevolent, and cease not.Sit on the sacred grass at this our worship, and take these drops into thy belly, Indra.7 The grass is strewn for thee, pressed is the Soma; the grain is ready for thy Bays to feed on.To thee who lovest them, the very mighty, strong, girt by Maruts, are these gifts presented.8 This the sweet draught, with cows, the men, the mountains, the waters, Indra, have for thee madeready.Come, drink thereof, Sublime One, friendly-minded, foreseeing, knowing well the ways thou goest.9 The Maruts, they with whom thou sharedst Soma, Indra, who made thee strong and were thinearmy,-
With these accordant, eagerly desirous drink thou this Soma with the tongue of Agni.10 Drink, Indra, of the juice by thine own nature, or by the tongue of Agni, O thou Holy.Accept the sacrificial gift, O Sakra, from the Adhvaryu's hand or from the Hotar's.11 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong, who listens, who.gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXVI. Indra.1. WITH constant succours, fain thyself to share it, make this oblation which we bring effective.Grown great through strengthening gifts at each libation, he hath become renowned by mightyexploits.2 For Indra were the Somas erst- discovered, whereby he grew strong-jointed, vast, and skilful.Indra , take quickly these presented juices: drink of the strong, that which the strong have shaken.3 Drink and wax great. Thine are the juices, Indra, both Somas of old time and these we bring thee.Even as thou drankest, Indra, earlier Somas, so drink to-day, a new guest, meet for praises.4 Great and impetuous, mighty-voiced in battle, surpassing power is his, and strength resistless.Him the broad earth hath never comprehended when Somas cheered the Lord of Tawny Coursers.5 Mighty and strong he waxed for hero exploit: the Bull was furnished a Sage's wisdom.Indra is our kind Lord; his steers have vigour; his cows are many with abundant offspring.6 As floods according to their stream flow onward, so to the sea, as borne on cars, the waters.Vaster is Indra even than his dwelling, what time the stalk milked out, the Soma, fills him.7 Eager to mingle with the sea, the rivers carry the well-pressed Soma juice to Indra.They drain the stalk out with their arms, quick-banded, and cleanse it with a stream of mead andfilters.8 Like lakes appear his flanks filled full with Soma: yea, he contains libations in abundance.When Indra had consumed the first sweet viands, he, after slaying Vrtra, claimed the Soma.9 Then bring thou hither, and let none prevent it: we know thee well, the Lord of wealth andtreasure.That splendid gift which is thine own, O Indra, vouchsafe to us, Lord of the Tawny Coursers.10 O Indra, Maghavan, impetuous mover, grant us abundant wealth that brings all blessings.Give us a hundred autumns for our lifetime: give us, O fair-checked Indra, store of heroes.11 Call we on Indra, Maghavan, auspicious, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXVII. Indra.1. O INDRA, for the strength that slays Vrtra and conquers in the fight,We turn thee hitherward to us.2 O Indra, Lord of Hundred Powers, may those who praise thee hitherward.Direct thy spirit and thine eye.3 O Indra, Lord of Hundred Powers, with all our songs we invocateThy names for triumph over foes.4 We strive for glory through the powers immense of him whom many praise,Of Indra who supports mankind.5 For Vrtra's slaughter I address Indra whom many invocate,To win us booty in the wars.6 In battles be victorious. We seek thee, Lord of Hundred Powers,Indra, that Vrtra may be slain.7 In splendid combats of the hosts, in glories where the fight is won.Indra, be victor over foes.8 Drink thou the Soma for our help, bright, vigilant, exceeding strong,O Indra, Lord of Hundred Powers.9 O Satakratu, powers which thou mid the Five Races hast displayed-
These, Indra, do I claim of thee.10 Indra, great glory hast thou gained. Win splendid fame which none may marWe make thy might perpetual.11 Come to us either from anear, Or, Sakra, come from far away.Indra, wherever be thy home, come to us thence, O Thunder-armed.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra.1. HASTING like some strong courser good at drawing, a thought have I imagined like a workman.Pondering what is dearest and most noble, I long to see the sages full of wisdom.2 Ask of the sages' mighty generations firm-minded and devout they framed the heaven.These are thy heart-sought strengthening directions, and they have come to be sky's upholders.3 Assuming in this world mysterious natures, they decked the heaven and earth for high dominion,Measured with measures, fixed their broad expanses, set the great worlds apart held firm for safety.4 Even as he mounted up they all adorned him: self-luminous he travels clothed in splendour.That is the Bull's, the Asura's mighty figure: he, omniform, hath reached the eternal waters.5 First the more ancient Bull engendered offspring; these are his many draughts that lent him vigour.From days of old ye Kings, two Sons of Heaven, by hymns of sacrifice have won dominion.6 Three seats ye Sovrans, in the Holy synod, many, yea, all, ye honour with your presence.There saw I, going thither in the spirit, Gandharvas in their course with wind-blown tresses.7 That same companionship of her, the Milch-cow, here with the strong Bull's divers forms theystablished.Enduing still some new celestial figure, the skilful workers shaped a form around him.8 Let no one here debar me from enjoying the golden light which Savitar diffuses.He covers both all-fostering worlds with praises even as a woman cherishes her children.9 Fulfil, ye twain, his work, the Great, the Ancient: as heavenly blessing keep your guard around us.All the wise Gods behold his varied actions who stands erect, whose voice is like a herdsman's.10 Call we on Indra, Maghavan, auspicious, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XXXIX. Indra.1. To Indra from the heart the hymn proceedeth, to him the Lord, recited, built with praises;The wakening song sung forth in holy synod: that which is born for thee, O Indra, notice.2 Born from the heaven e'en in the days aforetime, wakening, sting aloud in holy synod,Auspicious, clad in white and shining raiment, this is the ancient hymn of our forefathers.3 The Mother of the Twins hath borne Twin Children: my tongue's tip raised itself and rested silent.Killing the darkness at the light's foundation, the Couple newly born attain their beauty.4 Not one is found among them, none of mortals, to blame our sires who fought to win the cattle.Their strengthener was Indra the Majestic he spread their stalls of kine the Wonder-Worker.5 Where as a Friend with friendly men, Navagvas, with heroes, on his knees he sought the cattle.There, verily with ten Dasagvas Indra found the Sun lying hidden in the darkness.6 Indra found meath collected in the milch-cow, by foot and hoof, in the cow's place of pasture.That which lay secret, hidden in the waters, he held in his right hand, the rich rewarder.7 He took the light, discerning it from darkness: may we be far removed from all misfortune.These songs, O Soma-drinker, cheered by Soma, Indra, accept from thy most zealous poet.8 Let there be light through both the worlds for worship: may we be far from most overwhelming evil.Great woe comes even from the hostile mortal, piled up; but good at rescue are the Vasus.9 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XL. Indra.
1. THEE, Indra, we invoke, the Bull, what time the Soma is expressed.So drink thou of the savoury juice.2 Indra, whom many laud, accept the strength-conferring Soma juice:Quaff, pour down drink that satisfies.3 Indra, with all the Gods promote our wealth-bestowing sacrifice,Thou highly-lauded Lord of men.4 Lord of the brave, to thee proceed these drops of Soma juice expressed,The bright drops to thy dwelling-place.5 Within thy belly, Indra, take juice, Soma the most excellent: Thine are the drops celestial.6 Drink our libation, Lord of hymns: with streams of meath thou art bedewedOur glory, Indra, is thy gift.7 To Indra go the treasures of the worshipper, which never fail:He drinks the Soma and is strong8 From far away, from near at hand, O Vrtra-slayer, come to us:Accept the songs we sing to thee.9 When from the space between the near and far thou art invoked by us,Thence, Indra. come thou hitherward.
HYMN XLI. Indra.1. INVOKED to drink the Soma juice, come with thy Bay Steeds, Thunder-armedCome, Indra, hitherward to me.2 Our priest is seated, true to time; the grass is regularly strewn;The pressing-stones were set at morn.3 These prayers, O thou who hearest prayer are offered: seat thee on the grass.Hero, enjoy the offered cake.4 O Vrtra-slayer, be thou pleased with these libations, with these hymns,Song-loving Indra, with our lauds.5 Our hymns caress the Lord of Strength, vast, drinker of the Soma's juice,Indra, as mother-cows their calf.6 Delight thee with the juice we pour for thine own great munificence:Yield not thy singer to reproach.7 We, Indra, dearly loving thee, bearing oblation, sing thee hymnsThou, Vasu, dearly lovest us.8 O thou to whom thy Bays are dear, loose not thy Horses far from us:Here glad thee, Indra, Lord divine.9 May long-maned Coursers, dropping oil, bring thee on swift car hitherward,Indra, to seat thee on the grass.
HYMN XLII. Indra.1. COME to the juice that we have pressed, to Sorna, Indra, bleat with milk:Come, favouring us, thy Bay-drawn car!2 Come, Indra, to this gladdening drink, placed on the grass, pressed out with stones:Wilt thou not drink thy fill thereof?3 To Indra have my songs of praise gone forth, thus rapidly sent hence,To turn him to the Soma-draught.4 Hither with songs of praise we call Indra to drink the Soma juice:Will he not come to us by lauds?5 Indra, these Somas are expressed. Take them within thy belly, LordOf Hundred Powers, thou Prince of Wealth.6 We know thee winner of the spoil, and resolute in battles, Sage!
Therefore thy blessing we implore.7 Borne hither by thy Stallions, drink, Indra, this juice which we have pressed,Mingled with barley and with milk.8 Indra, for thee, in thine own place, I urge the Soma for thy draught:Deep in thy heart let it remain,9 We call on thee, the Ancient One, Indra, to drink the Soma juice,We Kusikas who seek thine aid.
HYMN XLIII. Indra.1. MOUNTED upon thy chariot-seat approach us: thine is the Sorna-draught from days aforetime.Loose for the sacred grass thy dear companions. These men who bring oblation call thee hither.2 Come our true Friend, passing by many people; come with thy two Bay Steeds to our devotions;For these our hymns are calling thee, O Indra, hymns formed for praise, soliciting thy friendship.3 Pleased, with thy Bay Steeds, Indra, God, come quickly to this our sacrifice that heightens worship;For with my thoughts, presenting oil to feed thee, I call thee to the feast of sweet libations.4 Yea, let thy two Bay Stallions bear thee hither, well limbed and good to draw, thy dear companions.Pleased with the corn-blent offering which we bring thee, may Indra, Friend, hear his friend'sadoration.5 Wilt thou not make me guardian of the people, make me, impetuous Maghavan, their ruler?Make me a Rsi having drunk of Soma? Wilt thou not give me wealth that lasts for ever?6 Yoked to thy chariot, led thy tall Bays, Indra, companions of thy banquet, bear thee hither,Who from of old press to heaven's farthest limits, the Bull's impetuous and well-groomed Horses.7 Drink of the strong pressed out by strong ones, Indra, that which the Falcon brought thee whenthou longedst;In whose wild joy thou stirrest up the people, in whose wild joy thou didst unbar the cow-stalls.8 Call we on Indra, Makhavan, auspicious, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XLIV. Indra.1. May this delightsome Soma be expressed for thee by tawny stones.Joying thereat, O Indra, with thy Bay Steeds come:. ascend thy golden-coloured car.2 In love thou madest Usas glow, in love thou madest Surya shine.Thou, Indra, knowing, thinking, Lord of Tawny Steeds, above all glories waxest great.3 The heaven with streams of golden hue, earth with her tints of green and gold-The golden Pair yield Indra plenteous nourishment: between them moves the golden One.4 When born to life the golden Bull illumines all the realm of light.He takes his golden weapon, Lord of Tawny Steeds, the golden thunder in his arms.5 The bright, the well-loved thunderbolt, girt with the bright, Indra disclosed,Disclosed the Soma juice pressed out by tawny stones, with tawny steeds drave forth the kine.
HYMN XLV. Indra.1. COME hither, Indra, with Bay Steeds, joyous, with tails like peacocks' plumes.Let no men cheek thy course as fowlers stay the bird: pass o'er them as o'er desert lands.2 He who slew Vrtra, burst the cloud, brake the strongholds and drave the floods,Indra who mounts his chariot at his Bay Steeds' cry, shatters e'en things that stand most firm.3 Like pools of water deep and full, like kine thou cherishest thy might;Like the milch-cows that go well-guarded to the mead, like water-brooks that reach the lake.4 Bring thou us wealth with power to strike, our share, 'gainst him who calls it his.Shake, Indra, as with hooks, the tree for ripened fruit, for wealth to satisfy our wish.5 Indra, self-ruling Lord art thou, good Leader, of most glorious fame.So, waxen in thy strength, O thou whom many praise, be thou most swift to hear our call.
HYMN XLVI. Indra.1. OF thee, the Bull, the Warrior, Sovran Ruler, joyous and fierce, ancient and ever youthful,The undecaying One who wields the thunder, renowned and great, great are the exploits, Indra.2 Great art thou, Mighty Lord, through manly vigour, O fierce One, gathering spoil, subduing others,Thyself alone the universe's Sovran: so send forth men to combat and to rest them.3 He hath surpassed all measure in his brightness, yea, and the Gods, for none may be his equal.Impetuous Indra in his might cxccedcth wide vast mid-air and heaven and earth together.4 To Indra, even as rivers to the ocean, flow forth from days of old the Soma juices;To him wide deep and mighty from his birth-time, the well of holy thoughts, aIl-comprehending.5 The Soma, Indra, which the earth and heaven bear for thee as a mother bears her infant,This they send forth to thee, this, vigorous Hero! Adhvaryus purify for thee to drink of.
HYMN XLVII. Indra.1. DRINK, Indra, Marut-girt, as Bull, the Soma, for joy, for rapture even as thou listest.Pour down the flood of meath within thy belly: thou from of old art King of Soma juices.2 Indra, accordant, with the banded Maruts, drink Soma, Hero, as wise Vrtra-slayer.Slay thou our foemen, drive away assailants and make us safe on every side from danger.3 And, drinker at due seasons, drink in season, Indra, with friendly Gods, our pressed-out Soma.The Maruts following, whom thou madest sharers, gave thee the victory, and thou slewest Vrtra.4 Drink Soma, Indra, banded with the Maruts who, Maghavan, strengthened thee at Ahi's slaughter,'Gainst Sambara, Lord of Bays! in winning cattle, and now rejoice in thee, the holy Singers.5 The Bull whose strength hath waxed, whom Maruts follow, free-giving Indra, the celestial Ruler,Mighty, all-conquering, the victory-giver, him let us call to grant us new protection.
HYMN XLVIII. Indra.1. SOON as the young Bull sprang into existence he longed to taste the pressed-out Soma's liquor.Drink thou thy fill, according to thy longing, first, of the goodly mixture blent with Soma.2 That day when thou wast born thou, fain to taste it, drankest the plant's milk which the mountainsnourish.That milk thy Mother first, the Dame who bare thee, poured for thee in thy mighty Father's dwelling.3 Desiring food he came unto his Mother, and on her breast beheld the pungent Soma.Wise, he moved on, keeping aloof the others, and wrought great exploits in his varied aspects.4 Fierce, quickly conquering, of surpassing vigour, he framed his body even as he listed.E'en from his birth-time Indra conquered Tvastar, bore off the Soma and in beakers drank it.5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XLIX. Indra.1. GREAT Indra will I laud, in whom all people who drink the Soma have attained their longing;Whom, passing wise, Gods, Heaven and Earth, engendered, formed by a Master's hand, to crush theVrtras.2 Whom, most heroic, borne by Tawny Coursers, verily none subdueth in the battle;Who, reaching far, most vigorous, hath shortened the Dasyu's life with Warriors bold of spirit.3 Victor in fight, swift mover like a warhorse, pervading both worlds, rainer down of blessings,To he invoked in war like Bhaga, Father, as 'twere, of hymns, fair, prompt to hear, strength-giver.4 Supporting heaven, the high back of the region, his car is Vayu with his team of Vasus.Illumining the nights, the Sun's creator, like Dhisana he deals forth strength and riches.5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers treasure.
HYMN L. Indra.1. LET Indra drink, All-hail! for his is Soma,-the mighty Bull come, girt by Maruts, hither.Far-reaching, let him fill him with these viands, and let our offering sate his body's longing.2 I yoke thy pair of trusty Steeds for swiftness, whose faithful service from of old thou lovest.Here, fair of cheek! let thy Bay Coursers place thee: drink of this lovely welleffused libation.3 With milk they made Indra their good Preserver, lauding for help and rule the bounteous rainer.Impetuous God, when thou hast drunk the Soma, enraptured send us cattle in abundance.4 With kine and horses satisfy this longing with very splendid bounty still extend it.Seeking the light, with hymns to thee, O Indra, the Kusikas have brought their gift, the singers.5 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best Hero in the fight where spoil is gathered;The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN LI. Indra.1. HIGH hymns have sounded forth the praise of Maghavan, supporter of mankind, of Indra meet forlauds;Him who hath waxen great, invoked with beauteous songs, Immortal One, whose praise each day issung aloud.2 To Indra from all sides go forth my songs of praise, the Lord of Hundred Powers, strong, Hero, likethe sea,Swift, winner of the booty, breaker-down of forts, faithful and ever-glorious, finder of the light.3 Where battle's spoil is piled the singer winneth praise, for Indra taketh care of matchlessworshippers.He in Vivasvan's dwelling findeth his delight: praise thou the ever-conquering slayer of the foe.4 Thee, valorous, most heroic of the heroes, shall the priests glorify with songg and praises.Full of all wondrous power he goes to conquest: worship is his, sole Lord from days aforetime.5 Abundant are the gifts he gives to mortals: for him the earth bears a rich store of treasures.The heavens, the growing plants, the living waters, the forest trees preserve their wealth for Indra.6 To thee, O Indra, Lord of Bays, for ever are offered prayers and songs: accept them gladly.As Kinsman think thou of some fresh assistance; good Friend, give strength and life to those whopraise thee.7 Here, Indra, drink thou Soma with the Maruts, as thou didst drink the juice beside Saryata.Under thy guidance, in thy keeping, Hero, the singers serve, skilled in fair sacrifices.8 So eagerly desirous drink the Soma, our juice, O Indra, with thy friends the Maruts,Since at thy birth all Deities adorned thee for the great fight, O thou invoked of many.9 He was your comrade in your zeal, O Maruts: they, rich in noble gifts, rejoiced in Indra.With them together let the Vrtra-slayer drink in his home the worshipper's libation.10 So, Lord of affluent gifts, this juice hath been pressed for thee with strengthDrink of it, thou who lovest song.11 Incline thy body to this juice which suits thy Godlike nature well:May it cheer thee who lovest it.12 Brave Indra, let it work through both thy flanks, and through thy head by prayer,And through thine arms, to prosper us.
HYMN LII. Indra.1. INDRA, accept at break of day our Soma mixt with roasted corn,With groats with cake, with eulogies.2 Accept, O Indra, and enjoy the well-dressed sacrificial cake: Oblations are poured forth to thee.3 Consume our sacrificial cake, accept the songs of praise we sing,As he who woes accepts his bride.4 Famed from of old, accept the cake at our libation poured at dawn,Forgreat, O Indra, is thy power.
5 Let roasted corn of our midday libation, and sacrificial cake here please thee, Indra,What time the lauding singer, keen of purpose and eager as a bull, with hymns implores thee.6 At the third sacrifice, O thou whom many praise, give glory to the roasted corn and holy cake.With offered viands and with songs may we assist thee, Sage, whom Vaja and the Rbhus wait upon.7 The groats have we prepared for thee with Pusan, corn for thee, Lord of Bay Steeds, with thyhorses.Eat thou the meal-cake, banded with the Maruts, wise Hero, Vrtra-slayer, drink the Soma.8 Bring forth the roasted corn to meet him quickly, cake for the bravest Hero mid the heroes.Indra, may hymns accordant with thee daily strengthen thee, Bold One, for the draught of Soma.
HYMN LIII. Indra, Parvata, Etc.1. ON a high car, O Parvata and Indra, bring pleasant viands, with brave heroes, hither.Enjoy the gifts, Gods, at our sacrifices wax strong by hymns, rejoice in our oblation.2 Stay still, O Maghavan, advance no farther. a draught of well-pressed Soma will I give thee.With sweetest song I grasp, O Mighty Indra, thy garment's hem as a child grasps his father's.3 Adhvaryu, sing we both; sing thou in answer: make we a laud acceptable to Indra.Upon this sacrificer's grass he seated: to Indra shall our eulogy be uttered.4 A wife, O Maghavan is home and dwelling: so let thy Bay Steeds yoked convey thee hither.Whenever we press out for thee the Soma, let Agni as our Herald speed to call thee.5 Depart, O Maghavan;again come hither: both there and here thy goat is Indra, Brother,Where thy tall chariot hath a place to rest in, and where thqu loosest thy loud-neighing Courser.6 Thou hast drunk Soma, Indra, turn thee homeward; thy joy is in thy home, thy racious Consort;Where thy tall chariot hath a place to rest in, and thy strong Courser is set free with guerdon.7 Bounteous are these, Angirases, Virupas: the Asura's Heroes and the Sons of Heaven.They, giving store of wealth to Visvamitra, prolong his life through countless Soma-pressings.8 Maghavan weareth every shape at pleasure, effecting magic changes in his body,Holy One, drinker out of season, coming thrice, in a moment, through fit prayers, from heaven.9 The mighty sage, God-born and God-incited, who looks on men, restrained the billowy river.When Visvamitra was Sudas's escort, then Indra through the Kusikas grew friendly.10 Like swans, prepare a song of praise with pressing-stones, glad in your hymns with juice pouredforth in sacrifice.Ye singers, with the Gods, sages who look on men, ye Kutikas drink up the Soma's savoury meath.11 Come forward, Kusikas, and be attentive; let loose Sudas's horse to win him riches.East, west, and north, let the King slay the foeman, then at earth's choicest place perform hisworship.12 Praises to Indra have I sung, sustainer of this earth and heaven. This prayer of Visvamitra keepssecure the race of Bharatas.13 The Visvamitras have sung forth this prayer to Indra Thunder-aimed:So let him make us prosperous.14 Among the Kikatas what do thy cattle? They pour no milky draught, they heat no caldron.Bring thou to us the wealth of Pramaganda;give up to us, O Maghavan, the low-born.15 Sasarpari, the gift of Jamadagnis, hath lowed with mighty voice dispelling famine.The Daughter of the Sun hath spread our glory among the Gods, imperishable, deathless.16 Sasarpari brought glory speedily to these, over the generations of the Fivefold Race;Daughter of Paksa, she bestows new vital power, she whom the ancient Jamadagnis gave to me.17 Strong be the pair of oxen, firm the axles, let not the pole slip nor the yoke be broken.May Indra, keep the yoke-pins from decaying: attend us, thou whose fellies are uninjured.18 O Indra, give our bodies strength, strength to the bulls who draw the wains,Strength to our seed and progeny that they may live, for thou art he who giveth strength.19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar timber, in the car wrought of Sinsapa put firmness.Show thyself strong, O Axle, fixed and strengthened: throw us not from the car whereon we travel.
20 Let not this sovran of the wood leave us forlorn or injure us.Safe may we be until we reach our homes and rest us and unyoke.21 With various aids this day come to us, Indra, with best aids speed us, Maghavan, thou Hero.Let him who hatcth us fall headlong downward: him whom we hate let vital breath abandon.22 He heats his very axe, and then cuts a mere Semal blossom off.O Indra, like a caldron cracked and seething, so he pours out foam.23 Men notice not the arrow, O ye people; they bring the red beast deeming it a bullock.A sluggish steed men run not with the courser, nor ever lead an ass before a charger.24 These men, the sons of Bharata, O Indra, regard not severance or close connexion.They urge their own steed as it were another's, and take him, swift as the bow's string, to battle.
HYMN LIV. Visvedevas.1. To him adorable, mighty, meet for synods, this strengthening hymn, unceasing, have they offered.May Agni hear us with his homely splendours, hear us, Eternal One, with heavenly lustre.2 To mighty Heaven and Earth I sing forth loudly: my wish goes out desirous and well knowingBoth, at whose laud in synods, showing favour, the Gods rejoice them with the living mortal.3 O Heaven and Earth, may your great law he faithful: he ye our leaders for our high advantage.To Heaven and Earth I offer this my homage, with food, O Agni, as I pray for riches.4 Yea, holy Heaven and Earth, the ancient sages whose word was ever true had power to find you;And brave men in the fightwhere heroes conquer, O Earth, have known you well and paid youhonour.5 What pathway leadeth to the Gods? Who knoweth this of a truth, and who will now declare it?Seen are their lowest dwelling-places only, but they are in remote and secret regions.6 The Sage who looketh on mankind hath viewed them bedewed, rejoicing in the seat of Order.They make a home as for a bird, though parted, with one same will finding themselves together.7 Partners though parted, with far-distant limits, on one firm place both stand for ever watchful,And, being young for evermore, as sisters, speak to each other names that are united.8 All living things they part and keep asunder; though bearing up the mighty Gods they reel not.One All is Lord of what is fixed and moving, that walks, that flies, this multiform creation.9 Afar the Ancient from of old I ponder, our kinship with our mighty Sire and Father,-Singing the praise whereof the Gods by custom stand on the spacious far-extended pathway.10 This laud, O Heaven and Earth, to you I utter: let the kind-hearted hear, whose tongue is Agni,Young, Sovran Rulers, Varuna and Mitra, the wise and very glorious Adityas.11 The fair-tongued Savitar, the golden-handed, comes thrice from heaven as Lord in our assembly.Bear to the Gods this song of praise, and send us, then, Savitar, complete and perfect safety.12 Deft worker, skiful-handed, helpful, holy, may Tvastar, God, give us these things to aid us,Take your delight, Ye Rbhus joined with Pusan: ye have prepared the rite with stones adjusted.13 Borne on their flashing car, the spear-armed Maruts, the nimble Youths of Heaven, the Sons ofOrder,The Holy, and Sarasvati, shall hear us: ye Mighty, give us wealth with noble offspring.14 To Visnu rich in marvels, songs And praises shall go as singers on the road of Bhaga,-The Chieftain of the Mighty Stride, whose Mothers, the many young Dames, never disregard him.15 Indra, who rules through all his powers heroic, hath with his majesty filled earth and heaven.Lord of brave hosts, Fort-crusher, Vrtra-slayer, gather thou up and bring us store of cattle.16 My Sires are the Nasatyas, kind tokinsmen: the Asvins' kinship is a glorious title.For ye are they who give us store of riches: ye guard your gift uncheated by the bounteous.17 This is, ye Wise, your great and glorious title, that all ye Deities abide in Indra.Friend, Much-invoked! art thou with thy dear Rbhus: fashion ye this our hymn for our advantage.18 Aryaman, Aditi deserve our worship: the laws of Varuna remain unbroken.The lot of childlessness remove ye from us, and let our course be rich in kine and offspring.19 May the Gods' envoy, sent to many a quarter, proclaim us sinless for our perfect safety.
May Earth and Heaven, the Sun, the waters, hear us, and the wide firmament and constellations.20 Hear us the mouatains which distil the rain-drops, and, resting firm, rejoice in freshening moisture.May Aditi with the Adityas hear us, and Maruts grant us their auspicious shelter.21 Soft be our path for ever, well-provisioned: with pleasant meath, O Gods, the herbs besprinkle.Safe be my bliss, O Agni, in thy friendship: may I attain the seat of foodful. riches,22 Enjoy the offering: beam thou strength upon us; combine thou for our good all kinds of glory.Conquer in battle, Agni, all those foemen, and light us every day with loving kindness.
HYMN LV. Visvedevas.1. AT the first shining of the earliest Mornings, in the Cow's home was born the Great Eternal.Now shall the statutes of the Gods be valid. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion -2 Let not the Gods here injure us, O Agni, nor Fathers of old time who know the region,Nor the sign set between two ancient dwellings. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.3 My wishes fly abroad to many places: I glance back to the ancient sacrifices.Let us declare the truth when fire is kindled. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.4 King Universal, born to sundry quarters, extended through the wood be lies on couches.One Mother rests: another feeds the Infant. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.5 Lodged in old plants, he grows again in younger, swiftly within the newly-born and tender.Though they are unimpregned, he makes them fruitful. Great is the Gods' supreme and soledominion.6 Now lying far away, Child of two Mothers, he wanders unrestrained, the single youngling.These are the laws of Varuna and Mitra. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.7 Child of two Mothers, Priest, sole Lord in synods, he still precedes while resting as foundation.They who speak sweetly bring him sweet addresses. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.8 As to a friendly warrior when he battles, each thing that comes anear is seen to meet him.The hymn commingles with the cow's oblation. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.9 Deep within these the hoary envoy pierceth; mighty, he goeth to the realm of splendour,And looketh on us, clad in wondrous beauty. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.10 Visnu, the guardian, keeps the loftiest station, upholding dear, immortal dwelling-places.Agni knows well all these created beings. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.11 Ye, variant Pair, have made yourselves twin beauties: one of the Twain is dark, bright shines theother;And yet these two, the dark, the red, are Sisters. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.12 Where the two Cows, the Mother and the Daughter, meet and give suck yielding their lordlynectar,I praise them at the seat of law eternal. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.13 Loud hath she lowed, licking the other's youngling. On what world hath the Milch-cow laid herudder?This Ila streameth with the milk of Order. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.14 Earth weareth beauties manifold: uplifted, licking her Calf of eighteen months, she standeth.Well-skilled I seek the seat of law eternal. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.15 Within a wondrous place the Twain are treasured: the one is manifest, the other hidden.One common pathway leads in two directions. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.16 Let the milch-kine that have no calves storm downward, yielding rich nectar, streaming,unexhausted,These who are ever new and fresh and youthful. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.17 What time the Bull bellows in other regions, another herd receives the genial moisture;For he is Bhaga, King, the earth's Protector. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.18 Let us declare the Hero's wealth in horses, O all ye folk: of this the Gods have knowledge.Sixfold they bear him, or by fives are harnessed. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.19 Tvastar the God, the omniform. Creator, begets and feeds mankind in various manner.
His, verily, arc all these living creatures. Great is the Gods' supreme dominion.20 The two great meeting Bowls hath he united: each of the Pair is laden with histreasure.The Hero is renowned for gathering riches. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.21 Yea, and on this our earth the All-Sustainer dwells like a King with noble friends about him.In his protection heroes rest in safety. Great is the Cods' supreme and sole dominion.22 Rich in their gifts for thee are herbs and waters, and earth brings all her wealth for thee, O Indra.May we as friends of thine share goodly treasures. Great is the Gods' supreme and sole dominion.
HYMN LVI. Visvedevas.1. NOT men of magic skill, not men of wisdom impair the Gods' first steadfast ordinances.Ne'er may the earth and heaven which know not malice, nor the fixed hills, be bowed by sagedevices.2 One, moving not away, supports six burthens: the Cows proceed to him the true, the Highest.Near stand three Mighty Ones who travel swiftly: two are concealed from sight, one is apparent.3 The Bull who wears all shapes, the triple-breasted, three-uddered, with a brood in many places,Ruleth majestic with his triple aspect, the Bull, the Everlasting Ones' impregner.4 When nigh them, as their tracer he observed them: he called aloud the dear name of Adityas.The Goddesses, the Waters, stayed to meet him: they who were wandering separate enclosed him.5 Streams! the wise Gods have thrice three habitations. Child of three Mothers, he is Lord in synods.Three are the holy Ladies of the Waters, thrice here from heaven supreme in our assembly.6 Do thou, O Savitar, from heaven thrice hither, three times a day, send down thy blessings daily.Send us, O Bhaga, triple wealth and treasure; cause the two worlds to prosper us, Preserver!7 Savitar thrice from heaven pours down abundance, and the fair-handed Kings Varuna, Mitra;And spacious Heaven and Earth, yea, and the Waters, solicit wealth that Savitar may send us.8 Three are the bright realms, best, beyond attainment, and three, the Asura's Heroes, rule asSovrans,Holy and vigorous, never to be injured. Thrice may the Gods from heaven attend our synod.
HYMN LVII. Visvedevas.1. MY thought with fine discernment hath discovered the Cow who wanders free without aherdsman,Her who hath straightway poured me food in plenty: Indra and Agni therefore are her praisers.2 Indra and Pusan, deft of hand and mighty, well-pleased have drained the heaven's exhaustlessudder.As in this praise the Gods have all delighted, may I win blessing here from you, O Vasus.3 Fain to lend vigour to the Bull, the siste.. with reverence recognize the germ within him.The Cows come lowing hither to the Youngling, to him endued with great and wondrous beauties.4 Fixing with thought, at sacrifice, the press-stones, I bid the well-formed Heaven and Earth comehither;For these thy flames, which give men boons in plenty, rise up on high, the beautiful, the holy.5 Agni, thy meath-sweet tongue that tastes fair viands, which among Gods is called the far-extended,-Therewith make all the Holy Odes be seated here for our help, and feed them with sweet juices.6 Let thy stream give us drink, O God, O Agni, wonderful and exhaustless like the rain-clouds.Thus care for us, O Vasu Jatavedas, show us thy loving-kindness, reaching all men.
HYMN LVIII. Asvins.1. THE Ancient's Milch-cow yields the things we long for: the Son of Daksina travels between them.She with the splendid chariot brings refulgence. The praise of Usas hath awoke the Asvins.2 They bear you hither by well-orderd statute: our sacred offerings rise as if to parents.Destroy in us the counsel of the niggard come hitherward, for we have shown you favour.
3 With lightly-rolling car and well-yoked horses hear this, the press-stone's song, ye Wonder-Workers.Have not the sages of old time, ye Asvins, called you most prompt to come and stay misfortune?4 Remember us, and come to us, for ever men, as their wont is, invocate the Asvins.Friends as it were have offered you these juices, sweet, blent with milk at the first break of morning.5 Even through many regions, O ye Asvins high praise is yours among mankind, ye Mighty-Come, helpers, on the paths which Gods have travelled: here your libations of sweet meath are ready.6 Ancient your home, auspicious is your friendship: Heroes, your wealth is with the house of Jahnu.Forming again with you auspicious friendship, let us rejoice with draughts of meath together.7 O Asvins, Very Mighty ones, with Vayu and with his steeds, one-minded, ever-youthful,Nasatyas, joying in the third day's Soma, drink it, not hostile, Very Bounteous Givers.8 Asvins, to you are brought abundant viands in rivalry with sacred songs, unceasing.Sprung from high Law your car, urged on by press-stones, goes round the earth and heaven in onebrief moment.9 Asvins, your Soma sheds delicious sweetness: drink ye thereof and come unto our dwelling.Your car, assuming many a shape, most often goes to the Soma-presser's place of meeting.
HYMN LIX. Mitra.1. MITRA, when speaking, stirreth men to labour: Mitra sustaineth both the earth and heaven.Mitra beholdeth men with eyes that close not. To Mitra bring, with holy oil, oblation.2 Foremost be he who brings thee food, O Mitra, who strives to keep thy sacred Law, Aditya.He whom thou helpest ne'er is slain or conquered, on him, from near or far, falls no affliction.3 joying in sacred food and free from sickness, with knees bent lowly on the earth's broad surface,Following closely the Aditya's statute, may we remain in Mitra's gracious favour.4 Auspicious and adorable, this Mitra was born with fair dominion, King, Disposer.May we enjoy the grace of him the Holy, yea, rest in his propitious loving-kindness.5 The great Aditya, to be served with wor. ship, who stirreth men, is gracious to the singer.To Mitra, him most highly to be lauded, offer in fire oblation that he loveth.6 The gainful grace of Mitra,. God, supporter of the race of man,Gives splendour of most.glorious fame.7 Mitra whose glory spreads afar, he who in might surpasses heaven,Surpasses earth in his renown.8 All the Five Races have repaired to Mitra, ever strong to aid,For he sustaineth all the Gods.9 Mitra to Gods, to living men, to him who strews the holy grass,Gives food fulfilling sacred Law.
HYMN LX. Rbhus.1. HERE is your ghostly kinship, here, O Men: they came desirous to these holy rites with store ofwealth,With wondrous arts, whereby, with schemes to meet each need, Ye gained, Sudhanvan's Sons! yourshare in sacrifice.2 The mighty powers wherewith. ye formed the chalices, the thought by which ye drew the cow fromout the hide,The intellect wherewith ye wrought the two Bay Steeds,-through these, O Rbhus, ye attaineddivinity.3 Friendship with Indra have the Rbhus, fully gained: grandsons of Manu, they skilfully urged thework.Sudhanvan's Children won them everlasting life, serving with holy rites, pious with noble acts.4:In company with Indra come ye to the juice, then gloriously shall your wishes be fulfilled.Not to be paragoned, ye Priests, are your good deeds, nor your heroic acts, Rbhus, Sudhanvan's Sons.
5 O Indra, with the Rbhus, Mighty Ones, pour down the Soma juice effused, well-blent, from both thyhands.Maghalan, urged by song, in the drink-offerer's house rejoice thee with the Heroes, with Sudhanvan'sSons.6 With Rbhu near, and Vaja, Indra, here exult, with Saci, praised of many, in the juice we pour.These homes wherein we dwell have turned themselves to thee, -devotions to the Gods, as laws ofmen ordain.7 Come with the mighty Rbhus, Indra, come to us, strengthening with thy help the singer's holypraise;At hundred eager calls come to the living man, with thousand arts attend the act of sacrifice.
HYMN LXI. Usas.1. O Usas, strong with strength, endowed witli knowledge, accept the singer's praise, O wealthyLady.Thou, Goddess, ancient, young, and full of wisdom, movest, all-bounteous! as the Law ordaineth.2 Shine forth, O Morning, thou auspicious Goddess, on thy bright car awaking pleasant voices.Let docile horses of far-reaching splendour convey thee hitherward, the goldencoloured.3 Thou, Morning, turning thee to every creature, standest on high as ensign of the Immortal,To one same goal ever and ever wending now, like a wheel, O newly-born, roll hi ther.4 Letting her reins drop downward, Morning cometh, the wealthy Dame, the Lady of the dwelling;Bringing forth light, the Wonderful, the Blessed hath spread her from the bounds of earth andheaven.5 Hither invoke the radiant Goddess Morning, and bring with reverence your hymn to praise her.She, dropping sweets, hath set in heaven her brightness, and, fair to look on, hath beamed forth hersplendour.6 From heaven, with hymns, the Holy One was wakened: brightly to both worlds came the wealthyLady.To Morning, Agni, when she comes refulgent, thou goest forth soliciting fair riches.7 On Law's firm base the speeder of the Mornings, the Bull, hath entered mighty earth and heaven.Great is the power of Varuna and Mitra, which, bright, hath spread in every place its splendour.
HYMN LXII. Indra and Others.1. YOUR well-known prompt activities aforetime needed no impulse from your faithful servant.Where, Indra-Varuna, is now that glory wherewith ye brought support to those who loved you?2 This man, most diligent, seeking after riches, incessantly invokes you for your favour.Accordant, Indra-Varuna, with Maruts, with Heaven and Earth, hear ye mine invocation.3 O Indra-Varuna, ours be this treasure ours be wealth, Maruts, with full store of heroes..May the Varutris with their shelter aid us, and Bharati and Hotri with the Mornings.4 Be pleased! with our oblations, thou loved of all Gods, Brhaspati:Give wealth to him who brings thee gifts.5 At sacrifices, with your hymns worship the pure Brhaspati-I pray for power which none may bend-6 The Bull of men, whom none deceive, the wearer of each shape at will,Brhaspati Most Excellent.7 Divine, resplendent Pusan, this our newest hymn of eulogy,By us is chanted forth to thee.8 Accept with favour this my song, be gracious to the earnest thought,Even as a bridegroom to his bride.9 May he who sees all living things, see, them together at a glancc,-May lie, may Pusan be our help.10 May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God:So May he stimulate our prayers.
11 With understanding, earnestly, of Savitar the God we craveOur portion of prosperity.12 Men, singers worship Savitar the God with hymn and holy rites,Urged by the impulse of their thoughts.13 Soma who gives success goes forth, goes to the gathering place of Gods,To seat him at the seat of Law.14 To us and to our cattle may Soma give salutary food,To biped and to quadruped.15 May Soma, strengthening our power of life, and conquering our foes,In our assembly take his seat.16 May Mitra-Varuna, sapient Pair, bedew our pasturage with oil,With meatb the regions of the air.17 Far-ruling, joyful when adored, ye reign through majesty of might,With pure laws everlastingly.18 Lauded by Jamadagni's song, sit in the place of holy Law:Drink Soma, ye who strengthen Law.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE FOURTH
HYMN I. Agni.1, THEE Agni, have the Gods, ever of one accord, sent hither down, a God, appointed messenger,yea, with their wisdom sent thee down.The Immortal, O thou Holy One, mid mortal men, the God-devoted God, the wise, have they broughtforth, brought forth the omnipresent God-devoted Sage.2 As such, O Agni, bring with favour to the Gods thy Brother Varuna who loveth sacrifice,True to the Law, the Aditya who supporteth men, the King, supporter of mankind.3 Do thou, O Friend, turn hither him who is our Friend, swift as a wheel, like two car-steeds in rapidcourse, Wondrous! to us in rapid course.O Agni, find thou grace for us with Varuna, with Maruts who illumine all.Bless us, thou Radiant One, for seed and progeny, yea, bless us, O thou Wondrous God.4 Do thou who knowest Varuna, O Agni, put far away from us the God's displeasure.Best Sacrificer, brightest One, refulgent remove thou far from us all those who hate us.5 Be thou, O Agni, nearest us with succour, our closest Friend while now this Morn is breaking.Reconcile to us Varuna, be bounteous enjoy the gracious juice; be swift to hear us.6 Excellent is the glance, of brightest splendour, which the auspicious God bestows on mortals-The God's glance, longed-for even as the butter, pure, heated, of the cow, the milch-cow's bounty.7 Three are those births, the true, the most exalted, eagerly longed-for, of the God, of Agni.He came invested in the boundless region, pure, radiant, friendly, mightily resplendent.8 This envoy joyeth in all seats of worship, borne on his golden car, sweet-tongued Invoker:Lovely to look on, with red steeds, effulgent, like a feast rich in food, joyous for ever.9 Allied by worship, let him give man knowledge: by an extended cord they lead him onward.He stays, effectual in this mortal's dwelling, and the God wins a share in his possessions.10 Let Agni -for he knows the way- conduct us to all that he enjoys of God-sent riches,What all the Immortals have prepared with wisdom, Dyaus, Sire, Begetter, raining down trueblessings.11 In houses first he sprang into existence, at great heaven's base, and in this region's bosom;Footless and headless, both his ends concealing, in his Bull's lair drawing himself together.12 Wondrously first he rose aloft, defiant, in the Bull's lair, the homeof holy Order,Longed-for, young, beautiful, and far-resplendent: and sevendear frieuds sprang up unto the Mighty.13 Here did our human fathers take their places, fain to fulfil the sacred Law of worship.Forth drave they, with loud call, Dawn's teeming Milch-kine bid in the mountainstable, in the cavern.14 Splendid were they when they had rent the mountain: others, around, shall tell forth this theirexploit.They sang their song, prepared to free the cattle: they found the light; with holy hymns theyworshipped.15 Eager, with thought intent upon the booty, the men with their celestial speech threw open,The solid mountain firm, compact, enclosing, confining Cows, the stable full of cattle.16 The Milch-cow's earliest name they comprehended: they found the Mother's thrice-seven noblesttitles.This the bands knew, and sent forth acclamation:with the Bull's sheen the Red One was apparent.17 The turbid darkness fled, the heaven was sp, endid! up rose the bright beam of celestial Morning.Surya ascended to the wide expanses, beholding deeds of men both good and evil.18 Then, afterwards they looked around, awakened, when first they held that Heaven allottedtreasure.Now all the Gods abide in all their dwellings. Varuna, Mitra, be the prayer effective.19 I will call hither brightly-beaming Agni, the Herald, all-supporting, best at worship.
He hath disclosed, like the milch cows' pure udder, the Sorria's juice when cleansed and poured frombeakers.20 The freest God of all who should be worshipped, the guest who is received in all men's houses,Agni who hath secured the Gods' high favour,-may he be gracious, to us Jatavedas.
HYMN II. Agni.1. THE, Faithful One, Immortal among mortals, a God among the Gods, appointed envoy,Priest, best at worship, must shine forth in glory . Agni shall be raised high with man's oblations.2 Born for us here this day, O Son of Vigour, between both races of born beings, Agni,Thou farest as an envoy, having harnessed, Sublime One! thy strong-muscled radiant stallions.3 I laud the ruddy steeds who pour down blessing, dropping oil, flectest through the thoualit ofOrder.Yoking red horses to and fro thou goest between you Deities and mortal races.4 Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna, and Indra with Visnu, of the Gods, Maruts and Asvins-These, Agni, with good car and steeds, bring hither, most bountiful, to folk with fair oblations.5 Agni, be this our sacrifice eternal, with brave friends, rich in kine and sheep and horses,Rich, Asura! in sacred food and children, in full assembly, wealth broad-based and during.6 The man who, sweating, brings for thee the fuel, and makes his head to ache, thy faithful servant,-Agni, to him be a self-strong Protector guard him from all who seek to do him mischief.7 Who brings thee food, though thou hast food in plenty, welcomes his cheerful guest and speedshim onward,Who kindles thee devoutly in his dwelling,to him be wealth secure and freely giving.8 Whoso sings praise to thee at eve or morning, and, with oblation, doth the thing thou lovest,-In his own home, even as a goId-girt courser, rescue him from distress, the bounteous giver.9 Whoso brings gifts to thee Immortal, Agni, and doth thee service with uplifted ladle,-Let him not, sorely toiling, lose his riches; let not the sinner's wickedness enclose him.10 Whose well-wrought worship thou acceptest, Agni, thou God a mortal's gift, thou liberal Giver,-Dear be his sacrifice to thee, Most Youthful! and may we strengthen him when he adores thee.11 May he who knows distinguish sense and folly of men, like straight and crooked backs of horses.Lead us, O God, to wealth and noble offspring: keep penury afar and grant us plenty.12 This Sage the Sages, ne'er deceived, commanded, setting him down in dwellings of the living.Hence mayst thou, friendly God, with rapid footsteps behold the Gods, wonderful, fair to look on.13 Good guidance hast thou for the priest, O Agni, who, Youngest God! with outpoured Soma servesthee.Ruler of men, thou joyous God, bring treasure splendid and plentiful to aid the toiler.14 Now all that we, thy faithful servants, Agni, have done with feet, with hands, and with our bodies,The wise, with toil, the holy rite have guided, as those who frame a car with manual cunning.15 May we, seven sages first in rank, engender, from Dawn the Mother, men to be ordainers.May we, Angirases, be sons of Heaven, and, radiant, burst the wealth-containing mountain.16 As in the days of old our ancient Fathers, speeding the work of holy worship, Agni,Sought pure light and devotion, singing praises; they cleft the ground and made red Dawns apparent.17 Gods, doing holy acts, devout, resplendent, smelting like ore their human generations.Enkindling Agni and exalting Indra, they came encompassing the stall of cattle.18 Strong One! he marked them-and the Gods before them-like herds of cattle in a foodful pasture.There they moaned forth their strong desire for mortals, to aid the True, the nearest One, the Living.19 We have worked for thee, we have laboured nobly-bright Dawns have shed their light upon ourworship-Adding a beauty to the perfect Agni, and the God's beauteous eye that shines for ever.20 Agni, Disposer, we have sung these praises to thee the Wise: do thou accept them gladly.Blaze up on high and ever make us richer. Give us great wealth, O thou whose boons are many.
HYMN III. Agni.1. WIN, to assist you, Rudra, Lord of worship, Priest of both worlds, effectualSacrificer,Agni, invested with his golden colours, before the thunder strike and lay you senseless.2 This shrine have we made ready for thy coming, as the fond dame attires her for her husband.Performer of good work, sit down before us, invested while these flames incline to meet thee.3 A hymn, O Priest, to him who hears, the gentle, to him who looks on men, exceeding gracious,A song of praise sing to the God Immortal, whom the stone, presser of the sweet juice, worships.4 Even as true knower of the Law, O Agni, to this our solemn rite he thou attentive.When shall thy songs of festival be sung thee? When is thy friendship shown within our dwelling?5 Why this complaint to Varuna, O Agni? And why to Heaven? for what is our transgression?How wilt thou speak to Earth and bounteous Mitra? What wilt thou say to Aryaman and Bhaga?6 What, when thou blazest on the lesser altars, what to the mighty Wind who comes tobless us,True, circumambient? what to Earth, O Agni, what wilt thou say to man-destroying Rudra?7 How to great Pusan who promotes our welfare,- to honoured Rudra what, who gives oblations?What sin of ours to the far-striding Visnu, what, Agni, wilt thou tell the Lofty Arrow.8 What wilt thou tell the truthful band of Maruts, how answer the great Sun when thou artquestioned?Before the Free, before the Swift, defend us: fulfil heaven's work, all-knowing Jatavedas.9 I crave the cow's true gift arranged by Order: though raw, she hath the sweet ripe juice, O Agni.Though she is black of hue with milk she teemeth, nutritious, brightly shining, all-sustaining.10 Agni the Bull, the manly, hath been sprinkled with oil upon his back, by Law eternal.He who gives vital power goes on unswerving. Prsni the Bull hath milked the pure wiiite udder.11 By Law the Angirases cleft the rock asunder, and sang their hymns together with the cattle.Bringing great bliss the men encompassed Morning: light was apparent at the birth of Agni.12 By Law the Immortal Goddesses the Waters, with meath-rich waves, O Agni, and uninjured,Like a strong courser lauded in his running, sped to flow onward swiftly and for ever.13 Go never to the feast of one who harms us, the treacherous neighbour or. unworthy kinsman.Punish us not for a false brother's trespass. Let us riot feel the might of friend or foeman.14 O Agni, keep us safe with thy protection, loving us, honoured God! and ever guarding.Beat thou away, destory severe affliction slay e'en the demon when he waxes mighty.15 Through these our songs of praise be gracious, Agni; moved by ourprayers, O Hero, touch ourviands.Accept, O Angiras, these our devotions, and let the praise which Gods desire address thee.16 To thee who knowest, Agni, thou Disposer, all these wise secret speeches have I uttered,Sung to thee, Sage, the charming words of wisdom, to thee, O Singer, with. my thoughts and Praises.
HYMN IV. Agni.1. PUT forth like a wide-spreading net thy vigour; go like a mighty King with his attendants.Thou, following thy swift net, shootest arrows: transfix the fiends with darts that burn most fiercely.2 Forth go in rapid flight thy whirling weapons: follow them closely, glowing in thy fury.Spread with thy tongue the winged flames, O Agni; unfettered, cast thy firebrands all around thee.3 Send thy spies forward, flectest in thy motion; be, ne'er deceived, the guardian of this peopleFrom him who, near or far, is bent on evil, and let no trouble sent from thee o'ercome us.4 Rise up, O Agni, spread thee out before us: burn down our foes, thou who hast sharpened arrows.Him, blazing Agni! who hath worked us mischief, consume thou utterly like dried-up stubble.5 Rise, Agni, drive off those who fight against us: make manifest thine own celestial vigour.Slacken the strong bows of the demondriven: destroy our foemen whether kin or stranger.6 Most Youthful God, he knoweth well thy favour who gave an impulse to this high devotion.All fair days and magnificence of riches hast thou beamed forth upon the good man's portals.7 Blest, Agni, be the man, the liberal giver, who with his lauds and regular oblation
Is fain to please thee for his life and dwelling. May all his days be bright: be this his longing.8 I praise thy gracious favour: sing in answer. May this my song sing like a loved one with thee.Lords of good steeds and cars may we adorn thee, and day by day vouchsafe thou us dominion.9 Here of free choice let each one serve thee richly, resplendent day by day at eve and morning.So may we honour thee, content and joyous, passing beyond the glories of the people.10 Whoso with good steeds and fine gold, O Agni, comes nigh thee on a car laden with trcasure,His Friend art thou, yea, thou art his Protector whose joy it is to entertain thee duly.11 Through words and kinship I destroy the miglity: this power I have from Gotama my father.Mark thou this speech of ours, O thou Most Youthful, Friend of the House, exceeding wise, Invoker.12 Knowing no slumber, speedy and propitious, alert and ever friendly, most unwearied,May thy protecting powers, unerring Agni, taking their places here, combined, preserve us.13 Thy guardian rays, O Agni, when they saw him, preserved blind Mamateya from affliction.Lord of all riches, he preserved the pious: the fees who fain would harm them did no mischief14 Aided by thee with thee may we be wealthy, may we gain strength with thee to guide us onward.Fulfil the words of both, O Ever Truthful: straightway do this, thou God whom power emboldens.15 O Agni, with this fuel will we serve thee; accept the laud we sing to thee with favourDestroy the cursing Raksasas: preserve us, O rich in friends, from guile and scorn and slander.
HYMN V. Agni.1. How shall we give with one accord oblation to Agni, to Vaisvanara the Bounteous?Great light, with full high growth hath he uplifted, and, as a pillar bears the roof, sustains it.2 Reproach not him who, God and selfreliant, vouchsafed this bounty unto me a mortal,-Deathless, discerner, wise, to me the simple, Vaisvanara most manly, youthful Aini.3 Sharp-pointed, powerful, strong, of boundless vigour, Agni who knows the lofty hymn, kept secretAs the lost milch-cow's track, the doubly Mighty,-he hath declared to me this hidden knowledge.4 May he with sharpened teeth, the Bounteous Giver, Agni, consume with flame most fiercelyglowing.Those who regard not Varuna's commandments and the dear stedfast laws of sapient Mitra.5 Like youthful women without brothers, straying, like dames who hate their lords, of evil conduct,They who are full of sin, untrue, unfaithful, they have engendered this abysmal station.6 To me, weak, innocent, thou, luminous Agni, bast boldly given as 'twere a heavy burthen,This Prstha hymn, profound and strong and mighty, of seven elements, and with offered dainties.7 So may our song that purifies, through wisdom reach in a moment him the Universal,Established on the height, on earth's best .station, above the beauteous grassy skin of Prsni.8 Of this my speech what shall I utter further? They indicate the milk stored up in secretWhen they have thrown as 'twere the cows' stalls open. The Bird protects earths' best and well-loved station.9 This is the Great Ones' mighty apparition which from of old the radiant Cow hath followed.This, shining brightly in the place of Order, swift, hasting on in secret, she discovered.10 He then who shone together with his Parents remembered Prsni's fair and secret treasure,Which, in the Mother Cow's most lofty station, the Bull's tongue, of the flame bent forward, tasted.11 With reverence I declare the Law, O Agni; what is, comes by thine order, Jatavedas.Of this, whate'er it be, thou art the Sovran, yea, all the wealth that is in earth orheaven.12 What is our wealth therefrom, and what our treasure? Tell us O Jatavedas, for thouknowest,What is our best course in this secret passage: we, unreproached, have reached a t)lace far distant.13 What is the limit, what the rules, the guerdon? Like fleet-foot coursers speed we to the contest.When will the Goddesses, the Immortal's Spouses, the Dawns, spread over us the Sun-God'ssplendour?14 Unsatisfied, with speech devoid of vigour, scanty and frivolous and inconclusive,
Wherefore do they address thee here, O Agni? Let these who have no weapons suffer sorrow.15 The majesty of him the Good, the Mighty, aflame, hath shone for glory in the dwelling.He, clothed in light, hath shone most fair to look on, wealthy in boons, as a home shines with riches.
HYMN VI. Agni.1. PRIEST of our rite, stand up erect, O Agni, in the Gods' service best of sacrificers,For over evei y thought thou art the Ruler: thou furtherest e'en the wisdom of the pious.2 He was set down mid men as Priest unerring, Agni, wise, welcome in our holy synods.Like Savitar he hath lifted up his splendour, and like a builder raised his smoke to heaven.3 The glowing ladle, filled with oil, is lifted; choosing Gods' service to the right he circles.Eager he rises like the new-wrought pillar which, firmly set and fixed, anoints the victims.4 When sacred grass is strewn and Agni kindled, the Adhvaryu rises to, his task rej o cing.Agni the Priest, like one who tends the cattle, goes three times round, as from of old he wills it.5 Agni himself, the Priest, with measured motion, goes round, with sweet speech, cheerful, true toOrder.His fulgent flames run forth like vigorous horses; all creatures are affrighted when he blazes.6 Beautiful and auspicious is thine aspect, O lovely Agni, terrible when spreading.Thy splendours are not covered by the darkness: detraction leaves no stain upon thy body.7 Naught hindered his production, Bounteous Giver: his Mother and his Sire were free to send him.Then as Friend benevolent, refulgent, Agni shone forth in human habitations.8 He, Agni, whom the twice-five sisters, dwelling together, in the homes of men engendered,Bright like a spear's tooth, wakened in the morning, with powerful mouth and like an axe well-sharpened.9 These thy Bay Coursers, Agni, dropping fatness, ruddy vigorous, speeding straightly forward,And red steeds, wonderful, of mighty muscle, are to this service of the Gods invited:10 These brightly-shining games of thine, O Agni, that move for ever restless, allsubduing,Like falcons hasting eagerly to the quarry, roar loudly like the army of the Maruts.11 To thee, O flaming God, hath prayer been offered. Let the priest laud thee: give to him whoworships.Men have established Agni as Invoker, fain to adore the glory of the living.
HYMN VII. Agni.1. HERE by ordainers was this God appointed first Invoker, best at worship, to be praised at rites:Whom Apnavana, and the Bhrgus caused to shine bright-coloured in the wood, spreading from hometo home.2 When shall thy glory as a God, Agni, be suddenly shown forth.For mortal men have held thee fast, adorable in all their homes,3 Seeing thee faithful to the Law, most sapient, like the starry heaven,Illumining with cheerful ray each solemn rite in every house.4 Vivasvan's envoy living men have taken as their ensign, swift,The ruler over all mankind, moving like Bhrgu in each home.5 Him the intelligent have they placed duly as Invoking Priest,Welcome, with sanctifying flame, best worshipper, with sevenfold might;6 In his Eternal Mothers, in the wood, concealed and unapproached,Kept secret though his flames are bright seekingon all sides, quickly found.7 That as food spreads forth in this earthly udder, Gods may rejoice them in the home of Order,Great Agni, served with reverence and oblation, flies ever to the sacrifice, the Faithful.8 Bird of each rite, skilled in an envoy's duties, knowing both worlds and that which lies betweenthem,Thou goest from of old a willing Herald, knowing full well heaven's innermost recesses.9 Bright God, thy path is black: light is before thee: thy moving splendour is the chief of wonders.
When she, yet unimpregnate, hath conceived thee, even when newly born thou art an envoy.10 Yet newly born, his vigour is apparent when the wind blows upon his fiery splendour,His sharpened tongue he layeth on the brushwood, and with his teeth e'en solid food consumeth.11 When he hath borne off food with swift flame swiftly, strong Agni makes himself a speedy envoy,Follows the rustling of the wind, consuming, and courser-like, speeds, drives the swift horse onward.
HYMN VIII. Agni.1. YOUR envoy who possesses all, Immortal, bearer of your gifts,Best worshipper, I woo with song.2 He, Mighty, knows the gift of wealth, he knows the deep recess of heaven:He shall bring hitherward the Gods.3 He knows, a God himself, to guide Gods to the righteous in his home:He gives e'en treasures that we love.4 He is the Herald: well-informed, he doth his errand to and fro,Knowing the deep recess of heaven.5 May we be they who gratify Agni with sacrificial gifts,Whocherish and enkindle him.6 Illustrious for wealth are they, and hero deeds, victorious,Who have served Agni reverently.7 So unto us, day after day, may riches craved by many come,And power and might spring up for us.8 That holy Singer in his strength shoots forth his arrows swifter thanThe swift shafts of the tribes of men.
HYMN IX. Agni.1. AGNI, show favour: great art thou who to this pious man art come,To seat thee on the sacred grass.2 May he the Immortal, Helper, bard to be deceived among mankind,Become the messenger of all.3 Around the altar is he led, welcome Chief Priest at solemn rites,Or as the Potar sits him down.4 Agni in fire at sacrifice, and in the house as Lord thereof,And as a Brahman takes his seat.5 Thou comest as the guide of folk who celebrate a sacrifice,And to oblations brought by men.6 Thou servest as his messenger whose sacrifice thou lovest well,To bear the mortal's gifts to heaven.7 Accept our solemn rite; be pleased, Angiras, with our sacrifice:Give ear and listen to our call.8 May thine inviolable car, wherewith thou guardest those who give,Come near to us from every side.
HYMN X. Agni.I. This day with praises, Agni, we bring thee that which thou lovest.Right judgment, like a horse, with our devotions.2 For thou hast ever been the Car-driver, Agni, of nobleStrength, lofty sacrifice, and rightful judgment.3 Through these our praises come thou to meet us, bright as the sunlight,O Agni, well disposed, with all thine aspects.4 Now may we serve thee singing these lauds this day to thee, Agni.
Loud as the voice of Heaven thy blasts are roaring.5 just at this time of the day and the night thy look is the sweetest .It shineth near us even as gold for glory.6 Spotless thy body, brilliant as gold, like clarified butter:This gleams like gold on thee, O Self. dependent.7 All hate and mischief, yea, if committed, Agni, thou turnest,Holy One, from the man who rightly worships.8 Agni, with you Gods, prosperous be our friendships and kinships.Be this our bond here by this place, thine al tar.
HYMN XI. Agni.1. THY blessed majesty, victorious Agni, shines brightly in the neighbourhood of Surya.Splendid to see, it shows even at nighttime, and food is fair to look on in thy beauty.2 Agni, disclose his thought for him who singeth, the well, Strong God! while thou art praised withfervour.Vouchsafe to us that powerful hymn, O Mighty, which, Radiant One! with all the Gods thou lovest.3 From thee, O Agni, springs poetic wisdom, from thee come thoughts and hymns of praise thatprosper;From thee flows wealth, with heroes to adorn it, to the true-hearted man who gives oblation.4 From thee the hero springs who wins the booty, bringer of help, mighty, of real courage.From thee comes wealth, sent by the Gods, bliss-giving; Agni, from thee the fleet impetuous charger.5 Immortal Agni, thee whose voice is pleasant, as first in rank, as God, religious mortalsInvite with hyrnns; thee who removest hatred, Friend of the Home, the household's Lord, unerring.6 Far from us thou removest want and sorrow, far from us all ill-will when thou protectest.Son of Strength, Agni, blest is he at evening, whom thou as God attendest for his welfare.
HYMN XII. Agni.1. WHOSO enkindles thee, with lifted ladle, and thrice this day offiers thee food, O Agni,May he excel, triumphant through thy splendours, wise through thy mental power, O Jatavedas.2 Whoso with toil and trouble brings thee fuel, serving the majesty of mighty Agni,He, kindling thee at evening and at morning, prospers, and comes to wealth, and slays his foemen.3 Agni is Master of sublime dominion, Agni is Lord of strength and lofty riches.Straightway the self-reliant God, Most Youthful, gives treasures to the mortal who adores him.4 Most Youthful God, whatever sin, through folly, we here, as human beings, have committed,In sight of Aditi make thou us sinless remit, entirely, Agni, our offences.5 Even in the presence of great sin, O Agni, free us from prison of the Gods or mortals.Never may we who are thy friends be injured: grant health and strength unto our seed and offspring.6 Even as ye here, Gods Excellent and Holy, have loosed the cow that by the foot was tethered,So also set us free from this affliction long let our life, O Agni, be extended.
HYMN XIII. Agni.1. AGNI hath looked, benevolently-minded, on the wealth-giving spring of radiant Mornings.Come, Asvins, to the dwelling of the pious: Surya the God is rising with his splendour.2 Savitar, God, hath spread on high his lustre, waving his flag like a spoil-seeking hero.Their stablished way go Varuna and Mitra, what time they make the Sun ascend the heaven.3 Him whom they made to drive away the darkness, Lords of sure mansions, constant to their object,Him who beholds the universe, the Sun-God, seven strong and youthful Coursers carry onward.4 Spreading thy web with mightiest Steeds thou comest, rending apart, thou God, the black-huedmantle.The rays of Surya tremulously shining sink, like a hide, the darkness in the waters.5 How is it that, unbound and not supported, he falleth not although directed downward?
By what self power moves he? Who liath seen it? He guards the vault of heaven, a close-set pillar.
HYMN XIV. Agni.1. THE God hath looked, even Agni Jatavedas, to meet the Dawns refulgent in their glories.Come on your chariot, ye who travel widely, come to this sacrifice of ours, Nasatyas.2 Producing light for all the world of creatures, God Savitar hath raised aloft his banner.Making his presence known by sunbeams, Surya hath filled the firmament and earth and heaven.3 Red Dawn.is come, riding with brightness onward, distinguished by her beams, gay-hued andmighty.Dawn on her nobly-harnessed car, the Goddess, awaking men to happiness, approacheth.4 May those most powerful steeds and chariot bring you, O Asvins, hither at the break of morning.Here for your drauglit of meath are Soma juices: at this our sacrifice rejoice, ye Mighty.5 How is it that, unbound and unsupported, he falleth not although directed downward?By what self-power moves he? Who hath seen it? He guards the vault of heaven, a close-set pillar?
HYMN XV. Agni.1. AGNI the Herald, like a horse, is led forth at our solemn rite,God among Gods adorable.2 Three times unto our solemn rite comes Agni like a charioteer,Bearing the viands to the Gods.3 Round the oblations hath he paced, Agni the Wise, the Lord of Strength,Giving the offerer precious boons.4 He who is kindled eastward for Srnjaya, Devavata's son,Resplendent, tamer of the foe.5 So mighty be the Agni whom the mortal hero shall command,With sharpened teeth and bountiful.6 Day after day they dress him, as they clean a horse who wins the prize.Dress the red Scion of the Sky.7 When Sahadeva's princely son with two bay horses thought of me,Summoned by him I drew not back.8 And truly those two noble bays I straightway took when offered me,From Sahadeva's princely son.9 Long, O ye Asvins, may he live, your care, ye Gods, the princely son.Of Sahadeva, Somaka.10 Cause him the youthful prince, the son of Sahadeva, to enjoyLong life, O Asvins, O ye Gods.
HYMN XVI. Indra.1. IMPETUOUS, true, let Maghavan come hither, and let his Tawny Coursers speed to reach us.For him have we pressed juice exceeding potent: here, praised with song, let him effect his visit.2 Unyoke, as at thy journey's end, O Hero, to gladden thee today at this libation.Like Usana, the priest a laud shall utter, a hymn to thee, the Lord Divine, who markest.3 When the Bull, quaffing, praises our Iibation, as a sage paying holy rites in secret,Seven singers here from heaven hath he begotten, who e'en by day have wrought their works whilesinging.4 When heaven's fair light by hymns was made apparent (they made great splendour shine at breakof morning),He with his succour, best of Heroes, scattered the blinding darkness so that men saw clearly.5 Indra, Impetuous One, hath waxed immensely: he with his vastness hath filled earth and heaven.E'en beyond this his majesty extendeth who hath exceeded all the worlds in greatness.6 Sakra who knoweth well all human actions hath with his eager Friends let loose the waters.
They with their songs cleft e'en the mountain open and willingly disclosed the stall of cattle.7 He smote away the floods' obstructer, Vrtra; Earth, conscious, lent her aid to speed thy thunder.Thou sentest forth the waters of the ocean, as Lord through power and might, O daring Hero.8 When, Much-invoked! the water's rock thou cleftest, Sarama showed herself and went before thee.Hymned by Angirases, bursting the cowstalls, much strength thou foundest for us as our leader.9 Come, Maghavan, Friend of Man, to aid the singer imploring thee in battle for the sunlight.Speed him with help in his irypired invokings: down sink the sorcerer, the prayerless Dasyu.10 Come to our home resolved to slay the Dasyu: Kutsa longed eagerly to win thy friendship.Alike in form ye both sate in his dwelling the faithful Lady was in doubt between you.11 Thou comest, fain to succour him, with Kutsa,-a goad that masters both the Wind-God's horses,That, holding the brown steeds like spoil for capture, the sage may on the final day be present.12 For Kutsa, with thy thousand, thou at day-break didst hurl down greedy Susna, foe of harvest.Quickly with Kutsa's friend destroy the Dasyus, and roll the chariot-wheel of Sarya near us.13 Thou to the son of Vidathin, Rjisvan, gavest up mighty Mrgaya and Pipru.Thou smotest down the swarthy fifty thousand, and rentest forts as age consumes a garment.14 What time thou settest near the Sun thy body, thy form, Immortal One, is seen expanding:Thou a wild elephant with might invested. like a dread lion as thou wieldest weapons.15 Wishes for wealth have gone to Indra, longing for him in war for light and at libation,Eager for glory, labouring with praisesongs: he is like home, like sweet and fair nutrition.16 Call we for you that Indra, prompt to listen, him who hath done so much for men's advantage;Who, Lord of envied bounty, to a singer like me brings quickly booty worth the capture.17 When the sharp-pointed arrow, O thou Hero, flieth mid any conflict of the people,When, Faithful One, the dread encounter cometh, then be thou the Protector of our body.18 Further the holy thoughts of Vamadeva be thou a guileless Friend in fight for booty.We come to thee whose providence protects us: wide be thy sway for ever for thy singer.19 O Indra, with these men who love thee truly, free givers, Maghavan, in every battle,May we rejoice through many autumns, quelling our foes, as days subdue the nights with splendour.20 Now, as the Bhrgus wrought a car, for Indra the Strong, the Mighty, we our prayer have fashioned,That he may, ne'er withdraw from us his friendship, but be our bodies' guard and strong defender.21 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let power swell. high like rivers for the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays, is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XVII. Indra.1. GREAT art thou, Indra; yea, the earth, with gladness, and heaven confess to thee thine highdominion.Thou in thy vigour having slaughtered Vrtra didst free the floods arrested by the Dragon.2 Heaven trembled at the birth of thine effulgence; Earth trembled at the fear of thy displeasure.The stedfast mountains shook in agitation . the waters flowed, and desert spots were flooded.3 Hurling his bolt with might he cleft the mountain, while, putting forth his strength, he showed hisvigour.He slaughtered Vrtra with his bolt, exulting, and, their lord slain, forth flowed the waters swiftly.4 Thy Father Dyaus esteemed himself a hero: most noble was the work of Indra's Maker,His who begat the strong bolt's Lord who roareth, immovable like earth from her foundation.5 He who alone o'erthrows the world of creatures, Indra the peoples' King, invoked of many-Verily all rejoice in him, extolling the boons which Maghavan the God hath sent them.6 All Soma juices are his own for ever, most gladdening draughts are ever his, the Mighty,Thou ever wast the Treasure-Lord of treasures: Indra, thou lettest all folk share thy bounty.7 Moreover, when thou first wast born, O Indra, thou struckest terror into all the people.Thou, Maghavan, rentest with thy bolt the Dragon who lay against the waterfloods of heaven.8 The ever-slaying, bold and furious Indra, the bright bolt's Lord, infinite, strong and mighty,Who slayeth Vrtra and acquireth booty, giver of blessings, Maghavan the bounteous:
9 Alone renowned as Maghavan in battles, he frighteneth away assembled armies.He bringeth us the booty that he winneth may we, well-loved, continue in his friendship.10 Renowned is he when conquering and when slaying: 'fis he who winneth cattle in the combat.When Indra hardeneth his indignation all that is fixed and all that moveth fear him.11 Indra hath won all kine, all gold, all horses,-Maghavan, he who breaketh forts in pieces;Most manly with these men of his who help him, dealing out wealth and gathering the treasure.12 What is the care of Indra for his Mother, what cares he for the Father who begat him?His care is that which speeds his might in conflicts, like wind borne onward by the clouds thatthunder.13 Maghavan makes the settled man unsettled: he scatters dust that he hath swept together,Breaking in pieces like Heaven armed with lightning: Maghavan shall enrich the man who lauds h;m.14 He urged the chariot-wheel of Surya forward: Etasa, speeding on his way, he rested.Him the black undulating cloud bedeweth, in this mid-air's depth, at the base of darkness,15 As in the night the sacrificing priest.16 Eager for booty, craving strength and horses, we-singers stir Indra, the strong, for friendship,Who gives the wives we seek, whose succour fails not, to hasten, like a pitcher to the fountain.17 Be thou our guardian, show thyself our kinsman, watching and blessing those who pour the Soma;As Friend, as Sire, most fatherly of fathers giving the suppliant vital strength and freedom.18 Be helping Friend of those who seek thy friendship . give life, when lauded, Indra, to the singer.For, Indra, we the priests have paid thee worship, exalting thee with these our sacrifices.19 Alone, when Indra Maghavan is lauded, he slayeth many ne'er-resisted Vrtras.Him in whose keeping is the well-loved singer never do Gods or mortals stay or hinder.20 E'en so let Maghavan, the loud-voiced Indra, give us true blessings, foeless, men's upholder.King of all creatures, give us glory amply, exalted glory due to him who lauds thee.21 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let power swell high like rivers for the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays! is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XVIII. Indra and Others.1. THIS is the ancient and accepted pathway by which all Gods have come into existence.Hereby could one be born though waxen mighty. Let him not, otherwise, destroy his Mother.2 Not this way go I forth: hard is the passage. Forth from the side obliquely will I issue.Much that is yet undone must I accomplish; one must I combat and the other question.3 He bent his eye upon the dying Mother: My word I now withdraw. That way I follow.In Tvastar's dwelling India drank the Soma, a hundredworth of juice pressed from the mortar.4 What strange act shall he do, he whom his Mother bore for a thousand months and many autumns?No peer hath he among those born already, nor among those who shall be born hereafter.5 Deeming him a reproach, his mother hid him, Indra, endowed with all heroic valour.Then up he sprang himself, assumed his vesture, and filled, as soon as born, the earth and heaven.6 With lively motion onward flow these waters, the Holy Ones, shouting, as 'twere, together.Ask them to. tell thee what the floods are saying, what girdling rock the waters burst asunder.7 Are they addressing him with words of welcome? Will the floods take on them the shame of Indra?With his great thunderbolt my Son hath slaughtered Vrtra, and set these rivers free to wander.8 I cast thee from me, mine,-thy youthful mother: thee, mine own offspring, Kusava hath swallowed.To him, mine infant, were the waters gracious. Indra, my Son, rose up in conquering vigour.9 Thou art mine own, O Maghavan, whom Vyamsa struck to the ground and smote thy jaws inpieces.But, smitten through, the mastery thou wonnest, and with thy bolt the Dasa's head thou crushedst.10 The Heifer hath brought forth the Strong, the Mighty, the unconquerable Bull, the furious Indra.The Mother left her unlicked Calf to wander, seeking himself, the path that he would follow.11 Then to her mighty Child the Mother turned her, saying, My son, these Deities forsake thee.Then Indra said, about to slaughter Vrtra, O my friend Vrtra, stride full boldly forward.
12 Who was he then who made thy Mother widow? Who sought to stay thee lying still or moving?What God, when by the foot thy Sire thou tookest and slewest, was at hand to give thee comfort?13 In deep distress I cooked a dog's intestines. Among the Gods I found not one to comfort.My consort I beheld in degradation. The Falcon then brought me the pleasant Soma.
HYMN XIX. Indra.1. THEE, verily, O Thunder-wielding Indra, all the Gods here, the Helpers swift to listen,And both the worlds elected, thee the Mighty, High, waxen strong, alone to slaughter Vrtra.2 The Gods, as worn witheld, relaxed their efforts: thou, Indra, born of truth, wast Sovran Ruler.Thou slewest Ahi who besieged the waters, and duggest out their all-supporting channels.3 The insatiate one, extended, hard to waken, who slumbered in perpetual sleep, O Indra,-The Dragon stretched against the seven prone rivers, where no joint was, thou rentest with thythunder.4 Indra with might shook earth and her foundation as the wind stirs the water with its fury.Striving, with strength he burst the firm asunder, and tore away the summits of the mountains.5 They ran to thee as mothers to their offspring: the clouds, like chariots, hastened forth together.Thou didst refresh the streams and force the billows: thou, Indra, settest free obstructed rivers.6 Thou for the sake of Vayya and Turviti didst stay the great stream, flowing, allsustaining:Yea, at their prayer didst check the rushing river and make the floods easy to cross, O Indra.7 He let the young Maids skilled in Law, unwedded, like fountains, bubbling, flow forth streamingonward.He inundated thirsty plains and deserts, and milked the dry Cows of the mighty master.8 Through many a morn and many a lovely autumn, having slain Vrtra, lie set free the rivers.Indra hath set at liberty to wander on earth the streams encompassed pressed together.9 Lord of Bay Steeds, thou broughtest from the ant-hill the unwedded damsel's son whom ants wereeating.The blind saw clearly, as he grasped the serpent, rose, brake the jar: hisjoints again united.10 To the wise man, O Sage and Sovran Ruler, the man who knoweth all thine ancient exploits.Hath told these deeds of might as thou hast wrought them, great acts, spontaneous, and to man'sadvantage.11 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let powers swell high, like rivers, for the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays! is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XX. Indra.1. FROM near or far away may mighty Indra giver of succour, come for our protectionLord of men, armed with thunder, with the Strongest, slaying his foes in conflict, in the battles.2 May Indra come to us with Tawny Coursers, inclined to us, to favour and enrich us.May Maghavan, loud-voiced and wielding thunder, stand by us at this sacrifice, in combat.3 Thou, honouring this our sacrifice, O Indra, shalt give us strength and fill us full of courage.To win the booty, Thunder-armed! like hunters may we with thee subdue in fight our foemen.4 Loving us well, benevolent, close beside us, drink, Godlike Indra, of the wellpressed Soma.Drink of the meath we offer, and delight thee with food that cometh from the mountain ridges.5 Him who is sung aloud by recent sages, like a ripe-fruited tree, a scythe-armed victor,-I, like a bridegroom thinking of his consort, call hither Indra, him invoked of many;6 Him who in native strength is like a mountain, the lofty Indra born or old for conquest,Terrific wielder of the ancient thunder. filled full with splendour as a jar with water.7 Whom from of old there is not one to hinder, none to curtail the riches of his bounty.Pouring forth freely, O thou Strong and Mighty, vouchsafe us riches, God invoked of many!8 Of wealth and homes of men thou art the ruler, and opener of the stable of the cattle.Helper of men, winner of spoil in combats, thou leadest to an ample heap of riches.9 By what great might is he renowned as strongest, wherewith the Lofty One stirs up wild battles?
Best soother of the worshipper's great sorrow, he gives possessions to the man who lauds him.10 Slay us not; bring, bestow onus the ample gift which thou hast to give to him who offers.At this new gift, with this laud sung before thee, extolling thee, we, Indra, will declare it.11 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let power swell high, like rivers, for the singer.A new hymn, Lord of Bays! for thee is fashioned. May we, car-born, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XXI. Indra.1. MAY Indra come to us for our protection; here be the Hero, praised, our feast-companion.May he whose powers are many, waxen mighty, cherish, like Dyaus, his own supreme dominion.2 Here magnify his great heroic exploits, most glorious One, enriching men with bounties,Whose will is like a Sovran in assembly, who rules the people, Conqueror, all-surpassing.3 Hither let Indra come from earth or heaven, hither with speech from firmament or ocean;With Maruts, from the realm of light to aid us, or from a distance, from the seat of Order.4 That Indra will we laud in our assemblies, him who is Lord of great and lasting riches,Victor with Vayu where the herds are gathered, who leads with boldness on to higher fortune.5 May the Priest, Lord of many blessings, striving,-who fixing reverence on reverence, givingVent to his voice, inciteth men to worshipwith lauds bring Indra hither to our dwellings.6 When sitting pondering in deep devotion in Ausija's abode they ply the press-stone,May he whose wrath is fierce, the mighty bearer, come as the house-lord's priest within ourchambers.7 Surely the power of Bharvara the mighty for ever helpeth to support the singer;That which in Ausija's abode lies hidden, to come forth for delight and for devotion.8 When he unbars the spaces of the mountains, and quickens with his floods the water-torrents,He finds in lair the buffalo and wild-ox when the wise lead him on to vigorous exploit.9 Auspicious are thy hands, thine arms wellfashioned which proffer bounty, Indra, to thy praiser.What sloth is this? Why dost thou not rejoice thee? Why dost thou not delight thyself with giving?10 So Indra is the truthful Lord of treasure. Freedom he gave to man by slaying Vrtra.Much-lauded! help us with thy power to riches: may I be sharer of thy Godlike favour.11 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let power swell high, like rivers, for,the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays! is fashioned. May we, care-borne, through song be victqrs ever.
HYMN XXII. Indra.1. THAT gift of ours which Indra loves and welcomes, even that he makes for us, the Great andStrong One.He who comes wielding in his might the thunder, Maghavan, gives prayer, praise, and laud, andSoma.2 Bull, hurler of the four-edged rain-producer with both his arms, strong, mighty, most heroic;Wearing as wool Parusni for adornment, whose joints for sake of friendship he hath covered.3 God who of all the Gods was born divinest, endowed with ample strength and mighty powers,And bearing in his arrns the yearning thunder, with violent rush caused heaven and earth to tremble.4 Before the High God, at his birth, heaven trembled, earth, many floods and all the precipices.The Strong One bringeth nigh the Bull's two Parents: loud sing the winds, like men, in air's mid-region.5 These are thy great deeds, Indra, thine, the Mighty, deeds to be told aloud at all libations,That thou, O Hero, bold and boldly daring, didst with thy bolt, by strength, destroy the Dragon.6 True are all these thy deeds, O Most Heroic. The Milch-kine issued from the streaming udder.In fear of thee, O thou of manly spirit, the rivers swiftly set themselves in motion.7 With joy, O Indra, Lord of Tawny Coursers, the Sisters then, these Goddesses, extolled thee,When thou didst give the prisoned ones their freedom to wander at their will in long succession.8 Pressed is the gladdening stalk as 'twere a river: so let the rite, the toiler's power, attract theeTo us-ward, of the Bright One, as the courser strains his. exceedingly strong leather bridle.
9 Ever by us perform thy most heroic, thine highest, best victorious deeds, O Victor.For us make Vrtras easy to be conquered: destroy the weapon of our mortal foeman.10 Graciously listen to our prayer, O Indra, and strength of varied sort bestow thou on us.Send to us all intelligence arid wisdom O Maghavan, be he who gives us cattle.11 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let wealth swell hiah like rivers to the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays, is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XXIII. Indra.1. How, what priest's sacrifice hath he made mighty, rejoicing in the Soma and its fountain?Delighting in juice, eagerly drinking, the Lofty One hath waxed for splendid riches.2 What hero hath been made his feast-companion? Who hath been partner in his loving-kindness?What know we of his wondrous acts? How often comes he to aid and speed the pious toiler?3 How heareth Indra offered invocation? How, hearing, marketh he the invoker's wishes?What are his ancient acts of bounty? Wherefore call they him One who filleth full the singer?4 How doth the priest who laboureth, ever longing, win for himself the wealth which he possesseth?May he, the God, mark well my truthful praises, having received the homage which he loveth.5 How, and what bond of friendship with a mortal hath the God chosen as this morn is breaking?How, and what love hath he for those who love him, who have entwined in him their firm affection?6 Is then thy friendship with thy friends most mighty? Thy brotherhood with us, -when may we tellit?The streams of milk move, as most wondrous sunlight, the beauty of the Lovely One for glory.7 About to stay the Indra-less destructive spirit he sharpens his keen arms to strike her.Whereby the Strong, although our debts' exactor, drives in the distant mornings that we know not.8 Eternal Law hath varied food that strengthens; thought of eternal Law, removes transgressions.The praise-hymn of eternal Law, arousing, glowing, hath oped the deaf ears of the living.9 Firm-seated are eternal Law's foundations in its fair form are many splendid beauties.By holy Law long lasting food they bring us; by holy Law have cows come to our worship.10 Fixing eternal Law he, too, upholds it swift moves the might of Law and wins the booty.To Law belong the vast deep Earth and Heaven: Milch-kine supreme, to Law their milk they render.11 Now, Indra! lauded,- glorified with praises, let power swell high like rivers to the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays, is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XXIV. Indra.1. WHAT worthy praise will bring before us Indra, the Son of Strength, that he may grant us riches;For he the Hero, gives the singer treasures: he is the Lord who sends us gifts, ye people.2 To be invoked and hymned in fight with Vrtra, that well-praised Indra gives us real bounties.That Maghavan brings comfort in the foray to the religious man who pours libations.3 Him, verily, the men invoke in combat; risking their lives they make him their protector,When heroes, foe to foe, give up their bodies, fighting, each side, for children and their offspring.4 Strong God! the folk at need put forth their vigour, striving together in the whirl of battle.When warrior bands encounter one another some in the grapple quit themselves like Indra.5 Hence many a one worships the might of Indra: hence let the brew succeed the meal-oblation.Hence let the Soma banish those who pour not: even hence I joy to pay the Strong One worship.6 Indra gives comfort to the man who truly presses, for him who longs fot it, the Soma,Not disaffected, with devoted spirit this man he takes to be his friend in battles.7 He who this day for Indra presses Soma, prepares the brew and fries the grains of barley-Loving the hymns of that devoted servant, to him may Indra give heroic vigour.8 When the impetuous chief hath sought the confliet, and the lord looked upon the long-drawn battle,The matron calls to the Strong God whom pressers of Soma have encouraged int the dwelling.9 He bid a small price for a thing of value: I was content, returning, still unpurchased.
He heightened not his insufficient offer. Simple and clever, both milk out the udder.10 Who for ten milch-kine purchaseth from rne this Indra who is mine?When he hath slain the Vrtras let the buyer give him back to me.11 Now, Indra! lauded, glorified with praises, let wealth swell high like rivers for the singer.For thee a new hymn, Lord of Bays, is fashioned. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.
HYMN XXV. Indra.1. WHAT friend of man, God-loving, hath delighted, yearning therefor, this day in Indra's friendship?Who with enkindled flame and flowing Soma laudeth him for his great protecting favour?2 Who hath with prayer bowed to the Soma-lover? What pious man endues the beams of morning?Who seeks bond, fritridship, brotherhood with Indra? Who hath recourse unto the Sage for succour?3 Who claims to-day the Deities' protection, asks Aditi for light, or the Adityas?Of whose pressed stalk of Soma drink the Asvins, Indra, and Agni, well-inclined in spirit?4 To him shall Agni Bharata give shelter: long shall he look upon the Sun up-rising,Who sayeth, Let us press the juice for Indra, man's Friend, the Hero manliest of heroes.5 Him neither few men overcome, nor many to him shall Aditi give spacious shelter.Dear is the pious, the devout, to Indra dear is the zealous, dear the Soma-bringer.6 This Hero curbs the mighty for the zealous: the presser's brew Indra possesses solely:No brother, kin, or friend to him who pours not, destroyer of the dumb who would resist him.7 Not with the wealthy churl who pours no Soma doth Indra, Soma-drinker, bind alliance.He draws away his wealth and slays him naked, own Friend to him who offers, for oblation.8 Highest and lowest, men who stand between diem, going, returning, dwelling in contentment,Those who show forth their strength when urged to battle-these are the men who call for aid onIndra.
HYMN XXVI. Indra.1. I WAS aforetime Manu, I was Surya: I am the sage Kaksivan, holy singer.Kutsa the son of Arjuni I master. I am the sapient Usana behold me.2 I have bestowed the earth upon the Arya, and rain upon the man who brings oblation.I guided forth the loudly-roaring waters, and the Gods moved according to my pleasure.3 In the wild joy of Soma I demolished Sambara's forts, ninety-and-nine, together;And, utterly, the hundredth habitation, when helping Divodasa Atithigva.4 Before all birds be ranked this Bird, O Maruts; supreme of falcons be this fleet-winged Falcon,Because, strong- pinioned, with no car to bear him, he brought to Manu the Godloved oblation.5 When the Bird brought it, hence in rapid motion sent on the wide path fleet as thought he hurried.Swift he returned with sweetness of the Soma, and hence the Falcon hath acquired his glory.6 Bearing the stalk, the Falcon speeding onward, Bird bringing from afar the draught that gladdens,Friend of the Gods, brought, grasping fast, the Soma which be bad taken from yon loftiest heaven.7 The Falcon took and brought the Soma, bearing thousand libations with him, yea, ten thousand.The Bold One left Malignities behind him, wise, in wild joy of Soma, left the foolish.
HYMN XXVII. The Falcon.1. I, As I lay within the womb, considered all generations of these Gods in order.A hundred iron fortresses confined me but forth I flew with rapid speed a Falcon.2 Not at his own free pleasure did he bear me: he conquered with his strength and manly courage.Straightway the Bold One left the fiends behind him and passed the winds as he grew yet moremighty.3 When with loud cry from heaven down sped the Falcon, thence hasting like the wind he bore theBold One.Then, wildly raging in his mind, the archer Krsanu aimed and loosed the string to strike him.4 The Falcon bore him from heaven's lofty summit as the swift car of Indra's Friend bore Bhujyu.
Then downward bither fell a flying feather of the Bird hasting forward in his journey.5 And now let Maghavan accept the beaker, white, filled with milk, filled with the shining liquid;The best of sweet meath which the priests have offered: that Indra to his joy may drink, the Hero,that he may take and drink it to his rapture.
HYMN XXVIII. Indra-Soma.1. ALLIED with thee, in this thy friendship, Soma, Indra for man made waters flow together,Slew Ahi, and sent forth the Seven Rivers, and opened as it were obstructed fountains.2 Indu, with thee for his confederate, Indra swiftly with might pressed down the wheel of Surya.What rolled, all life's support, on heaven's high summit was separated from the great oppressor.3 Indra smote down, Agni consumed, O Indu, the Dasyus ere the noontide in the conflict.Of those who gladly sought a hard-won dwelling he cast down many a thousand with his arrow.4 Lower than all besides hast thou, O Indra, cast down the Dasyus, abject tribes of Dasas.Ye drave away, ye put to death the foemen, and took great vengeance with your murdering weapons.5 So, of a truth, Indra and Soma, Heroes, ye burst the stable of the kine and horses,The stable which the bar or stone obstructed; and piercing through set free the habitations.
HYMN XXIX. Indra.1. COME, lauded, unto us with powers and succours, O Indra, with thy Tawny Steeds; exulting,Past even the foeman's manifold libations, glorified with our hymns, true Wealth-bestower.2 Man's Friend, to this our sacrifice he cometh marking how he is called by Soma-pressers.Fearless, and conscious that his Steeds are noble, he joyeth with the Soma-pouring heroes.3 Make his cars hear, that he may show his vigour and may be joyful in the way he loveth.May mighty Indra pouring forth in bounty bestow on us good roads and perfect safety;4 He who with succour comes to his implorer, the singer here who with his song invites him;He who himself sets to the pole swift Coursers, he who hath hundreds, thousands, Thunder-wielder.5 O Indra Maghavan, by thee protected may we be thine, princes and priests and singers,Sharing the riches sent from lofty heaven which yields much food, and all desire its bounty.
HYMN XXX. Indra.1. O INDRA, Vrtra-slayer, none is better, mightier than thou:Verily there is none like thee.2 Like chariot-wheels these people all together follow after thee:Thou ever art renowned as Great.3 Not even all the gathered Gods conquered thee, Indra, in the war,When thou didst lengthen days by night.4 When for the sake of those oppressed, and Kutsa as he battled,Thou stolest away the Sun's car-wheel.5 When, fighting singly, Indra. thou o'ercamest all the furious Gods, thou slewest those who strovewith thee.6 When also for a mortal man, Indra, thou speddest forth the Sun,And holpest Etasa with might.7 What? Vrtra-slayer, art not thou, Maghavan, fiercest in thy wrath?So hast thou quelled the demon too.8 And this heroic deed of might thou, Indra, also hast achieved,That thou didst smite to death the Dame, Heaven's Daughter, meditating ill.9 Thou, Indra, Mighty One, didst crush Usas, though Daughter of the Sky.When lifting up herself in pride.10 Then from her chariot Usas fled, affrighted, from her ruined car.When the strong God had shattered it.11 So there this car of Usas lay, broken to pieces, in Vipas,
And she herself fled far away.12 Thou, Indra, didst. with magic power resist the overflowing streamWho spread her waters o'er the land.13 Valiantly didst thou seize and take the store which Susna had amassed,When thou didst crush his fortresses.14 Thou, Indra, also smotest down Kulitara's son Sambara,The Dasa, from the lofty hill.15 Of Dasa Varcin's thou didst slay the hundred thousand and the five,Crushed like the fellies, of a car.16 So Indra, Lord of Heroes, Powers, caused the unwedded damsel's son,The castaway, to share the lauds.17 So sapient Indra, Lord of Might, brought Turvaga and Yadu, thoseWho feared the flood, in safel o'er.18 Arpa and Citraratha, both Aryas, thou, Indra, slewest swift,On yonder side of Sarayu,19 Thou, Vrtra-slayer, didst conduct those two forlorn, the blind, the lame.None may attain this bliss of thine.20 For Divodasa, him who brought oblationt, 1ndra overthrewA hundred fortresses of stone.21 The thirty thousand Disas he with magic power and weapons sentTo slumber, for Dabhiti's sake.22 As such, O Vrtra-slayer, thou art general Lord of kine for all,Thou Shaker of all things that be.23 Indra, whatever deed of might thou hast this day to execute,None be there now to hinder it.24 O Watchful One, may Aryaman the God give thee all goodly things.May Risan, Bhaga, and the God Karulati give all things fair.
HYMN XXXI. Indra.1. WITH what help will he come to us, wonderful, ever-waxing Friend;With what most mighty company?2 What genuine and most liberal draught will spirit thee with juice to burstOpen e'en strongly-guarded wealth?3 Do thou who art Protector of us thy friends who praise theeWith hundred aids approach us.4 Like as a courser's circling wheel, so turn thee hitherward to us,Attracted by the hymns of men.5 Thou seekest as it were thine own stations with swift descent of powers:I share thee even with the Sun.6 What time thy courage and his wheels together, Indra, run their courseWith thee and with the Sun alike,7 So even, Lord of Power and Might, the people call thee Maghavan,Giver, who pauses not to think.8 And verily to him who toils and presses Soma juice for theeThou quickly givest ample wealth.9 No, not a hundred hinderers can check thy gracious bounty's flow,Nor thy great deeds when thou wilt act.10 May thine assistance keep us safe, thy hundred and thy thousand aids:May all thy favours strengthen us.11 Do thou elect us this place for friendship and prosperity,
And great celestial opulence.12 Favour us, Indra, evermore with overflowing store of wealth:With all thy succours aid thou us.13 With new protections, Indra, like an archer, open thou forusThe stables that are filled with kine.14 Our chariot, Indra, boldly moves endued with splendour, ne'er repulsed,Winning for us both kine andsteeds.15 O Surya, make our fame to be most excellent among the Gods,Most lofty as the heaven on high.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.1. O THOU who slewest Vrtra, come, O Indra, hither to our side,Mighty One with thy mighty aids.2 Swift and impetuous art thou, wondrous amid the well-dressed folk:Thou doest marvels for our help.3 Even with the weak thou smitest down himwho is stronger, with thy strengthThe mighty, with the Friends thou hast.4 O Indra, we are close to thee; to thee we sing aloud our songs:Help hnd defend us, even us.5 As such, O Caster of the Stone, come with thy succours wonderful,Blameless, and irresistible.6 May we be friends of one like thee, O Indra, with the wealth of kine,Comrades for lively energy.7 For thou, O Indra, art alone the Lord of strength that comes from kineSo grant thou us abundant food.8 They turn thee not another way, when, lauded, Lover of the Song,Thou wilt give wealth to those who praise.9 The Gotamas have sung their song of praise to thee that thou mayst give,Indra, for lively energy.10 We will declare thy hero deeds, what Disa forts thou brakest down,Attacking them in rapturous joy.11 The sages sing those manly deeds which, Indra, Lover of the Song,Thou wrougbtest when the Soma flowed.12 Indra, the Gotamas who bring thee praises have grown strong by thee.Give them renown with hero sons.13 For, Indra, verily thou art the general treasure even of all .Thee, therefore, do we invocate.14 Excellent Indra, turn to us: glad thee among us with the juiceOf Somas, Soma-drinker thou.15 May praise from us who think Qn thee, O Indra, bring thee near to us.Turn thy two Bay Steeds hitherward.16 Eat of our sacrificial cake: rejoice thee in the songs we sing.Even as a lover in his bride.17 To India for a thousand steeds well-trained and fleet of foot we pray,And hundred jars of Soma juice.18 We make a hundred of thy kine, yea, and a thousand, hasten nigh:So let thy bounty come to us.19 We have obtained, a gift from thee, ten water-ewers wrought of gold:Thou, Vrtra-slayer, givest much.
20 A bounteous Giver, give us much, bring much and not a trifling gift:Much, Indra, wilt thou fain bestow.21 O Vrtra-slayer, thou art famed in many a place as bountifulHero, thy bounty let us share.22 I praise thy pair of Tawny Steeds, wise Son of him who giveth kineTerrify not the cows with these.23 Like two slight images of girls, unrobed, upon a new-wrought post,So shine the Bay Steeds in their course.24 For me the Bays are ready when I start, or start not, with the dawn, Innocuous in the ways theytake.
HYMN XXXIII. Rbhus.I. I SEND my voice as herald to the Rbhus; I crave the white cow for the overspreading.Wind-sped, the Skillful Ones in rapid motion have in an instant compassed round the heaven.2 What time the Rbus had with care and marvels done proper service to assist their Parents,They won the friendship of the Gods; the Sages carried away the fruit of their devotion.3 May they who made their Parents, who were lying like posts that moulder, young again for ever,-May Vaja, Vibhvan, Rbhu, joined with Indra , protect our sacrifice, the Soma-lovers.4 As for a year the Rbhus kept the Milch-cow, throughout a year fashioned and formed her body,And through a year's space still sustained her brightness, through these their labours they weremade immortal.5 Two beakers let us make,- thus said the eldest. Lct us make three,- this was the younger'ssentence.Four beakers let us make,- thus spoke the youngest. Tvastar approved this rede of yours, O Rbhus.6 The men spake truth and even so they acted: this Godlike way of theirs the Rbhus followed.And Tvastar, when he looked on the four beakers resplendent as the day, was moved with envy.7 When for twelve days the Rbhus joyed reposing as guests of him who never may be hidden,lley made fair fertile fields, they brought the rivers. Plants spread o'er deserts, waters filled thehollows.8 May they who formed the swift car, bearing Heroes, and the Cow omniform and all-impelling,Even may they form wealth for us,-the Rbhus, dexterous-handed, deft in work and gracious.9 So in their work the Gods had satisfaction, pondering it with thought and mental insight.The Gods' expert artificer was Vaja, Indra's Rbhuksan, Varuna's was Vibhvan.10 They whol made glad with sacrifice and praises, wrought the two Bays, his docile Steeds, forIndra,-Rbhus, as those who wish a friend to prosper, bestow upon us gear and growth of riches.11 This day have they set gladdening drink before you. Not without toil are Gods inclined tofriendship.Therefore do ye who are so great, O Rbhus, vouchsafe us treasures at this third libation.
HYMN XXXIV. Rbhus.1. To this our sacrifice come Rbhu, Vibhvan, Vaja, and Indra with the gift of riches,Because this day hath Dhisana the Goddess set drink for you: the gladdening draughts have reachedyou.2 Knowing your birth and rich in gathered treasure, Rbhus, rejoice together with the Rtus.The gladdening draughts and wisdom have approached you: send ye us riches with good store ofheroes.3 For you was made this sacrifice, O Rbhus, which ye, like men, won for yourselves aforetime.To you come all who find in you their pleasure: ye all were-even the two elder-Vajas.4 Now for the mortal worshipper, O Heroes, for him who served you, was the gift of riches.Drink, Vajas, Rbhus! unto you is offered, to gladden you, the third and great libation.5 Come to us, Heroes, Vajas and Rbhuksans, glorified for the sake of mighty treasure.
These draughts approach you as the day is closing, as cows, whose calves are newly-born, theirstable.6 Come to this sacrifice of ours, ye Children of Strength, invoked with humble adoration.Drink of this meath, Wealth-givers, joined with Indra with whom ye are in full accord, ye Princes.7 Close knit with Varuna drink the Soma, Indra; close-knit, ilymn-lover! with the Maruts drink it:Close-knit with drinkers first, who drink in season; close-knit with heavenly Dames who give ustreasures.8 Rejoice in full accord with the Adityas, in concord with the Parvatas, O Rbhus;In full accord with Savitar, Divine One; in full accord with floods that pour forth riches.9 Rbhus, who helped their Parents and the Asvins, who formed the Milch-cow and the pair of horses,Made armour, set the heaven and earth asunder,-far- reaching Heroes, they have made goodoffspring.10 Ye who have wealth in cattle and in booty, in heroes, in rich sustenance and treasure,Such, O ye Rbhus, first to drink, rejoicing, give unto us and those who laud our present.11 Ye were not far: we have not left you thirsting, blameless in this our sacrifice, O Rbhus.Rejoice you with the Maruts and with Indra, with the Kings, Gods! that ye may give us riches.
HYMN XXXV. Rbhus.1. Come hither, O ye Sons of Strength, ye Rbhus; stay not afar, ye Children of Sudhanvan.At this libation is your gift of treasure. Let gladdening draughts approach you after Indra's.2 Hither is come the Rbhus' gift of riches; here was the drinking of the well-pressed Soma,Since by dexterity and skill as craftsmen ye made the single chalice to be fourfold3 Ye made fourfold the chalice that wag single: ye spake these words and said, O Friend, assist us;Then, Vajas! gained the path of life eternal, deft-handed Rbhus, to the Gods' assembly.4 Out of what substance was that chalice fashioned which ye made fourfold by your art and wisdom?Now for the gladdening draught press out the liquor, and drink, O Rbhus, of die meath of Soma.5 Ye with your cunning made your Parents youthful; the cup, for Gods to drink, ye formed withcunning;With cunning, Rbhus, rich in treasure, fashioned the two swift Tawny Steeds who carry Indra.6 Whoso pours out for you, when days are closing, the sharp libation for your joy, O Vajas,For him, O mighty Rbhus, ye, rejoicing, have fashioned wealth with plenteous store of heroes.7 Lord of Bay Steeds, at dawn thejuice thou drankest: thine, only thine, is the noonday libation.Now drink thou with the wealth-bestowing Rbhus, whom for their skill thou madest friends, O Indra.8 Ye, whom your artist skill hath raised to Godhead have set you down above in heaven like falcons.So give us riches, Children of Sudhanvan, O Sons of Strength; ye have become immortal.9 The third libation, that bestoweth treasure, which ye have won by skill, ye dexterous-handed,-This drink hath been effused for you, O Rbhus . drink it with high delight, with joy like Indra's.
HYMN XXXVI. Rbhus.1. THia car that was not made for horses or for reins, three-wheeled, worthy of lauds, rolls round thefirmament.That is the great announcement of your Deity, that, O ye Rbhus, ye sustain the earth and heaven.2 Ye Sapient Ones who made the lightly-rolling car out of your mind, by thought, the car that nevererrs,You, being such, to drink of this drinkoffering, you, O ye Vajas, and ye Rbhus, we invoke.3 O Vajas, Rbhus, reaching far, among the Gods this was your exaltation gloriously declared,In that your aged Parents, worn with length of days, ye wrought again to youth so that they movedat will.4 The chalice that wag single ye have made fourfold, and by your wisdom brought the Cow forth fromthe hide.So quickly, mid the Gods, ye gained immortal life. Vajas and Rbhus, your great work must be extolled.
5 Wealth from the Rbhus is most glorious in renown, that which the Heroes, famed for vigour, haveproduced.In synods must be sung the car which Vibhvan wrought: that which ye favour, Gods! is famed amongmankind.6 Strong is the steed, the man a sage in eloquence, the bowman is a hero hard to beat in fight,Great store of wealth and manly power hath he obtained whom Vaja, Vibhvan, Rbhus have lookedkindly on.7 To you hath been assigned the fairest ornament, the hymn of praise: Vajas and Rbhus, joy therein;For ye have lore and wisdom and poetic skill: as such, with this our prayer we call on you to come.8 According to the wishes of our hearts may ye, who have full knowledge of all the delights of men,Fashion for us, O Rbhus, power and splendid wealth, rich in high courage, excellent, and vitalstrength.9 Bestowing on us here riches and offspring, here fashion fame for us befitting heroes.Vouchsafe us wealth of splendid sort, O Rbhus, that we may make us more renowned than others.
HYMN XXXVII. Rbhus.1. COME to our sacrifice, Vajas, Rbhuksans, Gods, by the paths which Gods are wont to travel,As ye, gay Gods, accept in splendid weather the sacrifice among these folk of Manus.2 May these rites please you in your heart and spirit; may the drops clothed in oil this day approachyou.May the abundant juices bear you onward to power and strength, and, when imbibed, delight you.3 Your threefold going near is God-appointed, so praise is given you, Vajas and Rbhuksans.So, Manus-like, mid younger folk I offer, to you who are aloft in heaven, the Soma.4 Strong, with fair chains of gold and jaws of iron, ye have a splendid car and well-fed horses.Ye Sons of Strength, ye progeny of Indra, to you the best is offered to delight you.5 Rbhuksans! him, for handy wealth, the mightiest comrade in the fight,Him, Indra's equal, we invoke, most bounteous ever, rich in steeds.6 The mortal man whom, Rbhus, ye and Indra favour with your help,Must be successful, by his thoughts, at sacrifice and with the steed.7 O Vajas and Rbhuksans, free for us the paths to sacrifice,Ye Princes, lauded, that we may press forward to each point of heaven.8 O Vajas and Rbhuksans, ye Nasatyas, Indra, bless this wealth,And, before other men's, the steed, that ample riches may be won.
HYMN XXXVIII. Dadhikris.1. FROM you two came the gifts in days aforetime which Trasadasyu granted to the Purus.Ye gave the winner of our fields and plough-lands, and the strong smiter who subdued the Dasytis.2 And ye gave mighty Dadhikras, the giver of many gifts, who visiteth all people,Impetuous hawk, swift and of varied colour, like a brave King whom each true man must honour.3 Whom, as 'twere down a precipice, swift rushing, each Puru praises and his heart rejoices,-Springing forth like a hero fain for battle, whirling the car and flying like the tempest.4 Who gaineth precious booty in the combats and moveth, winning spoil, among the cattle;Shown in bright colour, looking on the assemblies, beyond the churl, to worship of the living.5 Loudly the folk cry after him in battles, as 'twere a thief who steals away a garment;Speeding to glory, or a herd of cattle, even as a hungry falcon swooping downward.6 And, fain to come forth first amid these armies, this way and that with rows of cars he rushes,Gay like a bridesman, making him a garland, tossing the dust, champing the rein that holds him.7 And that strong Steed, victorious and faithful, obedient with his body in the combat,Speeding straight on amid the swiftly ressing, casts o'er his brows the dust he tosses upward.8 And at his thunder, like the roar of heaven, those who attack tremble and are affrighted;For when he fights against embattled thousands, dread is he in his striving; none may stay him.
9 The people praise the overpowering swiftness of this fleet Steed who giveth men abundance.Of him they say when drawing back from battle. Dadhikras hath sped forward with his thousands.10 Dadhikras hath o'erspread the Fivefold People with vigour, as the Sun lightens the waters.May the strong Steed who winneth bundreds, thousands, requite with sweetness these my wordsand praises.
HYMN XXXIX Dadhikras.1. Now give we praise to Dadhikras the rapid, and mention in our laud the Earth and Heaven.May the Dawns flushing move me to exertion, and bear me safely over every trouble.2 I praise the mighty Steed who fills my spirit, the Stallion Dadhikravan rich in bounties,Whom, swift of foot aind shining bright as Agni, ye, Varuna and Mitra, gave to Purus.3 Him who hath honoured, when the flame is kindled at break of dawn, the Courser Dadhikrivan,Him, of one mind with Varuna and Mitra may Aditi make free from all transgression.4 When we remember mighty Dadhikravan our food and strength, then the blest name of Maruts,Varuna, Mitra, we invoke for welfare, and Agni, and the thunder-wielding Indra.5 Both sides invoke him as they call on Indra when they stir forth and turn to sacrificing.To us have Varuna and Mitra granted the Courser Dadhikris, a guide for mortals.6 So have I glorified with praise strong Dadhikravan, conquering Steed.Sweet may he make our mouths; may he prolong the days we have to live.
HYMN XL. Dadhikravan.1. LET us recite the praise of Dadhikravan: may all the Mornings move me to exertion;Praise of the Lord of Waters, Dawn, and Agni, Brhaspati Son of Angiras, and Surya.2 Brave, seeking war and booty, dwelling with the good and with the swift, may he hasten the foodof Dawn.May he the true, the fleet, the lover of the course, the bird-like Dadhikravan, bring food, strength, andlight.3 His pinion, rapid runner, fans him m his way, as of a bird that hastens onward to its aim,And, as it were a falcon's gliding through the air, strikes Dadhikravan's side as he speeds on withmight.4 Bound by the neck and by the flanks and by the mouth, the vigorous Courser lends new swiftnessto his speed.Drawing himself together, as his strength allows, Dadhikras springs along the windings of the paths.5 The Hamsa homed in light, the Vasu in mid-air, the priest beside the altar, in the house the guest,Dweller in noblest place, mid men, in truth, in sky, born of flood, kine, truth, mountain, he is holyLaw.
HYMN XLI. Indra-Varuna.1. WHAT laud, O Indra-Varuna, with oblation, hath like the Immortal Priest obtained your favour?Hath our effectual laud, addressed with homage, touched you, O Indra-Varuna, in spirit?2 He who with dainty food hath won you, Indra and Varuna, Gods, as his allies to friendship,Jayeth the Vrtras and his foes in battles, and through your mighty favours is made famous.3 Indra and Varuna are most liberal givers of treasure to the men who toil to serve them,When they, as Friends inclined to friendship, honoured with dainty food, delight in flowing Soma.4 Indra and Varuna, ye hurl, O Mighty, on him your strongest flashing bolt of thunderWho treats us ill, the robber and oppressor: measure on him your overwhelming vigour.5 O Indra-Varuna, be ye the lovers of this my song, as steers who love the milch-Cow.Milk may it yield us as, gone forth to pasture, the great Cow pouring out her thousand rivers.6 For fertile fields, for worthy sons and grandsons, for the Sun's beauty and for steer-like vigour,May Indra-Varuna with gracious favours work marvels for us in the stress of battle.7 For you, as Princes, for your ancient kindness, good comrades of the man who seeks for booty,
We choose to us for the dear bond of friendship, most liberal Heroes bringing bliss like parents.8 Showing their strength, these hymns for grace, Free-givers I have gone to you, devoted, as tobattle.For glory have they gone, as milk to Soma, to Indra-Varuna my thoughts and praises.9 To Indra and to Varuna, desirous of gaining wealth have these my thoughts proceeded.They have come nigh to you as treasurelovers, like mares, fleet-footed, eager for the glory.10 May we ourselves be lords of during riches, of ample sustenance for car and hones.So may the Twain who work with newest succours bring yoked teams hitherward to us and riches.11 Come with your mighty succours, O ye Mighty; come, Indra-Varuna, to us in battle.What time the flashing arrows play in combat, may we through you be winners in the contest.
HYMN XLIL Indra-Varuna.1. I AM the royal Ruler, mine is empire, as mine who sway all life are all Immortals.Varuna's will the Gods obey and follow. I am the King of men's most lofty cover.2 I am King Varuna. To me were given these first existinghigh celestial powers.Varuna's will the Gods obey and follow. I am the King of men's most lofty cover.3 I Varuna am Indra: in their greatness, these the two wide deep fairly-fashioned regions,These the two world-halves have I, even as Tvastar knowing all beings, joined and held together.4 I made to flow the moisture-shedding waters, and set the heaven firm in the scat of Order.By Law the Son of Aditi, Law Observer, hath spread abroad the world in threefold measure.5 Heroes with noble horses, fain for battle, selected warriors, call on me in combat.I Indra Maghavan, excite the conflict; I stir the dust, Lord of surpassing vigour.6 All this I did. The Gods' own conquering power never impedeth me whom none opposeth.When lauds and Soma juice have made me joyful, both the unbounded regions are affrighted.7 All beings know these deeds of thine thou tellest this unto Varuna, thou great Disposer!Thou art renowned as having slain the Vrtras. Thou madest flow the floods that were obstructed.8 Our fathers then were these, the Seven his, what time the son of Durgaha was captive.For her they gained by sacrifice Trasadasyu, a demi-god, like Indra, conquering foemen.9 The spouse of Purukutsa gave oblations to you, O Indra-Varuna, with homage.Then unto her ye gave King Trasadasyu, the demi-god, the slayer of the foeman.10 May we, possessing much, delight in riches, Gods in oblations and the kine in pasture;And that Milch-cow who ahrinks not from the milking, O Indra-Varuna, give to us daily.
HYMN XLIII. Asvins.1. WHO will hear, who of those who merit worship, which of all Gods take pleasure in our homage?On whose heart shall we lay this laud celestial, rich with fair offerings, dearest to Immortals?2 Who will be gracious? Who will come most uickly of all the Gods? Who willbring liss most largely?What car do they call swift with rapid coursers? That which the Daughter of the Sun elected.3 So many days do ye come swiftly hither, as Indra to give help in stress of battle.Descended from the sky, divine, strong-pinioned, by which of all your powers are ye most mighty?4 What is the prayer that we should bring you, Asvins, whereby ye come to us when invocated?Whether of you confronts e'en great betrayal? Lovers of sweetness, Dasras, help and save us.5 In the wide space your chariot reacheth heaven, what time it turneth hither from the ocean.Sweets from your sweet shall drop, lovers of sweetness! These have they dressed for you as daintyviands.6 Let Sindhu with his wave bedew your horses: in fiery glow have the red birds come hither.Observed of all was that your rapid going, whereby ye were the Lords of Siirya's Daughter.7 Whene'er I gratified you here together, your grace was given us, O ye rich in booty.Protect, ye Twain, the singer of your praises: to you, Nasatyas, is my wish directed.
HYMN XLIV. Asvins.1. WE will invoke this day your car, farspreading, O Asvins, even the gathering, of the sunlight,-Car praised in hymns, most ample, rich in treasure, fitted with seats, the car that beareth Surya.2 Asvins, ye gained that glory by your Godhead, ye Sons of Heaven, by your own might and power.Food followeth close upon your bright appearing when stately horses in your chariot draw you.3 Who bringeth you to-day for help with offered oblation, or with hymns to drink the juices?Who, for the sacrifice's ancient lover, turneth you hither, Asvins, offering homage?4 Borne on your golden car, ye omnipresent! come to this sacrifice of ours, Nasatyas.Drink of the pleasant liquor of the Soma give riches to the people who adore you.5 Come hitherward to us from earth, from heaven, borne on your golden chariot rolling lightly.Suffer not other worshippers to stay you here are ye bound by earlier bonds of friendship.6 Now for us both, mete out, O WonderWorkers, riches exceeding great with store of heroes,Because the men have sent you praise, O Asvins, and Ajamilhas come to the laudation.7 Whene'er I gratified you here together, your grace was given us, O ye rich in booty.Protect, ye Twain, the singer of your praises: to you, Nasatyas, is my wish directed.
HYMN XLV. Asvins1. YONDER goes up that light: your chariot is yoked that travels round upon the summit of thisheaven.Within this car are stored three kindred shares of food, and a skin filled with meath is rustling as thefourth.2 Forth come your viands rich with store of pleasant meath, and cars and horses at the flushing of thedawn,Stripping the covering from the surrounded gloom, and spreading through mid-air bright radiance likethe Sun.3 Drink of the meath with lips accustomed to the draught; harness for the meath's sake the chariotthat ye love.Refresh the way ye go, refresh the paths with meath: hither, O Asvins, bring the skin that holds themeath.4 The swans ye have are friendly, rich in store of mcath, gold-pinioned, strong to draw, awake atearly morn,Swimming the flood, exultant, fain for draughts that cheer: ye come like flies to our libations of-themeath.5 Well knowing solemn rites and rich in meath, the fires sing to the morning Asvins at the break ofday,When with pure hands the prudent energetic priest hath with the stones pressed out the Soma richin meath.6 The rays advancing nigh, chasing with day the gloom, spread through the firmament brightradiance like the Sun;And the Sun harnessing his horses goeth forth: ye through your Godlike nature let his paths beknown.7 Devout in thought I have declared, O Asvins, your chariot with good steeds, which lasts for ever,Wherewith ye travel swiftly through the regions to the prompt worshipper who brings oblation.
HYMN XLVI. Vayu. Indra-Vayu1. DRINK the best draught of Soma-juice, O Vayu, at our holy rites:For thou art he who drinketh first.2 Come, team-drawn, with thy hundred helps, with Indra, seated in the car,Vaya, and drink your fill of juice.3 May steeds a thousand bring you both, Indra. and Vayu, hitherwardTo drink the Soma, to the feagt.4 For ye, O Indra-Vayu, mount the goldenseated car that aidsThe sacrifice, that reaches heaven.
5 On far-refulgent chariot come unto the man who offers gifts:Come, Indra-Vayu, hitherward.6 Here, Indra-Vayu, is the juice: drink it, accordant with the Gods,Within the giver's dwelling-place.7 Hither, O Indra-Vayu, be your journey here unyoke your steeds,Here for your draught of Soma juice.
HYMN XLVIL Vayu. Indra-Vayu.1. Vayu, the bright is offered thee, best of the meath at holy rites.Come thou to drink the Soma juice, God, longed-for, on thy team-drawn car.2 O Vayu, thou and Indra are meet drinkers of these Soma-draughts,For unto you the drops proceed as waters gather to the vale.3 O Indra-Vayu, mighty Twain, speeding together, Lords of Strength,Come to our succour with your team, that ye may drink the Soma juice.4 The longed-for teams which ye possess, O Heroes, for the worshipper,Turn to us, Indra-Vayu, ye to whom the sacrifice is paid.
HYMN XLVIII. Vayu.1. TASTE offerings never tasted yet, as bards enjoy the foeman's wealth.O Vayu, on refulgent car come to the drinking of the juice.2 Removing curses, drawn by teams, with 1ndra, seated by thy side,O Vayu, on refulgent car come to the drinking of the juice.3 The two dark treasuries of wealth that wearall beauties wait on thee.O Vayu, on refulgent car come to the drinking of the juice.4 May nine-and-ninety harnessed steeds who yoke them at thy will bring thee.O Vayu, on refulgent car come to the drinking of the juice.5 Harness, O Vayu, to thy car a hundred well-fed tawny steeds,Yea, or a thousand steeds, and let thy chariot come to us with might.
HYMN XLIX. Indra-Brhaspati.1. DEAR is this offering in your mouth, O Indra and Brhaspati:Famed is the laud, the gladdening draught.2 This lovely Soma is effused, O Indra and Brhaspati,For you, to drink it and rejoice.3 As Soma-drinkers to our house come, Indra and Brhaspati-and Indra-to drink Soma juice.4 Vouchsafe us riches hundredfold, O Indra, and Brhaspati,With store of horses, thousandfold.5 O Indra. and Brhaspati, we call you when the meath is shed,With songs, to drink the Soma juice.6 Drink, Indra and Brhaspati, the Soma in the giver's house:Delight yourselves abiding there.
HYMN L. Brhaspati.1. Him who with might hath propped earth's ends, who sitteth in threefold seat, Brhaspati, withthunder,Him of the pleasant tongue have ancient sages, deep-thinking, holy singers, set before them.2 Wild in their course, in well-marked wise rejoicing were they, Brhaspati, who pressed around us.Preserve Brhaspati, the stall uninjured, this company's raining, ever-moving birthplace.3 Brhaspati, from thy remotest distance have they sat down who love the law eternal.
For thee were dug wells springing from the mountain, which murmuring round about pour streams ofsweetness.4 Brhaspati, when first he had his being from mighty splendour in supremest heaven,Strong, with his sevenfold mouth, with noise of thunder, with his seven rays, blew and dispersed thedarkness.5 With the loud-shouting band who sang his praises, with thunder, he destroyed obstructive Vala.Brhaspati thundering drave forth the cattle, the lowing cows who make oblations ready.6 Serve we with sacrifices, gifts, and homage even thus the Steer of all the Gods, the Father.Brhaspati, may we be lords of riches, with noble progeny and store of heroes.7 Surely that King by power and might heroic hath made him lord of all his foes' posses-ions,Who cherishes Brhaspati well-tended, adorns and worships him as foremost sharer.8 In his own house he dwells in peace and comfort: to him for ever holy food flows richly.To him the people with free will pay homage-the King with whom the Brahman hatb precedence.9 He, unopposed, is master of the riches.of his own subjects and of hostile people.The Gods uphold that King with their protection who helps the Brahman when he seeks his favour.10 Indra, Brhaspati, rainers of treasure, rejoicing at this sacrifice drink the Soma.Let the abundant drops sink deep within you: vouchsafe us riches with full store of heroes.11 Brhaspati and Indra, make us prosper may this be your benevolence to usward.Assist our holy thoughts, wake up our spirit: weaken the hatred of our foe and rivals.
HYMN LI. Dawn.1. FORTH from the darkness in the region eastward this most abundant splendid light hatb mounted.Now verily the far-refulgent Mornings, Daughters of Heaven, bring welfare to the people.2 The richly-coloured Dawns have mounted eastward, like pillars planted at our sacrifices,And, flushing far, splendid and purifying, unbarred the portals of the fold of darkness.3 Dispelling gloom this day the wealthy Mornings urge liberal givers to present their treasures.In the unlightened depth of darkness round them let niggard traffickers sleep unawakened.4 O Goddesses, is this your car, I ask you, ancient this day, or is it new, ye Mornings,Wherewith, rich Dawns, ye seek with wealth Navagva, Dasagva Angira, the seven-toned singer?5 With horses harnessed by eternal Order, Goddesses, swiftly round the worlds ye travel,Arousing from their rest, O Dawns, the sleeping, and all that lives, man, bird, and beast, to motion.6 Which among these is eldest, and where is she through whom they fixed the Rbhus' regulations?What time the splendid Dawns go forth for splendour, they are not known aparto alike, unwasting.7 Blest were these Dawns of old, shining with succour, true with the truth that springs from holyOrder;With whom the toiling worshipper, by praises, hymning and lauding, soon attained to riches.8 Hither from eastward all at once they travel, from one place spreading in the selfsame manner.Awaking, from the seat of holy Order the Godlike Dawns come nigh like troops of cattle.9 Thus they go forth with undiminished colours, these Mornings similar, in self-same fashion,Concealing the gigantic might of darkness with radiant bodies bright and pure and shining.10 O Goddesses, O Heaven's refulgent Daughters, bestow upon us wealth with store of children.As from our pleasant place of rest ye rouse us may we be masters of heroic vigour.11 Well-skilled in lore of sacrifice, ye Daughters of Heaven, refulgent Dawns, I thus address you.May we be glorious among the people. May Heaven vouchsafe us this, and Earth the Goddess,
HYMN LIL Dawm.1. THIS Lady, giver of delight, after her Sister shining forth, Daughter of Heaven, hath shown herself.-2 Unfailing, Mother of the Kine, in colour like a bright red mare,The Dawn became the Asvins' Friend.3 Yea, and thou art the Asvins' Friend, the Mother of the Kine art thou:O Dawn thou rulest over wealth.
4 Thinking of thee, O joyous One, as her who driveth hate away,We woke to meet thee with our lauds.5 Our eyes behold thy blessed rays like troops of cattle loosed to feed.Dawn hath filled full the wide expanse.6 When thou hast filled it, Fulgent One! thou layest bare the gloom with light.After thy nature aid us, Dawn.7 Thou overspreadest heaven with rays, the dear wide region of mid-air.With thy bright shining lustre, Dawn.
HYMN LIII. Savitar.1. OF Savitar the God, the sapient Asura, we crave this great gift which is worthy of our choice,Wherewith he freely grants his worshiper defence. This with his rays the Great God hath vouchsafedto us.2 Sustainer of the heaven, Lord of the whole world's life, the Sage, he putteth on his golden-colouredmail.Clear-sighted, spreading far, filling the spacious realm, Savitar hath brought forth bliss that deservethlaud.3 He hath filled full the regions of the heaven and earth: the God for his own strengthening wakethup the hymn.Savitar hath stretched out his arms to cherish life, producing with his rays and lulling all that moves.4 Lighting all living creatures, neer to be deceived, Savitar, God, protects each holy ordinance.He hath stretched out his arms to all the folk of earth, and, with his laws observed, rules his ownmighty course.5 Savitar thrice surrounding with his mightiness mid-air, three regions, and the triple sphere of light,Sets the three heavens in motion and the threefold earth, and willingly protects us with his triple law.6 Most gracious God, who brings to life and lulls to rest, he who controls the world, what moves notand what moves,May he vouchsafe us shelter, -Savitar the God,- for tranquil life, with triple bar against distress.7 With the year's seasons hath Savitar, God, come nigh: may he prosper our home, give food andnoble sons.May he invigorate us through the days and nights, and may he send us opulence with progeny.
HYMN LIV. Savitar.1. Now must we praise and honour Savitar the God: at this time of the day the men must call to him,Him who distributes wealth to Manu's progeny, that he may grant us here riches most excellent.2 For thou at first producest for the holy Gods the noblest of all portions, immor-tality:Thereafter as a gift to men, O Savitar, thou openest existence, life succeeding life.3 If we, men as we are, have sinned against the Gods through want of thought, in weakness, orthrough insolence,Absolve us from the guilt and make us free from sin, O Savitar, alike among both Gods and men.4 None may impede that power of Savitar the God whereby he will maintain the universal world.What the fair-fingered God brings forth on earth's expanse or in the heightof heaven, that work of hisstands sure.5 To lofty hills thou sendest those whom Indra leads, and givest fixed abodes with houses untothese.However they may fly and draw themselves apart, still, Savitar, they stand obeying thy behest.6 May the libations poured to thee thrice daily, day after day, O Savitar, bring us blessing.May Indra, Heaven, Earth, Sindhu with the Waters, Aditi with Adityas, give us shelter.
HYMN LV. Visvedevas.1. WHO of you, Vasus, saveth? who protecteth? O Heaven and Earth and Aditi, preserve us,Varuna., Mitra, from the stronger mortal. Gods, which of you at sacrifice giveth comfort?
2 They who with laud extol the ancient statutes, when they shine forth infallible dividers,Have ordered as perpetual Ordainers, and beamed as holy-thoughted WonderWorkers.3 The Housewife Goddess, Aditi, and Sindhu, the Goddess Svasti I implore for friendship:And may the unobstructed Night and Morning both, day and night, provide for our protection.4 Aryaman, Varuna have disclosed the pathway, Agni as Lord of Strength the road to welfare.Lauded in manly mode may Indra-Visnu grant us their powerful defence and shelter.5 I have besought the favourof the Maruts, of Parvata, of Bhaga God who rescues.From trouble caused by man the Lord preserve us; from woe sent by his friend let Mitra save us.6 Agree, through these our watery oblations, Goddesses, Heaven and Earth, with Ahibudhnya.As if to win the sea, the Gharma-heaters have opened, as they come anear, the rivers.7 May Goddess Aditi with Gods defend us, save us the saviour God with care unceasing.We dare not stint the sacred food of Mitra and Varuna upon the back of Agni.8 Agni is Sovran Lord of wealth, Agni of great prosperity:May he bestow these gifts on us.9 Hither to us, rich pleasant Dawn, bring many things to be desired,Thou who hast ample store of wealth.10 So then may Bhaga, Savitar, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Indra, with bounty come to us.
HYMN LVI. Heaven and Earth.1. MAY mighty Heaven and Earth, most meet for honour, be present here with light and gleamingsplendours;When, fixing them apart, vast, most extensive, the Steer roars loudly in far-reaching courses.2 The Goddesses with Gods, holy with holy, the Two stand pouring out their rain, exhaustless:Faithful and guileless, having Gods for children, leaders of sacrifice with shining splendours.3 Sure in the worlds he was a skilful Craftsman, he who produced these Twain the Earth and Heaven.Wise, with his power he brought both realms, together spacious and deep, wellfashioned,unsupported.4 O Heaven and Earth, with one accord promoting, with high protection as of Queens, our welfare,Far-reaching, universal, holy, guard us. May we, car-borne, through song be victors ever.5 To both of you, O Heaven and Earth, we bring our lofty song of praise,Pure Ones! to glorify you both.6 Ye sanctify each other's form, by your own proper might ye rule,And from of old observe the Law.7 Furthering and fulfilling, ye, O Mighty, perfect Mitra's Law.Ye sit around our sacrifice.
HYMN LVII. Ksetrapati, Etc.1. WE through the Master of the Field, even as through a friend, obtainWhat nourisheth our kine and steeds. In such may he be good to us.2 As the cow yieldeth milk, pour for us freely, Lord of the Field, the wave that beareth sweetness,Distilling meath, well-purified like butter, and let the. Lords of holy Law be gracious.3 Sweet be the plants for us. the heavens, the waters, and full of sweets for us be air's mid-region.May the Field's Lord for us be full of sweetness, and may we follow after him uninjured.4 Happily work our steers and men, may the plough furrow happily.Happily be the traces bound; happily may he ply the goad.5 Suna and Sira, welcome ye this laud, and with the milk which ye have made in heavenBedew ye both this earth of ours.6 Auspicious Sita, come thou near: we venerate and worship theeThat thou mayst bless and prosper us and bring us fruits abundantly.7 May Indra press the furrow down, may Pusan guide its course aright.May she, as rich in milk, be drained for us through each succeeding year.
8 Happily let the shares turn up the ploughland, happily go the ploughers with the oxen.With meath and milk Parjanya make us happy. Grant us prosperity, Suna and Sira
HYMN LVIII. Ghrta.1. FORTH from the ocean sprang the wave of sweetness: together with the stalk it turned to Amrta,That which is holy oil's mysterious title: but the Gods' tongue is truly Amrta's centre.2 Let us declare aloud the name of Ghrta, and at this sacrifice hold it up with homage.So let the Brahman hear the praise we utter. This hath the four-horned Buffalo emitted.3 Four are his horns, three are the feet that bear him; his heads are two, his hands are seven innumber.Bound with a triple bond the Steer roars loudly: the mighty God hath entered in to mortals.4 That oil in triple shape the Gods discovered laid down within the Cow, concealed by Panis.Indra produced one shape, Surya another: by their own power they formed the third from Vena.5 From inmost reservoir in countless channels flow down these rivers which the foe beholds not.I look upon the streams of oil descending, and lo! the Golden Reed is there among them.6 Like rivers our libations flow together, cleansing themselves in inmost heart and spirit.The streams of holy oil pour swiftly downward like the wild beasts that fly before the bowman.7 As rushing down the rapids of a river, flow swifter than the wind the vigorous currents,The streams of oil in swelling fluctuation like a red courser bursting through the fences.8.Like women at a gathering fair to look on and gently smiling, they incline to Agni.The streams of holy oil attain the fuel, and Jatavedas joyfully receives them.9 As maidens dock themselves with gay adornment to join the bridal feast, I now behold them.Where Soma flows and sacrifice is ready, thither the streams of holy oil are running.10 Send to our eulogy a herd of cattle bestow upon us excellent possessions.Bear to the Gods the sacrifice we offer the streams of oil flow pure and full of sweetness.11 The universe depends upon thy power and might within the sea, within the heart, within all life.May we attain that sweetly-flavoured wave of thine, brought, at its gathering, o'er the surfaceof thefloods.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE FIFTH
HYMN I. Agni1. Agni is wakened by the people's fuel to meet the Dawn who cometh like a milch-cow.Like young trees shooting up on high their branches, his flames are rising to the vault of heaven.2 For worship of the Gods the Priest was wakened: at morning gracious Agni hath arisen.Kindled, his radiant might is made apparent, and the great Deity set free from darkness.3 When he hath stirred the line of his attendants, with the pure milk pure Agni is anointed.The strength-bestowing gift is then made ready, which spread in front, with tongues, erect, hedrinketh.4 The spirits of the pious turn together to Agni, as the eyes of all to Surya.He, when both Dawns of different hues have borne him, springs up at daybreak as a strong whitecharger.5 The noble One was born at days' beginning, laid red in colour mid the well-laid fuel.Yielding in every house his seven rich treasures, Agni is seated, Priest most skilled in worship.6 Agni hath sat him down, a Priest most skilful, on a sweet-smelling place, his Mother's bosom.Young, faithful, sage, preeminent o'er many, kindled among the folk whom he sustaineth.7 This Singer excellent at sacrifices, Agni the Priest, they glorify with homage.Him who spread out both worlds by Law Eternal they balm with oil, strong Steed who never faileth.8. He, worshipful House-Friend, in his home is worshipped, our own auspicious guest, lauded bysages.That strength the Bull with thousand horns possesses. In might, O Agni, thou excellest others.9 Thou quickly passest by all others, Agni, for him to whom thou hast appeared most lovely,Wondrously fair, adorable, effulgent, the guest of men, the darling of the people.10 To thee, Most Youthful God! to thee, O Agni from near and far the people bring their tribute.Mark well the prayer of him who best extols thee. Great, high, auspicious, Agni, is thy shelter.11 Ascend to-day thy splendid car, O Agni, in splendour, with the Holy Ones around it.Knowing the paths by mid-air's spacious region bring hither Gods to feast on our oblation.12 To him adorable, sage, strong and mighty we have sung forth our song of praise and homage.Gavisthira hath raised with prayer to Agni this laud far-reaching, like gold light to heaven.
HYMN II. Agni.1. THE youthful Mother keeps the Boy in secret pressed to her close, nor yields him to the Father.But, when he lies upon the arm, the people see his unfading countenance before them.2 What child is this thou carriest as handmaid, O Youthful One? The Consort-Queen hath bome him.The Babe unborn increased through many autumns. I saw him born what time his Mother bare him.3 I saw him from afar gold-toothed, bright-coloured, hurling his weapons from his habitation,What time I gave him Amrta free from mixture. How can the Indraless, the hymnless harm me?4 I saw him moving from the place he dwells in, even as with a herd, brilliantly shining.These seized him not: he had been born already. They who were grey with age again grow youthful.5 Who separate my young bull from the cattle, they whose protector was in truth no stranger?Let those whose hands have seized upon them free them. May he, observant, drive the herd to us-ward.6 Mid mortal men godless have secreted the King of all who live, home of the people.So may the prayers of Atri give him freedom. Reproached in turn be those who now reproach him.7 Thou from the stake didst loose e'en Sunahsepa bound for a thousand; for he prayed with fervour.So, Agni, loose from us the bonds that bind us, when thou art seated here, O Priest who knowest.8 Thou hast sped from me, Agni, in thine anger: this the protector of Gods' Laws hath told me.Indra who knoweth bent his eye upon thee: by him instructed am I come, O Agni.
9 Agni shines far and wide with lofty splendour, and by his greatness makes all things apparent.He conquers godless and malign enchantments, and sharpens both his horns to gore the Raksas.10 Loud in the heaven above be Agni's roarings with keen-edged weapons to destroy the demons.Forth burst his splendours in the Soma's rapture. The godless bands press round but cannot stayhim.11 As a skilled craftsman makes a car, a singer I, Mighty One! this hymn for thee have fashioned.If thou, O Agni, God, accept it gladly, may we obtain thereby the heavenly Waters.12 May he, the strong-necked Steer, waxing in vigour, gather the foeman's wealth with none to checkhim.Thus to this Agni have the Immortals spoken. To man who spreads the grass may he grant shelter,grant shelter to the man who brings oblation.
HYMN III. Agni.1. THOU at thy birth art Varuna, O Agni; when thou art kindled thou becomest Mitra.In thee, O Son of Strength, all Gods are centred. Indra art thou to man who brings oblation.2 Aryaman art thou as regardeth maidens mysterious, is thy name, O Self-sustainer.As a kind friend with streams of milk they balm thee what time thou makcst wife and lord one-minded.3 The Maruts deck their beauty for thy glory, yea, Rudra! for thy birth fair, brightly-coloured.That which was fixed as Visnu's loftiest station-therewith the secret of the Cows thou guardest.4 Gods through thy glory, God who art so lovely! granting abundant gifts gained life immortal.As their own Priest have men established Agni; and serve him fain for praise from him who liveth.5 There is no priest more skilled than thou in worship; none Self-sustainer pass thee in wisdom.Ile man within whose house as guest thou dwellest, O God, by sacrifice shall conquer mortals.6 Aided by thee, O Agni may we conquer through our oblation, fain for wealth, awakened:May we in battle, in the days' assemblies,O Son of Strength, by riches conquer mortals.7 He shall bring evil on the evil-plottcr whoever turns against us sin and outrage.Destroy this calumny of him, O Agni, whoever injures us with double-dealing.8 At this dawn's flushing, God! our ancient fathers served thee with offerings, making thee theirenvoy,When, Agni, to the store of wealth thou goest, a God cnkindled with good things by mortals.9 Save, thou who knowest, draw thy father near thee, who counts as thine own son, O Child ofPower.O sapient Agni, when wilt thou regard us? When, skilled in holy Law, wilt thou direct us?10 Adoring thee he gives thee many a title, when thou, Good Lord! acceptest this as Father.And doth not Agni, glad in strength of Godhead, gain splendid bliss when he hath waxen mighty?11 Most Youthful Agni, verily thou bearest thy praiser safely over all his troubles.Thieves have been seen by us and open foemen: unknown have been the plottings of the wicked.12 To thee these eulogies have been directed: or to the Vasu hath this sin been spoken.But this our Agni, flaming high, shall never yield us to calumny, to him who wrongs us.
HYMN IV. Agni.1. O AGNI, King and Lord of wealth and treasures, in thee is my delight at sacrifices.Through thee may we obtain the strength we long for, and overcome the fierce attacks of mortals.2 Agni, Eternal Father, offering- bearer, fair to behold, far-reaching, far-refulgent,From well-kept household fire beam food to feed us, and measure out to us abundant glory.3 The Sage of men, the Lord of human races, pure, purifying Agni, balmed with butter,Him the Omniscient as your Priest ye stablish: he wins among the Gods things worth the choosing.4 Agni, enjoy, of one accord with Ila, striving in rivalry with beams of Sarya,Enjoy, O Jatavedas, this our fuel, and bring the Gods to us to taste oblations.5 As dear House-Friend, guest welcome in the dwelling, to this our sacrifice come thou who knowest.And, Agni, having scattered all assailants, bring to us the possessions of our foemen.
6 Drive thou away the Dasyu with thy weapon. As, gaining vital power for thine own body,O Son of Strength, the Gods thou satisfiest, so in fight save us, most heroic Agni.7 May we, O Agni, with our lauds adore thee, and with our gifts, fair-beaming Purifier!Send to us wealth containing all things precious: bestow upon us every sort of riches.8 Son of Strength, Agni, dweller in three regions, accept our sacrifice and our oblation.Among the Gods may we be counted pious: protect us with a triply-guarding shelter.9 Over all woes and dangers, Jatavedas, bear us as in a boat across a river.Praised with our homage even as Atri praised thee, O Agni, be the guardian of our bodies.10 As I, remembering thee with grateful spirit, a mortal, call with might on thee Immortal,Vouchsafe us high renown, O Jatavedas, and may I be immortal by my children.11 The pious man, O Jatavedas Agni, to whom thou grantest ample room and pleasure,Gaineth abundant wealth with sons and horses, with heroes and with kine for his well-being.
HYMN V. Apris.1. To Agni, Jatavedas, to the flame, the well-enkindled God,Offer thick sacrificial oil.2 He, Narasamsa, ne'er beguiled, inspiriteth this sacrifice:For sage is he, with sweets in hand.3 Adored, O Agni, hither bring Indra the Wonderful, the Friend,On lightly-rolling car to aid.4 Spread thyself out, thou soft as wool The holy hymns have sung to thee.Bring gain to us, O beautiful!5 Open yourselves, ye Doors Divine, easy of access for our aid:Fill, more and more, the sacrifice.6 Fair strengtheners of vital power, young Mothers of eternal Law,Morning and Night we supplicate.7 On the wind's flight come, glorified, ye two celestial Priests of manCome ye to this our sacrifice.8 l! Sarasvati, Mahl, three Goddesses who tring us weal,Be seated harmless on the grass.9 Rich in all plenty, Tvastar, come auspicious of thine own accordHelp us in every sacrifice.10 Vanaspati, wherever thou knowest the Gods' mysterious names,Send our oblations thitherward.11 To Agni and to Varuna, Indra, the Maruts, and the Gods,With Svaha be oblation brought.
HYMN VI. Agni.1. I VALUE Agni that good Lord, the home to which the kine return:Whom fleet-foot coursers seek as home, and strong enduring steeds as home. Bring food to thosewho sing thy praise.2 'Tis Agni whom we laud as good, to whom the milch-kine come in herds,To whom the chargers swift of foot, to whom our well-born princes come. Bring food to those whosing thy praise.3 Agni the God of all mankind, gives, verily, a steed to man.Agni gives precious gear for wealth, treasure he gives when he is pleased. Bring food to those whosing thy praise.4 God, Agni, we will kindle thee, rich in thy splendour, fading not,So that this glorious fuel may send forth by day its light for thee. Bring food to those who sing thypraise.5 To thee the splendid, Lord of flame, bright, wondrous, Prince of men, is brought.
Oblation with the holy verse, O Agni, bearer of our gifts.Bring food to those who sing thy praise.6 These Agnis in the seats of the fire nourish each thing most excellent.They give delight, they spread abroad, they move themselves continually. Bring food to those whosing thy praise.7 Agni, these brilliant flames of thine wax like strong chargers mightily,Who with the treadings of their hoofs go swiftly to the stalls of kine. Bring food to those who sing thypraise.8 To us who laud thee, Agni, bring fresh food and safe and happy homes.May we who have sung hymns to thee have thee for envoy in each house. Bring food to those whosing thy praise.9 Thou, brilliant God, within thy mouth warmest both ladies of the oil.So fill us also, in our hymns, abundantly, O Lord of Strength,Bring food to those who sing thy praise.10 Thus Agni have we duly served with sacrifices and with hymns.So may he give us what we crave, store of brave sons and fleet-foot steeds. Bring food to those whosing thy praise.
HYMN VII. Agni.1. OFFER to Agni, O my friends, your seemly food, your seemly praise;To him supremest o'er the folk, the Son of Strength, the mighty Lord:2 Him in whose presence, when they meet in full assembly, men rejoice;Even him whom worthy ones inflame, and living creatures bring to life.3 When we present to him the food and sacrificial gifts of men,He by the might of splendour grasps the holy Ordinance's rein.4 He gives a signal in the night even to him who is afar,When he, the Bright, unchanged by eld, consumes the sovrans of the wood.5 He in whose service on the ways they offer up their drops of sweat,On him is their high kin have they mounted, as ridges on the earth.6 Whom, sought of many, mortal man hath found to be the Stay of all;He who gives flavour to our food, the home of every man that lives.7 Even as a herd that crops the grass he shears the field and wilderness,With flashing teeth and beard of gold, deft with his unabated might.8 For him, to whom, bright as an axe he, as to Atri, hath flashed forth,Hath the well-bearing Mother borne, producing when her time is come.9 Agni to whom the oil is shed by him thou lovest to support,Bestow upon these mortals fame and splendour and intelligence.10 Such zeal hath he, resistless one: he gained the cattle given by thee.Agni, may Atri overcome the Dasyus who bestow no gifts, subdue the men who give no food.
HYMN VIII. Agni.1. O AGNI urged to strength, the men of old who loved the Law enkindled thee,the Ancient, for their aid,Thee very bright, and holy, nourisher of all, most excellent, the Friend and Master of the home.2 Thee, Agni, men have stablished as their guest of old, as Master of the household, thee, with hair offlame;High-bannered, multiform, distributor of wealth, kind helper, good protector, drier of the floods.3 The tribes of men praise thee, Agni, who knowest well burnt offerings, the Discerner, lavishest ofwealth,Dwelling in secret, Blest One! visible to all, loud-roaring, skilled in worship, glorified with oil.4 Ever to thee, O Agni, as exceeding strong have we drawn nigh with songs and reverence singinghymns.So be thou pleased with us, Angiras! as a God enkindled by the noble with man's goodly light.
Thou, Agni! multiform, God who art lauded much! givest in every house subsistence as of old.Thou rulest by thy might o'er food of many a sort: that light of thine when blazing may not beopposed.6 The Gods, Most Youthful Agni, have made thee, inflamed, the bearer of oblations and themessenger.Thee, widely-reaching, homed in sacred oil, invoked, effulgent, have they made the Eye that stirs thethought.7 Men seeking joy have lit thee worshipped from of old, O Agni, with good fuel and with sacred oil.So thou, bedewed and waxing mighty by the plants, spreadest thyself abroad over the realms ofearth.
HYMN IX. Agni.1. BEARING; oblations mortal men, O Agni, worship thee the God.I deem thee Jatavedas: bear our offerings, thou, unceasingly.2 In the man's home who offers gifts, where grass is trimmed, Agni is Priest,To whom all sacrifices come and strengthenings that win renown.3 Whom, as an infant newly-born, the kindling-sticks have brought to life,Sustainer of the tribes of men, skilled in well-ordered sacrifice.4 Yea, very hard art thou to grasp, like offspring of the wriggling snakes,When thou consumest many woods like an ox, Agni, in the mead.5 Whose flames, when thou art sending forth the smoke, completely reach the mark,When Trta in the height of heaven, like as a smelter fanneth thee, e'en as a smelter sharpeneth thee.6 O Agni, by thy succour and by Mitra's friendly furtherance,May we, averting hate, subbue the wickedness of mortal men.7 O Agni, to our heroes bring such riches, thou victorious God.May he protect and nourish us, and help in aining strength: be thou near us in 6rht for our success.
HYMN X. Agni.1. BRING us most mighty splendour thou, Agni, resistless on thy way.With overflowing store of wealth mark out for us a path to strength.2 Ours art thou, wondrous Agni, bywisdom and bounteousness of power.The might of Asuras rests on thee, like Mitra worshipful in act.3 Agni, increase our means of life, increase the house and home of these,The men, the princes who have won great riches through our hymns of praise.4 Bright Agni, they who deck their songs for thee have horses as their meed.The men are mighty in their might, they whose high laud, as that of heaven, awakes thee of its ownaccord.5 O Agni, those resplendent flames of thine go valorously forth,Like lightnings flashing round us, like a rattling car that seeks the spoil.6 Now, Agni, come to succour us; let priests draw nigh to offer gifts;And let the patrons of our rites subdue all regions of the earth.7 Bring to us, Agni, Angiras, lauded of old and lauded now,Invoker! wealth to quell the strong, that singers may extol thee. Be near us in fight for our success.
HYMN XI. Agni.1. THE watchful Guardian of the people hath been born, Agni, the very strong, for fresh prosperity.With oil upon his face, with high heaventouching flame, he shineth splendidly, pure, for the Bharatas.2 Ensign of sacrifice, the earliest Household-Priest, the. men have kindled Agni in his threefold seat,With Indra and the Gods together on the grass let the wise Priest sit to complete the sacrifice.3 Pure , unadorned, from thy two Mothers art thou born: thou camest fromVivasvan as a charmingSage.
With oil they strengthened thee, O Agni, worshipped God: thy banner was the smoke that mountedto the sky.4 May Agni graciously come to our sacrifice. The men bear Agni here and there in every house.He hath become an envoy, bearer of our gifts: electing Agni, men choose one exceeding wise.5 For thee, O Agni, is this sweetest prayer of mine: dear to thy spirit be this product of my thought.As great streams fill the river so our song of praise fill thee, and make thee yet more mighty in thystrength.6 O Agni, the Angirases discovered thee what time thou layest hidden, fleeing back from wood towood.Thou by attrition art produced as conquer.ing might, and men, O Angiras, call thee the Son ofStrength.
HYMN XII. Agni.I. To Agni, lofty Asura, meet for worship, Steer of eternal Law, my prayer I offer;I bring my song directed to the Mighty like pure oil for his mouth at sacrifices.2 Mark the Law, thou who knowest, yea, observe it: send forth the full streams of eternal Order.I use no sorcery with might or falsehood the sacred Law of the Red Steer I follow.3 How hast thou, follower of the Law eternal, become the knower of a new song, Agni?The God, the Guardian of the seasons, knows me: the Lord of him who won this wealth I know not.4 Who, Agni, in alliance with thy foeman, what splendid helpers won for them their riches?Agni, who guard the dwelling-place of falsehood? Who are protectors of the speech of liars?5 Agni, those friends of thine have turned them from thee: gracious of old, they have becomeungracious.They have deceived themselves by their own speeches, uttering wicked words against the righteous.6 He who pays sacrifice to thee with homage, O Agni, keeps the Red Steer's Law eternal;Wide is his dwelling. May the noble offipring of Nahusa who wandered forth come hither.
HYMN XIII. Agni.1. WITH songs of praise we call on thee, we kindle thee with songs of praise,Agni, -with songs of praise, for help.2 Eager for wealth, we meditate Agni's effectual praise to-day,Praise of the God who touches heaven.3 May Agni, Priest among mankind, take pleasure in our songs of praise,And worship the Celestial Folk.4 Thou, Agni, art spread widely forth, Priest dear and excellent; through theeMen make the sacrifice complete.5 Singers exalt thee, Agni, well lauded, best giver of our strength:So grant thou us heroic might.6 Thou Agni, as the felly rings the spokes, encompassest the Gods.1 yearn for bounty manifold.
HYMN XIV. Agni.1. ENKINDLING the Immortal, wake Agni with song of praise: may he bear our oblations to the Gods.2 At high solemnities mortal men glorify him the Immortal, bestAt sacrifice among mankind.3 That he may bear their gifts to heaven, all glorify him Agni, God,With ladle that distilleth oil.4 Agni shone bright when born, with light killing the Dasyus and the dark:He found the Kine, the Floods, the Sun.5 Serve Agni, God adorable, the Sage whose back is balmed with oil:Let him approach, and hear my call.
6 They have exalted Agni, God of all mankind, with oil and hymnsOf praise, devout and eloquent.
HYMN XV. Agni.1. To him, the far-renowned, the wise Ordainer, ancient and glorious, a song I offer.Enthroned in oil, the Asura, bliss-giver, is Agni, firm support of noble, riches.2 By holy Law they kept supporting Order, by help of sacrifice, in loftiest heaven,-They who attained with born men to the unborn, men seated on that stay, heaven's firm sustainer.3 Averting woe, they labour hard to bring him, the ancient, plenteous food as power resistless.May he, born newly, conquer his assailants: round him they stand as round an angry lion.4 When, like a mother, spreading forth to nourish, to cherish and regard each man that liveth,-Consuming all the strength that thou hast gotten, thou wanderest round, thyself,in varied fashion.5 May strength preserve the compass of thy vigour, God! that broad stream of thine that bearethriches.Thou, like a thief who keeps his refuge secret, hast holpen Atri to great wealth, by teaching.
HYMN XVI. Agni.1. GREAT power is in the beam of light, sing praise to, Agni, to the GodWhom men have set in foremost place like Mitra with their eulogies.2 He by the splendour of his arms is Priest of every able man.Agni conveys oblation straight, and deals, as Bhaga deals, his boons.3 All rests upon the laud and love of him the rich, high-flaming God,On whom, loud-roaring, men have laid great strength as on a faithful friend.4 So, Agni, be the Friend of these with liberal gift of hero strength.Yea, Heaven and Earth have not surpassed this Youthful One in glorious fame.5 O Agni, quickly come to us, and, glorified, bring precious wealth.So we and these our princes will assemble for the good of all. Be near in fight to prosper us.
HYMN XVII. Agni.1. GOD, may a mortal call the Strong hither, with solemn rites, to aid,A man call Agni to protect when sacrifice is well prepared.2 Near him thou seemest mightier still in native glory, set to holdApart yon flame-hued vault of heaven, lovely beyond the thought of man.3 Yea, this is by the light of him whom powerful siong hath bound to act,Whose bearns of splendour flash on high as though they sprang from heavenly seed.4 Wealth loads the Wonder-Worker's car through his, the very wise One's power.Then, meet to be invoked among all tribes, is Agni ghorified.5 Now, too, the princes shall obtain excellent riches by our lips.Protect us for our welfare: lend thy succour, O thou Son of Strength. Be near in fight to prosper us.
HYMN XVIII. Agni.1. AT dawn let: Agni, much-beloved guest of the house, be glorified;Immortal who delights in all oblations brought by mortal men.2 For Dvita who receives through wealth of native strength maimed offerings,Thy praiser even gains at once the Soma-drops, Immortal Gods!3 Nobles, with song I call that car of yours that shines with lengthened life,For, God who givest steeds! that car hither and thither goes unharmed.4 They who have varied ways of thought, who guard, the lauds within their lips,And strew the grass before the light, have decked themselves with high renown.
5 Immortal Agni, give the chiefs, heroes who institute the rite,Heroes' illustrious, lofty fame, who at the synod met for praise presented me with fifty steeds.
HYMN XIX. Agni.1. ONE state begets another state: husk is made visible from husk:Within his Mother's side he speaks.2 Discerning, have they offered gifts: they guard the strength that never wastes.To a strong fort have they pressed in.3 Svaitreya's people, all his men, have gloriously increased in might.A gold chain Brhaduktha wears, as, through this Soma, seeking spoil.4 I bring, as 'twere, the longed-for milk, the dear milk of the Sister-Pair.Like to a caldron filled with food is he, unconquered, conquering all.5 Beam of light, come to us in sportive fashion, finding thyself close to the wind that fans thee.These flames of his are wasting flames, like arrows keen-pointed, sharpened, on his breast.
HYMN XX. Agni.1. AGNI, best winner of the spoil, cause us to praise before the GodsAs our associate meet for lauds, wealth which thou verily deemest wealth.2 Agni, the great who ward not off the anger of thy power and mightStir up the wrath and hatred due to one who holds an alien creed.3 Thee, Agni, would we choose as Priest, the perfecter of strength and skill;We who bring sacred food invoke with song thee Chief at holy rites.4 Here as is needful for thine aid we toil, O Conqueror, day by day,For wealth, for Law. May we rejoice, Most Wise One! at the feast, with kine, rejoice, with heroes, atthe feast.
HYMN XXI. Agni.1. WE stablish thee as Manus used, as Manus used we kindle thee.Like Manus, for the pious man , Angiras, Agni, worship Gods.2 For well, O Agni, art thou pleased when thou art kindled mid mankind.Straight go the ladles unto thee, thou highborn God whose food is oil.3 Thee have all Gods of one accord established as their messenger.Serving at sacrifices men adore thee as a God, O Sage.4 Let mortal man adore your God, Agni, with worship due to Gods.Shine forth enkindled, Radiant One. Sit in the chamber of the Law, sit in the chamber of the food.
HYMN XXII. Agni.1. LIKE Atri, Visvasaman! sing to him of purifying light,Who must be praised in holy rites, the Priest most welcome in the house.2 Set Jatavedas in his place, Agni the God and Minister.Let sacrifice proceed to-day duly, comprising all the Gods.3 All mortals come to thee for aid, the God of most observant mind.Of thine excelling favour we bethink us as we long for it.4 Mark with attention this our speech, O Agni, thou victorious One.Thee, Strong-jawed! as the homestead's Lord, the Atris with their lauds exalt, the Atris beautify withsongs.
HYMN XXIII. Agni.1. By thy fair splendour's mighty power, O Agni, bring victorious wealth,Wealth that o'ercometh all mankind, and, near us, conquereth in fight.2 Victorious Agni, bring to us the wealth that vanquisheth in war;
For thou art wonderful and true, giver of strength in herds of kine.3 For all the folk with one accord, whose sacred grass is trimmed and strewn,Invite thee to their worship-halls, as a dear Priest, for choicest wealth.4 For he, the God of all men, hath gotten him might that quelleth foes.O Agni, in these homes shine forth, bright God! for our prosperity, shine, Purifier! splendidly.
HYMN XXIV. Agni.1. O AGNI, be our nearest Friend, be thou a kind deliverer and a gracious Friend.2 Excellent Agni, come thou nigh to us, and give us wealth most splendidly renowned.3 So hear us, listen to this call of ours, and keep us far from every sinful man.4 To thee then, O Most Bright, O Radiant God, we come with prayer for happiness for our friends.
HYMN XXV. Agni.1. I WILL sing near, for grace, your God Agni, for he is good to us.Son of the Brands, may he give gifts, and, righteous, save us from the foe.2 For be is true, whpm men of old enkindled, and the Gods themselves,The Priest with the delicious tongue, rich with the light of glorious beams.3 With wisdom that surpasseth all, with gracious will most excellent,O Agni, worthy of our choice, shine wealth on us through hymns of praise.4 Agni is King, for he extends to mortals and to Gods alike.Agni is bearer of our gifts. Worship ye Agni with your thoughts.5 Agni gives to the worshipper a son, the best, of mightiest fame,Of deep devotion, ne'er subdued, bringer of glory to his sire.6 Agni bestows the hero-lord who conquers with the men in fight.Agni bestows the fleet-foot steed, the victor never overcome.7 The mightiest song is Agni's: shine on high, thou who art rich in light.Like the Chief Consort of a King, riches and strength proceed -from thee.8 Resplendent are thy rays of light: loud is thy voice like pressing-stones.Yea, of itself thy thunder goes forth like the roaring of the heaven.9 Thus, seeking riches, have we paid homage to Agni Conqueror.May he, most wise, as with a ship, carry us over all our foes.
HYMN XXVI. Agni.1. O AGNI, Holy and Divine, with splendour and thy pleasant tongueBring hither and adore the Gods.2 We pray thee, thou who droppest oil, bright-rayed! who lookest on the Sun,Bring the Gods hither to the feast.3 We have enkindled thee, O Sage, bright caller of the Gods to feast.O Agni, great in Sacrifice.4 O Agni, come with all the Gods, come to our sacrificial gift:We choose thee as Invoking Priest.5 Bring, Agni, to the worshipper who pours the juice, heroic strength:Sit with the Gods upon the grass.6 Victor of thousands, Agni, thou, enkindled, cherishest the laws,Laud-worthy, envoy of the Gods.7 Set Agni Jatavedas down, the bearer of our sacred gifts,MostYouthful, God and Minister.8 Duly proceed our sacrifice, comprising all the Gods, to-day:Strew holy grass to be their seat.9 So may the Maruts sit thereon, the Asvins, Mitra, Varuna:
The Gods with all their company.
HYMN XXVII. Agni.1. THE Godlike hero, famousest of nobles, hath granted me two oxen with a wagon.Trvrsan's son Tryaruna hath distinguished himself, Vaisvanara Agni! with ten thousands.2 Protect Tryaruna, as thou art waxing strong and art highly praised, Vaisvanara Agni!Who granteth me a hundred kine and twenty, and two bay horses, good at draught, and harnessed.3 So Trasadasyu served thee, God Most Youthful, craving thy favour for the ninth time, Agni;Tryaruya who with attentive spirit accepteth many a song from me the mighty.4 He who declares his wish to me, to Asvamedha, to the Prince,Pays him who with his verse seeks gain, gives power to him who keeps the Law.5 From whom a hundred oxen, all of speckled hue, delight my heart,The gifts of Asvamedha, like thrice-mingled draughts of Soma juice.6 To Asvamedha who bestows a hundred gifts grant hero power,O Indra-Agni! lofty rule like the unwasting Sun in heaven.
HYMN XXVIII. Agni.1. AGNI inflamed hath sent to heaven his lustre: he shines forth widely turning unto Morning.Eastward the ladle goes that brings all blessing, praising the Godswith homage and oblation.2 Enkindled, thou art King of the immortal world: him who brings offerings thou attendest for hisweal.He whom thou urgest on makes all possessions his: he sets before thee, Agni, gifts that guests mayclaim.3 Show thyself strong for mighty bliss, O Agni, most excellent be thine effulgent splendours.Make easy to maintain our household lordship, and overcome the might of those who hate us.4 Thy glory, Agni, I adore, kindled, exalted in thy strength.A Steer of brilliant splendour, thou art lighted well at sacred rites.5 Agni, invoked and kindled, serve the Gods, thou skilled in sacrifice:For thou art bearer of our gifts.6 Invoke and worship Agni while the sacrificial rite proceeds:For offering-bearer choose ye him.
HYMN XXIX. Agni.1. MAN'S worship of the Gods hath three great lustres, and three celestial lights have theyestablishedThe Maruts gifted with pure strength adore thee, for thou, O Indra, art their sapient Rsi.2 What time the Maruts sang their song to Indra, joyous when he had drunk of Soma juices,He grasped his thunderbolt to slay the Dragon, and loosed, that they might flow, the youthful Waters.3 And, O ye Brahmans, Maruts, so may Indra drink draughts of this my carefully pressed Sorna;For this oblation found for man the cattle, and Indra, having quaffed it, slew the Dragon.4 Then heaven and earth he sundered and supported: wrapped even in these he struck the Beastwith terror.So Indra forced the Engulfer to disgorgement, and slew the Danava. panting against him.5 Thus all the Gods, O Maghavan, delivered to thee of their free will the draught of Soma;When thou for Etasa didst cause to tarry the flying mares of Surya racing forward.6 When Maghavan with the thunderbolt demolished his nine-and-ninety castles all together,The Maruts, where they met, glorified Indra: ye with the Trstup hymn obstructed heaven.7 As friend to aid a friend, Agni dressed quickly three hundred buffaloes, even as he willed it.And Indra, from man's gift, for Vrtra's slaughter, drank ofr at once three lakes of pressed-out Soma.8 When thou three hundred buffaloes' flesh hadst eaten, and drunk, as Maghavan, three lakes ofSoma,
All the Gods raised as 'twere a shout of triumph to Indra praise because he slew the Dragon.9 What time ye came with strong steeds swiftly speeding, O Usana and Indra, to the dwelling,Thou camest thither -conquering together with Kutsa and the Gods: thou slewest Susna.10 One car-wheel of the Sun thou rolledst forward, and one thou settest free to move for Kutsa.Thou slewest noseless Dasyus with thy weapon, and in their home o'erthrewest hostile speakers.11 The lauds of Gauriviti made thee mighty to Vidathin's son, as prey, thou gavest Pipru.Rjisivan drew thee into friendship dressing the sacred food, and thou hast drunk his Soma.12 Navagvas and Dasgvas with libations of Soma juice sing hymns of praise to Indra.Labouring at their task the men laid open the stall of Kine though firmly closed and fastened.13 How shall I serve thee, Maghavan, though knowing full well what hero deeds thou hastaccomplished?And the fresh deeds which thou wilt do, Most Mighty! these, too, will we tell forth in sacred synods.14 Resistless from of old through hero courage, thou hast done all these many acts, O Indra.What thou wilt do in bravery, Thunder-wielder! none is there who may hinder this thy prowess.15 Indra, accept the prayers which now are offered, accept the new prayers, Mightiest! which weutter.Like fair and well-made robes, I, seeking riches, as a deft craftsman makes a car, have wrought them.
HYMN XXX. Indra.1. WHERE is that Hero? Who hath looked on Indra borne on light-rolling car by Tawny Coursers,Who, Thunderer, seeks with wealth the Soma-presser, and to his house goes, much-invoked, to aidhim?2 I have beheld his strong and secret dwelling, longing have sought the Founder's habitation.I asked of others, and they said in answer, May we, awakened men, attain to Indra.3 We will tell, Indra, when we pour libation, what mighty deeds thou hast performed to please us.Let him who knows not learn, who knows them listen: hither rides Maghavan with all his army.4 Indra, when born, thou madest firm thy spirit: alone thou seekest war to fight with many.With might thou clavest e'en the rock asunder, and foundest out the stable of the Milch-kine.5 When thou wast born supremest at a distance, bearing a name renowned in far-off regions,Since then e'en Gods have been afraid of Indra: he conquered all the floods which served the Dasa.6 These blissful Maruts sing their psalm to praise thee, and pour to thee libation of the Soma.Indra with wondrous powers subdued the Dragon, the guileful lurker who beset the waters.7 Thou, Maghavan, from the first didst scatter foemen, speeding, while joying in the milk, the Giver.There, seeking man's prosperity, thou torest away the head of Namuci the Dasa.8 Pounding the head of Namuci the Dasa, me, too thou madest thine associate, Indra!Yea, and the rolling stone that is in heaven both worlds, as on a car, brought to the Maruts.9 Women for weapons hath the Dasa taken, What injury can his feeble armies To me?Well he distinguished his two different voices, and Indra then advanced to fight the Dasyu.10 Divided from their calves the Cows went lowing around, on every side, hither and thither.These Indra re-united with his helpers, what time the well-pressed Soma made him joyful.11 What time the Somas mixed by Babhru cheered him, loud the Steer bellowed in his habitations.So Indra drank thereof, the Fort-destroyer, and gave him guerdon, in return, of milch-kine.12 This good deed have the Rusamas done, Agni! that they have granted me four thousand cattle.We have received Rnancaya's wealth, of heroes the most heroic, which was freely offered.13 The Rusamas, O Agni, sent me homeward with fair adornment and with kine in thousands.The strong libations have made Indra joyful, when night, whose course was ending, changed tomorning.14 Night, well-nigh ended, at Rnancaya's coming, King of the Rusamas, was changed to morning.Like a strong courser, fleet of foot, urged onward, Babhru hath gained four thousand as his guerdon.15 We have received four thousand head of cattle presented by the Rusamas, O Agni.And we, the singers, have received the caldron of metal which was heated for Pravargya.
HYMN XXXI. Indra.1. MAGHAVAN Indra turns his chariot downward, the strength-displaying car which he hathmounted.Even as a herdsman driveth forth his cattle, he goeth, first, uninjured, fain for treasure.2. Haste to us, Lord of Bays; be not ungracious: visit us, lover of gold-hued oblation.There is naught else better than thou art, Indra: e'en to the wifeless hast thou given spouses.3 When out of strength arose the strength that conquers, Indra displayed all powers that hepossesses.Forth from the cave he drove the milky mothers, and with the light laid bare investing darkness.4. Anus have wrought a chariot for thy Courser, and Tvastar, Much-invoked! thy bolt that glitters.The Brahmans with their songs exalting Indra increased his strength that he might slaughter Ahi.5 When heroes sang their laud to thee the Hero, Indra! and stones and Aditi accordant,Without or steed or chariot were the fellies which, sped by Indra, rolled upon the Dasytis.6 I will declare thine exploits wrought aforetime, and, Maghavan, thy deeds of late achievement,When, Lord of Might, thou sunderedst earth and heaven, winning for man the moistly-gleamingwaters.7 This is thy deed, e'en this, Wonderful! Singer! that, slaying Ahi, here thy strength thou showedst,Didst check and stay e'en gusna's wiles and magic, and, drawing nigh, didst chase away the Dasytis.8 Thou, Indra, on the farther bank forYadu and Turvaga didst stay the gushing waters.Ye both assailed the fierce: thou barest Kutsa: when Gods and Usana came to you together.9 Let the steeds bring you both, Indra and Kutsa, borne on the chariot within hearing-distance.Ye blew him from the waters, from his dwelling, and chased the darkness from the noble's spirit.10 Even this sage hath come looking for succour even to Vata's docile harnessed horses.Here are the Maruts, all, thy dear companions: prayers have increased thy power and might, O Indra.11 When night was near its close he carried forward e'en the Sun's chariot backward in its running.Etaga brought his wheel and firmly stays it: setting it eastward he shall give us courage.12 This Indra, O ye men, hath come to see you, seeking a friend who hath expressed the Soma.The creaking stone is laid upon the altar, and the Adhvaryus come to turn it quickly.13 Let mortals who were happy still be happy; let them not come to sorrow, O Immortal.Love thou the pious, and to these thy people-with whom may we be numbered-give thou vigour.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.1.THE well thou clavest, settest free the fountains, and gavest rest to floods that were obstructed.Thou, Indra, laying the great mountain open, slaying the Danava, didst loose the torrents.2 The fountain-depths obstructed in their seasons, thou, Thunderer! madest flow, the mountain'sudder.Strong Indra, thou by slaying e'en the Dragon that lay extended there hast shown thy vigour.3 Indra with violence smote down the weapon,yea, even of that wild and mighty creature.Although he deemed himself alone unequalled, another had been born e'en yet more potent.4 Him, whom the heavenly food of these delighted, child of the mist, strong waxing, couched indarkness,Him the bolt-hurling Thunderer with his lightning smote down and slew, the Danava's wrath-fire,Susna.5 Though he might ne'er be wounded still his vitals felt that, the God's bolt, which his powerssupported,When, after offered draughts, Strong Lord, thou laidest him, fain to battle, in the pit in darkness.6 Him as he lay there huge in length extended, still waxing in the gloom which no sun lightened,Him, after loud-voiced threats, the Hero Indra, rejoicing in the poured libation, slaughtered.7 When 'gainst the mighty Danava his weapon Indra uplifted, power which none could combat,When at the hurling of his bolt he smote him, he made him lower than all living creatures.
8 The fierce God seized that huge and restless coiler, insatiate, drinker of the sweets, recumbent,And with his mighty weapon in his dwelling smote down the footless evil-speaking ogre.9 Who may arrest his strength or cheek his vigour? Alone, resistless, he bears off all riches.Even these Twain, these Goddesses, through terror of Indra's might, retire from his dominion.10 E'en the Celestial Axe bows down before him, and the Earth, lover-like, gives way to Indra.As he imparts all vigour to these people, straightway the folk bend them to him the Godlike.11 I hear that thou wast born sole Lord of heroes of the Five Races, famed among the people.As such my wishes have most lately grasped him, invoking Indra both at eve and morning.12 So, too, I hear of thee as in due season urging to action and enriching singers.What have thy friends received from thee, the Brahmans who, faithful, rest their hopes on thee, OIndra?
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.1. GREAT praise to Indra, great and strong mid heroes, I ponder thus, the feeble to the Mighty,Who with his band shows favour to this people, when lauded, in the fight where spoil is gathered.2 So made attentive by our hymns, Steer! Indra! thou fastenedst the girth of thy Bay Coursers,Which, Maghavan, at thy will thou drivest hither. With these subdue for us the men who hate us.3 They were not turned to us-wtrd, lofty Indra! while yet through lack of prayer they stoodunharnessed.Ascend this chariot, thou whose hand wields thunder, and draw the rein, O Lord of noble horses.4 Thou, because many lauds are thine, O Indra, wast active warring in the fieldsfor cattle.For Surya in his own abode thou, Hero, formedst in fights even a Dasa's nature.5 Thine are we, Indra; thine are all these people, conscious of might, whose cars are set in motion.Some hero come to us, O Strong as Ahi beauteous in war, to be invoked like Bhaga.6 Strength much to be desired is in thee, Indra: the Immortal dances forth his hero exploits.Such, Lord of Treasure, give us splendid riches. I praise the Friend's gift, his whose wealth is mighty.7 Thus favour us, O Indra, with ihy succour; Hero, protect the bards who sing thy praises.Be friendly in the fray to those who offer the skin of beautiful and well-pressed Soma.8 And these ten steeds which Trasadasyu gives me, the goldrich chief, the son of Purukutsa,Resplendent in their brightness shall convey me. Gairiksita willed it and so came I hither.9 And these, bestowed as sacrificial guerdon, the powerful tawny steeds of Marutasva;And thousands which kind Cyavatana gave me, abundantly bestowed for my adornment.10 And these commended horses, bright and active, by Dhvanya son of Laksmana presented,Came unto me, as cows into the Rsi Samvarana's stall, with magnitude of riches.
HYMN XXXIV. Indra.1. BOUNDLESS and wasting not, the heavenly food of Gods goes to the foeless One, doer ofwondrous deeds.Press out, make ready, offer gifts with special zeal to him whom many laud, accepter of the prayer.2 He who filled full his belly with the Soma's juice, Maghavan, was delighted with the meath's sweetdraught,When Usana, that he might slay the monstrous beast, gave him the mighty weapon with a thousandpoints.3 Illustrious is the man whoever presseth out Soma for him in sunshine or in cloud and rain.The mighty Maghavan who is the sage's Friend advanceth more and more his beauteous progeny.4 The Strong God doth not flee away from him whose sire, whose mother or whose brother he hathdone to death.He, the Avenger, seeketh this man's offered gifts: this God, the source of riches, doth not flee fromsin.5 He seeks no enterprise with five or ten to aid, nor stays with him who pours no juice thoughprospering well.
The Shaker conquers or slays in this way or that, and to the pious gives a stable full of kine.6 Exceeding strong in war he stays the chariot wheel, and, hating him who pours not, prospers himwho pours.Indra the terrible, tamer of every man, as Arya leads away the Dasa at his will.7 He gathers up for plunder all the niggard's gear: excellent wealth he gives to him who offers gifts.Not even in wide stronghold may all the folk stand firm who have provoked to anger his surpassingmight.8 When Indra Maghavan hath marked two wealthy men fighting for beauteous cows with all theirfollowers,He who stirs all things takes one as his close ally, and, Shaker, with his Heroes, sends the kine tohim.9 Agni! I laud the liberal Agnivesi, Satri the type and standard of the pious.May the collected waters yield him plenty, and his be powerful and bright dominion.
HYMN XXXV. Indra.1. INDRA, for our assistance bring that most effectual power of thine,Which conquers men for us, and wins the spoil, invincible in fight.2 Indra, whatever aids be thine, four be they, or, O Hero, three,Or those of the Five Tribes of men, bring quickly all that help to us.3 The aid most excellent of thee the Mightiest hitherward we call,For thou wast born with hero might, conquering, Indra, with the Strong.4 Mighty to prosper us wast thou born, and mighty is the strength thou hast.In native power thy soul is firm: thy valour, Indra, slays a host.5 O Satakratu, Lord of Strength, O Indra, Caster of the Stone.With all thy chariot's force assail the man who shows himself thy foe.6 For, Mightiest Vrtra-slayer, thee, fierce, foremost among many, folkWhose sacred grass is trimmed invite to battle where the spoil is won.7 Indra, do thou protect our car that mingles foremost in the fights,That bears its part in every fray, invincible and seeking spoil.8 Come to us, Indra, and protect our car with thine intelligence.May we, O Mightiest One, obtain excellent fame at break of day, and meditate our hymn at dawn.
HYMN XXXVI. Indra.1. MAY Indra come to us, he who knows rightly to give forth treasures from his store of riches.Even as a thirsty steer who roams the deserts may he drink eagerly the milked-out Soma.2 Lord of Bay Horses, Hero, may the Soma rise to thy cheeks and jaws like mountain-ridges.May we, O King, as he who driveth coursers, all joy in thee with hymns, invoked of many!3 Invoked of many, Caster of the Stone my heart quakes like a rolling wheel for fear of penury.Shall not Puruvasu the singer give thee praise, O ever-prospering Maghavan, mounted on thy car?4 Like the press-stone is this thy praiser, Indra. Loudly he lifts his voice with strong endeavour.With thy left hand, O Maghavan, give us riches: with thy right, Lord of Bays, be not reluctant.5 May the strong Heaven make thee the Strong wax stronger: Strong, thou art borne by thy twostrong Bay Horses.So, fair of cheek, with mighty chariot, mighty, uphold us, strong-willed, thunderarmed, in battle.6 Maruts, let all the people in obeisance bow down before this youthful Srutaratha,Who, rich in steeds, gave me two dark red horses together with three hundred head of cattle.
HYMN XXXVII. Indra.1. BEDEWED with holy oil and meetly worshipped, the Swift One vies with Surya's beam insplendour.For him may mornings dawn without cessation who saith, Let us press Soma out for Indra.
2 With kindled fire and strewn grass let him worship, and, Soma-presser, sing with stones adjusted:And let the priest whose press-stones ring forth loudly, go down with his oblation to the river.3 This wife is coming near who loves her husband who carries to his home a vigorous consort.Here may his car seek fame, here loudly thunder, and his wheel make a thousand revolutions.4 No troubles vex that King in whose home Indra drinks the sharp Soma juice with milk commingled.With heroes he drives near, he slays the foeman: Blest, cherishing that name, he guards his people.5 May he support in peace and win in battle: he masters both the hosts that meet together.Dear shall he be to Surya, dear to Agni, who with pressed Soma offers gifts to India.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra.1. WIDE, Indra Satakratu, spreads the bounty of thine ample grace:So, Lord of fair dominion, Friend of all men, give us splendid wealth.2 The food which, Mightiest Indra, thou possessest worthy of renownIs bruited as most widely famed, invincible, O Golden-hued!3 O Darter of the Stone, the powers which readily obey thy will,-Divinities, both thou and they, ye rule, to guard them, earth and heaven.4 And from whatever power of thine, O Vrtra-slayer, it may be,Bring thou to us heroic strength: thou hast a man's regard for us.5 In thy protection, with these aids of thine, O Lord of Hundred Powers,Indra, may we be guarded well, Hero, may we be guarded well.
HYMN XXXIX. Indra.1. STONE-DARTING Indra. Wondrous One, what wealth is richly given from thee,That bounty, Treasure-Finder! bring filling both thy hands, to us.2 Bring what thou deemest worth the wish, O Indra, that which is in heaven.So may we know thee as thou art, boundless in thy munificence.3 Thy lofty spirit, far-renowned as fain to give and prompt to win,-With this thou rendest e'en the firm, Stone-Darter! so to gain thee strength.4 Singers with many songs have made Indra propitious to their fame,Him who is King of human kind, most liberal of your wealthy ones.5 To him, to Indra must be sung the poet's word, the hymn of praise.To him, accepter of the prayer, the Atris raise their songs on high, the Atris beautify their songs.
HYMN XL. Indra. Surya. Atri.1. COME thou to what the stones have pressed, drink Soma, O thou Soma's Lord,Indra best Vrtra-slayer Strong One, with the Strong.2 Strong is the stone, the draught is strong, strong is this Soma that is pressed,Indra, best Vrtra-slayer, Strong One with the Strong.3 As strong I call on thee the Strong, O Thunder-armed, with various aids,Indra, best Vrtra-slayer, Strong One with the Strong.4 Impetuous, Thunderer, Strong, quelling the mighty, King, potent, Vrtra-slayer, Soma-drinker,May he come hither with his yoked Bay Horses; may Indra gladden him at the noon libation.5 O Surya, when the Asura's descendant Svarbhanu, pierced thee through and through withdarkness,All creatures looked like one who is bewildered, who knoweth not the place where he is standing.6 What time thou smotest down Svarbhanu's magic that spread itself beneath the sky, O Indra,By his fourth sacred prayer Atri disoovered Surya concealed in gloom that stayed his function.7 Let not the oppressor with this dread, through anger swallow me up, for I am thine, O Atri.Mitra art thou, the sender of true blessings: thou and King Varuna be both my helpers.8 The Brahman Atri, as he set the press-stones, serving the Gods with praise and adoration,
Established in the heaven the eye of Surya, and caused Svarbhanu's magic arts to vanish.9 The Atris found the Sun again, him whom Svarbhanu of the broodOf Asuras had pierced with gloom. This none besides had power to do.
HYMN XLI. Visvedevas1. WHO, Mitra-Varuna, is your pious servant to give you gifts from earth or mighty heaven?Preserve us in the seat of holy Order, and give the offerer power that winneth cattle.2 May Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman, and Ayu, Indra Rbhuksan, and the Maruts, love us,And they who of one mind with bounteous Rudra accept the hymn and laud with adorations.3 You will I call to feed the car-horse, Asvins, with the wind's flight swiftest of those who travel:Or also to the Asura of heaven, Worshipful, bring a hymn as 'twere libation.4 The heavenly Victor, he whose priest is Kanva, Trta with Dyaus accordant, Vata, Agni,All-feeding Pusan, Bhaga sought the oblation, as they whose steeds are fleetest seek the contest.5 Bring ye your riches forward borne on horses: let thought be framed for help and gain of treasure.Blest he the priest of Ausija through courses, the courses which are yours the fleet, O Maruts.6 Bring hither him who yokes the car, your Vayu, who praises with his songs, the God and Singer;And, praying and devout, noble and prudent, may the Gods' Spouses in their thoughts retain us.7 I speed to you with powers that should be honoured, with songs distinguishing Heaven's mightyDaughters,Morning and Night, the Two, as 'twere all-knowing: these bring the sacrifice unto the mortal.8 You I extol, the nourishers of heroes bringing you gifts, Vastospati and Tvastar-Rich Dhisana accords through our obeisance - andTrees and Plants, for the swift gain of riches.9 Ours be the Parvatas, even they, for offspring, free-moving, who are Heroes like the Vasus.May holy Aptya, Friend of man, exalted, strengthen our word for ever and be near us.10 Trta praised him, germ of the earthly hero, with pure songs him the Offspring of the Waters.Agn; with might neighs loudly like a charger: he of the flaming hair destroys the forests.11 How shall we speak to the great might of Rudra? How speak to Bhaga who takes thought forriches?May Plants, the Waters, and the Sky preserve us, and Woods and Mountains with their trees fortresses.12 May the swift Wanderer, Lord of refreshments listen to our songs, who speeds throuih cloudyheaven:And may the Waters, bright like castles, hear us, as they flow onward from the cloven mountain.13 We know your ways, ye Mighty Ones receiving choice meed, ye Wonderful, we will proclaim it.Even strong birds descend not to the mortal who strives to reach them with swift blow and weapons.14 Celestial and terrestrial generations, and Waters will I summon to the feasting.May days with bright dawns cause my songs to prosper, and may the conquered streams increasetheir waters.15 Duly to each one hath my laud been offered. Strong be Varutri with her powers to succour.May the great Mother Rasa here befriend us, straight-handed, with the princes, striving forward.16 How may we serve the Liberal Ones with worship, the Maruts swift of course in invocation, theMaruts far-renowned in invocation?Let not the Dragon of the Deep annoy us, and gladly may he welcome our addresses.17 Thus thinking, O ye Gods, the mortal wins you to give him increase of his herds of cattle: themortal wins him, O ye Gods, your favour.Here he wins wholesome food to feed this body: as for mine old age, Nirrti consume it18 O Gods, may we obtain from you this favour, strengthening food through the Cow's praise, yeVasus.May she who gives good gifts, the gracious Goddes. s, come speeding nigh to us for our well-being.19 May Ila, Mother of the herds of cattle, and Urvasi with all the streams accept us;May Urvasi in lofty heaven accepting, as she partakes the oblation of the living,20 Visit us while she shares Urjavya's food.
HYMN XLII. Visvedevas.1. Now may our sweetest song with deep devotion reach Varuna, Mitra, Aditi, and Bhaga.May the Five Priests' Lord, dwelling in oblations, bliss-giving Asura, hear, whose paths are open.2 May Aditi welcome, even as a mother her dear heart-gladdening son, my song that lauds her.The prayer they love, bliss-giving, God-appointed, I offer unto Varuna and Mitra.3 In spirit him, the Sagest of the Sages; with sacrificial oil and meath bedew himSo then let him, God Savitar, provide us excellent, ready, and resplendent treasures.4 With willing mind, Indra, vouchsafe us cattle, prosperity, Lord of Bays! and pious patrons;And, with the sacred prayer by Gods appointed, give us the holy Deities' lovingkindness.5 God Bhaga, Savitar who deals forth riches, Indra, and they who conquer Vrtra's treasures,And Vaja and Rbhuksan and Purandhi, the Mighty and Immortal Ones, protect us!6 Let us declare his deeds, the undecaying unrivalled Victor whom the Maruts follow.None of old times, O Maghavan, nor later, none of these days hath reached thy hero prowess.7 Praise him the Chief who gives the boon of riches, Brhaspati distributor of treasures,Who, blessing most the man who sings and praises, comes with abundant wealth to his invoker.8 Tended, Brhaspati, with thy protections, the princes are unharmed and girt by heroes.Wealth that brings bliss is found among the givers of horses and of cattle and of raiment.9 Make their wealth flee who, through our hymns enjoying their riches, yield us not an ampleguerdon.Far from the sun keep those who hate devotion, the godless, prospering in their vocation.10 With wheelless chariots drive down him, O Maruts, who at the feasts of Gods regards the demons.May he, though bathed in sweat, form empty wishes, who blames his sacred rite who toils to serveyou.11 Praise him whose bow is strong and sure his arrow, him who is Lord of every balm that bealeth.Worship thou Rudra for his great good favour: adore the Asura, God, with salutations.12 May the House-friends, the cunning-handed Artists, may the Steer's Wives, the streams carvedout by Vibhvan,And may the fair Ones honour and befriend us, Sarasvati, Brhaddiva, and Raka.13 My newest song, thought that now springs within me, I offer to the Great, the Sure Protector,Who made for us this All, in fond love laying each varied form within his Daughter's bosom.14 Now, even now, may thy fair praise, O Singer, attain Idaspati who roars and thunders,Who, rich in clouds and waters with his lightning speeds forth bedewing both the earth and heaven.15 May this my laud attain the troop of Maruts, those who are youths in act, the Sons of Rudra.The wish calls me to riches and well-being: praise the unwearied Ones whose steeds are dappled.16 May this my laud reach earth and air's mid-region, and forest trees and plants to win me riches.May every Deity be swift to listen, and Mother Earth with no ill thought regard me.17 Gods, may we dwell in free untroubled bliss.18 May we obtain the Asvins' newest favour, and gain their health-bestowing happy guidance.Bring riches hither unto us, and heroes, and all felicity and joy, Immortals!
HYMN XLIII. Visvedevas.1. MAY the Milch-cows who hasten to their object come harmless unto us with liquid sweetness.The Singer, lauding, calls, for ample riches, the Seven Mighty Ones who bring enjoyment.2 With reverence and fair praise will I bring hither, for sake of strength, exhaustless Earth andHeaven.Father and Mother, sweetof speech, fairhanded, may they, far-famed, in every fight protect us.3 Adhvaryus, make the sweet libations ready, and bring the beautiful bright juice to Vayu.God, as our Priest, be thou the first to drink it: we give thee of the mead to make thee joyful.4 Two arms-the Soma's dexterous immo. lators-and the ten fingers set and fix the press-stone.
The stalk hath poured, fair with its spreading branches, the mead's bright glittering juice that dwellson mountains.5 The Soma hath been pressed for thee, its lover, to give thee power and might and high enjoyment.Invoked, turn hither in thy car, O Indra, at need, thy two well-trained and dear Bay Horses.6 Bring by God-traversed paths, accordant, Agni, the great Aramati, Celestial Lady,Exalted, worshipped with our gifts and homage, who knoweth holy Law, to drink sweet Soma.7 As on his father's lap the son, the darling, so on the fire is set the sacred caldron,Which holy singers deck, as if extending and heating that which holds the fatty membrane.8 Hither, as herald to invite the Asvins, come the great lofty song, most sweet and pleasant!Come in one car, joy-givers! to the banquet, like the bolt binding pole and nave, come hither.9 I have declared this speech of adoration to mightiest Pusan and victorious Vayu,Who by their bounty are the hymns' inspirers, and of themselves give power as a possession.10 Invoked by us bring hither, jatavedas the Maruts all under their names and figures.Come to the sacrifice with aid all Maruts, all to the songs and praises of the singer!11 From high heaven may Sarasvati the Holy visit our sacrifice, and from the mountain.Eager, propitious, may the balmy Goddess hear our effectual speech, our invocation.12 Set in his seat the God whose back is dusky, Brhaspati the lofty, the Disposer.Him let us worship, set within the dwelling, the red, the golden-hued, the allresplendent.13 May the Sustainer, high in heaven, come hither, the Bounteous One, invoked, with all his favours,Dweller with Dames divine, with plants, unwearied, the Steer with triple horn, the life-bestower.14 The tuneful eloquent priests of him who liveth have sought the Mother's bright and loftieststation.As living men, with offered gifts and homage they deck the most auspicious Child to clothe him.15 Agni, great vital power is thine, the mighty: pairs waxing old in their devotion seek thee.May every Deity be swift to listen, and Mother Earth with no ill thought regard me.16 Gods, may we dwell in free untroubled bliss.17 May we obtain the Asvins' newest favour, and gain their health-bestowing happy guidance.Bring riches hither unto us, and heroes, and all felicity and joy, Immortals!
HYMN XLIV. Visvedevas.1. As in the first old times, as all were wont, as now, he draweth forth the power turned hitherwardwith song,The Princedom throned on holy grass, who findeth light, swift, conquering in the' plants wherein hewaxeth strong.2 Shining to him who leaves heaven's regions undisturbed, which to his sheen who is beneath showfair in light,Good guardian art thou, not to be deceived, Most Wise! Far from deceits thy name dwelleth in holyLaw.3 Truth waits upon oblation present and to come: naught checks him in his way, this vic tory-bringing Priest:The Mighty Child who glides along the sacred grass, the undecaying Youth set in the midst of plants.4 These come, well-yoked, to you for furtherance in the rite: down come the twinborn strengthenersof Law for him,With reins easily guided and commanding all. In the deep fall the hide stealeth away their names.5 Thou, moving beauteously in visibly pregnant ones, snatching with trees the branching plant thatgrasps the juice,Shinest, true Singer! mid the upholders of the voice. Increase thy Consorts thou, lively at sacrifice.6 Like as he is beheld such is he said to be.They with effectual splendour in the floods have madeEarth yield us room enough and amply wide extent, great might invincible, with store of hero sons.7 Surya the Sage, as if unwedded, with a Spouse, in battle-loving spirit moveth o'er the foes.
May he, self-excellent, grant us a sheltering home, a house that wards the fierce heat off on everyside.8 Thy name, sung forth by Rsis in these hymns of ours, goes to the loftier One with this swift mover'slight.By skill he wins the boon whereon his heart is set: he who bestirs himself shall bring the thing topass.9 The chief and best of these abideth in the sea, nor doth libation fail wherein it is prolonged.The heart of him who praiseth trembleth not in fear there where the hymn is found connected withthe pure.10 For it is he: with though to of Ksatra, Manasa, of Yajata, and Sadhri, and Evavada,With Avatsara's sweet songs will we strive to win the mightiest strength which even he who knowsshould gain.11 The Hawk is their full source, girth-stretching rapturous drink of Visvavara, of Mayin, and Yajata.They ever seek a fresh draught so that they may come, know when thy time to halt and drink thy fillis near.12 Sadaprna the holy, Tarya, Srutavit, and Bahuvrkta, joined with you, have slain the foes.He gains his wish in both the worlds and brightly shines-when he adores the host with well-advancing steeds.13 The worshipper's defender is Sutambhara, producer and uplifter of all holy thoughts.The milch-cow brought, sweet-flavoured milk was dealt around. Who speaks the bidding text knowsthis, not he who sleeps.11 The sacred hymns love him who wakes and watches: to him who watches come the Sama verses.This Soma saith unto the man who watches, I rest and have my dwelling in thy friendship.15 Agni is watchful, and the gcas love him; Agni is watchful, Sama verses seek him.Agni is watchful, to him saith this Soma, I rest and have my dwelling in thy friendship.
HYMN XLV. Visvedevas.1. BARDS of approaching Dawn who know the heavens are come with hymns to throw the mountainopen.The Sun hath risen and oped the stable portals: the doors of men, too, hath the God thrown open.2 Surya hath spread his light as splendour: hither came the Cows' Mother, conscious, from the stable,To streams that flow with biting waves to deserts; and heaven is stablished like a firm-set pillar.3 This laud hath won the burden of the mountain. To aid the ancient birth of mighty watersThe mountain parted, Heaven performed his office. The worshippers were worn with constantserving.4 With hymns and God-loved words will I invoke you, Indra and Agni, to obtain your favour,For verily sages, skilled in sacrificing, worship the Maruts and with lauds invite them.5 This day approach us: may our thoughts be holy, far from us let us cast away misfortune.Let us keep those who hate us at a distance, and haste to meet the man who sacrifices.6 Come, let us carry out, O friends, the purpose wherewith the Mother threw the Cow's stall open,That wherewith Manu conquered Visisipra, wherewith the wandering merchant gained heaven'swater.7 Here, urged by hands, loudly hath rung the press-stone wherewith Navagvas through ten monthssang praises.Sarama went aright and found the cattle. Angiras gave effect to all their labours.8 When at the dawning of this mighty Goddess, Angirases all sang forth with the cattle,-Their spring is in the loftiest place of meeting,-Sarama found the kine by Order's pathway.9 Borne by his Coursers Seven may Surya visit the field that spreadeth wide for his long journey.Down on the Soma swooped the rapid Falcon. Bright was the young Sage moving mid his cattle.10 Surya hath mounted to the shining ocean when he hath yoked his fair-backed Tawny Horses.The wise have drawn him like a ship through water: the floods obedient have descended hither.11 I lay upon the Floods your hymn, lightwinning, wherewith Navagvas their ten months completed.
Through this our hymn may we have Gods to guard us: through this our hymn pass safe beyondaffliction.
HYMN XLVI. Visvedevas.1. WELL knowing I have bound me, horselike, to the pole: I carry that which bears as on and gives ushelp.I seek for no release, no turning back therefrom. May he who knows the way, the Leader, guide mestraight.2 O Agni, Indra, Varuna, and Mitra, give, O ye Gods, and Marut host, and Visnu.May both Nasatyas, Rudra, heavenly Matrons, Pusan, Sarasvati, Bhaga, accept us.3 Indra and Agni, Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, the Waters, Mountains, Maruts, Sky, and Earth and Heaven,Visnu I call, Pusan, and Brahmanaspati, and Bhaga, Samsa, Savitar that they may help.4 May Visnu also and Vata who injures none, and Soma granter of possessions give us joy;And may the Rbhus and the Asvins, Tvastar and Vibhvan remember us so that we may have wealth.5 So may the band of Maruts dwelling in the sky, the holy, come to us to sit on sacred grass;Brhaspati and Pusan grant us sure defence, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman guard and shelter us.6 And may the Mountains famed in noble eulogies, and the fair-gleaming Rivers keep us safe fromharm.May Bhaga the Dispenser come with power and grace, and far-pervading Aditi listen to my call.7 May the Gods' Spouses aid us of their own freewill, aid us to offspring and the winning of the spoil.Grant us protection, O ye gracious Goddesses, ye who are on the earth or in the waters' realm.8 May the Dames, wives of Gods, enjoy our presents, Rat, Asvini, Agnayi, and Indrani.May Rodasi and Varunani hear us, and Goddesses come at the Matrons' season.
HYMN XLVII. Visvedevas.1. URGING to toil and making proclamation, seeking Heaven's Daughter comes the Mighty Mother:She comes, the youthful Hymn, unto the Fathers, inviting to her home and loudly calling.2 Swift in their motion, hasting to their duty, reaching the central point of life immortal,On every side about the earth and heaven go forth the spacious paths without a limit.3 Steer, Sea, Red Bird with strong wings, he hath entered the dwelling-place of the Primeval Father.A gay-hued Stone set in the midst of heaven, he hath gone forth and guards mid-air's two limits.4 Four bear him up and give him rest and quiet, and ten invigorate the Babe for travel.His kine most excellent, of threefold nature, pass swiftly round the boundaries of heaven.5 Wondrous, O people, is the mystic knowledge that while the waters stand the streams are flowing:That, separate from his Mother, Two support him, closely-united, twins, here made apparent.6 For him they lenghten prayers and acts of worship: the Mothers weave garments for him theiroffspring.Rejoicing, for the Steer's impregning contact, his Spouses move on paths or heaven to meet him.7 Be this our praise, O Varuna and Mitra may this be health and force to us, O Agni.May we obtain firm ground and room for resting: Glory to Heaven, the lofty habitation!
HYMN XLVIII. Visvedevas.1. WHAT may we meditate for the beloved Power, mighty in native strength and glorious in itself,Which as a magic energy seeking waters spreads even to theimmeasurable middle region's cloud?2 O'er all the region with their uniform advance these have spread out the lore that giveth heroesstrength.Back, with their course reversed, the others pass away: the pious lengthens life with those that arebefore.3 With pressing-stones and with the bright beams of the day he hurls his broadest bolt against theGuileful One.Even he whose hundred wander in his own abode, driving the days afar and bringing them again.4 I, to enjoy the beauty of his form, behold that rapid rush of his as 'twere an axe's edge,
What time he gives the man who calls on him in fight wealth like a dwelling-house filled full withstore of food.5 Four-faced and nobly clad, Varuna, urging on the pious to his task, stirs himself with the tongue.Naught by our human nature do we know of him, him from whom Bhaga Savitar bestows the boon.
HYMN XLIX. Visvedevas.1. THIS day I bring God Savitar to meet you, and Bhaga who allots the wealth of mortals.You, Asvins, Heroes rich in treasures, daily seeking your friendship fain would I turn hither.2 Knowing full well the Asura's time of coming, worship God Savitar with hymns and praises.Let him who rightly knoweth speak with homage to him who dealeth out man's noblest treasure.3 Not for reward doth Pusan send his blessings, Bhaga, or Aditi: his garb is splendour.May Indra, Visniu, Varuna, Mitra, Agni produce auspicious days, the Wonder-Workers.4 Sending the shelter which we ask, the foeless Savitar and the Rivers shall approach us.When I, the sacrifice's priest, invite them, may we he lords of wealth and rich possessions.5 They who devote such worship to the Vasus, singing their hymns to Varuna and Mitra,Vouchsafe them ample room, far off be danger. Through grace of Heaven and Earth may we behappy.
HYMN L. Visvedevas.1. LET every mortal man elect the friendship of the guiding God.Each one solicits him for wealth and seeks renown to prosper him.2 These, leading God, are thine, and these here ready to speak after us.As such may we attain to wealth and wait with services on thee.3 So further honour as our guests the Hero Gods and then the Dames.May he remove and keep afar our foes and all who block our path.4 Where fire is set, and swiftly runs the victim dwelling in the trough,He wins, with heroes in his home, friendly to man, like constant streams.5 May these thy riches, Leader God! that rule the car, be blest to us,Yea, blest to us for wealth and weal. This will we ponder praising strength, this ponder as we praisethe God.
HYMN LI. Visvedevas.1. WITH all assistants, Agni, come hither to drink the Soma-juice;With Gods unto our sacred gifts.2 Come to the sacrifice, O ye whose ways are right, whose laws are true,And drink the draught with Agni's tongue.3 O Singer, with the singers, O Gracious, with those who move at dawn,Come to the Soma-draught with Gods.4 To Indra and to Vayu dear, this Soma, by the mortar pressed,Is now poured forth to fill the jar.5 Vayu, come hither to the feast, wellpleased unto our sacred gifts:Drink of the Soma juice effused come to the food.6 Ye, Indra, Vayu, well deserve to drink the juices pressed by us.Gladly accept them, spotless Pair come to the food.7 For Indra and for Vayu pressed are Soma juices blent with curd,As rivers to the lowland flow: come to the food.8 Associate with all the Gods, come, with the Asvins and with Dawn,Agni, as erst with Atri, so enjoy the juice.9 Associate with Varuna, with Mitra, Soma, Visnu, come,Agni, as erstwith Atri, so enjoy the juice.10 Associate with Vasus, with Adityas, Indra, Viyu, come, Agni as erst with Atri, so enjoy the juice.
11 May Bhaga and the Asvins grant us health and wealth, and Goddess Adid and he whom noneresist.The Asura Pusan grant us all prosperity, and Heaven and Earth most wise vouchsafe us happiness.12 Let us solicit Vayu for prosperity, and Soma who is Lord of all the world for weal;For weal Brhaspati with all his company. May the Adityas bring us health and happiness.13 May all the Gods, may Agni the beneficent, God of all men, this day be with us for our weal.Help us the Rbhus, the Divine Ones, for our good. May Rudra bless and keep us from calamity.14 Prosper us, Mitra, Varuna. O wealthy Pathya, prosper us.Indra and Agni, prosper us; prosper us thou, O Aditi.15 Like Sun and Moon may we pursue in full prosperity our path,And meet with one who gives again, -who knows us well and slays us not.
HYMN LII Maruts.1. SING boldly forth, Syavasva, with the Maruts who are loud in song,Who, holy, as their wont is, joy in glory that is free from guile.2 For in their boldness they are friends of firm and sure heroic strength.They in their course, bold-spirited, guard all men of their own accord.3 Like steers in rapid motion they advance and overtake the nights;And thus the Maruts' power in heaven and on the earth we celebrate.4 With boldness to your Maruts let us offer laud and sacrifice:Who all, through ages of mankind, guard mortal man from injury.5 Praiseworthy, givers of good gifts, Heroes with full and perfect strength -To Maruts, Holy Ones of heaven, will I extol the sacrifice.6 The lofty Heroes cast their spears and weapons bright with gleaming gold.After these Maruts followed close, like laughing lightning from the sky, a splendour of its own accord.7 They who waxed mighty, of the earth, they who are in the wide mid-air,Or in the rivers' compass, or in the abode of ample heaven.8 Praise thou the Maruts' company, the valorous and truly strong,The Heroes, hasting, by themselves have yoked their deer for victory.9 Fair-gleaming, on Parusni they have clothed themselves in robes of wool,And with their chariot tires they cleave the rock asunder in their might.10 Whether as wanderers from the way or speeders on or to the path,Under these names the spreading band tend well the sacrifice for me.11 To this the Heroes well attend, well do their teams attend to this.Visible are their varied forms. Behold, they are Paravatas.12 Hymn-singing, seeking water, they, praising, have danced about the spring.What are they unto me? No thieves, but helpers, splendid to behold.13 Sublime, with lightnings for their spears, Sages and Orderers are they.Rsi, adore that Marut host, and make them happy with thy song.14 Rsi, invite the Marut band with offerings, as a maid her friend.From heaven, too, Bold Ones, in your might haste hither glorified with songs.15 Thinking of these now let him come, as with the escort of the Gods,And with the splendid Princes, famed for rapid courses, to the gifts.16 Princes, who, when I asked their kin, named Prsni as their Mother-cow,And the impetuous Rudra they, the Mighty Ones, declared their Sire.17 The mighty ones, the seven times seven, have singly given me hundred gifts.I have obtained on Yamuna famed wealth in kine and wealth in steeds.
HYMN LIII. Maruts.1. Who knows the birth of these, or who lived in the Maruts' favour in the days of old
What time their spotted deer were yoked?2 Who, when they stood upon their cars, hath heard them tell the way they went?Who was the bounteous man to whom their kindred rains flowed down with food of sacrifice?3 To me they told it, and they came with winged steeds radiant to the draught,Youths, Heroes free from spot or stain: Behold us here and praise thou us;4 Who shine self-luminous with ornaments and swords, with breastplates, armlets, and withwreaths,Arrayed on chariots and with bows.5 O swift to pour your bounties down, ye Maruts, with delight I look upon your cars,Like splendours coming through the rain.6 Munificent Heroes, they have cast heaven's treasury down for the worshipper's behoof:They set the storm-cloud free tostream through both the worlds, and rainfloods flow o'er desertspots.7 The bursting streams m billowy flood have spread abroad, like milch-kine, o'er the firmament.Like swift steeds hasting to their journey's resting-place, to every side run glittering brooks.8 Hither, O Maruts, come from heaven, from mid-air, or from near at handTarry not far away from us.9 So let not Rasa, Krumu, or Anitabha, Kubha, or Sindhu hold you back.Let not the watery Sarayti obstruct your way. With us be all the bliss ye give.10 That brilliant gathering of your cars, the company of Maruts, of the Youthful Ones,The rain-showers, speeding on, attend.11 With eulogies and hymns may we follow your army, troop by troop, and band by band,And company by company.12 To what oblation-giver, sprung of noble ancestry, have spedThe Maruts on this course to-day?13 Vouchsafe to us the bounty, that which we implore, through which, for child and progeny,Ye give the seed of corn that wasteth not away, and bliss that reacheth to all life.14 May we in safety pass by those who slander us, leaving behind disgrace and hate.Maruts, may we be there when ye, at dawn, in rest and toil, rain waters down and balm.15 Favoured by Gods shall he the man, O Heroes, Marutr! and possessed of noble sons,Whom ye protect. Such may we be.16 Praise the Free-givers. At this liberal patron's rite they joy like cattle in the mead.So call thou unto them who come as ancient Friends: hymn those who love thee with a song.
HYMN LIV. Maruts.1. THIS hymn will I make for the Marut host who bright in native splendour cast the mountains down.Sing the great strength of those illustrious in renown, who stay the heat, who sacrifice on heights ofheaven.2 O Maruts, rich in water, strengtheners of life are your strong bands with harnessed steeds, thatwander far.Trita roars out at him who aims the lightning-flash. The waters sweeping round are thundering ontheir way.3 They gleam with lightning, Heroes, Casters of the Stone, wind-rapid Maruts, overthrowers of thebills,Oft through desire to rain coming with storm of hail, roaring in onset, violent and exceeding strong.4 When, mighty Rudras, through the nights and through the days, when through the sky and realmsof air, shakers of all,When over the broad fields ye drive along like ships, e'en to strongholds ye come, Maruts, but are notharmed.5 Maruts, this hero strength and majesty of yours hath, like the Sun, extended o'er a lengthened way,When in your course like deer with splendour unsubdued ye bowed the hill that gives imperishablerain.
6 Bright shone your host, ye Sages, Maruts, when ye smote the waving tree as when the wormconsumeth it.Accordant, as the eye guides him who walks, have ye led our devotion onward by an easy path.7 Never is he, O Maruts, slain or overcome, never doth he decay ne'er is distressed or harmed;His treasures, his resources, never waste away, whom. whether he be prince or Rsi, ye direct.8 With harnessed team like heroes overcoming troops, the friendly Maruts, laden with their water-casks,Let the spring flow, and when impetuous' they roar they inundate the earth with floods of pleasantmeath.9 Free for the Maruts is the earth with sloping ways, free for the rushing Ones is heaven with steepdescents.The paths of air's mid-region are precipitous, precipitous the mountains with their running streams.10 When, as the Sun hath risen up, ye take delight, O bounteous radiant Maruts, Heroes of the sky,Your coursers weary not when speeding on.their way, and rapidly ye reach the end of this your path.11 Lances are on your shoulders, anklets on your feet, gold chains are on your breasts, gems, Maruts,on your car.Lightnings aglow with flame are flashing in your hands, and visors wroughtof gold are laid upon yourheads.12 Maruts, in eager stir ye shake the vault of heaven, splendid beyond conception, for its shiningfruit.They gathered when they let their deeds of might flash forth. The Pious Ones send forth a far-resounding shout.13 Sage Maruts, may we be the drivers of the car of riches ful I of life that have been given by you.O Maruts, let that wealth in thousands dwell with us which never vanishes like Tisya from the sky.14 Maruts, ye further wealth with longedfor heroes, further the Rsi skilled in chanted verses.Ye give the Bharata as his strength, a charger, and ye bestow a king who quickly listens.15 Of you, most swift to succour! I solicit wealth wherewith we may spread forth mid men like as theSun.Accept, O Maruts, graciously this hymn of mine that we may live a hundred winters through itspower.
HYMN LV. Maruts.1. WITH gleaming lances, with their breasts adorned with gold, the Maruts, rushing onward, holdhigh power of life.They hasten with swift steeds easy to be controlled. Their cars moved onward as they went tovictory.2 Ye, as ye wist, have gained of your own selves your power: high, O ye Mighty Ones, and wide yeshine abroad.They with their strength have even measured out the sky.Their cars moved onward as they went to victory.3 Strong, born together, they together have waxed great: the Heroes more and more have grown tomajestyResplendent as the Sun's beams in their light are they. Their cars moved onward as they went tovictory.4 Maruts, your mightiness deserves to be adored, sight to be longed for like the shining of the Sun.So lead us with your aid to immortality.Their cars moved onward as they went to victory.5 O Maruts, from the Ocean ye uplift the rain, and fraught with vaporous moisture pour the torrentsdown.Never, ye Wonder-Workers, are your Milch-kine dry. Their cars moved onward as they went tovictory.6 When to your car-poles ye have yoked your spotted deer to be your steeds, and put your goldenmantles on,O Maruts, ye disperse all enemies abroad. Their cars moved onward as they went to victory.
7 Neither the mountains nor the rivers keep you back: whither ye have resolved thither ye, Maruts,go.Ye compass round about even the heaven and earth. Their cars moved onward as they went tovictory.Whate'er is ancient, Maruts, what of recent time, whate'er is spoken, Vasus, what is chanted forth,They who take cognizance of all of this are ye. Their cars moved onward as they went to victory.9 Be gracious unto us, ye Maruts, slay us not extend ye unto us shelter of many a sort.Pay due regard unto our friendship and our praise. Their cars moved onward as they went to victory.10 O Maruts, lead us on to higher fortune deliver us, when lauded, from afflictions.Accept, ye Holy Ones, the gifts we bring you. May we be masters of abundant riches.
HYMN LVI. Maruts.1. AGNI, that valorous company adorned with ornaments of gold,The people of the Maruts, I call down to-day even from the luminous realm of heaven.2 Even as thou thinkest in thy heart, thither my wishes also tend.Those who have come most near to thine invoking calls, strengthen them fearful to behold.3 Earth, like a bounteous lady, liberal of her gifts, struck down and shaken, yet exultant, comes to us.Impetuous as a bear, O Maruts, is youi rush terrible as a dreadful bull..4 They who with mighty strength o'erthrow like oxen difficult to yoke,Cause e'en the heavenly stone to shake ' yea, shake the rocky mountain as they race along.5 Rise up! even now with lauds I call the very numerous company,Unequalled, of these Maruts, like a herd of kine, grown up together in their strength.6 Bind to your car the bright red mares, yoke the red coursers to your car.Bind to the pole, to draw, the fleet-foot tawny steeds, the best at drawing, to the pole.7 Yea, and this loudly-neighing bright red vigorous horse who hath been sutioned, fair to see,Let him not cause delay, O Maruts,, in your course, urge ye him onward in your cars.8 The Maruts' chariot, ever fain to gather glory, we invoke,Which Rodasi hath mounted, bringing pleasant gifts, with Maruts in her company.9 I call that brilliant band of yours, adorable, rapid on the carWhereon the bounteous Dame, auspicious, nobly born, shows glorious with the Marut host.
HYMN LVII. Maruts.1. OF one accord, with Indra, O ye Rudras, come borne on your golden car for our prosperity.An offering from us, this hymn is brought to you, as, unto one who th irsts for water, heavenlysprings.2 Armed with your daggers, full of wisdom, armed with spears, armed with your quivers, armed witharrows, with good bows,Good horses and good cars have ye, O Prsni's Sons: ye, Maruts, with good weapons go to victory.3 From hills and heaven ye shake wealth for the worshipper: in terror at your coming low the woodsbow down.Ye make the earth to tremble, Sons of Prsni, when for victory ye have yoked, fierce Ones! yourspotted deer.4 Bright with the blasts of wind, wrapped in their robes of rain, like twins of noble aspect and oflovely form,The Maruts, spotless, with steeds tawnyhued and red, strong in their mightiness and spreading widelike heaven.5 Rich in adornment, rich in drops, munificent, bright in their aspect, yielding bounties that endure,Noble by birth, adorned with gold upon their breasts, the Singers of the sky have won immortal fame.6 Borne on both shoulders, O ye Maruts, are your spears: within your arms is laid your energy and3trength.Bold thoughts are in your heads, your weapons in your cars, all glorious majesty is moulded on yourforms.
7 Vouchsafe to us, O Maruts, splendid bounty in cattle and in steeds, in cars and heroes.Children of Rudra, give us high distinction: may I enjoy your Godlike help and favour.8 Ho! Maruts, Heroes, skilled in Law, immortal, be gracious unto us, ye rich in treasures,Ye hearers of the truth, ye sage and youthful, grown mighty, dwelling on the lofty mountains.
HYMN LVIII. Maruts.1. Now do I glorify their mighty cohort, the company of these the youthful Maruts,Who ride impetuous on with rapid horses, and radiant in themselves, are Lords of Amrta.2 The mighty glittering band, arm-bound with bracelets, givers of bliss, unmeasured in theirgreatness,With magical powers, bountiful, ever-roaring,-these, liberal Heroes, venerate thou singer.3 This day may all your water-bringers, Maruts, they who impel the falling rain, approach us.This fire, O Maruts, hath been duly kindled; let it find favour with you, youthful Sages.4 Ye raise up for the folk an active ruler whom, Holy Ones! a Master's hand hath fashioned.Ye send the fighter hand to hand, armmighty, and the brave hero, Maruts with good horses.5 They spring forth more and more, strong in their glories, like days, like spokes where none are lastin order.Highest and mightiest are the Sons of Prsni. Firm to their own intention cling the Maruts.6 When ye have hastened on with spotted coursers, O Maruts, on your cars with strong-wroughtfellies,The waters are disturbed, the woods are shattered. Let Dyaus the Red Steer send his thunderdownward.7 Even Earth hath spread herself wide at their coming, and they as husbands have with powerimpregned her.They to the pole have yoked the winds for coursers: their sweat have they made rain, these Sons ofRudra.8 Ho! Maruts, Heroes, skilled in Law, immortal, be gracious unto us, ye rich in treasures,Ye hearers of the truth, ye sage and youthful, grown mighty, dwelling on the lofty mountains.
HYMN LIX. Maruts.1. YOUR spy hath called to you to give prosperity. I sing to Heaven and Earth and offer sacrifice.They bathe their steeds and hasten through the firmament: they spread abroad their radiancethrough the sea of cloud.2 Earth shakes and reels in terror at their onward rush, like a full ship which, quivering, lets thewater in.Marked on their ways are they, visible from afar: the Heroes press between in mighty armament.3 As the exalted horn of bulls for splendid might, as the Sun's eye set in the firmament's expanse,Like vigorous horses ye are beauteous to behold, and for your glory show like bridegrooms, O ye Men.4 Who, O ye Maruts, may attain the mighty lore of you the mighty, who may reach your manly deeds?Ye, verily, make earth tremble like a ray of light what time ye bring your boons to give prosperity,5 Like steeds of ruddy colour, scions of one race, as foremost champions they have battled in the van.The Heroes have waxed strong like we.1grown manly youths; with floods of rain they make the Sun'seye fade away,6 Having no eldest and no youngest in their band, no middlomost, preeminent they have waxed inmight,These Sons of Prsni, sprung of noble ancestry: come hitberward to us, ye bridegrooms of the sky.7 Like birds of air they flew with might in lengthened lines from heaven's high ridges to the bordersof the sky.The steeds who carry them, as Gods and mortals know, have caused the waters of the mounuains todesGend.8 May Dyaus, the Infinite, roar for our banquet: may Dawns toil for us, glittering with moisture.Lauded by thee, these Maruts, Sons o Rudra, O Rsi, have sent down the heavenly treasure.
HYMN LX. Maruts.1. I LAUD with reverence the gracious Agni: here may he sit and part our meed among us.As with spoil-seeking cars I bring oblation: turned rightward I will swell the Marut's, praise-song.2 The Maruts, yea, the Rudras, who have mounted their famous spotted deer and cars swift-moving,-Before you, fierce Ones! woods bow down in terror: Earth, even the mountain, trembles at yourcoming.3 Though vast and tall, the mountain is affrighted, the height of heaven is shaken at your roaringWhen, armed with lances, ye are sporting, Maruts, and rush along together like the waters.4 They, like young suitors, sons of wealthy houses, have with their golden natures decked theirbodies.Strong on their cars, the lordly Ones, for glory, have set their splendours on their forms for ever.5 None being eldest, none among them youngest, as brothers they have grown to happy fortune.May their Sire Rudra, young and deft, and Prsni pouring much milk, bring fair days to the Maruts.6 Whether, O blessed Maruts, ye be dwelling in highest, midmost, or in lowest heaven,Thence, O ye Rudras, and thou also, Agni, notice the sacrificial food we offer.7 O Maruts, Lords of all, when Agni and when ye drive downward from sublimest heaven along theheights,Shakers of all, rejoicing, slayers of the foe, give riches to the Soma-pressing worshipper.8 O Agni, with the Maruts as they gleam and sing, gathered in troop, rejoicing drink the Soma juice;With these the living ones who cleanse and further all, joined with thy banner, O Vaisvanara, from ofold.
HYMN LXI. Maruts.1. O HEROES lordliest of all, who are ye that have singly comeForth from a region most remote?2. Where are your horses, where the reins? How came ye? how had ye the power?Rein was on nose and seat on back.3 The whip is laid upon the flank. The heroes stretch their thighs apart,Like women when the babe is born.4 Go ye, O Heroes, far away, ye bridegrooms with a lovely SpouseThat ye may warm you at the fire.5 May she gain cattle for her meed, hundreds of sheep and steeds and kine,Who threw embracing arms around the hero whom gyavaiva praised.6 Yea, many a woman is more firm and better than the man who turnsAway from Gods, andoffers not.7 She who discerns the weak and worn, the man who thirsts and is in wantShe sets her mind upon the Gods.8 And yet full many a one, unpraised, mean niggard, is entitled man:Only in weregild is he such.9 And she, the young, the joyous-spirited, divulged the path to Syava, yea, to me.Two red steeds carried me to Purumilha's side, that sage of far-extended fame,10 Him who, like Vaidadasvi, like Taranta, hath bestowed on meA hundred cows in liberal gift.11 They who are borne by rapid steeds, drinking the meath that gives delight,They have attained high glories here.12 They by whose splendour both the worlds are over-spread they shine on carsAs the gold gleams above in heaven.13 That Marut band is ever young, borne on bright cars, unblamable,Moving to victory, checked by none.14 Who knoweth, verily, of these where the All-shakers take delight,Born, spotless, after sacred Law?
15 Guides are ye, lovers of the song to mortal man through holy hymn,And hearers when he cries for help.16 Do ye, destroyers of the foe, worshipful and exceeding bright,Send down the treasures that we crave.17 OUrmya, bear thou far away to Darbhya this my hymn of praise,Songs, Goddess, as if chariot-borne.18 From me to Rathaviti say, when he hath pressed the Soma juice,The wish I had departeth not.19 This wealthy Rathaviti dwells among the people rich in kine,Among the mountains, far withdrawn.
HYMN LXII. Mitra-Varuna1. BY your high Law firm order is established there where they loose for travel Surya's horses.Ten hundred stood together: there I looked on this the most marvellous Deities' one chief glory.2 This, Mitra-Varuna, is your special greatness: floods that stood there they with the days attracted.Ye cause to flow all voices of the cowpen: your single chariotfelly hath rolled hither.3 O Mitra-Varuna, ye by your greatness, both Kings, have firmly stablished earth and heaven,Ye caused the cows to stream, the plants to flourish, and, scattering swift drops, sent down the rain-flood.4 Let your well-harnessed horses bear you hither: hitherward let them come with reins drawn tightly.A covering cloud of sacred oil attends you, and your streams flow to us from days aforetime.5 To make the lustre wider and more famous, guarding the sacred grass with veneration,Ye, Mitra-Varuna, firm, strong, awe-inspiring, are seated on a throne amid oblations.6 With hands that shed no blood, guarding the pious, whom, Varuni3, ye save amid oblations.Ye Twain, together, Kings of willing spirit, uphold dominion based on thousand pillars.7 Adorned with gold, its columns are of iron. in heaven it glitters like a whip for horses;Or stablished on a field deep-spoiled and fruitful. So may we share the meath that loads your car-seat.8 Ye mount your car gold-hued at break of morning, and iron-pillared when the Sun is setting,And from that place, O Varuna and Mitra, behold infinity and limit~tion.9 Bountiful guardians of the world! the shelter that is impenetrable, strongest, flawless,Aid us with that, O Varuna and Mitra, and when we long to win may we be victors.
HYMN LXIII. Mitra-Varuna.1. GUARDIANS of Order, ye whose Laws are ever true, in the sublimest heaven your chariot yeascend.O Mitra-Varuna whomsoe'er ye: favour, here, to him the rain with sweetness streameth down fromheaven.2 This world's imperial Kings, O Mitra-Varuna, ye rule in holy synod, looking on the light.We pray for rain, your boon, and immortality. Through heaven and over earth the thunderers taketheir way.3 Imperial Kings, strong, Heroes, Lords of earth and heaven, Mitra and Varuna, ye ever active Ones,Ye wait on thunder with the many-tinted clouds, and by the Asura's magic power cause Heaven torain.4 Your magic, Mitra-Varuna, resteth in the heaven. The Sun, the wondrous weapon, cometh forth aslight.Ye hide him in the sky with cloud and flood of rain, and water-drops, Parjanya! full of sweetness flow.5 The Maruts yoke their easy car for victory, O Mitra-Varuna, as a hero in the wars.The thunderers roam through regions varied in their hues. Imperial Kings, bedew us with the milk ofheaven.6 Refreshing is your voice, O Mitra-Varuna: Parjanya sendeth out a wondrous mighty voice.
With magic power the Maruts clothe them with the clouds. Ye Two cause Heaven to rain, the red, thespotless One.7 Wise, with your Law and through the Asura's magic power ye guard the ordinances, Mitra-Varuna.Ye by eternal Order govern all the world. Ye set the Sun in heaven as a refulgent car.
HYMN LX1V. Mitra-Varuna1. You, foeman-slaying Varuna and Mitra, we invoke with song,Who, as with penfold of your arms, encompass round the realm of light.2 Stretch out your arms with favouring love unto this man who singeth hymns,For in all places is sung forth your evergracious friendliness.3 That I may gain a refuge now, may my steps be on Mitra's path.Men go protected in the charge of this dear Friend who harms us not.4 Mitra and Varuna, from you may I, by song, win noblest meed.That shall stir envy in the homes of wealthy chiefs and those who praise.5 With your fair splendours, Varuna and Mitra, to our gathering come,That in their homes the wealthy chiefs and they who are your friends may thrive.6 With those, moreover, among whom ye hold your high supremacy,Vouchsafe us room that we may win strength for prosperity and wealth.7 When morning flushes, Holy Ones! in the Gods' realm where white Cows shine,Supporting Arcananas, speed, ye Heroes, with your active feet hither to my pressed Soma juice.
HYMN LXV Mitra-Varuna.1. FULL wise is he who hath discerned: let him speak to us of the Gods,-The man whose praise-songs Varuna the beautiful, or Mitra, loves.2 For they are Kings of noblest might, of glorious fame most widely spread;Lords of the brave, who strengthen Law, the Holy Ones with every race.3 Approaching you with prayer for aid, together I address you firstWe who have good steeds call on you, Most Sage, to give us strength besides.4 E'en out of misery Mitra gives a way to dwelling at our case,For he who worships hath the grace of Mitra, fighter in the van. '5 In Mitra's shelter that extends to utmost distance may we dwell,Unmenaced, guarded by the care, ever as sons of Varuna.6 Ye, Mitra, urge this people on, and to one end direct their ways.Neglect not ye the wealthy chiefs, neglect not us the Rsis: be our guardians when ye quaff the milk.
HYMN LXVI. Mitra-Varuna.1. O SAPIENT man, call the Two Gods, the very wise, who slay the foe.For Varuna, whose form is Law, place offerings for his great delight.2 For they have won unbroken sway in full perfection, power divine.And, like high laws, the world of man hath been made beautiful as light.3 Therefore we praise you that your cars may travel far in front of ours-You who accept the eulogy of Ratahavya with his hymns.4 And ye show wMom, Wondrous Gods with fulness of intellIgence.By men's discernment are Ve marked, O ye whose might is purified.5 This is the Law sublime, O Earth: to aid the Rsis' toil for fameThe Two, wide-spreading, are prepared. They come with ample overflow.6 Mitra, ye Gods with wandering eyes, would that the worshippers and weMight strive to reach the realm ye rule, most spacious and protected well,
HYMN LXVII. Mitra-Varuna.
1. YE Gods, Adityas, Varuna, Aryaman, Mitra, verilyHave here obtained supremest sway, high, holy, set apart for you.2 When, Varuna and Mitra, ye sit in your golden dwelling-place,Ye Twain, supporters of mankind, foeslayers, give felicity.3 All these, possessors of all wealth, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,Follow their ways, as if with feet, and guard from injury mortal man.4 For they are true, they cleave to Law, held holy among every race,Good leaders, bounteous in their gifts, deliverers even from distress.5 Which of your persons, Varuna or Mitra, merits not our praise?Therefore our thought is turned to you, the Atris' thought is turned to you.
HYMN LXVIII. Mitra-Varuna.1. SING forth unto your Varuna and Mitra with a song inspired.They, Mighty Lords, are lofty Law2 Full springs of fatness, Sovran Kings, Mitra. and Varuna, the Twain,Gods glorified among the Gods.3 So help ye us to riches, great terrestrial and celestial wealth:Vast is your sway among the Gods.4 Carefully tending Law with Law they have attained their vigorous might.The two Gods wax devoid of guile.5 With rainy skies and streaming floods, Lords of the strength that bringeth gifts,A lofty seat have they attained.
HYMN LXIX. Mitra-Varuna.1. THREE spheres of light, O Varuna, three heavens, three firmaments ye comprehend, O Mitra:Waxed strong, ye keep the splendour of dominion, guarding the Ordinance that lasts for ever.2 Ye, Varuna, have kine who yield refreshment; Mitra, your floods pour water full of sweetness.There stand the Three Steers, splendid in their brightness, who fill the three world-bowls with genialmoisture.3 I call at dawn on Aditi the Goddess, I call at noon and when the Sun is setting.I pray, O Mitra-Varuna, for safety, for wealth and progeny, in rest and trouble.4 Ye who uphold the region, sphere of brightness, ye who support earth's realm Divine Adityas,The Immortal Gods, O Varuna and Mitra, never impair your everlasting statutes.
HYMN LXX. Mitra-Varuna.1. EVEN far and wide, O Varuna and Mitra, doth your grace extend.May I obtain your kind good-will.2 From you, benignant Gods, may we gain fully food for sustenance.Such, O ye Rudras, my we be.3 Guard us, O Rudras. with your guar4 save us, ye skilled to save, my weSubdue the Dasyus, we ourselves,4 Or ne'er may we, O Wondrous Strong, enjoy another's solemn feast,Ourselves, our sons, or progeny.
HYMN LXXI. Mitra-Varuna.1. O Varuna and Mitra, ye who slay the foemen, come with mightTo this our goodly sacrifice.2 For, Varuna and Mitra, ye Sages are Rulers over all. Fill full our songs, for this ye can.3 Come to the juice that we have pressed. Varuna, Mitra, come to drinkThis Soma of the worshipper.
HYMN LXXIL Mitra-Varuna.1 To Varuna and Mitra we offerwith songs, as Atri did. Sit on the sacred grass to drink the Somajuice.2 By Ordinance and Law ye dwell in peace secure, bestirring men.Sit on the sacred grass to drink the Soma juice.3 May Varuna and Mitra, for our help, accept the sacrifice.Sit on the sacred grass to drink the Soma juice.
HYMN LXXIII. Asvins.1. WHETHER, O Asvins, ye this day be far remote or near at hand,In many spots or in mid-air, come hither, Lords of ample wealth.2 These here, who show o'er widest space, bringing full many a wondrous act,Resistless, lovingly I seek, I call the Mightiest to enjoy.3 Another beauteous wheel have ye fixed there to decorate your car.With others through the realms ye roam in might unto the neighbouring tribes.4 That deed of yours that is extolled, Visvas! hath all been done with this.Born otherwise, and spotless, ye have entered kinship's bonds with us.5 When Surya mounted on your car that rolls for ever rapidly,Birds of red hue were round about and burning splendours compassed you.6 Atri bethinks himself of you, O Heroes, with a friendly mind,What time, Nasatyas, with his mouth he stirs the spotless flame for you.7 Strong is your swiftly moving steed, famed his exertion in the courseWhen by your great deeds, Atyins, Chiefs, Atri is brought to us again.8 Lovers of sweetness, Rudras, she who streams with sweetness waits on you.When ye have travelled through the seas men bring you gifts of well-dressed food.9 Asvins, with truth they call you Twain bestowers of felicity;At sacrifice most prompt to hear, most gracious ye at sacrifice.10 Most pleasing to the Asvins be these prayers which magnify their might,Which we have fashioned, even as cars high reverence have we spoken forth.
HYMN LXXIV. Asvins.1. WHERE in the heavens are ye to-day, Gods, Asvins, rich in constancy?Hear this, ye excellent as Steers: Atri inviteth you to come.2 Where are they now? Where are the Twain, the famed Nasatyas, Gods in heaven?Who is the man ye strive to reach? Who of your suppliants is with you?3 Whom do ye visit, whom approach? to whom direct your harnessed car?With whose devotions are ye pleased? We long for you to further us.4 Ye, Strengtheners, for Paura stir the filler swimming in the flood,Advancing to be captured like a lion to the ambuscade.5 Ye from cyavana worn with age removed his skin as 'twere a robe.So, when ye made him young again, he stirred the longing of a dame.6 Here is the man who lauds you both: to see your glory are we here.Now bear me, come with saving help, ye who are rich in store of wealth.7 Who among many mortal men this day hath won you to himself?What bard, accepters of the bard? Who, rich in wealth! with sacrifice?8 O Asvins, may your car approach, most excellent of cars for speed.Through many regions may our praise pass onward among mortal men.9 May our laudation of you Twain, lovers of meath! be sweet to you.Fly hitherward, ye wise of heart, like falcons with your winged steeds.
10 O Asvins, when at any time ye listen to this call of mine,For you is dainty food prepared: they mix refreshing food for you.
HYMN LXXV. Asvins.1. To meet your treasure-bringing car, the mighty car most dear to us,Asvins, the Rsi is prepared, your raiser, with his song of praise. Lovers of sweetness, hear my call.2 Pass, O ye Asvins, pass away beyond all tribes of selfish men,Wonderful, with your golden paths, most gracious, bringers of the flood. Lovers of sweetness, hearmy call.3 Come to us, O ye Asvin Pair, bringing your precious treasures, comeYe Rudras, on your paths of gold, rejoicing, rich in store of wealth. Lovers of sweetness, hear my call.4 O strong and Good, the voice of him who lauds you well cleaves to your car.And that great beast, your chariot-steed, fair, wonderful, makes dainty food. Lovers of sweetness,hear my call.5 Watchful in spirit, born on cars, impetuous, listing to his cry,Asvins, with winged steeds ye speed down to cyavana void of guile. Lovers of sweetness, hear mycall.6 Hither, O Heroes, let your steeds, of dappled hue, yoked at the thought,Your flying steeds, O Asvins, bring you hitherward, with bliss, to drink. Lovers of sweetness, hear mycall.7 O Asvins, hither come to us; Nasatyas, be not disinclined.Through longing for the pious turn out of the way to reach our home. Lovers of sweetness, bear mycall.8 Ye Lords of Splendour, free from guile, come, stand at this our sacrifice.Beside the singer, Asvins, who longs for your grace and lauds you both. Lovers of sweetness, hearmy call.9 Dawn with her white herd hath appeared, and in due time hath fire been placed.Harnessed is your immortal car, O WonderWorkers, strong and kind. Lovers of sweetness, bear mycall.
HYMN LXXVI. Asvins1. AGNI, the bright face of the Dawns, is shining; the singers' pious voices have ascended.Borne on your chariot, Asvins, turn you hither and come unto our full and rich libation.2 Most frequent guests, they scorn not what is ready: even now the lauded Asvins are beside us.With promptest aid they come at morn and evening, the worshipper's most blessed guards fromtrouble.3 Yea, come at milking-time, at early morning, at noon of day and when the Sun is setting,By day, by night, with favour most auspicious. Not only now the draught hath drawn the Asvins.4 For this place, Asvins, was of old your dwelling, these were your houses, this your habitation.Come to us from high heaven and from the mountain. Come from the waters bringing food andvigour.5 May we obtain the Asvins' newest favour, and gain their health-bestowing happy guidance.Bring riches hither unto us, and heroes, and all felicity and joy, Immortals!
HYMN LXXVII. Asvins.1. FIRST worship those who come at early morning: let the Twain drink before the giftless niggard.The Asvins claim the sacrifice at daybreak: the sages yielding the first share extol them.2 Worship at dawn and instigate the Asvins:nor is the worshipper at eve rejected.Besides ourselves another craves and worships: each first in worship is most highly favoured.3 Covered with gold, meath-tinted, dropping fatness, your chariot with its freight of food comeshither,Swift as thought, Asvins, rapid as the tempest, wherewith ye travel over all obstructions.
4 He who hath served most often the Nasatyas, and gives the sweetest food at distribution,Furthers with his own holy works his offspring, and ever passes those whose flames ascend not.5 May we obtain the Asvins' newest favour, and gain their health-bestowing happy ildance.Bring riches hither unto us, and heroes, and all felicity and joy, Immortals!
HYMN LXXVIII. Asvins.1. YE Asvins, hither come to us: Nasatyas, be not disinclined.Fly hither like two swans unto the juice we shed.2 O Asvins, like a pair of deer, like two wild cattle to the mead:Fly hither like two swans unto the juice we shed.3 O Asvins rich in gifts, accept our sacrifice to prosper it:Fly hither like two swans unto the juice we shed.4 As Atri when descending to the cavem called on you loudly like a wailing woman.Ye came to him, O Asvins, with the freshest and most auspicious fleetness of a falcon.5 Tree, part asunder like the side of her who bringeth forth a child.Ye Asvins, listen to my call: loose Saptavadhri from his bonds.6 For Saptavadhri, for the seer affrighted when he wept and wafled,Ye, Asvins, with your magic powers rent up the tree and shattered it.7 Like as the wind on every side ruffles a pool of lotuses,So stir in thee the babe unborn, so may the ten-month babe descend.8 Like as the wind, like as the wood, like as the sea is set astir,So also, ten-month babe, descend together with the after-birth.9 The child who hath for ten months' time been lying in his mother's side,-May he come forth alive, unharmed, yea, livingfrorn the living dame.
HYMN LXXIX. Dawn.1. O HEAVENLY Dawn, awaken us to ample opulence to-dayEven as thou hast wakened us with Satyasravas, Vayya's son, high-born! delightful with thy steeds!2 Daughter of Heaven, thou dawnedst on Sunitha Sucadratha's son,So dawn thou on one mightier still, on Satyasravas, Vayya's son, high-born! delightful with thysteeds!3 So, bringing treasure, dawn to-day on us thou Daughter of the Sky,As thou, O mightier yet. didst shine for Satyatravas, Vayya's son, high-born! delightful with thysteeds!4 Here round about thee are the priests who laud thee, Bright One, with their hymns,And men with gifts, O Bounteous Dame, splendid with wealth and offering much, high-born!delightful with thy steeds!5 Whatever these thy bands perform to please thee or to win them wealth,E'en fain they gird us round and give rich gifts which ne'er are reft away, high-born! delightful withthy steeds!6 Give to these wealthy patrons fame, O affluent Dawn, with hero sons,To these our princes who have brought rich gifts ne'er to be reft away, highborn! delightful with thysteeds!7 Bring lofty and resplendent fame, O thou munificent Dawn, to theseOur wealthy patrons who bestow rich gifts on us of steeds and kine, high-born! delightful with thysteeds!8 Bring us, O Daughter of the Sky, subsistence in our herds of kine,Together with the sunbeams, with the shine of pure refulgent flames, highborn! delightful with thysteeds!9 O Daughter of the Sky, shine forth; delay not to perform thy task.Let not the Sun with fervent heat consume thee like a robber foe, high-born! delightful with thesteeds!
10 So much, and more exceedingly, O Dawn, it suits thee to bestow,Thou Radiant One who ceasest not to shine for those who sing thy praise, highborn! delightful withthy steeds!
HYMN LXXX. Dawn.1. THE singers welcome with their hymns and praises the Goddess Dawn who bringeth in thesunlight,Sublime, by Law true to eternal Order, bright on her path, red-tinted, far-refulgent.2 She comes in front, fair, rousing up the people, making the pathways easy to be travelled.High, on her lofty chariot, all-impelling, Dawn gives her splendour at the days' beginning.3 She, harnessing her car with purple oxen. injuring none, hath brought perpetual riches.Opening paths to happiness, the Goddess shines, praised by all, giver of every blessing.4 With changing tints she gleams in double splendour while from the eastward she displays herbody.She travels perfectly the path of Order, nor fails to reach, as one who knows, the quarters.5 As conscious that her limbs are bright with bathing, she stands, as 'twere, erect that we may seeher.Driving away malignity and darkness, Dawn, Child of Heaven, hath come to us with lustre.6 The Daughter of the Sky, like some chaste woman, bends, opposite to men, her foreheaddownward.The Maid, disclosing boons to him who worships, hath brought again the daylight as aforetime.
HYMN LXXXI. Savitar.1. THE priests of him the lofty Priest well-skilled in hymns harness their spirit, yea, harness their holythoughts.He only knowing works assigns their priestly tasks. Yea, lofty is the praise of Savitar the God.2 The Sapient One arrays himself in every form: for quadruped and biped he hath brought forth good.Excellent Savitar hath looked on heaven's high vault, and shineth after the outgoing of the Dawn.3 Even he, the God whose going-forth and majesty the other Deities have followed with their might,He who hath measured the terrestrial regions out by his great power, he is the Courser Savitar.4 To the three spheres of light thou goest, Savitar, and with the rays of Sidrya thou combinest thee.Around, on both sides thou encompassest the night: yea, thou, O God, art Mitra through thyrighteous laws.5 Over all generation thou art Lord alone: Pusan art thou, O God, in all thy goings-forth.Yea, thou hast domination over all this world. Syavasva hath brought praise to thee, O Savitar,
HYMN LXXXII. Savitar.1. WE crave of Savitar the God this treasure much to be enjoyed.The best, all-yielding, conquering gift of Bhaga we would gladly win.2 Savitar's own supremacy, most glorious and beloved of all,No one diminisheth in aught.3 For Savitar who is Bhaga shall send riches to his worshipper.That wondrous portion we implore.4 Send us this day, God Savitar, prosperity with progeny.Drive thou the evil dream away.5 Savitar, God, send far away all sorrows and calamities,And send us only what is good.6 Sinless in sight of Aditi through the God Savitar's influence,May we obtain all lovely things.7 We with our hymns this day elect the general God, Lord of the good,Savitar whose decrees are true.8 He who for ever vigilant precedes these Twain, the Day and Night,
Is Savitar the thoughtful God.9 He who gives glory unto all these living creatures with the song,And brings them forth, is Savitar.
HYMN LXXXIII. Parjanya.1. SING with these songs thy welcome to the Mighty, with adoration praise and call Parjanya.The Bull, loud roaring, swift to send his bounty, lays in the plants the seed. for germination.2 He smites the trees apart, he slays the demons: all life fears him who wields the mighty weapon.From him exceeding strong fices e'en the guiltless, when thundering Parjanya smites the wicked.3 Like a car-driver whipping on his horses, he makes the messengers of rain spring forward.Far off resounds the roaring of the lion, what time Parjanya fills the sky with rain-cloud.4 Forth burst the winds, down come the lightning-flashes: the plants shoot up, the realm of light isstreaming.Food springs abundant for all living creatures, what time Parjanya quickens earth with moisture.5 Thou at whose bidding earth bows low before thee, at whose command hoofed cattle fly in terror,At whose behest the plants assume all colours, even thou Parjanya, yield us great protection.6 Send down for us the rain of heaven, ye Maruts, and let the Stallion's flood descend in torrents.Come hither with this thunder while thou pourest the waters down, our heavenly Lord and Father.7 Thunder and roar: the germ of life deposit. Fly round us on thy chariot waterladen.Thine opened water-skin draw with thee downward, and let the hollows and the heights be level.8 Lift up the mighty vessel, pour down water, and let the liberated streams rush forward.Saturate both the earth and heaven with fatness, and for the cows let there be drink abundant.9 When thou, with thunder and with roar, Parjanya, smitest sinners down,This universe exults thereat, yea, all that is upon the earth.10 Thou hast poured down the rain-flood now withhold it. Thou hast made desert places fit for travel.Thou hast made herbs to grow for our enjoyment: yea, thou hast won thee praise from livingcreatures.
HYMN LXXXIV. Prthivi.1. THOU, of a truth,O Prthivi, bearest the tool that rends the hills:Thou rich in torrents, who with might quickenest earth, O Mighty One.2 To thee, O wanderer at will, ring out the lauds with beams of day,Who drivest, like a neighing steed, the swelling cloud, O bright of hue.3 Who graspest with thy might on earth. e'en the strong sovrans of the wood,When from the lightning of thy cloud the rain-floods of the heaven descend.
HYMN LXXXV. Varuna.1. SING forth a hymn sublime and solemn, grateful to glorious. Varuna, imperial Ruler,Who hath struck out, like one who slays the victim, earth as a skin to spread in front of Surya.2 In the tree-tops the air he hath extended, put milk in kine and vigorous speed in horses,Set intellect in hearts, fire in the waters, Siurya in heaven and Soma on the mountain.3 Varuna lets the big cask, opening downward, flow through the heaven and earth and air's mid-region.Therewith the universe's Sovran waters earth as the shower of rain bedews the barley.4 When Varuna is fain for milk he moistens the sky, the land, and earth to her foundation.Then straight the mountains clothe them in the rain-cloud: the Heroes, putting forth their vigour,loose them.5 I will declare this mighty deed of magic, of glorious Varuna the Lord Immortal,Who standing in the firmament hath meted the earth out with the Sun as with a measure.6 None, verily, hath ever let or hindered this the most wise God's mighty deed of magic,Whereby with all their flood, the lucid rivers fill not one sea wherein they pour their waters.
7 If we have sinned against the man who loves us, have ever wronged a brother, friend, or comrade,The neighbour ever with us, or a stranger, O Varuna, remove from us the trespass.8 If we, as gamesters cheat at play, have cheated, done wrong unwittingly or sinned of purpose,Cast all these sins away like loosened fetters, and, Varuna let us be thine own beloved.
HYMN LXXXVI. Indra-Agni.1. THE mortal man whom ye, the Twain, Indra and Agni, help in fight,Breaks through e'en strongly-guarded wealth as Trta burst his way through reeds.2 The Twain invincible in war, worthy to be renowned in frays,Lords of the Fivefold. People, these, Indra and Agni, we invoke.3 Impetuous is their strength, and keen the lightning of the mighty Pair,Which from their arms speeds with the car to Vrtra's slayer for the kine.4 Indra and Agni, we invoke you both, as such, to send your cars:Lords of quick-coming bounty, ye who know, chief lovers of the song.5 These who give increase day by day, Gods without guile for mortal man,Worthy themselves, I honour most, Two Gods as partners, for my horse.6 The strength-bestowing offering thus to Indra-Agni hath been paid, as butter, purified by stones.Deal to our princes high renown, deal wealth to those who sing your praise, deal food to those whosing your praise.
HYMN LXXXVII. Maruts.1. To Visnu, to the Mighty whom the Maruts follow let your hymns born in song go forth,Evayamarut;To the impetuous, strong band, adorned with bracelets, that rushes on in joy and ever roars forvigour.2 They who with might were manifest, and who willingly by their own knowledge told it forth,Evayamarut.Maruts, this strength of yours no wisdom comprehendeth: through their gifts' greatness they aremoveless as the mountains.3 Who by the psalm they sing are heard, from lofty heaven, the strong, the brightly shining Ones,Evayamarut;In whose abode there is no mightier one to move them, whose lightnings are as fires, who urge theroaring rivers.4 He of the Mighty Stride forth strode, Evayamarut, out of the spacious dwelling-place, their home incommon.When he, himself, hath yoked his emulous strong horses on heights, he cometh forth, joy-giving, withthe Heroes.5 Like your tremendous roar, the rainer with light flashing, strong, speeding, hath made all tremble,Evayamarut,Wherewith victorious ye, self-luminous, press onward, with strong reins, decked with gold,impetuous and well-weaponed.6 Unbounded is your greatness, ye of mighty power: may your bright vigour be our aid, Evayamarut;For ye are visible helpers in the time of trouble: like fires, aglow with light, save us from shame andinsult.7 So may the Rudras, mighty warriors, Evayamarut, with splendid brilliancy, like fires, be ourprotectors;They whose terrestrial dwelling-place is wide-extended, whom none suspect of sin, whose bandshave lofty courage.8 Come in a friendly spirit, come to us, O Maruts, and hear his call who praises you, Evayamarut.Like car-borne men, one-minded with the mighty Visnu, keep enmity far from us with your deeds ofwonder.9 Come to our sacrifice, ye Hnly Ones, to bless it, and, free from demons, hear our call, Evayamarut.Most excellent, like mountains in the air's raid-region, be irresistible, ye, Wise, to this man'a hater.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE SIXTH
HYMN I. Agni.1. THOU, first inventor of this prayer, O Agni, Worker of Marvels, hast become our Herald.Thou, Bull, hast made us strength which none may conquer, strength that shall overcome all otherprowess.2 As Priest thou sattest at the seat of worship, furthering us, best Offerer, meet for honour.So first to thee have pious men resorted, turning thy mind to thoughts of ample riches.3 In thee, still watching, they have followed riches, who goest with much wealth as with an army,The radiant Agni, lofty, fair to look on, worshipped with marrow, evermore resplendent.4 They who approached the God's abode with homage, eager for glory, won them perfect glory:Yea, they gained even sacrificial titles, and found delight in thine auspicious aspect.5 On earth the people magnify thee greatly, thee their celestial and terrestrial riches.Thou, Helper, must be known as our Preserver, Father and Mother of mankind for ever.6 Dear priest among mankind, adorable Agni hath seated him, joy-giver, skilled in worship.Let us approach thee shining in thy dwelling, kneeling upon our knees, with adoration.7 Longing for bliss, pure-minded, God-devoted, Agni, we seek thee, such, meet to be lauded.Thou, Agni, leddest forth our men to battle, refulgent with the heaven's exalted splendour.8 Sage of mankind, all peoples' Lord and Master, the Bull of men, the sender down of blessings,Still pressing on, promoting, purifying, Agni the Holy One, the Lord of riches.9 Agni, the mortal who hath toiled and worshipped, brought thee oblations with his kindled fuel,And well knows sacrifice with adoration, gains every joy with thee to guard and help him.10 Mightily let us worship thee the Mighty, with reverence, Agni! fuel and oblations,With songs, O Son of Strength, with hymns, with altar: so may we strive for thine auspicious favour.11 Thou who hast covered heaven and earth with splendour and with thy glories, glorious andtriumphant.Continue thou to shine on us, O Agni, with strength abundant, rich, and long enduring.12 Vouchsafe us ever, as man needs, O Vasu, abundant wealth of kine for son and offspring.Food noble, plenteous, far from sin and evil, he with us, and fair fame to make us happy.13 May I obtain much wealth in many places by love of thee and through thy grace, King Agni;For in thee Bounteous One, in thee the Sovran, Agni, are many boons for him who serves thee.
HYMN II. Agni.1. THOU, Agni, even as Mitra, hast a princely glory of thine own.Thou, active Vasu, makest fame increase like full prosperity.2 For, verily, men pray to thee with sacrifices and with songs.To thee the Friendly Courser, seen of all, comes speeding through the air.3 Of one accord men kindle thee Heaven's signal of the sacrifice,When, craving bliss, this race of man invites thee to the solemn rite.4 Let the man thrive who travails sore, in prayer, far thee the Bountiful.He with the help of lofty Dyaus comes safe through straits of enmity.5 The mortal who with fuel lights thy flame and offers unto thee,Supports a house with many a branch, Agni, to live a hundred years.6 Thy bright smoke lifts itself aloft, and far-extended shines in heaven.For, Purifier! like the Sun thou beamest with thy radiant glow.7 For in men's houses thou must be glorified as a well-loved guest,Gay like an elder in a fort, claiming protection like a son.8 Thou, Agni, like an able steed, art urged by wisdom in the wood.Thou art like wind; food, home art thou, like a young horse that runs astray.
9 E'en things imperishable, thou, O Agni, like a gazing ox,Eatest, when hosts, Eternal One! of thee the Mighty rend the woods.10 Agni, thou enterest as Priest the home of men who sacrifice.Lord of the people, prosper them. Accept the ofrering, Angiras!11 O Agni, God with Mitra's might, call hither the favour of the Gods from earth and heaven.Bring weal from heaven, that men may dwell securely. May we o'ercome the foe's malignoppressions, may we o'ercome them, through thy help o'ercome them.
HYMN III. Agni.1. TRUE, guardian of the Law, thy faithful servant wins ample light and dwells in peace, O Agni,Whom thou, as Varuna in accord with Mitra, guardest, O God, by banishing his trouble.2 He hath paid sacrifices, toiled in worship, and offered gifts to wealth-increasing Agni.Him the displeasure of the famous moves not, outrage and scorn affect not such a mortal.3 Bright God, whose look is free from stain like Surya's, thou, swift, what time thou earnestlydesirest,Hast gear to give us. Come with joy at evening, where, Child of Wood, thou mayest also tarry.4 Fierce is his gait and vast his wondrous body: he champeth like a horse with bit and bridle,And, darting forth his tongue, as 'twere a hatchet, burning the woods, smelteth them like a smelter.5 Archer-like, fain toshoot, he sets his arrow, and whets his splendour like the edge of iron:The messenger of night with brilliant pathway, like a tree-roosting bird of rapid pinion.6 In beams of morn he clothes him like the singer, and bright as Mitra with his splendour crackles.Red in the night, by day the men's possession: red, he belongs to men by day, Immortal.7 Like Heaven's when scattering beams his voice was uttered: among the plants the radiant Heroshouted,Who with his glow in rapid course came hither to fill both worlds, well-wedded Dames, with treasure.8 Who, with supporting streams and rays that suit him, hath flashed like lightning with his nativevigour.Like the deft Maker of the band of Maruts, the bright impetuous One hath shone refulgent.
HYMN IV Agni.1. As at man's service of the Gods, Invoker, thou, Son of Strength, dost sacrifice and worship,So bring for us to-day all Gods together, bring willingly the willing Gods, O Agni.2 May Agni, radiant Herald of the morning, meet to be known, accept our praise with favour.Dear to all life, mid mortal men Immortal, our guest, awake at dawn, is Jatavedas.3 Whose might the very heavens regard with wonder: bright as the Sun he clothes himself withlustre.He who sends forth,, Eternal Purifier, hath shattered e'en the ancient works of Asna.4 Thou art a Singer, Son! our feast-companion: Agni at birth prepared his food and pathway.Therefore vouchsafe us strength, O Strength-bestower. Win like a King: foes trouble not thy dwelling.5 Even he who cats his firm hard food with swiftness,and overtakes the nights as Vayu kingdoms.May we o'ercome those who resist thine orders, like a steed casting down the flying foemen.6 Like Surya with his fulgent rays, O Agni, thou overspreadest both the worlds with splendour.Decked with bright colour he dispels the darkness, like Ausija, with clear flame swifily flying.7 We have elected thee as most delightful for thy beams' glow: hear our great laud, O Agni.The best men praise thee as the peer of Indra in strength, mid Gods, like Viyu in thy bounty.8 Now, Agni, on the tranquil paths of riches come to us for our weal: save us from sorrow.Grant chiefs and bard this boon. May we live happy, with hero children, through a hundred winters.
HYMN V. Agni.1. I INVOCATE your Son of Strength, the Youthful, with hymns, the Youngest God, whose speech isguileless;
Sage who sends wealth comprising every treasure, bringer of many boons, devoid of malice.2 At eve and morn thy pious servants bring thee their precious gifts, O Priest of many aspects,On whom, the Purifier, all things living as on firm. ground their happiness have stablished.3 Thou from of old hast dwelt among these people, by mental power the charioteer of blessings.Hence sendest thou, O sapient Jatavedas, to him who serves thee treasures in succession.4 Agni, whoever secretly attacks us, the neighbour, thou with Mitra's might! who harms us,Burn him with thine own Steers for ever youthful, burning with burning heat, thou fiercest burner.5 He who serves thee with sacrifice and fuel, with hymn, O Son of Strength, and chanted praises,Shines out, Immortal! in the midst of mortals, a sage, with wealth, with splendour and with glory.6 Do this, O Agni, when we urge thee, quickly, triumphant in thy might subdue our foemen.When thou art praised with words and decked with brightness, accept this chanted hymn, thesinger's worship.7 Help us, that we may gain this wish, O Agni, gain riches, Wealthy One! with store of heroes.Desiring strength from thee may we be strengthened, and win, Eternal! thine eternal glory.
HYMN VI. Agni.1. HE who seeks furtherance and grace to help him goes to the Son of Strength with newest worship,Calling the heavenly Priest to share the banquet, who rends the wood, bright, with his blackenedpathway.2 White-hued and thundering he dwells in splendour, Most Youthful, with the loudvoiced andeternal-Agni, most variform, the Purifier, who follows crunching many ample forests.3 Incited by the wind thy flames, O Agni, move onward, Pure One! pure, in all directions.Thy most destructive heavenly Navagvas break the woods down and devastate them boldly.4 Thy pure white horses from their bonds are loosened: O Radiant One, they shear the groundbeneath them,And far and wide shines out thy flame, and flickers rapidly moving over earth's high ridges.5 Forth darts the Bull's tongue like the sharp stone weapon discharged by him who fights to win thecattle.Agni's fierce flame is like a hero's onset: dread and resistless he destroys the forests.6 Thou with the sunlight of the great Impeller hast boldly over-spread the earth's expanses.So drive away with conquering might all perils. fighting out foemen burn up those who harm us.7 Wondrous! of wondrous power! give to the singer wealth wondrous, marked, most wonderful, life-giving.Wealth bright, O Bright One, vast, with many heroes, give with thy bright flames to the man wholauds thee.
HYMN VII. Agni.1. Him, messenger of earth and head of heaven, Agni Vaisvanara, born in holy Order,The Sage, the King, the guest of men, a vessel fit for their mouths, the Gods have generated.2 Him have they praised, mid-point of sacrifices, great cistern of libations, seat of riches.Vaisvanara, conveyer of oblations, ensign of worship, have the Gods engendered.3 From thee, O Agni, springs the mighty singer, from thee come heroes who subdue the foeman.O King, Vaisvanara, bestow thou on us excellent treasures worthy to belonged fo r.4 To thee, Immortal! when to life thou springest, all the Gods sing for joy as to their infant.They by thy mental powers were made immortal, Vaisvanara, when thou shonest from thy Parents.5 Agni Vaisvanara, no one hath ever resisted these thy mighty ordinances,When thou, arising from thy Parents' bosom, foundest the light for days' appointed courses.6 The summits of the heaven are traversed through and through by the Immortal's light, Vaisvanara'sbrilliancy.All creatures in existence rest upon his head. The Seven swift-flowing Streams have grown likebranches forth,
7 Vaisvanara, who measured out the realms of air, Sage very wise who made the lucid spheres ofheaven,The Undeceivable who spread out all the worlds, keeper is he and guard of immortality.
HYMN VIII. Agni.1. AT Jatavedas' holy gathering I will tell aloud the conquering might of the swift red-hued Steer.A pure and fresher hymn flows to Vaisvanara, even as for Agni lovely Soma is made pure.2 That Agni, when in loftiest heaven he sprang to life, Guardian of Holy Laws, kept and observedthem well.Exceeding wise, he measured out the firmament. Vaisvanara attained to heaven by mightiness.3 Wonderful Mitra propped the heaven and earth apart, and covered and concealedthe darkness with his light.He made the two bowls part asunder like two skins. Vaisvanara put forth all his creative power.4 The Migbty seized him in the bosom of the floods: the people waited on the King who should bepraised.As envoy of Vivasvan MatariSvan brought Agni Vaisvanara hither from far away.5 In every age bestow upon the singers wealth, worthy of holy synods, glorious, ever new.King, undecaying, as it were with sharpened bolt, smite down the sinner like a tree with lightning-flash.6 Do thou bestow, O Agni, on our wealthy chiefs, rule, with good heroes, undecaying, bending not.So may we win for us strength. O Vaisvanara, hundredfold, thousandfold, O Agni, by thy help.7 O thou who dwellest in three places, Helper, keep with effective guards our princely patrons.Keep our band, Agni, who have brought thee presents. Lengthen their lives, Vaisvanara, whenlauded.
HYMN IX. Agni.1. ONE half of day is dark, and bright the other: both atmospheres move on by sage devices.Agni Vaisvanara, when born as Sovran, hath with his lustre overcome the darkness.2 I know not either warp or woof, I know not the web they weave when moving to the contest.Whose son shall here speak words that must be spoken without assistance from the Father near him?3 For both the warp and woof he understandeth, and in due time shall speak what should be spoken,Who knoweth as the immortal world's Protector, descending, seeing with no aid from other.4 He is the Priest, the first of all: behold him. Mid mortal men he is the light immortal.Here was he born, firm-seated in his station Immortal, ever waxing in his body.5 A firm light hath been set for men to look on: among all things that fly the mind is swiftest.All Gods of one accord, with one intention, move unobstructed to a single purpose.6 Mine ears unclose to hear, mine eye to see him; the light that harbours in my spirit broadens.Far roams my mind whose thoughts are in the distance. What shall I speak, what shall I nowimagine?7 All the Gods bowed them down in fear before thee, Agni, when thou wast dwelling in the darkness.Vaisvanara be gracious to assist us, may the Immortal favour us and help us.
HYMN X. Agni.1. INSTALL at sacrifice, while the rite advances, your pleasant, heavenly Agni, meet for praises.With hymns-for he illumines us-install him. He, Jatavedas, makes our rites successful.2 Hear this laud, Radiant Priest of many aspects, O Agni with the fires of man enkindled,Laud which bards send forth pure as sacred butter, strength to this man, as 'twere for self-advantage.3 Mid mortal men that singer thrives in glory who offers gifts with hymns of praise to Agni,And the God, wondrous bright, with wondrous succours helps him to win a stable filled with cattle.4 He, at his birth, whose path is black behind him, filled heaven and earth with far-apparentsplendour:
And he himself hath been. through night's thick darkness, made manifest by light, the Purifier.5 With thy most mighty aid, confer, O Agni, wonderful wealth on us and on our princes,Who stand preeminent, surpassing others in liberal gifts, in fame, and hero virtues.6 Agni, accept this sacrifice with gladness, which, seated here, the worshipper presenteth.Fair hymns hadst thou among the Bharadvajas, and holpest them to gain abundant vigour.7 Scatter our foes, increase our store. May we he glad a hundred winters with brave sons.
HYMN XI. Agni.1. EAGERLY Sacrifice thou, most skilful, Agni! Priest, pressing on as if the Maruts sent thee.To our oblation bring the two Nasatyas, Mitra and Varuna and Earth and Heaven.2 Thou art our guileless, most delightful Herald, the God, among mankind, of holy synods.A Priest with purifying tongue, O Agni, sacrifice with thy mouth to thine own body.3 For even the blessed longing that is in thee would bring the Gods down to the singer's worship,When the Angirases' sagest Sage, the Poet, sings the sweet measure at the solemn service.4 Bright hath he beamed, the wise, the far-refulgent. Worship the two widespreading Worlds, OAgni,Whom as the Living One rich in oblations the Five Tribes, bringing gifts, adorn with homage.5 When I with reverence clip the grass for Agni, when the trimmed ladle, fullof oil, is lifted,Firm on the seat of earth is based the altar: eye-like, the sacrifice is directed Sun-ward.6 Enrich us, O thou Priest of many aspects, with the Gods, Agni, with thy fires, enkindled.O Son of Strength, clad in the robe of riches, may we escape from woe as froma prison.
HYMN XII. Agni.1. KING of trimmed grass, Herald within the dwelling, may Agni worship the Impeller's World-halves.He, Son of Strength, the Holy, from a distance hath spread himself abroad with light like Surya.2 In thee, most wise, shall Dyaus, for full perfection, King! Holy One! pronounce the call to worship.Found in three places, like the Speeder's footstep, come to present men's riches as oblations!3 Whose blaze most splendid, sovran in the forest, shines waxing on his way like the - Impeller.He knows himself, like as a guileless smelter, not to be stayed among the plants, Immortal.4 Our friends extol him like a steed for vigour even Agni in the dwelling, jatave~as.Trce-fed, he fights with power as doth a champion, like Dawn's Sire to be praised with sacrifices.5 Men wonder at his shining glows when, paring the woods with case, o'er the broad earth he goeth,And, like a rushing flood, loosed quickly, burneth, swift as a guilty thief, o'er desert places.6 So mighty thou protectest us from slander, O Champion, Agni! with all fires enkindled.Bring opulence and drive away affliction. May brave sons gladden us through a hundred winters.
HYMN XIII. Agni.1. FROM thee, as branches from a tree, O Agni, from thee, Auspicious God! spring all our blessings-Wealth swiftly, strength in battle with our foemen, the rain besought of heaven, the flow of waters.2 Thou art our Bhaga to send wealth thou dwellest, like circumambient air, with wondrous splendour.Friend art thou of the lofty Law, like Mitra, Controller, Agni! God! of many a blessing.3 Agni! the hero slays with might his foeman; the singer bears away the Pani's booty-Even he whom thou, Sage, born in Law, incitest by wealth, accordant with the Child of Waters.4 The man who, Son of Strength 1 with sacrifices, hymns, lauds, attracts thy fervour to the altar,Enjoys each precious thing, O God, O Agni, gains wealth of corn and is the lord of treasures.5 Grant, Son of Strength, to men for their subsistence such things as bring high fame and herochildren.For thou with might givest much food in cattle even to the wicked wolf when he is hungry.6 Eloquent, Son of Strength, Most Mighty, Agni, vouchsafe us seed and offspring, full of vigour.May I by all my songs obtain abundance. May brave sons gladden us through a hundred winters.
HYMN XIV. Agni.1. WHOSO to Agni hath endeared his thought and service by his hymns,That mortal cats before the rest, and finds sufficiency of food.2 Agni, in truth, is passing wise, most skilled in ordering, a Seer.At sacrifices Manus' sons glorify Agni as their Priest.3 The foeman's wealth in many a place, Agni, is emulous to help.Men fight the fiend, and seek by rites to overcome the riteless foe.4 Agni bestows the hero chief, winner of waters, firm in fray.Soon as they look upon his might his enemies tremble in alarm.5 For with his wisdom Agni, God, protects the mortal from reproach,Whose conquering wealth is never checked, is never checked in deeds of might.6 O Agni, God with Mitra's might call hither the favour of the Gods from earth and heaven.Bring weal from heaven that men may dwell securely. May we o'ercome the foe's malign oppressions,may we o'ercome them, through thy help o'ercome them.
HYMN XV. Agni.1. WITH this my song I strive to reach this guest of yours, who wakes at early morn, the Lord of allthe tribes.Each time he comes from heaven, the Pure One from of old: from ancient days the Child catseverlasting food.2 Whom, well-dis sed, the Blirgus stablished as a rriend, whom men must glorify, high-flaming in thewood.As such, most friendly, thou art every day extolled in lauds by Vitahavya, O thou wondrous God.3 Be thou the foeless helper of the skilful man, subduer of the enemy near or far away.Bestow a wealthy home on men, O Son of Strength. Give Vitahavya riches spreading far and wide,give Bharadvaja wide-spread wealth.4 Him, your refulgent guest, Agni who comes from heaven, the Herald of mankind, well-skilled insacred rites,Who, like a holy singer, utters heavenly words, oblation-bearer, envoy, God, I seek with hymns.5 Who with his purifying, eye-attracting form hath shone upon the earth as with the light of Dawn;Who speeding on, as in the fight of Etaia, cometh, untouched by age, as one athirst in heat.6 Worship ye Agni, Agni, with your log of wood; praise your beloved, your beloved guest with songs.Invite ye the Immortal hither with your hymns. A God among the Gods, he loveth what is choice,loveth our service, God mid Gods.7 Agni inflamed with fuel in my song I sing, pure, Cleanser, steadlast, set in tront at sacrifice.Wise Jatavedas we implore with prayers for bliss the Priest, the holy Singer, bounteous, void of guile.8 Men, Agni, in each age have made thee, Deathiess One, their envoy, offering-bearer, guardadorable.With reverence Gods and mortals have established thee, the ever-watchful, omnipresent HouseholdLord.9 Thou, Agni, ordering the works and ways of both, as envoy of the Gods traversest both the worlds.When we lay claim to thy regard and gracious fare, be thou to us a thriceprotecting friendly guard.10 Him fair of face, rapid, and fair to look on, him very wise may we who know not follow.Let him who knows all rules invite for worship, Agru announce our offering to the Immortals.11 Him, Agni, thou deliverest and savest who brings him prayer to thee the Wise, O Hero,The end of sacrifice or its inception; yea, thou endowest him with power and riches.12 Guard us from him who would assail us, Agni; preserve us, O thou Victor, from dishonour.Here let the place of darkening come upon thee: may wealth be ours, desirable in thousands.13 Agni, the Priest, is King, Lord of the homestead, he, Jatayedas, knows all generations.Most skilful worshipper mid Gods and mortals, may he begin the sacrifice, the Holy.14 Whate'er to-day thou, bright-flamed Priest, enjoyest from the man's rite-for thou art sacrificer-
Worship, for duly dost thou spread in greatness: bear off thine ofrerings of to-day, Most Youthful.15 Look thou upon the viands duly laid for thee. Fain would he set thee here to worship Heavenand,Earth.Help us, O liberal Agni, in the strife for spoil, so that we may o'ercome all things that trouble us,o'ercome, o'ercome them with thy help.16 Together with all Gods, O fair-faced Agni, be seated first upon the woollined altar,Nest-like, bedewed with oil. Bear this our worship to Savitar who sacrifices rightly.17 Here the arranging priests, as did Atharvan, rub this Agni forth,Whom, not bewildered, as he moved in winding ways, they brought from gloom.18 For the Gods' banquet be thou born, for full perfection and for weal.Bring the Immortal Gods who strengthen holy Law: so let our sacrifice reach the Gods.19 O Agni, Lord and Master of men's homesteads, with kindled fuel we have made thee mighty.Let not our household gear be found defective. Sharpen us with thy penetrating splendour.
HYMN XVI. Agni.1. PRIEST of all sacrifices hast thou been appointed by the Gods,Agni, amid the race of man.2 So with thy joyous tongues for us sacrifice nobly in this rite.Bring thou the Gods and worship them.3 For well, O God, Disposer, thou knowest, straight on, the paths and ways,Agni, most wise in sacrifice.4 Thee, too, hath Bharata of old, with mighty men, implored for bliss.And worshipped thee the worshipful.5 Thou givest these abundant boons to Divodasa pouring forth,To Bharadvaja offering gifts.6 Do thou, Immortal Messenger, bring hither the Celestial Folk;Hearing the singer's eulogy.7 Mortals with pious thought implore thee, Agni, God, at holy rites,To come unto the feast of Gods.8 I glorify thine aspect and the might of thee the Bountilul.All those who love shall joy in thee,9 Invoker placed by Manus, thou, Agni, art near, the wisest Priest:Pay worship to the Tribes of Heaven.10 Come, Agni, lauded, to the feast; come to the offering of the gifts.As Priest be seated on the grass.11 So, Angiras, we make thee strong with fuel and with holy oil.Blaze high, thou youngest of the Gods.12 For us thou winnest, Agni, God, heroic strength exceeding great,Far-spreading and of high renown.13 Agni, Atharvan brought thee forth, by rubbing, from the lotus-flower,The head of Visva, of the Priest.14 Thee. Vrtra's slayer, breaker down of castles, hath Atharvan's son,Dadhyac the Rsi, lighted up.15 The hero Pathya kindled thee the Dasyus'. most destructive foe,Winner of spoil in every fight.16 Come, here, O Agni, will I sing verily other songs to thee,And with these drops shalt thou grow strong.17 Where'er tby mind applies itself, vigour preeminent bast thou:There wilt thou gain a dwelling-place.18 Not for a moment only lasts thy bounty, good to many a one!Our service therefore shalt thou gain.
19 Agni, the Bharata, hath been sought, the Vrtra-slayer, marked of all,Yea, Divodasa's Hero Lord.20 For he gave riches that surpass in greatness all the things of earth,Fighting untroubled, unsubdued.21 Thou, Agni, as in days of old, with recent glory, gathered light,Hast overspread the lofty heaven.22 Bring to your Agni, O my friends, boldly your laud and sacrifice:Give the Disposer praise and song.23 For as sagacious Herald he hath sat through every age of man,Oblation-bearing messenger.24 Bring those Two Kings whose ways are pure, Adityas, and the Marut host,Excellent God! and Heaven and Earth.25 For strong and active mortal man, excellent, Agni, is the look Of thee Immortal, Son of Strength26 Rich through his wisdom, noblest be the giver serving thee to-day:The man hath brought his hymn of praise.27 These, Agni, these are helped by thee, who strong and active all their lives,O'ercome the malice of the foe, fight down the malice ofthe foe.28 May Agni with his pointed blaze cast down each fierce devouring fiendMay Agni win us wealth by war.29 O active Jatavedas, bring riches with store of hero sons:Slay thou the demons, O Most Wise.30 Keep us, O Jatavedas, from the troubling of the man of sin:Guard us thou Sage who knowest prayer.31 Whatever sinner, Agni, brings oblations to procure our death,Save us from woe that he would work.32 Drive from us with thy tongue, O God, the man who doeth evil deeds,The mortal who would strike us dead.33 Give shelter reaching far and wide to Bharadvaja, conquering Lord!Agni, send wealth most excellent.34 May Agni slay the Vrtras,-fain for riches, through the lord of song,Served with oblation, kindled, bright.35 His Father's Father, shining in his Mother's everlasting side,Set on the seat of holy Law.36 O active Jatavedas, bring devotion that wins progeny, Agni, that it may shine to heaven.37 O Child of Strength, to thee whose look is lovely we with dainty food,O Agni, have poured forth our songs.38 To thee for shelter are we come, as to the shade from fervent heatAgni, who glitterest like gold.39 Mighty as one who slays with shafts, or like a bull with sharpened horn,Agni, thou breakest down the forts.40 Whom, like an infant newly born, devourer, in their arms they bear,Men's Agni, skilled in holy rites.41 Bear to the banquet of the Gods the God best finder-out of wealth,Let him he seated in his place.42 In Jatavedas kindle ye the dear guest who hath now appearedIn a soft place, the homestead's Lord.43 Harness, O Agni, O thou God, thy steeds which are most excellent:They bear thee as thy spirit wills.44 Come hither, bring the Gods to us to taste the sacrificial feast,To drink the draught of Soma juice.
45 O Agni of the Bharatas, blaze high with everlasting might,Shine forth and gleam, Eternal One.46 The mortal man who serves the God with banquet, and, bringing gifts at sacrifice, lauds Agni,May well attract, with prayer and hands uplifted, the Priest of Heaven and Earth, true Sacrificer.47 Agni, we bring thee, with our hymn, oblation fashioned in the heart.Let these be oxen unto thee, let these be bulls and kine to thee.48 The Gods enkindle Agni, best slayer of Vrtra, first in rank,The Mighty, One who brings us wealth and crushes down the Raksasas.
HYMN XVII. Indra.1. DRINK Soma, Mighty One, for which, when lauded, thou breakest through the cattle-stall, O Indra;Thou who, O Bold One, armed with thunder smotest Vrtra with might, and every hostile being.2 Drink it thou God who art impetuous victor, Lord of our hymns, with beauteousjaws, the Hero,Render of kine-stalls, car-borne, thunder-wielding, so pierce thy way to wondrous strength, O Indra.3 Drink as of old, and let the draught delight thee. hear thou our prayer and let our songs exalt thee.Make the Sun visible, make food abundant, slaughter the foes, pierce through and free the cattle.4 These gladdening drops, O Indra, Self-sustainer, quaffed shall augment thee in thy mightysplendour.Yea, let the cheering drops delight thee greatly, great, perfect, strong, powerful, all-subduing.5 Gladdened whereby, bursting the firm enclosures, thou gavest splendour to the Sun and Morning.The mighty rock that compassed in the cattle, ne'er moved, thou shookest from its seat, O Indra.6 Thou with thy wisdom, power, and works of wonder, hast stored the ripe milk in the raw cows'uddersUnbarred the firm doors for the kine of Morning, and, with the Angirases, set free the cattle.7 Thou hast spread out wide earth, a mighty marvel, and, high thyself, propped lofty heaven, O Indra.Both worlds, whose Sons are Gods, thou hast supported, young, Mothers from old time ofholy Order.8 Yea, Indra, all the Deities installed thee their one strong Champion in the van for battle.What time the godless was the Gods' assailant, Indra they chose to win the light of heaven.9 Yea, e'en that heaven itself of old bent backward before thy bolt, in terror of its anger,When Indra, life of every living creature, smote down within his lair the assailing Dragon.10 Yea, Strong One! Tvastar turned for thee, the Mighty, the bolt with thousand spikes and hundrededges,Eager and prompt at will, wherewith thou crushedst the boasting Dragon, O impetuous Hero.11 He dressed a hundred buffaloes, O Indra, for thee whom all accordant Maruts strengthen.He, Pusan Visnu, poured forth three great vessels to him, the juice that cheers, that slaughters Vrtra.12 Thou settest free the rushing wave of waters, the floods' great swell encompassed andobstructed.Along steep slopes their course thou tumedst, Indra, directed downward, speeding to the ocean.13 So may our new prayer bring thee to protect us, thee well-armed Hero with thy bolt of thunder,Indra, who made these worlds, the Strong, the ty, who never groweth old, the victory-giver.14 So, Indra, form us brilliant holy singers for strength, for glory, and for food and riches.Give Bharadvaja hero patrons, Indra Indra, be ours upon the day of trial.15 With this may we obtain strength God-appointed, and brave sons gladden us through a hundredwinters.
HYMN XVIII. Indra.1. GLORIFY him whose might is all-surpassing, Indra the much-invoked who fights uninjured.Magnify with these songs the never-vanquished, the Strong, the Bull of men, the Mighty Victor.2 He, Champion, Hero, Warrior, Lord of battles, impetuous, loudly roaring, great destroyer,Who whirls the dust on high, alone, oerthrower, hath made all races of mankind his subjects.3 Thou, thou alone, hast tamed the Dasyus; singly thou hast subdued the people for the Arya.
In this, or is it not, thine hero exploit, Indra? Declare it at the proper season.4 For true, I deem, thy strength is, thine the Mighty, thine, O Most Potent, thine the ConqueringVictor;Strong, of the strong, Most Mighty, of the mighty, thine, driver of the churl to acts of bounty.5 Be this our ancient bond of friendship with you and with Angirases here who speak of Vala.Thou, Wondrous, Shaker of things firm, didst smite him in his fresh strength, and force his doors andcastles.6 With holy thoughts must he be called, the Mighty, showing his power in the great fight with Vrtra.He must be called to give us seed and offspring, the Thunderer must he moved and sped to battle.7 He in his might, with name that lives for ever, hath far surpassed all human generations.He, most heroic, hath his home with splendour, with glory and with riches and with valour.8 Stranger to guile, who ne'er was false or faithless, bearing a name that may be well remembered,Indra crushed Cumuri, Dhuni, Sambara, Pipru, and Susna, that their castles fell in ruin.9 With saving might that must be praised and lauded, Indra, ascend thy car to smite down Vrtra.In thy right hand hold fast thy bolt of thunder, and weaken, Bounteous Lord, his art and magic.10 As Agni, as the dart burns the dry forest, like the dread shaft burn down the fiends, O Indra;Thou who with high deep-reaching spear hast broken, hast covered over mischief and destroyed it.11 With wealth, by thousand paths come hither, Agni, paths that bring ample strength, O thou MostSplendid.Come, Son of Strength, o'er whom, Invoked of many! the godless hath no power to keep thee distant.12 From heaven, from earth is bruited forth the greatness of him the firm, the fiery, the resplendent.No foe hath he, no counterpart, no refuge is there from him the Conqueror full of wisdom13 This day the deed that thou hast done is famous, when thou, for him, with many thousand othersLaidest low Kutsa, Ayu, Atithigva, and boldly didst deliver Turvayana.14 In thee, O God, the wisest of the Sages, all Gods were joyful when thou slewest Ahi.When lauded for thyself, thou gavest freedom to sore-afflicted Heaven and to the people.15 This power of thine both heaven and earth acknowledge, the deathless Gods acknowledge it, OIndra.Do what thou ne'er hast done, O Mighty Worker: beget a new hymn at thy sacrifices.
HYMN XIX. Indra.1. GREAT, hero-like controlling men is Indra, unwasting in his powers, doubled in vastness.He, turned to us, hath grown to hero vigour: broad, wide, he hath been decked by those who servehim.2 The bowl made Indra swift to gather booty, the High, the Lofty, Youthful, Undecaying,Him who hath waxed by strength which none may conquer, and even at once grown to completeperfection.3 Stretch out those hands of thine, extend to us-ward thy wide capacious arms, and grant us glory.Like as the household herdsman guards the cattle, so move thou round about us in the combat.4 Now, fain for strength, let us invite your Indra hither, who lieth hidden with his Heroes,-Free from all blame, without reproach, uninjured, e'en as were those who sang, of old, his praises.5 With steadfast laws, wealth-giver, strong through Soma, he hath much fair and precious food tofeed us.In him unite all paths that lead to riches, like rivers that commingle with the ocean.6 Bring unto us the mightiest might, O Hero, strong and most potent force, thou great Subduer!All splendid vigorous powers of men vouchsafe us, Lord of Bay Steeds, that they may make us joyful.7 Bring us, grown mighty in its strength, O Indra, thy friendly rapturous joy that wins the battle,Wherewith by thee assisted and triumphant, we may laud thee in gaining seed and offspring.8 Indra, bestow on us the power heroic skilled and exceeding strong, that wins the booty,Wherewith, by thine assistance, we may conquer our foes in battle, be they kin or stranger.9 Let thine heroic strength come from behind us, before us, from above us or below us.From every side may it approach us, Indra. Give us the glory of the realm of splendour.
10 With most heroic aid from thee, like heroes Indra, may we win wealth by deeds glory.Thou, King, art Lord of earthly, heavenly treasure: vouchsafe us riches vast, sublime, and lasting.11 The Bull, whose strength hath waxed, whom Maruts follow, free-giving Indra, the Celestial Ruler,Mighty, all-conquering, the victory-giver, him let us call to grant us new protection.12 Give up the people who are high and haughty to these men and to me, O Thunder-wielder!Therefore upon the earth do we invoke thee, where heroes win, for sons and kine and waters.13 Through these thy friendships, God invoked of many! may we be victors over every foeman.Slaying both kinds of foe, may we, O Hero, be happy, helped by thee, with ample riches.
HYMN XX. Indra.1. GIVE us wealth, Indra, that with might, as heaven o'ertops the earth, o'ercomes our foes in battleWealth that brings thousands and that wins the corn-lands, wealth, Son of Strength! that vanquishesthe foeman.2 Even as the power of Dyaus, to thee, O Indra, all Asura sway was by the Gods entrusted,When thou, Impetuous! leagued with Visnu, slewest Vrtra the Dragon who enclosed the waters.3 Indra, Strong, Victor, Mightier than the mighty, addressed with prayer and perfect in his splendour,Lord of the bolt that breaketh forts in pieces, became the King of the sweet juice of Soma..4 There, Indra, while the light was won, the Panis f1ed, 'neath a hundred blows, for wise Dasoni,And greedy Susna's magical devices nor left he any of their food remaining.5 What time the thunder fell and Susna perished, all life's support from the great Druh was taken.Indra made room for his car-drivcr Kutsa who sate beside him, when he gained the sunlight.6 As the Hawk rent for him the stalk that gladdens, he wrenched the head from Namuci the Dasa.He guarded Nam, Sayya's son, in slumber, and sated him with food, success, and riches.7 Thou, thunder-armed, with thy great might hast shattered Pipru's strong forts who knew the wilesof serpents.Thou gavest to thy worshipper Rjisvan imperishable Wealth, O Bounteous Giver.8 The crafty Vetasu, the swift Dasni, and Tugra speedily with all his servants,Hath Indra, gladdening with strong assistance, forced near as 'twere to glorify the Mother.9 Resistless, with the hosts he battles, bearing in both his arms the Vrtra-slaying thunder.He mounts his Bays, as the car-seat an archer: yoked at a word they bear the lofty Indra.10 May we, O Indra, gain by thy new favour: so Parus laud thee, with their sacrifices,That thou hast wrecked seven autumn forts, their shelter, slain Dasa tribes and aided Purukutsa.11 Favouring Usana the son of Kavi, thou wast his ancient strengthener, O Indra.Thou gavest Navavastva. as a present, to the great father gavest back his grandson.12 Thou, roaring Indra, drovest on the waters that made a roaring sound like rushing rivers,What time, O Hero, o'er the sea thou broughtest, in safety broughtest Turvasa and Yadu.13 This Indra, was thy work in war: thou sentest Dhuni and Cumuri to sleep and slumber.Dabhiti lit the flame for thee, and worshipped with fuel, hymns, poured Soma, dressed oblations.
HYMN XXI. Indra. Visvedevas.1. THESE the most constant singer's invocations call thee who art to be invoked, O Hero;Hymns call anew the chariot-borne, Eternal: by eloquence men gain abundant riches.2 I praise that Indra, known to all men, honoured with songs, extolled with hymns at sacrifices,Whose majesty, rich in wondrous arts, surpasseth the magnitude of earth, and heaven in greatness.3 He hath made pathways, with the Sun to aid him, throughout the darkness that extended pathless.Mortals who yearn to worship ne'er dishonour, O Mighty God, thy Law who art Immortal.4 And he who did these things, where is that Indra? among what tribes? what people doth he visit?What sacrifice contents thy mind , and wishes? What priest among them all? what hymn, O Indra?5 Yea, here were they who, born of old, have served thee, thy friends of ancient time, thou activeWorker.Bethink thee now of these, Invoked of many! the midmost and the recent, and the youngest.
6 Inquiring after him, thy later servants, Indra, have gained thy former old traditions.Hero, to whom the prayer is brought, we praise thee as great for that wherein we know thee mighty.7 The demon's strength is gathered fast against thee: great as that strength hath grown, go forth tomeet it.With thine own ancient friend and companion, the thunderbolt, brave Champion! drive it backward.8 Hear, too, the prayer of this thy present beadsman, O Indra, Hero, cherishing the singer.For thou wast aye our fathers' Friend aforetime, still swift to listen to their supplication.9 Bring to our help this day, for our protection, Varuna, Mitra , Indra, and the Maruts,Pusan and Visnu, Agni and Purandhi, Savitar also, and the Plants and Mountains.10 The singers here exalt with hymns and praises thee who art very Mighty and Most Holy.Hear, when invoked, the invoker's invocation. Beside thee there is nonelike thee, Immortal!11 Now to my words come quickly thou who knowest, O Son of Strength, with all who claim ourworship,Who visit sacred rites, whose tongue is Agni, Gods who made Manu stronger than the Dasyu.12 On good and evil ways be thou our Leader, thou who art known to all as Path-preparer.Bring power to us, O Indra, with thy Horses, Steeds that are best to draw, broad-backed, unwearied.
HYMN XXII. Indra.1. WITH these my hymns I glorify that Indra who is alone to be invoked by mortals,The Lord, the Mighty One, of manly vigour, victorious, Hero, true, and full of wisdom.2 Our sires of old,. Navagvas, sages seven, while urging him to show his might, extolled him,Dwelling on heights, swift, smiting down opponents, guileless in word, and in his thoughts mostmighty.3 We seek that Indra to obtain his riches that bring much food, and men, and store of heroes.Bring us, Lord of Bay Steeds, to make us joyful, celestial wealth, abundant, undecaying.4 Tell thou us this, if at thy hand aforetime the earlier singers have obtained good fortune,What is thy share and portion, Strong Subduer, Asura-slayer, rich, invoked of many?5 He who for car-borne Indra, armed with thunder, hath a hymn, craving, deeply-piercing, fluent,Who sends a song effectual, firmly-grasping, and strength-bestowing, he comes near the mighty.6 Strong of thyself, thou by this art hast shattered, with thought-swift Parvata, him who waxedagainst thee,And, Mightiest! roaring! boldly rent in pieces things that were firmly fixed and never shaken.7 Him will we fit for you with new devotion, the strongest Ancient One, in ancient manner.So may that Indra, boundless, faithful Leader, conduct us o'er all places hard to traverse.8 Thou for the people who oppress hast kindled the earthly firmament and that of heaven.With heat, O Bull, on every side consume them: heat earth and flood for him who hates devotion.9 Of all the Heavenly Folk, of earthly creatures thou art the King, O God of splendid aspect.In thy right hand, O Indra, grasp die thunder: Eternal! thou destroyest all enchantments.10 Give us confirmed prosperity, O Indra, vast and exhaustless for the foe's subduing.Strengthen therewith the Arya's hate and Dasa's, and let the arms of Nahusas be mighty.11 Come with thy team which brings all blessings hither, Disposer, much-invoked, exceeding holy.Thou whom no fiend, no God can stay or hinder, come swittly with these Steeds in my direction.
HYMN XXIII. Indra.1. THOU art attached to pressed-out Soma, Indra, at laud, at prayer, and when the hymn is chanted;Or when with yoked Bays, Maghavan, thou comest, O Indra, bearing in thine arms the thunder.2 Or when on that decisive day thou holpest the presser of the juice at Vrtra's slaughter;Or when thou, while the strong one feared, undaunted, gavest to death, Indra, the daring Dasyus.3 Let Indra drink the pressed-out Soma, Helper and mighty Guide of him who sings his praises.He gives the hero room who pours oblations, and treasure even to the lowly singer.4 E'en humble rites with his Bay steeds he visits: he wields the bolt, drinks Soma, gives us cattle.
He makes the valiant rich in store of heroes, accepts our praise and hears the singer's calling.5 What he hath longed for we have brought to Indra, who from the days of old hath done us service.While Soma flows we will sing hymn, and laud him, so that our prayer may streng. then Indra'svigour.6 Thou hast made prayer the means of thine exalting, therefore we wait on thee with hymns, O Indra.May we, by the pressed Soma, Somadrinker! bring thee, with sacrifice, blissful sweet refreshment.7 Mark well our sacrificial cake, delighted Indra, drink Soma and the milk commingled.Here on the sacrificer's grass be seated: give ample room to thy devoted servant.8 O Mighty One, be joyful as thou willest. Let these our sacrifices reach and find thee;And may this hymn and these our invocations turn thee, whom many men invoke, to help us.9 Friends, when thejuices flow, replenish duly your own, your bounteous Indra with the Soma.Will it not aid him to support us? Indra. spares him who sheds the juice to win his favour.10 While Soma flowed, thus Indra hath been lauded, Ruler of nobles, mid the Bharadvajas,That Indra may become the singer's patron and give him wealth in every kind of treasure.
HYMN XXIV. Indra.1. STRONG rapturous joy, praise, glory are with Indra: impetuous God, he quaffs the juice of Soma:That Maghavan whom men must laud with singing, Heaven-dweller, King of songs, whose help islasting.2 He, Friend of man, most wise, victorious Hero, hears, with far-reaching aid, the singer call him.Excellent, Praise of Men, the bard's Supporter, Strong, he gives strength, extolled in holy synod.3 The lofty axle of thy wheels, O Hero, is not surpassed by heaven and earth in greatness.Like branches of a tree, Invoked of many manifold aids spring forth from thee, O Indra.4 Strong Lord, thine energies, endowed with vigour, are like the paths of kine converging homeward.Like bonds of cord, Indra, that bind the younglings, no bonds are they, O thou of boundless bounty.5 One act to-day, another act tomorrow oft Indra makes what is not yet existeni.Here have we Mitra, Varuna, and Pusan to overcome the foeman's domination.6 By song and sacrifice men brought the waters from thee, as from a mountain's ridge, O Indra.Urging thy might, with these fair lauds they seek thee, O theme of song, as horses rush tobattle.7 That Indra whom nor months nor autumn seasons wither with age, nor fleeting days enfeeble,-Still may his body Wax, e'en now so mighty, glorified by the lauds and hymns that praise him.8 Extolled, he bends not to the strong, the steadfast, nor to the bold incited by the Dasyu.High mountains are as level plains to Indra: even in the deep he finds firm ground to rest on.9 Impetuous Speeder through all depth and distance, give strengthening food, thou drinker of thejuices.Stand up erect to help us, unreluctant, what time the gloom of night brightens to morning.10 Hasting to help, come hither and protect him, keep him from harm when he is here, O Indra.At home, abroad, from injury preserve him. May brave sons gladden us through a hundred winters.
HYMN XXV. Indra.1. WITH thine assistance, O thou Mighty Indra, be it the least, the midmost, or the highest,-Great with those aids and by these powers support us, Strong God! in battle that subdues ourfoemen.2 With these discomfit hosts that fight against us, and check the opponent's wrath, thyself uninjured.With these chase all our foes to every quarter: subdue the tribes of Dasas to the Arya.3 Those who array themselves as foes to smite us, O Indra, be they kin or be they strangers,-Strike thou their manly strength that it be feeble, and drive in headlong flight our foemen backward.4 With strength of limb the hero slays the hero, when bright in arms they range them for the combat.When two opposing hosts contend in battle for seed and offspring, waters, kine, or corn-lands.5 Yet no strong man hath conquered thee, no hero, no brave, no warrior trusting in his valour.Not one of these is match for thee, O Indra. Thou far surpassest all these living creatures.
6 He is the Lord of both these armies' valour when the commanders call them to the conflict:When with their ranks expanded they are fighting with a great foe or for a home with heroes.7 And when the people stir themselves for battle, be thou their saviour, Indra, and protector,And theirs, thy manliest of our friends, the pious, the chiefs who have installed us priests, O Indra.8 To thee for high dominion hath been for evermore, for slaughtering the Vrtras,All lordly power and might, O Holy Indra, given by Gods for victory in battle.9 So urge our hosts together in the combats: yield up the godless bands that fight against us.Singing, at morn may we find thee with favour, yea, Indra, and e'en now, we Bharadvajas.
HYMN XXVI. Indra.1. O INDRA, hear us. Raining down the Soma, we call on thee to win us mighty valour.Give us strong succour on the day of trial, when the tribes gather on the field of battle.2 The warrior, son of warrior sire, invokes thee, to gain great strength that may be won as booty:To thee, the brave man's Lord, the fiends' subduer, he looks when fighting hand to hand for cattle.3 Thou didst impel the sage to win the daylight, didst ruin Susna for the pious Kutsa.The invulnerable demon's head thou clavest when thou wouldst win the praise of Atithigva.4 The lofty battle-car thou broughtest forward; thou holpest Dasadyu the strong when fighting.Along with Vetasu thou slewest Tugra, and madest Tuji strong, who praised thee, Indra.5 Thou madest good the laud, what time thou rentest a hundred thousand fighting foes, O Hero,Slewest the Dasa Sambara of the mountain, and with strange aids didst succour Divodasa.6 Made glad with Soma-draughts and faith, thou sentest Cumuri to his sleep, to please Dabhiti.Thou, kindly giving Raji to Pithinas, slewest with might, at once, the sixty thousand.7 May I too, with the liberal chiefs, O Indra, acquire thy blin supreme and domination,When, Mightiest! Hero-girt! Nahusa heroes boast them in thee, the triply-strong Defender.8 So may we he thy friends, thy best beloved, O Indra, at this holy invocation.Best be Pratardani, illustrious ruler, in slaying foemen and in gaining riches.
HYMN XXVII. Indra.1 WHAT deed hath Indra done in the wild transport, in quaffing or in friendship with, the Soma?What joys have men of ancient times or recent obtained within the chamber of libation?2 In its wild joy Indra hath proved him faithful, faithful in quaffing, faithful in its friendship.His truth is the delight that in this chamber the men of old and recent times have tasted.3 All thy vast power, O Maghavan, we know not, know not the riches of thy full abundance.No one hath seen that might of thine, productive of bounty every day renewed, O Indra.4 This one great power of thine our eyes have witnessed, wherewith thou slewest Varasikha'schildren,When by the force of thy descending thunder, at the mere solund, their boldest was demolished.5 In aid of Abhyavartin Cayamana, Indra destroyed the seed of Varasikha.At Hariyupiya he smote the vanguard of the Vrcivans, and the rear fled frighted.6 Three thousand, mailed, in quest of fame, together, on the Yavyavati, O much-sought Indra,Vrcivan's sons, falling before the arrow, like bursting vessels went to their destruction.7 He, whose two red Steers, seeking goodly pasture, plying their tongues move on 'twixt earth andheaven,Gave Turvasa to Srnjaya, and, to aid him, gave the Vrcivans up to Daivavata.8 Two wagon-teams, with damsels, twenty oxen, O Agni, Abhydvartin Cayamdna,The liberal Sovran, giveth me. This guerdon of Prthu's seed is hard to win from others.
HYMN XXVIII. Cows.I. THE Kine have come and brought good fortune: let them rest in the cow-pen and be happy near us.Here let them stay prolific, many-coloured, and yield through many morns their milk for Indra.2 Indra aids him who offers sacrifice and gifts: he takes not what is his, and gives him more thereto.
Increasing ever more and ever more his wealth, he makes the pious dwell within unbroken bounds.3 These are ne'er lost, no robber ever injures them: no evil-minded foe attempts to harass them.The master of the Kine lives many a year with these, the Cows whereby he pours his gifts and servesthe Gods.4 The charger with his dusty brow o'ertakes them not, and never to the shambles do they take theirway.These Cows, the cattle of the pious worshipper, roam over widespread pasture where no danger is.5 To me the Cows seem Bhaga, they seem Indra, they seem a portion of the first-poured Soma.These present Cows, they, O ye Indra. I long for Indra with my heart and spirit.6 O Cows, ye fatten e'en the worn and wasted, and make the unlovely beautiful tolook on.Prosper my house, ye with auspicious voices. Your power is glorified in our assemblies.7 Crop goodly pasturage and be prolific drink pure sweet water at good drinking places.Never be thief or sinful man your matter, and may the dart of Rudra still avoid you.8 Now let this close admixture be close intermigled with these Cows,Mixt with the Steer's prolific flow, and, Indra, with thy hero might.
HYMN XXIX Indra.1. YOUR men have followed Indra for his friendship, and for his loving-kindness glorified him.For he bestows great wealth, the Thunder-wielder: worship him, Great and Kind, to win his favour.2 Him to whose hand, men closely cling, and drivers stand on his golden chariot firmly stationed.With his firm arms he holds the reins; his Horses, the Stallions, are yoked ready for the journey.3 Thy devotees embrace thy feet for glory. Bold, thunder-armed, rich, through thy strength, inguerdon,Robed in a garment fair as heaven to look on, thou hast displayed thee like an active dancer.4 That Soma when effused hath best consistence, for which the food is dressed and grain is mingled;By which the men who pray, extolling Indra chief favourites of Gods, recite their praises.5 No limit of thy might hath been appointed, which by its greatness sundered earth and heaven.These the Prince filleth full with strong endeavour, driving, as 'twere, with help his flocks to waters.6 So be the lofty Indra prompt to listen, Helper unaided, golden-visored Hero.Yea, so may he, shown forth in might unequalled, smite down the many Vrtras and the Dasyus.
HYMN XXX. Indra.1. INDRA hath waxed yet more for hero prowess, alone, Eternal, he bestoweth treasures.Indra transcendeth both the worlds in greatness: one half of him equalleth earth and heaven.2 Yea, mighty I esteem his Godlike nature: none hindereth what he hath once determined.Near and afar he spread and set the regions, and every day the Sun became apparent.3 E'en now endures thine exploit of the Rivers, when, Indra, for their floods thou clavest passage.Like men who sit at meat the mountains settled: by thee, Most Wise! the regions were madesteadfast.4 This is the truth, none else is like thee, Indra, no God superior to thee, no mortal.Thou slewest Ahi who besieged the waters, and lettest loose the streams to hurry seaward.5 Indra, thou breakest up the floods and portals on all sides, and the firmness of the mountain.Thou art the King of men, of all that liveth, engendering at once Sun, Heaven, and Morning.
HYMN XXXI Indra.1. SOLE Lord of wealth art thou, O Lord of riches: thou in thine hands hast held the people, Indra!Men have invoked thee with contending voices for seed and waters, progeny and sunlight.2 Through fear of thee, O Indra, all the regions of earth, though naught may move them, shake andtremble.All that is firm is frightened at thy coming, -the earth, the heaven, the mountain, and the forest.3 With Kutsa, Indra! thou didst conquer Susna, voracious, bane of crops, in fight for cattle.
In the close fray thou rentest him: thou stolest the Sun's wheel and didst drive away misfortunes.4 Thou smotest to the ground the hundred castles, impregnable, of Sambara the Dasyu,When, Strong, with might thou holpest Divodasa who poured libations out, O Soma-buyer, andmadest Bharadvaja rich who praised thee.5 As such, true Hero, for great joy of battle mount thy terrific car, O Brave and Manly.Come with thine help to me, thou distant Roamer, and, glorious God, spread among men my glory.
HYMN XXXII Indra.1. I WITH my lips have fashioned for this Hero words never matched, most plentiful and auspicious,For him the Ancient, Great, Strong, Energetic, the very mighty Wielder of the Thunder.2 Amid the sages, with the Sun he brightened the Parents: glorified, he burst the mountain;And, roaring with the holy-thoughted singers, he loosed the bond that held the beams of Morning.3 Famed for great deeds, with priests who kneel and laud him, he still hath conquered in the frays forcattle,And broken down the forts, the Fort-destroyer, a Friend with friends, a Sage among the sages.4 Come with thy girthed mares, with abundant vigour and plenteous strength to him who sings thypraises.Come hither, borne by mares with many heroes, Lover of song! Steer! for the people's welfare.5 Indra with rush and might, sped by his Coursers, hath swiftly won the waters from the southward.Thus set at liberty the rivers daily flow to their goal, incessant and exhaustless.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.1. GIVE us the rapture that is mightiest, Indra, prompt to bestow and swift to aid, O Hero,That wins with brave steeds where brave steeds encounter, and quells the Vrtras and the foes inbattle.2 For with loud voice the tribes invoke thee, Indra, to aid them in the battlefield of heroes.Thou, with the singers, hast pierced through the Panis: the charger whom thou aidest wins thebooty.3 Both races, Indra, of opposing foemen, O Hero, both the Arya and the Dasa,Hast thou struck down like woods with well-shot lightnings: thou rentest them in fight, most manlyChieftain!4 Indra, befriend us with no scanty succour, prosper and aid us, Loved of all that liveth,When, fighting for the sunlight, we invoke thee, O Hero, in the fray, in war's division.5 Be ours, O Indra, now and for the future, be graciously inclined and near to help us.Thus may we, singing, sheltered by the Mighty, win many cattle on the day of trial.
HYMN XXXIV. Indra.1. FULL Many songs have met in thee, O Indra, and many a noble thought from thee proceedeth.Now and of old the eulogies of sages, their holy hymns and lauds, have yearned for Indra.2 He, praised of many, bold, invoked of many, alone is glorified at sacrifices.Like a car harnessed for some great achievement, Indra must be the cause of our rejoicing.3 They make their way to Indra and exalt him, bim whom no prayers and no laudations trouble;For when a hundred or a thousand singers. laud him who loves the song their praise delights him.4 As brightness mingles with the Moon in heaven, the offered Soma yearns to mix with Indra.Like water brought to men in desert places, our gifts at sacrifice have still refreshed him.5 To him this mighty eulogy, to Indra hath this our laud been uttered by the poets,That in the great encounter with the foemen, Loved of all life, Indra may guard and help us.
HYMN XXXV. Indra.1. WHEN shall our prayers rest in thy car beside thee? When dost thou give the singer food forthousands?When wilt thou clothe this poet's laud with plenty, and when wilt thou enrich our hymns with booty?
2 When wilt thou gatber men with men, O Indra, heroes with heroes, and prevail in combat?Thou shalt win triply kine in frays for cattle, so, Indra, give thou us celestial glory.3 Yea, when wilt thou, O Indra, thou Most Mighty, make the prayer all-sustaining for the singer?When wilt thou yoke, as we yoke songs, thy Horses, and come to offerings that bring wealth incattle?4 Grant to the Singer food with store of cattle, splendid with horses and the fame of riches.Send food to swell the milch-cow good at milking: bright be its shine among the Bharadvajas.5 Lead otherwise this present foeman, Sakra! Hence art thou praised as Hero, foe destroyerHim who gives pure gifts may I praise unceasing. Sage, quicken the Angirases by devotion.
HYMN XXXVI. Indra.1. THY raptures ever were for all men's profit: so evermore have been thine earthly riches.Thou still hast been the dealer-forth of vigour, since among Gods thou hast had power and Godhead.2 Men have obtained his strength by sacrificing, and ever urged him, on to hero valour.For the rein-seizing, the impetuous Charger they furnished power even for Vrtra's slaughter.3 Associate with him, as teams of horses, help, manly might, and vigour follow Indra.As rivers reach the sea, so, strong with praises, our holy songs reach him the Comprehensive.4 Lauded by us, let flow the spring, O Indra, of excellent and brightly-shining riches.For thou art Lord of men, without an equal: of all the world thou art the only Sovran.5 Hear what thou mayst hear, thou who, fain for worship, as heaven girds earth, guardest thyservant's treasure;Tlat thou mayst be our own, joying in power, famed through thy might in every generation.
HYMN XXXVII Indra.1. LET thy Bay Horses, yoked, O mighty Indra, bring thy car hither fraught with every blessing.For thee, the Heavenly, e'en the poor invoketh: may we this day, thy feast-companions, prosper.2 Forth to the vat the brown drops flow for service, and purified proceed directly forward.May Indra drink of this, our guest aforetime, Celestial King of the strong draught of Soma.3 Bringing us hitherward all-potent Indra on well-wheeled chariot, may the Steeds who bear himConvey him on the road direct to glory, and ne'er may Vayu's Amrta cease and fail him.4 Supreme, he stirs this man to give the guerdon,-Indra, most efficacious of the princes,-Wherewith, O Thunderer, thou removest sorrow, and, Bold One! partest wealth among the nobles.5 Indra is hewho gives enduring vigour: may our songs magnify the God Most Mighty.Best Vrtra-slayer be the Hero Indra these things he gives as Prince, with strong endeavour.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra.1. HE hath drunk hence, Most Marvellous, and carried away our great and splendid call on Indra.The Bounteous, when we serve the Gods, accepteth song yet more famous and the gifts we bringhim.2 The speaker filleth with a cry to Indra his ears who cometh nigh e'en from a distance.May this my call bring Indra to my presence, this call to Gods composed in sacred verses.3 Him have I sung with my best song and praises, Indra of ancient birth and Everlasting.For prayer and songs in him are concentrated: let laud wax mighty when addressed to Indra:4 Indra, whom sacrifice shall strengthen, Soma, and song and hymn, and praises and devotion,Whom Dawns shall strengthen when the night departeth, Indra whom days shall strengthen,months, and autumns.5 Him, born for conquering might in full perfection, and waxen strongfor bounty and for glory,Great, Powerful, will we to-day, O singer, invite to aid. us and to quell our foemen.
HYMN XXXIX Indra.1. OF this our charming, our celestial Soma, eloquent, wise, Priest, with inspired devotion,
Of this thy close attendant, hast thou drunken. God, send the singer food with milk to grace it.2 Craving the kine, rushing against the mountain led on by Law, with holyminded comrades,He broke the never-broken ridge of Vala. With words of might Indra subdued the Panis.3 This Indu lighted darksome nights, O Indra, throughout the years, at morning and at evening.Him have they stablished as the days' bright ensign. He made the Mornings to be born in splendour.4 He shone and caused to shme the worlds that shone not. By Law he lighted up the host ofMornings.He moves with Steeds yoked by eternal Order, contenting men with nave that finds the sunlight.5 Now, praised, O Ancient King! fill thou the singer with plenteous food that he may deal forthtreasures.Give waters, herbs that have no poison, forests, and kine, and steeds, and men, to him who laudsthee.
HYMN XL. Indra1. DRINK, Indra; juice is shed to make thee joyful: loose thy Bay Steeds and give thy friends theirfreedom.Begin the song, seated in our assembly. Give strength for sacrifice to him who singeth.2 Drink thou of this whereof at birth, O Indra, thou drankest, Mighty One for power and rapture.The men, the pressing-stones, the cows, the waters have made this Soma ready for thy drinking.3 The fire is kindled, Soma pressed, O Indra: let thy Bays, best to draw, convey thee hither.With mind devoted, Indra, I invoke thee. Come, for our great prosperity approach us.4 Indra, come hither: evermore thou camest through our great strong desire to drink the Soma.Listen and hear the prayers which now we offer, and let this sacrifice increase thy vigour.5 Mayst thou, O Indra, on the day of trial, present or absent, wheresoe'er thou dwellest,Thence, with thy team, accordant with the Maruts, Song-lover! guard our sacrifice, to help us.
HYMN XLL Indra.1. COME gracious to our sacrifice, O Indra: pressed Soma-drops are purified to please thee.As cattle seek their home, so Thunderwielder, come, Indra, first of those who claim our worship.2 With that well-formed most wide-extending palate, wherewith thou ever drinkest streams ofsweetness,Drink thou; the Adhvaryu standeth up before thee: let thy spoil-winning thunderbolt attend thee.3 This drop, steer-strong and omniform, the Soma, hath been made ready for the Bull, for India.Drink this, Lord of the Bays, thou Strong Supporter, this that is thine of old, thy food for ever.4 Soma when pressed excels the unpressed Soma, better, for one who knows, to give him pleasure.Come to this sacrifice of ours, O Victor replenish all thy powers with this libation.5 We call on thee, O Indra: come thou hither: sufficient be the Soma for thy body.Rejoice thee, Satakratu! in the juices guard us in wars, guard us among our people.
HYMN XLII- Indra.1. BRING sacrificial gifts to him, Omniscient, for he longs to drink,The Wanderer who comes with speed, the Hero ever in the van.2 With Soma go ye nigh to him chief drinker of the Soma's juice:With beakers to the Impetuous God, to Indra with the drops effused.3 What time, with Soma, with the juice effused, ye come before the God,Full wise he knows the hope of each, and, Bold One, strikes this foe and that.4 To him, Adhvaryu! yea, to him give offerings of the juice expressed.Will he not keep us safely from the spiteful curse of each presumptuous high-born foe?
HYMN XLIII. Indra1. IN whose wild joy thou madest once Sambara Divodasa's prey,
This Soma is pressed out for thee, O Indra: drink!2 Whose gladdening draught, shed from the points, thou guardest in the midst and end,This Soma is pressed out for thee, O Indra drink!3 In whose wild joy thou settest free the kine held fast within the rock,This Soma is pressed out for thee, O Indra: drink!4 This, in whose juice delighting thou gainest the might of Maghavan,This Soma is pressed out for thee, O Indra drink!
HYMN XLIV. Indra.1. THAT which is wealthiest, Wealthy God in splendoursmost illustrious,Soma is pressed: thy gladdening draught, Indra! libation's Lord! is this.2 Effectual, Most Effectual One! thine, as bestowing wealth of hymns,Soma is pressed: thy gladdening draught, Indra! libation's Lord! is this.3 Wherewith thou art increased in strength, and conquerest with thy proper aids,Soma is pressed: thy gladdening draught, Indra! libation's Lord! is this.4 Him for your sake I glorify as Lord of Strength who wrongeth none,The Hero Indra, conquering all, Most Bounteous, God of all the tribes.5 Those Goddesses, both Heaven and Earth, revere the power and might of him,Him whom our songs increase in strength, the Lord of bounty swift to come.6 To seat your Indra, I will spread abroad with power this song of praise.The saving succours that abide in him, like songs, extend and grow.7 A recent Friend, he found the skilful priest: he drank, and showed forth treasure from the Gods.He conquered, borne by strong all-shaking mares, and was with far-spread power his friends'Protector.8 In course of Law the sapient juice was quaffed: the Deities to glory turned their mind.Winning through hymns a lofty title, he, the Lovely, made his beauteous form apparent.9 Bestow on us the most illustrious strength ward off men's manifold malignities.Give with thy might abundant vital force, and aid us graciously in gaining riches.10 We turn to thee as Giver, liberal Indra. Lord of the Bay Steeds, be not thou ungracious.No friend among mankind have we to lookto: why have men called thee him who spurs the niggard?11 Give us not up, Strong Hero! to the hungry: unharmed be we whom thou, so rich, befriendest.Full many a boon hast thou for men demolish those who present no gifts nor pour oblations.12 As Indra thundering impels the rain-clouds, so doth he send us store of kine and horses.Thou art of old the Cherisher of singers let not the rich who bring no gifts deceive thee.13 Adbyaryu, hero, bring to mighty Indrafor he is King thereof-the pressed-out juices;To him exalted by the hymns and praises, ancient and modern, of the singing Rsis.14 In the wild joy of this hath Indra, knowing full many a form, struck down resistless Vrtras.Proclaim aloud to him the savoury Soma so that the Hero, strong of jaw, may drink it.15 May Indra drink this Soma poured to please him, and cheered therewith slay Vrtra with histhunder.Come to our sacrifice even from a distance, good lover of our songs, the bard's Supporter.16 The cup whence Indra drinks the draught is present: the Amrta dear to Indra hath been drunken,That it may cheer the God to gracious favour, and keep far from us hatred and affliction.17 Therewith enraptured, Hero, slay our foemen, the unfriendly, Maghavan be they kin or strangers,Those who still aim their hostile darts to smite us, turn them to flight, O Indra, crush and kill them.18 O Indra Maghavan, in these our battles win easy paths for us and ample freedom.That we may gain waters and seed and offspring, set thou our princes on thy side, O Indra.19 Let thy Bay Stallions, harnessed, bring thee hither, Steeds with strong chariot and strong reins tohold them,Strong Horses, speeding hither, bearing thunder, well-harnessed, for the strong exciting potion.20 Beside the vat, Strong God! stand thy strong Horses, shining with holy oil, like waves exulting.
Indra, they bring to thee, the Strong and Mighty, Soma of juices shed by mighty press-stones.21 Thou art the Bull of earth, the Bull of heaven, Bull of the rivers, Bull of standing waters.For thee, the Strong, O Bull, hath Indu swollen. juice pleasant, sweet to drink, for thine election.22 This God, with might, when first he had his being, with Indra for ally, held fast the Pani.This Indu stole away the warlike weapons, and foiled the arts of his malignant father.23 The Dawns he wedded to a glorious Consort, and set within the Sun the light that lights him.He found in heaven, in the third lucid regions, the threefold Amrta in its close concealment.24 He stayed and held the heaven and earth asunder: the chariot with the sevenfold reins heharnessed.This Soma Set with power within the milch-kine a spring whose ripe contents ten fingers empty.
HYMN XLV. Indra.1. THAT Indra is our youthful Friend, who with his trusty guidance ledTurvasa, Yadu from afar.2 Even to the dull and uninspired Indra, gives vital power, and winsEven with slow steed the offered prize.3 Great are his ways of guiding us, and!nanilbld are Ins eulogies:His kind protections never fail.4 Friends, sing your psalm and offer praise to him to whom the prayer is brought:For our great Providence is he.5 Thou, Slaughterer of Vrtra, art Guardian and Friend of one and two,Yea, of a man like one of us.6 Beyond men's hate thou leadest us, and givest cause to sing thy praise:Good hero art thou called by men.7 I call with hymns, as 'twere a cow to milk, the Friend who merits praise,The Brahman who accepts the prayer.8 Him in whose hands they say are stored all treasures from the days of old,The Hero, conquering in the fight.9 Lord of Strength, Caster of the Stone, destroy the firm forts built by men,And foil their arts, unbending God!10 Thee, thee as such, O Lord of Power, O Indra, Soma-drinker, true,We, fain for glory, have invoked.11 Such as thou wast of old, and art now to be called on when the prizelies ready, listen to our call.12 With hymns and coursers we will gain, Indra, through thee, both steeds and spoilMost glorious, and the proffered prize.13 Thou, Indra, Lover of the Song, whom men must stir to help, hast beenGreat in the contest for the prize.14 Slayer of foes, whatever aid of thine imparts the swiftest course,With that impel our car to speed.15 As skilfullest of those who drive the chariot, with our art and aim,O Conqueror, win the proffered prize.16 Praise him who, Matchless and Alone, was born the Lord of living men,Most active, with heroic soul.17 Thou who hast been the singers' Friend, a Friend auspicious with thine aid,As such, O Indra, favour us.18 Grasp in thine arms the thunderbolt, O Thunder-armed, to slay the fiends:Mayst thou subdue the foemen's host.19 I call the ancient Friend, allied with wealth, who speeds the lowly man,Him to whom chiefly prayer is brought.
20 For he alone is Lord of all the treasures of the earth: he speedsHither, chief Lover of the Song.21 So with thy yoked teams satisfy our wish with power and wealth in steedsAnd cattle, boldly, Lord of kine!22 Sing this, what time the ' juice is pressed, to him your Hero, Much-invoked,To please him as a mighty Steer.23 He, Excellent, withholdeth not his gift of power and wealth in kine,When he hath listened to our songs.24 May he with might unclose for us the cow's stall, whosesoe'er it be,To which the Dasyu-slayer goes.25 O Indra Satakratu, these our songs have called aloud to thee,Like mother cows to meet their calves.26 Hard is thy love to win: thou art a Steer to him who longs for steers:Be to one craving steeds a Steed.27 Delight thee with the juice we pour for thine own great munificence:Yield not thy singer to reproach.28 These songs with every draught we pour come, Lover of the Song, to thee,As milch-kine hasten to their young29 To thee most oft invoked, amid the many singers' rivalryWho beg with all their might for wealth.30 Nearest and most attractive may our laud, O Indra come to thee.Urge thou us on to ample wealth.31 Brbu hath set himself above the Panis, o'er their highest head,Like the wide bush on Ganga's bank.32 He whose good bounty, thousandfold, swift as the rushing of the wind,Suddenly offers as a gift.33 So all our singers ever praise the pious Brbu's noble deed,Chief, best to give his thousands, best to give a thousand liberal gifts.
HYMN XLVI. Indra.1. THAT we may win us wealth and power we poets, verily, call on thee:In war men call on thee, Indra, the hero's Lord, in the steed's race-course call on thee.2 As such, O Wonderful, whose hand holds thunder, praised as mighty, Caster of the Stone!Pour on us boldly, Indra, kine and chariotsteeds, ever to be the conqueror's strength.3 We call upon that Indra, who, most active, ever slays the foe:Lord of the brave, Most Manly, with a thousand powers, help thou and prosper us in fight.4 Rcisama, thou forcest men as with a bull, with anger, in the furious fray.Be thou our Helper in the mighty battle fought for sunlight, water, and for life.5 O Indra, bring us name and fame, enriching, mightiest, excellent,Wherewith, O Wondrous God, fair-visored, thunder-armed, thou hast filled full this earth and heaven.6 We call on thee, O King, Mighty amid the Gods, Ruler of men, to succour us.All that is weak in us, Excellent God, make firm: make our foes easy to subdue.7 All strength and valour that is found, Indra, in tribes of Nahusas, and all the splendid fame that theFive Tribes enjoyBring, yea, all manly powers at once.8 Or, Maghavan, what vigorous strength in Trksi lay, in Druhyus or in Paru's folk,Fully bestow on us, that, in the conquering fray, we may subdue our foes in fight.9 O Indra, grant a happy home, a triple refuge triply strong.Bestow a dwelling-place on the rich lords and me, and keep thy dart afar from these.10 They who with minds intent on spoil subdue the foe, boldly attack and smite him down,-
From these, O Indra Maghavan who lovest song, be closest guardian of our lives.11 And now, O Indra, strengthen us: come near and aid us in the fight,What time the feathered shafts are flying in the air, the arrows with their sharpened points.12 Give us, where heroes strain their bodies in the fight, the shelter that our fathers loved.To us and to our sons give refuge: keep afar all unobserved hostility.13 When, Indra, in the mighty fray thou urgest chargers to their speed,On the uneven road and on a toilsome path, like falcons, eager for renown,14 Speeding like rivers rushing down a steep descent, responsive to the urging call,That come like birds attracted to the bait, held in by reins in both the driver's hands.
HYMN XLVII. Indra, Etc.1. YEA, this is good to taste and full of. sweetness, verily it is strong and rich in flavour.No one may conquer Indra in the battle when he hath drunken of the draught we offer.2 This sweet juice here had mightiest power to gladden: it boldened Indra when he siaughteredVrtra,When he defeated Sambara's many onslaughts, and battered down his nineand ninety ramparts.3 This stirreth up my voice when I have drunk it: this hath aroused from sleep my yearning spirit.This Sage hath measured out the six expanses from which no single creature is excluded.4 This, even this, is he who hath created the breadth of earth, the lofty height of heaven.He formed the nectar in three headlong rivers. Soma supports the wide mid-air above us.5 He found the wavy sea of brilliant colours in forefront of the Dawns who dwell in brightness.This Mighty One, the Steer begirt by Maruts, hath propped the heavens up with a mighty pillar.6 Drink Soma boldly from the beaker, Indra, in war for treasures, Hero, Vrtra-slayer!Fill thyself full at the mid-day libation, and give us wealth, thou Treasury of riches.7 Look out for us, O Indra, as our Leader, and guide us on to gain yet goodlier treasure.Excellent Guardian, bear us well through peril, and lead us on to wealth with careful guidance.8 Lead us to ample room, O thou who knowest, to happiness, security, and sunlight.High, Indra, are the arms of thee the Mighty: may we betake. us to their lofty shelter.9 Set us on widest chariot-seat, O Indra, with two steeds best to draw, O Lord of Hundreds!Bring us the best among all sorts of viands: let not the foe's wealth, Maghavan, subdue us.10 Be gracious, Indra, let my days be lengthened: sharpen my thought as 'twere a blade of ironApprove whatever words I speak, dependent on thee, and grant me thy divine protection.11 Indra the Rescuer, Indra the Helper, Hero who listens at each invocation,Sakra I call, Indra invoked of many. May Indra Maghavan prosper and bless us.12 May helpful Indra as our good Protector, Lord of all treasures, favour us with succour,Baffle our foes, and give us rest and safety, and may we be the lords of hero vigour.13 May we enjoy the grace of him the Holy, yea, may we dwell in his auspicious favour.May helpful Indra as our good Preserver drive from us, even from afar, our foemen.14 Like rivers rushing down a slope, O Indra, to thee haste songs and prayers and linked verses.Thou gatherest, Thunderer! like widespread bounty, kine, water, drops, and manifold libations.15 Who lauds him, satisfies him, pays him worship? E'en the rich noble still hath found him mighty.With power, as when one moves his feet alternate, he makes the last precede, the foremost follow.16 Famed is the Hero as each strong man's tamer, ever advancing one and then another.King of both worlds, hating the high and haughty, Indra protects the men who are his people.17 He loves no more the men he loved aforetime: he turns and moves away allied with others.Rejecting those who disregard his worship, Indra victorious lives through many autumns.18 In every figure he hath been the mode: this is his only form for us to look on.Indra moves multiform by his illusions; for his Bay Steeds are yoked, ten times a hundred.19 Here Tvastar, yoking to the car the Bay Steeds, hath extended sway.Who will for ever stand upon the foeman's side, even when our princes sit at ease?
20 Gods, we have reached a country void of pasture the land, though spacious, was too small to holdus.Brhaspati, provide in war for cattle; find a path, Indra, for this faithful singer.21 Day after day far from their seat he drove them, alike, from place to place, those darksomecreatures.The Hero slew the meanly-huckstering Dasas, Varcin and Sambara, where the waters gather.22 Out of thy bounty, Indra, hath Prastoka bestowed ten coffers and ten mettled horses.We have received in turn from Divodasa Sambara's wealth, the gift of Atithigva.23 Ten horses and ten treasure-chests, ten garments as an added gift,These and ten lumps of gold have I received from Divodasa's hand.24 Ten cars with extra steed to each, for the Atharvans hundred cows,Hath Asvatha to Payu given.25 Thus Srnjaya's son honoured the Bharadvajas, recipients of all noble gifts and bounty.26 Lord of the wood, be firm and strong in body: be, bearing us, a brave victorious heroShow forth thy strength, compact with straps of leather, and let thy rider win all spoils of battle.27 Its mighty strength was borrowed from the heaven and earth: its conquering force was broughtfrom sovrans of the wood.Honour with holy gifts the Car like Indra's bolt, the Car bound round with straps, the vigour of thefloods.28 Thou Bolt of Indra, Vanguard of the Maruts, close knit to Varuna and Child of Mitra,-As such, accepting gifts which here we offer, receive, O Godlike Chariot, these oblations.29 Send forth thy voice aloud through earth and heaven, and let the world in all its breadth regardthee;O Drum, accordant with the Gods and Indra, drive thou afar, yea, very far, our foemen.30 Thunder out strength and fill us full of vigour: yea, thunder forth and drive away all dangers.Drive hence, O War-drum, drive away misfortune: thou art the Fist of Indra: show thy firmness.31 Drive hither those, and these again bring hither: the War-drum speaks aloud as battle's signal.Our heroes, winged with horses, come together. Let our car-warriors, Indra, be triumphant.
HYMN XLVIII. Agni and Others.1. SING to your Agni with each song, at every sacrifice, for strength.Come, let us praise the Wise and Everlasting God, even as a well-beloved Friend,2 The Son of Strength; for is he not our gracious Lord? Let us serve him who bears our gifts.In battle may he be our help and strengthener, yea, be the saviour of our lives.3 Agni, thou beamest forth with light, great Hero, never changed by time.Shining, pure Agni! with a light that never fades, beam with thy fair beams brilliantly.4 Thou worshippest great Gods: bring them without delay by wisdom and thy wondrous power.O Agni, make them turn hither to succour us. Give strength, and win it for thyself.5 He whom floods, stones, and trees support, the offspring of eternal Law;He who when rubbed with force is brought to life by men upon the lofty height of earth;6 He who hath filled both worlds fult with his brilliant shine, who hastens with his smoke to heaven;He made himself apparent through the gloom by night, the Red Bull in the darksome nights, the RedBull in the darksome nights.7 O Agni, with thy lofty beams, with thy pure brilliancy, O God,Kindled, Most Youthful One! by Bharadvaja's hand, shine on us, O pure God, with wealth, shine,Purifier! splendidly.8 Thou art the Lord of house and home of all the tribes, O Agni, of all tribes of men.Guard with a hundred forts thy kindler from distress, through hundred winters, Youngest God! andthose who make thy singers rich.9 Wonderful, with thy favouring help, send us thy bounties, gracious Lord.Thou art the Charioteer, Agni, of earthly wealth: find rest and safety for our seed.10 With guards unfailing never negligent speed thou our children and our progeny.
Keep far from us, O Agni, all celestial wrath and wickedness of godless men.11 Hither, O friends, with newest song drive her who freely pours her milk;Loose her who never turns away;12 Who, for the host of Maruts bright with native sheen, hath shed immortal fame like milk;Whom the impetuous Maruts look upon with love, who moves in splendour on their ways.13 For Bharadvaja she poured down in days of oldThe milch-cow yielding milk for all, and food that gives all nourishment.14 Your friend like Indra passing wise, with magic power like Varuna.Like Aryaman joy-giving, bringing plenteous food like ViSnxu for my wish, I praise,15 Bright as the host of Maruts mighty in their roar. May they bring Pusan free from foes;May they bring hither hundreds, thousands for our men: may they bring hidden stores to light, andmake wealth easy to be found.16 Haste to me, Pusan, in thine car, bright Deity: I fain would speak:Most sinful is our foeman's hate.17 Tear not up by the roots the Kakambira tree: destroy thou all malignity.Let them not snare by day the neck of that Celestial Bird the Sun.18 Uninjured let thy friendship be, like the smooth surface of a skin,A flawless skin, containing curds, full to the mouth, containing curds.19 For thou art high above mankind, in glory equal to the Gods.Therefore, O Pusan, look upon us in the fight: now help us as in days of old.20 May the kind excellence of him the Kind, loud Roarers! be our guide,Be it the God's, O Maruts, or a mortal man's who worships, ye impetuous Ones!21 They whose high glory in a moment like the God, the Sun, goes round the space of heaven,The Maruts have obtained bright strength, a sacred name, strength that destroys the Vrtras,strength Vrtra-destroying excellent.22 Once, only once, the heaven was made, once only once, the earth was formed-Once, only Prsni's milk was shed: no second, after this, is born.
HYMN XLIX. Visvedevas.1. I LAUD with newest songs the Righteous People, Mitra and Varuna who make us happy.Let them approach, here let them listen,Agni, Varuna, Mitra, Lords of fair dominion.2 Him, to be praised at each tribe's sacrifices, the Two young Matrons' sober-minded Herald,The Son of Strength, the Child of Heaven, the signal of sacrifice, red Agni will I worship.3 Unlike in form are the Red God's two Daughters: one is the Sun's, and stars bedeck the other.Apart, the Sanctifiers, in succession, come to the famed hymn, praised in holy verses.4 I with a lofty song call hither Vayu, all-bounteous, filler of his car, most wealthy.Thou, Sage, with bright path, Lord of harnessed horses, impetuous, promptly honourest the prudent.5 That chariot of the Asvins, fair to look on, pleaseth me well, yoked with a thought, refulgent,Wherewith, Nasatyas, Chiefs, ye seek our dwelling, to give new strength to us and to our children.6 Bulls of the Earth, O Vata and Parjanya, stir up for us the regions of the water.Hearers of truth, ye, Sages, World-Supporters, increase his living wealth whose songs delight you.7 So may Sarasvati, the Hero's Consort, brisk with rare life, the lightning's Child, inspire us,And, with the Dames accordant, give the singer a refuge unassailable and flawless.8 I praise with eloquence him who guards all pathways. He, when his love impelled him, went toArka.May he vouchsafe us gear with gold to grace it: may Pusan make each prayer of ours efective.9 May Herald Agni, fulgent, bring for worship Tvastar adored, in homes and swift to listen,Glorious, first to share, the life-bestower, the ever active God, fair-armed, fair-handed.10 Rudra by day, Rudra at night we honour with these our songs, the Universe's Father.Him great and lofty, blissful, undecaying let us call specially as the Sage impels us.11 Ye who are youthful, wise, and meet for worship, come, Martits, to the longing of the singer.
Coming, as erst to Angiras, O Heroes, ye animate and quicken e'en the desert.12 Even as the herdsman driveth home his cattle, I urge my songs to him the strong swift HeroMay he, the glorious, lay upon his body the singer's hymns, as stars bedeck the heaven.13 He who for man's behoof in his afiliction thrice measured out the earthly regions, Visnu-When one so great as thou affordeth shelter, may we with wealth and with ourselves be happy.14 Sweet be this song of mine to Ahibudhnya, Parvata, Savitar, with Floods and Lightnings;Sweet, with the Plants, to Gods who seek oblations. May liberal Bhaga speed us on to riches.15 Give riches borne on cars, with many heroes, contenting men, the guard of mighty Order.Give us a lasting home that we may battle with godless bands of men who fight against us, and meetwith tribes to whom the Gods are gracious.
HYMN L. Visvedevas.1. I CALL with prayers on Aditi your Goddess, on Agni, Mitra, Varuna for favour,On Aryaman who gives unasked, the gracious, on Gods who save, on Savitar and Bhaga.2 Visit, to prove us free from sin, O Surya Lord of great might, the bright Gods sprung from Daksa,Twice-born and true, observing sacred duties, Holy and full of light, whose tongue is Agni.3 And, O ye Heaven and Earth, a wide dominion, O ye most blissful Worlds, our lofty shelter,Give ample room and freedom for our dwelling, a home, ye Hemispheres, which none may rival.4 This day invited may the Sons of Rudra, resistless, excellent, stoop down to meet us;For, when beset with slight or sore affliction, we ever call upon the Gods, the Maruts;5 To whom the Goddess Rodasi clings closely, whom Pusan follows bringing ample bounty.What time ye hear our call and come, O Maruts, upon your separate path all creatures tremble.6 With a new hymn extol, O thou who singest, the Lover of the Song, the Hero Indra.May he, exalted, hear our invocation, and grant us mighty wealth and strength when lauded.7 Give full protection, Friends of man, ye Waters, in peace and trouble, to our sons and grandsons.For ye are our most motherly physicians, parents of all that standeth, all that moveth.8 May Savitar come hither and approach us, the God who rescues, Holy, goldenhanded,The God who, bounteous as the face of Morning, discloses precious gifts for him who worships.9 And thou, O Son of Strength, do thou turn hither the Gods to-day to this our holy service.May I for evermore enjoy thy bounty and, Agni, by thy grace be rich in heroes.10 Come also to my call, O ye Nasatyas, yea, verily, through my prayers, ye Holy Sages.As from great darkness ye delivered Atri, protect us, Chiefs, from danger in the conflict.11 O Gods, bestow upon us riches, splendid with strength and heroes, bringing food in plenty.Be gracious, helpful Gods of earth, of heaven, born of the Cow, and dwellers in the waters.12 May Rudra and Sarasvati, accordant, Visnu and Vayu, pour down gifts and bless us;Rbhuksan, Vaja, and divine Vidhatar, Parjanya, Vata make our food abundant.13 May this God Savitar, the Lord, the Offspring of Waters, pouring down his dew be gracious,And, with the Gods and Dames accordant, Tvastar; Dyaus with the Gods and Prthivi with oceans.14 May Aja-Ekapad and Ahibudhnya, and Earth and Ocean hear our invocation;All Gods who strengthen Law, invoked and lauded, and holy texts uttered by sages, help us.15 So with my thoughts and hymns of praise the children of Bharadvaja sing aloud to please you.The Dames invoked, and the resistless Vasus, and all ye Holy Ones have been exalted.
HYMN LI. Visvedevas.1. THAT mighty eye of Varuna and Mitra, infallible and dear, is moving upward.The pure and lovely face of holy Order hath shone like gold of heaven in its arising.2 The Sage who knows these Gods' three ranks and orders, and all their generations near anddistant,Beholding good and evil acts of mortals, Sura marks well the doing of the pious.3 I praise you Guards of mighty Law eternal, Aditi, Mitra, Varuna, the noble,Aryaman, Bhaga, all whose thoughts are faithful: hither I call the Bright who share in common.
4 Lords of the brave, infallible, foe-destroyers, great Kings, bestowers of fair homes to dwell in,Young, Heroes, ruling heaven with strong dominion, Adityas, Aditi I seek with worship.5 O Heaven our Father, Earth our guileless Mother, O Brother Agni, and ye Vasus, bless us.Grant us, O Aditi and ye Adityas, all of one mind, your manifold protection.6 Give us not up to any evil creature, as spoil to wolf or she-wolf, O ye Holy.For ye are they who guide aright our bodies, ye are the rulers of our speech and vigour.7 Let us not suffer for the sin of others, nor do the deed which ye, O Vasus, punish.Ye, Universal Gods! are all-controllers: may he do harm unto himself who hates Me.8 Mighty is homage: I adopt and use it. Homage hath held in place the earth and heaven.Homage to Gods! Homage commands and rules them. I banish even committed sin by homage9 You Furtherers of Law, pure in your spirit, infallible, dwellers in the home of Order,To you all Heroes mighty and far-seeing I bow me down, O Holy Ones, with homage.10 For these are they who shine with noblest splendour; through all our troubles these conduct ussafely-Varuna, Mitra, Agni, mighty Rulers, trueminded, faithful to the hymn's controllers.11 May they, Earth, Aditi, Indra, Bhaga, Pusan increase our laud, increase the Fivefold people.Giving good help, good refuge, goodly guidance, be they our good deliverers, good protectors.12 Come now, O Gods, to your celestial station: the Bharadvajas' priest entreats your favour.He, sacrificing, fain for wealth, hath honoured the Gods vath those who sit and share oblations.13 Agni, drive thou the wicked foe, the evil-hearted thief away,Far, far, Lord of the brave I and give us easy paths.14 Soma, these pressing-stones have called aloud to win thee for our Friend.Destroy the greedy Pani, for a wolf is he.15 Ye, O most bountiful, are they who, led by Indra, seek the sky.Give us good paths for travel: guard us ivell at home.16 Now have we entered on the road that leads to bliss, without a foe,The road whereon a man escapes all enemies and gathers wealth.
HYMN LIL Visvedevas.1. THIS I allow not in the earth or heaven, at sacrifice or in these holy duties.May the huge mountains crush him down: degraded be Atiyaja's sacrificing patron.2 Or he who holds us in contempt, O Maruts, or seeks to blame the prayer that we are making,May agonies of burning be his portion. May the sky scorch the man who hates devotion.3 Why then, O Soma, do they call thee keeper of prayer? Why then our guardian from reproaches?Why then beholdest thou how men revile us? Cast thy hot dart at him who hates devotion.4 May Mornings as they spring to life, protect me, and may the Rivers as they swell preserve me.My guardians be the firmly-seated mountains: the Fathers, when I call on Gods, defend me!5 Through all our days may we be healthy. minded, and look upon the Sun when he arises.Grant this the Treasure-Lord of treasures, coming, observant, oftenest of Gods, with succour!6 Most near, most oft comes Indra with protection, and she Sarasvati, who swells with rivers -Parjanya, bringing health with herbs, and Agni, well lauded swift to listen, like a father.7 Hear this mine invocation; come hither, O Universal Gods,Be seated on this holy grass.8 To him who comes to meet you, Gods, with offerings bathed in holy oil-Approach ye, one and all, to him.9 All Sons of Immortality shall listen to the songs we sing,And be exceeding good to us.10 May all the Gods who strengthen Law, with Rtus, listening to our call,Be pleased with theit appropriate draught.11 May 1ndra, with the Marut host, with Tvastar, Mitra, Aryaman,
Accept the laud and these our gifts.12 O Agni, Priest, as rules ordain, offer this sacrifice of ours,Remembering the Heavenly Folk.13 Listen, All-Gods, to this mine invocation, Ye who inhabit heaven, and air's midregions,All ye, O Holy Ones, whose tongue is Agni, seated upon this sacred grass, be joyful.14 May the All-Gods who claim our worship hear my thought; may the two World-halves hear it, andthe Waters' Child.Let me not utter words that ye may disregard. Closely allied with you may we rejoice in bliss.15 And those who, Mighty, with the wiles of serpents, were born on earth, in heaven, where watersgather-May they vouchsafe us life of full duration. May the Gods kindly give us nights and mornings.16 At this my call, O Agni and Parjanya, help, swift to hear, my thought and our laudation.One generates holy food, the other offspring, so grant us food enough with store of children.17 When holy grass is strewn and fire enkindled, with hymn and lowly homage I invite you.All-Gods, to day in this our great assembly rejoice, ye Holy, in the gifts we offer.
HYMN LIII. Pusan.1. LORD of the path, O Pusan, we have yoked and bound thee to our hymn,Even as a car, to win the prize.2 Bring us the wealth that men require, a manly master of a house,Free-handed with the liberal meed.3 Even him who would not give, do thou,O glowing Pusan, urge to give,And make the niggard's soul grow soft.4 Clear paths that we may win the prize; scatter our enemies afar.Strong God, be all our thoughts fulfilled.5 Penetrate with an awl, O Sage, the hearts of avaricious churls,And make them subject to our will.6 Thrust with thine awl, O Pusan: seek that which the niggard's heart holds dear,And make him subject to our will.7 Tear up and read in pieces, Sage, the hearts of avaricious churls,And make them subject to our will.8 Thou, glowing Pusan, carriest an awl that urges men to prayer;Therewith do thou tear up and rend to shreds the heart of every one.9 Thou bearest, glowing Lord! a goad with horny point that guides the cowsThence do we seek thy gift of bliss.10 And make this hymn of ours produce kine, horses, and a store of wealthFor our delight and use as men.
HYMN LIV. Pusan.1. O PUSAN, bring us to the man who knows, who shall direct us straight,And say unto us, It is here.2 May we go forth with Pusan who shall point the houses out to us,And say to us, These same are they.3 Unharmed is Pusan's chariot wheel; the box ne'er falleth to the ground,Nor doth the loosened felIy shake.4 Pusan forgetteth not the man who serveth him with offered gift:That man is first to gather wealth.5 May Pusan follow near our kine; may Pusan keep our horses safe:May Pusan gather gear for us.6 Follow the kine of him who pours libations out and worships thee;
And ours who sing thee songs of praise.7 Let none be lost, none injured, none sink in a pit and break a limb.Return with these all safe and sound.8 Pusan who listens to our prayers, the Strong whose wealth is never lost,The Lord of riches, we implore.9 Secure in thy protecting care, O Pusan, never may we fail.We here are they who sing thy praise.10 From out the distance, far and wide, may Pusan stretch his right hand forth,And drive our lost again to us.
HYMN LV. Pusan.1. SON of Deliverance, come, bright God!Let us twain go together: be our charioteer of sacrifice.2 We pray for wealth to thee most skilled of charioteers, with braided hair,Lord of great riches, and our Friend.3 Bright God whose steeds are goats, thou art a stream of wealth, a treasure-heap,The Friend of every pious man.4 Pusan, who driveth goats for steeds, the strong and Mighty, who is calledHis Sister's lover, will we laud.5 His Mother's suitor I address. May he who loves his Sister hear,Brother of Indra, and my Friend.6 May the sure-footed goats come nigh, conveying Pusan on his car,The God who visiteth mankind.
HYMN LVI, Pusan.1. WHOSO remembers Pusan as cater of mingled curd and mealNeed think no more upon the God.2 And he is best of charioteers. Indra, the hero's Lord, alliedWith him as Friend, destroys the foes.3 And there the best of charioteers hath guided through the speckled cloudThe golden wheel of Sura's car.4 Whate'er we speak this day to thee, Wise, Wondrous God whom many praise,Give thou fulfilment of our thought.5 Lead on this company of ours, that longs for kine, to win the spoil:Thou, Pusan, art renowned afar.6 Prosperity we crave from thee, afar from sin and near to wealth,Tending to perfect happiness both for to. morrow and to-day.
HYMN LVII. Indra and Pusan.1. INDRA and Pusan will we call for friend ship and prosperityAnd for the winning of the spoil.2 One by the Soma sits to drink juice which the mortar hath expressed:The other longs for curd and meal.3 Goats are the team that draws the one: the other hath Bay Steeds at hand;With both of these he slays the fiends.4 When Indra, wondrous strong, brought down the streams, the mighty waterfloods,Pusan was standing by his side.5 To this, to Pusan's favouring love, and Indra's, may we closely cling,As to a tree's extended bough.6 As one who drives a car draws in his reins, may we draw Pusan near,
And Indra, for our great success.
HYMN LVIII. Pusan.1. LIKE heaven art thou: one form is bright, one holy, like Day and Night dissimilar in colour.All magic powers thou aidest, self-depen. dent! Auspicious be thy bounty here, O Pusan.2 Goat-borne, the guard of cattle, he whose home is strength, inspirer of the hymn, set over all theworld;Brandishing here and there his lightly. moving goad, beholding every creature, Pusan, God, goesforth.3 O Pusan, with thy golden ships that travel across the ocean, in the air's mid-region,Thou goest on an embassy to Surya, subdued by love, desirous of the glory.4 Near kinsman of the heaven and earth is Pusan, liberal, Lord of food, of wondrous iustre,Whom strong and vigorous and swiftlymoving, subdued by love, the Deities gave to Surya.
HYMN LIX. Indra-Agni.1. I WILL declare, while juices flow, the manly deeds that ye have done:Your Fathers, enemies of Gods, were smitten down, and, Indra-Agni, ye survive.2 Thus, Indra-Agnip verily your greatness merits loftiest praise,Sprung from one common Father, brothers, twins are ye; your Mother is in every place.3 These who delight in flowing juice, like fellow horses at their food,Indra and Agni, Gods armed with the thunderbolt, we call this day to come with help.4 Indra and Agni, Friends of Law, served with rich gifts, your speech is kindTo him who praises you while these libations flow: that man, O Gods, ye ne'er consume.5 What mortal understands, O Gods, Indra and Agni, this your way?One of you, yoking Steeds that move to every side, advances in your common car.6 First, Indra-Agni, hath this Maid come footless unto those with feet.Stretching her head and speaking loudly with her tongue, she hath gone downward thirty steps.7 E'en now, O Indra-Agni, men hold in their arms and stretch their bows.Desert us not in this great fray, in battles for the sake of kine.8 The foeman's sinful enmities, Indra and Agni, vex me sore.Drive those who hate me far away, and keep them distant from the Sun.9 Indra and Agni, yours are all the treasures of the heavens and earth.Here give ye us the opulence that prospers every living man.10 O Indra-Agni, who accept the laud, and hear us for our praise,Come near us, drawn by all our songs, to drink of this our Soma juice.
HYMN LX. Indra-Agni.1. HE slays the foe and wins the spoil who worships Indra and Agni, strong and mighty Heroes,Who rule as Sovrans over ample riches, victorious, showing forth their power in conquest.2 So battle now, O Indra and thou, Agni, for cows and waters, sunlight, stolen Mornings.Team-borne, thou makest kine thine own, O Agni: thou, Indra, light, Dawns, regions, wondrouswaters.3 With Vrtra-slaying might, Indra and Agni, come, drawn by homage, O ye Vrtra-slayers.Indra and Agni, show yourselves among us with your supreme and unrestricted bounties.4 I call the Twain whose deeds of old have all been famed in ancient daysO Indra-Agni, harm us not.5 The Strong, the scatterers of the foe, Indra and Agni, we invoke;May they be kind to one like me.6 They slay our Arya foes, these Lords of heroes, slay our Dasyu foesAnd drive our enemies away.7 Indra and Agni, these our songs of praise have sounded forth to you:
Ye who bring blessings! drink the juice.8 Come, Indra-Agni, with those teams, desired of many, which ye have,O Heroes, for the worshipper.9 With those to this libation poured, ye Heroes, Indra-Agni, come:Come ye to drink the Soma juice.10 Glorify him who compasses all forests with his glowing flame,And leaves them blackened with his tongue.11 He who gains Indra's bliss with fire enkindled finds an easy wayOver the floods to happiness.12 Give us fleet coursers to convey Indra and Agni, and bestowAbundant strengthening food on us.13 Indra and Agni, I will call you hither and make you joyful with the gifts I offer.Ye Twain are givers both of food and riches: to win me strength and vigour I invoke you.14 Come unto us with riches, come with wealth in horses and in kine.Indra and Agni, we invoke you both, the Gods, as Friends for friendship, bringing bliss.15 Indra and Agni, hear his call who worships. with libations poured.Come and enjoy the offerings, drink the sweetly-flavoured Soma juice.
HYMN LXI. Sarasvati.1. To Vadhryasva when. be worshipped her with gifts she gave fierce Divodasa, canceller of debts.Consumer of the churlish niggard, one and all, thine, O Sarasvati, are these effectual boons.2 She with her might, like one who digs for lotus-stems, hath burst with her strong waves the ridgesof the hills.Let us invite with songs and holy hymns for help Sarasvati who slayeth the Paravatas.3 Thou castest down, Sarasvati, those who scorned the Gods, the brood of every Brsaya skilled inmagic arts.Thou hast discovered rivers for the tribes of men, and, rich in wealth! made poison flow away fromthem.4 May the divine Sarasvati, rich in her wealth, protect us well,Furthering all our thoughts with might5 Whoso, divine Sarasvati, invokes thee where the prize is set,Like Indra when he smites the foe.6 Aid us, divine Sarasvad, thou who art strong in wealth and powerLike Pusan, give us opulence.7 Yea, this divine Sarasvati, terrible with her golden path,Foe-slayer, claims our eulogy.8 Whose limitless unbroken flood, swift-moving with a rapid rush,Comes onward with tempestuous roar.9 She hath spread us beyond all foes, beyond her Sisters, Holy One,As Surya spreadeth out the days.10 Yea, she most dear amid dear stream, Seven-sistered, graciously inclined,Sarasvati hath earned our praise.11 Guard us from hate Sarasvati, she who hath filled the realms of earth,And that wide tract, the firmament!12 Seven-sistered, sprung from threefold source, the Five Tribes' prosperer, she must beInvoked in every deed of might.13 Marked out by majesty among the Mighty Ones, in glory swifter than the other rapid Streams,Created vast for victory like a chariot, Sarasvati must be extolled by every sage.14 Guide us, Sarasvati, to glorious treasure: refuse us not thy milk, nor spurn us from thee.Gladly accept our friendship and obedience: let us not go from thee to distant countries.
HYMN LXII. Asvins.1. I LAUD the Heroes Twain, this heaven's Controllers: singing with songs of praise I call the Asvins,Fain in a moment, when the morns are breaking, to part the earth's ends and the spacious regions.2 Moving to sacrifice through realms of lustre they light the radiance of the car that bears them.Traversing many wide unmeasured spaces, over the wastes ye pass, and fields, and waters.3 Ye to that bounteous path of yours, ye mighty, have ever borne away our thoughts with horses,Mind-swift and full of vigour, that the trouble of man who offers gifts might cease and slumber.4 So ye, when ye have yoked your chariothorses, come to the hymn of the most recent singer.Our true and ancient Herald Priest shall bring you, the Youthful, bearing splendour, food, and vigour.5 With newest hymn I call those Wonder-Workers, ancient and brilliant, and exceeding mighty,Bringers of bliss to him who lauds and praises, bestowing varied bounties on the singer.6 So ye, with birds, out of the sea and waters bore Bhujyu, son of Tugra, through the regions.Speeding with winged steeds through dustless spaces, out of the bosom of the flood they bore him.7 Victors, car-borne, ye rent the rock asunder: Bulls, heard the calling of the eunuch's consort.Bounteous, ye filled the cow with milk for Sayu: thus, swift and zealous Ones, ye showed your favour.8 Whate'er from olden time, Heaven, Earth! existeth great object of the wrath of Gods and mortals,Make that, Adityas, Vasus, sons of Rudra, an evil brand to one allied with demons.9 May he who knows, as Varuna and Mitra, air's realm, appointing both the Kings in season,Against the secret fiend cast forth his weapon, against the lying words that strangers utter.10 Come to our home with friendly wheels, for offipring; come on your radiant chariot rich in heroes.Strike off, ye Twain, the heads of our assailants who with man's treacherous attack approach us.11 Come hitherward to us with teams of horses, the highest and the midmost and the lowest.Bountiful Lords, throw open to the singer doors e'en of the firm-closed stall of cattle.
HYMN LXIII. Asvins.1. WHERE hath the hymn with reverence, like an envoy, found both fair Gods to-day, invoked ofmany-Hymn that hath brought the two Nasatyas hither? To this man's thought be ye, both Gods, mostfriendly.2 Come readily to this mine invocation, lauded with songs, that ye may drink the juices.Compass this house to keep it from the foeman, that none may force it, either near or distant.3 Juice in wide room hath been prepared to feast you: for you the grass is strewn, most soft to treadon.With lifted hands your servant hath adored you. Yearningfor you the press-stones shed the liquid.4 Agni uplifts him at your sacrifices: forth goes the oblation dropping oil and glowing.Up stands the grateful-minded priest, elected, appointed to invoke the two Nasatyas.5 Lords of great wealth! for glory, Surya's Daughter mounted your car that brings a hundredsuccours.Famed for your magic arts were ye, magicians! amid the race of Gods, ye dancing Heroes!6 Ye Twain, with these your glories fair to look on, brought, to win victory, rich gifts for Surya.After you flew your birds, marvels of beauty: dear to our hearts! the song, well lauded, reached you.7 May your winged coursers, best to draw. Nasatyas! convey you to the object of your wishes.Swift as the thought, your car hath been sent onward to food of many a sort and dainty viands.8 Lords of great wealth, manifold is your bounty: ye filled our cow with food that never faileth.Lovers of sweetness! yours are praise and singers, and poured libations which have sought yourfavour.9 Mine were two mares of Puraya, brown, swift-footed; a hundred with Sumidha, food with PerukSanda gave ten gold-decked and well-trained horses, tame and obedient and of lofty stature.10 Nasatyas! Purupanthas offered hundreds, thousands of steeds to him who sang your praises,Gave, Heroes! to the singer Bharadvaja. Ye-Wonder-Workers, let the fiends be slaughtered.11 May I with princes share your bliss in freedom.
HYMN LXIV. Dawn.1. THE radiant Dawns have risen up for glory, in their white splendour like the waves of waters.She maketh paths all easy, fair to travel, and, rich, hath shown herself benign and friendly.2 We see that thou art good: far shines thy lustre; thy beams, thy splendours have flown up toheaven.Decking thyself, thou makest bare thy bosom, shining in majesty, thou Goddess Morning.3 Red are the kine and luminous that bear her the Blessed One who spreadeth through the distance.The foes she chaseth like a valiant archer, like a swift warrior she repelleth darkness.4 Thy ways are easy on the hills: thou passest Invincible! Se1f-luminous! through waters.So lofty Goddess with thine ample pathway, Daughter of Heaven, bring wealth to give us comfort.5 Dawn, bring me wealth: untroubled, with thine oxen thou bearest riches at thy will and pleasure;Thou who, a Goddess, Child of Heaven, hast shown thee lovely through bounty when we called theeearly.6 As the birds fly forth from their restingplaces, so men with store of food rise at thy dawning.Yea, to the liberal mortal who rernaineth at home, O Goddess Dawn, much good thou bringest.
HYMN LXV. Dawn.1. SHEDDING her light on human habitations this Child of Heaven hath called us from our slumber;She who at night-time with her argent lustre hath shown herself e'en through the shades ofdarkness.2 All this with red-rayed steeds have they divided: the Dawns on bright cars shine in wondrousfashion.They, bringing near the stately rite's commencement, drive far away the night's surroundingshadows.3 Dawns, bringing hither, to the man who worships, glory and power and might and food and vigour,Opulent, with imperial sway like heroes, favour your servant and this day enrich him.4 Now is there treasure for the man who serves you, now for the hero, Dawns! who brings oblation;Now for the singer when he sings the praise-song. Even to one like me ye brought aforetime.5 O Dawn who standest on the mountain ridges, Angirases now praise thy stalls of cattle.With prayer and holy hymn they burst them open: the heroes' calling on the Gods was fruitful.6 Shine on us as of old, thou Child of Heaven,on him, rich Maid! who serves like Bharadvaja.Give to the singer wealth with noble heroes, and upon us bestow wide-spreading glory.
HYMN LXVI. Maruts.1. E'EN to the wise let that be still a wonder to which the general name of Cow is given.The one hath swelled among mankind for milking: Prsni hath drained but once her fair bright udder.2 They who like kindled flames of fire are glowing,. the Maruts, twice and thrice have waxen mighty.Golden and dustless were their cars, invested with their great strength and their heroic vigour.3 They who are Sons of the rain-pouring Rudra, whom the long-lasting One had power to foster:The Mighty Ones whose germ great Mother Prsni is known to have received for man's advantage.4 They shrink not from the birth; in this same manner still resting there they purge away reproaches.When they have streamed forth, brilliant, at their pleasure, with their own splendour they bedewtheir bodies.5 Even those who bear the brave bold name of Maruts, whom not the active quickly wins for milking.Even the liberal wards not off those fierce ones, those who are light and agile in their greatness.6 When, strong in strength and armed with potent weapons, they had united wellformed earth andheaven,Rodasl stood among these furious Heroes like splendour shining with her native brightness.7 No team of goats shall draw your car, O Maruts, no horse no charioteer be he who drives it.Halting not, reinless, through the air it travels, speeding alone its paths through earth and heaven.8 None may obstruct, none overtake, O Maruts, him whom ye succour in the strife of battle
For sons and progeny, for kine and waters: he bursts the cow-stall on the day of trial.9 Bring a bright hymn to praise the band of Maruts, the Singers, rapid, strong in native vigour,Who conquer mighty strength with strength more mighty: earth shakes in terror at their wars, OAgni.10 Bright like the flashing flames of sacrifices, like tongues of fire impetuous in their onset,Chanting their psalm, singing aloud, like heroes, splendid from birth, invincible, the Maruts.11 That swelling band I call with invocation, the brood of Rudra, armed with glittering lances.Pure hymns are meet for that celestial army: like floods and mountains have the Strong Ones battled.
HYMN LXVIL Mitra-Varuna.1. NOW Mitra-Varuna shall be exalted high by your songs, noblest of all existing;They who, as 'twere with reins are best Controllers, unequalled with their arms to check the people.2 To you Two Gods is this my thought extended, turned to the sacred grass with loving homage.Give us, O Mitra-Varuna, a dwelling safe from attack, which ye shall guard, Boon-Givers!3 Come hither, Mitra-Varuna, invited with eulogies and loving adoration,Ye who with your might, as Work-Controllers, urge even men who quickly hear to labour.4 Whom, of pure origin, like two strong horses, Aditi bore as babes in proper season,Whom, Mighty at your birth, the Mighty Goddess brought forth as terrors to the mortal foeman.5 As all the Gods in their great joy and gladness gave you with one accord your high dominion,As ye surround both worlds, though wide and spacious your spies are ever true and neverbewildered.6 So, through the days maintaining princely power. ye prop the height as 'twere from loftiest heaven.The Star of all the Gods, established, filleth the heaven and earth with food of man who liveth.7 Take the strong drink, to quaff till ye are sated, when he and his attendants fill the chamber.The young Maids brook not that none seeks to win them, when, Quickeners of all! they scattermoisture.8 So with your tongue come ever, when your envoy, faithful and very wise, attends our worship.Nourished by holy oil! he this yGur glory: annihilate the sacrificer's trouble.9 When, Mitra-Varuna, they strive against you and break tlie friendly laws ye have established,They, neither Gods nor men in estimation, like Api's sons have godless sacrifices.10 When singers in their song uplift their voices, some chant the Nivid texts with steady purpose.Then may we sing you lauds that shall be fruitful: dp ye not rival all the Gods in greatness?11 O Mitra-Varuna, may your large bounty come to us hither, near to this our dwelling,When the kine haste to us, and when they harness the fleet-foot mettled stallion for the battle.
HYMN LXVIII. Indra-Varuna.1. HIS honouring rite whose grass is trimmed is offered swiftly to you, in Manu's wise, accordant,The rite which Indra-Varuna shall carry this day to high success and glorious issue.2 For at Gods' worship they are best through vigour; they have become the strongest of the Heroes;With mighty strength, most liberal of the Princes, Chiefs of the host, by Law made Vrtra's slayers.3 Praise those Twain Gods for powers that merit worship, Indra and Varuna, for bliss, the joyous.One with his might and thunderbolt slays Vrtra; the other as a Sage stands near in troubles.4 Though dames and men have waxen strong and mighty, and all the Gods selfpraised among theHeroes,Ye, Indra-Varuna, have in might surpassed them, and thus were ye spread wide, O Earth andHeaven.5 Righteous is he, and liberal and helpful who, Indra-Varuna, brings you gifts with gladness.That bounteous man through food shall conquer faemen, and win him opulence and wealthy people.6 May wealth which ye bestow in food and treasure on him who brings you gifts and sacrifices,Wealth, Gods! which breaks the curse of those who vex us, be, Indra-Varuna, e'en our ownpossession.
7 So also, Indra-Varuna, may our princes have riches swift to save, with Gods to guard them-They whose great might gives victory in battles, and their triumphant glory spreads with swiftness.8 Indra. and Varuna, Gods whom we are lauding, mingle ye wealth with our heroic glory.May we, who praise the strength of what is mighty, pass dangers, as with boats we cross the waters.9 Now will I sing a dear and far-extending hymn to Varuna the God, sublime, imperial Lord,Who, mighty Governor, Eternal, as with flame, illumines both wide worlds with majesty and power.10 True to Law, Indra-Varuna, drinkers of the juice, drink this pressed Soma which shall give yourapturous joy.Your chariot cometh to the banquet of the Gods, to sacrifice, as it were home, that ye may drink.11 Indra and Varuna, drink your fill, ye Heroes, of this invigorating sweetest Soma.This juice is shed by us that ye may quaff it: on this trimmed grass be seated, and rejoice you
HYMN LXIX. Indra-Visnu1. INDRA and Visnu, at my task's completion I urge you on with food and sacred service.Accept the sacrifice and grant us riches, leading us on by unobstructed pathways.2 Ye who inspire all hymns, Indra and Visnu, ye vessels who contain the Soma juices,May hymns of praise that now are sung address you, the lauds that are recited by the singers.3 Lords of joy-giving draughts, Indra and Visnu, come, giving gifts of treasure, to the Soma.With brilliant rays of hymns let chanted praises, repeated with the lauds, adorn and deck you.4 May your foe-conquering horses bring you hither, Indra and Visnu, sharers of the banquet.Of all our hymns accept the invocations list to my prayers and hear the songs I sing you.5 This your deed, Indra-Visnu, must be lauded: widely ye strode in the wild joy of Soma.Ye made the firmament of larger compass, and made the regions broad for our existence.6 Strengthened with sacred offerings, IndraVisnu, first eaters, served with worship ana oblation,Fed with the holy oil, vouchsafe us riches ye are the lake, the vat that holds the Soma.7 Drink of this meath, O Indra, thou, and Visnu; drink ye your fill of Soma, Wonder-Workers.The sweet exhilarating juice hath reached you. Hear ye my prayers, give ear unto my calling.8 Ye Twain have conquered, ne'er have yc been conquered: never hath either of the Twain beenvanquished.Ye, Indra-Visnu, when ye fought the battle, produced this infinite with three divisions.
HYMN LXX. Heaven and Earth.1. FILLED full of fatness, compassing all things that be, wide, spacious, dropping meath, beautiful intheir form,The Heaven and the Earth by Varuna's decree, unwasting, rich in germs, stand parted each fromeach.2 The Everlasting Pair, with full streams, rich in milk, in their pure rule pour fatness for the piousman.Ye who are Regents of this world, O Earth and Heaven, pour into us the genial flow that prospersmeit.3 Whoso, for righteous life, pours offerings to you, O Heaven and Earth, ye Hemispheres, that mansucceeds.He in his seed is born again and spreads by Law: from you flow things diverse in form, but ruledalike.4 Enclosed in fatness, Heaven and Earth are bright therewith: they mingle with the fatness whichthey still increase.Wide, broad, set foremost at election of the priest, to them the singers pray for bliss to further them.5 May Heaven and Earth pour down the balmy rain for us, balm-dropping, yielding balm, with balmupon your path,Bestowing by your Godhead sacrifice and wealth, great fame and strength for us and good heroicmight.6 May Heaven and Earth make food swell plenteously for us, all-knowing Father, jother, wondrous intheir works.
Pouring out bounties, may, in union, both the Worlds, all beneficial, send us gain, and power, andwealth.
HYMN LXXI. Savitar.1. FULL of effectual wisdom Savitar the God hath stretched out golden arms that he may bring forthlife.Young and most skilful, while he holds the region up, the Warrior sprinkles fatness over both hishands.2 May we enjoy the noblest vivifying force of Savitar the God, that he may give us wealth:For thou art mighty to produce and lull to rest the world of life that moves on two feet and on four.3 Protect our habitation, Savitar, this day, with guardian aids around, auspicious, firm and true.God of the golden tongue, keep us for newest bliss: let not the evil-wisher have us in his power.4 This Savitar the God, the golden-handed, Friend of the home, hath risen to meet the twilight.With cheeks of brass, with pleasant tongue, the Holy, he sends the worshipper rich gifts in plenty.5 Like a Director, Savitar hath extended his golden arms, exceeding fair to look on.He hath gone up the heights of earth and heaven, and made each monster fall and cease fromtroubling.6 Fair wealth, O Savitar, to-day, to-morrow, fair wealth produce for us each day that passes.May we through this our song be happy gainers, God, of a fair and spacious habitation.
HYMN LXXII. Indra-Soma.1. GREAT is this might of yours, Indra and Soma: the first high exploits were your own achievements.Ye found the Sun ye found the light of heaven: ye killed all darkness and the Gods' blasphemers.2 Ye, Indra-Soma, gave her light to Morning, and led the Sun on high with all his splendour.Ye stayed the heaven with a supporting pillar, and spread abroad apart, the Earth, the Mother.3 Ye slew the flood -obstructing serpent Vrtra, Indra and Soma: Heaven approved your exploit.Ye urged to speed the currents of the rivers, and many seas have ye filled full with waters.4 Ye in the unripe udders of the milch-kine have set the ripe milk, Indra, thou, and Soma.Ye have held fast the unimpeded whiteness within these many-coloured moving creatures.5 Verily ye bestow, Indra and Soma, wealth, famed, victorious, passing to our children.Ye have invested men, ye Mighty Beings, with manly strength that conquers in the battle.
HYMN LXXIII. Brhaspati.1. SERVED with oblations, first-born, mountain-render, Angiras' son, Brhaspati, the Holy,With twice-firm path, dwelling in light, our Father, roars loudly, as a bull, to Earth and Heaven.2 Brhaspati, who made for such a people wide room and verge when Gods were invocated,Slaying his enemies, breaks down their castles, quelling his foes and conquering those who hate him.3 Brhaspati in war hath won rich treasures, hath won, this God, the great stalls filled with cattle.Striving to win waters and light, resistless, Brhaspati with lightning smites the foeman.
HYMN LXXIV. Soma-Rudra.1. HOLD fast your Godlike sway, O Soma-Rudra: let these our sacrifices quickly reach you.Placing in every house your seven great treasures, bring blessing to our quadrupeds and bipeds.2 Soma and Rudra, chase to every quarter the sickness that hath visited our dwelling.Drive Nirrti away into the distance, and give us excellent and happy glories.3 Provide, O Soma-Rudra, for our bodies all needful medicines to heal and cure us.Set free and draw away the sin committed which we have still inherent in our persons.4 Armed with keen shafts and weapons, kind and loving, be gracious unto us, Soma and Rudra.Release us from the noose of Varuna; keep us from sorrow, in your tender loving-kindness.
HYMN LXXV. Weapons of War.
1. THE warrior's look is like a thunderous rain-cloud's, when, armed with mail, he seeks the lap ofbattle.Be thou victorious with unwounded body: so let the thickness of thy mail protect thee.2 With Bow let us win kine, with Bow the battle, with Bow be victors in our hot encounters.The Bow brings grief and sorrow to the foeman: armed with the Bow may we subdue all regions.3 Close to his car, as fain to speak, She presses, holding her well-loved Friend in her embraces.Strained on the Bow, She whispers like a woman-this Bowstring that preserves us in the combat.4 These, meeting like a woman and her lover, bear, mother-like, their child upon their bosom.May the two Bow-ends, starting swift asunder, scatter, in unison, the foes who hate us.5 With many a son, father of many daughters, He clangs and clashes as he goes to battle.Slung on the back, pouring his brood, the Quiver vanquishes all opposing bands and armies.6 Upstanding in the Car the skilful Charioteer guides his strong Horses on whithersoe'er he will.See and admire the strength of those controlling Reins which from behind declare the will of him whodrives.7 Horses whose hoofs rain dust are neighing loudly, yoked to the Chariots, showing forth their vigour,With their forefeet descending on the foemen, they, never flinching, trample and destroy them.8 Car-bearer is the name of his oblation, whercon are laid his Weapons and his Armour.So let us here, each day that passes, honour the helpful Car with hearts exceeding joyful.9 In sweet association lived the fathers who gave us life, profound and strong in trouble,Unwearied, armed with shafts and wondrous weapons, free, real heroes, conquerors of armies.10 The Brahmans, and the Fathers meet for Soma-draughts, and, graciously inclined, unequalledHeaven and Earth.Guard us trom evil, Pusan, guard us strengtheners of Law: let not the evil-wisher master us.11 Her tooth a deer, dressed in an eagle's feathers, bound with cow-hide, launched forth, She fliethonward.There where the heroes speed hither and thither, there may the Arrows shelter and protect us.12 Avoid us thou whose flight is straight, and let our bodies be as stone.May Soma kindly speak to us, and Aditi protect us well.13 He lays his blows upon their backs, he deals his blows upon their thighs.Thou, Whip, who urgest horses, drive sagacious horses in the fray.14 It compasses the arm with serpent windings, fending away the friction of the bowstring:So may the Brace, well-skilled in all its duties, guard manfully the man from every quarter.15 Now to the Shaft with venom smeared, tipped with deer-horn, with iron mouth,Celestial, of Parjanya's seed, be this great adoration paid.16 Loosed from the Bowstring fly away, thou Arrow, sharpened by our prayer.Go to the foemen, strike them home, and let not one be left alive.17 There where the flights of Arrows fall like boys whose locks are yet unshorn.Even there may Brahmanaspati, and Aditi protect us well, protect us well through all our days.18 Thy vital parts I cover with thine Armour: with immortality King Soma clothe thee.Varuna give tliee what is more than ample, and in thy triumph may the Gods be joyful.19 Whoso would kill us, whether he be a strange foe or one of us,May all the Gods discomfit him. My nearest, closest Mail is prayer.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE SEVENTH
HYMN I. Agni.1. THE men from fire-sticks, with their hands' swift movement, have, in deep thought, engenderedglorious Agni,Far-seen, with pointed flame, Lord of the homestead.2 The Vasus set that Agni in the dwelling, fair to behold, for help from every quarter:Who, in the home for ever, must be honoured.3 Shine thou before us, Agni, well-enkindled, with flame, Most Youthful God, that never fadeth.To thee come all our sacrificial viands.4 Among all fires these fires have shone most brightly, splendid with light, begirt by noble heroes,Where men of lofty birth sit down together.5 Victorious Agni, grant us wealth with wisdom, wealth with brave sons, famous and independent,Which not a foe who deals in magic conquers.6 To whom, the Strong, at morn and eve comes, maid-like, the ladle dropping oil, with its oblation.Wealth-seeking comes to him his own devotion.7 Burn up all malice with those flames, O Agni, wherewith of old thou burntest up Jarutha,And drive away in silence pain and sickness.8 With him who lighteth up thy splendour, Agni, excellent, pure, refulgent, Purifier,Be present, and with us through these our praises.9 Agni, the patriarchal men, the mortals who have in many places spread thy lustre,-Be gracious to us here for their sake also.10 Let these men, heroes in the fight with foemen, prevail against all godless arts of 4magic,-These who ipprove the noble song I sing thee.11 Let us not sit in want of men, O Agni, without descendants, heroleu, about thee:But, O House-Friend, in houses full of children.12 By sacrifice which the Steeds' Lord ever visits, there make our dwelling rich in seed and offspring,Increasing still with lineal successors.13 Guard us, O Agni, from the hated demon, guard us from malice of the churlish sinner:Allied with thee may I subdue assailants.14 May this same fire of mine surpass all others, this fire where offspring, vigorous and firm-handed,Wins, on a thousand paths, what ne'er shall perish.15 This is that Agni, saviour from the foeman, who guards the kindler of the flame from sorrow:Heroes of noble lineage serve and tend him.16 This is that Agni, served in many places, whom the rich lord who brings oblation kindles,And round him goes the priest at sacrifices.17 Agni, may we with riches in possession bring thee continual ofierings in abundance,Using both means to draw thee to our worship.18 Agni, bear thou, Eternal, these most welcome oblations to the Deities' assembly:Let them enjoy our very fragrant presents.19 Give us not up, Agni, to want of heroes, to wretched clothes, to need, to destitution.Yield us not, Holy One, to fiend or hunger; injure us not at home or in the forest.20 Give strength and power to these my prayers, O Agni; O God, pour blessings on our chiefs andnobles.Grant that both we and they may share thy bounty. Ye Gods, protect us evermore with blessings.21 Thou Agni, swift to hear, art fair of aspect: beam forth, O Son of Strength, in full effulgence.Let me not want, with thee, a son for ever: let not a manly hero ever fail us.22 Condemn us not to indigence, O Agni, beside these flaming fires which Gods have kindled;Nor, even after fault, let thy displeasure, thine as a God, O Son of Strength, o'ertake us.
23 O Agni, fair of face, the wealthy mortal who to the Immortal offers his oblation.Hath him who wins him treasure by his Godhead, to whom the prince, in need, goes supplicating.24 Knowing our chief felicity, O Agni, bring hither ample riches to our nobles,Wherewith we may enjoy ourselves, O Victor, with undiminished life and hero children.25 Give strength and power to these my prayers, O Agni; O God, pour blessings on bur chiefs andnobles.Grant that both we and they may share thy bounty. Ye Gods, protect us evermore with blessings.
HYMN II. Apris.1. GLADLY accept, this day, our fuel, Agni: send up thy sacred smoke and shine sublimely.Touch the celestial summits with thy columns, and overspread thee with the rays of Surya.2 With sacrifice to these we men will honour the majesty of holy Narasamsa-To these the pure, most wise, the thought. inspirers, Gods who enjoy both sorts of our oblations.3 We will extol at sacrifice for ever, as men may do, Agni whom Manu kindled,Your very skilful Asura, meet for worship, envoy between both worlds, the truthful speaker.4 Bearing the sacred grass, the men who serve him strew it with reverence, on their knees, by Agni.Calling him to the spotted grass, oil-sprinkled, adorn him, ye Adhvaryus, with oblation.5 With holy thoughts the pious have thrown open Doors fain for chariots in the Gods' assembly.Like two full mother cows who lick their youngling, like maidens for the gathering, they adorn them.6 And let the two exalted Heavenly Ladies, Morning and Night, like a cow good at milking,Come, much-invoked, and on our grass be seated ' wealthy, deserving worship, for our welfare.7 You, Bards and Singers at men's sacrifices, both filled with wisdom, I incline to worship.Send up our offerings when we call upon you, and so among the Gods obtain us treasures.8 May Bharati with all her Sisters, Ila accordant with the Gods, with mortals Agni,Sarasvati with all her kindred Rivers, come to this grass, Three Goddesses, and seat them.9 Well pleased with us do thou, O God, O Tvastar, give ready issue to our procreant vigour,Whence springs the hero, powerful, skilled in action, lover of Gods, adjuster of the press-stones.10 Send to the Gods the oblation, Lord of Forests, and let the Immolator, Agni, dress it.He as the truer Priest shall offer worship, for the God'sgenerations well he knoweth.11 Come thou to us, O Agni, duly kindled, together with the potent Gods and Indra.On this our grass sit Aditi, happy Mother, and let our Hail! delight the Gods Immortal.
HYMN III. Agni.1. ASSOCIATE with fires, make your God Agni envoy at sacrifice, best skilled in worship,Established firm among mankind, the Holy, flame-crowned and fed with oil, the Purifier.2 Like a steed neighing eager for the pasture, when he hath stepped forth from the great enclosure:Then the wind following blows upon his splendour, and, straight, the path is black which thou hasttravelled.3 From thee a Bull but newly born, O Agni, the kindled everlasting flames rise upward.Aloft to heaven thy ruddy smoke ascendeth: Agni, thou speedest to the Gods as envoy.4 Thou whose fresh lustre o'er the earth advanceth when greedily with thy jaws thy food thou eatest.Like a host hurried onward comes thy lasso: fierce, with thy tongue thou piercest, as 'twere barley.5 The men have decked him both at eve and morning, Most Youthful Agni, as they tend a courser.They kindle him, a guest within his dwelling: bright shines the splendour of the worshipped Hero.6 O fair of face, beautiful is thine aspect when, very near at hand, like gold thou gleamest,Like Heaven's thundering roar thy might approaches, and like the wondrous Sun thy light thoushowest.7 That we may worship, with your Hail to Agni! with sacrificial cakes and fat oblations,Guard us, O Agni, with those boundless glories as with a hundred fortresses of iron.8 Thine are resistless songs for him who offers, and hero-giving hymns wherewith thou savest;With these, O Son of Strength, O Jatavedas, guard us, preserve these princes and the singers.
9 When forth he cometh, like an axe new-sharpened, pure in his form, resplendent in his body,Sprung, sought with eager longing, from his Parents, for the Gods' worship, Sage and Purifier:10 Shine this felicity on us, O Agni: may we attain to perfect understanding.All happiness be theirs who sing and praise thee. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN IV. Agni.1. BRING forth your gifts to his refulgent splendour, your hymn as purest offering to Agni,To him who goes as messenger with knowledge between all songs of men and Gods in heaven.2 Wise must this Agni be, though young and tender, since he was born, Most Youthful, of his Mother;He who with bright teeth seizeth fast the forests, and eats his food, though plenteous, in a moment.3 Before his presence must we all assemble, this God's whom men have seized in his whitesplendour.This Agni who hath brooked that men should seize him hath shone for man with glow insufferable.4 Far-seeing hath this Agni been established, deathless mid mortals, wise among the foolish.Here, O victorious God, forbear to harm us: may weforever share thy gracious favour.5 He who hath occupied his God-made dwelling, Agni, in wisdom hath surpassed Immortals.A Babe unborn, the plants and trees support him, and the earth beareth him the All-sustainer.6 Agni is Lord of Amrta. in abundance, Lord of the gift of wealth and hero valour,Victorious God, let us not sit about thee like men devoid of strength, beauty, and worship.7 The foeman's treasure may be won with labour: may we be masters of our own possessions.Agni, no son is he who springs from others: lengthen not out the pathways of the foolish.8 Unwelcome for adoption is the stranger, one to be thought of as another's offipring,Though grown familiar by continual presence. May our strong hero come, freshly triumphant.9 Guard us from him who would assail us, Agni; preserve us O thou Victor, from dishonour.Here let the place of darkening come upon thee: may wealth be ours, desirable, in thousands.10 Shine this felicity on us, O Agni: may we attain to perfect understanding.All happiness be theirs who sing and praise thee. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN V. Agni.1. BRING forth your song of praise to mighty Agni, the speedy messenger of earth and heaven,Vaisvanara, who, with those who wake, hath waxen great in the lap of all the Gods Immortal.2 Sought in the heavens, on earth is Agni stablished, leader of rivers, Bull of standing waters.Vaisvanara when he hath grown in glory, shines on the tribes of men with light and treasure.3 For fear of thee forth fled the dark-hued races, scattered abroad, deserting their possessions,When, glowing, O Vaisvanara, for Puru, thou Agni didst light up and rend their castles.4 Agni Vaisvanara, both Earth and Heaven submit them to thy threefold jurisdiction.Refulgent in thine undecaying lustre thou hast invested both the worlds with splendour.5 Agni, the tawny horses, loudly neighing our resonant hymns that drop with oil, attend thee;Lord of the tribes, our Charioteer of riches, Ensign of days, Vaisvanara of mornings.6 In thee, O bright as Mitra, Vasus seated the might of Aduras, for they loved thy spirit.Thou dravest Dasyus from their home, O Agni, and broughtest forth broad light to light the Arya.7 Born in the loftiest heaven thou in a moment reachest, like wind, the place where Gods inhabit.Thou, favouring thine offspring, roaredst loudly when giving life to creatures, Jatavedas.8 Send us that strength, Vaisvanara, send it, Agni, that strength, O Jatavedas, full of splendour,Wherewith, all-bounteous God, thou pourest riches, as fame wide-spreading, on the man who offers.9 Agni, bestow upon our chiefs and nobles that famous power, that wealth which feedeth many.Accordant with the Vasus and the Rudras, Agni, Vaisvanara, give us sure protection.
HYMN VI. Agni.1. PRAISE of the Asura, high imperial Ruler, the Manly One in whom the folk shall triumph-
I laud his deeds who is as strong as Indra, and lauding celebrate the Fort-destroyer.2 Sage, Sing, Food, Light,-they bring him from the mountain, the blessed Sovran of the earth andheaven.I decorate with songs the mighty actions which Agni, Fort-destroyer, did aforetime.3 The foolish, faithless, rudely-speaking niggards, without belief or sacrifice or worship,-Far far sway hath Agni chased those Dasytis, and, in the cast, hath turned the godless westward.4 Him who brought eastward, manliest with his prowess, the Maids rejoicing in the westerndarkness,That Agni I extol, the Lord of riches, unyielding tamer of assailing foemen.5 Him who brake down the walls with deadly weapons, and gave the Mornings to anoble Husband,Young Agni, who with conquering strength subduing the tribes of Nahus made them bring theirtribute.6 In whose protection all men rest by nature, desiring to enjoy his gracious favour-Agni Vaisvanara in his Parents, bosom hath found the choicest seat in earth and heaven.7 Vaisvanara the God, at the sun's setting, hath taken to himself deep-hidden treasures:Agni hath taken them from earth and heaven, from the sea under and the sea above us.
HYMN VII. Agni.1. I SEND forth even your God, victorious Agni, like a strong courser, with mine adoration.Herald of sacrifice be he who knoweth he hath reached Gods, himself, with measured motion.2 By paths that are thine own come hither, Agni, joyous, delighting in the Gods' alliance,Making the heights of earth roar with thy fury, burning with eager teeth the woods and forests.3 The grass is strewn; the sacrifice advances adored as Priest, Agni is made propitious,Invoking both All-boon-bestowing Mothers of whom, Most Youthful! thou wast born to help us.4 Forthwith the men, the best of these for wisdom, have made him leader in the solemn worship.As Lord in homes of men is Agni stablished, the Holy One, the joyous, sweetly speaking.5 He hath come, chosen bearer, and is seated in man's home, Brahman, Agni, the Supporter,He whom both Heaven anct Earth exalt and strengthenwhom, Giver of all boons, the Hotar worships.6 These have passed all in glory, who, the manly, have wrought with skill the hymn of adoration;Who, listening, have advanced the people's welfare, and set their thoughts on this my holy statute.7 We, the Vasisthas, now implore thee, Agni, O Son of Strength, the Lord of wealth and treasure.Thou hast brought food to singers and to nobles. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN VIII. Agni1. THE King whose face is decked with oil is kindled with homage offered by his faithful servant.The men, the priests adore him with oblations. Agni hath shone forth when the dawn is breaking.2 Yea, he hath been acknowledged as most mighty, the joyous Priest of men, the youthful Agni.He, spreading o'er the earth, made light around him, and grew among the plants with blackenedfellies..3 How dost thou decorate our hymn, O Agni? What power dost thou exert when thou art lauded?When, Bounteous God, may we be lords of riches, winners of precious wealth which none mayconquer?4 Far famed is this the Bharata's own Agni he shineth like the Sun with lofty splendour.He who hath vanquished Puru in the battle, the heavenly guest hath glowed in full refulgence.5 Full many oblations are in thee collected: with all thine aspects thou hast waxen gracious.Thou art already famed as praised and lauded, yet still, O nobly born, increase thy body.6 Be this my song, that winneth countless treasure, engendered with redoubled force for Agni,That, splendid, chasing sickness, slaying demons, it may delight our friend and bless the singers.7 We, the Vasisthas, now implore thee, Agni, O Son of Strength, the Lord of wealth and riches.Thou hast brought food to singers and to nobles. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN IX. Agni.1. ROUSED from their bosom is the Dawns' beloved, the joyous Priest, most sapient, Purifier.He gives a signal both to Gods and mortals, to Gods oblations, riches to the pious.2 Most wise is he who, forcing doors of Panis, brought the bright Sun to us who feedeth many.The cheerful Priest, men's Friend and home-companion, through still night's darkness he is madeapparent.3 Wise, ne.'er deceived, uncircumscribed, refulgent, our gracious guest, a Friend with goodattendants,Shines forth with wondrous light before the Mornings; the young plants hath he entered, Child ofWaters.4 Seeking our gatherings, he, your Jatavedas, hath shone adorable through human ages,Who gleams refulgent with his lovely lustre: the kine have waked to meet him when enkindled.5 Go on thy message to the Gods, and fail not, O Agni, with their band who pray and worship.Bring all the Gods that they may give us riches, Sarasvati, the Maruts, Asvins, Waters.6 Vasistha, when enkindling thee, O Agni, hath slain jarutha. Give us wealth in plenty.Sing praise in choral song, O Jatavedas. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN X. Agni.1. HE hath sent forth, bright, radiant, and refulgent, like the Dawn's Lover, his far-spreading lustre.Pure in his splendour shines the golden Hero: our longing thoughts hath he aroused and wakened.2 He, like the Sun, hath shone while Morn is breaking, and priests who weave the sacrifice singpraises,Agni, the God, who knows their generations and visits Gods, most bounteous, rapid envoy.3 Our songs and holy hymns go forth to Agni, seeking the God and asking him for riches,Him fair to see, of goodly aspect, mighty, men's messenger who carries their oblations.4 joined with the Vasus, Agni, bring thou Indra bring hither mighty Rudra with the Rudras,Aditi good to all men with Adityas, Brhaspati All-bounteous, with the Singers.5 Men eagerly implore at sacrifices Agni, Most Youthful God, the joyous Herald.For he is Lord and Ruler over riches, and for Gods' worship an unwearied envoy.
HYMN XI. Agni.1. GREAT art thou, Agni, sacrifice's Herald: not without thee are deathless Gods made joyful.Come hither with all Deities about thee here take thy seat, the first, as Priest, O Agni.2 Men with oblations evermore entreat thee, the swift, to undertake an envoy's duty.He on whose sacred grass with Gods thou sittest, to him, O Agni, are the days propitious.3 Three times a day in thee are shown the treasures sent for the mortal who presents oblation.Bring the Gods hither like a man, O Agni: be thou our envoy, guarding us from curses.4 Lord of the lofty sacrifice is Agni, Agni is Lord of every gift presented.The Vasus were contented with his wisdom, so the Gods made him their oblationbearer.5 O Agni, bring the Gods to taste our presents: with Indra leading, here let them be joyful.Convey this sacrifice to Gods in heaven. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XII. Agni.1. WE with great reverence have approached The Youngest who hath shone forth well-kindled in hisdwelling,With wondrous light between wide earth and heaven, well-worshipped, looking forth in all directions.2 Through his great might o'ercoming all misfortunes, praised in the house is Agni Jatavedas.May he protect us from disgrace and trouble, both us who laud him and our noble patrons.3 O Agni, thou art Varuna and Mitra: Vasisthas with their holy hymns exalt thee.With thee be most abundant gain of treasure. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XIII. Agni.1. BRING song and hymn to Agni, Asura-slayer, enlightener of all and thought-bestower.Like an oblation on the grass, to please him, I bring this to Vaisvanara, hymn-inspirer.2 Thou with thy flame, O Agni, brightly glowing, hast at thy birth filled full the earth and heaven.TIOU with thy might, Vaisvanara Jatavedas, settest the Gods free frodi the curse that bound them.3 Agni, when, born thou lookedst on all creatures, like a brisk herdsman moving round his cattle.The path to prayer, Vaisvanara, thou foundest. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XIV Agni.1. WITH reverence and with offered gifts serve we the God whose flame is bright:Let us bring Jatavedas fuel, and adore Agni when we invoke the Gods.2 Agni, may we perform thy rites with fuel, and honour thee, O Holy one, with praises:Honour thee, Priest of sacrifice! with butter, thee, God of blessed light! with our oblation.3 Come, Agni, with the Gods to our invoking, come, pleased, to offerings sanctified with Vasat.May we be his who pays thee, God, due honour. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XV. Agni.1. OFFER oblations in his mouth, the bounteous God's whom we must serve.His who is nearest kin to us:2 Who for the Fivefold People's take hath seated him in every homeWise, Youthful, Master of the house.3 On all sides may that Agni guard our household folk and property;May he deliver us from woe.4 I have begotten this new hymn for Agni, Falcon of the sky:Will he not give us of his wealth?5 Whose lories when he glows in front of sacrite are fair to see,Like wealth of one with hero sons.6 May he enjoy this hallowed gift, Agni accept our songs, who bearsOblations, best of worshippers.7 Lord of the house, whom men must seek, we set thee down, O Worshipped OnelBright, rich in heroes, Agni! God8 Shine forth at night and morn: through thee with fires are we provided well.Thou, rich in heroes, art our Friend.9 The men come near thee for their gain, the singers with their songs of praise:Speech, thousandfold, comes near to thee.10 Bright, Purifier, meet for praise, Immortal with refulgent glow,Agni drives Raksasas away.11 As such, bring us abundant wealth, young Child of Strength, for this thou canstMay Bhaga give us what is choice.12 Thou, Agni, givest hero fame: Bhaga and Savitar the God,And Did give us what is good.13 Agni, preserve us from distress: consume our enemies, O God,Eternal, with the hottest flames.14 And, irresistible, be thou a mighty iron fort to us,With hundred walls for man's defence.15 Do thou preserve us, eve and morn, from sorrow, from the wicked men,Infallible! by day and night.
HYMN XVI. Agni.1. WITH this my reverent hymn I call Agni for you, the Son of Strength,
Dear, wisest envoy, served with noble sacrifice, immortal messenger of all.2 His two red horses, all-supporting, let him yoke: let him, well-worshipped, urge them fast.Then hath the sacrifice good prayers and happy end, and heavenly gift of wealth to men.3 The flame of him the Bountiful, the Much-invoked, hath mounted up,And his red-coloured smoke-clouds reach and touch the sky: the men are kindling Agni well.4 Thee, thee Most Glorious One we make our messenger. Bring the Gods hither to the feast.Give us, O Son of Strength, all food that fcedeth man: give that for which we pray to thee.5 Thou, Agni, art the homestead's Lord, our Herald at the sacrifice.Lord of all boons, thou art the Cleanser and a Sage. Pay worship, and enjoy the good.6 Give riches to the sacrificer, O Most Wise, for thou art he who granteth wealth.Inspire with zeal each priest at this our solemn rite; all who are skilled in singing praise.7 O Agni who art worshipped well, dear let our princes he to thee,Our wealthy patrons who are governors of men, who part, as gifts, their stalls of kine.8 They in whose home, her hand bearing the sacred oil, Ila sits down well-satisfied-Guard them, Victorious God, from slander and from harm. give us a refuge famed afar.9 Do thou, a Priest with pleasant tongue, most wise, and very near to us,Agni, bring riches hither to our liberal chiefs, and speed the oflering of our gifts.10 They who bestow as bounty plenteous wealth of steeds, moved by desire of great renown-Do thou with saving help preserve them from distress, Most Youthful! with a hundred forts.11 The God who gives your wealth demands a full libation poured to him.Pour ye it forth, then fill the vessel full again: then doth the God pay heed to you.12 Him have the Gods appointed Priest of sacrifice, oblation-bearer, passing wise.Agni gives wealth and valour to the worshipper, to folk who offer up their gifts.
HYMN XVII. Agni.1. AGNI, be kindled well with proper fuel, and let the grass be scattered wide about thee.2 Let the impatient Portals be thrown open bring thou the Gods impatient to come hither.3 Taste, Agni: serve the Gods with our oblation. Offer good sacrifices, Jatavedas!4 Let Jatavedas pay fair sacrifices, worship andgratify the Gods Immortal.5 Wise God, win for us things that are all-goodly, and let the prayers, we pray today be fruitful.6 Thee, even thee, the Son of Strength, O Agni, those Gods have made the bearer of oblations.7 To thee the God may we perform our worship: do thou, besought, grant us abundant riches.
HYMN XVIII. Indra.1. ALL is with thee, O Indra, all the treasures which erst our fathers won who sang thy praises.With thee are milch-kine good to milk, and horses: best winner thou of riches for the pious.2 For like a King among his wives thou dwellest: with glories, as a Sage, surround and help us.Make us, thy servants, strong for wealth, and honour our songs wirth kine and steeds and decoration.3 Here these our holy hymns with joy and gladness in pious emulation have approached thee.Hitherward come thy path that leads to riches: may we find shelter in thy favour, Indra.4 Vasistha hath poured forth his prayers, desiring to milk thee like a cow in goodly pasture.All these my people call thee Lord of cattle: may Indra. come unto the prayer we offer.5 What though the floods spread widely, Indra made them shallow and easy for Sudas to traverse.He, worthy of our praises, caused the Simyu, foe of our hymn, to curse the rivers' fury.6 Eager for spoil was Turvasa Purodas, fain to win wealth, like fishes urged by hunger.The Bhrgus and the Druhyus quickly listened: friend rescued friend mid the two distant peoples.7 Together came the Pakthas, the Bhalanas, the Alinas, the Sivas, the Visanins.Yet to the Trtsus came the Arya's Comrade, through love of spoil and heroes' war, to lead them.8 Fools, in their folly fain to waste her waters, they parted inexhaustible Parusni.Lord of the Earth, he with his might repressed them: still lay the herd and the affrighted herdsman.
9 As to their goal they sped to their destruetion: they sought Parusni; e'en the swift returned not.Indra abandoned, to Sudas the manly, the swiftly flying foes, unmanly babblers.10 They went like kine unherded from the pasture, each clinging to a friend as chance directed.They who drive spotted steeds, sent down by Prsni, gave ear, the Warriors and the harnessed horses.11 The King who scattered one-and-twenty people of both Vaikarna tribes through lust of glory-As the skilled priest clips grass within the chamber, so hath the Hero Indra, wrought their downfall.12 Thou, thunder-armed, o'erwhelmedst in the waters famed ancient Kavasa and then the Druhyu.Others here claiming friendship to their friendship, devoted unto thee, in thee were joyful.13 Indra at once with conquering might demolished all their strong places and their seven castles.The goods of Anu's son he gave to Trtsu. May we in sacrifice conquer scorned Puru.14 The Anavas and Druhyus, seeking booty, have slept, the sixty hundred, yea, six thousand,And six-and-sixty heroes. For the pious were all these mighty exploits done by Indra.15 These Trtsus under Indra's careful guidance came speeding like loosed waters rushing downward.The foemen, measuring exceeding closely, abandoned to Sudas all their provisions.16 The hero's side who drank the dressed oblation, Indra's denier, far o'er earth he scattered.Indra brought down the fierce destroyer's fury. He gave them various roads, the path's Controller.17 E'en with the weak he wrought this matchless exploit: e'en with a goat he did to death a lion.He pared the pillar's angles with a needle. Thus to Sudas Indra gave all provisions.18 To thee have all thine enemies submitted: e'en the fierce Bheda hast thou made thy subject.Cast down thy sharpened thunderbolt, O Indra, on him who harms the men who sing thy praises.19 Yamuna and the Trtsus aided Indra. There he stripped Bheda bare of all his treasures.The Ajas and the Sigrus and the Yaksus brought in to him as tribute heads of horses.20 Not to be scorned, but like Dawns past and recent, O Indra, are thy favours and thy riches.Devaka, Manyamana's son, thou slewest, and smotest Sambara from the lofty mountain.21 They who, from home, have gladdened thee, thy servants Parasara, Vasistha, Satayatu,Will not forget thy friendship, liberal Giver. So shall the days dawn prosperous for the princes.22 Priest-like, with praise, I move around the altar, earning Paijavana's reward, O Agni,Two hundred cows from Devavan's descendant, two chariots from Sudas with mares to draw them.23 Gift of Paijavana, four horses bear me in foremost place, trained steeds with pearl to deck them.Sudas's brown steeds, firmly-stepping, carry me and my son for progeny and glory.24 Him whose fame spreads between wide earth and heaven, who, as dispenser, gives each chief hisportion,Seven flowing Rivers glorify like Indra. He slew Yudhyamadhi in close encounter.25 Attend on him O ye heroic Maruts as on Sudas's father Divodasa.Further Paijavana's desire with favour. Guard faithfully his lasting firm dominion.
HYMN XIX. Indra.1. HE like a bull with sharpened horns, terrific, singly excites and agitates all the people:Thou givest him who largely pours libations his goods who pours not, for his own possession.2 Thou, verily, Indra, gavest help to Kutsa, willingly giving car to him in battle,When, aiding Arjuneya, thou subduedst to him both Kuyava and the Dasa Susna.3 O Bold One, thou with all thine aids hast boldly holpen Sudas whose offerings were accepted,Puru in winning land and slaying foemen, and Trasadasyu son of Purukutsa.4 At the Gods' banquet, hero-souled! with Heroes, Lord of Bay Steeds, thou slewest many foemen.Thou sentest in swift death to sleep the Dasyu, both Cumuri and Dhuni, for Dabhiti.5 These were thy mighty powers that, Thunder-wielder, thou swiftly crushedst nine-and-ninetycastles:Thou capturedst the hundredth in thine onslaught; thou slewest Namuci, thou slewest Vrtra.6 Old are the blessings, Indra, which thou gavest Sudas the worshipper who brought oblations.For thee, the Strong, I yoke thy strong Bay Horses: may our prayers reach thee and win strength,Most Mighty!
7 Give us not up, Lord of Bay Horses, Victor, in this thine own assembly, to the wicked.Deliver us with true and faithful succours: dear may we be to thee among the princes.8 May we men, Maghavan, the friends thou lovest, near thee be joyful under thy protection.Fain to fulfil the wish of Atithigva humble. the pride of Turvasa and Yadva.9 Swiftly, in truth, O Maghavan, about thee men skilled in hymning sing their songs and praises. 'Elect us also into their assembly who by their calls on thee despoiled the niggards.10 Thine are these lauds, O manliest of heroes, lauds which revert to us and give us riches.Favour these, Indra, when they fight with faemen, as Friend and Hero and the heroes' Helper.11 Now, lauded for thine aid, Heroic Indra, sped by our prayer, wax mighty in thy body.Apportion to us strength and habitations. Ye Gods, protect us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XX. Indra.1. STRONG, Godly-natured, born for hero exploit, man's Friend, hedoth whatever deed he willeth.Saving us e'en from great transgression, Indra, the Youthful, visiteth man's home with favour.2 Waxing greatness Indra slayeth Vrtra: the Hero with his aid hath helped the singer.He gave Sudas wide room and space, and often hath granted wealth to him who brought oblations.3 Soldier unchecked, war-rousing, battling Hero, unconquered from of old, victorious ever,Indra the very strong hath scattered armies; yea, he hath slain each foe who fought against him.4 Thou with thy greatness hast filled full, O Indra, even both the worlds with might, O thou MostMighty.Lord of Bays, Indra, brandishing his thunder, is gratified with Soma at the banquet.5 A Bull begat the Bull for joy of battle, and a strong Mother brought forth him the manly.He who is Chief of men, their armies' Leader, is strong Hero, bold, and fain for booty.6 The people falter not, nor suffer sorrow, who win themselves this God's terrific spirit.He who with sacrifices worships Indra is lord of wealth, law-born and law's protector.7 Whene'er the elder fain would help the younger the greater cometh to the lesser's present.Shall the Immortal sit aloof' inactive? O Wondrous Indra, bring us wondrous riches.8 Thy dear folk, Indra, who present oblations, are, in chief place, thy friends, O Thunder-wielder.May we be best content in this thy favour, sheltered by One who slays not, but preserves us.9 To thee the mighty hymn hath clamoured loudly, and, Maghavan, the eloquent hath besought thee.Desire of wealth hath come upon thy singer: help us then, gakra, to our share of riches.10 Place us by food which thou hast given, O Indra, us and the wealthy patrons who command us.Let thy great power bring good to him who lauds thee. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore withblessings.
HYMN XXI. Indra.1. PRESSED is the juice divine with milk commingled: thereto hath Indra ever been accustomed.We wake thee, Lord of Bays, with sacrifices: mark this our laud in the wild joy of Soma.2 On to the rite they move, the grass they scatter, these Soma-drinkers eloquent in synod.Hither, for men to grasp, are brought the press-stones, far-thundering, famous, strong, that wait onheroes.3 Indra, thou settest free the many waters that were encompassed, Hero, by the Dragon.Down rolled, as if on chariots borne, the rivers: through fear of thee all things created tremble.4 Skilled in all manly deeds the God terrific hath with his weapons mastered these opponents.Indra in rapturous joy shook down their castles he slew them in his might, the Thunder-wielder.5 No evil spirits have impelled us, Indra, nor fiends, O Mightiest God, with their devices.Let our true God subdue the hostile rabble: let not the lewd approach our holy worship.6 Thou in thy strength surpassest Earth and Heaven: the regions comprehend not all thy greatness.With thine own power and might thou slewest Vrtra: no foe hath found the end of thee in battle.7 Even the earlier Deities submitted their powers to thy supreme divine dominion.Indra wins wealth and deals it out to other's: men in the strife for booty call on Indra.
8 The humble hath invoked thee for protection, thee, Lord of great felicity, O Indra.Thou with a hundred aids hast been our Helper: one who brings gifts like thee hath his defender.9 May we, O Indra, be thy friends for ever, eagerly, Conqueror, yielding greater homage.May, through thy grace, the strength of us who battle quell in the shock the onset of the foeman.10 Place us by food which thou hast given, O Indra, us and the wealthy patrons who command us.Let thy great power bring good to him who lauds thee. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore withblessings.
HYMN XXII Indra.1. DRINK Soma, Lord of Bays, and let it cheer thee: Indra, the stone, like a well guided courser,Directed by the presser's arms hath pressed it.2 So let the draught of joy, thy dear companion, by which, O Lord of Bays, thou slayest foemen,Delight thee, Indra, Lord of princely treasures.3 Mark closely, Maghavan, the words I utter, this eulogy recited by Vasistha:Accept the prayers I offer at thy banquet.4 Hear thou the call of the juice-drinking press-stone: hear thou the Brahman's hymn who sings andlauds thee.Take to thine inmost self these adorations.5 I know and ne'er forget the hymns and praises of thee, the Conqueror, and thy strength immortal.Thy name I ever utter. Self-Refulgent6 Among mankind many are thy libations, and many a time the pious sageinvokes thee.O Maghavan, be not long distant from us.7 All these libations are for thee, O Hero: to thee I offer these my prayers. that strengthen.Ever, in every place, must men invoke thee.8 Never do men attain, O Wonder-Worker, thy greatness, Mighty One, who must be lauded,Nor, Indra, thine heroic power and bounty.9 Among all Rsis, Indra, old and recent, who have engendered hymns as sacred singers,Even with us be thine auspicious friendships. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XXIII. Indra.1. PRAYERS have been offered up through love of glory: Vasistha, honour Indra in the battle.He who with might extends through all existence hears words which I, his faithful servant, utter.2 A cry was raised which reached the Gods, O Indra, a cry to them to send us strength in combat.None among men knows his own life's duration: bear us in safety over these our troubles.3 The Bays, the booty-seeking car I harness: my prayers have reached him who accepts them gladly.Indra, when he had slain resistless foemen, forced with his might the two world-halves asunder.4 Like barren cows, moreover, swelled the waters: the singen sought thy holy rite, O Indra.Come unto us as with his team comes Vayu: thou, through our solemn hymns bestowest booty.5 So may these gladdening draughts rejoice thee, Indra, the Mighty, very bounteous to the singer.Alone among the Gods thou pitiest mortals: O Hero, make thee glad at this libation.6 Thus the Vasisthas glorify with praises Indra, the Powerful whose arm wields thunder.Praised, may he guard our wealth in kine and heroes. Ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XXIV. Indra.1. A HOME is made for thee to dwell in, Indra: O Much-invoked, go thitherwith the heroes.That thou, to prosper us, mayst be our Helper, vouchsafe us wealth, rejoice with draughts of Soma.2 Indra, thy wish, twice-strong, is comprehended: pressed is the Soma, poured are pleasant juices.This hymn of praise, from loosened tongue, made perfect, draws Indra to itself with loud invoking.3 Come, thou Impetuous; God, from earth or heaven; come to our holy grass to drink the Soma.Hither to me let thy Bay Horses bring thee to listen to our hymns and make thee joyful.4 Come unto us with all thine aids, accordant, Lord of Bay Steeds, accepting our devotions,
Fair-helmeted, o'ercoming with the mighty, and lending us the strength of bulls, O Indra.5 As to the chariot pole a vigorous courser, this laud is brought to the great strong Upholder.This hymn solicits wealth of thee: in heaven, as 'twere above the sky, set thou our glory.6 With precious things. O Indra, thus content us: may we attain to thine exalted favour.Send our chiefs plenteous food with hero children. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXV. Indra.WHEN with thy mighty help, O potent Indra, the armies rush together in their fury.When from the strong man's arm the lightning flieth, let not the mind go forth to side with others.2 O Indra, where the ground is hard to traverse, smite down our foes, the mortals who assail us,Keep far from us the curse of the reviler: bring us accumulated store of treasures.3 God of the fair helm, give Sudas a hundred succours, a thousand blessings, and thy bounty.Strike down the weapon of our mortal foeman: bestow upon us splendid fame and riches.4 I wait the power of one like thee, O Indra, gifts of a Helper such as thou art, Hero.Strong, Mighty God, dwell with me now and ever: Lord of Bay Horses, do not thou desert us.5 Here are the Kutsas supplicating Indra for might, the Lord of Bays for God-sent conquest.Make our foes ever easy to be vanquished: may we, victorious, win the spoil, O Hero.6 With precious things, O Indra, thus content us: may we attain to thine exalted favour.Send our chiefs plenteous food with hero children. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXVI. Indra.1. SOMA unpressed ne'er gladdened liberal Indra, no juices pressed without a prayer have pleasedhim.I generate a laud that shall delight him, new and heroic, so that he may hear us.2 At every laud the Soma gladdens Indra: pressed juices please him as each psalm is chanted,What time the priests with one united effort call him to aid, as sons invoke their father.3 These deeds he did; let him achieve new exploits, such as the priests declare at their libations.Indra hath taken and possessed all castles, like as one common husband doth his spouses.4 Even thus have they declared him. Famed is Indra as Conqueror, sole distributer of treasures;Whose many succours come in close succession. May dear delightful benefits attend us.5 Thus, to bring help to men, Vasistha laudeth Indra, the peoples' Hero, at libation.Bestow upon us strength and wealth in thousands. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXVII. Indra.1. MEN call on Indra in the armed encounter that he may make the hymns they sing decisive.Hero, rejoicing in thy might, in combat give us a portion of the stall of cattle,2 Grant, Indra Maghavan, invoked of many, to these my friends the strength which thou possessest.Thou, Maghavan, hast rent strong places open: unclose for us, Wise God, thy hidden bounty.3 King of the living world, of men, is Indra, of all in varied form that earth containeth.Thence to the worshipper he giveth riches: may he enrich us also when we laud him.4 Maghavan Indra, when we all invoke him, bountiful ever sendeth strength to aid us:Whose perfect guerdon, never failing, bringeth wealth to the men, to friends the thing they covet.5 Quick, Indra, give us room and way to riches, and let us bring thy mind to grant us treasures,That we may win us cars and Steeds and cattle. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXVIII. Indra.1. COME to our prayers, O Indra, thou who knowest: let thy Bay Steeds be yoked and guided hither.Though mortal men on every side invoke thee, still give thine ear to us, O All-impeller.2 Thy greatness reacheth to our invocation, the sages' prayer which, Potent God, thou guardest.What time thy hand, O Mighty, holds the thunder, awful in strength thou hast become resistless.
3 What time thou drewest both world-halves together, like heroes led by thee who call each other-For thou wast born for strength and high dominion-then e'en the active overthrew the sluggish.4 Honour us in these present days, O Indra, for hostile men are making expiation.Our sin that sinless Varuna discovered, the Wondrous-Wise hath long ago forgiven.5 We will address this liberal Lord, this Indra, that he may grant us gifts of ample riches,Best favourer of the singer's prayer and praises. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXIX Indra.1. THIS Soma hath been pressed for thee, O Indra: come hither, Lord of Bays, for this thou lovest.Drink of this fair, this well-effused libation: Maghavan, give us wealth when we implore thee.2 Come to us quickly with thy Bay Steeds, Hero, come to our prayer, accepting our devotion.Enjoy thyself aright at this libation, and listen thou unto the prayers we offer.3 What satisfaction do our hymns afford thee? When, Maghavan? Now let us do thee service.Hymns, only hymns, with love for thee, I weave thee: then hear, O Indra, these mine invocations.4 They, verily, were also human beings whom thou wast wont to hear, those earlier sages.Hence I, O Indra Maghavan, invoke thee: thou art our Providence, even as a Father.5 We will address this liberal Lord, this Indra, that he may grant us gifts of ample riches,Best favourer of the singer's prayer and praises. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXX. Indra.1. WITH power and strength, O Mighty God, approach us: be the augmenter, Indra, of these riches;Strong Thunderer, Lord of men, for potent valour, for manly exploit and for high dominion.2 Thee, worth invoking, in the din of battle, heroes invoke in fray for life and sunlight.Among all people thou art foremost fighter: give up our enemies to easy slaughter.3 When fair bright days shall dawn on us, O Indra, and thou shalt bring thy banner near in battle,Agni the Asura shall sit as Herald, calling Gods hither for our great good fortune.4 Thine are we, Indra, thine, both these who praise thee, and those who give rich gifts, O God andHero.Grant to our princes excellent protection, may they wax old and still be strong and happy.5 We will address this liberal Lord, this Indra that he may grant us gifts of ample riches:Best favourer of the singer's prayer and praises. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXXI. Indra.1. SING ye a song, to make him glad, to Indra, Lord of Tawny Steeds,The Soma-drinker, O my friends.2 To him the Bounteous say the laud, and let us glorify, as men May do, the Giver of true gifts.3 O Indra, Lord of boundless might, for us thou winnest strength and kine,Thou winnest gold for us, Good Lord.4 Faithful to thee we loudly sing, heroic Indra, songs to thee: Mark, O Good Lord, this act of ours.5 Give us not up to man's reproach, to foeman's hateful calumny: In thee alone is all my strength.6 Thou art mine ample coat of mail, my Champion, Vrtra-Slayer, thou:With thee for Friend I brave the foe.7 Yea, great art thou whose conquering might two independent Powers confess.The Heaven, O India, and the Earth.8 So let the voice surround thee, which attends the Maruts on their way,Reaching thee with the rays of light.9 Let the ascending drops attain to thee, the Wondrous God, in heaven:Let all the folk bow down to thee.10 Bring to the Wise, the Great, who waxeth mighty, your offerings, and make ready your devotion;To many clans he goeth, man's controller.
11 For Indra, the sublime, the far-pervading, have singers generated prayer and praises:The sages never violate his statutes.12 The choirs have stablished Indra King for ever, for victory, him whose anger is resistless:And, for the Bays' Lord, strengthened those he loveth.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.1. LET none, no, not thy worshippers, delay thee far away from us.Even from far away come thou unto our feast, or listen if already here.2 For here, like flies on honey, these who pray to thee sit by the juice that they have poured.Wealth-craving singers have on Indra set their hope, as men set foot upon a car.3 Longing for wealth I call on him, the Thunderer with the strong right hand,As a son calleth on his sire.4 These Soma juices, mixed with curd, have been expressed for Indra here.Come with thy Bay Steeds, Thunder-wielder, to our home, to drink them till they make thee glad.5 May he whose ear is open hear us. He is asked for wealth: will he despise our prayer?Him who bestows at once a hundred thousand gifts none shall restrain when he would give.6 The hero never checked by men hath gained his strength through Indra, heWho presses out and pours his deep libations forth, O Vrtra-slayer, unto thee.7 When thou dost drive the fighting men together be, thou Mighty One, the mighty's shield.May we divide the wealth of him whom thou hast slain: bring us, Unreachable, his goods.8 For Indra, Soma-drinker, armed with thunder, press the Soma juice.Make ready your dressed meats: cause him to favour us. The Giver blesses him who gives.9 Grudge not, ye Soma pourers; stir you, pay the rites, for wealth, to the great Conqueror.Only the active conquers dwells in peace, and thrives: not for the niggard are the Gods.10 No one hath overturned or stayed the car of him who freely gives.The man whom Indra and the Marut host defend comes to a stable full of kine.11 Indra, that man when fighting shall obtain the spoil, whose strong defender thou wilt be.Be thou the gracious helper, Hero I of our cars, be thou the helper of our men.12 His portion is exceeding great like a victorious soldier's spoil.Him who is Indra, Lord of Bays, no foes subdue. He gives the Soma-pourer strength.13 Make for the Holy Gods a hymn that is not mean, but well-arranged and fair of form.Even many snares and bonds subdue not him who dwells with Indra through his sacrifice.14 Indra, what mortal will attack the man who hath his wealth in thee?The strong will win the spoil on the decisive day through faith in thee, O Maghavan.15 In battles with the foe urge on our mighty ones who give the treasures dear to thee,And may we with our princes, Lord of Tawny Steeds! pass through all peril, led by thee.16 Thine, Indra, is the lowest wealth, thou cherishest the mid-most wealth,Thou ever rulest all the highest: in the fray for cattle none resisteth thee.17 Thou art renowned as giving wealth to every one in all the battles that are fought.Craving protection, all these people of the earth, O Much-invoked, implore thy name.18 If I, O Indra, were the Lord of riches ample as thine own,I should support the singer, God. who givest wealth! and not abandon him to woe.19 Each day would I enrich the man who sang my praise, in whatsoever place he were.No kinship is there better, Maghavan, than thine: a father even is no more.20 With Plenty for his true ally the active man will gain the spoil.Your Indra, Much-invoked, I bend with song, as bends a wright his wheel of solid wood.21 A moral wins no riches by unworthy praise: wealth comes not to the niggard churl.Light is the task to give, O Maghavan, to one like me on the decisive day.22 Like kine unmilked we call aloud, Hero, to thee, and sing thy praise,Looker on heavenly light, Lord of this moving world, Lord, Indra, of what moveth not.
23 None other like to thee, of earth or of the heavens, hath been or ever will be born.Desiring horses, Indra Maghavan! and kine, as men of might we call on thee.24 Bring, Indra, the Victorious Ones; bring, elder thou, the younger host.For, Maghavan, thou art rich in treasures from of old, and must be called in every fight.25 Drive thou away our enemies, O Maghavan: make riches easy to be won.Be thou our good Protector in the strife for spoil: Cherisher of our friends be thou.26 O Indra, give us wisdom as a sire gives wisdom to his sons.Guide us, O Much-invoked, in this our way may we still live and look upon the light.27 Grant that no mighty foes, unknown, malevolent, unhallowed, tread us to the ground.With thine assistance, Hero, may we ass through all the waters that are rul`ng down.
HYMN XXXIII Vasistha.1. THESE who wear hair-knots on the right, the movers of holy thought, white-robed, have won meover.I warned the men, when from the grass I raised me, Not from afar can my Vasisthas help you.2 With soma they brought Indra from a distance, Over Vaisanta, from the strong libation.Indra preferred Vasisthas to the Soma pressed by the son of Vayata, Pasadyumna.3 So, verily, with these he crossed the river, in company with these he slaughtered Bheda.So in the fight with the Ten Kings, Vasisthas! did Indra help Sudas through your devotions.4 I gladly, men I with prayer prayed by our fathers have fixed your axle: ye shall not be injured:Since, when ye sang aloud the Sakvari verses, Vasisthas! ye invigorated Indra.5 Like thirsty men they looked to heaven, in battle with the Ten Kings, surrounded and imploring.Then Indra heard Vasistha as he praised him, and gave the Trtsus ample room and freedom.6 Like sticks and staves wherewith they drive the cattle, Stripped bare, the Bharatas were founddefenceless:Vasistha then became their chief and leader: then widely. were the Trtsus' clans extended.7 Three fertilize the worlds with genial moisture: three noble Creatures cast a light before them.Three that give warmth to all attend the morning. All these have they discovered, these Vasisthas.8 Like the Sun's growing glory is their splendour, and like the sea's is their unflathomed greatness.Their course is like the wind's. Your laud, Vasisthas, can never be attained by any other.9 They with perceptions of the heart in secret resort to that which spreads a thousand branches.The Apsaras brought hither the Vasisthas wearing the vesture spun for them by Yama.10 A form of lustre springing from the lightning wast thou, when Varuna and Mitra saw thee.Tliy one and only birth was then, Vasistha, when from thy stock Agastya brought thee hither.11 Born of their love for Urvasi, Vasistha thou, priest, art son of Varuna and Mitra;And as a fallen drop, in heavenly fervour, all the Gods laid thee on a lotus-blossorn.12 He thinker, knower both of earth and heaven, endowed with many a gift, bestowing thousands,Destined to wear the vesture spun by Yama, sprang from the Apsaras to life, Vasistha.13 Born at the sacrifice, urged by adorations, both with a common flow bedewed the pitcher.Then from the midst thereof there rose up Mana, and thence they say was born the sage Vasistha.14 He brings the bearer of the laud and Saman: first shall he speak bringing the stone for pressing.With grateful hearts in reverence approach him: to you, O Pratrdas, Vasistha cometh.
HYMN XXXIV Visvedevas.1. MAY our divine and brilliant hymn go forth, like a swift chariot wrought and fashioned well.2 The waters listen as they flow along: they know the origin of heaven and earth.3 Yea, the broad waters swell their flood ior him: of him strong heroes think amid their foes.4 Set ye for him the coursers to the pole: like Indra Thunderer is the Golden-armed.5 Arouse you, like the days, to sacrifice speed gladly like a traveller on the way.6 Go swift to battles, to the sacrifice: set up a flag, a hero for the folk.7 Up from his strength hath risen as 'twere a light: it bears the load as earth bears living things.
8 Agni, no demon I invoke the Gods: by law completing it, I form a hymn.9 Closely albout you lay your heavenly song, and send your voice to where the Gods abide.10 Varuna, Mighty, with a thousand eyes, beholds the paths wherein these rivers run.11 He, King of kings, the glory of the floods, o'er all that liveth hath resistless sway.12 May he assist us among all the tribes, and make the envier's praise devoid of light.13 May the foes' threatening arrow pass us by: may he put far from us our bodies' sin.14 Agni, oblation-cater, through our prayers aid us: to him our dearest laud is brought.15 Accordant with the Gods choose for our Friend the Waters' Child: may he be good to us.16 With lauds I sing the Dragon born of floods: he sits beneath the streams in middle air.17 Ne'er may the Dragon of the Deep harm us: ne'er fail this faithful servant's sacrifice.18 To these our heroes may they grant renown: may pious men march boldly on to wealth.19 Leading great hosts, with fierce attacks of these, they burn their foes as the Sun burns the earth.20 What time our wives draw near to us, may he, left-handed Tvastar, give us hero sons.21 May Tvastar find our hymn acceptable, and may Aramati, seeking wealth, be ours.22 May they who lavish gifts bestow those treasures: may Rodasi and Varunani listen.May he, with the Varutris, be our refuge, may bountiful Tvastar give us store of riches.23 So may rich Mountains and the liberal Waters, so may all Herbs that grow on ground, and Heaven,And Earth accordant with the Forest-Sovrans, and both the World-halves round about protect us.24 To this may both the wide Worlds lend approval, and Varuna in heaven, whose Friend is Indra.May all the Maruts give consent, the Victors, that we may hold great wealth in firm possession.25 May Indra, Varuna, Mitra, and Agni, Waters, Herbs, Trees accept the praise we offer.May we find refuge in the Marut's bosom. Protect us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXXV. Visvedevas.1. BEFRIEND us with their aids Indra and Agni, Indra and Varuna who receive oblations!Indra and Soma give health, strength and comfort, Indra and Pusan be our help in battle.2 Auspicious Friends to us be Bhaga, Sathsa, auspicious be Purandhi aid all Riches;The blessing of the true and well-conducted, and Aryaman in many forms apparent.3 Kind unto us he Maker and Sustainer, and the far-reaching Pair with God-like natures.Auspicious unto us be Earth and Heaven, the Mountain, and the Gods' fair invocations.4 Favour us Agni with his face of splendour, and Varuva and Mitra and the Asvins.Favour us noble actions of the pious, impetuous vita blow on us with favour.5 Early invoked, may Heaven and Earth be friendly, and Air's mid-region good for us to look on.To us may Herbs and Forest-Trees be gracious, gracious the Lord Victorious of the region.6 Be the God Indra with the Vasus friendly, and, with Adityas, Varuna who blesseth.Kind, with the Rudras, be the Healer Rudra, and, with the Dames, may Tvastar kindly listen.7 Blest unto us be Soma, and devotions, blest be the Sacrifice, the Stones for pressing.Blest be the fixing of the sacred Pillars, blest be the tender Grass and blest the Altar.8 May the far-seeing Sun rise up to bless us: be the four Quarters of the sky auspicious.Auspicious be the firmly-seated Mountains, auspicious be the Rivers and the Waters.9 May Adid through holy works be gracioas, and may the Maruts, loud in song, be friendly.May Visnu give felicity, and Pusan, the Air that cherisheth our life, and Vayu.10 Prosper us Savitar, the God who rescues, and let the radiant Mornings be propitious.Auspicious to all creatures be Parjanya, auspicious be the field's benign Protector.11 May all the fellowship of Gods befriend us, Sarasvati, with Holy Thoughts, be gracious.Friendly be they, the Liberal Ones who seek us, yea, those who dwell in heaven, on earth, in waters.12 May the great Lords of Truth protect and aid us: blest to us be our horses and our cattle.Kind be the pious skilful-handed Rbhus, kind be the Fathers at our invocations.13 May Aja-Ekapad, the God, be gracious, gracious the Dragon of the Deep, and Ocean.Gracious be he the swelling Child of Waters, gracious be Prsni who hath Gods to guard her.
14 So may the Rudras, Vasus, and Adityas accept the new hymn which we now are making.May all the Holy Ones of earth and heaven, and the Cow's offipring hear our invocation.15 They who of Holy Gods are very holy, Immortal, knowing Law, whom man must worship,-May these to-day give us broad paths to travel. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXXVI. Visvedevas1. LET the prayer issue from the seat of Order, for Surya with his beams hath loosed the cattle.With lofty ridges earth is far extended, and Agni's flame hath lit the spacious surface.2 O Asuras, O Varuna and Mitra, this hymn to you, like food, anew I offer.One of you is a strong unerring Leader, and Mitra, speaking, stirreth men to labour.3 The movements of the gliding wind come hither: like cows, the springs are filled to overflowing.Born in the station e'en of lofty heaven the Bull hath loudly bellowed in this region.4 May I bring hither with my song, O Indra, wise Aryaman who yokes thy dear Bay Horses,Voracious, with thy noble car, O Hero, him who defeats the wrath of the malicious.5 In their own place of sacrifice adorers worship to gain long life and win his friendship.He hath poured food on men when they have praised him; be this, the dearest reverence, paid toRudra.6 Coming together, glorious, loudly roaring - Sarasvati, Mother of Floods, the seventh-With copious milk, with fair streams, strongly flowing, full swelling with the volume of their water;7. And may the mighty Maruts, too, rejoicing, aid our devotion and protect our offspring.Let not swift-moving Aksara neglect us: they have increased our own appropriate riches,8 Bring ye the great Aramati before you, and Pusan as the Hero of the synod,Bhaga who looks upon this hymn with favour, and, as our strength, the bountiful Purandbi.9 May this our song of praise reach you, O Maruts, and Visnu guardian of the future infant.May they vouchsafe the singer strength for offspring. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXXVII. Visvedevas.1. LET your best-bearing car that must be lauded, ne'er injured, bring you Vajas and Rbhuksans.Fill you, fair-helmeted! with mighty Soma, thrice-mixed, at our libations to delight you.2 Ye who behold the light of heaven, Rbhuksans, give our rich patrons unmolested riches.Drink, heavenly-natured. at our sacrifices, and give us bounties for the hymns we sing you.3 For thou, O Bounteous One, art used to giving, at parting treasure whether small or ample.Filled full are both thine arms with great possessions: thy goodness keeps thee not from grantingriches.4 Indra, high-famed, as Vaja and Rbhuksans, thou goest working, singing to the dwelling.Lord of Bay Steeds, this day may we Vasisthas offer our prayers to thee and bring oblations.5 Thou winnest swift advancement for thy servant, through hymns, Lord of Bay Steeds, which thouhast favoured.For thee with friendly succour have we battled, and when, O Indra, wilt thou grant us riches?6 To us thy priests a home, as 'twere, thou givest: when, Indra wilt thou recognize our praises?May thy strong Steed, through our ancestral worship, bring food and wealth with heroes to ourdwelling.7 Though Nirrti the Goddess reigneth round him, Autumns with food in plenty come to Indra.With three close Friends to length of days he cometh, he whom men let not rest at home in quiet.8 Promise us gifts, O Savitar: may riches come unto us in Parvata's full bounty.May the Celestial Guardian still attend us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XXXVIII. Savitar.1. ON high hath Savitar, this God, extended the golden lustre which he spreads around him.Now, now must Bhaga be invoked by mortals, Lord of great riches who distributes treasures.2 Rise up, O Savitar whose hands are golden, and hear this man while sacrifice is offered,
Spreading afar thy broad and wide effulgence, and bringing mortal men the food that feeds them.3 Let Savitar the God he hymned with praises, to whom the Vasus, even, all sing glory.Sweet be our lauds to him whose due is worship: may he with all protection guard our princes.4 Even he whom Aditi the Goddess praises, rejoicing in God Savitar's incitement:Even he who praise the high imperial Rulers, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, sing in concert.5 They who come emulous to our oblation, dispensing bounty, from the earth and heaven.May they and Ahibudhnya hear our calling: guard us Varutri with the Ekadhenus.6 This may the Lord of Life, entreated, grant us,-the wealth which Savitar the God possesses.The mighty calls on Bhaga for protection, on Bhaga calls the weak to give him riches.7 Bless us the Vajins when we call, while slowly they move, strong Singers, to the Gods' assembly.Crushing the wolf, the serpent, and the demons, may they completely banish all affliction.8 Deep-skilled in Law eternal, deathless, Singers, O Vajins, help us in each fray for booty.Drink of this meath, he satisfied, be joyful: then go on paths which Gods are wont to travel.
HYMN XXXIX Visvedevas.1. AGNI, erect, hath shown enriching favour: the flame goes forward to the Gods' assembly.Like car-borne men the stones their path have chosen: let the priest, quickened, celebrate ourworship.2 Soft to the tread, their sacred grass is scattered: these go like Kings amid the band around them,At the folks early call on Night and Morning,-Vayu, and Pusan with his team, to bless us.3 Here on their path the noble Gods proceeded: in the wide firmament the Beauteous decked them.Bend your way hither, ye who travel widely: hear this our envoy who hath gone to meet you.4 For they are holy aids at sacrifices: all Gods approach the place of congregation.Bring these, desirous, to our worship, Agni, swift the Nisatyas, Bhaga, and Purandhi.5 Agni, to these men's hymns, from earth, from heaven, bring Mitra, Varuna, Indra, and Agni,And Aryaman, and Aditi, and Visnu. Sarasvati be joyful, and the Maruts.6 Even as the holy wish, the gift is offered: may he, unsated, come when men desire him.Give never-failing ever-conquering riches: with Gods for our allies may we be victors.7 Now have both worlds been praised by the Vasisthas; and holy Mitra, Varuna, and Agni.May they, bright Deities, make our song supremest. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XL. Visvedevas.1. BE gathered all the audience of the synod: let us begin their praise whose course is rapid.Whate'er God Savitar this day produces, may we be where the Wealthy One distributes.2 This, dealt from heaven ' may both the Worlds vouchsafe us, and Varuna, Indra, Aryaman, andMitra.May Goddess Aditi assign us riches, Vayu and Bhaga make them ours for ever.3 Strong be the man and full of power, O Maruts, whom ye, borne on by spotted coursers, favour.Him, too, Sarasvati and Agni further, and there is none to rob him of his riches.4 This Varuna is guide of Law, he, Mitra, and Aryaman, the Kings, our work have finished.Divine and foeless Aditi quickly listens. May these deliver us unharmed from trouble.5 With offerings I propitiate the branches of this swift-moving God, the bounteous Visnu.Hence Rudra gained his Rudra-strength: O Asvins, ye sought the house that hath celestial viands.6 Be not thou angry here, O glowing Pusan, for what Varutri and the Bounteous gave us.May the swift-moving Gods protect and bless us, and Vata send us rain, wha wanders round us.7 Now have both worlds been praised by the Vasisthas, and holy Mitra, Varuna, and Agni.May they, bright Deities, make our song supremest. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLI. Bhaga.1. AGNI at dawn, and Indra we invoke at dawn, and Varuna and Mitra, and the Asvins twain.Bhaga at dawn, Pusan, and Brahmanaspati, Soma at dawn, Rudra we will invoke at dawn.
2 We will invoke strong, early-conquering Bhaga, the Son of Aditi, the great supporter:Thinking of whom, the poor, yea, even the mighty, even the King himself says, Give me Bhaga.3 Bhaga our guide, Bhaga whose gifts are faithful, favour this song, and give us wealth, O Bhaga.Bhaga, augment our store of kine and horses, Bhaga, may we be rich in men and heroes.4 So may felicity be ours at present, and when the day approaches, and at noontide;And may we still, O Bounteous One, at sunset be happy in the Deities' loving-kindness.5 May Bhaga verily be bliss-bestower, and through him, Gods! may happiness attend us.As such, O Bhaga, all with might invoke thee: as such be thou our Champion here, O Bhaga.6 To this our worship may all Dawns incline them, and come to the pure place like Dadhikravan.As strong steeds draw a chariot may they bring us hitherward Bhaga who discovers treasure.7 May blessed Mornings dawn on us for ever, with wealth of kine, of horses, and of heroes,Streaming with all abundance, pouring fatness. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLII Visvedevas.1. LET Brahmans and Angirases come forward, and let the roar of cloudy heaven surround us.Loud low the Milch-kine swimming in the waters: set be the stones that grace our holy service.2 Fair, Agni, is thy long-known path to travel: yoke for the juice tfiy bay, thy ruddy horses,Or red steeds, Hero-bearing, for the chamber. Seated, I call the Deities' generations.3 They glorify your sacrifice with worship, yet the glad Priest near them is left unequalled.Bring the Gods hither, thou of many aspects: turn hitherward Aramati the Holy.4 What time the Guest hath made himself apparent, at ease reclining in the rich man's dwelling,Agni, well-pleased, well-placed within the chamber gives to a house like this wealth worth thechoosing.5 Accept this sacrifice of ours, O Agni; glorify it with Indra and the Maruts.Here on our grass let Night and Dawn be seated: bring longing Varuna and Mitra hither.6 Thus hath Vasistha praised victorious Agni, yearning for wealth that giveth all subsistence.May he bestow on us food, strength, and riches. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLIII Visvedevas.1. SING out the pious at your sacrifices to move with adorations Earth and Heaven-The Holy Singers, whose unmatched devotions, like a tree's branches, part in all directions.2 Let sacrifice proceed like some fleet courser: with one accord lift ye on high the ladles.Strew sacred grass meet for the solenm service: bright flames that love the Gods have mountedupward.3 Like babes in arms reposing on their mother, let the Gods sit upon the grass's summit.Let general fire make bright the flame of worship: scorn us not, Agni, in the Gods' assembly.4 Gladly the Gods have let themselves be honoured, milking the copious streams of holy Order.The highest might to-day is yours, the Vasits': come ye, as many as ye are, one-minded.5 So, Agni, send us wealth among the people: may we be closely knit to thee, O Victor,Unharmed, and rich, and taking joy together. Preserve us evermore, ye ods, with blessings.
HYMN XLIV. Dadhikras.1. I CALL on Dadhikras, the first, to give you aid, the Asvins, Bhaga, Dawn, and Agni kindled well,Indra, and Visnu, Pusan, Brahmanaspati, Adityas, Heaven and Earth, the Waters, and the Light.2 When, rising, to the sacrifice we hasten, awaking Dadhikras with adorations.Seating on sacred grass the Goddess Ila. let us invoke the sage swift-hearing Asvins.3 While I am thus arousing Dadhikravan I speak to Agni, Earth, and Dawn, and Surya,The red, the brown of Varuna ever mindful: may they ward off from us all grief and trouble.4 Foremost is Dadhikravan, vigorous courser; in forefront of the cars, his way he knoweth,Closely allied with Surya and with Morning, Adityas, and Angirases, and Vasus.5 May Dadhikras prepare the way we travel that we may pass along the path of Order.
May Agni bear us, and the Heavenly Army: hear us all Mighty Ones whom none deceiveth.
HYMN XLV. Savitar.1. MAY the God Savitar, rich in goodly treasures, filling the region, borne by steeds, come hither,In his hand holding much that makes men happy, lulling to slumber and arousing creatures.2 Golden, sublime, and easy in their motion, his arms extend unto the bounds of heaven.Now shall that mightiness of his he lauded: even Surya yields to him in active vigour.3 May this God Savitar, the Strong and Mighty, the Lord of precious wealth, vouchsafe us treasures.May he, advancing his far-spreading lustre, bestow on us the food that feedeth mortals.4 These songs praise Savitar whose tongue is pleasant, praise him whose arms are full, whose handsare lovely.High vital strength, and manifold, may he grant us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLVI. Rudra.1. To Rudra bring these songs, whose bow is firm and strong, the self-dependent God with swiftly-flying shafts,The Wise, the Conqueror whom none may overcome, armed with sharp-pointed weapons: may hehear our call.2 He through his lordship thinks on beings of the earth, on heavenly beings through his high imperialsway.Come willingly to our doors that gladly welcome thee, and heal all sickness, Rudra., in our families.3 May thy bright arrow which, shot down by thee from heaven, flieth upon the earth, pass usuninjured by.Thou, very gracious God, bast thousand medicines: inflict no evil on our sons or progeny.4 Slay us not, nor abandon us, O Rudra let not thy noose, when thou art angry, seize us.Give us trimmed grass and fame among the living. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLVII. Waters.1. MAY we obtain this day from you, O Waters, that wave of pure refreshment, which the piousMade erst the special beverage of Indra, bright, stainless, rich in sweets and dropping fatness.2 May the Floods' Offspring, he whose course is rapid, protect that wave most rich in sweets, OWaters,That shall make Indra and the Vasus joyful. This may we gain from you to-day, we pious.3 All-purifying, joying in their nature, to paths of Gods the Goddesses move onward.They never violate the laws of Indra. Present the oil-rich offering to the Rivers.4 Whom Surya with his bright beams hath attracted, and Indra dug the path for them to travel,May these Streams give us ample room and freedom. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLVIII. Rbhus.1. YE liberal Heroes, Vajas and Rbhuksans, come and delight you with our flowing Soma.May your strength, Vibhus, as ye come to meet us, turn hitherward your car that brings men profit.2 May we as Rbhu with your Rbhus conquer strength with our strength, as Vibhus with the Vibhus.May Vaja aid us in the fight for booty, and helped by Indra may we quell the foeman.3 For they rule many tribes with high dominion, and conquer all their foes in close encounter.May Indra, Vibhvan, Vaja, and Rbhuksan destroy by turns the wicked foeman's valour.4 Now, Deities, give us ample room and freedom: be all of you, one-minded, our protection.So let the Vasus grant us strength and vigour. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XLIX. Waters.1. FORTH from the middle of the flood the Waters-their chief the Sea-flow cleansing, never sleeping.Indra, the Bull, the Thunderer, dug their channels: here let those Waters, Goddesses, protect me.
2 Waters which come from heaven, or those that wander dug from the earth, or flowing free bynature,Bright, purifying, speeding to the Ocean, here let those Waters. Goddesses, protect me.3 Those amid whom goes Varuna the Sovran, he who discriminates men's truth and falsehood-Distilling meath, the bright, the purifying, here let those Waters, Goddesses, protect me.4 They from whom Varuna the King, and Soma, and all the Deities drink strength and vigour,They into whom Vaisvanara Agni entered, here let those Waters, Goddesses, protect Me.
HYMN L. Various Deities.1. O MITRA-VARUNA, guard and protect me here: let not that come to me which nests within andswells.I drive afar the scorpion hateful to the sight: let not the winding worm touch me and wound my foot.2 Eruption that appears upon the twofold joints, and that which overspreads the ankles and theknees,May the refulgent Agni banish far away let not the winding worm touch me and wound my foot.3 The poison that is formed upon the Salmali, that which is found in streams, that which the plantsproduce,All this may all the Gods banish and drive away: let not the winding worm touch me and wound myfoot.4 The steep declivities, the valleys, and the heights, the channels full of water, and the waterless-May those who swell with water, gracious Goddesses, never afflict us with the Sipada disease, mayall the rivers keep us free from Simida.
HYMN LI. Adityas.1 THROUGH the Adityas' most auspicious shelter, through their most recent succour may weconquer.May they, the Mighty, giving ear, establish this sacrifice, to make us free and sinless.2 Let Aditi rejoice and the Adityas, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, most righteous.May they, the Guardians of the world, protect us, and, to show favour, drink this day our Soma.3 All Universal Deities, the Maruts, all the Adityas, yea, and all the Rbhus,Indra, and Agni, and the Asvins, lauded. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LII. Adityas.1. MAY we be free from every bond, Adityas! a castle among Gods and men, ye Vasus.Winning, may we win Varuna and Mitra, and, being, may we be, O Earth and Heaven.2 May Varuna and Mitra grant this blessing, our Guardians, shelter to our seed and offspring.Let us not suffer for another's trespass. nor do the thing that ye, O Vasus, punish.3 The ever-prompt Angirases, imploring riches from Savitar the God, obtained them.So may our Father who is great and holy, and all the Gods, accordant, grant this favour.
HYMN LIII. Heaven and Earth.1. AS priest with solemn rites and adorations I worship Heaven and Earth, the High and Holy.To them, great Parents of the Gods, have sages of ancient time, singing, assigned precedence.2 With newest hymns set in the seat of Order, those the Two Parents, born before all others,Come, Heaven and Earth, with the Celestial People, hither to us, for strong is your protection.3 Yea, Heaven and Earth, ye hold in your possession full many a treasure for the liberal giver.Grant us that wealth which comes in free abundance. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LIV. Vastospati.1. ACKNOWLEDGE us, O Guardian of the Homestead: bring no disease, and give us happy entrance.Whate'er we ask of thee, be pleased to grant it, and prosper thou quadrupeds and bipeds.2 Protector of the Home, be our promoter: increase our wealth in kine and steeds, O Indu.
May we be ever-youthful in thy friendship: be pleased in us as in his sons a father.3 Through thy dear fellowship that bringeth welfare, may we be victors, Guardian of the Dwelling!Protect our happiness in rest and labour. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LV. Vastospati.1. VASTOSPATI, who killest all disease and wearest every form,Be an auspicious Friend to us.2 When, O bright Son of Sarama, thou showest, tawny-hued! thy teeth,They gleam like lances' points within thy mouth when thou wouldst bite; go thou to steep.3 Sarama's Son, retrace thy way: bark at the robber and the thief.At Indra's singers barkest thou? Why dust thou seek to terrify us? Go to sleep.4 Be on thy guard against the boar, and let the boar beware of thee.At Indra's singers barkest thou? Why dost thou seek to terrify us? Go to sleep.5 Sleep mother, let the father sleep, sleep dog and master of the house.Let all the kinsmen sleep, sleep all the people who are round about.6 The man who sits, the man who walks, and whosoever looks on us,Of these we closely shut the eyes, even as we closely shut this house.7 The Bull who hath a thousand horns, who rises up from out the sea,-By him the Strong and Mighty One we lull and make the people sleep.8 The women sleeping in the court, lying without, or stretched on beds,The matrons with their odorous sweetsthese, one and all, we lull to sleep.
HYMN LVI. Maruts.1. Wno are these radiant men in serried rank, Rudra's young heroes borne by noble steeds?2 Verily no one knoweth whence they sprang: they, and they only, know each other's birth.3 They strew each other with their blasts, these Hawks: they strove together, roaring like the wind.4 A sage was he who knew these mysteries, what in her udder mighty Prsni bore.5 Ever victorious, through the Maruts, be this band of Heroes, nursing manly strength,6 Most bright in splendour, flectest on their way, close-knit to glory, strong with varied power.7 Yea, mighty is your power and firm your strength: so, potent, with the Maruts, be the band.8 Bright is your spirit, wrathful are your minds: your bold troop's minstrel is like one inspired.9 Ever avert your blazing shaft from us, and let not your displeasure reach us here10 Your dear names, conquering Maruts, we invoke, calling aloud till we are satisfied.11 Well-armed, impetuous in their haste, they deck themselves, their forms, with oblations: to you,the pure, ornaments made of gold.12 Pure, Maruts, pure yourselves, are your oblations: to you, the pure, pure sacrifice I offer.By Law they came to truth, the Law's observers, bright by their birth, and pure, and sanctifying.13 Your rings, O Maruts, rest upon your shoulders, and chains of gold are twined upon your bosoms.Gleaming with drops of rain, like lightning-flashes, after your wont ye whirl about your weapons.14 Wide in the depth of air spread forth your glories, far, most adorable, ye bear your titles.Maruts, accept this thousandfold allotment of household sacrifice and household treasure.15 If, Maruts, ye regard the praise recited here at this mighty singer invocation,Vouchsafe us quickly wealth with noble heroes, wealth which no man uho hateth us may injure.16 The Maruts, fleet as coursers, while they deck them like youths spectators of a festal meeting,Linger, like beauteous colts, about the dwelling, like frisking calves, these who pour down the water.17 So may the Maruts help us and be gracious, bringing free room to lovely Earth and Heaven.Far be your bolt that slayeth men and cattle. Ye Vasus, turn yourselves to us with blessings.18 The priest, when seated, loudly calls you, Maruts, praising in song your universal bounty.He, Bulls! who hath so much in his possession, free from duplicity, with hymns invokes you.19 These Maruts bring the swift man to a stand-still, and strength with mightier strength they breakand humble
These guard the singer from the man who hates him and lay their sore displeasure on the wicked.20 These Maruts rouse even the poor and needy: the Vasus love him as an active champion.Drive to a distance, O ye Bulls, the darkness: give us full store of children and descendants.21 Never, O Maruts, may we lose your bounty, nor, car-borne Lords! be hitidmost when ye deal it.Give us a share in that delightful treasure, the genuine wealth that, Bulls! is your possession.22 What time the men in fury rush together for running streams, for pastures, and for houses.Then, O ye Maruts, ye who spring from Rudra, be our protectors in the strife with foemen.23 Full many a deed ye did for our forefathers worthy of lauds which, even of old, they sang you.lle strong man, with the Maruts, wins in battle, the charger, with the Maruts, gains the booty.24 Ours, O ye Maruts, be the vigorous Hero, the Lord Divine of men, the strong Sustainer,With whom to fair lands we may cross the waters, and dwell in our own home with you beside us.25 May Indra, Mitra, Varuna and Agni, Waters, and Plants, and Trees accept our praises.May we find shelter in the Marut's bosom. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LVII. Maruts.1. YEA, through the power of your sweet juice, ye Holy! the Marut host is glad at sacrifices.They cause even spacious heaven and earth to tremble, they make the spring flow when they come,the Mighty.2 The Maruts watch the man who sings their praises, promoters of the thought of him who worships.Seat you on sacred grass in our assembly, this day, with friendly minds, to share the banquet.3 No others gleam so brightly as these Maruts with their own forms, their golden gauds, theirweapons.With all adornments, decking earth and heaven, they heighten, for bright show, their commonsplendour.4 Far from us be your blazing dart, O Maruts, when we, through human frailty, sin against you.Let us not he exposed to that, ye Holy! May your most loving favour still attend us.5 May even what we have done delight the Maruts, the blameless Ones, the bright, the purifying.Further us, O ye Holy, with your kindness: advance us mightily that we may prosper.6 And may the Maruts, praised by all their titles, Heroes, enjoy the taste of our oblations.Give us of Amrta for the sake of offspring: awake the excellent fair stores of riches.7 Hither, ye Maruts, praised, with all your succours, with all felicity come to our princes,Who, of themselves, a hundredfold increase us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LVIII. Maruts.1. SING to the troop that pours down rain in common, the Mighty Company of celestial nature.They make the world-halves tremble with their greatness: from depths of earth and sky they reach toheaven.2 Yea, your birth, Maruts, was with wild commotion, ye who move swiftly, fierce in wrath, terrific.Ye all-surpassing in your might and vigour, each looker on the light fears at your coming.3 Give ample vital power unto our princes let our fair praises gratify the Maruts.As the way travelled helpeth people onward, so further us with your delightful succours.4 Your favoured singer counts his wealth by hundreds: the strong steed whom ye favour wins athousand.The Sovran whom ye aid destroys the foeman. May this your gift, ye Shakers, be distinguished.5 I call, as such, the Sons of bounteous Rudra: will not the Maruts turn again to us-ward?What secret sin or open stirs their anger, that we implore the Swift Ones to forgive us.6 This eulogy of the Bounteous hath been spoken: accept, ye Maruts, this our hymn of praises.Ye Bulls, keep those who hate us at a distance. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LIX. Maruts.1. WHOMSO ye rescue here and there, whomso ye guide, O Deities,
To him give shelter, Agni, Mitra, Varuna, ye Maruts, and thou Aryaman.2 Through your kind favour, Gods, on some auspicious day, the worshipper subdues his foes.That man increases home and strengthening ample food who brings you offerings as ye list.3 Vasistha will not overlook the lowliest one among you all.O Maruts, of our Soma juice effused to-day drink all of you with eager haste.4 Your succour in the battle injures not the man to whom ye, Heroes, grant your gifts.May your most recent favour turn to us again. Come quickly, ye who fain would drink.5 Come hitherward to drink the juice, O ye whose bounties give you joy.These offerings are for you, these, Maruts, I present. Go not to any place but this.6 Sit on our sacred grass, be graciously inclined to give the wealth for which we long,To take delight, ye Maruts, Friends of all, with Svaha, in sweet Soma juice.7 Decking the beauty of their forms in secret the Swans with purple backs have flown down hither.Around me all the Company hath settled, like joyous Heroes glad in our libation.8 Maruts, the man whose wrath is hard to master, he who would slay us ere we think, O Vasus,May he be tangled in the toils of mischief; smite ye him down with your most flaming weapon.9 O Maruts, ye consuming Gods, enjoy this offering brought for you,To help us, ye who slay the foe.10 Sharers of household sacrifice, come, Maruts, stay not far away,That ye may help us, Bounteous Ones.11 Here, Self-strong Maruts, yea, even here. ye Sages with your sunbright skinsI dedicate your sacrifice.12 Tryambaka we worship, sweet augmenter of prosperity.As from its stem the cucumber, so may I be released from death, not reft of immortality.
HYMN LX. Mitra-Varuna.1. WHEN thou, O Sun, this day, arising sinless, shalt speak the truth to Varuna and Mitra,O Aditi, may all the Deities love us, and thou, O Aryaman, while we are singing.2 Looking on man, O Varuna and Mitra, this Sun ascendeth up by both the pathways,Guardian of all things fixt, of all that moveth, beholding good and evil acts of mortals.3 He from their home hath yoked the Seven gold Coursers who, dropping oil and fatness, carry Surya.Yours, Varuna and Mitra, he surveyeth the worlds and living creatures like a herdsman.4 Your coursers rich in store of sweets have mounted: to the bright ocean Surya hath ascended,For whom the Adityas make his pathway ready, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna, accordant.5 For these, even Aryaman, Varuna and Mitra, are the chastisers of all guile and falsehood.These, Aditi's Sons, infallible and mighty, have waxen in the home of law Eternal.6 These, Mitra, Varuna whom none deceiveth, with great power quicken even the fool to wisdom,And, wakening, moreover, thoughtful insight, lead it by easy paths o'er grief and trouble.7 They ever vigilant, with eyes that close not, caring for heaven and earth, lead on the thoughtless.Even in the river's bed there is a shallow. across this broad expanse may they conduct us.8 When Aditi and Varuna and Mitra, like guardians, give Sudas their friendly shelter,Granting him sons and lineal succession, let us not, bold ones! move the Gods to anger.9 May he with ofierings purify the altar from any stains of Varuna's reviler.Aryaman save us us all those who hate us: give room and freedom to Sudas, ye Mighty.10 Hid from our eyes is their resplendent meeting: by their mysterious might they hold dominion.Heroes! we cry trembling in fear before you, even in the greatness of your power have mercy.11 He who wins favour for his prayer by worship, that he may gain him strength and highest riches,That good man's mind the Mighty Ones will follow: they have brought comfort to his spaciousdwelling.12 This priestly task, Gods! Varuna and Mitra! hath been performed for you at sacrifices.Convey us safely over every peril. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXI. Mitra-Varuna.1. O VARUNA and Mitra, Surya spreading the beauteous light of you Twain Gods ariseth.He who beholdetb all existing creatures observetb well the zeal that is in mortals.2 The holy sage, renowned afar, directeth his hymns to you, O Varuna and Mitra,-He whose devotions, sapient Gods, ye favour so that ye fill, as 'twere, with power his autumns.3 From the wide earth, O Varuna and Mitra from the great lofty heaven, ye, Bounteous Givers, -Have in the fields and houses set your warder-, who visit every spot and watch unceasing.4 I praise the strength of Varuna and Mitra that strength, by mightiness, keeps both worlds asunder.Heroless pass the months of the ungodly he who loves sacrifice makes his home enduring.5 Steers, all infallible are these your people in whom no wondrous thing is seen, no worship.Guile follows close the men who are untruthful: no secrets may be hidden from your knowledge.6 I will exalt your sacrifice with homage: as priest, I, Mitra-Varuna, invoke you.May these new hymns and prayers that I have fashioned delight you to the profit of the singer.7 This priestly task, Gods! Varuna and Mitra! hath been performed for you at sacrifices.Convey us safely over every peril. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXII. Mitra-Varuna.1. SURYA hath sent aloft his beams of splendour o'er all the tribes of men in countless places.Together with the heaven he shines apparent, formed by his Makers well with power and wisdom.2 So hast thou mounted up before us, Surya, through these our praises, with fleet dappled horses.Declare us free from all offence to Mitra, and Varuna, and Aryaman, and Agni.3 May holy Agni, Varuna, and Mitra send down their riches upon us in thousands.May they, the Bright Ones, make our praise-song perfect, and, when we laud them, grant us all ourwishes.4 O undivided Heaven and Earth, preserve us, us, Lofty Ones! your nobIy-born descendants.Let us not anger Varuna, nor Vayu, nor him, the dearest Friend of mortals, Mitra.5 Stretch forth your arms and let our lives be lengthened: with fatness dew the pastures of our cattle.Ye Youthful, make us famed among the people: hear, Mitra-Varuna, these mine invocations.6 Now Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman vouchsafe us freedom and room, for us and for our children.May we find paths all fair and good to travel. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXIII. Mitra-Varuna.1. COMMON to all mankind, auspicious Surya, he who beholdeth all, is mounting upward;The God, the eye of Varuna and Mitra, who rolled up darkness like a piece of leather.2 Surya's great ensign, restless as the billow, that urgeth men to action, is advancing:Onward he still would roll the wheel well-rounded, which Etasa, harnessed to the car-pole, moveth.3 Refulgent from the bosom of the Mornings, he in Whom singers take delight ascendeth.This Savitar, God, is my chief joy and pleasure, who breaketh not the universal statute.4 Golden, far-seeing, from the heaven he riseth: far is his goal, he hasteth on resplendent.Men, verily, inspirited by Surya speed to their aims and do the work assigned them.5 Where the irrunortals have prepared his pathway he flieth through the region like a falcon.With homage and oblations will we serve you, O Mitra-Varuna, when the Sun hath risen.6 Now Mitra, Varuna, Aryaman vouchsafe us freedom and room, for us and for our children.May we find paths all fair and good to travel. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXIV. Mitra-Varuna.1. YE Twain who rule, in heaven and earth, the region, clothed be your clouds in robes of oil andfatness.May the imperial Varuna, and Mitra, and high-born Aryaman accept our presents.2 Kings, guards of rrtighty everlasting Order, come hitherward, ye Princes, Lords of Rivers.
Send us from heaven, O Varuna and Mitra, rain and sweet food, ye who pour down your bounties.3 May the dear God, and Varuna and Mitra conduct us by the most effective pathways,That foes may say unto Sudas our chieftain, May, we, too, joy in food with Gods to guard us.4 Him who hath wrought for you this car in spirit, who makes the song rise upward and sustains it,Bedew with fatness, Varuna nd Mitra ye Kings, make glad the pleasant dwelling-places.5 To you this laud, O Varuna and Mitra is offered like bright Soma juice to Vayu.Favour our songs of praise, wake thought and spirit. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXV. Mitra-Varuna.1. WITH hymns I call you, when the Sun hath risen, Mitra, and Varuna whose thoughts are holy,Whose Power Divine, supreme and everlasting, comes with good heed at each man's supplication.2 For they are Asuras of Gods, the friendly make, both of you, our lands exceeding fruitful.May we obtain you, Varuna and Mitra, wherever Heaven and Earth and days may bless us.3 Bonds of the sinner, they bear many nooses: the wicked mortal hardly may escape them.Varuna-Mitra, may your path of Order bear us o'er trouble as a boat o'er waters.4 Come, taste our offering, Varuna and Mitra: bedew our pasture wil sweet food and fatness.Pour down in plenty here upon the people the choicest of your fair celestial water.5 To you this laud, O Varuna and Mitra, is offered, like bright Soma juice to Vayu.Favour our songs of praise, wake thought and spirit. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXVI Mitra-Varuna.1. LET our strong hymn of praise go forth, the laud of Mitra-Varuna,With homage to that high-born Pair;2 The Two exceeding wise, the Sons of Daksa, whom the gods ordainedFor lordship, excellently great.3 Such, Guardians of our homes and us, O Mitra-Varuna, fulfilThe thoughts of those who sing your praise.4 So when the Sun hath risen to-day, may sinless Mitra, Aryaman,Bhaga, and Savitar sendus forth.5 May this our home be guarded well forward, ye Bounteous, on the way,Who bear us safely o'er distress.6. And those Self-reigning, Aditi, whose statute is inviolate,The Kings who rule a vast domain.7 Soon as the Sun hath risen, to you, to Mitra-Varuna, I sing,And Aryarnan who slays the foe.8 With wealth of gold may this my song bring unmolested power and might,And, Brahmans, gain the sacrifice.9 May we be thine, God Varuna, and with our princes, Mitra, thine.Food and Heaven's light will we obtain.10 Many are they who strengthen Law, Sun-eyed, with Agni for their tongue,They who direct the three great gatherings with their thoughts, yea, all things with surpassingmight.11 They who have stablished year and month and then the day, night, sacrifice and holy verse,Varuna, Mitra, Aryarnan, the Kings, have won dominion which none else may gain.12 So at the rising of the Sun we think of you with hymns to-day,Even as Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman deserve: ye are the charioteers of Law.13 True to Law, born in Law the strengtheners of Law, terrible, haters of the false,In their felicity which gives the best defence may we men and our princes dwell.14 Uprises, on the slope of heaven, that marvel that attracts die sightAs swift celestial Etasa bears it away, prepared for every eye to see.
15 Lord of each single head, of fixt and moving things, equally through the whole expanse,The Seven sister Bays bear Surya on his car, to bring us wealth and happiness.16 A hundred autumns may we see that bright Eye, God-ordained, ariseA hundred autumns may we live.17 Infallible through your wisdom, come hither, resplendent Varuna,And Mitra, to the Soma draught.18 Come as the laws of Heaven ordain, Varuna, Mitra, void of guile:Press near and drink the Soma juice.19 Come, Mitra, Varuna, accept, Heroes, our sacrificial gift:Drink Soma, ye who strengthen Law.
HYMN LXVII. Asvins.1. I WITH a holy heart that brings oblation will sing forth praise to meet your car, ye Princes,Which, Much-desired! hath wakened as your envoy. I call you hither as a son his parents.2 Brightly hath Agni shone by us enkindled: the limits even of darkness were apparent.Eastward is seen the Banner of the Morning, the Banner born to give Heaven's Daughter glory.3 With hymns the deft priest is about you, Asvins, the eloquent priest attends you now, Nasatyas.Come by the paths that ye are wont to travel, on car that finds the light, laden with treasure.4 When, suppliant for your help, Lovers of Sweetness! I seeking wealth call you to our libation,Hitherward let your vigorous horses bear you: drink ye with us the well-pressed Soma juices.5 Bring forward, Asvins, Gods, to its fulfilment my never-wearied prayer that asks for riches.Vouchsafe us all high spirit in the combat, and with your powers, O Lords of Power, assist us.6 Favour us in these prayers of ours, O Asvins. May we have genial vigour, ne'er to fail us.So may we, strong in children and descendants, go, wealthy, to the banquet that awaits you.7 Lovers of Sweetness, we have brought this treasure to you as 'twere an envoy sent for friendship.Come unto us with spirits free from anger, in homes of men enjoying our oblation.8 With one, the same, intention, ye swift movers, o'er the Seven Rivers hath your chariot travelled.Yoked by the Gods, your strong steeds never weary while speeding forward at the pole they bearyou.9 Exhaustless be your bounty to our princes who with their wealth incite the gift of riches,Who further friendship with their noble natures, combining wealth in kine with wealth in herses.10 Now hear, O Youthful Twain, mine invocation: come, Asvins, to the home where food aboundeth.Vouchsafe us wealth, do honour to our nobles. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXVIII. Asvins.1. COME, radiant Asvins, with your noble horses: accept your servant's hymns, ye Wonder-Workers:Enjoy oblations which we bring to greet you.2 The gladdening juices stand prepared before you: come quickly and partake of mine oblation.Pass by the calling of our foe and bear us.3 Your chariot with a hundred aids, O Asvins, beareth you swift as thought across the regions,Speeding to us, O ye whose wealth is Surya.4 What time this stone of yours, the Gods' adorer, upraised, sounds forth for you as Soma-presser,Let the priest bring you, Fair Ones, through oblations.5 The nourishment ye have is, truly, wondrous: ye gave thereof a quickening store to Atri,Who being dear to you, receives your favour.6 That gift, which all may gain, ye gave Cyavana, when he grew old, who offered you oblations,When ye bestowed on him enduring beauty.7 What time his wicked friends abandoned Bhujyu, O Asvins, in the middle of the ocean,Your horse delivered him, your faithful servant.8 Ye lent your aid to Vrka when exhausted, and listened when invoked to Sayu's calling.
Ye made the cow pour forth her milk like water, and, Asvins, strengthened with your strength thebarren.9 With his fair hymns this singer, too, extols you, waking with glad thoughts at the break of morning.May the cow nourish him with milk to feed llim. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXIX. Asvins.1. MAY your gold chariot, drawn by vigorous horses, come to us, blocking up the earthand heaven,Bright with its fellies while its way drops fatness, food-laden, rich in coursers, man's protector.2 Let it approach, yoked by thewill, three-seated, extending far and wide o'er fivefold beings,Whereon ye visit God-adoring races, bending your course whither ye will, O Asvins.3 Renowned, with noble horses, come ye hither: drink, Wondrous Pair, the cup that holds sweetjuices.Your car whereon your Spouse is wont to travel marks with its track the farthest ends of heaven.4 When night was turning to the grey of morning the Maiden, Surya's Daughter, chose yoursplendour.When with your power and might ye aid the pious he comes through heat to life by your assistance.5 O Chariot-borne, this car of yours invested with rays of light comes harnessed to our dwelling.Herewith, O Asvins, while the dawn is breaking, to this our sacrifice bring peace and blessing.6 Like the wild cattle thirsty for the lightning, Heroes, come nigh this day to our libations.Men call on you with hymns in many places, but let not other worshippers detain you.7 Bhujyu, abandoned in the midst of ocean, ye raised from out the water with your horses,Uninjured, winged, flagging not, undaunted, with deeds of wonder saving him, O Asvins.8 Now hear, O Youthful Twain, mine invocation: come, Asvins, to the home where food aboundeth.Vouchsafe us wealth, do honour to our nobles. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXX. Asvins.1. RICH in all blessings, Asvins come ye hither: this place on earth is called your own possession,Like a strong horse with a fair back it standeth, whereon, as in a lap, ye seat you firmly.2 This most delightful eulogy awaits you in the man's house drink-offering hath been heated,Which bringeth you over the seas and rivers, yoking as'twere two well-matched shining horses.3 Whatever dwellings ye possess, O Asvins, in fields of men or in the streams of heaven,Resting upon the summit of the mountain, or bringing food to him who gives oblation,4 Delight yourselves, ye Gods, in plants and waters when Rsis give them and ye find they suit You.Enriching us with treasures in abundance ye have looked back to former generations.5 Asvins, though ye have heard them oft aforetime, regard the many prayers which Rsis offer.Come to the man even as his heart desireth: may we enjoy your most delightful favour.6 Come to the sacrifice offered you, Nasatyas, with men, oblations, and prayer duly uttered.Come to Vasistha as his heart desireth, for unto you these holy hymns are chanted.7 This is the thought, this is the song, O Asvins: accept this hymn of ours, ye Steers, with favour.May these our prayers addressed to you come nigh you. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, withblessings.
HYMN LXXI. Asvins.1. THE Night retireth from the Dawn her Sister; the Dark one yieldeth to the Red her pathway.Let us invoke you rich in steeds and cattle - by day and night keep far from us the arrow.2 Bearing rich treasure in your car, O Asvins, come to the mortal who presents oblation.Keep at a distance penury and sickness; Lovers of Sweetness, day and night preserve us.3 May your strong horses, seeking bliss, bring hither your chariot at the earliest flush of morning.With coursers yoked by Law drive hither, Asvins, your car whose reins are light, laden with treasure.4 The chariot, Princes, that conveys you, moving at daylight, triple-seated, fraught with riches,
Even with this come unto us, Nasatyas, that laden with all food it may approach us.5 Ye freed Cyavana from old age and weakness: ye brought the courser fleet of food to Pedu.Ye rescued Atri from distress and darkness, and loosed for Jahusa the bonds that bound him.6 This is the thought, this is the song, O Asvins: accept this hymn of ours, ye Steers, With favour.May these our prayers addressed to you come nigh you. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, withblessings.
HYMN LXXII. Asvins.1. COME, O Nasatyas, on your car resplendent, rich in abundant wealth of kine and horses.As harnessed steeds, all our laudations follow you whose forms shine with most delightful beauty.2 Come with the Gods associate, come ye hither to us, Nasatyas, with your car accordant.'Twixt you and us there is ancestral friendship and common kin: remember and regard it.3 Awakened are the songs that praise the Asvins, the kindred prayers and the Celestial Mornings.Inviting those we long for, Earth and Heaven, the singer calleth these Nasatyas hither.4 What time the Dawns break forth in light, O Asvins, to you the poets offer their devotions.God Savitar hath sent aloft his splendour, and fires sing praises with the kindled fuel.5 Come from the west, come from the cast, Nasatyas, come, Asvins, from below and from above us.Bring wealth from all sides for the Fivefold People. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXIII. Asvins.1. WE have o'erpassed the limit of this darkness while, worshipping the Gods, we sang their praises.The song invoketh both Immortal Asvins far-reaching, born of old, great WonderWorkers.2 And, O Nasatyas, man's dear Priest is seated, who brings to sacrifice and offers worship,Be near and taste the pleasant juice, O Asvins: with food, I call you to the sacrifices.3 We choosing you, have let our worship follow its course: ye Steers, accept this hymn with favour.Obeying you as your appointed servant, Vasistha singing hath with lauds aroused you.4 And these Two Priests come nigh unto our people, united, demon-slayers, mighty-handed.The juices that exhilarate are mingled. Injure us not, but come with happy fortune.5 Come from the west, come from the cast, Nasatyas, come, Asvins, from below and from above us.Bring wealth from all sides for the Fivefold People. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN I.XXIV. Asvins.1. THESE morning sacrifices call you, Asvins, at the break of day.For help have I invoked you rich in power and might: for, house by house ye visit all.2 O Heroes, ye bestow wonderful nourishment. send it to him whose songs are sweetAccordant, both of you, drive your car down to us, and drink the savoury Soma juice.3 Approach ye and be near to us. drink, O ye Asvins, of the meath.Draw forth the milk, ye Mighty, rich in genuine wealth: injure us not, and come to us.4 The horses that convey you in their rapid flight down to the worshipper's abode,With these your speedy coursers, Heroes, Asvins, come, ye Gods, come well-inclined to us.5 Yea, verily, our princes seek the Asvins in pursuit of food.These shall give lasting glory to our liberal lords, and, both Nasatyas, shelter us.6 Those who have led the way, like cars, offending none, those who are guardians of the men-Also through their own might the heroes have grown strong, and dwell in safe and happy homes.
HYMN LXXV. Dawn.1. BORN in the heavens the Dawn hath flushed, and showing her majesty is come as Law ordaineth.She hath uncovered fiends and hateful darkness; best of Angirases, hath waked the pathways.2 Rouse us this day to high and happy fortune: to great felicity, O Dawn, promote us.Vouchsafe us manifold and splendid riches, famed among mortals, man-befriending Goddess!
3 See, lovely Morning's everlasting splendours, bright with their varied colours, have approached us.Filling the region of mid-air, producing the rites of holy worship, they have mounted.4 She yokes her chariot far away, and swiftly visits the lands where the Five Tribes are settled,Looking upon the works and ways of mortals, Daughter of Heaven, the world's Imperial Lady.5 She who is rich in spoil, the Spouse of Surya, wondrously opulent, rules all wealth and treasures.Consumer of our youth, the seers extol her: lauded by priests rich Dawn shines out refulgent.6 Apparent are the steeds of varied colour, the red steeds carrying resplendent Morning.On her all-lovely car she comes, the Fair One, and brings rich treasure for her faithful servant.7 True with the True and Mighty with the Mighty, with Gods a Goddess, Holy with the Holy,She brake strong fences down and gave the cattle: the kine were lowing as they greeted Morning.8 O Dawn, now give us wealth in kine and heroes, and horses, fraught with manifold enjoyment.Protect our sacred grass from man's reproaches. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXVI. Dawn.1. SAVITAR God of all men hath sent upward his light, designed for all mankind, immortal.Through the Gods' power that Eye was first created. Dawn hath made all the universe apparent.2 I see the paths which Gods are wont to travel, innocuous paths made ready by the Vasus.Eastward the flag of Dawn hath been uplifted; she hath come hither o'er the tops of houses.3 Great is, in truth, the number of the Mornings which were aforetime at the Sun's uprising.Since thou, O Dawn, hast been beheld repairing as to thy love, as one no more to leave him.4 They were the Gods' companions at the banquet, the ancient sages true to Law Eternal.The Fathers found the light that lay in darkness, and with effectual words begat the Morning.5 Meeting together in the same enclosure, they strive not, ofone mind, one with another.They never break the Gods' eternal statutes, and injure none, in rivalry with Vasus.6 Extolling thee, Blest Goddess, the Vasisthas, awake at early mom, with lauds implore thee.Leader of kine and Queen of all that strengthens, shine, come as first to us, O high-born Morning.7 She bringeth bounty and sweet charm of voices. The flushing Dawn is sung by the Vasisthas,Giving us riches famed to distant places. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXVIT. Dawn.1. SHE hath shone brightly like a youthful woman, stirring to motion every living creature.Agni hath come to feed on mortal? fuel. She hath made light and chased away the darkness.2 Turned to this All, far-spreading, she hath risen and shone in brightness with white robes abouther.She hath beamed forth lovely with golden colours, Mother of kine, Guide of the days she bringeth.3 Bearing the Gods' own Eye, auspicious Lady, leading her Courser white and fair to look on,Distinguished by her bean-is Dawn shines apparent, come forth to all the world with wondroustreasure.4 Draw nigh with wealth and dawn away the foeman: prepare for us wide pasture free from danger.Drive away those who hate us, bring us riches: pour bounty, opulent Lady, on the singer.5 Send thy most excellent beams to shine and light us, giving us lengthened days, O Dawn, OGoddess,Granting us food, thou who hast all things precious, and bounty rich in chariots, kine, and horses.6 O Usas, nobly-born, Daughter of Heaven, whom the Vasisthas with their hymns make mighty,Bestow thou on us vast and glorious riches. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXVIII. Dawn.1. WE have beheld her earliest lights approaching: her many glories part, on high, asunder.On car sublime, refulgent, wending hither, O Usas, bring the Wealth that makes us happy.2 The fire well-kindIed sings aloud to greet her, and with their hymns the priests are chamingwelcome.
Usas approaches in her splendour, driving all evil darkness far away, the Goddess.3 Apparent eastward are those lights of Morning, sending out lustre, as they rise, around them.She hath brought forth Sun, sacrifice, and Agni, and far away hath fled detested darkness.4 Rich Daughter of the Sky, we all behold her, yea, all men look on Dawn as she is breaking.fler car that moves self-harnessed hath she mounted, the car drawn onward by her well-yokedhorses.5 Inspired with loving thoughts this day to greet thee, we and our wealthy nobles have awakened.Show yourselves fruitful, Dawns, as ye are rising. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXIX. Dawn.1. ROUSING the lands where men's Five Tribes are settled, Dawn hath disclosed the pathways of thepeople.She hath sent out her sheen with beauteous oxen. The Sun with light hath opened earth and heaven.2 They paint their bright rays on the sky's far limits. the Dawns come on like tribes arrayed for battle.Thy cattle, closely shutting up the darkness, as Savitar spreads his arms, give forth their lustre.3 Wealthy, most like to Indra, Dawn hath risen, and brought forth lauds that shall promote ourwelfare.Daughter of Heaven, a Goddess, she distributes, best of Angirases, treasures to the pious.4 Bestow on us, O Dawn, that ample bounty which thou didst send to those who sang thy praises;Thou whom with bellowings of a bull they quickened: thou didst unbar the firm-set mountain'sportals.5 Impelling every God to grant his bounty sending to us the charm of pleasant voices,Vouchsafe us thoughts, for profit, as thou breakest. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXX. Dawn.1 THE priests, Vasisthas, are the first awakened to welcome Usas with their songs and praises,Who makes surrounding regions part asunder,and shows apparent all existing creatures.2 Giving fresh life when she hath hid the darkness, this Dawn hath wakened there with new-bornlustre.Youthful and unrestrained she cometh forward: she hath turned thoughts to Sun and fire andworship.3 May blessed Mornings shine on us for ever, with wealth of kine, of horses, and of heroes,Streaming with all abundance, pouring fatness. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXXI. Dawn.1. ADVANCING, sending forth her rays, the Daughter of the Sky is seen.Uncovering, that we may see, the mighty gloom, the friendly Lady makes the light.2 The Sun ascending, the refulgent Star, pours down his beams together with the Dawn.O Dawn, at thine arising, and the Sun's, may we attain the share allotted us.3 Promptly we woke to welcome thee, O Usas, Daughter of the Sky,Thee, Bounteous One, who bringest all we long to have, and to the offerer health and wealth.4 Thou, dawning, workest fain to light the great world, yea, heaven, Goddess! that it may be seen.We yearn to be thine own, Dealer of Wealth: may we be to this Mother like her sons.5 Bring us that wondrous bounty, Dawn, that shall be famed most far away.What, Child of Heaven, thou hast of nourishment for man, bestow thou on us to enjoy.6 Give to our princes opulence and immortal fame, and strength in herds of kine to us.May she who prompts the wealthy, Lady of sweet strains, may Usas dawn our foes away.
HYMN LXXXIT. Indra-Varuna1. GRANT us your strong protection, IndraVaruna, our people, and our family, for sacrifice.May we subdue in fight our evil-hearted foes, him who attacks the man steadfast in lengthened rites.
2 O Indra-Varuna, mighty and very rich One of you is called Monarch and One Autocrat.All Gods in the most lofty region of the air have, O ye Steers, combined all power and might in you.3 Ye with your strength have pierced the fountains of the floods: the Sun have ye brought forward asthe Lord in heaven.Cheered by this magic draught ye, Indra-Varuna, made the dry places stream, made songs of praiseflow forth.4 In battels and in frays we ministering priests, kneeling upon our knees for furtherance of our weal,Invoke you, only you, the Lords of twofold wealth, you prompt to hear, we bards, O Indra-Varuna.5 O Indra-Varuna, as ye created all these creatures of the world by your surpassing might,In peace and quiet Mitra waits on Varuna, the Other, awful, with the Maruis seeks renown.6 That Varuna's high worth may shine preeminent, these Twain have measured each his properpower and might.The One subdueth the destructive enemy; the Other with a few furthereth many a man.7 No trouble, no misfortune, Indra-Varuna, no woe from any side assails the mortal manWhose sacrifice, O Gods, ye visit and enjoy: ne'er doth the crafty guile of mortal injure him.8 With your divine protection, Heroes, come to us: mine invncation hear, if ye be pleased therewith.Bestow ye upon us, O Indra-Varuna, your friendship and your kinship and your favouring grace.9 In battle after battle, Indra-Varuna, be ye our Champions, ye who are the peoples' strength,When both opposing bands invoke you for the fight, and men that they may gain offspring andprogeny.10 May Indra, Varuna, Mitra, and Aryaman vouchsafe us glory and great shelter spreading far.We think of the beneficent light of Aditi, and Savitar's song of praise, the God who strengthens Law.
HYMN LXXXIII. Indra-Varuna.1. LOOKING to you and your alliance, O ye Men, armed with broad axes they went forward, fain forspoil.Ye smote and slew his Dasa and his Aryan enemies, and helped Sudas with favour, Indra-Varuna.2 Where heroes come together with their banners raised, in the encounter where is naught for us tolove,Where all things that behold the light are terrified, there did ye comfort us, O Indra-Varuna.3 The boundaries of earth were seen all dark with dust: O Indra-Varuna, the shout went up toheaven.The enmities of the people compassed me about. Ye heard my calling and ye came to me with help.4 With your resistless weapons, Indra-Varuna, ye conquered Bheda and ye gave Sudas your aid.Ye heard the prayers of these amid the cries of war: effectual was the service of the Trtsus' priest.5 O Indra-Varuna, the wickedness of foes and mine assailants' hatred sorely trouble me.Ye Twain are Lords of riches both of earth and heaven: so grant to us your aid on the decisive day.6 The men of both the hosts invoked you in the fight, Indra and Varuna, that they might win thewealth,What time ye helped Sudas, with all the Trtsu folk, when the Ten Kings had pressed him down intheir attack.7 Ten Kings who worshipped not, O Indra-Varuna, confederate, in war prevailed not o'er Sudas.True was the boast of heroes sitting at the feast: so at their invocations Gods were on their side.8 O Indra-Varuna, ye gave Sudas your aid when the Ten Kings in battle compassed him about,There where the white-robed Trtsus with their braided hair, skilled in song worshipped you withhomage and with hymn.9 One of you Twain destroys the Vrtras in the fight, the Other evermore maintains his holy Laws.We call on you, ye Mighty, with our hymns of praise. Vouchsafe us your protection, Indra-Varuna.10 May Indra, Varuna, Mitra, and Aryaman vouchsafe us glory and great shelter spreading far.We think of the beneficent light of Aditi, and Savitar's song of praise, the God who strengthens Law.
HYMN LXXXIV. Indra-Varuna.
1. KINGS, Indra-Varuna, I would turn you hither to this our sacrifice with gifts and homage.Held in both arms the ladle, dropping fatness, goes of itself to you whose forms are varied.2 Dyaus quickens and promotes your high dominion who bind with bonds not wrought of rope orcordage.Far from us still be Varuna's displeasure may Indra give us spacious room to dwell in.3 Make ye our sacrifice fair amid the assemblies: make ye our prayers approved among our princes.May God-sent riches come for our possession: further ye us with your delightful succours.4 O Indra-Varuna, vouchsafe us riches with store of treasure, food, and every blessing;For the Aditya, banisher of falsehood, the Hero, dealeth wealth in boundless plenty.5 May this my song reach Varuna and Indra, and, strongly urging, win me sons and offspring.To the Gods' banquet may we go with riches. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXXV. Indra-Varuna.1. FOR you I deck a harmless hymn, presenting the Soma juice to Varuna and Indra-A hymn that shines like heavenly Dawn with fatness. May they be near us on the march and guardus.2 Here where the arrows fall amid the banners both hosts invoke the Gods in emulation.O Indra-Varuna, smite back those-our foemen,yea, smite them withyour shaft to every quarter.3 Self-lucid in their seats, e'en heavenly Waters endowed with Godhead Varuna and Indra.One of these holds the folk distinct and sundered, the Other smites and slays resistless foemen.4 Wise be the priest and skilled in Law Eternal, who with his sacred gifts and oration.Brings you to aid us with your might, Adityas: let him have viands to promote his welfare.5 May this my song reach Varuna and Indra, and, strongly urging, win me sons and offspring.To the Gods' banquet may we go with riches. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods with blessings.
HYMN LXXXVI. Varuna.1. WISE, verily, are creatures through his greatness who stayed ever, spacious heaven and earthasunder;Who urged the high and mighty sky to motion, the Star of old, and spread the earth before him.2 With mine own heart I commune on the question how Varuna and I may be united.What gift of mine will he accept unangered? When may I calmly look and find him gracious?3 Fain to know this in in I question others: I seek the wise, O Varuna, and ask them.This one same answer even the sages gave me, "Surely this Varuna is angry with thee."4 What, Varuna, hath been my chief transgression, ihat thou wouldst slay the friend who sings thypraises?Tell me, Unconquerable Lord, and quickly sinless will I approach thee with mine homage.5 Free us from sins committed by our fathers, from those wherein we have ourselves offended.O King, loose, like a thief who feeds the cattle, as from the cord a calf, set free Vasistha.6 Not our own will betrayed us, but seduction, thoughtlessness, Varuna wine, dice, or anger.The old is near to lead astray the younger: even sleep removeth not all evil-doing.7 Slavelike may I do service to the Bounteous, serve, free from sin, the God inclined to anger.This gentle Lord gives wisdom to the simple: the wiser God leads on the wise to riches.8 O Lord, O Varuna, may this laudation come close to thed and lie within thy spirit.May it be well with us in rest and labour. Preserve us ever-more, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXXVII. Varuna.1. VARUNA cut a pathway out for Surya, and led the watery floods of rivers onward.The Mares, as in a race, speed on in order. He made great channels for the days to follow.2 The wind, thy breath, hath sounded through the region like a wild beast that seeks his food inpastures.Within these two, exalted Earth and Heaven, O Varuna, are all the forms thou lovest.
3 Varuna's spies, sent forth upon their errand, survey the two world-halves well formed andfashioned.Wise are they, holy, skilled in sacrifices, the furtherers of the praise-songs of the prudent.4 To me who understand hath Varuna spoken, the names borne by the Cow are three times seven.The sapient God, knowing the place's secret, shall speak as 'twere to teach the race that cometh.5 On him three heavens rest and are supported, and the three earths are there in sixfold order.The wise King Varuna hath made in heaven that Golden Swing to cover it with glory.6 Like Varuna from heaven he sinks in Sindhu, like a white-shining spark, a strong wild creature.Ruling in depths and meting out the region, great saving power hath he, this world's Controller.7 Before this Varuna may we be sinless him who shows mercy even to the sinner-While we are keeping Aditi's ordinances. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXXVIII. Varuna.1. PRESENT to Varuna thine hymn, Vasistha, bright, most delightful to the Bounteous Giver,Who bringeth on to us the Bull, the lofty, the Holy, laden with a thousand treasures.2 And now, as I am come before his presence, I take the face of Varuna for Agni's.So might he bring-Lord also of the darkness-the light in heaven that I may see its beauty!3 When Varuna and I embark together and urge our boat into the midst of ocean,We, when we ride o'er ridges of the waters, will swing within that swing and there be happy.4 Varuna placed Vasistha in the vessel, and deftly with his niight made him a Rsi.When days shone bright the Sage made him a singer, while the heavens broadened and the Dawnswere lengthened.5 What hath become of those our ancient friendships, when without enmity we walked together?I, Varuna, thou glorious Lord, have entered thy lofty home, thine house with thousand portals.6 If he, thy true ally, hath sinned against thee, still, Varuna, he is the friend thou lovedst.Let us not, Living One, as sinners I know thee: give shelter, as a Sage, to him who lauds thee.7 While we abide in these fixed habitations, and from the lap of Aditi win favour,May Varuna untie the bond that binds us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN LXXXIX Varuna.1. LET me not yet, King Varuna, enter into the house of clay:Have mercy, spare me, Mighty Lord.2 When, Thunderer! I move along tremulous like a wind-blown skin,Have mercy, spare me, Mighty Lord.3 O Bright and Powerful God, through want of strength I erred and went astrayHave mercy, spare me, Mighty Lord.4 Thirst found thy worshipper though he stood in the midst of water-fijods:Have mercy, spare me, Mighty Lord.5 O Varuna, whatever the offence may be which we as men commit against the heavenly host,When through our want of thought we violate thy laws, punish us not, O God, for that iniquity.
HYMN XC. Vayu.1. To you pure juice, rich in meath, are offered by priest: through longing for the Pair of Heroes.Drive, Vayu, bring thine harnessed horses hither: drink the pressed Soma till it make thee joyful.2 Whoso to thee, the Mighty, brings oblation, pure Soma unto thee, pure-drinking Vayu,That man thou makest famous among mortals: to him strong sons are born in quick succession.3 The God whom both these worlds brought forth for riches, whom heavenly Dhisana for our wealthappointeth,His team of harnessed horses waits on Vayu, and, foremost, on the radiant Treasure-bearer.4 The spotless Dawns with fair bright days have broken; they found the spacious light when theywere shining.
Eagerly they disclosed the stall of cattle: floods streamed for them as in the days aforetime.5 These with their truthful spirit, shining brightly, move on provided with their natural insight.Viands attend the car that beareth Heroes, your car, ye Sovran Pair, Indra and Vayu.6 May these who give us heavenly light, these rulers, with gifts of kine and horses, gold andtreasures.These princes, through full life, Indra and Vayu! o'ercome in battle with their steeds and heroes.7 Like coursers seeking fame will we Vasisthas, O Indra-Vayu, with our fair laudations.Exerting all our power call you to aid us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XCI. Vayu.1. WERE not in sooth, the Gods aforetime blameless, whose pleasure was increased by adoration?For Vayu and for man in his affliction they caused the Morning to arise with Surya.2 Guardians infallible, eager as envoys' preserve us safe through many months and autumns.Addressed to you, our fair praise, Indra-Vayu, implores your favour and renewed well-being.3 Wise, bright, arranger of his teams, he. seeketh men with rich food whose treasures are abundant.They have arranged them of one mind with Vayu: the men have wrought all noble operations.4 So far as native power and strength permit you, so far as men behold whose eyes have vision,O ye pure-drinkers, drink with us pure Soma: sit on this sacred grass, Indra and Vayu.5 Driving down teams that bear the lovely Heroes, hitherward, Indra-Vayu, come together.To you this prime of savoury juice is offered: here loose your horses and be friendly-minded.6 Your hundred and your thousand teams, O Indra and Vayu, all-munificent, which attend you,With these most gracious-minded come ye hither, and drink, O Heroes of the meath we offer.7 Like coursers seeking fame will we Vasisthas, O Indra-Vayu, with our fair laudations,Exerting all our powe-,, call you to aid us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XCII. Vayu1. O VAYU, drinker of the pure, be near us: a thousand teams are thine, Allbounteous Giver.To thee the rapture-bringing juice is offered, whose first draught, God, thou takest as thy portion.2 Prompt at the holy rites forth came the presser with Soma-draughts for Indra and for Vayu,When ministering priests with strong devotion bring to you Twain the first taste of the Soma.3 The teams wherewith thou seekest him who offers, within his home, O Viyu, to direct him,Therewith send wealth: to us with full enjoyment, a hero son and gifts of kine and horses.4 Near to the Gods and making Indra joyful, devout and ofFering precious gifts to Vayu,Allied with princes, smiting down the hostile, may we with heroes conquer foes in battle.5 With thy yoked teams in hundreds and in thousands come to our sacrifice and solemn worship.Come, Vayu, make thee glad at this libation. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XCIII. Indra-Agni.1. SLAYERS of enemies, Indra and Agni, accept this day our new-born pure laudation.Again, again I call you prompt to listen, best to give quickly strength to him who craves it.2 For ye were strong to gain, exceeding mighty, growing together, waxing in your vigour.Lords of the pasture filled with ample riches, bestow upon us strength both fresh and lasting.3 Yea when the strong have entered our assembly, and singers seeking with their hymns your favour,They are like steeds who come into the race-course, those men who call aloud on Indra-Agni.4 The singer, seeking with his hymns your favour, begs splendid riches of their first possessor.Further us with new bounties, Indra-Agni, armed with strong thunder, slayers of the foeman.5 When two great hosts, arrayed against each other, meet clothed with brightness, in the fierceencounterStand ye beside the godly, smite the godless; and still assist the men who press the Soma.6 To this our Soma-pressing, Indra-Agni, come ye prepared to show your loving-kindness,For not at any time have ye despised us. So may I draw you with all strengthenings hither.
7 So Agni, kindled mid this adoration, invite thou Mitra, Varuna, and Indra.Forgive whatever sin we have committed may Aryaman and Aditi remove it.8 While we accelerate these our sacrifices, may we win strength from both of you, O Agni:Ne'er may the Maruts, Indra, Visnu slight us. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN XCIV. Indra-Agni.1. As rain from out the cloud, for you, Indra and Agni, from my soulThis noblest praise hath been produced.2 Do ye, O Indra-Agni, hear the singer's call: accept his songs.Ye Rulers, grant his heart's desire.3 Give us not up to poverty, ye Heroes, Indra-Agni, norTo slander and reproach of men.4 To Indra and to Agni we bring reverence, high and holy hymn,And, craving help, softwords with prayer.5 For all these holy singers here implore these Twain to succour them,And priests that they may win them strength.6 Eager to laudyou, we with songs invoke you, bearing sacred food,Fain for success in sacrifice.7 Indra and Agni, come to us with favour, ye who conquer men:Let not the wicked master us.8 At no time let the injurious blow of hostile mortal fall on us:O Indra-Agni, shelter us.9 Whatever wealth we crave of you, in gold, in cattle, or in steeds,That, Indra-Agni, let us gain;10 When heroes prompt in worship call Indra and Agni, Lords of steeds,Beside the Soma juice effused.11 Call hither with the song and lauds those who best slay the foemen, thoseWho take delight in hymns of praise.12 Slay ye the wicked man whose thought is evil of the demon kind.Slay him who stays the waters, slay the Serpent with your deadly dart.
HYMN XCV. Sarasvati.1. THIS stream Sarasvati with fostering current comes forth, our sure defence, our fort of iron.As on a car, the flood flows on, surpassing in majesty and might all other waters.2 Pure in her course from mountains to the ocean, alone of streams Sarasvati hath listened.Thinking of wealth and the great world of creatures, she poured for Nahusa her milk and fatness.3 Friendly to man he grew among the women, a strong young Steer amid the Holy Ladies.He gives the fleet steed to our wealthy princes, and decks their bodies for success in battle.4 May this Sarasvati be pleased and listen at this our sacrifice, auspicious Lady,When we with reverence, on our knees, implore her close-knit to wealth, most kind to those sheloveth.5 These offerings have ye made with adoration: say this, Sarasvati, and accept our praises;And, placing us under thy dear protection, may we approach thee, as a tree, for shelter.6 For thee, O Blest Sarasvati, Vasistha hath here unbarred the doors d sacred Order.Wax, Bright One, and give strength to him who lauds thee. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, withblessings.
HYMN XCVI. Sarasvati.1. I SING a lofty song, for she is mightiest, most divine of Streams.Sarasvati will I exalt with hymns and lauds, and, O Vasistha, Heaven and Earth.2 When in the fulness of their strength the Purus dwell, Beauteous One, on thy two grassy banks,
Favour us thou who hast the Maruts for thy friends: stir up the bounty of our chiefs.3 So may Sarasvati auspicious send good luck; she, rich in spoil, is never niggardly in thought,When praised in jamadagni's way and lauded as Vasistha lauds.4 We call upon Sarasvan, as unmarried men who long for wives,As liberal men who yearn for sons.5 Be thou our kind protector, O Sarasvan, with those waves of thineLaden with sweets and dropping oil.6 May we enjoy Sarasvan's breast, all-beautiful, that swells with streams,May we gain food and progeny.
HYMN XCVIL Brhaspati.1. WHERE Heaven and Earth combine in men's assembly, and ttose who love the Gods delight inworship,Where the libations are effused for Indra, may he come first to drink and make him stronger.2 We crave the heavenly grace of Gods to guard us-so may Brhaspati, O friends, exalt us-That he, the Bounteous God, may find us sintess, who giveth from a distance like a father.3 That Brahmanaspati, most High and Gracious, I glorify with offerings and with homage.May the great song of praise divine, reach Indra who is the King of prayer the Gods' creation.4 May that Brhaspati who brings all blessings, most dearly loved, be seated by our altar.Heroes and wealth we crave; may he bestow them, and bear us safe beyond the men who vex us.5 To us these Deathless Ones, erst born, have granted this laud of ours which gives the Immortalpleasure.Let us invoke Brhaspati, the foeless, the clear-voiced God, the Holy One of households6 Him, this Brhaspati, his red-hued horses, drawing together, full of strength, bring hither.Robed in red colour like the cloud, they carry the Lord of Might whose friendship gives a dwelling.7 For he is pure, with hundred wings, refulgent, with sword of gold, impetuous, winning sunlight.Sublime Brhaspati, easy of access granteth his friends most bountiful refreshment.8 Both Heaven and Earth, divine, the Deity's Parents, have made Brhaspati increase in grandeur.Glorify him, O friends, who merits glory: may he give prayer fair way and easy passage.9 This, Brahmanaspati, is your laudation prayer hath been made to thunderwielding Indra.Favour our songs, wake up our thought and spirit: destroy the godless and our foemen's malice.10 Ye Twain are Lords of wealth in earth and heaven, thou, O Brhaspati, and thou, O Indra.Mean though he be, give wealth to him who lauds you. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, withblessings.
HYMN XCVIII. Indra.1. PRIESTS, offer to the Lord of all the people the milked-out stalk of Soma, radiant-coloured.No wild-bull knows his drinking-place like Indra who ever seeks him who hath pressed the Soma,2 Thou dost desire to drink, each day that passes, the pleasant food which thou hast had aforetime,O Indra, gratified in heart and spirit, drink eagerly the Soma set before thee.3 Thou, newly-born, for strength didst drink the Soma; the Mother told thee of thy future greatness.O Indra, thou hast filled mid-air's wide region, and given the Gods by battle room and freedom.4 When thou hast urged the arrocrant to combat, proud in their strength of arm, we will subduethem.Or, Indra, when thou fightest girt by heroes, we in the glorious fray with thee will conquer.5 I will declare the earliest deeds of Indra, and recent acts which Maghavan hath accomplished.When he had conquered godless wiles and magic, Soma became his own entire possession.6 Thine is this world of flocks and herds around thee, which with the eye of Surya thou beholdest.Thou, Indra, art alone the Lord of cattle; may we enjoy the treasure which thou givest.7 Ye Twain are Lords of wealth in earth and heaven, thou, O Brhaspati, and thou, O Indra.
Mean though he be, give wealth to him who lauds you. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, withblessings.
HYMN XCIX. Visnu.1. MEN come not nigh thy majesty who growest beyond all bound and measure with thy body.Both thy two regions of the earth, O Visnu, we know: thou God, knowest the highest also.2 None who is born or being born, God Visnu, hath reached the utmost limit of thy grandeur.The vast high vault of heaven hast thou supported, and fixed earth's eastern pinnacle securely.3 Rich in sweet food be ye, and rich in milch-kine, with fertile pastures, fain to do men service.Both these worlds, Visnu, hast thou stayed asunder, and firmly fixed the earth with pegs around it.4 Ye have made spacious room for sacrificing by generating Surya, Dawn, and Agni.O Heroes, ye have conquered in your battles even the bull-jawed Dasa's wiles and magic.5 Ye have destroyed, thou, Indra, and thou Visnu, Sambara's nine-and-ninety fenced castles.Ye Twain smote down a hundred times a thousand resistless heroes of the royal Varcin.6 This is the lofty hymn of praise, exalting the Lords of Mighty Stride, the strong and lofty.I laud you in the solemn synods, Visnu: pour ye food on us in our camps, O Indra.7 O Visnu, unto thee my lips cry Vasat! Let this mine offering, Sipivista, please thee.May these my songs of eulogy exalt thee. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN C. Visnu.1 NE'ER doth the man repent, who, seeking profit, bringeth his gift to the far-striding Visnu.He who adoreth him with all his spirit winneth himself so great a benefactor.2 Thou, Visnu, constant in thy courses, gavest good-will to all men, and a hymn that lasteth,That thou mightst move us to abundant comfort of very splendid wealth with store of horses.3 Three times strode forth this God in all his grandeur over this earth bright with a hundredsplendours.Foremost be Visnu, stronger than the strongest: for glorious is his name who lives for ever.4 Over this earth with mighty step strode Visnu, ready to give it for a home to Manu.In him the humble people trust for safety: he, nobly born, hath made them spacious dwellings.5 To-day I laud this name, O gipivista, I, skilled in rules, the name of thee the Noble.Yea, I the poor and weak praise thee the Mighty who dwellest in the realm beyond this region.6 What was there to be blamed in thee, O Visnu, when thou declaredst, I am Sipivista?Hide not this form from us, nor keep it secret, since thou didst wear another shape in battle.7 O Visnu, unto thee my lips cry Vasat! Let this mine offering, Sipivista, please thee.May these my songs of eulogy exalt thee. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN CI. Parjanya.1 SPEAK forth three words, the words which light precedeth, which milk this udder that producethnectar.Quickly made manifest, the Bull hath bellowed, engendering the germ of plants, the Infant.2 Giver of growth to plants, the God who ruleth over the waters and all moving creatures,Vouchsafe us triple shelter for our refuge, and threefold light to succour and befriend us.3 Now he is sterile, now begetteth offspring, even as he willeth doth he change his figure.The Father's genial flow bedews the Mother; therewith the Sire, therewith the son is nourished.4 In him all living creatures have their being, and the three heavens with triplyflowing waters.Three reservoirs that sprinkle down their treasure shed their sweet streams around him with amurmur.5 May this my song to Sovran Lord Parjanya come near unto his heart and give him pleasure.May we obtain the showers that bring enjoyment, and God-protected plants with goodly fruitage.6 He is the Bull of all, and their impregner lie holds the life of all things fixed and moving.May this rite save me till my hundredth autumn. Preserve us evermore, ye Gods, with blessings.
HYMN CII Parjanya.1 SING forth and laud Parjanya, son of Heaven, who sends the gift of rainMay he provide our pasturage.2 Parjanya is the God who forms in kine, in mares, in plants of earth,And womankind, the germ of life.3 Offer and pour into his mouth oblation rich in savoury juice:May he for ever give us food.
HYMN CIII. Frogs.1. THEY who lay quiet for a year, the Brahmans who fulfil their vows,The Frogs have lifted up their voice, the voice Parjanya hath inspired.2 What time on these, as on a dry skin lying in the pool's bed, the floods of heaven descended,The music of the Frogs comes forth in concert like the cows lowing with their calves beside them.3 When at the coming of the Rains the water has poured upon them as they yearned and thirsted,One seeks another as he talks and greets him with cries of pleasure as a son his father.4 Each of these twain receives the other kindly, while they are revelling in the flow of waters,When the Frog moistened by the rain springs forward, and Green and Spotty both combine theirvoices.5 When one of these repeats the other's language, as he who learns the lesson of the teacher,Your every limb seems to be growing larger as ye converse with eloquence on the waters.6 Onc is Cow-bellow and Goat-bleat the other, one Frog is Green and one of them is Spotty.They bear one common name, and yet they vary, and, talking, modulate the voice diversely.7 As Brahmans, sitting round the brimful vessel, talk at the Soma-rite of Atiratra,So, Frogs, ye gather round the pool to honour this day of all the year, the first of Rain-time.8 These Brahmans with the Soma juice, performing their year-long rite, have lifted up their voices;And these Adhvaryus, sweating with their kettles, come forth and show themselves, and none arehidden.9 They keep the twelve month's God-appointed order, and never do the men neglect the season.Soon as the Rain-time in the year returneth, these who were heated kettles gain their freedom.10 Cow-bellow and Goat-bleat have granted riches, and Green and Spotty have vouchsafed ustreasure.The Frogs who give us cows in hundreds lengthen our lives in this most fertilizing season.
HYMN CIV. Indra-Soma.1. INDRA and Soma, burn, destroy the demon foe, send downward, O ye Bulls, those who add gloomto gloom.Annihilate the fools, slay them and burn them up: chase them away from us, pierce the voraciousones.2 Indra and Soma, let sin round the wicked boil like as a caldron set amid the flames of fire.Against the foe of prayer, devourer of raw flesh, the vile fiend fierce of eye, keep ye perpetual hate.3 Indra and Soma, plunge the wicked in the depth, yea, cast them into darkness that hath no support,So that not one of them may ever thence return: so may your wrathful might prevail and conquerthem.4 Indra and Soma, hurl your deadly crushing bolt down on the wicked fiend from heaven and from theearth.Yea, forge out of the mountains your celestial dart wherewith ye burn to death the waxing demonrace.5 Indra and Soma, cast ye downward out of heaven your deadly darts of stone burning with fieryflame,Eternal, scorching darts; plunge the voracious ones within the depth, and let them sink without asound.
6 Indra and Soma, let this hymn control you both, even as the girth encompasses two vigoroussteeds-The song of praise which I with wisdom offer you: do ye, as Lords of men, animate these my prayers.7 In your impetuous manner think ye both thereon: destroy these evil beings, slay the treacherousfiends.Indra and Soma, let the wicked have no bliss who evermore assails us with malignity.8 Whoso accuses me with words of falsehood when I pursue my way with guileless spirit,May he, the speaker of untruth, be, Indra, like water which the hollowed hand compresses.9 Those who destroy, as is their wont, the simple, and with their evil natures barm the righteous,May Soma give them over to the serpent, or to the lap of Nirrti consign them.10 The fiend, O Agni, who designs to injure the essence of our food, kine, steeds, or bodies,May he, the adversary, thief, and robber, sink to destruction, both himself and offipring.11 May he be swept away, himself and children: may all the three earths press him down beneaththem.May his fair glory, O ye Gods, be blighted, who in the day or night would fain destroy us.12 The prudent finds it easy to distinguish the true and false: their words oppose each other.Of these two that which is the true and honest, Soma protects, and brings the false to nothing.13 Never doth Soma aid and guide the wicked or him who falsely claims the Warrior's title.He slays the fiend and him who speaks untruly: both lie entangled in the noose of Indra.14 As if I worshipped deities of falsehood, or thought vain thoughts about the Gods, O Agni.Why art thou angry with us, Jatavedas? Destruction fall on those who lie against thee!15 So may I die this day if I have harassed any man's life or if I be a demon.Yea, may he lose all his ten sons together who with false tongue hath called me Yatudhana.16 May Indra slay him with a mi weapon, and let the vilest ofghtyall creatures perish,The fiend who says that he is pure, who calls me a demon though devoid of demon nature.17 She too who wanders like an owl at night-time, hiding her body in her guile and malice,May she fall downward into endless caverns. May press-stones with loud ring destroy the demons.18 Spread out, ye Maruts, search among the people: seize ye and grind the Raksasas to pieces,Who fly abroad, transformed to birds, at night-time, or sully and pollute our holy worship.19 Hurl down from heaven thy bolt of stone, O Indra: sharpen it, Maghavan, made keen by Soma.Forward, behind, and from above and under, smite down the demons with thy rocky weapon.20 They fly, the demon dogs, and, bent on mischief, fain would they harm indomitable Indra.Sakra makes sharp his weapon for the wicked: now, let him cast his bolt at fiendish wizards.21 Indra hath ever been the fiends' destroyer who spoil oblations of the Gods' invokers:Yea, Sakra, like an axe that spilts the timber, attacks and smashes them like earthen vessels.22 Destroy the fiend shaped like an owl or owlet, destroy him in the form of dog or cuckoo.Destroy him shaped as eagle or as vulture as with a stone, O Indra, crush the demon.23 Let not the fiend of witchcraft-workers reach us: may Dawn drive off the couples of Kimidins.Earth keep us safe from earthly woe and trouble: from grief that comes from heaven mid-air preserveus.24 Slay the male demon, Indra! slay the female, joying and triumphing in arts of magic.Let the fools' gods with bent necks fall and perish, and see no more the Sun when he arises.25 Look each one hither, look around Indra and Soma, watch ye well.Cast forth your weapon at the fiends against the sorcerers hurt your bolt.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE EIGHTH
HYMN I. Indra.1. GLORIFY naught besides, O friends; so shall no sorrow trouble you.Praise only mighty Indra when the juice is shed, and say your lauds repeatedly:2 Even him, eternal, like a bull who rushes down, men's Conqueror, bounteous like a cow;Him who is cause of both, of enmity and peace, to both sides most munificent.3 Although these men in sundry ways invoke thee to obtain thine aid,Be this our prayer, addressed, O Indra, unto thee, thine exaltation every day.4 Those skilled in song, O Maghavan among these men o'ercome with might the foeman's songs.Come hither, bring us strength in many a varied form most near that it may succour us.5 O Caster of the Stone, I would not sell thee for a mighty price,Not for a thousand, Thunderer! nor ten thousand, nor a hundred, Lord of countless wealth!6 O Indra, thou art more to me than sire or niggard brother is.Thou and my mother, O Good Lord, appear alike, to give me wealth abundantly.7 Where art thou? Whither art thou gone? For many a place attracts thy mind.Haste, Warrior, Fort-destroyer, Lord of battle's din, haste, holy songs have sounded forth.8 Sing out the psalm to him who breaks down castles for his faithful friend,Verses to bring the Thunderer to destroy the forts and sit on Kanva's sacred grass.9 The Horses which are thine in tens, in hundreds, yea, in thousands thine,Even those vigorous Steeds, fleet-footed in the course, with those come quickly near to us.10 This day I call Sabardugiha who animates the holy song,Indra the richly-yielding Milch-cow who provides unfailing food in ample stream.11 When Sura wounded Etasa, with Vata's rolling winged car.Indra bore Kutsa Arjuneya off, and mocked Gandharva. the unconquered One.12 He without ligature, before making incision in the neck,Closed up the wound again, most wealthy Maghavan, who maketh whole the injured part.13 May we be never cast aside, and strangers, as it were, to thee.We, Thunder-wielding Indra, count ourselves as trees rejected and unfit to bum.14 O Vrtra-slayer, we were thought slow and unready for the fray.Yet once in thy great bounty may we have delight, O Hero, after praising thee.15 If he will listen to my laud, then may out Soma-drops that flowRapidly through the strainer gladden Indra, drops due to the Tugryas' Strengthener.16 Come now unto the common laud of thee and of thy faithful friend.So may our wealthy nobles' praise give joy to thee. Fain would I sing thine eulogy.17 Press out the Soma with the stones, and in the waters wash it clean.The men investing it with raiment made of milk shall milk it forth from out the stems.18 Whether thou come from earth or from the lustre of the lofty heaven,Wax stronger in thy body through my song of praise: fill full all creatures, O most Wise.19 For India press the Soma out, most gladdening and most excellent.May Sakra make it swell sent forth with every prayer and asking, as it were, for strength.20 Let me not, still beseeching thee with earnest song at Soma rites,Anger thee like soma wild beast. Who would not beseech him who hath power to grant his prayer?21 The draught made swift with rapturous joy, effectual with its mighty strength,All-conquering, distilling transport, let him drink: for he in ecstasy gives us gifts.22 Where bliss is not, may he, All-praised, God whom the pious glorify,Bestow great wealth upon the mortal worshipper who sheds the juice and praises him.23 Come, Indra, and rejoice thyself, O God, in manifold affluence.Thou fillest like a lake thy vast capacious bulk with Soma and with draughts besides.
24 A thousand and a hundred Steeds are harnessed to thy golden car.So may the long-mancd Bays, yoked by devotion, bring Indra to drink the Soma juice.25 Yoked to thy chariot wrought of gold, may thy two Bays with peacock tails,Convey thee hither, Steeds with their white backs, to quaff sweet juice that makes us eloquent.26 So drink, thou Lover of the Song, as the first drinker, of this juice.This the outpouring of the savoury sap prepared is good and meet to gladden thee.27 He who alone by wondrous deed is Mighty, Strong by holy works,May he come, fair of cheek; may he not stay afar, but come and turn not from our call.28 Susna's quick moving castle thou hast crushed to pieces with thy bolts.Thou, Indra, from of old, hast followed after light, since we have had thee to invoke.29 My praises when the Sun hath risen, my praises at the time of noon,My praises at the coming of the gloom of night, O Vasu, have gone forth to thee.30 Praise yea, praise him. Of princes these are the most liberal of their gifts,These, Paramajya, Ninditasva, Prapathi, most bounteous, O Medhyatithi.31 When to the car, by faith, I yoked the horses longing for the way-For skilled is Yadu's son in dealing precious wealth, he who is rich in herds of kine.32 May he who gave me two brown steeds together with their cloths of gold,May he, Asanga's son Svanadratha, obtain all joy and high felicities.33 Playoga's son Asanga, by ten thousand, O Agni, hath surpassed the rest in giving.For me ten bright-hued oxen have come forward like lotus-stalks from out a lake upstanding.34 What time her husband's perfect restoration to his lost strength and manhood was apparent,His consort Sasvati with joy addressed him, Now art thou well, my lord, and shalt be happy.
HYMN II. Indra.1. HERE is the Soma juice expressed; O Vasu, drink till thou art full:Undaunted God, we give it thee.2 Washed by the men, pressed out with stones, strained through the filter made of wool,'Tis like a courser bathed in stream.3 This juice have we made sweet for thee like barley, blending it with milk.Indra, I call thee to our feast.4 Beloved of all, Indra alone drinks up the flowing Soma juiceAmong the Gods andmortal men.5 The Friend, whom not the brilliant-hued, the badly-mixt or bitter draught,Repels, the far-extending God;6 While other men than we with milk chase him as hunters chase a deer,And with their kine inveigle him.7 For him, for Indra, for the God, be pressed three draughts of Soma juiceIn the juice-drinker's own abode.8 Three reservoirs exude their drops, filled are three beakers to the brim,All for one offering to the God.9 Pure art thou, set in many a place, and blended in the midst with milkAnd curd, to cheer the Hero best.10 Here, Indra, are thy Soma-draughts pressed out by us, the strong, the pure:They crave admixture of the milk.11 O Indra, pour in milk, prepare the cake, and mix the Soma-draught.I hear them say that thou art rich.12 Quaffed juices fight within the breast. The drunken praise not by their wine,The naked praise not when it rains.13 Rich be the praiser of one rich, munificent and famed like thee:High rank be his, O Lord of Bays.
14 Foe of the man who adds no milk, he heeds not any chanted hymnOr holy psalm that may he sung.15 Give us not, Indra, as a prey unto the scornful or the proud:Help, Mighty One, with power and might.16 This, even this, O Indra, we implore. as thy devoted friends,The Kanvas praise thee with their hymns.17 Naught else, O Thunderer, have I praised in the skilled singer's eulogy:On thy land only have I thought.18 The Gods seek him who presses out the Soma; they desire not sleepThey punish sloth unweariedly.19 Come hither swift with gifts of wealth - be not thou angry with us-likeA great man with a youthful bride.20 Let him not, wrathful with us, spend the evening far from us to-day,Like some unpleasant son-in-law.21 For well we know this Hero's love, most liberal of the boons he gives,His plans whom the three worlds display.22 Pour forth the gift which Kanvas bring, for none more glorious do we knowThan the Strong Lord with countless aids.23 O presser, offer Soma first to Indra, Hero, Sakra, himThe Friend of man, that he may drink;24 Who, in untroubled ways, is best provider, for his worshippers.Of strength in horses and in kine.25 Pressers, for him blend Soma juice, each draught most excellent, for himThe Brave, the Hero, for his joy.26 The Vrtra-slayer drinks the juice. May he who gives a hundred aidsApproach, nor stay afar from us.27 May the strong Bay Steeds, yoked by prayer, bring hither unto us our Friend,Lover of Song, renowned by songs.28 Sweet are the Soma juices, come! Blent are the Soma juices, come!Rsi-like, mighty, fair of cheek, come hither quickly to the feast.29 And lauds which strengthen thee for great bounty and valour, and exaltIndra who doeth glorious deeds,30 And songs to thee who lovest song, and all those hymns addressed to thee-These evermore confirm thy might.31 Thus he, sole doer of great deeds whose hand holds thunder, gives us strength,He who hath never been subdued.32 Vrtra he slays with his right hand, even Indra, great with mighty power,And much-invoked in many a place.33 He upon whom all men depend, all regions, all achievements, heTakes pleasure in our wealthy chiefs.34 All this hath he accomplished, yea, Indra, most gloriously renowned,Who gives our wealthy princes strength.35 Who drives his chariot seeking spoil, from afar, to him he loves:For swift is he to bring men wealth.36 The Sage who, winning spoil with steeds, slays Vrtra, Hero with the men,His servant's faithful succourer.37 O Priyamedhas, worship with collected mind this Indra whomThe Soma hath full well inspired.38 Ye Kanvas, sing the Mighty One, Lord of the Brave, who loves renown,All-present, glorified by song.
39 Strong Friend, who, with no trace of feet, restores the cattle to the men,Who rest their wish and hope on him.40 Shaped as a Ram, Stone-hurler I once thou camest hither to the sonOf Kanva, wise Medhyatithi.41 Vibhindu, thou hast helped this man, giving him thousands four times ten,And afterward eight thousand more.42 And these twain pouring streams of milk, creative, daughters of delight,For wedlock sake I glorify.
HYMN III. Indra.1. DRINK, Indra, of the savoury juice, and cheer thee with our milky draught.Be, for our weal, our Friend and sharer of the feast, and let thy wisdom guard us well.2 In thy kind grace and favour may we still be strong: expose us not to foe's attack.With manifold assistance guard and succour us, and bring us to felicity.3 May these my songs of praise exalt thee, Lord, who hast abundant wealth.Men skilled in holy hymns, pure, with the hues of fire, have sung them with their lauds to thee.4 He, with his might enhanced by Rsis thousandfold, hath like an ocean spread himself.His majesty is praised as true at solemn rites, his power where holy singers rule.5 Indra for worship of the Gods, Indra while sacrifice proceeds,Indra, as worshippers in battle-shock, we call, Indra that we may win the spoil.6 With might hath Indra spread out heaven and earth, with power hath Indra lighted up the Sun.In Indra are all creatures closely held; in him meet the distilling Soma-drops.7 Men with their lauds are urging thee, Indra, to drink the Soma first.The Rbhus in accord have lifted up their voice, and Rudras sung thee as the first.8 Indra increased his manly strength at sacrifice, in the wild rapture of this juice.And living men to-day, even as of old, sing forth their praises to his majesty.9 I crave of thee that hero strength, that thou mayst first regard this prayer,Wherewith thou holpest Bhrgu and the Yatis and Praskanva when the prize was staked.10 Wherewith thou sentest mighty waters to the sea, that, Indra, is thy manly strength.For ever unattainable is this power of him to whom the worlds have cried aloud.11 Help us, O Indra, when we pray to thee for wealth and hero might.First help thou on to strength the man who strives to win, and aid our laud, O Ancient One.12 Help for us, Indra, as thou holpest Paura once, this man's devotions bent on gain.Help, as thou gavest Rugama and Syavaka and Svarnara and Krpa aid.13 What newest of imploring prayers shall, then, the zealous mortal sing?For have not they who laud his might, and Indra-power won for themselves the light of heaven?14 When shall they keep the Law and praise thee mid the Gods? Who counts as Rsi and as sage?When ever wilt thou, Indra Maghavan, come nigh to presser's or to praiser's call?15 These songs of ours exceeding sweet, these hymns of praise ascend to thee,Like ever-conquering chariots that display their strength, gain wealth, and give unfailing aid.16 The Bhrgus are like Suns, like Kanvas, and have gained all that their thoughts were bent upon.The living men of Priyamedha's race have sung exalting Indra with their lauds.17 Best slayer of the Vrtras, yoke thy Bay Steeds, Indra, from afar.Come with the High Ones hither, Maghavan, to us, Mighty, to drink the Soma juice.18 For these, the bards and singers, have cried out to thee with prayer, to gain the sacrifice.As such, O Maghavan, Indra, who lovest song, even as a lover bear my call.19 Thou from the lofty plains above, O Indra, hurledst Vrtra down.Thou dravest forth the kine of guileful Mrgaya and Arbuda from the mountain's hold.20 Bright were the flaming fires, the Sun gave forth his shine, and Soma, Indra's juice, shone clear.Indra, thou blewest the great Dragon from the air -. men must regard that valorous deed.
21 The fairest courser of them all, who runneth on as 'twere to heaven.Which Indra and the Maruts gave, and Pakasthaman Kaurayan.22 To me hath Pakasthaman given, a ruddy horse,good at the pole,Filling is girth and rousing wealth;23 Compared with whom no other ten strong coursers, harnessed to the pole,Bear Tugrya to his dwelling place.24 Raiment is body, food is life, and healing ointment giveth strength.As the free-handed giver of the ruddy steed, I have named Pakasthaman fourth.
HYMN IV. Indra.1. THOUGH, Indra, thou art called by men eastward and westward, north and south,Thou chiefly art with Anava and Turvasa, brave Champion I urged by men to Come.2 Or, Indra, when with Ruma, Rusama, Syavaka, and Krpa thou rejoicest thee,Still do the Kanvas, bringing praises, with their prayers, O Indra, draw thee hither: come.3 Even as the wild-bull, when he thirsts, goes to the desert's watery pool,Come hither quickly both at morning and at eve, and with the Kanvas drink thy fill.4 May the drops gladden thee, rich Indra, and obtain bounty for him who pours the juice.Soma pressed in the mortar didst thou take and drink, and hence hast won surpassing might.5 With mightier strength he conquered strength, with energy he crushed their wrath.O Indra, Strong in youth, all those who sought the fray bent and bowed down to thee like trees.6 He who wins promise of thine aid goes girt as with a thousand mighty men of war.He makes his son preeminent in hero might - he serves with reverential prayer.7 With thee, the Mighty, for our Friend, we will riot fear or feel fatigue.May we see Turvasa and Yadu: thy great deed, O Hero, must be glorified.8 On his left hip the Hero hath reclined himself: the proffered feast offends him not.The milk is blended with the honey of the bee: quickly come hither, baste, and drink.9 Indra, thy friend is fair of form and rich in horses, cars, and kine.He evermore hath food accompanied by wealth, and radiant joins the company.10 Come like a thirsty antelope to the drinking-place: drink Soma to thy heart's desire.Raining it down, O Maghavan, day after day, thou gainest thy surpassing might.11 Priest, let the Soma juice flow forth, for Indra longs to drink thereof.He even now hath yoked his vigorous Bay Steeds: the Vrtra-slayer hath come near.12 The man with whom thou fillcst thee with Soma deems himself a pious worshipper.This thine appropriate food is here poured out for thee: come, hasten forward. drink of it,13 Press out the Soma juice, ye priests, for Indra borne upon his car.The pressing-stones speak loud of Indra, while they shed the juice which, offered, honours him.14 To the brown juice may his dear vigorous Bay Steeds bring Indra, to our holy task.Hither let thy Car-steeds who seek the sacrifice bring thee to our drink-offerings.15 Pusan, the Lord of ample wealth, for firm alliance we elect.May he with wisdom, Sakra! Looser! Much-invoked! aid us to riches and to seed.16 Sharpen us like a razor in the barber's hands: send riches thou who settest free.Easy to find with thee are treasures of the Dawn for mortal man whom thou dost speed.17 Pusan, I long to win thy love, I long to praise thee, Radiant God.Excellent Lord, 'tis strange tome, no wish have I to sing the psalm that Pajra sings.18 My kine, O Radiant God, seek pasture where they will, my during wealth, Immortal One.Be our protector, Pusan! be, most liberal Lord, propitious to our gathering strength.19 Rich was the gift Kurunga gave, a hundred steeds at morning rites.Among the gifts of Turvasas we thought of him, the opulent, the splendid King.20 What by his morning songs Kanva, the powerful, hath, with the Priyamedhas, gained-71 The herds of sixty thousand pure and spotless kine, have I, the Rsi, driven away.
21 The very trees were joyful at my coming: kine they obtained in plenty, steeds in plenty.
HYMN V. Asvins.1. WHEN, even as she were present here, red Dawn hath shone from far away,She spreadeth light on every side.2 Like Heroes on your will-yoked car farshining, Wonder-Workers! yeAttend, O Asvins, on the Dawn.3 By you, O Lords of ample wealth our songs of praise have been observed:As envoy have I brought the prayer.4 Kanvas must praise the Asvins dear to many, making many glad,Most rich, that they may succour us.5 Most liberal, best at winning strength, inciters, Lords of splendour whoVisit the worshipper's abode.6 So for devout Sudeva dew with fatness his unfailing mead,And make it rich for sacrifice.7 Hitherward running speedily with horses, as with rapid hawks,Come, Asvins, to our song of praise8 Wherewith the three wide distances, and all the lights that are in heaven.Ye traverse, and three times of night.9 O Finders of the Day, that we may win us food of kine and wealth,Open the paths for us to tread.10 O Asvins, bring us wealth in kine, in noble heroes, and in cars:Bring us the strength that horses give.11 Ye Lords of splendour, glorified, ye Wonder-Workers borne on pathsOf gold, drink sweets with Somajuice.12 To us, ye Lords of ample wealth, and to our wealth chiefs extendWide shelter, ne'er to be assailed.13 Come quickly downward to the prayer of people whom ye favour most:Approach not unto other folk.14 Ye Asvins whom our minds perceive, drink of this lovely gladdening draught,The mcath which we present to you.15 Bring riches hither unto us in hundreds and in thousands, sourceOf plenteous food, sustaining all.16 Verily sages call on you, ye Heroes, in full many a place.Moved by the priests, O Asvins, conic.17 Men who have trimmed the sacred grass, bringing oblations and prepared,O Asvins, are invoking you.18 May this our hymn of praise to-day, most powerful to bring you, be,O Asvins, nearest to your hearts.19 The skin filled full of savoury meath, laid in the pathway of your car-O Asvins, drink ye both therefrom.20 For this, ye Lords of ample wealth, bring blessing for our herd, our kine,Our progeny, and plenteous food.21 Ye too unclose to us like doors the strengthening waters of the sky,And rivers, ye who find the day.22 When did the son of' Tugra serve you, Men? Abandoned in the sea,That with winged steeds your car might fly.23 Ye, O Nasatyas, ministered to Kanva with repeated aid,When cast into the heated pit.24 Come near with those most recent aids of yours which merit eulogy,
When I invoke you, Wealthy Gods.25 As ye protected Kanva erst, Priyamedha and Upastuta,Atri, Sinjara, Asvins Twain26 And Amsu in decisive fight, Agastya in the fray for kine.And, in his battles, Sobhari.27 For so much bliss, or even more, O Asvins, Wealthy Gods, than this,We pray white singing hymns to you.28 Ascend your car with golden seat, O Asvins, and with reins of gold,That reaches even to the sky.29 Golden is its supporting shaft, the axle also is of gold,And both the wheels are made of gold.30 Thereon, ye Lords of ample wealth, come to us even from afar,Come ye to this mine eulogy.31 From far away ye come to us, Asvins, enjoying plenteous foodOf Dasas, O Immortal Ones.32 With splendour, riches, and renown, O Asvins, hither come to us,Nasatyas, shining brilliantly.33 May dappled horses, steeds who fly with pinions, bring you hitherwardTo people skilled in sacrifice.34 The whcel delayeth not that car of yours accompanied by song,That cometh with a store of food.35 Borne on that chariot wrought of gold, with coursers very fleet of foot,Come, O Nasatyas, swift as thought.36 O Wealthy Gods, ye taste and find the brisk and watchful wild beast good.Associate wealth with food for us.37 As such, O Asvins, find for me my share of new-presented gifts,As Kasu, Cedi's son, gave me a hundred head of buffaloes, and ten thousand kine.38 He who hath given me for mine own ten Kings like gold to look upon.At Caidya's feet are all the people round about, all those who think upon the shield.39 No man, not any, goes upon the path on which the Cedis walk.No other prince, no folk is held more liberal of gifts than they.
HYMN VI Indra1. INDRA, great in his power and might, and like Parjanya rich in rain,Is magnified by Vatsa's lauds.2 When the priests, strengthening the Son of Holy Law, present their gifts,Singers with Order's hymn of praiser.3 Since Kanvas with their lauds have made Indra complete the sacrifice.Words are their own appropriate arms.4 Before his hot displeasure all the peoples, all the men, bow down,As rivers bow them to the sea.5 This power of his shone brightly forth when Indra brought together, likeA skin, the worlds of heaven and earth.6 The fiercely-moving Vrtra's head he severed with his thunderbolt,His mighty hundred-knotted bolt.7 Here are-we sing them loudly forth-our thoughts among-the best of songs.Even lightnings like the blaze of fire.8 When bidden thoughts, spontaneously advancing, glow, and with the streamOf sacrifice the Kanvas shine.9 Indra, may we obtain that wealth in horses and in herds of cows,
And prayer that may be noticed first.10 I from my Father have received deep knowledge of the Holy LawI was born like unto the Sun.11 After the lore of ancient time I make, like Kanva, beauteous songs,And Indra's selfgains strength thereby.12 Whatever Rsis have not praised thee, Indra, or have lauded thee,By me exalted wax thou strong.13 When his wrath thundered, when he rent Vrtra to pieces, limb by limb,He sent the waters to the sea.14 Against the Dasyu gusna thou, Indra, didst hurl thy during bolt:Thou, Dread one, hast a hero's fame.15 Neither the heavens nor firmaments nor regions of the earth containIndra, the Thunderer with his might.16 O Indra him who lay at length staying thy copious waters thou,In his own footsteps, smotest down17 Thou hiddest deep in darkness itim, O Indra, who had set his graspOn spacious heaven and earth conjoined.18 Indra, whatever Yatis and Bhrgus have offered praise to thee,Listen, thou Mighty, to my call.19 Indra, these spotted cows yield thee their butter and the milky draught;Aiders, thereby, of sacrifice;20 Which, teeming, have received thee as a life-germ, Indra, with their mouth,Like Surya who sustaineth all.21 O Lord of Might, with hymns of praise the Kanvas have increased thy power,The drops poured forth have strengthened thee.22 Under thy guidance, Indra, mid thy praises, Lord of Thunder, shallThe sacrifice be soon performed.23 Indra, disclose much food for us, like a stronghold with store of kine:Give progeny and heroic strength.24 And, Indra, grant us all that wealth of fleet steeds which shone bright of oldAmong the tribes of Nahusas.25 Hither thou seemest to attract heaven's fold which shines before our eyes,When, Indra, thou art kind to us.26 Yea, when thou puttest forth thy power, Indra, thou governest the folk.Mighty, unlimited in strength.27 The tribes who bring oblations call to thee, to thee to give them help,With drops to thee who spreadest far.28 There where the mountains downward slope, there by the meeting of the streamsThe Sage was manifest with song.29 Thence, marking, from his lofty place downward he looks upon the sea,And thence with rapid stir he moves.30 Then, verify, they see the light refulgent of primeval seed,Kindled on yonder side of heaven.31 Indra, the Kanvas all exalt thy wisdom and thy manly power,And, Mightiest! thine heroic strength.32 Accept this eulogy of mine, Indra, and guard me carefully:Strengthen my thought and prosper it.33 For thee, O Mighty, Thunder-armed, we singers through devotionhaveFashioned the hymn that we may live.34 To Indra have the Kanvas sung, like waters speeding down a slope:
The song is fain to go to him.35 As rivers swell the ocean, so our hymns of praise make Indra strong,Eternal, of resistIess wrath.36 Come with thy lovely Bay Steeds, come to us from regions far awayO Indra, drink this Soma juice.37 Best slayer of Vrtras, men whose sacred grass is ready trimmedInvoke thee for the gain of spoil.38 The heavens and earth come after thee as the wheel follows Etasa:To thee flow Sorna-drops effused.39 Rejoice, O Indra, in the light, rejoice in Saryandyan, be Glad in the sacrificer's hymn.40 Grown strong in heaven, the Thunder-armed hath bellowed, Vrtra-slayer, Bull,Chief drinker of the Soma juice.41 Thou art a Rsi born of old, sole Ruler over all by might:Thou, Indra, guardest well our wealth.42 May thy Bay Steeds with beauteous backs, a hundred, bring thee to the feast,Bring thee to these our Soma-draughts.43 The Kanvas with their hymns of praise have magnified this ancient thoughtThat swells with streams of meath and oil.44 Mid mightiest Gods let mortal man choose Indra at the sacrifice,Indra, whoe'er would win, for help.45 Thy steeds, by Priyamedhas praised, shall bring thee, God whom all invoke,Hither to drink the Somajuice.46 A hundred thousand have I gained from Parsu, from Tirindira,And presents of the Yadavas.47 Ten thousand head of kine, and steeds three times a hundred they bestowedOn Pajra for the Sama-song.48 Kakuha hath reached up to heaven, bestowing buffaloes yoked in fours,And matched in fame the Yadavas.
HYMN VII. Maruts.1. O MARUTS, when the sage hath poured the Trstup forth as food for you,Ye shine amid the mountain-clouds.2 When, Bright Ones, fain to show your might ye have determined on your course,The mountain-clouds have bent them down.3 Loud roaring with the winds the Sons of Prsni have upraised themselves:They have poured out the streaming food.4 The Maruts spread the mist abroad and make mountains rock and reel,When with the winds they go their way5 What time the rivers and the hills before your coming bowed them down,So to sustain your mighty force.6 We call on you for aid by night, on you for succour in the day,On you while sacrifice proceeds.7 These, verily, wondrous, red of hue, speed on their courses with a roarOver the ridges of the sky.8 With might they drop the loosened rein so that the Sun may run his course,And spread themselves with beams of light.9 Accept, ye Maruts, this my song, accept ye this mine hymn of praise,Accept, Rbhuksans, this my call.10 The dappled Cows have poured three lakes, meath for the Thunder-wielding God,From the great cask, the watery cloud.
11 O Maruts, quickly come to us when, longing for felicity,We call you hither from the sky.12 For, Rudras and Rbhuksans, ye, Most Bountiful, are in the house,Wise when the gladdening draught is drunk.13 O Maruts, send us down from heaven riches distilling rapturous joy,With plenteous food, sustaining all.14 When, Bright Ones, hither from the hills ye have resolved to take your way,Ye revel in the drops effused.15 Man should solicit with his lauds happiness which belongs to them,So great a band invincible.16 They who like fiery sparks with showers of rain blow through the heaven and earth,Milking the spring that never fails.17 With chariots and tumultuous roar, with tempests and with hymns of praiseThe Sons of Prsni hurry forth.18 For wealth, we think of that whereby ye aided Yadu, Turvasa,And KanVa who obtained the spoil.19 May these our viands Bounteous Ones I that flow in streams like holy oil,With Kanva's hymns, increase your might.20 Where, Bounteous Lords for whom the grass is trimmed, are ye rejoicing now?What Brahman is adoring you?21 Is it not there where ye of old, supplied with sacred grass, for laudsInspired the strong in sacrifice?22 They brought together both the worlds, the mighty waters, and the Sun,And, joint by joint, the thunderbolt.23 They sundered Vrtra limb from limb and split the gloomy mountain-clouds,Performing a heroic deed.24 They reinforced the power and strength of Trita as he fought, and helpedIndra in battle with the foe.25 They deck themselves for glory, bright, celestial, lightning in their hands,And helms of gold upon their heads.26 When eagerly ye from far away came to the cavern of the Bull,He bellowed in his fear like Heaven.27 Borne by your golden-footed steeds, O Gods, come hither to receiveThe sacrifice we offer you.28 When the red leader draws along their spotted deer yoked to the car.The Bright Ones come, and shed the rain.29 Susoma, Saryakiavan, and Arjika full of homes, have they.These Heroes, sought with downward car.30 When, Maruts, ye come to him, the singer who invokes you thus,With favours to your suppliant?31 What now? where have ye still a friend since ye left Indra all alone?Who counteth on your friendship now?32 The Kanvas sing forth Agni's praise together with our Maruts' whoWield thunder and wear swords of gold.33 Hither for new felicity may I attract the Impetuous Ones,The Heroes with their wondrous strength34 Before them sink the very hills deerning themseives abysses: yea,Even the mountains bend them down.35 Steeds flying on their tortuous path through mid-air carry them, and giveThe man who lauds them strength and life.
36 Agni was born the first of all, like Surya lovely with his light:With lustre these have spread abroad.
HYMN VIII. Asvins.1. WITH all the succours that are yours, O Asvins, hither come to us:Wonderful, borne on paths of gold, drink ye the meath with Soma juice.2 Come now, ye Asvins, on your car decked with a sun-bright canopy,Bountiful, with your golden forms, Sages with depth of intellect.3 Come hither from the Nahusas, come, drawn by pure hymns, from mid-air.O Asvins, drink the savoury juice shed in the Kanvas' sacrifice.4 Come to us hither from the heavens, come from mid-air, well-loved by us:Here Kanva's son hath pressed for you the pleasant meath of Soma juice.5 Come, Asvins, to give car to us, to drink the Soma, Asvins, come.Hail, Strengtheners of the praise-song speed onward, ye Heroes, with your thoughts.6 As, Heroes, in the olden time the Rsis called you to their aid,So now, O Asvins, come to us, come near to this mine eulogy.7 Even from the luminous sphere of heaven come to us, ye who find the light,Carers for Vatsa, through our prayers and lauds, O yewho hearour call.8 Do others more than we adore the Asvins with their hymns of praise?The Rsi Vatsa, Kanva's son, hath magnified you with his songs.9 The holy singer with his hymns hath called you, Asvins, hither-ward;Best Vrtra-slayers, free from stain, as such bring us felicity.10 What time, ye Lords of ample wealth, the Lady mounted on your car,Then, O ye Asvins, ye attained all wishes that your hearts desired.11 Come thence, O Asvins, on your car that hath a thousand ornaments:Vatsa the sage, the sage's son, hath sung a song of sweets to you.12 Cheerers of many, rich in goods, discoverers of opulence,The Asvins, Riders through the sky, have welcomed this my song of praise.13 O Asvins, grant us all rich gifts wherewith no man mav interfere.Make us observe the stated times: give us not over to reproach.14 Whether, Nasatyas, ye be nigh, or whether ye be far away,Come thence, O Asvins, on your car that hath a thousand ornaments.15 Vatsa the Rsi with his songs, Nasatyas, hath exalted you:Grant him rich food distilling oil, graced with a thousand ornaments.16 Bestow on him, O Asvins, food that strengthens, and that drops with oil,On him who praises you for bliss, and, Lords of bounty, prays for wealth.17 Come to us, ye who slay the foe, Lords of rich treasure, to this hymn.O Heroes, give us high renown and these good things of earth for help.18 The Priyamedhas have invoked you with all succours that are yours,You, Asvins, Lords of solemn rites, with calls entreating you to come.19 Come to us, Asvins, ye Who bring felicity, auspicious Ones,To Vatsa who with prayer and hymn, lovers of song, hath honoured you.20 Aid us, O Heroes, for those hymns for which ye helped GoSarya erst,Gave Vasa, Dasavraja aid, and Kanva and Medhatithi:21 And favoured Trasadasyu, ye Heroes, in spoil-deciding fray:For these, O Asvins, graciously assist us in acquiring strength.22 O Asvins, may pure hymns of ours, and songs and praises, honour you:Best slayers everywhere of foes, as such we fondly yearn for you.23 Three places of the Asvins, erst concealed, are made apparent now.Both Sages, with the flight of Law come hither unto those who live.
HYMN IX. Asvins.1. To help and favour Vatsa now, O Asvins, come ye hitherward.Bestow on him a dwelling spacious and secure, and keep malignities away.2 All manliness that is in heaven, with the Five Tribes, or in mid-air,Bestow, ye Asvins, upon us.3 Remember Kanva first of all among the singers, Asvins, whoHave thought upon your wondrous deeds.4 Asvins, for you with song of praise this hot oblation is effused,This your sweet Soma juice, ye Lords of ample wealth, through which ye think upon the foe.5 Whatever ye have done in floods, in the tree, Wonder-Workers, and in growing plants,Therewith, O Asvins, succour me.6 What force, Nasatyas, ye exert, whatever, Gods, ye tend and heal,This your own Vatsa gains not by his hymns alone: ye visit him who offers gifts.7 Now hath the Rsi splendidly thought out the Asvins' hymn of praise.Let the Atharvan pour the warm oblation forth, and Soma very rich in sweets.8 Ye Asvins, now ascend your car that lightly rolls upon its way.May these my praises make you speed hitherward like a cloud of heaven.9 When, O Nasatyas, we this day make you speed hither with our hymns,Or, Asvins, with our songs of praise, remember Kanya specially.10 As erst Kaksivan and the Rsi Vyasva, as erst Dirghatamas invoked your presence,Or, in the sacrificial chambers, Vainya Prthi, so be ye mindful of us here, O Asvins.11 Come as home-guardians, saving us from foemen, guarding our living creatures and our bodies,Come to the house to give us seed and offspring,12 Whether with Indra ye be faring, Asvins, or resting in one dwelling-place with Vayu,In concord with the Rbhus or Adityas, or standing still in Visnu's striding-places.13 When I, O Asvins, call on you to-day that I may gather strength,Or as all-conquering might in war, be that the Asvins' noblest grace.14 Now come, ye Asvins, hitherward: here are oblations set for you;These Soma-draughts to aid Yadu andTurvasa, these offered you mid Kaniva's Sons.15 Whatever healing balm is yours, Nisatyas, near or far away,Therewith, great Sages, grant a home to Vatsa and to Vimada.16 Together with the Goddess, with the Asvins' Speech have I awoke.Thou, Goddess, hast disclosed the hymn, and holy gift from mortal men.17 Awake the Asvins, Goddess Dawn! Up Mighty Lady of sweet strains!Rise, straightway, priest of sacrifice! High glory to the gladdening draught!18 Thou, Dawn, approaching with thy light shinest together with the Sun,And to this man-protecting home the chariot ofthe Asvins comes.19 When yellow stalks give forth the juice, as cows from udders pour their milk,And voices sound the song of praise, the Asvins' worshippers show first.20 Forward for glory and for strength, protection that shall conquer men,And power and skill, most sapient Ones!21 When Asvins, worthy of our lauds, ye seat you in the father's house.With wisdom or the bliss ye bring.
HYMN X. Asvins.1. WHETHER ye travel far away or dwell in yonder light of heaven,Or in a mansion that is built above the sea, come thence, ye Asvins, hitherward.2 Or if for Manu.ye prepared the sacrifice, remember also Kanva's son.
I call Brhaspati, Indra, Visnu, all the gods, the Asvins borne by rapid steeds.3 Those Asvins I invoke who work marvels, brought hither to receive,With whom our friendship is most famed, and kinship passing that of Gods.4 On whom the solemn rites depend, whose worshippers rise without the Sun:These who foreknow the holy work of sacrifice, and by their Godhead drink the sweets of Soma juice.5 Whether ye, Lords of ample wealth, now linger in the cast or west,With Druhyu, or with Anu, Yadu, Turvaga, I call you hither; come to me.6 Lords of great riches, whether through the firmament ye fly or speed through heaven and earth,Or with your Godlike natures stand upon your cars, come thence, O Asvins, hitherward.
HYMN XI. Agni.1. THOU Agni, God mid mortal men, art guard of sacred rites, thou artTo be adored at sacrifice.2 O Mighty Agni, thou must be glorified at our festivals,Bearing our offerings to the Gods.3 O Jatavedas Agni, fight and drive our foes afar from us,Themand their godless enmities.4 Thou, Jatavedas, seekest not the worship of a hostile man,However nigh itbe to thee.5 We sages, mortals as we are, adore the mighty name oof thee,Immortal Jatavedas' name.6 Sages, we call the Sage to help, mortals, we call the God to aid:We call on Agni with our songs.7 May Vatsa draw- thy mind away even from thy loftiest dwelling-place,Agni, with song that yearns for thee.8 Thou art the same in many a place: mid all the people thou art Lord.In fray and fightt we call on thee.9 When we are seeking strength we call Agni to help us in the strife,The giver of rich gifts in war.10 Ancient, adorablie at sacrifices, Priest from of old, meet for our praise, thou sittest.Fill full and satisfy thy body, Agni, and win us happiness by offering worship.
HYMN XII. Indra.1. JOY, Mightiest Indra, known and marked, sprung most from Soma-draughts, wherewithThou smitest down the greedy fiend, for that we long.2 Wherewith thou bolpest Adhrigu, the great Dasagva, and the GodWho stirs the sunlight, and the sea, for that we long.3 Wherewith thou dravest forth like cars Sindhu and all the mighty floodsTo go the way ordained by Law, for that we long.4 Accept this laud for aid, made pure like oil, thou Caster of the Stone,Whereby even in a moment thou hast waxen great.5 Be pleased, Song-lover, with this song it flows abundant like the sea.Indra, with all thy succours thou hast waxen great.6 The God who from afar hath sent gifts to maintain our friendship's bond,Thou. spreading them like rain from heaven, hast waxen great.7 The beams that mark him have grown strong, the thunder rests between his arms,When, like the Sun, he hath increased both Heaven and Earth.8 When, Mighty Lord of Heroes, thou didst cat a thousand buffaloes,Then grew and waxed exceeding great thine Indra-power.9 Indra consumeth with the rays of Surya the malicious man:
Like Agni conquering the woods, he hath grown strong.10 This newest thought of ours that suits the time approaches unto thee:Serving, beloved in many a place it metes and marks.11 The pious germ of sacrifice directly purifies the soul.By Indra's lauds it waxes great, it metes and marks.12 Indra who wins the friend hath spread himself to drink the Soma-draught:Like worshipper's dilating praise; it metes and marks.13 He whom the sages, living men, have gladdened, offering up their hymns,Hath swelled like oil of sacrifice in Agni's mouth.14 Aditi also hath brought forth a hymn for Indra, Sovran Lord:The work of sacrifice for help is glorified.15 The ministering priests have sung their songs for aid and eulogy:God, thy Bays turn not from the rite which Law ordains.16 If, Indra, thou drink Soma by Visnu's or Trta Aptya's side,Or with the Maruts take delight in flowing drops;17 Or, Sakra, if thou gladden thee afar or in the sea of air,Rejoice thee in this juice of ours, in flowing drops.18 Or, Lord of Heroes if thou aid the worshipper who shed; the, juice,Or him whose laud delights thee, and his flowing drops.19 To magnify the God, the God, Indra, yea, Indra for your help,And promptly end the sacrifice-this have they gained.20 With worship, him whom men adore, with Soma, him who drinks it most,Indra with lauds have they increasedthis have they gained.21 His leadings are with power and might and his instructions manifold:He gives the worshipper all wealth: this have they gained.22 For slaying Vrtra have the Gods set Indra in the foremost place.Indra the choral bands have sung, for vigorous strength.23 We to the Mighty with our might, with lauds to him who hears our call,With holy hymns have sung aloud, for vigorous strength.24 Not earth, nor heaven, nor firmaments contain the Thunder-wielding God:They shake before his violent rush and vigorous strength.25 What time the Gods, O Indra, get thee foremost in the furious fight,Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.26 When Vrtra, stayer of the floods, thou si"est, Thundeicr with might,Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.27 When Visnu, through thine energy, strode wide those three great steps of his,Then thy two beautiful Bay Steeds carried thee on.28 When thy two beautiful Bay Steeds grew great and greater day by day,Even then all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.29 When, Indra, all the Marut folk humbly submitted them to thee,Even then all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.30 When yonder Sun, that brilliant light, thou settest in the heaven above,Even then all creatures that had life bowed down to thee.31 To thee, O Indra, with this thought the sage lifts up this eulogy,Akin and leading as on foot to sacrifice.32 When in thine own dear dwelling all gathered have lifted up the voiceMilk-streams at worship's central spot, for sacrifice,33 As Priest, O Indra, give us wealth in brave men and good steeds ana kineThat we may first remember thee for sacrifice.
HYMN XIII. Indra.1. INDRA, when Soma juices flow, makes his mind pure and meet for lauds.He gains the power that brings success, for great is he.2 In heaven's first region, in the seat of Gods, is he who brings success,Most glorious, prompt to save, who wins the water-floods.3 Him, to win strength, have I invoked, even Indra mighty for the fray.Be thou most near to us for bliss, a Friend to aid.4 Indra, Song -lover, here for thee the worshipper's libation flows.Rejoicing in this sacred grass thou shinest forth.5 Even now, O Indra, give us that which, pressing juice, we crave of thee.Bring us wealth manifold which finds the light of heaven.6 What time the zealous worshipper hath boldly sung his songs to thee,Like branches of a tree up-grows what they desire.7 Generate songs even as of old, give car unto the singer's call.Thou for the pious hast grown great at each carouse.8 Sweet strains that glorify him play like waters speeding down a slope,Yea, him who in this song is called the Lord of Heaven;9 Yea, who alone is called the Lord, the single Ruler of the folk,By worshippers seeking aid: may he joy in the draught.10 Praise him, the Glorious, skilled in song, Lord of the two victorious Bays:They seek the worshipper's abode who bows in prayer.11 Put forth thy strength: with dappled Steeds come, thou of mighty intellect,With swift Steeds to the sacrifice, for 'tis thy joy.12 Grant wealth to those who praise thee, Lord of Heroes, Mightiest Indra: giveOur princes everlasting fame and opulence.13 I call thee when the Sun is risen, I call thee at the noon of day:With thy car-horses, Indra, come wellpleased to us.14 Speed forward hither, come to us, rejoice thee in the milky draught:Spin out the thread of ancient time, as well is known.15 If, Sakra, Vrtra-slayer, thou be far away or near to us.Or in the sea, thou art the guard of Soma juice.16 Let songs we sing and Soma-drops expressed by us make Indra strong:The tribes who bring oblations find delight in him.17 Him sages longing for his aid, with offerings brought in eager haste,Him. even as branches, all mankind have made to grow.18 At the Trkadrukas the Gods span sacrifice that stirred the mind:May our songs strengthen him who still hath strengthened us.19 When, true to duty, at due times the worshipper offers lauds to thee,They call him Purifier, Pure, and Wonderful.20 That mind of Rudra, fresh and strong, moves conscious in the ancient ways,With reference whereto the wise have ordered this.21 If thou elect to be my Friend drink of this sacrificial juice,By help whereof we may subdue all enemies.22 O Indra, Lover of the song, when shall thy praiser be most blest?When wilt thou grant us wealth in herds of kine and steeds?23 And thy two highIy-lauded Bays, strong stallions, draw thy car who artUntouched by age, most gladdening car for which we pray.24 With ancient offerings we implore the Young and Strong whom many praise.He from of old hath sat upon dear sacred grass.25 Wax miglity, thou whom many laud for aids which Rsis have extolled.
Pour down for us abundant food and guard us well.26 O Indra, Caster of the Stone, thou helpest him who praises thee:From sacrifice I send to thee a mindyoked hymn.27 Here, yoking for the Soma-draught these Horses, sharers of thy feast,Thy Bay Steeds, Indra, fraught with weal tb, consent to come.28 Attendants on thy glory, let the Rudras roar assent to thee,And all the Marut companies come tothe feast.29 These his victorious followers bold in the heavens the place they love,Leagued in the heart of sacrifice, as well we know.30 That we may long behold the light, what time the ordered rite proceeds,He duly measures, as he views, the sacrifice.31 O Indra, strong is this thy car, and strong are these Bay Steeds of thine:O Satakratu, thou art strong, strong is our call.32 Strong is the press-stone, strong thy joy, strong is the flowing Soma juice:Strong is the rite thou furtherest, strong is our call.33 As strong I call on thee the Strong, O Thunderer with thy thousand aids:For thou hast won the hymn of praise. Strong is our call.
HYMN XIV. Indra.1. IF I, O Indra, were, like thee, the single Sovran of all wealth,My worshipper should be rich in kine.2 I should be fain, O Lord of Power, to strengthen and enrich the sage,Were I the Lord of herds of kine.3 To worshippers who press the juice thy goodness, Indra, is a cowYielding in plenty kine and steeds.4 None is there, Indra, God or man, to hinder thy munificence,The wealth which, lauded, thou wilt give.5 The sacrifice made Indra strong when he unrolled the earth, and madeHimself a diadem in heaven.6 Thine aid we claim, O Indra, thine who after thou hast waxen greatHast won all treasures for thine own.7 In Soma's ecstasy Indra spread the firmament and realms of light,When he cleft Vala limb from limb.8 Showing the hidden he drave forth the cows for the Angirases,And Vala he cast headlong down.9 By Indra were the lumirious realms of heaven established and secured,Firm and immovable from their place.10 Indra, thy laud moves quickly like a joyous wave of water-floods:Bright shine the drops that gladden thee.11 For thou, O Indra, art the God whom hymns and praises magnify:Thou blessest those who worship thee.12 Let the two long-maned Bay Steeds bring Indra to drink the Soma juice,The Bountiful to our sacrifice.13 With waters' foam thou torest off, Indra, the head of Namuci,Subduing all contending hosts.14 The Dasyus, when they fain would climbby magic arts and mount to heaven,Thou, Indra, castest down to earth.15 As Soma-drinker conquering all, thou scatteredst to every sideTheir settlement who poured no gifts.
HYMN XV. Indra.1. SING forth to him whom many men invoke, to him whom many laud.Invite the powerful Indra with your songs of praise.2 Whose lofty might-for doubly strong is he-supports the heavens and earth,And hills and plains and floods and light with manly power.3 Such, Praised by many! thou art King alone thou smitest Vrtras dead,To gain, O Indra, spoils of war and high renown.4 We sing this strong and wild delight of thine which conquers in the fray,Which, Caster of the Stone! gives room and shines like gold.5 Wherewith thou also foundest lights for Ayu and for Manu's sake:Now joying in this sacred grass thou beamest forth.6 This day too singers of the hymn praise, as of old, this might of thine:Win thou the waters day by day, thralls of the strong.7 That lofty Indra-power of thine, thy strength and thine intelligence,Thy thunderbolt for which we long, the wish makes keen.8 O Indra, Heaven and Earth augment thy manly power and thy renown;The waters and thy mountains stir and urge thee on.9 Visnu the lofty ruling Power, Varuna, Mitra sing thy praise:In thee the Marut3' company have great delight.10 O Indra, thou wast born the Lord of men, most liberal of thy gifts:Excellent deeds for evermore are all thine own.11 Ever, alone, O highly-praised, thou sendest Vrtras to their rest:None else than Indra executes the mighty deed.12 Though here and there, in varied hymns, Indra, men call on thee for aid,Still with our heroes fight and win the light of heaven.13 Already have all forms of him entered our spacious dwelling-place:For victory stir thou Indra, up, the Lord of Might.
HYMN XVI. Indra.1. PRAISE Indra whom our songs must laud, sole Sovran of mankind, the ChiefMost liberal who controlleth men.2 In whom the hymns of praise delight, and all the glory-giving songs.Like the floods' longing for the sea.3 Him I invite with eulogy, best King, effective in the fight,Strong for the gain of mighty spoil.4 Whose perfect ecstasies are wide, profound, victorious, and givejoy in the field where heroes win.5 Him, when the spoils of war are staked, men call to be their advocate:They who have Indra win the day.6 Men honour him with stirring songs and magnify with solemn rites:Indra is he who giveth case.7 1ndra is priest and Rsi, he is much invoked by many men,And mighty by his mighty powers.8 Meet to be lauded and invoked, true Hero with his deeds of might,Victorious even when alone.9 The men, the people magnify that Indra with their Slina. songs,With hymns and sacred eulogies10 Him who advances them to wealth, sends light to lead them in the war,And quells their foemen in the fray.
11 May he, the saviour much-invoked, may Indra bear us in a shipSafely beyond all enemies.12 As such, O Indra, honour us with gifts of booty, further us,And lead us to felicity.
HYMN XVII Indra.1. COME, we have pressed the juice for thee; O Indra, drink this Soma hereSit thou on this my sacred grass.2 O Indra, let thy long-maned Bays, yoked by prayer, bring thee hitherwardGive car and listen to our prayers.3 We Soma-bearing Brahmans call thee Soma-drinker with thy friend,We, Indra, bringing Soma juice.4 Come unto us who bring the juice, come unto this our eulogy,Fair-visored! drink thou of the juice.5 I pour it down within thee, so through all thy members let it spread:Take with. thy tongue the pleasant drink.6 Sweet to thy body let it be, delicious be the savoury juice:Sweet be the Soma to thine heart.7 Like women, let this Soma-draught, invested with its robe, approach,O active Indra, close to thee.8 Indra, transported with the juice, vast in his bulk, strong in his neckAnd stout arms, smites the Vrtras down.9 O Indra, go thou forward, thou who rulest over all by might:Thou Vrtra-slayer slay the fiends,10 Long be thy grasping-hook wherewith thou givest ample wealth to himWho sheds the juice and worships thee.11 Here, Indra, is thy Soma-draught, made pure upon the sacred grass:Run hither, come and drink thereof.12 Famed for thy radiance, worshipped well this juice is shed for thy delightThou art invoked, Akhandala!13 To Kundapayya, grandson's son, grandson of Srngavrs! to thee,To him have I addressed my thought.14 Strong pillar thou, Lord of the home armour of Soma-offerers:The drop of Soma breaketh all the strongholds down, and Indra is the Rsis' Friend.15 Holy Prdikusanu, winner of the spoil, one eminent o'er many men,Lead on the wild horse Indra with his vigorous grasp forward to drink the Soma juice.
HYMN XVIII. Adityas.1. Now let the mortal offer prayer to win the unexampled graceOf these Adityas and their aid to cherish life.2 For not an enemy molests the paths which these Adityas tread:Infallible guards, they strengthen us in happiness.3 Now soon may Bhaga, Savitar, Varuna, Mitra, AryamanGive us the shelter widely spread which we implore.4 With Gods come thou whose fostering care none checks, O Goddesss Aditi:Come, dear to many, with the Lords who guard us well.5 For well these Sons of Aditi know to keep enmities aloof,Unrivalled, giving ample room, they save from woe.6 Aditi guard our herd by day, Aditi, free from guile, by night,Aditi, ever strengthening, save us from grief!
7 And in the day our hymn is this: May Aditi come nigh to help,With loving-kindness bring us weal and chase our foes.8 And may the Asvins, the divine Pair of Physicians, send us health:May they remove iniquity and chase our foes.9 May Agni bless us with his fires, and Surya warm us pleasantly:May the pure Wind breathe sweet on us, and chase our foes.10 Drive ye disease and strife away, drive ye away malignity:Adityas, keep us ever far from sore distress.11 Remove from us the arrow, keep famine, Adityas! far away:Keep enmities afar from us, Lords of all wealth!12 Now, O Adityas, grant to us the shelter that lets man go free,Yea, even the sinner from his sin, ye Bounteous Gods 113 Whatever mortal with the powe r of demons fain would injure us,May he, impetuous, suffer harm by his own deeds.14 May sin o'ertake our human foe, the man who speaketh evil thing,Him who would cause our misery, whose heart is false.15 Gods, ye are with the simple ones, ye know each mortal in your hearts;Ye, Vasus, well discriminate the false and true.16 Fain would we have the sheltering aid of mountains and of water-floods:Keep far from us iniquity, O Heaven and Earth.17 So with auspicious sheltering aid do ye, O Vasus, carry usBeyond all trouble and distress, borne in your ship.18 Adityas, ye Most Mighty Ones, grant to our children and their seedExtended term of life that they may live long days.19 Sacrifice, O Adityas, is your inward monitor: be kind,For in the bond of kindred we are bound to you.20 The Maruts' high protecting aid, the Asvins, and the God who saves,Mitra and Varuna for weal we supplicate.21 Grant us a home with triple guard, Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna!Unthreatened, Maruts! meet for praise, and filled with men.22 And as we human beings, O Adityas, are akin to death,Graciously lengthen ye our lives that we may live.
HYMN XIX. Agni.1. SING praise to hiin, the Lord of Light. The Gods have made the God to be their messenger,And sent oblation to Gods.2 Agni, the Bounteous Giver, bright with varied flames, laud thou, O singer Sobhari-Him who controls this sacred food with Soma blent, who hath first claim to sacrifice.3 Thee have we chosen skilftillest in sacrifice, Immortal Priest among the Gods,Wise finisher of this holy rite:4 The Son of Strength, the blessed, brightly shining One, Agni whose light is excellent.May be by sacrifice win us in heaven the grace of Mitra, Varuna, and the Floods.5 The mortal who hath ministered to Agni with oblation, fuel, ritual lore,And reverence, skilled in sacrifice.6 Verily swift to run are his fleet-footed steeds, and most resplendent fame is his.No trouble caused by Gods or wrought by mortal man from any side o'ertaketh him.7 May we by thine own fires be well supplied with fire, O Son of Strength, O Lord of Might:Thou as our Friend hast worthy men.8 Agni, who praises like a guest of friendly mind, is as a car that brings us gear.Also in thee is found perfect security thou art the Sovran Lord of wealth.
9 That man, moreover, merits praise who brings, auspicious Agni, sacrificial giftsMay he win riches by his thoughts.10 He for whose sacrifice thou standest up erect is prosperous and rules o'er men.He wins with coursers and with singers killed in song: with heroes he obtains the prize.11 He in whose dwelling Agni is chief ornament, and, all-desired, loves his laud well,And zealously tends his offerings-12 His, or the lauding sage's word, his, Son of Strength! who Is most prompt with sacred gifts,Set thou beneath the Gods, Vasu, above mankind, the speech of the intelligent.13 He who with sacrificial gifts or homage bringeth very skilful Agni nigh,Or him who flashes fast with song,14 The mortal who with blazing fuel, as his laws command, adores the Perfect God,Blest with his thoughts in splendour shall exceed all men, as though he overpassed the floods.15 Give us the splendour, Agni, which may overcome each greedy fiend in our abode,The wrath of evil-hearted folk.16 That, wherewith Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman, the Asvins, Bhaga give us light,That may we, by thy power finding best furtherance, worship, O Indra, helped by thee.17 O Agni, most devout are they, the sages who have set thee Sage exceeding wise,O God, for men to look upon:18 Who have arranged thine altar Blessed God, at morn brought thine oblation, pressed the juice.They by their deeds of strength have won diem, mighty wealth, who have set all their hope in thee.19 -May Agni worshipped bring us bliss, may the gift, Blessed One, and sacrifice bring bliss;Yea, may our praises bring us bliss.20 Show forth the mind that brings success in war with fiends, wherewith thou conquerest in fight.Bring down the many firm hopes of our enemies, and let us vanquish with thine aid.21 I praise with song the Friend of man, whom Gods sent down to be herald and messenger,Best worshipper, bearer of our gifts.22 Thou unto sharp-toothed Agni, Young and Radiant God, proclaimest with thy song the feast-Agni, who for our sweet strains moulds heroic strength when sacred oil is offered him,23 While, served with sacrificial oil, now upward and now downward Agni moves his sword,As doth the Asura his robe.24 The God, the Friend of man, who bears our gifts to heaven, the God with his sweet-smellingmouth,Distributes, skilled in sacrifice, his precious things, Invoking Priest, Immortal God.25 Son of Strength, Agni, if thou wert the mortal, bright as Mitra, I worshipped with our gifts!And I were the Immortal God26 I would not give thee up, Vasu, to calumny, or misery, O Bounteous One.My worshipper should feel no hunger or distress, nor, Agni, should he live in sin.27 Like a son cherished in his father's houi§e, let our oblation rise unto the Gods.28 With thine immediate aid may I, excellent Agni, ever gain my wishA mortal with a God to help.29 O Agni, by thy wisdom, by thy bounties, by thy leading may I gather wealth.Excellent Agni, thou art called my Providence: delight thou to be liberal.30 Agni, he conquers by thine aid that brings him store of noble heroes and great strength,Whose bond of friendship is thy choice.31 Thy spark is black and crackling, kindled in due time, O Bounteous, it is taken up.Thou art the dear Friend of the mighty Mornings: thou shinest in glimmerings of the night.32 We Sobharis have come to him, for succour, who is good to help with thousand powers,The Sovran, Trasadasyu's Friend.33 O Agni, thou on whom all other fires depend, as branches on the parent stem,I make the treasures of the folk, like songs, mine own, while I exalt thy sovran might.
34 The mortal whom, Adityas, ye, Guilelew, lead to the farther bankOf all the princes, Bounteous Ones35 Whoe'er he be, Man-ruling Kings! the Regent of the race of men-May we, O Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman, like him be furtherers of your law.36 A gift of fifty female slaves hath Trasadasyu given me, Purukutsa's son,Most liberal, kind, lord of the brave.37 And Syava too for me led forth a strong steed at Suvastu's ford:A herd of three times seventy kine, good lord of gifts, he gave to me.
HYMN XX Maruts.1. LET none, Swift Travellers! check you: come hither, like-spirited, stay not far away,Ye benders even of what is firm.2 Maruts, Rbhuksans, Rudras come ye with your cars strong-fellied and exceeding bright.Come, ye for whom we long, with food, to sacrifice, come ye with love to Sobbari.3 For well we know the vigorous might of Rudra's Sons, the Martits, who are passing strong,Swift Visnu's band, who send the rain.,4 Islands are bursting forth and misery is stayed: the heaven and earth are joined in one.Decked with bright rings, ye spread the broad expanses out, when ye, Self. luminous, stirredyourselves.5 Even things immovable shake and reel, the mountains and the forest trees at your approach,And the earth trembles as ye come.6 To lend free course, O Maruts, to your furious rush, heaven high and higher still gives way,Where they, the Heroes mighty with their arms, display their gleaming omaments on their forms.7 After their Godlike nature they, the bull. like Heroes, dazzling and impetuous, wearGreat splendour as they show erect.8 The pivot of the Sobharis' chariot within the golden box is balmed with milk.May they the Well-born, Mighty, kindred of the Cow, aid us to food and to delight.9 Bring, ye who sprinkle balmy drops. oblations to your vigorous Marut company,To those whose leader is the Bull.10 Come hither, O ye Mares, on your stronghorsed car, solid in look, with solid naves.Lightly like winged falcons, O ye Heroes, come, come to enjoy our ofrerings.11 Their decoration is the same: their omaments of gold are bright upon their arms;Their lances glitter splendidly.12 They toil not to defend their bodies from attack, strong Heroes with their mighty arms.Strong are your bows and strong the weapons in your cars, and glory sits on every face.13 Whose name extendeth like a sea, alone, resplendent, so that all have joy in it,And life-power like ancestral might.14 Pay honour to these Maruts and sing praise to them, for of the wheel-spokes of the carOf these loud roarers none is last: this is their power, this moves them to give mighty gifts.15 Blest by your favouring help was he, O Maruts, at the earlier flushings of the morn,And even now shall he be blest.16 The strong man to whose sacrifice, O Heroes, ye approach that ye may taste thereof,With glories and with war that winneth spoil shall gain great bliss, ye Shakers of the world.17 Even as Rudra's Sons, the brood of the Creator Dyaus, the Asura, desire,O Youthful Ones, so shall it be:18 And these the bounteous, worthy of the Maruts who move onward pouring down the rain-Even for their sake, O Youthful Ones, with kindest heart take us to you to be your own.19 O Sobhari, with newest song sing out unto the youthful purifying Bulls,Even as a plougher to his steers.20 Who, like a celebrated boxer, overcome the challengers in every fight:
They who, like shining bulls, are most illustrious-honour those Maruts with thy song.21 Allied by common ancestry, ye Maruts, even the Cows, alike in energy,Lick, all by turns, each other's head.22 Even mortal man, ye Dancers breast adorned with gold, attains to brotherhood with you.Mark ye and notice us, O Maruts; evermore your friendship is secured to us.23 O Maruts, rich in noble gifts, bring us a portion of the Maruts' medicine,Ye Coursers who are Friends to us.24 Haters of those who serve you not, bliss-bringers, bring us bliss with those auspicious aidsWherewith ye are victorious and guard Sindhu well, and succour Krvi in his need.25 Maruts, who rest on fair trimmed grass, what balm soever Sindhu or Asikni hath,Or mountains or the seas contain.26 Ye carry on your bodies, ye who see it all: so bless us graciously therewith.Cast, Maruts, to the ground our sick man's malady: replace the dislocated limb.
HYMN XXI. Indra.1. WE call on thee, O Matchless One! We seeking help, possessing nothing firm ourselves,Call on thee wonderful in fight2 On thee for aid in sacrifice. This youth of ours, the bold, the mighty, hath gonse forth.We therefore, we thy friends, Indra, havie chosen thee, free-giver, as our Guardian God.3 Come hither, for the drops are here, O Lord of corn-lands. Lord of horses, Lord of kine:Drink thou the Soma, Soma's Lord!4 For we the kinless singers have drawn hither thee, O Indra, who hast numerous kin.With all the forms thou hast, comic thou of bull-like strength, come near to drink the Soma juice.5 Sitting like birds beside thy meath., mingled with milk, that gladdeneth and exalteth thee,Indra, to thee we sing aloud.6 We speak to thee with this our reverential prayer. Why art thou pondering yet awhile?Here are our wishes; thou art liberal, Lord of Bays: we and our hymns are present here.7 For not in recent times alone, O Indra, Thunder-armed, have we obtained thine aid.Of old we knew thy plenteous wealth.8 Hero, we knew thy friendship and thy rich rewards: these, Thunderer, now we crave of thee.O Vasu, for all wealth that cometh of the kine, sharpen our powers, fair-visored God.9 Him who of old hath brought to us this and that blessing, him I magnify for you,Even Indra, O my friends, for help10 Borne by Bay Steeds, the Lord of heroes, ruling men, for it is he who takes; delight.May Maghavan bestow on us his worshippers hundreds of cattle and of steeds.11 Hero, may we, with thee for Friend, withstand the man who pants against us in his wrath,In fight with people rich in kine.12 May we be victors in the singer's battlesong, and meet the wicked, Much invoked!With heroes smite the foeman and show forth our strength. O Indra, further thou our thoughts.13 O Indra, from all ancient time rivalless ever and companionless art thou:Thou seekest comradeship in war.14 Thou findest not the wealthy man to be thy friend: those scorn thee who are flown with wine.What time thou thunderest and gatherest, then thou, even as a Father, art invoked.15 O Indra, let us not, like fools who waste their lives at home, with friendship such as thineSit idly by the poured-out juice.16 Giver of kine, may we not miss thy gracious gifts: let us not rob thee of thine own.Strip even the strong places of the foe, and bring: thy gifts can never be made vain.17 Indra or blest Sarasvati alone bestows such wealth, treasure so great, or thou,O Citra, on the worshipper.18 Citra is King, and only kinglings are the rest who dwell beside Sarasvati.
He, like Parjanya with his rain, hath spread himself with thousand, yea, with myriad gifts.
HYMN XXII. Asvins.1. HITHERWARD have I called to-day, for succour, that most wondrous carWhich ye ascended, Asvins, ye whose paths are red, swift to give Car, for Surya's sake.2 Car ever young, much longed-for, easily invoked, soon guided, first in deeds of might,Which waits and serves, O Sobhari, with benevolence, without a rival or a foe.3 These Asvins with our homage, these Two Omnipresent DeitiesHitherward will we bring for kind help, these who seek the dwelling of the worshipper.4 One of your chariot wheels is moving swiftly round, one speeds for you its onward course.Like a milch-cow, O Lords of splendour, and with haste let your benevolence come to us.5 That chariot of yours which hath a triple seat and reins of gold,The famous car that traverseth the heaven and earth, thereon Nasatyas, Asvins, come.6 Ye with your plough, when favouring Manu with your help, ploughed the first harvest in the sky.As such will we exalt you, Lords of splendour, now, O Asvins, with our prayer and praise.7 Come to us, Lords of ample wealth, by paths of everlasting Law,Whereby to high dominion ye with mighty strength raised Trksi, Trasadasyu's son.8 This Soma pressed with stones is yours, ye Heroes, Lords of plenteous wealth.Approach to drink the Soma, come, drink in the worshipper's abode.9 O Asvins, mount the chariot, mount the golden seat, ye who are Lords of plenteous wealth,And bring to us abundant food.10 The aids wherewith ye helped Paktha and Adhrigt;, and Babhru severed from his friends,-With those, O Asvins, come hither with speed and soon, and heal whatever is diseased.11 When we continually invoke the Asvins, the resistless, at this time of day,We lovers of the song, with songs.12 Through these, ye Mighty Ones, come hither to my call which brings all blessings, wears allforms,-Tlirough which, All-present Heroes, lavishest of food ye strengthened Krvi, come through these.13 I speak to both of these as such, these Asvins whom I reverence at this time of day:With homage we entreat them both.14 Ye who are Lords of splendour, ye whose paths are red, at eve, at mom, at sacrifice,Give us not utterly as prey to mortal foe, ye Rudras, Lords of ample wealth.15 For bliss I call. the blissful car, at morn the inseparable Asvins with their carI call, like Sobhari our sire.16 Rapid as thought, and strong, and speeding to thejoy, bringing.your swiftly-coming help,Be to us a protection even from far away Lords of great wealth, with many aids.'17 Come, Wonder-Workers, to our home, our home, O Asvins, rich in cattle, steeds, and gold,Chief drinkers of the Soma's juice18 Choice-worthy strength, heroic, firm and excellent, uninjured by the Raksas foe,At this your coming nigh, ye Lords of ample wealth and all good things, may we obtain.
HYMN XXIII. Agni.1. WORSHIP thou Jatavedas, pray to him who willingly accepts,Whose smoke wanders at will, and none may grasp his flame.2 Thou, all men's friend, Visvamanas, exaltest Agni with thy song,The Giver, and his flames with which no cars contend.3 Whose resolute assault, to win vigour and food, deserves our praise,-Through whose discovering power the priest obtaineth wealth.4 Up springs the imperishable flame, the flame of the Refulgent OneMost bright, with glowing jaws and glory in his train.
5 Skilled in fair sacrifice, extolled, arise in Godlike loveliness,Shining with lofty splendour, with effulgent light.6 Called straight to our oblations, come, O Agni, through our eulogies,As thou hast been our envoy bearing up our gifts.7 I call your Agni, from of old Invoking Priest of living men:Him with this song I laud and magnify for you.8 Whom, wondrous wise, they animate with solemn rites and his fair form,Kind as a friend to men who keep the holy Law.9 Him, true to Law, who perfecteth the sacrifice,. Law-loving ones!Ye with your song have gratified in the place of prayer.10 May all our sacrifices go to him the truest Angiras,Who is among mankind the most illustrious Priest.11 Imperishable Agni, thine are all these high enkindled lights,Like horses and like stallions showing forth their strength.12 So give us, Lord of Power and Might, riches combined with hero strength,And guard us with our sons and grand. sons in our frays.13 Soon as the eager Lord of men is friendly unto Manti's race,Agni averteth from us all the demon host.14 O Hero Agni, Lord of men, on hearing this new laud of mine,Burn down the Raksasas, enchanters, with thy flame.15 No mortal foe can e'er prevail by arts of magic over himWho serveth Agni well with sacrificial gifts.16 Vyasva the sage, who sought the Bull, hath won thee, finder of good things:As such may we enkindle thee for ample wealth.17 Usana Kavya stablished thee, O Agni, as Invoking Priest:Thee, Jatavedas, Sacrificing Priest for man.18 All Deities of one accord appointed thee their messenger:Thou, God, through hearing, hadst first claim to sacrifice.19 Him may the mortal hero make his own immortal messenger.Far-spreading, Purifier, him whose path is black.20 With lifted ladles let us call him splendid with his brilliant flame,Men's ancient Agni, wasting not, adorable.21 The man who pays the worship due to him with sacrificial giftsObtains both plenteous nourishment and hero fame.22 To Jatavedas Agni, chief in sacrifices, first of allWith homage goes the ladle rich with sacred gifts.23 Even as Vyatya did, may we with these most high and liberal hymnsPay worship unto Agni of the splendid flame.24 Now sing, as Sthurayupa sang, with lands to him who spreadeth far,To Agni of the home, O Rsi, Vyasva's son.25 As welcome guest of human kind, as offspring of the forest kings,The sages worship ancient Agni for his aid.26 For men's oblations brought to him who is the mighty Lord of all,Sit, Agni, mid our homage, on the sacred grass.27 Grant us abundant. treasures, grant the opulence which many crave,With store of heroes, progeny, and high renown.28 Agni, Most Youthful of the Gods, send evermore the gift of wealthUnto Varosusaman and to all his folk.29 A mighty Conqueror art thou, O Agni, so disclose to usFood in our herds of kine and gain of ample wealth.
30 Thou, Agni, art a glorious God: bring hither Mitra, Varuna,Imperial Sovrans, holy-minded, true to Law.
HYMN XXIV. Indra.1. COMPANIONS, let us learn a prayer to Indra. whom the thunder arms,To glorify your bold and most heroic Friend.2 For thou by slaying Vrtra art the Vrtra-slayer, famed for might.Thou, Hero, in rich gifts surpassest wealthy chiefs.3 As such, when glorified, bring us riches of very wondrous fame,Set in the highest rank, Wealth-giver, Lord of Bays!4 Yea, Indra, thou disclosest that preeminent dear wealth of men:Boldly, O Bold One, glorified, bring it to us.5 The workers of destruction stay neither thy right hand nor thy left:Nor hosts that press about thee, Lord of Bays, in fight.6 O Thunder-armed, I come with songs to thee as to a stall with kine:Fulfil the wish and thought of him who sings thy praise.7 Chief Vrtra-slayer, through the hymn of Visvamanas think of all,All that concerneth us, Excellent, Mighty Guide.8 May we, O Vrtra-slayer, O Hero, find this thy newest boon, Longed-for, and excellent, thou who artmuch invoked!9 O Indra, Dancer, Much-invoked! as thy great power is unsurpassed,So be thy bounty to the worshipper unchecked.10 Most Mighty, most heroic One, for mighty bounty fill thee full.Though strong, strengthen thyself to win wealth, Maghavan!11 O Thunderer, never have our prayers gone forth to any God but thee:So help us, Maghavan, with thine assistance now.12 For, Dancer, verily I find none else for bounty, saving thee,For splendid wealth and power, thou Lover of the Song.13 For Indra pour ye out the drops meath blent with Soma let him drinkWith bounty and with majesty will he further us.14 I spake to the Bay Coursers' Lord, to him who gives ability:Now hear the son of Asva as he praises thee.15 Never was any Hero born before thee mightier than thou:None certairdy like thee in goodness and in wealth.16 O ministering priest, pour out of the sweet juice what gladdens most:So is the Hero praised who ever prospers us.17 Indra, whom Tawny Coursers bear, praise such as thine, preeminent,None by his power or by his goodness hath attained.18 We, seeking glory, have invoked this Master of all power and mightWho must be glorified by constant sacri fice.19 Come, sing we praise to Indra, friends, the Hero who deserves the laud,Him who with none to aid o'ercomes all tribes of men.20 To him who wins the kine, who keeps no cattle back, Celestial God,Speak wondrous speech more sweet than butter and than meath.21 Whose hero powers are measureless, whose bounty ne'er may be surpassed,Whose liberality, like light, is over all.22 As Vyasva did, praise Indra, praise the Strong unfluctuating Guide,Who gives the foe's possessions to the worshipper.23 Now, son of Vyasva, praise thou him who to the tenth time still is new,The very Wise, whom living men must glorify
24 Thou knowest, Indra, Thunder-armed, how to avoid destructive powers,As one secure from pitfalls each returning day.25 O Indra, bring that aid wherewith of old, Most Wondrous! thou didst slayHis foes for active Kutsa: send it down to us.26 So now we seek thee fresh in might, Most Wonderful in act! for gain:For thou art he who conquers all our foes for us.27 Who will set free from ruinous woe, or Arya on the Seven Streams:O valiant Hero, bend the Dasa's weapon down.28 As to Varosusaman thou broughtest great riches, for their gain,To Vyasva's sons, Blest Lady, rich in ample wealth!29 Let Narya's sacrificial meed reach Vyasva's Soma-bearing sons:In hundreds and in thousands be the great reward.30 If one should ask thee, Where is he who sacrificed? Whither lookest thou?Like Vala he hath passed away and dwelleth now on Gomati.
HYMN XXV. Mitra-Varuna.1. I WORSHIP you who guard this All, Gods, holiest among the Gods,You, faithful to the Law, whose power is sanctified.2 So, too, like charioteers are they, Mitra and sapient Varuna,Sons high-born from of old, whose holy laws stand fast.3 These Twain, possessors of all wealth, most glorious, for supremest swayAditi, Mighty Mother, true to Law, brought forth.4 Great Varuna and Mitra, Gods, Asuras and imperial Lords,True to Eternal Law proclaim the high decree.5 The offspring of a lofty Power, Daksa's Two Sons exceeding strong,Who, Lords of flowing rain, dwell in the place of food.6 Ye who have gathered up your gifts, celestial and terrestrial food,Let your rain come to us fraught with the mist of heaven.7 The Twain, who from the lofty sky seem to look down on herds below,Holy, imperial Lords, are set to be revered.8 They, true to Law, exceeding strong, have sat them down for savran rule:Princes whose laws stand fast, they have obtained their sway.9 Pathfinders even better than the eye, with unobstructed sight,Even when they close their lids, observant, they perceive.10 So may the Goddess Aditi, may the Nasatyas guard us well,The Martits guard us well,.endowed with mighty strength.11 Do ye, O Bounteous Gods, protect our dwelling lace by day and night:With you for our defenders may we go unharmed.12 May we, unharmed, serve bountiful Visnu, the God who slayeth none:Self-moving Sindhu hear and be the first to mark.13 This sure protection we elect, desirable and reaching far,Which Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman afford.14 And may the Sindhu of the floods, the Maruts, and the ASvin Pair,Boon Indra, and boon Visnu have one mind with us.15 Because these warring Heroes stay the enmity of every foe,As the fierce water-flood repels the furious ones.16 Here this one God, the Lord of men, looks forth exceeding far and wide:And we, for your advantage, keep his holy laws.17 We keep the old accustomed laws, the statutes of supremacy,The Iong-known laws of Mitra and of Varuna.
18 He who hath measured with his ray the boundaries of heaven and earth,And with his majesty hath filled the two worlds full,19 Surya hath spread his light aloft up to the region of the sky,Like Agni all aflame when gifts are offered him.20 With him who sits afar the word is lord of food that comes from kine,Controller of the gift of unempoisoned food.21 So unto Surya, Heaven, and Earth at morning and at eve I speak.Bringing enjoyments ever rise thou up for us.22 From Uksanyayana a bay, from Harayana a white steed,And from Susaman we obtained a hamessed car.23 These two shall bring me further gain of troops of tawny-coloured steeds,The carriers shall they be of active men of war.24 And the two sages have I gained who hold the reins and bear the whip,And the two great strong coursers, with my newest song.
HYMN XXVI. Asvins.1. I CALL your chariot to receive united praise mid princely men,Strong Gods who pour down wealth, of never vanquished might!2 Ye to Varosusaman come, Nasatyas, for this glorious rite.With your protecting aid. Strong Gods, who pour down wealth.3 So with oblations we invoke you, rich in ample wealth, to-day,When night hath passed, O ye who send us plenteous food.O Asvins, Heroes, let your car, famed, best to travel, come to us,And, for his glory, mark your zealous servant's lauds.5 Asvins, who send us precious gifts, even when offended, think of him:For ye, O Rudras, lead us safe beyond our foes.6 For, Wonder-Workers, with fleet steeds ye fly completely round this All,Stirring our thoughts, ye Lords of splendour, honey-hued.7 With all-sustaining opulence, Asvins, come hitherward to us,Ye rich and noble Heroes, ne'er to be o'erthrown.8 To welcome this mine offering, O ye Indra-like Nasatyas, comeAs Gods of best accord this day with other Gods.9 For we, like Vyasva, lifting up our voice like oxen, call on you:With all your loving kindness, Sages, come to us.10 O Rsi, laud the Asvins well. Will they not listen to thy call?Will they not bum the Panis who are nearer them?11 O Heroes, listen to the son of Vyasva, and regard me here,Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, of one accord.12 Gods whom we yearn for, of your gifts, of what ye bring to us, bestowBy princes' hands on me, ye Mighty, day by day.13 Him whom your sacrifices clothe, even as a woman with her robe,The Asvins help to glory honouring him well.14 Whoso regards your care of men as succour widest in its reach,About his dwelling go, ye Asvins, loving us.15 Come to us ye who pour down wealth, come to the home which men must guard:Like shafts, ye are made meet for sacrifice by song.16 Most fetching of all calls, the laud, as envoy, Heroes, called to youBe it your own, O Asvin Pair.17 Be ye in yonder sea of heaven, or joying in the home of food,Listen to me, Immortal Ones.
18 This river with his lucid flow attracts you, more than all the streams,-Even Sindhu with his path of gold.19 O Asvins, with that glorious fame come hither, through our brilliant song,Come ye whose ways are marked with light.20 Harness the steeds who draw the car, O Vasu, bring the well-fed pair.O Vayu, drink thou of our meath: come unto our drink-offerings.21 Wonderful Vayu, Lord of Right, thou who art Tvastar's son-in-law,Thy saving succour we elect.22 To Tvastar's son-in-law we pray for wealth whereof he hath control:For glory we seek vayu, men with juice effused.23 From heaven, auspicious Vayu, come drive hither with thy noble steeds:Come on thy mighty car with wide-extending seat.24 We call thee to the homes of men, thee wealthiest in noble food,And liberal as a press-stone with a horse's back.25 So, glad and joyful in thine heart, do thou, God, Vayu, first of allVouchsafe us water, strength, and thought.
HYMN XXVII. Visvedevas.1. CHEIF Priest is Agni at the laud, as stones and grass at sacrifice:With song I seek the Maruts, Brahmanaspati, Gods for help much to be desired.2 I sing to cattle and to Earth, to trees, to Dawns, to Night, to plants.O all ye Vasus, ye possessors of all wealth, be ye the furtherers of our thoughts.3 Forth go, with Agni, to the Gods our sacrifice of ancient use,To the Adityas, Varuna whose Law stands fast, and the all-lightening Marut troop.4 Lords of all wealth, may they be strengtheners of man, destroyers of his enemies.Lords of all wealth, do ye, with guards which none may harm, preserve our dwelling free from foes.5 Come to us with one mind to-day, come to us all with one accord,Maruts with holy song, and, Goddess Aditi, Mighty One, to our house and home.6 Send us delightful things, ye Maruts, on your steeds: come ye, O Mitra, to our gifts.Let Indra, Varuna, and the Adityas sit, swift Heroes, on our sacred grass.7 We who have trimmed the grass for you, and set the banquet in array,And pressed the Soma, call you, Varuina, like men, with sacrificial fires aflame.8 O Maruts, Visinu, Asvins, Pusan, haste away with minds turned hitherward to Me.Let the Strong Indra, famed as Vrtra's slayer, come first with the winners of the spoil.9 Ye Guileless Gods, bestow on us a refuge strong on every side,A sure protection, Vasus, unassailable from near at hand or from afar.10 Kinship have I with you, and close alliance O ye Gods, destroyers of our foes.Call us to our prosperity of former days, and soon to new klicity.11 For now have I sent forth to you, that I may win a fair reward,Lords of all wealth, with homage, this my song of praise. like a milch-cow that faileth not.12 Excellent Savitar hath mounted up on high for you, ye sure and careful Guides.Bipeds and quadrupeds, with several hopes and aims, and birds have settled to their tasks.13 Singing their praise with God-like thought let us invoke each God for grace,Each God to bring you help, each God to strengthen you.14 For of one spirit are the Gods with mortal man, co-sharers all of gracious gifts.May they increase our strength hereafter and to-day, providing case and ample room.15 I laud you, O ye Guileless Gods, here where we meet to render praise.None, Varuna and Mitra, harins the mortal, man who honours and obeys your laws.16 He makes his house endure, he gathers plenteous food who pays obedience to your will.Born in his sons anew he spreads as Law commands, and prospers every way unharmed.
17 E'en without war he gathers wealth, and goes hisway on pleasant paths,Whom Mitra, Varuna and Aryaman protect, sharing the gift,of one accord.18 E'en on the plain for him ye make a sloping path, an easy way where road is none:And far away from him the ineffectual shaft must vanish, shot at him in vain.19 If ye appoint the rite to-day, kind Rulers, when the Sun ascends,Lords of all wealth, at sunset or at wakingtime, or be it at the noon of day,20 Or, Asuras, when ye have sheltered the worshipper who goes to sacrifice, at evemay we, O Vasus, ye possessors of all wealth, come then into the midst of You.21 If ye to-day at sunrise, or at noon, or in the gloom of eve,Lords of all riches, give fair treasure to the man, the wise man who hath sacrificed,22 Then we, imperial Rulers, claim of you this boon, your wide protection, as a son.May we, Adityas, offering holy gifts, obtain that which shall bring us greater bliss.
HYMN XXVIII. Visvedevas.1. THE Thirty Gods and Three besides, whose seat hath been the sacred grass,From time of old have found and gained.2 Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, Agnis, with Consorts, sending boons,To whom our Vasat! is addressed:3 These are our guardians in the west, and northward here, and in the south,And on the cast, with all the tribe.4 Even as the Gods desire so verily shall it be. None minisheth this power of theirs,No demon, and no mortal5 The Seven carry seven spears; seven are the splendours they possess,And seven the glories they assume.
HYMN XXIX Visvedevas.1. ONE is a youth brown, active, manifold he decks the golden one with ornament.2 Another, luminous, occupies the place of sacritice, Sage, among the Gods.3 One brandishes in his hand an iron knife, firm, in his seat amid the Deities.4 Another holds the thunderbolt, wherewith he slays the Vrtras, resting in his hand.5 Another bears a pointed weapon: bright is he, and strong, with healing medicines.6 Another, thief-like, watches well the ways, and knows the places where the treasures lie.7 Another with his mighty stride hath made his three steps thither where the Gods rejoice.8 Two with one Dame ride on with winged steeds, and journey forth like travellers on their way.9 Two, highest, in the heavens have set their seat, worshipped with holy oil, imperial Kings.10 Some, singing lauds, conceived the Sama-hymn, great hymn whereby they caused the Sun toshine.
HYMN XXX. Visvedevas.1. NOT one of you, ye Gods, is small, none of you is a feeble child:All of you, verily, are great.2 Thus be ye lauded, ye destroyers of the foe, ye Three-and-Thirty Deities,The Gods of man, the Holy Ones.3 As such defend and succour us, with benedictions speak to us:Lead us not from our fathers' and from Manu's path into the distance far away.4 Ye Deities who stay with us, and all ye Gods of all mankind,Give us your wide protection, give shelter for cattle and for steed.
HYMN XXXI. Various Deities.1. THAT Brahman pleases Indra well, who worships, sacrifices, pours Libation, and prepares themeal.
2 Sakra protects from woe the man who gives him sacrificial cake.And offers Soma blent with milk.3 His chariot shall be glorious, sped by Gods, and mighty shall he be,Subduing all hostilities.4 Each day that passes, in his house flows his libation, rich in milk,Exhaustless, bringing progeny.5 O Gods, with constant draught of milk, husband and wife with one accordPress out and wash the Soma juice.6 They gain sufficient food: they come united to the sacred grass,And never do they fail in strength.7 Never do they deny or seek to hide the favour of the Gods:They win high glory for themselves.8 With sons and daughters by their side they reach their full extent of life,Both decked with ornaments of gold.9 Serving the Immortal One with gifts of sacrificial meal and wealth,They satisfy the claims of love and pay due honour to the Gods.10 We claim protection from the Hills, we claim protection of the Floods,Of him who stands by Visnu's side.11 May Pusan come, and Bhaga, Lord of wealth, All-bounteous, for our wealBroad be the path that leads to bliss:12 Aramati, and, free from foes, Visva with spirit of a God,And the Adityas' peerless might.13 Seeing that Mitra, Aryaman, and Varuna are guarding us,The paths of Law are fair to tread.14 I glorify with song, for wealth, Agni the God, the first of you.We honour as a well-loved Friend the God who prospereth our fields.15 As in all frays the hero, so swift moves his car whom Gods attend.The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.16 Ne'er are ye injured, worshipper, presser of juice, or pious man.The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.17 None in his action equals him, none holds him far or keeps him off.The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.18 Such strength of heroes shall be his, such mastery of fleet-foot steeds.The man who, sacrificing, strives to win the heart of Deities will conquer those who worship not.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.1. KANVAS, tell forth with song the deeds of Indra, the Impetuous,Wrought in the Soma's wild delight.2 Strong God, he slew Anarsani, Srbinda, Pipru, and the fiend,Ahisuva, and loosed the floods.3. Thou broughtest down the dwelling-place, the height of lofty Arbuda.That exploit, Indra, must be famed.4 Bold, to your famous Soma I call the fair-visored God for aid,Down like a torrent from the hill.5 Rejoicing in the Soma-draughts, Hero, burst open, like a fort,The stall of horses and of kine.6 If my libation gladdens, if thou takest pleasure in my laud,Come with thy Godhead from afar.7 O Indra, Lover of the Song, the singers of thy praise are we:O Soma-drinker, quicken us.
8 And, taking thy delight with us bring us still undiminished food:Great is thy wealth, O Maghavan.9 Make thou us rich in herds of kine, in steeds, in gold: let us exertOur strength in sacrificial gifts.10 Let us call him to aid whose hands stretch far, to whom high laud is due.Who worketh well to succour us.11 He, Satakratu, even in fight acts as a Vrtra-slayer s,till:He gives his worshippers much wealth.12 May he, this A;akra, strengthen us, Boon God who satisfies our needs,Indra, with all lhis saving helps.13 To him, the mighty stream of wealth, the Soma-presser's rescuing Friend,To Indra sing your song of praise;14 Who bringeth what is great and firm, who winneth glory in his wars,Lord of vast wealth through power and might.15 There liveth none to cheek or stay his energies and gracious deeds:None who can say, He giveth not.16 No debt is due by Brahmans now, by active men who press the juice:Well hath each Soma-draught been paid.17 Sing ye to him who must be praised, say lauds to him who must be praised,Bring prayer to him who must be praised.18 May be, unchecked, strong, meet for praise, bring hundreds, thousands forth to light,Indra who aids the worshipper.19 Go with thy God-like nature forth, go where the folk are calling thee:Drink, Indra, of the drops we pour.20 Drink milky draughts which are thine own, this too which was with Tugrya once,This is it, Indra, that is thine.21 Pass him who psours libations out in angry mood or after sin:Here drink the juice we offer thee.22 Over the three great distances, past the Five Peoples go thy way,O Indra, noticing our voice.23 Send forth thy ray like Surya: let my songs attract thee hitherward,Like waters gathering to the vale.24 Now to the Hero fair of cheek, Adhvaryu, pour the Soma forth:Bring of the juice that he may drink25 Who cleft the water-cloud in twain, loosed rivers for their downward flow,And set the ripe milk in the kine.26 He, meet for praise, slew Vrtra, slew Ahisuva, Urnavabha's son,And pierced th:rough Arbuda with frost.27 To him your matchless Mighty One, unconquerable Conqueror,Sing forth the prayer which Gods have given:28 Indra, who in the wild delight of Soma juice considers hereAll holy Laws among the Gods.29 Hither let these thy Bays who share thy banquet, Steeds with golden manes,Convey thee to the feast prepared.30 Hither, O thou whom many laud, the Bays whom Priyamedha praised,Shall bring thee to the Soma-draught.
HYMN XXXIII. Indra.1. WE compass thee like waters, we whose grass is trimmed and Soma pressed.Here where the filter pours its stream, thy worshippers round thee, O Vrtra-slayer, sit.
2 Men, Vasu! by the Soma, with lauds call thee to the foremost place:When comest thou athirst unto the juice as home, O Indra, like a bellowing bull?3 Boldly, Bold Hero, bring us spoil in thousands for the Kanvas' sake.O active Maghavan, with eager prayer we crave the yellow-hued with store ol kine.4 Medhyatithi, to Indra sing, drink of the juice to make thee glad.Close-knit to his Bay Steeds, bolt-armed, beside the juice is he: his chariot is of gold.5 He Who is praised as strong of hand both right and left, most wise and hold:Indra who, rich in hundreds, gathers thousands up, honoured as breaker-down of forts.6 The bold of heart whom none provokes, who stands in bearded confidence;Much-lauded, very glorious, overthrowing foes, strong Helper, like a bull with might.7 Who knows what vital ower he wins, drinking beside the flowing juice?This is the fair-checked God who, joying in the draught, breaks down the castles in his strength.8 As a wild elephant rushes on this way and that way, mad with heat,'None may compel thee, yet come hither to the draught: thou movest mighty in thy power.9 When he, the Mighty, ne'er o'erthrown, steadfast, made ready for the fight,When Indra Maghavan lists to his praiser's call, he will not stand aloof, but come.10 Yea, verily, thou art a Bull, with a bull's rush. whom none may stay:Thou Mighty One, art celebrated as a Bull, famed as a Bull both near and far.11 Thy reins are very bulls in strength, bulls' strength is in thy golden whip.Thy car, O Maghavan, thy Bays are strong as bulls: thou, Satakratu, art a Bull.12 Let the strong presser press for thee. Bring hither, thou straight-rushing Bull.The mighty makes the mighty run in flowing streams for thee whom thy Bay Horses bear.13 Come, thou most potent Indra, come to drink the savoury Soma juice.Maghavan, very wise, will quickly come to hear the songs, the prayer, the hymns of praise.14 When thou hast mounted on thy car let thy yoked Bay Steeds carry thee,Past other men's libations, Lord of Hundred Powers, thee, Vrtra-slayer, thee our Friend.15 O thou Most Lofty One, accept our laud as nearest to thine heart.May our libations be most sweet to make thee glad, O Soma-drinker, Heavenly Lord.16 Neither in thy decree nor mine, but in another's he delights,-The man who brought us unto this.17 Indra himself hath said, The mind of woman brooks not discipline,Her intellect hath little weight.18 His pair of horses, rushing on in their wild transport, draw his car:High-lifted is the stallion's yoke.19 Cast down thine eyes and look not up. More closely set thy feet. Let noneSee what thy garment veils, for thou, a Brahman, hast become a dame.
HYMN XXXIV. Indra.1. Come hither, Indra, with thy Bays, come thou to Kanva's eulogy.Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.2 May the stone draw thee as it speaks, the Soma-stone with ringing voice.Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.3 The stones' rim shakes the Soma here like a wolf worrying a sheep.Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.4 The Kanvas call thee hitherward for succour and to win the spoil.Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.5 I set for thee, as for the Strong, the first draught of the juices shed.6 Come with abundant blessings, come with perfect care to succour us.7 Come, Lord of lofty thought, who hast infinite wealth and countless aids.8 Adorable mid Gods, the Priest good to mankind shall bring thee near.
9 As wings the falcon, so thy Bays rushing in joy shall carry thee.10 Come from the enemy to us, to svaha and the Soma-draught.11 Come hither with thine car inclined to hear, take pleasure in our lauds.12 Lord of well-nourished Horses, come with well-fed Steeds alike in hue.13 Come hither from the mountains, come from regions of the sea of air.14 Disclose to us O Hero, wealth in thousands both of kine and steeds.15 Bring riches hitherward to us in hundreds, thousands, myriads.Ye by command of yonder Dyaus, God bright by day! have gone to heaven.16 The thousand steeds, the mightiest troop, which we and Indra have receivedFrom Vasurocis as a gift,17 The brown that match the wind in speed, and bright bay coursers fleet of foot,Like Suns, resplendent are they all.18 Mid the Pargvata's rich gifts, swift steeds whose wheels run rapidly,I seemed to stand amid a wood.
HYMN XXXV. Asvins.1. WITH Agni and with Indra, Visnu. Varuna, with the Adityas, Rudras, Vasus, closely leagued;Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, drink the Soma juice.2 With all the Holy Thoughts, all being Mighty Ones! in close alliance wil the Mountains, Heaven, andEarth;Accordant. of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, drink the Soma juice.3 With all the Deities, three times eleven, here, in close alliance with the Maruts, Bhrgus, Floods;Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, drink the Soma juice.4 Accept the sacrifice, attend to this my call: come nigh, O ye Twain Gods, to all libations here.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, bring us strengthening food.5 Accept our praise-song as a youth accepts a maid. Come nigh, O ye Twain Gods, to all libationshere.Accordant, of one mind with Sarya and with Dawn O Asvins, bring us strengthening food.6 Accept the songs we sing, accept the solemn rite. Conie nigh, O ye Twain Gods, to all libationshere.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, bring us strengthening food.7 Ye fly as starlings fly unto the forest trees; like buffaloes ye seek the Soma we have shed.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, come thrice, O Asvins, to our home.8 Ye fly like swans, like those who travel on their way; like buffaloes ye seek the Soma we have shed.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, come thrice, O Asvins, to our home.9 Ye fly to our oblation like a pair of hawks; like buffaloes ye seek the Soma we have shed.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, come thrice, O Asvins, to our home.10 Come hitherward and drink and satisfy yourselves, bestow upon us progeny and affluence.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, grant us vigorous strength.11 Conquer your foes, protect us, praise your worshippers; bestow upon us progeny and affluence.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, grant us vigolms strength.12 Slay enemies, animate men whom ye befriend; bestow upon us progeny and aff luence.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, O Asvins, grant us vigorous strength.13 With Mitra, Varuna, Dharma, and the Maruts in your company approach unto your praiser's call.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, and with the Adityas, Asvins! come.14 With Visnu and the Angirases attending you, and with the Maruts come unto your praiser's call.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, and with the Adityas, Asvins! come.15 With Rbhus and With Vajas. O ye Mighty Ones, leagued with the Maruts come ye to your praiser'scall.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, and with the Adityas, Asvins! come.16 Give spirit to our prayer and animate our thoughts; slay ye the Raksasas and drive away disease.
Accordant, of One mind with Surya and with Dawn, -the presser's Soma, Asvins drink.17 Strengthen the Ruling Power, strengthen the men of war; slay ye the Raksasas and drive awaydisease.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, the presser's Soma, Asvins drink.18 Give strength unto the milch-kine, give the people strength, slay ye the Raksasas and drive awaydisease.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, the presser's Soma, Asvins drink.19 As ye heard Atri's earliest eulogy, so hear Syavasva, Soma-presser, ye who reel in joy.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, drink juice, O Asvins, three days old.20 Further like running streams Syavasva's eulogies who presses out the Soma, ye who reel in joy.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, drink juice, O Asvins, three days old.21 Seize, as ye grasp the reins, Syavasva's solemn rites who presses out the Soma, ye who reel in joy.Accordant, of one mind with Surya and with Dawn, drink juice, O Asvins, three days old.22 Drive down your chariot hitherward drink ye the Soma's savoury juice.Approach, ye Asvins, come to us: I call you, eager for your aid. Grant treasures to the worshipper.23 When sacrifice which tells our reverence hath begun. Heroes! to drink the gushing juice,Approach, ye Asvins, come to us: I call you, eager for your aid. Grant treasures to the worshipper.24 Sate you with consecrated drink, with juice effused, ye Deities.Approach, ye Asvins, come to us: I call you, eager for your aid. Grant treasures to the worshipper.
HYMN XXXVI. Indra.1. THOU helpest him whose grass is trimmed, who sheds the juice, O Satakratu, drink Soma to makethee glad.The share which they have fixed for thee, thou, Indra, Victor o'er all hosts and space, begirt withMaruts, Lord of Heroes, winner of the floods.2 Maghavan, help thy worshipper: let him help thee. O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.The share which they have fixed for thee, etc.3 Thou aidest Gods with food, and that with might aidg thee,O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.4 Creator of the heaven, creator of the earth, O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.5 Father of cattle, father of all steeds art thou. O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.6 Stone-hurler, glorify the Atris' hymn of praise. O Satakratu, drink Soma to make thee glad.7 Hear thou Syavagva while he pours to thee, as erst thou heardest Atri when he wrought his holyrites.Indra, thou only gavest Trasadasyu aid in the fierce fight with heroes, strengthening his prayers.
HYMN XXXVIL Indra.1. THIS prayer, and those who shed the juice, in wars with Vrtra thou holpest, Indra, Lord ofStrength, with all thy succours.O Vrtra-slayer, from libation poured at noon, drink of the Soma juice, thou blameless Thunderer.2 Thou mighty Conqueror of hostile armaments, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy saving help.3 Sole Ruler, thou art Sovran of this world of life, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy saving help.4 Thou only sunderest these two consistent worlds, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy savinghelp.5 Thou art the Lord supreme o'er rest and energy, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thy saving help.6 Thou helpest one to power, and one thou hast not helped, O Indra, Lord of Strength, with all thysaving aid.7 Hear thou Syavasva while he sings to thee, as erst thou heardest Atri when he wrought his holyrites.Indra, thou only gavest Trasadasyu aid in the fierce fight with heroes, strengthening his powers.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra-Angi.
I. YE Twain are Priests of sacrifice, wmners in war and holy works:Indra and Agni, mark this well.2 Ye bounteous riders on the car, ye Vrtra-slayers unsubdued:Indra and Agni, mark this well.3 The men with pressing-stones have pressed this meath of yours which gives delight:Indra, and Agni, mark this well.4 Accept our sacrifice for weal, sharers of praise! the Soma shed:Indra and Agni, Heroes, come.5 Be pleased with these libations which attract you to our sacred giftsIndra and Agni, Heroes, come.6 Accept this eulogy of mine whose model is the Gayatri:Indra and Agni, Heroes, Come.7 Come with the early-faring Gods, ye who are Lords of genuine wealth:Indra-Agni, to the Soma-draught8 Hear ye the call of Atris, hear Syavasva as he sheds the juice:Indra-Agni to the Soma-draught9 Thus have I called you to our aid as sages called on you of old:Indra-Agni to the Soma draught!10 Indra's and Agni's grace I claim, Sarasvati's associatesTo whom this psalm of praise is sung.
HYMN XXXIX. Agni.1. THE glorious Agni have I praised, and worshipped with. the sacred food.May Agni deck the Gods for us. Between both gathering-places he goes on his embassy, the Sage.May all the others die away.2 Agni, burn down the word within their bodies through our newest speech,All hatreds of the godless, all the wicked man's malignities. Away let the destroyers go. May all theothers die away.3 Agni, I offer hymns to thee, like holy oil within thy moutlh.Acknowledge them. among the Gods, for thou art the rmost excellent, the worshipper's blissfulmessenger. Let all the others die away.4 Agni bestows all vital power even as each man supplicates.He brings the Vasus strengthening gifts, and grants deliglht, in rest and stir, for every calling on theGods. Let all the others die away.5 Agni hath made himself renowned by wonderful victorious act.He is the Priest of all the tribes, chosen with sacrificial meeds. He urges Deities to receive. Let all theothers die away.6 Agni knows all that springs from Gods, he knows the mystery of men.Giver of wealth is Agni, he uncloses both the doors to us when worshipped with our newest gift. Letall the others die away.7 Agni inhabiteth with Gods and men who offer sacrifice.He cherisheth with great delight much wisdom, as all things that be, God among Gods adorable. Mayall the others die away.8 Agni who liveth in all streams, Lord of the Sevenfold Race of men,Him dweller in three homes we seek, best slayer of the Dasytis for Mandhatar, first in sacrifice. Let allthe others die away.9 Agni the Wise inhabiteth three gathering-places, triply formed.Decked as our envoy let the Sage bring hither and conciliate the Thrice Eleven Deities. Let all theothers die away.10 Our Agni, thou art first among the Gods, and first mid living men.Thou only rulest over wealth. Round about thee, as natural dams, circumfluous the waters run. Let allthe others die away.
HYMN XL. Indra-Agni.1. INDRA and Agni, surely ye as Conquerors will give us wealth,Whereby in fight we may o'ercome that which is strong and firmly fixed, as Agni burns the woodswith wind. Let all the others die away.2 We set no snares to tangle you; Indra we worship and adore, Hero of heroes mightiest.Once may he come unto us with his Steed, come unto us to win us strength, and to complete thesacrifice.3 For, famous Indra-Agni, ye are dwellers in the midst of frays.Sages in wisdom, ye are knit to him who seeketh you as friends. Heroes, bestow on him his wish.4 Nabhaka-like, with sacred song Indra's and Agni's praise I sing,Theirs to whom all this world belongs, this heaven and this mighty earth which bear rich treasure intheir lap.5 To Indra and to Agni send your prayers, as was Nabhaka's wont,-Who oped with sideway opening the sea with its foundations seven-Indra all powerful in his might.6 Tear thou asunder, as of old, like tangles of a creeping plant,Demolish thou the Dasa's might. May we with Indra's help divide the treasure he hath gathered up.7 What time with this same song these men call Indra-Agni sundry ways,May we with our own heroes quell those who provoke us to the fight, and conquer those who strivewith us.8 The Two refulgent with their beams rise and come downward from the sky.By Indra's and by Agni's hest, flowing away, the rivers, run which they released from their restraint.9 O Indra, many are thine aids, many thy ways of guiding us,Lord of the Bay Steeds, Hinva's Son. To a Good Hero come our prayers, which soon shall haveaccomplishment.10 Inspire him with your holy hymns, the Hero bright and glorious,Him who with might demolisbeth even the brood of Susna, and winneth for us the heavenly streams.11 Inspire him worshipped with fair rites, the glorious Hero truly brave.He brake in pieces Susna's brood who still expected not the stroke, and won for us the heavenlystreams. Let all the others die away.12 Thus have we sung anew to Indra-Agni, as sang our sires, Angirases, and Mandhatar.Guard us with triple shelter and preserve us: may we be masters of a store of riches.
HYMN XLI. Varuna.1. To make this Varuna come forth sing thou a song unto the band of Maruts wiser than thyself,-This Varuna who guardeth well the thoughts of men like herds of kine.Let all the others die away.2 Him altogether praise I with the song and hymns our fathers sang, and with Nabhaka's eulogies,-Him dwelling at the rivers' source, surrounded by his Sisters Seven.3 The nights he hath encompassed, and stablished the morns with magic art visible over all is he.His dear Ones, following his Law, have prospered the Three Dawns for him.4 He, visible o'er all the earth, stablished the quarters of the sky:He measured out the eastern place, that is the fold of Varuna: like a strong herdsman is the God.5 He who supports the worlds of life, he who well knows the hidden names mysterious of themorning beams,He cherishes much wisdom, Sage, as heaven brings forth each varied form.6 In whom all wisdom centres, as the nave is set within the wheel.Haste ye to honour Trita, as kine haste to gather in the fold, even as they muster steeds to yoke.7 He wraps these regions as a robe; he contemplates the tribes of Gods and all the works of mortalmen.Before the home of Varuna all the Gods follow his decree.
8 He is an Ocean far-removed, yet through the heaven to him ascends the worship which theserealms possess.With his bright foot he overthrew their magic, and went up to heaven.9 Ruler, whose bright far-seeing rays, pervading all three earths, have filled the three superior realmsof heaven.Firm is the seat of Varuna: over the Seven he rules as King.10 Who, after his decree, o'erspread the Dark Ones with a robe of light;Who measured out the ancient seat, who pillared both the worlds apart as the Unborn supportedheaven. Let all the others die away.
HYMN XLII Varuna.1. LORD of all wealth, the Asura propped the heavens, and measured out the broad earth's wideexpanses.He, King supreme, approached all living creatures. All these are Varuna's holy operations.2 So humbly worship Varuna the Mighty revere the wise Guard of World Immortal.May he vouchsafe us triply-barred protection. O Earth and Heaven, within your lap preserve us.3 Sharpen this song of him who strives his utmost, sharpen, God Varuna, his strength and insight;May we ascend the ship that bears us safely, whereby we may pass over all misfortune.4 Asvins, with songs the singer stones have made you hasten hitherward,Nasatyas, to the Soma-draught. Let all the others die away.5 As the sage Atri with his hymns, O Asvins, called you eagerly,Nasatyas, to the Soma-draught. Let all the others die away.6 So have I called you to our aid, even as the wise have called of old,Nasatyas, to the Soma-draught. Let all the others die away.
HYMN XLIII. Agni.1. THESE songs of mine go forth as lauds of Agni, the disposing Sage,Whose worshipper is ne'er o'erthrawn.2 Wise Agni Jatavedas, I beget a song of praise for thee.Who willingly receivest it.3 Thy sharpened flames, O Agni, like the gleams of light that glitter through,Devour the forests with their teeth.4 Gold-coloured, bannered with the smoke, urged by the wind, aloft to heavenRise, lightly borne, the flames of fire.5 These lightly kindled fiery flames are all around made visible,Even as the glearaings of the Dawns.6 As Jatavedas speeds along, the dust is black beneath his feet,When Agni spreads upon the earth.7 Making the plants his nourishment, Agni devours and wearies not,Seeking the tender shrubs again.8 Bending him down with all his tongues, he flickers with his fiery glowSplendid is Agni in the woods.9 Agni, thine home is in the floods: into the plants thou forcest way,And as their Child art born anew.10 Worshipped with offerings shines thy flame, O Agni, from the sacred oil,With kisses on the ladle's mouth.11 Let us serve Agni with our hymns, Disposer, fed on ox and cow,Who bears the Soma on his back.12 Yea, thee, O Agni, do we seek with homage and with fuel, PriestWhose wisdom is most excellent.13 O worshipped with oblations, pure Agni, we call on thee as erst,
Did Bhrgu, Manus, Angiras.14 For thou, O Agni, by the fire, Sage by the Sage, Good by the Good,Friend by the Friend, art lighted up.15 So wealth in thousands, food with store of heroes give thou to the sage,O Agni, to the worshipper.16 O Agni, Brother, made by strength, Lord of red steeds and brilliant sway,Take pleasure in this laud of mine.17 My praises, Agni, go to thee, as the cows seek the stall to meet,The lowing calf that longs for milk.18 Agni, best Angiras, to thee all people who have pleasant homes,Apart, have turned as to their wish.19 The sages skilled in holy song and thin. kers with their thoughts have urgedAgni to share the sacred feast.20 So, Agni, unto thee the Priest, Invoker, strong in forays, pray'nose who spin out the sacrifice.21 In many a place, the same in look art thou, a Prince o'er all the tribesIn battles we invoke thine aid.22 Pray thou to Agni, pray to him who blazes served with sacred oil:Let him give ear to this our call.23 We call on thee as such, as one who hears, as Jatavedas, one,Agni! who beats away our foes.24 I pray to Agni, King of men, the Wonderful, the PresidentOf holy Laws: may he give ear.25 Him like a bridegroom, him who stirs all people, like a noble horse,Like a fleet steed, we instigate.26 Slaying things deadly, burning up foes, Riksasas, on every side,Shine, Agni, with thy sharpened flame.27 Thou whom the people kindle even as Manus did, best Angiras!O Agni, mark thou this my speech.28 O Agni, made by strength! be thou born in the heavens or born in floods,As such we call on thee with songs.29 Yea, all the people, all the folk who have good dwellings, each apart,Send food for thee to eat thereof.30 O Agni, so may we, devout, gazed at by men, throughout our days,Pass lightly over all distress.31 We venerate with cheerful hearts the cheerful Agni, dear to all,Burning, with purifying flame.32 So thou, O Agni rich in light, beaming like Surya with thy raysBoldly demolishest the gloom,33 We pray to thee for this thy gift, Victor the gift that faileth not,O Agni, choicest wealth from thee.
HYMN XLIV. Agni.1. PAY service unto Agni with your fuel, rouse your Guest with oil:In him present your offerings.2 Agni, do thou accept my laud, be magnified by this my song:Welcome my sweedy-spoken words.3 Agni, envoy, I place in front; the oblation-bearer I address:Here let him seat the Deities.4 Agni, the lofty flames of' thee enkindled have gone up on high,
Thy bright flames, thou Refulgent One.5 Beloved! let my ladles full of sacred oil come near to thee:Agni, accept our offerings.6 I worship Agni-may he hear!-the cheerful, the Invoker, Priest,Of varied splendour, rich in light.7 Ancient Invoker, meet for praise, beloved Agni, wise and strong,The visitant of solemn rites.8 Agni, best Angiras, accept straightway these offerings, and guideThe seasonable sacrifice.9 Excellent God, with brilliant flames, enkindled bring thou hitherward,Knowing the way, the Heavenly Host.10 Him, Sage and Herald, void of guile, ensign of sacrifices, himSmoke-bannered, rich in light, we seek.11 O Agni, be our Guardian thou, God, against those who injure us:Destroy our foes, thou Son of Strength.12 Making his body beautiful, Agni the Sage hath waxen byThe singer and his ancient hymn.13 I invocate the Child of Strength, Agni with purifying flame,At this well-ordered sacrifice.14 So Agni, rich in many friends, with fiery splendour, seat thyselfWith Gods upon our sacred grass.15 The mortal man who serves the God Agni within his own abode,For him he causes wealth to shine.16 Agni is head and height of heaven, the Master of the earth is he:He quickeneth the watere seed.17 Upward, O Agni, rise thy flames, pure and resplendent, blazing high,Thy lustres, fair effulgences.18 For, Agni, thou as Lord of Light rulest o'er choicest gifts: may I,Thy singer, find defence in thee.19 O Agni, they who understand stir thee to action with their thoughts:So let our songs enhance thy might.20 We ever claim the friendship of Agni, the singing messenger,Of God-like nature, void of guile.21 Agni who bears most holy sway, the holy Singer, holy Sage,Shines holy when we worship him.22 Yea, let my meditations, let my songs exalt thee evermore.Think, Agni, of our friendly bond,23 If I were thou and thou wert I, O Agni, every prayer of thineShould have its due fulfilment here.24 For Excellent and Lord of wealth. art thou O Agni, rich in light:May we enjoy thy favouring grace.25 Agni, to thee whose laws stand fast our resonant songs of praise speed forth,As rivers hasten to the sea.26 Agni, the Youthful Lord of men, who stirreth much and eateth all,The Sage, I glorify with hymns.27 To Agni let us haste with lauds, the Guide of sacrificial rites,Armed with sharp teeth, the Mighty One.28 And let this man, good Agni, be with thee the singer of thy praise:Be gracious, Holy One, to him.29 For thou art sharer of our feast, wise, ever watchful as a Sage:
Agni, thou shinest in the sky.30 O Agni, Sage, before our foes, before misfortunes fall on us,Excellent Lord, prolong our lives.
HYMN XLV. Indra1. HITHERWARD! they who light flame and straightway trim the sacred grass.Whose Friend is Indra ever young.2 High is their fuel, great their laud, wide is their splinter from the stake,Whose Friend is Indra ever young.3 Unequelled in fight the hero leads his army with the warrior chiefs.Whose Friend is Indra ever young.4 The new-born Vrtra-slayer asked his Mother, as he seized his shaft,Who are the fierce? Who are renowned?5 Savasi answered, He who seeks thine enmity will battle likeA stately elephant on a hill.6 And hear, O Maghavan; to him who craves of thee thou grantest allWhate'er thou makest firm is firm.7 What time the Warrior Indra goes to battle, borne by noble steeds,Best of all charioteers is he.8 Repel, O Thunder-armed, in all directions all attacks on us:And be our own most glorious God.9 May Indra set our car in front, in foremost Place to win the spoil,He whom the wicked injure not.10 Thine enmity may we escape, and, gakra, for thy bounty, richIn kine, may we come near to thee11 Softly approaching, Thunder-armed wealthy by hundreds, rich in steeds,Unrivalled, readywith our gifts.12 For thine exalted excellence gives to thy worshippers each dayHundreds and thousands of thy boons.13 Indra, we know thee breaker-down even of trong forts, winner of spoil,A:one who conquers wealth for us.14 Though thou art highest, Sage and Bold let the drops cheer thee when we comeTo thee as to a trafficker.15 Bring unto us the treasure of the opulent man who, loth to give,Hath slighted thee for gain of wealth.16 Indra, these friends of ours, supplied with Soma, wait and look to thee,As men with fodder to the herd.17 And thee who art not deaf, whose cars are quick to listen, for our aid,We call to us from far away.18 When thou hast listened, make our call one which thou never wilt forget,And be our very nearest Friend.19 When even now, when we have been in trouble, we have thought of thee,O Indra, give us gifts of kine.20 O Lord of Strength, we rest on thee, as old men rest upon a staff:We long to have. thee dwell with us.21 To Indra sing a song of praise, Hero of mighty valour, himWhom no one challenges to war.22 Hero, the Soma being shed, I pour the juice for thee to drink:Sate thee and finish thy carouse.23 Let not the fools, or those who mock beguile thee when they seek thine aid
Love not the enemies of prayer.24 Here let them with rich milky draught cheer thee to great munificence:Drink as the wild-bull drinks the lake.25 Proclaim in our assemblies what deeds, new and ancient, far away,The Vrtra-slayer hath achieved.26 In battle of a thousand arms Indra drank Kadru's Soma juice:There he displayed his manly might.27 True undeniabIc strength he found in Yadu and in Turvasa,And conquered through the sacrifice.28 Him have I magnified, our Lord in, common, Guardian of your folk,Discloser of great wealth in kine;29 Rbhuksan, not to be restrained, who strengthened Tugra's son in lauds,Indra beside the flowingjuice;30 Who for Trisoka clave the hill that formed a wide receptacle,So that the cows might issue forth.31 Whate'er thy plan or purpose be, whate'er, in transport, thou wouldst do,Do it not, Indra, but be kind.32 But little hath been heard of done upon the earth by one like thee iLet thine heart, Indra, turn to us.33 Thine then shall be this high renown, thine shall these lofty praises be,When, Indra, thou art kind to us.34 Not for one trespass, not for two, O Hero, slay us, nor for three,Nor yet for many trespasses.35 I fear one powerful like thee, the crusherdown of enemies,Mighty, repelling all attacks.36 O wealthy God, ne'er may I live to see my friend or son in need*:Hitherward let thy heart be turned.37 What friend, O people, unprovoked, hath ever said unto a friend,He turns and leaves us in distress?38 Hero, insatiate enjoy this Soma juice so near to thee,Even as a hunter rushing down.39 Hither I draw those Bays of thine yokedby our hymn, with splendid car,That thou mayst give unto the priests.40 Drive all our enemies away, smite down the foes who press around,And bring the wealth for which we long:41 O Tndra, that which is concealed in strong firm place precipitous:Bring us the wealth for which we long42 Great riches which the world of men shall recognize as sent by thbe:Bring us the wealth for which we long.
HYMN XLVI. Indra.1. WE, Indra, Lord of ample wealth, our Guide, depend on one like thee,Thou driver of the Tawny Steeds.2 For, Hurler of the Bolt, we know thee true, the giver of our food,We know the giver of our wealth.3 O thou whose majesty the bards celebrate with their songs, thou Lord,Of hundred powers and hundred aids.4 Fair guidance hath the mortal man whom Aryaman, the Marut host,And Mitra, void of guile, protect.
5 Kine, steeds, and hero strength he gains, and prospers, by the Adityas sped,Ever in wealth which all desire.6 We pray to Indra for his gift, to him the Fearless and the Strong,We pray to him the Lord of wealth.7 For verily combined in him are all the fearless powers of aid.Him, rich in wealth, let swift Steeds bring to us, his Bays, to Soma juice for his carouse:8 Yea, that most excellent carouse, Indra, which slays most enemies,With Heroes wins the light of heaven, and is invincible in war:9 Which merits fame, all-bountiful! and, unsubdued, hath victory in deeds of might.So come to our libations, Strongest! Excellent! May we obtain a stall of kine.10 Responding to our wish for cows, for steeds, and chariots, as of old,Be gracious, Greatest of the Great11 For, Hero, nowhere can I find the bounds of thy munificence.Still do thou favour us, O Bolt-armed Maghavan: with strength hast thou rewarded hymns.12 High, glorifier of his friend, he knows all generations, he whom many praise.All races of mankind with ladies lifted up invoke that Mighty Indra's aid.13 Be he our Champion and Protector in great deeds, rich in all wealth, the Vrtra-slayer, Maghavan.14 In the wild raptures of the juice sing to your Hero with high laud, to him the Wise,To Indra, glorious in his name, the Mighty One, even as the hymn alloweth it.15 Thou givest wealth to me myself, thou givest treasure, Excellent! and the strong steed,O Much-invoked, in deeds of might, yea, even now.16 Him, Sovran Ruler of all precious things, who even hath power o'er this fair form of his,As now it taketh shape, and afterward,17 We praise, so that the Mighty One may speed to you, Pourer of boun ies, Traveller, prepared to go.Thou favourest the Maruts known to all, by song and sacrifice.With song and praise I sing to thee.18 We in the sacrifice perform their will whose voice is lifted high,The worship of those Thundering Ories who o'er the ridges of these mountains fly in troops.19 O Indra, Mightiest, bring us that which crushes men of evil minds,Wealth suited to our needs, O Stirrer of the thought, best wealth, O thou who stirrest thought.20 O Winner, noble winner, strong, wondrous, most splendid, excellent,Sole Lord of victory, bring all-ovcrpowering wealth, joy-giving, chief in deeds of might.21 Now let the godless man approach who hath received reward so greatAs Vasa, Asvya, when this light of morning dawned, received from Prthusravas, from Kanita's son.22 Steeds sixty thousand and ten thousand kine, and twenty hundred camels I obtained;Ten hundred brown in hue, and other ten red in three spots: in all, ten thousand kine.23 Ten browns that make my wealth increase, fleet steeds whose tails are long and fair,Turn with swift whirl my chariot wheel;24 The gifts which Prthusravas gave, Kanita's son munificent.He gave a chariot wrought of gold: the prince was passing bountiful, and won himself most loftyfame.25 Come thou to this great rite of ours, Vayu! to give us vigorous light.We have served thee that thou mightest give much to us, yea, mightest quickly give great wealth.26 Who with thrice seven times seventy horses comes to us, invested with the rays of morn,Through these our Soma-draughts and those who press, to give, drinker of pure bright Soma Juice.27 Who hath inclined this glorious one, buunteous himself, to give me gifts.Borne on firm chariot with the prosperous Nahup, wise, to a man yet more devout.28 Sole Lord in beauty meet for praise, O Vayu, dropping fatness down,Hurried along by steeds, by camels, and by hounds, spreads forth thy train: even this it is.29 So, as a prize dear to the strong, the sixty thousand have I gained,
Bulls that resemble vigorous steeds.30 To me come oxen like a herd, yea, unto me the oxen come.31 And in the grazing herd he made a hundred camels bleat for me,And twenty hundred mid the white.32 A hundred has the sage received, Dasa Balbutha's and Taruksa's gifts.These are thy people, Vayu, who rejoice with Indra for their guard, rejoice with Gods for guards.33 And now to Vasa Asvya here this stately woman is led forth,Adorned with ornaments of gold.
HYMN XLVII. Adityas.1. GREAT help ye give the worshipper, Varuna, Mitra, Mighty Ones! No sorrow ever reaches himwhom ye, Adityas, keep from harm. Yours are incomparable aids, and good the succour they afford.2 O Gods, Adityas, well ye know the way to keep all woes afar.As the birds spread their sheltering wings, spread your protection over us.3 As the birds spread their sheltering wings let your protection cover us.We mean all shelter and defence, ye who have all things for your own.4 To whomsoever they, Most Wise, have given a home and means of life,O'er the whole riches of this man they, the Adityas, have control.5 As drivers of the car avoid ill roads, let sorrows pass us by.May we be under Indra's guard, in the Adityas' favouring grace.6 For verily men sink and faint through loss of wealth which ye have given.Much hath he gained from you, O Gods, whom ye, Adityas, have approached.7 On him shall no fierce anger fall, no sore distress shall visit him,To whom, Adityas, ye have lent your shelter that extendeth far.8 Resting in you, O Gods, we are like men who fight in coats of mail.Ye guard us from each great offence, ye guard us from each lighter fault.9 May Aditi defend us, may Aditi guard and shelter us,Mother of wealthy Mitra and of Aryaman and Varuna.10 The shelter, Gods, that is secure, auspicious, free from malady,A sure protection, triply strong, even that do ye extend to us.11 Look down on us, Adityas, as a guide exploring from the bank.Lead us to pleasant ways as men lead horses to an easy ford.12 Ill be it for the demons' friend to find us or come near to us.But for the milch-cow be it well, and for the man who strives for fame.13 Each evil deed made manifest, and that which is concealed, O Gods,The whole thereof remove from us to Trita Aptya far away.14 Daughter of Heaven, the dream that bodes evil to us or to our kine,Remove, O Lady of the Light, to Trita Aptya far away.15 Even if, O Child of Heaven, it make a garland or a chain of gold,The whole bad dream, whate'cr it be, to Trita Aptya we consign.16 To him whose food and work is this, who comes to take his share therein,To Trita, and to Dvita, Dawn! bear thou the evil dream away.17 As we collect the utmost debt, even the eighth and sixteenth part,So unto Aptya we transfer together all the evil dream.18 Now have we conquered and obtained, and from our trespasses are free.Shine thou away the evil dream, O Dawn, whereof we are afraid. Yours are incomparable aids, andgood the succour they afford.
HYMN XLVIII. Soma.1. WISELY have I enjoyed the savoury viand, religious-thoughted, best to find out treasure,The food to which all Deities and mortals, calling it meath, gather themselves together.
2 Tlou shalt be Aditi as thou hast entered within, appeaser of celestial anger.Indu, enjoying Indra's friendship, bring us - as a swift steed the car - forward to riches.3 We have drunk Soma and become immortal; we have attained the light, the Gods discovered.Now what may foeman's malice do to harm us? What, O Immortal, mortal man's deception?4 Absorbed into the heart, be sweet, O Indu, as a kind father to his son, O Soma,As a wise Friend to friend: do thou, wide-ruler, O Soma, lengthen out our days for living.5 These glorious drops that give me freedom have I drunk. Closely they knit my joints as strapssecure a car.Let them protect my foot from slipping on the way: yea, let the drops I drink preserve me fromdisease.6 Make me shine bright like fire produced by friction: give us a clearer sight and make us better.For in carouse I think of thee, O Soma, Shall I, as a rich man, attain to comfort?7 May we enjoy with an enlivened spirit the juice thou givest, like ancestral riches.O Soma, King, prolong thou our existence as Surya makes the shining days grow longer.8 King Soma, favour us and make us prosper: we are thy devotees; of this be mindful.Spirit and power are fresh in us, O Indu give us not up unto our foeman's pleasure.9 For thou hast settled in each joint, O Soma, aim of men's eyes and guardian of our bodies.When we offend against thine holy statutes, as a kind Friend, God, best of all, be gracious.10 May I be with the Friend whose heart is tender, who, Lord of Bays! when quaffed will never harmme-This Soma now deposited within me. For this, I pray for longer life to Indra.11 Our maladies have lost their strength and vanished: they feared, and passed away into thedarkness.Soma hath risen in us, exceeding mighty, and we are come where men prolong existence.12, Fathers, that Indu which our hearts have drunken, Immortal in himself, hath entered mortals.So let us serve this Soma with oblation, and rest securely in his grace and favour.13 Associate with the Fathers thou, O Soma, hast spread thyself abroad through earth and heaven.So with oblation let us serve thee, Indu, and so let us become the lords of riches,14 Give us your blessing, O ye Gods' preservers. Never may sleep or idle talk control us.But evermore may we, as friends of Soma, speak to the synod with brave sons around us.15 On all sides,. Soma, thou art our life-giver: aim of all eyes, light-finder, come within us.Indu, of one accord with thy protections both from behind and from before preserve us.
HYMN XLIX. Agni.1. AGNI, come hither with thy fires; we choose thee as Invoking Priest.Let the extended ladle full of oil balm thee, best Priest, to sit on sacred grass.2 For unto thee, O Angiras, O Son of Strength, move ladles in the sacrifice.To Agni, Child of Force, whose locks drop oil, we seek, foremost in sacrificial rites.3 Agni, thou art Disposer, Sage, Herald, bright God! and worshipful,Best offercr, cheerful, to be praised in holy rites, pure Lord! by singers with their hymns.4 Most Youthful and Eternal, bring the longing Gods to me, the guileless, for the feast.Come, Vasu, to the banquet that is well-prepared: rejoice thee, gracious, with our songs.5 Famed art thou, Agni, far and wide, Preserver, righteous, and a Sage.The holy singers, O refulgent kindled God! arrangers, call on thee to come -6 Shine, Most Resplendent! blaze, send bliss unto the folk, and to thy worshipperGreat art thou.So may my princes, with good fires, subduing foes, rest in the keeping of the Gods.7 O Agni, as thou burnest down to earth even high-grown underwood,So, bright as Mitra is, burn him who injures us, him who plots ill against thy friend.8 Give us not as a prey to mortal enemy, nor to the wicked friend of fiends.With conquering guards, auspicious, unassailable, protect us, O Most Youthful God.
9 Protect us, Agni, through the first, protect us through the second hymn,Protect us through three hymns, O Lord of Power and Might, through four hymns, Vasu, guard thouus.10 Preserve us from each fiend who brings the Gods no gift, preserve thou us in deeds of strength:For we possess in thee the nearest Friend of all, for service of the Gods and weal.11 O Holy Agni, give us wealth renowned with men and strengthening life.Bestow on us, O Helper, that which many crave, more glorious still by righteousness;12 Wherewith we may o'ercome our rivals in the war, o'erpowering the foe's designs.So wax thou by our food, O Excellent in strength. Quicken our thoughts that find out wealth.13 Agni is even as a bull who whets and brandishes his horns.Well-sharpened are his jaws which may not be withstood: the Child of Strength hath powerful teeth.14 Not to be stayed, O Bull, O Agni, are thy teeth when thou art spreading far and wide.Make our ohlations duly offired up, O Priest, and give us store of precious things.15 Thou liest in the wood: from both thy Mothers mortals kindle thee.Unweariedly thou bearest up the offerer's gifts, then shinest bright among the Gods.16 And so the seven priests, O Agni, worship thee, Free-giver, Everlasting One.Thou cIeavest through the rock with heat and fervent glow. Agni, rise up above the men.17 For you let us whose grass is trimmed call Agni, Agni, restless God.Let us whose food is offered call to all the tribes Agni the Invoking Priest of men.18 Agni, with noble psalm that tells his wish he dwells, thinking on thee who guardest him.Speedily bring us strength of many varied sorts to be most near to succour us.19 Agni, Praise-singer! Lord of men, God burner-up of Raksasas,Mighty art thou, the ever-present Household-Lord, Home-friend and Guardian from the sky.20 Let no fiend come among us, O thou rich in light, no spell of those who deal in spells.To distant pastures drive faint hunger: far away, O Agni, chase the demons' friends.
HYMN L. Indra.1. BOTH boons,-may Indra, hitherward turned, listen to this prayer of ours,And mightiest Maghavan with thought inclined to us come near to drink the Soma juice.2 For him, strong, independent Ruler, Heaven and Earth have fashioned forth for power and might.Thou seatest thee as first among thy peers in place, for thy soul longs for Soma juice.3 Fill thyself full, O Lord of wealth, O Indra, with the juice we shed.We know thee, Lord of Bay Steeds victor in the fight, vanquishing e'en the invincible.4 Changeless in truth, O Maghavan Indra, let it be as thou in wisdom willest it.May we, O fair of check, win booty with thine aid, O Thunderer, swiftly seeking it.5 Indra, with all thy saving helps give us assistance, Lord of power.For after thee we follow even as glorious bliss, thee, Hero, finder-out of wealth.6 Increaser of our steeds and multiplying kine, a golden well, O God, art thou,For no one may impair the gifts laid up in thee. Bring me whatever thing I ask.7 For thou,-come to the worshipper!-wilt find great wealth to make us rich.Fill thyself full, O Maghavan, for gain of kine, full, Indra, for the gain of steeds.8 Thou as thy gift bestowest many hundred herds, yea, many thousands dost thou give.With singers' hymns have we brought the Fort-render near, singing to Indra for his grace.9 Whether the simple or the sage, Indra, have offered praise to thee,He Satakratu! by his love hath gladdened thee, ambitious! ever pressing on!10 If he the Strong of arm, the breaker-down of forts, the great Destroyer, hear my call,We, seeking riches cry to Indra, Lord of wealth, to Satakratu with our lauds.11 We count not then as sinners, nor as niggardly or foolish men,When with the Soma juice which we have shed we make Indra, the Mighty One, our Friend.12 Him have we yoked in fight, the powerful Conqueror, debt-claimer, not to be deceived.
Best charioteer, the Victor marks each fault, he knows the strong to whom he will come near.13 Indra, give us security from that whereof we are afraid.Help us, O Maghavan, let thy succour give us this: drive away foes and enemies.14 For thou, O liberal Lord of bounty, strengthenest his ample home who worships thee.So Indra, Maghavan, thou Lover of the Song, we with pressed Soma call on thee,15 Indra is Vrtra-slayer, guard, our best defender from the foe.May he preserve our last and middlemost, and keep watch from behind us and before.16 Defend us from behind, below, above, in front, on all sides, Indra, shield us well.Keep far away from us the terror sent from heaven: keep impious weapons far away.17 Protect us, Indra, each to-day, each morrow, and each following day.Our singers, through all days, shalt thou, Lord of the brave, keep safely both by day and night.18 A crushing Warrior, passing rich is Maghavan, endowed with all heroic might.Thine arms, O Satakratu, are exceeding strong, arms which have grasped the thunderbolt.
HYMN LI. Indra.1. OFFER ye up as praise to him that wherein Indra takes delight.The Soma-bringers magnify Indra's great energy with hymns. Good are the gifts that Indra gives.2 Sole among chiefs, companionless, impetuous, and peerless, heHath waxen great o'er many folk, yea., over all things born, in might.3 Lord of swift bounty, he will win e'en with a steed of worthless sort.This, Indra, must be told of thee who wilt perform heroic deeds.4 Come to us.hither: let us pay devotions that enhance thy might,For which, Most Potent! thou wouldst fain bless the man here who strives for fame.5 For thou, O Indra, makest yet more bold the spirit of the boldWho with strong Soma serveth thee, still ready with his reverent prayers.6 Worthy of song, he looketh down as a man looketh into wells.Pleased with the Soma-bringer's skill he maketh him his mate and friend.7 In strength and wisdom all the Gods, Indra, have yielded unto thee.Be thou the Guard of all, O thou whom many praise.8 Praised, Indra, is this might of thine, best for the service of the Gods,That thou with power dost slay Vrtra, O Lord of Strength.9 He makes the races of mankind like synods of the Beauteous One.Indra knows this his manifest deed, and is renowned.10 Thy might, O Indra, at its birth, thee also, and thy mental power,In thy care, Maghavan rich in kine! they have increased exceedingly.11 O Vrtra-slayer, thou and I will both combine for winning spoil.Even malignity will consent, O Bolt-armed Hero, unto us.12 Let us extol this Indra as truthful and never as untrue.Dire is his death who pours no gifts great light hath he who offers them. Good are the gifts that Indragives.
HYMN LII. Indra.1. WITH powers of Mighty Ones hath he, Ancient, Beloved, been equipped,Through whom the Father Manu made prayers cfficacious with the Gods.2 Him, Maker of the sky, let stones wet with the Soma ne'er forsake,Nor hymns and prayer that must be said.3 Indra who knew full well disclosed the kine to the Angirases.This his great deed must be extolled.4 Indra, promoter of the song, the sage's Strengthener as of old,Shall come to bless and succour us at presentation of this laud.
5 Now after their desire's intent the pious singers with the cryOf Hail! have sung loud hymns to thee, Indra, to gain a stall of kine.6 With Indra rest all deeds of might, deeds done and yet to be performed,Whom singers know devoid of guile.7 When the Five Tribes with all their men to Indra have sent out their voice,And when the priest hath strewn much grass, this is the Friend's own dwellingpiace.8 This praise is verily thine own: thou hast performed these manly deeds,And sped the wheel upon its way.9 At the o'erflowing of this Steer, boldly he strode for life, and tookSoma as cattle take their corn.10 Receiving this and craving help, we, who with you are Daksa's sons,Would fain exalt the Maruts' Lord.11 Yea, Hero, with the singers we sing.to the duly-coming Band.Allied with tbee may we prevail.12 With us are raining Rudras, clouds accordant in call to battle, at the death of Vrtra,The strong assigned to him who sings and praises. May Gods with Indra at their head protect us.
HYMN LIII. Andra.1. MAY our hymns give thee great delight. Display thy bounty, Thunderer.Drive off the enemies of prayer.2 Crush with thy foot the niggard churls who bring no gifts. Mighty art thouThere is not one to equal thee.3 Thou art the Lord of Soma pressed, Soma impressed is also thine.Thou art the Sovran of the folk.4 Come, go thou forth, dwelling in heaven and listening to the prayers of men:Thou fillest both the heavens and earth.5 Even that hill with rocky heights, with hundreds, thousands, held within.Thou for thy worshippers brakest through.6 We call on thee both night and day to taste the flowing Soma juice:Do thou fulfil our heart's desire.7 Where is that ever-youthful Steer, strong. necked and never yet bent down?What Brahman ministers to him?8 To whose libation doth the Steer, betake him with delight therein?Who takes delight in Indra now?9 Whom, Vrtra-slayer, have thy gift and hero powers accompanied?Who is thy dearest in the laud?10 For thee among mankind, among the Purus is this Soma shed.Hasten thou hither: drink thereof.11 This, growing by Soma and by Saryanavan, dear to thee,In Arjikiya, cheers thee best.12 Hasten thou hitherward, and drink this for munificence to-day,Delightful for thine eager draught.
HYMN LIV. Indra.1. THOUGH, Indra, thou art called by men from east and west, from north and soutb,Come hither quickly with fleet steeds2 If in the effluence of heaven, rich in its light, thou takest joy,Or in the sea in Soma juice.3 With songs I call thee, Great and Wide, even as a cow to profit us,Indra, to drink the Soma-draught.
4 Hither, O Indra, let thy Bays bear up and, bring upon thy carThy glory, God! and majesty.5 Thou, Indra, wouldst be sung and praised as great, strong, lordly in thy deedsCome hither, drink our Soma juice.6 We who have shed the Soma and prepared the feast are calling thee.To sit on this our sacred grass.7 As, Indra, thou art evermore the common Lord of all alike,As such we invocate thee now.8 The men with stones have milked for thee this nectar of the Soma juice:Indra, be pleased with it, and drink.9 Neglect all pious men with skill in sacred song: come hitherward,With speed, and give us high renown.10 Gods, may the mighty rest unharmed, the King who gives me spotted kine,Kine decked with golden ornaments.11 Beside a thousand spotted kine I have received a gift of gold,Pure, brilliant, and exceeding great.12 Durgaha's grandsons, giving me a thousand kine, munificent,Have won renown among the Gods.
HYMN LV. Indra.1. LOUD singing at the sacred rite where Soma flows we priests invokeWith haste, that he may help, as the bard's Cherisher, Indra who findeth wealth for you.2. Whom with fair helm, in rapture of the juice, the firm resistless slayers hinder not:Giver of glorious wealth to him who sing a his praise, honouring him who toils and pours:3 Sakra, who like a curry-comb for horses or a golden goad,Indra, the Vrtra-slayer, urges eagerly the opening of the stall of kine:4 Who for the worshipper scatters forth ample wealth, even though buried, piled in heaps:May Indra, Lord of Bay Steeds, fair-helmed Thunderer, act at his pleasure, as he lists.5 Hero whom many praise, what thou hast longed for, oven of old, from men.All that we offer unto thee, O Indra, now, sacrifice, laud, effectual speech.6 To Soma, Much-invoked, Bolt-armed! for thy carouse, Celestial, Soma-drinker come.Thou to the man who- prays and pours the juice hast been best giver of delightful wealth.7 Here, verily, yesterday we let the Thunder-wielder drink his fill.So in like manner offer him the jifice today. Now range you by the Glorious One.8 Even the wolf, the savage beast that rends the sheep, follows the path of his decrees.So graciously accepting, Indra, this our praise, with wondrous thought come forth to us.9 What manly deed of vigour now remains that Indra hath not done?Who hath not heard his glorious title and his fame, the Vrtra-slayer from his birth?10 'How great his power resistless! how invincible the Vrtra-slayer's matchless might!Indra excels all usurers who see the day, excels all traffickers in strength.11 O Indra, Vrtra-slayer, we, thy very constant worshippers,Bring prayers ne'er heard before to thee, O Much-invoked, O Thunder-armed, to be thy meed.12 O thou of mighty acts, the aids that are in thee call forward many an eager hope.Past the drink-offerings, Vasu, even of the good, hear my call, Strongest God, and come.13 Verily, Indra, we are thine, we worshippers depend on thee.For there is none but only thou to show us race, O Maghavan, thou much invoked.14 From this our misery and famine set us free, from this dire curse deliver us.Succour us with thine help and with tby wondrous thought. Most Mighty, finder of the way.15 Now let your Soma juice be poured; be not afraid, O Kali's sons.This darkening sorrow goes away; yea, of itself it vanishes.
HYMN LVI. Adityas.1. Now pray we to these Ksatriyas, to the Adityas for their aid,These who are gracious to assist.2 May Mitra bear us oer distress, and Varuna and Aryaman,Yea, the Adityas, as they know.3 For wonderful and meet for praise is these Adityas' saving helpTo him who offers and prepares.4 The mighty aid of you, the Great, Varuna, Mitra, Aryarnan,We claim to be our sure defence.5 Guard us, Adityas, still alive, before the deadly weapon strike:Are yc not they who hear our call?6 What sheltering defence ye have for him who toils in pouring gifts,Graciously bless ye us therewith.7 Adityas, Gods, from sorrow there is freedom; for the sinless, wealth,O ye in whom no fault is seen.8 Let not this fetter bind us fast: may he release us for success;For strong is Indra and renowned.9 O Gods who fain would lend your aid, destroy not us as ye destroyYour enemies who go astray.10 And thee too, O Great Aditi, thee also, Goddess, I address,Thee very gracious to assist.11 Save us in depth and shallow from the foe, thbu Mother of Strong SonsLet no one of our seed be harmed.12 Far-spread! wide-ruling! grant that we, unharmed by envy, may expandGrant that our progeny may live.13 Those who, the Princes of the folk, in native glory, neer deceived,Maintain their statutes, void of guilt-14 As such, from mouth of ravening wolves, O ye Adityas, rescue us,Like a bound thief, O Aditi.15 Adityas, let this arrow, yea, let this mali. gnity departFrom us or eer it strike us dead.16 Fori Bountiful Adityas, we have evermore enjoyed your help,Both now and in die days of old.17 To every one, O ye Most Wise, who turneth even from sin to you,Ye Gods vouchsafe that he may live.18 May this new mercy profit us, which, ye Adityas, frees like one,Bound from his bonds, O Aditi.19 O ye Adityas, this your might is not to be despised by us:So be ye graciously inclined.20 Let not Vivasvan's weapon nor the shaft, Adityas, wrought with skill,Destroy us ere old age be nigh.21 On every side dispel all sin, Adityas, all hostility,Indigence, and combined attack.
HYMN LVII. Indra.1. EVEN as a car to give us aid, we draw thee hither for our bliss,Strong in thy deeds, checking assault, Lord, Mightiest Indra, of the brave!2 Great in tby power and wisdom, Strong, with thought that comprehendeth allThou hast filled full with majesty.
3 Thou very Mighty One, whose hands by virtue of thy greatness grasp,The golden bolt that breaks its way.4 Your Lord of might that ne'er hath bent, that ruleth over all mankind,I call, that he, as he is wont, may aid the chariots and the men.5 Whom, ever furthering, in frays that win the light, in both the hostsMen call to succour and to help.6 Indra, the Strong, the measureless, worthy of praise, Most Bountiful,Sole Ruler even over wealth.7 Him, for his ample bounty, him, this Indra do I urge to drink,Who, as his praise was sung of old, the Dancer, is the Lord of men.8 Thou Mighty One, whose friendship none of mortals ever hath obtainedNone will attain unto thy might.9 Aided by thee, with thee allied, in frays for water and for sun,Bolt-armed! may we win ample spoil.10 So seek we thee with sacrifice and songs, chief Lover of the Song,As, in our battles Indra, thou to Purumayya gavest help.11 O Thunderer, thou whose friendship and whose onward guidance both are sweet,Thy sacrifice must be prepared.12 To us, ourselves, give ample room, give for our dwelling ample roomGive ample room to us to live.13 We count the banquet of the Gods a spacious pathway for the men,And for the cattle, and the car.14 Six men, yea, two and two, made glad with Soma juice, come near to meWith offerings pleasant to the taste.15 Two brown-hued steeds, Indrota's gift, two bays from Rksa's son were mine,From Asvamedha's son two red.16 From Atithigva good car-steeds; from Arksa rein-obeying steeds,From Asvamedha beauteous ones.17 Indrota, Atithigva's son, gave me six horses matched with maresAnd Patakratu gave besides.18 Marked above all, amid the brown, is the red mare Vrsanvati,Obedient to the rein and whip.19 O bound to me by deeds of might, not even the man who loves to blame.Hath found a single fault in you.
HYMN LVIII. Indra.1. I SEND you forth the song of praise for Indu, hero-gladdener.With hymn and plenty he invites you to complete the sacrifice.2 Thou wishest for thy kine a bull, for those who long for his approach,For those who turn away from him, lord of thy cows whom none may kill.3 The dappled kine who stream with milk prepare his draught of Soma juice:Clans in the birth-place of the Gods, in the three luminous realms of heaven.4 Praise, even as he is known, with song Indra the guardian of the kine,The Son of Truth, Lord of the brave.5 Hither his Bay Steeds have been sent, red Steeds are on the sacred grass,,Where we in concert sing our songs.6 For Indra Thunder-armed the kine have yielded mingled milk and meath,What time he found them in the vault.7 When I and Indra mount on high up to the Bright One's place and home,We, having drunk of meath, will reach his seat whose Friends are three times seven.
8 Sing, sing ye forth your songs of praise, ye Briyamedhas, sing your songs:Yea, let young children sing their lauds as a strong castle praise ye him.9 Now loudly let the viol sound, the lute send out its voice with might,Shrill be, the music of the string. To Indra. is the hymn up-raised.10 When bither speed the dappled cows, unflinching, easy to be milked,Seize quickly, as it bursts away, the Soma juice for Indra's drink.11 Indra hath drunk, Agni hath drunk. all Deities have drunk their fill.Here Varuna shall have his home, to whom the floods have sung aloud as motherkine unto theircalves.12 Thou, Varuna, to whom belong Seven Rivers, art a glorious God.The waters flow into thy throat as 'twere a pipe with ample mouth.13 He who hath made the fleet steeds spring, well-harnessed, to the worshipper,He, the swift Guide, is that fair form that loosed the horses near at hand.14 Indra, the very Mighty, holds his enemies in utter scorn.He, far away, and yet a child, cleft the cloud smitten by his voice.15 He, yet a boy exceeding small, mounted his newly-fashioned car.He for his Mother and his Sire cooked the wild mighty buffalo.16 Lord of the home, fair-helmeted, ascend thy chariot wrought of gold.We will attend the Heavenly One, the thousand-footed, red of hue, matchless, who blesses where hegoes.17 With reverence they come hitherward to him as to. a Sovran lord,That they may bring him near for this man's good success, to prosper and bestow his gifts.18 The Priyamedhas have observed the offering of the men of old,Of ancient custom, while they strewed the sacred grass, and spread their sacrificial food.
HYMN LIX. Indra.1. HE who, as Sovran Lord of men, moves with his chariots unrestrained,The Vrtra-slayer vanquisher, of fighting hosts, preeminent, is praised with song.2 Honour that Indra, Puruhanman! for his aid, in whose sustaining hand of old,The splendid bolt of thunder was deposited, as the great Sun was set in heaven.3 No one by deed attains to him who works and strengthens evermore:No, not by sacrifice, to Indra. praised o all, resistless, daring, bold in might.4 The potent Conqueror, invincible in war, him at whose birth the Mighty Ones,The Kine who spread aftar, sent their loud voices out, heavens, earths seat their loud voices out,5 O Indra, if a hundred heavens and if a hundred earths were thine-No, not a thousand Suns could match thee at thy birth, not both the worlds, O Thunderer.6 Thou, Hero, hast performed thy hero deeds with might, yea, all with strength, O Strongest One.Maghavan, help us to a stable full of kine, O Thunderer, with wondrous aids.7 Let not a godless mortal gain this food, O thou whose life is long!But one who yokes the bright-hued steeds, the Etasas, even Indra yoker of the Bays.8 Urge ye the Conqueror to give, your Indra greatly to be praised,To be invoked in shallow waters and in depths, to be invoked in deeds of might.9 O Vasu, O thou Hero, raise us up to ample opulence.Raise us to gain of mighty wealth, O Maghavan, O Indra, to sublime renown.10 Indra, thou justifiest us, and tramplest down thy slanderers.Guard thyself, valiant Hero, in thy vital parts: strike down the Dasa with thy blows.11 The man who brings no sacrifice, inhuman, godless, infidel,Him let his friend the mountain cast to rapid death, the mountain cast the Dasyu down.12 O Mightiest Indra, loving us, gather thou up, as grains of corn,Within thine hand, of these their kine, to give away, yea, gather twice as loving us.13 O my companions, wish for power. How may we perfect Sara's praise,
The liberal princely patron, never to be harmed?14 By many a sage whose grass is trimmed thou art continually praised,That thou, O Sara, hast bestowed here one and here another'calf.15 The noble, Suradeva's son, hath brought a calf, led by the car to three of us.As a chief brings a goat to milk.
HYMN LX. Agni.1. O AGNI, with thy mighty wealth guard us from all malignity,Yea, from all hate of mortal man.2 For over thee, O Friend from birih, the wrath of man hath no control:Nay, Guardian of the earth art thou.3 As such, with all the Gods, O Son of Strength, auspicious in thy flame.Give us wealth bringing all things good.4 Malignities stay not from wealth the mortal man whom, Agni, thouProtectest while he offers gifts.5 Sage Agni, be whom thou dost urge, in worship of the Gods, to wealth,With thine assistance winneth kine.6 Riches with many heroes thou hast for the man who offers gifts:Lead thou us on to higher bliss.7 Save us, O Jatavedas, nor abandon us to him who sins,Unto the evil-hearted man.8 O Agni, let no godless man avert thy bounty as a God:Over all treasures thou art Lord.9 So, Son of Strength, tbou aidest us to what is great and excellent.Those, Vasu! Friend! who sing thy praise.10 Let our songs come anear to him beauteous and bright with piercing flameOur offerings, with our homage, to theLord of wealth, to him whom many praise, for help:11 To Agni Jatavedas, to the Son of Strength, that he may give us precious gifts,Immortal, from of old Priest among mortal men, the most delightful in the house.12 Agni, made yours by sacrifice, Agni, while holy rites advance;Agni, the first in songs, first with the warrior steed; Agril to win the land for us.13 May Agni who is Lord of wealth vouchsafe us food for friendship sake.Agni we ever seek for seed and progeny, the Vasu who protects our lives.14 Solicit with your chants, for help, Agni the God with piercing flame,For riches famous Agni, Purumilha and ye men! Agni to light our dwelling well.15 Agni we laud that he may keep our foes afar, Agni to give us health and strength.Let him as Guardian be invoked in all the tribes, the lighter-up of glowing brands.
HYMN LXI. Agni.1. PREPARE oblation: let him come; and let the minister serve againWho knows the ordering thereof,2 Rejoicing in his friendship, let the priest be seated over man,Beside the shoot of active power.3 Him, glowing bright beyond all thought, they seek among the race of man;With him for tougue they seize the food.4 He hath inflamed the twofold plain: lifegiving, he hath climbed the wood,And with his tongue hath struck the rock.5 Wandering here the radiant Calf finds none to fetter him, and seeksThe Mother to declare his praise.
6 And now that great and mighty team, the team of horses that are his,And traces of his car, are seen.7 The seven milk a single cow; the two set other five to work,On the stream's loud-resounding bank.8 Entreated by Vivasvan's ten, Indra cast down the water-jarWith threefold hammer from the sky.9 Three times the newIy-kindled flame proceeds around the sacrifice:The priests anoint it with the meath.10 With reverence they drain the fount that circles with its wheel above,Exhaustless, with the mouth below.11 The pressing-stones are set at work: the meath is poured into the tank,At the out-shedding of the fount.12 Ye cows, protect the fount: the two Mighty Ones bless the sacrifice.The handles twain are wrought of gold.13 Pour on the juice the ornament which reaches both the heaven and earthSupply the liquid to the Bull.14 These know their own abiding-place: like calves beside the mother cowsThey meet together with their kin.15 Devouring in their greedy jaws, they make sustaining food in heaven,To Indra, Agni light and prayer.16 The Pious One milked out rich food, sustenance dealt in portions seven,Together with the Sun's seven rays.17 I took some Soma when the Sun rose up, O Mitra, Varuna.That is the sick man's medicine.18 From where oblations must be laid, which is the Well-beloved's home,He with his tongue hath compassed heaven.
HYMN LXII. Asvins.1. ROUSE ye for him who keeps the Law, yoke your steeds, Aiyins, to your carLet your protecting help be near.2 Come, Asvins, with your car more swift than is the twinkling of an eyeLet your protecting help be near.3 Asvins, ye overlaid with cold the fiery pit for Atri's sake:Let your protecting help be near.4 Where are ye? whither are ye gone? whither, like falcons, have ye flown?Let your protecting help be near.5 If ye at any time this day are listening to this my call,Let your protecting help be near.6 The Asvins, fust to hear our prayer, for closest kinship I approach:Let your protecting help be near.7 For Atri ye, O Asvins, made a dwellingplace to shield him well,Let your protecting help be near.8 Ye warded off the fervent heat for Atri when he sweetly spake:Let your protecting help be near.9 Erst Saptavadbri by his prayer obtained the trenchant edge of fire:Let your protecting help be near.10 Come hither, O ye Lords of wealth, and listen to this call of mine:Let your protecting help be near.11 What is this praise told forth of you as Elders in the ancient way?Let your protecting help be near.
12 One common brotherhood is yours, Asvins your kindred is the same:Let your protecting help be near.13 This is your chariot, Asvins, which speeds through the regions, earth and heavenLet your protecting aid be near.14 Approach ye hitherward to us with thousands both of steeds and kine:Let your protecting help be near.15 Pass us not by, remember us with thousands both of kine aud steeds:Let your protecting help be near.16 The purple-tinted Dawn hath risen, and true to Law hath made the lightLet your protecting help be near.17 He looked upon the Asvins, as an axearmed man upon a tree:Let your protecting help be near.18 By the black band encompassed round, break it down, bold one, like a fort.Let your protecting help be near.
HYMN LXIII. Agni.1. EXERTING all our strength with thoughts of power we glorify in speechAgni your dear familiar Friend, the darling Guest in every home.2 Whom, served with sacrificial oil like Mitra, men presenting giftsEulogize with their songs of praise3 Much-lauded Jatavedas, him who bears oblations up to heavenPrepared in service of the Gods.4 To noblest Agni, Friend of man, best Vrtra-slayer, are we come,Him in whose presence Rksa's son, mighty Srutarvan, waxes great;5 To deathless Jatavedas, meet for praise, adored, with sacred oil,Visible through the gloom o:f night6 Even Agni whom these priestly men worship with sacrificial gifts,With lifted ladles offering them.7 O Agni, this our newest hymn hath been addressed from us to thee,O cheerful Guest, well-born, most wise, worker of wonders, ne'er deceived.8 Agni, may it be dear to thee, most grateful, and exceeding sweet:Grow mightier, eulogized therewith.9 Splendid with splendours may it be, and in the battle with the foeAdd loftier glory to thy fame.10 Steed, cow, a lord of heroes, bright like Indra, who shall fill the car.Whose high renown ye celebrate, and people praise each glorious deed.11 Thou whom Gopavana made glad with song, O Agni Angiras,Hear this my call, thou Holy One.12 Thou whom the priestly folk implore to aid the gathering of the spoil,Such be thou in the fight with foes.13 I, called to him who reels with joy, Srutarvan, Rksa's son, shall strokeThe heads of four presented steeds, like the long wool of fleecy rams.14 Four coursers with a splendid car, Savistha's horses, fleet of foot,Shall bring me to the sacred feast, as flying steeds brought Tugra's son.15 The very truth do I declare to thee, Parusni, mighty flood.Waters! no man is there who gives more horses than Savistha gives.
HYMN LXIV. Agni.1. YOKE, Agni, as a charioteer, thy steeds who best invite the Gods: As ancient Herald seat thyself.2 And, God, as skilfullest of all, call for us bitherward the Gods:
Give all our wishes sure effect.3 For thou, Most Youthful, Son of Strength, thou to whom sacrifice is paid,Art holy, faithful to the Law.4 This Agni, Lord of wealth and spoil hundredfold, thousandfold, is headAnd chief of riches and a Sage.5 As craftsmen bend the felly, so bend at our general call: come nigh,Angiras, to the sacrifice.6 Now, O Virupa, rouse for him, Strong God who shines at early morn,Fair praise with voice that ceases not.7 With missile of this Agni, his who looks afar, will we lay lowThe thief in combat for the kine.8 Let not the Companies of Gods fail us, like Dawns that float away,Like cows who leave the niggardly.9 Let not the sinful tyranny of any fiercely hating foeSmite us, as billows smite a ship.10 O Agni, God, the people sing reverent praise to thee for strength:With terrors trouble thou the foe.11 Wilt thou not, Agni, lend us aid in winning cattle, winning wealth?Maker of room, make room for us.12 In this great battle cast us not aside as one who bears a load:Snatch up the wealih and win it all.13 O Agni, let this plague pursue and fright another and not us:Make our impetuous strength more strong.14 The reverent or unwearied man whose holy labour he accepts,Him Agni favours with success.15 Abandoning the foeman's host pass hither to this company:Assist the men with whom I stand.16 As we have known thy gracious help, as of a Father, long ago,So now we pray to thee for bliss.
HYMN LXV. Indra.I. NOT to forsake me, I invoke this Indra girt by Maruts,Lord Of magic power who rules with might.2 This Indra with his Marut Friends clave into pieces Vrtra's beadWith hundred-knotted thunderbolt.3 Indra, with Marut Friends grown strong, hath rent asunder Vrtra, andReleased the waters of the sea.4 This is that Indra who, begirt by Maruts, won the light of heavenThat he might drink the Soma juice.5 Mighty, impetuous, begirt by Maruts, him who loudly roars,Indra we invocate with songs.6 Indra begirt by Maruts we invoke after the ancient plan,That he may drink the Soma juice.7 O liberal Indra, Marut-girt, much-lauded Satakratu, drinkThe Soma at this sacrifice.8 To thee, O Indra, Marut-girt, these Soma juices, Thunderer!Are offered from the heart with lauds.9 Drink, Indra, with thy Marut Friends, pressed Soma at the morning rites,Whetting thy thunderbolt with strength.10 Arising in thy might, thy jaws thou shookest, Indra, having quaffed
The Soma which the mortar pressed.11 Indra, both worlds complained to thee when uttering thy fearful roar,What time thou smotest Dasyus dead.12 From Indra have I measured out a song eight-footed with nine parts,Delicate, faithful. to the Law.
HYMN LXVI. Indra.1. SCARCELY was Satakratu, born when of his Mother he inquired,Who are the mighty? Who are famed?2. Then Savassi declared to him Aurnavabha, Ahisuva:Son, these be they thou must o'erthrow3 The Vrtra-slayer smote them all as spokes are hammered into naves:The Dasyu-killer waxed in might.4 Then Indra at a single draught drank the contents of thirty pails,Pails that were filled with Soma juice.5 Indra in groundless realms of space pierced the Gandharva through, that heMight make Brahmans' strength increase.6 Down from the mountains Indra shot hither his well-directed shaft:He gained the ready brew of rice.7 One only is that shaft of thine, with thousand feathers, hundred barbs,Which, Indra, thou hast made thy friend.8 Strong as the gbhus at thy birth, therewith to those who praise thee, men,And women, bring thou food to eat.9 By thee these exploits were achieved, the mightiest deeds, abundantly:Firm in thy heart thou settest them.10 All these things Visnu brought, the Lord of ample stride whom thou hadst sent-A hundred buffaloes, a brew of rice and milk: and Indra, slew the ravening boar11 Most deadly is thy bow, successful, fashioned well: good is thine arrow, decked with gold.Warlike and well equipped thine arms are, which increase sweetness for him who drinks the sweet.
HYMN LXVII. Indra.1. BRING us a thousand, Indra, as our guerdon for the Soma juice:Hundreds of kine, O Hero, bring.2 Bring cattle, bring us ornament, bring us embellishment and steeds,Give us, besides, two rings of gold.3 And, Bold One, bring in ample store rich jewels to adorn thi; ear,For thou, Good Lord, art far renowned.4 None other is there for the priest, Hero! but thou, to give him gifts,To win much spoil and prosper him.5 Indra can never be brought low, Sakra can never be subdued:He heareth and beholdeth all.6 He spieth out the wrath of man, he who can never be deceived:Ere blame can come he marketh it.7 He hath his stomach full of might, the Vrtra-slayer, Conqueror,The Soma-drinker, ordering all.8 In thee all treasures are combined, Soma all blessed things in thee,Uninjured, easy to bestow.9 To thee speeds forth my hope that craves the gift of corn, and kine and gold,Yea, craving horses, speeds to thee.10 Indra, through hope in thee alone even this sickle do I grasp.
Fill my hand, Maghavan, with all that it can hold of barley cut or gathered up.
HYMN LXVIII. Soma.1. THIS here is Soma, ne'er restrained, active, all-conquering bursting forth,Rsi and Sage by sapience,2 All that is bare he covers o'er, all that is sick he medicines;The blind man sees, the cripple walks.3 Thou, Soma, givest wide defence against the hate of alien men,Hatreds that waste and weaken us.4 Thou by thine insight and thy skill, Impetuous One, from heaven and earthDrivest the sinner's enmity.5 When to their task they come with zeal, may they obtain the Giver's grace,And satisfy his wish who thirsts.6 So may he find what erst was lost, so may be speed the pious man,And lengthen his remaining life.7 Gracious, displaying tender love, unconquered, gentle in thy thoughts,Be sweet, O Soma, to our heart.8 O Soma, terrify us not; strike us not with alarm, O King:Wound not our heart with dazzling flame.9 When in my dwelling-place I see the wicked enemies of Gods,King, chase their hatred far away, thou Bounteous One, dispel our foes.
HYMN LXIX. Indra1. O Sarakratu! truely I have made none else my Comforter.Indra; be gracious unto us.2 Thou who hast ever aided us kindly of old to win the spoil,As such, O Indra, favour us.3 What now? As prompter of the poor thou helpest him who sheds the juice.Wilt thou not, Indra, strengthen us?4 O Indra, help our chariot on, yea, Thunderer, though it lag behind:Give this my car the foremost place.5 Ho there! why sittest thou at case? Make thou my chariot to be firstAnd bring the fame of victory near.6 Assist our car that seeks the prize. What can be easier for thee?So make thou us victorious.7 Indra, be firm: a fort art thou. To thine appointed place proceedsThe auspicious hymn in season due.8 Let not our portion be disgrace. Broad is the course, the prize is set,The barriers are opened wide.9 This thing we wish. that thou mayst take thy fourth, thy sacrificial name.So art thou held to be our Lord.10 Ekadyu hath exalted you, Immortals: both Goddesses and Gods hath he delighted.Bestow upon him bounty meet for praises. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN LXX. Indra.1. INDRA, God of the mighty arm, gather for us with thy right handManifold and nutritious spoil.2 We know thee mighty in thy deeds, of mighty bounty, mighty wealth,Mighty in measure, prompt to aid.3 Hero, when thou art fain to give, neither may Gods nor mortal men
Restrain thee like a fearful Bull.4 Come, let us glorify Indra, Lord supreme of wealth, Self-ruling King:In bounty may he harm us not.5 Let prelude sound and following chant so let him hear the Saman sung,And with his bounty answer us.6 O Indra, with thy right hand bring, and with thy left remember us.Let us not lose our share of wealth.7 Come nigh, O Bold One, boldly bring hither the riches of the churlWho giveth least of all the folk.8 Indra, the booty which thou hast with holy singers to receive,Even that booty win with us.9 Indra, thy swiftly-coming spoil, the booty which rejoices all,Sounds quick in concert with our hopes.
HYMN LXXI. Indra.1. HASTE forward to us from afar, or, Vrtra-slayer, from anear,To meet the offering to the meath.2 Strong are the Soma-draughts; come nigh: the juices fill thee with delight:Drink boldly even as thou art wont'.3 Joy, Indra, in the strengthening food et it content thy wish and thought,And be delightful to thine heart.4 Come to us thou who hast no foe: we call thee down to hymns of praise,In heaven's sublimest realm of light.5 This Soma here expressed with stones and dressed with milk for thy carouse,Indra, is offered up to thee.6 Graciously, Indra, hear my call. Come and obtain the draught, and sateThyself with juices blent with milk.7 The Soma, Indra, which is shed in chalices and vats for thee,Drink thou, for thou art Lord thereof.8 The Soma seen within themats, as in the flood the Moon is seen,Drink thou, for thou art Lord thereof.9 That which the Hawk brought in his claw, inviolate, through the air to thee,Drink thou, for thou art Lord thereof.
HYMN LXXII. Visvedevas.1. WE choose unto ourselves that high protection of the Mighty GodsThat it may help and succour us.2 May they be ever our allies, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,Far-seeing Gods who prosper us.3 Ye furtherers of holy Law, transport us safe o'er many woes,As over water-floods in ships.4 Dear wealth be Aryaman to us, Varuna dear wealth meet for praise:Dear wealth we choose unto ourselves.5 For Sovrans of dear wealth are ye, Adityas, not of sinner's wealth,Ye sapient Gods who slay the foe.6 We in our homes, ye Baunteous Ones, and while we journey on the road,Invoke you, Gods, to prosper us.7 Regard us, Indra, Visnu, here, ye Asvins and the Marut host,Us who are kith and kin to you.8 Ye Bounteous Ones, from time of old we here set forth our brotherhood,
Our kinship in. the Mother's womb.9 Then come with Indra for your chief, as early day, ye Bounteous GodsYea, 1 address you now for this.
HYMN LXXIII. Agni.1. AGNI, your dearest Guest, I laud, him who is loving as a friend,Who brings us riches like a car.2 Whom as a far-foreseeing Sage the Gods have, from the olden time,Established among mortal men.3 Do thou, Most Youthful God, protect the men who offer, hear their songs,And of thyself preserve their seed.4 What is the praise wherewith, O God, Afigiras, Agni, Son of Strength,We, after thine own wish and thought,5 May serve thee, O thou Child of Power, and with what sacrifice's plan?What prayer shall I now speak to thee?6 Our God, make all of us to dwell in happy habitations, andReward our songs with spoil and wealth.7 Lord of the house, what plenty fills the songs which thou inspirest now,Thou whose hymn helps to win the kine?8 Hirn Wise and Strong they glorify, the foremost Champion in the fray,And mighty in his dwelling-place.9 Agni, he dwells in rest and peace who smites and no one smites again:With hero sons he prospers well
HYMN LXXIV. Asvins.1. To this mine invocation, O ye Asvins, ye Nasatyas, come,To drink the savoury Soma juice.2 This laud of mine, ye Asvins Twain, and this mine invitation hear,To drink the savoury Soma juice.3 Here Krsna is invoking you, O Asvins, Lords of ample wealth.To drink the savoury Soma juice.4 List, Heroes, to the singer's call, the call of Krsna lauding you,To drink the savoury Soma juice.5 Chiefs, to the sage who sings your praise grant an inviolable home,To drink the savoury Soma juice.6 Come to the worshipper's abode, Asvins, who here is lauding you,To drink the savoury Soma juice.7 Yoke to the firmly jointed car the ass which draws you, Lords of wealth.To drink the savoury Soma juice.8 Come hither, Asvins, on your car of triple form with triple seat,To drink the savoury Soma juice.9 O Asvins, O Nasatyas, now accept with favouring grace my songs,To drink the savoury Soma juice.
HYMN LXXV. Asvins.1. YE Twain are wondrous strong, well-skilled in arts that heal, both bringers of delight, ye both wonDaksa's praise.Visvaka calls on you as such to save his life. Break ye not off our friendship, come and set me free.2 How shall he praise you now who is distraught in mind? Ye Twain give wisdom for the gainof whatis good.Visvaka calls on you as such to save his life. Break ye not off our friendship, come and set me free.
3 Already have ye Twain, possessors of great wealth, prospered Visnapu thus for gain of what isgood.Visvaka calls on you as such to save his life. Break ye not off our friendship, come and set me free.4 And that Impetuous Hero, winner of the spoil, though he is far away, we call to succour us,Whose gracious favour, like a father's, is most sweet. Break ye not off our friendship, come and setme free.5 About the holy Law toils Savitar the God the horn of holy Law hath he spread far and wide.The holy Law hath quelled even mighty men of war. Break ye not off our ftiendship, come and act mefree.
HYMN LXXVI. Asvins.1. SPLENDID, O Asvins, is your praise. Come fountain-like, to pour the stream.Of the sweet juice effused-dear is it, Chiefs, in heaven-drink like two wild bulls at a pool.2 Drink the libation rich in sweets, O Asvins Twain: sit. Heroes, on the sacred grass.Do ye with joyful heart in the abode of man preserve his life by means of wealth.3 The Priyamedhas bid you come with all the succours that are yours.Come to his house whose holy grass is trimmed, to dear sacrifice at the morning rites.4 Drink ye the Soma rich in meath, ye Asvins Twain: sit gladly on the sacred grass.So, waxen mighty, to our eulogy from heaven come ye as wild-bulls to the pool.5 Come to us, O ye Asvins, now with steeds of many a varied hue,Ye Lords of splendour, wondrous, borne on paths of gold, drink Soma, ye who strengthen Law.6 For we the priestly singers, fain tohymn your praise, invoke you for the gain of strength.So, wondrous, fair, and famed for great deeds come to us, through our hymn, Asvins, when ye hear.
HYMN LXXVII. Indra.1. As cows low to their calves in stalls, so with our songs we glorifyThis Indra, even your Wondrous God who checks attack, who joys in the delicious juice.2 Celestial, bounteous Giver, girt about with might, rich, mountain-like, in precious things,Him swift we seek. for foodful booty rich in kine, brought hundredfold and thousandfold.3 Indra, the strong and lofty hills are powerless to bar thy way.None stay that act of thine when thou wouldst fain give wealth to one like me who sings thy praise.4 A Warrior thou by strength, wisdom, and wondrous deed, in might excellest all that is.Hither may this our hymn attract thee to our help, the hymn which Gotamas have made.5 For in thy might thou stretchest out beyond the boundaries of heaven.The earthly region, Indra, comprehends thee not. After thy Godhead hast thou waxed.6 When, Maghavan, thou honourest the worshipper, no one is there to stay thy wealth.Most liberal Giver thou, do thou inspire our song of praise, that we may win the spoil.
HYMN LXXVIII. Indra.1. To Indra sing the lofty hymn, Maruts that slays the Vrtras best.Whereby the Holy Ones created for the God the light divine that ever wakes.2 Indra who quells the curse blew curses far away, and then in splendour came to us.Indra, refulgent with thy Marut host! the Gods strove eagerly to win thy love.3 Sing to your lofty Indra, sing, Maruts, a holy hymn of praise.Let Satakratu, Vrtra-slayer, kill the foe with hundred-knotted thunderbolt.4 Aim and fetch boldly forth, O thou whose heart is bold: great glory will be thine thereby.In rapid torrent let the mother waters spread. Slay Vrtra, win the light of heaven.5 When thou, unequalled Maghavan, wast born to smite the Vrtras dead,Thou spreadest out the spacious earth and didst support and prop the heavens.6 Theri was the sacrifice produced for thee, the laud, and song of joy,Thou in thy might surpassest all, all that now is and yet shall be.
7 Raw kine thou filledst with ripe milk. Thou madest Surya rise to heaven.,Heat him as milk is heated with pure Sama hymns, great joy to him who loves the song.
HYMN LXXIX. Indra.1. MAY Indra, who in every fight must be invoked, be near to us.May the most mighty Vrtra-slayer, meet for praise, come to libations and to hymns.2 Thou art the best of all in sending bounteous gifts, true art thou, lordly in thine act.We claim alliance with the very Glorious One, yea, with the Mighty Son of Strength.3 Prayers unsurpassed are offered up to thee the Lover of the Song.Indra, Lord of Bay Steeds, accept these fitting hymns, hymns which we have thought out for thee.4 For thou, O Maghavan, art truthful, ne'er subdued and bringest many a Vrtra low.As such, O Mightiest Lord, Wielder of Thunder, send wealth hither to the worshipper.5 O Indra, thou art far-renowned, impetuous, O Lord of Strength.Alone thou slayest with the guardian of mankind resistless never-conquered foes.6 As such we seek thee now, O Asura, thee most wise, craving thy bounty as our share.Thy sheltering defence is like a mighty cloak. So may thy glories reach to us.
HYMN LXXX. Indra.1. DOWN to the stream a maiden came, and found the Soma by the way.Bearing it to her home she said, For Indra will I press thee out, for Sakra will I press thee out.2 Thou roaming yonder, little man, beholding every house in turn,Drink thou this Soma pressed with teeth, accompanied with grain and curds, with cake of meal andsong of praise.3 Fain would we learn to know thee well, nor yet can we attain to thee.Still slowly and in gradual drops, O Indu, unto Indra flow.4 Will he not help and work for us? Will he not make us wealthier?Shall we not, hostile to our lord, unite ourselves to Indra now?5 O Indra, cause to sprout again three places, these which I declare,-My father's head, his cultured field, and this the part below my waist.6 Make all of these grow crops of hair, you cultivated field of ours,My body, and my father's head.7 Cleansing Apala, Indra! thrice, thou gavest sunlike skin to her,Drawn, Satakratu! through the hole of car, of wagon, and of yoke.
HYMN LXXXI. Indra1. INVITE ye Indra with a song to drink your draught of Soma juice,All-conquering Satakratu, most munificent of all who live.2 Lauded by many, much-invoked, leader of song, renowned of old:His name is Indra, tell it forth.3 Indra the Dancer be to us the giver of abundant strength:May he, the mighty, bring it near.4 Indra whose jaws are strong hath drunk of worshipping Sudaksa's draught,The Soma juice with barley mixt.5 Call Indra loudly with your songs of praise to drink the Soma juice.For this is what augments his stiength.6 When he hath drqnk its gladdening drops, the God with vigour of a GodHath far surpassed all things that are.7 Thou speedest down to succour us this ever-conquering God of yours,Him who is drawn to all our songs8 The Warrior not to he restrained, the Soma-drinker ne'er o'erthrown,
The Chieftain of resistless might.9 O Indra, send us riches, thou Omniscient, worthy of our praise:Help us in the decisive fray.10 Even thence, O 1ndra, come to us with food that gives a hundred powers,With food that gives a thousand powers.11 We sought the wisdom of the wise. Sakra, Kine-giver, Thunder-armed!May we with steeds o'ercome in fight.12 We make thee, Satakratu, find enjoyment in the songs we sing.Like cattle in the pasture lands.13 For, Satakratu, Thunder-armed, all that we craved, as men are wont,All that we hoped, have we attained.14 Those, Son of Strength, are come to thee who cherish wishes in their heartsO Indra, none excelleth thee.15 So, Hero, guard us with thy care, with thy most liberal providence,Speedy, and terrible to foes.16 O Satakratu Indra, now rejoice with that carouse of thineWhich is most splendid of them all17 Even, Indra, that carouse which slays the Vrtras best, most widely famed,Best giver of thy power and might.18 For that which is thy gift we know, true Soma-drinker, Thunder-armed,Mighty One, amid all the folk.19 For Indra, Lover of Carouse, loud be our songs about the juice:Let poets sing the song of praise.20 We summon Indra to the draught, irl whom all glories rest, in whomThe seven communities rejoice.21 At the Trikadrukas the Gods span sacrifice that stirs the mind:Let our songs aid and prosper it.22 Let the drops pass within thee as the rivers flow into the sea:O fndra, naught excelleth thee.23 Thou, wakeful Hero, by thy might hast taken food of Soma juice,Which, Indra, is within thee now.24 O Indra, Vrtra-slayer, let Soma be ready for thy maw,The drops be ready for thy forms.25 Now Srutakaksa sings his song that cattle and the steed may come,That Indra's very self may come.26 Here, Indra, thou art ready by our Soma juices shed for thee,Sakra, at hand that thou mayst give.27 Even from far away our songs reach thee, O Caster of the Stone:May we come very close to thee.28 For so thou art the hero's Friend, a Hero, too, art thou, and strong:So may thine heart be won to us.29 So hath the offering, wealthiest Lord, been paid by all the worshippers:So dwell thou, Indra, even with me.30 Be not thou like a slothfid priest, O Lord of spoil and wealth: rejoiceIn the pressed Soma blent with milk.31 O Indra, let not ill designs surround us in the sunbeams' light:This may we gain with thee for Friend.32 With thee to help us, Indra, let us answer all our enemies:For thou art ours and we are thine.33 Indra, the poets and thy friends, faithful to thee, shall loudly sing
Thy praises as they follow thee.
HYMN LXXXII. Indra.1. SURYA, thou mountest up to meet the Hero famous for his wealth,Who hurls the bolt and works for man2 Him who with might of both his arms brake nine-and-ninety castles down,Slew Vrtra and smote Ahi dead.3 This Indra is our gracious Friend. He sends us in a full broad streamRiches in horses, kine, and corn.4 Whatever, Vrtra-slayer! thou, Surya, hast risen upon to-day,Tbat, Indra, all is in thy power.5 When, Mighty One, Lord of the brave, thou thinkest thus, I shall not die,That thought of thine is true indeed.6 Thou, Indra, goest unto all Soma libations shed for thee,Both far away and near at hand.7 We make this Indra very strong to strike the mighty Vrtra dead:A vigorous Hero shall he be.8 Indra was made for giving, set, most mighty, o'er the joyous draught.Bright, meet for Soma, famed in song.9 By song as 'twere, the powerful bolt which none may parry was preparedLofty, invincible he grew.10 Indra, Song-lover, lauded, make even in the wilds fair ways for us,Whenever, Maghavan, thou wilt.11 Thou whose commandment and behest of sovran sway none disregards,Neither audacious man nor God.12 And both these Goddesses, Earth, Heaven, Lord of the beauteous helm! revereThy might which no one may resist.13 Thou in the black cows and the red and in the cows with spotted skinThis white milk hast deposited.14 When in their terror all the Gods shrank from the Dragon's furious might,Fear of the monster fell on them.15 Then he was my Defender, then, Invincible, whose foe is not,The Vrtra-slayer showed his might.16 Him your best Vrtra-slayer, him the famous Champion of mankindI urge to great munificence,17 To come, Much-lauded! Many-named with this same thought that longs for milk,Whene'er the Soma juice is shed.18 Much-honoured by libations, may the Vrtra-slayer wake for us:May Sakra listen to our prayers.19 O Hero, with that aid dost thou delight us, with what succour bringRiches to those who worship thee?20 With whose libation joys the Strong, the Hero with his team who quellsThe foe, to drink the Soma juice?21 Rejoicing in thy spirit bring thousandfold opulence to us:Enrich thy votary with gifts.22 These juices with their wedded wives flow to enjoyment lovingly:To waters speeds the restless one.23 Presented strengthening gifts have sent Indra away at sacrifice,With might, onto the cleansing bath.24 These two who share his feast, Bay Steeds with golden manes, shall bring him to
The banquet that is laid for him.25 For thee, O Lord of Light, are shed these Soma-drops, and grass is strewnBring Indra to his worshippers.26 May Indra give thee skill, and lights of heaven, wealth to his votaryAnd priests who praise him: laud ye him.27 O Satakratu, wondrous strength and all our lauds I bring to thee:Be gracious to thy worshippers.28 Bring to us all things excellent, O Satakratu, food and strength:For, Indra, thou art kind to us.2§ O Satakratu, bring to us all blessings, all felicity:Fbr, Indra, thou art kind to us.30 Bearing the Soma juice we call, best Vrtra-slayer, unto thee:For, Indra, thou art kind to us.31 Come, Lord of rapturous, joys, to our libation with thy Bay Steeds, comeTo our libation with thy Steeds.32 Known as best Vrtra-slayer erst, as Indra Satakratu, comeWith Bay Steeds to the juice we shed.33 O Vrtra-slayer, thou art he who drinks these drops of Soma: comeWith Bay Steeds to the juice we shed.34 May Indra give, to aid us, wealth handy that rules the Skilful Ones:Yea, may the Strong give potent wealth.
HYMN LXXXIII. Maruts.1. THE Cow, the famous Mother of the wealthy Maruts, pours her milk:Both horses of the cars are yoked,-2 She in whose bosom all the Gods, and Sun and Moon for men to see,Maintain their everlasting Laws.3 This all the pious sing to us, and sacred poets evermore:The Maruts to the Soma-draught4 Here is the Soma ready pressed of this the Maruts drink, of thisSelf-luminous the Asvins drink.5 Of this, moreover, purified, set in three places, procreant,Drink Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.6 And Indra, like the Herald Priest, desirous of the milky juice,At early morn will quaff thereof.7 When have the Princes gleamed and shone through waters as through troops of foes'?When hasten they whose might ispure?8 What favour do I claim this day of yougreat Deities, you who areWondrously splendid in yourselves?9 1 call, to drink the Soma, those Maruts who spread all realms of earthAnd luminous regions of the sky.10 You, even such, pure in your might, you, O ye Maruts, I invokeFrom heaven to drink this Somajuice.11 The Maruts, those who have sustained and propped the heavens and earth apart,I call to drink this Soma juice.12 That vigorous band of Maruts that abidetb in the mountains, IInvoke to drink this Soma juice.
HYMN LXXXIV. Indra.
1. SONG-LOVER! like a charioteer come songs to thee when Soma flows.O Indra, they have called to thee as mother-kine unto their calves.2 Bright juices bitherward have sped thee, Indra, Lover of the Song.Drink, Indra, of this flowing sap: in every house 'tis set for thee.3 Drink Soma to inspirit thee, juice, Indra, which the Falcon brought:For thou art King and Sovran Lord of all the families of men.4 O Indra, hear Tirasci's call, the call of him who serveth thee.Satisfy him with wealth of kine and valiant offspring: Great art thou.5 For he, O Indra, hath produced for thee the newest gladdening song,A hymn that springs from careful thought, ancient, and full of sacred truth.6 That Indra will we laud whom songs and hymns of praise have magnified.Striving to win, we celebrate his many deeds of hero might.7 Come now and let us glorify pure Indra with pure Sama hymns.Let the pure milky draught delight him strengthened by pure songs of praise.8 O Indra, come thou pure to us, with pure assistance, pure thyself.Pure, send thou riches down to us, and, meet for Soma, pure, be glad.9 O Indra, pure, vouchsafe us wealth, and, pure, enrich the worshipper.Pure, thou dost strike the Vrtras dead, and strivest, pure, to win the spoil.
HYMN LXXXV. Indra.1. FOR him the Mornings made their courses longer, and Nights with pleasant voices spake to Indra.For him the Floods stood still, the Seven Mothers, Streams easy for the heroes to pass over.2 The Darter penetrated, though in trouble, thrice-seven close-pressed ridges of the mountains.Neither might God nor mortal man accomplish what the Strong Hero wrought in full-grown vigour.3 The mightiest force is Indra's bolt of iron when firmly grasped in both the arms of Indra.His head and mouth have powers that pass all others, and all his people hasten near to listen.4 1 count thee as the Holiest of the Holy, the caster-down of what hath ne'er been shaken.I count thee as the Banner of the heroes, I count thee as the Chief of all men living.5 What time, O Indra, in thine arms thou tookest thy wildly rushing bolt to Slay the Dragon,The mountains roared, the cattle loudly bellowed, the Brahmans with their hymns drew nigh toIndra.6 Let us praise him who made these worlds and creatures, all things that after him sprang into being.May we win Mitra with our songs, and Indra, and. wait upon our Lord with adoration.7 Flying in terror from the snort of Vrtra, all Deities who were thy friends forsook thee.So, Indra, be thy friendship with the Maruts: in all these battles thou shalt be the victor.8 Thrice-sixty Maruts, waxing strong, were with thee, like piles of beaming light, worthy of worship.We come to thee: grant us a happy portion. Let us adore thy might with this oblation.9 A sharpened weapon is the host of Maruts. Who, Indra, dares withstand thy bolt of thunder?Weaponless are the Asuras, the godless: scatter them with thy wheel, Impetuous Hero.10 To him the Strong and Mighty, most auspicious, send up the beAuteous hymn for sake of cattle.Lay oa his body many songs for Indra invoked with song, for will not he regard. them?11 To him, the Mighty, who accepts laudation, send forth thy thought as by a boat o'er rivers,Stir with thy hymn the body of the Famous and Dearest One, for will not he regard it?12 Serve him with gifts of thine which Indra welcomes: praise with fair praise, invite him with thinehomage.Draw near, O singer, and refrain from outcry. Make thy voice heard, for will not he regard it?13 The Black Drop sank in Amsumati's bosom, advancing with ten thousand round about it.Indra with might longed for it as it panted: the hero-hearted laid aside his weapons.14 1 saw the Drop in the far distance moving, on the slope bank of Amsumati's river,Like a black cloud that sank into the water. Heroes, I send you forth. Go, fight in battle.15 And then the Drop in Amsumati's bosom, splendid with light, assumed its proper body;
And Indra, with Brhaspati to aid him, conquered the godless tribes that came against him.16 Then, at thy birth, thou wast the foeman, Indra, of those the seven who ne'er had met a rival.The hidden Pair, the Heaven and Earth, thou foundest, and to the mighty worlds thou gavestpleasure.17 So, Thunder-armed! thou with thy bolt of thunder didst boldly smite that power which none mightequal;With weapons broughtest low the migbt of Susna, and, Indra, foundest by thy strength the cattle.18 Then wast thou, Chieftain of all living mortals, the very mighty slayer of the Vrtras.Then didst thou set the obstructed rivers flowing, and win the floods that were enthralled by Dasas.19 Most wise is he, rejoicing in libations, splendid as day, resistless in his anger.He only doth great deeds, the only Hero, sole Vrtra-slayer he, with none beside him.20 Indra is Vrtra's slayer, man's sustainer: he must be called; with fair praise let us call him.Maghavan is our Helper, our Protector, giver of spoil and wealth to make us famous.21 This Indra, Vrtra-slayer, this Rbhuksan, even at his birth, was meet for invocation.Doer of many deeds for man's advantage, like Soma quaffed, for friends we must invoke him.
HYMN LXXXVI. Indra.1. O INDRA, Lord of Light, what joys thou broughtest from the Asuras,Prosper therewith, O Maghavan, him who lauds that deed, and those whose grass is trimmed forthee.2 The unwasting share of steeds and kine which, Indra, thou hast fast secured,Grant to the worshipper who presses Soma and gives guerdon, not unto the churl.3 The riteless, godless man who sleeps, O Indra, his unbroken steep,-May he by following his own devices die. Hide from him wealth that nourishes.4 Whether, O Sakra, thou be far, or, Vrtra-slayer, near at hand,Thence by heaven-reaching songs he who hath pressed the juice invites thee with thy long-manedSteeds.5 Whether thou art in heaven's bright sphere, or in the basin of the sea;Whether, chief Vrtra-slayer, in some place on earth, or in the firmament, approach.6 Thou Soma-drinker, Lord of Strength, beside our flowing Soma juiceDelight us with thy bounty rich in pleasantness, O Indra, with abundant wealth.7 O Indra, turn us not away: be the companion of our feast.For thou art our protection, yea, thou art our kin: O Indra, turn us not away.8 Sit down with us, O Indra, sit beside the juice to drink the meath.Show forth great favour to the Singer, Maghavan; Indra, with us, beside the juice.9 O Caster of the Stone, nor Gods nor mortals have attained to thee.Thou in thy might surpassest all that hath been made: the Gods have not attained to thee.10 Of one accord they made and formed for kingship Indra, the Hero who in all encountersovercometh,Most eminent for power, destroyer in the conflict, fierce and exceeding strong, stalwart and full ofvigour.11 Bards joined in song to Indra so that he might drink the Soma juice,The Lord of Light, that he whose laws stand fast might aid with power and with the help he gives.12 Tle holy sages form a ring, looking and singing to the Ram.Inciters, full of vigour, not to he deceived, are with the chanters, nigh to bear.13 Loudly I call that Indra, Maghavan the Mighty, who evermore possesses power, ever resistless.Holy, most liberal, may he lead us on to riches, and, Thunder-armed, make all our pathways pleasantfor us.14 Thou knowest well, O Sakra, thou Most Potent, with thy strength, Indra, to destroy these castles.Before thee, Thunder-armed! all beings tremble: the heavens and earth before thee shake with terror,15 May thy truth, Indra, Wondrous Hero be my guard: bear me o'er much woe, Thunderer! as overfloods.
When, Indra, wilt thou honour us with opulence, all-nourishing and much-to-be. desired, O King?
HYMN LXXXVII. Indra.1. To Indra sing a Sama hymn, a lofty song to Lofty Sage,To him who guards the Law, inspired, and fain for praise.2 Thou, Indra, art the Conqueror: thou gavest splendour to the Sun.Maker of all things, thou art Mighty and All-God.3 Radiant with light thou wentest to the sky, the luminous realm of heaven.ne Deities, Indra strove to win thee for their Friend.4 Come unto us, O Indra, dear, still conquering, unconcealable,Vast as a mountain spread on all sides, Lord of Heaven.5 O truthful Soma-drinker, thou art mightier than both the worlds.Thou strengthenest him who pours libation, Lord of Heaven.6 For thou art he, O Indra, wiio stormeth all castles of the foe,Slayer of Dasyus, man's Supporter, Lord of Heaven.7 Now have we, Indra, Friend of Song, sent our great wishes forth to thee,Coming like floods that follow floods.8 As rivers swell the ocean, so, Hero, our prayers increase thy might,Though of thyself, O Thunderer, waxing day by day.9 With holy song mey bind to the broad wide-yoked car the Bay Steeds of the rapid God,Bearers of Indra, yoked by word.10 O Indra, bring great strength to us, bring valour, Satakratu, thou most active, bringA hero conquering in war.11 For, gracious Satakratu, thou hast ever been a Mother and a Sire to us,So now for bliss we pray to thee.12 To thee, Strong, Much-invoked, who showest forth thy strength, O Satakratu, do I speak:So grant thou us heroic strength.
HYMN LXXXVIII. Indra.1. O THUNDERER, zealous worshippers gave thee drink this time yesterday.So, Indra, listen here to those who bring the laud: come near unto our dwellingplace.2 Lord of Bay Steeds, fair-helmed, rejoice thee: this we crave. Here the disposers wait on thee.Thy loftiest glories claim our lauds beside the juice, O Indra, Lover of the Song.3 Turning, as 'twere, to meet the Sun, enjoy from Indra all good things.When he who will be born is born with power we look to treasures as our heritage.4 Praise him who sends us wealth, whose bounties injure none: good are the gifts which Indra.grants.He is not worth with one who satisfies his wish: he turns his mind to giving boons.5 Thou in thy battles, Indra, art subduer of all hostile bands.Father art thou, aIl-conquering, cancelling the curse, thou victor of the vanquisher.6 The Earth and Heaven clung close to thy victorious might as to their calf two mother-cows.When thou attackest Vrtra all the hostile bands shrink and faint, Indra, at thy wrath.7 Bring to your aid the Eternal One, who shoots and none may shoot at him,Inciter, swift, victorious, best of Charioteers. Tugrya's unvanquished Strengthener;8 Arranger of things unarranged, e'en Satakratu, source of might,Indra, the Friend of all, for succour we invoke, Guardian of treasure, sendjng wealth.
HYMN LXXXIX Indra. Vak.1. I MOVE before thee here present in person, and all the Deities follow behind me.When, Indra, thou securest me my portion, with me thou shalt perform heroic actions.
2 The food of meath in foremost place I give thee, thy Soma shall be pressed, thy share appointed.Thou on my right shalt be my friend and comrade: then shall we two smite dead full many a foeman.3 Striving for strength bring forth a laud to Indra, a truthful hymn if he in truth existeth.One and another say, There is no Indra. Who hath beheld him? Whom then shall we honour?4 Here am I, look upon me here, O singer. All that existeth 1 surpass in greatness.The Holy Law's commandments make me mighty. Rending with strength I rend the worlds asunder.5 When the Law's lovers mounted and ap. proached me as 1 sate lone upon the dear sky's summit.Then spake my spirit to the heart within me, My friends have cried unto me with their children.6 All these thy deeds must be declared at Soma-feasts, wrought, Indra, Bounteous Lord, for him whosheds the juice,When thou didst open wealth heaped up by many, brought from far away to Sarablia, the Rsi's kin.7 Now run ye forth your several ways: he is not here who kept you back.For hath not Indra sunk his bolt deep down in Vrtra's vital part?8 On-rushing with the speed of thought within the iron fort he pressed:The Falcon went to heaven and brought the Soma to the Thunderer.9 Deep in the ocean lies the bolt with waters compassed round about,And in continuous onward flow the floods their tribute bring to it.10 When, uttering words which no one comprehended, Vak, Queen of Gods, the Gladdener, wasseated,The heaven's four regions drew forth drink and vigour: now whither hath her noblest portionvanished?11 The Deities generated Vak the Goddess, and animals of every figure speak her.May she, the Gladdener, yielding food and vigour, the Milch-cow Vak, approach us meetly lauded.12 Step forth with wider stride, my comrade Visnu; make room, Dyaus, for the leaping of thelightning.Let us slay Vrtra, let us free the rivers let them flow loosed at the command of Indra.
HYMN XC. Various.1. YEA, specially that mortal man hath toiled for service of the Gods,Who quickly hath brought near Mitra and Varuna. to share his sacrificial gifts.2 Supreme in sovran power, far-sighted, Chiefs and Kings, most swift to hear from far away,Both, wondrously, set them in motion as with arms, in company with Surya's beams.3 The rapid messenger who runs before you, Mitra-Varuna, with iron head, swift to the draught,4 He whom no man may question, none may summon back, who stands not still for colloquy,-From hostile clash with him keep ye us safe this day: keep us in safety with your arms.5 To Aryaman and Mitra sing a reverent song, O pious one,A pleasant hymn that shall protect to Varuna: sing forth a laud unto the Kings.6 The true, Red Treasure they have sent, one only Son born of the Three.They, the Immortal Ones, never deceived, survey the families of mortal men.7 My songs are lifted up, and acts most splendid are to be performed.Come hither, ye Nasatyas, with accordant mind, to meet and to enjoy my gifts.8 Lords of great wealth, when we invoke your bounty which no demon checks,Both of you, furthering our eastward-offcred praise, come, Chiefs whom Jamadagni lauds!9 Come, Vayu, drawn by fair hymns, to our sacrifice that reaches heaven.Poured on the middle of the strainingcloth, and cooked, this bright drink hath been offered ilice.10 He comes by straightest paths, as ministering Priest, to taste the sacrificial gifts.Then, Lord of harnessed teams I drink of the twofold draught, bright Soma mingled with the milk.11 Verily, Surya, thou art great; truly, Aditya, thou art great.As thou art great indeed, thy greatness is admired: yea, verily, thou, God, art great.12 Yea, Surya, thou art great in fame thou evermore, O God, art great.Thou by thy greatness art the Gods' High Priest, divine, far-spread unconquerable light.
13 She yonder, bending lowly down, clothed in red hues and rich in rays,Is seen, advancing as it were with various tints, amid the ten surrounding arms.14 Past and gone are three mortal generations: the fourth and last into the Sun hath entered.He mid the worlds his lofty place hath taken. Into green plants is gone the Purifying.15 The Rudras' Mother, Daughter of the Vasus, centre of nectar, the Adityas' Sister-To folk who understand will 1 proclaim it-injure not Aditi, the Cow, the sinless.16 Weak-minded men have as a cow adopted me who came hither from the Gods, a Goddess,Who, skilled in eloquence, her voice uplifteth, who standeth near at hand with all devotions.
HYMN XCI. Agni.1. LORD of the house, Sage, ever young, high power of life, O Agni, God,Thou givest to thy worshipper.2 So with our song that prays and serves, attentive, Lord of spreading light,Agni, bring hitherward the Gods.3 For, Ever-Youthful One, with thee, best Furtherer, as our ally,We overcome, to win the spoil.4 As Aurva Bhrgu used, as Apnavana used, I call the pureAgni who clothes him with the sea.5 1 call the Sage who sounds like wind, the Might that like Parjanya roars,Agni who clothes him with the sea.6 As Savitar's productive Power, as him who sends down bliss, I callAgni who clothes him with the sea.7 Hither, for powerful kirship, I call Agni, him Who prospers you,Most frequent at our solemn rites8 That through this famed One's power, he may stand by us even as Tvastar comesUnto the forms that must he shaped.9 This Agni is the Lord supreme above all glories mid the Gods:May he come nigh to us with strength.10 Here praise ye him the most renowned of all the ministering Priests,Agni, the Chief at sacrifice;11 Piercing, with purifying flame, enkindled in our homes, most high,Swiftest to hear from far away.12 Sage, laud the Mighty One who wins the spoil of victory like a steed,And, Mitra like, unites the folk.13 Still turning to their aim in thee, the oblation-bearer's sister hymnsHave come to thee before the wind.14 The waters find their place in him, for whom the threefold sacred grassIs spread unbound, unlimited.15 The station of the Bounteous God hath, through his aid which none impair,A pleasant aspect like the Sun.16 Blazing with splendour, Agni, God, through pious gifts of sacred oil,Bring thou the Gods and worship them.17 The Gods as mothers brought thee forth, the Immortal Sage, O Afigiras,The bearer of our gifts to heaven.18 Wise Agni, Gods established thee, the Seer, noblest messenger,As bearer of our sacred gifts.19 No cow have I to call mine own, no axe at hand wherewith to work,Yet what is here I bring to thee.20 O Agni, whatsoever be the fuel that we lay for thee,Be pleased therewith, Most Youthful God
21 That which the white-ant cats away, that over which the emmet crawls-May all of this be oil to thee.22 When he enkindles Agni, man should with his heart attend the song:I with the priests have kindled him.
HYMN XCII. Agni1. THAT noblest Furtherer hath appeared, to whom men bring their holy works.Our songs of praise have risen aloft to Agni who was barn to give the Arya strength.2 Agni of Divodasa turned, as 'twere in majesty, to the Gods.Onward he sped along the mother earth, and took his station in the height of heaven.3 Him before whom the people shrink when he performs his glorious deeds,Him who wins thousands at the worship of the Gods, himself, that Agni, serve with son s.4 The mortal man whom thou wouldst lead to opulence, O Vasu, he who brings thee gifts.He, Agni, wins himself a hero singing lauds, yea, one who feeds a thousand men.5 He with the steed wins spoil even in the fenced fort, and gains imperishable fame.In thee, O Lord of wealth, continually we lay all precious offerings to the Gods.6 To him who dealeth out all wealth, who is the cheerful Priest of men,To him, like the first vessels filled with savoury juice, to Agni go the songs of praise.7 Votaries, richly-gifted, deck him with their songs, even as the steed who draws the car.On both, Strong Lord of men! on child and grandson pour the bounties which our nobles give.8 Sing forth to him, the Holy, most munificent, sublime with his refulgent glow,To Agni, ye Upastutas.9 Worshipped with gifts, enkindled, splendid, Maghavan shall win himself heroic fame.And will not his most newly shown benevolence come to us with abundant strength?10 Priest, presser of the juice! praise now the dearest Guest of all our friends,Agni, the driver of the cars.11 Who, finder-out of treasures open and concealed, bringeth them hither, Holy One;Whose waves, as in a cataract, are hard to pass, when he, through song, would win him strength.12 Let not the noble Guest, Agni, be wroth with us: by many a man his praise is sung,Good Herald, skilled in sacrifice.13 O Vasu, Agni, let not them be harmed who come in any way with lauds to thee.Even the lowly, skilled in rites, with offered gifts, seeketh thee for the envoy's task.14 Friend of the Maruts, Agni, come with Rudras to the Soma-draught,To Sobhar's fair song of praise, and be thou joyful in the light.VALAKHILYAAPPENDIX: (Book VIII. Hymns 49-59. M. Müller.)
HYMN I. Indra.1. TO you will I sing Indra's praise who gives good gifts as well we know;The praise of Maghavan who, rich in treasure, aids his singers with wealth thousandfold.2 As with a hundred hosts, he rushes boldly on, and for the offerer slays his foes.As from a mountain flow the water-brooks, thus flow his gifts who feedeth many a one.3 The drops effused, the gladdening draughts, O Indra, Lover of the SonAs waters seek the lake where they are wont to rest, fill thee, for bounty, Thunderer.4 The matchless draught that strengthens and gives eloquence, the sweetest of the meath drinkthou,That in thy joy thou maysi scatter thy gifts o'er us, plenteously, even as the dust.5 Come quickly to our laud, urged on by Soma-pressers like a horse-Laud, Godlike Indra, which milch-kine make sweet for thee: with Kanva's sons are gifts for thee.6 With homage have we sought thee as a Hero, strong, preeminent, with unfailing wealth.
O Thunderer, as a plenteous spring pours forth its stream, so, Indra, flow our songs to thee.7 If now thou art at sacrifice, or if thou art upon the earth,Come thence, high-thoughted! to our sacrifice with the Swift, come, Mighty with the Mighty Ones.8 The active, fleet-foot, tawny Coursers that are thine are swift to victory, like the Wind,Wherewith thou goest round to visit Manus' seed, wherewith all heaven is visible.9 Indra, from thee so great we crave prosperity in wealth of kine,As, Maghavan, thou favouredst Medhyatithi, and, in the fight, Nipatithi.10 As, Maghavan, to Kanva, Trasadasyu, and to Paktha and Dasavraja;As, Indra, to Gosarya and Rjisvan, thou vouchsafedst wealth in kine and gold.
HYMN II. Indra.1. SAKRA I praise, to win his aid, far-famed, exceeding bountiful,Who gives, as 'twere in thousands, precious wealth to him who sheds the juice and worships him.2 Arrows with hundred points, unconquerable, are this Indra's n-dghty arms in war.He streams on liberal worshippers like a hill with springs, when juices poured have gladdened him.3 What time the flowing Soma-drops have gladdened with their taste the Friend,Like water, gracious Lord! were my libations made, like milch-kine to the worshipper.4 To him the peerless, who is calling you to give you aid, forth flow the drops of pleasant meath.The Soloa-drops which call on thee, O gracious Lord, have brought thee to our hymn of praise.5 He rushes hurrying like a steed to Soma that adorns our rite,Which hymns make sweet to thee, lover of pleasant food. The call to Paura thou dost love.6 Praise the strong, grasping Hero, winner of the spoil, ruling supreme oer mighty wealth.Like a full spring, O Thunderer, from thy store hast thou poured on the worshipper evermore.7 Now whether thou be far away, or in the heavens, or on the earth,O Indra, mighty- thoughted, harnessing thy Bays, come Lofty with the Lofty Ones.8 The Bays who draw thy chariot, Steeds who injure none, surpass the wind's impetuous strength-With whom thou silencest the enemy of man, with whon; thou goest round the sky.9 O gracious Hero, may we learn anew to know thee as thou art:As in decisive fight thou holpest Etasa, or Vasa 'gainst Dasavraja,10 As, Maghavan, to Kanva at the sacred feast, to Dirghanitha thine home-friend,As to Gosarya thou, Stone-darter, gavest wealth, give me a gold-bright stall of kine.
HYMN III. Indra.1. As with Manu Samvarani, Indra, thou drankest Soma juice,And, Maghavan, with Nipatithi, Medbyatithi, with Pustigu and Srustigu,-2 T'he son of Prsadvana was Praskaniva's host, who lay decrepit and forlorn.Aided by thee the Rsi Dasyave-vrka strove to obtain thousands of kine.3 Call hither with thy newest song Indra who lacks not hymns of praise,Him who observes and knows, inspirer of the sage, him who seems eager to enjoy.4 He unto whom they sang the seven-headed hymn, three-parted, in the loftiest place,He sent his thunder down on all these living things, and so displayed heroic might.5 We invocate that Indra who bestoweth precious things on us.Now do we know his newest favour; may we gain a stable that is full of kine.6 He whom thou aidest, gracious Lord, to give again, obtains great wealth to nourish him.We with our Soma ready, Lover of the Song! call, Indra Maghavan, on thee.7 Ne'er art thou fruitless, Indra ne'er dost thou desert the worshipperBut now, O Maghavan, thy bounty as a God is poured forth ever more and more.8 He who hath. overtaken Krvi with his might, and silenced Susna with deathbolts,-When he supported yonder heaven and spread it out, then first the son of earth was born.9 Good Lord of wealth is he to whom all Aryas, Dasas here belong.
Directly unto thee, the pious Rusama Paviru, is that wealth brought nigh.10 In zealous haste the singers have sung forth a song distilling oil and rich in sweets.Riches have spread among us and heroic strength, with us are flowing Soma-drops.
HYMN IV. Indra.1. As, Sakra, thou with Manu called Vivasvan drankest Soma juice,As, Indra, thou didst love the hymn by Trita's side, so dost thou joy with Ayu now.2 As thou with Matarisvan, Medhya, Prsadhra, hast cheered thee Indra, with pressed juice,Drunk Soma with Rjunas, Syumarasmi, by Dasonya's Dasasipra's side.3 'Tis he who made the lauds his own and boldly drank the Soma juice,He to whom Visnu came striding his three wide steps, as Mitra's statutes ordered it.4 In whose laud thou didst joy, Indra, at the great deed, O Satakratu, Mighty One!Seeking renown we call thee as the milkers call the cow who yields abundant milk.5 He is our Sire who gives to us, Great, Mighty, ruling as he wills.Unsought, may he the Strong, Rich, Lord of ample wealth, give us of horses and of kine.6 He to whom thou, Good Lord, givest that he may give increases wealth that nourishes.Eager for wealth we call on Indra, Lord of wealth, on Satakratu with our lauds.7 Never art thou neglectful: thou guardest both races with thy care.The call on Indra, fourth Aditya! is thine own. Amrta is stablished in the heavens.8 The offercr whom thou, Indra, Lover of the Song, liberal Maghavan, favourest,-As at the call of Kanva so, O gracious Lord, hear, thou our songs and eulogy.9 Sung is the song of ancient time: to Indra have ye said the prayer.They have sung many a Brhati of sacrifice, poured forth the worshipper's many thoughts.10 Indra hath tossed together mighty stores of wealth, and both the worlds, yea, and the Sun.Pure, brightly-shining, mingled with the milk, the draughts of Soma have made Indra glad.
HYMN V. Indra.1. As highest of the Maghavans, preeminent among the Bulls,Best breaker-down of forts, kine-winner, Lord of wealth, we seek thee, Indra Maghavan.2 Thou who subduedst Ayu, Kutsa, Atithigva, waxing daily in thy might,As such, rousing thy power, we invocate thee now, thee Satakratu, Lord of Bays.3 The pressing-stones shall pour for us the essence of the meath of all,Drops that have been pressed out afar among the folk, and those that have been pressed near us.4 Repel all enmities and keep thern far away: let all win treasure for their own.Even among Sistas are the stalks that make thee glad, where thou with Soma satest thee.5 Come, Indra, very near to us with aids of firmly-based resolve;Come, most auspicious, with thy most auspicious help, good Kinsman, with good kinsmen, come!6 Bless thou with progeny the chief of men, the lord of heroes, victor in the fray.Aid with thy powers the men who sing thee lauds and keep their spirits ever pure and bright.7 May we be such in battle as are surest to obtain thy grace:With holy offerings and invocations of the Gods, we mean, that we may win the spoil.8 Thine, Lord of Bays, am I. Prayer longeth for the spoil. Still with thy help I seek the fight.So, at the raiders' head, I, craving steeds and kine, unite myself with thee alone.
HYMN VI. Indra.1. INDRA, the poets with. their hymns extol this hero might of thine:They strengthened, loud in song, thy power that droppeth oil. With hymns the Pauras came to thee.2 Through piety they came to Indra for his aid, they whose libations give theejoy.As thou with, Krsa and Samvarta hast rejoiced, so, Indra, be thou glad with us.3 Agreeing in your spirit, all ye Deities, come nigh to us.
Vasus and Rudras shall come near to give us aid, and Maruts listen to our call.4 May Pusan, Visnu, and Sarasvati befriend, and the Seven Streams, this call of mine:May Waters, Wind, the Mountains, and the Forest-Lord, and Earth give ear unto my cry.5 Indra, with thine own bounteous gift, most liberal of the Mighty Ones,Be our boon benefactor, Vrtra-slayer, be our feast-companion for our weal.6 Leader of heroes, Lord of battle, lead thou us to combat, thou Most Sapient One.High fame is theirs who win by invocations, feasts and entertainment of the Gods.7 Our hopes rest on the Faithful One: in Indra is the people's life.O Maghavan, come nigh that thou mayst give us aid: make plenteous food stream forth for us.8 Thee would we worship, Indra, with our songs of praise: O Satakratu, be thou ours.Pour down upon Praskanva bounty vast and firm, exuberant, that shall never fail.
HYMN VII. Praskanva's Gift.1. GREAT, verily, is Indra's might. I have beheld, and hither comesThy bounty, Dasyave-vrka!2 A hundred oxen white of hue are shining like the stars in heaven,So tall, they seem to prop the sky.3 Bamboos a hundred, a hundred dogs, a hundred skins of beasts well-tanned,A hundred tufts of Balbaja, four hundred red-hued mares are mine.4 Blest by the Gods, Kinvayanas! be ye who spread through life on life:Like horses have ye stridden forth.5 Then men extolled the team of seven not yet full-grown, its fame is great.The dark mares rushed along the paths, so that no eye could follow them.
HYMN VIII Praskanva's Go.1. THY bounty, Dasyave-vrka, exhaustless hath displayed itself:Its fulness is as broad as heaven.2 Ten thousand Dasyave-vrka, the son of Putakrata, hathFrom his own wealth bestowed on me.3 A hundred asses hath he given, a hundred head of fleecy sheep,A hundred slaves, and wreaths besides.4 There also was a mare led forth, picked out for Putakrata's sake,Not of the horses of the herd.5 Observant Agni hath appeared, oblation-bearer with his car.Agni with his resplendent flame hath shone on high as shines the Sun, hath shone like Surya intheheavens.
HYMN IX. Asvins.1. ENDOWED, O Gods, with your primeval wisdom, come quickly with your chariot, O ye Holy.Come with your mighty powers, O ye Nasatyas; come hither, drink ye this the third libation.2 The truthful Deities, the Three-and-Thirty, saw you approach before the Ever-Truthful.Accepting this our worship and libation, O Asvins bright with fire, drink ye the Soma.3 Asvins, that work of yours deserves our wonder,-the Bull of heaven and earth and air's mid region;Yea, and your thousand promises in battle, -to all of these come near and drink beside us.4 Here is your portion laid for you, ye Holy: come to these songs of ours, O ye Nasatyas.Drink among us the Soma full of sweetness, and with your powers assist the man who worships.
HYMN X. Visvedevas.1. HE whom the priests in sundry ways arranging the sacrifice, of one accord, bring hither,Who was appointed as a learned Brahman, -what is the sacrificer's knowledge of him?
2 Kindled in many a spot, still One is Agni; Silrya is One though high o'er all he shineth.Illumining this All, still One is usas. That which is One hath into All developed.3 The chariot bright and radiant, treasure-laden, three-wheeled, with easy seat, and lightly rolling,Which She of Wondrous Wealth was born to harness,-this car of yours I call. Drink what remaineth.
HYMN XI. Indra-Varuna.1. IN offerings poured to you, O Indra-Varuna, these shares of yours stream forth to glorify your state.Ye haste to the libations at each sacrifice when ye assist the worshipper who sheds the juice.2 The waters and the plants, O Indra-Varuna, had efficacious vigour, and attained to might:Ye who have gone beyond the path of middle air,-no godless man is worthy to be called your foe.3 True is your Krsa's word, Indra and Varuna: The seven holy voices pour a wave of meath.For their sake, Lords of splendour! aid the pious man who, unbewildered, keeps you ever in histhoughts.4 Dropping oil, sweet with Soma, pouring forth their stream, are the Seven Sisters in the seat ofsacrifice.These, dropping oil, are yours, O Indra-Varuna: with these enrich with gifts and help the worshipper.5 To our great happiness have we ascribed to these Two Bright Ones truthfulness, great strength,and majesty.O Lords of splendour, aid us through the Three-times-Seven, as we pour holy oil, O Indra-Varuna.6 What ye in time of old Indra and Varuna, gave Rsis revelation, thought, and power of song,And places which the wise made, weaving sacrifice,-these through my spirit's fervid glow have Ibeheld.,7 O Indra-Varuna, grant to the worshippers cheerfulness void of pride, and wealth to nourish them.Vouchsafe us food, prosperity, and progeny, and lengthen out our days that we may see long life.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE NINTH
HYMN I. Soma Pavamana.1. In sweetest and most gladdening streamflow pure, O Soma, on thy way,Pressed out for Indra, for his drink.2 Fiend-queller, Friend of all men, he hath with the wood attained untoHis place, his iron-fashioned home.3 Be thou best Vrtra-slayer, best granter of bliss, most liberal:Promote our wealthy princes' gifts.4 Flow onward with thy juice unto the banquet of the Mighty Gods:Flow bither for our strength and fame.5 O Indu, we draw nigh to thee, with this one object day by day:To thee alone our prayers are said6 By means of this eternal fleece may Surya's Daughter purifyThy Soma that is foaming forth.7 Ten sister maids of slender form seize him within the press and holdHim firmly on the final day.8 The virgins send him forth: they blow the the skin musician-like and fuseThe triple foe-repelling meath.9 Inviolable milch-kine round about him blend for Indra's drink,The fresh young Soma with their milk.10 In the wild raptures of this draught, Indra slays all the Vrtras: he,The Hero, pours his wealth on us.
HYMN II. Soma Pavamana.1. Soma, flow on, inviting Gods, speed to the purifying cloth:Pass into Indra, as a Bull.2 As mighty food speed hitherward, Indu, as a most splendid Steer:Sit in thy place as one with strength.3 The well-loved meath was made to flow, the stream of the creative juicene Sage drew waters to himself.4 The mighty waters, yea, the floods accompany thee Mighty One,When thou wilt clothe thee with the milk.5 The lake is brightened in the floods. Soma, our Friend, heaven's prop and stay,Falls on the purifying cloth.6 The tawny Bull hath bellowed, fair as mighty Mitra to behold:He shines together with the Sun.7 Songs, Indu, active in their might are beautified for thee, wherewithThou deckest thee for our delight.8 To thee who givest ample room we pray, to win the joyous draught:Great are the praise& due to thee.9 Indu as, Indra's Friend, on us pour with a stream of sweetness, likeParjanya sender of the rain.10 Winner of kine, Indu, art thou, winner of heroes, steeds, and strengthPrimeval Soul of sacrifice.
HYMN III. Soma Pavamana.1. HERE present this Immortal God flies, like a bird upon her wings,
To settle in the vats of wood.2 This God, made ready with the hymn, runs swiftly through the winding ways,Inviolable as he flows.3 This God while flowing is adorned, like a bay steed for war, by menDevout and skilled in holy songs.4 He, like a warrior going forth with heroes, as he flows alongIs fain to win all precious boons.5 This God, as he is flowing on, speeds like a car and gives his gifts:He lets his voice be heard of all6 Praised by the sacred bards, this God dives into waters, and bestowsRich gifts upon the worshipper.7 Away he rushes with his stream, across the regions, into heaven,And roars as he is flowing on.8 While flowing, meet for sacrifice, he hath gone up to heaven acrossThe regions, irresistible.9 After the 'way of ancient time, this God, pressed out for Deities,Flows tawny to the straining-cloth.10 This Lord of many Holy Laws, even at his birth engendering strength,Effused, flows onward in a stream.
HYMN IV. Soma Pavamana.1. O Soma flowing on thy way, win thou and conquer high renown;And make us better than we are.2 Win thou the light, win heavenly light, and, Soma, all felicities;And make us better than we are.3 Win skilful strength and mental power. O Soma, drive away our foes;And make us better than we are.4 Ye purifiers, purify Soma for Indra, for his drink:Make thou us better than we are.5 Give us our portion in the Sun through thine own mental power and aids;And make us better than we are.6 Through thine own mental power and aid long may we look upon the Sun;Make thou us better than we are.7 Well-weaponed Soma, pour to usa stream of riches doubly great;And make us better than we are.8 As one victorious unsubdued in battle pour forth wealth to us;And make us better than we are.9 By worship, Pavamana! men have strengthened thee to prop the Law:Make thou us better than we are.10 O Indu, bring us wealth in steeds, manifold. quickening all life;And mate us better than we are.
HYMN V Apris.1. ENKINDLED, Pavamana, Lord, sends forth his light on, every sideIn friendly show, the bellowing Bull.2 He, Pavamana, Self-produced, speeds onward sharpening his horns:He glitters through the firmament.3 Brilliant like wealth, adorable, with splendour Pavamana shines,Mightily with the streams of meath.4 The tawny Pavamana, who strews from of old the grass with might,
Is worshipped, God amid the Gods.5 The golden, the Celestial Doors are lifted with their frames on high,By Pavamana glorified.6 With passion Pavamana longs for the great lofty pair, well-formedLike beauteous maidens, Night and Dawn7 Both Gods who look on men I call, Celestial Heralds: Indra's SelfIs Pavamana, yea, the Bull.8 This, Pavamana's sacrifice, shall the three beauteous Goddesses,Sarasvati and Bharati and Ila, Mighty One, attend.9 1 summon Tvastar hither, our protector, champion, earliest-born,Indu is Indra, tawny Steer; Pavamana is Prajapati.10 O Pavamana, with the meath in streams anoint Vanaspati,The ever-green. the golden-hued, refulgent, with a thousand boughs.11 Come to the consecrating rite of Pavamana, all ye Gods,-Vayu, Surya, Brhaspati, Indra, and Agni, in accord.
HYMN VI. Soma Pavamana.1. SOMA, flow on with pleasant stream, a Bull devoted to the Gods,Our Friend, unto the woollen sieve.2 Pour hitherward, as Indra's Self, Indu, that gladdening stream of thine,And send us coursers full of strength.3 Flow to the filter hitherward, pouring that ancient gladdening juice,Streaming forth power and high renown.4 Hither the sparkling drops have flowed, like waters down a steep descentThey have reached Indra purified.5 Whom, having passed the filter, ten dames cleanse, as 'twere a vigorous steed,While he disports him in the wood,-6 The steer-strong juice with milk pour forth, for feast and service of the Gods,To him who bears away the draught.7. Effused, the God flows onward with his stream to Indra, to the God,So that his milk may strengthen him.8 Soul of the sacrifice, the juice effused flows quickly on: he keepsHis ancient wisdom of a Sage.9 So pouring forth, as Indra's Friend, strong drink, best Gladdener! for the feast,Thou, even in secret, storest hymns.
HYMN VII. Soma Pavamana.1. FORTH on their way the glorious drops have flowed for maintenance of Law,Knowing this sacrifice's course.2 Down in the mighty waters sinks the stream of meath, most excellent,Oblation best of all in worth.3 About the holy place, the Steer true, guileless, noblest, hath sent forthContinuous voices in the wood.4 When, clothed in manly strength, the Sage flows in celestial wisdom round,The Strong would win the light of heaven.5 When purified, he sits as King above the hosts, among his folk,What time the sages bring him nigh.6 Dear, golden-coloured, in the fleece he sinks and settles in the wood:The Singer shows his zeal in hymns.7 He goes to Indra, Vayu, to the Asvins, as his custom is,
With gladdening juice which gives them joy.8 Tle streams of pleasant Soma flow to Bhaga, Mitra-Varuna,-Well-knowing through his mighty powers.Heaven and Earth, riches of meath to win us wealth:Gain for us treasures and renown.
HYMN VIII. Soma Pavamana.1. OBEYING Indra's dear desire these Soma juices have flowed forth,Increasing his heroic might.2 Laid in the bowl, pure-flowing on to Vayu and the Asvins, mayThese give us great heroic strength.3 Soma, as thou art purified, incite to bounty Indra's heart,To sit in place of sacrifice.4 The ten swift fingers deck thee forth, seven ministers impel thee on:The sages have rejoiced in thee.5 When through the filter thou art poured, we clothe thee with a robe of milkTo be a gladdening draught for Gods.6 When purified within the jars, Soma, brightred and golden-hued,Hath clothed him with a robe of milk.7 Flow on to us and make us rich. Drive all our enemies away.O Indu, flow into thy Friend.Send down the rain from heaven, a stream of opulence from earth. Give us,O Soma, victory in war.9 May we obtain thee, Indra's drink, who viewest men and findest light,Gain thee, and progeny and food.
HYMN IX. Soma Pavamana.I. THE Sage of Heaven whose heart is wise, when laid between both hands and pressed,Sends us delightful powers of life.2 On, onward to a glorious home; dear to the people void of guile,With excellent enjoyment, flow.3 He, the bright Son, when born illumed his Parents who had sprung to life,Great Son great Strengtheners of Law.4 Urged by the seven devotions he hath stirred the guileless rivers whichHave magnified the Single Eye.5 These helped to might theYouthful One, high over all, invincible,Even Indu, Indra! in thy law.6 The immortal Courser, good to draw, looks down upon the Seven: the fountHath satisfied the Goddesses7 Aid us in holy rites, O Man: O Pavamana, drive awayDark shades that must be met in fight.8 Make the paths ready for a hymn newer and newer evermore:Make the lights shine as erst they shone.9 Give, Pavamana, high renown, give kine and steeds and hero sons:Win for us wisdom, win the light.
HYMN X. Soma Pavamana.1. LIKE cars that thunder on their way, like coursers eager for renown,Have Soma-drops flowed forth for wealth.2 Forth have they rushed from holding hands, like chariots that are urged to speed,
Like joyful songs of singing-men.3 The Somas deck themselves with milk, as Kings are graced with eulogies,And, with seven priests, the sacrifice.4 Pressed for the gladdening draught, the drops flow forth abundantly with song,The Soma juices in a stream.5 Winning Vivasvan's glory and producing Morning's light, the SunsPass through the openings of the cloth.6 The singing-men of ancient time open the doors of sacred songs,-Men, for the mighty to accept.7 Combined in close society sit the seven priests, the brother-hood,Filling the station of the One.8 He gives us kinship with the Gods, and with the Sun unites our eye:The Sage's ofrspring hath appeared.9 The Sun with his dear eye beholds that quarter of the heavens which priestsHave placed within the sacred cell.
HYMN XL Soma Pavamana.1. SING forth to Indu, O ye men, to him who is purified,Fain to pay worship to the Gods.2 Together with thy pleasant juice the Atharvans have commingled milk,Divine, devoted to the God.3 Bring, by thy flowing, weal to kine, weal to the people, weal to steeds.Weal, O thou King, to growing plants4 Sing a praise-song to Soma brown of hue, of independent might.The Red, who reaches up to heaven.5 Purify Soma when effused with stones which bands move rapidly,And pour the sweet milk in the meath.6 With humble homage draw ye nigh; blend the libation with the curds:To Indra offer Indu up.7 Soma, foe-que chief o'er men, doing the will of pour forthProsperity upon our kine.8 Heart-knower, Sovran of the heart, thou art effused, O Soma, that Indra may drink thee and rejoice.9 O Soma Pavamana, give us riches and heroic strength,-Indu! with. Indra for ally.
HYMN XII. Soma Pavamana.1. To Indra have the Soma drops, exceeding rich in sweets, been poured,Shed in the seat of sacrifice.2 As mother kine low to their calves, to Indra have the sages called,Called him to drink the Soma juice.3 In the stream's wave wise Soma dwells, distilling rapture, in his seat,Resting upon a wiId-cow's hide.4 Far-sighted Soma, Sage and Seer, is worshipped in the central pointOf heaven, the straining-cloth of wool.5 In close embraces Indu holds Soma whenpoured within the jars.And on the. purifying sieve.6 Indu sends forth a voice on high to regions of the sea of air,Shaking the vase that drops with meath.7 The Tree whose praises never fail yields heavenly milk among our hymns,
Urging men's generations on.8 The Wise One, with the Sage's stream, the Soma urged to speed, flows onTo the dear places of the sky.9 O Pavamana, bring us wealth bright with a thousand splendours. Yea.O Indu, give us ready help.
HYMN XIII. Soma Pavamana.1. PASSED through, the fleece in thousand streams the Soma, purified, flows onTo Indra's, Viyu's special place.2 Sing forth, ye men who long for help, to Pavamana, to the Sage,Effused to entertain the Gods.3 The Soma-drops with thousand powers are purified for victory,Hymned to become the feast of Gods.4 Yea, as thou flowest bring great store of food that we may win the spoilIndu, bring splendid manly might.5 May they in flowing give us wealth in thousands, and heroic power,-These Godlike Soma-drops effused.6 Like coursers by their drivers urged, they were poured forth, for victory,Swift through the woollen straining-cloth.7 Noisily flow the Soma-drops, like milch-kine lowing to their calves:They have run forth from both the hands.8 As Gladdener whom Indra loves, O Pavamana, with a roarDrive all our enemies away.9 O Pavamamas, driving off the godless, looking on the light,Sit in the place of sacrifice.
HYMN XIV. Soma Pavamana.1. REPOSING on the river's wave the Sage hath widely flowed around,Bearing the hymn which many love.2 When the Five kindred Companies, active in duty, with the songEstablish him, the Powerful,3 Then in his juice whose strength is great, have all the Gods rejoiced themselves,When he hath clothed him in the milk.4 Freeing himself he flows away, leaving his body's severed limbs,And meets his own Companion here.5 He by the daughters of the priest, like a fair youth, hath been adorned,Making the milk, as 'twere, his robe.6 O'er the fine fingers, through desire of milk, in winding course he goes,And utters voice which he hath found.7 The nimble fingers have approached, adorning him the Lord of Strength:They grasp the vigorous Courser's back.8 Comprising all the treasures that are in the heavens and on the earth,Come, Soma, as our faithful Friend.
HYMN XV. Soma Pavamana.1. THROUGH the fine fingers, with the song, this Hero comes with rapid ears,Going to Indra's special place.2 In holy thought he ponders much for the great worship of the Gods.Where the Immortals have their seat.3 Like a good horse is he led out, when on the path that shines with light
The mettled steeds exert their strength.4 He brandishes his horns on high, and whets them Bull who leads the herd,Doing with might heroic deeds.5 He moves, a vigorous Steed, adorned with beauteous rays of shining gold,Becoming Sovran of the streams.6 He, over places rough to pass, bringing rich treasures closely packed.Descends into the reservoirs.7 Men beautify him in the vats, him worthy to be beautified,Him who brings forth abundant food.8 Him, even him, the fingers ten and the seven songs make beautiful,Well-weaponed, best of gladdeners.
HYMN XVI. Soma Pavamana.1. THE pressers from the Soma-press send forth thy juice for rapturous joyThe speckled sap runs like a flood.2 With strength we follow through the sieve him who brings might and wins the kine,Enrobed in water with his juice.3 Pour on the sieve the Soma, ne'er subdued in waters, waterless,And make it pure for Indra's drink.4 Moved by the purifier's thought, the Soma flows into the sieve:By wisdom it hath gained its home.5 With humble homage, Indra, have the Soma-drops flowed forth to thee,Contending for the glorious prize.6 Purified in his fleecy garb, attaining every beauty, heStands, hero-like, amid the kine.7 Swelling, as 'twere, to heights of heaven, the stream of the creative juiceFalls lightly on the cleansing sieve.8 Thus, Soma, purifying himwho knoweth song mid living men,Thou wanderest through the cloth of wool.
HYMN XVII. Soma Pavamana.1. LIKE rivers down a steep descent, slaying the Vrtras, full of zeal,The rapid Soma-streams have flowed.2 The drops of Soma juice effused fall like the rain upon the earth:To Indra flow the Soma-streams.3 With swelling wave the gladdening drink, the Soma, flows into.the sieve,Loving the Gods and slaying fiends.4 It hastens to the pitchers, poured upon the sieve it waxes strongAt sacrifices through the lauds.5 Soma, thou shinest mounting heaven as 'twere above light's triple realm,And moving secm'st to speed the Sun.6 To him, the head of sacnfice, singers and bards have sung their songs,Offering what he loves to see.7 The men, the sages with their hymns, eager for help, deck thee strong &teed,Deck thee for service of the Gods.8 Flow onward to the stream of meath rest efficacious in thy home,Fair, to be drunk at sacrifice.
HYMN XVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. THOU, Soma, dweller on the hills, effused, hast flowed into the sieve,:
All-bounteous art thou in carouse.2 Thou art a sacred Bard, a Sage; the meath is offipring of thy sap:All-bountcous art thou in carouse.3 All Deities of one accord have come that they may drink of thee:All-bounteous art thou in carouse.4 He who containeth in his hands all treasures much to be desired:All-bounteous art thou in carouse.5 Who milketh out this mighty Pair, the Earth and Heaven, like mother kineAll-bounteous art thou in carouse.6 Who in a moment mightily floweth around these two world-halvcs:All-bounteous art thou in carouse.7 The Strong One, being purified, hath in the pitchers cried aloud:All-bounteous art thou in carouse.
HYMN XIX. Soma Pavamana.1. O SOMA, being purified bring us the wondrous treasure, meetFor lauds, that is in earth and heaven.2 For ye Twain, Indra, Soma, are Lords of the light, Lords of the kine:Great Rulers, prosper ye our songs.3 The tawny Steer, while cleansed among the living, bellowing on the grass,Hath sunk and settled in his home.4 Over the Steer's productive flow the sacred songs were resonant,The mothers of the darling Son.5 Hath he not, purified, impregned the kine whb long to meet their Lord,The kine who yield the shining milk?6 Bring near us those who stand aloof strike fear into our enemies:O Pavamana, find us wealth.7 Soma, bring down the foeman's might, his vigorous strength and vital powe'r,Whether he be afar or near.
HYMN XX Soma Pavamana.1. FORTH through the straining-cloth the Sage flows to the banquet of the Gods,Subduing all our enemies.2 For he, as Pavamana, sends thousandfold treasure in the shapeOf cattle to the singing-men.3 Thou graspest all things with thy mind, and purifiest thee with thoughtsAs such, O Soma, find us fame.4 Pour lofty glory on us, send sure riches to our liberal lords,Bring food to those who sing thy praise.5 As thou art cleansed, O Wondrous Steed, O Soma, thou hast entered, likeA pious King, into the songs.6 He, Soma, like a courser in the floods invincible, made cleanWith hands, is resting in the jars.7 Disporting, like a liberal chief, thou goest, Soma, to the sieve,Lending the laud a Hero's strength.
HYMN XXI. Soma Pavamana.1. To Indra flow these running drops, these Somas frolicsome in mood.Exhilarating, finding light;2 Driving off foes, bestowing room upon the presser, willingly
Bringing their praiser vitalforce.3 Lightly disporting them, the drops flow to one common reservoir,And fall into the river's wave.4 These Pavamanas have obtained all blessings much to be desired,Like coursers harnessed to a car.5 With view to us, O Soma-drops, bestow his manifold desireOn him who yet hath given us naught.6 Bring us our wish with this design, as a wright brings his new-wrought wheel:Flow pure and shining with the stream.7 These drops have cried with resonant voice: like swift steeds they have run the course,And roused the good man's hymn to life.
HYMN XXII. Soma Pavamana.1. THESE rapid Soma-streams have stirred themselves to motion like strong steeds,Like cars, like armies hurried forth.2 Swift as wide winds they lightly move, like rain-storms of Parjanya, likeThe flickering flames of burning fire.3 These Soma juices, blent with curds, purified, skilled in sacred hymns,Have gained by song their hearts'desire.4 Immortal, cleansed, these drops, since first they flowed, have never wearied, fainTo reach the regions and their paths.5 Advancing they have travelled o'er the ridges of the earth and heaven,And this the highest realm of all.6 Over the heights have they attained the highest thread that is spun out,And this which must be deemed most high.7 Thou, Soma, boldest wealth in kine which thou hast seized from niggard churls:Thou calledst forth the outspun thread.
HYMN XXIII. Soma Pavamana.1. SWIFT Soma drops have been effused in streams of meath, the gladdening drink,For sacred lore of every kind.2 Hither to newer. resting-place the ancient Living Ones are come.They made the Sun that he might shine.3 O Pavamana, bring to us the unsacrificing foeman's wealth,And give us food with progeny.4 The living Somas being cleansed diffuse exhilarating drink,Turned to the vat which drips with meath.5 Soma gows on intelligent, possessing sap and mighty strength,Brave Hero who repels the curse.6 For Indra, Soma! thou art cleansed, a feast-companion for the Gods:1ndu, thou fain wilt win us strength7 When he had drunken draughts of this, Indra smote down resistless foes:Yea, smote them, and shall smite them still.
HYMN XXIV.Soma Pavamana.1. HITHERWARD have the Soma streamed,the drops while they are purified:When bIent, in waters they are rinsed.2 The milk hath run to meet them like floods rushing down a precipice:They come to Indra, being cleansed.
3 O Soma Pavamana, thou art flowing to be Indra's drink:The men have seized and lead thee forth.4 Victorious, to be hailed with joy, O Soma, flow, delighting men,To him who ruleth o'er mankind.5 Thou, Indu, when, effused by stones, thou runnest to the filter, art,Ready for Indra's high decree.6 Flow on, best Vrtra-slayer; flow meet to be hailed with joyful lauds.Pure, purifying, wonderful.7 Pure, purifying is he called the Soma of the meath eflused,Slayer of sinners, dear to Gods.
HYMN XXV. Soma Pavamana.1. GREEN-HUED! as one who giveth strength flow on for Gods to drink, a draughtFor Vayu and the Marut host.2 O Pavamana, sent by song, roaring about thy dwelling-place,Pass into Vayu as Law bids.3 The Steer shines with the Deities, dear Sage in his appointed home,Foe-Slayer, most beloved by Gods.4 Taking each beauteous form, he goes, desirable, while purified,Thither where- the Immortals sit.5 To Indra Soma flows, the Red, engendering song, exceeding wise,The visitor of living men.6 Flow, best exhilarator, Sage, flow to the filter in a streamTo seat thee in the place of song.
HYMN XXVI. Soma Pavamana.1. THE sages with the fingers' art have dressed and decked that vigorous SteedUpon the lap of Aditi,2 The kine have called aloud to him exhaustless with a thousand streams,To Indu who supporteth heaven.3 Him, nourisher of many, Sage, creative Pavamana, theyHave sent, by wisdom, to the sky.4 Him, dweller with Vivasvan, they with use of both arms have sent forth,The Lord of Speech infallible.5 Him, green, beloved, many eyed, the Sisters with prosing stonesSend down to ridges of the sieve.6 O Pavamana, Indu, priests hurry thee on to Indra, theeWho aidest song and cheerest him.
HYMN XXVII. Soma Pavamana.1. THIS Sage, exalted by our lauds, flows to the purifying cloth,Scattering foes as he is cleansed.2 As giving power and winning light, for Indra and for Vayu heIs poured upon the filtering-cloth.3 The men conduct him, Soma, Steer, Omniscient, and the Head of Heaven,Effused into the vats of wood.4 Longing for kine, longing for gold hath Indu Pavamana lowed,Still Conqueror, never overcome.5 This Pavamana, gladdening draught, drops on the filtering cloth, and thenMounts up with Surya to the sky.
6 To Indra in the firmament this mighty tawny Steer hath flowed,This Indu, being purified.
HYMN XXVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. URGED by the men, this vigorous Steed, Lord of the mind, Omniscient,Runs to the woollen straining-cloth.2 Within the filter hath he flowed, this Soma for the Gods effused,Entering all their essences.3 He shines in beauty there, this God Immortal in his dwelling-place,Foe-slayer, dearest to the Gods.4 Directed by the Sisters ten, bellowing on his way this SteerRuns onward to the wooden vats.5 This Pavamana, swiftand strong, Omniscient, gave spleudour toThe Sun and all his forms of light.6 This Soma being purified, flows mighty and infallible,Slayer of sinners, dear toGods.
HYMN XXIX. Soma Pavamana.1. FORWARD with mighty force have flowed the currents of this Steer effused,Of him who sets him by the Gods.2 The singers praise him with their song, and learned priests adorn the Steed,Brought forth as light that merits laud.3 These things thou winnest lightly while purified, Soma, Lord of wealth:Fill full the sea that claims our praise.4 Winning all precious things at once, flow on, O Soma, with thy streamDrive to one place our enemies.5 Preserve us from the godless, from ill-omened voice of one and all,That so we may be freed from blame.6 O Indu, as thou flowest on bring us the wealth of earth and heaven,And splendid vigour, in thy stream.
HYMN XXX. Soma Pavamana.1. STREAMS of this Potent One have flowed easily to the straining-cloth:While he is cleansed he lifts his voice.2 Indu, by pressers urged to speed, bellowing out while beautified.Sends forth a very mighty sound.3 Pour on us, Soma, with thy stream manconquering might which many crave,Accompanied with hero sons.4 Hither hath Pavamana flowed, Soma flowed hither in a stream,To settle in the vats of wood.5 To waters with the stones they drive thee tawny-hued, most rich in sweets,O Indu, to be Indra's drink.6 For Indra, for the Thunderer press the Soma very rich in sweets,Lovely, inspiriting, for strength.
HYMN XXXI. Soma Pavamana.1. THE, Soma-drops, benevolent, come forth as they are purified,Bestowing wealth which all may see.2 O Indu, high o'er heaven and earth be thou, increaser of our might:The Master of all strength be thou.
3 The winds are gracious in their love to thee, the rivers flow to theeSoma, they multiply thy power.4 Soma, wax great. From every side may vigorous powers unite in thee:Be in the gathering-Place of strength.5 For thee, brown-hued! the kine have poured imperishable oil and milk.Aloft on the sublimest height.6 Friendship, O Indu, we desire with thee who bearest noble arms,With thee, O Lord of all that is.
HYMN XXXII. Soma Pavamana.1. THE rapture-shedding Soma-drops, effused in our assembly, haveFlowed forth to glorify our prince.2 Then Trita's Maidens onward urge the Tawny-coloured with the stones,Indu for Indra, for his drink.3 Now like a swan he maketh all the company sing each his hymn:He, like a steed, is bathed in milk.4 O Soma, viewing heaven and earth, thou runncst like a darting deerSet in the place of sacrifice.5 The cows have sung with joy to him, even as a woman to her loveHe came as to a settled race.6 Bestow illustrious fame on us, both on our liberal lords and me,Glory, intelligence, and wealth.
HYMN XXXIII. Soma Pavamana.1. LIKE waves of waters, skilled in song the juices of the Soma speedOnward, as buffaloes to woods.2 With stream of sacrifice the brown bright drops have flowed with strength in storeOf kine into the wooden vats.3 To Indra, Vayu, Varuna, to Visnu, and the Maruts, flowThe drops of Soma juice effused.4 Three several words are uttered: kine are lowing, cows who give their milk:The Tawny-hued goes bellowing on.5 The young and sacred mothers of the holy rite have uttered praise:They decorate the Child of Heaven.6 From every side, O Soma, for our profit, pour thou forth four seasFilled full of riches thousandfold.
HYMN XXXIV. Some Pavamana.1. THE drop of Soma juice effused flows onward with this stream impelled.Rending strong places with its might.2 Poured forth to Indra, Varuna, to Vayu and the Marut hosts,To Visnu, flows the Soma juice.3 With stones they press the Soma forth, the Strong conducted by the strong:They milk the liquor out with skill.4 'Tis he whom Trita must refine, 'tis he who shall make Indra glad:The Tawny One is decked with tints.5 Him do the Sons of Prsni milk, the dwelling-place of sacrifice,Oblation lovely and most dear.6 To him in one unitcd stream th-,se songs flow on straight forward. he,Loud voiced, hath made the milch-kine low.
HYMN XXXV. Soma Pavamana.1. Pour forth on us abundant wealth, O Pavamana, with thy stream.Wherewith thou mayest find us light2 O Indu, swayer of the sea, shaker of all things, flow thou on,Bearer of wealth to us with might.3 With thee for Hero, Valiant One! may we subdue our enemies:Let what is precious flow to us.4 Indu arouses strength the Sage who strives for victory, winning power,Discovering holy works and means.5 Mover of speech, we robe him with our songs as he is purifiedSoma, the Guardian of the folk;6 On whose way, Lord of Holy Law, most richi as he is purified.The people all have set their hearts.
HYMN XXXVI. Soma Pavamana.1. FORTH from the mortar is the juice sent, like a car-horse, to the sieve:The Steed steps forward to the goal.2 Thus, Soma, watchful, bearing well, cheering the Gods, flow past the sieve,Turned to the vat that drops with meath.3 Excellent Pavamana, make the lights shine brightly out for us.Speed us to mental power and skill.4 He, beautified by pious men, and coming from their hands adorned,Flows through the fleecy straining-cloth.5 May Soma pour all treasures of the heavens, the earth, the firmamentUpon the liberal worshipper.6 Thou mountest to the height of heaven, O Soma, seeking steeds and kine,And seeking heroes, Lord of Strength!
HYMN XXXVII. Soma Pavamana.1. SOMA, the Steer, effused for draught, flows to the purifying sieve,Slaying the fiends, loving the Gods.2 Far-sighted, tawny-coloured, he flows to the sieve, intelligent,Bellowing, to his place of rest.3 This vigorous Pavamana runs forth to the luminous realm of heaven,Fiend-slayer, through the fleecy sieve.4 This Payamana up above Trita's high ridge hath made the Sun,Together with the Sisters, shine.5 This Vrtra-slaying Steer, effused, Soma room-giver, ne'er deceived,Hath gone, as 'twere, to win the spoil.6 Urged onward by the sage, the God speeds forward to the casks of wood,Indu to Indra willingly.
HYMN XXXVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. THIS Steer, this Chariot, rushes through the woollen filter, as he goesTo war that wins a thousand spoils.2 The Dames of Trita with the stones onward impel this Tawny OneIndu to Indra for his drink.3 Ten active fingers carefully adorn him here; they make him brightAnd beauteous for the gladdening draught.
4 He like a falcon settles down amid the families of men.Speeding like lover to his love.5 This young exhilarating juice looks downward from its place in heaven,This Soma-drop that pierced the sieve.6 Poured for the draught, this tawny juiceflows forth, intelligent, crying out,Unto the well-beloved place.
HYMN XXXIX Soma Pavamana.1. FLOW On, O thou of lofty thought, flow swift in thy beloved form,Saying, I go where dwell the Gods.2 Preparing what is unprepared, and bringing store of food to man,Make thou the rain descend from heaven.3 With might, bestowing power, thejuice enters the purifying sieve,Far-seeing, sending forth its light.4 This is it which in rapid course hath with the river's wave flowed downFrom heaven upon the straining cloth.5 Inviting him frorh far away, and even from near at hand, the juiceFor Indra is poured forth as meath.6 In union they have sung the hymn: with stones they urge the Tawny One.Sit in the place of sacrifice.
HYMN XL. Soma Pavamana.1. THE Very Active hath assailed, while purified, all enemies:They deck the Sage with holy songs.2 The Red hath mounted to his place; to India, goes the mighty juice:He settles in his firm abode.3 O Indu, Soma, send us now great opulence from every side, Pour on us treasures thousandfold.4 O Soma Pavamana, bring, Indu, all splcndours hitherward:Find for us food in boundless store.5 As thou art cleansed, bring hero strength and riches to thy worshipper,And prosper thou the singer's hymns.6 O Indu, Soma, being cleansed, bring hither riches doublypiled,Wealth, mighty Indu, meet for lauds.
HYMN XLI. Soma Pavamana.1. ACTIVE and bright have they come forth, impetuous in speed like bulls,Driving the black skin far away.2 Quelling the riteless Dasyu, may we think upon the bridge of bliss,Leaving the bridge of woe behind.3 The mighty Pavamana's roar is heard as 'twere the rush of rainLightnings are flashing to the sky.4 Pour out on us abundant food, when thou art pressed, O Indu wealthIn kine and gold and steeds and spoil.5 Flow on thy way, Most Active, thou. fill full the mighty heavens and earth,As Dawn, as Surya with his beams.6 On every side, O Soma, flow round us with thy protecting stream,As Rasa flows around the world.
HYMN XLII. Soma Pavamana.
1. ENGENDERING the Sun in floods, engendering heaven's lights, green-hued,Robed in the waters and the milk,2 According to primeval plan this Soma, with his stream, effusedFlows purely on, a God for Gods.3 For him victorious, waxen great, the juices with a thousand powersAre purified for winning spoil.4 Shedding the ancient fluid he is poured into the cleansing sieve:He, thundering, hath produced the Gods.5 Soma, while purifying, sends hither all things to be desired,He sends the Gods who strengthen Law.6 Soma, effused, pour on us wealth in kine, in heroes, steeds, and spoil,Send us abundant store of food.
HYMN XLIII. Soma Pavamana.1. WE will enrobe with sacred song the Lovely One who, as a Steed,Is decked with milk for rapturous joy.2 All songs of ours desiring grace adorn him in the ancient way,Indu for Indra, for his drink.3 Soma flows on when purified, beloved and adorned with songs,Songs of the sage Medhyatithi.4 O Soma Pavamana, find exceeding glorious wealth for us,Wealth, Indu, fraught with boundless might.5 Like courser racing to the prize Indu, the lover of the Gods,Roars, as he passes, in the sieve.6 Flow on thy way to win us strength, to speed the sage who praises thee:Soma, bestow heroic power.
HYMN XLIV. Soma Pavamana.1. INDU, to us for this great rite, bearing as 'twere thy wave to Gods,Unwearied, thou art flowing forQh.2 Pleased with the hymn, impelled by prayer, Soma is hurried far away,The Wise One in the Singer's stream.,3 Watchful among the. gods, this juice advances to the cleansing sieveSoma, most active, travels on.4 Flow onward, seeking strength for us, embellishing the sacrifice:The priest with trimmed grass calleth thee.5 May Soma, ever bringing power to Bhaga and to Vayu, SageAnd Hero, lead us to the Gods.6 So, to increase our wealth to-day, Inspirer, best of Furtherers,Win for us strength and high renown.
HYMN XLV. Soma Pavamana.1. FLOW, thou who viewest men, to give delight, to entertain the Gods,Indu, to Indra for his drink.2 Stream to thine embassy for us: thou hastenest, for Indra, toThe Gods, O better than our friends.3 We balm thee, red of hue, with milk to fit thee for the rapturous joy:Unbar for us the doors of wealth.4 He through the sieve hath passed, as comes a courser to the pole, to runIndu belongs unto the Gods.
5 All friends have lauded him as he sports in the wood, beyond the fleece:Singers have chanted Indu's praise.6 Flow, Indu, with that stream wherein steeped thou announcest to the manWho worships thee heroic strength.
HYMN XLVI. Soma Pavamana.1. LIKE able coursers they have been sent forth to be the feast of Gods,joying in mountains, flowing on.2 To Vayu flow the Soma-streams, the drops of juice made beautifulLike a bride dowered by her sire.3 Pressed in the mortar, these, the drops ofjuice, the Somas rich in food,Give strength to Indra with their work.4 Deft-handed men, run hither, seize the brilliant juices blent with meal,And cook with milk the gladdening draught.5 Thus, Soma, Conqueror of wealth! flow, finding furtherance for us,Giver oF ample opulence.6 This Pavamana, meet to be adorned, the fingers ten adorn,The draught that shall make Indra glad.
HYMN XLVII. Soma Pavamana.1. GREAT as he was, Soma hath gained strength by this high solemnity:joyous he riseth like a bull.2 His task is done: his crushings of the Dasyus are made manifest:He sternly reckoneth their debts.3 Soon as his song of praise is born, the Soma, Indra's juice, becomesA thousand-winning thunderbolt.4 Seer and Sustainer, he himself desireth riches for the sageWhen he embellisheth his songs.5 Fain would they both win riches as in races of the steeds. In warThou art upon the conquerors' side.
HYMN XLVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. WITH sacrifice we seek to thee kind Cherisher of manly mightIn mansions of the lofty heavens;2 Gladdening crusher of the bold, ruling with very mighty sway,Destroyer of a hundred forts.3 Hence, Sapient One! the Falcon, strong of wing, unwearied, brought thee down,Lord over riches, from the sky.4 That each may see the light, the Bird brought us the guard of Law, the FriendOf all, the speeder through the air.5 And now, sent forth, it hath attained to mighty power and majesty,Most active, ready to assist.
HYMN XLIX. Soma Pavamana.1. Poust down the rain upon us, pour a wave of waters from the sky,And plenteous store of wholesome fbod.2 Flow onward with that stream of thine, whereby the cows have come to us,The kine of strangers to our home.3 Chief Friend of Gods in sacred rites, pour on us fatness with thy stream,
Ppur down on us a flood of rain.4 To give us vigour, with thy stream run through the fleecy straining-clothFor verily the Gods will bear.5 Onward hath Pavamana flowed and beaten off the Raksasas,Flashing out splendour as of old.
HYMN L. Soma Pavamana.1. LOUD as a river's roaring wave thy powers have lifted up themselves:Urge on thine arrow's sharpened point.2 At thine effusion upward rise three voices full of joy, when thouFlowest upon the fleecy ridge.3 On to the fleece they urge with stone the tawny well-beloved One,Even Pavamana, dropping meath.4 Flow with thy current to the sieve, O Sage most powerful to cheer,To seat thee in the place of song.5 Flow, Most Exhilarating! flow anointed with the milk for balm,Indu, for Indra, for his drink.
HYMN LI. Soma Pavamana.1. ADHVARYU, on the filter pour the Soma juice expressed with stones,And make it pure for Indra's drink.2 Pour out for Indra, Thunder-armed, the milk of heaven,, the Soma's juice,Most excellent, most rich in sweets.3 These Gods and all the Marut host, Indu enjoy this juice of thine,This Pavamana's flowing meath.4 For, Soma, thou hast been effused, strengthening for the wild carouse,O Steer, the singer, for our help.5 Flow with thy stream, Far-sighted One, effused, into the cleansing sieve:Flow on to give us strength and fame.
HYMN LII. Soma Pavamana.1. WEALTH-WINNER, dwelling in the sky, bringing us vigour with the juice,Flow to the filter when effused.2 So, in thine ancient ways, may he, beloved, with a thousand streamsRun o'er the fleecy straining-cloth.3 Him who is like a caldron shake: O Indu, shake thy gift to usShake it, armed Warrior! with thine arms.4 Indu, invoked with many a prayer, bring down the vigour of these men,Of him who threatens us with war.5 Indu, Wealth-giver, with thine help pour out for us a hundred, yea,A thousand of thy pure bright streams.
HYMN LIII. Soma Pavamana.1. O THOU with stones for arms, thy powers, crushing the fiends, have raised themselves:Chase thou the foes who compass us.2 Thou conquerest thus with might when car meets car, and when the prize is staked:With fearless heart will I sing praise.3 No one with evil thought assails this Pavamana's holy laws:Crush him who fain would fight with thee.4 For Indra to the streams they drive the tawny rapture-dropping Steed,
Indu the bringer of delight.
HYMN LIV. Soma Pavamana.1. AFTER his ancient splendour, they, the bold, have drawn the bright milk fromThe Sage who wins a thousand gifts.2 In aspect he is like the Sun; he runneth forward to the lakes,Seven currents flowing through the sky.3 He, shining in his splendour, stands high over all things that exist-Soma, a God as Surya is.4 Thou, Indu, in thy brilliancy, pourest on us, as Indra's Friend,Wealth from the kine to feast the Gods.
HYMN LV. Soma Pavamana.1. POUR on us with thy juice all kinds of corn, each sort of nourishment,And, Soma, all felicities.2 As thine, O Indu, is the praise, and thine what springeth from the juice,Seat thee on the dear sacred grass.3 And, finding for us kine and steeds, O Soma, with thy juice flow onThrough days that fly most rapidly.4 As one who conquers, ne'er subdued, attacks and stays the enemy,Thus, Vanquisher of thousands! flow.
HYMN LVI. Soma Pavamana.1. SWIFT to the purifying sieve flows Soma as exalted Law,Slaying the fiends, loving the Gods.2 When Soma pours the strengthening food a hundred ever-active streamsTo Indra's friendship win theirway.3 Ten Dames have sung to welcome thee, even as a maiden greets her love:O Soma, thou art decked to win.4 Flow hitherward, O Indu, sweet to Indra and to Visnu: guardThe men, the singers, from distress.
HYMN LVII. Soma Pavamana.1. THY streams that never fail or waste flow forth like showers of rain from heaven,To bring a thousand stores of strength.2 He flows beholding on his way all wellbeloved sacred lore,Green-tinted, brandishing his, arms.3 He, when the people deck him like a docile king of elephants.Sits as a falcon in the, wood.4 So bring thou hitherward to us, Indu, while thou art purified,All treasures both of heaven and earth.
HYMN LVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. SWIFT runs this giver of delight, even the stream of flowing juice:Swift runs this giver of delight.2 The Morning knows all precious things, the Goddess knows her grace to man:Swift runs this giver of delight.3 We have accepted thousands from Dhvasra's and Purusanti's hands:Swift runs this giver of delight.4 From whom we have accepted thus thousands and three times ten beside:
Swift runs this giver of delight.
HYMN LIX. Soma Pavamana.1. FLOW onward, Soma, winning kine, and steeds, and all that gives delight:Bring hither wealth with progeny.2 Flow onward from the waters, flow, inviolable, from the plants:Flow onward from the pressing-boards.3 Soma, as Pavamana, pass over all trouble and distress:Sit on the sacred grass, a Sage.4 Thou, Pavamana, foundest light; thou at thy birth becamest great:O Indu, thou art over all.
HYMN LX. Soma Pavamana.1. SING forth and laud with sacred song most active Pavamana, laudIndu who sees with thousand eyes.2 Thee who hast thousand eyes to see, bearer of thousand burthens, theyHave filtered through the fleecy cloth.3 He, Pavamana, hath streamed through the fleece then: he runs into the jars,Finding his way to Indra's heart.4 That Indra may be bounteous, flow, most active Soma, for our weal:Bring genial seed with progeny.
HYMN LXI. Soma Pavamana.1. FLOW onward, Indu, with this food for him who in thy wild delightBattered the nine-and-ninety down,2 Smote swiftly forts, and gambara, then Yadu and that Turvaga,For pious Divodasa's sake.3 Finder of horses, pour on us horses andwealth in kine and gold,And, Indu, food in boundless store.4 We seek to win thy friendly love, even Pavamana's flowing o'erThe limit of the cleansing sieve.5 With those same waves which in their stream oyerflow the purifying sieve,Soma; be gracious unto us.6 O Soma, being purified, bring us from all sides,-for thou canst,-Riches and food with hero sons.7 Him here, the Child whom streams have borne, the ten swift fingers beautifyWith the Adityas is he seen.8 With Indra and with Vayu he, effused, flows onward with,the beamsOf Surya to the cleansing sieve.9 Flow rich in sweets and lovely for our Bhaga, Vayu, Pusan flowFor Mitra and for Varuna.10 High is thy juice's birth: though set in heaven, on earth it hath obtainedStrong sheltering power and great renown.11 Striving to win, with him we gain all wealth from the ungodly man,Yea, all the glories of mankind.12 Finder of room and freedom, flow for Indra whom we must adore,For Varuna and the Marut host.13 The Gods have come to Indu well-descended, beautified with milk,The active crusher of the foe.
14 Even as mother cows their calf, so let our praise-songs strengthen him,Yea, him who winneth Indra's heart.15 Soma, pour blessings on our kine, pour forth the food that streams with milkIncrease the sea that merits laud.16 From heaven hath Pavamana made, as 'twere, the marvellous thunder, andThe lofty light of all mankind.17 The gladdening and auspicious juice of thee, of Pavamana, King!Flows o'er the woollen straining-cloth.18 Thy juice, O Pavamana, sends its rays abroad like splendid skill,Like lustre, all heaven's light, to see.19 Flow onward with that juice of thine most excellent, that brings delight,Slaying the wicked, dear to Gods.20 Killing the foeman and his hate, and winning booty every day,Gainer art thou of steeds and kine.21 Red-hued, be blended with the milk that seems to yield its lovely breast,Falcon-like resting in thine home.22 Flow onward thou who strengthenedst Indra to slaughter Vrtra whoCompassed and stayed the mighty floods.23 Soma who rainest gifts, may we win riches with our hero sons:Strengthen, as thou art cleansed, our hymns.24 Aided by thee, and through thy grace, may we be slayers when we war:Watch, Soma, at our solemn rites.25 Chasing our foemen, driving off the godless, Soma flowcth on,Going to Indra's special place.26 O Pavamana, hither bring great riches, and destroy our foes:O Indu, grant heroic fame.27 A hundred obstacles have ne'er checkedthee when fain to give thy boons,When, being cleansed, thou combatest.28 Indu, flow on, a mighty juice; glorify us among the folk:Drive all our enemies away.29 Indu, in this thy friendship most lofty and glorious may weSubdue all those who war with us.30 Those awful weapons that thou hast, sharpened at point to strike men down-Guard us therewith from every foe.
HYMN LXII. Soma Pavamana.1. THESE rapid Soma-drops have been poured through the purifying sieveTo bring us all felicities.2 Dispelling manifold mishap, giving the courser's progeny,Yea, and the warrior steed, success.3 Bringing prosperity to kine, they make perpetual Ila flowTo us for noble eulogy.4 Strong, mountain-born, the stalk hath beenpressed in the streams for rapturous joy:Hawk-like he settles in his home.5 Fair is the God-loved juice; the plant is washed in waters, pressed by menThe milch-kine sweeten it with milk.6 As drivers deck a courser, so have they adorned the meath's juice forAmbrosia, for the festival.
7 Thou, Indu, with thy streams that drop sweet juices, which were poured forhelp,Hast settled in the cleansing sieve.8 So flow thou onward through the fleece, for Indra flow, to be his drink,Finding thine home in vats of wood.9 As giving room and freedom, as most sweet, pour butter forth and milk,O Indu, for the Angirases.10 Most active and benevolent, this Pavamana, sent to usFor lofty friendship, meditates.11 Queller of curses, mighty, with strong sway, this Pavamana shallBring treasures to the worshipper.12 Pour thou upon us thousandfold possessions, both of kine and steeds,Exceeding glorious, much-desired.13 Wandering far, with wise designs, the juice here present is effused,Made beautiful by living men.14 For Indra flows the gladdening drink, the measurer of the region, Sage,With countless wealth and endless help.15 Born on the inountain, lauded here, Indu for Indra is set down,As in her sheltering nest a bird.16 Pressed by the men, as 'twere to war hath Soma Pavamana sped,To test with might within the vats.17 That he may move, they yoke him to the three-backed triple-seated carBy the Seven Rsis' holy songs.18 Drive ye that Tawny Courser, O ye pressers, on his way to war,Swift Steed who carries off the spoil.19 Pouring all glories hither, he, effused and entering the jar,Stands like a hero mid the kine.20 Indu, the living men milk out the juice to make the rapturous draught:Gods for the Gods milk out the meath.21 Pour for the Gods into the sieve our Soma very rich in sweets,Him whom the Gods most gladly hear.22 Into his stream who gladdens best these Soma juices have been poured,Lauded with songs for lofty fame.23 Thou flowest to enjoy the milk, and bringest valour, being cleansed:Winning the spoil flow hitherward.24 And, hymned by Jamadagnis, let all nourishment that kine supply,And general praises, flow to us.25 Soma, as leader of the song flow onward with thy wondrous aids,For holy lore of every kind.26 Do thou as leader of the song, stirring the waters of the sea,Flow onward, thou who movest all.27 O Soma, O thou Sage, these worlds stand ready to attest thy might:For thy behoof the rivers flow.28 Like showers of rain that fall from heaven thy streams perpetually flowTo the bright fleece spread under them.29 For potent Indra purify Indu effectual and strong,Enjoyment-giver, Mighty Lord.30 Soma, true, Pavamana, Sage, is seated in the cleansing sieve,Giving his praiser hero strength.
HYMN LXIII. Soma Pavanana.1. POUR hitherward, O Soma, wealth in thousands and heroic strength,And keep renown secure for us.2 Thou makest food and vigour swell for Indra, best of gladdeners!Within the cups thou seatest thee.3 For Indra and for Visnu poured, Soma hath flowed into the jar:May Vayu find it rich in sweets.4 These Somas swift and brown of hue, in stream of solemn sacrificeHave flowed through twisted obstacles,5 Performing every noble work, active, augmenting Indra's strength,Driving away the godless ones.6 Brown Soma-drops, effused that seek Indra, to their appropriate placeFlow through the region hitherward.7 Flow onward with that stream of thine wherewith thou gavest Surya light,Urging on waters good to men.8 He, Pavamana, high o'er man yoked the Sun's courser EtasaTo travel through the realm of air.9 And those ten Coursers, tawny-hued, he harnessed that the Sun might comeIndu, he said, is Indra's self.10 Hence, singers, pour the gladdeningjuice to Vayu and to Indra, pourThe drops upon the fleecy cloth.11 O Soma Pavamana, find wealth for us not to be assailed,Wealth which the foeman may not win.12 Send riches hither with thy stream in thousands, both of steeds and kine,Send spoil of war and high renown.13 Soma the God, expressed with stones, like Surya, floweth on his way,Pouring the juice within the jar.14 These brilliant drops have poured for us, in stream of solemn sacrifice,Worshipful laws and strength in kine.15 Over the cleansing sieve have flowed the Somas, blent with curdled milk,Effused for Indra Thunder-armed.16 Soma, do thou most rich in sweets, a gladdening drink most dear to Gods,Flow to the sieve to bring us wealth.17 For Indra, living men adorn the Tawny Courser in the streams, Indu, the giver of delight.18 Pour for us, Soma, wealth in gold, in horses and heroic sons,Bring hither strength in herds of kine.19 For Indra pour ye on the fleece him very sweet to taste, who longs.For battle as it were in war.20 The singers, seeking help, adorn the Sage who must be decked with songs:Loud bellowing the Steer comes on,21 The singers with their thoughts and hymns have, in the stream of sacrifice,Caused Soma, active Steer, to roar.22 God, working with mankind, flow on; to Indra go thy gladdening juice:To Vayu mount as Law commands23 O Soma, Pavamana, thou pourest out wealth that brings renown:Enter the lake, as one we love.24 Soma thou flowest chasing foes and bringing wisdom and delight:Drive off the folk who love not Gods.25 The Pavamanas have been poured, the brilliant drops of Soma juice,For holy lore of every kind.
26 The Pavamanas have been shed, the beautiful swift Soma-drops,Driving all enemies afar.27 From, heaven, from out the firmament, hath Pavamana been effusedUpon the summit of the earth.28 O Soma, Indu, very wise, drive, being purified, with thy streamAll foes, all Raksasas away.29 Driving the Raksasas afar, O Soma, bellowing, pour for usMost excellent and splendid strength.30 Soma, do thou secure for us the treasures of the earih and heaven,Indu, all boons to be desired.
HYMN LXIV. Soma Pavamana.1. Soma, thou art a splendid Steer, a Steer, O God, with steerlike sway:Thou as a Steer ordainest laws.2 Steer-strong thy might is as a steer's, steerstrong thywood, steer-like thy drinkA Steer indeed, O Steer, art thou.3 Thou, Indu, as a vigorous horse, hast neighed together steeds and kine:Unbar for us the doors to wealth.4 Out of desire of cows and steeds and horses. potent Soma-drops,Brilliant and swift, have been effused.5 They purified in both the hands, made beautiful by holy men,Flow onward to the fleecy cloth.6 These Soma juices shall pour forth all treasures for the worshipperFrom heaven and earth and firmament.7 The streams of Pavamana, thine, Finder of all, have been effused,Even as Surya's rays of light.8 Making the light that shines from heaven thou flowest on to every formSoma, thou swellest like a sea.9 Urged on thou sendest out thy voice, O Pavamana; thou hast moved,Like the God Surya, to the sieve.10 Indu, Enlightener, Friend, hath been purified by the sages' hymns:So starts the charioteer his steed-11 Thy God-delighting wave which hath flowed to purifying seive,Alighting in the home of Law.12 Flow to our sieve, a gladdening draught that hath most intercourse with Gods,Indu, to Indra for his drink.13 Flow onward with a stream for food, made beautiful by sapient men:Indu with sheen approach the milk.14 While thou art cleansed, Song-Lover, bring comfort and vigour to the folk,Poured, Tawny One! on milk and curds.15 Purified for the feast of Gods, go thou to Indra's special place,Resplendent, guided by the strong.16 Accelerated by the hymn, the rapid drops of Soma juiceHave flowed, urged onward, to the lake.17 Easily have the living drops, made beautiful, approached the lake,Yea, to the place of sacrifice.18 Compass about, our faithful Friend, all our possessions with thy might:Guard, hero like, our sheltering home.19 Loud neighs the Courser Etasa, with singers, harnessed for the place,Guided for travel to the lake.
20 What time the Swift One resteth in the golden place of sacrifice,He leaves the foolish far away.21 The friends have sung in unison, the prudent wish to sacrifice:Down sink the unintelligent.22 For Indra girt by Maruts, flow, thou Indu, very rich in sweets,To sit in place of sacrifice.23 Controlling priests and sages skilled in holy song adorn thee well:The living make thee beautiful.24 Aryaman, Mitra, Varuna drink Pavamana's juice, yea, thine:O Sage, the Maruts drink thereof.25 O Soma, Indu, thou while thou art purified urgest onward speech.Thousandfold, with the lore of hymns.26 Yea, Soma, Indu, while thou art purified do thou bring to usSpeech thousandfold that longs for war.27 O Indu, Much-invoked, while thou art purifying, as the Friend.Of these men enter thou the lake.28 Bright are these Somas blent with milk, with light that flashes brilliantly. And form that uttersloud acclaim.29 Led by his drivers, and sent forth, the Strong Steed hath come nigh for spoil,Like warriors when they stand arrayed.30 Specially, Soma, coming as a Sage from heaven to prosper us,Flow like the Sun for us to see.
HYMN LXV. Soma Pavamana.1. THE, glittering maids send Sura forth, the glorious sisters, close-allied,Send Indu forth, their mighty Lord.2 Pervade, O Pavamana, all our treasures with repeated light,God, coming hither from the Gods.3 Pour on us, Pavamana, rain, as service and rain praise for Gods:Pour all to be our nourishment.4 Thou art a Steer by lustre: we, O Pavamana, faithfullyCall upon thee the Splendid One.5 Do thou, rejoicing, nobly-armed! pour upon us heroic strength:O Indu, come thou bitherward.6 When thou art cleansed with both the hands and dipped in waters, with the wood.Thou comest to the gathering-place.7 Sing forth your songs, as Vyasva sang, to Soma Pavamana, to,The Mighty One with thousand eyes;8 Whose coloured sap they drive with stones, the yellow meath-distilling juice,Indu for Indra, for his drink.9 We seek to gain the friendly love of thee that Strong and Mighty One,Of thee the winner of all wealth.10 Flow onward with thy stream, a Steer, inspiriting the Maruts' Lord,Winning all riches by thy might.11 I send thee forth to battle from the press, O Pavamana, Strong,Sustainer, looker on the light.12 Acknowledged by this song of mine, flow, tawny-coloured, with thy streamIncite to battle thine ally.13 O Indu, visible to all pour out for us abundant food:Soma, be thou our prosperer.
14 The pitchers, Indu, with thy streams have sung aloud in vigorous mightEnter them, and let Indra drink.15 O thou whose potent gladdening juice they milk out with the stones, flow on,Destroyer of our enemies.16 King Pavamana is implored with holy songs, on man's behalf,To travel through the firmament.17 Bring us, O Indu, hundredfold increase of kine, and noble steeds,The gift of fortune for our help.18 Pressed for the banquet of the Gods, O Soma, bring us might, and speed,Like beauty for a brilliant show.19 Soma, flow on exceeding bright with loud roar to the wooden vats,Falcon-like resting in thine home.20 Soma, the Water-winner flows to Indra, Vayu, Varuna,To Visnu and the Marut host.21 Soma , bestowing food upon our progeny, from every sides,Pour on us riches thousandfold22 The Soma juices which have been expressed afar or near at hand,Or there on Saryanavan's bank,23 Those pressed among Arjikas, pressed among the active, in men's homes,Or pressed among the Races Five-24 May these celestial drops, expressed, pour forth upon us, as they flow,Rain from the heavens apd hero strength.25 Urged forward o'er the ox-hide flows the Lovely One of tawny hue,Lauded by Jamadagni's song.26 Like horses urged to speed, the drops, bright, stirring vital power, when blentWith milk, are beautified in streams.27 So they who toil with juices send thee forward for the Gods' repast:So with this splendour flow thou on.28 We choose to-day that chariot-steed of thine, the Strong, that brings us bliss,The Guardian, the desire of all,29 The Excellent, the Gladdener, the Sage with heart that understands,The Guardian, the desire of all;30 Who for ourselves, O thou Most Wise, is wealth and fair intelligence,The Guardian, the desire of all.
HYMN LXVI. Soma Pavamana.1. FOR holy lore of every sort, flow onward thou whom all men love.A Friend to be besought by friends.2 O'er all thou rulest with these Two which, Soma Pavamana, stand,Turned, as thy stations, hitherward.3 Wise Soma Pavamana, thou encompassest on every sideThy stations as the seasons come.4 Flow onward, generating food, for precious boons of every kind,A Friend for friends, to be our help.5 Upon the lofty ridge of heaven thy bright rays with their essences,Soma, spread purifying power.6 O Soma, these Seven Rivers flow, as being thine, to give command:The Streams of milk run forth to thee.7 Flow onward, Soma in a stream, effused to gladden Indra's heart,Bringing imperishable fame.
8 Driving thee in Vivasvan's course, the Seven Sisters with their hymnsMade melody round thee the Sage.9 The virgins deck thee o'er fresh streams to drive thee to the sieve when thou,A singer, bathest in the wood.10 The streams of Pavamana, thine, Sage, Mighty One, have pouredthem forth.Like coursers eager for renown.11 They have been poured upon the fleece towards the meath-distilling vat:The holy songs have sounded forth.12 Like milch-kine coming home, the drops of Soma juice have reached the lake,Have reached the place of sacrifice.13 O Indu, to our great delight the running waters flow to us,When thou wilt robe thyself in milk.14 In this thy friendship, and with thee to help us, fain to sacrifice,Indu, we crave thy friendly love.15 Flow on, O Soma, for the great Viewer of men, for gain of IdneEnter thou into Indra's throat.16 Best art thou, Soma, of the great, Strongest of strong ones, Indu: thouAs Warrior ever hast prevailed.17 Mightier even than the strong, more valiant even than the brave,More libpral than the bountiful,18 Soma, as Sura, bring us food, win offspring of our bodies: weElect thee for our friendship, we elect thee for companionship.19 Agni, thou pourest life; send down upon us food and vigorous strength;Drive thou misfortune far away,20 Agni is Pavamana, Sage, Chief Priest of all the Races Five:To him whose wealth is great we pray.21 Skilled in thy task, O Agni, pour splendour with hero strength on us,Granting me wealth that nourishes.22 Beyond his enemies away to sweet praise Pavamana flows,Like Surya visible to all.23 Adorned by living men, set forth for entertainment, rich in food,Far-sighted Indu is a Steed.24 He, Pavamana, hath produced the lofty Law, the brilliant light,Destroying darkness black of hue.25 From tawny Pavamana, the Destroyer, radiant streams have sprung,Quick streams from him whose gleams are swift.26 Best rider of the chariot, praised with fairest praise mid beauteous ones,Gold-gleaming with the Marut host,27 May Pavamana, best to win the booty, penetrate with rays,Giving the singer hero strength.28 Over the fleecy sieve hath flowed the drop effused: to Indra comesIndu while he is purified29 This Soma, through the pressing-stones, is sporting on the oxhide, andSummoning Indra to the draught.30 O Pavamana, bless us, so that we may live, with that bright milkOf thine which hath been brought from heaven.
HYMN LXVII. Soma and Others.1. THOU, Soma, hast a running stream, joyous, most strong at sacrifice:Flow bounteously bestowing wealth.
2 Effused as cheerer of the men, flowing best gladdener, thou artA Prince to Indra with thy juice.3 Poured forth by pressing-stones, do thou with loud roar send us in a streamMost excellent illustrious might.4 Indu, urged forward, floweth through the fleecy cloth: the Tawny OneWith his loud roar hath brought as strength.5 Indu, thou flowest through the fleece, bringing felicities and fame,And, Soma, spoil and wealth in kine.6 Hither, O Indu, bring us wealth in steeds and cattle hundredfold:Bring wealth, O Soma, thousandfold.7 In purifying, through the sieve the rapid drops of'Soma juiceCome nigh to Indra in their course.8 For Indra floweth excellent Indu, the noblest Soma juiceThe Living for the Living One.9 The glittering maids send Sura forth they with their song have sung aloudTo Pavamana dropping meath.10 May Pusan, drawn by goats, be our protector, and on all his pathsBestow on us our share of maids.11 This Soma flows like gladdening oil for him who wears the braided locks:He shall give us our share of maids.12 This Soma juice, O glowing God, flows like pure oil, effused for thee:He shall give us our share of maids.13 Flow onward, Soma, in thy stream, begetter of the sages' speech:Wealth-giver among Gods art thou.14 The Falcon dips within the jars: he wrap.him in his robe and goesLoud roaring to the vats of wood.15 Soma, thy juice hath been effused and poured into the pitcher: likeA rapid hawk it rushes on.16 For Indra flow most rich in sweets, O Soma, bringing him delight.17 They were sent forth to feast the Gods, like chariots that display their strength.18 Brilliant, best givers of delight, these juices have sent Vayu forth.19 Bruised by the press-stones and extolled, Soma, thou goest to the sieve,Giving the worshipper hero strength.20 This juice bruised by the pressing-stones and lauded passes through the sieve,Slayer of demons, through the fleece.21 O Pavamana, drive away the danger, whether near at handOr far remote, that finds me here.22 This day may Pavamana cleanse us with his purifying power,Most active purifying Priest.23 O Agni, with the cleansing light diffused through all thy fiery glow,Purify thou this prayer of ours.24 Cleanse us with thine own cleansing power, O Agni, that is bright with flame,And by libations poured to thee.25 Savitar, God, by both of these, libation, purifying power,Purify me on every side.26 Cleanse us, God Savitar, with Three, O Soma, with sublimest forms,Agni, with forms of power and might.27 May the Gods' company make me clean, and Vasus make rue pure by song.Purify me, ye General Gods; O Jatavedas, make me pure.28 Fill thyself full of juice, flow forth, O Soma, thou with all thy stalks,
The best oblation to the Gods.29 We with our homage have approached the Friend who seeks our wondering praise,Young, strengthener of the solemn rite.30 Lost is Alayya's axe. O Soma, God do thou send it back hither in thy flowEven, Soma, God, if 'twere a mole.31 The man who reads the essence stored by saints, the Pavamani hymns,Tastes food completely purified, made sweet by Matarisvan's touch.32 Whoever reads the essence stored by saints, the Pavamani hymns,Sarasvati draws forth for him water and butter, milk and meath.
HYMN LXVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. THE drops of Soma juice like cows who yield their milk have flowed forth, rich in meath, unto theShining One,And, seated on the grass, raising their voice, assumed the milk, the covering robe wherewith theudders stream.2 He bellows with a roar arourd the highest twigs: the Tawny One is sweetened as he breaks themup.Then passing through the sieve into the ample room, the God throws off the dregs according to hiswish.3 The gladdening drink that measured out the meeting Twins fills full with milk the Eternal Ever-waxing Pair.Bringing to light the Two great Regions limitless, moving above them he gained sheen that neverfades.4 Wandering through, the Parents, strengthening the floods, the Sage makes his place swell with hisown native might.The stalk is mixed with grain: he comes led by the men together with the sisters, and preserves theHead.5 With energetic intellect the Sage is born, deposited as germ of Law, far from the Twins.They being young at first showed visibly distinct the Creature that is half-concealed and half-exposed.6 The sages knew the form of him the Gladdener, what time the Falcon brought the plant from faraway.Him who assures success they beautified in streams, the stalk who yearned therefor, mighty andmeet for praise.7 Together with the Rsis, with their prayers and hymns ten women deck thee, Soma, friendly wheneffused.Led by the men, with invocations of the Gods, through the fleece, thou hast given us strength to winthe spoil.8 Songs resonant with praise have celebrated him. Soma, Friend, springing forth with his faircompany.Even him who rich in meath, with undulating stream, Winnner of Wealth, Immortal, sends his voicefrom heaven,9 He sends it into all the region forth from heaven. Soma, while he is filtcred, settles in the jars.With milk and waters is he decked when pressed with stones: Indu, when purified, shall find sweetrest and room.10 Even thus poured forth How on thy way, O Soma, vouchsafing us most manifold lively vigour.We will invoke benevolent Earth and Heaven. Give us, ye Gods, riches with noble heroes.
HYMN LXIX. Soma Pavamana.1. LAID like an arrow on the bow the hymn hath been loosed like a young calf to the udder of its dam.As one who cometh first with full stream she is milked the Soma is impelled to this man's holy rites.2 The thought is deeply fixed; the savoury juice is shed; the tongue with joyous sound is stirring inthe mouth;
And Pavamana, like the shout of combatants, the drop rising in sweet juice, is flowing through thefleece.3 He flows about the sheep-skin, longing for a bride: he looses Aditi's Daughters for the worshipper.The sacred drink hath come, gold-tinted, well-restrained: like a strong Bull he shines, whetting hismanly might.4 The Bull is bellowing; the Cows are coming nigh: the Goddesses approach the God's own resting-place.Onward hath Soma passed through the sheep's fair bright fleece, and hath, as 'twere, endued agarment newly washed.5 The golden-hued, Immortal, newly bathed, puts on a brightly shining vesture that is never harmed.He made the ridge of heaven to be his radiant robe, by sprinkling of the bowls from moisture of thesky.6 Even as the beams of Surya, urging men to speed, that cheer and send to sleep, together rush theyforth,These swift outpourings in long course of holy rites: no form save only Indra shows itself so pure.7 As down the steep slope of a river to the vale, drawn from the Steer the swift strong draughts havefound a way.Well be it with the men and cattle in our home. May powers, O Soma, may the people stay with us.8 Pour out upon us wealth in goods, in gold, in steeds, in cattle and in corn, and great heroic strength.Ye, Soma, are my Fathers, lifted up on high as heads of heaven and makers of the strength of life.9 These Pavamanas here, these drops of Soma, to Indra have sped forth like cars to booty.Effused, they pass the cleansing fleece, while, gold-hued, they cast their covering off to pour the raindown.10 O Indu, flow thou on for lofty Indra, flow blameless, very gracious, foe-destroyer.Bring splendid treasures to the man who lauds thee. O Heaven and Earth, with all the Gods protect.us.
HYMN LXX. Soma Pavamana.1. THE three times seven Milch-kine in the eastern heaven have for this Soma poured the genuinemilky draught.Four other beauteous Creatures hath he made for his adornment, when he waxed in strengththrough holy rites.2 Longing for lovely Amrta, by his wisdom he divided, each apart from other, earth and heaven.He gladly wrapped himself in the most lucid floods, when through their glory they found the God'sresting-place.3 May those his brilliant rays he ever free from death, inviolate, for both classes of created things,-Rays wherewith powers of men and Gods are purified. Yea, even for this have sageswelcomed him asKing.4 He, while he is adorned by the ten skilful ones, that he too in the Midmost Mothers may create,While he is watching o'er the lovely Amrta's ways, looks on both races as Beholder of mankind.5 He, while he is adorned to stream forth mighty strength, rejoices in his place between the earth andheaven.The Steer dispels the evil-hearted with his might, aiming at offerings as an archer at the game.6 Beholding, as it were, Two Mother Cows, the Steer goes roaring on his way even as the Marutsroar.Knowing Eternal Law, the earliest light of heaven, he, passing wise, was chosen out to tell it forth.7 The fearful Bull is bellowing with violent might, far-sighted, sharpening his yellowcoloured horns.Soma assumes his seat in the well-fashioned place: the cowhide and the sheepskin are his ornament.8 Bright, making pure his body free from spot and stain, on the sheep's back the Golden-colouredhath flowed down.Acceptable to Mitra, Vayu, Varuna, he is prepared as threefold meal by skilful men.9 Flow on for the God's banquet, Soma, as a Steer, and enter Indra's heart, the Soma's reservoir.Bear us beyond misfortune ere we be oppres. sed. the man who knows the land directs the man whoasks.
10 Urged like a car-steed flow to strength, O Soma: Indu, flow onward to the throat of Indra.Skilled, bear us past, as in a boat o'er water: as battling Hero save us from the foeman.
HYMN LXXI. Soma Pavamana,1. THE guerdon is bestowed: the Mighty takes his Seat, and, ever-Watchful, guards from fiend andevil sprite.Gold-hued, he makes the cloud his diadem, the milk his carpet in both worlds, and prayer his robe ofstate.2 Strong, bellowing, he goes, like one who slays the folk; he lets this hue of Asuras flow off from him,Throws off his covering, seeks his father's meeting-place, and thus makes for himself the bright robehe assumes.3 Onward he flows, from both the hands, pressed out with stones: excited by the prayer, the watermakes him wild.He frolics and draws near, completes his work with song, and bathes in streams to satisfy theworshipper.4 They pour out meath around the Master of the house, Celestial Strengthener of the mountain thatgives might;In whom, through his great powers, oblation-eating cows in their uplifted udder mix their choicestmilk.5 They, the ten sisters, on the lap of Aditi, have sent him forward like a car from both the arms.He wanders and comes near the Cow's mysterious place, even the place which his inventions haveproduced.6 Like as a falcon to his home, so speeds the God to his own golden wisely-tashioned place to rest.With song they urge the darling to the sacred grass: the Holy One goes like a courser to the Gods.7 From far away, from heaven, the redhued noted Sage, Steer of the triple height, hath sung unto thekine.With thousand guidings he, leading this way and that, shines, as a singer, splendidly through many amorn.8 His covering assumes a radiant hue; where'er he comes into the fight he drives the foe afar.The Winner of the Floods, with food he seeks the host of heaven, he comes to praises glorified withmilk.9 Like a bull roaming round the herds he bellows: he hath assumed the brilliancy of Surya.Down to the earth hath looked the heavenly Falcon: Soma with wisdom views all living creatures.
HYMN LXXII. Soma Pavamana.1. THEY cleanse the Gold-hued: like a red Steed is he yoked, and Soma in the jar is mingled with themilk.He sendeth out his voice, and many loving friends of him the highly lauded hasten with their songs.2 The many sages utter words in unison, while into Indra's throat they pour the Soma juice,When, with the ten that dwell together closely joined, the men whose hands are skilful cleanse thelovely meath.3 He goes upon his way, unresting, to the cows, over the roaring sound which Sarya's Daughterloves.The Falcon brought it to him for his own delight: now with the twofold kindred sisters is his home.4 Washed by the men, stone-pressed, dear on the holy grass, faithful to seasons, Lord of cattle fromof old,Most liberal, completing sacrifice for men, O Indra, pure bright Soma, Indu, flows for thee.5 O Indra, urged by arms of men and poured in streams, Soma flows on for thee after.his Godlike kind.Plans thou fulfillest, gatherest thoughts for sacrifice: in the bowls sits the Gold-hued like a roostingbird.6 Sages well-skilled in work, intelligent, drain out the stalk that roars, the Sage, the Everlasting One.The milk, the hymns unite them with him in the place of sacrifice, his seat who is produced anew.7 Earth's central point, sustainer of the mighty heavens, distilled into the streams, into the waters'wave,
As Indra's thunderbolt, Steer with farspreading wealth, Soma is flowing on to make the heart rejoice.8 Over the earthly region flow thou on thy way, helping the praiser and the pourer, thou Most Wise.Let us not lack rich treasure reaching to our home, and may we clothe ourselves in manifold brightwealth.9 Hither, O Indu, unto us a hundred gifts of steeds, a thousand gifts of cattle and of gold,Measure thou forth, yea, splendid ample strengthening food do thou, O Pavamana, heed this laud ofours.
HYMN LXXIII. Soma Pavamana.1. THEY from the spouting drop have sounded at the rim: naves speed together to the place ofsacrifice.That Asura hath formed, to seize, three lofty heights. The ships of truth have borne the pious manacross.2 The strong Steers, gathering, have duly stirred themselves,and over the stream's wave the friendssent forth the song.Engendering the hymn, with flowing streams of meath, Indra's dear body have they caused to wax instrength.3 With sanctifying gear they sit around the song: their ancient Father guards their holy work fromharm.Varuna hath o'erspread the mighty sea of air. Sages had power to hold him in sustaining floods.4 Sweet-tongued, exhaustless, they have sent their voices down togetlier, in heaven's vault thatpours a thousand streams.His wildly-restless warders never close an eye: in every place are found the bonds that bind man last.5 O'er Sire and Mother they have roared in unison bright with the verse of praise, burning up ritelessmen,Blowing away with supernatural might from earth and from the heavens the swarthy skin whichIndra hates.6 Those which, as guides of song and counsellors of speed, were manifested from their ancientdwelling place,-From these the eyeless and the deaf have turned aside: the wicked travel not the pathway of theLaw.7 What time the filter with a thousand streams is stretched, the thoughtful sages purify their songtherein.Bright-coloured are their spies, vigorous, void of guile, excellent, fair to see, beholders of mankind.8 Guardian of Law, most wise, he may not be deceived: three Purifiers hath he set within his heart.With wisdom he beholds all creatures that exist: he drives into the pit the hated riteliess ones.9 The thread of sacrifice spun in the cleansing sieve, on Varuna's tongue-tip, by supernatural might,-This, by their striving, have the prudent ones attained: he who hath not this power shall sink into thepit.
HYMN LXXIV. Soma Pavamana1. BORN like a youngling he hath clamoured in the wood, when he, the Red, the Strong, would winthe light of heaven.He comes with heavenly seed that makes the water swell: him for wide-spreading shelter we implorewith prayer.2 A far-extended pillar that supports the sky the Soma-stalk, filled full, moves itself every way.He shall bring both these great worlds while the rite proceeds: the Sage holds these who move!together and all food.3 Wide space hath he who follows Aditi's right path, and mighty, well-made food, meath blent withSoma juice;He who from hence commands the rain, Steer of the kine, Leader of floods, who helps us hence, whoclaims our laud.4 Butter and milk are drawn from animated cloud; thence Amrta is produced, centre of sacrifice.
Hini the Most Bounteous Ones, ever united, love; him as ouir Friend the Men who make all swell raindown.5 The Soma-stalk hath roared, following with the wave: he swells with sap for man the skin whichGods enjoy.Upon the lap of Aditi he lays the germ, by means whereof we gain children and progeny.6 In the third region which distils a thousand streams, may the Exhaustless Ones descend withprocreant power.The kindred Four have been sent downward from the heavens: dropping with oil they bring Amrtaand sacred gifts.7 Soma assumes white colour when he strives to gain: the bounteous Asura knows full many aprecious boon.Down the steep slope, through song, he comes to sacrifice, and he will burst the water-holding caskof heaven,8 Yea, to the shining milk-anointed beaker, as to his goal, hath stepped the conquering Courser.Pious-souled men have sent their giffi of cattle unto Kaksivan of the hundred winters.9 Soma, thy juice when thou art blended with the streams, flows, Pavamana, through the long woolof the sheep.So, cleansed by sages. O best giver of delight, grow sweet for Indra, Pavamana! for his drink.
HYMN LXXV. Soma Pavamana.1. GRACIOUSLY-MINDED he is flowing on his way to win dear names o'er which the Youthful Onegrows great.The Mighty and Far-seeing One hath mounted now the mighty Surya's car which moves to everyside.2 The Speaker, unassailable Master of this hymn, the Tongue of sacrifice pours forth the pleasantmeath.Within the lustrous region of the heavens the Son makes the third secret name of Mother and of Sire.3 Sending forth flashes he hath bellowed to the jars, led by the men into the golden reservoir.The milky streams of sacrifice have sung to him: he of the triple height shines brightly through themorns.4 Pressed by the stones, with hymns, and graciously inclined, illuminating both the Parents, Heavenand Earth,He flows in ordered season onward through the flee, a current of sweet juice still swelling day byday.5 Flow onward, Soma, flow to bring prosperity: cleansed by the men, invest thee with the milkydraught.What gladdening drinks thou hast, foaming, exceeding strong, even with these incite Indra to give uswealth.
HYMN LXXVI. Soma Pavamana.1. ON flows the potent juice, sustainer of the heavens, the strength of Gods, whom men must hailwith shouts of joy.The Gold-hued, started like a courser by brave men, impetuously winneth splendour in the streams.2 He takes his weapons, like a hero, in his hands, fain to win light, car-borne, in forays for the kine.Indu, while stimulating India's might, is urged forward and balmed by sages skilful in their task.3 Soma, as thou art purified with flowing wave, exhibiting thy strength enter thou Indra's throat.Make both worlds stream for us, as lightning doth the clouds: mete out exhaustless powers for us, as'twere through song.4 Onward he flows, the King of all that sees the light: the Rsis' Lord hath raised the song of sacrifice;Even he who is adorned with Surya's arrowy beam, Father of hymns, whose wisdom is beyond ourreach.5 Like as a bull to herds, thou flowest to the pail, bellowing as a steer upon the water's lap.So, best of Cheerers, thou for Indra flowest on that we, with thy protection, may o'ercome in fight.
HYMN LXXVII. Soma Pavamana.1. MORE beauteous than the beautiful, as Indra's bolt, this Soma, rich in sweets, hath clamoured inthe vat.Dropping with oil, abundant, streams of sacrifice flow unto him like milch-kine, lowing, with theirmilk.2 On flows that Ancient One whom, hitherward, from heaven, sped through the region of the air, theFalcon snatched.He, quivering with alarm and terrified in heart before bow-armed Krsanu, holdeth fast the sweet.3 May those first freshest drops of Soma juice effused flow on, their way to bring us mighty strengthin kine.Beauteous as serpents, worthy to be looked upon, they whom each sacred gift and all our prayershave pleased.4 May that much-lauded Indu, with a heart inclined to us, well-knowing, fight against our enemies.He who hath brought the germ beside the Strong One's seat moves onward to the widely-opcnedstall of kine.5 The active potent juice of heaven is flowing on, great Varuna whom the forward man can ne'erdeceive.Mitra, the Holy, hath been pressed for troubled times, neighing like an impatient horse amid the herd,
HYMN LXXVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. RAISING his voice the King hath flowed upon his way: invested with the waters he would win thekine.The fleece retains his solid parts as though impure, and bright and cleansed he seeks the specialplace of Gods.2 Thou, Soma, art effused for Indra by the men, balmed in the wood as wave, Sage, Viewer ofmankind.Full many are the paths whereon thou mayest go: a thousand bay steeds hast thou resting in thebowls.3 Apsarases who dwell in waters of the sea, sitting within, have flowed to Soma wise of heart.They urge the Master of the house upon his way, and to the Eternal Pavamana pray for bliss.4 Soma flows on for u's as winner of the kine, winner of thousands, cars, water, and light, and gold;He whom the Gods have made a gladdening draught to drink, the drop most sweet to taste, weal-bringing, red of hue.5 Soma, as Pavamana thou, our faithful Friend, making for us these real treasures, flowest on.Slay thou the enemy both near and,far away: grant us security and ample pasturage.
HYMN LXXIX. Soma Pavamana.1. SPONTANEOUS let our drops of Soma juice flow on, pressed, golden-hued, among the Gods of loftyheaven.Perish among us they who give no gifts of food! perish the godless! May our prayers obtain success.2 Forward to us the drops, distilling meath, shall flow, like riches for whose sake we urge the horseson.Beyond the crafty hindering of all mortal men may we continually bear precious wealth away.3 Yea, yerily, foe of hate shown to himself is he, yea, verity, destroyer too of other hate.As thirst subdueth in the desert, conquer thou, O Soma Pavarnana, men of evil thoughts.4 Near kin to thee is he, raised loftiest in the heavens: upon the earth's high ridge thy scions havegrown forth.The press-stones chew and crunch thee on the ox's hide: sages have milked thee with their handsinto the streams.5 So do they hurry on thy strong and beauteous juice, O Indu, as the first ingredient of the draught.Bring low, thou Pavamana, every single foe, and be thy might shown forth as sweet and gladdeningdrink.
HYMN LXXX. Soma Pavamana.
1. ON flows the stream of Soma who beholds mankind: by everlasting Law he calls the Gods fromheaven.He lightens with the roaring of Br aspati: h the lakes have not contained the pourings of juice.2 Thou, powerful Soma, thou to whom the cows have -lowed, ascendest bright with sheen, thine iron-fashioned home.Thou, lengthening our princes' life and high renown, flowest for Indra as his might to gladdeningdrink.3 Best giver of delight, he flows to Indra's throat, robing himself in might, Auspicious One, for fame.He spreads himself abroad to meet all things that be: the vigorous Tawny Steed flows sporting on hisway.4 The men, the ten swift fingers, milk thee out for Gods, even thee most rich in meath, with thousandflowing streams.Soma who winnest thousands, driven by the men, expressed with stones, bring, as thou flowest, allthe Gods.5 Deft-handed men with stones, the ten swift fingers, drain thee into waters, thee, the Steer enrichedwith sweets.Thou, Soma, gladdening Indra, and the Heavenly Host, flowest as Pavamana like a river's wave.
HYMN LXXXI. Soma Pavamana.1. ONWARD to Indra's throat move, beauteously adorned, the waves of Soma as he purifies himself,When they, brought forward with the lovely curd of kine, effused, have cheered the Hero to bestowhis gifts.2 Hither hath Soma flowed unto the beakers, like a chariot-horse, a stallion swift upon his way.Thus, knowing both the generations, he obtains the rights and dues of Gods from yonder and fromhence.3 While thou art cleansed, O Soma, scatter wealth on us; Indu, bestow great bounty as a liberalPrince.Giver of life, with wisdom help to opulence; strew not our home possessions far away from us.4 Hither let Pusan Pavamana come to us, Varuna, Mitra, bountiful, of one accord,The Maruts, Asvins, Vayu, and Brhaspati, Savitar, Tvastar, tractable Sarasvati.5 Both Heaven and Earth, the all-invigorating Pair, Vidhatar, Aditi, and Aryaman the God,Bhaga who blesses men, the spacious Firmament,-let all the Gods in Pavamana take delight.
HYMN LXXXII. Soma Pavamana.1. EVEN as a King hath Soma, red and tawny Bull, been pressed: the Wondrous One hath bellowed tothe kine.While purified he passes through the filtering fleece to seat him hawk-like on the place that dropswith oil.2. To glory goest thou, Sage with disposing skill, like a groomed steed thou rusbest forward to theprize.O Soma, be thou gracious, driving off distress: thou goest, clothed in butter, to a robe of state.3 Parjanya is the Father of the Mighty Bird: on mountains, in earth's centre hath he made his home.The waters too have flowed, the Sisters, to the kine: he meets the pressing-stones at the beloved rite.4 Thou givest pleasure as a wife delights her lord. Listen, O Child of Pajri, for to thee I speak.Amid the holy songs go on that we may live: in time of trouble, Soma, watch thou free from blame.5 As to the men of old thou camest, Indu unharmed, to strengthen, winning hundreds, thousands,So now for new felicity flow onward: the waters follow as thy law ordaineth.
HYMN LXXXIII. Soma Pavamana.1. SPREAD is thy cleansing filter, Brahmanaspati: as Prince, thou enterest its limbs from every side.The raw, whose mass hath not been heated gains not this: they only which are dressed, which bear,attain to it.
2 High in the seat of heaven is spread the Scorcher's sieve: its threads are standing separate,glittering with light.The Swift Ones favour him who purifieth this: with consciousness they stand upon the height ofheaven.3 The foremost spotted Steer hath made the Mornings shine, and yearning after strength sustains allthings that be.By his high wisdom have the mighty Sages wrought: the Fathers who behold mankind laid down thegerm,4 Gandharva verily protects his dwellingplace; Wondrous, he guards the generations of the Gods.Lord of the snare, he takes the foeman with the snare: those who are most devout have gained ashare of meath.5 Rich in oblations! robed in cloud, thou corapassest oblation, sacrifice, the mighty seat of Gods.King, on thy chariot-sieve thou goest up to war, and with a thousand weapons winnest lofty fame.
HYMN LXXXIV. Soma Pavamana.1. FLOW, cheering Gods, most active, winner of the flood, for Indra, and for Vayu, and for Varuna.Bestow on us to-day wide room with happiness, and in tbine ample dwelling laud the Host ofHeaven.2 He who hath come anear to creatures that have life, Immortal Soma flows onward to all of them.Effecting, for our aid, both union and release, Indu, like Surya, follows closely after Dawn.3 He who is poured with milk, he who within the plants hastes bringing treasure for the happiness ofGods,He, poured forth in a stream flows with the lightning's flash, Soma who gladdens Indra and the Hostof Heaven.4 Winner of thousands, he, this Soma, flows along, raising a vigorous voice that wakens with thedawn.Indu with winds drives on the ocean of the air, he sinks within the jars, he rests in Indra's heart.5 The kine with milk dress him who makes the milk increase, Soma, amid the songs, who finds thelight of heaven.Winner of wealth, the effectual juice is flowing on, Singer and Sage by wisdom, dear as heaven itself.
HYMN LXXXV. Soma Pavamana.I. FLOW on to Indra, Soma, carefully effused: let sickness stay afar together with the fiends.Let not the double-tongued delight them with thy juice. here be thy flowing drops laden withopulence.2 O Pavamana, urge us forward in the fight thou art the vigour of the Gods, the well-loved drink.Smite thou our enemies who raise the shout of joy: Indra, drink Soma juice, and drive away our foes.3 Unharmed, best Cheerer, thou, O Indu, flowest on: thou, even thou thyself, art Indra's noblest food.Full many a wise man lifts to thee the song of praise, and hails thee with a kiss as Sovran of thisworld.4 Wondrous, with hundred streams, hymned in a thousand songs, Indu pours out for Indra hisdelightrul meath.Winning us land and waters, flow thou hitherward: Rainer of bounties, Soma, make broad way for us.5 Roaring within the beaker thou art balmed with milk: thou passest through the fleecy filter all atonce.Carefully cleansed and decked like a prizewinning steed, O Soma, thou hast flowed down withinIndra's throat.6 Flow onward sweet of flavour for the Heavenly Race, for Indra sweet, whose name is easilyinvoked:Flow sweet for Mitra, Varuna, and Vayu, rich in meath, inviolable for Brhaspati.7 Ten rapid fingers deck the Courser in the jar: with hymns the holy singers send their voices forth.The filtering juices hasten to their eulogy, the drops that gladden find their way to Indra's heart.8 While thou art purified pour on us hero strength, great, far-extended shelter, spacious pasturage.
Let no oppression master this our holy work: may we, O Indu, gain all opulence through thee.9 The Steer who sees afar hath risen above the sky: the Sage hath caused the lights of heaven to givetheir shine.The. King is passing through the filter with a roar: they drain the milk of heaven from him who lookson men.10 High in the vault of heaven, unceasing, honey-tongued, the Loving Ones drain out the mountain-haunting Steer,-The drop that hath grown great in waters, in the lake meath-rich, in the stream's wave and in thecleansing sieve.11 The Loving Ones besought with many voices the Eagle who had flown away to heaven.Hymns kiss the Youngling worthy of laudation, resting on earth, the Bird of golden colour.12 High to heaven's vault hath the Gandharva risen, beholding all his varied forms and figures.His ray hath shone abroad with gleaming splendour: pure, he hath lighted both the worlds, theParents.
HYMN LXXXVI. Soma Pavamana.1. THY gladdening draughts, O Pavamana, urged by song flow swiftly of themselves like sons of fleet-foot mares.The drops of Soma juice, those eagles of the heavens, most cheering, rich in meath, rest in thereservoir.2 As rapid chariot-steeds, so turned in several ways have thine exhilarating juices darted forth,Soma-drops rich in meath, waves, to the Thunder-armed, to Indra, like milch-kine who seek their calfwith milk.3 Like a steed urged to battle, finder of the light; speed onward to the cloud-born reservoir of heaven,A Steer that o'er the woolly surface seeks the sieve, Soma while purified for Indra's nourishment.4 Fleet as swift steeds, thy drops, divine, thought-swift, have been, O Pavamana, poured with milkinto the vat.The Rsis have poured in continuous Soma drops, ordainers who adorn thee, Friend whom Rsis love.5 O thou who seest all things, Sovran as thou art and passing strong, thy rays encompass all abodes.Pervading with thy natural powers thou flowest on, and as the whole world's Lord, O Soma, thou artKing.6 The beams of Pavamana, sent from earth and heaven, his ensigns who is ever steadfast, travelround.When on the sieve the Golden-hued is cleansed, he rests within the vats as one who seats him in hisplace.7 Served with fair rites he flows, ensign of sacrifice: Soma advances to the special place of Gods.He speeds with thousand currents to the reservoir, and passes through the filter bellowing as a bull.8 The Sovran dips him in the seain and the streams, and set in rivers with the waters' wave moveson.High heaven's Sustainer at the central point of earth, raised on the fleecy surface Pavamana stands.9 He on whose high decree the heavens and earth depend nath roared and thundered like thesummit of the sky.Soma flows on obtaining Indra's friendly love, and, as they purify him, settles in the jars.10 He, light of sacrifice distils delicious meath, most wealthy, Father and begetter of the Gods.He, gladdening, best of Cheerers, juice!hat Indra loves, enriches with mysterious treasure earth andheaven.11 The vigorous and far-seeing one, the Lord of heaven, flows, shouting to the beaker, with histhousand streams.Coloured like gold he rests in seats where Mitra dwells, the Steer made beautiful by rivers and bysheep.12 In forefront of the rivers Pavamana speeds, in forefront of the hymn, foremost among the kine.He shares the mighty booty in the van of war: the well-armed Steer is purified by worshippers.13 This heedful Pavamana, like a bird sent forth, hath with his wave flowed onward to the fleecysieve.
O Indra, through thy wisdom, b thy thought, O Sage, Soma flows bright and pure between the earthand heaven.14 He, clad in mail that reaches heaven, the Holy One, filling the firmament stationed amid theworlds,Knowing. the realm of light, hath come to us in rain: he summons to himself his own primeval Sire.15 He who was first of all to penetrate his form bestowed upon his race wide shelter and defence.From that high station which he hath in loftiest heaven he comes victorious to all encounters here.16 Indu hath started for Indra's special place and slights not as a Friend the promise of his Friend.Soma speeds onward like a youth to youtlitial maids, and gains the beaker by a course of bundredpaths.17 Your songs, exhilarating, tuneful, uttering praise, are come into the placns where the people meet.Worshippers have exalted Soma with their hymns, and milch kine have come near to meet him withtheir milk.18 O Soma, Indu, while they cleanse thee, pour on us accumulateds Plentiful, nutritious food,Which, ceaseless, thrice a day shall yield us hero power enriched with store of nourishment, andstrength, and Meath.19 Far-seeing Soma flows, the Steer, the Lord of hymns, the Furtherer of day, of morning, and ofheaven.Mixt with the streams he caused the beakers to resound, and with the singers' aid they enteredIndra's heart.20 On, with the prudent singers, flows the ancient Sage and guided by the men hath roared aboutthe vats.Producing Trita's name, may he pour forth the meath, that Vayu and that Indra may become hisFriends.21 He, being purified, hath made the Mornings shine: this, even this is he who gave the rivers room.He made the Three Times Seven pour out the milky flow: Soma, the Cheerer, yields whate'er theheart finds sweet.22 Flow, onward, Soma, in thine own celestial forms, flow, Indu, poured within the beaker and thesieve.Sinking into the throat of Indra with a roar, led by the men thou madest Surya mount to heaven.23 Pressed out with stones thou flowest onward to the sieve, O Indu, entering the depths of Indra'sthroat.Far-sighted Soma, now thou lookest on mankind: thou didst unbar the cowstall for the Angirases.24 In thee, O Soma, while thou purifitedst thee, high-thoughted sages, seeking favour, have rejoiced.Down from the heavens the Falcon brought thee hitherward, even thee, O Indu, thee whom all ourhymns adorn.25 Seven Milch-kine glorify the Tawny-coloured One while with his wave in wool he purifies himself.The living men, the mighty, have impelled the Sage into the waters' lap, the place of sacrifice.26 Indu, attaining purity, plunges through the foe, making Ilis ways all easy for the pious man.Making the kine his mantle, he, the lovely Sage, runs like a sporting courser onward through thefleece.27 The ceaseless watery fountains with their hundred streams sing, as they hasten near, to him theGolden-huedHim, clad in robes of milk, swift fingers beautify on the third height and in the luminous realm ofheaven.28 These are thy generations of celestial seed thou art the Sovran Lord of all the world of life.This universe, O Pavamana, owns thy sway; thou, Indu, art the first establisher of Law.29 Thou art the sea, O Sage who bringest alf to light: under thy Law are these five regions of theworld.Tlou reachest out beyond the earth, beyond the heavens: thine are the lights, O Pavamana, thine theSun.30 Thou in the filter, Soma Pavamana, art purified to support the region for the Gods.The chief, the longing ones have sought to hold thee fast, and all these living creatures have beenturned to thee.
31 Onward the Singer travels o'er the fleecy sieve. the Tawny Steer hath bellowed in the woodenvats.Hymns have been sung aloud in resonant harmony, and holy songs kiss him, the Child who claimsour praise.32 He hath assumed the rays of Surya for his robe, spinning, as he knows bow, the triply-twistedthread.He, guiding to the newest rules of Holy Law, comes as the Women's Consort to the special place.33 On flows the King of rivers and the Lord of heaven: he follows with a shout the paths of Holy Law.The Golden-hued is poured forth, with his hundred streams, Wealth-bringer, lifting up his voice whilepurified.34 Fain to be cleansed, thou, Pavamana, pourest out, like wondrous Surya, through the fleece, anample sea.Purified with the hands, pressed by the men with stones, thou speedest on to mighty booty-bringingwar.35 Thou, Pavamana, sendest food and power in streams. thou sittest in the beakers as a hawk ontrees,For Indra poured as cheering juice to make him glad, as nearest and farseeing bearer-up of heaven.36 The Sisters Seven, the Mothers, stand around the Babe, the noble, new-born Infant, skilled in holysong,Gandharva of the floods, divine, beholding men, Soma, that he may reign as King of all the world.37 As Sovran Lord thereof thou Passest through these worlds, O Indu, harnessing thy tawny well-winged Mares.May they pour forth for thee milk and oil rich in sweets: O Soma, let the folk abide in thy decree.38 O Soma, thou beholdest men from every side: O Pavamana, Steer, thou wanderest through these.Pour out upon us wealth in treasure and in gold: may we have strength to live among the things thatbe.39 Winner of gold and goods and cattle flow thou on, set as impregner, Indu, mid the worlds of life.Rich in brave men art thou, Soma, who winnest all: these holy singers wait upon thee with the song.40 The wave of flowing meath hath wakened up desires: the Steer enrobed in milk plunges into thestreams.Borne on his chariot-sieve the King hath risen to war, and with a thousand rays hath won him highrenown.41 Dear to all life, he sends triumphant praises forth, abundant, bringing offspring, each succeedingday.From Indra crave for us, Indu, when thou art quaffed, the blessing that gives children, wealth thatharbours steeds.42 When days begin, the strong juice, lovely, golden-hued, is recognized by wisdom more and moreeach day,He, stirring both the Races, goes between the two, the bearer of the word of men and word of Gods.43 They balm him, balm him over balm him thoroughly, caress the mighty strength and balm it withthe meath.They seize the flying Steer at the stream's breathing-place: cleansing with gold they grasp theAnimal herein.44 Sing forth to Pavamana skilled in holy song: the juice is flowing onward like a mighty stream.He.glideth like a serpent from his ancient skin, and like a playful horse the Tawny Steer hath run.45 Dweller in floods, King, foremost, he displays his might, set among living things as measurer ofdays.Distilling oil he flows, fair, billowy, golden-hued, borne on a car of light, sharing one hom-e withwealth.46 Loosed is the heavens! support, the uplifted cheering juice: the triply-mingled draught flows roundinto the worlds.The holy hymns caress the stalk that claims our praise, when singers have approached his beauteousrobe with song.47 Thy strearns that flow forth rapidly collected run over the fine fleece of the sheep as thou artcleansed.
When, Indu, thou art. balmed with milk within the bowl, thou sinkest in the jars, O Soma, whenexpressed.48 Winner of' power, flow, Soma, worthy of our laud: run onward to the fleece as well-beloved meath.Destroy, O Indu, all voracious Raksasas. With brave sons in the assembly let our speech be bold.
HYMN LXXXVII. Soma Pavamana.1. RUN onward to the reservoir and seat thee: cleansed by the men speed forward to the battle.Making thee beauteous like an able courser, forth to the sacred grass with reins they lead thee.2 Indu, the well-armed God, is flowing onward, who quells the curse and guards from treacherousonslaught,Father, begetter of the Gods, most skilful, the buttress of the heavens and earth's supporter.3. Rsi and Sage, the Champion of the people, cleft and sagacious, Usana in wisdom,He hath discovered even their hidden nature, the Cows' concealed and most mysterious title.4 This thine own Soma rich in meath, O Indra, Steer for the Steer, hath flowed into the filter.The strong Free-giver, winning hundreds, thousands, hath reached the holy grass that never failshim.5 These Somas are for wealth of countless cattle, renown therefor, and mighty strength immortal.These have been sent forth, urified by strainers, like steeds who rusg to battle fain for glory.6 He, while he cleanses him, invoked of many, hath flowed to give the people all enjoyment.Thou whom the Falcon brought, bring, dainty viands, bestir thyself and send us wealth and booty.7 This Soma, pressed into the cleansing filter, hath run as 'twere a host let loose, the Courser;Like a strong bull who whets his horns kpen-pointed, like a brave warrior in the fray for cattle.8 He issued forth from out the loftiest mountain, and found kine hidden somewhere in a stable.Soma's stream clears itself for thee, O Indra, like lightning thundering through the clouds of heaven,9 Cleansing thyselr, and borne along with Indra, Soma, thou goest round the herd of cattle.May thy praise help us, Mighty One, prompt Giver, to the full ample food which thou bestowest.
HYMN LXXXVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. FOR thee this Soma is effused, O Indra: drink of this juice; for thee the stream is flowing-Soma, which thou thyself hast made and chosen, even Indu, for thy special drink to cheer thee.2 Like a capacious car hath it been harnessed, the Mighty; to acquire abundant treasures.Then in the sacrifice they celebrated all triumphs won by Nahus -n the battle.3 Like Vayu with his team, moving at pleasure, most gracious when invoked like both Nasatyas,Thou art thyself like the Wealth-Giver, Soma! who grants all boons, like song-inspiring Pusan.4 Like Indra who hath done great deeds, thou, Soma, art slayer of the Vrtras, Fort-destroyer.Like Pedu's horse who killed the brood of serpents, thus thou, O Soma, slayest every Dasyu.5 Like Agni loosed amid the forest, fiercely he winneth splendour in the running waters.Like one who fights, the roaring of the mighty, thus Soma Pavamana sends his current.6 These Somas passing through the fleecy filter, like rain descending from the clouds of heaven,Have been effused and poured into the beakers, swiftly like rivers running lowly seaward.7 Flow onward like the potent band of Maruts, like that Celestial Host whom none revileth.Quickly be gracious unto us like waters, like sacrifice victorious, thousand-fashioned.8 Thine are King Varuna's eternal statutes, lofty and deep, O Soma, is thy glory.All-pure art thou like Mitra the beloved, adorable, like Aryaman, O Soma.
HYMN LXXXIX. Soma Pavamana.1. THIS Chariot-horse hath moved along the pathways, and Pavamana flowed like rain from heaven.With us hath Soma with a thousand currents sunk in the wood, upon his Mother's bosom.2. King, he hath clothed him in the robe of rivers, mounted the straightest-going ship of Order.Sped by the Hawk the drop hath waxed in waters: the father drains it, drains the Father's offspring.3 They come to him, red, tawny, Lord of Heaven, the watchful Guardian of the meath, the Lion.
First, Hero in the fight, he seeks the cattle, and with his eye the Steer is our protector.4 They harness to the broad-wheeled car the mighty Courser whose back bears meath, unwearied,awful.The twins, the sisters brighten him, and strengthen-these children of one damethe vigorous Racer.5 Four pouring out the holy oil attend him, sitting together in the same container.To him they flow, when purified, with homage, and still, from every side, are first about him.6 He is the buttress of the heavens, supporter of earth, and in his hand are all the people.Be the team's Lord a well to thee the singer: cleansed is the sweet plant's stalk for deed of glory.7 Fighting, uninjured come where Gods are feasted; Soma, as Vitra-slayer flow for Indra.Vouchsafe us ample riches very splendid may we be masters of heroic vigour.
HYMN XC. Soma Pavamana,1. URGED On, the Father of the Earth and Heaven hath gone forth like a car to gather booty,Going to Indra, sharpening his weapons, and in his hand containing every treasure.2 To him the tones of sacred song have sounded, Steer of the triple height, the Life-bestower.Dwelling in wood as Varuna in rivers, lavishing treasure he distributes blessings3 Great Conqueror, warnor-girt, Lord of all heroes, flow on thy way as he who winneth riches;With sharpened. arms, with swift bow, never vanquished in battle, vanquishing in fight the foemen.4 Giving security, Lord of wide dominion, send us both earth and heaven with all their fulness.Striving to win the Dawns, the light, the waters, and cattle, call to us abundant vigour.5 O Soma, gladden Varuna and Mitra; cheer, Indu Pavamana! Indra, Visnu.Cheer thou the Gods, the Company of Maruts: Indu, cheer mighty Indra to rejoicing.6 Thus like a wise and potent King flow onward, destroying with thy vigour all misfortunes.For our well-spoken hymn give life, O Indu. Do ye preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN XCI. Soma Pavamana.1. As for a chariot-race, the skilful Speaker, Chief, Sage, Inventor, hath, with song, been started.The sisters ten upon the fleecy summit drive on the Car-horse to the resting places.2 The drop of Soma, pressed by wise Nahusyas, becomes the banquet of the Heavenly People-Indu, by hands of mortal men made beauteous, immortal, with the sheep and cows and waters.3 Steer roaring unto Steer, this Pavamana, this juice runs to the white milk of the milch-cow.Through thousand fine hairs goes the tuneful Singer, like Sura by his fair and open pathways.4 Break down the, strong seats even of the demons: cleansing thee, Indu, robd thyself in vigour.Rend with thy swift bolt, coming from above them, those who are near and those who yet are distant.5 Prepare the forward paths in ancient manner for the new bymn, thou Giver of all bounties.Those which are high and hard for foes to conquer may we gain from thee, Active! Food-bestower!6 So purifying thee vouchsafe us waters, heaven's light, and cows, offipring and many children.Give us health, ample land, and lights, O Soma, and grant us long to look upon the sunshine.
HYMN XCII. Soma Pavamana.1. THE gold-hued juice, poured out upon the filter, is started like a car sent forth to conquer.He hath gained song and vigour while they cleansed him, and hath rejoiced the Gods withentertainments.2 He who beholdeth man hath reached the filter: bearing his name, the Sage hath sought hisdwelling.The Rsis came to him, seven holy singers, when in the bowls he settled as Invoker.3 Shared by all Gods, mobt wise, propitious, Soma goes, while they cleanse him, to his constantstation.Let him rejoice in all his lofty wisdom to the Five Tribes the Sage attains with labour.4 In thy mysterious place, O Pavamana Soma, are all the Gods, the Thrice-Eleven.Ten on the fleecy height, themselves, self-prompted, and seven fresh rivers, brighten and adorn thee.
5 Now let this be the truth of Pavamana, there where all singers gather them together,That he hath given us room and made the daylight, hath holpen Manu and repelled the Dasyu.6 As the priest seeks the station rich in cattle, like a true King who goes to great assemblies,Soma hath sought the beakers while they cleansed him, and like a wild bull, in the wood hath settled.
HYMN XCIII. Soma Pavamana.1. TEN sisters, pouring out the rain together, swift-moving thinkers of the sage, adorn him.Hither hath run the gold-hued Child of Surya and reached the vat like a fleet vigorous courser.2 Even as a youngling crying to his mothers, the bounteous Steer hath flowed along to waters.As youth to damsel, so with milk he hastens on to the. chose meeting-place, the beaker.3 Yea, swollen is the udder of the milch-cow: thither in streams goes very sapient Indu.The kine make ready, as with new-washed treasures, the Head and Chief with milk within thevessels.4 With all the Gods, O Indu Pavamana, while thou art roaring send us wealth in horses.Hither upon her car come willing Plenty, inclined to us, to give us of her treasures.5 Now unto us mete riches, while they cleansethee, all-glorious, swelling wealth, with store ofheroes.Long be his life who worships, thee, O Indu. May he, enriched with prayer, come soon and early.
HYMN XCIV. Soma Pavamana.1. WHEN beauties strive for him as for a charger, then strive the songs like soldiers for the sunlight.Acting the Sage, he flows enrobed in waters and song as 'twere a stall that kine may prosper.2 The worlds expand to hirn who from aforetime found light to spread the law of life eternal.The swelling songs, like kine within the stable, in deep devotion call aloud on Indu.3 When the sage bears his holy wisdom round him, like a car visiting all worlds, the Hero,Becoming fame, mid Gods, unto the mortal, wealth to the skilled, worth praise mid the Ever-present,4 For glory born be hath come forth to glory: he giveth life and glory to the singers.They, clothed in glory, have become immortal. He, measured in his course, makes frays successful.5 Stream to us food and vigour, kine and horses: give us broad lights and fill thGods with rapture.All ther are easy things for thee to master thou, Pavamana Soma, quellest foemen.
HYMN XCV Soma Pavamana.1. Loud neighs the Tawny Steed when started, settling deep in the wooden vessel while they cleansehim.Led by the men he takes the milk for raiment: then shall he, through his powers, engender praise-songs.2 As one who rows drives on his boat, he, Gold-hued, sends forth his voice, loosed on the path ofOrder.As God, the secret names of Gods he utters, to be declared on sacred grass more widely.3 Hastening onward like the waves of waters, our holy hymns are pressing nigh to Soma.To him they come with lowly adoration, and, longing, enter him who longs to meet them.4 They drain the stalk, the Steer who dwells on mountains, even as a Bull who decks him on theupland.Hymns follow and attend him as he bellows: Trita bears Varuna aloft in ocean.5 Sending thy voice out as Director, loosen the Invoker's thought, O Indu, as they cleanse thee.While thou and Indra rule for our advantage, may we be masters of heroic vigour.
HYMN XCVI. Soma Pavamana1. IN forefront of the cars forth goes the Hero, the Leader, winning spoil: his host rejoices.Soma endues his robes of lasting colours, and blesses, for his friends, their calls on Indra.2 Men decked with gold adorn his golden tendril, incessantly with steed-impelling homage.
The Friend of Indra mounts his car well-knowing, he comes thereon to meet the prayer we offer.3 O God, for service of the Gods flow onward, for food sublime, as Indra's drink, O Soma.Making the floods, bedewing earth and heaven, come from the vast, comfort us while we cleansethee4 Flow for prosperity and constant Vigour, flow on for happiness and high perfection.This is the wish of these friends assembled: this is my wish, O Soma Pavamana.5 Father of holy hymns, Soma flows onward the Father of the earth, Father of heaven:Father of Agni, Surya's generator, the Father who begat Indra and Visnu.6 Brahman of Gods, the Leader of the poets, Rsi of sages, Bull of savage creatures,Falcon amid the vultures, Axe of forests, over the cleansing sieve goes Soma singing.7 He, Soma Pavamana, like a river, hath stirred the wave of voice, our songs and praises.Beholding these inferior powers in cattle, he rests among them as a Steer well-knowing.8 As Gladdener, Warrior never harmed in battle, with thousand genial streams, pour strength andvigour.As thoughtful Pavamana, urge O Indu, speeding the kine, the plant's wave on to Indra.9 Dear, grateful to the Gods, on to the beaker moves Soma, sweet to Indra, to delight him.With hundred powers, with thousand currents, Indu, like a strong car-horse, goes to the assembly.10 Born in old time as finder-out of treasures, drained with the stone, decking himself in waters,Warding off curses, King of all existence, he shall find way for prayer the while they cleanse him.11 For our sage fathers, Soma Pavamana, of old performed, by thee, their sacred duties.Fighting unvanquished, open the enclosures: enrich us with large gifts of steeds and heroes.12 As thou didst flow for Manu Life-bestowing, Foe-queller, Comforter, rich in oblations,Even thus flow onward now conferring riches: combine with Indra, and bring forth thy weapons.13 Flow onward, Soma, rich in sweets and holy,. enrobed in waters on the fleecy summit.Settle in vessels that are full of fatness, as cheering and most gladdening drink for Indra.14 Pour, hundred-streamed, winner of thousands, mighty at the Gods' banquet, Pour the rain ofheaven,While thou with rivers roarest in the beaker, and blent with milk prolongest our existence.15 Purified with our holy hymns, this Soma o'ertakes malignities like some strong charger,Like fresh milk poured by Aditi, like passage in ample room, or like a docile car-horse.16 Cleansed by the pressers, armed with noble weapons, stream to us the fair secret name thoubearest.Pour booty, like a horse, for love of glory God, Soma, send us kine, and send us Vayu.17 They deck him at his birth, the lovely Infant, the Maruts with their troop adorn the Car-horse.By songs a Poet and a Sage by wisdom, Soma joes singing through the cleansing filter.18 Light-winner, Rsi-mindcd, Rsi-maker, hymned in a thousand hymns, Leader of sages,A Steer who strives to gain his third form, Soma is, like Viraj, resplendent as a Singer.19 Hawk seated in the bowls, Bird wide-extended, the Banner seeking kine and wielding weapons,Following close the sea, the wave of waters, the great Bull tells his fourth form and declares it.20 Like a fair youth who decorates his body, a courser rushing to the gain of riches,A steer to herds, so, flowing to the pitcher, he with a roar hath passed into the beakers.21 Flow on with might as Pavamana, Indu flow loudly roaring through the fleecy filter.Enter the beakers sporting, as they cleanse thee, and let thy gladdening juice make Indra joyful.22 His streams have been effused in all their fulness, and he hath entered, balmed with milk, thegoblets.Singing his psalm, well-skilled in song, a Chanter, be comes as 'twere to his friend's sister roaring.23 Chasing our foes thou comest, Pavamana Indu, besting, as lover to his darling.As a bird flies and settles in the forest, thus Soma settles, purified, in goblets.24 With full stream and abundant milk, O Soma, thy beams come, like a woman, as they cleanse thee.He, gold-hued, rich in boons, brought to the waters, hath roared within the goblet of the pious.
HYMN XCVII. Soma Pavamana1. MADE pure by this man's urgent zeal and impulse the God hath to the Gods his juice imparted.He goes, effused and singing, to the filter, like priest to measured seats supplied with cattle.2 Robed in fair raiment meet to wear in battle, a mighty Sage pronouncing invocations.Roll onward to the beakers as they cleanse thee, far-seeing at the feast of Gods, and watchful.3 Dear, he is brightened on the fleecy summit, a Prince among us, nobler than the noble.Roar out as thou art purified, run forward. Do ye preserve us evermore with blessings.4 Let us sing praises to the Gods: sing loudly, send ye the Soma forth for mighty riches.Let him flow, sweetly-flavoured, through the filter, and let our pious one rest in the pitcher.5 Winning the friendship of the Deities, Indu flows in a thousand streams to make them joyful.Praised by the men after the ancient statute, he hath come nigh, for our great bliss, to Indra.6 Flow, Gold-hued, cleansing thee, to enrich the singer: let thy juice go to Indra to support him.Come nigh, together with the Gods, for bounty. Do ye preserve us evermore with blessings.7 The God declares the Deities' generations, like Usana, proclaiming lofty wisdom.With brilliant kin, far-ruling, sanctifying, the Boar advances, singing, to the places.8 The Swans, the Vrsaganas from anear us have brought their restless spirit to our dwelling.Friends come to Pavamana meet for praises, and sound in concert their resistless music.9 He follows the Wide-strider's rapid movement: cows low, as 'twere, to him who sports at pleasure.He with the sharpened horns brings forth abundance: the Silvery shines by night, by day the Golden.10 Strong Indu, bathed in milk, flows on for Indra, Soma exciting strength, to make him joyful.He quells malignities and slays the demons, the King of mighty power who brings us comfort.11 Then in a stream he flows, milked out with press-stones, mingled with sweetness, through thefleecy filter-Indu rejoicing in the love of Indra, the God who gladdens, for the God's enjoyment.12 As he is purified he pours out treasures, a God bedewing Gods with his own juices.Indu hath, wearing qualities by seasons, on the raised fleece engaged, the ten swift fingers.13 The Red Bull bellowing to the kine advances, causing the heavens and earth to roar and tbunder.Well is he beard like Indra's shout in battle: letting this voice be known he hastens hither.14 Swelling with milk, abounding in sweet flavours, urging the meath-rich plant thou goest onward.Raising a shout thou flowest as they cleanse thee, when thou, O Soma, art effused for Indra.15 So flow thou on inspiriting, for rapture, aiming deatb-shafts at him who stays the waters,Flow to us wearing thy resplendent colour, effused and eager for the kine, O Soma.16 Pleased with us, Indu, send us as thou flowest good easy paths in ample space and comforts.Dispelling, as 'twere with a club, misfortunes, run o'er the height, run o'er the fleecy summit.17 Pour on us rain celestial, quickly streaming, refreshing, fraught with health and ready bounty.Flow, Indu, send these Winds thy lower kinsmen, setting them free like locks of hair unbraided.18 Part, like a knotted tangle, while they cleanse thee, O Soma, righteous and unrighteous conduct.Neigh like a tawny courser who is loosened, come like a youth, O God, a house-possessor.19 For the God's service, for delight, O Indu, run o'er the height, run o'ver the fleecy summit.With thousand streams, inviolate, sweet-scented, flow on for gain of strength that conquers heroes.20 Without a car, without a rein to guide them, unyoked, like coursers started in the contest,These brilliant drops of Soma juice run forward. Do ye, O Deities, come nigh to drink them.21 So for our banquet of the Gods, O Indu, pour down the rain of heaven into the vessels.May Soma grant us riches sought with longing, mighty, exceeding strong, with store of heroes.22 What time the loving spirit's word had formed him Chief of all food, by statute of the Highest,Then loudly lowing came the cows to Indu, the chosen, well-loved Master in the beaker.23 The Sage, Celestial, liberal, raining bounties, pours as he flows the Genuine for the Truthful.The King shall be effectual strength's upholder: he by the ten bright reins is mostly guided.24 He who beholds mankind, made pure with filters, the King supreme of Deities and mortals,From days of old is Treasure-Lord of riches: he, Indu, cherishes fair well-kept Order.
25 Haste, like a steed, to vittory for glory, to Indra's and to Vayu's entertainment.Give us food ample, thousandfold: be, Soma, the finder-out of riches when they cleanse thee.26 Effused by us let God-delighting Somas bring as they flow a home with noble heroes.Rich in all boons like priests acquiring favour, the worshippers of heaven, the best of Cheerers.27 So, God, for service of the Gods flow onward, flow, drink of Gods, for ample food, O Soma.For we go forth to war against the mighty make heaven and earth well stablished by thy cleansing.28 Thou, yoked by strong men, neighest like a courser, swifter than thought is, like an awful lion.By paths directed hitherward, the straightest, send thou us happiness, Indu, while they cleanse thee.29 Sprung from the Gods, a hundred streams, a thousand, have been effused: sages prepare andpurge them.Bring us from heaven the means of winnning, Indu; thou art-forerunnner of abundant riches.30 The streams of days, were poured as 'twere from heaven: the wise King doth not treat his friendunkindly.Like a son following his father's wishes, grant to this family success and safety.31 Now are thy streams poured forth with all their sweetness, when, purified. thou goest through thefilter.The race of kine is thy gift, Pavarridna: when born thou madest Surya rich with brightness.32 Bright, bellowing aiong the path of Order, thou shinest as the form of life eternal.Thou flowest on as gladdening drink for Indra, sending thy voice out with the hymns of sages.33 Pouring out streams at the Gods' feast with service, thou, Soma, lookest down, a heavenly Eagle.Enter the Soma-holding beaker, Indu, and with a roar approach the ray of Sarya.34 Three are the voices that the Courser utters: he speaks the thought of prayer, the law of Order.To the Cow's Master come the Cows inquiring: the hymns with eager longing come to Soma.35 To Soma come the Cows, the Milch-kine longing, to Soma sages with their hvmns inquiring.Soma, effused, is purified and blended our hymns and Trstup songs unite in Soma.36 Thus, Soma, as we pour thee into vessels, while thou art purified flow for our welfare.Pass into Indra with a mighty roaring make the voice swell, and generate abundance.37 Singer of true songs, ever-watchful, Soma hath settled in the ladles when they cleanse him.Him the Adhvaryus, paired and eager, follow, leaders of sacrifice and skilful-handed.38 Cleansed near the Sun as 'twere he as Creator hath filled full heaven and earth, and hath disclosedthem.He by whose dear help men gain all their wishes shall yield the precious meed as to a victor.39 He, being cleansed, the Strengthener and Increaser, Soma the Bounteous, helped us with hislustre,Wherewith our sires of old who knew the footsteps found light and stole the cattle from themountain.40 In the first vault of heaven loud roared the Ocean, King of all being, generating creatures.Steer, in the filter, on the fleecy summit, Soma, the Drop effused, hath waxen mighty.41 Soma the Steer, in that as Child of Waters he chose the Gods, performed that great achievement.He, Pavamana, granted strength to Indra; he, Indu, generated light in Surya.42 Make Vayu glad,, for furtherance and bounty: cheer Varuna and Mitra, as they cleanse thee.Gladden the Gods, gladden the host of Maruts: make Heaven and Earth rejoice, O God, O Soma.43 Flow onward righteous slayer of the wicked, driving away our enemies and sickness,Blending thy milk with milk which cows afford us. We are thy friends, thou art the Friend of Indra.44 Pour us a fount of meath, a spring of treasure; send us a hero son and happy fortune.Be sweet to India when they cleanse thee, Indu, and pour down riches on us from the ocean.45 Strong Soma, pressed, like an impetuous courser, hath flowed in stream as a flood speedingdownward.Cleansed, he hath settled in his wooden dwelling: Indu hath flowed with milk and with the waters.46 Strong, wise, for thee who longest for his coming this Soma here flows to the bowls, O Indra.He, chariot-borne, sun-bright, and truly potent, was poured forth like the longing of the pious.47 He, purified with ancient vital vigour, pervading all his Daughter's forms and figures,
Finding his threefold refuge in the waters, goes singing, as a priest, to the assemblies.48 Now, chariot-borne, flow unto us, God Soma, as thou art purified flow to the saucers,Sweetest in waters, rich in meath, and holy, as Savitar the God is, truthfulminded.49 To feast him, flow mid song and hymn, to Vayu, flow purified to Varuna and Mitra.Flow to the song-inspiring car-borne Hero, to mighty Indra, him who wields the thunder.50 Pour on us garments that shall clothe us meetly, send, purified, miIch-kine, abundant yielders.God Soma, send us chariot-drawing horses that they may bring us treasures bright and golden.51 Send to us in a stream celestial riches, send us, when thou art cleansed, what earth containeth,So that thereby we may acquire possessions and Rsihood in Jamadagni's manner.52 Pour forth this wealth with this purification: flow onward to the yellow lake, O Indu.Here, too, the Ruddy, wind-swift, full of wisdom, Shall give a son to him who cometh quickly.53 Flow on for us with this purification to the famed ford of thee whose due is glory.May the Foe-queller shake us down, for triumph, like a tree's ripe fruit, sixty thousand treasures.54 Eagerly do we pray for those two exploits, at the blue lake and Prsana, wrought in battle.He sent our enemies to sleep and slew thern, and turned away the foolish and unfriendly.55 Thou comest unto three extended filters, and hasteriest through each one as they cleanse thee.Thou art the giver of the gift, a Bhaga, a Maghavan for liberal lords, O Indu.56 This Soma here, the Wise, the All-obtainer, flows on his way as King of all existence.Driving the drops at our assemblies, Indu completely traverses the fleecy filter.57 The Great Inviolate are kissing Indu, and singing in his place like eager sages.The wise men send him forth with ten swift fingers, and balm his form with essence of the waters.58 Soma, may we, with thee as Pavamana, pile up together all our spoil in battle.This boon vouchsafe us Varuna and Mitra, and Aditi and Sindhu, Earth and Heaven.
HYMN XCVIII. Soma Pavamana1. STREAM on us riches that are sought by many, best at winning strengthRiches, O Indu, thousandfold, glorious, conquering the great.2 Effused, he hath, as on a car, invested him in fleecy mail:Onward hath Indu flowed in streams, impelled, surrounded by the wood.3 Effused, this Indu hath flowed on, distilling rapture, to the fleece:He goes erect, as seeking kine in stream, with light, to sacrifice.4 For thou thyself, O Indu, God, to every mortal worshipperAttractest riches thousandfold, made manifest in hundred forms.5 Good Vrtra-slayer, may we be still nearest to this wealth of thineWhich many crave, nearest to food and happiness, Resistless One!6 Whom, bright with native splendour, crushed between the pair of pressingstones-The wavy Friend whom Indra loves-the twice-five sisters dip and bathe,7 Him with the fleece they purify, brown, golden-hued, beloved of all,Who with exhilarating juice goes forth to all the Deities.8 Through longing for this sap of yours ye drink what brings ability,Even him who, dear as heaven's own light, gives to our princes high renown.9 Indu at holy rites produced you, Heaven and Earth, the Friends of men,Hill-haunting God the Goddesses. They bruised him where the roar was loud.10 For Vrtra-slaying Indra, thou, Soma, art poured that he may drink,Poured for the guerdon-giving man, poured for the God who sitteth there.11 These ancient Somas, at the break of day, have flowed into the sieve,Snorting away at early morn these foolish evil-hearted ones.12 Friends, may the princes, ye and we, obtain this Most Resplendent One.Gain him who hath the smell of strength, win him whose home is very strength.
HYMN XCIX. Soma Pavamana.1. THEY for the Bold and Lovely One ply manly vigour like a bow:joyous, in front of songs they weave bright raiment for the Lord Divine.2 And he, made beautiful by night, dips forward into strengthening food',What time the sacrificer's thoughts speed on his way the Golden-hued.3 We cleanse this gladdening drink of his the juice which Indra chiefly drinks---That which kine took into their mouths, of old, and princes take it now.4 To him, while purifying, they have raised the ancient psalm of praise:And sacred songs which bear the names of Gods have supplicated him.5 They purify him as he drops, courageous, in the fleecy sieve.Him they instruct as messenger to bear the sage's morning prayer.6 Soma, best Cheerer, takes his seat, the while they cleanse him in the bowls.He as it were impregns the cow, and babbles on, the Lord of Song.7 He is effused and beautified, a God for Gods, by skilful men.He penetrates the mighty floods collecting all he knows therein.8 Pressed, Indu, guided by the men, thou art led to the cleaning sieve.Thou, yielding Indra highest joy, takest thy seat within the bowls.
HYMN C. Soma Pavamana.I. THE Guileless Ones are singing praise to Indra's well beloved Friend,As, in the morning of its life, the mothers lick the new-born calf.2 O Indu, while they cleanse thee bring, O Soma, doubly-waxing wealthThou in the worshipper's abode causest all treasures to increase.3 Set free the. song which mind hath yoked, even as thunder frees the rain:All treasures of the earth and heaven, O Soma, thou dost multiply.4 Thy stream when thou art pressed runs on like some victorious warrior's steedHastening onward through the fleece like a fierce horse who wins the prize.5 Flow on, Sage Soma, with thy stream to give us mental power and strength,Effused for Indra, for his drink, for Mitra and for Varuna.6 Flow to the filter with thy stream, effused, best winner, thou, of spoil,O Soma, as most rich in sweets for Indra, Visnu, and the Gods.7 The mothers, void of guiles, caress thee Golden-coloured, in the sieve,As cows, O Pavamana, lick the new-born calf, as Law commands.8 Thou, Pavamana, movest on with wondrous rays to great renown.Striving within the votary's house thou drivest all the glooms away.9 Lord of great sway, thou liftest thee above the heavens, above the earth.Thou, Pavamana hast assumed thy coat of mail in majesty.
HYMN CI. Soma Pavamana1. FOR first possession of your juice, for the exhilarating drink,Drive ye away the dog, my friends, drive ye the long-tongued dog away.2 He who with purifying stream, effused, comes flowing hitherward,Indu, is like an able steed.3 The men with all-pervading song send unassailable Soma forth,By pressing-stones, to sacrifice.4 The Somas, very rich in sweets, for which the sieve is destined, flow,Effused, the source of Indra's joy: may your strong juices reach the Gods.5 Indu flows on for Indra's sake: thus have the Deities declared.The Lord of Speech exerts himself, Ruler of all, because of might.6 Inciter of the voice of song, with thousand streams the ocean flows,
Even Soma, Lord of opulence, the Friend of Indra, day by day.7 As Pusan, Fortune, Bhaga, comes this Soma while they make him pure.He, Lord of the multitude, hath looked upon the earth and heaven.8 The dear cows lowed in joyful mood together to the gladdening drink.The drops as they were purified, the Soma juices, made then paths.9 O Pavamana, bring the juice, the mightiest, worthy to be famed,Which the Five Tribes have over them, whereby we may win opulence.10 For us the Soma juices flow, the drops best furtherers of our weal,Effused as friends without a spot, benevolent, finders of the light.11 Effused by means of pressing-stones, upon the ox-hide visible,They, treasure-finders, have announced food unto us from every side.12 Tlese Soma juices, skilled in song, purified, blent with milk and curd,When moving and when firmly laid in oil, resemble lovely Suns.13 Let not the power of men restrain the voice of the outpouring juice:As Bhrgu's sons chased Makha, so drive ye the greedy hound away.14 The Friend hath wrapped him in his robe, as in his parents arms, a son.He went, as lover to a dame, to take his station suitor-like.15 That Hero who produces strength, he who hath propped both worlds apart,Gold-hued, hath wrapped him in the sieve, to settle, priest-like, in his place.16 Soma upon the ox's skin through the sheep's wool flows purified.Bellowing out, the Tawny Steer goes on to Indra's special place.
HYMN CIL Soma Pavamana.1. THE Child, when blended with the streams, speeding the plan of sacrifice,Surpasses all things that are dear, yea, from of old.2 The place, near the two pressing-stones of Trita, hath he occupied,Secret and dear through seven lights of sacrifice.3 Urge to three courses, on the heights of Trita, riches in a stream.He who is passing wise measures his courses out.4 Even at his birth the Mothers Seven taught him, for glory, like a sage,So that he, firm and sure, hath set his mind on wealth.5 Under his sway, of one accord, are all the guileless Deities:Warriors to be envied, they, when they are pleased.6 The Babe whom they who strengthen Law have generated fair to see,Much longed for at the sacrifice, most liberal Sage,-7 To him, united, of themselves, come the young Parents of the rite,When they adorn him, duly weaving sacrifice.8 With wisdom and with radiant eyes unbar to us the stall of heaven,Speeding at solemn rite the plan of Holy Law.
HYMN CIII. Soma Pavamana.1. To Soma who is purified as ordering Priest the song is raised:Bring meed, as 'twere, to one who makes thee glad with hymns.2 Blended with milk and curds he flows on through the long wool of the sheep.The Gold-hued, purified, makes him three seats for rest.3 On through the long wool of the sheep to the meath-dropping vat he flows:The Rsis' sevenfold quire hath sung aloud to him.4 Shared by all Gods, Infallible, the Leader of our holy hymns,Golden-hued Soma, being cleansed, hath reached the bowls.5 After thy Godlike qualities, associate with Indra, go,
As a Priest purified by priests, Immortal One.6 Like a car-horse who shows his strength, a God effused for Deities.The penetrating Pavamana flows along.
HYMN CIV. Soma Pavamana.1. SIT down, O friends, and sing aloud to him who purifies himself:Deck him for glory, like a child, with holy rites.2 Unite him bringing household wealth, even as a calf, with mother kine,Him who hath double strength, the God, delighting juice.3 Purify him who gives us power, that he, most Blessed One, may beA banquet for the Troop, Mitra, and Varuna.4 Voices have sung aloud to thee as finderout of wealth for us:We clothe the hue thou wearest with a robe of milk.5 Thou, Indu, art the food of Gods, O Sovran of all gladdening drinks:As Friend for friend, be thou best finder of success.6 Drive utterly away from us each demon, each voracious fiend,The godless and the false: keep sorrow far away.
HYMN CV. Soma Pavamana1. SING; ye aloud, O friends, to him who makes him pure for gladdening drink:They shall make sweet the Child with sacrifice and laud.2 Like as a calf with mother cows, so Indu is urged forth and sent,Glorified by our hymns, the God-delighting juice.3 Effectual means of power is he, he is a banquet for the Troop,He who hath been effused, most rich in meath, for Gods.4 Flow to us, Indu, passing, strong, effused, with wealth of kine and steeds:I will spread forth above the milk thy radiant hue.5 Lord of the tawny, Indu thou who art the God's most special food,As Friend to friend, for splendour be thou good to men.6 Drive utterly, far away from us each godless, each voracious foe.O Indu, overcome and drive the false afar.
HYMN CVI. Soma Pavamana.1. To Indra, to the Mighty Steer, may these gold-coloured juices go,Drops rapidly produced, that find the light of heaven.2 Effused, this juice victorious flows for Indra, for his maintenance.Soma bethinks him of the Conqueror, as he knows.3 May Indra in his raptures gain from him the grasp that gathers spoil,And, winning waters, wield the steerstrong thunderbolt.4 Flow vigilant for Indra, thou Soma, yea, Indu, run thou on:Bring hither splendid strength that finds the light of heaven.5 Do thou, all-beautiful, purify for Indra's sake the mighty juice,Path-maker thou, far seeing, with a thousand ways.6 Best finder of prosperity for us, most rich in sweets for Gods,Proceed thou loudly roaring on a thousand paths.7 O Indu, with thy streams, in might, flow for the banquet of the Gods:Rich in meath, Soma, in our beaker take thy place.8 Thy drops that swim in water have exalted Indra to delight:The Gods have drunk thee up for immortality.9 Stream opulence to us, ye drops of Soma, pressed and purified,
Pouring down rain from heaven in hoods, and finding light.10 Soma, while filtered, with his wave flows through the long wool of the sheep,Shouting while purified before the voice of song.11 With songs they send the Mighty forth, sporting in wood, above the fleece:Our psalms have glorified him of the triple height.12 Into the jars hath he been loosed, like an impetuous steed for war,And lifting up his voice, while filtered, glided on.13 Gold-hued and lovely in his course, througb tangles of the wool he flows,And pours heroic fame upon the worshippers.14 Flow thus, a faithful votary: the streams of meath have been effused.Thou comest to the filter, singing, from each side.
HYMN CVII. Soma Pavamana.I., HENCE sprinkle forth the juice effused,. Soma, the best of sacred gifts,Who, friend of man, hath run amid the water-streams. He hath pressed Soma out with stones.2 Now, being purified, flow hither through the fleece inviolate and most odorous.We ladden thee in waters when thou art effused, blending thee still with juice and milk.3 Pressed out for all to see, delighting Gods, Indu, Far-sighted One, is mental power.4 Cleansing thee, Soma, in thy stream, thou flowest in a watery robe:Giver of wealth, thou sittest in the place of Law, O God, a fountain made of gold.5 Milking the heavenly udder for dear meath, he hath sat in the ancient gatheringplace.Washed by the men, the Strong Farseeing One streams forth nutriti us food that all desire.6 O Soma, while they cleanse thee, dear and watchful in the sheep's long wool,Thou hast become a Singer most like Angiras: thou madest Surya mount to heaven.7 Bountiful, best of furtherers, Soma floweth on, Rsi and Singer, keen of sight.Thou hast become a Sage most welcome to the Gods: thou madest Surya mount to heaven.8 Pressed out by pressers, Soma goes over the fleecy backs of sheep,Goes, even as with a mare, in tawnycoloured stream, goes in exhilarating stream.9 Down to the water-Soma, rich in kine hath flowed with cows, with cows that have been milked.They have approached the mixing-vessel as a sea: the cheerer streams for the carouse.10 Effused by stones, O Soma, and urged through the long wool of the sheep,Thou, entering the saucers as a man the fort, gold-hued hast settled in the wood.11 He beautifies himself through the sheep's long fine wool, like an impetuous steed in war,Even Soma Pavamana who shall be the joy of sages and of holy bards.12 O Soma,-for the feast of Gods, river-like he hath swelled with surge,With the stalk's juice, exhilarating, resting not, into the vat that drops with meath.13 Like a dear son who must be decked, the Lovely One hath clad him in a shining robe.Men skilful at their work drive him forth, like a car, into the rivers from their bands.14 The living drops of Soma juice pour, as they flow, the gladdening drink,Intelligent drops above the basin of the sea, exhilarating, finding light.15 May Pavamana, King and God, speed with his wave over the sea the lofty rite:May he by Mitra's and by Varuna's decree flow furthering the lofty rite.16 Far-seeing, lovely, guided by the men, the God whose home is in the sea-17 Soma, the gladdening juice, flows pressed for Indra with his Marut host:He hastens o'er the fleece with all his thousand streams: men make him bright and beautiful.18 Purified in the bowl and gendering the hymn, wise Soma joys among the Gods.Robed in the flood, the Mighty One hath clad himself with milk and settled in the vats.19 O Soma, Indu, every day thy friendship hath been my delight.Many fiends follow me; help me, thou Tawny-hued; pass on beyond these barriers.20 Close to thy bosom am I, Soma, day and night. O Tawny-hued, for friendship sake.
Surya himself refulgent with his glow have we o'ertaken in his course like birds.21 Deft-handcd! thou when purified liftest thy voice amid the sea.Thou, Pavamana, makest riches flow to us, yellow, abundant, much-desifed.22 Making thee pure and bright in the sheep's long wool, tbou hast bellowed, steerlike, in the wood.Thou flowest, Soma Pavamana, balmed with milk unto the special place of Gods.23 Flow on to win us strength, flow on to lofty lore of every kind.Thou, Soma, as Exhilarator wast the first to spread the sea abroad for Gods.24 Flow to the realm of earth, flow to the realm of heaven, O Soma, in thy righteous ways.Fair art thou whom the sages, O Far-seeing One, urge onward with their songs and hymns.25 Over the cleansing sieve have flowed the Pavamanas in a stream,Girt by the Maruts, gladdening, Steeds with Indra's stiength, for wisdom and for dainty food.26 Urged onward by the pressers, clad in watery robes, Indu is speeding to the vat.He gendering light, hath made the glad Cows low, while he takes them as his garb of state.
HYMN CVIII. Soma Pavamana.1. FOR Indra, flow thou Soma on, as gladdening juice most sweet, intelligent,Great, cheering, dwelling most in heaven.2 Thou, of whom having drunk the Steer acts like a steer. drinking of this that finds the light,He, Excellently Wise, is come to strengthening food, to spoil and wealth like Etasa.3 For, verily, Pavamana, thou bast, splendidest, called all the generations ofThe Gods to immortality.4 By whom Dadhyac Navagva opens fastened doors, by whom the sages gained their wish,By whom they won the fame of lovely Amrta in the felicity of Gods.5 Effused, he floweth in a stream, best rapture-giver, in the long wool of the sheep,Sporting, as 'twere the waters' wave.6 He who from out the rocky cavern took with might the redmrefulgent watery Cows,Thou masterest the stable full of kine and steeds: burst it, brave Lord, like one in mail.7 Press ye and pour him, like a steed, laudworthy, speeding through the region and the flood,Who swims in water, roan in wood;8 Increaser of the water, Steer with thousand streams, dear to the race of Deities;Who born in Law hath waxen mighty by the Law, King, God, and lofty Ordinance.9 Make splendid glory shine on us, thou Lord of strengthening food, God, as the Friend of Gods:Unclose the fount of middle air.10 Roll onward to the bowls, O Mighty One, effused, as Prince supporter of the tribes.Pour on us rain from heaven, send us the waters' flow: incite our thoughts to win the spoil.11 They have drained him the Steer of heaven, him with a thousand streams, distilling rapturous joy,Him who brings all things excellent.12 The Mighty One was born Immortal, giving life, lightening darkness with his shine.Wcll-praised by. sages he hath. by his wondrous power assumed the Threefold as his robe.13 Effused is he who brings good things, who brings us bounteous gifts and sweet refreshing food,Soma who brings us quiet homes:14 He whom our Indra and the Marut host shall drink, Bhaga shall drink with Aryarnan,By whom we bring to us Mitra and Varuna and Indra for our great defence.15 Soma, for Indra's drink do thou, led by the men, well-wcaponcd and most gladdening,Flow on with greatest store of sweets.16 Enter the Soma-holder, even Indra's heart, as rivers pass into the sea,Acceptable to Mitra, Vayu, Varuna, the noblest Pillar of the heavens.
HYMN CIX. Soma Pavamana.1. PLEASANT to Indra's Mitra's, Pusan's Bhaga's taste, sped onward, Soma, with thy flowing stream.
2 Let Indra drink, O Soma, of thy juice for wisdom, and all Deities for strength.3 So flow thou on as bright celestial juice, flow to the vast, immortal dwelling-place.4 Flow onward, Soma, as a mighty sea, as Father of the Gods to every form.5 Flow on, O Soma, radiant for the Gods and Heaven and Earth and bless our progeny.6 Thou, bright Juice, art Sustainer of the sky: flow, mighty, in accordance with true Law.7 Soma, flow splendid with thy copious stream through the great fleece as in the olden time.8 Bom, led by men, joyous, and purified, let the Light-finder make all blessings flow:9 Indu, while cleansed, keeping the people safe, shall give us all possessions for our own.10 Flow on for wisdom, Soma, and for power, as a strong courser bathed, to win the prize.11 The pressers purify this juice of thine, the Soma, for delight, and lofty fame12 They deck the Gold-hued Infant, newlyborn, even Soma, Indu, in the sieve for Gods.13 Fair Indu hath flowed on for rapturous joy, Sage for good fortune in the waters' lap.14 He bears the beauteous name of Indra, that wherewith he overcame all demon foes.15 All Deities are wont to drink of him, pressed by the men and blent with milk and curds.16 He hath flowed forth with thousand streams effused, flowed ihsough the filter and the sheep'slong wool.17 With endless genial flow the Strong hath run, purified by the waters, blent with milk.18 Pressed out with stones, directed by the men, go fortli, O Soma, into Indra's throat.19 The mighty Soma with a thousand streams is poured to Indra through the cleansing sieve.20 Indu they balm with pleasant milky juice for Indra, for the Steer, for his delight.21 Lightly, for sheen, they cleanse thee for the Gods, gold-coloured, wearing water as thy robe.22 Indu to Indra streams, yea, downward streams, Strong, flowing to the floods, and mingling -there.
HYMN CX. Soma Pavamana.1. O'ERPOWERING Vrtras, forward run to win great strength:Thou speedest to subdue like one exacting debts.2 In thee, effused, O Soma, we rejoice ourselves for great supremacy in fight.Thou, Pavamana, enterest into mighty deeds,3 O Pavamana, thou didst generate the Sun, and spread the moisture out with power,Hasting to us with plenty vivified with milk.4 Thou didst produce him, Deathless God mid mortal men for maintenance of Law and lovely Amrta:Thou evermore hast moved making strength flow to us.5 All round about hast thou with glory pierced for us as 'twere a never-failing well for men to drink,Borne on thy way in fragments from the presser's arms.6 Then, beautifully radiant, certain Heavenly Ones, have sung to him their kinship as they lookedthereon,And Savitar the God opens as 'twere a stall.7 Soma, the men of old whose grass was trimmed addressed the hymn to thee for mighty strengthand for renown:So, Hero, urge us onward to heroic power.8 They have drained forth from out the great depth of the sky the old primeval milk of heaven thatclaims the laud:They lifted up their voice to Indra athis birth.9 As long as thou, O Pavamana, art above this earth and heaven and all existence in thy might,Thou standest like a Bull the chief amid the herd.10 In the sheep's wool hath Soma Pavamana flowed, while they cleanse him, like a playful infant,Indu with hundred powers and hundred currents.11 Holy and sweet, while purified, this Indu flows on, a wave of pleasant taste, to Indra,-Strength-winner, Treasure-finder, Life. bestower.12 So flow thou on, subduing our assailants, chasing the demons hard to beencountered,Well-armed and conquering our foes, O Soma.
HYMN CXI. Soma Pavamana.1. WITH this his golden splendour purifying him, he with his own allies subdues all enemies, as Sarawith his own allies.Cleansing himself with stream of juice he shines forth yellow-hued and red, when with the praisershe encompasses all forms, with praisers having seven mouths.2 That treasure of the Panis thou discoveredst; thou with thy mothers deckest thee in thine abode,with songs of worship in thine home.As 'twere from far, the hymn is heard, where holy songs resound in joy. He with the ruddy-hued,threefold hath won life-power, he, glittering, hath won life-power.3 He moves intelligent, directed to the East. The very beauteous car rivals the beams of light, thebeautiful celestial car.Hymns, lauding manly valour, came, inciting Indra to success, that ye may be unconquered, both thybolt and thou, both be unconquered in the war.
HYMN CXII. Soma Pavamana.1. WE all have various thoughts and plans, and diverse are the ways of men.The Brahman seeks the worshipper, wright seeks the cracked, and leech the maimed. Flow, Indu,flow for Indra's sake.2 The smith with ripe and seasoned plants, with feathers of the birds of air,With stones, and with enkindled flames, seeks him who hath a store of gold. Flow, Indu, flow forIndra's sake.3 A bard am I, my dad's a leech, mammy lays corn upon the stones.Striving for wealth, with varied plans, we follow our desires like kine. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra'ssake.4 The horse would draw an easy car, gay hosts attract the laugh and jest.The male desires his mate's approach, the frog is eager for the flood, Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.
HYMN CXIII. Soma Pavamana.1. LET Vrtra-slaying Indra drink Soma by Saryanavan's side,Storing up vigour in his heart, prepared to do heroic deeds. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.2 Lord of the Quarters, flow thou on, boon Soma, from Arjika land,Effused with ardour and with faith, and the true hymn of sacrifice. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.3 Hither hath Surya's Daughter brought the wild Steer whom Parjanya nursed.Gandharvas have seized bold of him, and in the Soma laid the juice. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.4 Splendid by Law! declaring Law, truthspeaking, truthful in thy works,Enouncing faith, King Soma! thou, O Soma, whom thy maker decks. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.5 Together flow the meeting streams of him the Great and truly Strong.The juices of the juicy meet. Made pure by prayer, O Golden-hued, flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.6 O Pavamana, where the priest, as he recites the rhythmic prayer,Lords it o'er Soma with the stone, with Soma bringing forth delight, flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.7 O Pavarnana, place me in that deathless, undecaying worldWherein the light of heaven is set, and everlasting lustre shines. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.8 Make me immortal in that realm where dwells the King, Vivasvan's Son,Where is the secret shrine of heaven, where are those waters young and fresh. Flow, Indu, flow forIndra's sake.9 Make me immortal in that realm where they move even as they list,In the third sphere of inmost heaven where lucid worlds are full of light. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra'ssake.10 Make me immortal in that realm of eager wish and strong desire,The region of the radiant Moon, where food and full delight are found. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra'ssake:11 Make me immortal in that realm where happiness and transports, where
Joys and felicities combine, and longing wishes are fulfilled. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.
HYMN CXIV. Soma Pavamana.1. THE man who waIketh as the Laws of Indu Pavamana bid,-Men call him rich in children, him, O Soma, who hath met thy thought. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra'ssake.2 Kasyapa, Rsi, lifting up thy voice with hymn-composers' lauds,Pav reverence to King Soma born the Sovran Ruler of the plants. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.3 Seven regions have their several Suns; the ministering priests are seven;Seven are the Aditya Deities,-with these, O Soma, guard thou us. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.4 Guard us with this oblation which, King Soma, hath been dressed for thee.Let not malignity conquer us, let nothing evil do us harm. Flow, Indu, flow for Indra's sake.

RIG VEDA - BOOK THE TENTH
HYMN I. Agni.1. HIGH hath the Mighty risen before the dawning, and come to us with light from out the darkness.Fair-shapen Agni with white-shining splendour hath filled at birth all human habitations.2 Thou, being born, art Child of Earth and Heaven, parted among the plants in beauty, Agni!The glooms of night thou, Brilliant Babe, subduest, and art come forth, loud roaring, from thyMothers.3 Here, being manifested, lofty Visnu, full wise, protects his own supremest station.When they have offered in his mouth their sweet milk, to him with one accord they sing forth praises.4 Thence bearing food the Mothers come to meet thee, with food for thee who givest food itsincrease.These in their altered form again thou meetest. Thou art Invoking Priest in homes of mortals.5 Priest of the holy rite, with car that glitters, refulgent Banner of each act of worship,Sharinging every God through might and glory, even Agni Guest of men I summon hither.6 So Agni stands on earth's most central station, invested in well-decorated garments.Born, red of hue, where men pour out libations, O King, as great High Priest bring the Gods hither.7 Over the earth and over heaven, O Agni, thou, Son, hast ever spread above thy Parents.Come, Youthfullest! to those who long to meet thee, and hither bring the Gods, O Mighty Victor.
HYMN II. Agni.1. GLADDEN the yearning Gods, O thou Most Youthful: bring them, O Lord of Seasons, knowingseasons,With all the Priests Celestial, O Agni. Best worshipper art thou of all Invokers.2 Thine is the Herald's, thine the Cleanser's office, thinker art thou, wealth-giver, true to Order.Let us with Svaha offer up oblations, and Agni, worthy God, pay the Gods worship.3 To the Gods' pathway have we travelled, ready to execute what work we may accomplish.Let Agni, for he knows, complete the worship. He is the Priest: let him fix rites and seasons.4 When we most ignorant neglect the statutes of you, O Deities with whom is knowledge,Wise Agni shall correct our faults and failings, skilled to assign each God his fitting season.5 When, weak in mind, of feeble understanding, mortals bethink them not of sacrificing,Then shall the prudent and discerning Agni worship the Gods, best worshipper, in season.6 Because the Father hath produced thee, Leader of all our solemn rites, their brilliant Banner:So win by worship pleasant homes abounding in heroes, and rich food to nourish all men.7 Thou whom the Heaven and Earth, thou whom the Waters, and Tvastar, maker of fair things,created,Well knowing, all along the Fathers' pathway, shine with resplendent light, enkindled, Agni.
HYMN III. Agni.1. O KING, the potent and terrific envoy, kindled for strength, is manifest in beauty.He shines, all-knowing, with his lotty splendour: chasing black Night he comes with white-rayedMorning.2 Having o'ercome the glimmering Black with beauty, and bringing forth the dame the Great Sire'sDaughter,Holding aloft the radiant light of Surya, as messenger of heaven he shines with treasures.3 Attendant on the Blessed Dame the Blessed hath come: the Lover followeth his Sister.Agni, far-spreading with conspicuous lustre, hath compassed Night with whitelyshining garments.4 His goings-forth kindle as 'twere high voices the goings of the auspicious Friend of Agni.The rays, the bright beams of the strong-jawed, mighty, adorable Steer are visible as he cometh.5 Whose radiant splendours flow, like sounds, about us, his who is lofty, brilliant, and effulgent,
Who reaches heaven with best and brightest lustres, sportive and piercing even to the summit.6 His powers, whose chariot fellies gleam and glitter have loudly roared while, as with teams, hehasted.He, the most Godlike, far-extending envoy, shines with flames ancient, resonant, whitely-shining.7 So bring us ample wealth: seat thee as envoy of the two youthful Matrons, Earth and Heaven.Let Agni rapid with his rapid, horses, impetuous with impetuous Steeds, come hither.
HYMN IV. Agni.1. To thee will send praise and bring oblation, as thou hast merited lauds when we invoked thee.A fountain in the desert art thou, Agni, O Ancient King, to man who fain would worship,2 Thou unto whom resort the gathered people, as the kine seek the warm stall, O Most Youthful.Thou art the messenger of Gods and mortals, and goest glorious with thy light between them.3 Making thee grow as 'twere some noble infant, thy Mother nurtures thee with sweet affection.Over the desert slopes thou passest longing, and seekest, like some beast set free, thy fodder.4 Foolish are we, O Wise and free from error: verily, Agni, thou dost know thy grandeur.There lies the form: he moves and licks, and swallows, and, as House-Lord, kisses the YouthfulMaiden.5 He rises ever fresh in ancient fuel: smoke-bannered, gray, he makes the wood his dwelling.No swimmer, Steer, he presses through the waters, and to his place accordant mortals bear him.6 Like thieves who risk their lives and haunt the forest, the twain with their ten girdles have securedhim.This is a new hymn meant for thee, O Agni: yoke as it were thy car with parts that glitter.7 Homage and prayer are thine, O Jatavedas, and this my song shall evermore exalt thee.Agni, protect our children and descendants, and guard with ever-watcliful care our bodies.
HYMN V. Agni.1. HE only is the Sea, holder of treasures: born many a time he views the hearts within us.He hides him in the secret couple's bosom. The Bird dwells in the middle of the fountain.2 Inhabiting one dwelling-place in common, strong Stallions and the Mares have come together.The sages guard the seat of Holy Order, and keep the highest names concealed within them.3 The Holy Pair, of wondrous power, have coupled: they formed the Infant, they who bred producedhim.The central point of all that moves and moves not, the while they wove the Sage's thread withinsight4 For tracks of Order and refreshing viands attend from ancient times the goodly Infant.Wearing him as a mantle, Earth and Heaven grow strong by food of pleasant drink and fatness.5 He, calling loudly to the Seven red Sisters, hath, skilled in sweet drink, brought them to be lookedon.He, born of old, in middle air hath halted, and sought and found the covering robe of Pusan.6 Seven are the pathways which the wise have fashioned; to one of these may come the troubledmortal.He standeth in the dwelling of the Highest, a Pillar, on sure ground where paths are parted.7 Not Being, Being in the highest heaven, in Aditi's bosom and in Daksa's birthplace,Is Agni, our first-born of Holy Order, the Milch-cow and the Bull in life's beginning.
HYMN VI Agni1. THIS is that Agni, he by whose protection, favour, and help. the singer is successful;Who with the noblest flames of glowing fuel comes forth encompassed with far-spreading lustre.2 Agni, the Holy One, the everlasting, who shines far beaming with celestial splendours;He who hath come unto his friends with friendship, like a fleet steed who never trips or stumbles.3 He who is Lord of all divine oblation, shared by all living men at break of morning,Agni to whom our offerings are devoted, in whom rests he whose car, through might, is scatheless.
4 Increasing by his strength. while lauds content him, with easy flight unto the Gods he travels.Agni the cheerful Priest, best Sacrificer, balms with his tongue the Gods with whom he mingles.5 With songs and adorations bring ye hither Agni who stirs himself at dawn like Indra,Whom sages laud with hymns as Jatavedas of those who wield the sacrificial ladle.6 In whom all goodly treasures meet together, even as steeds and riders for the booty.Inclining hither bring us help, O Agni, even assistance most desired by Indra.7 Yea, at thy birth, when thou hadst sat in glory, thou, Agni, wast the aim of invocations.The Gods came near, obedient to thy sunimons, and thus attained their rank as chief Protectors.
HYMN VII. Agni.1. O AGNI, shared by all men living bring us good luck for sacrifice from earth and heaven.With us be thine intelligence, WonderWorker! Protect us, God, with thy far-reaching blessings.2 These hymns brought forth for thee, O Agni, laud thee for bounteous gifts, with cattle and withhorses.Good Lord, when man from thee hath gained enjoyment, by hymns, O noblyborn, hath he obtained it.3 Agni I deem my Kinsman and my Father, count him my Brother and my Friend for ever.I honour as the face of lofty Agni in heaven the bright and holy light of Surya.4 Effectual, Agni, are our prayers for profit. He whom, at home thou, Priest for ever, guardestIs rich in food, drawn by red steeds, and holy: by day and night to him shall all be pleasant.5 Men with their arms have generated Agni, helpful as some kind friend, adorned with splendours,And stablished as Invoker mid the people the ancient Priest the sacrifice's lover.6 Worship, thyself, O God, the Gods in heaven: what, void of knowledge, shall the fool avail thee?As thou, O God, hast worshipped Gods by seasons, so, nobly-born! to thine own self pay worship.7 Agni, be thou our Guardian and Protector bestow upon us life and vital vigour.Accept, O Mighty One, the gifts we offer, and with unceasing care protect our bodies.
HYMN VIII. Agni.1. AGNI advances with his lofty banner: the Bull is bellowing to the earth and heavens.He hath attained the sky's supremest limits. the Steer hath waxen in the lap of waters.2 The Bull, the youngling with the hump, hath frolicked, the strong and never-ceasing Calf hathbellowed.Bringing our offerings to the God's assembly, he moves as Chief in his own dwelling-places.3 Him who hath grasped his Parents' head, they stablished at sacrifice a wave of heavenly lustre.In his swift flight the red Dawns borne by horses refresh their bodies in the home of Order.4 For, Vasu thou precedest every Morning, and still hast been the Twins' illuminator.For sacrifice, seven places thou retainest while for thine own self thou engenderest Mitra.5 Thou art the Eye and Guard of mighty Order, and Varuna when to sacrifice thou comest.Thou art the Waters' Child O Jatavedas, envoy of him whose offering thou acceptest.6 Thou art the Leader of the rite and region, to which with thine auspicious teams thou teadest,Thy light-bestowing head to heaven thou liftest, making thy tongue the oblationbearer, Agni.7 Through his wise insight Trita in the cavern, seeking as ever the Chief Sire's intention,Carefully tended in his Parents' bosom, calling the weapons kin, goes forth to combat.8 Well-skilled to use the weapons of his Father, Aptya, urged on by Indra, fought the battle.Then Trita slew the foe seven-rayed, three-headed, and freed the cattle of the Son of Tvastar.9 Lord of the brave, Indra cleft him in pieces who sought to gain much strength and deemed himmighty.He smote his three heads from his body, seizing the cattle of the oniniform Son of Tvastar.
HYMN IX. Waters.1. YE, Waters, are beneficent: so help ye us to energyThat we may look on great delight.
2 Give us a portion of the sap, the most auspicious that ye have,Like mothers in their longing love.3 To you we gladly come for him to whose abode ye send us on;And, Waters, give us procreant strength.4 The Waters. be to us for drink, Goddesses for our aid and bliss:Let them stream to us health and strength.5 1 beg the Floods to give us balm, these Queens who rule o'er precious things,And have supreme control of men.6 Within the Waters-Soma thus hath told me-dwell all balms that heal,And Agni, he who blesseth all.7 O Waters, teem with medicine to keep my body safe from harm,So that I long may see the Sun.8 Whatever sin is found in me, whatever evil I have wrought,If I have lied or falsely sworn, Waters, remove it far from me.9 The Waters I this day have sought, and to their moisture have we come:O Agni, rich in milk, come thou, and with thy splendour cover me.
HYMN X.Yama Yami.1. FAIN would I win my friend to kindly friendship. So may the Sage, come through the air's wideocean,Remembering the earth and days to follow, obtain a son, the issue of his father.2 Thy friend loves not the friendship which considers her who is near in kindred as stranger.Sons of the mighty Asura, the Heroes, supporters of the heavens, see far around them.3 Yea, this the Immortals seek of thee with longing, progeny of the sole existing mortal.Then let thy soul and mine be knit together, and as a loving husband take thy consort.4 Shall we do now what we ne'er did aforetime? we who spake righteously now talk impurely?Gandharva in the floods, the Dame of Waters-such is our bond, such our most lofty kinship.5 Even in the womb God Tvastar, Vivifier, shaping all forms, Creator, made us consorts.None violates his holy ordinances: that we are his the heavens and earth acknowledge.6 Who knows that earliest day whereof thou speakest? Who hatb beheld it? Who can here declare it?Great is the Law of Varuna and Mitra. What, wanton! wilt thou say to men to tempt them?7 I, Yami, am possessed by love of Yama, that I may rest on the same couch beside him.I as a wife would yield me to my husband. Like car-wheels let us speed to meet each other.8 They stand not still, they never close their eyelids, those sentinels of Gods who wander round us.Not me-go quickly, wanton, with another, and hasten like a chariot wheel to meet him.9 May Surya's eye with days and nights endow him, and ever may his light spread out before him.In heaven and earth the kindred Pair commingle. On Yam! be the unbrotherly act of Yama.10 Sure there will come succeeding times when brothers and sisters will do acts unmeet for kinsfolk.Not me, O fair one,-seek another husband, and make thine arm a pillow for thy consort.11 Is he a brother when no lord is left her? Is she a sister when Destruction cometh?Forced by my love these many words I utter. Come near, and hold me in thy close embraces.12 I will not fold mine arms about thy body: they call it sin when one comes near his sister.Not me,-prepare thy pleasures with another: thy brother seeks not this from thee, O fair one.13 Alas! thou art indeed a weakling, Yama we find in thee no trace of heart or spirit.As round the tree the woodbine clings, another will cling albout thee girt as with a girdle.14 Embrace another, Yami; let another, even as the woodbine rings the tree, enfold thee.Win thou his heart and let him win thy fancy, and he shall form with thee a blest alliance.
HYMN XI. Agni1. THE Bull hath yielded for the Bull the milk of heaven: the Son of Aditi can never be deceived.
According to his wisdom Varuna knoweth all: may he, the Holy, hallow times for sacrifice.2 Gandharvi spake: may she, the Lady of the flood, amid the river's roaring leave my heart untouched.May Aditi accomplish all that we desire, and may our eldest Brother tell us this as Chief.3 Yea, even this blessed Morning, rich in store of food, splendid, with heavenly lustre, hath shone outfor man,Since they, as was the wish of yearning Gods, brought forth that yearning Agni for the assembly asthe Priest.4 And the fleet Falcon brought for sacrifice from afar this flowing Drop most excellent and keen ofsight,Then when the Aryan tribes chose as Invoking Priest Agni the Wonder-Worker, and the hymn roseup.5 Still art thou kind to him who feeds thee as with grass, and, skilled in sacrifice, offers thee holygifts.When thou, having received the sage's strengthening food with lauds, after long toil, cornest withmany more.6 Urge thou thy Parents, as a lover ' to delight: the Lovely One desires and craves it from his heart.The priest calls out, the sacrificer shows his skill, the Asura tries his strength, and with the hymn isstirred.7 Far-famed is he, the mortal man, O Agni, thou Son of Strength, who hath obtained thy favour.He, gathering power, borne onward by his horses, makes his days lovely in his might and splendour.8 When, Holy Agni, the divine assembly, the sacred synod mid the Gods, is gathered,And when thou, Godlike One, dealest forth treasures, vouchsafe us, too, our portion of the riches.9 Hear us, O Agni, in your common dwelling: harness thy rapid car of Amrta.Bring Heaven and Earth, the Deities' Parents, hither: stay with us here, nor from the Gods be distant.
HYMN XII. Agni1. HEAVEN and Earth, first by everlasting Order, speakers of truth, are near enough to hear us,When the God, urging men to worship. sitteth as Priest, assuming all his vital vigour.2 As God comprising Gods by Law Eternal, bear, as the Chief who knoweth, our oblation,Smoke-bannered with the fuel, radiant, joyous, better to praise and worship, Priest for ever.3 When the cow's nectar wins the God completely, men here below are heaven's sustainers.All the Gods came to this thy heavenly Yajus which from the motley Pair milked oil and water.4 1 praise your work that ye may make me prosper: hear, Heaven and Earth, Twain Worlds that dropwith fatness.While days and nights go to the world of spirits, here let the Parents with sweet meath refresh us5 Hath the King siezed us? How have we offended against his holy ordinance? Who knoweth?For even Mitra mid the Gods is angry there are both song and strength for those who come not.6 'Tis hard to understand the Immortal's nature, where she who is akin becomes astranger.Guard ceaselessly, great Agni, him who ponders Yama's name, easy to be comprehended.7 They in the synod where the Gods rejoice them, where they are seated in Vivasvan's dwelling,Have given the Moon his beams, the Sun his splendour-the Two unweariedly maintain theirbrightness.8 The counsel which the Gods meet to consider, their secret plan,-of that we have no knowledge.There let God Savitar, Aditi, and Mitra proclaim to Varuna that we are sinless.9 Hear us, O Agni, in your comninn dwell ing: harness thy rapid car, the car of Amrta.Bring Heaven and Earth, the Deities' Parents, hither: stay with us here, nor from the Gods be distant.
HYMN XIII Havirdhanas.1. I YOKE with prayer your ancient inspiration: may the laud rise as on the prince's pathway.All Sons of Immortality shall hear it, all the possessors of celestial natures.2 When speeding ye came nigh us like twin sisters, religious-hearted votaries brought you forward.Take your place, ye who know your proper station: be near, be very near unto our Soma.
3 Five paces have I risen from Earth. I follow her who hath four feet with devout observance.This by the Sacred Syllable have I measured: I purify in the central place of Order,4 He, for God's sake, chose death to be his portion. He chose not, for men's good, a life eternalThey sacrificed Brhaspati the Rsi. Yama delivered up his own dear body.5 The Seven flow to the Youth on whom the Maruts wait: the Sons unto the Father brought thesacrifice.Both these are his, as his they are the Lords of both: both toil; belonging unto both they prosper well.
HYMN XIV. Yama.1. HONOUR the King with thine oblations, Yama, Vivasvan's Son, who gathers men together,Who travelled to the lofty heights above us, who searcbes out and shows the path to many.2 Yama first found for us a place to dwell in: this pasture never can be taken fromUs.Men born on earth tread their own paths that lead them whither our ancient Fathers have departed.3 Mitali prospers there with Kavyas, Yama with Angiras' sons, Brhaspati with Rkvans:Exalters of the Gods, by Gods exalted, some joy in praise and some in our oblation.4 Come, seat thee on this bed of grass, O Yama, in company with Angirases and Fathers.Let texts recited by the sages bring thee O King, let this oblation make thee joyful.5 Come, Yama, with the Angirases the Holy, rejoice thee here with children of Virupa.To sit on sacred grass at this our worship, I call Vivasvan, too, thy Father hither.6 Our Fathers are Angirases, Navagvas, Atharvans, Bhrgus who deserve the Soma.May these, the Holy, look on us with favour, may we enjoy their gracious loving-kindness.7 Go forth, go forth upon the ancient pathways whereon our sires of old have gone before us.'Mere shalt thou look on both the Kings enjoying their sacred food, God Varuna and Yama.8 Meet Yama, meet the Fathers, meet the merit of free or ordered acts, in highest heaven.Leave sin and evil, seek anew thy dwelling, and bright with glory wear another body.9 Go hence, depart ye, fly in all directions: this place for him the Fathers have provided.Yama bestows on him a place to rest in adorned with days and beams of light and waters.10 Run and outspeed the two dogs, Sarama's offspring, brindled, four-eyed, upon thy happy pathway.Draw nigh then to the gracious-minded Fathers where they rejoice in company with Yama.11 And those two dogs of thine, Yama, the watchers, four-eyed, who look on men and guard thepathway,-Entrust this man, O King, to their protection, and with prosperity and health endow him.12 Dark-hued, insatiate, with distended nostrils, Yama's two envoys roam among the People;May they restore to us a fair existence here and to-day, that we may see the sunlight.13 To Yama pour the Soma, bring to Yama consecrated gifts:To Yama sacrifice prepared and heralded by Agni goes.14 Offer to Yama holy gifts enriched with butter, and draw near:So may he grant that we may live long days of life among the Gods.15 Offer to Yama, to the King, oblation very rich in meath:Bow down before the Rsis of the ancient times, who made this path in days of old.16 Into the six Expanses flies the Great One in Trkadrukas.The Gayatri, the Trstup, all metres in Yama are contained.
HYMN XV. Fathers.1. MAY they ascend, the lowest, highest, midmost, the Fathers who deserve a share of Soma-May they who have attained the life of spirits, gentle and righteous, aid us when we call them.2 Now let us pay this homage to the Fathers, to those who passed of old and those who followed,Those who have rested in the earthly region, and those who dwell among the Mighty Races.3 1 have attained the gracious-minded Fathers, I have gained son and progeny from Visnu.They who enjoy pressed juices with oblation seated on sacred grass, come oftenest hither.
4 Fathers who sit on sacred grass, come, help us: these offerings have we made for you; accept them.So come to us with most auspicious favour, and give us health and strength without a trouble.5 May they, the Fathers, worthy of the Soma, invited to their favourite oblations.Laid on the sacred grass, come nigh and listen: may they be gracious unto us and bless us.6 Bowing your bended knees and seated southward, accept this sacrifice of ours with favour.Punish us not for any sin, O Fathers, which we through human frailty have committed.7 Lapped in the bosom of the purple Mornings, give riches to the man who brings oblations.Grant to your sons a portion of that treasure, and, present, give them energy, ye Fathers.8 Our ancient Fathers who deserve the Soma, who came, most noble, to our Soma banquet,-With these let Yama, yearning with the yearning, rejoicing eat our offerings at his pleasure.9 Come to us, Agni, with the gracioug Fathers who dwell in glowing light, the very Kavyas,Who thirsted mid the Gods, who hasten hither, oblation winners, theme of singers' praises.10 Come, Agni, come with countless ancient Fathers, dwellers in light, primeval, God-adorers,Eaters and drinkers of oblations, truthful, who travel with the Deities and Indra.11 Fathers whom Agni's flames have tasted, come ye nigh: ye kindly leaders, take ye each yourproper place.Eat sacrificial food presented on the grass: grant riches with a multitude of hero sons.12 Thou, Agni Jatavedas, when entreated, didst bear the offerings which thou madest fragrant,And give them to the Fathers who did cat them with Svadha. Eat, thou God, the gifts we bring thee.13 Thou, Jatavedas, knowest well the number of Fathers who are here and who are absent,Of Fathers whom we know and whom we know not: accept the sacrifice wellprepared with portions.14 They who, consumed by fire or not cremated, joy in their offering in the midst of heaven,-Grant them, O Sovran Lord, the world of spirits and their own body, as thy pleasure wills it.
HYMN XVI. Agni.1. Burn him not up, nor quite consume him, Agni: let not his body or his skin be scattered.O Jatavedas, when thou hast matured him, then send him on his way unto the Fathers.2 When thou hast made him ready, Jatavedas, then do thou give him over to the Fathers.When he attains unto the life that waits him, he shall become the Deities' controller.3 The Sun receive thine eye, tne Wind thy spirit; go, as thy merit is, to earth or heaven.Go, if it be thy lot, unto the waters; go, make thine home in plants with all thy members.4 Thy portion is the goat: with heat consume him: let thy fierce flame, thy glowing splendour, burnhimWith thine auspicious forms, o Jatavedas, bear this man to the region of the pious.5 Again, O Agni, to the Fathers send him who, offered in thee, goes with our oblations.Wearing new life let him increase his offspring: let him rejoin a body, Jatavedas.6 What wound soe'er the dark bird hath inflicted, the emmet, or the serpent, or the jackal,May Agni who devoureth all things heal it and Soma who hath passed into the Brahmans.7 Shield thee with flesh against the flames of Agni, encompass thee about with fat and marrow,So will the Bold One, eager to attack thee with fierce glow fail to girdle and consume thee.8 Forbear, O Agni, to upset this ladle: the Gods and they who merit Soma love it.This ladle, this which serves the Gods to drink from, in this the Immortal Deities rejoice them.9 1 send afar flesh eating Agni, bearing off stains may he depart to Yama's subjects.But let this other Jatavedas carry oblation to the Gods, for he is skilful.10 I choose as God for Father-worship Agni, flesh-eater, who hath past within your dwelling,While looking on this other Jatavedas. Let him light flames in the supreme assembly.11 With offerings meet let Agni bring the Fathers who support the Law.Let him announce oblations paid to Fathers and to Deities.12 Right gladly would we set thee down, right gladly make thee burn and glow.Gladly bring yearning Fathers nigh to cat the food of sacrifice.13 Cool, Agni, and again refresh the spot which thou hast scorched and burnt.
Here let the water-lily grow, and tender grass and leafy herb.14 O full of coolness, thou cool Plant, full of fresh moisture, freshening Herb,Come hither with the female frog: fill with delight this Agni here.
HYMN XVII. Various Deities.1. TVASTAR prepares the bridal of his Daughter: all the world hears the tidings and assembles.But Yama's Mother, Spouse of great Vivasvan, vanished as she was carried to her dwelling.2 From mortal men they hid the Immortal Lady, made one like her and gave her to Vivasvan.Saranyu brought to him the Asvin brothers, and then deserted both twinned pairs of children.3 Guard of the world, whose cattle ne'er are injured, may Pusan bear thee hence, for he hathknowledge.May he consign thee to these Fathers' keeping, and to the gracious Gods let Agni give thee.4 May Ayu, giver of all life, protect thee, and bear thee forward on the distant pathway.Thither let Savitar the God transport thee, where dwell the pious who have passed-before thee.5 Pusan knows all these realms: may he conduct us by ways that are most free from fear and danger.Giver of blessings, glowing, all-heroic, may he, thewise and watchful, go before us.6 Pusan was born to move on distant pathways, on the road far from earth and far from heaven.To both most wonted places of assembly he travels and returns with perfect knowledge.7 The pious call Sarasvati, they worship Sarasvati while sacrifice proceedeth.The pious called Sarasvati aforetime. Sarasvati send bliss to him who giveth.8 Sarasvati, who camest with the Fathers, with them rejoicing thee in our oblations,Seated upon this sacred grass be joyful, and give us strengthening food that brings no sickness.9 Thou, called on as Sarasvati by Fathers who come right forward to our solemn service,Give food and wealth to present sacrificers, a portion, worth a thousand, of refreshment.10 The Mother Floods shall make us bright and shining, cleansers of holy oil, with oil shall cleanse us:For, Goddesses, they bear off all defilement: I, rise up from them purified and brightened.11 Through days of earliest date the Drop descended on this place and on that which was before it.I offer up, throughout the seven oblations, the Drop which still to one same place is moving.12 The Drop that falls, thy stalk which arms have shaken, which from the bosom of the press hathfallen,Or from the Adhvaryu's purifying filter, I offer thee with heart and cry of Vasat!13 That fallen Drop of thine, the stalk which from the ladle fell away,This present God Brhaspati shall pour it forth to make us rich.14 The plants of earth are rich in milk, and rich in milk is this my speech;And rich in milk the essence of the Waters: make me pure therewith.
HYMN XVIII. Various Deities.1. Go hence, O Death, pursue thy special pathway apart from that which Gods are wont to travel.To thee I say it who hast eyes and hearest: Touch not our offspring, injure not our heroes.2 As ye have come effacing Mrtyu's footstep, to further times prolonging your existence,May ye be rich in children and possessions. cleansed, purified, and meet for sacrificing.3 Divided from the dead are these, the living: now be our calling on the Gods successful.We have gone forth for dancing and for laughter, tofurther times prolonging our existence.4 Here I erect this rampart for the living; let none of these, none other, reach this limit.May they survive a hundred lengthened autumns, and may they bury Death beneath this mountain.5 As the days follow days in close succession, as with the seasons duly come the seasons,As each successor fails not his foregoer, so form the lives of these, O great Ordainer.6 Live your full lives ap! find old age delightful, all of you striving one behind the other.May Tvastar, maker of fair things, be gracious and lengthen out the days of your existence.7 Let these unwidowed dames with noble husbands adorn themselves with fragrant balm andunguent.
Decked with fair jewels, tearless, free from sorrow, first let the dames go up to where he lieth.8 Rise, come unto the world of life, O woman: come, he is lifeless by whose side thou liest.Wifehood with this thy husband was thy portion, who took thy hand and wooed thee as a lover.9 From his dead hand I take the bow be carried, that it may be our power and might and glory.There art thou, there; and here with noble heroes may we o'ercome all hosts that fight against us.10 Betake thee to the Iap of Earth the Mother, of Earth far-spreading, very kind and gracious.Young Dame, wool-soft unto the guerdongiver, may she preserve tbee from Destruction's bosom.11 Heave thyself, Earth, nor press thee downward heavily: afford him easy access, gently tendinghim.Cover him, as a mother wraps her skirt about her child, O Earth.12 Now let the heaving earth be free from motion: yea,- let a thousand clods remain above him.Be they to him a home distilling fatness, here let them ever be his place of refuge.13 I stay the earth from thee, while over thee I place this piece of earth. May I be free from injury.Here let the Fathers keep this pillar firm for thee, and there let Yama make thee an abiding-place.14 Even as an arrow's feathers, they have set me on a fitting day.The fit word have I caught and held as 'twere a courser with the rein.
HYMN XIX. Waters or Cows.1. TURN, go not farther on your way: visit us, O ye Wealthy Ones.Agni and Soma, ye who bring riches again, secure us wealth.2 Make these return to us again, bring them beside us once again.May. Indra give them back to us, and Agni drive them hither-ward.3 Let them return to us again: under this herdsman let them feed.Do thou, O Agni, keep them here, and let the wealth we have remain.4 1 call upon their herdsman, him who knoweth well their coming nigh,Their parting and their home-return, and watcheth their approach and rest.5 Yea, let the herdsman, too, return, who marketh well their driving-forth;Marketh their wandering away, their turning back and coming home.6 Home-leader, lead them home to us; Indra, restore to us our kine:We will rejoice in them alive.7 1 offer you on every side butter and milk and strengthening food.May all the Holy Deities pour down on us a flood of wealth.8 O thou Home-leader, lead them home, restore them thou who bringest home.Four are the quarters of the earth; from these bring back to us our kine,
HYMN XX. Agni.1. SEND unto us a good and happy mind.2 1 worship Agni, Youthfullest of Gods, resistless, Friend of laws;Under whose guard and heavenly light the Spotted seek the Mother's breast:3 Whom with their mouth they magnify, bannered with flame and homed in light.He glitters with his row of teeth.4 Kind, Furtherer of men, he comes, when he hath reached the ends of heaven,Sage, giving splendour to the clouds.5 To taste man's offerings, he, the Strong, hath risen erect at sacrifice:Fixing his dwelling he proceeds.6 Here are oblation, worship, rest: rapidly comes his furtherance.To sword-armed Agni come the Gods.7 With service for chief bliss I seek the Lord of Sacrifice, Agni, whomThey call the Living, Son of Cloud.8 Blest evermore be all the men who come from us, who magnify
Agni with sacrificial gifts.9 The path he treads is black and white and red, and striped, and brown, crimson, and glorious.His sire begat him bright with hues of gold.10 Thus with his thoughts, O Son of Strength, O Agni, hath Vimada, accordant with the Immortals,Offered thee hymns, soliciting thy favour. Thou hast brought all food, strength, a prosperousdwelling.
HYMN XXI. Agni.1. WITH offerings of our own we choose thee, Agni, as Invoking Priest,For sacrifice with trimmed grass,-at your glad carouse-piercing and brightly shining. Thou art waxinggreat.2 The wealthy ones adorn thee, they who bring us horses as their gift:The sprinkling ladle, Agni,-at your glad carouse -and glowing offering taste thee. Thou art waxinggreat.3 The holy statutes rest by thee, as 'twere with ladles that o'erflow.Black and white-gleaming colours,-at your glad carouse-all glories thou assurnest. Thou art waxinggreat.4 O Agni, what thou deemest wealth, Victorious and Immortal One!Bring thou to give us vigour,-at your glad carouse -splendid at sacrifices. Thou art waxing great.5 Skilled in all lore is Agni, he whom erst Atharvan brought to life.He was Vivasvan's envoy, at your glad carouse-the weIl-loved friend of Yama, Thou art waxing great.6 At sacrifices they adore thee, Agni, when the rite proceeds.All fair and lovely treasures-at your glad carouse-thou givest him who offers. Thou art waxing great.7 Men, Agni, have established thee as welcome Priest at holy rites,Thee whose face shines with butter,-at your glad carouse-bright, with eyes most observant. Thou artwaxing great.8 Wide and aloft thou spreadest thee, O Agni, with tby brilliant flame.A Bull art thou when bellowing,-at your glad carouse-thou dost impregn the Sisters. Thou art waxinggreat.
HYMN XXII. Indra.1. WHERE is famed Indra heard of? With what folk is he renowned to-day as Mitra is,-Who in the home of Rsis and in secret is extolled with song?2 Even here is Indra famed, and among us this day the glorious Thunderer is praised,He who like Mitra mid the folk hath won complete and full renown.3 He who is Sovran Lord of great and perfect strength, exerter of heroic might,Who bears the fearless thunder as a father bears his darling son.4 Harnessing to thy car, as God, two blustering Steeds Of the Wind-God, O Thunderer,That speed along the shining path, thou making ways art glorified.5 Even to these dark Steeds of Wind thou of thyself hast come to ride,Of which no driver may be found, none, be he God or mortal man.6 When ye approach, men ask you, thee and Usana: Why come ye to our dwelling-place?Why are ye come to mortal man from distant realms of eapth and heaven?7 O Indra, thou shalt speak us fair: our holy prayer is offered up.We pray to thee for help as thou didst strike the monster Susna dead.8 Around us is the Dasyu, riteless, void of sense, inhuman, keeping alien laws.Baffle, thou Slayer of the foe, the weapon which this Dasa wields.9 Hero with Heroes, thou art ours: yea, strong are they whom thou dost help.In many a place are thy full gifts, and men, like vassals, sing thy praise.10 Urge thou these heroes on to slay the enemy, brave Thunderer! in the fight with swords.Even when hid among the tribes of Sages numerous as stars.
11 Swift come those gifts of thine whose hand is prompt to rend and burn, O Hero Thunder-armed:As thou with thy Companions didst destroy the whole of SuSnia's brood.12 Let not thine excellent assistance come to us, O Hero Indra, profitless.May we, may we enjoy the bliss of these thy favours, Thunderer!13 May those soft impulses of thine, O Indra, be fruitful and innocent to us.May we know these whose treasures are like those of milch-kine, Thunderer!14 That Earth, through power of knowing things that may be known, handless and footless yet mightthrive,Thou slewest, turning to the right, gu;na for every living man.15 Drink, drink the Soma, Hero Indra; be not withheld as thou art good, O Treasure-giver.Preserve the singers and our liberal princes, and make us wealthy with abundant riches.
HYMN XXIII. Indra.1. INDRA, whose right hand wields the bolt, we worship, driver of Bay Steeds seeking sunderedcourses.Shaking his beard with might he hath arisen, casting his weapons forth and dealing bounties.2 The treasure which his Bay Steeds found at sacrifice,-this wealth made opulent Indra slayer of thefoe.Rbhu, Rbhuksan, Vaja-he is Lord of Might. The Dasa's very name I utterly destroy.3 When, with the Princes, Maghavari, famed of old, comes nigh the thunderbolt of gold, and theController's carWhich his two Tawny Coursers draw, then Indra is the Sovran Lord of power whose glory spreadsafar.4 With him too is this rain of his that comes like herds: Indra throws drops of moisture on his yellowbeard.When the sweet juice is shed he seeks the pleasant place, and stirs the worshipper as wind disturbsthe wood.5 We laud and praise his several deeds of valour who, fatherlike, with power hath made us stronger;Who with his voice slew many thousand wicked ones who spake in varied manners withcontemptuous cries.6 Indra, the Vimadas have formed for thee a laud, copious, unparalleled, for thee Most Bountiful.We know the good we gain from him the Mighty One when we attract him as a herdsman calls thekine.7 Ne'er may this bond of friendship be dissevered, the Rsi Vimada's and thine, O Indra.We know thou carest for us as a brother with us, O God, be thine auspicious friendship.
HYMN XXIV. Indra. Asvins.1. O INDRA, drink this Soma, pressed out in the mortar, full of sweets.Send down to us great riches,-at your glad carouse-in thousands, O Most healthy. Thou art waxinggreat.2 To thee with sacrifices, with oblations, and with lauds we come.Lord of all strength and power, grant-at your glad carouse-the best choiceworthy treasure. Thou artwaxing great.3 Thou who art Lord of precious boons, inciter even of the churl.Guardian of singers, Indra,-at your glad carouse-save us from woe and hatred. Thou art waxing great.4 Strong, Lords of Magic power, ye Twain churned the united worlds apart,When ye, implored by Vimada, Nasatyas, forced apart the pair.5 When the united pair were rent asunder all the Gods complained.The Gods to the Nasatyas cried, Bring these together once again.6 Sweet be my going forth, and rich in sweets be my approach to home.So, through your Deity, both Gods, enrich us with all pleasantness.
HYMN XXV. Soma.1. SEND us a good and happy mind, send energy and mental power.Then-at your glad carouse-let men joy in thy love, Sweet juice! as kine in pasture. Thou. art waxinggreat.2 rn all thy forms, O Soma, rest thy powers that influence the heart.So also these my longings-at your glad carouse-spread themselves seeking riches. Thou art waxinggreat.3 Even if, O Soma, I neglect thy laws through my simplicity,Be gracious-at your glad carouse-as sire to son. Preserve us even from slaughter. T'hou. art waxinggreat.4 Our songs in concert go to thee as streams of water to the wells.Soma, that we may live, grant-at your glad carouse-full powers of mind, like beakers. Thou art waxinggreat.5 O Soma, through thy might who art skilful and strong, these longing men,These sages, have thrown open-at your glad carouse-the stall of kine and horses. Thou art waxinggreat6 Our herds thou guardest, Soma, and the moving world spread far and wide.Thou fittest them for living,-at your glad carouse-looking upon all beings. Thou art waxing great.7 On all sides, Soma, be to us a Guardian ne'er to be deceived.King, drive away our foemen-at your glad carouse:-let not the wicked rule us. Thou art waxing great.8 Be watchful, Soma, passing wise, to give us store of vital strength.More skilled than man to guide us,-at your glad carouse-save us from harm and sorrow. Thou artwaxing great.9 Chief slayer of our foemen, thou, Indu, art Indra's gracious Friend,When warriors invoke him-at your glad carouse -in fight, to win them offspring. Thou art waxinggreat.10 Victorious is this gladdening drink: to Indra dear it grows in strength.This-at your glad carouse -enhanced the mighty hymn of the great sage Kaksivan. Thou art waxinggreat.11 This to the sage who offers gifts brings power that comes from wealth in kine.This, better than the seven, hath-at your glad carouse-furthered the blind, the cripple. Thou artwaxing great.
HYMN XXVI. Pusan.1. FORWARD upon their way proceed the ready teams, the lovely songs.Further them glorious Pusan with yoked chariot, and the Mighty Twain!2 With sacred hymns let this man here, this singer, win the God to whomBelong this majesty and might. He hath observed our eulogies.3 Pusan the Strong hath knowledge of sweet praises even as Indu hath.He dews our corn with moisture, he bedews the pasture of our kine.4 We will bethink ourselves of thee, O Pusan, O thou God, as One.Who brings fulfilment of our hymns, and stirs the singer and the sage.5 joint-sharer of each sacrifice, the driver of the chariot steeds;The Rsi who is good to man, the singer's Friend and faithful Guard.6 One who is Lord of Suca, Lord of Suca caring for herself:Weaving the raiment of the sheep and making raiment beautiful.7 The mighty Lord of spoil and wealth, Strong Friend of all prosperity;He with light movement shakes his beard, lovely and ne'er to be deceived.8 O Pusan, may those goats of thine turn hitherward thy chariot-pole.Friend of all suppliants; art thou, born in old time, and arm and sure.9 May the majestic Pusan speed our chariot with his power and might.May he increase our store of wealth and listen to this call of ours.
HYMN XXVII. Indra.1. THIS, singer, is my firm determination, to aid the worshipper who pours the Soma.I slay the man who brings no milkoblation, unrighteous, powerful, the truth's perverter.2 Then Will I, when I lead my friends to battle against the radiant persons of the godless,Prepare for thee at home a vigorous bullock, and pour for thee the fifteen-fold strong juices.3 I know not him who sayeth and declareth that he hath slain the godless in the battle.Soon as they see the furious combat raging, men speak forth praises of my vigorous horses.4 While yet my deeds of might were unrecorded, all passed for Maghavans though I existed.The potent one who dwelt in peace I conquered, grasped by the foot and slew him on the mountain.5 None hinder me in mine heroic exploits, no, not the mountains when I will and purpose.Even the deaf will tremble at my roaring, and every day will dust be agitated.6 To see the Indraless oblation-drinkers, mean offerers, o'ertaken by destruction!Then shall the fellies of my car pass over those who have blamed my joyous Friend and scorned him.7 Thou wast, thou grewest to full vital vigour: an earlier saw, a later one shall see thee.Two canopies, as 'twere, are round about him who reacheth to the limit of this region.8 The freed kine eat the barley of the pious. 1 saw them as they wandered with the herdsman.The calling of the pious rang around them. What portion will these kine afford their owner?9 When we who cat the grass of men are gathered I am with barley-eaters in the corn-land.There shall the captor yoke the yokeless bullock, and he who hath been yoked seek one to loose him.10 There wilt thou hold as true my spoken purpose, to bring together quadrupeds. and bipeds.I will divide, without a fight, his riches who warreth here, against the Bull, with women.11 When a man's daughter hath been ever eyeless, who, knowing, will be wroth with her forblindness?Which of the two will loose on him his anger-the man who leads her home or he who woos her?12 How many a maid is pleasing to the suitor who fain would marry for her splendid riches?If the girl be both good and fair of feature, she finds, herself, a friend among the people.13 His feet have grasped: he eats the man who meets him. Around his head he sets the head forshelter.Sitting anear and right above he smites us, and follows earth that lies spread out beneath him.14 High, leafless, shadowless, and swift is Heaven: the Mother stands, the Youngling, loosed, isfeeding.Loud hath she lowed, licking Another's offspring. In what world hath the Cow laid down her udder?15 Seven heroes from the nether part ascended, and from the upper part came eight together.Nine from behind came armed with winnowing-baskets: ten from the front pressed o'er the rock'shigh ridges.16 One of the ten, the tawny, shared in common, they send to execute their final purpose.The Mother carries on her breast the Infant of noble form and soothes it while it knows not.17 The Heroes dressed with fire the fatted wether: the dice were thrown by way of sport andgaming.Two reach the plain amid the heavenly waters, hallowing and with means of purifying.18 Crying aloud they ran in all directions: One half of them will cook, and not the other.To me hath Savitar, this God, declared it: He will perform, whose food is wood and butter.19 I saw a troop advancing from the distance moved, not by wheels but their own God-like nature.The Friendly One seeks human generations, destroying, still new bands of evil beings.20 These my two Bulls, even Pramara's, are harnessed: drive them not far; here let them often linger.The waters even shall aid him to his object, and the all-cleansing Sun who is above us.21 This is the thunderbolt which often whirleth down from the lofty misty realm of Surya.Beyond this realm there is another glory so through old age they pass and feel no sorrow.22 Bound fast to,every tree the cow is lowing, and thence the man-consuming birds are flying,Then all this world, though pressing juice for Indra and strengthening the Rsi, is affrighted.
23 In the Gods' mansion stood the first-created, and from their separation came the later.Three warm the Earth while holding stores of water, and Two of these convey the murmuringmoisture.24 This is thy life: and do thou mark and know it. As such, hide not thyself in time of battle.He manifests the light and hides the vapour: his foot is never free from robes that veil it.
HYMN XXVIII. Indra. Vasukra.1. Now all my other friends are here assembled: my Sire-in-law alone hath not come hither.So might he eat the grain and drink the Soma, and, satisfied, return unto; his dwelling.2 Loud belloweth the Bull whose horns are sharpened: upon the height above earth's breadth hestandeth.That man I guard and save in all his troubles who fills my flanks when he hath shed the Soma.3 Men with the stone press out for thee, O Indra, strong, gladdening Soma, and thereof thou drinkest.Bulls they dress for thee, and of these thou eatest when, Maghavan, with food thou art invited.4 Resolve for me, O singer, this my riddle: The rivers send their swelling water backward:The fox steals up to the approaching lion: the jackal drives the wild-boar from the brushwood.5 How shall I solve this riddle, I, the simple, declare the thought of thee the Wise and Mighty?Tell us, well knowing, as befits the season: Whitherward is thy prosperous car advancing?6 Thus do they magnify me, me the mighty higher than even high heaven is my car-pole.I all at once demolish many thousands: my Sire begot me with no foe to match me.7 Yea, and the Gods have known me also, Indra, as mighty, fierce and strong in every exploit.Exulting with the bolt I slaughtered Vrtra, and for the offerer oped with might the cow-stall.8 The Deities approached, they carried axes; splitting the wood they came with their attendants.They laid good timber in the fire-receivers, and burnt the grass up where they found it growing.9 The hare hath swallowed up the opposing razor: I sundered with a clod the distant mountain.The great will I make subject to the little: the calf shall wax in strength and cat the bullock.10 There hath the strong-winged eagle left his talon, as a snared lion leaves the trap that caught him.Even the wild steer in his thirst is captured: the leather strap still holds his foot entangled.11 So may the leather strap their foot entangle who fatten on the viands of the Brahman.They all devour the bulls set free to wander, while they themselves destroy their bodies' vigour.12 They were well occupied with holy duties who sped in person with their lauds to Soma.Speaking like man, mete to us wealth and booty: in heaven thou hast the name and fame of Hero.
HYMN XXIX. Indra.1. As sits the young bird on the tree rejoicing, ye, swift Pair, have been roused by clear laudation,Whose Herald-Priest through many days is Indra, earth's Guardian, Friend of men, the best of Heroes.2 May we, when this Dawn and the next dance hither, be thy best servants, most heroic Hero!Let the victorious car with triple splendour bring hitherward the hundred chiefs with Kutsa.3 What was the gladdening draught that pleased thee, Indra? Speed through our doors to songs, forthou art mighty.Why comest thou to me, what gift attracts thee? Fain would I bring thee food most meet to offer.4 Indra, what fame hath one like thee mid heroes? With what plan wilt thou act? Why hast thousought us?As a true Friend, Wide-Strider! to sustain us, since food absorbs the thought of each among us.5 Speed happily those, as Surya ends his journey, who meet his wish as bridegrooms meet theirspouses;Men who present, O Indra strong by nature, with food the many songs that tell thy praises.6 Thine are two measures, Indra, wide-wellmeted, heaven for thy majesty, earth for thy wisdom.Here for thy choice are Somas mixed with butter: may the sweet meath be pleasant for thy drinking.7 They have poured out a bowl to him, to Indra, full of sweet juice, for faithful is his bounty.O'er earth's expanse hath he grown great by wisdom, the Friend of man, and by heroic exploits.
8 Indra hath conquered in his wars, the Mighty: men strive in multitudes to win his friendship.Ascend thy chariot as it were in battle, which thou shalt drive to us with gracious favour.
HYMN XXX. Waters.1. As 'twere with swift exertion of the spirit, let the priest speed to the celestial Waters,The glorious food of Varuna and Mitra. To him who spreadeth far this laud I offer.2 Adhvaryus, he ye ready with oblations,, and come with longing to the longing Waters,Down on which looks the. purple-tinted Eagle. Pour ye that flowing wave this day, deft-handed.3 Go to the reservoir, O ye Adhvaryus worship the Waters' Child with your oblations.A consecrated wave he now will give you, so press for him the Soma rich in sweetness.4 He who shines bright in floods, unfed with fuel, whom sages worship at their sacrifices:Give waters rich in sweets, Child of the Waters, even those which gave heroic might to Indra:5 Those in which Soma joys and is delighted, as a young man with fair and pleasant damsels.Go thou unto those Waters, O Adhvaryu, and purify with herbs what thou infusest.6 So maidens bow before the youthful gallant who comes with love to them who yearn to meet him.In heart accordant and in wish one-minded are the Adhvaryus and the heavenly Waters.7 He who made room for you when fast imprisoned, who freed you from the mighty imprecation,-Even to that Indra send the meath-rich current, the wave that gratifies the Gods, O Waters.8 Send forth to him the meath-rich wave, O Rivers, which is your offspring and a well of sweetness,Oil-balmed, to be implored at sacrifices. Ye wealthy Waters, hear mine invocation.9 Send forth the rapture-giving wave, O Rivers, which Indra drinks, which sets the Twain in motion;The well that springeth from the clouds, desirous, that wandereth triple-formed, distilling transport.10 These winding Streams which with their double current, like cattle-raiders, seek the lowerpastures,-Waters which dwell together, thrive together, Queens, Mothers of the world, these, Rsi, honour.11 Send forth our sacrifice with holy worship send forth the hymn and prayer for gain of riches.For need of sacrifice disclose the udder. Give gracious hearing to our call, O Waters.12 For, wealthy Waters, ye control all treasures: ye bring auspicious intellect and Amrta.Ye are the Queens of independent riches Sarasvati give full life to the singer!13 When I behold the Waters coming hither, carrying with them milk and mcath and butter,Bearing the well-pressed Soma juice to Indra, they harmonize in spirit with Adhvaryus.14 Rich, they are come with wealth for living beings, O friends, Adhvaryus, seat them in their places.Seat them on holy grass, ye Soma-bringers in harmony with the Offspring of the Waters.15 Now to this grass are come the longing Waters: the Pious Ones are seated at our worship.Adbvaryus, press the Soma juice for Indra so will the service of the Gods be easy.
HYMN XXXI. Visvedevas.1. MAY benediction of the Gods approach us, holy, to aid us with all rapid succours.Therewith may we be happily befriended, and pass triumphant over all our troubles.2 A man should think on wealth and strive to win it by adoration on the path of Order,Counsel himself with his own mental insight, and grasp still nobler vigour with his spirit.3 The hymn is formed, poured are the allotted portions: as to a ford friends come unto the Wondrous.We have obtained the power of case and comfort, we haVe become acquainted, with Immortals.4 Pleased be the Eternal Lord who loves the household with this man whom God Savitar created.May Bhaga Aryaman grace him with cattle: may he appear to him, and be, delightful.5 Like the Dawns' dwelling-place be this assembly, where in their might men rich in food havegathered.Striving to share the praises of this singer. To us come strengthening and effectual riches!6 This Bull's most gracious far-extended favour existed first of all in full abundance.By his support they are maintained in common who in the Asura's mansion dwell together.
7 What was the tree, what wood, in sooth, produced it, from which they fashioned forth the Earthand Heaven?These Twain stand fast and wax not old for ever: these have sung praise to many a day and morning.8 Not only here is this: more is beyond us. He is the Bull, the Heaven's and Earth's supporter.With power divine he makes his skin a filter, when the Bay Coursers bear him on as Surya.9 He passes o'er the broad earth like a Stega: he penetrates the world as Wind the mist-cloud.He, balmed with oil, near Varuna and Mitra, like Agni in the wood, hath shot forth splendour.10 When suddenly called the cow that erst was barren, she, self-protected, ended all her troubles.Earth, when the first son sprang from sire and mother, cast up the gami, that which men wereseeking.11 To Nrsad's son they gave the name of Kainva, and he the brown-hued courser won the treasure.For him dark-coloured streamed the shining udder: none made it swell for him. Thus Order willed it.
HYMN XXXII. Indra.1. FORTH speed the Pair to bring the meditating God, benevolent with boons sent in return forboons.May Indra graciously accept both gifts from us, when he hath knowledge of the flowing Soma juice.2 Thou wanderest far, O Indra, through the spheres of light and realms of earth, the region, thouwhom many praise!Let those who often bring their solemn rites conquer the noisy babblers who present no gifts.3 More beautiful than beauty must this seem to me, when the son duly careth for his parents' line.The wife attracts the husband: with a shout of joy the man's auspicious marriage is performed aright.4 This beauteous place of meeting have I looked upon, where, like milch-cows, the kine order themarriage train;Where the Herd's Mother counts as first and best of all, and round her are the seven-toned people ofthe choir.5 The Pious One hath reached your place before the rest: One only moves victorious with the Rudras'band.To these your helpers pour our meath, Immortal Gods, with whom your song of praise hath power towin their gifts.6 He who maintains the Laws of God informed me that thou wast lying hidden in the waters.Indra, who knoweth well, beheld and showed thee. By him instructed am I come, O Agni.7 The stranger asks the way of him who knows it: taught by the skilful guide he travels onward.This is, in truth, the blessing of instruction: he finds the path that leads directly forward.8 Even now he breathed: these days hath he remembered. Concealed, he sucked the bosom of hisMother.Yet in his youth old age hath come upon him: he hath grown gracious, good, and free from anger.9 O Kalasa, all these blessings will we bring them, O Kurusravana, who give rich presents.May he, O wealthy princes, and this Soma which I am bearing in my heart, reward you.
HYMN XXXIII. Various Deities.1. THE urgings of the people have impelled me, and by,the nearest way I bring you Pusan.The Universal Gods have brought me safely. The cry was heard, Behold, Dubsasu cometh!2 The ribs that compass me give pain and trouble me like rival wives.Indigence, nakedness, exhaustion press me sore: my mind is fluttering like a bird's.3 As rats eat weavers' threads, cares are consuming me, thy singer, gatakratu, me.Have mercy on us once, O Indra, Bounteous Lord: be thou a Father unto us.4 I the priests' Rsi chose as prince most liberal Kurusravana,The son of Trasadasyu's son,5 Whose three bays harnessed to the car bear me straight onward: I will laudThe giver of a thousand meeds,6 The sire of Upamasravas, even him whose words were passing sweet,
As a fair field is to its lord.7 Mark, Upamasravas, his son, mark, grandson of Mitratithi:I am thy father's eulogist.8 If I controlled Immortal Gods, yea, even were I Lord of men,My liberal prince were living still.9 None lives, even had he hundred lives, beyond the statute of the GodsSo am I parted from my friend.
HYMN XXXIV. Dice, Etc.1. SPRUNG from tall trees on windy heights, these rollers transport me as they turn upon the table.Dearer to me the die that never slumbers than the deep draught of Mujavan's own Soma.2 She never vexed me nor was angry with me, but to my friends and me was ever gracious.For the die's sake, whose single point is final, mine own devoted wife I alienated.3 My wife holds me aloof, her mother hates me: the wretched man finds none to give him comfort.As of a costly horse grown old and feeble, I find not any profit of the gamester.4 Others caress the wife of him whose riches the die hath coveted, that rapid courser:Of him speak father, mother, brothers saying, We know him not: bind him and take him with you.5 When I resolve to play with these no longer, my friends depart from me and leave me lonely.When the brown dice, thrown on the board, have rattled, like a fond girl I seek the place of meeting.6 The gamester seeks the gambling-house, and wonders, his body all afire, Shall I be lucky?Still do the dice extend his eager longing, staking his gains against his adversary.7 Dice, verily, are armed with goads and driving-hooks, deceiving and tormenting, causing grievouswoe.They give frail gifts and then destroy the man who wins, thickly anointed with the player's fairestgood.8 Merrily sports their troop, the three-and-fifty, like Savitar the God whose ways are faithful.They bend not even to the mighty's anger: the King himself pays homage and reveres them.9 Downward they roll, and then spring quickly upward, and, handless, force the man with hands toserve them.Cast on the board, like lumps of magic charcoal, though cold themselves they bum the heart to ashes.10 The gambler's wife is left forlorn and wretched: the mother mourns the son who wandershomeless.In constant fear, in debt, and seeking riches, he goes by night unto the home of others.11 Sad is the gambler when he sees a matron, another's wife, and his well-ordered dwelling.He yokes the brown steeds in the early morning, and when the fire is cold sinks down an outcast.12 To the great captain of your mighty army, who hath become the host's imperial leader,To him I show my ten extended fingers: I speak the truth. No wealth am I withholding.13 Play not with dice: no, cultivate thy corn-land. Enjoy the gain, and deem that wealth sufficient.There are thy cattle there thy wife, O gambler. So this good Savitar himself hath told me.14 Make me your friend: show us some little mercy. Assail us not with your terrific fierceness.Appeased be your malignity and anger, and let the brown dice snare some other captive.
HYMN XXXV. Visvedevas.1. THESE fires associate with Indra are awake, bringing their light when first the Dawn begins toshine.May Heaven and Earth, great Pair, observe our holy work. We claim for us this day the favour of theGods.2 Yea, for ourselves we claim the grace of Heaven and Earth, of Saryanavan, of the Hills and MotherStreams.For innocence we pray to Surya and to Dawn. So may the flowing Soma bring us bliss to-day.3 May the great Twain, the Mothers, Heaven and Earth, this day preserve us free from sin for peaceand happiness.
May Morning sending forth her light drive sin afar. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.4 May this first Dawn bring us the host of gracious Gods: rich, may it richly shine for us who strive forwealth.The wrath of the malignant may we keep afar. We pray to kindled Agni for feilicity.5 Dawns, who come forward with the bright beams of the Sun, and at your earliest flushing bring tous the light,Shine ye on us to-day auspicious, for renown. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.6 Free from all sickness may the Mornings come to us, and let our fires mount upward with a loftyblaze.The Asvin Pair have harnessed their swift-moving car. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.7 Send us to-day a portion choice and excellent, O Savitar, for thou art he who dealeth wealth.I cry to Dhisana, Mother of opulence. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.8 Further me this declaring of Eternal Law, the Law of Gods, as we mortals acknowledge it!The Sun goes up beholding all the rays of morn. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.9 This day we pray with innocence in strewing grass, adjusting pressing-stones, and perfecting thehymn.Thou in the Adityas' keeping movest restlessly. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.10 To our great holy grass I bid the Gods at morn to banquet, and will seat them as the sevenpriests,-Varuna, Indra, Mitra, Bhaga for our gain. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.11 Come hither, O Adityas, for our perfect weal: accordant help our sacrifice that we may thrive.Pusan, Brhaspati, Bhaga, both Asvins, and enkindled Agni we implore for happiness.12 Adityas, Gods, vouchsafe that this our home may be praise-worthy, prosperous, our heroes' suredefence,For cattle, for our sons, for progeny, for life. We pray to kindled Agni for felicity.13 This day may all the Maruts, all he near us with aid: may all our fires be well enkindled.May all Gods come to us with gracious favour. May spoil and wealth he ours, and all possessions.14 He whom ye aid, O Deities, in battle, whom ye protect and rescue from affliction,Who fears no danger at your milk-libation, -such may we be to feast the Gods, ye Mighty.
HYMN XXXVI. Visvedevas.1. THERE are the Dawn and Night, the grand and beauteous Pair, Earth, Heaven, and Varuna, Mitra,and Aryaman.Indra I call, the Maruts, Mountains, and the Floods, Adityas, Heaven and Earth, the Waters, and theSky.2 May Dyaus and Prthivi, wise, true to Holy Law, keep us in safety from distress and injury.Let not malignant Nirrti rule over us. We crave to-day this gracious favour of the Gods.3 Mother of Mitra and of opulent Varuna, may Aditi preserve us safe from all distress.May we obtain the light of heaven without a foe. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day.4 May ringing press-stones keep the Raksasas afar, ill dream, and Nirrti, and each voracious fiend.May the Adityas and the Maruts shelter us. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day.5 Full flow libations; on our grass let Indra sit; Brhaspati the singer laud with Sama hymns!Wise be our hearts' imaginings that we may live. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day.6 Ye Asvins, make our sacrifice ascend to heaven, and animate the rite that it may send us bliss,Offered with holy oil, with forward-speeding rein. We crave the gracious favour of the Gods to-day.7 Hither I call the band of Maruts, swift to hear, great, purifying, bringing bliss, to he our Friends.May we increase our wealth to glorify our name. We crave this graciousfavour of the Gods to-day.8 We bring the Stay of Life, who makes the waters swell, swift-hearing, Friend of Gods, who waits onsacrifice.May we control that Power, Soma whose rays are bright. We crave this gracious favour of the Godsto-day.
9 Alive ourselves, with living sons, devoid of guilt, may we win this with winners by fair means towin.Let the prayer-haters bear our sin to every side. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day.10 Hear us, O ye who claim the worship of mankind, and give us, O ye Gods, the gift for which wepray,Victorious wisdom, fame with heroes and with wealth. We crave to-day this gracious favour of theGods.11 We crave the gracious favour of the Gods to-day, great favour of great Gods, sublime and free fromfoes,That we may gain rich treasure sprung from hero sons. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day.12 In great enkindled Agni's keeping, and, for bliss, free from all sin before Mitra and Varuna.May we share Savitar's best animating help. We crave this gracious favour of the Gods to-day.13 All ye, the Gods whom Savitar the Father of truth, and Varuna and Mitra govern,Give us prosperity with hero children, and opulence in kine and various treasure.14 Savitar, Savitar from cast and westward, Savitar, Savitar from north and southward,Savitar send us perfect health and comfort, Savitar let our days of life be lengthened!
HYMN XXXVII. Surya.1. Do homage unto Varuna's and Mitra's Eye: offer this solemn worship to the Mighty God,Who seeth far away, the Ensign, born of Gods. Sing praises unto Surya, to the Son of Dyaus.2 May this my truthful speech guard me on every side wherever heaven and earth and days arespread abroad.All else that is in motion finds a place of rest: the waters ever flow and ever mounts the Sun.3 No godless man from time remotest draws thee down when thou art driving forth with wingeddappled Steeds.One lustre waits upon thee moving to the cast, and, Surya, thou arisest with a different light.4 O Surya, with the light whereby thou scatterest gloom, and with thy ray impellest every movingthing,Keep far from us all feeble, worthless sacrifice, and drive away disease and every evil dream.5 Sent forth thou guardest well the Universe's law, and in thy wonted way arisest free from wrath.When Surya, we address our prayers to thee to-day, may the Gods favour this our purpose and desire.6 This invocation, these our words may Heaven and Earth, and Indra and the Waters and the Marutshear.Ne'er may we suffer want in presence of the Sun, and, living happy lives, may we attain old age.7 Cheerful in spirit, evermore, and keen of sight, with store of children, free from sickness and fromsin,Long-living, may we look, O Surya, upon thee uprising day by day, thou great as Mitra is!8 Surya, may we live long and look upon thee still, thee, O Far-seeing One, bringing the glorious light,The radiant God, the spring of joy to every eye, as thou art mounting up o'er the high shining flood.9 Thou by whose lustre all the world of life comes forth, and by thy beams again returns unto its rest,O Surya with the golden hair, ascend for us day after day, still bringing purer innocence.10 Bless us with shine, bless us with perfect daylight, bless us with cold, with fervent heat andlustre.Bestow on us, O Surya, varied riches, to bless us in our home and when we travel.11 Gods, to our living creatures of both kinds vouchsafe protection, both to bipeds and toquadrupeds,That they may drink and eat invigorating food. So grant us health and strength and perfectinnocence.12 If by some grievous sin we have provoked the Gods, O Deities, with the tongue or thoughtlessnessof heart,That guilt, O Vasus, lay upon the Evil One, on him who ever leads us into deep distress.
HYMN XXXVIII. Indra.1. O INDRA, in this battle great and glorious, in this loud din of war help us to victory,Where in the strife for kine among bold ring-decked men arrows fly all around and heroes aresubdued.2 At home disclose to us opulence rich in food, streaming with milk, O Indra, meet to be renowned.Sakra, may we be thine, the friendly Conqueror's: even as we desire, O Vasu, so do thou.3 The godless man, much-lauded Indra, whether he be Dasa or be Arya, who would war with us,-Easy to conquer he for thee, with us, these foes: with thee may we subdue them in the clash of fight.4 Him who must be invoked by many and by few, who standeth nigh with comfort in the war of men,Indra, famed Hero, winner in the deadly strife, let us bring hitherward to-day to favour us.5 For, Indra, I have heard thee called Self. capturer, One, Steer! who never yields, who urges even thechurl.Release thyself from Kutsa and come hither. How shall one like thee sit still bound that he may notmove?
HYMN XXXIX. Asvins.1. As 'twere the name of father, easy to invoke, we all assembled here invoke this Car of yours,Asvins, your swiftly-rolling circumambient Car which he who worships must invoke at eve and dawn.2 Awake all pleasant strains and let the hymns flow forth: raise up abundant fulness: this is ourdesire.Asvins, bestow on us a glorious heritage, and give our princes treasure fair as Soma is.3 Ye are the bliss of her who groweth old at home, and helpers of the slow although he linger last.Men call you too, Nasatyas, healers of the blind, the thin and feeble, and the man with broken bones.4 Ye made Cyavana, weak and worn with length of days, young again, like a car, that he had powerto move.Ye lifted up the son of Tugra from the floods. At our libations must all these your acts be praised.5 We will declare among the folk your ancient deeds heroic; yea, ye were Physicians bringing health.You, you who must be lauded, will we bring for aid, so that this foe of ours, O Asvins, may believe.6 Listen to me, O Asvins; I have cried to you. Give me-your aid as sire and mother aid their son.Poor, without kin or friend or ties of blood am I. Save me before it be too late, from this my curse.7 Ye, mounted on your chariot brought to Vimada the comely maid of Purumitra as a bride.Ye, came unto the calling of the weakling's dame, and granted noble offspring to the happy wife.8 Ye gave a ain the vigour of his youthful life to tge sage Kali when old age was coming nigh.Ye rescued Vandana and raised him from the pit, and in a moment gave Vispala power to move.9 Ye Asvins Twain, endowed with manly strength, brought forth Reblia when hidden in the cave andwell-nigh dead,Freed Saptavadliri, and for Atri caused the pit heated with fire to be a pleasant resting-place.10 On Pedu ye bestowed, Asvins, a courser white, mighty with nine-and-ninety varied gifts ofstrength,A horse to be renowned, who bore his friend at speed, joy-giving, Bhaga-like to be invoked of men.11 From no side, ye Two Kings whom none may check or stay, doth grief, distress, or danger come uon the manWhom, Asvins swift to hear, borne on your glowing path, ye with your Consort make the foremost inthe race.12 Come on that Chariot which the Rbhus wrought for you, the Chariot, Asvins, that is speedier thanthought,At harnessing whereof Heaven's Daughter springs to birth, and from Vivasvan come auspicious Nightand Day.13 Come, Conquerors of the sundered mountain, to our home, Asvins who made the cow stream milkfor Sayu's sake,Ye who delivered even from the wolf's deep throat and set again at liberty the swallowed quail.14 We have prepared this laud for you, O Asvins, and, like the Bhrgus, as a car have framed it,Have decked it as a maid to meet the bridegroom, and brought it as a son, our stay for ever.
HYMN XL. Asvins.1. YOUR radiant Chariot-whither goes it on its way?-who decks it for you, Heroes, for its happycourse,Starting at daybreak, visiting each morning every house, borne hitherward through prayer unto thesacrifice?2 Where are ye, Asvins, in the evening, where at morn? Where is your haltingplace, where rest ye forthe night?Who brings you homeward, as the widow bedward draws her husband's brother, as the brideattracts the groom?3 Early ye sing forth praise as with a herald's voice, and, meet for worship, go each morning to thehouse.Whom do ye ever bring to ruin? Unto whose libations come ye, Heroes, like two Sons of Kings?4 Even as hunters follow two wild elephants, we with oblations call you down at morn and eve.To folk who pay you offierings at appointed times, Chiefs, Lords of splendour, ye bring food tostrengthen them.5 To you, O Asvins, came the daughter of a King, Ghosa, and said, O Heroes, this I beg of you:Be near me in the day, he near me in the night: help me to gain a car-borne chieftain rich in steeds.6 O Asvins, ye are wise: as Kutsa comes to men, bring your car nigh the folk of him who sings yourpraise.The bee, O Asvins, bears your honey in her mouth, as the maid carries it purified in her hand.7 To Bhujyu and to Vasa ye come near with help, O Asvins, to Sinjara and to Usana.Your worshipper secures your friendship for himself. Through your protection I desire felicity.8 Krsa and Sayu ye protect, ye Asvins Twain: ye Two assist the widow and the worshipper;And ye throw open, Asvins, unto those who win the cattle-stall that thunders with its serenfoldmouth.9 The Woman hath brought forth, the Infant hath appeared, the plants of wondrous beautystraightway have sprung up.To him the rivers run as down a deep descent, and he this day becomes their master and their lord.10 They mourn the living, cry aloud, at sacrifice: the men have set their thoughts upon a distant cast.A lovely thing for fathers who have gathered here,-a joy to husbands,-are the wives their arms shallclasp11 Of this we have no knowledge. Tall it forth to us, now the youth rests within the chambers of thebride.Fain would we reach the dwelling of the vigorous Steer who loves the kine, O Asvins: this is ourdesire.12 Your favouring grace hath come, ye Lords of ample wealth: Asvins, our longings are stored upwithin your hearts.Ye, Lords of splendour, have become our twofold guard: may we as welcome friends reach Aryaman'sabode.13 Even so, rejoicing in the dwelling-place of man, give hero sons and riches to the eloquent.Make a ford, Lords of splendour, where men well may drink: remove the spiteful tree-stump standingin the path.14 O Asvins, Wonder-Workers, Lords of lustre, where and with what folk do ye delight yourselves to-day?Who hath detained them with him? Whither are they gone? Unto what sage's or what worshipper'sabode?
HYMN XLI. Asvins.1. THAT general Car of yours, invoked by many a man, that comes to our libations, three-wheeled,meet for lauds,That circumambient Car, worthy of sacrifice, we call with our pure hymns at earliest flush of dawn.2 Ye, O Nasatyas, mount that early-harnessed Car, that travels early, laden with its freight of balm,
Wherewith ye, Heroes, visit clans who sacrifice, even the poor man's worship where the priestattends.3 If to the deft Adhvaryu with the meath in hand, or to the Kindler firm in strength, the householdfriend,Or to the sage's poured libations ye approach, come thence, O Asvins, now to drink the offeredmeath.
HYMN XLII. Indra.1. EVEN as an archer shoots afar his arrow, offer the laud to him with meet adornment.Quell with your voice the wicked's voice, O sages. Singer, make Indra rest beside the Soma.2 Draw thy Friend to thee like a cow at milking: O Singer, wake up Indra as a lover.Make thou the Hero haste to give us riches even as a vessel filled brimful with treasure.3 Why, Maghavan, do they call thee Bounteous; Giver? Quicken me: thou, I hear, art he whoquickens.Sakra, let my intelligence be active, and bring us luck that finds great wealth, O Indra.4 Standing, in battle for their rights, together, the people, Indra, in the fray invoke thee.Him who brings gifts the Hero makes his comrade: with him who pours no juice he seeks notfriendship.5 Whoso with plenteous food for him expresses strong Somas as much quickly-coming treasure,For him he overthrows in early morning his swift well-weaponed foes, and slays the tyrant.6 He unto whom we offer praises, Indra, Maghavan, who hath joined to ours his wishes,-Before him even afar the foe must tremble: low before him must bow all human glories.7 With thy fierce bolt, O God invoked of many, drive to a distance from afar the foeman.O Indra, give us wealth in corn and cattle, and make thy singer's prayer gain strength and riches.8 Indra, the swallower of strong libations rich in the boons they bring, the potent Somas,He, Maghavan, will not restrict his bounty he brings much wealth unto the Soma-presser.9 Yea, by superior play he wins advantage, when he, a gambler, piles his gains in season.Celestial-natured, he o'erwhelms with riches the devotee who keeps not back his treasure.10 O Much-invoked, may we subdue all famine and evil want with store of grain and cattle.May we allied, as first in rank, with princes obtain possessions by our own exertion.11 Brhaspati protect us from the rearward, and from above, and from below, from sinners!May Indra from the front, and from the centre, as Friend to friends, vouchsafe us room and freedom.
HYMN XLIII. Indra.1. IN perfect unison all yearning hymns of mine that find the light of heaven have sung forth Indra'spraise.As wives embrace their lord, the comely bridegroom, so they compass Maghavan about that he mayhelp.2 Directed unto thee my spirit never strays, for I have set my hopes on thee, O Much-invoked!Sit, Wonderful! as King upon the sacred grass, and let thy drinking-place be by the Soma juice.3 From indigence and hunger Indra turns away: Maghavan hath dominion over precious wealth.These the Seven Rivers flowing on their downward path increase the vital vigour of the potent Steer.4 As on the fair-leafed tree rest birds, to Indra flow the gladdening Soma juices that the bowlscontain.Their face that glows with splendour through their mighty power hath found the shine of heaven forman, the Aryas' light.5 As in the game a gambler piles his winnings, so Maghavan, sweeping all together, gained the SunThis mighty deed of thine none other could achieve, none, Maghavan, before thee, none in recenttime.6 Maghavan came by turns to all the tribes of men: the Steer took notice of the people's songs ofpraise.The man in whose libations Sakra hath delight by means of potent Somas vanquisheth his foes.
7 When Soma streams together unto Indra flow like waters to the river, rivulets to the lake,In place of sacrifice sages exalt his might, as the rain swells the corn by moisture sent from heaven.8 He rushes through the region like a furious Bull, he who hath made these floods the dames ofworthy lords.This Maghavan hath found light for the man who brings oblation, sheds the juice, and promptly pourshis gifts.9 Let the keen axe come forth together with the light: here be,.as erst, the teeming cow of sacrifice.Let the Red God shine bright with his refulgent ray, and let the Lord of heroes glow like heaven'sclear sheen.10 O Much-invoked, may we subdue all famine and evil want with store of grain and cattle.May we allied, as first in rank, with princes obtain possessions by our own exertion.11 Brhaspati protect us from the rearward, and from above, and from below, from sinners.May Indra from the front, and from the centre, as Friend to friends, vouchsafe us room and freedom.
HYMN XLIV. Indra.1. MAY Sovran Indra come to the carousal, he who by Holy Law is strong and active,The overcomer of all conquering forces with his great steer-like power that hath no limit.2 Firm-seated is thy car, thy Steeds are docile; thy hand, O King, holds, firmly grasped, the thunder.On thy fair path, O Lord of men, come quickly: we will increase thy powers when thou hast drunken.3 Let strong and mighty Steeds who bear this Mighty Indra, the Lord of men, whose arm wieldsthunder,Bring unto us, as sharers of our banquet, the Steer of conquering might, of real vigour.4 So like a Bull thou rushest to the Lord who loves the trough, the Sage, the prop of vigour, in the vat,Prepare thine energies, collect them in thyself: be for our profit as the Master of the wise.5 May precious treasures come to us-so will I pray. Come to the votary's gift offered with beauteouslaud.Thou art the Lord, as such sit on this holy grass: thy vessels are inviolate as Law commands.6 Far went our earlist invocation of the Gods, and won us glories that can never be surpassed.They who could not ascend the ship of sacrifice, sink down in desolation, trembling with alarm.7 So be the others, evil-hearted, far away, whose horses, difficult to harness, have been yoked.Here in advance men stand anear to offer gifts, by whom full many a work that brings reward is done.8 He firmly fixed the plains and mountains as they shook. Dyaus thundered forth and made the air'smid-region quake.He stays apart the two confronting bowls; he sings lauds in the potent Soma's joy when he hathdrunk.9 I bear this deftly-fashioned goad of thine, wherewith thou, Maghavan, shalt break the strikers withthe hoof.At this libation mayst thou be well satisfied. Partake the juice, partake the worship, Maghavan.10 O Much-invoked, may we subdue all famine and evil want with store of grain and cattle.May we allied, as first in rank, with princes obtain possessions by our own exertion.11 Brhaspati protect us from the rearward, and from above, and from below, from sinners.May Indra from the front and from the centre, as Friend to friends, vouchsafe us room and freedom.
HYMN XLV. Agni.1. FIRST Agni sprang to life from out of Heaven: the second time from us came Jatavedas.Thirdly the Manly-souled was in the waters. The pious lauds and kindles him the Eternal.2 Agni, we know thy three powers in three stations, we know thy forms in many a place divided.We know what name supreme thou hast in secret: we know the source from which thou hastproceeded.3 The Manly-souled lit thee in sea and waters, man's Viewer lit thee in the breast of heaven,There as thou stoodest in the third high region the Steers increased thee in the water's bosom.
4 Agni roared out, like Dyaus what time he thunders: he licked the ground about the plants heflickered.At once, when born, he looked around enkindled, and lightened heaven and earth within withsplendour.5 The spring of glories and support of riches, rouser of thoughts and guardian of the Soma,Good Son of Strength, a King amid the waters, in forefront of the Dawns he shines enkindled.6 Germ of the world, ensign of all creation, be sprang to life and filled the earth and heavens.Even the firm rock he cleft when passing over, when the Five Tribes brought sacrifice to Agni.7 So among mortals was Immortal Agni stablished as holy wise and willing envoy.He waves the red smoke that he lifts above him, striving to reach the heavens with radiant lustre.8 Like gold to look on, far he shone refulgent, beaming imperishable life for glory,Agni by vital powers became immortal when his prolific Father Dyaus begat him.9 Whoso this day, O God whose flames are lovely, prepares a cake, O Agni, mixt with butter,Lead thou and further him to higher fortune, to bliss bestowed by Gods, O thou Most Youthful.10 Endow him, Agni, with a share of glory, at every song of praise sung forth enrich him.Dear let him be to Surya, dear to Agni, preeminent with son and children's children.11 While, Agni, day by day men pay thee worship they win themselves all treasures worth thewishing.Allied with thee, eager and craving riches, they have disclosed the stable filled with cattle.12 Agni, the Friend of men, the Soma's keeper, Vaisvanara, hath been lauded by the Rsis.We will invoke benignant Earth and Heaven: ye Deities, give us wealth with hero children.
HYMN XLVI. Agni.1. STABLISHED for thee, to lend thee vital forces, Giver of wealth, Guard of his servant's body.The Great Priest, born, who knows the clouds, Abider with men, is seated in the lap of waters.2 Worshipping, seeking him with adoration like some lost creature followed by its footprints,Wise Bhrgus, yearning in their hearts, pursued him, and found him lurking where the floods aregathered.3 On the Cow's forehead, with laborious searching, Trita, the offspring of Vibhiavas, found him.Born in our houses, Youthful, joy-bestower, he now becomes the central point of brightness.4 Yearning, with homage, they have set and made him blithe Priest among mankind, oblation-bearer,Leader of rites and Purifier, envoy of men, as sacrifice that still advances.5 The foolish brought the ne'er-bewildered forward, great, Victor, Song-inspirer, Fort-destroyer.Leading the Youth gold-bearded, like a courser gleaming with wealth, they turned their hymn toprofit.6 Holding his station firmly in the houses, Trita sat down within his home surroundedThence, as Law bids, departs the Tribes' Companion having collected men with no compulsion.7 His are the fires, eternal, purifying, that make the houses move, whose smoke is shining,White, waxing in their strength, for ever stirring, and sitting in the wood; like winds are Somas.8 The tongue of Agni bears away the praisesong, and, through his care for Earth, her operations.Him, bright and radiant, living men have stablished as their blithe Priest, the Chief of Sacrificers.9 That Agni, him whom Heaven and Earth engendered, the Waters. Tvastar, and with might, theBhrgus,Him Matarisvan and the Gods have fashioned holy for man and first to be entreated.10 Agni, whom Gods have made oblationbearer, and much-desiring men regard as holy,Give life to him who lauds thee when he worships, and then shall glorious men in troops adore thee.
HYMN XLVII. Indra Vaikuntha.1. THY right hand have we grasped in ours, O Indra, longing for treasure, Treasure-Lord of treasures!Because we know thee, Hero, Lord of cattle: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.2 Wealth, fully armed, good guard and kind protector, sprung from four seas, the prop and stay oftreasures,
Fraught with great bounties, meet for praise and glory; vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.3 Wealth, with good Brahmans, Indra! God-attended, high, wide, and deep, arid based on broadfoundations,Strong, with famed Rsis, conquering our foemen: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.4 Victorious, winning strength, with hero sages, confirmed in power, most useful, wealth-attracting,True, Indra! crushing forts and slaying Dasyus: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.5 Wealthy in heroes and in cars and horses, strength hundredfold and thousandfold, O Indra,With manly sages, happy troops, Iight-winning: vouchsafe us mighty and resplentdent riches.6 To Saptagu the sage, the holy-minded, to him, Brhaspati, the song approaches,Angiras' Son who must be met with homage: vouchsafe us mighty and reslendent riches.7 My lauds, like envoys, craving loving-kindness, go forth to Indra with their strong entreaty,Moving his heart and uttered by my spirit: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.8 Grant us the boon for which I pray, O Indra, a spacious home unmatched among the people.To this may Heaven and Earth accord approval: vouchsafe us mighty and resplendent riches.
HYMN XLVIII. Indra Vaikuntha.1. I WAS the first possessor of all precious gear: the wealth of every man I win and gather up.On me as on a Father living creatures call; I deal enjoyment to tho. man who offers gifts.2 I, Indra, am Atharvan's stay and firm support: I brought forth kine to Trita from the Dragon's grasp.I stripped the Dasyus of their manly might, and gave the cattle-stalls to Matarigvan and Dadhyac.3 For me hath Tvastar forged the iron thunderbolt: in me the Gods have centred intellectual power.My sheen is like the Sun's insufferably bright: men honour me as Lord for past and future deeds.4 I won myself these herdi of cattle, steeds and kine, and gold in ample store, with my destructivebolt.I give full many a thousand to the worshipper, what time the Somas and the lauds have made meglad.5 Indra am I none ever wins my wealth from me never at any time am I a thrall to death.Pressing the Soma, ask riches from me alone: ye, Purus, in my friendship shall not suffer harm.6 These, breathing loud in fury, two and two, who caused Indra to bring his bolt of thunder to thefray,The challengers, I struck with deadly weapon down: firm stand what words the God speaks to hisworshippers.This One by stronger might I conquered singly; yea, also two: shall three prevail against me?Like many sheaves upon the floor I thrash them. How can my foes, the Indraless, revile me?8 Against the Gungus I made Atithigva strong, and kept him mid the folk like Vrtra-conqueringstrength,When I won glory in the great foe-slaying fight, in battle where Karanja fell, and Parnaya.9 With food for mine enjoyment Sapya Nami came: he joined me as a friend of old in search of kine.As I bestowed on him an arrow for the fight I made him worthy of the song apd hymn of praise.10 One of the two hath Soma, seen within it; the Herdsman with the bone shows forth the other.He, fain to fight the Bull whose horns were sharpened, stood fettered in the demon's ample region.11 I, as a God, ne'er violate the statutes of Gods, of Vasus, Rudriyas, Adityas.These Gods have formed me for auspicious vigour, unconquered and invincible for ever.
HYMN XLIX.Indra Vaikuntha.1. I HAVE enriched the singer with surpassing wealth; I have allowed the holy hymn to strengthenme.I, furtherer of him who offers sacrifice, have conquered in each fight the men who worship not.2 The People of the heavens, the waters, and the earth have stablished me among the Gods withIndra's name.I took unto myself the two swift vigorous Bays that speed on divers paths, and the fierce bolt forstrength.
3 With deadly blows I smote Atka for Kavi's sake; I guarded Kutsa well with these saving helps.As Susna's slayer I brandished the dart of death: I gave not up the Aryan name to Dasyu foes.4 Smadibha, Tugra, and the Vetasus I gave as prey to Kutsa, father-like, to succour him.I was a worthy King to rule the worshipper, when I gave Tuji dear inviolable gifts.5 I gave up Mrgaya to Srutarvan as his prey because he ever followed me and kept my laws.For Ayu's sake I caused Veta to bend and bow, and into Savya's hand delivered Padgrbhi.6 1, I crushed Navavastva of the lofty car, the Dasa, as the Vrtra-slayer kills the fiends;When straightway on the region's farthest edge I brought the God who makes the lights to broadenand increase.7 I travel round about borne onward in my might by the fleet-footed dappled Horses of the Sun.When man's libation calls me to the robe of state I soon repel the powerful Dasyu with my blows.8 Stronger am I than Nabus, I who slew the seven: I glorified with might Yadu and Turvaga.I brought another low, with strength I bent his strength: I let the mighty nine-and-ninety wax inpower.9 Bull over all the streams that flow along the earth, I took the Seven Rivers as mine own domain.I, gifted with great wisdom, spread the floods abroad: by war I found for man the way to highsuccess.10 I set within these cows the white milk which no God, not even Tvastar's self, had theredeposited,-Much-longed-for, in the breasts, the udders of the kine, the savoury sweets of meath, the milk andSoma juice.11 Even thus hath Indra Maghavan, truly bounteous, sped Gods and men with mighty operation.The pious glorify all these thine exploits, Lord of Bay Coursers, Strong, and Selfresplendent.
HYMN L. Indra Vaikuntha.1. I LAUD your Mighty One who joyeth in the juice, him who is shared by all men, who created all;Indra, whose conquering strength is powerful in war, whose fame and manly vigour Heaven andEarth revere.2 He with his friend is active, lauded, good to man, Indra who must be glorified by one like me.Hero, Lord of the brave, all cars are thy delight, warring with Vrtra, or for waters, or for spoil.3 Who are the men whom thou wilt further, Indra, who strive to win thy bliss allied with riches?Who urged thee forward to exert thy power divine, to valour, in the war for waters on their fields?4 Thou, Indra, through the holy prayer art mighty, worthy of sacrifice at all libations.In every fight thou castest heroes on the ground: thou art the noblest song, O Lord of all the folk.5 Help now, as Highest, those who toil at sacrifice: well do the people know thy great protectingmight.Thou shalt be Everlasing, Giver of success yea, on all these libations thou bestowest strength.6 All these libations thou makest effectual, of which thou art thyself supporter, Son of Power.Therefore thy vessel is to be esteemed the best, sacrifice, holy text, prayer, and exalted speech.7 They who with flowing Soma pray to thee, O Sage, to pour on them thy gifts of opulence andwealth,May they come forward, through their spirit, on the path of bliss, in the wild joy of Soma juiceeffused.
HYMN LI. Agni. Gods.1. LARGE was that covering, and firm of texture, folded wherein thou enteredst the waters.One Deity alone, O Jatavedas Agni, saw all thy forms in sundry places.2 What God hath seen me? Who of all their number clearly beheld my forms in many places?Where lie, then, all the sacred logs of Agni that lead him God-ward, Varuna and Mitra?3 In many places, Agni Jatavedas, we sought thee hidden in the plants and waters.Then Yama marked thee, God of wondrous splendour! effulgent from thy tenfold secret dwelling,4 I fled in fear from sacrificial worship, Varuna, lest the Gods should thus engage me.
Thus were my forms laid down in many places. This, as my goal, I Agni saw before me.5 Come; man is pious and would fain do worship, he waits prepared: in gloom thou, Agni, dwellest.Make pathways leading God-ward clear and easy, and bear oblations with a kindly spirit.6 This goal mine elder brothers erst selected, as he who drives a car the way to travel.So,Varuna, I fled afar through terror, as flies the wild-bull from an archer's bowstring.7 We give thee life unwasting, Jatavedas, so that, employed, thou never shalt be injured.So, nobly born! shalt thou with kindly spirit bear to the Gods their share of men's oblations.8 Grant me the first oblations and the latter, entire, my forceful shares of holy presents,The soul of plants, the fatness of the waters, and let there be long life, ye Gods, to Agni.9 Thine be the first oblations and the latter, entire, thy forceful shares of holy presents.Let all this sacrifice be thine, O Agni, and let the world's four regions how before thee.
HYMN LII. Gods.1. INSTRUCT me, all ye Gods, how I, elected your Priest, must seat me here, and how address you.Instruct me how to deal to each his portion, and by what ' path to bring you man's oblation.2 I sit as Priest most skilled in sacrificing: the Maruts and all Deities impel me.Asvins, each day yours is the Adhvaryu's duty: Brahman and wood are here: 'tis yours to offer.3 Who is the Priest? Is he the Priest of Yama? On whom is thrust this God-appointed honour?He springs to life each month, each day that passes; so Gods have made him their oblation-bearer.4 The Gods have made me bearer of oblations, who slipped away and passed through many troubles.Wise Agni shall ordain for us the worship, whether five-wayed, threefold, or seven-threaded.5 So will I win you strength and life for ever. O Gods, that I may give you room and freedom.To Indra's arms would I consign the thunder; in all these battles shall he then be victor.6 The Deities three hundred and thirty-nine, have served and honoured Agni,Strewn sacred grass, anointed him with butter, and seated him as Priest, the Gods' Invoker.
HYMN LIII. Agni Saucika Gods.1. HE hath arrived, he whom we sought with longing, who skilled in sacrifice well knows its courses.Let him discharge his sacrificial duties: let him sit down as Friend who was beforeUs.2 Best Priest, he hath been won by being seated, for he hath looked on the well-ordered viands.Come, let usworship Gods who must be worshipped, and pouring oil, laud those who should belauded.3 Now hath he made the feast of Gods effective: now have we found the secret tongue of worship.Now hath he come, sweet, robed in vital vigour, and made our calling on the Gods effective.4 This prelude of my speech I now will utter, whereby we Gods may quell our Asura foemen.Eaters of strengthening food who merit worship, O ye Five Tribes, be pleased with mine oblation.5 May the Five Tribes be pleased with mine oblation, and the Cow's Sons and all who merit worship.From earthly trouble may the earth protect us, and air's mid realm from woe that comes from heaven.6 Spinning the thread, follow the region's splendid light: guard thou the path ways well whichwisdom hath prepared.Weave ye the knotless labour of the bards who sing: be Manu thou, and bring the Heavenly Peopleforth.7 Lovers of Soma, bind the chariot traces fast: set ye the reins in order and embellish them.Bring hitherward the car with seats where eight may sit, whereon the Gods have brought thetreasure that we love.8 Here flows Asmanvati: hold fast each other, keep yourselves up, and pass, my friends, the river.There let us leave the Powers that brought no profit, and cross the flood to Powers that areauspicious.9 Tvastar, most deft of workmen, knew each magic art, bringing most blessed bowls that hold thedrink of Gods.
His axe, wrought of good metal, he is sharpening now, wherewith the radiant Brahmanaspati willcut.10 Now, O ye Sapient Ones, make ye the axes sharp wherewith ye fashion bowls to hold the Amrta.Knowing the secret places make ye ready that whereby the Gods have gotten immortality.11 Ye with a secret tongue and dark intention laid the maiden deep within, the calf within the mouth.They evermore are near us with their gracious help: successful is the song that strives for victory.
HYMN LIV. Indra.1. I SING thy fame that, Maghavan, through thy Greatness the heavens and earth invoked thee intheir terror,Thou, aiding Gods, didst quell the power of Dasas, what time thou holpest many a race, O Indra.2 When thou wast roaming, waxen strong in body, telling thy might, Indra, among the people,All that men called thy battles was illusion: no foe hast thou to-day, nor erst hast found one.3 Who are the Rsis, then, who comprehended before our time the bounds of all thy greatness?For from thy body thou hast generated at the same time the Mother and the Father.4 Thou, Mighty Steer, hast four supremest natures, Asura natures that may ne'er be injured.All these, O Maghavan, thou surely knowest, wherewith thou hast performed thy greatachievements.5 Thou hast all treasures in thy sole possession, treasures made manifest and treasures hidden.Defer not thou, O Maghavan, my longing: thou, art Director, Indra, thou art Giver.6 To him who set the light in things of splendour, and with all sweetness blent essential sweetness,To Indra hath this welcome hymn that strengthens been uttered by the votary Brhaduktha.
HYMN LV. Indra.1. FAR is that secret name by which, in terror, the worlds invoked thee and thou gavest vigourThe earth and heaven thou settest near each other, and Maghavan, madest bright thy Brother'sChildren.2 Great is that secret name and far-extending, whereby thou madest all that is and shall be.The Five Tribes whom he loveth well have entered the light he loveth that was made aforetime.3 He filled the heaven and earth and all between them, Gods five times sevenfold in their properseasons.With four-and-thirty lights he looks around him, lights of one colour though their ways are divers.4 As first among the lights, O Dawn, thou shonest, whereby thou broughtest forth the Stay ofIncrease,Great art thou, matchless is thine Asura nature, who, high above, art kin to those beneath thee.5 The old hath waked the young Moon from his slumber who runs his circling course with manyround him.Behold the Gods' high wisdom in its greatness: he who died yesterday to-day is living.6 Strong is the Red Bird in his strength, great Hero, who from of old hath had no nest to dwell in.That which he knows is truth and never idle: he wins and gives the wealth desired of many.7 Through these the Thunderer gained strong manly vigour, through whom he waxed in power tosmite down Vrtra,-Who through the might of Indra's operation came forth as Gods in course of Law and Order.8 All-strong, performing works with his companion, All-marking, rapid Victor, Curse-averter,The Hero, waxing, after draughts of Soma, blew far from heaven the Dasyus with his weapon.
HYMN LVI. Visvedevas.1. HERE is one light for thee, another yonder: enter the third and he therewith united.Uniting with a body be thou welcome, dear to the Gods in their sublimest birthplace.2 Bearing thy body, Vajin, may thy body afford us blessing and thyself protection.Unswerving, stablish as it were in heaven thine own light as the mighty God's supporter.3 Strong Steed art thou: go to the yearning Maidens with vigour, happily go to heaven and praises:
Fly happily to the Gods with easy passage, according to the first and faithful statutes.4 Part of their grandeur have the Fathers also gained: the Gods have seated mental power in them asGods.They have embraced within themselves all energies, which, issuing forth, again into their bodiespass.5 They strode through all the region with victorious might, establishing the old immeasurable laws.They compassed in their bodies all existing things, and streamed forth offipring in many successiveforms.6 In two ways have the sons established in his place the Asura who finds the light, by the third act,As fathers, they have set their heritage on earth, their offspring, as a thread continuously spun out.7 As in a ship through billows, so through regions of air, with blessings, through toils and troublesHath Brhaduktha brought his seed with glory, and placed it here and in the realms beyond us.
HYMN LVIL Visvedevas.1. LET us not, Indra, leave the path, the Soma-presser's sacrifice:Let no malignity dwell with us.2 May we obtain, completely wrought, the thread spun out to reach the Gods,That perfecteth the sacrifice.3 We call the spirit hither with the Soma of our parted sires,Yea, with the Fathers' holy hymns.4 Thy spirit come to thee again for wisdom, energy, and lire,That thou mayst long behold the sun!5 O Fathers, may the Heavenly Folk give us our spirit once again,That we may be with those who live.6 O Soma with the spirit still within us, blest with progeny,May we be busied in the law.
HYMN LVIII. Manas or Spirit.1. THY spirit, that went far away to Yama to Vivasvan's Son,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.2 Thy spirit, that went far away, that passed away to earth and heaven,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.3 Thy spirit, that went far away, away to the four-cornered earth,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.4 Thy spirit, that went far away to the four quarters of the world,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.5 Thy spirit, that went far away, away unto the billowy sea,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.6 Thy spirit, that went far away to beams of light that flash and flow,We cause to come to tbee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.7 Thy spirit, that went far away, went to the waters and the plants,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.8 Thy spirit, that went far away, that visited the Sun and Dawn.We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.9 Thy spirit, that went far away, away to lofty mountain heights,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.10 Thy spirit, that went far away into this All, that lives and moves,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.11 Thy spirit, that went far away to distant realms beyond our ken,We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn here.12 Thy spirit, that went far away to all that is and is to be,
We cause to come to thee again that thou mayst live and sojourn heie.
HYMN LIX. Nirrti and Others.1. His life hath been renewed and carried forward as two men, car-borne, by the skilful driver.One falls, then seeks the goal with quickened vigour. Let Nirrti depart to distant places.2 Here is the psalm for wealth, and food, in plenty: let us do many deeds to bring us glory.All these our doings shall delight the singer. Let Nirrti depart to distant places.3 May we o'ercome our foes with acts of valour, as heaven is over earth, hills over lowlands.All these our deeds the singer hath considered. Let Nirrti depart to distant places.4 Give us not up as prey to death, O Sorna still let us look upon the Sun arising.Let our old age with passing days be kindly. Let Nirrti depart to distant places.5 O Asuniti, keep the soul within us, and make the days we have to live yet longer.Grant that we still may look upon the sunlight: strengthen thy body with the oil we bring thee.6 Give us our sight again, O Asuniti, give us again our breath and our enjoyment.Long may we look upon the Sun uprising; O Anumati, favour thou and bless us.7 May Earth restore to us our vital spirit, may Heaven the Goddess and mid-air restore it.May Soma give us once again our body, and Pusan show the Path of peace and comfort.8 May both Worlds bless Subandhu, young Mothers of everlasting Law.May Heaven and Earth uproot and sweep iniquity and shame away: nor sin nor sorrow trouble thee.9 Health-giving medicines descend sent down from heaven in twos and threes,Or wandering singly on the earth. May Heaven and Earth uproot and sweep iniquity and shameaway: nor sin nor sorrow trouble thee.10 Drive forward thou the wagon-ox, O Indra, which brought Usinarani's wagon hither.May Heaven and Earth uproot and sweep iniquity and shame away: nor sin nor sorrow trouble thee.
HYMN LX. Asamati and Others.-1. BRINGING our homage we have come to one magnificent in look.Glorified of the mighty Gods2 To Asamati, spring of gifts, lord of the brave, a radiant car,The conqueror of Bhajeratha3 Who, when the spear hath armed his hand, or even weaponless o'erthrowsMen strong as buffaloes in fight;4 Him in whose service flourishes Iksvaku, rich and dazzling-bright.As the Five Tribes that are in heaven.5 Indra, support the princely power of Rathaprosthas matched by none,Even as the Sun for all to see.6 Thou for Agastya's sister's sons yokest thy pair of ruddy steeds.Thou troddest niggards under foot, all those, O King, who brought no gifts.7 This is the mother, this the sire, this one hath come to be thy life.What brings thee forth is even this. Now come, Subandhu, get thee forth.8 As with the leather thong they bind the chariot yoke to hold it fast,So have I held thy spirit fast, held it for life and not for death, held it for thy security.9 Even as this earth, the mighty earth, holds fast the monarchs of the wood.So have I held thy spirit fast, held it for life and not for death, held it for thy security.10 Subandlin's spirit I have brought from Yarna, from Vivasvan's Son,Brought it for life and not for death, yea, brought it for security.11 The wind blows downward from on high, downward the Sun-God sends his heat,Downward the milch-cow pours her milk: so downward go thy pain and grief.12 Felicitous is this mine hand, yet more felicitous is this.This hand contains all healing balms, and this makes whole with gentle touch.
HYMN LXI. Visvedevas.1. THE welcome speaker in the storm of battle uttered with might this prayer to win the Asvins,When the most liberal God, for Paktha, rescued his parents, and assailed the seven Hotras.2 Cyavana, purposing deceptive presents, with all ingredients, made the altar ready.Most sweet-voiced Turvayana poured oblations like floods of widely fertilizing water.3 To his oblations, swift as thought, ye hurried, and welcomed eagerly the prayers he offered.With arrows in his hand the Very Mighty forced from him all obedience of a servant.4 I call on you the Sons of Dyaus, the Asvins, that a dark cow to my red kine be added.Enjoy my sacrifice, come to my viands contented, not deceiving expectation. '10 Uttering praise to suit the rite Navagvas came speedily to win the damsel's friendship.They who approached the twice-strong stable's keeper, meedless would milk the rocks that naughthad shaken.11 Swift was new friendship with the maid they quickly accepted it as genuine seed and bounty.Milk which the cow Sabardugha had yielded was the bright heritage which to thee they offered.12 When afterwards they woke- and missed the cattle, the speaker thus in joyful mood addressedthem:Matchless are singers throulgh the Vasu's nature; he bringeth them all food and all possessions.13 His followers then who dwelt in sundry places came and desired too slay the son of Nrsad.Resistless foe, be found the hidden treasure of Susna multiplied in numerous offipring.14 Thou, called Effulgence, in whose threefold dwelling, as in the light of heaven, the Gods aresitting,Thou who art called Agni or Jatavedas, Priest, hear us, guileless Priest of holy worship.15 And, Indra, bring, that I may laud and serve them, those Two resplendent glorious Nasatyas,Blithe, bounteous, man-like, to the sacrificer, honoured among our men with offered viands.16 This King is praised and honoured as Ordainer: himself the bridge, the Sage speeds o'er thewaters.He hath stirred up Kaksivan, stirred up Agni, as the steed's swift wheel drives the felly onward.17 Vaitarana, doubly kinsman, sacrificer, shall milk the cow who ne'er hath calved, Sabardhu,When I encompass Varuna and Mitra with lauds, and Aryaman in safest shelter.18 Their kin, the Prince in heaven, thy nearest kinsman, turning his thought to thee thus speaks inkindness:This is our highest bond: I am his offspring. How many others came ere I succeeded?19 Here is my kinship, here the place I dwell in: these are my Gods; I in full strength am present.Twice-born am I, the first-born Son of Order: the Cow milked this when first she had her being.20 So mid these tribes he rests, the friendly envoy, borne on two paths, refulgent Lord of fuel.When, like a line, the Babe springs up erectly, his Mother straight hath borne him strong to bless us.21 Then went the milch-kine forth to please the damsel, and for the good of every man that liveth.Hear us, O wealthy Lord; begin our worship. Thou hast grown mighty through Asvaghna's virtues.22 And take thou notice of us also, Indra, for ample riches, King whose arm wields thunder!Protect our wealthy nobles, guard our princes unmenaced near thee, Lord of Tawny Coursers.23 When he goes forth, ye Pair of Kings, for booty, speeding to war and praise to please the singer,-I was the dearest sage of those about him,-let him lead these away and bring them safely.24 Now for this noble man's support and comfort, singing with easy voice we thus implore thee:Impetuous be his son and fleet his courser: and may I be his priest to win him glory.25 If, for our strength, the priest with adoration to win your friendship made the laud accepted,That laud shall be a branching road to virtue for every one to whom the songs are suited.26 Glorified thus, with holy hymns and homage:-Of noble race, with Waters, God-attendedMay he enrich us for our prayers and praises: now can the cow be milked; the path is open.27 Be to us, then, ye Gods who merit worship, be ye of one accord our strong protection,Who went on various ways and brought us vigour, ye who are undeceivable explorers.
HYMN LXII. Visvedevas, Etc.1. YE, who, adorned with guerdon through the sacrifice, have won you Indra's friendship and eternallife,Even to you be happiness, Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.2 The Fathers, who drave forth the wealth in cattle, have in the year's courses cleft Vala by EternalLaw:A lengthened life be yours, O ye Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.3 Ye raised the Sun to heaven by everlasting Law, and spread broad earth, the Mother, out on everyside.Fair wealth of progeny be yours, Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.4 This kinsman in your dwellingplace speaks pleasant words: give car to this, ye Rsis, children of theGods.High Brahman dignity be yours, Angirases. Welcome the son of Manu, ye who are most wise.5 Distinguished by their varied form, these Rsis have been deeply moved.These are the sons of Angirases: from Agni have they sprung to life.6 Distinguished by their varied form, they sprang from Agni, from the sky.Navagva and Dasagva, noblest Angiras, he giveth bounty with the Gods.7 With Indra for associate the priests have cleared the stable full of steeds and kine,Giving to me a thousand with their eightmarked cars, they gained renown among the Gods.8 May this man's sons be multiplied; like springing corn may Manu grow,Who gives at once in bounteous gift a thousand kine, a hundred steeds.9 No one attains to him, as though a man would grasp the heights of heaven.Savarnya's sacrificial meed hath broadened like an ample flood.10 Yadu and Turva, too, have given two Dasas, well-disposed, to serve,Together with great store of kine.11 Blest be the hamlet's chief, most liberal Manu, and may his bounty rival that of Surya.May the God let Ssvarni's life be lengthened, with whom, unwearied, we have lived and prospered.
HYMN LXIII. Visvedevas.1. MAY they who would assume kinship from far away, Vivasvan's generations, dearly loved of men,Even the Gods who sit upon the sacred grass of Nahusa's son Yayati, bless and comfort us.2 For worthy of obeisance, Gods, are all your names, worthy of adoration and of sacrifice.Ye who were born from waters, and from Aditi, and from the earth, do ye here listen to my call.3 I will rejoice in these Adityas for my weal, for whom the Mother pours forth water rich in balm,And Dyaus the Infinite, firm as a rock, sweet milk,-Gods active, strong through lauds, whose mightthe Bull upholds.4 Looking on men, ne'er slumbering, they by their deserts attained as Gods to lofty immortality.Borne on refulgent cars, sinless, with serpents' powers, they robe them, for our welfare, in the heightof heaven.5 Great Kings who bless us, who have come to sacrifice, who, ne'er assailed, have set their mansionin the sky,-These I invite with adoration and with hymns, mighty Adityas, Aditi, for happiness.6 Who offereth to you the laud that ye accept, O ye All-Gods of Manu, many as ye are?Who, Mighty Ones, will prepare for you the sacrifice to bear us over trouble to felicity?7 Ye to whom Manu, by seven priests, with kindled fire, offered the first oblation with his heart andsoul,Vouchsafe us, ye Adityas, sheitcr free from fear, and make us good and easy paths to happiness.8 Wise Deities, who have dominion o'er the world, ye thinkers over all that moves not and thatmoves,Save us from uncommitted and committed sin, preserve us from all sin to-day for happiness.
9 In battles we invoke Indra still swift to hear, and all the holy Host of Heaven who banish grief,Agni, Mitra, and Varuna that we may gain, Dyays, Bhaga, Maruts, Prthivi for happiness:10 Mightily-saving Earth, incomparable Heaven the good guide Aditi who gives secure defenceThe well-oared heavenly Ship that lets no waters in, free from defect, will we ascend for happiness.11 Bless us, all Holy Ones, that we may have your help, guard and protect us from malignant injury.With fruitful invocation may we call on you, Gods, who give ear to us for grace, for happiness.12 Keep all disease afar and sordid sacrifice, keep off the wicked man's malicious enmity.Keep far away from us all hatred, O ye Gods, and give us ample shelter for our happiness.13 Untouched by any evil, every mortal thrives, and, following the Law, spreads in his progeny.Whom ye with your good guidance, O Adityas, lead safely through all his pain and grief to happiness.14 That which ye guard and grace in battle, O ye Gods, ye Maruts, where the prize is wealth, whereheroes win,That conquering Car, O Indra, that sets forth at dawn, that never breaks, may we ascend forhappiness.15 Vouchsafe us blessing in our paths and desert tracts, blessing in waters and in battle, for the light;Blessing upon the wombs that bring male children forth, and blessing, O ye Maruts, for the gain ofwealth.16 The noblest Svasti with abundant riches, who comes to what is good by distant pathway,-May she at home and far away preserve us, and dwell with us under the Gods' protection17 Thus hatb the thoughtful sage, the son of Plati, praised you, O Aditi and all Adityas,Men are made rich by those who are Immortal: the Heavenly Folk have been extolled by Gaya.
HYMN LXIV. Visvedevas.1. WHAT God, of those who hear, is he whose well-praised name we may record in this our sacrifice;and how?Who will be gracious? Who of many give us bliss? Who out of all the Host will come to lend us aid?2 The will and thoughts within my breast exert their power: they yearn with love, and fly to all theregions round.None other comforter is found save only these: my longings and my hopes are fixt upon the Gods.3 To Narasamsa and to Pusan I sing forth, unconcealable Agni kindied by the Gods.To Sun and Moon, two Moons, to Yama in the heaven, to Trita, Vata, Dawn, Night, and the AtvinsTwain.4 How is the Sage extolled whom the loud singers praise? What voice, what hymn is used to laudBrhaspati?May Aja-Ekapad with Rkvans swift to hear, and Ahi of the Deep listen unto our call.5 Aditi, to the birth of Daksa and the vow thou summonest the Kings Mitra and Varuna.With course unchecked, with many chariots Aryaman comes with the seven priests to tribes of variedsort.6 May all those vigorous Coursers listen to our cry, hearers of invocation, speeding on their way;Winners of thousands where the priestly meed is won, who gather of themselves great wealth inevery race.7 Bring ye Purandbi, bring Vayu who yokes his steeds, for friendship bring ye Pusan with your songsof praise:They with one mind, one thought attend the sacrifice, urged by the favouring aid of Savitar the God.8 The thrice-seven wandering Rivers, yea, the mighty floods, the forest trees, the mountains, Agni toour aid,Krsanu, Tisya, archers to our gathering-place, and Rudra strong amid the Rudras we invoke.9 Let the great Streams come hither with their mighty help, Sindhu, Sarasvati, and Sarayu withwaves.Ye Goddess Floods, ye Mothers, animating all, promise us water rich in fatness and in balm.10 And let Brhaddiva, the Mother, hear our call, and Tvastar, Father, with the Goddesses and Dames.Rbhuksan, Vaja, Bhaga, and Rathaspati, and the sweet speech of him who labours guard us well!11 Pleasant to look on as a dwelling rich in food is the blest favour of the Maruts, Rudra's Sons.
May we be famed among the folk for wealth in kine. and ever come to you, ye Gods, with sacred food.12 The thought which ye, O Maruts, Indra and ye Gods have given to me, and ye, Mitra and Varuna,-Cause this to grow and swell like a milchcow with milk. Will ye not bear away my songs upon yourcar?13 O Maruts, do ye never, never recollect and call again to mind this our relationship?When next we meet together at the central point, even there shall Aditi confirm our brotherhood.14 The Mothers, Heaven and Earth, those mighty Goddesses, worthy of sacrifice, ecune with the raceof Gods.These Two with their support uphold both Gods and men, and with the Fathers pour the copiousgenial stream.15 This invocation wins all good that we desire Brhaspati, highly-praised Aramati, are here,Even where the stone that presses meath rings loudly out, and where the sages make their voicesheard with hymns.16 Thus hath the sage, skilled in loud singers' duties, desiring riches, yearning after treasure,Gaya, the priestly singer, with his praises and hymns contented the Celestial people.17 Thus hath the thoughtful sage the son of Plati, praised you, O Aaiti and all Adityas.Men are made rich by those who are Immortal: the Heavenly Folk have been extolled by Gaya.
HYMN LXV. Visvedevas.I. MAY Agni, Indra, Mitra, Varuna consent, Aryaman, Vayu, Pusan, and Sarasvati,Adityas, Maruts, Visnu, Soma, lofty Sky, Rudra and Aditi, and Brahmanaspati.2 Indra and Agni, Hero-lords when Vrtra fell, dwelling together, speeding emulously on,And Soma blent with oil, putting his greatness forth, have with their power filled full the mightyfirmament.3 Skilled in the Law I lift the hymn of praise to these, Law-strengtheners, unassailed, and great inmajesty.These in their wondrous bounty send the watery sea: may they as kindly Friends send gifts to makeus great.4 They with their might have stayed Heaven, Earth, and Prthivi, the Lord of Light, the firmament, -the lustrous spheres.Even as fleet-foot steeds who make their masters glad, the princely Gods are praised, most bountifulto man.5 Bring gifts to Mitra and to Varuna who, Lords of all, in spirit never fail the worshipper,Whose statute shines on high through everlasting Law, whose places of sure refuge are the heavensand earth.6 The cow who yielding milk goes her appointed way hither to us as leader of holy rites,Speaking aloud to Varuna and the worshipper, shall with oblation serve Vivasvan and the Gods.7 The Gods whose tongue is Agni dwell in heaven, and sit, aiders of Law, reflecting, in the seat ofLaw.They propped up heaven and then brought waters with their might, got sacrifice and in a body madeit fair.8 Born in the oldest time, the Parents dwelling round are sharers of one mansion in the home of Law.Bound by their common vow Dyaus, Prthivi stream forth the moisture rich in oil to Varuna the Steer.9 Parjanya, Vata, mighty, senders of the rain, Indra and Vayu, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:We call on Aditi, Adityas, and the Gods, those who are on the earth, in waters, and in heaven.10 Tvastar and Vayu, those who count as Rbhus, both celestial Hotar-priests, and Dawn forhappiness,Winners of wealth, we call, and wise Brhaspati, destroyer of our foes, and Soma Indra's Friend.11 They generated prayer, the cow, the horse, the plants, the forest trees, the earth, the waters, andthe hills.These very bounteous Gods made the Sun mount to heaven, and spread the righteous laws of Aryaso'er the land.12 O Asvins, ye delivered Bhujyu from distress, ye animated Syava, Vadhrmati's son.
To Vimada ye brought his consort Kamadyu, and gave his lost Visnapu back to Visvaka.13 Thunder, the lightning's daughter, Aja-Ekapad, heaven's bearer, Sindhu, and the waters of thesea:Hear all the Gods my words, Sarasvati give ear together with Purandhi and with Holy Thoughts.14 With Holy Thoughts and with Purandhi may all Gods, knowing the Law immortal, Manu's HolyOnes,Boon-givers, favourers, finders of light, and Heaven, with gracious love accept my songs, my prayer,my hymn.15 Immortal Gods have I, Vasistha, lauded, Gods set on high above all other beings.May they this day grant us wide space and freedom: ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN LXVI. Visvedevas.1. I CALL the Gods of lofty glory for our weal, the makers of the light, well-skilled in sacrifice;Those who have waxen mightily, Masters of all wealth, Immortal, strengthening Law, the Godswhom Indra leads.2 For the strong band of Maruts will we frame a hymn: the chiefs shall bring forth sacrifice for Indra'stroop,Who, sent by Indra and advised by Varuna, have gotten for themselves a share of Surya's light3 May Indra with the Vasus keep our dwelling safe, and Aditi with Adityas lend us sure defence.May the God Rudra with the Rudras favour us, and Tvastar with the Dames further us to success.4 Aditi, Heaven and Earth, the great eternal Law, Indra, Visnu, the Maruts, and the lofty Sky.We call upon Adityas, on the Gods, for help, on Vasus, Rudras, Savitar of wondrous deeds.5 With Holy Thoughts Sarasvan, firm-lawed Varuna, great Vayu, Pusan, Visnu, and the Asvins Twain,Lords of all wealth, Immortal, furtherers of prayer, grant us a triply-guarding refuge from distress.6 Strong be the sacrifice, strong be the Holy Ones, strong the preparers of oblation, strong the Gods.Mighty be Heaven and Earth, true to eternal Law, strong be Parjanya, strong be they who laud theStrong.7 To win us strength I glorify the Mighty Twain, Agni and Soma, Mighty Ones whom many laud.May these vouchsafe us shelter with a triple guard, these whom the strong have served in worship ofthe Gods.8 Potent, with firm-fixt laws, arranging sacrifice, visiting solemn rites in splendour of the day,Obeying Order, these whose priest is Agni, free from falsehood, poured the waters out when Vrtradied.9 The Holy Ones engendered, for their several laws, the heavens and earth, the waters, and theplants and trees.They filled the firmament with heavenly light for help: the Gods embodied Wish and made itbeautiful.10 May they who bear up heaven, the Rbhus deft of hand, and Vata and Parjanya of the thunderingBull,The waters and the plants, promote the songs we sing: come Bhaga, Rati, and the Vaijns to my call.11 Sindhu, the sea, the region, and the firmament, the thunder, and the ocean, Aja-Ekapad,The Dragon of the Deep, shall listen to my words, and all the Deities and Princes shall give ear.12 May we, be yours, we men, to entertain the Gods: further our sacrifice and give it full success.Adityas, Rudras, Vasus, givers of good gifts, quicken the holy hymns which we are singing now13 I follow with success upon the path of Law the two celestial Hotars, Priests of oldest time.We pray to him who dwelleth near, Guard of the Field, to all Immortal Gods who never are remiss.14 Vasistha's sons have raised their voices, like their sire. Rsi-like praying to the Gods for happiness.Like friendly-minded kinsmen, come at our desire, O Gods, and shake down treasures on us fromabove.15 Immortal Gods have I, Vasistha, lauded, Gods set on high above all other beings.May they this day grant us wide space and freedom: ye Gods, preserve us evermore with blessings.
HYMN LXVII. Brhaspati.
1. THIS holy hymn, sublime and sevenheaded, sprung from eternal Law, our sire discovered.Ayasya, friend of all men, hath engendered the fourth hymn as he sang his laud to Indra.2 Thinking aright, praising eternal Order, the sons of Dyaus the Asura, those heroes,Angirases, holding the rank of sages, first honoured sacrifice's holy statute.3 Girt by his friends who cried with swanlike voices, bursting the stony barriers of the prison,Brhaspati spake in thunder to the cattle, and uttered praise and song when he had found them.4 Apart from one, away from two above him, he drave the kine that stood in bonds of falsehood.Brhaspati, seeking light amid the darkness, drave forth the bright cows: three he made apparent.5 When he had cleft the lairs and western castle, he cut off three from him who held the waters.Brhaspati discovered, while he thundered like Dyaus, the dawn, the Sun, the cow, the lightning.6 As with a hand, so with his roaring Indra cleft Vala through, the guardian of the cattle.Seeking the milk-draught with sweatshining comrades he stole the Pani's kine and left him weeping.7 He with bright faithful Friends, winners of booty, hath rent the milker of the cows asunder.Brhaspati with wild boars strong and mighty, sweating with heat, hath gained a rich possession.8 They, longing for the kine, with faithful spirit incited with their hymns the Lord of cattle.Brhaspati freed the radiant cows with comrades self-yoked, averting shame from one another.9 In our assembly with auspicious praises exalting him who roareth like a lion,Maywe, in every fight where heroes conquer, rejoice in strong Brhaspati the Victor.10 When he had won him every sort of booty and gone to heaven and its most lofty mansions,Men praised Brhaspati the Mighty, bringing the light within their mouths from sundry places.11 Fulfil the prayer that begs for vital vigour: aid in your wonted manner even the humble.Let all our foes be turned and driven backward. Hear this, O Heaven and Earth, ye All-producers.12 Indra with mighty strength cleft asunder the head of Arbuda the watery monster,Slain Ahi, and set free the Seven Rivers. O Heaven and Earth, with all the Gods protect us.
HYMN LXVIII. Brhaspati.1. LIKE birds who keep their watch, plashing in water, like the loud voices of the thundering rain-cloud,Like merry streamlets bursting from the mountain, thus to Brhaspati our hymns have sounded.2 The Son of Angirases, meeting the cattle, as Bhaga, brought in Aryaman among us.As Friend of men he decks the wife and husband: as for the race, Brhaspati, nerve our coursers.3 Brhaspati, having won them from the mountains, strewed down, like barley out of winnowing-baskets,The vigorous, wandering cows who aid the pious, desired of all, of blameless form, well-coloured.4 As the Sun dews with meath the seat of Order, and casts a flaming meteor down from heaven.So from the rock Brhaspati forced the cattle, and cleft the earth's skin as it were with water.5 Forth from mid air with light he dravc the darkness, as the gale blows a lily from the fiver.Like the wind grasping at the cloud of Vala, Brhaspati gathered to himself the cattle,6 Brhaspati, when he with fiery lightnings cleft through the weapon of reviling Vala,Consumed.him as tongues cat what teeth have compassed: he threw the prisons of the red cowsopen.7 That secret name borne by the lowing cattle within the cave Brhaspati discovered,And drave, himself, the bright kine from the mountain, like a bird's young after the egg's disclosure.8 He looked around on rock-imprisoned sweetness as one who eyes a fish in scanty water.Brhaspati, cleaving through with varied clamour, brought it forth like a bowl from out the timber.9 He found the light of heaven, and fire, and Morning: with lucid rays he forced apart the darkness.As from a joint, Brhaspati took the marrow of Vala as he gloried in his cattle.10 As trees for foliage robbed by winter, Vala mourned for the cows Brhaspati had taken.He did a deed ne'er done, ne'er to be equalled, whereby the Sun and Moon ascend alternate.11 Like a dark steed adorned with pearl, the Fathers have decorated heaven With constellations.They set the light in day, in night the darkness. Brhaspati cleft the rock and found the cattle.
12 This homage have we.offered to the Cloud God who thunders out to many in succession.May this Brhaspati vouchsafe us fulness of life with kine and horses, men, and heroes.
HYMN LXIX. Agni.1. Auspicious is the aspect of Vadhryasva's fire good is its guidance, pleasant are its visitings.When first the people Of Sumitra kindle it, with butter poured thercon it crackles and shines bright.2 Butter is that which makes Vadhryaiva's fire growstrong: the butter is its food, the butter makes itfat.It spreads abroad when butter hath been offered it, and balmed with streams of butter shines forthlike the Sun.3 Still newest is this face of thine, O Agni, which Manu and Sumitra have enkindled.So richly shine, accept our songs with favour, so give us strengthening food, so send us glory.4 Accept this offering, Agni, whom aforetime Vadhryasva, hath entreated and enkindled.Guard well our homes and ople, guard our bodies, protect thy girt to us which thou hast granted.5 Be splendid, guard us Kinsman of Vadhryasva: let not the enmity of men o'ercome thee,Like the bold hero Cyavana, I Sumitra tell forth the title of Vadhryaiva's Kinsman.6 All treasures hast thou won, of plains and mountains, and quelled the Dasas' and Aryas' hatred.Like the bold hero Cyavana, O Agni, mayst thou subdue the men who long for battle.7 Deft Agni hath a lengthened thread, tall oxen, a thousand heifers, numberless devices.Decked by the men, splendid among the splendid, shine brightly forth amid devout Sumitras.8 Thine is the teeming cow, O Jatavedas, who pours at once her ceaseless flow, Sabardhuk,Thou. art lit up by men enriched with guerdon, O Agni, by the pious-souled Sumitras.9 Even Immortal Gods, O Jatavedas, Vadhryasva's Kinsman, have declared thy grandeur.When human tribes drew near with supplication thou conqueredst with men whom thou hadststrengthened.10 Like as a father bears his son, O Agni, Vadhryasva bare thee in his lap and served thee.Thou, Youngest God, having enjoyed his fuel, didst vanquish those of old though they were mighty.11 Vadhryasva's Agni evermore hath vanquished his foes with heroes who had pressed the Soma.Lord of bright rays, thou burntest up the battle, subduing, as our help, e'en mighty foemen.12 This Agni of Vadhryasva, Vrtra-slayer, lit from of old, must be invoked with homage.As such assail our enemies, Vadhryasva, whether the foes be strangers or be kinsmen.
HYMN LXX. Apris.1. ENJOY, O Agni, this my Fuel, welcome the oil-filled ladle where we pour libation.Rise up for worship of the Gods, wise Agni, on the earth's height, while days are bright with beauty.2 May he who goes before the Gods come hither with steeds whose shapes are varied, Narasarhsa.May he, most Godlike, speed our offered viands with homage God-ward on the path of Order.3 Men with oblations laud most constant Agni, and pray him to perform an envoy's duty.With lightly-rolling car and best draught-horses, bring the Gods hither and sit down as Hotar.4 May the delight of Gods spread out transversely: may it be with us long in length and fragrant.O Holy Grass divine, with friendly spirit bring thou the willing Gods whose Chief is Indra.5 Touch ye the far-extending height of heaven or spring apart to suit the wide earth's measure.Yearning, ye Doors, with those sublime in greatness, seize eagerly the heavenly Car that cometh.6 Here in this shrine may Dawn and Night, the Daughters of Heaven, the skilful Goddesses, beseated.In your wide lap, auspicious, willing Ladies may the Gods seat them with a willing spirit.7 Up stands the stone, high burns the fire enkindled: Aditi's lap contains the Friendly NaturesYe Two Chief Priests who serve at this our worship, may ye, more skilled, win for us rich possessions.8 On our wide grass, Three Goddesses be seated: for you have we prepared and made it pleasant.May Ila, she whose foot drops oil, the Goddess, taste, man-like, sacrifice and well-set presents.9 Since thou, God Tvastar, hast made beauty perfect, since hou hast been the Angirases' Companion,
Willing, most wealthy, Giver of possessions, grant us the Gods' assembly, thou who knowest.10 Well-knowing, binding with thy cord, bring hither, Lord of the Wood, the Deities' assembly.The God prepare and season our oblations may Heaven and Earth be gracious to my calling.11 Agni, bring hither Varuna to help us, Indra from heaven, from air's mid-realm the Maruts.On sacred grass all Holy ones be seated and let the Immortal Gods rejoice in Svaha.
HYMN LXXI. Jnanam1. WHEN-men, Brhaspati, giving names to objects, sent out Vak's first and earliest utterances,All that was excellent and spotless, treasured within them, was disclosed through their affection.2 Where, like men cleansing corn-flour in a cribble, the wise in spirit have created language,Friends see and recognize the marks of friendship: their speech retains the blessed sign imprinted.3 With sacrifice the trace of Vak they foIlowed, and found her harbouring within the Rsis.They brought her, dealt her forth in many places: seven singers make her tones resound in concert.4 One man hath ne'er seen Vak, and yet he seeth: one man hath hearing but hath never heard her.But to another hath she shown her beauty as a fond well-dressed woman to her husband.5 One man they call a laggard, dull in friendship: they never urge him on to deeds of valour.He wanders on in profitless illusion: the Voice he heard yields neither fruit,nor blossom.6 No part in Vak hath he who hath abandoned his own dear friend who knows the truth of friendship.Even if he hears her still in vain he listens: naught knows he of the path of righteous action.7 Unequal in the quickness of their spirit are friends endowed alike with eyes and hearing.Some look like tanks that reach the mouth or shoulder, others like pools of water fit to bathe in.8 When friendly Brahmans sacrifice together with mental impulse which the heart hath fashioned,They leave one far behind through their attainments, and some who count as Brahmans wanderelsewhere.9 Those men who step not back and move not forward, nor Brahmans nor preparers of libations,Having attained to Vak in sinful fashion spin out their thread in ignorance like spinsters.10 All friends are joyful in the friend who cometh in triumph, having conquered in assembly.He is their blame-averter, food-provider prepared is he and fit for deed of vigour.11 One plies his constant task reciting verses. one sings the holy psalm in Sakvari measures.One more, the Brahman, tells the lore of being, and one lays down the rules of sacrificing.
HYMN LXXII. The Gods.1. LET US with tuneful skill proclaim these generations of the Gods,That one may see them when these hymns are chanted in a future age.2 These Brahmanaspati produced with blast and smelting, like a Smith,Existence, in an earlier age of Gods, from Non-existence sprang.3 Existence, in the earliest age of Gods, from Non-existence sprang.Thereafter were the regions born. This sprang from the Productive Power.4 Earth sprang from the Productive Power the regions from the earth were born.Daksa was born of Aditi, and Aditi was Daksa's Child.5 For Aditi, O Daksa, she who is thy Daughter, was brought forth.After her were the blessed Gods born sharers of immortal life.6 When ye, O Gods, in yonder deep closeclasping one another stood,Thence, as of dancers, from your feet a thickening cloud of dust arose.7 When, O ye Gods, like Yatis, ye caused all existing things to grow,Then ye brought Surya forward who was lying hidden in the sea.8 Eight are the Sons of Adid who from her body sprang to life.With seven she went to meet the Gods she cast Martanda far away.9 So with her Seven Sons Aditi went forth to meet the earlier age.She brought Martanda thitherward to spring to life and die again.
HYMN LXXIII. Indra.1. THOU wast born mighty for victorious valour, exulting, strongest, full of pride and courage.There, even there, the Maruts strengthened Indra when. his most rapid Mother stirred the Hero.2 There with fiend's ways e'en Prsni was seated: with much laudation they exalted Indra.As if encompassed by the Mighty-footed, from darkness, near at hand, forth came the Children.3 High are thy feet when on thy way thou goest: the strength thou foundest here hath lent theevigour.Thousand hyenas in thy mouth thou holdest. O Indra, mayst thou turn the Asvins hither.4 Speeding at once to sacrifice thou comest for friendship thou art bringing both Nasatyas.Thou hadst a thousand treasures in possession. The Asvins, O thou Hero, gave thee riches.5 Glad, for the race that rests on holy Order, with friends who hasten to their goal, hath IndraWith these his magic powers assailed the Dasyu: he cast away the gloomy mists, the darkness.6 Two of like name for him didst thou demolish, as Indra striking down the car of Usas.With thy beloved lofty Friends thou camest, and with the assurance of thine heart thou slewest.7 War-loving Namuci thou smotest, robbing the Dasa of his magic for the Rsi.For man thou madest ready pleasant pathways, paths leading as it were directly God-ward.8 These names of thine thou hast fulfilled completely: as Lord, thou boldest in thine arm, O Indra.In thee, through thy great might, the Gods are joyful: the roots of trees hast thou directed upward.9 May the sweet Soma juices make him happy to cast his quoit that lies in depth of waters.Thou from the udder which o'er earth is fastened hast poured the milk into the kine and herbage.10 When others call him offspring of the Courser, my meaning is that Mighty Power produced him.He came from Manyu and remained in houses: whence he hath sprung is known to Indra only.11 Like birds of beauteous wing the Priyamedhas, Rsis, imploring, have come nigh to Indra:Dispel the darkness and fill full our vision deliver us as men whom snares entangle.
HYMN LXXIV. Indra.1. I AM prepared to laud with song or worship the Noble Ones who are in earth and heaven,Or Coursers who have triumphed in, the contest, or those who famed, have won the prize with glory.2 Their call, the call of Gods, went up to heaven: they kissed the ground with glory-seeking spirit,There where the Gods look on for happy fortune, and like the kindly heavens bestow their bounties.3 This is the song of those Immortal Beings who long for treasures in their full perfection.May these, completing prayers and sacrifices, bestow upon us wealth where naught is wanting.4 Those living men extolled thy deed, O Indra, those who would fain burst through the stall of cattle,Fain to milk her who bare but once, great, lofty, whose Sons are many and her streams past number.5 Sacivan, win to your assistance Indra who never bends, who overcomes his foemen.Rbhuksan, Maghavan, the hymn's upholder, who, rich in food, bears man's kind friend, the thunder.6 Since he who won of old anew hath triumphed, Indra hath earned his name of Vrtra-slaycr.He hath appeared, the mighty Lord of Conquest. What we would have him do let him accomplish.
HYMN LXXV. The Rivers.1. THE singer, O ye Waters in Vivasvan's place, shall tell your grandeur forth that is beyond compare.The Rivers have come forward triply, seven and seven. Sindhu in might surpasses all the streams thatflow.2 Varuna cut the channels for thy forward course, O Sindhu, when thou rannest on to win the race.Thou speedest o'er precipitous ridges of the earth, when thou art Lord and Leader of these movingfloods.3 His roar is lifted up to heaven above the earth: he puts forth endless vigour with a flash of light.Like floods of rain that fall- in thunder from the cloud, so Sindhu rushes on bellowing like a bull.4 Like mothers to their calves, like milch kine with their milk, so, Sindhu, unto thee the roaring riversrun.
Thou leadest as a warrior king thine army's wings what time thou comest in the van of these swiftstreams.5 Favour ye this my laud, O Ganga, Yamuna, O Sutudri, Parusni and Sarasvati:With Asikni, Vitasta, O Marudvrdha, O Arjikiya with Susoma hear my call.6 First with Trstama thou art eager to flow forth, with Rasa, and Susartu, and with Svetya here,With Kubha; and with these, Sindhu and Mehatnu, thou seekest in thy course Krumu and Gomati.7 Flashing and whitely-gleaming in her mightiness, she moves along her ample volumes through therealms,Most active of the active, Sindhu unrestrained, like to a dappled mare, beautiful, fair to see.8 Rich in good steeds is Sindhu, rich in cars and robes, rich in gold, nobly-fashioned, rich in amplewealth.Blest Silamavati and young Urnavati invest themselves with raiment rich in store of sweets.9 Sindhu hath yoked her car, light-rolling, drawn by steeds, and with that car shall she win booty inthis fight.So have I praised its power, mighty and unrestrained, of independent glory, roaring as it runs.
HYMN LXXVI. Press-stones.1. I GRASP at you when power and strength begin to dawn: bedew ye, Indra and the Maruts, Heavenand Earth,That Day and Night, in every hall of sacrifice, may wait on us and bless us when they first springforth.2 Press the libation out, most excellent of all: the Pressing-stone is grasped like a hand-guided steed.So let it win the valour that subdues the foe, and the fleet courser's might that speeds to amplewealth.3 Juice that this Stone pours out removes defect of ours, as in old time it brought prosperity to man.At sacrifices they established holy rites on Tvastar's milk-blent juice bright with the hue of steeds.4 Drive ye the treacherous demons far away from us: keep Nirrti afar and banish Penury.Pour riches forth for us with troops of hero sons, and bear ye up, O Stones, the song that visits Gods.5 To you who are more mighty than the heavens themselves, who, finishing your task with more thanVibhvan's speed,More rapidly than Vayu seize the Soma juice, better than Agni give us food, to you I sing.6 Stirred be the glorious Stones: let it press out the juice, the Stone with heavenly song that reachesup to heaven,There where the men draw forth the meath for which they long, sending their voice around in rivalryof speed.7 The Stones press out the Soma, swift as car-borne men, and, eager for the spoil, drain forth the sapthereofTo fill the beaker, they exhaust the udder's store, as the men purify oblations with their lips.8 Ye, present men, have been most skilful in your work, even ye, O Stones who pressed Soma forIndra's drink.May all ye have of fair go to the Heavenly Race, and all your treasure to the earthly worshipper.
HYMN LXXVII. Maruts.1. As with their voice from cloud they sprinkle treasure so are the wise man's liberal sacrifices.I praise their Company that merits worship as the good Martits' priest to pay them honour.2 The youths have wrought their ornaments for glory through many nights,-this noble band ofMaruts.Like stags the Sons of Dyatis have striven onward, the Sons of Aditi grown strong like pillars.3 They who extend beyond the earth and heaven, by their own mass, as from the cloud spreadsSurya;Like mighty Heroes covetous of glory, like heavenly gallants who destroy the wicked.4 When ye come nigh, as in the depth of waters, the earth is loosened, as it were, and shaken.This your all-feedin sacrifice approaches: come all united, fraught, as 'twere with viands.
5 Ye are like horses fastened to the chariot poles, luminous with your beams, with splendour as atdawn;Like self-bright falcons, punishers of wicked men, like hovering birds urged forward, scattering rainaround.6 When ye come forth, O Maruts, from the distance, from the great treasury of rich possessions,Knowing, O Vasus, boons that should be granted, even from afar drive back the men who hate us.7 He who, engaged in the rite's final duty brings, as a man, oblation to the Maruts,Wins him life's wealthy fulness, blest with heroes: he shall be present, too, where Gods drink Soma.8 For these are helps adored at sacrifices, bringing good fortune by their name Adityas.Speeding on cars let them protect our praises, delighting in our sacrifice and worship.
HYMN LXXVIII. Maruts.1. Ye by your hymns are like high-thoughted singers, skilful, inviting Gods with sacrifices;Fair to behold, like Kings, with bright adornment, like spotless gallants, leaders of the people:2 Like fire with flashing flame, breast-bound with chains of gold, like tempest-blasts, self-moving,swift to lend your aid;As best of all foreknowers, excellent to guide, like Somas, good to guard the man who follows Law.3 Shakers of all, like gales of wind they travel, like tongues of burning fires in their effulgence.Mighty are they as warriors clad in armour, and, like the Fathers' prayers, Most Bounteous Givers.4 Like spokes of car-wheels in one nave united, ever victorious like heavenly Heroes,Shedding their precious balm like youthful suitors, they raise their voice and chant their psalm assingers.5 They who are fleet to travel like the noblest steeds, long to obtain the prize like bounteouscharioteers,Like waters speeding on with their precipitous floods, like omniform Angirases with Sama-hymns.6 Born from the stream, like press-stones are the Princes, for ever like the stones that crush in pieces;Sons of a beauteous Dame, like playful children, like a great host upon the march with splendour.7 Like rays of Dawn, the visitors of sacrifice, they shine with ornaments as eager to be bright.Like rivers hasting on, glittering with their spears, from far away they measure out the distances.8 Gods, send us happiness and make us wealthy, letting us singers prosper, O ye Maruts.Bethink you of our praise and of our friendship: ye from of old have riches to vouchsafe us.
HYMN LXXIX. Agni.1. I HAVE beheld the might of this Great Being. Immortal in the midst of tribes of mortals.His jaws now open and now shut together: much they devour, insatiately chewing.2 His eyes are turned away, his head is hidden: unsated with his tongue he eats the fuel.With hands upraised, with reverence in the houses, for him they quickly bring his food together.3 Seeking, as 'twere, his Mother's secret bosom, he, like a child, creeps on through wide-spreadbushes.One he finds glowing like hot food made ready, and kissing deep within the earth's recmes.4 This holy Law I tell you, Earth and Heaven: the Infant at his birth dovours his Parents.No knowledge of the God have I, a mortal. Yea, Agni knoweth best, for he hath wisdom.5 This man who quickly gives him food, who offers his gifts of oil and butter and supports him, -Him with his thousand eyes he closely looks on: thou showest him thy face from all sides, Agni.6 Agni, hast thou committed sin or treason among the Gods? In ignorance I ask thee.Playing, not playing, he gold-hued and toothless, hath cut his food up as the knife a victim.7 He born in wood hath yoked his horses rushing in all directions, held with reins that glitter.The well-born friend hath carved his food with Vasus: in all his limbs he hath increased andprospered.
HYMN LXXX. Agni.1. AGNI bestows the fleet prize-winning courser: Agni, the hero famed and firm in duty.
Agni pervades and decks the earth and heaven, and fills the fruitful dame who teems with heroes.2 Blest be the wood that feeds the active Agni: within the two great worlds hath Agni entered.Agni impels a single man to battle, and with him rends in pieces many a foeman.3 Agni rejoiced the car of him who praised lim, and from the waters burnt away jarutha.Agni saved Atri in the fiery cavem, and made Nrmedha rich with troops of children.4 Agni hath granted wealth that decks the hero, and sent the sage who wins a thousand cattle.Agni hath made oblations rise to heaven: to every place are Agni's laws extended.5 With songs of praise the Rsis call on Agni; on Agni, heroes worsted in the foray.Birds flying in the region call on Agni around a thousand cattle Agni wanders.6 Races of human birth pay Agni worship, men who have sprung from Nahus' line adore him.Stablished in holy oil is Agni's pasture, on the Gandharva path of Law and Order.7 The Rbhus fabricated prayer for Agni, and we with mighty hymns have called on Agni.Agni, Most Youthful God, protect the singer: win us by worship, Agni, great possessions.
HYMN LXXXI. Visvakarman.1. HE who sate down as Hotar-priest, the Rsi, our Father, offering up all things existing,-He, seeking through his wish a great possession, came among men on earth as archetypal.2 What was the place whereon he took his station? What was it that supported him? How was it?Whence Visvakarman, seeing all, producing the earth, with mighty power disclosed the heavens.3 He who hath eyes on all sides round about him, a mouth on all sides, arms and feet on all sides,He, the Sole God, producing earth and heaven, weldeth them, with his arms as wings, together.4 What was the tree, what wood in sooth produced it, from which they fashioned out the earth andheaven?Ye thoughtful men inquire within your spirit whereon he stood when he established all things.5 Nine highest, lowest, sacrificial natures, and these thy mid-most here, O Visvakarman,Teach thou thy friends at sacrifice, O Blessed, and come thyself, exalted, to our worship.6 Bring thou thyself, exalted with oblation, O Visvakarman, Earth and Heaven to worship.Let other men around us live in folly here let us have a rich and liberal patron.7 Let us invoke to-day, to aid our labour, the Lord of Speech, the thought-swift Visvakarman.May he hear kindly all our invocations who gives all bliss for aid, whose works are righteous.
HYMN LXXXII. Visvakarman.1. THE Father of the eye, the Wise in spirit, created both these worlds submerged in fatness.Then when the eastern ends were firmly fastened, the heavens and the earth were far extended.2 Mighty in mind and power is Visvakarman, Maker, Disposer, and most lofty Presence.Their offerings joy in rich juice where they value One, only One, beyond the Seven Rsis.3 Father who made us, he who, as Disposer, knoweth all races and all things existing,Even he alone, the Deities' narne-giver,him other beings seek for information.4 To him in sacrifice they offered treasures,-Rsis of old, in numerous troops, as singers,Who, in the distant, near, and lower region, made ready all these things that have existence.5 That which is earlier than this earth and heaven, before the Asuras and Gods had being,-What was the germ primeval which the waters received where all the Gods were seen together?6 The waters, they received that germ primeval wherein the Gods were gathefed all together.It rested set upon the Unborn's navel, that One wherein abide all things existing.7 Ye will not find him who produced these creatures: another thing hath risen up among you.Enwrapt in misty cloud, with lips that stammer, hymn-chanters wander and are discontented.
HYMN LXXXII. Manyu.1. HE who hath reverenced thee, Manyu, destructive bolt, breeds for himself forthwith all conqueringenergy.
Arya and Dasa will we conquer with thine aid, with thee the Conqueror, with conquest conquest-sped.2 Manyu was Indra, yea, the God, was Manyu, Manyu was Hotar, Varuna, Jatavedas.The tribes of human lineage worship Manyu. Accordant with thy fervour, Manyu, guard us.3 Come hither, Manyu, mightier tham the mighty; chase, with thy fervour for ally, our foemen.Slayer of foes, of Vrtra, and of Dasyu, bring thou to us all kinds of wealth and treasure.4 For thou art, Manyu, of surpassing vigour, fierce, queller of the foe, and self-existent,Shared by all men, victorious, subduer: vouchsafe to us superior strengith in battles.5 I have departed, still without a portion, wise God! according to thy will, the Mighty.I, feeble man, was wroth thee, O Manyu I am myself; come thou to give me vigour.6 Come hither. I am all thine own; advancing turn thou to me, Victorious, All-supporter!Come to me, Manyu, Wielder of the Thunder: bethink thee of thy friend, and slay the Dasyus.7 Approach, and on my right hand hold thy station: so shall we slay a multitude of foemen.The best of meath I offer to support thee: may we be first to drink thereof in quiet.
HYMN LXXXIV. Manyu.1. BORNE on with thee, O Manyu girt by Maruts, let our brave men, impetuous, bursting forward,March on, like flames of fire in form, exulting, with pointed arrows, sharpening their weapons.2 Flashing like fire, be thou, O conquering Manyu, invoked, O Victor, as our army's leader.Slay thou our foes, distribute their possessions: show forth thy vigour, scatter those who hate us.3 O Manyu, overcome thou our assailant on! breaking, slaying, crushing down the foemen.They have not hindered thine impetuous vigour: Mighty, Sole born! thou makest them thy subjects.4 Alone or many thou art worshipped, Manyu: sharpen the spirit of each clan for battle.With thee to aid, O thou of perfect splendour, we will uplift the glorious shout for conquest.5 Unyielding bringing victory like Indra, O Manyu, be thou here our Sovran Ruler.To thy dear name, O Victor, we sing praises: we know the spring from which thou art come hither.6 Twin-born with power, destructive bolt of thunder, the highest conquering might is thine, Subduer!Be friendly to its in thy spirit, Manyu, O Much-invoked, in shock of mighty battle.7 For spoil let Varuna and Manyu give us the wealth of both sides gathered and collected;And let our enemies with stricken spirits, o'erwhelmed with terror, slink away defeated.
HYMN LXXXV. Surya's Bridal.1. TRUTH is the base that bears the earth; by Surya are the heavens sustained.By Law the Adityas stand secure, and Soma holds his place in heaven.2 By Soma are the Adityas strong, by Soma mighty is the earth.Thus Soma in the midst of all these constellations hath his place.3 One thinks, when they have brayed the plant, that he hath drunk the Soma's juice;Of him whom Brahmans truly know as Soma no one ever tastes.4 Soma, secured by sheltering rules, guarded by hymns in Brhati,Thou standest listening to the stones none tastes of thee who dwells on earth.5 When they begin to drink thee then, O God, thou swellest out again.Vayu is Soma's guardian God. The Moon is that which shapes the years.6 Raibhi was her dear bridal friend, and Narasamsi led her home.Lovely was Surya's robe: she came to that which Gatha had adorned.7 Thought was the pillow of her couch, sight was the unguent for her eyes:Her treasury was earth and heaven..when Surya went unto her Lord.8 Hymns were the cross-bars of the pole, Kurira-metre decked the car:The bridesmen were the Asvin Pair Agni was leader of the train.9 Soma was he who wooed the maid: the groomsmen were both Asvins, whenThe Sun-God Savitar bestowed his willing Surya on her Lord.
10 Her spirit was the bridal car; the covering thereof was heaven:Bright were both Steers that drew it when Surya approached her husband's, home.11 Thy Steers were steady, kept in place by holy verse and Sama-hymn:All car were thy two chariot wheels: thy path was tremulous in the sky,12 Clean, as thou wentest, were thy wheels wind, was the axle fastened there.Surya, proceeding to her Lord, mounted a spirit-fashioried car.13 The bridal pomp of Surya, which Savitar started, moved along.In Magha days are oxen slain, in Arjuris they wed the bride.14 When on your three-wheeled chariot, O Asvins, ye came as wooers unto Surya's bridal,Then all the Gods agreed to your proposal Pusan as Son elected you as Fathers.15 O ye Two Lords of lustre, then when ye to Surya's wooing came,Where was one chariot wheel of yours? Where stood ye for die Sire's command?16 The Brahmans, by their seasons, know, O Surya, those two wheels of thine:One kept concealed, those only who are skilled in highest truths have learned.17 To Surya and the Deities, to Mitra and to Varuna.Who know aright the thing that is, this adoration have I paid.18 By their own power these Twain in close succession move;They go as playing children round the sacrifice.One of the Pair beholdeth all existing things; the other ordereth seasons and is born again.19 He, born afresh, is new and new for ever ensign of days he goes before the MorningsComing, he orders f6r the Gods their portion. The Moon prolongs the days of our existence.20 Mount this, all-shaped, gold-hued, with strong wheels, fashioned of Kimsuka and Salmali, light-rolling,Bound for the world of life immortal, Surya: make for thy lord a happy bridal journey.21 Rise up from hence: this maiden hath a husband. I laud Visvavasu with hymns and homage.Seek in her father's home another fair one, and find the portion from of old assigned thee.22 Rise up from hence, Visvavasu: with reverence we worship thee.Seek thou another willing maid, and with her husband leave the bride.23 Straight in direction be the path:s, and thornless, whereon our fellows travel to the wooing.Let Aryaman and Bhaga lead us: perfect, O Gods, the union of the wife and husband.24 Now from the noose of Varuna I free thee, wherewith Most Blessed Savitar hath bound thee.In Law's seat, to the world of virtuous action, I give thee up uninjured with thy consort.25 Hence, and not thence, I send these free. I make thee softly fettered there.That, Bounteous Indra, she may live blest in her fortune and her sons.26 Let Pusan take thy hand and hence conduct thee; may the two Asvins on their car transport thee.Go to the house to be the household's mistress and speak as lady ito thy gathered people.27 Happy be thou and prosper witlh thy children here: be vigilant to rule thy household in this home.Closely unite thy body with this; man, thy lord. So shall ye, full of years, address your company.28 Her hue is blue and red: the fienod who clingeth close is driven off.Well thrive the kinsmen of this bride the husband is bourid fast in bonds.29 Give thou the woollen robe away: deal treasure to the Brahman priests.This female fiend hath got her feet, and as a wife attends her lord.30 Unlovely is his body when it glistens with this wicked fiend,What time the husband wraps about his limbs the garment of his wife.31 Consumptions, from her people, which follow the bride's resplendent train,-These let the Holy Gods again bear to the place from which they came.32 Let not the highway thieves who lie in ambush find the wedded pair.By pleasant ways let them escape the danger, and let foes depart.33 Signs of good fortune mark the bride come all of you and look at her.Wish her prosperity, and then return unto your homes again.
34 Pungent is this, and bitter this, filled, as it were, with arrow-barbs, Empoisoned and.not fit for use.The Brahman who knows Surya well deserves the garment of the bride.35 The fringe, the cloth that decks her head, and then the triply parted robe,-Behold the hues which Surya wears these doth the Brahman purify.36 I take thy hand in mine for happy fortune that thou mayst reach old age with me thy husband.Gods, Aryaman, Bhaga, Savitar, Purandhi, have given thee to be my household's mistress.37 O Pusan, send her on as most auspicious, her who shall be the sharer of my pleasures;Her who shall twine her loving arms about me, and welcome all my love and mine embraces.38 For thee, with bridal train, they, first, escorted Surya to her home.Give to the husband in return, Agni, the wife with progeny.39 Agni hath given the bride again with splendour and with ample life.Long lived be he who is her lord; a hundred autumns let him live.40 Soma obtained her first of all; next the Gandharva was her lord.Agai was thy third husband: now one bornof woman is thy fourth.41 Soma to the Gandharva, and to Agni the Gandharva gave:And Agni hath bestowed on me riches and sons and this my spouse.42 Be ye not parted; dwell ye here reach the full time of human life.With sons and grandsons sport and play, rejoicing in your own abode.43 So may Prajapati bring children forth to us; may Aryaman adorn us till old age come nigh.Not inauspicious enter thou thy husband's house: bring blessing to our bipeds and our quadrupeds.44 Not evil-eyed, no slayer of thy husband, bring weal to cattle, radiant, gentlehearted;Loving the Gods, delightful, bearing heroes, bring blessing to our quadrupeds and bipeds.45 O Bounteous Indra, make this bride blest in her sons and fortunate.Vouchsafe to her ten sons, and make her husband the eleventh man.46 Over thy husband's father and thy husband's mother bear full sway.Over the sister of tby lord, over his brothers rule supreme.47 So may the Universal Gods, so may the Waters join our hearts.May Matarisvan, Dhatar, and Destri together bind us close.
HYMN LXXXVI. Indra.1. MEN have abstained from pouring juice they count not Indra as a God.Where at the votary's store my friend Vrsakapi hath drunk his fill. Supreme is Indra over all.2 Thou, Indra, heedless passest by the ill Vrsakapi hath wrought;Yet nowhere else thou findest place wherein to drink the Soma juice. Supreme is Indra over all.3 What hath he done to injure thee, this tawny beast Vrsakapi,With whom thou art so angry now? What is the votary's foodful store? Supreme is Indra over all.4 Soon may the hound who hunts the boar seize him and bite him in the car,O Indra, that Vrsakapi whom thou protectest as a friend, Supreme is Indra over all.5 Kapi hath marred the beauteous things, all deftly wrought, that were my joy.In pieces will I rend his head; the sinner's portion sball be woo. Supreme is Indra over all.6 No Dame hath ampler charms than 1, or greater wealth of love's delights.None with more ardour offers all her beauty to her lord's embrace. Supreme is Indra over all.7 Mother whose love is quickly wibn, I say what verily will be.My,breast, O Mother, and my head and both my hips seem quivering. Supreme is Indra over all.8 Dame with the lovely hands and arms, with broad hair-plaits add ample hips,Why, O thou Hero's wife, art thou angry with our Vrsakapi? Supreme is Indra over all.9 This noxious creature looks on me as one bereft of hero's love,Yet Heroes for my sons have I, the Maruts' Friend and Indra's Queen. Supreme is Indra over all.10 From olden time the matron goes to feast and general sacrifice.Mother of Heroes, Indra's Queen, the rite's ordainer is extolled. Supreme is Indra over all.
11 So have I heard Indrani called most fortunate among these Dames,For never shall her Consort die in future time through length of days. Supreme is Indra overall.12 Never, Indralni, have I joyed without my friend Vrsakapi,Whose welcome offering here, made pure with water, goeth to the Gods. Supreme is Indra over all.13 Wealthy Vrsakapayi, blest with sons and consorts of thy sons,Indra will eat thy bulls, thy dear oblation that effecteth much. Supreme is Indra over all.14 Fifteen in number, then, for me a score of bullocks they prepare,And I devour the fat thereof: they fill my belly full with food. Supreme is Indra over all.15 Like as a bull with pointed horn, loud bellowing amid the herds,Sweet to thine heart, O Indra, is the brew which she who tends thee pours. Supreme is Indra over all.18 O Indra this Vrsakapi hath found a slain wild animal,Dresser, and new-made pan, and knife, and wagon with a load of wood. Supreme is Indra over all.19 Distinguishing the Dasa and the Arya, viewing all, I go.I look upon the wise, and drink the simple votary's Soma juice. Supreme is Indra over all.20 The desert plains and steep descents, how many leagues in length they spread!Go to the nearest houses, go unto thine home, Vrsakapi. Supreme is Indra over all.21 Turn thee again Vrsakapi: we twain will bring thee happiness.Thou goest homeward on thy way along this path which leads to sleep. Supreme is Indra over all.22 When, Indra and Vrsakapi, ye travelled upward to your home,Where was that noisome beast, to whom went it, the beast that troubles man? Supreme is Indra overall.23 Daughter of Manu, Parsu bare a score of children at a birth.Her portion verily was bliss although her burthen caused her grief.
HYMN LXXXVII. Agni.1. I BALM with oil the mighty Raksas-slayer; to the most famous Friend I come for shelterEnkindled, sharpened by our rites, may Agni protect us in the day and night from evil.2 O Jatavedas with the teeth of iron, enkindled with thy flame attack the demons.Seize with thy longue the foolish gods' adorers: rend, put within thy mouth the raw-flesh caters.3 Apply thy teeth, the upper and the lower, thou who hast both, enkindled and destroying.Roam also in the air, O King, around us, and with thy jaws assail the wicked spirits.4 Bending thy shafts through sacrifices, Agni, whetting their points with song as if with whetstones,Pierce to the heart therewith the Yatudhanas, and break their arms uplifed to attack thee.5 Pierce through the Yatudhana's skin, O Agni; let the destroying dart with fire consume him.Rend his joints, Jatavedas, let the cater of flesh, flesh-seeking, track his mangled body.6 Where now thou seest Agni Jatavedas, one of these demons standing still or roaming,Or flying on those paths in air's midregion, sharpen the shaft and as an archer pierce him.7 Tear from the evil spirit, Jatavedas, what he hath seized and with his spears hath captured.Blazing before him strike him down, O Agni; let spotted carrion-eating kites devour him.8 Here tell this forth, O Agni: whosoever is, he himself, or acteth as, a demon,Him grasp, O thou Most Youthful, with thy fuel. to the Mati-seer's eye give him as booty.9 With keen glance guard the sacrifice, O Agni: thou Sage, conduct it onward to the Vasus.Let not the fiends, O Man-beholder, harm thee burning against the Raksasas to slay them.10 Look on the fiend mid men, as Man-beholder: rend thou his three extremities in pieces.Demolish with thy flame his ribs, O Agni, the Yatudhana's root destroy thou triply.11 Thrice, Agni, let thy noose surround the demon who with his falsehood injures Holy Order.Loud roaring with thy flame, O Jatavedas, crush him and cast him down before the singer.12 Lead thou the worshipper that eye, O Agni, wherewith thou lookest on the hoof-armed demon.With light celestial in Atharvan's manner burn up the foot who ruins truth with falsehood.13 Agni, what curse the pair this day have uttered, what heated word the worshippers have spoken,
Each arrowy taunt sped from the angry spirit,-pierce to the heart therewith the Yatudhanas.14 With fervent heat exterminate the demons; destroy the fiends with burning flame, O Agni.Destroy with fire the foolish gods' adorers; blaze and destrepy the insatiable monsters.15 May Gods destroy this day the evil-doer may each hot curse of his return and blast him.Let arrows pierce the liar in his vitals, and Visva's net enclose the Yatudhana.16 The fiend who smears himself with flesh of cattle, with flesh of horses and of human bodies,Who steals the milch-cow's milk away, O Agni,-tear off the heads of such with fiery fury.17 The cow gives milk each year, O Man-regarder: let not the Yatudhana ever taste it.If one would glut him with the biesting, Agni, pierce with thy flame his vitals as he meets thee.18 Let the fiends drink the poison of the cattle; may Aditi cast off the evildoers.May the God Savitar give them up to ruin, and be their share of plants and herbs denied them.19 Agni, from days of old thou slayest demons: never shall Raksasas in fight o'ercome thee.Burn up the foolish ones, the flesh-devourers: let none of them escape thine heavenly arrow.20 Guard us, O Agni, from above and under, protect us fl-om behind us and before us;And may thy flames, most fierce and never wasting, glowing with fervent heat, consume the sinner.21 From rear, from front, from under, from above us, O King, protect us as a Sage with wisdom.Guard to old age thy friend, O Friend, Eternal: O Agni, as Immortal, guard us mortals.22 We set thee round us as a fort, victorious Agni, thee a Sage,Of hero lineage, day by day, destroyer of our treacherous foes.23 Burn with thy poison turned against the treacherous brood of Raksasas,O Agni, with thy sharpened glow, with lances armed with points of flame.24 Burn thou the paired Kimidins, brun, Agni, the Yatudhana pairs.I sharpen thee, Infallible, with hymns. O Sage, be vigilant.25 Shoot forth, O Agni, with thy flame demolish them on every side.Break thou the Yatudhana's strength, the vigour of the Raksasa.
HYMN LXXXVIII. Agni.1. DEAR, ageless sacrificial drink is offered in light-discovering, heaven-pervading Agni.The Gods spread forth through his Celestial Nature, that he might bear the world up and sustain it.2 The world was swallowed and concealed in darkness: Agni was born, and light became apparent.The Deities, the broad earth, and the heavens, and plants, and waters gloried in his friendship.3 Inspired by Gods who claim our adoration, I now will laud Eternal Lofty Agni,Him who hath spread abroad the earth with lustre, this heaven, and both the worlds, and air's mid-region.4 Earliest Priest whom all the Gods accepted, and chose him, and anointed him with butter,He swiftly made all things that fly, stand, travel, all that hath motion, Agni Jatavedas.5 Because thou, Agni, Jatavedas, stoodest at the world's head with thy refulgent splendour,We sent thee forth with hymns and songs and praises: thou filledst heaven and earth, God meet forworship.6 Head of the world is Agni in the night-time; then, as the Sun, at morn springs up and rises.Then to his task goes the prompt Priest foreknowing the wondrous power of Gods who must behonoured.7 Lovely is he who, kindled in his greatness, hath shone forth, seated in the heavens, refulgent.With resonant hymns all Gods who guard our bodies have offered up oblation in this Agni.8 First the Gods brought the hymnal into being; then they engendered Agni, then oblation.He was their satrifice that guards our bodies: him the heavens know, the earth, the waters know him.9 He, Agni, whom the Gods have generated, in whom they offered up all worlds and creatures,He with his bright glow heated earth and heaven, urging himself right onward in his grandeur.10 Then by the laud the Gods engendered Agni in heaven, who fills both worlds through strengthand vigour.They made him to appear in threefold essence: he ripens plants of every form and nature.
11 What time the Gods, whose due is worship, set him as Surya, Son of Aditi, in heaven,When the Pair, ever wandering, sprang to being, all creatures that existed looked upon them.12 For all the world of life the Gods made Agni Vaisvanara to be the days' bright Banner,-Him who hath spread abroad the radiant Mornings, and, coming with his light, unveils the darkness.13 The wise and holy Deities engendered Agni Vaisvanara whom age ne'er touches.The Ancient Star that wanders on for ever, lofty and. strong, Lord of the Living Being.14 We call upon the Sage with holy verses, Agni Vaisvanara the ever-beaming,Who hath surpassed both heaven and earth in greatness: lie is a God below, a God above us.15 I have heard mention of two several pathways, ways of the Fathers and of Gods and mortals.On these two paths each moving creature travels, each thing between the Father and the Mother.16 These two united paths bear him who journeys born from the head and pondered with the spiritHe stands directed to all things existing, hasting, unresting in his fiery splendour.17 Which of us twain knows where they speak together, upper and lower of the two rite-leaders?Our friends have helped to gather our assembly. They came to sacrifice; who will announce it?18 How many are the Fires and Suns in number? What is the number of the Dawns and Waters?Not jestingly I speak to you, O Fathers. Sages, I ask you this for information.19 As great as is the fair-winged Morning's presence to him who dwells beside us, matarisvan!Is what the Brahman does when he approaches to sacrifice and sits below the Hotar.
HYMN LXXXIX. Indra.1. I WILL extol the most heroic Indra who with his might forced earth and sky asunder;Who hath filled all with width as man's Upholder, surpassing floods and rivers in his greatness.2 Surya is he: throughout the wide expanses shall Indra turn him, swift as car-wheels, hither,Like a stream resting not but ever active he hath destroyed, with light, the blackhued darkness.3 To him I sing a holy prayer, incessant new, matchless, common to the earth and heaven,Who marks, as they were backs, all living creatures: ne'er doth he fail a friend, the noble Indra.4 I will send forth my songs in flow unceasing, like water from the ocean's depth, to Indra.Who to his car on both its sides securely hath fixed the earth and heaven as with an axle.5 Rousing with draughts, the Shaker, rushing onward, impetuous, very strong, armed as with arrowsIs Soma; forest trees and all the bushes deceive not Indra with their offered likeness.6 Soma hath flowed to him whom naught can equal, the earth, the heavens, the firmament, themountains,-When heightened in his ire his indignation shatters the firm and breaks the strong in pieces.7 As an axe fells the tree so be slew Vrtra, brake down the strongholds and dug out the rivers.He cleft the mountain like a new-made pitcher. Indra brought forth the kine with his Companions.8 Wise art thou, Punisher of guilt, O Indra. The sword lops limbs, thou smitest down the sinner,The men who injure, as it were a comrade, the lofty Law of Varuna and Mitra.9 Men who lead evil lives, who break agreements, and injure Varuna, Aryaman and Mitra,-Against these foes, O Mighty Indra, sharpen, as furious death, thy Bull of fiery colour.10 Indra is Sovran Lord of Earth and Heaven, Indra is Lord of waters and of mountains.Indra is Lord of prosperers and sages Indra must be invoked in rest and effort.11 Vaster than days and nights, Giver of increase, vaster than firmament and flood of ocean,Vaster than bounds of earth and wind's extension, vaster than rivers and our lands is Indra.12 Forward, as herald of refulgent Morning, let thine insatiate arrow fly, O Indra.And pierce, as 'twere a stone launched forth from heaven, with hottest blaze the men who lovedeception.13 Him, verily, the moons, the mountains followed, the tall trees followed and the plants andherbage.Yearning with love both Worlds approached, the Waters waited on Indra when he first had being.14 Where was the vengeful dart when thou, O Indra, clavest the demon ever beat on outrage?When fiends lay there upon the ground extended like cattle in the place of immolation?
15 Those who are set in enmity against us, the Oganas, O Indra, waxen mighty,-Let blinding darkness follow those our fbemen, while these shall have bright shining nights to lightthem.16 May plentiful libations of the people, and singing Rsis' holy prayers rejoice thee.Hearing with love this common invocation, come unto us, pass by all those who praise thee.17 O Indra, thus may we be made partakers of thy new favours that shall bring us profit.Singing with love, may we the Visvamitras win daylight even now through thee, O Indra.18 Call we on Maghavan, auspicious Indra, best hero in the fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN XC. Purusa.1. A THOUSAND heads hath Purusa, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet.On every side pervading earth he fills a space ten fingers wide.2 This Purusa is all that yet hath been and all that is to be;The Lord of Immortality which waxes greater still by food.3 So mighty is his greatness; yea, greater than this is Purusa.All creatures are one-fourth of him, three-fourths eternal life in heaven.4 With three-fourths Purusa went up: onefourth of him again was here.Thence he strode out to every side over what cats not and what cats.5 From him Viraj was born; again Purusa from Viraj was born.As soon as he was born he spread eastward and westward o'er the earth.6 When Gods prepared the sacrifice with Purusa as their offering,Its oil was spring, the holy gift was autumn; summer was the wood.7 They balmed as victim on the grass Purusa born in earliest time.With him the Deities and all Sadhyas and Rsis sacrificed.8 From that great general sacrifice the dripping fat was gathered up.He formed the creatures of-the air, and animals both wild and tame.9 From that great general sacrifice Rcas and Sama-hymns were born:Therefrom were spells and charms produced; the Yajus had its birth from it.10 From it were horses born, from it all cattle with two rows of teeth:From it were generated kine, from it the goats and sheep were born.11 When they divided Purusa how many portions did they make?What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do they call his thighs and feet?12 The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rajanya made.His thighs became the Vaisya, from his feet the Sudra was produced.13 The Moon was gendered from his mind, and from his eye the Sun had birth;Indra and Agni from his mouth were born, and Vayu from his breath.14 Forth from his navel came mid-air the sky was fashioned from his headEarth from his feet, and from his car the regions. Thus they formed the worlds.15 Seven fencing-sticks had he, thrice seven layers of fuel were prepared,When the Gods, offering sacrifice, bound, as their victim, Purusa.16 Gods, sacrificing, sacrificed the victim these were the carliest holy ordinances.The Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there where the Sidhyas, Gods of old, are dwelling.
HYMN XCI. Agni.1. BRISK, at the place of Ila, hymned by men who wake, our own familiar Friend is kindled in thehouse;Hotar of all oblation, worthy of our choice, Lord, beaming, trusty friend to one who loveth him.2 He, excellent in glory, guest in every house, finds like a swift-winged bird a home in every tree.Benevolent to men, he scorns no living man: Friend to the tribes of men he dwells with every tribe.
3 Most sage with insight, passing skilful with thy powers art thou, O Agni, wise with wisdom,knowing all.As Vasu, thou alone art Lord of all good things, of all the treasures that the heavens and earthproduce.4 Foreknowing well, O Agni, thou in Ila's place hast occupied thy regular station balmed with oil.Marked are thy comings like the comings of the Dawns, the rays of him who shineth spotless as theSun.5 Thy glories are, as lightnings from the rainy cloud, marked, many-hued, like heralds of the Dawns'approach,When, loosed to wander over plants and forest trees, thou crammest by thyself thy food into thymouth.6 Him, duly coming as their germ, have plants received: this Agni have maternal Waters brought tolife.So in like manner do the forest trees and plants bear him within them and produce him evermore.7 When, sped and urged by wind, thou spreadest thee abroad, swift piercing through thy foodaccording to thy will,Thy never-ceasing blazes, longing to consume, like men on chariots, Agni, strive on every side.8 Agni, the Hotar-priest who fills the assembly full, Waker of knowledge, chief Controller of thethought,-Him, yea, none other than thyself, doth man elect at sacrificial offerings great and small alike.9 Here, Api, the arrangers, those attached to thee, elect thee as their Priest in sacred gatherings,When men with strewn clipt grass and sacrificial gifts offer thee entertainment, piously inclined.10 Thine is the Herald's task and Cleanser's duly timed; Leader art thou, and Kindler for the piousman.Thou art Director, thou the ministering Priest: thou art the Brahman, Lord and Master in our home.11 When mortal man presents to thee Immortal God, Agni, his fuel or his sacrificial gift,Then thou art his Adhvaryu, Hotar, messenger, callest the Gods and orderest the sacrifice.12 From us these hymns in concert have gone forth to him, these. holy words, these Rcas, songs andeulogies,Eager for wealth, to Jatavedas fain for wealth: when they have waxen strong they please theirStrengthener.13 This newest eulogy will I speak forth to him, the Ancient One who loves it. May he hear our voice.May it come near his heart and make it stir with love, as a fond well-dressed matron clings about herlord.14 He in whom horses, bulls, oxen, and barren cows, and rams, when duly set apart, are offered up,-To Agni, Soma-sprinkled, drinker of sweet juice, Disposer, with my heart I bring a fair hymn forth.15 Into thy mouth is poured the offering, Agni, as Soma into cup, oil into ladle.Vouchsafe us wealth. strength-winning, blest with heroes, wealth lofty, praised by men, and full ofsplendour.
HYMN XCII. Visvedevas.1. I PRAISE your Charioteer of sacrifice, the Lord of men, Priest of the tribes, refulgent, Guest of night.Blazing amid dry plants, snatching amid the green, the Strong, the Holy Herald hath attained toheaven.2 Him, Agni, Gods and men have made their chief support, who drinks the fatness and completes thesacrifice.With kisses they caress the Grandson of the Red, like the swift ray of light, the Household Priest ofDawn.3 Yea, we discriminate his and the niggard's ways: his branches evermore are sent forth to consume.When his terrific flames have reached the Immortal's world, then men remember and extol theHeavenly Folk.4 For then the net of Law, Dyaus, and the wide expanse, Earth, Worship, and Devotion meet forhighest praise,Varuna, Indra, Mitra were of one accord, and Savitar and Bhaga, Lords of holy might.
5 Onward, with ever-roaming Rudra, speed the floods: over Aramati the Mighty have they run.With them Parijman, moving round his vast domain, loud bellowing, bedews all things that arewithin.6 Straightway the Rudras, Maruts visiting all men, Falcons of Dyaus, home-dwellers with the Asura,-Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman look on with these, and the swift-moving Indra with swift-moving Gods.7 With Indra have they found enjoyment, they who toil, in the light's beauty, in the very Strong One'sstrength;The singers who in men's assemblies forged for him, according to his due, his friend the thunderbolt.8 Even the Sun's Bay Coursers hath lie held in check: each one fears Indra as the mightiest of all.Unhindered, from the air's vault thunders day by day the loud triumphant breathing of the fearfulBull.9 With humble adoration show this day your song of praise to mighty Rudra, Ruler of the brave:With whom, the Eager Ones, going their ordered course, he comes from heaven Self-bright,auspicious, strong to guard.10 For these have spread abroad the fame of human kind, the Bull Brhaspati and Soma's brotherhood.Atharvan first by sacrifices made men sure: through skill the Bhrgus were esteemed of all as Gods.11 For these, the Earth and Heaven with their abundant seed, four-bodied Narasmsa, Yama, Aditi,God Tvastar Wealth-bestower, the Rbhuksanas, Rodasi, Maruts, Visnu, claim and merit praise.12 And may he too give car, the Sage, from far away, the Dragon of the Deep, to this our yearningcall.Ye Sun and Moon who dwell in heaven and move in turn, and with your thought, O Earth and Sky,observe this well.13 Dear to all Gods, may Pasan guard the ways we go, the Waters' child and Vayu help us to success.Sing lauds for your great bliss to Wind, the breath of all: ye Asvins prompt to hear, hear this uponyour way.14 With hymns of praise we sing him who is throned as Lord over these fearless tribes, the Self-resplendent One.We praise Night's youthful Lord benevolent to men, the foeless One, the free, with all celestialDames.15 By reason of his birth here Angiras first sang: the pressing-stones upraised bebeld the sacrifice-The stones through which the Sage became exceeding vast, and the sharp axe obtains in fight thebeauteous place.
HYMN XCIII. Visvedevas.1. MIGHTY are ye, and far-extended, Heaven and Earth: both Worlds are evermore to us like twoyoung Dames.Guard us thereby from stronger foe; guard us hereby to give us strength.2 In each succeeding sacrifice that mortal honoureth the Gods,He who, most widely known and famed for happiness, invitetb them.3 Ye who are Rulers over all, great is your sovran power as Gods.Ye all possess all majesty: all must be served in sacrifice.4 These are the joyous Kings of Immortality, Parijman, Mitra, Aryaman, and Varuna.What else is Rudra, praised of men? the Maruts, Bhaga, Pusana?5 Come also to our dwelling, Lords of ample wealth, common partakers of our waters, Sun and Moon,When the great Dragon of the Deep hath settled down upon their floors.6 And let the Asvins, Lords of splendour, set us free,- both Gods, and, with their Laws, Mitra andVaruna.Through woes, as over desert lands, he speeds to ample opulence.7 Yea, let the Asvins Twain he gracious unto us, even Rudras, and all Gods, Bhaga, Rathaspati;Parijman, Rbhu, Vaja, O Lords of all wealth Rbhuksanas.8 Prompt is Rbhuksan, prompt the worshipper's strong drink: may thy fleet Bay Steeds, thine whosperdest on, approach.Not mans but God's is sacrifice whose psalm is unassailable.
9 O God Savitar, harmed by none, lauded, give us a place among wealthy princes.With his Car-steeds at once 'hath our Indra guided the reins and the car of these men.10 To these men present here, O Heaven and Earth, to us grant lofty fame extending over allmankind.Give us a steed to win us strength, a steed with wealth for victory.11 This speaker, Indra-for thou art our Friend-wherever he may be, guard thou, Victor! for help, everfor helpThy wisdom, Vasu! prosper him.12 So have they strengthened this mine hymn which seems to take its bright path to the Sun, andreconciles the men:Thus forms a carpenter the yoke of horses, not to be displaced.13 Whose chariot-seat hath come again laden with wealth and bright with gold,Lightly, with piercing ends, as 'twere two ranks of heroes ranged for fight.14 This to Duhsima Prthavana have I sung, to Vena, Rama, to the nobles, and the King.They yoked five hundred, and their love of us was famed upon their way.15 Besides, they showed us seven -and-seventy horses here.Tanva at once displayed his gift, Parthya at once displayed his gift; and straightway Mayava showedhis.
HYMN XCIV. Press-stones.1. LET these speak loudly forth; let us speak out aloud: to the loud speaking Pressing-stones addressthe speech;When, rich with Soma juice, Stones of the mountain, ye, united, swift to Indra bring the sound ofpraise.2 They speak out like a hundred, like a thousand men: they cry aloud to us with their green-tintedmouths,While, pious Stones, they ply their task with piety, and, even before the Hotar, taste the offered food.3 Loudly they speak, for they have found the savoury meath: they make a humming sound over themeat prepared.As they devour the branch of the Red-coloured Tree, these, the well-pastured Bulls, have utteredbellowings.4 They cry aloud, with strong exhilarating drink, calling on Indra now, for they have found the meath.Bold, with the sisters they have danced, embraced by them, making the earth reecho with theirringing sound.5 The Eagles have sent forth their cry aloft in heaven; in the sky's vault the dark impetuous oneshave danced.Then downward to the nether stone's fixt place they sink, and, splendid as the Sun, effuse theircopious stream.6 Like strong ones drawing, they have put forth all their strength: the Bulls, harnessed together, bearthe chariot-poles.When they have bellowed, panting, swallowing their food, the sound of their loud snorting is like thatof steeds.7 To these who have ten workers and a tenfold girth, to these who have ten yoke-straps and tenbinding thongs,To these who bear ten reins, the eternal, sing ye praise, to these who bear ten car-poles, ten whenthey are yoked.8 These Stones with ten conductors, rapid in their course, with lovely revolution travel round andround.They have been first to drink the flowing Soma juice, first to enjoy the milky fluid of the stalk.9 These Soma-eaters kiss Indra's Bay-coloured Steeds: draining. the stalk they sit upon the ox's hide.Indra, when he hath drunk Soma-nicath drawn by them, waxes in strength, is famed, is mighty as aBull.10. Strong is your stalk; ye, verily, never shall be harmed; ye have refreshment, ye are ever satisfied.
Fair are ye, as it were, through splendour of his wealth, his in whose sacrifice, O Stones, ye finddelight.11 Bored deep, but not pierced through with holes, are ye, O Stones, not loosened, never weary, andexempt from death,Eternal, undiseased, moving in sundry ways, unthirsting, full of fatness, void of all desire.12 Your fathers, verily, stand firm from age to age: they, loving rest, are not dissevered from theirseat.Untouched by time, ne'er lacking green plants and green trees, they with their voice have caused theheavens and earth to hear.13 This, this the Stones proclaim, what time they are disjoined, and when with ringing sounds theymove and drink the balm.Like tillers of the ground when they are sowing seed, they mix the Soma, nor, devouring, minish it.14 They have raised high their voice for juice, for sacrifice, striking the Mother earth as though theydanced thereon.So loose thou too his thought who hath effused the sap, and let the Stones which we are honouringbe disjoined.
HYMN XCV. Urvasi. Pururavas.1. Ho there, my consort! Stay, thou fierce-souled lady, and let us reason for a while together.Such thoughts as these of ours, while yet unspoken in days gone by have never brought us comfort.2 What am I now to do with this thy saying? I have gone from thee like the first of Mornings.Pururavas, return thou to thy dwelling: I, like the wind, am difficult to capture.3 Like a shaft sent for glory from the quiver, or swift-steed winning cattle winning hundreds.The lightning seemed to flash, as cowards planned it. The minstrels bleated like a lamb in trouble.4 Giving her husband's father life and riches, from the near dwelling, when her lover craved her,She sought the home wherein she found her pleasure, accepting day and night her lord's embraces.5 Thrice in the day didst thou embrace thy consort, though coldly she received thy fond caresses.To thy desires, Pururavas, I yielded: so wast thou king, O hero, of my body.6 The maids Sujirni, Sreni, Sumne-api, Charanyu, Granthini, and Hradecaksus,-These like red kine have hastened forth, the bright ones, and like milch-cows have lowed inemulation.7 While he was born the Dames sate down together, the Rivers with free kindness gave him nurture;And then, Pururavas, the Gods increased thee for mighty battle, to destroy the Dasyus.8 When I, a mortal, wooed to mine embraces these heavenly nymphs who laid aside their raiment,Like a scared snake they fled from me in terror, like chariot horses when the car has touched them.9 When, loving these Immortal Ones, the mortal hath converse with the nymphs as they allow him.Like swans they show the beauty of their bodies, like horses in their play they bite and nibble.10 She who flashed brilliant as the falling lightning brought me delicious presents from the waters.Now from the flood be born a strong young hero May Uruvasi prolong her life for ever11 Thy birth hath made me drink from earthly milch-kine: this power, Pururavas, hast thouvouchsafed me.I knew, and, warned thee, on that day. Thou wouldst not hear me. What sayest thou, when naughtavails thee?12 When will the son be born and seek his father? Mourner-like, will he weep when first he knowshim?Who shall divide the accordant wife and husband, while fire is shining with thy consort's parents?13 I will console him when his tears are falling: he shall not weep and cry for care that blesses.That which is thine, between us, will I send thee. Go home again, thou fool;.thou hast not won me.14 Thy lover shall flee forth this day for ever, to seek, without return, the farthest distance.Then let his bed be in Destruction's bosom, and there let fierce rapacious wolves devour him.15 Nay, do not die, Pururavas, nor vanish: let not the evil-omened wolves devour thee.With women there can be no lasting friendship: hearts of hyenas are the hearts of women.
16 When amid men in altered shape I sojourned, and through four autumns spent the nights amongthem,I tasted once a day a drop of butter; and even now with that am I am contented.17 I, her best love, call Urvasi to meet me, her who fills air and measures out the region.Let the gift brought by piety approach thee. Turn thou to me again: my heart is troubled.18 Thus speak these Gods to thee, O son of Ila: As death hath verily got thee for his subject,Thy sons shall serve the Gods with their oblation, and thou, moreover, shalt rejoice in Svarga.
HYMN XCVI. Indra.1 In the great synod will I laud thy two Bay Steeds: I prize the sweet strong drink of thee the Warrior-God,His who pours lovely oil as 'twere with yellow drops. Let my songs enter thee whose form hathgolden tints.2 Ye who in concert sing unto the goldhued place, like Bay Steeds driving onward to the heavenlyseat,For Indra laud ye strength allied with Tawny Steeds, laud him whom cows content as 'twere withyellow drops.3 His is that thunderbolt, of iron, goldenhued, gold-coloured, very dear, and yellow in his arms;Bright with strong teeth, destroying with its tawny rage. In Indra are set fast all forms of golden hue.4 As if a lovely ray were laid upon the sky, the golden thunderbolt spread out as in a race.That iron bolt with yellow jaw smote Ahi down. A thousand flames had he who bore the tawny-hued.5 Thou, thou, when praised by men who sacrificed of old. hadst pleasure in their lauds, O Indragolden-haired.All that befits thy song of praise thou welcornest, the perfect pleasant gift, O Golden-hued from birth.6 These two dear Bays bring hither Indra on his car, Thunder-armed, joyous, meet for laud, to drinkhis fill.Many libations flow for him who loveth them: to Indra have the gold-hued Soma juices run.7 Tle gold-hued drops have flowed to gratify his wish: the yellow dro s have urged the swift Bays tothe Strong.He who speeds on with Bay Steeds even as he lists hath satisfied his longing for the golden drops.8 At the swift draught the Soma-drinker waxed in might, the Iron One with yellow beard and yellowhair.He, Lord of Tawny Coursers, Lord of fleet-foot Mares, will bear his Bay Steeds safely over all distress.9 His yellow-coloured jaws, like ladles move apart, what time, for strength, he makes the yellow-tinted stir,When, while the bowl stands there, he grooms his Tawny Steeds, when he hath drunk strong drink,the sweet juice that he loves.10 Yea, to the Dear One's seat in homes of heaven and earth the Bay Steeds' Lord hath whinnied likea horse for food.Then the great wish hath seized upon him mightily, and the Beloved One hath gained high power oflife,11 Thou, comprehending with thy might the earth and heaven, acceptest the dear hymn for ever newand new.O Asura, disclose thou and make visible the Cow's beloved home to the bright golden Sun.12 O Indra, let the eager wishes of the folk bring thee, delightful, golden-visored, on thy car,That, pleased with sacrifice wherein ten fingers toil, thou mayest, at the feast, drink of our offeredmeath.13 Juices aforetime, Lord of Bays, thou drankest; and thine especially is this libation.Gladden thee, Indra, with the meath-rich Soma: pour it down ever, Mighty One! within thee.
HYMN XCVII. Praise of Herbs.1. HERBS that sprang up in time of old, three ages earlier than the Gods,-Of these, whose hue is brown, will I declare the hundred powers and seven.
2 Ye, Mothers, have a hundred homes, yea, and a thousand are your growths.Do ye who have a thousand powers free this my patient from disease.3 Be glad and joyful in the Plants, both blossoming and bearing fruit,Plants that will lead us to success like mares who conquer in the race.4 Plants, by this name I speak to you, Mothers, to you the Goddesses:Steed, cow, and garment may I win, win back thy very self, O man.5 The Holy Fig tree is your home, your mansion is the Parna tree:Winners of cattle shali ye be if ye regain for me this man.6 He who hath store of Herbs at hand like Kings amid a crowd of men,-Physician is that sage's name, fiend-slayer, chaser of disease.7 Herbs rich in Soma, rich in steeds, in nourishments, in strengthening power,-All these have I provided here, that this man may be whole again.8 The healing virtues of the Plants stream forth like cattle from the stall,-Plants that shall win me store of wealth, and save thy vital breath, O man.9 Reliever is your mother's name, and hence Restorers are ye called.Rivers are ye with wings that fly: keep far whatever brings disease.10 Over all fences have they passed, as steals a thief into the fold.The Plants have driven from the frame whatever malady was there.11 When, bringing back the vanished strength, I hold these herbs within my hand,The spirit of disease departs ere he can seize upon the life.12 He through whose frame, O Plants, ye creep member by member, joint by joint,-From him ye drive away disease like some strong arbiter of strife.13 Fly, Spirit of Disease, begone, with the blue jay and kingfisher.Fly with the wind's impetuousspeed, vanish together with the storm.14 Help every one the other, lend assistance each of you to each,All of you be accordant, give furtherance to this speech of mine.15 Let fruitful Plants, and fruitless, those that blossom, and the blossomless,Urged onward by Brhaspati, release us from our pain and grief;16 Release me from the curse's plague and woe that comes from Varuna;Free me from Yama's fetter, from sin and offence against the Gods.17 What time, descending from the sky, the Plants flew earthward, thus they spake:No evil shall befall the man whom while he liveth we pervade,18 Of all the many Plants whose King is, Soma, Plants of hundred forms,Thou art the Plant most excellent, prompt to the wish, sweet to the heart.19 O all ye various Herbs whose King is Soma, that o'erspread the earth,Urged onward by Brhaspati, combine your virtue in this Plant.20 Unharmed be he who digs you up, unharmed the man for whom I dig:And let no malady attack biped or quadruped of ours.21 All Plants that hear this speech, and those that have departed far away,Come all assembled and confer your healing power upon this Herb.22 With Soma as their Sovran Lord the Plants hold colloquy and say:O King, we save from death the man whose cure a Brahman undertakes.23 Most excellent of all art thou, O Plant thy vassals are the trees.Let him be subject to our power, the man who seeks to injure us.
HYMN XCVIII. The Gods.1. COME, be thou Mitra, Varuna, or Pusan, come, O Brhaspati, to mine oblation:With Maruts, Vasus, or Adityas, make thou Parjanya pour for Santanu his rain-drops.2 The God, intelligent, the speedy envoy whom thou hast sent hath come to me, Devapi:Address thyself to me and turn thee hither within thy lips will I put brilliant language.
3 Within my mouth, Brhaspati, deposit speech lucid, vigorous, and free from weakness,Thereby to win for Santanu the rain-fall. The meath-rich drop from heaven hath passed within it.4 Let the sweet drops descend on us, O Indra: give us enough to lade a thousand wagons.Sit to thy Hotar task; pay worship duly, and serve the Gods, Devapi, with oblation.5 Knowing the God's good-will, Devapi, Rsi, the son of Rstisena, sate as Hotar.He hath brought down from heaven's most lofty summit the ocean of the rain, celestial waters.6 Gathered together in that highest ocean, the waters stood by deities obstructed.They burried down set free by Arstisena, in gaping clefts, urged onward by Devapi.7 When as chief priest for Santanu, Devapi, chosen for Hotar's duty, prayed beseeching,Graciously pleased Brhaspati vouchsafed him a voice that reached the Gods and won the waters.8 O Agni whom Devapi Arstisena, the mortal man, hath kindled in his glory,Joying in him with all the Gods together, urge on the sender of the rain, Parjanya.9 All ancient Rsis with their songs approached thee, even thee, O Much-invoked, at sacrifices.We have provided wagon-loads in thousands: come to the solemn rite, Lord of Red Horses.10 The wagon-loads, the nine-and-ninety thousand, these have been offered up to thee, O Agni.Hero, with these increase thy many bodies, and, stimulated, send us rain from heaven.11 Give thou these ninety thousand loads, O Agni, to Indra, to the Bull, to be his portion.Knowing the paths which Deities duly travel, set mid the Gods in heaven Aulana also.12 O Agni, drive afar our foes, our troubles chase malady away and wicked demons.From this air-ocean, from the lofty heavens, send down on us a mighty flood of waters.
HYMN XCIX. Indra.I. WHAT Splendid One, Loud-voiced, Farstriding, dost thou, well knowing, urge us to exalt withpraises?What give we him? When his might dawned, he fashioned the Vrtra-slaying bolt, and sent us waters.2 He goes to end his work with lightning flashes: wide is the seat his Asura glory gives him.With his Companions, not without his Brother, he quells Saptatha's magic devices.3 On most auspicious path he goes to battle he toiled to win heaven's light, full fain to gain it;He seized the hundred-gated castle's treasure by craft, unchecked, and slew the lustful demons.4 Fighting for kine, the prize of war, and I roaming among the berd be brings the young streamshither,Where, footless, joined, without a car to bear them, with jars for steeds, they pour their flood likebutter.5 Bold, unsolicited for wealth, with Rudras he came, the Blameless, having left his dwelling,Came, seized the food of Vamra and his consort, and left the couple weeping and unsheltered.6 Lord of the dwelling, he subdued the demon who roared aloud, six-eyed and triple-headed.Trta, made stronger by the might he lent him, struck down the boar with shaft whose point was iron.7 He raised himself on high and shot his arrow against the guileful and oppressive foeman.Strong, glorious, manliest, for us he shattered the forts of Nabus when he slew the Dasyus.8 He, like a cloud that rains upon the pasture, hath found for us the way to dwell in safety.When the Hawk comes in body to the Soma, armed with his iron claws he slays the Dasyus.9 He with his potent Friends gave up the mighty, gave gusnia up to Kutsa for affliction.He led the lauded Kavi, he delivered Atka as prey to him and to his heroes.10 He, with his Gods who love mankind, the Wondrous, giving like Varuna who works with magic,Was known, yet young as guardian of the seasons; and he quelled Araru, four-footed dernon.11 Through lauds of him hath Ausija Rjisvan burst, with the Mighty's aid, the stall of Pipru.When the saint pressed the juice and shone as singer, he seized the forts and with his craft subduedthem.12 So, swiftly Asura, for exaltation, hath the great Vamraka come nigh to Indra.He will, when supplicated, bring him blessing: he hath brought all, food, strength, a happy dwelling.
HYMN C. Visvedevas.1. Be, like thyself, O Indra, strong for our delight: here lauded, aid us, Maghavan, drinker of the juice.Savitar with the Gods protect us: hear ye Twain. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.2 Bring swift, for offering, the snare that suits the time, to the pure-drinker Vayu, roaring as he goes,To him who hath approached the draught of shining milk. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.3 May Savitar the God send us full life, to each who sacrifices, lives aright and pours the juiceThat we with simple hearts may wait upon the Gods. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.4 May Indra evermore be gracious unto us, and may King Soma meditate our happiness,Even as men secure the comfort of a friend. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.5 Indra hath given the body with its song and strength: Brhaspati, thou art the lengthener of life.The sacrifice is Manu, Providence, our Sire. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.6 Indra possesseth might celestial nobly formed: the singer in the hotise is Agni, prudent Sage.lie is the sacrifice in synod, fair, most near. We ask for freedom and complete felicity,7 Not often have we sinned against you secretly, nor, Vasus, have we openly provoked the Gods.Not one of its, ye Gods, hath worn an alien shape. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.8 May Savitar remove from us our malady, and may the Mountains keep it far away from whereThe press-stone as it sheds the meath rings loudly forth. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.9 Ye Vasus, let the stone, the presser stand erect: avert all enmities and keep them far remote.Our guard to be adored is Savitar this God. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.10 Eat strength and fatness in the pasture, kine, who are balmed at the reservoir and at the seat ofLaw.So let your body be our body's medicine. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.11 The singer fills the spirit: all mens, love hath he. Indra takes kindly care of those who pour thejuice.For his libation is the heavenly udder full. We ask for freedom and complete felicity.12 Wondrous thy spirit-filling light, triumpliant; thy hosts save from decay and are resistless.The pious votary by straightest pathway speeds to possess the best of all the cattle.
HYMN CI. Visvedevas.1. WAKE with one mind, my friends, and kindle Agni, ye who are many and who dwell together.Agni and Dadhikras and Dawn the Goddess, you, Gods with Indra, I call down to help us.2 Make pleasant hymns, spin out your songs and praises: build ye a ship equipped with oars fortransport.Prepare the implements, make all things ready, and let the sacrifice, my friends, go forward.3 Lay on the yokes, and fasten well the traces: formed is the furrow, sow the seed within it.Through song may we find bearing fraught with plenty: near to the ripened grain approach the sickle.4 Wise, through desire of bliss from Gods, the skilful bind the traces fast, And lay the yokes on eitherside.5 Arrange the buckets in their place securely fasten on the straps.We will pour forth the well that hath a copious stream, fair-flowing well that never fails.6 I pour the water from the well with pails prepared and goodly straps,Unfailing, full, with plenteous stream.7 Refresh the horses, win the prize before you: equip a chariot fraught with happy fortune.Pour forth the well with stone wheel, wooden buckets, the drink of heroes, with the trough forarmour.8 Prepare the cow-stall, for there drink your heroes: stitch ye the coats of armour, wide and many.Make iron forts, secure from all assailants let not your pitcher leak: stay it securely.9 Hither, for help, I turn the holy heavenly mind of you the Holy Gods, that longs for sacrifice.May it pour milk for us, even as a stately cow who, having sought the pasture, yields a thousandstreams.10 Pour golden juice within the wooden vessel: with stone-made axes fashion ye and form it.
Embrace and compass it with tenfold girdle, and to both chariot-poles attach the car-horse.11 Between both poles the car-horse goes pressed closely, as in his dwelling moves the doubly-wedded.Lay in the wood the Soviran of the Forest, and sink the well although ye do not dig it.12 Indra is he, O men, who gives us happiness: sport, urge the giver of delight to win us strengthBring quickly down, O priests, hither to give us aid, to drink the Soma, Indra Son of Nistigri.
HYMN CII. Indra.1. FOR thee may Indra boldly speed the car that works on either side.Favour us, Much-invoked! in this most glorious fight against the raiders of our wealth.2 Loose in the wind the woman's robe was streaming what time she won a car-load worth athousand.The charioteer in fight was Mudgalani: she Indra's dart, heaped up the prize of battle.3 O Indra, cast thy bolt among assailants who would slaughter us:The weapon both of Dasa and of Arya foe keep far away, O Maghavan.4 The bull in joy had drunk a lake of water. His shattering horn encountered an opponent.Swiftly, in vigorous strength, eager for glory, he stretched his forefeet, fain to win and triumph.5 They came anear the bull; they made him thunder, made him pour rain down ere the fight wasended.And Mudgala thereby won in the contest well-pastured kine in hundreds and in thousands.6 In hope of victory that bull was harnessed: Kesi the driver urged him on with shouting.As he ran swiftly with the car behind him his lifted heels pressed close on Mudgalani.7 Deftly for him he stretched the car-pole forward, guided the bull thereto and firmly yoked him.Indra vouchsafed the lord of cows his favour: with mighty steps the buffalo ran onward.8 Touched by the goad the shaggy beast went nobly, bound to the pole by the yoke's thong ofleather.Performing deeds of might for many people, he, looking on the cows, gained strength and vigour.9 Here look upon this mace, this bull's companion, now lying midway on the field of battle.Therewith hath Mudgala in ordered contest won for cattle for himself, a hundred thousand.10 Far is the evil: who hath here beheld it? Hither they bring the bull whom they are yoking..To this they give not either food or water. Reaching beyond the pole it gives directions.11 Like one forsaken, she hath found a husband, and teemed as if her breast were full and flowing.With swiftly-racing chariot may we conquer, and rich and blessed be our gains in battle.12 Thou, Indra, art the mark whereon the eyes of all life rest, when thou,A Bull who drivest with thy bull, wilt win the race together with thy weakling friend.
HYMN CIII. Indra.1. SWIFT, rapidly striking, like a bull who sharpens his horns, terrific, stirring up the people,With eyes that close not, bellowing, Sole Hero, Indra. subdued at once a hundred armies.2 With him loud-roaring, ever watchful, Victor, bold, hard to overthrow, Rouser of battle,Indra. the Strong, whose hand bears arrows, conquer, ye warriors, now, now vanquish in the combat.3 He rules with those who carry shafts and quivers, Indra who with his band rings hosts together,Foe-conquering, strong of arm, the Soma-drinker, with mighty bow, shooting with well-laid arrows.4 Brhaspati, fly with thy chariot hither, slayer of demons, driving off our foemen.Be thou protector of our cars, destroyer, victor in battle, breaker-up of armies.5 Conspicuous by thy strength, firm, foremost fighter, mighty and fierce, victorious, all-subduing,The Son of Conquest, passing men and heroes, kine-winner, mount thy conquering car, O Indra.6 Cleaver of stalls, kine-winner, armed with thunder, who quells an army and with might destroys it.-Follow him, brothers! quit yourselves like heroes, and like this Indra show your zeal and courage.7 Piercing the cow-stalls with surpassing vigour, Indra, the pitiless Hero, wild with anger,Victor in fight, unshaken and resistless,may he protect our armies in our battles.
8 Indra guide these: Brhaspati precede them, the guerdon, and the sacrifice, and Soma;And let the banded Maruts march in forefront of heavenly hosts that conquer and demolish.9 Ours be the potent host of mighty Indra, King Varuna, and Maruts, and Adityas.Uplifted is the shout of Gods who conquer high-minded Gods who cause the worlds to tremble.10 Bristle thou up, O Maghavan, our weapons: excite the spirits of my warring heroes.Urge on the strong steeds' might, O Vrtra-slayer, and let the din of conquering cars go upward.11 May Indra aid us when our flags are gathered: victorious be the arrows of our army.May our brave men of war prevail in battle. Ye Gods, protect us in the shout of onset.12 Bewildering the senses of our foemen, seize thou their bodies and depart, O Apva.Attack them, set their hearts on fire and burn them: so let our foes abide in utter darkness.13 Advance, O heroes, win the day. May Indra be your sure defence.Exceeding mighty be your arms, that none may wound or injure you.
HYMN CIV. Indra.1. Soma hath flowed for thee, Invoked of mat Speed to our sacrifice with both thy Coursers.To thee have streameld the songs or mighty singers, imploring, Indra, drink of our libation.2 Drink of the juice which men have washed in waters, and fill thee full, O Lord of Tawny Horses.O Indra, hearer of the laud, with Soma which stones have mixed for thee enhance thy rapture.3 To make thee start, a strong true draught I offer to thee, the Bull, O thou whom Bay Steeds carry.Here take delight, O Indra, in our voices while thou art hymned with power and all our spirit.4 O Mighty Indra, through thine aid, thy prowess, obtaining life, zealous, and skilled in Order,Men in the house who share the sacred banquet stand singing praise that brings them store ofchildren.5 Through thy directions, Lord of Tawny Coursers, thine who art firm, splendid, and blest, the peopleObtain most liberal aid for their salvation, and praise thee, Indra, through thine excellencies.6 Lord of the Bays, come with thy two Bay Horses, come to our prayers, to drink the juice of Soma.To thee comes sacrifice which thou acceptest: thou, skilled in holy rites, art he who giveth.7 Him of a thousand powers, subduing foemen, Maghavan praised with hymns and pleased withSoma,-Even him our songs approach, resistless Indra: the adorations of the singer laud him.8 The way to bliss for Gods and man thou foundest, Indra, seven lovely floods, divine, untroubled,Wherewith thou, rending forts, didst move the ocean, and nine-and-ninety flowing streams of water.9 Thou from the curse didst free the mighty Waters, and as their only God didst watch and guardthem.O Indra, cherish evermore thy body with those which thou hast won in quelling Vrtra.10 Heroic power and noble praise is Indra yea, the song worships him invoked of many.Vrtra he quelled, and gave men room and freedom: gakra, victorious, hath conquered armies.11 Call we on Maghayan, auspicious Indra. best Hero in this fight where spoil is gathered,The Strong, who listens, who gives aid in battles, who slays the Vrtras, wins and gathers riches.
HYMN CV. Indra.1. WHEN, Vasu, wilt thou love the laud? Now let the channel bring the stream.The juice is ready to ferment.2 He whose two Bay Steeds harnessed well, swerving, pursue the Bird's tail-plumes,With Rowing manes, like heaven and earth, he is the Lord with power to give.3 Bereft of skill is Indra, if, like some outwearied man he fearsThe sinner, when the Mighty hath prepared himself for victory.4 Indra with these drives round, until he meets with one to worship him:Indra is Master of the pair who snort and swerve upon their way.5 Borne onward by the long-maned Steeds who stretch themselves as 'twere for food,The God who wears the helm defends them with his jaws.
6 The Mighty sang with Lofty Ones: the Hero fashioned with his strength,Like skilful Matarisvan with his power and might,7 The bolt, which pierced at once the vitals of the Dasyu easy to be slain,With jaw uninjured like the wondrous firmament.8 Grind off our sins: with song will we conquer the men who sing no hymns:Not easily art thou pleased with prayerless sacrifice.9 When threefold flame burns high for thee, to rest on poles of sacrifice,Thou with the living joyest in the self-bright Ship.10 Thy glory was the speckled cup, thy glory was the flawless scoop.Wherewith thou pourest into thy receptacle.11 As hundreds, O Immortal God, have sung to thee, so hath Sumitra, yea, Durmitra praised theehere,What time thou holpest Kutsa's son, when Dasyus fell, yea, holpest Kutsa's darling when the Dasyusdied.
HYMN CVI. Asvins.1. THIS very thing ye Twain hold as your object: ye weave your songs as skilful men weave garments.That ye may come united have I waked you: ye spread out food like days of lovely weather.2 Like two plough-bulls ye move along in traces, and seek like eager guests your bidder's banquet.Ye are like glorious envoys mid the people: like bulls, approach the place where ye are watered.3 Like the two pinions of a bird, connected, like two choice animals, ye have sought our worship.Bright as the fire the votary hath kindled, ye sacrifice in many a spot as roamers.4 Ye are our kinsmen, like two sons, two fathers, strong in your splendour and like kings for conquest;Like rays for our enjoyment, Lords to feed us, ye, like quick bearers, have obeyed our calling.5 You are like two pleasantly moving well-fed (hills) like Mitra and Varuna, the two bestowers offelicity, veracious, possessors of infinite wealth, happy, like two horses plump with fodder, abiding inthe firmament, like two rams (are you) to be nourished with sacrificial food, to be cherished (withoblations).6 You are like two mad elephants bending their forequarters and smiting the foe, like the two sons ofNitosa destroying (foes), and cherishing (friends); you are bright as two water-born (jewels), do you,who are victorious, (render) my decaying mortal body free from decay.7 Fierce (Asvins), like two powerful (heroes), you enable this moving, perishable mortal (frame) tocross over to the objects (of its destination) as over water; extremely strong, like the Rbhus, yourchariot, attained its destination swift as the wind, it pervaded (everywhere), it dispensed riches.8 With your bellies full of the Soma, like two saucepans, preservers of wealth, destroyers of enemies.(you are) armed with hatchets, moving like two flying (birds) with forms like the moon, attainingsuccess through the mind, like two laudable beings, (you are) approaching (the sacrifice).9 Like giants, ye will find firm ground to stand on in depths, like feet for one who fords a shallow.Like cars ye will attend to him who orders: ye Two enjoy our wondrous work as sharers.10 Like toiling bees ye bring to us your honey, as bees into the hide that opens downward.11 May we increase the laud and gain us vigour: come to our song, ye whom one chariot carries.Filled be our kine with ripened meath like glory: Bhutamsa hath fulfilled the Asvins' longing.
HYMN CVII. Daksina.1. THESE men's great bounty hath been manifested, and the whole world of life set free fromdarkness.Great light hath come, vouchsafed us by the Fathers: apparent is the spacious path of Guerdon.2 High up in heaven abide the Guerdon-givers: they who give steeds dwell with the Sun for ever.They who give gold are blest with life eternal. they who give robes prolong their lives, O Soma.3 Not from the niggards-for they give not fireely-comes Meed at sacrifice, Gods' satisfaction:Yea, many men with hands stretched out with Guerdon present their gifts because they dreaddishonour.4 These who observe mankind regard oblation as streamy Vayu and light-finding Arka.
They satisfy and give their gifts in synod, and pour in streams the seven-mothered Guerdon.5 He who brings Guerdon comes as first invited: chief of the hamlet comes the Guerdon-bearer.Him I account the ruler of the people who was the first to introduce the Guerdon.6 They call him Rsi, Brahman, Sama-chanter, reciter of the laud, leader of worship.The brightly-shining God's three forms he knoweth who first bestowed the sacrificial Guerdon.7 Guerdon bestows the horse, bestows the bullock, Guerdon bestows, moreover, gold that Rsisters.Guerdon gives food which is our life and spirit. He who is wise takes Guerdon for his armour.8 The liberal die not, never are they ruined: the liberal suffer neither harm nor trouble.The light of heaven, the universe about us,-all this doth sacrificial Guerdon give them.9 First have the liberal gained a fragrant dwelling, and got themselves a bride in fair apparel.The liberal have obtained their draught of liquor, and conquered those who, unprovoked, assailedthem.10 They deck the fleet steed for the bounteous giver: the maid adorns herself and waits to meet him.His home is like a lake with lotus blossoms, like the Gods' palaces adorned and splendid.11 Steeds good at draught convey the liberal giver, and lightly rolling moves the car of Guerdon.Assist, ye Gods, the liberal man in battles: the liberal giver conquers foes in combat.
HYMN CVIII. Sarama. Panis.1. WHAT wish of Sarama hath brought her hither? The path leads far away to distant places.What charge hast thou for us? Where turns thy journey? How hast thou made thy way o'er Rasa'swaters.2 I come appointed messenger of Indra, seeking your ample stores of wealth, O Panis.This hath preserved me from the fear of crossing: thus have I made my way o'er Rasa's waters.3 What is that Indra like, what is his aspect whose envoy, Sarama, from afar thou comest?Let him approach, and we will show him friendship: he shall be made the herdsman of our cattle.4 I know him safe from harm: but he can punish who sent me hither from afar as envoy.Him rivers flowing with deep waters bide not. Low will ye be, O Panis, slain by Indra.5 These are the kine which, Sarama, thou seekest, flying, O Blest One, to the ends of heaven.Who will loose these for thee without a battle? Yea, and sharp-pointed are our warlike weapons.6 Even if your wicked bodies, O ye Panis, were arrow-proof, your words are weak for wounding;And were the path to you as yet unmastered, Brhaspati in neither case will spare you.7 Paved with the rock is this our treasure-chamber; filled full of precious things, of kine, and horses.These Panis who are watchful keepers guard it. In vain hast thou approached this lonely station.8 Rsis will come inspirited with Soma, Angirases unwearied, and Navagvas.This stall of cattle will they part among them: then will the Panis wish these words unspoken.9 Even thus, O Sarama, hast thou come hither, forced by celestial might to make the journey.Turn thee not back, for thou shalt be our sister: O Blest One, we will give thee of the cattle.10 Brotherhood, sisterhood, I know not either: the dread Angirases and Indra know them.They seemed to long for kine when I departed. Hence, into distance, be ye gone, O Panis.11 Hence, far away, ye Panis! Let the cattle lowing come forth as holy Law commandeth,Kine which Brhaspati, and Soma, Rsis, sages, and pressing-stones have found when hidden.
HYMN CIX. Visvedevas.1. THESE first, the boundless Sea, and Matarisvan, fierce-glowing Fire, the Strong, the Bliss-bestower.And heavenly Floods, first-born by holy Order, exclaimed against the outrage on a Brahman.2 King Soma first of all, without reluctance, made restitution of the Brahman's consort.Mitra and Varuna were the inviters: Agni as Hota; took her hand and led her.3 The man, her pledge, must by her hand be taken when they have cried, She is a Brahman's consort.She stayed not for a herald to conduct her: thus is the kingdom of a ruler guarded.4 Thus spake of her those Gods of old, Seven Rsis who sate them down to their austere devotion:
Dire is a Brahman's wife led home by others: in the supremest heaven she plants confusion.5 The Brahmacari goes engaged in duty: he is a member of the Gods' own body.Through him Brhaspati obtained his consort, as the Gods gained the ladle brought by Soma.6 So then the Gods restored her, so men gave the woman back again.The Kings who kept their promises restored the Brahman's wedded wife,7 Having restored the Brahman's wife, and freed them, with Gods' aid, from sin,They shared the fulness of the earth, and won themselves extended sway.
HYMN CX. Apris.1. THOU in the house of man this day enkindled worshippest Gods as God, O Jatavedas.Observant, bright as Mitra, bring them hither: thou art a sapient and foreknowing envoy.2 Tanunapat, fair-tongued, with sweet meath balming the paths and waysof Order, make thempleasant.Convey our sacrifice to heaven, exalting with holy thoughts ourhymns of praise and worship.3 Invoked, deserving prayer and adoration, O Agni, come accordant with the Vasus.Thou art, O Youthful Lord, the Gods' Invoker, so, best of Sacrificers, bring them quickly.4 By rule the Sacred Grass is scattered eastward, a robe to clothe this earth when dawns arebreaking.Widely it spreads around and far-extended, fair for the Gods and bringing peace and freedom.5 Let the expansive Doors be widely opened, like wives who deck their beauty for their husbands.Lofty, celestial, all-impelling Portals, admit the Gods and give them easy entrance.6 Pouring sweet dews let holy Night and Morning, each close to each, he seated at their station,Lofty, celestial Dames with gold to deck them. assuming all their fair and radiant beauty.7 Come the two first celestial sweet-voiced Hotars, arranging sacrifice for man to worshipAs singers who inspire us in assemblies, showing the eastward light with their direction.8 Let Bharati come quickly to our worship, and Ila showing like a human being.So let Sarasvati and both her fellows, deft Goddesses, on this fair grass be seated.9 Hotar more skilled in sacrifice, bring hither with speed to-day God Tvastar, thou who knowest.Even him who formed these two, the Earth and Heaven the Parents, with their forms, and everycreature.10 Send to our offerings which thyself thou balmest the Companies of Gods in ordered season.Agni, Vanaspati the Immolator sweeten our offered gift with meath and butter.11 Agni, as soon as he was born, made ready the sacrifice, and was the Gods' preceder.May the Gods cat our offering consecrated according to this true Priest's voice and guidance.
HYMN CXI. Indra.1. BRING forth your sacred song ye prudent singers, even as are the thoughts of human beings.Let us draw Indra with true deeds anear us: he loves our songs, the Hero, and is potent.2 The hymn shone brightly from the seat of worship: to the kine came the Bull, the Heifer's OffipringWith mighty bellowing hath he arisen, and hath pervaded even the spacious regions.3 Indra knows, verily, how to hear our singing, for he, victorious, made a path for Surya.He made the Cow, and be became the Sovran of Heaven, primeval, matchless, and unshaken.4 Praised by Angirases, Indra demolished with might the works of the great watery monsterFull many regions, too, hath he pervaded, and by his truth supported earth's foundation.5 The counterpart of heaven and earth is Indra: he knoweth all libations, slayeth Susna.The vast sky with the Sun hath he extended, and, best otpillars, stayed it with a pillar.6 The Vrtra-slaver with his bolt felled Vrtra: the magic of the godless, waxen mighty,Here hast thou, Bold Assailant, boldly conquered. Yea, then thine arms, O Maghavan, were potent.7 When the Dawns come attendant upon Surya their rays discover wealth of divers colours.The Star of heaven is seen as 'twere approaching: none knoweth aught of it as it departeth.
8 Far have they gone, the first of all these waters, the waters that flowed forth when Indra sentthem.Where is their spring, and where is their foundation? Where now, ye Waters, is your inmost centre?9 Thou didst free rivers swallowed by the Dragon; and rapidly they set themselves in motion,Those that were loosed and those that longed for freedom. Excited now to speed they run unresting.10 Yearning together they have sped to Sindhu: the Fort-destroyer, praised, of old, hath loved them.Indra, may thy terrestrial treasures reach us, and our full songs of joy approach thy dwelling.
HYMN CXII. Indra.1. DRINK of the juice, O Indra, at thy plea. sure, for thy first draught is early morn's libation.Rejoice, that thou mayst slay our foes, O Hero, and we with lauds will tell thy mighty exploits.2 Thou hast a car more swift than thought, O Indra; thercon come hither, come to drink the Soma.Let thy Bay Steeds, thy Stallions, hasten hither, with whom thou cornest nigh and art delighted.3 Deck out thy body with the fairest colours, with golden splendour of the Sun adorn it.O Indra, turn thee hitherward invited by us thy friends; be seated and be joyful.4 O thou whose grandeur in thy festive transports not even these two great worlds havecomprehended.Come, Indra, with thy dear Bay Horses harnessed, come to our dwelling and the food thou lovest.5 Pressed for thy joyous banquet is the Soma, Soma whereof thou, Indra, ever drinking,Hast waged unequalled battles with thy foemen, which prompts the mighty flow of thine abundance.6 Found from of old is this thy cup, O Indra: Satakratu, drink therefrom the Soma.Filled is the beaker with the meath that gladdens, the beaker which all Deities delight in.7 From many a side with proffered entertainment the folk are calling thee, O Mighty Indra.These our libations shall for thee be richest in sweet meath: dvink thereof and find them pleasant.8 I will declare thy deeds of old, O Indra, the mighty acts which thou hast first accomplished.In genuine wrath thou loosenedst the mountain so that the Brahman easily found the cattle.9 Lord of the hosts, amid our bands be seated: they call thee greatest Sage among the sages.Nothing is done, even far away, without thee: great, wondrous, Maghavan, is the hymn I sing thee.10 Aim of our eyes be thou, for we implore thee, O Maghavan, Friend of friends and Lord of treasures.Fight, Warrior strong in truth, fight thou the battle: give us our share of undivided riches.
HYMN CXTII. Indra.1. THE Heavens and the Earth accordant with all Gods encouraged graciously that vigorous might ofhis.When he came showing forth his majesty and power, he drank of Soma juice and waxed exceedingstrong.2 This majesty of his Visnu extols and lauds, making the stalCthat gives the meath flow forth withinight.When Indra Maghavan with those who followed him had smitten Vrtra he deserved the choice ofGods.3 When, bearing warlike weapons, fain to win thee praise, thou mettest Vrtra, yea, the Dragon, forthe fight,Then all the Maruts who were gathered with dice there extolled, O Mighty One, thy powerfulmajesty.4 Soon as he sprang to life he forced asun. der hosts: forward the Hero looked to manly deed and war.He cleft the rock, he let concurrent streams flow forth, and with his skilful art stablished the heavens'wide vault.5 Indra hath evermore possessed surpassing power: he forced, far from each other, heaven and earthapart.He hurled impetuous down his iron thunderbolt, a joy to Varuna's and Mitra's worshipper.6 Then to the mighty powers of Indra, to his wrath, his the fierce Stormer, loud of voice, they camewith speed;
What time the Potent One rent Vrtra with his strength, who held the waters back, whom darknesscompassed round.7 Even in the first of those heroic acts which they who strove together came with might to execute,Deep darkness fell upon the slain, and Indra won by victory the right of being first invoked.8 Then all the Gods extolled, with eloquence inspired by draughts of Soma juice, thy deeds of manlymight.As Agni eats the dry food with his tcetlv, he ate Vrtra, the Dragon, maimed by Indra's deadly dart.9 Proclaim his many friendships, met with friendship, made with singers, with the skilful and theeloquent.Indra, when he subdues Dhuni and Cumuri, lists to Dabhiti for his faithful spirit's sake.10 Give riches manifold with noble horses, to be remembered while my songs address thee.May we by easy paths pass all our troubles: find us this day a ford wide and extensive.
HYMN CXIV. Visvedevas.1. Two perfect springs of heat pervade the Threefold, and come for their delight is Matarisvan.Craving the milk of heaven the Gods are present: well do they know the praisesong and the Saman.2 The priests beard far away, as they are ordered, serve the three Nirrtis, for well they know them.Sages have traced the cause that first produced them, dwelling in distant and mysterious chambers.3 The Youthful One, well-shaped, with four locks braided, brightened with oil, puts on theordinances.Two Birds of mighty power are seated near her, there where the Deities receive their portion.4 One of these Birds hath passed into the sea of air: thence he looks round and views this universalworld.With simple heart I have beheld him from anear: his Mother kisses him and he returns her kiss.5 Him with fair wings though only One in nature, wise singers shape, with songs, in many figures.While they at sacrifices fix the metres, they measure out twelve chalices of Soma.6 While they arrange the four and six-and-thirty, and duly order, up to twelve, the measures,Having disposed the sacrifice thoughtful sages send the Car forward with the Rc and Saman.7 The Chariot's majesties are fourteen others: seven sages lead it onward with their Voices.Who will declare to us the ford Apnana, the path whereby they drink first draughts of Soma?8 The fifteen lauds are in a thousand places that is as vast as heaven and earth in measure.A thousand spots contain the mighty thousand. Vak spreadeth forth as far as Prayer extendeth.9 What sage hath learned the metres' application? Who hath gained Vak, the spirit's aim and object?Which ministering priest is called eighth Hero? Who then hath tracked the two Bay Steeds of Indra?10 Yoked to his chariot-pole there stood the Coursers: they only travel round earth's farthest limits.These, when their driver in his home is settled, receive the allotted meed of their exertion.
HYMN CXV. Agni.1. VERILY wondrous is the tender Youngling's growth who never draweth nigh to drink his Mothers'milk.As soon as she who hath no udder bore him, he, faring on his great errand, suddenly grew strong.2 Then Agni was his name, most active to bestow, gathering up the trees with his consuming tooth;Skilled in fair sacrifice, armed with destroying tongue, impetuous as a bull that snorteth in the mead.3 Praise him, yourGod who, bird-like, rests upon a tree, scattering drops of juice and pouring forth hisflood,Speaking aloud with flame as with his lips a priest, and broadening his paths like one of highcommand.4 Thou Everlasting, whom, far-striding fain to burn, the winds, uninterrupted, never overcome,They have approached, as warriors eager for the fight, heroic Trita, guiding him to gain his wish.5 This Agni is the best of Kanvas, Kanvas' Friend, Conqueror of the foe whether afar or near.May Agni guard the singers, guard the princes well: may Agni grant to us our princes' gracious help.6 Do thou, Supitrya, swiftly following, make thyself the lord of Jatavedas, mightiest of all,
Who surely gives a boon even in thirsty land most powerful, prepared to aid us in the wilds.7 Thus noble Agni with princes and mortal men is lauded, excellent for conquering strength withchiefs,Men who are well-disposed as friends and true to Law, even as the heavens in majesty surpassmankind.8 O Son of Strength, Victorious, with this title Upastuta's most potent voice reveres thee.Blest with brave sons by thee we will extol thee, and lengthen out the days of our existence.9 Thus, Agni, have the sons of Vrstihavya, the Rsis, the Upastutas invoked thee.Protect them, guard the singers and the princes. With Vasat! have they come, with hands uplifted,with their uplifted hands and cries of Glory!
HYMN CXV1. Indra.1. DRINK Soma juice for mighty power and vigour, drink, Strongest One, that thou mayst smite downVrtra.Drink thou, invoked, for strength, and riches: drink thou thy fill of meath and pour it down, O Indra.2 Drink of the foodful juice stirred into motion, drink what thou choosest of the flowing Soma.Giver of weal, be joyful in thy spirit, and turn thee hitherward to bless and prosper.3 Let heavenly Soma gladden thee, O Indra, let that effused among mankind delight thee.Rejoice in that whereby thou gavest freedom, and that whereby thou conquerest thy foemen.4 Let Indra come, impetuous, doubly mighty, to the poured juice, the Bull, with two Bay Coursers.With juices pressed in milk, with meath presented, glut evermore thy bolt, O Foe-destroyer.5 Dash down, outffaming their sharp flaming weapons, the strong-holds of the men urged on bydemons.I give thee, Mighty One, great strength and conquest: go, meet thy foes and rend them in the battle.6 Extend afar the votary's fame and glory, as the firm archer's strength drives off the foeman.Ranged on our side, grown strong in might that conquers, never defeated, still increase thy body.7 To thee have we presented this oblation: accept it, Sovran Ruler, free from anger.Juice, Maghavan, for thee is pressed and ripened: eat, Indra, drink of that which stirs to meet thee.8 Eat, Indra, these oblations which approach thee: be pleased with food made ready and with Soma.With entertainment we receive thee friendly: effectual be the sacrificer's wishes.9 I send sweet speech to Indra and to Agni: with hymns I speed it like a boat through waters.Even thus, the Gods seem moving round about me, the fountains and bestowers of our riches.
HYMN CXVII. Liberality.1. THE Gods have not ordained hunger to be our death: even to the well-fed man comes death invaried shape.The riches of the liberal never waste away, while he who will not give finds none to comfort him.2 The man with food in store who, when the needy comes in miserable case begging for bread to eat,Hardens his heart against him-even when of old he did him service-finds not one to comfort him.3 Bounteous is he who gives unto the beggar who comes to him in want of food and feeble.Success attends him in the shout of battle. He makes a friend of him in future troubles.4 No friend is he who to his friend and comrade who comes imploring food, will offer nothing.Let him depart-no home is that to rest in-, and rather seek a stranger to support him.5 Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eye upon a longer pathway.Riches come now to one, now to another, and like the wheels of cars are ever rolling.6 The foolish man wins food with fruitless labour: that food -I speak the truth- shall be his ruin.He feeds no trusty friend, no man to love him. All guilt is he who eats with no partaker.7 The ploughshare ploughing makes the food that feeds us, and with its feet cuts through the path itfollows.Better the speaking than the silent Brahman: the liberal friend outyalues him who gives not.8 He with one foot hath far outrun the biped, and the two-footed catches the three-footed.Four-footed creatures come when bipeds call them, and stand and look where five are met together.
9 The hands are both alike: their labour differs. The yield of sister milch-kine is unequal.Twins even diffier in their strength and vigour: two, even kinsmen, differ in their bounty.
HYMN CXVIII. Agni.1. AGNI, refulgent among men thou slayest the devouring fiend,Bright Ruler in thine own abode.2 Thou springest up when worshipped well the drops of butter are thy joyWhen ladies are brought near to thee.3 Honoured with gifts he shines afar, Agni adorable with song:The dripping ladle balms his face.4 Agni with honey in his mouth, honoured with gifts, is balmed with oil,Refulgent in his wealth of light.5 Praised by our hymns thou kindlest thee, Oblation-bearer, for the GodsAs such do mortals call on thee.6 To that Immortal Agni pay worship with oil, ye mortal men,-Lord of the house, whom none deceives.7 O Agni, burn the Raksasas with thine unconquerable flameShine guardian of Eternal Law.8 So, Agni, with thy glowing face burn fierce against the female fiends,Shining among Uruksayas.9 Uruksayas have kindled thee, Oblation-bearer, thee, with hymns.Best Worshipper among mankind.
HYMN CXIX. Indra.1. THIS, even this was my resolve, to win a cow, to win a steed:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?2 Like violent gusts of wind the draughts that I have drunk have lifted meHave I not drunk of Soma juice?3 The draughts I drank have borne me up, as fleet-foot horses draw a car:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?4 The hymn hath reached me, like a cow who lows to meet her darling calf:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?5 As a wright bends a chariot-seat so round my heart I bend the hymn:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?6 Not as a mote within the eye count the Five Tribes of men with me:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?7 The heavens and earth themselves have not grown equal to one half of meHave I not drunk of Soma juice?8 I in my grandeur have surpassed the heavens and all this spacious earthHave I not drunk of Soma juice?9 Aha! this spacious earth will I deposit either here or thereHave I not drunk of Soma juice?10 In one short moment will I smite the earth in fury here or there:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?11 One of my flanks is in the sky; I let the other trail below:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?12 1, greatest of the Mighty Ones, am lifted to the firmament:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?13 I seek the worshipper's abode; oblation-bearer to the Gods:Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
HYMN CXX. Indra.1. IN all the worlds That was the Best and Highest whence sprang the Mighty Gods, of splendidvalour.As soon as born he overcomes his foemen, be in whom all who lend him aid are joyful.2 Grown mighty in his strength, with ample vigour, he as a foe strikes fear into the Dasa,Eager to win the breathing and the breathless. All sang thy praise at banquet and oblation.3 All concentrate on thee their mental vigour, what time these, twice or thrice, are thine assistants.Blend what is sweeter than the sweet with sweetness: win. quickly with our meath that meath inbattle.4 Therefore in thee too, thou who winnest riches, at every banquet are the sages joyful.With mightier power, Bold God, extend thy firmness: let not malignant Yatudhanas harm thee.5 Proudly we put our trust in thee in battles, when we behold great wealth the prize of combat.I with my words impel thy weapons onward, and sharpen with my prayer thy vital vigour.6 Worthy of praises, many-shaped, most skilful, most energetic, Aptya of the Aptyas:He with his might destroys the seven Danus, subduing many who were deemed his equals.7 Thou in that house which thy protection guardeth bestowest wealth, the higher and the lower.Thou stablishest the two much-wandering Mothers, and bringest many deeds to their completion.8 Brhaddiva, the foremost of light-winners, repeats these holy prayers, this strength of Indra.He rules the great self-luminous fold of cattle, and all the doors of light hath he thrown open.9 Thus hath Brhaddiva, the great Atharvan, spoken to Indra as himself in person.The spotless Sisters, they who are his Mothers, with power exalt him and impel him onward.
HYMN CXXI. Ka.1. IN the beginning rose Hiranyagarbha, born Only Lord of all created beings.He fixed and holdeth up this earth and heaven. What God shall we adore with our oblation?2 Giver of vital breath, of power and vigour, he whose commandments all the Gods acknowledge -.The Lord of death, whose shade is life immortal. What God shall we adore with our oblation?3 Who by his grandeur hath become Sole Ruler of all the moving world that breathes and slumbers;He who is Loord of men and Lord of cattle. What God shall we adore with our oblation?4 His, through his might, are these snow-covered mountains, and men call sea and Rasa hispossession:His arms are these, his are these heavenly regions. What God shall we adore with our oblation?5 By him the heavens are strong and earth is stedfast, by him light's realm and sky-vault aresupported:By him the regions in mid-air were measured. What God shall we adore with our oblation?6 To him, supported by his help, two armies embattled look while trembling in their spirit,When over them the risen Sun is shining. What God shall we adore with our oblation?7 What time the mighty waters came, containing the universal germ, producing Agni,Thence sprang the Gods' one spirit into being. What God shall we adore with our oblation?8 He in his might surveyed the floods containing productive force and generating Worship.He is the God of gods, and none beside him. What God shall we adore with our oblation?9 Neer may he harm us who is earth's Begetter, nor he whose laws are sure, the heavens' Creator,He who brought forth the great and lucid waters. What God shall we adore with our oblation?10 Prajapati! thou only comprehendest all these created things, and none beside thee.Grant us our hearts' desire when we invoke thee: may we have store of riches in possession.
HYMN CXXII. Agni.1. I PRAISE the God of wondrous might like Indra, the lovely pleasant Guest whom all must welcome.May Agni, Priest and Master of the household, give hero strength and all-sustaining riches.2 O Agni, graciously accept this song of mine, thou passing-wise who knowest every ordinance.
Enwrapped in holy oil further the course of prayer: the Gods bestow according to thy holy law.3 Immortal, wandering round the seven stations, give, a liberal Giver, to the pious worshipper,Wealth, Agni, with brave sons and ready for his use: welcome the man who comes with fuel untothee.4 The seven who bring oblations worship thee, the Strong, the first, the Great Chief Priest, Ensign ofsacrifice,The oil-anointed Bull, Agni who hears, who sends as God full hero strength to him who freely gives.5 First messenger art thou, meet for election: drink thou thy fill invited to the Anirta,The Maruts in the votary's house adorned thee; with lauds the Bhrgus gave thee light and glory.6 Milking the teeming Cow for all-sustaining food. O Wise One, for the worship-loving worshipper,Thou, Agni, dropping oil, thrice lighting works of Law, showest thy wisdom circling home andsacrifice.7 They who at flushing of this dawn appointed thee their messenger, these men have paid theereverence.Gods strengthened thee for work that must be glorified, Agni, while they made butter pure forsacrifice.8 Arrangers in our synods, Agni, while they sang Vasisistha s sons have called thee down, the PotentOne.Maintain the growth of wealth with men who sacrifice. Ye Gods, preserve us with your blessingsevermore.
HYMN CXXIII. Vena.1. SEE, Vena, born in light, hath driven hither, on chariot of the air, the Calves of Prsni.Singers with hymns caress him as an infant there where the waters and the sunlight mingle.2 Vena draws up his wave from out the ocean. mist-born, the fair one's back is made apparent,Brightly he shone aloft on Order's summit: the hosts sang glory to their common birthplace.3 Full many, lowing to their joint-possession, dwelling together stood the Darling's Mothers.Ascending to the lofty height of Order, the bands of singers 'sip the sweets of Amrta.4 Knowing his form, the sages yearned to meet him: they have come nigh to hear the wild Bull'sbellow.Performing sacrifice they reached the river: for the Gandharva found the immortal waters.5 The Apsaras, the Lady, sweetly smiling, supports her Lover in sublimest heaven.In his Friend's dwelling as a Friend he wanders: he, Vena, rests him on his golden pinion.6 They gaze on thee with longing in their spirit, as on a strong-winged bird that mounteth sky-ward;On thee with wings of gold, Varuna's envoy, the Bird that hasteneth to the home of Yama.7 Erect, to heaven hath the Gandharva mounted, pointing at us his many-coloured weapons;Clad in sweet raiment beautiful to look on, for he, as light, produceth forms that please us.8 When as a spark he cometh near the ocean, still looking with a vulture's eye to heaven,His lustre, joying in its own bright splendour, maketh dear glories in the lowest region.
HYMN CXXIV. Agni, Etc.1. COME to this sacrifice of ours, O Agni, threefold, with seven threads and five divisions.Be our oblation-bearer and preceder: thou hast lain long enough in during darkness.2 I come a God foreseeing from the godless to immortality by secret pathways,While I, ungracious one, desert the gracious, leave mine own friends and seek the kin of strangers.3 1, looking to the guest of other lineage, have founded many a rule of Law and Order.I bid farewell to the Great God, the Father, and, for neglect, obtain my share of worship.4 I tarried many a year within this altar: I leave the Father, for my choice is Indra.Away pass Agni, Varuna and Soma. Rule ever changes: this I come to favour.5 These Asuras have lost their powers of magic. But thou, O Varuna, if thou dost love me,O King, discerning truth and right from falsehood, come and be Lord and Ruler of my kingdom.6 Here is the light of heaven, here allis lovely; here there is radiance, here is air's wide region.
Let us two slaughter Vrtra. Forth, O Soma! Thou art oblation: we therewith will serve thee.7 The Sage hath fixed his form by wisdom in the heavens: Varuna with no violence let the watersflow.Like women-folk, the floods that bring prosperity have eau lit his hue and colour as they gleamed andshone.8 These wait upon his loftiest power and vigour: he dwells in these who triumph in their Godhead;And they, like people who elect their ruler, have in abhorrence turned away from Vrtra.9 They call him Swan, the abhorrent floods' Companion, moving in friendship with celestial Waters.The poets in their thought have looked on Indra swiftly approaching when Anustup calls him.
HYMN CXXV. Vak.1. I TRAVEL with the Rudras and the Vasus, with the Adityas and All-Gods I wander.I hold aloft both Varuna and Mitra, Indra and Agni, and the Pair of Asvins.2 I cherish and sustain high-swelling Soma, and Tvastar I support, Pusan, and Bhaga.I load with wealth the zealous sdcrificer who pours the juice and offers his oblation3 I am the Queen, the gatherer-up of treasures, most thoughtful, first of those who merit worship.Thus Gods have stablished me in many places with many homes to enter and abide in.4 Through me alone all eat the food that feeds them,-each man who sees, brewhes, hears the wordoutspokenThey know it not, but yet they dwell beside me. Hear, one and all, the truth as I declare it.5 1, verily, myself announce and utter the word that Gods and men alike shall welcome.I make the man I love exceeding mighty, make him a sage, a Rsi, and a Brahman.6 I bend the bow for Rudra that his arrow may strike and slay the hater of devotion.I rouse and order battle for the people, and I have penetrated Earth and Heaven.7 On the world's summit I bring forth the Father: my home is in the waters, in the ocean.Thence I extend o'er all existing creatures, and touch even yonder heaven with my forehead.8 I breathe a strong breath like the wind and tempest, the while I hold together all existence.Beyond this wide earth and beyond the heavens I have become so mighty in my grandeur.
HYMN CXXVI. Visvedevas.1. No peril, no severe distress, ye Gods, affects the mortal man,Whom Aryaman and Mitra lead, and Varima, of one accord, beyond his foes.2 This very thing do we desire, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,Whereby ye guhrd the mortal man from sore distress, and lead him safe beyond his foes.3 These are, each one, our present helps, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.Best leaders, best deliverers to lead us on and bear as safe beyond our foes.4 Ye compass round and guard each man, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:In your dear keeping may we be, ye who are excellent as guides beyond our foes.5 Adityas are beyond all foes,-Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:Strong Rudra with the Marut host, Indra, Agni let us call for weal beyond our foes.6 These lead us safely over all, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman,These who are Kings of living men, over all troubles far away beyond our foes.7 May they give bliss to aid us well, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman:May the Adityas, when we pray, grant us wide shelter and defence beyond our foes.8 As in this place, O Holy Ones, ye Vasus freed even the Gaud when her feet were fettered.So free us now from trouble and affliction: and let our life be lengthened still, O Api.
HYMN CXXVII. Night.1. WITH all her eyes the Goddess Night looks forth approaching many a spot:She hath put all her glories on.2 Immortal. she hath filled the waste, the Goddess hath filled height and depth:
She conquers darkness with her light.3 The Goddess as she comes hath set the Dawn her Sister in her place:And then the darkness vanishes.4 So favour us this night, O thou whose pathways we have visitedAs birds their nest upon the tree.5 The villagers have sought their homes, and all that walks and all that flies,Even the falcons fain for prey.6 Keep off the she-wolf and the wolf, O Urmya, keep the thief away;Easy be thou for us to pass.7 Clearly hath she come nigh to me who decks the dark with richest hues:O Morning, cancel it like debts.8 These have I brought to thee like kine. O Night, thou Child of Heaven, acceptThis laud as for a conqueror.
HYMN CXXVIII. Visvedevas.1. LET me win glory, Agni, in our battles: enkindling thee, may we support our bodies.May the four regions bend and bow before me: with thee for guardian may we win in combat.2 May all the Gods be on my side in battle, the Maruts led by Indra, Visnu, Agni.Mine be the middle air's extended region, ani may the wind blow favouring these my wishes.3 May the Gods grant me riches; may the blessing and invocation of the Gods assist me.Foremost in fight be the divine Invokers: may we, unwounded, have brave heroes round us.4 For me let them present all mine oblations, and let my mind's intention be accomplished.May I he guiltless of the least transgression: and, all ye Go-is, do ye combine to bless us.5 Ye six divine Expanses, grant us freedom: here, all ye Gods, acquit yourselves like heroes.Let us not lose our children or our bodies: let us not benefit the foe, King Soma!6 Baffling the wrath of our opponents, Agni, guard us as our infallible Protector.Let these thy foes turn back and seek their houses, and let their thought who watch at home beruined.7 Lord of the world, Creator of creators the saviour God who overcomes the foeman.May Gods, Brhaspati, both Asvins shelter from ill thii sacrifice and sacrificer.8 Foodful, and much-invoked, at this our calling mty the great Bull vouchsafe us wide protection.Lord of Bay Coursers, Indra, blew our children: harm us not, give us riot as prey to others.9 Let those who are our foemen stay. afar from us: with Indra and with Agni we will drive them off.Vasus, Adityas, Rudras have exalted me, made me far-reaching, inighty, thinker, sovran lord.
HYMN CXXIX. Creation.1. THEN was not non-existent nor existent: there was no realm of air, no sky beyond it.What covered in, and where? and what gave shelter? Was water there, unfathomed depth of water?2 Death was not then, nor was there aught immortal: no sign was there, the day's and night's divider.That One Thing, breathless, breathed by its own nature: apart from it was nothing whatsoever.3 Darkness there was: at first concealed in darknew this All was indiscriminated chaos.All that existed then was void and form less: by the great power of Warmth was born that Unit.4 Thereafter rose Desire in the beginning, Desire, the primal seed and germ of Spirit.Sages who searched with their heart's thought discovered the existent's kinship in the non-existent.5 Transversely was their severing line extended: what was above it then, and what below it?There were begetters, there were mighty forces, free action here and energy up yonder6 Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes thiscreation?TheGods are later than this world's production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.
HYMN CXXX. Creation.1. THE sacrifice drawn out with threads on every side, stretched by a hundred sacred ministers andone,-This do these Fathers weave who hitherward are come: they sit beside the warp and cry, Weaveforth, weave back.2 The Man extends it and the Man unbinds it: even to this vault of heaven hath he outspun, it.These pegs are fastened to the seat of worship: they made the Sama-hymns their weaving shuttles.3 What were the rule, the order and the model? What were the wooden fender and the butter?What were the hymn, the chant, the recitation, when to the God all Deities paid worship?4 Closely was Gayatri conjoined with Agni, and closely Savitar combined with Usnih.Brilliant with Ukthas, Soma joined Anustup: Brhaspati's voice by Brhati was aided.5 Viraj adhered to Varuna and Mitra: here Tristup day by day was Indra's portion.Jagati entered all the Gods together: so by this knowledge men were raised to Rsis.6 So by this knowledge men were raised to Rsis, when ancient sacrifice sprang up, our Fathers.With the mind's eye I think that I behold them who first performed this sacrificial worship.7 They who were versed in ritual and metre, in hymns and rules, were the Seven Godlike Rsis.Viewing the path of those of old, the sages have taken up the reins like chariot-drivers.
HYMN CXXXI. Indra.1. DRIVE all our enemies away, O Indra, the western, mighty Conqueror, and the eastern.Hero, drive off our northern foes and southern, that we in thy wide shelter may be joyful.2 What then? As men whose fields are full of barley reap the ripe corn removing it in order,So bring the food of those men, bring it hither, who went not to prepare the grass for worship.3 Men come not with one horse at sacred seasons; thus they obtain no honour in assemblies.Sages desiring herds of kine and horses strengthen the mighty Indra for his friendship.4 Ye, Asvins, Lords of Splendour, drank full draughts of grateful Soma juice,And aided Indra in his work with Namuci of Asura birth.5 As parents aid a son, both Asvins, Indra, aided thee with their wondrous Powers and wisdom.When thou, with might. hadst drunk the draught that gladdens, Sarasvati, O Maghavan, refreshedthee.6 Indra is strong to save, rich in assistance may he, possessing all, be kind and gracious.May he disperse our foes and give us safety, and may we be the lords of hero vigou r.7 May we enjoy his favour, his the Holy may we enjoy his blessed loving kindness.May this rich Indra, as our good Protector, drive off and keep afar all those who hate us.
HYMN CXXXII. Mitra. Varuna.1. MAY Dyaus the Lord of lauded wealth, and Earth stand by the man who offers sacrifice,And may the Asvins, both the Gods, strengthen the worshipper with bliss.2 As such we honour you, Mitra and Varuna, with hasty zeal, most blest, you who sustain the folk.So may we, through your friendship for the worshipper, subdue the fiends.3 And when we seek to win your love and friendship, we.who have precious wealth in ourpossession,Or when the worshipper augments his riches let not his treasures be shut up4 That other, Asura! too was born of Heaven. thou art, O Varuna, the King of all men.The chariot's Lord was well content, forbearing to anger Death by sin so great.This sin hath Sakaputa here committed. Heroes who fled to their dear friend he slayeth,When the Steed bringeth down your grace and favour in bodies dear and worshipful.6 Your Mother Aditi, ye wise, was purified with water even as earth is purified from heaven.Show love and kindness here below: wash her in rays of heavenly light.
7 Ye Twain have seated you as Lords of Wealth, as one who mounts a car to him who sits upon thepole, upon the wood.These our disheartened tribes Nrmedhas saved from woe, Sumedhas saved from Woe.
HYMN CXXXIII. Indra.1. SING strength to Indra that shall set his chariot in the foremost place.Giver of room in closest fight, slayer of foes in shock of war, be thou our great encourager. Let theweak bowstrings break upon the bows of feeble enemies.2 Thou didst destroy the Dragon: thou sentest the rivers down to earth.Foeless, O Indra, wast thou born. Thou tendest well each choicest thing. Therefore we draw us closeto thee. Let the weak bowstrings break upon the bows of feeble enemies.3 Destroyed be all malignities and all our enemy's designs.Thy bolt thou castest, at the foe, O Indra, who would srnite us dead: thy liberal bounty gives uswealth.4 The robber people round about, Indra, who watch and aim at us,-Trample them down beneath thy foot; a conquering scatterer art thou.5 Whoso assails us, Indra, be the man a stranger or akin,Bring down, thyself, his strength although it be as vast as are the heavens.6 Close to thy friendship do we cling, O Indra, and depend, or, thee.Lead us beyond all pain and grief along the path of holy Law.7 Do thou bestow upon us her, O Indra, who yields according to the singer's longing,That the great Cow may, with exhaustless udder, pouring a thousand streams, give milk to feed us.
HYMN CXXXIV. Indra.1. As, like the Morning, thou hast filled, O Indra, both the earth and heaven.So as the Mighty One, great King of all the mighty world of men, the Goddess Mother brought theeforth, the Blessed Mother gave thee life.2 Relax that mortal's stubborn strength whose heart is bent on wickedness.Trample him down beneath thy feet who watches for and aims at us. The Goddess Mother broughtthee forth, the Blessed Mother gave thee life.3 Shake down, O Slayer of the foe, those great all splendid enemies.With all thy powers, O Sakra, all thine helps, O Indra, shake them down:4 As thou, O Satakratu, thou, O Indrv, shakest all things downAs wealth for him who sheds the juice, with thine assistance thousandfold.5 Around, on every side like drops of sweat let lightning-flashes fall.Let all malevolence pass away from us like threads of Darva grass.6 Thou bearest in thine hand a lance like a long hook, great Counsellor!As with his foremost foot a goat, draw down the branch, O Maghavan.7 Never, O Gods, do we offend, nor are we ever obstinate: we walk as holy texts command.Closely we clasp and cling to you, cling to your sides, beneath your arms.
HYMN CXXXV. Yama.1. IN the Tree clothed with goodly leaves where Yama drinketh with the Gods,The Father, Master of the house, tendeth with love our ancient Sires.2 I looked reluctantly on him who cherishes those men of old,On him who treads that evil path, and then I yearned for this again.3 Thou mountest, though thou dost not see, O Child, the new and wheel-less carWhich thou hast fashioned mentally, onepoled but turning every way.4 The car which thou hast made to roll hitherward from the Sages, Child!This hath the Saman followed close, hence, laid together on a ship.5 Who was the father of the child? Who made the chariot roll away?
Who will this day declare to us how the funeral gift was made?6 When the funeral gift was placed, straightway the point of flame appeared.A depth extended in the front: a passage out was made behind.7 Here is the seat where Yama dwells, that which is called the Home of Gods:Here minstrels blow the flute for him here he is glorified with songs.
HYMN CXXXVI. Kesins.1. HE with the long loose locks supports Agni, and moisture, heaven, and earth:He is all sky to look upon: he with long hair is called this light.2 The Munis, girdled with the wind, wear garments soiled of yellow hue.They, following the wind's swift course go where the Gods have gone before.3 Transported with our Munihood we have pressed on into the winds:You therefore, mortal men. behold our natural bodies and no more.4 The Muni, made associate in the holy work of every God,Looking upon all varied forms flies through the region of the air.5 The Steed of Vata, Vayu's friend, the Muni, by the Gods impelled,In both the oceans hath his home, in eastern and in western sea.6 Treading the path of sylvan beasts, Gandharvas, and Apsarases,He with long locks, who knows the wish, is a sweet most delightful friend7 Vayu hath churned for him: for him he poundeth things most hard to bend,When he with long loose locks hath drunk, with Rudra, water from the cup.
HYMN CXXXVII Visvedevas.1. YE Gods, raise up once more the man whom ye have humbled and brought low.O Gods, restore to life again the man who hatb committed sin.2 Two several winds are blowing here, from Sindhu, from a distant land.May one breathe energy to thee, the other blow disease away.3 Hither, O Wind, blow healing balm, blow all disease away, thou Wind;For thou who hast all medicine comest as envoy of the Gods.4 I am come nigh to thee with balms to give thee rest and keep thee safe.I bring thee blessed strength, I drive thy weakening malady away.5 Here let the Gods deliver him, the Maruts' band deliver him:All things that be deliver him that he be freed from his disease.6 The Waters have their healing power, the Waters drive disease away.The Waters have a balm for all: let them make medicine for thee.7 The tongue that leads the voice precedes. Then with our ten-fold branching hands,With these two chasers of disease we stroke thee with a gentle touch.
HYMN CXXXVIII. Indra.1. ALLIED with thee in friendship, Indra, these, thy priests, remembering Holy Law, rent Vrtra limbfrom limb,When they bestowed the Dawns and let the waters flow, and when thou didst chastise dragons atKutsa's call.2 Thou sentest forth productive powers, clavest the hills, thou dravest forth the kine, thou drankestpleasant meath.Thou gavest increase through this Tree's surpassing might. The Sun shone by the hymn that sprangfrom Holy Law.3 In the mid-way of heaven the Sun unyoked his car: the Arya found a match to meet his Dam foe.Associate with Rjisvan Indra overthrew the solid forts of Pipru, conjuring Asura.4 He boldly cast down forts which none had e'er assailed: unwearied he destroycd the godlesstreasure-stores.
Like Sun and Moon he took the stronghold's wealth away, and, praised in song, demolished foes withflashing dart.5 Armed with resistless weapons, with vast power to cleave, the Vrtra-slayer whets his darts anddeals fordi wounds.Bright Usas was afraid of Indra's slaughtering bolt: she went upon her way and left her chariot there.6 These are thy famous exploits, only thine, when thou alone hast left the other reft of sacrifice.Thou in the heavens hast set the ordering of the Moons: the Father bears the felly portioned out bythee.
HYMN CXXXIX. Savitar.1. SAVITAR, golden-haired, hath lifted eastward, bright With the sunbeams, his eternal lustre;He in whose energy wise Pusan marches, surveying all existence like a herdsman.2 Beholding men he sits amid the heaven filling the two world-halves and air's wide region.He looks upon the rich far-spreading pastures between the eastern and the western limit.3 He, root of wealth, the gatherer-up of treasures, looks with his might on every form and figure.Savitar, like a God.whose Law is constant, stands in the battle for the spoil like Indra.4 Waters from sacrifice came to the Gandharva Visvavasu, O Soma, when they saw him.Indra, approaching quickly, marked their going, and looked around upon the Sun's enclosures.5 This song Visvavasu shall sing us, meter of air's mid-realm celestial Gandharva,That we may know aright both truth and falsehood: may he inspire our thoughts and help ourpraises.6 In the floods' track he found the bootyseeker: the rocky cow-pen's doors he threw wide open.These, the Gandharva told him, Rowed with Amrta. Indra knew well the puissancc of the dragons.
HYMN CXL. Agni.1. AGNI, life-power and fame are thine: thy fires blaze mightily, thou rich in wealth of beams!Sage, passing bright, thou givest to the worshipper, with strength, the food that merits laud.2 With brilliant, purifying sheen, with perfect sheen thou liftest up thyself in light.Thou, visiting both thy Mothers, aidest them as Son: thou joinest close the earth and heaven.3 O Jatavedas, Son of Strength, rejoice ihyself, gracious, in our fair hymns and songs.In thee are treasured various forms of strengthening food, born nobly and of wondrous help.4 Agni, spread forth, as Ruler, over living things: give wealth to us, Immortal God.Thou shinest out from beauty fair to look upon: thou leadest us to conquering power.5 To him, the wise, who orders sacrifice, who hath great riches un der his control,Thou givest blest award of good, and plenteous food, givest him wealth that conquers all.6 The men have set before them them for their welfare Agni, strong, visible to all, the Holy.Thee, Godlike One, with ears to hear, most famous, men's generations magnify with praise-songs.
HYMN CXLI. Visvedevas.1. TURN hither, Agni, speak to us: come to us with a gracious mind.Enrich us, Master of the house: thou art the Giver of our wealth.2 Let Aryarnan vouchsafe us wealth, and Bhaga, and Brhaspati.Let the Gods give their gifts, and let Sunrta, Goddess, grant us wealth.3 We call King Soma to our aid, and Agni with our songs and hymns,Adityas, Visnu, Surya, and the Brahman Priest Brhaspati.4 Indra, Vayu, Brhaspati, Gods swift to listen, we invoke,That in the synod all the folk may be benevolent to us.5 Urge Aryaman to send us gifts, and Indra, and Brhaspati,Vata, Visnu, Sarasvati and the Strong Courser Savitar.6 Do thou, O Agni, with thy fires strengthen our prayer and sacrifice:Urge givers to bestow their wealth to aid our service of the Gods.
HYMN CXLII. Agni.1. WITH thee, O Agni, was this singer of the laud: he hath no other kinship, O thou Son of Strength.Thou givest blessed shelter with a triple guard. Keep the destructive lightning far away from us.2 Thy birth who seekest food is in the falling flood, Agni: as Comrade thou winnest all living things.Our coursers and our songs shall be victorious: they of themselves advance like one who guards theherd.3 And thou, O Agni, thou of Godlike nature, sparest the stones, while caring up the brushwood.Then are thy tracks like deserts in the corn-lands. Let us not stir to wrath thy mighty arrow.4 O'er hills through vales devouring as thou goest, thou partest like an army fain for bootyAs when a barber shaves a beard, thou shavest earth when the wind blows on thy flame and fans it.5 Apparent are his lines as he approaches the course is single, but the cars are many,When, Agni, thou, making thine arms resplendent, advancest o'er the land spread out beneath thee.6 Now let thy strength, thy burning flames fly upward, thine energies, O Agni, as thou toilest.Gape widely, bend thee, waxing in thy vigour: let all the Vasus sit this day beside thee.7 This is the waters' reservoir, the great abode of gathered streams.Take thou another path than this, and as thou listest walk thereon.8 On thy way hitherward and hence let flowery Durva grass spring upLet there be lakes with lotus blooms. These are the mansions of the flood.
HYMN CXLIII. Asvins.1. YE made that Atri, worn with eld, free as a horse to win the goal.When ye restored to youth and strength Kaksivan like a car renewed,2 Ye freed that Atri like a horse, and brought him newly-born to earth.Ye loosed him like a firm-tied knot which Gods unsoiled by dust had bound.3 Heroes who showed most wondrous power to Atri, strive to win fair songs;For then, O Heroes of the sky, your hymn of praise shall cease no more.4 This claims your notice, Bounteous Gods! - oblation, Asvins! and our love,That ye, O Heroes, in the fight may bring us safe to ample room.5 Ye Twain to Bhujyu tossed about in ocean at the region's end,Nasatyas, with your winged sterds came nigh, and gave him strength to win.6 Come with your joys, most liberal Gods, Lords of all treasures, bringing weal.Like fresh full waters to a well, so, Heroes come and be with us.
HYMN CXLIV. Indra.1. THIS deathless Indu, like a steed, strong and of full vitality,Belongs to thee, the Orderer.2 Here, by us, for the worshipper, is the wise bolt that works with skill.It brings the bubbling beverage as a dexterous man brings the effectual strong drink.3 Impetuous Ahisuva, a bull among cows of his,looked down upon the restless Hawk.4 That the strong-pinioned Bird hath brought, Child of the Falcon, from afar,What moves upon a hundred wheels along the female Dragon's path.5 Which, fair, unrobbed, the Falcon brought thee in his foot, the red-hued dwelling of the juice;Through this came vital power which lengthens out our days, and kinship through its help awoke.6 So Indra is by lndu's power; e'en among Gods will it repel great treachery.Wisdom, Most Sapient One, brings force that lengthens life. May wisdom bring the juice to us.
HYMN CXLV. Sapatnibadhanam.1. FROM out the earth I dig this plant, a herb of most effectual power,
Wherewith one quells the rival wife and gains the husband for oneself.2 Auspicious, with expanded leaves, sent by the Gods, victorious plant,Blow thou the rival wife away, and make my husband only mine.3 Stronger am 1, O Stronger One, yea, mightier than the mightier;And she who is my rival wife is lower than the lowest dames.4 Her very name I utter not: she takes no pleasure in this man.Far into distance most remote drive we the rival wife away.5 I am the conqueror, and thou, thou also act victorious:As victory attends us both we will subdue my fellow-wife.6 I have gained thee for vanquisher, have grasped thee with a stronger spell.As a cow hastens to her calf, so let thy spirit speed te me, hasten like water on its way.
HYMN CXLVI. Aranyani.1. GODDESS of wild and forest who seemest to vanish from the sight.How is it that thou seekest not the village? Art thou not afraid?2 What time the grasshopper replies and swells the shrill cicala's voice,Seeming to sound with tinkling bells, the Lady of the Wood exults.3 And, yonder, cattle seem to graze, what seems a dwelling-place appears:Or else at eve the Lady of the Forest seems to free the wains.4 Here one is calling to his cow, another there hath felled a tree:At eve the dweller in the wood fancies that somebody hath screamed.5 The Goddess never slays, unless some murderous enemy approach.Man eats of savoury fruit and then takes, even as he wills, his rest.6 Now have I praised the Forest Queen, sweet-scented, redolent of balm,The Mother of all sylvan things, who tills not but hath stores of food.
HYMN CXLVII Indra.1. I TRUST in thy first wrathful deed, O Indra, when thou slewest Vrtra and didst work to profit man;What time the two world-halves fell short of thee in might, and the earth trembled at thy force, OThunder-anned.2 Thou with thy magic powers didst rend the conjurer Vrtra, O Blameless One, with heart that longedfor fame.Heroes elect thee when they battle for the prey, thee in all sacrifices worthy of renown.3 God Much-invoked, take pleasure in these princes here, who, thine exalters, Maghavan, have cometo wealth.In synods, when the rite succeeds, they hymn the Strong for sons and progeny and richesundisturbed.4 That man shall find delight in well-protected wealth whose care provides for him the quick-soughtjoyous draught.Bringing oblations, strengthened Maghavan, by thee, he swiftly wins the spoil with heroes in thefight.5 Now for our band, O Maghavan, when lauded, make ample room with might, and grant us riches.Magician thou, our Varuna and Mitra, deal food to us, O Wondrous, as Dispenser.
HYMN CXLVIII. Indra.1. WHEN we have pressed the juice we laud thee, Indra, and when, Most Valorous we have won thebooty.Bring us prosperity, as each desires it under thine own protection may we conquer.2 Sublime from birth, mayst thou O Indra, Hero, with Surya overcome the Dasa races.As by a fountain's side, we bring the Soma that lay concealed, close-hidden in the waters.3 Answer the votary's hymns, for these thou knowest, craving the Rsis' prayer, thyself a SingerMay we be they who take delight in Somas: these with sweet food for thee, O Chariot-rider.
4 These holy prayers, O Indra, have I sung thee: grant to the men the strength of men, thou Hero.Be of one mind with those in whom thou joyest: keep thou the singers safe and their companions.5 Listen to Prthi's call, heroic Indra, and be thou lauded by the hymns of Venya,Him who hath sung thee to thine oil-rich dwelling, whose rolling songs have sped thee like a torrent.
HYMN CXLIX. Savitar.1. SAVITAR fixed the earth with bands to bind it, and made heaven stedfast where no propsupported.Savitar milked, as 'twere a restless courser, air, sea bound fast to what no foot had trodden.2 Well knoweth Savitar, O Child of Waters, where ocean, firmly fixt, o'erflowed its limit.Thence sprang the world, from that uprose the region: thence heaven spread out and the wide earthexpanded.3 Then, with a full crowd of Immortal Beings, this other realm came later, high and holy.First, verily, Savitar's strong-pinioned Eagle was born: and he obeys his law for ever.4 As warriors to their steeds, kine to their village, as fond milk giving cows approach their youngling,As man to wife, let Savitar come downward to us, heaven's bearer, Lord of every blessing.5 Like the Angirasa Hiranvastupa, I call thee, Savitar, to this achievement:So worshipping and lauding thee for favour I watch for thee as for the stalk of Soma.
HYMN CL. Agni.1. THOU, bearer of oblations, though kindled, art kindled for the Gods.With the Adityas, Rudras, Vasus, come to us: to show us favour come to us.2 Come hither and accept with joy this sacrifice and hymn of ours.O kindled God, we mortals are invoking thee, calling on thee to show us grace.3 I laud thee Jatavedas, thee Lord of all blessings, with my song.Agni, bring hitherward the Gods whose Laws we love, whose laws we love, to show us grace.4 Agni the God was made the great High-Priest of Gods, Rsis have kindled Agni, men of mortalmould.Agni I invocate for winning ample wealth. kindly disposed for winning wealth.5 Atri and Bharadvaja and Gavisthira, Kanva and Trasadasyu, in our fight he helped.On Agni calls Vasistha, even the household priest, the household priest to win his grace.
HYMN CLI. Faith.1. By Faith is Agni kindled, through Faith is oblation offered up.We celebrate with praises Faith upon the height of happiness.2 Bless thou the man who gives, O Faith; Faith, bless the man who fain would give.Bless thou the liberal worshippers: bless thou the word that I have said.3 Even as the Deities maintained Faith in the mighty Asuras,So make this uttered wish of mine true for the liberal worshippers.4 Guarded by Vayu, Gods and men who sacrifice draw near to Faith.Man winneth Faith by yearnings of the heart, and opulence by Faith.5 Faith in the early morning, Faith at noonday will we invocate,Faith at the setting of the Sun. O Faith, endow us with belief.
HYMN CLII. Indra.1. A MIGHTY Governor art thou, Wondrous, Destroyer of the foe,Whose friend is never done to death, and never, never overcome.2 Lord of the clan, who brings us bliss, Strong, Warrior, Slayer of the fiend,May India, Soma-drinker, go before us, Bull who gives us peace.3 Drive Raksasas and foes away, break thou in pieces Vrtra'sjaws:O Vrtra-slaying Indra, quell the foeman's wrath who threatens us.
4 O Indra, beat our foes away, humble the men who challenge us:Send down to nether darkness him who seeks to do us injury.5 Baffle the foeman's plan, ward off his weapon who would conquer us.Give shelter from his furious wrath, and keep his murdering dart afar.
HYMN CLIII. Indra.1. SWAYING about, the Active Ones came nigh to Indra at his birth,And shared his great heroic might.2 Based upon strength and victory and power, O Indra is thy birth:Thou, Mighty One, art strong indeed.3 Thou art the Vrtra-slayer, thou, Indra, hast spread the firmament:Thou hast with might upheld the heavens.4 Thou, Indra, bearest in thine arms the lightning that accords with thee,Whetting thy thunderbolt with might.5 Thou, Indra, art preeminent over all creatures in thy might:Thou hast pervaded every place.
HYMN CLIV. New Life.1. FOR some is Soma purified, some sit by sacrificial oil:To those for whom the meath flows forth, even to those let him depart.2 Invincible through Fervour, those whom Fervour hath advanced to heaven,Who showed great Fervour in their lives, -even to those let him depart.3 The heroes who contend in war and boldly cast their lives away,Or who give guerdon thousandfold, -even to those let him depart.4 Yea, the first followers of Law, Law's pure and holy strengtheners,The Fathers, Yama! Fervour-moved,even to those let him depart.5 Skilled in a thousand ways and means, the sages who protect the Sun,The Rsis, Yama! Fervour-moved,-even to those let him depart.
HYMN CLV. Various.1. ARAYI, one-eyed limping hag, fly, ever-screeching, to the hill.We frighten thee away with these, the heroes of Sirimbitha.2 Scared from this place and that is she, destroyer of each germ unborn.Go, sharp-horned Brahmanaspti and drive Arayi far away.3 Yon log that floats without a man to guide it on the river's edge,-Seize it, thou thing with hideous jaws, and go thou far away thereon.4 When, foul with secret stain and spot, ye hastened onward to the breast,All Indra's enemies were slain and passed away like froth and foam.5 These men have led about the cow, have duly carried Agni round,And raised their glory tg the Gods. Who will attack them with success?
HYMN CLVI. Agni.1. LET songs of ours speed Agni forth like a fleet courser in the race,And we will win each prize through him.2 Agni the dart whereby we gain kine for ourselves with help from thee,-That send us for the gain of wealth.3 O Agni, bring us wealth secure, vast wealth in horses and in kine:Oil thou the socket, turn the wheel.4 O Agni, thou hast made the Sun, Eternal Star, to mount the sky,Bestowing light on living men.
5 Thou, Agni, art the people's light, best, dearest, seated in thy shrine:Watch for the singer, give him life.
HYMN CLVII. Visvedevas.1. WE will, with Indra and all Gods to aid us, bring these existing worlds into subjection.2 Our sacrifice, our bodies, and our offspr. let Indra form together with Adityas.3 With the Adityas, with the band of Maruts, may Indra be Protector of our bodies.4 As when the Gods came, after they had slaughtered the Asuras, keeping safe their Godlike nature,5 Brought the Sun hitherward with mighty powers, and looked about them on their vigorousGodhead.
HYMN CLVIII. Surya.1. MAY Surya guard us out of heaven, and Vata from the firmament,And Agni from terrestrial spots.2 Thou Savitar whose flame deserves hundred libations, be thou pleased:From failing lightning keep us safe.3 May Savitar the God, and may Parvata also give us sight;May the Creator give us sight.4 Give sight unto our eye, give thou our bodies sight that they may see:May we survey, discern this world.5 Thus, Surya, may we look on thee, on thee most lovely to behold,See clearly with the eyes of men.
HYMN CLIX. Saci Paulomi.1. YON Sun hath mounted up, and this my happy fate hate mounted high.I knowing this, as conqueror have won my husband for mine own.2 I am the banner and the head, a mighty arbitress am I:I am victorious, and my Lord shall be submissive to my will.3 My Sons are slayers of the foe, my Daughter is a ruling Queen:I am victorious: o'er my Lord my song of triumph is supreme.4 Oblation, that which Indra gave and thus grew glorious and most high,-This have I offered, O ye Gods, and rid me of each rival wife.5 Destroyer of the rival wife, Sole Spouse, victorious, conqueror,The others' glory have I seized as 'twere the wealth of weaker Dames.6 I have subdued as conqueror these rivals, these my fellow-wives,That I may hold imperial sway over this Hero and the folk.
HYMN CLX. Indra.1. TASTE this strong draught enriched with offered viands: with all thy chariot here unyoke thyCoursers.Let not those other sacrificers stay thee, Indra: these juices shed for thee are ready.2 Thine is the juice effused, thine are the juices yet to be pressed: our resonant songs invite thee.O Indra, pleased to-day with this libation, come, thou who knowest all and drink the Soma.3 Whoso, devoted to the God, effuses Soma for him with yearning heart and spirit,-Never doth Indra give away his cattle: for him he makes the lovely Soma famous.4 He looks with Ioving favour on the mortal who, like a rich man, pours for him the Soma.Maghavan in his bended arm supports him: he slays, unasked, the men who hate devotion.5 We call on thee to come to us, desirous of goods and spoil, of cattle, and of horses.For thy new love and favour are we present: let us invoke thee, Indra, as our welfare.
HYMN CLXI. Indra.
1. FOR life I set thee free by this oblation from the unknown decline and from Consumption;Or, if the grasping demon have possessed him, free him from her, O Indra, thou and Agni.2 Be his days ended, be he now departed, be he brought very near to death already,Out of Destruction's lap again I bring him, save him for life to last a hundred autumns.3 With hundred-eyed oblation, hundred-autumned, bringing a hundred lives, have I restored him,That Indra for a hundred years may lead him safe to the farther shore of all misfortune.4 Live, waxing in thy strength, a hundred autumns, live through a hundred springs, a hundredwinters.Through hundred-lived oblation Indra, Agni, Brhaspati, Savitar yield him for a hundred!5 So have I found and rescued thee thou hast returned with youth renewed.Whole in thy members! I have found thy sight and all thy life for thee.
HYMN CLXII. Agni1. MAY Agni, yielding to our prayer, the Raksas-slayer, drive awayThe malady of evil name that hath beset thy labouring womb.2 Agni, concurring in the prayer, drive off the eater of the flesh,The malady of evil name that hath attacked thy babe and womb.3 That which destroys the sinking germ, the settled, moving embryo,That which will kill the babe at birth,even this will we drive far away.4 That which divides thy legs that it may lie between the married pair,That penetrates and licks thy side,-even this will we exterminate.5 What rests by thee in borrowed form of brother, lover, or of lord,And would destroy thy Progeny,-even this will we exterminate.6 That which through sleep or darkness hath deceived thee and lies down by thee,And will destroy thy progeny,--even this will we exterminate.
HYMN CLXIII1. FROM both thy nostrils, from thine eyes, from both thine ears and from thy chin,Forth from thy head and brain and tongue I drive thy malady away.2 From the neck-tendons and the neck, from the breast-bones and from the spine,From shoulders, upper, lower arms, I drive thy malady away.3 From viscera and all within, forth from the rectum, from the heart,From kidneys, liver, and from spleen, I drive thy malady away.4 From thighs, from knee-caps, and from heels, and from the forepart of the feet,From hips from stomach, and from groin I drive thy malady away.5 From what is voided from within, and from thy hair, and from they nails,From all thyself from top to toe, I drive thy malady away.6 From every member, every hair, disease that comes in every joint,From all thyself, from top to toe, I drive thy malady away.
HYMN CLXIV. Dream-charm.1. AVAUNT, thou Master of the mind Depart, and vanish far away.Look on Destruction far from hence. The live man's mind is manifold.2 A happy boon do men elect, a mighty blessing they obtain.Bliss with Vaivasvata they see. The live man's mind seeks many a place.3 If by address, by blame, by imprecation we have committed sin, awake or sleeping,All hateful acts of ours, all evil doings may Agni bear away to distant places.4 When, Indra, Brahmanaspati, our deeds are wrongful and unjust,May provident Angirasa prevent our foes from troubling, us.5 We have prevailed this day and won: we are made free from sin and guilt.
Ill thoughts, that visit us awake or sleeping, seize the man we hate, yea, seize the man who hatethus.
HYMN CLXV. Visvedevas.1. GODS, whatsoe'er the Dove came hither seeking, sent to us as the envoy of Destruction,For that let us sing hymns and make atonement. Well be it with our quadrupeds and bipeds.2 Auspicious be the Dove that hath been sent us, a harmless bird, ye Gods, within our dwelling.May Agni, Sage, be pleased with our oblation, and may the Missile borne on wings avoid us.3 Let not the Arrow that hath wings distract us: beside the fire-place, on the hearth it settles.May, it bring welfare to our men and cattle: here let the Dove, ye Gods, forbear to harm us.4 The screeching of the owl is ineffective and when beside the fire the Dove hath settled,To him who sent it hithcr as an envoy, to him be reverence paid, to Death, to Yama.5 Drive forth the Dove, chase it with holy verses: rejoicing, bring ye hither food and cattle,Barring the way against all grief and trouble. Let the swift bird fly forth and leave us vigour.
HYMN CLXVI. Sapatnanasanam.1. MAKE me a bull among my peers, make me my rivals, conqueror:Make me the slayer of my foes, a sovran ruler, lord of kine2 I am my rivals' slayer, like Indra unwounded and unhurt,And all these enemies of mine are vanquished and beneath my feet.3 Here, verily, I bind you fast, as the two bow-ends with the string.Press down these men, O Lord of Speech, that they may humbly speak to me.4 Hither I came as conqueror with mighty all-effecting power,And I have mastered all your thought, your synod, and your holy work.5 May I be highest, having gained your strength in war, your skill in peacemy feet have trodden on your heads.Speak to me from beneath my feet, as frogs from out the water croak, as frogs from out the watercroak.
HYMN CLXVII. Indra.1. THIS pleasant meath, O Indra, is effused for thee: thou art the ruling Lord of beaker and of juice.Bestow upon us wealth with many hero sons: thou, having glowed with Fervour, wortnest heavenlylight.2 Let us call Sakra to libations here effused, winner of light who joyeth in the potent juice.Mark well this sacrifice of ours and come to us: we pray to Maghavan the Vanquisher of hosts.3 By royal Soma's and by Varuna's decree, under Brhaspati's and Anumati's guard,This day by thine authority, O Maghavan, Maker, Disposer thou! have I enjoyed the jars.4 1, too, urged on, have had my portion, in the bowl, and as first Prince I drew forth this my hymn ofpraise,When with the prize I came unto the flowing juice, O Visvamitra, Jamadagni, to your home.
HYMN CLXVIII. Vayu.1. O THE Wind's chariot, O its power and glory! Crashing it goes and hath a voice of thunder.It makes the regions red and touches heaven, and as it moves the dust of earth is scattered.2 Along the traces of the Wind they hurry, they come to him as dames to an assembly.Borne on his car with these for his attendants, the God speeds forth, the universe's Monarch.3 Travelling on the paths of air's midregion, no single day doth he take rest or slumber.Holy and earliest-born, Friend of fhe waters, where did he spring and from what region came he?4 Germ of the world, the Deities' vital spirit, this God moves ever as his will inclines him.His voice is heard, his shape is ever viewless. Let us adore this Wind with our oblation.
HYMN CLXIX. COWS.1. MAY the wind blow upon our Cows with healing: may they eat herbage full of vigorous juices.May they drink waters rich in life and fatness: to food that moves on feet be gracious, Rudra.2 Like-coloured, various-hued, or single-coloured, whose names through sacrifice are known to Agni,Whom the Angirases produced by Fervour,vouchsafe to these, Parjanya, great protection.3 Those who have offered to the Gods their bodies, whose varied forms are all well known to Soma,-Those grant us in our cattle-pen, O Indra, with their full streams of milk and plenteous offspring.4 Prajapati, bestowing these upon me, one-minded with all Gods and with the Fathers,Hath to our cow-pen brought auspicious cattle: so may we own the offspring they will bear us.
HYMN CLXX. Surya.1. MAY the Bright God drink glorious Soma-mingled meath, giving the sacrifice's lord uninjured life;He who, wind-urged, in person guards our offspring well, hath nourished them with food and shineso'er many a land.2 Radiant, as high Truth, cherished, best at winning strength, Truth based upon the statute thatsupports the heavens,He rose, a light, that kills Vrtras and enemies, best slayer of the Dasyus, Asuras, and foes.3 This light, the best of lights, supreme, all-conquering, winner of riches, is exalted with high laud.All-lighting, radiant, mighty as the Sun to see, he spreadeth wide unfailing victory and strength.4 Beaming forth splendour with thy light, thou hast attained heaven's lustrous realm.By thee were brought together all existing things, possessor of all Godhead, All-effecting God.
HYMN CLXXI. Indra.1. FOR Ita's sake who pressed the juice, thou, Indra, didst protect his car,And hear the Soma-giver's call.2 Thou from his skin hast borne the head of the swift-moving combatant,And sought the Soma-pourer's home.3 Venya, that mortal man, hast thou, for Astrabudhna the devout,O Indra, many a time set free.4 Bring, Indra, to the east again that Sun who now is in the west,Even against the will of Gods.
HYMN CLXXII. Dawn.1. WITH all thy beauty come: the kine approaching with full udders follow on thy path.2 Come with kind thoughts, most liberal, rousing the warrior's hymn of praise, with bounteous ones,3 As nourishers we tie the thread, and, liberal with our bounty, offer sacrifice.4 Dawn drives away her Sister's gloom, and, through her excellence, makes her retrace her path.
HYMN CLXXIII. The King.1. BE with us; I have chosen thee: stand stedfast and immovable.Let all the people wish for thee let not thy kingship fall away.2 Be even here; fall not away be like a mountain unremoved.Stand stedfast here like Indra's self, and hold the kingship in the grasp.3 This man hath Indra stablished, made secure by strong oblation's power.May Soma speak a benison, and Brahmanaspati, on him.4 Firm is the sky and firm the earth, and stedfast also are these hills.Stedfast is all this living world, and stedfast is this King of men.5 Stedfast, may Varuna the King, stedfast, the God Brhaspati,Stedfast, may Indra, stedfast too, may Agni keep thy stedfast reign.6 On constant Soma let us think with constant sacrificial giftAnd then may Indra make the clans bring tribute unto thee alone.
HYMN CLXXIV. The King.1. WITH offering for success in fight whence Indra was victorious.With this, O Brahmanaspati, let us attain to royal sway.2 Subduing those who rival us, subduing all malignities,Withstand the man who menaces, withstand the man who angers us.3 Soma and Savitar the God have made thee a victorious KingAll elements have aided thee, to make thee general conqueror.4 Oblation, that which Indra. gave and thus grew glorious and most high,-This have I offered, Gods! and hence now, verily, am rivalless.5 Slayer of rivals, rivalless, victorious, with royal sway,Over these beings may I rule, may I be Sovran of the folk.
HYMN CLXXV. Press-stones.I. MAY Savitar the God, O Stones, stir you according to the Law:Be harnessed to the shafts, and press.2 Stones, drive calamity away, drive ye away malevolence:Make ye the Cows our medicine.3 Of one accord the upper Stones, giving the Bull his bull-like strength,Look down with pride on those below.4 May Savitar the God, O Stones, stir you as Law commands for himWho sacrifices, pouring juice.
HYMN CLXXVI. Agni.1. WITH hymns of praise their sons have told aloud the Rbhus' mighty deeds.Who, all-supporting, have enjoyed the earth as, twere a mother cow.2 Bring forth the God with song divine, being Jatavedas hitherward,To bear our gifts at once to heaven.3 He here, a God-devoted Priest, led forward comes to sacrifice.Like a car covered for the road, he, glowing, knows, himself, the way.4 This Agni rescues from distress, as 'twere from the Immortal Race,A God yet mightier than strength, a God who hath been made for life.
HYMN CLXXVII. Mayabheda.1. THE sapient with their spirit and their mind behold the Bird adorned with all an Asura's magicmight.Sages observe him in the ocean's inmost depth: the wise disposers seek the station of his rays.2 The flying Bird bears Speech within his spirit: erst the Gandharva in the womb pronounced it:And at the seat of sacrifice the sages cherish this radiant, heavenly-bright invention.3 I saw the Herdsman, him who never resteth, approaching and departing on his pathways.He, clothed in gathered and diffusive splendour, within the worlds continually travels.
HYMN CLXXVIII. Tarksya.1. THIS very mighty one whom Gods commission, the Conqueror of cars, ever triumphant,Swift, fleet to battle, with uninjured fellies, even Tarksya for our weal will we call hither.2 As though we offered up our gifts to Indra, may we ascend. him as a ship. for safety.Like the two wide worlds, broad, deep far-extended, may we be safe both when he comes and leavesyou.3 He who with might the Five Lands hath pervaded, like Surya with his lustre, and the waters-His strength wins hundreds, thousands none avert it, as- the young maid repelleth not her lover.
HYMN CLXXIX. Indra.1. Now lift ye up yourselves and look on Indra's seasonable share.If it be ready, offer it; unready, ye have been remise.2 Oblation is prepared: come to us, Indra; the Sun hath travelled over half his journey.Friends with their stores are sitting round thee waiting like lords of clans for the tribe's wanderingchieftain.3 Dressed in the udder and on fire, I fancy; well-dressed, I fancy, is this recent present.Drink, Indra, of the curd of noon's libation with favour, Thunderer, thou whose deeds are mighty.
HYMN CLXXX. Indra.1. O MUCH-INVOKED, thou hast subdued thy foemen: thy might is loftiest; here display thy bounty.In thy right hand, O Indra, bring us treasures: thou art the Lord of rivers filled with riches.2 Like a dread wild beast roaming on the mountain thou hast approached us from the farthestdistance.Whetting thy bold and thy sharp blade, O Indra, crush thou the foe and scatter those who hate us.3 Thou, mighty Indra, sprangest into being as strength for lovely lordship o'er the people.Thou drovest off the folk who were unfriendly, and to the Gods thou gavest room and freedom.
HYMN CLXXXl. Visvedevas.1. VASISTHA mastered the Rathantara, took it from radiant Dhatar, Savitar, and Visnu,Oblation, portion of fourfold oblation, known by the names of Saprathas and Prathas.2. These sages found what lay remote and hidden, the sacrifice's loftiest secret essence.From radiant Dhatar, Savitar, and Visnu, from Agni, Bharadvaja brought the Brhat.3 They found with mental eyes the earliest Yajus, a pathway to the Gods, that had descended.From radiant Dhitar, Savitar, and Visnu, from Surya did these sages bring the Gharma.
HYMN CLXXXII. Brhaspati.1. BRHASPATI lead us safely over troubless and turn his evil thought against the sinner;Repel the curse, and drive away ill-feeling, and give the sacrificer peace and cornfort!2 May Naratarhsa aid us at Prayaja: blest be our Anuyaja at invokings.May he repel the curse, and chase ill-feeling, and give the sacrificer peace and comfort.3 May he whose head is flaming burn the demons, haters of prayer, so that the arrow slay them.May he repel the curse and chase ill-feeling, and give the sacrificer peace and comfort.
HYMN CLXXXIII. The Sacrificer, Etc.1. I SAW thee meditating in thy spirit what sprang from Fervour and hath thence developed.Bestowing offspring here, bestowing riches, spread in thine offspring, thou who cravest children.2 I saw thee pondering in thine heart, and praying that in due time thy body might be fruitful.Come as a youthful woman, rise to meet me: spread in thine offspring, thou who cravest children.3 In plants and herbs, in all existent beings I have deposited the germ of increase.All progeny on earth have I engendered, and sons in women who will be hereafter.
HYMN CLXXXIV.1. MAY Visnu form and mould the womb, may Tvastar duly shape the forms,Prajapati infuse the stream, and Dhatar lay the germ for thee.2 O Sinivali, set the germ, set thou the germ, Sarasvati:May the Twain Gods bestow the germ, the Asvins crowned with lotuses.3 That which the Asvins Twain rub forth with the attrition-sticks of gold,-That germ of thine we invocate, that in the tenth month thou mayst bear.
HYMN CLXXXV. Aditi. 1. GREAT, unassailable must he the heavenly favour of' Three Gods,Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman.2 O'er these, neither at home nor yet abroad or pathways that are Strange,The evil-minded foe hath power3 Nor over him,. the man on whom the Sons of Aditi bestow Eternal light that he may live.
HYMN CLXXXVI. Vayu.1. FILLING our hearts with health and joy, may Vata breathe his balm on usMay he prolong our days of life.2 Thou art our Father, Vata, yea, thou art a Brother and a friend,So give us strength that we may live.3 The store of Amrta laid away yonder, O Vata, in thine home,-Give us thereof that we may live.
HYMN CLXXXVII. Agni.1. To Agni send I forth my song, to him the Bull of all the folk:So may he bear us past our foes.2 Who from the distance far away shines brilliantly across the wastes:So may he bear us past our foes.3 The Bull with brightly-gleaming flame who utterly consumes the fiendsSo may he bear us past our foes.4 Who looks on all existing things and comprehends them with his view:So may he bear us past our foes.5 Resplendent Agni, who was born in farthest region of the air:So may he bear us past our foes.
HYMN CLXXXVIII. Agni.1. Now send ye Jatavedas forth, send hitherward the vigorous SteedTo seat him on our sacred grass.2. I raise the lofty eulogy of Jatavedas, raining boons,With sages for his hero band.3 With flames of Jatavedas which carry oblation to the Gods,May he promote our sacrifice.
HYMN CLXXXIX. Surya.1. THIS spotted Bull hath come, and sat before the Mother in the east,Advancing to his Father heaven.2 Expiring when he draws his breath, she moves along the lucid spheres:The Bull shines out through all the sky.3 Song is bestowed upon the Bird: it rules supreme through thirty realmsThroughout the days at break of morn.
HYMN CXC. Creation.1. FROM Fervour kindled to its height Eternal Law and Truth were born:Thence was the Night produced, and thence the billowy flood of sea arose.2 From that same billowy flood of sea the Year was afterwards produced,Ordainer of the days nights, Lord over all who close the eye.3 Dhatar, the great Creator, then formed in due order Sun and Moon.He formed in order Heaven and Earth, the regions of the air, and light
HYMN CXCI. Agni.1. THOU, mighty Agni, gatherest up all that is precious for thy friend.Bring us all treasures as thou art enkindled in libation's place2 Assemble, speak together: let your minds be all of one accord,As ancient Gods unanimous sit down to their appointed share.3 The place is common, common the assembly, common the mind, so be their thought united.A common purpose do I lay before you, and worship with your general oblation.4 One and the same bt your resolve, and be your minds of one accord.United be the thoughts of all that all may happily agree.http://www.sanskritweb.net

Book 1    


1-1. The Master said, "Is it not pleasant to learn with a constant perseverance and application?
"Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?

"Is he not a man of complete virtue, who feels no discomposure though men may take no note of him?"


1-2. The philosopher Yu said, "They are few who, being filial and fraternal, are fond of offending against their superiors. There have been none, who, not liking to offend against their superiors, have been fond of stirring up confusion.

"The superior man bends his attention to what is radical. That being established, all practical courses naturally grow up. Filial piety and fraternal submission,-are they not the root of all benevolent actions?"


1-3. The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue."


1-4. The philosopher Tsang said, "I daily examine myself on three points:-whether, in transacting business for others, I may have been not faithful;-whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere;-whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher."


1-5. The Master said, "To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons."


1-6. The Master said, "A youth, when at home, should be filial, and, abroad, respectful to his elders. He should be earnest and truthful. He should overflow in love to all, and cultivate the friendship of the good. When he has time and opportunity, after the performance of these things, he should employ them in polite studies."


1-7. Tsze-hsia said, "If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if, in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere:-although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.


1-8. The Master said, "If the scholar be not grave, he will not call forth any veneration, and his learning will not be solid.

"Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.

"Have no friends not equal to yourself.

"When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."


1-9. The philosopher Tsang said, "Let there be a careful attention to perform the funeral rites to parents, and let them be followed when long gone with the ceremonies of sacrifice;-then the virtue of the people will resume its proper excellence."


1-10. Tsze-ch'in asked Tsze-kung saying, "When our master comes to any country, he does not fail to learn all about its government. Does he ask his information? or is it given to him?"

Tsze-kung said, "Our master is benign, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant and thus he gets his information. The master's mode of asking information,-is it not different from that of other men?"


1-11. The Master said, "While a man's father is alive, look at the bent of his will; when his father is dead, look at his conduct. If for three years he does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."


1-12. The philosopher Yu said, "In practicing the rules of propriety, a natural ease is to be prized. In the ways prescribed by the ancient kings, this is the excellent quality, and in things small and great we follow them.

"Yet it is not to be observed in all cases. If one, knowing how such ease should be prized, manifests it, without regulating it by the rules of propriety, this likewise is not to be done."


1-13. The philosopher Yu said, "When agreements are made according to what is right, what is spoken can be made good. When respect is shown according to what is proper, one keeps far from shame and disgrace. When the parties upon whom a man leans are proper persons to be intimate with, he can make them his guides and masters."


1-14. The Master said, "He who aims to be a man of complete virtue in his food does not seek to gratify his appetite, nor in his dwelling place does he seek the appliances of ease; he is earnest in what he is doing, and careful in his speech; he frequents the company of men of principle that he may be rectified:-such a person may be said indeed to love to learn."


1-15. Tsze-kung said, "What do you pronounce concerning the poor man who yet does not flatter, and the rich man who is not proud?" The Master replied, "They will do; but they are not equal to him, who, though poor, is yet cheerful, and to him, who, though rich, loves the rules of propriety."

Tsze-kung replied, "It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'As you cut and then file, as you carve and then polish.'-The meaning is the same, I apprehend, as that which you have just expressed."

The Master said, "With one like Ts'ze, I can begin to talk about the odes. I told him one point, and he knew its proper sequence."

The Master said, "I will not be afflicted at men's not knowing me; I will be afflicted that I do not know men."



Book 2    


2-1. The Master said, "He who exercises government by means of his virtue may be compared to the north polar star, which keeps its place and all the stars turn towards it."

2-2. The Master said, "In the Book of Poetry are three hundred pieces, but the design of them all may be embraced in one sentence 'Having no depraved thoughts.'"


2-3. The Master said, "If the people be led by laws, and uniformity sought to be given them by punishments, they will try to avoid the punishment, but have no sense of shame.

"If they be led by virtue, and uniformity sought to be given them by the rules of propriety, they will have the sense of shame, and moreover will become good."


2-4. The Master said, "At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning.

"At thirty, I stood firm.

"At forty, I had no doubts.

"At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven.

"At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth.

"At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right."


2-5. Mang I asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "It is not being disobedient."

Soon after, as Fan Ch'ih was driving him, the Master told him, saying, "Mang-sun asked me what filial piety was, and I answered him,-'not being disobedient.'"

Fan Ch'ih said, "What did you mean?" The Master replied, "That parents, when alive, be served according to propriety; that, when dead, they should be buried according to propriety; and that they should be sacrificed to according to propriety."


2-6. Mang Wu asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "Parents are anxious lest their children should be sick."


2-7. Tsze-yu asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The filial piety nowadays means the support of one's parents. But dogs and horses likewise are able to do something in the way of support;-without reverence, what is there to distinguish the one support given from the other?"


2-8. Tsze-hsia asked what filial piety was. The Master said, "The difficulty is with the countenance. If, when their elders have any troublesome affairs, the young take the toil of them, and if, when the young have wine and food, they set them before their elders, is THIS to be considered filial piety?"


2-9. The Master said, "I have talked with Hui for a whole day, and he has not made any objection to anything I said;-as if he were stupid. He has retired, and I have examined his conduct when away from me, and found him able to illustrate my teachings. Hui!-He is not stupid."


2-10. The Master said, "See what a man does.

"Mark his motives.

"Examine in what things he rests.

"How can a man conceal his character? How can a man conceal his character?"


2-11. The Master said, "If a man keeps cherishing his old knowledge, so as continually to be acquiring new, he may be a teacher of others."


2-12. The Master said, "The accomplished scholar is not a utensil."


2-13. Tsze-kung asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, "He acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions."


2-14. The Master said, "The superior man is catholic and not partisan. The mean man is partisan and not catholic."


2-15. The Master said, "Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous."


2-16. The Master said, "To attack a task from the wrong end can do nothing but harm."


2-17. The Master said, "Yu, shall I teach you what knowledge is? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it; and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it;-this is knowledge."


2-18. Tsze-chang was learning with a view to official emolument.

The Master said, "Hear much and put aside the points of which you stand in doubt, while you speak cautiously at the same time of the others:-then you will afford few occasions for blame. See much and put aside the things which seem perilous, while you are cautious at the same time in carrying the others into practice: then you will have few occasions for repentance. When one gives few occasions for blame in his words, and few occasions for repentance in his conduct, he is in the way to get emolument."


2-19. Duke Ai asked, saying, "What should be done in order to secure the submission of the people?"

Confucius replied, "Advance the upright and set aside the crooked, then the people will submit. Advance the crooked and set aside the upright, then the people will not submit."


2-20. Chi K'ang asked how to cause the people to reverence their ruler, to be faithful to him, and to go on to nerve themselves to virtue.

The Master said, "Let him preside over them with gravity;-then they will reverence him. Let him be final and kind to all;-then they will be faithful to him. Let him advance the good and teach the incompetent;-then they will eagerly seek to be virtuous."


2-21. Some one addressed Confucius, saying, "Sir, why are you not engaged in the government?"

The Master said, "What does the Book of History. say of filial piety?-'You are final, you discharge your brotherly duties. These qualities are displayed in government.' This then also constitutes the exercise of government. Why must there be THAT-making one be in the government?"


2-22. The Master said, "I do not know how a man without truthfulness is to get on. How can a large carriage be made to go without the crossbar for yoking the oxen to, or a small carriage without the arrangement for yoking the horses?"


2-23. Tsze-chang asked whether the affairs of ten ages from now could be known.

Confucius said, "The Yin dynasty followed the regulations of the Hsia: wherein it took from or added to them may be known. The Chau dynasty has followed the regulations of Yin: wherein it took from or added to them may be known. Some other may follow the Chau, but though it should be at the distance of a hundred ages, its affairs may be known."


2-24. The Master said, "For a man to sacrifice to a spirit which does not belong to him is flattery.

"To see what is right and not to do it is want of courage."



Book 3    


3-1. Confucius said of the head of the Chi family, who had eight rows of pantomimes in his area, "If he can bear to do this, what may he not bear to do?"

3-2. The three families used the Yungode, while the vessels were being removed, at the conclusion of the sacrifice. The Master said, "'Assisting are the princes;-the son of heaven looks profound and grave';-what application can these words have in the hall of the three families?"


3-3. The Master said, "If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with the rites of propriety? If a man be without the virtues proper to humanity, what has he to do with music?"


3-4. Lin Fang asked what was the first thing to be attended to in ceremonies.

The Master said, "A great question indeed!

"In festive ceremonies, it is better to be sparing than extravagant. In the ceremonies of mourning, it is better that there be deep sorrow than in minute attention to observances."


3-5. The Master said, "The rude tribes of the east and north have their princes, and are not like the States of our great land which are without them."


3-6. The chief of the Chi family was about to sacrifice to the T'ai mountain. The Master said to Zan Yu, "Can you not save him from this?" He answered, "I cannot." Confucius said, "Alas! will you say that the T'ai mountain is not so discerning as Lin Fang?"


3-7. The Master said, "The student of virtue has no contentions. If it be said he cannot avoid them, shall this be in archery? But he bows complaisantly to his competitors; thus he ascends the hall, descends, and exacts the forfeit of drinking. In his contention, he is still the Chun-tsze."


3-8. Tsze-hsia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the passage-'The pretty dimples of her artful smile! The well-defined black and white of her eye! The plain ground for the colors?'"

The Master said, "The business of laying on the colors follows the preparation of the plain ground."

"Ceremonies then are a subsequent thing?" The Master said, "It is Shang who can bring out my meaning. Now I can begin to talk about the Odes with him."


3-9. The Master said, "I could describe the ceremonies of the Hsia dynasty, but Chi cannot sufficiently attest my words. I could describe the ceremonies of the Yin dynasty, but Sung cannot sufficiently attest my words. They cannot do so because of the insufficiency of their records and wise men. If those were sufficient, I could adduce them in support of my words."


3-10. The Master said, "At the great sacrifice, after the pouring out of the libation, I have no wish to look on."


3-11. Some one asked the meaning of the great sacrifice. The Master said, "I do not know. He who knew its meaning would find it as easy to govern the kingdom as to look on this"-pointing to his palm.


3-12. He sacrificed to the dead, as if they were present. He sacrificed to the spirits, as if the spirits were present.

The Master said, "I consider my not being present at the sacrifice, as if I did not sacrifice."


3-13. Wang-sun Chia asked, saying, "What is the meaning of the saying, 'It is better to pay court to the furnace then to the southwest corner?'"

The Master said, "Not so. He who offends against Heaven has none to whom he can pray."


3-14. The Master said, "Chau had the advantage of viewing the two past dynasties. How complete and elegant are its regulations! I follow Chau."


3-15. The Master, when he entered the grand temple, asked about everything. Some one said, "Who say that the son of the man of Tsau knows the rules of propriety! He has entered the grand temple and asks about everything." The Master heard the remark, and said, "This is a rule of propriety."


3-16. The Master said, "In archery it is not going through the leather which is the principal thing;-because people's strength is not equal. This was the old way."


3-17. Tsze-kung wished to do away with the offering of a sheep connected with the inauguration of the first day of each month.

The Master said, "Ts'ze, you love the sheep; I love the ceremony."


3-18. The Master said, "The full observance of the rules of propriety in serving one's prince is accounted by people to be flattery."


3-19. The Duke Ting asked how a prince should employ his ministers, and how ministers should serve their prince. Confucius replied, "A prince should employ his minister according to according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with faithfulness."


3-20. The Master said, "The Kwan Tsu is expressive of enjoyment without being licentious, and of grief without being hurtfully excessive."


3-21. The Duke Ai asked Tsai Wo about the altars of the spirits of the land. Tsai Wo replied, "The Hsia sovereign planted the pine tree about them; the men of the Yin planted the cypress; and the men of the Chau planted the chestnut tree, meaning thereby to cause the people to be in awe."

When the Master heard it, he said, "Things that are done, it is needless to speak about; things that have had their course, it is needless to remonstrate about; things that are past, it is needless to blame."


3-22. The Master said, "Small indeed was the capacity of Kwan Chung!"

Some one said, "Was Kwan Chung parsimonious?" "Kwan," was the reply, "had the San Kwei, and his officers performed no double duties; how can he be considered parsimonious?"

"Then, did Kwan Chung know the rules of propriety?" The Master said, "The princes of States have a screen intercepting the view at their gates. Kwan had likewise a screen at his gate. The princes of States on any friendly meeting between two of them, had a stand on which to place their inverted cups. Kwan had also such a stand. If Kwan knew the rules of propriety, who does not know them?"


3-23. The Master instructing the grand music master of Lu said, "How to play music may be known. At the commencement of the piece, all the parts should sound together. As it proceeds, they should be in harmony while severally distinct and flowing without break, and thus on to the conclusion."


3-24. The border warden at Yi requested to be introduced to the Master, saying, "When men of superior virtue have come to this, I have never been denied the privilege of seeing them." The followers of the sage introduced him, and when he came out from the interview, he said, "My friends, why are you distressed by your master's loss of office? The kingdom has long been without the principles of truth and right; Heaven is going to use your master as a bell with its wooden tongue."


3-25. The Master said of the Shao that it was perfectly beautiful and also perfectly good. He said of the Wu that it was perfectly beautiful but not perfectly good.


3-26. The Master said, "High station filled without indulgent generosity; ceremonies performed without reverence; mourning conducted without sorrow;-wherewith should I contemplate such ways?"



Book 4    


4-1. The Master said, "It is virtuous manners which constitute the excellence of a neighborhood. If a man in selecting a residence do not fix on one where such prevail, how can he be wise?"

4-2. The Master said, "Those who are without virtue cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue."


4-3. The Master said, "It is only the truly virtuous man, who can love, or who can hate, others."


4-4. The Master said, "If the will be set on virtue, there will be no practice of wickedness."


4-5. The Master said, "Riches and honors are what men desire. If they cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If they cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided.

"If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfill the requirements of that name?

"The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it."


4-6. The Master said, "I have not seen a person who loved virtue, or one who hated what was not virtuous. He who loved virtue, would esteem nothing above it. He who hated what is not virtuous, would practice virtue in such a way that he would not allow anything that is not virtuous to approach his person.

"Is any one able for one day to apply his strength to virtue? I have not seen the case in which his strength would be insufficient.

"Should there possibly be any such case, I have not seen it."


4-7. The Master said, "The faults of men are characteristic of the class to which they belong. By observing a man's faults, it may be known that he is virtuous."


4-8. The Master said, "If a man in the morning hear the right way, he may die in the evening hear regret."


4-9. The Master said, "A scholar, whose mind is set on truth, and who is ashamed of bad clothes and bad food, is not fit to be discoursed with."


4-10. The Master said, "The superior man, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow."


4-11. The Master said, "The superior man thinks of virtue; the small man thinks of comfort. The superior man thinks of the sanctions of law; the small man thinks of favors which he may receive."


4-12. The Master said: "He who acts with a constant view to his own advantage will be much murmured against."


4-13. The Master said, "If a prince is able to govern his kingdom with the complaisance proper to the rules of propriety, what difficulty will he have? If he cannot govern it with that complaisance, what has he to do with the rules of propriety?"


4-14. The Master said, "A man should say, I am not concerned that I have no place, I am concerned how I may fit myself for one. I am not concerned that I am not known, I seek to be worthy to be known."


4-15. The Master said, "Shan, my doctrine is that of an all-pervading unity." The disciple Tsang replied, "Yes."

The Master went out, and the other disciples asked, saying, "What do his words mean?" Tsang said, "The doctrine of our master is to be true to the principles-of our nature and the benevolent exercise of them to others,-this and nothing more."


4-16. The Master said, "The mind of the superior man is conversant with righteousness; the mind of the mean man is conversant with gain."


4-17. The Master said, "When we see men of worth, we should think of equaling them; when we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves."


4-18. The Master said, "In serving his parents, a son may remonstrate with them, but gently; when he sees that they do not incline to follow his advice, he shows an increased degree of reverence, but does not abandon his purpose; and should they punish him, he does not allow himself to murmur."


4-19. The Master said, "While his parents are alive, the son may not go abroad to a distance. If he does go abroad, he must have a fixed place to which he goes."


4-20. The Master said, "If the son for three years does not alter from the way of his father, he may be called filial."


4-21. The Master said, "The years of parents may by no means not be kept in the memory, as an occasion at once for joy and for fear."


4-22. The Master said, "The reason why the ancients did not readily give utterance to their words, was that they feared lest their actions should not come up to them."


4-23. The Master said, "The cautious seldom err."


4-24. The Master said, "The superior man wishes to be slow in his speech and earnest in his conduct."


4-25. The Master said, "Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors."


4-26. Tsze-yu said, "In serving a prince, frequent remonstrances lead to disgrace. Between friends, frequent reproofs make the friendship distant."



Book 5    


5-1. The Master said of Kung-ye Ch'ang that he might be wived; although he was put in bonds, he had not been guilty of any crime. Accordingly, he gave him his own daughter to wife.

5-2. Of Nan Yung he said that if the country were well-governed he would not be out of office, and if it were ill-governed, he would escape punishment and disgrace. He gave him the daughter of his own elder brother to wife.


5-3. The Master said of Tsze-chien, "Of superior virtue indeed is such a man! If there were not virtuous men in Lu, how could this man have acquired this character?"


5-4. Tsze-kung asked, "What do you say of me, Ts'ze!" The Master said, "You are a utensil." "What utensil?" "A gemmed sacrificial utensil."


5-5. Some one said, "Yung is truly virtuous, but he is not ready with his tongue."

The Master said, "What is the good of being ready with the tongue? They who encounter men with smartness of speech for the most part procure themselves hatred. I know not whether he be truly virtuous, but why should he show readiness of the tongue?"


5-6. The Master was wishing Ch'i-tiao K'ai to enter an official employment. He replied, "I am not yet able to rest in the assurance of this." The Master was pleased.


5-7. The Master said, "My doctrines make no way. I will get upon a raft, and float about on the sea. He that will accompany me will be Yu, I dare say." Tsze-lu hearing this was glad, upon which the Master said, "Yu is fonder of daring than I am. He does not exercise his judgment upon matters."


5-8. Mang Wu asked about Tsze-lu, whether he was perfectly virtuous. The Master said, "I do not know."

He asked again, when the Master replied, "In a kingdom of a thousand chariots, Yu might be employed to manage the military levies, but I do not know whether he be perfectly virtuous."

"And what do you say of Ch'iu?" The Master replied, "In a city of a thousand families, or a clan of a hundred chariots, Ch'iu might be employed as governor, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."

"What do you say of Ch'ih?" The Master replied, "With his sash girt and standing in a court, Ch'ih might be employed to converse with the visitors and guests, but I do not know whether he is perfectly virtuous."


5-9. The Master said to Tsze-kung, "Which do you consider superior, yourself or Hui?"

Tsze-kung replied, "How dare I compare myself with Hui? Hui hears one point and knows all about a subject; I hear one point, and know a second."

The Master said, "You are not equal to him, I grant you, you are not equal to him."


5-10. Tsai Yu being asleep during the daytime, the Master said, "Rotten wood cannot be carved; a wall of dirty earth will not receive the trowel. This Yu,-what is the use of my reproving him?"

The Master said, "At first, my way with men was to hear their words, and give them credit for their conduct. Now my way is to hear their words, and look at their conduct. It is from Yu that I have learned to make this change."


5-11. The Master said, "I have not seen a firm and unbending man." Some one replied, "There is Shan Ch'ang." "Ch'ang," said the Master, "is under the influence of his passions; how can he be pronounced firm and unbending?"


5-12. Tsze-kung said, "What I do not wish men to do to me, I also wish not to do to men." The Master said, "Ts'ze, you have not attained to that."


5-13. Tsze-kung said, "The Master's personal displays of his principles and ordinary descriptions of them may be heard. His discourses about man's nature, and the way of Heaven, cannot be heard."


5-14. When Tsze-lu heard anything, if he had not yet succeeded in carrying it into practice, he was only afraid lest he should hear something else.


5-15. Tsze-kung asked, saying, "On what ground did Kung-wan get that title of Wan?"

The Master said, "He was of an active nature and yet fond of learning, and he was not ashamed to ask and learn of his inferiors!-On these grounds he has been styled Wan."


5-16. The Master said of Tsze-ch'an that he had four of the characteristics of a superior man-in his conduct of himself, he was humble; in serving his superior, he was respectful; in nourishing the people, he was kind; in ordering the people, he was just."


5-17. The Master said, "Yen P'ing knew well how to maintain friendly intercourse. The acquaintance might be long, but he showed the same respect as at first."


5-18. The Master said, "Tsang Wan kept a large tortoise in a house, on the capitals of the pillars of which he had hills made, and with representations of duckweed on the small pillars above the beams supporting the rafters.-Of what sort was his wisdom?"


5-19. Tsze-chang asked, saying, "The minister Tsze-wan thrice took office, and manifested no joy in his countenance. Thrice he retired from office, and manifested no displeasure. He made it a point to inform the new minister of the way in which he had conducted the government; what do you say of him?" The Master replied. "He was loyal." "Was he perfectly virtuous?" "I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?"

Tsze-chang proceeded, "When the officer Ch'ui killed the prince of Ch'i, Ch'an Wan, though he was the owner of forty horses, abandoned them and left the country. Coming to another state, he said, 'They are here like our great officer, Ch'ui,' and left it. He came to a second state, and with the same observation left it also;-what do you say of him?" The Master replied, "He was pure." "Was he perfectly virtuous?" "I do not know. How can he be pronounced perfectly virtuous?"


5-20. Chi Wan thought thrice, and then acted. When the Master was informed of it, he said, "Twice may do."


5-21. The Master said, "When good order prevailed in his country, Ning Wu acted the part of a wise man. When his country was in disorder, he acted the part of a stupid man. Others may equal his wisdom, but they cannot equal his stupidity."


5-22. When the Master was in Ch'an, he said, "Let me return! Let me return! The little children of my school are ambitious and too hasty. They are accomplished and complete so far, but they do not know how to restrict and shape themselves."


5-23. The Master said, "Po-i and Shu-ch'i did not keep the former wickednesses of men in mind, and hence the resentments directed towards them were few."


5-24. The Master said, "Who says of Weishang Kao that he is upright? One begged some vinegar of him, and he begged it of a neighbor and gave it to the man."


5-25. The Master said, "Fine words, an insinuating appearance, and excessive respect;-Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of them. I also am ashamed of them. To conceal resentment against a person, and appear friendly with him;-Tso Ch'iu-ming was ashamed of such conduct. I also am ashamed of it."


5-26. Yen Yuan and Chi Lu being by his side, the Master said to them, "Come, let each of you tell his wishes."

Tsze-lu said, "I should like, having chariots and horses, and light fur clothes, to share them with my friends, and though they should spoil them, I would not be displeased."

Yen Yuan said, "I should like not to boast of my excellence, nor to make a display of my meritorious deeds."

Tsze-lu then said, "I should like, sir, to hear your wishes." The Master said, "They are, in regard to the aged, to give them rest; in regard to friends, to show them sincerity; in regard to the young, to treat them tenderly."


5-27. The Master said, "It is all over. I have not yet seen one who could perceive his faults, and inwardly accuse himself."


5-28. The Master said, "In a hamlet of ten families, there may be found one honorable and sincere as I am, but not so fond of learning."



Book 6    


6-1. The Master said, "There is Yung!-He might occupy the place of a prince."

6-2. Chung-kung asked about Tsze-sang Po-tsze. The Master said, "He may pass. He does not mind small matters."

Chung-kung said, "If a man cherish in himself a reverential feeling of the necessity of attention to business, though he may be easy in small matters in his government of the people, that may be allowed. But if he cherish in himself that easy feeling, and also carry it out in his practice, is not such an easymode of procedure excessive?"

The Master said, "Yung's words are right."


6-3. The Duke Ai asked which of the disciples loved to learn.

Confucius replied to him, "There was Yen Hui; he loved to learn. He did not transfer his anger; he did not repeat a fault. Unfortunately, his appointed time was short and he died; and now there is not such another. I have not yet heard of any one who loves to learn as he did."


6-4. Tsze-hwa being employed on a mission to Ch'i, the disciple Zan requested grain for his mother. The Master said, "Give her a fu." Yen requested more. "Give her a yi," said the Master. Yen gave her five ping. (fu < yi < ping)

The Master said, "When Ch'ih was proceeding to Ch'i, he had fat horses to his carriage, and wore light furs. I have heard that a superior man helps the distressed, but does not add to the wealth of the rich."


6-5. Yuan Sze being made governor of his town by the Master, he gave him nine hundred measures of grain, but Sze declined them.

The Master said, "Do not decline them. May you not give them away in the neighborhoods, hamlets, towns, and villages?"


6-6. The Master, speaking of Chung-kung, said, "If the calf of a brindled cow be red and homed, although men may not wish to use it, would the spirits of the mountains and rivers put it aside?"


6-7. The Master said, "Such was Hui that for three months there would be nothing in his mind contrary to perfect virtue. The others may attain to this on some days or in some months, but nothing more."


6-8. Chi K'ang asked about Chung-yu, whether he was fit to be employed as an officer of government. The Master said, "Yu is a man of decision; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" K'ang asked, "Is Ts'ze fit to be employed as an officer of government?" and was answered, "Ts'ze is a man of intelligence; what difficulty would he find in being an officer of government?" And to the same question about Ch'iu the Master gave the same reply, saying, "Ch'iu is a man of various ability."


6-9. The chief of the Chi family sent to ask Min Tsze-ch'ien to be governor of Pi. Min Tszech'ien said, "Decline the offer for me politely. If any one come again to me with a second invitation, I shall be obliged to go and live on the banks of the Wan."


6-10. Po-niu being ill, the Master went to ask for him. He took hold of his hand through the window, and said, "It is killing him. It is the appointment of Heaven, alas! That such a man should have such a sickness! That such a man should have such a sickness!"


6-11. The Master said, "Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui! With a single bamboo dish of rice, a single gourd dish of drink, and living in his mean narrow lane, while others could not have endured the distress, he did not allow his joy to be affected by it. Admirable indeed was the virtue of Hui!"


6-12. Yen Ch'iu said, "It is not that I do not delight in your doctrines, but my strength is insufficient." The Master said, "Those whose strength is insufficient give over in the middle of the way, but you limit yourself beforehand."


6-13. The Master said to Tsze-hsia, "Be a scholar after the style of the superior man, and not after that of the mean man."


6-14. Tsze-yu being governor of Wu-ch'ang, the Master said to him, "Have you got good men there?" He answered, "There is Tan-t'ai Miehming, who never in walking takes a short cut, and never comes to my office, excepting on public business."


6-15. The Master said, "Mang Chih-fan does not boast of his merit. Being in the rear on an occasion of flight, when they were about to enter the gate, he whipped his horse, saying, "It is not that I dare to be last. My horse would not advance."


6-16. The Master said, "Without the specious speech of the litanist T'o and the beauty of the prince Chao of Sung, it is difficult to escape in the present age."


6-17. The Master said, "Who can go out but by the door? How is it that men will not walk according to these Ways?"


6-18. The Master said, "Where the solid qualities are in excess of accomplishments, we have rusticity; where the accomplishments are in excess of the solid qualities, we have the manners of a clerk. When the accomplishments and solid qualities are equally blended, we then have the man of virtue."


6-19. The Master said, "Man is born for uprightness. If a man lose his uprightness, and yet live, his escape from death is the effect of mere good fortune."


6-20. The Master said, "They who know the truth are not equal to those who love it, and they who love it are not equal to those who delight in it."


6-21. The Master said, "To those whose talents are above mediocrity, the highest subjects may be announced. To those who are below mediocrity, the highest subjects may not be announced."


6-22. Fan Ch'ih asked what constituted wisdom. The Master said, "To give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men, and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom." He asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration;-this may be called perfect virtue."


6-23. The Master said, "The wise find pleasure in water; the virtuous find pleasure in hills. The wise are active; the virtuous are tranquil. The wise are joyful; the virtuous are long-lived."


6-24. The Master said, "Ch'i, by one change, would come to the State of Lu. Lu, by one change, would come to a State where true principles predominated."


6-25. The Master said, "A cornered vessel without corners-a strange cornered vessel! A strange cornered vessel!"


6-26. Tsai Wo asked, saying, "A benevolent man, though it be told him,-'There is a man in the well" will go in after him, I suppose." Confucius said, "Why should he do so?" A superior man may be made to go to the well, but he cannot be made to go down into it. He may be imposed upon, but he cannot be fooled."


6-27. The Master said, "The superior man, extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, may thus likewise not overstep what is right."


6-28. The Master having visited Nan-tsze, Tsze-lu was displeased, on which the Master swore, saying, "Wherein I have done improperly, may Heaven reject me, may Heaven reject me!"


6-29. The Master said, "Perfect is the virtue which is according to the Constant Mean! Rare for a long time has been its practice among the people."


6-30. Tsze-kung said, "Suppose the case of a man extensively conferring benefits on the people, and able to assist all, what would you say of him? Might he be called perfectly virtuous?" The Master said, "Why speak only of virtue in connection with him? Must he not have the qualities of a sage? Even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this.

"Now the man of perfect virtue, wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others.

"To be able to judge of others by what is nigh in ourselves;-this may be called the art of virtue."



Book 7    


7-1. The Master said, "A transmitter and not a maker, believing in and loving the ancients, I venture to compare myself with our old P'ang."

7-2. The Master said, "The silent treasuring up of knowledge; learning without satiety; and instructing others without being wearied:-which one of these things belongs to me?"


7-3. The Master said, "Leaving virtue without proper cultivation; not thoroughly discussing what is learned; not being able to move towards righteousness of which a knowledge is gained; and not being able to change what is not good:-these are the things which occasion me solicitude."


7-4. When the Master was unoccupied with business, his manner was easy, and he looked pleased.


7-5. The Master said, "Extreme is my decay. For a long time, I have not dreamed, as I was wont to do, that I saw the duke of Chau."


7-6. The Master said, "Let the will be set on the path of duty.

"Let every attainment in what is good be firmly grasped.

"Let perfect virtue be accorded with.

"Let relaxation and enjoyment be found in the polite arts."


7-7. The Master said, "From the man bringing his bundle of dried flesh for my teaching upwards, I have never refused instruction to any one."


7-8. The Master said, "I do not open up the truth to one who is not eager to get knowledge, nor help out any one who is not anxious to explain himself. When I have presented one corner of a subject to any one, and he cannot from it learn the other three, I do not repeat my lesson."


7-9. When the Master was eating by the side of a mourner, he never ate to the full.


7-10. He did not sing on the same day in which he had been weeping.


7-11. The Master said to Yen Yuan, "When called to office, to undertake its duties; when not so called, to he retired;-it is only I and you who have attained to this."

Tsze-lu said, "If you had the conduct of the armies of a great state, whom would you have to act with you?"

The Master said, "I would not have him to act with me, who will unarmed attack a tiger, or cross a river without a boat, dying without any regret. My associate must be the man who proceeds to action full of solicitude, who is fond of adjusting his plans, and then carries them into execution."


7-12. The Master said, "If the search for riches is sure to be successful, though I should become a groom with whip in hand to get them, I will do so. As the search may not be successful, I will follow after that which I love."


7-13. The things in reference to which the Master exercised the greatest caution were-fasting, war, and sickness.


7-14. When the Master was in Ch'i, he heard the Shao, and for three months did not know the taste of flesh. "I did not think'" he said, "that music could have been made so excellent as this."


7-15. Yen Yu said, "Is our Master for the ruler of Wei?" Tsze-kung said, "Oh! I will ask him."

He went in accordingly, and said, "What sort of men were Po-i and Shu-ch'i?" "They were ancient worthies," said the Master. "Did they have any repinings because of their course?" The Master again replied, "They sought to act virtuously, and they did so; what was there for them to repine about?" On this, Tsze-kung went out and said, "Our Master is not for him."


7-16. The Master said, "With coarse rice to eat, with water to drink, and my bended arm for a pillow;-I have still joy in the midst of these things. Riches and honors acquired by unrighteousness, are in relation to me as a passing cloud."


7-17. The Master said, "If some years were added to my life, I would give fifty to the study of the Yi, and then I might come to be without great faults."


7-18. The Master's frequent themes of discourse were-the Odes, the History, and the maintenance of the Rules of Propriety. On all these he frequently discoursed.


7-19. The Duke of Sheh asked Tsze-lu about Confucius, and Tsze-lu did not answer him.

The Master said, "Why did you not say to him,-He is simply a man, who in his eager pursuit of knowledge forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on?"


7-20. The Master said, "I am not one who was born in the possession of knowledge; I am one who is fond of antiquity, and earnest in seeking it there."


7-21. The subjects on which the Master did not talk, were-extraordinary things, feats of strength, disorder, and spiritual beings.


7-22. The Master said, "When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them."


7-23. The Master said, "Heaven produced the virtue that is in me. Hwan T'ui-what can he do to me?"


7-24. The Master said, "Do you think, my disciples, that I have any concealments? I conceal nothing from you. There is nothing which I do that is not shown to you, my disciples; that is my way."


7-25. There were four things which the Master taught,-letters, ethics, devotion of soul, and truthfulness.


7-26. The Master said, "A sage it is not mine to see; could I see a man of real talent and virtue, that would satisfy me."

The Master said, "A good man it is not mine to see; could I see a man possessed of constancy, that would satisfy me.

"Having not and yet affecting to have, empty and yet affecting to be full, straitened and yet affecting to be at ease:-it is difficult with such characteristics to have constancy."


7-27. The Master angled,-but did not use a net. He shot,-but not at birds perching.


7-28. The Master said, "There may be those who act without knowing why. I do not do so. Hearing much and selecting what is good and following it; seeing much and keeping it in memory: this is the second style of knowledge."


7-29. It was difficult to talk profitably and reputably with the people of Hu-hsiang, and a lad of that place having had an interview with the Master, the disciples doubted.

The Master said, "I admit people's approach to me without committing myself as to what they may do when they have retired. Why must one be so severe? If a man purify himself to wait upon me, I receive him so purified, without guaranteeing his past conduct."


7-30. The Master said, "Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! virtue is at hand."


7-31. The minister of crime of Ch'an asked whether the duke Chao knew propriety, and Confucius said, "He knew propriety."

Confucius having retired, the minister bowed to Wu-ma Ch'i to come forward, and said, "I have heard that the superior man is not a partisan. May the superior man be a partisan also? The prince married a daughter of the house of Wu, of the same surname with himself, and called her,-'The elder Tsze of Wu.' If the prince knew propriety, who does not know it?"

Wu-ma Ch'i reported these remarks, and the Master said, "I am fortunate! If I have any errors, people are sure to know them."


7-32. When the Master was in company with a person who was singing, if he sang well, he would make him repeat the song, while he accompanied it with his own voice.


7-33. The Master said, "In letters I am perhaps equal to other men, but the character of the superior man, carrying out in his conduct what he professes, is what I have not yet attained to."


7-34. The Master said, "The sage and the man of perfect virtue;-how dare I rank myself with them? It may simply be said of me, that I strive to become such without satiety, and teach others without weariness." Kung-hsi Hwa said, "This is just what we, the disciples, cannot imitate you in."


7-35. The Master being very sick, Tsze-lu asked leave to pray for him. He said, "May such a thing be done?" Tsze-lu replied, "It may. In the Eulogies it is said, 'Prayer has been made for thee to the spirits of the upper and lower worlds.'" The Master said, "My praying has been for a long time."


7-36. The Master said, "Extravagance leads to insubordination, and parsimony to meanness. It is better to be mean than to be insubordinate."


7-37. The Master said, "The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress."


7-38. The Master was mild, and yet dignified; majestic, and yet not fierce; respectful, and yet easy.



Book 8    

The Master said, "T'ai-po may be said to have reached the highest point of virtuous action. Thrice he declined the kingdom, and the people in ignorance of his motives could not express their approbation of his conduct."
The Master said, "Respectfulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes laborious bustle; carefulness, without the rules of propriety, becomes timidity; boldness, without the rules of propriety, becomes insubordination; straightforwardness, without the rules of propriety, becomes rudeness.

"When those who are in high stations perform well all their duties to their relations, the people are aroused to virtue. When old friends are not neglected by them, the people are preserved from meanness."

The philosopher Tsang being ill, he cared to him the disciples of his school, and said, "Uncover my feet, uncover my hands. It is said in the Book of Poetry, 'We should be apprehensive and cautious, as if on the brink of a deep gulf, as if treading on thin ice, I and so have I been. Now and hereafter, I know my escape from all injury to my person. O ye, my little children."

The philosopher Tsang being ill, Meng Chang went to ask how he was.

Tsang said to him, "When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good.

"There are three principles of conduct which the man of high rank should consider specially important:-that in his deportment and manner he keep from violence and heedlessness; that in regulating his countenance he keep near to sincerity; and that in his words and tones he keep far from lowness and impropriety. As to such matters as attending to the sacrificial vessels, there are the proper officers for them."

The philosopher Tsang said, "Gifted with ability, and yet putting questions to those who were not so; possessed of much, and yet putting questions to those possessed of little; having, as though he had not; full, and yet counting himself as empty; offended against, and yet entering into no altercation; formerly I had a friend who pursued this style of conduct."

The philosopher Tsang said, "Suppose that there is an individual who can be entrusted with the charge of a young orphan prince, and can be commissioned with authority over a state of a hundred li, and whom no emergency however great can drive from his principles:-is such a man a superior man? He is a superior man indeed."

The philosopher Tsang said, "The officer may not be without breadth of mind and vigorous endurance. His burden is heavy and his course is long.

"Perfect virtue is the burden which he considers it is his to sustain;-is it not heavy? Only with death does his course stop;-is it not long?

The Master said, "It is by the Odes that the mind is aroused.

"It is by the Rules of Propriety that the character is established.

"It is from Music that the finish is received."

The Master said, "The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it."

The Master said, "The man who is fond of daring and is dissatisfied with poverty, will proceed to insubordination. So will the man who is not virtuous, when you carry your dislike of him to an extreme."

The Master said, "Though a man have abilities as admirable as those of the Duke of Chau, yet if he be proud and niggardly, those other things are really not worth being looked at."

The Master said, "It is not easy to find a man who has learned for three years without coming to be good."

The Master said, "With sincere faith he unites the love of learning; holding firm to death, he is perfecting the excellence of his course.

"Such an one will not enter a tottering state, nor dwell in a disorganized one. When right principles of government prevail in the kingdom, he will show himself; when they are prostrated, he will keep concealed.

"When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is ill governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of."

The Master said, "He who is not in any particular office has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties."

The Master said, "When the music master Chih first entered on his office, the finish of the Kwan Tsu was magnificent;-how it filled the ears!"

The Master said, "Ardent and yet not upright, stupid and yet not attentive; simple and yet not sincere:-such persons I do not understand."

The Master said, "Learn as if you could not reach your object, and were always fearing also lest you should lose it."

The Master said, "How majestic was the manner in which Shun and Yu held possession of the empire, as if it were nothing to them!

The Master said, "Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven that is grand, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could find no name for it.

"How majestic was he in the works which he accomplished! How glorious in the elegant regulations which he instituted!"

Shun had five ministers, and the empire was well governed.

King Wu said, "I have ten able ministers."

Confucius said, "Is not the saying that talents are difficult to find, true? Only when the dynasties of T'ang and Yu met, were they more abundant than in this of Chau, yet there was a woman among them. The able ministers were no more than nine men.

"King Wan possessed two of the three parts of the empire, and with those he served the dynasty of Yin. The virtue of the house of Chau may be said to have reached the highest point indeed."

The Master said, "I can find no flaw in the character of Yu. He used himself coarse food and drink, but displayed the utmost filial piety towards the spirits. His ordinary garments were poor, but he displayed the utmost elegance in his sacrificial cap and apron. He lived in a low, mean house, but expended all his strength on the ditches and water channels. I can find nothing like a flaw in Yu."



Book 9    

The subjects of which the Master seldom spoke were-profitableness, and also the appointments of Heaven, and perfect virtue.
A man of the village of Ta-hsiang said, "Great indeed is the philosopher K'ung! His learning is extensive, and yet he does not render his name famous by any particular thing."

The Master heard the observation, and said to his disciples, "What shall I practice? Shall I practice charioteering, or shall I practice archery? I will practice charioteering."

The Master said, "The linen cap is that prescribed by the rules of ceremony, but now a silk one is worn. It is economical, and I follow the common practice.

"The rules of ceremony prescribe the bowing below the hall, but now the practice is to bow only after ascending it. That is arrogant. I continue to bow below the hall, though I oppose the common practice."

There were four things from which the Master was entirely free. He had no foregone conclusions, no arbitrary predeterminations, no obstinacy, and no egoism.

The Master was put in fear in K'wang.

He said, "After the death of King Wan, was not the cause of truth lodged here in me?

"If Heaven had wished to let this cause of truth perish, then I, a future mortal! should not have got such a relation to that cause. While Heaven does not let the cause of truth perish, what can the people of K'wang do to me?"

A high officer asked Tsze-kung, saying, "May we not say that your Master is a sage? How various is his ability!"

Tsze-kung said, "Certainly Heaven has endowed him unlimitedly. He is about a sage. And, moreover, his ability is various."

The Master heard of the conversation and said, "Does the high officer know me? When I was young, my condition was low, and I acquired my ability in many things, but they were mean matters. Must the superior man have such variety of ability? He does not need variety of ability. Lao said, "The Master said, 'Having no official employment, I acquired many arts.'"

The Master said, "Am I indeed possessed of knowledge? I am not knowing. But if a mean person, who appears quite empty-like, ask anything of me, I set it forth from one end to the other, and exhaust it."

The Master said, "The Fang bird does not come; the river sends forth no map:-it is all over with me!"

When the Master saw a person in a mourning dress, or any one with the cap and upper and lower garments of full dress, or a blind person, on observing them approaching, though they were younger than himself, he would rise up, and if he had to pass by them, he would do so hastily.

Yen Yuan, in admiration of the Master's doctrines, sighed and said, "I looked up to them, and they seemed to become more high; I tried to penetrate them, and they seemed to become more firm; I looked at them before me, and suddenly they seemed to be behind.

"The Master, by orderly method, skillfully leads men on. He enlarged my mind with learning, and taught me the restraints of propriety.

"When I wish to give over the study of his doctrines, I cannot do so, and having exerted all my ability, there seems something to stand right up before me; but though I wish to follow and lay hold of it, I really find no way to do so."

The Master being very ill, Tsze-lu wished the disciples to act as ministers to him.

During a remission of his illness, he said, "Long has the conduct of Yu been deceitful! By pretending to have ministers when I have them not, whom should I impose upon? Should I impose upon Heaven?

"Moreover, than that I should die in the hands of ministers, is it not better that I should die in the hands of you, my disciples? And though I may not get a great burial, shall I die upon the road?"

Tsze-kung said, "There is a beautiful gem here. Should I lay it up in a case and keep it? or should I seek for a good price and sell it?" The Master said, "Sell it! Sell it! But I would wait for one to offer the price."

The Master was wishing to go and live among the nine wild tribes of the east.

Some one said, "They are rude. How can you do such a thing?" The Master said, "If a superior man dwelt among them, what rudeness would there be?"

The Master said, "I returned from Wei to Lu, and then the music was reformed, and the pieces in the Royal songs and Praise songs all found their proper places."

The Master said, "Abroad, to serve the high ministers and nobles; at home, to serve one's father and elder brothers; in all duties to the dead, not to dare not to exert one's self; and not to be overcome of wine:-which one of these things do I attain to?"

The Master standing by a stream, said, "It passes on just like this, not ceasing day or night!"

The Master said, "I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty."

The Master said, "The prosecution of learning may be compared to what may happen in raising a mound. If there want but one basket of earth to complete the work, and I stop, the stopping is my own work. It may be compared to throwing down the earth on the level ground. Though but one basketful is thrown at a time, the advancing with it my own going forward."

The Master said, "Never flagging when I set forth anything to him;-ah! that is Hui." The Master said of Yen Yuan, "Alas! I saw his constant advance. I never saw him stop in his progress."

The Master said, "There are cases in which the blade springs, but the plant does not go on to flower! There are cases where it flowers but fruit is not subsequently produced!"

The Master said, "A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do we know that his future will not be equal to our present? If he reach the age of forty or fifty, and has not made himself heard of, then indeed he will not be worth being regarded with respect."

The Master said, "Can men refuse to assent to the words of strict admonition? But it is reforming the conduct because of them which is valuable. Can men refuse to be pleased with words of gentle advice? But it is unfolding their aim which is valuable. If a man be pleased with these words, but does not unfold their aim, and assents to those, but does not reform his conduct, I can really do nothing with him."

The Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles. Have no friends not equal to yourself. When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them."

The Master said, "The commander of the forces of a large state may be carried off, but the will of even a common man cannot be taken from him."

The Master said, "Dressed himself in a tattered robe quilted with hemp, yet standing by the side of men dressed in furs, and not ashamed;-ah! it is Yu who is equal to this!

"He dislikes none, he covets nothing;-what can he do but what is good!"

Tsze-lu kept continually repeating these words of the ode, when the Master said, "Those things are by no means sufficient to constitute perfect excellence."

The Master said, "When the year becomes cold, then we know how the pine and the cypress are the last to lose their leaves."

The Master said, "The wise are free from perplexities; the virtuous from anxiety; and the bold from fear."

The Master said, "There are some with whom we may study in common, but we shall find them unable to go along with us to principles. Perhaps we may go on with them to principles, but we shall find them unable to get established in those along with us. Or if we may get so established along with them, we shall find them unable to weigh occurring events along with us."

"How the flowers of the aspen-plum flutter and turn! Do I not think of you? But your house is distant."

The Master said, "It is the want of thought about it. How is it distant?"



Book 10    

Confucius, in his village, looked simple and sincere, and as if he were not able to speak.
When he was in the prince's ancestral temple, or in the court, he spoke minutely on every point, but cautiously.

When he was waiting at court, in speaking with the great officers of the lower grade, he spoke freely, but in a straightforward manner; in speaking with those of the higher grade, he did so blandly, but precisely.

When the ruler was present, his manner displayed respectful uneasiness; it was grave, but self-possessed.

When the prince called him to employ him in the reception of a visitor, his countenance appeared to change, and his legs to move forward with difficulty.

He inclined himself to the other officers among whom he stood, moving his left or right arm, as their position required, but keeping the skirts of his robe before and behind evenly adjusted.

He hastened forward, with his arms like the wings of a bird.

When the guest had retired, he would report to the prince, "The visitor is not turning round any more."

When he entered the palace gate, he seemed to bend his body, as if it were not sufficient to admit him.

When he was standing, he did not occupy the middle of the gateway; when he passed in or out, he did not tread upon the threshold.

When he was passing the vacant place of the prince, his countenance appeared to change, and his legs to bend under him, and his words came as if he hardly had breath to utter them.

He ascended the reception hall, holding up his robe with both his hands, and his body bent; holding in his breath also, as if he dared not breathe.

When he came out from the audience, as soon as he had descended one step, he began to relax his countenance, and had a satisfied look. When he had got the bottom of the steps, he advanced rapidly to his place, with his arms like wings, and on occupying it, his manner still showed respectful uneasiness.

When he was carrying the scepter of his ruler, he seemed to bend his body, as if he were not able to bear its weight. He did not hold it higher than the position of the hands in making a bow, nor lower than their position in giving anything to another. His countenance seemed to change, and look apprehensive, and he dragged his feet along as if they were held by something to the ground.

In presenting the presents with which he was charged, he wore a placid appearance.

At his private audience, he looked highly pleased.

The superior man did not use a deep purple, or a puce color, in the ornaments of his dress.

Even in his undress, he did not wear anything of a red or reddish color.

In warm weather, he had a single garment either of coarse or fine texture, but he wore it displayed over an inner garment.

Over lamb's fur he wore a garment of black; over fawn's fur one of white; and over fox's fur one of yellow.

The fur robe of his undress was long, with the right sleeve short.

He required his sleeping dress to be half as long again as his body.

When staying at home, he used thick furs of the fox or the badger.

When he put off mourning, he wore all the appendages of the girdle.

His undergarment, except when it was required to be of the curtain shape, was made of silk cut narrow above and wide below.

He did not wear lamb's fur or a black cap on a visit of condolence.

On the first day of the month he put on his court robes, and presented himself at court.

When fasting, he thought it necessary to have his clothes brightly clean and made of linen cloth.

When fasting, he thought it necessary to change his food, and also to change the place where he commonly sat in the apartment.

He did not dislike to have his rice finely cleaned, nor to have his mince meat cut quite small.

He did not eat rice which had been injured by heat or damp and turned sour, nor fish or flesh which was gone. He did not eat what was discolored, or what was of a bad flavor, nor anything which was ill-cooked, or was not in season.

He did not eat meat which was not cut properly, nor what was served without its proper sauce.

Though there might be a large quantity of meat, he would not allow what he took to exceed the due proportion for the rice. It was only in wine that he laid down no limit for himself, but he did not allow himself to be confused by it.

He did not partake of wine and dried meat bought in the market.

He was never without ginger when he ate. He did not eat much.

When he had been assisting at the prince's sacrifice, he did not keep the flesh which he received overnight. The flesh of his family sacrifice he did not keep over three days. If kept over three days, people could not eat it.

When eating, he did not converse. When in bed, he did not speak.

Although his food might be coarse rice and vegetable soup, he would offer a little of it in sacrifice with a grave, respectful air.

If his mat was not straight, he did not sit on it.

When the villagers were drinking together, upon those who carried staffs going out, he also went out immediately after.

When the villagers were going through their ceremonies to drive away pestilential influences, he put on his court robes and stood on the eastern steps.

When he was sending complimentary inquiries to any one in another state, he bowed twice as he escorted the messenger away.

Chi K'ang having sent him a present of physic, he bowed and received it, saying, "I do not know it. I dare not taste it."

The stable being burned down, when he was at court, on his return he said, "Has any man been hurt?" He did not ask about the horses.

When the he would adjust his mat, first taste it, and then give it away to others. When the prince sent him a gift of undressed meat, he would have it cooked, and offer it to the spirits of his ancestors. When the prince sent him a gift of a living animal, he would keep it alive.

When he was in attendance on the prince and joining in the entertainment, the prince only sacrificed. He first tasted everything.

When he was ill and the prince came to visit him, he had his head to the east, made his court robes be spread over him, and drew his girdle across them.

When the prince's order called him, without waiting for his carriage to be yoked, he went at once.

When he entered the ancestral temple of the state, he asked about everything.

When any of his friends died, if he had no relations offices, he would say, "I will bury him."

When a friend sent him a present, though it might be a carriage and horses, he did not bow.

The only present for which he bowed was that of the flesh of sacrifice.

In bed, he did not lie like a corpse. At home, he did not put on any formal deportment.

When he saw any one in a mourning dress, though it might be an acquaintance, he would change countenance; when he saw any one wearing the cap of full dress, or a blind person, though he might be in his undress, he would salute him in a ceremonious manner.

To any person in mourning he bowed forward to the crossbar of his carriage; he bowed in the same way to any one bearing the tables of population.

When he was at an entertainment where there was an abundance of provisions set before him, he would change countenance and rise up.

On a sudden clap of thunder, or a violent wind, he would change countenance.

When he was about to mount his carriage, he would stand straight, holding the cord.

When he was in the carriage, he did not turn his head quite round, he did not talk hastily, he did not point with his hands.

Seeing the countenance, it instantly rises. It flies round, and by and by settles.

The Master said, "There is the hen-pheasant on the hill bridge. At its season! At its season!" Tsze-lu made a motion to it. Thrice it smelt him and then rose.



Book 11    

The Master said, "The men of former times in the matters of ceremonies and music were rustics, it is said, while the men of these latter times, in ceremonies and music, are accomplished gentlemen.
"If I have occasion to use those things, I follow the men of former times."

The Master said, "Of those who were with me in Ch'an and Ts'ai, there are none to be found to enter my door."

Distinguished for their virtuous principles and practice, there were Yen Yuan, Min Tsze-ch'ien, Zan Po-niu, and Chung-kung; for their ability in speech, Tsai Wo and Tsze-kung; for their administrative talents, Zan Yu and Chi Lu; for their literary acquirements, Tsze-yu and Tsze-hsia.

The Master said, "Hui gives me no assistance. There is nothing that I say in which he does not delight."

The Master said, "Filial indeed is Min Tsze-ch'ien! Other people say nothing of him different from the report of his parents and brothers."

Nan Yung was frequently repeating the lines about a white scepter stone. Confucius gave him the daughter of his elder brother to wife.

Chi K'ang asked which of the disciples loved to learn. Confucius replied to him, "There was Yen Hui; he loved to learn. Unfortunately his appointed time was short, and he died. Now there is no one who loves to learn, as he did."

When Yen Yuan died, Yen Lu begged the carriage of the Master to sell and get an outer shell for his son's coffin.

The Master said, "Every one calls his son his son, whether he has talents or has not talents. There was Li; when he died, he had a coffin but no outer shell. I would not walk on foot to get a shell for him, because, having followed in the rear of the great officers, it was not proper that I should walk on foot."

When Yen Yuan died, the Master said, "Alas! Heaven is destroying me! Heaven is destroying me!"

When Yen Yuan died, the Master bewailed him exceedingly, and the disciples who were with him said, "Master, your grief is excessive!"

"Is it excessive?" said he. "If I am not to mourn bitterly for this man, for whom should I mourn?"

When Yen Yuan died, the disciples wished to give him a great funeral, and the Master said, "You may not do so."

The disciples did bury him in great style.

The Master said, "Hui behaved towards me as his father. I have not been able to treat him as my son. The fault is not mine; it belongs to you, O disciples."

Chi Lu asked about serving the spirits of the dead. The Master said, "While you are not able to serve men, how can you serve their spirits?" Chi Lu added, "I venture to ask about death?" He was answered, "While you do not know life, how can you know about death?"

The disciple Min was standing by his side, looking bland and precise; Tsze-lu, looking bold and soldierly; Zan Yu and Tsze-kung, with a free and straightforward manner. The Master was pleased.

He said, "Yu, there!-he will not die a natural death."

Some parties in Lu were going to take down and rebuild the Long Treasury.

Min Tsze-ch'ien said, "Suppose it were to be repaired after its old style;-why must it be altered and made anew?"

The Master said, "This man seldom speaks; when he does, he is sure to hit the point."

The Master said, "What has the lute of Yu to do in my door?"

The other disciples began not to respect Tszelu. The Master said, "Yu has ascended to the hall, though he has not yet passed into the inner apartments."

Tsze-kung asked which of the two, Shih or Shang, was the superior. The Master said, "Shih goes beyond the due mean, and Shang does not come up to it."

"Then," said Tsze-kung, "the superiority is with Shih, I suppose."

The Master said, "To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short."

The head of the Chi family was richer than the duke of Chau had been, and yet Ch'iu collected his imposts for him, and increased his wealth.

The Master said, "He is no disciple of mine. My little children, beat the drum and assail him."

Ch'ai is simple. Shan is dull. Shih is specious. Yu is coarse.

The Master said, "There is Hui! He has nearly attained to perfect virtue. He is often in want.

"Ts'ze does not acquiesce in the appointments of Heaven, and his goods are increased by him. Yet his judgments are often correct."

Tsze-chang asked what were the characteristics of the good man. The Master said, "He does not tread in the footsteps of others, but moreover, he does not enter the chamber of the sage."

The Master said, "If, because a man's discourse appears solid and sincere, we allow him to be a good man, is he really a superior man? or is his gravity only in appearance?"

Tsze-lu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard. The Master said, "There are your father and elder brothers to be consulted;-why should you act on that principle of immediately carrying into practice what you hear?" Zan Yu asked the same, whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard, and the Master answered, "Immediately carry into practice what you hear." Kung-hsi Hwa said, "Yu asked whether he should carry immediately into practice what he heard, and you said, 'There are your father and elder brothers to be consulted.' Ch'iu asked whether he should immediately carry into practice what he heard, and you said, 'Carry it immediately into practice.' I, Ch'ih, am perplexed, and venture to ask you for an explanation." The Master said, "Ch'iu is retiring and slow; therefore I urged him forward. Yu has more than his own share of energy; therefore I kept him back."

The Master was put in fear in K'wang and Yen Yuan fell behind. The Master, on his rejoining him, said, "I thought you had died." Hui replied, "While you were alive, how should I presume to die?"

Chi Tsze-zan asked whether Chung Yu and Zan Ch'iu could be called great ministers.

The Master said, "I thought you would ask about some extraordinary individuals, and you only ask about Yu and Ch'iu!

"What is called a great minister, is one who serves his prince according to what is right, and when he finds he cannot do so, retires.

"Now, as to Yu and Ch'iu, they may be called ordinary ministers."

Tsze-zan said, "Then they will always follow their chief;-win they?"

The Master said, "In an act of parricide or regicide, they would not follow him."

Tsze-lu got Tsze-kao appointed governor of Pi.

The Master said, "You are injuring a man's son."

Tsze-lu said, "There are, there, common people and officers; there are the altars of the spirits of the land and grain. Why must one read books before he can be considered to have learned?"

The Master said, "It is on this account that I hate your glib-tongued people."

Tsze-lu, Tsang Hsi, Zan Yu, and Kunghsi Hwa were sitting by the Master.

He said to them, "Though I am a day or so older than you, do not think of that.

"From day to day you are saying, 'We are not known.' If some ruler were to know you, what would you like to do?"

Tsze-lu hastily and lightly replied, "Suppose the case of a state of ten thousand chariots; let it be straitened between other large cities; let it be suffering from invading armies; and to this let there be added a famine in corn and in all vegetables:-if I were intrusted with the government of it, in three years' time I could make the people to be bold, and to recognize the rules of righteous conduct." The Master smiled at him.

Turning to Yen Yu, he said, "Ch'iu, what are your wishes?" Ch'iu replied, "Suppose a state of sixty or seventy li square, or one of fifty or sixty, and let me have the government of it;-in three years' time, I could make plenty to abound among the people. As to teaching them the principles of propriety, and music, I must wait for the rise of a superior man to do that."

"What are your wishes, Ch'ih," said the Master next to Kung-hsi Hwa. Ch'ih replied, "I do not say that my ability extends to these things, but I should wish to learn them. At the services of the ancestral temple, and at the audiences of the princes with the sovereign, I should like, dressed in the dark square-made robe and the black linen cap, to act as a small assistant."

Last of all, the Master asked Tsang Hsi, "Tien, what are your wishes?" Tien, pausing as he was playing on his lute, while it was yet twanging, laid the instrument aside, and "My wishes," he said, "are different from the cherished purposes of these three gentlemen." "What harm is there in that?" said the Master; "do you also, as well as they, speak out your wishes." Tien then said, "In this, the last month of spring, with the dress of the season all complete, along with five or six young men who have assumed the cap, and six or seven boys, I would wash in the I, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing." The Master heaved a sigh and said, "I give my approval to Tien."

The three others having gone out, Tsang Hsi remained behind, and said, "What do you think of the words of these three friends?" The Master replied, "They simply told each one his wishes."

Hsi pursued, "Master, why did you smile at Yu?"

He was answered, "The management of a state demands the rules of propriety. His words were not humble; therefore I smiled at him."

Hsi again said, "But was it not a state which Ch'iu proposed for himself?" The reply was, "Yes; did you ever see a territory of sixty or seventy li or one of fifty or sixty, which was not a state?"

Once more, Hsi inquired, "And was it not a state which Ch'ih proposed for himself?" The Master again replied, "Yes; who but princes have to do with ancestral temples, and with audiences but the sovereign? If Ch'ih were to be a small assistant in these services, who could be a great one?



Book 12    

Yen Yuan asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "To subdue one's self and return to propriety, is perfect virtue. If a man can for one day subdue himself and return to propriety, an under heaven will ascribe perfect virtue to him. Is the practice of perfect virtue from a man himself, or is it from others?"
Yen Yuan said, "I beg to ask the steps of that process." The Master replied, "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety." Yen Yuan then said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson."

Chung-kung asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, when you go abroad, to behave to every one as if you were receiving a great guest; to employ the people as if you were assisting at a great sacrifice; not to do to others as you would not wish done to yourself; to have no murmuring against you in the country, and none in the family." Chung-kung said, "Though I am deficient in intelligence and vigor, I will make it my business to practice this lesson."

Sze-ma Niu asked about perfect virtue.

The Master said, "The man of perfect virtue is cautious and slow in his speech."

"Cautious and slow in his speech!" said Niu;-"is this what is meant by perfect virtue?" The Master said, "When a man feels the difficulty of doing, can he be other than cautious and slow in speaking?"

Sze-ma Niu asked about the superior man. The Master said, "The superior man has neither anxiety nor fear."

"Being without anxiety or fear!" said Nui;"does this constitute what we call the superior man?"

The Master said, "When internal examination discovers nothing wrong, what is there to be anxious about, what is there to fear?"

Sze-ma Niu, full of anxiety, said, "Other men all have their brothers, I only have not."

Tsze-hsia said to him, "There is the following saying which I have heard-'Death and life have their determined appointment; riches and honors depend upon Heaven.'

"Let the superior man never fail reverentially to order his own conduct, and let him be respectful to others and observant of propriety:-then all within the four seas will be his brothers. What has the superior man to do with being distressed because he has no brothers?"

Tsze-chang asked what constituted intelligence. The Master said, "He with whom neither slander that gradually soaks into the mind, nor statements that startle like a wound in the flesh, are successful may be called intelligent indeed. Yea, he with whom neither soaking slander, nor startling statements, are successful, may be called farseeing."

Tsze-kung asked about government. The Master said, "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler."

Tsze-kung said, "If it cannot be helped, and one of these must be dispensed with, which of the three should be foregone first?" "The military equipment," said the Master.

Tsze-kung again asked, "If it cannot be helped, and one of the remaining two must be dispensed with, which of them should be foregone?" The Master answered, "Part with the food. From of old, death has been the lot of an men; but if the people have no faith in their rulers, there is no standing for the state."

Chi Tsze-ch'ang said, "In a superior man it is only the substantial qualities which are wanted;-why should we seek for ornamental accomplishments?"

Tsze-kung said, "Alas! Your words, sir, show you to be a superior man, but four horses cannot overtake the tongue. Ornament is as substance; substance is as ornament. The hide of a tiger or a leopard stripped of its hair, is like the hide of a dog or a goat stripped of its hair."

The Duke Ai inquired of Yu Zo, saying, "The year is one of scarcity, and the returns for expenditure are not sufficient;-what is to be done?"

Yu Zo replied to him, "Why not simply tithe the people?"

"With two tenths, said the duke, "I find it not enough;-how could I do with that system of one tenth?"

Yu Zo answered, "If the people have plenty, their prince will not be left to want alone. If the people are in want, their prince cannot enjoy plenty alone."

Tsze-chang having asked how virtue was to be exalted, and delusions to be discovered, the Master said, "Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles, and be moving continually to what is right,-this is the way to exalt one's virtue.

"You love a man and wish him to live; you hate him and wish him to die. Having wished him to live, you also wish him to die. This is a case of delusion. 'It may not be on account of her being rich, yet you come to make a difference.'"

The Duke Ching, of Ch'i, asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "There is government, when the prince is prince, and the minister is minister; when the father is father, and the son is son."

"Good!" said the duke; "if, indeed, the prince be not prince, the not minister, the father not father, and the son not son, although I have my revenue, can I enjoy it?"

The Master said, "Ah! it is Yu, who could with half a word settle litigations!"

Tsze-lu never slept over a promise.

The Master said, "In hearing litigations, I am like any other body. What is necessary, however, is to cause the people to have no litigations."

Tsze-chang asked about government. The Master said, "The art of governing is to keep its affairs before the mind without weariness, and to practice them with undeviating consistency."

The Master said, "By extensively studying all learning, and keeping himself under the restraint of the rules of propriety, one may thus likewise not err from what is right."

The Master said, "The superior man seeks to perfect the admirable qualities of men, and does not seek to perfect their bad qualities. The mean man does the opposite of this."

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government. Confucius replied, "To govern means to rectify. If you lead on the people with correctness, who will dare not to be correct?"

Chi K'ang, distressed about the number of thieves in the state, inquired of Confucius how to do away with them. Confucius said, "If you, sir, were not covetous, although you should reward them to do it, they would not steal."

Chi K'ang asked Confucius about government, saying, "What do you say to killing the unprincipled for the good of the principled?" Confucius replied, "Sir, in carrying on your government, why should you use killing at all? Let your evinced desires be for what is good, and the people will be good. The relation between superiors and inferiors is like that between the wind and the grass. The grass must bend, when the wind blows across it."

Tsze-chang asked, "What must the officer be, who may be said to be distinguished?"

The Master said, "What is it you call being distinguished?"

Tsze-chang replied, "It is to be heard of through the state, to be heard of throughout his clan."

The Master said, "That is notoriety, not distinction.

"Now the man of distinction is solid and straightforward, and loves righteousness. He examines people's words, and looks at their countenances. He is anxious to humble himself to others. Such a man will be distinguished in the country; he will be distinguished in his clan.

"As to the man of notoriety, he assumes the appearance of virtue, but his actions are opposed to it, and he rests in this character without any doubts about himself. Such a man will be heard of in the country; he will be heard of in the clan."

Fan Ch'ih rambling with the Master under the trees about the rain altars, said, "I venture to ask how to exalt virtue, to correct cherished evil, and to discover delusions."

The Master said, "Truly a good question!

"If doing what is to be done be made the first business, and success a secondary consideration:-is not this the way to exalt virtue? To assail one's own wickedness and not assail that of others;-is not this the way to correct cherished evil? For a morning's anger to disregard one's own life, and involve that of his parents;-is not this a case of delusion?"

Fan Ch'ih asked about benevolence. The Master said, "It is to love all men." He asked about knowledge. The Master said, "It is to know all men."

Fan Ch'ih did not immediately understand these answers.

The Master said, "Employ the upright and put aside all the crooked; in this way the crooked can be made to be upright."

Fan Ch'ih retired, and, seeing Tsze-hsia, he said to him, "A Little while ago, I had an interview with our Master, and asked him about knowledge. He said, 'Employ the upright, and put aside all the crooked;-in this way, the crooked will be made to be upright.' What did he mean?"

Tsze-hsia said, "Truly rich is his saying!

"Shun, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed Kai-yao-on which all who were devoid of virtue disappeared. T'ang, being in possession of the kingdom, selected from among all the people, and employed I Yin-and an who were devoid of virtue disappeared."

Tsze-kung asked about friendship. The Master said, "Faithfully admonish your friend, and skillfully lead him on. If you find him impracticable, stop. Do not disgrace yourself."

The philosopher Tsang said, "The superior man on grounds of culture meets with his friends, and by friendship helps his virtue."



Book 13    

Tsze-lu asked about government. The Master said, "Go before the people with your example, and be laborious in their affairs."
He requested further instruction, and was answered, "Be not weary in these things."

Chung-kung, being chief minister to the head of the Chi family, asked about government. The Master said, "Employ first the services of your various officers, pardon small faults, and raise to office men of virtue and talents."

Chung-kung said, "How shall I know the men of virtue and talent, so that I may raise them to office?" He was answered, "Raise to office those whom you know. As to those whom you do not know, will others neglect them?"

Tsze-lu said, "The ruler of Wei has been waiting for you, in order with you to administer the government. What will you consider the first thing to be done?"

The Master replied, "What is necessary is to rectify names."

"So! indeed!" said Tsze-lu. "You are wide of the mark! Why must there be such rectification?"

The Master said, "How uncultivated you are, Yu! A superior man, in regard to what he does not know, shows a cautious reserve.

"If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things. If language be not in accordance with the truth of things, affairs cannot be carried on to success.

"When affairs cannot be carried on to success, proprieties and music do not flourish. When proprieties and music do not flourish, punishments will not be properly awarded. When punishments are not properly awarded, the people do not know how to move hand or foot.

"Therefore a superior man considers it necessary that the names he uses may be spoken appropriately, and also that what he speaks may be carried out appropriately. What the superior man requires is just that in his words there may be nothing incorrect."

Fan Ch'ih requested to be taught husbandry. The Master said, "I am not so good for that as an old husbandman." He requested also to be taught gardening, and was answered, "I am not so good for that as an old gardener."

Fan Ch'ih having gone out, the Master said, "A small man, indeed, is Fan Hsu! If a superior man love propriety, the people will not dare not to be reverent. If he love righteousness, the people will not dare not to submit to his example. If he love good faith, the people will not dare not to be sincere. Now, when these things obtain, the people from all quarters will come to him, bearing their children on their backs; what need has he of a knowledge of husbandry?"

The Master said, "Though a man may be able to recite the three hundred odes, yet if, when intrusted with a governmental charge, he knows not how to act, or if, when sent to any quarter on a mission, he cannot give his replies unassisted, notwithstanding the extent of his learning, of what practical use is it?"

The Master said, "When a prince's personal conduct is correct, his government is effective without the issuing of orders. If his personal conduct is not correct, he may issue orders, but they will not be followed."

The Master said, "The governments of Lu and Wei are brothers."

The Master said of Ching, a scion of the ducal family of Wei, that he knew the economy of a family well. When he began to have means, he said, "Ha! here is a collection-!" When they were a little increased, he said, "Ha! this is complete!" When he had become rich, he said, "Ha! this is admirable!"

When the Master went to Weil Zan Yu acted as driver of his carriage.

The Master observed, "How numerous are the people!"

Yu said, "Since they are thus numerous, what more shall be done for them?" "Enrich them, was the reply.

"And when they have been enriched, what more shall be done?" The Master said, "Teach them."

The Master said, "If there were any of the princes who would employ me, in the course of twelve months, I should have done something considerable. In three years, the government would be perfected."

The Master said, "'If good men were to govern a country in succession for a hundred years, they would be able to transform the violently bad, and dispense with capital punishments.' True indeed is this saying!"

The Master said, "If a truly royal ruler were to arise, it would stir require a generation, and then virtue would prevail."

The Master said, "If a minister make his own conduct correct, what difficulty will he have in assisting in government? If he cannot rectify himself, what has he to do with rectifying others?"

The disciple Zan returning from the court, the Master said to him, "How are you so late?" He replied, "We had government business." The Master said, "It must have been family affairs. If there had been government business, though I am not now in office, I should have been consulted about it."

The Duke Ting asked whether there was a single sentence which could make a country prosperous. Confucius replied, "Such an effect cannot be expected from one sentence.

"There is a saying, however, which people have -'To be a prince is difficult; to be a minister is not easy.'

"If a ruler knows this,-the difficulty of being a prince,-may there not be expected from this one sentence the prosperity of his country?"

The duke then said, "Is there a single sentence which can ruin a country?" Confucius replied, "Such an effect as that cannot be expected from one sentence. There is, however, the saying which people have-'I have no pleasure in being a prince, but only in that no one can offer any opposition to what I say!'

"If a ruler's words be good, is it not also good that no one oppose them? But if they are not good, and no one opposes them, may there not be expected from this one sentence the ruin of his country?"

The Duke of Sheh asked about government.

The Master said, "Good government obtains when those who are near are made happy, and those who are far off are attracted."

Tsze-hsia! being governor of Chu-fu, asked about government. The Master said, "Do not be desirous to have things done quickly; do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly. Looking at small advantages prevents great affairs from being accomplished."

The Duke of Sheh informed Confucius, saying, "Among us here there are those who may be styled upright in their conduct. If their father have stolen a sheep, they will bear witness to the fact."

Confucius said, "Among us, in our part of the country, those who are upright are different from this. The father conceals the misconduct of the son, and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness is to be found in this."

Fan Ch'ih asked about perfect virtue. The Master said, "It is, in retirement, to be sedately grave; in the management of business, to be reverently attentive; in intercourse with others, to be strictly sincere. Though a man go among rude, uncultivated tribes, these qualities may not be neglected."

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "What qualities must a man possess to entitle him to be called an officer? The Master said, "He who in his conduct of himself maintains a sense of shame, and when sent to any quarter will not disgrace his prince's commission, deserves to be called an officer."

Tsze-kung pursued, "I venture to ask who may be placed in the next lower rank?" And he was told, "He whom the circle of his relatives pronounce to be filial, whom his fellow villagers and neighbors pronounce to be fraternal."

Again the disciple asked, "I venture to ask about the class still next in order." The Master said, "They are determined to be sincere in what they say, and to carry out what they do. They are obstinate little men. Yet perhaps they may make the next class."

Tsze-kung finally inquired, "Of what sort are those of the present day, who engage in government?" The Master said "Pooh! they are so many pecks and hampers, not worth being taken into account."

The Master said, "Since I cannot get men pursuing the due medium, to whom I might communicate my instructions, I must find the ardent and the cautiously-decided. The ardent will advance and lay hold of truth; the cautiously-decided will keep themselves from what is wrong."

The Master said, "The people of the south have a saying -'A man without constancy cannot be either a wizard or a doctor.' Good!

"Inconstant in his virtue, he will be visited with disgrace."

The Master said, "This arises simply from not attending to the prognostication."

The Master said, "The superior man is affable, but not adulatory; the mean man is adulatory, but not affable."

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "What do you say of a man who is loved by all the people of his neighborhood?" The Master replied, "We may not for that accord our approval of him." "And what do you say of him who is hated by all the people of his neighborhood?" The Master said, "We may not for that conclude that he is bad. It is better than either of these cases that the good in the neighborhood love him, and the bad hate him."

The Master said, "The superior man is easy to serve and difficult to please. If you try to please him in any way which is not accordant with right, he will not be pleased. But in his employment of men, he uses them according to their capacity. The mean man is difficult to serve, and easy to please. If you try to please him, though it be in a way which is not accordant with right, he may be pleased. But in his employment of men, he wishes them to be equal to everything."

The Master said, "The superior man has a dignified ease without pride. The mean man has pride without a dignified ease."

The Master said, "The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue."

Tsze-lu asked, saying, "What qualities must a man possess to entitle him to be called a scholar?" The Master said, "He must be thus,-earnest, urgent, and bland:-among his friends, earnest and urgent; among his brethren, bland."

The Master said, "Let a good man teach the people seven years, and they may then likewise be employed in war."

The Master said, "To lead an uninstructed people to war, is to throw them away."



Book 14    

Hsien asked what was shameful. The Master said, "When good government prevails in a state, to be thinking only of salary; and, when bad government prevails, to be thinking, in the same way, only of salary;-this is shameful."
"When the love of superiority, boasting, resentments, and covetousness are repressed, this may be deemed perfect virtue."

The Master said, "This may be regarded as the achievement of what is difficult. But I do not know that it is to be deemed perfect virtue."

The Master said, "The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar."

The Master said, "When good government prevails in a state, language may be lofty and bold, and actions the same. When bad government prevails, the actions may be lofty and bold, but the language may be with some reserve."

The Master said, "The virtuous will be sure to speak correctly, but those whose speech is good may not always be virtuous. Men of principle are sure to be bold, but those who are bold may not always be men of principle."

Nan-kung Kwo, submitting an inquiry to Confucius, said, "I was skillful at archery, and Ao could move a boat along upon the land, but neither of them died a natural death. Yu and Chi personally wrought at the toils of husbandry, and they became possessors of the kingdom." The Master made no reply; but when Nan-kung Kwo went out, he said, "A superior man indeed is this! An esteemer of virtue indeed is this!"

The Master said, "Superior men, and yet not always virtuous, there have been, alas! But there never has been a mean man, and, at the same time, virtuous."

The Master said, "Can there be love which does not lead to strictness with its object? Can there be loyalty which does not lead to the instruction of its object?"

The Master said, "In preparing the governmental notifications, P'i Shan first made the rough draft; Shi-shu examined and discussed its contents; Tsze-yu, the manager of foreign intercourse, then polished the style; and, finally, Tsze-ch'an of Tung-li gave it the proper elegance and finish."

Some one asked about Tsze-ch'an. The Master said, "He was a kind man."

He asked about Tsze-hsi. The Master said, "That man! That man!"

He asked about Kwan Chung. "For him," said the Master, "the city of Pien, with three hundred families, was taken from the chief of the Po family, who did not utter a murmuring word, though, to the end of his life, he had only coarse rice to eat."

The Master said, "To be poor without murmuring is difficult. To be rich without being proud is easy."

The Master said, "Mang Kung-ch'o is more than fit to be chief officer in the families of Chao and Wei, but he is not fit to be great officer to either of the states Tang or Hsieh."

Tsze-lu asked what constituted a COMPLETE man. The Master said, "Suppose a man with the knowledge of Tsang Wu-chung, the freedom from covetousness of Kung-ch'o, the bravery of Chwang of Pien, and the varied talents of Zan Ch'iu; add to these the accomplishments of the rules of propriety and music;-such a one might be reckoned a COMPLETE man."

He then added, "But what is the necessity for a complete man of the present day to have all these things? The man, who in the view of gain, thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends:-such a man may be reckoned a COMPLETE man."

The Master asked Kung-ming Chia about Kung-shu Wan, saying, "Is it true that your master speaks not, laughs not, and takes not?"

Kung-ming Chia replied, "This has arisen from the reporters going beyond the truth.-My master speaks when it is the time to speak, and so men do not get tired of his speaking. He laughs when there is occasion to be joyful, and so men do not get tired of his laughing. He takes when it is consistent with righteousness to do so, and so men do not get tired of his taking." The Master said, "So! But is it so with him?"

The Master said, "Tsang Wu-chung, keeping possession of Fang, asked of the duke of Lu to appoint a successor to him in his family. Although it may be said that he was not using force with his sovereign, I believe he was."

The Master said, "The duke Wan of Tsin was crafty and not upright. The duke Hwan of Ch'i was upright and not crafty."

Tsze-lu said, "The Duke Hwan caused his brother Chiu to be killed, when Shao Hu died, with his master, but Kwan Chung did not die. May not I say that he was wanting in virtue?"

The Master said, "The Duke Hwan assembled all the princes together, and that not with weapons of war and chariots:-it was all through the influence of Kwan Chung. Whose beneficence was like his? Whose beneficence was like his?"

Tsze-kung said, "Kwan Chung, I apprehend was wanting in virtue. When the Duke Hwan caused his brother Chiu to be killed, Kwan Chung was not able to die with him. Moreover, he became prime minister to Hwan."

The Master said, "Kwan Chung acted as prime minister to the Duke Hwan made him leader of all the princes, and united and rectified the whole kingdom. Down to the present day, the people enjoy the gifts which he conferred. But for Kwan Chung, we should now be wearing our hair unbound, and the lappets of our coats buttoning on the left side.

"Will you require from him the small fidelity of common men and common women, who would commit suicide in a stream or ditch, no one knowing anything about them?"

The great officer, Hsien, who had been family minister to Kung-shu Wan, ascended to the prince's court in company with Wan.

The Master, having heard of it, said, "He deserved to be considered WAN (the accomplished)."

The Master was speaking about the unprincipled course of the duke Ling of Weil when Ch'i K'ang said, "Since he is of such a character, how is it he does not lose his state?"

Confucius said, "The Chung-shu Yu has the superintendence of his guests and of strangers; the litanist, T'o, has the management of his ancestral temple; and Wang-sun Chia has the direction of the army and forces:-with such officers as these, how should he lose his state?"

The Master said, "He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good."

Chan Ch'ang murdered the Duke Chien of Ch'i.

Confucius bathed, went to court and informed the Duke Ai, saying, "Chan Hang has slain his sovereign. I beg that you will undertake to punish him."

The duke said, "Inform the chiefs of the three families of it."

Confucius retired, and said, "Following in the rear of the great officers, I did not dare not to represent such a matter, and my prince says, "Inform the chiefs of the three families of it."

He went to the chiefs, and informed them, but they would not act. Confucius then said, "Following in the rear of the great officers, I did not dare not to represent such a matter."

Tsze-lu asked how a ruler should be served. The Master said, "Do not impose on him, and, moreover, withstand him to his face."

The Master said, "The progress of the superior man is upwards; the progress of the mean man is downwards."

The Master said, "In ancient times, men learned with a view to their own improvement. Nowadays, men learn with a view to the approbation of others."

Chu Po-yu sent a messenger with friendly inquiries to Confucius.

Confucius sat with him, and questioned him. "What," said he! "is your master engaged in?" The messenger replied, "My master is anxious to make his faults few, but he has not yet succeeded." He then went out, and the Master said, "A messenger indeed! A messenger indeed!"

The Master said, "He who is not in any particular office has nothing to do with plans for the administration of its duties."

The philosopher Tsang said, "The superior man, in his thoughts, does not go out of his place."

The Master said, "The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions."

The Master said, "The way of the superior man is threefold, but I am not equal to it. Virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear.

Tsze-kung said, "Master, that is what you yourself say."

Tsze-kung was in the habit of comparing men together. The Master said, "Tsze must have reached a high pitch of excellence! Now, I have not leisure for this."

The Master said, "I will not be concerned at men's not knowing me; I will be concerned at my own want of ability."

The Master said, "He who does not anticipate attempts to deceive him, nor think beforehand of his not being believed, and yet apprehends these things readily when they occur;-is he not a man of superior worth?"

Wei-shang Mau said to Confucius, "Ch'iu, how is it that you keep roosting about? Is it not that you are an insinuating talker?

Confucius said, "I do not dare to play the part of such a talker, but I hate obstinacy."

The Master said, "A horse is called a ch'i, not because of its strength, but because of its other good qualities."

Some one said, "What do you say concerning the principle that injury should be recompensed with kindness?"

The Master said, "With what then will you recompense kindness?"

"Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness."

The Master said, "Alas! there is no one that knows me."

Tsze-kung said, "What do you mean by thus saying-that no one knows you?" The Master replied, "I do not murmur against Heaven. I do not grumble against men. My studies lie low, and my penetration rises high. But there is Heaven;-that knows me!"

The Kung-po Liao, having slandered Tsze-lu to Chi-sun, Tsze-fu Ching-po informed Confucius of it, saying, "Our master is certainly being led astray by the Kung-po Liao, but I have still power enough left to cut Liao off, and expose his corpse in the market and in the court."

The Master said, "If my principles are to advance, it is so ordered. If they are to fall to the ground, it is so ordered. What can the Kung-po Liao do where such ordering is concerned?"

The Master said, "Some men of worth retire from the world. Some retire from particular states. Some retire because of disrespectful looks. Some retire because of contradictory language."

The Master said, "Those who have done this are seven men."

Tsze-lu happening to pass the night in Shih-man, the gatekeeper said to him, "Whom do you come from?" Tsze-lu said, "From Mr. K'ung." "It is he,-is it not?"-said the other, "who knows the impracticable nature of the times and yet will be doing in them."

The Master was playing, one day, on a musical stone in Weil when a man carrying a straw basket passed door of the house where Confucius was, and said, "His heart is full who so beats the musical stone."

A little while after, he added, "How contemptible is the one-ideaed obstinacy those sounds display! When one is taken no notice of, he has simply at once to give over his wish for public employment. 'Deep water must be crossed with the clothes on; shallow water may be crossed with the clothes held up.'"

The Master said, "How determined is he in his purpose! But this is not difficult!"

Tsze-chang said, "What is meant when the Shu says that Kao-tsung, while observing the usual imperial mourning, was for three years without speaking?"

The Master said, "Why must Kao-tsung be referred to as an example of this? The ancients all did so. When the sovereign died, the officers all attended to their several duties, taking instructions from the prime minister for three years."

The Master said, "When rulers love to observe the rules of propriety, the people respond readily to the calls on them for service."

Tsze-lu asked what constituted the superior man. The Master said, "The cultivation of himself in reverential carefulness." "And is this all?" said Tsze-lu. "He cultivates himself so as to give rest to others," was the reply. "And is this all?" again asked Tsze-lu. The Master said, "He cultivates himself so as to give rest to all the people. He cultivates himself so as to give rest to all the people:-even Yao and Shun were still solicitous about this."

Yuan Zang was squatting on his heels, and so waited the approach of the Master, who said to him, "In youth not humble as befits a junior; in manhood, doing nothing worthy of being handed down; and living on to old age:-this is to be a pest." With this he hit him on the shank with his staff.

A youth of the village of Ch'ueh was employed by Confucius to carry the messages between him and his visitors. Some one asked about him, saying, "I suppose he has made great progress."

The Master said, "I observe that he is fond of occupying the seat of a full-grown man; I observe that he walks shoulder to shoulder with his elders. He is not one who is seeking to make progress in learning. He wishes quickly to become a man."



Book 15    

The Duke Ling of Wei asked Confucius about tactics. Confucius replied, "I have heard all about sacrificial vessels, but I have not learned military matters." On this, he took his departure the next day.
When he was in Chan, their provisions were exhausted, and his followers became so in that they were unable to rise.

Tsze-lu, with evident dissatisfaction, said, "Has the superior man likewise to endure in this way?" The Master said, "The superior man may indeed have to endure want, but the mean man, when he is in want, gives way to unbridled license."

The Master said, "Ts'ze, you think, I suppose, that I am one who learns many things and keeps them in memory?"

Tsze-kung replied, "Yes,-but perhaps it is not so?"

"No," was the answer; "I seek a unity all pervading."

The Master said, "Yu I those who know virtue are few."

The Master said, "May not Shun be instanced as having governed efficiently without exertion? What did he do? He did nothing but gravely and reverently occupy his royal seat."

Tsze-chang asked how a man should conduct himself, so as to be everywhere appreciated.

The Master said, "Let his words be sincere and truthful and his actions honorable and careful;-such conduct may be practiced among the rude tribes of the South or the North. If his words be not sincere and truthful and his actions not honorable and carefull will he, with such conduct, be appreciated, even in his neighborhood?

"When he is standing, let him see those two things, as it were, fronting him. When he is in a carriage, let him see them attached to the yoke. Then may he subsequently carry them into practice."

Tsze-chang wrote these counsels on the end of his sash.

The Master said, "Truly straightforward was the historiographer Yu. When good government prevailed in his state, he was like an arrow. When bad government prevailed, he was like an arrow. A superior man indeed is Chu Po-yu! When good government prevails in his state, he is to be found in office. When bad government prevails, he can roll his principles up, and keep them in his breast."

The Master said, "When a man may be spoken with, not to speak to him is to err in reference to the man. When a man may not be spoken with, to speak to him is to err in reference to our words. The wise err neither in regard to their man nor to their words."

The Master said, "The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete."

Tsze-kung asked about the practice of virtue. The Master said, "The mechanic, who wishes to do his work well, must first sharpen his tools. When you are living in any state, take service with the most worthy among its great officers, and make friends of the most virtuous among its scholars."

Yen Yuan asked how the government of a country should be administered.

The Master said, "Follow the seasons of Hsia.

"Ride in the state carriage of Yin.

"Wear the ceremonial cap of Chau.

"Let the music be the Shao with its pantomimes. Banish the songs of Chang, and keep far from specious talkers. The songs of Chang are licentious; specious talkers are dangerous."

The Master said, "If a man take no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand."

The Master said, "It is all over! I have not seen one who loves virtue as he loves beauty."

The Master said, "Was not Tsang Wan like one who had stolen his situation? He knew the virtue and the talents of Hui of Liu-hsia, and yet did not procure that he should stand with him in court."

The Master said, "He who requires much from himself and little from others, will keep himself from being the object of resentment."

The Master said, "When a man is not in the habit of saying-'What shall I think of this? What shall I think of this?' I can indeed do nothing with him!"

The Master said, "When a number of people are together, for a whole day, without their conversation turning on righteousness, and when they are fond of carrying out the suggestions of a small shrewdness;-theirs is indeed a hard case."

The Master said, "The superior man in everything considers righteousness to be essential. He performs it according to the rules of propriety. He brings it forth in humility. He completes it with sincerity. This is indeed a superior man."

The Master said, "The superior man is distressed by his want of ability. He is not distressed by men's not knowing him."

The Master said, "The superior man dislikes the thought of his name not being mentioned after his death."

The Master said, "What the superior man seeks, is in himself. What the mean man seeks, is in others."

The Master said, "The superior man is dignified, but does not wrangle. He is sociable, but not a partisan."

The Master said, "The superior man does not promote a man simply on account of his words, nor does he put aside good words because of the man."

Tsze-kung asked, saying, "Is there one word which may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?" The Master said, "Is not RECIPROCITY such a word? What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others."

The Master said, "In my dealings with men, whose evil do I blame, whose goodness do I praise, beyond what is proper? If I do sometimes exceed in praise, there must be ground for it in my examination of the individual.

"This people supplied the ground why the three dynasties pursued the path of straightforwardness."

The Master said, "Even in my early days, a historiographer would leave a blank in his text, and he who had a horse would lend him to another to ride. Now, alas! there are no such things."

The Master said, "Specious words confound virtue. Want of forbearance in small matters confounds great plans."

The Master said, "When the multitude hate a man, it is necessary to examine into the case. When the multitude like a man, it is necessary to examine into the case."

The Master said, "A man can enlarge the principles which he follows; those principles do not enlarge the man."

The Master said, "To have faults and not to reform them,-this, indeed, should be pronounced having faults."

The Master said, "I have been the whole day without eating, and the whole night without sleeping:-occupied with thinking. It was of no use. better plan is to learn."

The Master said, "The object of the superior man is truth. Food is not his object. There is plowing;-even in that there is sometimes want. So with learning;-emolument may be found in it. The superior man is anxious lest he should not get truth; he is not anxious lest poverty should come upon him."

The Master said, "When a man's knowledge is sufficient to attain, and his virtue is not sufficient to enable him to hold, whatever he may have gained, he will lose again.

"When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue enough to hold fast, if he cannot govern with dignity, the people will not respect him.

"When his knowledge is sufficient to attain, and he has virtue enough to hold fast; when he governs also with dignity, yet if he try to move the people contrary to the rules of propriety:-full excellence is not reached."

The Master said, "The superior man cannot be known in little matters; but he may be intrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be intrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters."

The Master said, "Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue."

The Master said, "Let every man consider virtue as what devolves on himself. He may not yield the performance of it even to his teacher."

The Master said, "The superior man is correctly firm, and not firm merely."

The Master said, "A minister, in serving his prince, reverently discharges his duties, and makes his emolument a secondary consideration."

The Master said, "In teaching there should be no distinction of classes."

The Master said, "Those whose courses are different cannot lay plans for one another."

The Master said, "In language it is simply required that it convey the meaning."

The music master, Mien, having called upon him, when they came to the steps, the Master said, "Here are the steps." When they came to the mat for the guest to sit upon, he said, "Here is the mat." When all were seated, the Master informed him, saying, "So and so is here; so and so is here."

The music master, Mien, having gone out, Tsze-chang asked, saying. "Is it the rule to tell those things to the music master?"

The Master said, "Yes. This is certainly the rule for those who lead the blind."



Book 16    

The head of the Chi family was going to attack Chwan-yu.
Zan Yu and Chi-lu had an interview with Confucius, and said, "Our chief, Chil is going to commence operations against Chwan-yu."

Confucius said, "Ch'iu, is it not you who are in fault here?

"Now, in regard to Chwan-yu, long ago, a former king appointed its ruler to preside over the sacrifices to the eastern Mang; moreover, it is in the midst of the territory of our state; and its ruler is a minister in direct connection with the sovereign: What has your chief to do with attacking it?"

Zan Yu said, "Our master wishes the thing; neither of us two ministers wishes it."

Confucius said, "Ch'iu, there are the words of Chau Zan, -'When he can put forth his ability, he takes his place in the ranks of office; when he finds himself unable to do so, he retires from it. How can he be used as a guide to a blind man, who does not support him when tottering, nor raise him up when fallen?'

"And further, you speak wrongly. When a tiger or rhinoceros escapes from his cage; when a tortoise or piece of jade is injured in its repository:-whose is the fault?"

Zan Yu said, "But at present, Chwan-yu is strong and near to Pi; if our chief do not now take it, it will hereafter be a sorrow to his descendants."

Confucius said. "Ch'iu, the superior man hates those declining to say-'I want such and such a thing,' and framing explanations for their conduct.

"I have heard that rulers of states and chiefs of families are not troubled lest their people should be few, but are troubled lest they should not keep their several places; that they are not troubled with fears of poverty, but are troubled with fears of a want of contented repose among the people in their several places. For when the people keep their several places, there will be no poverty; when harmony prevails, there will be no scarcity of people; and when there is such a contented repose, there will be no rebellious upsettings.

"So it is.-Therefore, if remoter people are not submissive, all the influences of civil culture and virtue are to be cultivated to attract them to be so; and when they have been so attracted, they must be made contented and tranquil.

"Now, here are you, Yu and Ch'iu, assisting your chief. Remoter people are not submissive, and, with your help, he cannot attract them to him. In his own territory there are divisions and downfalls, leavings and separations, and, with your help, he cannot preserve it.

"And yet he is planning these hostile movements within the state.-I am afraid that the sorrow of the Chi-sun family will not be on account of Chwan-yu, but will be found within the screen of their own court."

Confucius said, "When good government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the son of Heaven. When bad government prevails in the empire, ceremonies, music, and punitive military expeditions proceed from the princes. When these things proceed from the princes, as a rule, the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in ten generations. When they proceed from the great officers of the princes, as a rule, the case will be few in which they do not lose their power in five generations. When the subsidiary ministers of the great officers hold in their grasp the orders of the state, as a rule the cases will be few in which they do not lose their power in three generations.

"When right principles prevail in the kingdom, government will not be in the hands of the great officers.

"When right principles prevail in the kingdom, there will be no discussions among the common people."

Confucius said, "The revenue of the state has left the ducal house now for five generations. The government has been in the hands of the great officers for four generations. On this account, the descendants of the three Hwan are much reduced."

Confucius said, "There are three friendships which are advantageous, and three which are injurious. Friendship with the uplight; friendship with the sincere; and friendship with the man of much observation:-these are advantageous. Friendship with the man of specious airs; friendship with the insinuatingly soft; and friendship with the glib-tongued:-these are injurious."

Confucius said, "There are three things men find enjoyment in which are advantageous, and three things they find enjoyment in which are injurious. To find enjoyment in the discriminating study of ceremonies and music; to find enjoyment in speaking of the goodness of others; to find enjoyment in having many worthy friends:-these are advantageous. To find enjoyment in extravagant pleasures; to find enjoyment in idleness and sauntering; to find enjoyment in the pleasures of feasting:-these are injurious."

Confucius said, "There are three errors to which they who stand in the presence of a man of virtue and station are liable. They may speak when it does not come to them to speak;-this is called rashness. They may not speak when it comes to them to speak;-this is called concealment. They may speak without looking at the countenance of their superior;-this is called blindness."

Confucius said, "There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth, when the physical powers are not yet settled, he guards against lust. When he is strong and the physical powers are full of vigor, he guards against quarrelsomeness. When he is old, and the animal powers are decayed, he guards against covetousness."

Confucius said, "There are three things of which the superior man stands in awe. He stands in awe of the ordinances of Heaven. He stands in awe of great men. He stands in awe of the words of sages.

"The mean man does not know the ordinances of Heaven, and consequently does not stand in awe of them. He is disrespectful to great men. He makes sport of the words of sages."

Confucius said, "Those who are born with the possession of knowledge are the highest class of men. Those who learn, and so readily get possession of knowledge, are the next. Those who are dull and stupid, and yet compass the learning, are another class next to these. As to those who are dull and stupid and yet do not learn;-they are the lowest of the people."

Confucius said, "The superior man has nine things which are subjects with him of thoughtful consideration. In regard to the use of his eyes, he is anxious to see clearly. In regard to the use of his ears, he is anxious to hear distinctly. In regard to his countenance, he is anxious that it should be benign. In regard to his demeanor, he is anxious that it should be respectful. In regard to his speech, he is anxious that it should be sincere. In regard to his doing of business, he is anxious that it should be reverently careful. In regard to what he doubts about, he is anxious to question others. When he is angry, he thinks of the difficulties his anger may involve him in. When he sees gain to be got, he thinks of righteousness."

Confucius said, "Contemplating good, and pursuing it, as if they could not reach it; contemplating evil! and shrinking from it, as they would from thrusting the hand into boiling water:-I have seen such men, as I have heard such words.

"Living in retirement to study their aims, and practicing righteousness to carry out their principles:-I have heard these words, but I have not seen such men."

The Duke Ching of Ch'i had a thousand teams, each of four horses, but on the day of his death, the people did not praise him for a single virtue. Po-i and Shu-ch'i died of hunger at the foot of the Shau-yang mountains, and the people, down to the present time, praise them.

"Is not that saying illustrated by this?"

Ch'an K'ang asked Po-yu, saying, "Have you heard any lessons from your father different from what we have all heard?"

Po-yu replied, "No. He was standing alone once, when I passed below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the Odes?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he added, If you do not learn the Odes, you will not be fit to converse with.' I retired and studied the Odes.

"Another day, he was in the same way standing alone, when I passed by below the hall with hasty steps, and said to me, 'Have you learned the rules of Propriety?' On my replying 'Not yet,' he added, 'If you do not learn the rules of Propriety, your character cannot be established.' I then retired, and learned the rules of Propriety.

"I have heard only these two things from him."

Ch'ang K'ang retired, and, quite delighted, said, "I asked one thing, and I have got three things. I have heard about the Odes. I have heard about the rules of Propriety. I have also heard that the superior man maintains a distant reserve towards his son."

The wife of the prince of a state is called by him Fu Zan. She calls herself Hsiao T'ung. The people of the state call her Chun Fu Zan, and, to the people of other states, they call her K'wa Hsiao Chun. The people of other states also call her Chun Fu Zan.



Book 17    

Yang Ho wished to see Confucius, but Confucius would not go to see him. On this, he sent a present of a pig to Confucius, who, having chosen a time when Ho was not at home went to pay his respects for the gift. He met him, however, on the way.
Ho said to Confucius, "Come, let me speak with you." He then asked, "Can he be called benevolent who keeps his jewel in his bosom, and leaves his country to confusion?" Confucius replied, "No." "Can he be called wise, who is anxious to be engaged in public employment, and yet is constantly losing the opportunity of being so?" Confucius again said, "No." "The days and months are passing away; the years do not wait for us." Confucius said, "Right; I will go into office."

The Master said, "By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart."

The Master said, "There are only the wise of the highest class, and the stupid of the lowest class, who cannot be changed."

The Master, having come to Wu-ch'ang, heard there the sound of stringed instruments and singing.

Well pleased and smiling, he said, "Why use an ox knife to kill a fowl?"

Tsze-yu replied, "Formerly, Master, I heard you say,-'When the man of high station is well instructed, he loves men; when the man of low station is well instructed, he is easily ruled.'"

The Master said, "My disciples, Yen's words are right. What I said was only in sport."

Kung-shan Fu-zao, when he was holding Pi, and in an attitude of rebellion, invited the Master to visit him, who was rather inclined to go.

Tsze-lu was displeased. and said, "Indeed, you cannot go! Why must you think of going to see Kung-shan?"

The Master said, "Can it be without some reason that he has invited ME? If any one employ me, may I not make an eastern Chau?"

Tsze-chang asked Confucius about perfect virtue. Confucius said, "To be able to practice five things everywhere under heaven constitutes perfect virtue." He begged to ask what they were, and was told, "Gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness. If you are grave, you will not be treated with disrespect. If you are generous, you will win all. If you are sincere, people will repose trust in you. If you are earnest, you will accomplish much. If you are kind, this will enable you to employ the services of others.

Pi Hsi inviting him to visit him, the Master was inclined to go.

Tsze-lu said, "Master, formerly I have heard you say, 'When a man in his own person is guilty of doing evil, a superior man will not associate with him.' Pi Hsi is in rebellion, holding possession of Chung-mau; if you go to him, what shall be said?"

The Master said, "Yes, I did use these words. But is it not said, that, if a thing be really hard, it may be ground without being made thin? Is it not said, that, if a thing be really white, it may be steeped in a dark fluid without being made black?

"Am I a bitter gourd? How can I be hung up out of the way of being eaten?"

The Master said, "Yu, have you heard the six words to which are attached six becloudings?" Yu replied, "I have not."

"Sit down, and I will tell them to you.

"There is the love of being benevolent without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to a foolish simplicity. There is the love of knowing without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to dissipation of mind. There is the love of being sincere without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to an injurious disregard of consequences. There is the love of straightforwardness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to rudeness. There is the love of boldness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to insubordination. There is the love of firmness without the love of learning;-the beclouding here leads to extravagant conduct."

The Master said, "My children, why do you not study the Book of Poetry?

"The Odes serve to stimulate the mind.

"They may be used for purposes of self-contemplation.

"They teach the art of sociability.

"They show how to regulate feelings of resentment.

"From them you learn the more immediate duty of serving one's father, and the remoter one of serving one's prince.

"From them we become largely acquainted with the names of birds, beasts, and plants."

The Master said to Po-yu, "Do you give yourself to the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan. The man who has not studied the Chau-nan and the Shao-nan is like one who stands with his face right against a wall. Is he not so?" The Master said, "'It is according to the rules of propriety,' they say.-'It is according to the rules of propriety,' they say. Are gems and silk all that is meant by propriety? 'It is music,' they say.-'It is music,' they say. Are hers and drums all that is meant by music?"

The Master said, "He who puts on an appearance of stern firmness, while inwardly he is weak, is like one of the small, mean people;-yea, is he not like the thief who breaks through, or climbs over, a wall?"

The Master said, "Your good, careful people of the villages are the thieves of virtue."

The Master said, To tell, as we go along, what we have heard on the way, is to cast away our virtue."

The Master said, "There are those mean creatures! How impossible it is along with them to serve one's prince!

"While they have not got their aims, their anxiety is how to get them. When they have got them, their anxiety is lest they should lose them.

"When they are anxious lest such things should be lost, there is nothing to which they will not proceed."

The Master said, "Anciently, men had three failings, which now perhaps are not to be found.

"The high-mindedness of antiquity showed itself in a disregard of small things; the high-mindedness of the present day shows itself in wild license. The stern dignity of antiquity showed itself in grave reserve; the stern dignity of the present day shows itself in quarrelsome perverseness. The stupidity of antiquity showed itself in straightforwardness; the stupidity of the present day shows itself in sheer deceit."

The Master said, "Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with virtue."

The Master said, "I hate the manner in which purple takes away the luster of vermilion. I hate the way in which the songs of Chang confound the music of the Ya. I hate those who with their sharp mouths overthrow kingdoms and families."

The Master said, "I would prefer not speaking."

Tsze-kung said, "If you, Master, do not speak, what shall we, your disciples, have to record?"

The Master said, "Does Heaven speak? The four seasons pursue their courses, and all things are continually being produced, but does Heaven say anything?"

Zu Pei wished to see Confucius, but Confucius declined, on the ground of being sick, to see him. When the bearer of this message went out at the door, the Master took his lute and sang to it, in order that Pei might hear him.

Tsai Wo asked about the three years' mourning for parents, saying that one year was long enough.

"If the superior man," said he, "abstains for three years from the observances of propriety, those observances will be quite lost. If for three years he abstains from music, music will be ruined. Within a year the old grain is exhausted, and the new grain has sprung up, and, in procuring fire by friction, we go through all the changes of wood for that purpose. After a complete year, the mourning may stop."

The Master said, "If you were, after a year, to eat good rice, and wear embroidered clothes, would you feel at ease?" "I should," replied Wo.

The Master said, "If you can feel at ease, do it. But a superior man, during the whole period of mourning, does not enjoy pleasant food which he may eat, nor derive pleasure from music which he may hear. He also does not feel at ease, if he is comfortably lodged. Therefore he does not do what you propose. But now you feel at ease and may do it."

Tsai Wo then went out, and the Master said, "This shows Yu's want of virtue. It is not till a child is three years old that it is allowed to leave the arms of its parents. And the three years' mourning is universally observed throughout the empire. Did Yu enjoy the three years' love of his parents?"

The Master said, "Hard is it to deal with who will stuff himself with food the whole day, without applying his mind to anything good! Are there not gamesters and chess players? To be one of these would still be better than doing nothing at all."

Tsze-lu said, "Does the superior man esteem valor?" The Master said, "The superior man holds righteousness to be of highest importance. A man in a superior situation, having valor without righteousness, will be guilty of insubordination; one of the lower people having valor without righteousness, will commit robbery."

Tsze-kung said, "Has the superior man his hatreds also?" The Master said, "He has his hatreds. He hates those who proclaim the evil of others. He hates the man who, being in a low station, slanders his superiors. He hates those who have valor merely, and are unobservant of propriety. He hates those who are forward and determined, and, at the same time, of contracted understanding."

The Master then inquired, "Ts'ze, have you also your hatreds?" Tsze-kung replied, "I hate those who pry out matters, and ascribe the knowledge to their wisdom. I hate those who are only not modest, and think that they are valorous. I hate those who make known secrets, and think that they are straightforward."

The Master said, "Of all people, girls and servants are the most difficult to behave to. If you are familiar with them, they lose their humility. If you maintain a reserve towards them, they are discontented."

The Master said, "When a man at forty is the object of dislike, he will always continue what he is."



Book 18    

The Viscount of Wei withdrew from the court. The Viscount of Chi became a slave to Chau. Pi-kan remonstrated with him and died.
Confucius said, "The Yin dynasty possessed these three men of virtue."

Hui of Liu-hsia, being chief criminal judge, was thrice dismissed from his office. Some one said to him, "Is it not yet time for you, sir, to leave this?" He replied, "Serving men in an upright way, where shall I go to, and not experience such a thrice-repeated dismissal? If I choose to serve men in a crooked way, what necessity is there for me to leave the country of my parents?"

The duke Ching of Ch'i, with reference to the manner in which he should treat Confucius, said, "I cannot treat him as I would the chief of the Chi family. I will treat him in a manner between that accorded to the chief of the Chil and that given to the chief of the Mang family." He also said, "I am old; I cannot use his doctrines." Confucius took his departure.

The people of Ch'i sent to Lu a present of female musicians, which Chi Hwan received, and for three days no court was held. Confucius took his departure.

The madman of Ch'u, Chieh-yu, passed by Confucius, singing and saying, "O FANG! O FANG! How is your virtue degenerated! As to the past, reproof is useless; but the future may still be provided against. Give up your vain pursuit. Give up your vain pursuit. Peril awaits those who now engage in affairs of government."

Confucius alighted and wished to converse with him, but Chieh-yu hastened away, so that he could not talk with him.

Ch'ang-tsu and Chieh-ni were at work in the field together, when Confucius passed by them, and sent Tsze-lu to inquire for the ford.

Ch'ang-tsu said, "Who is he that holds the reins in the carriage there?" Tsze-lu told him, "It is K'ung Ch'iu.', "Is it not K'ung of Lu?" asked he. "Yes," was the reply, to which the other rejoined, "He knows the ford."

Tsze-lu then inquired of Chieh-ni, who said to him, "Who are you, sir?" He answered, "I am Chung Yu." "Are you not the disciple of K'ung Ch'iu of Lu?" asked the other. "I am," replied he, and then Chieh-ni said to him, "Disorder, like a swelling flood, spreads over the whole empire, and who is he that will change its state for you? Rather than follow one who merely withdraws from this one and that one, had you not better follow those who have withdrawn from the world altogether?" With this he fell to covering up the seed, and proceeded with his work, without stopping.

Tsze-lu went and reported their remarks, when the Master observed with a sigh, "It is impossible to associate with birds and beasts, as if they were the same with us. If I associate not with these people,-with mankind,-with whom shall I associate? If right principles prevailed through the empire, there would be no use for me to change its state."

Tsze-lu, following the Master, happened to fall behind, when he met an old man, carrying across his shoulder on a staff a basket for weeds. Tsze-lu said to him, "Have you seen my master, sir?" The old man replied, "Your four limbs are unaccustomed to toil; you cannot distinguish the five kinds of grain:-who is your master?" With this, he planted his staff in the ground, and proceeded to weed.

Tsze-lu joined his hands across his breast, and stood before him.

The old man kept Tsze-lu to pass the night in his house, killed a fowl, prepared millet, and feasted him. He also introduced to him his two sons.

Next day, Tsze-lu went on his way, and reported his adventure. The Master said, "He is a recluse," and sent Tsze-lu back to see him again, but when he got to the place, the old man was gone.

Tsze-lu then said to the family, "Not to take office is not righteous. If the relations between old and young may not be neglected, how is it that he sets aside the duties that should be observed between sovereign and minister? Wishing to maintain his personal purity, he allows that great relation to come to confusion. A superior man takes office, and performs the righteous duties belonging to it. As to the failure of right principles to make progress, he is aware of that."

The men who have retired to privacy from the world have been Po-i, Shu-ch'i, Yuchung, I-yi, Chu-chang, Hui of Liu-hsia, and Shao-lien.

The Master said, "Refusing to surrender their wills, or to submit to any taint in their persons; such, I think, were Po-i and Shu-ch'i.

"It may be said of Hui of Liu-hsia! and of Shaolien, that they surrendered their wills, and submitted to taint in their persons, but their words corresponded with reason, and their actions were such as men are anxious to see. This is all that is to be remarked in them.

"It may be said of Yu-chung and I-yi, that, while they hid themselves in their seclusion, they gave a license to their words; but in their persons, they succeeded in preserving their purity, and, in their retirement, they acted according to the exigency of the times.

"I am different from all these. I have no course for which I am predetermined, and no course against which I am predetermined."

The grand music master, Chih, went to Ch'i.

Kan, the master of the band at the second meal, went to Ch'u. Liao, the band master at the third meal, went to Ts'ai. Chueh, the band master at the fourth meal, went to Ch'in.

Fang-shu, the drum master, withdrew to the north of the river.

Wu, the master of the hand drum, withdrew to the Han.

Yang, the assistant music master, and Hsiang, master of the musical stone, withdrew to an island in the sea.

The duke of Chau addressed his son, the duke of Lu, saying, "The virtuous prince does not neglect his relations. He does not cause the great ministers to repine at his not employing them. Without some great cause, he does not dismiss from their offices the members of old families. He does not seek in one man talents for every employment."

To Chau belonged the eight officers, Po-ta, Po-kwo, Chung-tu, Chung-hwu, Shu-ya, Shuhsia, Chi-sui, and Chi-kwa.



Book 19    

Tsze-chang said, "The scholar, trained for public duty, seeing threatening danger, is prepared to sacrifice his life. When the opportunity of gain is presented to him, he thinks of righteousness. In sacrificing, his thoughts are reverential. In mourning, his thoughts are about the grief which he should feel. Such a man commands our approbation indeed
Tsze-chang said, "When a man holds fast to virtue, but without seeking to enlarge it, and believes in right principles, but without firm sincerity, what account can be made of his existence or non-existence?"

The disciples of Tsze-hsia asked Tsze-chang about the principles that should characterize mutual intercourse. Tsze-chang asked, "What does Tsze-hsia say on the subject?" They replied, "Tsze-hsia says: 'Associate with those who can advantage you. Put away from you those who cannot do so.'" Tsze-chang observed, "This is different from what I have learned. The superior man honors the talented and virtuous, and bears with all. He praises the good, and pities the incompetent. Am I possessed of great talents and virtue?-who is there among men whom I will not bear with? Am I devoid of talents and virtue?-men will put me away from them. What have we to do with the putting away of others?"

Tsze-hsia said, "Even in inferior studies and employments there is something worth being looked at; but if it be attempted to carry them out to what is remote, there is a danger of their proving inapplicable. Therefore, the superior man does not practice them."

Tsze-hsia said, "He, who from day to day recognizes what he has not yet, and from month to month does not forget what he has attained to, may be said indeed to love to learn."

Tsze-hsia said, "There are learning extensively, and having a firm and sincere aim; inquiring with earnestness, and reflecting with self-application:-virtue is in such a course."

Tsze-hsia said, "Mechanics have their shops to dwell in, in order to accomplish their works. The superior man learns, in order to reach to the utmost of his principles."

Tsze-hsia said, "The mean man is sure to gloss his faults."

Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man undergoes three changes. Looked at from a distance, he appears stern; when approached, he is mild; when he is heard to speak, his language is firm and decided."

Tsze-hsia said, "The superior man, having obtained their confidence, may then impose labors on his people. If he have not gained their confidence, they will think that he is oppressing them. Having obtained the confidence of his prince, one may then remonstrate with him. If he have not gained his confidence, the prince will think that he is vilifying him."

Tsze-hsia said, "When a person does not transgress the boundary line in the great virtues, he may pass and repass it in the small virtues."

Tsze-yu said, "The disciples and followers of Tsze-hsia, in sprinkling and sweeping the ground, in answering and replying, in advancing and receding, are sufficiently accomplished. But these are only the branches of learning, and they are left ignorant of what is essential.-How can they be acknowledged as sufficiently taught?"

Tsze-hsia heard of the remark and said, "Alas! Yen Yu is wrong. According to the way of the superior man in teaching, what departments are there which he considers of prime importance, and delivers? what are there which he considers of secondary importance, and allows himself to be idle about? But as in the case of plants, which are assorted according to their classes, so he deals with his disciples. How can the way of a superior man be such as to make fools of any of them? Is it not the sage alone, who can unite in one the beginning and the consummation of learning?"

Tsze-hsia said, "The officer, having discharged all his duties, should devote his leisure to learning. The student, having completed his learning, should apply himself to be an officer."

Tsze-hsia said, "Mourning, having been carried to the utmost degree of grief, should stop with that."

Tsze-hsia said, "My friend Chang can do things which are hard to be done, but yet he is not perfectly virtuous."

The philosopher Tsang said, "How imposing is the manner of Chang! It is difficult along with him to practice virtue."

The philosopher Tsang said, "I heard this from our Master: 'Men may not have shown what is in them to the full extent, and yet they will be found to do so, on the occasion of mourning for their parents."

The philosopher Tsang said, "I have heard this from our Master:-'The filial piety of Mang Chwang, in other matters, was what other men are competent to, but, as seen in his not changing the ministers of his father, nor his father's mode of government, it is difficult to be attained to.'"

The chief of the Mang family having appointed Yang Fu to be chief criminal judge, the latter consulted the philosopher Tsang. Tsang said, "The rulers have failed in their duties, and the people consequently have been disorganized for a long time. When you have found out the truth of any accusation, be grieved for and pity them, and do not feel joy at your own ability."

Tsze-kung said, "Chau's wickedness was not so great as that name implies. Therefore, the superior man hates to dwell in a low-lying situation, where all the evil of the world will flow in upon him."

Tsze-kung said, "The faults of the superior man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon. He has his faults, and all men see them; he changes again, and all men look up to him."

Kung-sun Ch'ao of Wei asked Tszekung, saying. "From whom did Chung-ni get his learning?"

Tsze-kung replied, "The doctrines of Wan and Wu have not yet fallen to the ground. They are to be found among men. Men of talents and virtue remember the greater principles of them, and others, not possessing such talents and virtue, remember the smaller. Thus, all possess the doctrines of Wan and Wu. Where could our Master go that he should not have an opportunity of learning them? And yet what necessity was there for his having a regular master?"

Shu-sun Wu-shu observed to the great officers in the court, saying, "Tsze-kung is superior to Chung-ni."

Tsze-fu Ching-po reported the observation to Tsze-kung, who said, "Let me use the comparison of a house and its encompassing wall. My wall only reaches to the shoulders. One may peep over it, and see whatever is valuable in the apartments.

"The wall of my Master is several fathoms high. If one do not find the door and enter by it, he cannot see the ancestral temple with its beauties, nor all the officers in their rich array.

"But I may assume that they are few who find the door. Was not the observation of the chief only what might have been expected?"

Shu-sun Wu-shu having spoken revilingly of Chung-ni, Tsze-kung said, "It is of no use doing so. Chung-ni cannot be reviled. The talents and virtue of other men are hillocks and mounds which may be stepped over. Chung-ni is the sun or moon, which it is not possible to step over. Although a man may wish to cut himself off from the sage, what harm can he do to the sun or moon? He only shows that he does not know his own capacity.

Ch'an Tsze-ch' in, addressing Tsze-kung, said, "You are too modest. How can Chung-ni be said to be superior to you?"

Tsze-kung said to him, "For one word a man is often deemed to be wise, and for one word he is often deemed to be foolish. We ought to be careful indeed in what we say.

"Our Master cannot be attained to, just in the same way as the heavens cannot be gone up by the steps of a stair.

"Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a state or the chief of a family, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage's rule:-he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?"



Book 20    

Yao said, "Oh! you, Shun, the Heaven-determined order of succession now rests in your person. Sincerely hold fast the due Mean. If there shall be distress and want within the four seas, the Heavenly revenue will come to a perpetual end."
Shun also used the same language in giving charge to Yu.

T'ang said, "I the child Li, presume to use a dark-colored victim, and presume to announce to Thee, O most great and sovereign God, that the sinner I dare not pardon, and thy ministers, O God, I do not keep in obscurity. The examination of them is by thy mind, O God. If, in my person, I commit offenses, they are not to be attributed to you, the people of the myriad regions. If you in the myriad regions commit offenses, these offenses must rest on my person."

Chau conferred great gifts, and the good were enriched.

"Although he has his near relatives, they are not equal to my virtuous men. The people are throwing blame upon me, the One man."

He carefully attended to the weights and measures, examined the body of the laws, restored the discarded officers, and the good government of the kingdom took its course.

He revived states that had been extinguished, restored families whose line of succession had been broken, and called to office those who had retired into obscurity, so that throughout the kingdom the hearts of the people turned towards him.

What he attached chief importance to were the food of the people, the duties of mourning, and sacrifices.

By his generosity, he won all. By his sincerity, he made the people repose trust in him. By his earnest activity, his achievements were great. By his justice, all were delighted.

Tsze-chang asked Confucius, saying, "In what way should a person in authority act in order that he may conduct government properly?" The Master replied, "Let him honor the five excellent, and banish away the four bad, things;-then may he conduct government properly." Tsze-chang said, "What are meant by the five excellent things?" The Master said, "When the person in authority is beneficent without great expenditure; when he lays tasks on the people without their repining; when he pursues what he desires without being covetous; when he maintains a dignified ease without being proud; when he is majestic without being fierce."

Tsze-chang said, "What is meant by being beneficent without great expenditure?" The Master replied, "When the person in authority makes more beneficial to the people the things from which they naturally derive benefit;-is not this being beneficent without great expenditure? When he chooses the labors which are proper, and makes them labor on them, who will repine? When his desires are set on benevolent government, and he secures it, who will accuse him of covetousness? Whether he has to do with many people or few, or with things great or small, he does not dare to indicate any disrespect;-is not this to maintain a dignified ease without any pride? He adjusts his clothes and cap, and throws a dignity into his looks, so that, thus dignified, he is looked at with awe;-is not this to be majestic without being fierce?"

Tsze-chang then asked, "What are meant by the four bad things?" The Master said, "To put the people to death without having instructed them;-this is called cruelty. To require from them, suddenly, the full tale of work, without having given them warning;-this is called oppression. To issue orders as if without urgency, at first, and, when the time comes, to insist on them with severity;-this is called injury. And, generally, in the giving pay or rewards to men, to do it in a stingy way;-this is called acting the part of a mere official."

The Master said, "Without recognizing the ordinances of Heaven, it is impossible to be a superior man.

"Without an acquaintance with the rules of Propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.

"Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know men."


Section ONE - FREE AND EASY WANDERING

IN THE NORTHERN DARKNESS there is a fish and his name is K'un.1 The K'un is so huge I don't know how many thousand li he measures. He changes and becomes a bird whose name is P'eng. The back of the P'eng measures I don't know how many thousand li across and, when he rises up and flies off, his wings are like clouds all over the sky. When the sea begins to move,2 this bird sets off for the southern darkness, which is the Lake of Heaven.

The Universal Harmony3 records various wonders, and it says: "When the P'eng journeys to the southern darkness, the waters are roiled for three thousand li. He beats the whirlwind and rises ninety thousand li, setting off on the sixth month gale." Wavering heat, bits of dust, living things blowing each other about-the sky looks very blue. Is that its real color, or is it because it is so far away and has no end? When the bird looks down, all he sees is blue too.

If water is not piled up deep enough, it won't have the strength to bear up a big boat. Pour a cup of water into a hollow in the floor and bits of trash will sail on it like boats. But set the cup there and it will stick fast, for the water is too shallow and the boat too large. If wind is not piled up deep enough, it won't have the strength to bear up great wings. Therefore when the P'eng rises ninety thousand li, he must have the wind under him like that. Only then can he mount on the back of the wind, shoulder the blue sky, and nothing can hinder or block him. Only then can he set his eyes to the south.

The cicada and the little dove laugh at this, saying, "When we make an effort and fly up, we can get as far as the elm or the sapanwood tree, but sometimes we don't make it and just fall down on the ground. Now how is anyone going to go ninety thousand li to the south!"

If you go off to the green woods nearby, you can take along food for three meals and come back with your stomach as full as ever. If you are going a hundred li, you must grind your grain the night before; and if you are going a thousand li, you must start getting the provisions together three months in advance. What do these two creatures understand? Little understanding cannot come up to great understanding; the shortlived cannot come up to the long-lived.

How do I know this is so? The morning mushroom knows nothing of twilight and dawn; the summer cicada knows nothing of spring and autumn. They are the short-lived. South of Ch'u there is a caterpillar which counts five hundred years as one spring and five hundred years as one autumn. Long, long ago there was a great rose of Sharon that counted eight thousand years as one spring and eight thousand years as one autumn. They are the long-lived. Yet P'eng-tsu4 alone is famous today for having lived a long time, and everybody tries to ape him. Isn't it pitiful!

Among the questions of T'ang to Ch'i we find the same thing.5 In the bald and barren north, there is a dark sea, the Lake of Heaven. In it is a fish which is several thousand li across, and no one knows how long. His name is K'un. There is also a bird there, named P'eng, with a back like Mount T'ai and wings like clouds filling the sky. He beats the whirlwind, leaps into the air, and rises up ninety thousand li, cutting through the clouds and mist, shouldering the blue sky, and then he turns his eyes south and prepares to journey to the southern darkness.

The little quail laughs at him, saying, "Where does he think he's going? I give a great leap and fly up, but I never get more than ten or twelve yards before I come down fluttering among the weeds and brambles. And that's the best kind of flying anyway! Where does he think he's going?" Such is the difference between big and little.

Therefore a man who has wisdom enough to fill one office effectively, good conduct enough to impress one community, virtue enough to please one ruler, or talent enough to be called into service in one state, has the same kind of self-pride as these little creatures. Sung Jung-tzu6 would certainly burst out laughing at such a man. The whole world could praise Sung Jung-tzu and it wouldn't make him exert himself; the whole world could condemn him and it wouldn't make him mope.

He drew a clear line between the internal and the external, and recognized the boundaries of true glory and disgrace. But that was all. As far as the world went, he didn't fret and worry, but there was still ground he left unturned.

Lieh Tzu7 could ride the wind and go soaring around with cool and breezy skill, but after fifteen days he came back to earth. As far as the search for good fortune went, he didn't fret and worry. He escaped the trouble of walking, but he still had to depend on something to get around. If he had only mounted on the truth of Heaven and Earth, ridden the changes of the six breaths, and thus wandered through the boundless, then what would he have had to depend on?

Therefore I say, the Perfect Man has no self; the Holy Man has no merit; the Sage has no fame.8

Yao wanted to cede the empire to Hsu-Yu. "When the sun and moon have already come out," he said, "it's a waste of light to go on burning the torches, isn't it? When the seasonal rains are falling, it's a waste of water to go on irrigating the fields. If you took the throne, the world would be well ordered. I go on occupying it, but all I can see are my failings. I beg to turn over the world to you."

Hsu Yu said, "You govern the world and the world is already well governed. Now if I take your place, will I be doing it for a name? But name is only the guest of reality - will I be doing it so I can play the part of a guest? When the tailorbird builds her nest in the deep wood, she uses no more than one branch. When the mole drinks at the river, he takes no more than a bellyful. Go home and forget the matter, my lord.

I have no use for the rulership of the world! Though the cook may not run his kitchen properly, the priest and the impersonator of the dead at the sacrifice do not leap over the wine casks and sacrificial stands and go take his place." 9

Chien Wu said to Lien Shu, "I was listening to Chieh Yu's talk - big and nothing to back it up, going on and on without turning around. I was completely dumfounded at his words - no more end than the Milky Way, wild and wide of the mark, never coming near human affairs!"

"What were his words like?" asked Lien Shu.

"He said that there is a Holy Man living on faraway Ku-she Mountain, with skin like ice or snow, and gentle and shy like a young girl. He doesn't eat the five grains, but sucks the wind, drinks the dew, climbs up on the clouds and mist, rides a flying dragon, and wanders beyond the four seas. By concentrating his spirit, he can protect creatures from sickness and plague and make the harvest plentiful. I thought this was all insane and refused to believe it."

"You would!" said Lien Shu. "We can't expect a blind man to appreciate beautiful patterns or a deaf man to listen to bells and drums. And blindness and deafness are not confined to the body alone - the understanding has them too, as your words just now have shown. This man, with this virtue of his, is about to embrace the ten thousand things and roll them into one. Though the age calls for reform, why should he wear himself out over the affairs of the world? There is nothing that can harm this man. Though flood waters pile up to the sky, he will not drown. Though a great drought melts metal and stone and scorches the earth and hills, he will not be burned.

From his dust and leavings alone you could mold a Yao or a Shun! Why should he consent to bother about mere things?"

A man of Sung who sold ceremonial hats made a trip to Yueh, but the Yueh people cut their hair short and tattoo their bodies and had no use for such things. Yao brought order to the people of the world and directed the government of all within the seas. But he went to see the Four Masters of the faraway Ku-she :Mountain, [and when he got home] north of the Fen. River, he was dazed and had forgotten his kingdom there.

Hui Tzu10 said to Chuang Tzu, "The king of Wei gave me some seeds of a huge gourd. I planted them, and when they grew up, the fruit was big enough to hold five piculs. I tried using it for a water container, but it was so heavy I couldn't lift it. I split it in half to make dippers, but they were so large and unwieldy that I couldn't dip them into any thing. It's not that the gourds weren't fantastically big - but I decided they were no use and so I smashed them to pieces."

Chuang Tzu said, "You certainly are dense when it comes to using big things! In Sung there was a man who was skilled at making a salve to prevent chapped hands, and generation after generation his family made a living by bleaching silk in water. A traveler heard about the salve and offered to buy the prescription for a hundred measures of gold. The man called everyone to a family council. `For generations we've been bleaching sills and we've never made more than a few measures of gold,' he said. `Now, if we sell our secret, we can make a hundred measures in one morning. Let's let him have it!' The traveler got the salve and introduced it to the king of Wu, who was having trouble with the state of Yueh. The king put the man in charge of his troops, and that winter they fought a naval battle with the men of Yueh and gave them a bad beating.11 A portion of the conquered territory was awarded to the man as a fief. The salve had the power to prevent chapped hands in either case; but one man used it to get a fief, while the other one never got beyond silk bleaching - because they used it in different ways. Now you had a gourd big enough to hold five piculs. Why didn't you think of making it into a great tub so you could go floating around the rivers and lakes, instead of worrying because it was too big and unwieldy to dip into things! Obviously you still have a lot of underbrush in your head!"

Hui Tzu said to Chuang Tzu, "I have a big tree of the kind men call shu. Its trunk is too gnarled and bumpy to apply a measuring line to, its branches too bent and twisty to match up to a compass or square. You could stand it by the road and no carpenter would look at it twice. Your words, too, are big and useless, and so everyone alike spurns them!"

Chuang Tzu said, "Maybe you've never seen a wildcat or a weasel. It crouches down and hides, watching for something to come along. It leaps and races east and west, not hesitating to go high or low-until it falls into the trap and dies in the net. Then again there's the yak, big as a cloud covering the sky. It certainly knows how to be big, though it doesn't know how to catch rats. Now You have this big tree and you're distressed because it's useless. Why don't you plant it in Not-Even-Anything Village, or the field of Broad-and-Boundless, relax and do nothing by its side, or lie down for a free and easy sleep under it? Axes will never shorten its life, nothing can ever harm it. If there's no use for it, how can it come to grief or pain?"

 

Section TWO - DISCUSSION ON MAKING ALL THINGS EQUAL

TZU-CH'I OF SOUTH WALL sat leaning on his armrest, staring up at the sky and breathing - vacant and far away, as though he'd lost his companion.1 Yen Ch'eng Tzu-yu, who was standing by his side in attendance, said, "What is this? Can you really make the body like a withered tree and the mind like dead ashes? The man leaning on the armrest now is not the one who leaned on it before!"

Tzu-ch'i said, "You do well to ask the question, Yen. Now I have lost myself. Do you understand that? You hear the piping of men, but you haven't heard the piping of earth. Or if you've heard the piping of earth, you haven't heard the piping of Heaven!"

Tzu-yu said, " May I venture to ask what this means?"

Tzu-ch'i said, "The Great Clod belches out breath and its name is wind. So long as it doesn't come forth, nothing happens. But when it does, then ten thousand hollows begin crying wildly. Can't you hear them, long drawn out? In the mountain forests that lash and sway, there are huge trees a hundred spans around with hollows and openings like noses, like mouths, like ears, like jugs, like cups, like mortars, like rifts, like ruts. They roar like waves, whistle like arrows, screech, gasp, cry, wail, moan, and howl, those in the lead calling out yeee!, those behind calling out yuuu! In a gentle

breeze they answer faintly, but in a full gale the chorus is gigantic. And when the fierce wind has passed on, then all the hollows are empty again. Have you never seen the tossing and trembling that goes on?"

Tzu-yu said, "By the piping of earth, then, you mean simply [the sound of] these hollows, and by the piping of man [the sound of] flutes and whistles. But may I ask about the piping of Heaven?"

Tzu-ch'i said, "Blowing on the ten thousand things in a different way, so that each can be itself - all take what they want for themselves, but who does the sounding?" 2

Great understanding is broad and unhurried; little understanding is cramped and busy. Great words are clear and limpid;3 little words are shrill and quarrelsome. In sleep, men's spirits go visiting; in waking hours, their bodies hustle. With everything they meet they become entangled. Day after day they use their minds in strife, sometimes grandiose, sometimes sly, sometimes petty. Their little fears are mean and trembly; their great fears are stunned and overwhelming. They bound off like an arrow or a crossbow pellet, certain that they are the arbiters of right and wrong. They cling to their position as though they had sworn before the gods, sure that they are holding on to victory. They fade like fall and winter - such is the way they dwindle day by day. They drown in what they do - you cannot make them turn back. They grow dark, as though sealed with seals - such are the excesses of their old age. And when their minds draw near to death, nothing can restore them to the light.

Joy, anger, grief, delight, worry, regret, fickleness, inflexibility, modesty, willfulness, candor, insolence - music from empty holes, mushrooms springing up in dampness, day and night replacing each other before us, and no one knows where they sprout from. Let it be! Let it be! [It is enough that] morning and evening we have them, and they are the means by which we live. Without them we would not exist; without us they would have nothing to take hold of. This comes close to the matter. But I do not know what makes them the way they are. It would seem as though they have some True Master, and yet I find no trace of him. He can act - that is certain. Yet I cannot see his form. He has identity but no form.

The hundred joints, the nine openings, the six organs, all come together and exist here [as my body]. But which part should I feel closest to? I should delight in all parts, you say? But there must be one I ought to favor more. If not, are they all of them mere servants? But if they are all servants, then how can they keep order among themselves? Or do they take turns being lord and servant? It would seem as though there must be some True Lord among them. But whether I succeed in discovering his identity or not, it neither adds to nor detracts from his Truth.

Once a man receives this fixed bodily form, he holds on to it, waiting for the end. Sometimes clashing with things, sometimes bending before them, he runs his course like a galloping steed, and nothing can stop him. Is he not pathetic? Sweating and laboring to the end of his days and never seeing his accomplishment, utterly exhausting himself and never knowing where to look for rest - can you help pitying him? I'm not dead yet! he says, but what good is that? His body decays, his mind follows it - can you deny that this is a great sorrow? Man's life has always been a muddle like this. How could I be the only muddled one, and other men not muddled?

If a man follows the mind given him and makes it his teacher, then who can be without a teacher? Why must you comprehend the process of change and form your mind on that basis before you can have a teacher? Even an idiot has his teacher. But to fail to abide by this mind and still insist upon your rights and wrongs - this is like saying that you set off for Yueh today and got there yesterday.4 This is to claim that what doesn't exist exists. If you claim that what doesn't exist exists, then even the holy sage Yu couldn't understand you, much less a person like me!

Words are not just wind. Words have something to say. But if what they have to say is not fixed, then do they really say something? Or do they say nothing? People suppose that words are different from the peeps of baby birds, but is there any difference, or isn't there? What does the Way rely upon,5 that we have true and false? What do words rely upon, that we have right and wrong? How can the Way go away and not exist? How can words exist and not be acceptable? When the Way relies on little accomplishments and words rely on vain show, then we have the rights and wrongs of the Confucians and the Mo-ists. What one calls right the other calls wrong; what one calls wrong the other calls right. But if we want to right their wrongs and wrong their rights, then the best thing to use is clarity.

Everything has its "that," everything has its "this." From the point of view of "that" you cannot see it, but through understanding you can know it. So I say, "that" comes out of "this" and "this" depends on "that" - which is to say that "this" and "that" give birth to each other. But where there is birth there must be death; where there is death there must be birth. Where there is acceptability there must be unacceptability; where there is unacceptability there must be acceptability. Where there is recognition of right there must be recognition of wrong; where there is recognition of wrong there must be recognition of right. Therefore the sage does not proceed in such a way, but illuminates all in the light of Heaven.6 He too recognizes a "this," but a "this" which is also "that," a "that" which is also "this." His "that" has both a right and a wrong in it; his "this" too has both a right and a wrong in it. So, in fact, does he still have a "this" and "that"? Or does he in fact no longer have a "this" and "that"? A state in which "this" and "that" no longer find their opposites is called the hinge of the Way. When the hinge is fitted into the socket, it can respond endlessly. Its right then is a single endlessness and its wrong too is a single endlessness. So, I say, the best thing to use is clarity.

To use an attribute to show that attributes are not attributes is not as good as using a non-attribute to show that attributes are not attributes. To use a horse to show that a horse is not a horse is not as good as using a non-horse to show that a horse is not a horse,7 Heaven and earth are one attribute; the ten thousand things are one horse.

What is acceptable we call acceptable; what is unacceptable we call unacceptable. A road is made by people walking on it; things are so because they are called so. What makes them so? Making them so makes them so. What makes them not so? Making them not so makes them not so. Things all must have that which is so; things all must have that which is acceptable. There is nothing that is not so, nothing that is not acceptable.

For this reason, whether you point to a little stalk or a great pillar, a leper or the beautiful Hsi-shih, things ribald and shady or things grotesque and strange, the Way makes them all into one. Their dividedness is their completeness; their complete­ness is their impairment. No thing is either complete or impaired, but all are made into one again. Only the man of far­ reaching vision knows how to make them into one. So he has no use [for categories], but relegates all to the constant. The constant is the useful; the useful is the passable; the passable is the successful; and with success, all is accomplished. He relies upon this alone, relies upon it and does not know he is doing so. This is called the Way.

But to wear out your brain trying to make things into one without realizing that they are all the same - this is called "three in the morning." What do I mean by "three in the morning"? When the monkey trainer was handing out acorns, he said, "You get three in the morning and four at night." This made all the monkeys furious. "Well, then," he said, "you get four in the morning and three at night." The monkeys were all delighted. There was no change in the reality behind the words, and yet the monkeys responded with joy and anger. Let them, if they want to. So the sage harmonizes with both right and wrong and rests in Heaven the Equalizer. This is called walking two roads.

The understanding of the men of ancient times went a long way. How far did it go? To the point where some of them believed that things have never existed - so far, to the end, where nothing can be added. Those at the next stage thought that things exist but recognized no boundaries among them. Those at the next stage thought there were boundaries but recognized no right and wrong. Because right and wrong appeared, the Way was injured, and because the Way was injured, love became complete. But do such things as completion and injury really exist, or do they not?

There is such a thing as completion and injury - Mr. Chao playing the lute is an example. There is such a thing as no completion and no injury - Mr. Chao not playing the lute is an example.8 Chao Wen played the lute; Music Master K'uang waved his baton; Hui Tzu leaned on his desk. The knowledge of these three was close to perfection. All were masters, and therefore their names have been handed down to later ages. Only in their likes they were different from him [the true sage]. What they liked, they tried to make clear. What he is not clear about, they tried to make clear, and so they ended in the foolishness of "hard" and "white."9 Their sons, too, devoted all their lives to their fathers' 10 theories, but till their death never reached any completion. Can these men be said to have attained completion? If so, then so have all the rest of us. Or can they not be said to have attained completion? If so, then neither we nor anything else have ever attained it.

The torch of chaos and doubt - this is what the sage steers by.11 So he does not use things but relegates all to the constant. This is what it means to use clarity.

Now I am going to make a statement here. I don't know whether it fits into the category of other people's statements or not. But whether it fits into their category or whether it doesn't, it obviously fits into some category. So in that respect it is no different from their statements. However, let me try making my statement.

There is a beginning. There is a not yet beginning to be a beginning. There is a not yet beginning to be a not yet beginning to be a beginning. There is being. There is nonbeing. There is a not yet beginning to be nonbeing. There is a not yet beginning to be a not yet beginning to be nonbeing. Suddenly there is nonbeing. But I do not know, when it comes to nonbeing, which is really being and which is nonbeing. Now I have just said something. But I don't know whether what I have said has really said something or whether it hasn't said something.

There is nothing in the world bigger than the tip of an autumn hair, and Mount T'ai is tiny. No one has lived longer than a dead child, and P'eng-tsu died young. 12 Heaven and earth were born at the same time I was, and the ten thousand things are one with me.

We have already become one, so how can I say anything? But I have just said that we are one, so how can I not be saying something? The one and what I said about it make two, and two and the original one make three. If we go on this way, then even the cleverest mathematician can't tell where we'll end, much less an ordinary man. If by moving from nonbeing to being we get to three, how far will we get if we move from being to being? Better not to move, but to let things be!

The Way has never known boundaries; speech has no constancy. But because of [the recognition of a] "this," there came to be boundaries. Let me tell you what the boundaries are.

There is left, there is right, there are theories, there are debates,13 there are divisions, there are discriminations, there are emulations, and there are contentions. These are called the Eight Virtues.14 As to what is beyond the Six Realms,15 the sage admits its existence but does not theorize. As to what is within the Six Realms, he theorizes but does not debate. In the case of the Spring and Autumn,16 the record of the former kings of past ages, the sage debates but does not discriminate. So [I say] those who divide fail to divide; those who discriminate fail to discriminate. What does this mean, you ask? The sage embraces things. Ordinary men discriminate among them and parade their discriminations before others. So I say, those who discriminate fail to see.

The Great Way is not named; Great Discriminations are not spoken; Great Benevolence is not benevolent; Great Modesty is not humble; Great Daring does not attack. If the Way is made clear, it is not the Way. If discriminations are put into words, they do not suffice. If benevolence has a constant object, it cannot be universal.17 If modesty is fastidious, it cannot be trusted. If daring attacks, it cannot be complete. These five are all round, but they tend toward the square.18

Therefore understanding that rests in what it does not understand is the finest. Who can understand discriminations that are not spoken, the Way that is not a way? If he can understand this, he may be called the Reservoir of Heaven. Pour

into it and it is never full, dip from it and it never runs dry, and yet it does not know where the supply, comes from. This

is called the Shaded Light.19

So it is that long ago Yao said to Shun, "I want to attack the rulers of Tsung, K'uai, and Hsu-ao. Even as I sit on my throne, this thought nags at me. Why is this?"

Shun replied, "These three rulers are only little dwellers in the weeds and brush. Why this nagging desire? Long ago, ten suns came out all at once and the ten thousand things were all lighted up. And how much greater is virtue than these suns!" 20

Nieh Ch'ueh asked Wang Ni, "Do you know what all things agree in calling right?"

"How would I know that?" said Wang Ni.

"Do you know that you don't know it?"

"How would I know that?"

"Then do things know nothing?"

"How would I know that? However, suppose I try saying something. What way do I have of knowing that if I say I know something I don't really not know it? Or what way do I have of knowing that if I say I don't know something I don't really in fact know it? Now let me ask you some questions. If a man sleeps in a damp place, his back aches and he ends up half paralyzed, but is this true of a loach? If he lives in a tree, he is terrified and shakes with fright, but is this true of a

monkey? Of these three creatures, then, which one knows the proper place to live? Men eat the flesh of grass-fed and grain-fed animals, deer eat grass, centipedes find snakes tasty, and hawks and falcons relish mice. Of these four, which knows how food ought to taste? Monkeys pair with monkeys, deer go out with deer, and fish play around with fish. Men claim that Mao-ch'iang and Lady Li were beautiful, but if fish saw them they would dive to the bottom of the stream, if birds saw them they would fly away, and if deer saw them they would break into a run. Of these four, which knows how to fix the standard of beauty for the world? The way I see it, the rules of benevolence and righteousness and the paths of right and wrong are all hopelessly snarled and jumbled. How could I know anything about such discriminations?"

Nieh Ch'ueh said, "If you don't know what is profitable or harmful, then does the Perfect Man likewise know nothing of such things?"

Wang Ni replied, "The Perfect Man is godlike. Though the great swamps blaze, they cannot burn him; though the great rivers freeze, they cannot chill him; though swift lightning splits the hills and howling gales shake the sea, they cannot frighten him. A man like this rides the clouds and mist, straddles the sun and moon, and wanders beyond the four seas. Even life and death have no effect on him, much less the rules of profit and loss!"

Chu Ch'ueh-tzu said to Chang Wu-tzu, "I have heard Confucius say that the sage does not work at anything, does not pursue profit, does not dodge harm, does not enjoy being sought after, does not follow the Way, says nothing yet says something, says something yet says nothing, and wanders beyond the dust and grime. Confucius himself regarded these as wild and flippant words, though I believe they describe the working of the mysterious Way. What do you think of them?"

Chang Wu-tzu said, "Even the Yellow Emperor would be confused if he heard such words, so how could you expect Confucius to understand them? What's more, you're too hasty in your own appraisal. You see an egg and demand a crowing cock, see a crossbow pellet and demand a roast dove. I'm going to try speaking some reckless words and I want you to listen to them recklessly. How will that be? The sage leans on the sun and moon, tucks the universe under his arm, merges himself with things, leaves the confusion and muddle as it is, and looks on slaves as exalted. Ordinary men strain and struggle; the sage is stupid and blockish. He takes part in ten thousand ages and achieves simplicity in oneness. For him, all the ten thousand things are what they are, and thus they enfold each other.

"How do I know that loving life is not a delusion? How do I know that in hating death I am not like a man who, having left home in his youth, has forgotten the way back?

"Lady Li was the daughter of the border guard of Ai.21 When she was first taken captive and brought to the state of Chin, she wept until her tears drenched the collar of her robe. But later, when she went to live in the palace of the ruler, shared his couch with him, and ate the delicious meats of his table, she wondered why she had ever wept. How do I know that the dead do not wonder why they ever longed for life?

"He who dreams of drinking wine may weep when morning comes; he who dreams of weeping may in the morning go off to hunt. While he is dreaming he does not know it is a dream, and in his dream he may even try to interpret a dream. Only after he wakes does he know it was a dream. And someday there will be a great awakening when we know that this is all a great dream. Yet the stupid believe they are awake, busily and brightly assuming they understand things, calling this man ruler, that one herdsman - how dense! Confucius and you are both dreaming! And when I say you are dreaming, I am dreaming, too. Words like these will be labeled the Supreme Swindle. Yet, after ten thousand generations, a great sage may appear who will know their meaning, and it will still be as though he appeared with astonishing speed.

"Suppose you and I have had an argument. If you have beaten me instead of my beating you, then are you necessarily right and am I necessarily wrong? If I have beaten you instead of your beating me, then am I necessarily right and are you necessarily wrong? Is one of us right and the other wrong? Are both of us right or are both of us wrong? If you and I don't know the answer, then other people are bound to be even more in the dark. Whom shall we get to decide what is right? Shall we get someone who agrees with you to decide? But if he already agrees with you, how can he decide fairly? Shall we get someone who agrees with me? But if he already agrees with me, how can he decide? Shall we get someone who disagrees with both of us? But if he already disagrees with both of us, how can he decide? Shall we get someone who agrees with both of us? But if he already agrees with both of us, how can he decide? Obviously, then, neither you nor I nor anyone else can decide for each other. Shall we wait for still another person?

"But waiting for one shifting voice [to pass judgment on] another is the same as waiting for none of them.22 Harmonize them all with the Heavenly Equality, leave them to their endless changes, and so live out your years. What do I mean by harmonizing them with the Heavenly Equality? Right is not right; so is not so. If right were really right, it would differ so clearly from not right that there would be no need for argument. If so were really so, it would differ so clearly from not so that there would be no need for argument. Forget the years; forget distinctions. Leap into the boundless and make it your home!"

Penumbra said to Shadow, "A little while ago you were walking and now you're standing still; a little while ago you were sitting and now you're standing up. Why this lack of independent action?"

Shadow said, "Do I have to wait for something before I can be like this? Does what I wait for also have to wait for something before it can be like this? Am I waiting for the scales of a snake or the wings of a cicada? How do I know why it is so? How do I know why it isn't so?" 23

Once Chuang Chou dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Chuang Chou. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang Chou. But he didn't know if he was Chuang Chou who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang Chou. Between Chuang Chou and a butterfly there must be some distinction! This is called the Transformation of Things.

 

Section THREE - THE SECRET OF CARING FOR LIFE.1

YOUR LIFE HAS A LIMIT but knowledge has none. If you use what is limited to pursue what has no limit, you will be in danger. If you understand this and still strive for knowledge, you will be in danger for certain! If you do good, stay away from fame. If you do evil, stay away from punishments. Follow the middle; go by what is constant, and you can stay in one piece, keep yourself alive, look after your parents, and live out your years.

Cook Ting was cutting up an ox for Lord Wen-hui.2 At every touch of his hand, every heave of his shoulder, every move of his feet, every thrust of his knee - zip! zoop! He slithered the knife along with a zing, and all was in perfect rhythm, as though he were performing the dance of the Mulberry Grove or keeping time to the Ching-shou music.3

"Ah, this is marvelous!" said Lord Wen-hui. "Imagine skill reaching such heights!"

Cook Ting laid down his knife and replied, "What I care about is the Way, which goes beyond skill. When I first began cutting up oxen, all I could see was the ox itself. After three years I no longer saw the whole ox. And now - now I go at it by spirit and don't look with my eyes. Perception and understanding have come to a stop and spirit moves where it wants. I go along with the natural makeup, strike in the big hollows, guide the knife through the big openings, and follow things as they are. So I never touch the smallest ligament or tendon, much less a main joint.

"A good cook changes his knife once a year-because he cuts. A mediocre cook changes his knife once a month-because he hacks. I've had this knife of mine for nineteen years and I've cut up thousands of oxen with it, and yet the blade is as good as though it had just come from the grindstone. There are spaces between the joints, and the blade of the knife has really no thickness. If you insert what has no thickness into such spaces, then there's plenty of room - more than enough for the blade to play about it. That's why after nineteen years the blade of my knife is still as good as when it first came from the grindstone.

"However, whenever I come to a complicated place, I size up the difficulties, tell myself to watch out and be careful, keep my eyes on what I'm doing, work very slowly, and move the knife with the greatest subtlety, until - flop! the whole thing comes apart like a clod of earth crumbling to the ground. I stand there holding the knife and look all around me, completely satisfied and reluctant to move on, and then I wipe off the knife and put it away." 4

"Excellent!" said Lord Wen-hui. "I have heard the words of Cook Ting and learned how to care for life!"

When Kung-wen Hsuan saw the Commander of the Right,5 he was startled and said, "What kind of man is this? How did he come to be footless? Was it Heaven? Or was it man?"

"It was Heaven, not man," said the commander. "When Heaven gave me life, it saw to it that I would be one-footed. Men's looks are given to them. So I know this was the work of Heaven and not of man. The swamp pheasant has to walk ten paces for one peck and a hundred paces for one drink, but it doesn't want to be kept in a cage. Though you treat it like a king, its spirit won't be content."

When Lao Tan6 died, Chin Shih went to mourn for him; but after giving three cries, he left the room.

"Weren't you a friend of the Master?" asked Lao Tzu's disciples.

"Yes."

"And you think it's all right to mourn him this way?"

"Yes," said Chin Shih. "At first I took him for a real man, but now I know he wasn't. A little while ago, when I went in to mourn, I found old men weeping for him as though they were weeping for a son, and young men weeping for him as though they were weeping for a mother. To have gathered a group like that, he must have done something to make them talk about him, though he didn't ask them to talk, or make them weep for him, though he didn't ask them to weep. This is to hide from Heaven, turn your back on the true state of affairs, and forget what you were born with. In the old days, this was called the crime of hiding from Heaven. Your master happened to come because it was his time, and he happened to leave because things follow along. If you are content with the time and willing to follow along, then grief and joy have no Way to enter in. In the old days, this was called being freed from the bonds of God.

"Though the grease burns out of the torch, the fire passes on, and no one knows where it ends." 7

 

Section FOUR - IN THE WORLD OF MEN

YEN HUI WENT TO SEE Confucius and asked permission to take a trip.1

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to Wei."

"What will you do there?"

"I have heard that the ruler of Wei is very young. He acts in an independent manner, thinks little of how he rules his state, and fails to see his faults. It is nothing to him to lead his people into peril, and his dead are reckoned by swampfuls like so much grass.2 His people have nowhere to turn. I have heard you say, Master, `Leave the state that is well ordered and go to the state in chaos! At the doctor's gate are many sick men.' I want to use these words as my standard, in hopes that I can restore his state to health."

"Ah," said Confucius, "you will probably go and get yourself executed, that's all. The Way doesn't want things mixed in with it. When it becomes a mixture, it becomes many ways; with many ways, there is a lot of bustle; and where there is a lot of bustle, there is trouble - trouble that has no remedy! The Perfect Man of ancient times made sure that he had it in himself before he tried to give it to others. When you're not even sure what you've got in yourself, how do you have time to bother about what some tyrant is doing?

"Do you know what it is that destroys virtue, and where wisdom comes from? Virtue is destroyed by fame, and wisdom comes out of wrangling. Fame is something to beat people down with, and wisdom is a device for wrangling. Both are evil weapons - not the sort of thing to bring you success. Though your virtue may be great and your good faith unassailable, if you do not understand men's spirits, though your fame may be wide and you do not strive with others, if you do not understand men's minds, but instead appear before a tyrant and force him to listen to sermons on benevolence and righteousness, measures and standards - this is simply using other men's bad points to parade your own excellence. You will be called a plaguer of others. He who plagues others will be plagued in turn. You will probably be plagued by this man.

"And suppose he is the kind who actually delights in worthy men and hates the unworthy-then why does he need you to try to make him any different? You had best keep your advice to yourself! Kings and dukes always lord it over others and fight to win the argument. You will find your eyes growing dazed, your color changing, your mouth working to invent excuses, your attitude becoming more and more humble, until in your mind you end by supporting him. This is to pile fire on fire, to add water to water, and is called `increasing the excessive.' If you give in at the beginning, there is no place to stop. Since your fervent advice is almost certain not to be believed, you are bound to die if you come into the presence of a tyrant.

"In ancient times Chieh put Kuan Lung-feng to death and Chou put Prince Pi Kan to death. Both Kuan Lung-feng and Prince Pi Kan were scrupulous in their conduct, bent down to comfort and aid the common people, and used their positions as ministers to oppose their superiors. Therefore their rulers, Chieh and Chou, utilized their scrupulous conduct as a means to trap them, for they were too fond of good fame. In ancient times Yao attacked Ts'ung-chih and Hsu-ao, and Yu attacked Yu-hu, and these states were left empty and unpeopled, their rulers cut down. It was because they employed their armies constantly and never ceased their search for gain. All were seekers of fame or gain - have you alone not heard of them? Even the sages cannot cope with men who are after fame or gain, much less a person like you!

"However, you must have some plan in mind. Come, tell me what it is."

Yen Hui said, "If I am grave and empty-hearted, diligent and of one mind, won't that do?"

"Goodness, how could that do? You may put on a fine outward show and seem very impressive, but you can't avoid having an uncertain look on your face, any more than an ordinary man can.3 And then you try to gauge this man's feelings and seek to influence his mind. But with him, what is called `the virtue that advances a little each day' would not succeed, much less a great display of virtue! He will stick fast to his position and never be converted. Though he may make outward signs of agreement, inwardly he will not give it a thought! How could such an approach succeed?"

"Well then, suppose I am inwardly direct, outwardly compliant, and do my work through the examples of antiquity? By being inwardly direct, I can be the companion of Heaven. Being a companion of Heaven, I know that the Son of Heaven and I are equally the sons of Heaven. Then why would I use my words to try to get men to praise me, or try to get them not to praise me? A man like this, people call The Child. This is what I mean by being a companion of Heaven.

"By being outwardly compliant, I can be a companion men. Lifting up the tablet, kneeling, bowing, crouching down - this is the etiquette of a minister. Everybody does it, so why shouldn't I? If I do what other people do, they can hardly criticize me. This is what I mean by being a companion of men.

"By doing my work through the examples of antiquity, I can be the companion of ancient times. Though my words may in fact be lessons and reproaches, they belong to ancient times and not to me. In this way, though I may be blunt, I cannot he blamed. This is what I mean by being a companion of antiquity. If I go about it in this way, will it do?"

Confucius said, "Goodness, how could that do? You have too many policies and plans and you haven't seen what is needed. You will probably get off without incurring any blame, yes. But that will be as far as it goes. How do you think you can actually convert him? You are still making the mind 4 your teacher!"

Yen Hui said, "I have nothing more to offer. May I ask the proper way?"

"You must fast!" said Confucius. "I will tell you what that means. Do you think it is easy to do anything while you have [a mind]? If you do, Bright Heaven will not sanction you."

Yen Hui said, "My family is poor. I haven't drunk wine or eaten any strong foods for several months. So can I be considered as having fasted?"

"That is the fasting one does before a sacrifice, not the fasting of the mind."

"May- I ask what the fasting of the mind is?"

Confucius said, "Make your will one! Don't listen with your ears, listen with your mind. No, don't listen with your mind, but listen with your spirit. Listening stops with the ears, the mind stops with recognition, but spirit is empty- and waits on all things. The Way gathers in emptiness alone. Emptiness is the fasting of the mind."

Yen Hui said, "Before I heard this, I was certain that I was Hui. But now that I have heard it, there is no more Hui. Can this be called emptiness?"

"That's all there is to it," said Confucius. "Now I will tell you. You may go and play in his bird cage, but never be moved by fame. If he listens, then sing; if not, keep still. Have no gate, no opening, 5 but make oneness your house and live with what cannot be avoided. Then you will be close to success.

"It is easy to keep from walking; the hard thing is to walk without touching the ground. It is easy to cheat when you work for men, but hard to cheat when you work for Heaven. You have heard of flying with wings, but you have never heard of flying without wings. You have heard of the knowledge that knows, but you have never heard of the knowledge that does not know. Look into that closed room, the empty chamber where brightness is born! Fortune and blessing gather where there is stillness. But if you do not keep still - this is what is called sitting but racing around. 6 Let your ears and eyes communicate with what is inside, and put mind and knowledge on the outside. Then even gods and spirits will come to dwell, not to speak of men! This is the changing of the ten thousand things, the bond of Yu and Shun, the constant practice of Fu Hsi and Chi Ch'u.7 How much more should it be a rule for lesser men!"

Tzu-kao, duke of She,8 who was being sent on a mission to Ch'i, consulted Confucius. "The king is sending me on a very important mission. Ch'i will probably treat me with great honor but will be in no hurry to do anything more. Even a commoner cannot be forced to act, much less one of the feudal lords. I am very worried about it. You once said to me, `In all affairs, whether large or small, there are few men who reach a happy conclusion except through the Way. If you do not succeed, you are bound to suffer from the judgment of men. If you do succeed, you are bound to suffer from the yin and yang.9 To suffer no harm whether you succeed or not - only the man who has virtue can do that.' I am a man who eats plain food that is simply cooked, so that no one ever complains of the heat in my kitchens.10 Yet this morning I received my orders from the king and by evening I am gulping ice water - do you suppose I have developed some kind of internal fever? I have not even gone to Ch'i to see what the situation is like and already I am suffering from the yin and yang. And if I do not succeed, I am bound to suffer from the judgment of men. I will have both worries. As a minister, I am not capable of carrying out this mission. But perhaps you have some advice you can give me . . ."

Confucius said, "In the world, there are two great decrees: one is fate and the other is duty." That a son should love his parents is fate-you cannot erase this from his heart. That a subject should serve his ruler is duty - there is no place he can go and be without his ruler, no place he can escape to between heaven and earth. These are called the great decrees. Therefore, to serve your parents and be content to follow them anywhere-this is the perfection of filial piety. To serve your ruler and be content to do anything for him-this is the peak of loyalty. And to serve your own mind so that sadness or joy do not sway or move it; to understand what you can do nothing about and to be content with it as with fate-this is the perfection of virtue. As a subject and a son, you are bound to find things you cannot avoid. If you act in accordance with the state of affairs and forget about yourself, then what lesiure will you have to love life and hate death? Act in this way and you will be all right.

"I want to tell you something else I have learned. In all human relations, if the two parties are living close to each other, they may form a bond through personal trust. But if they are far apart, they must use words to communicate their loyalty, and words must be transmitted by someone. To transmit words that are either pleasing to both parties or infuriating to both parties is one of the most difficult things in the world. Where both parties are pleased, there must be some exaggeration of the good points; and where both parties are angered, there must be some exaggeration of the bad points. Anything that smacks of exaggeration is irresponsible. Where there is irresponsibility, no one will trust what is said, and when that happens, the man who is transmitting the words will be in danger. Therefore the aphorism says, `Transmit the established facts; do not transmit words of exaggeration.' If you do that, you will probably come out all right.

"When men get together to pit their strength in games of skill, they start off in a light and friendly mood, but usually end up in a dark and angry one, and if they go on too long they start resorting to various underhanded tricks. When men meet at some ceremony to drink, they start off in an orderly manner, but usually end up in disorder, and if they go on too long they start indulging in various irregular amusements. It is the same with all things. What starts out being sincere usually ends up being deceitful. What was simple in the beginning acquires monstrous proportions in the end.

"Words are like wind and waves; actions are a matter of gain and loss. Wind and waves are easily moved; questions of gain and loss easily lead to danger. Hence anger arises from no other cause than clever words and one-sided speeches. When animals face death, they do not care what cries they make; their breath comes in gasps and a wild fierceness is born in their hearts. [Men, too,] if you press them too hard, are bound to answer you with ill-natured hearts, though they do not know why they do so. If they themselves do not understand why they behave like this, then who knows where it will end?

"Therefore the aphorism says, `Do not deviate from your orders; do not press for completion.' To go beyond the limit is excess; to deviate from orders or press for completion is a dangerous thing. A good completion takes a long time; a bad completion cannot be changed later. Can you afford to be careless?

"Just go along with things and let your mind move freely. Resign yourself to what cannot be avoided and nourish what is within you - this is best. What more do you have to do to fulfill your mission? Nothing is as good as following orders (obeying fate) - that's how difficult it is!" 12

Yen Ho, who had been appointed tutor to the crown prince, son of Duke Ling of Wei, went to consult Ch'u Po-yu.13 "Here is this man who by nature is lacking in virtue. If I let him go on with his unruliness I will endanger the state. If I try to impose some rule on him, I will endanger myself. He knows enough to recognize the faults of others, but he doesn't know his own faults. What can I do with a man like this?"

"A very good question," said Ch'u Po-yu. "Be careful, be on your guard, and make sure that you yourself are in the right! In your actions it is best to follow along with him, and in your mind it is best to harmonize with him. However, these two courses involve certain dangers. Though you follow along, you don't want to be pulled into his doings, and though you harmonize, you don't want to be drawn out too far. If in your actions you follow along to the extent of being pulled in with him, then you will be overthrown, destroyed, wiped out, and brought to your knees. If in your mind you harmonize to the extent of being drawn out, then you will be talked about, named, blamed, and condemned. If he wants to be a child, be a child with him. If he wants to follow erratic ways, follow erratic ways with him. If he wants to be reckless, be reckless with him. Understand him thoroughly, and lead him to the point where he is without fault.14

"Don't you know about the praying mantis that waved its arms angrily in front of an approaching carriage, unaware that they were incapable of stopping it? Such was the high opinion it had of its talents. Be careful, be on your guard! If you offend him by parading your store of talents, you will be in danger!

"Don't you know how the tiger trainer goes about it? He doesn't dare give the tiger any living thing to eat for fear it will learn the taste of fury by killing it. He doesn't dare give it any whole thing to eat for fear it will learn the taste of fury by tearing it apart. He gauges the state of the tiger's appetite and thoroughly understands its fierce disposition. Tigers are a different breed from men, and yet you can train them to be gentle with their keepers by following along with them. The men who get killed are the ones who go against them.

"The horse lover will use a fine box to catch the dung and a giant clam shell to catch the stale. But if a mosquito or a fly lights on the horse and he slaps it at the wrong time, then the horse will break the bit, hurt its head, and bang its chest. The horse lover tries to think of everything, but his affection leads him into error. Can you afford to be careless?"

Carpenter Shih went to Ch'i and, when he got to Crooked Shaft, he saw a serrate oak standing by the village shrine. It was broad enough to shelter several thousand oxen and measured a hundred spans around, towering above the hills. The lowest branches were eighty feet from the ground, and a dozen or so of them could have been made into boats. There were so many sightseers that the place looked like a fair, but the carpenter didn't even glance around and went on his way without stopping. His apprentice stood staring for a long time and then ran after Carpenter Shih and said, "Since I first took up my ax and followed you, Master, I have never seen timber as beautiful as this. But you don't even bother to look, and go right on without stopping. Why is that?"

"Forget it - say no more!" said the carpenter. "It's a worthless tree! Make boats out of it and they'd sink; make coffins and they'd rot in no time; make vessels and they'd break at once. Use it for doors and it would sweat sap like pine; use it for posts and the worms would eat them up. It's not a timber tree - there's nothing it can be used for. That's how it got to be that old!"

After Carpenter Shih had returned home, the oak tree appeared to him in a dream and said, "What are you comparing me with? Are you comparing me with those useful trees? The cherry apple, the pear, the orange, the citron, the rest of those fructiferous trees and shrubs - as soon as their fruit is ripe, they are torn apart and subjected to abuse. Their big limbs are broken off, their little limbs are yanked around. Their utility makes life miserable for them, and so they don't get to finish out the years Heaven gave them, but are cut off in mid-journey. They bring it on themselves - the pulling and tearing of the common mob. And it's the same way with all other things.

"As for me, I've been trying a long time to be of no use, and though I almost died, I've finally got it. This is of great use to me. If I had been of some use, would I ever have grown this large? Moreover you and I are both of us things. What's the point of this - things condemning things? You, a worthless man about to die-how do you know I'm a worthless tree?"

When Carpenter Shih woke up, he reported his dream. His apprentice said, "If it's so intent on being of no use, what's it doing there at the village shrine?" 15

"Shhh! Say no more! It's only resting there. If we carp and criticize, it will merely conclude that we don't understand it. Even if it weren't at the shrine, do you suppose it would be cut down? It protects itself in a different way from ordinary people. If you try to judge it by conventional standards, you'll be way off!"

Tzu-ch'i of Nan-po was wandering around the Hill of Shang when he saw a huge tree there, different from all the rest. A thousand teams of horses could have taken shelter under it and its shade would have covered them all. Tzu-ch'i said, "What tree is this? It must certainly have some extraordinary usefulness!" But, looking up, he saw that the smaller limbs were gnarled and twisted, unfit for beams or rafters, and looking down, he saw that the trunk was pitted and rotten and could not be used for coffins. He licked one of the leaves and it blistered his mouth and made it sore. He sniffed the odor and it was enough to make a man drunk for three days. "It turns out to be a completely unusable tree," said Tzu-ch'i, "and so it has been able to grow this big. Aha ! - it is this unusableness that the Holy Man makes use of!"

The region of Ching-shih in Sung is fine for growing catalpas, cypresses, and mulberries. But those that are more than one or two arm-lengths around are cut down for people who want monkey perches; those that are three or four spans around are cut down for the ridgepoles of tall roofs;", and those that are seven or eight spans are cut down for the families of nobles or rich merchants who want side boards for coffins. So they never get to live out the years Heaven gave them, but are cut down in mid-journey by axes. This is the danger of being usable. In the Chieh sacrifice," oxen with white foreheads, pigs with turned-up snouts, and men with piles cannot be offered to the river. This is something all the shamans know, and hence they consider them inauspicious creatures. But the Holy Man for the same reason considers them highly auspicious.

There's Crippled Shu - chin stuck down in his navel, shoulders up above his head, pigtail pointing at the sky, his five organs on the top, his two thighs pressing his ribs. By sewing and washing, he gets enough to fill his mouth; by handling a winnow and sifting out the good grain, he makes enough to feed ten people. When the authorities call out the troops, he stands in the crowd waving good-by; when they get up a big work party, they pass him over because he's a chronic invalid. And when they are doling out grain to the ailing, he gets three big measures and ten bundles of firewood. With a crippled body, he's still able to look after himself and finish out the years Heaven gave him. How much better, then, if he had crippled virtue!

When Confucius visited Ch'u, Chieh Yu, the madman of Ch'u, wandered by his gate crying, "Phoenix, phoenix, how his virtue failed! The future you cannot wait for; the past you cannot pursue. When the world has the Way, the sage succeeds; when the world is without the Way, the sage survives. In times like the present, we do well to escape penalty. Good fortune is light as a feather, but nobody knows how to hold it up. Misfortune is heavy as the earth, but nobody knows how to stay out of its way. Leave off, leave off - this teaching men virtue! Dangerous, dangerous - to mark off the ground and run! Fool, fool - don't spoil my walking! I walk a crooked way - don't step on my feet. The mountain trees do

themselves harm; the grease in the torch burns itself up. The cinnamon can be eaten and so it gets cut down; the lacquer tree can be used and so it gets hacked apart. All men know the use of the useful, but nobody knows the use of the useless!" 18

 

Section FIVE - THE SIGN OF VIRTUE COMPLETE

IN LU THERE WAS A MAN named Wang Tai who had had his foot cut off.' He had as many followers gathered around him as Confucius.

Ch'ang Chi asked Confucius, "This Wang T'ai who's lost a foot - how does he get to divide up Lu with you, Master, and make half of it his disciples? He doesn't stand up and teach, he doesn't sit down and discuss, yet they go to him empty and come home full. Does he really have some wordless teaching, some formless way of bringing the mind to completion? What sort of man is he?"

Confucius said, "This gentleman is a sage. It's just that I've been tardy and haven't gone to see him yet. But if I go to him as my teacher, how much more should those who are not my equals! Why only the state of Lu? I'll bring the whole world along and we'll all become his followers!"

Ch'ang Chi said, "If he's lost a foot and is still superior to the Master, then how far above the common run of men he must be! A man like that - what unique way does he have of using his mind?"

Confucius said, "Life and death are great affairs, and yet they are no change to him. Though heaven and earth flop over and fall down, it is no loss to him. He sees clearly into what has no falsehood and does not shift with things. He takes it as fate that things should change, and he holds fast to the source."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ch'ang Chi.

Confucius said, "If you look at them from the point of view of their differences, then there is liver and gall, Ch'u and Yueh. But if you look at them from the point of view of their sameness, then the ten thousand things are all one. A man like this doesn't know what his ears or eyes should approve - he lets his mind play in the harmony of virtue. As for things, he sees them as one and does not see their loss. He regards the loss of a foot as a lump of earth thrown away."

Ch'ang Chi said, "In the way he goes about it, he uses his knowledge to get at his mind, and uses his mind to get at the constant mind. Why should things gather around him?"

Confucius said, "Men do not mirror themselves in running water - they mirror themselves in still water. Only what is still can still the stillness of other things. Of those that receive life from the earth, the pine and cypress alone are best - they stay as green as ever in winter or summer. Of those that receive life from Heaven, Yao and Shun alone are best - they stand at the head of the ten thousand things. Luckily they were able to order their lives, and thereby order the lives of other things. Proof that a man is holding fast to the beginning lies in the fact of his fearlessness. A brave soldier will plunge alone into the midst of nine armies. He seeks fame and can bring himself to this. How much more, then, is possible for a man who governs Heaven and earth, stores up the ten thousand things, lets the six parts of his body2 be only a dwelling, makes ornaments of his ears and eyes, unifies the knowledge of what he knows, and in his mind never tastes death. He will soon choose the day and ascend far off. Men may become his followers, but how could he be willing to bother himself about things?"

Shen-t'u Chia, who had lost a foot, was studying under Pohun Wu-jen along with Tzu-ch'an of Cheng.3 Tzu-ch'an said to Shen-t'u Chia, "If I go out first, you stay behind, and if you go out first, I'll stay behind."

Next day the two of them were again sitting on the same mat in the small hall. Tzu-ch'an said to Shen-t'u Chia, "If I go out first, you stay behind, and if you go out first, I'll stay behind! Now I will go out. Are you going to stay behind or aren't you? When you see a prime minister, you don't even get out of the way - do you think you're the equal of a prime minister?"

Shen-t'u Chia said, "Within the gates of the Master, is there any such thing as a prime minister? You take delight in being a prime minister and pushing people behind you. But I've heard that if the mirror is bright, no dust settles on it; if dust settles, it isn't really bright. When you live around worthy men a long time, you'll be free of faults. You regard the Master as a great man, and yet you talk like this - it's not right, is it?"

Tzu-ch'an said, "You, a man like this - and still you claim to be better than a Yao! Take a look at your virtue and see if it's not enough to give you cause to reflect!"

Shen-t'u Chia said, "People who excuse their faults and claim they didn't deserve to be punished - there are lots of them. But those who don't excuse their faults and who admit they didn't deserve to be spared - they are few. To know what you can't do anything about, and to be content with it as you would with fate - only a man of virtue can do that. If you play around in front of Archer Yi's target, you're right in the way of the arrows, and if you don't get hit, it's a matter of fate. There are lots of men with two feet who laugh at me for having only one. It makes me boil with rage, but I come here to the Master's place and I feel calmed down again and go home. I don't know whether he washes me clean with goodness, or whether I come to understand things by myself. The Master and I have been friends for nineteen years and he's never once let on that he's aware I'm missing a foot. Now you and I are supposed to be wandering outside the realm of forms and bodies, and you come looking for me inside it4 - you're at fault, aren't you?"

Tzu-ch'an squirmed, changed his expression, and put a different look on his face. "Say no more about it," he said.

In Lu there was a man named Shu-shan No-Toes who had had his foot cut off. Stumping along, he went to see Confucius.

"You weren't careful enough!" said Confucius. "Since you've already broken the law and gotten yourself into trouble like this, what do you expect to gain by coming to me now?"

No-Toes said, "I just didn't understand my duty and was too careless of my body, and so I lost a foot. But I've come now because I still have something that is worth more than a foot and I want to try to hold on to it. There is nothing that heaven doesn't cover, nothing that earth doesn't bear up. I supposed, Master, that you would be like heaven and earth. How did I know you would act like this?"

"It was stupid of me," said Confucius. "Please, Sir, won't you come in? I'd like to describe to you what I have learned."

But No-Toes went out.

Confucius said, "Be diligent, my disciples! Here is No-Toes, a man who has had his foot cut off, and still he's striving to learn so he can make up for the evil of his former conduct. How much more, then, should men whose virtue is still unimpaired!"

No-Toes told the story to Lao Tan. "Confucius certainly hasn't reached the stage of a Perfect Man, has he? What does he mean coming around so obsequiously to study with you? 5 He is after the sham illusion of fame and reputation and doesn't know that the Perfect Man looks on these as so many handcuffs and fetters!"

Lao Tan said, "Why don't you just make him see that life and death are the same story, that acceptable and unacceptable are on a single string? Wouldn't it be well to free him from his handcuffs and fetters?"

No-Toes said, "When Heaven has punished him, how can you set him free?"

Duke Ai of Lu said to Confucius, "In Wei there was an ugly man named Ai T'ai-t'o. But when men were around him, they thought only of him and couldn't break away, and when women saw him, they ran begging to their fathers and mothers, saying, `I'd rather be this gentleman's concubine than another man's wife!' - there were more than ten such cases and it hasn't stopped yet. No one ever heard him take the lead - he always just chimed in with other people. He wasn't in the position of a ruler where he could save men's lives, and he had no store of provisions to fill men's bellies. On top of that, he was ugly enough to astound the whole world, chimed in but never led, and knew no more than what went on right around him. And yet men and women flocked to him. He certainly must be different from other men, I thought, and I summoned him so I could have a look. Just as they said - he was ugly enough to astound the world. But he hadn't been with me more than a month or so when I began to realize what kind of man he was, and before the year was out, I really trusted him. There was no one in the state to act as chief minister, and I wanted to hand the government over to him. He was vague about giving an answer, evasive, as though he hoped to be let off, and I was embarrassed, but in the end I turned the state over to him. Then, before I knew it, he left me and went away. I felt completely crushed, as though I'd suffered a loss and didn't have anyone left to enjoy my state with. What kind of man is he anyway?"

Confucius said, "I once went on a mission to Ch'u, and as I was going along, I saw some little pigs nursing at the body of their dead mother. After a while, they gave a start and all ran away and left her, because they could no longer see their likeness in her; she was not the same as she had been before. In loving their mother, they loved not her body but the thing that moved her body. When a man has been killed in battle and people come to bury him, he has no use for his medals. When a man has had his feet amputated, he doesn't care much about shoes. For both, the thing that is basic no longer exists. When women are selected to be consorts of the Son of Heaven, their nails are not pared and their ears are not pierced. When a man has just taken a wife, he is kept in posts outside [the palace] and is no longer sent on [dangerous] missions.6 If so much care is taken to keep the body whole, how much more in the case of a man whose virtue is whole? Now Ai T'ai-t'o says nothing and is trusted, accomplishes nothing and is loved, so that people want to turn over their states to him and are only afraid he won't accept. It must be that his powers are whole, though his virtue takes no form."

"What do you mean when you say his powers are whole?" asked Duke Ai.

Confucius said, "Life, death, preservation, loss, failure, success, poverty, riches, worthiness, unworthiness, slander, fame, hunger, thirst, cold, heat - these are the alternations of the world, the workings of fate. Day and night they change place before us and wisdom cannot spy out their source. Therefore, they should not be enough to destroy your harmony; they should not be allowed to enter the Spirit Storehouse.7 If you can harmonize and delight in them, master them and never be at a loss for joy, if you can do this day and night without break and make it be spring with everything, mingling with all and creating the moment within your own mind - this is what I call being whole in power."

"What do you mean when you say his virtue takes no form?"

"Among level things, water at rest is the most perfect, and therefore it can serve as a standard. It guards what is inside and shows no movement outside. Virtue is the establishment of perfect harmony. Though virtue takes no form, things cannot break away from it."

Some days later, Duke Ai reported his conversation to Min Tzu." "At first, when I faced south and became ruler of the realm, I tried to look after the regulation of the people and worried that they might die. I really thought I understood things perfectly. But now that I've heard the words of a Perfect Man, I'm afraid there was nothing to my understanding - I was thinking too little of my own welfare and ruining the state. Confucius and I are not subject and ruler-we are friends in virtue, that's all."

Mr. Lame-Hunchback-No-Lips talked to Duke Ling of Wei, and Duke Ling was so pleased with him that when he looked at normal men he thought their necks looked too lean and skinny.9 Mr. Pitcher-Sized-Wen talked to Duke Huan of Ch'i, and Duke Huan was so pleased with him that when he looked at normal men he thought their necks looked too lean and skinny. Therefore, if virtue is preeminent, the body will be forgotten. But when men do not forget what can be forgotten, but forget what cannot be forgotten - that may be called true forgetting.

So the sage has his wanderings. For him, knowledge is an offshoot, promises are glue, favors are a patching up, and skill is a peddler. The sage hatches no schemes, so what use has he for knowledge? He does no carving, so what use has he for glue? He suffers no loss, so what use has he for favors? He hawks no goods, so what use has he for peddling? These four are called Heavenly Gruel. Heavenly Gruel is the food of Heaven, and if he's already gotten food from Heaven, what use does he have for men? He has the form of a man but not the feelings of a man. Since he has the form of a man, he bands together with other men. Since he doesn't have the feelings of a man, right and wrong cannot get at him. Puny and small, he sticks with the rest of men. Massive and great, he perfects his Heaven alone.

Hui Tzu said to Chuang Tzu, "Can a man really be without feelings?"

Chuang Tzu: "Yes."

Hui Tzu: "But a man who has no feelings-how can you call him a man?"

Chuang Tzu: "The Way gave him a face; Heaven gave him a form - why can't you call him a man?"

Hui Tzu: "But if you've already called him a man, how can he be without feelings?"

Chuang Tzu: "That's not what I mean by feelings. When I talk about having no feelings, I mean that a man doesn't allow likes or dislikes to get in and do him harm. He just lets things be the way they are and doesn't try to help life along."

Hui Tzu: "If he doesn't try to help life along, then how can he keep himself alive?"

Chuang Tzu: "The Way gave him a face; Heaven gave him a form. He doesn't let likes or dislikes get in and do him harm. You, now - you treat your spirit like an outsider. You wear out your energy, leaning on a tree and moaning, slumping at your desk and dozing - Heaven picked out a body for you and you use it to gibber about `hard' and `white'!" 10

 

Section SIX - THE GREAT AND VENERABLE TEACHER

HE WHO KNOWS WHAT IT Is that Heaven does, and knows what it is that man does, has reached the peak.

Knowing what it is that Heaven does, he lives with Heaven. Knowing what it is that man does, he uses the knowledge of what he knows to help out the knowledge of what he doesn't know, and lives out the years that Heaven gave him without being cut off midway - this is the perfection of knowledge.

However, there is a difficulty. Knowledge must wait for something before it can be applicable, and that which it waits for is never certain. How, then, can I know that what I call Heaven is not really man, and what I call man is not really Heaven? There must first be a True Man' before there can be true knowledge.

What do I mean by a True Man? The True Man of ancient times did not rebel against want, did not grow proud in plenty, and did not plan his affairs. A man like this could commit an error and not regret it, could meet with success and not make a show. A man like this could climb the high places and not be frightened, could enter the water and not get wet, could enter the fire and not get burned. His knowledge was able to climb all the way up to the Way like this.

The True Man of ancient times slept without dreaming and woke without care; he ate without savoring and his breath came from deep inside. The True Man breathes with his heels; the mass of men breathe with their throats. Crushed and bound down, they gasp out their words as though they were retching. Deep in their passions and desires, they are shallow in the workings of Heaven.

The True Man of ancient times knew nothing of loving life, knew nothing of hating death. He emerged without delight; he went back in without a fuss. He came briskly, he went briskly, and that was all. He didn't forget where he began; he didn't try to find out where he would end. He received something and took pleasure in it; he forgot about it and handed it back again. This is what I call not using the mind to repel the Way, not using man to help out Heaven. This is what I call the True Man.

Since he is like this, his mind forgets;2 his face is calm; his forehead is broad. He is chilly like autumn, balmy like spring, and his joy and anger prevail through the four seasons. He goes along with what is right for things and no one knows his limit. Therefore, when the sage calls out the troops, he may overthrow nations but he will not lose the hearts of the people. His bounty enriches ten thousand ages but he has no love for men. Therefore he who delights in bringing success to things is not a sage; he who has affections is not benevolent; he who looks for the right time is not a worthy man; he who cannot encompass both profit and loss is not a gentleman; he who thinks of conduct and fame and misleads himself is not a man of breeding; and he who destroys himself and is without truth is not a user of men. Those like Hu Pu-hsieh, Wu Kuang, Po Yi, Shu Ch'i, Chi Tzu, Hsu Yu, Chi T'o, and Shen-t'u Ti-all of them slaved in the service of other men, took joy in bringing other men joy, but could not find joy in any joy of their own.3

This was the True Man of old: his bearing was lofty and did not crumble; he appeared to lack but accepted nothing; he was dignified in his correctness but not insistent; he was vast in his emptiness but not ostentatious. Mild and cheerful, he seemed to be happy; reluctant, he could not help doing certain things; annoyed, he let it show in his face; relaxed, he rested in his virtue. Tolerant,4 he seemed to be part of the world; towering alone, he could be checked by nothing; withdrawn, he seemed to prefer to cut himself off; bemused, he forgot what he was going to say.5

He regarded penalties as the body, rites as the wings, wisdom as what is timely, virtue as what is reasonable. Because he regarded penalties as the body, he was benign in his killing. Because he regarded rites as the wings, he got along in the world. Because he regarded wisdom as what is timely, there were things that he could not keep from doing. Because he regarded virtue as what is reasonable, he was like a man with two feet who gets to the top of the hill. And yet people really believed that he worked hard to get there.6

Therefore his liking was one and his not liking was one. His being one was one and his not being one was one. In being one, he was acting as a companion of Heaven. In not being one, he was acting as a companion of man. When man and Heaven do not defeat each other, then we may be said to have the True Man.

Life and death are fated - constant as the succession of dark and dawn, a matter of Heaven. There are some things which man can do nothing about - all are a matter of the nature of creatures. If a man is willing to regard Heaven as a father and to love it, then how much more should he be willing to do for that which is even greater! 7 If he is willing to regard the ruler as superior to himself and to die for him, then how much more should he be willing to do for the Truth!

When the springs dry up and the fish are left stranded on the ground, they spew each other with moisture and wet each other down with spit - but it would be much better if they could forget each other in the rivers and lakes. Instead of praising Yao and condemning Chieh, it would be better to forget both of them and transform yourself with the Way.

The Great Clod burdens me with form, labors me with life, eases me in old age, and rests me in death. So if I think well of my life, for the same reason I must think well of my death.8

You hide your boat in the ravine and your fish net9 in the swamp and tell yourself that they will be safe. But in the middle of the night a strong man shoulders them and carries them off, and in your stupidity you don't know why it happened. You think you do right to hide little things in big ones, and yet they get away from you. But if you were to hide the world in the world, so that nothing could get away, this would be the final reality of the constancy of things.

You have had the audacity to take on human form and you are delighted. But the human form has ten thousand changes that never come to an end. Your joys, then, must be uncountable. Therefore, the sage wanders in the realm where things cannot get away from him, and all are preserved. He delights in early death; he delights in old age; he delights in the beginning; he delights in the end. If he can serve as a model for men, how much more so that which the ten thousand things are tied to and all changes alike wait upon!

The Way has its reality and its signs but is without action or form. You can hand it down but you cannot receive it; you can get it but you cannot see it. It is its own source, its own root. Before Heaven and earth existed it was there, firm from ancient times. It gave spirituality to the spirits and to God; it gave birth to Heaven and to earth. It exists beyond the highest point, and yet you cannot call it lofty; it exists beneath the limit of the six directions, and yet you cannot call it deep. It was born before Heaven and earth, and yet you cannot say it has been there for long; it is earlier than the earliest time, and yet you cannot call it old.

Hsi-wei got it and held up heaven and earth.10 Fu Hsi got it and entered into the mother of breath. The Big Dipper got it and from ancient times has never wavered. The Sun and Moon got it and from ancient times have never rested. K'an-p'i got it and entered K'un-lun. P’ing-i got it and wandered in the great river. Chien Wu got it and lived in the great mountain.11 The Yellow Emperor got it and ascended to the cloudy heavens. Chuan Hsu got it and dwelt in the Dark Palace. Yu-ch'iang got it and stood at the limit of the north. The Queen Mother of the West got it and took her seat on Shaokuang - nobody knows her beginning, nobody knows her end. P'eng-tsu got it and lived from the age of Shun to the age of the Five Dictators.12 Fu Yueh got it and became minister to Wu-ting, who extended his rule over the whole world; then Fu Yueh climbed up to the Eastern Governor, straddled the Winnowing Basket and the Tail, and took his place among the ranks of stars. 13

Nan-po Tzu-k'uei said to the Woman Crookback, "You are old in years and yet your complexion is that of a child. Why is this?"

"I have heard the Way!"

"Can the Way be learned?" asked Nan-po Tzu-k'uei.

"Goodness, how could that be? Anyway, you aren't the man to do it. Now there's Pu-liang Yi - he has the talent of a sage but not the Way of a sage, whereas I have the Way of a sage but not the talent of a sage. I thought I would try to teach him and see if I could really get anywhere near to making him a sage. It's easier to explain the Way of a sage to someone who has the talent of a sage, you know. So I began explaining and kept at him for three days, 14 and after that he was able to put the world outside himself. When he had put the world outside himself, I kept at him for seven days more, and after that he was able to put things outside himself. When he had put things outside himself, I kept at him for nine davs more, and after that he was able to put life outside himself. After he had put life outside himself, he was able to achieve the brightness of dawn, and when he had achieved the brightness of dawn, he could see his own aloneness. After he had managed to see his own aloneness, he could do away with past and present, and after he had done away with past and present, he was able to enter where there is no life and no death. That which kills life does not die; that which gives life to life does not live. 15 This is the kind of thing it is: there's nothing it doesn't send off, nothing it doesn't welcome, nothing it doesn't destroy, nothing it doesn't complete. Its name is Peace-in-Strife. After the strife, it attains completion."

Nan-po Tzu-k'uei asked, "Where did you happen to hear this? "

"I heard it from the son of Aided-by-Ink, and Aided-by-Ink heard it from the grandson of Repeated-Recitation, and the grandson of Repeated-Recitation heard it from Seeing-Brightly, and Seeing-Brightly heard it from Whispered-Agreement, and Whispered-Agreement heard it from Waiting-for-Use, and Waiting-for-Use heard it from Exclaimed-Wonder, and Exclaimed-Wonder heard it from Dark-Obscurity, and Dark-Obscurity heard it from Participation-in-Mystery, and Participation-in-Mystery heard it from Copy-the-Source!" 16

Master Ssu, Master Yu, Master Li, and Master Lai were all four talking together. "Who can look upon nonbeing as his head, on life as his back, and on death as his rump?" they said. "Who knows that life and death, existence and annihilation, are all a single body? I will be his friend!"

The four men looked at each other and smiled. There was no disagreement in their hearts and so the four of them became friends.

All at once Master Yu fell ill. Master Ssu went to ask how he was. "Amazing" said Master Yu. "The Creator is making me all crookedy like this! My back sticks up like a hunchback and my vital organs are on top of me. My chin is hidden in my navel, my shoulders are up above my head, and my pigtail points at the sky. It must be some dislocation of the yin and yang!"

Yet he seemed calm at heart and unconcerned. Dragging himself haltingly to the well, he looked at his reflection and said, "My, my! So the Creator is making me all crookedy like this!"

"Do you resent it?" asked Master Ssu.

"Why no, what would I resent? If the process continues, perhaps in time he'll transform my left arm into a rooster. In that case I'll keep watch on the night. Or perhaps in time he'll transform my right arm into a crossbow pellet and I'll shoot down an owl for roasting. Or perhaps in time he'll transform my buttocks into cartwheels. Then, with my spirit for a horse, I'll climb up and go for a ride. What need will I ever have for a carriage again?

"I received life because the time had come; I will lose it because the order of things passes on. Be content with this time and dwell in this order and then neither sorrow nor joy can touch you. In ancient times this was called the `freeing of the bound.' There are those who cannot free themselves, because they are bound by things. But nothing can ever win against Heaven - that's the way it's always been. What would I have to resent?"

Suddenly Master Lai grew ill. Gasping and wheezing, he lay at the point of death. His wife and children gathered round in a circle and began to cry. Master Li, who had come to ask how he was, said, "Shoo! Get back! Don't disturb the process of change!"

Then he leaned against the doorway and talked to Master Lai. "How marvelous the Creator is! What is he going to make of you next? Where is he going to send you? Will he make you into a rat's liver? Will he make you into a bug's arm?"

Master Lai said, "A child, obeying his father and mother, goes wherever he is told, east or west, south or north. And the yin and yang - how much more are they to a man than father or mother! Now that they have brought me to the verge of death, if I should refuse to obey them, how perverse I would be! What fault is it of theirs? The Great Clod burdens me with form, labors me with life, eases me in old age, and rests me in death. So if I think well of my life, for the same reason I must think well of my death. When a skilled smith is casting metal, if the metal should leap up and say, `I insist upon being made into a Mo-yeh!' 17 he would surely regard it as very inauspicious metal indeed. Now, having had the audacity to take on human form once, if I should say, `I don't want to be anything but a man! Nothing but a man!', the Creator would surely regard me as a most inauspicious sort of person. So now I think of heaven and earth as a great furnace, and the Creator as a skilled smith. Where could he send me that would not be all right? I will go off to sleep peacefully, and then with a start I will wake up."

Master Sang-hu, Meng-tzu Fan, and Master Chin-chang, three friends, said to each other, "Who can join with others without joining with others? Who can do with others without doing with others? Who can climb up to heaven and wander in the mists, roam the infinite, and forget life forever and forever?" The three men looked at each other and smiled. There was no disagreement in their hearts and so they became friends.

After some time had passed without event, Master Sang-hu died. He had not yet been buried when Confucius, hearing of his death, sent Tzu-kung to assist at the funeral. When Tzu-kung arrived, he found one of the dead man's friends weaving frames for silkworms, while the other strummed a lute. Joining their voices, they sang this song:

Ah, Sang-hu!

Ah, Sang-hu!

You have gone back to your true form

While we remain as men, O!

Tzu-kung hastened forward and said, "May I be so bold as to ask what sort of ceremony this is - singing in the very presence of the corpse?"

The two men looked at each other and laughed. "What does this man know of the meaning of ceremony?" they said.

Tzu-kung returned and reported to Confucius what had happened. "What sort of men are they anyway?" he asked. "They pay no attention to proper behavior, disregard their personal appearance and, without so much as changing the expression on their faces, sing in the very presence of the corpse! I can think of no name for them! What sort of men are they?"

"Such men as they," said Confucius, "wander beyond the realm; men like me wander within it. Beyond and within can never meet. It was stupid of me to send you to offer condolences. Even now they have joined with the Creator as men to wander in the single breath of heaven and earth. They look upon life as a swelling tumor, a protruding wen, and upon death as the draining of a sore or the bursting of a boil. To men such as these, how could there be any question of putting life first or death last? They borrow the forms of different creatures and house them in the same body. They forget liver and gall, cast aside ears and eyes, turning and revolving, ending and beginning again, unaware of where they start or finish. Idly they roam beyond the dust and dirt; they wander free and easy in the service of inaction. Why should they fret and fuss about the ceremonies of the vulgar world and make a display for the ears and eyes of the common herd?"

Tzu-kung said, "Well then, Master, what is this `realm' that you stick to?"

Confucius said, "I am one of those men punished by Heaven. Nevertheless, I will share with you what I have."

"Then may I ask about the realm?" 18 said Tzu-kung.

Confucius said, "Fish thrive in water, man thrives in the Way. For those that thrive in water, dig a pond and they will find nourishment enough. For those that thrive in the Way, don't bother about them and their lives will be secure. So it is said, the fish forget each other in the rivers and lakes, and men forget each other in the arts of the Way."

Tzu-kung said, "May I ask about the singular man?"

"The singular man is singular in comparison to other men, but a companion of Heaven. So it is said, the petty man of Heaven is a gentleman among men; the gentleman among men is the petty man of Heaven."

Yen Hui said to Confucius, "When Meng-sun Ts'ai's mother died, he wailed without shedding any tears, he did not grieve in his heart, and he conducted the funeral without any look of sorrow. He fell down on these three counts, and yet he is known all over the state of Lu for the excellent way he managed the funeral. Is it really possible to gain such a reputation when there are no facts to support it? I find it very peculiar indeed!"

Confucius said, "Meng-sun did all there was to do. He was advanced beyond ordinary understanding and he would have simplified things even more, but that wasn't practical. However, there is still a lot that he simplified. Meng-sun doesn't know why he lives and doesn't know why he dies. He doesn't know why he should go ahead; he doesn't know why he should fall behind. In the process of change, he has become a thing [among other things], and he is merely waiting for some other change that he doesn't yet know about. Moreover, when he is changing, how does he know that he is really changing? And when he is not changing, how does he know that he hasn't already changed? You and I, now - we are dreaming and haven't waked up yet. But in his case, though something may startle his body, it won't injure his mind; though something may alarm the house [his spirit lives in], his emotions will suffer no death. Meng-sun alone has waked up. Men wail and so he wails, too - that's the reason he acts like this.

"What's more, we go around telling each other, I do this, I do that - but how do we know that this `I' we talk about has any `I' to it? You dream you're a bird and soar up into the sky; you dream you're a fish and dive down in the pool. But now when you tell me about it, I don't know whether you are awake or whether you are dreaming. Running around accusing others19 is not as good as laughing, and enjoying a good laugh is not as good as going along with things. Be content to go along and forget about change and then you can enter the mysterious oneness of Heaven."

Yi Erh-tzu went to see Hsu Yu.20 Hsu Yu said, "What kind of assistance has Yao been giving you?"

Yi Erh-tzu said, "Yao told me, `You must learn to practice benevolence and righteousness and to speak clearly about right and wrong!'"

"Then why come to see me?" said Hsu Yu. "Yao has already tattooed you with benevolence and righteousness and cut off your nose with right and wrong.21 Now how do you expect to go wandering in any far-away, carefree, and as-you-like-it paths?"

"That may be," said Yi Erh-tzu. "But I would like if I may to wander in a little corner of them."

"Impossible!" said Hsu Yu. "Eyes that are blind have no way to tell the loveliness of faces and features; eyes with no pupils have no way to tell the beauty of colored and embroidered silks."

Yi Erh-tzu said, "Yes, but Wu-chuang forgot her beauty, Chu-liang forgot his strength, and the Yellow Emperor forgot his wisdom - all were content to be recast and remolded .22 How do you know that the Creator will not wipe away my tattoo, stick my nose back on again, and let me ride on the process of completion and follow after you, Master?"

"Ah - we can never tell," said Hsu Y u. "I will just speak to you about the general outline. This Teacher of mine, this Teacher of mine - he passes judgment on the ten thousand things but he doesn't think himself righteous; his bounty extends to ten thousand generations but he doesn't think himself benevolent. He is older than the highest antiquity but he doesn't think himself long-lived; he covers heaven, bears up the earth, carves and fashions countless forms, but he doesn't think himself skilled. It is with him alone I wander."

Yen Hui said, "I'm improving!"

Confucius said, "What do you mean by that?"

"I've forgotten benevolence and righteousness!"

"That's good. But you still haven't got it."

Another day, the two met again and Yen Hui said, "I'm improving!"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I've forgotten rites and music!"

"That's good. But you still haven't got it."

Another day, the two met again and Yen Hui said, "I'm improving! "

"What do you mean by that?"

"I can sit down and forget everything!"

Confucius looked very startled and said, "What do you mean, sit down and forget everything.'-"

Yen Hui said, "I smash up my limbs and body, drive out perception and intellect, cast off form, do away with understanding, and make myself identical with the Great Thoroughfare. This is what I mean by sitting down and forgetting everything."

Confucius said, "If you're identical with it, you must have no more likes! If you've been transformed, you must have no more constancy! So you really are a worthy man after all! 23 With your permission, I'd like to become your follower."

Master Yu and Master Sang were friends. Once it rained incessantly for ten days. Master Yu said to himself, Master Sang is probably having a bad time, and he wrapped up some rice and took it for his friend to eat. When he got to Master Sang's gate, he heard something like singing or crying, and someone striking a lute and saying:

Father?

Mother?

Heaven?

Man?

It was as though the voice would not hold out and the singer were rushing to get through the words.

Master Yu went inside and said, "What do you mean - singing a song like that!"

"I was pondering what it is that has brought me to this extremity, but I couldn't find the answer. My father and mother surely wouldn't wish this poverty on me. Heaven covers all without partiality; earth bears up all without partiality - heaven and earth surely wouldn't single me out to make me poor. I try to discover who is doing it, but I can't get the answer. Still, here I am - at the very extreme. It must be fate."

 

Section SEVEN - FIT FOR EMPERORS AND KINGS

NIEH CH'UEH WAS QUESTIONING Wang Ni. Four times he asked a question and four times Wang Ni said he didn't know. Nieh Ch'ueh proceeded to hop around in great glee and went and told Master P'u-i. Master P'u-i said, "Are you just now finding that out? 1 The clansman Yu-yu was no match for the clansman T'ai.2 The clansman Yu-yu still held on to benevolence and worked to win men over. He won men over all right, but he never got out into [the realm of] `notman.' The clansman T'ai, now - he lay down peaceful and easy; he woke up wide-eyed and blank. Sometimes he thought he was a horse; sometimes he thought he was a cow. His understanding was truly trustworthy; his virtue was perfectly true. He never entered [the realm of] `not-man.' " 3

Chien Wu went to see the madman Chieh Yu. Chieh Yu said, "What was Chung Shih telling you the other day?" 4 Chien Wu said, "He told me that the ruler of men should devise his own principles, standards, ceremonies, and regulations, and then there will be no one who will fail to obey him and be transformed by them."

The madman Chieh Yu said, "This is bogus virtue! To try to govern the world like this is like trying to walk the ocean, to drill through a river, or to make a mosquito shoulder a mountain! When the sage governs, does he govern what is on the outside? He makes sure of himself first, and then he acts. He makes absolutely certain that things can do what they are supposed to do, that is all. The bird flies high in the sky where it can escape the danger of stringed arrows. The field mouse burrows deep down under the sacred hill where it won't have to worry about men digging and smoking it out. Have you got less sense than these two little creatures?"

T'ien Ken was wandering on the sunny side of Yin Mountain. When he reached the banks of the Liao River, he happened to meet a Nameless Man. He questioned the man, saying, "Please may I ask how to rule the world?"

The Nameless Man said, "Get away from me, you peasant! What kind of a dreary question is that! I'm just about to set off with the Creator. And if I get bored with that, then I'll ride on the Light-and-Lissome Bird out beyond the six directions, wandering in the village of Not-Even-Anything and living in the Broad-and-Borderless field. What business5 do you have coming with this talk of governing the world and disturbing my mind?"

But T'ien Ken repeated his question. The Nameless Man said, "Let your mind wander in simplicity, blend your spirit with the vastness, follow along with things the way they are, and make no room for personal views-then the world will be governed."

Yang Tzu-chu6 went to see Lao Tan and said, "Here is a man swift as an echo, strong as a beam, with a wonderfully clear understanding of the principles of things, studying the Way without ever letting up - a man like this could compare with an enlightened king, couldn't he?"

Lao Tan said, "In comparison to the sage, a man like this is a drudging slave, a craftsman bound to his calling, wearing out his body, grieving his mind. They say it is the beautiful markings of the tiger and the leopard that call out the hunters, the nimbleness of the monkey and the ability of the dog to catch rats' that make them end up chained. A man like this - how could he compare to an enlightened king?"

Yang Tzu-chu, much taken aback, said, "May I venture to ask about the government of the enlightened king?"

Lao Tan said, "The government of the enlightened king? His achievements blanket the world but appear not to be his own doing. His transforming influence touches the ten thousand things but the people do not depend on him. With him there is no promotion or praise - he lets everything find its own enjoyment. He takes his stand on what cannot be fathomed and wanders where there is nothing at all."

In Cheng there was a shaman of the gods named Chi Hsien. He could tell whether men would live or die, survive or perish, be fortunate or unfortunate, live a long time or die young, and he would predict the year, month, week,8 and day as though he were a god himself. When the people of Cheng saw him, they dropped everything and ran out of his way. Lieh Tzu went to see him and was completely intoxicated. Returning, he said to Hu Tzu,9 "I used to think, Master, that your Way was perfect. But now I see there is something even higher!"

Hu Tzu said, "I have already showed you all the outward forms, but I haven't yet showed you the substance-and do you really think you have mastered this Way of mine? There may be a flock of hens but, if there is no rooster, how can they lay fertile eggs? You take what you know of the Way and wave it in the face of the world, expecting to be believed! This is the reason men can see right through you. Try bringing your shaman along next time and letting him get a look at me."

The next day Lieh Tzu brought the shaman to see Hu Tzu. When they had left the room, the shaman said, "I'm so sorry - your master is dying! There's no life left in him - he won't last the week. I saw something very strange-something like wet ashes!"

Lieh Tzu went back into the room, weeping and drenching the collar of his robe with tears, and reported this to Hu. Tzu.

Hu Tzu said, "Just now I appeared to him with the Pattern of Earth - still and silent, nothing moving, nothing standing up. He probably saw in me the Workings of Virtue Closed Off.10 Try bringing him around again."

The next day the two came to see Hu Tzu again, and when they had left the room, the shaman said to Lieh Tzu, "It certainly was lucky that your master met me! He's going to get better - he has all the signs of life! I could see the stirring of what had been closed off!"

Lieh Tzu went in and reported this to Hu Tzu.

Hu Tzu said, "Just now I appeared to him as Heaven and Earth - no name or substance to it, but still the workings, coming up from the heels. He probably saw in me the Workings of the Good One.11 Try bringing him again."

The next day the two came to see Hu Tzu again, and when they had left the room, the shaman said to Lieh Tzu, "Your master is never the same! I have no way to physiognomize him! If he will try to steady himself, then I will come and examine him again."

Lieh Tzu went in and reported this to Hu Tzu.

Hu Tzu said, "Just now I appeared to him as the Great Vastness Where Nothing Wins Out. He probably saw in me the Workings of the Balanced Breaths. Where the swirling waves12 gather there is an abyss; where the still waters gather there is an abyss; where the running waters gather there is an abyss. The abyss has nine names and I have shown him three.13 Try bringing him again."

The next day the two came to see Hu Tzu again, but before the shaman had even come to a halt before Hu Tzu, his wits left him and he fled.

"Run after him!" said Hu Tzu, but though Lieh Tzu ran after him, he could not catch up. Returning, he reported to Hu Tzu, "He's vanished! He's disappeared! I couldn't catch up with him."

Hu Tzu said, "Just now I appeared to him as Not Yet Emerged from My Source. I came at him empty, wriggling and turning, not knowing anything about `who' or `what,' now dipping and bending, now flowing in waves - that's why he ran away."

After this, Lieh Tzu concluded that he had never really begun to learn anything.14 He went home and for three years did not go out. He replaced his wife at the stove, fed the pigs as though he were feeding people, and showed no preferences in the things he did. He got rid of the carving and polishing and returned to plainness, letting his body stand alone like a clod. In the midst of entanglement he remained sealed, and in this oneness he ended his life.

Do not be an embodier of fame; do not be a storehouse of schemes; do not be an undertaker of projects; do not be a proprietor of wisdom. Embody to the fullest what has no end and wander where there is no trail. Hold on to all that you have received from Heaven but do not think you have gotten anything. Be empty, that is all. The Perfect Man uses his mind like a mirror - going after nothing, welcoming nothing, responding but not storing. Therefore he can win out over things and not hurt himself.

The emperor of the South Sea was called Shu [Brief], the emperor of the North Sea was called Hu [Sudden], and the emperor of the central region was called Hun-tun [Chaos]. Shu and Hu from time to time came together for a meeting in the territory of Hun-tun, and Hun-tun treated them very generously. Shu and Hu discussed how they could repay his kindness. "All men," they said, "have seven openings so they can see, hear, eat, and breathe. But Hun-tun alone doesn't have any. Let's trying boring him some!"

Every day they bored another hole, and on the seventh day Hun-tun died.

 

Section EIGHT - WEBBED TOES

Two TOES WEBBED TOGETHER, a sixth finger forking off - these come from the inborn nature but are excretions as far as Virtue is concerned.1 Swelling tumors and protruding wens - these come from the body but are excretions as far as the inborn nature is concerned. Men overnice in the ways of benevolence and righteousness try to put these into practice, even to line them up with the five vital organs! 2

This is not the right approach to the Way and its Virtue. Therefore he who has two toes webbed together has grown a flap of useless flesh; he who has a sixth finger forking out of his hand has sprouted a useless digit; and he who imposes overnice ways, webs and forked fingers, upon the original form of the five vital organs will become deluded and perverse in the practice of benevolence and righteousness and overnice in the use of his hearing and sight. Thus he who is web-toed in eyesight will be confused by the five colors, bewitched by patterns and designs, by the dazzling hues of blue and yellow, of embroidery and brocade - am I wrong? So we have Li Chu.3

He who is overnice in hearing will be confused by the five notes, bewitched by the six tones, by the sounds of metal and stone, strings and woodwinds, the huang-chung and ta-lu pitch pipes - am I wrong? So we have Music Master K'uang.4 He who is fork-fingered with benevolence will tear out the Virtue given him and stifle his inborn nature in order to seize fame and reputation, leading the world on with pipe and drum in the service of an unattainable ideal - am I wrong? So we have Tseng and Shih.5 He who is web-toed in argumentation will pile up bricks, knot the plumb line, apply the curve,6 letting his mind wander in the realm of "hard" and "white," "likeness" and "difference," huffing and puffing away, lauding his useless words - am I wrong? So we have Yang and Mo.' All these men walk a way that is overnice, web-toed, wide of the mark, fork-fingered, not that which is the True Rightness of the world.

He who holds to True Rightness8 does not lose the original form of his inborn nature. So for him joined things are not webbed toes, things forking off are not superfluous fingers, the long is never too much, the short is never too little.9 The duck's legs are short, but to stretch them out would worry him; the crane's legs are long, but to cut them down would make him sad. What is long by nature needs no cutting off; what is short by nature needs no stretching. That would be no way to get rid of worry. I wonder, then, if benevolence and righteousness are part of man's true form? Those benevolent men-how much worrying they do!

The man with two toes webbed together would weep if he tried to tear them apart; the man with a sixth finger on his hand would howl if he tried to gnaw it off. Of these two, one has more than the usual number, the other has less, but in worrying about it they are identical. Nowadays the benevolent men of the age lift up weary eyes,10 worrying over the ills of the world, while the men of no benevolence tear apart the original form of their inborn nature in their greed for eminence and wealth. Therefore I wonder if benevolence and righteousness are really part of man's true form? From the Three Dynasties on down,11 what a lot of fuss and hubbub they have made in the world!

If we must use curve and plumb line, compass and square to make something right, this means cutting away its inborn nature; if we must use cords and knots, glue and lacquer to make something firm, this means violating its natural Virtue. So the crouchings and bendings of rites and music, the smiles and beaming looks of benevolence and righteousness, which are intended to comfort the hearts of the world, in fact destroy their constant naturalness.

For in the world there can be constant naturalness. Where there is constant naturalness, things are arced not by the use of the curve, straight not by the use of the plumb line, rounded not by compasses, squared not by T squares, joined not by glue and lacquer, bound not by ropes and lines. Then all things in the world, simple and compliant, live and never know how they happen to live; all things, rude and unwitting,12 get what they need and never know how they happen to get it. Past and present it has been the same; nothing can do injury to this [principle]. Why then come with benevolence and righteousness, that tangle and train of glue and lacquer, ropes and lines, and try to wander in the realm of the Way and its Virtue? You will only confuse the world!

A little confusion can alter the sense of direction; a great confusion can alter the inborn nature. How do I know this is so? Ever since that man of the Yu clan13 began preaching benevolence and righteousness and stirring up the world, all the men in the world have dashed headlong for benevolence and righteousness. This is because benevolence and righteousness have altered their inborn nature, is it not?

Let me try explaining what I mean. From the Three Dynasties on down, everyone in the world has altered his inborn nature because of some [external] thing. The petty man? - he will risk death for the sake of profit. The knight? - will risk it for the sake of fame. The high official? - he will risk it for family; the sage? - he will risk it for the world. All these various men go about the business in a different way, and are tagged differently when it comes to fame and reputation; but in blighting their inborn nature and risking their lives for something they are the same.

The slave boy and the slave girl were out together herding their sheep, and both of them lost their flocks. Ask the slave boy how it happened: well, he had a bundle of writing slips and was reading a book.14 Ask the slave girl how it happened: well, she was playing a game of toss-and-wait-your-turn. They went about the business in different ways, but in losing their sheep they were equal. Po Yi died for reputation at the foot of Shou-yang mountain; Robber Chih died for gain on top of Eastern Mound. 15 The two of them died different deaths, but in destroying their lives and blighting their inborn nature they were equal. Why then must we say that Po Yi was right and Robber Chih wrong?

Everyone in the world risks his life for something. If he risks it for benevolence and righteousness, then custom names him a gentleman; if he risks it for goods and wealth, then custom names him a petty man. The risking is the same, and yet we have a gentleman here, a petty man there. In destroying their lives and blighting their inborn nature, Robber Chih and Po Yi were two of a kind. How then can we pick out the gentleman from the petty man in such a case?

He who applies his nature to benevolence and righteousness may go as far with it as Tseng and Shih, but I would not call him an expert. He who applies his nature to the five flavors may go as far with it as Yu Erh,16 but I would not call him an expert. He who applies his nature to the five notes may go as far with it as Music Master K'uang, but I would not call this good hearing. He who applies his nature to the five colors may go as far with it as Li Chu, but I would not call this good eyesight. My definition of expertness has nothing to do with benevolence and righteousness; it means being expert in regard to your Virtue, that is all. My definition of expertness has nothing to do with benevolence or righteousness ;17 it means following the true form of your inborn nature, that is all. When I speak of good hearing, I do not mean listening to others; I mean simply listening to yourself. When I speak of good eyesight, I do not mean looking at others; I mean simply looking at yourself. He who does not look at himself but looks at others, who does not get hold of himself but gets hold of others, is getting what other men have got and failing to get what he himself has got. He finds joy in what brings joy to other men, but finds no joy in what would bring joy to himself. And if he finds joy in what brings joy to other men, but finds no joy in what would bring joy to himself, then whether he is a Robber Chih or a Po Yi he is equally deluded and perverse. I have a sense of shame before the Way and its Virtue, and for that reason I do not venture to raise myself up in deeds of benevolence and righteousness, or to lower myself in deluded and perverse practices.

Section NINE - HORSES' HOOFS

HORSES' HOOFS ARE MADE for treading frost and snow, their coats for keeping out wind and cold. To munch grass, drink from the stream, lift up their feet and gallop this is the true nature of horses. Though they might possess great terraces and fine halls, they would have no use for them.

Then along comes Po Lo.1 "I'm good at handling horses!" he announces, and proceeds to singe them, shave them, pare them, brand them, bind them with martingale and crupper, tie them up in stable and stall. By this time two or three out of ten horses have died. He goes on to starve them, make them go thirsty, race them, prance them, pull them into line, force them to run side by side, in front of them the worry of bit and rein, behind them the terror of whip and crop. By this time over half the horses have died.

The potter says, "I'm good at handling clay! To round it, I apply the compass; to square it, I apply the T square." The carpenter says, "I'm good at handling wood! To arc it, I apply the curve; to make it straight, I apply the plumb line." But as far as inborn nature is concerned, the clay and the wood surely have no wish to be subjected to compass and square, curve and plumb line. Yet generation after generation sings out in praise, saying, "Po Lo is good at handling horses! The potter and the carpenter are good at handling clay and wood!" And the same fault is committed by the men who handle the affairs of the world!

In my opinion someone who was really good at handling the affairs of the world would not go about it like this. The people have their constant inborn nature. To weave for their clothing, to till for their food - this is the Virtue they share. They are one in it and not partisan, and it is called the Emancipation of Heaven. Therefore in a time of Perfect Virtue the gait of men is slow and ambling; their gaze is steady and mild. In such an age mountains have no paths or trails, lakes no boats or bridges. The ten thousand things live species by species, one group settled close to another. Birds and beasts form their flocks and herds, grass and trees grow to fullest height. So it happens that you can tie a cord to the birds and beasts and lead them about, or bend down the limb and peer into the nest of the crow and the magpie. In this age of Perfect Virtue men live the same as birds and beasts, group themselves side by side with the ten thousand things. Who then knows anything about "gentleman" or "petty man"? Dull and ununwitting,2 men have no wisdom; thus their Virtue does not depart from them. Dull and unwitting, they have no desire; this is called uncarved simplicity. In uncarved simplicity the people attain their true nature.3

Then along comes the sage, huffing and puffing after benevolence, reaching on tiptoe for righteousness, and the world for the first time has doubts; mooning and mouthing over his music, snipping and stitching away at his rites, and the world for the first time is divided. Thus, if the plain unwrought substance had not been blighted, how would there be any sacrificial goblets? If the white jade had not been shattered, how would there be any scepters and batons? If the Way and its Virtue had not been cast aside, how would there be any call for benevolence and righteousness? If the true form of the inborn nature had not been abandoned, how would there be any use for rites and music? If the five colors had not confused men, who would fashion patterns and hues? If the five notes had not confused them, who would try to tune things by the six tones? That the unwrought substance was blighted in order to fashion implements - this was the crime of the artisan. That the Way and its Virtue were destroyed in order to create benevolence and righteousness - this was the fault of the sage.

When horses live on the plain, they eat grass and drink from the streams. Pleased, they twine their necks together and rub; angry, they turn back to back and kick. This is all horses know how to do. But if you pile poles and yokes on them and line them up in crossbars and shafts, then they will learn to snap the crossbars, break the yoke, rip the carriage top, champ the bit, and chew the reins. Thus horses learn how to commit the worst kinds of mischief. This is the crime of Po Lo.

In the days of Ho Hsu,6 people stayed home but didn't know what they were doing, walked around but didn't know where they were going. Their mouths crammed with food, they were merry; drumming on their bellies, they passed the time. This was as much as they were able to do. Then the sage came along with the crouchings and bendings of rites and music, which were intended to reform the bodies of the world; with the reaching-for-a-dangled-prize of benevolence and righteousness, which was intended to comfort the hearts of the world. Then for the first time people learned to stand on tiptoe and covet knowledge, to fight to the death over profit, and there was no stopping them. This in the end was the fault of the sage.

 

Section TEN - RIFLING TRUNKS

IF ONE IS TO GUARD and take precautions against thieves who rifle trunks, ransack bags, and break open boxes, then he must bind with cords and ropes and make fast with locks and hasps. This the ordinary world calls wisdom. But if a great thief comes along, he will shoulder the boxes, hoist up the trunks, sling the bags over his back, and dash off, only worrying that the cords and ropes, the locks and hasps are not fastened tightly enough. In that case, the man who earlier was called wise was in fact only piling up goods for the benefit of a great thief.

Let me try explaining what I mean. What the ordinary world calls a wise man is in fact someone who piles things up for the benefit of a great thief, is he not? And what it calls a sage is in fact someone who stands guard for the benefit of a great thief, is he not? How do I know this is so? In times past there was the state of Ch'i, its neighboring towns within sight of each other, the cries of their dogs and chickens within hearing of each other. The area where its nets and seines were spread, where its plows and spades dug the earth, measured over two thousand li square, filling all the space within its four borders.1 And in the way its ancestral temples and its altars of the soil and grain were set up, its towns and villages and hamlets were governed, was there anything that did not accord with the laws of the sages? Yet one morning Viscount T'ien Ch'eng murdered the ruler of Ch'i and stole his state. And was it only the state he stole? Along with it he also stole the laws which the wisdom of the sages had devised. Thus, although Viscount T'ien Ch'eng gained the name of thief and bandit, he was able to rest as peacefully as a Yao or a Shun. The smaller states did not dare condemn him, the larger states did not dare to attack, and for twelve generations his family held possession of the state of Ch'i.2 Is this not a case in which a man, stealing the state of Ch'i, along with it stole the laws of the sages' wisdom and used them to guard the person of a thief and a bandit?

Let me try explaining it. What the ordinary world calls 'a man of perfect wisdom is in fact someone who piles things up for the benefit of a great thief; what the ordinary world calls a perfect sage is in fact someone who stands guard for the benefit of a great thief. How do I know this is so? In times past, Kuan Lung-feng was cut down, Pi Kan was disemboweled, Ch'ang Hung was torn apart, and Wu Tzu-hsu was left to rot. All four were worthy men, and yet they could not escape destruction.3

One of Robber Chih's followers once asked Chih, "Does the thief too have a Way?"

Chih replied, "How could he get anywhere if he didn't have a Way? Making shrewd guesses as to how much booty is stashed away in the room is sageliness; being the first one in is bravery; being the last one out is righteousness; knowing whether the job can be pulled off or not is wisdom; dividing up the loot fairly is benevolence. No one in the world ever succeeded in becoming a great thief if he didn't have all five!"

From this we can see that the good man must acquire the Way of the sage before he can distinguish himself, and Robber Chih must acquire the Way of the sage before he can practice his profession. But good men in the world are few and bad men many, so in fact the sage brings little benefit to the world, but much harm. Thus it is said, "When the lips are gone, the teeth are cold; when the wine of Lu is thin, Han-tan is besieged." 4 And when the sage is born, the great thief appears.

Cudgel and cane the sages and let the thieves and bandits go their way; then the world will at last be well ordered! If the stream dries up, the valley will be empty; if the hills wash away, the deep pools will be filled up. And if the sage is dead and gone, then no more great thieves will arise. The world will then be peaceful and free of fuss.

But until the sage is dead, great thieves will never cease to appear, and if you pile on more sages in hopes of bringing the world to order, you will only be piling up more profit for Robber Chih. Fashion pecks and bushels for people to measure by and they will steal by peck and bushel.5 Fashion scales and balances for people to weigh by and they will steal by scale and balance. Fashion tallies and seals to insure trustworthiness and people will steal with tallies and seals. Fashion benevolence and righteousness to reform people and they will steal with benevolence and righteousness. How do I know this is so? He who steals a belt buckle pays with his life; he who steals a state gets to be a feudal lord-and we all know that benevolence and righteousness are to be found at the gates of the feudal lords. Is this not a case of stealing benevolence and righteousness and the wisdom of the sages? So men go racing in the footsteps of the great thieves, aiming for the rank of feudal lord, stealing benevolence and righteousness, and taking for themselves all the profits of peck and bushel, scale and balance, tally and seal. Though you try to lure them aside with rewards of official carriages and caps of state, you cannot move them; though you threaten them with the executioner's ax, you cannot deter them. This piling up of profits for Robber Chih to the point where nothing can deter him - this is all the fault of the sage!

The saying goes, "The fish should not be taken from the deep pool; the sharp weapons of the state should not be shown to men."6 The sage is the sharp weapon of the world, and therefore he should not be where the world can see him.7

Cut off sageliness, cast away wisdom, and then the great thieves will cease. Break the jades, crush the pearls, and petty thieves will no longer rise up. Burn the tallies, shatter the seals, and the people will be simple and guileless. Hack up the bushels, snap the balances in two, and the people will no longer wrangle. Destroy and wipe out the laws that the sage has made for the world, and at last you will find you can reason with the people.

Discard and confuse the six tones, smash and unstring the pipes and lutes, stop up the ears of the blind musician K'uang, and for the first time the people of the world will be able to hold on to their hearing. Wipe out patterns and designs, scatter the five colors, glue up the eyes of Li Chu, and for the first time the people of the world will be able to hold on to their eyesight. Destroy- and cut to pieces the curve and plumb line, throw away the compass and square, shackle the fingers of Artisan Ch'ui,8 and for the first time the people of the world will possess real skill. Thus it is said, "Great skill is like clumsiness."9 Put a stop to the ways of Tseng and Shih, gag the mouths of Yang and Mo, wipe out and reject benevolence and righteousness, and for the first time the Virtue of the world will reach the state of Mysterious Leveling."

When men hold on to their eyesight, the world will no longer be dazzled. When men hold on to their hearing, the world will no longer be wearied. When men hold on to their wisdom, the world will no longer be confused. When men hold on to their Virtue, the world will no longer go awry. Men like Tseng, Shih, Yang, Mo, Musician K'uang, Artisan Ch'ui, or Li Chu all displayed their Virtue on the outside and thereby blinded and misled the world. As methods go, this one is worthless!

Have you alone never heard of that age of Perfect Virtue?

Long ago, in the time of Yung Ch'eng, Ta T'ing, Po Huang, Chung Yang, Li Lu, Li Hsu, Hsien Yuan, Ho Hsu, Tsun Lu, Chu Jung, Fu Hsi, and Shen Nung, the people knotted cords and used them." They relished their food, admired their clothing, enjoyed their customs, and were content with their houses. Though neighboring states were within sight of each other, and could hear the cries of each other's dogs and chickens, the people grew old and died without ever traveling beyond their own borders. At a time such as this, there was nothing but the most perfect order.

But now something has happened to make people crane their necks and stand on tiptoe. "There's a worthy man in such and such a place!" they cry and, bundling up their provisions, they dash off. At home, they abandon their parents; abroad, they shirk the service of their ruler. Their footprints form an unending trail to the borders of the other feudal lords, their carriage tracks weave back and forth a thousand li and more. This is the fault of men in high places who covet knowledge. 12

As long as men in high places covet knowledge and are without the Way, the world will be in great confusion. How do I know this is so? Knowledge enables men to fashion bows, crossbows, nets, stringed arrows, and like contraptions, but when this happens the birds flee in confusion to the sky. Knowledge enables men to fashion fishhooks, lures, seines, dragnets, trawls, and weirs, but when this happens the fish flee in confusion to the depths of the water. Knowledge enables men to fashion pitfalls, snares, cages, traps, and gins, but when this happens the beasts flee in confusion to the swamps. And the flood of rhetoric that enables men to invent wily schemes and poisonous slanders, the glib gabble of "hard" and "white," the foul fustian of "same" and "different" bewilder the understanding of common men.13 So the world is dulled and darkened by great confusion. The blame lies in this coveting of knowledge.

In the world everyone knows enough to pursue what he does not know, but no one knows enough to pursue what he already knows. Everyone knows enough to condemn what he takes to be no good, but no one knows enough to condemn what he has already taken to be good.14 This is how the great confusion comes about, blotting out the brightness of sun and moon above, searing the vigor of hills and streams below, overturning the round of the four seasons in between. There is no insect that creeps and crawls, no creature that flutters and flies that has not lost its inborn nature. So great is the confusion of the world that comes from coveting knowledge!

From the Three Dynasties on down, it has been this and nothing else-shoving aside the pure and artless people and delighting in busy, bustling flatterers; abandoning the limpidity and calm of inaction and delighting in jumbled and jangling ideas. And this jumble and jangle has for long confused the world.

 

Section ELEVEN - LET IT BE, LEAVE IT ALONE

I HAVE HEARD OF LETTING the world be, of leaving it alone; I have never heard of governing the world. You let it be for fear of corrupting the inborn nature of the world; you leave it alone for fear of distracting the Virtue of the world. If the nature of the world is not corrupted, if the Virtue of the world is not distracted, why should there be any governing of the world?

Long ago, when the sage Yao governed the world, he made the world bright and gleeful; men delighted in their nature, and there was no calmness anywhere. When the tyrant Chieh governed the world, he made the world weary and vexed; men found bitterness in their nature and there was no contentment anywhere. To lack calmness, to lack contentment is to go against Virtue, and there has never been anyone in the world who could go against Virtue and survive for long.

Are men exceedingly joyful? - they will do damage to the yang element. Are men exceedingly angry? - they will do damage to the yin. And when both yang and yin are damaged, the four seasons will not come as they should, heat and cold will fail to achieve their proper harmony, and this in turn will do harm to the bodies of men. It will make men lose a proper sense of joy and anger, to be constantly shifting from place to place, to think up schemes that gain nothing, to set out on roads that reach no glorious conclusion. Then for the first time the world grows restless and aspiring,1 and soon afterward appear the ways of Robber Chih, Tseng, and Shih.

Then, although the whole world joins in rewarding good men, there will never be enough reward; though the whole world joins in punishing evil men, there will never be enough punishment. Huge as the world is, it cannot supply sufficient reward or punishment. From the Three Dynasties on down, there has been nothing but bustle and fuss, all over this matter of rewards and punishments. How could people have any leisure to rest in the true form of their inborn nature and fate!

Do men delight in what they see? - they are corrupted by colors. Do they delight in what they hear? - they are corrupted by sounds. Do they delight in benevolence? - they bring confusion to Virtue. Do they delight in righteousness? - they turn their backs on reason. Do they delight in rites? - they are aiding artificiality. Do they delight in music? - they are aiding dissolution. Do they delight in sageness? - they are assisting artifice. Do they delight in knowledge? - they are assisting the fault-finders. As long as the world rests in the true form of its inborn nature and fate, it makes no difference whether these eight delights exist or not. But if the world does not rest in the true form of its nature and fate, then these eight delights will begin to grow warped and crooked, jumbled and deranged, and will bring confusion to the world. And if on top of that the world begins to honor them and cherish them, then the delusion of the world will be great indeed! You say these are only a fancy that will pass in time? Yet men prepare themselves with fasts and austerities when they come to describe them, kneel solemnly on their mats when they recommend them, beat drums and sing to set them forth in .dance. What's to be done about it I'm sure I don't know!

If the gentleman finds he has no other choice than to direct and look after the world, then the best course for him is inaction. As long as there is inaction, he may rest in the true form of his nature and fate. If he values his own body more than the management of the world, then he can be entrusted with the world. If he is more careful of his own body than of the management of the world, then the world can be handed over to him.2 If the gentleman can in truth keep from rending apart his five vital organs, from tearing out his eyesight and hearing, then he will command corpse-like stillness and dragon vision, the silence of deep pools and the voice of thunder. His spirit will move in the train of Heaven, gentle and easy in inaction, and the ten thousand things will be dust on the wind. "What leisure have I now for governing the world?" he will say.

Ts'ui Chu was questioning Lao Tan. "If you do not govern the world, then how can you improve men's minds?"

Lao Tan said, "Be careful - don't meddle with men's minds! Men's minds can be forced down or boosted up, but this downing and upping imprisons and brings death to the mind. Gentle and shy, the mind can bend the hard and strong; it can chisel and cut away, carve and polish. Its heat is that of burning fire, its coldness that of solid ice, its swiftness such that, in the time it takes to lift and lower the head, it has twice swept over the four seas and beyond. At rest, it is deep-fathomed and still; in movement, it is far-flung as the heavens, racing and galloping out of reach of all bonds. This indeed is the mind of man!"

In ancient times the Yellow Emperor first used benevolence and righteousness to meddle with the minds of men.3 Yao and Shun followed him and worked till there was no more down on their thighs, no more hair on their shins, trying to nourish the bodies of the men of the world. They grieved their five vital organs in the practice of benevolence and righteousness, taxed their blood and breath in the establishment of laws and standards. But still some men would not submit to their rule, and so they had to exile Huan Tou to Mount Ch'ung, drive away the San-miao tribes to the region of San-wei, and banish Kung to the Dark City.4 This shows that they could not make the world submit.

By the time the kings of the Three Dynasties appeared, the world was in great consternation indeed. On the lowest level there were men like the tyrant Chieh and Robber Chih, on the highest, men like Tseng and Shih, and the Confucianists and Mo-ists rose up all around. Then joy and anger eyed each other with suspicion, stupidity and wisdom duped each other, good and bad called one another names, falsehood and truth slandered one another, and the world sank into a decline. There was no more unity to the Great Virtue, and the inborn nature and fate shattered and fell apart. The world coveted knowledge and the hundred clans were thrown into turmoil.5 Then there were axes and saws to shape things, ink and plumb lines to trim them, mallets and gouges to poke holes in them, and the world, muddled and deranged, was in great confusion. The crime lay in this meddling with men's minds. So it was that worthy men crouched in hiding below the great mountains and yawning cliffs, and the lords of ten thousand chariots fretted and trembled above in their ancestral halls.

In the world today, the victims of the death penalty lie heaped together, the bearers of cangues tread on each other's heels, the sufferers of punishment are never out of each other's sight. And now come the Confucianists and Mo-ists, waving their arms, striding into the very midst of the fettered and manacled men. Ah, that then should go this far, that they should be so brazen, so lacking in any sense of shame! Who can convince me that sagely wisdom is not in fact the wedge that fastens the cangue, that benevolence and righteousness are not in fact the loop and lock of these fetters and manacles? How do I know that Tseng and Shih are not the whistling arrows that signal the approach of Chieh and Chih? Therefore I say, cut off sageness, cast away wisdom, and the world will be in perfect order.

The Yellow Emperor had ruled as Son of Heaven for nineteen years and his commands were heeded throughout the world, when he heard that Master Kuang Ch'eng was living on top of the Mountain of Emptiness and Identity. He therefore went to visit him. "I have heard that you, Sir, have mastered the Perfect Way. May I venture to ask about the essence of the Perfect Way?" he said. "I would like to get hold of the essence of Heaven and earth and use it to aid the five grains and to nourish the common people. I would also like to control the yin and yang in order to insure the growth of all living things. How may this be done?"

Master Kuang Ch'eng said, "What you say you want to learn about pertains to the true substance of things, but what you say you want to control pertains to things in their divided state.6 Ever since you began to govern the world, rain falls before the cloud vapors have even gathered, the plants and trees shed their leaves before they have even turned yellow, and the light of the sun and moon grows more and more sickly. Shallow and vapid, with the mind of a prattling knave - what good would it do to tell you about the Perfect Way!"

The Yellow Emperor withdrew, gave up his throne, built a solitary hut, spread a mat of white rushes, and lived for three months in retirement. Then he went once more to request an interview. Master Kuang Ch'eng was lying with his face to the south. 7 The Yellow Emperor, approaching in humble manner, crept forward on his knees, bowed his head twice and said, "I have heard that you, Sir, have mastered the Perfect Way. I venture to ask about the governing of the body. What should I do in order to live a long life?"

Master Kuang Ch'eng sat up with a start. "Excellent, this question of yours! Come, I will tell you about the Perfect Way. The essence of the Perfect Way is deep and darkly shrouded; the extreme of the Perfect Way - is mysterious and hushed in silence. Let there be no seeing, no hearing; enfold the spirit in quietude and the body will right itself. Be still, be pure, do not labor your body, do not churn up your essence, and then you can live a long life. When the eye does not see, the ear does not hear, and the mind does not know, then your spirit will protect the body, and the body will enjoy long life. Be cautious of what is within you; block off what is outside you, for much knowledge will do you harm. Then I

will lead you up above the Great Brilliance, to the source of the Perfect Yang; I will guide you through the Dark and Mvsterious Gate, to the source of the Perfect Yin. Heaven and earth have their controllers, the yin and yang their storehouses. You have only to take care and guard your own body; these other things will of themselves grow sturdy. As for myself, I guard this unity, abide in this harmony, and therefore I have kept myself alive for twelve hundred years, and never has my body suffered any decay."

The Yellow Emperor bowed twice and said, "Master Kuang Ch'eng, you have been as a Heaven to me!"

Master Kuang Ch'eng said, "Come, I will explain to you. This Thing I have been talking about is inexhaustible, and yet men all suppose that it has an end. This Thing I have been talking about is unfathomable, and yet men all suppose that it has a limit. He who attains my Way will be a Bright One on high,8 and a king in the world below. But he who fails to attain my Way, though he may see the light above him, will remain below as dust. All the hundred creatures that flourish are born out of dust and return to dust. So I will take leave of you, to enter the gate of the inexhaustible and wander in the limitless fields, to form a triad with the light of the sun and moon, to partake in the constancy of Heaven and earth. What stands before me I mingle with, what is far from me I leave in darkness.9 All other men may die; I alone will survive!"

Cloud Chief was traveling east and had passed the branches of the Fu-yao when he suddenly came upon Big Concealment.10 Big Concealment at the moment was amusing himself by slapping his thighs and hopping around like a sparrow. When Cloud Chief saw this, he stopped in bewilderment, stood dead still in his tracks, and said, "Old gentleman, who are you? What is this you're doing?"

Big Concealment, without interrupting his thigh-slapping and sparrow-hopping, replied to Cloud Chief, "Amusing myself."

"I would like to ask a question," said Cloud Chief.

"Oh dear!" said Big Concealment, for the first time raising his head and looking at Cloud Chief.

"The breath of heaven is out of harmony, the breath of earth tangles and snarls," said Cloud Chief. "The six breaths do not blend properly," the four seasons do not stay in order. Now I would like to harmonize the essences of the six breaths in order to bring nourishment to all living creatures. How should I go about it?"

Big Concealment, still thigh-slapping and sparrow-hopping, shook his head. "I have no idea! I have no idea!"

So Cloud Chief got no answer. Three years later he was again traveling east and, as he passed the fields of Sung, happened upon Big Concealment once more. Cloud Chief, overjoyed, dashed forward and presented himself, saying, "Heavenly Master, have you forgotten me? Have you forgotten me?" Then he bowed his head twice and begged for some instruction from Big Concealment.

Big Concealment said, "Aimless wandering does not know what it seeks; demented drifting does not know where it goes. A wanderer, idle, unbound, I view the sights of Undeception. What more do I know?"

Cloud Chief said, "I too consider myself a demented drifter, but the people follow me wherever I go and I have no choice but to think of them. It is for their sake now that I beg one word of instruction!"

Big Concealment said, "If you confuse the constant strands of Heaven and violate the true form of things, then Dark Heaven will reach no fulfillment. Instead, the beasts will scatter from their herds, the birds will cry all night, disaster will come to the grass and trees, misfortune will reach even to the insects. Ah, this is the fault of men who `govern'!"

"Then what should I do?" said Cloud Chief.

"Ah," said Big Concealment, "you are too far gone! Up, up, stir yourself and be off!"

Cloud Chief said, "Heavenly Master, it has been hard indeed for me to meet with you - I beg one word of instruction!"

"Well, then - mind-nourishment!" said Big Concealment. 12 "You have only to rest in inaction and things will transform themselves. Smash your form and body, spit out hearing and eyesight, forget you are a thing among other things, and you may join in great unity with the deep and boundless. Undo the mind, slough off spirit, be blank and soulless, and the ten thousand things one by one will return to the root - return to the root and not know why. Dark and undifferentiated chaos - to the end of life none will depart from it. But if you try to know it, you have already departed from it. Do not ask what its name is, do not try to observe its form. Things will live naturally and of themselves."

Cloud Chief said, "The Heavenly Master has favored me with this Virtue, instructed me in this Silence. All my life I have been looking for it, and now at last I have it!" He bowed his head twice, stood up, took his leave, and went away.

The common run of men all welcome those who are like themselves and scorn those who differ from themselves. The reason they favor those who are like themselves and do not favor those who are different is that their minds are set on distinguishing themselves from the crowd. But if their minds are set on distinguishing themselves from the crowd, how is this ever going to distinguish them from the crowd? It is better to follow the crowd and be content, for, no matter how much you may know, it can never match the many talents of the crowd combined.

Here is a man who wants to take over the management of another man's state." He thinks thereby to seize all the profits enjoyed by the kings of the Three Dynasties, but fails to take note of their worries. This is to gamble with another man's state, and how long can you expect to gamble with his state and not lose it? Less than one man in ten thousand will succeed in holding on to the state; the odds in favor of losing it are more than ten thousand to one. It is sad indeed that the possessors of states do not realize this!

Now the possessor of a state possesses a great thing. Because he possesses a great thing, he cannot be regarded as a mere thing himself. 14 He is a thing, and yet he is not a mere thing; therefore he can treat other things as mere things. He who clearly- understands that, in treating other things as mere things, he himself is no longer a mere thing-how could he be content only to govern the hundred clans of the world and do nothing more? He will move in and out of the Six Realms, wander over the Nine Continents, going alone, coming alone. He may be called a Sole Possessor, and a man who is a Sole Possessor may be said to have reached the peak of eminence.

The Great Man in his teaching is like the shadow that follows a form, the echo that follows a sound. Only when questioned does he answer, and then he pours out all his thoughts, making himself the companion of the world. He dwells in the echoless, moves in the directionless, takes by the hand you who are rushing and bustling back and forth,15 and proceeds to wander in the beginningless. He passes in and out of the boundless, and is ageless as the sun. His face and form16 blend with the Great Unity, the Great Unity which is selfless. Being selfless, how then can he look upon possession as possession? He who fixed his eyes on possession - he was the "gentleman" of ancient times. He who fixes his eyes on nothingness - he is the true friend of Heaven and earth.

What is lowly and yet must be used - things.17 What is humble and yet must be relied on - the people. What is irksome18 and yet must be attended to - affairs. What is sketchy and yet must be proclaimed - laws. What seems to apply only to distant relationships and yet must be observed - righteousness. What seems to apply only to intimate relationships and yet must be broadened - benevolence. What is confining and yet must be repeatedly practiced - ritual. What is already apt and yet must be heightened - Virtue. What is One and yet must be adapted - the Way. What is spiritual and yet must be put into action - Heaven.

Therefore the sage contemplates Heaven but does not assist it. He finds completion in Virtue but piles on nothing more. He goes forth in the Way but does not scheme. He accords with benevolence but does not set great store by it. He draws close to righteousness but does not labor over it. He responds to the demands of ritual and does not shun them. He disposes of affairs and makes no excuses. He brings all to order with laws and allows no confusion. He depends upon the people and does not make light of them. He relies upon things and does not throw them aside. Among things, there are none that are worth using, and yet they must be used.

He who does not clearly understand Heaven will not be pure in Virtue. He who has not mastered the Way will find himself without any acceptable path of approach. He who does not clearly understand the Way is pitiable indeed!

What is this thing called the Way? There is the Way of Heaven, and the way of man. To rest in inaction, and command respect - this is the Way of Heaven. To engage in action and become entangled in it - this is the way of man. The ruler is the Way of Heaven; his subjects are the way of man. The Way of Heaven and the way of man are far apart. This is something to consider carefully!

 

Section TWELVE - HEAVEN AND EARTH

HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE HUGE, but they are alike in their transformations. The ten thousand things are numerous, but they are one in their good order. Human beings are many, but they are all subjects of the sovereign. The sovereign finds his source in Virtue, his completion in Heaven. Therefore it is said that the sovereign of dark antiquity ruled the world through inaction, through Heavenly Virtue and nothing more.

Look at words in the light of the Way - then the sovereign of the world will be upright.1 Look at distinctions in the light of the Way - then the duty2 of sovereign and subject will be clear. Look at abilities in the light of the Way - then the officials of the world will be well ordered. Look everywhere in the light of the Way - then the response of the ten thousand things will be complete.

Pervading Heaven and earth: that is the Way.3 Moving among the ten thousand things: that is Virtue. Superiors governing the men below them: that is called administration. Ability finding trained expression: that is called skill. Skill is subsumed in administration; administration in duty ; duty in Virtue; Virtue in the Way; and the Way in Heaven. Therefore it is said, those who shepherded the world in ancient times were without desire and the world was satisfied, without action and the ten thousand things were transformed. They were deep and silent and the hundred clans were at rest. The Record says: "Stick to the One and the ten thousand tasks will be accomplished; achieve mindlessness and the gods and spirits will bow down." 4

The Master said: 5 The Way covers and bears up the ten thousand things - vast, vast is its greatness! The gentleman must pluck out his mind! To act through inaction is called Heaven. To speak through inaction is called Virtue. To love men and bring profit to things is called benevolence. To make the unlike alike is called magnitude. To move beyond barrier and distinction is called liberality. To possess the ten thousand unlikes is called wealth. To hold fast to Virtue is called enrootment. To mature in Virtue is called establishment. To follow the Way is called completion. To see that external things do not blunt the will is called perfection. When the gentleman clearly comprehends these ten things, then how huge will be the greatness of his mind setting forth, how endless his ramblings with the ten thousand things!

Such a man will leave the gold hidden in the mountains, the pearls hidden in the depths. He will see no profit in money and goods, no enticement in eminence and wealth, no joy in long life, no grief in early death, no honor in affluence, no shame in poverty. He will not snatch the profits of a whole generation and make them his private hoard; he will not lord it over the world and think that he dwells in glory. His glory is enlightenment, [for he knows that] the ten thousand things belong to one storehouse, that life and death share the same body.

The Master said: The Way - how deep its dwelling, how pure its clearness! Without it, the bells and chiming stones will not sound. The bells and stones have voices but, unless they are struck, they will not sound. The ten thousand things - who can make them be still?

The man of kingly Virtue moves in simplicity and is ashamed to be a master of facts. He takes his stand in the original source and his understanding extends to the spirits. Therefore his Virtue is far-reaching. His mind moves forth only when some external thing has roused it. Without the Way the body can have no life, and without Virtue, life can have no clarity. To preserve the body and live out life, to establish Virtue and make clear the Way - is this not kingly Virtue? Broad and boundless, suddenly he emerges, abruptly he moves, and the ten thousand things follow him - this is what is called the man of kingly Virtue!

He sees in the darkest dark, hears where there is no sound. In the midst of darkness, he alone sees the dawn; in the midst of the soundless, he alone hears harmony. Therefore, in depth piled upon depth he can spy out the thing; in spirituality piled upon spirituality he can discover the essences So in his dealings with the ten thousand things he supplies all their wants out of total nothingness. Racing with the hour, he seeks lodging for a night, in the great, the small, the long, the short, the near, the far.7

The Yellow Emperor went wandering north of the Red Water, ascended the slopes of K'un-lun, and gazed south. When he got home, he discovered he had lost his Dark Pearl. He sent Knowledge to look for it, but Knowledge couldn't find it. He sent the keen-eyed Li Chu to look for it, but Li Chu couldn't find it. He sent Wrangling Debate to look for it, but Wrangling Debate couldn't find it. At last he tried employing Shapeless, and Shapeless found it.

The Yellow Emperor said, "How odd! - in the end it was Shapeless who was able to find it!"

Yao's teacher was Hsu Yu, Hsu! Yu's teacher was Nieh Ch'ueh, Nieh Ch'ueh's teacher was Wang Ni, and Wang Ni's teacher was P'i-i. Yao asked Hsu Yu, "Would Nieh Ch'ueh do as the counterpart of Heaven? I could get Wang Ni to ask him to take over the throne from me."

Hsu Yu said, "Watch out! You'll put the world in danger! Nieh Ch'ueh is a man of keen intelligence and superb understanding, nimble-wined and sharp. His inborn nature surpasses that of other men, and he knows how to exploit what Heaven has given him through human devices. He would do his best to prevent error, but he doesn't understand the source from which error arises. Make him the counterpart of Heaven? Watch - he will start leaning on men and forget about Heaven. He will put himself first and relegate others to a class apart. He will worship knowledge and chase after it with the speed of fire. He will become the servant of causes, the victim of things, looking in all four directions to see how things are faring, trying to attend to all wants, changing along with things and possessing no trace of any constancy of his own. How could he possibly do as counterpart of Heaven? However, there are clans and there are clan heads. He might do as the father of one branch, though he would never do as the father of the father of the branch. His kind are the forerunners of disorder, a disaster to the ministers facing north, a peril to the sovereign facing south!"

Yao was seeing the sights at Hua when the border guard of Hua said, "Aha - a sage! I beg to offer up prayers for the sage. They will bring the sage long life!"

Yao said, "No, thanks."

"They - will bring the sage riches!"

Yao said, "No, thanks."

"They will bring the sage many sons!"

Yao said, "No, thanks."

"Long life, riches, many sons - these are what all men desire!" said the border guard. "How is it that you alone do not desire them?"

Yao said, "Many sons mean many fears. Riches mean many troubles. Long life means many shames. These three are of no use in nourishing Virtue - therefore I decline them."

The border guard said, "At first I took you for a sage. Now I see you are a mere gentleman. When Heaven gives birth to the ten thousand people, it is certain to have jobs to assign them. If you have many sons and their jobs are assigned them, what is there to fear? If you share your riches with other men, what troubles will you have? The true sage is a quail at rest, a little fledgling at its meal, a bird in flight who leaves no trail behind. When the world has the Way, he joins in the chorus with all other things. When the world is without the Way, he nurses his Virtue and retires in leisure. And after a thousand years, should he weary of the world, he will leave it and ascend to the immortals, riding on those white clouds all the way up to the village of God. The three worries you have cited never touch him, his body is forever free of peril. How can he suffer any shame?"

The border guard turned and left. Yao followed him, saying, "Please - I would like to ask you . . ."

"Go away!" said the border guard.

When Yao ruled the world, Po-ch'eng Tzu-kao was enfeoffed as one of his noblemen. But when Yao passed the throne to Shun, and Shun passed it to Yu, Po-ch'eng Tzu-kao relinquished his title and took up farming. Yu went to see him and found him working in the fields. Yu scurried forward in the humblest manner, came to a halt, and said, "In former times when Yao ruled the world, Sir, you served as one of his noblemen. But when Yao passed the throne to Shun, and Shun passed it to me, you relinquished your title and took up farming. May I be so bold as to ask why?"

Tzu-kao said, "In former times when Yao ruled the world, he handed out no rewards and yet the people worked hard; he handed out no punishments and vet the people were cautious. Now you reward and punish, and still the people fail to do good. From now on Virtue will decay, from now on penalties will prevail. The disorder of future ages will have its beginning here! You had better be on your way now - don't interrupt my work!" Busily, busily he proceeded with his farm work, never turning to look back.

In the Great Beginning, there was nonbeing; there was no being, no name. Out of it arose One; there was One, but it had no form. Things got hold of it and came to life, and it was called Virtue. Before things had forms, they had their allotments; these were of many kinds, but not cut off from one another, and they were called fates. Out of the flow and flux, things were born, and as they grew they developed distinctive shapes; these were called forms. The forms and bodies held within them spirits, each with its own characteristics and limitations, and this was called the inborn nature. If the nature is trained, you may return to Virtue, and Virtue at its highest peak is identical with the Beginning. Being identical, you will be empty; being empty, you will be great. You may join in the cheeping and chirping and, when you have joined in the cheeping and chirping, you may join with Heaven and earth. Your joining is wild and confused, as though you were stupid, as though you were demented. This is called Dark Virtue. Rude and unwitting, you take part in the Great Submission.

Confucius said to Lao Tan, "Here's a man who works to master the Way as though he were trying to talk down an opponent8 making the unacceptable acceptable, the not so, so. As the rhetoricians say, he can separate `hard' from `white' as clearly as though they were dangling from the eaves there. Can a man like this be called a sage?"

Lao Tan said, "A man like this is a drudging slave, a craftsman bound to his calling, wearing out his body, grieving his mind. Because the dog can catch rats, he ends up on a leash.' Because of his nimbleness, the monkey is dragged down from the mountain forest. Ch'iu,10 I'm going to tell you something - something you could never hear for yourself and something you would never know how to speak of. People who have heads and feet but no minds and no ears - there are mobs of them. To think that beings with bodies can all go on existing along with that which is bodiless and formless - it can never happen! A man's stops and starts, his life and death, his rises and falls - none of these can he do anything about. Yet he thinks that the mastery of them lies with man! Forget things, forget Heaven, and be called a forgetter of self. The man who has forgotten self may be said to have entered Heaven."

Chiang-lu Mien went to see Chi Ch'e and said, "The ruler of Lu begged me to give him some instruction. I declined, but he wouldn't let me go and so I had no choice but to tell him something. I don't know whether what I said was right or not, but I would like to try repeating it to you. I said to the ruler of Lu, `You must be courteous and temperate! Pick out and promote those who are loyal and public-spirited, allow no flattery or favoritism, and then who of your people will venture to be unruly?' "

Chi Ch'e heehawed with laughter. "As far as the Virtue of emperors and kings is concerned," he said, "your advice is like the praying mantis that waved its arms angrily in front of an approaching carriage - it just isn't up to the job. If the ruler of Lu went about it that way, he would simply get himself all stirred up,11 place himself on a tower or a terrace. Then things would flock around him and the crowd would turn its steps in his direction!"

Chiang-lu Mien's eyes bugged out in amazement. "I am dumfounded by your words," he said. "Nevertheless, I would like to hear how the Master would speak on this subject."

Chi Ch'e said, "When a great sage rules the world, he makes the minds of his people free and far-wandering. On this basis he fashions teachings and simplifies customs, wiping out all treason from their minds and allowing each to pursue his own will. All is done in accordance with the inborn nature, and yet the people do not know why it is like this. Proceeding in this way, what need has he either to revere the way in which Yao and Shun taught their people, or to look down on it in lofty contempt? His only desire is for unity with Virtue and the repose of the mind."

Tzu-kung traveled south to Ch'u, and on his way back through Chin, as he passed along the south bank of the Han, he saw an old man preparing his fields for planting. He had hollowed out an opening by which he entered the well and from which he emerged, lugging a pitcher, which he carried out to water the fields. Grunting and puffing, he used up a great deal of energy and produced very little result.

"There is a machine for this sort of thing," said Tzu-kung. "In one day it can water a hundred fields, demanding very little effort .and producing excellent results. Wouldn't you like one?”

The gardener raised his head and looked at Tzu-kung. "How does it work?"

"It's a contraption made by shaping a piece of wood. The back end is heavy and the front end light and it raises the water as though it were pouring it out, so fast that it seems to boil right over! It's called a well sweep."

The gardener flushed with anger and then said with a laugh, "I've heard my teacher say, where there are machines, there are bound to be machine worries; where there are machine worries, there are bound to be machine hearts. With a machine heart in your breast, you've spoiled what was pure and simple; and without the pure and simple, the life of the spirit knows no rest. Where the life of the spirit knows no rest, the Way will cease to buoy you up. It's not that I don't know about your machine - I would be ashamed to use it!"

Tzu-kung blushed with chagrin, looked down, and made no reply. After a while, the gardener said, "Who are you, anyway?"

"A disciple of Kung Ch'iu." 12

"Oh - then you must be one of those who broaden their learning in order to ape the sages, heaping absurd nonsense on the crowd, plucking the strings and singing sad songs all by yourself in hopes of buying fame in the world! You would do best to forget your spirit and breath, break up your body and limbs - then you might be able to get somewhere. You don't even know how to look after your own body - how do you have any time to think about looking after the world! On your way now! Don't interfere with my work!"

Tzu-kung frowned and the color drained from his face. Dazed and rattled, he couldn't seem to pull himself together, and it was only after he had walked on for some thirty li that he began to recover.

One of his disciples said, "Who was that man just now? Why did you change your expression and lose your color like that, Master, so that it took you all day to get back to normal?"

"I used to think there was only one real man in the world," said Tzu-kung. "I didn't know there was this other one. I have heard Confucius say that in affairs you aim for what is right, and in undertakings you aim for success. To spend little effort and achieve big results - that is the Way of the sage. Now it seems that this isn't so. He who holds fast to the Way is complete in Virtue; being complete in Virtue, he is complete in body; being complete in body, he is complete in spirit; and to be complete in spirit is the Way of the sage. He is content to live among the people, to walk by their side, and never know where he is going. Witless, his purity is complete. Achievement, profit, machines, skill - they have no place in this man's mind! A man like this will not go where he has no will to go, will not do what he has no mind to do. Though the world might praise him and say he had really found something, he would look unconcerned and never turn his head; though the world might condemn him and say he had lost something, he would look serene and pay no heed. The praise and blame of the world are no loss or gain to him. He may be called a man of Complete Virtue. I - I am a man of the wind-blown waves."

When Tzu-kung got back to Lu, he reported the incident to Confucius. Confucius said, "He is one of those bogus practitioners of the arts of Mr. Chaos." He knows the first thing but doesn't understand the second. He looks after what is on the inside but doesn't look after what is on the outside. A man of true brightness and purity who can enter into simplicity, who can return to the primitive through inaction, give body to his inborn nature, and embrace his spirit, and in this way wander through the everyday world - if you had met one like that, you would have had real cause for astonishment.14 As for the arts of Mr. Chaos, you and I need not bother to find out about them."

Chun Mang was on his way east to the Great Valley of the sea when he happened to meet Yuan Feng by the shore of the eastern ocean.15 Yuan Feng said, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to the Great Valley."

"What will you do there?"

"The Great Valley is the sort of thing you can pour into and it never gets full, dip from and it never runs dry. I'm going to wander there."

Yuan Feng said, "Don't you care about what happens to ordinary men? Please, won't you tell me about the government of the sage?"

"The government of the sage?" said Chun Mang. "Assign offices so that no abilities are overlooked, promote men so that no talents are neglected. Always know the true facts and let men do what they are best at.. When actions and words proceed properly and the world is transformed, then at a wave of the hand or a tilt of the chin all the people of the four directions will come flocking to you. This is called the government of the sage."

"May I ask about the man of Virtue?"

"The man of Virtue rests without thought, moves without plan. He has no use for right and wrong, beautiful and ugly. To share profit with all things within the four seas is his happiness, to look after their needs is his peace. Sad-faced, he's like a little child who has lost his mother. Bewildered, he's like a traveler who has lost his way. He has more than enough wealth and goods, but he doesn't know where they come from. He gets all he needs to eat and drink, but he doesn't know how he gets it. This is called the manner of the man of Virtue."

"May I ask about the man of spirit?"

"He lets his spirit ascend and mount upon the light; with his bodily form he dissolves and is gone. This is called the Illumination of Vastness. He lives out his fate, follows to the end his true form, and rests in the joy of Heaven and earth, while the ten thousand cares melt away. So all things return to their true form. This is called Muddled Darkness."

Men Wu-kuei and Ch'ih-chang Man-chi were watching the troops of King Wu.16 Ch'ih-chang Man-chi said, "He is no match for the man of the Yu clan. That's why he runs into all this trouble!"

Men Wu-kuei said, "Was the world already in good order when the man of the Yu clan came along to order it? Or was it in disorder and later he brought it to order?"

Ch'ih-chang Man-chi said, "Everybody wants to see the world well ordered. If it had been so already, what point would there have been in calling in the man of the Yu clan? The man of the Yu clan was medicine to a sore. But to wait until you go bald and then buy a wig, to wait until you get sick and then call for a doctor,, to prepare the medicine like a true filial son and present it to your loving father, wearing a grim and haggard look - this the true sage would be ashamed to do. In an age of Perfect Virtue the worthy are not honored, the talented are not employed. Rulers are like the high branches of a tree, the people like the deer of the fields. They do what is right but they do not know that this is righteousness. They love one another but they do not know that this is benevolence. They are truehearted but do not know that this is loyalty. They are trustworthy but do not know that this is good faith. They wriggle around like insects, performing services for one another, but do not know that they are being kind. Therefore they move without leaving any trail behind, act without leaving any memory of their deeds."

When a filial son does not fawn on his parents, when a loyal minister does not flatter his lord, they are the finest of sons and ministers. He who agrees with everything his parents say and approves of everything they do is regarded by popular opinion as an unworthy son; he who agrees with everything his lord says and approves of everything his lord does is regarded by popular opinion as an unworthy minister.17 But in other cases men do not realize that the same principle should apply. If a man agrees with everything that popular opinion says and regards as good everything that popular opinion regards as good, he is not, as you might expect, called a sycophant and a flatterer. Are we to assume, then, that popular opinion commands more authority than one's parents, or is more to be honored than one's lord?

Call a man a sycophant and he flushes with anger; call him a flatterer and he turns crimson with rage. Yet all his life he will continue to be a sycophant, all his life he will continue to be a flatterer. See him set forth his analogies and polish his fine phrases to draw a crowd, until the beginning and end, the root and branches of his argument no longer match! 18 See him spread out his robes, display his bright colors, put on a solemn face in hopes of currying favor with the age - and yet he does not recognize himself as a sycophant or a flatterer. See him with his followers laying down the law on right and wrong and yet he does not recognize himself as one of the mob. This is the height of foolishness!

He who knows he is a fool is not the biggest fool; he who knows he is confused is not in the worst confusion. The man in the worst confusion will end his life without ever getting straightened out; the biggest fool will end his life without ever seeing the light. If three men are traveling along and one is confused, they will still get where they are going - because confusion is in the minority. But if two of them are confused, then they can walk until they are exhausted and never get anywhere - because confusion is in the majority. And with all the confusion in the world these days, no matter how often I point the way, it does no good. Sad, is it not?

Great music is lost on the ears of the villagers, but play them "The Breaking of the Willow" or "Bright Flowers" and they grin from ear to car. In the same way, lofty words make no impression on the minds of the mob. Superior words gain no hearing because vulgar words are in the majority. It is like the case of the two travelers tramping along in confusion and never getting where they are going.19 With all the confusion in the world these days, no matter how often I point the way, what good does it do? And if I know it does no good and still make myself do it, this too is a kind of confusion. So it is best to leave things alone and not force them. If I don't force things, at least I won't cause anyone any worry.

When the leper woman gives birth to a child in the dead of the night, she rushes to fetch a torch and examine it, trembling with terror lest it look like herself.20

The hundred-year-old tree is hacked up to make bowls for the sacrificial wine, blue and yellow, with patterns on them, and the chips are thrown into the ditch. Compare the sacrificial bowls with the chips in the ditch and you will find them far apart in beauty and ugliness; yet they are alike in having lost their inborn nature. Robber Chih, Tseng, and Shih are far apart in deeds and righteousness, and yet they are the same in having lost their inborn nature. There are five conditions under which the inborn nature is lost. One: when the five colors confuse the eye and cause the eyesight to be unclear. Two: when the five notes confuse the ear and cause the hearing to be unclear. Three: when the five odors stimulate the nose and produce weariness and congestion in the forehead. Four: when the five flavors dull the mouth, causing the sense of taste to be impaired and lifeless. Five: when likes and dislikes unsettle the mind and cause the inborn nature to become volatile and flighty. These five are all a danger to life. And yet the followers of Yang Tzu and Mo Tzu go striding around, thinking they have really gotten hold of something.21 This is not what I call getting hold of something.

If what you have gotten has gotten you into trouble, then can you really be said to have gotten something? If so, then the pigeons and doves in their cage have also gotten hold of something. With likes and dislikes, sounds and colors you cripple what is on the inside; with leather caps and snipe-feathered bonnets, batons stuck in belts and sashes trailing, you cramp what is on the outside. The inside hemmed in by pickets and pegs, the outside heaped with wraps and swathes, and still you stand in this tangle of wraps and swathes and declare that you have gotten hold of something? If so, then the condemned men with their chained wrists and manacled fingers, the tiger and the leopard in their pens and prisons have also gotten hold of something! 22

 

Section THIRTEEN - THE WAY OF HEAVEN

IT IS THE WAY OF HEAVEN to keep moving and to allow no piling up - hence the ten thousand things come to completion. It is the Way of the emperor to keep moving and to allow no piling up - hence the whole world repairs to his court. It is the Way of the sage to keep moving and to allow no piling up - hence all within the seas bow to him. Comprehending Heaven, conversant with the sage, walker in the six avenues and four frontiers of the Virtue of emperors and kings - the actions of such a man come naturally; dreamily, he never lacks stillness.

The sage is still not because he takes stillness to be good and therefore is still. The ten thousand things are insufficient to distract his mind - that is the reason he is still. Water that is still gives back a clear image of beard and eyebrows; reposing in the water level, it offers a measure to the great carpenter. And if water in stillness possesses such clarity, how much more must pure spirit. The sage's mind in stillness is the mirror of Heaven and earth, the glass of the ten thousand things.

Emptiness, stillness, limpidity, silence, inaction - these are the level of Heaven and earth, the substance of the Way and its Virtue. Therefore the emperor, the king, the sage rest in them. Resting, they may be empty; empty, they may be full; and fullness is completion.1 Empty, they may be still; still, they may move; moving, they may acquire. Still, they may rest in inaction; resting in inaction, they may demand success from those who are charged with activities. Resting in inaction, they may be merry; being merry, they may shun the place of care and anxiety, and the years of their life will be long.

Emptiness, stillness, limpidity, silence, inaction are the root of the ten thousand things. To understand them and face south is to become a ruler such as Yao was; to understand them and face north is to become a minister such as Shun was.2 To hold them in high station is the Virtue of emperors and kings, of the Son of Heaven; to hold them in lowly station is the way of the dark sage, the uncrowned king. Retire with them to a life of idle wandering and you will command first place among the recluses of the rivers and seas, the hills and forests. Come forward with them to succor the age and your success will be great, your name renowned, and the world will be united. In stillness you will be a sage, in action a king. Resting in inaction, you will be honored; of unwrought simplicity, your beauty will be such that no one in the world may vie with you.

He who has a clear understanding of the Virtue of Heaven and earth may be called the Great Source, the Great Ancestor. He harmonizes with Heaven; and by doing so he brings equitable accord to the world and harmonizes with men as well. To harmonize with men is called human joy; to harmonize with Heaven is called Heavenly joy. Chuang Tzu has said, "This Teacher of mine, this Teacher of mine - he passes judgment on the ten thousand things but he doesn't think himself severe; his bounty extends to ten thousand generations but he doesn't think himself benevolent. He is older than the highest antiquity but he doesn't think himself long-lived; he covers heaven, bears up the earth, carves and fashions countless forms, but he doesn't think himself skilled." 3 This is what is called Heavenly joy.

So it is said, for him who understands Heavenly joy, life is the working of Heaven; death is the transformation of things. In stillness, he and the yin share a single Virtue; in motion, he and the yang share a single flow. Thus he who understands Heavenly joy incurs no wrath from Heaven, no opposition from man, no entanglement from things, no blame from the spirits. So it is said, his movement is of Heaven, his stillness of earth. With his single mind in repose, he is king of the world; the spirits do not afflict him; his soul knows no weariness. His single mind reposed, the ten thousand things submit - which is to say that his emptiness and stillness reach throughout Heaven and earth and penetrate the ten thousand things. This is what is called Heavenly joy. Heavenly joy is the mind of the sage, by which he shepherds the world.

The Virtue of emperors and kings takes Heaven and earth as its ancestor, the Way and its Virtue as its master, inaction as its constant rule. With inaction, you may make the world work for you and have leisure to spare; with action, you will find yourself working for the world and never will it be enough. Therefore the men of old prized inaction.

If superiors adopt inaction and inferiors adopt inaction as well, then inferior and superior will share the same virtue, and if inferior and superior share the same virtue, there will be none to act as minister. If inferiors adopt action and superiors adopt action as well, then superior and inferior will share the same way, and if superior and inferior share the same way, there will be none to act as lord. Superiors must adopt inaction and make the world work for them; inferiors must adopt action and work for the world. This is an unvarying truth.

Therefore the kings of the world in ancient times, though their knowledge encompassed all Heaven and earth, did not of themselves lay plans; though their power of discrimination embraced 4 the ten thousand things, they did not of themselves expound any theories; though their abilities outshone all within the four seas, they did not of themselves act. Heaven does not give birth, yet the ten thousand things are transformed; earth does not sustain, yet the ten thousand things are nourished. The emperor and the king do not act, yet the world is benefited. So it is said, nothing so spiritual as Heaven, nothing so rich as earth, nothing so great as the emperor and the king. So it is said, the Virtue of the emperor and the king is the counterpart of Heaven and earth. This is the way to mount upon Heaven and earth, to make the ten thousand things gallop, to employ the mass of men.

The source rests with the superior, the trivia with the inferior; the essential resides in the ruler, the details in his ministers. The blandishments of the three armies and the five weapons - these are the trivia of Virtue. The doling out of rewards and punishments, benefit and loss, the five penalties - these are the trivia of public instruction.5 Rites and laws, weights, measures, the careful comparison of forms and names6 - these are the trivia of good government. The tones of bell and drum, the posturings of feather and tassel - these are the trivia of music.7 Lamentation and coarse garments, the mourning periods of varying lengths - these are the trivia of grief. These five trivia must wait for the movement of pure spirit, for the vitality of the mind's art before they can command respect. The study of such trivia was known to antiquity but the men of old gave them no precedence.

The ruler precedes, the minister follows; the father precedes, the son follows; the older brother precedes, the younger brother follows; the senior precedes, the junior follows; the man precedes, the woman follows; the husband precedes, the wife follows. Honor and lowliness, precedence and following are part of the workings of Heaven and earth, and from them the sage draws his model.

Heaven is honorable, earth lowly - such are their ranks in spiritual enlightenment. Spring and summer precede, autumn and winter follow - such is the sequence of the four seasons. The ten thousand things change and grow, their roots and buds, each with its distinctive form, flourishing and decaying by degree, a constant flow of change and transformation. If Heaven and earth, the loftiest in spirituality, have yet their sequence of honorable and lowly, of preceder and follower, how much more must the way of man! In the ancestral temple, honor is determined by degree of kinship; in the court, by degree of nobility; in the village, by degree of seniority; in the administration of affairs, by degree of worth. This is the sequence of the Great Way.

If you speak of the Way and not of its sequence, then it is not a way; and if you speak of a way that is not a way, then how can anyone make his way by it? Therefore the men of ancient times who clearly understood the Great Way first made clear Heaven and then went on to the Way and its Virtue. Having made clear the Way and its Virtue, they went on to benevolence and righteousness. Having made clear benevolence and righteousness, they went on to the observance of duties. Having made clear the observance of duties, they went on to forms and names. Having made clear forms and names, they went on to the assignment of suitable offices. Having made clear the assignment of suitable offices, they went on to the scrutiny of performance. Having made clear the scrutiny of performance, they went on to the judgment of right and wrong. Having made clear the judgment of right and wrong, they went on to rewards and punishments. Having made clear rewards and punishments, they could be certain that stupid and wise were in their proper place, that eminent and lowly were rightly ranked, that good and worthy men as well as unworthy ones showed their true form, that all had duties suited to their abilities, that all acted in accordance with their titles. It was in this way that superiors were served, inferiors were shepherded, external things were ordered, the inner man was trained. Knowledge and scheming were unused, yet all found rest in Heaven. This was called the Great Peace, the Highest Government. Hence the book says, "There are forms and there are names."8 Forms and names were known to antiquity, but the men of old gave them no precedence.

Those who spoke of the Great Way in ancient times could count to five in the sequence [described above] and pick out "forms and names," or count to nine and discuss "rewards and punishments." But to jump right in and talk about "forms and names" is to lack an understanding of the source; to jump right in and talk about "rewards and punishments" is to lack an understanding of the beginning. Those who stand the Way on its head before describing it, who turn it backwards before expounding it, may be brought to order by others, but how could they be capable of bringing others to order? Those who jump right in and talk about "forms and names," "rewards and punishments," have an understanding of the tools for bringing order, but no understanding of the way to bring order. They may work for the world, but they are not worthy to make the world work for them. They are rhetoricians, scholars cramped in one corner of learning. Rites and laws, weights and measures, the careful comparison of forms and names - the men of old had all these. They are the means by which those below serve those above, not the means by which those above shepherd those below.

Long ago Shun asked Yao, "As Heaven-appointed king, how do you use your mind?"

Yao replied, "I never abuse those who have nowhere to sue, nor reject the poor people. Grieving for the dead, comforting the orphan, pitying the widow - I use my mind in these things alone."

Shun said, "Admirable, as far as admirableness goes. But not yet great."

Yao said, "Then what should I do?"

Shun said, "Heaven raised on high, earth in peace,9 sun and moon shining, the four seasons marching - if you could be like the constant succession of day and night, the clouds which move, the rains that fall!"

"And to think I have been going to all this bustle and bother!" said Yao. "You are one who joins with Heaven; I am one who joins with man."

Heaven and earth have been called great since ancient times, have been praised in chorus by the Yellow Emperor, Yao, and Shun. The kings of the world in ancient times - what need had they for action? Heaven and earth was enough for them.

Confucius went west to deposit his works with the royal house of Chou. Tzu-lu advised him, saying, "I have heard that the Keeper of the Royal Archives is one Lao Tan, now retired and living at home. If you wish to deposit your works, you might try going to see him about it."

"Excellent!" said Confucius, and went to see Lao Tan, but Lao Tan would not give permission. Thereupon Confucius unwrapped his Twelve Classics and began expounding them.10 Halfway through the exposition, Lao Tan said, "This will take forever! Just let me hear the gist of the thing"

"The gist of it," said Confucius, "is benevolence and righteousness."

"May I ask if benevolence and righteousness belong to the inborn nature of man?" said Lao Tan.

"Of course," said Confucius. "If the gentleman lacks benevolence, he will get nowhere; if he lacks righteousness, he cannot even stay alive. Benevolence and righteousness are truly the inborn nature of man. What else could they be?"

Lao Tan said, "May I ask your definition of benevolence and righteousness?"

Confucius said, "To be glad and joyful 11 in mind; to embrace universal love and be without partisanship - this is the true form of benevolence and righteousness."

Lao Tan said, "Hmm - close-except for the last part. `Universal love' - that's a rather nebulous ideal, isn't it? And to be without partisanship is already a kind of partisanship. Do you want to keep the world from losing its simplicity? 12

Heaven and earth hold fast to their constant ways, the sun and moon to their brightness, the stars and planets to their ranks, the birds and beasts to their flocks, the trees and shrubs to their stands. You have only to go along with Virtue in your actions, to follow the Way in your journey, and already you will be there. Why these flags of benevolence and righteousness so bravely upraised, as though you were beating a drum and searching for a lost child? Ah, you will bring confusion to the nature of man!"

Shih Ch'eng-ch'i went to see Lao Tzu. "I had heard that you were a sage," he said, "and so, without minding how long the road was, I came to beg an interview - a hundred nights along the way, feet covered with calluses, and yet I did not dare to stop and rest. Now that I see you, though, I find you are no sage at all. Rat holes heaped with leftover grain and yet you turn your little sister out of the house, an unkind act indeed! More raw and cooked food in front of you than you can ever get through, and yet you go on endlessly hoarding goods!" 13 Lao Tzu looked blank and made no reply.

The following day, Shih Ch'eng-ch'i came to see him again and said, "Yesterday I was very sharp with you, but now I have no heart for that sort of thing.14 I wonder why that is?"

Lao Tzu said, "Artful wisdom, the spirit-like sage - I hope I have shuffled off categories of that sort! If you'd called me an ox, I'd have said I was an ox; if you'd called me a horse, I'd have said I was a horse. If the reality is there and you refuse to accept the name men give it, you'll only lay yourself open to double harassment. My submission is a constant submission; I do not submit because I think it time to submit."

Shih Ch'eng-ch'i backed respectfully away so that he would not tread on Lao Tzu's shadow, and then advanced once more in humble manner and asked how he should go about cultivating his person.

Lao Tzu said, "Your face is grim, your eyes are fierce, your forehead is broad, your mouth gaping, your manner overbearing, like a horse held back by a tether, watching for a chance to bolt, bounding off as though shot from a crossbow. Scrutinizing ever so carefully, crafty in wisdom, parading your arrogance - all this invites mistrust. Up in the borderlands a man like you would be taken for a thief!"

The Master said: The Way does not falter before the huge, is not forgetful of the tiny; therefore the ten thousand things are complete in it. Vast and ample, there is nothing it does not receive. Deep and profound, how can it be fathomed? Punishment and favor,15 benevolence and righteousness - these are trivia to the spirit, and yet who but the Perfect Man can put them in their rightful place?

When the Perfect Man rules the world, he has hold of a huge thing, does he not? - yet it is not enough to snare him in entanglement. He works the handles that control the world, but is not a party to the workings. He sees clearly into what has no falsehood and is unswayed by thoughts of gain. He ferrets out the truth of things and knows how to cling to the source. Therefore he can put Heaven and earth outside himself, forget the ten thousand things, and his spirit has no cause to be wearied. He dismisses benevolence and righteousness, rejects16 rites and music, for the mind of the Perfect Man knows where to find repose.

Men of the world who value the Way all turn to books. But books are nothing more than words. Words have value; what is of value in words is meaning. Meaning has something it is pursuing, but the thing that it is pursuing cannot be put into words and handed down. The world values words and hands down books but, though the world values them, I do not think them worth valuing. What the world takes to be value is not real value.

What you can look at and see are forms and colors; what you can listen to and hear are names and sounds. What a pity! - that the men of the world should suppose that form and color, name and sound are sufficient to convey the truth of a thing. It is because in the end they are not sufficient to convey truth that "those who know do not speak, those who speak do not know." 17 But how can the world understand this!

Duke Huan was in his hall reading a book. The wheelwright P'ien, who was in the yard below chiseling a wheel, laid down his mallet and chisel, stepped up into the hall, and said to Duke Huan, "This book Your Grace is reading - may I venture to ask whose words are in it?"

"The words of the sages," said the duke.

"Are the sages still alive?"

"Dead long ago," said the duke.

"In that case, what you are reading there is nothing but the chaff and dregs of the men of old!"

"Since when does a wheelwright have permission to comment on the books I read?" said Duke Huan. "If you have some explanation, well and good. If not, it's your life!"

Wheelwright P'ien said, "I look at it from the point of view of my own work. When I chisel a wheel, if the blows of the mallet are too gentle, the chisel slides and won't take hold. But if they're too hard, it bites in and won't budge. Not too gentle, not too hard - you can get it in your hand and feel it in your mind. You can't put it into words, and yet there's a knack to it somehow. I can't teach it to my son, and he can't learn it from me. So I've gone along for seventy years and at my age I'm still chiseling wheels. When the men of old died, they took with them the things that couldn't be handed down. So what you are reading there must be nothing but the chaff and dregs of the men of old."

 

Section FOURTEEN - THE TURNING OF HEAVEN

DOES HEAVEN TURN? Does the earth sit still? Do sun and moon compete for a place to shine? Who masterminds all this? Who pulls the strings? Who, resting inactive himself, gives the push that makes it go this way? I wonder, is there some mechanism that works it and won't let it stop? I wonder if it just rolls and turns and can't bring itself to a halt? Do the clouds make the rain, or does the rain make the clouds? Who puffs them up, who showers them down like this? Who, resting inactive himself, stirs up all this lascivious joy? 1 The winds rise in the north, blowing now west, now east, whirling up to wander on high. Whose breaths and exhalations are they? Who, resting inactive himself, huffs and puffs them about like this?

The shaman Hsien beckoned 2 and said, "Come - I will tell you. Heaven has the six directions and the five constants.3 When emperors and kings go along with these, there is good order; when they move contrary to these, there is disaster. With the instructions of the Nine Lo,4 order can be made to reign and virtue completed. The ruler will shine mirror-like over the earth below, and the world will bear him up. He may be called an August One on high." 5

Tang, the prime minister of Shang,6 asked Chuang Tzu about benevolence.

Chuang Tzu said, "Tigers and wolves - they're benevolent."

"How can you say that?"

Chuang Tzu said, "Sire and cubs warm and affectionate with one another - why do you say they're not benevolent?"

"What I am asking to hear about is perfect benevolence."

"Perfect benevolence knows no affection," said Chuang Tzu.

The prime minister said, "I have heard that where affection is lacking, there will be no love, and if there is no love, there will be no filial piety. Can you possibly say that perfect benevolence is unfilial?"

"No, no," said Chuang Tzu. "Perfect benevolence is a lofty thing - words like filial piety would never do to describe it. And what you are talking about is not something that surpasses filial piety, but something that doesn't even come up to it. If a traveler to the south turns to look north again when he reaches the city of Ying, he will no longer see the dark northern mountains. Why? Because they are too far away. Thus it is said, to be filial out of respect is easy; to be filial out of love is hard. To be filial out of love is easy; to forget parents is hard. To forget parents is easy; to make parents forget you is hard. To make parents forget you is easy; to forget the whole world is hard. To forget the whole world is easy; to make the whole world forget you is hard. Virtue discards Yao and Shun and rests in inaction. Its bounty enriches ten thousand ages, and yet no one in the world knows this. Why all these deep sighs, this talk of benevolence and filial piety? Filial piety, brotherliness, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, trust, honor, integrity - for all of these you must drive yourself and make a slave of Virtue. They are not worth prizing. So it is said, Highest eminence scorns the titles of the kingdom; greatest wealth rejects the riches of the kingdom; loftiest desire ignores fame and reputation. It is the Way alone that never varies."

Ch'eng of North Gate said to the Yellow Emperor, "When Your Majesty performed the Hsien-ch'ih music in the wilds around Lake Tung-t'ing, I listened, and at first I was afraid. I listened some more and felt weary, and then I listened to the end and felt confused. Overwhelmed, speechless, I couldn't get hold of myself."

"It's not surprising you felt that way," said the emperor. "I performed it through man, tuned it to Heaven, went forward with ritual principle, and established it in Great Purity. Perfect music must first respond to the needs of man, accord with the reason of Heaven, proceed by the Five Virtues, and blend with spontaneity; only then can it bring order to the four seasons and bestow a final harmony upon the ten thousand things.7 Then the four seasons will rise one after the other, the ten thousand things will take their turn at living. Now flourishing, now decaying, the civil and military strains will keep them in step; now with clear notes, now with dull ones, the yin and the yang will blend all in harmony, the sounds flowing forth like light, like hibernating insects that start to wriggle again, like the crash of thunder with which I awe the world. At the end, no tail; at the beginning, no head; now dead, now alive, now flat on the ground, now up on its feet, its constancy is unending, yet there is nothing that can be counted on. That's why you felt afraid.

"Then I played it with the harmony of yin and yang, lit it with the shining of sun and moon; its notes I was able to make long or short, yielding or strong, modulating about a single unity, but bowing before no rule or constancy. In the valley they filled the valley; in the void they filled the void; plugging up the crevices, holding back the spirit, accepting things on their own terms. Its notes were clear and radiant,8 its fame high and bright. Therefore the ghosts and spirits kept to their darkness and the sun, moon, stars, and constellations marched in their orbits. I made it stop where there is an end to things, made it flow where there is no stopping. You9 try to fathom it but can't understand, try to gaze at it but can't see, try to overtake it but can't catch up. You stand dazed before the four-directioned emptiness of the Way, or lean on your desk and moan. Your eyes fail before you can see, your strength knuckles under before you can catch up.10 It was nothing I could do anything about. Your body melted into the empty void, and this brought you to an idle freedom. It was this idle freedom that made you feel weary.

"Then I played it with unwearying notes and tuned it to the command of spontaneity. Therefore there seemed to be a chaos where things grow in thickets together, a maturity where nothing takes form, a universal plucking where nothing gets pulled, a clouded obscurity where there is no sound. It moved in no direction at all, rested in mysterious shadow. Some called it death, some called it life, some called it fruit, some called it flower. It flowed and scattered, and bowed before no constant tone. The world, perplexed by it, went to the sage for instruction, for the sage is the comprehender of true form and the completer of fate. When the Heavenly mechanism is not put into action and yet the five vital organs are all complete this may be called the music of Heaven. Wordless, it delights the mind. Therefore the lord of Yen sang its praises thus: `Listen - you do not hear its sound; look - you do not see its form. It fills all Heaven and earth, enwraps all the six directions.' You wanted to hear it but had no way to go about it. That was why you felt confused.11

"Music begins with fear, and because of this fear there is dread, as of a curse. Then I add the weariness, and because of the weariness there is compliance. I end it all with confusion, and because of the confusion there is stupidity. And because of the stupidity there is the Way, the Way that can be lifted up and carried around wherever you go."

When Confucius was away in the west visiting the state of Wei, Yen Yuan said to the Music Master Chin, "What do you think of my master's trip?" 12

Music Master Chin said, "A pity! - your master will most likely end up in trouble."

"How so?" asked Yen Yuan.

Music Master Chin said, "Before the straw dogs are presented at the sacrifice, they are stored in bamboo boxes and covered over with patterned embroidery, while the impersonator of the dead and the priest fast and practice austerities in preparation for fetching them. But after they have once been presented, then all that remains for them is to be trampled on, head and back, by passers-by; to be swept up by the grasscutters and burned.13 And if anyone should come along and put them back in their bamboo boxes, cover them over with patterned embroidery, and linger or lie down to sleep beneath them, he would dream no proper dreams; on the contrary, he would most certainly be visited again and again by nightmares.

"Now your master has picked up some old straw dogs that had been presented by the former kings, and has called together his disciples to linger and lie down in sleep beneath them. Therefore the people chopped down the tree on him in Sung, wiped away his footprints in Wei, and made trouble for him in Shang and Chou - such were the dreams he had. They besieged him between Ch'en and Ts'ai, and for seven days he ate no cooked food, till he hovered on the border between life and death - such were the nightmares he had.14

"Nothing is as good as a boat for crossing water, nothing as good as a cart for crossing land. But though a boat will get you over water, if you try to push it across land, you may push till your dying day and hardly move it any distance at all. And are the past and present not like the water and the land, and the states of Chou and Lu not like a boat and a cart?

To hope to practice the ways of Chou in the state of Lu is like trying to push a boat over land - a great deal of work, no success, and certain danger to the person who tries it. The man who tries to do so has failed to understand the turning that has no direction, that responds to things and is never at a loss.

"Have you never seen a well sweep? Pull it, and down it comes; let go, and up it swings. It allows itself to be pulled around by men; it doesn't try to pull them. So it can go up and down and never get blamed by anybody.

"Thus it is that the rituals and regulations of the Three August Ones and the Five Emperors are prized not because they were uniform, but because they were capable of bringing about order.15 The rituals and regulations of the Three August Ones and the Five Emperors may be compared to the haw, the pear, the orange, and the citron. Their flavors are quite different, yet all are pleasing to the mouth. Rituals and regulations are something that change in response to the times. If you take a monkey and dress him in the robes of the Duke of Chou, he will bite and tear at them, not satisfied until he has divested himself of every stitch. And a glance will show that past and present are no more alike than are a monkey and the Duke of Chou!

"The beautiful Hsi-shih, troubled with heartburn, frowned at her neighbors. An ugly woman of the neighborhood, seeing that Hsi-shih was beautiful, went home and likewise pounded her breast and frowned at her neighbors. But at the sight of her the rich men of the neighborhood shut tight their gates and would not venture out, while the poor men grabbed their wives and children by the hand and scampered off. The woman understood that someone frowning could be beautiful, but she did not understand where the beauty of the frown came from. A pity, indeed! Your master is going to end up in trouble!"

Confucius had gone along until he was fifty-one and had still not heard the Way. Finally he went south to P'ei and called on Lao Tan. "Ah, you have come," said Lao Tan. "I've heard that you are a worthy man of the northern region. Have you found the Way?"

"Not yet," said Confucius.

"Where did you look for it?" asked Lao Tan.

"I looked for it in rules and regulations, but five years went by and still I hadn't found it."

"Where else did you look for it?" asked Lao Tan.

"I looked for it in the yin and yang, but twelve years went by and I still hadn't found it."

"It stands to reason!" said Lao Tan. "If the Way could be presented, there is no man who would not present it to his ruler. If the Way could be offered, there is no man who would not offer it to his parents. If the Way could be reported, there is no man who would not report it to his brothers. If the Way could be bequeathed, there is no man who would not bequeath it to his heirs. But it cannot - and for none other than the following reason. If there is no host on the inside to receive it, it will not stay; if there is no mark on the outside to guide it, it will not go. If what is brought forth from the inside is not received on the outside, then the sage will not bring it forth. If what is taken in from the outside is not received by a host on the inside, the sage will not entrust it."16

"Fame is a public weapon - don't reach for it too often. Benevolence and righteousness are the grass huts of the former kings; you may stop in them for one night but you mustn't tarry there for long. A lengthy stay would invite many reproaches. The Perfect Man of ancient times used benevolence as a path to be borrowed, righteousness as a lodge to take shelter in. He wandered in the free and easy wastes, ate in the plain and simple fields, and strolled in the garden of no bestowal. Free and easy, he rested in inaction; plain and simple, it was not hard for him to live; bestowing nothing, he did not have to hand things out. The men of old called this the wandering of the Truth-picker.

"He who considers wealth a good thing can never bear to give up his income; he who considers eminence a good thing can never bear to give up his fame. He who has a taste for power can never bear to hand over authority to others. Holding tight to these things, such men shiver with fear; should they let them go, they would pine in sorrow. They never stop for a moment of reflection, never cease to gaze with greedy eyes - they are men punished by Heaven. Resentment and kindness, taking away and giving, reproof and instruction, life and death - these eight things are the weapons of the corrector.17 Only he who complies with the Great Change and allows no blockage will be able to use them. Therefore it is said, The corrector must be correct. If the mind cannot accept this fact, then the doors of Heaven will never open!"

Confucius called on Lao Tan and spoke to him about benevolence and righteousness. Lao Tan said, "Chaff from the winnowing fan can so blind the eye that heaven, earth, and the four directions all seem to shift place. A mosquito or a horsefly stinging your skin can keep you awake a whole night. And when benevolence and righteousness in all their fearfulness come to muddle the mind ,18 the confusion is unimaginable. If you want to keep the world from losing its simplicity, you must move with the freedom of the wind, stand in the perfection of Virtue. Why all this huffing and puffing, as though you were carrying a big drum and searching for a lost child! The snow goose needs no daily bath to stay white; the crow needs no daily inking to stay black. Black and white in their simplicity offer no ground for argument; fame and reputation in their clamorousness19 offer no ground for envy. When the springs dry up and the fish are left stranded on the ground, they spew each other with moisture and wet each other down with spit - but it would be much better if they could forget each other in the rivers and lakes!"

When Confucius returned from his visit with Lao Tan, he did not speak for three days. His disciples said, "Master, you've seen Lao Tan - what estimation would you make of him?"

Confucius said, "At last I may say that I have seen a dragon - a dragon that coils to show his body at its best, that sprawls out to display his patterns at their best, riding on the breath of the clouds, feeding on the yin and yang. My mouth fell open and I couldn't close it; my tongue flew up and I couldn't even stammer. How could I possibly make any estimation of Lao Tan!"

Tzu-kung said, "Then is it true that the Perfect Man can command corpse-like stillness and dragon vision, the voice of thunder and the silence of deep pools; that he breaks forth into movement like Heaven and earth? If only I too could get to see him!"

In the end he went with an introduction from Confucius and called on Lao Tan. Lao Tan was about to sit down in the hall and stretch out his legs. In a small voice he said, "I've lived to see a great many years come and go. What advice is it you have for me?"

Tzu-kung said, "The Three August Ones and the Five Emperors ruled the world in ways that were not the same, though they were alike in the praise and acclaim they won. I am told, Sir, that you alone do not regard them as sages. May I ask why?"

Lao Tan said, "Young man, come a little closer! Why do you say that they ruled in ways that were not the same?"

"Yao ceded the throne to Shun, and Shun ceded it to Yu. Yu wore himself out over it, and T'ang even resorted to war. King Wen obeyed Chou and did not dare to rebel; but his son King Wu turned against Chou and refused to remain loyal. Therefore I say that they were not the same."

Lao Tan said, "Young man, come a little closer and I will tell you how the Three August Ones and the Five Emperors ruled the world. In ancient times the Yellow Emperor ruled the world by making the hearts of the people one. Therefore, if there were those among the people who did not wail at the death of their parents, the people saw nothing wrong in this. Yao ruled the world by making the hearts of the people affectionate. Therefore, if there were those among the people who decided to mourn for longer or shorter periods according to the degree of kinship of the deceased, the people saw nothing wrong in this. Shun ruled the world by making the hearts of the people rivalrous. Therefore the wives of the people became pregnant and gave birth in the tenth month as in the past, but their children were not five months old before they were able to talk, and their baby laughter had hardly rung out before they had begun to distinguish one person from another. It was then that premature death first appeared. Yu ruled the world by causing the hearts of the people to change. It was assumed that each man had a heart of his own, that recourse to arms was quite all right. Killing a thief is not a case of murder, they said; every man in the world should look out for his own kind. As a result, there was great consternation in the world, and the Confucians and Mo-ists all came forward, creating for the first time the rules of ethical behavior. But what would they say of those men who nowadays make wives of their daughters? 20

"I will tell you how the Three August Ones and the Five Emperors ruled the world! They called it `ruling,' but in fact they were plunging it into the worst confusion. The `wisdom' of the Three August Ones was such as blotted out the brightness of sun and moon above, sapped the vigor of hills and streams below, and overturned the round of the four seasons in between. Their wisdom was more fearsome than the tail of the scorpion; down to the smallest beast, not a living thing was allowed to rest in the true form of its nature and fate. And yet they considered themselves sages! Was it not shameful - their lack of shame!"

Tzu-kung, stunned and speechless, stood wondering which way to turn.

Confucius said to Lao Tan, "I have been studying the Six Classics - the Odes, the Documents, the Ritual, the Music, the Changes, and the Spring and Autumn, for what I would call a long time, and I know their contents through and through. But I have been around to seventy-two different rulers with them, expounding the ways of the former kings and making clear the path trod by the dukes of Chou and Shao, and yet not a single ruler has found anything to excite his interest. How difficult it is to persuade others, how difficult to make clear the Way!"

Lao Tzu said, "It's lucky you didn't meet with a ruler who would try to govern the world as you say. The Six Classics are the old worn-out paths of the former kings - they are not the thing which walked the path. What you are expounding are simply these paths. Paths are made by shoes that walk them, they are by no means the shoes themselves!

"The white fish hawk has only to stare unblinking at its mate for fertilization to occur. With insects, the male cries on the wind above, the female cries on the wind below, and there is fertilization. The creature called the lei is both male and female and so it can fertilize itself. Inborn nature cannot be changed, fate cannot be altered, time cannot be stopped, the Way cannot be obstructed. Get hold of the Way and there's nothing that can't be done; lose it and there's nothing that can be done."

Confucius stayed home for three months and then came to see Lao Tan once again. "I've got it," he said. "The magpie hatches its young, the fish spit out their milt, the slim-waisted wasp has its stages of transformation, and when baby brother is born, big brother howls.21 For a long time now I have not been taking my place as a man along with the process of change. And if I do not take my own place as a man along with the process of change, how can I hope to change other men?"

Lao Tzu said, "Good, Ch'iu - now you've got it!"

 

Section FIFTEEN - CONSTRAINED IN WILL

TO BE CONSTRAINED IN WILL, lofty in action, aloof from the world, apart from its customs, elevated in discourse, sullen and critical, indignation his whole concern - such is the life favored by the scholar in his mountain valley, the man who condemns the world, the worn and haggard one who means to end it all with a plunge into the deep. To discourse on benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and good faith, to be courteous, temperate, modest, and deferential, moral training his whole concern - such is the life favored by the scholar who seeks to bring the world to order, the man who teaches and instructs, who at home and abroad lives for learning. To talk of great accomplishments, win a great name, define the etiquette of ruler and subject, regulate the position of superior and inferior, the ordering of the state his only concern - such is the life favored by the scholar of court and council, the man who would honor his sovereign and strengthen his country, the bringer of accomplishment, the annexer of territory. To repair to the thickets and ponds, living idly in the wilderness, angling for fish in solitary places, inaction his only concern - such is the life favored by the scholar of the rivers and seas, the man who withdraws from the world, the unhurried idler. To pant, to puff, to hail, to sip, to spit out

the old breath and draw in the new, practicing bear-hangings and bird-stretchings, longevity his only concern - such is the life favored by the scholar who practices Induction, the man who nourishes his body, who hopes to live to be as old as P'eng-tsu.1

But to attain loftiness without constraining the will; to achieve moral training without benevolence and righteousness, good order without accomplishments and fame, leisure without rivers and seas, long life without Induction; to lose everything and yet possess everything, at ease in the illimitable, where all good things come to attend - this is the Way of Heaven and earth, the Virtue of the sage. So it is said, Limpidity, silence, emptiness, inaction - these are the level of Heaven and earth, the substance of the Way and its Virtue. So it is said, The sage rests; with rest comes peaceful ease, with peaceful ease comes limpidity, and where there is ease and limpidity, care and worry cannot get at him, noxious airs cannot assault him. Therefore his Virtue is complete and his spirit unimpaired.

So it is said, With the sage, his life is the working of Heaven, his death the transformation of things. In stillness, he and the yin share a single Virtue; in motion, he and the yang share a single flow. He is not the bearer of good fortune, nor the initiator of bad fortune. Roused by something outside himself, only then does he respond; pressed, only then does he move; finding he has no choice, only then does he rise up. He discards knowledge and purpose and follows along with the reasonableness of Heaven. Therefore he incurs no disaster from Heaven, no entanglement from things, no opposition from man, no blame from the spirits. His life is a floating, his death a rest. He does not ponder or scheme, does not plot for the future. A man of light, he does not shine; of good faith, he keeps no promises. He sleeps without dreaming, wakes without worry. His spirit is pure and clean, his soul never wearied. In emptiness, nonbeing, and limpidity, he joins with the Virtue of Heaven.

So it is said, Grief and happiness are perversions of Virtue; joy and anger are transgressions of the Way; love and hate are offenses against Virtue. When the mind is without care or joy, this is the height of Virtue. When it is unified and unchanging, this is the height of stillness. When it grates against nothing, this is the height of emptiness. When it has no commerce with things, this is the height of limpidity. When it rebels against nothing, this is the height of purity.

So it is said, If the body is made to labor and take no rest, it will wear out; if the spiritual essence is taxed without cessation, it will grow weary, and weariness will bring exhaustion. It is the nature of water that if it is not mixed with other things, it will be clear, and if nothing stirs it, it will be level. But if it is dammed and hemmed in and not allowed to flow, then, too, it will cease to be clear. As such, it is a symbol of Heavenly Virtue. So it is said, To be pure, clean, and mixed with nothing; still, unified, and unchanging; limpid and inactive; moving with the workings of Heaven - this is the way to care for the spirit.

The man who owns a sword from Kan or Yueh lays it in a box and stores it away, not daring to use it, for to him it is the greatest of treasures. Pure spirit reaches in the four directions, flows now this way, now that - there is no place it does not extend to. Above, it brushes Heaven; below, it coils on the earth. It transforms and nurses the ten thousand things, but no one can make out its form. Its name is called One-with-Heaven. The way to purity and whiteness is to guard the spirit, this alone; guard it and never lose it, and you will become one with spirit, one with its pure essence, which communicates and mingles with the Heavenly Order.2 The common saying has it, "The ordinary man prizes gain, the man of integrity prizes name, the worthy man honors ambition, the sage values spiritual essence." Whiteness means there is nothing mixed in; purity means the spirit is never impaired. He who can embody purity and whiteness may be called the True Man.

 

Section SIXTEEN - MENDING THE INBORN NATURE

THOSE WHO SET ABOUT MENDING the inborn nature through vulgar learning, hoping thereby to return once more to the Beginning; those who set about muddling their desires through vulgar ways of thought, hoping thereby to attain clarity - they may be called the blind and benighted people.1

The men of ancient times who practiced the Way employed tranquility to cultivate knowledge. Knowledge lived in them, yet they did nothing for its sake. So they may be said to have employed knowledge to cultivate tranquility. Knowledge and tranquility took turns cultivating each other, and harmony and order emerged from the inborn nature.

Virtue is harmony, the Way is order. When Virtue embraces all things, we have benevolence. When the Way is in all respects well ordered, we have righteousness. When righteousness is clearly understood and all things cling to it, we have loyalty. When within there is purity, fullness, and a return to true form, we have music. When good faith is expressed in face and body and there is a compliance with elegance, we have rites. But if all emphasis is placed on the conduct of rites and music, then the world will fall into disorder. The ruler, in his efforts to rectify, will draw a cloud over his own virtue, and his virtue will no longer extend to all things. And should he try to force it to extend, then things would invariably lose their inborn nature.2

The men of old dwelt in the midst of crudity and chaos; side by side with the rest of the world, they attained simplicity and silence there. At that time the yin and yang were harmonious and still, ghosts and spirits worked no mischief, the four seasons kept to their proper order, the ten thousand things knew no injury, and living creatures were free from premature death. Although men had knowledge, they did not use it. This was called the Perfect Unity. At this time, no one made a move to do anything, and there was unvarying spontaneity.

The time came, however, when Virtue began to dwindle and decline, and then Sui Jen and Fu Hsi stepped forward to take charge of the world. As a result there was compliance, but no longer any unity. Virtue continued to dwindle and decline, and then Shen Nung and the Yellow Emperor stepped forward to take charge of the world. As a result, there was security, but no longer any compliance. Virtue continued to dwindle and decline, and then Yao and Shun stepped forward to take charge of the world.3 They set about in various fashions to order and transform the world, and in doing so defiled purity and shattered simplicity. The Way was pulled apart for the sake of goodness; Virtue was imperiled for the sake of conduct. After this, inborn nature was abandoned and minds were set free to roam, mind joining with mind in understanding; there was knowledge, but it could not bring stability to the world. After this, "culture" was added on, and "breadth" was piled on top. "Culture" destroyed the substantial, "breadth" drowned the mind, and after this the people began to be confused and disordered. They had no way to revert to the true form of their inborn nature or to return once more to the Beginning.

From this we may see that the world has lost the Way, and the Way has lost the world; the world and the Way have lost each other. What means does a man of the Way have to go forward in the world? What means does the world have to go forward in the Way? The Way cannot go forward in the world, and the world cannot go forward in the Way. So, although the sage does not retire to dwell in the midst of the mountain forest, his Virtue is already hidden. It is already hidden, and therefore he does not need to hide it himself.

The so-called scholars in hiding of ancient times did not conceal their bodies and refuse to let them be seen; they did not shut in their words and refuse to let them out; they did not stow away their knowledge and refuse to share it. But the fate of the times was too much awry. If the fate of the times had been with them and they could have done great deeds in the world, then they would have returned to Unity and left no trace behind. But the fate of the times was against them and brought them only great hardship in the world, and therefore they deepened their roots, rested in perfection, and waited. This was the way they kept themselves alive.4

Those in ancient times who wished to keep themselves alive did not use eloquence to ornament their knowledge. They did not use their knowledge to make trouble for the world; they did not use their knowledge to make trouble for Virtue. Loftily they kept to their places and returned to their inborn nature. Having done that, what more was there for them to do? The way has no use for petty conduct; Virtue has no use for petty understanding. Petty understanding injures Virtue; petty conduct injures the Way. Therefore it is said, Rectify yourself, that is all.5 When joy is complete, this is called the fulfillment of ambition.

When the men of ancient times spoke of the fulfillment of ambition, they did not mean fine carriages and caps. They meant simply that joy was so complete that it could not be made greater. Nowadays, however, when men speak of the fulfillment of ambition, they mean fine carriages and caps. But carriages and caps affect the body alone, not the inborn nature and fate. Such things from time to time may happen to come your way. When they come, you cannot keep them from arriving, but when they depart you cannot stop them from going. Therefore carriages and caps are no excuse for becoming puffed up with pride, and hardship and poverty are no excuse for fawning on the vulgar. You should find the same joy in one condition as in the other and thereby be free of care, that is all. But now, when the things that happened along take their leave, you cease to be joyful. From this point of view, though you have joy, it will always be fated for destruction. Therefore it is said, Those who destroy themselves in things and lose their inborn nature in the vulgar may be called the upside-down people.

 

Section SEVENTEEN - AUTUMN FLOODS

THE TIME OF THE AUTUMN FLOODS came and the hundred streams poured into the Yellow River. Its racing current swelled to such proportions that, looking from bank to bank or island to island, it was impossible to distinguish a horse from a cow. Then the Lord of the River1 was beside himself with joy, believing that all the beauty in the world belonged to him alone. Following the current, he journeyed east until at last he reached the North Sea. Looking east, he could see no end to the water.

The Lord of the River began to wag his head and roll his eyes. Peering far off in the direction of Jo,2 he sighed and said, "The common saying has it, `He has heard the Way a mere hundred times but he thinks he's better than anyone else.' It applies to me. In the past, I heard men belittling the learning of Confucius and making light of the righteousness of Po Yi,3 though I never believed them. Now, however, I have seen your unfathomable vastness. If I hadn't come to your gate,4 I would have been in danger. I would forever have been laughed at by the masters of the Great Method!"

Jo of the North Sea said, "You can't discuss the ocean with a well frog - he's limited by the space he lives in. You can't discuss ice with a summer insect - he's bound to a single season. You can't discuss the Way with a cramped scholar - he's shackled by his doctrines. Now you have come out beyond your banks and borders and have seen the great sea - so you realize your own pettiness. From now on it will be possible to talk to you about the Great Principle.

"Of all the waters of the world, none is as great as the sea. Ten thousand streams flow into it - I have never heard of a time when they stopped - and yet it is never full. The water leaks away at Wei-lu 5 - I have never heard of a time when it didn't - and yet the sea is never empty. Spring or autumn, it never changes. Flood or drought, it takes no notice. It is so much greater than the streams of the Yangtze or the Yellow River that it is impossible to measure the difference. But I have never for this reason prided myself on it. I take my place with heaven and earth and receive breath from the yin and yang. I sit here between heaven and earth as a little stone or a little tree sits on a huge mountain. Since I can see my own smallness, what reason would I have to pride myself?

"Compare the area within the four seas with all that is between heaven and earth - is it not like one little anthill in a vast marsh? Compare the Middle Kingdom with the area within the four seas - is it not like one tiny grain in a great storehouse? When we refer to the things of creation, we speak of them as numbering ten thousand - and man is only one of them. We talk of the Nine Provinces where men are most numerous, and yet of the whole area where grain and foods are grown and where boats and carts pass back and forth, man occupies only one fraction.6 Compared to the ten thousand things, is he not like one little hair on the body of a horse? What the Five Emperors passed along, what the Three Kings fought over, what the benevolent man grieves about, what the responsible man labors over - all is no more than this! 7 Po Yi gained a reputation by giving it up; Confucius passed himself off as learned because he talked about it. But in priding themselves in this way, were they not like you a moment ago priding yourself on your flood waters?"

"Well then," said the Lord of the River, "if I recognize the hugeness of heaven and earth and the smallness of the tip of a hair, will that do?"

"No indeed!" said Jo of the North Sea. "There is no end to the weighing of things, no stop to time, no constancy to the division of lots, no fixed rule to beginning and end. Therefore great wisdom observes both far and near, and for that reason recognizes small without considering it paltry, recognizes large without considering it unwieldy, for it knows that there is no end to the weighing of things. It has a clear understanding of past and present, and for that reason it spends a long time without finding it tedious, a short time without fretting at its shortness, for it knows that time has no stop. It perceives the nature of fullness and emptiness, and for that reason it does not delight if it acquires something nor worry if it loses it, for it knows that there is no constancy to the division of lots. It comprehends the Level Road, and for that reason it does not rejoice in life nor look on death as a calamity, for it knows that no fixed rule can be assigned to beginning and end.

"Calculate what man knows and it cannot compare to what he does not know. Calculate the time he is alive and it cannot compare to the time before he was born. Yet man takes something so small and tries to exhaust the dimensions of something so large! Hence he is muddled and confused and can never get anywhere. Looking at it this way, how do we know that the tip of a hair can be singled out as the measure of the smallest thing possible? Or how do we know that heaven and earth can fully encompass the dimensions of the largest thing possible?"

The Lord of the River said, "Men who debate such matters these days all claim that the minutest thing has no form and the largest thing cannot be encompassed. Is this a true statement?"

Jo of the North Sea said, "If from the standpoint of the minute we look at what is large, we cannot see to the end. If from the standpoint of what is large we look at what is minute, we cannot distinguish it clearly. The minute is the smallest of the small, the gigantic is the largest of the large, and it is therefore convenient to distinguish between them. But this is merely a matter of circumstance. Before we can speak of coarse or fine, however, there must be some form. If a thing has no form, then numbers cannot express its dimensions, and if it cannot be encompassed, then numbers cannot express its size. We can use words to talk about the coarseness of things and we can use our minds to visualize the fineness of things. But what words cannot describe and the mind cannot succeed in visualizing - this has nothing to do with coarseness or fineness.

"Therefore the Great Man in his actions will not harm others, but he makes no show of benevolence or charity. He will not move for the sake of profit, but he does not despise the porter at the gate. He will not wrangle for goods or wealth, but he makes no show of refusing or relinquishing them. He will not enlist the help of others in his work, but he makes no show of being self-supporting, and he does not despise the greedy and base. His actions differ from those of the mob, but he makes no show of uniqueness or eccentricity. He is content to stay behind with the crowd, but he does not despise those who run forward to flatter and fawn. All the titles and stipends of the age are not enough to stir him to exertion; all its penalties and censures are not enough to make him feel shame. He knows that no line can be drawn between right and wrong, no border can be fixed between great and small. I have heard it said, `The Man of the Way wins no fame, the highest virtue8 wins no gain, the Great Man has no self.' To the most perfect degree, he goes along with what has been allotted to him."

The Lord of the River said, "Whether they are external to things or internal, I do not understand how we come to have these distinctions of noble and mean or of great and small."

Jo of the North Sea said, "From the point of view of the Way, things have no nobility or meanness. From the point of view of things themselves, each regards itself as noble and other things as mean. From the point of view of common opinion, nobility and meanness are not determined by the individual himself.

"From the point of view of differences, if we regard a thing as big because there is a certain bigness to it, then among all the ten thousand things there are none that are not big. If we regard a thing as small because there is a certain smallness to it, then among the ten thousand things there are none that are not small. If we know that heaven and earth are tiny grains and the tip of a hair is a range of mountains, then we have perceived the law of difference.

"From the point of view of function, if we regard a thing as useful because there is a certain usefulness to it, then among all the ten thousand things there are none that are not useful. If we regard a thing as useless because there is a certain uselessness to it, then among the ten thousand things there are none that are not useless. If we know that east and west are mutually opposed but that one cannot do without the other, then we can estimate the degree of function.

"From the point of view of preference, if we regard a thing as right because there is a certain right to it, then among the ten thousand things there are none that are not right. If we regard a thing as wrong because there is a certain wrong to it, then among the ten thousand things there are none that are not wrong. If we know that Yao and Chieh each thought himself right and condemned the other as wrong, then we may understand how there are preferences in behavior.

"In ancient times Yao abdicated in favor of Shun and Shun ruled as emperor; K'uai abdicated in favor of Chih and Chih was destroyed.9 T'ang and Wu fought and became kings; Duke Po fought and was wiped out.10 Looking at it this way, we see that struggling or giving way, behaving like a Yao or like a Chieh, may be at one time noble and at another time mean. It is impossible to establish any constant rule.

"A beam or pillar can be used to batter down a city wall, but it is no good for stopping up a little hole - this refers to a difference in function. Thoroughbreds like Ch'i-chi and Hua-liu could gallop a thousand li in one day, but when it came to catching rats they were no match for the wildcat or the weasel - this refers to a difference in skill. The horned owl catches fleas at night and can spot the tip of a hair, but when daylight comes, no matter how wide it opens its eyes, it cannot see a mound or a hill - this refers to a difference in nature. Now do you say, that you are going to make Right your master and do away with Wrong, or make Order your master and do away with Disorder? If you do, then you have not understood the principle of heaven and earth or the nature of the ten thousand things. This is like saying that you are going to make Heaven your master and do away with Earth, or make Yin your master and do away with Yang. Obviously it is impossible. If men persist in talking this way without stop, they must be either fools or deceivers!

"Emperors and kings have different ways of ceding their thrones; the Three Dynasties had different rules of succession. Those who went against the times and flouted custom were called usurpers; those who went with the times and followed custom were called companions of righteousness. Be quiet, be quiet, O Lord of the River! How could you understand anything about the gateway of nobility and meanness or the house of great and small?"

"Well then," said the Lord of the River, "what should I do and what should I not do? How am I to know in the end what to accept and what to reject, what to abide by and what to discard?"

Jo of the North Sea said, "From the point of view of the Way, what is noble or what is mean? These are merely what are called endless changes. Do not hobble your will, or you will be departing far from the Way! What is few, or what is many? These are merely what are called boundless turnings.11 Do not strive to unify your actions, or you will be at sixes and sevens with the Way! Be stern like the ruler of a state - he grants no private favor. Be benign and impartial like the god of the soil at the sacrifice - he grants no private blessing. Be broad and expansive like the endlessness of the four directions – they have nothing which bounds or hedges them. Embrace the ten thousand things universally - how could there be one you should give special support to? This is called being without bent. When the ten thousand things are unified and equal, then which is short and which is long?

"The Way is without beginning or end, but things have their life and death - you cannot rely upon their fulfillment. One moment empty, the next moment full - you cannot depend upon their form. The years cannot be held off; time cannot be stopped. Decay, growth, fullness, and emptiness end and then begin again. It is thus that we must describe the plan of the Great Meaning and discuss the principles of the ten thousand things. The life of things is a gallop, a headlong dash - with every movement they alter, with every moment they shift. What should you do and what should you not do? Everything will change of itself, that is certain!"

"If that is so," said the Lord of the River, "then what is there valuable about the Way?"

Jo of the North Sea said, "He who understands the Way is certain to have command of basic principles. He who has command of basic principles is certain to know how to deal with circumstances. And, he who knows how to deal with circumstances will not allow things to do him harm. When a man has perfect virtue, fire cannot burn him, water cannot drown him, cold and heat cannot afflict him, birds and beasts cannot injure him. I do not say that he makes light of these things. I mean that he distinguishes between safety and danger, contents himself with fortune or misfortune, and is cautious in his comings and goings. Therefore nothing can harm him.

"Hence it is said: the Heavenly is on the inside, the human is on the outside. Virtue resides in the Heavenly. Understand the actions of Heaven and man, base yourself upon Heaven, take vour stand in virtue ,12 and then, although you hasten or hold back, bend or stretch, you may return to the essential and speak of the ultimate."

"What do you mean by the Heavenly and the human?"

Jo of the North Sea said, "Horses and oxen have four feet - this is what I mean by the Heavenly. Putting a halter on the horse's head, piercing the ox's nose - this is what I mean by the human. So I say: do not let what is human wipe out what is Heavenly; do not let what is purposeful wipe out what is fated; do not let [the desire for] gain lead you after fame. Be cautious, guard it, and do not lose it - this is what I mean by returning to the True."

The K'uei13 envies the millepede, the millepede envies the snake, the snake envies the wind, the wind envies the eye, and the eye envies the mind.

The K'uei said to the millepede, "I have this one leg that I hop along on, though I make little progress. Now how in the world do you manage to work all those ten thousand legs of yours?"

The millepede said, "You don't understand. Haven't you ever watched a man spit? He just gives a hawk and out it comes, some drops as big as pearls, some as fine as mist, raining down in a jumble of countless particles. Now all I do is put in motion the heavenly mechanism in me - I'm not aware of how the thing works."

The millepede said to the snake, "I have all these legs that I move along on, but I can't seem to keep up with you who have no legs. How is that?"

The snake said, "It's just the heavenly mechanism moving me along - how can I change the way I am? What would I do with legs if I had them?"

The snake said to the wind, "I move my backbone and ribs and manage to get along, though I still have some kind of body. But now you come whirling up from the North Sea and go whirling off to the South Sea, and you don't seem to have any body. How is that?"

The wind said, "It's true that I whirl up from the North Sea and whirl off to the South Sea. But if you hold up a finger against me you've defeated me, and if you trample on me you've likewise defeated me. On the other hand, I can break down big trees and blow over great houses - this is a talent that I alone have. So I take all the mass of little defeats and make them into a Great Victory. To make a Great Victory - only the sage is capable of that!"

When Confucius was passing through K’uang, the men of Sung surrounded him with several encirclements of troops, but he went right on playing his lute and singing without a stop." Tzu Lu went in to see him and said, "Master, how can you be so carefree?"

Confucius said, "Come, I will explain to you. For a long time I have tried to stay out of the way of hardship. That I have not managed to escape it is due to fate. For a long time I have tried to achieve success. That I have not been able to do so is due to the times. If it happens to be the age of a Yao or a Shun, then there are no men in the world who face hardship - but this is not because their wisdom saves them. If it happens to be the age of a Chieh or a Chou, then there are no men in the world who achieve success - but this is not because their wisdom fails them. It is time and circumstance that make it so.

"To travel across the water without shrinking from the sea serpent or the dragon - this is the courage of the fisherman. To travel over land without shrinking from the rhinoceros or the tiger - this is the courage of the hunter. To see the bare blades clashing before him and to look upon death as though it were life - this is the courage of the man of ardor.15 To understand that hardship is a matter of fate, that success is a matter of the times, and to face great difficulty without fear - this is the courage of the sage. Be content with it, Tzu Lu. My fate has been decided for me."

Shortly afterwards the leader of the armed men came forward and apologized. "We thought you were Yang Huo and that was why we surrounded you. Now that we see you aren't, we beg to take leave and withdraw."

Kung-sun Lung said to Prince Mou of Wei,16 "When I was young I studied the Way of the former kings, and when I grew older I came to understand the conduct of benevolence and righteousness. I reconciled difference and sameness, distinguished hardness and whiteness, and proved that not so was so, that the unacceptable was acceptable. I confounded the wisdom of the hundred schools and demolished the arguments of a host of speakers. I believed that I had attained the highest degree of accomplishment. But now I have heard the words of Chuang Tzu and I am bewildered by their strangeness. I don't know whether my arguments are not as good as his, or whether I am no match for him in understanding. I find now that I can't even open my beak. May I ask what you advise?"

Prince Mou leaned on his armrest and gave a great sigh, and then he looked up at the sky and laughed, saying, "Haven't you ever heard about the frog in the caved-in well? He said to the great turtle of the Eastern Sea, `What fun I have! I come out and hop around the railing of the well, or I go back in and take a rest in the wall where a tile has fallen out. When I dive into the water, I let it hold me up under the armpits and support my chin, and when I slip about in the mud, I bury my feet in it and let it come up over my ankles. I look around at the mosquito larvae and the crabs and polliwogs and I see that none of them can match me. To have complete command of the water of one whole valley and to monopolize all the joys of a caved-in well-this is the best there is! Why don't you come some time and see for yourself?'

"But before the great turtle of the Eastern Sea had even gotten his left foot in the well his right knee was already wedged fast. He backed out and withdrew a little, and then began to describe the sea. `A distance of a thousand li cannot indicate its greatness; a depth of a thousand fathoms cannot express how deep it is. In the time of Yu there were floods for nine years out of ten, and yet its waters never rose. In the time of T’ang there were droughts for seven years out of eight, and yet its shores never receded. Never to alter or shift, whether for an instant or an eternity; never to advance or recede, whether the quantity of water flowing in is great or small - this is the great delight of the Eastern Sea!'

"When the frog in the caved-in well heard this, he was dumfounded with surprise, crestfallen, and completely at a loss. Now your knowledge cannot even define the borders of right and wrong and still you try to use it to see through the words of Chuang Tzu - this is like trying to make a mosquito carry a mountain on its back or a pill bug race across the Yellow River. You will never be up to the task!

"He whose understanding cannot grasp these minute and subtle words, but is only fit to win some temporary gain - is he not like the frog in the caved-in well? Chuang Tzu, now - at this very moment he is treading the Yellow Springs17 or leaping up to the vast blue. To him there is no north or south - in utter freedom he dissolves himself in the four directions and drowns himself in the unfathomable. To him there is no east or west - he begins in the Dark Obscurity and returns to the Great Thoroughfare. Now you come niggling along and try to spy him out or fix some name to him, but this is like using a tube to scan the sky or an awl to measure the depth of the earth - the instrument is too small, is it not? You'd better be on your way! Or perhaps you've never heard about the young boy of Shou-ling who went to learn the Han-tan Walk. He hadn't mastered what the Han-tan people had to teach him when he forgot his old way of walking, so that he had to crawl all the way back home. Now if you don't get on your way, you're likely to forget what you knew before and be out of a job!"

Kung-sun Lung's mouth fell open and wouldn't stay closed. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and wouldn't come down. In the end he broke into a run and fled.

Once, when Chuang Tzu was fishing in the P'u River, the king of Ch'u sent two officials to go and announce to him: "I would like to trouble you with the administration of my realm."

Chuang Tzu held on to the fishing pole and, without turning his head, said, "I have heard that there is a sacred tortoise in Ch'u that has been dead for three thousand years. The king keeps it wrapped in cloth and boxed, and stores it in the ancestral temple. Now would this tortoise rather be dead and have its bones left behind and honored? Or would it rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud?"

"It would rather be alive and dragging its tail in the mud," said the two officials.

Chuang Tzu said, "Go away! I'll drag my tail in the mud!"

When Hui Tzu was prime minister of Liang, Chuang Tzu set off to visit him. Someone said to Hui Tzu, "Chuang Tzu is coming because he wants to replace you as prime minister!" With this Hui Tzu was filled with alarm and searched all over the state for three days and three nights trying to find Chuang Tzu. Chuang Tzu then came to see him and said, "In the south there is a bird called the Yuan-ch'u - I wonder if you've ever heard of it? The Yuan-ch'u rises up from the South Sea and flies to the North Sea, and it will rest on nothing but the Wu-t'ung tree, eat nothing but the fruit of the Lien, and drink only from springs of sweet water. Once there was an owl who had gotten hold of a half-rotten old rat, and as the Yuan-ch'u passed by, it raised its head, looked up at the Yuan-ch'u, and said, `Shoo!' Now that you have this Liang state of yours, are you trying to shoo me?"

Chuang Tzu and Hui Tzu were strolling along the dam of the Hao River when Chuang Tzu said, "See how the minnows come out and dart around where they please! That's what fish really enjoy!"

Hui Tzu said, "You're not a fish - how do you know what fish enjoy?"

Chuang Tzu said, "You're not I, so how do you know I don't know what fish enjoy?"

Hui Tzu said, "I'm not you, so I certainly don't know what you know. On the other hand, you're certainly not a fish - so that still proves you don't know what fish enjoy!"

Chuang Tzu said, "Let's go back to your original question, please. You asked me how I know what fish enjoy - so you already knew I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the Hao."

Section EIGHTEEN - PERFECT HAPPINESS

IS THERE SUCH A THING as perfect happiness in the world or isn't there? Is there some way to keep yourself alive or isn't there? What to do, what to rely on, what to avoid, what to stick by, what to follow, what to leave alone, what to find happiness in, what to hate?

This is what the world honors: wealth, eminence, long life, a good name. This is what the world finds happiness in: a life of ease, rich food, fine clothes, beautiful sights, sweet sounds. This is what it looks down on: poverty, meanness, early death, a bad name. This is what it finds bitter: a life that knows no rest, a mouth that gets no rich food, no fine clothes for the body, no beautiful sights for the eye, no sweet sounds for the ear.

People who can't get these things fret a great deal and are afraid - this is a stupid way to treat the body. People who are rich wear themselves out rushing around on business, piling up more wealth than they could ever use - this is a superficial way to treat the body. People who are eminent spend night and day scheming and wondering if they are doing right - this is a shoddy way to treat the body. Man lives his life in company with worry, and if he lives a long while, till he's dull and doddering, then he has spent that much time worrying instead of dying, a bitter lot indeed! This is a callous way to treat the body.

Men of ardor1 are regarded by the world as good, but their goodness doesn't succeed in keeping them alive. So I don't know whether their goodness is really good or not. Perhaps I think it's good - but not good enough to save their lives. Perhaps I think it's no good - but still good enough to save the lives of others. So I say, if your loyal advice isn't heeded, give way and do not wrangle. Tzu-hsu wrangled and lost his body.2 But if he hadn't wrangled, he wouldn't have made a name. Is there really such a thing as goodness or isn't there?

What ordinary people do and what they find happiness in - I don't know whether such happiness is in the end really happiness or not. I look at what ordinary people find happiness in, what they all make a mad dash for, racing around as though they couldn't stop - they all say they're happy with it. I'm not happy with it and I'm not unhappy with it. In the end is there really happiness or isn't there?

I take inaction to be true happiness, but ordinary people think it is a bitter thing. I say: perfect happiness knows no happiness, perfect praise knows no praise. The world can't decide what is right and what is wrong. And yet inaction can decide this. Perfect happiness, keeping alive - only inaction gets you close to this!

Let me try putting it this way. The inaction of Heaven is its purity, the inaction of earth is its peace. So the two inactions combine and all things are transformed and brought to birth. Wonderfully, mysteriously, there is no place they come out of. Mysteriously, wonderfully, they have no sign. Each thing minds its business and all grow up out of inaction. So I say, Heaven and earth do nothing and there is nothing that is not done. Among men, who can get hold of this inaction?

Chuang Tzu's wife died. When Hui Tzu went to convey his condolences, he found Chuang Tzu sitting with his legs sprawled out, pounding on a tub and singing. "You lived with her, she brought up your children and grew old," said Hui Tzu. "It should be enough simply not to weep at her death. But pounding on a tub and singing - this is going too far, isn't it?"

Chuang Tzu said, "You're wrong. When she first died, do you think I didn't grieve like anyone else? But I looked back to her beginning and the time before she was born. Not only the time before she was born, but the time before she had a body. Not only the time before she had a body, but the time before she had a spirit. In the midst of the jumble of wonder and mystery a change took place and she had a spirit. Another change and she had a body. Another change and she was born. Now there's been another change and she's dead. It's just like the progression of the four seasons, spring, summer, fall, winter.

"Now she's going to lie down peacefully in a vast room. If I were to follow after her bawling and sobbing, it would show that I don't understand anything about fate. So I stopped."

Uncle Lack-Limb and Uncle Lame-Gait were seeing the sights at Dark Lord Hill and the wastes of K'un-lun, the place where the Yellow Emperor rested.3. Suddenly a willow sprouted out of Uncle Lame-Gait's left elbow.4 He looked very startled and seemed to be annoyed.

"Do you resent it?" said Uncle Lack-Limb.

"No-what is there to resent?" said Uncle Lame-Gait. "To live is to borrow. And if we borrow to live, then life must be a pile of trash. Life and death are day and night. You and I came to watch the process of change, and now change has caught up with me. Why would I have anything to resent?"

When Chuang Tzu went to Ch'u, he saw an old skull, all dry and parched. He poked it with his carriage whip and then asked, "Sir, were you greedy for life and forgetful of reason, and so came to this? Was your state overthrown and did you bow beneath the ax, and so came to this? Did you do some evil deed and were you ashamed to bring disgrace upon your parents and family, and so came to this? Was it through the pangs of cold and hunger that you came to this? Or did your springs and autumns pile up until they brought you to this?"

When he had finished speaking, he dragged the skull over and, using it for a pillow, lay down to sleep.

In the middle of the night, the skull came to him in a dream and said, "You chatter like a rhetorician and all your words betray the entanglements of a living man. The dead know nothing of these! Would you like to hear a lecture on the dead?"

"Indeed," said Chuang Tzu.

The skull said, "Among the dead there are no rulers above, no subjects below, and no chores of the four seasons. With nothing to do, our springs and autumns are as endless as heaven and earth. A king facing south on his throne could have no more happiness than this!"

Chuang Tzu couldn't believe this and said, "If I got the Arbiter of Fate to give you a body again, make you some bones and flesh, return you to your parents and family and your old home and friends, you would want that, wouldn't you?"

The skull frowned severely, wrinkling up its brow. "Why would I throw away more happiness than that of a king on a throne and take on the troubles of a human being again?" it said.

When Yen Yuan went east to Ch'i, Confucius had a very worried look on his face.5 Tzu-kung got off his mat and asked, "May I be so bold as to inquire why the Master has such a worried expression now that Hui has gone east to Ch'i?"

"Excellent-this question of yours," said Confucius. "Kuan Tzu6 had a saying that I much approve of: `Small bags won't hold big things; short well ropes won't dip up deep water.' In the same way I believe that fate has certain forms and the body certain appropriate uses. You can't add to or take away from these. I'm afraid that when Hui gets to Ch'i he will start telling the marquis of Ch'i about the ways of Yao, Shun, and the Yellow Emperor, and then will go on to speak about Sui Jen and Shen Nung.7 The marquis will then look for similar greatness within himself and fail to find it. Failing to find it, he will become distraught, and when a man becomes distraught, he kills.

"Haven't you heard this story? Once a sea bird alighted in the suburbs of the Lu capital. The marquis of Lu escorted it to the ancestral temple, where he entertained it, performing the Nine Shao music for it to listen to and presenting it with the meat of the T'ai-lao sacrifice to feast on. But the bird only looked dazed and forlorn, refusing to eat a single slice of meat or drink a cup of wine, and in three days it was dead. This is to try to nourish a bird with what would nourish you instead of what would nourish a bird. If you want to nourish a bird with what nourishes a bird, then you should let it roost in the deep forest, play among the banks and islands, float on the rivers and lakes, eat mudfish and minnows, follow the rest of the flock in flight and rest, and live any way it chooses. A bird hates to hear even the sound of human voices, much less all that hubbub and to-do. Try performing the Hsien-ch'ih and Nine Shao music in the wilds around Lake Tung-t'ing when the birds hear it they will fly off, when the animals hear it they will run away, when the fish hear it they will dive to the bottom. Only the people who hear it will gather around to listen. Fish live in water and thrive, but if men tried to live in water they would die. Creatures differ because they have different likes and dislikes. Therefore the former sages never required the same ability from all creatures or made them all do the same thing. Names should stop when they have expressed reality, concepts of right should be founded on what is suitable. This is what it means to have command of reason, and good fortune to support you."

Lieh Tzu was on a trip and was eating by the roadside when he saw a hundred-year-old skull. Pulling away the weeds and pointing his finger, he said, "Only you and I know that you have never died and you have never lived. Are you really unhappy? 8 Am I really enjoying myself?"

The seeds of things have mysterious workings. In the water they become Break Vine, on the edges of the water they become Frog's Robe. If they sprout on the slopes they become Hill Slippers. If Hill Slippers get rich soil, they turn into Crow's Feet. The roots of Crow's Feet turn into maggots and their leaves turn into butterflies. Before long the butterflies are transformed and turn into insects that live under the stove; they look like snakes and their name is Ch'u-t'o. After a thousand days, the Ch'u-t'o insects become birds called Dried Leftover Bones. The saliva of the Dried Leftover Bones becomes Ssu-mi bugs and the Ssu-mi bugs become Vinegar Eaters. I-lo bugs are born from the Vinegar Eaters, and Huang-shuang bugs from Chiu-yu bugs. Chiu-yu bugs are born from Mou-jui bugs and Mou-jui bugs are born from Rot Grubs and Rot Grubs are born from Sheep's Groom. Sheep's Groom couples with bamboo that has not sprouted for a long while and produces Green Peace plants. Green Peace plants produce leopards and leopards produce horses and horses produce men. Men in time return again to the mysterious workings. So all creatures come out of the mysterious workings and go back into them again.9

 

Section NINETEEN - MASTERING LIFE

HE WHO HAS MASTERED the true nature of life does not labor over what life cannot do. He who has mastered the true nature of fate does not labor over what knowledge cannot change. He who wants to nourish his body must first of all turn to things. And yet it is possible to have more than enough things and for the body still to go unnourished. He who has life must first of all see to it that it does not leave the body. And yet it is possible for life never to leave the body and still fail to be preserved. The coming of life cannot be fended off, its departure cannot be stopped. How pitiful the men of the world, who think that simply nourishing the body is enough to preserve life! But if nourishing the body is in the end not enough to preserve life, then why is what the world does worth doing? It may not be worth doing, and yet it cannot be left undone - this is unavoidable.

He who wants to avoid doing anything for his body had best abandon the world. By abandoning the world, he can be without entanglements. Being without entanglements, he can be upright and calm. Being upright and calm, he can be born again with others. Being born again, he can come close [to the Way].

But why is abandoning the affairs of the world worth while, and why is forgetting life worth while? If you abandon the affairs of the world, your body will be without toil. If you forget life, your vitality will be unimpaired. With your body complete and your vitality made whole again, you may become one with Heaven. Heaven and earth are the father and mother of the ten thousand things. They join to become a body; they part to become a beginning. When the body and vitality are without flaw, this is called being able to shift. Vitality added to vitality, you return to become the Helper of Heaven.

Master Lieh Tzu said to the Barrier Keeper Yin, "The Perfect Man can walk under water without choking, can tread on fire without being burned, and can travel above the ten thousand things without being frightened. May I ask how he manages this?"

The Barrier Keeper Yin replied, "This is because he guards the pure breath - it has nothing to do with wisdom, skill, determination, or courage. Sit down and I will tell you about it. All that have faces, forms, voices, colors - these are all mere things. How could one thing and another thing be far removed from each other? And how could any one of them be worth considering as a predecessor? They are forms, colors - nothing more. But things have their creation in what has no form, and their conclusion in what has no change. If a man can get hold of this and exhaust it fully, then how can things stand in his way? He may rest within the bounds that know no excess, hide within the borders that know no source, wander where the ten thousand things have their end and beginning, unify his nature, nourish his breath, unite his virtue, and thereby communicate with that which creates all things. A man like this guards what belongs to Heaven and keeps it whole. His spirit has no flaw, so how can things enter in and get at him?

"When a drunken man falls from a carriage, though the carriage may be going very fast, he won't be killed. He has bones and joints the same as other men, and yet he is not injured as they would be, because his spirit is whole. He didn't know he was riding, and he doesn't know he has fallen out. Life and death, alarm and terror do not enter his breast, and so he can bang against things without fear of injury. If he can keep himself whole like this by means of wine, how much more can he keep himself whole by means of Heaven! The sage hides himself in Heaven - hence there is nothing that can do him harm.

"A man seeking revenge does not go so far as to smash the sword of his enemy; a man, no matter how hot-tempered, does not rail at the tile that happens to fall on him. To know that all things in the world are equal and the same-this is the only way to eliminate the chaos of attack and battle and the harshness of punishment and execution!

"Do not try to develop what is natural to man; develop what is natural to Heaven. He who develops Heaven benefits life; he who develops man injures life. Do not reject what is of Heaven, do not neglect what is of man, and the people will be close to the attainment of Truth." 1

When Confucius was on his way to Ch'u, he passed through a forest where he saw a hunchback catching cicadas with a sticky pole as easily as though he were grabbing them with his hand.

Confucius said, "What skill you have! Is there a special way to this?"

"I have a way," said the hunchback. "For the first five or six months I practice balancing two balls on top of each other on the end of the pole and, if they don't fall off, I know I will lose very few cicadas. Then I balance three balls and, if they don't fall off, I know I'll lose only one cicada in ten. Then I balance five balls and, if they don't fall off, I know it will be as easy as grabbing them with my hand. I hold my body like a stiff tree trunk and use my arm like an old dry limb. No matter how huge heaven and earth, or how numerous the ten thousand things, I'm aware of nothing but cicada wings. Not wavering, not tipping, not letting any of the other ten thousand things take the place of those cicada wings - how can I help but succeed?"

Confucius turned to his disciples and said, "He keeps his will undivided and concentrates his spirit - that would serve to describe our hunchback gentleman here, would it not?"

Yen Yuan said to Confucius, "I once crossed the gulf at Goblet Deeps and the ferryman handled the boat with supernatural skill. I asked him, `Can a person learn how to handle a boat?' and he replied, `Certainly. A good swimmer will in no time get the knack of it. And, if a man can swim under water, he may never have seen a boat before and still he'll know how to handle it!' I asked him what he meant by that, but he wouldn't tell me. May I venture to ask you what it means?"

Confucius said, "A good swimmer will in no time get the knack of it - that means he's forgotten the water. If a man can swim under water, he may never have seen a boat before and still he'll know how to handle it - that's because he sees the water as so much dry land, and regards the capsizing of a boat as he would the overturning of a cart. The ten thousand things2 may all be capsizing and backsliding at the same time right in front of him and it can't get at him and affect what's inside - so where could he go and not be at ease?

"When you're betting for tiles in an archery contest, you shoot with skill. When you're betting for fancy belt buckles, you worry about your aim. And when you're betting for real gold, you're a nervous wreck. Your skill is the same in all three cases - but because one prize means more to you than another, you let outside considerations weigh on your mind. He who looks too hard at the outside gets clumsy on the inside."

T'ien K'ai-chih went to see Duke Wei of Chou. Duke Wei said, "I hear that Chu Hsien is studying how to live. You are a friend of his - what have you heard from him on the subject?"

T'ien K'ai-chih said, "I merely wield a broom and tend his gate and garden - how should I have heard anything from the Master?"

Duke Wei said, "Don't be modest, Master T'ien. I am anxious to hear about it."

T'ien K'ai-chih said, "I have heard the Master say, `He who is good at nourishing life is like a herder of sheep - he watches for stragglers and whips them up.' "

"What does that mean?" asked Duke Wei.

T'ien K'ai-chih said, "In Lu there was Shan Pao - he lived among the cliffs, drank only water, and didn't go after gain like other people. He went along like that for seventy years and still had the complexion of a little child. Unfortunately, he met a hungry tiger who killed him and ate him up. Then there was Chang Yi - there wasn't one of the great families and fancy mansions that he didn't rush off to visit. He went along like that for forty years, and then he developed an internal fever, fell ill, and died. Shan Pao looked after what was on the inside and the tiger ate up his outside. Chang Yi looked after what was on the outside and the sickness attacked him from the inside. Both these men failed to give a lash to the stragglers."3

Confucius has said, "Don't go in and hide; don't come out and shine; stand stock-still in the middle." He who can follow these three rules is sure to be called the finest. When people are setting out on a dangerous road, if they hear that one traveler in a party of ten has been murdered, then fathers and sons, elder and younger brothers will warn each other to be careful and will not venture out until they have a large escort of armed men. That's wise of them, isn't it? But when it comes to what people really ought to be worried about - the time when they are lying in bed or sitting around eating and drinking - then they don't have sense enough to take warning. That's a mistake!"

The Invocator of the Ancestors, dressed in his black, square-cut robes, peered into the pigpen and said, "Why should you object to dying? I'm going to fatten you for three months, practice austerities for ten days, fast for three days, spread the white rushes, and lay your shoulders and rump on the carved sacrificial stand - you'll go along with that, won't you? True, if I were planning things from the point of view of a pig, I'd say it would be better to eat chaff and bran and stay right there in the pen. But if I were planning for myself, I'd say that if I could be honored as a high official while I lived, and get to ride in a fine hearse and lie among the feathers and trappings when I died, I'd go along with that. Speaking for the pig, I'd give such a life a flat refusal, but speaking for myself, I'd certainly accept. I wonder why I look at things differently from a pig?"

Duke Huan was hunting in a marsh, with Kuan Chung as his carriage driver, when he saw a ghost. The duke grasped Kuan Chung's hand and said, "Father Chung, what do you see?"4

"I don't see anything," replied Kuan Chung.

When the duke returned home, he fell into a stupor, grew ill, and for several days did not go out.

A gentleman of Ch'i named Huang-tzu Kao-ao said, "Your Grace, you are doing this injury to yourself! How could a ghost have the power to injure you! If the vital breath that is stored up in a man becomes dispersed and does not return, then he suffers a deficiency. If it ascends and fails to descend again, it causes him to be chronically irritable. If it descends and does not ascend again, it causes him to be chronically forgetful. And if it neither ascends nor descends, but gathers in the middle of the body in the region of the heart, then he becomes ill."

Duke Huan said, "But do ghosts really exist?"

"Indeed they do. There is the Li on the hearth5 and the Chi in the stove. The heap of clutter and trash just inside the gate is where the Lei-t'ing lives. In the northeast corner the Pei-a and Kuei-lung leap about, and the northwest corner is where the I-yang lives. In the water is the Kang-hsiang; on the hills, the Hsin; in the mountains, the K'uei;6 in the meadows, the P’ang-huang; and in the marshes, the Wei-t'o."

The duke said, "May I ask what a Wei-t'o looks like?"

Huang-tzu said, "The Wei-t'o is as big as a wheel hub, as tall as a carriage shaft, has a purple robe and a vermilion hat and, as creatures go, is very ugly. When it hears the sound of thunder or a carriage, it grabs its head and stands up. Any one who sees it will soon become a dictator."

Duke Huan's face lit up and he said with a laugh, "That must have been what I saw!" Then he straightened his robe and hat and sat up on the mat with Huang-tzu, and before the day was over, though he didn't notice it, his illness went away.

Chi Hsing-tzu was training gamecocks for the king. After ten days the king asked if they were ready.

"Not yet. They're too haughty and rely on their nerve."

Another ten days and the king asked again.

"Not yet. They still respond to noises and movements."

Another ten days and the king asked again.

"Not yet. They still look around fiercely and are full of spirit."

Another ten days and the king asked again.

"They're close enough. Another cock can crow and they show no sign of change. Look at them from a distance and you'd think they were made of wood. Their virtue is complete. Other cocks won't dare face them, but will turn and run."

Confucius was seeing the sights at Lu-liang, where the water falls from a height of thirty fathoms and races and boils along for forty li, so swift that no fish or other water creature can swim in it. He saw a man dive into the water and, supposing that the man was in some kind of trouble and intended to end his life, he ordered his disciples to line up on the bank and pull the man out. But after the man had gone a couple of hundred paces, he came out of the water and began strolling along the base of the embankment, his hair streaming down, singing a song. Confucius ran after him and said, "At first I thought you were a ghost, but now I see you're a man. May I ask if you have some special way of staying afloat in the water?"

"I have no way. I began with what I was used to, grew up with my nature, and let things come to completion with fate. I go under with the swirls and come out with the eddies, following along the way the water goes and never thinking about myself. That's how I can stay afloat."

Confucius said, "What do you mean by saying that you began with what you were used to, grew up with your nature, and let things come to completion with fate?"

"I was born on the dry land and felt safe on the dry land - that was what I was used to. I grew up with the water and felt safe in the water - that was my nature. I don't know why I do what I do - that's fate."

Woodworker Ch'ing7 carved a piece of wood and made a bell stand, and when it was finished, everyone who saw it marveled, for it seemed to be the work of gods or spirits. When the marquis of Lu saw it, he asked, "What art is it you have?"

Ch'ing replied, "I am only a craftsman - how would I have any art? There is one thing, however. When I am going to make a bell stand, I never let it wear out my energy. I always fast in order to still my mind. When I have fasted for three days, I no longer have any thought of congratulations or rewards, of titles or stipends. When I have fasted for five days, I no longer have any thought of praise or blame, of skill or clumsiness. And when I have fasted for seven days, I am so still that I forget I have four limbs and a form and body. By that time, the ruler and his court no longer exist for me. My skill is concentrated and all outside distractions fade away. After that, I go into the mountain forest and examine the Heavenly nature of the trees. If I find one of superlative form, and I can see a bell stand there, I put my hand to the job of carving; if not, I let it go. This way I am simply matching up `Heaven' with `Heaven.' 8 That's probably the reason that people wonder if the results were not made by spirits."

Tung-yeh Chi was displaying his carriage driving before Duke Chuang. He drove back and forth as straight as a measuring line and wheeled to left and right as neat as a compassdrawn curve. Duke Chuang concluded that even Tsao Fu9 could do no better, and ordered him to make a hundred circuits and then return to the palace. Yen Ho happened along at the moment and went in to see the duke. "Tung-yeh Chi's horses are going to break down," he said. The duke was silent and gave no answer. In a little while Tung-yeh Chi returned, his horses having in fact broken down. The duke asked Yen Ho, "How did you know that was going to happen?" Yen Ho said, "The strength of the horses was all gone and still he was asking them to go on - that's why I said they would break down."

Artisan Ch'ui could draw as true as a compass or a T square because his fingers changed along with things and he didn't let his mind get in the way. Therefore his Spirit Tower10 remained unified and unobstructed.

You forget your feet when the shoes are comfortable. You forget your waist when the belt is comfortable. Understanding forgets right and wrong when the mind is comfortable. There is no change in what is inside, no following what is outside, when the adjustment to events is comfortable. You begin with what is comfortable and never experience what is uncomfortable when you know the comfort of forgetting what is comfortable.

A certain Sun Hsiu appeared at the gate of Master Pien Ch'ing-tzu to pay him a call. "When I was living in the village," he said, "no one ever said I lacked good conduct. When I faced difficulty, no one ever said I lacked courage. Yet when I worked the fields, it never seemed to be a good year for crops, and when I served the ruler, it never seemed to be a good time for advancement. So I am an outcast from the villages, an exile from the towns. What crime have I committed against Heaven? Why should I meet this fate?"

Master Pien said, "Have you never heard how the Perfect Man conducts himself? He forgets his liver and gall and thinks no more about his eyes and ears. Vague and aimless, he wanders beyond the dirt and dust; free and easy, tending to nothing is his job. This is what is called `doing but not looking for any thanks, bringing up but not bossing.’11 Now you show off your wisdom in order to astound the ignorant, work at your good conduct in order to distinguish yourself from the disreputable, going around bright and shining as though you were carrying the sun and moon in your hand! You've managed to keep your body in one piece, you have all the ordinary nine openings, you haven't been struck down midway by blindness or deafness, lameness or deformity - compared to a lot of people, you're a lucky man. How do you have any time to go around complaining against Heaven? Be on your way!"

After Master Sun had left, Master Pien went back into the house, sat down for a while, and then looked up to heaven and sighed. One of his disciples asked, "Why does my teacher sigh?"

Master Pien said, "Just now Sun Hsiu came to see me, and I described to him the virtue of the Perfect Man. I'm afraid he was very startled and may end up in a complete muddle."

"Surely not," said the disciple. "Was what Master Sun said right and what my teacher said wrong? If so, then wrong can certainly never make a muddle out of right. Or was what Master Sun said wrong and what my teacher said right? If so, then he must already have been in a muddle when he came here, so what's the harm?"

"You don't understand," said Master Pien. "Once long ago a bird alighted in the suburbs of the Lu capital. The ruler of Lu was delighted with it, had a T'ai-lao sacrifice prepared for it to feast on, and the Nine Shao music performed for its enjoyment. But the bird immediately began to look unhappy and dazed, and did not dare to eat or drink. This is what is called trying to nourish a bird with what would nourish you. If you want to nourish a bird with what will nourish a bird, you had best let it roost in the deep forest, float on the rivers and lakes, and live on snakes-then it can feel at ease. 12

"Now Sun Hsiu is a man of ignorance and little learning. For me to describe to him the virtue of the Perfect Man is like taking a mouse for a ride in a carriage or trying to delight a quail with the music of bells and drums. How could he help but be startled?"

 

Section TWENTY - THE MOUNTAIN TREE

CHUANG TZU WAS WALKING in the mountains when he saw a huge tree, its branches and leaves thick and lush. A woodcutter paused by its side but made no move to cut it down. When Chuang Tzu asked the reason, he replied, "There's nothing it could be used for!" Chuang Tzu said, "Because of its worthlessness, this tree is able to live out the years Heaven gave it."

Down from the mountain, the Master stopped for a night at the house of an old friend. The friend, delighted, ordered his son to kill a goose and prepare it. "One of the geese can cackle and the other can't," said the son. "May I ask, please, which I should kill?"

"Kill the one that can't cackle," said the host.

The next day Chuang Tzu's disciples questioned him. "Yesterday there was a tree on the mountain that gets to live out the years Heaven gave it because of its worthlessness. Now there's our host's goose that gets killed because of its worthlessness. What position would you take in such a case, Master?"

Chuang Tzu laughed and said, "I'd probably take a position halfway between worth and worthlessness. But halfway between worth and worthlessness, though it might seem to be a good place, really isn't - you'll never get away from trouble there. It would be very different, though, if you were to climb up on the Way and its Virtue and go drifting and wandering, neither praised nor damned, now a dragon, now a snake, shifting with the times, never willing to hold to one course only. Now up, now down, taking harmony for your measure, drifting and wandering with the ancestor of the ten thousand things, treating things as things but not letting them treat you as a thing - then how could you get into any trouble? This is the rule, the method of Shen Nung and the Yellow Emperor.

"But now, what with the forms of the ten thousand things and the codes of ethics handed down from man to man, matters don't proceed in this fashion. Things join only to part, reach completion only to crumble. If sharp-edged, they are blunted; if high-stationed, they are overthrown;1 if ambitious, they are foiled. Wise, they are schemed against; stupid, they are swindled. What is there, then, that can be counted on? Only one thing, alas! - remember this, my students - only the realm of the Way and its Virtue!"

I-liao from south of the Market called upon the marquis of Lu.2 The marquis had a very worried look on his face. "Why such a worried look?" asked the Master from south of the Market.

The marquis of Lu said, "I study the way of the former kings, I do my best to carry on the achievements of the former rulers, I respect the spirits, honor worthy men, draw close to them, follow their advice, and never for an instant leave their side. And yet I can't seem to avoid disaster. That's why I'm so worried."

The Master from south of the Market said, "Your technique for avoiding disaster is a very superficial one. The sleek-furred fox and the elegantly spotted leopard dwell in the mountain forest and crouch in the cliffside caves - such is

their quietude. They go abroad by night but lurk at home by day - such is their caution. Though hunger, thirst, and hardship press them, they steal forth only one by one to seek food by the rivers and lakes - such is their forethought .3 And yet they can't seem to escape the disaster of nets and traps. Where is the blame? Their fur is their undoing. And this state of Lu-is it not your coat of fur? So I would ask you to strip away your form, rid yourself of this fur, wash clean your mind, be done with desire, and wander in the peopleless fields.

"In Nan-yueh there is a city and its name is The Land of Virtue Established. Its people are foolish and naive, few in thoughts of self, scant in desires. They know how to make, but not how to lay away; they give, but look for nothing in return. They do not know what accords with right, they do not know what conforms to ritual. Uncouth, uncaring, they move recklessly - and this way they tread the path of the Great Method. Their birth brings rejoicing, their death a fine funeral. So I would ask you to discard your state, break away from its customs, and, with the Way as your helper, journey there."

The ruler of Lu said, "The road there is long and perilous. Moreover, there are rivers and mountains between and I have no boat or carriage. What can I do?"

The Master from south of the Market said, "Be without imperiousness, be without conventionality - let this be your carriage." 4

But the ruler of Lu said, "The road is dark and long and there are no people there. Who will be my companion on the way? When I have no rations, when I have nothing to eat, how will I be able to reach my destination?"

The Master from south of the Market said, "Make few your needs, lessen your desires, and then you may get along even without rations. You will ford the rivers and drift out upon the sea. Gaze all you may - you cannot see its farther shore; journey on and on - you will never find where it ends. Those who came to see you off will all turn back from the shore and go home, while you move ever farther into the distance.

"He who possesses men will know hardship; he who is possessed by men will know care. Therefore Yao neither possessed men nor allowed himself to be possessed by them. So I ask you to rid yourself of hardship, to cast off your cares, and to wander alone with the Way to the Land of Great Silence.

"If a man, having lashed two hulls together, is crossing a river, and an empty boat happens along and bumps into him, no matter how hot-tempered the man may be, he will not get angry. But if there should be someone in the other boat, then he will shout out to haul this way or veer that. If his first shout is unheeded, he will shout again, and if that is not heard, he will shout a third time, this time with a torrent of curses following. In the first instance, he wasn't angry; now in the second he is. Earlier he faced emptiness, now he faces occupancy. If a man could succeed in making himself empty, and in that way wander through the world, then who could do him harm?"

Pei-kung She was collecting taxes for Duke Ling of Wei in order to make a set of bells. He built a platform outside the gate of the outer wall, and in the space of three months the bells were completed, both the upper and lower tiers.5 Prince Ch'ing-chi, observing this, asked, "What art is it you wield?" 6

Pei-kung She replied, "In the midst of Unity, how should I venture to `wield' anything? I have heard it said, When carving and polishing are done, then return to plainness. Dull, I am without understanding; placid, I dawdle and drift. Mysteriously, wonderfully, I bid farewell to what goes, I greet what comes; for what comes cannot be denied, and what goes cannot be detained. I follow the rude and violent, trail after the meek and bending, letting each come to its own end. So I can collect taxes from morning to night and meet not the slightest rebuff. How much more would this be true, then, of a man who had hold of the Great Road?"

Confucius was besieged between Ch'en and Ts'ai, and for seven days he ate no cooked food. T'ai-kung Jen went to offer his sympathy. "It looks as if you're going to die," he said.

"It does indeed."

"Do you hate the thought of dying?"

"I certainly do!"

Jen said, "Then let me try telling you about a way to keep from dying. In the eastern sea there is a bird and its name is Listless. It flutters and flounces but seems to be quite helpless. It must be boosted and pulled before it can get into the air, pushed and shoved before it can get back to its nest. It never dares to be the first to advance, never dares to be the last to retreat. At feeding time, it never ventures to take the first bite, but picks only at the leftovers. So, when it flies in file, it never gets pushed aside, nor do other creatures such as men ever do it any harm. In this way it escapes disaster.

"The straight-trunked tree is the first to be felled; the well of sweet water is the first to run dry. And you, now – you show off your wisdom in order to astound the ignorant, work at your good conduct in order to distinguish yourself from the disreputable, going around bright and shining as though you were carrying the sun and moon in your hand! That's why you can't escape!

'I have heard the Man of Great Completion say: `Boasts are a sign of no success; success once won faces overthrow; fame once won faces ruin.' Who can rid himself of success and fame, return and join the common run of men? His Way flows abroad, but he does not rest in brightness; his Virtue' moves, but he does not dwell in fame. Vacant, addled, he seems close to madness. Wiping out his footprints, sloughing off his power, he does not work for success or fame. So he has no cause to blame other men, nor other men to blame him. The Perfect Man wants no repute. Why then do you delight in it so?"

"Excellent!" exclaimed Confucius. Then he said good-bye to his friends and associates, dismissed his disciples, and retired to the great swamp, wearing furs and coarse cloth and living on acorns and chestnuts. He could walk among the animals without alarming their herds, walk among the birds without alarming their flocks. If even the birds and beasts did not resent him, how much less would men!

Confucius said to Master Sang-hu, "Twice I have been driven out of Lu. The people chopped down a tree on me in Sung, wiped away my footprints in Wei, made trouble for me in Shang and Chou, and besieged me between Ch'en and Ts'ai -so many calamities have I encountered. My kinfolk and associates drift farther and farther away, my friends and followers one after the other take leave. Why is this?"

Master Sang-hu said, "Have you never heard about Lin Hui, the man who fled from Chia" He threw away his jade disc worth a thousand measures of gold, strapped his little baby on his back, and hurried off. Someone said to him, `Did you think of it in terms of money? Surely a little baby isn't worth much money! Or were you thinking of the bother? But a little baby is a great deal of bother! Why then throw away a jade disc worth a thousand measures of gold and hurry off with a little baby on your back?'

"Lin Hui replied, `The jade disc and I were joined by profit, but the child and I were brought together by Heaven. Things joined by profit, when pressed by misfortune and danger, will cast each other aside; but things brought together by Heaven, when pressed by misfortune and danger, will cling to one another. To cling to each other and to cast each other aside are far apart indeed!'

"The friendship of a gentleman, they say, is insipid as water; that of a petty man, sweet as rich wine. But the insipidity of the gentleman leads to affection, while the sweetness of the petty man leads to revulsion. Those with no particular reason for joining together will for no particular reason part."

Confucius said, "I will do my best to honor your instructions!" Then, with leisurely steps and a free and easy manner, he returned home. He abandoned his studies, gave away his books, and his disciples no longer came to bow in obeisance before him, but their affection for him was greater than it had ever been before.

Another day Master Sang-hu likewise said, "When Shun was about to die, he carefully8' instructed Yu in these words: `Mark what I say! In the case of the body, it is best to let it go along with things. In the case of the emotions, it is best to let them follow where they will. By going along with things, you avoid becoming separated from them. By letting the emotions follow as they will, you avoid fatigue. And when there is no separation or fatigue, then you need not seek any outward adornment or depend upon the body. And when you no longer seek outward adornment or depend upon the body, you have in fact ceased to depend upon any material thing.' ".

Chuang Tzu put on his robe of coarse cloth with the patches on it, tied his shoes with hemp to keep them from falling apart, and went to call upon the king of Wei. "My goodness, Sir, you certainly are in distress!" said the king of Wei.

Chuang Tzu said, "I am poor, but I am not in distress! When a man possesses the Way and its Virtue but cannot put them into practice, then he is in distress. When his clothes are shabby and his shoes worn through, then he is poor, but he is not in distress. This is what they call being born at the wrong time. Has Your Majesty never observed the bounding monkeys? If they can reach the tall cedars, the catalpas, or the camphor trees, they will swing and sway from their limbs, frolic and lord it in their midst, and even the famous archers Yi or P'eng Meng could not take accurate aim at them. But when they find themselves among prickly mulberries, brambles, hawthorns, or spiny citrons, they must move with caution, glancing from side to side, quivering and quaking with fear. It is not that their bones and sinews have suddenly become stiff and lost their suppleness. It is simply that the monkeys find themselves in a difficult and disadvantageous position where they cannot exercise their abilities to the full. And now if I should live under a benighted ruler and among traitorous ministers and still hope to escape distress, what hope would there be of doing so? Pi Kan had his heart cut out - there is the proof of the matter!" 9

Confucius was in trouble between Ch'en and Ts'ai, and for seven days he ate no cooked food. His left hand propped against a withered tree, his right beating time on a withered limb, he sang the air of the lord of Yen.10 The rapping of the limb provided an accompaniment, but it was without any fixed rhythm; there was melody, but none that fitted the usual tonal categories of kung or chueh. The drumming on the tree, the voice of the singer had a pathos to them that would strike a man's heart.

Yen Hui, standing with hands folded respectfully across his chest, turned his eyes and looked inquiringly at Confucius. Confucius, fearful that Yen Hui's respect for him was too great, that his love for him was too tender, said to him, "Hui! It is easy to be indifferent to the afflictions of Heaven, but hard to be indifferent to the benefits of man. No beginning but has its end, and man and Heaven are one. Who is it, then, who sings this song now?"

Hui said, "May I venture to ask what you mean when you say it is easy to be indifferent to the afflictions of Heaven?"

Confucius said, "Hunger, thirst, cold, heat, barriers and blind alleys that will not let you pass - these are the workings of Heaven and earth, the shifts of ever-turning things. This is what is called traveling side by side with the others. He who serves as a minister does not dare to abandon his lord. And if he is thus faithful to the way of a true minister, how much more would he be if he were to attend upon Heaven!"

"And what do you mean when you say that it is hard to be indifferent to the benefits of man?"

Confucius replied, "A man sets out on a career, and soon he is advancing in all four directions at once. Titles and stipends come raining down on him without end, but these are merely material profits and have nothing to do with the man himself. As for me, my fate lies elsewhere. A gentleman will not pilfer, a worthy man will not steal. What business would I have, then, trying to acquire such things? So it is said, There is no bird wiser than the swallow. If its eyes do not light upon a suitable spot, it will not give a second look. If it happens to drop the food it had in its beak, it will let it go and fly on its way. It is wary of men, and yet it lives among them, finding its protection along with men in the village altars of the soil and grain."

"And what do you mean by saying, `No beginning but has its end'?"

Confucius said, "There is a being who transforms the ten thousand things, yet we do not know how he works these changes. How do we know what is an end? How do we know what is a beginning? The only thing for us to do is just to wait!"

"And what do you mean by saving, `man and Heaven are one'?"

Confucius said, "Man exists because of Heaven, and Heaven too exists because of Heaven. But man cannot cause Heaven to exist; this is because of [the limitations of] his inborn nature. The sage, calm and placid, embodies change and so comes to his end."

Chuang Chou was wandering in the park at Tiao-ling when he saw a peculiar kind of magpie that came flying along from the south. It had a wingspread of seven feet and its eyes were a good inch in diameter. It brushed against Chuang Chou's forehead and then settled down in a grove of chestnut trees. "What kind of bird is that!" exclaimed Chuang Chou. "Its wings are enormous but they get it nowhere; its eyes are huge but it can't even see where it's going!" Then he hitched up his robe, strode forward, cocked his crossbow and prepared to take aim. As he did so, he spied a cicada that had found a lovely spot of shade and had forgotten all about [the possibility of danger to] its body. Behind it, a praying mantis, stretching forth its claws, prepared to snatch the cicada, and it too had forgotten about its own form as it eyed its prize. The peculiar magpie was close behind, ready to make off with the praying mantis, forgetting its own true self as it fixed its eyes on the prospect of gain. Chuang Chou, shuddering at the sight, said, "Ah! - things do nothing but make trouble for each other - one creature calling down disaster on another!" He threw down his crossbow, turned about, and hurried from the park, but the park keeper [taking him for a poacher] raced after him with shouts of accusation.

Chuang Chou returned home and for three months looked unhappy." Lin Chu in the course of tending to his master's needs, questioned him, saying, "Master, why is it that you are so unhappy these days?"

Chuang Chou said, "In clinging to outward form I have forgotten my own body. Staring at muddy water, I have been misled into taking it for a clear pool. Moreover, I have heard my Master say, `When you go among the vulgar, follow their rules!' I went wandering at Tiao-ling and forgot my body. A peculiar magpie brushed against my forehead, wandered off to the chestnut grove, and there forgot its true self. And the keeper of the chestnut grove, to my great shame, took me for a trespasser! That is why I am unhappy."

Yang Tzu, on his way to Sung, stopped for the night at an inn. The innkeeper had two concubines, one beautiful, the other ugly. But the ugly one was treated as a lady of rank, while the beautiful one was treated as a menial. When Yang Tzu asked the reason, a young boy of the inn replied, "The beautiful one is only too aware of her beauty, and so we don't think of her as beautiful. The ugly one is only too aware of her ugliness, and so we don't think of her as ugly."

Yang Tzu said, "Remember that, my students! If you act worthily but rid yourself of the awareness that you are acting worthily, then where can you go that you will not be loved?"

 

Section TWENTY-ONE - T'IEN TZU-FANG

T'IEN TZU-FANG WAS SITTING in attendance on Marquis Wen of Wei.1 When he repeatedly praised one Ch'i Kung, Marquis Wen asked, "Is Ch'i Kung your teacher?"

"No," replied Tzu-fang. "He comes from the same neighborhood as I do. Discussing the Way with him, I've found he often hits the mark - that's why I praise him."

"Have you no teacher then?" asked Marquis Wen.

"I have," said Tzu-fang.

"Who is your teacher?"

"Master Shun from east of the Wall," said Tzu-fang.

"Then why have you never praised him?" asked Marquis Wen.

Tzu-fang said, "He's the kind of man who is True - the face of a human being, the emptiness of Heaven. He follows along and keeps tight hold of the True; pure, he can encompass all things. If men do not have the Way, he has only to put on a straight face and they are enlightened; he causes men's intentions to melt away. But how could any of this be worth praising!"

Tzu-fang retired from the room and Marquis Wen, stupefied, sat for the rest of the day in silence. Then he called to the ministers who stood in attendance on him and said, "How far away he is - the gentleman of Complete Virtue! I used to think that the words of the wisdom of the sages and the practices of benevolence and righteousness were the highest ideal. But now that I have heard about Tzu-fang's teacher, my body has fallen apart and I feel no inclination to move; my mouth is manacled and I feel no inclination to speak. These things that I have been studying are so many clay dolls2 - nothing more! This state of Wei is in truth only a burden to me!"

Wen-po Hsueh-tzu, journeying to Ch'i, stopped along the way in the state of Lu.3 A man of Lu requested an interview with him, but Wen-po Hsueh-tzu said, "No indeed! I have heard of the gentlemen of these middle states - enlightened on the subject of ritual principles but stupid in their understanding of men's hearts. I have no wish to see any such person."

He arrived at his destination in Ch'i, and on his way home had stopped again in Lu when the man once more requested an interview. Wen-po Hsueh-tzu said, "In the past he made an attempt to see me, and now he's trying again. He undoubtedly has some means by which he hopes to `save' me!"

He went out to receive the visitor and returned to his own rooms with a sigh. The following day, he received the visitor once more, and once more returned with a sigh. His groom said, "Every time you receive this visitor you come back sighing. Why is that?"

"I told you before, didn't I? These men of the middle states are enlightened in ritual principles but stupid in the understanding of men's hearts. Yesterday, when this man came to see me, his advancings and retirings were as precise as though marked by compass or T square. In looks and bearing he was now a dragon, now a tiger. He remonstrated with me as though he were my son, offered me guidance as though he were my father! That is why I sighed."

Confucius also went for an interview with Wen-po Hsueh-tzu but returned without having spoken a word. Tzu-lu said, "You have been wanting to see `Yen-po Hsueh-tzu for a long time. Now you had the chance to see him, why didn't you say anything?"

Confucius said, "With that kind of man, one glance tells you that the Way is there before you. What room does that leave for any possibility of speech?"

Yen Yuan said to Confucius, "Master, when you walk, I walk; when you trot, I trot; when you gallop, I gallop. But when you break into the kind of dash that leaves even the dust behind, all I can do is stare after you in amazement!"

"Hui, what are you talking about?" asked the Master.

"When you walk, I walk - that is, I can speak just as you speak. When you trot, I trot - that is, I can make discriminations just as you do. When you gallop, I gallop - that is, I can expound the Way just as you do. But when you break into the kind of dash that leaves even the dust behind and all I can do is stare after you in amazement - by that I mean that you do not have to speak to be trusted, that you are catholic and not partisan,' that although you lack the regalia of high office the people still congregate before you, and with all this, you do not know why it is so."

"Ah," said. Confucius, "we had best look into this! There is no grief greater than the death of the mind - beside it, the death of the body is a minor matter. The sun rises out of the east, sets at the end of the west, and each one of the ten thousand things moves side by side with it. Creatures that have eyes and feet must wait for it before their success is complete. Its rising means they may go on living, its setting means they perish. For all the ten thousand things it is thus. They must wait for something before they can die, wait for something before they can live. Having once received this fixed bodily form, I will hold on to it, unchanging, in this way waiting for the end. I move after the model of other things, day and night without break, but I do not know what the end will be. Mild, genial, my bodily form takes shape. I understand my fate but I cannot fathom what has gone before it. This is the way I proceed, day after day.

"I have gone through life linked arm in arm with you, yet now you fail [to understand me]-is this not sad? You see in me, I suppose, the part that can be seen - but that part is already over and gone. For you to come looking for it, thinking it still exists, is like looking for a horse after the horsefair is over.5 I serve you best when I have utterly forgotten you, and you likewise serve me best when you have utterly forgotten me. But even so, why should you repine? Even if you forget the old me, I will still possess something that will not be forgotten!" 6

Confucius went to call on Lao Tan. Lao Tan had just finished washing his hair and had spread it over his shoulders to dry. Utterly motionless, he did not even seem to be human. Confucius, hidden from sight,7 stood waiting, and then after some time presented himself and exclaimed, "Did my eves play tricks on me, or was that really true? A moment ago, Sir, your form and body seemed stiff as an old dead tree, as though you had forgotten things, taken leave of men, and were standing in solitude itself!"

Lao Tan said, "I was letting my mind wander in the Beginning of things."

"What does that mean?" asked Confucius.

"The mind may wear itself out but can never understand it; the mouth may gape but can never describe it. Nevertheless, I will try explaining it to you in rough outline.

"Perfect Yin is stern and frigid; Perfect Yang is bright and glittering. The sternness and frigidity come forth from heaven, the brightness and glitter emerge from the earth;8 the two mingle, penetrate, come together, harmonize, and all things are born therefrom. Perhaps someone manipulates the cords that draw it all together, but no one has ever seen his form. Decay, growth, fullness, emptiness, now murky, now bright, the sun shifting, the moon changing phase - day after day these things proceed, yet no one has seen him bringing them about. Life has its sproutings, death its destination, end and beginning tail one another in unbroken round, and no one has ever heard of their coming to a stop. If it is not as I have described it, then who else could the Ancestor of all this be?"

Confucius said, "May I ask what it means to wander in such a place?"

Lao Tan said, "It means to attain Perfect Beauty and Perfect Happiness. He who attains Perfect Beauty and wanders in Perfect Happiness may be called the Perfect Man."

Confucius said, "I would like to hear by what means this may be accomplished."

"Beasts that feed on grass do not fret over a change of pasture; creatures that live in water do not fret over a change of stream. They accept the minor shift as long as the all-important constant is not lost. [Be like them] and joy, anger, grief, and happiness can never enter your breast. In this world, the ten thousand things come together in One, and if you can find that One and become identical with it, then your four limbs and hundred joints will become dust and sweepings; life and death, beginning and end will be mere day and night, and nothing whatever can confound you - certainly not the trifles of gain or loss, good or bad fortune!

"A man will discard the servants who wait upon him as though they were so much earth or mud, for he knows that his own person is of more worth than the servants who tend it. Worth lies within yourself and no external shift will cause it to be lost. And since the ten thousand transformations continue without even the beginning of an end, how could they be enough to bring anxiety to your mind? He who practices the Way understands all this." 9

Confucius said, "Your virtue, Sir, is the very counterpart of Heaven and earth, and yet even you must employ these perfect teachings in order to cultivate your mind. Who, then, even among the fine gentlemen of the past, could have avoided such labors?"

"Not so!" said Lao Tan. "The murmuring of the water is its natural talent, not something that it does deliberately. The Perfect Man stands in the same relationship in virtue. Without cultivating it, he possesses it to such an extent that things cannot draw away from him. It is as natural as the height of heaven, the depth of the earth, the brightness of sun and moon. What is there to be cultivated?"

When Confucius emerged from the interview, he reported what had passed to Yen Hui, saying, "As far as the Way is concerned, I was a mere gnat in the vinegar jar! If the Master hadn't taken off the lid for me, I would never have understood the Great Integrity of Heaven and earth!"

Chuang Tzu went to see Duke Ai of Lu. Duke Ai said, "We have a great many Confucians here in the state of Lu, but there seem to be very few men who study your methods, Sir!"

"There are few Confucians in the state of Lu!" said Chuang Tzu.

"But the whole state of Lu is dressed in Confucian garb!" said Duke Ai. "How can you say they are few?"

"I have heard," said Chuang Tzu, "that the Confucians wear round caps on their heads to show that they understand the cycles of heaven, that they walk about in square shoes to show that they understand the shape of the earth, and that they tie ornaments in the shape of a broken disc at their girdles in order to show that, when the time comes for decisive action, they must `make the break.' But a gentleman may embrace a doctrine without necessarily wearing the garb that goes with it, and he may wear the garb without necessarily comprehending the doctrine. If Your Grace does not believe this is so, then why not try issuing an order to the state proclaiming: `All those who wear the garb without practicing the doctrine that goes with it will be sentenced to death!' "

Duke Ai did in fact issue such an order, and within five days there was no one in the state of Lu who dared wear Confucian garb. Only one old man came in Confucian dress and stood in front of the duke's gate. The duke at once summoned him and questioned him on affairs of state and, though the discussion took a thousand turnings and ten thousand shifts, the old man was never at a loss for words. Chuang Tzu said, "In the whole state of Lu, then, there is only one man who is a real Confucian. How can you say there are a great many of them? "

Po-li Hsi did not let title and stipend get inside his mind. He fed the cattle and the cattle grew fat, and this fact made Duke Mu of Ch'in forget Po-li Hsi's lowly position and turn over the government to him.10 Shun, the man of the Yu clan, did not let life and death get inside his mind. So he was able to influence others.11

Lord Wan of Sung wanted to have some pictures painted. The crowd of court clerks all gathered in his presence, received their drawing panels,12 and took their places in line, licking their brushes, mixing their inks, so many of them that there were more outside the room than inside it. There was one clerk who arrived late, sauntering in without the slightest haste. When he received his drawing panel, he did not look for a place in line, but went straight to his own quarters. The ruler sent someone to see what he was doing, and it was found that he had taken off his robes, stretched out his legs, and was sitting there naked. "Very good," said the ruler. "This is a true artist!"

King Wen was seeing the sights at Tsang when he spied an old man fishing.13 Yet his fishing wasn't really fishing. He didn't fish as though he were fishing for anything, but as though it were his constant occupation to fish. King Wen wanted to summon him and hand over the government to him, but he was afraid that the high officials and his uncles and brothers would be uneasy. He thought perhaps he had better forget the matter and let it rest, and yet he couldn't bear to deprive the hundred clans of such a Heaven-sent opportunity. At dawn the next day he therefore reported to his ministers, saying, "Last night I dreamt I saw a fine man, dark-complexioned and bearded, mounted on a dappled horse that had red hoofs on one side. He commanded me, saying, `Hand over your rule to the old man of Tsang - then perhaps the ills of the people may be cured!' "

The ministers, awe-struck, said, "It was the king, your late father!"

"Then perhaps we should divine to see what ought to be done," said King Wen.

"It is the command of your late father!" said the ministers. "Your Majesty must have no second thoughts. What need is there for divination?"

In the end, therefore, the king had the old man of Tsang escorted to the capital and handed over the government to him, but the regular precedents and laws remained unchanged, and not a single new order was issued.

At the end of three years, King Wen made an inspection tour of the state. He found that the local officials had smashed their gate bars and disbanded their cliques, that the heads of government bureaus achieved no special distinction, and that persons entering the four borders from other states no longer ventured to bring their own measuring cups and bushels with them. The local officials had smashed their gate bars and disbanded their cliques because they had learned to identify with their superiors.14 The heads of government bureaus achieved no special distinction because they looked on all tasks as being of equal distinction. Persons entering the four borders from other states no longer ventured to bring their own measuring cups and bushels with them because the feudal lords had ceased to distrust the local measures.

King Wen thereupon concluded that he had found a Great Teacher and, facing north as a sign of respect, he asked, "Could these methods of government be extended to the whole world?"

But the old man of Tsang looked blank and gave no answer, evasively mumbling some excuse; and when orders went out the next morning to make the attempt, the old man ran away the very same night and was never heard of again.

Yen Yuan questioned Confucius about this story, saying, "King Wen didn't amount to very much after all, did he! And why did he have to resort to that business about the dream?"

"Quiet!" said Confucius. "No more talk from you! King Wen was perfection itself - how can there be any room for carping and criticism! The dream - that was just a way of getting out of a moment's difficulty."

Lieh Yu-k'ou was demonstrating his archery to Po-hun Wu-jen.15 He drew the bow as far as it would go, placed a cup of water on his elbow, and let fly. One arrow had no sooner left his thumb ring than a second was resting in readiness beside his arm guard, and all the while he stood like a statue.16 Po-hun Wu-jen said, "This is the archery of an archer, not the archery of a nonarcher! Try climbing up a high mountain with me, scrambling over the steep rocks to the very, brink of an eight-hundred-foot chasm - then we'll see what kind of shooting you can do!"

Accordingly they proceeded to climb a high mountain, scrambling over the steep rocks to the brink of an eight-hundred-foot chasm. There Po-hun Wu-jen, turning his back to the chasm, walked backwards until his feet projected halfway off the edge of the cliff, bowed to Lieh Yu-k'ou, and invited him to come forward and join him. But Lieh Yu-k'ou cowered on the ground, sweat pouring down all the way to his heels. Po-hun Wu-jen said, "The Perfect Man may stare at the blue heavens above, dive into the Yellow Springs below, ramble to the end of the eight directions, yet his spirit and bearing undergo no change. And here you are in this cringing, eye-batting state of mind - if you tried to take aim now, you would be in certain peril!"

Chien Wu said to Sun-shu Ao, "Three times you have become premier, yet you didn't seem to glory in it.17 Three times you were dismissed from the post, but you never looked glum over it. At first I doubted that this was really true, but now I stand before your very nose and see how calm and unconcerned you are. Do you have some unique way of using your mind?"

Sun-shu Ao replied, "How am I any better than other men? I considered that the coming of such an honor could not be fended off, and that its departure could not be prevented. As far as I was concerned, the question of profit or loss did not rest with me, and so I had no reason to put on a glum expression, that was all. How am I any better than other men? Moreover, I'm not really certain whether the glory resides in the premiership or in me. If it resides in the premiership, then it means nothing to me. And if it resides in me, then it means nothing to the premiership. Now I'm about to go for an idle stroll, to go gawking in the four directions. What leisure do I have to worry about who holds an eminent position and who a humble one?"

Confucius, hearing of the incident, said, "He was a True Man of old, the kind that the wise cannot argue with, the beautiful cannot seduce, the violent cannot intimidate; even Fu Hsi or the Yellow Emperor could not have befriended him. Life and death are great affairs, and yet they are no change to him - how much less to him are things like titles and stipends! With such a man, his spirit may soar over Mount T'ai without hindrance, may plunge into the deepest springs without getting wet, may occupy the meanest, most humble position without distress. He fills all Heaven and earth; and the more he gives to others, the more he has for himself."

The king of Ch'u was sitting with the lord of Fan.18 After a little while, three of the king of Ch'u's attendants reported that the state of Fan had been destroyed. The lord of Fan said, "The destruction of Fan is not enough to make me lose what I am intent on preserving.19 And if the destruction of Fan is not enough to make me lose what I preserve, then the preservation of Ch'u is not enough to make it preserve what it ought to preserve. Looking at it this way, then, Fan has not yet begun to be destroyed, and Ch'u has not yet begun to be preserved!"

 

Section TWENTY-TWO - KNOWLEDGE WANDERED NORTH

KNOWLEDGE WANDERED North to the banks of the Black Waters, climbed the Knoll of Hidden Heights, and there by chance came upon Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing. Knowledge said to Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing, "There are some things I'd like to ask you. What sort of pondering, what sort of cogitation does it take to know the Way? What sort of surroundings, what sort of practices does it take to find rest in the Way? What sort of path, what sort of procedure will get me to the Way?"

Three questions he asked, but Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing didn't answer. It wasn't that he just didn't answer - he didn't know how to answer!

Knowledge, failing to get any answer, returned to the White Waters of the south, climbed the summit of Dubiety Dismissed, and there caught sight of Wild-and-Witless. Knowledge put the same questions to Wild-and-Witless. "Ah - I know!" said Wild-and-Witless. "And I'm going to tell you." But just as he was about to say something, he forgot what it was he was about to say.

Knowledge, failing to get any answer, returned to the imperial palace, where he was received in audience by the Yellow Emperor, and posed his questions. The Yellow Emperor said, "Only when there is no pondering and no cogitation will you get to know the Way. Only when you have no surroundings and follow no practices will you find rest in the Way. Only when there is no path and no procedure can you get to the Way."

Knowledge said to the Yellow Emperor, "You and I know, but those other two that I asked didn't know. Which of us is right, I wonder?"

The Yellow Emperor said, "Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing - he's the one who is truly right. Wild-and-Witless appears to be so. But you and I in the end are nowhere near it. Those who know do not speak; those who speak do not know. Therefore the sage practices the teaching that has no words.1 The Way cannot be brought to light; its virtue cannot be forced to come. But benevolence - you can put that into practice; you can discourse 2 on righteousness, you can dupe one another with rites. So it is said, When the Way was lost, then there was virtue; when virtue was lost, then there was benevolence; when benevolence was lost, then there was righteousness; when righteousness was lost, then there were rites. Rites are the frills of the Way and the forerunners of disorder.3 So it is said, He who practices the Way does less every day, does less and goes on doing less, until he reaches the point where he does nothing, does nothing and yet there is nothing that is not done.'' Now that we've already become `things,' if we want to return again to the Root, I'm afraid we'll have a hard time of it! The Great Man - he's the only one who might find it easy.

"Life is the companion of death, death is the beginning of life. Who understands their workings? Man's life is a coming-together of breath. If it comes together, there is life; if it scatters, there is death. And if life and death are companions to each other, then what is there for us to be anxious about?

"The ten thousand things are really one. We look on some as beautiful because they are rare or unearthly; we look on others as ugly because they are foul and rotten. But the foul and rotten may turn into the rare and unearthly, and the rare and unearthly may turn into the foul and rotten. So it is said, You have only to comprehend the one breath that is the world. The sage never ceases to value oneness."

Knowledge said to the Yellow Emperor, "I asked Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing and he didn't reply to me. It wasn't that he merely didn't reply to me - he didn't know how to reply to me. I asked Wild-and-Witless and he was about to explain to me, though he didn't explain anything. It wasn't that he wouldn't explain to me - but when he was about to explain, he forgot what it was. Now I have asked you and you know the answer. Why then do you say that you are nowhere near being right?"

The Yellow Emperor said, "Do-Nothing-Say-Nothing is the one who is truly right - because he doesn't know. Wild-and-Witless appears to be so - because he forgets. But you and I in the end are nowhere near it - because we know."

Wild-and-Witless heard of the incident and concluded that the Yellow Emperor knew what he was talking about.

Heaven and earth have their great beauties but do not speak of them; the four seasons have their clear-marked regularity but do not discuss it; the ten thousand things have their principles of growth but do not expound them. The sage seeks out the beauties of Heaven and earth and masters the principles of the ten thousand things. Thus it is that the Perfect Man does not act, the Great Sage does not move - they have perceived [the Way of ] Heaven and earth, we may say. This Way, whose spiritual brightness is of the greatest purity, joins with others in a hundred transformations. Already things are living or dead, round or square; no one can comprehend their source, yet here are the ten thousand things in all their stir and bustle, just as they have been since ancient times. Things as vast as the Six Realms have never passed beyond the border [of the Way]; things as tiny as an autumn hair must wait for it to achieve bodily form. There is nothing in the world that does not bob and sink, to the end of its days lacking fixity. The yin and yang, the four seasons follow one another in succession, each keeping to its proper place. Dark and hidden, [the Way] seems not to exist and yet it is there; lush and unbounded, it possesses no form but only spirit; the ten thousand things are shepherded by it, though they do not understand it - this is what is called the Source, the Root. This is what may be perceived in Heaven.

Nieh Ch'ueh asked P'i-i about the Way. P'i-i said, "Straighten up your body, unify your vision, and the harmony of Heaven will come to you. Call in your knowledge, unify your bearing, and the spirits will come to dwell with you. Virtue will be your beauty, the Way will be your home, and, stupid as a newborn calf, you will not try to find out the reason why."

Before he had finished speaking, however, Nieh Ch'ueh fell sound asleep. P'i-i, immensely pleased, left and walked away, singing this song:

Body like a withered corpse,

mind like dead ashes,

true in the realness of knowledge,

not one to go searching for reasons,

dim dim, dark dark,

mindless, you cannot consult with him:

what kind of man is this

Shun asked Ch'eng, "Is it possible to gain possession of the Way?”

"You don't even have possession of your own body - how could you possibly gain possession of the Way!"

"If I don't have possession of my own body, then who does?" said Shun.

"It is a form lent you by Heaven and earth. You do not have possession of life - it is a .harmony lent by Heaven and earth. You do not have possession of your inborn nature and fate they are contingencies lent by Heaven and earth. You do not have possession of your sons and grandsons - they are castoff skins lent by Heaven and earth. So it is best to walk without knowing where you are going, stay home without knowing what you are guarding, eat without knowing what you are tasting. All is the work of the Powerful Yang5 in the world. How then could it be possible to gain possession of anything?"

Confucius said to Lao Tan, "Today you seem to have a moment of leisure - may I venture to ask about the Perfect Way?"

Lao Tan said, "You must fast and practice austerities, cleanse and purge your mind, wash and purify your inner spirit, destroy and do away with your knowledge. The Way is abstruse and difficult to describe. But I will try to give you a rough outline of it.

"The bright and shining is born out of deep darkness; the ordered is born out of formlessness; pure spirit is born out of the Way. The body is born originally from this purity,6 and the ten thousand things give bodily form to one another through the process of birth. Therefore those with nine openings in the body are born from the womb; those with eight openings are born from eggs. [In the case of the Way] there is no trace of its coming, no limit to its going. Gateless, room-less, it is airy and open as the highways of the four directions. He who follows along with it will be strong in his four limbs, keen and penetrating in intellect, sharp-eared, bright-eyed, wielding his mind without wearying it, responding to things without prejudice. Heaven cannot help but be high, earth cannot help but be broad, the sun and moon cannot help but revolve, the ten thousand things cannot help but flourish. Is this not the Way?

"Breadth of learning does not necessarily mean knowledge; eloquence does not necessarily mean wisdom - therefore the sage rids himself of these things. That which can be increased without showing any sign of increase; that which can be diminished without suffering any diminution - that is what the sage holds fast to. Deep, unfathomable, it is like the sea; tall and craggy,7 it ends only, to begin again, transporting and weighing the ten thousand things without ever failing them. The `Way of the gentleman' [which you preach] is mere superficiality, is it not? But what the ten thousand things all look to for sustenance, what never fails them - is this not the real Way?

"Here is a man of the Middle Kingdom, neither yin nor yang, living between heaven and earth. For a brief time only, he will be a man, and then he will return to the Ancestor. Look at him from the standpoint of the Source and his life is a mere gathering together of breath. And whether he dies young or lives to a great old age, the two fates will scarcely differ - a matter of a few moments, you might say. How, then, is it worth deciding that Yao is good and Chieh is bad?

"The fruits of trees and vines have their patterns and principles. Human relationships too, difficult as they are, have their relative order and precedence. The sage, encountering them, does not go against them; passing beyond, he does not cling to them. To respond to them in a spirit of harmony - this is virtue; to respond to them in a spirit of fellowship - this is the Way. Thus it is that emperors have raised themselves up and kings have climbed to power.

"Man's life between heaven and earth is like the passing of a white colt glimpsed through a crack in the wall-whoosh!-and that's the end. Overflowing, starting forth, there is nothing that does not come out; gliding away, slipping into silence, there is nothing that does not go back in. Having been transformed, things find themselves alive; another transformation and they are dead. Living things grieve over it, mankind mourns. But it is like the untying of the Heaven-lent bow-bag, the unloading of the Heaven-lent satchel - a yielding, a mild mutation, and the soul and spirit are on their way, the body following after, on at last to the Great Return.

"The formless moves to the realm of form; the formed moves back to the realm of formlessness. This all men alike understand. But it is not something to be reached by striving. The common run of men all alike debate how to reach it. But those who have reached it do not debate, and those who debate have not reached it. Those who peer with bright eyes will never catch sight of it. Eloquence is not as good as silence. The Way cannot be heard; to listen for it is not as good as plugging up your ears. This is called the Great Acquisition."

Master Tung-kuo8 asked Chuang Tzu, "This thing called the Way - where does it exist?"

Chuang Tzu said, "There's no place it doesn't exist."

"Come," said Master Tung-kuo, "you must be more specific!"

"It is in the ant."

"As low a thing as that?"

"It is in the panic grass."

"But that's lower still!"

"It is in the tiles and shards."

"How can it be so low?"

"It is in the piss and shit!"

Master Tung-kuo made no reply.

Chuang Tzu said, "Sir, your questions simply don't get at the substance of the matter. When Inspector Huo asked the superintendent of the market how to test the fatness of a pig by pressing it with the foot, he was told that the lower down on the pig you press, the nearer you come to the truth. But you must not expect to find the Way in any particular place - there is no thing that escapes its presence! Such is the Perfect Way, and so too are the truly great words. `Complete,' `universal,' `all-inclusive' - these three are different words with the same meaning. All point to a single reality.

"Why don't you try wandering with me to the Palace of Not-Even-Anything - identity and concord will be the basis of our discussions and they will never come to an end, never reach exhaustion. Why not join with me in inaction, in tranquil quietude, in hushed purity, in harmony and leisure? Already my will is vacant and blank. I go nowhere and don't know how far I've gotten. I go and come and don't know where to stop. I've already been there and back, and I don't know when the journey is done. I ramble and relax in unbordered vastness; Great Knowledge enters in, and I don't know where it will ever end.

"That which treats things as things is not limited by things. Things have their limits - the so-called limits of things. The unlimited moves to the realm of limits; the limited moves to the unlimited realm. We speak of the filling and emptying, the withering and decay of things. [The Way] makes them full and empty without itself filling or emptying; it makes them wither and decay without itself withering or decaying. It establishes root and branch but knows no root and branch itself; it determines when to store up or scatter but knows no storing or scattering itself."

Ah Ho-kan and Shen Nung were studying together under Old Lung Chi.9 Shen Nung sat leaning on his armrest, the door shut, taking his daily nap, when at midday Ah Ho-kan threw open the door, entered and announced, "Old Lung is dead!"

Shen Nung, still leaning on the armrest, reached for his staff and jumped to his feet. Then he dropped the staff with a clatter and began to laugh, saying, " My Heaven-sent Master - he knew how cramped and mean, how arrogant and willful I am, and so he abandoned me and died. My Master went off and died without ever giving me any wild words to open up my mind!"

Yen Kang-tiao, hearing of the incident, said, "He who embodies the Way has all the gentlemen of the world flocking to him. As far as the Way goes, Old Lung hadn't gotten hold of a piece as big as the tip of an autumn hair, hadn't found his way into one ten-thousandth of it - but even he knew enough to keep his wild words stored away and to die with them unspoken. How much more so, then, in the case of a man who embodies the Way! Look for it but it has no form, listen but it has no voice. Those who discourse upon it with other men speak of it as dark and mysterious. The Way that is discoursed upon is not the Way at all! "

At this point, Grand Puritv asked No-End, "Do you understand the Way?"

"I don't understand it," said No-End.

Then he asked No-Action, and No-Action said, "I understand the Way."

"You say you understand the Way - is there some trick to it.

"There is."

"What's the trick?"

No-Action said, "I understand that the Way can exalt things and can humble them; that it can bind them together and can cause them to disperse.10 This is the trick by which I understand the Way.'

Grand Purity, having received these various answers, went and questioned No-Beginning, saying, "If this is how it is, then between No-End's declaration that he doesn't understand, and No-Action's declaration that he does, which is right and which is wrong?"

No-Beginning said, "Not to understand is profound; to understand is shallow. Not to understand is to be on the inside; to understand is to be on the outside."

Thereupon Grand Purity gazed up11 and sighed, saying, "Not to understand is to understand? To understand is not to understand? Who understands the understanding that does not understand?"

No-Beginning said, "The Way cannot be heard; heard, it is not the Way. The Way cannot be seen; seen, it is not the Way. The Way cannot be described; described, it is not the Way. That which gives form to the formed is itself formless - can you understand that? There is no name that fits the Way."

No-Beginning continued, "He who, when asked about the Way, gives an answer does not understand the Way; and he who asked about the Way has not really heard the Way explained. The Way is not to be asked about, and even if it is asked about, there can be no answer. To ask about what cannot be asked about is to ask for the sky. To answer what cannot be answered is to try to split hairs. If the hair-splitter waits for the sky-asker,12 then neither will ever perceive the time and space that surround them on the outside, or understand the Great Beginning that is within. Such men can never trek across the K'un-lun, can never wander in the Great Void!" 13

Bright Dazzlement asked Non-Existence, "Sir, do you exist or do you not exist?" Unable to obtain any answer, Bright Dazzlement stared intently at the other's face and form - all was vacuity and blankness. He stared all day but could see nothing, listened but could hear no sound, stretched out his hand but grasped nothing. "Perfect!" exclaimed Bright Dazzlement. "Who can reach such perfection? I can conceive of the existence of nonexistence, but not of the nonexistence of nonexistence. Yet this man has reached the stage of the nonexistence of nonexistence.14 How could I ever reach such perfection!"

The grand marshal's buckle maker was eighty years old, yet he had not lost the tiniest part of his old dexterity. The grand marshal said, "What skill you have! Is there a special way to this?"

"I have a way.15 From the time I was twenty I have loved to forge buckles. I never look at other things - if it's not a buckle, I don't bother to examine it."

Using this method of deliberately not using other things, he was able over the years to get some use out of it. And how much greater would a man be if, by the same method, he reached the point where there was nothing that he did not use! All things would come to depend on him.

Jan Ch'iu asked Confucius, "Is it possible to know anything about the time before Heaven and earth existed?"

Confucius said, "It is - the past is the present."

Jan Ch'iu, failing to receive any further answer, retired. The following day he went to see Confucius again and said, "Yesterday I asked if it were possible to know anything about the time before Heaven and earth existed, and you, Master, replied, `It is - the past is the present.' Yesterday that seemed quite clear to me, but today it seems very obscure. May I venture to ask what this means?"

Confucius said, "Yesterday it was clear because your spirit took the lead in receiving my words. Today, if it seems obscure, it is because you are searching for it with something other than spirit, are you not? There is no past and no present, no beginning and no end. Sons and grandsons existed before sons and grandsons existed - may we make such a statement?"

Jan Ch'iu had not replied when Confucius said, "Stop! - don't answer! Do not use life to give life to death. Do not use death to bring death to life." Do life and death depend upon each other? Both have that in them which makes them a single body. There is that which was born before Heaven and earth, but is it a thing? That which treats things as things is not a thing. Things that come forth can never precede all other things, because there were already things existing then; and before that, too, there were already things existing - so on without end. The sage's love of mankind, which never comes to an end, is modeled on this principle."

Yen Yuan said to Confucius, "Master, I have heard you say that there should be no going after anything, no welcoming anything. 17 May I venture to ask how one may wander in such realms?"

Confucius said, "The men of old changed on the outside but not on the inside. The men of today change on the inside but not on the outside. He who changes along with things is identical with him who does not change. Where is there change? Where is there no change? Where is there any friction with others? Never will he treat others with arrogance. But Hsi-wei had his park, the Yellow Emperor his garden, Shun his palace, T'ang and Wu their halls.18 And among gentlemen there were those like the Confucians and Mo-ists who became `teachers.' As a result, people began using their `rights' and `wrongs' to push each other around. And how much worse are the men of today!

"The sage lives with things but does no harm to them, and he who does no harm to things cannot in turn be harmed by them. Only he who does no harm is qualified to join with other men in `going after' or `welcoming.'

"The mountains and forests, the hills and fields fill us with overflowing delight and we are joyful. Our joy has not ended when grief comes trailing it. We have no way to bar the arrival of grief and joy, no way to prevent them from departing. Alas, the men of this world are no more than travelers, stopping now at this inn, now at that, all of them run by `things.' They know the things they happen to encounter, but not those that they have never encountered. They know how to do the things they can do, but they can't do the things they don't know how to do. Not to know, not to be able to do - from these mankind can never escape. And yet there are those who struggle to escape from the inescapable - can you help but pity them? Perfect speech is the abandonment of speech; perfect action is the abandonment of action. To be limited to understanding only what is understood - this is shallow indeed!"

 

Section TWENTY-THREE - KENG- SANG CH'U

AMONG THE ATTENDANTS of Lao Tan was one Keng-sang Ch'u, who had mastered a portion of the Way of Lao Tan, and with it went north to live among the Mountains of Zigzag. His servants with their bright and knowing looks he discharged; his concubines with their tender and solicitous ways he put far away from him. Instead he shared his house with drabs and dowdies, and employed the idle and indolent to wait on him. He had been living there three years when Zigzag began to enjoy bountiful harvests, and the people of Zigzag said to one another, "When Master Keng-sang first came among us, we were highly suspicious of him. But now, if we figure by the day, there never seems to be enough, but if we figure by the year, there's always some left over! It might just be that he's a sage! Why don't we make him our impersonator of the dead and pray to him, turn over to him our altars of the soil and grain?"

When Master Keng-sang heard this, he faced south with a look of displeasure.1 His disciples thought this strange, but Master Keng-sang said, "Why should you wonder that I am displeased? When the breath of spring comes forth, the hundred grasses begin to grow, and later, when autumn visits them, their ten thousand fruits swell and ripen. Yet how could spring and autumn do other than they do? - the Way of Heaven has already set them in motion. I have heard that the Perfect Man dwells corpse-like in his little four-walled room, leaving the hundred clans to their uncouth and uncaring ways, not knowing where they are going, where they are headed. But now these petty people of Zigzag in their officious and busy-body fashion want to bring their sacrificial stands and platters and make me one of their `worthies'! Am I to be held up as a model for men? That is why, remembering the words of Lao Tan, I am so displeased!"

"But there's no need for that!" said his disciples. "In a ditch eight or sixteen feet wide the really big fish doesn't even have room to turn around, yet the minnows and loaches think it ample. On a knoll no more than five or ten paces in height the really big animal doesn't even have room to hide, yet the wily foxes think it ideal. Moreover, to honor the worthy and assign office to the able, according them precedence and conferring benefits on them - this has been the custom from the ancient days of the sages Yao and Shun. How much more so, then, should it be the custom among the common people of Zigzag. Why not go ahead and heed their demands, Master?"

Master Keng-sang said, "Come nearer, my little ones! A beast large enough to gulp down a carriage, if he sets off alone and leaves the mountains, cannot escape the perils of net and snare; a fish large enough to swallow a boat, if he is tossed up by the waves and left stranded, is bound to fall victim to ants and crickets.2 Therefore birds and beasts don't mind how high they climb to escape danger, fish and turtles don't mind how deep they dive. So the man who would preserve his body and life must think only of how to hide himself away, not minding how remote or secluded the spot may be.

"And as for those two you mentioned -Yao and Shun - how are they worthy to be singled out for praise? With their nice distinctions they are like a man who goes around willfully poking holes in people's walls and fences and planting weeds and brambles in them, like a man who picks out which hairs of his head he intends to comb before combing it, who counts the grains of rice before he cooks them. Such bustle and officiousness - how can it be of any use in saving the age? Promote men of worth and the people begin trampling over each other; employ men of knowledge and the people begin filching from each other. Such procedures will do nothing to make the people ingenuous. Instead the people will only grow more diligent in their pursuit of gain, till there are sons who kill their fathers, ministers who kill their lords, men who filch at high noon, who bore holes through walls in broad daylight. I tell you, the source of all great confusion will invariably be found to lie right there with Yao and Shun! And a thousand generations later, it will still be with us. A thousand generations later - mark my word - there will be men who will eat each other up!"

Nan-Jung Chu straightened up on his mat with a perplexed look and said, "A man like myself who's already on in years - what sort of studies is he to undertake in order to attain this state you speak of?"

Master Keng-sang said, "Keep the body whole, cling fast to life! Do not fall prey to the fidget and fuss of thoughts and scheming. If you do this for three years, then you can attain the state I have spoken of."

Nan-Jung Chu said, "The eyes are part of the body - I have never thought them anything else - yet the blind man cannot see with his. The ears are part of the body - I have never thought them anything else - yet the deaf man cannot hear with his. The mind is part of the body - I have never thought it anything else - yet the madman cannot comprehend with his. The body too must be part of the body - surely they are intimately connected.3 Yet - is it because something intervenes? - I try to seek my body, but I cannot find it. Now you tell me, `Keep the body whole, cling fast to life! Do not fall prey to the fidget and fuss of thoughts and scheming.' As hard as I try to understand your explanation of the Way, I'm afraid your words penetrate no farther than my ears." 4

"I've said all I can say," exclaimed Master Keng-sang. "The saying goes, mud daubers have no power to transform caterpillars.5 The little hens of Yueh cannot hatch goose eggs, though the larger hens of Lu can do it well enough. It isn't that one kind of hen isn't just as henlike as the other. One can and the other can't because their talents just naturally differ in size. Now I'm afraid my talents are not sufficient to bring about any transformation in you. Why don't you go south and visit Lao Tzu? "

Nan-Jung Chu packed up his provisions and journeyed for seven days and seven nights until he came to Lao Tzu's place. Lao Tzu said, "Did you come from Keng-sang Ch'u's place?"

"Yes Sir," said Nan-Jung Chu.

"Why did you come with all this crowd of people?" asked Lao Tzu.

Nan-Jung Chu, astonished, turned to look behind him.

"Don't you know what I mean?" asked Lao Tzu.

Nan-Jung Chu hung his head in shame and then, looking up with a sigh, said, "Now I've even forgotten the right answer to that, so naturally I can't ask any questions of my own."

"What does that mean?" asked Lao Tzu.

"If I say I don't know, then people call me an utter fool," said Nan-Jung Chu. "But if I say I do know, then on the contrary I bring worry on myself. If I am not benevolent, I harm others; but if I am benevolent, then on the contrary I make trouble for myself. If I am not righteous, I do injury to others; but if I am righteous, then on the contrary I distress myself. How can I possibly escape from this state of affairs? It is these three dilemmas that are harassing me, and so, through Keng-sang Chu's introduction, I have come to beg an explanation."

Lao Tzu said, "A moment ago, when I looked at the space between your eyebrows and eyelashes, I could tell what kind of person you are. And now what you have said confirms it. You are confused and crestfallen, as though you had lost your father and mother and were setting off with a pole to fish for them in the sea. You are a lost man - hesitant and unsure, you want to return to your true form and inborn nature but you have no way to go about it - a pitiful sight indeed!"

Nan-jung Chu asked to be allowed to repair to his quarters. There he tried to cultivate his good qualities and rid himself of his bad ones; and after ten days of making himself miserable, he went to see Lao Tzu again. Lao Tzu said, "You have been very diligent in your washing and purifying - as I can see from your scrubbed and shining look. But there is still something smoldering away inside you - it would seem that there are bad things there yet. When outside things trip you up and you can't snare and seize them, then bar the inside gate. When inside things trip you up and you can't bind and seize them, then bar the outside gate. If both outside and inside things trip you up, then even the Way and its virtue themselves can't keep you going - much less one who is a mere follower of the Way in his actions."6

Nan-Jung Chu said, "When a villager gets sick and his neighbors ask him how he feels, if he is able to describe his illness, it means he can still recognize his illness as an illness - and so he isn't all that ill. But now if I were to ask about the Great Way, it would be like drinking medicine that made me sicker than before. What I would like to ask about is simply the basic rule of life-preservation, that is all."

Lao Tzu said, "Ah - the basic rule of life-preservation. Can you embrace the One? Can you keep from losing it? Can you, without tortoise shell or divining stalks, foretell fortune and misfortune? Do you know where to stop, do you know where to leave off? Do you know how to disregard it in others and instead look for it in yourself? Can you be brisk and unflagging? Can you be rude and unwitting? Can you be a little baby? The baby howls all day, yet its throat never gets hoarse - harmony at its height! 7 The baby makes fists all day, yet its fingers never get cramped - virtue is all it holds to. The baby stares all day without blinking its eyes - it has no preferences in the world of externals. To move without knowing where you are going, to sit at home without knowing what you are doing, traipsing and trailing about with other things, riding along with them on the same wave - this is the basic rule of life-preservation, this and nothing more."

Nan-Jung Chu said, "Then is this all there is to the virtue of the Perfect Man?"

"Oh, no! This is merely what is called the freeing of the icebound, the thawing of the frozen. Can you do it? 8 The Perfect Man joins with others in seeking his food from the earth, his pleasures in Heaven. But he does not become embroiled with them in questions of people and things, profit and loss. He does not join them in their shady doings, he does not join them in their plots, he does not join them in their projects. Brisk and unflagging, he goes; rude and unwitting, he comes. This is what is called the basic rule of life-preservation."

"Then is this the highest stage?"

"Not yet! Just a moment ago I said to you, `Can you be a baby?' The baby acts without knowing what it is doing, moves without knowing where it is going. Its body is like the limb of a withered tree, its mind like dead ashes. Since it is so, no bad fortune will ever touch it, and no good fortune will come to it either. And if it is free from good and bad fortune, then what human suffering can it undergo?"

He whose inner being rests in the Great Serenity will send forth a Heavenly light. But though he sends forth a Heavenly light, men will see him as a man and things will see him as a thing. When a man has trained himself to this degree, then for the first time he achieves constancy. Because he possesses constancy, men will come to lodge with him and Heaven will be his helper. Those whom men come to lodge with may be called the people of Heaven; those whom Heaven aids may be called the sons of Heaven.

Learning means learning what cannot be learned; practicing means practicing what cannot be practiced; discriminating means discriminating what cannot be discriminated. Understanding that rests in what it cannot understand is the finest.9 If you do not attain this goal, then Heaven the Equalizer will destroy you.

Utilize the bounty of things and let them nourish your body; withdraw into thoughtlessness and in this way give life to your mind; be reverent of what is within and extend this same reverence to others. If you do these things and yet are visited by ten thousand evils, then all are Heaven-sent and not the work of man. They should not be enough to destroy your composure; they must not be allowed to enter the Spirit Tower.10 The Spirit Tower has its guardian, but unless it understands who its guardian is, it cannot be guarded.

If you do not perceive the sincerity within yourself and yet try to move forth, each movement will miss the mark. If outside concerns enter and are not expelled, each movement will only add failure to failure. He who does what is not good in clear and open view will be seized and punished by men. He who does what is not good in the shadow of darkness will be seized and punished by ghosts. Only he who clearly understands both men and ghosts will be able to walk alone."

He who concentrates upon the internal does deeds that bring no fame. He who concentrates upon the external sets his mind upon the hoarding of goods. 12 He who does deeds that bring no fame is forever the possessor of light. He who sets his mind upon the hoarding of goods is a mere merchant. To other men's eyes he seems to be straining on tiptoe in his greed, yet he thinks himself a splendid fellow. If a man goes along with things to the end, then things will come to him. But if he sets up barriers against things, then he cannot find room enough even for himself, much less for others. He who can find no room for others lacks fellow feeling, and to him who lacks fellow feeling, all men are strangers. There is no weapon more deadly than the will - even Mo-yeh is inferior to it.13 There are no enemies greater than the yin and yang - because nowhere between heaven and earth can you escape from them. It is not that the yin and yang deliberately do you evil - it is your own mind that makes them act so.14

The Way permeates all things. Their dividedness is their completeness, their completeness is their impairment.15 What is hateful about this state of dividedness is that men take their dividedness and seek to supplement it; and what is hateful about attempts to supplement it is that they are a mere supplementation of what men already have. So they go forth and forget to return - they act as though they had seen a ghost. They go forth and claim to have gotten something - what they have gotten is the thing called death. They are wiped out and choked off - already a kind of ghost themselves. Only when that which has form learns to imitate the formless will it find serenity.

It comes out from no source, it goes back in through no aperture. It has reality yet no place where it resides; it has duration yet no beginning or end. Something emerges, though through no aperture - this refers to the fact that it has reality. It has reality yet there is no place where it resides - this refers to the dimension of space. It has duration but no beginning or end - this refers to the dimension of time. There is life, there is death, there is a coming out, there is a going back in - yet in the coming out and going back its form is never seen.16 This is called the Heavenly Gate. The Heavenly Gate is nonbeing. The ten thousand things come forth from nonbeing. Being cannot create being out of being; inevitably it must come forth from nonbeing. Nonbeing is absolute nonbeing, and it is here that the sage hides himself.

The understanding of the men of ancient times went a long way. How far did it go? To the point where some of them believed that things have never existed - so far, to the end, where nothing can be added. Those at the next stage thought that things exist.17 They looked upon life as a loss, upon death as a return - thus they had already entered the state of dividedness. Those at the next stage said, "In the beginning there was nonbeing. Later there was life, and when there was life suddenly there was death. We look upon nonbeing as the head, on life as the body, on death as the rump. Who knows that being and nonbeing, life and death are a single way? 18 I will be his friend!"

These three groups, while differing in their viewpoint, belong to the same royal clan; though, as in the case of the Chao and Ching families,. whose names indicate their line of succession, and that of the Ch'i! family, whose name derives from its fief, they are not identical.19

Out of the murk, things come to life. With cunning you declare, "We must analyze this!" You try putting your analysis in words, though it is not something to be put into words. You cannot, however, attain understanding. At the winter sacrifice, you can point to the tripe or the hoof of the sacrificial ox, which can be considered separate things, and yet in a sense cannot be considered separate. A man who goes to look at a house will walk all around the chambers and ancestral shrines, but he will also go to inspect the privies. And so for this reason you launch into your analysis.20

Let me try describing this analysis of yours. It takes life as its basis and knowledge as its teacher, and from there proceeds to assign "right" and "wrong." So in the end we have "names" and "realities," and accordingly each man considers himself to be their arbiter. In his efforts to make other men appreciate his devotion to duty, for example, he will go so far as to accept death as his reward for devotion. To such men, he who is useful is considered wise, he who is of no use is considered stupid. He who is successful wins renown; he who runs into trouble is heaped with shame. Analyzers - that is what the men of today are! 21 They are like the cicada and the little dove, who agreed because they were two of a kind .22

If you step on a stranger's foot in the market place, you apologize at length for your carelessness. If you step on your older brother's foot, you give him an affectionate pat, and if you step on your parent's foot, you know you are already forgiven. So it is said, Perfect ritual makes no distinction of persons; perfect righteousness takes no account of things; perfect knowledge does not scheme; perfect benevolence knows no affection; perfect trust dispenses with gold.23

Wipe out the delusions of the will, undo the snares of the heart, rid yourself of the entanglements to virtue; open up the roadblocks in the Way. Eminence and wealth, recognition and authority, fame and profit - these six are the delusions of the will. Appearances and carriage, complexion and features, temperament and attitude - these six are the snares of the heart. Loathing and desire, joy and anger, grief and happiness - these six are the entanglements of virtue. Rejecting and accepting, taking and giving, knowledge and ability - these six are the roadblocks of the Way. When these four sixes no longer seethe within the breast, then you will achieve uprightness; being upright, you will be still; being still, you will be enlightened; being enlightened, you will be empty; and being empty, you will do nothing, and yet there will be nothing that is not done.

The Way is virtue's idol. Life is virtue's light. The inborn nature is the substance of life. The inborn nature in motion is called action. Action which has become artificial is called loss. Understanding reaches out, understanding plots. But the understanding of that which is not to be understood is a childlike stare. Action which is done because one cannot do otherwise is called virtue. Action in which there is nothing other than self is called good order. In definition the two seem to be opposites but in reality they agree.

Archer Yi was skilled at hitting the smallest target but clumsy in not preventing people from praising him for it. The sage is skilled in what pertains to Heaven but clumsy in what pertains to man. To be skilled in Heavenly affairs and good at human ones as well - only the Complete Man can encompass that. Only bugs can be bugs because only bugs can abide by Heaven. The Complete Man hates Heaven, and hates the Heavenly in man. How much more, then, does he hate the "I" who distinguishes between Heaven and man. 24

If a single sparrow came within Archer Yi's range, he was sure to bring it down - impressive shooting. But he might have made the whole world into a cage, and then the sparrows would have had no place to flee to. That was the way it was when T'ang caged Yi Yin by making him a cook and Duke Mu caged Po-li Hsi for the price of five ram skins.25 But if you hope to get a man, you must cage him with what he likes or you will never succeed.

The man who has had his feet cut off in punishment discards his fancy clothes - because praise and blame no longer touch him. The chained convict climbs the highest peak without fear - because he has abandoned all thought of life and death. These two are submissive 26 and unashamed because they have forgotten other men, and by forgetting other men they have become men of Heaven. Therefore you may treat such men with respect and they will not be pleased; you may treat them with contumely and they will not be angry. Only because they are one with the Heavenly Harmony can then be like this.

If he who bursts out in anger is not really angry, then his anger is an outburst of nonanger. If he who launches into action is not really acting, then his action is a launching into inaction. He who wishes to be still must calm his energies; he who wishes to be spiritual must compose his mind; he who in his actions wishes to hit the mark must go along with what he cannot help doing. Those things that you cannot help doing - they represent the Way of the sage.

 

Section TWENTY-FOUR - HSU WU-KUEI

THROUGH NU SHANG, the recluse Hsu Wu-kuei obtained an interview with Marquis Wu of Wei. Marquis Wu greeted him with words of comfort, saying, "Sir, you are not well. I suppose that the hardships of life in the mountain forests have become too much for you, and so at last you have consented to come and visit me."

"I am the one who should be comforting you!" said Hsu Wu-kuei. "What reason have you to comfort me? If you try to fulfill all your appetites and desires and indulge your likes and dislikes, then you bring affliction to the true form of your inborn nature and fate. And if you try to deny your appetites and desires and forcibly change your likes and dislikes, then you bring affliction to your ears and eyes. It is my place to comfort you - what reason have you to comfort me!"

Marquis Wu, looking very put out, made no reply.

After a little while, Hsu Wu-kuei said, "Let me try telling you about the way I judge dogs. A dog of the lowest quality thinks only of catching its fill of prey - that is, it has the nature of a wildcat. One of middling quality seems always to be looking up at the sun.1 But one of the highest quality acts as though it had lost its own identity. And I'm even better at judging horses than I am at judging dogs. When I judge a horse, if he can gallop as straight as a plumb line, arc as neat as a curve, turn as square as a T square, and round as true as a compass, then I'd say he was a horse for the kingdom to boast of. But not a horse for the whole world to boast of. A horse the whole world can boast of - his talents are already complete. He seems dazed, he seems lost, he seems to have become unaware of his own identity, and in this way he overtakes, passes, and leaves the others behind in the dust. You can't tell where he's gone to!"

Marquis Wu, greatly pleased, burst out laughing.

When Hsu Wu-kuei emerged from the interview, Nu Shang said, "Sir, may I ask what you were talking to our ruler about? When I talk to him, I talk to him back and forth about the Odes and Documents, about ritual and music; and then I talk to him up and down about the Golden Tablets and the Six Bow-cases.2 I have made proposals that led to outstanding success in more cases than can be counted, and yet he never so much as bared his teeth in a smile. Now what were you talking to him about that you managed to delight him in this fashion?"

Hsu Wu-kuei said, "I was merely explaining to him how I judge dogs and horses, that was all."

"Was that all?" said Nu Shang.

"Haven't you ever heard about the men who are exiled to Yueh?'' said Hsu Wu-kuei. "A few days after they have left their homelands, they are delighted if they come across an old acquaintance. When a few weeks or a month have passed, they are delighted if they come across someone they had known by sight when they were at home. And by the time a year has passed, they are delighted if they come across someone who even looks as though he might be a countryman. The longer they are away from their countrymen, the more deeply they long for them - isn't that it? A man who has fled into the wilderness, where goosefoot and woodbine tangle the little trails of the polecat and the weasel, and has lived there in emptiness and isolation for a long time, will be delighted if he hears so much as the rustle of a human footfall. And how much more so if he hears his own brothers and kin chattering and laughing at his side! It has been a long time, I think, since one who speaks like a True Man has sat chattering and laughing at our ruler's side."

Hsu Wu-kuei was received in audience by Marquis Wu. "Sir," said Marquis Wu, "for a long time now you have lived in your mountain forest, eating acorns and chestnuts, getting along on wild leeks and scallions, and scorning me completely. Now is it old age, or perhaps a longing for the taste of meat and wine, that has brought you here? Or perhaps you have come to bring blessing to my altars of the soil and grain."

Hsu Wu-kuei said, "I was born to poverty and lowliness and have never ventured to eat or drink any of your wine or meat, my lord. I have come in order to comfort you."

"What?" said the ruler. "Why should you comfort me?"

"I want to bring comfort to your spirit and body."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Marquis Wu.

Hsi! Wu-kuei said, "Heaven and earth provide nourishment for all things alike. To have ascended to a high position cannot be considered an advantage; to live in lowliness cannot be considered a handicap. Now you, as sole ruler of this land of ten thousand chariots, may tax the resources of the entire populace of your realm in nourishing the appetites of your ears and eyes, your nose and mouth. But the spirit will not permit such a way of life. The spirit loves harmony and hates licentiousness. Licentiousness is a kind of sickness, and that is why I have come to offer my comfort. I just wonder, my lord, how aware you are of your own sickness." 3

Marquis Wu said, "I have in fact been hoping to see you for a long time, Sir. I would like to cherish my people, practice righteousness, and lay down the weapons of war - how would that do?"

"It won't!" said Hsu Wu-kuei "To cherish the people is to open the way to harming them! To practice righteousness and lay down your weapons is to sow the seeds for more weapon-wielding! If you go at it this way, I'm afraid you will never succeed. All attempts to create something admirable are the weapons of evil. You may think you are practising benevolence and righteousness, but in effect you will be creating a kind of artificiality. Where a model exists, copies will be made of it; where success has been gained, boasting follows; where debate4 exists, there will be outbreaks of hostility. On the other hand, it will not do, my lord, to have files of marching soldiers filling the whole area within your fortress towers, or ranks of cavalry drawn up before the Palace of the Black Altar. Do not store in your heart what is contrary to your interests. Do not try to outdo others in skill. Do not try to overcome others by stratagems. Do not try to conquer others in battle. If you kill the officials and people of another ruler and annex his lands, using them to nourish your personal desires and your spirit, then I cannot say which contender is the better fighter, and to which the real victory belongs! If you must do something, cultivate the sincerity which is in your breast and use it to respond without opposition to the true form of Heaven and earth. Then the people will have won their reprieve from death. What need will there be for you to resort to this `laying down of weapons'?"

The Yellow Emperor set out to visit Great Clod at Chi!-tz'u Mountain.5 Fang Ming was his carriage driver, while Ch'ang Yu rode at his right side; Chang Jo and Hsi P'eng led the horses and K'un Hun and Ku Chi followed behind the carriage. By the time they reached the wilds of Hsiang-ch'eng, all seven sages had lost their way and could find no one to ask directions from. Just then they happened upon a young boy herding horses, and asked him for directions. "Do you know the way to Chu-tz'u Mountain?" they inquired.

"Yes."

"And do you know where Great Clod is to be found?"

"Yes."

"What an astonishing young man!" said the Yellow Emperor. "You not only know the way to Chu-tz'u Mountain, but you even know where Great Clod is to be found! Do you mind if I ask you about how to govern the empire?"

"Governing the empire just means doing what I'm doing here, doesn't it?" said the young boy. "What is there special about it? When I was little, I used to go wandering within the Six Realms, but in time I contracted a disease that blurred my eyesight. An elderly gentleman advised me to mount on the chariot of the sun and go wandering in the wilds of Hsiang-ch'eng, and now my illness is getting a little better. Soon I can go wandering once more, this time beyond the Six Realms. Governing the empire just means doing what I'm doing - I don't see why it has to be anything special."

"It's true that the governing of the empire is not something that need concern you, Sir," said the Yellow Emperor. "Nevertheless, I would like to ask you how it should be done."

The young boy made excuses, but when the Yellow Emperor repeated his request, the boy said, "Governing the empire I suppose is not much different from herding horses. Get rid of whatever is harmful to the horses - that's all."

The Yellow Emperor, addressing the boy as "Heavenly Master," bowed twice, touching his head to the ground, and retired.

The wise man is not happy without the modulations of idea and thought; the rhetorician is not happy without the progression of argument and rebuttal; the examiner is not happy without the tasks of interrogation and intimidation. All are penned in by these things. Men who attract the attention of the age win glory at court; men who hit it off well with the people shine in public office; men of strength and sinew welcome hardship; men of bravery and daring are spurred on by peril; men of arms and armor delight in combat; men of haggard hermit looks reach out for fame; men of laws and regulations long for broader legislation; men of ritual and instruction revere appearances; men of benevolence and righteousness value human relationships. The farmer is not content if he does not have his work in the fields and weed patches; the merchant is not content if he does not have his affairs at the market place and wellside. The common people work hardest when they have their sunup to sundown occupations; the hundred artisans are most vigorous when they are exercising their skills with tools and machines. If his goods and coin do not pile up, the greedy man frets; if his might and authority do not increase, the ambitious man grieves. Servants to circumstance and things, they delight in change, and if the moment comes when they can put their talents to use, then they cannot keep from acting. In this way they all follow along with the turning years, letting themselves be changed by things.6 Driving their bodies and natures on and on, they drown in the ten thousand things, and to the end of their days never turn back. Pitiful, are they not?

Chuang Tzu said, "If an archer, without taking aim at the mark, just happens to hit it, and we dub him a skilled archer, then everyone in the world can be an Archer Yi - all right?"

"All right," said Hui Tzu.

Chuang Tzu said, "If there is no publicly accepted `right' in the world, but each person takes right to be what he himself thinks is right, then everyone in the world can be a Yao -all right?"

"All right," said Hui Tzu.

Chuang Tzu said, "Well then, here are the four schools of the Confucians, Mo, Yang, and Ping,7 and with your own that makes five. Now which of you is in fact right? Or is it perhaps like the case of Lu Chu? His disciple said to him, `Master, I have grasped your Way. I can build a fire under the caldron in winter and make ice in summer.' `But that is simply using the yang to attract the yang, and the yin to attract the yin,' said Lu Chu.8 `That is not what I call the Way! I will show you my Way!' Thereupon he tuned two lutes, placed one in the hall, and the other in an inner room. When he struck the kung note on one lute, the kung on the other lute sounded; when he struck the chueh note, the other chueh sounded - the pitch of the two instruments was in perfect accord. Then he changed the tuning of one string so that it no longer corresponded to any of the five notes. When he plucked this string, it set all the twenty-five strings of the other instrument to jangling. But he was still using sounds to produce his effect; in this case it just happened to be the note that governs the other notes. Now is this the way it is in your case?" 9

Hui Tzu said, "The followers of Confucius, Mo, Yang, and Ping often engage with me in debate, each of us trying to overwhelm the others with phrases and to silence them with shouts - but so far they have never proved me wrong. So what do you make of that?"

Chuang Tzu said, "A man of Ch'i sold his own son into service in Sung, having dubbed him Gatekeeper and maimed him;10 but when he acquired any bells or chimes, he wrapped them up carefully to prevent breakage. Another man went looking for a lost son, but was unwilling to go any farther than the border in his search - there are men as mixed up as this, you know. Or like the man of Ch'u who had been maimed and sold into service as a gatekeeper and who, in the middle of the night, when no one else was around, picked a fight with the boatman. Though he didn't actually arouse any criticism, what he did was enough to create the grounds for a nasty grudge." 11

Chuang Tzu was accompanying a funeral when he passed by the grave of Hui Tzu. Turning to his attendants, he said, "There was once a plasterer who, if he got a speck of mud on the tip of his nose no thicker than a fly's wing, would get his friend Carpenter Shih to slice it off for him. Carpenter Shih, whirling his hatchet with a noise like the wind, would accept the assignment and proceed to slice, removing every bit of mud without injury to the nose, while the plasterer just stood there completely unperturbed. Lord Yuan of Sung, hearing of this feat, summoned Carpenter Shih and said, `Could you try performing it for me?' But Carpenter Shih replied, `It's true that I was once able to slice like that - but the material I worked on has been dead these many years.' Since you died, Master Hui, I have had no material to work on. There's no one I can talk to any more."

When Kuan Chung fell ill, Duke Huan went to inquire how he was. 12 "Father Chung," he said, "you are very ill. If - can I help but say it? - if your illness should become critical, then to whom could I entrust the affairs of the state?"

Kuan Chung said, "To whom would Your Grace like to entrust them?"

"Pao Shu-ya," said the duke.

"That will never do! He is a fine man, a man of honesty and integrity. But he will have nothing to do with those who are not like himself. And if he once hears of someone's error, he won't forget it to the end of his days. If he were given charge of the state, he would be sure to tangle with you on the higher level and rile the people below him. It would be no time at all before he did something you considered unpardonable."

"Well then, who will do?" asked the duke.

"If I must give an answer, then I would say that Hsi P'eng will do. He forgets those in high places and does not abandon those in low ones.13 He is ashamed that he himself is not like the Yellow Emperor, and pities those who are not like himself. He who shares his virtue with others is called a sage; he who shares his talents with others is called a worthy man. If he uses his worth in an attempt to oversee others,. then he will never win their support; but if he uses it to humble himself before others, then he will never fail to win their support. With such a man, there are things within the state that he doesn't bother to hear about, things within the family that he doesn't bother to look after. If I must give an answer, I would say that Hsi P'eng will do."

The king of Wu, boating on the Yangtze, stopped to climb a mountain noted for its monkeys. When the pack of monkeys saw him, they dropped what they were doing in terror and scampered off to hide in the deep brush. But there was one monkey who, lounging about nonchalantly, picking at things, scratching, decided to display his skill to the king. When the king shot at him, he snatched hold of the flying arrows with the greatest nimbleness and speed. The king thereupon ordered his attendants to hurry forward and join in the shooting, and the monkey was soon captured and killed. The king turned to his friend Yen Pu-i and said, "This monkey, flouting its skill, trusting to its tricks, deliberately displayed its contempt for me - so it met with this end. Take warning from it! Ah - you must never let your expression show arrogance toward others! "

When Yen Pu-i returned, he put himself under the instruction of Tung Wu, learning to wipe the expression from his face, to discard delight, to excuse himself from renown - and at the end of three years everyone in the state was praising him.

Tzu-ch'i of Nan-po14 sat leaning on his armrest, staring up at the sky and breathing. Yen Ch'eng-tzu entered and said, "Master, you surpass all other things! Can you really make the body like a withered tree and the mind like dead ashes?"

"Once I lived in a mountain cave. At that time, T'ien Ho came to pay me one visit and the people of the state of Ch'i congratulated him three times.15 I must have had hold of16 something in order for him to find out who I was; I must have been peddling something in order for him to come and buy. If I had not had hold of something, then how would he have been able to find out who I was? If I had not been peddling something, then how would he have been able to buy? Ah, how I pitied those men who destroy themselves! Then again, I pitied those who pity others; and again, I pitied those who pity those who pity others. But all that was long ago."

When Confucius visited Ch'u, the king of Ch'u ordered a toast. Sun-shu Ao came forward and stood with the wine goblet, while I-liao from south of the Market took some of the wine and poured a libation, saying, "[You have the wisdom of] the men of old, have you not? On this occasion perhaps you would speak to us about it."

Confucius said, "I have heard of the speech that is not spoken, though I have never tried to speak about it. Shall I

take this occasion to speak about it now? I-liao from south of the Market juggled a set of balls and the trouble between the two houses was resolved. Sun-shu Ao rested comfortably, waving his feather fan, and the men of Ying put away their arms. I wish I had a beak three feet long!" 17

These were men who followed what is called the Way that is not a way, and this exchange of theirs is what is called the debate that is not spoken. Therefore, when virtue is resolved in the unity of the Way and words come to rest at the place where understanding no longer understands, we have perfection. The unity of the Way is something that virtue can never master;18 what understanding does not understand is something that debate can never encompass. To apply names in the manner of the Confucians and Mo-ists is to invite evil. The sea does not refuse the rivers that come flowing eastward into it - it is the perfection of greatness. The sage embraces all heaven and earth, and his bounty extends to the whole world, yet no one knows who he is or what family he belongs to. For this reason, in life he holds no titles, in death he receives no posthumous names. Realities do not gather about him, names do not stick to him - this is what is called the Great Man.

A dog is not considered superior merely because it is good at barking; a man is not considered worthy merely because he is good at speaking. Much less, then, is he to be considered great. That which has become great does not think it worth trying to become great, much less to become virtuous. Nothing possesses a larger measure of greatness than Heaven and earth, yet when have they ever gone in search of greatness? He who understands what it means to possess greatness does not seek, does not lose, does not reject, and does not change himself for the sake of things. He returns to himself and finds the inexhaustible; he follows antiquity and discovers the imperishable - this is the sincerity of the Great Man.

Tzu-ch'i had eight sons and, lining them up in front of him, he summoned Chiu-fang Yin and said, "Please physiognomize my sons for me and tell me which one is destined for good fortune."

Chiu-fang Yin replied, "K'un - he is the one who will be fortunate."

Tzu-ch'i, both astonished and pleased, said, "How so?"

"K'un will eat the same food as the lord of a kingdom, and will continue to do so to the end of his days."

Tears sprang from Tzu-ch'i's eyes, and in great dejection he said, "Why should my boy be brought to this extreme?"

"He who eats the same food as the ruler of a kingdom will bring bounty to all his three sets of relatives, not to mention his own father and mother," said Chiu-fang Yin. "Yet now when you hear of this, Sir, you burst out crying - this will only drive the blessing away! The son is auspicious enough, but the father is decidedly inauspicious!"

Tzu-ch’i said, “Yin, what would you know about this sort of thing! You say K’un will be fortunate – but you are speaking solely of the meat and wine that are to affect his nose and mouth. How could you understand where such things come from! Suppose, although I have never been a shepherd, a flock of ewes were suddenly to appear in the southwest corner of my grounds; or that, although I have no taste for hunting, a covey of quail should suddenly appear in the southeast corner - if this were not to be considered peculiar, then what would be? When my son and I go wandering, we wander through Heaven and earth. He and I seek our delight in Heaven and our food from the earth. He and I do not engage in any undertakings, do not engage in any plots, do not engage in any peculiarities. He and I ride on the sincerity of Heaven and earth and do not allow things to set us at odds with it. He and I stroll and saunter in unity, but never do we try to do what is appropriate to the occasion. Now you tell me of this vulgar and worldly `reward' that is to come to him. As a rule, where there is some peculiar manifestation, there must invariably have been some peculiar deed to call it forth. But surely this cannot be due to any fault of my son and me - it must be inflicted by Heaven. It is for this reason that I weep!"

Not long afterwards, Tzu-ch'i sent his son K'un on an errand to the state of Yen, and along the way he was seized by bandits. They considered that he would be difficult to sell as a slave in his present state, but that if they cut off his feet they could dispose of him easily.19 Accordingly they cut off his feet and sold him in the state of Ch'i. As it happened, he was made gatekeeper of the inner chamber in the palace of Duke K'ang,20 and so was able to eat meat until the end of his days.

Nieh Ch'ueh happened to meet Hsi! Yu. "Where are you going?" he asked.

"I'm running away from Yao."

"Why is that?"

"Because Yao is so earnestly and everlastingly benevolent! I'm afraid he'll make himself the laughing stock of the world. In later ages men may even end up eating each other because of him! 21 There is nothing difficult about attracting the people. Love them and they will feel affection for you, benefit them and they will flock to you, praise them and they will do their best, do something they dislike and they will scatter. Love and benefit are the products of benevolence and righteousness. There are few men who will renounce benevolence and righteousness, but many who will seek to benefit by them. To practice benevolence and righteousness in such a fashion is at best a form of insincerity, at worst a deliberate lending of weapons to the evil 22 and rapacious. Moreover, to have one man laying down decisions and regulations for the `benefit' of the world is like trying to take in everything at a single glance. Yao understands that the worthy man can benefit the world, but he does not understand that he can also ruin the world. Only a man who has gotten outside the realm of `worthiness' can understand that!"

There are the smug-and-satisfied, there are the precariously perched, and there are the bent-with-burdens. What I call the smug-and-satisfied are those who, having learned the words of one master, put on a smug and satisfied look, privately much pleased with themselves, considering that what they've gotten is quite sufficient, and not even realizing that they haven't begun to get anything at all. These are what I call the smug-and-satisfied.

What I call the precariously perched are like the lice on a pig. They pick out a place where the bristles are long and sparse and call it their spacious mansion, their ample park; or a place in some corner of the hams or hoofs, between the nipples, or down around the haunches, and call it their house of repose, their place of profit. They do not know that one morning the butcher will give a swipe of his arm, spread out the grass, light up the fire, and that they will be roasted to a crisp along with the pig. Their advancement in the world is subject to such limitations as this, and their retirement from it is subject to similar limitations. This is what I call the precariously perched.

What I call the bent-with-burdens are those like Shun. The mutton doesn't long for the ants; it is the ants who long for the mutton. Mutton has a rank odor, and Shun must have done rank deeds for the hundred clans to have delighted in him so. Therefore, though he changed his residence three times, each place he lived in turned into a city, and by the time he reached the wilderness of Teng, he had a hundred thousand households with him. Yao heard of the worthiness of Shun and raised him up from the barren plains, saying, "May I hope that you will come and bestow your bounty upon us?" When Shun was raised up from the barren plains, he was already well along in years and his hearing and eyesight were failing, and yet he was not able to go home and rest. This is what I call the bent-with-burdens.

Therefore the Holy Man hates to see the crowd arriving, and if it does arrive, he does not try to be friendly with it; not being friendly with it, he naturally does nothing to benefit it. So he makes sure that there is nothing he is very close to, and nothing he is very distant with. Embracing virtue, infused with harmony, he follows along with the world - this is what is called the True Man. He leaves wisdom to the ants, takes his cue from the fishes, leaves willfulness to the mutton.23

Use the eye to look at the eye, the ear to listen to the ear, and the mind to restore the mind. Do this and your levelness will be as though measured with the line, your transformations will be a form of compliance. The True Man of ancient times used Heaven to deal with man; he did not use man to work his way into Heaven. The True Man of ancient times got it and lived, lost it and died; got it and died, lost it and lived. Medicines will serve as an example.24 There are monkshood, balloonflower, cockscomb, and chinaroot; each has a time when it is the sovereign remedy, though the individual cases are too numerous to describe.

Kou-chien, with his three thousand men in armor and shield, took up his position at K'uai-chi; at that time Chung alone was able to understand how a perishing state can be saved, but he alone did not understand how the body may be brought to grief.25 Therefore it is said, The owl's eyes have their special aptness, the stork's legs have their proper proportions; to try to cut away anything would make the creatures sad.

It is said, When the wind passes over it, the river loses something; when the sun passes over it, it loses something. But even if we asked the wind and sun to remain constantly over the river, the river would not regard this as the beginning of any real trouble for itself - it relies upon the springs that feed it and goes on its way. The water sticks close by the land, the shadow sticks close by the form, things stick close by things. Therefore keen sight may be a danger to the eye, sharp hear­ing may be a danger to the ear, and the pursuit of thought may be a danger to the mind. All the faculties that are stored up in man are a potential source of danger, and if this danger becomes real and is not averted, misfortunes will go on piling up in increasing number. A return to the original condition takes effort, its accomplishment takes time. And yet men look upon these faculties as their treasures - is it not sad? Therefore we have this endless destruction of states and slaughter of the people - because no one knows enough to ask about This! 26

The foot treads a very small area of the ground, but although the area is small, the foot must rely upon the support of the untrod ground all around before it can go forward in confidence. The understanding of man is paltry, but although it is paltry, it must rely upon all those things that it does not understand before it can understand what is meant by Heaven. To understand the Great Unity, to understand the Great Yin, to understand the Great Eye, to understand the Great Equal­ity, to understand the Great Method, to understand the Great Trust, to understand the Great Serenity - this is perfection. With the Great Unity you may penetrate it;27 with the Great Yin, unknot it; with the Great Eye, see it; with the Great Equality, follow it; with the Great Method, embody it; with the Great Trust, reach it; with the Great Serenity, hold it fast.

End with what is Heavenly, follow what is bright, hide in what is pivotal, begin in what is objective - then your com­prehension will seem like noncomprehension, your understanding will seem like no understanding; not understanding it, you will later understand it. Your questions about it cannot have a limit, and yet they cannot not have a limit. Vague and slippery, there is yet some reality there. Past and present, it does not alter - nothing can do it injury. We may say that there is one great goal, may we not? Why not inquire about it? Why act in such perplexity? If we use the unperplexed to dispel perplexity and return to unperplexity, this will be the greatest unperplexity.

 

Section TWENTY-FIVE - TSE-YANG

WHEN TSE-YANG WAS TRAVELING In Ch'u, Yi Chieh spoke to the king of Ch'u about him, but gave up and went home without having persuaded the king to grant Tse-yang an interview. Tse-yang went to see Wang Kuo and said, "Sir, I wonder if you would mention me to the king." 1

Wang Kuo replied, "I would not be as good at that as Kung Yueh-hsiu."

Tse-yang said, "Kung Yueh-hsiu? What does he do?"

"In winter he spears turtles by the river, in summer he loafs around the mountains, and if anyone comes along and asks him about it, he says, `This is my house!' Now since Yi Chieh was unable to persuade the king, what could I do? - I am not even a match for Yi Chieh. Yi Chieh is the kind of man who has understanding, though he lacks real virtue. He is not permissive with himself, but puts his whole spirit into pleasing his friends. He has always been dazzled and misled by wealth and eminence - so he is not the kind to help others out with virtue, but instead will help them out with harm. A man who is chilled will think spring has come if he piles on enough clothes; a man suffering from the heat will think winter has returned if he finds a cool breeze.2 Now the king of Ch'u is the kind of man who is majestic and stern in bearing, and if offended he is as unforgiving as a tiger. No one but a gross flatterer or a man of the most perfect virtue can hope to talk him into anything.

"The true sage, now - living in hardship, he can make his family forget their poverty; living in affluence, he can make kings and dukes forget their titles and stipends and humble themselves before him. His approach to things is to go along with them and be merry; his approach to men is to take pleasure in the progress of others and to hold on to what is his own. So there may be times when, without saying a word, he induces harmony in others; just standing alongside others, he can cause them to change, until the proper relationship between father and son has found its way into every home.3 He does it all in a spirit of unity and effortlessness - so far is he removed from the hearts of men. This is why I say you should wait for Kung Yueh-hsiu."

The sage penetrates bafflement and complication, rounding all into a single body, yet he does not know why - it is his inborn nature. He returns to fate and acts accordingly, using Heaven as his teacher, and men follow after, pinning labels on him. But if he worried about how much he knew and his actions were never constant for so much as a year or a season 4 then how could he ever find a stopping place?

When people are born with good looks, you may hand them a mirror, but if you don't tell them, they will never know that they are better looking than others. Whether they know it or don't know it, whether they are told of it or are not told of it, however, their delightful good looks remain unchanged to the end, and others can go on endlessly admiring them - it is a matter of inborn nature. The sage loves other men, and men accordingly pin labels on him, but if they do not tell him, then he will never know that he loves other men. Whether he knows it or doesn't know it, whether he is told of it or is not told of it, however, his love for men remains unchanged to the end, and others can find endless security in it - it is a matter of inborn nature.

The old homeland, the old city - just to gaze at it from afar is to feel a flush of joy. Even when its hills and mounds are a tangle of weeds and brush, and nine out of ten of the ones you knew have gone to lie under them, still you feel joyful. How much more so, then, when you see those you used to see, when you hear the voices you used to hear - they stand out like eighty-foot towers among the crowd.5

Mr. Jen-hsiang held on to the empty socket and followed along to completion.6 Joining with things, he knew no end, no beginning, no year, no season.7 And because he changed day by day with things, he was one with the man who never changes - so why should he ever try to stop doing this? He who tries to make Heaven his teacher will never get Heaven to teach him - he will end up following blindly along with all other things, and then no matter how he goes about it, what can he do? The sage has never begun to think of Heaven, has never begun to think of man, has never begun to think of a beginning, has never begun to think of things. He moves in company with the age, never halting; wherever he moves he finds completion and no impediment. Others try to keep up with him, but what can they do?

T’ang got hold of the groom and guardsman Teng Heng and had him be his tutor. He followed him and treated him as a teacher, but was not confined by him - so he could follow

along to completion, becoming as a result a mere holder of titles. This is called making yourself superfluous, a method by which two manifestations can be attained.8 Confucius' injunc­tion "Be done with schemes!"- you could let that be your tutor as well. Or Mr. Yung-ch'eng's saying, "Be done with days and there will be no more years! No inside, no outside."

King Ying of Wei made a treaty with Marquis T'ien Mou of Ch'i, but Marquis T'ien Mou violated it.9 King Ying, enraged, was about to send a man to assassinate him. Kung-sun Yen, the minister of war, heard of this and was filled with shame. "You are the ruler of a state of ten thousand chariots," he said to the king, "and yet you would send a commoner to carry out your revenge! I beg to be given command of two hundred thousand armored troops so that I may attack him for you, make prisoners of his people, and lead away his horses and cattle. I will make him burn with anger so fierce that it will break out on his back.10 Then I will storm his capital, and when T'ien Chi 1l tries to run away, I will strike him in the back and break his spine!"

Chi Tzu, hearing this, was filled with shame and said, "If one sets out to build an eighty-foot wall, and then, when it is already seven-tenths finished, 12 deliberately pulls it down, the convict laborers who built it will look upon it as a bitter waste. Now for seven years we have not had to call out the troops, and this peace has been the foundation of your sovereignty. Kung-sun Yen is a troublemaker - his advice must not be heeded!"

Hua Tzu, hearing this, was filled with disgust and said, "He who is so quick to say `Attack Ch'i!' is a troublemaker, and he who is so quick to say `Don't attack Ch'i!' is a troublemaker! And he who says that those who are for and against the attack are both troublemakers is a troublemaker, too!"

"Then what should I do?" said the ruler.

"Just try to find the Way, that's all."

Hui Tzu, hearing this, introduced Tai Chin-jen to the ruler. Tai Chin-jen said, "There is a creature called the snail - does Your Majesty know it?"

"Yes."

"On top of its left horn is a kingdom called Buffet, and on top of its right horn is a kingdom called Maul.13 At times they quarrel over territory and go to war, strewing the field with corpses by the ten thousand, the victor pursuing the vanquished for half a month before returning home."

"Pooh!" said the ruler. "What kind of empty talk is this?"

"But Your Majesty will perhaps allow me to show you the truth in it. Do you believe that there is a limit to the four directions, to up and down?"

"They have no limits," said the ruler.

"And do you know that when the mind has wandered in these limitless reaches and returns to the lands we know and travel, they seem so small it is not certain whether they even exist or not?"

"Yes," said the ruler.

"And among these lands we know and travel is the state of Wei, and within the state of Wei is the city of Liang, and within the city of Liang is Your Majesty. Is there any difference between you and the ruler of Maul?"

"No difference," said the king.

After the visitor left, the king sat stupefied, as though lost to the world. The interview over, Hui Tzu appeared before him. "That visitor of ours is a Great Man," said the king.

"The sages themselves are unworthy of comparison with him!" Hui Tzu said, "Blow on a flute and you get a nice shrill note; but blow on the ring of your sword hilt and all you get is a feeble wheeze. People are inclined to praise the sages Yao and Shun, but if you started expounding on Yao and Shun in the presence of Tai Chin-jen, it would sound like one little wheeze!"

When Confucius was traveling to the capital of Ch'u, he stopped for the night at a tavern at Ant Knoll. Next door a crowd of husbands and wives, menservants and maidservants had climbed up to the rooftop [to watch].11 Tzu-lu said, "Who are all those people milling around?"

"They are the servants of a sage," said Confucius. "He has buried himself among the people, hidden himself among the fields. His reputation fades away but his determination knows no end. Though his mouth speaks, his mind has never spoken. Perhaps he finds himself at odds with the age and in his heart disdains to go along with it. He is one who has `drowned in the midst of dry land.' I would guess that it is I-liao from south of the Market." 15

" May I go next door and call him over?" asked Tzu-lu.

"Let it be!" said Confucius. "He knows that I am out to make a name for myself, and he knows I am on my way to the capital of Ch'u. .He is sure to assume that I am trying to get the king of Ch'u to give me a position and will accordingly take me for a sycophant. A man like that is ashamed even to hear the words of a sycophant, much less appear in person before him! What makes you think he is still at home anyway?"

Tzu-lu went next door to have a look and found the house deserted.

The border guard of Chang-wu said to Tzu-lao,16 "In running the government you mustn't be slipshod; in ordering the people you mustn't be slapdash! In the past I used to grow grain. I plowed in a slipshod way and got a slipshod crop in return. I weeded in a slapdash way and got a slapdash crop in return. The following year I changed my methods, plowing deeper than before and raking with great care - the grain grew thick and luxuriant, and I had all I wanted to eat for the whole year!"

Chuang Tzu, hearing of this, said, "People of today, when they come to ordering their bodies and regulating their minds, too often do it in a manner like that which the border guard described. They turn their backs on the Heavenly part, deviate from the inborn nature, destroy the true form, and annihilate the spirit, just to be doing what the crowd is doing. So he who is slipshod with his inborn nature will find the evils of desire and hate affecting his inborn nature like weeds and rushes. When they first sprout up, he thinks they will be a comfort to the body, but in time they end by stifling the inborn nature. Side by side they begin to break out and ooze forth, not on just one part of the body but all over. Festering ulcers and boils, internal fevers and pus-filled urine - these are the results!"

Po Chu having studied under Lao Tan, said, "I would like permission to go wandering about the world."

"Let it be!" said Lao Tan. "The world is right here."

When Po Chi! repeated his request, Lao Tan said, "Where will you go first?"

"I will begin with Ch'i." When he arrived in Ch'i, he saw the body of a criminal who had been executed. 17 Pushing and dragging until he had it laid out in proper position, he took off his formal robes and covered it with them, wailing to Heaven and crying out, "Alas, alas! The world is in dire misfortune, and you have been quicker than the rest of us to encounter it. 'Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not murder!' they say. But when glory and disgrace have once been defined, you will see suffering; when goods and wealth have once been gathered together, you will see wrangling. To define something that brings suffering to men, to gather together what sets them to wrangling, inflicting misery and weariness upon them, never granting them a time of rest, and yet to hope somehow that they will not end up like this - how could it be possible?

"The gentlemen of old attributed what success they had to the people and what failure they had to themselves, attributed what was upright to the people and what was askew to themselves. Therefore, if there was something wrong with the body of even a single being, they would retire and take the blame upon themselves. But that is not the way it is done today. They make things obscure and then blame people for not understanding; l8 they enlarge the difficulties and then punish people for not being able to cope with them; they pile on responsibilities and then penalize people for not being able to fulfill them; they make the journey longer and then chastise people for not reaching the end of it. When the knowledge and strength of the people are exhausted, they will begin to piece them out with artifice, and when day by day the amount of artifice in the world increases, how can men keep from resorting to artifice? A lack of strength invites artifice, a lack of knowledge invites deceit, a lack of goods invites theft. But these thefts and robberies - who in fact deserves the blame for them?"

Ch'u Po-yu has been going along for sixty years and has changed sixty times. There was not a single instance in which what he called right in the beginning he did not in the end reject and call wrong. So now there's no telling whether what he calls right at the moment is not in fact what he called wrong during the past fifty-nine years. The ten thousand things have their life, yet no one sees its roots; they have their comings forth, yet no one sees the gate. Men all pay homage to what understanding understands, but no one understands enough to rely upon what understanding does not understand and thereby come to understand. Can we call this anything but great perplexity? Let it be, let it be! There is no place you can escape it. This is what is called saying both "that is so" and "is that so?" 19

Confucius said to the Grand Historiographers Ta T'ao, Po Ch'ang-ch'ien, and Hsi Wei, "Duke Ling of Wei drank wine and wallowed in pleasure, paying no heed to the government of the state; he went hunting and gaming with nets and stringed arrows, ignoring his obligations to the other feudal lords. How then does he come to be called Duke Ling? " 20

Ta T'ao said, "It fitted the facts."

Po Ch'ang-ch'ien said, "Duke Ling had three wives with whom he would bathe in the same tub. But when Shih Ch'iu appeared in his presence to offer a gift of cloth, the duke would accept it in person and respectfully attend Shih Ch'iu.21 He was so depraved as to bathe with his wives, and yet so correct in his behavior before a worthy man - this is why he was titled Duke Ling."

Hsi Wei said, "When Duke Ling died, we divined to see if he should be buried in the family graveyard, but the omens were unfavorable. Then we divined to see if he should be buried at Sand Hill and the omens were favorable. Digging down several fathoms, we found a stone coffin and, when we had washed and examined it, we discovered an inscription which said: `You cannot depend upon your heirs - Duke Ling will seize this plot for his own burial.' 22 So it appears that Duke Ling had already been titled Ling for a long long time. How could these two here know enough to understand this!"

Little Understanding said to Great Impartial Accord, "What is meant by the term `community words'?"

Great Impartial Accord said, " `Community words' refers to the combining of ten surnames and a hundred given names into a single social unit.23 Differences are combined into a sameness; samenesses are broken up into differences. Now we may point to each of the hundred parts of a horse's body and never come up with a `horse' - yet here is the horse, tethered right before our eyes. So we take the hundred parts and set up the term `horse.' Thus it is that hills and mountains pile up one little layer on another to reach loftiness; the Yangtze and the Yellow River combine stream after stream to achieve magnitude; and the Great Man combines and brings together things to attain generality.24 Therefore, when things enter his mind from the outside, there is a host to receive them but not to cling to them; and when things come forth from his mind, there is a mark to guide them but not to constrain them.25 The four seasons each differ in breath, but Heaven shows no partiality26 among them, and therefore the year comes to completion. The five government bureaus differ in function, but the ruler shows no partiality among them, and therefore the state is well ordered. In both civil and military affairs, the Great Man shows no partiality, and therefore his virtue is complete. 27 The ten thousand things differ in principle, but the Way shows no partiality among them, and therefore they may achieve namelessness. 28 Being nameless, they are without action; without action, yet there is nothing they do not do.

"The seasons have their end and beginning, the ages their changes and transformations. Bad fortune and good, tripping and tumbling, come now with what repels you, now with what you welcome. Set in your own opinion, at odds with others, now you judge things to be upright, now you judge them to be warped. But if you could only be like the great swamp, which finds accommodation for a hundred different timbers, or take your model from the great mountain, whose trees and rocks share a common groundwork! This is what is

meant by the term `community words.'"

Little Understanding said, "Well, then, if we call these [general concepts] the Way, will that be sufficient?"

"Oh, no," said Great Impartial Accord. "If we calculate the number of things that exist, the count certainly does not stop at ten thousand. Yet we set a limit and speak of the `ten thousand things' - because we select a number that is large and agree to apply it to them. In the same way, heaven and earth are forms which are large, the yin and yang are breaths which are large, and the Way is the generality that embraces them. If from the point of view of largeness we agree to apply [the name `Way'] to it, then there is no objection. But if, having established this name, we go on and try to compare it to the reality, then it will be like trying to compare a dog to a horse - the distance between them is impossibly far." 29

Little Understanding said, "Here within the four directions and the six realms, where do the ten thousand things spring from when they come into being?"

Great Impartial Accord said, "The yin and yang shine on each other, maim each other, heal each other; the four seasons succeed each other, give birth to each other, slaughter each other. Desire and hatred, rejection and acceptance thereupon rise up in succession;30 the pairing of halves between male and female thereupon becomes a regular occurrence. Security and danger trade places with each other, bad and good fortune give birth to each other, tense times and relaxed ones buffet one another, gathering-together and scattering bring it all to completion. These names and realities can be recorded, their details and minute parts can be noted. The principle of following one another in orderly succession, the property of moving in alternation, turning back when they have reached the limit, beginning again when they have ended - these are inherent in things. But that which words can adequately describe, that which understanding can reach to, extends only as far as the level of `things,' no farther. The man who looks to the Way does not try to track down what has disappeared, does not try to trace the source of what springs up. This is the point at which debate comes to a stop."

Little Understanding said, "Chi Chen's contention that `nothing does it' and Chieh Tzu's contention that `something makes it like this' - of the views of these two schools, which correctly describes the truth of the matter and which is one-sided in its understanding of principles?" 31

Great Impartial Accord said, "Chickens squawk, dogs bark - this is something men understand. But no matter how great their understanding, they cannot explain in words how the chicken and the dog have come to be what they are, nor can they imagine in their minds what they will become in the future. You may pick apart and analyze till you have reached what is so minute that it is without form, what is so large that it cannot be encompassed. But whether you say that `nothing does it' or that `something makes it like this,' you have not yet escaped from the realm of `things,' and so in the end you fall into error. If `something makes it like this,' then it is real; if `nothing does it,' then it is unreal. While there are names and realities, you are in the presence of things. When there are no names and realities, you exist in the absence of things.32 You can talk about it, you can think about it; but the more you talk about it, the farther away you get from it.

"Before they are born, things cannot decline to be born; already dead, they cannot refuse to go. Death and life are not far apart, though the principle that underlies them cannot be seen. `Nothing does it,' `something makes it like this' - these are speculations born out of doubt. I look for the roots of the past, but they extend back and back without end. I search for the termination of the future, but it never stops coming at me. Without end, without stop, it is the absence of words, which shares the same principle with things themselves. But `nothing does it,' `something makes it like this' - these are the commencement of words and they begin and end along with things.

"The Way cannot be thought of as being, nor can it be thought of as nonbeing. In calling it the Way we are only adopting a temporary expedient. `Nothing does it,' `something makes it like this' - these occupy a mere corner of the realm of things. What connection could they have with the Great Method? If you talk in a worthy manner, you can talk all day long and all of it will pertain to the Way. But if you talk in an unworthy manner, you can talk all day long and all of it will pertain to mere things. The perfection of the Way and things - neither words nor silence are worthy of expressing it. Not to talk, not to be silent - this is the highest form of debate."

Section TWENTY-SIX - EXTERNAL THINGS

EXTERNAL THINGS CANNOT be counted on. Hence Lung-feng was executed, Pi Kan was sentenced to death, Prince Chi feigned madness, E Lai was killed, and Chieh and Chou were overthrown.1 There is no ruler who does not want his ministers to be loyal. But loyal ministers are not always trusted. Hence Wu Yun was thrown into the Yangtze and Ch'ang Hung died in Shu, where the people stored away his blood, and after three years it was transformed into green jade.2 There is no parent who does not want his son to be filial. But filial sons are not always loved. Hence Hsiao-chi grieved and Tseng Shen sorrowed.3

When wood rubs against wood, flames spring up. When metal remains by the side of fire, it melts and flows away. When the yin and yang go awry, then heaven and earth see astounding sights. Then we hear the crash and roll of thunder, and fire comes in the midst of rain and burns up the great pagoda tree. Delight and sorrow are there to trap man on either side so that he has no escape. Fearful and trembling, he can reach no completion. His mind is as though trussed and suspended between heaven and earth, bewildered and lost in delusion. Profit and loss rub against each other and light the countless fires that burn up the inner harmony of the mass of men. The moon cannot put out the fire, so that in time all is consumed and the Way comes to an end.4

Chuang Chou’s family was very poor and so he went to borrow some grain from the marquis of Chien-ho. The marquis said, "Why, of course. I'll soon be getting the tribute money from my fief, and when I do, I'll be glad to lend you three hundred pieces of gold. Will that be all right?"

Chuang Chou flushed with anger and said, "As I was coming here yesterday, I heard someone calling me on the road. I turned around and saw that there was a perch in the carriage rut. I said to him, `Come, perch - what are you doing here?' He replied, `I am a Wave Official of the Eastern Sea. Couldn't you give me a dipperful of water, so I can stay alive?' I said to him, `Why, of course. I'm just about to start south to visit the kings of Wu and Yueh. I'll change the course of the West River and send it in your direction. Will that be all right?' The perch flushed with anger and said, `I've lost my element! I have nowhere to go! If you can get me a dipper of water, I'll be able to stay alive. But if you give me an answer like that, then you'd best look for me in the dried fish store!' "

Prince Jen made an enormous fishhook with a huge line, baited it with fifty bullocks, settled himself on top of Mount K'uai-chi, and cast with his pole into the eastern sea. Morning after morning he dropped the hook, but for a whole year he got nothing. At last a huge fish swallowed the bait . and dived down, dragging the enormous hook. It plunged to the bottom in a fierce charge, rose up and shook its dorsal fins, until the white waves were like mountains and the sea waters lashed and churned. The noise was like that of gods and demons and it spread terror for a thousand li. When Prince Jen had landed his fish, he cut it up and dried it, and from Chih-ho east, from Ts'ang-wu north, there was no one who did not get his fill. Since then the men of later generations who have piddling talents and a penchant for odd stories all astound each other by repeating the tale.

Now if you shoulder your pole and line, march to the ditches and gullies, and watch for minnows and perch, then you'll have a hard time ever landing a big fish. If you parade your little theories and fish for the post of district. magistrate, you will be far from the Great Understanding. So if a man has never heard of the style of Prince Jen, he's a long way from being able to join with the men who run the world.

The Confucians rob graves in accordance with the Odes and ritual. The big Confucian announces to his underlings: "The east grows light! How is the matter proceeding?"

The little Confucians say: "We haven't got the graveclothes off him yet but there's a pearl in his mouth! 5 Just as the Ode says:

Green, green the grain

Growing on grave mound slopes;

If in life you gave no alms

In death how do you deserve a pearl?"

They push back his sidelocks, press down his beard, and then one of them pries into his chin with a little metal gimlet and gently pulls apart the jaws so as not to injure the pearl in his mouth.

A disciple of Lao Lai-tzu6 was out gathering firewood when he happened to meet Confucius. He returned and reported, "There's a man over there with a long body and short legs, his back a little humped and his ears set way back, who looks as though he were trying to attend to everything within the four seas. I don't know who it can be."

Lao Lai-tzu said, "That's Kung Ch'iu. Tell him to come over here!"

When Confucius arrived, Lao Lai-tzu said, "Ch'iu, get rid of your proud bearing and that knowing look on your face and you can become a gentleman!"

Confucius bowed and stepped back a little, a startled and changed expression on his face, and then asked, "Do you think I can make any progress in my labors?"

Lao Lai-tzu said, "You can't bear to watch the sufferings of one age, and so you go and make trouble for ten thousand ages to come! ' Are you just naturally a boor? Or don't you have the sense to understand the situation? You take pride in practicing charity and making people happy8 - the shame of it will follow you all your days! These are the actions, the `progress' of mediocre men - men who pull each other around with fame, drag each other into secret schemes, join together to praise Yao and condemn Chieh, when the best thing would be to forget them both and put a stop to praise! What is contrary cannot fail to be injured, what moves [when it shouldn't] cannot fail to be wrong. The sage is hesitant and reluctant to begin an affair, and so he always ends in success. But what good are these actions of yours? They end in nothing but a boast!"

Lord Yuan of Sung one night dreamed he saw a man with disheveled hair who peered in at the side door of his chamber and said, "I come from the Tsai-lu Deeps. I was on my way as envoy from the Clear Yangtze to the court of the Lord of the Yellow River when a fisherman named Yu Chu caught me!”

When Lord Yuan woke up, he ordered his men to divine the meaning, and they replied, "This is a sacred turtle." "Is there a fisherman named Yu Chu?'' he asked, and his attend­ants replied, "There is." "Order Yu Chu to come to court!"

he said.

The next day Yu Chu appeared at court and the ruler said, "What kind of fish have you caught recently?"

Yu Chu replied, "I caught a white turtle in my net. It’s five feet around."

"Present your turtle!" ordered the ruler. When the turtle was brought, the ruler could not decide whether to kill it or let it live and, being in doubt, he consulted his diviners, who replied, "Kill the turtle and divine with it - it will bring good luck." Accordingly the turtle was stripped of its shell, and of seventy-two holes drilled in it for prognostication, not one failed to yield a true answer.9

Confucius said, "The sacred turtle could appear to Lord Yuan in a dream but it couldn't escape from Yu Chu's net. It knew enough to give correct answers to seventy-two queries but it couldn't escape the disaster of having its belly ripped open. So it is that knowledge has its limitations, and spirituality has that which it can do nothing about. Even the most perfect wisdom can be outwitted by ten thousand schemers. Fish do not [know enough to] fear a net, but only to fear pelicans. Discard little wisdom and great wisdom will become clear. Discard goodness and goodness will come of itself. The little child learns to speak, though it has no learned teachers - because it lives with those who know how to speak."

Hui Tzu said to Chuang Tzu, "Your words are useless!"

Chuang Tzu said, "A man has to understand the useless before you can talk to him about the useful. The earth is certainly vast and broad, though a man uses no more of it than the area he puts his feet on. If, however, you were to dig away all the earth from around his feet until you reached the Yellow Springs,10 then would the man still be able to make use of it?"

"No, it would be useless," said Hui Tzu.

"It is obvious, then," said Chuang Tzu, "that the useless has its use."

Chuang. Tzu said, "If you have the capacity to wander, how can you keep from wandering? But if you do not have the capacity to wander, how can you wander? A will that takes refuge in conformity, behavior that is aloof and eccentric - neither of these, alas, is compatible with perfect wisdom and solid virtue. You stumble and fall but fail to turn back; you race on like fire and do not look behind you. But though you may be one time a ruler, another time a subject, this is merely a matter of the times. Such distinctions change with the age and you cannot call either one or the other lowly. Therefore I say, the Perfect Man is never a stickler in his actions.

"To admire antiquity and despise the present - this is the fashion of scholars. And if one is to look at the present age after the fashion of Hsi-wei, then who can be without prejudice? 11 Only the Perfect Man can wander in the world without taking sides, can follow along with men without losing himself. His teachings are not to be learned, and one who understands his meaning has no need for him. 12

"The eye that is penetrating sees clearly, the ear that is penetrating hears clearly, the nose that is penetrating distinguishes odors, the mouth that is penetrating distinguishes flavors, the mind that is penetrating has understanding, and the understanding that is penetrating has virtue. In all things, the Way does not want to be obstructed, for if there is obstruction, there is choking; if the choking does not cease, there is disorder; and disorder harms the life of all creatures.

"All things that have consciousness depend upon breath. But if they do not get their fill of breath, it is not the fault of Heaven. Heaven opens up the passages and supplies them day and night without stop. But man on the contrary blocks up the holes. The cavity of the body is a many-storied vault; the mind has its Heavenly wanderings. But if the chambers are not large and roomy, then wife and mother-in-law will fall to quarreling. If the mind does not have its Heavenly wanderings, then the six apertures of sensation will defeat each other.

"The great forests, the hills and mountains excel man in the fact that their growth is irrepressible. [In man] virtue spills over into a concern for fame, and a concern for fame spills over into a love of show. Schemes are laid in time of crisis; wisdom is born from contention; obstinacy comes from sticking to a position; government affairs are arranged for the convenience of the mob.13 In spring, when the seasonable rains and sunshine come, the grass and trees spring to life, and the sickles and hoes are for the first time prepared for use. At that time, over half the grass and trees that had been pushed over begin to grow again, though no one knows why.

"Stillness and silence can benefit the ailing, massage can give relief to the aged, and rest and quiet can put a stop to agitation. But these are remedies which the troubled and weary man has recourse to. The man who is at ease does not need them and has never bothered to ask about them. The Holy Man does not bother to ask what methods the sage uses to reform the world. The sage does not bother to ask what methods the worthy man uses to reform the age. The worthy man does not bother to ask what methods the gentleman uses to reform the state. The gentleman does not bother to ask what methods the petty man uses to get along with the times.

"There was a man of Yen Gate who, on the death of his parents, won praise by starving and disfiguring himself, and was rewarded with the post of Official Teacher. The other people of the village likewise starved and disfigured themselves, and over half of them died. Yao offered the empire to Hsu Yu and Hsu Yu fled from him. T'ang offered it to Wu Kuang and Wu Kuang railed at him. When Chi T'o heard of this, he took his disciples and went off to sit by the K'uan River, where the feudal lords went to console him for three years. Shen-t'u Ti for the same reason jumped into the Yellow River. 14

"The fish trap exists because of the fish; once you've gotten the fish, you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit; once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning; once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him?"

 

Section TWENTY-SEVEN - IMPUTED WORDS

IMPUTED WORDS MAKE up nine tenths of it; repeated words make up seven tenths of it; goblet words come forth day after day, harmonizing things in the Heavenly Equality.1

These imputed words which make up nine tenths of it are like persons brought in from outside for the purpose of exposition. A father does not act as go-between for his own son because the praises of the father would not be as effective as the praises of an outsider. It is the fault of other men, not mine [that I must resort to such a device, for if I were to speak in my own words], then men would respond only to what agrees with their own views and reject what does not, would pronounce "right" what agrees with their own views and "wrong" what does not.

These repeated words which make up seven tenths of it are intended to put an end to argument. They can do this because they are the words of the elders. If, however, one is ahead of others in age but does not have a grasp of the warp and woof, the root and branch of things, that is commensurate with his years, then he is not really ahead of others. An old man who is not in some way ahead of others has not grasped the Way of man, and if he has not grasped the Way of man, he deserves to be looked on as a mere stale remnant of the past.

With these goblet words that come forth day after day, I harmonize all things in the Heavenly Equality, leave them to their endless changes, and so live out my years. As long as I do not say anything about them, they are a unity. But the unity and what I say about it have ceased to be a unity; what I say and the unity have ceased to be a unity.2 Therefore I say, we must have no-words! With words that are no-words, you may speak all your life long and you will never have said anything. Or you may go through your whole life without speaking them, in which case you will never have stopped speaking.

There is that which makes things acceptable, there is that which makes things unacceptable; there is that which makes things so, there is that which makes things not so. What makes them so? Making them so makes them so. What makes them not so? Making them not so makes them not so. What makes them acceptable? Making them acceptable makes them acceptable. What makes them not acceptable? Making them not acceptable makes them not acceptable. Things all must have that which is so; things all must have that which is acceptable. There is nothing that is not so, nothing that is not acceptable.3 If there were no goblet words coming forth day after day to harmonize all by the Heavenly Equality, then how could I survive for long?

The ten thousand things all come from the same seed, and with their different forms they give place to one another. Beginning and end are part of a single ring and no one can comprehend its principle. This is called Heaven the Equalizer, which is the same as the Heavenly Equality.

Chuang Tzu said to Hui Tzu, "Confucius has been going along for sixty years and he has changed sixty times. What at the beginning he used to call right he has ended up calling wrong. So now there's no telling whether what he calls right at the moment is not in fact what he called wrong during the past fifty-nine years." 4

Hui Tzu said, "Confucius keeps working away at it, trying to make knowledge serve him."

"Oh, no-Confucius has given all that up," said Chuang Tzu. "It's just that he never talks about it. Confucius said, `We receive our talents from the Great Source and, with the spirit hidden within us,' we live.' [As for you, you] sing on key, you talk by the rules, you line up `profit' and `righteousness' before us, but your 'likes' and `dislikes,' your `rights' and `wrongs' are merely something that command lip service from others, that's all. If you could make men pay service with their minds and never dare stand up in defiance - this would settle things for the world so they would stay settled. But let it be, let it be! As for me, what hope have I of ever catching up with Confucius?"

Tseng Tzu twice held office, each time with a change of hearts "The first time, when I was taking care of my parents, I received a salary of only three fu of grain and yet my heart was happy," he said. "The second time I received a salary of three thousand chung, but I no longer had them to take care of and my heart was sad."

One of the disciples asked Confucius, "May we say that someone like Tseng Shen has escaped the crime of entanglement?"

"But he was already entangled! If he hadn't been entangled, how could he have had any cause for sorrow? He would have regarded three fu or three thousand chung as so many sparrows or mosquitoes passing in front of him!"

Yen Ch'eng Tzu-yu said to Tzu-ch'i of East Wall, "When I began listening to your words, the first year I was a bumpkin; the second I followed along; the third I worked into it; the fourth I was just another thing; the fifth it began to come; the sixth the spirits descended to me; the seventh the Heavenly part was complete; the eighth I didn't understand death and didn't understand life; and with the ninth I reached the Great Mystery.

"When the living start doing things, they are dead. When they strive for public causes because private ones mean death, they are following a path. But what lives in the light is following no path at all.7' What is the result then? How can there be any place that is fitting? How can there be any place that isn't fitting? Heaven has its cycles and numbers, earth its flats and slopes8 - yet why should I seek to comprehend them? No one knows when they will end - how then can we say that they are fated to die? No one knows when they began - how then can we say that they are not fated to die? There seems to be something that responds - how then can we say there are no spirits? There seems to be something that does not respond - how then can we say that spirits do exist?"

Penumbra said to Shadow, "A little while ago you were looking down and now you're looking up, a little while ago your hair was bound up and now it's hanging loose, a little while ago you were sitting and now you're standing up, a little while ago you were walking and now you're still - why is this?"

Shadow said, "Quibble, quibble! Why bother asking about such things? I do them but I don't know why. I'm the shell of the cicada, the skin of the snake - something that seems to be but isn't. In firelight or sunlight I draw together, in darkness or night I disappear. But do you suppose I have to wait around for those things? (And how much less so in the case of that which waits for nothing!) If those things come, then I come with them; if they go, then I go with them; if they come with the Powerful Yang, then I come with the Powerful Yang. But this Powerful Yang - why ask questions about it?" 9

Yang Tzu-chu went south to P'ei, and when he got to Liang, he went out to the edge of the city to greet Lao Tan, who had been traveling west to Chin, and escort him in.10 Lao Tzu stood in the middle of the road, looked up to heaven, and sighed, saying, "At first I thought that you could be taught, but now I see it's hopeless!"

Yang Tzu-chu made no reply, but when they reached the inn, he fetched a basin of water, a towel, and a comb and, taking off his shoes outside the door of the room, came crawling forward on his knees and said, "Earlier I had hoped to ask you, Sir, what you meant by your remark, but I saw that you were occupied and didn't dare to. Now that you have a free moment, may I ask where my fault lies?"

Lao Tzu said, "High and mighty, proud and haughty - who could stand to live with you! 11 The greatest purity looks like shame, abundant virtue seems to be insufficient." 12

When Yang Tzu-chu first arrived at the inn, the people in the inn came out to greet him. The innkeeper stood ready with a mat, his wife with towel and comb, while the other guests moved politely off their mats and those who had been warming themselves at the stove stepped aside. But when Yang returned from his interview with Lao Tzu, the people at the inn tried to push him right off his own mat.13

 

Section TWENTY-EIGHT - GIVING AWAY A THRONE

YAO WANTED TO CEDE THE EMPIRE to Hsu Yu, but Hsu Yu refused to accept it.1 Then he tried to give it to Tzu-chou Chih-fu. Tzu-chou Chih-fu said, "Make me the Son of Heaven? - that would be all right, I suppose. But I happen to have a deep-seated and worrisome illness which I am just now trying to put in order. So I have no time to put the empire in order." The empire is a thing of supreme importance, yet he would not allow it to harm his life. How much less, then, any other thing! Only he who has no use for the empire is fit to be entrusted with it.

Shun wanted to cede the empire to Tzu-chou Chih-po, but Tzu-chou Chih-po said, "I happen to have a deep-seated and worrisome illness which I am just now trying to put in order. So I have no time to put the empire in order." The empire is a great vessel, yet he would not exchange his life for it. This is how the possessor of the Way differs from the vulgar man.

Shun tried to cede the empire to Shan Ch'uan, but Shan Ch'uan said, "I stand in the midst of space and time. Winter days I dress in skins and furs, summer days, in vine-cloth and hemp. In spring I plow and plant - this gives my body the labor and exercise it needs; in fall I harvest and store away - this gives my form the leisure and sustenance it needs. When the sun comes up, I work; when the sun goes down, I rest. I wander free and easy between heaven and earth, and my mind has found all that it could wish for. What use would I have for the empire? What a pity that you don't understand me!" In the end he would not accept, but went away, entering deep into the mountains, and no one ever knew where he had gone.

Shun wanted to cede the empire to his friend, the farmer of Stone Door. The farmer of Stone Door said, "Such vigor and vitality you have, My Lord! You are a gentleman of perseverance and strength!" Then, surmising that Shun's virtue would hardly amount to very much, he lifted his wife upon his back, took his son by the hand, and disappeared among the islands of the sea, never to return to the end of his days.

When the Great King Tan-fu was living in Pin, the Ti tribes attacked his territory.2 He offered them skins and silks, but they refused them; he offered them dogs and horses, but they refused them; he offered them pearls and jades, but they refused them. What the men of the Ti tribes were after was his land. The Great King Tan-fu said, "To live among the older brothers and send the younger brothers to their death; to live among the fathers and send the sons to their death - this I cannot bear! My people, be diligent and remain where you are. What difference does it make whether you are subjects of mine or of the men of Ti? I have heard it said, one must not injure that which he is nourishing for the sake of that by which he nourishes it." 3 Then, using his riding whip as a cane, he departed, but his people, leading one another, followed after him, and in time founded a new state at the foot of Mount Ch'i.

The Great King Tan-fu may be said to have known how to respect life. He who knows how to respect life, though he may be rich and honored, will not allow the means of nourishing life to injure his person. Though he may be poor and humble, he will not allow concerns of profit to entangle his body. The men of the present age, if they occupy high office and are honored with titles, all think only of how serious a matter it would be to lose them. Eyes fixed on profit, they make light of the risk to their lives. Are they not deluded indeed?

The men of Yueh three times in succession assassinated their ruler. Prince Sou, fearful for his life, fled to the Cinnabar Cave, and the state of Yueh was left without a ruler. The men of Yueh, searching for Prince Sou and failing to find him, trailed him to the Cinnabar Cave, but he refused to come forth. They smoked him out with mugwort and placed him in the royal carriage. As Prince Sou took hold of the strap and pulled himself up into the carriage, he turned his face to heaven and cried, "To be a ruler! A ruler! Could I alone not have been spared this?" It was not that he hated to become their ruler; he hated the perils that go with being a ruler. Prince Sou, we may say, was the kind who would not allow the state to bring injury to his life. This, in fact, was precisely why the people of Yueh wanted to obtain him for their ruler.

The states of Han and Wei were fighting over a piece of territory. Master Hua Tzu went to see Marquis Chao-hsi, the ruler of Han. Marquis Chao-hsi had a worried look on his face. Master Hua Tzu said, "Suppose the men of the empire were to draw up a written agreement and place it before you, and the inscription read: `Seize this with your left hand and you will lose your right hand; seize it with your right hand and you will lose your left; yet he who seizes this will invariably gain possession of the empire.' Would you be willing to seize it?"

"I would not!" said Marquis Chao-hsi.

"Very good!" exclaimed Master Hua Tzu. "From this I can see that your two hands are more important to you than the empire. And of course your body as a whole is a great deal more important than your two hands, while the state of Han is a great deal less important than the empire as a whole. Moreover, this piece of territory that you are fighting over is a great deal less important than the state of Han as a whole. And yet you make yourself miserable and endanger your life, worrying and fretting because you can't get possession of it!"

"Excellent!" said Marquis Chao-hsi. "Many men have given me advice, but I have never been privileged to hear words such as these!" Master Hua Tzu, we may say, understood the difference between important and unimportant things.

The ruler of Lu, having heard that Yen Ho was a man who had attained the Way, sent a messenger with gifts to open up relations with him. Yen Ho was in his humble, back-alley home, wearing a robe of coarse hemp and feeding a cow, when the messenger from the ruler of Lu arrived, and he came to the door in person. "Is this the home of Yen Ho?" asked the messenger. "Yes, this is Ho's house," said Yen Ho. The messenger then presented his gifts, but Yen Ho said, "I'm afraid you must have gotten your instructions mixed up. You'll surely be blamed if you give these to the wrong person, so you'd better check once more." The messenger returned, checked his instructions, and then went looking for Yen Ho a second time, but he was never able to find him. Men like Yen Ho truly despise wealth and honor.

Hence it is said, The Truth of the Way lies in looking out for oneself; its fringes and leftovers consist in managing the state and its great families; its offal and weeds consist in governing the empire. The accomplishments of emperors and kings are superfluous affairs as far as the sage is concerned, not the means by which to keep the body whole and to care for life. Yet how many gentlemen of the vulgar world today endanger themselves and throw away their lives in the pursuit of mere things! How can you help pitying them? Whenever the sage makes a move, you may be certain that he has looked carefully to see where he is going and what he is about. Now suppose there were a man here who took the priceless pearl of the Marquis of Sui and used it as a pellet to shoot at a sparrow a thousand yards up in the air - the world would certainly laugh at him. Why? Because that which he is using is of such great value, and that which he is trying to acquire is so trifling. And life - surely it is of greater value than the pearl of the Marquis of Sui!

Master Lieh Tzu was living in poverty and his face had a hungry look. A visitor mentioned this to Tzu-yang, the prime minister of Cheng, saying, "Lieh Yu-k'ou appears to be a gentleman who has attained the Way. Here he is living in Your Excellency's state, and in utter poverty! It would almost seem that Your Excellency has no fondness for such gentlemen, does it not?"

Tzu-yang immediately ordered his officials to dispatch a gift of grain. Master Lieh Tzu received the messenger, bowed twice, and refused the gift. When the messenger had left and Master Lieh Tzu had gone back into his house, his wife, filled with bitterness, beat her breast and said, "I have heard that the wives and children of men who have attained the Way all live in ease and happiness - but here we are with our hungry looks! His Excellency, realizing his error, has sent the Master something to eat, but the Master refuses to accept it - I suppose this is what they call Fate!"

Master Lieh Tzu laughed and said, "His Excellency does not know me personally - he sent me the grain simply because of what someone had told him. And someday he could just as well condemn me to punishment, again simply because of what someone told him. That's why I refused to accept."

In the end, as it happened, rebellion broke out among the people of Cheng and Tzu-yang was murdered.

When King Chao of Ch'u was driven from his state, the sheep butcher Yueh fled at the same time and followed King Chao into exile.4 When King Chao regained control of the state, he set about rewarding his followers, but when it came the turn of the sheep butcher Yueh, Yueh said, "His Majesty lost control of the state, and I lost my job as sheep butcher. Now His Majesty has regained the state, and I have also gotten back my sheep-butchering job. So my `title and stipend' have already been restored to me. Why should there be any talk of a reward?"

"Force him to take it!" ordered the king.

But the sheep butcher Yueh said, "The fact that His Majesty lost the kingdom was no fault of mine - therefore I would not venture to accept any punishment for it. And the fact that His Majesty has regained the kingdom is no accomplishment of mine - therefore I would not venture to accept any reward for it."

"Bring him into my presence!" ordered the king.

But the sheep butcher Yueh said, "According to the laws of the state of Ch'u, a man must have received weighty awards and accomplished great deeds before he may be granted an audience with the ruler. Now I was not wise enough to save the state, nor brave enough to die in combat with the invaders. When the armies of Wu entered the city of Ying, I was afraid of the dangers ahead and so I ran away from the invaders. I did not purposely follow after His Majesty. Now His Majesty wishes to disregard the laws and break the precedents by granting me an audience. But, in view of the facts, that would not win me any kind of reputation in the world!"

The king said to Tzu-ch'i, his minister of war, "The sheep butcher Yueh is a man of mean and humble position, and yet his pronouncements on righteousness are lofty indeed! I want you to promote him to one of the `three banner' offices." 5

When told of this, the sheep butcher Yueh said, "I am fully aware that the `three banner' rank is a far more exalted place than a sheep butcher's stall, and that a stipend of ten thousand chung is more wealth than I will ever acquire slaughtering sheep. But how could I, merely out of greed for title and stipend, allow my ruler to gain a reputation for irresponsibly handing out such favors? I dare not accept. Please let me go back to my sheep butcher's stall." And in the end he refused to accept the position.

Yuan Hsien lived in the state of Lu, in a tiny house that was hardly more than four walls. It was thatched with growing weeds, had a broken door made of woven brambles and branches of mulberry for the doorposts; jars with the bottoms out, hung with pieces of coarse cloth for protection from the weather, served as windows for its two rooms.6 The roof leaked and the floor was damp, but Yuan Hsien sat up in dignified manner, played his lute, and sang. Tzu-kung, wearing an inner robe of royal blue and an outer one of white, and riding in a grand carriage whose top was too tall to get through the entrance to the lane, came to call on Yuan Hsien. Yuan Hsien, wearing a bark cap and slippers with no heels, and carrying a goosefoot staff, came to the gate to greet him.

"Goodness!" exclaimed Tzu-kung. "What distress you are in, Sir!"

Yuan Hsien replied, "I have heard that if one lacks wealth, that is called poverty; and if one studies but cannot put into practice what he has learned, that is called distress. I am poor, but I am not in distress!"

Tzu-kung backed off a few paces with a look of embarrassment. Yuan Hsien laughed and said, "To act out of worldly ambition, to band with others in cliquish friendships, to study in order to show off to others, to teach in order to please one's own pride, to mask one's evil deeds behind benevolence and righteousness, to deck oneself out with carriages and horses - I could never bear to do such things!"

Tseng Tzu7 lived in the state of Wei, wearing a robe of quilted hemp with the outside worn through, his face blotchy and swollen, his hands and feet hard and callused. He would go three days without lighting a fire, ten years without making himself a new suit of clothes. If he tried to straighten his cap, the chin strap would break; if he pulled together his lapels, his elbows poked through the sleeves; if he stepped into his shoes, his heels broke out at the back. Yet, shuffling along, he would sing the sacrificial hymns of Shang in a voice that filled heaven and earth, as though it issued from a bell or a chiming stone. The Son of Heaven could not get him for his minister; the feudal lords could not get him for their friend. Hence he who nourishes his will forgets about his bodily form; he who nourishes his bodily form forgets about questions of gain; and he who arrives at the Way forgets about his mind.

Confucius said to Yen Hui, "Come here, Hui. Your family is poor and your position very lowly. Why don't you become an official?"

Yen Hui replied, "I have no desire to become an official. I have fifty mou of farmland outside the outer wall," which is enough to provide me with porridge and gruel, and I have ten mou of farmland inside the outer wall, which is enough to keep me in silk and hemp. Playing my lute gives me enjoyment enough, studying the Way of the Master gives me happiness enough. I have no desire to become an official."

Confucius' face took on a sheepish expression and he said, "Excellent, Hui - this determination of yours! I have heard that he who knows what is enough will not let himself be entangled by thoughts of gain; that he who really understands how to find satisfaction will not be afraid of other kinds of loss; and that he who practices the cultivation of what is within him will not be ashamed because he holds no position in society. I have been preaching these ideas for a long time, but now for the first time I see them realized in you, Hui. This is what 1 have gained."

Prince Mou of Wei, who was living in Chung-shan, said to Chan Tzu, "My body is here beside these rivers and seas, but my mind is still back there beside the palace towers of Wei. What should I do about it?" 9

"Attach more importance to life!" said Chan Tzu. "He who regards life as important will think lightly of material gain."

"I know that's what I should do," said Prince Mou. "But I can't overcome my inclinations."

"If you can't overcome your inclinations, then follow them!" said Chan Tzu.

"But won't that do harm to the spirit?"

"If you can't overcome your inclinations and yet you try to force yourself not to follow them, this is to do a double injury to yourself. Men who do such double injury to themselves are never found in the ranks of the long-lived!"

Wei Mou was a prince of a state of ten thousand chariots, and it was more difficult for him to retire and live among the cliffs and caves than for an ordinary person. Although he did not attain the Way, we may say that he had the will to do so.

Confucius was in distress between Ch'en and Ts'ai. For seven days he ate no properly cooked food, but only a soup of greens without any grain in it. His face became drawn with fatigue, but he sat in his room playing the lute and singing. Yen Hui was outside picking vegetables, and Tzu-lu and Tzu-kung were talking with him. "Our Master was twice driven out of Lu," they said. "They wiped out his footprints in Wei, chopped down a tree on him in Sung, made trouble for him in Shang and Chou, and are now besieging him here at Ch'en and Ts'ai. Anyone who kills him will be pardoned of all guilt, and anyone who wishes to abuse him is free to do so. Yet he keeps playing and singing, strumming the lute without ever letting the sound die away. Can a gentleman really be as shameless as all this?"

Yen Hui, having no answer, went in and reported what they had said to Confucius. Confucius pushed aside his lute, heaved a great sigh, and said, "Those two are picayune men! Call them in here - I'll talk to them."

When Tzu-lu and Tzu-kung had entered the room, Tzu-lu said, "I guess you could say that all of us are really blocked in this time." 10

Confucius said, "What kind of talk is that! When the gentleman gets through to the Way, this is called `getting through.' When he is blocked off from the Way, this is called `being blocked.' Now I embrace the way of benevolence and righteousness, and with it encounter the perils of an age of disorder. Where is there any `being blocked' about this? So I examine what is within me and am never blocked off from the Way. I face the difficulties ahead and do not lose its Virtue. When the cold days come and the frost and snow have fallen, then I understand how the pine and the cypress flourish.11 These perils here in Ch'en and Ts'ai are a blessing to me!" Confucius then turned complacently back to his lute and began to play and sing again. Tzu-lu excitedly snatched up a shield and began to dance, while Tzu-kung said, "I did not realize that Heaven is so far above, earth so far below!"

The men of ancient times who had attained the Way were happy if they were blocked in, and happy if they could get through. It was not the fact that they were blocked or not that made them happy. As long as you have really gotten hold of the Way,12 then being blocked or getting through are no more than the orderly alternation of cold and heat, of wind and rain. Therefore Hsu Yu enjoyed himself on the sunny side of the Ying River, and Kung Po found what he wanted on top of a hill.13

Shun wanted to cede the empire to his friend, a man from the north named Wu-tse. Wu-tse said, "What a peculiar man this ruler of ours is! First he lived among the fields and ditches, then he went wandering about the gate of Yao. Not content to let it rest at that, he now wants to take his disgraceful doings and dump them all over me. I would be ashamed even to see him!" Thereupon he threw himself into the deeps at Ch'ingling.

When T'ang was about to attack Chieh, he went to Pien Sui for help in plotting the strategy.14 "It's nothing I'd know anything about!" said Pien Sui.

"Who would be good?" asked T'ang.

"I don't know."

T'ang then went to Wu Kuang and asked for help. "It's nothing I'd know anything about!" said Wu Kuang.

"Who would be good?" asked T'ang.

"I don't know."

"How about Yi Yin?" asked T'ang.

"A man of violence and force, willing to put up with disgrace - I know nothing else about him."

In the end T'ang went to Yi Yin and together they plotted the attack. Having overthrown Chieh, T'ang then offered to cede the throne to Pien Sui, Pien Sui refused, saying, "When you were plotting to attack Chieh, you came to me for advice - so you must have thought I was capable of treason. Now you have defeated Chieh and want to cede the throne to me - so you must think I am avaricious. I was born into this world of disorder, and now a man with no understanding of the Way twice comes and tries to slop his disgraceful doings all over me! I can't bear to go on listening to such proposals again and again!" Thereupon he threw himself into the Ch'ou River and drowned.

T'ang tried to cede the throne to Wu Kuang, saying, "The wise man does the plotting, the military man the seizing, and the benevolent man the occupying - such was the way of antiquity. Now why will you not accept the position?"

But Wu Kuang refused, saying, "To depose your sovereign is no act of righteousness; to slaughter the people is no act of benevolence; to inflict trouble on other men and enjoy the benefits yourself is no act of integrity. I have heard it said, If the man is without righteousness, do not take his money; if the world is without the Way, do not tread its soil. And you expect me to accept such a position of honor? I can't bear the sight of you any longer!" Thereupon he loaded a stone onto his back and drowned himself in the Lu River.

Long ago, when the Chou dynasty first came to power, there were two gentlemen who lived in Ku-chu named Po Yi and Shu Ch'i. They said to one another, "We hear that in the western region there is a man who seems to possess the Way. Let us try going to look for him." When they reached the sunny side of Mount Ch'i, King Wu, hearing of them, sent his younger brother Tan to meet them.15 He offered to draw up a pact with them, saying, "You will be granted wealth of the second order and offices of the first rank, the pact to be sealed in blood and buried." 16

The two men looked at each other and laughed, saying, "Hah - how peculiar! This is certainly not what we would call the Way! In ancient times, when Shen Nung held possession of the empire, he performed the seasonal sacrifices with the utmost reverence, but he did not pray for blessings. In his dealings with men, he was loyal and trustworthy and observed perfect order, but he did not seek anything from them. He delighted in ruling for the sake of ruling, he delighted in bringing order for the sake of order. He did not use other men's failures to bring about his own success; he did not use other men's degradation to lift himself up. Just because he happened along at a lucky time, he did not try to turn it to his own profit. Now the Chou, observing that the Yin has fallen into disorder, suddenly makes a show of its rule, honoring those who know how to scheme, handing out bribes,17 relying on weapons to maintain its might, offering sacrifices and drawing up pacts to impress men with its good faith, lauding its achievements in order to seize gain - this is simply to push aside disorder and replace it with violence!

"We have heard that the gentlemen of old, if they happened upon a well-ordered age, did not run away from public office; but if they encountered an age of disorder, they did not try to hold on to office at any cost. Now the world is in darkness and the virtue of the Chou in decline.18 Rather than remain side by side with the Chou and defile our bodies, it would be better to run away and thus protect the purity of our conduct!" The two gentlemen thereupon went north as far as Mount Shou-yang, where they eventually died of starvation.

Men such as Po Yi and Shu Ch'i will have nothing to do with wealth and eminence if they can possibly avoid it. To be lofty in principle and meticulous in conduct, delighting in one's will alone without stooping to serve the world-such was the ideal of these two gentlemen.

 

Section TWENTY-NINE - ROBBER CHIH

CONFUCIUS WAS A FRIEND of Liu-hsia Chi, who had a younger brother known as Robber Chih. Robber Chih, with a band of nine thousand followers, rampaged back and forth across the empire, assaulting and terrorizing the feudal lords, tunneling into houses, prying open doors,1 herding off men's horses and cattle, seizing their wives and daughters. Greedy for gain, he forgot his kin, gave not a look to father or mother, elder or younger brother, and performed no sacrifices to his ancestors. Whenever he approached a city, if it was that of a great state, the inhabitants manned their walls; if that of a small state, they fled into their strongholds. The ten thousand people all lived in dread of him.

Confucius said to Liu-hsia Chi, "One who is a father must be able to lay down the law to his son, and one who is an elder brother must be able to teach his younger brother. If a father cannot lay down the law to his son and an elder brother cannot teach his younger brother, then the relationship between father and son and elder and younger brother loses all value. Now here you are, Sir, one of the most talented gentlemen of the age, and your younger brother is Robber Chih, a menace to the world, and you seem unable to teach him any better! If I may say so, I blush for you. I would therefore like to go on your behalf and try to persuade him to change his ways."

Liu-hsia Chi said, "You have remarked, Sir, that a father must be able to lay down the law to his son, and an elder brother must be able to teach his younger brother. But if the son will not listen when his father lays down the law, or if the younger brother refuses to heed his elder brother's teachings, then even with eloquence such as yours, what is there to be done? Moreover, Chih is a man with a mind like a jetting fountain, a will like a blast of wind, with strength enough to fend off any enemy, and cunning enough to gloss over any evil. If you go along with his way of thinking, he is delighted, but if you go against him, he becomes furious, and it is nothing to him to curse people in the vilest language. You must not go near him!"

But Confucius paid no attention, and with Yen Hui as his carriage driver, and Tzu-kung on his right, he went off to visit Robber Chih. Robber Chih was just at that time resting with his band of followers on the sunny side of Mount T'ai and enjoying a late afternoon snack of minced human livers. Confucius stepped down from the carriage and went forward till he saw the officer in charge of receiving guests. "I am Kung Ch'iu, a native of Lu, and I have heard that your General is a man of lofty principles," he said, respectfully bowing twice to the officer. The officer then entered and relayed the message. When Robber Chih heard this, he flew into a great rage. His eyes blazed like shining stars and his hair stood on end and bristled beneath his cap. "This must be none other than that crafty hypocrite Kung Ch'iu from the state of Lu! Well, tell him this for me. You make up your stories, invent your phrases, babbling absurd eulogies of kings Wen and Wu. Topped with a cap like a branching tree, wearing a girdle made from the ribs of a dead cow, you pour out your flood of words, your fallacious theories. You eat without ever plowing, clothe yourself without ever weaving. Wagging your lips, clacking your tongue, you invent any kind of `right' or `wrong' that suits you, leading astray the rulers of the world, keeping the scholars of the world from returning to the Source, capriciously setting up ideals of `filial piety' and 'brotherliness,' all the time hoping to worm your way into favor with the lords of the fiefs or the rich and eminent! Your crimes are huge, your offenses grave .2 You had better run home as fast as you can, because if you don't, I will take your liver and add it to this afternoon's menu!"

Confucius sent in word again, saying, "I have the good fortune to know your brother Chi, and therefore I beg to be allowed to gaze from a distance at your feet beneath the curtain." 3

When the officer relayed this message, Robber Chih said, "Let him come forward." Confucius came scurrying forward, declined the mat that was set out for him, stepped back a few paces, and bowed twice to Robber Chih. Robber Chih, still in a great rage, sat with both legs sprawled out, leaning on his sword, his eyes glaring. In a voice like the roar of a nursing tigress, he said, "Ch'iu, come forward! If what you have to say pleases my fancy, you live. If it rubs me the wrong way, you die!"

Confucius said, "I have heard that in all the world there are three kinds of virtue. To grow up to be big and tall, with matchless good looks, so that everyone, young or old, eminent or humble, delights in you - this is the highest kind of virtue. To have wisdom that encompasses heaven and earth, to be able to speak eloquently on all subjects - this is middling virtue. To be brave and fierce, resolute and determined, gathering a band of followers around you - this is the lowest kind of virtue. Any man who possesses even one of these virtues is worthy to face south and call himself the Lonely One.4 And now here you are, General, with all three of them! You tower eight feet two inches in height, radiance streams from your face and eyes, your lips are like gleaming cinnabar, your teeth like ranged seashells, your voice attuned to the huang-chung pitch pipe - and yet your only title is `Robber Chih.' If I may say so, General, this. is disgraceful - a real pity indeed! But if you have a mind to listen to my proposal, then I beg to be allowed to go as your envoy south to Wu and Yueh, north to Ch'i and Lu, east to Sung and Wei, and west to Chin and Ch'u, persuading them to create for you a great walled state several hundred li in size, to establish a town of several hundred thousand households, and to honor you as one of the feudal lords. Then you may make a new beginning with the world, lay down your weapons and disperse your followers, gather together and cherish your brothers and kinsmen, and join with them in sacrifices to your ancestors. This would be the act of a sage, a gentleman of true talent, and the fondest wish of the world."

Robber Chih, furious as ever, said, "Ch'iu, come forward! Those who can be swayed with offers of gain or reformed by a babble of words are mere idiots, simpletons, the commonest sort of men! The fact that I am big and tall, and so handsome that everyone delights to look at me - this is a virtue inherited from my father and mother. Even without your praises, do you think I would be unaware of it? Moreover, I have heard that those who are fond of praising men to their faces are also fond of damning them behind their backs.

"Now you tell me about this great walled state, this multitude of people, trying to sway me with offers of gain, to lead me by the nose like any common fool. But how long do you think I could keep possession of it? There is no walled state larger than the empire itself, and yet, though Yao and Shun possessed the empire, their heirs were left with less land than it takes to stick the point of an awl into. T'ang and Wu set themselves up as Son of Heaven, yet in ages after, their dynasties were cut off and wiped out. Was this not because the gains they had acquired were so great?

"Moreover, I have heard that in ancient times the birds and beasts were many and the people few. Therefore the people all nested in the trees in order to escape danger, during the day gathering acorns and chestnuts, at sundown climbing backup to sleep in their trees. Hence they were called the people of the Nest-builder. In ancient times the people knew nothing about wearing clothes. In summer they heaped up great piles of firewood, in winter they burned them to keep warm. Hence they were called `the people who know how to stay alive.' In the age of Shen Nung, the people lay down peaceful and easy, woke up wide-eyed and blank. They knew their mothers but not their fathers, and lived side by side with the elk and the deer. They plowed for their food, wove for their clothing, and had no thought in their hearts of harming one another. This was Perfect Virtue at its height!

"But the Yellow Emperor could not attain such virtue. He fought with Ch'ih Yu in the field of Cho-lu, until the blood flowed for a hundred li.' Yao and Shun came to the throne, setting up a host of officials; T'ang banished his sovereign Chieh; King Wu murdered his sovereign Chou; and from this time on the strong oppressed the weak, the many abused the few. From T'ang and Wu until the present, all have been no more than a pack of rebels and wrongdoers. And now you come cultivating the ways of kings Wen and Wu, utilizing all the eloquence in the world in order to teach these things to later generations! In your flowing robes and loose-tied sash, you speak your deceits and act out your hypocrisies, confusing and leading astray the rulers of the world, hoping thereby to lay your hands on wealth and eminence. There is no worse robber than you! I don't know why, if the world calls me Robber Chih, it doesn't call you Robber Ch'iu!

"With your honeyed words you persuaded Tzu-lu to become your follower, to doff his jaunty cap, unbuckle his long sword, and receive instruction from you, so that all the world said, Wung Ch'iu knows how to suppress violence and put a stop to evil.' But in the end Tzu-lu tried to kill the ruler of Wei, bungled the job, and they pickled his corpse and hung it up on the eastern gate of Wei. This was how little effect your teachings had on him! 6 You call yourself a gentleman of talent, a sage? Twice they drove you out of Lu; they wiped out your footprints in Wei, made trouble for you in Ch'i, and besieged you at Ch'en and Ts'ai - no place in the empire will have you around! You gave instruction to Tzu-lu and pickling was the disaster it brought him. You can't look out for yourself to begin with, or for others either - so how can this `Way' of yours be worth anything?

"There is no one, more highly esteemed by the world than the Yellow Emperor, and yet even the Yellow Emperor could not preserve his virtue intact, but fought on the field of Cho-lu until the blood flowed for a hundred li. Yao was a merciless father, Shun was an unfilial son, Yu was half paralyzed, T'ang banished his sovereign Chieh, King Wu attacked his sovereign Chou, and King Wen was imprisoned at Yu-li.7 All these seven men8 are held in high esteem by the world, and yet a close look shows that all of them for the sake of gain brought confusion to the Truth within them, that they forcibly turned against their true form and inborn nature. For doing so, they deserve the greatest shame!

"When the world talks of worthy gentlemen, we hear 'Po Yi and Shu Ch'i.' Yet Po Yi and Shu Ch'i declined the rulership of the state of Ku-chu and instead went and starved to death on Shou-yang Mountain, with no one to bury their bones and flesh. Pao Chiao made a great show of his conduct and condemned the world; he wrapped his arms around a tree and stood there till he died. Shen-t'u Ti offered a remonstrance that was unheeded; he loaded a stone onto his back and threw himself into a river, where the fish and turtles feasted on him. Chieh Tzu-t'ui was a model of fealty, going so far as to cut a piece of flesh from his thigh to feed his lord, Duke Wen. But later, when Duke Wen overlooked him, he went off in a rage, wrapped his arms around a tree, and burned to death.9 Wei Sheng made an engagement to meet a girl under a bridge. The girl failed to appear and the water began to rise, but, instead of leaving, he wrapped his arms around the pillar of the bridge and died. These six men were no different from a flayed dog, a pig sacrificed to the flood, a beggar with his alms-gourd in his hand. All were ensnared by thoughts of reputation and looked lightly on death, failing to remember the Source or to cherish the years that fate had given them.

"When the world talks about loyal ministers, we are told that there were none to surpass Prince Pi Kan and Wu Tzu-hsu. Yet Wu Tzu-hsu sank into the river and Pi Kan had his heart cut out.10 These two men are called loyal ministers by the world, and yet they ended up as the laughingstock of the empire. Looking at all these men, from the first I mentioned down to Wu Tzu-hsu and Pi Kan, it is obvious that none is worth respecting.

"Now in this sermon of yours, Ch'iu, if you tell me about the affairs of ghosts, then I have no way of judging what you say. But if you tell me about the affairs of men - and it is no more than what you've said so far - then I've heard it all already!

"And now I'm going to tell you something - about man's true form. His eyes yearn to see colors, his ears to hear sound, his mouth to taste flavors, his will and spirit to achieve fulfillment. A man of the greatest longevity will live a hundred years; one of middling longevity, eighty years; and one of the least longevity, sixty years. Take away the time lost in nursing illnesses, mourning the dead, worry and anxiety, and in this life there are no more than four or five days in a month when a man can open his mouth and laugh. Heaven and earth are unending, but man has his time of death. Take this time-bound toy, put it down in these unending spaces, and whoosh! - it is over as quickly as the passing of a swift horse glimpsed through a crack in the wall! No man who is incapable of gratifying his desires and cherishing the years fate has given him can be called a master of the Way. What you have been telling me - I reject every bit of it! Quick, now - be on your way. I want no more of your talk. This `Way' you tell me about is inane and inadequate, a fraudulent, crafty, vain, hypocritical affair, not the sort of thing that is capable of preserving the Truth within. How can it be worth discussing!"

Confucius bowed twice and scurried away. Outside the gate, he climbed into his carriage and fumbled three times in an attempt to grasp the reins, his eyes blank and unseeing, his face the color of dead ashes. Leaning on the crossbar, head bent down, he could not seem to summon up any spirit at all.

Returning to Lu, he had arrived just outside the eastern gate of the capital when he happened to meet Liu-hsia Chi. "I haven't so much as caught sight of you for the past several days," said Liu-hsia Chi, "and your carriage and horses look as though they've been out on the road - it couldn't be that you went to see my brother Chih, could it?"

Confucius looked up to heaven, sighed, and said, "I did."

"And he was enraged by your views, just as I said he would be?" said Liu-hsia Chi.

"He was," said Confucius. "You might say that I gave myself the burning moxa treatment when I wasn't even sick. I went rushing off to pat the tiger's head and plait its whiskers - and very nearly didn't manage to escape from its jaws!"

Tzu-chang said to Man Kou-te, "Why don't you think more about your conduct? 11 No distinguished conduct means no trust; no trust means no official position; no official position means no gain. So if it's reputation you have your eye on or gain you're scheming for, then righteous conduct is the real key. And if you set aside considerations of reputation and gain and return to the true nature of the heart, then, too, I would say that you ought not to let a single day pass without taking thought for your conduct."

Man Kou-te said, "Those who are shameless get rich, those who are widely trusted become famous. The really big reputation and gain seem to go to men who are shameless and trusted. So if your eyes are set on reputation and you scheme for gain, then trust is the real key. And if you set aside considerations of reputation and gain and return to the heart, then in your conduct I think you ought to hold fast to the Heaven within you." 12

Tzu-chang said, "In ancient times the tyrants Chieh and Chou enjoyed the honor of being Son of Heaven and possessed all the wealth of the empire. Yet now if you say to a mere slave or groom, `Your conduct is like that of a Chieh or Chou,' he will look shamefaced and in his heart will not acquiesce to such charges, for even a petty man despises the names of Chieh and Chou. Confucius and Mo Ti, on the other hand, were impoverished commoners. Yet now if you say to the highest minister of state, `Your conduct is like that of Confucius or Mo Ti,' he will flush and alter his expression and protest that he is not worthy of such praise, for a gentleman sincerely honors their names. Therefore, to wield the power of a Son of Heaven does not necessarily mean to be honored, and to be poor and a commoner does not necessarily mean to be despised. The difference between being honored and being despised lies in the goodness or badness of one's conduct."

Man Kou-te said, "The petty thief is imprisoned but the big thief becomes a feudal lord, and we all know that righteous gentlemen are to be found at the gates of the feudal lords. In ancient times, Hsiao-po, Duke Huan of Ch'i, murdered his elder brother and took his sister-in-law for a wife, and yet Kuan Chung was willing to become his minister. Ch'ang, Viscount T'ien Ch'eng, murdered his sovereign and stole his state, and yet Confucius was willing to receive gifts from him.13 In pronouncement they condemned them, but in practice they bowed before them. Think how this contradiction between the facts of word and deed must have troubled their breasts! Could the two help but clash? So the book says, Who is bad? Who is good? The successful man becomes the head, the unsuccessful man becomes the tail."

"But," said Tzu-chang, "if you take no thought for conduct, then there cease to be any ethical ties between near and distant kin, any fitting distinctions between noble and humble, any proper order between elder and younger. How is one to maintain the distinctions decreed by the five moral principles and the six social relationships?"

Man Kou-te said, "Yao killed his eldest son, Shun exiled his mother's younger brother - does this indicate any ethical ties between near and distant kin? T'ang banished his sovereign Chieh, King Wu killed his sovereign Chou - does this indicate any fitting distinctions between noble and humble? King Chi received the inheritance, the Duke of Chou killed his elder brother - does this indicate any proper order between elder and younger? 14 The Confucians with their hypocritical speeches, the Mo-ists with their talk of universal love - do these indicate any attempt to maintain the distinctions decreed by the five moral principles and the six social relationships? Now your thoughts are all for reputation, mine all for gain, but neither reputation nor gain, in actual fact, accord with reason or reflect any true understanding of the Way. The other day, when we referred the matter to Wu Yueh for arbitration, he gave this answer: 15

" `The petty man will die for riches, the gentleman will die for reputation. In the manner in which they alter their true form and change their inborn nature, they differ. But in so far as they throw away what is already theirs and are willing to die for something that is not theirs, they are identical. So it is said, Do not be a petty man - return to and obey the Heaven within you; do not be a gentleman - follow the reason of Heaven. Crooked or straight, pursue to the limit the Heaven in you. Turn your face to the four directions, ebb and flow with the seasons. Right or wrong, hold fast to the round center upon which all turns, in solitude bring your will to completion, ramble in the company of the Way. Do not strive to make your conduct consistent,16 do not try to perfect your righteousness, or you will lose what you already have. Do not race after riches, do not risk your life for success, or you will let slip the Heaven within you. Pi Kan's heart was cut out, Wu Tzu-hsu's eyes were plucked from their sockets - loyalty brought them this misfortune. Honest Kung informed on his father, Wei Sheng died by drowning - trustworthiness was their curse. Pao Chiao stood there till he dried up; Shen Tzu would not defend himself - integrity did them this injury. Confucius did not see his mother, K'uang Tzu did not see his father - righteousness was their mistake." These are the tales handed down from ages past, retold by the ages that follow. They show us that the gentleman who is determined to be upright in word and consistent in conduct will as a result bow before disaster, will encounter affliction.' "

Never-Enough said to Sense-of-Harmony, "After all, there are no men who do not strive for reputation and seek gain. If you're rich, people flock to you; flocking to you, they bow and scrape; and when they bow and scrape, this shows they honor you. To have men bowing and scraping, offering you honor - this is the way to insure length of years, ease to the body, joy to the will. And now you alone have no mind for these things. Is it lack of understanding? Or is it that you know their worth but just haven't the strength to work for them? Are you, then, deliberately striving `to be upright and never forgetful'?"

Sense-of-Harmony said, "You and your type look at those who were born at the same time and who dwell in the same community and you decide that you are gentlemen who are far removed from the common lot, who are superior to the times. This shows that you have no guiding principle by which to survey the ages of past and present, the distinctions between right and wrong. Instead you join with the vulgar in changing as the world changes, setting aside what is most valuable, discarding what is most worthy of honor, thinking that there is something that has to be done, declaring that this is the way to insure length of years, ease to the body, joy to the will - but you are far from the mark indeed! The agitation of grief and sorrow, the solace of contentment and joy - these bring no enlightenment to the body. The shock of fear and terror, the elation of happiness and delight - these bring no enlightenment to the mind. You know you are doing what there is to do, but you don't know why there should be things to do. This way, you might possess all the honor of the Son of Heaven, all the wealth of the empire, and yet never escape from disaster."

"But," said Never-Enough, "there is no advantage which riches cannot bring to a man - the ultimate in beauty, the heights of power, things that the Perfect Man cannot attain to, that the worthy man can never acquire. They buy the strength and daring of other men that make one awesome and powerful; they purchase the knowledge and schemes of other men that make one wise and well-informed; they borrow the virtue of other men that make one a man of worth and goodness. With no kingdom to reign over, the rich man commands as much respect as a ruler or a father. Beautiful sounds and colors, rich flavors, power and authority - a man need not send his mind to school before it will delight in them, need not train his body before it will find peace in them. What to desire, what to hate, what to seek, what to avoid - no one needs a teacher in these matters; they pertain to the inborn nature of man. Don't think this applies only to me. Where is there a man in the whole world who would be willing to give them up? „

Sense-of-Harmony said, "When the wise man goes about doing something, he always moves for the sake of the hundred clans and does not violate the rules. Thus, if there is enough, he does not scramble for more. Having no reason to, he seeks nothing. But if there is not enough, he seeks, scrambling in all four directions, yet he does not think of himself as greedy. If there is a surplus, he gives it away. He can discard the whole empire and yet not think of himself as high-minded. Greed or high-mindedness in fact have nothing to do with standards imposed from the outside - they represent a turning within to observe the rules that are found there. So a man may wield all the power of a Son of Heaven and yet not use his high position to lord it over others; he may possess all the wealth in the empire and yet not exploit his riches to make a mock of others. He calculates the risk, thinks of what may be contrary and harmful to his inborn nature. Therefore he may decline what is offered him, but not because he hopes for reputation and praise. Yao and Shun ruled as emperors and there was harmony - but not because they sought to bring benevolence to the world; they would not have let `goodness' injure their lives. Shan Ch'uan and Hsu Yu had the opportunity to become emperors and declined, but not because they wished to make an empty gesture of refusal; they would not have let such matters bring harm to themselves. All these men sought what was to their advantage and declined what was harmful. The world praises them as worthies, and it is all right if they enjoy such repute - but they were not striving for any reputation or praise."

"But in order to maintain a reputation like theirs," said Never-Enough, "one must punish the body and give up everything sweet, skimp and save merely to keep life going - in which case one is no different from a man who goes on year after year in sickness and trouble, never allowed to die!"

Sense-of-Harmony said, "A just measure brings fortune, an excess brings harm - this is so of all things, but much more so in the case of wealth. The ears of the rich man are regaled with sounds of bell and drum, flute and pipe; his mouth is treated to the flavor of grass- and grain-fed animals, of rich wine, until his desires are aroused and he has forgotten all about his proper business - this may be called disorder. Mired and drowned by swelling passions, he is like a man who carries a heavy load up the slope of a hill - this may be called suffering. Greedy for riches, he brings illness on himself; greedy for power, he drives himself to exhaustion. In the quietude of his home, he sinks into languor; body sleek and well-nourished, he is puffed up with passion - this may be called disease. In his desire for wealth, his search for gain, he crams his rooms to overflowing, as it were, and does not know how to escape, yet he lusts for more and cannot desist - this may be called shame. More wealth piled up than he could ever use, yet he is covetous and will not leave off, crowding his mind with care and fatigue, grasping for more and more with never a stop - this may be called worry. At home he is suspicious of the inroads of pilferers and inordinate demanders; abroad he is terrified of the attacks of bandits and robbers. At home he surrounds himself with towers and moats; abroad he dares not walk alone - this may be called terror. These six - disorder, suffering, disease, shame, worry, and terror - are the greatest evils in the world. Yet all are forgotten and he does not know enough to keep watch out for them. And once disaster has come, then, though he seeks with all his inborn nature and exhausts all his wealth in hopes of returning even for one day to the untroubled times, he can never do so.

"Therefore he who sets his eyes on reputation will find that it is nowhere to be seen; he who seeks for gain will find that it is not to be gotten. To entrap the mind and the body in a scramble for such things - is this not delusion indeed?"

 

Section THIRTY - DISCOURSING ON SWORDS1

IN ANCIENT TIMES King Wen of Chao was fond of swords. Expert swordsmen flocked to his gate, and over three thousand of them were supported as guests in his household, day and night engaging in bouts in his presence till the dead and wounded numbered more than a hundred men a year. Yet the king's delight never seemed to wane and things went on in this way for three years, while the state sank into decline and the other feudal lords conspired against it.

The crown prince K'uei, distressed at this, summoned his retainers about him and said, "I will bestow a thousand pieces of gold upon any man who can reason with the king and make him give up these sword fights!"

"Chuang Tzu is the one who can do it," said his retainers.

The crown prince thereupon sent an envoy with a thousand pieces of gold to present to Chuang Tzu, but Chuang Tzu refused to accept the gift. Instead he accompanied the envoy on his return and went to call on the crown prince. "What instructions do you have for me, that you present me with a thousand pieces of gold?" he asked.

"I had heard, Sir," said the crown prince, "that you are an enlightened sage, and I wished in all due respect to offer this thousand in gold as a gift to your attendants. But if you refuse to accept it, then I dare say no more about the matter."

Chuang Tzu said, "I have heard that the crown prince wishes to employ me because he hopes I can rid the king of this passion of his. Now if, in attempting to persuade His Majesty, I should arouse his anger and fail to satisfy your hopes, then I would be sentenced to execution. In that case, what use could I make of the gold? And if I should be able to persuade His Majesty and satisfy your hopes, then what could I ask for in the whole kingdom of Chao that would not be granted me?"

"The trouble is," said the crown prince, "that my father, the king, refuses to see anyone but swordsmen."

"Fine!" said Chuang Tzu. "I am quite able to handle a sword."

"But the kind of swordsmen my father receives," said the crown prince, "all have tousled heads and bristling beards, wear slouching caps tied with plain, coarse tassels, and robes that are cut short behind; they glare fiercely and have difficulty getting out their words. Men like that he is delighted with! Now, Sir, if you should insist upon going to see him in scholarly garb, the whole affair would go completely wrong from the start."

"Then allow me to get together the garb of a swordsman," said Chuang Tzu. After three days, he had his swordsman's costume ready and went to call on the crown prince. The crown prince and he then went to see the king. The king, drawing his sword, waited with bare blade in hand. Chuang Tzu entered the door of the hall with unhurried steps, looked at the king but made no bow.

The king said, "Now that you have gotten the crown prince to prepare the way for you, what kind of instruction is it you intend to give me?"

"I have heard that Your Majesty is fond of swords, and so I have come with my sword to present myself before you."

"And what sort of authority does your sword command?" asked the king.

"My sword cuts down one man every ten paces, and for a thousand li it never ceases its flailing!"

The king, greatly pleased, exclaimed, "You must have no rival in the whole world!"

Chuang Tzu said, "The wielder of the sword makes a display of emptiness, draws one out with hopes of advantage, is behind-time in setting out, but beforehand in arriving.2 May I be allowed to try what I can do?"

The king said, "You may leave now, Sir, and go to your quarters to await my command. When I am ready to hold the bout, I will request your presence again."

The king then spent seven days testing the skill of his swordsmen. Over sixty were wounded or died in the process, leaving five or six survivors who were ordered to present themselves with their swords outside the king's hall. Then the king sent for Chuang Tzu, saying, "Today let us see what happens when you cross swords with these gentlemen."

Chuang Tzu said, "It is what I have long wished for."

"What weapon will you use, Sir," asked the king, "a long sword or a short one?"

"I am prepared to use any type at all. It happens that I have three swords - Your Majesty has only to indicate which you wish me to use. If I may, I will first explain them, and then put them to the test."

"Let me hear about your three swords," said the king.

"There is the sword of the Son of Heaven, the sword of the feudal lord, and the sword of the commoner."

"What is the sword of the Son of Heaven like?" asked the king.

"The sword of the Son of Heaven? The Valley of Yen and the Stone Wall are its point, Ch'i and Tai its blade, Chin and Wey its spine, Chou and Sung its sword guard, Han and Wei its hilt.3' The four barbarian tribes enwrap it, the four seasons enfold it, the seas of Po surround it, the mountains of Ch'ang girdle it. The five elements govern it, the demands of punishment and favor direct it. It is brought forth in accordance with the yin and yang, held in readiness in spring and summer, wielded in autumn and winter. Thrust it forward and there is nothing that will stand before it; raise it on high and there is nothing above it; press it down and there is nothing beneath it; whirl it about and there is nothing surrounding it. Above, it cleaves the drifting clouds; below, it severs the sinews of the earth. When this sword is once put to use, the feudal lords return to their former obedience and the whole world submits. This is the sword of the Son of Heaven."

King Wen, dumfounded, appeared to be at an utter loss. Then he said, "What is the sword of the feudal lord like?"

"The sword of the feudal lord? It has wise and brave men for its point, men of purity and integrity for its blade, men of worth and goodness for its spine, men of loyalty and sageliness for its swordguard, heroes and prodigies for its hilt. This sword too, thrust forward, meets nothing before it; raised, it encounters nothing above; pressed down, it encounters nothing beneath it; whirled about, it meets nothing surrounding it. Above, it takes its model from the roundness of heaven, following along with the three luminous bodies of the sky.4 Below, it takes its model from the squareness of earth, following along with the four seasons. In the middle realm, it brings harmony to the wills of the people and peace to the four directions. This sword, once put into use, is like the crash of a thunderbolt: none within the four borders of the state will fail to bow down in submission, none will fail to heed and obey the commands of the ruler. This is the sword of the feudal lord."

The king said, "What is the sword of the commoner like?"

"The sword of the commoner? It is used by men with tousled heads and bristling beards, with slouching caps tied with plain, coarse tassels and robes cut short behind, who glare fiercely and speak with great difficulty, who slash at one another in Your Majesty's presence. Above, it lops off heads and necks; below, it splits open livers and lungs. Those who wield this sword of the commoner are no different from fighting cocks - any morning their lives may be cut off. They are of no use in the administration of the state.

"Now Your Majesty occupies the position of a Son of Heaven, and yet you show this fondness for the sword of the commoner.5 If I may be so bold, I think it rather unworthy of you!

The king thereupon led Chuang Tzu up into his hall, where the royal butler came forward with trays of food, but the king merely paced round and round the room.

"Your Majesty should seat yourself at ease and calm your spirits," said Chuang Tzu., "The affair of the sword is all over and finished!"

After this, King Wen did not emerge from his palace for three months, and his swordsmen all committed suicide in their quarters.

 

Section THIRTY-ONE - THE OLD FISHERMAN

CONFUCIUS, AFTER STROLLING through the Black Curtain Forest, sat down to rest on the Apricot Altar.1 While his disciples turned to their books, he strummed his lute and sang. He had not gotten halfway through the piece he was playing when an old fisherman appeared, stepped out of his boat, and came forward. His beard and eyebrows were pure white, his hair hung down over his shoulders, and his sleeves flapped at his sides. He walked up the embankment, stopped when he reached the higher ground, rested his left hand on his knee, propped his chin with his right, and listened until the piece was ended. Then he beckoned to Tzu-kung and Tzu-lu, both of whom came forward at his call. The stranger pointed to Confucius and said, "What does he do?"

"He is a gentleman of Lu," replied Tzu-lu.

The stranger then asked what family he belonged to, and Tzu-lu replied, "The K'ung family."

"This man of the K'ung family," said the stranger, "what's his occupation?"

Tzu-lu was still framing his reply when Tzu-kung answered, "This man of the K'ung family in his inborn nature adheres to loyalty and good faith, in his person practices benevolence and righteousness; he brings a beautiful order to rites and music and selects what is proper in human relationships. Above, he pays allegiance to the sovereign of the age; below, he transforms the ordinary people through education, and in this way brings profit to the world. Such is the occupation of this man of the Kung family!"

"Does he have any territory that he rules over?" asked the stranger, pursuing the inquiry.

"No," said Tzu-kung. "Is he the counselor to some king or feudal lord?"

"No," said Tzu-kung.

The stranger then laughed and turned to go, saying as he walked away, "As far as benevolence goes, he is benevolent all right. But I'm afraid he will not escape unharmed. To weary the mind and wear out the body, putting the Truth in peril like this - alas, I'm afraid he is separated from the Great Way by a vast distance indeed!"

Tzu-kung returned and reported to Confucius what had happened. Confucius pushed aside his lute, rose to his feet and said, "Perhaps this man is a sage!" Then he started down the embankment after him, reaching the edge of the lake just as the fisherman was about to take up his punting pole and drag his boat into the water. Glancing back and catching sight of Confucius, he turned and stood facing him. Confucius hastily stepped back a few paces, bowed twice, and then came forward.

"What do you want?" asked the stranger.

"A moment ago, Sir," said Confucius, "you made a few cryptic remarks and then left. Unworthy as I am, I'm afraid I do not understand what they mean. If I might be permitted to wait upon you with all due humility and be favored with the sound of your august words, my ignorance might in time be remedied."

"Goodness!" exclaimed the stranger. "Your love of learning is great indeed!" 2

Confucius bowed twice and then, straightening up, said, "Ever since childhood I have cultivated learning, until at last I have reached the age of sixty-nine. But I have never yet succeeded in hearing the Perfect Teaching. Dare I do anything, then, but wait with an open mind?"

"Creatures follow their own kind, a voice will answer to the voice that is like itself," said the stranger; "this has been the rule of Heaven since time began. With your permission, therefore, I will set aside for the moment my own ways and try applying myself to the things that you are concerned about.3 What you are concerned about are the affairs of men. The Son of Heaven, the feudal lords, the high ministers, the common people - when these four are of themselves upright, this is the most admirable state of order. But if they depart from their proper stations, there is no greater disorder. When officials attend to their duties and men worry about their undertakings, there is no overstepping of the mark.

"Fields gone to waste, rooms unroofed, clothing and food that are not enough, taxes and labor services that you can't keep up with, wives and concubines never in harmony, senior and junior out of order - these are the worries of the common man. Ability that does not suffice for the task, official business that doesn't go right, conduct that is not spotless and pure, underlings who are lazy and slipshod, success and praise that never come your way, titles and stipends that you can't hold on to - these are the worries of the high minister. A court lacking in loyal ministers, a state and its great families in darkness and disorder, craftsmen and artisans who have no skill, articles of tribute that won't pass the test, inferior ranking at the spring and autumn levees at court, failure to ingratiate himself with the Son of Heaven - these are the worries of a feudal lord.

The yin and rang out of harmony, cold and heat so untimely that they bring injury to all things, feudal lords violent and unruly, wantonly attacking one another till they all but destroy the common people, rites and music improperly performed, funds and resources that are forever giving out, human relationships that are not ordered as they should be, the hundred clans contumacious and depraved - these are the worries of the Son of Heaven and his chancellors. Now on the higher level you do not hold the position of a ruler, a feudal lord, or a chancellor, and on the lower level you have not been assigned to the office of a high minister with its tasks and duties. Yet you presume to `bring a beautiful order to rites and music, to select what is proper in human relationships,' and in this way to `transform the ordinary people.' This is undertaking rather a lot, isn't it?

"Moreover, there are eight faults that men may possess, and four evils that beset their undertakings - you must not fail to examine these carefully. To do what it is not your business to do is called officiousness. To rush forward when no one has nodded in your direction is called obsequiousness. To echo a man's opinions and try to draw him out in speech is called sycophancy. To speak without regard for what is right or wrong is called flattery. To delight in talking about other men's failings is called calumny. To break up friendships and set kinfolk at odds is called maliciousness. To praise falsely and hypocritically so as to cause injury and evil to others is called wickedness. Without thought for right or wrong, to try to face in two directions at once so as to steal a glimpse of the other party's wishes is called treachery. These eight faults inflict chaos on others and injury on the possessor. A gentleman will not befriend the man who possesses them, an enlightened ruler will not have him for his minister.

"As for the four evils which I spoke of, to be fond of plunging into great undertakings, altering and departing from the old accepted ways, hoping thereby to enhance your merit and fame - this is called avidity. To insist that you know it all, that everything be done your way, snatching from others and appropriating for your own use - this is called avarice. To see your errors but refuse to change, to listen to remonstrance but go on behaving worse than before - this is called obstinacy. When men agree with you, to commend them; when they disagree with you, to refuse to see any goodness in them even when it is there - this is called bigotry. These are the four evils. If you do away with the eight faults and avoid committing the four evils, then and only then will you become capable of being taught!"

Confucius looked chagrined and gave a sigh. Then he bowed twice, straightened up, and said, "Twice I have been exiled from Lu; they wiped away my footprints in Wei, chopped down a tree on me in Sung, and besieged me between Ch'en and Ts'ai. I am aware of no error of my own, and yet why did I fall victim to these four persecutions?"

A pained expression came over the stranger's face and he said, "How hard it is to make you understand! Once there was a man who was afraid of his shadow and who hated his footprints, and so he tried to get way from them by running. But the more he lifted his feet and put them down again, the more footprints he made. And no matter how fast he ran, his shadow never left him, and so, thinking that he was still going too slowly, he ran faster and faster without a stop until his strength gave out and he fell down dead. He didn't understand that by lolling in the shade he could have gotten rid of his shadow and by resting in quietude he could have put an end to his footprints. How could he have been so stupid!

"Now you scrutinize the realm of benevolence and righteousness, examine the borders of sameness and difference, observe the alternations of stillness and movement, lay down the rules for giving and receiving, regulate the emotions of love and hate, harmonize the seasons of joy and anger - and yet you barely manage to escape harm. If you were diligent in improving yourself, careful to hold fast to the Truth, and would hand over external things to other men, you could avoid these entanglements. But now, without improving yourself, you make demands on others - that is surely no way to go about the thing, is it?"

Confucius looked shamefaced and said, "Please, may I ask what you mean by `the Truth'?"

The stranger said, "By `the Truth' I mean purity and sincerity in their highest degree. He who lacks purity and sincerity cannot move others. Therefore he who forces himself to lament, though he may sound sad, will awaken no grief. He who forces himself to be angry, though he may sound fierce, will arouse no awe. And he who forces himself to be affectionate, though he may smile, will create no air of harmony. True sadness need make no sound to awaken grief; true anger need not show itself to arouse awe; true affection need not smile to create harmony. When a man has the Truth within himself, his spirit may move among external things. That is why the Truth is to be prized!

"It may be applied to human relationships in the following ways. In the service of parents, it is love and filial piety; in the service of the ruler, it is loyalty and integrity; in festive wine drinking, it is merriment and joy; in periods of mourning, it is sadness and grief. In loyalty and integrity, service is the important thing; in festive drinking, merriment is the important thing; in periods of mourning, grief is the important thing; in the service of parents, their comfort is the important thing. In seeking to perform the finest kind of service, one does not always try to go about it in the same way. In assuring comfort in the serving of one's parents, one does not question the means to be employed. In seeking the merriment that comes with festive drinking, one does not fuss over what cups and dishes are to be selected. In expressing the grief that is appropriate to periods of mourning, one does not quibble over the exact ritual to be followed.

"Rites are something created by the vulgar men of the world; the Truth is that which is received from Heaven. By nature it is the way it is and cannot be changed. Therefore the sage patterns himself on Heaven, prizes the Truth, and does not allow himself to be cramped by the vulgar. The stupid man does the opposite of this. He is unable to pattern himself on Heaven and instead frets over human concerns. He does not know enough to prize the Truth but instead, plodding along with the crowd, he allows himself to be changed by vulgar ways, and so is never content. Alas, that you fell into the slough of human hypocrisy at such an early age, and have been so late in hearing of the Great Way! "

Confucius once more bowed twice, straightened up, and said, "Now that I have succeeded in meeting you, it would seem as though Heaven has blessed me. If, Master, you would not consider it a disgrace for one like myself to enter the ranks of those who wait upon you, and to be taught by you in person, then may I be so bold as to inquire where your lodgings are? I would like to be allowed to go there, receive instruction, and at last learn the Great Way!"

The stranger replied, "I have heard it said, If it is someone you can go with, then go with him to the very end of the mysterious Way; but if it is someone you cannot go with, someone who does not understand the Way, then take care and have nothing to do with him - only then may you avoid danger to yourself. Keep working at it! Now I will leave you, I will leave you." So saying, he poled away in his boat, threading a path through the reeds.

Yen Yuan brought the carriage around, Tzu-lu held out the strap for pulling oneself up, but Confucius, without turning in their direction, waited until the ripples on the water were stilled and he could no longer hear the sound of the pole before he ventured to mount.

Tzu-lu, following by the side of the carriage, said, "I have been permitted to serve you for a long time, Master, but I have never seen you encounter anyone who filled you with such awe. The rulers of ten thousand chariots, the lords of a thousand chariots, when they receive you, invariably seat you on the same level as themselves and treat you with the etiquette due to an equal, and still you maintain a stiff and haughty air. But now this old fisherman, pole in hand, presents himself in front of you, and you double up at the waist, as bent as a chiming-stone,4 and bow every time you reply to his words - this is going too far, isn't it? Your disciples all are wondering about it. Why should a fisherman deserve such treatment?"

Confucius leaned forward on the crossbar, sighed, and said, "You certainly are hard to change! All this time you have been immersed in the study of ritual principles and you still haven't gotten rid of your mean and servile ways of thinking. Come closer and I will explain to you. To meet an elder and fail to treat him with respect is a breach of etiquette. To see a worthy man and fail to honor him is to lack benevolence. If the fisherman were not a Perfect Man, he would not be able to make other men humble themselves before him. And if men, in humbling themselves before him, lack purity of intention, then they will never attain the Truth. As a result, they will go on forever bringing injury upon themselves. Alas! There is no greater misfortune than for a man to lack benevolence. And yet you alone dare to invite such misfortune!

"Moreover, the Way is the path by which the ten thousand things proceed. All things that lose it, die; all that get it, live. To go against it in one's undertakings is to fail; to comply with it is to succeed. Hence, wherever the Way is to be found, the sage will pay homage there. As far as the Way is concerned, this old fisherman may certainly be said to possess it. How, then, would I dare fail to show respect to him!"

 

Section THIRTY-TWO - LIEH YU-K'OU

LIEH YU-K'OU WAS GOING to Ch'i, but halfway there he turned around and came home. By chance he met Po-hun Wu-jen. "What made you turn around and come back?" asked Po-hun Wu-jen.

"I was scared."

"Why were you scared?"

"I stopped to eat at ten soup stalls along the way, and at five of them they served me soup ahead of everybody else!"

"What was so scary about that?" said Po-hun Wu-jen.

"If you can't dispel the sincerity inside you, it oozes1 out of the body and forms a radiance that, once outside, overpowers men's minds and makes them careless of how they treat their own superiors and old people. And it's from this kind of confusion that trouble comes. The soup sellers have nothing but their broths to peddle and their margin of gain can't be very large.2 If people with such skimpy profits and so little power still treat me like this, then what would it be like with the ruler of Ch'i, the lord of a state of ten thousand chariots? Body wearied by the burden of such a state, wisdom exhausted in its administration, he would want to shift his affairs onto me and make me work out some solution - that was what scared me!"

"You sized it up very well," said Po-hun Wu-jen. "But even if you stay at home, people are going to flock around you."

Not long afterwards, Po-hun Wu-jen went to Lieh Tzu's house and found the area outside his door littered with shoes .3 He stood gazing north, staff held straight up, chin wrinkled where it rested on it. After standing there a while, he went away without a word. The servant in charge of receiving guests went in and reported this to Lieh Tzu. Lieh Tzu snatched up his shoes and ran barefoot after him, overtaking him at the gate. "Now that you've come all this way, don't you have any `medicine' to give me?”4

"It's no use. I told you from the beginning that people would come flocking around you, and here they are flocking around you. It's not that you're able to make them come to you - it's that you're unable to keep them from coming. But what good is it to you? If you move other people and make them happy, you must be showing them something unusual in yourself. And if you move others, you invariably upset your own basic nature, in which case there's nothing more to be said. These men you wander around with - none will give you any good advice. All they have are petty words, the kind that poison a man. No one understands, no one comprehends - so who can give any help to anyone else? The clever man wears himself out, the wise man worries. But the man of no ability has nothing he seeks. He eats his fill and wanders idly about. Drifting like an unmoored boat, emptily and idly he wanders along."

There was a man from Cheng named Huan who, after three years of reciting and memorizing texts at a place called Ch'iu-shih, finally became a Confucian scholar. As the Yellow River spreads its moisture for nine li along its banks, so Huan's affluence spread to his three sets of relatives. He saw to it that his younger brother Ti became a Mo-ist, and the Confucian and the Mo-ist debated with each other, but their father always took sides with the younger brother. Ten years of this, and Huan committed suicide. Appearing to his father in a dream, he said, "It was I who made it possible for your son to become a Mo-ist. Why don't you try taking a look at my grave - I have become the berries on the catalpa and the cypress there!" 5

When the Creator rewards a man, he does not reward what is man-made in the man but what is Heaven-made. It was what was in the younger brother that made him a Mo-ist. Yet there are those like Huan who think they are different from others and even despise their own kin. Like men from Ch'i drinking at a well, they try to elbow each other away.6 So it is said, In the world today, we have nothing but Huans - they all think that they alone are right. But the man who truly possesses Virtue is not even aware of it, much less the man who possesses the Way. In ancient times it was said of men like Huan that they had committed the crime of hiding from Heaven.

The sage rests where there is rest and does not try to rest where there is no rest. The common run of men try to rest where there is no rest and do not rest where rest is to be found.

Chuang Tzu said, To know the Way is easy; to keep from speaking about it is hard. To know and not to speak - this gets you to the Heavenly part. To know and to speak - this gets you to the human part. Men in the old days looked out for the Heavenly, not the human.

Chu-p’ing Man studied the art of butchering dragons under Crippled Yi. It cost him all the thousand pieces of gold he had in his house, and after three years he'd mastered the art, but there was no one who could use his services.

The sage looks at the inevitable and decides that it is not inevitable - therefore he has no recourse to arms. The common man looks at what is not inevitable and decides that it is inevitable - therefore he has frequent recourse to arms. He who turns to arms is always seeking something. He who trusts to arms is lost.

The understanding of the little man never gets beyond gifts and wrappings, letters and calling cards. He wastes his spirit on the shallow and trivial, and yet wants to be the savior of both the world and the Way, to blend both form and emptiness in the Great Unity. Such a man will blunder and go astray in time and space; his body entangled, he will never come to know the Great Beginning. But he who is a Perfect Man lets his spirit return to the Beginningless, to lie down in pleasant slumber in the Village of Not-Anything-At-All; like water he flows through the Formless, or trickles forth from the Great Purity. How pitiful - you whose understanding can be encompassed in a hair-tip, who know nothing of the Great Tranquility!

A man of Sung, one Ts'ao Shang, was sent by the king of Sung as envoy to the state of Ch'in. On his departure, he was assigned no more than four or five carriages, but the king of Ch'in, greatly taken with him, bestowed on him an additional hundred carriages. When he returned to Sung, he went to see Chuang Tzu and said, "Living in poor alleyways and cramped lanes, skimping, starving, weaving one's own sandals, with withered neck and sallow face - that sort of thing I'm no good at. But winning instant recognition from the ruler of a state of ten thousand chariots and returning with a hundred of them in one's retinue - that's where I excel!"

Chuang Tzu said, "When the king of Ch'in falls ill, he calls for his doctors. The doctor who lances a boil or drains an abscess receives one carriage in payment, but the one who licks his piles for him gets five carriages. The lower down the area to be treated, the larger the number of carriages. From the large number of carriages you've got, I take it you must have been treating his piles. Get out!"

Duke AI of Lu said to Yen Ho, "If I were to make Confucius my pillar and stanchion, do you think it would improve the health of the state?"

"Beware - that way lies danger! Confucius will deck things out in feathers and paint, and conduct his affairs with flowery phrases, mistaking side issues for the crux. He is willing to distort his inborn nature in order to make himself a model for the people, not even realizing that he is acting in bad faith. He takes everything to heart, submits all to the judgment of the spirit - how could such a man be worth putting in charge of the people? Does he meet with your approval? Would you like to provide for his support? It would be a mistake, but you may do it if you like. Yet one who would induce the people to turn their backs on reality and study hypocrisy is hardly fit to be made a model for the people. If we are to take thought for later ages, it would be best to drop the scheme.

"Governing is a difficult thing. To dispense favors to men without ever forgetting that you are doing so - this is not Heaven's way of giving. Even merchants and peddlers are unwilling to be ranked with such a person; and although their occupations may seem to rank them with him, in their hearts they will never acquiesce to such a ranking.7 External punishments are administered by implements of metal and wood; internal punishments are inflicted by frenzy and excess. When the petty man meets with external punishments, the implements of metal and wood bear down on him; when he incurs internal punishment, the yin and yang eat him up.8 To escape both external and internal punishment - only the True Man is capable of this."

Confucius said, "The mind of man is more perilous than mountains or rivers, harder to understand than Heaven. Heaven at least has its fixed times of spring and fall, winter and summer, daybreak and dusk. But man is thick-skinned and hides his true form deep within. Thus he may have an earnest face and yet be supercilious; he may seem to have superior qualities and yet be worthless. He may appear to be going about things in a scatter-brained way and yet know exactly what he is doing. Seeming to be firm, he may in fact be lax; seeming to be mild, he may in fact be ruthless. Therefore those who flock to righteousness like thirsty men to water may later flee from it as though from fire.

"For this reason the gentleman will employ a man on a distant mission and observe his degree of loyalty, will employ him close at hand and observe his degree of respect. He will hand him troublesome affairs and observe how well he manages them, will suddenly ask his advice and observe how wisely he answers. He will exact some difficult promise from him and see how well he keeps it, turn over funds to him and see with what benevolence he dispenses them, inform him of the danger he is in and note how faithful he is to his duties. He will get him drunk with wine and observe how well he handles himself, place him in mixed company and see what effect beauty has upon him. By applying these nine tests, you may determine who is the unworthy man."

Cheng K'ao-fu - when he received his first appointment to office, he bowed his head; when he received his second appointment, he bent his back; when he received his third appointment, he hunched far over; hugging the wall, he scurried along.9 Who would dare to ignore his example? But the ordinary man - on receiving his first appointment, he begins to strut; on receiving his second appointment, he does a dance in his carriage; on receiving his third appointment, he addresses his father's brothers by their personal names. What a difference from the ways of Yao and Hsu Yu!

There is no greater evil than for the mind to be aware of virtue, and to act as though it were a pair of eyes. For when it starts acting like a pair of eyes, it will peer out from within, and when it peers out from within, it is ruined. There are five types of dangerous virtue, of which inner virtue is the worst.10 What do I mean by inner virtue? He who possesses inner virtue will think himself always in the right, and denigrate those who do not do as he does. There are eight extremes that bring a man trouble, three conditions necessary for advancement, and six respositories of punishment.11 Beauty, a fine beard, a tall stature, brawn, strength, style, bravery, decisiveness - when a man has all these to a degree that surpasses others, they will bring him trouble. Tagging along with things, bobbing and weaving, cringing and fawning - if a man can do all three of these in a way that others do not, then he will succeed in advancing. Wisdom and knowledge, and the outward recognition they involve; bravery and decisiveness, and the numerous resentments they arouse; benevolence and righteousness, and all the responsibilities they involve - these six are what will bring you punishment. 12 He who has mastered the true form of life is a giant; he who has mastered understanding is petty. He who has mastered the Great Fate follows along; he who has mastered the little fates must take what happens to come his way.13

There was a man who had an audience with the king of Sung and received from him a gift of ten carriages. With his ten carriages, he went bragging and strutting to Chuang Tzu. Chuang Tzu said, "There's a poor family down by the river who make their living by weaving articles out of mugwort. The son was diving in the deepest part of the river and came upon a pearl worth a thousand pieces of gold. His father said to him, `Bring a rock and smash it to bits! A pearl worth a thousand in gold could only have come from under the chin of the Black Dragon who lives at the bottom of the ninefold deeps. To be able to get the pearl, you must have happened along when he was asleep. If the Black Dragon had been awake, do you think there'd have been so much as a shred of you left?' Now the state of Sung is deeper than the ninefold deeps, and the king of Sung more truculent than the Black Dragon. In order to get these carriages, you must have happened along when he was asleep. If the king of Sung had been awake, you'd have ended up in little pieces!"

Someone sent gifts to Chuang Tzu with an invitation to office. Chuang Tzu replied to the messenger in these words: "Have you ever seen a sacrificial ox? They deck him out in embroidery and trimmings, gorge him on grass and beanstalks. But when at last they lead him off into the great ancestral temple, then, although he might wish he could become a lonely calf once more, is it possible?"

When Chuang Tzu was about to die, his disciples expressed a desire to give him a sumptuous burial. Chuang Tzu said, "I will have heaven and earth for my coffin and coffin shell, the sun and moon for my pair of jade discs, the stars and constellations for my pearls and beads, and the ten thousand things for my parting gifts. The furnishings for my funeral are already prepared - what is there to add?"

"But we're afraid the crows and kites will eat you, Master!" said his disciples.

Chuang Tzu said, "Above ground I'll be eaten by crows and kites, below ground I'll be eaten by mole crickets and ants. Wouldn't it be rather bigoted to deprive one group in order to supply the other?

"If you use unfairness to achieve fairness, your fairness will be unfair. If you use a lack of proof to establish proofs, your proofs will be proofless. The bright-eyed man is no more than the servant of things, but the man of spirit knows how to find real proofs. The bright-eyed is no match for the man of spirit - from long ago this has been the case. Yet the fool trusts to what he can see and immerses himself in the human. All his accomplishments are beside the point - pitiful, isn't it!"

 

Section THIRTY-THREE - THE WORLD

MANY ARE THE MEN in the world who apply themselves to doctrines and policies, and each believes he has something that cannot be improved upon. What in ancient times was called the "art of the Way' - where does it exist? I say, there is no place it does not exist. But, you ask, where does holiness descend from, where does enlightenment emerge from? The sage gives them birth, the king completes them, and all have their source in the One. He who does not depart from the Ancestor is called the Heavenly Man; he who does not depart from the Pure is called the Holy Man; he who does not depart from the True is called the Perfect Man.

To make Heaven his source, Virtue his root, and the Way his gate, revealing himself through change and transformation - one who does this is called a Sage.

To make benevolence his standard of kindness, righteousness his model of reason, ritual his guide to conduct, and music his source of harmony, serene in mercy and benevolence - one who does this is called a gentleman.

To employ laws to determine functions, names to indicate rank, comparisons to discover actual performance, investigations to arrive at decisions, checking them off, one, two, three, four, and in this way to assign the hundred officials to their ranks; to keep a constant eye on administrative affairs, give first thought to food and clothing, keep in mind the need to produce and grow, to shepherd and store away, to provide for the old and the weak, the orphan and the widow, so that all are properly nourished - these are the principles whereby the people are ordered.1

How thorough were the men of ancient times!-companions of holiness and enlightenment, pure as Heaven and earth, caretakers of the ten thousand things, harmonizers of the world, their bounty extended to the hundred clans. They had a clear understanding of basic policies and paid attention even to petty regulations - in the six avenues and the four frontiers, in what was great or small, coarse or fine, there was no place they did not move.

The wisdom that was embodied in their policies and regulations is in many cases still reflected in the old laws and records of the historiographers handed down over the ages. As to that which is recorded in the Book of Odes and Book of Documents, the Ritual and the Music, there are many gentlemen of Tsou and Lu, scholars of sash and official rank, who have an understanding of it. The Book of Odes describes the will; the Book of Documents describes events; the Ritual speaks of conduct; the Music speaks of harmony; the Book of Changes describes the yin and yang; the Spring and Autumn Annals describes titles and functions.2

These various policies are scattered throughout the world and are propounded in the Middle Kingdom, the scholars of the hundred schools from time to time taking up one or the other in their praises and preachings. But the world is in great disorder, the worthies and sages lack clarity of vision, and the Way and its Virtue are no longer One. So the world too often seizes upon one of its aspects, examines it, and pronounces it good. But it is like the case of the ear, the eye, the nose, and the mouth: each has its own kind of understanding, but their functions are not interchangeable. In the same way, the various skills of the hundred schools all have their strong points, and at times each may be of use. But none is wholly sufficient, none is universal. The scholar cramped in one corner of learning tries to judge the beauty of Heaven and earth, to pry into the principles of the ten thousand things, to scrutinize the perfection of the ancients, but seldom is he able to encompass the true beauty of Heaven and earth, to describe the true face of holy brightness. Therefore the Way that is sagely within and kingly without has fallen into darkness and is no longer clearly perceived, has become shrouded and no longer shines forth. The men of the world all follow their own desires and make these their "doctrine." How sad! - the hundred schools going on and on instead of turning back, fated never to join again. The scholars of later ages have unfortunately never perceived the purity of Heaven and earth, the great body of the ancients, and "the art of the Way" in time comes to be rent and torn apart by the world.

To teach no extravagance to later ages, to leave the ten thousand things unadorned, to shun any glorification of rules and regulations, instead applying ink and measuring line to the correction of one's own conduct, thus aiding the world in time of crisis - there were those in ancient times who believed that the "art of the Way" lay in these things. Mo Ti and Ch'in Hua-li heard of their views and delighted in them, but they followed them to excess and were too assiduous in applying them to themselves.

Mo Tzu wrote a piece "Against Music," and another entitled "Moderation in Expenditure," declaring there was to be no singing in life, no mourning in death.3 With a boundless love and a desire to insure universal benefit, he condemned warfare, and there was no place in his teachings for anger. Again, he was fond of learning and broad in knowledge, and in this respect did not differ from others. His views, however, were not always in accordance with those of the former kings, for he denounced the rites and music of antiquity. The Yellow Emperor had his Hsien-ch'ih music, Yao his Ta-chung, Shun his Ta-shao, Yu his Ta-hsia, T'ang his Ta-huo, and King Wen the music of the Pi-yung, while King Wu and the Duke of Chou fashioned the Wu music. The mourning rites of antiquity prescribed the ceremonies appropriate for eminent and humble, the different regulations for superior and inferior. The inner and outer coffins of the Son of Heaven were to consist of seven layers; those of the feudal lords, five layers; those of the high ministers, three layers; those of the officials, two layers. Yet Mo Tzu alone declares there is to be no singing in life, no mourning in death. A coffin of paulownia wood three inches thick, with no outer shell - this is his rule, his ideal. If he teaches men in this fashion, then I fear he has no love for them; and if he adopts such practices for his own burial, then he surely has no love for himself! I do not mean to discredit his teachings entirely; and yet men want to sing and he says, "No singing!"; they want to wail and he says, "No wailing!" - one wonders if he is in fact human at all. A life that is all toil, a death shoddily disposed of - it is a way that goes too much against us. To make men anxious, to make them sorrowful - such practices are hard to carry out, and I fear they cannot be regarded as the Way of the Sage. They are contrary to the hearts of the world, and the world cannot endure them. Though Mo Tzu himself may be capable of such endurance, how can the rest of the world do likewise? Departing so far from the ways of the world, they must be far removed indeed from those of the true king.

Mo Tzu defends his teachings by saying, "In ancient times, when Yu dammed the flood waters and opened up the courses of the Yangtze and the Yellow River so that they flowed through the lands of the four barbarians and the nine provinces, joining with the three hundred famous rivers,4 their three thousand tributaries, and the little streams too numerous to count - at that time Yu in person carried the basket and wielded the spade, gathering together and mingling the rivers of the world, till there was no down left on his calves, no hair on his shins; the drenching rains washed his locks, the sharp winds combed them, while he worked to establish the ten thousand states. Yu was a great sage, yet with his own body he labored for the world in such fashion!" So it is that many of the Mo-ists of later ages dress in skins and coarse cloth, wear wooden clogs or hempen sandals, never resting day or night, driving themselves on to the bitterest exertions. "If we cannot do the same," they say, "then we are not following the way of Yu, and are unworthy to be called Mo-ists!"

The disciples of Hsiang-li Ch'in, the followers of Wu Hou, and the Mo-ists of the south such as K'u Huo, Chi Ch'ih, Teng Ling-tzu, and their like all recite the Mo-ist canon, and yet they quarrel and disagree in their interpretations, calling each other "Mo-ist factionalists." In their discussions of "hard" and "white," "difference" and "sameness," they attack back and forth; in their disquisitions on the incompatibility of "odd" and "even" they exchange volleys of refutation.5 They regard the Grand Master of their sect as a sage, each sect trying to make its Grand Master the recognized head of the school in hopes that his authority will be acknowledged by later ages, but down to the present the dispute remains unresolved.6

Mo Ti and Ch'in Ku-li were all right in their ideas but wrong in their practices, with the result that the Mo-ists of later ages have felt obliged to subject themselves to hardship "till there is no down left on their calves, no hair on their shins" - their only thought being to outdo one another. Such efforts represent the height of confusion, the lowest degree of order. Nevertheless, Mo Tzu was one who had a true love for the world. He failed to achieve all he aimed for, yet, wasted and worn with exhaustion, he never ceased trying. He was indeed a gentleman of ability!

To be unsnared by vulgar ways, to make no vain show of material things, to bring no hardship on others,7 to avoid offending the mob, to seek peace and security for the world, preservation of the people's lives, full provender for others as well as oneself, and to rest content when these aims are fulfilled, in this way bringing purity to the heart - there were those in ancient times who believed that the "art of the Way" lay in these things. Sung Chien' and Yin Wen heard of their views and delighted in them. They fashioned caps in the shape of Mount Hua to be their mark of distinction.9 In dealing with the ten thousand things, they took the "defining of boundaries" to be their starting point;10 they preached liberality of mind," which they called "the mind's activity," hoping thereby to bring men together in the joy of harmony, to insure concord within the four seas. Their chief task lay, they felt, in the effort to establish these ideals. They regarded it as no shame to suffer insult, but sought to put an end to strife among the people, to outlaw aggression, to abolish the use of arms, and to rescue the world from warfare. With these aims they walked the whole world over, trying to persuade those above them and to teach those below, and though the world refused to listen, they clamored all the louder and would not give up, until men said, "High and low are sick of the sight of them, and still they demand to be seen!"

Nevertheless, they took too much thought for others and too little for themselves. "Just give us five pints of rice and that will be enough," they said, though at that rate I fear these teachers did not get their fill. Though their own disciples went hungry, however, they never forgot the rest of the world, but continued day and night without stop, saying, "We are determined to make certain that all men can live!" How lofty their aims, these saviors of the world! Again they said, "The gentleman does not examine others with too harsh an eye; he does not need material things in which to dress himself." If a particular line of inquiry seemed to bring no benefit to the world, they thought it better to abandon it than to seek an understanding of it. To outlaw aggression and abolish the use of arms - these were their external aims. To lessen the desires and weaken the emotions - these were their internal aims. Whether their approach was large-scaled or small, detailed or gross, these were the goals they sought - these and nothing more.

Public-spirited and not partisan, even-minded and not given to favoritism, vacant-eyed, with none for a master, trailing after things without a second thought, giving not a glance to schemes, not a moment of speculation to knowledge, choosing neither this thing nor that, but going along with all of them - there were those in ancient times who believed that the "art of the Way" lay in such things. P'eng Meng, T'ien P'ien, and Shen Tao heard of their views and delighted in them.12 The Way, they believed, lay in making the ten thousand things equal. 13 "Heaven is capable of sheltering but not of bearing up," they said. "Earth is capable of bearing up but not of sheltering. The Great Way is capable of embracing all things but not of discriminating among them."14 From this they deduced that each of the ten thousand things has that which is acceptable in it and that which is not acceptable. Therefore they, said, "To choose is to forgo universality; to compare things15 is to fail to reach the goal. The Way has nothing that is left out of it."

For this reason Shen Tao discarded knowledge, did away with self, followed what he could not help but follow, acquiescent and unmeddling where things were concerned, taking this to be the principle of the Way. "To know is not to know," he said, and so he despised knowledge and worked to destroy and slough it off. Listless and lackadaisical,16 he accepted no responsibilities, but laughed at the world for honoring worthy men. Casual and uninhibited, he did nothing to distinguish himself, but disparaged the great sages of the world. Lopping off corners, chiseling away the rough places, he went tumbling and turning along with things. He put aside both right and wrong and somehow managed to stay out of trouble. With nothing to learn from knowledge or scheming, no comprehension of what comes before or after, he merely rested where he was and that was all. Pushed, he would finally begin to move; dragged, he would at last start on his way. He revolved like a whirlwind, spun like a feather, went round and round like a grindstone, keeping himself whole and free from condemnation. Without error, whether in motion or at rest, never once was he guilty of any fault. Why was this? Because a creature that is without knowledge does not face the perils that come from trying to set oneself up, the entanglements that come from relying upon knowledge. In motion or in stillness, he never departs from reason - in this way he lives out his years without winning praise. Therefore Shen Tao said, "Let me become like those creatures without knowledge, that is enough.17 Such creatures have no use for the worthies or the sages. Clod-like, they never lose the Way." The great and eminent men would get together and laugh at him, saying, "The teachings of Shen Tao are not rules for the living but ideals for a dead man. No wonder he is looked on as peculiar!"

T'ien P’ien was a similar case. He studied under P'eng Meng and learned what it means not to compare things. P'eng Meng's teacher used to say, "In ancient times the men of the Way reached the point where they regarded nothing as right and nothing as wrong - that was all." But such ways are mute and muffled - how can they be captured in words? P'eng Meng and T'ien P’ien always went contrary to other men and were seldom heeded. They could not seem to avoid lopping away at the corners. What they called the Way was not the true Way, and, when they said a thing was right, they could not avoid raising the possibility that it might be wrong.18' P'eng Meng, T'ien P'ien, and Shen Tao did not really understand the Way, though all had at one time heard something of what it was like.

To regard the source as pure and the things that emerge from it as coarse, to look upon accumulation as insufficiency; dwelling alone, peaceful and placid, in spiritual brightness there were those in ancient times who believed that the "art of the Way" lay in these things. The Barrier Keeper Yin and Lao Tan heard of their views and delighted in them.19 They expounded them in terms of constant nonbeing and being, and headed their doctrine with the concept of the Great Unity. Gentle weakness and humble self-effacement are its outer marks; emptiness, void, and the noninjury of the ten thousand things are its essence.

The Barrier Keeper Yin said, "When a man does not dwell in self, then things will of themselves reveal their forms to him. His movement is like that of water, his stillness like that of a mirror, his responses like those of an echo. Blank-eyed, he seems to be lost; motionless, he has the limpidity of water. Because he is one with it, he achieves harmony; should he reach out for it, he would lose it. Never does he go ahead of other men, but always follows in their wake."

Lao Tan said, "Know the male but cling to the female; become the ravine of the world. Know the pure but cling to dishonor; become the valley of the world." 20 Others all grasp what is in front; he alone grasped what is behind. He said, "Take to yourself the filth of the world." Others all grasp what is full; he alone grasped what is empty. He never stored away - therefore he had more than enough; he had heaps and heaps of more than enough! In his movement he was easygoing and did not wear himself out. Dwelling in inaction, he scoffed at skill. Others all seek good fortune; he alone kept himself whole by becoming twisted. He said, "Let us somehow or other avoid incurring blame!" He took profundity to be the root and frugality to be the guideline. He said, "What is brittle will be broken, what is sharp will be blunted." He was always generous and permissive with things and inflicted no pain on others - this may be called the highest achievement.

The Barrier Keeper Yin and Lao Tan - with their breadth and stature, they indeed were the True Men of old!

Blank, boundless, and without form; transforming, changing, never constant: are we dead? are we alive? do we stand side by side with Heaven and earth? do we move in the company of spiritual brightness? absent-minded, where are we going? forgetful, where are we headed for? The ten thousand things ranged all around us, not one of them is worthy to be singled out as our destination - there were those in ancient times who believed that the "art of the Way" lay in these things. Chuang Chou heard of their views and delighted in them. He expounded them in odd and outlandish terms, in brash and bombastic language, in unbound and unbordered phrases, abandoning himself to the times without partisanship, not looking at things from one angle only. He believed that the world was drowned in turbidness and that it was impossible to address it in sober language. So he used "goblet words" to pour out endless changes, "repeated words" to give a ring of truth, and "imputed words" to impart greater breadth. He came and went alone with the pure spirit of Heaven and earth, yet he did not view the ten thousand things with arrogant eyes. He did not scold over "right" and "wrong," but lived with the age and its vulgarity. Though his writings are a string of queer beads and baubles, they roll and rattle and do no one any harm.21 Though his words seem to be at sixes and sevens, yet among the sham and waggery there are things worth observing, for they are crammed with truths that never come to an end.

Above he wandered with the Creator, below he made friends with those who have gotten outside of life and death, who know nothing of beginning or end. As for the Source, his grasp of it was broad, expansive, and penetrating; profound, liberal, and unimpeded. As for the Ancestor, he may be said to have tuned and accommodated himself to it and to have risen on it to the greatest heights. Nevertheless, in responding to change and expounding on the world of things, he set forth principles that will never cease to be valid, an approach that can never be shuffled off. Veiled and arcane, he is one who has never been completely comprehended.

Hui Shih was a man of many devices and his writings would fill five carriages. But his doctrines were jumbled and perverse and his words wide of the mark. His way of dealing with things may be seen from these sayings:

The largest thing has nothing beyond it; it is called the One of largeness. The smallest thing has nothing within it; it is called the One of smallness.

That which has no thickness cannot be piled up; yet it is a thousand li in dimension.

Heaven is as low as earth; mountains and marshes are on the same level.

The sun at noon is the sun setting. The thing born is the thing dying.

Great similarities are different from little similarities; these are called the little similarities and differences. The ten thousand things are all similar and are all different; these are called the great similarities and differences.

The southern region has no limit and yet has a limit.

I set off for Yueh today and came there yesterday.22

Linked rings can be separated.

I know the center of the world: it is north of Yen and south of Yueh.23

Let love embrace the ten thousand things; Heaven and earth are a single body.

With savings such as these, Hui Shih tried to introduce a more magnanimous view of the world and to enlighten the rhetoricians. The rhetoricians of the world happily joined in with the following sayings:

An egg has feathers.

A chicken has three legs.24

Ying contains the whole world.25

A dog can be considered a sheep.

Horses lay eggs.

Toads have tails.

Fire is not hot.26

Mountains come out of the mouth .27

Wheels never touch the ground.

Eyes do not see.

Pointing to it never gets to it; if it got to it, there would be no separation.28

The tortoise is longer than the snake.

T squares are not right-angled; compasses cannot make circles.

Holes for chisel handles do not surround the handles.

The flying bird's shadow never moves.

No matter how swift the barbed arrow, there are times when it is neither moving nor at rest.

A dog is not a canine.

A yellow horse and a black cow make three.

White dogs are black.

The orphan colt never had a mother.

Take a pole one foot long, cut away half of it every day, and at the end of ten thousand generations there will still be some left.

Such were the sayings which the rhetoricians used in answer to Hui Shih, rambling on without stop till the end of their days. Huan Tuan and Kung-sun Lung were among such rhetoricians.29 Dazzling men's minds, unsettling their views, they could outdo others in talking, but could not make them submit in their minds - such were the limitations of the rhetoricians.

Hui Shih day after day used all the knowledge he had in his debates with others, deliberately thinking up ways to astonish the rhetoricians of the world - the examples above will illustrate this. Nevertheless, Hui Shih's manner of speaking showed that he considered himself the ablest man alive. "Heaven and earth - perhaps they are greater!" he used to declare. All he knew how to do was play the hero; he had no real art.

In the south there was an eccentric named Huang Liao who asked why Heaven and earth do not collapse and crumble, or what makes the wind and rain, the thunder and lightning. Hui Shih, undaunted, undertook to answer him; without stopping to think, he began to reply, touching upon every one of the ten thousand things in his peroration, expounding on and on without stop in multitudes of words that never ended. But still it was not enough, and so he began to add on his astonishing assertions. Whatever contradicted other men's views he declared to be the truth, hoping to win a reputation for outwitting others. This was why he never got along with ordinary people. Weak in inner virtue, strong in his concern for external things, he walked a road that was crooked indeed! If we examine Hui Shih's accomplishments from the point of view of the Way of Heaven and earth, they seem like the exertions of a mosquito or a gnat - of what use are they to other things? True, he still deserves to be regarded as the founder of one school, though I say, if he had only shown greater respect for the Way, he would have come nearer being right. Hui Shih, however, could not seem to find any tranquillity for himself in such an approach. Instead he went on tirelessly separating and analyzing the ten thousand things, and in the end was known only for his skill in exposition. What a pity - that Hui Shih abused and dissipated his talents without ever really achieving anything! Chasing after the ten thousand things, never turning back, he was like one who tries to shout an echo into silence or to prove that form can outrun shadow. How sad!

PART I.- THE BIRTH OF THE DEITIES

THE BEGINNING OF HEAVEN AND EARTH

The names of the deities that were born in the Plain of High Heaven when the Heaven and Earth began were the deity Master-of-the-August-Center-of-Heaven; next, the High-August-Producing-Wondrous deity; next, the Divine-Producing-Wondrous deity. These three deities were all deities born alone, and hid their persons. The names of the deities that were born next from a thing that sprouted up like unto a reed-shoot when the earth, young and like unto floating oil, drifted about medusa-like, were the Pleasant-Reed-Shoot-Prince-Elder deity, next the Heavenly-Eternally-Standing deity. These two deities were likewise born alone, and hid their persons.

The five deities in the above list are separate Heavenly deities.

THE SEVEN DIVINE GENERATIONS

The names of the deities that were born next were the Earthly-Eternally-Standing deity; next, the Luxuriant-Integrating-Master deity. These two deities were likewise deities born alone, and hid their persons. The names of the deities that were born next were the deity Mud-Earth-Lord; next, his Younger sister the deity -Mud-Earth-Lady; next, the Germ-Integrating deity; next, his younger sister the Life-Integrating-Deity; next, the deity of Elder-of-the-Great-Place; next, his younger sister the deity Elder-Lady-of-the-Great-Place; next, the deity Perfect-Exterior; next, his younger sister the deity Oh-Awful-Lady; next, the deity Izanagi or the Male-Who-Invites; next, his younger sister Izanami or the deity the Female-Who-Invites.

From the Earthly-Eternally-Standing deity down to the deity the Female-Who-Invites in the previous list are what are termed the Seven Divine Generations.

THE ISLAND OF ONOGORO

Hereupon all the Heavenly deities commanded the two deities His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites and Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites, ordering them to "make, consolidate, and give birth to this drifting land." Granting to them a heavenly jeweled spear, they thus deigned to charge them. So the two deities, standing upon the Floating Bridge of Heaven pushed down the jeweled spear and stirred with it, whereupon, when they had stirred the brine till it went curdle-curdle, and drew the spear up, the brine that dripped down from the end of the spear was piled up and became an island. This is the Island of Onogoro.

COURTSHIP OF THE DEITIES THE MALE-WHO-INVITES AND THE FEMALE-WHO-INVITES

Having descended from Heaven on to this island, they saw to the erection of a heavenly august pillar, they saw to the erection of a hall of eight fathoms. Then Izanagi, the Male-Who-Invites, said to Izanami, the Female-Who-Invites, "We should create children"; and he said, "Let us go around the heavenly august pillar, and when we meet on the other side let us be united. Do you go around from the left, and I will go from the right." When they met, Her Augustness, the Female-Who-Invites, spake first, exclaiming, "Ah, what a fair and lovable youth!" Then His Augustness said, "Ah what a fair and lovable maiden!" But afterward he said, " It was not well that the woman should speak first!" The child which was born to them was Hiruko (the leech-child), which when three years old was still unable to stand upright. So they placed the leech-child in a boat of reeds and let it float away. Next they gave birth to the island of Aha. This likewise is not reckoned among their children.

Hereupon the two deities took counsel, saving: "The children to whom we have now given birth are not good. It will be best to announce this in the august place of the Heavenly deities." They ascended forthwith to Heaven and inquired of Their Augustnesses the Heavenly deities. Then the Heavenly deities commanded and found out by grand divination, and ordered them, saying: "they were not good because the woman spoke first. Descend back again and amend your words." So thereupon descending back, they again went round the heavenly august pillar. Thereupon his Augustness the Male-who-Invites spoke first: " Ah! what a fair and lovely maiden!" Afterward his younger sister Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites spoke: " Ah! what a fair and lovely youth! " Next they gave birth to the Island of Futa-na in Iyo. This island has one body and four faces, and each face has a name. So the Land of Iyo is called Lovely-Princess; the Land of Sanuki is called Princess-Good-Boiled-Rice; the Land of Aha is called the Princess-of-Great-Food, the Land of Tosa is called Brave-Good-Youth. Next they gave birth to the islands of Mitsu-go near Oki, another name for which islands is Heavenly-Great-Heart-Youth. This island likewise has one body and four faces, and each face has a name. So the Land of Tsukushi is called White-Sun-Youth; the Land of Toyo is called Luxuriant-Sun-Youth; the Land of Hi is called Brave-Sun-Confronting-Luxuriant-Wondrous-Lord-Youth; the Land of Kumaso is called Brave-Sun-Youth. Next they gave birth to the Island of Iki, another name for which is Heaven's One-Pillar. Next they gave birth to the Island of Tsu, another name for which is Heavenly-Hand-Net-Good-Princess. Next they gave birth to the Island of Sado. Next they gave birth to Great-Yamato-the-Luxuriant-Island-of-the-Dragon-fly, another name for which is Heavenly-August-Sky-Luxuriant-Dragon-fly-Lord-Youth. The name of "Land-of-the-Eight-Great-Islands" therefore originated in these eight islands having been born first. After that, when they had returned, they gave birth to the Island of Koo-zhima in Kibi, another name for which island is Brave-Sun-Direction-Youth. Next they gave birth to the Island of Adzuki, another name for which is Oho-Nu-De-Hime. Next they gave birth to the Island of Oho-shima, another name for which is Oho-Tamaru-Wake. -Next they gave birth to the Island of Hime, another name for which is Heaven's-One-Root. Next they gave birth to the Island of Chika, another name for which is Heavenly-Great-Male. Next they gave birth to the islands of Futa-go, another name for which is Heaven's Two-Houses. (Six islands in all from the Island of Ko in Kibi to the Island of Heaven's-Two-Houses.)

BIRTH OF THE VARIOUS DEITIES

When they had finished giving birth to countries, they began afresh giving birth to deities. So the name of the deity they gave birth to was the deity Great-Male-of-the-Great-Thing; next, they gave birth to the deity Rock-Earth-Prince; next, they gave birth to the deity Rock-Nest-Princess; next, they gave birth to the deity Great-Door-Sun-Youth; next, they gave birth to the deity Heavenly-Blowing-Male; next, they gave birth to the deity Great-House-Prince; next, they gave birth to the deity Youth-of-the-Wind-Breath-the-Great-Male; next, they gave birth to the sea-deity, whose name is the deity Great-Ocean-Possessor next, they gave birth to the deity of the Water-Gates, whose name is the deity Prince-of-Swift-Autumn ; next they gave birth to his younger sister the deity Princess-of-Swift-Autumn. (Ten deities in all from the deity Great-Male-of-the-Great-Thing to the deity Princess-of-Autumn.) The names of the deities given birth to by these two deities Prince-of-Swift-Autumn and Princess-of-Swift-Autumn from their separate dominions of river and sea were: the deity Foam-Calm; next, the deity Foam-Waves; next the deity Bubble-Calm; next, the deity Bubble-Waves; next the deity Heavenly-Water-Divider; next, the deity Earthly-Water-Divider; next, the deity Heavenly-Water-Drawing-Gourd-Possessor; next, the deity Earthly-Water-Drawing-Gourd-Possessor. (Eight deities in all from the deity Foam-Prince to the deity Earthly-Water-Drawing-Gourd-Possessor.) Next, they gave birth to the deity of Wind, whose name is the deity Prince-of-Long-Wind. Next, they gave birth to the deity of Trees, whose name is deity Stem-Elder; next, they gave birth to the deity of Mountains, whose name is the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. Next, they gave birth to the deity of Moors, whose name is the deity Thatch-Moor-Princess, another name for whom is the deity Moor-Elder. (Four deities in all from the deity Prince-of-long-wind to Moor-Elder.) The names of the deities given birth to by these two deities, the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor and the deity, Moor-Elder from their separate dominions of mountain and moor were: the deity Heavenly-Elder-of-the Passes; next, the deity Earthly-Elder-of-the-Passes; next, the deity Heavenly-Pass-Boundary; next, the deity Earthly-Pass-Boundary; next, the deity Heavenly-Dark-Door; next, the deity Earthly-Dark-Door next, the deity Great-Vale-Prince; next, the deity Great-Vale-Princess. (Eight deities in all from the deity Heavenly-Elder-of-the-Passes to the deity Great-Vale-Princess.) The name of the deity they next gave birth to was the deity Bird's-Rock-Camphor-tree-Boat, another name for whom is the Heavenly-Bird-Boat. Next, they gave birth to the deity Princess-of-Great-Food. Next, they gave birth to the Fire-Burning-Swift-Male deity, another name for whom is the deity Fire-Shining-Prince, and another name is the deity Fire-Shining-Elder.

RETIREMENT OF HER AUGUSTNESS THE PRINCESS-WHO-INVITES

Through giving birth to this child her august private parts were burned, and she sickened and lay down. The names of the deities born from her vomit were the deity Metal-Mountain-Prince and, next, the deity Metal-Mountain-Princess. The names of the deities that were born from her feces were the deity Clay-Viscid-Prince and, next, the deity Clay-Viscid-Princess. The names of the deities that were next born from her urine were the deity Mitsubanome and, next, the Young-Wondrous-Producing deity. The child of this deity was called the deity Luxuriant-Food-Princess. So the deity the Female-Who-Invites, through giving birth to the deity of Fire, at length divinely retired. (Eight deities in all from the Heavenly-Bird-Boat to the deity Luxuriant-Food-Princess.) The total number of islands given birth to jointly by the two deities the Male- Who-Invites and the Female-Who-Invites was fourteen, and of deities thirty-five. (These are such as were given birth to before the deity the Princess-Who-Invites divinely retired. Only the Island of Onogoro was not given birth to and, moreover, the Leech-Child and the Island of Aha are not reckoned among the children.)

So then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites said: " Oh! Thine Augustness my lovely younger sister' Oh! that I should have exchanged thee for this single child! " And as he crept round her august pillow, and as he crept round her august feet and wept, there was born from his august tears the deity that dwells at Konomoto, near Unewo on Mount Kagu, and whose name is the Crying-Weeping-Female deity. So he buried the divinely retired deity the Female-Who-Invites on Mount Hiba, at the boundary of the Land of Idzumo and the Land of Hahaki.

TIIE SLAYING OF TIIE FIRE-DEITY

Then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites, drawing the ten-grasp saber that was augustly girded on him, cut off the head of his child the deity Shining-Elder. Hereupon the names of the deities that were born from the blood that stuck to the point of the august sword and bespattered the multitudinous rock-masses were: the deity Rock-Splitter; next, the deity Root-Splitter; next, the Rock-Possessing-Male deity. The names of the deities that were next born from the blood that stuck to the upper part of the august sword and again bespattered the multitudinous rock-masses were: the Awfully-Swift deity; next, the Fire-Swift deity; next, the Brave-Awful-Possessing-Male deity, another name for whom is the Brave-Snapping deity, and another name is the Luxuriant-Snapping deity. The names of the deities that were next born from the blood that collected on the hilt of the august sword and leaked out between his fingers were: the deity Kura-okami and, next, the deity Kura-mitsuba.

All the eight deities in the above list, from the deity Rock-Splitter to the deity Kura-mitsuha, are deities that were born from the august sword.

The name of the deity that was born from the bead of the deity Shining-Elder, who bad been slain, was the deity Possessor-of-the-True-Pass-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his chest was the deity Possessor-of-Descent--Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his belly was the deity Possessor-of-the-Innermost Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his private parts was the deity Possessor-of-the-Dark-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his left hand was the deity Possessor-of-the-Densely-Wooded-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his right hand was the deity Possessor-of-the-Outlying-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his left foot was the deity Possessor-of-the-Moorland-Mountains. The name of the deity that was next born from his right foot was the deity Possessor-of-the-Outer--Mountains. (Eight deities in an from the deity Possessor-of-the-True-Pass-Mountains to the deity Possessor-of-the-Outer--Mountains.) So the name of the sword with which the -Male-Who-Invites cut off his son's head was Heavenly-Point-Blade-Extended, and another name was Majestic-Point-Blade-Extended.


PART II.- THE QUARREL OF IZANAGA AND IZANAMI

THE LAND OF HADES

Thereupon His Augustuess the Male-Who-Invites, wishing to meet and see his younger sister Her Augustness the FemaleWho-Invites, followed after her to the Land of Hades. So when from the palace she raised the door and came out to meet him, His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites spoke, saying: "Thine Augustness, my lovelv younger sister! the lands that I and thou made are not yet finished making; so come back! " Then Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites answered, saying: " Lamentable indeed that thou camest not sooner! I have eaten of the furnace of Hades. Nevertheless, as I reverence the entry here of Thine Augustness, my lovely elder brother, I wish to return. Moreover, I will discuss it particularly with the deities of Hades. Look not at me!" Having thus spoken, she went back inside the palace; and as she tarried there very long, he could not wait. So having taken and broken off one of the end-teeth of the multitudinous and close-toothed comb stuck in the august left bunch of his hair, he lit one light and went in and looked. Maggots were swarming, and she was rotting, and in her head dwelt the Great-Thunder, in her breast dwelt the Fire-Thunder, in her left hand dwelt the Young-Thunder, in her right hand dwelt the Earth-Thunder, in her left foot dwelt the Rumbling-Thunder, in her right foot dwelt the Couchant-Thunder -- altogether eight Thunder-deities had been born and dwelt there. Hereupon His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites, overawed at the sight, fled back, whereupon his younger sister, "Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites, said: "Thou hast put me to shame," and at once sent the Ugly-Female-of-Hades to pursue him. So His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites took his black august head-dress and cast it down, and it instantly turned into grapes. While she picked them up and ate them, he fled on; but as she still pursued him, he took and broke the multitudinous and close-toothed comb in the right bunch of his hair and cast it down, and it instantly turned into bamboo-sprouts. While she pulled them up and ate them, he fled on. Again, later, his younger sister sent the eight Thunder-deities with a thousand and five hundred warriors of Hades to pursue him. So he, drawing the ten-grasp saber that was augustly girded on him, fled forward brandishing it in his back hand;" and as they still pursued, he took, on reaching the base of the Even-Pass-of-Hades, three peaches that were growing at its base, and waited and smote his pursuers therewith, so that they all fled back. Then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites announced to the peaches: "Like as ye have helped me, so must ve help all living people in the Central Land of Reed-Plains when they shall fall into troublous circumstances and be harassed! "- and he gave to the peaches the designation of Their Augustnesses Great-Divine-Fruit. Last of all, his younger sister, Her Augustness the Princess-Who-Invites, came out herself in pursuit. So he drew a thousand-draught rock, and with it blocked up the Even-Pass-of-Hades, and placed the rock in the middle; and they stood opposite to one another and exchanged leave-takings ; and Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites said: "My lovely elder brother, thine Augustness! If thou do like this, I will in one day strangle to death a thousand of the folk of thy land." Then His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites replied: "My lovely younger sister, Thine Augastness! If thou do this, I will in one day set up a thousand and five hundred parturition-house. In this manner each day a thousand people would surely be born." So Her Augustness the Female-Who-Invites is called the Great-Deity-of-Hades. Again it is said that, owing to her having pursued and reached her elder brother, she is called the Road-Reaching-Great deity."' Again, the rock with which he blocked up the Even-Pass-of-Hades is called the Great-Deity-of-the-Road-Turning-back, and again it is called the Blocking-Great-Deity-of-the-Door-of-Hades. So what was called the Even-Pass-of-Hades is now called the Ifuya-Pass in the Land of Idzumo.

THE PURIFICATION OF THE AUGUST PERSON

Therefore the great deity the Male-Who-Invites said: "Nay! hideous! I have come to a hideous and polluted land - I have! So I will perform the purification of my august person." So he went out to a plain covered with altagi, at a small river-mouth near Tachibana in Himuka in the island of Tsukushi, and purified and cleansed himself. So the name of the deity that was born from the august staff which he threw down was the deity Thrust-Erect-Come-Not-Place. The name of the deity that was born from the august girdle which he next threw down was the deity Road-Long-Space. The name of the deity that was born from the august skirt which he next threw down was the deity Loosen-Put. The name of the deity that was born from the august upper garment which he next threw down was the deity Master-of-Trouble. The name of the deity that was born from the august trousers which be next threw down was the Road-Fork deity. The name of the deity that was born from the august hat which he next threw down was the deity Master-of-the-Open-Mouth. The names of the deities that were born from the bracelet of his august left hand which he next threw down were the deity Offing-Distant, next, the deity Wash-Prince-of-the-Offing; next, the deity Intermediate-Direction-of-the-offing. The names of the deities that were born from the bracelet of his august right hand which he next threw down were: the deity Shore-Distant; next, the deity Wash-Prince-of-the-Shore; next, the deity Intermediate-Direction-of-the-Shore.

The twelve deities mentioned in the foregoing list from the deity Come-Not-Place down to the deity Intermediate-Direction-of-the-Shore are deities that were born from his taking off the things that were on his person.

Thereupon saying: "The water in the upper reach is too rapid; the water in the lower reach is too sluggish," he went down and plunged in the middle reach; and, as he washed, there was first born the Wondrous-Deity-of-Eighty-Evils, and next the Wondrous-Deity-of-Great-Evils. These two deities are the deities that were born from the filth he contracted when he went to that polluted, hideous land. The names of the deities that were next born to rectify those evils were: the Divine-Rectifying-Wondrous deity; next, the Great-Rectictifying-Wondrous deity; next, the Female-Deity-Idzu. The names of the deities that were next born as be bathed at the bottom of the water were: the deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Bottom and, next, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Bottom. The names of the deities that were born as he bathed in the middle of the water were: the deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Middle and, next, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Middle. The names of the deities that were born as lie bathed at the top of the water were the deity Possessor-of-the-Ocean-Surface and, next, His Augustness Elder--Male-of-the-Surface. These three Ocean-Possessing deities are the deities held in reverence as their ancestral-deities by the Chiefs of Adzumi. So the Chiefs of Adzumi are the descendants of His Augustness Utsushi-hi-gana-saku, a child of these Ocean-possessing deities. These three deities His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Bottom, His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Middle, and His Augustness Elder-Male-of-the-Surface are the three great deities of the Inlet of Sumi. The name of the deity that was born as he thereupon washed his left august eye was the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. The name of the deity that was next born as he washed his right august eye was His Augustness Moon-Night-Possessor. The name of the deity that was next born as he washed his august nose was His Brave-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness.

The fourteen deities in the foregoing list from the Wondrous-Deity-of-Eighty-Evils down to His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness are deities born from the bathing of his august person.


PART III. AMATERASU, THE SUN-GODDESS, AND THE STORM-GOD

INVESTITURE OF THE THREE DEITIES, THE ILLUSTRIOUS AUGUST CHILDREN

At this time His Augustness the Male-Who-Invites greatly rejoiced, saying: "I, begetting child after child, have at my final begetting gotten three illustrious children." With which words, at once jinglingly taking off and shaking the jewel-string forming his august necklace, be bestowed it on Amaterasu, the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. saying: "Do Thine Augustness rule the Plain-of-High-Heaven." With this charge he bestowed it on her. Now the name of this august necklace was the August-Storehouse-Shelf deity. Next he said to His Augustness Moon-Night-Possessor: "Do Thine Augustness rule the Dominion of the Night." Thus he charged him. Next he said to His-Brave-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness: "Do Thine Augustness rule the Sea-Plain."

THE CRYING AND WEEPING OF HIS IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS

So while the other two deities each assumed his and her rule according to the command with which her father had deigned to charge them, the Storm-God, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, did not assume the rule of the dominion with which he had been charged, but cried and wept till his eight-grasp beard reached to the pit of his stomach. The fashion of his weeping was such as by his weeping to wither the green mountains into withered mountains, and by his weeping to dry up all the rivers and seas. For this reason the sound of bad deities was like unto the flies in the fifth moon as they all swarmed, and in all things every portent of woe arose. So the Great August deity the Male-Who-Invites said to His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness: "How is it that, instead of ruling the land with which I charged thee, thou dost wail and weep?" He replied, saying: "I wail because I wish to depart to my deceased mother's land, to the Nether Distant Land." Then the Great August deity the Male-Who-Invites was very angry and said: If that be so,, thou shalt not dwell in this land, and forthwith expelled him with a divine expulsion. So the great deity the Male-Who-Invites dwells at Taga in Afumi.

THE AUGUST OATH

So thereupon His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness said: if that be so I will take leave of the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, and depart." With these words he forthwith went up to Heaven, whereupon all the mountains and rivers shook, and every land and country quaked. So the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, alarmed at the noise, said: " The reason of the ascent hither of His Augustness my elder brother is surely of no good intent. It is only that he wishes to wrest my land from me." And she forthwith, unbinding her august hair, twisted it into august bunches; and both into the left and into the right august bunch, as likewise into her august head-dress and likewise on to her left and her right august arm, she twisted an augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long, of five hundred jewels, and, slinging on her back a quiver holding a thousand arrows, and adding thereto a quiver holding five hundred arrows, she likewise took and slung at her side a mighty and high sounding elbow-pad, and brandished and stuck her bow upright so that the top shook, and she stamped her feet into the hard ground up to her opposing thighs, kicking away the earth like rotten snow, and stood valiantly like unto a mighty man, and, waiting, asked: "Wherefore ascendest thou hither?" Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness replied, saying: "I have no evil intent. It is only that when the Great August deity our father spoke, deigning to inquire the cause of my wailing and weeping, I said: 'I wail because I wish to go to my deceased mother's land' -- whereupon the Great-August deity said: 'Thou shalt not dwell in this land,' and deigned to expel me with a divine expulsion. It is therefore solely with the thought of taking leave of thee and departing, that I have ascended hither. I have no strange intentions." Then the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity said: " If that be so, whereby shall I know the sincerity of thine intentions? " Thereupon His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness replied, saying: "Let each of us swear and produce children." So as they then swore to each other from the opposite banks of the Tranquil River of Heaven, the august names of the deities that were born from the mist of her breath when, having first begged His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness to hand her the ten-grasp saber which was girded on him, and broken it into three fragments, and with the jewels making a jingling sound, having brandished and washed them in the True-Pool-Well of Heaven, and having crunchingly crunched them, the Heaven-Shining-Great deity blew them away, were Her Angustness Torrent-Mist-Princess, another august name for whom is Her Augustness Princess-of-the-Island-of-the-Offing; next Her Augustness Lovely-Island-Princess another august name for whom is Her Augustness Good-Princess; next Her Augustness Princess-of-the-Torrent. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when, having begged the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity to hand him the augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long - of five hundred jewels - that was twisted in the left august bunch of her hair, and with the jewels making a jingling sound having brandished and washed them in the True-Pool-Well of Heaven, and having cruncbingly crunched them, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness blew them away, was His Augustness Truly-Conqueror-I-Conqueror-Conquering-Swift-Heavenly-Great-Great-Ears. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to hand him the jewels that were twisted in the right august bunch of her hair, and having crunchingly crunched them, he blew them away, was His Augustness Ame-no-hohi. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to hand him the jewels that were twisted in her august head-dress, and having crunchingly crunched them, he blew them away, was His Augustness Prince-Lord-of-Heaven. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to hand him the jewels that were twisted on her left august arm, and having crunchingly crunched them, he blew them away, was His Augustness Prince-Lord-of-Life. The august name of the deity that was born from the mist of his breath when again, having begged her to band him the jewels that were twisted on her right august arm, and having crunchingly crunched them,, be blew them away was His-Wondrous-Augustness-of-Kumanu. ( Five deities in all.)

THE AUGUST DECLARATION OF THE DIVISION OF THE AUGUST MALE CHILDREN A.ND THE AUGUST FEMALE CHILDREN

Hereupon the Heavenly Shining-Great-August deity said to His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness: "As for the seed of the five male deities born last, their birth was from things of mine; so undoubtedly they are my children. As for the seed of the three female deities born first, their birth was from a thing of thine; so doubtless they are thy children." Thus did she declare the division. So Her Augustness Torrent-Mist-Princess, the deity born first, dwells in the inner temple of Munakata. The next, Her Augustness Lovely-Island-Princess, dwells in the middle temple of Munakata. The next, Her Augustness Princess-of-the-Torrent, dwells in the outer temple of Munakata. These three deities are of the three great deities held in reverence by the dukes of Munakata. So His Augustuess Brave-Rustic-Illuminator, child of His Augustness Ame-no-hohi, one of the five children born afterward. This is the ancestor of the rulers of the land of Idzumo, of the rulers of the land of Muzashi, of the rulers of the upper land of Unakami, of the rulers of the lower land of Unakami, of the rulers of the land of lzhimu, of the departmental suzerains of the Island of Tsu and of the rulers of the land of Tobo-tsu-Afumi. The next, His Augustness Prince-Lord-of-Heaven, is the ancestor of the rulers of the land of Ofushi-kafuchi, of the chiefs of Nukatabe-no-yuwe, of the rulers of the land of Ki, of the suzerains of Tanaka in Yamato, of the rulers of the land of Yamashiro, of the rulers of the land of Umaguta, of the rulers of the land of Kine in Michi-no-Shiri, of the rulers of the land of Suhau, of the rulers of Amuchi, in Yamato, of the departmental suzerains of Takechi, of the territorial lords of Kamafu, and of the rulers of Sakikusabe.

THE AUGUST RAVAGES OF HIS-IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS

Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness said to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity: "Owing to the sincerity of my intentions I have, in begetting children, gotten delicate females. Judging from this I have undoubtedly gained the victory." With these words, and impetuous with victory, he broke down the divisions of the rice-fields laid out by the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity filled up the ditches, and moreover strewed excrements in the palace where she partook of the great food. So, though he did thus, the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity upbraided him not, but said: "What looks like excrements must be something that His Augustness mine elder brother has vomited through drunkenness. Again, as to his breaking down the divisions of the rice-fields and filling up the ditches, it must be because be grudges the land they occupy that His Augustness mine elder brother acts thus." But notwithstanding these apologetic words, he still continued his evil acts, and was more and more violent. As the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity sat in her awful weaving-hall seeing to the weaving of the august garments of the deities, he broke a hole in the top of the weaving-hall, and through it let fall a heavenly piebald horse which he had flayed with a backward flaying, at whose sight the women weaving the heaveijy garments were so much alarmed they died of fear.

THE DOOR OF THE HEAVENLY ROCK-DWELLING

So thereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, terrified at the sight, closed behind her the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, made it fast and retired. Then the whole Plain of High Heaven was obscured and all the Central Land of Reed-Plains darkened. Owing to this, eternal night prevailed. Hereupon the voices of the myriad deities were like unto the flies in the fifth moon as they swarmed, and a myriad portents of woe all arose. Therefore did the eight hundred myriad deities assemble in a divine assembly in the bed of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and bid the deity Thought-Includer, child of the High-August-Producing-Wondrous deity, think of a plan, assembling the long-singing birds of eternal night and making them sing, taking the hard rocks of Heaven from the river-bed of the Tranquil River of Heaven, and taking the iron from the Heavenly Metal-Mountains, calling in the smith Ama-tsu-ma-ra, charging Her Augtsness I-shi-ko-ri-do-me to make a mirror, and charging His Augustness Jewel-Ancestor to make an augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long - of five hundred jewels - and summoning His Augustness Heavenly-Beekoning-Ancestor-Lord and His Augustness Great-Jewel, and causing them to pull out with a complete pulling the shoulder-blade of a true stag from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and take cherry-bark from the Heavenly Mount Kagu, and perform divination, and pulling up by pulling its roots a true cleyera japonica with five hundred branches from the Heavenly Mount Kaga, and taking and putting upon its upper branches the augustly complete string of curved jewels eight feet long - of five hundred jewels - and taking and tying to the middle branches the mirror eight feet long, and taking and hanging upon its lower branches the white pacificatory offerings and the blue pacificatory offering His Augustness Grand-Jewel taking these divers things and holding them together with the grand august offerings, and His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord prayerfully reciting grand liturgies, and the Heavenly Hand-Strength-Male deity standing hidden beside the door, and Her Augustness Heavenly-Alarming-Female banging round her the heavenly clubmoss the Heavenly -Mount Kagu as a sash, and making the heavenly spindle-tree her head-dress and binding the leaves of the bamboo-grass of the Heavenly -Mount-Kagu in a posy for her hands, and laying a sounding-board before the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling and stamping, till she made it resound and doing as if possessed by a deity, and pulling out the nipples of her breasts, pushing down her skirt-string "usque ad privates partes". Then the Plain of High Heaven shook, and the eight hundred myriad deities laughed together.

Hereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity was greatly amazed, and, slightly opening the door of the Heavenly Rock-Dwelling, spoke thus from the inside: "Methought that owing to my retirement the Plain of Heaven would be dark, and likewise the Central Land of Reed-Plains would all be dark: how then is it that the Heavenly-Alarming-Female makes merry, and that likewise the eight hundred myriad deities all laugh? "Then the Heavenly-Alarming-Female spoke, saving: "We rejoice and are glad because there is a deity more illustrious than Thine Augustness." While she was thus speaking, His Augustness Heavenly-Beckoning-Ancestor-Lord and His Augustness Grand-Jewel pushed forward the mirror and respectfully showed it to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, whereupon the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity, more and more astonished, gradually came forth from the door and gazed upon it, whereupon the Heavenly-Hand-Strength-Male deity, who was standing hidden, took her august hand and drew her out, and then His Augustness Grand-Jewel drew the bottom-tied rope along at her august back, and spoke, saving: "Thou must not go back further in than this"! So when the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity had come forth, both the Plain of High Heaven and the Central-Land-of-Reed-Plains of course again became light.

THE AUGUST EXPULSION OF HIS IMPETUOUS-MALE-AUGUSTNESS

Thereupon the eight hundred myriad deities took counsel together, and imposed on High-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness a fine of a thousand tables, and likewise cut his beard, and even caused the nails of his fingers and toes to be pulled out, and expelled him with a divine expulsion. Again he begged food of the deity Princess-of-Great-Food. Then the Princess-of-Great-Food took out all sorts of dainty things from her nose, her mouth, and her fundament, and made them up into all sorts of dishes, which she offered to him. But His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness watched her proceedings, considered that she was offering up to him filth, and at once killed the deity Princess-of-Great-Food. So the things that were born in the body of the deity who had been killed were as follows: in her head were born silkworms, in her two eyes were born rice-seeds, in her two ears was born millet, in her nose were born small beans, in her private parts was born barley, in her fundament were born large beans. So His Augustness the Deity-Producing-Wondrous-Ancestor caused them to be taken and used as seeds.

THE EIGHT-FORKED SERPENT

So, having been expelled, His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness descended to a place called Tori-kami at the headwaters of the River Hi in the Land of Idzumo. At this time some chopsticks came floating down the stream. So His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, thinking that there must be people at the head-waters of the river, went up it in quest of them, when he came upon an old man and an old woman - two of them - who had a young girl between them, and were weeping. Then he deigned to ask: "Who are ye?" So the old man replied, saving: "I am an Earthly deity, child of the deity Great-Mountain-Possessor. I am called by the name of Foot-Stroking-Elder, my wife is called by the name of Hand-Stroking-Elder, and my daughter is called by the name of Wondrous-Inada-Princess." Again he asked: "What is the cause of your crying?" The old man answered, saying: "I had originally eight young girls as daughters. But the eight-forked serpent of Koshi has come every year and devoured one, and it is now its time to come, wherefore we weep." Then he asked him: "What is its form like?" The old man answered, saving: " Its eyes are like akakagachi, it has one body with eight heads and eight tails. Moreover, on its body grows moss, and also chamaecyparis and cryptomerias. Its length extends over eight valleys and eight hills, and if one look at its belly, it is all constantly bloody and inflamed." (What is called here akakagachi is the modern hohodzuki.) Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augstness said to the old man: "If this be tby daughter, wilt thou offer her to me?" He replied, saying: "With reverence, but I know not thine august name." Then be replied, saving: I am elder brother to the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. So I have now descended from Heaven." Then the deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder said: "If that be so, with reverence will we offer her to thee." So His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness, at once taking and changing, the young girl into a multitudinous and close-toothed comb which he stuck into his august hair-bunch, said to the deities Foot-Stroking-Elder and Hand-Stroking-Elder: " Do you distil some eightfold refined liquor. Also make a fence round about, in that fence make eight gates, at each gate tie together eight platforms, on each platform put a liquor-vat, and into each vat pour the eightfold refined liquor, and wait." So as they waited after having thus prepared everything in accordance with his bidding the eight-forked serpent came truly as the old man had said, and immediately dipped a head into each vat, and drank the liquor. Thereupon it was intoxicated with drinking, and all the heads lay down and slept. Then His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness drew the ten-grasp saber, that was augustly girded on him, and cut the serpent in pieces, so that the River Hi flowed on changed into a river of blood. So when he cut the middle tail, the edge of his august sword broke. Then, thinking it strange, he thrust into and split the flesh with the point of his august sword and looked, and there was a great sword within. So he took this great sword, and, thinking it a strange thing, he respectfully informed the Heaven-Shining-Great-August deity. This is the Herb-Quelling Great Sword.

THE PALACE OF SUGA

So thereupon His Swift-Impetuous-.Male-Augustness sought in the land of Idzumo for a place where he might build a palace. Then he arrived at a place called Suga, and said:

On coming to this place my august heart is pure" - and in that place he built a palace to dwell in. So that place is now called Suga. When this great deity, first built the palace of Suga, clouds rose up thence. Then he made an august song. That song said:

"Eight clouds arise. The eightfold fence of Idzumo makes an eightfold fence for the spouses to retire within. Oh! that eightfold fence."

[This difficult song has been rather differently rendered by Mr. Aston in the Second Appendix to his " Grammar of the Japanese Written Language." Mr. Aston translates it thus:

Many clouds arise:

The clouds which come forth are a manifold fence:

For the husband and wife to retire within

They have formed a manifold fence:

Oh! that manifold fence!"]


PART IV.- THE BEAST-LEGENDS

THE WHITE HARE OF INABA

From His Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness was descended the deity Master-of-the-Great-Land. He had eighty deities his brethren; but they all left the land to the deity Master-of-the-Great-Land. The reason for their leaving it was this: Each of these eighty deities had in his heart the wish to marry the Princess of Yakami in Inaba, and they went together to Inaba, putting their bag on the back of the deity Great-Name-Possessor, whom they took with them as an attendant. Hereupon, when they arrived at Cape Keta, thev found a naked hare lying down. Then the eighty deities spoke to the hare, saying: "What thou shouldest do is to bathe in the sea-water here, and lie on the slope of a high mountain exposed to the blowing of the wind." So the hare followed the instructions of the eighty deities, and lay down. Then, as the sea-water dried, the skin of its body all split with the blowing of the wind, so that it lay weeping with pain. But the deity Great-Name-Possessor, who came last of all, saw the hare, and said: "Why liest thou weeping? " The hare replied, saving: "I was in the Island of Oki, and wished to cross over to this land, but had no means of crossing over. For this reason I deceived the crocodiles of the sea, saying: ' Let you and me compete, and compute the numbers of our respective tribes. So do you go and fetch every member of your tribe, and make them all lie in a row across from this island to Cape Keta. Then I will tread on them, and count them as I run across. Hereby shall we know whether it or my tribe is the larger.' Upon my speaking thus, they were deceived and lay down in a row, and I trod on them and counted them as I came across, and was just about to get on land, when I said: 'You have been deceived by me.' As soon as I had finished speaking, the crocodile who lay the last of all seized me and stripped off all my clothing. As 1 was weeping and lamenting for this reason, the eighty deities who went by before thee commanded and exhorted me, saying: 'Bathe in the salt water, and lie down exposed to the wind.' So, on my doing as they had instructed me, my whole body was hurt." Thereupon the deity Great-Name-Possessor instructed the hare, saying: " Go quickly now to the river-mouth, wash thy body with the fresh water, then take the pollen of the sedges growing at the river-mouth, spread it about, and roll about upon it, whereupon thy body will certainly be restored to its original state." So the bare did as it was instructed, and its body became as it bad been originally. This was the White Hare of Inaba. It is now called the Hare deity. So the hare said to the deity Great-Name-Possessor: "These eighty deities shall certainly not get the Princess of Yakami. Though thou bearest the bag, Thine Augustness shall obtain her."

MOUNT TEMA

Thereupon the Princess of Yakami answered the eighty deities, saving: "I will not listen to your words. I mean to marry the deity Great-Name- Possessor." So the eighty deities, being enraged, and wishing to slay the deity Great-Name-Possessor, took counsel together, on arriving at the foot of Tema in the land of Hahaki, and said to him: "On this mountain there is a red boar. So when we drive it down, do thou wait and catch it. If thou do not wait and catch it, we will certainly slay thee." Having thus spoken, they took fire, and burned a large stone like unto a boar, and rolled it down. Then, as they drove it down and he caught it, be got stuck to and burned by the stone, and died. Thereupon Her Augustness his august parent cried and lamented, and went up to Heaven, and entreated His Divine-Producing-Wondrous-Augustness, who at once sent Princess Cockle-Shell and Princess Clam to bring him to life. Then Princess Cockle-Shell triturated and scorched her shell, and Princess Clam carried water and smeared him as with mother's milk, whereupon he became a beautiful young man, and wandered off. Hereupon the eighty deities, seeing this, again deceived him, taking him with them into the mountains, where they cut down a large tree, inserted a wedge in the tree and made him stand in the middle, whereupon they took away the wedge and tortured him to death. Then on Her Augustness his august parent again seeking him with cries, she perceived him, and at once cleaving the tree, took him out and brought him to life, and said to him: "If thou remain here, thou wilt at last be destroyed by the eighty deities." Then she sent him swiftly off to the august place of the deity Great-House-Prince in the land of Ki. Then when the eighty deities searched and pursued till they came up to him, and fixed their arrows in their bows, he escaped by dipping under the fork of a tree, and disappeared.

THE NETHER-DISTANT-LAND

The deity Great-House-Prince spoke to him, saying: Thou must set off to the Nether-Distant-Land where dwells His Impetuous-Male-Augustness. That great deity will certainly counsel thee." So on his obeying her commands and arriving at the august place of His Impetuous-Male-Augustness, the latter's daughter the Forward-Princess came out, and saw him, and they exchanged glances and were married, and she went in again, and told her father, saying: " A very beautiful deity has come." Then the great deity went out and looked, and said: " This is the Ugly-Male-Deity-of-the-Reed-Plains," and at once calling him in, made him sleep in the snake-house. Hereupon his wife, Her Augustness the Forward-Princess, gave her husband a snake-scarf, saying: " When the snakes are about to bite thee, drive them away by waving this scarf thrice." So, on his doing as she bad instructed, the snakes became quiet, so that he came forth after calm slumbers. Again on the night of the next day the Impetuous--Male deity put him into the centipede and wasp-house; but as she again gave him a centipede and wasp-scarf, and instructed him as before, he came forth calmly. Again the Impetuous-Male deity shot a whizzing barb into the middle of a large moor, and sent him to fetch the arrow, and, when be bad entered the moor, at once set fire to the moor all round. Thereupon, while he stood knowing no place of exit, a mouse came and said: " The inside is hollow-hollow; the outside is narrow-narrow." Owing to its speaking thus, he trod on the place, whereupon he fell in and hid himself, during which time the fire burned past. Then the mouse brought out in its mouth and presented to him the whizzing barb. The feathers of the arrow were brought in their months by all the mouse's children. Hereupon his wife the Forward-Princess came bearing mourning implements, and crying. Her father the great deity, thinking that the deity Great-Name-Possessor was already dead and done for, went out and stood on the moor, whereupon the deity Great-Name-Possessor brought the arrow and presented it to him, upon which the great deity, taking him into the house and calling him into an eight-foot spaced large room, made him take the lice off his head. So, on looking at the head, be saw that there were many centipedes there. Thereupon, as his wife gave to her husband berries of the muku tree and red earth, he chewed the berries to pieces, and spat them out with the red earth which he held in his mouth, so that the great deity believed him to be chewing up and spitting out the centipedes, and, feeling fond of him in his heart, fell asleep. Then the deity Great-Name-Possessor, grasping the great deity's hair, tied it fast to the various rafters of the house, and, blocking up the floor of the house with a five-hundred draught rock, and taking his wife the Forward-Princess on his back, then carried off the great deity's great life-sword and life-bow-and-arrows, as also his heavenly speaking-lute, and ran out. But the heavenly speaking-lute brushed against a tree, and the earth resounded. So the great deity, who was sleeping, started at the sound, and pulled down the house. But while he was disentangling his hair which was tied to the rafters, the deity Great-Name-Possessor fled a long way. So then, pursuing after him to the Even-Pass-of-Hades, and gazing on him from afar, be called out to the deity Great-Name-Possessor, saying: "With the great life-sword and the life-bow-and-arrows which thou carriest, pursue thy half-brethren till they crouch on the august slopes of the passes, and pursue them till they are swept into the reaches of the rivers, and do thou, wretch! become the deity Master-of-the-Great-Land; and moreover, becoming the deity Spirit-of-the-Living-Land, and making my daughter the Forward-Princess thy consort, do thou make stout the temple-pillars at the foot of Mount Uka in the nethermost rock-bottom, and make high the crossbeams to the Plain-of-High-Heaven, and dwell there, thou villain! So when, bearing the great sword and bow, he pursued and scattered the eighty deities, be did pursue them till they crouched on the august slope of every pass, he did pursue them till they were swept into every river, and then he began to make the land.

THE WOOING OF THE DEITY-OF-EIGHT-THOUSAND-SPEARS

This Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears, when he went forth to woo the Princess of Nuna-kaha, in the land of Koshi, on arriving at the house of the Princess of Nunakaha sang, saying:

"I, The Augustness the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears, having been unable to find a spouse in the Land of the Eight Islands, and having heard that in the far-off Land of Koshi there is a wise maiden, having heard that there is a beauteous maiden, I am standing here to truly woo her, I am going backward and forward to woo her. Without having yet untied even the cord of my sword, without having yet untied even my veil, I push back the plank-door shut by the maiden; while I am standing here, I pull it forward. While I am standing here, the nuye sings upon the green mountain, and the voice of the true bird of the moor, the pheasant, resounds; the bird of the yard, the cock, crows. Oh! the pity that the birds should sing! Oh! these birds! Would that I could beat them till they were sick! Oh! swiftly flying heaven-racing messenger, the tradition of the thing, too, this!"

Then the Princess of Nuna-kaba, without yet opening the door, sang from the inside, saying:

Thine Augustness, the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears! Being maiden like a drooping plant, my heart is just a bird on a sand-bank by the shore; it will now indeed be a dotterel. Afterward it will be a gentle bird; so as for thy life, do not deign to die. Oh! swiftly flying heaven-racing messenger! the tradition of the thing, too, this!

Second Song of the Princess

When the sun shall hide behind the green mountains, in the night black as the true jewels of the moor will I come forth. Coming radiant with smiles like the morning sun, thine arms white as rope of paper-mulberry-bark shall softly pat my breast soft as the melting snow; and patting each other interlaced, stretching out and pillowing ourselves on each other's jewel-arms - true jewel-arms - and with outstretched legs, will we sleep. So speak not too lovingly, Thine Augustness the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears! The tradition of the thing, too, this!"

THE CUP PLEDGE

Again this deity's Chief Empress, Her Augustness the Forward-Princess, was very jealous. So the deity her husband, being distressed, was about to go up from Idzumo to the Land of Yamato; and as he stood attired, with one august hand on the saddle of his august horse and one august foot in the august stirrup, he sang, saying:

When I take and attire myself so carefully in my august garments black as the true jewels of the moor, and, like the birds of the offing, look at my breast -though I raise my fins, I say that these are not good, and cast them off on the waves on the beach. When I take and attire myself so carefully in my august garments green as the kingfisher, and, like the birds of the offing, look at my breast -though I raise my fins, I say that these, too, are not good, and cast them off on the waves on the beach. When I take and attire myself so carefully in my raiment dyed in the sap of the dye-tree, the pounded madder sought in the mountain fields, and, like the birds of the offing, look at my breast though I raise my fins, I say that they are good. My dear young sister, Thine Augustness! Though thou say that thou wilt not weep - if like the Rocking birds, I flock and depart, if, like the led birds, I am led away and depart, thou wilt hang down thy head like a single eulalia upon the mountain and thy weeping shall indeed rise an the mist of the morning shower. Thine Augustness my spouse like the young herbal The tradition of the thing, too, this!"

Then his Empress, taking a great august liquor-cup, and drawing near and offering it to him, sang, saying:

"Oh I Thine Augustness the Deity-of-Eight-Thousand-Spears! Thou, my dear Master-of-the-Great-Land indeed, being a man, probably best on the various island-headlands that thou seest, and on every beach headland that thou lookest on, a wife like the young herbs. But as for me alas! being a woman, I have no man except thee; I have no spouse except thee. Beneath the fluttering of the ornamented fence, beneath the softness of the warm coverlet, beneath the rustling of the cloth coverlet, thine arms white as rope of paper-mulberry bark softly patting my breast soft as the melting snow, and patting each other interlaced, stretching out and pillowing ourselves on each otber's arms-true jewel-arms, and with outstretched legs, will we sleep. Lift up the luxuriant august liquor!"

She having thus sung, they at once pledged each other by the cup with their hands on each other's necks, and are at rest till the present time. These are called divine words.


THE CHAMPION OF JAPAN

YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS HIS ELDER BROTHER

The Heavenly Sovereign said to His Augustness Wo-usu: "Why does not thine elder brother come forth to the morning and evening great august repasts? Be thou the one to take the trouble to teach him his duty." Thus he commanded; but for five days after, still the prince came not forth. Then the Heavenly Sovereign deigned to ask His Augustness Wo-usu, saying: "Why is thine elder brother so long of coming? Hast thou perchance not yet taught him his duty?" He replied, saying: "I have been at that trouble." Again the Heavenly Sovereign said: "How didst thou take the trouble?" He replied, saying: " In the early morning when he went into the privy, I grasped hold of him and crushed him, and, pulling off his limbs, wrapped them in matting and flung them away.

YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE KUMASO BRAVOES

Thereupon the Heavenly Sovereign, alarmed at the valor and ferocity of his august child's disposition, commanded him, saying: " In the West there are two Kumaso Bravoes - unsubmissive and disrespectful men. So take them "-and with this command he sent him off. It happened that at this time his august hair was bound at the brow. Then His Augustness Wo-usu was granted by his aunt Her Augustness Yamato-himeo her august upper garment and august skirt; and, with a saber hidden in his august bosom, he went forth. So, on reaching the house of the Kumaso braves, he saw that near the house there was a threefold belt of warriors, who had made a cave to dwell in. Hereupon they, noisily discussing a rejoicing for the august cave, were getting food ready. So Prince Wo-usu sauntered about the neighborhood, waiting for the day of the rejoicing. Then when the day of the rejoicing came, having combed down after the manner of girls his august hair which was bound up, and having put on his aunt's august upper garment and august skirt, he looked quite like a young girl, and, standing amidst the women, went inside the cave. Then the elder brother and the younger brother, the two Kumaso bravoes, delighted at the sight of the maiden, set her between them, and rejoiced exuberantly. So, when the feast was at its height, His Augustness Wo-usu, drawing the saber from his bosom, and catching Kumaso by the collar of his garment, thrust the saber through his chest, whereupon, alarmed at the sight, the younger bravo ran out. But pursuing after and reaching him at the bottom of the steps of the cave, and catching him by the back, Prince Wo-usu thrust the saber through his buttock. Then the Kumaso bravo spoke, saying: "Do not move the sword; I have something to say." Then His Augustness Wo-usu, respited him for a moment, holding him down as he lay prostrate. Hereupon the bravo said: " Who is Thine Augustness?" Then he said: " I am the august child of Obo-tarashi-hiko-oshiro-wake, the Heavenly Sovereign who, dwelling in the palace of Hishiro at Makimuku, rules the Land of the Eight Great Islands; and my name is King Yamata-woguna. Hearing that you two fellows, the Kumaso bravoes, were unsubmissive and disrespectful, the Heavenly Sovereign sent me with the command to take and slay you." Then the Kumaso bravo said: " That must be true. There are no persons in the West so brave and strong as we two. Yet in the Land of Great Yamato there is a man braver than we two-tbere is. Therefore will I offer thee an august name. From this time forward it is right that thou be praised as the August Child Yamato-take." As soon as he had finished saying this, the Prince ripped him up like a ripe melon, and slew him. So thenceforward he was praised by being called by the august name of his Augustness Yamato-take. When he returned up to the capital after doing this, he subdued and pacified every one of the deities of the mountains and of the deities of the rivers and likewise of the deities of Anado, and then went up to the capital.

YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE IDZUMO BRAVO

Forthwith entering the land of Idzumo, and wishing to slay the Idzumo bravo, he, on arriving, forthwith bound himself to him in friendship. So, having secretly made the wood of an oak-tree into a false sword and augustly girded it, he went with the bravo to bathe in the River Hi. Then, His Augustness Yamato-take getting out of the river first, and taking and girding on the sword that the Idzumo bravo bad taken off and laid down, said: " Let us exchange swords! " So afterward the Idzumo bravo, getting out of the river, girded on His Augustness Yamato-take's false sword. Hereupon His Augustness Yamato-take, suggested, saying: "Come on! let us cross swords." Then on drawing his sword, the Idzumo bravo could not draw the false sword. Forthwith His Augustness Yamato-take drew his sword and slew the lclzumo bravo. Then he sang augustly, saying:

"Alas that the sword girded on the Idzumo bravo, and wound round with many a creeper, should have had no true blade!"

So having thus extirpated the bravoes and made the land orderly, he went up to the capital and made his report to the Heavenly Sovereign.

YAMATO-TAKE IS SENT TO SUBDUE THE EAST AND VISITS HIS AUNT AT ISE

Then the Heavenly Sovereign again urged a command on His Augustness Yamato-take, saying: "subdue and pacify the savage deities and likewise the unsubmissive people of the twelve roads of the East"; and when he sent him off, joining to him Prince -Mi-suki-tomo-mimi-take, ancestor of the Grandees of Kibi, he bestowed on him a holly-wood spear eight fathoms long. So when he had received the imperial command and started off, he went into the temple of the Great August Deity of Ise, and worshiped the deity's court, forthwith speaking to his aunt, Her Augustness Yamato-hine, saving: " It must surely be that the Heavenly Sovereign thinks I may die quickly - for after sending me to smite the wicked people of the West, I am no sooner come up again to the capital than, without bestowing on me an army, he now sends me off afresh to pacify the wicked people of the twelve circuits of the East. Consequently I think that he certainly thinks I shall die quickly." When he departed with lamentations and tears, Her Augustness Yamato-hine bestowed on him the "Herb-Quelling-Saber," and likewise bestowed on him an august bag, and said: "If there should be an emergency, open the mouth of the bag."

YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE RULERS OF SAGAMU

So reaching the land of Wohari, he went into the house of Princess Miyadzu, ancestress of the rulers of Wohari, and forthwith thought to wed her; but thinking again that he would wed her when he should return up toward the capital, and having plighted his troth, he went on into the Eastern lands, and subdued and pacified all the savage deities and unsubmissive people of the mountains and rivers. So then, when he reached the land of Sagamu, the ruler of the land lied, saying: "In the middle of this moor is a great lagoon, and the deity that dwells in the middle of the lagoon is a very violent deity." Hereupon Yamato-take entered the moor to see the deity. Then the ruler of the land set fire to the moor. So, knowing that he had been deceived, he opened the mouth of the bag which his aunt, Her Augustness Yamato-hine had bestowed on him, and saw that inside of it there was a fire-striker. Hereupon he first mowed away the herbage with his august sword, took the fire-striker and struck out fire, and, kindling a counter-fire, burned the herbage and drove back the other fire and returned forth, and killed and destroyed all the rulers of that land, and forthwith set fire to and burned them. So that place is now called Yakidzu.

YAMATO-TAKE'S EMPRESS STILLS THE WAVES

When be thence penetrated on, and crossed the sea of Hashiri-midzu, the deity of that crossing raised the waves, tossing the ship so that it could not proceed across. Then Yamato-take's Empress, whose name was Her Augustness Princess Oto-tachibana, said:" Iwill enter the sea instead of the august child. The august child must complete the service on which he has been sent, and take back a report to the Heavenly Sovereign." When she was about to enter the sea, she spread eight thicknesses of sedge rugs, eight thicknesses of skin rugs, and eight thicknesses of silk rugs on the top of the waves, and sat down on the top of them. Thereupon the violent waves at once went down, and the august ship was able to proceed. Then the Empress sang, saving:

"Ah I thou whom I inquired of, standing in the midst of the flames of the fire burning on the little moor of Sagamu, where the true peak pierces!"

So seven days afterward the Empress's august comb drifted on to the sea-beach - which comb was forthwith taken and placed in an august mausoleum which was made.

YAMATO-TAKE SLAYS THE DEITY OF THE ASHIGARA PASS

When, having thence penetrated on and subdued all the savage Yemisi [Ainu] and likewise pacified all the savage deities of the mountains and rivers, he was returning up to the capital, he, on reaching the foot of the Ashigara Pass, was eating his august provisions, when the deity of the pass, transformed into a white deer, came and stood before him. Then forthwith, on his waiting and striking the deer with a scrap of wild chive, the deer was hit in the eye and struck dead. So, mounting to the top of the pass, he sighed three times and spoke, saying: " Adzuma ha ya!" [My Wife!] So that land is called by the name of Adzuma.

YAMATO-TAKE WOOS PRINCESS MIYAZU

When, forthwith crossing over from that land out into Kahi, he dwelt in the palace of Sakawori, he sang, saying:

"How many nights have I slept since passing Nihibari and Tsukuha?"

Then the old man, who was the lighter of the august fire, completed the august song, and sang, saying:

"Oh! having put the days in a row, there are of nights nine nights, and of days ten days!"

Therefore Yamato-take praised the old man, and forthwith bestowed on him the rulership of the Eastern lands.

Having crossed over from that land into the land of Shinanu and subdued the deity of the Shinanu pass, he came back to the land of Wohari, and went to dwell in the house of Princess Miyazu, to whom he had before plighted his troth. Hereupon, when presenting to him the great august food, Princess Miyazu lifted up a great liquor-cup and presented it to him.

After this, placing in Princess Miyazu's house his august sword "the Grass-Quelling Saber," he went forth to take the deity of Mount Ibuki.

YAMATO-TAKE MEETS THE DEITY OF MOUNT IBUKI

Hereupon he said: "As for the deity of this mountain, I will simply take him empty-handed"-- and was ascending the mountain, when there met him on the mountainside a white boar whose size was like unto that of a bull. Then he lifted up words, and said: "This creature that is transformed into a white boar must be a messenger from the deity. Though I slay it not now, I will slay it when I return"-- and so saying, ascended. Thereupon the deity caused heavy ice-rain to fall, striking and perplexing His Augustness Yamato-take. (This creature transformed into a white boar was not a messenger from the deity, but the very deity in person. Owing to the lifting up of words, he appeared and misled Yamato-take.) So when, on descending back, he reached the fresh spring of Tamakura-be and rested there, his august heart awoke somewhat. So that fresh spring is called by the name of the fresh spring of Wi-same.

YAMATO TAKE SICKENS AND DIES

When he departed thence and reached the moor of Tagi, he said: " Whereas my heart always felt like flying through the sky, my legs are now unable to walk. They have become rudder-shaped." So that place was called by the name of Tagi. Owing to his being very weary with progressing a little farther beyond that place, be leaned upon an august staff to walk a little. So that place is called by the name of the Tsuwetsuki pass. On arriving at the single pine-tree on Cape Wotsu, an august sword, which he had forgotten at that place before when augustly eating, was still there, not lost. Then he augustly sang, saying:

"O mine elder brother, the single pine-tree that art on Cape Wotsu which directly faces Wohari! If thou, single pine-tree! wert a person, I would gird my sword upon thee, I would clothe thee with my garments - O mine elder brother, the single pine-tree!"

When he departed thence and reached the village of Mihe, he again said: " My legs are like threefold crooks, and very weary." So that place was called by the name of Mihe. When he departed thence and reached the moor of Nobe, he regretting his native land, sang, saying:

"As for Yamato, the most secluded of land - Yamato, retired behind Mount Awogaki encompassing it with its folds, is delightful."

Again he sang, saying:

"Let those whose life may be complete stick in their hair as a headdress the leaves of the bear-oak from Mount Heguri -those children!"

This song is a land-regretting song. Again he sang, saying:

"How sweet! ah! from the direction of home clouds are rising and coming!"

This is an incomplete song. At this time, his august sickness very urgent. Then he sang augustly, saying:

The saber-sword which I placed at the maiden's bedside, alas! that sword!"

As soon as he had finished singing, he died. Then a courier was dispatched to the Heavenly Sovereign.

YAMATO-TAKE TURNS INTO A WHITE BIRD

Thereupon his Empresses and likewise his august children, who dwelt in Yamato, all went down and built an august mausoleum, and, forthwith crawling hither and thither in the rice fields encompassing the mausoleum, sobbed out a song, saying:

The Dioscorea quinqueloba crawling hither and thither among the among the rice-stubble in the rice-fields encompassing the Mausoleum.."

Thereupon the dead prince, turning into a white dotterel eight fathoms long, and soaring up to Heaven, flew off toward the shore. Then the Empress and likewise the august children, though they tore their feet treading on the stubble of the bamboo-grass, forgot the pain, and pursued him with lamentations. At that time they sang, saying:

"Our loins are impeded in the plain overgrown with short bamboo-grass. We are not going through the sky, but oh! we are on foot."

Again when they entered the salt sea, and suffered as they went, they sang, saying:

"As we go through the sea, our loins are impeded -tottering in the sea like herbs growing in a great river-bed."

Again when the bird flew and perched on the seaside, they sang, saying:

"The dotterel of the beach goes not on the beach, but follows the seaside."

These four songs were all sung at Yamato-take's august interment. So to the present day these songs are sung at the great interment of a Heavenly Sovereign. So the bird flew off from that country, and stopped at Shiki in the land of Kafuchi. So they made an august mausoleum there, and laid Yamato-take to rest. Forthwith that august mausoleum was called by. the name of the "August-Mausoleum of the White-Bird." Nevertheless the bird soared up thence to heaven again and flew away.

PART ONE

1

As for the Way, the Way that can be spoken of is not the constant Way;
As for names, the name that can be named is not the constant name.
The nameless is the beginning of the ten thousand things;
The named is the mother of the ten thousand things.

Therefore, those constantly without desires, by this means will perceive its subtlety.
Those constantly with desires, by this means will see only that which they yearn for and seek.

These two together emerge;
They have different names yet they're called the same;
That which is even more profound that the profound—
The gateway of all subtleties.

2

When everyone in the world knows the beautiful as beautiful, ugliness comes into being;
When everyone knows the good, then the not good comes to be.
The mutual production of being and nonbeing,
The mutual completion of difficult and easy,
The mutual formation of long and short,
The mutual filling of high and low,
The mutual harmony of tone and voice,
The mutual following of front and back—
These are all constants.

Therefore the Sage dwells in nonactive affairs and practices the wordless teaching.
The ten thousand things arise, but he doesn't begin them;
He acts on their behalf, but he doesn't make them dependent;
He accomplishes his tasks, but he doesn't dwell on them;
It is only because he doesn't dwell on them, that they therefore do not leave them.

3

By not elevating the worthy, you bring it about that people will not compete.
By not valuing goods that are hard to obtain, you bring it about that people will not act like thieves.
By not displaying the desirable you bring it about that people will not be confused.

Therefore, in the government of the Sage:
He empties their minds,
An fills their bellies.
Weakens their ambition,
And strengthens their bones.

He constantly causes the people to be without knowledge and without desires.
If he can bring it about that those with knowledge simply do not dare to act,
Then there is nothing that will not be in order.



4

The Way is empty;
Yet when you use it, you never need fill it again.
Like an abyss! It seems to be the ancestor of the ten thousand things.

If files down sharp edges;
Unties the tangles;
Softens the glare;
And settles the dust.

Submerged! It seems perhaps to exist.
We don't know whose child it is;
It seems to have [even] preceded the Lord.



5

Heaven and Earth are not humane;
They regard the the thousand things as straw dogs.
The Sage is not humane;
He regards the common people as straw dogs.

The space between Heaven and Earth—is it not like a bellow?
It is empty and yet not depleted;
Move it and more [always] comes out.
Much learning means frequent exhaustions.
That's not so good as holding on to the mean.



6

The valley spirit never dies;
We call it the mysterious female.
The gates of the mysterious female—
These we call the roots of Heaven and Earth.
Subtle yet everlasting! It seems to exist.
In being used, it is not exhausted.



7

Heaven endures; Earth lasts a long time.
The reason why Heaven and Earth can endure and last a long time—
Is that they do not live for themselves.
Therefore they can long endure.

Therefore the Sage:
Puts himself in the background yet finds himself in the foreground;
Puts self-concern out of [his mind], yet finds self-concern in the fore;
Puts self-concern out of [his mind], yet finds that his self-concern is preserved.
Is it not because he has no self-interest,
That he is therefore able to realize his self-interest?



8

The highest good is like water;
Water is good at benefiting the ten thousand things and yet it [does not] compete [with them].
It dwells in places the masses of people detest,
Therefore it is close to the Way.

In dwelling, the good thing is the land;
In the mind, the good thing is depth;
In giving, the good thing is [being like] Heaven;
In speaking, the good thing is sincerity;
In governing, the good thing is order;
In affairs, the good thing is ability;
In activity, the good thing is timeliness.

It is only because it does not compete, that therefore it is without fault.



9

To hold it upright and fill it,
Is not so good as stopping [in time].
When you pound it out and give it a point,
It won't be preserved very long.
When gold and jade fill your rooms,
You'll never be able to protect them.
Arrogance and pride with wealth and rank,
On their own bring on disaster.
When the deed is accomplished you retire;
Such is Heaven's Way!



10

In nourishing the soul and embracing the One—can you do it without letting them leave?
In concentrating your breath and making it soft—can you [make it like that of] a child?
In cultivating and cleaning your profound mirror—can you do it so that it has no blemish?
In loving the people and giving life to the state—can you do it without using knowledge?
In opening and closing the gates of Heaven—can you play the part of the female?
In understanding all within the four reaches—can you do it without using knowledge?

Give birth to them and nourish them.
Give birth to them but don't try to own them;
Help them to grow but don't rule them.
This is called Profound Virtue.



11

Thirty spokes unite in one hub;
It is precisely where there is nothing, that we find the usefulness of the wheel.
We fire clay and make vessels;
It is precisely where there's no substance, that we find the usefulness of clay pots.
We chisel out doors and windows;
It is precisely in these empty spaces, that we find the usefulness of the room.
Therefore, we regard having something as beneficial;
But having nothing as useful.



12

The five colors cause one's eyes to go blind.
Racing horses and hunting cause one's mind to go mad.
Goods that are hard to obtain pose an obstacle to one's travels.
The five flavors confuse one's palate.
The five tones cause one's ears to go deaf.

Therefore, in the government of the Sage:
He's for the belly and not for the eyes.
Thus he rejects that and take this.



13

"Regard favor and disgrace with alarm."
"Respect great distress as you do your own person."
What do I mean I say "Regard favor and disgrace with alarm"?
Favor is inferior.
If you get it—be alarmed!
If you lose it—be alarmed!
This is what I mean when I say "Regard favor and disgrace with alarm."
What do I mean when I say "Respect great distress as you do your won person"?
The reason why I have distress
Is that I have a body.
If I had no body, what distress would I have?
Therefore, to one who values acting for himself over acting on behalf of the world,
You can entrust the world.
And to one who in being parsimonious regards his person as equal to the world,
You can turn over the world.



14

We look at it but do not see it;
We name this "the minute."
We listen to it but do not hear it;
We name this "the rarefied."
We touch it but do not hold it;
We name this "the level and smooth."

These three cannot be examined to the limit.
Thus they merge together as one.
"One"—there is nothing more encompassing above it,
And nothing smaller below it.
Boundless, formless! It cannot be named,
And returns to the state of no-thing.

This is called the formless form,
The substanceless image.
This is called the subtle and indistinct.
Follow it and you won't see its back;
Greet it and you won't see its head.
Hold on to the Way of the present—
To manage the things of the present,
And to know the ancient beginning.
This is called the beginning of the thread of the Way.



15

The one who was skilled at practicing the Way in antiquity,
Was subtle and profound, mysterious and penetratingly wise.
His depth cannot be known.
It is only because he cannot be known
That therefore were I forced to describe him I'd say:

Hesitant was he! Like someone crossing a river in winter.
Undecided was he! As though in fear of his neighbors on all four sides.
Solemn and polite was he! Like a guest.
Scattered and dispersed was he! Like an ice as it melts
Genuine, unformed was he! Like uncarved wood.
Merged, undifferentiated was he! Like muddy water.
Broad and expansive was he! Like a valley.

If you take muddy water and still it, it gradually becomes clear.
If you bring something to rest in order to move it, it gradually comes alive.
The one who preserved this Way does not desire to be full;
Therefore he can wear out with no need to be renewed.



16

Take emptiness to the limit;
Maintain tranquility in the center.

The ten thousand things—side-by-side they arise;
And by this I see their return.
Things [come forth] in great numbers;
Each one returns to its root.
This is called tranquility.
"Tranquility"—This means to return to your fate.
To return to your fate is to be constant;
To know the constant is to be wise.
Not to know the constant is to be reckless and wild;
If you're reckless and wild, your actions will lead to misfortune.

To know the constant is to be all-embracing;
To be all-embracing is to be impartial;
To be impartial is to be kingly;
To be kingly is to be [like] Heaven;
To be [like] Heaven is to be [one with] the Dao;
If you're [one with] the Dao, to the end of your days you'll suffer no harm.



17

With the highest [kind of rulers], those below simply know they exist.
With those one step down—they love and praise them.
With those one further step down—they fear them.
And with those at the bottom—they ridicule and insult them.

When trust is insufficient, there will be no trust [in them].
Hesitant, undecided! Like this is his respect for speaking.



18

Therefore, when the Great Way is rejected, it is then that we have the virtues of humanity and righteousness;
When knowledge and wisdom appear, it is then that there is great hypocrisy;
When the six relations are not in harmony, it is then that we have filial piety and compassion;
And when the country is in chaos and confusion, it is then that there are virtuous officials.



19

Eliminate sageliness, throw away knowledge,
And the people will benefit a hundredfold.
Eliminate humanity, throw away righteousness,
And the people will return to filial piety and compassion.
Eliminate craftiness, throw away profit,
Then we will have no robbers and thieves.

These three sayings—
Regard as a text are not yet complete.
Thus, we must see to it that they have the following appended:

Manifest plainness and embrace the genuine;
Lessen self-interest and make few your desires;
Eliminate learning and have no undue concern.



20

Agreement and angry rejection;
How great is the difference between them?
Beautiful and ugly;
What's it like—the difference between them?
The one who is feared by others,
Must also because of this fear other men.
Wild, unrestrained! It will never come to an end!

The multitudes are peaceful and happy;
Like climbing a terrace in springtime to feast at the tai-lao sacrifice.
But I'm tranquil and quiet—not yet having given any sign.
Like a child who has not yet smiled.
Tired and exhausted—as though I have no place to return.
The multitudes all have a surplus.
[I alone seem to be lacking.]
Mine is the mind of a fool—ignorant and stupid!
The common people see things clearly;
I alone am in the dark.
The common people discriminate and make fine distinctions;
I alone am muddled and confused.
Formless am I! Like the ocean;
Shapeless am I! As though I have nothing in which I can rest.
The masses all have their reasons [for acting];
I alone am stupid and obstinate like a rustic.
But my desires alone differ from those of others—
For I value drawing sustenance from the Mother.



21

The character of great virtue follows alone from the Way.
As for the nature of the Way—it's shapeless and formless.
Formless! Shapeless! Inside there are images.
Shapeless! Formless! Inside there are things.
Hidden! Obscure! Inside there are essences.
These essences are very real;
Inside them is the proof.

From the present back to the past,
Its name has never gone away.
It is by this that we comply with the father of the multitude [of things].
How do I know that the father of the multitude is so?
By this.



22

Bent over, you'll be preserved whole;
When twisted, you'll be upright;
When hollowed out, you'll be full;
When worn out, you'll be renewed;
When you have little, you'll attain [much];
With much, you'll be confused.

Therefore the Sage holds on to the One and in this way becomes the shepherd of the world.
He does not show himself off; therefore he becomes prominent.
He does not put himself on display; therefore he brightly shines.
He does not brag about himself; therefore he receives credit.
He does not praise his own deeds; therefore he can long endure.

It is only because he does not compete that, therefore, no one is able to compete with him.
The so-called "Bent over you'll be preserved whole" of the ancients
Was an expression that was really close to it!
Truly "wholeness" will belong to him.



23

To rarely speak—such is [the way of] Nature.
Fierce winds don't last the whole morning;
Torrential rains don't last the whole day.
Who makes these things?
If even Heaven and Earth can't make these last long—
How much the more is this true for man?!

Therefore, one who devotes himself to the Way is one with the Way;
One who [devotes himself to] Virtue is one with that Virtue;
And one who [devotes himself to] losing is one with that loss.
To the one who is one with Virtue, the Way also gives Virtue;
While for the one who is one with his loss, the Way also disregards him.



24

One who boasts is not established;
One who shows himself off does not become prominent;
One who puts himself on display does not brightly shine;
One who brags about himself gests no credit;
One who praises himself does not long endure.

In the Way, such things are called:
"Surplus food and redundant action."
And with things—there are those who hate them.
Therefore, the one with the Way in them does not dwell.



25

There was something formed out of chaos,
That was born before Heaven and Earth.
Quiet and Still! Pure and deep!
It stands on its own and does not change.
It can be regarded as the mother of Heaven and Earth.
I do not yet know its name:
I "style" it "the Way."
Were I forced to give it a name, I would call it "the Great."

"Great" means "to depart";
"To depart" means "to be far away";
And "to be far away" means "to return."

The Way is great;
Heaven is great;
Earth is great;
And the king is also great.
In the country there are four greats, and the king occupies one place among them.

Man models himself on the Earth;
The Earth models itself on Heaven;
Heaven models itself on the Way;
And the Way models itself on that which is so on its own.



26

The heavy is the root of the light;
Tranquility is the loard of agitation.

Therefore the gentleman, in traveling all day, does not get far away from his luggage carts.
When he's safely inside a walled-in [protected] hostel and resting at ease—only then does he transcend all concern.
How can the king of ten thousand chariots treat his own person more lightly than the whole world?!

If you regard things too lightly, then you lose the basic;
If you're agitated, you lose the "lord."



27

The good traveler leaves no track behind;
The good speaker [speaks] without blemish or flaw;
The good counter doesn't use tallies or chips;
The good closer of doors does so without bolt or lock, and yet the door cannot be opened;
The good tier of knots ties without rope or cord, yet his knots can't be undone.

Therefore the Sage is constantly good at saving men and never rejects anyone;
And with things, he never rejects useful goods.
This is called Doubly Bright.

Therefore the good man is the teacher of the good,
And the bad man is the raw material for the good.
To not value one's teacher and not cherish the raw goods—
Though one had great knowledge, he would still be greatly confused.
This is called the Essential of the Sublime.



28

When you know the male yet hold on to the female,
You'll be the ravine of the country.
When you're the ravine of the country,
Your constant virtue will not leave.
And when your constant virtue doesn't leave,
You'll return to the state of the infant.

When you know the pure yet hold on to the soiled,
You'll be the valley of the country.
When you're the valley of the country,
Your constant virtue is complete.
And when your constant virtue is complete,
You'll return to the state of uncarved wood.

When you know the white yet hold on to the black,
You'll be the model for the country.
And when you're the model for the country,
Your constant virtue will not go astray.
And when your constant virtue does not go astray,
You'll return to the condition which has no limit.

When uncarved wood is cut up, it's turned into vessels;
When the Sage is used, he becomes the Head of Officials.
Truly, great carving is done without splitting up.



29

For those who would like to take control of thw world and act on it—
I see that with this they simply will not succeed.
The world is a sacred vessel;
It is not something that can be acted upon.
Those who act on it destroy it;
Those who hold on to it lose it.

With things—some go forward, others follow;
Some are hot, others submissive and weak;
Some rise up while others fall down.
Therefore the Sage:
Rejects the extreme, the excessive, and the extravagant.



30

Those who assist their rulers with the Way,
Don't use weapons to commit violence in the world.
Such deeds easily rebound.
In places where armies are stationed, thorns and brambles will grow.
The good [general] achieves his result and that's all;
He does not use the occasion to seize strength from it.

He achieves his result but does not become arrogant;
He achieves his result but does not praise his deeds;
He achieves his result and yet does not brag.
He achieves his result, yet he abides with the result because he has no choice.
This is called achieving one's result [without] using force.

When things reach their primes, they get old;
We called this "not the Way."
What is not the Way will come to an early end.



31

As for weapons—they are instruments of ill omen.
And among things there are those that hate them.
Therefore, the one who has the Way, with them does not dwell.
When the gentleman is at home, he honors the left;
When at war, he honors the right.
Therefore, weapons are not the instrument of the gentleman—
Weapons are instruments of ill omen.
When you have no choice but to use them, it's best to remain tranquil and calm.
You should never look upon them as things of beauty.
If you see them as beautiful things—this is to delight in the killing of men.
And when you delight in the killing of men, you'll not realize your goal in the land.

Therefore, in happy events we honor the left,
But in mourning we honor the right.
Therefore, the lieutenant general stands on the left;
And the supreme general stands on the right.
Which is to say, they arrange themselves as they would at a funeral.
When multitudes of people are killed, we stand before them in sorrow and grief.
When we're victorious in battle, we treat the occasion like a funeral ceremony.



32

The Dao is constantly nameless.
Though in its natural state it seems small, no one in the world dares to treat it as a subject.
Were marquises and kings able to maintain it,
The ten thousand things would submit to them on their own,
And Heaven and Earth would unite to send forth sweet dew.
By nature it would fall equally on all things, with no one among the people ordering that it be so.

As soon as we start to establish a system, we have names.
And as soon as there are set names,
Then you must also know that it's time to stop.
By knowing to stop—in this way you'll come to no harm.
The Way's presence in the world
Is like the relationship of small valley [streams] to rivers and seas.



33

To understand others is to be knowledgeable;
To understand yourself is to be wise.
To conquer others is to have strength;
To conquer yourself is to be strong.
To know when you have enough is to be rich.
To go forward with strength is to have ambition.
To not lose your place is to last long.
To die but not be forgotten—that's [true] long life.



34

The Way floats and drifts;
It can go left or right.
It accomplishes its tasks and completes its affairs, and yet for this it is not given a name.
The ten thousand things entrust their lives to it, and yet it does not act as their master.
Thus it is constantly without desires.
It can be named with the things that are small.
The ten thousand things entrust their lives to it, and yet it does not not act as their master.
It can be named with the things that are great.

Therefore the Sage's ability to accomplish the great
Comes from his not playing the role of the great.
Therefore he is able to accomplish the great.



35

Hold on to the Great Image and the whole world will come to you.
Come to you and suffer no harm; but rather know great safety and peace.
Music and food—for these passing travelers stop.
Therefore, of the Dao's speaking, we say:
Insipid, it is! It's lack of flavor.
When you look at it, it's not sufficient to be seen;
When you listen to it, it's not sufficient to be heard;
Yet when you use it, it can't be used up.



36

If you wish to shrink it,
You must certainly stretch it.
If you wish to weaken it,
You must certainly strengthen it.
If you wish to desert it,
You must certainly work closely with it.
If you wish to snatch something from it,
You must certainly give something to it.
This is called the Subtle Light.
The submissive and weak conquer the strong.

Fish should not be taken out of the depths;
The state's sharp weapons should not be shown to the people.



37

The Dao is constantly nameless.
Were Marquises and kings able to maintain it,
The ten thousand things would transform on their own.
Having transformed, were their desires to become active,
I would subdue them with the nameless simplicity.
Having subdued them with the nameless simplicity,
I would not disgrace them.
By not being disgraced, they will be tranquil.
And Heaven and Earth will of themselves be correct and right.



38

The highest virtue is not virtuous; therefore it truly has virtue.
The lowest virtue never loses sight of its virtue; therefore it has no true virtue.

The highest virtue takes no action, yet it has no reason for acting this way;
The highest humanity takes action, yet it has no reason for acting this way;
The highest righteousness takes action, and it has its reason for acting this way;
The highest propriety takes action, and when no one responds to it, then it angrily rolls up its sleeves and forces people to comply.

Therefore, when the Way is lost, only then do we have virtue;
When virtue is lost, only then do we have humanity;
When humanity is lost, only then do we have righteousness;
And when righteousness is lost, only then do we have propriety.

As for propriety, it's but the thin edge of loyalty and sincerity, and the beginning of disorder.
And foreknowledge is but the flower of the Way, and the beginning of stupidity.

Therefore the Great Man
Dwells in the thick and doesn't dwell in the thin;
Dwells in the fruit and doesn't dwell in the flower.
Therefore, he rejects that and takes this.



39

Of those in the past that attained the One—
Heaven, by attaining the One became clear;
Earth, by attaining the One became stable;
Gods, by attaining the One became divine;
Valley, by attaining the One became full;
Marquises and kings, by attaining the One made the whole land ordered and secure.

Taking this to its logical conclusion we would say—
If Heaven were not by means of it clear, it would, I'm afraid, shatter;
If the Earth were not by means of it stable, it would, I'm afraid, let go.
If the gods were not by means of it divine, they would, I'm afraid, be powerless.
If valley were not by means of it full, they would, [I'm afraid,] dry up.
And if marquises and kings were not by means of it noble and high, they would, I'm afraid, topple and fall.

Therefore, it must be the case that the noble has the base as its root;
And it must be the case that the high has the low for its foundation.
Thus, for this reason, marquises and kings call themselves "The
Orphan," "The Widower," and "The One Without Grain."
This is taking the base as one's root, is it not?!

Therefore, they regard their large numbers of carriages as having no carriage.
And because of this, they desire not to dazzle and glitter like jade,
But to remain firm and strong like stone.



40

"Reversal" is the movement of the Dao;
"Weakness" is the function of the Dao.

The things of the world originate in being,
And being originates in nonbeing.



41

When the highest type of men hear the Way, with diligence thye're able to practice it;
When the average men hear the Way, some things they retain and others they lose;
When the lowest type of men hear the Way, they laugh out loud at it.
If they didn't laught at it, it couldn't be regarded as the Way.

Therefore, there is a set saying about this that goes:
The bright Way appears to be dark;
The Way that goes forward appears to retreat;
The smooth Way appears to be uneven;
The highest virtue [is empty] like a valley;
The purest white appears to be soiled;
Vast virtue appears to be insufficient;
Firm virtue appears thin and weak;
The simplest reality appears to change.

The Great Square has no corners;
The Great Vessel takes long to complete;
The Great Tone makes little sound;
The Great Image has no shape.

The Way is Great but has no name.
Only the Way is good at beginning things and also good at bringing things to completion.



42

The Way gave birth to the One.
The One gave birth to the Two.
The Two gave birth to the Three.
And the Three gave birth to the ten thousand things.
The ten thousand things carry Yin on their backs and wrap their arms around Yang.
Through the blending of the qi they arrive at a state of harmony.

The things that are hated by the whole world
Are to be orphaned, widowed, and have no grain.
Yet kings and dukes take these as their names.
Thus with all things—some are increased by taking away;
While some are diminished by adding on.

Therefore, what other men teach,
[I] will also consider and then teach to others.
Thus, "The strong and violent do not come to a natural end."
I will take this as the father of my studies.



43

The softest, most pliable thing in the world runs roughshod over the firmest things in the world.
that which has no substance gets into that which has no spaces or cracks.
I therefore know that there is benefit in taking no action.
The wordless teaching, the benefit of taking no action—
Few in the world can realize these!



44

Fame or your body—which is more dear?
Your body or possessions—which is worth more?
Gain or loss—in which is there harm?
If your desires are great, you're bound to be extravagant;
If your store much away, you're bound to lose a great deal.
Therefore, if you know contentment, you'll not be disgraced.
If you know when to stop, you'll suffer no harm.
And in this way you can last a very long time.



45

Great completion seems incomplete;
Yet its usefulness is never exhausted.
Great fullness seems to be empty;
Yet its usefulness is never used up.
Great straightness seems to be bent.
Great skill seems to be clumsy.
Great surplus seems to stammer.
Activity overcomes cold;
Tranquility overcomes heat.
If you're quiet and tranquil you can become the ruler of the world.



46

When the world has the Way, ambling horses are retired to fertilize [fields].
When the world lacks the Way, war horses are reared in the suburbs.

Of crimes—none is greater than having things that one desires;
Of disasters—none is greater than not knowing when one has enough.
Of defects—none brings more sorrow than one desire to attain.
Therefore, the contentment one has when he knows that he has enough, is abiding contentment indeed.



47

No need to leave your door to know the whole world;
No need to peer through your windows to know the Way of Heaven.
The farther you go, the less you know.

Therefore the Sage knows without going, names without seeing,
And completes without doing a thing.



48

Those who work at their studies increase day after day;
Those who have heard the Dao decrease day after day.
They decrease and decrease, till they get to the point where they do nothing.
They do nothing and yet there's nothing left undone.
When someone wants to take control of the world, he must always be unconcerned with affairs.
For in a case where he's concerned with affairs,
He'll be unworthy, as well, of taking control of the world.



49

The Sage constantly has no [set] mind;
He takes the mind of the common people as his mind.
Those who are good he regards as good;
Those who are not good he also regards as good.
[In this way] he attains goodness.
Those who are trustworthy he trusts;
And those who are not trustworthy he also trusts.
[In this way] he gets their trust.
As for the Sage's presence in the world—he is one with it.
And with the world he merges his mind.
The common people all fix their eyes and ears on him.
And the Sage treats them all as his children.



50

We come out into life and go back into death.
The companions of life are thirteen;
The companions of death are thirteen;
And yet people, because they regard life as LIFE, in all of their
actions move towards the thirteen that belong to the realm of death.
Now, why is this so?
It's because they regard life as LIFE.

You've no doubt heard of those who are good at holding on to life:
When walking through hills, they don't avoid rhinos and tigers;
When they go into battle, they don't put on armor or shields;
The rhino has no place to probe with its horn;
The tiger finds no place to put its claws.
And weapons find no place to hold their blades.
Now, why is this so?
Because there is no place for death in them.



51

The Way gives birth to them and Virtue nourishes them;
Substance gives them form and their unique capacities complete them.
Therefore the ten thousand things venerate the Way and honor Virtue.
As for their veneration of the Way and their honoring of Virtue—
No one rewards them for it; it's constantly so on its own.

The Way gives birth to them, nourishes them, matures them, completes
them, rests them, rears them, supports them, and protects them.
It gives birth to them but doesn't try to own them;
It acts on their behalf but doesn't make them dependent;
It matures them but doesn't rule them.
This we call Profound Virtue.



52

The world had a beginning,
Which can be considered the mother of the world.
Having attained the mother, in order to understand her children.
If you return and hold on to the mother, till the end of your life you'll suffer no harm.

Block up the holes;
Close the doors;
And till the end of your life you'll not labor.
Open the holes;
Meddle in affairs;
And till the end of your life you'll not be saved.

To receive the small is called "discernment."
To hold on to the pliant is called "strength."
If you use the rays to return to the bright light,
You'll not abandon your life to peril.
This is called Following the Constant.



53

Were I to have the least bit of knowledge, in walking on a Great
Rod, it's only going astray that I would fear.
The Great Way is very level;
But people greatly delight in tortuous paths.

The courts are swept very clean;
While the fields are full of weeds;
And the granaries are all empty.
Their clothing—richly embroidered and colored;
While at their waists they carry sharp swords.
They gorge themselves on food, and of possessions and goods they have plenty.

This is called thievery!
And thievery certainly isn't the Way!



54

What is firmly set up can't be pulled down;
What is firmly embraced cannot slip free.
And your sons and grandsons, as a result, will sacrifice without end.

When you cultivate it in your person, your virtue will then be genuine;
When you cultivate it in your family, your virtue will then be overflow;
When you cultivate it in your village, your virtue will then be long lasting;
When you cultivate it in your state, your virtue will then be abundant;
And when you cultivate it throughout the world, your virtue will then be widespread.

Use the individual to examine the individual;
Use the family to examine the family;
[Use the village to examine the village;]
Use the state to examine the state;
And use the world to examine the world;
How do I know that the world is so?
By this.



55

One who embraces the fullness of Virtue,
Can be compared to a newborn babe.
Wasps and scorpions, snakes and vipers do not sting him;
Birds of prey and fierce beasts do not seize him;
His bones and muscles are weak and pliant, yet his grasp is firm;
He does not yet know the meeting of male and female, yet his organ is aroused—
This is because his essence is at its height.
He can scream all day, yet he won't become hoarse—
This is because his harmony is at its height.

To know harmony is called "the constant";
To know the constant is called "being wise";
To add on to life is called a "bad omen";
For the mind to control the breath—that's called "forcing things."

When things reach their prime they get old;
This is called "not the Way."
What is not the Way will come to an early end.



56

Those who know don't talk about it; those who talk don't know it.

He blocks up his holes,
Closes his doors,
Softens the glare,
Settles the dust,
Files down the sharp edges,
And unties the tangles.
This is called Profound Union.

Therefore, there is no way to get intimate with him,
But there is also no way to shun him.
There is no way to benefit him,
But there is also no way to harm him.
There is no way to ennoble him,
But there is also no way to debase him.
For this very reason he's the noblest thing in the world.



57

Use the upright and correct to order the state;
Use surprise tactics when you use troops;
Use unconcern with affairs to take control of the world.

How do I know that this is so?
Well, the more taboos and prohibitions there are in the world, the poorer the people will be;
The more sharp weapons the people possess, the more muddled the states will be;
The more knowledge and skill people have, the more novel things will appear;
The more legal matters are made prominent, the more robbers and thieves there will be.

Therefore, the words of the Sage say:
I do nothing, and the people of themselves are transformed;
I love tranquility, and the people of themselves are upright;
I'm unconcerned with affairs, and the people of themselves become rich.
I desire not to desire, and the people of themselves are [genuine and simple, like] uncarved wood.



58

When the government is muddled and confused,
The people are genuine and sincere.
When the government is discriminate and clear,
The state is crafy and cunning.

[Disaster is that on which good fortune depends.]
Good fortune is that in which disaster's concealed.
Who knows where it will end?
For there is no [fixed] "correct."
The "correct" turns into the "deviant";
And "good" turns into "evil."
People's state of confusion
Has certainly existed for a long time.
Therefore be square but don't cut;
Be sharp but don't stab;
Be straightforward but not unrestrained;
Be bright but don't dazzle.



59

For ordering humanity and serving Heaven, nothing's so good as being sparing.
For only if you are sparing can you, therefore, early submit [to the Way].
Early submission—this is called to repeatedly accumulate Virtue.
If you repeatedly accumulate Virtue, then there is nothing you can't overcome.
When there is nothing you can't overcome, no one knows where it will end.
When no one knows where it will end, you can possess the state.
And when you possess the mother of the state, you can last a very long time.
This is called [having] deep roots and a firm base,
It's the Way of long life and long-lasting vision.



60

Ruling a large state is like cooking small fish.

When you use the Way to govern the world, evil spirits won't have godlike power.
Actually, it's not that evil spirits won't have godlike power,
It's that their power will not harm men.
But it's not [just] that their power won't harm men,
The Sage, also, will not harm them.
Since these two do not harm others,
Therefore their Virtues intermingle and return to them.



61

The large state is like the lower part of a river;
It is the female of the world;
It is the meeting point of the world.
The female constantly overcomes the male with tranquility.
Because she is tranquil, therefore she is fittingly underneath.

The large state—if it is below the small state, then it takes over
the small state;
The small state—if it is below the large state, then it is taken over by the large state.
Therefore some by being low take over,
And some by being low are taken over.

Therefore the large state merely desires to unite and rear others;
While the small state merely desires to enter and serve others.
If both get what they want,
Then the large state should fittingly be underneath.



62

The Way is that toward which all things flow.
It is the treasure of the good man,
And that which protects the bad.

Beautiful words can be bought and sold;
Honored deeds can be presented to others as gifts;
[Even with] things that people regard as no good—will they be rejected?
Therefore, when the So of Heaven is being enthroned or the Three Ministers installed,
Though you might salture them which disks of jade preceded by teams of four horses,
That's not so good as sitting still and offering this.
The reason why the ancients valued this—what was it?
Did they not say, "Those who seek, with this will attain, and those who commit offenses, with this will escape"?!
Therefore, it's the most valued thing in the world.



63

Act without acting;
Serve without concern for affairs;
Find flavor in what has no flavor.

Regard the small as large and the few as many,
And repay resentment with kindness.
Plan for the difficult while it is easy;
Act on the large while it's minute.
The most difficult things in the world begin as things that are easy;
The largest things in the world arise from the minute.
Therefore the Sage, to the end does not strive to do the great,
And as a result, he is able to accomplish the great;
Those who too lightly agree will necessarily be trusted by few;
And those who regard many things as easy will necessarily [end up] with many difficulties.
Therefore, even the Sage regards things as difficult,
And as a result, in the end he has no difficulty.



64

What is at rest is easy to hold;
What has not yet given a sign is easy to plan for;
The brittle is easily shattered;
The minute is easily scattered;
Act on it before it comes into being;
Order it before it turns into chaos.

A tree [so big] that it takes both arms to surround starts out as
the tiniest shoot;
A nine-story terrace rises up from a basket of dirt.
A high place one hundred, one thousand feet high begins from under your feet.

Those who act on it ruin it;
Those who hold on to it lose it.
Therefore the Sage does not act,
And as a result, he doesn't ruin [things];
He does not hold on to [things],
And as a result, he doesn't lose [things];
In people's handling of affairs, they always ruin things when they're right at the point of completion.
Therefore we say, "If you're as careful at the end as you were at the beginning, you'll have no failures."
Therefore the Sage desires not to desire and doesn't value goods that are hard to obtain;
He learns not to learn and returns to what the masses pass by;
He could help all things to be natural, yet he dare not do it.



65

Those who practiced the Way in antiquity,
Did not use it to enlighten the people.
Rather, they used it to make them dumb.
Now the reason why people are difficult to rule is because of their knowledge;
As a result, to use knowledge to rule the state
Is thievery of the state;
To use ignorance to rule the state
Is kindness to the state.
One who constantly understands these two,
Also [understands] the principle.
To constantly understand the principle—
This is called Profound Virtue.
Profound Virtue is deep, is far-reaching,
And together with things it returns.
Thus we arrive at the Great Accord.



66

The reason why rivers and oceans are able to be the kings of the one hundred valleys is that they are good at being below them.
for this reason they are able to be the kings of the one hundred valleys.

Therefore in the Sage's desire to be above the people,
He must in his speech be below them.
And in his desire to be at the front of the people,
He must in his person be behind them.
Thus he dwells above, yet the people do not regard him as heavy;
And he dwells in front, yet the people do not see him as posing a threat.

The whole world delights in his praise and never tires of him.
Is it not because he is not contentious,
That, as a result, no one in the world can contend with him?!



67

The whole world says, I'm Great;
Great, yet unlike [everyone else],
But it's precisely because I'm unlike [everyone else], that I'm therefore able to be Great.
Were I like [everyone else], for a long time now I'd have seemed insignificant and small.

I constantly have three treasures;
Hold on to them and treasure them.
The first is compassion;
The second is frugality;
And the third is not presuming to be at the forefront in the world.
Now, it's because I'm compassionate that I therefore can be courageous;
And it's because I'm frugal that I therefore can be magnamimous;
And it's because I don't presume to be at the forefront in the world that I therefore can be the head of those with complete talent.
Now, if you abandon this compassion and yet try to be courageous,
And if you abandon this frugality and yet try to be magnanimous,
And if you abandon this staying behind and yet go to the fore,
Then you will die.
If with compassion you attack, then you'll win;
If you defend, then you'll stand firm.

When Heaven's about to establish him,
It's as though he surrounds him with the protective wall of compassion.



68

Therefore, one who is good at being a warrior doesn't make a show of his might;
One who is good in battle doesn't get angry;
One who is good at defeating the enemy doesn't engage him.
And one who is good at using men places himself below them.
This is called the virtue of not competing;
This is called [correctly] using men;
This is called matching Heaven.
It's the high point of the past.



69

Those who use weapons have a saying which goes:
"I don't presume to act like the host, and instead play the part of the guest;
I don't advance an inch, but rather retreat a foot."
This is called moving forward without moving forword—
Rolling up one's sleeves without baring one's arms—
Grasping firmly without holding a weapon—
And enticing to fight when there's no opponent.
Of disasters, none is greater than [thinking] you have no rival.
To think you have no rival is to come close to losing my treasures.
Therefore, when weapons are raised and [the opponents] are farily well matched,
Then it's the one who feels grief that will win.



70

My words are easy to understand,
And easy to put into practice.
Yet no one in the world can understand them,
And no one can put them into practice.
Now my words have an ancestor, and my deeds have a lord,
And it's simply because [people] have no understanding [of them], that they therefore don't understand me.
But when those who understand me are few, then I'm of great value.
Therefore the Sage wears coarse woolen cloth, but inside it he holds on to jade.



71

To know you don't know is best.
Not to know you [don't] know is a flaw.
Therefore, the Sage's not being flawed
Stems from his recognizing a flaw as a flaw.
Therefore, he is flawless.



72

When the people don't respect those in power, then what they greatly fear is about to arrive.

Don't narrow the size of the places in which they live;
Don't oppress them in their means of livelihood.
It's simply because you do not oppress them, that they therefore will not be fed up.
Therefore the Sage knows himself but doesn't show himself;
he cherishes himself but doesn't value himself.
For this reason, he rejects that and takes this.



73

If you're brave in being daring, you'll be killed;
If you're brave in not being daring, you'll live.
With these two things, in one case there's profit, in the other there's harm.
The things Heaven hates—who knows why?
The Way of Heaven is not to fight yet to be good at winning—
Not to speak yet skillfully respond—
No one summons it, yet it comes on its own—
To be at ease yet carefully plan.
Heaven's net is large and vast;
Its mesh may be coarse yet nothing slips through.



74

If the people were constant [in their behavior] and yet did not fear death,
How could you use execution to intimidate them?
If you brought it about that the people were constant [in their behavior] and moreover feared, and [we] took those who behaved in abnormal ways and killed them—who would dare act in this way?!
If the people are constant and moreover necessarily fear death,
then we constantly have the one in charge of executions.
Now killing people in place of the one in charge of executions,
this [is like] cutting wood in place of the head carpenter.
And of those who cut wood in place of the head carpenter, very few do not hurt their hands!



75

The reason why people starve,
Is because they take so much in tax-grain.
Therefore they starve.
The reason why the common people cannot be ruled,
Is because their superiors have their reason for acting.
Therefore they cannot be ruled.

The reason why people take death lightly,
Is because they so avidly seek after life.
Therefore they take death lightly.
Only those who do not act for the purpose of living—
Only these are superior to those who value life.



76

When people are born, they're supple and soft;
Whey they die, they end up stretched out firm and rigid;
When the ten thousand things and grasses and trees are alive, they're supple and pliant;
When they're dead, they're withered and dried out.
Therefore we say that the firm and rigid are compassions of death,
While the supple, the soft, the weak, and the delicate are compassions of life.
If a soldier is rigid, he won't win;
If a tree is rigid, it will come to its end.
Rigidity and power occupy the inferior position;
Suppleness, softness, weakness, and delicateness occupy the superior position.



77

The Way of Heaven is like the flexing of a bow.
The high it presses down; the low it raises up.
From those with a surplus it takes away; to those without enough it adds on.
Therefore the way of Heaven—
Is to reduce the excessive and increase the insufficient;
The Way of Man—
Is to reduce the insufficient and offer more to the excessive.
Now, who is able to have a surplus and use it to offer to Heaven?
Clearly, it's only the one who possesses the Way.
Therefore the Sage—
Take actions but does not possess them;
Accomplishes his tasks but does not dwell on them.
Like this, is his desire not to make a display of his worthiness.



78

In the whole world, nothing is softer and weaker than water.
And yet for attacking the hard and strong, nothing can bear it,
Because there is nothing you can use to replace it.
That water can defeat the unyielding—
That the weak can defeat the strong—
There is no one in the whole world who doesn't know it,
And yet there is no one who can put it into practice.
For this reason, the words of the Sage say:
To take on yourself the disgrace of the state—this is called being the lord of [the altars of] earth and grain;
To assume responsibility for all ill-omened events in the state—this is called being the king of the world.
Correct words seem to say the reverse [of what you expect them to say].



79

To make peace where there has been great resentment, there is bound to be resentment left over.
How could this be regarded as good?
Therefore the Sage [holds] the right tally yet makes no demands of others.
For this reason, those who have virtue are in charge of the tally;
Those without virtue are in charge of the taxes.
The Way of Heaven has no favorites,
It's always with the good man.



80

Let the country be small and people few—
Bring it about that there are weapons for "tens" and "hundreds," yet let no one use them;
Have the people regard death gravely and put migrating far from their minds.
Though they might have boats and carriages, no one will ride them;
Though they might have armor and spears, no one will display them.
Have the people return to knotting cords and using them.

They will relish their food,
Regard their clothing as beautiful,
Delight in their customs,
And feel safe and secure in their homes.
Neighboring states might overlook one another,
And the sounds of chickens and dogs might be overheard,
Yet the people will arrive at old age and death with no comings and goings between them.



81

Sincere words are not showy;
Showy words are not sincere.
Those who know are not "widely learned";
Those "widely learned" do not know.
The good do not have a lot;
Those with a lot are not good.

The Sage accumulates nothing.
Having used what he had for others,
He has even more.
Having given what he had to others,
What he has is even greater.
Therefore, the Way of Heaven is to benefit and not cause any harm;
The Way of Man is to act on behalf of others and not to compete with them.


IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD, THE EXALTED, THE MOST HIGH.
No man shall attain the shores of the ocean of true understanding except he be detached from all that is in heaven and on earth. Sanctify your souls, O ye peoples of the world, that haply ye may attain that station which God hath destined for you and enter thus the tabernacle which, according to the dispensations of Providence, hath been raised in the firmament of the Bayán.
2	
The essence of these words is this: they that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly—their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen, inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge 4 and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets.
3	
Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy might blow, and the promised Beauty step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest to all the world. And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of divine bounty did rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him, and turned away from His face—the face of God Himself. Refer ye, to verify this truth, to that which hath been recorded in every sacred Book.
4	
Ponder for a moment, and reflect upon that which hath been the cause of such denial on the 5 part of those who have searched with such earnestness and longing. Their attack hath been more fierce than tongue or pen can describe. Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation, and the vehement opposition of the people around Him. Thus it hath been revealed: “O the misery of men! No Messenger cometh unto them but they laugh Him to scorn.” 1 Again He saith: “Each nation hath plotted darkly against their Messenger to lay violent hold on Him, and disputed with vain words to invalidate the truth.” 2
5	
In like manner, those words that have streamed forth from the source of power and descended from the heaven of glory are innumerable and beyond the ordinary comprehension of man. To them that are possessed of true understanding and insight the Súrah of Húd surely sufficeth. Ponder a while those holy words in your heart, and, with utter detachment, strive to grasp their meaning. Examine the wondrous behaviour of the Prophets, and recall the defamations and denials uttered by 6 the children of negation and falsehood, perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing its flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of faith and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient wisdom, and partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. Such is the share of the pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the realms of eternity and holiness.
6	
Should you acquaint yourself with the indignities heaped upon the Prophets of God, and apprehend the true causes of the objections voiced by their oppressors, you will surely appreciate the significance of their position. Moreover, the more closely you observe the denials of those who have opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be your faith in the Cause of God. Accordingly, a brief mention will be made in this Tablet of divers accounts relative to the Prophets of God, that they may demonstrate the truth that throughout all ages and centuries the Manifestations of power and glory have been subjected to such heinous cruelties that no pen dare describe them. Perchance this may enable a few to cease to be perturbed by the clamour and protestations 7 of the divines and the foolish of this age, and cause them to strengthen their confidence and certainty.
7	
Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He prayerfully exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace. None, however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person such pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. How frequently they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him! Thus it hath been revealed: “And as often as a company of His people passed by Him, they derided Him. To them He said: ‘Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall know.’” 3 Long afterward, He several times promised victory to His companions and fixed the hour thereof. But when the hour struck, the divine promise was not fulfilled. This caused a few among the small number of His followers to turn away from Him, and to this testify the records of the best-known books. These you must certainly have perused; if not, undoubtedly you will. Finally, as stated in books and 8 traditions, there remained with Him only forty or seventy-two of His followers. At last from the depth of His being He cried aloud: “Lord! Leave not upon the land a single dweller from among the unbelievers.” 4
8	
And now, consider and reflect a moment upon the waywardness of this people. What could have been the reason for such denial and avoidance on their part? What could have induced them to refuse to put off the garment of denial, and to adorn themselves with the robe of acceptance? Moreover, what could have caused the nonfulfilment of the divine promise which led the seekers to reject that which they had accepted? Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns. Even as He hath revealed: “Do men think when 9 they say ‘We believe’ they shall be let alone and not be put to proof?” 5
9	
And after Noah the light of the countenance of Húd shone forth above the horizon of creation. For well-nigh seven hundred years, according to the sayings of men, He exhorted the people to turn their faces and draw nearer unto the Riḍván of the divine presence. What showers of afflictions rained upon Him, until at last His adjurations bore the fruit of increased rebelliousness, and His assiduous endeavours resulted in the wilful blindness of His people. “And their unbelief shall only increase for the unbelievers their own perdition.” 6
10	
And after Him there appeared from the Riḍván of the Eternal, the Invisible, the holy person of Ṣáliḥ, Who again summoned the people to the river of everlasting life. For over a hundred years He admonished them to hold fast unto the commandments of God and eschew that which is forbidden. His admonitions, however, yielded no fruit, and His pleading proved of no avail. Several times He retired and lived in seclusion. All this, although that eternal Beauty was summoning 10 the people to no other than the city of God. Even as it is revealed: “And unto the tribe of Thámúd We sent their brother Ṣáliḥ. ‘O my people,’ said He, ‘Worship God, ye have none other God beside Him….’ They made reply: ‘O Ṣáliḥ, our hopes were fixed on thee until now; forbiddest thou us to worship that which our fathers worshipped? Truly we misdoubt that whereunto thou callest us as suspicious.’” 7 All this proved fruitless, until at last there went up a great cry, and all fell into utter perdition.
11	
Later, the beauty of the countenance of the Friend of God 8 appeared from behind the veil, and another standard of divine guidance was hoisted. He invited the people of the earth to the light of righteousness. The more passionately He exhorted them, the fiercer waxed the envy and waywardness of the people, except those who wholly detached themselves from all save God, and ascended on the wings of certainty to the station which God hath exalted beyond the comprehension of men. It is well known what a host of enemies besieged Him, until at last the fires of envy and rebellion were kindled against Him. 11 And after the episode of the fire came to pass, He, the lamp of God amongst men, was, as recorded in all books and chronicles, expelled from His city.
12	
And when His day was ended, there came the turn of Moses. Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of divine knowledge, and proceeding from the Párán of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness. Surely you are aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast upon that blessed Tree. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly water can quench the flame of divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the lamp of everlasting dominion. Nay, rather, such water cannot but intensify the burning of the flame, and such 12 blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of the lamp, were ye to observe with the eye of discernment, and walk in the way of God’s holy will and pleasure. How well hath a believer of the kindred of Pharaoh, whose story is recounted by the All-Glorious in His Book revealed unto His beloved One, observed: “And a man of the family of Pharaoh who was a believer and concealed his faith said: ‘Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not him who is a transgressor, a liar.’” 9 Finally, so great was their iniquity that this self-same believer was put to a shameful death. “The curse of God be upon the people of tyranny.” 10
13	
And now, ponder upon these things. What could have caused such contention and conflict? Why is it that the advent of every true Manifestation of God hath been accompanied by such strife and tumult, by such tyranny and upheaval? This notwithstanding the fact that all the Prophets of God, 13 whenever made manifest unto the peoples of the world, have invariably foretold the coming of yet another Prophet after them, and have established such signs as would herald the advent of the future Dispensation. To this the records of all sacred books bear witness. Why then is it that despite the expectation of men in their quest of the Manifestations of Holiness, and in spite of the signs recorded in the sacred books, such acts of violence, of oppression and cruelty, should have been perpetrated in every age and cycle against all the Prophets and chosen Ones of God? Even as He hath revealed: “As oft as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, ye swell with pride, accusing some of being impostors and slaying others.” 11
14	
Reflect, what could have been the motive for such deeds? What could have prompted such behaviour towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-Glorious? Whatever in days gone by hath been the cause of the denial and opposition of those people hath now led to the perversity of the people of this age. To maintain that the testimony of Providence was incomplete, that it hath therefore 14 been the cause of the denial of the people, is but open blasphemy. How far from the grace of the All-Bountiful and from His loving providence and tender mercies it is to single out a soul from amongst all men for the guidance of His creatures, and, on one hand, to withhold from Him the full measure of His divine testimony, and, on the other, inflict severe retribution on His people for having turned away from His chosen One! Nay, the manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have, at all times, through the Manifestations of His divine Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell therein. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld, nor have the showers of His loving-kindness ceased to rain upon mankind. Consequently, such behaviour can be attributed to naught save the petty-mindedness of such souls as tread the valley of arrogance and pride, are lost in the wilds of remoteness, walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow the dictates of the leaders of their faith. Their chief concern is mere opposition; their sole desire is to ignore the truth. Unto every discerning observer it is evident and manifest that had these people in the days of each of the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth sanctified their eyes, their ears, and their hearts from whatever they 15 had seen, heard, and felt, they surely would not have been deprived of beholding the beauty of God, nor strayed far from the habitations of glory. But having weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge, gleaned from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and found it at variance with their limited understanding, they arose to perpetrate such unseemly acts.
15	
Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory. What unspeakable cruelties they that have occupied the seats of authority and learning have inflicted upon the true Monarchs of the world, those Gems of divine virtue! Content with a transitory dominion, they have deprived themselves of an everlasting sovereignty. Thus, their eyes beheld not the light of the countenance of the Well-Beloved, nor did their ears hearken unto the 16 sweet melodies of the Bird of Desire. For this reason, in all sacred books mention hath been made of the divines of every age. Thus He saith: “O people of the Book! Why disbelieve the signs of God to which ye yourselves have been witnesses?” 12 And also He saith: “O people of the Book! Why clothe ye the truth with falsehood? Why wittingly hide the truth?” 13 Again, He saith: “Say, O people of the Book! Why repel believers from the way of God?” 14 It is evident that by the “people of the Book,” who have repelled their fellow-men from the straight path of God, is meant none other than the divines of that age, whose names and character have been revealed in the sacred books, and alluded to in the verses and traditions recorded therein, were you to observe with the eye of God.
16	
With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection which the Eternal hath revealed, that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom, hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle of His grace, may be made manifest 17 unto you. The denials and protestations of these leaders of religion have, in the main, been due to their lack of knowledge and understanding. Those words uttered by the Revealers of the beauty of the one true God, setting forth the signs that should herald the advent of the Manifestation to come, they never understood nor fathomed. Hence they raised the standard of revolt, and stirred up mischief and sedition. It is obvious and manifest that the true meaning of the utterances of the Birds of Eternity is revealed to none except those that manifest the Eternal Being, and the melodies of the Nightingale of Holiness can reach no ear save that of the denizens of the everlasting realm. The Copt of tyranny can never partake of the cup touched by the lips of the Sept of justice, and the Pharaoh of unbelief can never hope to recognize the hand of the Moses of truth. Even as He saith: “None knoweth the meaning thereof except God and them that are well-grounded in knowledge.” 15 And yet, they have sought the interpretation of the Book from those that are wrapt in veils, and have refused to seek enlightenment from the fountain-head of knowledge.
17	
And when the days of Moses were ended, and 18 the light of Jesus, shining forth from the dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamoured that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfil the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath day—the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day still expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived! Thus hath God laid hold of them for their sins, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire. And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation. As she never 19 grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the face of God. And they still await His coming! From time immemorial even unto this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness.
18	
In unfolding these mysteries, We have, in Our former Tablets which were addressed to a friend in the melodious language of Ḥijáz, cited a few of the verses revealed unto the Prophets of old. And now, responding to your request, We again shall cite, in these pages, those same verses, uttered this time in the wondrous accents of ‘Iráq, that haply the sore athirst in the wilds of remoteness may attain unto the ocean of the divine presence, and they that languish in the wastes of separation be led unto the home of eternal reunion. Thus the mists of error may be dispelled, and the all-resplendent light of divine guidance dawn forth above the horizon of human hearts. In God We put Our trust, and to Him We cry for help, that haply there may flow from this pen that which shall 20 quicken the souls of men, that they may all arise from their beds of heedlessness and hearken unto the rustling of the leaves of Paradise, from the tree which the hand of divine power hath, by the permission of God, planted in the Riḍván of the All-Glorious.
19	
To them that are endowed with understanding, it is clear and manifest that when the fire of the love of Jesus consumed the veils of Jewish limitations, and His authority was made apparent and partially enforced, He the Revealer of the unseen Beauty, addressing one day His disciples, referred unto His passing, and, kindling in their hearts the fire of bereavement, said unto them: “I go away and come again unto you.” And in another place He said: “I go and another will come Who will tell you all that I have not told you, and will fulfil all that I have said.” Both these sayings have but one meaning, were you to ponder upon the Manifestations of the Unity of God with divine insight.
20	
Every discerning observer will recognize that in the Dispensation of the Qur’án both the Book and the Cause of Jesus were confirmed. As to the matter of names, Muḥammad, Himself, declared: “I 21 am Jesus.” He recognized the truth of the signs, prophecies, and words of Jesus, and testified that they were all of God. In this sense, neither the person of Jesus nor His writings hath differed from that of Muḥammad and of His holy Book, inasmuch as both have championed the Cause of God, uttered His praise, and revealed His commandments. Thus it is that Jesus, Himself, declared: “I go away and come again unto you.” Consider the sun. Were it to say now, “I am the sun of yesterday,” it would speak the truth. And should it, bearing the sequence of time in mind, claim to be other than that sun, it still would speak the truth. In like manner, if it be said that all the days are but one and the same, it is correct and true. And if it be said, with respect to their particular names and designations, that they differ, that again is true. For though they are the same, yet one doth recognize in each a separate designation, a specific attribute, a particular character. Conceive accordingly the distinction, variation, and unity characteristic of the various Manifestations of holiness, that thou mayest comprehend the allusions made by the creator of all names and attributes to the mysteries of distinction and unity, and discover the answer to thy question as to why 22 that everlasting Beauty should have, at sundry times, called Himself by different names and titles.
21	
Afterwards, the companions and disciples of Jesus asked Him concerning those signs that must needs signalize the return of His manifestation. When, they asked, shall these things be? Several times they questioned that peerless Beauty, and, every time He made reply, He set forth a special sign that should herald the advent of the promised Dispensation. To this testify the records of the four Gospels.
22	
This wronged One will cite but one of these instances, thus conferring upon mankind, for the sake of God, such bounties as are yet concealed within the treasury of the hidden and sacred Tree, that haply mortal men may not remain deprived of their share of the immortal fruit, and attain to a dewdrop of the waters of everlasting life which, from Baghdád, the “Abode of Peace,” are being vouchsafed unto all mankind. We ask for neither meed nor reward. “We nourish your souls for the sake of God; we seek from you neither recompense nor thanks.” 16 This is the food that conferreth everlasting 23 life upon the pure in heart and the illumined in spirit. This is the bread of which it is said: “Lord, send down upon us Thy bread from heaven.” 17 This bread shall never be withheld from them that deserve it, nor can it ever be exhausted. It groweth everlastingly from the tree of grace; it descendeth at all seasons from the heavens of justice and mercy. Even as He saith: “Seest thou not to what God likeneth a good word? To a good tree; its root firmly fixed, and its branches reaching unto heaven: yielding its fruit in all seasons.” 18
23	
O the pity! that man should deprive himself of this goodly gift, this imperishable bounty, this everlasting life. It behooveth him to prize this food that cometh from heaven, that perchance, through the wondrous favours of the Sun of Truth, the dead may be brought to life, and withered souls be quickened by the infinite Spirit. Make haste, O my brother, that while there is yet time our lips may taste of the immortal draught, for the breeze of life, now blowing from the city of the Well-Beloved, cannot last, and the streaming river of holy utterance must needs be stilled, and the portals of the Riḍván cannot for ever remain open. The day 24 will surely come when the Nightingale of Paradise will have winged its flight away from its earthly abode unto its heavenly nest. Then will its melody be heard no more, and the beauty of the rose cease to shine. Seize the time, therefore, ere the glory of the divine springtime hath spent itself, and the Bird of Eternity ceased to warble its melody, that thy inner hearing may not be deprived of hearkening unto its call. This is My counsel unto thee and unto the beloved of God. Whosoever wisheth, let him turn thereunto; whosoever wisheth, let him turn away. God, verily, is independent of him and of that which he may see and witness.
24	
These are the melodies, sung by Jesus, Son of Mary, in accents of majestic power in the Riḍván of the Gospel, revealing those signs that must needs herald the advent of the Manifestation after Him. In the first Gospel according to Matthew it is recorded: And when they asked Jesus concerning the signs of His coming, He said unto them: “Immediately after the oppression 19 of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the earth shall be shaken: and then 25 shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet.” 20 Rendered into the Persian tongue, 21 the purport of these words is as follows: When the oppression and afflictions that are to befall mankind will have come to pass, then shall the sun be withheld from shining, the moon from giving light, the stars of heaven shall fall upon the earth, and the pillars of the earth shall quake. At that time, the signs of the Son of man shall appear in heaven, that is, the promised Beauty and Substance of life shall, when these signs have appeared, step forth out of the realm of the invisible into the visible world. And He saith: at that time, all the peoples and kindreds that dwell on earth shall bewail and lament, and they shall see that divine Beauty coming from heaven, riding upon the clouds with power, grandeur, and magnificence, sending His angels with a great sound of a trumpet. Similarly, in the three other Gospels, according to Luke, Mark, and John, the same statements 26 are recorded. As We have referred at length to these in Our Tablets revealed in the Arabic tongue, We have made no mention of them in these pages, and have confined Ourselves to but one reference.
25	
Inasmuch as the Christian divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these words, and did not recognize their object and purpose, and have clung to the literal interpretation of the words of Jesus, they therefore became deprived of the streaming grace of the Muḥammadan Revelation and its showering bounties. The ignorant among the Christian community, following the example of the leaders of their faith, were likewise prevented from beholding the beauty of the King of glory, inasmuch as those signs which were to accompany the dawn of the sun of the Muḥammadan Dispensation did not actually come to pass. Thus, ages have passed and centuries rolled away, and that most pure Spirit hath repaired unto the retreats of its ancient sovereignty. Once more hath the eternal Spirit breathed into the mystic trumpet, and caused the dead to speed out of their sepulchres of heedlessness and error unto the realm of guidance and grace. And yet, that expectant community 27 still crieth out: When shall these things be? When shall the promised One, the object of our expectation, be made manifest, that we may arise for the triumph of His Cause, that we may sacrifice our substance for His sake, that we may offer up our lives in His path? In like manner, have such false imaginings caused other communities to stray from the Kawthar of the infinite mercy of Providence, and to be busied with their own idle thoughts.
26	
Beside this passage, there is yet another verse in the Gospel wherein He saith: “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away.” 22 Thus it is that the adherents of Jesus maintained that the law of the Gospel shall never be annulled, and that whensoever the promised Beauty is made manifest and all the signs are revealed, He must needs re-affirm and establish the law proclaimed in the Gospel, so that there may remain in the world no faith but His faith. This is their fundamental belief. And their conviction is such that were a person to be made manifest with all the promised signs and to promulgate that which is contrary to the letter of the law of the Gospel, 28 they must assuredly renounce him, refuse to submit to his law, declare him an infidel, and laugh him to scorn. This is proved by that which came to pass when the sun of the Muḥammadan Revelation was revealed. Had they sought with a humble mind from the Manifestations of God in every Dispensation the true meaning of these words revealed in the sacred books—words the misapprehension of which hath caused men to be deprived of the recognition of the Sadratu’l-Muntahá, the ultimate Purpose—they surely would have been guided to the light of the Sun of Truth, and would have discovered the mysteries of divine knowledge and wisdom.
27	
This servant will now share with thee a dewdrop out of the fathomless ocean of the truths treasured in these holy words, that haply discerning hearts may comprehend all the allusions and the implications of the utterances of the Manifestations of Holiness, so that the overpowering majesty of the Word of God may not prevent them from attaining unto the ocean of His names and attributes, nor deprive them of recognizing the Lamp of God which is the seat of the revelation of His glorified Essence. 29
28	
As to the words—“Immediately after the oppression of those days”—they refer to the time when men shall become oppressed and afflicted, the time when the lingering traces of the Sun of Truth and the fruit of the Tree of knowledge and wisdom will have vanished from the midst of men, when the reins of mankind will have fallen into the grasp of the foolish and ignorant, when the portals of divine unity and understanding—the essential and highest purpose in creation—will have been closed, when certain knowledge will have given way to idle fancy, and corruption will have usurped the station of righteousness. Such a condition as this is witnessed in this day when the reins of every community have fallen into the grasp of foolish leaders, who lead after their own whims and desire. On their tongue the mention of God hath become an empty name; in their midst His holy Word a dead letter. Such is the sway of their desires, that the lamp of conscience and reason hath been quenched in their hearts, and this although the fingers of divine power have unlocked the portals of the knowledge of God, and the light of divine knowledge and heavenly grace hath illumined and inspired the essence of all created things, in such wise that in each and every thing a door of knowledge 30 hath been opened, and within every atom traces of the sun hath been made manifest. And yet, in spite of all these manifold revelations of divine knowledge, which have encompassed the world, they still vainly imagine the door of knowledge to be closed, and the showers of mercy to be stilled. Clinging unto idle fancy, they have strayed far from the Urvatu’l-Vuthqá of divine knowledge. Their hearts seem not to be inclined to knowledge and the door thereof, neither think they of its manifestations, inasmuch as in idle fancy they have found the door that leadeth unto earthly riches, whereas in the manifestation of the Revealer of knowledge they find naught but the call to self-sacrifice. They therefore naturally hold fast unto the former, and flee from the latter. Though they recognize in their hearts the Law of God to be one and the same, yet from every direction they issue a new command, and in every season proclaim a fresh decree. No two are found to agree on one and the same law, for they seek no God but their own desire, and tread no path but the path of error. In leadership they have recognized the ultimate object of their endeavour, and account pride and haughtiness as the highest attainments of their heart’s desire. They have placed their sordid machinations 31 above the divine decree, have renounced resignation unto the will of God, busied themselves with selfish calculation, and walked in the way of the hypocrite. With all their power and strength they strive to secure themselves in their petty pursuits, fearful lest the least discredit undermine their authority or blemish the display of their magnificence. Were the eye to be anointed and illumined with the collyrium of the knowledge of God, it would surely discover that a number of voracious beasts have gathered and preyed upon the carrion of the souls of men.
29	
What “oppression” is greater than that which hath been recounted? What “oppression” is more grievous than that a soul seeking the truth, and wishing to attain unto the knowledge of God, should know not where to go for it and from whom to seek it? For opinions have sorely differed, and the ways unto the attainment of God have multiplied. This “oppression” is the essential feature of every Revelation. Unless it cometh to pass, the Sun of Truth will not be made manifest. For the break of the morn of divine guidance must needs follow the darkness of the night of error. For this reason, in all chronicles and traditions reference hath been 32 made unto these things, namely that iniquity shall cover the surface of the earth and darkness shall envelop mankind. As the traditions referred to are well known, and as the purpose of this servant is to be brief, He will refrain from quoting the text of these traditions.
30	
Were this “oppression” (which literally meaneth pressure) to be interpreted that the earth is to become contracted, or were men’s idle fancy to conceive similar calamities to befall mankind, it is clear and manifest that no such happenings can ever come to pass. They will assuredly protest that this pre-requisite of divine revelation hath not been made manifest. Such hath been and still is their contention. Whereas, by “oppression” is meant the want of capacity to acquire spiritual knowledge and apprehend the Word of God. By it is meant that when the Day-star of Truth hath set, and the mirrors that reflect His light have departed, mankind will become afflicted with “oppression” and hardship, knowing not whither to turn for guidance. Thus We instruct thee in the interpretation of the traditions, and reveal unto thee the mysteries of divine wisdom, that haply thou mayest comprehend the meaning thereof, and 33 be of them that have quaffed the cup of divine knowledge and understanding.
31	
And now, concerning His words—“The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give light, and the stars shall fall from heaven.” By the terms “sun” and “moon,” mentioned in the writings of the Prophets of God, is not meant solely the sun and moon of the visible universe. Nay rather, manifold are the meanings they have intended for these terms. In every instance they have attached to them a particular significance. Thus, by the “sun” in one sense is meant those Suns of Truth Who rise from the dayspring of ancient glory, and fill the world with a liberal effusion of grace from on high. These Suns of Truth are the universal Manifestations of God in the worlds of His attributes and names. Even as the visible sun that assisteth, as decreed by God, the true One, the Adored, in the development of all earthly things, such as the trees, the fruits, and colours thereof, the minerals of the earth, and all that may be witnessed in the world of creation, so do the divine Luminaries, by their loving care and educative influence, cause the trees of divine unity, the fruits of His oneness, the leaves of detachment, the blossoms of knowledge and certitude, and the myrtles of 34 wisdom and utterance, to exist and be made manifest. Thus it is that through the rise of these Luminaries of God the world is made new, the waters of everlasting life stream forth, the billows of loving-kindness surge, the clouds of grace are gathered, and the breeze of bounty bloweth upon all created things. It is the warmth that these Luminaries of God generate, and the undying fires they kindle, which cause the light of the love of God to burn fiercely in the heart of humanity. It is through the abundant grace of these Symbols of Detachment that the Spirit of life everlasting is breathed into the bodies of the dead. Assuredly the visible sun is but a sign of the splendour of that Day-star of Truth, that Sun Which can never have a peer, a likeness, or rival. Through Him all things live, move, and have their being. Through His grace they are made manifest, and unto Him they all return. From Him all things have sprung, and unto the treasuries of His revelation they all have repaired. From Him all created things did proceed, and to the depositories of His law they did revert.
32	
That these divine Luminaries seem to be confined at times to specific designations and attributes, 35 as you have observed and are now observing, is due solely to the imperfect and limited comprehension of certain minds. Otherwise, they have been at all times, and will through eternity continue to be, exalted above every praising name, and sanctified from every descriptive attribute. The quintessence of every name can hope for no access unto their court of holiness, and the highest and purest of all attributes can never approach their kingdom of glory. Immeasurably high are the Prophets of God exalted above the comprehension of men, who can never know them except by their own Selves. Far be it from His glory that His chosen Ones should be magnified by any other than their own persons. Glorified are they above the praise of men; exalted are they above human understanding!
33	
The term “suns” hath many a time been applied in the writings of the “immaculate Souls” unto the Prophets of God, those luminous Emblems of Detachment. Among those writings are the following words recorded in the “Prayer of Nudbih”: 23 “Whither are gone the resplendent Suns? Whereunto have departed those shining Moons and 36 sparkling Stars?” Thus, it hath become evident that the terms “sun,” “moon,” and “stars” primarily signify the Prophets of God, the saints, and their companions, those Luminaries, the light of Whose knowledge hath shed illumination upon the worlds of the visible and the invisible.
34	
In another sense, by these terms is intended the divines of the former Dispensation, who live in the days of the subsequent Revelations, and who hold the reins of religion in their grasp. If these divines be illumined by the light of the latter Revelation they will be acceptable unto God, and will shine with a light everlasting. Otherwise, they will be declared as darkened, even though to outward seeming they be leaders of men, inasmuch as belief and unbelief, guidance and error, felicity and misery, light and darkness, are all dependent upon the sanction of Him Who is the Day-star of Truth. Whosoever among the divines of every age receiveth, in the Day of Reckoning, the testimony of faith from the Source of true knowledge, he verily becometh the recipient of learning, of divine favour, and of the light of true understanding. Otherwise, he is branded as guilty of folly, denial, blasphemy, and oppression. 37
35	
It is evident and manifest unto every discerning observer that even as the light of the star fadeth before the effulgent splendour of the sun, so doth the luminary of earthly knowledge, of wisdom, and understanding vanish into nothingness when brought face to face with the resplendent glories of the Sun of Truth, the Day-star of divine enlightenment.
36	
That the term “sun” hath been applied to the leaders of religion is due to their lofty position, their fame, and renown. Such are the universally recognized divines of every age, who speak with authority, and whose fame is securely established. If they be in the likeness of the Sun of Truth, they will surely be accounted as the most exalted of all luminaries; otherwise, they are to be recognized as the focal centres of hellish fire. Even as He saith: “Verily, the sun and the moon are both condemned to the torment of infernal fire.” 24 You are no doubt familiar with the interpretation of the term “sun” and “moon” mentioned in this verse; no need therefore to refer unto it. And whosoever is of the element of this “sun” and “moon”, that is, followeth the example of these leaders in setting his face 38 towards falsehood and in turning away from the truth he undoubtedly cometh out of infernal gloom and returneth thereunto.
37	
And now, O seeker, it behooveth us firmly to cling unto the Urvatu’l-Vuthqá, that perchance we may leave behind the darksome night of error, and embrace the dawning light of divine guidance. Shall we not flee from the face of denial, and seek the sheltering shadow of certitude? Shall we not free ourselves from the horror of satanic gloom, and hasten towards the rising light of the heavenly Beauty? In such wise, we bestow upon you the fruit of the Tree of divine knowledge, that ye may gladly and joyously abide in the Riḍván of divine wisdom.
38	
In another sense, by the terms ‘sun’, ‘moon’, and ‘stars’ are meant such laws and teachings as have been established and proclaimed in every Dispensation, such as the laws of prayer and fasting. These have, according to the law of the Qur’án, been regarded, when the beauty of the Prophet Muḥammad had passed beyond the veil, as the most fundamental and binding laws of His dispensation. To this testify the texts of the traditions and chronicles, which, on account of their being widely 39 known, need not be referred to here. Nay rather, in every Dispensation the law concerning prayer hath been emphasized and universally enforced. To this testify the recorded traditions ascribed to the lights that have emanated from the Day-star of Truth, the essence of the Prophet Muḥammad.
39	
The traditions established the fact that in all Dispensations the law of prayer hath constituted a fundamental element of the Revelation of all the Prophets of God—a law the form and the manner of which hath been adapted to the varying requirements of every age. Inasmuch as every subsequent Revelation hath abolished the manners, habits, and teachings that have been clearly, specifically, and firmly established by the former Dispensation, these have accordingly been symbolically expressed in terms of ‘sun’ and ‘moon’. “That He might prove you, which of you excel in deeds.” 25
40	
Moreover, in the traditions the terms “sun” and “moon” have been applied to prayer and fasting, even as it is said: “Fasting is illumination, prayer is light.” One day, a well-known divine came to 40 visit Us. While We were conversing with him, he referred to the above-quoted tradition. He said: “Inasmuch as fasting causeth the heat of the body to increase, it hath therefore been likened unto the light of the sun; and as the prayer of the night-season refresheth man, it hath been compared unto the radiance of the moon.” Thereupon We realized that that poor man had not been favoured with a single drop of the ocean of true understanding, and had strayed far from the burning Bush of divine wisdom. We then politely observed to him saying: “The interpretation your honour hath given to this tradition is the one current amongst the people. Could it not be interpreted differently?” He asked Us: “What could it be?” We made reply: “Muḥammad, the Seal of the Prophets, and the most distinguished of God’s chosen Ones, hath likened the Dispensation of the Qur’án unto heaven, by reason of its loftiness, its paramount influence, its majesty, and the fact that it comprehendeth all religions. And as the sun and moon constitute the brightest and most prominent luminaries in the heavens, similarly in the heaven of the religion of God two shining orbs have been ordained—fasting and prayer. ‘Islám is heaven; fasting is its sun, prayer, its moon.’”
41	
This is the purpose underlying the symbolic words of the Manifestations of God. Consequently, the application of the terms “sun” and “moon” to the things already mentioned hath been demonstrated and justified by the text of the sacred verses and the recorded traditions. Hence, it is clear and manifest that by the words “the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven” is intended the waywardness of the divines, and the annulment of laws firmly established by divine Revelation, all of which, in symbolic language, have been foreshadowed by the Manifestation of God. None except the righteous shall partake of this cup, none but the godly can share therein. “The righteous shall drink of a cup tempered at the camphor fountain.” 1
42	
It is unquestionable that in every succeeding Revelation the “sun” and “moon” of the teachings, laws, commandments, and prohibitions which have been established in the preceding Dispensation, and which have overshadowed the people of that age, become darkened, that is, are exhausted, and cease to exert their influence. Consider now, 42 had the people of the Gospel recognized the meaning of the symbolic terms “sun” and “moon,” had they sought, unlike the froward and perverse, enlightenment from Him Who is the Revealer of divine knowledge, they would have surely comprehended the purpose of these terms, and would not have become afflicted and oppressed by the darkness of their selfish desires. Yea, but since they have failed to acquire true knowledge from its very Source, they have perished in the perilous vale of waywardness and misbelief. They still have not awakened to perceive that all the signs foretold have been made manifest, that the promised Sun hath risen above the horizon of divine Revelation, and that the “sun” and “moon” of the teachings, the laws, and learning of a former Dispensation have darkened and set.
43	
And now, with fixed gaze and steady wings enter thou the way of certitude and truth. “Say: It is God; then leave them to entertain themselves with their cavilings.” 2 Thus, wilt thou be accounted of those companions of whom He saith: “They that say ‘Our Lord is God,’ and continue steadfast in His way, upon them, verily, shall the 43 angels descend.” 3 Then shalt thou witness all these mysteries with thine own eyes.
44	
O my brother! Take thou the step of the spirit, so that, swift as the twinkling of an eye, thou mayest flash through the wilds of remoteness and bereavement, attain the Riḍván of everlasting reunion, and in one breath commune with the heavenly Spirits. For with human feet thou canst never hope to traverse these immeasurable distances, nor attain thy goal. Peace be upon him whom the light of truth guideth unto all truth, and who, in the name of God, standeth in the path of His Cause, upon the shore of true understanding.
45	
This is the meaning of the sacred verse: “But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests,” 4 inasmuch as the “Suns” referred to have each their own particular rising and setting place. And as the commentators of the Qur’án have failed to grasp the symbolic meaning of these “Suns,” they therefore were at pains to interpret the above-quoted verse. Some of them maintained that owing to the fact that the sun each day rises from a different 44 point, the terms “easts” and “wests” have been mentioned in the plural. Others have written that by this verse the four seasons of the year are intended, inasmuch as the dawning and setting points of the sun vary with the change of the seasons. Such is the depth of their understanding! None the less, they persist in imputing error and folly to those Gems of knowledge, those irreproachable and purest Symbols of wisdom.
46	
In like manner, strive thou to comprehend from these lucid, these powerful, conclusive, and unequivocal statements the meaning of the “cleaving of the heaven”—one of the signs that must needs herald the coming of the last Hour, the Day of Resurrection. As He hath said: “When the heaven shall be cloven asunder.” 5 By “heaven” is meant the heaven of divine Revelation, which is elevated with every Manifestation, and rent asunder with every subsequent one. By “cloven asunder” is meant that the former Dispensation is superseded and annulled. I swear by God! That this heaven being cloven asunder is, to the discerning, an act mightier than the cleaving of the skies! Ponder a while. That a divine Revelation which for years 45 hath been securely established; beneath whose shadow all who have embraced it have been reared and nurtured; by the light of whose law generations of men have been disciplined; the excellency of whose word men have heard recounted by their fathers; in such wise that human eye hath beheld naught but the pervading influence of its grace, and mortal ear hath heard naught but the resounding majesty of its command—what act is mightier than that such a Revelation should, by the power of God, be “cloven asunder” and be abolished at the appearance of one soul? Reflect, is this a mightier act than that which these abject and foolish men have imagined the “cleaving of the heaven” to mean?
47	
Moreover, consider the hardships and the bitterness of the lives of those Revealers of the divine Beauty. Reflect, how single-handed and alone they faced the world and all its peoples, and promulgated the Law of God! No matter how severe the persecutions inflicted upon those holy, those precious, and tender Souls, they still remained, in the plenitude of their power, patient, and, despite their ascendancy, they suffered and endured. 46
48	
In like manner, endeavour to comprehend the meaning of the “changing of the earth.” Know thou, that upon whatever hearts the bountiful showers of mercy, raining from the “heaven” of divine Revelation, have fallen, the earth of those hearts hath verily been changed into the earth of divine knowledge and wisdom. What myrtles of unity hath the soil of their hearts produced! What blossoms of true knowledge and wisdom hath their illumined bosoms yielded! Were the earth of their hearts to remain unchanged, how could such souls who have not been taught one letter, have seen no teacher, and entered no school, utter such words and display such knowledge as none can apprehend? Methinks they have been moulded from the clay of infinite knowledge, and kneaded with the water of divine wisdom. Therefore, hath it been said: “Knowledge is a light which God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth.” It is this kind of knowledge which is and hath ever been praiseworthy, and not the limited knowledge that hath sprung forth from veiled and obscured minds. This limited knowledge they even stealthily borrow one from the other, and vainly pride themselves therein! 47
49	
Would that the hearts of men could be cleansed from these man-made limitations and obscure thoughts imposed upon them! haply they may be illumined by the light of the Sun of true knowledge, and comprehend the mysteries of divine wisdom. Consider now, were the parched and barren soil of these hearts to remain unchanged, how could they ever become the Recipients of the revelation of the mysteries of God, and the Revealers of the divine Essence? Thus hath He said: “On the day when the earth shall be changed into another earth.” 6
50	
The breeze of the bounty of the King of creation hath caused even the physical earth to be changed, were ye to ponder in your hearts the mysteries of divine Revelation.
51	
And now, comprehend the meaning of this verse: “The whole earth shall on the Resurrection Day be but His handful, and in His right hand shall the heavens be folded together. Praise be to Him! and high be He uplifted above the partners they join with him!” 7 And now, be fair in thy judgment. Were this verse to have the meaning which men suppose it to have, of what profit, one 48 may ask, could it be to man? Moreover, it is evident and manifest that no such hand as could be seen by human eye could accomplish such deeds, or could possibly be ascribed to the exalted Essence of the one true God. Nay, to acknowledge such a thing is naught but sheer blasphemy, an utter perversion of the truth. And should it be supposed that by this verse are meant the Manifestations of God, Who will be called upon, on the Day of Judgment, to perform such deeds, this too seemeth far from the truth, and is surely of no profit. On the contrary, by the term “earth” is meant the earth of understanding and knowledge, and by “heavens” the heavens of divine Revelation. Reflect thou, how, in one hand, He hath, by His mighty grasp, turned the earth of knowledge and understanding, previously unfolded, into a mere handful, and, on the other, spread out a new and highly exalted earth in the hearts of men, thus causing the freshest and loveliest blossoms, and the mightiest and loftiest trees to spring forth from the illumined bosom of man.
52	
In like manner, reflect how the elevated heavens of the Dispensations of the past have, in the right hand of power, been folded together, how the 49 heavens of divine Revelation have been raised by the command of God, and been adorned by the sun, the moon, and stars of His wondrous commandments. Such are the mysteries of the Word of God, which have been unveiled and made manifest, that haply thou mayest apprehend the morning light of divine guidance, mayest quench, by the power of reliance and renunciation, the lamp of idle fancy, of vain imaginings, of hesitation, and doubt, and mayest kindle, in the inmost chamber of thine heart, the new-born light of divine knowledge and certitude.
53	
Know verily that the purpose underlying all these symbolic terms and abstruse allusions, which emanate from the Revealers of God’s holy Cause, hath been to test and prove the peoples of the world; that thereby the earth of the pure and illuminated hearts may be known from the perishable and barren soil. From time immemorial such hath been the way of God amidst His creatures, and to this testify the records of the sacred books.
54	
And likewise, reflect upon the revealed verse concerning the “Qiblih.” 8 When Muḥammad, 50 the Sun of Prophethood, had fled from the dayspring of Bathá 9 unto Yathrib, 10 He continued to turn His face, while praying, unto Jerusalem, the holy city, until the time when the Jews began to utter unseemly words against Him—words which if mentioned would ill befit these pages and would weary the reader. Muḥammad strongly resented these words. Whilst, wrapt in meditation and wonder, He was gazing toward heaven, He heard the kindly Voice of Gabriel, saying: “We behold Thee from above, turning Thy face to heaven; but We will have Thee turn to a Qiblih which shall please Thee.” 11 On a subsequent day, when the Prophet, together with His companions, was offering the noontide prayer, and had already performed two of the prescribed Rik’áts, 12 the Voice of Gabriel was heard again: “Turn Thou Thy face towards the sacred Mosque.” 13 , 14 In the midst of that same prayer, Muḥammad suddenly turned His face away from Jerusalem and faced the Ka‘bih. Whereupon, a profound dismay seized suddenly the companions of the Prophet. Their faith was 51 shaken severely. So great was their alarm, that many of them, discontinuing their prayer, apostatized their faith. Verily, God caused not this turmoil but to test and prove His servants. Otherwise, He, the ideal King, could easily have left the Qiblih unchanged, and could have caused Jerusalem to remain the Point of Adoration unto His Dispensation, thereby withholding not from that holy city the distinction of acceptance which had been conferred upon it.
55	
None of the many Prophets sent down, since Moses was made manifest, as Messengers of the Word of God, such as David, Jesus, and others among the more exalted Manifestations who have appeared during the intervening period between the Revelations of Moses and Muḥammad, ever altered the law of the Qiblih. These Messengers of the Lord of creation have, one and all, directed their peoples to turn unto the same direction. In the eyes of God, the ideal King, all the places of the earth are one and the same, excepting that place which, in the days of His Manifestations, He doth appoint for a particular purpose. Even as He hath revealed: “The East and West are God’s: therefore whichever way ye turn, there is the face 52 of God.” 15 Notwithstanding the truth of these facts, why should the Qiblih have been changed, thus casting such dismay amongst the people, causing the companions of the Prophet to waver, and throwing so great a confusion into their midst? Yea, such things as throw consternation into the hearts of all men come to pass only that each soul may be tested by the touchstone of God, that the true may be known and distinguished from the false. Thus hath He revealed after the breach amongst the people: “We did not appoint that which Thou wouldst have to be the Qiblih, but that We might know him who followeth the Apostle from him who turneth on his heels.” 16 “Affrighted asses fleeing from a lion.” 17
56	
Were you to ponder, but for a while, these utterances in your heart, you would surely find the portals of understanding unlocked before your face, and would behold all knowledge and the mysteries thereof unveiled before your eyes. Such things take place only that the souls of men may develop and be delivered from the prison-cage of self and desire. Otherwise, that ideal King hath, throughout 53 eternity, been in His Essence independent of the comprehension of all beings, and will continue, for ever, in His own Being to be exalted above the adoration of every soul. A single breeze of His affluence doth suffice to adorn all mankind with the robe of wealth; and one drop out of the ocean of His bountiful grace is enough to confer upon all beings the glory of everlasting life. But inasmuch as the divine Purpose hath decreed that the true should be known from the false, and the sun from the shadow, He hath, therefore, in every season sent down upon mankind the showers of tests from His realm of glory.
57	
Were men to meditate upon the lives of the Prophets of old, so easily would they come to know and understand the ways of these Prophets that they would cease to be veiled by such deeds and words as are contrary to their own worldly desires, and thus consume every intervening veil with the fire burning in the Bush of divine knowledge, and abide secure upon the throne of peace and certitude. For instance, consider Moses, son of ‘Imrán, one of the exalted Prophets and Author of a divinely-revealed Book. Whilst passing, one day, through the market, in His early days, ere His 54 ministry was proclaimed, He saw two men engaged in fighting. One of them asked the help of Moses against his opponent. Whereupon, Moses intervened and slew him. To this testifieth the record of the sacred Book. Should the details be cited, they will lengthen and interrupt the course of the argument. The report of this incident spread throughout the city, and Moses was full of fear, as is witnessed by the text of the Book. And when the warning: “O Moses! of a truth, the chiefs take counsel to slay Thee” 18 reached His ears, He went forth from the city, and sojourned in Midian in the service of Shoeb. While returning, Moses entered the holy vale, situate in the wilderness of Sinai, and there beheld the vision of the King of glory from the “Tree that belongeth neither to the East nor to the West.” 19 There He heard the soul-stirring Voice of the Spirit speaking from out of the kindled Fire, bidding Him to shed upon Pharaonic souls the light of divine guidance; so that, liberating them from the shadows of the valley of self and desire, He might enable them to attain the meads of heavenly delight, and delivering them, through the Salsabíl of renunciation, from the bewilderment of remoteness, cause them to enter 55 the peaceful city of the divine presence. When Moses came unto Pharaoh and delivered unto him, as bidden by God, the divine Message, Pharaoh spoke insultingly saying: “Art thou not he that committed murder, and became an infidel?” Thus recounted the Lord of majesty as having been said by Pharaoh unto Moses: “What a deed is that which Thou hast done! Thou art one of the ungrateful. He said: ‘I did it indeed, and I was one of those who erred. And I fled from you when I feared you, but My Lord hath given Me wisdom, and hath made Me one of His Apostles.’” 20
58	
And now ponder in thy heart the commotion which God stirreth up. Reflect upon the strange and manifold trials with which He doth test His servants. Consider how He hath suddenly chosen from among His servants, and entrusted with the exalted mission of divine guidance Him Who was known as guilty of homicide, Who, Himself, had acknowledged His cruelty, and Who for well-nigh thirty years had, in the eyes of the world, been reared in the home of Pharaoh and been nourished at his table. Was not God, the omnipotent King, able to withhold the hand of Moses from murder, 56 so that manslaughter should not be attributed unto Him, causing bewilderment and aversion among the people?
59	
Likewise, reflect upon the state and condition of Mary. So deep was the perplexity of that most beauteous countenance, so grievous her case, that she bitterly regretted she had ever been born. To this beareth witness the text of the sacred verse wherein it is mentioned that after Mary had given birth to Jesus, she bemoaned her plight and cried out: “O would that I had died ere this, and been a thing forgotten, forgotten quite!” 21 I swear by God! Such lamenting consumeth the heart and shaketh the being. Such consternation of soul, such despondency, could have been caused by no other than the censure of the enemy and the cavilings of the infidel and perverse. Reflect, what answer could Mary have given to the people around her? How could she claim that a Babe Whose father was unknown had been conceived of the Holy Ghost? Therefore did Mary, that veiled and immortal Countenance, take up her Child and return unto her home. No sooner had the eyes of the people fallen upon her than they raised their voice 57 saying: “O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of wickedness, nor unchaste thy mother.” 22
60	
And now, meditate upon this most great convulsion, this grievous test. Notwithstanding all these things, God conferred upon that essence of the Spirit, Who was known amongst the people as fatherless, the glory of Prophethood, and made Him His testimony unto all that are in heaven and on earth.
61	
Behold how contrary are the ways of the Manifestations of God, as ordained by the King of creation, to the ways and desires of men! As thou comest to comprehend the essence of these divine mysteries, thou wilt grasp the purpose of God, the divine Charmer, the Best-Beloved. Thou wilt regard the words and the deeds of that almighty Sovereign as one and the same; in such wise that whatsoever thou dost behold in His deeds, the same wilt thou find in His sayings, and whatsoever thou dost read in His sayings, that wilt thou recognize in His deeds. Thus it is that outwardly such deeds and words are the fire of vengeance unto the wicked, and inwardly the waters of mercy unto the righteous. Were the eye of the heart to open, it 58 would surely perceive that the words revealed from the heaven of the will of God are at one with, and the same as, the deeds that have emanated from the Kingdom of divine power.
62	
And now, take heed, O brother! If such things be revealed in this Dispensation, and such incidents come to pass, at the present time, what would the people do? I swear by Him Who is the true Educator of mankind and the Revealer of the Word of God that the people would instantly and unquestionably pronounce Him an infidel and would sentence Him to death. How far are they from hearkening unto the voice that declareth: Lo! a Jesus hath appeared out of the breath of the Holy Ghost, and a Moses summoned to a divinely-appointed task! Were a myriad voices to be raised, no ear would listen if We said that upon a fatherless Child hath been conferred the mission of Prophethood, or that a murderer hath brought from the flame of the burning Bush the message of “Verily, verily, I am God!”
63	
If the eye of justice be opened, it will readily recognize, in the light of that which hath been mentioned, that He, Who is the Cause and ultimate Purpose of all these things, is made manifest in this 59 day. Though similar events have not occurred in this Dispensation, yet the people still cling to such vain imaginings as are cherished by the reprobate. How grievous the charges brought against Him! How severe the persecutions inflicted upon Him—charges and persecutions the like of which men have neither seen nor heard!
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Great God! When the stream of utterance reached this stage, We beheld, and lo! the sweet savours of God were being wafted from the dayspring of Revelation, and the morning breeze was blowing out of the Sheba of the Eternal. Its tidings rejoiced anew the heart, and imparted immeasurable gladness to the soul. It made all things new, and brought unnumbered and inestimable gifts from the unknowable Friend. The robe of human praise can never hope to match Its noble stature, and Its shining figure the mantle of utterance can never fit. Without word It unfoldeth the inner mysteries, and without speech It revealeth the secrets of the divine sayings. It teacheth lamentation and moaning to the nightingales warbling upon the bough of remoteness and bereavement, instructeth them in the art of love’s ways, and showeth them the secret of heart-surrender. To the 60 flowers of the Riḍván of heavenly reunion It revealeth the endearments of the impassioned lover, and unveileth the charm of the fair. Upon the anemones of the garden of love It bestoweth the mysteries of truth, and within the breasts of lovers It entrusteth the symbols of the innermost subtleties. At this hour, so liberal is the outpouring of Its grace that the holy Spirit itself is envious! It hath imparted to the drop the waves of the sea, and endowed the mote with the splendour of the sun. So great are the overflowings of Its bounty that the foulest beetle hath sought the perfume of the musk, and the bat the light of the sun. It hath quickened the dead with the breath of life, and caused them to speed out of the sepulchres of their mortal bodies. It hath established the ignorant upon the seats of learning, and elevated the oppressor to the throne of justice.
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The universe is pregnant with these manifold bounties, awaiting the hour when the effects of Its unseen gifts will be made manifest in this world, when the languishing and sore athirst will attain the living Kawthar of their Well-Beloved, and the erring wanderer, lost in the wilds of remoteness and nothingness, will enter the tabernacle of life, 61 and attain reunion with his heart’s desire. In the soil of whose heart will these holy seeds germinate? From the garden of whose soul will the blossoms of the invisible realities spring forth? Verily, I say, so fierce is the blaze of the Bush of love, burning in the Sinai of the heart, that the streaming waters of holy utterance can never quench its flame. Oceans can never allay this Leviathan’s burning thirst, and this Phoenix of the undying fire can abide nowhere save in the glow of the countenance of the Well-Beloved. Therefore, O brother! kindle with the oil of wisdom the lamp of the spirit within the innermost chamber of thy heart, and guard it with the globe of understanding, that the breath of the infidel may extinguish not its flame nor dim its brightness. Thus have We illuminated the heavens of utterance with the splendours of the Sun of divine wisdom and understanding, that thy heart may find peace, that thou mayest be of those who, on the wings of certitude, have soared unto the heaven of the love of their Lord, the All-Merciful.
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And now, concerning His words: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven.” By these words it is meant that when the sun of 62 the heavenly teachings hath been eclipsed, the stars of the divinely-established laws have fallen, and the moon of true knowledge—the educator of mankind—hath been obscured; when the standards of guidance and felicity have been reversed, and the morn of truth and righteousness hath sunk in night, then shall the sign of the Son of man appear in heaven. By “heaven” is meant the visible heaven, inasmuch as when the hour draweth nigh on which the Day-star of the heaven of justice shall be made manifest, and the Ark of divine guidance shall sail upon the sea of glory, a star will appear in the heaven, heralding unto its people the advent of that most great light. In like manner, in the invisible heaven a star shall be made manifest who, unto the peoples of the earth, shall act as a harbinger of the break of that true and exalted Morn. These twofold signs, in the visible and the invisible heaven, have announced the Revelation of each of the Prophets of God, as is commonly believed.
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Among the Prophets was Abraham, the Friend of God. Ere He manifested Himself, Nimrod dreamed a dream. Thereupon, he summoned the soothsayers, who informed him of the rise of a star in the heaven. Likewise, there appeared a herald 63 who announced throughout the land the coming of Abraham.
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After Him came Moses, He Who held converse with God. The soothsayers of His time warned Pharaoh in these terms: “A star hath risen in the heaven, and lo! it foreshadoweth the conception of a Child Who holdeth your fate and the fate of your people in His hand.” In like manner, there appeared a sage who, in the darkness of the night, brought tidings of joy unto the people of Israel, imparting consolation to their souls, and assurance to their hearts. To this testify the records of the sacred books. Were the details to be mentioned, this epistle would swell into a book. Moreover, it is not Our wish to relate the stories of the days that are past. God is Our witness that what We even now mention is due solely to Our tender affection for thee, that haply the poor of the earth may attain the shores of the sea of wealth, the ignorant be led unto the ocean of divine knowledge, and they that thirst for understanding partake of the Salsabíl of divine wisdom. Otherwise, this servant regardeth the consideration of such records a grave mistake and a grievous transgression. 64
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In like manner, when the hour of the Revelation of Jesus drew nigh, a few of the Magi, aware that the star of Jesus had appeared in heaven, sought and followed it, till they came unto the city which was the seat of the Kingdom of Herod. The sway of his sovereignty in those days embraced the whole of that land.
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These Magi said: “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him!” 23 When they had searched, they found out that in Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, the Child had been born. This was the sign that was manifested in the visible heaven. As to the sign in the invisible heaven—the heaven of divine knowledge and understanding—it was Yaḥyá, son of Zachariah, who gave unto the people the tidings of the Manifestation of Jesus. Even as He hath revealed: “God announceth Yaḥyá to thee, who shall bear witness unto the Word from God, and a great one and chaste.” 24 By the term “Word” is meant Jesus, Whose coming Yaḥyá foretold. Moreover, in the heavenly Scriptures it is written: “John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and 65 saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 25 By John is meant Yaḥyá.
71	
Likewise, ere the beauty of Muḥammad was unveiled, the signs of the visible heaven were made manifest. As to the signs of the invisible heaven, there appeared four men who successively announced unto the people the joyful tidings of the rise of that divine Luminary. Rúz-bih, later named Salmán, was honoured by being in their service. As the end of one of these approached, he would send Rúz-bih unto the other, until the fourth who, feeling his death to be nigh, addressed Rúz-bih saying: “O Rúz-bih! when thou hast taken up my body and buried it, go to Ḥijáz for there the Day-star of Muḥammad will arise. Happy art thou, for thou shalt behold His face!”
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And now concerning this wondrous and most exalted Cause. Know thou verily that many an astronomer hath announced the appearance of its star in the visible heaven. Likewise, there appeared on earth Aḥmad and Kázim, 26 those twin resplendent lights—may God sanctify their resting-place! 66
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From all that We have stated it hath become clear and manifest that before the revelation of each of the Mirrors reflecting the divine Essence, the signs heralding their advent must needs be revealed in the visible heaven as well as in the invisible, wherein is the seat of the sun of knowledge, of the moon of wisdom, and of the stars of understanding and utterance. The sign of the invisible heaven must needs be revealed in the person of that perfect man who, before each Manifestation appeareth, educateth, and prepareth the souls of men for the advent of the divine Luminary, the Light of the unity of God amongst men.
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And now, with reference to His words: “And then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” These words signify that in those days men will lament the loss of the Sun of the divine beauty, of the Moon of knowledge, and of the Stars of divine wisdom. Thereupon, they will behold the countenance of the promised One, the adored Beauty, descending from heaven and riding upon the clouds. By this is meant that the divine Beauty will be made manifest from the heaven of the will of God, 67 and will appear in the form of the human temple. The term “heaven” denoteth loftiness and exaltation, inasmuch as it is the seat of the revelation of those Manifestations of Holiness, the Day-springs of ancient glory. These ancient Beings, though delivered from the womb of their mother, have in reality descended from the heaven of the will of God. Though they be dwelling on this earth, yet their true habitations are the retreats of glory in the realms above. Whilst walking amongst mortals, they soar in the heaven of the divine presence. Without feet they tread the path of the spirit, and without wings they rise unto the exalted heights of divine unity. With every fleeting breath they cover the immensity of space, and at every moment traverse the kingdoms of the visible and the invisible. Upon their thrones is written: “Nothing whatsoever keepeth Him from being occupied with any other thing;” and on their seats is inscribed: “Verily, His ways differ every day.” 27 They are sent forth through the transcendent power of the Ancient of Days, and are raised up by the exalted will of God, the most mighty King. This is what is meant by the words: “coming in the clouds of heaven.” 68
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In the utterances of the divine Luminaries the term “heaven” hath been applied to many and divers things; such as the “heaven of Command,” the “heaven of Will,” the “heaven of the divine Purpose,” the “heaven of divine Knowledge,” the “heaven of Certitude,” the “heaven of Utterance,” the “heaven of Revelation,” the “heaven of Concealment,” and the like. In every instance, He hath given the term “heaven” a special meaning, the significance of which is revealed to none save those that have been initiated into the divine mysteries, and have drunk from the chalice of immortal life. For example, He saith: “The heaven hath sustenance for you, and it containeth that which you are promised;” 28 whereas it is the earth that yieldeth such sustenance. Likewise, it hath been said: “The names come down from heaven;” whereas they proceed out of the mouth of men. Wert thou to cleanse the mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the all-embracing Word of God made manifest in every Dispensation, and wouldst discover the mysteries of divine knowledge. Not, however, until thou consumest with the flame of utter detachment those veils of 69 idle learning, that are current amongst men, canst thou behold the resplendent morn of true knowledge.
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Know verily that Knowledge is of two kinds: Divine and Satanic. The one welleth out from the fountain of divine inspiration; the other is but a reflection of vain and obscure thoughts. The source of the former is God Himself; the motive-force of the latter the whisperings of selfish desire. The one is guided by the principle: “Fear ye God; God will teach you;” 29 the other is but a confirmation of the truth: “Knowledge is the most grievous veil between man and his Creator.” The former bringeth forth the fruit of patience, of longing desire, of true understanding, and love; whilst the latter can yield naught but arrogance, vainglory and conceit. From the sayings of those Masters of holy utterance, Who have expounded the meaning of true knowledge, the odour of these dark teachings, which have obscured the world, can in no wise be detected. The tree of such teachings can yield no result except iniquity and rebellion, and beareth no fruit but hatred and envy. Its fruit is deadly poison; its shadow a consuming fire. How well hath it been said: “Cling unto the robe of the Desire of 70 thy heart, and put thou away all shame; bid the worldlywise be gone, however great their name.”
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The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings of men, and sanctified from every earthly affection, so that it may discover the hidden meaning of divine inspiration, and become the treasury of the mysteries of divine knowledge. Thus hath it been said: “He that treadeth the snow-white Path, and followeth in the footsteps of the Crimson Pillar, shall never attain unto his abode unless his hands are empty of those worldly things cherished by men.” This is the prime requisite of whosoever treadeth this path. Ponder thereon, that, with eyes unveiled, thou mayest perceive the truth of these words.
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We have digressed from the purpose of Our argument, although whatsoever is mentioned serveth only to confirm Our purpose. By God! however great Our desire to be brief, yet We feel We cannot restrain Our pen. Notwithstanding all that We have mentioned, how innumerable are the pearls which have remained unpierced in the shell of Our heart! How many the húrís of inner meaning that are as yet concealed within the chambers of divine wisdom! None hath yet approached 71 them;—húrís, “whom no man nor spirit hath touched before.” 30 Notwithstanding all that hath been said, it seemeth as if not one letter of Our purpose hath been uttered, nor a single sign divulged concerning Our object. When will a faithful seeker be found who will don the garb of pilgrimage, attain the Ka’bih of the heart’s desire, and, without ear or tongue, discover the mysteries of divine utterance?
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By these luminous, these conclusive, and lucid statements, the meaning of “heaven” in the aforementioned verse hath thus been made clear and evident. And now regarding His words, that the Son of man shall “come in the clouds of heaven.” By the term “clouds” is meant those things that are contrary to the ways and desires of men. Even as He hath revealed in the verse already quoted: “As oft as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, ye swell with pride, accusing some of being impostors and slaying others.” 31 These “clouds” signify, in one sense, the annulment of laws, the abrogation of former Dispensations, the repeal of rituals and customs current 72 amongst men, the exalting of the illiterate faithful above the learned opposers of the Faith. In another sense, they mean the appearance of that immortal Beauty in the image of mortal man, with such human limitations as eating and drinking, poverty and riches, glory and abasement, sleeping and waking, and such other things as cast doubt in the minds of men, and cause them to turn away. All such veils are symbolically referred to as “clouds.”
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These are the “clouds” that cause the heavens of the knowledge and understanding of all that dwell on earth to be cloven asunder. Even as He hath revealed: “On that day shall the heaven be cloven by the clouds.” 32 Even as the clouds prevent the eyes of men from beholding the sun, so do these things hinder the souls of men from recognizing the light of the divine Luminary. To this beareth witness that which hath proceeded out of the mouth of the unbelievers as revealed in the sacred Book: “And they have said: ‘What manner of apostle is this? He eateth food, and walketh the streets. Unless an angel be sent down and take part in His warnings, we will not believe.’” 33 Other 73 Prophets, similarly, have been subject to poverty and afflictions, to hunger, and to the ills and chances of this world. As these holy Persons were subject to such needs and wants, the people were, consequently, lost in the wilds of misgivings and doubts, and were afflicted with bewilderment and perplexity. How, they wondered, could such a person be sent down from God, assert His ascendancy over all the peoples and kindreds of the earth, and claim Himself to be the goal of all creation,—even as He hath said: “But for Thee, I would not have created all that are in heaven and on earth,”—and yet be subject to such trivial things? You must undoubtedly have been informed of the tribulations, the poverty, the ills, and the degradation that have befallen every Prophet of God and His companions. You must have heard how the heads of their followers were sent as presents unto different cities, how grievously they were hindered from that whereunto they were commanded. Each and every one of them fell a prey to the hands of the enemies of His Cause, and had to suffer whatsoever they decreed.
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It is evident that the changes brought about in every Dispensation constitute the dark clouds that 74 intervene between the eye of man’s understanding and the divine Luminary which shineth forth from the dayspring of the divine Essence. Consider how men for generations have been blindly imitating their fathers, and have been trained according to such ways and manners as have been laid down by the dictates of their Faith. Were these men, therefore, to discover suddenly that a Man, Who hath been living in their midst, Who, with respect to every human limitation, hath been their equal, had risen to abolish every established principle imposed by their Faith—principles by which for centuries they have been disciplined, and every opposer and denier of which they have come to regard as infidel, profligate and wicked,—they would of a certainty be veiled and hindered from acknowledging His truth. Such things are as “clouds” that veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not tasted the Salsabíl of detachment, nor drunk from the Kawthar of the knowledge of God. Such men, when acquainted with these circumstances, become so veiled that without the least question, they pronounce the Manifestation of God an infidel, and sentence Him to death. You must have heard of such things taking place all down the ages, and are now observing them in these days. 75
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It behooveth us, therefore, to make the utmost endeavour, that, by God’s invisible assistance, these dark veils, these clouds of Heaven-sent trials, may not hinder us from beholding the beauty of His shining Countenance, and that we may recognize Him only by His own Self. And should we ask for a testimony of His truth, we should content ourselves with one, and only one; that thereby we may attain unto Him Who is the Fountain-head of infinite grace, and in Whose presence all the world’s abundance fadeth into nothingness, that we may cease to cavil at Him every day and to cleave unto our own idle fancy.
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Gracious God! Notwithstanding the warning which, in marvelously symbolic language and subtle allusions, hath been uttered in days past, and which was intended to awaken the peoples of the world and to prevent them from being deprived of their share of the billowing ocean of God’s grace, yet such things as have already been witnessed have come to pass! Reference to these things hath also been made in the Qur’án, as witnessed by this verse: “What can such expect but that God should come down to them overshadowed with clouds?” 34 76 A number of the divines, who hold firmly to the letter of the Word of God, have come to regard this verse as one of the signs of that expected resurrection which is born of their idle fancy. This, notwithstanding the fact that similar references have been made in most of the heavenly Books, and have been recorded in all the passages connected with the signs of the coming Manifestation.
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Likewise, He saith: “On the day when the heaven shall give out a palpable smoke, which shall enshroud mankind: this will be an afflictive torment.” 35 The All-Glorious hath decreed these very things, that are contrary to the desires of wicked men, to be the touchstone and standard whereby He proveth His servants, that the just may be known from the wicked, and the faithful distinguished from the infidel. The symbolic term “smoke” denotes grave dissensions, the abrogation and demolition of recognized standards, and the utter destruction of their narrow-minded exponents. What smoke more dense and overpowering than the one which hath now enshrouded all the peoples of the world, which hath become a torment 77 unto them, and from which they hopelessly fail to deliver themselves, however much they strive? So fierce is this fire of self burning within them, that at every moment they seem to be afflicted with fresh torments. The more they are told that this wondrous Cause of God, this Revelation from the Most High, hath been made manifest to all mankind, and is waxing greater and stronger every day, the fiercer groweth the blaze of the fire in their hearts. The more they observe the indomitable strength, the sublime renunciation, the unwavering constancy of God’s holy companions, who, by the aid of God, are growing nobler and more glorious every day, the deeper the dismay which ravageth their souls. In these days, praise be to God, the power of His Word hath obtained such ascendancy over men, that they dare breathe no word. Were they to encounter one of the companions of God who, if he could, would, freely and joyously, offer up ten thousand lives as a sacrifice for his Beloved, so great would be their fear, that they forthwith would profess their faith in Him, whilst privily they would vilify and execrate His name! Even as He hath revealed: “And when they meet you, they say, ‘We believe’; but when they are apart, they bite their fingers’ ends at you, out of wrath. Say: 78 ‘Die in your wrath!’ God truly knoweth the very recesses of your breasts.” 36
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Ere long, thine eyes will behold the standards of divine power unfurled throughout all regions, and the signs of His triumphant might and sovereignty manifest in every land. As most of the divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these verses, and have not grasped the significance of the Day of Resurrection, they therefore have foolishly interpreted these verses according to their idle and faulty conception. The one true God is My witness! Little perception is required to enable them to gather from the symbolic language of these two verses all that We have purposed to propound, and thus to attain, through the grace of the All-Merciful, the resplendent morn of certitude. Such are the strains of celestial melody which the immortal Bird of Heaven, warbling upon the Sadrih of Bahá, poureth out upon thee, that, by the permission of God, thou mayest tread the path of divine knowledge and wisdom.
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And now, concerning His words: “And He shall send His angels….” By “angels” is meant those who, reinforced by the power of the spirit, have 79 consumed, with the fire of the love of God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings and of the Cherubim. That holy man, Ṣádiq, 37 in his eulogy of the Cherubim, saith: “There stand a company of our fellow-Shí’ihs behind the Throne.” Divers and manifold are the interpretations of the words “behind the Throne.” In one sense, they indicate that no true Shí’ihs exist. Even as he hath said in another passage: “A true believer is likened unto the philosopher’s stone.” Addressing subsequently his listener, he saith: “Hast thou ever seen the philosopher’s stone?” Reflect, how this symbolic language, more eloquent than any speech, however direct, testifieth to the non-existence of a true believer. Such is the testimony of Ṣádiq. And now consider, how unfair and numerous are those who, although they themselves have failed to inhale the fragrance of belief, have condemned as infidels those by whose word belief itself is recognized and established.
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And now, inasmuch as these holy beings have sanctified themselves from every human limitation, have become endowed with the attributes of the 80 spiritual, and have been adorned with the noble traits of the blessed, they therefore have been designated as “angels.” Such is the meaning of these verses, every word of which hath been expounded by the aid of the most lucid texts, the most convincing arguments, and the best established evidences.
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As the adherents of Jesus have never understood the hidden meaning of these words, and as the signs which they and the leaders of their Faith have expected have failed to appear, they therefore refused to acknowledge, even until now, the truth of those Manifestations of Holiness that have since the days of Jesus been made manifest. They have thus deprived themselves of the outpourings of God’s holy grace, and of the wonders of His divine utterance. Such is their low estate in this, the Day of Resurrection! They have even failed to perceive that were the signs of the Manifestation of God in every age to appear in the visible realm in accordance with the text of established traditions, none could possibly deny or turn away, nor would the blessed be distinguished from the miserable, and the transgressor from the God-fearing. Judge fairly: Were the prophecies recorded in the	
Gospel to be literally fulfilled; were Jesus, Son of Mary, accompanied by angels, to descend from the visible heaven upon the clouds; who would dare to disbelieve, who would dare to reject the truth, and wax disdainful? Nay, such consternation would immediately seize all the dwellers of the earth that no soul would feel able to utter a word, much less to reject or accept the truth. It was owing to their misunderstanding of these truths that many a Christian divine hath objected to Muḥammad, and voiced his protest in such words: “If Thou art in truth the promised Prophet, why then art Thou not accompanied by those angels our sacred Books foretold, and which must needs descend with the promised Beauty to assist Him in His Revelation and act as warners unto His people?” Even as the All-Glorious hath recorded their statement: “Why hath not an angel been sent down to him, so that he should have been a warner with Him?” 1
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Such objections and differences have persisted in every age and century. The people have always busied themselves with such specious discourses, vainly protesting: “Wherefore hath not this or that sign appeared?” Such ills befell them only because 82 they have clung to the ways of the divines of the age in which they lived, and blindly imitated them in accepting or denying these Essences of Detachment, these holy and divine Beings. These leaders, owing to their immersion in selfish desires, and their pursuit of transitory and sordid things, have regarded these divine Luminaries as being opposed to the standards of their knowledge and understanding, and the opponents of their ways and judgments. As they have literally interpreted the Word of God, and the sayings and traditions of the Letters of Unity, and expounded them according to their own deficient understanding, they have therefore deprived themselves and all their people of the bountiful showers of the grace and mercies of God. And yet they bear witness to this well-known tradition: “Verily Our Word is abstruse, bewilderingly abstruse.” In another instance, it is said: “Our Cause is sorely trying, highly perplexing; none can bear it except a favorite of heaven, or an inspired Prophet, or he whose faith God hath tested.” These leaders of religion admit that none of these three specified conditions is applicable to them. The first two conditions are manifestly beyond their reach; as to the third, it is evident that at no time have they been proof against 83 those tests that have been sent by God, and that when the divine Touchstone appeared, they have shown themselves to be naught but dross.
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Great God! Notwithstanding their acceptance of the truth of this tradition, these divines who are still doubtful of, and dispute about, the theological obscurities of their faith, yet claim to be the exponents of the subtleties of the law of God, and the expounders of the essential mysteries of His holy Word. They confidently assert that such traditions as indicate the advent of the expected Qá’im have not yet been fulfilled, whilst they themselves have failed to inhale the fragrance of the meaning of these traditions, and are still oblivious of the fact that all the signs foretold have come to pass, that the way of God’s holy Cause hath been revealed, and the concourse of the faithful, swift as lightning, are, even now, passing upon that way, whilst these foolish divines wait expecting to witness the signs foretold. Say, O ye foolish ones! Wait ye even as those before you are waiting!
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Were they to be questioned concerning those signs that must needs herald the revelation and rise of the sun of the Muḥammadan Dispensation, to which We have already referred, none of which 84 have been literally fulfilled, and were it to be said to them: “Wherefore have ye rejected the claims advanced by Christians and the peoples of other faiths and regard them as infidels,” knowing not what answer to give, they will reply: “These Books have been corrupted and are not, and never have been, of God.” Reflect: the words of the verses themselves eloquently testify to the truth that they are of God. A similar verse hath been also revealed in the Qur’án, were ye of them that comprehend. Verily I say, throughout all this period they have utterly failed to comprehend what is meant by corrupting the text.
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Yea, in the writings and utterances of the Mirrors reflecting the sun of the Muḥammadan Dispensation mention hath been made of “Modification by the exalted beings” and “alteration by the disdainful.” Such passages, however, refer only to particular cases. Among them is the story of Ibn-i-Suríyá. When the people of Khaybar asked the focal center of the Muḥammadan Revelation concerning the penalty of adultery committed between a married man and a married woman, Muḥammad answered and said: “The law of God is death by stoning.” Whereupon they protested saying: 85 “No such law hath been revealed in the Pentateuch.” Muḥammad answered and said: “Whom do ye regard among your rabbis as being a recognized authority and having a sure knowledge of the truth?” They agreed upon Ibn-i-Suríyá. Thereupon Muḥammad summoned him and said: “I adjure thee by God Who clove the sea for you, caused manna to descend upon you, and the cloud to overshadow you, Who delivered you from Pharaoh and his people, and exalted you above all human beings, to tell us what Moses hath decreed concerning adultery between a married man and a married woman.” He made reply: “O Muḥammad! death by stoning is the law.” Muḥammad observed: “Why is it then that this law is annulled and hath ceased to operate among the Jews?” He answered and said: “When Nebuchadnezzar delivered Jerusalem to the flames, and put the Jews to death, only a few survived. The divines of that age, considering the extremely limited number of the Jews, and the multitude of the Amalekites, took counsel together, and came to the conclusion that were they to enforce the law of the Pentateuch, every survivor who hath been delivered from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar would have to be put to death according to the verdict of the Book. Owing 86 to such considerations, they totally repealed the penalty of death.” Meanwhile Gabriel inspired Muḥammad’s illumined heart with these words: “They pervert the text of the Word of God.” 2
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This is one of the instances that have been referred to. Verily by “perverting” the text is not meant that which these foolish and abject souls have fancied, even as some maintain that Jewish and Christian divines have effaced from the Book such verses as extol and magnify the countenance of Muḥammad, and instead thereof have inserted the contrary. How utterly vain and false are these words! Can a man who believeth in a book, and deemeth it to be inspired by God, mutilate it? Moreover, the Pentateuch had been spread over the surface of the earth, and was not confined to Mecca and Medina, so that they could privily corrupt and pervert its text. Nay, rather, by corruption of the text is meant that in which all Muslim divines are engaged today, that is the interpretation of God’s holy Book in accordance with their idle imaginings and vain desires. And as the Jews, in the time of Muḥammad, interpreted those verses of the Pentateuch, that referred to His Manifestation, 87 after their own fancy, and refused to be satisfied with His holy utterance, the charge of “perverting” the text was therefore pronounced against them. Likewise, it is clear, how in this day, the people of the Qur’án have perverted the text of God’s holy Book, concerning the signs of the expected Manifestation, and interpreted it according to their inclination and desires.
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In yet another instance, He saith: “A part of them heard the Word of God, and then, after they had understood it, distorted it, and knew that they did so.” 3 This verse, too, doth indicate that the meaning of the Word of God hath been perverted, not that the actual words have been effaced. To the truth of this testify they that are sound of mind.
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Again in another instance, He saith: “Woe unto those who, with their own hands, transcribe the Book corruptly, and then say: ‘This is from God,’ that they may sell it for some mean price.” 4 This verse was revealed with reference to the divines and leaders of the Jewish Faith. These divines, in order to please the rich, acquire worldly emoluments, and give vent to their envy and misbelief, 88 wrote a number of treatises, refuting the claims of Muḥammad, supporting their arguments with such evidences as it would be improper to mention, and claimed that these arguments were derived from the text of the Pentateuch.
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The same may be witnessed today. Consider how abundant are the denunciations written by the foolish divines of this age against this most wondrous Cause! How vain their imaginings that these calumnies are in conformity with the verses of God’s sacred Book, and in consonance with the utterances of men of discernment!
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Our purpose in relating these things is to warn you that were they to maintain that those verses wherein the signs referred to in the Gospel are mentioned have been perverted, were they to reject them, and cling instead to other verses and traditions, you should know that their words were utter falsehood and sheer calumny. Yea “corruption” of the text, in the sense We have referred to, hath been actually effected in particular instances. A few of these We have mentioned, that it may become manifest to every discerning observer that unto a few untutored holy Men hath been given the mastery of human learning, so that the malevolent 89 opposer may cease to contend that a certain verse doth indicate “corruption” of the text, and insinuate that We, through lack of knowledge, have made mention of such things. Moreover, most of the verses that indicate “corruption” of the text have been revealed with reference to the Jewish people, were ye to explore the isles of Qur’ánic Revelation.
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We have also heard a number of the foolish of the earth assert that the genuine text of the heavenly Gospel doth not exist amongst the Christians, that it hath ascended unto heaven. How grievously they have erred! How oblivious of the fact that such a statement imputeth the gravest injustice and tyranny to a gracious and loving Providence! How could God, when once the Day-star of the beauty of Jesus had disappeared from the sight of His people, and ascended unto the fourth heaven, cause His holy Book, His most great testimony amongst His creatures, to disappear also? What would be left to that people to cling to from the setting of the day-star of Jesus until the rise of the sun of the Muḥammadan Dispensation? What law could be their stay and guide? How could such people be made the victims of the avenging wrath of God, 90 the omnipotent Avenger? How could they be afflicted with the scourge of chastisement by the heavenly King? Above all, how could the flow of the grace of the All-Bountiful be stayed? How could the ocean of His tender mercies be stilled? We take refuge with God, from that which His creatures have fancied about Him! Exalted is He above their comprehension!
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Dear friend! Now when the light of God’s everlasting Morn is breaking; when the radiance of His holy words: “God is the light of the heavens and of the earth” 5 is shedding illumination upon all mankind; when the inviolability of His tabernacle is being proclaimed by His sacred utterance: “God hath willed to perfect His light;” 6 and the Hand of omnipotence, bearing His testimony: “In His grasp He holdeth the kingdom of all things,” is being outstretched unto all the peoples and kindreds of the earth; it behooveth us to gird up the loins of endeavour, that haply, by the grace and bounty of God, we may enter the celestial City: “Verily, we are God’s,” and abide within the exalted habitation: “And unto Him we do return.” 91 It is incumbent upon thee, by the permission of God, to cleanse the eye of thine heart from the things of the world, that thou mayest realize the infinitude of divine knowledge, and mayest behold Truth so clearly that thou wilt need no proof to demonstrate His reality, nor any evidence to bear witness unto His testimony.
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O affectionate seeker! Shouldst thou soar in the holy realm of the spirit, thou wouldst recognize God manifest and exalted above all things, in such wise that thine eyes would behold none else but Him. “God was alone; there was none else besides Him.” So lofty is this station that no testimony can bear it witness, neither evidence do justice to its truth. Wert thou to explore the sacred domain of truth, thou wilt find that all things are known only by the light of His recognition, that He hath ever been, and will continue for ever to be, known through Himself. And if thou dwellest in the land of testimony, content thyself with that which He, Himself, hath revealed: “Is it not enough for them that We have sent down unto Thee the Book?” 7 This is the testimony which He, Himself, hath ordained; greater proof than this 92 there is none, nor ever will be: “This proof is His Word; His own Self, the testimony of His truth.”
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And now, We beseech the people of the Bayán, all the learned, the sages, the divines, and witnesses amongst them, not to forget the wishes and admonitions revealed in their Book. Let them, at all times, fix their gaze upon the essentials of His Cause, lest when He, Who is the Quintessence of truth, the inmost Reality of all things, the Source of all light, is made manifest, they cling unto certain passages of the Book, and inflict upon Him that which was inflicted in the Dispensation of the Qur’án. For, verily, powerful is He, the King of divine might, to extinguish with one letter of His wondrous words, the breath of life in the whole of the Bayán and the people thereof, and with one letter bestow upon them a new and everlasting life, and cause them to arise and speed out of the sepulchres of their vain and selfish desires. Take heed, and be watchful; and remember that all things have their consummation in belief in Him, in attainment unto His day, and in the realization of His divine presence. “There is no piety in turning your faces toward the east or toward the west, 93 but he is pious who believeth in God and the Last Day.” 8 Give ear, O people of the Bayán, unto the truth whereunto We have admonished you, that haply ye may seek the shelter of the shadow extended, in the Day of God, upon all mankind.
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Verily He Who is the Day-star of Truth and Revealer of the Supreme Being holdeth, for all time, undisputed sovereignty over all that is in heaven and on earth, though no man be found on earth to obey Him. He verily is independent of all earthly dominion, though He be utterly destitute. Thus We reveal unto thee the mysteries of the Cause of God, and bestow upon thee the gems of divine wisdom, that haply thou mayest soar on the wings of renunciation to those heights that are veiled from the eyes of men.
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THE significance and essential purpose underlying these words is to reveal and demonstrate unto the pure in heart and the sanctified in spirit that they Who are the Luminaries of truth and the Mirrors reflecting the light of divine Unity, in whatever age and cycle they are sent down from their invisible habitations of ancient glory unto this world, to educate the souls of men and endue with grace all created things, are invariably endowed with an all-compelling power, and invested with invincible sovereignty. For these hidden Gems, these concealed and invisible Treasures, in themselves manifest and vindicate the reality of these holy words: “Verily God doeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” 98
104	
To every discerning and illumined heart it is evident that God, the unknowable Essence, the divine Being, is immensely exalted beyond every human attribute, such as corporeal existence, ascent and descent, egress and regress. Far be it from His glory that human tongue should adequately recount His praise, or that human heart comprehend His fathomless mystery. He is and hath ever been veiled in the ancient eternity of His Essence, and will remain in His Reality everlastingly hidden from the sight of men. “No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision; He is the Subtile, the All-Perceiving.” 1 No tie of direct intercourse can possibly bind Him to His creatures. He standeth exalted beyond and above all separation and union, all proximity and remoteness. No sign can indicate His presence or His absence; inasmuch as by a word of His command all that are in heaven and on earth have come to exist, and by His wish, which is the Primal Will itself, all have stepped out of utter nothingness into the realm of being, the world of the visible.
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Gracious God! How could there be conceived any existing relationship or possible connection 99 between His Word and they that are created of it? The verse: “God would have you beware of Himself” 2 unmistakably beareth witness to the reality of Our argument, and the words: “God was alone; there was none else besides Him” are a sure testimony of its truth. All the Prophets of God and their chosen Ones, all the divines, the sages, and the wise of every generation, unanimously recognize their inability to attain unto the comprehension of that Quintessence of all truth, and confess their incapacity to grasp Him, Who is the inmost Reality of all things.
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The door of the knowledge of the Ancient of Days being thus closed in the face of all beings, the Source of infinite grace, according to His saying: “His grace hath transcended all things; My grace hath encompassed them all” hath caused those luminous Gems of Holiness to appear out of the realm of the spirit, in the noble form of the human temple, and be made manifest unto all men, that they may impart unto the world the mysteries of the unchangeable Being, and tell of the subtleties of His imperishable Essence. These sanctified Mirrors, these Day-springs of ancient glory are one and all the Exponents on earth of Him Who is the 100 central Orb of the universe, its Essence and ultimate Purpose. From Him proceed their knowledge and power; from Him is derived their sovereignty. The beauty of their countenance is but a reflection of His image, and their revelation a sign of His deathless glory. They are the Treasuries of divine knowledge, and the Repositories of celestial wisdom. Through them is transmitted a grace that is infinite, and by them is revealed the light that can never fade. Even as He hath said: “There is no distinction whatsoever between Thee and them; except that they are Thy servants, and are created of Thee.” This is the significance of the tradition: “I am He, Himself, and He is I, myself.”
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The traditions and sayings that bear direct reference to Our theme are divers and manifold; We have refrained from quoting them for the sake of brevity. Nay, whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth is a direct evidence of the revelation within it of the attributes and names of God, inasmuch as within every atom are enshrined the signs that bear eloquent testimony to the revelation of that most great Light. Methinks, but for the potency of that revelation, no being 101 could ever exist. How resplendent the luminaries of knowledge that shine in an atom, and how vast the oceans of wisdom that surge within a drop! To a supreme degree is this true of man, who, among all created things, hath been invested with the robe of such gifts, and hath been singled out for the glory of such distinction. For in him are potentially revealed all the attributes and names of God to a degree that no other created being hath excelled or surpassed. All these names and attributes are applicable to him. Even as He hath said: “Man is My mystery, and I am his mystery.” Manifold are the verses that have been repeatedly revealed in all the heavenly Books and the holy Scriptures, expressive of this most subtle and lofty theme. Even as He hath revealed: “We will surely show them Our signs in the world and within themselves.” 3 Again He saith: “And also in your own selves: will ye not then behold the signs of God?” 4 And yet again He revealeth: “And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom He hath therefore caused to forget their own selves.” 5 In this connection, He Who is the eternal King—may the souls of all that dwell within the mystic Tabernacle be 102 a sacrifice unto Him—hath spoken: “He hath known God who hath known himself.”
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I swear by God, O esteemed and honoured friend! Shouldst thou ponder these words in thine heart, thou wilt of a certainty find the doors of divine wisdom and infinite knowledge flung open before thy face.
109	
From that which hath been said it becometh evident that all things, in their inmost reality, testify to the revelation of the names and attributes of God within them. Each according to its capacity, indicateth, and is expressive of, the knowledge of God. So potent and universal is this revelation, that it hath encompassed all things, visible and invisible. Thus hath He revealed: “Hath aught else save Thee a power of revelation which is not possessed by Thee, that it could have manifested Thee? Blind is the eye which doth not perceive Thee.” Likewise, hath the eternal King spoken: “No thing have I perceived, except that I perceived God within it, God before it, or God after it.” Also in the tradition of Kumayl it is written: “Behold, a light hath shone forth out of the Morn of eternity, and lo! its waves have penetrated the inmost reality of all men.” Man, the noblest and 103 most perfect of all created things, excelleth them all in the intensity of this revelation, and is a fuller expression of its glory. And of all men, the most accomplished, the most distinguished and the most excellent are the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth. Nay, all else besides these Manifestations, live by the operation of their Will, and move and have their being through the outpourings of their grace. “But for Thee, I would have not created the heavens.” Nay, all in their holy presence fade into utter nothingness, and are a thing forgotten. Human tongue can never befittingly sing their praise, and human speech can never unfold their mystery. These Tabernacles of holiness, these primal Mirrors which reflect the light of unfading glory, are but expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the Invisibles. By the revelation of these gems of divine virtue all the names and attributes of God, such as knowledge and power, sovereignty and dominion, mercy and wisdom, glory, bounty and grace, are made manifest.
110	
These attributes of God are not and have never been vouchsafed specially unto certain Prophets, and withheld from others. Nay, all the Prophets of God, His well-favoured, His holy, and chosen 104 Messengers, are, without exception, the bearers of His names, and the embodiments of His attributes. They only differ in the intensity of their revelation, and the comparative potency of their light. Even as He hath revealed: “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others.” 6 It hath therefore become manifest and evident that within the tabernacles of these Prophets and chosen Ones of God the light of His infinite names and exalted attributes hath been reflected, even though the light of some of these attributes may or may not be outwardly revealed from these luminous Temples to the eyes of men. That a certain attribute of God hath not been outwardly manifested by these Essences of Detachment doth in no wise imply that they Who are the Daysprings of God’s attributes and the Treasuries of His holy names did not actually possess it. Therefore, these illuminated Souls, these beauteous Countenances have, each and every one of them, been endowed with all the attributes of God, such as sovereignty, dominion, and the like, even though to outward seeming they be shorn of all earthly majesty. To every discerning eye this is evident and manifest; it requireth neither proof nor evidence. 105
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Yea, inasmuch as the peoples of the world have failed to seek from the luminous and crystal Springs of divine knowledge the inner meaning of God’s holy words, they therefore have languished, stricken and sore athirst, in the vale of idle fancy and waywardness. They have strayed far from the fresh and thirst-subduing waters, and gathered round the salt that burneth bitterly. Concerning them, the Dove of Eternity hath spoken: “And if they see the path of righteousness, they will not take it for their path; but if they see the path of error, for their path will they take it. This, because they treated Our signs as lies, and were heedless of them.” 7
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To this testifieth that which hath been witnessed in this wondrous and exalted Dispensation. Myriads of holy verses have descended from the heaven of might and grace, yet no one hath turned thereunto, nor ceased to cling to those words of men, not one letter of which they that have spoken them comprehend. For this reason the people have doubted incontestable truths, such as these, and caused themselves to be deprived of the Riḍván of 106 divine knowledge, and the eternal meads of celestial wisdom.
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And now, to resume Our argument concerning the question: Why is it that the sovereignty of the Qá’im, affirmed in the text of recorded traditions, and handed down by the shining stars of the Muḥammadan Dispensation, hath not in the least been made manifest? Nay, the contrary hath come to pass. Have not His disciples and companions been afflicted of men? Are they not still the victims of the fierce opposition of their enemies? Are they not today leading the life of abased and impotent mortals? Yea, the sovereignty attributed to the Qá’im and spoken of in the scriptures, is a reality, the truth of which none can doubt. This sovereignty, however, is not the sovereignty which the minds of men have falsely imagined. Moreover, the Prophets of old, each and every one, whenever announcing to the people of their day the advent of the coming Revelation, have invariably and specifically referred to that sovereignty with which the promised Manifestation must needs be invested. This is attested by the records of the scriptures of the past. This sovereignty hath not been solely and exclusively attributed 107 to the Qá’im. Nay rather, the attribute of sovereignty and all other names and attributes of God have been and will ever be vouchsafed unto all the Manifestations of God, before and after Him, inasmuch as these Manifestations, as it hath already been explained, are the Embodiments of the attributes of God, the Invisible, and the Revealers of the divine mysteries.
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Furthermore, by sovereignty is meant the all-encompassing, all-pervading power which is inherently exercised by the Qá’im whether or not He appear to the world clothed in the majesty of earthly dominion. This is solely dependent upon the will and pleasure of the Qá’im Himself. You will readily recognize that the terms sovereignty, wealth, life, death, judgment and resurrection, spoken of by the scriptures of old, are not what this generation hath conceived and vainly imagined. Nay, by sovereignty is meant that sovereignty which in every dispensation resideth within, and is exercised by, the person of the Manifestation, the Day-star of Truth. That sovereignty is the spiritual ascendancy which He exerciseth to the fullest degree over all that is in heaven and on earth, and which in due time revealeth itself to the world in 108 direct proportion to its capacity and spiritual receptiveness, even as the sovereignty of Muḥammad, the Messenger of God, is today apparent and manifest amongst the people. You are well aware of what befell His Faith in the early days of His dispensation. What woeful sufferings did the hand of the infidel and erring, the divines of that age and their associates, inflict upon that spiritual Essence, that most pure and holy Being! How abundant the thorns and briars which they have strewn over His path! It is evident that wretched generation, in their wicked and satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal Being as a means to the attainment of an abiding felicity; inasmuch as the recognized divines of that age, such as ‘Abdu’lláh-i-Ubayy, Abú-‘Amír, the hermit, Ka’b-Ibn-i-Ashraf, and Nadr-Ibn-i-Hárith, all treated Him as an impostor, and pronounced Him a lunatic and a calumniator. Such sore accusations they brought against Him that in recounting them God forbiddeth the ink to flow, Our pen to move, or the page to bear them. These malicious imputations provoked the people to arise and torment Him. And how fierce that torment if the divines of the age be its chief instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers, cast Him out from their 109 midst, and declare Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this Servant, and been witnessed by all?
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For this reason did Muḥammad cry out: “No Prophet of God hath suffered such harm as I have suffered.” And in the Qur’án are recorded all the calumnies and reproaches uttered against Him, as well as all the afflictions which He suffered. Refer ye thereunto, that haply ye may be informed of that which hath befallen His Revelation. So grievous was His plight, that for a time all ceased to hold intercourse with Him and His companions. Whoever associated with Him fell a victim to the relentless cruelty of His enemies.
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We shall cite in this connection only one verse of that Book. Shouldst thou observe it with a discerning eye, thou wilt, all the remaining days of thy life, lament and bewail the injury of Muḥammad, that wronged and oppressed Messenger of God. That verse was revealed at a time when Muḥammad languished weary and sorrowful beneath the weight of the opposition of the people, and of their unceasing torture. In the midst of His agony, the Voice of Gabriel, calling from the Sadratu’l-Muntahá, was heard saying: “But if their opposition 110 be grievous to Thee—if Thou canst, seek out an opening into the earth or a ladder into heaven.” 8 The implication of this utterance is that His case had no remedy, that they would not withhold their hands from Him unless He should hide Himself beneath the depths of the earth, or take His flight unto heaven.
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Consider, how great is the change today! Behold, how many are the Sovereigns who bow the knee before His name! How numerous the nations and kingdoms who have sought the shelter of His shadow, who bear allegiance to His Faith, and pride themselves therein! From the pulpit-top there ascendeth today the words of praise which, in utter lowliness, glorify His blessed name; and from the heights of minarets there resoundeth the call that summoneth the concourse of His people to adore Him. Even those Kings of the earth who have refused to embrace His Faith and to put off the garment of unbelief, none the less confess and acknowledge the greatness and overpowering majesty of that Day-star of loving kindness. Such is His earthly sovereignty, the evidences of which thou dost on every side behold. This sovereignty 111 must needs be revealed and established either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after His ascension unto His true habitation in the realms above. What thou dost witness today is but a confirmation of this truth. That spiritual ascendency, however, which is primarily intended, resideth within, and revolveth around Them from eternity even unto eternity. It can never for a moment be divorced from Them. Its dominion hath encompassed all that is in heaven and on earth.
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The following is an evidence of the sovereignty exercised by Muḥammad, the Day-star of Truth. Hast thou not heard how with one single verse He hath sundered light from darkness, the righteous from the ungodly, and the believing from the infidel? All the signs and allusions concerning the Day of Judgment, which thou hast heard, such as the raising of the dead, the Day of Reckoning, the Last Judgment, and others have been made manifest through the revelation of that verse. These revealed words were a blessing to the righteous who on hearing them exclaimed: “O God our Lord, we have heard, and obeyed.” They were a curse to the people of iniquity who, on hearing them affirmed: “We have heard and rebelled.” Those 112 words, sharp as the sword of God, have separated the faithful from the infidel, and severed father from son. Thou hast surely witnessed how they that have confessed their faith in Him and they that rejected Him have warred against each other, and sought one another’s property. How many fathers have turned away from their sons; how many lovers have shunned their beloved! So mercilessly trenchant was this wondrous sword of God that it cleft asunder every relationship! On the other hand, consider the welding power of His Word. Observe, how those in whose midst the Satan of self had for years sown the seeds of malice and hate became so fused and blended through their allegiance to this wondrous and transcendent Revelation that it seemed as if they had sprung from the same loins. Such is the binding force of the Word of God, which uniteth the hearts of them that have renounced all else but Him, who have believed in His signs, and quaffed from the Hand of glory the Kawthar of God’s holy grace. Furthermore, how numerous are those peoples of divers beliefs, of conflicting creeds, and opposing temperaments, who, through the reviving fragrance of the Divine springtime, breathing from the Riḍván of God, have been arrayed with the new robe of 113 divine Unity, and have drunk from the cup of His singleness!
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This is the significance of the well-known words: “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together.” 9 Behold the ignorance and folly of those who, like the nations of old, are still expecting to witness the time when these beasts will feed together in one pasture! Such is their low estate. Methinks, never have their lips touched the cup of understanding, neither have their feet trodden the path of justice. Besides, of what profit would it be to the world were such a thing to take place? How well hath He spoken concerning them: “Hearts have they, with which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not!” 10
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Consider how with this one verse which hath descended from the heaven of the Will of God, the world and all that is therein have been brought to a reckoning with Him. Whosoever acknowledged His truth and turned unto Him, his good works outweighed his misdeeds, and all his sins were remitted and forgiven. Thereby is the truth of these words concerning Him made manifest: “Swift is 114 He in reckoning.” Thus God turneth iniquity into righteousness, were ye to explore the realms of divine knowledge, and fathom the mysteries of His wisdom. In like manner, whosoever partook of the cup of love, obtained his portion of the ocean of eternal grace and of the showers of everlasting mercy, and entered into the life of faith—the heavenly and everlasting life. But he that turned away from that cup was condemned to eternal death. By the terms “life” and “death,” spoken of in the scriptures, is intended the life of faith and the death of unbelief. The generality of the people, owing to their failure to grasp the meaning of these words, rejected and despised the person of the Manifestation, deprived themselves of the light of His divine guidance, and refused to follow the example of that immortal Beauty.
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When the light of Qur’ánic Revelation was kindled within the chamber of Muḥammad’s holy heart, He passed upon the people the verdict of the Last Day, the verdict of resurrection, of judgment, of life, and of death. Thereupon the standards of revolt were hoisted, and the doors of derision opened. Thus hath He, the Spirit of God, recorded, as spoken by the infidels: “And if thou 115 shouldst say, ‘After death ye shall surely be raised again,’ the infidels will certainly exclaim, ‘This is nothing but manifest sorcery.’” 11 Again He speaketh: “If ever thou dost marvel, marvellous surely is their saying, ‘What! When we have become dust, shall we be restored in a new creation?’” 12 Thus, in another passage, He wrathfully exclaimeth: “Are We wearied out with the first creation? Yet are they in doubt with regard to a new creation!” 13
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As the commentators of the Qur’án and they that follow the letter thereof misapprehended the inner meaning of the words of God and failed to grasp their essential purpose, they sought to demonstrate that, according to the rules of grammar, whenever the term “idhá” (meaning “if” or “when”) precedeth the past tense, it invariably hath reference to the future. Later, they were sore perplexed in attempting to explain those verses of the Book wherein that term did not actually occur. Even as He hath revealed: “And there was a blast on the trumpet,—lo! it is the threatened Day! And every soul is summoned to a reckoning,—with 116 him an impeller and a witness.” 14 In explaining this and similar verses, they have in some cases argued that the term “idhá” is implied. In other instances, they have idly contended that whereas the Day of Judgment is inevitable, it hath therefore been referred to as an event not of the future but of the past. How vain their sophistry! How grievous their blindness! They refuse to recognize the trumpet-blast which so explicitly in this text was sounded through the revelation of Muḥammad. They deprive themselves of the regenerating Spirit of God that breathed into it, and foolishly expect to hear the trumpet-sound of the Seraph of God who is but one of His servants! Hath not the Seraph himself, the angel of the Judgment Day, and his like been ordained by Muḥammad’s own utterance? Say: What! Will ye give that which is for your good in exchange for that which is evil? Wretched is that which ye have falsely exchanged! Surely ye are a people, evil, in grievous loss.
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Nay, by “trumpet” is meant the trumpet-call of Muḥammad’s Revelation, which was sounded in the heart of the universe, and by “resurrection” is meant His own rise to proclaim the Cause of God. 117 He bade the erring and wayward arise and speed out of the sepulchres of their bodies, arrayed them with the beauteous robe of faith, and quickened them with the breath of a new and wondrous life. Thus at the hour when Muḥammad, that divine Beauty, purposed to unveil one of the mysteries hidden in the symbolic terms “resurrection,” “judgment,” “paradise,” and “hell,” Gabriel, the Voice of Inspiration, was heard saying: “Erelong will they wag their heads at Thee, and say, ‘When shall this be?’ Say: ‘Perchance it is nigh.’” 15 The implications of this verse alone suffice the peoples of the world, were they to ponder it in their hearts.
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Gracious God! How far have that people strayed from the way of God! Although the Day of Resurrection was ushered in through the Revelation of Muḥammad, although His light and tokens had encompassed the earth and all that is therein, yet that people derided Him, gave themselves up to those idols which the divines of that age, in their vain and idle fancy, had conceived, and deprived themselves of the light of heavenly grace and of the showers of divine mercy. Yea, the abject beetle can never scent the fragrance of holiness, and the 118 bat of darkness can never face the splendour of the sun.
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Such things have come to pass in the days of every Manifestation of God. Even as Jesus said: “Ye must be born again.” 16 Again He saith: “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” 17 The purport of these words is that whosoever in every dispensation is born of the Spirit and is quickened by the breath of the Manifestation of Holiness, he verily is of those that have attained unto “life” and “resurrection” and have entered into the “paradise” of the love of God. And whosoever is not of them, is condemned to “death” and “deprivation,” to the “fire” of unbelief, and to the “wrath” of God. In all the scriptures, the books and chronicles, the sentence of death, of fire, of blindness, of want of understanding and hearing, hath been pronounced against those whose lips have tasted not the ethereal cup of true knowledge, and whose hearts have been deprived of the grace of the holy Spirit in their day. 119 Even as it hath been previously recorded: “Hearts have they with which they understand not.” 18
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In another passage of the Gospel it is written: “And it came to pass that on a certain day the father of one of the disciples of Jesus had died. That disciple reporting the death of his father unto Jesus, asked for leave to go and bury him. Whereupon, Jesus, that Essence of Detachment, answered and said: “Let the dead bury their dead.” 19
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In like manner, two of the people of Kúfih went to ‘Alí, the Commander of the Faithful. One owned a house and wished to sell it; the other was to be the purchaser. They had agreed that this transaction should be effected and the contract be written with the knowledge of ‘Alí. He, the exponent of the law of God, addressing the scribe, said: “Write thou: ‘A dead man hath bought from another dead man a house. That house is bounded by four limits. One extendeth toward the tomb, the other to the vault of the grave, the third to the Ṣiráṭ, the fourth to either Paradise or hell.’” Reflect, had these two souls been quickened by the trumpet-call of ‘Alí, had they risen from the grave 120 of error by the power of his love, the judgment of death would certainly not have been pronounced against them.
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In every age and century, the purpose of the Prophets of God and their chosen ones hath been no other but to affirm the spiritual significance of the terms “life,” “resurrection,” and “judgment.” If one will ponder but for a while this utterance of ‘Alí in his heart, one will surely discover all mysteries hidden in the terms “grave,” “tomb,” “ṣiraṭ,” “paradise” and “hell.” But oh! how strange and pitiful! Behold, all the people are imprisoned within the tomb of self, and lie buried beneath the nethermost depths of worldly desire! Wert thou to attain to but a dewdrop of the crystal waters of divine knowledge, thou wouldst readily realize that true life is not the life of the flesh but the life of the spirit. For the life of the flesh is common to both men and animals, whereas the life of the spirit is possessed only by the pure in heart who have quaffed from the ocean of faith and partaken of the fruit of certitude. This life knoweth no death, and this existence is crowned by immortality. Even as it hath been said: “He who is a true believer liveth both in this world and in the world to come.”
If by “life” be meant this earthly life, it is evident that death must needs overtake it.
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Similarly, the records of all the scriptures bear witness to this lofty truth and this most exalted word. Moreover, this verse of the Qur’án, revealed concerning Hamzih, the “Prince of Martyrs,” 1 and Abú-Jahl, is a luminous evidence and sure testimony of the truth of Our saying: “Shall the dead, whom We have quickened, and for whom We have ordained a light whereby he may walk among men, be like him, whose likeness is in the darkness, whence he will not come forth?” 2 This verse descended from the heaven of the Primal Will at a time when Hamzih had already been invested with the sacred mantle of faith, and Abú-Jahl had waxed relentless in his opposition and unbelief. From the Wellspring of omnipotence and the Source of eternal holiness, there came the judgment that conferred everlasting life upon Hamzih, and condemned Abú-Jahl to eternal damnation. This was the signal that caused the fires of unbelief to glow with the hottest flame in the heart of the infidels, and provoked them openly to repudiate 122 His truth. They loudly clamoured: “When did Hamzih die? When was he risen? At what hour was such a life conferred upon him?” As they understood not the significance of these noble sayings, nor sought enlightenment from the recognized expounders of the Faith, that these might confer a sprinkling of the Kawthar of divine knowledge upon them, therefore such fires of mischief were kindled amongst men.
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Thou dost witness today how, notwithstanding the radiant splendour of the Sun of divine knowledge, all the people, whether high or low, have clung to the ways of those abject manifestations of the Prince of Darkness. They continually appeal to them for aid in unraveling the intricacies of their Faith, and, owing to lack of knowledge, they make such replies as can in no wise damage their fame and fortune. It is evident that these souls, vile and miserable as the beetle itself, have had no portion of the musk-laden breeze of eternity, and have never entered the Ridván of heavenly delight. How, therefore, can they impart unto others the imperishable fragrance of holiness? Such is their way, and such will it remain for ever. Only those will attain to the knowledge of the Word of God 123 that have turned unto Him, and repudiated the manifestations of Satan. Thus God hath reaffirmed the law of the day of His Revelation, and inscribed it with the pen of power upon the mystic Tablet hidden beneath the veil of celestial glory. Wert thou to heed these words, wert thou to ponder their outward and inner meaning in thy heart, thou wouldst seize the significance of all the abstruse problems which, in this day, have become insuperable barriers between men and the knowledge of the Day of Judgment. Then wilt thou have no more questions to perplex thee. We fain would hope that, God willing, thou wilt not return, deprived and still athirst, from the shores of the ocean of divine mercy, nor come back destitute from the imperishable Sanctuary of thy heart’s desire. Let it now be seen what thy search and endeavours will achieve.
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To resume: Our purpose in setting forth these truths hath been to demonstrate the sovereignty of Him Who is the King of kings. Be fair: Is this sovereignty which, through the utterance of one Word, hath manifested such pervading influence, ascendancy, and awful majesty, is this sovereignty superior, or is the worldly dominion of these kings 124 of the earth who, despite their solicitude for their subjects and their help of the poor, are assured only of an outward and fleeting allegiance, while in the hearts of men they inspire neither affection nor respect? Hath not that sovereignty, through the potency of one word, subdued, quickened, and revitalized the whole world? What! Can the lowly dust compare with Him Who is the Lord of Lords? What tongue dare utter the immensity of difference that lieth between them? Nay, all comparison falleth short in attaining the hallowed sanctuary of His sovereignty. Were man to reflect, he would surely perceive that even the servant of His threshold ruleth over all created things! This hath already been witnessed, and will in future be made manifest.
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This is but one of the meanings of the spiritual sovereignty which We have set forth in accordance with the capacity and receptiveness of the people. For He, the Mover of all beings, that glorified Countenance, is the source of such potencies as neither this wronged One can reveal, nor this unworthy people comprehend. Immensely exalted is He above men’s praise of His sovereignty; glorified is He beyond that which they attribute unto Him! 125
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And now, ponder this in thine heart: Were sovereignty to mean earthly sovereignty and worldly dominion, were it to imply the subjection and external allegiance of all the peoples and kindreds of the earth—whereby His loved ones should be exalted and be made to live in peace, and His enemies be abased and tormented—such form of sovereignty would not be true of God Himself, the Source of all dominion, Whose majesty and power all things testify. For, dost thou not witness how the generality of mankind is under the sway of His enemies? Have they not all turned away from the path of His good-pleasure? Have they not done that which He hath forbidden, and left undone, nay repudiated and opposed, those things which He hath commanded? Have not His friends ever been the victims of the tyranny of His foes? All these things are more obvious than even the splendour of the noon-tide sun.
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Know, therefore, O questioning seeker, that earthly sovereignty is of no worth, nor will it ever be, in the eyes of God and His chosen Ones. Moreover, if ascendency and dominion be interpreted to mean earthly supremacy and temporal power, how impossible will it be for thee to explain these 126 verses: “And verily Our host shall conquer.” 3 “Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: But God hath willed to perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it.” 4 “He is the Dominant, above all things.” Similarly, most of the Qur’án testifieth to this truth.
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Were the idle contention of these foolish and despicable souls to be true, they would have none other alternative than to reject all these holy utterances and heavenly allusions. For no warrior could be found on earth more excellent and nearer to God than Husayn, son of ‘Alí, so peerless and incomparable was he. “There was none to equal or to match him in the world.” Yet, thou must have heard what befell him. “God’s malison on the head of the people of tyranny!” 5
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Were the verse “And verily Our host shall conquer” to be literally interpreted, it is evident that it would in no wise be applicable to the chosen Ones of God and His hosts, inasmuch as Husayn, whose heroism was manifest as the sun, crushed and subjugated, quaffed at last the cup of martyrdom in Karbilá, the land of Táff. Similarly, the 127 sacred verse “Fain would they put out God’s light with their mouths: But God hath willed to perfect His light, albeit the infidels abhor it.” Were it to be literally interpreted it would never correspond with the truth. For in every age the light of God hath, to outward seeming, been quenched by the peoples of the earth, and the Lamps of God extinguished by them. How then could the ascendancy of the sovereignty of these Lamps be explained? What could the potency of God’s will to “perfect His light” signify? As hath already been witnessed, so great was the enmity of the infidels, that none of these divine Luminaries ever found a place for shelter, or tasted of the cup of tranquillity. So heavily were they oppressed, that the least of men inflicted upon these Essences of being whatsoever he listed. These sufferings have been observed and measured by the people. How, therefore, can such people be capable of understanding and expounding these words of God, these verses of everlasting glory?
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But the purpose of these verses is not what they have imagined. Nay, the terms “ascendancy,” “power,” and “authority” imply a totally different station and meaning. For instance, consider the 128 pervading power of those drops of the blood of Husayn which besprinkled the earth. What ascendancy and influence hath the dust itself, through the sacredness and potency of that blood, exercised over the bodies and souls of men! So much so, that he who sought deliverance from his ills, was healed by touching the dust of that holy ground, and whosoever, wishing to protect his property, treasured with absolute faith and understanding, a little of that holy earth within his house, safeguarded all his possessions. These are the outward manifestations of its potency. And were We to recount its hidden virtues they would assuredly say: “He verily hath considered the dust to be the Lord of Lords, and hath utterly forsaken the Faith of God.”
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Furthermore, call to mind the shameful circumstances that have attended the martyrdom of Husayn. Reflect upon his loneliness, how, to outer seeming, none could be found to aid him, none to take up his body and bury it. And yet, behold how numerous, in this day, are those who from the uttermost corners of the earth don the garb of pilgrimage, seeking the site of his martyrdom, that there they may lay their heads upon the threshold 129 of his shrine! Such is the ascendancy and power of God! Such is the glory of His dominion and majesty!
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Think not that because these things have come to pass after Husayn’s martyrdom, therefore all this glory hath been of no profit unto him. For that holy soul is immortal, liveth the life of God, and abideth within the retreats of celestial glory upon the Sadrih of heavenly reunion. These Essences of being are the shining Exemplars of sacrifice. They have offered, and will continue to offer up their lives, their substance, their souls, their spirit, their all, in the path of the Well-Beloved. By them, no station, however exalted, could be more dearly cherished. For lovers have no desire but the good-pleasure of their Beloved, and have no aim except reunion with Him.
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Should We wish to impart unto thee a glimmer of the mysteries of Husayn’s martyrdom, and reveal unto thee the fruits thereof, these pages could never suffice, nor exhaust their meaning. Our hope is that, God willing, the breeze of mercy may blow, and the divine Springtime clothe the tree of being with the robe of a new life; so that we may discover the mysteries of divine Wisdom, and, 130 through His providence, be made independent of the knowledge of all things. We have, as yet, descried none but a handful of souls, destitute of all renown, who have attained unto this station. Let the future disclose what the Judgment of God will ordain, and the Tabernacle of His decree reveal. In such wise We recount unto thee the wonders of the Cause of God, and pour out into thine ears the strains of heavenly melody, that haply thou mayest attain unto the station of true knowledge, and partake of the fruit thereof. Therefore, know thou of a certainty that these Luminaries of heavenly majesty, though their dwelling be in the dust, yet their true habitation is the seat of glory in the realms above. Though bereft of all earthly possessions, yet they soar in the realms of immeasurable riches. And whilst sore tried in the grip of the enemy, they are seated on the right hand of power and celestial dominion. Amidst the darkness of their abasement there shineth upon them the light of unfading glory, and upon their helplessness are showered the tokens of an invincible sovereignty.
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Thus Jesus, Son of Mary, whilst seated one day and speaking in the strain of the Holy Spirit, uttered words such as these: “O people! My food is 131 the grass of the field, wherewith I satisfy my hunger. My bed is the dust, my lamp in the night the light of the moon, and my steed my own feet. Behold, who on earth is richer than I?” By the righteousness of God! Thousands of treasures circle round this poverty, and a myriad kingdoms of glory yearn for such abasement! Shouldst thou attain to a drop of the ocean of the inner meaning of these words, thou wouldst surely forsake the world and all that is therein, and, as the Phoenix wouldst consume thyself in the flames of the undying Fire.
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In like manner, it is related that on a certain day, one of the companions of Sádiq complained of his poverty before him. Whereupon, Sádiq, that immortal beauty, made reply: “Verily thou art rich, and hast drunk the draught of wealth.” That poverty-stricken soul was perplexed at the words uttered by that luminous countenance, and said: “Where are my riches, I who stand in need of a single coin?” Sádiq thereupon observed: “Dost thou not possess our love?” He replied: “Yea, I possess it, O thou scion of the Prophet of God!” And Sádiq asked him saying: “Exchangest thou this love for one thousand dinars?” He answered: “Nay, never will I exchange it, though the world 132 and all that is therein be given me!” Then Sádiq remarked: “How can he who possesses such a treasure be called poor?”
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This poverty and these riches, this abasement and glory, this dominion, power, and the like, upon which the eyes and hearts of these vain and foolish souls are set,—all these things fade into utter nothingness in that Court! Even as He hath said: “O men! Ye are but paupers in need of God; but God is the Rich, the Self-Sufficing.” 6 By ‘riches’ therefore is meant independence of all else but God, and by ‘poverty’ the lack of things that are of God.
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Similarly, call thou to mind the day when the Jews, who had surrounded Jesus, Son of Mary, were pressing Him to confess His claim of being the Messiah and Prophet of God, so that they might declare Him an infidel and sentence Him to death. Then, they led Him away, He Who was the Day-star of the heaven of divine Revelation, unto Pilate and Caiaphas, who was the leading divine of that age. The chief priests were all assembled in the palace, also a multitude of people who had gathered to witness His sufferings, to deride and injure Him. Though they repeatedly questioned 133 Him, hoping that He would confess His claim, yet Jesus held His peace and spake not. Finally, an accursed of God arose and, approaching Jesus, adjured Him saying: “Didst thou not claim to be the Divine Messiah? Didst thou not say, ‘I am the King of Kings, My word is the Word of God, and I am the breaker of the Sabbath day?’” Thereupon Jesus lifted up His head and said: “Beholdest thou not the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power and might?” These were His words, and yet consider how to outward seeming He was devoid of all power except that inner power which was of God and which had encompassed all that is in heaven and on earth. How can I relate all that befell Him after He spoke these words? How shall I describe their heinous behaviour towards Him? They at last heaped on His blessed Person such woes that He took His flight unto the fourth Heaven.
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It is also recorded in the Gospel according to St. Luke, that on a certain day Jesus passed by a Jew who was sick of the palsy, and lay upon a couch. When the Jew saw Him, he recognized Him, and cried out for His help. Jesus said unto him: “Arise from thy bed; thy sins are forgiven 134 thee.” Certain of the Jews, standing by, protested saying: “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” And immediately He perceived their thoughts, Jesus answering said unto them: “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, arise, and take up thy bed, and walk; or to say, thy sins are forgiven thee? that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins.” 7 This is the real sovereignty, and such is the power of God’s chosen Ones! All these things which We have repeatedly mentioned, and the details which We have cited from divers sources, have no other purpose but to enable thee to grasp the meaning of the allusions in the utterances of the chosen Ones of God, lest certain of these utterances cause thy feet to falter and thy heart to be dismayed.
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Thus with steadfast steps we may tread the Path of certitude, that perchance the breeze that bloweth from the meads of the good-pleasure of God may waft upon us the sweet savours of divine acceptance, and cause us, vanishing mortals that we are, to attain unto the Kingdom of everlasting glory. Then wilt thou comprehend the inner meaning of sovereignty and the like, spoken of in the traditions 135 and scriptures. Furthermore, it is already evident and known unto thee that those things to which the Jews and the Christians have clung, and the cavilings which they heaped upon the Beauty of Muhammad, the same have in this day been upheld by the people of the Qur’án, and been witnessed in their denunciations of the “Point of the Bayán”—may the souls of all that dwell within the kingdom of divine Revelations be a sacrifice unto Him! Behold their folly: they utter the self-same words, uttered by the Jews of old, and know it not! How well and true are His words concerning them: “Leave them to entertain themselves with their cavilings!” 8 “As Thou livest, O Muhammad! they are seized by the frenzy of their vain fancies.” 9
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When the Unseen, the Eternal, the divine Essence, caused the Day-star of Muhammad to rise above the horizon of knowledge, among the cavils which the Jewish divines raised against Him was that after Moses no Prophet should be sent of God. Yea, mention hath been made in the scriptures of a Soul Who must needs be made manifest and Who 136 will advance the Faith, and promote the interests of the people, of Moses, so that the Law of the Mosaic Dispensation may encompass the whole earth. Thus hath the King of eternal glory referred in His Book to the words uttered by those wanderers in the vale of remoteness and error: “‘The hand of God,’ say the Jews, ‘is chained up.’ Chained up be their own hands! And for that which they have said, they were accursed. Nay, outstretched are both His hands!” 10 “The hand of God is above their hands.” 11
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Although the commentators of the Qur’án have related in divers manners the circumstances attending the revelation of this verse, yet thou shouldst endeavour to apprehend the purpose thereof. He saith: How false is that which the Jews have imagined! How can the hand of Him Who is the King in truth, Who caused the countenance of Moses to be made manifest, and conferred upon Him the robe of Prophethood—how can the hand of such a One be chained and fettered? How can He be conceived as powerless to raise up yet another Messenger after Moses? Behold the absurdity of 137 their saying; how far it hath strayed from the path of knowledge and understanding! Observe how in this day also, all these people have occupied themselves with such foolish absurdities. For over a thousand years they have been reciting this verse, and unwittingly pronouncing their censure against the Jews, utterly unaware that they themselves, openly and privily, are voicing the sentiments and belief of the Jewish people! Thou art surely aware of their idle contention, that all Revelation is ended, that the portals of Divine mercy are closed, that from the day-springs of eternal holiness no sun shall rise again, that the Ocean of everlasting bounty is forever stilled, and that out of the Tabernacle of ancient glory the Messengers of God have ceased to be made manifest. Such is the measure of the understanding of these small-minded, contemptible people. These people have imagined that the flow of God’s all-encompassing grace and plenteous mercies, the cessation of which no mind can contemplate, has been halted. From every side they have risen and girded up the loins of tyranny, and exerted the utmost endeavour to quench with the bitter waters of their vain fancy the flame of God’s burning Bush, oblivious that the globe of power shall within its own mighty stronghold 138 protect the Lamp of God. The utter destitution into which this people have fallen doth surely suffice them, inasmuch as they have been deprived of the recognition of the essential Purpose and the knowledge of the Mystery and Substance of the Cause of God. For the highest and most excelling grace bestowed upon men is the grace of “attaining unto the Presence of God” and of His recognition, which has been promised unto all people. This is the utmost degree of grace vouchsafed unto man by the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days, and the fulness of His absolute bounty upon His creatures. Of this grace and bounty none of this people hath partaken, neither have they been honoured with this most exalted distinction. How numerous are those revealed verses which explicitly bear witness unto this most weighty truth and exalted Theme! And yet they have rejected it, and, after their own desire, misconstrued its meaning. Even as He hath revealed: “As for those who believe not in the signs of God, or that they shall ever meet Him, these of My mercy shall despair, and for them doth a grievous chastisement await.” 12 Also He saith: “They who bear in mind that they shall attain unto the Presence of their Lord, and that unto Him 139 shall they return.” 13 Also in another instance He saith: “They who held it as certain that they must meet God, said, ‘How oft, by God’s will, hath a small host vanquished a numerous host!’” 14 In yet another instance He revealeth: “Let him then who hopeth to attain the presence of his Lord work a righteous work.” 15 And also He saith: “He ordereth all things. He maketh His signs clear, that ye may have firm faith in attaining the presence of your Lord.” 16
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This people have repudiated all these verses, that unmistakably testify to the reality of “attainment unto the Divine Presence.” No theme hath been more emphatically asserted in the holy scriptures. Notwithstanding, they have deprived themselves of this lofty and most exalted rank, this supreme and glorious station. Some have contended that by “attainment unto the Divine Presence” is meant the “Revelation” of God in the Day of Resurrection. Should they assert that the “Revelation” of God signifieth a “Universal Revelation,” it is clear and evident that such revelation already existeth in all things. The truth of this We have already 140 established, inasmuch as We have demonstrated that all things are the recipients and revealers of the splendours of that ideal King, and that the signs of the revelation of that Sun, the Source of all splendour, exist and are manifest in the mirrors of beings. Nay, were man to gaze with the eye of divine and spiritual discernment, he will readily recognize that nothing whatsoever can exist without the revelation of the splendour of God, the ideal King. Consider how all created things eloquently testify to the revelation of that inner Light within them. Behold how within all things the portals of the Ridván of God are opened, that seekers may attain the cities of understanding and wisdom, and enter the gardens of knowledge and power. Within every garden they will behold the mystic bride of inner meaning enshrined within the chambers of utterance in the utmost grace and fullest adornment. Most of the verses of the Qur’án indicate, and bear witness to, this spiritual theme. The verse: “Neither is there aught which doth not celebrate His praise” 17 is eloquent testimony thereto; and “We noted all things and wrote them down,” 18 a faithful witness thereof. Now, if by 141 “attainment unto the Presence of God” is meant attainment unto the knowledge of such revelation, it is evident that all men have already attained unto the presence of the unchangeable Countenance of that peerless King. Why, then, restrict such revelation to the Day of Resurrection?
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And were they to maintain that by “divine Presence” is meant the “Specific Revelation of God,” expressed by certain Súfís as the “Most Holy Outpouring,” if this be in the Essence Itself, it is evident that it hath been eternally in the divine Knowledge. Assuming the truth of this hypothesis, “attainment unto the divine Presence” is in this sense obviously possible to no one, inasmuch as this revelation is confined to the innermost Essence, unto which no man can attain. “The way is barred, and all seeking rejected.” The minds of the favourites of heaven, however high they soar, can never attain this station, how much less the understanding of obscured and limited minds.
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And were they to say that by “divine Presence” is meant the “Secondary Revelation of God,” interpreted as the “Holy Outpouring,” this is admittedly applicable to the world of creation, that is, 142 in the realm of the primal and original manifestation of God. Such revelation is confined to His Prophets and chosen Ones, inasmuch as none mightier than they hath come to exist in the world of being. This truth all recognize, and bear witness thereto. These Prophets and chosen Ones of God are the recipients and revealers of all the unchangeable attributes and names of God. They are the mirrors that truly and faithfully reflect the light of God. Whatsoever is applicable to them is in reality applicable to God, Himself, Who is both the Visible and the Invisible. The knowledge of Him, Who is the Origin of all things, and attainment unto Him, are impossible save through knowledge of, and attainment unto, these luminous Beings who proceed from the Sun of Truth. By attaining, therefore, to the presence of these holy Luminaries, the “Presence of God” Himself is attained. From their knowledge, the knowledge of God is revealed, and from the light of their countenance, the splendour of the Face of God is made manifest. Through the manifold attributes of these Essences of Detachment, Who are both the first and the last, the seen and the hidden, it is made evident that He Who is the Sun of Truth is “the First and the Last, the Seen, and the 143 Hidden.” 19 Likewise the other lofty names and exalted attributes of God. Therefore, whosoever, and in whatever Dispensation, hath recognized and attained unto the presence of these glorious, these resplendent and most excellent Luminaries, hath verily attained unto the “Presence of God” Himself, and entered the city of eternal and immortal life. Attainment unto such presence is possible only in the Day of Resurrection, which is the Day of the rise of God Himself through His all-embracing Revelation.
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This is the meaning of the “Day of Resurrection,” spoken of in all the scriptures, and announced unto all people. Reflect, can a more precious, a mightier, and more glorious day than this be conceived, so that man should willingly forego its grace, and deprive himself of its bounties, which like unto vernal showers are raining from the heaven of mercy upon all mankind? Having thus conclusively demonstrated that no day is greater than this Day, and no revelation more glorious than this Revelation, and having set forth all these weighty and infallible proofs which no understanding mind can question, and no man of learning 144 overlook, how can man possibly, through the idle contention of the people of doubt and fancy, deprive himself of such a bountiful grace? Have they not heard the well-known tradition: “When the Qá’im riseth, that day is the Day of Resurrection?” In like manner, the Imáms, those unquenchable lights of divine guidance, have interpreted the verse: “What can such expect but that God should come down to them overshadowed with clouds,” 20 —a sign which they have unquestionably regarded as one of the features of the Day of Resurrection—as referring to Qá’im and His manifestation.
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Strive, therefore, O my brother, to grasp the meaning of “Resurrection,” and cleanse thine ears from the idle sayings of these rejected people. Shouldst thou step into the realm of complete detachment, thou wilt readily testify that no day is mightier than this Day, and that no resurrection more awful than this Resurrection can ever be conceived. One righteous work performed in this Day, equalleth all the virtuous acts which for myriads of centuries men have practised—nay, We ask forgiveness of God for such a comparison! For verily the reward which such a deed deserveth is immensely 145 beyond and above the estimate of men. Inasmuch as these undiscerning and wretched souls have failed to apprehend the true meaning of “Resurrection” and of the “attainment unto the divine Presence,” they therefore have remained utterly deprived of the grace thereof. Although the sole and fundamental purpose of all learning, and the toil and labour thereof, is attainment unto, and the recognition of, this station, yet they are all immersed in the pursuit of their material studies. They deny themselves every moment of leisure, and utterly ignore Him, Who is the Essence of all learning, and the one Object of their quest! Methinks, their lips have never touched the cup of divine Knowledge, nor do they seem to have attained even a dewdrop of the showers of heavenly grace.
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Consider, how can he that faileth in the day of God’s Revelation to attain unto the grace of the “Divine Presence” and to recognize His Manifestation, be justly called learned, though he may have spent aeons in the pursuit of knowledge, and acquired all the limited and material learning of men? It is surely evident that he can in no wise be regarded as possessed of true knowledge. Whereas, 146 the most unlettered of all men, if he be honoured with this supreme distinction, he verily is accounted as one of those divinely-learned men whose knowledge is of God; for such a man hath attained the acme of knowledge, and hath reached the furthermost summit of learning.
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This station is also one of the signs of the Day of Revelation; even as it is said: “The abased amongst you, He shall exalt; and they that are exalted, He shall abase.” And likewise, He hath revealed in the Qur’án: “And We desire to show favour to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make of them Our heirs.” 21 It hath been witnessed in this day how many of the divines, owing to their rejection of the Truth, have fallen into, and abide within, the uttermost depths of ignorance, and whose names have been effaced from the scroll of the glorious and learned. And how many of the ignorant who, by reason of their acceptance of the Faith, have soared aloft and attained the high summit of knowledge, and whose names have been inscribed by the Pen of Power upon the Tablet of divine Knowledge. Thus, 147 “What He pleaseth will God abrogate or confirm: for with Him is the Source of Revelation.” 22 Therefore, it hath been said: “To seek evidence, when the Proof hath been established is but an unseemly act, and to be busied with the pursuit of knowledge when the Object of all learning hath been attained is truly blameworthy.” Say O people of the earth! Behold this flamelike Youth that speedeth across the limitless profound of the Spirit, heralding unto you the tidings: “Lo: the Lamp of God is shining,” and summoning you to heed His Cause which, though hidden beneath the veils of ancient splendour, shineth in the land of ‘Iráq above the day-spring of eternal holiness.
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O my friend, were the bird of thy mind to explore the heavens of the Revelation of the Qur’án, were it to contemplate the realm of divine knowledge unfolded therein, thou wouldst assuredly find unnumbered doors of knowledge set open before thee. Thou wouldst certainly recognize that all these things which have in this day hindered this people from attaining the shores of the ocean of eternal grace, the same things in the Muhammadan 148 Dispensation prevented the people of that age from recognizing that divine Luminary, and from testifying to His truth. Thou wilt also apprehend the mysteries of “return” and “revelation,” and wilt securely abide within the loftiest chambers of certitude and assurance.
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And it came to pass that on a certain day a number of the opponents of that peerless Beauty, those that had strayed far from God’s imperishable Sanctuary, scornfully spoke these words unto Muhammad: “Verily, God hath entered into a covenant with us that we are not to credit an apostle until he present us a sacrifice which fire out of heaven shall devour.” 23 The purport of this verse is that God hath covenanted with them that they should not believe in any messenger unless he work the miracle of Abel and Cain, that is, offer a sacrifice, and the fire from heaven consume it; even as they had heard it recounted in the story of Abel, which story is recorded in the scriptures. To this, Muhammad, answering, said: “Already have Apostles before me come to you with sure testimonies, and with that of which ye speak. Wherefore slew ye them? Tell me, if ye are men 149 of truth.” 24 And now, be fair; How could those people living in the days of Muhammad have existed, thousands of years before, in the age of Adam or other Prophets? Why should Muhammad, that Essence of truthfulness, have charged the people of His day with the murder of Abel or other Prophets? Thou hast none other alternative except to regard Muhammad as an impostor or a fool—which God forbid!—or to maintain that those people of wickedness were the self-same people who in every age opposed and caviled at the Prophets and Messengers of God, till they finally caused them all to suffer martyrdom.
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Ponder this in thine heart, that the sweet gales of divine knowledge, blowing from the meads of mercy, may waft upon thee the fragrance of the Beloved’s utterance, and cause thy soul to attain the Ridván of understanding. As the wayward of every age have failed to fathom the deeper import of these weighty and pregnant utterances, and imagined the answer of the Prophets of God to be irrelevant to the questions they asked them, they therefore have attributed ignorance and folly to those Essences of knowledge and understanding. 150
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Likewise, Muhammad, in another verse, uttereth His protest against the people of that age. He saith: “Although they had before prayed for victory over those who believed not, yet when there came unto them, He of Whom they had knowledge, they disbelieved in Him. The curse of God on the infidels!” 25 Reflect how this verse also implieth that the people living in the days of Muhammad were the same people who in the days of the Prophets of old contended and fought in order to promote the Faith, and teach the Cause, of God. And yet, how could the generations living at the time of Jesus and Moses, and those who lived in the days of Muhammad, be regarded as being actually one and the same people? Moreover, those whom they had formerly known were Moses, the Revealer of the Pentateuch, and Jesus, the Author of the Gospel. Notwithstanding, why did Muhammad say: “When He of Whom they had knowledge came unto them”—that is Jesus or Moses—“they disbelieved in Him?” Was not Muhammad to outward seeming called by a different name? Did He not come forth out of a different city? Did He not speak a different language, and reveal a different Law? How then can the truth of this 151 verse be established, and its meaning be made clear?
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Strive therefore to comprehend the meaning of “return” which hath been so explicitly revealed in the Qur’án itself, and which none hath as yet understood. What sayest thou? If thou sayest that Muhammad was the “return” of the Prophets of old, as is witnessed by this verse, His Companions must likewise be the “return” of the bygone Companions, even as the “return” of the former people is clearly attested by the text of the above-mentioned verses. And if thou deniest this, thou hast surely repudiated the truth of the Qur’án, the surest testimony of God unto men. In like manner, endeavour to grasp the significance of “return,” “revelation,” and “resurrection,” as witnessed in the days of the Manifestations of the divine Essence, that thou mayest behold with thine own eyes the “return” of the holy souls into sanctified and illumined bodies, and mayest wash away the dust of ignorance, and cleanse the darkened self with the waters of mercy flowing from the Source of divine Knowledge; that perchance thou mayest, through the power of God and the light of divine guidance, distinguish the Morn of everlasting 152 splendour from the darksome night of error.
161	
Furthermore, it is evident to thee that the Bearers of the trust of God are made manifest unto the peoples of the earth as the Exponents of a new Cause and the Bearers of a new Message. Inasmuch as these Birds of the Celestial Throne are all sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one soul and the same person. For they all drink from the one Cup of the love of God, and all partake of the fruit of the same Tree of Oneness. These Manifestations of God have each a twofold station. One is the station of pure abstraction and essential unity. In this respect, if thou callest them all by one name, and dost ascribe to them the same attribute, thou hast not erred from the truth. Even as He hath revealed: “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers!” 26 For they one and all summon the people of the earth to acknowledge the Unity of God, and herald unto them the Kawthar of an infinite grace and bounty. They are all invested with the robe of Prophethood, and honoured with the mantle of glory. Thus hath 153 Muhammad, the Point of the Qur’án, revealed: “I am all the Prophets.” Likewise, He saith: “I am the first Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus.” Similar statements have been made by ‘Alí. Sayings such as this, which indicate the essential unity of those Exponents of Oneness, have also emanated from the Channels of God’s immortal utterance, and the Treasuries of the gems of divine knowledge, and have been recorded in the scriptures. These Countenances are the recipients of the Divine Command, and the day-springs of His Revelation. This Revelation is exalted above the veils of plurality and the exigencies of number. Thus He saith: “Our Cause is but one.” 27 Inasmuch as the Cause is one and the same, the Exponents thereof also must needs be one and the same. Likewise, the Imáms of the Muhammadan Faith, those lamps of certitude, have said: “Muhammad is our first, Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all.”
162	
It is clear and evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring 154 in the same heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of being, those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendour. Wherefore, should one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: “I am the return of all the Prophets,” He verily speaketh the truth. In like manner, in every subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact, the truth of which is firmly established. Inasmuch as the return of the Prophets of God, as attested by verses and traditions, hath been conclusively demonstrated, the return of their chosen ones also is therefore definitely proven. This return is too manifest in itself to require any evidence or proof. For instance, consider that among the Prophets was Noah. When He was invested with the robe of Prophethood, and was moved by the Spirit of God to arise and proclaim His Cause, whoever believed in Him and acknowledged His Faith, was endowed with the grace of a new life. Of him it could be truly said that he was reborn and revived, inasmuch as previous to his belief in God and his acceptance of His Manifestation, he had set his affections on the things of the world, such as attachment to earthly goods, to 155 wife, children, food, drink, and the like, so much so that in the day-time and in the night season his one concern had been to amass riches and procure for himself the means of enjoyment and pleasure. Aside from these things, before his partaking of the reviving waters of faith, he had been so wedded to the traditions of his forefathers, and so passionately devoted to the observance of their customs and laws, that he would have preferred to suffer death rather than violate one letter of those superstitious forms and manners current amongst his people. Even as the people have cried: “Verily we found our fathers with a faith, and verily, in their footsteps we follow.” 28
163	
These same people, though wrapt in all these veils of limitation, and despite the restraint of such observances, as soon as they drank the immortal draught of faith, from the cup of certitude, at the hand of the Manifestation of the All-Glorious, were so transformed that they would renounce for His sake their kindred, their substance, their lives, their beliefs, yea, all else save God! So overpowering was their yearning for God, so uplifting their transports of ecstatic delight, that the world and 156 all that is therein faded before their eyes into nothingness. Have not this people exemplified the mysteries of “rebirth” and “return”? Hath it not been witnessed that these same people, ere they were endued with the new and wondrous grace of God, sought through innumerable devices, to ensure the protection of their lives against destruction? Would not a thorn fill them with terror, and the sight of a fox put them to flight? But once having been honoured with God’s supreme distinction, and having been vouchsafed His bountiful grace, they would, if they were able, have freely offered up ten thousand lives in His path! Nay, their blessed souls, contemptuous of the cage of their bodies, would yearn for deliverance. A single warrior of that host would face and fight a multitude! And yet, how could they, but for the transformation wrought in their lives, be capable of manifesting such deeds which are contrary to the ways of men and incompatible with their worldly desires?
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It is evident that nothing short of this mystic transformation could cause such spirit and behaviour, so utterly unlike their previous habits and manners, to be made manifest in the world of 157 being. For their agitation was turned into peace, their doubt into certitude, their timidity into courage. Such is the potency of the Divine Elixir, which, swift as the twinkling of an eye, transmuteth the souls of men!
165	
For instance, consider the substance of copper. Were it to be protected in its own mine from becoming solidified, it would, within the space of seventy years, attain to the state of gold. There are some, however, who maintain that copper itself is gold, which by becoming solidified is in a diseased condition, and hath not therefore reached its own state.
166	
Be that as it may, the real elixir will, in one instant, cause the substance of copper to attain the state of gold, and will traverse the seventy-year stages in a single moment. Could this gold be called copper? Could it be claimed that it hath not attained the state of gold, whilst the touch-stone is at hand to assay it and distinguish it from copper?
167	
Likewise, these souls, through the potency of the Divine Elixir, traverse, in the twinkling of an eye, the world of dust and advance into the realm of holiness; and with one step cover the earth of limitations and reach the domain of the Placeless. It 158 behooveth thee to exert thine utmost to attain unto this Elixir which, in one fleeting breath, causeth the west of ignorance to reach the east of knowledge, illuminates the darkness of night with the resplendence of the morn, guideth the wanderer in the wilderness of doubt to the well-spring of the Divine Presence and Fount of certitude, and conferreth upon mortal souls the honour of acceptance into the Ridván of immortality. Now, could this gold be thought to be copper, these people could likewise be thought to be the same as before they were endowed with faith.
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O brother, behold how the inner mysteries of “rebirth,” of “return,” and of “resurrection” have each, through these all-sufficing, these unanswerable, and conclusive utterances, been unveiled and unravelled before thine eyes. God grant that through His gracious and invisible assistance, thou mayest divest thy body and soul of the old garment, and array thyself with the new and imperishable attire.
169	
Therefore, those who in every subsequent Dispensation preceded the rest of mankind in embracing the Faith of God, who quaffed the clear waters of knowledge at the hand of the divine Beauty, and attained the loftiest summits of faith 159 and certitude, these can be regarded, in name, in reality, in deeds, in words, and in rank, as the “return” of those who in a former Dispensation had achieved similar distinctions. For whatsoever the people of a former Dispensation have manifested, the same hath been shown by the people of this latter generation. Consider the rose: whether it blossometh in the East or in the West, it is none the less a rose. For what mattereth in this respect is not the outward shape and form of the rose, but rather the smell and fragrance which it doth impart.
170	
Purge thy sight, therefore, from all earthly limitations, that thou mayest behold them all as the bearers of one Name, the exponents of one Cause, the manifestations of one Self, and the revealers of one Truth, and that thou mayest apprehend the mystic “return” of the Words of God as unfolded by these utterances. Reflect for a while upon the behaviour of the companions of the Muhammadan Dispensation. Consider how, through the reviving breath of Muhammad, they were cleansed from the defilements of earthly vanities, were delivered from selfish desires, and were detached from all else but Him. Behold how they preceded all the 160 peoples of the earth in attaining unto His holy Presence—the Presence of God Himself—how they renounced the world and all that is therein, and sacrificed freely and joyously their lives at the feet of that Manifestation of the All-Glorious. And now, observe the “return” of the self-same determination, the self-same constancy and renunciation, manifested by the companions of the Point of the Bayán. 29 Thou hast witnessed how these companions have, through the wonders of the grace of the Lord of Lords, hoisted the standards of sublime renunciation upon the inaccessible heights of glory. These Lights have proceeded from but one Source, and these fruits are the fruits of one Tree. Thou canst discern neither difference nor distinction among them. All this is by the grace of God! On whom He will, He bestoweth His grace. Please God, that we avoid the land of denial, and advance into the ocean of acceptance, so that we may perceive, with an eye purged from all conflicting elements, the worlds of unity and diversity, of variation and oneness, of limitation and detachment, and wing our flight unto the highest and innermost sanctuary of the inner meaning of the Word of God.
171	
From these statements therefore it hath been made evident and manifest that should a Soul in the “End that knoweth no end” be made manifest, and arise to proclaim and uphold a Cause which in “the Beginning that hath no beginning” another Soul had proclaimed and upheld, it can be truly declared of Him Who is the Last and of Him Who was the First that they are one and the same, inasmuch as both are the Exponents of one and the same Cause. For this reason, hath the Point of the Bayán—may the life of all else but Him be His sacrifice!—likened the Manifestations of God unto the sun which, though it rise from the “Beginning that hath no beginning” until the “End that knoweth no end,” is none the less the same sun. Now, wert thou to say, that this sun is the former sun, thou speakest the truth; and if thou sayest that this sun is the “return” of that sun, thou also speakest the truth. Likewise, from this statement it is made evident that the term “last” is applicable to the “first,” and the term “first” applicable to the “last;” inasmuch as both the “first” and the “last” have risen to proclaim one and the same Faith.
172	
Notwithstanding the obviousness of this theme, in the eyes of those that have quaffed the wine of 162 knowledge and certitude, yet how many are those who, through failure to understand its meaning, have allowed the term “Seal of the Prophets” to obscure their understanding, and deprive them of the grace of all His manifold bounties! Hath not Muḥammad, Himself, declared: “I am all the Prophets?” Hath He not said as We have already mentioned: “I am Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus?” Why should Muḥammad, that immortal Beauty, Who hath said: “I am the first Adam” be incapable of saying also: “I am the last Adam”? For even as He regarded Himself to be the “First of the Prophets”—that is Adam—in like manner, the “Seal of the Prophets” is also applicable unto that Divine Beauty. It is admittedly obvious that being the “First of the Prophets,” He likewise is their “Seal.”
173	
The mystery of this theme hath, in this Dispensation, been a sore test unto all mankind. Behold, how many are those who, clinging unto these words, have disbelieved Him Who is their true Revealer. What, We ask, could this people presume the terms “first” and “last”—when referring to God—glorified be His Name!—to mean? If they maintain that these terms bear reference to 163 this material universe, how could it be possible, when the visible order of things is still manifestly existing? Nay, in this instance, by “first” is meant no other than the “last” and by “last” no other than the “first.”
174	
Even as in the “Beginning that hath no beginnings” the term “last” is truly applicable unto Him who is the Educator of the visible and of the invisible, in like manner, are the terms “first” and “last” applicable unto His Manifestations. They are at the same time the Exponents of both the “first” and the “last.” Whilst established upon the seat of the “first,” they occupy the throne of the “last.” Were a discerning eye to be found, it will readily perceive that the exponents of the “first” and the “last,” of the “manifest” and the “hidden,” of the “beginning” and the “seal” are none other than these holy Beings, these Essences of Detachment, these divine Souls. And wert thou to soar in the holy realm of “God was alone, there was none else besides Him,” thou wilt find in that Court all these names utterly non-existent and completely forgotten. Then will thine eyes no longer be obscured by these veils, these terms, and allusions. How ethereal and lofty is this station, unto which 164 even Gabriel, unshepherded, can never attain, and the Bird of Heaven, unassisted, can never reach!
175	
And, now, strive thou to comprehend the meaning of this saying of ‘Alí, the Commander of the Faithful: “Piercing the veils of glory, unaided.” Among these “veils of glory” are the divines and doctors living in the days of the Manifestation of God, who, because of their want of discernment and their love and eagerness for leadership, have failed to submit to the Cause of God, nay, have even refused to incline their ears unto the divine Melody. “They have thrust their fingers into their ears.” 1 And the people also, utterly ignoring God and taking them for their masters, have placed themselves unreservedly under the authority of these pompous and hypocritical leaders, for they have no sight, no hearing, no heart, of their own to distinguish truth from falsehood.
176	
Notwithstanding the divinely-inspired admonitions of all the Prophets, the Saints, and Chosen ones of God, enjoining the people to see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears, they have disdainfully rejected their counsels and have blindly followed, and will continue to follow, the 165 leaders of their Faith. Should a poor and obscure person, destitute of the attire of men of learning, address them saying: “Follow ye, O people! the Messengers of God,” 2 they would, greatly surprised at such a statement, reply: “What! Meanest thou that all these divines, all these exponents of learning, with all their authority, their pomp and pageantry, have erred, and failed to distinguish truth from falsehood? Dost thou, and people like thyself, pretend to have comprehended that which they have not understood?” If numbers and excellence of apparel be regarded as the criterions of learning and truth, the peoples of a bygone age, whom those of today have never surpassed in numbers, magnificence and power, should certainly be accounted a superior and worthier people.
177	
It is clear and evident that whenever the Manifestations of Holiness were revealed, the divines of their day have hindered the people from attaining unto the way of truth. To this testify the records of all the scriptures and heavenly books. Not one Prophet of God was made manifest Who did not fall a victim to the relentless hate, to the denunciation, 166 denial, and execration of the clerics of His day! Woe unto them for the iniquities their hands have formerly wrought! Woe unto them for that which they are now doing! What veils of glory more grievous than these embodiments of error! By the righteousness of God! to pierce such veils is the mightiest of all acts, and to rend them asunder the most meritorious of all deeds! May God assist us and assist you, O concourse of the Spirit! that perchance ye may in the time of His Manifestation be graciously aided to perform such deeds, and may in His days attain unto the Presence of God.
178	
Furthermore, among the “veils of glory” are such terms as the “Seal of the Prophets” and the like, the removal of which is a supreme achievement in the sight of these base-born and erring souls. All, by reason of these mysterious sayings, these grievous “veils of glory,” have been hindered from beholding the light of truth. Have they not heard the melody of that bird of Heaven, 3 uttering this mystery: “A thousand Fátimihs I have espoused, all of whom were the daughters of Muḥammad, Son of ‘Abdu’lláh, the ‘Seal of the 167 Prophets?’” Behold, how many are the mysteries that lie as yet unravelled within the tabernacle of the knowledge of God, and how numerous the gems of His wisdom that are still concealed in His inviolable treasuries! Shouldest thou ponder this in thine heart, thou wouldst realize that His handiwork knoweth neither beginning nor end. The domain of His decree is too vast for the tongue of mortals to describe, or for the bird of the human mind to traverse; and the dispensations of His providence are too mysterious for the mind of man to comprehend. His creation no end hath overtaken, and it hath ever existed from the “Beginning that hath no beginning”; and the Manifestations of His Beauty no beginning hath beheld, and they will continue to the “End that knoweth no end.” Ponder this utterance in thine heart, and reflect how it is applicable unto all these holy Souls.
179	
Likewise, strive thou to comprehend the meaning of the melody of that eternal beauty, Ḥusayn, son of ‘Alí, who, addressing Salmán, spoke words such as these: “I was with a thousand Adams, the interval between each and the next Adam was fifty thousand years, and to each one of these I declared 168 the Successorship conferred upon my father.” He then recounteth certain details, until he saith: “I have fought one thousand battles in the path of God, the least and most insignificant of which was like the battle of Khaybar, in which battle my father fought and contended against the infidels.” Endeavour now to apprehend from these two traditions the mysteries of “end,” “return,” and “creation without beginning or end.”
180	
O my beloved! Immeasurably exalted is the celestial Melody above the strivings of human ear to hear or mind to grasp its mystery! How can the helpless ant step into the court of the All-Glorious? And yet, feeble souls, through lack of understanding, reject these abstruse utterances, and question the truth of such traditions. Nay, none can comprehend them save those that are possessed of an understanding heart. Say, He is that End for Whom no end in all the universe can be imagined, and for Whom no beginning in the world of creation can be conceived. Behold, O concourse of the earth, the splendours of the End, revealed in the Manifestations of the Beginning!
181	
How strange! These people with one hand cling to those verses of the Qur’án and those traditions 169 of the people of certitude which they have found to accord with their inclinations and interests, and with the other reject those which are contrary to their selfish desires. “Believe ye then part of the Book, and deny part?” 4 How could ye judge that which ye understand not? Even as the Lord of being hath in His unerring Book, after speaking of the “Seal” in His exalted utterance: “Muḥammad is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets,” 5 hath revealed unto all people the promise of “attainment unto the divine Presence.” To this attainment to the presence of the immortal King testify the verses of the Book, some of which We have already mentioned. The one true God is My witness! Nothing more exalted or more explicit than “attainment unto the divine Presence” hath been revealed in the Qur’án. Well is it with him that hath attained thereunto, in the day wherein most of the people, even as ye witness, have turned away therefrom.
182	
And yet, through the mystery of the former verse, they have turned away from the grace promised by the latter, despite the fact that “attainment unto the divine Presence” in the “Day of Resurrection” 170 is explicitly stated in the Book. It hath been demonstrated and definitely established, through clear evidences, that by “Resurrection” is meant the rise of the Manifestation of God to proclaim His Cause, and by “attainment unto the divine Presence” is meant attainment unto the presence of His Beauty in the person of His Manifestation. For verily, “No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision.” 6 Notwithstanding all these indubitable facts and lucid statements, they have foolishly clung to the term “seal,” and remained utterly deprived of the recognition of Him Who is the Revealer of both the Seal and the Beginning, in the day of His presence. “If God should chastise men for their perverse doings, He would not leave upon the earth a moving thing! But to an appointed time doth He respite them.” 7 But apart from all these things, had this people attained unto a drop of the crystal streams flowing from the words: “God doeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth,” they would not have raised any unseemly cavils, such as these, against the focal Center of His Revelation. The Cause of God, all deeds and words, are held 171 within the grasp of His power. “All things lie imprisoned within the hollow of His mighty Hand; all things are easy and possible unto Him.” He accomplisheth whatsoever He willeth, and doeth all that He desireth. “Whoso sayeth ‘why’ or ‘wherefore’ hath spoken blasphemy!” Were these people to shake off the slumber of negligence and realize that which their hands have wrought, they would surely perish, and would of their own accord cast themselves into fire—their end and real abode. Have they not heard that which He hath revealed: “He shall not be asked of His doings?” 8 In the light of these utterances, how can man be so bold as to question Him, and busy himself with idle sayings?
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Gracious God! So great is the folly and perversity of the people, that they have turned their face toward their own thoughts and desires, and have turned their back upon the knowledge and will of God—hallowed and glorified be His name!
184	
Be fair: Were these people to acknowledge the truth of these luminous words and holy allusions, and recognize God as “Him that doeth whatsoever He pleaseth,” how could they continue to cleave 172 unto these glaring absurdities? Nay, with all their soul, they would accept and submit to whatsoever He saith. I swear by God! But for the divine Decree, and the inscrutable dispensations of Providence, the earth itself would have utterly destroyed all this people! “He will, however, respite them until the appointed time of a known day.”
185	
Twelve hundred and eighty years have passed since the dawn of the Muḥammadan Dispensation, and with every break of day, these blind and ignoble people have recited their Qur’án, and yet have failed to grasp one letter of that Book! Again and again they read those verses which clearly testify to the reality of these holy themes, and bear witness to the truth of the Manifestations of eternal Glory, and still apprehend not their purpose. They have even failed to realize, all this time, that, in every age, the reading of the scriptures and holy books is for no other purpose except to enable the reader to apprehend their meaning and unravel their innermost mysteries. Otherwise reading, without understanding, is of no abiding profit unto man.
186	
And it came to pass that on a certain day a needy man came to visit this Soul, craving for the ocean 173 of His knowledge. While conversing with him, mention was made concerning the signs of the Day of Judgment, Resurrection, Revival, and Reckoning. He urged Us to explain how, in this wondrous Dispensation, the peoples of the world were brought to a reckoning, when none were made aware of it. Thereupon, We imparted unto him, according to the measure of his capacity and understanding, certain truths of Science and ancient Wisdom. We then asked him saying: “Hast thou not read the Qur’án, and art thou not aware of this blessed verse: ‘On that day shall neither man nor spirit be asked of his Sin?’ 9 Dost thou not realize that by ‘asking’ is not meant asking by tongue or speech, even as the verse itself doth indicate and prove? For afterward it is said: ‘By their countenance shall the sinners be known, and they shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet.’” 10
187	
Thus the peoples of the world are judged by their countenance. By it, their misbelief, their faith, and their iniquity are all made manifest. Even as it is evident in this day how the people of error are, by their countenance, known and distinguished 174 from the followers of divine Guidance. Were these people, wholly for the sake of God and with no desire but His good-pleasure, to ponder the verses of the Book in their heart, they would of a certainty find whatsoever they seek. In its verses would they find revealed and manifest all the things, be they great or small, that have come to pass in this Dispensation. They would even recognize in them references unto the departure of the Manifestations of the names and attributes of God from out their native land; to the opposition and disdainful arrogance of government and people; and to the dwelling and establishment of the Universal Manifestation in an appointed and specially designated land. No man, however, can comprehend this except he who is possessed of an understanding heart.
188	
We seal Our theme with that which was formerly revealed unto Muḥammad that the seal thereof may shed the fragrance of that holy musk which leadeth men unto the Riḍván of unfading splendour. He said, and His Word is the truth: “And God calleth to the Abode of Peace; 11 and He guideth whom He will into the right way.” 12 175 “For them is an Abode of Peace with their Lord! and He shall be their Protector because of their works.” 13 This He hath revealed that His grace may encompass the world. Praise be to God, the Lord of all being!
189	
We have variously and repeatedly set forth the meaning of every theme, that perchance every soul, whether high or low, may obtain, according to his measure and capacity, his share and portion thereof. Should he be unable to comprehend a certain argument, he may, thus, by referring unto another, attain his purpose. “That all sorts of men may know where to quench their thirst.”
190	
By God! This Bird of Heaven, now dwelling upon the dust, can, besides these melodies, utter a myriad songs, and is able, apart from these utterances, to unfold innumerable mysteries. Every single note of its unpronounced utterances is immeasurably exalted above all that hath already been revealed, and immensely glorified beyond that which hath streamed from this Pen. Let the future disclose the hour when the Brides of inner meaning will, as decreed by the Will of God, hasten forth, unveiled, out of their mystic mansions, 176 and manifest themselves in the ancient realm of being. Nothing whatsoever is possible without His permission; no power can endure save through His power, and there is none other God but He. His is the world of creation, and His the Cause of God. All proclaim His Revelation, and all unfold the mysteries of His Spirit.
191	
We have already in the foregoing pages assigned two stations unto each of the Luminaries arising from the Daysprings of eternal holiness. One of these stations, the station of essential unity, We have already explained. “No distinction do We make between any of them.” 14 The other is the station of distinction, and pertaineth to the world of creation and to the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined Revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each one of them is known by a different name, is characterized by a special attribute, fulfils a definite Mission, and is entrusted with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith: “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave 177 manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit.” 15
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It is because of this difference in their station and mission that the words and utterances flowing from these Well-springs of divine knowledge appear to diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into the mysteries of divine wisdom, all their utterances are in reality but the expressions of one Truth. As most of the people have failed to appreciate those stations to which We have referred, they therefore feel perplexed and dismayed at the varying utterances pronounced by Manifestations that are essentially one and the same.
193	
It hath ever been evident that all these divergences of utterance are attributable to differences of station. Thus, viewed from the standpoint of their oneness and sublime detachment, the attributes of Godhead, Divinity, Supreme Singleness, and Inmost Essence, have been and are applicable to those Essences of being, inasmuch as they all abide on the throne of divine Revelation, and are established upon the seat of divine Concealment. Through their appearance the Revelation of God 178 is made manifest, and by their countenance the Beauty of God is revealed. Thus it is that the accents of God Himself have been heard uttered by these Manifestations of the divine Being.
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Viewed in the light of their second station—the station of distinction, differentiation, temporal limitations, characteristics and standards,—they manifest absolute servitude, utter destitution and complete self-effacement. Even as He saith: “I am the servant of God. 16 I am but a man like you.” 17
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From these incontrovertible and fully demonstrated statements strive thou to apprehend the meaning of the questions thou hast asked, that thou mayest become steadfast in the Faith of God, and not be dismayed by the divergences in the utterances of His Prophets and Chosen Ones.
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Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: “I am God!” He verily speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His name and His attributes, are made manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed: “Those shafts were God’s, not 179 Thine!” 18 And also He saith: “In truth, they who plighted fealty unto thee, really plighted that fealty unto God.” 19 And were any of them to voice the utterance: “I am the Messenger of God,” He also speaketh the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as He saith: “Muḥammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of God.” 20 Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that ideal King, that unchangeable Essence. And were they all to proclaim: “I am the Seal of the Prophets,” they verily utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the “Beginning” and the “End,” the “First” and the “Last,” the “Seen” and “Hidden”—all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say: “We are the servants of God,” this also is a manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of being were deeply 180 immersed beneath the oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or when they soared to the loftiest summits of divine mysteries, they claimed their utterance to be the Voice of divinity, the Call of God Himself. Were the eye of discernment to be opened, it would recognize that in this very state, they have considered themselves utterly effaced and non-existent in the face of Him Who is the All-Pervading, the Incorruptible. Methinks, they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness, and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For the slightest whispering of self, within such a Court, is an evidence of self-assertion and independent existence. In the eyes of them that have attained unto that Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression. How much more grievous would it be, were aught else to be mentioned in that Presence, were man’s heart, his tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be busied with anyone but the Well-Beloved, were his eyes to behold any countenance other than His beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but His voice, and were his feet to tread any way but His way.
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In this day the breeze of God is wafted, and His Spirit hath pervaded all things. Such is the outpouring 181 of His grace that the pen is stilled and the tongue is speechless.
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By virtue of this station, they have claimed for themselves the Voice of Divinity and the like, whilst by virtue of their station of Messengership, they have declared themselves the Messengers of God. In every instance they have voiced an utterance that would conform to the requirements of the occasion, and have ascribed all these declarations to Themselves, declarations ranging from the realm of divine Revelation to the realm of creation, and from the domain of Divinity even unto the domain of earthly existence. Thus it is that whatsoever be their utterance, whether it pertain to the realm of Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship, Apostleship or Servitude, all is true, beyond the shadow of a doubt. Therefore, these sayings which We have quoted in support of Our argument must be attentively considered, that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations of the Unseen and Daysprings of Holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex the mind.
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Those words uttered by the Luminaries of Truth must needs be pondered, and should their 182 significance be not grasped, enlightenment should be sought from the Trustees of the depositories of Knowledge, that these may expound their meaning, and unravel their mystery. For it behooveth no man to interpret the holy words according to his own imperfect understanding, nor, having found them to be contrary to his inclination and desires, to reject and repudiate their truth. For such, today, is the manner of the divines and doctors of the age, who occupy the seats of knowledge and learning, and who have named ignorance knowledge, and called oppression justice. Were these to ask the Light of Truth concerning those images which their idle fancy hath carved, and were they to find His answer inconsistent with their own conceptions and their own understanding of the Book, they would assuredly denounce Him Who is the Mine and Wellhead of all Knowledge as the very negation of understanding. Such things have happened in every age.
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For instance, when Muḥammad, the Lord of being, was questioned concerning the new moons, He, as bidden by God, made reply: “They are periods appointed unto men.” 21 Thereupon, they 183 that heard Him denounced Him as an ignorant man.
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Likewise, in the verse concerning the “Spirit,” He saith: “And they will ask Thee of the Spirit. Say, ‘the Spirit proceedeth at My Lord’s command.’” 22 As soon as Muḥammad’s answer was given, they all clamorously protested, saying: “Lo! an ignorant man who knoweth not what the Spirit is, calleth Himself the Revealer of divine Knowledge!” And now behold the divines of the age who, because of their being honoured by His name, and finding that their fathers have acknowledged His Revelation, have blindly submitted to His truth. Observe, were this people today to receive such answers in reply to such questionings, they would unhesitatingly reject and denounce them—nay, they would again utter the self-same cavils, even as they have uttered them in this day. All this, notwithstanding the fact that these Essences of being are immensely exalted above such fanciful images, and are immeasurably glorified beyond all these vain sayings and above the comprehension of every understanding heart. Their so-called learning, when compared with that Knowledge, is utter falsehood, and all their understanding naught but 184 blatant error. Nay, whatsoever proceedeth from these Mines of divine Wisdom and these Treasuries of eternal knowledge is truth, and naught else but the truth. The saying: “Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have multiplied” is a proof of Our argument, and the tradition: “Knowledge is a light which God sheddeth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth” a confirmation of Our statement.
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Inasmuch as they have not apprehended the meaning of Knowledge, and have called by that name those images fashioned by their own fancy and which have sprung from the embodiments of ignorance, they therefore have inflicted upon the Source of Knowledge that which thou hast heard and witnessed.
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For instance, a certain man, 23 reputed for his learning and attainments, and accounting himself as one of the pre-eminent leaders of his people, hath in his book denounced and vilified all the exponents of true learning. This is made abundantly clear by his explicit statements as well as by his allusions throughout his book. As We had frequently heard about him, We purposed to read 185 some of his works. Although We never felt disposed to peruse other peoples’ writings, yet as some had questioned Us concerning him, We felt it necessary to refer to his books, in order that We might answer Our questioners with knowledge and understanding. His works, in the Arabic tongue, were, however, not available, until one day a certain man informed Us that one of his compositions, entitled Irshadu’l-‘Avám, 24 could be found in this city. From this title We perceived the odour of conceit and vainglory, inasmuch as he hath imagined himself a learned man and regarded the rest of the people ignorant. His worth was in fact made known by the very title he had chosen for his book. It became evident that its author was following the path of self and desire, and was lost in the wilderness of ignorance and folly. Methinks, he had forgotten the well-known tradition which sayeth: “Knowledge is all that is knowable; and might and power, all creation.” Notwithstanding, We sent for the book, and kept it with Us a few days. It was probably referred to twice. The second time, We accidentally came upon the story of the “Mi’ráj” 25 of Muḥammad, of 186 Whom was spoken: “But for Thee, I would not have created the spheres.” We noticed that he had enumerated some twenty or more sciences, the knowledge of which he considered to be essential for the comprehension of the mystery of the “Mi’ráj”. We gathered from his statements that unless a man be deeply versed in them all, he can never attain to a proper understanding of this transcendent and exalted theme. Among the specified sciences were the science of metaphysical abstractions, of alchemy, and natural magic. Such vain and discarded learnings, this man hath regarded as the pre-requisites of the understanding of the sacred and abiding mysteries of divine Knowledge.
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Gracious God! Such is the measure of his understanding. And yet, behold what cavils and calumnies he hath heaped upon those Embodiments of God’s infinite knowledge! How well and true is the saying: “Flingest thou thy calumnies unto the face of Them Whom the one true God hath made the Trustees of the treasures of His seventh sphere?” Not one understanding heart or mind, not one among the wise and learned, hath taken notice of these preposterous statements. And yet, how clear and evident it is to every discerning 187 heart that this so-called learning is and hath ever been, rejected by Him Who is the one true God. How can the knowledge of these sciences, which are so contemptible in the eyes of the truly learned, be regarded as essential to the apprehension of the mysteries of the “Mi’ráj,” whilst the Lord of the “Mi’ráj” Himself was never burdened with a single letter of these limited and obscure learnings, and never defiled His radiant heart with any of these fanciful illusions? How truly hath he said: “All human attainment moveth upon a lame ass, whilst Truth, riding upon the wind, darteth across space.” By the righteousness of God! Whoso desireth to fathom the mystery of this “Mi’ráj,” and craveth a drop from this ocean, if the mirror of his heart be already obscured by the dust of these learnings, he must needs cleanse and purify it ere the light of this mystery can be reflected therein.
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In this day, they that are submerged beneath the ocean of ancient Knowledge, and dwell within the ark of divine wisdom, forbid the people such idle pursuits. Their shining breasts are, praise be to God, sanctified from every trace of such learning, and are exalted above such grievous veils. We have 188 consumed this densest of all veils, with the fire of the love of the Beloved—the veil referred to in the saying: “The most grievous of all veils is the veil of knowledge.” Upon its ashes, We have reared the tabernacle of divine knowledge. We have, praise be to God, burned the “veils of glory” with the fire of the beauty of the Best-Beloved. We have driven from the human heart all else but Him Who is the Desire of the world, and glory therein. We cleave to no knowledge but His Knowledge, and set our hearts on naught save the effulgent glories of His light.
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We were surprised exceedingly when We observed that his one purpose was to make the people realize that all these learnings were possessed by him. And yet, I swear by God that not one breath, blowing from the meads of divine knowledge, hath ever been wafted upon his soul, nor hath he ever unravelled a single mystery of ancient wisdom. Nay, were the meaning of Knowledge ever to be expounded unto him, dismay would fill his heart, and his whole being would shake to its foundation. Notwithstanding his base and senseless statements, behold to what heights of extravagance his claims have reached! 189
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Gracious God! How great is Our amazement at the way the people have gathered around him, and have borne allegiance to his person! Content with transient dust, these people have turned their face unto it, and cast behind their backs Him Who is the Lord of Lords. Satisfied with the croaking of the crow and enamoured with the visage of the raven, they have renounced the melody of the nightingale and the charm of the rose. What unspeakable fallacies the perusal of this pretentious book hath revealed! They are too unworthy for any pen to describe, and too base for one moment’s attention. Should a touchstone be found, however, it would instantly distinguish truth from falsehood, light from darkness, and sun from shadow.
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Among the sciences which this pretender hath professed is that of alchemy. We cherish the hope that either a king or a man of preeminent power may call upon him to translate this science from the realm of fancy to the domain of fact and from the plane of mere pretension to that of actual achievement. Would that this unlearned and humble Servant, who never laid any pretension to such things, nor even regarded them as the criterion of true knowledge, might undertake the same 190 task, that thereby the truth might be known and distinguished from falsehood. But of what avail! All this generation could offer Us were wounds from its darts, and the only cup it proffered to Our lips was the cup of its venom. On our neck We still bear the scar of chains, and upon Our body are imprinted the evidences of an unyielding cruelty.
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And as to this man’s attainments, his ignorance, understanding and belief, behold what the Book which embraceth all things hath revealed; “Verily, the tree of Zaqqúm 26 shall be the food of the Áthím.” 27 And then follow certain verses, until He saith: “Taste this, for thou forsooth art the mighty Karím!” 28 Consider how clearly and explicitly he hath been described in God’s incorruptible Book! This man, moreover, feigning humility, hath in his own book referred to himself as the “áthim servant”: “Áthím” in the Book of God, mighty among the common herd, “Karím” in name!
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Ponder the blessed verse, so that the meaning of the words: “There is neither a thing green nor sere 191 but it is noted in the unerring Book,” 29 may be imprinted upon the tablet of thy heart. Notwithstanding, a multitude bear him allegiance. They have rejected the Moses of knowledge and justice, and clung to the Samírí 30 of ignorance. They have turned away their eyes from the Day-star of truth which shineth in the divine and everlasting heaven, and have utterly ignored its splendour.
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O my brother! A divine Mine only can yield the gems of divine knowledge, and the fragrance of the mystic Flower can be inhaled only in the ideal Garden, and the lilies of ancient wisdom can blossom nowhere except in the city of a stainless heart. “In a rich soil, its plants spring forth abundantly by permission of its Lord, and in that soil which is bad, they spring forth but scantily.” 31
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Inasmuch as it hath been clearly shown that only those who are initiated into the divine mysteries can comprehend the melodies uttered by the Bird of Heaven, it is therefore incumbent upon every one to seek enlightenment from the illumined in heart and from the Treasuries of divine mysteries 192 regarding the intricacies of God’s Faith and the abstruse allusions in the utterances of the Day-springs of Holiness. Thus will these mysteries be unravelled, not by the aid of acquired learning, but solely through the assistance of God and the outpourings of His grace. “Ask ye, therefore, of them that have the custody of the Scriptures, if ye know it not.” 32
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But, O my brother, when a true seeker determineth to take the step of search in the path leading to the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he must, before all else, cleanse and purify his heart, which is the seat of the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error, or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in this 193 day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the divine mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of oblivion and error. That seeker must at all times put his trust in God, must renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and resignation, observe silence, and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue is a smouldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the effects of the latter endure a century.
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That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should 194 treasure the companionship of those that have renounced the world, and regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the dawn of every day he should commune with God, and with all his soul persevere in the quest of his Beloved. He should consume every wayward thought with the flame of His loving mention, and, with the swiftness of lightning, pass by all else save Him. He should succour the dispossessed, and never withhold his favour from the destitute. He should show kindness to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with the power of utterance. He should not hesitate to offer up his life for his Beloved, nor allow the censure of the people to turn him away from the Truth. He should not wish for others that which he doth not wish for himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his heart should the seeker avoid fellowship with evil doers, and pray for the remission of their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never despise his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath a sinner, at the hour of death, attained to the essence of faith, and, quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the celestial Concourse. And how often hath a devout believer, 195 at the hour of his soul’s ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire. Our purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient, and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as utter nothingness.
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These are among the attributes of the exalted, and constitute the hall-mark of the spiritually-minded. They have already been mentioned in connection with the requirements of the wayfarers that tread the Path of Positive Knowledge. When the detached wayfarer and sincere seeker hath fulfilled these essential conditions, then and only then can he be called a true seeker. Whensoever he hath fulfilled the conditions implied in the verse: “Whoso maketh efforts for Us,” 33 he shall enjoy the blessing conferred by the words: “In Our ways shall We assuredly guide him.” 34
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Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled within the seeker’s heart, and the breeze of His 196 loving-kindness is wafted upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and certitude envelop his being. At that hour will the mystic Herald, bearing the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God resplendent as the morn, and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the slumber of negligence. Then will the manifold favours and outpouring grace of the holy and everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He will contemplate the manifest signs of the universe, and will penetrate the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing with the eye of God, he will perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of absolute certitude. He will discover in all things the mysteries of divine Revelation and the evidences of an everlasting manifestation.
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I swear by God! Were he that treadeth the path of guidance and seeketh to scale the heights of righteousness to attain unto this glorious and supreme station, he would inhale at a distance of 197 a thousand leagues the fragrance of God, and would perceive the resplendent morn of a divine Guidance rising above the dayspring of all things. Each and every thing, however small, would be to him a revelation, leading him to his Beloved, the Object of his quest. So great shall be the discernment of this seeker that he will discriminate between truth and falsehood even as he doth distinguish the sun from shadow. If in the uttermost corners of the East the sweet savours of God be wafted, he will assuredly recognize and inhale their fragrance, even though he be dwelling in the uttermost ends of the West. He will likewise clearly distinguish all the signs of God—His wondrous utterances, His great works, and mighty deeds—from the doings, words and ways of men, even as the jeweller who knoweth the gem from the stone, or the man who distinguisheth the spring from autumn and heat from cold. When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume, attain and enter the City of Certitude. Therein he will discern the wonders of His ancient wisdom, and will perceive all the hidden teachings from 198 the rustling leaves of the Tree—which flourisheth in that City. With both his inner and his outer ear he will hear from its dust the hymns of glory and praise ascending unto the Lord of Lords, and with his inner eye will he discover the mysteries of “return” and “revival.” How unspeakably glorious are the signs, the tokens, the revelations, and splendours which He Who is the King of names and attributes hath destined for that City! The attainment of this City quencheth thirst without water, and kindleth the love of God without fire. Within every blade of grass are enshrined the mysteries of an inscrutable wisdom, and upon every rose-bush a myriad nightingales pour out, in blissful rapture, their melody. Its wondrous tulips unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning Bush, and its sweet savours of holiness breathe the perfume of the Messianic Spirit. It bestoweth wealth without gold, and conferreth immortality without death. In every leaf ineffable delights are treasured, and within every chamber unnumbered mysteries lie hidden.
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They that valiantly labour in quest of God’s will, when once they have renounced all else but Him, will be so attached and wedded to that City that a 199 moment’s separation from it would to them be unthinkable. They will hearken unto infallible proofs from the Hyacinth of that assembly, and receive the surest testimonies from the beauty of its Rose and the melody of its Nightingale. Once in about a thousand years shall this City be renewed and re-adorned.
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Wherefore, O my friend, it behooveth Us to exert the highest endeavour to attain unto that City, and, by the grace of God and His loving-kindness, rend asunder the “veils of glory”; so that, with inflexible steadfastness, we may sacrifice our drooping souls in the path of the New Beloved. We should with tearful eyes, fervently and repeatedly, implore Him to grant us the favour of that grace. That city is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age and dispensation. In the days of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the days of Jesus the Gospel; in the days of Muḥammad the Messenger of God the Qur’án; in this day the Bayán; and in the dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest His own Book—the Book unto which all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the Book which standeth amongst them all transcendent 200 and supreme. In these cities spiritual sustenance is bountifully provided, and incorruptible delights have been ordained. The food they bestow is the bread of heaven, and the Spirit they impart is God’s imperishable blessing. Upon detached souls they bestow the gift of Unity, enrich the destitute, and offer the cup of knowledge unto them who wander in the wilderness of ignorance. All the guidance, the blessings, the learning, the understanding, the faith, and certitude, conferred upon all that is in heaven and on earth, are hidden and treasured within these Cities.
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For instance, the Qur’án was an impregnable stronghold unto the people of Muḥammad. In His days, whosoever entered therein, was shielded from the devilish assaults, the menacing darts, the soul-devouring doubts, and blasphemous whisperings of the enemy. Upon him was also bestowed a portion of the everlasting and goodly fruits—the fruits of wisdom, from the divine Tree. To him was given to drink the incorruptible waters of the river of knowledge, and to taste the wine of the mysteries of divine Unity.
221	
All the things that people required in connection with the Revelation of Muḥammad and His laws were to be found revealed and manifest in that Riḍván of resplendent glory. That Book constitutes an abiding testimony to its people after Muḥammad, inasmuch as its decrees are indisputable, and its promise unfailing. All have been enjoined to follow the precepts of that Book until “the year sixty” 1 —the year of the advent of God’s wondrous Manifestation. That Book is the Book which unfailingly leadeth the seeker unto the Riḍván of the divine Presence, and causeth him that hath forsaken his country and is treading the seeker’s path to enter the Tabernacle of everlasting reunion. Its guidance can never err, its testimony no other testimony can excel. All other traditions, all other books and records, are bereft of such distinction, inasmuch as both the traditions and they that have spoken them are confirmed and proven solely by the text of that Book. Moreover, the traditions themselves grievously differ, and their obscurities are manifold.
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Muḥammad, Himself, as the end of His mission drew nigh, spoke these words: “Verily, I leave amongst you My twin weighty testimonies: The Book of God and My Family.” Although many 202 traditions had been revealed by that Source of Prophethood and Mine of divine Guidance, yet He mentioned only that Book, thereby appointing it as the mightiest instrument and surest testimony for the seekers; a guide for the people until the Day of Resurrection.
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With unswerving vision, with pure heart, and sanctified spirit, consider attentively what God hath established as the testimony of guidance for His people in His Book, which is recognized as authentic by both the high and lowly. To this testimony we both, as well as all the peoples of the world, must cling, that through its light we may know and distinguish between truth and falsehood, guidance and error. Inasmuch as Muḥammad hath confined His testimonies to His Book and to His Family, and whereas the latter hath passed away, there remaineth His Book only as His one testimony amongst the people.
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In the beginning of His Book He saith: “Alif. Lám. Mím. No doubt is there about this Book: It is a guidance unto the God-fearing.” 2 In the disconnected letters of the Qur’án the mysteries of the divine Essence are enshrined, and within their 203 shells the pearls of His Unity are treasured. For lack of space We do not dwell upon them at this moment. Outwardly they signify Muḥammad Himself, Whom God addresseth saying: “O Muḥammad, there is no doubt nor uncertainty about this Book which hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Unity. In it is guidance unto them that fear God.” Consider, how He hath appointed and decreed this self-same Book, the Qur’án, as a guidance unto all that are in heaven and on earth. He, the divine Being, and unknowable Essence, hath, Himself, testified that this Book is, beyond all doubt and uncertainty, the guide of all mankind until the Day of Resurrection. And now, We ask, is it fair for this people to view with doubt and misgiving this most weighty Testimony, the divine origin of which God hath proclaimed, and pronounced it to be the embodiment of truth? Is it fair for them to turn away from the thing which He hath appointed as the supreme Instrument of guidance for attainment unto the loftiest summits of knowledge, and to seek aught else but that Book? How can they allow men’s absurd and foolish sayings to sow the seeds of distrust in their minds? How can they any longer idly contend that a certain person hath 204 spoken this or that way, or that a certain thing did not come to pass? Had there been anything conceivable besides the Book of God which could prove a more potent instrument and a surer guide to mankind, would He have failed to reveal it in that verse?
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It is incumbent upon us not to depart from God’s irresistible injunction and fixed decree, as revealed in the above-mentioned verse. We should acknowledge the holy and wondrous Scriptures, for failing to do this we have failed to acknowledge the truth of this blessed verse. For it is evident that whoso hath failed to acknowledge the truth of the Qur’án hath in reality failed to acknowledge the truth of the preceding Scriptures. This is but the manifest implication of the verse. Were We to expound its inner meanings and unfold its hidden mysteries, eternity would never suffice to exhaust their import, nor would the universe be capable of hearing them! God verily testifieth to the truth of Our saying!
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In another passage He likewise saith: “And if ye be in doubt as to that which We have sent down to Our Servant, then produce a Súrah like it, and summon your witnesses, beside God, if ye are men 205 of truth.” 3 Behold, how lofty is the station, and how consummate the virtue, of these verses which He hath declared to be His surest testimony, His infallible proof, the evidence of His all-subduing power, and a revelation of the potency of His will. He, the divine King, hath proclaimed the undisputed supremacy of the verses of His Book over all things that testify to His truth. For compared with all other proofs and tokens, the divinely-revealed verses shine as the sun, whilst all others are as stars. To the peoples of the world they are the abiding testimony, the incontrovertible proof, the shining light of the ideal King. Their excellence is unrivalled, their virtue nothing can surpass. They are the treasury of the divine pearls and the depository of the divine mysteries. They constitute the indissoluble Bond, the firm Cord, the Urvatu’l-Vuthqá, the inextinguishable Light. Through them floweth the river of divine knowledge, and gloweth the fire of His ancient and consummate wisdom. This is the fire which, in one and the same moment, kindleth the flame of love in the breasts of the faithful, and induceth the chill of heedlessness in the heart of the enemy.
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O friend! It behooveth us not to waive the injunction 206 of God, but rather acquiesce and submit to that which He hath ordained as His divine Testimony. This verse is too weighty and pregnant an utterance for this afflicted soul to demonstrate and expound. God speaketh the truth and leadeth the way. He, verily, is supreme over all His people; He is the Mighty, the Beneficent.
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Likewise, He saith: “Such are the verses of God: with truth do We recite them to Thee. But in what revelation will they believe, if they reject God and His verses?” 4 If thou wilt grasp the implication of this verse, thou wilt recognize the truth that no manifestation greater than the Prophets of God hath ever been revealed, and no testimony mightier than the testimony of their revealed verses hath ever appeared upon the earth. Nay, this testimony no other testimony can ever excel, except that which the Lord thy God willeth.
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In another passage He saith: “Woe to every lying sinner, who heareth the verses of God recited to him, and then, as though he heard them not, persisteth in proud disdain! Apprise him of a 207 painful punishment.” 5 The implications of this verse, alone, suffice all that is in heaven and on earth, were the people to ponder the verses of their Lord. For thou hearest how in this day the people disdainfully ignore the divinely-revealed verses, as though they were the meanest of all things. And yet, nothing greater than these verses hath ever appeared, nor will ever be made manifest in the world! Say unto them: “O heedless people! Ye repeat what your fathers, in a bygone age, have said. Whatever fruits they have gathered from the tree of their faithlessness, the same shall ye gather also. Ere long shall ye be gathered unto your fathers, and with them shall ye dwell in hellish fire. An ill abode! the abode of the people of tyranny.”
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In yet another passage He saith: “And when he becometh acquainted with any of Our verses he turneth them to ridicule. There is a shameful punishment for them!” 6 The people derisively observed saying: “Work thou another miracle, and give us another sign!” One would say: “Make now a part of the heaven to fall down upon us”; 7 and 208 another: “If this be the very truth from before Thee, rain down stones upon us from heaven.” 8 Even as the people of Israel, in the time of Moses, bartered away the bread of heaven for the sordid things of the earth, these people, likewise, sought to exchange the divinely-revealed verses for their foul, their vile, and idle desires. In like manner, thou beholdest in this day that although spiritual sustenance hath descended from the heaven of divine mercy, and been showered from the clouds of His loving kindness, and although the seas of life, at the behest of the Lord of all being, are surging within the Riḍván of the heart, yet these people, ravenous as the dogs, have gathered around carrion, and contented themselves with the stagnant waters of a briny lake. Gracious God! how strange the way of this people! They clamour for guidance, although the standards of Him Who guideth all things are already hoisted. They cleave to the obscure intricacies of knowledge, when He, Who is the Object of all knowledge, shineth as the sun. They see the sun with their own eyes, and yet question that brilliant Orb as to the proof of its light. They behold the vernal showers descending upon them, and yet seek an evidence of that 209 bounty. The proof of the sun is the light thereof, which shineth and envelopeth all things. The evidence of the shower is the bounty thereof, which reneweth and investeth the world with the mantle of life. Yea, the blind can perceive naught from the sun except its heat, and the arid soil hath no share of the showers of mercy. “Marvel not if in the Qur’án the unbeliever perceiveth naught but the trace of letters, for in the sun, the blind findeth naught but heat.”
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In another passage He saith: “And when Our clear verses are recited to them, their only argument is to say, ‘Bring back our fathers, if ye speak the truth!’” 9 Behold, what foolish evidences they sought from these Embodiments of an all-encompassing mercy! They scoffed at the verses, a single letter of which is greater than the creation of heavens and earth, and which quickeneth the dead of the valley of self and desire with the spirit of faith; and clamoured saying: “Cause our fathers to speed out of their sepulchres.” Such was the perversity and pride of that people. Each one of these verses is unto all the peoples of the world an unfailing testimony and a glorious proof of His truth. Each of them verily sufficeth all mankind, 210 wert thou to meditate upon the verses of God. In the above-mentioned verse itself pearls of mysteries lie hidden. Whatever be the ailment, the remedy it offereth can never fail.
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Heed not the idle contention of those who maintain that the Book and verses thereof can never be a testimony unto the common people, inasmuch as they neither grasp their meaning nor appreciate their value. And yet, the unfailing testimony of God to both the East and the West is none other than the Qur’án. Were it beyond the comprehension of men, how could it have been declared as a universal testimony unto all people? If their contention be true, none would therefore be required, nor would it be necessary for them to know God, inasmuch as the knowledge of the divine Being transcendeth the knowledge of His Book, and the common people would not possess the capacity to comprehend it.
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Such contention is utterly fallacious and inadmissible. It is actuated solely by arrogance and pride. Its motive is to lead the people astray from the Riḍván of divine good-pleasure and to tighten the reins of their authority over the people. And yet, in the sight of God, these common people are 211 infinitely superior and exalted above their religious leaders who have turned away from the one true God. The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit. This is evidenced by those who, today, though without a single letter of the accepted standards of learning, are occupying the loftiest seats of knowledge; and the garden of their hearts is adorned, through the showers of divine grace, with the roses of wisdom and the tulips of understanding. Well is it with the sincere in heart for their share of the light of a mighty Day!
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And likewise, He saith: “As for those who believe not in the verses of God, or that they shall ever meet Him, these of My mercy shall despair, and these doth a grievous chastisement await.” 10 Also, “And they say, ‘Shall we then abandon our gods for a crazed poet?’” 11 The implication of this verse is manifest. Behold what they observed after the verses were revealed. They called Him a poet, scoffed at the verses of God, and exclaimed saying: 212 “These words of his are but tales of the Ancients!” By this they meant that those words which were spoken by the peoples of old Muḥammad hath compiled and called them the Word of God.
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Likewise, in this day, thou hast heard the people impute similar charges to this Revelation, saying: “He hath compiled these words from the words of old;” or “these words are spurious.” Vain and haughty are their sayings, low their estate and station!
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After the denials and denunciations which they uttered, and unto which We have referred, they protested saying: “No independent Prophet, according to our Scriptures, should arise after Moses and Jesus to abolish the Law of divine Revelation. Nay, he that is to be made manifest must needs fulfil the Law.” Thereupon this verse, indicative of all the divine themes, and testifying to the truth that the flow of the grace of the All-Merciful can never cease, was revealed: “And Joseph came to you aforetime with clear tokens, but ye ceased not to doubt of the message with which He came to you, until, when He died, ye said, ‘God will by no means raise up a Messenger after Him.’ Thus God misleadeth him who is the transgressor 213 the doubter.” 12 Therefore, understand from this verse and know of a certainty that the people in every age, clinging to a verse of the Book, have uttered such vain and absurd sayings, contending that no Prophet should again be made manifest to the world. Even as the Christian divines who, holding fast to the verse of the Gospel to which We have already referred, have sought to explain that the law of the Gospel shall at no time be annulled, and that no independent Prophet shall again be made manifest, unless He confirmeth the law of the Gospel. Most of the people have become afflicted with the same spiritual disease.
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Even as thou dost witness how the people of the Qur’án, like unto the people of old, have allowed the words “Seal of the Prophets” to veil their eyes. And yet, they themselves testify to this verse: “None knoweth the interpretation thereof but God and they that are well-grounded in knowledge.” 13 And when He Who is well-grounded in all knowledge, He Who is the Mother, the Soul, the Secret, and the Essence thereof, revealeth that which is the least contrary to their desire, they bitterly oppose Him and shamelessly deny Him. These thou 214 hast already heard and witnessed. Such deeds and words have been solely instigated by leaders of religion, they that worship no God but their own desire, who bear allegiance to naught but gold, who are wrapt in the densest veils of learning, and who, enmeshed by its obscurities, are lost in the wilds of error. Even as the Lord of being hath explicitly declared: “What thinkest thou? He who hath made a God of his passions, and whom God causeth to err through a knowledge, and whose ears and whose heart He hath sealed up, and over whose sight He hath cast a veil—who, after his rejection by God, shall guide such a one? Will ye not then be warned?” 14
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Although the outward meaning of “Whom God causeth to err through a knowledge” is what hath been revealed, yet to Us it signifieth those divines of the age who have turned away from the Beauty of God, and who, clinging unto their own learning, as fashioned by their own fancies and desires, have denounced God’s divine Message and Revelation. “Say: it is a weighty Message, from which ye turn aside!” 15 Likewise, He saith: “And when 215 Our clear verses are recited to them, they say, ‘This is merely a man who would fain pervert you from your father’s worship.’ And they say, ‘This is none other than a forged falsehood.’” 16
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Give ear unto God’s holy Voice, and heed thou His sweet and immortal melody. Behold how He hath solemnly warned them that have repudiated the verses of God, and hath disowned them that have denied His holy words. Consider how far the people have strayed from the Kawthar of the divine Presence, and how grievous hath been the faithlessness and arrogance of the spiritually destitute in the face of that sanctified Beauty. Although that Essence of lovingkindness and bounty caused those evanescent beings to step into the realm of immortality, and guided those destitute souls to the sacred river of wealth, yet some denounced Him as “a calumniator of God, the Lord of all creatures,” others accused Him of being “the one that withholdeth the people from the path of faith and true belief,” and still others declared Him to be “a lunatic” and the like.
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In like manner, thou observest in this day with what vile imputations they have assailed that Gem 216 of Immortality, and what unspeakable transgressions they have heaped upon Him Who is the Source of purity. Although God hath throughout His Book and in His holy and immortal Tablet warned them that deny and repudiate the revealed verses, and hath announced His grace unto them that accept them, yet behold the unnumbered cavils they raised against those verses which have been sent down from the new heaven of God’s eternal holiness! This, notwithstanding the fact that no eye hath beheld so great an outpouring of bounty, nor hath any ear heard of such a revelation of lovingkindness. Such bounty and revelation have been made manifest, that the revealed verses seemed as vernal showers raining from the clouds of the mercy of the All-Bountiful. The Prophets “endowed with constancy,” whose loftiness and glory shine as the sun, were each honoured with a Book which all have seen, and the verses of which have been duly ascertained. Whereas the verses which have rained from this Cloud of divine mercy have been so abundant that none hath yet been able to estimate their number. A score of volumes are now available. How many still remain beyond our reach! How many have been plundered and have fallen into the 217 hands of the enemy, the fate of which none knoweth.
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O brother, we should open our eyes, meditate upon His Word, and seek the sheltering shadow of the Manifestations of God, that perchance we may be warned by the unmistakable counsels of the Book, and give heed to the admonitions recorded in the holy Tablets; that we may not cavil at the Revealer of the verses, that we may resign ourselves wholly to His Cause, and embrace wholeheartedly His law, that haply we may enter the court of His mercy, and dwell upon the shore of His grace. He, verily, is merciful, and forgiving towards His servants.
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And likewise, He saith: “Say, O people of the Book! do ye not disavow us only because we believe in God and in what He hath sent down to us, and in what He hath sent down aforetime, and because most of you are doers of ill?” 17 How explicitly doth this verse reveal Our purpose, and how clearly doth it demonstrate the truth of the testimony of the verses of God! This verse was revealed at a time when Islám was assailed by the infidels, 218 and its followers were accused of misbelief, when the Companions of Muḥammad were denounced as repudiators of God and as followers of a lying sorcerer. In its early days, when Islám was still to outward seeming devoid of authority and power, the friends of the Prophet, who had turned their face toward God, wherever they went, were harassed, persecuted, stoned and vilified. At such a time this blessed verse was sent down from the heaven of divine Revelation. It revealed an irrefutable evidence, and brought the light of an unfailing guidance. It instructed the companions of Muḥammad to declare the following unto the infidels and idolators: “Ye oppress and persecute us, and yet, what else have we done except that we have believed in God and in the verses sent down unto us through the tongue of Muḥammad, and in those which descended upon the Prophets of old?” By this is meant that their only guilt was to have recognized that the new and wondrous verses of God, which had descended upon Muḥammad, as well as those which had been revealed unto the Prophets of old, were all of God, and to have acknowledged and embraced their truth. This is the testimony which the divine King hath taught His servants. 219
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In view of this, is it fair for this people to repudiate these newly-revealed verses which have encompassed both the East and the West, and to regard themselves as the upholders of true belief? Should they not rather believe in Him Who hath revealed these verses? Considering the testimony which He Himself hath established, how could He fail to account as true believers them that have testified to its truth? Far be it from Him that He should turn away from the gates of His mercy them that have turned unto and embraced the truth of the divine verses, or that He should threaten those that have clung to His sure testimony! He verily establisheth the truth through His verses, and confirmeth His Revelation by His words. He verily is the Powerful, the Help in peril, the Almighty.
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And likewise, He saith: “And had We sent down unto Thee a Book written on parchment, and they had touched it with their hands, the infidels would surely have said ‘This is naught but palpable sorcery.’” 18 Most of the verses of the Qur’án are indicative of this theme. We have, for the sake of brevity, mentioned only these verses. Consider, 220 hath anything else besides the verses been established in the whole Book, as a standard for the recognition of the Manifestations of His Beauty, that the people might cling to, and reject the Manifestations of God? On the contrary, in every instance, He hath threatened with fire those that repudiate and scoff at the verses, as already shown.
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Therefore, should a person arise and bring forth a myriad verses, discourses, epistles, and prayers, none of which have been acquired through learning, what conceivable excuse could justify those that reject them, and deprive themselves of the potency of their grace? What answer could they give when once their soul hath ascended and departed from its gloomy temple? Could they seek to justify themselves by saying: “We have clung to a certain tradition, and not having beheld the literal fulfilment thereof, we have therefore raised such cavils against the Embodiments of divine Revelation, and kept remote from the law of God?” Hast thou not heard that among the reasons why certain Prophets have been designated as Prophets “endowed with constancy” was the revelation of a Book unto them? And yet, how could this people be justified in rejecting the Revealer and Author of so many volumes of verses, and follow the sayings of him who hath foolishly sown the seeds of doubt in the hearts of men, and who, Satan-like, hath risen to lead the people into the paths of perdition and error? How could they allow such things to deprive them of the light of the Sun of divine bounty? Aside from these things, if these people shun and reject such a divine Soul, such holy Breath, to whom, We wonder, could they cling, to whose face besides His Face could they turn? Yea—“All have a quarter of the Heavens to which they turn.” 1 We have shown thee these two ways; walk thou the way thou choosest. This verily is the truth, and after truth there remaineth naught but error.
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Amongst the proofs demonstrating the truth of this Revelation is this, that in every age and Dispensation, whenever the invisible Essence was revealed in the person of His Manifestation, certain souls, obscure and detached from all worldly entanglements, would seek illumination from the Sun of Prophethood and Moon of divine guidance, and would attain unto the divine Presence. For this 222 reason, the divines of the age and those possessed of wealth, would scorn and scoff at these people. Even as He hath revealed concerning them that erred: “Then said the chiefs of His people who believed not, ‘We see in Thee but a man like ourselves; and we see not any who have followed Thee except our meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence in you above ourselves: nay, we deem you liars.’” 2 They caviled at those holy Manifestations, and protested saying: “None hath followed you except the abject amongst us, those who are worthy of no attention.” Their aim was to show that no one amongst the learned, the wealthy, and the renowned believed in them. By this and similar proofs they sought to demonstrate the falsity of Him that speaketh naught but the truth.
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In this most resplendent Dispensation, however, this most mighty Sovereignty, a number of illumined divines, of men of consummate learning, of doctors of mature wisdom, have attained unto His Court, drunk the cup of His divine Presence, and been invested with the honour of His most excellent favour. They have renounced, for the sake of the Beloved, the world and all that is therein. We 223 will mention the names of some of them, that perchance it may strengthen the faint-hearted, and encourage the timorous.
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Among them was Mullá Ḥusayn, who became the recipient of the effulgent glory of the Sun of divine Revelation. But for him, God would not have been established upon the seat of His mercy, nor ascended the throne of eternal glory. Among them also was Siyyid Yaḥyá, that unique and peerless figure of his age,
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Mullá Muḥammad ‘Alíy-i-Zanjání 
Mullá ‘Alíy-i-Bastamí 
Mullá Sa’íd-i-Barfurúshí 
Mullá Ni’matu’lláh-i-Mázindarání 
Mullá Yúsúf-i-Ardibílí 
Mullá Mihdíy-i-Khú’í 
Siyyid Ḥusayn-i-Turshízí 
Mullá Mihdíy-i-Kandí 
Mullá Báqir 
Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Kháliq-i-Yazdí 
Mullá ‘Alíy-i-Baraqání
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and others, well nigh four hundred in number, whose names are all inscribed upon the “Guarded Tablet” of God.
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All these were guided by the light of that Sun of divine Revelation, confessed and acknowledged His truth. Such was their faith, that most of them renounced their substance and kindred, and 224 cleaved to the good-pleasure of the All-Glorious. They laid down their lives for their Well-Beloved, and surrendered their all in His path. Their breasts were made targets for the darts of the enemy, and their heads adorned the spears of the infidel. No land remained which did not drink the blood of these embodiments of detachment, and no sword that did not bruise their necks. Their deeds, alone, testify to the truth of their words. Doth not the testimony of these holy souls, who have so gloriously risen to offer up their lives for their Beloved that the whole world marvelled at the manner of their sacrifice, suffice the people of this day? Is it not sufficient witness against the faithlessness of those who for a trifle betrayed their faith, who bartered away immortality for that which perisheth, who gave up the Kawthar of the divine Presence for salty springs, and whose one aim in life is to usurp the property of others? Even as thou dost witness how all of them have busied themselves with the vanities of the world, and have strayed far from Him Who is the Lord, the Most High.
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Be fair: Is the testimony of those acceptable and worthy of attention whose deeds agree with their 225 words, whose outward behaviour conforms with their inner life? The mind is bewildered at their deeds, and the soul marvelleth at their fortitude and bodily endurance. Or is the testimony of these faithless souls who breathe naught but the breath of selfish desire, and who lie imprisoned in the cage of their idle fancies, acceptable? Like the bats of darkness, they lift not their heads from their couch except to pursue the transient things of the world, and find no rest by night except as they labour to advance the aims of their sordid life. Immersed in their selfish schemes, they are oblivious of the divine Decree. In the day-time they strive with all their soul after worldly benefits, and in the night-season their sole occupation is to gratify their carnal desires. By what law or standard could men be justified in cleaving to the denials of such petty-minded souls, and in ignoring the faith of them that have renounced, for the sake of the good-pleasure of God, their life, and substance, their fame and renown, their reputation and honour?
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Were not the happenings of the life of the “Prince of Martyrs” 3 regarded as the greatest of all events, as the supreme evidence of his truth? 226 Did not the people of old declare those happenings to be unprecedented? Did they not maintain that no manifestation of truth hath ever evinced such constancy, such conspicuous glory? And yet, that episode of his life, commencing as it did in the morning, was brought to a close by the middle of the same day, whereas, these holy lights have, for eighteen years, heroically endured the showers of afflictions which, from every side, have rained upon them. With what love, what devotion, what exultation and holy rapture, they sacrificed their lives in the path of the All-Glorious! To the truth of this all witness. And yet, how can they belittle this Revelation? Hath any age witnessed such momentous happenings? If these companions be not the true strivers after God, who else could be called by this name? Have these companions been seekers after power or glory? Have they ever yearned for riches? Have they cherished any desire except the good-pleasure of God? If these companions, with all their marvellous testimonies and wondrous works, be false, who then is worthy to claim for himself the truth? I swear by God! Their very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and an irrefutable proof unto all the peoples of the earth, were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries 227 of divine Revelation. “And they who act unjustly shall soon know what lot awaiteth them!” 4
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Furthermore, the sign of truth and falsehood is designated and appointed in the Book. By this divinely-appointed touchstone, the claims and pretensions of all men must needs be assayed, so that the truthful may be known and distinguished from the imposter. This touchstone is no other than this verse: “Wish for death, if ye are men of truth.” 5 Consider these martyrs of unquestionable sincerity, to whose truthfulness testifieth the explicit text of the Book, and all of whom, as thou hast witnessed, have sacrificed their life, their substance, their wives, their children, their all, and ascended unto the loftiest chambers of Paradise. Is it fair to reject the testimony of these detached and exalted beings to the truth of this pre-eminent and glorious Revelation and to regard as acceptable the denunciations which have been uttered against this resplendent Light by this faithless people, who for gold have forsaken their faith, and who for the sake of leadership have repudiated Him Who is the First Leader of all mankind? This, 228 although their character is now revealed unto all people who have recognized them as those who will in no wise relinquish one jot or one tittle of their temporal authority for the sake of God’s holy Faith, how much less their life, their substance, and the like.
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Behold how the divine Touchstone hath, according to the explicit text of the Book, separated and distinguished the true from the false. Notwithstanding, they are still oblivious of this truth, and in the sleep of heedlessness, are pursuing the vanities of the world, and are occupied with thoughts of vain and earthly leadership.
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“O Son of Man! Many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou hast busied thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings. How long art thou to slumber on thy bed? Lift up thine head from slumber, for the Sun hath risen to the zenith; haply it may shine upon thee with the light of beauty.”
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Let it be known, however, that none of these doctors and divines to whom we have referred was invested with the rank and dignity of leadership. For well-known and influential leaders of religion, who occupy the seats of authority and exercise 229 the functions of leadership, can in no wise bear allegiance to the Revealer of truth, except whomsoever thy Lord willeth. But for a few, such things have never come to pass. “And few of My servants are the thankful.” 6 Even as in this Dispensation, not one amongst the renowned divines, in the grasp of whose authority were held the reins of the people, hath embraced the Faith. Nay, they have striven against it with such animosity and determination that no ear hath heard and no eye hath seen the like.
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The Báb, the Lord, the most exalted—may the life of all be a sacrifice unto Him,—hath specifically revealed an Epistle unto the divines of every city, wherein He hath fully set forth the character of the denial and repudiation of each of them. “Wherefore, take ye good heed ye who are men of insight!” 7 By His references to their opposition He intended to invalidate the objections which the people of the Bayán might raise in the day of the manifestation of “Mustagháth,” 8 the day of the Latter Resurrection, claiming that, whereas in the Dispensation of the Bayán a number of divines 230 have embraced the Faith, in this latter Revelation none of these hath recognized His claim. His purpose was to warn the people lest, God forbid, they cling to such foolish thoughts and deprive themselves of the divine Beauty. Yea, these divines to whom We have referred, were mostly unrenowned, and, by the grace of God they were all purged of earthly vanities and free from the trappings of leadership. “Such is the bounty of God; to whom He will He giveth it.”
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Another proof and evidence of the truth of this Revelation, which amongst all other proofs shineth as the sun, is the constancy of the eternal Beauty in proclaiming the Faith of God. Though young and tender of age, and though the Cause He revealed was contrary to the desire of all the peoples of earth, both high and low, rich and poor, exalted and abased, king and subject, yet He arose and steadfastly proclaimed it. All have known and heard this. He was afraid of no one; He was regardless of consequences. Could such a thing be made manifest except through the power of a divine Revelation, and the potency of God’s invincible Will? By the righteousness of God! Were any one to entertain so great a Revelation in his 231 heart, the thought of such a declaration would alone confound him! Were the hearts of all men to be crowded into his heart, he would still hesitate to venture upon so awful an enterprise. He could achieve it only by the permission of God, only if the channel of his heart were to be linked with the Source of divine grace, and his soul be assured of the unfailing sustenance of the Almighty. To what, We wonder, do they ascribe so great a daring? Do they accuse Him of folly as they accused the Prophets of old? Or do they maintain that His motive was none other than leadership and the acquisition of earthly riches?
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Gracious God! In His Book, which He hath entitled “Qayyúmu’l-Asmá,”—the first, the greatest and mightiest of all books—He prophesied His own martyrdom. In it is this passage: “O thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed myself wholly for Thee; I have accepted curses for Thy sake; and have yearned for naught but martyrdom in the path of Thy love. Sufficient Witness unto me is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days!”
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Likewise, in His interpretation of the letter “Há,” He craved martyrdom, saying: “Methinks 232 I heard a Voice calling in my inmost being: ‘Do thou sacrifice the thing which Thou lovest most in the path of God, even as Ḥusayn, peace be upon him, hath offered up his life for My sake.’ And were I not regardful of this inevitable mystery, by Him, Who hath my being between His hands even if all the kings of the earth were to be leagued together they would be powerless to take from me a single letter, how much less can these servants who are worthy of no attention, and who verily are of the outcast… That all may know the degree of My patience, My resignation, and self-sacrifice in the path of God.”
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Could the Revealer of such utterance be regarded as walking any way but the way of God, and as having yearned for aught else except His good-pleasure? In this very verse there lieth concealed a breath of detachment, which if it were to be breathed full upon the world, all beings would renounce their lives, and sacrifice their souls. Reflect upon the villainous behaviour of this generation, and witness their astounding ingratitude. Observe how they have closed their eyes to all this glory, and are abjectly pursuing those foul carcasses from whose bellies ascendeth the cry 233 of the swallowed substance of the faithful. And yet, what unseemly calumnies they have hurled against those Daysprings of Holiness? Thus do We recount unto thee that which the hands of the infidels have wrought, they who, in the Day of Resurrection, have turned their face away from the divine Presence, whom God hath tormented with the fire of their own misbelief, and for whom He hath prepared in the world to come a chastisement which shall devour both their bodies and souls. For these have said: “God is powerless, and His hand of mercy is fettered.”
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Steadfastness in the Faith is a sure testimony, and a glorious evidence of the truth. Even as the “Seal of the Prophets” hath said: “Two verses have made Me old.” Both these verses are indicative of constancy in the Cause of God. Even as He saith: “Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden.” 9
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And now consider how this Sadrih of the Riḍván of God hath, in the prime of youth, risen to proclaim the Cause of God. Behold what steadfastness that Beauty of God hath revealed. The whole world rose to hinder Him, yet it utterly 234 failed. The more severe the persecution they inflicted on that Sadrih of Blessedness, the more His fervour increased, and the brighter burned the flame of His love. All this is evident, and none disputeth its truth. Finally, He surrendered His soul, and winged His flight unto the realms above.
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And among the evidences of the truth of His manifestation were the ascendancy, the transcendent power, and supremacy which He, the Revealer of being and Manifestation of the Adored, hath, unaided and alone, revealed throughout the world. No sooner had that eternal Beauty revealed Himself in Shíráz, in the year sixty, and rent asunder the veil of concealment, than the signs of the ascendancy, the might, the sovereignty, and power, emanating from that Essence of Essences and Sea of Seas, were manifest in every land. So much so, that from every city there appeared the signs, the evidences, the tokens, the testimonies of that divine Luminary. How many were those pure and kindly hearts which faithfully reflected the light of that eternal Sun, and how manifold the emanations of knowledge from that Ocean of divine wisdom which encompassed all beings! In every city, all the divines and dignitaries rose to 235 hinder and repress them, and girded up the loins of malice, of envy, and tyranny for their suppression. How great the number of those holy souls, those essences of justice, who, accused of tyranny, were put to death! And how many embodiments of purity, who showed forth naught but true knowledge and stainless deeds, suffered an agonizing death! Notwithstanding all this, each of these holy beings, up to his last moment, breathed the Name of God, and soared in the realm of submission and resignation. Such was the potency and transmuting influence which He exercised over them, that they ceased to cherish any desire but His will, and wedded their soul to His remembrance.
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Reflect: Who in this world is able to manifest such transcendent power, such pervading influence? All these stainless hearts and sanctified souls have, with absolute resignation, responded to the summons of His decree. Instead of complaining, they rendered thanks unto God, and amidst the darkness of their anguish they revealed naught but radiant acquiescence to His will. It is evident how relentless was the hate, and how bitter the malice and enmity entertained by all the peoples 236 of the earth towards these companions. The persecution and pain they inflicted on these holy and spiritual beings were regarded by them as means unto salvation, prosperity, and everlasting success. Hath the world, since the days of Adam, witnessed such tumult, such violent commotion? Notwithstanding all the torture they suffered, and manifold the afflictions they endured, they became the object of universal opprobrium and execration. Methinks patience was revealed only by virtue of their fortitude, and faithfulness itself was begotten only by their deeds.
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Do thou ponder these momentous happenings in thy heart, so that thou mayest apprehend the greatness of this Revelation, and perceive its stupendous glory. Then shall the spirit of faith, through the grace of the Merciful, be breathed into thy being, and thou shalt be established and abide upon the seat of certitude. The one God is My witness! Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wilt recognize that, apart from all these established truths and above-mentioned evidences, the repudiation, cursing, and execration, pronounced by the people of the earth, are in themselves the mightiest proof and the surest testimony of the truth of these heroes of the field of resignation 237 and detachment. Whenever thou dost meditate upon the cavils uttered by all the people, be they divines, learned or ignorant, the firmer and the more steadfast wilt thou grow in the Faith. For whatsoever hath come to pass, hath been prophesied by them who are the Mines of divine knowledge, and Recipients of God’s eternal law.
268	
Although We did not intend to make mention of the traditions of a bygone age, yet, because of Our love for thee, We will cite a few which are applicable to Our argument. We do not feel their necessity, however, inasmuch as the things We have already mentioned suffice the world and all that is therein. In fact, all the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof are condensed into this brief account. So much so, that were a person to ponder it a while in his heart, he would discover from all that hath been said the mysteries of the Words of God, and would apprehend the meaning of whatever hath been manifested by that ideal King. As the people differ in their understanding and station, We will accordingly make mention of a few traditions, that these may impart constancy to the wavering soul, and tranquillity to the troubled mind. Thereby, will the testimony of God unto the people, 238 both high and low, be complete and perfect.
269	
Among them is the tradition, “And when the Standard of Truth is made manifest, the people of both the East and the West curse it.” The wine of renunciation must needs be quaffed, the lofty heights of detachment must needs be attained, and the meditation referred to in the words “One hour’s reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship” must needs be observed, so that the secret of the wretched behaviour of the people might be discovered, those people who, despite the love and yearning for truth which they profess, curse the followers of Truth when once He hath been made manifest. To this truth the above-mentioned tradition beareth witness. It is evident that the reason for such behaviour is none other than the annulment of those rules, customs, habits, and ceremonials to which they have been subjected. Otherwise, were the Beauty of the Merciful to comply with those same rules and customs, which are current amongst the people, and were He to sanction their observances, such conflict and mischief would in no wise be made manifest in the world. This exalted tradition is attested and substantiated 239 by these words which He hath revealed: “The day when the Summoner shall summon to a stern business.” 10
270	
The divine call of the celestial Herald from beyond the Veil of Glory, summoning mankind to renounce utterly all the things to which they cleave, is repugnant to their desire; and this is the cause of the bitter trials and violent commotions which have occurred. Consider the way of the people. They ignore these well-founded traditions, all of which have been fulfilled, and cling unto those of doubtful validity, and ask why these have not been fulfilled. And yet, those things which to them were inconceivable have been made manifest. The signs and tokens of the Truth shine even as the midday sun, and yet the people are wandering, aimlessly and perplexedly, in the wilderness of ignorance and folly. Notwithstanding all the verses of the Qur’án, and the recognized traditions, which are all indicative of a new Faith, a new Law, and a new Revelation, this generation still waiteth in expectation of beholding the promised One who should uphold the Law of the Muḥammadan Dispensation. The Jews and the 240 Christians in like manner uphold the same contention.
271	
Among the utterances that foreshadow a new Law and a new Revelation are the passages in the “Prayer of Nudbih”: “Where is He Who is preserved to renew the ordinances and laws? Where is He Who hath the authority to transform the Faith and the followers thereof?” He hath, likewise, revealed in the Zíyárat: 11 “Peace be upon the Truth made new.” Abú-‘Abdi’lláh, questioned concerning the character of the Mihdí, answered saying: “He will perform that which Muḥammad, the Messenger of God, hath performed, and will demolish whatever hath been before Him even as the Messenger of God hath demolished the ways of those that preceded Him.”
272	
Behold, how, notwithstanding these and similar traditions, they idly contend that the laws formerly revealed, must in no wise be altered. And yet, is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions? For if the character 241 of mankind be not changed, the futility of God’s universal Manifestations would be apparent. In the “Aválím,” an authoritative and well-known book, it is recorded: “A Youth from Baní-Háshim shall be made manifest, Who will reveal a new Book and promulgate a new law;” then follow these words: “Most of His enemies will be the divines.” In another passage, it is related of Ṣádiq, son of Muḥammad, that he spoke the following: “There shall appear a Youth from Baní-Háshim, Who will bid the people plight fealty unto Him. His Book will be a new Book, unto which He shall summon the people to pledge their faith. Stern is His Revelation unto the Arab. If ye hear about Him, hasten unto Him.” How well have they followed the directions of the Imáms of the Faith and Lamps of certitude! Although it is clearly stated: “Were ye to hear that a Youth from Baní-Háshim hath appeared, summoning the people unto a new and Divine Book, and to new and Divine laws, hasten unto Him,” yet have they all declared that Lord of being an infidel, and pronounced Him a heretic. They hastened not unto that Háshimite Light, that divine Manifestation, except with drawn swords, and hearts filled with malice. Moreover, observe how explicitly the enmity 242 of the divines hath been mentioned in the books. Notwithstanding all these evident and significant traditions, all these unmistakable and undisputed allusions, the people have rejected the immaculate Essence of knowledge and of holy utterance, and have turned unto the exponents of rebellion and error. Despite these recorded traditions and revealed utterances, they speak only that which is prompted by their own selfish desires. And should the Essence of Truth reveal that which is contrary to their inclinations and desires, they will straightway denounce Him as an infidel, and will protest saying: “This is contrary to the sayings of the Imáms of the Faith and of the resplendent lights. No such thing hath been provided by our inviolable Law.” Even so in this day such worthless statements have been and are being made by these poor mortals.
273	
And now, consider this other tradition, and observe how all these things have been foretold. In “Arbá’in” it is recorded: “Out of Baní-Háshim there shall come forth a Youth Who shall reveal new laws. He shall summon the people unto Him, but none will heed His call. Most of His enemies will be the divines. His bidding they will not obey, 243 but will protest saying: ‘This is contrary to that which hath been handed down unto us by the Imáms of the Faith.’” In this day, all are repeating these very same words, utterly unaware that He is established upon the throne of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth,” and abideth upon the seat of “He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.”
274	
No understanding can grasp the nature of His Revelation, nor can any knowledge comprehend the full measure of His Faith. All sayings are dependent upon His sanction, and all things stand in need of His Cause. All else save Him are created by His command, and move and have their being through His law. He is the Revealer of the divine mysteries, and the Expounder of the hidden and ancient wisdom. Thus it is related in the “Biháru’l-Anvar,” the “Aválím,” and the “Yanbú’” of Ṣádiq, son of Muḥammad, that he spoke these words: “Knowledge is twenty and seven letters. All that the Prophets have revealed are two letters thereof. No man thus far hath known more than these two letters. But when the Qá’im shall arise, He will cause the remaining twenty and five letters to be made manifest.” Consider; He hath declared Knowledge to consist of twenty and seven 244 letters, and regarded all the Prophets, from Adam even unto the “Seal,” as Expounders of only two letters thereof and of having been sent down with these two letters. He also saith that the Qá’im will reveal all the remaining twenty and five letters. Behold from this utterance how great and lofty is His station! His rank excelleth that of all the Prophets, and His Revelation transcendeth the comprehension and understanding of all their chosen ones. A Revelation, of which the Prophets of God, His saints and chosen ones, have either not been informed, or which, in pursuance of God’s inscrutable Decree, they have not disclosed,—such a Revelation these mean and depraved people have sought to measure with their own deficient minds, their own deficient learning and understanding. Should it fail to conform to their standards, they straightway reject it. “Thinkest thou that the greater part of them hear or understand? They are even like unto the brutes! yea, they stray even further from the path!” 12
275	
How, We wonder, do they explain the aforementioned tradition, a tradition which, in unmistakable terms, foreshadoweth the revelation of 245 things inscrutable, and the occurrence of new and wondrous events in His day? Such marvellous happenings kindle so great a strife amongst the people, that all the divines and doctors sentence Him and His companions to death, and all the peoples of the earth arise to oppose Him. Even as it hath been recorded in the “Káfí,” in the tradition of Jabír, in the “Tablet of Fátimih,” concerning the character of the Qá’im: “He shall manifest the perfection of Moses, the splendour of Jesus, and the patience of Job. His chosen ones shall be abased in His day. Their heads shall be offered as presents even as the heads of the Turks and the Daylamites. They shall be slain and burnt. Fear shall seize them; dismay and alarm shall strike terror into their hearts. The earth shall be dyed with their blood. Their womenfolk shall bewail and lament. These indeed are my friends!” Consider, not a single letter of this tradition hath remained unfulfilled. In most of the places their blessed blood hath been shed; in every city they have been made captives, have been paraded throughout the provinces, and some have been burnt with fire. And yet no one hath paused to reflect that if the promised Qá’im should reveal the law and ordinances of a former Dispensation, why 246 then should such traditions have been recorded, and why should there arise such a degree of strife and conflict that the people should regard the slaying of these companions as an obligation imposed upon them, and deem the persecution of these holy souls as a means of attaining unto the highest favour?
276	
Moreover, observe how these things that have come to pass, and the acts which have been perpetrated, have all been mentioned in former traditions. Even as it hath been recorded in the “Rawdíy-i-Káfí,” concerning “Zawrá.” In the “Rawdíy-i-Káfí” it is related of Mu’áviyih, son of Vahháb, that Abú-‘Abdi’lláh hath spoken: “Knowest thou Zawrá?” I said: “May my life be a sacrifice unto thee! They say it is Baghdád.” “Nay,” he answered. And then added: “Hast thou entered the city of Rayy?”, 13 to which I made reply: “Yea, I have entered it.” Whereupon, He enquired: “Didst thou visit the cattle-market?” “Yea,” I answered. He said: “Hast thou seen the black mountain on the right hand side of the road? The same is Zawrá. There shall eighty men, of the children of certain ones, be slain, all of whom 247 are worthy to be called caliphs.” “Who will slay them?” I asked. He made reply: “The children of Persia!”
277	
Such is the condition and fate of His companions which in former days hath been foretold. And now observe how, according to this tradition, Zawrá is no other but the land of Rayy. In that place His companions have been with great suffering put to death, and all these holy beings have suffered martyrdom at the hand of the Persians, as recorded in the tradition. This thou hast heard, and unto it all testify. Wherefore, then, do not these grovelling, worm-like men pause to meditate upon these traditions, all of which are manifest as the sun in its noon-tide glory? For what reason do they refuse to embrace the Truth, and allow certain traditions, the significance of which they have failed to grasp, to withhold them from the recognition of the Revelation of God and His Beauty, and to cause them to dwell in the infernal abyss? Such things are to be attributed to naught but the faithlessness of the divines and doctors of the age. Of these, Ṣádiq, son of Muḥammad, hath said: “The religious doctors of that age shall be the most wicked of the divines beneath the shadow of 248 heaven. Out of them hath mischief proceeded, and unto them it shall return.”
278	
We entreat the learned men of the Bayán not to follow in such ways, not to inflict, at the time of Mustagháth, upon Him Who is the divine Essence, the heavenly Light, the absolute Eternity, the Beginning and the End of the Manifestations of the Invisible, that which hath been inflicted in this day. We beg them not to depend upon their intellect, their comprehension and learning, nor to contend with the Revealer of celestial and infinite knowledge. And yet, notwithstanding all these admonitions, We perceive that a one-eyed man, who himself is the chief of the people, is arising with the utmost malevolence against Us. We foresee that in every city people will arise to suppress the Blessed Beauty, that the companions of that Lord of being and ultimate Desire of all men will flee from the face of the oppressor and seek refuge from him in the wilderness, whilst others will resign themselves and, with absolute detachment, will sacrifice their lives in His path. Methinks We can discern one who is reputed for such devoutness and piety that men deem it an obligation to obey him, and to whose command they consider it necessary 249 to submit, who will arise to assail the very root of the divine Tree, and endeavour to the uttermost of his power to resist and oppose Him. Such is the way of the people!
279	
We fain would hope that the people of the Bayán will be enlightened, will soar in the realm of the spirit and abide therein, will discern the Truth, and recognize with the eye of insight dissembling falsehood. In these days, however, such odours of jealousy are diffused, that—I swear by the Educator of all beings, visible and invisible—from the beginning of the foundation of the world—though it hath no beginning—until the present day, such malice, envy, and hate have in no wise appeared, nor will they ever be witnessed in the future. For a number of people who have never inhaled the fragrance of justice, have raised the standard of sedition, and have leagued themselves against Us. On every side We witness the menace of their spears, and in all directions We recognize the shafts of their arrows. This, although We have never gloried in any thing, nor did We seek preference over any soul. To everyone We have been a most kindly companion, a most forbearing and affectionate friend. In the company of the poor We 250 have sought their fellowship, and amidst the exalted and learned We have been submissive and resigned. I swear by God, the one true God! grievous as have been the woes and sufferings which the hand of the enemy and the people of the Book inflicted upon Us, yet all these fade into utter nothingness when compared with that which hath befallen Us at the hand of those who profess to be Our friends.
280	
What more shall We say? The universe, were it to gaze with the eye of justice, would be incapable of bearing the weight of this utterance! In the early days of Our arrival in this land, when We discerned the signs of impending events, We decided, ere they happened, to retire. We betook Ourselves to the wilderness, and there, separated and alone, led for two years a life of complete solitude. From Our eyes there rained tears of anguish, and in Our bleeding heart there surged an ocean of agonizing pain. Many a night We had no food for sustenance, and many a day Our body found no rest. By Him Who hath My being between His hands! notwithstanding these showers of afflictions and unceasing calamities, Our soul was wrapt in blissful joy, and Our whole being 251 evinced an ineffable gladness. For in Our solitude We were unaware of the harm or benefit, the health or ailment, of any soul. Alone, We communed with Our spirit, oblivious of the world and all that is therein. We knew not, however, that the mesh of divine destiny exceedeth the vastest of mortal conceptions, and the dart of His decree transcendeth the boldest of human designs. None can escape the snares He setteth, and no soul can find release except through submission to His will. By the righteousness of God! Our withdrawal contemplated no return, and Our separation hoped for no reunion. The one object of Our retirement was to avoid becoming a subject of discord among the faithful, a source of disturbance unto Our companions, the means of injury to any soul, or the cause of sorrow to any heart. Beyond these, We cherished no other intention, and apart from them, We had no end in view. And yet, each person schemed after his own desire, and pursued his own idle fancy, until the hour when, from the Mystic Source, there came the summons bidding Us return whence We came. Surrendering Our will to His, We submitted to His injunction.
281	
What pen can recount the things We beheld upon Our return! Two years have elapsed during 252 which Our enemies have ceaselessly and assiduously contrived to exterminate Us, whereunto all witness. Nevertheless, none amongst the faithful hath risen to render Us any assistance, nor did any one feel inclined to help in Our deliverance. Nay, instead of assisting Us, what showers of continuous sorrows, their words and deeds have caused to rain upon Our soul! Amidst them all, We stand, life in hand, wholly resigned to His will; that perchance, through God’s loving kindness and His grace, this revealed and manifest Letter may lay down His life as a sacrifice in the path of the Primal Point, the most exalted Word. By Him at Whose bidding the Spirit hath spoken, but for this yearning of Our soul, We would not, for one moment, have tarried any longer in this city. “Sufficient Witness is God unto Us.” We conclude Our argument with the words: “There is no power nor strength but in God alone.” “We are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”
282	
They that have hearts to understand, they that have quaffed the Wine of love, who have not for one moment gratified their selfish desires, will behold, resplendent as the sun in its noon-tide glory, those tokens, testimonies, and evidences that attest the truth of this wondrous Revelation, this transcendent 253 and divine Faith. Reflect, how the people have rejected the Beauty of God, and have clung unto their covetous desires. Notwithstanding all these consummate verses, these unmistakable allusions, which have been revealed in the “Most weighty Revelation,” the Trust of God amongst men, and despite these evident traditions, each more manifest than the most explicit utterance, the people have ignored and repudiated their truth, and have held fast to the letter of certain traditions which, according to their understanding, they have found inconsistent with their expectations, and the meaning of which they have failed to grasp. They have thus shattered every hope, and deprived themselves of the pure wine of the All-Glorious, and the clear and incorruptible waters of the immortal Beauty.
283	
Consider, that even the year in which that Quintessence of Light is to be made manifest hath been specifically recorded in the traditions, yet they still remain unmindful, nor do they for one moment cease to pursue their selfish desires. According to the tradition, Mufaddál asked Ṣádiq saying: “What of the sign of His manifestation, O my master?” He made reply: “In the year sixty, 254 His Cause shall be made manifest, and His Name shall be proclaimed.”
284	
How strange! Notwithstanding these explicit and manifest references these people have shunned the Truth. For instance, mention of the sorrows, the imprisonment and afflictions inflicted upon that Essence of divine virtue hath been made in the former traditions. In the “Bihár” it is recorded: “In our Qá’im there shall be four signs from four Prophets, Moses, Jesus, Joseph, and Muḥammad. The sign from Moses, is fear and expectation; from Jesus, that which was spoken of Him; from Joseph, imprisonment and dissimulation; from Muḥammad, the revelation of a Book similar to the Qur’án.” Notwithstanding such a conclusive tradition, which in such unmistakable language hath foreshadowed the happenings of the present day, none hath been found to heed its prophecy, and methinks none will do so in the future, except him whom thy Lord willeth. “God indeed shall make whom He will to hearken, but We shall not make those who are in their graves to hearken.”
285	
It is evident unto thee that the Birds of Heaven and Doves of Eternity speak a twofold language. One language, the outward language, is devoid of 255 allusions, is unconcealed and unveiled; that it may be a guiding lamp and a beaconing light whereby wayfarers may attain the heights of holiness, and seekers may advance into the realm of eternal reunion. Such are the unveiled traditions and the evident verses already mentioned. The other language is veiled and concealed, so that whatever lieth hidden in the heart of the malevolent may be made manifest and their innermost being be disclosed. Thus hath Ṣádiq, son of Muḥammad, spoken: “God verily will test them and sift them.” This is the divine standard, this is the Touchstone of God, wherewith He proveth His servants. None apprehendeth the meaning of these utterances except them whose hearts are assured, whose souls have found favour with God, and whose minds are detached from all else but Him. In such utterances, the literal meaning, as generally understood by the people, is not what hath been intended. Thus it is recorded: “Every knowledge hath seventy meanings, of which one only is known amongst the people. And when the Qá’im shall arise, He shall reveal unto men all that which remaineth.” He also saith: “We speak one word, and by it we intend one and seventy meanings; each one of these meanings we can explain.” 256
286	
These things We mention only that the people may not be dismayed because of certain traditions and utterances, which have not yet been literally fulfilled, that they may rather attribute their perplexity to their own lack of understanding, and not to the non-fulfilment of the promises in the traditions, inasmuch as the meaning intended by the Imáms of the Faith is not known by this people, as evidenced by the traditions themselves. The people, therefore, must not allow such utterances to deprive them of the divine bounties, but should rather seek enlightenment from them who are the recognized Expounders thereof, so that the hidden mysteries may be unravelled, and be made manifest unto them.
287	
We perceive none, however, amongst the people of the earth who, sincerely yearning for the Truth, seeketh the guidance of the divine Manifestations concerning the abstruse matters of his Faith. All are dwellers in the land of oblivion, and all are followers of the people of wickedness and rebellion. God will verily do unto them that which they themselves are doing, and will forget them even as they have ignored His Presence in His day. Such is His decree unto those that have 257 denied Him, and such will it be unto them that have rejected His signs.
288	
We conclude Our argument with His words—exalted is He—“And whoso shall withdraw from the remembrance of the Merciful, We will chain a Satan unto him, and he shall be his fast companion.” 14 “And whoso turneth away from My remembrance, truly his shall be a life of misery.” 15
289	
Thus hath it been revealed aforetime, were ye to comprehend.
290	
Revealed by the “Bá” and the “Há.” 16
291	
Peace be upon him that inclineth his ear unto the melody of the Mystic Bird calling from the Sadratu’l-Muntahá!
292	
Glorified be our Lord, the Most High!

THE CREATION

From the beginning there was God and he spake and all things were made that are made.

The sixth day God made man for his glory, and all things were given unto him for his possession and for his use the woman hath God made of man and for the glory of the man that she serve him and raise up seed unto him.

And God rested the seventh day and hallowed it that men should do also.

Now when the man saw the woman that was made of him and for his glory, he loved her and married with her, consequently she bore children unto Him and they became the father and mother of all men.

And God called the man Adam and the woman Eve. They were of a mixed complexion.

And it came to pass that God commanded the man to give names to all things that are made.

DEAD BECAME ALIVE

And it came to pass that God entered the body of an unknown dead and the dead became alive, then did he walk about the earth in person. He dwelt among men and wrought many miracles so that the Kingdom of heaven might be verified. He suffered persecution and privation as an example of what ministers of the gospel must suffer to maintain the kingdom of God among men.

And it came to pass that God gave his name Elijah, and he called upon the name of the Lord God even though he himself was God.

Now when the time had appeared for God to return, the supreme angel commanded the chariot of heaven to meet him. And when the chariot appeared unto Elijah, he ascended and returned to his throne in heaven where he reigned from the beginning and shall, unto the end, King of kings, and God of gods.

Had the men in the days of Elijah's visit on earth taken a right record of his administration, long before this day the inhabitants of this earth would have known him as God of all men.

For in Elijah do the heavenly host worship as God of the universe and in him do I, Athlyi, believe as the only God.

He is the Lord of righteousness and of love, an industrious God, brave, omnipotent, omnipresent, a king of sympathy and of justice, giver of power and salvation, upon this God, and him only, his law and the Holy Ghost shall the Athlyians build their church.

We shall endeavour to please and serve him, for he is our God. We shall worship him with all our hearts and with all our souls, for unto us there is none so good as the Lord, our God. When the Lord God of Ethiopia is with us in the battle for that to which we are entitled, show me the foe so powerful to set us down? Verily I say unto you there is none.

But who can be so good as to please the conscience of the people that they say ye are of God? Who will pay such a price? Will you? Then, if so, lay down and let the public trod upon your head for a good name.

Verily I say unto you for this the Athlyians are bad, but on the scale of Justice, let them not be found wanting. Then shall they please the Lord God, maker of heaven and earth, and great shall be their reward in the kingdom of heaven.

THE SECOND BOOK OF ATHLYI
CALLED AGGREGATION

HEAVEN GRIEVED

For as much as the children of Ethiopia, God's favorite people of old, have turned away from his divine Majesty, neglecting life economic, believing they could on spiritual wings fly to the kingdom of God, consequently became a dependent for the welfare of others.

Therefore the whole heaven was grieved and there was a great lamentation in the Kingdom of God. Ethiopian mothers whose bodies have been dead for a thousand years, weeping for their suffering generations and shall not be comforted.

And behold two angels of the Lord resembling two saints of Ethiopia appeared before Athlyi and he inquired of them what is the cry?

And they answered him saying, Ethiopian mothers who have been dead a thousand years pleading before Elijah for the redemption of suffering Ethiopia and her posterities who by the feet of the nations are trodden.

Convention in Heaven

There is a great convention in heaven, saith the angels of the Lord, unto you this day we are sent by the Lord to felicitate. For thou art appointed the shepherd to lead Ethiopia's generations from the oppressive feet of the nations, and there are appointed also prophets to prepare the way before thee.

And it came to pass when Athlyi heard these sayings he feared with great astonishment and turned his face from the angels of the Lord. And there appeared unto him his divine highness Jesus Christ, Prince of the Kingdom of God, and said quickly behold the messengers of my Father.

At this saying Athlyi turned again to the angels of the Lord and said, thy will be done, O God of Ethiopia, but how can I be the shepherd, to lead millions of millions even from the end of the earth when as I am but a twig before the eyes of men?

The Heavens Open

And the angels of the Lord answered him saying, a twig that is made by the Holy Spirit, an instrument to lead men, is great in the sight of 

God, over which the armies of the earth or the hosts of hell shall not prevail.

And it came to pass that the angel who had the less to say lifted her eyes to heaven and stretched forth her arms over the earth and cried, blessed be thou Ethiopia, glory be the Father, thou Elijah, Hosanna, Hosanna to Jehovah, praise ye Douglas the convention have triumph.

There appeared a beautiful light on earth and when the light flashed Athlyi looked toward the heaven, and behold the heaven was -open and there was a great host of saints robed in blue, millions of millions as far as his eyes could see there was a mighty host.

When Athlyi sought the angels of the Lord they were not and he heard a voice say "Athlyi" and another "Athlyi" and he looked up and saw two angels ascending towards the celestial host.

Ethiopia Anointed

And when the two messengers of the Lord were midways they cried out unto the earth saying, blessed be thou Ethiopia for this day thou art anointed, thou are blest with a blessing, be ye forever united and stand up, let the world know your God.

And when the two angels of the Lord neared the multitude the whole host roared with a thunder of joy that shook the earth like a mighty earthquake.

And it came to pass that an angel robed in four colours came forward to receive them and the whole celestial multitude stood and quietly formed an aisle.

And when the two messengers appeared before the heavenly host they bowed to the multitude and turned themselves around and bowed also to the earth.

Then came forward the mighty Angel robed in four colors and placed a gold ring upon their heads, and came forward also two mothers of Ethiopia, each with a star in their right hand, and pinned them on the left breast of the two messengers of the Lord.

And it came to pass that heaven and earth shook three times and the two angels marched up the aisle and joined with the multitude.

Rejoicing in Heaven

There was great rejoicing in Heaven and singing hosanna to Elijah; praise ye Douglas; blessed be thou Ethiopia forever and forever; the people at the end of the known world, and world
unknown, shall look for the coming of thy children with food and with rainment.

And when the two angels had joined the multitude and the mighty angel had finished his performance the said angel who was robed in colors turned to the heavenly host and said:

"Mothers of Ethiopia, the convention has triumphed, your sorrows have brought joy to Ethiopia, your tears have anointed her soil with a blessing, your cries have awakened her children throughout the earth, yea in the corners of the unknown world are they aroused, and is prophesying, saying prepare ye the way for a redeemer."

Shepherd Anointed

For unto Ethiopia this day a Shepherd is anointed, yea, as a shepherd gathers his sheep so shall he gather unto God, the generation of Ethiopia even from the end of the earth and lead them high, a nation among nations.

Then shall the inhabitants of the earth know that the Lord our God has not forsaken Ethiopia, and that the mighty is weak against his command, and unto no nation has he given power forever.

Verily I say unto you, woe be unto the persecutors of the shepherd for he is anointed by 
 the Lord our God, therefore one drop of his blood or the least of his apostles whom he has anointed to administer the law to the generations of Ethiopia, or the blood of a prophet within the law, shall break to pieces the oppressors of Ethiopia.

The Mighty Angel

When the mighty angel had finished speaking to the heavenly host he then turned to the earth and said: "Children of Ethiopia, stand," and there flashed upon the earth a great multitude of Negroes knowing not from whence they came; then shouted instantly the whole heavenly host, "Behold, behold Ethiopia has triumphed."

And it came to pass that the mighty angel spoke to the multitude of Negroes, saying, "Woe be unto those who say to the shepherd, thou fool, or to the least of an apostle anointed to administer the law, for it is not the desire of the shepherd but the will of the Lord who is God."

Dominion Over the Shepherd

"For as much as the Lord has dominion over the shepherd and the shepherd over his apostles and the apostles over all the generations of Ethiopia; then shall the Lord our God administer 
 to the shepherd and the shepherd to his apostles and the apostles to all the children of Ethiopia.

"Woe be unto an apostle who is anointed to administer the law and neglect or deny it. Verily he shall be cast out and the hand of the Lord shall come upon him with sorrow and disgrace.

"Woe be unto those who saith I will not be united, neither will I follow the shepherd, they shall be as sheep without a shepherd only to be destroyed by the wolf of the field.

"Woe be unto those who saith I hearken not to the voice of the shepherd but go the way of the majority, for in the majority the spirit of the lord will not be found.

"Woe be unto those who saith I will not worship in the house of the Lord subsidiary to the house of Athlyi."

Purification

"For as much as the house of Athlyi is founded by the holy spirit to purify the children of Ethiopia and to administer the holy law commanded to them by the Lord God of all mercies, that they in the end shall be ushered in the kingdom of his Divine Majesty by faith through consecration in love, justice and by the
 pledging of life's loyalty to a prolific and defensive cause for the welfare of mankind.

"Let not the least or the greatest of the children give a deaf ear to the saying of the shepherd thereof, for through the mouth of the shepherd cometh the word of the Lord to the adherents of the Holy Law."

PRESENTATION OF THE LAW

And it came to pass that the mighty angel robed in four colors descended from among the great heavenly host.

When the Athlyi saw the angel descending he feared with great fear and hid behind the root of a tree.

But the angel of the Lord came upon him and said., "Athlyi, come forth for the Lord has made thee shepherd of his anointed children of Ethiopia. "

And Athlyi answered saying, "Who are thou?" "I am Douglas, a messenger from the Lord," replied the angel. "I am sent to robe thee and to give in thy hands and in thy care the Lord's articles."

Verily no man shall take away that which the Lord giveth, for the word of the Lord who is God, will not come unto any save he who is appointed by the Father.

Athlyi Robed

The angel of the Lord robed Athlyi in four colors and commanded him to put forth his right hand and the messenger presented in his right hand a staff and in his left hand the Holy Law saying, "Go and administer this Law through thine apostles unto the children of Ethiopia and command them to rise from the feet of their oppressors. Great is the penalty if there be any failure on your part to deliver the Law; the hand of the Lord shall come upon thee with horror and thou shalt regret the day ye was born."

The angel of the Lord hesitated, then said to Athlyi "Swear before the Lord God that thou wilt administer the Law unto the children"; then Athlyi lifted his eyes to the heaven and said, "Heaven and earth bear witness to my saying, I will."

Then the messenger of the Lord touched Athlyi on his left breast with the first finger of his right hand saying, "Be thou brave," then disappeared from the presence of the shepherd.

GOD'S HOLY LAW TO THE CHILDREN OF ETHIOPIA

Great and manifold are the blessings bestowed upon us the oppressed children of Ethiopia, by His Divine Majesty, Lord God Almighty, King of all mercies, when by his most holy command His divine highness, Christ, Prince of the Heavenly Kingdom, descended and anointed us that we may be prepared to receive these noble men, servants of God and redeemers of Ethiopia's posterities. His honor, Marcus Garvey and colleague, his holiness the shepherd Athlyi, supreme minister of God's Holy Law to the children of Ethiopia, may we show gratitude to our God by being submissive to his teachings through these his humble servants, and submitting ourselves in obedience to his Holy Law that we a suffering people may reap the fruit thereof.

When as it was the intention of others to keep us forever in darkness, by our faithfulness to the Law we shall in time prove to the nations that God has not forsaken Ethiopia.

The Holy Commandments

I

Love ye one another, O children of Ethiopia, for by no other way can ye love the Lord your God.

II

Be thou industrious, thrifty and fruitful, O offsprings of Ethiopia, for by no other way can ye show gratitude to the Lord your God, for the many blessings he has bestowed upon earth free to all mankind.

III

Be ye concretized and ever united, for by the power of unity ye shall demand respect of the nations.

IV

Work ye willingly with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy strength to relieve suffering and oppressed humanity, for by no other way can ye render integral service to the Lord your God.

V

Be thou clean and pleasant, O generation of Ethiopia, for thou art anointed, moreover the angels of the Lord dwelleth with thee.

VI

Be thou punctual, honest and truthful that ye gain flavor in the sight of the Lord your God, and that your pathway be prosperous.

VII

Let no people take away that which the Lord thy God giveth thee, for the Lord shall inquire of it and if ye shall say some one hath taken it, ye shall in no wise escape punishment, for he that dieth in retreat of his enemy the Lord shall not hold him guiltless, but a people who dieth in pursuit of their enemy for the protection of that which the Lord God giveth them, shall receive a reward in the kingdom of their Father.

VIII

Thou shalt first bind up the wound of thy brother and correct the mistakes in thine own household before ye can see the sore on the body of your friend, or the error in the household of thy neighbour.

IX

O generation of Ethiopia, shed not the blood of thine own for the welfare of others for such is the pathway to destruction and contempt.

X

Be ye not contented in the vineyard or household of others, for ye know not the day or the hour when denial shall appear, prepare ye 
rather for yourselves a foundation, for by no other way can man manifest love for the offsprings of the womb.

XI

Athlyi, Athlyi, thou shepherd of the holy law and of the children of Ethiopia, establish ye upon the Law a Holy temple for the Lord according to thy name and there shall all the children of Ethiopia worship the Lord their God, and there shall the apostles of the shepherd administer the law and receive pledges thereto and concretize within the Law. Verily he that is concretized within the Law shall be a follower and a defender thereof, more-over the generations born of him that is concretize within the law are also of the law.

XII

O generation of Ethiopia, thou shalt have no other God but the Creator of Heaven and Earth and the things thereof. Sing ye praises and shout Hosanna to the Lord your God, while for a foundation ye sacrifice on earth for His Divine Majesty the Lord our Lord in six days created. the heaven and earth and rested the seventh; ye also shall hallow the seventh day, for it is blessed by the Lord, therefore on this day thou shall do no manner of work or any within thy gates.

The Shepherd's Prayer By Athlyi

O God of Ethiopia, thy divine majesty; thy spirit come in our hearts to dwell in the path of righteousness, lead us, help us to forgive that we may be forgiven, teach us love and loyalty on earth as in Heaven, endow us with wisdom and understanding to do thy will, thy blessing to us that the hungry be fed, the naked clothed, the sick nourished, the aged protected and the infants cared for. Deliver us from the hands of our enemies that we prove fruitful, then in the last day when life is o'er, our bodies in the clay, or in the depths of the sea, or in the belly of a beast, O give our souls a place in thy kingdom forever and forever. Amen.

THE LAW PREACHED

Now in the year of 1917 A.D., Shepherd Athlyi first went about the City of Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A., telling of the Law and preaching concretation saying, I come not only to baptize but to concretize for the rescue of suffering humanity, for verily I say unto you, first seek ye righteousness toward men and all things will be added unto you, even the kingdom of God.

There came to him many to be concretized and he concretized them with water, men and women. And the names of his stars were: Rev. J.H. Harris, Sister R.J. Hamilton, Brother J. Reid, Rev. and Mrs. J. Barber, Brother C.C. Harris, Sister Leila Best, Sister Thurston, Brother H. Pope, Rev. and Mrs. Flanagan, Brother Charles McLaurin, Sister Letica Johnson, Brother and Sister Adam Costly, Brother and Sister W.D. Sullivan, Sister Sarah Johnson, Brother G.W. Roberts, Rev. J.J. Derricks, Rev. A.J. Green, Rev. W. Barclift, Sister Bertha Johnson, Her holiness, the Shepherdess Miriam 1 , Her Holiness the 
 Shepherdmiss Muriel 2, Brother F.L. Redd. These are those who followed the shepherd from place to place.

And it came to pass that his holiness, the shepherd, traveled to Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.A., there he concretized with water, and the names of his stars who followed him around were: Sister Sylvie Randall, Brother and Sister Eugene Kitchen, Brother and Sister Joseph Rutherford, Rev. R.G. Gaines, Brother J. When, Sister Ellen Frazier, Sister Minnieolo Walker, Sister M.A. Bryant, Irene Chambers, E. Dempsey. From there he traveled all around South America and the West Indies, preaching of the law and concretation by water for the sake of suffering humanity.

Moreover, in the year of 1919 Athlyi, after he was anointed shepherd, paraded the streets of Newark with a host of Negroes, protected by riding officers of the city and accompanied by a Salvation Army carrying banners, proclaiming a universal holiday for Negroes and foretelling of their industrial and national independence.

ATHLICANITY PREACHED

For as much as the doctrine preached by Athlyi gained favor in the hearts of the people, and that it was efficient for the Salvation of Ethiopia's generations: On the thirteenth day of the seventh month, in the nineteen hundred and eighteenth year, the followers of Athlyi assembled at the Israel Memorial A.M.E. Church, West Kinney Street, Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A. They declared themselves Athlyians by name and in faith.

And they consolidated themselves within the faith. They sang songs of praises and offered thanksgiving to the Lord God of Ethiopia.

And it came to pass that a committee was appointed from among them to confirm the Shepherd, and the names of those appointed and consolidated were Sister Rachel Hamilton, Rev. James Barber, Sister Gilby Rose, Bro. C.E. Harris and Bro. James Reed.

The committee decorated the Shepherd in four colors and committed in his right hand a staff so as to confirm the authority conferred upon him by the heavenly officials.

Now when the Shepherd was adorned and anointed by prayer, the Athlyians shouted with great joy and cried "Lead on, Shepherd of the Athlyians."

And it came to pass after the performance, the Shepherd stood up, and he was in four colors which were blue, black, red and green, and he explained the meaning of the colors and of the staff.

Saying Ethiopia's generations shall respect the heaven while for a foundation they sacrifice on earth; moreover a king sits on the throne of his organized government, but a Shepherd must seek his sheep and prepare a pasture for them that they be fed.

Then the Shepherd commanded his followers to stand, and he taught them saying, great is His Divine Majesty, the Lord God of all mankind, Father of Ethiopia; Who is greater than the Lord God? Even from the beginning of the world hath he prepared for his children unto the end.

The sun, the moon, the stars, the wind, the rain, the land and the sea hath he given free to mankind; who is so philanthropic, so magnificent, who can give such a gift? There is none so great as the Lord our God.

Let all the generations of Ethiopia hear the voice of Athlyi, for in his hands the law is given unto them.

Let not be devil persuade you that you turn your back against the Lord God of Ethiopia.

Woe be unto you should the heavenly father because of your ingratitudes turn against thee, revengely the hands of thy enemies and shall come upon thee with horror.

Let the Athlyians walk in the path of righteousness and all impediments shall be their foot stool and the spirit of the Lord shall dwell with them for ever and ever.

Blessed are the industrious hearts for they are those who use the blessing and the power of God for the good of mankind. Great shall be their reward in the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who seek the Lord and by actual work prove to the nations that they have found him; for the power of God shall be as two kings feeling in darkness for an electric switch and he that found it immediately there was light throughout his palace and all the people rejoiced because of its splendor, but in the palace of him that found it not, there was no light, therefore his people wandered and became the servants of others.


Blessed are a people who seek their own, beautify and maintain it, for in their barns there shall be plenty; great shall they be among men. The Lord shall glory in them and their daughters shall be the wives of mighty men.

Woe be unto a people, a race who seek not their own foundation; their wives shall be servants for the wives of other men, and their daughters shall be wives of poor men and of vagabonds, and there shall be tears because of privation, then in the end hell everlasting for there shall be no reward in the kingdom of heaven for slothful nor the unconcerned.

Woe be unto a race of people who forsake their own and adhere to the doctrine of another. They shall be slaves to the people thereof

Verily I say unto you, O children of Ethiopia, boast not of the progress of other races, believing that thou are a part of the project for at any time thou shall be cast over the bridge of death both body and soul.

Forget not the assembling of thy selves and unitedly working for the up building of Ethiopia and her generations.

Then shall the nations of the earth respect thee and thy commodities shall be for their gold and their commodities for thy gold, but there shall 
be none to fool thee neither shall ye be their slaves.

For thy emblem shall rank among their emblems; thy ships among their ships, and thy men-of-war among their men-of-war; great shall be thy name among the nations.

The Lord God, Father of Ethiopia, shall glory in thee, with thee shall all the angels rejoice, great is thy reward in the kingdom of heaven.

Thy daughters shall work with clean hands and in soft clothing, thy sons shall enjoy the fruits of their colleges.

SOLEMNITY FEAST

The following meeting after the Shepherd was confirmed, there came to him men and women to be concretized, and he concretized them with water.

And the Shepherd taught the form Solemnity feast, which the Christians call sacrament, and he taught the form of baptism also concretation and the period of concord according to the Athlican faith.

Let the people be baptized with water by submersion for the remission of their iniquities in the name of one God, his Holy Law and the Holy Ghost.

Let the people be concretized also with water that they be binded into one united band from one generation to another and let them pledge their lives loyally to the cause of actual work for the up building of Ethiopia and for the rescue of suffering humanity, suffer them to wash their hands against the slothful and fruitless life of the past. Then shall the parson give to them a hand of fellowship, bringing them forward into a new and ever productive life.

Let the people assemble once a month on their knees before the altar at Solemnity feast, then shall the parson and ordained cleffs administer to them bread and water, saying "eat in remembrance of your pledge to God, yielding yourselves into actual work for the welfare of your generation through the up building of Ethiopia and for the rescue of suffering humanity.

Drink in remembrance of your baptism when thy sins hath been washed away, bid far the devil and his iniquities; arise and go in the name of one God, His Law and the Holy Ghost.

For as much as angel Douglas binded the heaven and earth for the rescue of Ethiopia and her posterities, suffer the children of Ethiopia to assemble for three days celebration, beginning from the setting of the sun on the twenty-ninth day of the seventh month unto the setting of the sun of the first day of the eighth month of the year, which shall be known throughout the world as the period of concord in accordance with the celestial and terrestrial concord led by the mighty angel Douglas.

Hear, oh generations of Ethiopia, for I, Athlyi, speak not as a mere man but with authority from the kingdom of God.

Verily, I say unto you, the first days of the concord thou shall not eat the flesh of any animals,
nor large fishes, neither shall ye drink of their blood or of their milk, thy victuals shall be of fowl and tiny fishes, devote thyself in communing with the Lord God of Ethiopia.

Be aware of improper conduct, for the angels of heaven are participating in the concord.

On the third day, which is the last day of concord, let there be a great feast and joviality among the people.

Let the atmosphere be teemed with balloons of colors carried in the hands of the people; let also the possessions of all Ethiopia's generations be adorned with the colors.

During the concord the house of Athlyi shall order the release of the people from all Athlican factories, or other enterprises so that they can commune with the Lord their God.

In time of concord let the Athlican ships fly the colors of the Great Negro Civilization where so ever they are; pray that the captains thereof are of the Athlican faith so as to celebrate concord in its fullness.

Hear ye, O generations of Ethiopia, for I, Athlyi, speak unto you, for as the Lord God of Ethiopia liveth, this is a serious affair which must not be forsaken.


The Holy finger print of the Almighty God signed the issue in the name of His Majesty, His Law, and for the sake of suffering humanity.

And it came to pass that one of the newcomers into the Athlican Faith who sat in the midst of the audience spoke, saying, "May I ask his Holiness, what is the principal belief of the Athlyians?"

Straight-way the Shepherd answered saying, the fundamental belief of the Athlican faith is justice to all, but hear ye, also, the Athlyian's creed:

The Athlyian's Creed

We believe in one God, maker of all things, Father of Ethiopia and then in His Holy Law as it is written in the book Piby, the sincerity of Angel Douglas and the power of the Holy Ghost. We believe in one Shepherd Athlyi as an anointed apostle of the Lord our God, then in the Afro Athlican Constructive Church unto the most Holy House of Athlyi. We believe in the Freedom of Ethiopia and the maintenance of an efficient government recorded upon the catalog of nations in honor of her posterities and the glory of her God, the establishment of true love and the administration of Justice to all men, the 
 celebration of concord, the virtue of the Solemnity feast and in the form of baptism and concretation as taught by our Shepherd Athlyi.

We believe in the utilization of the power and blessings of God for the good of mankind, the creation of industries, the maintenance of colleges and the unity of force, then in the end when earth toil is over we shall be rewarded a place of rest in the kingdom of Heaven, thereto sing with the saints of Ethiopia, singing Hallelujah, hosanna to the Lord our God forever and ever Amen.

Then the Athlyians shouted "Hosanna to the Lord God, surely the Lord has sent us not only a Shepherd but a savior."

Straight-way the Shepherd Athlyi spake, saying "Upon those words the Afro Athlican Constructive Church stands firm over which the hosts of hell nor the armies of the earth shall not prevail."

And the Shepherd being full with the Holy Spirit recited from his heart saying: "Father, thou God of all, closer to thee even though afar we stray; thou hast called us back, now all in one we come, children in Africa: Closer, oh God, to thee; closer to thee."

And he began to tell his followers about the wonderful works of God; how he hath sent apostles of the twentieth century, to save Ethiopia 
and her generations from the oppressive feet of the nations that they prove themselves fruitful for the good of their children and the glory of their God.

"Know ye that I am not the only one sent by the Lord our God to rescue the children of Ethiopia, for before me there were two others sent forth to prepare the minds of the people for the great things that shall come to pass.

"I saw an angel resembling a mighty Negro, and upon his head were horns of a great structure and on his breast was a map of life.

"I heard a great voice uttered from the end of the world saying, behold the map of the new Negroes, by this shall ye know the apostle of the twentieth century whom the Almighty God hath commanded to save Ethiopia and her posterities.

"At the sound of the mighty voice the structure descended from the head of the angel and stood upon the ground and the map surrounded it, then was the writing plain to be understood."

And the Shepherd showed the people a copy of the map, and said "Behold the map as I have seen it, straight-way at midnight I reproduce the mystery."

Then the Athlyians shouted for joy and the Shepherd spake with a loud voice saying "Thou sun that shines upon the waters of the utmost world, that gives light to the earth, stand thou still 
over mountains of Africa and give light to her righteous armies."

Where are those? There is none to compare with the Athlyians in united spirits and a determination; a people, lovers of freedom and of justice, fearless of death.

MARCUS GARVEY

Now in the year of nineteen hundred and nineteen on the thirtieth day of the seventh month, when the Athlyians were celebrating concord in the City of Newark, New Jersey, U.S.A., and on the third day of the period a paper was read by the Rev. Bonfield telling of Marcus Garvey in New York City.

And the Shepherd hesitated, then spake, saying: "I almost believe this is one of the apostles of the twentieth century, but where is the other? For I look for two, however by the map of life I shall know him.

"Raise not the weight of your finger on Marcus Garvey, neither speak ye against him."

In the year of 1921 Garvey spake saying: "I have no time to teach religion."

Because of this saying Athlyi took up his pen and was about to declare him not an apostle of the twentieth century.

And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Athlyi saying, "Blame not this man for I the Lord God hath sent him to prepare the 
minds of Ethiopia's generations, verily he shall straighten up upon the map."

Nevertheless in the year nineteen hundred and twenty two, Apostle Garvey issued a religious call throughout the world which fulfilled the last item upon the map of life.

Therefore, Athlyi yielded him a copy of the map, and declared Marcus Garvey an apostle of the Lord God for the redemption of Ethiopia and her suffering posterities.

And the word of the Lord came to Athlyi saying, "I am the Lord God of Ethiopia, three apostles of the twentieth century have I sent forth unto Ethiopia's generations to administer the Law and the Gospel which I have commanded for their salvation, let not the hands of men ordain them. For I, the Lord, hath anointed mine apostles that they may ordain and give authority to ordain."

ATHLYI SENT ABROAD

And it came to pass that the word of the Lord came to Athlyi saying, "Get thee into foreign countries and provide stars of the Law and of the gospel of the twentieth century."

"Go the way of the Atlantic and return by way of the Pacific," and Athlyi obeyed the Lord.

And when he was in the Strait of Magellan, the Lord spake to him saying:

"My holy house of Athlyi let her be of two wings, the Church to the right and a green pasture to the left.

"Let the Church teach and the green pasture to provide for the people; let the house of Athlyi be the director thereof, and I, the Lord, shall dwell in the house of Athlyi and give light to her wings, then shall the inhabitants of the earth know that I am the Lord God of Ethiopia.

"Let there be but one church of denomination upon the Law and the gospel commanded for the salvation of Ethiopia's generations.

"In entering the inner door of the Church let the people bow with reverence to the holy dictuary."

Suffer no one to preach upon or in the dictuary save a teacher of the Law and a believer in the gospel commanded to the children of Ethiopia.

Let the people take interest in the apostles, but he that boost not the green pasture to provide for the people is not worthy of compensation.

Let the people give to the green pasture for their own good and for the welfare of their generations.

Oh Athlyians, love ye one another, forget not the assembling of yourselves together that no corruption gather between thee, for thou art the light and guide unto salvation; Let all the children of Ethiopia follow thee.

May the Lord God of Ethiopia watch between us whilst we are absent one from another. May he endow us with unity of spirit and anxious hearts to again assemble for the rise of falling humanity through the guidance of the house of Athlyi and in the name of one God, his Law and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen.

THE WORD OF THE LORD

And it came to pass in the year of nineteen hundred and twenty four and the twelfth day of the ninth month, the word of the Lord, God of Ethiopia came to Athlyi saying:

"I am God, the Creator, Father of Ham, Canaan, Nimrod and Ethiopia." 3

"Why calleth thou my Holy Temple, Church?" sayeth the Lord unto Athlyi.

"Will thou also destroy the righteousness of my holy name?"

"Will thou even so teach that I am a God who confers honor upon the envious in mind, the lying, inhuman, murdering, plunderous, oppressive and adulterous characters in my name?"

And the Lord continued to say, "Athlyi! Oh Athlyi! I say unto you again. Why calleth my holy temple, 'Church'? Will thou also teach that I have 
commanded to destroy the offsprings of Ham in Canaan?" 4

Athlyi answered saying, "Father, behold the house of Athlyi."

"This I have created," saith the Lord, "Verily I shall dwell in the High place at the House of Athlyi and shall give light to the Shepherd and the Shepherd to his Apostles and his Apostles to all people who shall constitute the auxiliaries of my most Holy house of Athlyi.

"But why calleth thou these auxiliaries, 'Church'?" he continued.

Athlyi hesitated and the Lord our God, who stood in the midst of a brilliant light, like unto a circle pointed to Athlyi and said: "I have commanded thee but thou art carried away by those who polluted the righteousness of my name."

At this saying Athlyi advanced towards the Lord with open arms and cried out, "O God of Ethiopia, I pray, redeem me, wash me clean and separate me from all gospels that pollute the righteousness of thy name that those in me unto thee may be clean and free from all things abominable in thy sight."

"Thou art the supreme sage; pray! give me to nurse at thy breast the milk of wisdom that I may know and understand thee."

And it came to pass that the Lord, our God of Ethiopia, spoke saying, "Reach out and touch me."

Athlyi reached out and with the first finger of his right hand touched the personality in the light, straightway his heart became in motion and the eyes of Athlyi lit up like a torch. Evidently he had increased in wisdom, a man matchless in spirit.

And the Lord, God of Ethiopia, spoke unto Athlyi saying, "Thou art a star in my crown. Go ye through the lands that men may dwell in thee and see clear the impediments in the paths of their lives."

Now when the Lord had commanded Athlyi to carry the light unto others he departed and the light of his eyes lit up the near and distant darkness, and the word of his mouth brought freedom to the enslaved.

REJOICING IN THE LIGHT

And it came to pass on the following day the Lord called Athlyi; and when Athlyi appeared before the Lord, the light of his eyes connected with the light that surrounded the Divine Personality.

And there appeared a light matchless in its beauty. Straightway the whole celestial host shouted and there appeared millions of Angels dancing in the light singing, "Behold! Behold Ethiopia! the bride of the master. Her day has come at last! The Lord has received her hand. Her night has forever passed."

The Lord stretched forth his hands over the earth and there appeared millions of black men, women and children, who joined with the angels in dancing, singing and rejoicing in the light.

Again did the Lord stretch forth his hands over Ethiopia and Canaan and the offsprings of Ham became mighty and the lands became prosperous in animals, fruits and grains. Great cities sprang up among them and the women as well as men mastered ships upon the waters.

And Athlyi looked and beheld great industries sprung up among the children of Ethiopia and he saw men kissing the women and praising them because of their mighty task in the struggle. He beheld women worshiping men because they had made them great.

And the Lord, our God, spoke unto the children, his voice echoed from Ethiopia to Canaan saying:

"Blessed are the mighty in righteousness for they shall be respected." Blessed are the wealthy in love for I am rich and whosoever believeth in Athlyi and in the gospel which I have commended through him seeketh after these things which are in me."

"And I the Lord shall fill him to the brim and make his a power over which no hell shall prevail."

"But he that is contented in poverty and weakness shall be weaker and poorer, a foot stool of the nations; for he represents the devil, in him there is no God."

"The fool impoverishes himself to find me. Verily I say unto you, he shall not find me," saith the Lord, "for I am rich. But whosoever believeth in Athlyi seeketh my principle, therefore I shall reach out my hand and help him to be as I am."

RETURNED TO NEWARK

And it came to pass that the word of the Lord, God of Ethiopia, came to Athlyi saying:

"Arise in the morning, break not your fast, neither say ye a word to anyone. And thou shall return to Newark and I will go with thee and thou shall see me."

"When thou shall have come to Newark prepare there a house, subsidiary to the House of Athlyi, where the children of Ethiopia shall assemble before me in united worship. I shall reach out my hands and bless them with increased blessings and they shall go forth as Athlyians with light and power, modeling all men according to my righteous principles," saith the Lord.

The Lord spake saying, "I will march with the Athlyians, I will pilot them, and stear them. I will recharge them and I, through their Shepherd, shall command them. Verily, there shall be no halting until they have conquered the Devil, banished His Hell and reconstruct the earth upon my righteous and clean principles."

"Then shall there be no prejudices, no illmosity among men, but peace tranquility and good will upon the earth, recognizing the divine 
fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man and the rights of each and every one to enjoy equally the blessings of the Father."

And the Lord, God of Ethiopia, charged Athlyi saying, "Call not my Holy house 'Church' neither shall thou permit unjust literature which teaches that God has Commanded Israel to oppress, rob and destroy the offsprings of Ham in Canaan to rest upon my altar, for I have no part in such Deuteronomies. They are an abomination in my sight, and a disgrace upon the earth."

And the Lord continued, "I shall bring to an end the oppressors of Ham. I shall tear down the walls which I have Permitted to hold Ethiopia in bondage, that she may know the devil and his unrighteousness."

"Never-the-less, the children of Ethiopia, even unto this day, walketh upright before me, save those whom I the Lord God, have suffered to be spoiled by the enemies, that they might know the evil against the posterities of Ham."

"Now I shall send forth an army of Athlyians who shall redeem my children and deliver them again to my arms."

"I shall nourish them. Their chest shall be as unbreakable steel. Their legs as giant reinforced concrete. Hearts of understanding and heads matchlessly wise. They shall be my masons, builders of a righteous kingdom and the source of salvation for all," saith the Lord. "For I am God, the creator of all. All things I hold in my hands and giveth freely unto him that walketh in me."

"Whosoever seeth an Athlyian, seeth me, for I am in him and he is of me. Whosoever followeth an Athlyian followeth me also," saith the Lord.

And when the Lord had spoke these things Athlyi turned and asked, "Father, what shall I call thy holy house?" And the Lord spoke to Athlyi saying, "Go and do as I have commanded you. The mouth of a child shall reveal the name; moreover, I shall write it upon the wall and you shall see it."

THE GUIDING LIGHT

Now when Athlyi started for Newark, there appeared a spotlight on the sleeve of his coat.

When Athlyi saw the light he tried to cover it with his hat but the light could not be covered.

Then he looked up and yelled joyfully, "It's the light of the Lord.

"Surely it cannot be covered. The light of the Lord our God I shall follow this day. Indeed I will not stray."

Athlyi journeyed to Newark and the light with him. But when he turned contrary to the will of God, the light would not follow but stood on another street.

Now when Athlyi saw the light would not go, he turned and went the way the light pointed him.

And it came to pass when Athlyi reached the City of Newark he prepared a house for the Lord our God and when he was making ready for the first sermon, a little girl opened the door and stared plumply into his face and uttered "Gaathly?" "Is your name Gaathly?" the shepherd asked. The child then raised her voice and again said "Gaathly," and went out.

Straightway a light flashed and Athlyi looked around. He beheld over the altar a hand, writing on the wall the name Gaathly.

When Athlyi saw the hand on the wall he became very fearful but embroiled with joy.

He then rushed into the inner chamber and proclaimed before his wife Miriam and his daughter Muriel, the name of Gaathly saying, "Behold a hand wrote it and the child revealed it as the Lord had promised."

From that day unto this the Holy House founded upon the Gospel of God through Athlyi is known as the Gaathly.

ATHLYI BLEEDS

And it came to pass on the third Saturday night of the seventh month of the year nineteen hundred and twenty-seven, the word of the Lord came to Athlyi saying, "Tomorrow, thou shalt with thine own blood set apart the Athlyians from the rest of the world's inhabitants, that I may glory in them and nourish them."

I shall send my angels and they shall dwell among the Athlyians and teach them new things. Verily, the women as well as the men shall develop great in science."

"Fear not, because of the inventions of today," saith the Lord, "for greater shall come out of my people, the Athlyians. They shall school Ethiopia. Consequently the sons and daughters of Ham shall be a burning light unto all the earth."

On the next day which was Sunday, while the Shepherd Athlyi preached before the people who came out to Gaathly, the spirit of the Lord came upon him and he then bit the top of his fingers, so that the blood spouted.

Then with his blood he marked a line between the Athlyians and the rest of the earth's inhabitants as the Lord had commanded him.

Then came forth the Shepherdmiss Muriel, daughter of Athlyi, who fell upon her knees saying, "Let thy blood fall upon me that I bear it through the ages." The shepherd let his blood fall upon her.

Then came forward also Sister Mary Howard, Stear of the Nourishers and Saints. She bound up the Shepherd's wound.

"I am a witness of this blood," the Stear uttered, but the Shepherd answered saying, "All Athlyians are witnesses of this blood, and I shall be their Shepherd forever. Even in the spirit I shall be with them and I shall be quick to answer those who called upon me in sincerity; but those who seeketh me empty in heart shall not find me.

"Happy shall be the aged who sacrifice the days of his youth within this blood. His tree shall grow mighty in the green pasture. He shall not want, but flourish."

"But verily I say unto you, only through concretation can anyone come beyond this blood and become an Athlyian.

"For unto the Athlyians, there is but one God, one Law, and one Shepherd."

"I am the lover of Justice, the light and guide unto perfect salvation saith Athlyi."

"Whosoever believeth in me shall in life enjoy salvation and inherit eternal happiness in the kingdom of God who sent me.

"But he that believeth not in me shall be a victim of slavery and oppression at the hands of Europe all the days of his unbelief.

"For he that receiveth me not, his heart despiseth the gift of God, the father, who sent me."

"For thus saith the Lord our God, I shall not send Japheth to Ham, neither will I send to Shem, Japheth. But in time of peril I shall appoint from among them a savior whose word shall reign forever."

"They that refuseth their own in me, shall find no other. But slavery and oppression shall overcome them. They shall live in disgrace and die in dishonor."

"I am the almighty powerhouse," said the Lord, "the spring of salvation, but a people without a king has no connection with me."

"Fear not, O ye Athlyians, for I, Athlyi, am your Shepherd. I am not of the flesh but of the Spirit of God, the Father, who sent me to gather the children of Ethiopia that they be saved from peril. In the bosom of the Lord I shall forever hold my grip, therefore thou shalt be an everlasting light and power upon the earth."

HEAVEN AND HELL

And it came to pass that the spirit moved in Athlyi and he became full with the holy ghost.

And he cried out saying, "Hear me O children of Ethiopia. There is not a heaven nor a hell but that which ye make of yourselves and for yourselves.

"In heaven there are few while in hell there are many. But those who are in heaven are the Champions of time who have conquered over sin and slothfulness."

"The fool slights the things in life and seeketh heaven after death.

"Verily, Verily I say unto you, he shall not find it. But the spirit of him that establishes a heaven on earth shall dwell in heaven everlasting.

"Unto him that is empty in love, faith, righteousness and industry there is no heaven."

"Heaven is a splendor. A source of peace and happiness where the spirit of God is visible in its appearance."

"He that passeth from this heaven is exalted into heaven eternal. Beyond strife and death, where pain and sorrows are unknown."

"Hell is a dark and shabby place; a den of thieves, murderers, gamblers, drunkards, liars, blasphemers, hypocrites, underminers, vooders, fortune tellers, begrudgers, raggedmen, yellers, backsliders, lazymen, deceivers, loafers, jormandizers, leppydoes, hoers, hoerlets, poverty, lice and diseases."

"Consequently the victims of the devil eat the fruit of the tree they have sown and therefore live in disgrace among men."

Woe be unto the spirit of him that passeth from this hell. He shall be lowered into eternal hell where peace and happiness are unknown.

He that is of the devil shall be segregated from the children of God; but he that is of God weareth the badge of the master, and the doors of heaven shall be opened unto him."

"Lo, I heard a cry in hell," saith Athlyi, "calling upon me in God. And I looked and beheld a man striving to conquer hell and escape from his horrible condition."

And Athlyi spoke unto him saying, "Who art thou?"

I am Amos who persecuted thee and lied about you. Now I would rather be a sweeper in the Gaathly than to be a prince in the palace of kings who believeth not in thee."

And Athlyi spoke unto him saying, "Thou doeth thyself this harm for there is no hell for him who believeth in me."

And Amos reached out crying, "Forgive me, O Athlyi and redeem me from this misery. For I believe that thou art a man of God with power to save."

Then Athlyi reached down and lifted him up saying, "Arise and stand above the devil and his hell. Thy faith in me shall bear thee up, but he that is weak in faith shall fall through his faith.

"For I am not of myself but of God, the Father, who is in me. He that gives himself up to me wholeheartedly, I shall nurse him at my breast and he shall be strong.

"There shall be no devil to conquer him, neither shall there be any hell to hold him; for they that are of me, shall help him that is in me. They that helpeth not their brother in me are not of me; likewise he who is not in harmony with the Law of this gospel is not of me.

"He that cometh unto me halfway, I shall not receive him," saith Athlyi, "for he is weak in himself in me and shall therefore fall in himself."

"He that withholds from me, that which he is able to give, shall lose it without compensation; but he that soweth in me wholeheartedly shall reap a reward ten fold. For I am of good soil, and God the Father in me, shall water that which is sown in me."

"In the lives of those that are in me," saith Athlyi, "there is but one God, one Shepherd, and one Gaathly. The Holy law is of God and is God with those in me."

"They that are of me shall help those that are in me. They shall march together to defend their dignity and create projects to supply their necessities in life.

"At the sound of the bugle of war all Athlyians shall gather around their Rulers. Then, at the Shepherd's command go forward to defend their rights.

"Knowing that our reward is Heaven everlasting if our enemy we shall conquer, it is therefore the sole spirit of the Athlyians to die in honor rather than to live as dependable dogs in disgrace, subject to the dictation of others who are not in me."

Then Athlyi called his Cledgers around him and placed his hands upon the right shoulder of each saying, "Blessed are the creators in me. They shall sit with me in heaven eternal and return with me to inspect the earth and crown the worthy.

"He that is not clean, industrious and thrifty is not in me, for I am a lover of cleanness, Lord of industry and a builder of commerce, that men may be happy in me.

"For he that liveth a productive life in me, seeketh and shall obtain heaven terrestrial and heaven eternal.

"Go ye out upon the earth, beneath the earth, upon the waters, beneath the waters and upon the trees Gather in the blessings of God and develop them in me that ye prove yourself worthy of compensation. For weakness and poverty is of the devil but richness and power is of God.

"But where there is no love, righteousness, and faith in your transactions the glory of heaven shall vanish and the misery of hell shall occupy the soul."

THE BEGGAR

And it came to pass that on the twenty-eighth day of the eighth month of nineteen hundred and twenty-seven (according to the English years but the fourteenth year according to the Athlican years) a young man twenty-two years of age came in to the Gaathly begging for money.

The shepherd looked upon the young man and said, "Thou art in the bloom of youth and power, but because thou art not of me, ye must beg.

"Go ye, however, through the highways and into comers, even so behind closed doors and gather men unto me, that they be lifted up from hell unto salvation.

"Then shall ye not be a beggar of me, but a sower and a reaper in me.

"For as many as believe and walk in me shall be saved. I shall relieve them of their miseries. I shall banish their sorrows. I shall defend them.

"I shall be a light in their darkness. I shall raise them up when all hopes are dead.

I shall harden my heart against backsliders, the hypocrite, the liar, and the thief, I despise.

"Be aware of the gospels that are not of God through Ethiopia. For it shall rob and destroy as many as accept it.

"Verily I say unto you, he that is not of me is not for your salvation. For I am he whom the Lord, God of Ethiopia, had promised thee from creation, that ye may stretch forth thy hands direct unto the Father through me and be saved.

"Before me there was none unto Ethiopia, but with me there is another and you, in me, in him are one with God; and the offspring of my vein and the offspring of his vein are cousins.

"Take heed! O ye children of Ethiopia. For I Athlyi zigy sobcok tee. Whosoever cometh after me and is not of me is not for your salvation, but seeketh to destroy your civilization in God through me.

"Prophets shall rise and wise men shall spring out of you, but they that build not upon this foundation in me, in righteousness are deceivers of you.

"They shall come up to you with unjust gospels, which seeketh to destroy the offsprings of our father, Ham, doctrines which were before me.

"But it shall be as a man pleading with an electrician to go back to the tallow candle age, but the electrician shall laugh him to scorn.

"For I am greater than all gospels that were before my coming. I am richer. I am higher. Test me and be ye convinced that I, in the bosom of the God of Justice, have laid a foundation sufficient to hold all the builders that cometh after me in righteousness.

I shall banish the devil. I shall clear up his hell and it shall bloom like a garden of brimigen. Then shall the rivers of peace flow out and the children of all the earth shall sit around the table of salvation in the house of God enjoying life the splendor of true love and justice in me. For I am not myself, but God in me unto you.

"But verily I say unto you, I shall cut my heaven from him that knoweth and doeth not according the gospel.

"The wise will prepare for battle even though there may not be any fight.

"The fool will quarrel but he that quarrels with a fool is a damn fool. Hear me, oh thou Athlyians! Be ye wise and live I go to prepare a place for you beyond this heaven.

"Whosoever walketh in my blood within the principles of this gospel shall dwell with me in heaven everlasting, but he that walketh another way shall not find me."

"I will blow my trumpet throughout the kingdom of Athlyi in Africa," saith the lord our God, "and my people the Athlyians shall blow it unto the world.

"Then shall the inhabitants of the earth respect me, for I am a God of salvation, a conqueror of evil."

And it came to pass that Athlyi issued an order saying," A real minister of Athlicanity must bear a diploma from the Athlican School of Athlicology and the graduation process shall embody ordination.

"God be with you my beloved. Let there be unity in spirit while ye are absent one from another. Wheresoever it is one Athlyian there is the shepherd in him, and whatsoever heareth an Athlyian, heareth also the Shepherd, and whatsoever an Athlyian seeth, seeth the Shepherd also, for the Athlyians are an amalgation instituted by God which no man can separate."

THE THIRD BOOK OF ATHLYI NAMED
THE FACTS OF THE APOSTLES

APOSTLES ANOINTED

Just at the time when the nations of the earth through their ill education and oppression, believeth that they had ruined the children of Ethiopia for ever, and that they would be satisfied with the crumbs of life.

Behold the great Almighty hath commanded his angels to anoint them that they be a new and prolific people upon the earth.

Then did the lord God with his own hands ordain three apostles and sent them forth to save Ethiopia's generation from doom.

Now when Marcus Garvey, God's foremost apostle, heard the voice of his colleague, apostle Robert Lincoln Poston, preaching in the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States of America, he knew that this was his colleague for the lord God hath revealed, notwithstanding the three apostles had met in the spirit before they came to administer the law Gospel for the full salvation of Ethiopia's posterities.

And it came to pass the apostle Garvey journeyed to Detroit and there met his colleagues and they greeted each other with great joy, and the heart of was the heart of other.

Now when the amalgamation of their apostleship was verified, apostle Poston came to New York City, United States of America, and then teamed with apostle Garvey in the work for the redemption of Ethiopia and her trodden posterities, whom through the oppression of the nations and the ignorance of the Negro ministers of Christian faith, were hanging over the bridge of death, both body and soul.

GOD SPOKE TO HIS APOSTLES

Now in the year nineteen hundred and twenty-three, the word of the Lord God of Ethiopia came to apostle Marcus Garvey saying, where is thy colleague?

And he answered, "Father, behold he is with me."

"Call together the children of Ethiopia, saith the Lord, that they may know my request, and send forth a mission unto the land of Ethiopia which I hath given to her children from the beginning of the world, that they prepare a foundation for all the posterities of Ethiopia, even unto the end.

"For I, the Lord God, shall come to judge between the three races of men; woe be unto the empty handed, the slothful and the coward. I shall bring judgement upon them with fire and with brimestone, even the baby at the mother's breast shall not escape," saith the Lord. "Prepare ye a bill of arrangement," saith the Lord, "and give it in the hands of thy colleague that he go to the land of Ethiopia (Africa) and to the nations at the entrance of the land and request then to open the door for the return of thy children.

"And I, the Lord, shall go with him, and I will touch the hearts of the nations and they shall yield to the request.

"Then shall the children of Ethiopia return to their own land and there establish a light with no nation shall compare, nor will there be any power sufficient to douse it.

"For I am the Lord God of Ethiopia and I shall dwell with mine a anointed and they shall be my people as long as they follow the teachings of my apostles.

"Moreover, behold at thy side is the noble woman Henrietta 5 in whom the whole heaven adore because of her greatness of faith and the loyal way in which she fights to save Ethiopia and her generations from everlasting downfall. Place her at the side of thy colleague, for great is her wisdom, saith the Lord, and send ye also another t at they go and prepare a home for mine anointed."

And it came to pass that apostle Garvey obeyed the Lord, and he called the children of Ethiopia and there gathered a great host in the City of New York.

And when the apostle put before them the Lord's request they leapt for joy and confirmed the will of the Lord God of Ethiopia.

Then were a delegation of three sent forth according to the words of the Lord.

STANDING BEFORE ELIJAH

And it came to pass on the night of the fifteenth day of the third month of the nineteen hundred and twenty-fourth year, Athlyi spake aloud, saying:

"Behold I saw the heaven draped in black, and I saw Angel Douglas sitting in a mourning robe, moreover the celestial saints of Ethiopia were deep in sorrow.

"And it came to pass that I continued to look, and behold I saw a natural man standing before Angel Douglas, and after a brief conversation, the mighty Angel conveyed him to the throne Elijah, God of heaven and the earth.

"Then upon the head the natural man did Elijah place a crown on the front part of the crown there was a brilliant star whose light extended from heaven to the earth.

"Now when the crown was bestowed upon him, behold the mourning apparel disappeared and there was joy in heaven.

And it came to pass that I saw a great host of Negroes marching upon the earth and there was a light upon them, then I looked towards the

heaven and behold I saw the natural man standing in the east and the star of his crown gave light to the pathway of the children of Ethiopia."

APOSTLES EXALTED

The following morning after Athlyi's vision, Athlyi looked towards the rising sun and cried out saying, "My God, My God, what shall happen to the apostles of the Twentieth Century? Father if it's me, even I that shall pass from the presence of men grant that the Piby live forever that the children of Ethiopia, through the teaching of the Afro Athlican Constructive Church, may obtain salvation forever."

And it came to pass that the Lord spake to Athlyi saying: "In the flesh did he go prepare a foundation for the generation of Ethiopia, But in the spirit will he return to lead them there upon.

"For I, the Lord, hath exalted him in the spirit, Prince over the children of Ethiopia; he shall see with all seeing eyes, in vain shall the nations of the world lay traps before mine anointed, for the prince of the children shall lead them.

"Woe be unto the proud, the hard hearted, unto those who shall say I have my treasures here I will not leave them, neither will I follow the host led by the apostles of the twentieth century."

"I shall bring vengeance upon them," saith the lord, "they be better boiled in oil, for I shall have no mercy upon them."

THE FOURTH BOOK OF ATHLYI
CALLED PRECAUTION

A BUGGY FROM TOKIO TO LOS ANGELES, A BICYCLE FROM LONDON TO ANGUILLA

Now in the fifteenth year of Athlyi's reign over Athlyians, the spirit of the Lord came upon him.

Being filled with the Holy Ghost he prophesied saying, "To the sun, in the sun, with the sun and the fuel of today shall a used to be."

How beautiful the ships. How powerful, but the fuel today shall a used to be. How speedy the air-ships the world around, around and around with no need for refuel.

Hot shall be the houses. The pots a-boiling and bright the lights; but where are the wire? They used to be.

"The power of today is electric, but tomorrow shall be siprick. Satter, the mighty comet shall pass with the end of her tail two miles from the earth and the roaring of her passing, killing."

"I heard a cry saying, 'Where is thy scenery as a star O Scatter. Behold thou art lands over lands. Pass quickly for we perish beneath thee."

"New lands when Satter came back. A buggy from Tokio to Los Angeles. A bicycle from London to Anguilla.

"The Atlantic and Pacific shall prepare to receive their wilderness and it shall be seen them adorning as a bride to receive her groom.

"New animals, new furs, a strange people and the winter of today shall a used to be.

"The ice in the north and the ice in the south shall disappear. Then shall continents which are submerged arise and the whole earth shall bloom.

"O sun, thou outlet of the inter-planetical fumes, shine on. For with thee, he shall sit in his parlor in Athlyi, Africa, and see his daughter flirting in Chicago, U.S.A.

"He shall rebuke her with his mouth and she shall hear him, then reply with the wave of her hand and he rebuke her with his mouth and she shall hear him, then reply with the wave of her hand and he shall see her.

"In his parlor he shall see a rooster treading in the moon and the bees on the roses in Venus.

"The laborers in Mars, strike-breakers on earth and my daughter in college in Jupiter.

"How hard it is when ye know not how, but he that is in me shall know that mysteries of mysteries which are hidden from him in these days.

"But I shall feed him with my own hands so that he takes one bite at a time and one swallow at a time else ye be choked.

"My boys shall remind you of the things I have forgotten, for I have seen so far, but those that cometh after me, of me, with me and upon our God shall see farther even than I."

"Verily, Verily, I am the seed," saith Athlyi "but the Lord, God of Ethiopia, is the sower, and ye are the trees of me that shall bring forth fruit a million fold.

"But he that beareth not is he that has not me in his heart and shall therefore receive no reward of me.

"I have not reached the height but they that are of me shall extend me. I have, however, dug deep and laid the foundation of eternal salvation. I have made thick the walls, I have sunk deeper the center pillars and lined them with steel. The reinforcements I have made of steel for I am conscious of the height that shall be attained on me. A development beyond words.

"I am black. Made in the image and likeness of the God of our Fathers and is of the Lord, our God unto thee.

"He that established himself in me is with God and welleth upon an efficient foundation, but he that buildeth not on me establishes himself on nothing of consequence for the children of Ham."

"La Alpha Elijah cr toco coruse, ninky mose zezom la jobijem."

HELD OUT HIS MORSEL

And it came to pass that Athlyi sat in the sanctuary of the House of Athlyi with his left hand under his chin and the morsel in his right hand, apparently he was present in person but in the spirit he was not.

His mind went afar and entered the characteristic of the human tie. Suddenly he stretched forth his morsel and uttered saying, "Sons of Athlyi, arise! Lift your heads and take heed. Let the sublimity of my words reign in your hearts and in the hearts of your offsprings forever.

"Verily, Verily, I say unto you, poverty is of the devil but it is better that ye choose to be poor than to live in the richness of the richest with a woman whose heart is contrary to thine.

"The deeds of a contrary couple are destructive and their destiny is Hell everlasting.

I plead a divorce, my beloved, because I leadeth thee south but thou goeth north. I point east but thy desire is west. Depart therefore that ye find a man who seeth and goeth in thy own direction that it be well with thee; for a tug-o-war in the mind of horror to the soul. Moreover the treasury of the richest is not sufficient to supply the consumption of the contrary spirit.

"For a man no height is two high to achieve in me. No obstacle is too great for him to remove when conscious that this woman is with him indeed. Blessed is the household where the couple can map out the future with patience, peace and understanding, but a quarrelsome woman is a road to hell. Let so be said even of the man."

And Athlyi reached out the morsel again and said, "Hear ye, O daughters of Athlyi! Verily I say unto you, the hopes and salvation of a woman is in the man, whose trust is in the Lord, our God, in me.

"But he that is not in me is far from God and has nothing of consequence for a brag.

"For I am the rock, the spring and power grounded in God. Dwell in me, with love and righteousness in faith, patience, cleanness and constructiveness. My spirit in thee shall never die.

"Verily I say unto all nations, the Athlyians are not too proud to sacrifice whatever is necessary to obtain justice and to establish peace on earth, for when righteousness is lacking there is no tranquility.

"Our motto is peace. Our standard is Right. Our hopes are salvation."

THE CLEAN SHOULD NOT ACCEPT THE INVITATIONS OF THE UNCLEAN

The spirit of the Lord moved within Athlyi. Being full with the Holy Ghost the Shepherd spake saying:

"Thou giveth the fat of thy life to the devil. Now that thou art drained and can no longer stand, ye cometh to God with your bones." "But I shall not accept them," saith the Lord, "for I am God who giveth thee to eat and to drink. I am he who supplies the necessities of life. Shall my reward be that ye dump your garbage on me."

"Unto him whom thou giveth the fat of thy life dump also thy bones, that ye bear in fullness the consequence of you wickedness, for the body of the wicked shall be cast into the grave and his soul in hell eternal. For the spirit of the body that abideth in earthly hell shall be a prisoner in hell everlasting."

And the word of the Lord came to Athlyi saying, "He that giveth unto me that fat of his life by his usefulness for the welfare of the living, When I the lord shall transform him from the earth, I shall exalt him into heaven everlasting where he shall live forever with me in peace and splendor."

"Whosoever I forgive shall rise to serve me, but whosoever I have not forgiven shall not rise."

"He that passeth away in me shall dwell with my saints in glory," saith the Lord. "But the spirit of the body of him that passeth away in the devil shall not enter my fold, but shall dwell in everlasting torment."

And Athlyi spake saying, "Life without pleasure within capacity is displeasing to God, but, in your amusements dance ye mild else ye offend the Master."

"The clean should not accept the invitations of the unclean to gossip with them for the Lord abideth in the clean in spirit."

SHALL SUFFER

And it came to pass that Athlyi spake saying I shall be dragged about, mocked, scorned, and prosecuted because of this gospel, which the Lord, God of Ethiopia, has commanded unto you through me. Many of you who follow me this day will desert your shepherd because of fear. But blessed are the brave and faithful. They shall be ruler over rulers.

"Thine enemy shall shed your blood because of this Holy Piby, but the blood of thy veins shall richen the soil for the gospel. I am Messiah unto Ethiopia, therefore my word reign forever and ever.

I shall be cast into prison for your sake, but my spirit shall go out of jail and fight for Ethiopia.

"Nations shall perish because of my persecution, for I am not a mere man but a Messiah upon the earth. Whosoever persecuteth me, committeth a crime against the Holy Ghost, in which there is no forgiveness, therefore the consequence is hell eternal.

"The Athlyians, God's selected people, who are of never dying faith and perseverance shall  increase in power. Their women shall breed like rabbits and the Green Pasture shall aid in their protection. Verily the Athlyians shall be numberless upon the earth and the spirit of the Lord shall guide them."

And Athlyi spake saying, "It shall come to pass that the devil will make hollow ground in the pathway of the Athlyians, but they shall march upon him with the Holy Piby and he shall step back and fall into his own ditch.

"Verily I say unto you, if a hay stack can stop a blazing fire then shall the workers of the devil impede the advancing Athlyians whose development has no boundary but the mocker shall perish.

"Thou despiseth me when I was weak, now that I am strong, ye come? Verily, Verily, neither my milk nor my cream shall be for thee, but shall be for those who supported me in my tender age.

"Yea, it shall be said Athlyi, in spite of all obstacles, he climbed with the burdens of Ham, and when he reached the top, the Heaven and Earth shouted, Behold! He has conquered, and an angel of the Lord decended and crowned him."

La jobijem dilt ze larky, inty met. Zeth Athlyi.

And Athlyi spake saying, "Forgive twice but in the offence thou shalt not forgive."

Dinewan the Emu, and Goomblegubbon the Bustard

DINEWAN the emu, being the largest bird, was acknowledged as king bythe other birds. The Goomblegubbons, the bustards, were jealous of the Dinewans. Particularly was Goomblegubbon, the mother, jealous of the Diriewan mother. She would watch with envy the high flight of the Dinewans, and their swift running. And she always fancied that the Dinewan mother flaunted her superiority in her face, for whenever Dinewan alighted near Goomblegubbon, after a long, high flight, she would flap her big wings and begin booing in her pride, not the loud booing of the male bird, but a little, triumphant, satisfied booing noise of her own, which never failed to irritate Goomblegubbon when she heard it.

Goomblegubbon used to wonder how she could put an end to Dinewan's supremacy. She decided that she would only be able to do so by injuring her wings and checking her power of flight. But the question that troubled her was how to effect this end. She kn ew she would gain nothing by having a quarrel with Dinewan and fighting her, for no Goomblegubbon would stand any chance against a Dinewan, There was evidently nothing to be gained by an open fight. She would have to effect her end by cunning.

One day, when Goomblegubbon saw in the distance Dinewan coming towards her, she squatted down and doubled in her wings in such a way as to look as if she had none. After Dinewan had been talking to her for some time, Goomblegubbon said: "Why do you not imitate me and do without wings? Every bird flies. The Dinewans, to be the king of birds, should do without wings. When all the birds see that I can do without wings, they will think I am the cleverest bird and they will make a Goomblegubbon king."

"But you have wings," said Dinewan.

"No, I have no wings." And indeed she looked as if her words were true, so well were her wings hidden, as she squatted in the grass. Dinewan went away after awhile, and thought much of what she had heard. She talked it all over with her mate, who was as disturbed as she was. They made up their minds that it would never do to let the Goomblegubbons reign in their stead, even if they had to lose their wings to save their kingship.

At length they decided on the sacrifice of their wings. The Dinewan mother showed the example by persuading her mate to cut off hers with a combo or stone tomahawk, and then she did the same to his. As soon as the operations were over, the Dinewan mother lost no time in letting Goomblegubbon know what they had done. She ran swiftly down to the plain on which she had left Goomblegubbon, and, finding her still squatting there, she said: "See, I have followed your example. I have now no wings. They are cut off."

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Goomblegubbon, jumping up and dancing round with joy at the success of her plot. As she danced round, she spread out her wings, flapped them, and said: "I have taken you in, old stumpy wings. I have my wings yet. You are fine birds, you Dinewans, to be chosen kings, when you are so easily taken in. Ha! ha! ha!" And, laughing derisively, Goomblegubbon flapped her wings right in front of Dinewan, who rushed towards her to chastise her treachery. But Goomblegubbon flew away, and, alas! the now wingless Dinewan could not follow her.

Brooding over her wrongs, Dinewan walked away, vowing she would be revenged. But how? That was the question which she and her mate failed to answer for some time. At length the Dinewan mother thought of a plan and prepared at once to execute it. She hid all her young Dinewans but two, under a big salt bush. Then she walked off to Goomblegubbons' plain with the two young ones following her. As she walked off the morilla ridge, where her home was, on to the plain, she saw Goomblegubbon out feeding with her twelve young ones.

After exchanging a few remarks in a friendly manner with Goomblegubbon, she said to her, "Why do you not imitate me and only have two children? Twelve are too many to feed. If you keep so many they will never grow big birds like the Dinewans. The food that would make big birds of two would only starve twelve." Goomblegubbon said nothing, but she thought it might be so. It was impossible to deny that the young Dinewans were much bigger than the young Goomblegubbons, and, discontentedly, Goomblegubbon walked away, wondering whether the smallness of her young ones was owing to the number of them being so much greater than that of the Dinewans. It would be grand, she thought, to grow as big as the Dinewans. But she remembered the trick she had played on Dinewan, and she thought that perhaps she was being fooled in her turn. She looked back to where the Dinewans fed, and as she saw how much bigger the two young ones were than any of hers, once more mad envy of Dinewan possessed her. She determined she would not be outdone. Rather would she kill all her young ones but two. She said, "The Dinewans shall not be the king birds of the plains. The Goomblegubbons shall replace them. They shall grow as big as the Dinewans, and shall keep their wings and fly, which now the Dinewans cannot do." And straightway Goomblegubbon killed all her young ones but two. Then back she came to where the Dinewans were still feeding. When Dinewan saw her coming and noticed she had only two young ones with her, she called out: "Where are all your young ones?"

Goomblegubbon answered, "I have killed them, and have only two left. Those will have plenty to eat now, and will soon grow as big as your young ones."

"You cruel mother to kill your children. You greedy mother. Why, I have twelve children and I find food for them all. I would not kill one for anything, not even if by so doing I could get back my wings. There is plenty for all. Look at the emu bush how it covers itself with berries to feed my big family. See how the grasshoppers come hopping round, so that we can catch them and fatten on them."

"But you have only two children."

"I have twelve. I will go and bring them to show you." Dinewan ran off to her salt bush where she had hidden her ten young ones. Soon she was to be seen coming back. Running with her neck stretched forward, her head thrown back with pride, and the feathers of her boobootella swinging as she ran, booming out the while her queer throat noise, the Dinewan song of joy, the pretty, soft-looking little ones with their zebra-striped skins, running beside her whistling their baby Dinewan note. When Dinewan reached the place where Goomblegubbon was, she stopped her booing and said in a solemn tone, "Now you see my words are true, I have twelve young ones, as I said. You can gaze at my loved ones and think of your poor murdered children. And while you do so I will tell you the fate of your descendants for ever. By trickery and deceit you lost the Dinewans their wings, and now for evermore, as long as a Dinewan has no wings, so long shall a Goomblegubbon lay only two eggs and have only two young ones. We are quits now. You have your wings and I my children."

And ever since that time a Dinewan, or emu, has had no wings, and a Goomblegubbon, or bustard of the plains, has laid only two eggs in a season.


The Galah, and Oolah the Lizard

OOLAH the lizard was tired of lying in the sun, doing nothing. So he said, "I will go and play." He took his boomerangs out, and began to practise throwing them. While he was doing so a Galah came up, and stood near, watching the boomerangs come flying back, for the kind of boomerangs Oolah was throwing were the bubberahs. They are smaller than others, and more curved, and when they are properly thrown they return to the thrower, which other boomerangs do not.

Oolah was proud of having the gay Galah to watch his skill. In his pride he gave the bubberah an extra twist, and threw it with all his might. Whizz, whizzing through the air, back it came, hitting, as it passed her, the Galah on the top of her head, taking both feathers and skin clean off. The Galah set up a hideous, cawing, croaking shriek, and flew about, stopping every few minutes to knock her head on the ground like a mad bird. Oolah was so frightened when he saw what he had done, and noticed that the blood was flowing from the Galah's head, that he glided away to hide under a bindeah bush. But the Galah saw him. She never stopped the hideous noise she was making for a minute, but, still shrieking, followed Oolah. When she reached the bindeah bush she rushed at Oolah, seized him with her beak, rolled him on the bush until every bindeah had made a hole in his skin. Then she rubbed his skin with her own bleeding head. "Now then," she said, "you Oolah shall carry bindeahs on you always, and the stain of my blood."

"And you," said Oolah, as he hissed with pain from the tingling of the prickles, "shall be a bald-headed bird as long as I am a red prickly lizard."

So to this day, underneath the Galah's crest you can always find the bald patch which the bubberah of Oolah first made. And in the country of the Galahs are lizards coloured reddish brown, and covered with spikes like bindeah prickles.
 

Bahloo the Moon and the Daens

BAHLOO the moon looked down at the earth one night, when his light was shining quite brightly, to see if any one was moving. When the earth people were all asleep was the time he chose for playing with his three dogs. He called them dogs, but the earth people called them snakes, the death adder, the black snake, and the tiger snake. As he looked down on to the earth, with his three dogs beside him, Bahloo saw about a dozen daens, or black fellows, crossing a Creek. He called to them saying, "Stop, I want you to carry my dogs across that creek." But the black fellows, though they liked Bahloo well, did not like his dogs, for sometimes when he had brought these dogs to play on the earth, they had bitten not only the earth dogs but their masters; and the poison left by the bites had killed those bitten. So the black fellows said, "No, Bahloo, we are too frightened; your dogs might bite us. They are not like our dogs, whose bite would not kill us."

Bahloo said, "If you do what I ask you, when you die you shall come to life again, not die and stay always where you are put when you are dead. See this piece of bark. I throw it into the water." And he threw a piece of bark into the creek. "See it comes to the top again and floats. That is what would happen to you if you would do what I ask you: first under when you die, then up again at once. If you will not take my dogs over, you foolish daens, you will die like this," and he threw a stone into the creek, which sank to the bottom. "You will be like that stone, never rise again, Wombah daens!"

But the black fellows said, "We cannot do it, Bahloo. We are too frightened of your dogs."

"I will come down and carry them over myself to show you that they are quite safe and harmless." And down he came, the black snake coiled round one arm, the tiger snake round the other, and the death adder on his shoulder, coiled towards his neck. He carried them over. When he had crossed the creek he picked up a big stone, and he threw it into the water, saying, "Now, you cowardly daens, you would not do what I, Bahloo, asked you to do, and so forever you have lost the chance of rising again after you die. You will just stay where you are put, like that stone does under the water, and grow, as it does, to be part of the earth. If you had done what I asked you, you could have died as often as I die, and have come to life as often as I come to life. But now you will only be black fellows while you live, and bones when you are dead."

Bahloo looked so cross, and the three snakes hissed so fiercely, that the black fellows were very glad to see them disappear from their sight behind the trees. The black fellows had always been frightened of Bahloo's dogs, and now they hated them, and they said, "If we could get them away from Bahloo we would kill them." And thenceforth, whenever they saw a snake alone they killed it. But Babloo only sent more, for he said, "As long as there are black fellows there shall be snakes to remind them that they would not do what I asked them."

The Origin of the Narran Lake

OLD BYAMEE said to his two young wives, Birrahgnooloo and Cunnunbeillee, "I have stuck a white feather between the hind legs of a bee, and am going to let it go and then follow it to its nest, that I may get honey. While I go for the honey, go you two out and get frogs and yams, then meet me at Coorigel Spring, where we will camp, for sweet and clear is the water there." The wives, taking their goolays and yam sticks, went out as he told them. Having gone far, and dug out many yams and frogs, they were tired when they reached Coorigel, and, seeing the cool, fresh water, they longed to bathe. But first they built a bough shade, and there left their goolays holding their food, and the yams and frogs they had found. When their camp was ready for the coming of Byamee, who having wooed his wives with a nullah-nullah, kept them obedient by fear of the same weapon, then went the girls to the spring to bathe. Gladly they plunged in, having first divested them selves of their goomillahs, which they were still young enough to wear, and which they left on the ground near the spring. Scarcely were they enjoying the cool rest the water gave their hot, tired limbs, when they were seized and swallowed by two kurreahs. Having swallowed the girls, the kurreahs dived into an opening in the side of the spring, which was the entrance to an underground watercourse leading to the Narran River. Through this passage they went, taking all the water from the spring with them into the Narran, whose course they also dried as they went along.

Meantime Byamee, unwitting the fate of his wives, was honey hunting. He had followed the bee with the white feather on it for some distance; then the bee flew on to some budtha flowers, and would move no further. Byamee said, "Something has happened, or the bee would not stay here and refuse to be moved on towards its nest. I must go to Coorigel Spring and see if my wives are safe. Something terrible has surely happened." And Byamee turned in haste towards the spring. When he reached there he.saw the bough shed his wives had made, he saw the yams they had dug from the ground, and he saw the frogs, but Birrahgnooloo and Cunnunbeillee he saw not. He called aloud for them. But no answer. He went towards the spring; on the edge of it he saw the goomillahs of his wives. He looked into the spring and, seeing it dry, he said, "It is the work of the kurreahs; they have opened the underground passage and gone with my wives to the river, and opening the passage has dried the spring. Well do I know where the passage joins the Narran, and there will I swiftly go." Arming himself with spears and woggarahs he started in pursuit. He soon reached the deep hole where the underground channel of the Coorigel joined the Narran. There he saw what he had never seen before, namely, this deep hole dry. And he said: "They have emptied the holes as they went along, taking the water with them. But well know I the deep holes of the river. I will not follow the bend, thus trebling the distance I have to go, but I will cut across from big hole to big hole, and by so doing I may yet get ahead of the kurreahs." On swiftly sped Byamee, making short cuts from big hole to big hole, and his track is still marked by the morilla ridges that stretch down the Narran, pointing in towards the deep holes. Every hole as he came to it he found dry, until at last he reached the end of the Narran; the hole there was still quite wet and muddy, then he knew he was near his enemies, and soon he saw them. He managed to get, unseen, a little way ahead of the kurreahs. He hid himself behind a big dheal tree. As the kurreahs came near they separated, one turning to go in another direction. Quickly Byamee hurled one spear after another, wounding both kurreahs, who writhed with pain and lashed their tails furiously, making great hollows in the ground, which the water they had brought with them quickly filled. Thinking they might again escape him, Byamee drove them from the water with his spears, and then, at close quarters, he killed them with his woggarahs. And ever afterwards at flood time, the Narran flowed into this hollow which the kurreahs in their writhings had made.

When Byamee saw that the kurreahs were quite dead, he cut them open and took out the bodies of his wives. They were covered with wet slime, and seemed quite lifeless; but he carried them and laid them on two nests of red ants. Then he sat down at some little distance and watched them. The ants quickly covered the bodies, cleaned them rapidly of the wet slime, and soon Byamee noticed the muscles of the girls twitching. "Ah," he said, there is life, they feel the sting of the ants."

Almost as he spoke came a sound as of a thunder-clap, but the sound seemed to come from the ears of the girls. And as the echo was dying away, slowly the girls rose to their feet. For a moment they stood apart, a dazed expression on their faces. Then they clung together, shaking as if stricken with a deadly fear. But Byamee came to them and explained how they had been rescued from the kurreahs by him. He bade them to beware of ever bathing in the deep holes of the Narran, lest such holes be the haunt of kurreahs.

Then he bade them look at the water now at Boogira, and he said:

"Soon will the black swans find their way here, the pelicans and the ducks; where there was dry land and stones in the past, in the future there will be water and water-fowl, from henceforth; when the Narran runs it will run into this hole, and by the spreading of its waters will a big lake be made." And what Byamee said has come to pass, as the Narran Lake shows, with its large sheet of water, spreading for miles, the home of thousands of wild fowl.

Gooloo the Magpie, and the Wahroogah

Gooloo was a very old woman, and a very wicked old woman too, as this story will tell. During all the past season, when the grass was thick with seed, she had gathered much doonburr, which she crushed into meal as she wanted it for food. She used to crush it on a big flat stone with small flat stones-the big stone was called a dayoorl. Gooloo ground a great deal of the doonburr seed to put away for immediate use, the rest she kept whole, to be ground as required.

Soon after she had finished her first grinding, a neighbouring tribe came along and camped near where she was. One day the men all went out hunting, leaving the women and the children in the camp. After the men had been gone a little while, Gooloo the magpie came to their camp to talk to the women. She said, "Why do you not go hunting too? Many are the nests of the wurranunnahs round here, and thick is the honey in them. Many and ripe are the bumbles hanging now on the humble trees; red is the fruit of the grooees, and opening with ripeness the fruit of the guiebets. Yet you sit in the camp and hunger, until your husbands return with the dinewan and bowrah they have gone forth to slay. Go, women, and gather of the plenty that surrounds you. I will take care of your children, the little Wahroogabs."

"Your words are wise," the women said. "It is foolish to sit here and hunger, when near at hand yams are thick in the ground, and many fruits wait but the plucking. We will go and fill quickly our comebees and goolays, but our children we will take with us."

"Not so," said Gooloo, "foolish indeed were you to do that. You would tire the little feet of those that run, and tire yourselves with the burden of those that have to be carried. No, take forth your comebees and goolays empty, that ye may bring back the more. Many are the spoils that wait only the hand of the gatherer. Look ye, I have a durrie made of fresh doonburr seed, cooking just now on that bark between two fires; that shall your children eat, and swiftly shall I make them another. They shall eat and be full ere their mothers are out of sight. See, they come to me now, they hunger for durrie, and well will I feed them. Haste ye then, that ye may return in time to make ready the fires for cooking the meat your husbands will bring. Glad will your husbands be when they see that ye have filled your goolays and comebees with fruits, and your wirrees with honey. Haste ye, I say, and do well."

Having listened to the words of Gooloo, the women decided to do as she said, and, leaving their children with her, they started forth with empty comebees, and armed with combos, with which to chop out the bees' nests and opossums, and with yam sticks to dig up yams.

When the women had gone, Gooloo gathered the children round her and fed them with durrie, hot from the coals. Honey, too, she gave them, and bumbles which she had buried to ripen. When they had eaten, she hurried them off to her real home, built in a hollow tree, a little distance away from where she had been cooking her durrie. Into her house she hurriedly thrust them, followed quickly herself, and made all secure. Here she fed them again, but the children had already satisfied their hunger, and now they missed their mothers and began to cry. Their crying reached the ears of the women as they were returning to their camp. Quickly they came at the sound which is not good in a mother's ears. As they quickened their steps they thought how soon the spoils that lay heavy in their comebees would comfort their children. And happy they, the mothers, would feel when they fed the Wahroogahs with the dainties they had gathered for them. Soon they reached the camp, but, alas! where were their children? And where was Gooloo the magpie?

"They are playing wahgoo," they said, "and have hidden themselves."

The mothers hunted all round for them, and called aloud the names of their children and Gooloo. But no answer could they hear and no trace could they find. And yet every now and then they heard the sound of children wailing. But seek as they would they found them not. Then loudly wailed the mothers themselves for their lost Wahroogahs, and, wailing, returned to the camp to wait the coming of the black fellows. Heavy were their hearts, and sad were their faces when their husbands returned. They hastened to tell the black fellows when they came, how Gooloo had persuaded them to go hunting, promising if they did so that she would feed the hungry Wahroogahs, and care for them while they were away, but-and here they wailed again for their poor Wahroogahs. They told how they had listened to her words and gone; truth had she told of the plenty round, their comebees and goolays were full of fruits and spoils they had gathered, but, alas! they came home with them laden only to find their children gone and Gooloo gone too. And no trace could they find of either, though at times they heard a sound as of children wailing.

Then wroth were the men, saying: "What mothers are ye to leave your young to a stranger, and that stranger a Gooloo, ever a treacherous race? Did we not go forth to gain food for you and our children? Saw ye ever your husbands return from the chase empty handed? Then why, when ye knew we were gone hunting, must ye too go forth and leave our helpless ones to a stranger? Oh, evil, evil indeed is the time that has come when a mother forgets her child. Stay ye in the camp while we go forth to hunt for our lost Wahroogahs. Heavy will be our hands on the women if we return without them."

The men hunted the bush round for miles, but found no trace of the lost Wahroogahs, though they too heard at times a noise as of children's voices wailing.

But beyond the wailing which echoed in the mothers' ears for ever, no trace was found of the children. For many days the women sat in the camp mourning for their lost Wahroogahs, and beating their heads because they had listened to the voice of Gooloo.


The Weeoonibeens and the Piggiebillah

Two Weeoombeen brothers went out hunting. One brother was much younger than the other and smaller, so when they sighted an emu, the elder one said to the younger: "You stay quietly here and do not make a noise, or Piggiebillah, whose camp we passed just now, will hear you and steal the emu if I kill it. He is so strong. I'll go on and try to kill the emu with this stone." The little Weeoombeen watched his big brother sneak up to the emu, crawling along, almost flat, on the ground. He saw him get quite close to the emu, then spring up quickly and throw the stone with such an accurate aim as to kill the bird on the spot. The little brother was so rejoiced that he forgot his brother's caution, and he called aloud in his joy. The big Weeoombeen looked round and gave him a warning sign, but too late, Piggiebillah had heard the cry and was hastening towards them. Quickly big Weeoombeen left the emu and joined his little brother.

Piggiebillah, when he came up, said: "What have you found?"

"Nothing," said the big Weeoombeen, "nothing but some mistletoe berries."

"It must have been something more than that, or your little brother would not have called out so loudly."

Little Weeoombeen was so afraid that Piggiebillah would find their emu and take it, that he said: "I hit a little bird with a stone, and I was glad I could throw so straight."

"It was no cry for the killing of a little bird or for the finding of mistletoe berries that I heard. It was for something much more than either, or you would not have called out so joyfully. If you do not tell me at once I will kill you both."

The Weeoombeen brothers were frightened, for Piggiebillah was a great fighter and very strong, so when they saw he was really angry, they showed him the dead emu.

"Just what I want for my supper," he said, and so saying, dragged it away to his own camp. The Weeoombeens followed him and even helped him to make a fire to cook the emu, hoping by so doing to get a share given to them. But Piggiebillah would not give them any; he said he must have it all for himself.

Angry and disappointed, the Weeoombeens marched straight off and told some black fellows who lived near, that Piggiebillah had a fine fat emu just cooked for supper.

Up jumped the black fellows, seized their spears, bade the Weeoombeens quickly lead them to Piggiebillah's camp, promising them for so doing a share of the emu.

When they were within range of spear shot, the black fellows formed a circle, took aim, and threw their spears at Piggiebillah. As the spears fell thick on him, sticking out all over him, Piggiebillah cried aloud: "Bingehlah, Bingeblah. You can have it, you can have it." But the black fellows did not desist until Piggiebillah was too wounded even to cry out; then they left him a mass of spears and turned to look for the emu. But to their surprise they found it not. Then for the first time they missed the Weeoombeens.

Looking round they saw their tracks going to where the emu had evidently been; then they saw that they had dragged the emu to their nyunnoo, which was a humpy made of grass.

When the Weeoombeens saw the black fellows coming, they caught hold of the emu and dragged it to a big hole they knew of, with a big stone at its entrance, which stone only they knew the secret of moving. They moved the stone, got the emu and themselves into the hole, and the stone in place again before the black fellows reached the place.

The black fellows tried to move the stone, but could not. Yet they knew that the Weeoombeens must have done so, for they had tracked them right up to it, and they could hear the sound of their voices on the other side of it. They saw there was a crevice on either side of the stone, between it and the ground. Through these crevices they, drove in their spears, thinking they must surely kill the brothers. But the Weeoombeens too had seen these crevices and had anticipated the spears, so they had placed the dead emu before them to act as a shield. And into its body were driven the spears of the black fellows extended for the Weeoombeens.

Having driven the spears well in, the black fellows went off to get help to move the stone, but when they had gone a little way they heard the Weeoombeens laughing. Back they came and speared again, and again started for help, only as they left to hear once more the laughter of the brothers.

The Weeoombeens finding their laughter only brought back the black fellows to a fresh attack, determined to keep quiet, which, after the next spearing, they did.

Quite sure, when they heard their spear shots followed by neither conversation nor laughter, that they had killed the Weeoombeens at last, the black fellows hurried away to bring back the strength and cunning of the camp, to remove the stone.

The Weeoombeens hurriedly discussed what plan they had better adopt to elude the black fellows, for well they knew that should they ever meet any of them again they would be killed without mercy. And as they talked they satisfied their hunger by eating some of the emu flesh.

After a while the black fellows returned, and soon was the stone removed from the entrance. Some of them crept into the hole, where, to their surprise, they found only the remains of the emu and no trace of the Weeoombeens. As those who had gone in first crept out and told of the disappearance of the Weeoombeens, others, incredulous of such a story, crept in to find it confirmed. They searched round for tracks; seeing that their spears were all in the emu it seemed to them probable the Weeoombeens had escaped alive, but if so, whither they had gone their tracks would show. But search as they would no tracks could they find. All they could see were two little birds which sat on a bush near the hole, watching the black fellows all the time. The little birds flew round the hole sometimes, but never away, always returning to their bush and seeming to be discussing the whole affair; but what they said the black fellows could not understand. But as time went on and no sign was ever found of the Weeoombeens, the black fellows became sure that the brothers had turned into the little white-throated birds which had sat on the bush by the hole, so, they supposed, to escape their vengeance. And ever afterwards the little white-throats were called Weeoombeens. And the memory of Piggiebillah is perpetuated by a sort of porcupine ant-eater, which bears his name, and whose skin is covered closely with miniature spears sticking all over it.

Bootoolgah the Crane and Goonur the Kangaroo Rat, the Fire Makers

IN the days when Bootoolgah, the crane, married Goonur, the kangaroo rat, there was no fire in their country. They had to eat their food raw or just dry it in the sun. One day when Bootoolgah was rubbing two pieces of wood together, he saw a faint spark sent forth and then a slight smoke. "Look," he said to Goonur, "see what comes when I rub these pieces of wood together-smoke! Would it not be good if we could make fire for ourselves with which to cook our food, so as not to have to wait for the sun to dry it?"

Goonur looked, and, seeing the smoke, she said: "Great indeed would be the day when we could make fire. Split your stick, Bootoolgah, and place in the opening bark and grass that even one spark may kindle a light." And hearing wisdom in her words, even as she said Bootoolgah did. And lol after much rubbing, from the opening came a small flame. For as Goonur had said it would, the spark lit the grass, the bark smouldered and smoked, and so Bootoolgah the crane, and Goonur the kangaroo rat, discovered the art of fire making.

"This we will keep secret," they said, "from all the tribes. When we make a fire to cook our fish we will go into a Bingahwingul scrub. There we will make a fire and cook our food in secret. We will hide our firesticks in the openmouthed seeds of the Bingahwinguls; one firestick we will carry always hidden in our comebee."

Bootoolgah and Goonur cooked the next fish they caught, and found it very good. When they went back to the camp they took some of their cooked fish with them. The blacks noticed it looked quite different from the usual sun-dried fish, so they asked: "What did you to that fish?

"Let it lie in the sun," said they.

"Not so," said the others.

But that the fish was sun-dried Bootoolgah and Goonur persisted. Day by day passed, and after catching their fish, these two always disappeared, returning with their food looking quite different from that of the others. At last, being unable to extract any information from them, it was determined by the tribe to watch them. Boolooral, the night owl, and Quarrian, the parrot, were appointed to follow the two when they disappeared, to watch where they went, and find out what they did. Accordingly, after the next fish were caught, when Bootoolgah and Goonur gathered up their share and started for the bush, Boolooral and Quarrian followed on their tracks. They saw them disappear into a Bingahwingul scrub, where they lost sight of them. Seeing a high tree on the edge of the scrub, they climbed up it, and from there they saw all that was to be seen. They saw Bootoolgah and Goonur throw down their load of fish, open their comebee and take from it a stick, which stick, when they had blown upon it, they laid in the midst of a heap of leaves and twigs, and at once from this heap they saw a flame leap, which flame the fire makers fed with bigger sticks. Then, as the flame died down, they saw the two place their fish in the ashes that remained from the burnt sticks. Then back to the camp of their tribes went Boolooral and Quarrian, back with the news of their discovery. Great was the talk amongst the blacks, and many the queries as to how to get possession of the comebee with the fire stick in it, when next Bootoolgah and Goonur came into the camp. It was at length decided to hold a corrobboree, and it was to be one on a scale not often seen, probably never before by the young of the tribes. The grey beards proposed to so astonish Bootoolgah and Goonur as to make them forget to guard their precious comebee. As soon as they were intent on the corrobboree and off guard, some one was to seize the comebee, steal the firestick and start fires for the good of all. Most of them had tasted the cooked fish brought into the camp by the fire makers and, having found it good, hungered for it. Beeargah, the hawk, was told to feign sickness, to tie up his head, and to lie down near wherever the two sat to watch the corrobboree. Lying near them, be was to watch them all the time, and when they were laughing and unthinking of anything but the spectacle before them, he was to steal the comebee. Having arranged their plan of action, they all prepared for a big corrobboree. They sent word to all the surrounding tribes, asking them to attend, especially they begged the Bralgahs to come, as they were celebrated for their wonderful dancing, which was so wonderful as to be most likely to absorb the attention of the firemakers.

All the tribes agreed to come, and soon all were engaged in great preparations. Each determined to outdo the other in the quaintness and brightness of their painting for the corrobboree. Each tribe as they arrived gained great applause; never before had the young people seen so much diversity in colouring and design. Beeleer, the Black Cockatoo tribe, came with bright splashes of orange-red on their black skins. The Pelicans came as a contrast, almost pure white, only a touch here and there of their black skin showing where the white paint had rubbed off. The Black Divers came in their black skins, but these polished to shine like satin. Then came the Millears, the beauties of the Kangaroo Rat family, who had their home on the morillas. After them came the Buckandeer or Native Cat tribe, painted in dull colours, but in all sorts of patterns. Mairas or Paddymelons came too in haste to take part in the great corrobboree. After them, walking slowly, came the Bralgahs, looking tall and dignified as they held up their red heads, painted so in contrast to their French-grey bodies, which they deemed too dull a colour, unbrightened, for such a gay occasion. Amongst the many tribes there, too numerous to mention, were the rose and grey painted Galabs, the green and crimson painted Billai; most brilliant were they with their bodies grass green and their sides bright crimson, so afterwards gaining them the name of crimson wings. The bright little Gidgereegahs came too.

Great was the gathering that Bootoolgah, the crane, and Goonur, the kangaroo rat, found assembled as they hurried on to the scene. Bootoolgah had warned Goonur that they must only be spectators, and take no active part in the corrobboree, as they had to guard their combee. Obedient to his advice, Goonur seated herself beside him and slung the comebee over her arm. Bootoolgah warned her to be careful and not forget she had it. But as the corrobboree went on, so absorbed did she become that she forgot the comebee, which slipped from her arm. Happily, Bootoolgah saw it do so, replaced it, and bade her take heed, so baulking Beeargah, who had been about to seize it, for his vigilance was unceasing, and, deeming him sick almost unto death, the two whom lie was watching took no heed of him. Back he crouched, moaning as he turned., but keeping ever an eye on Goonur. And soon was he rewarded. Now came the turn of the Bralgahs to dance, and every eye but that of the watchful one was fixed on them as slowly they came into the ring. First they advanced, bowed and retired, then they repeated what they had done before, and again, each time getting faster and faster in their movements, changing their bows into pirouettes, craning their long necks and making such antics as they went through the figures of their dance, and replacing their dignity with such grotesqueness, as to make their large audience shake with laughter, they themselves keeping throughout all their grotesque measures a solemn air, which only seemed to heighten the effect of their antics.

And now came the chance of Beeargah the hawk. In the excitement of the moment Goonur forgot the comebee, as did Bootoolgah. They joined in the mirthful applause of the crowd, and Goonur threw herself back helpless with laughter. As she did so the comebee slipped from her arm. Then up jumped the sick man from behind her, seized the comebee with his combo, cut it open, snatched forth the firestick, set fire to the heap of grass ready near where he had lain, and all before the two realised their loss. When they discovered the precious comebee was gone, up jumped Bootoolgah and Goonur. After Beeargah ran Bootoolgah, but Beeargah had a start and was fleeter of foot, so distanced his pursuer quickly. As he ran he fired the grass with the stick he still held. Bootoolgah, finding he could not catch Beeargah, and seeing fires everywhere, retired from the pursuit, feeling it was useless now to try and guard their secret, for it had now become the common property of all the tribes there assembled.

Weedah the Mocking Bird

WEEDAH was playing a great trick on the black fellows who lived near him. He had built himself a number of grass nyunnoos, more than twenty. He made fires before each, to make it look as if some one lived in the nyunnoos. First he would go into one nyunnoo, or humpy, and cry like a baby, then to another and laugh like a child, then in turn, as he went the round of the humpies he would sing like a maiden, corrobboree like a man, call out in a quavering voice like an old man, and in a shrill voice like an old woman; in fact, imitate any sort of voice he had ever heard, and imitate them so quickly in succession that any one passing would think there was a great crowd of blacks in that camp. His object was to entice as many strange black fellows into his camp as he could, one at a time; then he would kill them and gradually gain the whole country round for his own. His chance was when he managed to get a single black fellow into his camp, which he very often did, then by his cunning he always gained his end and the black fellow's death. This was how he attained that end. A black fellow, probably separated from his fellows in the excitement of the chase, would be returning home alone passing within earshot of Weedah's camp he would hear the various voices and wonder what tribe could be there. Curiosity would induce him to come near. He would probably peer into the camp, and, only seeing Weedah standing alone, would advance towards him. Weedah would be standing at a little distance from a big glowing fire, where he would wait until the strange black fellow came quite close to him. Then he would ask him what he wanted. The stranger would say he had heard many voices and had wondered what tribe it could be, so had come near to find out. Weedah would say, "But only I am here. How could you have heard voices? See; look round; I am alone." Bewildered, the stranger would look round and say in a puzzled tone of voice: "Where are they all gone? As I came I heard babies crying, men calling, and women laughing; many voices I heard but you only I see."

"And only I am here. The wind must have stirred the branches of the balah trees, and you must have thought it was the wailing of children, the laughing of the gouggourgahgah you heard, and thought it the laughter of women and mine must have been the voice as of men that you heard. Alone in the bush, as the shadows fall, a man breeds strange fancies. See by the light of this fire, where are your fancies now? No women laugh, no babies cry, only I, Weedah, talk." As Weedah was talking he kept edging the stranger towards the fire; when they were quite close to it, he turned swiftly, seized him, and threw him right into the middle of the blaze. This scene was repeated time after time, until at last the, ranks of the black fellows living round the camp of Weedah began to get thin.

Mullyan, the eagle hawk, determined to fathom the mystery, for as yet the black fellows had no clue as to how or where their friends had disappeared. Mullyan, when Beeargah, his cousin, returned to his camp no more, made up his mind to get on his track and follow it, until at length he solved the mystery. After following the track of Beeargah, as he had chased the kangaroo to where he had slain it, on he followed his homeward trail. Over stony ground he tracked him, and through sand, across plains, and through scrub. At last in a scrub and still on the track of Beeargah, he heard the sounds of many voices, babies crying, women singing, men talking. Peering through the bush, finding the track took him nearer the spot whence came the sounds, he saw the grass humpies. "Who can these be?" he thought. The track led him right into the camp, where alone Weedah was to be seen. Mullyan advanced towards him and asked where were the people whose voices he had heard as he came through the bush.

Weedah said: "How can I tell you? I know of no people; I live alone."

"But," said Mullyan, the eagle hawk, "I heard babies crying, women laughing, and men talking, not one but many."

"And I alone am here. Ask of your cars what trick they played you, or perhaps your eyes fail you now. Can you see any but me? Look for yourself."

"And if, as indeed it seems, you only are here, what did you with Beeargah my cousin, and where are my friends? Many are their trails that I see coming into. this camp, but none going out. And if you alone live here you alone can answer me."

"What know I of you or your friends? Nothing. Ask of the winds that blow. Ask of Bahloo the moon, who looks down on the earth by night. Ask of Yhi the sun, that looks down by day. But ask not Weedah, who dwells alone, and knows naught of your friends." But as Weedah was talking he was carefully edging Mullyan towards the fire.

Mullyan, the eagle hawk, too, was cunning, and not easy to trap. He saw a blazing fire in front of him, lie saw the track of his friend behind him, he saw Weedah was edging him towards the fire, and it came to him in a moment the thought that if the fire could speak, well could it tell where were his friends. But the time was not yet come to show that he had fathomed the mystery. So he affected to fall into the trap. But when they reached the fire, before Weedah had time to act his usual part, with a mighty grip Mullyan the eagle hawk seized him, saying,

Even as you served Beeargah the hawk, my cousin, and my friends, so now serve I you." And right into the middle of the blazing fire he threw him. Then he turned homewards in haste, to tell the black fellows that he had solved the fate of their friends, which had so long been a mystery. When he was some distance from the Weedah's camp, he heard the sound of a thunder clap. But it was not thunder it was the bursting of the back of Weedah's head, which had burst with a bang as of a thunder clap. And as it burst, out from his remains had risen a bird, Weedah, the mocking bird; which bird to this day has a hole at the back of his head, just in the same place as Weedah the black fellow's head had burst, and whence the bird came forth.

To this day the Weedah makes grass playgrounds, through which he runs, imitating, as he plays, in quick succession, any voices he has ever heard, from the crying of a child to the laughing of a woman; from the mewing of a cat to the barking of a dog, and hence his name Weedah, the mocking bird.

The Gwineeboos the Redbreasts

GWINEEBOO and Goomai, the water rat, were down at the creek one day, getting mussels for food, when, to their astonishment, a kangaroo hopped right into the water beside them. Well they knew that he must be escaping from hunters, who were probably pressing him close. So Gwineeboo quickly seized her yam stick, and knocked the kangaroo on the head; he was caught fast in the weeds in the creek, so could not escape. When the two old women had killed the kangaroo they hid its body under the weeds in the creek, fearing to take it out and cook it straight away, lest the hunters should come up and claim it. The little son of Gwineeboo watched them from the bank. After having hidden the kangaroo, the women picked up their mussels and started for their camp, when up came the hunters, Quarrian and Gidgereegah, who had tracked the kangaroo right to the creek.

Seeing the women they said: "Did you see a kangaroo?"

The women answered: "No. We saw no kangaroo."

"That is strange, for we have tracked it right up to here."

"We have seen no kangaroo. See, we have been digging out mussels for food. Come to our camp, and we will give you some when they are cooked."

The young men, puzzled in their minds, followed the women to their camp, and when the mussels were cooked the hunters joined the old women at their dinner. The little boy would not eat the mussels; he kept crying to his mother, "Gwineeboo, Gwineeboo. I want kangaroo. I want kangaroo. Gwineeboo. Gwineeboo."

"There," said Quarrian. "Your little boy has seen the kangaroo, and wants some; it must be here somewhere."

"Oh, no. He cries for anything he thinks of, some days for kangaroo; he is only a little boy, and does not know what he wants," said old Gwineeboo. But still the child kept saying, "Gwineeboo. Gwinceboo. I want kangaroo. I want kangaroo." Goomai was so angry with little Gwineeboo for keeping on asking for kangaroo, and thereby making the young men suspicious, that she hit him so hard on the mouth to keep him quiet, that the blood came, and trickled down his breast, staining it red. When she saw this, old Gwineeboo grew angry in her turn, and hit old Goomai, who returned the blow, and so a fight began, more words than blows, so the noise was great, the women fighting, little Gwineeboo crying, not quite knowing whether he was crying because Goomai had hit him, because his mother was fighting, or because he still wanted kangaroo.

Quarrian said to Gidgereegah. "They have the kangaroo somewhere hidden; let us slip away now in the confusion. We will only hide, then come back in a little while, and surprise them."

They went quietly away, and as soon as the two women noticed they had gone, they ceased fighting, and determined to cook the kangaroo. They watched the two young men out of sight, and waited some time so as to be sure that they were safe. Then down they hurried to get the kangaroo. They dragged it out, and were just making a big fire on which to cook it, when up came Quarrian and Gidgereegah, saying:

"Ah! we thought so. You had our kangaroo all the time; little Gwinceboo was right."

"But we killed it," said the women.

"But we hunted it here," said the men, and so saying caught hold of the kangaroo and dragged it away to some distance, where they made a fire and cooked it. Goomai, Gwineeboo, and her little boy went over to Quarrian and Gidgereegah, and begged for some of the meat, but the young men would give them none, though little Gwineeboo cried piteously for some. But no; they said they would rather throw what they did not want to the hawks than give it to the women or child. At last, seeing that there was no hope of their getting any, the women went away. They built a big dardurr for themselves, shutting themselves and the little boy up in it. Then they began singing a song which was to invoke a storm to destroy their enemies, for so now they considered Quarrian and Gidgereegah. For some time they chanted:

	 
		"Moogaray, Moogaray, May, May,
		 Eehu, Eehu, Doongarah."
		
		 First they would begin very slowly and softly, gradually getting quicker and louder, until at length they almost shrieked it out. The words they said meant, "Come hailstones; come wind; come rain; come lightning."

While they were chanting, little Gwineeboo kept crying, and would not be comforted. Soon came a few big drops of rain, then a big wind, and as that lulled, more rain. Then came thunder and lightning, the air grew bitterly cold, and there came a pitiless hailstorm, hailstones bigger than a duck's egg fell, cutting the leaves from the trees and bruising their bark. Gidgereegah and Quarrian came running over to the dardurr and begged the women to let them in.

"No," shrieked Gwineeboo above the storm, "there was no kangaroo meat for us: there is no dardurr shelter for you. Ask shelter of the hawks whom ye fed." The men begged to be let in, said they would hunt again and get kangaroo for the women, not one but many. "No," again shrieked the women. "You would not even listen to the crying of a little child; it is better such as you should perish." And fiercer raged the storm and louder sang the women:

	 
		"Moogaray, Moogaray, May, May,
		 Eehu, Eehu, Doongarah."
		
		 So long and so fierce was the storm that the young men must have perished had they not been changed into birds. First they were changed into birds and afterwards into stars in the sky, where they now are, Gidgereegah and Ouarrian with the kangaroo between them, still bearing the names that they bore on the earth.

Meamei the Seven Sisters

WURRUNNAH had had a long day's hunting, and he came back to the camp tired and hungry. He asked his old mother for durrie, but she said there was none left. Then he asked some of the other blacks to give him some doonburr seeds that he might make durrie for himself, But no one would give him anything. He flew into a rage and he said, "I will go to a far country and live with strangers; my own people would starve me." And while he was yet hot and angry, he went. Gathering up his weapons, he strode forth to find a new people in a new country. After he had gone some distance, he saw, a long way off, an old man chopping out bees' nests. The old man turned his face towards Wurrunnah, and watched him coming, but when Wurrunnah came close to him he saw that the old man had no eyes, though he had seemed to be watching him long before he could have heard him. It frightened Wurrunnah to see a stranger having no eyes, yet turning his face towards him as if seeing him all the time. But he determined not to show his fear, but go straight on towards him, which he did. When he came up to him, the stranger told him that his name was Mooroonumildah, and that his tribe were so-called because they had no eyes, but saw through their noses. Wurrunnah thought it very strange and still felt rather frightened, though Mooroonumildah seemed hospitable and kind, for, he gave Wurrunnah, whom he said looked hungry, a bark wirree filled with honey, told him where his camp was, and gave him leave to go there and stay with him. Wurrunnah took the honey and turned as if to go to the camp, but when he got out of sight he thought it wiser to turn in another direction. He journeyed on for some time, until he came to a large lagoon, where he decided to camp. He took a long drink of water, and then lay down to sleep. When he woke in the morning, he looked towards the lagoon, but saw only a big plain. He thought he must be dreaming; he rubbed his eyes and looked again.

"This is a strange country," he said. "First I meet a man who has no eyes and yet can see. Then at night I see a large lagoon full of water, I wake in the morning and see none. The water was surely there, for I drank some, and yet now there is no water." As he was wondering how the water could have disappeared so quickly, he saw a big storm coming up; he hurried to get into the thick bush for shelter. When he had gone a little way into the bush, he saw a quantity of cut bark lying on the ground.

"Now I am right," he said. "I shall get some poles and with them and this bark make a dardurr in which to shelter myself from the storm I see coming."

He quickly cut the poles he wanted, stuck them up as a framework for his dardurr. Then he went to lift up the bark. As he lifted up a sheet of it he saw a strange-looking object of no tribe that he had ever seen before.

This strange object cried out: "I am Bulgahnunnoo," in such a terrifying tone that Wurrunnah dropped the bark, picked up his weapons and ran away as hard as he could, quite forgetting the storm. His one idea was to get as far as he could from Bulgahnunnoo.

On he ran until he came to a big river, which hemmed him in on three sides. The river was too big to cross, so he had to turn back, yet he did not retrace his steps but turned in another direction. As he turned to leave the river he saw a flock of emus coming to water. The first half of the flock were covered with feathers, but the last half had the form of emus, but no feathers.

Wurrunnah decided to spear one for food. For that purpose he climbed up a tree, so that they should not see him; he got his spear ready to kill one of the featherless birds. As they passed by, he picked out the one he meant to have, threw his spear and killed it, then climbed down to go and get it.

As he was running up to the dead emu, he saw that they were not emus at all but black fellows of a strange tribe. They were all standing round their dead friend making savage signs, as to what they would do by way of vengeance. Wurrunnah saw that little would avail him the excuse that he had killed the black fellow in mistake for an emu; his only hope lay in flight. Once more he took to his heels, hardly daring to look round for fear he would see an enemy behind him. On he sped, until at last he reached a camp, which be was almost into before he saw it; he had only been thinking of danger behind him, unheeding what was before him.

However, he had nothing to fear in the camp he reached so suddenly, for in it were only seven young girls. They did not look very terrifying, in fact, seemed more startled than he was. They were quite friendly towards him when they found that he was alone and hungry. They gave him food and allowed him to camp there that night. He asked them where the rest of their tribe were, and what their name was. They answered that their name was Meamei, and that their tribe were in a far country. They had only come to this country to see what it was like; they would stay for a while and thence return whence they had come.

The next day Wurrunnah made a fresh start, and left the camp of the Meamei, as if he were leaving for good. But he determined to hide near and watch what they did, and if he could get a chance he would steal a wife from amongst them. He was tired of travelling alone. He saw the seven sisters all start out with their yam sticks in hand. He followed at a distance, taking care not to be seen. He saw them stop by the nests of some flying ants. With their yam sticks they dug all round these ant holes. When they had successfully unearthed the ants they sat down, throwing their yam sticks on one side, to enjoy a feast, for these ants were esteemed by them a great delicacy.

While the sisters were busy at their feast, Wurrunnah sneaked up to their yam sticks and stole two of them; then, taking the sticks with him, sneaked back to his hiding-place. When at length the Meamei had satisfied their appetites, they picked up their sticks and turned towards their camp again. But only five could find their sticks; so those five started off, leaving the other two to find theirs, supposing they must be somewhere near, and, finding them, they would soon catch them up. The two girls hunted all round the ants' nests, but could find no sticks. At last, when their backs were turned towards him, Wurrunnah crept out and stuck the lost yam sticks near together in the ground; then he slipt back into his hiding-place. When the two girls turned round, there in front of them they saw their sticks. With a cry of joyful surprise they ran to them and caught hold of them to pull them out of the ground, in which they were firmly stuck. As they were doing so, out from his hiding-place jumped Wurrunnah. He seized both girls round their waists, holding them tightly. They struggled and screamed, but to no purpose. There were none near to hear them, and the more they struggled the tighter Wurrunnah held them. Finding their screams and struggles in vain they quietened at length, and then Wurrunnah told them not to be afraid, he would take care of them. He was lonely, he said, and wanted two wives. They must come quietly with him, and he would be good to them. But they must do as he told them. If they were not quiet, he would swiftly quieten them with his moorillah. But if they would come quietly with him he would be good to them. Seeing that resistance was useless, the two young girls complied with his wish, and travelled quietly on with him. They told him that some day their tribe would come and steal them back again; to avoid which he travelled quickly on and on still further, hoping to elude all pursuit. Some weeks passed, and, outwardly, the two Meamei seemed settled down to their new life, and quite content in it, though when they were alone together they often talked of their sisters, and wondered what they had done when they realised their loss. They wondered if the five were still hunting for them, or whether they had gone back to their tribe to get assistance. That they might be in time forgotten and left with Wurrunnali for ever, they never once for a moment thought. One day when they were camped Wurrunnah said: "This fire will not burn well. Go you two and get some bark from those two pine trees over there."

"No," they said, "we must not cut pine bark. If we did, you would never more see us."

"Go! I tell you, cut pine bark. I want it. See you not the fire burns but slowly?"

"If we go, Wurrunnah, we shall never return. You will see us no more in this country. We know it."

"Go, women, stay not to talk. Did ye ever see talk make a fire burn? Then why stand ye there talking? Go; do as I bid you. Talk not so foolishly; if you ran away soon should I catch you, and, catching you, would beat you hard. Go I talk no more."

The Meamei went, taking with them their combos with which to cut the bark. They went each to a different tree, and each, with a strong hit, drove her combo into the bark. As she did so, each felt the tree that her combo had struck rising higher out of the ground and bearing her upward with it. Higher and higher grew the pine trees, and still on them, higher and higher from the earth, went the two girls. Hearing no chopping after the first hits, Wurrunnah came towards the pines to see what was keeping the girls so long. As he came near them he saw that the pine trees were growing taller even as he looked at them, and clinging to the trunks of the trees high in the air he saw his two wives. He called to them to come down, but they made no answer. Time after time he called to them as higher and higher they went, but still they made no answer. Steadily taller grew the two pines, until at last their tops touched the sky. As they did so, from the sky the five Meamei looked out, called to their two sisters on the pine trees, bidding them not to be afraid but to come to them. Quickly the two girls climbed up when they heard the voices of their sisters. When they reached the tops of the pines the five sisters in the sky stretched forth their hands, and drew them in to live with them there in the sky for ever.

And there, if you look, you may see the seven sisters together. You perhaps know them as the Pleiades, but the black fellows call them the Meamei.

The Cookooburrahs and the Goolahgool

GOOGARH, the iguana, was married to Moodai, the opossum and Cookooburrah, the laughing jackass. Cookooburrah was the mother of three sons, one grown up and living away from her, the other two only little boys. They had their camps near a goolahgool, whence they obtained water. A goolahgool is a water-holding tree, of the iron bark or box species. It is a tree with a split in the fork of it, and hollow below the fork. After heavy rain, this hollow trunk would be full of water, which water would have run into it through the split in the fork. A goolahgool would hold water for a long time. The blacks knew a goolahgool, amongst other trees, by the mark which the overflow of water made down the trunk of the tree, discolouring the bark.

One day, Googarh, the iguana, and his two wives went out hunting, leaving the two little Cookooburrahs at the camp. They had taken out water for themselves in their opossum skin water bags, but they had left none for the children, who were too small to get any from the goolahgool for themselves, so nearly perished from thirst. Their tongues were swollen in their mouths, and they were quite speechless, when they saw a man coming towards them. When he came near, they saw it was Cookooburrah, their big brother. They could not speak to him and answer, when he asked where his mother was. Then he asked them what was the matter. All they could do was to point towards the tree. He looked at it, and saw it was a goolahgool, so he said: "Did your mother leave you no water?" They shook their heads. He said: "Then you are perishing for want of a drink, my brothers?" They nodded. "Go," he said a little way off, and you shall see how I will punish them for leaving my little brothers to perish of thirst." He went towards the tree, climbed up it, and split it right down. As he did so, out gushed the water in a swiftly running stream. Soon the little fellows quenched their thirst and then, in their joy, bathed in the water, which grew in volume every moment.

In the meantime, those who had gone forth to hunt were returning, and as they came towards their camp they met a running stream of water. "What is this? " they said, "our goolahgool must have burst," and they tried to dam the water, but it was running too strongly for them. They gave up the effort and hurried on towards their camp. But they found a deep stream divided them from their camp. The three Cookooburrahs saw them, and the eldest one said to the little fellows: "You call out and tell them to cross down there, where it is not deep." The little ones called out as they were told, and where they pointed Googarh and his wives waded into the stream. Finding she was getting out of her depth, Cookooburrah the laughing jackass cried out: "Goug gour gah gah. Goug gour gah gah. Give ine a stick. Give me a stick."

But from the bank her sons only answered in derision: "Goug gour gah gah. Goug gour gah gah." And the three hunters were soon engulfed in the rushing stream, drawn down by the current and drowned.

The Mayamah

THE blacks had all left their camp and gone away to attend a borah. Nothing was left in the camp but one very old dog, too old to travel. After the blacks had been gone about three days, one night came their enemies, the Gooeeays, intending to surprise them and kill them.

Painted in all the glory of their war-paint came the Gooeeays, their hair tied in top-knots and ornamented with feathers and kangaroos' teeth. Their waywahs of paddy, melon, and kangaroo rat skins cut in strips, round their waists, were new and strong, holding firmly some of their boomerangs and woggoorahs, which they had stuck through them.

But prepared as they were for conquest, they found only a deserted camp containing naught but one old dog. They asked the old dog where the blacks were gone. But he only shook his head. Again and again they asked him, and again and again he only shook his head. At last some of the black fellows raised their spears and their moorillahs or nullah-nullahs, saying:

"If you do not tell us where the blacks are gone, we shall kill you."

Then spoke the old dog, saying only: "Gone to the borah."

And as he spoke every one of the Gooeeays and everything they had with them was turned to stone. Even the waywahs round their waists, the top-knots on their heads, and the spears in their hands, even these turned to stone. And when the blacks returned to their camp long afterwards, when the borah was over, and the boys, who had been made young men, gone out into the bush to undergo their novitiate, each with his solitary guardian, then saw the blacks, their enemies, the Gooeeays, standing round their old camp, as if to attack it. But instead of being men of flesh, they were men of stone-they, their weapons, their waywahs, and all that belonged to them, stone.

And at that place are to be found stones or mayamahs of great beauty, striped and marked and coloured as were the men painted.

And the place of the mayamah is on one of the mounts near Beemery.


The Bunbundoolooeys

THE mother Bunbundoolooey put her child, a little boy Bunbundoolooey, who could only just crawl, into her goolay. Goolay is a sort of small netted hammock, slung by black women on their backs, in which they carry their babies and goods in general. Bunbundoolooey, the pigeon, put her goolay across her back, and started out hunting.

When she had gone some distance she came to a clump of bunnia or wattle trees. At the foot of one of these she saw some large euloomarah or grubs, which were good to cat. She picked some up, and dug with her yam stick round the roots of the tree to get more. She went from tree to tree, getting grubs at every one. That she might gather them all, she put down her goolay, and hunted further round.

Soon in the excitement of her search, she forgot the goolay with the child in it, and wandered away. Further and further she went from the Dunnia clump, never once thinking of her poor birrahlee, or baby. On and still on she went, until at length she reached a far country.

The birrablee woke up, and crawled out of the goolay. First he only crawled about, but soon he grew stronger, and raised himself, and stood by a tree. Then day by day he grew stronger and walked alone, and stronger still he grew, and could run. Then he grew on into a big boy, and then into a man, and his mother he never saw while he was growing from birrahlee to man.

But in the far country at length one day Bunbundoolooey, the mother, remembered the birrablee she had left.

"Oh," she cried, "I forgot my birrahlee. I left my birrablee where the Dunnias grow in a far country. I must go to my birrahlee. My poor birrahlee! I forgot it. Mad must I have been when I forgot him. My birrahlee! My birrahlee!"

And away went the mother as fast as she could travel back to the Dunnia clump in the far country. When she reached the spot she saw the tracks of her birrablee, first crawling, then standing, then walking, and then running. Bigger and bigger were the tracks she followed, until she saw they were the tracks of a man. She followed them until she reached a camp. No one was in the camp, but a fire was there, so she waited, and while waiting looked round. She saw her son had made himself many weapons, and many opossum rugs, which he had painted gaily inside.

Then at last she saw a man coming towards the camp, and she knew he was her birrahlee, grown into a man. As he drew near she ran out to meet him, saying:

"Bunbundoolooey, I am your mother. The mother who forgot you as a birrahlee, and left you. But now I have come to find you, my son. Long was the journey, my son, and your mother was weary, but now that she sees once more her birrahlee, who has grown into a man, she is no longer weary, but glad is her heart, and loud could she sing in her joy. Ah, Bunbundoolooey, my son! Bunbundoolooey, my son!"

And she ran forward with her arms out, as if to embrace him.

But stern was the face of Bunbundoolooey, the son, and no answer did he make with his tongue. But he stooped to the ground and picked therefrom a big stone. This swiftly he threw at his mother, hitting her with such force that she fell dead to the earth.

Then on strode Bunbundoolooey to his camp.


Oongnairwah and Guinarey

OONGNAIRWAH, the diver, and Guinarey, the eagle hawk, told all the pelicans, black swans, cranes, and many others, that they would take their net to the creek and catch fish, if some of them would go and beat the fish down towards the net.

Gladly went the pelicans, black swans, and the rest to the creek. In they jumped, and splashed the water about to scare the fish down towards where Oongnairwah and Guinarey were stationed with their net. Presently little Deereeree, the wagtail, and Burreenjin, the peewee, who were on the bank sitting on a stump, called out, "Look out, we saw the back of an alligator in the water." The diver and eagle hawk called back, "Go away, then. The wind blows from you towards him. Go back or he will smell you."

But Deereeree and Burreenjin were watching the fishing and did not heed what was said to them. Soon the alligator smelt them, and he lashed out with his tail, splashing the water so high, and lashing so furiously, that all the fishermen were drowned, even Deereeree and Burreenjin on the bank-not one escaped, And red was the bank of the creek, and red the stump whereon Deereeree and Burreenjin had sat, with the blood of the slain. And the place is called Goomade and is red for ever.

Narahdarn the Bat

NARAHDARN, the bat, wanted honey. He watched until he saw a Wurranunnah, or bee, alight. He caught it, stuck a white feather between its hind legs, let it go and followed it. He knew he could see the white feather, and so follow the bee to its nest. He ordered his two wives, of the Bilber tribe, to follow him with wirrees to carry home the honey in. Night came on and Wurranunnah the bee had not reached home. Narahdarn caught him, imprisoned him under bark, and kept him safely there until next morning. When it was light enough to see, Narahdarn let the bee go again, and followed him to his nest, in a gunnyanny tree. Marking the tree with his comebo that he might know it again, he returned to hurry on his wives who were some way behind. He wanted them to come on, climb the tree, and chop out the honey. When they reached the marked tree one of the women climbed up. She called out to Narahdarn that the honey was in a split in the tree. He called back to her to put her hand in and get it out. She put her arm in, but found she could not get it out again. Narahdarn climbed up to help her, but found when he reached her that the only way to free her was to cut off her arm. This he did before she had time to realise what he was going to do, and protest. So great was the shock to her that she died instantly. Narahdarn carried down her lifeless body and commanded her sister, his other wife, to go up, chop out the arm, and get the honey. She protested, declaring the bees would have taken the honey away by now.

"Not so," he said; "go at once."

Every excuse she could think of, to save herself, she made. But her excuses were in vain, and Narahdarn only became furious with her for making them, and, brandishing his boondi, drove her up the tree. She managed to get her arm in beside her sister's, but there it stuck and she could not move it. Narahdarn, who was watching her, saw what had happened and followed her up the tree. Finding he could not pull her arm out, in spite of her cries, he chopped it off, as he had done her sister's. After one shriek, as he drove his comebo through her arm, she was silent. He said, "Come down, and I will chop out the bees' nest." But she did not answer him, and he saw that she too was dead. Then he was frightened, and climbed quickly down the gunnyanny tree; taking her body to the ground with him, he laid it beside her sister's, and quickly he hurried from the spot, taking no further thought of the honey. As he neared his camp, two little sisters of his wives ran out to meet him, thinking their sisters would be with him, and that they would give them a taste of the honey they knew they had gone out to get. But to their surprise Narahdarn came alone, and as he drew near to them they saw his arms were covered with blood. And his face had a fierce look on it, which frightened them from even asking where their sisters were. They ran and told their mother that Narahdarn had returned alone, that he looked fierce and angry, also his arms were covered with blood. Out went the mother of the Bilbers, and she said, "Where are my daughters, Narahdarn? Forth went they this morning to bring home the honey you found. You come back alone. You bring no honey. Your look is fierce, as of one who fights, and your arms are covered with blood. Tell me, I say, where are my daughters?"

"Ask me not, Bilber. Ask Wurranunnah the bee, he may know. Narahdarn the bat knows nothing." And he wrapped himself in a silence which no questioning could pierce. Leaving him there, before his camp, the mother of the Bilbers returned to her dardurr and told her tribe that her daughters were gone, and Narahdarn, their husband, would tell her nothing of them. But she felt sure he knew their fate, and certain she was that he had some tale to tell, for his arms were covered with blood.

The chief of her tribe listened to her. When she had finished and begun to wail for her daughters, whom she thought she would see no more, he said, "Mother of the Bilbers, your daughters shall be avenged if aught has happened to them at the hands of Narahdarn. Fresh are his tracks, and the young men of your tribe shall follow whence they have come, and finding what Narahdarn has done, swiftly shall they return. Then shall we hold a corrobboree, and if your daughters fell at his hand Narahdarn shall be punished."

The mother of the Bilbers said: "Well have you spoken, oh my relation. Now speed ye the young men lest the rain fall or the dust blow and the tracks be lost." Then forth went the fleetest footed and the keenest eyed of the young men of the tribe. Ere long, back they came to the camp with the news of the fate of the Bilbers.

That night was the corrobboree held. The women sat round in a half-circle, and chanted a monotonous chant, keeping time by hitting, some of them, two boomerangs together, and others beating their rolled up opossum rugs.

Big fires were lit on the edge of the scrub, throwing light on the dancers as they came dancing out from their camps, painted in all manner of designs, waywahs round their waists, tufts of feathers in their hair, and carrying in their hands painted wands. Heading the procession as the men filed out from the scrub into a cleared space in front of the women, came Narahdarn. The light of the fires lit up the tree tops, the dark balahs showed out in fantastic shapes, and weird indeed was the scene as slowly the men danced round; louder clicked the boomerangs and louder grew the chanting of the women; higher were the fires piled, until the flames shot their coloured tongues round the trunks of the trees and high into the air. One fire was bigger than all, and towards it the dancers edged Narahdarn; then the voice of the mother of the Bilbers shrieked in the chanting, high above that of the other women. As Narahdarn turned from the fire to dance back he found a wall of men confronting him. These quickly seized him and hurled him into the madly-leaping fire before him, where he perished in the flames. And so were the Bilbers avenged.


Mullyangah the Morning Star

MULLYAN, the eagle hawk, built himself a home high in a yaraan tree. There he lived apart from his tribe, with Moodai the opossum, his wife, and Moodai the opossum, his mother-in-law. With them too was Buttergah, a daughter of the Buggoo or flying squirrel tribe. Buttergah was a friend of Moodai, the wife of Mullyan, and a distant cousin to the Moodai tribe.

Mullyan the eagle hawk was a cannibal. That was the reason of his living apart from the other blacks. In order to satisfy his cannibal cravings, he used to sally forth with a big spear, a spear about four times as big as an ordinary spear. If he found a black fellow hunting alone, he would kill him and take his body up to the house in the tree. There the Moodai and Buttergab would cook it, and all of them would eat the flesh; for the women as well as Mullyan were cannibals. This went on for some time, until at last so many black fellows were slain that their friends determined to find out what became of them, and they tracked the last one they missed. They tracked him to where he had evidently been slain; they took up the tracks of his slayer, and followed them right to the foot of the yaraan tree, in which was built the home of Mullyan. They tried to climb the tree, but it was high and straight, and they gave up the attempt after many efforts. In their despair at their failure they thought of the Bibbees, a tribe noted for its climbing powers. They summoned two young Bibbees to their aid. One came, bringing with him his friend Murrawondah of the climbing rat tribe.

Having heard what the blacks wanted them to do, these famous climbers went to the yaraan tree and made a start at once. There was only light enough that first night for them to see to reach a fork in the tree about half-way up. There they camped, watched Mullyan away in the morning, and then climbed on. At last they reached the home of Mullyan. They watched their chance and then sneaked into his humpy.

When they were safely inside, they hastened to secrete a smouldering stick in one end of the humpy, taking care they were not seen by any of the women. Then they went quietly down again, no one the wiser of their coming or going. During the day the women heard sometimes a crackling noise, as of burning, but looking round they saw nothing, and as their own fire was safe, they took no notice, thinking it might have been caused by some grass having fallen into their fire.

After their descent from having hidden the smouldering fire stick, Bibbee and Murrawondah found the blacks and told them what they had done. Hearing that the plan was to burn out Mullyan, and fearing that the tree might fall, they all moved to some little distance, there to watch and wait for the end. Great was their joy at the thought that at last their enemy was circumvented. And proud were Bibbee and Murrawondah as the black fellows praised their prowess.

After dinner-time Mullyan came back. When he reached the entrance to his house he put down his big spear outside. Then he went in and threw himself down to rest, for long had he walked and little had he gained. In a few minutes he heard his big spear fall down. He jumped up and stuck it in its place again. He had no sooner thrown himself down, than again he heard it fall. Once more be rose and replaced it. As he reached his resting-place again, out burst a flame of fire from the end of his humpy. He called out to the three women, who were cooking, and they rushed to help him extinguish the flames. But in spite of their efforts the fire only blazed the brighter. Mullyan's arm was burnt off. The Moodai had their feet burnt, and Buttergah was badly burnt too. Seeing they were helpless against the fire, they turned to leave the humpy to its fate, and make good their own escape. But they had left it too late. As they turned to descend the tree, the roof of the humpy fell on them. And all that remained when the fire ceased, were the charred bones of the dwellers in the yaraan tree. That was all that the blacks found of their enemies; but their legend says that Mullyan the eagle hawk lives in the sky as Mullyangah the morning star, on one side of which is a little star, which is his one arm; on the other a larger star, which is Moodai the opossum, his wife.


Goomblegubbon, Beeargah, and Ouyan

GOOMBLEGUBBON the bustard, his two wives, Beeargah the hawk, and Ouyan the curlew, with the two children of Beeargah, had their camps right away in the bush; their only water supply was a small dungle, or gilguy hole. The wives and children camped in one camp, and Goomblegubbon a short distance off in another. One day the wives asked their husband to lend them the dayoorl stone, that they might grind some doonburr to make durrie. But he would not lend it to them, though they asked him several times. They knew he did not want to use it himself, for they saw his durrie on a piece of bark, between two fires, already cooking. They determined to be revenged, so said:

"We will make some water bags of the opossum skins; we will fill them with water, then some day when Goomblegubbon is out hunting we will empty the dungle of water, take the children, and run away! When he returns he will find his wives and children gone and the dungle empty; then he will be sorry that he would not lend us the dayoorl."

"The wives soon caught some opossums, killed and skinned them, plucked all the hair from the skins, saving it to roll into string to make goomillahs, cleaned the skins of all flesh, sewed them up with the sinews, leaving only the neck opening. When finished, they blew into them, filled them with air, tied them up and left them to dry for a few days. When they were dry and ready to be used, they chose a day when Goomblegubbon was away, filled the water bags, emptied the dungle, and started towards the river.

Having travelled for some time, they at length reached the river. They saw two black fellows on the other side, who, when they saw the runaway wives and the two children, swam over to them and asked whence they had come and whither they were going.

"We are running away from our husband Goomblegubbon, who would lend us no dayoorl to grind our doonburr on, and we ran away lest we and our children should starve, for we could not live on meat alone. But whither we are going we know not, except that it must be far away, lest Goomblegubbon follow and kill us."

The black fellows said they wanted wives, and would each take one, and both care for the children. The women agreed. The black fellows swam back across the river, each taking a child first, and then a woman, for as they came from the back country, where no creeks were, the women could not swim.

Goomblegubbon came back from hunting, and, seeing no wives, called aloud for them, but heard no answer. Then he went to their camp, and found them not. Then turning towards the dungle he saw that it was empty. Then he saw the tracks of his wives and children going towards the river. Great was his anger, and vowing he would kill them when he found them, he picked up his spears and followed their tracks, until he too reached the river. There on the other side he saw a camp, and in it he could see strange black fellows, his wives, and his children. He called aloud for them to cross him over, for he too could not swim. But the sun went down and still they did not answer. He camped where he was that night, and in the morning he saw the camp opposite had been deserted and set fire to; the country all round was burnt so that not even the tracks of the black fellows and his wives could be found, even had he been able to cross the river. And never again did he see or hear of his wives or his children.

Mooregoo the Mopoke, and Bahloo the Moon

MOOREGOO the Mopoke had been camped away by himself for a long time. While alone he had made a great number of boomerangs, nullah-nullahs, spears, neilahmans, and opossum rugs. Well had he carved the weapons with the teeth of opossums, and brightly had he painted the inside of the rugs with coloured designs, and strongly had he sewn them with the sinews of opossums, threaded in the needle made of the little bone taken from the leg of an emu. As Mooregoo looked at his work he was proud of all he had done.

One night Babloo the moon came to his camp, and said: "Lend me one of your opossum rugs."

"No. I lend not my rugs."

"Then give me one."

"No. I give not my rugs."

Looking round, Bahloo saw the beautifully carved weapons, so he said, "Then give me, Mooregoo, some of your weapons."

"No, I give, never, what I have made, to another."

Again Bahloo said, "The night is cold. Lend me a rug. "

"I have spoken," said Mooregoo. "I never lend my rugs."

Barloo said no more, but went away, cut some bark and made a dardurr for himself. When it was finished and he safely housed in it, down came the rain in torrents. And it rained without ceasing until the whole country was flooded. Mooregoo was drowned. His weapons floated about and drifted apart, and his rugs rotted in the water.

Ouyan the Curlew

BLEARGAH the hawk, mother of Ouyan the curlew, said one day to her son: "Go, Ouyan, out, take your spears and kill an emu. The women and I are hungry. You are a man, go out and kill, that we may eat. You must not stay always in the camp like an old woman; you must go and hunt as other men do, lest the women laugh at you."

Ouyan took his spears and went out hunting, but though he went far, he could not get an emu, yet he dare not return to the camp and face the jeers of the women. Well could they jeer, and angry could his mother grow when she was hungry. Sooner than return empty-handed he would cut some flesh off his own legs. And this he decided to do. he made a cut in his leg with his comebo and as he made it, cried aloud: "Yuckay! Yuckay," in pain. But he cut on, saying: "Sharper would cut the tongues of the women, and deeper would be the wounds they would make, if I returned without food for them." And crying: "Yuckay, yuckay," at each stroke of his comebo, he at length cut off a piece of flesh, and started towards the camp with it.

As he neared the camp his mother cried out: "What have you brought us, Ouyan? We starve for meat, come quickly."

He came and laid the flesh at her feet, saying: "Far did I go, and little did I see, but there is enough for all to-night; to-morrow will I go forth again."

The women cooked the flesh, and ate it hungrily. Afterwards they felt quite ill, but thought it must be because they had eaten too hungrily. The next day they hurried Ouyan forth again. And again he returned bringing his own flesh back. Again the women ate hungrily of it, and again they felt quite ill.

Then, too, Beeargah noticed for the first time that the flesh Ouyan brought looked different from emu flesh. She asked him what flesh it was. He replied: "What should it be but the flesh of emu?"

But Beeargah was not satisfied, and she said to the two women who lived with her: "Go you, to-morrow, follow Ouyan, and see whence he gets this flesh."

The next day, the two woman followed Ouyan when he went forth to hunt. They followed at a good distance, that he might not notice that they were following. Soon they heard him crying as if in pain: " Yuckay, yuckay, yuckay nurroo gay gay." When they came near they saw he was cutting the flesh off his own limbs. Before he discovered that they were watching him, back they went to the old woman, and told her what they had seen.

Soon Ouyan came back, bringing, as usual, the flesh with him. When he had thrown it down at his mother's feet, he went away, and lay down as if tired from the chase. His mother went up to him, and before he had time to cover his mutilated limbs, she saw that indeed the story of the women was true. Angry was she that he had so deceived her: and she called loudly for the other two women, who came running to her.

"You are right," she said. "Too lazy to hunt for emu, he cut off his own flesh, not caring that when we unwittingly ate thereof we should sicken. Let us beat him who did us this wrong."

The three women seized poor Ouyan and beat him, though he cried aloud in agony when the blows fell on his bleeding legs.

When the women had satisfied their vengeance, Beeargah said: "You Ouyan shall have no more flesh on your legs, and red shall they be for ever; red, and long and fleshless." Saying which she went, and with her the other women. Ouyan crawled away and hid himself, and never again did his mother see him. But night after night was to be heard a wailing cry of, "Bou you gwai gwai. Bou you gwai gwai," which meant, "My poor red legs. My poor red legs."

But though Ouyan the man was never seen again, a bird with long thin legs, very red in colour under the feathers, was seen often, and heard to cry ever at night, even as Ouyan the man had cried: "Bou you gwai gwai. Bou you gwai gwai." And this bird bears always the name of Ouyan.

Dinewan the Emu, and Wahn the Crows

DINEWAN and his two wives, the Wahn, were camping out. Seeing some clouds gathering, they made a bark humpy. It came on to rain, and they all took shelter under it. Dinewan, when his wives were not looking, gave a kick against a piece of bark at one side of the humpy, knocked it down, then told his wives to go and put it up again. When they were outside putting it up, he gave a kick, and knocked down a piece on the other side; so no sooner were they in again than out they had to go. This he did time after time, until at last they suspected him, and decided that one of them would watch. The one who was watching saw Dinewan laugh to himself and go and knock down the bark they had just put up, chuckling at the thought of his wives having to go out in the wet and cold to put it up, while he had his supper dry and comfortably inside. The one who saw him told the other, and they decided to teach him a lesson. So in they came, each with a piece of bark filled with hot coals. They went straight up to Dinewan, who was lying down laughing.

"Now," they said, "you shall feel as hot we did cold." And they threw the coals over him. Dinewan jumped up. crying aloud with the pain, for he was badly burnt. He rolled himself over, and ran into the rain; and his wives stayed inside, and laughed aloud at him.

Goolahwilleel the Topknot Pigeons

YOUNG GOOLAHWILLEEEL used to go out hunting every day. His mother and sisters always expected that he would bring home kangaroo and emu for them. But each day he came home without any meat at all. They asked him what he did in the bush, as he evidently did not hunt. He said that he did hunt.

"Then why," said they, "do you bring us nothing home?"

"I cannot catch and kill what I follow," he said. "You hear me cry out when I find kangaroo or emu; is it not so?"

"Yes; each day we hear you call when you find something, and each day we get ready the fire, expecting you to bring home the spoils of the chase, but you bring nothing."

"To-morrow," he said, "you shall not be disappointed. I will bring you a kangaroo."

Every day, instead of hunting, Goolahwilleel had been gathering wattle-gum, and with this he had been modelling a kangaroo-a perfect model of one, tail, ears, and all complete. So the next day he came towards the camp carrying this kangaroo made of gum. Seeing him coming, and also seeing that he was carrying the promised kangaroo, his mother and sisters said: "Ah, Goolahwilleel spoke truly. He has kept his word, and now brings us a kangaroo. Pile up the fire. To-night we shall eat meat."

About a hundred yards away from the camp Goolahwilleel put down his model, and came on without it. His mother called out: "Where is the kangaroo you brought home?

"Oh, over there." And he pointed towards where he had left it.

The sisters ran to get it, but came back saying: "Where is it? We cannot see it."

"Over there," he said, pointing again.

"But there is only a great figure of gum there."

"Well, did I say it was anything else? Did I not say it was gum?"

"No, you did not. You said it was a kangaroo."

"And so it is a kangaroo. A beautiful kangaroo that I made all by myself." And he smiled quite proudly to think what a fine kangaroo he had made.

But his mother and sisters did not smile. They seized him and gave him a good beating for deceiving them. They told him he should never go out alone again, for he only played instead of hunting, though he knew they starved for meat. They would always in the future go with him.

And so for ever the Goolahwilleels went in flocks, never more singly, in search of food.

Goonur, the Woman-Doctor

GOONUR was a clever old woman-doctor, who lived with her son, Goonur, and his two wives. The wives were Guddah the red lizard, and Beereeun the small, prickly lizard. One day the two wives had done something to anger Goonur, their husband, and he gave them both a great beating. After their beating they went away by themselves. They said to each other that they could stand their present life no longer, and yet there was no escape unless they killed their husband. They decided they would do that. But how? That was the question. It must be by cunning.

At last they decided on a plan. They dug a big hole in the sand near the creek, filled it with water, and covered the hole over with boughs, leaves, and grass.

"Now we will go," they said, "and tell our husband that we have found a big bandicoot's nest."

Back they went to the camp, and told Goonur that they had seen a big nest of bandicoots near the creek; that if he sneaked up he would be able to surprise them and get the lot.

Off went Goonur in great haste. He sneaked up to within a couple of feet of the nest, then gave a spring on to the top of it. And only when he felt the bough top give in with him, and he sank down into water, did he realise that he had been tricked. Too late then to save himself, for he was drowning and could not escape. His wives had watched the success of their stratagem from a distance. When they were certain that they had effectually disposed of their hated husband, they went back to the camp. Goonur, the mother, soon missed her son, made inquiries of his wives, but gained no information from them. Two or three days passed, and yet Goonur, the son, returned not. Seriously alarmed at his long absence without having given her notice of his intention, the mother determined to follow his track. She took up his trail where she had last seen him leave the camp. This she followed until she reached the so-called bandicoot's nest. Here his tracks disappeared, and nowhere could she find a sign of his having returned from this place. She felt in the hole with her yarn stick, and soon felt that there was something large there in the water. She cut a forked stick and tried to raise the body and get it out, for she felt sure it must be her son. But she could not raise it; stick after stick broke in the effort. At last she cut a midjee stick and tried with that, and then she was successful. When she brought out the body she found it was indeed her son. She dragged the body to an ant bed, and watched intently to see if the stings of the ants brought any sign of returning life. Soon her hope was realised, and after a violent twitching of the muscles her son regained consciousness. As soon as he was able to do so, he told her of the trick his wives had played on him.

Goonur, the mother, was furious. "No more shall they have you as husband. You shall live hidden in my dardurr. When we get near the camp you can get into this long, big comebee, and I will take you in. When you want to go hunting I will take you from the camp in this comebee, and when we are out of sight you can get out and hunt as of old."

And thus they managed for some time to keep his return a secret; and little the wives knew that their husband was alive and in his mother's camp. But as day after day Goonur, the mother, returned from hunting loaded with spoils, they began to think she must have help from some one; for surely, they said, no old woman could be so successful in hunting. There was a mystery they were sure, and they were determined to find it out.

"See," they said, "she goes out alone. She is old, and yet she brings home more than we two do together, and we are young. To-day she brought opossums, piggiebillahs, honey yams, quatha, and many things. We got little, yet we went far. We will watch her."

The next time old Goonur went out, carrying her big comebee, the wives watched her.

"Look," they said, " how slowly she goes. She could not climb trees for opossums-she is too old and weak; look how she staggers."

They went cautiously after her, and saw when she was some distance from the camp that she put down her comebee. And out of it, to their amazement, stepped Goonur, their husband.

"Ah," they said, "this is her secret. She must have found him, and, as she is a great doctor, she was able to bring him to life again. We must wait until she leaves him, and then go to him, and beg to know where he has been, and pretend joy that he is back, or else surely now he is alive again he will sometime kill us."

Accordingly, when Goonur was alone the two wives ran to him, and said:

"Why, Goonur, our husband, did you leave us? Where have you been all the time that we, your wives, have mourned for you? Long has the time been without you, and we, your wives, have been sad that you came no more to our dardurr."

Goonur, the husband, affected to believe their sorrow was genuine, and that they did not know when they directed him to the bandicoot's nest that it was a trap. Which trap, but for his mother, might have been his grave.

They all went hunting together, and when they had killed enough for food they returned to the camp. As they came near to the camp, Goonur, the mother, saw them coming, and cried out:

"Would you again be tricked by your wives? Did I save you from death only that you might again be killed? I spared them, but I would I had slain them, if again they are to have a chance of killing you, my son. Many are the wiles of women, and another time I might not be able to save you. Let them live if you will it so, my son, but not with you. They tried to lure you to death; you are no longer theirs, mine only now, for did I not bring you back from the dead? "

But Goonur the husband said, "In truth did you save me, my mother, and these my wives rejoice that you did. They too, as I was, were deceived by the bandicoot's nest, the work of an enemy yet to be found. See, my mother, do not the looks of love in their eyes, and words of love on their lips vouch for their truth? We will be as we have been, my mother, and live again in peace."

And thus craftily did Goonur the husband deceive his wives and make them believe he trusted them wholly, while in reality his mind was even then plotting vengeance. In a few days he had his plans ready. Having cut and pointed sharply two stakes, he stuck them firmly in the creek, then he placed two logs on the bank, in front of the sticks, which were underneath the water, and invisible. Having made his preparations, he invited his wives to come for a bathe. He said when they reached the creek:

"See those two logs on the bank, you jump in each from one and see which can dive the furthest. I will go first to see you as you come up." And in he jumped, carefully avoiding the pointed stakes. "Right," he called. "All is clear here, jump in."

Then the two wives ran down the bank each to a log and jumped from it. Well had Goonur calculated the distance, for both jumped right on to the stakes placed in the water to catch them, and which stuck firmly into them, holding them under the water.

"Well am I avenged," said Goonur. "No more will my wives lay traps to catch me." And he walked off to the camp.

His mother asked him where his wives were. "They left me," he said, "to get bees' nests."

But as day by day passed and the wives returned not, the old woman began to suspect that her son knew more than he said. She asked him no more, but quietly watched her opportunity, when her son was away hunting, and then followed the tracks of the wives. She tracked them to the creek, and as she saw no tracks of their return, she went into the creek, felt about, and there found the two bodies fast on the stakes. She managed to get them off and out of the creek, then she determined to try and restore them to life, for she was angry that her son had not told her what he had done, but had deceived her as well as his wives. She rubbed the women with some of her medicines, dressed the wounds made by the stakes, and then dragged them both on to ants' nests and watched their bodies as the ants crawled over them, biting them. She had not long to wait; soon they began to move and come to life again.

As soon as they were restored Goonur took them back to the camp and said to Goonur her son, "Now once did I use my knowledge to restore life to you, and again have I used it to restore life to your wives. You are all mine now, and I desire that you live in peace and never more deceive me, or never again shall I use my skill for you:"

And they lived for a long while together, and when the Mother Doctor died there was a beautiful, dazzlingly bright falling star, followed by a sound as of a sharp clap of thunder, and all the tribes round when they saw and heard this said, "A great doctor must have died, for that is the sign." And when the wives died, they were taken up to the sky, where they are now known as Gwaibillah, the red star, so called from its bright red colour, owing, the legend says, to the red marks left by the stakes on the bodies of the two women, and which nothing could efface.


Deereeree the Wagtail, and the Rainbow

DEEREEREE was a widow and lived in a camp alone with her four little girls. One day Bibbee came and made a camp not far from hers. Deereeree was frightened of him, too frightened to go to sleep. All night she used to watch his camp, and if she heard a sound she would cry aloud: "Deerceree, wyah, wyah, Deereeree," Sometimes she would be calling out nearly all night.

In the morning, Bibbee would come over to her camp and ask her what was the matter that she had called out so in the night. She told him that she thought she heard some one walking about and was afraid, for she was alone with her four little girls.

He told her she ought not to be afraid with all her children round her. But night after night she sat up crying: "Wyah, wyah, Deereeree, Deereeree."

At last Bibbee said! "If you are so frightened, marry me and live in my camp. I will take care of you." But Deereeree said she did not want to marry. So night after night was to be heard her plaintive cry of "Wyah, wyah, Deereeree, Deereeree." And again and again Bibbee pressed her to share his camp and marry him. But she always refused. The more she refused the more he wished to marry her. And he used to wonder how he could induce her to change her mind.

At last he thought of a plan of surprising her into giving her consent. He set to work and made a beautiful and many coloured arch, which, when it was made, he called Euloowirree, and he placed it right across the sky, reaching from one side of the earth to the other. When the rainbow was firmly placed in the sky, and showing out in all its brilliancy, of many colours, as a roadway from the earth to the stars, Bibbee went into his camp to wait. When Deereeree looked up at the sky and saw the wonderful rainbow, she thought something dreadful must be going to happen. She was terribly frightened, and called aloud: "Wyah, wyah." In her fear she gathered her children together, and fled with them to Bibbee's camp for protection.

Bibbee proudly told her that he had made the rainbow, just to show how strong he was and how safe she would be if she married him. But if she would not, she would see what terrible things he would make to come on the earth, not just a harmless and beautiful roadway across the heavens, but things that would burst from the earth and destroy it.

So by working on her mixed feelings of fear of his prowess, and admiration of his skill, Bibbee gained his desire, and Deereeree married him. And when long afterwards they died, Deereeree was changed into the little willy wagtail who may be heard through the stillness of the summer nights, crying her plaintive wail of "Deereeree, wyah, wyah, Deereeree."

And Bibbee was changed into the woodpecker, or climbing tree bird, who is always running up trees as if he wanted to be building other ways to the than the famous roadway of his Euloowirree, the building of which had won him his wife.

Mooregoo the Mopoke, and Mooninguggahgul the Mosquito Bird

AN old man lived with his two wives, the Mooninguggahgul sisters, and his two sons. The old man spent all his time making boomerangs, until at last he had four nets full of these weapons. The two boys used to go out hunting opossums and iguanas, which they would cook in the bush, and eat, without thinking of bringing any home to their parents. The old man asked them one day to bring him home some fat to rub his boomerangs with. This the boys did, but they brought only the fat, having eaten the rest of the iguanas from which they had taken the fat. The old man was very angry that his sons were so greedy, but he said nothing, though be determined to punish them, for he thought "when they were young, and could not hunt, I hunted for them and fed them well; now that they can hunt and I am old and cannot so well, they give me nothing." Thinking of his treatment at the hands of his sons, he greased all his boomerangs, and when he had finished them he said to the boys: "You take these boomerangs down on to the plain and try them; see if I have made them well. Then come back and tell me. I will stay here."

The boys took the boomerangs. They threw them one after another; but to their surprise not one of the boomerangs they threw touched the ground, but, instead, went whirling up out of sight. When they had finished throwing the boomerangs, all of which acted in the same way, whirling up through space, they prepared to start home again. But as they looked round they saw a huge whirlwind coming towards them. They were frightened and called out "Wurrawilberoo," for they knew there was a devil in the whirlwind. They laid hold of trees near at hand that it might not catch them. But the whirlwind spread out first one arm and rooted up one tree, then another arm, and rooted up another. The boys ran in fear from tree to tree, but each tree that they went to was torn up by the whirlwind. At last they ran to two mubboo or beef-wood trees, and clung tightly to them. After them rushed the whirlwind, sweeping all before it, and when it reached the mubboo trees, to which the boys were clinging, it tore them from their roots and bore them upward swiftly, giving the boys no time to leave go, so they were borne upward clinging to the mubboo trees. On the whirlwind bore them until they reached the sky, where it placed the two trees with the boys still clinging to them. And there they still are, near the Milky Way, and known as Wurrawilberoo. The boomerangs are scattered all along the Milky Way, for the whirlwind had gathered them all together in its rush through space. Having placed them all in the sky, down came the whirlwind, retaking its natural shape, which was that of the old man, for so had he wreaked his vengeance on his sons for neglecting their parents.

As time went on, the mothers wondered why their sons did not return. It struck them as strange that the old man expressed no surprise at the absence of the boys, and they suspected that he knew more than he cared to say. For he only sat in the camp smiling while his wives discussed what could have happened to them, and he let the women go out and search alone. The mothers tracked their sons to the plain. There they saw that a big whirlwind had lately been, for trees were uprooted and strewn in every direction. They tracked their sons from tree to tree until at last they came to the place where the mubboos had stood. They saw the tracks of their sons beside the places whence the trees had been uprooted, but of the trees and their sons they saw no further trace. Then they knew that they had all been borne up together by the whirlwind, and taken whither they knew not. Sadly they returned to their camp. When night came they heard cries which they recognised as made by the voices of their sons, though they sounded as if coming from the sky. As the cries sounded again the mothers looked up whence they came, and there they saw the mubboo trees with their sons beside them. Then well they knew that they would see no more their sons on earth, and great was their grief, and wroth were they with their husband, for well they knew now that he must have been the devil in the whirlwind, who had so punished the boys. They vowed to avenge the loss of their boys.

The next day they went out and gathered a lot of pine gum, and brought it back to the camp. When they reached the camp the old man called to one of his wives to come and tease his hair, as his head ached, and that alone would relieve the pain. One of the women went over to him, took his head on her lap, and teased his hair until at last the old man was soothed and sleepy. In the meantime the other wife was melting the gum. The one with the old man gave her a secret sign to come near; then she asked the old man to lie on his back, that she might tease his front hair better. As he did so, she signed to the other woman, who quickly came, gave her some of the melted gum, which they both then poured hot into his eyes, filling them with it. In agony the old man jumped up and ran about, calling out, "Mooregoo, mooregoo," as he ran. Out of the camp he ran and far away, still crying out in his agony, as he went. And never again did his wives see him though every night they heard his cry of "Mooregoo, mooregoo." But though they never saw their husband, they saw a night hawk, the Mopoke, and as that cried always, "Mooregoo, moregoo," as their husband had cried in his agony, they knew that he must have turned into the bird.

After a time the women were changed into Mooninguggahgul, or mosquito birds. These birds arc marked on the wings just like a mosquito, and every summer night you can hear them cry out incessantly, "Mooninguggahgul," which cry is the call for the mosquitoes to answer by coming out and buzzing in chorus. And as quickly the mosquitoes come out in answer to the summons, the Mooninguggahgul bid them fly everywhere and bite all they can.

Bougoodoogahdah the Rain Bird

BOUGOODOOGAHDAH was all old woman who lived alone with her four hundred dingoes. From living so long with these dogs she had grown not to care for her fellow creatures except as food. She and the dogs lived on human flesh, and it was her cunning which gained such food for them all. She would sally forth from her camp with her two little dogs; she would be sure to meet some black fellows, probably twenty or thirty, going down to the creek. She would say, "I can tell you where there are lots of paddy melons." They would ask where, and she would answer, "Over there, on the point of that moorillah or ridge. If you will go there and have your nullahs ready, I will go with my two dogs and round them up towards you."

The black fellows invariably stationed themselves where she had told them, and off went Bougoodoogahdah and her two dogs. But not to round up the paddy melons. She went quickly towards her camp, calling softly, "Birree, gougou," which meant "Sool 'em, sool 'em," and was the signal for the dogs to come out. Quickly they came and surrounded the black fellows, took them by surprise, flew at them, bit and worried them to death. Then they and Bougoodoogahdah dragged the bodies to their camp. There they were cooked and were food for the old woman and the dogs for some time. As soon as the supply was finished the same plan to obtain more was repeated.

The black fellows missed so many of their friends that they determined to find out what had become of them. They began to suspect the old woman who lived alone and hunted over the moorillahs with her two little dogs. They proposed that the next party that went to the creek should divide and some stay behind in hiding and watch what went on. Those watching saw the old woman advance towards their friends, talk to them for a while, and then go off with her two dogs. They saw their friends station themselves at the point of the moorillah or ridge, holding their nullahs in readiness, as if waiting for something to come. Presently they heard a low cry from the old woman of "Birree gougou," which cry was quickly followed by dingoes coming out of the bush in every direction, in hundreds, surrounding the black fellows at the point.

The dingoes closed in, quickly hemming the black fellows in all round; then they made a simultaneous rush at them, tore them with their teeth, and killed them.

The black fellows watching, saw that when the dogs had killed their friends they were joined by the old woman, who helped them to drag off the bodies to their camp.

Having seen all this, back went the watchers to their tribe and. told what they had seen. All the tribes round mustered up and decided to execute a swift vengeance. In order to do so, out they sallied well armed. A detachment went on to entrap the dogs and Bougoodoogahdah. Then just when the usual massacre of the blacks was to begin and the dogs were closing in round them for the purpose, out rushed over two hundred black fellows, and so effectual was their attack that every dog was killed, as well as Bougoodoogahdah and her two little dogs.

The old woman lay where she had been slain, but as the blacks went away they heard her cry "Bougoodoogahdah." So back they went and broke her bones, first they broke her legs and then left her. But again as they went they heard her cry "Bougoodoogahdah." Then back again they came, and again, until at last every bone in her body was broken, but still she cried "Bougoodoogahdah." So one man waited beside her to see whence came the sound, for surely, they thought, she must be dead. He saw her heart move and cry again "Bougoodoogahdah" and as it cried, out came a little bird from it. This little bird runs on the moorillahs and calls at night "Bougoodoogahdah." All day it stays in one place, and only at night comes out. It is a little greyish bird, something like a weedah. The blacks call it a rain-maker, for if any one steals its eggs it cries out incessantly "Bougoodoogahdah" until in answer to its call the rain falls. And when the country is stricken with a drought, the blacks loook for one of these little birds, and finding it, chase it, until it cries aloud "Bougoodoogahdah, Bougoodoogahdah" and when they hear its cry in the daytime they know the rain will soon fall.

As the little bird flew from the heart of the woman, all the dead dingoes were changed into snakes, many different kinds, all poisonous. The two little dogs were changed into dayall minyah, a very small kind of carpet snake, non-poisonous, for these two little dogs had never bitten the blacks as the other dogs had done. At the points of the Moorillahs where Bougoodoogahdah and her dingoes used to slay the blacks, are heaps of white stones, which are supposed to be the fossilised bones of the massacred men.

The Borah of Byamee

WORD had been passed from tribe to tribe, telling, how that the season was good, there must be a great gathering of the tribes. And the place fixed for the gathering was Googoorewon. The old men whispered that it should be the occasion for a borah, but this the women must not know. Old Byamee, who was a great Wirreenun, said he would take his two sons, Ghindahindahmoee and Boomahoomahnowee, to the gathering of the tribes, for the time had come when they should be made young men, that they might be free to marry wives, eat emu flesh, and learn to be warriors.

As tribe after tribe arrived at Googoorewon, each took up a position at one of the various points of the ridges, surrounding the clear open space where the corrobborees were to be. The Wahn, crows, had one point; the Dummerh, pigeons, another; the Mahthi, dogs, another, and so on; Byamee and his tribe, Byahmul the black swans tribe, Oooboon, the blue tongued lizard, and many other chiefs and their tribes, each had their camp on a different point. When all had arrived there were hundreds and hundreds assembled, and many and varied were the nightly corrobborees, each tribe trying to excel the other in the fancifulness of their painted get-up, and the novelty of their newest song and dance. By day there was much hunting and feasting, by night much dancing and singing; pledges of friendship exchanged, a dillibag for a boomerang, and so on; young daughters given to old warriors, old women given to young men, unborn girls promised to old men, babies in arms promised to grown men; many and diverse were the compacts entered into, and always were the Wirreenun, or doctors of the tribes consulted.

After some days the Wirreenun told the men of the tribes that they were going to hold a borah. But on no account must the innerh, or women, know. Day by day they must all go forth as if to hunt and then prepare in secret the borah ground. Out went the man each day. They cleared a very large circle quite clear, then they built an earthen dam round this circle, and cleared a pathway leading into the thick bush from the circle, and built a dam on either side of this pathway.

When all these preparations were finished, they had, as usual, a corrobboree at night. After this had been going on for some time, one of the old Wirreenun walked right away from the crowd as if he were sulky. He went to his camp, to where he was followed by another Wirreenun, and presently the two old fellows began fighting. Suddenly, when the attention of the blacks was fixed on this fight, there came a strange, whizzing, whirring noise from the scrub round. The women and children shrank together, for the sudden, uncanny noise frightened them. And they knew that it was made by the spirits who were coming to assist at the initiation of the boys into young manhood. The noise really sounded, if you had not the dread of spirits in your mind, just as if some one had a circular piece of wood at the end of a string and were whirling it round and round.

As the noise went on, the women said, in an awestricken tone, "Gurraymy," that is "borah devil," and clutched their children tighter to them. The boys said "Gayandy," and their eyes extended with fear. "Gayandy " meant borah devil too, but the women must not even use the same word as the boys and men to express the borah spirit, for all concerning the mysteries of borah are sacred from the ears, eyes, or tongues of women.

The next day a shift was made of the camps. They were moved to inside the big ring that the black fellows had made. This move was attended with a certain amount of ceremony. In the afternoon, before the move had taken place, all the black fellows left their camps and went away into the scrub. Then just about sundown they were all to be seen walking in single file out of the scrub, along the path which they had previously banked on each side. Every man had a fire stick in one hand and a green switch in the other. When these men reached the middle of the enclosed ring was the time for the young people and women to leave the old camps, and move into the borah ring. Inside this ring they made their camps, had their suppers and corrobboreed, as on previous evenings, up to a certain stage. Before, on this occasion, that stage arrived, Byamee, who was greatest of theWirreenun present, had shown his power in a remarkable way. For some days the Mahthi had been behaving with a great want of respect for the wise men of the tribes. Instead of treating their sayings and doings with the silent awe the Wirreenun expect, they had kept up an incessant chatter and laughter amongst themselves, playing and shouting as if the tribes were not contemplating the solemnisation of their most sacred rites. Frequently the Wirreenun sternly bade them be silent. But admonitions were useless, gaily chattered and laughed the Mahthi. At length Byamee, mightiest and most famous of the Wirreenun, rose, strode over to the camp of Mahthi, and said fiercely to them: "I, Byamee, whom all the tribes hold in honour, have thrice bade you Mahthi cease your chatter and laughter. But you heeded me not. To my voice were added the voices of the Wirreenun of other tribes. But you heeded not. Think you the Wirreenun will make any of your tribe young men when you heed not their words? No, I tell you. From this day forth no Mahthi shall speak again as men speak. You wish to make noise, to be a noisy tribe and a disturber of men; a tribe who cannot keep quiet when strangers are in the camp; a tribe who understand not sacred things. So be it. You shall, and your descendants, for ever make a noise, but it shall not be the noise of speech, or the noise of laughter. It shall be the noise of barking and the noise of howling. And from this day if ever a Mahthi speaks, woe to those who hear him, for even as they hear shall they be turned to stone."

And as the Mahthi opened their mouths, and tried to laugh and speak derisive words, they found, even as Byamee said, so were they. They could but bark and howl; the powers of speech and laughter had they lost. And as they realised their loss, into their eyes came a look of yearning and dumb entreaty which will be seen in the eyes of their descendants for ever. A feeling of wonder and awe fell on the various camps as they watched Byamee march back to his tribe.

When Byamee was seated again in his camp, he asked the women why they were not grinding doonburr. And the women said: "Gone are our dayoorls, and we know not where."

"You lie," said Byamee. "You have lent them to the Dummerh, who came so often to borrow, though I bade you not lend."

"No, Byamee, we lent them not."

"Go to the camp of the Dummerh, and ask for your dayoorl."

The women, with the fear of the fate of the Mahthi did they disobey, went, though well they knew they had not lent the dayoorl. As they went they asked at each camp if the tribe there would lend them a dayoorl, but at each camp they were given the same answer, namely, that the dayoorls were gone and none knew where. The Dummerh had asked to borrow them, and in each instance been refused, yet had the stones gone.

As the women went on they heard a strange noise, as of the cry of spirits, a sound like a smothered "Oom, oom, oom, oom." The cry sounded high in the air through the tops of trees, then low on the ground through the grasses, until it seemed as if the spirits were everywhere. The women clutched tighter their fire sticks, and said: "Let us go back. The Wondah are about," And swiftly they sped towards their camp, hearing ever in the air the "Oom, oom, oom" of the spirits.

They told Byamee that all the tribes had lost their dayoorls, and that the spirits were about, and even as they spoke came the sound of "Oom, oom, oom, oom," at the back of their own camp.

The women crouched together, but Byamee flashed a fire stick whence came the sound, and as the light flashed on the place he saw no one, but stranger than all, he saw two dayoorls moving along, and yet could see no one moving them, and as the dayoorls moved swiftly away, louder and louder rose the sound of "Oom, oom, oom, oom," until the air seemed full of invisible spirits. Then Byamee knew that indeed the Wondah were about, and he too clutched his fire stick and went back into his camp.

In the morning it was seen that not only were all the dayoorls gone, but the camp of the Dummerh was empty and they too had gone. When no one would lend the Dummerh dayoorls, they had said, "Then we can grind no doonburr unless the Wondah bring us stones." And scarcely were the words said before they saw a dayoorl moving towards them. At first they thought it was their own skill which enabled them only to express a wish to have it realised. But as dayoorl after dayoorl glided into their camp, and, passing through there, moved on, and as they moved was the sound of "Oom, oom, oom, oom," to be heard everywhere they knew it was the Wondah at work. And it was borne in upon them that where the dayoorl went they must go, or they would anger the spirits who had brought them through their camp.

They gathered up their belongings and followed in the track of the dayoorls, which had cut a pathway from Googoorewon to Girrahween, down which in high floods is now a water-course. From Girrahween, on the dayoorls went to Dirangibirrah, and after them the Dummerh. Dirangibirrah is between Brewarrina and Widda Murtee, and there the dayoorls piled themselves up into a mountain, and there for the future had the blacks to go when they wanted good dayoorls. And the Dummerh were changed into pigeons, with a cry like the spirits of "Oom, oom, oom."

Another strange thing happened at this big borah. A tribe, called Ooboon, were camped at some distance from the other tribes. When any stranger went to their camp, it was noticed that the chief of the Ooboon would come out and flash a light on him, which killed him instantly. And no one knew what this light was, that carried death in its gleam. At last, Wahn the crow, said "I will take my biggest booreen and go and see what this means. You others, do not follow me too closely, for though I have planned how to save myself from the deadly gleam, I might not be able to save you."

Wahn walked into the camp of the Ooboon, and as their chief turned to flash the light on him, he put up his booreen and completely shaded himself from it, and called aloud in a deep voice "Wah, wah, wah, wah " which so startled Ooboon that he dropped his light, and said "What is the matter? You startled me. I did not know who you were and might have hurt you, though I had no wish to, for the Wahn are my friends."

"I cannot stop now," said the Wahn, "I must go back to my camp. I have forgotten something I wanted to show you. I'll be back soon." And so saying, swiftly ran Wahn back to where he had left his boondee, then back he came almost before Ooboon realised that he had gone. Back he came, and stealing up behind Ooboon dealt him a blow with his boondee that avenged amply the victims of the deadly light, by stretching the chief of the Ooboon a corpse on the ground at his feet. Then crying triumphantly, "Wah, wah, wah," back to his camp went Wahn and told what he had done.

This night, when the Borah corrobboree began, all the women relations of the boys to be made young men, corrobboreed all night. Towards the end of the night all the young women were ordered into bough humpies, which had been previously made all round the edge of the embankment surrounding the ring. The old women stayed on.

The men who were to have charge of the boys to be made young men, were told now to be ready to seize hold each of his special charge, to carry him off down the beaten track to the scrub. When every man had, at a signal, taken his charge on his shoulder, they all started dancing round the ring. Then the old women were told to come and say good-bye to the boys, after which they were ordered to join the young women in the humpies. About five men watched them into the humpies, then pulled the boughs down on the top of them that they might see nothing further.

When the women were safely imprisoned beneath the boughs, the men carrying the boys swiftly disappeared down the track into the scrub. When they were out of sight the five black fellows came and pulled the boughs away and released the women, who went now to their camps. But however curious these women were as to what rites attended the boys' initiation into manhood, they knew no questions would elicit any information. In some months' time they might see their boys return minus, perhaps, a front tooth, and with some extra scarifications on their bodies, but beyond that, and a knowledge of the fact that they had not been allowed to look on the face of woman since their disappearance into the scrub, they were never enlightened.

The next day the tribes made ready to travel to the place of the little borah, which would be held in about four days' time, at about ten or twelve miles distance from the scene of the big borah.

At the place of the little borah a ring of grass is made instead of one of earth. The tribes all travel together there, camp, and have a corrobboree. The young women are sent to bed early, and the old women stay until the time when the boys bade farewell to them at the big borah, at which hour the boys are brought into the little borah and allowed to say a last good-bye to the old women. Then they are taken away by the men who have charge of them together. They stay together for a short time, then probably separate, each man with his one boy going in a different direction. The man keeps strict charge of the boy for at least six months, during which time he may not even look at his own mother. At the end of about six months he may come back to his tribe, but the effect of his isolation is that he is too wild and frightened to speak even to his mother, from whom he runs away if she approaches him, until by degrees the strangeness wears off.

But at this borah of Byamee the tribes were not destined to meet the boys at the little borah. just as they were gathering up their goods for a start, into the camp staggered Millindooloonubbah, the widow, crying, "You all left me, widow that I was, with my large family of children, to travel alone. How could the little feet of my children keep up to you? Can my back bear more than one goolay? Have I more than two arms and one back? Then how could I come swiftly with so many children? Yet none of you stayed to help me. And as you went from each water hole you drank all the water. When, tired and thirsty, I reached a water hole and my children cried for a drink, what did I find to give them? Mud, only mud. Then thirsty and worn, my children crying and their mother helpless to comfort them; on we came to the next hole. What did we see, as we strained our eyes to find water? Mud, only mud. As we reached hole after hole and found only mud, one by one my children laid down and died; died for want of a drink, which Millindooloonubbah their mother could not give them."

As she spoke, swiftly went a woman to her with a wirree of water. "Too late, too late," she said. "Why should a mother live when her children are dead?" And she lay back with a groan. But as she felt the water cool her parched lips and soften her swollen tongue, she made a final effort, rose to her feet, and waving her hands round the camps of the tribes, cried aloud: "You were in such haste to get here. You shall stay here. Googoolguyyah. Googoolguyyah. Turn into trees. Turn into trees." Then back she fell, dead. And as she fell, the tribes that were standing round the edge of the ring, preparatory to gathering their goods and going, and that her hand pointed to as it waved round, turned into trees. There they now stand. The tribes in the background were changed each according to the name they were known by, into that bird or beast of the same name. The barking Mahthi into dogs; the Byahmul into black swans: the Wahns into crows, and so on. And there at the place of the big borah, you can see the trees standing tall and gaunt, sad-looking in their sombre hues, waving with a sad wailing their branches towards the lake which covers now the place where the borah was held. And it bears the name of Googoorewon, the place of trees, and round the edge of it is still to be seen the remains of the borah ring of earth. And it is known as a great place of meeting for the birds that bear the names of the tribes of old. The Byahmuls sail proudly about; the pelicans, their water rivals in point of size and beauty; the ducks, and many others too numerous to mention. The Ooboon, or blue-tongued lizards, glide in and out through the grass. Now and then is heard the "Oom, oom, oom," of the dummerh, and occasionally a cry from the bird Millindooloonubbah of "Googoolguyyah, googoolguyyah." And in answer comes the wailing of the gloomy-looking balah trees, and then a rustling shirr through the bibbil branches, until at last every tree gives forth its voice and makes sad the margin of the lake with echoes of the past.

But the men and boys who were at the place of the little borah escaped the metamorphosis. Theywaited long for the arrival of the tribes who never came.

At last Byamee said: "Surely mighty enemies have slain our friends, and not one escapes to tell us of their fate. Even now these enemies may be upon our track; let us go into a far country."

And swiftly they went to Noondoo. Hurrying along with them, a dog of Byamee's, which would fain have lain by the roadside rather than have travelled so swiftly, but Byamee would not leave her and hurried her on. When they reached the springs of Noondoo, the dog sneaked away into a thick scrub, and there were born her litter of pups. But such pups as surely man never looked at before. The bodies of dogs, and the heads of pigs, and the fierceness and strength of devils. And gone is the life of a man who meets in a scrub of Noondoo an earmoonan, for surely will it slay him. Not even did Byamee ever dare to go near the breed of his old dog. And Byamee, the mighty Wirreenun, lives for ever. But no man must look upon his face, lest surely will he die. So alone in a thick scrub, on one of the Noondoo ridges, lives this old man, Byamee, the mightiest of Wirreenun.

Bunnyyarl the Flies and Wurrunnunnah the Bees

THE Bunnyyarl and Wurrunnunnah were relations, and lived in one camp. The Wurrunnunnah were very hardworking, always trying to gather food in a time of plenty, to lay in a store for a time of famine. The Bunnyyarl used to give no heed to the future, but used to waste their time playing round any rubbish, and never thinking even of laying up any provisions. One day the Wurrunnunnah said, "Come out with us and gather honey from flowers. Soon will the winter winds blow the flowers away, and there will be no more honey to gather."

"No," said the Bunnyyarl, "we have something to look to here." And off they went, turning over some rubbish and wasting their time, knowing whatever the Wurrunnunnah brought they would share with them. The Wurrunnunnah went alone and left the Bunnyyarl to their rubbish. The Wurrunnunnah gathered the flowers and stored the honey, and never more went back to live with the Bunnyyarls, for they were tired of doing all the work.

As time went on the Wurrunnunnah were changed into little wild bees, and the lazy Bunnyyarls were changed into flies.

Deegeenboyah the Soldier-bird

DEEGEENBOYAH was an old man, and getting past hunting much for himself; and he found it hard to keep his two wives and his two daughters supplied with food. He camped with his family away from the other tribes, but he used to join the men of the Mullyan tribe when they were going out hunting, and so get a more certain supply of food than if he had gone by himself. One day when the Mullyan went out, he was too late to accompany them. He hid in the scrub and waited for their return, at some little distance from their camp. When they were coming back he heard them singing the Song of the Setting Emu, a song which whoever finds the first emu's nest of the season always sings before getting back to the camp. Deegeenboyah jumped up as he heard the song, and started towards the camp of the Mullyan singing the same song, as if he too had found a nest. On they all went towards the camp sing joyously:

	 
		Nurdoo, nurbber me derreen derreenbah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
		 Garmbay booan yunnahdeh beahwah ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.
		 Gubbondee, dee, ee, ee, ee.
		 Neah nein gulbeejah, ah, ah, ah, ah."
		
		 Which song roughly translated means:

	 
		I saw it first amongst the young trees,
		 The white mark on its forehead,
		 The white mark that before I had only seen as the emus moved together in the day-time.
		 Never did I see one camp before, only moving, moving always.
		 Now that we have found the nest
		 We must look out the ants do not get to the eggs.
		 If they crawl over them the eggs are spoilt."
		
		 As the last echo of the song died away, those in the camp took up the refrain and sang it back to the hunters to let them know that they understood that they had found the first emu's nest of the season.

When the hunters reached the camp, up came Deegeenboyah too. The Mullyans turned to him, and said:

"Did you find an emu's nest too?"

"Yes," said Deegeenboyah, "I did. I think you must have found the same, though after me, as I saw not your tracks. But I am older and stiff in my limbs, so came not back so quickly. Tell me, where is your nest?"

"In the clump of the Goolahbahs, on the edge of the plain," said the unsuspecting Mullyan.

"Ah, I thought so. That is mine. But what matter? We can share-there will be plenty for all. We must get the net and go and camp near the nest to-night, and to-morrow trap the emu."

The Mullyan got their emu trapping net, one made of thin rope about as thick as a thin clothes line, about five feet high, and between two and three hundred yards long. And off they set, accompanied by Deegeenboyah, to camp near where the emu was setting. When they had chosen a place to camp, they had their supper and a little corrobborce, illustrative of slaying emu, etc. The next morning at daylight they erected their net into a sort of triangular shaped yard, one side open. Black fellows were stationed at each end of the net, and at stated distances along it. The net was upheld by upright poles. When the net was fixed, some of the blacks made a wide circle round the emu's nest, leaving open the side towards the net. They closed in gradually until they frightened the emu off the nest. The emu seeing black fellows on every side but one, ran in that direction. The blacks followed closely, and the bird was soon yarded. Madly the frightened bird rushed against the net. Up ran a black fellow, seized the bird and wrung its neck. Then some of them went back to the nest to get the eggs, which they baked in the ashes of their fire and ate. They made a hole to cook the emu in. They plucked the emu. When they had plenty of coals, they put a thick layer at the bottom of the hole, some twigs of leaves on top of the coals, some feathers on the top of them. Then they laid the emu in, more feathers on the top of it, leaves again on top of them, and over them a thick layer of coals, and lastly they covered all with earth.

It would be several hours in cooking, so Deegeenboyah said, "I will stay and cook the emu, you young fellows take moonoons-emu spears-and try and get some more emu."

The Mullyan thought there was sense in this proposal, so they took a couple of long spears, with a jagged nick at one end, to hold the emu when they speared it; they stuck a few emu feathers on the end of each spear and went off. They soon saw a flock of emu coming past where they were waiting to water. Two of the party armed with the moonoon climbed a tree, broke some boughs and put these thickly beneath them, so as to screen them from the emu. Then as the emu came near to the men they dangled down their spears, letting the emu feathers on the ends wave to and fro. The emu, seeing the feathers, were curious as to how they got there, came over, craning their necks and sniffing right underneath the spears. The black fellows tightly grasped the moonoons and drove them with force into the two emu they had picked One emu dropped dead at once. The other ran with the spear in it for a short distance, but the black fellow was quickly after it, and soon caught and killed it outright. Then carrying the dead birds, back they went to where Deegeenboyah was cooking the other emu. They cooked the two they had brought, and then all started for the camp in great spirits at their successful chase. They began throwing their mooroolahs as they went along, and playing with their bubberahs, or returning boomerangs. Old Deegeenboyah said, "Here, give me the emus to carry, and then you will be free to have a really good game with your mooroolahs and bubberahs, and see who is the best man."

They gave him the emus, and on they went, some throwing mooroolahs, and some showing their skill with bubberahs. Presently Deegeenboyah sat down. They thought he was just resting for a few minutes, so ran on laughing and playing, each good throw eliciting another effort, for none liked owning themselves beaten while they had a mooroolah left. As they got further away -they noticed Deegeenboyah was still sitting down, so they called out to him to know what was the matter. "All right," he said, "only having a rest; shall come on in a minute." So on they went. When they were quite out of sight Deegeenboyah jumped up quickly, took up the emus and made for an opening in the ground at a little distance. This opening was the door of the underground home of the Murgah Muggui spider-the opening was a neat covering, like a sort of trap door. Down though this he went, taking the emus with him, knowing there was another exit at some distance, out of which he could come up quite near his home, for it was the way he often took after hunting.

The Mullyans went home and waited, but no sign of Deegeenboyah. Then back on their tracks they went and called aloud, but got no answer, and saw no sign. At last Mullyangah the chief of the Mullyans, said he would find him. Arming himself with his boondees and spears, he went back to where he had last seen Deegeenboyah sitting. He saw where his tracks turned off and where they disappeared, but could not account for their disappearance, as he did not notice the neat little trap-door of the Murgah Muggui. But he hunted round, determined to scour the bush until he found him. At last he saw a camp. He went up to it and saw only two little girls playing about, whom he knew were the daughters of Deegeenboyah.

"Where is your father?" he asked them.

"Out hunting," they said.

"Which way does he come home?"

"Our father comes home out of this;" and they showed him the spiders' trap-door.

"Where are your mothers?"

"Our mothers are out getting honey and yams." And off ran the little girls to a leaning tree on which they played, running up its bent trunk.

Mullyangah went and stood where the trunk was highest from the ground and said: "Now, little girls, run up to here and jump, and I will catch you. jump one at a time."

Off jumped one of the girls towards his outstretched arms, which, as she came towards him he dropped, and, stepping aside, let her come with her full force to the ground where she lay dead. Then he called to the horror-stricken child on the tree: "Come, jump. Your sister came too quickly. Wait till I call, then jump."

"No, I am afraid."

"Come on, I will be ready this time. Now come."

"I am afraid."

"Come on; I am strong." And he smiled quite kindly up at the child, who, hesitating no longer, jumped towards his arms, only to meet her sister's fate.

"Now," said Mullyangah, "here come the two wives. I must silence them, or when they see their children their cries will warn their husband if he is within earshot." So he sneaked behind a tree, and as the two wives passed he struck them dead with his spears. Then he went to the trapdoor that the children had shown him, and sat down to wait for the coming of Deegeenboyah. He had not long to wait. The trap-door was pushed up and out came a cooked eniu, which he caught hold of and laid on one side. Deegeenboyah thought it was the girls taking it, as they had often watched for his coming and done before, so he pushed up another, which Mullyangah took, then a third, and lastly came up himself, to find Mullyangah confronting him spear and boondee in hand. He started back, but the trap-door was shut behind him, and Mullyangah barred his escape in front.

"Ah," said Mullyangah, "you stole our food and now you shall die. I've killed your children."

Decgeenboyah looked wildly round, and, seeing the dead bodies of his girls beneath the leaning tree, he groaned aloud.

"And," went on Mullyangah, "I've killed your wives."

Deegenboyah raised his head and looked again wildly round, and there, on their homeward path, he saw his dead wives. Then he called aloud, "Here Mullyangah are your emus; take them and spare me. I shall steal no more, for I myself want little, but my children and my wives hungred. I but stole for them. Spare me, I pray you. I am old; I shall not live long. Spare me."

"Not so," said Mullyangah, " no man lives to steal twice from a Mullyan;" and, so saying, he speared Deegeenboyah where he stood. Then he lifted up the emus, and, carrying them with him, went swiftly back to his camp.

And merry was the supper that night when the Mullyans ate the emus, and Mullyangah told the story of his search and slaughter. And proud were the Mullyans of the prowess and cunning of their chief.

Mayrah, the Wind that Blows the Winter Away

AT the beginning of winter, the iguanas hide themselves in their homes in the sand; the black eagle hawks go into their nests; the garbarlee or shingle-backs hide themselves in little logs, just big enough to hold them; the iguanas dig a long way into the sand and cover up the passage behind them, as they go along. They all stay in their winter homes until Mayrah blows the winter away. Mayrah first blows up a thunderstorm. When the iguanas hear the thunder, they know the spring is not far off, so they begin making a passage to go out again, but they do not leave their winter home until the Curreequinquin, or butcher birds sing all day almost without ceasing "Goore, goore, goore, goore." Then they know that Mayrah has really blown the winter away, for the birds are beginning to pair and build their nests. So they open their eyes and come out on the green earth again. And when the black fellows hear the curreequinquins singing "Goore, goore," they know that they can go out and find iguanas again, and find them fatter than when they went away with the coming of winter. Then, too, will they find piggiebillahs hurrying along to get away from their young ones, which they have buried in the sand and left to shift for themselves, for no longer can they carry them, as the spines of the young ones begin to prick them in their pouch. So they leave them and hurry away, that they may not hear their cry. They know they shall meet them again later on, when they are grown big. Then as Mayrah softly blows, the flowers one by one open, and the bees come out again to gather honey. Every bird wears his gayest plumage and sings his sweetest song to attract a mate, and in pairs they go to build their nests. And still Mayrah softly blows until the land is one of plenty; then Yhi the sun chases her back whence she came, and the flowers droop and the birds sing only in the early morning. For Yhi rules in the land until the storms are over and have cooled him, and winter takes his place to be blown away again by Mayrah the loved of all, and the bringer of plenty.

Wayarnbeh the Turtle

OOLAH, the lizard, was out getting yams on a Mirrieh flat. She had three of her children with her. Suddenly she thought she heard some one moving behind the big Mirrieh bushes. She listened. All of a sudden out jumped Wayambeh from behind a bush and seized Oolah, telling her not to make a noise and he would not hurt her, but that he meant to take her off to his camp to be his wife. He would take her three children too and look after them. Resistance was useless, for Oolah had only her yam stick, while Wayambeh had his spears and boondees. Wayambeh took the woman and her children to his camp. His tribe when they saw him bring home a woman of the Oolah tribe, asked him if her tribe had given her to him. He said, "No, I have stolen her."

"Well," they said, "her tribe will soon be after her; you must protect yourself; we shall not fight for you. You had no right to steal her without telling us. We had a young woman of our own tribe for you, yet you go and steal an Oolah and bring her to the camp of the Wayambeh. On your own head be the consequences."

In a short time the Oolahs were seen coming across the plain which faced the camp of the Wayambeh. And they came not in friendship or to parley, for no women were with them, and they carried no boughs of peace in their bands, but were painted as for war, and were armed with fighting weapons.

When the Wayambeh saw the approach of the Oolah, their chief said: "Now, Wayambeh, you had better go out on to the plain and do your own fighting; we shall not help you."

Wayambeh chose the two biggest boreens that he had; one he slung on him, covering the front of his body, and one the back; then, seizing his weapons, he strode out to meet his enemies.

When he was well out on to the plain, though still some distance from the Oolah, he called out, "Come on."

The answer was a shower of spears and boomerangs. As they came whizzing through the air Wayambeh drew his arms inside the boreens, and ducked his head down between them, so escaped.

As the weapons fell harmless to the ground, glancing off his boreen, out again he stretched his arms and held up again his head, shouting, "Come on, try again, I'm ready."

The answer was another shower of weapons, which he met in the same way. At last the Oolahs closed in round him, forcing him to retreat towards the creek.

Shower after shower of weapons they slung at him, and were getting at such close quarters that his only chance was to dive into the creek. He turned towards the creek, tore the front boreen off him, flung down his weapons and plunged in.

The Oolah waited, spears poised in hand, ready to aim directly his head appeared above water, but they waited in vain. Wayambeh, the black fellow, they never saw again, but in the waterhole wherein he had dived they saw a strange creature, which bore on its back a fixed structure like a boreen, and which, when they went to try and catch it, drew in its head and limbs, so they said, "It is Wayambeh." And this was the beginning of Wayambeh, or turtle, in the creeks.

Wirreenun the Rainmaker

THE country was stricken with a drought. The rivers were all dry except the deepest holes in them. The grass was dead, and even the trees were dying. The bark dardurr of the blacks were all fallen to the ground and lay there rotting, so long was it since they had been used, for only in wet weather did the blacks use the bark dardurr; at other times they used only whatdooral, or bough shades.

The young men of the Noongahburrah murmured among themselves, at first secretly, at last openly, saying: "Did not our fathers always say that the Wirreenun could make, as we wanted it, the rain to fall? Yet look at our country -the grass blown away, no doonburr seed to grind, the kangaroo are dying, and the emu, the duck, and the swan have flown to far countries. We shall have no food soon; then shall we die, and the Noongahburrah be no more seen on the Narrin. Then why, if he is able, does not Wirreenun inake rain?"

Soon these murmurs reached the ears of the old Wirreenun. He said nothing, but the young fellows noticed that for two or three days in succession he went to the waterhole in the creek and placed in it a willgoo willgoo-a long stick, ornamented at the top with white cockatoo feathers-and beside the stick he placed two big gubberah, that is, two big, clear pebbles which at other times he always secreted about him, in the folds of his waywah, or in the band or net on his head. Especially was he careful to hide these stones from the women.

At the end of the third day Wirreenun said to the young men: "Go you, take your comeboos and cut bark sufficient to make dardurr for all the tribe."

The young men did as they were bade. When they had the bark cut and brought in Wirreenun said: "Go you now and raise with ant-bed a high place, and put thereon logs and wood for a fire, build the ant-bed about a foot from the ground. Then put you a floor of ant-bed a foot high whereever you are going to build a dardurr."

And they did what he told them. When the dardurr were finished, having high floors of ant-bed and water-tight roofs of bark, Wirreenun commanded the whole camp to come with him to the waterhole; men, women, and children; all were to come. They all followed him down to the creek, to the waterhole where he had placed the willgoo willgoo and gubberah. Wirreenun jumped into the water and bade the tribe follow him, which they did. There in the water they all splashed and played about. After a little time Wirreenun went up first behind one black fellow and then behind another, until at length he had been round them all, and taken from the back of each one's head lumps of charcoal. When he went up to each he appeared to suck the back or top of their heads, and to draw out lumps of charcoal, which, as he sucked them out, he spat into the water. When he had gone the round of all, he went out of the water. But just as he got out a young man caught him up in his arms and threw him back into the water. This happened several times, until Wirreenun was shivering. That was the signal for all to leave the creek. Wirreenun sent all the young people into a big bough shed, and bade them all go to sleep. He and two old men and two old women stayed outside. They loaded themselves with all their belongings piled up on their backs, dayoorl stones and all, as if ready for a flitting. These old people walked impatiently around the bough shed as if waiting a signal to start somewhere. Soon a big black cloud appeared on the horizon, first a single cloud, which, however, was soon followed by others rising all round. They rose quickly until they all met just overhead, forming a big black mass of clouds. As soon as this big, heavy, rainladen looking cloud was stationary overhead, the old people went into the bough shed and bade the young people wake up and come out and look at the sky. When they were all roused Wirreenun told them to lose no time, but to gather together all their possessions and hasten to gain the shelter of the bark dardurr. Scarcely were they all in the dardurrs and their spears well hidden when there sounded a terrific clap of thunder, which was quickly followed by a regular cannonade, lightning flashes shooting across the sky, followed by instantaneous claps of deafening thunder. A sudden flash of lightning, which lit a pathway, from heaven to earth, was followed by such a terrific clash that the blacks thought their very camps were struck. But it was a tree a little distance off. The blacks huddled together in their dardurrs, frightened to move, the children crying with fear, and the dogs crouching towards their owners.

"We shall be killed," shrieked the women. The men said nothing but looked as frightened.

Only Wirreenun was fearless. "I will go out," he said, "and stop the storm from hurting us. The lightning shall come no nearer."

So out in front of the dardurrs strode Wirreenun, and naked he stood there facing the storm, singing aloud, as the thunder roared and the lightning flashed, the chant which was to keep it away from the camp

	 
		"Gurreemooray, mooray,
		 Durreemooray, mooray, mooray," &c.
		
		 Soon came a lull in the cannonade, a slight breeze stirred the trees for a few moments, then an oppressive silence, and then the rain in real earnest began, and settled down to a steady downpour, which lasted for some days.

When the old people had been patrolling the bough shed as the clouds rose overhead, Wirreenun had gone to the waterhole and taken out the willgoo willgoo and the stones, for he saw by the cloud that their work was done.

When the rain was over and the country all green again, the blacks had a great corrobboree and sang of the skill of Wirreenun, rainmaker to the Noongahburrah.

Wirreenun sat calm and heedless of their praise, as he had been of their murmurs. But he determined to show them that his powers were great, so he summoned the rainmaker of a neighbouring tribe, and after some consultation with him, he ordered the tribes to go to the Googoorewon, which was then a dry plain, with the solemn, gaunt trees all round it, which had once been black fellows.

When they were all camped round the edges of this plain, Wirreenun and his fellow rainmaker made a great rain to fall just over the plain and fill it with water.

When the plain was changed into a lake, Wirreenun said to the young men of his tribe: "Now take your nets and fish."

"What good?" said they. "The lake is filled from the rain, not the flood water of rivers, filled but yesterday, how then shall there be fish?"

"Go," said Wirreenun. "Go as I bid you; fish. If your nets catch nothing then shall Wirreenun speak no more to the men of his tribe, he will seek only honey and yams with the women."

More to please the man who had changed their country from a desert to a hunter's paradise, they did as he bade them, took their nets and went into the lake. And the first time they drew their nets, they were heavy with goodoo, murree, tucki, and bunmillah. And so many did they catch that all the tribes, and their dogs, had plenty.

Then the elders of the camp said now that there was plenty everywhere, they would have a borah that the boys should be made young men. On one of the ridges away from the camp, that the women should not know, would they prepare a ground.

And so was the big borah of the Googoorewon held, the borah which was famous as following on the triumph of Wirreenun the rainmaker.

THE CLOUD UPON THE SANCTUARY

  

LETTER I

THERE is no age more remarkable to the quiet observer than our own. Everywhere there is a fermentation in the minds of men; everywhere there is a battle between light and darkness, between exploded thought and living ideas, between powerless wills and living active force; in short everywhere is there war between animal man and growing spiritual man.

It is said that we live in an age of light, but it would be truer to say that we are living in an age of twilight; here and there a luminous ray pierces through the mists of darkness, but does not light to full clearness either our reason or our hearts. Men are not of one mind, scientists dispute, and where there is discord, truth is not yet apprehended.

The most important objects for humanity are still undetermined. No one is agreed either on the principle of rationality or on the principle of morality, or on the cause of the will. This proves

that though we are dwelling in an age of light, we do not well understand what emanates from our hearts--and what from our heads. Probably we should have this information much sooner if we did not imagine that we have the light of knowledge already in our hands, or if we would cast a look on our weakness, and recognise that we require a more brilliant illumination. We live in the times of idolatry of the intellect, we place a common torchlight upon the altar and we loudly proclaim the aurora, that now daylight is really about to appear, and that the world is emerging more and more out of obscurity into the full day of perfection, through the arts, sciences, cultured taste, and even from a purer understanding of religion.

Poor mankind! To what standpoint have you raised the happiness of man? Has there ever been an age which has counted so many victims to humanity as the present? Has there ever been an age in which immorality and egotism have been greater or more dominant than in this one? The tree is known by its fruits. Mad men! With your imaginary natural reason, from whence have you the light by which you are so willing to enlighten others? Are not all your ideas borrowed from your senses which do not give you the reality but merely its phenomena? Is it not true that in time and space all knowledge is but relative? Is it not true that all which we call reality is but relative, for absolute truth is not to be found in the

phenomenal world. Thus your natural reason does riot possess its true essence, but only the appearance of truth and light; and the more this appearance increases and spreads, the more the essence of light inwardly fades, and the man confuses himself with this appearance and gropes vainly after the dazzling phantasmal images he conjures.

The philosophy of our age raises the natural intellect into independent objectivity, and gives it judicial power, she exempts it from any superior authority, she makes it voluntary, converting it into divinity by closing all harmony and communication with God; and this god Reason, which has no other law but its own, is to govern Man and make him happy! . . .

. . . Darkness able to spread light! . . . Death capable of giving Life! . . .

The truth leads man to happiness. Can you give it?

That which you call truth is a form of conception empty of real matter, the knowledge of which is acquired from without and through the senses, and the understanding co-ordinates them by observed synthetic relationship into science or opinion.

You abstract from the Scriptures and Tradition their moral, theoretical and practical truth; but as individuality is the principle of your intelligence, and as egotism is the incentive to your will, you do not see, by your light, the moral law which dominates, or you repel it with your will. It is to

this length that the light of to-day has penetrated. Individuality under the cloak of false philosophy is a child of corruption.

Who can pretend that the sun is in full zenith if no bright rays illuminate the earth, and no warmth vitalises vegetation? If wisdom does not benefit man, if love does not make him happy, but very little has been done for him on the whole.

Oh! if only natural man, that is, sensuous man, would only learn to see that the source of his intelligence and the incentive of his will are only his individuality, he would then seek interiorly for a higher source, and he would thereby approach that which alone can give this true element, because it is wisdom in its essential substance.

Jesus Christ is that Wisdom, Truth, and Love. He, as Wisdom, is the Principle of reason, and the Source of the purest intelligence. As Love, He is the Principle of morality, the true and pure incentive of the will.

Love and Wisdom beget the spirit of truth, interior light; this light illuminates us and makes supernatural things objective to us.

It is inconceivable to what depths of error a man falls when he abandons simple truths of faith by opposing his own opinions.

Our century tries to decide by its (brain) intelligence, wherein lies the principle or ground of reason and morality, or the ground of the will; if the scientists were mindful, they would see that these

things are better answered in the heart of the simplest man, than through their most brilliant casuistry. The practical Christian finds this incentive to the will, the principle of all morality, really and objectively in his heart; and this incentive is expressed in the following formula:--"Love God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself."

The love of God and his neighbour is the motive for the Christian's will, and the essence of love itself is Jesus Christ in us.

It is in this way the principle of reason is wisdom in us; and the essence of wisdom, wisdom in its substance, is again Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Thus we find in Him the principle of reason and of morality.

All that I am now saying is not hyperphysical extravagance; it is reality, absolute truth, that everyone can prove for himself by experience, as soon as he receives in himself the principle of all reason and morality--Jesus Christ, being wisdom and love in essence.

But the eye of the man of sensuous perception only is firmly closed to the fundamental basis of all that is true and to all that is transcendental.

The intelligence which many would fain raise to legislative authority is only that of the senses, whose light differs from that of transcendental reason, as does the phosphorescent glimmer of decayed wood from the glories of sunshine.

Absolute truth does not exist for sensuous man;

it exists only for interior and spiritual man who possesses a suitable sensorium; or, to speak more correctly, who possesses an interior sense to receive the absolute truth of the transcendental world, a spiritual faculty which cognises spiritual objects as objectively and naturally as the exterior senses perceive external phenomena.

This interior faculty of the man spiritual, this sensorium for the metaphysical world, is unfortunately not known to those who cognise only outside of it--for it is a mystery of the kingdom of God.

The current incredulity towards everything which is not cognised objectively by our senses is the explanation for the misconception of truths which are, of all, most important to man.

But how can this be otherwise? In order to see one must have eyes, to hear, one must have ears. Every apparent object requires its appropriate senses. So it is that transcendental objects require their sensorium--and this said sensorium is closed in most men. Hence men judge the metaphysical world through the intelligence of their senses, even as the blind imagine colours and the deaf judge tones--without suitable senses.

There is an objective and substantial ground of reason, an objective and substantial motive for the will. These two together form the new principle of life, and morality is there essentially inherent. This pure substance of reason and will, re-uniting in us the divine and the human, is Jesus Christ, the light

of the world, who must enter into direct relationship with us, to be really recognized.

This real knowledge is actual faith, in which everything takes place in spirit and in truth. Thus one ought to have a sensorium fitted for this communication, an organised spiritual sensorium, a spiritual and interior faculty able to receive this light; but it is closed to most men by their senses.

This interior organ is the intuitive sense of the transcendental world, and until this intuitive sense is effective in us we can have no certainty of more lofty truths.

This organism is naturally inactive since the Fall, which degraded man to the world of physical senses alone. The gross matter which envelops this interior sensorium is a film which veils the internal eye, and therefore prevents the exterior eye from seeing into spiritual realms. This same matter muffles our internal hearing, so that we are deaf to the sounds of the metaphysical world; it so paralyses our spiritual speech that we can scarcely stammer words of sacred import, words we fully pronounced once, and by virtue of which we held authority over the elements and the external world.

The opening of this spiritual sensorium is the mystery of the New Man--the mystery of Regeneration, and of the vital union between God and man--it is the noblest object of religion on earth, that religion whose sublime goal is none

other than to unite men with God in Spirit and in Truth.

We can therefore easily see by this how it is that religion tends always towards the subjection of the senses. It does so because it desires to make the spiritual man dominant, in order that the spiritual or truly rational man may govern the man of sense. Philosophy feels this truth, only its error consists in not apprehending the true source of reason, and because she would replace it by individuality by sensuous reason.

As man has internally a spiritual organ and a sensorium to receive the true principle of divine wisdom, or a true motive for the will or divine love, he has also exteriorly a physical and material sensorium to receive the appearance of light and truth. As external nature can have no absolute truth, but only phenomenally relative, therefore, human reason cannot cognise pure truth, it can but apprehend through the appearance of phenomena, which excites the lust of the eye, and in this as a source of action consists the corruption of sensuous man and the degradation of nature.

This exterior sensorium in man is composed of frail matter, whereas the internal sensorium is organized fundamentally from incorruptible, transcendental, and metaphysical substance.

The first is the cause of our depravity and our mortality, the second the cause of our incorruptibility and of our immortality.

In the regions of material and corruptible nature mortality hides immortality, therefore all our trouble results from corruptible mortal matter. In order that man should be released from this distress, it is necessary that the immortal and incorruptible principle, which dwells within, should expand and absorb the corruptible principle, so that the envelope of the senses should be opened, and man appear in his pristine purity.

This natural envelope is a truly corruptible substance found in our blood, forming the fleshly bonds binding our immortal spirits under the servitude of the mortal flesh.

This envelope can be rent more or less in every man, and this places him in greater spiritual liberty, and makes him more cognisant of the transcendental world.

There are three different degrees in the opening of our spiritual sensorium.

The first degree reaches to the moral plane only, the transcendental world energises through us in but by interior action, called inspiration.

The second and higher degree opens this sensorium to the reception of the spiritual and the intellectual, and the metaphysical world works in us by interior illumination.

The third degree, which is the highest and most seldom attained, opens the whole inner man. It breaks the crust which fills our spiritual eyes and ears; it reveals the kingdom of spirit, and enables

us to see objectively, metaphysical, and transcendental sights; hence all visions are explained fundamentally.

Thus we have an internal sense of objectivity as well as externally. Only the objects and the senses are different. Exteriorly animal and sensual motives act in us and corruptible sensuous matter energises. Interiorly it is metaphysical and indivisible substance which gains admittance within, and the incorruptible and immortal essence of our Spirit receives its influence. Nevertheless, generally things pass much in the same way interiorly as they do externally. The law is everywhere the same. Hence, as the spirit or our internal man has quite other senses, and quite another objective sight from the rational man; one need not be surprised that it (the spirit) should remain an enigma for the scientists of our age, for those who have no objective sense of the transcendental and spiritual world. Hence they measure the supernatural by the measurement of the senses. However, we owe a debt of gratitude towards the philosopher Kant for his view of the truths we have promulgated.

Kant has shown incontestably that the natural reason can know absolutely nothing of what is supernatural, and that it can never understand analytically or synthetically, neither can it prove the possibility of the reality of Love, Spirit, or of the Deity.

This is a great truth, lofty and beneficial for our

epoch, though it is true that St Paul has already enunciated it (1 Cor. i. 2-24). But the Pagan philosophy of Christian scientists has been able to overlook it up to Kant. The virtue of this truth is double. First, it puts insurmountable limits to the sentiment, to the fanaticism and to the extravagance of carnal reason. Then it shows by dazzling contrast the necessity and divinity of Revelation. It proves that our human reason, in its state of unfoldment, has no other objective source for the supernatural than revelation, the only source of instruction in Divine things or of the spiritual world, the soul and its immortality; hence it follows that without revelation it is absolutely impossible to suppose or conjecture anything regarding these matters.

We are, therefore, indebted to Kant for proving philosophically now-a-days, what long ago was taught in a more advanced and illuminated school, that without revelation no knowledge of God, neither any doctrine touching the soul, could be at all possible.

It is therefore clear that a universal Revelation must serve as a fundamental basis to all mundane religion.

Hence, following Kant, it is clear that the transmundane knowledge is wholly inaccessible to natural reason, and that God inhabits a world of light, into which no speculation of the unfolded reason can penetrate. Thus the rational man, or man of human reason, has no sense of transcendental reality, and

therefore it was necessary that it should be revealed to him, for which faith is required, because the means are given to him by faith whereby his inner sensorium unfolds, and through which he can apprehend the reality of truths otherwise incapable of being understood by the natural man.

It is quite true that with new senses we can acquire sense of further reality. This reality exists already, but is not known to us, because we lack the organ by which to cognise it. One must not lay the fault to the percept, but on the receptive organ.

With, however, the development of the new organ we have a new perception, a sense of new reality. Without it the spiritual world cannot exist for us, because the organ rendering it objective to us is not developed.

With, however, its unfoldment, the curtain is all at once raised, the impenetrable veil is torn away, the cloud before the Sanctuary lifts, a new world suddenly exists for us, scales fall from the eyes, and we are at once transported from the phenomenal world to the regions of truth.

God alone is substance, absolute truth; He alone is He who is, and we are what He has made us. For Him, all exists in Unity; for us, all exists in multiplicity.

A great many men have no more idea of the development of the inner sensorium than they have of the true and objective life of the spirit, which

they neither perceive nor foresee in any manner. Hence it is impossible to them to know that one can comprehend the spiritual and transcendental, and that one can be raised to the supernatural, even to vision.

The great and true work of building the Temple consists solely in destroying the miserable Adamic hut and in erecting a divine temple; this means, in other words, to develop in us the interior sensorium, or the organ to receive God. After this process, the metaphysical and incorruptible principle rules over the terrestrial, and man begins to live, not any longer in the principle of self-love, but in the Spirit and in the Truth, of which he is the Temple.

The moral law then evolves into love for one's neighbour in deed and in truth, whereas for the natural man it is but a simple attitude of thought; and the spiritual man, regenerated in spirit, sees all in its essence, of which the natural man has only the forms void of thought, mere empty sounds, symbols and letters, which are all dead images without interior spirit. The lofty aim of religion is the intimate union of man with God; and this union is possible in this world; but it only can be by the opening of our inner sensorium, which enables our hearts to become receptive to God.

Therein are mysteries that our philosophy does not dream of, the key to which is not to be found in scholastic science.

Meanwhile, a more advanced school has always

existed to whom this deposition of all science has been confided, and this school was the community illuminated interiorly by the Saviour, the society of the Elect, which has continued from the first day of creation to the present time; its members, it is true, are scattered all over the world, but they have always been united in the spirit and in one truth; they have had but one intelligence and one source of truth, but one doctor and one master; but in whom resides substantially the whole plenitude of God, and who alone initiates them into the high mysteries of Nature and the Spiritual World.

This community of light has been called from all time the invisible celestial Church, or the most ancient of all communities, of which we will speak more fully in our next letter.


LETTER II

IT is necessary, my dear brothers in the Lord, to give you a clear idea of the interior Church; of that illuminated Community of God which is scattered throughout the world, but which is governed by one truth and united in one spirit.

This enlightened community has existed since the first day of the world's creation, and its duration will be to the last day of time.

This community possesses a School, in which all who thirst for knowledge are instructed by the Spirit of Wisdom itself; and all the mysteries of God and of nature are preserved in this School for the children of light. . . . Perfect knowledge of God, of nature, and of humanity are the objects of instruction in this school. It is from her that all truths penetrate into the world, she is the School of the Prophets, and of all who search for wisdom, and it is in this community alone that truth and the explanation of all mystery is to be found. It is the most hidden of communities yet possesses members from many circles; of such is this School. From all time there has been an exterior school based on the interior one, of which it is but the outer expression. From all time, therefore, there

has been a hidden assembly, a society of the Elect, of those who sought for and had capacity for light, and this interior society was called the interior Sanctuary or Church. All that the external Church possesses in symbol ceremony or rite is the letter expressive outwardly of the spirit of truth residing in the interior Sanctuary.

Hence this Sanctuary composed of scattered members, but tied by the bonds of perfect unity and love, has been occupied from the earliest ages in building the grand Temple through the regeneration of humanity, by which the reign of God will be manifest. This society is in the communion of those who have most capacity for light, i.e., the Elect. The Elect are united in truth, and their Chief is the Light of the World himself, Jesus Christ, the One Anointed in light, the single mediator for the human race, the Way, the Truth, and the Life--Primitive light, wisdom, and the only medium by which man can return to God.

The interior Church was formed immediately after the fall of man, and received from God at first-hand the revelation of the means by which fallen humanity could be again raised to its rights and delivered from its misery. It received the primitive charge of all revelation and mystery; it received the key of true science, both divine and natural.

But when men multiplied, the frailty of man and his weakness necessitated an exterior society

which veiled the interior one, and concealed the spirit and the truth in the letter. Because many people were not capable of comprehending great interior truth, and the danger would have been too great in confiding the most Holy to incapable people. Therefore, interior truths were wrapped in external and perceptible ceremonies, so that men, by the perception of the outer, which is the symbol of the interior, might by degrees be enabled safely to approach the interior spiritual truths.

But the inner truth has always been confided to him who in his day had the most capacity for illumination, and he became the sole guardian of the original Trust, as High Priest of the Sanctuary.

When it became necessary that interior truths should be enfolded in exterior ceremony and symbol, on account of the real weakness of men who were not capable of bearing the Light of Light, then exterior worship began. It was, however, always the type and symbol of the interior, that is to say, the symbol of the true homage offered to God in spirit and in truth.

The difference between spiritual and animal man, and between rational and sensual man, made the exterior and interior imperative. Interior truth passed into the external wrapped in symbol and ceremony, so that sensuous man could observe, and be gradually thereby led to interior truth. Hence external worship was symbolically typical of interior truths, and of the true relationship between man

and God before and after the Fall, and of his most perfect reconciliation. All the symbols of external worship are based upon the three fundamental relations--the Fall, the Reconciliation, and the Complete Atonement.

The care of the external service was the occupation of priests, and every father of a family was in the ancient times charged with this duty. First fruits and the first born among animals were offered to God, symbolizing that all that preserves and nourishes us comes from Him; also that animal man must be killed to make room for rational and spiritual man.

The external worship of God would never have been separated from interior service but for the weakness of man which tends too easily to forget the spirit in the letter, but the spirit of God is vigilant to note in every nation those who are able to receive light, and they are employed as agents to spread the light according to man's capacity, and to revivify the dead letter.

Through these divine instruments the interior truths of the Sanctuary were taken into every nation, and modified symbolically according to their customs, capacity for instruction, climate, and receptiveness. So that the external types of every religion, worship, ceremonies and Sacred Books in general have more or less clearly, as their object of instruction, the interior truths of the Sanctuary, by which man, but only in the latter days, will be

conducted to the universal knowledge of the one Absolute Truth.

The more the external worship of a people has remained united with the spirit of esoteric truth, the purer its religion; but the wider the difference between the symbolic letter and the invisible truth, the more imperfect has become the religion; even so far among some nations as to degenerate into polytheism. Then the external form entirely parted from its inner truth, when ceremonial observances without soul or life remained alone.

When the germs of the most important truths had been carried everywhere by God's agents, He chose a certain people to raise up a vital symbol destined by Him to manifest forth the means by which He intended to govern the human race in its present condition, and by which it would be raised into complete purification and perfection.

God Himself communicated to this people its exterior religious legislation, He gave all the symbols and enacted all the ceremonies, and they contained the impress, as it were, of the great esoteric truth of the Sanctuary.

God consecrated this external Church in Abraham, gave commandments through Moses, and it received its highest perfection in the double message of Jesus Christ, existing personally in poverty and suffering, and by the communication of His Spirit in the glory of the Resurrection.

Now, as God Himself laid the foundation of the

external Church, the whole of the symbols of external worship formed the science of the Temple and of the Priests in those days, because the mysteries of the most sacred truths became external through revelation alone. The scientific acquaintance of this holy symbolism was the science to unite fallen man once more with God, hence religion received its name from being the science of rebinding man with God, to bring man back to his origin.

One sees plainly by this pure idea of religion in general that unity in religion is within the inner Sanctuary, and that the multiplicity of external religions can never alter the true unity which is at the base of every exterior.

The wisdom of the ancient temple alliance was preserved by priests and by prophets.

To the priests was confided the external,--the letter of the symbol, hieroglyphics. The prophets had the charge of the inner truth, and their occupation was to continually recall the priest to the spirit in the letter, when inclined to lose it. The science of the priests was that of the knowledge of exterior symbol.

That of the prophets was experimental possession of the truth of the symbols. In the interior the spirit lived. There was, therefore, in the ancient alliance a school of prophets and of priests, the one occupying itself with the spirit in the emblem, the other with the emblem itself. The priests had

the external possession of the Ark, of the shewbread, of the candlesticks, of the manna, of Aaron's rod, and the prophets were in interior possession of the inner spiritual truth which was represented exteriorly by the symbols just mentioned.

The external Church of the ancient alliance was visible, the interior Church was always invisible, must be invisible, and yet must govern all, because force and power are alone confided to her.

When the divine external [**] worship abandoned the interior worship, it fell, and God proved by a remarkable chain of circumstances that the letter could not exist without the spirit, that it is only there to lead to the spirit, and it is useless and even rejected by God if it fails in its object.

As the spirit of nature extends to the most sterile depths to vivify and preserve and cause growth in everything susceptible to its influence, likewise the spirit of light spreads itself interiorly among nations to animate everywhere the dead letter by the living spirit.

This is why we find a Job among idolators, a Melchizedek among strange nations, a Joseph with the Egyptian priests, a Moses in the country of Midian, as living proofs the interior community of those who are capable of receiving light was united

by one spirit and one truth in all times and in all nations.

To these agents of light from the one inner community was united the Chief of all agents, Jesus Christ Himself, in the midst of time as royal priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The divine agents of the ancient alliance hitherto represented only specialised perfections of God; therefore a powerful movement was required which should show all at once--all in one. A universal type appeared, which gave the real touch of perfect unity to the picture, which opened a fresh door, and destroyed the number of the slavery of humanity.

The law of love began when the image emanating from wisdom itself showed to man all the greatness of his being, vivified him anew, assured him of his immortality, and raised his intellectual status to that of being the true temple for the spirit.

This Chief Agent of all, this Saviour of the World and universal Regenerator, claimed man's whole attention to the primitive truth, whereby he can preserve his existence and recover his former dignity. Through the conditions of His own abasement He laid the base of the redemption of man, and He promised to accomplish it completely one day through His Spirit. He showed also truly in part among His apostles all that should come to pass in the future to all the Elect.

He linked the chain of the community of light among the Elect, to whom He sent the spirit of

truth, and confided to them the true primitive instruction in all divine and natural things, as a sign that He would never forsake His community.

When the letter and symbolic worship of the external Church of the ancient alliance had been realised by the Incarnation of the Saviour, and verified in His person, new symbols became requisite Tor external use, which showed us through the letter the future accomplishment of universal redemption.

The rites and symbols of the external Christian Church were formed after the pattern of these unchangeable and fundamental truths, announcing things of a strength and of an importance impossible to describe, and revealed only to those who knew the innermost Sanctuary.

This Sanctuary remains changeless, though external religion receives in the course of time and circumstances varied modification, entailing separation from the interior spirit which can alone preserve the letter. The profane idea of wishing to "secularize" all that is Christian, and to Christianise all that is political, changed the exterior edifice, and covered with the shadow of death all that was interior light and life. Hence divisions and heresies, and the spirit of Sophistry ready to expound the letter when it had already lost the essence of truth.

Current incredulity increased corruption to its utmost point, attacking the edifice of Christianity in its fundamental parts, and the sacred interior

was mingled with the exterior, already enfeebled by the ignorance of weak man.

Then was born Deism; this brought forth materialism, which looked on the union of man with superior forces as imaginary; then finally came forth, partly from the head and partly from the heart, the last degree of man's degradation--Atheism.

In the midst of all this, truth reposes inviolable in the inner Sanctuary.

Faithful to the spirit of truth, which promised never to abandon its community, the members of the interior Church lived in silence, but in real activity, and united the science of the temple of the ancient alliance with the spirit of the great saviour of man--the spirit of the interior alliance, waiting humbly the great moment when the Lord will call them, and will assemble his community in order to give every dead letter external force and life.

This interior community of light is the reunion of all those capable of receiving light as Elect, and it is known as the Communion of Saints. The primitive receptacle for all strength and truth, confided to it from all time--it alone, says St Paul, is in the possession of the science of the Saints.

By it the agents of God were formed in every age, passing from the interior to the exterior, and communicating spirit and life to the dead letter as already said.

This illuminated community has been through

time the true school of God's spirit, and considered as school, it has its Chair, its Doctor, it possesses a rule for students, it has forms and objects for study, and, in short, a method by which they study.

It has, also, its degrees for successive development to higher altitudes.

The first and lowest degree consists in the moral good, by which the single will, subordinated to God, is led to God by the pure motive of willing with and to Jesus Christ, which it does through faith. The means by which the spirit of this school acts are called inspirations.

The second degree consists in the rational intellectuality, by which the understanding of the man of virtue, who is united to God, is crowned with wisdom and the light of knowledge, and the means which the spirit uses to produce this is called interior illumination.

The third and highest degree is the entire opening of our inner sensorium, by which the inner man perceives objectively and really, metaphysical verities. This is the highest degree when faith passes into open vision, and the means the spirit uses for this are real visions.

These are the three degrees of the school for true interior wisdom--that of the illuminated Society. The same spirit which ripens men for this community also distributes its degrees by the co-action of the ripened subject.

This school of wisdom has been forever most

secretly hidden from the world, because it is invisible and submissive solely to divine government.

It has never been exposed to the accidents of time and to the weakness of man. Because only the most capable were chosen for it, and the spirits who selected made no error.

Through this school were developed the germs of all the sublime sciences, which were first received by external schools, then clothed in other forms, and hence degenerating.

This society of sages communicated, according to time and circumstances, unto the exterior societies their symbolic hieroglyphs, in order to attract man to the great truths of their interior.

But all exterior societies subsist through this interior one giving them its spirit. As soon as external societies wish to be independent of the interior one, and to transform a temple of wisdom into a political edifice, the interior society retires and leaves only the letter without the spirit. It is thus that secret external societies of wisdom were nothing but hieroglyphic screens, the truth remaining inviolable in the sanctuary so that she might never be profaned.

In this interior society man finds wisdom and with her--All--not the wisdom of this world which is but scientific knowledge, which revolves round the outside but never touches the centre (in which is contained all strength), but true wisdom and men obeying her.

All disputes, all controversies, all the things belonging to the false cares of this world, fruitless discussions, useless germs of opinions which spread the seeds of disunion, all error, schisms, and systems are banished. Neither calumny nor scandal are known. Every man is honoured. Satire, that spirit which loves to make its neighbour smart, is unknown. Love alone reigns.

Want and feebleness are protected, and rejoicings are made at the elevation and greatness which man acquires.

We must not, however, imagine this society resembles any secret society, meeting at certain times, choosing its leaders and members, united by special objects. All societies, be what they may, can but come after this interior illuminated circle. This society knows none of the formalities which belong to the outer rings, the work of man. In this kingdom of power all outward forms cease.

God himself is the Power always present. The best man of his times, the chief himself, does not always know all the members, but the moment when it is the Will of God that he should accomplish any object, he finds them in the world with certainty to work for that purpose.

This community has no outside barriers. He who may be chosen by God is as the first, he presents himself among the others without presumption, and he is received by the others without jealousy.

If it be necessary that real members should meet together, they find and recognise each other with perfect certainty.

No disguise can be used, neither hypocrisy nor dissimulation could hide the characteristic qualities of this society, they are too genuine. All illusion is gone, and things appear in their true form.

No one member can choose another, unanimous choice is required. All men are called, the called may be chosen, if they become ripe for entrance.

Any one can look for the entrance, and any man who is within can teach another to seek for it; but only he who is fit can arrive inside.

Unprepared men occasion disorder in a community, and disorder is not compatible with the Sanctuary. This thrusts out all who are not homogeneous.

Worldly intelligence seeks this Sanctuary in vain, fruitless also will be the efforts of malice to penetrate these great mysteries; all is undecipherable to him who is not ripe, he can see nothing, read nothing in the interior.

He who is ripe is joined to the chain, perhaps often where he thought least likely, and at a point of which he knew nothing himself.

Seeking to become ripe, should be effort of him who sees wisdom.

But there are methods by which ripeness is attained, for in this holy communion is the primitive storehouse of the most ancient and original science of the human race, with the primitive mysteries also of all science. It is the unique and really illuminated community which is absolutely in possession of the key to all mystery, which knows the centre and source of all nature and creation. It is a society which unites superior strength to its own, and counts its members from more than one world. It is the society whose members form a theocratic republic, which one day will be the Regent Mother of the whole World. [**]


LETTER III

THE absolute truth lying in the centre of Mystery is like the sun, it blinds ordinary sight and man sees only the shadow. The eagle alone can gaze at the dazzling light, likewise only the prepared soul can bear its lustre. Nevertheless the great Something which is the inmost of the Holy Mysteries has never been hidden from the piercing gaze of him who can bear the light.

God and nature have no mysteries for their children. They are caused by the weakness of our nature, unable to support light, because it is not yet organised to bear the chaste light of unveiled truth.

This weakness is the Cloud that covers the Sanctuary; this is the curtain which veils the Holy of Holies.

But in order that man may recover the veiled light, strength and dignity, Divinity bends to the weakness of its creatures, and writes the truth that is interior and eternal mystery on the outside of things, so that man can transport himself through this to their spirit.

These letters are the ceremonies or the rituals of religion, which lead man to the interior life of union with God.

Mystic hieroglyphs are these letters also; they are sketches and designs holding interior and holy truth.

Religion and the Mysteries go hand in hand to lead our brethren to truth, both have for object the reversing and renewing of our natures, both have for the end the re-building of a temple inhabited by Wisdom and Love, or God with man.

But religion and the Mysteries would be useless phenomena if Divinity had not also accorded means to attain these great ends.

But these means are only in the innermost of the sanctuary. The Mysteries are required to build a temple to Religion, and religion is required to unite Man with God.

Such is the greatness of religion, and such the exalted dignity of the Mysteries from all time.

It would be unjust to you, beloved brothers, that we should think that you have never regarded the Holy Mysteries in this real aspect, the one which shows them as the only means able to preserve in purity and integrity the doctrine of the important truths concerning God, nature, and man. This doctrine was couched in holy symbolic language, and the truths which it contained having been gradually translated among the outer circle into the ordinary languages of man, became in consequence more obscure and unintelligible.

The Mysteries, as you know, beloved brothers, promise things which are and which will remain

always the heritage of but a small number of men; these are the mysteries which can neither be bought nor sold publicly, and can only be acquired by a heart which has attained to wisdom and love.

He in whom this holy flame has been awakened lives in true happiness, content with everything and in everything free. He sees the cause of human corruption and knows that it is inevitable. He hates no criminal, he pities him, and seeks to raise him who has fallen, and to restore the wanderer, because he feels notwithstanding all the corruption, in the whole there is no taint.

He sees with a clear eye the underlying truth in the foundation of all religion, he knows the sources of superstition and of incredulity, as being caused by modifications of truth which have not attained perfect equilibrium.

We are assured, my esteemed brothers, that you consider the true Mystic from this aspect, and that you will not attribute to his royal art, that which the misdirected energy of some isolated individuals have made of this art.

It is, therefore, with these views, which accord exactly with ours, that you will compare religion, and the mysteries of the holy schools of Wisdom, to loving sisters who have watched over the good of mankind since the necessity of their birth.

Religion divides itself into exterior and interior religion, exterior signifying ceremony; and interior, worship in spirit and in truth; the outer schools

possessing the letter and the symbol, the inner ones, the spirit and meaning--but the outer schools were united to the inner ones by ceremonies, as also the outer schools of the mysteries were linked with the inner one by means of symbol.

Thus religion can never be merely ceremony, but hidden and holy mysteries penetrate through symbol into the outer worship to prepare men properly for the worship of God in spirit and in truth.

Very soon the night of symbol will disappear, the light will bring forth the day and the mysteries no longer veiled will show themselves in the splendour of full truth.

The vestibule of nature, the temple of reason and the sanctuary of Revelation, will form but one Temple. Thus the great edifice will be completed, the edifice which consists in the re-union of man, nature, and God.

A perfect knowledge of man, of nature, and of God will be the lights which will enable the leaders of humanity to bring back from every side their wandering brothers, those who are led by the prejudices of reason, by the turbulence of passions, to the ways of peace and knowledge.

We arc approaching the period of light, and the reign of wisdom and love, that of God who is the source of light; Brothers of light, there is but one religion whose simple truth spreads in all religions like branches, returning through multiplicity into the unity of the tree.

Sons of truth, there is but one order, but one Brotherhood, but one association of men thinking alike in the one object of acquiring the light. From this centre misunderstanding has caused innumerable Orders, but all will return from the multiplicity of opinions, to the only truth and to the true Order, the association of those who are able to receive the light, the Community of the Elect.

With this measure all religions and all orders of man must be measured. Multiplicity is in the ceremony of the exterior; truth only in the interior. The trend of these brotherhoods is in the variety of explanation of the symbols caused by the lapse of time, needs of the day, and other circumstances. The true Community of Light can be only one.

The exterior symbol is only the sheath which holds the inner; it may change and multiply, but it can never weaken the truth of the interior; moreover, it was necessary; we ought to seek it and try to decipher it to discover the meaning of the spiritual interior.

All errors, divisions, all mis-understandings in Religion and in secret societies only concern the letter. What rests behind it remains always pure and holy.

Soon the time for those who seek the light will be accomplished, for the day comes when the old will be united to the new, the outer to the inner, the high with the low, the heart with the brain, man with God, and this epoch is destined for the present

age. Do not ask, beloved brothers, . . . why the present age? . . .

Everything has its time for beings subject to time and space. It is in such wise according to the unvarying law of the Wisdom of God, who has co-ordinated all in harmony and perfection.

The elect should first labour to acquire both wisdom and love, in order to earn the gift of power, which unchangeable Divinity gives only to those who know and those who love.

Morning follows night, and the sun rises, and all moves on to full mid-day, where all shadows disappear in his vertical splendour. Thus, the letter of truth must exist; then comes the practical explanation, then the truth itself; only truth can comprehend truth; then alone can the spirit of truth appear which sets the seals closing the light. He who now can receive the truth will understand. It is to you, much loved brothers, you who labour to reach truth, you who have so faithfully preserved the glyph of the holy mysteries in your temple, it is to you that the first ray of truth will be directed; this ray will pierce through the cloud of mystery, and will announce the full day and the treasure which it brings.

Do not ask who those are who write to you; look at the spirit not the letter, the thing, not at persons.

Neither pride, nor self seeking, neither does any unworthy motive, exist in our retreats; we know the

object and the destination of man, and the light which lights us works in all our actions.

We are especially called to write to you, dear brothers of light; and that which gives power to our commission is the truth which we possess, and which we pass on to you on the least sign, and according to the measure of the capacity of each.

Light is apt for communication, where there is reception and capacity, but it constrains no one, and waits its reception tranquilly.

Our desire, our aim, our office is to revivify the dead letter, and to spiritualise the symbols, turn the passive into the active, death into life; but this we cannot do by ourselves, but through the spirit of light of Him who is Wisdom and the Light of the world.

Until the present time the Inner Sanctuary has been separated from the Temple, and the Temple beset with those who belong only to the precincts; but the time is coming when the Innermost will be re-united with the Temple, in order that those who are in the Temple can influence those who are in the outer courts, so that the outer pass in.

In our sanctuary all the hidden mysteries are preserved intact, they have never been profaned.

This sanctuary is invisible, as is a force which is only known through its action.

By this short description, my dear brothers, you can tell who we are, and it will be superfluous to

assure you that we do not belong to those restless natures who seek to build in this common life an ideal after their own fantastic imaginations. Neither do we belong to those who wish to play a great part in the world, and who promise miracles that they themselves do not understand. We do not represent either that class of minds, who, resenting the condition of certain things, have no object but the desire of dominating others, and who love adventure and exaggeration.

We can also assure you that we belong to no other sect or association than the one true and great one of those who are able to receive the light. We are not also of those who think it their right to mould all after their own model, the arrogance to seek to re-model all other societies; we assure you faithfully that we know exactly the innermost of religion and of the Holy Mysteries; and that we possess with absolute certainty, all that has been surmised to be in the Adytum, and that this said possession gives us the strength to justify our commission, and to impart to the dead letter and hieroglyphic everywhere both spirit and life. The treasures in our sanctuary are many; we understand the spirit and meaning of all symbols and all ceremony which have existed since the day of Creation to the present time, as well as the most interior truths of all the Holy Books, with the laws and customs of primitive people.

We possess a light by which we are anointed, and

by means of which we read the hidden and secret things of nature.

We possess a fire which feeds us, and which gives us the strength to act upon everything in nature. We possess a key to open the gate of mystery, and a key to shut nature's laboratory. We know of the existence of a bond which will unite us to the Upper Worlds, and reveal to us their sights and their sounds. All the marvels of nature arc subordinate to our will by its being united with Divinity.

We have mastered the science which draws directly from nature, whence there is no error, but truth and light only.

In our School we are instructed in all things because our Master is the Light itself and its essence. The plenitude of our scholarship is the knowledge of this tie between the divine and spiritual worlds and of the spiritual world with the elementary, and of the elementary world with the material world.

By these knowledges we are in condition to co-ordinate the spirits of nature and the heart of man.

Our science is the inheritance promised to the Elect; otherwise, those who are duly prepared for receiving the light, and the practice of our science is in the completion of the Divine union with the child of man.

We could often tell you, beloved brothers, of

marvels relating to the hidden things in the treasury of the Sanctuary, which would amaze and astonish you; we could speak to you about ideas concerning which the profoundest philosophy is as removed as the earth from the sun, but to which we arc near being one with the light of the innermost.

But our object is not to excite your curiosity, but to raise your desires to seek the light at its source, where your search for wisdom will be rewarded and your longing for love satisfied, for wisdom and love dwell in our retreats. The stimulus of their reality and of their truth is our magical power.

We assure you that our treasures, though of infinite value, are concealed in so simple a manner that they entirely baffle the researches of opinionated science, and also though these treasures would bring to carnal minds both madness and sorrow, nevertheless, they are, and they ever remain to us the treasures of the highest wisdom.

My best blessing upon you, O my brothers, if you understand these great truths. The recovery of the triple word and of its power will be your reward.

Your happiness will be in having the strength to help to re-unite man with man, and with nature and with God, which is the real work of every workman who has not rejected the Corner Stone.

Now we have fulfilled our trust and we have announced the approach of full day, and the joining

of the inner Sanctuary with the Temple; we leave the rest to your own free will.

We know well, to our bitter grief, that even as the Saviour was not understood in his personality, but was ridiculed and condemned in his humility, likewise also His spirit which will appear in glory will also be rejected and despised by many. Nevertheless the coming of His Spirit should be announced in the Temples in order that these words should be fulfilled.

"I have knocked at your doors and you have not opened them to me; I have called and you have not listened to my voice; I have invited you to the wedding, but you were busy with other things."

May Peace and the light of the Spirit be with you!
  

LETTER IV

AS infinity in numbers loses itself in the unit, and as the innumerable rays of a circle are united in one single centre only, it is likewise with the Mysteries; their hieroglyphics and infinite number of emblems have the object of exemplifying but one single truth. He who knows this has found the key to understand everything all at once.

There is but one God, but one truth, and one way which leads to this grand Truth. There is but one means of finding it.

He who has found this way possesses everything in its possession: all wisdom in one book alone, all strength in one force, every beauty in one single object, all riches in one treasure only, every happiness in one perfect felicity. And the sum of all these perfections is Jesus Christ, who was crucified and who lived again. Now, this great truth, expressed thus, is, it is true, only an object of faith, but it can become also one of experimental knowledge, as soon as we are instructed how Jesus Christ can be or become all this.

This great mystery was always an object of instruction in the Secret School of the invisible and interior Church; this great knowledge was understood

in the earliest days of Christianity under the name of Disciplina Arcana. From this secret school are derived all the rites and ceremonies extant in the Outer Church. But the spirit of these grand and simple verities was withdrawn into the Interior, and in our day it is entirely lost as to the exterior.

It has been prophesied long ago, dear brothers, that all which is hidden shall be revealed in these latter days; but it has also been predicted that many false prophets will arise, and the faithful are warned not to believe every spirit, but to prove them if they really come from God, i John iv. 5. The apostle himself explains how this truth is ascertained. He says, "Hereby know ye the Spirit of God, every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit which confesseth not is not of God." That is to say, the spirit who separates in Him the Divine and human is not from God.

We confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, and hence the spirit of truth speaks by us. But the mystery that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of wide extent and great depth, and in it is contained the knowledge of the divine-human, and it is this knowledge that we are choosing to-day as object for our instruction.

As we are not speaking to neophytes in matters of faith, it will be much easier for you, dear brothers, to receive the sublime truths which we will present

to you, as without doubt you have already chosen as object for your holy meditation various preparatory subjects.

Religion considered scientifically is the doctrine of the re-union of man separated from God to man re-united to God. Hence its sole object is to unite every human being to God, through which union alone can humanity attain its highest felicity both temporally and spiritually.

This doctrine, therefore, of re-union is of the most sublime importance, and being a doctrine it necessarily must have a method by which it leads and teaches us. The first is the knowledge of the correct means of re-union, and secondly the teaching, after the knowledge of the correct means, how these means should be suitably co-ordinated to the end.

This grand concept of re-union, on which all religious doctrine is concentrated, could never have been known to man without revelation. It has always been altogether outside the sphere of scientific knowledge, but this very  of man has made revelation absolutely necessary to us, otherwise we could, unassisted, never have found the means of rising out of this state of ignorance.

Revelation entails the necessity of faith in revelation, because he who has no experience or knowledge whatsoever of a thing must necessarily believe that he wishes to know and have experience. If faith fails, there is no desire for revelation, and the


mind of man closes by itself, its own door and road for discovering the methods revealed by Revelation only. As action and re-action follow each other in nature, so also inevitably revelation and faith act and re-act. One cannot exist without the other, and the more faith a man has the more will revelation be made to him of matters which lie in obscurity. It is true, and very true, that all the veiled truths of religions, even those heavily veiled ones, the most difficult ones to us, will one day be revealed and justified before a tribunal of the most rigid Justice; but the weakness of men, the lack of penetration in perceiving the relation and correspondence between physical and spiritual nature, requires that the highest truths should only be imparted gradually. The holy obscurity of the mysteries is thus on account of our weakness, because our eyes are enabled only gradually to bear their full and dazzling light. In every grade at which the believer in Revelation arrives, he obtains clearer light, and this progressive illumination continues the more convincing, because every truth of faith so acquired becomes more and more vitalised, passing finally into conviction.

Hence faith is founded on our weakness, and also on the full light of revelation which will, in its communication with us, direct us according to our capabilities to the gradual understanding of things, so that in due order the cognisance of the most elevated truths will be ours.

Those objects which are quite unknown to human sense are necessarily belonging to the domain of faith.

Man can only adore and be silent, but if he wishes to demonstrate matters which cannot be manifested objectively, he necessarily falls into error.

Man should adore and be silent, therefore, until such time arrives when these objects in the domain of faith become clearer, and, therefore, more easily recognised. Everything proves itself by itself as soon as we have acquired the interior experience of the truths revealed through faith, so soon as we are led by faith to vision, that is to say, to full cognisance.

In all time have there been men illuminated of God who had this interior knowledge of the things of faith demonstrated objectively either in full or partly, according as the truths of faith passed into their understanding or their hearts. The first kind of vision was called divine illumination. The second was entitled divine inspiration.

The inner sensorium was opened in many to divine and transcendental vision, called ecstacy because this inner sensorium was so enlarged that it entirely dominated the outer physical senses.

But this kind of man is always inexplicable, and he must remain such always to the man of mere sense who has no organs receptive to the transcendental and supernatural, "the natural man receiveth

not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him and he cannot know them, because they are spiritually judged," 1 Cor. xi. 14, i.e., because his spiritual senses are not open to the transcendental world, so that he can have no more objective cognisance of such world than a blind man has of colour; thus the natural man has lost these interior senses, or rather, the capacity for their development is neglected almost to atrophy.

Thus mere physical man is, in general, spiritually blind, one of the further consequences of the Fall. Man then is doubly miserable; he not only has his eyes blindfolded to the sight of high truths, but his heart also languishes a prisoner in the bonds of flesh and blood, which confine him to animal and sensuous pleasures to the hurt of more elevated and genuine ones. Therefore, are we slaves to concupiscence, to the domination of tyrannical passions, and, therefore, do we drag ourselves as paralysed sufferers supported on crutches; the one crutch being the weak one of mere human reason, and the other, sentiment--the one daily giving us appearance instead of reality, the other making us constantly choose evil, imagining it to be good. This is, therefore, our unhappy condition.

Men can only be happy when the bandage which intercepts the true light falls from their eyes, and when the fetters of slavery are loosened from their hearts. The blind must see, the lame must walk,

before happiness can be understood. But the great and all-powerful law to which the felicity or happiness of man is indissolubly attached is the one following--"Man, let reason rule over your passions!"

For ages has man striven to teach and to preach, with, however, the result, after so many centuries, of but the blind always leading the blind; for in all the foolishness of misery into which we have fallen, we do not yet see that man wants more than man to raise us from this condition.

Prejudices and errors, crimes and vices, only change from century to century; they are never extirpated from humanity; reason without illumination flickers faintly in every age, in the heavy air of spiritual darkness; the heart, exhausted with passions, is also the same century after century.

There is but One who can heal these evils, but One who is able to open our inner eyes, but One who can free us from the bonds of sensuality.

This One is Jesus Christ, the Saviour of Man, the Saviour because He wishes to obliterate from us all the consequences which follow as result from the blindness of our natural reason, or the errors arising from the passions of ungoverned hearts.

Very few men, beloved brothers, have a true and exact conception of the greatness of the idea meant by the Redemption of Man; many suppose that Jesus Christ the Lord has only redeemed or re-bought

us by His Blood from damnation, otherwise the eternal separation of man from God; but they do not believe that He could also deliver all those who are bound in Him and confide in Him, from all the miseries of this earth plane!

Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the World; He is the deliverer from all human wretchedness, and He has redeemed us from death and sin; how could He be all that, if the world must languish perpetually in the shades of ignorance and in the bonds of passions? It has been already very clearly predicted in the Prophets that the time of the Redemption of His people, the first Sabbath of time, will come. Long ago ought we to have acknowledged this most consolatory promise; but the want of the true knowledge of God, of man, and of nature has been the real hindrance which has always obstructed our sight of the great Mysteries of the faith.

You must know, my brothers, that there is a dual nature, one pure, spiritual, immortal, and indestructible, the other impure, material, mortal, and destructible. The pure nature was before the impure. This latter originated solely through the disharmony and disproportion of substances which form destructible nature. Hence nothing is permanent until all disproportions and dissonances are eradicated, so that all remains in harmony.

The incorrect conception regarding spirit and matter is one of the principal causes which prevent

many verities of faith from shining in their true lustre.

Spirit is a substance, an essence, an absolute reality. Hence its properties are indestructibility, uniformity, penetration, indivisibility, and continuity. Matter is not a substance, it is an aggregate. Hence it is destructible, divisible, and subject to change.

The metaphysical world is one really existing perfectly pure and indestructible, whose Centre we call Jesus Christ, and whose inhabitants are known by the names of Angels and Spirits.

The physical world is that of phenomena, and it possesses no absolute truth, all that we call truth here is but relative, the shadow and phenomena only of truth.

Our reason here borrows all its ideas from the senses, hence they are lifeless and dead. We draw everything from external objectivity, and our reason is like an ape who imitates what nature shows him outwardly. Thus the light of the senses is the principle of our earthly reason, sensuality the motive for our will, tending therefore to animal wants and their satisfaction. It is true, however, that we feel higher motives imperative, but up to the present we do not know either where to seek or where to find.

In this world everything is corruptible; it is useless to seek here for a pure principle of reason and morality or motive for the Will. This must be sought for in a more exalted world--there, where

all is pure and indestructible, where there reigns a Being all wisdom and all love. Thus the world neither can nor will become happy until this Real Being can be received by humanity in full and become its All in All.

Man, dear brothers, is composed of indestructible and metaphysical substance, as well as of material and destructible substance, but in such a manner that the indestructible and eternal is, as it were, imprisoned in the destructible matter.

Thus two contradictory natures are comprehended in the same man. The destructible substance enchains us to the sensible, the other seeks to deliver us from these chains, and to raise us to the spiritual. Hence the incessant combat between good and evil.

The fundamental cause of human corruption is to be found in the corruptible matter from which man is formed. For this gross matter oppresses the action of the transcendental and spiritual principle, and is the true cause, hence, of the blindness of our understanding, and the errors of our inclinations.

The fragility of a china vessel depends upon the clay from which it is formed. The most beautiful form that clay of any sort is able to receive must always remain fragile because the matter of which it is formed is also fragile. Thus do men remain likewise frail notwithstanding all our external culture.

When we examine the causes of the obstacles

keeping the natural man in such deep abasement, they are found in the grossness of the matter in which the spiritual part is, as it were, buried and bound.

The inflexibility of fibres, the immovability of temperaments, that would wish to obey the refined stimulation of the spirit, are, as it were, the material chains which bind them, preventing in us the action of the sublime functions of which the spirit is capable.

The nerves and fluidity of the brain can only yield us rough and obscure notions derived from phenomena, and not from truth and the things themselves; and as we cannot, by the strength of our thinking powers alone, have sufficient balance to oppose representations strong enough to counteract the violence of external sensation, the result is that we are governed by our sensations, and the voice of reason which speaks softly internally is deafened by the tumultuous noise of the elements which keep our mechanism going.

It is true that reason strains to raise itself above this uproar, and wishes to decide the combat, seeking to restore order by the light and force of its judgment. But its action is only like the rays of the sun constantly hidden by clouds.

The grossness of all the matter in which material man consists, and the tissue of the whole edifice of his nature, is the cause of that disinclination which holds the soul in continual imperfection.

The heaviness of our thinking power in general is consequent upon dependence upon gross and unyielding matter, this same matter forming the true bonds of the flesh, and is the true source of all error and vice. Reason, which should be an absolute legislator, is continually slave to sensuality, which raises itself as regent and, governing the reason that is drooping in chains, follows its own desires.

This truth has been felt for long, and it has always been taught that reason should be sole legislator. It should govern the will and never be governed itself.

Great and small feel this truth; but no sooner is it desired to put it in execution than the animal will vanquishes reason, and then the reason subjugates the animal will; thus in every man the victory and defeat are alternate, hence this power and counter-power are the cause of this perpetual oscillation between good and evil, or the true and the false.

If man wishes to be led to the true in such manner that we can only act after the laws of reason, and from the purified will, it is absolutely necessary to constitute the pure reason sovereign in man. But how can this be done when the matter out of which many men is formed is more or less brutal, divisible and corruptible, hence misery, illness, poverty, death, want, prejudices, errors, and vices, the necessary consequence of the

limitation of the immortal spirit in the bonds of brute and corruptible matter. Sensuality is bound to rule if reason be fettered.

Yes, friends and brothers, such is the general fate of man, and as this state of things is propagated from man to man, it may in all justice be called the hereditary corruption of man.

We observe, in general, that the powers of reason act upon the heart, but in relation only to the specific constitution of the matter of which man is made. Thus it is extremely remarkable when we think that the sun vivifies this animal matter according to the measure of the distance from this terrestrial body, that it makes it suitable to the functions of animal economy, but at one degree more or less raised from spiritual influence. Diversity of nations, their properties with regard to climate, the variety of character, passions, manners, prejudices and customs, even their virtues and their vices, depend entirely upon the specific constitution of the matter from which they are formed, and in which the imprisoned spirit operates accordingly. Man's capacity for culture is modified to this constitution, likewise his science, which can only affect people as far as there is matter present, susceptible to such modification, and in this modification consists the capacity for culture suitable to such people, which suitability depends partly on climate, partly on descent.

Generally, we find in each zone man much the

same everywhere, weak and sensual, wise just in so far as his physical matter allows reason to triumph over the sensuous, or foolish if the sensuous obtains mastery over the more or less fettered spirit. In this lies the evil and the good specially belonging to each nation, as well as to each isolated individual. We find in the world at large the same corruption inherent in the matter from which man is made, only under various forms and modifications.

From the lowest animal condition of savage nature man rises to the idea of the social state, primarily through his wants and desires, strength and cunning, qualities especially animal, inherently his as the animal develops thence gradually into other forms.

The modifications of these fundamental animal tendencies are endless; and the highest degree to which human culture as acquired by the world, has attained, up to the present has not carried things further than the putting of a finer polish on the substance of his animal instincts. This means to say we are raised from the rank of the brute to that of the refined animal.

But this period was necessary, because on its accomplishment begins a new era, when the animal instincts being fully developed, there commences the stage of evolution of the more elevated desires towards light and reason.

Jesus Christ has written in our hearts in exceedingly

beautiful words this great truth, that man must seek in his common clay for the cause of all his sorrows. When He said, "The best man, he who strives the most to arrive at truth, sins seven times a day," He wished to say by this, in the man of the finest organisation, the seven powers of the spirit are still closed, therefore the seven sensuous actions surmount them daily after their respective fashions.

Thus the best man is exposed to error and passions; the best man is weak and sinful; the best man is not a free man, and, therefore, exempt from pain and trouble; the best man is subject to sickness and death, and why? Because all these are the natural inevitable consequences incidental to the qualities of the corrupt matter of which he is formed.

Therefore, there could be no hope of higher happiness for humanity so long as this corruptible and material forms the principal substantial part of his being.

The impossibility of mankind to transport itself, of itself, to true perfection, is a despairing thought, but, at the same time, one full of consolation, because, in consequence of this radical impossibility, and because of it, a more exalted and perfect being than man permitted himself to be clothed in this mortal and destructible envelope in order to make the mortal immortal, and the destructible indestructible; and in this object is to be

sought the true reason for the Incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the actual substantial Word by which all is made, and which existed from the beginning, Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God working in everything, was as the centre of Paradise of the world and of light. He was the only real organism by which alone Divine strength could be communicated, and this organism is of immortal and pure nature, that indestructible substance which gives new life and raises all things to happiness and perfection. This pure incorruptible substance is the pure element in which spiritual man lived.

From this perfect element, which God only can inhabit, and the substance out of which the first man was formed, from it was the first man separated by the Fall. By the partaking of the Tree of Good and Evil, of the mixture, the good and incorruptible principle with the bad and corruptible one, he was self-poisoned, so that his immortal essence retreated interiorly, and the mortal, pressing forward, clothed him externally. Thus, then, disappeared immortality, happiness, and life, and mortality and death were the results of this change.

Many men cannot understand the idea of the Tree of Good and Evil; this tree was, however, the product of moveable but central matter, but in which destructibility had somewhat the superiority over the indestructible. The premature use of this

fruit was that which poisoned Adam, robbing him of his immortality and enveloping him in this material and mortal clay, and thenceforward he fell a prey to the Elements which originally he governed. This unhappy event was, however, the reason why Immortal Wisdom, the pure metaphysical element, clothed itself with a mortal body and voluntarily sacrificed himself, so that the Interior Powers could penetrate into the centre of the destruction, and could then ferment gradually, changing the mortal to the immortal.

Thus, when it came about quite naturally that immortal man became subject to mortality through the enjoyment of mortal matter, it also happened quite naturally that mortal man could only recover his former dignity through the enjoyment of Immortal Matter.

All passes naturally and simply under God's Reign, but in order to understand this simplicity it is requisite to have pure ideas of God, of nature, and of man. And if the sublimest Truths of faith are still, for us, wrapped in impenetrable obscurity, the reason for this is because we have up to the present dissolved the connection between God, nature, and man.

Jesus Christ has spoken to His most intimate friends when He was still on this earth, of the grand mystery of Regeneration, but all that He said was obscure to them, they could not then receive it; thus the development of these great

Truths was reserved for latter days, for it is the greatest and the last Mystery of Religion, in which all the others retreat as to a Unity.

Regeneration is no other than a dissolution of, and a release from this impure and corruptible matter, which enchains our immortal essence, plunging into deathly sleep its obstructed vital force. Therefore, there must necessarily be a real method to eradicate this poisonous ferment which breeds so much suffering for us, and thereby to liberate the obstructed vitality.

There is, however, no other means to find this excepting by religion, for religion looked at scientifically being the doctrine which proclaims the re-union with God, it must of necessity show us how to arrive at this re-union.

Is not Jesus the life giving intelligence? He gives us the principal object of the Bible and of all the desires, hopes, and efforts of the Christians. Have we not received from our Lord and Master while still He walked with His disciples, the profoundest solutions of the most hidden truths? Did not our Lord and Master when He was with them in His  Body after His resurrection give them the highest revelation with regard to His Person, and did He not lead them still more deeply into central knowledge of truth?

Will He not realise that which He said in His Sacerdotal prayer, St. John xvii. 22, 23: "And the glory which thou hast given to me I have given

unto them, that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and they in Me, that they may be perfected into One."

As the disciples of the Lord could not comprehend this great mystery of the new and last alliance, Jesus Christ transmitted it to the latter days, of the future now arriving, when He said, "And the glory which Thou hast given Me, I have given unto them, that they may be one even as We are One," St. John xvii. 22. This alliance is called the Union of Peace. It is then that the law of God will be engraven in the heart of our hearts; we shall all know the Lord; and we shall be His people, and He will be our God.

All is already prepared for this actual possession of God, this union with God really possible here below; and the holy element, the efficacious medicine for humanity, is revealed by God's Spirit. The table of the Lord is ready and everyone is invited; the " true bread of Angels " is prepared.

The holiness and the greatness of the Mystery which contains within itself every mystery here obliges us to be silent, and we are not permitted to speak more than concerning its effects.

The corruptible and destructible is destroyed, and replaced by the incorruptible and by the indestructible. The inner sensorium opens and links us on to the spiritual world. We are enlightened by wisdom, led by truth, and nourished with the torch of love. Unimagined strength

develops in us wherewith to vanquish the world, the flesh and the devil. Our whole being is renewed and made suitable for the actual dwelling-place of the Spirit of God. Command over nature, intercourse with the upper worlds, and the delight of visible intercourse with the Lord are granted also!

The hoodwink of ignorance falls from our eyes, the bonds of sensuality break, and we rejoice in the liberty of God's children.

We have told you the chiefest and most important fact, if your heart having the thirst for truth has laid hold on the pure ideas that you have gathered from all this, and have received in its entirety the grandeur and the blessedness of the thing itself as object of desire, we will tell you further.

May the Glory of the Lord and the renewing of your whole being be meanwhile the highest of your hopes!


LETTER V

IN our last letter, my dear brothers (and sisters), you granted me your earnest attention to that highest of mysteries, the real possession of God; it is therefore necessary to give you fuller light on this subject.

Man, as we know, is unhappy in this world because he is made out of destructible matter that is subject to trouble and sorrow.

The fragile envelope--i.e., his body--exposes him to the violence of the elements, pain, poverty, suffering, illnesses. This is his normal fate; his immortal spirit languishing in the bonds of sense. Man is unhappy, because he is ill in body and soul, and he possesses no true panacea either for his body or for his soul.

Those whose duty it is to govern and lead other men to happiness, are as other men, also weak and subject to the same passions and prejudices.

Therefore, what fate can humanity expect? Must the greater part of it be always unfortunate? Is there no salvation for all?

Brothers, if humanity as a whole is ever capable of being raised to a condition of true happiness,

such state can only be possible under the following conditions:--

First, poverty, pain, illness and sorrow must become much less frequent. Secondly, passions, prejudices and ignorance must diminish.

Is this at all possible with the nature of man, when experience proves that, from century to century, suffering only assumes fresh form; that passions, prejudices and errors always cause the same evils; and when we realise that all these things only change shape, and that man in every age remains much the same weak man?

There is a terrible judgment pronounced upon the human race, and this judgment is--men can never become happy so long as they will not become wise; but they will never become wise, while sensuality governs reason, while the spirit languishes in the bonds of flesh and blood.

Where is the man that has no passions? Let him shew himself. Do we not all wear the chains of sensuality more or less heavily? Are we not all slaves? All sinners?

This realisation of our low estate excites in us the desire to be raised beyond it, and we lift up our eyes on high, and an angel's voice says--the sorrows of man shall be comforted.

Man being sick body and soul, this mortal sickness must have a cause, and this cause is to be found in the very matter out of which man is made.

The destructible imprisons the indestructible, the ferment of sin is in us, and in this ferment is human corruption, and its propagation and consequences form the perpetuation of original sin.

The healing of humanity is only possible through the destruction of this ferment of sin, hence we have need of a physician and a remedy that really can cure us. But an invalid cannot be cured by another; the man of destructible matter cannot re-make himself of indestructible matter; dead matter cannot awake other dead, the blind cannot lead the blind.

Only the Perfect can bring anything to perfection; only the Indestructible can make the destructible likewise; only the Living can wake the dead.

This Physician and this active Medicine cannot be found in death and destruction, only in superior nature where all is perfection and life!

The lack of the knowledge of the union of Divinity with nature, nature with man, is the true cause of all prejudice and error. Theologians, philosophers, moralists, all wish to regulate the world, and they fill it with endless contradictions.

Theologians do not see the union of God with nature and fall therefore into error.

Modern philosophers study only matter, and not the connection of pure nature with divine nature, and therefore announce the falsest opinions.

Moralists will not recognise the inherent corruption

of human nature, and they expect to cure by words, when means are absolutely necessary.

Thus the world, man and God, continue in permanent dissension; one opinion drives out another; superstition and incredulity take turn about in dominating society, separating man from the word of truth when he has so much dire need of approaching her.

It is only in the true Schools of Wisdom that one can learn to know God, nature, and man; and in these, for thousands of years, has work been done in silence to acquire to the highest degree this knowledge,--the union of man with pure nature and with God.

This great object, God and Nature, to which everything tends, has been represented to man symbolically in every religion; and all the symbols and holy glyphs are but the letter by which man can gradually, step by step, recover the highest of all divine mysteries, natural and human, and learn the means of healing his unhappy condition, and of the union of his being with pure nature and with God.

We have attained this epoch solely under God's guidance. Divinity, next remembering its covenant with man, has given forth the means of cure for suffering mankind, and shewn thereby how to raise man to his original dignity, uniting him to God, the Source of his happiness.

The knowledge of this method ensuring recovery

is the science of Saints and of the Elect, and its possession the inheritance promised to God's children.

Now, my beloved brothers, I want you to grant me your most earnest attention to what I am about to say.

In our blood there is lying concealed a slimy matter (called the gluten) which has a nearer kinship to animal than to spiritual man. This gluten is the body of sin.

This material, this matter, can be modified in various manners, according to the stimulus of sense; and according to the kind of modification and change occurring in this body or matter of sin, so also vary the diverse sinful tendencies of man.

In its most violent expansion this matter produces pride; in its utmost contraction, avarice, self-will and selfishness; in its repulsion, rage and anger; in its circular movements levity and incontinence; in its eccentricity, greediness and drunkenness; in its concentricity, envy; in its essence, sloth.

This ferment of sin, as original sin, is more or less working in the blood of every man, and is transmitted from father to son, and the perpetual propagation of this baneful material, everlastingly hinders the simultaneous action of spirit with matter.

It is quite true that man by his will-power can put limits to the action of this body of sin, and can dominate it so that it becomes less active, but to

destroy and annihilate it altogether is beyond his power. This then is the cause of the combat we are constantly waging between the good and the evil in us.

This body of sin which is in us, forms the ties of flesh and blood which, on the one side, bind us to our immortal spirit, and, on the other, to the tendencies of the animal man. It is as it were the allurements of the animal passions that smoulder and take fire at last.

The violent reaction of this body of sin in us, on sensuous stimulation, is the reason why we choose, for the want of calm and tranquil judgment, rather the evil than the good, because the active fermentation of this matter impedes the quiet action of the spirit necessary to instruct and sustain the reason.

This same evil matter is also the cause of our ignorance, because, as its thick and inflexible substance surcharges the fine brain fibres, it prevents the co-action of reason, which is required to penetrate the objects of the understanding.

Thus falseness and all evils are the properties of this sinful matter, this body of sin, just as the good and the true are the essential qualities of the spiritual principle within us.

Through the recognition and thorough understanding by us of this body of sin we learn to see that we are beings morally ill, that we have need of a physician who can give us a medicine which

will destroy and eradicate the evil matter always fermenting banefully within us, a remedy that will cure us and restore us to moral health.

We learn also clearly to recognize that all mere moralizing with words is of little use when real means are necessary.

We have been moralizing in varied words for centuries, but the world remains pretty much the same. A doctor would do but little good in talking only of his remedies, it is necessary for him actually to prescribe his medicines; he has, however, first to see the real state of the sick person.

The condition of humanity--the moral sickness of man--is a true case of poisoning, consequent upon the eating of the fruit of the tree in which corruptible matter had the superiority.

The first effect of this poison resulted thus: the incorruptible principle, the body of life as opposed to the body of sin or death, whose expansion caused the perfection of Adam, concentrated itself inwardly, and the external part was abandoned to the government of the elements. Hence a mortal matter gradually covered the immortal essence, and the loss of this central light was the cause subsequently of all man's sufferings.

Communication with the world of light was interrupted, the interior eye which had the power of seeing truth objectively was closed, and the physical eye opened to the plane of changing phenomena.

Man lost all true happiness, and in this unhappy condition he would have for ever lost all means of restoration to health were it not that the love and mercy of God, who had no other object in creation but the greatest happiness for its creatures, immediately afforded to fallen man a means of recovery. In this means, he, with all posterity, had the right to trust, in order that while still in his state of banishment, he might support his misfortune with humility and resignation, and, moreover, find in his pilgrimage the great consolation, that every corruptible thing in man could be restored perfectly through the love of a Saviour.

Despair would have been the fate of man without such revelation.

Man, before the Fall, was the living Temple of Divinity, and at the time when this Temple was destroyed, the plan to rebuild the Temple was already projected by the Wisdom of God; and at this period begin the Holy Mysteries of every religion, which are all and each in themselves, after a thousand varying modes, according to time and circumstances, and method of conception of different nations, but symbols repeated and modified of one solitary truth, and this unique truth is--regeneration, or the re-union of man with God.

Before the Fall man was wise, he was united to Wisdom; after the Fall he was no longer one with Her, hence a true science through express Revelation became absolutely necessary.

The Revelation was the following:--

The condition of immortality consists in immortality permeating the mortal. Immortal substance is divine substance, and is no other than the magnificence of the Almighty throughout nature, the substance of the world and spirits, the infinity, in short, of God in whom all things move and have their being.

It is an immutable law, no creature can be truly happy when separated from the source of all happiness. This source, this in whom, is the magnificence of God Himself.

Through the partaking of destructible nourishment, man himself became destructible and material; matter, therefore, as it were places itself between God and man, that is to say, man is not directly penetrated and permeated by divinity, and, in consequence, he is thenceforth subject to, and falls under the dominion of, the laws regulating matter.

The divine in man, imprisoned by the bonds of this matter, is his immortal part, the part that should be at liberty, in order that its development should once again rule the mortal. Then once more does man regain his original greatness.

But a means for his cure, and a method to externalize what is now hidden and concealed within, is requisite. Fallen and unwise man of himself can neither know nor grasp this expedient; he cannot even recognise it, because he has lost pure knowledge and the light of true wisdom; he cannot

take hold of it, because this remedy is infolded in interior nature, and he has neither the strength or power to unlock this hidden force.

Hence Revelation to learn this means, and strength to acquire this power, are necessary to man.

This necessity for the salvation of man was the cause of the determination of Wisdom, or the Son of God, to give Himself to be known by man, being the pure substance out of which all has been made. In this pure substance all power is reserved to vivify all dead substance, and to purify all that is impure.

But before that could be done, and the inmost part of man, the divine in him, be once more penetrated and re-opened again, and the whole world be regenerated, it was requisite that this divine substance should incarnate in humanity and become human, and therein transmit the divine and regenerative force to humanity; it was necessary also that this divine human form should be killed, in order that the divine and incorruptible substance contained in the blood should penetrate into the recesses of the earth, and thenceforth work a gradual dissolution of corruptible matter, so that in due time a pure and regenerated earth will be presented to man, with the Tree of Life growing once more, so that by partaking of its fruit, containing the true immortal essence, mortality in us will be once more annihilated, and man healed by

the fruit of the Tree of Life, just as he was once poisoned by the partaking of the fruit of death.

This fact is the first and most important revelation and it embraces all, and it has been carefully preserved from mouth to mouth among the Chosen of God up to this time.

Human nature required a Saviour, this Saviour was Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God itself, reality from God. He put on the envelope of humanity, to communicate directly the divine and immortal substance once more to the world, which was nothing else but Himself.

He offered himself voluntarily, in order that the pure essential force in His blood could penetrate directly, bringing with it the potentiality of all perfection to the hidden recesses of the earth.

Himself, both as High Priest and as Victim at the same time, entered into the Holy of Holies, and after having accomplished all that was necessary, he laid the foundation of the Royal Priesthood of His Elect, and taught these through the knowledge of His person and of His powers; now they should lead, as the first born of the spirit, other men, their brethren, to universal happiness.

And here begin the Sacerdotal Mysteries of the Elect and of the Inner Church.

The Royal and Priestly Science is that of Regeneration. It is called Royal Science because it leads man to power and the dominion over Nature.

It is called Sacerdotal, because it sanctifies and

brings all to perfection, spreading blessing and goodness everywhere.

This Science owes its immediate origin to the verbal revelation of God, it is always the Science of the Inner Church of Prophets and of Saints, and it recognised no other High Priest but Jesus Christ the Lord.

This Science has a triple object; first, regenerating the individual and isolated man, or the first of the Elect; second, many men; thirdly, all humanity.

Its exercise consists in the highest perfecting of itself and of everything in Nature.

This Science was never taught otherwise than by the Holy Spirit of God, and by those who were in unison with this Spirit, and it is beyond all other sciences, because it can alone teach the knowledge of God, of nature, and of man in a perfect harmony; while other sciences do not understand truly either God or nature, neither man nor his destination.

The capabilities of this Science are the powers to know God in man, and divinity in nature; these being, as it were, the Divine impression or seals, by which our inner selves can be opened and can arrive at union with Divinity.

Thus the re-union was the most exalted aim, and hence the Priesthood derived its name religio, clerus regenerans.

Melchizedek was the first Priest King; all true Priests of God and of Nature descend from him,

and Jesus Christ himself was united with him as "priest" after the order of Melchizedek. This word is literally of the highest and widest significance and extent--mlkytz-dq (MLKIZ-DQ). It means literally the introducing of the true substance of vital life, and the separation of this true vital substance from the mortal envelope which encloses it.

A priest is one who separates that which is pure nature from that which is of impure nature, a separator of the substance which contains all from the destructible matter which occasions pain and misery. The sacrifice or that which has been separated consists in bread and wine.

Bread means literally the substance which contains all; wine the substance which vitalizes everything.

Therefore, a priest after the order of Melchizedek is one who knows how to separate the all-embracing and vitalizing substance from impure matter, one who knows how to employ it as a real means of reconciliation and of re-union for fallen humanity, in order to communicate to him his true and royal privilege of power over nature, and the Sacerdotal dignity or the ability to unite himself by grace to the upper worlds.

In these few words is contained all the mystery of God's Priesthood, and the occupation and aim of the Priest.

But this royal Priesthood was only able to reach perfect maturity when Jesus Christ Himself as High

Priest had fulfilled the greatest of all sacrifices, and had entered into the Holy Sanctuary.

Here we are now entering on new and great mysteries worthy, I entreat you, of your most earnest attention.

When, according to the wisdom and justice of God, it was resolved to save the fallen human race, the Wisdom of God had to choose the method which afforded in every aspect the most efficacious means for the consummation of this great object.

When man became so thoroughly poisoned by the fruit of evil, carrying in himself henceforth the ferment of death, all around him became subject to death and destruction, therefore, divine mercy was bound to establish a counter remedy, which could be partaken of, containing within itself the divine and revitalising substance, so that by taking this immortal food, poisoned and death-stricken man could be healed and rescued from his suffering. But in order that this Tree of Life could be replanted, it was requisite beyond all things that the corruptible material in the centre of the earth should be first regenerated, resolved and made capable of being again one day a universally vitalising substance.

This capacity for new life, bringing about the dissolution of corruptible essence which is inherent in the centre of the earth, was, however, possible to no other matter than divine vital substance enveloped in flesh and blood which could transmit

the hidden forces of life to dead nature. This was done through the death of Jesus Christ. The tinctural force which flowed from His shed blood penetrated to the innermost parts of the earth, raised the dead, rent the rocks, and caused the total eclipse of the sun when it pressed from the centre of the earth where the light penetrated the central darkness to the circumference, and there laid the foundation of the future glorification of the world.

Since the death of Jesus Christ, the divine force, driven to the earth's centre by the shedding of His blood, works and ferments perpetually to press outward, and to fit and prepare all substances gradually for the great cataclysm which is destined for the world.

But the rebuilding of the world's edifice in general was not only the aim of Redemption. Man was the principal object for the shedding of Christ's blood, and to procure for him already in this material world the highest possible perfection by the amelioration of his being, Jesus Christ submitted to infinite suffering.

He is the Saviour of the world and of man. The object and cause of His Incarnation was to rescue us from sin, misery, and from death.

Jesus Christ has delivered us from all evil by His flesh, which he sacrificed, and by His blood, which He shed for us.

In the clear understanding of what consists this flesh and this blood of Jesus Christ lies the true

and pure knowledge of the real regeneration of man.

The mystery of being united with Jesus Christ, not only spiritually but also corporeally, is the greatest aim of the Inner Church. Become one with Him in spirit and in being is the fulfilling and plenitude of the efforts of the Elect.

The means for this real possession of God is hidden from the wise of this world, and revealed to the simplicity of children.

Vain philosopher, bend thyself before the grand and Divine Mysteries that thou in thy wisdom canst not understand, and for the penetration of whose secrets the feeble light of human reason darkened by sense can give thee no measure!


LETTER VI AND LAST

GOD made Himself man to deify man. Heaven united itself with earth to transform earth into Heaven.

But in order that these divine transformations can take place, an entire change, a complete and absolute overturning and upsetting of our being, is necessary.

This change, this upsetting, is called re-birth. To be born, simply means to enter into a world in which the senses dominate, in which wisdom and love languish in the bonds of individuality.

To be re-born means to return to a world where the spirit of wisdom and love governs, and where animal-man obeys.

The re-birth is triple; first, the re-birth of our intelligence; second, of our heart and of our will; and, finally, the re-birth of our entire being.

The first and second kinds are called the spiritual, and the third the corporeal re-birth.

Many pious men, seekers after God, have been regenerated in the mind and will, but few have known the corporeal re-birth. This last has been attained to but by few men, and those to whom it has been given have only received it that they

might serve as agents of God, in accordance with great and grand objects and intentions, and to bring humanity nearer to felicity.

It is now necessary, my dear brothers, to lay before you the true order of re-birth. God, who is all strength, wisdom, and love, works eternally in order and in harmony.

He who will not receive the spiritual life, he who is not born anew from the Lord, can not enter into heaven.

Man is engendered through his parents in original sin, that is to say, he enters into the natural life and not the spiritual.

The spiritual life consists in loving God above everything, and your neighbour as yourself. In this double-love consists the principle of the new life.

Man is begotten in evil, in the love of himself and of the things of this world. Love of himself! Self interest! Self gratification! Such are the substantial properties of evil. The good is in the love of God and your neighbour, in knowing no other love but the love of mankind, no interest but that affecting every man, and no other pleasure but that of the well-being of all.

It is by such sentiments that the spirit of the children of God is distinguished from the spirit of the children of this world.

To change the spirit of this world into the spirit of the children of God is to be regenerated, and it

means to despoil the old man, and to re-clothe the new.

But no person can be re-born if he does not know and put in practice the following principle--that of truth becoming the object for our doing or not doing; therefore, he who desires to be re-born ought first to know what belongs to re-birth. He ought to understand, meditate, and reflect on all this. Afterwards he should act according to his knowledge, and the result will be a new life.

Now, as it is first necessary to know, and to be instructed in all that appertains to re-birth, a doctor, or an instructor is required, and if we know one, faith in him is also necessary, because of what use is an instructor if his pupil have no faith in him?

Hence, the commencement of re-birth is faith in Revelation.

The disciple should begin by believing that the Lord, the Son, is the Wisdom of God, that He is, from all Eternity from God, and that He came into the world to bring happiness to humanity. He should believe that the Lord has full power in heaven and on earth, and that all faith and love, all the true and the good, come from Him alone; that He is the Mediator, the Saviour, and Governor of men.

When this most exalting faith has taken root in us, we shall think often of the Saviour, and these thoughts turned towards Him develop, and by His

grace reacting in us, the seven closed and spiritual powers are opened.

The way to happiness.--Do you wish, man and brother, to acquire the highest happiness possible? Search for truth, wisdom, and love. But you will not find truth, wisdom, and love, save in the unity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Anointed of God.

Seek, then, Jesus Christ with all your strength, search Him from the fulness of your heart.

The beginning of His Ascension is the knowledge of His absence, and from the recognition of this knowledge is the desire for increased power to seek Him, which desire is the beginning of faith.

Faith gives confidence, but faith has also its order of progress. First comes historic faith, then moral, then divine, and finally living faith. The progression is as follows: Historical faith when we learn to believe the history of Jesus of Nazareth, and through this simple historical faith in the existence of Jesus, will evolve moral faith, whose development consists in the acquirement of virtue by its search and practice, so that we see and find real pleasure in all that is taught by this Man; we find that His simple doctrine is full of wisdom and His teaching full of love; that His intentions towards humanity are straight and true, and that He willingly suffered death for the sake of justice. Thus, faith in His Person will be followed by faith in His Divinity.

This same Jesus Christ tells us now that He

is Son of God, and He emphasizes His words by instructing His disciples in the sacred mysteries of nature and religion.

Here natural and reasonable faith changes into divine faith, and we begin to believe that he was God made man. From this faith it results that we hold as true all that we do not yet understand, but which He tells us to believe. Through this faith in the Divinity of Jesus, and by that entire surrender to Him, and the faithful attention to His directions, is at last produced that living faith, by which we find within ourselves and TRUE through our own experience, all that hitherto we have until now believed in merely with the confidence of a child; and this living faith proved by experience is the highest grade of all.

When our hearts, through living faith, have received Jesus Christ into them, then this Light of the World is born within us as in a humble stable.

Everything in us is impure, surrounded by the spider-webs of vanity, covered with the mud of sensuality.

Our will is the Ox that is under the yoke of its passions. Our reason is the Ass who is bound through the obstinacy of its opinions, its prejudices, its follies.

In this miserable and ruined hut, the home of all the animal passions, can Jesus Christ be born in us through faith.

The simplicity of our souls, is as the shepherds who brought their first offerings, until at last the three principal powers of our royal dignity, our reason, our will, and our activity [**] prostrate themselves before Him and offer Him the gifts of truth, wisdom, and love.

Little by little, the stable of our hearts changes itself into an exterior Temple, where Jesus Christ teaches, but this Temple is still full of Scribes and Pharisees.

Those who sell, Dives and the money changers, are still to be found, and these should be driven out, and the Temple changed into a House of Prayer.

Little by little Jesus Christ chooses all the good powers in us to announce Him. He heals our blindness, purifies our leprosy, raises the dead powers into living forces within us; He is crucified in us, He dies, and He is gloriously raised again Conqueror with us. Afterwards his personality lives in us, and instructs us in exalted mysteries, until He has made us complete and ready for the perfect Regeneration when He mounts to heaven and thence sends us the Spirit of Truth.

But before such a Spirit can act in us we experience the following changes:--

First, the seven powers of our understanding are lifted up within us; afterwards, the seven powers of our hearts or of our will, and this exaltation takes

place after the following manner. The human understanding is divided into seven powers; the first is that of looking at abstract objects--intuitus. By the second we perceive the objects abstractedly regarded--apperceptio. By the third, that which has been perceived is reflected upon--reflexio. The fourth is that of considering these objects in their diversity fantasia, imaginatio. The fifth is that of deciding upon some thing--judicium. The sixth co-ordinates all these according to their relationships--ratio. The seventh and last is the power of realizing the whole intellectual intuition--intellectus.

This last contains, so to say, the sum of all the others.

The will of man divides itself similarly into seven powers, which, taken together as a unit, form the will of man, being, as it were, its substantial parts.

The first is the capacity of desiring things apart from himself--desiderium. The second is the power to annex mentally things desired for himself--appetitus. The third is the power of giving them form, realizing them so as to satisfy his desire--concupiscentia. The fourth is that of receiving inclinations, without deciding upon acting upon any, as in the condition of passion--passio. The fifth is the capacity for deciding for or against a thing, liberty--libertas. The sixth is that choice or a resolution actually taken--electio. The seventh is the power of giving the object chosen an existence

 --voluntas. This seventh power also contains all the others in one figure.

Now the seven powers of the understanding, like the seven powers of our heart and will, can be ennobled and exalted in a very special manner, when we embrace Jesus Christ, as being the wisdom of God, as principle of our reason, and His whole life, which was all love, for motive power of our will.

Our understanding is formed after that of Jesus Christ; First, when we have Him in view in everything, when He forms the only point of sight for all our actions--intuitus. Second, when we perceive His actions, His sentiments, and His spirit everywhere--apperceptio. Third, when in all our thoughts we reflect upon His sayings, when we think in everything as He would have thought--reflexio. Fourth, when we so comfort ourselves in such wise, that His thoughts and His wisdom are the only object for the strength of our imagination--fantasia. Fifth, when we reject every thought which would not be His, and when we choose every thought which could be His--judicium. Sixth, when in short we co-ordinate the whole edifice of our ideas and spirit upon the model of His ideas and spirit--ratio. Seventh, It is then will be born in us a new light, a more brilliant one, surpassing far the light of reason of the senses--intellectus. Our heart is also reformed in like manner, when in everything,--First, We lean on

 Him only--desidare. Second, We wish for Him only--appetere. Third, We desire only Him--concupiscere. Fourth, We love Him only--amare. Fifth, We choose only that which He is, so that we avoid all that He is not--eligere. Sixth, We live only in harmony with Him after His commandments and His institutions and orders--subordinare. By which in short, Seventh, is born a complete union of our will with His, by which union man is with Jesus Christ but as one sense, one heart; by which perfect union the new man is little by little born in us, and Divine wisdom and love unite to form in us the new spiritual man, in whose heart faith passes into sight, and in comparison to this living faith the treasures of India can be considered but as ashes.

This actual possession of God or Jesus Christ in us is the Centre towards which all the mysteries converge like rays to the circle eye; the highest of the mysteries is this consummation.

The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of truth, morality, and happiness. It operates in the saints from the innermost to the outside, and spreads itself gradually by the Spirit of Jesus Christ into all nations, to institute everywhere an Order by means of which the individual can reach as well as the race; our human nature can be raised to its highest perfection, and sick humanity be cured from all the evils of its weakness.

Thus the love and spirit of God will one day

alone vivify all humanity; they will awake and rekindle all the strength of the human race, will lead it to the goals of Wisdom and place it in suitable relationships.

Peace, fidelity, domestic harmony, love between nations, will be the first fruits of this Spirit. Inspiration of good without false similitudes, the exaltation of our souls without too severe a tension, warmth in the heart without turbulent impatience, will approach, reconcile, and unite all the various parts of the human race, long separated and divided by many differences, and stirred up against each other by prejudices and errors, and in one Grand Temple of Nature, great and little, poor and rich, all will sing the praise of the Father of Love.

 
 
 DIANETICS: THE MODERN SCIENCE 
 The progress of Mankind from the period of savagery to the present is marked with milestones. Conventional history books would have you believe that these milestones are bat-tle monuments or the tombs of great men. Yet there are more important markers of Man’s progress – and these are New Ideas. Whenever a New Idea has been created, Man’s chances for survival have been improved and the arduousness of his journey away from animalhood is lessened. There have been numerous New Ideas in the past. To name a few of the more obvious, consider the invention of the wheel, the control of fire, the development of mathematics or even the newest one – the discovery of the means of atomic fission. Every one of these ideas has altered the progress of Mankind – sometimes temporarily for the worse, but ultimately for Man’s betterment. In my opinion DIANETICS is worthy of being called a New Idea, and is destined to take its place alongside of these other milestones of progress. It might even be considered to be more important than any of these, for it is a science which for the first time gives us an understanding of the tool with which these other inventions were created – the human mind. In the creation of any New Idea, there is one step which is highly important. It is so obvious as to be frequently overlooked. This step, the sine qua non of any idea, consists in examining the basic assumptions of the subject and determining whether or not they need to be revised. The creator of a New Idea asks, „What would happen if I assume that this belief which everyone has had for centuries isn’t necessarily so?“ The primitive man who invented the wheel did just that. His fellows assumed that, when one wanted to transport an object, it had to be carried or dragged along the ground. The inventor changed the assumption – and the wheel was born. Again, so long as man assumed that fire was dangerous and should be avoided, he made no attempt to control it. When some brave soul re-examined this assumption and de-cided that fire, although it entailed some hazards, might offer certain advantages to the dwell-ers in his cave, he took the first step toward the creation of the science of chemistry and nu-clear physics. So it is with DIANETICS. In it there has been a reexamination and a re-evaluation of numerous basic assumptions regarding the functioning of the human mind. The originator has had both the temerity and the wisdom to refuse to accept all of the old assumptions. For example, we have all assumed that when a person is unconscious, he is uncon-scious – that’s all there is to it. The originator of dianetics was critical of that assumption and, as a result, was able to demonstrate that the mind is never totally unconscious. The assump-tion that nobody can remember anything which happened to him before the age of three or four also came in for consideration – and the result of these and other reassessments was DIANETICS. 
 Yes, basic assumptions are important. They are especially important when they get such a strangle-hold on our ways of thinking that we can’t get away from them. For hundreds of years it was assumed that the sun and the planets revolved around the earth; it was not until the assumption was tested and found to be faulty that modern astronomy was able to develop. For hundreds of years a certain group of philosophers and religionists have assumed that Man is fundamentally evil; now comes DIANETICS to test this assumption. It will be highly inter-esting to see if there will be any change in our interpersonal relationships as a result of a new, different basic assumption. The basic assumption is also a long-lived brute, hard to kill. Perhaps one reason for his hardiness is that he feeds upon Authority. There is a vast difference between Authority and an authority. An authority might be described as a man who propounds a basic assumption which is valid for his time and applicable to the state of knowledge at the time it was propounded and has had his ideas accepted. No doubt this man would not be at all averse to altering his assumptions if a change in knowledge warranted it. His protagonists and disciples don’t seem to act this way, however; before very long they begin to treat his idea as if it were some sort of divine revelation – and the man now becomes an Authority. The words of an Authority carry much more weight than do those of a mere authority. They are sacrosanct, holy, not to be questioned; the words themselves are Authority. And, in time, another change occurs; Au-thority becomes confused with knowledge and is accepted blindly, unthinkingly. A man can even become an authority himself by knowing a great deal about the things Authority said. Perhaps the epitome of this sort of foolishness is exemplified in the attitude of numer-ous doctors toward the work of Harvey, the man who first described the circulation of the blood. Harvey’s views, even though they were well founded in observation and experimenta-tion, ran counter to those held by his predecessor, Galen, who was the great medical Authority of that day. So great was the controversy that some men took the stand, „Male errare cum Galen qualm veritam Harveii amplecti.“ („I would rather err with Galen than accept Harvey’s truth.“) Now, respect for authority is all very well. There are certain brands of authority which we may tacitly agree to accept, such as customs and morals; there are other brands of author-ity which we may vote to accept, such as our laws. But we should be wary of self-constituted authority, especially the type I have called Authority. We should feel free to examine the ba-sic assumptions of any body of knowledge we wish, without fear of committing lese majeste. If any system of thought is going to wither in the light of investigation, it does not deserve the title of Authority. The originator of DIANETICS has, without the slightest effort towards being icono-clastic, succeeded in dislodging a good many of our false gods of Authority from their pedes-tals. perhaps the job wasn’t too difficult – so many of the idols who bear that name have feet of the poorest sort of clay. Those authorities whose work was sound and valid are still in their proper places in the temple of Knowledge, and will no doubt continue to remain. In early 1948 I first heard about DIANETICS from a colleague. I studied it, getting re-ports from others who were familiar with aspects of the therapy. Shortly thereafter I corre-sponded with the originator of dianetics, which resulted in my traveling East to study with him, and finally, in my experiencing personal dianetic therapy under his supervision. 
For the past year I have been practicing DIANETICS on my patients, on my friends, and on my family. For the first time in my life, I’m satisfied that there is a method by which many questions, hitherto unanswerable, can be answered with definiteness and proven correct. Correct, insofar as the improved health of the patient is concerned. Correct, insofar as his well-being has been implemented by a feeling of security. Correct, insofar as his approach to living has become more advanced, interesting, and productive of growth. To me this correct-ness is meaningful and worthy of acceptance. Let me state that this is my opinion. I do not urge you to accept that opinion; I would much prefer that you make your own tests of DIANETICS, carefully, impartially, and arrive at your own opinion. This statement is directed towards doctors in general, psychiatrists, psy-chologists, psycho-analysts, etc., as well as the layman. DIANETICS is a science. It has certain laws, and by following these laws we can pre-dict the results which will be obtained under given circumstances. These laws have no excep-tions – or at least, no exceptions have been found. In this respect the laws of DIANETICS are like the law of gravity: if you suspend a mass heavier than air above the ground and then re-move the support, it will fall. It won’t fall seventy per cent of the time or eighty per cent of the time; it will always fall. And if it doesn’t fall, we are justified in re-examining the law. The discovery that engrams (the ability of the cell to record a lasting trace of an event) are recorded on a cellular level when the higher sphere of the mind is „unconscious,“ insensi-tive, and not recording (as, for instance, in severe injury, delirium, or surgical anaesthesia) and that the recorded engrams then received are highly reactive, portends a new trend for psy-chological and psychiatric thought and practice. The engram recorded during a period of „un-consciousness“ is susceptible to reactivation during future periods of mental anguish. This fact has been found to be a single, direct source of aberrated behavior. Its discovery and isola-tion with the mechanics of its operation within the psyche, bring new and brilliant light to hitherto obscure phenomena of the mind and its behavior. The engram, hidden beneath unex-plored layers of „unconsciousness,“ possesses a power of command not unlike that of a hid-den and unsuspected monitor upon the conscious mind; it produces effects which are compa-rable to those of a post-hypnotic suggestion, though in a far more insidious and involved manner and with greater and more tragic effect. The technique of DIANETIC therapy is basically simple and can be understood and applied to each other by any two reasonably intelligent people after a brief study of this vol-ume, which is the operating manual for therapy. (Dianetic psychiatric treatment of severe de-rangements is also delineated.) No previous background in psycho-analysis or psychology is necessary. The therapeutic technique offered in DIANETICS is independent of hypnotism or narco-synthesis. 1.  DIANETICS will help you to eliminate any psychosomatic illness from which you may suffer. 2.  DIANETICS will help you achieve at least one-third more than present capacity for work and happiness. 3.  DIANETICS offers to the medical profession, to psychiatrists, to psycho-analysts, to all who are interested in the advancement of their fellow men, a new theory and tech-
 nique which makes accessible for therapy diseases and symptoms which hitherto were unusually complex and obscure. 4.  DIANETICS is the most advanced and most clearly presented method of psycho-therapy and self-improvement ever discovered. At this point, I step out – the job ahead is yours.  J. A. Winter, M. D. 
Dianetics is an adventure. It is an exploration into Terra Incognita, the human mind, that vast and hitherto unknown realm half an inch back of our foreheads. The discoveries and developments which made the formulation of dianetics possible occupied many years of exact research and careful testing. This was exploration, it was also consolidation. The trail is blazed, the routes are sufficiently mapped for you to voyage in safety into your own mind and recover there your full inherent potential, which is not, we now know, low but very, very high. As you progress in therapy the adventure is yours to know why you did what you did when you did it, to know what caused those Dark and Unknown Fears which came in nightmares as a child, to know where your moments of pain and pleasure lay. There is much which an individual does not know about himself, about his parents, about his „motives.“ Some of the things you will find may astonish you, for the most important data of your life may be not memory but engrams in the hidden depths of your mind, not articulate but only destructive. You will find many reasons why you „cannot get well“ and you will know at length, when you find the dictating lines in the engrams, how amusing those reasons are, especially to you. Dianetics is no solemn adventure. For all that it has to do with suffering and loss, its end is always laughter, so foolish, so misinterpreted were the things which caused the woe. Your first voyage into your own Terra Incognita will be through the pages of this book. You will find as you read that many things „you always knew were so“ are articulated here. You will be gratified to know that you held not opinions but scientific facts in many of your concepts of existence. You will find, too, many data that have long been known by all, and you will possibly consider them far from news and be prone to underevaluate them: be as-sured that underevaluation of these facts kept them from being valuable, no matter how long they were known, for a fact is never important without a proper evaluation of it and its precise relationship to other facts. You are following here a vast network of facts which, reaching out, can be seen to embrace the whole field of Man in all his works. Fortunately you do not have to concern yourself with following far any one of these lines until you are done. And then these horizons will stretch wide enough to satisfy anyone. Dianetics is a large subject, but that is only because Man is himself a large subject. The science of his thought cannot but embrace all his actions. By careful compartmenting and relating of data, the field has been kept narrow enough to be easily followed. Mostly this handbook will tell you, without any specific mention, about yourself and your family and friends, for you will meet them here and know them. This volume has made no effort to use resounding or thunderous phrases, frowning polysyllables or professorial detachment. When one is delivering answers which are simple, he need not make the communication any more difficult than is necessary to convey the ideas. „Basic language“ has been used, much of the nomenclature is colloquial; the pedantic has not only not been employed, it has also been ignored. This volume communicates to several strata 
of life and professions; the favorite nomenclatures of none have been observed since such a usage would impede the understanding of others. And so bear with us, psychiatrist, when your structure is not used, for we have no need for structure here, and bear with us, doctor, when we call a cold a cold and not a catarrhal disorder of the respiratory tract. For this is, essentially, engineering and these engineers are liable to say anything. And „scholar,“ you would not en-joy being burdened with the summation signs and the Lorentz-Fitzgerald-Einstein equations, so we shall not burden the less puristic reader with scientifically impossible Hegelian gram-mar which insists that absolutes exist in fact. The plan of the book might be represented as a cone which starts with simplicity and descends into wider application. This book follows, more or less, the actual steps of the de-velopment of dianetics. First there was the dynamic principle of existence, then its meaning, then the source of aberration, and finally the application of all as therapy and the techniques of therapy. You won’t find any of this very difficult. It was the originator who had the diffi-culty. You should have seen the first equations and postulates of dianetics! As research pro-gressed and as the field developed, dianetics began to simplify. That is a fair guarantee that one is on a straight trail of science. Only things which are poorly known become more com-plex the longer one works upon them. It is suggested that you read straight on through. By the time you get into the appendix, you should have an excellent command of the subject. The book is arranged that way. Every fact related to dianetic therapy is stated in several ways and is introduced again and again. In this way, the important facts have been pointed up to your attention. When you have finished the book you can come back to the beginning and look through it and study what you think you need to know. Almost all the basic philosophy and certainly all the derivations of the master subject of dianetics were excluded here, partly because this volume had to stay under half a million words and partly because they belong in a separate text where they can receive full justice. Nevertheless, you have the scope of the science with this volume in addition to therapy itself. You are beginning an adventure. Treat it as an adventure. And may you never be the same again. 

BOOK ONE THE GOAL OF MAN 
IMPORTANT NOTE In studying Dianetics be very, very certain you never go past a word you do not fully understand. The only reason a person gives up a study or becomes confused or unable to learn is that he or she has gone past a word or phrase that was not understood. If the material becomes confusing or you can’t seem to grasp it, there will be a word just earlier that you have not understood. Don’t go any further, but go back to BEFORE you got into trouble, find the misunderstood word and get it defined. 

CHAPTER I THE SCOPE OF DIANETICS A science of mind is a goal which has engrossed thousands of generations of Man. Armies, dynasties and whole civilizations have perished for the lack of it. Rome went to dust for the want of it. China swims in blood for the need of it; and down in the arsenal is an atom bomb, its hopeful nose full-armed in ignorance of it. No quest has been more relentlessly pursued or has been more violent. No primitive tribe, no matter how ignorant, has failed to recognize the problem as a problem, nor has it failed to bring forth at least an attempted formulation. Today one finds the aborigine of Aus-tralia substituting for a science of mind a „magic healing crystal.“ The Shaman of British Guiana makes shift for actual mental laws with his monotonous song and consecrated cigar. The throbbing drum of the Goldi medicine man serves in the stead of an adequate technique to alleviate the lack of serenity in patients. The enlightened and golden age of Greece yet had but superstition in its principal sanatoria for mental ills, the Aesculapian temple. The most the Roman could do for peace of mind for the sick was to appeal to the penates, the household divinities, or sacrifice to Febris, goddess of fevers. And an English king, centuries after, could have been found in the hands of exorcists who sought to cure his deliriums by driving the demons from him. From the most ancient times to the present, in the crudest primitive tribe or the most magnificently ornamented civilization, Man has found himself in a state of awed helplessness when confronted by the phenomena of strange illnesses or aberrations. His desperation, in his efforts to treat the individual, has been but slightly altered during his entire history, and until this twentieth century passed mid-term, the percentages of his alleviations, in terms of indi-vidual mental derangements, compared evenly with the successes of the shamans confronted with the same problems. According to a modern writer, the single advance of psycho-therapy was clean quarters for the madman. In terms of brutality in treatment of the insane, the meth-ods of the shaman or Bedlam have been far exceeded by the „civilized“ techniques of destroy-ing nerve tissues with the violence of shock and surgery, treatments which were not warranted by the results obtained and which would not have been tolerated in the meanest primitive so-ciety, since they reduce the victim to mere zombie-ism, destroying most of his personality and ambition and leaving him nothing more than a manageable animal. Far from an indictment of the practices of the „neurosurgeon“ and the ice-pick which he thrusts and twists into insane minds, they are brought forth only to demonstrate the depths of desperation man can reach when confronted with the seemingly unsolvable problem of deranged minds. In the larger sphere of societies and nations, the lack of such a science of mind was never more evident; for the physical sciences, advancing thoughtlessly far in advance of man’s ability to understand man, have armed him with terrible and thorough weapons which await only another outburst of the social insanity of war. These problems are not mild ones; they lie across every man’s path; they wait in com-pany with his future. As long as Man has recognized that his chief superiority over the animal 
kingdom was a thinking mind, so long as he understood that his mind alone was his weapon, he has searched and pondered and postulated in efforts to find a solution. Like a jig-saw puzzle spilled by a careless hand, the equations which would lead to a science of the mind and, above that, to a master science of the universe, were stirred round and round. Sometimes two fragments would be united; sometimes, as in the case of the golden age of Greece, a whole section would be built. Philosopher, shaman, medicine man, mathema-tician: each looked at the pieces. Some saw they must all belong to different puzzles. Some thought they all belonged to the same puzzle. Some said there were really six puzzles in it, some said two. And the wars went on and the societies sickened or were dispersed, and learned tomes were written about ever-increasing hordes of madmen. With the methods of Bacon, with the mathematics of Newton, the physical sciences went on, consolidating and advancing their frontiers. And, like a derelict battalion, careless of how many allied ranks it exposed to destruction by the enemy, studies of the mind lagged behind. But after all, there are just so many pieces in any puzzle. Before and after Francis Ba-con, Herbert Spencer and a very few more, many of the small sections had been put together, many honest facts had been observed. To adventure into the thousands of variables of which that puzzle was composed, one had only to know right from wrong, true from false, and use all Man and Nature as his test tube. Of what must a science of mind be composed? 1.  An answer to the goal of thought. 2.  A single source of all insanities, psychoses, neuroses, compulsions, repressions and social derangements. 3.  Invariant scientific evidence as to the basic nature and functional background of the human mind. 4.  Techniques, the art of application, by which the discovered single source could be in-variably cured, ruling out, of course, the insanities of malformed, deleted or pathologi-cally injured brains or nervous systems and, particularly, iatrogenic psychoses (those caused by doctors and involving the destruction of the living brain itself). 5.  Methods of prevention of mental derangement. 6.  The cause and cure of all psycho-somatic ills, which number, some say, 70% of Man’s listed ailments. Such a science would exceed the severest terms previously laid down for it in any age, but any computation on the subject should discover that a science of mind ought to be able to be and do just these things. A science of the mind, if it were truly worthy of that name, would have to rank, in ex-perimental precision, with physics and chemistry. There could be no „special cases“ to its laws. There could be no recourse to Authority. The atom bomb bursts whether Einstein gives it permission or not. Laws native to Nature regulate the bursting of that bomb. Technicians, 
applying techniques derived from discovered natural laws, can make one or a million atom bombs, all alike. After the body of axioms and technique was organized and working as a science of mind, in rank with the physical sciences, it would be found to have points of agreement with almost every school of thought about thought which had ever existed. This is again a virtue and not a fault. Simple though it is, dianetics does and is these things: 1.  It is an organized science of thought built on definite axioms: statements of natural laws on the order of those of the physical sciences. 2.  It contains a therapeutic technique with which can be treated all inorganic mental ills and all organic psychosomatic ills, with assurance of complete cure in unselected cases. 3.  It produces a condition of ability and rationality for Man well in advance of the current norm, enhancing rather than destroying his vigor and personality. 4.  Dianetics gives a complete insight into the full potentialities of the mind, discovering them to be well in excess of past suppression. 5.  The basic nature of man is discovered in dianetics rather than hazarded or postulated, since that basic nature can be brought into action in any individual completely. And that basic nature is discovered to be good. 6.  The single source of mental derangement is discovered and demonstrated, on a clinical or laboratory basis, by dianetics. 7.  The extent, storage capacity and recallability of the human memory is finally estab-lished by dianetics. 8.  The full recording abilities of the mind are discovered by dianetics with the conclusion that they are quite dissimilar to former suppositions. 9.  Dianetics brings forth the non-germ theory of disease, complementing bio-chemistry and Pasteur’s work on the germ theory to embrace the field. 10.  With dianetics ends the „necessity“ of destroying the brain by shock or surgery to ef-fect „tractability“ in mental patients and „adjust“ them. 11.  A workable explanation of the physiological effects of drugs and endocrine substances exists in dianetics and many problems posed by endocrinology are answered. 12.  Various educational, sociological, political, military, and other human studies are en-hanced by dianetics. 13.  The field of cytology is aided by dianetics, as well as other fields of research. This, then, is a skeletal sketch of what would be the scope of a science of mind and of what is the scope of dianetics. 

CHAPTER II THE CLEAR Dianetically, the optimum individual is called the clear. One will hear much of that word, both as a noun and a verb, in this volume, so it is well to spend time here at the outset setting forth exactly what can be called a clear, the goal of dianetic therapy. A clear can be tested for any and all psychoses, neuroses, compulsions and repressions (all aberrations) and can be examined for any autogenic (self-generated) diseases referred to as psycho-somatic ills. These tests confirm the clear to be entirely without such ills or aberra-tions. Additional tests of his intelligence indicate it to be high above the current norm. Obser-vation of his activity demonstrates that he pursues existence with vigor and satisfaction. Further, these results can be obtained on a comparative basis. A neurotic individual, possessed also of psychosomatic ills, can be tested for those aberrations and illnesses, demon-strating that they exist. He can then be given dianetic therapy to the end of clearing these neu-roses and ills. Finally, he can be examined, with the above results. This, in passing, is an ex-periment which has been performed many times with invariable results. It is a matter of labo-ratory test that all individuals who have organically complete nervous systems respond in this fashion to dianetic clearing. Further, the clear possesses attributes, fundamental and inherent but not always avail-able in an uncleared state, which have not been suspected of Man and are not included in past discussions of his abilities and behavior. First there is the matter of perceptions. Even so-called normal people do not always see in full color, hear in full tone, or sense at the optimum with their organs of smell, taste, tactile and organic sensation. These are the main lines of communication to the finite world which most people rec-ognize as reality. It is an interesting commentary that while past observers felt that the facing of reality was an absolute necessity if the aberrated individual wished to be sane, no definition of how this was to be done was set forth. To face reality in the present one would certainly have to be able to sense it along those channels of communication most commonly used by man in his affairs. Any one of Man’s perceptions can be aberrated by psychic derangements which refuse to permit the received sensations to be realized by the analytical portion of the individual’s mind. In other words, while there may be nothing wrong with the mechanisms of color recep-tion, circuits can exist in the mind which delete color before the consciousness is permitted to see the object. Color blindness can be discovered to be relative or in degrees in such a way that colors appear to be less brilliant, dull or, at the maximum, entirely absent. Anyone is ac-quainted with persons to whom „loud“ colors are detestable and with persons who find them insufficiently „loud“ to notice. This varying degree of color blindness has not been recognized as a psychic factor but has been nebulously assumed to be some sort of a condition of mind when it was noticed at all. 
 There are those persons to whom noises are quite disturbing, to whom, for instance, the insistent whine of a violin is very like having a brace and bit applied to the eardrum; and there are those to whom fifty violins, played loudly, would be soothing; and there are those who, in the presence of a violin, express disinterest and boredom; and, again, there are per-sons to whom the sound of a violin, no matter if it be playing the most intricate melody, is a monotone. These differences of sonic (hearing) perception have, like color and other visual errors, been attributed to inherent nature or organic deficiency or assigned no place at all. In a like manner, from person to person, smells, tactile sensations, organic perceptions, pain and gravity, vary widely and wildly. A cursory check around amongst his friends will demonstrate to a man that there exist enormous differences of perception of identical stimuli. One smells a turkey in the oven as wonderful, one smells it with indifference, another may not smell it at all. And somebody else may maintain that roasting turkey smells exactly like hair oil – to be extreme. Until we obtain clears it remains obscure why such differences should exist. For in the largest measure, such wild quality and quantity of perception is due to aberration. Because of pleasurable experiences in the past and inherent sensitivity, there will be some difference amongst clears, and a clear response should not be assumed automatically to be a standardized, adjusted middle ground, that pallid and obnoxious goal of past doctrines. The clear gets a maximum response compatible with his own desire for the response. Burning cordite still smells dangerous to him, but it does not make him ill. Roasting turkey smells good to him if he is hungry and likes turkey, at which time it smells very, very good. Violins play melodies, not monotones, bring no pain and are enjoyed to a fine full limit if the clear likes violins as a matter of taste – if he doesn’t, he likes kettledrums, saxophones or, indeed, suiting his mood, no music at all. In other words, there are two variables at work. One, the wildest, is the vari-able caused by aberrations. The other, and quite rational and understandable, is caused by the personality. Thus the perceptions of an aberree1 (non-cleared individual) vary greatly from those of the cleared (unaberrated) individual. Now there are the differences of the actual organs of perception and the errors occa-sioned by these. Some of these errors, a minimum, are organic: punctured eardrums are not competent sound-recording mechanisms. The majority of perceptic (sense message) errors in the organic sphere are caused by psycho-somatic errors. Glasses are seen on noses everywhere around, even on children. The majority of these spectacles are perched on the face in an effort to correct a condition which the body itself is fighting to uncorrect again. Eyesight, when the stage of glasses is entered (not because of glasses), is deteriorating on the psycho-somatic principle. And this observation is about as irresponsible as a statement that when apples fall out of trees they usually obey gravity. One of the incidental things which happen to a clear is that his eyesight, if it had been bad as an aberree, generally improves markedly, and with some slight attention will recover optimum perception in time. (Far from an optician’s argument against dianetics, this assures rather                                                 
good business, for clears have been known, at treatment’s end, to have to buy, in rapid suc-cession, five pairs of glasses to compensate adjusting eyesight; and many aberrees, cleared late in life, settle down ocularly at a maximum a little under optimum.) The eyesight was reduced in the aberree on an organic basis by his aberrations so that the perceptic organ itself was reduced from optimum operating function. With the removal of aberrations, repeated tests have proven that the body makes a valiant effort to reconstruct back to optimum. Hearing, in addition to other perceptics, varies organically over a wide range. Calcium deposits, for instance, can make the ears „ring“ incessantly. The removal of aberrations per-mits the body to readjust toward its reachable optimum, the calcium deposit disappears, and the ears stop ringing. But far and beyond this very specific case, there are great differences in hearing on the organic basis. Organically as well as aberrationally, hearing can become re-markably extended or closely inhibited so that one person may hear footsteps a block away as a normal activity and another would not hear a bass drum thundering on the porch. That the various perceptions differ widely from individual to individual on an aberra-tional and psycho-somatic basis is the least of the discoveries outlined here. Ability to recall is far more fantastic in its variation from person to person. An entirely new recall process which was inherent in the mind but which had not been noticed came to light in the process of observing clears and aberrees. This recall process is possible in only a small proportion of aberrees in its fullest sense. It is standard, however, in a clear. Naturally, no intimation is made here that the scholars of past ages have been unobser-vant. We are dealing here with an entirely new and hitherto non-existent object of inspection, the clear. What a clear can do easily, quite a few people have, from time to time, been par-tially able to do in the past. An inherent, not a taught, ability of the remembering mechanisms of the mind can be termed, as a technical word of dianetics, returning. It is used in its dictionary sense, with the addition of the fact that the mind has it as a normal remembering function, as follows: the person can „send“ a portion of his mind to a past period on either a mental or combined men-tal and physical basis and can re-experience incidents which have taken place in his past in the same fashion and with the same sensations as before. Once upon a time an art known as hypnotism used what was called „regression“ on hypnotized subjects, the hypnotist sending the subject back, in one of two ways, to incidents in his past. This was done with trance tech-niques, drugs and considerable technology. The hypnotic subject could be sent back to a moment „entirely“ so that he gave every appearance of being the age to which he was returned with only the apparent faculties and recollections he had at that moment: this was called „revivification“ (re-living). „Regres-sion“ was a technique by which part of the individual’s self remained in the present and part went back to the past. These abilities of the mind were supposed native only in hypnotism and were used only in hypnotic technique. The art is very old, tracing back some thousands of years and existing today in Asia as it has existed, apparently, from the dawn of time. Returning is substituted for „regression“ here because it is not a comparable thing and because „regression,“ as a word, has some bad meanings which would interrupt its use. Reliv-
ing is substituted for „revivification“ in dianetics because, in dianetics, the principles of hyp-notism can be found explained and hypnotism is not used in dianetic therapy, as will be ex-plained later. The mind, then, has another ability to remember. Part of the mind can „return“ even when a person is wide awake and re-experience past incidents in full. If you want to test this, try it on several people until one is discovered who does it easily. Wide awake he can „re-turn“ to moments in his past. Until asked to do so he probably will not know he has such an ability. If he had it, he probably thought everybody could do it (the type of supposition which has kept so much of this data from coming to light before). He can go back to a time when he was swimming and swim with full recall of hearing, sight, taste, smell, organic sensation, tac-tile, etc. A „learned“ gentleman once spent some hours demonstrating to a gathering that the recall of a smell as a sensation, for instance, was quite impossible since „neurology had proven that the olfactory nerves were not connected to the thalamus.“ Two people in the gath-ering discovered this ability to return and despite this evidence, the learned gentleman contin-ued the dispute that olfactory recall was impossible. A check amongst the gathering on this faculty, independent of returning, brought forth the fact that one-half of those present remem-bered smell by smelling it again. Returning is the full performance of imagery recall. The entire memory is able to make the organ areas re-sense the stimuli in a past incident. Partial recall is common, not common enough to be normal, but certainly common enough to have merited considerable study. For it again is a wide variable. Perception of the present would be one method of facing reality. But if one cannot face the reality of the past then, in some part, he is not facing some portion of reality. And if it is ageed that facing reality is desirable, then one would have to face yesterday’s reality as well if he were to be considered entirely „sane“ by contemporary definition. To „face yester-day“ requires a certain condition of recall to be available. One would have to be able to re-member. But how many ways are there of remembering? First there is the return. That is new. It gives the advantage of examining the moving pictures and other sense perceptions recorded at the time of the event with all senses present. He can also return to his past conclusions and imaginings. It is of considerable aid in learning, in research, in ordinary living to be able to be again at the place where the data desired was first inspected. Then there are the more usual recalls. Optimum recall is by the return method of single or multiple senses, the individual himself remaining in present time. In other words, some people, when they think of a rose, see one, smell one, feel one. They see in full color, viv-idly – with the „mind’s eye“ to use an old colloquialism. They smell it vividly. And they can feel it even to the thorns. They are thinking about roses by actually recalling a rose. These people, thinking about a ship, would see a specific ship, feel the motion of her if they thought of being aboard her, smell the pine-tar or even less savory odors and hear what-ever sounds there were about her. They would see the ship in full color motion and hear it in full tone audio. 
 These faculties vary widely in the aberree. Some, when told to think of a rose, can merely visualize one. Some can smell one but not see it. Some see it without color or in very pale color. When told to think of a ship some aberrees only see a flat, colorless, still picture such as a painting of a ship or the photograph of one. Some perceive a vessel in motion with-out color but with sound. Some hear the sound of a ship but fail to see any picture whatever. Some merely think of a ship as a concept that ships exist and that they know about them and fail to see, feel, hear, smell or otherwise sense anything on a recall basis. Some past observers have called this „imagery“ but the term is so inapplicable to sound and touch, organic sensation and pain that recall is used uniformly as the technical dianetic term. The value of recall in this business of living has occupied such scant attention that the entire concept has never been formulated previously. It is therefore detailed at some length here, as above. It is quite simple to test recalls. If one will ask his fellows what their abilities are, he will gain a remarkable idea of how widely varied this ability is from individual to individual. Some have this recall, some have that, some have none, but operate on concepts of recall only. And remember, if you make a test on those around you, that any perception is filed in the memory and therefore has a recall which is to include pain, temperature, rhythm, taste and weight with the above mentioned sight, sound, tactile, and smell. The dianetic names for these recalls are visio (sight), sonic (sound), tactile (touch), ol-factory (smell), rhythmic, kinesthetic (weight and motion), somatic (pain), thermal (tempera-ture) and organic (internal sensations and, by new definition, emotion). Then there is another set of mental activities which can be summated under the head-ings of imagination and creative imagination. Here again is abundant material for testing. Imagination is the recombination of things one has sensed, thought or intellectually computed into existence, which do not necessarily have existence. This is the mind’s method of envisioning desirable goals or forecasting futures. Imagination is extremely valuable as a part of essential solutions in any mental problem and in everyday existence. That it is recom-bination in no sense deprives it of its vast and wonderful complexity. A clear uses imagination in its entirety. There is an imagination impression for sight, smell, taste, sound – in short, for each one of the possible perceptions. These are manufacture-red impressions on the basis of models in the memory banks combined by conceptual ideas and construction. New physical structures, tomorrow in terms of today, next year in terms of last year, pleasure to be gained, deeds to be done, accidents to avoid, all these are imagina-tional functions. The clear has full color-visio, tone-sonic, tactile, olfactory, rhythmic, kinesthetic, thermal and organic imagination in kind. Asked to envision himself riding in a gilded coach and four, he „sees“ the equipage, moving, in full color, he „hears“ all the noises which should be present, he „smells“ the smells he thinks should be there, and he „feels“ the upholstery, the motion, and the presence in the coach of himself. In addition to standard imagination there is creative imagination. This is a very wide undimensional ability, quite variable from individual to individual, possessed in enormous quantity by some. It is included here, not as a portion of the operation of the mind treated as a 
 usual part of dianetics, but to isolate it as an existing entity. In a clear who possessed creative imagination, even if inhibited, as an aberree, it is present and demonstrable. It is inherent. It can be aberrated only by prohibition of its general practice, which is to say, by aberrating the persistence in its application or encysting the whole mind. But creative imagination, that pos-session by which works of art are done, states builded and Man enriched, can be envisioned as a special function, independent in operation and in no way dependent for its existence upon an aberrated condition in the individual, since the examination of its activity in and use by a clear possessing adequately demonstrates its inherent character. It is rarely absent in any individual. Finally, there is the last but most important activity of the mind. Man is to be regarded as a sentient being. His sentience depends upon his ability to resolve problems by perceiving or creating and understanding situations. This rationality is the primary, high echelon function of that part of the mind which makes him a Man, not just another animal. Remembering, per-ceiving, imagining, he has the signal ability of resolving conclusions and of using conclusions resolved to resolve further conclusions. This is rational Man. Rationality, as divorced from aberration, can be studied in a cleared person only. The aberrations of the aberree give him the appearance of irrationality. Though such irrationality may be given the gentler names of „eccentricity“ or „human error“ or even „personal idiosyn-crasy,“ it is, nevertheless, irrationality. The personality does not depend upon how irrationally a man may act. It is not a personality trait, for instance, to drive while drunk and kill a child on a crosswalk – or even to risk killing a child by driving while drunk. Irrationality is simply that – the inability to get right answers from data. Now it is a curious thing that although „everybody knows“ (and what a horrible amount of misinformation that statement lets circulate) it is „human to err,“ the sentient por-tion of the mind which computes the answers to problems and which makes man Man is ut-terly incapable of error. This was a startling discovery when it was made, but it need not have been. It could have been deduced some time before. For it is quite simple and easy to understand. The actual computing ability of Man is never in error even in a very severely aberrated person. Observ-ing the activity of such an aberrated person, one might thoughtlessly suppose that that per-son’s computations were wrong. But that would be an observer error. Any person, aberrated or clear, computes perfectly on the data stored and perceived. Take any common calculating machine (and the mind is an exceptionally magnificent instrument far, far superior to any machine it will invent for ages to come) and put a problem on it for solution. Multiply seven times one. It will answer, properly, seven. Now multiply six times one but continue to hold down the seven. Six times one is six but the answer you will get is forty-two. Continue to hold down seven and put other problems on the machine. They are wrong, not as problems, but as answers. Now fix seven so that it stays down no matter what keys are touched and try to give the machine away. Nobody will want it because, obvi-ously, the machine is crazy. It says ten times ten is seven hundred. But is the calculating por-tion of the machine really wrong or is it merely being fed the wrong data? In the same way the human mind, being called upon to resolve problems of a magni-tude and with enough variables to confound any mere calculating machine a thousand times 
an hour, is prey to incorrect data. Incorrect data gets into the machine. The machine gives wrong answers. Incorrect data enters the human memory banks, the person reacts in an „ab-normal manner.“ Essentially, then, the problem of resolving aberration is the problem of find-ing a „held-down seven.“ But of that much, much more, later. Right now we have accom-plished our immediate ends. These are the various abilities and activities of the human mind in its constant task of resolving and putting into solution a multitude of problems. It perceives, it recalls or returns, it imagines, it conceives and then resolves. Served by its extensions – the perceptics and the memory banks and the imaginations – the mind brings forth answers which are invariably accurate, modified only by observation, education and viewpoint. And the basic purposes of that mind and the basic nature of man, as discoverable in the clear, are constructive and good, uniformly constructive and uniformly good, the solutions modified only by observation, education and viewpoint. Man is good. Take away his basic aberrations and with them go the evil of which the Scholastic and the moralist were so fond. The only detachable portion of him is the „evil“ portion. And when it is detached, his personality and vigor intensify. And he is glad to see the „evil“ portion go because it was physical pain. Later there are experiments and proofs for these things and they can be measured with the precision so dear to the heart of the physical scientist. The clear, then, is not an „ad-justed“ person, driven to activity by his repressions now thoroughly encysted. He is an unre-pressed person, operating on self-determinism. And his abilities to perceive, recall, return, imagine, create and compute are outlined as we have seen. The clear is the goal in dianetic therapy, a goal which some patience and a little study and work can bring about. Any person can be cleared unless he has been so unfortunate as to have had a large portion of his brain removed or to have been born with a grossly malformed nervous structure. We have seen the goal of dianetics here. Let us now inspect the goal of Man. 
CHAPTER III THE GOAL OF MAN The goal of Man, the lowest common denominator of all his activities, the dynamic principle of his existence, has long been sought. Should such an answer be discovered, it is inevitable that from it many answers would flow. It would explain all phenomena of behavior; it would lead toward a solution of Man’s major problems; and, most of all, it should be workable. Consider all knowledge to fall above or below a line of demarcation. Everything above this line is not necessary to the solution of Man’s aberrations and general shortcomings and is inexactly known. Such a field of thought could be considered to embrace such things as meta-physics and mysticism. Below this line of demarcation could be considered to lie the finite universe. All things in the finite universe, whether known or as yet unknown, can be sensed, experienced or measured. The known data in the finite universe can be classified as scientific truth when it has been sensed, experienced and measured. All factors necessary to the resolu-tion of a science of the mind were found within the finite universe and were discovered, sensed, measured and experienced, and became scientific truth. The finite universe contains TIME, SPACE, ENERGY and LIFE. No other factors were found necessary in the equation. TIME, SPACE, ENERGY and LIFE have a single denominator in common. As an analogy it could be considered that TIME, SPACE, ENERGY and LIFE began at some point of origin and were commanded to continue to some nearly infinite destination. They were told nothing but WHAT to do. They obey a single order and that order is „SURVIVE!“ The Dynamic Principle Of Existence Is Survival The goal of life can be considered to be infinite survival. Man, as a life form, can be demonstrated to obey in all his actions and purposes the one command: „SURVIVE!“ It is not a new thought that Man is surviving. It is a new thought that Man is motivated only by survival. That his single goal is survival does not mean that he is the optimum survival mecha-nism which life has attained or will develop. The goal of the dinosaur was also survival and the dinosaur isn’t extant any more. Obedience to this command, „SURVIVE!“ does not mean that every attempt to obey is uniformly successful. Changing environment, mutation, and many other things militate against any one organism attaining infallible survival techniques or form. Life forms change and die as new life forms develop just as surely as one life organ-ism, lacking immortality in itself, creates other life organisms, then dies as itself. An excellent method, should one wish to cause life to survive over a very long period, would be to estab-lish means by which it could assume many forms, and death itself would be necessary in order to facilitate the survival of the life force itself, since only death and decay could clear away older forms when new changes in the environment necessitated new forms. Life, as a force, 

existing over a nearly infinite period, would need a cyclic aspect in its unit organisms and forms. What would be the optimum survival characteristics of various life forms? They would have to have various fundamental characteristics, differing from one species to the next just as one environment differs from the next.                 This is important, since it has been but poorly considered in the past that a set of sur-vival characteristics in one species would not be survival characteristics in another. The methods of survival can be summed under the headings of food, protection (de-fensive and offensive) and procreation. There are no existing life forms which lack solutions to these problems. Every life form errs one way or another, by holding a characteristic too long or developing characteristics which may lead to its extinction. But the developments which bring about successfulness of form are far more striking than their errors. The naturalist and biologist are continually resolving the characteristics of this or that life form by discover-ing that need rather than whim govern such developments. The hinges of the clam shell, the awesome face on the wing of the butterfly, have survival value. Once survival was isolated as the only dynamic2 of a life form which would explain all its activities, it was necessary to study further the action of survival. And it was discovered                                                 
that when one considered pain and pleasure, he had at hand all the necessary ingredients with which to formulate the action life takes in its effort to survive. As will be seen in the accompanying graph, a spectrum of life has been conceived to span from the zero of death or extinction toward the infinity of potential immortality. This spectrum was considered to contain an infinity of lines, extending ladderlike toward the po-tential of immortality. Each line as the ladder mounted was spaced a little wider than the last, in a geometric progression. The thrust of survival is away from death and toward immortality. The ultimate pain could be conceived as existing just before death and the ultimate pleasure could be conceived as immortality. Immortality could be said to have an attractive type of force and death a repelling force in the consideration of the unit organism or the species. But as survival rises higher and higher toward immortality wider and wider spaces are encountered until the gaps are finitely impossible to bridge. The urge is away from death, which has a repelling force, and toward immortality, which has an attracting force; the attracting force is pleasure, the repelling force is pain. For the individual, the length of the arrow could be considered to be at a high potential within the fourth zone. Here the survival potential would be excellent and the individual would enjoy existence. From left to right could be graphed the years. The urge toward pleasure is dynamic. Pleasure is the reward; and the seeking of the reward – survival goals – would be a pleasurable act. And to ensure that survival is accom-plished under the mandate, SURVIVE!, it seems to have been provided that reduction from a high potential would bring pain. Pain is provided to repel the individual from death, pleasure is provided to call him toward optimum life. The search for and the attainment of pleasure is not less valid in survival than the avoidance of pain. In fact, on some observed evidence, pleasure seems to have a much greater value in the cosmic scheme than pain. Now it would be well to define what is meant by pleasure, aside from its connection with immortality. The dictionary states that pleasure is „gratification; agreeable emotions, mental or physical; transient enjoyment; opposed to pain.“ Pleasure can be found in so many things and activities that a catalogue of all the things and activities Man has, does and may consider pleasurable alone could round out the definition. And what do we mean by pain? The dictionary states: „physical or mental suffering; penalty.“                                                                                                                                                         
These two definitions, in passing, are demonstrative of an intuitive type of thought which runs through the language. Once one has a thing which leads to the resolution of hith-erto unsolved problems, even the dictionaries are found to have „always known it.“ If we wished to make this graph for a life-form cycle, it would be identical except that the value of the years would be increased to measure eons. For there is no difference, it seems, except magnitude, in the scope of the individual and the scope of the species. This inference could be drawn even without such remarkable evidence as the fact that a human being, grow-ing from zygote to adult, evolutes through all the forms which the whole species is supposed to have evolved through. Now there is more in this graph than has been remarked as yet. The physical and men-tal state of the individual varies from hour to hour, day to day, year to year. Therefore the level of survival would form either a daily curve or the curve of a life on a measure of hourly or yearly position in the zones. And there would be two curves made possible by this, the physical curve and the mental curve. When we get toward the back of the book the relation-ships between these two curves will be found vital and it will also be seen that, ordinarily, a sag in the mental curve will precede a sag in the physical curve. The zones, then, can apply to two things: the physical being and the mental being. Therefore these four zones can be called zones of the states of being. If a person is happy mentally, the survival level can be placed in Zone 4. If the person is extremely ill physically, he might be plotted, on estimation of his illness, in Zone 1 or close to death. Very unprecise but nevertheless descriptive names have been assigned to these zones. Zone 3 is one of general happiness and well-being. Zone 2 is a level of bearable existence. Zone 1 is one of anger. Zone 0 is the zone of apathy. These zones can be used as a tone scale by which a state of mind can be graded. Just above death, which is 0, would be the lowest mental apathy or lowest level of physical life, 0.1. A Tone 1, where the body is fighting physical pain or illness or where the being is fighting in anger, could be graded from 1.0, which would be resentment or hostility, through Tone 1.5, which would be a screaming rage, to a 1.9 which would be merely a quarrelsome inclination. From Tone 2.0 to Tone 3.0 there would be an increasing interest in existence, and so forth. It so happens that the state of physical being or mental being does not long remain static. Therefore, there are various fluctuations. In the course of a single day an aberree may run from 0.5 to 3.5, up and down, as a mental being. An accident or illness could cause a similar fluctuation in a day. These are, then, figures which can be assigned to four things: the mental state on an acute basis and the mental state on a general, average basis, and the physical being on an acute basis and the physical being on a general basis. In dianetics we do not much employ the physical tone scale. The mental tone scale, however, is of vast and vital importance! These values of happiness, bearable existence, anger and apathy are not arbitrary val-ues. They are deduced from observation of the behavior of emotional states. A clear is usually found varying around Tone 4, plus or minus in an average day. He is a general Tone 4, which is one of the inherent conditions of being clear. A norm in current society, at a wild guess, is probably around a general Tone 2.8. 
In this descriptive graph, which is two-dimensional, the vital data for the solution of the problem of the life dynamic are workably combined. The horizontal lines are in terms of geometric progression beginning with the zero line immediately above death. There are ten lines for each zone and each zone denotes a mental or physical state of being, as noted. Geo-metric progression, so used, leaves ever increasing spaces between the lines. The width of this space is the survival potential existing at the moment the top point of the survival dynamic arrow is within that space. The further away from death the top point of the survival dynamic arrow is, the better chance the individual has of survival. Geometric progression reaches up toward the impossible of infinity and cannot, of course, reach infinity. The organism is surviv-ing through time from left to right. Survival optimum – immortality – lies in terms of time to the right. Potential only is measured vertically. The survival dynamic actually resides within the organism as inherited from the spe-cies. The organism is part of the species as a railroad tie might be said to be part of a railroad as seen by an observer on a train, the observer being always in Now – although this analogy is not perhaps the best. Within itself the organism possesses a repulsive force toward pain sources. The source of the pain is not a driving force any more than the thorn bush which tears the hand was a driving force; the organism repulses the potential pain of a thorn. At the same time the organism has at work a force which attracts it to the sources of pleasure. Pleasure does not magnetize the organism into drawing near. It is the organism which possesses the attraction force. It is inherent. The repulsion of pain sources adds to the attraction for pleasure sources to operate as a combined thrust away from death and toward immortality. The thrust away from death is no more powerful than the thrust toward immortality. In other words, in terms of the survival dynamic, pleasure has as much validity as pain. It should not be read here that survival is al-ways a matter of keeping an eye on the future. Contemplation of pleasure, pure enjoyment, contemplation of past pleasures, all combine into harmonies which, while they operate auto-matically as a rise toward the survival potential, by their action within the organism physically, do not demand the future as an active portion of the mental computation in such contempla-tion. A pleasure which reacts to injure the body physically, as in the case of debauchery, discovers at work a ratio between the physical effect (which is depressed toward pain) and the mental effect of experienced pleasure. There is a consequent lowering of the survival dynamic. Averaging out, the future possibility of strain because of the act, added to the state of being at the moment the debauchery was experienced, again depresses the survival dynamic. Because of this, various kinds of debauchery have been in indifferent odor with Man throughout his history. This is the equation of „immoral pleasures.“ And any action which has brought about survival suppression or which can bring it about, when pursued as a pleasure, has been de-nounced at some time or another in Man’s history. Immorality is originally hung as a label upon some act or class of actions because they depress the level of the survival dynamic. Fu-ture enforcement of moral stigma may depend largely upon prejudice and aberration and there is, consequently, a continuous quarrel over what is moral and what is immoral. 
Because certain things practiced as pleasures are actually pains – and how easy it will be to trace out why when you’ve finished this volume – and because of the moral equation as above, pleasure itself, in any aberrated society can become decried. A certain kind of thinking, of which more later, permits poor differentiation between one object and another. Confusing a dishonest politician with all politicians would be an example of this. In ancient times the Ro-man was fond of his pleasures and some of the things he called pleasure were a trifle strenu-ous on other species such as Christians. When the Christian overthrew the pagan state, the ancient order of Rome was in a villain’s role. Anything, therefore, which was Roman was villainous. This went to such remarkable lengths that the Roman love of bathing made bathing so immoral that Europe went unwashed for some fifteen hundred years. The Roman had be-come a pain source so general that everything Roman was evil and it stayed evil long after Roman paganism perished. Immorality, in such a fashion, tends to become an involved sub-ject. In this case it became so involved that pleasure itself was stigmatized. When half the survival potential is struck from the list of lawful things, there is a con-siderable reduction in survival indeed. Considering this graph on a racial scale, the reduction of survival potential by one-half would forecast that direful things lay in wait for the race. Actually, because Man is after all Man, no set of laws, however enforced, can completely wipe away the attraction of pleasure. But in this case enough was removed and banned to oc-casion precisely what happened: the Dark Ages and the recession of society. Society bright-ened only in those periods such as the Renaissance, in which pleasure became less unlawful. When a race or an individual drops into the second zone, as marked on the chart, and the general tone ranges from the first zone barely into the third, a condition of insanity ensues. Insanity is irrationality. It is also a state in which non-survival has been so closely approached continually that the race or the organism engages in all manner of wild solutions. In further interpretation of this descriptic graph there is the matter of the survival sup-pressor. This, it will be seen, is a thrust downward out of potential immortality at the race or organism represented as the survival dynamic. The survival suppressor is the combined and variable threats to the survival of the race or organism. These threats come from other species, from time, from other energies. These are also engaged in the contest of survival to potential immortality in terms of their own species or identities. Thus there is a conflict involved. Every other form of life or energy could be plotted in a descriptic as the survival dynamic. If we were to use a duck’s survival dynamic in a descriptic graph, we would see the duck seeking a high survival level and Man would be a part of the duck’s suppressor. The balance and nature of things do not permit the infinity of the goal of immortality to be reached. In fluctuating balance and in almost unlimited complexity, life and energies ebb and flood, out of the nebulous, into forms and, through decay, into the nebulous once more.3 Many equations could be drawn concerning this, but it is outside the sphere of our pre-sent interest. In terms of the zones of the descriptic it is of relative concern what the extent of the force of the suppressor is against the survival dynamic. The dynamic is inherent in individuals,                                                 
 groups and races, evolved to resist the suppressor through the eons. In the case of Man, he carries with him another level of offensive and defensive techniques, his cultures. His primary technology of survival is mental activity governing physical action in the sentient echelon. But every life form has its own technology, formed to resolve the problems of food, protec-tion and procreation. The degree of workability of the technology any life form develops (ar-mor or brains, fleetness of foot or deceptive form) is a direct index of the survival potential, the relative immortality, of that form. There have been vast upsets in the past; Man, when he developed into the world’s most dangerous animal (he can and does kill or enslave any life form, doesn’t he?) overloaded the suppressor on many other life forms and they dwindled in number or vanished. A great climatic change, such as the one which packed so many mammoths in Siberian ice, may overload the suppressor on a life form. A long drought in the American southwest in not too ancient times wiped out the better part of an Indian civilization. A cataclysm such as an explosion of the core of the Earth, if that were possible, or the atom bomb or the sudden cessation of burning on the Sun would wipe out all life forms on Earth. And a life form can even overload the suppressor on itself. A dinosaur destroys all his food and so destroys the dinosaur. A bubonic plague bacillus attacks its hosts with such thor-ough appetite that the whole generation of pasteurella pestis vanishes. Such things are not intended by the suicide to be suicide; the life form has run up against an equation which has an unknown variable, and the unknown variable unfortunately contained enough value to overload the suppressor. This is the „didn’t know the gun was loaded“ equation. And if the bubonic plague bacillus overloads its own suppressor in an area and then ceases to trouble its food and shelter, the animals, then the animals consider themselves bene-fited. Reckless and clever and well-nigh indestructible, Man has led a course which is a far cry from „tooth and claw“ in every sphere. And so have the redwood tree and the shark. Just as a life form, Man, like every life form, is „symbiotic.“ Life is a group effort. Lichens and plankton and algae may do very well on sunlight and minerals alone, but they are the building blocks. Above such existence, as the forms grow more complex, a tremendous interdepend-ence exists. It is very well for a forester to believe that certain trees willfully kill all other varieties of trees around them and then conclude a specious „attitude“ of trees. Let him look again. What made the soil? What provides the means of keeping the oxygen balance? What makes it possible for rain to fall in other areas? These willful and murderous trees. And squirrels plant trees. And Man plants trees. And trees shelter trees of another kind. And animals fertilize trees. And trees shelter animals. And trees hold the soil so less well rooted plants can grow. Look anywhere and everywhere and we see life as an assist for life. The multitude of the complexities of life as affinities for life is not dramatic. But they are the steady, practical, im-portant reason life can continue to exist at all. 
A redwood tree may be first out for redwood trees and although it does an excellent job of seeming to exist as redwood alone, a closer glance will show it has dependencies and is depended upon. Therefore the dynamic of any life form can be seen to be assisted by many other dy-namics and combines with them against the suppressive factors. None survive alone. Necessity has been declared to be a very wonderful thing. But necessity is a word which has been taken rather loosely for granted. Opportunism seems to have been read largely into necessity. What is necessity? Besides being the „mother of invention,“ is it a dramatic, sudden thing which excuses wars and murders, which touches a man only when he is about to starve? Or is necessity a much gentler and less dramatic quantity? „Everything,“ according to Leucippus, „is driven by necessity.“ This is a keynote of much theorizing down through the ages. Driven, that is the key to the error. Driven, things are driven. Necessity drives. Pain drives. Necessity and pain, pain and necessity. Recalling the dramatic and overlooking the important, Man has conceived himself, from time to time, to be an object of chase by necessity and pain. These were two anthropo-morphic (manlike) things which, in full costume, stuck spears at him. It can be said to be a wrong concept merely because it does not work to produce more answers. Whatever there is of necessity is within him. Nothing is driving him except his origi-nal impetus to survive. And he carries that within himself or his group. Within him is the force with which he fends off pain. Within him is the force with which he attracts pleasure. It chances to be a scientific fact that Man is a self-determined organism to the outer-most limit that any form of life can be, for he still depends upon other forms of life and his general environment. But he is self-determined. This is a matter which will be covered later. But right here it is necessary to indicate that he is not inherently a determined organism in the sense that he is driven on this wonderful stimulus-response basis which looks so neat in cer-tain text books, and works so completely unworkably in the world of Man. The happy little illustrations about rats do not serve when we are talking about Man. The more complex the organism, the less reliably these stimulus-response equation works. And when one reaches that highest complexity, Man, he has reached a fine degree of variability in terms of stimulus-response. The more sentient, the more rational an organism, the more that organism is self-determined. Self-determinism, like all things, is relative. Compared to a rat, however, Man is very self-determined indeed. This is only a scientific fact because it can easily be proven. The more sentient the man, the less he is a „push-button“ instrument. Aberrated and reduced he can, of course, in a limited degree, be made to perform like a marionette, but then it is understood that the more aberrated a person is, the closer he approaches the intelligence quotient of an animal. Given this self-determinism, it is interesting to observe what a man does with it. While he can never escape the „didn’t know it was loaded“ equation in terms of cataclysm or the unexpected gain of some other life form, he operates in a high zone level of survival potential. But here he is, self-determined, rational, his primary weapon, his mind, in excellent working order. What are his necessity instincts? 
Necessity, according to that very sentient if rapidly subject-changing article, the dic-tionary, is „the state of being necessary; that which is unavoidable; compulsion.“ It also adds that necessity is „extreme poverty,“ but we don’t want that. We are talking about survival. The compulsion mentioned can be re-evaluated in terms of the survival dynamic. That is interior in the organism and the race. And what is „necessary“ to survival? We have seen and can prove clinically that there are two factors at work. The necessity of avoiding pain is a factor because, degree by degree, little things, not much in themselves, can amount to large pains which, compounded in that rapid geometric progression, bring on death. Pain is the sadness of being bawled out for poor work, because that may lead to being fired, which may lead to starvation, which may lead to death. Run any equation into which pain has entered and it can be seen that it reduces down to possible non-survival. And if this were all there were to surviving and if necessity were a vicious little gnome with a pitch-fork, it seems rather obvious that there would be scant reason to go on living. But there is the other part of the equation, pleasure. That is a more stable part than pain, Stoics to the contrary, as clinical tests in dianetics prove. There is therefore a necessity for pleasure, for working, as happiness can be defined, toward known goals over not unknowable obstacles. And the necessity for pleasure is such that a great deal of pain can be borne to attain it. Pleasure is the positive commodity. It is en-joyment of work, contemplation of deeds well done; it is a good book or a good friend; it is taking all the skin off one’s knees climbing the Matterhorn; it is hearing the kid first say daddy; it is a brawl on the Bund at Shanghai or the whistle of amour from a doorway; it’s ad-venture and hope and enthusiasm and „someday I’ll learn to paint“; it’s eating a good meal or kissing a pretty girl or playing a stiff game of bluff on the stock exchange. It’s what Man does that he enjoys doing; it’s what Man does that he enjoys contemplating; it’s what Man does that he enjoys remembering; and it may be just the talk of things he knows he’ll never do. Man will endure a lot of pain to obtain a little pleasure. Out in the laboratory of the world, it takes very little time to confirm that. And how does necessity fit this picture? There is a necessity for pleasure, a necessity as live and quivering and vital as the human heart itself. He who said that a man who had two loaves of bread should sell one to buy white hyacinth, spoke sooth. The creative, the construc-tive, the beautiful, the harmonious, the adventurous, yes, and even escape from the maw of oblivion, these things are pleasure and these things are necessity. There was a man once who had walked a thousand miles just to see an orange tree and another who was a mass of scars and poor-set bones who was eager just to get a chance to „fan another bronc.“ It is very well to dwell in some Olympian height and write a book of penalties and very well to read to find what writers said that other writers said, but it is not very practical. The pain-drive theory does not work. If some of these basics of dianetics were only poetry about the idyllic state of Man, they might be justified in that, but it happens that out in the laboratory of the world, they work. Man, in affinity with Man, survives, and that survival is pleasure. 

CHAPTER IV THE FOUR DYNAMICS In the original equations of dianetics, when the research was young, it was believed that survival could be envisioned in personal terms alone and still answer all conditions. A theory is only as good as it works. And it works as well as it explains observed data and pre-dicts flew material which will be found, in fact, to exist. Survival in personal terms was computed until the whole activity of Man could be theoretically explained in terms of self alone. The logic looked fairly valid. But then it was applied to the world. Something was wrong: it did not solve problems. In fact, the theory of survival in personal terms alone was so unworkable that it left a majority of behavior phe-nomena unexplained. But it could be computed and it still looked good. Then it was that a nearly intuitive idea occurred. Man’s understanding developed in ra-tio to his recognition of his brotherhood with the Universe. That was high flown but it yielded results. Was Man himself a brotherhood of Man? He had evolved and become strong as a gre-garious being, an animal that hunted in packs. It seemed possible that all his activities could be computed in terms of the survival of the group. That computation was made. It looked good. Man survived, it was postulated, solely in terms of the survival of his group. It looked good but it left a majority of observed phenomena unexplained. It was attempted, then, to explain Man’s behavior in terms of Mankind alone; which is to say, it was assumed that Mankind survived for Mankind in a highly altruistic way. This was straight down the sylvan path of Jean Jacques Rousseau. It could be computed that Man lived alone for the survival of all Mankind. But when addressed to the laboratory – the world – it did not work. Finally, it was recalled that some had thought that Man’s entire activity and all his be-havior could be explained by assuming that he lived for sex alone. This was not an original assumption. But some original computations were made upon it and it is true that, by a few quick twists of the equation, his survival activity can be made to resolve on only the sexual basis. But when this was applied to observed data, again it failed to explain every phenome-non. An examination was made of what had been attempted. It had been assumed that Man survived only for himself as an individual; it had been computed that he survived only for the group, the pack, for society; it had been postulated that he survived only for Mankind; and finally, it had been theorized that he lived only for sex. None worked alone. A new computation was made on the survival dynamic. Exactly for what was man surviving? All four of these factors, self, sex, group and Mankind were entered into a new equation. And now it was found, a theory was in hand which worked. It explained all ob-served phenomena and it predicted new phenomena which were discovered to exist. It was a scientific equation, therefore! 
From the survival dynamic, in this fashion, were evolved the four dynamics. By sur-vival dynamic was meant the basic command, SURVIVE! which underlay all activity. By dynamic was meant one of the four purpose divisions of the entire dynamic principle. The four dynamics were not new forces; they were sub-divisions of the primary force. DYNAMIC ONE is the urge toward ultimate survival on the part of the individual and for himself. It includes his immediate symbiotes4, the extension of culture for his own benefit, and name immortality. DYNAMIC TWO is the urge of the individual toward ultimate survival via the sex act, the creation of and the rearing of children. It includes their symbiotes, the extension of culture for them, and their future provision. DYNAMIC THREE is the urge of the individual toward ultimate survival for the group. It includes the symbiotes of the group and the extension of its culture. DYNAMIC FOUR includes the urge of the individual toward ultimate survival for all Mankind. It includes the symbiotes of Mankind and the extension of its culture. Life, the atom and the universe and energy itself are included under the symbiotic classification. It will be seen immediately that these four dynamics are actually a spectrum without sharp division lines. The survival dynamic can be seen to sweep out from the individual to embrace the entire species and its symbiotes. None of these dynamics is necessarily stronger than any of the others. Each is strong. They are the four roads a man takes to survival. And the four roads are actually one road. And the one road is actually a spectrum of thousands of roads contained within the four. They are all in terms of past, present and future in that the present may be a sum of the past and the future may be the product of the past and present. All the purposes of Man can be considered to lie within this spectrum and all behavior becomes explained. That Man is selfish is a valid statement when one means an aberrated Man. That Man is anti-social is an equally valid statement if one adds the modifier, aberration. And other such statements resolve equally. Now it happens that these four dynamics can be seen to compete, one with another, in their operation within an individual or a society. There is a rational reason for this. The phrase „social competition“ is a compound of aberrated behavior and sentient difficulties. Any man, group or race may be in contest with any race, group or man and even in contest with sex on an entirely rational level. The Equation of the Optimum Solution would be that a problem has been well re-solved which portends the maximum good for the maximum number of dynamics. That is to                                                 
 say that any solution, modified by the time available to put the solution into effect, should be creative or constructive for the greatest possible number of dynamics. The optimum solution for any problem would be a solution which achieved the maximum benefit in all the dynamics. This means that a man, determining upon some project, would fare best if he benefited every-thing concerned in the four dynamics as his project touched them. He would then have to benefit himself as well for the solution to be optimum. In other words, the benefiting of the group and Mankind dynamic but the blocking of the sex dynamic and the self dynamic would be much poorer than the best solution. The conduct survival pattern is built upon this equation of the optimum solution. It is the basic equation of all rational behavior and is the equation on which a clear functions. It is inherent in Man. In other words, the best solution to any problem is that which will bring the greatest good to the greatest number of beings, including self, progeny, family associates, political and racial groups, and at length to all mankind. The greatest good may require, as well, some de-struction, but the solution deteriorates in a ratio to the destructiveness employed. Self-sacrifice and selfishness are alike reductive of the optimum action equation and alike have been suspected and should be. This is entirely a matter of: does it work? Even on an unaberrated basis there are times when one or another of these dynamics rave to be dropped from the computation of some ac-tivity or other and indeed, few problems are so entirely intense that they must take into ac-count the dynamics. But when a problem achieves such intensity and time is not an important factor, serious errors can follow the omission of one or another of the dynamics from the fac-tors considered. In the case of a Napoleon „saving France“ at the expense of the remainder of Mankind in Europe, the equation of the optimum solution was so far neglected that all the revolutionary gains of the French people were lost. In the case of Caesar „saving Rome,“ the equation was so poorly done that the survival of Rome was impeded. But there are special cases when the equation of the optimum solution becomes so in-volved with time that certain dynamics must be neglected to permit other dynamics to persist. The case of a sailor giving his own life to save his ship answers the group dynamic. Such an action is a valid solution to a problem. But it violates the optimum solution because it did not answer for Dynamic One: self. Many examples of various kinds could be cited where one or another of the dynamics must, of necessity, receive priority, all on an entirely rational basis. On an aberrated basis the equation is still valid but complicated by irrationalities which have no part of the situation. Many solutions are bad merely because of false educa-tional data or no data at all. But these are still solutions. In the case of aberrated solutions, the dynamics are actually and actively impeded, as will later be outlined in full. 

 CHAPTER V SUMMARY The dynamic principle of existence is survival. This survival can be graduated into four zones, each one progressively portending a better opportunity of reaching the potential of immortality. Zone 0 borders from death and includes apathy; Zone 1 borders from apathy and includes violent effort; Zone 2 borders from violence into mediocre but not entirely satisfactory success; Zone 3 borders from the medio-cre to the excellent chance. These zones are each occasioned by the ratio of the suppressor to the survival dynamic. In apathy, Zone 0, the suppressor appears too great to be overcome. In the area of violence, Zone I, the suppressor more or less overbalances the survival dynamic, requiring enormous effort which, when expended without result, drops the organism into the Zero Zone. In the area of mediocrity, Zone 2, the suppressor and the survival dynamic are more or less evenly balanced. In the area of Zone 3 the survival dynamic has overcome the suppressor and, the chances of survival being excellent, is the area of high response to prob-lems. These four zones might be classed as the zone of no hope, the zone of violent action, the area of balance and the area of high hope. Clinical experiment is the basis of these zones since they follow a progress of mental or physical being as it rises from the death area into high existence. The four dynamics are subdivisions of the survival dynamic and are, in Mankind, the thrust toward potential survival in terms of entities. They embrace all the purposes, activi-ties and behavior of Mankind. They could be said to be a conduct survival pattern. The first of these, but not necessarily the most important nor yet the one which will receive priority in various efforts, is the individual dynamic, DYNAMIC ONE, which includes the personal sur-vival of the individual as a living person and the survival of his personal symbiotes. DY-NAMIC TWO is the thrust toward potential immortality through children and includes all sexual activity as well as the symbiotes of the children. DYNAMIC THREE is survival in terms of the group, which term may include such things as a club, a military company, a city, a state, a nation; this would include the symbiotes of the group. DYNAMIC FOUR is the thrust toward potential immortality of Mankind as a species and the symbiotes of Mankind. Embraced within these classifications are any part of existence, any form of matter and, in-deed the Universe. Any problem or situation discoverable within the activities or purposes of Mankind is embraced within these dynamics. The equation of the optimum solution is inherent within the organism and, modified by education or viewpoint and modified further by time, is the operating method of unaber-rated individuals, groups or Mankind. The equation of the optimum solution is always present even in severely aberrated individuals and is used as modified by their education, viewpoint and available time. The aberration does not remove activity from the dynamics of survival. Aberrated conduct is irrational survival conduct and is fully intended to lead to survival. That the intent is not the act does not eradicate the intent. THESE ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL AXIOMS OF DIANETICS: 
The dynamic principle of existence – SURVIVE! Survival, considered as the single and sole Purpose, sub-divides into four dynamics. DYNAMIC ONE  is the urge of the individual toward survival for the individual and his symbiotes. (By symbiote is meant all entities and energies which aid survival.) DYNAMIC TWO  is the urge of the individual toward survival through procreation; it in-cludes both the sex act and the raising of progeny, the care of children and their symbiotes. DYNAMIC THREE  is the urge of the individual toward survival for the group or the group for the group and includes the symbiotes of that group. DYNAMIC FOUR  is the urge of the individual toward survival for Mankind or the urge toward survival of Mankind for Mankind as well as the group for Man-kind, etc., and includes the symbiotes of mankind. The absolute goal of survival is immortality or infinite survival. This is sought by the individual in terms of himself as an organism, as a spirit or as a name or as his children, as a group of which he is a member or as Mankind and the progeny and symbiotes of others as well as his own. The reward of survival activity is pleasure. The ultimate penalty of destructive activity is death or complete non-survival, and is pain. Successes raise the survival potential toward infinite survival. Failures lower the survival potential toward death. The human mind is engaged upon perceiving and retaining data, composing or com-puting conclusions and posing and resolving problems related to organisms along all four dy-namics and the purpose of perception, retention, concluding and resolving problems is to di-rect its own organism and symbiotes and other organisms and symbiotes along the four dy-namics toward survival. Intelligence is the ability to perceive, pose and resolve problems. The dynamic is the tenacity to life and vigor and persistence in survival. Both the dynamic and intelligence are necessary to persist and accomplish and neither is a constant quantity from individual to individual, group to group. The dynamics are inhibited by engrams, which lie across them and disperse life force. Intelligence is inhibited by engams which feed false or improperly graded data into the analyzer. Happiness is the overcoming of not unknown obstacles toward a known goal and, transiently, the contemplation of or indulgence in pleasure. The analytical mind is that portion of the mind which perceives and retains experience data to compose and resolve problems and direct the organism along the four dynamics. It thinks in differences and similarities. 
 The reactive mind is that portion of the mind which files and retains physical pain and painful emotion and seeks to direct the organism solely on a stimulus-response basis. It thinks only in identities. The somatic mind is that mind which, directed by the analytical or reactive mind, places solutions into effect on the physical level. A training pattern is that stimulus-response mechanism resolved by the analytical mind to care for routine activity or emergency activity. It is held in the somatic mind and can be changed at will by the analytical mind. Habit is that stimulus-response reaction dictated by the reactive mind from the content of engrams and put into effect by the somatic mind. It can be changed only by those things which change engams. Aberrations, under which is included all deranged or irrational behavior, are caused by engams. They are stimulus-response pro – and contra-survival. Psycho-somatic ills are caused by engrams. The engram is the single source of aberrations and psycho-somatic ills. Moments of „unconsciousness“ when the analytical mind is attenuated in greater or lesser degree are the only moments when engrams can be received. The engram is a moment of „unconsciousness“ containing physical pain or painful emotion and all perceptions and is not available to the analytical mind as experience. Emotion is three things: engramic response to situations, endocrine metering of the body to meet situations on an analytical level and the inhibition or the furtherance of life force. The potential value of an individual or a group may be expressed by the equation x PV = ID where I is Intelligence and D is Dynamic. The worth of an individual is computed in terms of the alignment, on any dynamic, of his potential value with optimum survival along that dynamic. A high PV may, by reversed vector, result in a negative worth as in some severely aberrated persons. A high PV on any dynamic assures a high worth only in the unaberrated person. 

 BOOK TWO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF ALL INORGANIC MENTAL AND ORGANIC PSYCHO-SOMATIC ILLS 
CHAPTER I THE ANALYTICAL MIND  AND THE STANDARD MEMORY BANKS This chapter begins the search for human error and tells where it is not. The human mind can be considered to have three major divisions. First, there is the analytical mind, second, there is the reactive mind, and third, there is the somatic mind. Consider the analytical mind as a computing machine. This is analogy, because the analytical mind, while it behaves like a computing machine, is yet more fantastically capable than any computing machine ever constructed and infinitely more elaborate. It could be called the „computational mind“ or the „egsusheyftef.“ But for our purposes, the analytical mind, as a descriptive name, will do. This mind may live in the pre-frontal lobes – there is some hint of that – but this is a problem of structure, and nobody really knows about structure. So we shall call this computational part of the mind the „analytical mind“ because it analyzes data. The monitor can be considered part of the analytical mind. The monitor could be called the center of awareness of the person. It, inexactly speaking, is the person. It has been approximated by various names for thousands of years, each one reducing down to „I.“ The monitor is in control of the analytical mind. It is not in control because it has been told to be but only because it is, inherently. It is not a demon who lives in the skull nor a little man who vocalizes one’s thoughts. It is „I.“ No matter how many aberrations a person may have, „I“ is always „I.“ No matter how „clear“ a person becomes, „I,“ is still „I.“ „I“ may be submerged now and then in an aberree, but it is always present. The analytical mind shows various evidences of being an organ, but as we know in this age so little of structure, the full structural knowledge of the analytical mind must come after we know what it does. And in dianetics we know precisely that for the first time. It is known and can be proven with ease that the analytical mind, be it one organ of the body or several, behaves as you would expect any good computing machine to behave. What would you want in a computing machine? The action of the analytical mind – or analyzer – is everything anyone could want from the best computer available. It can and does do all the tricks of a computer. And over and above that, it directs the building of computers. And it is as thoroughly right as any computer ever was. The analytical mind is not just a good computer, it is a perfect computer. It never makes a mistake. It cannot err in any way so long as a human being is reasonably intact (unless something has carried away a piece of his men-tal equipment). The analytical mind is incapable of error, and it is so certain that it is incapable of er-ror that it works out everything on the basis that it cannot make an error. If a person says, „I cannot add,“ he either means that he has never been taught to add or that he has an aberration about adding. It does not mean that there is anything wrong with the analytical mind. While the whole being is, in an aberrated state, grossly capable of error, still the ana-lytical mind is not. For a computer is just as good as the data on which it operates and no bet-
 ter. Aberration, then, arises from the nature of the data offered to the analytical mind as a problem to be computed. The analytical mind has its standard memory banks. Just where these are located struc-turally is again no concern of ours at this time. To operate, the analytical mind has to have percepts (data), memory (data), and imagination (data). There are another data storage bank and another part of the human mind which contain aberrations and are the source of insanities. These will be fully covered later and should not be confused with either the analytical mind or the standard memory banks. Whether or not the data contained in the standard memory banks is evaluated correctly or not, it is all there. The various senses receive information and this information files straight into the standard memory banks. It does not go through the analyzer first. It is filed and the analyzer then has it from the standard banks. There are several of these standard banks and they may be duplicated in themselves so that there are several of each kind of bank. Nature seems generous in such things. There is a bank, or set of banks, for each perception. These can be considered racks of data filed in a cross-index system which would make an intelligence officer purple with envy. Any single percept is filed as a concept. The sight of a moving car, for instance, is filed in the visio-bank in color and motion, at the time seen, cross-indexed to the area in which seen, cross-indexed to all data about cars, cross-indexed to thoughts about cars, and so forth and so forth with the additional filing of conclusions (thought stream) of the moment and thought streams of the past with all their conclusions. The sound of that car is similarly filed from the ears, straight into the audio-bank, and cross-indexed multitudinously as before. The other sensations of that moment are also filed, in their own banks. Now it may be that the whole filing is done in one bank. It would be simpler that way. But this is not a matter of structure but mental performance. Eventually somebody will dis-cover just how they are filed. Right now the function of filing is all that interests us. Every percept – sight, sound, smell, feeling, taste, organic sensation, pain, rhythm, kinesthesia (weight and muscular motion) and emotion – is each properly and neatly filed in the standard banks in full. It does not matter how many aberrations a physically intact person has or whether he thinks he can or cannot contain this data or recall it, the file is there and is complete. This file begins at a very early period, of which more later. It then runs consecutively, whether the individual is asleep or awake, except in moments of „unconsciousness,“5 for an entire lifetime. It apparently has an infinite capacity. The numbers of these concepts (concept means that which is retained after something has been perceived) would stagger an astronomer’s computer. The existence and profusion of memories retained were discovered and studied in a large number of cases, and they can be examined in anyone by certain processes.                                                 
 Everything in this bank is correct in so far as the single action of perception is con-cerned. There may be organic errors in the organs of perception, such as blindness or deafness (when physical, not aberrational), which would leave blanks in the banks; and there may be organic impairment such as partial organic deafness which would leave partial blanks. But these things are not error in the standard memory banks; they are simply absence of data. Like the computer, the standard memory banks are perfect, recording faithfully and reliably. Now part of the standard banks is audio-semantic, which is to say, the recordings of words heard. And part of the banks is visio-semantic, which is to say, the recordings of words read. These are special parts of the sound and sight files. A blind man who has to read with his fingers develops a tactile-semantic file. The content of the speech files is exactly as heard without alteration. Another interesting part of the standard memory banks is that they apparently file the original and hand forward exact copies to the analyzer. They will hand out as many exact cop-ies as are demanded without diminishing the actual file original. And they hand out these cop-ies each in kind with color-motion sight, tone-audio, etc. The amount of material which is retained in the average standard memory banks would fill several libraries. But the method of retention is invariable. And the potentiality of recall is perfect. The primary source of error in „rational“ computation comes under the headings of in-sufficient data and erroneous data. The individual, daily facing new situations, is not always in possession of all the material he requires to make a decision. And he may have been told something on Good Authority which was not true and yet which did not find counter-evidence in the banks. Between the standard banks, which are perfect and reliable, and the computer, the ana-lytical mind, which is perfect and reliable, there is no irrational concourse. The answer is al-ways as right as it can be made to be in the light of data at hand, and that is all anyone can ask of a computing device or a recording device. The analytical mind goes even further in its efforts to be right than one would suppose. It constantly checks and weighs new experience in the light of old experience, forms new conclusions in the light of old conclusions, changes old conclusions and generally is very busy being right. The analytical mind might be considered to have been given a sacred post of trust by the cells to safeguard the colony, and it does everything within its power to carry out that Mission. It has correct data, as correct as possible, and it does correct computations on them, as correct as they can be made. When one considers the enormous number of factors which one handles, for instance, in the action of driving a car ten blocks, he can appreciate how very, very busy on how very many levels that analytical mind can be. Now before we introduce the villain of this piece, the reactive mind, it is necessary to understand something about the relation of the analytical mind to the organism itself. The analytical mind, charged with full responsibility, is far from without authority to carry out its actions and desires. Through the mechanisms of the life function regulator (which 
handles all the mechanical functions of living), the analytical mind can effect any function of the body it desires to effect. In excellent working order – which is to say, when the organism is not aberrated – the analytical mind can influence the heartbeat, the endocrines (such things as calcium and sugar in the blood, adrenalin, etc.), selective blood flow (stopping it in the limbs or starting it at will), urine, excreta, etc. All glandular, rhythm and fluid functions of the body can be at the command of the analytical mind. This is not to say that in a cleared person they always are. That would be very uncomfortable and bothersome. But it does say that the analytical mind can effect changes at desire when it skills itself to do so. This is a marter of laboratory proof, very easy to do. People have long been intuitive about the „full power of the mind.“ Well, the full power of the mind would be the analytical mind working with the standard memory banks, the life function regulator and one other thing. The last and most important thing is, of course, the organism. It is in the charge of the analytical mind. And the analytical mind controls it in other ways than life function. All mus-cles and the remainder of the organism can be under the full command of the analytical mind. In order to keep it and its circuits free of bric-a-brac and minor activities, the analytical mind is provided with a learned training pattern regulator. Into this, by education, it can place the stimulus-response patterns necessary for the performance of tasks like talking, walking, piano playing, etc. These learned patterns are not unchangeable. Because they are selected by the analytical mind after thought and effort, there is seldom any need to change them; if new situations arise, a new pattern is trained into the muscles. None of these are „conditionings“; they are simply training patterns which the organism can use without attention of any magni-tude from the analyzer. An uncountable number of such patterns can be laid into the organism by this method. And they are not the source of any trouble since they file by time and situa-tion, and a very little thought will serve to annul old ones in favor of new ones. All muscles, voluntary and „involuntary,“ can be at the command of the analytical mind. Here, then, is the composite of a sentient being. There is no chance for error beyond the error incident to insufficient data and erroneous but accepted data (and the last will be used by the analyzer just once if that once proves the data to be wrong), Here is the realm of pleasure, emotion, creation and construction, and even destruction if the computation on the optimum solution says something has to be destroyed. The dynamics underlie the activities of the analytical mind. The urge toward survival explains all its actions. That we can understand the fundamental simplicity of the functional mechanism does not, however, mean that a man operating this way alone is cold or calculat-ing or intent on „tooth and claw.“ The nearer Man approaches this optimum, in an individual or in a whole society, the quicker and warmer is that society, the more honest may be its moods and actions. Sanity depends upon rationality. Here is optimum rationality and therefore optimum sanity. And here also are all the things Man likes to think Man should be like or, for that mat-ter, what he has represented his better gods to be like. This is the clear. 
This is sanity. This is happiness. This is survival. Where is the error? 

CHAPTER II THE REACTIVE MIND It is fairly well accepted in these times that life in all forms evolved from the basic building blocks, the virus and the cell. Its only relevance to dianetics is that such a proposition works – and actually that is all we ask of dianetics. There is no point to writing here a past tome on biology and evolution. We can add some chapters to those things, but Charles Dar-win did his job well, and the fundamental principles of evolution can be found in his and other works. The proposition on which dianetics was originally entered was evolution. It was postu-lated that the cells themselves had the urge to survive and that that urge was common to life. It was further postulated that organisms – individuals – were constructed of cells and were in fact aggregations of colonies of cells. As went the building block, so went the organism. In the finite realms and for any of our purposes, Man could be considered to be a colonial aggregation of cells and it could be assumed that his purpose was identical with the purpose of his building blocks. The cell is a unit of life which is seeking to survive and only to Survive. Man is a structure of cells which are asking to survive, and only to survive. Man’s mind is the command post of operation and is constructed to resolve problems and pose problems related to survival and only to survival. The action of survival, if optimum, would lead to survival. The optimum survival conduct pattern was formulated and then studied for exceptions, and there were no exceptions found. The survival conduct pattern was discovered to be far from sterile and barren but was full of rich and most pleasant activity. None of these postulates outlawed any concept concerning the human soul or divine or creative imagination. It was understood perfectly that this was a study in the finite universe only and that spheres and realms of thought and action might very well exist above this finite sphere. But it was also discovered that none of these factors were needed to resolve the entire problem of aberration and irrational conduct. The human mind was discovered to have been most grossly maligned, for it was found to be possessed of capabilities far in excess of any heretofore imagined much less tested. Basic human character was found to have been pilloried because Man had not been able to distinguish between irrational conduct derived from poor data and irrational conduct derived from another, far more vicious source. If there ever was a devil, he designed the reactive mind. This functional mechanism managed to bury itself from view so thoroughly that only inductive philosophy, traveling from effect back to cause, served to uncover it. The detective 
work which was invested in the location of this arch criminal of the human psyche occupied many years. Its identity can now be certified by any technician in any clinic or in any group of men. Two hundred and seventy-three individuals have been examined and treated, represent-ing all the various types of inorganic mental illness and the many varieties of psycho-somatic ills. In each one this reactive mind was found operating, its principles unvaried. This is a long series of cases and will soon become longer. The reactive mind is possessed by everyone. No human being examined anywhere was discovered to be without one or without aberrative content in his engram bank, the reservoir of data which serves the reactive mind. What does this mind do? It shuts off hearing recall. It places vocal circuits in the mind. It makes people tone-deaf. It makes people stutter. It does anything and everything that can be found in any list of mental ills: psychoses, neuroses, compulsions, repressions… What can it do? It can give a man arthritis, bursitis, asthma, allergies, sinusitis, coro-nary trouble, high blood pressure, and so on down the whole catalogue of psycho-somatic ills, adding a few more which were never specifically classified as psycho-somatic, such as the common cold. And it is the only thing in the human being which can produce these effects. It is the thing which uniformly brings them about. This is the mind which made Socrates think he had a „demon“ that gave him answers. This is the mind that made Caligula appoint his horse to a government post. This is the mind which made Caesar cut the right hands from thousands of Gauls, which made Napoleon re-duce the height of Frenchmen one inch. This is the mind which keeps war a thing of alarm, which makes politics irrational, which makes superior officers snarl, which makes children cry in fear of the dark. This is the mind which makes a man suppress his hopes, which holds his apathies, which gives him ir-resolution when he should act, and kills him before he has begun to live. If there ever was a devil, he invented it. Discharge the content of this mind’s bank and the arthritis vanishes, myopia gets better, heart illness decreases, asthma disappears, stomachs function properly, and the whole cata-logue of ills goes away and stays away. Discharge the reactive engram bank and the schizophrenic faces reality at last, the manic-depressive sets forth to accomplish things, the neurotic stops clinging to books which tell him how much he needs his neuroses and begins to live, the woman stops snapping at her children and the dipsomaniac can drink when he likes and stop. These are scientific facts. They compare invariably with observed experience. The reactive mind is the entire source of aberration. It can be proved and has been re-peatedly proven that there is no other, for when that engram bank is discharged, all undesir-able symptoms vanish and a man begins to operate on his optimum pattern. If one were looking for something like demons in a human mind – such as those one observes in some inmates of madhouses – he could find them easily enough. Only they are not 
 demons. They are by-pass circuits from the engram bank. What prayer and exhortations have been used against these by-pass circuits! If one did not believe in demons, if one supposed that Man were good after all (as a postulate, of course), how would the evil get into him? What would be the source of these insane rages? What would be the source of his slips of the tongue? How would he come to know irrational fear? Why is it that one does not like his boss although his boss has always been pleasant? Why is it that suicides smash their bodies to bits? Why does Man behave destructively, irrationally, fighting wars, killing, ruining whole sections of Mankind? What is the source of all neuroses, psychoses, insanities? Let us return to a brief examination of the analytical mind. Let us examine its memory banks. Here we find all the sense concepts on file. Or so it appears at first glance. Let us take another look, a look at the time factor. There is a time sense about these analytical mind banks. It is very accurate, as though the organism were equipped with a fine watch. But there is something wrong here about time – it has gaps in it! There are moments when nothing seems to be filed in these standard banks. These are gaps which take place during moments of „un-consciousness,“ that state of being caused by anaesthesia, drugs, injury or shock. This is the only data missing from a standard bank. If in hypnotic trance you examine a patient’s memory of an operation these incidents are the only periods in the banks you will not find. You can find these if you care to look and don’t care what happens to your patient – of which more later. But the point is that there is something missing which has always been considered by one and all in any age never to have been recorded. One and all in every age have never been able to put a finger on insanity either. Are these two data in agreement and do they have relationship? They definitely do. There are two things which appear to be – but are not – recorded in the standard banks: painful emotion and physical pain. How would you go about the building of a sensitive machine upon which the life and death affairs of an organism depended, which was to be the chief tool of an individual? Would you leave its delicate circuits prey to every overload or would you install a fuse system? If a delicate instrument is in circuit with a power line, it is protected by several sets of fuses. Any computer would be so safeguarded. It happens that there is some small evidence to support the electrical theory of the nervous system. In pain there are very heavy overcharges in the nerves. It may well have been – and elsewhere some dianetic computations have been made about this – that the brain is the absorber for overcharges of power resulting from injury, the power itself being gener-ated by the injured cells in the area of injury. That is theory and has no place here save to serve as an example. We are dealing now only with scientific fact. 
 The action of the analytical mind during a moment of intense pain is suspended. In fact, the analytical mind behaves just as though it were an organ to which vital supply was shut off whenever shock is present. As an example, a man struck in the side by a car is knocked „unconscious“ and on re-gaining „consciousness“ has no record of the period when he was „knocked out.“ This would be a non-survival circumstance. It means that there would be no volition on the part of anyone who was injured, and this is the time when the organism most requires volition. So this is non-survival, if the whole mind cuts out whenever pain appears. Would an organism with more than a billion years of biological engineering behind it leave a problem like this un-solved? Indeed, the organism solved the problem. Maybe the problem is very difficult, bio-logically, and maybe the solution is not very good, but large provision has been made for those moments when the organism is „unconscious.“ The answer to the problem of making the organism react in moments of „uncon-sciousness“ or near „unconsciousness“ is also the answer to insanity and psycho-somatic ill-nesses and all the strange mental quirks to which people are liable and which gave rise to that fable „it is human to err.“ Clinical tests prove these statements to be scientific facts: 1.  The mind records on some level continuously during the entire life of the organism. 2.  All recordings of the lifetime are available. 3.  „Unconsciousness,“ in which the mind is oblivious of its surroundings, is possible only in death and does not exist as total amnesia in life. 4.  All mental and physical derangements of a psychic nature come about from moments of „unconsciousness.“ 5.  Such moments can be reached and drained of charge with the result of returning the mind to optimum operating condition. „Unconsciousness“ is the single source of aberration. There is no such action as „men-tal conditioning“ except on a conscious training level (where it exists only with the consent of the person). If you care to make the experiment you can take a man, render him „uncon-scious,“ hurt him and give him information. By dianetic technique, no matter what informa-tion you gave him, it can be recovered. This experiment should not be carelessly conducted because you might also render him insane. A pale shade of this operation can be obtained by hypnosis, either by its usual tech-niques or drugs. By installing „positive suggestions“ in a subject, he can be made to act like an insane person. This test is not a new one. It has been well known that compulsions or re-pressions can be so introduced into the psyche. The ancient Greek was quite familiar with it and used it to produce various delusions. 
There is what is known as a „post-hypnotic suggestion.“ An understanding of this can assist an understanding of the basic mechanism of insanity. The actions under both circum-stances are not identical, but they are similar enough in their essence. A man is placed in a hypnotic trance by standard hypnotic technique or some hypnotic drug. The operator then may say to him, „When you awaken there is something you must do. Whenever I touch my tie you will remove your coat. When I let go my tie, you will put on your coat. Now you will forget that I have told you to do this.“ The subject is then awakened. He is not consciously aware of the command. If told he had been given an order while „asleep,“ he would resist the idea or shrug but he would not know. The operator then touches his tie. The subject may make some remark about its being too warm and so take his coat off. The operator then releases his tie. The subject may remark that he is now cold and will put his coat back on. The operator then touches his tie. The sub-ject may say that his coat has been to the tailor’s and with much conversation finally explain why he is taking it off, perhaps to see if the back seam had been sewn properly. The operator then releases his tie and the subject says he is satisfied with the tailor and so replaces his coat. The operator may touch his tie many times and each time receive action on the part of the subject. At last the subject may become aware, from the expressions on people’s faces, that something is wrong. He will not know what is wrong. He will not even know that the touch-ing of the tie is the signal which makes him take off his coat. He will begin to grow uncom-fortable. He may find fault with the operator’s appearance and begin to criticize his clothing. He still does not know the tie is a signal. He will still react and remain in ignorance that there is some strange reason he must take off his coat – all he knows is that he is uncomfortable with his coat on whenever the tie is touched, uncomfortable with his coat off every time the tie is released. These various actions are very important to an understanding of the reactive mind. Hypnotism is a laboratory tool. It is not used to any extent in dianetic therapy, but it has served as a means of examining minds and getting their reactions. Hypnotism is a wild vari-able. A few people can be hypnotized, many cannot be. Hypnotic suggestions will sometimes „take“ and sometimes they won’t. Sometimes they make persons well and sometimes they make them ill – the same suggestion reacting differently in different people. An engineer knows how to make use of a wild variable. There is something which makes it unpredictable. Finding out the basic reason hypnotism was a variable helped to discover the source of insan-ity. And understanding the mechanism of the post-hypnotic suggestion can aid an understand-ing of aberration. No matter how foolish a suggestion is given to a subject under hypnosis, he will carry it out one way or another. He can be told to remove his shoes or call someone at ten the fol-lowing day or to eat peas for breakfast and he will. These are direct orders and he will comply with them. He can be told that his hats do not fit him and he will believe that they do not. Any suggestion will operate within his mind unbeknownst to his higher levels of awareness. Very complex suggestions can be given. One such would be to the effect that he was unable to utter the word „I.“ He would omit it from his conversation, using remarkable make-
shifts without being „aware“ that he was having to avoid the word. Or he could be told that he must never look at his hands and he will not. These are repressions. Given to the subject when drugged or in a hypnotic sleep, these suggestions operate when he is awake. And they will continue to operate until released by the hypnotic operator. He can be told that he has an urge to sneeze every time he hears the word „rug“ and that he will sneeze when it is spoken. He can be told that he must jump two feet in the air every time he sees a cat and he will jump. And he will do these things after he has been awak-ened. These are compulsions. He can be told that he will think very sexual thoughts about a certain girl but that when he thinks them he will feel his nose itch. He can be told that he has a continual urge to lie down and sleep and that every time he lies down he will feel that he cannot sleep. He will experience these things. These are neuroses. In further experiments he can be told, when he is in his hypnotic „sleep,“ that he is the president of the country and that the secret service agents are trying to murder him. Or he can be told that he is being fed poison in every restaurant in which he attempts to eat. These are psychoses. He can be informed that he is really another person and that he owns a yacht and an-swers to the name of „Sir Reginald.“ Or he can be told that he is a thief, that he has a prison record, and that the police are looking for him. These would be schizophrenic and paranoid-schizophrenic insanities respectively. The operator can inform the subject that the subject is the most wonderful person on earth and that everybody thinks so. Or that the subject is the object of adoration of all women. This would be a manic-type insanity. He can be convinced, while hypnotized, that when he wakes he will feel so terrible that he will hope for nothing but death. This would be the depressive-type insanity. He can be told that all he can think about is how sick he is and that every malady of which he reads becomes his. This would make him react like a hypochondriac. Thus we could go down the catalogue of mental ills and by concocting positive sug-gestions to create the state of mind, we could bring about, in the awakened subject, a sem-blance to every insanity. Understood that these are semblances. They are similar to insanity in that the subject would act like an insane person. He would not be an insane person. The moment the sugges-tion is relieved – the subject being informed that it was a suggestion – the aberration (and all these insanities, etc., are grouped under the heading of aberration) theoretically vanishes.6                                                 
The duplication of aberrations of all classes and kinds in subjects who have been hyp-notized or drugged has demonstrated that there is some portion of the mind which is not in contact with the consciousness but which contains data. It was the search for this portion of the mind which led to the resolution of the prob-lem of insanity, psycho-somatic ills and other aberrations. It was not approached through hypnotism, and hypnotism is just another tool, a tool which is of only occasional use in the practice of dianetics and is, indeed, not needed at all. Here we have an individual who is acting sanely, who is given a positive suggestion and who then temporarily acts insanely. His sanity is restored by the release of the suggestion into his consciousness, at which moment it loses its force upon him. But this is only a sem-blance of the mechanism involved. The actual insanity, one not laid now by some hypnotist, does not need to emerge into the consciousness to be released. There is this difference and others between hypnotism and the actual source of aberration; but hypnotism is a demonstra-tion of its working parts. Review the first example of the positive suggestion. The subject was „unconscious,“ which is to say, he was not in possession of complete awareness or self-determinism. He was given something he must do and the something was hidden from his consciousness. The operator gave him a signal. When the signal occurred, the subject performed an act. The subject gave reasons for the act which were not the real reasons for it. The subject found fault with the operator and the operator’s clothing but did not see that it was the tie which signaled the action. The suggestion was released and the subject no longer felt a compulsion to perform the act. These are the parts of aberration. Once one knows exactly what parts of what are aber-rations, the whole problem is very simple. It seems incredible at first glance that the source could have remained so thoroughly hidden for so many thousands of years of research. But at, second glance, it becomes a wonder that the source was ever discovered. For it is hidden cun-ningly and well. „Unconsciousness“ of the non-hypnotic variety is a little more rugged. It takes more than a few passes of the hand to cause „unconsciousness“ of the insanity-producing variety. The shock of accidents, the anaesthetics used for operations, the pain of injuries and the deliriums of illness are the principal sources of what we call „unconsciousness.“ The mechanism, in our analogue of the mind, is very simple. In comes a destructive wave of physical pain or a pervading poison such as ether and out go some or all of the fuses of the analytical mind. When it goes out, so go what we know as the standard memory banks. The periods of „unconsciousness“ are blanks in the standard memory banks. These missing periods make up what dianetics calls the reactive mind bank. The times when the analytical mind is in full operation plus the times when the reac-tive mind is in operation are a continuous line of consecutive recording for the entire period of life. During the periods when the analytical mind is cut out of circuit in full or in part, the reactive mind cuts in in full or in part. In other words, if the analytical mind is unfused so that 
it is half out of circuit, the reactive mind is half in circuit. No such sharp percentages are actu-ally possible, but this is to give an approximation. When the individual is „unconscious“ in full or in part, the reactive mind is cut in in full or in part. When he is fully conscious, his analytical mind is fully in command of the or-ganism. When his consciousness is reduced, the reactive mind is cut into the circuit just that much. The moments which contain „unconsciousness“ in the individual are contra-survival moments, by and large. Therefore it is vital that something take over so that the individual can go through motions to save the whole organism. The fighter who fights half out on his feet, the burned man who drags himself out of the fire – these are cases when the reactive mind is valuable. The reactive mind is very rugged. It would have to be in order to stand up to the pain waves which knock out other sentience in the body. It is not very refined. But it is most awe-somely accurate. It possesses a low order of computing ability, an order which is sub-moron, but one would expect a low order of ability from a mind which stays in circuit when the body is being crushed or fried. The reactive bank does not store memories as we think of them. It stores engrams.7 These engrams are a complete recording, down to the last accurate detail, of every perception present in a moment of partial or full „unconsciousness.“ They are just as accurate as any other recording in the body. But they have their own force. They are like phonograph records or motion pictures, if these contained all perceptions of sight, sound, smell, taste, organic sen-sation, etc. The difference between an engram and a memory, however, is quite distinct. An en-gram can be permanently fused into any and all body circuits and behaves like an entity. In all laboratory tests on these engrams they were found to possess „inexhausti-ble“ sources of power to command the body. No matter how many times one was reactivated in an individual, it was still powerful. Indeed, it became even more able to exert its power in proportion to its reactivation. The only thing which could even begin to shake these engrams was the technique which developed into dianetic therapy, which will be covered in full in the third section of this volume. This is an example of an engram: A woman is knocked down by a blow. She is ren-dered „unconscious.“ She is kicked and told she is a faker, that she is no good, that she is al-ways changing her mind. A chair is overturned in the process. A faucet is running in the kitchen. A car is passing in the street outside. The engram contains a running record of all these perceptions: sight, sound, tactile, taste, smell, organic sensation, kinetic sense, joint po-sition, thirst record, etc. The engram would consist of the whole statement made to her when                                                 
she was „unconscious“: the voice tones and emotion in the voice, the sound and feel of the original and later blows, the tactile of the floor, the feel and sound of the chair overturning, the organic sensation of the blow, perhaps the taste of blood in her mouth or any other taste present there, the smell of the person attacking her and the smells in the room, the sound of the passing car’s motor and tires, etc. These would all be considered something on the order of a „positive suggestion.“ But there is something else here which is new, something which is not in the standard banks ex-cept by context: pain and painful emotion. These things are what make the difference between the standard banks and the reactive engram banks: physical pain and painful emotion. Physical pain and painful emotion are the difference between an engram, which is the cause of aberration, all aberration, and a mem-ory.8 We all have heard that bad experience is helpful to living and that without bad experi-ence, man never learns. This may be very, very true. But it doesn’t embrace the engram. That isn’t experience. That is commanded action. Perhaps before Man had a large vocabulary, these engrams were of some use to him. They were survival in ways which will be developed later. But when Man acquired a fine, homonymic (words that sound the same but mean different things) language, and indeed, when he acquired any language, these engrams were much more a liability than a help. And now with Man well evolved, these engrams do not protect him at all but make him mad, inef-ficient and ill. The proof of any assertion lies in its applicability. When these engrams are deleted from the reactive mind bank, rationality and efficiency are enormously heightened, health is greatly increased and the individual computes rationally on the survival conduct pattern, which is to say, he enjoys himself and the society of those around him and is constructive and creative. He is destructive only when something actually threatens the sphere of his dynamics. These engrams, then, are entirely negative in value in this stage of Man’s development. When he was nearer the level of his animal cousins (who have, all of them, reactive minds of this same kind), he might have had use for the data. But language and his changed existence make any engram a distinct liability, and no engram has any constructive value. The reactive mind was provided to secure survival. It still pretends to act in that fash-ion. But its wild errors now lead only in the other direction.  There are actually three kinds of engrams, all of them aberrative: First is the contra-survival engram. This contains physical pain, painful emotion, all other perceptions and men-ace to the organism. A child knocked out by a rapist and abused receives this type of engram. The contra-survival engram contains apparent or actual antagonism to the organism.                                                 
The second engram type is the pro-survival engram. A child who has been abused is ill. He is told, while he is partially or wholly „unconscious,“ that he will be taken care of, that he is dearly loved, etc. This engram is not taken as contra-survival but pro-survival. It seems to be in favor of survival. Of the two this last is the most aberrative since it is reinforced by the law of affinity which is always more powerful than fear. Hypnotism preys on this characteris-tic of the reactive mind, being a sympathetic address to an artificially unconscious subject. Hypnotism is as limited as it is because it does not contain, as a factor, physical pain, and painful emotion: things which keep an engram out of sight and moored below the level of „consciousness.“ The third is the painful emotion engram which is similar to the other engrams. It is caused by the shock of sudden loss such as the death of a loved one. The reactive mind bank is composed exclusively of these engrams. The reactive mind thinks exclusively with these engrams. And it „thinks“ with them in a way which would make Korzybski swear, for it thinks in terms of full identification, which is to say identities, one thing identical to another. If the analytical mind did a computation on apples and worms, it could be stated, probably, as follows: some apples have worms in them, other don’t; when biting an apple one occasionally finds a worm unless the apple has been sprayed properly; worms in apples leaves holes. The reactive mind, however, doing a computation on apples and worms as contained in its engram bank, would calculate as follows: apples are worms are bites are holes in apples are holes in anything are apples and always are worms are apples are bites, etc. The analytical mind’s computations might embrace the most staggering summations of calculus, the shifty turns of symbolic logic, the computations requisite to bridge-building or dress-making. Any mathematical equation ever seen came from the analytical mind and might be used by the analytical mind in resolving the most routine problems. But not the reactive mind! That’s so beautifully, wonderfully simple that it can be stated, in operation, to have just one equation: A = A = A = A = A. Start any computation with the reactive mind. Start it with the data it contains, of course. Any datum is just the same to it as any other datum in the same experience. An analytical computation done on the woman being kicked, as mentioned, would be that women get themselves into situations sometimes when they get kicked and hurt and men have been known to kick and hurt women. A reactive mind computation about his engram, as an engram, would be: the pain of the kick equals the pain of the blow equals the overturning chair equals the passing car equals the faucet equals the fact that she is a faker equals the fact that she is no good equals the fact that she changes her mind equals the voice tones of the man equals the emotion equals a faker equals a faucet running equals the pain of the kick equals organic sensation in the area of the kick equals the overturning chair equals changing one’s mind equals… But why continue? Every single perception in this engram equals every other perception in this engram. What? That’s crazy? Precisely! 
Let us further examine our post-hypnotic positive suggestion of the touched tie and the removed coat. In this we have the visible factors of how the reactive mind operates. This post-hypnotic suggestion needs only an emotional charge and physical pain to make it a dangerous engram. Actually it is an engram of a sort. It is laid in by sympathy be-tween the operator and subject, which would make it a sympathy engram – pro-survival. Now we know that the operator had only to touch his tie to make the awakened subject remove his coat. The subject did not know what it was which caused him to remove his coat and found all manner of explanation for the action, none of which was the right one. The en-gram, the post-hypnotic suggestion in this case, was actually placed in the reactive mind bank. It was below the level of consciousness, it was compulsion springing from below the level of consciousness. And it worked upon the muscles to make the subject remove his coat. It was data fused into the circuits of the body below the command level of the analytical mind and operated not only upon the body but also upon the analytical mind itself. If this subject took off his coat every time he saw somebody touch a necktie, society would account him slightly mad. And yet there was no power of consent about this. If he had attempted to thwart the operator by refusing to remove the coat, the subject would have ex-perienced great discomfort of one sort or another. Let us now take an example of the reactive mind’s processes in a lower echelon of life: a fish swims into the shallows where the water is brackish, yellow, and tastes of iron. He has just taken a mouthful of shrimp when a bigger fish rushes at him and knocks against his tail. The small fish manages to get away but he has been physically hurt. Having negligible analytical powers, the small fish depends upon reaction for much of his choice of activity. Now he heals his tail and goes on about his affairs. But one day he is attacked by a larger fish and gets his tail bumped. This time he is not seriously hurt, merely bumped. But something has happened. Something within him considers that in his choice of action he is now being careless. Here is a second injury in the same area. The computation on the fish reactive level was: shallows equals brackish equals yel-low equals iron taste equals pain in tail equals shrimp in mouth, and any one of these equals any other. The bump in the tail on the second occasion keyed-in the engram. It demonstrated to the organism that something like the first accident (identity thought) could happen again. Therefore, beware! The small fish, after this, swims into brackish water. This makes him slightly „nerv-ous.“ But he goes on swimming and finds himself in yellow and brackish water. And still he does not turn back. He begins to get a small pain in his tail. But he keeps on swimming. Sud-denly he gets a taste of iron and the pain in his tail turns on heavily. And away he goes like a flash. No fish was after him. There were shrimp to be had there. But away he went anyway. Dangerous place! And if he had not turned away, he would have really gotten himself a pain in the tail. 
The mechanism is survival activity of a sort. In a fish it may serve a purpose. But in a man, who takes off a coat every time somebody touches a tie, the survival mechanism has long outlived its time. But it is there! Let us further investigate our young man and the coat. The signal for the coat removal was very precise. The operator touched his tie. This is equivalent to any or all of the percep-tions the fish received and which made the fish turn back. The touch of the tie could have been a dozen things. Any one of the dozen might have signaled the removal of the coat. In the case of the woman who was knocked out and kicked, any perception in the en-gram she received has some quality of restimulation. Running water from a faucet might not have affected her greatly. But water running from a faucet plus a passing car might have be-gun some slight reactivation of the engram, a vague discomfort in the areas where she was struck and kicked, not enough yet to cause her real pain but there all the same. To the running water and the passing car we add the sharp falling of a chair and she experiences a shock of mild proportion. Add now the smell and voice of the man who kicked her and the pain begins to grow. The mechanism is telling her that she is in dangerous quarters, that she should leave. But she is not a fish, she is a highly sentient being, to our knowledge the most complex men-tal structure so far evolved on Earth, organism of the species, Man. There are many other fac-tors in the problem than this one engram. She stays. The pains in the areas where she was abused become a predisposition to illness or are chronic illness in themselves, minor it is true in the case of this one incident, but illness just the same. Her affinity with the man who beat her may be so high that the analytical level, being assisted by a normally high general tone, may counter against these pains. But if that level is low, without much to assist it, then the pains can become major. The fish that was so struck and received an engram did not disavow shrimp. Shrimp might have made him a little less enthusiastic afterwards, but the survival potential of shrimp-eating made shrimp equal far more pleasure than it did pain. A pleasant and hopeful life in general – and never think we intimate that the woman stays for food alone whatever the wits say about women – has a high survival potential, and that can overcome a very great deal of pain. As the survival potential diminishes, however, the level of pain (Zone 0 and Zone 1) is more closely approached and such an engram could begin to be reactivated severely. There is another factor here, however, besides pain – in fact, several more factors. If the young man with the detachable coat had been given one of the neurotic positive sugges-tions as listed a few pages back, he would have reacted to it on signal. The engram this woman has received contains a neurotic positive suggestion quite in addition to the general restimulators such as the faucet and the car and the overturning chair. She has been told that she is a faker, that she is no good, and that she is always changing her mind. When the engram is restimulated in one of the great many ways possible, she has a „feeling“ that she is no good, a faker, and she will change her mind. There are several cases to hand which peculiarly illustrate the sadness of this. One case in particular which was cleared had been beaten severely many times and told a similar thing each time, all derogatory. The content inferred that she was very loose morally and 
would cohabit with anyone. She was brought in as a case by her father – she had since been divorced – who complained that she was very loose morally and had cohabited with several men in as many weeks. She herself admitted that she was, she could not see how it could be and it worried her, but she just „could not seem to help it.“ Examination of the engrams in her reactive mind bank brought forth a long series of beatings with this content. Because this was a matter of research, not treatment – although that was given – her former husband was con-tacted. An examination, independent of her knowledge, demonstrated his rage dramatization to contain these very words. He had beaten his wife into being a morally loose woman be-cause he was afraid of morally loose women. All cases examined in all this research were checked, the patient’s engrams against the engrams in the donor. The contents of the incidents were verified wherever possible and were found uniformly to agree. Every safeguard was made to prevent any other method of commu-nication between donor and patient. Everything found in the „unconscious“ periods of every patient, when checked against other source, was found to be exact. The analogy between hypnotism and aberration bears out well. Hypnotism plants by positive suggestion one or another form of insanity. It is usually a temporary planting, but sometimes the hypnotic suggestion will not „lift“ or remove in a way desirable to the hypno-tist. The danger of running experiments with hypnosis. on uncleared patients is found in an-other mechanism of the reactive kind. When an engram such as our example above exists, the woman obviously was „uncon-scious“ at the time she received the engram. She had no standard bank memory (record) of the incident beyond the knowledge that she had been knocked out by the man. The engram was not, then, an experience as we understand the word. It could work from below to aberrate her thinking processes, it could give her strange pains – which she attributed to something else – in the areas injured. But it was not known to her. The key-in was necessary to activate the engram. But what, precisely, could key it in? At some later time when she was tired the man threatened to strike her again and called her names. This was conscious level experience. It was found to be „mentally painful“ by her. And it was „mentally painful“ only because there was real, live, physical pain unseen under it, which had been „keyed-in“ by the conscious experience. The second experience was a lock. It was a memory but it had a new kind of action in the standard banks. It had too much power and it gained that power from a past physical blow. The reactive mind is not too careful about its time clock. It can’t tell one year old from ninety, in fact, when a key-in begins. The actual engram moved up under the standard bank. She thinks she is worried about what he said in the lock experience. She is actually worried about the engram. In this way memories become „painful.“ But pain doesn’t store in the standard banks. There is no place in that bank for pain. None. There is a place for the con-cept of pain and these concepts of what is painful are good enough to keep the sentient organ-ism called Man away from all the pain he believes is actually dangerous. In a clear there are no pain-inducing memories because there is no physical pain record left to ruin the machinery from the reactive mind bank. 
The young man with the detachable coat did not know what was worrying him or what made him do what he did. The person with an engram does not know what is worrying him. He thinks it is the lock and the lock may be a very long way removed from anything resem-bling the engram. The lock may have similar perceptic content. But it may be on another sub-ject entirely. It is not very complicated to understand what these engrams do. They are simply mo-ments of physical pain strong enough to throw part or all the analytical machinery out of cir-cuit; they are antagonism to the survival of the organism or pretended sympathy to the organ-ism’s survival. That is the entire definition. Great or little „unconsciousness,“ physical pain, perceptic content and contra-survival or pro-survival data. They are handled by the reactive mind, which thinks exclusively in identities of everything equals everything. And they en-force their commands upon the organism by wielding the whip of physical pain. If the organ-ism does not do exactly as they say (and believe any clear, that’s impossible!), the physical pain turns on. They steer a person like a keeper steers a tiger – and they can make a tiger out of a man in the process without much trouble – and give him mange into the bargain. If man had not invented language, or, as will be demonstrated, if his languages were a little less homonymic and more specific with their personal pronouns, engrams would still be survival data and the mechanism would work. But Man has outgrown their use. He chose be-tween language and potential madness and for the vast benefits of the former he received the curse of the latter. The engram is the single and sole source of aberration and psycho-somatic illness. An enormous quantity of data has been sifted. Not one single exception has been found. In „normal people,“ in the neurotic and insane, the removal of these engrams wholly or in part, without other therapy, has uniformly brought about a state greatly superior to the cur-rent norm. No need was found for any theory or therapy other than those given in this book for the treatment of all psychic or psycho-somatic ills. 

CHAPTER III THE CELL AND THE ORGANISM The reason the engram so long remained hidden as the single source of aberration and psycho-somatic ills is the wide and almost infinitely complex manifestations which can derive from simple engrams. Several theories could be postulated as to why the human mind evolved exactly as it did, but these are theories, and dianetics is not concerned with structure. A comment or two as a stimulation to future workers in that field might be made, however, wholly as a postulate, that there is a definite connection between any electriclike energy in the body and the energy effusion of cells undergoing injury. A theory could be constructed along the lines that injured cells, further injuring their neighbors by a discharge of electric-like energy, forced the devel-opment of a special cell which would act as a conduit to „bleed off“ this painful charge. The conduits of cells might have become neurons and the charge might have been better distrib-uted so through the body with less likelihood of local incapacitation at the point of the injury impact. These conduits – neurons – might have been started in formation by impacts at the extremity of the body toward the direction of locomotion. This would make the skull the greatest mass of neurons. Man, walking upright, might have had another new point of impact, the forehead, and so gained his pre-frontal lobes. And maybe not. That is just theory, with only a few data to support it which have a scientific value. And it has not been subjected to experiment of any kind whatever. This much, however, has to be advanced as theory on structure. The cell is one of the basic building blocks of the body. Cells, the better to survive, seem to have become colonies which, in turn, had the primary interest, survival. And the colonies developed or recruited into aggregations which in turn were organisms, also with the sole purpose of survival. And the organisms developed minds to coordinate the muscles and resolve the problems of survival. Again, this is still theory and even if it was the track of reasoning which led toward dianetics, it can be completely wrong. It works. It can be pulled away from dianetics and dianetics will remain a science and go on working. The concept of the electronic brain was not vital but only useful to dianetics and it could be swept away as well – dianetics would still stand. A science is a changing affair as far as its internal theory goes. In dianetics we have our wedge into an enormous scope of research. As dianetics stands, it works and it works every time and without exception. The reasons why it works will undoubtedly be mulled over and changed here and there to its betterment – if they aren’t, an abiding faith in this generation of scientists and the future generations will not have been justified. Why we talk about cells will become apparent as we progress. The reason we know that past concepts of structure are not correct is because they don’t work as function. All our facts are functional and these facts are scientific facts, supported wholly and completely by laboratory evidence. Function precedes structure. James Clerk Maxwell’s mathematics were postulated and electricity was widely and beneficially used long before anyone had any real idea about the structure of the atom. Function always comes before structure. The astounding lack of progress in the field of the human mind during the past thousands of years is partly 
attributable to its „organ of thought“ lying within a field, medicine, which was and long may be an art, not a science. Basic philosophy to explain life will have to come before that art makes much further progress. What the capabilities of the cell are, for instance, have been but poorly studied. Some work has been carried on in recent years to find out more, but basic philosophy was absent. The cell was being observed, not predicted. The studies of cells in Man have been largely done from dead tissue. An unknown quality is missing from dead tissue, the important quality – life. In dianetics, on the level of laboratory observation, we discover much to our aston-ishment that cells are evidently sentient in some currently inexplicable way. Unless we postu-late a human soul entering the sperm and ovum at conception, there are things which no other postulate will embrace than that these cells are in some way sentient. Entering a new field with postulates which work in all directions – and the basic philosophy of survival is a pilot which leads us on and on into further and further realms, explaining and predicting phenom-ena on every hand – it is inevitable that data will turn up which does not agree with past the-ory. When that data is as scientific as the observation that when an apple is dropped under usual conditions on Earth it falls, one cannot help but accept it. Abandoning past theories may do damage to treasured beliefs and one’s nostalgic love of the old school tie, but a fact is a fact. The cells as thought units evidently have an influence, as cells, upon the body as a thought unit and an organism. We do not have to untangle this structural problem to resolve our functional postulates. The cells evidently retain engrams of painful events. After all, they are the things which get injured. And they evidently retain a whip hand of punishment for every time the analyzer fails them. The story of the engram seems to be a story of a battle be-tween the troops and the general every time the general gets some of the troops killed off. The less fortunate this general is in protecting these troops, the more power the troops assume. The cells evidently pushed the brain on an upward evolution toward higher sentience. Pain re-versed the process as though the cells were sorry they had put so much power in the hands of a central commander. The reactive mind may very well be the combined cellular intelligence. One need not assume that it is, but it is a handy structural theory in the lack of any real work done in this field of structure. The reactive engram bank may be material stored in the cells themselves. It does not matter whether this is credible or incredible just now. Something has to be said about it to give one a mental hold on what happens during moments of „unconsciousness.“ The scientific fact, observed and tested, is that the organism, in the presence of physi-cal pain, lets the analyzer get knocked out of circuit so that there is a limited quantity or no quantity at all of personal awareness as a unit organism. It does this either to protect the ana-lyzer or to withdraw its power in the belief that an engram is best in an emergency – with which the analyzer, by the way, on observed experience, does not agree. Every percept present, including physical pain, is recorded during these non-analytical moments. Whenever pain is present – physical pain – that is, the analyzer gets shut down to a small or large extent. If the duration of the pain is only an instant, there is still an instant there 
of analytical reduction. This can be proven very easily – just try to recall the last time you were seriously hurt and see if there isn’t at least a momentary blank period. Going to sleep under anaesthetic and waking up some time later is a more complicated sort of shut-down in that it includes physical pain but is initially caused by a poison (and all anaesthetics are poi-sons, technically). Then there is the condition of suffocating, as in drowning, and this is a shut-down period to greater or lesser extent. And there is the condition caused by blood, for one cause or another, leaving the area or areas which contain analytical power – wherever they are – and this again causes a greater or lesser degree of analytical shutdown: such inci-dents include shock (in which the blood tends to lake in the center of the body), the loss of blood by surgery or injury or anemia and the closing of the arteries leading through the throat. Natural sleep causes a reduction of analytical activity but is actually not very deep or serious; by dianetic therapy any experience occurring during sleep can be recovered with ease. It can now be seen that there are many ways in which analytical power can be shut down. And it can be seen that there is greater or lesser reduction. When one burns one’s finger with a cigarette, there is a small instant of pain and a small amount of reduction. When one undergoes an operation, the duration may be in terms of hours and the amount of shut-down may be extreme. The duration and the amount of reduction are two different things, related but quite dissimilar. This is not so very important but it is mentioned. We have seen, reading in dianetics this far, that the principle of the spectrum has been quite useful to us. And it can be seen that the amount of reduction in analytical power can be described in the same way that survival potential can be described. There can be a very little bit and there can be a very great deal. Going back and taking a look at the survival potential range, one can see that there would be death at the bottom and immortality at the top. There is „infinite“ survival. Whether or not there can be infinite analytical power is a matter of mysti-cism. But that there is a definite relationship between individual tone and the amount of ana-lytical shutdown is a scientific fact. Put it this way: with the individual well and happy and enthusiastic, analytical power can be considered to be high (Zones 3 and 4). With the individ-ual under the wheels of a truck, „unconscious“ and in agony, the analytical power may be considered to be ranging in Zone 0. There is a ratio between potential survival and analytical power. As one goes down, so does the other. There is more data to be concluded from this than one would think at first glance. It is a very important ratio. All the percepts are included in an engram. Two of these percepts are physical pain and painful emotion. A third is organic sensation, which is to say, the condition of the organ-ism during the moment of the engram. And how was the organism when the engram was re-ceived? Greater or lesser „unconsciousness“ was present. This meant that there was an or-ganic sensation of reduced analytical power, since analytical power derives, evidently, from an organ or organs in the body. If an engram is reactivated by a restimulator or restimulators – that is to say if the individual with an engram receives something in his environment similar to the perceptions in the engram – the engram puts everything it contains – its percepts such as faucets and words – into greater or lesser operation. There can be greater or lesser restimulation. An engram can be put into force just a lit-tle bit by restimulators in the environment of the individual or, with many restimulators pre-sent and the body in an already reduced state, the engram can go into a full force display 
(which is covered later). But whether the engram is slightly restimulated or greatly restimu-lated, everything in it goes into effect one way or another. There is just one common denominator of all engrams, just one thing which every en-gram has and which is possessed by every other engram. Each contains the datum that the analyzer is more or less shut-down. There is a shut-down datum in every engram. Therefore, every time an engram is restimulated, even though physical pain has not been received by the body, some analytical power turns off, the organ or organs which are the analyzer are fused out of circuit in some degree. This is highly important to an understanding of the mechanics of aberration. It is a sci-entific fact, susceptible of proof, and it never varies. This always happens: when an engram is received, the analyzer is shut down by the physical pain and emotion; when the engram is restimulated the analyzer shuts down as part of the commands of the engram. Actually this is a very mechanical thing. Engram is restimulated, part of the analytical power is shut down. This is as inevitable as turning on and off an electric light. Pull the cord and the light goes off. The reduction of the analyzer is not that sharp – there are grades of light – but it is just as me-chanical. Put a man under ether, hurt him in the chest. He has received an engram because his analytical power was turned off first by ether and then by a chest pain. While he was there on the operating table, the reactive mind recorded the click of instruments, everything said, all sounds and smells. Let us suppose that a nurse was holding one of his feet because he was kicking. This is a complete engram. The engram will be keyed-in by something in the future, a similar incident. After this, in greater or lesser degree, whenever he hears clicks like instrument clicks he gets nervous. If he pays attention to what is happening in his body at that minute, he may find that his foot feels slightly as if it were being held. But he is not likely to give any attention to his foot be-cause if he had any attention to give, the chest pain would be found present in some degree. But his analytical ability has been turned off slightly. As the foot felt it was being held, so does the analyzer have the conception of being shut down by ether and pain. The restimulator (the clicking) tended to bring the whole engram slightly into being and part of the engram command is a reduced analytical power. This is „push-button“ in its precision. If one knew another’s main restimulators (words, voice tones, music, whatever they are – things which are filed in the reactive mind bank as parts of engrams) one could turn another’s analytical power almost completely off, actually render him unconscious. We all know people who make us feel stupid. There can be two causes for that but both of them are from engrams and one of them is the fact that no matter what engram is brought into restimulation, part of the analytical power is turned off. Engrams can, if environment is uniform, be held in chronic restimulation. This means a chronic partial shutdown of analytical power. The recovery of intelligence by a clear and the rise of that intelligence to such fantastic heights results in part from the relief of word com-mands in engrams that he is stupid and in a larger part from the relief of this chronic shut-down condition. 
This is not theory. This is scientific fact. It is strictly test-tube. The engram contains the percept of a shutdown analyzer; when it is restimulated the engram puts that datum back into force in some degree. Engrams, then, being received in „unconsciousness“ cause a partial „unconscious-ness“ to exist every time they are restimulated. The person who has an engram (any aberree) need not receive new physical pain to have a new moment of partial „unconsciousness“ take place. Feeling „dopey“ or „sleepy“ or „dull“ results in part from a partially shut-down ana-lyzer. Being „nervous“ or in a rage or frightened also carries with it partially shutoff analyti-cal power. The hypnotist has „success“ where he does because he is able, by talking to people about „sleep,“ to put into restimulation some engram which contains the word sleep and shut-down analytical power. This is one of the reasons hypnotism „works.“ The whole society, however, is liable to analytical shutdown in greater or lesser degree by the restimulation of engrams. The number of engrams a person’s reactive bank contains may not, however, establish the amount of analytical reduction to which he is subjected. A person may have engrams and they may not have been keyed-in. And if they have been keyed-in, he might not be in an envi-ronment which contains any great number of restimulators. Under these conditions his sur-vival zone position may be high even though he is possessed of a great many engrams. And again, he might have educated himself over and above these engrams to some slight degree. But a person who has keyed-in engrams and does exist in the area of many restimula-tors is liable to an enormous amount of restimulation and analytical shut-down. This is a nor-mal condition. If a person has a large number of engrams and they are keyed-in and he lives around many restimulators his condition can vary from normal to insane. And in a single day – as in the case of a man who experiences moments of rage or a woman who drops into apathies – the condition of a person may vary from normal to insane and back to normal. We take here the word „insane“ to mean utter irrationality. So there is temporary or chronic insan-ity. The court of law which goes through the lugubrious process of having a man pro-nounced sane or insane after that man has murdered somebody is itself being irrational. Of course the man was insane when he committed the murder. What the court is asking now is whether or not the man is chronically insane. This has little bearing on the matter. If a man has gone insane enough to murder once, he will go insane enough in the future to murder again. Chronic, then, means either a chronic cycle or a continuous condition. The law says sanity is the „ability to tell right from wrong.“ When Man is subject to a mechanism (and all men are) which lets him be rational one minute and restimulated the next, none in the society, if uncleared, can be considered able to always tell right from wrong. This is completely aside from what the law means by „right“ and what it means by „wrong.“ This is an example of the roller-coaster sanity curve of the aberree. All aberrees pos-sess engrams (the normal number is probably in the hundreds per individual). Analytically people have a wide latitude of choice and they can deal even with philosophic rights and wrongs. But in aberrated persons the engram bank is always susceptible of restimulation. The 
 „sanest“ aberree of Tuesday may be a murderer on Wednesday if the exactly right situation occurs to trip the exact engram. A clear is not entirely predictable in any given situation – he has such a wide power of choice. But an aberrated person transcends all predictability for the following reasons: (1) what engrams an aberree has in his reactive engram bank none know including himself; (2) what situation will contain what restimulators is a matter of chance; and (3) what his power of choice will be with the factors in the engrams on a reactive level cannot be established. The variety of conduct which one can evolve out of these basic mechanics is so wide that it is no wonder that Man was considered to be a rather hopeless case by some philoso-phies. The cells, if the engram bank is retained on a cellular level, might be theoretically supposed to have made sure that the analyzer did not get too adventurous in this life and death matter of living. They therefore could be considered to have copied down all data contained in every moment of physical pain and emotion resulting in or contained in „unconscious-ness.“ Then when any data similar to this appeared in the environment they could be wary and, with a large number of restimulators in sight, they could be considered to shut down the ana-lyzer and proceed on reaction. This has a crude safety factor. Obviously, if the organism sur-vived through one period of „unconsciousness,“ it could be theorized by the cells that the placing of the data and action in effect under circumstances which threatened to be similar would result once more in survival. What’s good enough for grandpa is good enough for me. What was good enough in the bus accident is good enough in a bus. This moronic „thinking“ is typical of the reactive mind. It is just the sort of thinking it does. It is the ultimate in conservatism. It misses the point and important data at every turn, it overloads the body with pain, it is a whirlpool of confusion. If there were just one engram per situation, maybe it would get by. But there may be ten engrams with similar data in them (an engram lock chain) and yet the data may be so contradictory that when a new emergency arises which contains the restimulators of the chain, no proper past conduct can be put forth to meet it. Obviously the x factor is language. The cells, if this is a problem in cells (for recall, this part is theory based on data in an effort to explain what happens and a theory can be al-tered without altering the scientific usefulness of the facts), probably do not understand lan-guages very well. If they did they wouldn’t evolve such „solutions.“ Take two engrams about baseball bats. In the first, the individual is hit on the head and knocked out and somebody yells, „Run! Run! Run!“ In the second the individual is knocked out by the bat in the same environment and somebody yells, „Stay there! You’re safe!“ Now what does he do when he hears a baseball bat or smells one or sees one or hears these words? Run or stay there! He has a similar pain for each action. What actually happens? He gets a headache. This is that thing called conflict. This is anxiety. And anxiety can become very acute indeed on a purely mechanical level when one has ninety engrams pulling him south and eighty-nine pulling him north. Does he go north or south? Or does he have a „nervous breakdown?“ 
The level of brilliance of the reactive mind is about the same as a phonograph. The needle gets put on the record and the record plays. The reactive mind merely puts on the nee-dle. When it tries to select several records out and play them all at once, things happen. By intentional construction or accident in design or by-pass in evolution – where the old, useless organ is still built – the cells managed to hide this engram bank fairly well. Man is conscious in his analytical mind. When he is „unconscious,“ his analytical mind is unable to monitor the incoming data and the data is not to be found in the thing we call, by analogue, the standard banks. Therefore whatever came in passed by consciousness. And having passed by, consciousness cannot (without dianetic process) recall it, since there is no channel for re-call. The engram enters when consciousness is absent. It thereafter operates directly into the organism. Only by dianetic therapy can the analyzer come into possession of this data (and the removal of it does not depend upon the analyzer contacting it at all, despite an old belief that the „realization“ of something cures it: „realize“ an engram and one is in quick trouble, without dianetic technique). The engram is received by the cellular body. The reac-tive mind could be the very lowest level of analytical power, of course, but this does not alter the scientific fact that the engram acts as if it were a soldered-in connection to the life func-tion regulator and the organic co-ordination and the basic level of the analytical mind itself. By „soldered-in“ is meant „permanent connection.“ This keying-in is the hook-up of the en-gram as part of the operating machinery of the body. An analytical thought process is not permanently hooked in but can be thrown in and out of circuit at the will of the analyzer. This is not true of the engram, thus the term, „soldered-in.“ The analytical mind lays down a training pattern; on a stimulus-response basis this training pattern will work smoothly and well whenever it will do the organism the most good. An engram is a training pattern, all complete in a package, „permanently“ hooked into the circuits (without dianetic therapy) and it goes into operation like a training pattern without any consent whatever from the analyzer. Influenced itself by the engram in the several ways of reduced analytical power and positive suggestion in the engram, the analytical mind is unable to discover any truly valid reason for the conduct of the organism. It therefore makes up a reason, for its job is to make sure the organism is always right. Just as the young man with the detachable coat gave forth a number of silly explanations as to why he was detaching his coat so does the analytical mind, observing the body engaged in irrational actions, including speech, for which there seems to be no accounting, justify the actions. The engram can dictate all the various processes incident to living; it can dictate beliefs, opinions, thought processes or lack of them and actions of all kinds, and can establish conditions remarkable for their complexity as well as their stupidity. An engram can dictate anything it contains and engrams can contain all the combinations of words in the entire language. And the analytical mind is forced, in the light of irrational be-havior or conviction, to justify the acts and conditions of the organism, as well as its own strange blunders. This is justified thought. There are three kinds of thought, then, of which the organism is capable: (a) analytical thought, which is rational as modified by education and viewpoint, (b) justified thought, ana-lytical thought attempting to explain reactions, and (c) reactive thought, which is wholly in 
terms of everything in an engram equals everything in an engram equals all the restimulators in the environment and all things associated with those restimulators. We have all seen somebody make a blunder and then give forth an explanation of just why that blunder had been made. This is justified thought. The blunder was made, unless out of education or viewpoint, by an engram. The analytical mind then had to justify the blunder to make sure that the body was right and that its computations were right. Now there are two other conditions which can be caused by engrams. One is dramati-zation and the other is valence. You have seen some child come forth with a tirade, a tantrum. You have seen some man go through a whole rage action. You have seen people go through a whole irrational set of actions. These are dramatizations. They come about when an engram is thoroughly res-timulated, so thoroughly that its soldered-in aspect takes over the organism. It may come into circuit slightly or wholly, which is to say that there are degrees of dramatization. When it is in full parade, the engram is running off verbatim and the individual is like an actor, puppet-like, playing his dictated part. A person can be given new engrams which will make these old ones take secondary importance. (Society’s punishment complex is aimed squarely at giving anti-engram education.) Dramatization is survival conduct – in the silly, reactive mind way of thinking – based on the premise that the organism, in a „similar“ situation lived through it because these ac-tions were present. The woman who was knocked down and kicked would dramatize her engram, possibly, by doing and saying exactly the same things done and said to her. Her victim may be her child or another woman. It could or would be the person who gave her the engram if she were strong enough to overcome him. Just because she has this engram does not mean she will use it. She may have a hundred other engrams she can use. But when she dramatizes one, it is as if the engram, soldered-in, were taking over a puppet. As much analytical power as she has left may be devoted to altering the pattern. Therefore she can make a similar or an identical dramatization. This aspect of dramatization is strictly „tooth and claw“ survival. This is the sort of thing which made observers think that „tooth and claw“ was a primary rule. In went the engram, by-passing rationality and the standard memory banks. Now it is in the organism but the organism does not know it in the level of consciousness. It is keyed-in by a conscious level experience. Then it can be dramatized. And far from becoming milder the more it is used, the more an engram is dramatized the more solid is its hold in the circuits. Muscles, nerves, all must comply. „Tooth and claw“ survival. The cells were making sure. And here we come to valence. Valens means „powerful“ in Latin. It is a good term because it is the second half of ambiva-lent (power in two directions) and exists in any good dictionary. It is a good term because it describes (although the dictionary did not mean it to) the intent of the organism when drama-tizing an engram. Multi-valence would mean „many powerfuls.“ It would embrace the phe-nomena of split personality, the strange differences of personality in people in one and then 
 another situation. Valence in dianetics means the personality of one of the dramatic personnel in an engram. In the case of the woman being knocked out and kicked, there were two valences pre-sent: herself and her husband. If another person had been present the engram would have con-tained three valences, providing he took any part: herself, her husband and the third person. In an engram, let us say, of a bus accident where ten people speak or act, there would be, in the „unconscious“ person an engram containing eleven valences, the „unconscious“ person and the ten who spoke or acted. Now in the case of the woman beaten by her husband, the engram contains just two valences. Who won? Here is the law of „tooth and claw,“ the aspect of survival in engrams. Who won? The husband. Therefore it is the husband who will be dramatized. She didn’t win. She got hurt. Aha! When these restimulators are present, the thing to do is to be the winner, the husband, to talk like him, to say what he did, to do what he did. He survived. „Be like him!“ say the cells. Hence, when the woman is restimulated into this engram by some action, let us say, on the part of her child, she dramatizes the winning valence. She knocks the child down and kicks him, tells him he is a faker, that he is no good, that he is always changing his mind. What would happen if she dramatized herself? She would have to fall down, knocking over a chair, pass out and believe she was a faker, no good and was always changing her mind and she would have to feel the pain of all blows! „Be yourself“ is advice which falls on deaf reactive mind ears. Here is the scheme. Every time the organism gets punished by life, the analytical mind, according to the reactive mind, has erred. The reactive mind then cuts the analytical mind out of circuit in ratio to the amount of restimulation present (danger) and makes the body react as if it were the person who won in the earlier but similar situation where the organism was hurt. Now what happens if „society“ or the husband or some exterior force told this woman, who is dramatizing this engram, that she must face reality? That’s impossible. Reality equals being herself, and herself gets hurt. What if some exterior force breaks the dramatization? That is to say, if society objects to the dramatization and refuses to let her kick and yell and shout! The engram is still soldered-in. The reactive mind is forcing her to be the winning va-lence. Now she can’t be. As punishment, the reactive mind, the closer she slides in to being herself, approximates the conditions of the other valence in the engram. After all, that valence didn’t die. And the pain of the blows turns on and she thinks she is a faker, that she is no good and that she always changes her mind. In other words, she is in the losing valence. Consistent breaking of dramatization will make a person ill just as certainly as there are gloomy days. A person accumulates, with the engrams, half a hundred valences before he is ten. Which were the winning valences? You will find him using them every time an engram is kicked into restimulation. Multiple personality? Two persons? Make it fifty to a hundred. In dianetics you can see valences turn on and off in people and change with a rapidity which would be awesome to a quick-change artist. Observe these complexities of conduct, of behavior. If one set out to resolve the prob-lem of aberration by a system of cataloguing everything he observed and were unaware of the 
 basic source, he would end up with as many separate insanities, neuroses, psychoses, compul-sions, repressions, obsessions and disabilities as there are combinations of words in the Eng-lish language. Discovery of fundamentals by classification is never good research. And the unlimited complexities possible from the engrams (and the severest, most thoroughly con-trolled experiments discovered these engrams to be capable of just such behavior as is listed here) is the whole catalogue of aberrated human conduct. There are a few other basic, fundamental things that engrams do. These will be cov-ered under their own headings: parasite circuits, emotional impaction and psycho-somatic ills. With the few fundamentals listed here, the problem of aberration can be resolved. These fun-damentals are simple, they have given rise to as much trouble as individuals and societies have experienced. The institutions for the insane, the prisons for the criminals, the armaments accumulated by nations, yes and even the dust which was a civilization of yesterday exist be-cause these fundamentals were not understood. The cells evolved into an organism and in the evolution created what was once a nec-essary condition of mind. Man has grown up to a point where he creates now the means of overcoming that evolutionary blunder. Examination of the clear proves he no longer needs it. He is now in a position where he can take an artificial evolutionary step on his own. The bridge has been built across the canyon. 

CHAPTER IV THE „DEMONS“ For a moment let us leave such scientific things as cells and consider some further as-pects of the problem of understanding the human mind. People have been working on problems related to Man’s behavior for a good many millenia. Hindu, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and our own philosophers and researchers of the past few hundred years have been struggling against a superabundance of complexity. Dianetics could be evolved only by the philosophic compartmentation of the problem into its elements and the invention of several dozen yardsticks such as The Introduction of an Arbitrary, The Law of Affinity, The Dynamic, The Equation of the Optimum Solution, The Laws of the Selection of Importances, The Science of Organizing Sciences, Nullification by Comparison of Authority to Authority and so forth and so forth. All this is fine matter for a tome on philosophy, but here is dianetics, which is a science. It should be mentioned, however, that one of the first steps taken was not invented but borrowed and modified: that was the Knowable and Unknowable of Herbert Spencer. Absolutism is a fine road to stagnation and I do not think Spencer meant to be so en-tirely absolute about his Knowable and Unknowable. SURVIVE! is the demarcation point between those things which can be experienced by the senses (our old friends Hume and Locke) and those things which cannot necessarily be known through the senses but which possibly may be known but which one does not necessarily need to solve the problem. Amongst those things which one did not necessarily need to know (the dianetic ver-sion of the Unknowable) were the realms of mysticism and metaphysics. Many things, in the evolution of dianetics, were by-passed solely because they had not yielded solution to anyone else. Therefore mysticism got short shrift despite the fact that the author studied it, not in the little understood, secondhand sources commonly used as authority by some western mental cults, but in Asia where a mystic who can’t make his „astral self“ get out and run errands for him is strictly a second rate character indeed. Well aware that there were pieces in this jig-saw puzzle which were orange with yellow spots and purple with carmine stripes, one found it necessary to pick up only those pieces which were germane. Someday a large number of pieces – about structure with the rest – will come in and there will be answers to telepathy, prescience and so on and on. Understand that there are a lot of pieces in the construction of a philosophic universe. But none of the mystic pieces were found necessary to the creation of a uniformly applicable and aberration-resolving science of mind. No opinion will be delivered at this stage of dianetics about ghosts or the Indian rope trick beyond the fact they are seen to be multicolored pieces and the only ones we want are white. We have most of the white pieces and it makes a good, solid whiteness where there was blackness before. Imagine, then, the consternation one must have felt when „demons“ were discovered. Socrates had a demon, you’ll remember. It told him not what to do but whether or not he had made the right decision. Here we had been pursuing a course in the finite universe which 
 would have pleased Hume himself for its tenacity to those things which could be sensed. And up popped „demons.“ A thorough examination of a number of subjects (14) revealed that every one appar-ently had a „demon“ of some sort. They were randomly selected subjects in various condi-tions in society. Therefore the „demon“ aspect was most alarming. However, unlike some of the cults (or schools as they call themselves), the temptation to sail off into romantic inexpli-cable and confounding labels was resisted. A bridge had to be built across a canyon and de-mons are darned bad girders. Out in the Pacific islands – Borneo, the Philippines – I had seen quite a bit of demon-ology at work. Demonology is fascinating stuff. A demon gets into a person and makes him sick. Or it gets in and talks in lieu of him. Or he goes crazy because he has a demon in him and runs around with the demon shouting. This is demonology in a narrow sense. The shaman, the medicine man, these people deal pretty heavily in demonology (it pays well). But, while not skeptical particularly, it had always seemed to me that demons could be explained a little more easily than in terms of ectoplasm or some such unsensible material. To find „demons“ living in one’s civilized fellow countrymen was disturbing. But there they were. At least there were the manifestations which the shaman and medicine man had said were caused by demons. It was found that these „demons“ could be catalogued. There were „commanding demons,“ „critical demons,“ ordinary „tell-you-what-to-say de-mons“ and „demons“ which stood around and yelled or „demons“ which simply occluded things and kept them out of sight. These are not all the classes, but they cover the general field of „demonology.“ A few experiments with drugged subjects showed that it was possible to set these „demons“ up at will. It was even possible to set up the whole analytical mind as a „de-mon.“ So there was something wrong with demonology. Without proper ritual, simply by word of mouth, one could make new demons appear in people. So there are no real demons in dianetics (that’s underscored in case some mystic runs around telling people that a new sci-ence of mind believes in demons). A dianetic demon is a parasitic circuit. It has an action in the mind which approxi-mates another entity than self. And it is derived entirely from words contained in engrams. How this demon gets there is not very hard to understand, once you’ve inspected one, close up, papa, while baby is unconscious, yells at Mama that she’s got to listen to him and nobody else, by God. The baby gets an engram. It is keyed-in sometime between babyhood and death. And then there’s the demon circuit at work. An electronics engineer can set up demons in a radio circuit to his heart’s content. In human terms it is as if one ran a line from the standard banks toward the analyzer but before it got there he put in a speaker and a microphone and then continued the line to the plane of consciousness. Between the speaker and the microphone would be a section of the analyzer which was an ordinary, working section but compartmented off from the remainder of the analyzer. „I“ on a conscious plane wants data. It should come straight from the standard bank, compute on a sub-level and arrive just as data. Not spoken data. Just data. 
With the portion of the analyzer compartmented off and the speaker-microphone in-stallation and the engram containing the above words „got to listen to me, by God“ in chronic restimulation, another thing happens. The „I“ in the upper level attention units wants data. He starts to scan the standard banks with a sub-level. The data comes to him spoken. Like a voice inside his head. A clear does not have any „mental voices!“ He does not think vocally. He thinks with-out articulation of his thoughts and his thoughts are not in voice terms. This will come as a surprise to many people. The „listen to me“ demon is common in the society, which is to say this engram circulates widely. „Stay right there and listen to me“ fixes the engram in present time (and fixes the individual in the time of the engram to some extent). After it is keyed-in and from there on, the individual thinks „out loud,“ which is to say, he puts his thoughts into language. This is very slow. The mind thinks out solutions (in a clear) at such speed that the word stream of consciousness would be left at the post. Proving this was very easy. In clearing every case without exception one or another of these demons was discovered. Some cases had three or four. Some had ten. Some had one. It is a safe assumption that almost every aberree contains a demon circuit. The type of engram which makes a critical demon is, „You are always criticizing me.“ There are dozens of such statements contained in engrams, any one of which will make a critical demon, just as any combination of words resulting in a demand to listen and obey or-ders will make a commanding demon. All these demons are parasitic. That is to say, they take a part of the analyzer and compartment it off. A demon can think only as well as the person’s mind can think. There is no extra power. No benefit. All loss. It is possible to set up the whole computer (analyzer) as a demon circuit and leave „I“ on a tiny and forlorn shelf. This, on the surface, is a pretty good stunt. It makes it possible for the whole analytical mind to work out computations undisturbed and relay the answer to the „I.“ But in practice it is very bad, for „I“ is the will, the determining force of the organism, the awareness. And very soon „I“ becomes so dependent upon this circuit that the circuit be-gins to absorb him. Any such circuit, to last, would have to have pain and be chronic. It would have to be, in short, an engram. Therefore, it would have to be reductive of the intellect and would victimize the owner by eventually making him ill one way or another.  Of all the engram demon circuits found and removed, those which contained a seem-ingly all-powerful exterior entity which would solve all problems and answer every want were the most dangerous. As the engram keyed-in further and further and was constantly restimu-lated, it eventually made a spineless puppet out of „I“; because other engrams existed, the sum of the reduction tended toward insanity of a serious sort. If you want a sample, just imagine what you would have to say to a hypnotized person to make him think that he was in the hands of a powerful being who gave him orders and then imagine this as the phrase spoken when an individual had been knocked unconscious one way or another. There is another full class of demons, the occlusion demons, the demons who shut things off. These are not properly demons because they don’t talk. A bona-fide demon is one who gives thoughts voice or echoes the spoken word interiorly or who gives all sorts of com-
plicated advice like a real, live voice exteriorly. (People who hear voices have exterior vocal demons – circuits which have tied up their imagination circuits.) The occlusion demon doesn’t have anything to say. It is what he doesn’t permit to be said or done that makes the mental derangement. An occlusion demon can exist for a single word. For instance, a child receives an en-gram by falling off her bicycle and losing consciousness; a policeman tries to assist her; she is still unconscious but moving and mutters that she can’t move (an old engram at work); the officer says, cheerfully, „Never say can’t!“ Some time later she has a conscious level experi-ence such as another fall but without injury. (We keep mentioning this second necessary step, the lock, because it is the thing old time mystics thought was causing all the trouble – it is „mental anguish.“) Now she has difficulty saying „can’t.“ Dangerous in any event. What if she had that common engram expression, „Never say no!“?  Occlusion demons hide things from „I.“ It is as easy for one to mask many words. The individual having one will then omit these words or alter them or misspell them and make mistakes with them. The demon is not the only reason words get altered but he is a specific case. An occlusion demon can be of a much higher strength and breadth. He can be created with the phrase, „Don’t talk!“ or „Never talk back to your elders,“ or „You can’t talk here. Who said you could talk?“ Any of these phrases might produce a stammerer. Other things besides speech can be occluded. Any ability of the mind can be inhibited by a demon specifically designed to obstruct that ability. „You can’t see!“ will occlude visual recall. „You can’t hear!“ will occlude audio recall. „You can’t feel!“ occludes pain and tactile recall (homonymic stuff, English). Any perception can be occluded in recall. And whenever it is occluded in recall, it af-fects actual perception and the organ of perception as well. „You can’t see!“ may reduce not only recall but the actual organic ability of the eyes, as in astigmatism or myopia. One can imagine, with the entire English language (or in other lands with other tongues, any language) susceptible to inclusion within engrams just how many abilities of the mind’s operation can be occluded. An extremely common one is „You can’t think!“ So far now „you“ has been used in illustrations and examples in order to keep the similarity to hypnotic or drug tests. Actually sentences which contain „I“, are more destruc-tive. „I can’t feel anything,“ „I can’t think,“ „I can’t remember.“ These and their thousands and thousands of variations, when spoken within the hearings of an „unconscious“ person, are applicable to himself when he gets the engram keyed-in to circuit. „You“ has several effects. The statement, „You are no good,“ to an awake person makes that person feel very angry perhaps when he has an engram to that effect.  Within him he feels, possibly, that people think he is no good. He may have a demon that tells him he is no good. And he will dramatize by telling other people that they are no good. It can be sprayed off by being dramatized. A person who has an engram to the effect that he is sexually sterile, for instance, will tell people that they are sexually sterile. („Don’t do as I do, do as I say.“) If he has an engram that says, „You are no good, you have to eat with your knife,“ he may eat with his knife but he gets excited about people eating with their knives, and he would grow very angry if somebody said he ate with his knife. 
 Thus, there are „compulsion demons“ and „confusion demons“ and so forth and so on. The engram has a command value. There is a power of choice exercised in the reactive mind about which and what engrams will be used. But any engram, strongly enough restimu-lated, will come to the surface to be dramatized. And if dramatization is blocked, it will turn on the individual either temporarily or chronically. The literalness of this reactive mind, in its interpretation of commands and the literal-ness of their action within the poor, harassed analytical mind is a strange thing in itself. „It is too horrible to be borne“ might be interpreted to the effect that a baby was in such bad condi-tion that it had better not be born. There are thousands of cliches in any language which, when literally taken, mean quite the opposite from what the speaker intends. The reactive engram bank takes them, stores them with pain and emotion and „uncon-sciousness“ and with moronic literalness, hands them forth to be LAW and COMMAND to the analytical mind. And when the happy little moron who runs the engram bank sees it possi-ble to use up some analytical mind circuits with some of these confounded demons, it is done.  The analytical mind, then, can be seen to be subject to yet another form of attrition. Its circuits, ordinarily intended for smooth, rapid computation, become tied up and overloaded with demon lash-ups. The demons are parasites. They are pieces of analytical mind compart-mented off and denied to larger computation. Is it any wonder that, when these demons are deleted, I.Q. soars as it can be observed to do in a clear? Add the demon circuits to the shut-down aspect of restimulation, and truth can be seen in the observation that people run on about one-twentieth of their mental power. Research and scientific tabulation indicate that with the „unconsciousness“ aspect and the demon circuits deleted from the engram bank and the data restored into the standard bank as experience where it should be, about forty-nine fiftieths of the mind have been placed at the service of „I“ which he never could use as an aberree.  

CHAPTER V PSYCHO-SOMATIC ILLNESS Psycho-somatic illnesses are those which have a mental origin but which are neverthe-less organic. Despite the fact that there existed no precise scientific proof of this before dianetics, an opinion as to their existence has been strong since the days of Greece, and in recent times various drug preparations have been concocted and sold which were supposed to overcome these sicknesses. Some success was experienced, sufficient to warrant a great deal of work on the part of researchers. Peptic ulcers, for instance, have yielded to persuasion and environmental change. A recent drug called ACTH has had astonishing but wildly unpredict-able results. Allergies have been found to yield more or less to things which depressed hista-mine in the body. The problem of psycho-somatic illness is entirely embraced by dianetics, and by dianetic technique such illness has been eradicated entirely in every case. About seventy per cent of the physician’s current roster of diseases falls into the cate-gory of psycho-somatic illness. How many more can be so classified after dianetics has been in practice for a few years is difficult to predict, but it is certain that more illnesses are psy-cho-somatic than have been so classified to date. That all illnesses are psycho-somatic is, of course, absurd, for there exist, after all, life forms called germs which have survival as their goals. The work of Louis Pasteur formulated the germ theory of disease. With dianetics is gained the non-germ theory of disease. These two, with bio-chemistry, complement each other to form the whole field of pathology so far as can be determined at this time, providing of course that the virus is included under the germ theory. Dianetics adds an additional leaf to the germ theory in that it includes predisposition. There are three stages of pathology: predisposition, by which is meant the factors which pre-pared the body for sickness, precipitation, by which is meant the factors which cause the sick-ness to manifest itself, and perpetuation, by which is meant the factors which cause the sick-ness to continue. There are two kinds of illness: the first could be called autogenetic, which means that it originated within the organism and was self-generated, and exogenetic, which means that the origin of the illness was exterior. Actually, although this is good medicine, it is not quite as precise as dianetics could desire. Mental illness itself is actually exterior in origin. But medically, we consider that the body can generate its own sicknesses (autogenetic) or that the sickness can come from an exterior source such as bacteria (exogenetic). The Pasteur germ theory would be the theory of exogenetic – exteriorly generated – illness. Psycho-somatic illness would be autogenetic, generated by the body itself. Treatment for accidental injury, surgery for various things such as malformation in-herent in the body on a genetic basis, and orthopedics, which actually can be classed under both, remain properly outside the field of dianetics, although it can be remarked in passing 
 that almost all accidents are to be traced to dramatization of engrams and that clears rarely have accidents. Psycho, of course, refers to mind and somatic refers to body; the term psycho-somatic means the mind making the body ill or illnesses which have been created physically within the body by derangement of the mind. Naturally such diseases, when one has resolved the problem of human aberration, become uniformly susceptible to cure.  Arthritis, dermatitis, allergies, asthma, some coronary difficulties, eye trouble, bursitis, ulcers, sinusitis, etc. form a very small section of the psycho-somatic catalogue. Bizarre aches and pains in various portions of the body are generally psycho-somatic. Migraine headaches are psycho-somatic and, with the others, are uniformly cured by dianetic therapy. (And the word cured is used in its fullest sense.) Just how many physical errors are psycho-somatic depends upon how many conditions the body can generate out of the factors in the engrams. For example, the common cold has been found to be psycho-somatic. Clears do not get colds. Just what, if any, part the virus plays in the common cold is not known, but it is known that when engrams about colds are lifted, no further colds appear – which is a laboratory fact not so far contradicted by 270 cases. The common cold comes about, usually, from an engram which suggests it and which is con-firmed by actual mucus present in another engram. A number of germ diseases are predis-posed and perpetuated by engrams. Tuberculosis is one. The engram itself, as has been covered, follows a cycle of action. The body is predis-posed to the conduct and conditions contained in the engram when that engram is first re-ceived. Then a conscious-level experience keys-in the engram and other experience or the content of the engram itself may make it chronic. This is predisposition, precipitation and perpetuation in the mental plane. Engrams and inherited disabilities and accidents and germs are the four ways an or-ganism can be reduced physically from the optimum. Many conditions which have been called „inherited disabilities“ are actually engramic Engrams predispose people to accidents. Enengrams predispose and perpetuate bacterial infections. Therefore the catalogue of ills af-fected by dianetics is very long. This is not a book listing effects but a book stating causes, and so the reader is asked to call upon his own knowledge or consult a medical text to under-stand just how many thousands and thousands of conditions result from engrams to disturb or derange the body. At the present time dianetic research is scheduled to include cancer and diabetes. There are a number of reasons to suppose that these may be engramic in cause, particularly malignant cancer. This is remarked so that attention may be given to the possibility; no tests of any kind have been made on cancer or diabetic patients, and the thought is purely theory and is not to be taken as any kind of an avowal about a cancer cure. Those diseases which were catalogued above, however, have been thoroughly tested and have uniformly yielded to dianetic therapy. The mechanism by which the mind is able to cause a physical disability or predispose the body to an illness and perpetuate sickness is, in its basic cause, a very simple thing. The 
complexity arrives when one begins to combine all the factors possible; then a staggering list of potential illnesses can be written. A series of simple tests can be made on drugged or hypnotic patients which will prove clinically in other laboratories this basic mechanism. A series of these tests were run in the formulation of dianetics with uniform success. Let us take first something – which is only mildly psycho-somatic and scarcely an ill-ness at all. A patient is hypnotized. He is given the positive suggestion that he will be able to hear much more acutely. This is „extended hearing.“ Controlling out other means of his gain-ing data (including safeguards against telepathy between operator and subject) the hearing can be found to be amplifiable many times over. In fact, there exist all around aberrees who have „extended hearing.“ By suggestion the power of the hearing can be tuned down or up so that a person is nearly deaf or can hear pins fall at a great distance. When the suggestion is removed, the subject’s hearing returns to its previous normal state. Similarly, experiments can be performed on the eyes, using light sensitivity. The pa-tient’s sight is tuned up or down so that his eyes are much more or much less sensitive to light than is normal for him. This is done entirely on the word suggestion basis such as „The light will appear very, very bright to you,“ or „The light will appear so dim it will be hard for you to see.“ With the former suggestion the patient can be made to see almost as well as a cat, although other people around might think it impossible to see objects the patient can unerr-ingly point out. In the latter suggestion the patient can be placed under light almost blinding and yet can read through a glare with apparent comfort. The tactile sense can likewise be tuned up or down by verbal suggestion until touch becomes painfully acute or so dull it scarcely registers. So with the various senses. Here we have simply the spoken word going into the mind and causing physical function to change. Let us now address the heart. By deep hypnosis or drugs we take a patient into amne-sia trance, a state of being wherein the „I“ is not in control but the operator is the „I“ (and that’s all there is, really, to the function of hypnosis: the transfer of analytical power through the law of affinity from subject to operator, a thing which had a racial development and sur-vival value in animals which ran in packs). A caution should be observed that a patient who has a very sound heart and no heart-trouble history be chosen for this experiment, which, even above any other hypnotic experi-ment, can make a patient very ill if he has a heart history. And none of these hypnotic tests should be performed until one has finished this book and knows how to get rid of the sugges-tions; for hypnosis, as practiced, is strictly live fuse stuff and the hypnotist who is unac-quainted with dianetics has no more idea how to get rid of a suggestion he has made than he has of how to peel an atom. He has thought he had the answer, but dianetics has treated many, many former hypnotic subjects who were thoroughly, as the engineers interested in dianetics say, „loused-up.“ This is no criticism of hypnosis or hypnotists, who are often very able peo-ple, but it is a comment that there is more to be known about it. The heart, by positive suggestion alone, can be speeded up, slowed down or otherwise excited. Here are words spoken into the deep strata of the mind which cause physical action. 
Further, blood flow can be inhibited in some area of the body by suggestion alone. (This ex-periment, it is warned, particularly overloads the heart.) Blood can be denied to a hand, for instance, so that if you were to cut a vein in that hand it would bleed slightly if at all. A fine swami trick; which most amazed the author in India, was the inhibition of blood flow by the awake individual in himself. On command a cut would bleed or not bleed. It looked fantastic and made very good press agentry that here was a swami who had so associated himself with Nirvana that he was in control of all material matters. Awe faded when the author learned that, via hypnosis, he could make his own body do the same thing and no Nirvana involved. The mechanism fades out rapidly and in a few days would have to be renewed: the body has its own optimum operation, and although such a function can be „analytically“ handled, it is not an upper echelon analytical job to keep the blood going in the hand. The point here is that blood flow can be interrupted by verbal suggestion. Words connect up with the physical being. How this can come about can be shown by an analogic explanation such as a sche-matic diagram, but we are not so much interested in structure as in function at this stage of the science of mind – because by knowing function alone we can cure aberrations and psycho-somatic ills every time, predict new ills and conditions, and generally „work miracles,“ as such actions were once called before Man knew anything about the mind. Excreta are among the easiest things to regulate by suggestion. Constipation can be caused or cured by positive suggestion with remarkable speed and facility. The urine can also be so controlled. And so can the endocrine system. It is harder to make tests on some of the more poorly understood functions of the endocrines. Glandular research has not progressed very far at this time. But, by removing en-grams and watching the endocrine system rebalance, it has been made obvious that the endo-crine system is a part of the control mechanism with which the mind handles the body. The glands are easily influenced. These fluids and secretions – testosterone, estrogen, adrenalin, thyroid, parathyroid, pituitrin, etc. – are the substances the mind uses as one means of control-ling the body. They form relay circuits, so to speak. Each one has its own action within the body. This experiment tends to prove the fallacy of an ancient assumption that the mind was controlled by the glands. An aberree is given a shot of 25 mg. of testosterone in oil twice a week. There may be some improvement in his physical status for a short time – his voice may deepen and he may grow more hair on his chest. Now, without suggestion, we simply delete the engrams from his reactive bank so that they can re-form as experience in the standard bank. Before we have completed this task his body begins to use more of the testosterone. The dose can be markedly reduced and still give more benefit than formerly. Finally the dose can be eliminated. This experiment has also been performed on people who had not been able to receive benefit from glandular substances such as testosterone and estrogen. And upon people who were made ill by the administration of these hormones. The deletion of the engrams from the reactive bank uniformly brought about a condition where they could receive benefit from the hormones but where such artificial administration was not necessary save in cases of ex-treme age. What this means to gerontology, the study of longevity in life, cannot at this time be estimated, but it can be predicted with confidence that the deletion of engrams from the 
reactive bank has a marked effect upon the extension of life. A hundred years or so from now this data will be available, but no clears have lived that long as yet. Just now, to our purpose, it is easy to demonstrate the effect of positive suggestion upon the endocrine system and the lack of effect of artificial hormones upon aberrees. This sort of an engram has a terribly reductive effect upon testosterone manufacture: „Sex is horrible; it is nasty; I hate it.“ The autonomic nervous system, which has been supposed to run without much con-nection to the mind can be shown to be influenced in its parts by the mind. There is a dwin-dling spiral effect (note the lines on the survival potential chart) whereby the engram starts malfunction in the life function regulator; this produces malfunction in the mind, which in turn has further effect on the life function regulator; this again reduces physical activity, and the mind, being part of the organ and, so far as we can tell, organic itself, is further reduced in tone. Mental tone makes body tone go down. Body tone, then being down, makes mental tone go down. This is a matter of inverse geometric progression. A man starts to get sick and, hav-ing engrams, he gets sicker. Clears are not subject to this dwindling spiral. Indeed, so entirely superficial is this horrible stuff called psycho-somatic illness that it is the first thing which surrenders and can be alleviated without clearing.  Now the reason why various drug preparations which seek to change psycho-somatic illness meet with such uncertain success lies in the fact that the mind, containing these en-grams which are „survival“ (like a fellow needs a hole in his head), handles the life function regulator to actively produce illnesses. Something comes to take them away (they’re „sur-vival,“ you see, and these confounded cells moronically insist upon it) and the mind has to rapidly reverse the activity and put an illness back in place again. Try to influence the reactive mind by reason or needles and it is not any easier to convince than a drug-crazed man bent on murdering everybody in a bar. He’s „surviving,“ too. A concoction like ACTH has a slightly different effect. It is too exclusive to have any research done with it, but on reports about it, it seems to affect engrams in the time sense. That is to say, as will be covered under therapy, the individual’s reactive location in time is shifted by it. ACTH and perhaps many others in its category move the individual from one chronic engram into another. This is about as reliable as changing dictators in Europe. The next one may be twice as bad. It may even be a manic and that’s horrible despite its apparent „euphoria.“ Electric shock treatment, the beatings of Bedlam and other things of their ilk, includ-ing surgical treatment of things psycho-somatic in origin, have another effect but one not dis-similar to drugs like ACTH in that they give another shock which transfers the engram pattern to another part of the body (and switches around the aberrations; when these things work it is because the new aberration is less violent than the old one). Shocks, blows, surgery and maybe even things like cobra venom change the effect of the engram bank on the body, not necessarily for the worse, not necessarily for the better; they just change them. Like shooting dice: sometimes one gets a seven.  Then there is the deletion of tissue treatment of psycho-somatic ills. This simply re-moves the area which is busy dramatizing in the physical line. This can be the removal of a 
toe or the removal of a brain. These things are quite commonly used, as this is being written. The removal of the toe is addressed to one part of the engram content, the somatic, and the removal of parts of the brain (as in the trans-orbital leukotomy and the pre-frontal lobotomy or anything else more recent) is addressed mistakenly to „the removal of“ the psycho-aberration. There is a surrender system at work in this as well: the surgeon or the patient has an aberration about „getting rid of it,“ and so bits of the body are cut up or removed. Some patients surrender anatomy on advice or at their own insistence like old timers shed blood in a phlebotomy. There is a straight parallel between bleeding the patient to make him well and cutting away parts of him to make him well. Both are based on a surrender (get rid of) engram and neither are effective in any way. Barber basin medicine, it is hoped, will eventually die out as did its patients. These are the five classes of psycho-somatic ills: (1) those ills resulting from mentally caused derangement in physical fluid flow, which class subdivides into (a) inhibition of fluid flow and (b) magnification of fluid flow; (2) those ills resulting from mentally caused de-rangement of physical growth, which class subdivides into (a) inhibition of growth and (b) magnification of growth; (3) those ills resulting from predisposition to disease resulting from a chronic psycho-somatic pain in an area; (4) those ills resulting from perpetuation of a dis-ease on account of chronic pain in an area; and (5) these ills caused by the verbal command content of the engrams. In Class 1(a) fall such ordinary things as constipation and such extraordinary things as arthri-tis. Arthritis is a complex mechanism with a simple cause and a relatively simple cure. Remember that there are two things present in an engram: physical pain and verbal command. In arthritis both must be present (as in the bulk of psycho-somatic ills). There must have been an accident to the joint or area affected, and there must have been a command during the „unconsciousness“ which attended the injury which would make the engram susceptible to chronic restimulation. (Such com-mands as „It is always like this“ or „It just goes right on hurting“ or „I’m stuck“ will produce similar results). Given this engram and given this engram keyed-in, there is a chronic pain in the area of the injury. It may be minor, but it is a pain just the same. (It can be a pain but not be felt if the engram contains a command which is anaesthetic such as „He’ll never feel this,“ which produces a similar condition but makes one „unconscious“ of the pain there.) This pain in the body probably tells the cells and the blood that this area is dangerous. It is therefore avoided. The command permits the mind to influence, let us say, the parathyroid, which contains the secret of the calcium content in the blood stream. A mineral deposit then begins to be laid down in the area. The mineral deposit is not necessarily the cause of the pain, but it is an organic restimulator so that the more mineral, the more pain, the more the en-gram keys-in. This is the dwindling spiral. And this is arthritis in action. Understand that the parathyroid and the blood avoidance are theoretical cause; the scientific fact is that when an engram is picked up and deleted about an area containing arthritis, that arthritis vanishes and does not return and this is X-ray plate evidence; it hap-pens every time and does not happen because of any suggestion or medicine; it hap-pens because an engram is picked up and refiled. As the engram goes away, so goes 
 the pain, so vanishes the arthritis. This forms a whole class of ills, of which arthritis is only one. The mechanisms involved vary slightly.  All can be headed under „physical derangement caused by reduced body fluid flow.“ Class 1  (b) of psycho-somatic ills, magnification of fluid flow, contains such things as high blood pressure, diarrhea, sinusitis, priapism (overactivity of the male sex glands), or any other physical condition resulting from a superabundance of fluid. Class 2  (a) can cause such things as a withered arm, a foreshortened nose, underdeveloped genital organs or any other underdevelopment of a gland having to do with size (which cross-classes this with 1 [a]), hairlessness (which also like the rest can be part of the gene pattern and therefore inherent), and in short reduction in size of any part of the body. Class 2  (b) causes such things as oversized hands, a lengthened nose, oversized ears, enlarged organs and other common physical malformations. (Cancer might possibly come under this heading as overhealing.) Class 3  would include tuberculosis (some cases), liver trouble, kidney trouble, rashes, com-mon colds, etc. (cross-classing with others, as do all of these in one way or another). Class 4  would include those diseases which, arising without psycho-somatic influence, yet fix upon by accident a previously injured area and by restimulation, keep an engram keyed-in in that area so that a condition becomes chronic. Tuberculosis could be in-cluded here. Conjunctivitis, all running sores and any condition which refuses to heal, etc. This fourth class would also include all bizarre pains and sicknesses which cannot be found to have actual pathology. Class 5  includes an enormously wide catalogue of conditions, any one of which may cross-index to other classes or which arise solely out of engrams which dictate the pres-ence or necessity of an illness. „You always have colds,“ „I have sore feet,“ etc. an-nounce a psycho-somatic illness and the mechanisms of the body can furnish one. Any disease whatever can be precipitated by engrams. The disease may be of germ origin; the individual possesses an engram to the effect that he may become sick and on this generalization, becomes sick with whatever is to hand. Further and even more general, the engram reduces the physical resistance of the body to disease, and when an engram goes into restimulation (perhaps because of a domestic quarrel, an accident or some such thing), the ability of the individual to resist sickness is automatically decreased. Children, as will be explained, have many more engrams than has been supposed. Al-most all childhood illnesses are preceded by psychic disturbance and if psychic disturbance is present – keeping an engram restimulated – such illnesses can be far more violent than they should be. Measles, for instance, can be just measles or it can be measles in company with engramic restimulation, in which case it can be nearly or entirely fatal. A check of many sub-jects on this matter of childhood illness being predisposed by, precipitated by and perpetuated by engrams causes one to wonder just how violent the diseases themselves really are: they 
 have never been observed in a cleared child and there is reason to investigate the possibility that childhood illnesses are in themselves extremely mild and are complicated only by psychic disturbance – which is to say, the restimulation of engrams. In fact, one could ask this question of the entire field of pathology: what is the actual effect of disease minus the mental equation? How serious are bacteria? The field of bacteriology has been without dynamic principles until now; the dynamic, survival, is applicable to all life forms and „life forms“ include germs. The purpose of the germ is to survive. Its problems are those of food, protection (offense and defense) and pro-creation.  To accomplish these things the germ survives at its optimum efficiency. It mutates, al-ters with natural selection and changes dynamically from survival necessity (the missing step of the evolution theory, that last) in order to accomplish the maximum survival possible. It makes errors by killing the hosts, but to have a purpose to survive does not mean that a form necessarily survives. In pathology, the germ, bent on its purpose, acts as a suppressor to the survival dy-namic of the human species. How serious this suppressor is in the absence of engram suppres-sion in the human has not been determined; enough data exists to indicate that a human indi-vidual with his potential in the fourth zone is not, apparently, very subject to disease: the common cold, for instance, if it is a virus or not, passes him by; chronic infections are absent. What antibodies have to do with this or what this factor is, is yet another question. But it re-mains that a clear is not easily made ill. In the aberree illness closely pursues mental depres-sion (depression of the dynamic level). The aberration of mind and body by engrams leads, then, not only to psycho-somatic ills but also to actual pathology, which has hitherto been considered more or less independent of the mental state. As has been proven by clinical research, clearing of engrams does more than remove psycho-somatic illness, potential, acute or chronic; the clearing also tends to proof the individual against the receipt of pathology: to what extent it is not yet known, for such a wide and long term view is required to establish the actual statistics that the project will require thousands of cases and the observations of medical doctors over a long term. The amount of aberration which a person manifests, which is to say, the position he would occupy on a sanity scale, has little to do with psycho-somatic illness. Such illnesses require only one or two engrams of a specific nature to become manifest. These engrams may not be aberrative in any other way than to predispose the individual to illness. Having a psy-cho-somatic illness is not the same as being „crazy“ or having hypochondriacal tendencies. The hypochondriac thinks he has illnesses, a special case of Class (5) above. Derangement falls sharply into two categories: the first is the mental derangement, any irrational condition, which in dianetics we call aberration in order to avoid constant catalogu-ing of the thousands, the millions of manifestations irrationality can have. The other derange-ment of the individual is somatic: this applies entirely to his physical being and physical abil-ity and health. Both these things are present in every engram: the aberration and the somatic. But the engram can manifest itself chronically as either a somatic (a noun has been made out of an adjective here and it is commonly employed in dianetics to avoid the use of the word 
 pain, which is not embracive and which is restimulative) or as an aberration or as both to-gether. An engram must contain physical pain. When an engram is restimulated in everyday life, that physical pain may appear or it may not. If it does not appear as pain but as aberration, then the individual is in another valence than his own (the „necessity to manifest his hostili-ties“). If he is sane enough to be in his own valence, the physical pain will be present. In dianetics we say the somatic has appeared. When any somatic appears, unless the individual is a pre-clear in therapy, some of the aberration is also appearing. In short, the aberration can appear by itself or the somatic plus some of the aberration can appear. When a person drama-tizes another valence than his own, the aberration is present; when the dramatization, running off the engram phonograph-record-wise in one or another valence, is suppressed by some other factor such as the police or a stronger person or even the individual himself (this has been called repression – the term is not used here because it is loaded with other meanings), the somatic most certainly will come into view. The individual is then apparently „better off,“ as the cells meant him to be, to occupy the survival role in the engram, the winning va-lence, for he is, at least, not ill. But how many people have been killed, how many banks have been robbed and how many marital partners have been driven mad by these dramatizations? So the health of the individual would be considered by society, in its effort to protect its members to be a secondary affair. In fact, „society“ has not known about this mechanical as-pect. The individual who dramatizes the survival valence in his engrams may do violent things to other people. The individual who will not permit himself such a dramatization or who is forced by society away from such dramatization will most certainly become psycho-somatically ill. „Heads I win, tails you lose.“ The answer is in the alleviation or deletion of the engram. For there are many additional aspects to the problem: the man who dramatizes his engrams, society or no society, is not apt to survive, and if he dramatizes them, he is subject to whatever slurs were leveled at the valence he is in by another valence in that same engram. The combinations of the classes and aspects of psycho-somatic illness listed and de-scribed here lead to some highly complex situations. It is a scientific fact that no psycho-somatic ill exists without an aberration. And it is true that no aberration exists without a po-tential or actual psycho-somatic ill. One of the psycho-somatic illnesses one would least ex-pect to find as a psycho-somatic affair is the illness of sexual perversion. The sexual pervert (and by this term dianetics, to be brief, includes any and all forms of deviation in Dynamic II such as homosexuality, lesbianism, sexual sadism, etc. and all down the catalogue of Ellis and Krafft-Ebing) is actually quite ill physically. Perversion as an illness has so many manifestations that it must be spread through the entire gamut of classes from (1) to (5) above. Over-development of sexual organs, underdevelopment, seminal inhibi-tion or magnification, etc. are found some in one pervert, some in another. And the sum of it is that the pervert is always a very ill person in one way or another, whether he is conscious of it or not. He is very far from culpable for his condition, but he is also so far from normal and so extremely dangerous to society that the tolerance of perversion is as thoroughly bad for society as punishment for it. Lacking proper means prior to this time, society has been caught between tolerance and punishment, and the problem of perversion has, of course, not been resolved. A bit off the subject here, but it can be remarked about perversion that the best pre-vious explanation for it was something about girls becoming envious of Papa’s penis or boys 
becoming upset about that terrible thing, the vulva, which Mama was incautious enough to show one day. It takes a great deal more than this utter tripe to make a pervert. It is, rather, something on the order of kicking a baby’s head in, running over him with a steam roller, cut-ting him in half with a rusty knife, boiling him in lysol and all the while with crazy people screaming the most horrifying and unprintable things at him. The human being is a very tough character. He is so confoundedly tough that he has whipped the whole animal kingdom and he can shake the stars. And when it comes to throwing his second dynamic out of balance, what that takes is straight out of Dante and Sax Rohmer combined. Hence the pervert, containing hundreds and hundreds of vicious engrams, has had little choice between being dead and be-ing a pervert. But with an effective science to handle the problem, a society which would con-tinue to endure perversion and all its sad and sordid effects doesn’t deserve to survive. Perversion can have other aspects. In one society examined, these aberrations had mul-tiplied so far that a principal mystic cult had sprung up which contended that all mental illness came from sex; this, of course, gave further impetus to aberrations on the second dynamic (sex), as such a cultic belief must have been originated by an individual who had severe aber-rations across the second dynamic; this belief that sex was the only source of human aberra-tion and travail, naturally attracted as its practitioners individuals who had similar aberrative patterns. And so the cult further enforced existing aberrative factors in the society, since all their activity was leveled at making sex something ogreish and dreadful by labeling it the so-ciety’s primary source of illness. The prophet of this god was Manichaeus, a Persian of the third century, who taught that all things about the body, especially sex, were evil; the cult of Manichaeus carried on well into the Dark Ages and then vanished, to trouble Man no more. Any dynamic can be blocked, the personal dynamic, the sex dynamic, the group dy-namic or the Mankind dynamic. Each one has been the target at some time of one cult or an-other seeking to cure all Man’s ills and save him. Dianetics is not interested in saving Man, but it can do much to prevent him from being „saved.“ As an organized body of scientific knowledge dianetics can draw only the conclusion which it observes in the laboratory. It can be observed that the Church is entirely correct in doing all in its power to pre-vent blasphemy. Blasphemy can very often be uttered during the „unconsciousness“ of a per-son who has been struck. This would enter sacred names and curses into engrams which, re-acting within the individual, give him an unnatural terror and compulsion or repulsion toward God. It is not the religion which is at fault, it is the blaspheming of the religion. Such blas-phemy makes the insane zealot and the murderous atheist, both of whom the Church would very gladly do without. In the realm of psycho-somatic illness any combination of the language is as damaging a factor in an engram as any other factor. The moronic reasoning of the reactive mind, which considers everything in an engram equal to everything in an engram, also considers that eve-rything similar to the engram in the exterior world (the restimulators) is sufficient cause to place an engram in effect. Hence aberration and illness can come about. There is, however, a peculiarity in psycho-somatic illnesses which is chronic: the aber-ree’s reactive mind exercises a power of choice to the extent that only pro-survival engrams become chronic. It could be said, on a reactive level, that the aberree will not permit himself to suffer illness from his engrams unless that illness has a „survival“ value. This is very im-
portant in therapy. The chronic psycho-somatic illnesses which a patient displays are those which have a sympathy (pro-survival) background. It is not possible to „spoil“ a child with love and affection. Whoever postulated that it was possible was postulating out of bad data and no observation. A child needs all the love and affection it can possibly get. A test was run in one hospital which tended to show that babies, when left without attention, ran fevers. When given attention the fevers immediately abated. The test, while not observed personally by the author, seems to have been conducted with proper controls according to report. If this is true, it postulates a mechanism in the hu-man being which uses illness for affection on a genetic basis. There is no reason why not; there have been enough years of engineering – almost two billion – to build anything into the blueprint. These babies, in several groups, were left in the hospital by their parents for the test; they uniformly became ill when not given affection. Here is the law of affinity at work, if these tests were accurately conducted, their purpose was not to help dianetics but to show that the leaving of a baby in the hospital after his birth because he has a slight illness invariably increases that illness. A series of severely controlled dianetic experiments over a much longer period dem-onstrated that the law of affinity, as applicable to psycho-somatic illness, was more powerful than fear and antagonism by a very wide margin. So great is this margin that it could be com-pared as the strength of a steel girder to a straw. It was found, as above, that chronic psycho-somatic ills existed only when they had a sympathy engram behind them. The law of affinity might be interpreted as the law of cohesion; „affinity“ might be defined as „love“ in both its meanings. Deprivation of or absence of affection could be considered as a violation of the law of affinity. Man must be in affinity with man to survive. The suicide ordinarily commits the act on the computation that the removal of self will some way benefit other selves – this, on the reactive mind level is a very ordinary computation, deriving exclusively from engrams. The violent industrial chieftain with his merciless mien, when he suffers from a psycho-somatic ill, ordinarily derives it out of a sympathy engram. The sympathy engram pretends to be pro-survival. As one preclear said, a man is not victimized by his enemies but by his friends. An engram comes about always from a greater or lesser moment of „unconsciousness.“ There is no engram without „unconsciousness.“ It is only when the analyzer is out of circuit that the exterior world can come interior, unrational-ized, and work from within. The second the analyzer identifies one of those engrams as such, that engram loses about twenty percent of its value to aberrate and usually a hundred percent of its value to cause a psycho-somatic illness. Pain is extremely perishable. Pleasure is re-corded in bronze. (Not poetry here, science. Physical pain will delete with brief attention, a pleasant or even a media-media experience is so solidly fixed in the mind that no treatment known to dianetics will shake it and a great deal of effort has been leveled at pleasure re-cordings just to test them for permanence. They are permanent; physical pain is perishable. Too bad, Schopenhauer, but you were a most mistaken man.) Exposing a lock to the analyzer – a moment of „mental anguish“ – once the engram which gave it power is gone causes that lock to blow away like chaff. The analyzer works on the Doctrine of the True Datum: it has no truck with anything which it once discovers to be false. Just exposing an engram without relieving it has some therapeutic value – twenty per-
cent – and this gave rise to a belief that all one had to do was know about his ills and they would vanish. Nice if it were so. The most aberrative engram, then, is one which is held down by the reactive mind’s – that moron’s – concept that it is needed in the survival of the individual. This sympathy en-gram is the one which comes forward and stays chronic as a psycho-somatic illness. There are two reasons for this: one is usually in one’s own valence when a sympathy engram is received; and one’s reactive mind, knowing well the value of affinity, puts forward the psycho-somatic illness to attract affinity. There is no volition here on the part of the individual’s „I“ analytical self. But there is every „volition“ on the part of the reactive mind. A sympathy engram would go something like this: a small boy, much victimized by his parents, is extremely ill. His grandmother attends him and while he is delirious soothes him and tells him she will take care of him, that she will stay right there until he is well. This puts a high „survival“ value on being sick. He does not feel safe around his parents; he wants his grandmother present (she is a winning valence because she orders the parents around), and he now has an engram. Minus the engram there would be no psycho-somatic illness. Sickness, „unconsciousness“ and physical pain are essential to the receipt of this engram. But it is not a contra-survival engram. It is a pro-survival engram. It can be dramatized in one’s own valence. The psycho-somatic illness, in such a case as this, would be a „precious possession.“ „I“ doesn’t even know the computation. The analyzer was out when the engram went in. The analyzer cannot recall that engram with anything short of dianetic therapy. And the engram will not clear away. Now with this engram we have a patient with sinusitis and a predisposition to lung in-fections. It may be that he was luckless enough to marry a counterpart of his mother or his grandmother. The reactive mind cannot tell the difference between grandmother or mother and wife if they are even vaguely similar in speech, voice-tone or mannerisms. The wife is not sympathetic. In goes the engram to demand that sympathy. And even if the wife thinks that sinusitis and lung infection are repulsive enough to lead to divorce, the reactive mind keeps that engram keyed-in. The more hatred from the wife, the more that engram keys-in. You can kill a man that way. The above is a standard sympathy engram. When a therapist tries to get that engram away from the patient, the reactive mind balks. The „I“ doesn’t balk. The analyzer doesn’t balk. These are hopeful that this engram will spring. But the reactive mind keeps it nailed down until the dianeticist puts a crowbar under it. Then it is gone. (Enough locks may be lifted, by the way, to alleviate this condition. But the patient will dig up another engram!) Resistance to past therapies has resulted from these sympathy engrams. Yet they lie right there on the surface, fully exposed as chronic psycho-somatic illness. Feeding a patient with a psycho-somatic ill any number of drugs can result in only temporary relief. „I“ doesn’t want the illness. The analyzer doesn’t want it. But the body has it and if anybody succeeds in curing it short of removing that engram, the body, at the command of the reactive mind, will find something else to substitute for that ill or develop an „al-lergy“ to the drug or annul the effect of the drug entirely.  
Of course one can always rip living tissue out of the skull with knives, ice-picks or shock in wholesale quantities. This will cure a psycho-somatic ill. It also, unhappily, cures the personality, the intellect and all too often, life itself. In dianetics the application of technique to relieve the engrams causing these ills has brought the uniform relief of all patients treated without relapse. In short and in brief, psycho-somatic ills can now be cured. All of them.  

 CHAPTER VI EMOTION AND THE DYNAMICS Emotion is a theta quantity, which is to say that it is so involved with life forces that dianetics at this stage handles it with invariable success but does not attempt to give forth more than a descriptive theory. Much research must be done on emotion; but so long as the therapy embraces it and releases it with success, further data can be dispensed with up to a point. Emotion would have to be divided sharply into minus emotions and plus emotions. The minus emotion would be non-survival in character, the plus emotion would be pro-survival. The pleasant and pleasurable emotions are not of any great concern to us here. It is believed that all emotion is the same thing but in its aspects above Zone 1 it can be by-passed as unnecessary to explain at this time for the purpose of this book. In Zones 1 and 0, emotion becomes very important to therapy. As has been covered earlier, Zones 1 and 0 are the anger and apathy zones respectively. From death up to the bor-der between anger and fear is Zone 0. From this borderline to the beginning of boredom is anger, Zone 1. It is as if the survival dynamic, in becoming contracted into Zone 1, first began to dis-play hostility, then, on further suppression toward death, anger. On further suppression, rage began to be displayed. Then fear as the next lower level, then terror and finally, just above death, apathy. And as the dynamic is suppressed, the cells react forcefully to the menace, it could be said, by resisting the menace. The analyzer resists down to the top border of Zone 1, but in ever decreasing control. From here on down the cells, the actual organism, do the resisting in a last ditch effort. The reactive mind is thoroughly in command from the top border of Zone 1 straight on down to death, and it is in ever increasing command of the organism as the dy-namic is suppressed. Emotion seems to be inextricably connected up with the actual force of life. That there is a life force no engineer could doubt. Man and medicine usually look at the pitcher and for-get that the pitcher is only there to hold milk and that the milk is the important quantity. Life force is the helium which fills the free balloon. Out goes the helium, down comes the balloon. When this type of energy is located and isolated as itself – if it is just an energy type – then medicine can start moving forward in strides which will make all former steps look like those of a man in a sack race. Medicine doesn’t have any spare helium, for one thing. How high this life force can go on the survival scale is not known. Above Zone 3 is the area of question marks. A clear goes up into a level of persistence, vigor, tenacity, ration-ality and happiness. Perhaps some day a clear will attain the nebulosity the author used to hear about in India which marked the man who was all soul. How far down it can go is definitely known. A man dies. He doesn’t move or think. He dies as an organism, then he dies as cells. There are different periods of „life after 
 death“ for the cells and biologists remark that the hair and nail cells do not die for months. So here is a spectrum of death, first the organism and then, colony by colony, the cells. That is from the bottom of Zone 0 downward. But what we are interested in is the area from Zone 1 down to the bottom of Zone 0. It could be postulated that the analytical mind has its greatest bounce against the suppressor, its highest ability to care for the organism, when it is in the third zone. As the suppressor thrusts downward against it, the analyzer, within lower Zone 3 thrusts heavily back. This is necessity at work. The necessity level can rise, in this action, to a point which keys-out all engrams! It must be realized that the analyzer considers future suppressors and is continually engaged upon computations which pose problems of the future which the analyzer resolves – this is one of the functions of the imagination; it must further be realized that the analyzer is engaged upon a multitude of computations about the present: for the analytical mind is deal-ing continually with an enormous number of factors which comprise the suppressor of the present and the suppressor of the future. It computes for instance on the alliances with friends and symbiotes and its greatest victories are achieved by taking some of the suppressor and turning it into an alliance factor. The individual can be visualized, on the survival spectrum, as being at the tip of the survival dynamic. The suppressor thrusts down, or future suppressors threaten a thrust and the analytical mind thrusts up with solutions. The level of the individual is determined by how well these suppressors are apparently met. We speak now of the clear and until further mention we will continue to use the clear. The clear is an unaberrated person. He is rational in that he forms the best possible solutions he can on the data he has and from his viewpoint. He obtains the maximum pleasure for the organism, present and future, as well as for the subjects along the other dynamics. The clear has no engrams which can be restimulated to throw out the correctness of computation by entering hidden and false data into it. No aberration. Hence the reason we use him here as an example. The survival dynamic is high, more than balancing the suppressor. Take this as a first condition. This would place the dynamic in Zone 3, Tone 3.9. Now increase the suppressor. The dynamic is pushed back to Tone 3.2. Necessity surges up. The suppressor is thrust back. The dynamic is once more at Tone 3.9. This action could be termed an enthusiastic resurgence. The individual has actually gotten „angry“ – that is to say, he has called upon his being to furnish power for thought and action. Mentally he calls upon whatever constitutes mental energy. Physically, if the suppres-sion was physical, he would call upon his adrenalin. This is proper use of the endocrines, to use them for regaining position in relation to the suppressor. Any and all body function is un-der analytical (but not necessarily monitored) command. Now let us suppose that the suppressor surges down against the dynamic and drives the dynamic to 3.0. Necessity level comes up. Action is taken. The full force of the being is thrown against the suppressor. Now let us suppose that a new factor comes into the suppressor and makes it much, much stronger. The individual still attempts to resurge against it. But the suppressor weighs heavier and heavier against him. He is beginning to exhaust his supplies of 
 mental or physical energy (and this suppressor can be on either a mental or physical level.) Wearying, the individual drops down to a 2.5. The suppressor again increases. Resurgence is attempted once more. The last supply of available energy or data is thrown out. And another factor comes into the suppressor, increasing its weight. The individual sags down to 2.0. At exactly this point the analyzer, having failed, finally cuts out. Here is entered the top of Zone 1. Hostility sets in. The suppressor is down, pressing down against actual cellular survival. And it drops lower. The individual goes into anger, recruiting cellularly but not sen-tiently, the last forces. Again the suppressor gets new weight. The individual goes into rage. Once more the suppressor drops. The individual goes into fear, Tone 0.9. Again the suppres-sor lowers, recruiting new factors. The individual is thrust down to 0.6 and here is in terror. Once more the suppressor drops with new force. The individual slides into fear paralysis, 0.2. Suppose we parallel this in a very simple, dramatic example so that we do not have to consider a thousand subtle factors. A clear, inexperienced in hunting, determines to shoot a grizzly. He has a fine rifle. The grizzly appears to be easy game. The man is at 3.9 or above. He feels good. He is going to get that grizzly as the grizzly has been threatening the man’s stock. High enthusiasm carries him to the lair. He waits, he finally sees the grizzly. There is a cliff above the man which he could not ordinarily climb. But to get a good shot before the grizzly vanishes, the man has to climb the cliff. Seeing he was in danger of losing the game brought the man down to 3.2. Necessity sends him up the cliff. He fires but in firing falls back down the cliff. The grizzly is wounded. He starts toward the man. Necessity surges up. The man recovers the gun and shoots again. He is at 3.0 the moment he shoots. He misses. He fires again but the miss, with the grizzly charging, brought him down to 2.5. He shoots once more. The grizzly takes the ball and keeps on coming. The man shoots again but he has sud-denly realized that his rifle is not going to stop this grizzly. His tone drops to 2.0. He begins to snarl and feverishly work his gun. His bullets go wild. He experiences rage at the gun, the grizzly, the world, and throws the gun away, ready to meet the grizzly, almost upon him, with bare hands. Suddenly the man knows fear. His tone is 1.2. It drops to 0.9 with a smell in his nostrils of the bear. He knows the bear will kill him. He turns and tries to claw up the cliff and get away but his efforts are frenzied. He is at Tone 0.6, stark terror. The bear strikes him and knocks him from the cliff-side. The man lies still, breathing almost halted, heart-beat slowed to nearly nothing. The bear hits him again and the man lies still. Then the bear decides he is dead and walks away. Shaken, the man eventually comes around, his tone gradually rising up to 2.0, the point where his analyzer shut off. He stirs more and gets up. His tone is back to 2.5: he is analytically afraid and cautious. He recovers his gun. He begins to leave the scene. He feels a great necessity to recoup his own self-esteem and his tone comes to 3.2. He walks away and reaches a safe area. Suddenly it occurs to him that he can borrow a friend’s Mauser. He begins to make plans to get that bear. His enthusiasm mounts. But, completely aside from the engram received when the bear knocked him out, he acts on his experience. Three days later he kills the bear and his tone rises to 4.0 for the space of contemplation and telling the tale and then his mind occupies itself with new matters. Life is much more complicated than the business of killing grizzlies, usually a lot less dramatic but always full of situations which cause a fluctuation of the suppressor. The gaining of all pleasurable goals – a bear killed, a woman kissed, a seat in the front row at the opera, a friend won, an apple stolen – are sweeps through various levels of tone. And the individual is 
generally carrying on three or three thousand computations at once and there are thirty or thirty thousand variables in his computations. Too many unknowns, too many entrances of „didn’t know the gun was loaded“ factors, all these can throw the analyzer from a direct alignment into the scattered dispersal of non-function. The analyzer can be considered to cut out when Tone 2.0 is reached. From 2.5 down the computations it makes are not very ra-tional – too many unknowns, too many unexpected factors, too many discoveries of miscalcu-lations. This is living on a „clear“ basis. When our hunter was hit by the bear he received an engram. That engram, when it keyed-in, would give him a fear, an apathy attitude, in the pres-ence of certain factors: every perceptic present – the smell of that ground, twigs, bear-breath, etc. But he killed the bear. The chances of that engram keying-in are remote. Not because he killed the bear but because he was, after all, a grown man. And, if a clear, he could have thought back and cleared the whole thing himself. This is a complete cycle of emotion. Enthusiasm and high pleasure are at the extreme top. Fear and paralysis are at the bottom. Feigned death, in Man, is very close to the actual thing on the tone scale. It is a valid mechanism. But it is complete apathy. So long as the analyzer is operating, the receipt of an engram is impossible. Every-thing files in the standard banks. As soon as the border 2.0 is passed on the way down, „un-consciousness“ can be judged to have set in and anything registered, in company with pain or painful emotion, is an engram. This is not a shift of definition. The analyzer cuts out, with surgical anaesthetic, at 2.0. The anaesthetic may depress the level of awareness further. Pain may depress it even more. But depressing the level of awareness is not necessarily depressing emotion. How much conceived danger or sympathy is present in the environment? This is what depresses the tone scale. There can be a reactive engram which contains a Tone 4.0 or one that contains a 1.0 or another that contains a 0.1. This is not, then, quite two-dimensional, this emotion. The level of depth of consciousness can be affected by painful emotion, poisons or other things which depress awareness. After that it is all engram and the engrams have their own tone scale which runs from 4.0 down to 0.1. It can be seen now that two things are at work. First is the state of physical being. It is this which tunes down the analyzer. Then there is the mental state of being. This is what tunes down the emotional tone scale. But remember that in engrams there is another factor present: valence. Once its own analyzer is out the body will assume the evaluation or emotional condition of any other ana-lyzer present. Here we have affinity at work in earnest. „Unconscious“ in the presence of other beings, an individual picks up a valence for every other being present. Some of these valences are incidental. He will pick first that valence which is most sympathetic as a desir-able future friend (or some similar person). And he will pick that valence which is the top valence (highest survival, the boss, the winner) for his dramatization. He will also take the valence of the winning entity (winning over himself or others) for emotional tone. If the win-ning valence is also the sympathetic valence, he has an engram which can be utilized to its fullest extent. 
 Let us make this an example: a man is under nitrous oxide (the most vicious anaes-thetic ever invented as it is actually not anaesthetic but a hypnotic) undergoing exodontistry. As usual everybody present around the „unconscious“ patient chatters and yaps about the pa-tient, the weather, the most popular movie star, or baseball. The exodontist is a tough charac-ter, bossy to the nurse, apt to be angry about trifles; he is also very sympathetic toward the patient. The nurse is a blue-eyed blonde who is sexually aberrated. The patient, actually in agony, receiving an engram amongst engrams which may ruin his life (terrible stuff, nitrous oxide; really hands out a fancy engram as any dianeticist can attest) is unanalytical. Every-thing said to him or around him is taken literally. He takes the valence of the exodontist as both the top valence present and the sympathetic valence. But every phrase uttered is aberra-tive and will be interpreted by that happy little moron, the reactive mind, on the order of Sim-ple Simon who was told he had to be careful how he stepped in the pies, so he stepped in them carefully. These people may be talking about somebody else but every „I“ or „he“ or „you“ uttered is engramic and will be applied to others and himself by the patient in the most literal sense. „He can’t remember anything“ says the exodontist. All right, when the engram keys-in, this patient will have an occlusion on memory in greater or lesser degree. „He can’t see or feel it“: this means an occlusion on sight, pain and tactile. If the patient has his eyes watering in agony at the moment (though completely „under“) he may get actual bad vision as well as poor visual recall from this experience. Now they put him in the hands of this blonde nurse to let him sleep off the drug and recover. She is an aberree amongst aberrees. She knows patients do weird things when they are still „out“ so she pumps him for information about his life. And she knows they are hypnotic (yes, she sure does) so she gives him some positive suggestions. Amusing herself. She says he’ll like her. That she’ll be good to him. And stay there now for the present. So the poor patient, who has had two wisdom teeth, impacted, taken out, has a full an-ger-sympathy dramatization. The general tone he takes is the tone the exodontist showed to the others in the room. The exodontist was angry at the nurse. With his recalls all messed up, the patient a few years later meets a woman similar to this nurse. The nurse has given him compulsions toward her. The silly little moron, the reactive mind, sees in this entirely differ-ent person enough similarity to create an identity between the nurse and this new woman. So the patient divorces his wife and marries the pseudo-nurse. Only now that he has married the pseudo-nurse the dental engram begins to key-in in earnest. Physically he gets ill: the two molars adjacent to where the wisdom teeth came out develop large cavities and begin to rot (circulation shut down, pain in the area but can’t be felt because there’s a pain recall shut-off). His memory goes to pieces. His recalls become worse. He begins to develop eye trouble and a strange conjunctivitis. Further (because the dentist leaned on his chest and stomach with a sharp elbow from time to time) he has chest and stomach pains. The nitrous oxide hurt his lungs and this pain is also in chronic restimulation. But most horrible: he believes that this pseudo-nurse will take care of him and he stops to some degree taking care of himself in any way; his energy dissipates; and analytically he knows it is all wrong and that he is not himself. For he is now fixed in the valence of the exodontist who is angry with this nurse and so he beats the pseudo-nurse because he senses that from her all evil flows. The girl he married is not and was not the nurse: she sounds something like her and is a blonde. She has her own engrams and reacts. She attempts suicide. 
Then, one day, since this is one engram among many, the mental hospital gets our pa-tient and the doctors there decide that all he needs is a good solid series of electric shocks to tear his brain up, and if that doesn’t work, a nice ice-pick into each eyeball after and during electric shock, the ice-pick sweeping a wide arc to tear the analytical mind to pieces. His wife agrees. Our patient can’t defend himself: he’s insane and the insane have no rights, you know. Only the cavalry, in this one case, arrived in the form of dianetics and cleared the pa-tient and the wife and they are happy today. This is an actual engram and an actual case his-tory. It is a sympathy engram, pro-survival on the moronic reactive mind level. This is to show the ebb and flow of emotion within this one engram. The physical be-ing is out and in agony. The mental being is given a variety of emotional tones on a contagion principle. The actual emotional tone of the patient, his own, is beaten apathy; hence he can no longer „be himself.“ In passing it should be mentioned that only absolute silence, utter silence and tomb-like silence, should attend an operation or injury of any kind. There is nothing which can be said or given as a perceptic in any moment of „unconsciousness“ which is beneficial to a pa-tient.  Nothing! In the light of these researches and scientific findings (which can be proven in any other laboratory or group of people in very short order), speech or sound in the vicinity of an „unconscious“ person should be punished criminally as, to anyone who knows these facts, such an act would be a willful effort to destroy the intellect or mental balance of an in-dividual. If the patient is complimented, as in hypnosis or during an injury or operation, a manic is formed which will give him temporary euphoria and eventually plunge him into the depressive stage of the cycle.9 The golden rule could be altered to read: If you love your brother, keep your mouth shut when he is unconscious. Emotion can be seen then to exist in two planes, the personal plane and the extra-valence plane. It is communicable in terms of identical thinking. Rage present when a man is „unconscious“ will give him a Tone 1 engram: it will contain rage. Apathy present in the vi-cinity of an „unconscious“ person will give him a Tone 0 engram. Happiness present during an engram is not very aberrative but will give a Tone 4 engram. And so forth. In other words, the emotion of those present around an „unconscious“ person is communicated into the person as part of his engram. Any mood can be so communicated.                                                 

In dramatizing an engram, the aberree always takes the winning valence and that va-lence is not, of course, himself. If only one other person is present and the other is talking in terms of apathy, then the apathy is the tone value of the engram. When an apathy engram is restimulated, the individual, unless he wants to be hurt severely, is apathetic and this tone, being the nearest to death, is the most dangerous one to the individual. The rage emotion communicated to an „unconscious“ person gives him a rage engram he can dramatize. This is most harmful to the society. A merely hostile tone present around an „unconscious“ person gives him a merely hostile engram (covert hostility). With two people present, each having a different mood, the „unconscious“ person receives an engram with two valences other than his own. When this happens he will first dramatize the winning valence with its mood and, if forced from this, will dramatize the second valence with its mood. Driven from this in a chronic engram, he goes insane. Nothing here should be construed to mean that a person only uses or dramatizes sym-pathy engrams. This is very far from the case. The sympathy engram gives him the chronic psycho-somatic illness. He can dramatize any engram he has when it is restimulated. Emotion, then, is communication and a personal condition. The cellular level evalua-tion of a situation depends upon any other analyzer present, even if that analyzer is thoroughly hostile to it. Lacking such evaluation, the individual takes his own tone for the moment. There is another condition of emotion which is of extreme and useful interest to the therapist since it is the first thing with which he will have to deal in opening a case. We do not mean here to start discussing therapy but to describe a necessary part of emotion. Great loss and other swift and severe suppressor action dams up emotion in an engram. Loss itself can be a shock to reduce analytical power. And an engram is received. If it is the loss of a sympathetic person on whom an individual has depended, it seems to the individual as if death itself stalks him. When such a suppressor effect occurs, it is as if a strong steel spring had been compressed within the engram. When it releases it comes with a terrible rush of emotion (if this discharge is, indeed, emotion, though we hardly know what other name to call it). Life force apparently gets dammed up at these points in life. There may be enormous quantities of that life force available but some of it becomes suppressed into a loss engram. After that the person does not seem to possess as much fluid vitality as before. This may be not emotion but life force itself. The mind then has below it, as in a cyst, a great quantity of sorrow or despair. The more of these charges exist in such an encysted state, the less free are the emotions of the individual. This may be on a basis of suppression to a point from which there is no swift rising. Nothing in the person’s future seems to bring him up to any plane like those he occupied before. The glory and color of childhood vanishes as one progresses into later years. But the strange part of it is that this glamor and beauty and sensitivity to life are not gone. They are encysted. One of the most remarkable experiences a clear has is to find, in the process of ther-apy, that he is recovering appreciation of the beauty in the world. 
Persons, as they live forward from childhood, suffer loss after loss, and each loss takes from them a little more of this;0 quantity which may be, indeed, life force itself. Bound up within them, that force is denied them and indeed, reacts against them. Only this emotional encysting can, for instance, compartment the mind of a person who is multi-valent or who cannot see or hear his past. The analytical mind, worked upon by the reactive bank, compartments and divides with loss after loss until there is no free flow left. Then a man dies. Thus we could say that emotion, or what has been called emotion, is really in two sec-tions: first, there is the endocrine system which, handled either by the analytical mind in the upper two zones or the reactive mind in the lower two zones, brings emotional responses of fear, enthusiasm, apathy, etc.; second, there would be life force itself becoming compart-mented by engrams and being sealed up, little by little, in the reactive bank. It is possible that a therapy could be formulated which would spring out these various life force charges only and create thereby a full clear. Unfortunately, to date, this has not been possible. The odd part of emotion is that it is so ordinarily based on the word content of en-grams. If an engram says, „I am afraid,“ then the aberree is afraid. If an engram says, „I am calm,“ even if the rest of the engram gives him chattering shakes, the aberree still has to be „calm.“ The problem of emotion as endocrine balance and life force has another complication in that the physical pain in an engram is often mistaken for a particular emotion named in the engram. For instance, the engram can say with verbal content that the individual is „sexually excited“ and have as a pain content an ache in the legs and have as an actual emotional con-tent (the valence that says „I’m sexually excited“) anger. This, to the aberree dramatizing it is a complex affair. When he is „sexually excited“ – he has an idea what that means as just lan-guage – he is also angry and has an ache in the legs. This is actually very amusing in many cases and has led to a standard set of clinical jokes, all of which begin with, „You know, I feel like everybody else.“ Dianeticists, having discovered that people evaluate the emotions, beliefs, intelligence and somatics of the world in terms of their own engramic reactions, delight in discovering new concepts of „emotion.“ „You know how people feel when they’re happy. Their ears burn.“ „I feel just like anybody else when I’m happy; my feet and eyes ache.“ „Of course I know how people feel when they’re happy; just pin prickles going all over them.“ „I wonder how people can stand to be passionate when it makes their noses hurt so.“ „Of course I know how people feel when they’re excited: they have to go to the toilet.“ Probably every person on earth has his own peculiar definition for every emotional state in terms of engram command. The command plus the somatics and perceptics make what they call an „emotional state.“ Actually the problem, then, should be defined in terms of the clear, who can function without engramic orders from the reactive mind. So defined it breaks down in terms of the endocrine system and the varying level of life force free to resurge against the suppressor. 
Laughter, it should be added, is not, strictly speaking, an emotion but a relief from emotion. The early Italians had a very definite idea, as represented by their folk tales, that laughter was of therapeutic value. Melancholy was the only mental illness these tales consider and laughter was its only cure. In dianetics we have a great deal to do with laughter. In ther-apy patients vary, in their laughter reaction, from the slight chuckle to hilarious mirth. Any engram which really releases may be expected to begin somewhere between tears and bore-dom and end with laughter; the nearer the engram’s tone is to tears at the first contact, the more certainly laughter will appear as it is relieved. There is a stage of therapy often reached by the preclear when his entire past life seems to be a subject of uncontrollable mirth. This does not mean he is clear but it means that a large proportion of the encysted charges have been tapped. A pre-clear has laughed for two days almost without ceasing. Hebephrenia is not the same thing as this laughter for the relief of the pre-clear on realizing the shadowy aspect and completely knowable character of his past fears and terrors is hearty. Laughter plays a definite role in therapy. It is quite amusing to see a pre-clear, who has been haunted by an engram which contained great emotional charge, suddenly relieve it, for the situation, no matter how gruesome it was, when relieved, is in all its aspects a subject of great mirth. The laughter fades away as he becomes disinterested in it and he can be said to be „Tone 3“ about it. Laughter is definitely the relief of painful emotion. [The complete Tone Scale, its use in predicting the behavior of others as well as assist-ing in auditing, is given in the book SCIENCE OF SURVIVAL by L. Ron Hubbard, 1951, 580 pages.]  

CHAPTER VII PRENATAL EXPERIENCE AND BIRTH Old women less than a hundred years ago talked wisely about „prenatal influence“ and how a woman marked her child. Many such intuitive thoughts are based, actually, on ob-served data. It can be observed that the child born out of wedlock is often a luckless creature (in a society which frowns upon such bearings). These tenets have been held in the market place for a great many millenia. Just because they have been held is no reason they are true, but they make an excellent beginning for a chapter on prenatal experience and birth. If dianetics had worked on obscure theories such as those of the old women or those of the mystics who believe that „childish delusions“ are capable of aberrating a child, dianetics would not be a science of mind. But it was no obscure theory which brought about the discov-ery of the exact role prenatal experience and birth play in aberration and psycho-somatic ills. Many schools of mental healing from the Aesculapian to the modern hypnotist were studied after the basic philosophy of dianetics had been postulated. Much data was accumu-lated, many experiments were made. The fundamentals about engrams had been formulated and „unconsciousness“ had been discovered as being a period of actual recording when the theory began to predict new phenomena not hitherto observed. There has been, in recent years, a practice called „narco-synthesis.“ This was actually a branch of „hypno-analysis“ and „deep analysis.“ It did not produce clears and it did not even produce alleviation in the majority of its cases. But it was discovered to be an aberrative fac-tor in itself. A thing which aberrates may well lead to something which removes aberrations if it is studied scientifically. Narco-synthesis was so studied. Several cases were examined on which narco-synthesis had been employed. Some of these cases had experienced relief from narcosynthesis. Others had become a great deal worse. Working with hypno-analysis it was discovered that the technique could be varied un-til it would actually remove the aberrative charge contained in locks. In treating schizophren-ics with narco-synthesis it was found that the locks (periods of mental anguish not including physical pain or „unconsciousness“) would sometimes spring (clear) and sometimes not. Narco-synthesis is a complicated name for a very ancient process quite well known in Greece and India. It is drug hypnotism. And it is generally employed either by those practitio-ners who do not know hypnosis or on those patients who will not succumb to ordinary hypno-tism. A shot of sodium pentothal is given intravenously to the patient and he is asked to count backwards. Shortly he stops counting at which the injection is also stopped. The patient is now in a state of „deep sleep.“ That this is not sleep seems to have missed both narco-synthesists and hypnotists. It is actually a depressant on the awareness of an individual so that those attention units which remain behind the curtain of his reactive bank can be reached di-rectly. These attention units are up against the standard banks. The by-pass circuits (demon circuits) which lie between these banks and „I“ have themselves been by-passed. In other words, a section of the analytical mind has been exposed which is not aberrated. It is not very powerful and it is not highly intelligent, but it has the advantage of being hard up against the 
standard banks. This is basic personality. The intent and purpose and persistence of these few attention units have the same quality and direction as the whole analytical mind would have if it were clear. It is a very nice, co-operative group of attention units and it is very useful; for basic personality has all recalls – sonic, audio, tactile, smell, pain, etc. It can get at anything that is in the banks – which is everything perceived or thought in a lifetime, minute by minute. These qualities of basic personality have been very poorly described in hypnotism, and it is doubtful even if it was generally known that sonic was part of the recall system disclosed by deep hypnotism or the drug hypnotism called narco-synthesis. A study of basic personality in a multi-valent subject who had poor memory, no good recalls and scant imagination disclosed the information that BP (the attention units called ba-sic personality) was more able to select out data than AP (aberrated personality as represented by the awake subject). It was further discovered that AP could ordinarily return better than BP so far as time-distance went but that when AP arrived at the earliest place it was unable to manage recall. But if AP had gone back and established a vague contact with an incident, drug hypnotism or standard hypnotism used on him when he was in present time (no longer returned would then permit BP to return. Drug hypnotism has seldom been able to force back very early into a patient’s life. But by making the strength of AP go back and then using BP for the recall, some very early incidents could be reached. This trick was invented to over-come some of the difficulties which had made drug hypnosis relatively uncertain in results. Then another factor was discovered. All those patients who had been treated by narco-synthesis had become worse every time the people doing the work had crossed over but left (because „everybody knew“ an „unconscious“ person didn’t record) a period of „uncon-sciousness.“ When one of these „unconscious“ periods was so probed – by the drug hypnosis called narco-synthesis – the patient usually became worse, not better. Doing a little more probing than had been done by the usual practitioners, dianetic research entered some of the late life „unconscious“ periods and, with much labor, laid them bare. Now all drug hypnosis, whether it is called narco-synthesis or a visit from the god Aesculapius, is still hypnosis. Whatever is said to a hypnotized subject remains as a positive suggestion, and these positive suggestions are simply engrams with a somewhat lighter effect and a shorter duration. When a drug is present the hypnotism is complicated by the fact that hypnotic drugs are, after all, poisons; the body is then possessed of a permanent (at least until dianetics was discovered) somatic to go along with the suggestion. Drug hypnotism invariably creates an engram. Whatever a practitioner says to a drugged subject becomes engramic in some degree. In the course of dianetic research it first was supposed, playing back the careless chatter of practitioners out of the minds of patients they had placed under drug hypnosis, that this carelessness in saying so many aberrative things was responsible for some of the failure. But this was found to be true in a very limited sense. Then it was discovered that when the „unconscious“ periods were reached by drug hypnosis they refused to lift even when the pa-tient recounted them scores of times. This was blamed on the drug character of the hypnosis. Straight hypnotism was then used to reach these late „unconscious“ periods and these periods still failed to lift. Therefore it was adjudged safe to continue drug use on those pa-tients who refused hypnosis. And the AP-BP alternate trick began to be employed. 
It was discovered by drug hypnosis where it was necessary and straight hypnosis where that was possible that the „schizophrenic“ (the multi-valent aberree) could be made to reach very early periods in every case. And it was further found that an early period of „un-consciousness“ would often lift. Experimentation brought about a scientific axiom: The ear-lier the period of „unconsciousness“ the more likely it is to lift. That is a fundamental axiom of dianetic therapy. Manic-depressives who had sonic recall were worked upon, most of them by straight hypnosis, and it was discovered that they also followed this rule. But it was most dramatic in the multi-valent aberree: for when the engram did not lift it impinged against his analytical mind when he was awakened and created a variation in his psychoses and brought with it psy-cho-somatic illnesses as well. This brought about an understanding of why the multi-valent aberree, under narco-synthesis, was made worse whenever some practitioner had glided over (but not entered, of course) a late-life period of „unconsciousness.“ Now came the problem of applying the axiom. It was postulated that the primary engram must in some way suppress later engrams. In view of other data and postulates, this was an entirely reasonable assumption. The earlier a person went in the life of a multi-valent aberree the less likelihood there was of restimulating him artificially. Often an engram at around two or three years of age would lift entirely and give him a great deal of relief. The problem of this research was very far from the same problem of those who, not knowing about the reactive mind and „unconsciousness,“ tried merely to find computing fac-tors on a rational level or incidents of everyday life as aberrative factors in a patient. When an engram is touched, it is very resistive, particularly above the age of two years. Further, the whole reactive bank was buried deeply under foggy layers of „unconscious-ness“ and was further safeguarded by a mechanism of the analytical mind which tended to prohibit it from touching pain or painful emotion. The reactive bank was protecting itself all the way through the research but it was obviously the answer. The problem was how to achieve its relief, if it could be relieved. Having made several multi-valent personalities intensely uncomfortable, a new neces-sity level was reached whereby something had to be done about the problem. But there was this shining hope, the above axiom. A bridge between insanity and sanity had to be built and there, in the axiom, one had at least a glimmer of a plan. The earlier one had experienced this fog and pain, the lighter these engrams seemed to be. Then, one day, a multi-valent patient, under drugs, went back to his birth. He suffered the pain – and it was very painful with this crude technique, for dianetics had not yet smoothed down to a well-oiled piece of machinery – and he floundered through the „uncon-sciousness“ of the period and he fought the doctor who had tried to put drops in his eyes and he generally resented the entire proceedings. AP had been sent down first, then later, under drugs, BP had contacted the incident. This seemed a remarkable day for dianetics. After twenty runs through birth the pa-tient experienced a recession of all somatics and „unconsciousness“ and aberrative content. He had had asthma. It seemed that this asthma had been caused by the doctor’s enthusiasm in 
yanking him off the table just when he was fighting for his first breath. He had had conjuncti-vitis. That came from the eye-drops. He had had sinusitis. That had come from the nose swabs used by the pretty nurse. Rejoicing was held for he seemed to be a new man. A primary psychosis about being „pushed around“ had vanished. The subjective reality of this incident was intense. Objective reality did not matter but this patient had a mother near at hand and objective reality was es-tablished simply by returning her in therapy to his birth. They had not communicated about it in detail. The recording of her sequence compared word for word with his sequence, detail for detail, name for name. Possibility, even if they had communicated, of such duplication, out-side the dianetic situation, was mathematically impossible. And she had been „uncon-scious“ during his birth and had always supposed that the affair had been quite different and the return data collapsed her awake description of it as being so much fable. In order to make sure that this was no freak (for it is a very poor research man who will base conclusions on a series of one) two manic-depressives were returned to their births and both completed the experience. But one of these two birth engrams would not lift! The postulated axiom was called into play again. If one could find the earliest engram, then the others would lift each in turn. That was the hope. The manic-depressive whose birth had not lifted was returned to a period before birth in an effort to find an earlier engram. Structural theories, as fondly held for ages, had thoroughly collapsed already when „unconscious“ fog and pain had been penetrated to discover the engram as an aberrative unit. Tests had held up the discovery that all data, awake, asleep and „unconscious,“ from the mo-ment of conception on was always recorded somewhere in the mind or body. The little matter of myelin sheathing, since it had already been disproven by laboratory research which in-cluded the reaching of birth, was discarded. The theory that no recordings can take place in the mind until the nerves are sheathed depends upon a theoretical postulate, has never been subjected to scientific research, and depends for its existence upon Authority alone – and a „science“ which depends on Authority alone is a breath in the wind of truth and is therefore no science at all. That babies cannot record until the myelin sheathing is formed has about as much truth, on investigation, as the fact that penis-envy is the cause of female homosexuality. Neither theory, when applied, works. For the baby, after all, is composed of cells and it is evi-denced now by much research that the cell, not an organ, records the engram. Thus there was no inhibition about looking earlier than birth for what dianetics had begun to call basic-basic (the first engram of the first chain of engrams). And an earlier en-gram was reached. It has since been discovered that a great deal of recording is done by the child in the womb which is not engramic. For a time it was thought that the child in the womb records on the proposition of „extended hearing,“ where hearing tunes up in the presence of danger and particularly during „unconsciousness.“ But the first research discovered prenatal engrams to be most easily reached when they contained a great deal of pain. Cells, not the individual, are evidenced to record pain. And the reactive engram bank is composed only of cells. 
Recourse to nature rather than recourse to Authority is the very building block of modern science. So long as Galen remained an Authority on blood, none but „madmen“ like Da Vinci, Shakespeare and William Harvey even thought to experiment to find out what truly was the action of blood! So long as Aristotle remained the Authority for All, the Dark Ages reigned. Advance comes from asking free-minded questions of nature, not from quoting the works and thinking the thoughts of by-gone years. Recourse to precedent is an assertion that yesterday’s mentors were better informed than today’s: an assertion which fades before the truth that knowledge is compounded of the experience of yesterdays, of which we have more, most certainly, than the best-informed mentor of yesterday itself. In that dianetics was based on a philosophy that used the cell as the basic building block, the fact that recording of engrams was done by cells came with less surprise than it otherwise might have. The engram is not a memory; it is a cellular trace of recordings im-pinged deeply into the very structure of the body itself.  The experience of which cells themselves were capable had already been tested. It had been found that a monocell divided not only its substance but gave its total experience, as a master disc will make duplicates, to its offspring. Now this is a peculiarity of monocells: they survive as identities. Each is personally its fore-bearer. Cell A divides to a first generation; this generation is also Cell A; the second generation, the second division, creates an entity which is still Cell A. Lacking the necessity of such laborious processes as construction and birth and growth before reproduction, the monocell simply splits. And everything it has learned could be postulated to be contained in the new generation. Cell A dies but through generations from it, the latest generation is still Cell A. Man’s belief that he is to live in his progeny might possibly derive from this cellular identity of procreation. Another interesting possibility lies in the fact that even neurons exist in embryo in the zygote and neurons do not themselves divide but are like organisms (and may have the virus as their basic building block). Dianetics, as a study of function and the science of mind, does not need any postulate concerning structure, however. The only test is whether or not a fact works. If it does work and can be used, it is a scientific fact. And the prenatal engram is a scientific fact. Tested and checked for objective reality, it still stands firm. And as for subjective reality, the acceptance of the prenatal engram as a working fact alone makes possible the clear. At the end of a series of 270 clears and alleviations a short series of five cases was taken to finally settle the argument. These five cases were not permitted to admit anything before birth. They were treated with everything dianetics, hypnotism and other therapeutics could offer, and no clear was obtained. This ruled out the „personality of the operator“ or „suggestion“ or „faith“ as factors in dianetics. These five cases had never been informed of prenatal engrams. Each swerved in toward them but was restrained without informing him that engrams existed that early. The five were alleviated as to some variety of psycho-somatic ills but the ills were only alleviated, not completely cured. The aberrations remained but little changed. They are extremely disappointed since each had heard something of „the miracles dianetics could perform.“ Before then 270 cases had been worked and 270 cases had reached prenatal engrams. And 270 cases had been cleared or alleviated as the dianeticist chose and time permitted. All could have been cleared with an additional average of 100 or so hours for 
each of the persons who were alleviated. In short, on random cases – and selected cases so that at least two of each classification of neurosis or psychosis was included in the clearing – when prenatal engrams and birth were taken into account and used in therapy, results were obtained. When these factors were not taken into account, results were no more favorable than those attained in the best successes of past schools – which is not nearly good enough for a science of mind. Dianetics had prenatal and birth engrams wished off on it as facts existing in the na-ture of things. That past schools have been passing over these engrams and into the prenatal area without success does not mean that prenatals could not be found any more than it means that these past schools found much value in prenatal experience when they considered it at all. The problem is slightly more complex: the difficulty lay in finding the reactive bank which was occluded by „unconsciousness“ which had never before been penetrated wittingly as „un-consciousness.“ The discovery of this reactive bank led to the discovery of prenatal engrams, which are quite different from „prenatal memory.“ After a few cases had been examined as to objective and subjective reality dianetics was forced to accept, if it wished a clear, the fact that the cells of the foetus record. A few more cases and a little more experience discovered that the embryo cells record. And sud-denly it was discovered that recording begins in the cells of the zygote – which is to say, with conception. That the body recalls conception, which is a high level survival activity, has little to do with engrams. Most patients to date sooner or later startle themselves by finding them-selves swimming up a channel or waiting to be connected with. The recording is there. And there’s little use arguing with a pre-clear that he cannot recall being a sperm, engramic or not as the case may be. It must be remarked because any dianeticist will encounter this. Anyone postulating that „return to the womb“ was an ambition should have examined life in the womb a little more carefully. Even a poor scientist would have at least tried to find out if anybody could recall it before he made a statement that there was a memory of it. But life in the womb does not seem to be the Paradise it has been poetically, if not scientifically, represented. Actuality discloses that three men and a horse in a telephone booth would have but little less room than an unborn baby. The womb is wet, uncomfortable and unprotected. Mama sneezes, baby gets knocked „unconscious.“ Mama runs lightly and blithely into a table and baby gets its head stoved in. Mama has constipation and baby, in the anxious ef-fort, gets squashed. Papa becomes passionate and baby has the sensation of being put into a running washing machine. Mama gets hysterical, baby gets an engram. Papa hits Mama, baby gets an engram. Junior bounces on Mama’s lap, baby gets an engram. And so it goes. People have scores of prenatal engrams when they are normal. They can have more than two hundred. And each one is aberrative. Each contains pain and „unconsciousness.“ Engrams received as a zygote are potentially the most aberrative, being wholly reac-tive. Those received as an embryo are intensely aberrative. Those received as the foetus are enough to send people to institutions all by themselves. Zygote, embryo, foetus, infant, child, adult: these are all the same person. Time has been considered the Great Healer. That can be filed with the things „everybody knew.“ On a 
 conscious level it may be true. But on a reactive level Time is nothing. The engram, whenever received, is strong in proportion to the degree it is restimulated. The mechanism of an engram has an interesting feature. It is not „reasoned“ or ana-lyzed nor does it have any meaning until it has been keyed-in. A baby before speech could have an engram in restimulation but that engram must have been keyed-in by the analytical data the baby has. The reactive mind steals meaning from the analytical mind. An engram is just so many wave-recordings until it is keyed-in, and those recordings, by such restimulation, become ef-fective upon the analytical mind. It may be that the engram never has any reason or meaning in itself but only thrusts its waves forward as unreasoned things at the body and analyzer, and the body and analyzer, through mechanisms, give them meaning. In other words, the engram is not a sentient recording containing meanings. It is merely a series of impressions such as a needle might make on wax. These impressions are meaningless to the body until the engram keys-in, at which time aberrations and psycho-somatics occur. Thus it can be understood that the prenatal child has no remotest idea of what is being said in terms of words, It does learn, being an organism, that certain things may mean certain dangers. But this is every bit as far as it goes with recording. The mind must become more or less fully formed before the engram can impinge into the analytical level. The prenatal child can, of course, experience terror. When the parents or the profes-sional abortionist start after it and thrust it full of holes, it knows fear and pain. It has, however, this prenatal child, an advantage in its situation. Being surrounded by amniotic fluid and dependent for nutrition on its mother, being in a state of growth and easily reformed physically, it can repair an enormous amount of damage and does. The recovery qualities of the human body are never higher than before birth. Damage which would maim an infant for life or would kill a grown man can be taken in stride by the prenatal child. Not that this damage does not make an engram – it certainly does, complete with all data and speech and emotion – but that this damage does not easily kill it is the point here. Why people try to abort children is a problem which has its answer only in aberration, for it is very difficult to abort a child. One can say that in the attempt the mother herself is in more danger of dying than the child, no matter what method is used. A society which suppresses sex as evil and which is so aberrated that any member of it will attempt an abortion is a society which is dooming itself to ever-rising insanity. For it is a scientific fact that abortion attempts are the most important factor in aberration. The child on whom the abortion is attempted is condemned to live with murderers whom he reactively knows to be murderers through all his weak and helpless youth! He forms unreasonable at-tachments to grandparents, has terrified reactions to all punishments, grows ill easily and suf-fers long. And there is no such thing as a guaranteed way to abort a child. Use contraceptives, not a knitting needle or the douche bag, to hold down population. Once the child is conceived, no matter how „shameful“ the circumstances, no matter the mores, no matter the income, that man or woman who would attempt an abortion on an unborn child is attempting a murder which will seldom succeed and is laying the foundation of a childhood of illness and heart-ache. Anyone attempting an abortion is committing an act against the whole society and the 
future; any judge or doctor recommending an abortion should be instantly deprived of posi-tion and practice, whatever his „reason.“ If a person knows he has committed this crime against a child who has been born, he should do all possible to have that child „cleared“ as soon as possible after the age of eight and in the meantime should treat that child with all the decency and courtesy possible in order to keep the engram out of restimulation. Otherwise he may send that child to an institution for the insane. A large proportion of allegedly feeble-minded children are actually attempted abortion cases, whose engrams place them in fear paralysis or regressive palsy and which command them not to grow but to be where they are forever. However many billions America spends yearly on institutions for the insane and jails for the criminals are spent primarily because of attempted abortions done by some sex-blocked mother to whom children are a curse, not a blessing of God. Antipathy toward children means a blocked second dynamic. Physiological examina-tion of anyone with such blockage will demonstrate a physical derangement of the genitalia or glands. Dianetic therapy would demonstrate attempted abortion or an equally foul prenatal existence and would clear the individual. The case of the child who, as this is read, is not yet born but upon whom abortion has been attempted, is not hopeless. If he is treated with decency after he is born and if he is not restimulated by witnessing quarrels, he will wax and grow fat until he is eight and can be cleared, at which time he will probably be much startled to learn the truth But that startlement and any antagonism included in it will vanish with the finishing of the clear and his love of his parents will be greater than before. All these things are scientific facts, tested and rechecked and tested again. And with them can be produced a clear on whom our racial future depends.  

CHAPTER VIII CONTAGION OF ABERRATION Disease is contagious. Germs, traveling from one individual to another, wander through an entire society, respecting none until stopped by such things as sulfa or penicillin. Aberrations are contagious. Like germs they respect none and carry forward from in-dividual to individual, from parents to child, respecting none until they are stopped by dianet-ics. The people of yesterday supposed that genetic insanity must exist, for it could be ob-served that the children of aberrated parents were often themselves aberrated. There is genetic insanity but it is limited to the case of actually missing parts. A very small percentage of in-sanity falls into such a category and its manifestation is mental dullness or failure to coordi-nate and beyond these has no aberrative quality whatever (such people receive engrams which complicate their cases). The contagion of aberration is too simple in principle to be much labored here. In dianetics we learn that only moments of „unconsciousness,“ short or long and of greater or lesser depth, can contain engrams. When a person is rendered „unconscious,“ people in his vicinity react more or less at the dictates of their engrams: in fact, the „unconsciousness“ is quite ordinarily caused by somebody’s dramatization. A clear, then, could be rendered uncon-scious by an aberree who is dramatizing and the aberree’s dramatization of his engram would enter as an engram into the clear. The mechanics are simple. People under stress, if aberrated, dramatize engrams. Such dramatization may involve the injury of another person and render him more or less „uncon-scious.“ The „unconscious“ person then receives as an engram the dramatization. This is not the only way contagion of aberration gets about. People on operating tables, under anaesthetic, are subjected to the more or less aberrated conversation of those present. This conversation enters into the „unconscious“ person as an engram. Similarly, at the scene of accidents, the emergency nature of the experience may excite people into dramatizations, and if a person is „unconscious“ because of the accident, an engram is received. Aberrated parents are certain to infect their children with engrams. The father and mother, in dramatizing their own engrams around sick or injured children, pass them along just as certainly as if those engrams were bacteria. This does not mean that the total reactive bank of a child is composed solely of the parents’ engrams, for there are many exterior influ-ences to the home which can enter into the child when it is „unconscious.“ And it does not mean that the child is going to react to the same engrams the way either parent might react, for the child, after all, is an individual with an inherent personality, a power of choice and a different experience pattern. But it does mean that it is utterly inevitable that aberrated parents will in some way aberrate their children. Misconceptions and poor data in a society’s culture become engrams because not all the conduct around an „unconscious“ person is dramatization. If some society believed that 
 fish-eating brought on leprosy, it is quite certain that this false datum would find its way into engrams and sooner or later some one would develop a leprosy-like disease after having eaten fish. Primitive societies, being subject to much mauling by the elements, have many more occasions for injury than civilized societies. Further, such primitive societies are alive with false data. Further, their practice of medicine and mental healing is on a very aberrative level by itself. The number of engrams in a Zulu would be astonishing. Moved out of his restimula-tive area and taught English he would escape the penalty of much of his reactive data; but in his native habitat the Zulu is only outside the bars of a madhouse because there are no mad-houses provided by his tribe. It is a safe estimate and one based on better experience than is generally available to those who base conclusions on „modern man“ by studying primitive races that primitives are far more aberrated than civilized peoples. Their savageness, their unprogressiveness, their incidence of illness all stem from their reactive patterns, not from their inherent personalities. Measuring one set of aberrees by another set of aberrees is not likely to lead to much data. And the contagion of aberration, being much greater in a primitive tribe, and the falsity of the superstitious data in the engrams of such a tribe both lead to a con-clusion which, observed on the scene, is carried out by actuality. Contagion of aberration is very easily studied in the process of clearing any aberree whose parents fought. Mother, for instance, might be relatively unaberrated at the beginning of the marriage. If she is beaten by her husband who is, after all, dramatizing, she will begin to pick up his aberrations as part of her own reactive pattern. This is particularly noticeable when one is clearing a person who was conceived shortly after his parents’ marriage or before it. Papa may begin with a certain dramatization which includes beating a wife. Whatever he says in such a dramatization will sooner or later begin to affect the wife and she may – unless extraordinarily well balanced – begin to dramatize these things on her own. Eventually, when the child is born, she will begin to dramatize on the child, thus putting him into a continual state of restimulation. Birth is one of the most remarkable engrams in terms of contagion. Here the mother and child both receive the same engram which differs only in the location of pain and the depths of „unconsciousness.“ Whatever the doctors, nurses and other people associated with the delivery say to the mother during labor and birth and immediately afterwards before the child is taken away is recorded in the reactive bank, making an identical engram in both mother and child. This engram is remarkably destructive in several ways. The mother’s voice can res-timulate the birth engram in the child and the presence of the child can restimulate the giving-birth engram in the mother. Thus they are mutually restimulative. In view of the fact that they have all the other restimulators also in common a later life situation can cause them each to suffer simultaneously from the engram. If birth included a slammed window, a slammed win-dow may trigger birth dramatization in both, simultaneously, with resultant hostilities or apa-thies. Should a doctor become angry or despairing, the emotional tone of birth can be severe. And if the doctor talks at all, the conversation takes on its full reactive literal meaning to both mother and child. 
Many cases were cleared where both mother and child were available. One such case found the mother (as heard by the child in dianetic clearing) moaning, „I’m so ashamed, I’m so ashamed,“ over and over. The child had a neurosis about shame. When the mother was cleared, it was found that her mother at birth was moaning, „I’m so ashamed, I’m so ashamed.“ One can presume that this has been going along, by contagion, since Cheops built his tomb. In the larger sphere of society contagion of aberration is extremely dangerous and cannot but be considered as a vital factor in undermining the health of that society. The social body behaves similarly to an organism in that there are social aberrations which exist within the society. The society grows and may fade like an organism which has people, not cells, for its parts. Where pain is leveled by the head of the society at any member in that society, a source of aberration is begun which will be contagious. The reasons against corporal punishment are not „humanitarian,“ they are practical. A society which practices punishment of any kind against any of its members is carrying on a contagion of aberration. The society has a social engram, society size, which says punishment is necessary. Punish-ment is meted. The jails and institutions fill. And then one day some portion of the society, depressed into Zone 1 by a government’s freedom with government engrams, jumps up and wipes the government out. And a new set of aberrations is formed from the violence attending the destruction. Violent revolutions never win because they begin this cycle of aberration. A society filled with aberrees may feel it necessary to punish. There has been no rem-edy other than punishment. The provision of a remedy for unsocial conduct by members of the group is of more than passing interest to a government for a continuance of its own corpo-ral practices; adding these to the continuing aberrations of the past seriously depresses the survival potential of that government and will some day cause that government to fall. After many governments so fall, its people too perish from this earth. Contagion of aberration is never more apparent than in that social insanity called war. Wars never solve the need of wars. Fight to save the world for democracy or save it from Confucianism and the fight is inevitably lost by all. War has become associated in the past with competition, and it has been believed, therefore, by shifty logic, that wars were necessary. A society which advances into a war as a solution of its problems cannot but depress its own survival potential. No government was ever permitted to enter a war without costing its peo-ple some of their liberties. The end product is the apathy of a ruling priesthood, where mys-tery and superstition alone can band the insane remnants of a people together. This is too eas-ily observed in past histories to need much amplification. A democracy engaging in war has always lost some of its democratic rights. As it engages in more and more wars, it eventually comes under the command of a dictator (rule by a single engram). The dictator, forcing his rule, increases the aberrations by his activity against minorities. Revolt begins to follow revolt. Priesthoods flourish. Apathy awaits. And after apathy comes death. So went Greece, so went Rome. So goes England. So goes Russia. And so goes the United States and with it goes Mankind. Rule by force is a violation of the law of affinity for force begets force. Rule by force reduces the self-determinism of the individuals in a society and therefore the self-determinism of the society itself. Contagion of aberration sweeps along like a forest fire. Engrams beget 
engrams. And unless the dwindling spiral is interrupted by new lands and mongrel races which escape their aberrative environments, or by the arrival of a means to break the conta-gion of aberration by clearing individuals, a race will reach downward to the end of the cy-cle – Zone 0. A race is as great as its individual members are self-determined. In the smaller sphere of the family, as in the national scenes, contagion of aberration produces an interruption of optimum survival. Self-determinism is the only possible way a computer can be built to give rational an-swers. Holding down seven in an adding machine causes it to give wrong answers. Entering fixed and not-to-be-rationalized answers into any human being will cause him to compute wrong answers. Survival depends on right answers. Engrams enter from the exterior world into the hidden recesses below rational thinking and prevent rational answers being reached. This is exterior-determinism. Any interference with self-determinism cannot but lead to wrong computations. In that a clear is cooperative, a society of clears would cooperate. This may be an idyl-lic, Utopian dream and it may not be. In a family of clears there is observable harmony and cooperation. A clear can recognize a superior computation when he sees one. He does not have to be slugged and held down and made to obey to make him put a shoulder to the wheel. If he is made to obey, independent of his thinking, his self-determinism is interrupted to a point where he cannot get right answers; the society which holds him has penalized itself his ability to think and act rationally. The only way a clear could so be forced would be to give him engrams or turn a neuro-surgeon loose upon his brain. But a clear does not need to be forced for if the job is important enough to do in terms of general need, he will most certainly do it according to his intelligence and do it as well as possible. One never observes the forced individual doing a job well, just as one never observes a forced society winning against an equally prosperous free society. A family which runs on the godhead plan, where somebody must be obeyed without question, is never a happy family. Its prosperity may be present in some material aspects but its apparent survival as a unit is superficial. Forced groups are invariably less efficient than free groups working for the common good. But any group which contains aberrated members is likely to become entirely aberrated as a group through contagion. The effort to restrain aberrated members of a group inevitably restrains the group as a whole and leads to further and further restraint. Clearing one member of a family of aberrees is seldom enough to resolve the problems of that family. If the husband has been aberrated, he will have aberrated or restimulated his wife and children in one way or another, even when he used no physical violence upon them. The parents implant their mutual aberrations in the children and the children, being potentially self-determined units, revolt back to stir up the aberrations of the parents. In that so many of these aberrations, by contagion, have become mutual and held in common with the whole family, the happiness of the family is severely undermined. 
The corporal punishment of children is just another facet of the problem of the forced group. If any one cares to argue over the necessity of punishing children, let him examine the source of the misbehavior of the children. The child who is aberrated may not have his engrams entirely keyed-in. He may have to wait until he himself is married and has children or a pregnant wife to have restimulators enough to cause him to become, suddenly, one of these things they call a „mature adult“ blind to the beauty of the world and burdened by all its griefs. But the child is nevertheless aber-rated and has many dramatizations. The child is in a very unlucky situation in that he has with him his two most powerful restimulators – his mother and father. These assume the power of physical punishment over him. And they are giants to him. He is a pygmy. And he has to de-pend upon them for food, clothing and shelter. One can speak very grandly about the „delu-sions of childhood“ until he knows the engram background of most children. The child is on the unkind receiving end of all the dramatizations of his parents. A cleared child is a most remarkable thing to observe: he is human! Affinity alone can pull him through. The spoiled child is the child whose decisions have been interrupted continuously and who is robbed of his independence. Affection could no more spoil a child than the sun could be put out by a bucket of gasoline. The beginning and end of „child psychology“ is that a child is a human being, that he is entitled to his dignity and self-determinism. The child of aberrated parents is a problem because of the contagion of aberration and because he is denied any right to dramatize or counter. The wonder is not that children are a problem but that they are sane in any action for, by contagion, punishment, and denial of self-determinism the children of today have been denied all the things required to make a rational life. And these are the future family and the future race. This is not a dissertation on children or politics, however, but a chapter on contagion of aberration. Dianetics covers human thought, and human thought is wide ground. When one gazes at the potentialities inherent in the mechanism of contagion, respect for the inherent stability of Man cannot but arise. No „wild animal“ reacting with inherent „asocial tenden-cies“ could have built Nineveh or Boulder Dam. Carrying the contagion mechanism like some Old Man of the Sea, we have yet come far. Now that we know it, perhaps we shall truly reach the stars.  

CHAPTER IX KEYING-IN THE ENGRAM The single source of inorganic mental illness and organic psycho-somatic illness is the reactive engram bank. The reactive mind impinges these engrams upon the analytical mind and the organism whenever they are restimulated after being keyed-in. There are many known incidents in a lifetime which apparently have a profound influ-ence upon the happiness and mental condition of the individual. The individual remembers these and to them attributes his troubles. In a measure he is right: he is at least looking back at incidents which are held in place by engrams. He does not see the engrams. In fact, unless he is acquainted with dianetics, he does not know the engrams are there. And even then he will not know their contents until he has undergone therapy. It can be demonstrated with ease that any moment of „conscious level“ unhappiness which contained great stress or emotion was not guilty of the charge of causing aberration and psycho-somatic illness. These moments, of course, played a role in the matter: they were the key-ins. The process of keying-in an engram is not very complex. Engram 105, let us say, was a moment of „unconsciousness“ when the prenatal child was struck via Mother, by Father. The father, aware or not of the child, uttered the words, „God damn you, you filthy whore: you’re no good!“ This engram lay where it was impressed, in the reactive bank. Now it could lie there for seventy years and never become keyed-in. It contains a headache and a falling body and the grating of teeth and the intestinal sounds of the mother. And any of these sounds, post-birth, may be present in large quantities without keying-in this engram. One day, however, the father becomes exasperated at the child. The child is tired and feverish, which is to say that his analytical mind may not be at its highest level of activity. And the father has a certain set of engrams which he dramatizes and one of these engrams is the above incident. And the father reaches out and slaps the child and says, „God damn you: you’re no good!“ The child cries. That night he has a headache and is much worse physically. And he feels both an intense hatred and a fear of his father. The engram has keyed-in. Now the sound of a falling body or grating teeth or any trace of anger of any kind in the father’s voice will make the child nervous. His physical health will suffer. He will begin to have head-aches. If we take this child who has now become an adult and rake back over his past, we shall discover (though it may be occluded) a lock like the above key-in. And now not only the key-in; we may discover half a hundred, half a thousand, such locks just on this one subject. One would say, unless he knew dianetics, that this child was ruined post-natally by being beaten by the father, and one might attempt to bring the patient’s mind back into better condi-tion by removing these locks. There are literally thousands, tens of thousands of locks in the average life. To take all of these locks away would be a task for Hercules. Every engram a person has, if it has been keyed-in, may have its hundreds of locks. 
If conditioning existed as a mechanism of pain and stress, Mankind would be in very bad condition. Fortunately conditioning does not so exist. It appears to exist but the appear-ance is not the fact. One would think that if a child were daily thrust around and reviled he would eventually becomed conditioned into a belief that this was the way life was and that he had better turn against it. Conditioning does not, however, exist. Pavlov may have been able to drive dogs mad by repeated experiments: this was simply bad observation on the part of the observer. The dogs might be trained to do this or that. But it was not conditioning. The dogs went mad be-cause they were given engrams if and when they did go mad. A series of such experiments, properly conducted and observed, proves this contention. The boy who was daily told he was no good and who apparently went into a decline solely because of that declined only because of the engram. This is a happy fact. The engram may take a while to locate – a few hours – but when it is alleviated or refiled in the standard memory banks, everything which had locked on to it also refiles. People trying to help others with their aberrations who did not know about engrams were, of course, operating with 2.9 strikes against any success. In the first place, the locks themselves may vanish down into the reactive bank. Thus we get a patient who says, „Oh, my father wasn’t so bad. He was a pretty good guy.“ And we discovered, and the patient discov-ers, when an engram is sprung, that father was customarily to be found dramatizing. What the patient knows about his past before engrams are sprung is not worth cataloguing. In another case we may find a patient saying, „Oh, I had a terrible childhood, a terrible childhood. I was beaten seriously.“ And we discover, when we get the engrams refiled, that the parents of this patient never laid a hand on him in punishment or wrath in his entire life. An engram may coast along without being keyed-in for decades. One of the most re-markable types of case is one which spent an entire youth without displaying any aberration. Then suddenly, at the age of twenty-six, we discover him to be so aberrated, so suddenly, that it appears he must have been hexed. Perhaps most of his engrams were concerned with the action of getting married and having children. He has never been married before. The first time he is weary or ill and realizes he has a wife on his hands, the first engram keys-in. Then the dwindling spiral begins to go to work. This one shuts down the analyzer enough so that others can be keyed-in. And finally we may discover him in an institution. The young girl who has been happy and carefree to the age of thirteen and then sud-denly goes into a decline has not, that moment, received an engram. She has had an engram key-in which let another key-in. Fission reaction. This key-in may have required nothing more than the discovery that she was bleeding from the vagina. She has an emotional engram about this; she becomes frantic. The other engrams, as the days follow, may swing into position to impinge upon her. And so she becomes ill. The first sexual experience may be one which keys-in an engram. This is so standard that sex has gotten a rather bad name for itself here and there as being an aberrative factor all by itself. Sex is not and never has been aberrative. Physical pain and emotion which inciden-tally contain sex as a subject are the aberrative factors. 
It may be that a patient is urgent in her insistence that her father raped her when she was nine and that this is the cause of all her misery. Large numbers of insane patients claim this. And it is perfectly true. Father did rape her, but it happened she was only nine days be-yond conception at the time. The pressure and upset of coitus is very uncomfortable to the child and normally can be expected to give the child an engram which will have as its content the sexual act and everything that was said. Drug hypnosis is dangerous when one is trying to treat psychotics as has been men-tioned. And there are other reasons it is dangerous. Any operation under anaesthetic or any drugging of a patient may bring about the keying-in of engrams. Here is the analyzer shut down, there is the reactive bank open to be stirred by any comment made by the people around the drugged subject. Hypnotism itself is a condition in which engrams may be keyed-in which have never before been restimulated: the glassy-eyed stare of the person who has been „too often hypnotized,“ the lack of will seen in people too often hypnotized, the depend-ence of the subject upon the hypnotic operator, all these things stem from the keying-in of engrams. Any time the body is rendered „unconscious“ without physical pain, no matter how light the degree of „unoonsciousness“ is, even if it is only the lightness of weariness, an en-gram may be keyed-in. And when „unconsciousness“ is complicated by new physical pain, a new engram is formed which may gather up with it an entire bundle of old engrams not hith-erto keyed-in. Such a late engram would be a „cross-engram“ in that it crosses chains of en-grams. And if such an engram resulted in a loss of sanity, it would be called a „break-engram.“ There are some aspects to various drug „unconsciousnesses“ which have been very perplexing in the past. Psychotic women often maintain, after they are awakened from a drugged sleep (and sometimes a hypnotic sleep), that they have been raped. Men occasionally maintain that the operator has tried to perform a homosexual act upon them while they were drugged. Although it occasionally occurs that people are raped after being drugged, the largest number of such assertions are merely an aspect of the key-in mechanism. Almost any child has been put through the prenatal discomfort of coitus. Often there was violent emotion other than passion present. Such an engram may stay out of circuit for years until drugged „uncon-sciousness“ or some such thing keys it in. The patient goes to sleep without a keyed-in en-gram; he wakes up with one. He tries to justify the strange sensations he has (and engrams are timeless things unless they are arranged properly on the time track) and comes out with the „solution“ that he must have been raped.  Childhood rapes are very seldom the responsible cause in sexual aberration. They are the key-in. One looks at the conscious-level locks and sees sadness, mental anguish and misfor-tune. Some of the experience there seems to be so terrible that it must certainly cause aberra-tion. But it does not. Man is a tough, resilient creature. These conscious-level experiences are at best only guide-posts leading toward the actual seat of trouble, and that is not known in any detailed way to the individual. The engram is never „computed.“ An example of this, on a lightly aberrative level, can be found in a child’s punishment. If one examines a childhood where punishment has been corporal and frequent, he begins to understand the utter futility of the pain-drive theory. Pun-
ishment actually and literally and emphatically does no good of any kind whatsoever but ac-complishes quite the reverse, since it occasions a reactive revolt against the punishment source and is likely to cause not only a disintegration of a mind but also a continual bedevil-ment of the punishment source. Man reacts to fight sources of pain. When he stops fighting them he is mentally broken and of little use to anyone, much less himself. We take a case of a boy who was beaten with a hair-brush every time he was „bad.“ In researching this case the most searching inquiry fails to reveal any vivid recall of why he was punished but only that he was punished. The progress of the event would go something like this: activity more or less rational, fright at threatened punishment, punishment, sorrow over punishment, renewed activity. The mechanics of the case showed the person to have been engaged on some activity which, whether others would consider it so or not, was nevertheless survival activity to him, giving him either pleasure or actual gains or even the assertion that he could and would survive; the moment punishment is threatened old punishments go into res-timulation as minor engrams, resting usually on major engrams: this shuts down the analytical power to some extent and the recording is now being done on a reactive level; the punishment takes place, submerging analytical awareness so that the punishment records in the engram bank only; the sorrow following is still in the period of analytical shut-down; the analyzer gradually turns on; full awareness returns, and then activity on an analytical plane can be re-sumed. All corporal punishment runs this gamut and all other punishments are, at best, locks, following this same pattern with only the complete shut-down resulting from pain missing. If the analyzer wants this data for computation, it is not available. There is a reaction in the reactive mind when the matter is approached. But there are five courses the reactive mind can take with this data! And there is no guarantee and no method between land and sky of knowing what course the reactive mind will take with the data except knowing the full en-gram bank – and if that is known, the person could be cleared with a few more hours work and would need no punishment. These five ways of handling data make corporal punishment an unstable and unreli-able thing. A ratio exists which can be tested and proven in any man’s experience: A man is evil in the direct ratio that destructiveness has been leveled against him. An individual (in-cluding those individuals society is liable to forget as individuals: children) reacts against the punishment source whether that source be parents or government. Anything which sets itself forward against an individual as a punishment source will be considered in greater or lesser degree (as it is in proportion to benefits) as a target for the reactions of the individual. The little accidental milk glass upsets of children, that noise which just accidentally occurs on the porch where the children are playing, that little accidental ruination of Papa’s hat or Mama’s rug, these are often cold, calculated reactive mind actions against pain sources. The analytical mind may temporize about love and affection and the need of three square meals. The reactive mind runs off the lessons it has learned and devil take the meals. If one turned an idiot loose on an adding machine to let him audit the company books and let him prevent the auditor from touching equipment and data which has to be his if any answers will be right, one would get very little in the way of correct answers. And if one kept feeding the idiot and made him fat and powerful, the firm would sooner or later go to ruin. 
The reactive mind is the idiot, the auditor is „I“ and the firm is the organism. Punishment feeds the idiot. The helpless amazement of police about the „confirmed criminal“ (and the police be-lief in the „criminal type“ and the „criminal mind“) comes about through this cycle. Police, for some reason or other, like governments, have become identified with society. Take any one of these „criminals“ and clear him and the society regains a rational being of which it can use all it can get. Keep up the punishment cycle and the prisons will get more numerous and more full. The problem of the child lashing back at his parents by „negation“ and the problem of Jimmie the Cob blowing a bank guard apart in an armed robbery stem both from the same mechanism. The child, examined on the „conscious-level,“ is not aware of his causes but will put forth various justifications for his conduct. Jimmie the Cob, waiting for this oh so very sentient society to tie him down with straps in an electric chair and give him an electric shock therapy which will cause him to cease and desist forever, examined for his causes, will pour forth justifications to explain his life and conduct. The human mind is a pretty wonderful computing machine. The reasons it can evolve for unreasonable acts have staggered one and all and particularly social workers. Without knowing the cause and the mechanism, the chances of drawing a correct conclusion by comparing all conducts available are as remote as winning at fantan from a Chinese. Hence, the punishments have continued as the muddled answer to a very muddled society. There are five ways in which a human being reacts toward a source of danger. These are also the five courses he can take on any given problem. And it might be said that this is five-valued action. The parable of the black panther10 is appropriate here. Let us suppose that a particu-larly black-tempered black panther is sitting on the stairs and that a man named Gus is sitting in the living room. Gus wants to go to bed. But there is the black panther. The problem is to get upstairs. There are five things that Gus can do about this panther: (1) he can go attack the black panther; (2) he can run out of the house and flee the black panther; (3) he can use the back stairs and avoid the black panther; (4) he can neglect the black panther; and (5) he can succumb to the black panther. These are the five mechanisms: attack, flee, avoid, neglect or succumb. All actions can be seen to fall within these courses. And all actions are visible in life. In the case of a punishment course, the reactive mind can succumb, neglect, avoid, flee or attack it. The action is dictated by a complexity of engrams and depends upon which one comes into restimulation. This maelstrom of reaction generally resolves itself, however, in one of the five courses. If a child is punished and thereafter obeys, he can be considered to have succumbed. And the value of a child who will succumb to punishment is so slight that the Spartans would long since have drowned him, for it means he has sunk into an apathy unless it so happens                                                 
that he himself has computed the idea, by-passing all reaction, that the thing for which he was punished was not bright (he can’t be assisted in this computation if punishment is entered into the reactive mind by the source trying to assist him). He can flee the punishment source, which at least is not apathy but merely cowardice by popular judgment. He can neglect the matter entirely and ignore the punishment source – and would have been called a Stoic by the ancients, but might be called merely dull-witted by his friends. He can avoid the punishment source, which might give him the doubtful compliment of being sly or cunning or pandering. Or he can attack the punishment source either by direct action or by upsetting or fouling the person or the possessions of the source – in which instance he would be called, on direct ac-tion, a valiant fool, taking parental size into account, or in a less direct fashion he could be called „covertly hostile“ or could be said to be „negating“; as long as a human being will at-tack as a response to a valid threat, he can be said to be in fair mental condition – „normal“ – and a child is said to be „just acting like any normal child.“ Enter punishment into the computation and it no longer computes. It is entirely differ-ent in the case of „experience.“ Life has plenty of painful experience waiting for any human being without other human beings complicating the score. A person who is still unblocked in his dynamics or who has been unblocked by dianetics can absorb the most amazing amount of hammering in the business of living. Here, even when the reactive receives engrams as a re-sult of some of this experience, the analytical mind can continue to cope with the situation without becoming aberrated in any way. Man is a tough, resilient, competent character. But when the law of affinity begins to be broken and such a breaking of affinity gets into the reac-tive bank, human beings, as antagonistic sources of non-survival, become a punishment source. If no contra-survival engrams involving human beings are in the earlier (before 5 years) content of the engram bank, pro-survival engrams are taken as a matter of course and are not severely aberrative. In other words, it is the breaking of affinity with his fellows on an engramic level which most solidly blocks the dynamics. Man’s affinity with Man is far more a scientific fact than it is a poetic and idyllic idea. The cycle, then, of life which will be „normal“ (current average state) or psychotic is an easy thing to draw. It begins with a large number of engrams before birth, it gathers more in the dependent and rather helpless condition post-birth. Punishment of various kinds enter-ing now as locks key-in the engrams. New engrams which will involve the earlier ones enter. New locks accumulate. Illness and aberrated action set in most certainly by the age of forty or fifty. And death ensues sometimes afterwards. Short of the optimum solution of clearing the engrams, there are several things which can be done about aberration and psycho-somatic ills. That these methods are uncertain and of only limited value does not mean that they will not occasionally meet with some astonishingly beneficial responses. Such methods can be classified under the headings of environmental change, educa-tion and physical treatment. Taking factors out of the environment of an aberree or taking the aberree out of the environment in which he is unhappy or ineffective can bring about some astonishingly swift recoveries: this is valid therapy; it removes the restimulators from the in-dividual or takes the individual away from the restimulators. It is ordinarily quite hit-or-miss and more miss than hit, and it will not remove all the restimulators by nine-tenths since the 
individual himself carries the bulk of these around with him or is compelled to contact them. One is reminded of a case which had severe asthma. He had received it in a very severe birth engram; his frantic parents carried him to every mountain asthma resort suggested and spent tens of thousands of dollars in these jauntings. When this patient was cleared and the engram refiled, it was discovered that the restimulator for his asthma was clean, cold air! The only certainty in the environment approach is that a sickly child will recover when removed from restimulative parents and taken where he is loved and feels safe – for his sickness is the inevi-table result of restimulation of prenatal engrams by one or the other or both his parents. Somewhere along the line there is probably a husband or a wife who has descended chroni-cally into the first two zones after marriage after having married pseudo-mother or pseudo-father or pseudo-abortionist. In the educational field, new data or enthusiasms may very well key-out engrams by overbalancing the reactive mind in the light of a new analytical surge. If a man can simply be convinced he has been fighting shadows or if he can be persuaded to hang his fears on some indicated cause, whether that cause is true or not, he can be benefited. Sometimes he can be „educated“ into a strong faith in some deity or cult which will cause him to feel so invulner-able that he rises above his engrams. Raising his survival potential in any way will raise his general tone to a point where it is no longer on a par with the reactive bank. Giving him an education in engineering or music, where he can receive a higher level of respect, will often defend him from his restimulators. A rise to a position of esteem is actually a change of envi-ronment, but it is also educational since he is now taught he is valuable. If a man can be made busy at a hobby or work by personal or exterior education that it is good for him, another mechanism comes into being – the analytical mind becomes so engrossed that it takes to itself more and more energy for its activity and begins to align with a new purpose. Physical treatment resulting in improved physical condition will bring about hope or change a man’s reactions by shifting him on his time track. It may key-out engrams. These methods are valid therapy: they are also, in reverse, the things which cause ab-errations to manifest themselves. There are wrong ways to act and wrong things to do and wrong ways to treat men which, in the light of what we know now, are criminal. Thrusting a man into an environment which restimulates him and making him stay there is a slice of murder. Making him keep an associate who is restimulative is bad: making a man or a woman stay with a marriage partner who is restimulative is unworkable mores unless dianetic therapy is used; making a child stay in a home where he is restimulated is most certainly inhibitive, not only of his happiness but of his mental and physical development – a child should have many more rights about such things, more places to go. On the physical therapy level anything as violent as surgery or exodontistry in the psy-cho-somatic plane is utter barbarism in the light of dianetics. „Toothache“ is normally psy-cho-somatic. Organic illnesses enough to fill several catalogues are psycho-somatic. No re-course to surgery of any kind should be had until it is certain that the ailment is not psycho-somatic or that the illness will not diminish by itself if the potency of the reactive mind is re-duced. Mental-physical therapy is too ridiculous, with the source of aberration now a science, to be seriously mentioned. For no thinking doctor or psychiatrist possessed of this information would touch another electrode for electric shock therapy or even glance at a scalpel or ice-
 pick to perform an operation on the pre-frontal lobes of the brain unless that doctor or psy-chiatrist is himself so thoroughly aberrated that the act springs, not from any desire to heal but from the most utter and craven sadism to which engrams can bring a man.11                                                 

 CHAPTER X PREVENTIVE DIANETICS There are many branches in dianetics. It is actually a family of sciences covered by a single set of axioms. There is, for instance, Educational Dianetics, which contains the body of organized knowledge necessary to train minds to their optimum efficiency and to an optimum of skill and knowledge in the various branches of the works of Man. And there is Political Dianetics, which embraces the field of group activity and organization to establish the opti-mum conditions and processes of leadership and inter-group relations. And again there is Medical Dianetics. And there is Social Dianetics. There are many such subdivisions which are sciences within themselves guided by their own axioms. We are dealing in this volume, actually, with basic dianetics and dianetic therapy as applied to the individual. This is the most immediately important and the most valuable to the individual. But no book on dianetic therapy would be complete without a mention of a branch of dianetics which, some say, is even more important to the race than the therapy. This is Pre-ventive Dianetics. If one knows the cause of something, he can usually prevent the cause from going into effect. The discovery and proof of Ronald Ross that the malaria germ was carried by the mos-quito makes it possible to prevent the disease from committing the ravages it once enjoyed at the expense of Mankind. Similarly, when one knows the cause of aberration and psycho-somatic illness, he can do a great deal toward preventing them.  While Preventive Dianetics is a large subject, infiltrating the fields of industry and ag-riculture and other specialized activities of Man, its basic principle is the scientific fact that engrams can be held to minimal content or prevented entirely with large gains in favor of mental health and physical well-being as well as social adjustment. The engram is actually a very simple thing: it is a moment when the analytical mind is shut down by physical pain, drugs or other means, and the reactive bank is open to the receipt of a recording. When that recording has verbal content, it becomes most severely aberrative. When it contains antagonism on an emotional level, it becomes very destructive. When it is intensely pro-survival in content it is most certainly capable of thoroughly deranging a life. The engram, amongst other things, determines fate. The engram says that a man has to fail to survive and so he contrives numerous ways to fail. The engram commands that he can only experience pleasure amongst the members of another race and so he goes amongst them and abandons his own. It commands that he must kill to live and so he kills. And far more subtly, the engram weaves its way from incident to incident to cause the catastrophe which it dictates. A recent case was plotted out to have actually gone to enormous lengths to break his arm, for with a broken arm he received the sympathy without which the engram said he could 
 not live. The plot covered three years and half a hundred apparently innocent incidents which, when netted together, told the story. The accident prone person is a case where the reactive mind commands accidents. He is a serious menace in any society for his accidents are reactively intentional and they include the destruction of other people who are innocent.  Drivers with several accidents on their records are generally accident prone. They have engrams which command them to have accidents. When you have run a case, just one, you will see how thoroughly and maliciously disposed this moronic thing, the reactive mind, can be about such things. Cleared drivers could have accidents only through two sources: (a) me-chanical failure and, more important, (b) because of accident prone people. The terrible and awesome death toll taken by our automotive transport is almost all attributable to reactive mind driving rather than learned response driving. The apathy of this society is measured by the fact that it does not act severely to prevent all automotive accidents; just one broken wind-shield is one too many: now that an answer is to hand action can take place. The aberree in thousands of ways complicates the lives of others. Preventive Dianetics makes it possible to sort out the aberree who is accident prone and bar him from activities which will menace others. This is one general aspect of Preventive Dianetics. That the aber-rees so isolated can be cleared is another type of problem. The other general aspect of Preventive Dianetics, and the more important, is the pre-vention of engrams and modification of content both on the social and the individual scale. On the social scale one would delete from the society the causes of aberration in that society as if he were deleting engrams from the individual. In the same way, one can prevent the so-cial causes from occurring in the first place. In the individual, the prevention of engrams is a very easy matter. Once the source of aberration and illness is known, one can prevent the source from entering a life. If the source has been known to enter, one can prevent the next step, in key-in. Of course, the final answer in all this is therapy to a clearing, but there is one aspect of the source which is not so an-swered. The child cannot be safely cleared until he is at least five years of age and current practice is to place this figure at about eight years. Improved address to the problem may re-duce this figure, but it cannot be reduced below the age of speech unless some one in the fu-ture invents a catalyst which simply clears out the reactive mind without further treatment (not as wild as it may sound). But just now and probably for a long time to come the child will remain a problem to dianetics. Childhood illness is chiefly derived from engrams. It is most likely to be severe before the age of speech and the number of deaths within the first year of life, while medicine may reduce them, is yet a serious thing. Preventive Dianetics addresses this problem in two phases: first the prevention of en-grams, and second, the prevention of the key-in. Taking the key-in first, there are two things which can be done to prevent it. The child can be given a calm and harmonious atmosphere which is not restimulative or, if the child 
appears to be restimulated despite kindly treatment, he can be removed to another environ-ment which will be minus the two most certain sources: his father and mother, and which will contain a source of affection. The test of whether or not a child is restimulated, pre-speech or post-speech, is very simple. Is he susceptible to illness? Does he eat well? Is he nervous? There can be actual physical things wrong with the child, of course, but these are quickly es-tablished by a doctor and they lie in the category of physical derangement. Quarrels within the hearing of a child, loud noises, frantic conduct, drooling sympathy when he is sick or hurt, these things are some of the key-in catalogue. These make a child ill physically and aberrated mentally by keying-in his engrams. And nobody can say how many he has! The primary source of prevention lies in the field, oddly enough, of the regard in which another person is held – his mother. It is not „biological love“ which makes mother play such an enormous role in the life of a human being. It is the simple mechanical truth that Mother is a common denominator to all the child’s prenatals. The prenatal engram is far more serious than the post-natal. Any such engram a person has contains his mother or his mother and another person, but always his mother. Therefore her voice, the things she says, the things she does, have an enormous and vast effect upon the unborn child. It is not true that emotion gets into a child through the umbilical cord as people always suppose the moment they hear of prenatals. Emotion comes on another (more electrical than physical) type of wave – what type is a problem for structure. Therefore, anyone who is emo-tional around a pregnant woman is communicating that emotion straight into the child. And mother’s emotion is, in the same manner, so conducted to his reactive mind. Whether or not the unborn child is „unanalytical“ has no bearing on his susceptibility to engrams. The prenatal engram is just another engram. Only when the child is actually struck or hurt by high-blood pressure or orgasms or other sources of injury does he become „unconscious.“ When he becomes „unconscious“ he receives all the percepts and words in the area of the mother as engrams. Analytical power has nothing to do with engrams. If the child is „unanalytical,“ this does not predispose him to engrams. If the child is „unconscious“ or hurt it does. The presence or absence of „analytical power“ has nothing to do with whether or not engrams are received. Morning sickness, coughing, all monologuing (mother talking to herself), street noises, household noises, etc., are all communicated to the „unconscious“ child when he is injured. And the child is very easily injured. He is not protected by formed bones and he has no mobil-ity. He is there: when something strikes him or presses him, his cells and organs are injured. A simple experiment to demonstrate how mobility influences this is to lie down in bed and place one’s head on a pillow. Then have somebody lean a hand on one’s forehead. As there is no mobility, the pressure of the hand is far stronger than it would be if a hand were laid on the forehead when one was standing. The tissue and the water around the child form very slight buffers. In an injury amniotic fluid, as an incompressible medium, presses him, for it cannot compress itself. The child’s situation is far from armored. Mother’s act of tying her shoes, in the later stages of pregnancy, even may be severe on the child. Mother’s strain when lifting 
heavy objects is particularly injurious. And mother’s collision with objects like a table edge might well crush a baby’s head. The repair facilities of the unborn child, as mentioned else-where, are far above anything ever before discovered. The child may have its head crushed but the blueprint is still there and the building materials and repair can be made. So it is not a case of the child being „all right“ just because it can live through almost anything. It is a case of whether or not these injuries are going to have high aberrative value as engrams. Attempted abortion is very common. And remarkably lacking in success. The mother, every time she injures the child in such a fiendish fashion, is actually penalizing herself. Morning sickness is entirely engramic, so far as can be discovered, since clears have not so far experienced it during their own pregnancies. And the act of vomiting because of preg-nancy is via contagion of aberration. Actual illness generally results only when mother has been interfering with the child either by douches or knitting needles or some such thing. Such interference causes the mother to become ill and, from an actual physical standpoint, is much harder on the mother than on the child. Morning sickness evidently gets into a society because of these interferences such as attempted abortion and, of course, injury. The cells know when pregnancy occurs. The reactive mind is acquainted with the fact before the analyzer by process of organic sensation, since the endocrine system is altered. Hence, the mother’s discovery of pregnancy has little to do with whether or not she was sick before the discovery. This entire field has been a subject of considerable research in dianetics. Much more research must be done. These conclusions are tentative. But the conclusion that the engram is received and that it is as violent as its content, rather than its actual pain, is a scientific fact and not in any way a theory. It is as real a discovery as gravity. Preventing these engrams is the first consideration. Preventing them from having any content is the second. Women who lead peasant lives, doing heavy labor, are subject to all manner of accident. Perhaps such accidents cannot be prevented because of the purpose these women serve in the society. But when it is known that any injury to the mother can create an engram in the unborn child, it should be the concern of all those present during such an injury, including the mother, to maintain a complete and utter silence. Any remark is aberrative in an engram. Even such a statement as „You can remember this when in dianetic therapy,“ made toward an unborn child, installs an engram so that every word in this statement means a physical pain just where he received it at the time, and in the future „dianetic therapy“ will be restimulative to him. The doctor, punching around to find out if mother is pregnant, may say, „Well, it’s hard to tell this early.“ The patient in dianetic therapy years later will return into the vicinity of this incident only to draw a blank until the dianeticist suddenly guesses the content from how the patient describes his reactions. If the doctor is very tough and says, „You had better take good care of yourself, Mrs. Jones. If you don’t, you’ll be mighty sick!“ the child, „un-conscious“ from the examination no matter how mild it is, will get a mild hypochondria when the engram keys-in and be very concerned over his health. 
If the husband uses language during coitus, every word of it is going to be engramic. If the mother is beaten by him, that beating and everything he says and that she says will be-come part of the engram. If she does not want the child and he does, the child will later react toward him as an ally and perhaps have a nervous breakdown when the father dies. If she wants the child and he doesn’t, the ally computation is reversed. This is true when abortion is threatened or at-tempted providing the threat is contained in an engram. Should the mother be injured and the father be highly solicitous, the engram has this for content and the child has a sympathy engram. The way to survive, then, is to be pathetic when injured, and even see to it that one is injured. A woman who is pregnant should be given every consideration by a society which has any feeling for its future generations. If she falls, she should be helped – but silently. She must not be expected to carry heavy things. And she should not have coitus forced upon her. For every coital experience is an engram in the child during pregnancy. An astonishing number of pregnancies must take place which are never realized. The violence of coitus, the use of douches and jellies (used because the woman is still contracept-ing and does not know she is already pregnant), straining bowel movements, falls and acci-dents must account for a large number of miscarriages which come about sometime around the first period after conception. For the zygote and embryo forms of the child have a rather frail grip on existence and are very severely injured by things the mother would consider nothing. Once past the first missed period, the chances of miscarriage rapidly grow less and only when the child is a genetic monstrosity or when abortion attempts are made can a mis-carriage be expected to take place. The monstrosities are so small a percentage that they are negligible as a possibility. The amniotic sac can be pierced many times and repeatedly and emptied of all water after the first missed period and the child can still survive. Twenty or thirty abortion attempts are not uncommon in the aberree and in every attempt the child could have been pierced through the body or brain. The child before birth does not depend upon the standard senses for its perceptions. Engrams are not memories but cellular level recordings. Therefore, the child needs no ear-drums to record an engram. Cases are on hand where whatever hearing mechanism the unborn child had must have been temporarily destroyed by an abortion attempt. And the engram was still recorded. The cells rebuilt the apparatus which was to be the source of sound in the stan-dard banks and stored their own data in the reactive bank. Release of such engrams means a restoration of rationality to the individual far above the current norm and a stability and well-being greater than Man ever thought Man possessed. These engrams have been confirmed by taking the data from a child, from the mother and the father, and all data checked. So we are dealing here with scientific facts which, no matter how startling, are nevertheless true. The mother, then, should be extremely gentle on herself during pregnancy and those around her should be entirely informed of the necessity for silence after any jar or injury. And in view of the fact that it is not possible to tell when a woman has become pregnant and in 
 view also of the high potentiality of aberration in the zygote and embryo engrams, it is obvi-ous that society must better its ways toward women if the future health of the child is to be preserved. The woman has to some degree become considered less valuable in this society than in other societies and times. She is expected to be in competition with men. Such a thing is non-sense. A woman has as high a plane of activity as man. He cannot compete with her any more than she can compete with him in the fields of structure and vigorous activity. Much of the social maelstrom now in existence has as its hub the failure to recognize the important role of the woman as a woman and the separation of the fields of women and men. The changes which will come about in the next twenty years need no urging here. But with the recent discoveries in photosynthesis which should secure enough food to feed Man better and at less cost, the importance of birth control dwindles. The morality standards have already changed, no matter what moralists do to try to block the change. And woman, there-fore, can be freed of many of her undesirable chains. In the custody of Man is the current world and its activity and structure. In the charge of woman is the care of the person of the human being and his children. Almost sole custo-dian of tomorrow’s generation, she is entitled to much more respect than her chattel-period of the past gave her. It is not, then, any wild Utopian thought that woman can be placed above the level hitherto occupied. And so she must be placed if the childhood of tomorrow’s generation is to reach any high standard, if homes are to be peaceful and unharassed and if society is to ad-vance. Preventive Dianetics, in the sphere of the home, must place emphasis on the woman in order to safeguard the child. As any first step, a mother should be cleared, for any mother who attempts an abortion is blocked across the second dynamic and any block menaces her health as well as her happi-ness. An antipathy for children has been found to accompany sexual aberration. Preventive Dianetics, then, on the level of the individual, asks for cleared parents and then precaution against the aberrating of the child, and further precaution against the keying-in of any aberration the child might have received. To do this is very easy. Maintain silence in the presence of injury. Do what has to be done for the injure ill and do it in silence. Maintain silence in the presence of birth to save both the sanity of the mother and the child and safeguard the home to which they will go. And the maintaining of silence does not mean a volley of „Sh’s,“ for those make stammerers. In a wider field, the maintenance of silence around any „unconscious“ or injured per-son is second in importance only to preventing the „unconsciousness“ in the first place. Say nothing and make no sound around an „unconscious“ or injured person. To speak, no matter what is said, is to threaten his sanity. Say nothing while a person is being operated upon. Say nothing when there is a street accident. Don’t talk! 
Say nothing around a sick child or an injured child. Smile, appear calm, but say noth-ing. Actions do not speak louder than words but actions are all that can be done around the sick and injured unless one has an active desire to drive them into neurosis or insanity or, at best, to give them a future illness. And above all, say nothing around a woman who has been struck or jarred in any way. Help her. If she speaks, don’t answer. Just help her. You have no idea of whether she is preg-nant or not. And it is a remarkable fact, a scientific fact, that the healthiest children come from the happiest mothers. Birth, for one thing, in a cleared mother, is a very mild affair. Only birth engrams in the mother made it hard. A cleared mother needs no anaesthetic. And that is well because the anaesthetic makes a dazed child and the engram, when it reacts, makes him ap-pear a dull child. A happy woman has very little trouble. And even a few engrams, which ar-rive despite all precautions, are nothing if the general tone of the mother is happy. Woman, you have a right and a reason to demand good treatment.  

BOOK THREE THERAPY 

CHAPTER I THE MIND’S PROTECTION The mind is a self-protecting mechanism. Short of the use of drugs as in narco-synthesis, shock, hypnotism or surgery, no mistake can be made by an auditor12 which cannot be remedied either by himself or by another auditor. Those things which are stressed, then, in this book, are ways to accomplish therapy as swiftly as possible with minimal errors; for er-rors take time. Auditors are going to make errors, that is inevitable. If they make the same error repeatedly, they had better get some one to guide them through therapy. There are probably thousands of ways to get into trouble with mental healing, but all these ways can be classed in these groups: (1) use of shock or surgery on the brain; (2) use of strong drugs; (3) use of hypnosis as such; and (4) trying to cross-breed dianetics with older forms of therapy. The mind will not permit itself to be seriously overloaded so long as it can retain par-tial awareness of itself; it can only be overloaded when its awareness is reduced to a point where it cannot evaluate anything: it can then be thoroughly upset. Dianetic reverie leaves a patient fully aware of everything which is taking place and with full recall of everything which has happened. Types of therapy which do not do this are possible and useful but they must be approached with the full knowledge that they are not foolproof. Dianetics, then, uses the reverie for the majority of its work and using the reverie an auditor cannot possibly get himself into any trouble from which he cannot extricate himself and the patient. He is work-ing with an almost foolproof mechanism as long as the mind retains some awareness: a radio or a clock or an electric motor are far more susceptible to injury in the hands of a workman than the human mind. The mind was built to be as tough as possible. It will be found that it is difficult to get it into situations which make it uncomfortable and impossible, with the reverie, to embroil it enough to cause neurosis or insanity. In the U.S. infantry manual there is a line about decision: „Any plan, no matter how poorly conceived, if boldly executed is better than inaction.“ In dianetics, any case, no matter how serious, no matter how unskilled the auditor, is better opened than left closed. It is better to start therapy if it is to be interrupted after two hours of work than not to start therapy at all. It is better to contact an engram than to leave an engram uncontacted even if the result is physical discomfort for the patient – for that engram will not thereafter possess as much power and the discomfort will gradually abate. This is scientific fact. The mechanism dianetics uses is an ability of the brain which Man as a whole did not know he had. It is a process of thought which everyone possesses in-herently and which was evidently meant to be used in the overall process of thinking but which, by some strange oversight, Man has never before discovered. Once a person has learned that he possesses just this one new faculty, he is better able to think than he was be-                                                
fore, and he can learn this faculty in ten minutes. Further, when one approaches an engram with this faculty (which, when intensified, is the reverie) some of that engram’s sub-level connections are broken and the aberrative factors no longer have as much force either in the physical or mental spheres. Further, the knowledge that there is a solution to mental ills is a stabilizing factor.  Approaching an engram with the reverie is very far from the same as restimulating the engram exteriorly as is done in life. The engram is a powerful and vicious character only so long as it is untapped. In place and active it can be restimulated to cause innumerable mental and physical ills. But approaching it with reverie is approaching it on a new circuit, one that disarms it. The power of the engram is partly the fear of the unknown – knowing brings sta-bility by itself. Do not think that you will not make patients uncomfortable. That is not true. The audi-tor’s work, when it taps engrams which cannot be lifted, may cause the patient to have head-aches, various aches and pains and even mild physical illness, even when the work is carefully done. But life has been doing this to the patient on a much grander scale for years and no mat-ter how badly the case is mauled around, no matter how many aberrations spring into view to plague the patient for a day or two, none are as serious as those which can be occasioned by the environment acting upon the untapped engram. The auditor can do everything backwards, upside down and utterly wrong and the pa-tient will still be better, provided only that he does not try to use drugs before he has worked a few cases, that he does not use hypnotism as hypnotism and he does not try to cross dianetics with some older therapy. He can use drugs in dianetics if he knows his dianetics and if he has medical concurrence. He can use all the techniques of hypnotism so long as he is thoroughly experienced with dianetics. And once he has used dianetics, he will not fall back to mystic efforts to heal minds. In short, the point which is offered here is that so long as the auditor takes a relatively simple case at first to see how the mechanisms of the mind work and uses only the reverie he cannot get into trouble. There will be those, certainly, who believe they are so vastly experienced in tom-tom beating or gourd rattling that they won’t give dianetics a chance to work as dianetics but will sail in and begin to plague the patient about „penis-envy“ or make him repent his sins, but the patient who starts to get this will be smart to sim-ply change positions from the couch to the auditor’s chair and clear up some of the aberra-tions of the auditor before work proceeds. Anybody who has read this book once through and procured a patient with sonic recall for a trial effort will know more about the mind, in those actions, than he has ever known be-fore, and he will be more skilled and able to treat the mind than anyone attempting to do so, regardless of reputation, a very short while ago. This does not mean that men who have had experience with mental patients will not, knowing dianetics (knowing dianetics) have an edge on those who do not realize some of the foibles of which Man in an aberrated state is capable. And on the other hand it does not mean that some engineer or lawyer or cook with a few dianetic cases under his belt, will not be more skilled than all other practitioners of whatever background or kind. In this case, the sky is no limit. One could not say, offhand, that an able hypnotist or an able psychologist, ready and willing to jettison and unlearn yesterday’s mistakes, is not better prepared to practice dianetics. 
In the field of psycho-somatic medicine the medical doctor, with a vast fund of experience in healing, might very well be far and above other auditors in dianetic work. But it is not neces-sarily the case, for in research it has been proven that men and women with most unlikely professional backgrounds have suddenly become auditors superior in skill to those in fields you might suspect were more closely allied. Engineers particularly are excellent material and make excellent auditors. Again, dianetics is not being released to a profession, for no profes-sion could encompass it. It is insufficiently complicated to warrant years of study in some university. It belongs to Man and it is doubtful if anyone could manage to gain a corner on it for it does not fall within any legislation of any kind in any place and if dianetics were legis-lated into a licensed profession, then it is to be feared that listening to stories and jokes and personal experience would also have to be legislated into a profession. Such laws would put all men of good will who lend a sympathetic ear to a friend’s troubles inside the barbed wire. Dianetics is not psychiatry. It is not psycho-analysis. It is not psychology. It is not personal relations. It is not hypnotism. It is a science of mind and needs about as much licensing and regulation as the application of the science of physics. Those things which are legislated against are a matter of law because they may in some way injure individuals or society. Legis-lation exists about psycho-analysis in some three states in the Union, legislation against or about psychiatry exists everywhere. If an auditor wishes to constitute himself a psychiatrist with the power of vivisecting human brains, if he wants to constitute himself a doctor and administer drugs and medicines, if he wants to practice hypnotism and pour suggestions into a patient, then he must square it with psychiatry, medicine and the local laws about hypnotism, for he has entered other fields than dianetics. In dianetics hypnotism is not used, no brains are operated upon and no drugs are given unless the local medico is part of the staff. Dianetics is not in any way covered by legislation anywhere for no law can prevent one man sitting down and telling another man his troubles, and if anyone wants a monopoly on dianetics, be assured that he wants it for reasons which have to do not with dianetics but with prof it. There are not enough psychiatrists in the country to begin to staff the mental institutions. Surely this genera-tion, particularly with all the iatrogenic13 work which has been done, will continue to need those institutions and will need psychiatrists: their field is the treatment of the insane by defi-nition and that has nothing to do with thee and me. In psychology, dianetics drops into line without disturbing anything concerned with staffs or research or teaching posts, for psychol-ogy is simply the study of the psyche and now that there exists a science of the psyche it can go ahead with a will. Thus dianetics is the enemy of none and dianetics falls utterly outside all existing legislation, none of which anticipated or made any provision for a science of mind.                                                  

CHAPTER II RELEASE OR CLEAR The object of dianetic therapy is to bring about a release or a clear. A release (noun) is an individual from whom major stress and anxiety have been re-moved by dianetic therapy. A clear (noun) is an individual who, as a result of dianetic therapy, has neither active nor potential psycho-somatic illness or aberration. To clear (verb) is to release all the physical pain and painful emotion from the life of an individual or, as in Political Dianetics – a society. The result of this will bring about persis-tence in the four dynamics, optimum analytical ability for the individual and, with that, all recall. The experience of his entire life is available to the clear and he has all his inherent mental ability and imagination free to use it. His physical vitality and health are markedly improved and all psycho-somatic illnesses have vanished and will not return. He has greater resistance to actual disease. And he is adaptable to and able to change his environment. He is not „adjusted“; he is dynamic. His ethical and moral standards are high, his ability to seek and experience pleasure is great. His personality is heightened and he is creative and constructive. It is not yet known how much longevity is added to a life in the process of clearing, but in view of the automatic rebalancing of the endocrine system, the lowered incidence of accident and the improvement of general physical tone, it is most certainly raised.  A release is an individual from whom have been released the current or chronic mental and physical difficulties and painful emotion. The value of a release, when compared to a clear, may not at first thought be considered great, but when one understands that a release is usually in excess of the contemporary norm in mental stability, it can be seen that the condi-tion is not without great value. As a standard of comparison, a clear is to the contemporary norm as the contemporary norm is to a contemporary institutional case. The margin is wide and it would be difficult to exaggerate it. A clear, for instance, has complete recall of everything which has ever hap-pened to him or anything he has ever studied. He does mental computations, such as those of chess, for example, which a normal would do in a half an hour, in ten or fifteen seconds. He does not think „vocally“ but spontaneously. There are no demon circuits in his mind except those which it might amuse him to set up – and break down again – to care for various ap-proaches to living. He is entirely self-determined. And his creative imagination is high. He can do a swift study of anything within his intellectual capacity, which is inherent, and the study would be the equivalent to him of a year or two of training when he was „normal.“ His vigor, persistence and tenacity to life are very much higher than anyone has thought possible. The objection that it is dangerous to create too many clears in a society is a thoughtless one. The clear is rational. The acts which damage a society are irrational. That a handful of clears could probably handle any number of „normals“ is within reason, but that the clear would handle them to their detriment is unreasonable. The more clears a society possessed the more chance that society would have to prosper. That a clear is unambitious is not proven out 
by scientific observation, for the curve of dwindling ambition follows the curve of reducing rationality; and those who have been cleared have proven the matter by reactivating all their skills toward goals they had once desired but had begun to consider unattainable when „norms.“14 That a clear is in some degree separated from the „norm“ is attributable to the gulf between their respective mental abilities, for he has achieved solutions and conclusions before the „norm“ has begun to form an idea of what to conclude; this does not make a clear intoler-able to the „norm,“ for the clear has none of that superiority attitude which is actually a prod-uct of engrams. This is a quick glance at the state of being clear, but the state cannot be de-scribed; it has to be experienced to be appreciated. A release is a somewhat variable quantity. Anyone well advanced on the road to clear is a release. There is no comparison between a clear and anything Man has before believed obtainable and there is no comparison between clearing and any therapy hitherto practiced. In the case of the release only is there a basis of comparison between dianetics and past therapies such as „psycho-analysis“ and any other. A release can be effected in a few weeks. The result-ing condition will be at least equivalent to that following two years of „psycho-analysis“ with the difference that the release has a guarantee of permanent results and no guarantee of suc-cess has ever been made by „psycho-analysis.“ A release does not relapse into any pattern which has been relieved. These are the two goals of the dianetic auditor: clear and release. It is not known at this writing how long is „ the average time to raise the institutionally insane into the neurotic level: it has been done in two hours, it has been done in ten and in some cases it has required two hundred.15 The dianetic auditor should determine beforehand in any case whether he wishes to at-tempt a release or a clear. He can achieve either with anyone not organically insane (missing or seared portions of the brain bringing about insanity, mainly genetic or iatrogenic and rela-tively rare except in institutions). But he should make an estimate of the amount of time he can invest in any one person and regulate his intention accordingly and announce it to his pa-tient. The two goals are slightly different. In a release one does not attempt entrance into phases of the case which will or may bring about a necessity of long work and gives his atten-tion to the location and release of emotional charge. In clearing the auditor gives his attention to the location of the basic-basic engram, the discharge of emotion and the entire engram bank. There is a third goal which could be considered a sub-head of a release. This is an as-sist: it is done after injury, or illness following the injury, or illness just sustained, in order to promote more rapid recovery: to assist the body in its rehabilitation after injury or illness.                                                 
This is specialized therapy which will probably be practiced commonly enough but is of pri-mary benefit to the medical doctor who, with it, can save lives and speed healing by releasing the engram of that particular illness or injury, thus removing the various engram conceptions which the furtherance of the injury restimulates. Any dianetic auditor can practice this. The assist has about the same level of usefulness as a faith healing miracle which would work every time. Estimations of the amount of time the case will require are difficult to attain with any accuracy greater than 50% and it should be understood by the patient that the time in therapy is variable. It depends in a measure upon the skill of the auditor, the number of unsuspected engrams never hitherto reactivated, and the amount of restimulation to which the patient is subject during therapy. Therefore the auditor should not be optimistic in estimating time but should make his patient understand that greater or lesser time may be consumed in the therapy. Any person who is intelligent and possessed of average persistency and who is willing to read this book thoroughly should be able to become a dianetic auditor. When he has cleared two or three cases he will have learned far more and understood far more than is contained in this book, for there is nothing which develops an understanding of a machine like handling it in action. This is the instruction book, the machine in question is ready to hand wherever there are men. Contrary to superstition about the mind, it is almost impossible to permanently injure the mechanism. It can be done with an electric shock or a scalpel or an ice-pick, but it is al-most impossible to do it with dianetic therapy.  

CHAPTER III THE AUDITOR’S ROLE The purpose of therapy and its sole target is the removal of the content of the reactive engram bank. In a release, the majority of emotional stress is deleted from this bank. In a clear, the entire content is removed.16 The application of a science is an art. That is true of any science. The efficacy of its application depends upon the understanding, skill and ability of whomever applies it. The chemist has a science of chemistry and yet the profession of being a chemist is an art. The engineer may have behind him the precision of all the physical sciences and yet the practice of engineering is an art. Certain rules of procedure can be laid down after the basic axioms of a science are un-derstood. Beyond those rules of procedure is the understanding, skill and ability necessary to application. Dianetics is extremely simple. This does not mean that cases cannot be extremely complicated. To cover one case for each kind of case in this book would necessitate two bil-lion cases and that would only encompass the current population. For each man is a great deal different from every other man. His inherent personality is different. His composite of experi-ence is different. And his dynamics are of different strengths. The only constant is the mecha-nism of the reactive engram bank and that alone does not vary. The content of that bank is different from man to man both in quantity and intensity but the mechanism of operation of the bank and therefore the basic mechanisms of dianetics are constant from man to man, and were in every age and will be in every future age until Man evolves into another organism. The target is the engram. It is also the target of the patient’s analytical mind and the patient’s dynamics as he tries to live his life: it is the target of the auditor’s analytical mind and the auditor’s dynamics. So bracketed and salvoed it gives up its store of engrams. This should be extremely plain to any auditor: the amount he relaxes from the position of auditor and forgets the target, he garners trouble which will consume his time. The moment he makes the error of thinking that the person, the analytical mind or the dynamics of the pa-tient are resisting, trying to stop therapy, or giving up, the auditor has made the fundamental and primary error in the practice of dianetics. Almost anything that goes wrong can be traced back to this error. It cannot be too emphatically stated that the analytical mind and the dynam-ics of the patient never, never, never resist the auditor. The auditor is not there to be resisted. He has no concern with resistance from anything except the patient’s (and sometimes his own) engrams.                                                 
The auditor is not there as the patient’s driver or adviser. He is not there to be intimi-dated by the patient’s engrams or be frightened by their aspects. He is there to audit and only to audit. If he feels that he is called upon to be lordly to the patient, then the auditor had better change chair for couch because he has a case of authoritarianism coming into view. The word auditor is used, not „operator“ or „therapist,“ because it is a cooperative effort between the auditor and the patient, and the law of affinity is at work.  The patient cannot see his own aberrations. That is one of the reasons why the auditor is there. The patient needs to be bolstered to face the unknowns of his life. That is another reason the auditor is there. The patient would not dare address the world which has gotten inside him and turn his back upon the world that is outside him unless he has a sentry. That is another reason the auditor is there. The auditor’s job is to safeguard the person of the patient during therapy, to compute the reasons why the patient’s mind cannot reach into the engram bank, to strengthen the pa-tient’s nerve and to get those engrams. There is a three-way case of affinity at work this moment. I am in affinity with the auditor: I am telling him all that has been discovered and is in practice in dianetics and I want him to succeed. The auditor is in affinity with the patient: he wants the patient to attack en-grams. The patient is in affinity with the auditor because, with minimal work, that patient is going to get better and with persistence lent him by the auditor, plus his own, will become a release or a clear. There are even more affinities at work, a vast network of them. This is a cooperative endeavor. The engram bank is the target, not the patient. If the patient swears and moans and weeps and pleads, those are engrams talking. After a while the engrams that make him swear and moan and weep and plead will be discharged and refiled. The patient, in whatever state, knows full well that the action taken is necessary. If the auditor is short of rationality that he mistakes this swearing or moaning as something directed at him personally, that auditor had better change places with the patient and undergo therapy. The only thing which resists is the engram! When it is being restimulated it impinges against the patient’s analyzer, tends to reduce analytical power, and the patient exhibits a modified dramatization. Any auditor with two brain cells to click together will never be in any slightest danger of his person at the hands of the pre-release or pre-clear.17 If the auditor wants to use hypnotism and try to run late physically painful engrams such as operations when early ones are available, he may find himself targeted. But then he has done something very wrong. If the auditor suddenly gets supermoral and lectures the patient, he may get involved, but again he has done something very wrong. If the auditor snarls and snaps at the patient, he may get targeted, but once more a fundamental error has been made.                                                 
 The target is the engram bank. It is the auditor’s job to attack the pre-clear’s engram bank. It is the pre-clear’s job to attack that bank. To attack the pre-clear is to permit his en-gram bank to attack the pre-clear. We know that there are five methods of handling an engram. Four of them are wrong. To succumb to an engram is apathy, to neglect one is carelessness, but to avoid or flee from one is cowardice. Attack and only attack resolves the problem. It is the duty of the auditor to make very sure that the pre-clear keeps attacking engrams, not the auditor or the exterior world. If the auditor attacks the pre-clear, that’s bad gunnery and very poor logic. The engram bank is best attacked primarily by discharging its emotional charge any-where it can be contacted. After that it is best attacked by finding out what the pre-clear, in reverie, thinks would happen to him if he got well, got better, found out, etc. And then it is most and always most important, in any way possible, to contact the primary moment of pain or unconsciousness in the patient’s life. This is basic-basic. Once an auditor has basic-basic, the case will swiftly resolve. If the preclear’s reactive mind is suppressing basic-basic, then the auditor should discharge more reactive emotion, discover the computation now in force, and try again. He will eventually get basic-basic. That’s important. And that is all that is im-portant in a pre-clear. In the pre-release (patient working toward release only) the task is to discharge emo-tion and as many early engrams as will present themselves easily. The reduction of locks may be included in pre-release; but only when they lead to basic-basic should locks be touched in a preclear. There are three levels of healing. The first is getting the job done efficiently. Below that is making the patient comfortable. Below that is sympathy. In short, if you can do nothing for a man with a broken back, you can make him comfortable. If you can’t even make him comfortable, you can sympathize with him. The second and third echelons above are entirely unwarranted in dianetics. The job can be done efficiently. Making the patient comfortable is a waste of time. Giving him sympa-thy may snarl up the entire case, for his worst engrams will be sympathy engrams and sympa-thy may restimulate them out of place. The auditor who indulges in „hand-patting,“ no matter how much it seems to be indicated, is wasting time and slowing down the case. Undue rough-ness is not indicated. A friendly, cheerful, optimistic attitude will take care of everything. A pre-clear sometimes needs a grin. But he has already had more „hand-patting“ than the ana-lyzer has been able to compute. His chronic psycho-somatic illness contains sympathy in its engram. The next thing the auditor should know and live is the AUDITOR’S CODE.18 This may sound like something from „When Knighthood Was in Flower“ or the „Thirteen Rituals for Heavenly Bliss and Nirvana,“ but unless it is employed by the auditor on his patients, the                                                 
auditor will have some heavy slogging. This code is not for the comfort of the pre-clear; it is exclusively for the protection of the auditor. The AUDITOR’S CODE should never be violated. Practice in dianetics has demon-strated that violation of the AUDITOR’S CODE alone can interrupt cases. The auditor should be courteous in his treatment of all pre-clears. The auditor should be kind, not giving way to any indulgence of cruelty toward pre-clears, nor surrendering to any desire to punish. The auditor should be quiet during therapy, not given to talk beyond the absolute es-sentials of dianetics during an actual session. The auditor should be trustworthy, keeping his word when given, keeping his ap-pointments in schedules and his commitments to work and never giving forth any commit-ment of any kind which he has any slightest reason to believe he cannot keep. The auditor should be courageous, never giving ground or violating the fundamentals of therapy because a pre-clear thinks he should. The auditor should be patient in his working, never becoming restless or annoyed by the pre-clear, no matter what the pre-clear is doing or saying. The auditor should be thorough, never permitting his plan of work to be swayed or a charge to be avoided. The auditor should be persistent, never giving up until he has achieved results. The auditor should be uncommunicative, never giving the patient any information whatsoever about his case, including evaluations of data or further estimates of time in therapy. Various conditions ensue when any of the above are violated. All violations slow ther-apy and cause the auditor more work. All violations come back to the detriment of the auditor. For instance, in the last, it is not part of the auditor’s work to inform the pre-clear of anything. As soon as he starts doing so, the pre-clear promptly hooks the auditor into the cir-cuit as the source of information and so avoids engrams. The auditor will see in progress the most violent and disturbing human emotions. He may be moved to sympathy, but if he is, he has overlooked something and hindered therapy: whenever an emotion shows, it is an emotion which will shortly be history. Whatever gyra-tions the pre-clear may go through, however much he may move or wrestle around, the audi-tor must keep firmly in mind that every moan or gyration is one step closer to the goal. For why be frightened or waste sympathy about something which, when it has been recounted a few times will leave a pre-clear happier? If the auditor becomes frightened and pulls that error of all errors when a pre-clear be-gins to shake, „Come up to present time!“ he can be sure that the pre-clear will have a couple of bad days and that the next time the auditor wants to enter that engram it will be blocked. If an auditor assumes the state of mind that he can sit and whistle while Rome burns before him and be prepared to grin about it, then he will do an optimum job. The things at 
 which he gazes, no matter how they look, no matter how they sound, are solid gains. It’s the quiet, orderly patient who is making few gains. This does not mean that the auditor is trying for nothing but violence, but it does mean that when he gets it he can be cheerful and content that one more engram has lost its charge.  The task of auditing is rather much a shepherd’s task, herding the little sheep, the en-grams, into the pen for slaughter. The pre-clear isn’t under the auditor’s orders but the pre-clear, if the case runs well, will do whatever the auditor wants with these engrams because the analytical mind and the dynamics of the pre-clear want that job done. The mind knows how the mind operates.  

CHAPTER IV DIAGNOSIS One of the most important contributions of dianetics is the resolution of the problem of diagnosis in the field of aberration. Hitherto there have been almost unlimited classifications; further there has been no optimum standard.19 As one researches in the field of psychiatric texts, he finds wide disagreement in classification and continual complaint that classification is very complex and lacking in usefulness. Without an optimum goal of conduct or mental state and without knowledge of the cause of aberration, catalogues of descriptions alone were possible and these were so involved and contradictory that it was nearly impossible to sharply assign to a psychotic or neurotic any classification which will lead to an understanding of his case.20 The main disability in this classification system was that the classification did not lead to a cure, for there was no standard treatment and there was no optimum state to indicate when treatment was at end; and as there was no cure for aberration or psycho-somatic illness, there could be no classification which would indicate the direction which was to be taken or what could uniformly be expected of a case. This is no criticism of past efforts surely, but it is a source of relief to know that the classification of aberration is unnecessary along such complicated lines as have been used and that the cataloguing of psycho-somatic ills, while necessary to the physician, is unimportant to the auditor. In the evolution of the science of dianetics there were several stages of classifica-tion until it finally became clear that the label on a pathological condition should only be whatever the auditor had to overcome to achieve cure. This system, as now evolved through practice, makes it possible for the auditor to „diagnose“ without any more knowledge than is contained in this chapter and his own future experience. The number of aberrations possible is the number of combinations of words possible in a language as contained in engrams. In other words, if a psychotic thinks he is God, he has an engram which says he is God. If he is worried about poison in his hash, he has an engram which tells him he may get poison in his hash. If he is certain he may be „fired“ from his job any moment even though he is competent and well-liked, he has an engram which tells him he is about to be „fired.“ If he thinks he is ugly, he has an engram about being ugly. If he is afraid of snakes or cats, he has engrams which tell him to fear snakes and cats. If he is sure he has to buy everything he sees, despite his income, he has an engram which tells him to buy everything he sees. And in view of the fact that anyone not released or cleared has upwards of two or three hundred engrams and as these engrams contain a most remarkable assortment of                                                 
 language and as he may choose one of five ways of handling any one of these engrams, the problem of aberration is of no importance to the auditor except where it slows therapy. Most aberrated people talk in a large measure out of their engrams. Whatever the chronic patter of the individual may be, his rage patter, his apathy patter, his general attitude toward life, this patter is contained in engrams wherever it departs even in the slightest degree from complete rationality. The man who „cannot be sure,“ who „does not know“ and who is skeptical of everything, is talking out of engrams. The man who is certain „it cannot be true“ that „it isn’t possible,“ that „Authority must be contacted“ is talking out of engrams. The woman who is so certain she needs a divorce or that her husband is going to murder her some night is talking out of either her own or his engrams. The man who comes in and says he has a bad pain in his stomach that feels „just like a #12 gauge copper wire going straight through me“ has quite possibly had a #12 gauge copper wire through him in an attempted abortion or talk of such a thing while he was in pain. The man who says it „has to be cut out“ is talking straight out of an engram either from some operation of his own or his mother’s or from an attempted abortion. The man who „has to get rid of it“ is again possibly talking out of an at-tempted abortion engram. The man who „can’t get rid of it“ may be talking from the same source but from another valence. People, in short, especially when talking about dianetics and engrams, give forth with engram talk in steady streams. They have no awareness, ordinarily, that the things they are saying are minor dramatizations of their engrams and suppose that they have concluded these things themselves or think these things: the supposition and expla-nation is only justified thought – the analyzer performing its duty in guaranteeing that the or-ganism is right no matter how foolishly it is acting. The auditor can be assured, particularly when he is talking about dianetics, that he is going to hear in return a lot of engram content; for discussion of the reactive mind generally takes place in language which it itself holds. Recall that the reactive mind can think only on this equation – A = A = A, when the three A’s may be respectively a horse, a swear-word and the verb „to spit.“ Spitting is the same as horses is the same as God. The reactive mind is a very zealous Simple Simon, care-fully stepping in each pie. Thus when a man is told he has to delete the content of the reactive bank, he may say that if he did, he is sure he would lose all his ambition. Be assured – and how easily this proves up on therapy and how red-eared some pre-clears become – that he has an engram which may run something like this: (Blow or bump, prenatal) FATHER: Damn it, Agnes, you’ve got to get rid of that God-Damned baby. If you don’t, we’ll starve to death. I can’t afford it. MOTHER: Oh, no, no, no, I can’t get rid of it, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t! Honest I will take care of it. I’ll work and slave and support it. Please don’t make me get rid of it. If I did I’d just die. I’d lose my mind! I wouldn’t have anything to hope for. I’d lose all my interest in life. I’d lose my ambition. Please let me keep it! What a common one that engram is: and how sincerely and „rationally“ and earnestly an aberree can be in supporting his conclusion that he has just „thought up“ the „computa-tion“ that if he „gets rid of it,“ he’ll lose his mind and ambition, maybe even die! 
 As this work is written, most of the engrams that will be found in adults come from the first quarter of the 20th century. This was the period of „Aha, Jack Dalton, at last I have you in my possession!“ It was the period of „Blood and Sand“ and Theda Bara. It was the period of bootleg whiskey and woman suffrage. It covered the days of „flaming youth“ and the „The Yanks are Coming,“ and bits of such color will be demanding action in the engram banks. Dianetic auditors have picked up whole passages of the Great Play „The Drunkard“ out of prenatal engrams, not as a piece of funny „corn“ but as Mama’s sincere and passionate effort to reform Papa. Super-drama, Mellerdrammer. And not only that but also tragedy. The hang-over of the Gay Nineties, when the „business girl“ had just begun to be „free“ and Carrie Na-tion was saving the world at the expense of bartenders will be common fare in engrams found in today’s adults. Yesterday’s cliches and absurdities become, tragically enough, today’s en-gramic commands. One very, very morose young man, for instance, was found to have as the central motif of his reactive mind Hamlet’s historic vacillations about whether „to be or not to be, that is the question.“ Mama (who was what these colloquially-minded auditors call a „loop“) had gotten it by contagion from an actor-father whose failure to be a Barrymore had driven him to drink and wife beating; and our young man would sit for hours in a morose apa-thy wondering about life. To classify his psychosis required nothing more than „apathetic young fellow.“ Most of engram content is merely cliches and commonplaces and emotional crash drives by Mama or Papa. But the auditor will have his moments. And when he suddenly learns about them, the pre-clear will have his laughs. In other words, aberration can be any combination of words contained in an engram. Thus, to classity by aberration is not only utterly impossible but completely unnecessary. Af-ter an auditor has run one case, he will be far more able to appreciate this. As for psycho-somatic ills, as classified in an earlier chapter, these depend also upon accidental or intentional word combinations and all the variety of injury and unbalanced fluid and growth possible. It is very well to call an obscure pain „tendonitis“ but more probably and more accurately, it is a fall or injury before birth. Asthma comes fairly constantly from birth, as do conjunctivitis and sinusitis, but when these can occur in birth, there is generally prenatal background. Thus it can be said that wherever a man or woman aches is of minor importance to the auditor beyond using the patient’s chronic illness to locate the chain of sympathy en-grams, and all the auditor needs to know of that illness is that some area of the body hurts the patient. That, for the auditor, is enough for psycho-somatic diagnosis. It happens that the extent of aberration and the extent of psycho-somatic illness are not the regulating factors which establish how long a case may take. A patient may be a scream-ing lunatic and yet require only a hundred hours to clear. Another may be a „well-balanced“ and moderately successful person and yet take five hundred hours to clear. There-fore, in the light of the fact that the extent of aberration and illness has only a minor influence on what the auditor is interested in – therapy – classification by these is so much wasted time. Oh, there are such things as a man being too sick from heart trouble to be worked very hard and such things as a patient worrying so continuously as a manifestation of his usual life that the auditor finds his work difficult, but these are rarities and again have little bearing on the classification of a case. 
 The rule in diagnosis is that whatever the individual offers the auditor as a detrimental reaction to therapy is engramic and will prove so in the process. Whatever impedes the audi-tor in his work is identical to whatever is impeding the patient in his thinking and living. Think of it this way: the auditor is an analytical mind (his own) confronted with a reactive mind (the pre-clear’s). Therapy is a process of thinking. Whatever troubles the patient will also trouble the auditor; whatever troubles the auditor has also troubled the patient’s analytical mind.  The patient is not a whole analytical mind: the auditor will find himself occasionally with a patient who does nothing but swear at him and yet when the appointment time arrives, there that patient is, anxious to continue therapy; or the auditor may find a patient who tells him how useless the entire procedure is and how she hates to be worked upon and yet if he were to tell her, „All right, we’ll stop work,“ she would go into a prompt decline. The analyti-cal mind of the patient wants to do the same thing the auditor is trying to do, fight down into the reactive bank; therefore, the auditor, when he encounters opposition, adverse theory about dianetics, personal criticism, etc., is not listening to analytical data but reactive engrams and he should calmly proceed, secure in that knowledge, for the patient’s dynamics, all that can be brought to bear, will help him so long as the auditor is an ally against the pre-clear’s reactive mind, rather than a critic or attacker of the pre-clear’s analytical mind. This is an example: (In reverie – pre-natal basic area) PRE-CLEAR: (Believing he means dianetics) I don’t know. I don’t know. I just can’t remember. It won’t work. I know it won’t work. AUDITOR: (repeater technique, described later) Go over that. Say, „It won’t work.“ PRE-CLEAR: „It won’t work. It won’t work. It won’t work… etc. etc.“ Ouch, my stomach hurts! „It won’t work. It won’t work. It won’t work…“ (Laughter of relief.) That’s my mother. Talking to herself. AUDITOR: All right, let’s pick up the entire engram. Begin at the beginning. PRE-CLEAR: (Quoting recall with somatics [pains]) „I don’t know how to do it. I just can’t remember what Becky told me. I just can’t remember it. Oh, I am so discouraged. It won’t work this way. It just won’t work. I wish I knew what Becky told me but I can’t re-member. Oh I wish…“ Hey, what’s she got in here? Why, God damn her, that’s beginning to burn! It’s a douche. Say! Let me out of here! Bring me up to present time! That really burns! AUDITOR: Go back to the beginning and go over it again. Pick up whatever addi-tional data you can contact. PRE-CLEAR: Repeats engram, finding all the old phrases and some new ones plus some sounds. Recounts four more times, „re-experiencing“ everything. Begins to yawn, al-most falls asleep („unconsciousness“ coming off), revives and repeats engram twice more. Then begins to chuckle over it. Somatic is gone. Suddenly engram is „gone“ (refiled and he cannot discover it again. He is much pleased.) AUDITOR: Go to the next earliest moment of pain or discomfort. 

PRE-CLEAR: Uh. Mmmmm. I can’t get in there. Say, I can’t get in there! I mean it. I wonder where… AUDITOR: Go over the line, „Can’t get in there.“ PRE-CLEAR: „Can’t get in there. Can’t…“ My legs feel funny. There’s a sharp pain. Say, what the hell is she doing? Why damn her! Boy, I’d like to get my hands on her just once. Just once! AUDITOR: Begin at the beginning and recount it. PRE-CLEAR: (Recounts engram several times, yawns off „unconsciousness,“ chuck-les when he can’t find the engram any more. Feels better.) Oh, well, I guess she had her trou-bles. AUDITOR: (Carefully refraining from agreeing that Mama had her troubles, since that would make him an ally of Mama) Go to the next moment of pain or discomfort. PRE-CLEAR: (Uncomfortable) I can’t. I’m not moving on the time track. I’m stuck. Oh, all right. „I’m stuck, I’m stuck.“ No. „It’s stuck. It’s stuck that time.“ No. „I stuck it that time.“ Why damn her! That’s my coronary trouble! That’s it! That’s the sharp pain I get! AUDITOR: Begin at the beginning of the engram and recount, etc. Each time, it can be seen in this example, that the patient in reverie encountered ana-lytically the engram in near proximity, the engram command impinged itself upon the patient himself, who gave it forth as an analytical opinion to the auditor. A pre-clear in reverie is close up against the source material of his aberrations. An aberree wide awake may be giving forth highly complex opinions which he will battle to the death to defend as his own but which are, in reality, only his aberrations impinging against his analytical mind. Patients will go right on declaring that they know the auditor is dangerous, that he shouldn’t ever have started them in therapy, etc., and still keep working well and efficiently. That’s one of the reasons why the auditor’s code is so important: the patient is just as eager to relieve himself of his engrams as could be wished, but the engrams give the appearance of being a long way from anxious to be relieved. It will also be seen in the above example that the auditor is not making any positive suggestion. If the phrase is not engramic, the patient will very rapidly tell him so in no uncer-tain terms and although it still may be, the auditor has no great influence over the pre-clear in reverie beyond helping him to attack engrams. If the pre-clear contradicted any of the above, it means that the engram containing the words suggested is not ready to be relieved and an-other paraphrase is in order. Diagnosis, then, is something which takes care of itself on the aberration and psycho-somatic plane. The auditor could have guessed – and kept it to himself – that a series of at-tempted abortions were coming up in the above example before he entered the area. He might have guessed that the indecisiveness of the patient was from his mother. The auditor, however, does not communicate his guesses. This would be suggestion and might be seized upon by the patient. It is up to the pre-clear to find out. The auditor, for instance, could not have known where on the time track the pre-clear’s „coronary pain“ was nor the nature of the injury. Chas-ing up and down looking for a specific pain would be just so much wasted time. All such 
things will surrender in the course of therapy. The only interest in them is whether or not the aberrations and illnesses go to return no more. At the end of therapy they will be gone. At the beginning they are only complication. Diagnosis of aberration and psycho-somatic illness, then, is not an essential part of dianetic diagnosis. What we are interested in is the mechanical operation of the mind. That is the sphere of diagnosis. What are the working mechanics of the analytical mind? 1.  Perception. Sight, hearing, tactile and pain, etc. 2.  Recall. Visio-color, tone-sonic21, tactile, etc. 3.  Imagination. Visio-color, tone-sonic, tactile, etc. These are the mechanical processes. Diagnosis deals primarily with these factors and with these factors can establish the length of time a case should take, how difficult the case will be, etc. And we need only a few of these. This further simplifies into a code: 1.  Perception, over or under optimum. (a) Sight (b) Sound 2.  Recall: Under (a) Sonic (b) Visio 3.  Imagination: Over (a) Sonic (b) Visio In other words, when we examine a patient before we make him a pre-clear (by start-ing him into therapy) we are interested in three things only: too much or too little perception, too little recall, too much imagination. In Perception we mean how well or how poorly he can hear, see and feel. In Recall, we want to know if he can recall by sonic (hearing), visio (seeing) and so-matic (feeling). In Imagination we want to know if he (recalls) sonics, visions or somatics too much. Let us make this extremely clear: it is very simple, it is not complex, and it requires no great examination. But it is important and establishes the length of time in therapy.                                                 
There is nothing wrong with an active imagination so long as the person knows he is imagining. The kind of imagination we are interested in is that used for unknowing „dub-in“ and in that kind only. An active imagination which the patient knows to be imagination is an extremely valuable asset to him. An imagination which substitutes itself for recall is very trying in therapy. „Hysterical“ blindness and deafness or extended sight or hearing are useful in diagno-sis. The first, „hysterical“ blindness, means the patient is afraid to see; „hysterical“ deafness means he is afraid to hear. These will require considerable therapy. Likewise, extended sight and extended hearing, while not as bad as blindness and deafness, are an index of how fright-ened the patient really is and is often a straight index of the prenatal content in terms of vio-lence. If the patient is afraid to see with his eyes or hear with his ears in present time, be as-sured there is much in his background to make him afraid, for these actual perceptions do not „turn-off“ easily. If the patient jumps at sounds and is startled by sights or is very disturbed by these things, his perceptions can be said to be extended, which means the reactive bank has a great deal in it labeled „death.“ The recalls in which we are interested in diagnosis are those which are less than opti-mum only. When they are „over optimum“ they are actually imagination „dubbed in“ for re-call. Recall (under) and imagination (over) are actually, then, one group, but for simplicity and clarity we keep them apart. If the patient cannot „hear“ sounds or voices in past incidents he does not have sonic. If he does not „see“ scenes of past experiences in motion color pictures, he does not have visio. If the patient hears voices which have not existed or sees scenes which have not ex-isted and yet supposes that these voices really spoke and these scenes were real, we have „over imagination.“ In dianetics imaginary sound recall would be hyper-sonic, sight recall – hyper-visio (hyper= over). Let us take specific examples of each one of these three classes and demonstrate how they become fundamental in therapy and how their presence or absence can make a case diffi-cult. A patient with a mild case of „hysterical“ deafness is one who has difficulty in hearing. The deafness can be organic but if organic it will not vary from time to time.  This patient has something he is afraid to hear. He plays the radio very loudly, makes people repeat continually and misses pieces of the conversation. Do not go to an institution to find this degree of „hysterical“ deafness. Men and women are „hysterically“ deaf without any conscious knowledge of it. Their „hearing just isn’t so good.“ In dianetics this is being called hypo-hearing (hypo = under). The patient who is always losing something when it lies in fair view before him, who misses signposts, theater bills and people who are in plain sight is „hysterically“ blind to some 
degree. He is afraid he will see something. In dianetics this is being called, since the word „hysterical“ is a very inadequate and overly dramatic one, hypo-sight. Then there is the case of over-perception. This is not necessarily imagination, but it can go to the length of seeing and hearing things which are not there at all, which happens to be a common insanity. We are interested in a less dramatic grade in standard operation. A girl, for instance, who sees something or thinks she sees something but knows she doesn’t and is very startled, who jumps in fright when anyone silently comes into a room and can be so startled rather habitually, is suffering from extended sight. She is afraid she will encounter something, but instead of being blind to it she is too alive to it. This is hyper-sight. A person who is much alarmed by noises, by sounds in general, by certain voices, who gets a headache or gets angry when the people around are „noisy“ or the door slams or the dishes rattle, is a victim of extended hearing. She hears sounds far louder than they actually are. This is hyper-hearing. The actual quality of the seeing and hearing does not need to be good. The actual or-gans of sight and sound can be in poor condition. The only fact of importance is the „nerv-ousness“ about reception.  This disposes of the two perceptions in which we are interested in dianetics. As the auditor talks to people around him and gets their reactions to sights and sounds, he will find wide variety in quality of response. Recall is the most directly important to therapy, for it is not a symptom, it is an actual tool of work. There are many ways to use recall. The clear has vivid and accurate recall for every one of the senses. Few aberrees have. The auditor is not interested in other senses than sight and sound because the others will be cared for in the usual course of therapy. But if he has a patient who has no sonic, watch out. And if he has a patient with neither sonic nor visio, beware! This is the multi-valent personality, the schizophrenic, the paranoid of psychiatry with symptoms not acute enough to be so classified in normal life. This does not mean, em-phatically does not mean, that people without sight and sound recall are insane, but it does mean an above average case and it means a case which will take some time. It does not mean the case is „incurable“ for nothing can be further from the truth: but such cases sometimes take five hundred hours. It simply means that such a case isn’t any stroll through the park: there is drammer back there in that reactive mind, drammer which says, „Don’t see! Don’t hear!“ Some of the engrams in this case demand reduced or no recall. The organs of sight and sound may be highly extended in their reception. This does not mean that anything need be wrong with the way this person perceives sound or light waves and records them. But it does mean that after he has recorded them, he cannot easily get them back out of the standard bank because the reactive engram bank has set up circuits (occlusion demon circuits) to keep him from finding out about his past. There are, of course, greater or lesser degrees of recall. The test is simple. Tell the patient wide awake to go back to the time he was entering the room. Ask him what was being said. If he can „hear“ it wide awake, he has sonic recall. The auditor knows very well what was said, for if he means to use this test, he utters a certain set of words and notes the actual sounds present. Therefore, if the patient falls into the follow-ing category, the „dub-in,“ the auditor will be apprised of that. 
The sight recall test is equally simple. Show the patient a book with an illustration. Af-ter a time interval, ask him to „go back“ while he is wide awake and look at that book „in his mind“ and see if he can see it. If he can’t, this is hypo-visio. More tests similar to this will clearly establish whether or not our patient is recall blind and deaf or whether he falls into the next group: The over-active imagination which enthusiastically „dubs-in“ sight and sound for the patient without knowledge is something which is definitely a hindrance to fast therapy. There are many demon circuits which snarl up thinking, but these particular „dub-in“ demons mean that the operator is going to get a most awful cargo of what the auditors colloquially call „gar-bage.“22 There is, as they further use some of the doubtlessly disgraceful terminology which, despite anything one can do, keeps rising up in this field, something at work in the brain which is a „lie factory.“23 The patient asked to recount the conversation as he entered the door by „hearing it“ again may confidently start in to give forth all manner of speech which was entirely para-phrase or utterly fictitious. Asked to tell about the picture and page he is shown, he will „see“ vividly a lot more than was there or something entirely different. If he is doubtful about it, that is a healthy sign. If he is certain, beware, for it is a demon circuit „dubbing in“ without his analytical knowledge and the auditor will have to listen to more incidents which never happened than he could begin to catalogue and will have to sort out and pick his way through this „gar-bage“ continually to get his pre-clear to a point where the data is reliable. (And it isn’t a mat-ter of grading „garbage“ by its improbability – truth is always stranger than fiction; it is a mat-ter of trying to reduce engrams which are not present or by-pass engrams which are present and so on in a tangled hash.) The optimum pre-clear would be one who had average response to noises and sights, who had accurate sonic and visio and who could imagine and know that he was imagining, in color-visio and tone-sonic. This person, understand clearly, may have aberrations which make him climb every chimney in town, drink every drop in every bar every night (or try it anyway), beat his wife, drown his children and suppose himself to be a jub-jub bird. In the psycho-somatic line he may have arthritis, gall-bladder trouble, dermatitis, migraine headaches and flat feet. Or he may have that much more horrible aberration – pride in being average and „ad-justed.“ He is still a relatively easy case to clear. In the case which has sonic and visio shut-off without „dub-in“ we are dealing with engrams which have shut down some of the primary working mechanisms of the mind. The auditor will have to slog through hours and hours and hours of trying to contact engrams when the patient cannot hear them or see them. A case which merely has a shut-down sonic recall still means that the auditor is going to do a lot more work than on an average case. This                                                 
case is very, very far from impossible to resolve. That is not the idea here, to frighten off any attempt on such a case. But this case will only be resolved after a great deal of persistent ef-fort. Such a person may be apparently very successful. He may be enormously intelligent. He may have few or no psycho-somatic ills. Yet he will prove to have a crammed engram bank, any part of which may come into restimulation at any time and swamp him. Usually, however, this type of case is quite worried and anxious about many things, and such worry and anxiety may put a little more time on the worksheet. In the case of the „dub-in“ who doesn’t know it, where circuits are giving him back al-tered recall, we have a case which may very likely prove to be very long and require artful treatment. For there is a „lie factory“ somewhere in that engram bank. This case may be the soul of truthfulness in his everyday life. But when he starts tackling his engrams, they have content which makes him give out material which is not there. Sharply and clearly, then, without further reservation or condition, this is dianetic di-agnosis: The aberration is the engram content; the psycho-somatic illness is the former injury. The perceptions of sight and sound, under-optimum recall, over-optimum imagination regu-late the length of the case. If the auditor wants to be fancy, he can list the general tone scale position of the indi-vidual mentally and physically. The woman who is dull and apathetic is, of course, around Tone 0.5, in the Zone Zero part of the dynamic scale earlier in the book. If the man is angry or hostile, the auditor can mark him down as a 1.5 or somewhere generally in the Zone One range of the survival scale. These markings would apply to the probable average tone of the aggregate engrams in the reactive mind. This is interesting because it means that a Zone Zero person is far more likely to be ill and is a slightly harder case than a Zone One person: And, as therapy raises tone to Zone Four, the 1.5 is closer to the goal. It is difficult to estimate time in therapy. As mentioned before, it has several variables such as auditor skill, restimulative elements in the patient’s environment and sheer volume of engrams. The auditor is advised, in his first case, to seek out some member of the family or a friend who is as close as possible to the optimum pre-clear, which is to say, a person with visio and sonic recall and average perceptions. In clearing this one case he will learn at first hand much of what can be expected in the engram banks of any mind; and he will see clearly how engrams behave. If the auditor himself falls into one of the harder brackets and if he means to work with somebody in one of these brackets, that poses no great difficulty, either case can be released in a hundredth the time of any former mental healing technique and they can be cleared, if any skill at all is used, in five hundred hours of work per case. But if two cases are particularly difficult, before they work on each other each would be wise to find and clear a nearly optimum pre-clear. That way each will be a competent operator when the rougher cases are approached. Thus, diagnosis. The other perceptions, recalls and imaginations are interesting but not vital in measuring case time. I.Q., unless it falls down into the feeble-minded level, is no great factor. And even then the I.Q. of any patient goes up like a skyrocket with clearing and rises all the while during the work. 
There are organic insanities. Iatrogenic psychoses (caused by doctors) are equivocal in dianetics, for a part of the machinery may have been wrecked. Nevertheless, with many or-ganic psychoses a case can be improved by dianetics even if an optimum cannot be reached. And so all an auditor can do is try. Insanities caused by missing parts of the nervous system have not been extensively investigated by auditors at this time: the reviving of corpses is not the end of dianetics: the bringing about an optimum mind in the normal or merely neurotic person has had the main emphasis. Dianetics can be otherwise used, is being and will be. But with so many potentially valuable people who can be made highly valuable to themselves and society, emphasis has been placed on inorganic aberrations and organic psycho-somatic ill-nesses. Cases which have been subjected to pre-frontal lobotomy (which saws a section out of the analytical mind), the topectomy (which removes pieces of brain somewhat as an apple corer cores apples), the trans-orbital leukotomy which, while the patient is being electrically shocked, thrusts an ordinary dime store ice-pick into each eye and reaches up to rip the ana-lyzer apart), and electric shock „therapy“ which sears the brain with 110 volts, as well as insu-lin shock and other treatments, are considered by dianetics to be equivocal. There are ordinary organic insanities such as paresis, but most of these, even so, can be benefited by dianetics.  

CHAPTER V RETURNING, THE FILE CLERK, AND THE TIME TRACK There is a method of „thinking“ which Man did not know he had. If you would like an illustration of this, ask a small child if she would like to go sleigh riding in memory. She will try to remember the last time she rode her sleigh. She will frown and pucker her brows perhaps. Now tell her to go back to the last time she was sleigh riding. Coaxed she will suddenly come forth with a complete experience and, unless she is badly ab-errated, will be able to tell you about the snow getting down her collar and so forth. She is right back there sleigh riding, swimming or whatever you choose. Man, when and if he thought about this at all, must have mistaken it for imagination. But it is not imagination. Anyone, unless he is very severely aberrated indeed, can be „sent back“ wide awake to an experience of the past. In initial tests one should use experiences not long gone and experiences which are pleasant. This is not memory in the way one „remembers something.“ It is returning. Remem-bering is a far more complicated process than returning. Just why people go around seeking to remember some specific or complex datum when they can return is something of a mystery when one considers lost articles, things read, conversations had and so forth. Remembering, of course, has a very definite role and is an automatic process which provides „I“ with conclu-sions and data in a never-ending stream. But when one wishes a very precise, specific bit of information or when one seeks a past pleasure to contemplate it, returning is more to the point. The hypnotist, with much mumbo-jumbo and hand passes et al., has something which he calls „regression.“ This is a very complicated business which requires being hypnotized. True enough, regression has research value since, by hypnosis, it by-passes occlusions which are not otherwise easy to get around. And regression served dianetics well when the author was checking his data on memory banks. But it evidently had occurred to none that regression is an artificial use of a natural process. Undoubtedly some people use returning for some of their mental work, and these peo-ple probably think that „everybody else“ does likewise, which is far from true. But even those people who return naturally seldom understand that this is a distinct process, much different from remembering. People also relive without being hypnotized or drugged; this is a rarer thing. If a per-son sits in contemplation ot some past glory for a while he will begin to relive instead of sim-ply return. In dianetics we have had much to do with „spectrums.“ The spectrum of gradations is a much better mechanism for philosophy than Aristotle’s pendulum which swung from one extreme to the other. We have the spectrum of the dynamics. We call them four dynamics, through which the command: SURVIVE! is expressed, and the four are actually a great num-ber of gradations from the cells of „I“ through „I,“ through family and children, through club 
and city and state, through nation and race and hemisphere and finally all Mankind. That is a spectrum: gradations of something which are really the same thing but which have wider and wider scope or range. In much the same way as the spectrum of SURVIVE! we have a spectrum of memory at work. First there is memory in its most precise, present time sense. Then there is memory of the past. Then there is more memory of the past. And so we move into a part of the spec-trum which has been overlooked: part of the „I“ returns into the past, then a greater part of „I“ returns into the past (at which point we have return) and finally, at the extreme all of „I“ is back in the past. First there is remembering. This is the furthest from exact data (except in a clear). Then there is returning in which part of the „I“ is actually in the past and records ap-pear to be perceptions he is actually experiencing. Then there is reliving where a man is so thoroughly in the past for the moment that, while he was recalling an infant experience, if startled he would react just as he would have when a baby. There is a lot of aberrated notion in this present society about the evils of living in the past. These stem partially from an unwillingness of aberrated people to face and understand yesterday. One of the prime sources of „bad memory“ is Mother. Often enough Mother has been sufficiently panic-stricken at the thought of Junior’s recalling just what she did to Junior that a Mankind-wide aberration seems to have sprung up. The standard attempted abortion case nearly always has an infanthood and childhood full of Mama assuring him that he cannot re-member anything when he was a baby. She doesn’t want him to recall how handy she was, if unsuccessful, in her efforts with various instruments. Possibly prenatal memory itself would be just ordinary memory and in full recall to the whole race if this guilty conscience in Mother had not been rolling along lo! these millennia. In the normal course of work the auditor will have his hands full of Mama screaming objections about her grown son’s or daughter’s enter-ing into therapy because of what they might find out: Mama has been known, by auditors, to go into a complete nervous collapse at the thought of her child’s recalling prenatal incidents. Not all of this, by the way, is based on attempted abortion. Mama often has had a couple of more men than Papa that Papa never knew about; and Mama would very often rather con-demn her child to illness or insanity or merely unhappiness than let a child pursue the course of the pre-clear even though Mother avowedly has no recollection whatever of anything bad ever happening to the child. Under therapy herself, she usually volunteers the truth. Here is the source of why good memory is discouraged in a society and infant and prenatal memory overlooked, to say nothing of the ability to return and relive. The index system of the standard bank is a wonderful thing to behold. Everything is there, filed by subject, filed by time and filed by conclusions. All perceptions are present. With the time file system we have what is called in dianetics a time track. Going back along this track with part of „I“ is returning. It is definitely present for both conscious and „unconscious“ data. The time track is of vast and interesting concern to the auditor. 
The mind is a well-built computer and it has various services. Auditors, backing off from Latin and complexity, call the source of one of these services, the file clerk24. This is not a very dignified name and it is certainly anthropomorphic. There is no small man or woman in there with a green eye-shade. But the action which takes place is a close approximation to what would happen if such an entity did dwell within the mind. The file clerk is the bank monitor. „He“ monitors for both the reactive engram bank and the standard banks. When he is asked for a datum by the auditor or „I,“ he will hand out a datum to the auditor via „I.“ He is a trifle moronic when he handles the reactive engram bank, a contagion from the reactive mind, and he will at times hand out puns and crazy dreams when he should be delivering serious data. The file clerk, if the auditor asks the pre-clear for the last time he saw a movie, will hand out the movie, the date it was seen, the age and physical being of the person, all percep-tics, the plot of the movie, the weather – in short, he hands out everything that was present and connected with the movie. In ordinary living the file clerk feeds memory to „I“ at a rapid rate. A good memory gets its data in split seconds. If the file clerk has to shove the memory around various reactive occlusions, it may take minutes or days for the data to arrive. If we had a big computing machine of the most modern design, it would have a „memory bank“ of punched cards or some such thing and it would have to have a selector and feeder device to thrust out the data the machine wants. The brain has one of these – it could not operate without it. This is the bank monitor – the file clerk. Keep in mind these two parts of the mind: the time track and the file clerk and keep in memory this mechanism of returning. These are the three things we use, with the reactive and standard banks, in the dianetic reverie. The file clerk is a very obliging fellow. If he has been having trouble getting to the „I“ around the reactive occlusions and circuits in general, he is particularly obliging. He co-operates with the auditor. The monitor system could be considered on the basis of attention units where a man could be supposed to have a thousand. Thus a thousand possible attention units would be available to a clear’s „I.“ In the aberree, probably fifty are available to „I,“ five or six hundred absorbed in the reactive engrams, and the remainder variously used besides composing this mechanism we call the bank monitor, the file clerk. It seems as if the file clerk in an aberree would rather work with the auditor than with the aberree. That may appear an astonishing fact, but it is a scientific fact. The file clerk works best, then, when he is selecting data out of a pre-clear’s banks to present to the auditor. This is an aspect of the law affinity. „I’s“ file clerk and the auditor are a team: and they work very often in close harmony without enough consent from the pre-clear’s analyzer to notice. The return is most easily effected, in the aberree, by the auditor’s addressing the file clerk, not the patient. This can actually be done with the patient wide awake. The auditor asks                                                 
 him for information, tells him to go back to it. „I“ is suddenly in possession of the whole file. Something inside the mind, then, works in close harmony with the auditor and works better for the auditor than it does for the person in whose mind it is. That is the file clerk. The object of the auditor is to take what the file clerk hands forth and to keep the file clerk from getting swamped by reactive data. Once the data has been given out by the file clerk, it is the business of the auditor to see that the pre-clear goes over it enough times to take the charge out of it. The mechanism of doing this is extremely simple. In order to help matters and keep the pre-clear from being distracted, the auditor goes through a routine with every session which disposes the patient to let the file clerk work. The patient sits in a comfortable chair, with arms, or lies on a couch in a quite room where perceptic distractions are minimal. The auditor tells him to look at the ceiling. The auditor says: „When I count from one to seven your eyes will close.“ The auditor then counts from one to seven and keeps counting quietly and pleasantly until the patient closes his eyes. A tremble of the lashes will be noticed in optimum reverie. This is the entire routine. Consider it more a signal that proceedings are to begin and a means of concentrating the patient on his own concerns and the auditor than anything else. This is not hypnotism. It is vastly different. In the first place the patient knows everything which is going on around him. He is not „asleep,“ and can bring himself out of it any time he likes. He is free to move about, but, because it distracts the patient, the auditor does not usu-ally permit him to smoke. The auditor makes very sure that the patient is not hypnotized by telling him, before he begins to count, „You will know everything which goes on. You will be able to remember everything that happens. You can exercise your own control. If you do not like what is hap-pening, you can instantly pull out of it. Now, one, two, three, four,“ etc. To make doubly sure, for we want no hypnotism, even by accident, the auditor installs a canceller. This is an extremely important step and should not be omitted even when you may be entirely certain that he is in no way influenced by your words. The auditor may inad-vertently use restimulative language which will key-in an engram: he may, when he is espe-cially new in dianetics, use such a thing as a holder or a denyer, telling the pre-clear to „stay there“ when he is returned on the track or telling him, worst of all things, to „forget it,“ one of a class of phrases of the forgetter mechanism which is most severe in its aberrative effect, denying the data entirely to the analyzer. To prevent such things from happening, the cancel-ler is vital. It is a contract with the patient that whatever the auditor says will not become lit-erally interpreted by the patient or used by him in any way. It is installed immediately after the condition of reverie is established. A canceller is worded more or less as follows: „In the future, when I utter the word Cancelled, everything which I have said to you while you are in a therapy session will be cancelled and will have no force with you. Any suggestion I have made to you will be without force when I say the word Cancelled. Do you understand?“ The word cancelled is then said to the patient immediately before he is permitted to open his eyes at the end of the session. It is not further amplified. The single word is used. The canceller is vital. It prevents accidental positive suggestion. The patient may be suggestible or even in a permanent light hypnotic trance (many people go through life in such 
a trance). An engram is actually a hypnotic suggestion. It could be said that the purpose of therapy is to awaken a person in every period of his life when he has been forced into „uncon-sciousness.“ Dianetics wakes people up. It is not hypnotism, which puts people to sleep. Dianetic therapy wakes them up. Hypnotism puts them to sleep. Can you ask for a wider dif-ference in polarity? Dianetic therapy removes engrams. Hypnotism installs engrams. Further, dianetics is a science, an organized body of knowledge – hypnotism is a tool and an art and is such a wild variable that Man has suspected it as a dangerous thing for centuries and centuries, use it though he did.25 The auditor will inevitably get cases into his hands which will drop into a hypnotic sleep for all he can do to prevent it. Such cases have engrams which make them do this, just as others have engrams which make them stay awake. The auditor then mentions neither „sleep“ nor „wake.“ He takes his cases wherever they drop into their own inversion level and works them from there. Patients will plead to be drugged or put into a trance. Let them plead! The reverie has a clear at its end – drugs and hypnotism have dependency on the auditor and many other undesirable aspects. A case takes longer in amnesia trance than in reverie. The gains in reverie are certain. The patient gets more and more well. When amnesia trance or hypnotism are used instead of reverie, no matter how easily the data seems to come up, the usual run of cases so treated experience little relief until the case is nearly completed, when the patient so long uncomfortable gets suddenly well. Hypnotism carries with it transference, enormous operator responsibility, and other impedimenta with which dianetics, in long prac-tice, has done without. Hypnotism was used for research, then abandoned. Hence, install the canceller every time. Never neglect to install it in every session. The patient may be trancing, which is something we don’t want, but something which we cannot always avoid, and which we cannot always detect. Just install the canceller at the beginning of the session, then before you bring the patient to present time, use the canceller word. This is a rehearsal, then, of the entire routine: Auditor: Look at the ceiling. When I count from one to seven your eyes will close. You will remain aware of everything which goes on. You will be able to remember every-thing that happens here. You can pull yourself out of anything which you get into if you don’t like it. All right (slowly, soothingly): One, two, three, four, five, six, seven26. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven. One, two, three (patient’s eyes close and eyelids flicker), four, five, six, seven. (Auditor pauses; installs canceller.) All right, let us go back to your fifth birthday… (work continues until the auditor has worked the patient enough for the period)… Come to present time. Are you in present time? (Yes.) (Use canceller word.) When I count from five to one and snap my fingers you will feel alert. Five, four, three, two, one. (Snap.) As it can be seen in this example, when work for the day is concluded, the pre-clear, who may have been returned into his past for two hours, must be brought back to present time and startled with a finger snap to restore his awareness of his age and condition. Sometimes                                                 
 he is unable easily to come back to present, for which there is quick remedy, which we will cover later, so the auditor must always assure himself that the patient feels he actually is in present time. This is the reverie. This is all one needs to know about its actual mechanics. Experi-ence will show him a great deal. But these are the basic processes: 1.  Assure patient he will know everything that happens. 2.  Count until he closes his eyes. 3.  Install canceller. 4.  Return him to a period in the past. 5.  Work with file clerk to get data. 6.  Reduce all engrams contacted so that no charge remains. 7.  Bring patient to present time. 8.  Be sure he is in present time. 9.  Give him canceller word. 10. Restore full awareness of his surroundings. The patient’s time track, in the lowest level of attention units, is always in excellent condition. It can be depended upon to reach any date and hour of his life and all the data in it. In the higher levels of awareness, this time track may appear to be in very foul condition. The reactive mind engram circuits stand between these lower levels – right up against the banks – and the higher levels which contain „I.“ The lower levels contain only a shadow of the force of „I“ and appear to be another „I“ in a case of multi-valent personality. You can draw this on a piece of scratch paper and it would be helpful if you would do so. Draw a tall rectangle (the standard banks) to the left of the page. Draw half a dozen circles up against the right side of this rectangle for a representation of the file clerk – the bank moni-tor units. Now draw, about the center of the sheet, a large rectangle. Black it in. This is the area of the reactive engram circuits. It is not the reactive bank. It is the circuit pattern from the reactive engram bank, which borrows from the analyzer to make demons, vocal thinking, etc. Now, to the right of the page, draw a white rectangle. This is the portion of the analyzer which is „consciousness“ and „I.“ The whole task of therapy is to get that black rectangle, the reactive engram bank cir-cuits, deleted so that from the standard bank to the left of the sheet to the analyzer portion to the right of the sheet is all analyzer. It can’t be done with a knife as some people have sup-posed, evaluating the situation from their own engrams, for that black area you have drawn is all analyzer rendered useless by engrams and when therapy is done, it will all be available for thinking. This increases I.Q. to an enormous extent. Now suppose that the bottom of your picture is conception and the top is present time. The vertical route up and down, then, is the time track. In this graph it can be supposed that present time just keeps adding up higher and higher, further and further from conception in the form of new construction (an analogy). For „I“ to get data from the standard banks to the 
left, „I“ would have to work through this black rectangle, the reactive mind circuits. To a large extent „I“ manages to get data from around this black area. But to a much larger extent it doesn’t. Now suppose that we draw a vertical line at the right of the picture. This line is „awareness.“ Consider that it can be moved, still vertical, to the left. As the line passes toward the left, we get deeper and deeper „trance.“ As the line moves into the reactive mind area, it becomes hypnotic trance. Now as it moves even further left and into the circles we are calling „file clerk,“ it becomes the amnesia trance of hypnotism. Thus, anywhere we place this line we establish a „depth of trance.“ We want to work over to the right of the reactive bank, near-est the awake level, so that we can keep „I“ in contact with his surroundings and keep un-wanted data from coming through which will make the patient chronically uncomfortable. If the patient instantly slides from the right all the way to the left so that the attention units, the circles, of the file clerk itself are present, and does so the instant you count from one to seven, he is a hypnotic subject. He may not be aware, when he wakens, of what has taken place, for „I“ was out of contact. Work him there, for he will have full sonic, etc., but be very, very careful to work very early in his prenatal area. He might not be able to recall what has taken place and a late engram which, if tapped, will not reduce, may have its full force opened up on „I“ when the patient regains possession of himself. Further, you might give him positive sug-gestion by accident. Work by preference with trance depth well to the right of the reactive bank. The characteristics of the units we label „file clerk“ are similar in desires to those of the basic individual when he is cleared. Thus, in any patient, the basic personality can be reached for here is a sample of it. But the auditor should be content to know it is there; as the clearing goes forward, he will see more and more of it. The individual is himself, his person-ality does not alter, it simply becomes what he wanted it to be all the time at his optimum moments. The units up against the standard banks can be considered the file clerk. But the file clerk has more than just the standard bank which he can tap. He also has the entire engram bank from which he can pull forth data. The time track may have several aspects to the preclear. There is actually no track there except time and time is invisible: but the awareness, the „I,“ can return along it. The track is always there, stretched out. But ideas of it continually occur and recur in the same patient. It may get all bunched up. It may be very long. It may be that he cannot get on it at all (here’s the schizophrenic – he is off his time track). But it is there. It is the filing system by time and „I“ can be returned back along time by the simple request that he do so. If he does not, he is stuck in the present or an engram, which is easy to resolve. And so forth. Now let us consider the engram bank. It was drawn as a black rectangle in the above sketch. Let us alter that a trifle and draw all this again, with the rectangles represented as tri-angles with all their points downwards and together but all else as before – the standard banks, the analyzer (consciousness), and „I.“ This is a working model now, an analogy, of what the auditor is trying to contact. It is as if the engram bank itself existed in that black triangle. Ac-tually it doesn’t, only its circuits, but all we need to visualize is that it does. Therefore, there is a thin point at the bottom. „I“ and the file clerk can get together here. This is the bottom of the 
time track. This is immediately after conception. A little higher up, let’s say two-and-one-half months after conception, it is a little harder for „I“ and the file clerk to achieve contact. There is more reactive circuit between them. At seven months after conception it is more difficult. And at twenty years of age it has approached impossibility in most cases without dianetic technique. Hence, the auditor will find it expedient to work in the prenatal area and as early in that as possible. If he can clear the time from conception to birth, including birth, his task is nine-tenths complete. To clear the entire reactive bank is his goal. The reactive bank is like a pyramid which is fairly well armored everywhere but just under the point, and which becomes unarmored when the point is contacted. This is taking the reactive bank in an exposed sector. The effort is to get into the basic area, contact early en-grams, erase the basic-basic engram by recountings and then progress upwards, erasing en-grams. These engrams apparently vanish. Actually it takes a hard search to discove once they are really gone. They exist as memory in the standard bank, but that memory is so unimpor-tant, having been integrated now as experience, that it cannot aberrate. Nothing in the stan-dard bank can aberrate. Only the contents of the reactive bank can aberrate – moments of „un-consciousness“ and what was recorded within them – and locks. The auditor, in his work, considers an engram erased when it vanishes, when the pre-clear can no longer contact any part of it, but only after the pre-clear has thoroughly re-experienced it, complete with somat-ics.27 This inverted pyramid, in its upper reaches, is affect. In the lower reaches, it is the primary cause of aberration. The cement that holds this inverted pyramid together is physical pain and painful emotion. All the physical pain ever recorded by the organism and all the painful emotion are parts of this inverted pyramid. The auditor first discharges the painful emotion from later life as it was displayed in „conscious moments.“ He runs these periods as true engrams until the pre-clear is no longer affected by them. Then he tries to contact basic-basic, that first engram. He reduces all en-grams he contacts en route to that primary goal. In every session he tries to reach basic-basic until he is certain he has it. Basic-basic is the bottom point. Once it has been gained, an erasure is begun during which engram after engram is „re-experienced“ with all somatics until it is gone. Before ba-sic-basic had been reached, the auditor may have had to run engrams twenty times before they reduced. Later he may have found they reduced in five runs. Then he contacts and erases ba-sic-basic. If the patient has sonic by this time – or if he has had it all along – the engrams start erasing with one or two recountings.                                                 
The file clerk is smart. The auditor who does not credit the ability of these attention units will involve the case beyond necessity and will lengthen it. The file clerk may hand things out by phrases, by somatics, by time. Whatever he hands out ordinarily will reduce on recountings. By working with, not trying to command, the file clerk, the auditor will find his case steadily improving until it is released or fully cleared. The only time the auditor disre-gards this is when he uses the repeater system, which will be described. We have „I“ in a reverie; we return him to a period in his life along his time track; the file clerk gives incidents forth which the pre-clear re-experiences; the auditor makes the pre-clear recount the engram until it is relieved or has „vanished“28 (all engrams will eventually „vanish“ after basic-basic is erased); anything new the file clerk offers, even during the re-counting, is addressed by the auditor to make the pre-clear re-experience it. That is the total sum of activity in dianetics. There are, as accessories, the repeater technique and a few short-cuts. This is therapy. Amplification is needed, of course, and will be found in the ensuing pages to give the auditor all the data he needs. But this is the entire outline of dianetic therapy.                                                 

CHAPTER VI THE LAWS OF RETURNING The engram has the aspect of – and is not – a live entity which protects itself in vari-ous ways. Any and all phrases in it can be considered commands. These commands react on the analytical mind in such a way as to cause the analytical mind to behave erratically. Dianetic therapy is parallel to the methods of thought and thinking itself. Anything which reacts against dianetics and the auditor can uniformly and without exception be found to react in just that way on the patient’s analytical mind. Conversely, the patient’s problems of thinking in his usual activities are the auditor’s problems in therapy. The bulk of these „commands“ the engrams contain are not computable in any way, since they are contradictory or demand unreasonable acts. It is the impossibility of computing them and reconciling them to thought and existence which makes the patient aberrated. Let us take an engram which comes from one of Mother’s bowel movements. She is straining, which causes compression, which brings about „unconsciousness“ in the unborn child. Then, if she habitually talks to herself (a monologist) as an enormous number of aberrated women do, she may say, „Oh, this is hell. I am all jammed up inside. I feel so stuffy I can’t think. This is too terrible to be borne.“ This may be in the basic area. The dream mechanism of the mind (which thinks in puns mostly, symbologists to the contrary) may bring forth a dream about hell-fire as the en-gram is approached. The pre-clear may be sure that he is going to descend into fire if he goes on his time track toward this engram. Further, he may think his time track is all jammed up. This will mean, perhaps, that the incidents are all in one place on it. So much for „This is hell,“ and „all jammed up inside.“ Now let us take a look at what happens with „I’m so stuffy, I can’t think.“ The pre-clear sniffles because he thinks this means a cold in his nose. And as for „This is too terrible to be borne,“ he is filled with an emotion of terror at the thought of touching the engram, for this command says it is too painful to bear. Additionally, engrams being literal in their action, he may think that he was too terrible to be born. The emotional reaction to hell, from some other place on the track – as contained in some other engram – may say that „going to hell“ is loud sobbing. Hence he does not „want“ to recount this engram. Further, he is terrified of it because it is „too terrible to be borne.“ That Mother was only discussing with her ambivalent self the necessity of laxatives is never entered into the computation. For the reactive mind does not reason, it thinks in identi-ties, seeking to command the analytical mind. There is only as much data as is in the engram and the analytical reaction to this un-thinking thing is utterly literal. Let us look at another. This is a coitus experience. It has, as its somatic, varying pres-sure. It is not painful and, by the way, no matter how painful these engrams may be in present time when restimulated, no matter how forceful, when they are actually contacted, their reex-perienced pain is very mild, no matter what it was when received. So this is a shaking up of 
 the unborn child, that is all. But it says, „Oh, darling, I’m afraid you’ll come in me. I’ll just die if you come in me. Oh please don’t come in me!“ What does the analytical mind do with this? Does it think about coitus? Does it worry about pregnancy? No, emphatically not. The engram that would make one think about coitus would say, „Think about coitus!“ and the engram that contained a worry about pregnancy would say, „I am worried about pregnancy.“ The pain is not severe in this coitus experience but it specifically states that the engram is not to be entered. „Do not come in me!“ He would die if he did, wouldn’t he? It says so right there. And the patient finds himself wandering around the track until the auditor uses repeater technique (as will be covered). How about another type of engram? Let us suppose that our poor patient has been unlucky enough to get a Junior tagged on him. Let us suppose his name is Ralph and his fa-ther’s name is Ralph. (Be careful of these Junior cases, they are unusually complex some-times.) Mother (see the Kinsey report, if you’ve any doubts) is having a quiet affair on the side with Jim. This coitus somatic is no more painful than being gently sat upon, but the pa-tient has a terrible time with it. Mother: „Oh, honey, you are so wonderful. I wish Ralph were more like you but he isn’t. He just doesn’t seem to be able to excite a girl at all.“ Lover: „Oh, Ralph isn’t so bad. I like him.“ Mother: „You don’t know his pride. If Ralph found out about this, it would kill him. He would just die, I know.“ Lover: „Don’t worry, Ralph’ll never hear.“ This little gem of an engram is more common than one would suppose before he be-gins to get an embryo-eye view of Mother. This won’t compute in the analyzer as data. There-fore it is a worry. (A worry is contradictory engram commands which cannot be computed.) Ralph, Junior, finds that he is very shy sexually. That is the aberrative pattern. Approaching it in therapy we find we have a sympathy computation with the lover. After all, he said Ralph wasn’t so bad, that he liked Ralph. Well, the only Ralph is, of course, to the reactive mind, Junior. This keeps our patient from approaching this engram because he thinks he will lose a friend if he touches it. Further, on the aberrative side, Junior has always worried about peo-ple’s pride. As we contact this in therapy, he shies violently from it. After all, if he found out about it it would „kill him dead right where he lies.“ And there is another thing here, a sonic shut-off. It says right there that Ralph will never hear. This is survival stuff. That is what the cells believe. Therefore Ralph never hears in recall. There will be more sonic shut-offs; Mother is promiscuous and that generally means blockage on the second dynamic. Blockage on the second dynamic often means she dislikes children. In short, this would be an attempted abortion case which stabbed Junior full of enough holes to supply a cheese factory for some time. Junior, now a man, may have extended hearing because he is frightened in general of „life.“ But his sonic recall is zero. This engram, then, would have to be sorted out through the demon circuits as „impressions“ which come to the mind. The auditor, taking what the patient says about this, may very soon guess its content and explode it by repeater technique. Now take the case of the mother who, a soul of propriety if a little on the whiny side, discovers she is pregnant and goes to the doctor. Mother: „I think I’m pregnant. I’m afraid I am.“ Doctor punches her around for a while, knocking the unborn child, who is our pre-clear thirty years later, into an „unconscious“ state. Doctor: „I don’t think so.“ Mother: „I’m really afraid I am. I’m sure I’m caught. I just know it.“ Doctor (more punching): „Well, it’s hard to tell this early.“ 
 It says right there that this man patient of ours is pregnant. If we look, we’ll see he has a paunch. That’s good survival, that is. And in therapy we find he is afraid he exists: I am afraid I am. And suddenly he isn’t moving on the time track. Why? He’s caught. That doesn’t mean he’s pregnant, that means he is caught. Further, he won’t be able to recount it. Why? Because it is hard to tell this early. Consequently he doesn’t speak about it. We free him on the track with repeater technique. Oh, this language of ours which says everything it doesn’t mean! Put into the hands of the moronic reactive mind, what havoc it wreaks! Literal interpretation of everything! Part of the aberrative pattern of the person who had the above engram was great cautiousness about advancing any opinion. After all, it was hard to tell, this early. Now let us take an engram from a girl patient whose father was badly aberrated. He strikes Mother because he is afraid Mother is pregnant and Father is blocked on Dynamics One, Two, Three and Four. Father: „Get out! Get out! I know you haven’t been true to me! You were no virgin when I married you. I should have killed you long ago! Now you’re preg-nant. Get out!“ The girl, some five weeks after conception, is knocked „unconscious“ by the blow to Mother’s abdomen. She has a severe engram here because it has painful emotional value which she will never be able to dramatize satisfactorily. The aberrative pattern here demon-strates itself in hysterics whenever a man might accuse her of not being true. She was a virgin when she was married twenty-one years after this engram was received, but she was sure she was not. She has had a „childhood delusion“ that her father was likely to kill her. And she is always afraid of being pregnant because it says now she is pregnant, which means always, since time is a march of „nows.“ In therapy we try to get near this engram. We return the pa-tient to basic area and suddenly find her talking about something which happened when she was five years of age. We return her again and now she is talking about something which happened when she was ten years of age. The auditor, observing any such reaction as this, knows he is handling a bouncer. It says, „Get out!“ and the patient gets out. The auditor recognizes what is wrong, uses re-peater technique, and reduces or erases the engram. Always and invariably, the analytical mind reacts to these engrams as though com-manded. It performs on the track as these engrams state. And it computes about the case or about life as these engrams dictate. Healthy things to have around, engrams! Real, good sur-vival! Survival good enough to lay any man in his grave. The auditor is not much worried by the phrases which assist therapy. An engram re-ceived from Father beating Mother which says: „Take that! Take it, I tell you. You’ve got to take it!“ means that our patient has possibly had tendencies as a kleptomaniac. (Such things are the whole source of the impulses of a thief, the test being that when an auditor erases all such engrams in a patient, the patient no longer steals.) The auditor will find it eagerly re-counted because its content offers it to the analytical mind. The whole species of engrams which say, „Come back here! Now stay here!“ as Fa-thers are so fond of saying, account for a snap back to an engram when therapy is entered. The patient goes straight back to it the moment it is exposed. When recounted the command is 
 no longer effective. But while that engram existed, unentered, it was fully capable of sending people to an institution to lie in a foetal position. Anyone left in institutions who has not been given shocks or pre-frontal lobotomy and who suffers from this type of insanity can be re-leased from such an engram and restored to present time simply by use of repeater technique. It sometimes takes only half an hour. Traveling on the track, then, and wandering through the computations the analyzer is compelled by these engrams to attempt is something like playing a child’s game which has a number of squares and along which one is supposed to move a „man.“ A game could actually be composed on the basis of this time track and engram commands. It would be similar to parchesi. Move so many squares, land on one which says, „Get out!“ which means one would go back to present time or toward it. Move so many squares and then lose a move because this square on which we now land says, „Stay here!“ and the „man“ would stay until the auditor let him out by technique (but because this is struck by therapy, it would have no power to hold long). Then move so many squares to one which said, „Go to sleep,“ at which the „man“ would have to go to sleep. Move so many squares until one was hit which said, „No-body must find out,“ and so there would be no square. Move so many until one was reached which said, „I’m afraid,“ at which the „man“ would be afraid. Move again to a square which said, „I must go away,“ so the „man“ would go away. Move once more to a square which says, „I’m not here,“ and the square would be missing. And so forth and so forth. The classes of commands which particularly trouble the auditor are only a few. Be-cause the mind actually does some part of its thinking, especially when remembering, by re-turn, even when the individual is not returning, all these commands also impede the thought processes of the mind. In therapy they are particularly irksome and are the constant target of attention of the auditor. First is the patient-ejector species of command. These are colloquially called „bounc-ers.“ They include such things as „Get out!“ „Don’t ever come back,“ „I’ve got to stay away,“ etc. etc., including any combination of words which literally mean ejection. Second is the patient-holder species of command. These include such things as „Stay here,“ „Sit right there and think about it,“ „Come back and sit down,“ „I can’t go,“ „I mustn’t leave,“ etc. Third is the engram-denyer species of command which, literally translated, means that the engram doesn’t exist: „I’m not here,“ „This is getting nowhere,“ „I must not talk about it,“ „I can’t remember,“ etc. Fourth is the engram-grouper species of command which, literally translated, means that all incidents are in one place on the time track: „I’m jammed up,“ „Everything happens at once,“ „Everything comes in on me at once,“ „I’ll get even with you,“ etc. Fifth is the patient-misdirector which sends the pre-clear in the wrong direction, makes him go earlier when he should be going later, go later when he should go earlier, etc. „You can’t go back at this point,“ „You’re turned around,“ etc. The bouncer sends the pre-clear soaring back toward present time. The holder keeps him right where he is. The denyer makes him feel that there is no incident present. The fourth, 
the grouper, foreshortens his time track so that there is no time track. The misdirector reverses the necessary direction of travel. Contacting any engram causes the pre-clear to react „analytically.“ Just as in the case of an engram being restimulated, the commands are impinged upon his analyzer, and although the analyzer may firmly believe it has just computed the reaction all of its own accord, it is actually speaking straight out of the content of an engram or engrams. This is the method of repeater technique. As he goes back along the track contacting engrams, the pre-clear runs into areas of „unconsciousness“ which are occluded by „unconsciousness“ or emotion. In most early en-grams the pre-clear can be expected to yawn and yawn. It is not the command „to sleep“ which is responsible for this: the „unconsciousness“ is releasing (boiling off, the audi-tors call it). A pre-clear may, for a space of two hours, fumble around, drop off into „uncon-sciousness,“ appear doped, start to go to sleep, without any such command being present. Part of the engram bundle of data is the analyzer shut-off. When he is returned and an engram is contacted, the pre-clear then experiences an analyzer attenuation, which means he is much less able to think in the area.  Boiling-off „unconsciousness“ is a process very necessary to therapy, for this „uncon-sciousness“ could be restimulated in the everyday life of the individual and, when restimu-lated, make his wits shut off just a little or a very great deal, slowing down his thought proc-esses. The aspect of „unconsciousness,“ then, reduces the pre-clear’s awareness whenever it is contacted. He has dreams, he mumbles foolish things, he flounders. His analyzer is pene-trating the veil which kept him from the engram. But it is also highly susceptible, when in this state, to an engram command. When urged by the auditor to go through the engram and recount it (although the audi-tor knows it may take minutes for this „unconsciousness“ to boil off enough to let the patient through) the pre-clear may complain that „I can’t go back at this point.“ The auditor promptly takes note of this. It is an engram command coming through. He does not apprise the patient of this knowledge; the patient usually doesn’t know what he’s saying. If the patient then con-tinues to have trouble, the auditor tells him, „Say, ‘I can’t go back at this point!“ The patient then repeats this, the auditor making him go over it and over it. Suddenly the somatic turns on and the engram is contacted. In interviewing a patient, the auditor notes carefully without appearing to do so, what phrases the patient chooses and repeats about his ills or about dianetics. After he has placed the patient in reverie, if he discovers the patient, for instance, insists he „can’t go any place,“ the auditor makes him repeat the phrase. Repetition of such a phrase, over and over, sucks the patient back down the track and into contact with an engram which contains it. It may happen that this engram will not re-lease – having too many before it – but it will not release only in case it has that same phrase in an earlier engram. So the repeater technique is continued with the auditor making the pa-tient go earlier and earlier fur it. If all goes on schedule the patient will very often let out a 
chuckle or a laugh of relief. The phrase has been sprung. The engram has not been erased, but that much of it will not thereafter influence therapy. Anything the patient does about engrams and any words he uses to describe the action are contained, usually, in those engrams. Repeater technique takes the charge off the phrases so that the engrams can be approached. This technique, of course, can very occasionally land the patient in trouble, but the kind of trouble into which one can get in dianetics is not very severe. The engram, restimu-lated in everyday life, can be and is violent. Murders, rapes and arsons, attempted abortions, backwardness in school, – any aberrated aspect of life – stems from these engrams. But the act of approaching them in dianetic therapy goes on another channel, a channel closer to the source of the engram. Ordinarily, acting on an unsuspecting individual, the engram has enor-mous motor and speech power, ties up great numbers of circuits in the mind which should be used for rationality, and generally effects havoc: its contacts are „soldered-in“ and cannot be thrown out by the analyzer. In therapy the patient is headed toward the engram: that act alone begins to disconnect some of its „permanent leads.“ A patient can be gotten into an engram which, unless approached on the therapy route, might have made him curl up like a foetus and get shipped off to the nearest institution. On the therapy route, which is a return down the time track, the most powerful holder has its force limited: a patient can get into a holder which in normal life might be a psychosis: his only manifestation, perhaps, is that when he is told to „Come up to present time,“ he simply opens his eyes without actually traversing the interval up the track to present time. He does not suspect he is in a holder until the auditor, watchful for such a manifestation, feeds him repeater technique.  AUDITOR: Are you in present time? PRE-CLEAR: Sure. AUDITOR: How do you feel? PRE-CLEAR: Oh, I’ve got a slight headache. AUDITOR: Close your eyes. Now say: „Stay here.“ PRE-CLEAR: All right. Stay here. Stay here. Stay here. (Several times) AUDITOR: Are you moving? PRE-CLEAR: No. AUDITOR: Say „I’m caught. I’m caught.“ PRE-CLEAR: I’m caught. (Several times) AUDITOR: Are you moving on the track? PRE-CLEAR: Nope. AUDITOR: Say, „I’m trapped.“ PRE-CLEAR: I’m trapped. I – Ouch, my head! AUDITOR: Keep going over it. 
PRE-CLEAR: I’m trapped. I’m trapped. I’m trapped, Ouch! That’s worse! (His so-matic is getting stronger as he approaches the engram holding him on the other side of the „unconsciousness“ veil) AUDITOR: Keep going over it. PRE-CLEAR: I’m trapped – „Oh, God, I’m trapped. I’ll never get out of this place. I’ll never get out. I’m trapped!“ AUDITOR: Contact it closely. Make sure there is nothing more in it. (A trick to keep the pre-clear from replaying what he himself has just said and keep running the engram) PRE-CLEAR: My head hurts! Let me come up to present time! AUDITOR: Go through it again. (If the pre-clear comes up with this much charge, he’ll be unhappy and the incident may be hard to enter next time) PRE-CLEAR: „Oh, God, I’m trapped. I’m afraid I’m trapped (new word showed up). I’ll never get out of this place as long as I live. I’m trapped. I’ll never get out. I’m trapped.“ (aside) She’s crying. „Oh, why did I ever have to marry such a man!“ AUDITOR: How’s your head? PRE-CLEAR: Hurts less. Say, that’s a dirty trick. She’s pounding herself on the stom-ach. That’s mean! Why, confound her! AUDITOR: Re-experience it. again. Let’s make sure there isn’t more in it. (Same mechanism to keep the pre-clear from replaying what he said before rather than what he now gets from the engram. If he replays rather than re-experiences, the engram won’t lift) PRE-CLEAR: (Does so, getting some new words and several sounds including the thud of the blows on her abdomen and an auto horn (bulb type) in the street outside) Don’t tell me I have to run this thing again. AUDITOR: Recount it, please. PRE-CLEAR: Well, so this dame tries to bust my head in and get rid of me. And so I jumped out and beat hell out of her. AUDITOR: Please re-experience the engram. PRE-CLEAR: (Starts to do so, suddenly finds out that like a piece of string with a loop in it, this engram has straightened out and contains more data where the loops were). „I’ve got to think of something to tell Harry. He’ll jump all over me.“ (This was the source of his jok-ing – „jumped out, etc.“) AUDITOR: Please go over it again. There may be more in it. PRE-CLEAR: (Does so, old parts of it reduce, two new sounds appear, her footsteps and running water. Then he is happy laughs at it. This engram is released because it may not have entirely vanished. Such an engram is in this shape only when it is contacted prior to ba-sic-basic.) This is both repeater technique and an engram talked into recession. This engram may appear again with a very faint additional charge after basic-basic is contacted, but it has lost 
 all power to aberrate or give out a psycho-somatic headache or other illness. Yet this engram, not contacted by therapy, was quite enough to make this patient, when a boy, scream with terror every time he found he could not get out of some closed space (claustrophobia). The repeater technique is the one particular phase of dianetics which requires clever-ness from the auditor. Given persistency and patience, any auditor can succeed in the other phases of the science with minimal intelligence. In the repeater technique he must learn how to think – for therapy purposes – like an engram. And he will have to observe how the subject is conducting himself along the time track. And he will have to observe the type of reaction the subject has and draw from this the conclusion as to what sort of command is troubling the subject when the subject himself either does not cooperate or does not know. This is not to say that the repeater technique is hard: it is not. But the ability of the auditor to use it is the principal reason why a case takes longer with one auditor than another. It is a definite ability. It is playing the game mentioned earlier with cleverness. Where is the pre-clear stuck and with what command? Why has the pre-clear suddenly stopped cooperating? Where is the emotional charge which is holding up the case? With the repeater technique the auditor can resolve all these problems and a clever auditor resolves them much faster than an unclever one. How does one think like an engram? Ronald Ross, discovering that insects carried germs, considered it necessary to think like a mosquito. Here is a similar menace, the engram. One has to learn to think, for therapy purposes, like an engram. The auditor could not and does not have to be able to look into a patient’s eyes and guess why the patient won’t eat anything but cauliflower on Wednesdays. That is an aberra-tion and the auditor does not have to guess at either aberrations or psycho-somatic illness sources; they all come out in time and he will learn much about them as he goes. But the audi-tor must be able to keep his patient straightened out on the track, moving earlier into the basic area, moving upwards from there for a reduction. The current answer to this is the repeater technique. Understand that a whole new art of practice, or many arts of practice, could be evolved for dianetics: one would be unhappy with his fellow man if such evolution and bet-terment did not take place. Just now the best that has come forward – and the criterion of best is that it works uniformly in all cases – is the repeater technique. The auditor must be able to use it if he expects anything like results from a case at this time. When the auditor – or some auditor – has run a few cases and knows the nature of this beast, the engram, he may – and better had – come forward with improved techniques of his own. The real drawback which repeater technique has is that it requires the auditor to be clever. Being clever does not mean talking a lot. In dianetics, when one is auditing, that is be-ing very unclever. Indeed auditors, when they begin to work cases, almost invariably so love the sound of their own voices and the feel of their skill that the poor pre-clear hardly gets a chance to get a word in reactive-wise – and it is the pre-clear who is to be cleared, who has the only accurate information, who can make the only evaluations. Being clever in the sense of the repeater technique is being able to pick out, from the subject’s conversation or action, just what the engrams contain which will prevent his reach-
 ing them, progressing through them and so forth. The repeater technique is addressed only to action, not to aberration. Here is a case, for instance, which was so „sealed-in“ that thirty hours of almost con-tinual repeater technique were necessary to break the walls between the analytical mind and the engrams. It is important to know that an engram would not be an engram if the pre-clear could contact it easily. Any engram which can be easily contacted and has no emotional charge is about as aberrative as a glass of soda water. A young girl, with sonic recall, but with extended hearing and such a complete imbal-ance of the endocrine system that she had become an old woman at twenty-two, was worked for seventy-five hours before she contacted anything in the basic area. This is almost incredi-ble but it happened. In a patient with sonic shut-off and off his time track, seventy-five hours of work would just about get the wheels greased. But this girl, having sonic recall, should have been well on the road to being clear and she had yet to touch basic-basic. By repeater technique and repeater alone the case was finally resolved. It contained practically no holders or bouncers. It simply appeared that the whole prenatal area was a blank. Now it happens that an engram, being not a memory with reason in it, is just a set of waves or some other type of recording which impinges itself on the analytical mind and the somatic mind and runs the voice and muscles and other parts of the body. The analytical mind, to justify what it finds going forward, and cut down by the engram in dramatization, may be interjecting data to make this action seem reasonable – to justity it. But this does not make an engram sentient. When an engram is first approached in therapy it appears to be absent en-tirely. It may be that three sessions will be required to „develop“ this engram. As many are worked, this does not mean three blank sessions, but it means that the „I,“ in returning, must pass over an engram a few times for the engram to „develop.“ This is important to know. Just as you ask the mind for a datum one week and don’t find it (in an aberree) and ask it again the next week and find it, so with engrams. A cardinal principle in therapy is that if you keep ask-ing for it, you will eventually get the engram. Returning over and over the prenatal area will, of itself alone, eventually develop the engrams in it so that the analytical mind can attack them and reduce them. This is slow freight. The repeater technique – although the engram is still in need of development by several sessions – speeds the process immensely. In the case of this young girl it probably would have taken another fifty or sixty hours of work to contact the engrams unless a technique like repeater had been used. Repeater tech-nique resolved it when the auditor noted that she kept saying, „I’m sure there’s a good reason why I feel bad up in my childhood. After all, my brother raped me when I was five. I’m sure it’s up in my childhood, much later. My mother was terribly jealous of me. I’m sure it’s later.“ This young lady, as might be imagined, had studied some school of mental healing in college which thought sex or eating vitamins caused aberrations of the mind and she had often held forth on the fact that while she was not averse to what she called „analysis“ she did think it dull to expect a foetus to hear anything. She would go into the area before birth and declare she was quite comfortable. But birth was not in sight. That is important. The basic engram or engrams in the basic area – around the embryo period – cannot vanish and will not vanish 
short of therapy, and when birth cannot even be contacted by so much as one somatic, it is certain that something lies before it. If birth were the first engram, everybody could be cleared in five hours. Birth can even be in sight and there may still remain half a hundred severe pre-natal experiences. In her case, nothing was in sight. Her educational pattern had slowed the case: she was always trying to sit in present time and „remember“ with a memory so full of occlusions that she couldn’t have recalled her mother’s right name. (She had acquired this from being in the hands of mental practitioners for ten years who had asked her to do nothing but „remember.“) As has been said, she was quite comfortable before birth, sensed the amni-otic fluid and was certain that life in the womb was a joyous life for all. The incongruity that she could experience the sensations of this amniotic fluid and floating comfort and warmth and a continued belief that there was no prenatal memory escaped her utterly. The auditor made no slightest effort to convince her. Knowing his business, he merely kept sending her back and forth, trying this mechanism or that. She finally wanted to know if there had to be prenatal experience and was told that what was there was there, that if there was no prenatal memory then she wouldn’t recall any but that if there was, she might. This is a good, equivocal attitude for an auditor. Dianetics, after all, as one auditor put it, „just shows the yard goods“ and makes no sales effort at all. The auditor had been using repeater technique on varieties of phrases. She was moving on the track so there must be a denyer present. And he had utterly run out of ideas when he realized, suddenly, that she was very handy with that phrase, „much later.“ AUDITOR: Say „Much later“ and return into the prenatal area. GIRL: „Much later. Much later,“ etc. (very bored and uncooperative). AUDITOR: Continue please. (Never say „Go ahead“ for that means to do just that. Say „Continue“ when you want them to keep on progressing along an engram or repeating and  „Return over it“ when re-running an engram already run once.) GIRL: „Much later. Much…“ I have a somatic in my face! It feels like I am being pushed. (This was good news for the auditor knew she had a mid-prenatal pain shut-off which prevented later somatics from appearing.) AUDITOR: Contact it more closely and continue to repeat. GIRL: „Much later. Much later.“ It’s getting stronger. (Naturally. On repeater tech-nique, the somatic gets stronger until the phrase appears, exactly right. On a non-sonic case it impinges itself indirectly on „I“; in a sonic, the sound comes through as sound.) AUDITOR: Continue. GIRL: „Much…“ I hear a voice! There. That’s it. Why, that’s my father’s voice! AUDITOR: Listen to the words and repeat them, please. GIRL: He’s talking to my mother. Say, this face pressure is uncomfortable. It keeps going up and down on me. It hurts! AUDITOR: Repeat his words please. 
GIRL: He’s saying: „Oh honey, I won’t come in you now. It’s better to wait until much later to have one.“ And there’s my mother’s voice. Say, this pressure is hurting me. No, it’s eased up considerably. Funny, the minute I contacted his voice, it got less. AUDITOR: What is your mother saying, please, if you hear her? GIRL: She’s saying: „I don’t want you in there at all then!“ She’s mad! Say, the so-matic stopped. (Coitus had ended at this point.)  AUDITOR: Please return to the start of this and recount. GIRL: (Regains the beginning, somatic returns) I wonder what they’re doing? (then a pause) I hear a squishing sound! (then a pause and embarrassment) Oh! AUDITOR: Recount the engram please. GIRL: There’s a sort of a faint rhythm at first and then it gets faster. I can hear breath-ing. Now it’s beginning to bear down harder but a lot less than it did the first time. Then it eases up and I hear my father’s voice: „Oh, honey I won’t come in you now. It’s better to wait until much later to have one. I’m not too sure I like children that well. Besides, my job…“ And my mother must shove at him because there’s a sharper somatic here. „I don’t want you in there at all then. You cold fish!“ AUDITOR: Return to the beginning and recount it again, please. GIRL: (Recounts it several times, somatic finally vanishes. She feels quite cheerful about it but doesn’t think to mention that she doubted prenatals existed.) This is repeater technique at work. This particular case had had about two hundred phrases thrown at her for repeater technique without finding one of them that would fit. In the first place, there were only a few lower engrams which the file clerk was willing to give out and the auditor was guessing at the whole gamut of deniers. A later incident might have con-tained – and did but no somatic appeared – numbers of the phrases he used. But the file clerk was willing to settle for this one for it was early and could be erased. The file clerk rarely hands out something in a badly occluded case which cannot be reduced to recession. And an auditor never leaves an engram so offered until he has made every effort with many recountings to reduce it. The file clerk, in this case, by the bye, would have let down the auditor by putting forth such an engram as birth, which would not have lifted and which would have caused a lot of lost work and given the patient a headache for a few days. The auditor would have let the file clerk down if he had not reduced the engram offered by making the girl go over it several times until the somatic was gone and the voice faded out. The reason this engram stayed hidden was because its content said so. Actually it was a coitus. As an engram it seemed to say that the incidents would be found later on in life. Fur-ther, as an engram, it said that it was not to be entered. Repeater technique will sometimes embroil a patient in trouble of a minor sort by get-ting him „sucked into“ incidents which will not lift. This is not common but the file clerk oc-casionally hands out a late incident, rather than an early one. However, this is not an error on the part of the file clerk. Remember, he has these engrams filed by subject, somatic and time, 
 and the auditor can use any one of these. When the file clerk responds and hands out a so-matic on a repeater phrase the auditor has gleaned from the pre-clear’s chatter or has guessed himself and yet that somatic will not lift or no voice appears with it (in a sonic case, or merely won’t lift with a non-sonic), the file clerk had to unstack a pile of material. Therefore, the auditor, realizing this, finding that a voice does not appear or that the somatic will not lift, has the pre-clear repeat the same phrase and tells him to go earlier and earlier. Another somatic may turn up in a different place in the body. The file clerk has gotten an even earlier one loose, now that a small amount of trouble has been taken from what he could first get. Now this ear-lier one is addressed similarly. It may get mediumly strong as a somatic, the pre-clear repeat-ing the phrase all the while, and still no voice may appear. The auditor then sends the pre-clear earlier. The file clerk again has managed to get out an even earlier one, now that some-thing has been taken from the second. This time again, an even earlier somatic turns on, probably down around the basic area in a case which has not previously contacted this area, and this time a voice can be heard. The engram reduces. The file clerk, in short, was willing to risk trouble in order to get several somatics unstacked and let the auditor get a basic incident. There are variations on this sort of thing. As the filing system is by subject, somatic and time, the auditor can use other things than phrases. He can send a pre-clear to the „highest intensity of a somatic,“ and often results may be obtained, though this is not as reliable as by subject nor as foolproof. The pre-clear, incidentally, does not mind going to any „highest in-tensity“ of somatic because somatics are about a thousandth part as strong as the original ag-ony, though they are quite strong enough. In present time with the pre-clear not in therapy, the intensity of one of these somatics can be a drastic affair as witness the migraine headache. Taking the migraine, a pre-clear can be returned to the very moment of its reception when one would think its intensity would be the highest and yet find a mild, dull ache such as one would get with a hangover. This is part of the principle that any entrance of a case is better than a case not entered at all. For by return with standard reverie technique the source is approached, and if the source is contacted at all, the power of the engram to aberrate has become reduced in strength no matter how many mistakes the auditor makes. Returning to „maximum intensity“ of a somatic, then, is nothing very painful. Actual maximum intensity is when the pre-clear is awake before the contact with the incident is made. But in returning to „maximum intensity“ the incident may often be contacted and reduced. If „maximum intensity“ however, contains in its engram the phrases, „I can’t stand it!“ „It’s killing me,“ or „I’m terrified,“ then expect our pre-clear to respond to it in some such way. If he does not respond, then he has an emotional shut-off, which is another problem which will be taken up later. Similarly, the auditor can handle his pre-clear in time. There exists a very accurate clock in the mind. The file clerk is very well acquainted with this clock and wherever possible will comply. The auditor who wants the patient to go „six minutes before this phrase is ut-tered“ will generally find that his pre-clear is now six minutes before it, even though the inci-dent is prenatal. The auditor can bring his pre-clear forward, then, minute by minute as he desires. He can take a pre-clear straight through an incident by announcing, „It is one minute later, it is two minutes later. Three minutes have gone by,“ and so forth. The auditor does not have to wait for those minutes to elapse; he just announces them. He can make a pre-clear go through time at five minute intervals or hour intervals or day intervals, and unless there is 
 engramic material which holds him or otherwise affects the operation, the auditor can move the pre-clear on the time track at will. It would be very nice if the auditor could send the pre-clear to conception and then tell him it is one hour later, two hours later and so forth to pick up the first engram. However, there are more factors involved than time, and the plan, though pretty, is not feasible. The time shift is generally used when the auditor is trying to get the pre-clear ahead of an incident to make sure that he really has a beginning. By returning the pre-clear by five or ten minute intervals, the auditor may sometimes discover that he is run-ning backwards into a very long and complicated incident and that the headache he has been seeking to alleviate on the pre-clear was received, actually, hours before the period in which he thought it had initially been received. In such a case there is a second engram appended to an earlier engram and the auditor cannot lift the second one until he has the first one. Actually time shift is of limited use. The auditor who tries to go chasing backwards through time will find that he will have on his hands an artificially restimulated case and that the work is much impeded. Repeater technique works best and is most easily handled by the file clerk. The auditor uses a time shift to get the pre-clear as close to basic area (early prena-tal) as possible and then generally, if the file clerk doesn’t simply go to work handing out en-grams which can be washed, one after the other, the auditor uses repeater technique. Time shift and „running down a somatic“ have some limited use. Some experimentation will show about how much use they have. The laws of regression are these: (1) A returned patient reacts more, theoretically, to those commands which are earlier than he is on the time track and less to those commands which are later than his point in time. (2) A pre-clear reacts to those engramic commands which are: (a) in chronic restimu-lation, or (b) to which he is nearest on the time track. Thus, if an engram says, „I’m afraid,“ he is. If it says, „I’d rather die than face this,“ he would. If the command to which he is near says, „I’m sleepy,“ he will be. If it says, „Forget it,“ he will. Commands in chronic restimulation give a false color to the personality: „I can never be sure of anything,“ „I don’t know,“ „I can’t hear anything“ are all possibly in chronic restimulation. If the file clerk won’t give them up, then keep working the case anyway around these. They will give up after a while. (3) The action of the pre-clear on the time track and the condition of the track are regulated exclusively by engramic commands classifiable as bouncers, holders, denyers and groupers and misdirectors. (These conditions, it is repeated, are quite variable, as variable as language: „I don’t know whether I am coming or going,“ for instance in an engram makes it very confusing. „I can’t go back at this point“ makes the pre-clear keep progressing later and later.) (4) The engramic command manifests itself either in the awake speech of the pre-clear after a session of therapy or is inadvertently announced as a supposedly „analytical“ thought when he nears the vicinity of the command. (5) The engram is not a sentient, rationalized memory but a collection of unanalyzed perceptions, and it will develop into contact simply by the process of returning through it, to it, over it or asking for it. 
(6) The file clerk will give the auditor whatever can be extracted from the engram bank. The auditor must aid the file clerk by reducing in charge or severity everything the file clerk offers. This is done by making the patient recount it. (Otherwise the file clerk gets so much material piled around that, with this in restimulation, he can no longer get at the files. The auditor who bucks the file clerk is not rare. The file clerk who will buck an auditor except by withholding data which will not reduce has yet to be found.) The techniques available to the auditor are as follows: 1.  Returning, in which the pre-clear is sent as early as possible on his track before ther-apy itself is engaged upon. 2.  Repeater technique, by which the file clerk is asked for data on certain subjects, par-ticularly those affecting the return and travel on the time track, and which aid the abil-ity of the pre-clear to contact engrams. 3.  Time shift, by which a pre-clear can be moved short or long distances on the track by specific announcement of the amount of time forward the pre-clear is to go or time backwards, or return or progression through intervals of time. (It is also useful to find out if the pre-clear is moving or which direction he is moving on the time track in or-der to discover the action some engram may be having upon him.) 4.  Somatic location, by which the moment of reception of the somatic is located, in an ef-fort to discover whether it is received in this engram or to find an engram containing it.  

CHAPTER VII EMOTION AND THE LIFE FORCE One of the largest roles in therapy is played by Emotion. In the second book we cov-ered this subject and divided it tentatively as a theory only into three divisions: (a) the emo-tions contained in the command of engrams whereby physical pain became confused with emotions; (b) the emotions contained as endocrine reactions subject to the analytical mind of the clear and the analytical mind and reactive mind of the aberree; and (c) the emotions con-tained in engrams which bound up free units of Life force. Further work and research on emotion will undoubtedly bring about an even closer understanding of it. But we have a workable knowledge of emotion now. We can use what we know and produce results with it. When we know more, we shall be able to produce much better results but just now we can produce the release and the clear. If we treat emotion as bound up life force and if we follow these general precepts to release it, we shall obtain a very large gain in any pre-clear; indeed, we shall produce our largest single gains by so releasing emotion. In an engineering science like dianetics, we can work on a push-button basis. We know that throwing a switch will stop a motor, that closing it again will start it and that no matter how many times we open or close that switch our motor will stop or start. We are using here a force which is still as mysterious to us as electricity was to James Clerk Maxwell. Much earlier Benjamin Franklin had observed that electricity existed and had done some in-teresting things with it: but he had not used it much and he could not control it. A philosopher like Bergson selected out a thing he called elan vital, a life force. Man is alive, there must be a force or flow of something which keeps him alive; when Man is dead there is no force or flow. This is life force in the Benjamin Franklin stage. As he considered electricity, so did Bergson consider life force. Now we are up, in dianetics, to the James Clerk Maxwell stage, or very nearly. We know that certain equations can be made about life force and we can use those equations. And we can theorize that „life force“ and what has been called a certain kind of „emotion“ are either similar or the same thing. We may have the wrong theory, but so might James Clerk Maxwell. Indeed, Maxwell’s theories may still be wrong: at least we have elec-tric lights. In dianetics we are pretty certain that the majority of tenets are parallels of natural law: these are the big computations. We are not certain that we have emotion properly brack-eted, but then we shall not be sure until we have actually taken a dead man and pumped him up with life force again. Short of this extreme, we are on solid ground with emotion as life force. We can, for instance, take a girl, examine something of her background with, let us say, an electro-encephalograph (an instrument for measuring nervous impulses and reac-tions)29 and then proceed on the basis of the information so obtained to do one or two things.                                                 
The first is inhuman and would not be done, ot course, but she could be made sick or insane merely by using this data, so obtained. (If the data is obtained in therapy, it is obtained by actual contact with engrams and an engram contacted in reverie has lost its power to aberrate: dianetic therapy thus makes such an eventuality utterly impossible.) The second and far more important fact to us is that she can be made to recover, with this same data, all the force, in-terest, persistence and tenacity to life and all the physical and mental well-being possible. If it could not be made to work both ways, we would not have the answer, at least in workable form. (Some fiction writer, by the way, if tempted to horrorize on the first fact, must please recall that the data was obtained with apparatus which would have staggered Doctor Franken-stein for intricacy and skill in use and that dianetic therapy contacts the data at source: the apparatus is necessary to keep from touching the source for the instant the source is touched by therapy its power vanishes like yesterday’s headlines: so let’s have no „Gaslight“ plays about dianetics, please: they’d be technically inaccurate.) This is not as simple as electricity in that the switch cannot be turned off and on. So far as dianetics is concerned, it can only be turned on. We have a rheostat, then, which will not drop back but which, when pressed forward, releases more and more dynamic force into the individual and gives him more and more control over its use. Man is intended to be a self-determined organism. That is to say that as long as he can make evaluations of his data without artificial compulsions or repressions (held down 7’s in an adding machine) he can operate to maximum efficiency. When man becomes exteriorly-determined, which is to say compelled to do or repressed from doing without his own rational consent, he becomes a push-button animal. This push-button factor is so sharply defined that an auditor, in therapy, who discovers a key phrase in an engram (and does not release it) can use that phrase for a little while to make a patient cough or laugh or stop coughing or stop laughing at the auditor’s will. In the case of the auditor, because he got the data at source – contacted the engram itself, which robbed it of some power, the push-button will not last very long, certainly less than two or three hundred pushes. The whole pain-drive effort at handling human beings and most of the data accumulated in the past by various schools has been, un-wittingly, this push-button material. If the engram is not touched at source it is good for end-less use, its power never diminishing. Touched at source, however, the original recording has been reached and so it loses its power. The „handling of human beings“ and what people have been calling, roughly, „psychology“ have been actually push-button handling of a person’s aberrational phrases and sounds. Children discover them in their parents and use them with a vengeance. The clerk discovers that his boss can’t stand a full waste basket and so always has one full. The bosun on a ship finds out one of his sailors cringes every time he hears the phrase, „fancy-pants“ and so uses the word to intimidate the man. This is push-button warfare amongst aberrees. Wives may find that certain words make the husband wince or make him angry or make him refrain from doing something and so they use these „push-buttons.“ And husbands find their wives’ push-buttons and keep them from buying clothes or using the car.                                                                                                                                                         
 This defensive and offensive dueling amongst aberrees is occasioned by push-button reacting against push-buttons. Whole populaces are handled by their push-button responses. Advertis-ing learns about push-buttons and uses them in such things as „body-odor“ or constipation. And in the entertainment field and the song-writing field push-buttons are pushed in whole racks and batteries to produce aberrated responses. Pornography appeals to people who have pornographic push-buttons. Corn-and-games government appeals to people who have „care for me“ push-buttons and others. It might be said that there is no necessity to appeal to reason when there are so many push-buttons around. These same push-buttons, because they are 7’s held down by pain and emotion (false data forced into the computer by engrams – and every society has its own special patterns of engrams), also happen to drive people insane, make them ill and generally raise havoc. The only push-button the clear has is whatever his own computer, evaluating on his experience which itself has been evaluated by the computer, tells him is survival conduct along his four dynamics. And so, being no marionette in the hands of careless or designing people, he re-mains well and sane. It is not true, however, that a clear is not emotional, that his reason is cold, and that he is a self-conscious puppet to his own computations. His computer works so rapidly and on so many levels with so many of his computations going on simultaneously but out of the sight of „I“ (though „I“ can examine any one of them he chooses) that his inversion or acute aware-ness of self is minimal. Inversion is the condition of the aberree whose poor computer is wres-tling with heavy imponderables and held down 7’s in his engrams such as „I must do it. I just have to do it. But no, I’d better change my mind.“ The computational difference between the clear and the aberree is very wide. But there is a much grander difference: life force. The dynamics have, evidently, so much potential force. This force manifests itself as tenacity to life, persistence in endeavor, vigor of thought and act and ability to experience pleasure. The dynamics in a man’s cells may be no stronger than those in a cat’s cells. But the dynamics in the whole man are easily greater than those in any other animal. Assign this as one will, the man is basically more alive in that he has a more volatile response. By more alive is meant that his sentient-emotional urge to live is greater than those found in other life forms. If this were not true, he would not now command the other kingdoms. Regardless of what a shark or a beaver does when threatened with final ex-tinction, the shark and the beaver get short shrift when they encounter the dynamics of Man: the shark gets worn as leather or eaten as vitamins and the beaver decks a lady’s back. The fundamental aspect of this is seen in a single reaction. Animals are content to sur-vive in their environments and seek to adjust themselves to those environments. That very dangerous animal – or god – Man has a slightly different idea. Ancient schools were fond of telling the poor demented aberree that he must face reality. This was optimum conduct: facing reality. Only it isn’t Man’s optimum conduct. Just as these schools made the fundamental er-ror of supposing that the aberree was unwilling to face his environment when he was actually, because of engrams, unable to face it, they supposed that the mere facing of reality would lead to sanity. Perhaps it does, but it does not lead to a victory of Man over the elements and other forms. Man has something more: some people call it creative imagination, some call it this or some call it that: but whatever it is called, it adds up to the interesting fact that Man is not 
content merely to „face reality“ as most other life forms are. Man makes reality face him. Propaganda about „the necessity of facing reality,“ like propaganda to the effect that a man could be driven mad by a „childhood delusion“ (whatever that is) does not face the reality that where the beaver down his ages of evolution built mud dams and keeps on building mud dams Man graduates in half a century from a stone and wood dam to make a mill wheel pond to structures like Grand Coulee Dam, and changes the whole and entire aspect of a respectable portion of Nature’s real estate from a desert to productive soil, from a flow of water to light-ning bolts. It may not be as poetic as Rousseau desired, it may not be as pretty as some „na-ture lover“ would desire, but it’s a new reality. Two thousand years ago the Chinese built a wall which would have been visible from the Moon had anybody been up there to look; three thousand years ago he had North Africa green and fertile; ten thousand years ago he was en-gaged upon some other project; but always he has been shaping things up pretty well to suit Man. There’s an extra quality at work or perhaps just more of it, so much more of it that it looks like a new thing entirely. Now all this is not any great digression from therapy; it is stated here as an aspect of life force. Where the individual finds himself „possessed of less and less life force,“ he is los-ing some of the free units somewhere. And the free units of this life force, in a society or an individual, are the extra surge that is needed to tame North Africa, divide an atom, or reach the stars. The mechanical theory here – and recall it is but theory and dianetics can stand with-out it – is that there are so many units of force per individual. These units may be held in common by a group and may build to higher and higher numbers as „enthusiasm“ increases; but for our purposes, we can consider that Man, as an individual or a society – both are organ-isms – has a ready number to hand for use in any given hour or day. He may manufacture these life units as required and he may simply have a given supply: that is beside the point. What is to the point is that he can be considered, at any hour or day, as just so much alive. Consider this as his dynamic potential as we can see on our descriptic earlier. What happens, then, to this dynamic potential in the aberree? He has a large quantity of engrams in his bank. We know that these engrams can sleep for his entire life without be-ing „keyed-in,“ and we know that any or all of them can be keyed-in and thereafter wait for restimulators in the environment to set them into action. We know that his necessity level can suddenly rise and surmount all these keyed-in engrams, and we know that a high survival ac-tivity can bring him such a chance of pleasure that the engrams can stay unrestimulated, though keyed-in. And we can suppose that these engrams, from one period of life to another, can actually key-out again and stay out because of some vast change of environment or sur-vival chances. The usual case, however, is that a few engrams stay keyed-in continually and are res-timulated rather chronically by the environment of the individual, and that if he changes envi-ronment the old may key out but eventually new ones will key-in. Most aberrees are in a state of chronic restimulation which, on the average, starts the spiral dwindling down rather rapidly. 
As this pertains to life force, the mechanical action of an engram on being keyed-in, is to capture so many of these units of life force. Sudden and sweeping restimulation of the en-gram permits it to capture a great many more units of life force. In the average case, every restimulation captures a greater residue of life force and holds it. When enthusiasm or impetus aligns the purpose of the individual toward a true survival goal (as opposed to a pseudo-goal in the engrams) he recaptures some of these units. But the spiral is dwindling: he cannot cap-ture back, except in very unusual circumstances, as many as he has lost into the engram bank. Thus it can be said, for purposes of this theory of life force action, that more and more life force units out of an individual’s supply are captured and held in the engram bank. Here they are perverted in use to counterfeit themselves as dynamic (as in the manic and the high euphoria case) and force action upon the somatic and analytical mind. In this engram bank, the life force units are not available as free feeling or for free action but are used against the individual from within.  An observation here tends to demonstrate this action: the more restimulated an aberree is, the less free feeling he may possess. If caught in a manic (highly complimentary pro-survival engram), his life force is channeling straight through the engram and his behavior, no matter how enthusiastic or euphoric, is actually very aberrated: if he has this much life force to be so channeled, then he can be shown to have even more life force, sentiently directed, when clear. (This has been done.) We have demonstrated the parasitic quality of the „demon circuits“ which use pieces of the analytical mind and its processes. This parasitic quality is common to engrams in other ways. If a man has, arbitrarily, a thousand units of life force, he has an ability to channel them, when clear, into highly zestful existence: in a manic state, with a pro-survival engram in full restimulation, the life force is directed through an aberrated command and gives him, let us say, five hundred units of pseudo-dynamic thrust. In other words, the power is out of the same battery: such an engram has at best less power than the whole organism, cleared, would have. (This aspect of the manic or super-personality neurotic has misled some of the old schools of mental healing into the thoroughly aberrated and poorly observed belief that insanities alone were responsible for Man’s ability to survive, a concept which can be disproven in the laboratory simply by clearing one of these manics or any other aberree.) The engram uses the same current but perverts it just as it uses the same analytical mind but usurps it. Not only does the engram have no life of its own, but it is wasteful as are so many parasites, of the life force of the host. It is thoroughly inefficient. If a comparable device were fitted into an electronic circuit it would merely lead off and make „unalter-able“ some of the functions of the equipment which should be left variable and would, in ad-dition, consume, simply by lengthened leads and bad condensers and tubes, power supply vital to the machine. In the human mind, the engram assumes its most forceful „assist“ aspect in the manic, channeling and commanding the organism into some activity of wild violence and mono-manic concentration. The „super-salesman,“ the violently buoyant „glad-hander,“ the fanati-cal and apparently unkillable religious zealot are classifiable as manics. The abundance of 
„power“ in these people, even when it is as grim as Torquemada’s or as destructive as Gen-ghis Khan’s, is an object of admiration in many quarters. The manic, as will be later covered, is a „pro-survival,“ „assist“ command in an engram which yet fixes the individual on some certain course. But an engram is capable only of as much „power“ as is present in the host, just as it is capable of tying up only as much analyzer as is present. Let us take a forceful manic who is displaying and functioning on 500 arbitrary units of life force. Let us assume that the entire being is possessed of 1000 arbitrary units of life force. Suppose we have here an Alexander. The dynamics of the average person are unas-sisted by manics in most cases but are dispersed as a stream of electrons might be dispersed by a block before them. Here are scattered activity, scattered thoughts, uncomputable prob-lems, lack of alignment. In such a person, with 1000 units present, 950 of those units could be so captured in the engram banks and yet so thoroughly counteractive that the person displays a functioning capacity of only 50 units. In the case of Alexander, it could be assumed, the manic must have been an alignment in a general direction of his own basic purposes. His ba-sic purpose is a strong regulator: the manic happens to align with it: a person of great ability and personal prowess becomes possessed of 500 units via a manic engram, believes he is a god and goes out and conquers the known world. He was educated to believe he was a god, his manic engram said he was a god and had a holder in it. Alexander conquered the world and died at 33. He could hold in his manic only so long as it could be obeyed: when it could no longer be obeyed, it changed his valence, became no more a manic and drove him, with pain, into dispersed activities. The engram, received from his mother, Olympia, can almost be read even at this late date. It must have said he would be a joyous god who would conquer all the world and must keep on conquering, that he must always strive to rise higher and higher. It was probably a ritual chant of some sort from his mother, who was a high priestess of Les-bos and who must have received some injury just before the ritual. She hated her husband, Phillip. A son who would conquer all was the answer. Alexander may well have had fifty or a hundred such „assist“ engrams, the violent praying of a woman aberrated enough to murder. Thus he could be assumed to have conquered until he could no longer stretch a line of supply for conquering, at which time he, of course, would no longer be able to obey the engram and its force of pain would turn on him. The engrams dictated attack to conquer, and they en-forced the command with pain: once conquering could not longer be accomplished, the pain attacked Alexander. He realized one day he was dying: within the week he was dead: and at the height of his power. Such, on a very large scale, is a manic phrase in an engram at work. Now let us suppose that Alexander, with only education to turn him against his father, with only prayers to ask him to conquer the world, not engrams, had been cleared. Answer: given a sufficient and rational reason, he would most certainly have been able to conquer the world and at eighty might well have been alive to enjoy it. How can we assume this? The manic with 500 units of directed purpose has been cleared. He now has 1000 units of sentiently directed purpose. He is exactly twice as forceful as he was when he was in a forceful manic and his basic purpose may be similar but now can be realized and will not turn on him the moment he has reached a goal or failed. This is clinical, the theory behind life force. It was formulated in an effort to explain observed phenomena. The theory may be wrong, the observed data is not. But the theory must 
be somewhere close to right because with it could be predicted considerable phenomena which had not been known to exist before: in other words, it is a profitable theory. It followed after dianetics was well formulated, for a strange fact, vital to the therapist, turned up: the pre-clear advanced in therapy in exact ratio to the amount of emotional charge released from his reactive bank. The purpose and persistency of the aberree was hindered in ratio to the amount of emotional charge within his engram bank. His recovery of survival potential increased in ratio to the amount of energy freed from the engram bank. His health increased in ratio to the amount of energy feed from the engram bank. The engrams which contained the greatest discharge were those which centered around loss of imagined survival factors. Hence, this theory of life force was formulated. Any manic cleared seemed to demon-strate far more actual power and energy than before he was cleared. And any „nor-mal“ cleared increased in accessible life force units to compare with any manic cleared. Undoubtedly further work and observation will refine this theory. At the present mo-ment, however, it serves. It is one of those „scientific theories“ thrown in to explain an opera-tion or a long series of observations. In this case it happens to be squarely aligned with the basic tenets of dianetics, for it predicts data which can then be found and does not throw out former data predicted by the basic mathematics and philosophy of dianetics.  Here we are speaking, actually, not of this slippery term, emotion, but, we believe, life force. This life force is considerably enhanced by success and pleasure in general and is, ac-cording to this theory, augmented in terms of arbitrary units, by pleasure. In other words, pleasure is a thing which recharges the batteries or permits them to be recharged and in a clear, far from leading to softness, leads to renewed activity since indolence is engramic. Pleasure is a vitally important factor: creative and constructive endeavor, the overcom-ing of not unknowable obstacles toward some goal, the contemplation of past goals reached all combine to recharge life force. The person, for instance, who has been an enormous suc-cess and then loses that success and so becomes ill is following no rational cycle but an en-gramic command cycle. In a way he has disobeyed an engramic command and having dis-obeyed, suffers pain. The „child wonder“ who early „burns out“ is actually, via therapy, about as burned out as a banked furnace. Any „child wonder“ is a forced affair: think of the dreams mama must have poured through his engrams. She’s hurt: „Oh, I’ll never forgive myself! If I have ruined my child, I will never forgive myself. My child, that’s to be the world’s greatest violinist!“ or „Oh, you brute! You have struck me! You have injured our child. I’ll show you. I’ll make him the greatest child pianist in all Brooklyn! He’s to be a beautiful child, a wonder child! And you’ve struck him, you brute. Oh, I am going to sit right here until you go away!“ (Actual engrams.) The last computes that the way to get even with papa is to be the greatest pianist in all Brooklyn. The child is a great success – musical ear, practice and great „purpose.“ He gets this engram restimulated constantly by his mother. But then, one day he loses a contest, he knows suddenly he is no longer a child, that he has failed. His purpose wa-vers. He gets headaches (papa’s blow) and is at last „neurotic“ and „burned out.“ Cleared he 
went back to being a pianist, not as an „adjusted“ person but one of the best paid concert pian-ists in Hollywood. Music aligned with basic purpose. Again, in another manic example, a patient who had been some time in therapy – not the first to do this by far – raved that he had been „turned-on“ by dianetics. He was walking about a foot off the earth, chest punched out and so forth. His glasses suddenly would not fit him, his eyes were too good. He was a beaming, powerful case of euphoria. Artificial restimu-lation had touched a manic engram, had brought it into key for the first time in his life. He felt wonderful. The auditor knew that he was due for a complete come down within thirty-six hours to three days (the usual time) because an artificial restimulation, by therapy, had tapped the engram. It happened that his grandmother had told her daughter that she must not abort the child because someday it might become a „fine upstanding man or beautiful woman.“ He was upstanding all right: it almost strained his back muscles. Another glance at the engram in therapy and the manic phase was gone. This manic, then, as in the case of the boy wonder, can be assumed to have gathered up available life force and suddenly channeled it along basic purpose lines, making a high level of concentration of life force. In the case of the pianist his cleared force was well above the manic force. In the other case, currently in process, a level has been reached which is ap-proaching the former level and will surpass it by far. In the same way an enthusiasm for a project will channel life force along some pur-pose line and necessity will suddenly rob back from engrams enough power to carry an indi-vidual far, although he has no active manics whatever. Now we come to the heart of this matter: the pro-survival engram. It is pseudo-survival like all engramic „assist,“ a mirage which dissolves and leaves burning sands. Formerly we spoke mainly of contra-survival engrams. These lie across the dynamics of the individual and his basic purpose.30 The contra-survival engram is, to the dynamics, like a log jam which dams a necessary river. The dynamic is blocked in some degree. Any blockage to any one of the four dynamics (or any section of that spectrum) causes a dispersal of the flow. It does not make less dynamic, particularly, but it does misdirect it in the same order that the river, blocked in its natural flow, might become five streams going in various directions or flood a fertile pasture it should merely have watered. The pro-survival engram alleges to assist (but does not actually assist) the dynamic on its way. It pretends it is the dynamic. In the analogy of the river, the pro-survival engram                                                 
 would be a canal which took the river’s force and sent it off in some unintended direction. The pro-survival engram is not a manic; it can and does contain at times manic phrases. A contra-survival engram says, „He’s worthless, damn him, let’s kill him.“ The pro-survival engram says: „I am saving him.“ If it added: „He is a darling and a very wonder with the ladies,“ it would then be a pro-survival with a manic. In terms of the descriptic which defines the survival dynamic and the suppressor ear-lier in this book, the contra-survival engram would be part of the suppressor (an aberrated part) and the pro-survival engram would be part of the dynamic thrust (an aberrated part). Neither one of these things is actually a sentient and computable portion of survival dynamic or suppressor. The engram (delirium from illness, perhaps) which says, „I will stay with you, darling, so long as you are sick“ is an apparent but wholly shadow-stuff part of the survival dynamic. But the reactive mind has no sense of time when restimulated and this engram, keyed-in and constantly restimulated by some concept in it such as an odor or a person’s voice who may or may not be the original person, demands that the person who has it be ill just as he was ill when it was said. This way, according to our moron, the reactive mind, lies survival: „I had some one taking care of me when I was ill. I need some one to take care of me. I must be ill.“ Here is the basic pattern of all sympathy engrams. Here is the basic pattern of the engram which will contain the chronic psycho-somatic illness in any patient. The variety is, of course, very large but all insist that the individual who has them be ill in order to survive. The suppressor-type engram, always contra-survival, can be cut into restimulation in exactly the same way as the pro-survival engram. An engram is an engram and all the me-chanics are the same. The fact that the analytical mind cannot time the engram can make any engram seem omnipresent. Time can „heal“ the experiences of the analytical mind, perhaps, but not the reactive mind which has no time, a fact which makes time not the Great Healer but the Great Charlatan. There may be no actuality at all in this suppressor data. It is false data. Such engrams let an individual, for instance, see a butterfly and then tell him it is dangerous: he then comes to detest spring because that is the time he sees butterflies. This engram may say: „You’re all against me. You’re against everything I do,“ which was actually Mama mak-ing a stand against her husband and mother-in-law. It contains a concept, a recording of the sound of a sewing machine as well. The individual possessing this engram hears a sewing machine (if this engram has at some time been keyed-in) at a moment when he is weary and dull and, looking toward the machine (he never identifies the actual sound: these engrams protect themselves), sees his wife. She is the associative restimulator, something his analytical mind, told to scent danger, picks up as the cause. So he searches around and finds something he is angry about (something almost „rational“) and begins to tell her she is against him. Or it can be an engram of such low emotional tone that it is an apathy, and so he sits down and weeps and moans that she is against him. If, during „unconsciousness“ at birth, the doctor said he’d have to spank him, the individual possessing this engram howls and gets headaches when he is spanked and when grown spanks his children as the strongest suppressor he can think of. 
 There is a difference, then, between the pro – and contra-engrams, particularly the real sympathy pro-engram and the contra-engram. And it is a difference, even if we have been long on the road in this chapter, which is of vital interest to the auditor. All the real reluctance he will see in pre-clears during therapy will come from these sympathy pro-survival engrams. These add up into some very weird computations. They tell the patient that he had better not „get rid of it“ and so the patient struggles to retain his en-grams. Such an engram is very common. A typical case is Mama pushing off Papa, who in-sists he cannot afford a child: the struggle injures the child and in the „unconsciousness“ he receives, of course, an engram: Mama is refusing to get rid of it. Mama is on baby’s side, therefore baby had better do exactly as Mama says and „not get rid of it.“ This aligns with purpose, the deepest purpose, to survive. If he gets rid of his engrams, he will die because getting rid of it means death, for Mama said she would die if she got rid of it. Further, on up through life, Mama may have the nasty habit of telling him when he is ill that she will „take care of her baby and protect him from his father,“ and this makes a new force in the old com-putation. Thus we come to the ally computation. This will be the chief and number one struggle of the auditor, the thing which will most elusively resist him, the thing which lies down close to the core of a person. The ally computation is severe enough that an auditor once said that a man is not vic-timized by his enemies, he is murdered by his friends. Engramically speaking, that is quite true. The only aberration and psycho-somatic ill the patient will continually hold to is a pro-survival engram which is part of an ally computation. That could be written fifty times here without being stressed enough. It is most important, it is the first thing which the auditor is going to buck when he enters a case, the first thing he must discharge if he wishes therapy to go swiftly. He may have to touch and reduce many contra-survival engrams, for the come swiftly enough when called, before he can even get an idea of what the ally computation is. But when he gets an ally computation he had better run it out and discharge all its emotion or the case will hang fire. The ally computation is the reactive mind level moronism that survival depends on Grandma or Aunt Sue or some serving maid thirty years dead. The attendants of the individ-ual when he was ill, the people who begged his pregnant mother to stop trying to abort him, or fed him or otherwise tried to keep him from being hurt: these are the allies.  The reactive mind operates wholly on two-valued logic. Things are life or they are death, they are right or they are wrong, just as the engram wording states. And the personnel of engrams are friends or enemies. The friends, the allies, mean Life! The enemies mean Death! There is no middle ground. Any restimulator or associated restimulator for the pro-survival engram means Life: and any restimulator or associated restimulator for a contra-survival engram means Death! The auditor, of course, may be a really restimulative person (one who is a pseudo-father, a pseudo-lover of mother before birth, etc.) but he is always an associative restimulator, the person who may take away these terribly, horribly vital things, the pro-survival engrams. 
 will. Now you go right on through with your pregnancy, Eloisia, and when that baby is born, if you don’t want him, you bring him to me! The idea of trying to hurt that poor thing!“ And so, when our bleeding ulcer case gets born, there is Grandma and there is security and safety. Grandma is here the ally (and she can become an ally in a thousand different ways, any of them based on the principle that she talks sympathetically to baby when he is out like a floun-der, and fights Mama in his favor when he is „unconscious“), and when he grows to boyhood he can be found placing a large dependency on Grandma, much to the parental wonder (for they never did anything to little Roger, not they). And Roger will, when Grandma is dead, develop bleeding ulcers to get her back. Whoever is a friend is to be clasped to the bosom with bonds of steel, says this great genius, the reactive mind, even though it kills the organism. The ally computation is a little more than the mere idiot calculation that anyone who is a friend can be kept a friend only by approximating the conditions wherein the friendship was realized. It is a computation on the basis that one can only be safe in the vicinity of certain people and that one can only be in the vicinity of certain people by being sick or crazy or poor and generally disabled. Show an auditor a child who was easily frightened by punishment, who was not at ease around home and who had allies who seemed more important to him than the parents (grandparents, aunts, boarders, doctors, nurses, etc.) and who was sickly, and the auditor can usually spring into view an attempted abortion background because, more often than not, it is there. Show an auditor a child who showed enormous attachment for one parent and detesta-tion for the other and the auditor can bring out a background wherein one person wanted to get rid of or hurt the child and the other parent did not. The ally computation, then, is important. And it is also very secret. Trying to get the real allies in a case is often a great struggle. It may be that a patient had eight or ten of these allies in some cases and tried desperately to hold to them, and when he could not, searched and found mates and friends who were approximations of his allies. A wife, around whom A is continually ill but whom he will not leave under any circumstances, is usually a pseudo-ally, which is to say she approximates some mannerism of the actual ally, has a similar voice or even a similar first name. B, who will not leave a job and yet who is working far below his ability level in life, may be there because his boss is a pseudo-ally; further, he may be work-ing at this job because an ally had a similar station in life and he is being the ally. Anything which can so far corrupt a person’s life is naturally going to be difficult to some degree in therapy, for when he is asked to get rid of his ally computation, it is as likely that he will give any clue to it as it is that he would have spit in his ally’s face. These pro-survival engrams containing the ally computation can be described as those which contain personnel who defended the patient’s existence in moments when the patient conceived that his existence was under attack. This need not be an actual, rational defense: it may only be that the content of the engram seems to indictate it; but it can safely be assumed that the worst ally computations are those when the life of the patient was defended against attackers by the ally. Most ally computations have their genesis in the prenatal area. 
The ally computation is sought as the first action in any case and new ally computa-tions are sought throughout a case. These sympathy pro-survival engrams, which make up the ally computations, vary only in intensity from the standard pro-survival engram. A standard pro-survival engram is bad only because someone has expressed friendship for the patient or another person when he was „unconscious“: it is difficult to discover and clear even when it actually has been entirely misread – which is to say that the pro-survival content was intended for another person than the patient but is only misconstrued by the patient. If the patient is „unconscious“ and some-body says „he is a good guy,“ actually meaning another person entirely, the egocentric reac-tive mind takes the phrase to have been meant for oneself. In the sympathy pro-survival en-gram (the ally computation is composed only of these) there is an actual defense of the person from danger by some ally: this can vary from a dramatic scene wherein somebody has been bent on killing the patient and the ally has arrived, like the cavalry, in the nick of time, to the incident wherein the patient was simply saved (or assumed he was being saved) from destruc-tion such as drowning, being run over, etc. And the sympathy pro-survival engram is only as good as its content in words, for it does not rationalize the action. Engrams have been discov-ered where the patient was actually being murdered but the content was such that he was con-vinced he was being saved: such a case would include what auditors call a „mutual AA“ – a father and mother together attempting an abortion, AA meaning „attempted abortion“ – wherein Mama was in utter agreement and disposed herself for the operation but became frightened and began to scream about „her precious baby“ in an effort to save herself from being injured: patients with this sort of sympathy pro-survival engram can get pretty confused about mother. The insidious aspects of the sympathy pro-survival engrams are several. (1) They are aligned with the fundamental dynamic of survival in the most literal sense and are therefore aligned with the purpose of the individual; (2) they are like cysts round which contra-survival engrams serve as the outer shell; (3) they most sharply affect the health of the individual and are always the basic factor beneath the psycho-somatic illness which the individual displays; (4) they cause the reactive mind (but not the analytical mind) to resist therapy; and (5) they are the largest drain upon the life force units. In (3) above, the pro-survival sympathy engram does more than just carry forward the injury which becomes the psycho-somatic illness. Any engram is a bundle of data which in-cludes not only all perceptics and speech present but also metering for emotion and state of physical being. The last, the state of physical being, would be serious enough. This metering says that structure was so and such at the moment this sympathy pro-survival engram was received: in the case of an embryo engram, then, the reactive mind, in forcing the engram back into action, may also force the structural pattern back upon the body: this occasionally results in retarded development, embryo-like skin, embryo-type back curvature, and so forth. The glands themselves, being physical organs, are also sometimes so suppressed in the reac-tive mind’s effort to approximate all conditions. The underdeveloped gonads, the sub-level thyroid, the wasted limb, all these things often come from sympathy pro-survival engrams. This is so observably the case that when an individual is being cleared, growth process begins to bring the body up to genetic blueprint even before the case is completed: the change which takes place in the physical being of the patient is sometimes so remarkable and so marked that 
it is far more startling than the mere disappearance of a catalogue of psycho-somatic ills such as coronary, ulcers, arthritis, allergies, and so on. It would be supposed that anything powerful enough to twist the physical blueprint and keep the body from developing or make it keep on growing where it should have stopped would resist any therapy. This is true only in a most limited sense. Once one is aware of what suppresses a case, one can go about vanquishing the suppressors because a pro-survival en-gram, unlike a contra-survival engram, has an Achilles heel. The most workable answer now known to dianetics lies in the principle of life force units and a technique for throwing them back into circulation. The pro-survival engram col-lects and holds such units, according to this theory, and collapses when its power to hold units is broken. Entering a case, then, where one has a chronic psycho-somatic illness (and what case doesn’t have, even though it is as slight as an occasional fit of sneezing or hiccoughs), the auditor first scouts it, going through a returning routine to find out how early he can get for material, how the state of the sonic recall is, how occluded is the youth of the person, and so forth. When he has made this survey, he begins to make his computation on the case: first, was the child happy with both father and mother, and if not, where was the child happiest (there will be where the allies live). Was either parent an unreasonably powerful factor in shaping the thinking powers of the child: here again may be an ally, even if a poor one. Did the patient have grandparents or other relatives; how did he feel toward them? All this data will be more or less occluded and warped by demon circuits and is about as reliable as the data this patient will inevitably try to get from „loopy“ parents or relatives, who not only do not know what happened to him but might be most anxious not to have anything discovered. What really did happen? Don’t let patients ask relatives or parents anything if you can help it, for these are restimulators in the extreme and never have any data you can use; the patient is just trying to use them as by-pass circuits to avoid the pain of recalling things him-self. When the case is finished he will no longer want to hound these people and if you want a check for research reasons, get one of the relatives and put him through therapy. The auditor now has some slight idea of who the allies may be. And here comes the Achilles heel of the ally computation: Any ally computation may have included the loss of the ally. And the loss of the ally may be the trigger which will start chain fission. For what we are going to try to do is blow off or discharge as many life force units as possible from the reactive engram bank and weaken it. Every charge we get from the bank will reinforce the ability of the patient to carry on in existence and will aid his analytical mind to get into the engram bank. Hence, discharg-ing these frozen units is a vital and important part of therapy and the condition of the case will improve in direct ratio to the number of these units so discharged. Consider these life units as free life energy: an engram capturing them can set itself up, for all intent, as a life force. It is then an entity and only then. The demon circuits, the valence walls (which compartment the analyzer, so to speak, and bring about multi-valence), the force and power of the engram itself are all dependent, according to theory and as observed in prac-tice, upon usurped life units. 
To free these units is the primary task of therapy: to relieve pain from the engrams is the secondary task; to make the patient comfortable during therapy does not even rank, though there is no need he should be uncomfortable. The dual character of therapy, then, is actually two sections of the same thing: relieving engrams. There is this dual nature in engrams, how-ever, that they have painful emotion (where that means usurped life force) and physical pain (where that means pain of injury, illness, etc.). To get as early as possible as fast as possible and find basic-basic is the direction and intent of therapy in its first stages: to accomplish this (when it cannot be done immediately merely by returning and finding basic-basic which can and always should be tried) one re-lieves the case and robs the engram bank by releasing life units (painful emotion captured them) from the ally computations. In brief, the entire intent and act of therapy is to find the earliest engram and erase it and then proceed to erase all other engrams as engrams so they can no longer be discovered (they refile in the standard bank but it takes a genius to find them there and a search of hours and hours: hence, to the auditor they can be said to have „erased“ for they are no longer en-grams and are now experience). The first, last and only job of the auditor is to find the earliest engrams available and erase them. That cannot be said too often or too strongly. The various ways to accomplish this are the techniques and arts of therapy. Anything which brings about this erasure of engrams in place and their refiling as experience is useful and legitimate whatever it includes. An engineer intends to remove a mountain which is in the way of a river: his intent and all his effort is directed toward moving that mountain; the ways and means employed by him to move that mountain, by steam shovel, hydraulic rams or dy-namite are the art and techniques applied to do the job. There are three degrees of knowledge in our task: (1) In dianetics we know the goal: we know the results which come about when that goal is attained; (2) We know the character of the obstructions between us and the goal but of the exact character of the obstruction we can never learn too much; (3) The art and technique of removing the obstruction between us and the goal are legitimate only by the test of whether or not they remove the obstruction. The method of attack on the problem can always be improved by learning more about the character of the factors in the problem, and by learning new arts and techniques which can be applied to the problem, and by studying to improve our skill in practicing existing arts and techniques. The currently existing art and technique is not to be considered optimum merely because it does the job. The time and ease of work could be shortened by new techniques or advancing skills for old techniques. All this is interjected so that dianetics, unlike Aristotelian logic and natural history, will be recognized as an advancing, changing science. It is interjected at this place because no auditor should just sit back with this routine and never try to improve the routine. Very well: this is the routine: it works but it can never be made to work too quickly or too well: (1) Place the patient in reverie and scout into the prenatal area to see if engrams are available for lifting without further work. If they are there and can be found, take the charge out of them and erase them if possible. Do not try to erase anything as remote from basic-
 basic as birth unless the file clerk insists on presenting birth. In other words, get the subject into the prenatal area and look for the earliest engrams. Do not ask for specific instances, par-ticularly for something like birth, just take whatever is presented. If you can’t get back early, take step two. (2) Scout the patient’s life, while he is in reverie (do this in any event sooner or later if the case slows down but only if it slows down to a point where early engrams are either not reducing or are without any emotion). Establish in this scout whomever may have been de-pended upon by the patient and be suspicious always that he has not told you the really impor-tant allies, but do not tell him you are suspicious. (3) Find out when the patient lost any ally through death or departure. Approach this moment and one way or another, by getting earlier material and this incident or getting just this incident, discharge the sorrow of loss out of the incidents. Treat any incident in which the ally departs or the patient is separated from the ally as an engram and erase it accordingly or run it until it has no „charge“ of sorrow on it. If the „charge“ holds, suspect an early moment of sorrow about this ally and find that and treat it as an engram. (4) First, last and always, the job is to get basic-basic and then ever afterwards the cur-rently existing earliest moment of pain or sorrow, and to erase every incident as it is advanced by the file clerk or found by repeater technique. (5) Any incident that hangs fire always has a similar incident earlier, and the patient should be taken earlier for the prior incident when an engram will not „reduce“ on recounting. (6) At any time the engrams start to become emotionless in tone, even though they re-duce, suspect another ally computation and, early or late in the patient’s life, get it and reduce it at least until the emotional discharge is gone. Do not get everything in a case restimulated by changing from an unreduced incident to something which looks more fruitful, but reduce everything in view before you go looking for a new sorrow charge. (7) It is better to reduce an emotionless early engram than it is to upset the case by hounding him for an ally computation when a cunning search fails to reveal none in sight. Erasing early emotionless engrams will eventually bring a new ally computation into sight if you occasionally look for it. (8) Consider that any hold-up on a case, any unwillingness to cooperate, stems from ally computation. (9) Treat all demon circuits as things held in place by life force units absorbed into the bank and address the problem of demon circuits by releasing charges of sorrow. (10) Consider that loss by death or departure of an ally is identical with a death of some part of the patient and that the reduction of a death or departure of an ally will restore that much life back to the patient. And remember that great sorrow charges are not always death or departure but merely may be a sudden reversal of stand by the ally. Always keep in mind that that person who most nearly identifies himself with the per-son of the patient, such as a sympathetic mother or father or grandparent or relative or friend, is considered by the reactive mind to be a part of the person himself and that anything happen-ing to this sympathetic character can be considered to have happened to the patient. In such a 
 case, where an ally has been found to have died of cancer, you may occasionally find the pa-tient to have a sore or scaly place where he supposed the ally’s cancer to have been. The reactive mind thinks in identities only. The sympathetic pro-survival engram iden-tifies the patient with another individual. The death or loss (by departure or denial) of the other individual is therefore a reactive mind conviction that the patient has suffered some por-tion of death. Emotional charges may be contained in any engram: the emotion communicates, in the same tone level, from the personnel around the „unconscious“ person into his reactive mind. Anger goes into an engram as anger, apathy as apathy, shame as shame. Whatever people have felt emotionally around an „unconscious“ person should be found in the engram which resulted from the incident. When the emotional tone of personnel in an engram is obviously angry or apathetic from the word content and yet the patient, recounting, does not feel it, there is something somewhere which has a valence wall between the patient and the emotional tone, and that valence wall is nearly always broken down by the discovery of an engram with a sor-row charge sometime earlier or later in a patient’s life. The only legitimate reason for entering later portions of a person’s life before the pre-natal area has been well exhausted is search for sorrow discharges occasioned by the death, loss or denial by an ally. And by „denial,“ we mean that the ally turned into an active enemy (real or imaginary) of the patient. The counterpart of the ally, the pseudo-ally, is a person whom the reactive mind has confused with the real ally. The death, loss or denial by a pseudo-ally can contain a sorrow charge. According to theory, the only thing which can lock up life units is this emotion of loss. If some method existed of doing nothing but freeing all life units, the physical pain could be neglected. A release is brought about, one way or another, by freeing as many life units as possi-ble from periods of loss with minimal address to actual engrams. The loss of an ally or pseudo-ally need contain no other physical pain or „uncon-sciousness“ than the loss itself occasions. This is serious enough. It makes an engram. Any person who is suddenly discovered to be occluded in a patient’s life can, with some reliability, be considered an ally or pseudo-ally. If, either while remembering or return-ing, large sections of a patient’s association with another person are missing, that person can be called an occluded person. It is a better guarantee of ally status if the occlusion surrounds the death of the person or a departure from or a denial by that person. It is possible for occlu-sion to take place, also, for punishment reasons; which is to say, the occluded person may also be an arch enemy: in such a case, however, any memory present will concern the death or defeat or illness of the occluded person. Occlusion of a person’s funeral in the memory of a patient would theoretically label that person an ally or pseudo-ally. Recollection of the funeral of a person but occlusion of pleasant association might tend to mean that the person was an enemy. Such rules are tentative. But it is certain that any occlusion means that a person had a vast and unrevealed significance in a patient’s life which should be explained. It may be remarked at this point that the recovery of the patient will depend in large measure on the life units freed from his reactive bank. This is a discharge of sorrow and may 
 be quite violent. The usual practice is to „forget“ such things and the „sooner forgotten, the sooner healed.“ Unfortunately this does not work: it would be a happy thing if it did. Any-thing forgotten is a festering sore when it has despair connected with it. The auditor will find that every time he locates that arch denyer, „forget it,“ he will get the engram it suppressed; when he can’t locate the engram and yet has found a somatic, a „forget it“ or „don’t think about it“ or „can’t remember it“ or „don’t remember it“ or some other denyer will be sitting there in the context of the engram. Forgetting is such unhealthy business that when a thing has been „put out of mind,“ it has been put straight into the reactive engram bank and in there it can absorb life units. This „loopy“ computation, that forgetting things makes them bearable, is incredible in view of the fact that the hypnotist, for instance, gets results with a positive sug-gestion when he puts one of these denyers on the end of it. That has been known now for a great many eons: it was one of the first things the author was taught when he studied Asiatic practices; from India it long ago filtered to Greece and Rome and it has come to us via Anton Mesmer: it is a fundamental principle in several mystic arts: its mechanics were known even to the Sioux medicine man. Yet people at large, hitherto unguided about it, and perhaps be-cause they lacked any real remedy, believed that the thing to do with sorrow was to „forget it.“ Even Hippocrates remarks that the whole of an operation is not finished until the patient has recounted the incident to all of his friends in turn, and while this is inadequate therapy, it has been, like the Confessional, a part of popular knowledge for lo, these many ages: yet peo-ple persist in suppressing sorrow. The auditor will many times in his activity be begged by a patient „not to talk to me about so-and-so’s death.“ If he is foolish enough to heed this tearful plea when the patient is in reverie, then the auditor is actively blocking a release. That is the first incident he should get! Perhaps it would be bad, without dianetic technique, to approach such things; but with our art it is easy not only to enter the actual moment of the incident but to then recount it until the tears and wailings are but echoes in the case book. Treating that loss like an engram, re-counting it until it is no longer painful emotionally, is to give back to the patient vitality he has not had since the incident took place. And if the incident does not ease on a dozen re-countings, slide back down its sorrow track, just as you would with any other engram, and find earlier and earlier moments. A patient starting to discharge sorrow at the age of fifty may find himself, two hours later, down in the basic area recounting the primary moment of sor-row, at the moment when the lost ally first became an ally. If the auditor can get the whole chain on any one ally, exhausting sorrow from it from later to earlier, taking all the sorrow he can get from every incident and stripping the entire series of engrams of their charge, he may, in a few hours work, rid the case of enough emotional charge to then begin an orderly erasure. Please observe this difference: the Achilles heel of the ally computation can be con-sidered late on the chain of incidents which concern that ally, which is to say that we have a funnel here, upright in time, which can be entered late and followed early: the Achilles heel of the contra-survival engram chain is in the earliest incidents, exactly the reverse of the emo-tionally painful engrams. To regain out of the engram bank life units so that enough free emotion is available to release or clear a case, start with late ally or pseudo ally losses and work back earlier. 
To release the physical pain of the individual from the engram bank, start early (as close to conception as you can get) and work through to late. Physical pain in the contra-survival chain can suppress painful emotion in the pro-survival chain. Painful emotion in the pro-survival chain can suppress physical pain in the contra-survival engrams. If you were to draw a picture of the prenatal area of the reactive engram bank, it would appear somewhat as follows: a long line drawn horizontally, representing time, would have dark blots on it representing engrams; one end of the line would represent conception, the other end birth: above this line would lie a dark area, like a heavy mist, extending from one end of the line to the other and dropping down almost to it: above this dark mist would lie another horizontal line, the apparent time track along which the patient returns. The first long line is the actual time track; the mist is painful emotion; the uppermost dark line is what the patient mistakes and uses for his time track. The painful emotion is, of course, occasionally tapped in the prenatal area itself, and the opportunity of dispersing it by so discovering prenatal emotional charges should never be overlooked by the auditor: indeed, once much of the later life painful emotion is discharged, a great deal of painful emotion can be found amongst the early engrams. The better part of this mist, and the first part the auditor often contacts, is in late life: although it originates, as charge, in late life, it can be said to lie on this prenatal area.  Moments of loss, the loss by death or departure of any of the patient’s allies, and the loss of an ally because he turns against the patient, trap these emotional charges and intervene them between the patient and actuality. Although the moment of loss was post-birth, in in-fanthood, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, it was retroactive in suppressing early engrams. This aspect of painful emotion is a key-in of the early incidents by the moment of loss. In other words, a moment of great loss suppresses the individual on the tone scale to a point where he approximates the level of early engrams and these, keyed-in, hold the units of charge thereafter. Life units so seized are held and are the life of engrams. As in electricity, a positive charge glances away from a positive charge: like charges repel each other. The analyzer, op-erating, it can be said for analogy, on the same kind of charge as that contained in the engram, glances away from the engram, which remains thereby unknown and intact. As the individual returns into the area of the early engrams – which are held keyed-in by virtue of the seized charges from late incidents – he can quite comfortably pass by enor-mous quantities of aberrative material without even suspecting it is present. However, when the late moments of painful emotion are released, the auditor can go immediately into the early area and find engrams of physical pain which he had not hitherto been able to uncover. Actually the late moments and the early moments are both engrams: the news or ob-servation of loss shuts down the analyzer and everything which then enters it is engramic and is filed in the reactive mind. Because of sight and a memory of activity which is connected to the present, all of which serves to keep an individual oriented, a person can often recall the moment of loss, whereas he cannot recall prenatal material, for he lacked in that area any connection with orienting factors which would impinge themselves on the analyzer. While the 
 prenatal infant definitely, especially in the late stages, has an analyzer, experience and mem-ory are not coordinated and the existence of engrams is not then suspected by the analytical mind. This is not true of the later periods of life, particularly those after speech has been learned and is being used. The fact of the matter is that this later-life ability to recall surround-ing circumstances without feeling any extremity of pain also serves to hide here the existence of an actual engram: a person feels that he knows all about such a moment of loss analytically: actually he has no contact with the engram itself, which contains a moment of „unconscious-ness“ of a lesser depth than that, for instance, of the anesthetic variety. Childhood losses of allies, however, can be so entirely occluded that the allies themselves are not remembered. The auditor will find very late engrams easy to contact. And he will also discover something else. The patient may not be, as he is returning to such a moment of loss, occupy-ing his own body. This „phenomenon“ has been known for several thousand years and even the latest mention of it merely said that it was „interesting“ without making any further effort to find out why a person, returned to an area in hypnotic regression, sometimes could be found within himself (which is to say, seeing things as though he were himself) and some-times saw things there and himself included as part of the scenery (as though he had a de-tached view). Because we have discovered that a natural function of the mind is to return in an awake state to past incidents does not alter the fact that we encounter aspects hitherto known as mysterious „phenomena“ of drug dreams and hypnotism. We are not by any means practicing hypnotism; so this means that hypnotism and dianetics use similar abilities of the mind – it does not mean that such abilities belong in the field of hypnotism. And one of the various aspects of the return is that it occasionally – or, in some patients, continually – en-counters areas where the patient is „outside“ his body. These exteriorized views of self have two explanations. One of them is valence, whereby the patient has taken unto himself the identity of another person and sees the scene through that other person’s eyes; the other is exteriorization, in which painful emotion is present in such quantity that the patient cannot occupy himself. That painful emotion may stern from past or future incidents to the moment when the patient is witnessing a scene to which he has been dianetically returned. On several recountings of the scene, the patient will come nearer and nearer to an occupation of his body until at last he sees the scene from within his body. At times no emotional discharge (tears, etc.) takes place until the patient has gone over the incident several times and until he is within his own body. It is as though, returned, he had to scout the ground to find out if it was safe to occupy himself. If, after a few recountings, no discharge such as tears takes place, then the emotion is suspended elsewhere, earlier or later but usually much later. Exteriorization because of emotion is the same as exteriorization because of physical pain to all intents and purposes of the auditor. When he encounters a case which, all the way up and down the track, is continually exterior, he should address his skill to the release of moments of painful emo-tion. All patients seem to have the idea that time heals and that some incident of ten or twenty years ago no longer has any effect upon them. Time is a Great Charlatan, not a great healer, as has been remarked. Time by the processes of growth and decay alters, and envi-ronment introduces new faces and activities and thus alters the restimulators: a moment of painful emotion in the past has, like any other engram, its own restimulators and is, in addi-tion, holding keyed-in all the early engrams which relate to it so that their restimulators also 
work: every restimulator has a set of restimulators which are associated to it by the analytical mind, which cannot see the real restimulator. All this makes a complex pattern but complex in therapy only if one does not know the source of aberration. If the auditor returns the patient to any moment of painful emotion in the past and runs it as an engram, he will discover that all its original charge is present and will discharge. He will usually find the patient shying away from any thought of going into the actual engram: the pre-clear may attempt to detail all manner of bric-a-brac, his own thoughts, the reasons why it no longer is painful to him, and so forth. These thoughts and data before the fact or after it are about as much use in running an engram as a dissertation about „childhood illusions“ was to the problem of removing aberrations from the human mind. The auditor who will listen to these „reasons“ and „I remembers“ in lieu of running the engram itself will not get his patient well and will waste valuable hours of therapy. An auditor who will do this be-longs to the hand-patting school of thought which believes sympathy has value. He does not belong in an auditor’s chair. It is wasted time, wasted valuable time, to listen to anything the patient thought or said or did or believed when the patient should be going into the engram and running it as an engram. Certainly there is a necessity to find out, from the patient’s talk, where that engram is, but once it is located, all else is dross. Take a moment when a child is notified of his parents’ deaths. The auditor learns that the parents died when the child was two years of age. He can then deduce, without further trouble or questions, that somebody must have told his patient about the death of the parents, that there was a precise moment when the patient, then an infant, learned about that death. Recounting the matter in present time – without being returned, the patient is using all the intervening years as buffers against the painful emotion. The auditor returns the patient, with-out further preamble than the usual routine of putting the patient into reverie, to the moment when the patient learned of the death of the parents. The patient may do a little fumbling to orient himself in the past, but shortly he will have a contact with the instant somebody in-formed him. Be assured, if that child loved his parents at all, that an engram exists here. The engram starts at the first moment the child is informed, when the analyzer can be expected to have shut down. The end of the engram is a moment, an hour, a day or even a week later when the analyzer again turned on. Between the first moment of analytical attenuation and a regain of analytical power is the engram. The first minutes of it are the most severe. Running an hour of it (an hour of incident, not of therapy) should be more than ample. Most auditors run only the first few minutes several times to get a test of whether or not there is going to be any emotional discharge. Run such a period of loss which must contain painful emotion ex-actly as you would run a period of physical pain and „unconsciousness“ with another source. For the period of painful emotion is an „unconscious“ period just as certainly as if the patient had been struck with a club. If the emotion in this period can be contacted with four or five recountings (each time starting at the beginning, making sure the patient is returned and in contact with all perceptics of the incident, and running it for what it is, an engram) then the engram should be recounted until the emotion in it is gone, until the patient is bored with it or even cheerful about it. If, after four or five recountings the patient is still well exteriorized, still has not contacted any emotion, then the charge is suspended elsewhere, either earlier or later, and tries should be made in terms of other losses, no matter how many years from the unyielding incident, to get a discharge. After a discharge is blown off elsewhere the incident 
 first addressed, as in the case of the two-year-old who lost his parents, may discharge. It is certain that sooner or later such an incident will discharge and it is also certain that the case will not make much progress in getting any bulk of physically painful engrams until such a severe incident is well discharged. Discharges are contacted, often, in very unlikely places. Somewhere they contact the surface enough so that a touch by the returned patient will permit the units to free, permit en-grams to key-out and come into view on the time track in their proper places. The engram bank becomes severely distorted by painful emotion and the areas of pain-ful emotion become severely distorted by physical pain elsewhere. The filing system of the reactive mind is bad. The file clerk is able to recover and deliver to the auditor only so many painful emotion engrams or physical pain engrams at a time. They may be disordered in their positions on the track, which is to say, the auditor may contact an early physically painful engram (always his most important job) then contact one in mid-prenatal, then one post-birth, and thereafter no other engrams of the physical pain variety seem to be present (engrams of the physical variety which contain knock-outs by accidents, illnesses, surgery or injury). This does not mean that the case is stalemated or that the patient is cleared. It more likely means that there are incidents of the other engram variety (painful emotion, stemming from loss by death, departure or reversal of allies) which can now be contacted. The auditor then looks for and exhausts the emotional discharge from the loss engrams, usually later in life. These, with the units freed back in circulation, allow earlier physical pain engrams to appear and the audi-tor reduces each one of these he can contact. As soon as he can no longer find physically pain-ful engrams, he goes back to a search for painful emotion engrams and so forth alternately as necessary. The mind, being a self-protecting mechanism, will sooner or later block the patient from physical pain engrams if painful emotion engrams are ready; and it will block him from painful emotion engrams as soon as physical pain engrams are ready. Start late to get painful emotion and work back early. Start early to get physical pain engrams and work toward late. And whenever any engram is contacted, run it until it is no longer troublesome in any way to the patient or is entirely gone (refiled, but gone for all the auditor and patient will be able to tell at the moment). If an incident, after many recountings, shows no signs of lightening (somatic decreasing or emotion either not expressed or not de-creasing), only then should the auditor seek another incident. In a painful emotion engram the charge is often later, in a physical pain engram the suspension is invariably caused by the ex-istence of the same phrase in an earlier physical pain engram which can be contacted, and in such case the auditor should go back over the phrases which brought him to the somatic until he finds a contact and a lift of the engram. It should be extremely clear by this time that rationalization31 about action or conduct or conditions does not advance therapy and is of no use beyond occasional aid in locating en-grams. It should be equally clear that no amount of explanation or hand-patting or evaluation by the auditor is going to advance the erasure of the engrams themselves. It should be plain that what a person thought at the time of the incident was not aberrative. It should be clear                                                 
 that painful emotion puts the compartments and demon-circuits into the mind and that the physical engrams hold the aberration and physical pain in the body. This entire operation is mechanical. It has nothing to do with justified thought or shame or reasons. It has only to do with exhausting the engram bank. When the bulk of pain-ful emotion is gone, the person is released; when the engram bank is exhausted of content, the person is cleared. The mind is like a fine piece of equipment: as itself and as a mechanism it is almost impossible to destroy except by removing some of its parts: engrams do not remove parts of the mind, they add unnecessary things to it. Envision a beautiful, stream-lined machine, oper-ating perfectly – that would be the mind without the additions of pain and painful emotion. Now envision this beautiful machine in the hands of a crew of moronic mechanics: they start to work around it and do not know that what they do affects the machine at all. Now they see that something is wrong with the machine and are all unwitting that they have placed various assorted monkey-wrenches, hatpins, old cigar butts and yesterday’s garbage into it and around it. Their first thought is to put something new on or in the machine to correct its operation and they add arbitrary gadgets to it in order to patch up the machine’s operation. Some of these gadgets appear to help the machine (sympathy engrams) and can be used, in the presence of the remaining bric-a-brac, by the machine itself to help its stability. The morons interrupt the fuel supply (painful emotional engrams) or, like the Japanese captain who beat the car with a switch when it would not go, try to goad the machine (punishment drive) and so add more trouble. At last this machine appears to be a hopeless wreck, being almost hidden beneath everything added to it and thrust into it, and the moron mechanics shake their heads and say, „Let’s put something else on it or it will stop!“ They do and the machine appears to stop (goes insane). In dianetics, a workmanlike job of clearing away the debris in and around the machine is performed. It is not done by adding any more debris. The moron mechanics (the content of the reactive mind) seem dismayed at this action, but the machine itself, suddenly aware that something is being done for it which will actually bring it into good running operation again, begins to help. The more debris which is cleared, the better it runs and the less force the mo-ron mechanics have. The course of improvement should be and is rapid. We can stop when the machine is running at least as well as the „normal“ machine (a release) or we can stop when we have all the debris out of the machine (a clear). When we have effected a clear, we behold something which has never been beheld before because it never before existed in a debris-free state: a perfect machine, stream-lined, powerful, shining, able to adjust and care for all its own operations without further therapeutic assistance of any kind.  

CHAPTER VIII SOME TYPES OF ENGRAMS Two examples of each kind of engram are given, so that the auditor can clearly under-stand their differences: Contra-Survival Engram This is any kind of engram which lies across the dynamics and has no alignment with purpose: Fight between mother and father shortly after conception. Father strikes mother in stomach. She screams (first percepts are pain, pressure, sound of blow and scream) and he says, „God damn you, I hate you! You are no good. I’m going to kill you!“ Mother says, „Please don’t hit me again. Please don’t. I’m hurt. I’m hurt. I’m frantic with pain!“ Father says, „Lie there and rot, damn you! Good-bye!“ In this engram we have a severe aberrative situation, first, because it is early; second, because its content says the person who has it is hurt and frantic; third, because it has a holder and is therefore apt to become chronic („Lie there“); fourth, because it can produce disease („and rot“); fifth, because it has religious connotation about God and being damned; sixth, because it gives the individual a feeling other people are no good („you“ applies to other peo-ple, ordinarily); seventh, because it has an emotional tone, by content, of hostility („I hate you“) and eighth, because the individual, post-birth, has to live with these restimulative per-sons, his father and mother. It has other additional effects, giving, like all engrams, two addi-tional and unnecessary valences to the individual, one of which, the mother’s, is a coward valence and the other, the father’s, a bully valence. The individual may dramatize this in sev-eral ways: if he does not dramatize it, he feels the pain (as he would then be in his own va-lence) whenever it is restimulated; if he dramatizes the mother, he will feel the pain she re-ceived, which is a blow in the stomach (whereas his own was on his head and heart); if he dramatizes the father, he will be in trouble with society, to say nothing of his own wife and children. There is no winning with any engram of any kind but so long as a person has en-grams, some kinds, the sympathy engram particularly, serve to hold away antagonistic en-grams. The second contra-survival example is a morning sickness engram where the mother is vomiting so violently that the compression on the child is severe and renders it „uncon-scious.“ The mother is vomiting and gasping and saying to herself between spasms, „Oh, why was I ever born! I knew I shouldn’t have let him come in me. I knew it, I knew it. It was wrong but he had to do it anyway. Ugh, how nasty. Sex is nasty. It’s horrible. I hate sex. I hate men. I hate them. Oh, ugh, it won’t come up, it won’t come up. I am so sick at my stom-ach and it won’t come up.“ In this engram we have something a woman might dramatize if she were pregnant but which a man could never dramatize as pregnancy but only by being sick at his stomach. Much morning sickness seems to be an aberration stemming from engrams: somewhere back in time some mother may have vomited from food poisoning and started the whole thing – perhaps in 
the days when Man was still in trees. Now note that the mother is throwing up, that the con-tent of her stomach is being regurgitated: the engram, however, says that it won’t come up: when this is dramatized with the individual in his own valence, he experiences pressure on him and „unconsciousness“ and thus such a dramatization is impossible; when this is drama-tized it must be dramatized as the mother but the action is not dramatized so much as the command and we get a condition where the individual with such an engram, when he is sick, cannot vomit. The command of the engram is more important than the action people take in it. On a reactive level there is no rationality. If this were on a conscious level, where it would not be aberrative, of course, the action could be mimicked and then would contain actual vomit-ing, the action on the conscious level being more important than the word content. In therapy, when we encounter this engram, we may have difficulty entering it because it says that „I shouldn’t have let him come in me,“ which is a denyer. We also find, with the „It won’t come up,“ a holder. The engram will most certainly lift the moment these words and the somatic lift, and these words could not interrupt the engram. If the engram does not lift, it is because there is a previous engram with much the same content (the aberree has a pattern of dramatization which he repeats over and over and over, giving people around him many inci-dents which are more or less alike except in their point in time). This could be restimulated in the environment (but not in therapy) to a point where it would cause madness, for „it“ may also refer to the child, who identifying himself with the word „it,“ then cannot rise to present time. In therapy the engram is somewhat drained of power just by being touched with the re-turned analytical mind; further, the auditor discovers the patient is not moving on the track and a scout of the situation soon discovers the holder, for the patient will sooner or later say he „can’t come up“ even if the auditor has not guessed it. In the aberrative sphere, this engram would probably put a heavy block across the sec-ond dynamic and we would find the person in whose reactive mind it was being frigid, prud-ish and sharp with children (all of which go together in various combinations). Further, we would find an apprehension that „he“ was going to have to do something when he found out it was wrong. In the psycho-somatic sphere it might cause headaches during or because of coi-tus or a tendency to nausea whenever coitus was performed. Any of the phrases of this en-gram, like any other phrases in any other engram, would tend to give him both the somatic and the aberration, providing, of course, the individual was in a state of low analytical power as found in weariness or slight illness. Thus, this one is waiting until somebody says during a future „unconsciousness“ period, preferably in a voice like the mother’s would sound through the walls of the abdomen and womb, „Ugh, how nasty!“ or some other phrase to key it in. „Nastier,“ by the way, would not key it in: „ugly“ despite a similar syllable to „Ugh“ would not key it in. The sound of vomiting itself probably would key it in. Pro-Survival Engram This could be any engram which, by content only, not by any real aid to the individual containing it, pretended to assist survival. Let us take a coitus engram: mother and father are engaged in intercourse which, by pressure, is painful to the unborn child and which renders him „unconscious“ (common occurrence, like morning sickness, usually present in any en-gram bank). Mother is saying, „Oh, I can’t live without it. It’s wonderful. It’s wonderful. Oh, 
how nice. Oh, do it again!“ and father is saying, „Come! Come! Oh, you’re so good. You’re so wonderful! Ahhh!“ Mother’s orgasm puts the finishing touch on the „unconsciousness“ in the child. Mother says, „It’s beautiful.“ Father, finished now, says, „Get up,“ meaning she should take a douche (they do not know she is pregnant) and then begins to snore. Obviously this is a valuable incident because one „cannot live without it.“ Further-more, „it’s beautiful,“ also, „it’s wonderful.“ But it is also extremely painful. It cannot be fol-lowed because it has first something which beckons part of the mind back, „Come!“ and then, later, tells it to „Get up.“ Things that are „beautiful“ and „wonderful“ can cause our patient, not in therapy, to have an orgasm when she looks at beautiful and wonderful things, providing they have been so labeled. Dramatization of this can be in either the father valence or the mother valence: to dramatize it in the personal valence would mean physical pain. Thus, the individual holding this, will be found, varied only by his other coitus engrams, to be, as father, disgusted after the act and telling his partner to „Get up.“ The emotion is contained in how the words, „Get up,“ were spoken: this is a telegraphed emotion out of voice tones, not word content: engrams always contain both. In therapy, we find the reactive mind very chary of letting this one come to view be-cause, after all, one „cannot live without it.“ There are whole classes of these favorable evaluation phrases in engrams and wherever he comes upon one the auditor will find the pre-clear’s reactive mind holding out on him. „I don’t want to lose you,“ „Hold on to this,“ „I can’t let go of this, I’d fall,“ and so forth. But this is, after all, just another engram and „pleas-ant“ or not is aberrative. Masochistic and sadistic impulses often stem from coital engrams which contain those specific things, so the auditor is not to infer that merely because this coitus is painful to the child, it will make the child a masochist or a sadist. If masochism or sadism is present in the patient it is caused by engrams which contain rapes, beating for sexual gratification, enjoy-ment of pain, etc., and engrams which homonymically seem to state that sex and pain are alike such as a „normal“ coitus which says, „It hurts so good! Hurt me again, Bill. Hurt me again! Oh, shove it in me, way up! Make it hurt so I can come.“ Dramatized by a boy, this might very well bring about sodomy because the engram is not an observed action but a series of commands, literally taken.  Thus our pro-survival coitus engram, as the first example of one here, is relatively in-nocent in a person’s aberrative pattern. But by an accident of words, it could be very different in its aberrative effect. The second pro-survival example concerns another prenatal engram. (One auditor commented, while he was being cleared, that he „had thought of my life B.D. – before dianet-ics – as a graph of years, in which the time from conception to birth occupied one-fiftieth of the linear distance between conception and present time, but now think of the prenatal period as occupying two-thirds of the distance between the beginning and now.“ The prenatal area, cleared, at last went back to being one-fiftieth.) The mother, subject to high blood pressure, continually brought about a condition of great pain in the unborn infant, particularly when she was agitated. (This is a prime source of 
 migraine headache.) Whatever it was which agitated her into high blood pressure at the mo-ment this engram was received was unknown – and much of the „plot“ of prenatal life may remain unknown for the explanatory data may come before the pain and the engram and a complete recording only happens after the instant of pain when some degree of „unconscious-ness“ comes about. The mother, at the beginning of the engram, when pressure began to build up and stiffen out the unborn child, was weeping. She was by herself. „Oh, how am I ever going to get out of it. Everything looks so drab and colorless to me. Oh, why did I ever start it; I can’t possibly go through with it. But I have to, I have to. I would be sick if I didn’t. Oh, Lord, everything comes in on me at once. I am utterly trapped. But there, I will go through with it, I’ll feel better. I’ll be brave and do it. I’ve got to be brave. I am brave. I am the bravest person in the world. I have to be and I am.“ The pressure receded. Exactly what this was about will remain a mystery to the auditor who reduced it, the patient who had it, the auditor and the reader: such is often the case with an engram. They are conceived in misunderstanding and they aren’t to be understood, save mechanically, and only deleted from the engram bank. This is a particularly dangerous engram to have for it contains a manic in the words, „bravest person in the world.“ „I,“ of course, is ordinarily used by the unborn child to be him-self, when the engram is at last able to affect an analyzer in which there is speech. Before that moment, of course, there is just a recording without word meaning, although even before the words are given meaning, the engram can be aberrative. This is further dangerous because it says, „I’m trapped,“ and because it says, „Everything comes in on me at once.“ „Trapped“ is our enemy, the holder. But „everything comes in on me at once“ is a grouper. Further, the remainder of the content, as an engram, will not compute in the analyzer. It says one „must go through with it,“ but that one „cannot go through with it,“ that one „would get sick if I didn’t go through with it“ but that „it is impossible.“ Everything being equal to everything, as our moronic enemy, the reactive mind computes, this engram both repels and attracts therapy: it brings about a condition of indecision in the analytical mind which is insufferable. The individual holding this engram might find himself – as it acted as aberration – first in the manic portion of being the bravest person in the world and then, regressed a trifle by a slight change of restimulators such as his migraine headache getting bad, find himself utterly undecided about any course of action and with the telegraphed emotion, contained in the tears, of being very depressed. But this is pro-survival because it apparently dictates a way out of a situation. As an additional factor, it brings, with its phrase about „everything being drab and colorless“ color blindness at least in recall so that the recalled images of the past are „seen“ in the mind as having no color. It can bring about, if added to by enough subsequent dramatiza-tions, actual perceptic color blindness. The whole engram is very likely, when combined with other factors, to place the individual in an institution with all of his somatic turned on (mi-graine) and, because of the grouper, all other pain he felt in his life turned on as well. This grouper bunches the track of the engram bank all into one place and then puts the individual squarely in that place. In therapy, when this was contacted, a case which had been classified as „in-sane“ came into a release state of „normal.“ The patient had been institutionalized, was in the foetal position and had regressed physically. That she kept screaming these exact words and 
weeping had been placed on her record as the manifestation of a childhood delusion. The case was opened by repeater technique, using the words she kept screaming, after she had had her attention fixed upon the auditor by loud, monotonous noise. There were some former inci-dents containing these words which had to be reached before the incident in dramatization would ease. However, engrams like this are commonly contacted in more or less „nor-mal“ people and are relieved as routine. A very high degree of restimulation had been experi-enced by this patient and several severe „loss“ engrams had occurred which had kept earlier content keyed-in. It might also be remarked in re all these „trapped,“ „caught,“ „can’t get out of it“ cases (which is to say where there are several holders and also a high quantity of painful emotion) that certain foetal aspects are visible even when the case is „normal.“ A shiny skin, a spinal curvature, only partial development of the gonads, all are common and one or many such signs may be present. Sympathy Engram The first example is an illness suffered by a patient when he was a small boy. At two years and a half he was taken ill with pneumonia. He had a considerable background of at-tempted abortion and the usual engram cargo received from aberrated parents. He was ex-tremely worried about the quarrels and upsets od his own home; numbers of his engrams had been keyed-in and amongst them was his pneumonia. His grandmother came and took him to her home because, whenever he was ill, his mother would go away and leave him. The inci-dent was extremely occluded and was only reached after several late life painful emotion en-grams had been discharged and after almost a hundred prenatal physical pain engrams had been released. The grandmother, when he was crying in delirium, mistook his activity as demonstrating that he was „conscious,“ which he was not, and she sought to reason with him. She said, „Those people don’t really mean to be so bad to you, honey. I know they have good hearts really. You just do what they say and believe what they tell you and you’ll be all right. Now promise you’ll do that, won’t you, honey.“ The child, in the last depths of reaction, re-sponded and promised her he would believe them and do what they said. „I love you very much,“ the grandmother continued, „and I will take care of you. Now don’t worry, honey. Forget it now. Just get a little rest.“ The phrases contained in this engram, because they were on a trance level and because they could be held in place by his fever and pain, produced a very profound effect on the child. He had to believe whatever was said. This means literal belief and cost him, for one thing, much of his sense of humor. Because he wanted to be all right, he had to believe what his par-ents said; the things they had said, prenatally, contained every kind of a bad datum possible about who was the boss and how much fun it was to beat the mother and so forth. All this, then, was made into „true data“ which, because his sympathy engram said so, he had to be-lieve. No more horrible curse could ever be laid on anyone than those in sympathy engrams which say „Believe what is said,“ „Believe what is read,“ „Believe people,“ because that en-gram means literally that the poor old analyzer will now never be able to evaluate its own data unless, by utter rebellion, the individual negates against the whole world, which can occasion-ally be done. Let this individual, however, as this one did, marry a woman who has character-
istics similar to his grandmother’s (a pseudo-grandmother) and he becomes prey to: (a) the pain and illness, chronic, which he experienced in his grandmother sympathy engrams (neces-sary to get and keep her sympathy); and (b) all his prenatals, since the pseudo-grandmother throws him into his own valence: This makes him quarrel, which makes his wife fight back, and suddenly this woman is not pseudo-grandmother but pseudo-mother. Exit sanity. In therapy, when we encounter this sympathy engram at last, it is discovered to have been buried in two ways: (a) it was aligned with purpose; and (b) it had a forgetter mechanism on it. Because of (a) the self-protection of the mind permitted it to give up the engram only when enough tension was taken off the case to permit the mind to get along without this en-gram. In (b) we have a device which is common in engrams. Whenever we try to run an en-gram which has somatics enough even to make the pre-clear roll around on the couch but which contains no word content, we suspect a forgetter mechanism. There are evidently peo-ple in this world who think that the panacea for all mental discomfort is to forget: „Put it out of my mind,“ „If I remembered it I would go mad,“ „Junior, you never remember a thing I tell you,“ „Nobody can remember anything,“ „Can’t remember,“ and just plain „I don’t know,“ as well as the master of the family of phrases, „Forget it!“ all bar information from the analyzer. A whole case, freshly opened, may keep answering everything with one of these denyers (there are many other kinds of denyers, if you recall). Repeater technique will eventually be-gin to release the phrase from various engrams and begin to show up incidents. To have a grandmother who says, „Forget it“ continually every time a child gets hurt is to be cursed be-yond Macbeth. A forgetter, used by an ally, all by itself and with practically no pain or emo-tion present will submerge data which, in recall, would not be aberrative but which, so bur-ied – by a forgetter – makes things said just before it aberrative and literal. Hence this engram remained utterly out of sight until the case was almost finished and as soon as it was contacted, the already de-intensified reactive bank collapsed and the patient was cleared. The second example of the sympathy engram concerns a childhood experience of a pa-tient who, at the beginning of therapy, was a remarkably confused individual. Here is an ex-ample of sympathy engram which is not uncommon. (It will not be primary in any ally com-putation but because it is often repeated in the same case, becomes aberrative.) This incident occurred when the child had been badly hurt in an accident. He had received a fractured skull and concussion and was for many days in a coma. He had never learned that such an incident happened to him although examination afterwards disclosed evidence of the fracture and dis-closed also that while he had known there was a ridge in his skull he had never wondered about it for an instant. His father and mother were, at the time, on the verge of divorce and, in the presence of the only partly conscious child, quarreled several times in these few days, evi-dently upset by his accident and recriminative as to whose fault it was. The first part of the series of engrams within this one large engram are unimportant as an example save that they brought about a condition where the mother put herself forward as a defender of the child who was not under attack by the father. The mother’s conversation aberratively indictated that the father was attacking the child, and the words in an engram rather than the action are important 
as aberrative factors. Finally the father left the house and home. The mother sat down by the boy’s trundle bed and, weeping, told him she would keep him from dying, that she would „work and slave and wear her fingers to the bone“ to keep him alive and „I am the only reason you are alive. I have defended you against that beast and monster. If it were not for me, you would have died long ago and I am going to care for you and protect you. So don’t pay any attention to anything people tell you. I am a good mother. I have always been a good mother. Don’t listen to them. Please, baby, stay here and get well, please!“ This remarkable piece of nonsense came, of course, straight out of her reactive mind. She did not feel guilty about the way she was taking care of the baby, though she had done her cyclic worst for this child since conception. (There is no such thing as guilt nor a guilt complex that is not straight out of an engram that says, „I am guilty“ or some such similar phrase.) Here is ambivalence at work. By ambivalent is meant power on two sides. It had better be called multivalence, for it is demonstrable that people have many valences, twenty or thirty not being unusual for a „normal.“ This mother, with her wild pleas and her mawkish senti-mentality, shifted around in valences like a whirling dervish. She was capable of being vi-ciously cruel, torturing her child with, as the Navy calls them, „capricious and unusual pun-ishments“: yet one of these valences which, unfortunately for the patient, only turned on when he was ill, was one of savage protection for the child and assurances to him that she loved him and would never leave him to starve, etc. She formed, in this child, because of her own reac-tive pattern and her inabilities, close to a thousand engrams before he was ten. This particular specimen given was fairly standard. The aberrative aspect of this engram was a „conviction“ that if one’s mother were not around and if one were not on good terms with her, one would starve, die or suffer generally. Also it meant, because of the time it was given, having a bad headache if one wanted to live. The whole series of these engrams made a highly complex pattern of psycho-somatic ills in-cluding sinusitis, a chronic rash, allergies and numerous other actual physical ills, despite the fact that the patient had always tried to be as forthright in his physical being as possible and was not in any way a hypochondriac. In therapy the entire chain of fights in this area, much of the prenatal area and most late life painful emotion engrams were relieved before this sympathy engram displayed itself. As a note on the subject of sympathy engrams, these are in nowise exclusively found in childhood: they exist prenatally and postnatally – and sometimes late in life. Any persons who defend the child against further abortion attempts become part of the sympathy engram chains and, of course, they are allies whose loss is something to be dreaded. Late sympathy engrams have been discovered at fifty years of age. One, discovered at thirty, consisted of a nymphomaniac nurse who, during the period when the patient was still under ether and still in pain, talked to him obscenely, played with his genitals and still managed, by the content of her remarks, to plant a sympathy engram which produced a very serious psychic condition in the patient. (It is in nowise true that many cases of sexual play exist while the patient is under anesthetic or drugged but because this is a standard psychotic reaction of delusion is no reason to rule that the incident cannot occasionally happen.) 
The sympathy engram only has to sound like a sympathy engram to become one: there is no evaluation of actual intent by the reactive mind.  Painful Emotion Engram Three of these are given to illustrate a type of each. They can happen at any period, in-cluding prenatally, but are most easily tapped in more recent life, when they will then lead back to early incidents of physical pain, sympathy engrams and the like. The first example is a case of loss by death of an ally. A girl, at the age of eighteen, was given a painful emotion engram by being told by her parents that her aunt was dead. The aunt was a prime ally. The patient, treated at the age of thirty-one, recalled the death of her aunt but attributed her sorrow to other things such as a restimulation of what she called her own „death instinct“ (which was, in reality, engramic chatter by mother about wanting to die and get it all over with). Actually the aunt had been a large factor in dissuading the mother from „getting rid of“ the child and had made the mother promise that she would not. The aunt had also tended the child, postna-tally, through illnesses and was, in fact, the only refuge for the girl when a termagant mother and a religiously bigoted father would converge on her, for neither had wanted her and there had been a number of efforts to terminate the pregnancy pre-term. Her father communicated the information to the girl with a sonorous voice and appro-priately long face. „I want you to be very respectful at the funeral, Agatha.“ („What funeral?“) „Your aunt just passed to the great beyond.“ („She’s dead?“) „Yes, death must come to us all and we must all be prepared some day to meet the fate which waits for us at the end of the road. For it is a long path, life, and God and flaming hell wait at its other end and someday we all must die. Be sure you are very respectful at the funeral.“ She had begun to pale at the word „funeral,“ she was to all purposes „unconscious“ when she heard the first mention of „death“ and she remained „unconscious,“ if moving about, for two whole days. The case had been very slow until this engram was discovered and run. An enormous discharge of grief took place, which had never before manifested itself. It was reduced to boredom in eight re-countings, at which the first moment of the aunt’s intervention in the abortion attempts was automatically contacted and released. Thereafter the case made progress in the prenatal area, prohibition against „getting rid of it“ having been removed and (according to theory, free units being available), the charge had come off the prenatal area. There were five other allies in this case, the girl, with parents who had been so wicked to her, having attached herself to anyone who would show her interest and refuge. As lower physical pain came into view, more allies showed up and more painful emotion engrams were discharged, permitting new physi-cally painful engrams to display themselves. The next example is an engram from a patient who had all his life been reared and cared for by „moneyed parents.“ He had a very severe prenatal area which yet would not lift to view. It was discovered at length that his nurses had been his only source of love and affec-tion and that his mother, being a woman who liked to unsettle the household as often as pos-sible, would discharge a nurse every time she found the child had grown fond of her, even though the mother herself made it plain that she considered the child „nasty.“ The engram: the boy sees his nurse coming out of the house with her suitcase in her hand: he stops playing in the yard and runs to her to „scare her“: she is quite angry from the scene she has just had – an 
Irish girl – and yet she smooths her face and kneels down beside him. „I am leaving, Buddy. I can’t stay here any more. No, I can’t be your nurse now. But there, there, you’ll have another one. Don’t cry. It’s not good for little boys to cry. Good-bye, Buddy. I love you.“ And she goes off out of sight. He was stunned from the first instant she said she was leaving. The prohibition against crying was from an ally: whatever an ally says must be good and must be believed because allies are survival and one must survive: allies therefore must be believed. He had not cried except on rare occasions of enormous sorrow in all the years thereafter. Eight of these depar-tures were touched without result but with this one, they all loosened and discharged, one af-ter the other. Any departure of or from an ally contains an emotional charge which, if it will not display itself, is elsewhere suppressed. The third example of the painful emotion engram is the third type, loss of an ally by reversal. A wife loved her husband very dearly. They had gotten along well together until his parents came into the vicinity and began to malign his wife. He was furious with them for it and quarreled with them. His wife was a pseudo-ally and unfortunately that ally had told the child to believe his parents. (This is fairly chronic with allies – if they would give the child correct data when he is emotionally disturbed or ill, there would be less trouble. A remark such as, „Well, you’ll grow up some day and be able to care for yourself,“ is much better than a hat full of Emersonian platitudes.) This brought about a tragic reversal. The reactive mind, restimulated at the sight of his wife (the husband was emotionally disturbed, very restimulated already by his parents) threw in the data that one must believe one’s parents. This made his wife no good, as per their aberrative chatter. He went into his father’s valence to escape this imponderable situation and that valence beat women. He struck his wife repeatedly, dramatiz-ing one of his father’s engrams: „I hate you. You are no good. I should have listened to them sooner. You’re no good.“ The wife was in therapy. This charge suppressed itself, not out of shame for her hus-band’s actions but for the mechanical reason that the early area had to be relieved before this one would discharge (smart file clerk). Her case had slowed down to a point where the board looked entirely clear although somatics (which she attributed to natural causes) and aberra-tions (which she said were reasonable reactions) still manifested themselves. Suddenly this incident appeared when repeater technique was used on the auditor’s random guess: „I hate you,“ for it was known that she said this now and then to her husband. Three recountings dis-charged this painful emotion despite its violence (it made her weep until she almost choked). Immediately twelve prenatals, all fights between her mother and father (an ally, of which her husband was the pseudo-ally) wherein the mother beat her abdomen and cursed the child, ap-peared and were erased and the case progressed to clear. Loss of dogs, dolls, money, position, even the threat of a loss, anything may bring about a painful emotion engram so long as it is loss. It may be loss by death, loss by departure, loss by reversal. Anything connected with the life of the patient and associated by him with his own survival seems to be capable of locking up life units when lost. A condition of such painful emotion is that it has early physically painful engrams upon which to append. The 
physically painful engram is still the villain but it has an accomplice in the painful emotion engram.  

CHAPTER IX – PART ONE MECHANISMS AND ASPECTS OF THERAPY The Case Entrance Every case presents a new problem of entrance. No two human beings are exactly alike and no two cases will follow the exact pattern. However, this presents no problem to dianetics since the mechanics are always the same. There are three case classifications: the sonic-recall, the non-sonic recall and the imaginary recall (what auditors call a „dub-in“ recall). In the sonic recall case, the entrance is very easy. But in all cases the basic procedure is the same. Put the patient in reverie (and don’t worry too much if he doesn’t go into a very deep reverie because reverie only serves to fix his attention on himself and the auditor and you can at least accomplish that). Install a canceller. Return him to childhood to pick up a pleasant incident and then find a minor pain incident such as a slap in the face. Run him through this a few times just to let him get the idea. If he doesn’t respond well, put him into yesterday and let him ride to work and ask him about sounds and sights, then send him to childhood again. The object of finding a minor incident such as a slapped face is to find out if the pa-tient has a pain shutoff. A pain shut-off is not particularly difficult in dianetics. You can get back before the command which installed the anesthesia, but it is interesting to know about it because you want to look for it early in the case. See then if the patient has an emotional shut-off. This again is not particularly embarrassing but again is data you want to find eventually.  Test now to find out if the patient is within himself or if he is outside himself, watch-ing himself. If he is exteriorized, you are working a case which has considerable walled up emotion in it which must be discharged. Now make a try to basic-basic. You might surprise yourself and get it. And you might work fifty hours for it, releasing the case the while. Get whatever the file clerk will give you in the prenatal area and what you get, reduce. Whether basic-basic is contacted or not, locate as many prenatals as will present them-selves without much coaxing and reduce each one. If you find no prenatals, bring the patient up to present time but remind him to keep his eyes closed. Now ask him a few questions about his family, his grandparents, his wife or, if the pre-clear is a woman, her husband. Ask about any former husbands or wives. Ask about children. And ask particularly about death. You are looking for a painful emotion engram, an instant of loss which will discharge. Finding out about one, even if it is just the death of a favorite dog, return the pre-clear to it and run it from the first moment he hears the news of it and for the ensuing few minutes of it. Then start it again. Reduce the moment as an engram. You want an emotional discharge. 
Run it several times. If you don’t get a discharge, find some other moment of loss, some fail-ure, something, anything which will discharge: but do it all quietly as if with sympathy. Lack-ing any success, start in repeater technique, never for a moment giving any intelligence that you are anything but calmly concerned for his welfare (even if some of his gyrations worry you). Try such phrases as „Poor little – „ using his or her childhood name. When the pre-clear has repeated this several times (the auditor at the same time stating that somatic strip will return to any incident containing the phrase to assist the „suck down“), he may find himself in a high tension incident which will discharge. If nothing discharges yet, keep calm (all this work will pay dividends in the next session or the next or next), keep searching, keep observing. There is emotional charge here somewhere which will discharge. Try other combinations of words such as those which would be said to a sick and worried child, make the pre-clear repeat them. If you have had no success as yet, make another test, without saying it is a test, to see if the pre-clear is actually leaving present time. Don’t let him „try to remember“ – you want him to return and that is another process, although it is just as natural to the brain. If he is stuck in present time, start him on repeater technique again, suggesting bouncers: „Get out and never come back!“ „You can’t ever return!“ etc., which would account for his being still in present time. If he is not returning after some of this, start in with holder phrases: „I’m stuck!“ „Don’t move!“ and so forth. Stay calm, never appear anxious. If you get neither a discharge nor an engram with re-peater technique in this first session and if you get no motion on the track, read this manual again and try your patient not later than three days after this first session. At that time some of the data you have asked for may be available. Ordinarily, however, you will receive either a prenatal or a discharge and if you get a discharge, then ask the somatic strip to go back for the prenatal it was sitting on. Reduce eve-rything you can find. If birth turns up and seems to be in full recall, try to reduce that but do so in the knowledge that it probably will not lift very far and in the knowledge that you had better run it over and over and over to de-intensity it all you can. Sometimes the pre-clear will go into a deeper reverie than you wish. But do not try to wake him into a higher level. Work him where he is. But if he seems to be in something ap-proaching hypnotic trance, be very careful of your language. Never tell him, for instance, to go back there and stay there until he finds something. That’s a holder. Don’t use holders and bouncers and groupers et al. on anyone in dianetics. „Will you please return to the prenatal area?“ „Let’s see if the somatic strip can locate an early moment of pain or discom-fort.“ „Please pick up the somatic at the beginning and roll the engram.“ „What do you hear, please?“ „Continue“ (when you want him to keep on going from the point of the engram where he is to the later end of the engram). „Recount that again, please.“ There’s nothing to be nervous about. If you get nervous, then he’ll get nervous. Sometimes you run into a pain shut-off. This has a tendency to put the pain into the muscles and the muscles will jump and quiver and the patient may sense this and still feel nothing more. Once in a great while a patient will have such a thorough pain shut-off that he bounces about, all unconscious of the action, and almost falls from couch to floor. If you run 
into this, do not be alarmed: the pain is locked in somehow. Get early enough and you’ll lo-cate a somatic he can feel, or go late and find an emotional charge. Don’t be misled if he tells you, with regard to emotion, that he has worked it all out in psycho-analysis or some such thing. He may have walled in the death of his wife or sweet-heart or child, but the whole engram is still there, crammed with captured units, ready to be run exactly as an engram. If you run into a heavy emotional charge, simply let the patient weep, keep him at the business of running the engram in a soft, sympathetic voice, have it recounted until there is no charge left in any of it and then run him early into the prenatal area or early childhood to get a physical pain engram that must have been below that emotional charge and held it in place. The extravagance of emotional discharge is nothing to be alarmed about. Bringing the patient out of it and to present time suddenly would cause him unhappiness about it. Running the painful emotion engram will discharge, in a few recountings, sorrow which society has believed could never be countered or relieved except by repression. Get the moment he first heard the news or observed the thing which made him feel so bad. Run it far enough from its beginning to make sure that you have the initial shock – a few minutes of engram time will do – and then get him to recount it again. He may observe himself to be far outside himself when you start. The moment may not discharge until you have run it several times. Remember, he is returned to the incident, he is not running it as a memory, a thing which would do no good whatever. Do not let him replay anything, ever. Repay is a bad habit some pre-clears have of playing over what they remember they said the last time instead of progressing through the engram freshly on each recounting and contacting what is contained in the engram itself. Tell the pre-clear there may be some more in it, ask him what color the bed in the room he is re-turned to is, keep his attention, by any quiet mechanism, upon the scene. And do not let him replay ever, not on any engram at any time: he could replay forever without therapeutic value, each time saying what he remembered he said the last time. There is a difference between this and the repeated re-experiencing of the engram to gather additional data and to get rid of the charge. Discharge emotion, reduce incidents of physical pain as early prenatally as possible. If you can’t get into the prenatal area at first, it has many bouncers in it and repeater technique will take you there. If the patient keeps saying such a thing as „I can’t remember,“ be patient – always fol-low the code. Have him start running that phrase as repeater technique. If he gets a somatic but contacts nothing else, send him earlier. If he gets another and still can’t contact on „I can’t remember,“ send him earlier, his whole engram bank must be strewn with them – poor fellow. Somebody really didn’t want him to know what had happened to him. Eventually you will get back to an engram which will release a phrase. When he has gone over the phrase a few more times, he will smile or chuckle or perhaps merely feel relieved. Now you can either run the engram in which you found the earliest phrase, which is best, or you can come back toward present time, lifting the phrase as it later appeared. Or you can start on something else which may block the case. 
The goal and the whole goal is to place the standard bank in entire conscious reach of the individual by deleting (a) early and subsequently all physical pain engrams; (b) all demon circuits (which are merely contained in engrams and come up more or less automatically); and (c) all painful emotion engrams. The process of work is to get as early as you can, preferably prenatal and very early in that, and try to find and reduce an engram, complete with all somatics (pain) and perceptics (words and other sensations). If you fail in this, you go late, any time from birth forward to present time, and find a moment of loss or threatened loss from which you can get an emo-tional charge. Then you go back early, early, early and find the engram on which it rested. You try always, until you are certain you have it, to get basic-basic, the earliest engram. You reduce as many early engrams as you can find, using the file clerk and repeater system, and when you seem to run out of material, you go later into life and try to find another emotional charge. The physically painful engrams cover up later emotional charges. Emotional charges cover up physically painful engrams. Back and forth, back and forth. Run as much as you can get early: when it seems to be running out or getting too unemotional, get some later material. This is the way you work a case. No matter what kind of a case it is, no matter what the state of its recall, no matter if the case is normal, psychotic or neurotic or what, this is the way. These are the tools: (1)  Reverie or fixed attention if you cannot get reverie. (2)  Return. (3)  Repeater technique. (4)  A knowledge of bouncers, holders, groupers, misdirectors, denyers. (5)  A knowledge of the painful emotion engram. (6)  The reduction or the erasure. (7)  The flash answer. (8)  The valence shift. This is all you need to do: (1) Keep the patient mobile, able to move on the track. (2) Reduce or erase everything you get your hands on. (3) Deduce from the remarks of the patient, in or out of therapy, what must be his bounc-ers, holders, groupers, misdirectors, denyers. (4) Keep it solidly in mind that the number one goal is basic-basic, the earliest moment of pain and „unconsciousness.“ (5) Keep in mind that the patient may have „computations“ which make his illness or his aberrated state „valuable“ to him and discover whence those „computations“ come by flash answer to your questions. 
(6) Keep the case progressing, gaining, work only for progress and gain, not for sudden, soaring results. Worry only when the case remains static and worry then in terms of finding the engram which is balking everything. Its content will be a close approxima-tion to the way the patient says he feels about it and will contain the same or similar words. (7) Get the patient back to present time each time you work and feed him the canceller. Test him with an age flash, get his first reply to how old he is, find the holder at that age if he is not at present time. (8) Keep your temper no matter what the patient says.  (9) Never try to tell him what his data means: he knows and he alone knows what it means. (10) Keep your nerve and run dianetics; like Farragut said, „Damn the torpedoes! Go ahead.“ (11) Wife, son, whatever you may be to the pre-clear, you are the auditor when you are au-diting. He cannot compute his own engrams to find them – if he could they would not be engrams. You can compute them. Do what you think a good auditor would do, never what the patient says save only when he accidentally concurs in his opinion that a good auditor would do that. Be the auditor, not a recording device. You and the file clerk in his mind are running the case: what his engrams and his analytical mind be-lieve should have no force in any of your computations. You and his file clerk know. He, as „I“ doesn’t know. (12) Be surprised at nothing. Audit. These are the things you must not do: (1) Dilute dianetics with some practice or belief of yesteryear; you will only slow or side-track a case. Analyzing data received on any other basis than getting more engrams leads to delay and confusion for the pre-clear. It is a temptation to use this material for other reasons than getting engrams if one has been trained in another field than dianet-ics. Yielding to that temptation before one knows how dianetics works is a very unfair test of dianetics, completely aside from the way it snarls a case. The temptation is great because, with dianetics, you get such a wealth of data. (2) Do not bully the patient. If the case is not progressing, then the fault lies with the audi-tor. Do not surrender to an old practice of getting mad at a patient just because he doesn’t get well. You may be sure the engram you have just reduced out of his reac-tive engram bank is the reason he won’t take baths, but if he still refuses to bathe, be certain there is an earlier reason.  (3) Don’t assume grandly that you have a „different“ case just because it doesn’t resolve swiftly. They are all „different“ cases. (4) Don’t run for help to somebody who does not know dianetics if your nerve fails you. The reason the case did not progress or became involved is right there – your nerve failed you. Only dianetics can work a problem in dianetics. (5) Do not listen to a patient’s complaints as complaints; use them as data to get engrams. 
(6) Do not suppose that just because you cannot reach prenatal engrams in a case that they are not there. There are scores and scores of them in every case. Remember that an en-gram isn’t a memory, it has to be developed to become within recall. There is no hu-man being walking on earth today who does not have a plentitude of prenatals. (7) Do not allow the patient to use his mother or his memory of what he has been told as a by-pass of prenatals. Every time you find a patient talking in past tense instead of pre-sent tense he is not returned to an incident. Unless he is returned, the engram will not lift. (8) Do not suppose that because a patient does not feel bad today about a sorrow of yes-terday that a despair charge is not located back on his track when he received the im-pact of that despair. Time may encyst, it does not heal. (9) Do not think in terms of „guilt complexes“ or „shame“ unless you think of them as en-gram content for there they will be found. Never suggest to a patient that he may be at fault in an engram. (10) Any departure from optimum behavior or conduct or rationality on the part of the pa-tient is engramic: don’t make „allowances for human nature“ any more than you, as a mathematician, would make allowances for an adding machine which brought up wrong answers.  Sexual fears, repressions, defenses are not „natural“ as they have been regarded in the past. (11) Don’t worry about the patient’s aberrations. Work to contact and reduce and erase en-grams. You will find, in any patient, enough aberrations to fill a dictionary. (12) Don’t fret if your patient does not become a clear in an evening or a month. Just keep working. You’ll have him above normal so quickly you won’t realize when you passed it. Above that you are shooting for a very high goal. Stuck In Present Time Cases, when they are entered, are found in various positions and situations on the time track; sometimes they are off the time track entirely and sometimes the time track is all snarled up in a ball. Now and then the time track is found to be in good condition and the en-grams available, but this is not ordinary. No case can be said to be more difficult than another except in the matter of recalls, „dub-ins“ and shut-offs. But the case which seems to be „stuck in present time“ and on whom no repeater phrase works is very often quite puzzling to an auditor. The pre-clear will not re-turn to engrams. Ordinarily there may be pain and emotional shut-offs and the painful emo-tion cannot be quickly discharged. Sometimes somatics will turn on but no content can be gained. Sometimes there is no somatic but content. The situations are quite various. There are several things an auditor can do. The first of them is to use his wits. The next is to indoctrinate the patient into returning. This indoctrination is quite simple. The audi-tor takes the patient back a few hours and has the patient tell what he sees. The sonic and visio may be occluded but the patient may have some idea of what is taking place. The auditor then 
 takes him back a few days, then a few months and finally several years, each time getting the patient to describe his „surroundings“ as best he can. The patient now has the idea of return-ing. He can travel at least along portions of his life which are not occluded by engrams. When the patient is returned to some early moment in his life, begin to use repeater technique on him, aiming toward obvious things such as feeling shut-offs (going over the word „feel“) or forgetter mechanisms (such as „forget“). An engram may then be contacted and reduced. If repeater technique still does not work and still does not get data, diagnose by his be-havior in therapy and his statements what must be troubling him or occluding his recalls and again use these guesses as repeater. For instance he may have no recollection of some mem-ber of his family. Have him repeat the familiar name. Or have him repeat his own childhood nickname until an incident is contacted. Should this still fail, then find some light locks, incidents which contain minimal pain, and run those. Such things as falls from a tricycle, getting sent from the table, getting spanked or scolded, being kept after school and so forth will serve. After he has reduced several locks, again try to find an engram. The running of locks will not bring about any great recovery, and there are thousands and thousands of locks in any case, most of which will vanish without assistance from the auditor once the severe engrams are located. But locks may be used to indoctrinate the patient into returning and therapy in general and may even bring about an improved condition in him by demonstrating to him that he can face his past. The foremost things to do in any case at the beginning are to (1) attempt to locate and erase basic-basic, and (2) discharge painful emotion. The sooner emotion can be released, the better, and there is always emotion on a case just as there are always a plenty of prenatal inci-dents.  But when a case is stuck in present time either when it is opened or during progress, it is highly charged with occluded emotion and it is obeying a restimulated engram to the effect that it must go all the way to now and stay there. The wording of this engram will generally be expressed by the patient himself in complaining of his trouble. Repeater technique is used with this clue. That failing, indoctrinate the patient by taking him back to what he can contact and when indoctrination is done, as above, start using repeater technique again. There is one motto which applies to all therapy, „If you keep asking for it, you’ll get it.“ Any and all engrams surrender on the basis of returning the patient to the area time and again, session after session. The engram bank may be balky but enough asking will bring forth any data in it sooner or later. Just keep asking, keep the routine of therapy running. Even a „stuck in present time“ case will eventually begin to return on the sole principle of repeater technique. There are certain things that the auditor may be doing which are wrong. He may be trying to work the case on data taken from parents or relatives, which is usually fruitless in view of the fact that it undermines the preclear’s faith in his own data (all the data will check with the relatives; just don’t worry about checking it until the case is finished). Or he may be 
 trying to work the case in the presence of other people. Or he may be violating the auditor’s code. A list of these deterrents to progress is to be found elsewhere in this volume. Basic-Basic The first goal of the auditor is basic-basic and after that always the earliest moment of pain or discomfort which he can reach. He may have to go late for emotional charges and these themselves may be physically painful.  Emotion may bar the patient from basic-basic. But always that first turn-off of the ana-lyzer is important and when it is gained, subsequent engrams are much more easily reduced. Basic-basic is the vital target for two reasons: (1) It contains an analyzer shut-off which itself is restimulated every time a new engram is received. The common denominator of all engrams is analyzer shut-off. Turn it on the first time it was shut off and a vast im-provement takes place in the case, for thereafter analyzer shut-off is not as deep. (2) An „era-sure“ (which is to say an apparent removal of the engram from the files of the engram bank and refiling in the standard bank as memory) of basic-basic widens the track beyond it mark-edly and brings many new engrams into view. Basic-basic is occasionally found weeks before mother’s first missed period, which would place it much earlier than any examination for pregnancy or an attempted abortion. Sometimes in a non-sonic case sonic is discoverable in basic-basic but far from always. Considerable material may be „erased“ before basic-basic appears. Sometimes basic-basic gets „erased“ without either the auditor or the pre-clear know-ing that it has been reached, basic-basic being merely another engram in the basic area. Some-times much painful emotion must be discharged in the later life areas before basic-basic dis-closes itself. Always, however, basic-basic is the target and until he has a good idea that he has reached it, the auditor, once every session, makes an effort to get it. Thereafter he tries to get the earliest moment of pain or discomfort he can reach every session. If he can reach nothing early, he seeks to discharge a late emotional engram – when it is completely discharged, „re-duced“ or „erased“ as an engram – then he goes down into the earliest material the file clerk will give him.  Whatever comes up, the auditor seeks to take all the charge out of it, whether that charge is pain or emotion, before he proceeds on his way to new material. This is done merely by returning the patient back over the incident many times until it no longer affects him either painfully or emotionally, or until it seems to vanish. The Reduction And The Erasure These two terms are highly colloquial. Serious effort has been made to deter their use and substitute for them something sonorous and wonderfully Latin, but no progress has been made to date. Auditors insist on using colloquial terms such as „AA“ for attempted abortion, „louse up“ for engrams which seriously aberrate, „aberree“ for a person not released or 
cleared, „zombie“ for an electric shock or neuro-surgical case and so forth. It is feared that a tendency exists in them to be disrespectful to the hallowed and sacred tomes of yesteryear, to the dignity of past Authorities which labeled much and did little. However this may be, „re-duction“ and „erasure“ are in such common use that to change them is hardly necessary. To reduce means to take all the charge or pain out of an incident. This means to have the pre-clear recount the incident from beginning to end (while returned to it in reverie) over and over again, picking up all the somatics and perceptions present just as though the incident were happening at that moment. To reduce means, technically, to render free of aberrative material as far as possible to make the case progress. To „erase“ an engram means to recount it until it has vanished entirely. There is a dis-tinct difference between a reduction and an „erasure.“ The difference depends more upon what the engram is going to do than upon what the auditor wants it to do. If the engram is early, if it has no material earlier which will suspend it, that engram will „erase.“ The patient, trying to find it again for a second or sixth recounting, will suddenly find out he has no faint-est idea what was in it. He may ask the auditor who, of course, will give him no information whatever. (The auditor who prompts is slowing down therapy by making himself the patient’s memory.) Going through it and trying to find it may cause the patient some amusement when he cannot. Or it may make him puzzled for here was something which had, on first contact, a painful somatic and a highly aberrative content which now no longer seems to exist. That is an „erasure.“ Technically the engram is not erased. If the auditor cares to spend some time, solely for purposes of research, he will find that engram in the standard banks now, labeled „formerly aberrative: rather amusing: information which may be useful analytically.“ Such a search is not germane to therapy. If the incident had a somatic, was recounted a few times and then, when its last new material was found, vanished, it is erased so far as the engram bank is concerned. It will no longer be „soldered“ into the motor circuits, will no longer be drama-tized, it no longer blocks a dynamic and is no longer an engram but a memory. The „reduction“ has some interesting aspects. Let us take a childhood incident (age of four, let us say) which had to do with a scalding. This is contacted while much data remains in the basic area. It has many things below it which will hold it in place. Nevertheless, it has emotional charge and therapy is slowed by that charge. The file clerk hands out the scalding. Now it will not erase, but it will reduce. Here is a job which will take more time than an era-sure. And there may be several aspects to that job. The somatic is contacted, the incident is begun as close to the beginning as the auditor can get, and is then recounted. This scalding, let us say, has apathy as its emotional tone (Tone 0.5). The pre-clear slogs through it apathetically, well exteriorized, watching himself be scalded. Then suddenly, perhaps, an emotional discharge may come off, but not necessarily. The pre-clear returns to the beginning and recounts (re-experiences) the whole thing once more. Then again and again. Soon he begins to get angry at the people involved in the inci-dent for being so careless or so heartless. He has come up to anger (Tone 1.5). The auditor, although the patient would like to tell how vicious his parents are or how he thinks laws ought to be passed about scalding children, patiently puts the pre-clear through the incident again. Now the pre-clear ceases to be angry and finds that he is bored with the material. He has risen up to boredom on the tone scale (Tone 2.5). He may protest to the auditor that this is a waste 
of time. The auditor puts him back through the incident again. New data may show up. The somatic may or may not be still present at this period but the emotional tone is still low. The auditor puts the pre-clear through the incident again and the pre-clear may, but not always, begin to be sarcastic or facetious. The incident is again recounted. Suddenly the pre-clear may be amused about it (but not always) and the incident, when it obviously has reached a high tone, may be left. It will probably sag in a few days, but that is a matter of no great impor-tance for it will be erased wholly on the return from basic-basic. In any case it will never be as aberrative as it was before the reduction. A reduction will sometimes result in the whole engram’s apparently disappearing. But it is obvious when this will occur. Without much lifting in the tone scale, the incident, by repetition, simply goes out of sight. This is reducing to recession. In a few days that incident will be back in force again, almost as strong as ever. There is material before it and emotional charge after it which make it unwieldy. Several things can happen, then, to an engram in the process of work. It can reduce, which is to say, discharge emotionally and somatically and be of no great aberrative power thereafter. It can reduce to recession, which is to say it merely goes out of sight after several recountings. It can erase, which is to say, vanish and cease to be thereafter so far as the en-gram bank is concerned. A little experience will tell an auditor what engrams are going to do after he has con-tacted them. Erasure takes place, ordinarily, only after basic-basic has been reached or, for that matter, when the basic area is being worked. The reduction occurs with an emotional dis-charge. The reduction to recession happens when there is too much in the engram bank sup-pressing the incident. Every now and then even the best auditor will get hold of an engram and decide to grind it out now that it has been contacted. It is a sorry job. Perhaps it is better to grind it out than to merely restimulate it and let the patient be irritated by it for a couple of days. Perhaps not. But in any case that engram which reduces only to recession was better not contacted in the first place. New auditors are forever charging at birth as an obvious target. Everybody has a birth: in most patients it can be located rather easily. But it is a painful incident and until the basic area has been thoroughly worked and until late life painful emotion has been discharged and until the file clerk is ready to hand up birth, the incident is better left in place. It will usually reduce to recession and afterwards keep popping up to plague the auditor. The patient gets obscure headaches, gets sniffles, feels uncomfortable afterwards unless birth is taken on the return (from the basic area). The auditor is wasting time, of course, by trying to remove these headaches and sniffles because birth, with the whole prenatal life before it, will not properly reduce or erase but only recede. It is too often the case that birth, if prematurely contacted, will give the patient a headache and a cold. These discomforts are minor and of no great im-portance, but the work the auditor may have invested in working an incident which will only reduce to recession is lost work.  True, the file clerk occasionally hands out birth: if he does, there is an emotional charge on it which will discharge and the incident will reduce properly. The auditor by all 
 means should take it. True, a case sometimes stalls down and the auditor runs birth anyway just to see if he can speed things up. But merely going back to birth to put one’s hands on an engram because he knows it is there will bring about discomfort and lost time. Go prenatal as far as you can and see what the file clerk will hand forth. Try repeater technique in the basic area. You may get incidents which will erase. If there is nothing there, find out about a painful emotion engram in late life, the death of a friend, the loss of an ally, a failure of a business, something. Blow a charge from it and reduce it as an engram and then go back prenatally as early as possible and see what has turned up. If the file clerk thinks you need birth, he’ll give it out. But do not ask for birth just to have an engram to work, because it may prove to be a thoroughly uncomfortable and fruitless endeavor. Birth will come up when it will come up and the file clerk knows his business. Charging into any late period of „unconsciousness“ such as surgical anesthetic, where physical pain is present in large quantities, can bring about this needless restimulation. You can, of course, fare better with such things in reverie than in hypnosis or narco-synthesis where such a restimulation might bring about severe results. In reverie the effect is light. Handling The Somatic Strip There are two little men on each side of the brain, a set for each lobe, hanging by their heels. The outer one is the „motor strip,“ the inner one, the „sensory strip.“32 If you wish to know more about the structure of these pairs dianetic research will have the answer in a few more years. Currently there is something known about them, a description. To an engineer who knows dianetics the current description which will be found in the library is not entirely reasonable. These are, possibly, switchboards of some sort. Readings can be taken in the vi-cinity of them – just aft of the temples – if you have a very sensitive galvanometer, a galva-nometer more sensitive than any on the public market today. Those readings show emanations of a field of some sort. When we have established the precise type of energy flowing here, we can probably measure it with better precision. When we know exactly where the thinking is done in the body we will know more about these strips. All dianetic research has established to date is that, beneath a welter of labels, nothing is actually known which is worth recounting about these structures beyond the fact that they have something to do with coordination of various parts of the body. We do, however, refer to them for lack of something better, in the course of therapy. Now that we know something about function, further research certainly cannot help but yield precision answers about structure. The auditor can turn somatics on and off in a patient like an engineer handles switches. More aptly, he can turn them on and off in the body like a conductor runs a street car along a track. Here we have the game referred to previously when we talked about the time track. In a patient who is working well, the „somatic strip“ can be commanded to go to any part of the time track. Day by day, hour by hour, in normal life the somatic strip ranges up and down this track as engrams are restimulated. The auditor, working a patient, may find his own                                                 
 somatic strip obeying his own commands and some of his own somatics turning on and off, a fact which is at worst mildly uncomfortable. The whole body, the cells, whatever it is that is moving we do not really know. But we can handle it and we can assume that it at least passes through the switchboard of the little men who hang by their heels. „The somatic strip will now go to birth,“ says the auditor. The patient in reverie begins to feel the pressure of contractions thrusting him down the birth canal. „The somatic strip will now go to the last time you injured yourself,“ says the auditor. The pre-clear feels a mild reproduction of the pain of, perhaps, a bumped knee. If he has sonic and visio recall, he will see where he is and suddenly realize that it was in the office: he will hear the clerks and typewriters and the car noises outside. „The somatic strip will now go into the prenatal area,“ says the auditor. And the patient finds himself in the area, probably floating along, not uncomfortable. „The somatic strip will now go to the first moment of pain or discomfort which can now be reached,“ says the auditor. The patient drifts around a moment and suddenly feels a pain in his chest. He begins to cough and feels depression all over him. Mama is coughing (often source of chronic coughs). „Roll the cough,“ says the auditor. The patient finds himself at the beginning of the engram and begins to run it. „Cough, cough, cough,“ says the patient. He then yawns. „‘It hurts and I can’t stop,’„ he quotes his mother. „Go to the beginning and roll it again,“ says the auditor. „Cough, cough, cough,“ begins the patient, but he is not coughing as badly now. He yawns more deeply. „‘Ouch. It hurts, it hurts, and I can’t seem to stop,’„ quotes the pre-clear, listen-ing directly if he has sonic, getting impressions of what’s said if he does not have. He has picked up words now that were suppressed in it by „unconsciousness.“ „Unconsciousness“ is beginning to come off with the yawns. „Roll it again,“ says the auditor. „‘I can’t stop,’„ says the pre-clear, quoting all that he finds this time. The somatic is gone. He yawns again. The engram is erased. „The somatic strip will now go to the next moment of pain or discomfort,“ says the auditor. The somatic does not turn on. The patient goes into a strange sleep. He mutters about a dream. Suddenly the somatic gets stronger. The patient begins to shiver. „What occurs?“ says the auditor. „I hear water running,“ says the pre-clear. „Somatic strip will go to the beginning of the incident,“ says the auditor. „Roll it.“ „I keep on hearing water,“ says the pre-clear. (He must be stuck, the somatics did not move. This is a holder.) „Somatic strip will go to whatever it is that is holding,“ says the auditor. „‘I’ll hold it in there awhile and see if it does some good,’„ quotes the pre-clear. „Pick up the beginning of the incident now and roll it,“ says the auditor. „I feel myself being jostled,“ says the pre-clear. „Ouch, something bumped me.“ „Pick up the beginning and roll it,“ says the auditor. „‘I’m sure I must be pregnant,’„ quotes the pre-clear. „‘I’ll hold it in there awhile and see if it does some good!“ „Is there any-thing earlier?“ says the auditor. The pre-clear’s strip goes to the earlier moment where he 
feels pressure as she tries to get something into the cervix. Then he rolls the engram and it erases. This is handling of the somatic strip. It can be sent anywhere. It will pick up the so-matic first, usually, and then pick up the content. Using repeater technique, the somatic is „sucked down“ to the incident and the somatics turn on. Then the incident is run. If it does not lift, find an earlier incident simply by telling the somatic strip to go to the earlier incident. If the somatic strip does not move, which is to say, if somatics (physical sensations) do not turn on and off, then the patient is stuck somewhere on the track. He can be stuck in pre-sent time, which would mean he has a bouncer thrusting him all the way up the track. Use repeater technique or merely try to send the somatic strip back. If it won’t go, get various bouncer phrases like „Can’t go back,“ „Run a mile,“ etc. and with them suck the somatic strip down to the incident and run it. The somatic strip may move through an incident with full sensation and yet, returning over the same ground several times will not bring out data. Time after time this can be done without result in some engrams: the somatics remain almost the same, undulating through the incident each time but with no other content. Then the auditor is „bucking“ a denyer, a phrase such as „This is a secret,“ „Don’t let him know,“ „Forget it,“ etc. In such a case he sends the somatic strip to the phrase which denies the data: „Go to the moment a phrase is uttered deny-ing this data,“ says the auditor. After a moment, „‘If he found out about this, it would kill him,’„ quotes the pre-clear, either from sonic or from impressions. Then the auditor sends the somatic strip back to the start of the incident and it goes on through it, this time with other perceptic content. The somatics, unless the incident is very late prenatal with basic area full of material, undulate (fluctuate according to the action of the engram) and diminish to either reduction or erasure on consecutive recountings. The auditor tells the somatic strip to go earlier, sometimes it goes later. This is a mis-director. „Can’t tell which way I am going,“ „Going backwards,“ „Do just the oppo-site,“ these are the type of phrases of the misdirector. The auditor recognizes that he has one in the pre-clear, guesses it or discovers it from the pre-clear’s wording of the complaint about the action, and by repeater or direct command of the strip, picks up the phrase and the engram, reduces or erases it and continues. If the somatic strip does not respond according to command, then a bouncer, a holder, a misdirector, or a grouper has been restimulated and should be discharged. The somatic strip will be where the command is which forbids it to function as desired. There are good and bad conductors of this somatic strip. The good conductor works closely with the file clerk, using such broad orders as „The somatic strip will pick up the ear-liest moment of pain or discomfort which can be reached,“ or „The somatic strip will go to the highest intensity of the somatic you now have“ (when a somatic is bothering the patient). The bad conductor picks out specific incidents which he thinks might be aberrative, bullies the somatic strip into them and somehow beats them down. There are moments when it is neces-sary to be quite persuasive with the strip and moments when it is necessary to pick out inci-dents of physical pain, but the auditor is the best judge of what should take place. As long as 
the strip will work smoothly, finding new incidents and running over them, he should not tamper with it beyond making sure that he reduces everything the strip contacts. A very fine way to thoroughly wreck a case is to put the somatic strip into an incident, decide something else is more important and go rushing off to it, get that half lifted and go off to something else. By the time three or four incidents have been so touched but not reduced, the strip stalls down, the track starts to bunch up and the auditor has a snarl which may take him many hours of therapy or a week or two of rebalancing (letting the case settle) to bring back to a workable state. The patient will sometimes want a somatic turned off. It has been bothering him. That means that the strip is somehow hung up in some incident which therapy or the patient’s envi-ronment has restimulated. Ordinarily it is not worth the time and trouble to locate the incident. It will settle out of its own accord in a day or two and it may be an incident which cannot be reduced because of the earlier engrams.  The somatic strip is handled in a late incident just as it is sent to an earlier one. De-spair charges are contacted in the same way. If you want a test to see if the strip is moving, or to test recall, send it back a few hours and find out what you get. While the prenatal area is easier to reach than yesterday in many cases, some idea will be gained of how the patient is working. Present Time The beginning is conception. Your patients sometimes have a feeling that they are sperms or ovums at the beginning of the track: in dianetics this is called the sperm dream. It is not of any great value so far as we know at this time. But it is very interesting. It does not have to be suggested to the pre-clear. All one has to do is send him to the beginning of the track and hear what he has to say. Sometimes he has an early engram mixed up with concep-tion. At the late end of the track is, of course, now. This is present time. It happens now and then that patients are not getting back to present time because they have struck holders en route. Repeater technique with holders will generally free the strip and get it to present time. A patient may get a trifle groggy with all the things which have been happening to him in the course of a therapy session. And he may have reduced resistance to engrams as he comes back up the track and may thus trip a holder. The auditor should be very sure the pa-tient is up in present time. Occasionally the patient will be so thoroughly stuck and the hour so advanced that the effort to bring him all the way up is not feasible at the time. A period of sleep will generally accomplish it. There is a test whereby the auditor can tell if the pre-clear is up to present time. He snaps a question at the pre-clear, „How old are you?“ The pre-clear gives him a „flash an-swer.“ If it is the pre-clear’s right age, the pre-clear is in present time. If it is an earlier age, there is a holder there, and the patient is not in present time. There are other methods of de-termining this but it is not very important, by and large, if the patient does fail to make it. 
Snapping questions at people, asking how old they are, elicits some surprising answers. Being stuck on the track is so common in „normal“ people that a day or two or a week or two of failure to reach present time in a pre-clear is far from alarming. Anyone who has a chronic psycho-somatic illness is definitely stuck somewhere on the time track. Snap questions about it get, „Three,“ or „Ten years,“ or some such answer quite ordinarily even when asked of people who suppose they are in good health. Reverie re-veals to them where they are on the track. Sometimes, in the first session, a pre-clear shuts his eyes in reverie to find himself in a dentist’s chair at the age of three. He has been there for the last thirty years or so because the dentist and his mother both told him to „stay there“ while he was shocky with pain and gas – so he did, and the chronic tooth trouble he had all his life is that somatic. This doesn’t happen very often, but you can find someone you know, it is certain, who would flash answer „Ten years“ and, being put in reverie, would find himself, as soon as the engram came to view, lying flat on his back in a ball park or some such situation, with some-body telling him not to move until the ambulance came: that’s his arthritis! Try it on somebody. The Flash Answer A device in common use in therapy is the flash answer. This is done in two ways. The first mentioned here is the least used. „When I count to five,“ says the auditor, „a phrase will flash into your mind to describe where you are on the track. One, two, three, four, five!“ „Late prenatal,“ says the pre-clear, or „yesterday“ or whatever occurs to him. The flash answer is the first thing which comes into a person’s head when a question is asked him. It will come from the engram bank, usually, and will be useful. It may be „demon talk“ but it is generally right. The auditor merely asks a question, such as what is holding the patient, what denies him knowledge, etc., prefacing the question with the remark, „I want a flash answer to this.“ „I want a flash answer to this,“ says the auditor. „What would happen if you became sane?“ „Die,“ says the patient. „What would happen if you die,“ says the auditor. „I’d get well,“ says the patient. And with this data they then make an estimate of the current computa-tion on allies or some such thing. In this case, the ally said to the pre-clear when he was ill, „I’d die, just die if you didn’t get well. If you’re sick much longer I’ll go insane.“ And a for-mer engram said the pre-clear had to be sick. And this is, after all, just an engram. So repeater technique is used on the word „die“ and an ally is uncovered that the pre-clear never knew existed and a charge is blown. Much valuable data can be recovered by clever use of the flash answer. If there is no answer at all, it means that the answer is occluded and that is almost as good a reply as actual data since it means some kind of a cover-up. 
Dreams Dreams have been used considerably by various schools of mental healing. Their „symbology“ is a mystic foible forwarded to explain something which the mystics did not know anything about. Dreams are crazy house mirrors by which the analyzer looks down into the engram bank.  Dreams are puns on words and situations in the engram bank. Dreams are not much help, being puns. Dreams are not much used in dianetics. You will hear dreams from patients. Patients are hard to shut off when they start tell-ing dreams. If you want to waste your time, you will listen. Valence Shift A mechanism used in dianetics is the valence shift. We know the way a patient gets into valences when he dramatizes his engrams in life. He becomes a winning valence and he says and does rather much what the person in the win-ning valence did in that engram. The theory behind it is this: returned to a time the patient may consider too painful to enter, he can be shifted into a valence which felt no pain. A dull way to persuade him is to tell him he does not have to feel the pain or the emotion and let him go through it. This is very bad dianetics because it is a positive suggestion and every safeguard must be taken to keep from giving suggestions to the patient, for he may be very suggestible even when he pretends not to be. But there is the valence shift and this permits the patient to escape the pain and still remain in the engram until he can recount it. Example, father beating mother, unborn child knocked „unconscious.“ The data is available in the father valence with no pain, in the mother valence with her pain, in the child’s valence with his pain. The way to handle this, if the patient positively refuses to enter it although he has somatics, is to shift him in valence. The auditor says, „Go into your father’s valence and be your father for the moment.“ After some persuasion the patient does so. „Bawl your mother out,“ says the auditor. „Give her a fine talking to.“ The patient is now on that circuit which contains no „unconsciousness“ and approximates the emotion and the words his father used to his mother. The auditor lets him do this a couple or three times until the charge is somewhat off the engram. Then he turns the patient’s valence into the mother: „Be your mother for the moment now and talk back to your father,“ says the auditor. The patient shifts valence and is his mother and repeats his mother’s phrases. „Now be yourself,“ says the auditor, „and re-count the entire incident with all somatics and emotion please.“ The patient is able to re-experience the incident as himself. This works very well when one is trying to get at an ally. „Shift valence,“ says the auditor to the returned patient, „and plead with your mother not to kill the baby.“ „Now be a nurse,“ says the auditor, with the pre-clear returned to some incident he seems very fearful 
about entering, „and plead with a little boy to get well.“ The patient will correct the auditor’s concept of the script and usually will proceed. The patient will often refuse to go into a valence because he hates it. This means there must be considerable charge in the person he refuses to be. This mechanism is rarely used but is handy when a case is stalling. The father did not obey the holders or commands, he uttered them. The nurse would not obey her own com-mands. And so forth. Thus many holders and denyers can be flushed to view. It is useful in the beginning of a case.33 Type Of Chains Engrams, particularly in the prenatal area, are in chains. That is to say there is a series of incidents of similar types. This is useful classification because it leads to some solutions. The chains one can most easily contact in a pre-clear are the least charged. The most aberra-tive chains will usually be the hardest to reach because they contain the most active data. Re-member the rule that what the auditor finds hard to reach, the analyzer of the patient found hard to reach. Here is a list of chains – not all the possible chains by any means – found in one case which had passed for „normal“ for thirty-six years of his life. COITUS CHAIN, FATHER. 1st incident zygote. 56 succeeding incidents. Two branches, father drunk and father sober. COITUS CHAIN, LOVER. 1st incident embryo. 18 succeeding incidents. All painful because of enthusiasm of lover. CONSTIPATION CHAIN. 1st incident zygote. 51 succeeding incidents. Each incident building high pressure on child. DOUCHE CHAIN. 1st incident embryo. 21 succeeding incidents. One each day to missed period, all into cervix. SICKNESS CHAIN. 1st incident embryo. 5 succeeding incidents. 3 colds. 1 case grippe. One vomiting spell – hangover. MORNING SICKNESS CHAIN. 1st incident embryo. 32 succeeding incidents.                                                 
CONTRACEPTIVE CHAIN. 1st incident zygote. 1 incident. Some paste substance into cervix. FIGHT CHAIN. 1st incident embryo. 38 succeeding incidents. Three falls, loud voices, no beating. ATTEMPTED ABORTION, SURGICAL. 1st incident embryo. 21 succeeding incidents. ATTEMPTED ABORTION, DOUCHE. 1st incident foetus. 2 incidents. 1 using paste, 1 using lysol, very strong. ATTEMPTED ABORTION, PRESSURE. 1st incident foetus. 3 incidents. 1 father sitting on mother. Two mother jumping off boxes. HICCOUGH CHAIN. 1st incident foetus. 5 incidents. ACCIDENT CHAIN. 1st incident embryo. 18 incidents. Various falls and collisions. MASTURBATION CHAIN. 1st incident embryo. 80 succeeding incidents. Mother masturbating with fingers, jolting child and injuring child with orgasm. DOCTOR CHAIN. 1st incident, 1st missed period. 18 visits. Doctor examination painful but doctor an ally, discovering mother attempt-ing an abortion and scolding her thoroughly. PREMATURE LABOR PAINS. 3 days before actual birth. BIRTH. Instrument. 29 hours labor. In that mother was a sub-vocal talker this made a sizable quantity of material to be erased for the remainder of the patient’s life was in addition to this. This was a 500-hour case, non-sonic, imaginary recalls which had to be cancelled out by discovering lie factories before the above data could be obtained. There are other chains possible but this case was picked because it contains the usual ones found. Mother’s lover is not very unusual, unfortunately, for he puts secrecy into a case to such an extent that when the case seems very, very secret, then a lover or two will seem indictated. But don’t suggest them to a pre-clear. He may use them for an avoid. Dianetic Don’ts Don’t give any patient a positive suggestion as therapy in itself or to assist therapy. Don’t fail to give a canceller at every session’s beginning and use it at every session’s end. 
Don’t ever tell a patient he can „remember this in present time“ because the somatic will come to present time and that is very uncomfortable. Don’t ever, ever, ever, ever tell a patient that he can remember everything that ever happened to him in present time because that groups everything in present time if the patient has slid into a deep trance. And that makes it necessary to unsnarl a whole case. Want to waste two hundred hours? Don’t ever retaliate in any way when a patient in reverie gets angry at you. Follow the auditor’s code. If you get angry with him you may throw him into an apathy which will take you many hours to undo. Don’t evaluate data or tell a patient what is wrong with him. Don’t crow. If the pre-clear is your wife, or husband, or child, don’t rub it in that the favorite argument phrase was out of an engram. Of course it was! Don’t question the validity of data. Keep your reservations to yourself. Audit the in-formation for your own guidance. If the patient doesn’t know what you think, the engrams will never get a chance to evade. Don’t ever snap a patient to present time just because he begs for it. If he is in the middle of an engram, the only way out of it is through it. The power of the engram is slight when the patient is returned to it. It turns on hard when the patient comes to present time. The patient will have a nervous shock if he is snapped to present. Don’t ever get frightened, no matter what kind of squirming or squalling a patient may do. It isn’t serious, any of it, although it is sometimes dramatic. Don’t ever promise to clear a case: promise only to release it. You may have to go away or work on something more urgent. And a broken promise to a pre-clear will be taken very hard. Don’t interfere with the private life of a pre-clear or give him guidance. Tell him to make up his own mind about what he should do. Don’t break the auditor’s code. It is there to protect you, not just the pre-clear. Ther-apy can’t hurt him if you do but half a job on it and do half of that wrong; breaking the code can make you very uncomfortable because it will make you a target of the pre-clear and cost you considerable extra work. Don’t leave engrams half-reduced when you are given them by the file clerk. Don’t get inventive about dianetics until you have worked at least one case out. And don’t get too inventive until you have worked a case which has sonic, a case which has shut-off sonic, and a case which has imaginary sonic. Clear these and you will know. And you will have met enough engrams to get some ideas that can be of great benefit to dianetics. If you don’t get ideas after that and after you yourself are in therapy and cleared, there’s something wrong. Dianetics is an expanding science; but don’t expand it until you know which way it travels. Don’t mix gasoline and alcohol, or dianetics and other therapy except purely medical, dispensed by a professional medical doctor. 
 Don’t get a case snarled up and then take it to a psychiatrist who knows no dianetics. Only dianetics can unsnarl dianetics and yesterday’s methods won’t help your patient one slightest bit when all he needs is another run through the one you snapped him out of too fast. Take a cinch on your nerve and send him back through the incident again. In dianetics today’s obvious nervous breakdown is tomorrow’s most cheerful being. Don’t quit, don’t balk. Just keep running engrams. And one day you’ll have a release. And another day you’ll have a clear. Types Of Somatics There are two kinds of somatics, those which properly belong to the patient and those which belong to his mother or some other person. The first actually happened, so did the sec-ond. But the patient should not have his mother’s somatics. If he does, if he is found com-plaining of headaches whenever his mother has a headache, there is an engram, very early, which says he must have whatever she has: „The baby is part of me,“ „I want him to suffer as I suffer,“ etc. Or the phrase may be some entirely misunderstood thing literally taken. How-ever, all this „comes out in the wash“ and should be no great concern of the auditor’s. „Unconsciousness“ While „unconsciousness“ has been covered elsewhere in various ways, in therapy it has two special manifestations. The yawn and the „boil-off.“ The engram of physical pain contains deep „unconsciousness“ and if it is going to lift, particularly in the basic area, it comes off in yawns. After a first or second recounting, the patient starts to yawn. These yawns are turning on his analyzer. In a very extreme engram – a prenatal electric shock which mother received – five hours of „unconsciousness“ „boil-off“ have taken place during therapy. The shock lasted for less than a minute but so close did it bring the individual to death that when the incident was first contacted in therapy, he swam and floundered and had strange dreams, muttered and mumbled for five hours. That is a record. Forty-five minutes of this „boil-off“ is rare. Five or ten minutes of it are not uncommon. The auditor will take a patient into an area. No somatic turns on. But the patient begins to drowse into a strange kind of sleep. He rouses from this from time to time, mutters some-thing, usually idiotic, rouses again with a dream and generally makes no progress to all ap-pearances. But progress is being made. A period when he was almost dead is coming up to the surface. Soon a somatic will turn on and the patient will run an engram a few times on com-mand, will yawn a little and then brighten up. Such a quantity of „unconsciousness“ was, of course, sufficient to keep his analyzer about nine-tenths shut off when he was awake for, if it was near basic, it was part of every other engram. Such an engram, with such deep „uncon-sciousness,“ when released, produces a marked improvement in a case, as much as a painful emotion engram at times. 
It is up to the auditor to sit it through no matter how long it takes. It may make an un-cleared auditor very sleepy to watch all this but it should be done. He will rarely strike one that lasts an hour but every case has such a period lasting from ten minutes to a half hour. He should stir the patient up once in a while and try to make him go through the en-gram. There is a very special way to stir a patient into life: don’t touch his body for it may be highly restimulative and make him very upset. Touch only the bottoms of his feet with your hand or your own feet and touch them just enough to jog him into attention for a moment. That keeps the „boil-off“ in progress and does not permit the patient to sag into ordinary sleep.  The „boil-off“ can be confused, by an inexperienced auditor, with an engram com-mand to sleep. However, if the auditor will observe the patient closely, he will find that in the „boil-off“ the patient gives every appearance of being drugged while in a sleep command, he simply goes to sleep and does it very smoothly. The „boil-off“ is a trifle restless, full of mut-terings and flounderings and dreams. The sleep is smooth. An engramic command to go to sleep, acting on the returned pre-clear, is broken by sending the somatic strip to the moment when the sleep command is given. If the pre-clear contacts it and goes over it, he will quickly awaken on the track and continue with therapy. The „boil-off“ may be full of yawns, mutterings or grunts. Sleep is usually quiet and gentle. Just why this is called a „boil-off“ and just why auditors are fond of the term is ob-scure. It was originally and sedately named „comatic reduction“ but such erudition has been outvoted by the fact that it has never been used. If you are fond of listening to dreams, you will find them in plenty in the „boil-off.“ As images on the desert are distorted by the glass snakes of heat waves, so are the en-gramic commands distorted to the analyzer through the veil of „unconsciousness.“ Locks It is one of the blessings of nature that the lock is something which needs minor atten-tion. A lock is an incident which, with or without charge, is in conscious recall and which seems to be the reason the aberree is aberrated. Perhaps this was another way the bank pro-tected itself. A lock is a moment of mental discomfort containing no physical pain and no great loss. A scolding, a social disgrace: such things are locks. Any case has thousands and thousands of locks. The auditor will discover them in plenty if he cares to waste time looking for them. The treatment of these locks was the main goal of an old art known as „hypno-analysis.“ Most of them can be reduced. The key-in of an engram takes place at some future date from the time the engram was actually received. The key-in moment contains analytical reduction from weariness or slight illness. A situation similar to the engram, which contained „unconsciousness,“ came about and keyed-in the engram. This is a primary lock. Breaking it, if it can be found, produces the effect of keying out the engram. But it can be considered a waste of time even if it has some therapeutic value and was used, without understanding, by some past schools. 
If an auditor wants to know how the case was reacting to life, he can find some of these thousands and thousands of locks and look them over. But that is probably all the inter-est he has in them, for locks discharge. They discharge automatically the moment the engram holding them is erased. A whole life rebalances itself when the engrams are gone and the locks need no treatment. Neither does the pre-clear now cleared need education as to how to think: like the blowing of locks, this is an automatic process. These locks lie down amongst the engrams sometimes. The pre-clear may be deep in the prenatal area and suddenly think about a time when he was twenty or, as is common in therapy, think about an engram he heard from somebody else. This is a good clue. Pay no fur-ther heed to the lock: find the engram to which it attached itself, for there is an engram imme-diately with it. In dreams these locks in distorted form, come swimming up out of the bank, complicating the dream. The Junior Case Do not take on a Junior for your first case if you can avoid it. If father was named George and the patient is called George, beware of trouble. The engram bank takes George to mean George and that is identity thought de luxe. Mother says, „I hate George!“ „That means Junior,“ says the engram though mother meant father. „George is thoughtless.“ „George must not know.“ „Oh, George, I wish you had some sex appeal, but you haven’t.“ And so go the engrams. A Junior case is seldom easy. It is customary to shudder, in dianetics, at the thought of taking on a Junior case. An auditor can be expected to slave his hardest when he has a case with non-sonic, which is off the time track, and which is named after father or mother. Such cases resolve, of course, but if parents knew what they did to children by giving them any name which might appear in the engram bank, such as that of parents or grandparents or friends, it is certain the custom would vanish instanter. Restimulating The Engram „Ask often enough and you will receive,“ is always true when working the engram bank. Simply by returning into an area enough times engrams will appear. If it is not there today, it will be there tomorrow. But if it is not there tomorrow, it will be there the day after and so forth. Emotional discharges are most certainly located by asking for them time after time, returning the patient over the part of the track where the charge is expected to lie. What repeater technique will fail to do can be done by returning the patient, session after session, to a portion of his life. Sooner or later it will come into view. Occluded Life Periods And People Whole areas of the time track will be found occluded. These contain suppressors by way of engram command, ally computations and painful emotion. Persons can vanish utterly from sight for these reasons. They come to view after a few engrams have been lifted in basic or the area has been developed as above. 
Animosity Toward Parents It always happens, when one clears a child or adult, that the pre-clear goes through stages of improvement which bring him up the tone scale and cause him, of course, to pass through the second zone, anger. A pre-clear may become furious with his parents and other offenders in the engram bank. Such a situation is to be expected. It is a natural by-product of therapy and it cannot be avoided. As the case progresses the tone scale, of course, rises and places the pre-clear in a state of boredom toward the villains who have wronged him. At last he reaches Tone 4, which is the tone of the clear. At this time he is very cheerful and willing to be friends with people whether they have wronged him or not: of course he has the data about what to expect of them, but he nurses no animosity. If a parent feels that the child, knowing all, would turn against him, then the parent is mistaken. The child has already, as an aberree, turned very thoroughly against the parent whether his analyzer knows all or not and the most uncertain and unlovely conduct may result from further hiding of the evidence. It is a matter of continual observation that the good release and the clear feel no ani-mosity whatever toward their parents or others who had caused their aberrations and indeed stop negating, defending and fighting so irrationally. The clear will fight, certainly, for a good cause and he will be the most dangerous opponent possible, but he does not fight for irrational reasons like an animal and his understanding of people is very much enlarged and his affec-tion can at last be deep. If a parent wishes love and cooperation from a child, no matter what he has done to that child, permit therapy and achieve that love and cooperation with the child self-determined and no longer secretly in apathy or rage. After all, the clear has learned the source of his parents’ aberrations as well as his own; he recognizes that they had engram banks before he did. Propitiation In the process of work a stage will be passed, in the upper range of apathy, of propitia-tion. This conciliation is an effort to feed or sacrifice to an all destructive force. It is a state wherein the patient, in deep fear of another, offers expensive presents and soft words, turns the other cheek, offers himself as a doormat and generally makes a fool out of himself. Many, many marriages, for instance, are marriages not of love but of that shabby sub-stitute, propitiation. People have a habit of marrying people who have similar reactive minds. This is unfortunate for such marriages are destructive to both partners. She has a certain set of aberrations: they match his. She is pseudo-mother, he is pseudo-father. She had to marry him because father tried to murder her before she was born. He had to marry her because mother beat him when he was a child. Incredible as it may seem, these marriages are very common: one or the other partner becomes mentally ill, or both may deteriorate. He is unhappy, his en-thusiasms crushed; she is miserable. Either with another partner might be a happy person yet, out of fear, they cannot break apart. They must propitiate each other. 
The auditor who finds a marriage in this condition and attempts to treat one of the partners, had better treat both simultaneously. Or such partners had better treat each other and soon. Tolerance and understanding are almost always fostered by mutual help. Propitiation is mentioned here because it has a diagnostic value. People who start bringing the auditor expensive gifts are propitiating him, and it probably means that they have a computation which tells them, engramically, that they will die or go crazy if they become sane. The auditor may enjoy the gifts, but he had better start looking for a sympathy engram not yet suspected or tapped. Love Probably no single subject in the concerns of Man has received as much attention as Love. It is not untrue that where one finds the greatest controversy, there he will also find the least comprehension. And where the facts are least precise there one can also find the greatest arguments. And so it is with Love. Without doubt Love has ruined more lives than war and made more happiness than all the dreams of Paradise. Entangled with a thousand songs a year and submerged beneath a solid tonnage of poor literature, Love should have a proper chance to be defined. It has been discovered that there are three kinds of Love between woman and man: the first is covered under the law of affinity and is the affection with which Mankind holds Man-kind; the second is sexual selection and is a true magnetism between partners; the third is compulsive „Love“ dictated by nothing more reasonable than aberration. Perhaps in the hero and heroine legends there have been cases of the second kind, and surely as one looks about him in this society he can discover numbers of happy partnerships based on a natural and strongly affectionate admiration. The third kind we find in plenty: tab-loid literature is devoted to it and its travails; it crams the courts with urgent pleas for divorce, with criminal acts and civil suits; it sends children weeping into the corner away from quarrels and it launches from its broken homes broken young women and men. Dianetics classifies this third kind of love as „reactive mind partnership.“ Here is a meeting of minds – but the minds are on the lowest computational level possessed by man. Driven together by compulsion, men and women mate who will find in that mating nothing but sorrow and reduction of their hopes. He is pseudo-brother who beat her regularly or he is pseudo-father whom she had to mind. Maybe he is even pseudo-mother who screamed ceaselessly at her but whom she had to placate, and he might be the doctor who hurt her so savagely. She may be his pseudo-mother, his pseudo-grandmother whom he had to love despite the way she undermined his decision; she may be a pseudo-nurse in some operation long gone or the pseudo-teacher who kept him after school to whet her sadism upon him. 
 Before the marriage takes place they only know there is a compulsion that they must be together, a feeling that each must be extremely nice to the other. And then the marriage takes place and more and more restimulation of ancient pain is felt until at last each is ill and life, complicated now perhaps by unhappy children, is an unhappy ruin. The mechanism of propitiation carries with it covert hostility. Gifts given without cause and beyond the ability to expend, self-sacrifices which seem so noble at the time com-pose propitiation. Propitiation is an apathy effort to hold away a dangerous „source“ of pain. Mistaken identity is one of the minor errors of the reactive mind. To buy off, to nullify the possible anger of a person perhaps long since dead but living now again in the partner, is the hope of propitiation. But a man is dead who will not sometimes fight. The hostility may be masked, it may be entirely „unknown“ to the individual who indulges it. Certainly it is always justified in the mind of the person who exerts it and is supposed to be a natural consequence of some entirely obvious offense. The wife who makes inadvertent blunders before the guests and by them accidently gives away the truth of her husband’s favorite myth, the wife who forgets the little favors he has asked, the wife who suddenly stabs him with a „logical“ pin in the region of his hopes: these are wives who live with partners whom they must, out of some wrong done years before the courtship and by some other man, propitiate, and these are wives who, propitiating, numb the hopes and misunderstand the sorrows of their mates. The husband who sleeps with another woman and „accidentally“ leaves the lipstick on his tie, the husband who finds her excellent cooking bad and idleness in her days, the husband who forgets her letters he must mail, the husband who finds her opinions silly, these are hus-bands who live with partners whom they must propitiate. A soaring, roller-coaster curve of peace and war in the home, failures to understand, mutual curtailment of liberty and self-determinism, unhappy lives, unhappy children and di-vorce are caused by reactive mind marriages. Compelled by an unknown threat to marry, re-pelled by fear of pain from trust, this „meeting of minds“ is the primary cause of all marital disaster. The law lacked definition and so invoked great difficulty in the path of those involved in such marriages. The track of it is the dwindling spiral of misery which accompanies all chronic restimulation and leads only down to failure and to death. Someday there will, per-haps, exist a much more sentient law that only the unaberrated can marry and bear children. The present law only provides that marriages must be at best most difficult to part. Such a law is like a prison sentence for the husband, the wife and the children – all and every one.  A marriage can be saved by clearing its partners of their aberrations. An optimum so-lution would include this in any case since it is most difficult for a wife or a husband to rise, even when divorced, to any future plane of happiness: and where there are children, if clear-ing is not effected, a great injustice has been done. It is usually discovered that when both partners in a reactive mind marriage are cleared of aberration, life becomes considerably more than tolerable; for human beings often have a natural liking even when no sexual selection has been present. The restoration of a marriage by clearing the partners may not bring about one of the great loves that poets strummed about 
but it will at least bring a high level of respect and cooperation toward the common goal of making life worthwhile. And in many marriages so cleared it was discovered that the partners, beneath the dirty cloth of aberration, loved each other well. A major gain to such a clearing is for the children’s sake. Nearly all marital discontent has as its major factor aberration on the second dynamic, sex. And any such aberration in-cludes a nervous disposition toward children. Where there are children, divorce does not answer, clearing does. And with clearing comes a fresh new page of life on which happiness can be written. In the case of the reactive mind marriage, turn-about clearing is often complicated by the concealed hostilities which lie below the propitiative mechanism. It is wise for the part-ners to look outside the home, each interesting a friend in a therapy turn-about. If such mutual clearing is begun, with the partners working on each other, much restraint of anger and exer-tion of patience must be practiced, and the auditor’s code must be most severely followed. It requires a saintly detachment to bear the Tone One of the partner who, returned to a quarrel, seasons the recountings with further recrimination. If it must be done, it can be done but, when many quarrels and travails have beset a couple, it is easier if they each look without the home for a therapy partner. Additionally, there is a kind of „rapport“ established between any auditor and pre-clear and after the therapy session is done, a strengthening of the natural affinity is such that a small deed or word may be taken as a savage attack with the result of a quarrel and the inhibi-tion of therapy. Men can be considered to be best audited by men and women by women. This condi-tion is changed when one deals with a woman who has such severe aberrations about women that she is in fear around them or when one is auditing a man who has deep fear of men. The dynamics of men and women are somehow different and a wife, particularly if there have ever been quarrels of any magnitude, sometimes finds it difficult at times to be sufficiently insistent to audit her husband. The husband may audit, in the usual case, without great difficulty but when in therapy himself, his feeling that he must rise superior to the situa-tion forces him to attempt auto-control, a thing which is impossible. The Erasure Sooner or later – if you keep trying – you will get basic-basic, the earliest moment of „unconsciousness“ and physical pain. You will know when you have it, perhaps, only because things start to erase rather than reduce. If the patient still has a sonic shut-off, you can still erase: sooner or later that sonic will turn on, perhaps not even until the case is almost finished. You will reach basic-basic sooner or later. The erasure, then, is more or less the same procedure as the entrance. You erase all the early engrams, always the earliest you can find, and you keep discharging painful emotion engrams either in the basic area or in the later periods after birth and later in life. You erase as much as you can find in the early part of the case, then you release all the emotion you can 
 find later in the case (erase everything in each engram you touch) and then you come back and find early material. The reactive engram bank is a hurrah’s nest. The file clerk must have a great deal of trouble with it. For things are keyed-in early and late, sometimes all he can get is material under certain topics, sometimes all he can get is material under certain somatics (all teeth, for instance), sometimes he can go in an orderly parade forward in time and give consecutive incidents: this last is the most important proceeding. Not until you have worked out every moment of physical pain and discharged all the moments of painful emotion will the case be cleared. There will be times when you are sure that you are almost to the goal only to discover, going into the prenatal area again, a new se-ries of material uncovered by the later life painful emotion you have released. One day you will find a case which will not have any occlusions anywhere on the track, which will no longer be interested in engrams (apathy cases aren’t interested at the start; clears, at the top level, are not interested either, making a cycle, though the clear is a long way from apathetic), which will have all recalls, which will compute accurately and make no er-rors (within the limitations of the data available) and which, in short, has an exhausted engram bank. But do not be too optimistic, ever. Keep looking until you are sure. Observe the case to make certain no aberrations are displayed about anything, that dynamics are high in it and that life is good. If this person now feels he can solve all the problems of life, lick the world with one hand tied behind him and feel a friend to all men, you have a clear. The only way you can go wrong is to compute with the idea that human beings are full of error and evil and sin and that if you have made a person less unhappy and above normal he is to bejudged a clear. This is a release. In gold panning, it is true that every tenderfoot mistakes iron pyrites – fool’s gold – for gold. The tenderfoot will crow with delight over a bright bit of something in his pan which, actually, is worth a few dollars a ton. And then he sees real gold! The moment he sees real gold in that pan, he knows what gold really looks like. It cannot be mistaken. Aside from the fact that psychometry would show a clear phenomenally intelligent, would show his aptitude and versatility wide, there is another quality, the human quality of a freed man. You take a release through psychometry and show him to be above normal, too. But a clear is a clear and when you see it you will know it with no further mistake. That a clear is no longer interested in his extinct engrams does not mean he is not in-terested in the troubles of others. That a person is not interested in his own engrams does not necessarily argue a clear but may well be another mechanism, the apathy of neglect. To have engrams and neglect them is a common aberration with the reactive mind on a tone scale of apathy. To have no engrams and neglect them is another thing. Every apathy case, neglecting his engrams as an answer to his woe, insisting he is happy, insisting, as he racks himself to pieces, that there is nothing wrong with him, will, in work, particularly after basic-basic is lifted, become interested in his engrams and more interested in life. It is easy to tell the apathy case from the clear for the two are at opposite ends of the spectrum of life: the clear has soared up toward victory and triumph, the apathy case knows victory and triumph are not for him and explains they are not worth it. 
What the life span of a clear is cannot be answered now; ask in a hundred years. How can you tell a clear? How close does the man measure to optimum for Man? Can he adjust to his environment smoothly? And far more important, can he adjust that environ-ment to him? Sixty days and again six months after a clear has apparently been effected, the auditor should again make a search for any neglected material. He should question the possible clear carefully as to the events of the past interval. In such a way he can learn of any worries, con-cerns or illnesses which may have taken place and attempt to trace these to engrams. If he cannot then find engrams, the clear is definitely and without question, cleared. And he will stay that way. If a case merely stalls, however, and while aberration seems to be present, engrams cannot be found, the cause probably lies with thoroughly masked despair charges – painful emotional engrams. These are not necessarily postnatal, they can be within the prenatal period and involve circumstances which are very secret – or so the engrams announce. Also, some cases have stalled and proven „impenetrable“ because of a current or immediately past cir-cumstance the patient has not revealed. There are two reasons which can delay a case: (a)  the person may be so aberratedly ashamed of his past or so certain of retribu-tion if he reveals it that he does nothing but avoid; and (b)  the person may be in fear because of some existing circumstance or threat. The auditor is not interested in what the patient does. Or in what the patient has done. Dianetics treats of what has been done to the person exclusively in therapy. What has been done by a patient is of no concern. The auditor who would make it any concern is practicing something other than dianetics. However, a patient, because of his engrams, may become ob-sessed with the idea that he must hide something in his life from the auditor. general classes above cover the general conditions.  These active reasons, as under (a), may be such a thing as a prison sentence, a murder hitherto unknown (although many people think they have done murder who have not even threatened it to anyone), abnormal sexual practices, or some such circumstance. The auditor should promise not to reveal any confidential matter, purely as a matter of routine and explain the principle of „done to. not done by.“ And no auditor would taunt or revile a patient for hav-ing been victimized by his engrams. As under (b) there may exist some person, even the wife or husband, who has cowed the patient into secrecy. One case is at hand where no advance was made although there were many incidents contacted: the incidents would not reduce or erase no matter where they were. It was discovered that this case, a woman, had been beaten savagely and often by her husband and that she had been threatened with death if she told the auditor a word of these acts; and yet these acts contained the whole despair charges of the case and had to be released. Seeing this, finally suspecting, the auditor was able to gain her confidence and locate the despair charges. Even if he had not gained her confidence, by con-stant restimulation of late life areas he would have provoked her tears. In another case, that of a small child, „dub-in“ recall was so obvious and lie factories were so busy that the auditor at last realized that he was attempting to penetrate not just the secrecy on an engram but the se-
crecy imposed upon a child by some one at hand. The mother, in this case, out of the idea that she would be apprehended, had furiously threatened the child to say nothing about his treat-ment at home. There was more than this behind the case, there were eighty-one attempted abortions, an incredible number. Anything is the business of an auditor if it has become an engram. If society has jailed a man, if all is not well in the home, these are things done to a person. What the person did to „deserve“ this treatment is of no concern.  The Foreign Language Case Now and again an auditor will encounter a strange sort of hold-up in a case. He will be unable to get anything to clear or make sense in the prenatal area and sometimes in childhood as well as the prenatal area. He may be encountering a „foreign language case.“ Occasionally the child did not know he was born to other parents (who may have spoken a foreign tongue) than those he has known as his parents. This is a special sort of mix-up of its own which is rather easily resolved simply by running engrams. It is always possible for the patient to for-get that his parents spoke some other tongue in the home. Another tongue than the one the patient is using or other than that of the country in which the patient resides is, in one way, an asset: it gives a prenatal area which is very difficult to restimulate although it may still be act-ing upon the patient’s mind. But it is no asset to the auditor, who must now deal with a patient who does not know the language, who may not have sonic recall and yet has an engram bank full of data which once had meaning and really is his basic language. The best remedy for such a case is to get an auditor who knows both the language used in the prenatal area and the present tongue. Another remedy is to take a dictionary to the case and figure out the bouncers et al. from the dictionary. Another way is to regress the patient often enough into the infant period that he begins to pick up the language again (making the file drawer of it come forth) and then ask the patient for phrases which, in the foreign tongue, would mean this or that. Gradually he may recover the language and so exhaust the bank. This is an extremely difficult case only when there was no childhood use of the other tongue. Given childhood use of that tongue, the auditor simply keeps returning the patient to child-hood when he knew the tongue and then returning him into the prenatal area: the patient can translate what is happening. The cliches of other tongues than that the auditor speaks are often quite productive of other literal meanings than comparable cliches in the auditor’s tongue. This difference of cliche is a very responsible agent in the social aberrations of one nation as they differ from those of another. „I have hot,“ says the Spaniard. „I am hot,“ says the Eng-lishman. Engramically, they mean different things, even if they mean the same to the analyzer.  

CHAPTER IX – PART TWO MECHANISMS AND ASPECTS OF THERAPY Extra-Sensory Perception Every time the auditor has a case with dub-in recall or which is highly charged with emotion, the case may return into the prenatal area and start describing scenery. This is the awe and wonder of some beholders. There is the patient in the womb and yet he can „see“ outside. The patient tells about father and mother and where they are sitting and what the bedroom looks like, and yet there he is in the womb. Some pretty theories can be ad-vanced for this: one of them is that the tortured foetus develops extra-sensory perception in order to see what is coming next. ESP is an excellent theory and some observation may con-firm it but not in the foetus. One must recall that the foetus, even if it has highly developed and clever cells, is yet not a truly rational organism. The presence of the engram does not necessarily mean that the foetus could think. The engram became most severely aberrative when the child finally learned speech. The engram is not a memory but a recording of pain and percepts. Returning a grown man or a child into the prenatal area returns there an experienced mind which, connecting with these engrams, forms conclusions. To listen to some pre-clears one would think they read Keats and drank lemonade every afternoon at four throughout the prenatal period. To return reason and analytical power back into a period when neither reason nor ana-lytical power existed, of course, impinges upon the returned individual many ideas. All he is supposed to run are the engrams and their contents. He may additionally, by dream mecha-nisms and current computation, try to fashion in a whole technicolor picture of the scenery. This prenatal ESP does not in fact exist. It has been proven, after considerable test, that whenever the returned pre-clear thinks he sees something, the scenery itself is mentioned in the engrams and gives him an imaginary picture of it. There is no prenatal ESP, in other words. There are only descriptions and actions which suggest scenery and these suggestions, operating now upon the imagination, bring about the supposed visio. This is most chronic with patients who have high powered lie factories. When the auditor sees this he begins to form a notion of the case he is engaged upon, he knows „dub-in sonic“ may be used and he should find and discharge all painful emotion he can reach for it is this painful emotion which so disposes a case to avoid. He can find, then, the lie factory itself, not the lie factory of the lie factory which produces lie factories, but the actual engram which causes all this delusion. However, never bring a pre-clear up short on this material. Don’t tell him it is imagi-nary, you’ll drive the lie factory into higher effort. For there are sympathy computations here, despairful losses, great prenatal pain and childhood neglect. And it would take little to shatter what self-confidence this patient has managed to assemble. Therefore walk softly, look for 
despair charges, allies, sympathy engrams and get the lie factory. Then the case will settle down and progress to clear. Electric Shock It has been found important, in entering a case to locate and relieve all engrams caused by electric shock of whatever kind. These seem to produce a grouping of engrams, whether they are received prenatally (as some have been), accidentally, or at the hands of psychiatrists. Any electric shock seems to have more than usual force in the engram bank and apparently deranges the memory files of both past and future events surrounding the shock area. Further, electric shock injury contains a great depth of „unconsciousness“ which thereafter holds the analytical mind in a reduced state. Tacit Consent In the case of two pre-clears working on each other, each one assuming in his turn the auditor’s role, a condition can arise where each prevents the other from contacting certain engrams. For example, pre-clear A has an ally computation concerning a dog. He unknowingly seeks to protect this „pro-survival“ engram within himself although, of course, failure to re-lease it will hinder therapy. As he audits pre-clear B he has a tendency to project his own problems into pre-clear B, which is to say he has some slight confusion of identity. If pre-clear B is known to have some „pro-survival“ engram about a dog, then pre-clear A, auditing, will actually avoid making pre-clear B contact B’s own engram. This is a mistaken idea that by letting B keep his dog engram, A can retain his dog engram. This is „tacit consent.“ It might be summed as a bargain: „If you don’t make me get well, I won’t make you get well.“ This should be guarded against: once known that such a condition exists and that such reluctance to clear the other is manifested, „tacit consent“ ceases. It may also happen that a husband and wife may have a mutual period of quarrels or unhappiness. Engaged upon clearing each other, working alternately as auditor, they avoid, unknowingly but by reactive computation, the mutual period, thus leaving in place painfully emotional engrams. Tacit Consent is not easily recognized by the individuals so involved, and pre-clears, alternating as auditors, should be very wary of it for it cannot do other than slow a case. Emotion And Pain Shut-Offs34 A case which manifests no emotion or cannot feel pain when emotion and pain should be present in some incident is suffering from a „feeling“ shut-off: this most likely will be found in the prenatal area. The word „feeling“ means both pain and emotion: thus the phrase, „I can’t feel anything,“ may be an anesthetic for both.                                                 
 If an exteriorized view of the incident (where the patient sees himself and is not in himself) or what pretends to be prenatal „ESP“ is present, the emotional shut-off probably stems from painful emotion engrams in late life or at least post-birth. If there is no exterior-ized view and the patient is within himself, and yet no sharpness of pain or emotion manifests itself while he is running through an engram, an early emotional shut-off or an early pain shut-off should be suspected and should be located by repeater technique. Run the words „No emotion“ until a paraphrase is obtained: run the words „I can’t feel,“ or some other phrase meaning the same thing and the patient, if the engrams are available and are not suppressed by others, will eventually respond. It may happen that a case may „work“ very well, which is to say that engrams present themselves and can be run and reduced, without emotion manifesting itself as part of the con-tent and with somatics which are dull and not so much pain as simply pressure. If the pain and emotion shut-offs do not yield at first to repeater technique, many engrams may have to be run in the basic area without pain or emotion but only with pressure and word content. In such a case pain and emotion can eventually be contacted, after which therapy is more beneficial. Exteriorized Views Whenever you find a patient, returned, outside himself and seeing himself, that patient is off the track. He should not be told so but the despair charges, which is to say, the painful emotion engrams, should be found as soon as possible and discharged. This is something of the same mechanism as the ESP described above. Telepathy Every few cases some pre-clear may try to palm off telepathy as an aberrative factor. This is more rainbow chasing. There may be telepathy but so far as research has shown the foetus doesn’t receive any and even if he receives it, it is not aberrative in any way. Exhaustive tests were made on telepathy and ESP and in every case an explanation was found which did not need to go into mind reading or radar sight. When a patient tries to tell the auditor that he is reciting mother’s thoughts received prenatally, be certain that somewhere around there is an engram in which she says these exact words aloud. Mothers, especially when aberrated severely and especially when aberrated se-verely enough to attempt abortion, have many engrams they dramatize. The power of the dramatization commonly manifests itself as monologues. Some mothers have a very great deal to say to themselves when alone. All of this speech is, of course, transmitted to the child when he is injured, and he may be injured without mother being injured as in an attempted abortion. For considerable time after such an injury the child is usually „unconscious“ and in pain; he therefore records in engrams these monologues (and often the voice is quite loud). He doesn’t hear it: it is simply cellularly recorded. All such monologuing is aberrative, of course, and produces some remarkable patterns of insanity and neurosis. But of telepathy, there is none that is aberrative so far as we know at this time. So the auditor should not accept telepathy any more than he would accept ESP. 
 Prenatal Living Conditions It is very noisy in the womb. A person may think he has sonic and yet hear no „womb“ sounds, which means that he does not have sonic but only „dub-in.“ Intestinal squeaks and groans, flowing water, belches, flatulation and other body activities of the mother produce a continual sound. It is also very tight in later prenatal life. In a high blood pressure case, it is extremely horrible in the womb. When mother takes quinine a high ringing noise may come into being in the foetal ears as well as her own – a ringing which will carry through a person’s whole life. Mother gets morning sickness, has hiccoughs and gets colds, coughs and sneezes. This is prenatal life.  The only reason anybody „wanted“ to „return to the womb“ was because somebody hit mother and yelled „Come back here!“ so the person does. The Engram Filing System Engrams are not filed in the orderly fashion managed by a cleared standard bank. En-grams are filed in a way which would defy Alexander. Hence, it is difficult to know when the proper consecutive item will appear. Time, topic, value, somatic and emotion are the methods of filing. The return from basic-basic may be an apparent orderly progress into late life. Sud-denly a despair charge is triggered and discharged. The auditor looks back at the prenatal area and finds a whole new series of incidents in view. Progress is then begun back to present time, step by step, another discharge is triggered and another series of prenatals come into sight. These are erased and progress is made back toward present time when still another despair charge is released and still more prenatals come to view. These are erased and so forth and so on. The engram filing system gives out data by somatic, time, topic, value or emotion. Usually the file clerk hands out material on the basis of time and topic. Emotion in the bank keeps the file clerk from getting at a certain series of incidents; when the emotion is dis-charged, the incidents become available and incidents are brought out until another emotional charge stops the file clerk. The wit of the auditor is most used, not in getting prenatals, but in finding these later life emotional charges and discharging them. All in all the engram filing system is very poor, unlike the standard bank. But it is also very vulnerable now that we understand it.  The engram filing system data can be erased. Standard bank data cannot be erased. Pain is perishable – pleasure endures. 
Alleviation The psycho-analyst or general counselor in human relations is occasionally faced with a type of problem which dianetics, applied in small quantity, can resolve easily. It is possible, when a person has been too disturbed by an event of the day to address himself to the problem at hand to alleviate his disturbance with a few minutes of work. A sudden change in the aspect of a patient, a sudden deterioration of his serenity, gen-erally stems from some incident which has caused him mental anguish. Although this change of mind has its source in the restimulation of an engram, the moment of restimulation, which is a lock, may be addressed and alleviated with success. Using reverie or merely asking the patient to close his eyes, the analyst can request him to return and be in the instant wherein he was disturbed. That instant may be in the same day or the same week as the office call. A moment of analytical shut-down will be discovered wherein some restimulative person or circumstance upset the equilibrium of the patient. This moment is a lock. It can be recounted, ordinarily, as an engram and the latest source of ten-sion will relieve so that work can be continued. The engram itself, upon which the lock de-pended, may not be accessible without a full dianetic address to the problem. The auditor, finding a patient much disturbed, can often save time by relieving the lock which caused the immediate disturbance of the pre-clear. Locating locks on a wholesale basis is unremunerative from a dianetic viewpoint since there are thousands and thousands of them in every case. Locating the last lock, which is hin-dering work, may be of benefit. The Tone Scale And Reduction Of Engrams Because it is very important, the mechanism of the reduction of a late painful emotion engram must be specifically detailed. The uses of reduction on late engrams are wide and various. When the auditor gets into trouble with his pre-clear by some violation of the auditor’s code, he can treat the viola-tion as a painful emotion engram and reduce it, at which moment the effect of his blunder will be gone in the pre-clear. The auditor merely returns the pre-clear back to the blunder and runs the error itself as an engram. When the husband has quarreled with his wife or she has found out some unpleasant thing about his activities, he can treat the quarrel or the discovery as a painful emotion engram and release it with the result of no further worry about it by his wife. When the little boy’s dog has just been run over, the incident can be treated as a painful emo-tion engram and released. When the pre-clear’s wife has just left him, treat the leaving as a painful emotion engram and release it. Whatever the shock or upset, it can be reduced in an individual by regular reduction technique and the individual will cease to be troubled by it in the painful emotion sense. It does not matter whether the engram occurred two hours or ten years ago, painful emotion can be reduced from it. It is run exactly like any other engram, beginning at the beginning of the first shock with the patient returning to it and continuing far enough along it to adequately embrace its first impact.  
The aspect of this reduction is a pattern which does not much vary. If the news struck the individual into apathy, then, as he recounts, he will, unless there is a severe emotional shut-off elsewhere, progress through the incident a time or two, perhaps, before he contacts it properly. Then there will come the tears and despair of apathy. Another two or three runs should bring up anger. Then further recounting (always from beginning to end as re-experience) brings the tone up into boredom. Further recounting should bring it to Tone 3 or 4, release or, most favorably, laughter. This progress of the tones is the clue which led to the establishment of the tone scale from 0 to 4. A Tone 4 is laughter. There is sometimes a stage in the Tone 2 area where the patient begins to be offhand and flippant. This is not Tone 4, it denotes more data present. He may resist recounting at this point, saying the incident is released. The auditor must insist on further recounting whenever he finds the pre-clear unwilling to recount again, for here is data being suppressed and more charge is present. The flippancy is generally found to be an escape mechanism and is some-times uttered in the very words which are yet concealed. More recounting (without the auditor insisting any certain words be found) is then done until the patient reaches Tone 4. Here we have, in vignette, the behavior of the whole engram bank in the process of therapy. The entire bank rises from its initial tone level eventually up to Tone 4, higher and higher as more and more engrams are erased or reduced. The bank’s rise is not, however, a smooth upward curve for new engrams will be contacted with apathy in them and some have manics in them. The painful emotion engram, however, does a rather smooth rise. If it is go-ing to release at all it will rise up the scale. If it does not rise up the scale – apathy to anger, anger to boredom, boredom to cheerfulness or at least no concern – then it is suppressed by an incident with similar content. An engram may begin at Tone 1 – anger – and rise from there. If it is found to be in Tone 2 at the start – boredom – it is hardly an engram. It may, however, be in a false Tone 2 and suppressed by other data so that the patient merely appears bored and careless about it. A few recountings may bring about release of it, at which moment it will sag instantly to apathy – Tone 0 – and then come on up the scale of the tones. Or another engram may have to be contacted. The whole physical being follows this tone scale throughout a course of therapy. The mental being follows this tone scale. And painful emotion engrams follow it. On an erasure down in the basic area or when returning from basic-basic, two or three runs will erase an engram of whatever kind unless it is the basic on a new chain of similar incidents. But engrams which show no emotion anywhere on the track are suppressed by emo-tional or feeling shut-offs, late painful emotion or early engrams which simply shut off the pain or emotion in so many words. A case should be kept „live.“ There must be variability of emotion. A monotone re-counting, which is to say, one which does not vary the engramic tone but merely reduces, is necessary in the basic area at times, but anytime a patient becomes orderly and „well-drilled“ and expresses no concern over his engrams as he recounts them, there is late painful emotion to be tapped or early emotional shut-off. Conversely, if the patient is too continu-
ously emotional about all and anything, if he weeps awhile and then laughs hysterically, ther-apy is being done but one should be alert for something engramic in the prenatal area which says he has to be „too emotional“ – which is to say, he has engrams which make him emo-tional by their command content.  The tone scale is very useful and is a good guide. It will be most prominent in reduc-ing post-speech engrams, but will also appear earlier. Any painful emotion engram can be run. If it is properly reducing and not suppressed elsewhere, it follows the tone scale upwards to Tone 4. If The Patient Does Not Work Well On Repeater Technique If, when the patient repeats a line the auditor has given him, the patient does not move to an incident, three things can be wrong: first, the patient cannot move on the track; second, the phrase may be sensibly withheld by the file clerk until such time as it can be cleared; or third, the phrase does not exist as engramic material. The patient may also have strong „control yourself“ engrams which manifest them-selves by his snatching control from the auditor, being very bossy or simply refusing coopera-tion. Repeater technique, when directed at „control yourself“ and „I’ve got to operate“ and allied phrases, can then work. The usual reason repeater technique does not work is that the patient is in a holder. If he is returned but does not shift on the track when repeater technique is given him, use re-peater technique on the holders. Remember that a „feeling“ shut-off can deny all somatics so that the patient does not feel them. If the patient seems insensible to trouble on the track, be sure that he has a feeling shut-off. A large emotional charge may also inhibit repeater technique. The somatic strip does not go well into emotional charges – painful emotion en-grams – and repeater technique is therefore indictated. If repeater technique does not work, although it is seldom necessary, one may request the patient to imagine „the worst thing that could happen to a baby“ and so forth and from his conversation may be garnered new phrases for repeater work which will take the patient into an engram. Single Word Technique Words as well as engrams exist in chains. There is always a first time for the recording of each word in a person’s life. The whole common language may lie within the engram bank. The possible combinations of that common language may well approach infinity. The ways various denyers, bouncers et al., can be phrased are always beyond count. Two „happy“ facts exist, however, to reduce the auditor’s labors. First, the dramatis personae of his engrams are at this date aberrated. Each aberree has standard dramatizations 
which he repeats over and over in restimulative situations. The reaction, for instance, of the father to the mother is repetitious: if he utters a set of phrases in one engramic situation, he will utter it in subsequent similar situations. If the mother, for example, has an accusative atti-tude toward the father, then that attitude will be expressed in certain terms and these terms will appear in engram after engram. The second fact is that where the father or mother is abu-sive to the other, the other will eventually begin to suffer contagion of aberration and will repeat the other’s phrases. In a first-born child, where parental brutality is present, one can observe the parents through the engrams of the patient and see one or the other gradually take up the other’s phrases either to worry about themselves or to redeliver them. All this tends to make the engrams appear in chains of incidents, each incident much like the next. When one has the basic on each type of chain, the subsequent incidents on that chain are sufficiently similar to permit many incidents to be reduced or erased immediately after the first is found. The first incident on the chain, the basic for that chain, holds the others more or less in place and out of sight; therefore, the basic of the chain is the goal. Each word in the bank can be discovered to have been delivered to the bank for the first time. Words also reduce in chains with the virtue that each subsequent appearance of the word in the bank locates automatically a new engram, which, of course, is reduced or erased as soon as it is contacted or as soon as its basic can be located. Single word technique is very valuable and useful. It is a special kind of repeater tech-nique. On most patients, the repetition by themselves of one word will cause the associated words to suggest themselves. Thus, one asks the patient to repeat and return on the word For-get. He starts repeating the word Forget and shortly has an associated set of words, making a phrase, such as „You can never forget me.“ Here we have a phrase in an engram and the re-mainder of the engram can then be run. When a late engram has had to be contacted to progress a case and yet will not relieve, it is possible to take each word or phrase of that late engram and run it back with repeater technique. Thus the earlier engrams which hold this late engram in place can be located and reduced, and eventually one will have reduced the late engram itself. This, by the way, is a common and useful practice. There is a law about this: When any phrase or word in an engram will not reduce, the same phrase or word occurs in an earlier engram. One may have to discharge late emotion to get the earlier phrase, but ordinarily single word repeater or phrase repeater will attain it. There are only a few dozens of words necessary to get almost any engram. These would be the key single word repeaters. They are such words as these: forget, remember, memory, blind, deaf, dumb, see, feel, hear, emotion, pain, fear, terror, afraid, bear, stand, lie, get, come, time, difference, imagination, right, dark, black, deep, up, down, words, corpse, dead, rotten, death, book, reed, soul, hell, god, scared, miserable, horrible, past, look, every-thing, everybody, always, never, everywhere, all, believe, listen, matter, seek, original, pre-sent, back, early, beginning, secret, tell, die, found, sympathy mad, crazy, insane, rid, fight, fist, chest, teeth, jaw, stomach, ache, misery, head, sex, Anglo-Saxon four letter words of sex and profanity, skin, baby, it, curtain, shell, barrier, wall, think, thought, slippery, confused, mixed, smart, poor, little, sick, life, father, mother, familiar names of parents and any others 
of household during prenatal and childhood period, money, food, tears, no, world, excuse, stop, laugh, hate, jealous, shame, ashamed, coward, etc. Bouncers, denyers, holders, groupers, misdirectors et al., each have their common sin-gle words and these are few. The bouncer would contain: out, up, return, go, late, later, etc. The holder would contain: catch, caught, trap, trapped, stop, lie, sit, stay, can’t, stuck, fixed, hold, let, lock, locked, come, etc. The grouper would contain: time, together, once, difference, etc. The single word technique shines nowhere brighter than in the Junior Case – where the patient carries the name of one or another parent or grandparent. By clearing out the patient’s name from the prenatal engrams (where it is applied to another person but misinterpreted by the patient as himself) the patient can regain his own definition and valence. Always use the patient’s first name and last name (separately) as repeater, Junior or not. If the engram bank is blank on a phrase, it probably is not blank on a common word. Any small dictionary will provide an ample fund for single word technique. Use also any list of familiar first names, male and female, and you may discover allies or lovers not otherwise contactable.  The painful emotion engram sometimes yields slowly by simply directing the somatic strip to it. Sometimes the patient finds it difficult to approach an overcharged area. Single word technique using the name of the ally, if known, or words of sympathy, endearment, death, rejection or farewell and the love name of the patient as a child in particular will often yield swift results. By the way, in using repeater technique, word or phrase, the auditor must not stir the case up too much. Get what shows and reduce that. Reduce the somatic the person manifests when he goes into reverie and always try to find it for a while, even if you don’t succeed. If you stir up something en route down a chain which won’t reduce, mark it to be reduced when you have the basic. Using single word technique one often obtains phrases which would otherwise remain hidden but which come into view when the key word is tapped. Using „hear“ as a single word, for instance, the following phrases came to light which had thoroughly impeded the progress of the case. No effort was being made to contact such an engram in the prenatal area. Indeed, the „fight“ chain had never been suspected since the patient had never dramatized it and be-cause such a violent prenatal fight chain existed the fact that his parents fought violently in the home was utterly struck from the standard banks so that he would have denied such a thing with shocked surprise had it been suggested. The somatic was unusually severe, caused by the father kneeling on the mother and choking her: Patient repeated „hear“ several times, the auditor asking him to return to an incident containing that word. The patient continued to repeat and then suddenly sank into a stupor when he reached the prenatal area. He remained in this „boil-off“ for about thirty minutes and then, the auditor rousing him occasionally to make him repeat the word „hear,“ manifested a strong somatic. „Hear“ became „Stay here!“ The somatic became stronger and „Stay here“ was repeated until the patient could move freely on the track through the engram. He 
contacted his father’s voice and was most reluctant to carry on with the engram, due to its intense emotional violence. Coaxed and edged into it by the auditor, the engram was re-counted. FATHER: „Stay here! Stay down, damn you, you bitch! I’m going to kill you this time. I said I would and I will. Take that! (Intensified somatic as his knee ground into the mother’s abdomen) You better start screaming. Go on, Scream for mercy! Why don’t you break down? Don’t worry, you will! You’ll be blubbering around here, screaming for mercy! The louder you scream the worse you’ll get. That’s what I want to hear! I’m a punk kid, am I? You’re the punk kid! I could finish you now but I am not going to! (Auditor suddenly has trouble, patient taking last phrase literally and stopping his recounting; auditor starts him again) This is just a sample. There’s a lot more than that where it came from! I hope it hurts I hope it makes you cry! You say a word to anybody and I’ll kill you in earnest! (Patient now running ahead with such an emotional surge that commands are less active on him. This command to remain quiet disregarded) I’m going to bust your face in. You don’t know what it is to be hurt! (Somatic lessened by removal of the knee) I know what I’m going to do to you now! I’m going to pun-ish you! I’m going to punish you and God is going to punish you! I’m going to rape you! I’m going to stick it into you and tear you! When I tell you to do something you’ve got to do it! Get up on the bed! Lie down! Lie still! (Crack of bones as she is struck in the face with a fist. Blood pressure coming up and hurting baby) Lie still! You’ll always be here! I’m going to finish this! You’re unclean! You are dirty and diseased! God’s punished you and now I’m going to punish you! (Coitus somatic begins, very violent, further injuring child) You’ve got something terrible in your past. You think you’ve got to be mean to me! You try to make me feel like nothing! You’re the one that’s nothing! Take it, take it!“ (String of sexual banalities screamed for about five minutes) The patient recounted this three times and it erased. It was basic-basic! Three days after conception as nearly as could be judged by the subsequent days to the missed period. It threw into view almost all the other important data in the case, which then resolved and was cleared.35 The single word might have landed the patient on some other of the „hears“ in the case. In this event it would be necessary to pick it up at its earliest moment or the remainder of the engram might not erase or reduce. The word „hear“ might also have landed the patient later on the track in which case the engrams would have had to have been traced back earlier until one was found which would erase, reducing each one as it was encountered until the earliest was reached when all would erase.                                                 
 In using single word repeater as in phrase repeater, the auditor should not permit a rapid, unmeaning repetition but a slow repeat, the auditor requesting the somatic strip to re-turn the while and asking the patient to contact anything else which might associate with the word. Caution: if the patient is not moving on the track, do not give him repeater words or phrases at random as these will pile up engrams where the patient is stuck. Use only efforts to get the patient moving on the track by discovering and reducing the phrase that is holding him. Caution: basic-basic does not always have words in it, often being only painful and accompanied with womb sounds. It will, nevertheless, hold everything in place by its percep-tics. Special Classes Of Commands There are several distinct classes of commands. They are outlined here for ready refer-ence with some samples of each. Aberrative commands can contain anything. The auditor does not much concern him-self with them. Refer back to our young man and the coat in Book II and there we find, in the guise of hypnotic commands, some idea of what aberrative commands are. „I am a jub-jub bird,“ „I can’t whistle Dixie,“ „The world is all against me,“ „I hate policemen,“ „I am the ugliest person in the world,“ „You haven’t any feet,“ „The Lord is going to punish me,“ „I always have to play with my thing,“ may be very interesting to the patient and even amusing to the auditor and may have caused a considerable amount of trouble in the patient’s life. Where dianetic therapy is concerned, these all come up in due course. Looking for a specific aberration or a specific somatic is sometimes of interest and sometimes of some use, but it is not usually important. These aberrative commands may contain enough data to make the pa-tient a raving zealot, a paranoid or a catfish, but they are nothing to the auditor. They come up in due course. Working on them or about them is secondary and less. The primary business of the auditor in any case is to keep the patient moving on the track, keep his somatic strip free to come and go and reduce engrams. The moment the patient acts as though or responds as though he was not moving or the moment the file clerk will not give forth data, then something is wrong and that something has to do with a few classes of phrase: there are thousands of such phrases contained in engrams, variously worded, but only five classes: Denyers „Leave me alone,“ which means, literally, that he must leave the incident alone. „I can’t tell“ means he can’t tell you this engram. „It’s hard to tell“ means it is hard to tell. „I don’t want to know“ means he has no desire to know this engram. „Forget it“ is the classic of the sub-class of denyer, the forgetter mechanism. When the engram simply won’t come to view but there is a somatic or a muscle twitch, send the somatic 
strip to the denyer. It is often „Forget it“ or „Can’t remember“ as a part of the engram. „I don’t know what’s going on“ may be Mama telling Papa something but the pre-clear’s ana-lyzer, impinged, then doesn’t know what’s going on.  „It’s beyond me“ means he is right there but he thinks he isn’t. „Hold on to this, it’s your life!“ makes the engram „vital“ to existence. „It can’t be reached,“ „I can’t get in there,“ „Nobody must know,“ „It’s a secret,“ „If anybody found out, I’d die,“ „Don’t talk,“ and thousands more. Holders The holder is the most frequent and the most used since whenever the pre-clear can’t shift on the track or come to present, he is in a holder. A holder combined with a denyer will still hold: if it can’t be found, look for the denyer first, then the holder. „I’m stuck“ is the classic phrase. „That fixed it“ is another. „I’m caught“ doesn’t mean to the pre-clear what Mama meant when she said it. It may mean to her that she is pregnant but it tells the pre-clear he is caught on the track. „Don’t move,“ „Sit there until I tell you to move,“ „Stop and think“ (on this last phrase, when it is uttered on a first recounting the auditor may have to start him going again for he does just that, he stops and thinks and he would stop there and think for some time: the auditor will see this strange obedience to this literal nonsense as he works a case). And thousands more. Any way words literally understood can stop a person or keep him from moving, Bouncers The bouncer could best be demonstrated by a curve. The pre-clear goes back into pre-natal and then finds himself at ten years of age or even present time. That’s a bouncer at work. He goes early on the time track: it says come back up. When the pre-clear can’t seem to get earlier, there is a bouncer ejecting him from an engram. Get a comment from him on what’s happening. Take the comment or some phrase which would be a bouncer and use repeater technique until he settles back down on the en-gram. If he contacts it easily, it won’t bounce him again. „Get out“ is the classic bouncer. The patient usually goes toward present time. „Can’t go back at this point“ may mean Mama has decided she will have to have the baby after all or finish the abortion but to the pre-clear it means he must move on up the time track or that he can’t get any earlier period. „Get up there.“ „Run a mile“ („Beat it,“ would not be a bouncer; it would mean the pre-clear should beat the engram). 
„I must go far, far away,“ so he does. „I’m growing up,“ „Blow you higher than a kite,“ „Batter up.“ And thousands more. Grouper The grouper is the nastiest of all types of command. It can be so variously worded and its effect is so serious on the time track that the whole track can roll up into a ball and all inci-dents then appear to be in the same place. This is apparent as soon as the pre-clear hits one. The grouper will not be discovered easily. But it will settle out as the case progresses and the case can be worked with a grouper in restimulation. „I have no time“ and „Nothing makes any difference“ are the classic groupers. „Everything comes in on me at once“ means just that.  „They’re all in there together,“ „Screwed up,“ „Balled up,“ „It’s all right here.“ „You can remember all this in present time“ (a serious auditor error if he uses this to a suggestible patient, for it will gloriously foul a case). „You associate everything.“ „I am tangled up,“ „Jam everything in there at once,“ „There’s no time,“ and thousands more. Misdirector This is an insidious character, the misdirector. When it appears in an engram, the pa-tient goes in wrong directions, to wrong places, etc. „You’re doing it all backwards.“ „All up now“ is a grouper and a misdirector. „Always throwing it up to me“ puts the pre-clear up the track some distance and from there he tries to pick up engrams. „You can’t go down“ is partly bouncer, partly misdirector. „We can’t get to the bottom of this“ keeps him off from basic-basic. „You can start over again“ keeps him from finishing the recounting, whereupon he goes back to the beginning of the engram instead of running it. „Can’t go through that again“ keeps him from recounting. „I can’t tell you how it began“ keeps him starting his engrams in the middle and they will not then reduce. There are many such phrases. „Let’s settle down“ and all „settlings“ make him drift backwards down the track. „I am coming down with a cold“ puts the aberree in a common cold engram. This can be counted upon to make every cold much worse.  
 „Come back here“ is really a call back but it directs him away from where he should be. A patient who reaches present time with difficulty and then begins to go back has a „Come back here“ or a „Settle down.“ „Down and out“ misdirects him not only away from present time but to the bottom of the track and off it. This is a misdirector and a derailer all at once. „Can’t get past me“ is a misdirector on the order of a reverser. „You don’t know down from up“ is the classic phrase. „I’m all turned around.“ A special case is the derailer which „throws him off the track“ and makes him lose touch with his time track. This is a very serious phrase since it can make a schizophrenic and something of this sort is always to be found in schizophrenia. Some of its phrases throw him into other valences which have no proper track, some merely remove time, some throw him bodily out of time. „I don’t have any time“ is a derailer as well as a grouper. „I’m beside myself“ means that he is now two people, one beside the other. „I’ll have to pretend I am somebody else“ is a key phrase to identity confusion. „You’re behind the times“ and many more. There is another special case of the misdirector. The auditor says to go to „present time“ and the file clerk throws out a phrase with „present“ in it. It does not matter if the pre-sent in the phrase was a Christmas present, if it is in the prenatal area, the pre-clear goes there, ignoring what the auditor meant. „That’s all at present,“ is a vicious phrase, putting everything in present time. „It’s a lovely present.“ And others. „Now“ is sometimes confused with present time but not often. The auditor should not say „Come to now,“ because if he did he would find more „nows“ than he could comfortably handle. „Present“ is a rarer engramic word and is therefore used. „Now“ appears too frequently. Several severely aberrated persons who had little memory of the past have been found to be entirely off their time tracks, regressed into the prenatal area and stuck when the case was entered. As far as their wits were concerned, they had only a few months of past from where they were back to conception. And yet these people had managed somehow to function as normals. Emotional charges usually hold the person off his track and, indeed, are the only things which give these engram commands any power according to current findings. Differences There are two axioms about mind function with which the auditor should be familiar. I.  THE MIND PERCEIVES, POSES AND RESOLVES PROBLEMS RELATING TO SURVIVAL. 

 II.  THE ANALYTICAL MIND COMPUTES IN DIFFERENCES. THE REACTIVE MIND COMPUTES IN IDENTITIES. The first axiom is of interest to the auditor in his work because with it he can clearly establish whether or not he is confronting a rational reaction. The seven-year-old girl who shudders because a man kisses her is not computing; she is reacting to an engram since at seven she should see nothing wrong in a kiss, not even a passionate one. There must have been an earlier experience, possibly prenatal, which made men or kissing very bad. All depar-tures from optimum rationality are useful in locating engrams, all unreasonable fears and so forth are grist to the auditor’s mill. The auditor, with the above law, should study as well, the Equation of the Optimum Solution. Any departure from optimum is suspect. While he cares little about aberrations, at times a case will stall or seem to have no engrams. He then can ob-serve the conduct of his patient and his patient’s reactions to life in order to gain data. The second law is dianetics’ contribution to logic. In the philosophic text this is more fully entered. Aristotle’s pendulum and his two-valued logic were abandoned not because of any dislike of Aristotle but because broader yardsticks were needed. One of these yardsticks was the spectrum principle whereby gradations from zero to infinity and infinity to infinity were used and Absolutes were considered utterly unobtainable for scientific purposes. In the second axiom the mind can be conceived to recognize differences very broadly and accurately, in its nearest approach to complete rationality and then, as it falls away from rationality, to perceive less and less difference until at last it achieves a near approach to utter inability to compute any difference in time, space or thought and so can be considered com-pletely insane. When this follows one thought only, such as a sweeping statement that „All cats are the same,“ it is either careless or insane since all cats are not the same, even two cats who look, act and sound alike. One could say, „Cats are pretty much the same,“ and still be dealing with rather irrational thought. Or one could recognize that there was a species felix domesticus but that within it cats were decidely different not only from breed to breed but cat to cat. That would be rationality, not because one used Latin but because he could tell the dif-ference amongst cats. The fear of cats has as its source an engram which usually does not in-clude more than one cat and that is a very specific cat of a specific breed with a certain (or perhaps uncertain) personality. The pre-clear who is afraid of all cats is actually afraid of one cat and a cat which is most likely dead these many years at that. Thus as we swing from com-plete rationality down to irrationality there is a narrowing of differences until they nearly van-ish and become similarities and identities. Aristotle’s syllogism in which two things equal to the same thing are equal to each other simply does not begin to work in logic. Logic is not arithmetic, which is an artificial thing Man invented and which works. To handle a problem in logic the mind flutters through an enormous mass of data and computes with dozens and even hundreds of variables. It does not and never did think on the basis that two things equal to the same thing are equal to each other except when employing mathematics it had conceived the better to resolve abstract problems. It is an abstract truth that two and two equal four. Two what and two what equal four? There is no scale made, no yardstick or caliper or microscope manufactured, which would justify the actuality, for instance, that two apples plus two apples equal four apples. Two apples and two apples are four apples now if they are the same apples. They would not 
 equal four other apples by any growth or manufacturing process ever imagined. Man is con-tent to take approximations and call them, loosely, exactitudes. There is no Absolute anything save in abstract terms set up by the mind to work out exterior problems and achieve approxi-mations. This may seem to be a stretched conception, but it is not. The mathematician is very well aware that he is working with digit and analogue approximations set up into systems which were not necessarily here before Man came and will not necessarily be here after he is gone. Logic, even the simple logic of wondering about the wisdom of going shopping at ten, is handling numerous variables, indefinites and approximations. Mathematics can be invented by the carload lot. There is no actual Absolute, there is only a near approach. Our grammari-ans alone, much behind the times, insist, probably in memory of the metaphysician, on Abso-lute Reality and Truth. This is here set down partly because it may be of interest to some but mainly because the auditor must realize that he has an accurate measuring stick for sanity. Sanity is the ability to tell differences. The better one can tell differences, no matter how minute, and know the width of those differences, the more rational he is. The less one can tell differences and the closer one comes to thinking in identities (A = A) the less sane he is. A man says, „I don’t like dogs!“ Spot it, auditor, he has an engram about one or two dogs. A girl says, „All men are alike!“ Spot it, auditor, here’s a real aberree. „Mountains are so terrible!“ „Jewelers never go any place!“ „I hate women!“ Spot them. Those are engrams right out in broad daylight. Those engrams which inhibit the analytical mind in differentiating are those engrams which most seriously inhibit thinking. „You can’t tell the difference,“ is a common engram. „There is no difference,“ „Noth-ing will ever make any difference to me again,“ „People are all bad,“ „Everybody hates me.“ This is insanity bait, as the auditors say, and puts a man „spin-bin bound.“ There is another class of identity thought and that is the group which destroys time-differentiation. „You don’t know when it happened!“ is a classic phrase. „I don’t know how late it is,“ and others have a peculiar effect on the mind for the mind is running on a precision chronometer of its own and the engrams can thoroughly misread the dial. On a conscious level one goes along fairly well on analytical time. The engrams slide around back and forth according to when they are keyed-in or restimulated. An engram may underlie today’s action which belonged forty years ago on the time track and should be back there. It is not remarks about time difference so much that aberrate, it is the untimed character of engrams. Time is the Great Charlatan, it heals nothing, it only changes the environmental aspects and a man’s associates. The engram of ten years ago, with all its painful emotion, may be encysted and „forgotten“ but it is right there, ready to force action if restimulated today. The reactive mind runs on a dime-store wrist watch, the analytical mind runs on a bat-tery of counter-checking chronometers of which a liner could be proud. The cells think that wrist watch is a pretty fair gimmick – and it was, it was, back there in the days when Man’s ancestor was washed in by the waves and managed to cling to the sand. Thus, a primary test for aberration is similarity and identity, the primary test for ra-tionality is differentiation and the minuteness or largeness with which it can be done. 
„Men are all alike,“ she says. And they are too! To her. Poor thing. Like the fellow who raped her when she was a kid, like her detested father who said it. Relative importances and „believe“ and „can’t believe“ The auditor will find himself confronted with two arch enemies in „you must believe it,“ and „I can’t believe.“ The mind has its own equilibrium and ability and it is aided no more by engrams than an adding machine is aided by a held-down seven.36 One of the most important functions of the mind is the computing of the relative importances of data. In discovering and conducting research on dianetics, for instance, there were billions of data about the mind accumulated throughout the last few thousand years. Now, with a six foot rear vision mirror we can look back and see that here and there people had expressed opinions or turned up unevaluated facts which are now data in some of the axioms of dianetics or parts of its discoveries. These facts existed in the past, some exist now in dianetics, but with a tremendous difference: they are evaluated. Evaluation of the data for its importance was vital before the information was of value. Dr. Sententious might have written in 1200 A.D. that he believed actual demons did not exist in the mind; Goodwife Sofie in 1782 was heard to say that she was certain that prenatal influence had warped many a life; Dr. Zamba might have written in 1846 that a hypnotized patient could be told he was crazy and that he would thereafter act crazy. Dr. Sententious might have said also that angels, not demons, caused mental illness because the patient had been evil; Goodwife Sofie also might have said that punk water poultices cured „ravings“; Dr. Zamba might also have declared that hypnotized patients needed only a few more positive suggestions to make them well and strong. In short, for every datum which approached truth there were billions which were un-true. The missing part of each datum was a scientific evaluation of its importance to the solu-tion. The selection of a few special drops of water from an ocean of unspecial drops is impos-sible. The problem of discovering true data could be resolved only by jettisoning all former evaluations of humanity and the human mind and all „facts“ and opinions of whatever kind and starting fresh, evolving the entire science from a new highest common denominator (and it is true that dianetics borrowed nothing but was first discovered and organized; only after the organization was completed and a technique evolved was it compared to existing information). The point here is that monotone importance in a class of facts leads to nothing but the most cluttered confusion. Here is evaluation: opinions are nothing, authority is useless, data is secondary: establishment of relative importance is the key. Given the world and the stars as a laboratory and a mind to compute the relative importance of what it perceives, and no prob-lems can remain unsolved. Given masses of data with monotone evaluation and one has some-thing which may be pretty but is useful.                                                 
 The stunned look of fresh-caught ensigns of the Navy when they first see in the metal the things about which they have so laboriously read is a testimony to more than the faulty educational system currently employed: the system seeks to train something which is perfect – the memory – ; it aligns little or nothing with purpose or use, and ignores the necessity of per-sonal evaluation of all data both as to need for it and its use. The stunned look comes from the overwhelming recognition that whereas they have thousands of data about what they see, they do not know whether it is more important to read the chronometer when they take a sextant sight or use only blue ink in writing a log book. These gentlemen have been wronged educa-tionally not because they have not been given thousands of data relative to ships but because they have not been told the relative importance of each datum and have not experienced that importance. They know more facts than the less educated but they know less about factual relation. More pertinent to the auditor, there are two species of engramic commands which give monotone evaluation to data. The persons who have either of these as a major content in the engram bank will be similarly aberrated even if each manifests the aberration with opposite polarity. Every now and then some unfortunate auditor finds a „Can’t believe it“ on his hands. This case is extremely trying. Under this heading come the „I doubt it,“ the „I can’t be sure,“ and the „I don’t know,“ cases. Such a case is easy to spot for when he first comes into therapy he begins by doubting dianetics, the auditor, himself, the furniture and his mother’s virginity. The chronic doubter is not an easy case because he cannot believe his own data. The analyzer has a built-in judge which takes in data, weighs it and judges it right, wrong or maybe. The engramic doubter has a „held down 7“ to the effect that he has to doubt everything, something much different from judging. He is challenged to doubt. He must doubt. If to doubt is divine, then the god is cer-tainly Moloch. He doubts without inspecting, he inspects the most precise evidence, and he still doubts. The auditor will return this patient to a somatic which tears half his head off, which is confirmed by scars, which is confirmed by aberration, and which is doubted as an incident. The way to handle this case is to take his pat phrases and feed them to him in reverie or out of reverie with repeater technique. Make him go over and over them, sending his so-matic strip back to them. Shortly a release of the phrase will take place. Feed all doubter phrases which the patient has used in this manner. Then continue the case. The object is not to make him a believer but to place him in a situation where he can evaluate his own data. Don’t argue with him about dianetics – arguing against engrams is senseless since the engrams themselves are senseless. In ten or twenty hours of therapy such a patient will begin to face reality enough so that he no longer doubts the sun shines, doubts the auditor or doubts that he had a past of some sort. He is only difficult because he requires these extra hours of work. He is usually, by the way, very aberrated. The „Can’t believe it“ finds difficulty in evaluation because he has difficulty giving credence to any fact more than any other fact: this produces an inability to compute relative 
 importances amongst data with the result that he may be as concerned with the shade of his superior’s tie as with the marriage he himself is about to undertake. Similarly, the „You must believe it“ case finds difficulty in differentiating amongst importances of various data and may hold equally firmly the idea that paper is made from trees and that he is about to be fired. Both cases „worry,“ which is to say they are unable to compute well. Rational computation depends upon the personal computation of the relative impor-tances of various data. Reactive „computation“ deals exclusively with the equation that widely different objects or events are similar or equal. The former is sanity, the latter is insan-ity. The „Must believe it“ case will present a confused reactive bank, for the bank em-braces the most unlikely differences as close similarities. The „Must believe it“ engram com-mand can dictate that one person, a class of persons, or everyone must be believed, no matter what is written or said. The auditor, returning the patient, will find major aberrations held in place by a lock containing only conversation. When father is the actual source and is an ally of the patient, the auditor will discover that almost everything father said was accepted literally and unquestioningly by his child. The father may not have been aware of having established this „Must believe it“ condition and he may even be a jocular man, given to jokes. Every joke will be found to be literally accepted unless the father carefully labeled it a joke, which meant it must not be literally accepted. One case folder is to hand here where father was the source of „Must believe“: one day the father took his daughter, three years of age, down to the seacoast and, through the fog, pointed to a lighthouse. The lighthouse gave an eerie aspect in the foggy night. „That’s Mr. Billingsly’s place,“ said the father, meaning that Billingsly, the lighthouse keeper, lived there. The child nodded faithfully, if a little frightened, for „Mr. Billingsly“ threw around a mane of hair-shadows – glared to seaward with one eye sweeping the water and stood a hundred feet tall and „Mr. Billingsly“ let out moans which sounded quite ferocious. His „place“ was a ledge of rock. As a pre-clear twenty years later the daughter was discovered to be frightened of any low moaning sound. The auditor patiently traced down the source and found, much to the de-light of himself and the daughter, „Mr. Billingsly.“ Vast quantities of aberration, peculiar conceptions and strange notions were found to derive from casual statements the father had made. Being skilled in his task, the auditor did not bother to try to locate and erase everything the father had said – a task which would have taken years and years: he located, instead, the prenatal „You must believe me“ and its engramic locks, and all the non-engramic locks, of course, disappeared and were automatically re-evaluated as experienced data rather than „held-down sevens.“ Of course there is always much more wrong with a case than a mere „You must believe me,“ but the change of viewpoint which the patient experienced immedi-ately afterwards was startling: she was now at liberty to evaluate her father’s data, which she had not been before. Because they teach in terms of altitude37 and Authority, educational institutions them-selves form a social „You must believe it“ aberration. It is impossible to reduce an entire uni-                                                
 versity education even if it sometimes appears desirable, but by addressing the moments when the patient was hammered into believing or accepting school, from kindergarten forward, many a fact-clogged mind can again be made facile which was not so before, for the facts will be re-evaluated automatically by the mind for importances, not accepted on monotone evalua-tion as is the case in „formal education.“ The „Can’t believe it“ is a subject so weary and dreary to the auditor that he may find himself, after a few finished cases, running adroitly away from one. The „I don’t know“ and the „I can’t be sure“ cases are not as bad as the „I can’t believe it.“ The prize case in difficulty in dianetics is a patient who is a Junior named after either father or mother, who has not only shut-down pain, emotion, visio and sonic recall but also „dub-in“ for them on a false basis, with a lie factory working full blast, who is uncooperative and who is a „Can’t believe it.“ Monotone evaluation hinders the „Can’t believe it’s“ acceptance of all facts. Any case may have a few „Can’t believe its“ but some cases are so thoroughly aberrated by the phrase that they disbelieve not only reality but also their own existence. The mind has a „built-in doubter“ which, unhindered by engrams, rapidly sorts out importances and, by their weights, resolves problems and arrives at conclusions. The rational mind applies itself to data presented, compares it to experience, evaluates its veracity and then assigns it relative importance in the scheme of things. This is done, by a clear, with a rapidity which sometimes requires the splitting of seconds. By a normal the time required is extremely variable and the conclusions are more apt to be referred to another’s opinion or compared to Authority rather than to personal experience. That is the fundamental effect of contemporary education which, through no particular fault of its own and despite every effort it has made to free itself, yet, through lack of tools, is forced to follow Scholastic methods. These, by conta-gion of aberration, persist against all efforts of advanced educators. The normal is taught on one hand to believe or else he’ll fail and on the other to disbelieve as a scientific necessity: belief and disbelief cannot be taught, they must be personally computed. If a mind could be likened to a general served by his own staff, it could be seen to have a G-2 which, as a combat intelligence center, collected facts, weighed them for importance and formed an estimate of a situation or the value of a conclusion. As the intelligence officer would fail if he had a signed order to disbelieve everything, so does the mind fail which has a reactive command to disbe-lieve. Certainly a military organization would lose to every puny enemy if it had, conversely, a command to believe everything, and a man will fail if he has a reactive mind order to be-lieve all information in the world around him. The believe and disbelieve engrams present different manifestations, and while one cannot be said to be either more or less aberrative than the other, it is certain that the disbe-lieve engram, by and large, seems to make the less sociable man. Disbelief occurs in various degrees, of course. There is, for instance, a social disbelief engram which promotes a class of literature which is as insincere as it is unwitty. Insincerity,                                                                                                                                                         
shame of emotional demonstration, fear of praising may stem from other things than merely a disbelief engram, but a disbelief engram is most certainly present in the majority of such cases. The auditor will find, when he is trying to enter a very strong „Can’t believe it“ case, that experience is disbelieved, the auditor is disbelieved, hope of results is disbelieved and that the most ridiculous and unreasonable insults and arguments may be presented. The pa-tient may squirm in a veritable snake pit of somatics and still disbelieve that he is re-experiencing anything. It is a sadly chronic fact that an aberree has a certain set of cliches from out of his en-gram bank. He will repeat these cliches for all occasions and circumstances. Mother, having an engram bank of her own and father having his, will be found to be uttering pretty much the same sort of statement time after time. These are dramatizations. One of the parents may have had an „I don’t know“ ready to precede everything he or she said, which makes a whole „stack“ of „I don’t knows“ in the engram bank: which much undermines understanding. In the same way, „You must believe!“ or „You can’t believe!“ may become „stacked“ in the engram bank. Once one has heard a few engrams from a patient, he knows he will have many, many more similar engrams from that source. Once an auditor has listened to the personnel in the patient’s engram bank for a very short time he knows pretty much what he will have in many, many more engrams. Hence any phrase is liable to be much repeated in the engram bank, with varying somatics and accompanying perceptics. If Mother is troubled with high blood pres-sure, it is raised by Father – to the intense discomfort of the child and a degree which often produces a later migraine headache – she is apt to utter, „I can’t believe you would treat me this way.“ Privately, she must have been hard to convince (one doesn’t convince much against engramic „reasoning“), for he treated her this way about every three days; and every three days she was saying, „I can’t believe you“ or „I can’t believe you would do this to me,“ or „I can’t believe anything you say,“ or some such thing. The „Can’t believe“ is apt to be rather hostile since „Can’t believe“ is often hostile conversation. „You’ve got to believe me“ is more apt to be a pleading or whining sort of an engram. „Believe what I tell you, God damn it,“ is, however, fully as hostile as an auditor might expect. An auditor who finds a case intensely and unreasonably skeptical should expect a „Can’t believe“ stack in the engram bank. If he finds a patient incapable of holding an opinion of his own but weather-vaning to each new person or quoting an Authority (all authorities get easily identified with father in the reactive bank), he should suspect a „Must believe“ in some form as well as other things. There are many manifestations of either case. The chronic aspect in therapy is that the „Can’t believe“ suspects his own data so strongly that he alters it con-tinually and the engrams which, after all, have just one, exact package of content, will not properly reduce; the „Must believe“ takes up every engram he hears about as his own and that does him little good. Do not suppose that any case has a standard aspect, however. The language contains many words and combinations of words, and aberrees are not unusual who have the entire basic language and all its idioms securely connected up to some somatic or other. Cases ordi-narily contain „Can’t believe“ and „Must believe“ phrases in the same bank. Only when these phrases become top-heavy does the person respond in a set pattern. When the set pattern is of 
 either species of phrase, then the auditor confronts a patient who must have had, at best, a most unhappy life. But either case clears. They all clear, even Juniors. Physical Pain And Painful Emotion Commands Besides visio and sonic, another vital recall to therapy is the somatic, which is to say the physical pain of the incident. Running a physically painful incident without a somatic is worthless. If physical pain is present, it may come only after considerable „unconsciousness“ has been „boiled-off.“ If the incident contains pain but the somatic is not turned on, the patient will wriggle his toes and breathe heavily and nervously or he may have jumping muscles. The foot wriggling is an excellent clue to the presence of any somatic turned on or not turned on. Breathing heavily and jumping muscles and various twitches without pain denote two things: either a denyer is in the incident and the content isn’t being contacted or, if the pre-clear is recounting, the somatic may be shut-off in the incident or elsewhere, either earlier by com-mand or late by painful emotion. The patient who wriggles a great deal or who does not wrig-gle at all is suffering from a pain or emotion shut-off or late painful emotion engrams or both. There is a whole species of commands which shut-off pain and emotion simultane-ously: this is because the word „feel“ is homonymic. „I can’t feel anything“ is the standard, but the command varies widely and is worded in a great many ways. The auditor can pick up his own book of these from patients who, describing how they feel or rather, how they don’t feel, give them away. „It doesn’t hurt“ is a class of phrases specifically shutting off pain, a class which includes, of course, such things as „There isn’t any pain,“ etc. Emotion is shut-off by a class of phrases which contain the word „emotion“ or which specifically (literally trans-lated) shut off emotion. The auditor should keep a book of all denyers, misdirectors, holders, bouncers and groupers which he discovers, each listed under its own heading. In this way he adds to mate-rial he can use for repeater technique when he sees something is wrong with the way the pa-tient is moving on the track. But there are four other classes of phrases which he should also study and list: shut-offs, exaggerators, derailers and lie factories. He can also add to his classes. He will discover enormous numbers of commands in engrams which can accomplish these various aspects. And he should be particularly interested in the pain and emotion shut-offs and the exaggerators, which is to say, those engramic commands which give the aspect of too much pain and too much emotion. There is no reason to give large numbers of them here. They are quite various, language being language. Many combinations are possible. A patient can be found to weep over the most trivial post-speech things and yet have few or no somatics. Several things can cause this. Either he had a mother or a father who wept for nine months before he was born or he has an exaggera-tor at work which commands that he be emotional about everything: „Too much emotion.“ In combination with this he can have something which says he can feel no pain or can’t hurt or even can’t feel. 
 A patient who aches and suffers and yet cannot weep would have a reverse set of commands: he has a „no emotion“ command early on the track or a long chain of them and yet has commands which dictate pain to excess: „I can’t stand the pain,“ „The pain is too great,“ „I always feel I’m in agony,“ etc. „I feel bad,“ on the other hand, is a shut-off because it says there is something wrong with the mechanism with which he feels and implies disabil-ity to feel. Both pain and emotion can be commanded into exaggeration. But it is a peculiar thing that the body does not manufacture pain to be felt. All pain felt is genuine, even if exagger-ated. Imaginary pain is non-existent. A person „imagines“ only pain he has actually felt. He cannot imagine pain he has not felt. He may „imagine“ pain at sometime later than the actual incident but if he feels pain, no matter how psychotic he is, that pain will be found to exist somewhere on his time track. Scientific tests have been carefully conducted in dianetics to establish this fact and it is a valuable one. You can test it yourself by asking patients to feel various pains, „imagining them“ in present time. They will feel pains for you so long as you ask them to feel pains they have had. Somewhere you will find the patient unable to actually feel the pain he is trying to „imagine.“ Whether he is aware of it or not, he has had pain wher-ever he „imagines“ it and is simply doing a somatic strip return for you on a minor scale. This aspect of pain is quite interesting in that many patients have, at one time or an-other in their lives, pretended to the family or the world that they had a pain. The patient thought, when he asserted this „make-believe“ pain, that he was lying. In therapy the auditor can use these „imaginings“ for they lead straight to sympathy engrams and actual injury. Fur-ther, these „imaginary“ pains are generally displayed to the person or pseudo-person who was the sympathy ally present in the engramic moment. Thus, if a small boy always pretended to his grandmother, and thought he was pretending, that he had a bad hip, it will be discovered eventually that sometime in his early life he hurt that same hip and received sympathy during the engramic moment which is now eclipsed from the analyzer. Patients often feel quite guilty over these pretenses. Sometimes soldiers in the recent war have come home pretending they had been wounded and, when in therapy, are afraid the auditor will find out or give them away to their people. This soldier might not have been wounded in the war, but an engram will be found which contains sympathy for the injury of which he complains. He is asking for sympathy with a colorful story and believes he is telling a lie. Without informing him of this dianetic discovery, the auditor can often flush into view a sympathy engram which might oth-erwise have to be arduously hunted down. „Cry baby“ is a phrase against which the pre-clear will negate in an engram, thus in-hibiting tears. It is quite ordinary to find the pre-clear confusing himself with older brothers and sisters who are in his prenatal life: their jeers, mother’s orders and so forth then all regis-ter. If the pre-clear knows of any older children, the auditor should look for them in the en-grams of prenatal life, for children are quite active and often bounce up and down on mother’s lap or collide with her. Any childish phrases of derision are then not always post-birth. It has been said during dianetic research that if one could release all the painful emo-tion of a lifetime, he would have ninety-percent of the clearing done. However, the painful emotion is only a surface manifestation of the physical pain engrams and would not be painful if the physical pain did not co-exist or exist priorly. 
When emotion and pain shut-offs exist in a case, the patient is normally tense of mus-cle and nervous, given to twitching or merely tension. When pain and emotion are exagger-ated by commands, one has a highly dramatizing case on his hands. The Ally Versus The Antagonist It is necessary for the auditor to know the reactive mind’s evaluation of importances. Moronic or not, the reactive mind distinguishes violently between friend and foe, about the only piece of differentiation it does. There is a prime test for an ally. And recall that the ally is a part of sympathy engrams, the things which are most likely to produce psycho-somatic illnesses, immaturities and confu-sion on a grand scale. As long as it can rebel and negate, the reactive mind takes care of the enemies so far as it is able. It can, of course, be twisted by circumstance into the valence of the enemy and so cry havoc and abreact in general if this was a winning valence. But it will not ordinarily use the data of the enemy contained in a contra-survival engram save to negate against it. When the general tone nears Zone One, of course the reactive mind starts picking up and obeying antagonistic commands. Thus, if father is the villain of the piece, an antago-nist, father’s commands are not the reactively obeyed commands but the commands the aber-ree will usually negate against or avoid. This is not the case, however, with the ally. The ally, the person from whom sympathy came when the patient was ill or injured, is heeded and obeyed since his „purpose“ is appar-ently aligned with the purpose of the individual to survive. If one thing about a person is right then, according to our moronic little friend, the reactive mind, everything about that person is right, everything that person says and does is right and particularly is right whatever that per-son said in the engram. The chronic psycho-somatic illness is ordinarily from a sympathy engram. This is quite important, for the sympathy engram will be the last or hardest to reach, being aligned with survival purpose. A „Must believe“ from an ally means that the person must believe. A „Must believe“ from an antagonist ordinarily brings about a circumstance that the person must not believe. Here, in the ally and the antagonist, we have the age-old tale of the hero and the villain, the heroine and the villainess, Mazda and Ahriman, the cowboy in the white hat and the cow-boy in the black. The Hindu trinity is found, as source, in father, mother and unborn baby. But the war of „good and evil“ is found as reactive data in the engram bank in the form of the ally and the antagonist. The very best logic of which the reactive mind is capable is two-valued, white and black, and two-valued logic finds its response only in the reactive bank. And the reactive mind works out all problems in absolutes, bringing about logical monstrosities, for there is the absolute of good, the absolute of evil and the absolute of identity thought. Any rational com-putation demonstrates an absolute to be impossible from a standpoint of truth or workability: but the reactive mind never quibbles, it just reacts. It knows a champion when it sees one (it thinks) and it knows a villain (it supposes). The ally, the champion, is everybody who has any 
characteristic of the ally and the antagonist, the villain, is everyone who has any characteris-tics of the antagonist. Further, anything associated with the ally is a champion and everything associated with the antagonist is villainous. If the ally is an aunt, then aunts are good. If the antagonist is a sign painter, then sign painters are all evil. Further, the dollies Auntie cro-cheted mean that dollies are good and that all lacework is good and that anything on which lacework sits is good and that anything which looks like lacework is good and so on in the ad absurdum which only the reactive mind can manage without a qualm. And the signs the painter painted were evil and where they sit is evil and paint is evil and smell of paint is evil and brushes are evil so hair brushes are evil so the dresser on which hairbrushes sit is evil and so on. There is an axiom here which is well not to slight in working a patient: ANY CHRONIC PSYCHO-SOMATIC ILLNESS HAS AT ITS SOURCE A SYM-PATHY ENGRAM. And another: A REACTIVE MIND WILL NOT PERMIT AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE ABER-RATED OR CHRONICALLY PSYCHO-SOMATICALLY ILL UNLESS THE ILLNESS HAS SURVIVAL VALUE. This does not mean that the individual has a power of choice analytically. It does mean that the reactive mind, working quietly and hitherto hidden so well, chooses, on identity com-putation, physical and mental conditions to match any circumstance even remotely similar to any concept in the engram bank. There is such a thing as necessity level. This rises and keys-out engrams and can key out the control of the reactive mind itself. Necessity level often rises. The individual can force it to rise analytically whether or not actual cause exists. A person may have no engram about going to the electric chair for murder and yet have an engram about murdering people. Neces-sity level rises and analytically overwhelms all impulse to kill for the analyzer knows all about electric chairs. When the necessity level cannot rise, then one is dealing with a low dy-namic individual. An artist, terribly aberrated about his work through the kind efforts of oblig-ingly caustic critics, can yet boost himself by his necessity bootstraps to do another piece of work and damn the aunt who said he gave her too many chins in her portrait and ripped the work to shreds or damn the critics who said he was too new and his work too swift. Necessity level can soar above the reactive mind by, as the marine sergeant said, „Sheer guts.“ Given too many current restimulators, used too hard by life, an individual, caught in the dwindling spiral of reactivated engrams, may come at last to a point where he cannot longer remain well. If this is his first serious sag and if the sag is deep, a psycho-somatic illness will appear and become more or less chronic and, this is important, it will stem directly from a sympathy en-gram. All psycho-somatic ills carry with them, if less obvious, aberrative commands which mean that a person suffering from psycho-somatic illness, whether he relishes the idea or not, is also suffering from the aberration which is part of the same engram. If the auditor wants to find the real holders, the real reasons his case appears to resist getting well, the real aberrative factors and illnesses, he will look to the ally or allies, for any 
case may have many. He will exhaust from them the painful emotion of loss or denial and backtrack immediately to find the underlying engrams. Remember too that the reactive mind is not bright enough to realize that two sides of the same person are the same person. Hence we can have Mother-the-white-angel and Mother-the-howling-harridan. As the white angel she is implicitly followed, as the harridan she is negated against. Father may be Father-the-beneficent and Father-the-baby – killer. And so with all allies. But only the pure, the absolute, the never changing ally who, resolute and firm, stayed the cold sharp hand of death and placed tenderly in the expiring hand of the wist-ful child the strong and flaring torch of life (or at least said, „Poor baby, you feel so bad; please don’t cry,“) is the model, the paragon, the gold-footed idol with free access to the gods. (This was grandpop: he drank too much and he cheated at cards, but the reactive mind doesn’t see it that way because grandpop hauled baby through pneumonia and was darned sure baby got well: good acts if he hadn’t been so melodramatic about it and if he hadn’t talked so much while the poor kid was „unconscious.“) Question the patient adroitly about Father and Mother: if he isn’t much disturbed by their deaths (if they are dead) or if he is simply careless of them or if he bares his teeth, they are antagonists; the allies are elsewhere. If the mother and father are indifferently or angrily or propitiatively regarded, be very sure then, that the patient had a rough time of it between con-ception and birth and later and be sure, if this is the case, that there will be allies in plenty for the child will have sought them out in every scrape or injury. But you will not find the allies, usually, by mere questions. The reactive mind considers them to be pure gold even if the en-grams in which they appear have somatics enough to wreck a person for life. It hides allies. The auditor has to look for them through discharging painful emotion. The death, departure or denial by an ally is a certain painful emotion engram. One way or another, working at it from later painful emotion or earlier physically painful engrams, the ally will eventually uncover and can be entered as memory in the standard banks and erased as illness out of the engram bank. The solution of chronic psycho-somatic ills lies largely in the field of sympathy en-grams. These will not erase early, however, for they are the inner bastion behind which the reactive mind crouches and observes the storming of the outer defenses by antagonists. The painful emotion of ally losses masks, at times, not only allies but antagonists as well. The sympathy engram is not the only source of psycho-somatic illness by far, but it is the source of the chronic psycho-somatic ill. By the way, nothing in this dissertation about allies should be construed to mean that one should not show love to a child. Observers in the past have jumped at questionable con-clusions when they felt that demonstrated affection aberrates a child. Lack of affection may kill him, but the reverse is not true. The only way an ally can aberrate a child is by talking to and sympathizing with a child who is very ill or „unconscious“ from injury. If he does this he alloys the child’s personality with his own, creates an eventual possibility of psycho-somatic illness and aberration and may generally disable the child for life (except for dianetics, of course). Love a child best and do for him best when he is well. Do anything you please with him when he is well, say what you please. When he is sick or hurt, it is best, as the bosun said, „Patch him up and keep God-damned quiet!“ 
Tokens The tale of the magic amulet, the lucky talisman, the belief in the charm and the long catalogue of fetishes, the objects and mannerisms which one keeps as sakes are the „dearly beloveds“ of the reactive mind. There is nothing wrong with a man keeping llamas in the parlor or wearing purple and green suspenders or rubbing fire plugs for luck, nor is there anything wrong with sighing over a stolen lady’s slipper or smoking Pittsburgh stogies. Any Rights of Man should provide for such eccentricities. But the auditor can use this data to detect vital information.  In dianetics, the term token is defined to embrace the objects and habits which an indi-vidual or society keeps by not knowing they are extensions of an ally. By identity thought there are associative restimulators for every restimulator in the en-vironment – these things connected with the restimulator. Being blank on the subject, the ana-lytical mind, apprised by physical reaction that a restimulator of something is nearby, then picks up the associative restimulator but does not select the actual restimulator. (In Book II, the young man’s signal to remove his coat was a touch of the tie: he did not cite the tie in his complaint, the nearest he came to it was the person and clothing of the hypnotic operator. These were associative restimulators.) A restimulator for a contra-survival engram might be an electric light; the aberree looks to the shade, the pull chain, the room or the person under the light to be a source of an-noyance, and not only does he not know that a restimulator is present but supposes that the associated objects have some evil in themselves. The associative restimulator for a contra-survival engram needs no name other than that, associative restimulator. The pain is the thing, the things associated in any way with the thing are the thing, are other things, etc. is the reactive equation which fills the world of the aberree full of fear and fills him full of anxiety. Leave a child in a place or a room where he has been unhappy and he may become ill, for he is confronted with some restimulator and he can at best explain, like the adult, his fear in terms of things not rationally connected to the restimulator. This is the mechanism of engramic restimulation. It is mostly terribly uncomfortable to any aberree who, try as he might, cannot say why he does not like some person or object or locale and who cannot connect any of the three with the actual item which is the restimulator and does not know he has an engram about it. This method of detecting engrams leads nowhere quickly since one cannot select objects, per-sons or locales and know they are restimulators. They may be only associative restimulators to the actual restimulator item in the environment. (Words contained in engrams, by the way, and any other precise restimulator can „push-button“ the aberree into action or apathy if they are used upon him. In words it has to be the exact word; for instance painted will not do when painter is in the engram. What is painted, however, may be an associative restimulator and the aberree may declare he does not like it; that he does not like it does not mean that it will „push his buttons“ and made him cough or sigh or get angry or get sick or whatever the engram con-taining the word dictates he should do.) 
 The token is a very special kind of restimulator. While the auditor may not find much use for the associative restimulator as applied to contra-survival engrams, he can employ the token as a means of detection to locate allies. The token is any object, practice or mannerism which one or more allies used. By identity thought the ally is survival; anything the ally used or did is, therefore, survival. The valence of the ally is that one most frequently employed by the aberree. While the clear can shift himself into valences he imagines or beholds at will and convenience and out of them at will and can stabilize in his own at will, the aberree skids around into valences without his knowledge or consent and is most likely to be in any valence but his own. The person who seems to be a different person every time he is met or a different person to each person he meets, with special valences manifesting here and others manifesting there, is shifting into various winning valences; interfered with in his shifts, he goes into secondary valences; if forced into his own valence he becomes ill. It is understood, of course, that all valences mani-fest something of himself. Shifting into ally valences is the fundamental practice of the aberree. He will feel most at ease when his own valence is alloyed to some degree with an ally valence. So long as the ally or the pseudo-ally is not available, the aberree reminds himself of the ally valence with tokens. These tokens are the things the ally possessed, practiced or did. An aberree will often inextricably associate himself with a pseudo-ally, as in marriage, and then make the astonished discovery that he is not partnered with the optimum ally con-duct. (Mother was an ally, Mother baked bread; wife is pseudo-Mother though neither she nor he knows it; wife does not bake bread: Mother frowned on lipstick, wife wears lipstick; Mother gave him his way, wife has a bossy attitude; wife is pseudo-Mother because she has similar voice tones only.) The aberree then reactively and unknowingly attempts to coax wife or partner into the ally valence by assuming that the moment of the sympathy engram is pre-sent time – a mechanical shift caused only by the restimulation of the sympathy engram be-cause of voice tones or some such thing – and proceeds to manifest the ghost of the engram illness or injury or operation as a psycho-somatic sickness. The computation of the reactive mind is simple – just like Simple Simon – one forces the ally into being by manifesting the somatic with which the ally sympathized. This can also be an effort to turn a partner in which the reactive mind thinks it has discovered an ambivalent friend-enemy into the sympathy va-lence. Wife is cruel. Mother was cruel until the injury, then she was nice. Manifest the injury as a chronic psycho-somatic illness and wife will be nice. Actually wife isn’t nicer, so the computation gets stronger, the illness gets stronger, and down into the dizzy dwindling spiral we go. The psycho-somatic illness is also a denial of dangerousness, a plea of helplessness – a shade of opossum playing, fear paralysis: „I’m no menace to you. I’m sick!“ The aberree goes into his own valence of the time of the sympathy engram in his bid for sympathy and his denial of his own dangerousness. The valence of himself, of course, is complicated by the age-tab and somatic of the engram in which he was immature and not well. The psycho-somatic illness is, as well, a token, which is to say it is a reminder of a time when he once had love and care and was told so. He needs it about as much as he needs to be atom bombed, of course, but this is good, solid reactive mind „survival“ and the reactive mind is going to make it so he can survive if it kills him. 
This is all mechanical and is actually merely restimulation of an engram, but it is bet-ter understood as a low order computation. In the absence of an ally, and even in the presence of the ally, he uses reactive mim-icry. Conscious mimicry is a wonderful way to learn. Reactive mimicry is most alloying to the personality. Reactively, he once had an ally and imitates the ally. Consciously he may not even recall the ally or the habits of the ally. The ally, remember, is somebody who has entered the interior world of the mind when the analyzer was shut down by illness or injury or an operation and gave forth sympathy or protection. The ally is part of the sympathy engram. If a child had grandparents he liked and was lucky enough not to be ill around them or be talked to by them in sympathetic terms when he was ill or injured, the grandparents would still be much loved. In dianetics an ally is only some one who has offered sympathy or protection in an engram. We don’t have to have engrams to be loved or to love: quite the contrary, one is better loved and loves more without engrams. The token applies, dianetically, only to the ally and is an object, practice or mannerism similar to an object, practice or mannerism of the ally. The ally smoked Pittsburgh stogies, so the aberree may smoke Pittsburgh stogies no matter what they do to his throat or his wife. The ally wore bowlers, the lady aberree dotes on riding habits but has never ridden a horse. The ally knitted, the aberree specializes in wearing knit things or a lady at least makes a pretense of knitting and sometimes wonders why she ever took it up, she is so bad at it. The ally used profanity, the aberree uses the same profanity. The ally wipes his nose on his sleeve and picks his nose, the aberree wipes his nose on a din-ner jacket and fiddles with his nostrils. The token may be a reminder of pure ally or it may be a reminder of the friend side of an ambivalent friend-enemy. And it may be a winning valence that was also ambivalent to-ward the aberree. The token is never an associative restimulator in the meaning that it reminds of some antagonist, for associative restimulators are abhorred. The most chronic token, the most constant habit, practice or mannerism of the pre-clear is a direct arrow to the pure ally. And the pure ally is the one the reactive mind will guard to its highest level of the beset donjon keep. And that is the target of the auditor. He may have to relieve the majority of the engram bank before he can erase the engram which is most likely to aberrate the individual, to saddle him with strange practices and to make him chronically ill. Observe your pre-clear and see what he does and says that are strange to his personal-ity, things he does but does not much seem to enjoy. See what he uses and what his manner-isms are. Amongst this collection you may, by asking discreet questions, jog an ally into his memory which he had forgotten and so jogging, reach swiftly toward the sympathy engram in which that ally is contained or reach toward, for an emotional discharge, the painful emotion engram of the loss of that ally, his illness or incidents concerning him. Another but special token is that which stems from a „die if you don’t“ command. Fa-thers, for instance, suspicious of paternity, sometimes claim while trouncing or upsetting mothers that they will kill the child if it isn’t just like Father. This is a very unhappy type of 
token to say nothing of being, usually, a bad engram; it can go to the extent of remodeling structure, of making noses long or hair absent; it may compel an aberree into a profession he does not admire and all out of the engramic command that he must be like the parent. As this type of command is usually given before birth it is often addressed, unknowingly, to a girl, fathers not being gifted ordinarily with clairvoyance; in such a case it will bring about a most remarkable structural change in a woman and form some unusual mannerisms, „ambi-tions“ (like the dog that gets whipped if he doesn’t fetch the duck) and some habits which, to say the least, are astonishing. Father, post-birth, to accomplish the reactivation of such an en-gram, must be quite ambivalent so that the friend-enemy compute comes into being. Not to be like father is to die: to force father into his sympathy engram self the reactive mind must manifest the token of illness. Token and likeness is the answer to such a computation. And recall, all such computations are not simple but are made further complex by the addition of dozens of other engramic computations. The friend-enemy is rather easy to find as an enemy, not too hard to find as a friend. Standard technique with its repeater and return et al. would in themselves at last locate any engram and erase the bank so that it properly refiles. The use of the token facilitates the audit-ing. In the case of the pure ally, the champion of the right, standard technique also at last arrives. But here how smooth the use of the token sometimes makes the road! For the token may be as alarmingly strange as an elephant in a bird cage. It takes a real ally to keep some of these odd habits around. Measure the pre-clear against his environment and education and his society and pro-fession. See what doesn’t seem to belong amid the things he uses, the objects he adores and the mannerisms his friends find so strange. Then find out if he or the spouse knew of anyone who did those things or liked those things. Do not suppose from all this that our clear has jettisoned all strange mannerisms. Self-determinism is individuality in the extreme; personality is inherent and revealed by clearing, looms up high above the aberree. The engrams compress a man and make him small and afraid. Released his power comes into play. The sympathy engram is to a man like a crutch when he has two sturdy legs. But oh, the pre-clear sobs where he loses old Uncle Goston, whose habit of spitting on the floor, as transplanted, so astonished our pre-clear’s friends and business associates. But the grief is brief, usually the half-hour it takes to run the sympathy engram out. Suddenly the pre-clear recalls Uncle Goston, recalls a thousand things Uncle Goston and he used to do, for the engram had Uncle Goston occluded and amongst those missing from the sight of „I.“ Although it might have said in the engram, „All right, there, there, there, Billy. I’ll take care of you. Don’t thrash around so. You’ll be all right. There, there, there. Poor little fellow. Poor little fellow. What a terrible rash you’ve got. How fever-ish. There, there, there, Billy. You’ll be all right as long as I am here. I’ll take care of my Billy. Go to sleep now. Go to sleep and forget it.“ And Billy was all the time „uncon-scious“ and never „knew“ about it. Afterwards he got a partner who looked like Uncle Goston (but happened to be a fool), and when bankrupt somehow developed a rash and a chronic cough and got very „feverish“ about his business affairs. He took to spitting on the floor no matter where he was; and his health got worse and he got worse: but if you had asked him 
about any uncles before he went into therapy, he would have been very vague. „Give me a flash reply,“ says the auditor. „Who used to spit on the floor? „Uncle Goston,“ answers the pre-clear. „Gosh, that’s funny (hawk, spit), I hadn’t thought of him for years. He was never around much, though (not more than ten years constantly, the auditor may discover). Don’t suppose he’s important. Let’s take up Mrs. Swishback, that teacher I had – „ „Let’s return now to the time Uncle Goston helped you,“ says the auditor, „The somatic strip will now go back to the time your Uncle Goston helped you.“ „I feel like my skin’s on fire!“ complains the pre-clear. „This must be – hey, it’s my allergy! But I don’t see anybody. I don’t – Wait, I get an impression of somebody. Somebody – Why, it’s Uncle Goston!“ And he runs it and the rash goes away. But maybe the auditor had to get a hundred engrams before he got this one. And then the pre-clear suddenly remembers about him and Uncle Goston and the time – but get on with therapy. Complete remembering seems to be a synonym for complete sanity. But don’t suppose that just because a clear gets rid of his Uncle Gostons and his habit of spitting on the floor that he will not now indulge in any eccentricity. The difference is, he is not compelled into eccen-tricity without his consent. Good Lord, what a cleared mind can think up to keep itself from being bored! What To Do If A Case Stops Progressing Even in the easiest cases there will come times when progress seems to stop. Here is a list of possibilities of why: 1.  The pre-clear is not moving on the track despite appearances, but is being subject to one of the five types of commands which can inhibit his free motion or information. The commonest of these is a holder and the pre-clear may be found to be in an engram and in a strange valence. 2. There is an emotional or pain shut-off. These can always be detected even at the be-ginning of a case. The patient’s muscles will tremble or twitch when he is in an en-gram but he will not feel the somatic: this is inevitably a pain shut-off. Out of therapy the patient may be very tense, his neck muscles in particular may be tight: this is often an emotional shut-off. Either of these conditions can be observed in many aberrees be-fore beginning therapy. If they appear while therapy is in progress, look for pain or emotional shut-offs. 3.  There is an exaggerator of emotion and a pain shut-off so that the patient weeps over anything but wriggles and twists when asked to approach pain. He is feeling emotion without feeling the pain. 4.  There is an emotional charge in some area which has not been discharged but which is ready to discharge. Or, conversely, if you have been trying to get an emotional dis-charge in a late painful emotion engram and have had no success, there is a feeling shut-off early in the prenatal area. 5.  The Auditor’s Code has been broken. Change auditors or reduce the moments when the code was broken. 
6.  There is an emotional upset in the patient’s life current with therapy. Question him closely and remove the charge, if possible, of the emotional upset as an engram. 7.  The auditor has missed an important point in this book. Study it. If A Case „Refuses“ To Get Well It has long been a popular idea, if an erroneous fact, that people desire to retain their neuroses. In any case which „resists“ therapy, you may be certain that the engrams are resist-ing, not the patient; do not, therefore, attack the patient but the engrams. There are many computations which give the appearance of resistance. The common-est of these is the ally computation, which derives from engrams containing allies who seem to plead that the patient is not to rid himself of anything. An ordinary situation is one in which some relative or friend of the mother’s is advising the mother against aborting the child. The ally is pleading, „Do not get rid of it!“ The pre-clear knows this person to be a friend of his of the highest order. The pre-clear may interpret this to mean that he is not to get rid of his en-grams. Another computation is the stupidity computation, wherein the pre-clear begins to be-lieve he will be stupid or lacking a mind if he gives up engrams. This stems, for example, from the mother saying she will lose her mind if she loses the child: she calls the child „it.“ A whole chain of these may appear in a case, giving the pre-clear the idea that if he parts with any engrams, he will lose his mind. This is the primary reason why past schools believed that the mind was composed of neuroses instead of an inherent personality. The engrams, even though unknown, appeared very valuable, which they are not – none of them. Yet another computation is one of secrecy. It seems to the pre-clear that his life de-pends upon holding some secret. This is common in a case where the mother has had a lover. Mother and the lover both enjoin secrecy. The pre-clear, obeying engramic commands, be-lieves that he has much to lose if he tells this secret even though those who enjoined it were not even aware that he was present, or if they knew, that he was „listening.“ One secrecy computation stems from the mother’s fearing to tell the father that she is pregnant: if the mother is an ally of the child, then the child will be extremely tenacious of this type of engram. All cases have one or more computations which inhibit a delivery of engrams. Some have all the above and more. This is no great worry to the auditor for, by repeater technique, he can open the engram bank.  Drugs The so-called hypnotics have no great use in dianetics except, on occasion, when a pa-tient is psychotic and narco-synthesis is employed. By hypnotic is meant such preparations as phenobarbital, hyacine, opium and so on. These sleep-producing drugs are undesirable save only as a sedative and would be administered as sedatives by a medical doctor. Any patient who needs a sedative already has a medical doctor whose business it is. The auditor should not, then, concern himself with hypnotics or anything producing sleep. Some pre-clears will beg to be given sleeping drugs to „facilitate therapy“ but any such drug is an anesthetic and 
 shuts down somatics, inhibiting therapy. Further, none but the insane should be worked in amnesia trance, particularly a drug trance, for the work is longer than necessary and the re-sults slow, as elsewhere explained. Dianetics wakes people up; it does not try to drug them or hypnotize them. Hence, the hypnotic drug is worthless to the auditor. Patients who wish to be knocked over the head with lead pipes or otherwise put into a deep trance should not be allowed to have their way even when they humorously present their own lead pipes. The trick is to put „I“ in contact with the file clerk. All hypnotics work to shut-down „I.“ While the file clerk can be reached and sonic and visio are available and even while, with much labor, a clearing can be so effected, even the most „hopeless“ case is better worked in contact; the work is faster, more satisfactory and less troublesome. When one discovers the science of mind, he inevitably discovers numerous other things not properly in his province. Amongst these is the confusion which has unwittingly existed about hypnotics. Those things labeled „hypnotics“ as named above are not hypnotics at all but anesthetics. And those things labeled anesthetics are not anesthetics but hypnotics. This will become brilliantly clear to the auditor when he finds himself tangling with his first „anesthetic“ nitrous oxide engram in some pre-clear. Perhaps there will have been another engram wherein morphine was administered for days and even weeks, leaving the patient in a stupor which, by the definition „hypnotic“ should have been a trance: the aberrative material will be there but it will be found to be slight – compared to a chloroform or nitrous oxide en-gram. Ether, chloroform and nitrous oxide, the „anesthetics,“ place the patient in a deep hyp-notic trance: the reactive bank is wide open and all reception is sharp, clear and aberrative in the extreme. Of the three, nitrous oxide is easily the worst, being no anesthetic which would dull pain at all but a first class hypnotic. In nitrous oxide the pain is filed and the content is filed with high and brilliant fidelity. Some years ago some investigator wondered if nitrous oxide did not make the brain decay. Fortunately brains do not decay that easily; but nitrous oxide does bring into being particularly severe engrams. The serious late-life engrams which the auditor will encounter may include, at the list’s top, a nitrous oxide dental or surgical or obstetrical engram. Nitrous oxide engrams are particularly bad when they involve exodonti-stry; they often form the most severe late-life engram. Aside from the fact that all exodontists have in the past talked too much and have offices which are far too noisy with street sounds, running water and flapping drill belts, nitrous oxide is not at all anesthetic and sharpens rather than dulls pain. In reverse, nitrous oxide makes an excellent hypnotic for institutional therapy. It is far from the best obtainable from the chemists, that is certain, for some brilliant chemist will cer-tainly be able to bring out a good gas hypnotic now that dianetics is known and the need of it in institutions is realized.  There are some drugs which assist reverie, however. The commonest and most easily obtainable is plain, strong coffee. A cup or two of this occasionally alerts the analyzer enough so that it can reach through deeper layers of „unconsciousness.“ Benzedrine and other com-mercial stimulants have been used with some success, particularly on psychotic patients. 
 These bring the mind enough awake to permit it to overcome engramic commands. Such commercial stimulants have the disadvantage of exhausting a Q quantity in the mind. This Q quantity has not been much studied. It is as though the brain burns a certain amount of Q when it is exhausting engrams. For instance, therapy every day may bring results more rapidly but it will also bring some stale sessions. Therapy every two or three days pro-duces the best results as observed. (Therapy once a week permits the engrams to sag and slows a case, one week being too long.) Benzedrine burns up Q. After a few sessions with benzedrine the current stock of Q is exhausted and the work has been observed to deteriorate either until a higher dosage was administered – and there is a close limit to that – or until more Q was manufactured. Here, with all this, must be included an important and vital fact. It should be on a page by itself and underscored. All patients in therapy should be given a dosage of vitamin B1 orally or by injection at the minimum of 10 mg. per day. Reducing engrams exhausts Q which seems to depend in some measure on B1. You can be absolutely certain of nightmares in a patient who is not taking his B1. Taking liberal doses of that, he will have no nightmares. DT’s are probably caused by a similar exhaustion of Q quantity. DT’s are best treated by B1 and dianetics. Something like DT’s on a very minor scale have been observed to develop in occasional patients who were negligent about their B1. With it, in therapy, they thrive. Alcohol is rarely an assist to the auditor. In fact, alcohol is rarely an assist to anyone. A depressant, classifiable at best as a poison, alcohol has the single virtue of being highly tax-able. All alcoholics are alcoholic because of their engrams. All alcoholics, unless they have injured their brains – which case is cited only because it is possible, not because research in dianetics demonstrated any real evidence of it – can be released. Alcoholism is engramic. It has become, in some very understandable way, a class of contagious aberration whereby the reactive mind confuses alcohol and „being a good sport“ or „having fun“ or „forget your trou-bles.“ Some of these things can also be obtained by strychnine and cyanide. Alcohol has its uses: one can put specimens of frogs and such in it: one can clean the germs off needles with it: it burns well in rockets. But one would not consider preserving his stomach in a glass jar and, unless insane, does not think of himself as a needle. While some drunks think they act like rockets, few have been observed to reach an altitude of more than the floor. It is not only a poor stimulant-depressant, it is also an hypnotic in the finest sense: what is done to a drunk becomes an engram.38 The chronic alcoholic is physically and mentally ill. Dianetics can clear him or even merely release him without too much trouble for alcohol is apparently not physio-logical in its addictive effect. With the whole range of chemistry to choose stimulants and depressants from, why the government chooses a superiorly aberrative and inferiorly stimula-tive compound to legalize is a problem for the better mathematicians, possibly these who deal exclusively in tax income problems. Opium is less harmful, marijuana is not only less physi-cally harmful but also better in the action of keeping a neurotic producing, phenobarbital does not dull the senses nearly as much and produces less after effect, ammonium chloride and a host of other stimulants are more productive of results and hardly less severe on the anatomy: but no, the engrams, contaging unpleasantly along from the first crude brew which made one                                                 
 of our ancestors drunk, decree that alcohol is the only thing which is to be drunk if a person wants to „forget it all“ and „have a good time.“ There is really nothing wrong with alcohol save that it depends mainly on engrams and other advertising for its effect and is otherwise remarkably inferior in performance: that it makes such aberrative engrams is probably its main claim to fame and infame. Making one drug immoral and another one taxable is a sam-ple of the alcohol engram in society. However, although it is immensely legal, it is doubtful if the auditor will find any use for it in therapy. And speaking of drugs, that three thousand cycle note in your ears came either from a nitrous oxide engram or mother taking lots of quinine before you were born in the hope that she would not be a mother, saying the while, „It makes my ears ring so: it just keeps on and on and on and will not stop!“ Auto-Control Since the beginning of dianetics research eleven years ago, patients have, in the major-ity, had some belief that they could run their cases in auto-control. Not understanding that an auditor is only interested in what has been done to, not done by a patient, some shyness or imagined guilt often prompts this vain hope that one can ac-complish therapy alone. It cannot be done. That is a flat statement and it is a scientific fact. The auditor is nec-essary for a large number of reasons. He is not there to control or order the pre-clear about, but he is there to listen, to provide insistence, to compute the trouble the pre-clear is having and remedy it. The work is done on these equations:  The dynamics of the pre-clear are less than the force in his reactive bank. The dynamics of the pre-clear plus the dynamics of the auditor are greater than the force in the pre-clear’s reactive bank. The analytical mind of the pre-clear is shut down whenever he reaches an engram and he is then unable to pursue it and recount it enough times to discharge it without auditor assis-tance. The analytical mind of the pre-clear plus the analytical mind of the auditor can dis-cover engrams and recount them. (There is another equation, not elsewhere mentioned, but germane to the auditor’s code, which demonstrates mathematically the necessity of that code: The force of the pre-clear’s engram bank plus the force of the auditor’s analytical mind is greater than the analytical mind and the dynamics of the pre-clear. This explains the necessity of never attacking the pre-clear personally. It also explains the behavior of the aberree under attack in usual life and why he grows angry and apathetic, for this equation overwhelms his analyzer.) These equations demonstrate actual natural laws. 
Auto-control finds the pre-clear attempting to attack something which has never been overcome by his analyzer although his analyzer has never been trying, interiorly, to do any-thing else but attack that bank so long as the analyzer would operate. The fact that the pre-clear’s analyzer shuts down whenever he comes into an area of „unconsciousness“ was why the engrams could take him over and use him as a puppet when they were restimulated – they simply shut down the analyzer.  Many efforts by many patients have been made to put dianetics on an auto-control level. They have all failed and thus far it is believed to be utterly and completely impossible. The pre-clear in auto-control reverie may be able to reach some locks: he can certainly reach pleasant experiences and achieve data recall by return: but he cannot attack his own engrams without a standard auditor-pre-clear arrangement. Aside from dianetic reverie, some pre-clears have been foolish enough to attempt auto-hypnosis and thus reach their engrams. Hypnotism in any form is unwarranted in dianet-ics. Auto-hypnosis used in dianetics is probably as close to fruitless masochism as one can get. If a patient places himself in auto-hypnosis and regresses himself in an effort to reach illness or birth or prenatals, the only thing he will get is ill. Of course, people will try. None are ever convinced until they have tried once they begin to agitate about auto-control. But be sure to have a friend and this book handy so that he can audit away the headaches and such that sud-denly turn on. Dianetic reverie, which means with an auditor present, is not dangerous or severe. Auto-control is often very uncomfortable and often fruitless. It should not be attempted. The clear alone can auto-control his whole time track back to conception and does when he wants specific data from anywhere in his life. But he is clear. Organic Mental Alterations There are several things which can happen to the nervous system including the brain which can cause structural change. These are called in dianetics, organic mental alterations. They are not called „organic neuroses,“ or „organic psychoses“ because the alteration of structure does not necessarily produce aberrations. There has been a confusion in the past be-tween behavior caused by organic differences and behavior caused by engrams: this confusion came about because the engram bank and the reactive mind were not known. Any human being with an organic mental alteration also has engrams. The behavior dictated by the engrams and the action caused by alteration are different things. Engrams carry dramatizations, delusions, tantrums and various inefficiencies with them. Alterations establish inabilities to think or perceive or record or recall. For instance the radio set may have new filters and circuits added to it which change and vary its performance and reduce it from optimum; these would be engrams: the radio set might have original tubes or circuits deleted from it or it might have some of the wires crossed; this would be organic mental al-teration. The sources of organic mental alteration are as follows: 
1.  Variation of the blueprint of structure by reason of a changed gene pattern. Some parts of the body would grow too much or too little to establish any alteration of structure. This is usually so gross a change that it is obvious. The feeble-minded and so on may suffer either from engrams or an altered blueprint, but usually both. 2.  Alteration of the nervous system by disease or growths which divides into two classes: (a)  Disease destruction as in paresis. (b)  Additional construction as in the case of tumors. 3.  Alteration of the nervous system by drugs or poisons. 4.  Alteration by physical disorder as in the case of a „paralytic stroke“ wherein certain tissues are inhibited or destroyed. 5.  Physical change in structure due to injury as in the case of a head wound.  6.  Alteration of structure by surgery as a necessity to remedy injury or disease. 7.  Iatrogenic alterations (caused by doctors) undertaken under a misapprehension of brain function. These can be divided into two classes: (a)  Surgical, to include such things as the trans-orbital leukotomy, pre-frontal lo-botomy, topectomy and so forth. (b)  Shock „therapies“ of all kinds including electric shock, insulin shock, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. The first six sources of organic mental alteration are much less common than has been supposed. The body is an extremely hardy mechanism and its repair facilities are enormous. If an individual can be made to speak or follow orders at all, it is conceivable that the techniques of dianetics can be applied to reduce the engrams in the engram bank, bringing about consid-erable improvement in the condition and mental ability of the individual. When these various sources are so severe that they inhibit any use of therapy, and when it is certain that no re-course to therapy is possible and that it is utterly impossible to reach the engram bank by standard technique, hypnotism or drugs, such cases can be considered beyond help of dianet-ics. Category 7 presents another problem. Here we have selective experimentation at work and it would be flatly impossible to conceive, without months of study of their experimental subjects, how many brands and varieties of operation have been performed and how many odd and bizarre shocks have been used. All iatrogenic alterations of the nervous system can be considered under the heading of „reduced ability,“ in other words, inability. In each case something has been done to reduce the ability of the individual to perceive, record, recall or think. Any of these complicate a case for dianetics, but they do not inevitably bar dianetics from working.  In shock cases, such as electric shock, tissue may have been destroyed and the mem-ory banks may in some way have been scrambled, the time track may be altered and other conditions may exist. 
In all such iatrogenic alterations, the results of dianetics must be considered equivocal. BUT IN ALL SUCH CASES, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DIANETICS SHOULD BE USED IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY IN AN EFFORT TO IM-PROVE THE PATIENT. All shocks and operations should be picked up for what they are – engrams. NO PERSON WHO CAN PERFORM ROUTINE TASKS OR WHOSE ATTEN-TION CAN BE ATTRACTED AND FIXED SHOULD FEEL DESPAIR OR BE CONSID-ERED HOPELESS. Any person who has been subjected to such treatment may not be able to reach opti-mum mental efficiency but he may be able to reach a level of rationality even yet in excess of the current normal. The thing to do is try. In spite of what has happened or what has been done, in the large majority of cases there may be a chance of excellent recovery.39 Organic Derangement A standard class of prenatal engrams has as its content the worry of the parents that the child will be feeble-minded if not now aborted in earnest. This adds an emotional overload to such engrams and it adds, as importantly, an aberrative condition in the now grown patient that he is „not right,“ „all wrong,“ „feeble-minded,“ and so forth. The difficulty of aborting the child is nearly always underestimated: the means used are often novel or bizarre: the worry because the child has not come out of the womb after the abortion attempt is acute, and the concern that he is now damaged beyond repair all combine to make severely aberrative engrams and, because of their content, engrams which are difficult to reach. The aberrative quality of the „feeble-minded“ species of remark is of course, high. The worry that the child may be born blind or deaf or otherwise incapacitated is common. The former class of engramic remarks can bring about actual feeble-mindedness; the latter concern over blindness and so on bring about, at best, impaired visio and sonic recall. The shut-off of the recalls is occasioned as well by an engramic belief in the society at large that the unborn child is blind, unfeeling and not alive. This belief is introduced into AA (attempted abortion) engrams by people’s self-justification remarks while attempting an abor-tion: „Well, he can’t see, feel or hear anyway.“ Or, „It doesn’t know what’s going on. It’s blind, deaf and dumb. It’s a sort of growth. It isn’t human.“ The greater part of all sonic and visio recall shut-off has as its source the remarks made at such times or by painful emotion and other engramic data. Hundreds of hours of ther-apy may pass before these recalls turn on. The bulk of all shut-offs will turn on in the course of therapy. There are thousands of engramic remarks and emotional situations which will deny the pre-clear his recall and that recall can be expected ordinarily to restore.                                                 
A very low dynamic patient (for people have various native strengths of the dynamic) may have recalls shut-off rather easily. A high dynamic patient would require much more aberration before the recalls are closed down.  These recalls can be turned on simply by running out the physically painful and pain-ful emotion engrams. It must not pass unremarked, however, that the abortion attempts actually can, if rarely, derange the brain and nervous mechanisms beyond the foetal ability to repair. The result of this is actual, physiological disability. Children and adults now classified as feeble-minded may then be separated into two groups: the actual, physiological class and the aberrated class. Further, recall shut-offs must be classified into two classes as well, regardless of the dynamic and intelligence of the indi-vidual: those occasioned by brain damage received during an attempted abortion and those which are solely aberrational and derived from engramic commands and emotion. The ability of the foetus to repair damage is phenomenal. Brain damage can ordinarily be repaired perfectly regardless of how many foreign substances were introduced into it. Just because the brain was touched in an attempted abortion is no reason to suppose that the recall shut-off has this as a source, for this is the rarer of the two causes. It is understood that this is being read by many with recall shut-offs and it is under-stood that it may well produce a considerable upset. But remember this, sonic and visio recall are not vital to a nearly full release. This comment about organic damage does not mean that a release cannot be effected which will leave the person more competent and happier, for this can always be done regardless of the recalls. And remember this, recalls almost always turn on even if it takes five hundred hours or more. This condition is only remarked because it will be found in some few cases. The „tests“ and „experiments“ with human brain vivisection in institutions are not, un-fortunately, valid. For all the pain and trouble and destruction caused by these „experi-ments,“ they were done without a proper knowledge of aberration and mental derangement. None of such data is of any value beyond showing that the brain can be cut in various ways without entirely killing the man. For the patients used responded both to engramic disorder and the physical disorder caused by the psychiatrist, and there is no way to differentiate be-tween these after the operation except by dianetics. Conclusions drawn from this data are then invalid conclusions, for the response of the patient after the operation might have stemmed from a number of sources: engramic, the engram of the operation itself, attempted abortion damage early in life, brain disability on account of the operation and so forth. Hence, draw no conclusions that impairment of conceptual thinking, for instance, results only when a part of the brain is removed, that recall is shut off only when the brain is vivisected and so on. From a scientific standpoint no such „findings“ were conclusive of anything except that the brain can be damaged late in life without entirely killing a man and that surgery of any kind often brings about a mental change in the patient. True, it may have been discovered that this or that por-tion of the switchboard called the brain, when removed, removed also some ability to perform. 
Dianetic First Aid It will be of interest to those associated with emergency hospital work particularly that the healing and recovery of any patient can be enormously benefited and the term of illness shortened by removing the engram occasioned at the moment of injury. The accident case sometimes dies, in a few days, from shock, or does not recover and will not heal swiftly. In any injury – a burn, cut, a bruise of whatever kind – a trauma lingers in the injured area. The moment of the injury created an engram. This engram inhibits the release of the trauma. The fact that the injured part still hurts is an organic restimulator which depresses the ability of the patient to recover. Using reverie or merely working the patient with his eyes closed, and working the pa-tient as soon after the injury as possible, the doctor, nurse or relative can return the injured person to the moment when the injury was received and usually recover and exhaust the inci-dent as a usual engram. Once the engram of the injury is reduced, the general mental tone of the patient improves. Further, the injured area is no longer inhibited from healing. Some experimental work on this demonstrated that some burns would heal and disap-pear in a few hours when the engram which accompanied their reception was removed. On more serious injuries tests showed definite and unmistakable acceleration of the rate of heal-ing. In operations, when anesthetics have been used, dianetics is useful in two ways: (1) as a preventive measure and (2) as a recovery measure. In the first, no conversation of any kind should be held around or with the „unconscious“ or semi-conscious patient. In the second, the trauma of the operation itself should be recovered and relieved immediately afterwards. A Problem In Mutual Therapy R and his wife C cleared each other in eight months with dianetics, working four hours a night four nights a week, each of them auditing the other for two hours of the four. This mu-tual arrangement had been complicated by the fact that whereas R was very eager to be cleared, his wife was quite apathetic about the work: he had managed only after much persua-sion to get the cases started. He was a high dynamic case with much emotion encysted; she was an apathy case who entirely neglected her troubles (black panther mechanism). He was troubled with a chronic ulcer and anxieties about his job; she was troubled with a general al-lergic condition and a chronic carelessness in domestic affairs. They were not to any great degree mutually restimulative, but they had problems about tacit consent, avoiding the sub-jects which had most upset them while together, such as a miscarriage she had had and the loss of their home by fire many years before, as well as other shocks. Further they were faced by R’s intensity on the one hand and his introversion, which caused him to slight her therapy, and C’s apathy on the other hand, which at once aided R’s effort to take more time as the pre-clear than she and which made her less interested in being a good auditor. Further complication took place because C did not understand the auditor’s code or its use and on several occasions had become angry and impatient with R when he was in session and returned, an attitude which tended to force R into an anger valence. 
Along this uncertain course therapy had been continuing. R was then informed of tacit consent and told he had better release some of their mutual painful emotion. He thereafter addressed the engram of the burning home and suddenly found himself able to audit some early sympathy engrams of his wife’s which had not heretofore been available. It was discov-ered that her allergies stemmed from a father sympathy compute and that R was the pseudo-father. This resulted in a marked improvement in C’s case. She began to suffer less from her allergies and a chronic heart pain she had had so long that she no longer heeded it vanished as well. She became interested in being a good auditor and studied the subject. She became slightly annoyed with R when he demanded more than his share of therapy time. (This in-crease of interest is always true of any apathy case which began with neglect of engrams.)  R, however, was much inhibited by her periods of anger and found that he now oper-ated almost exclusively under auto-control, a condition wherein he decided what should be run and what should not be run in himself. This auto-control is, of course, useless, since if he knew about his aberrations and the data in his engrams, they would not be engrams. He, there-fore, started on a period of refusing to display any emotion since she had mocked him about it, would not follow her directions and was, in short, obeying the engrams which she had given him when angry with him during past sessions. C was advised to pick up the moments of an-ger she had displayed as an auditor during therapy and when these were reduced, it was found that R worked well again and cooperated. His ulcer stemmed from an attempted abortion. His father, an extremely aberrated in-dividual, had sought to abort the baby when it was seven months in the womb. The mother remonstrated that the baby might be born alive. The father said that if it were alive when born he would kill it as soon as it came out. He had said, further, that the mother had to hold still while he operated. On another occasion the father had said that he would lock the mother in a closet until she decided to abort the child. (This case was much complicated because the mother had been afraid to tell the father and had pretended not to be pregnant for three months, giving the husband the belief that the child, seven months along, was actually only four months along. Therefore, there was much secrecy in the case, much confusion and conflicting data.) This meant that R had a severe holder in the prenatal area: he was held by the engram which included a penetration of his stomach. This was the key engram, which is to say other engrams, by the mechanism of similar somatic and content, had gathered around it to suppress it. This was the tangle of incidents which C was confronting unknowingly: it had become more tangled by her anger. R would now cooperate but his time track had wound into a ball around the holder engram, the key. Two exodontistries for the removal of wisdom teeth with nitrous oxide anesthesia were also suppressing the prenatals. C worked for some time trying to get at the late extraction engrams, which contained an enormous amount of conversation between the dentist and his assistants and R’s mother, who, unfortunately for his sanity, had accompanied him to the dentist’s office. R was made intensely uncomfortable by the continual restimulation of engrams which yet could not be reached. He was no more uncomfortable than he had often been in the past and his discomfort would have been absent had C understood and followed the auditor’s code. The case made no progress for several weeks. 
C’s therapy was progressing. It was intensely restimulative to R to work upon her and increase his discomfort, but the more he worked on her the better auditing she did and the more intelligent she was (her I.Q. went up about fifty points after five weeks of therapy). C desired to know how she could break the impasses in his case and was informed that she was now practicing tacit consent, for she had many times been needlessly thoughtless of R long before therapy was undertaken and she now realized what she had done to him and yet could not bring herself to face the fact that she was a responsible party to so much of his unhappi-ness – she had quite ordinarily used angry language to him which she well knew would „push-button“ him into doing something or into retreating from a quarrel, which language had been restimulative to him long before therapy. C thereupon entered into painful emotion engrams late in R’s life and, by working early physically painful engrams which said R could „feel nothing“ alternately with late en-grams when he was feeling intensely on an emotional plane but could not exhibit it, began to release the emotion in the case. R then showed steady improvement. Late painful emotion was released and early prenatals would show to be reduced, at which more late emotion would be visible for reduction. It was suddenly disclosed in the case that the reason R was so easily upset by C lay in the person of a nurse who had attended R during his tonsillectomy when he was five years of age. C had some similarity of mannerism to this nurse. This was a sympathy engram, and when it was released the time track began to straighten out and the abortion engrams could be more easily contacted. It so happened that R had been well off his time track most of his life, his memory oc-cluded, his recall in poor condition. This was found to lie in the hidden key engram, the abor-tion attempt wherein his father had vowed to kill him if he came out and had added that the child could not see, feel or hear anything anyway, engramic material which was demonstrated by R’s inability to move on his time track. The moment the key was found – two hundred and eighty hours of therapy had elapsed – R came back on the time track, could move on it, and the erasure of his engrams proceeded in an orderly fashion. C had been cleared about two months before R reached the final engram. C’s allergies, however, disappeared long before her case was cleared completely and R’s ulcer and some other psycho-somatic difficulties also vanished well before his case was finally cleared. A Problem In A Restimulated Case G was cleared in ten months of sporadic sessions. His case had the initial diagnosis of non-sonic, non-visio, pain and emotional shut-off, permanent light trance, permanent „regres-sion“ at the age of three years. This is to say that the instant he went into reverie he was star-tled and frightened to find himself in a dental chair, three years old, and having a tooth pulled, an engram in which he had been situated, unknowingly, about half of his ensuing life. It had been the partial cause of his chronic tooth decay and his inability to sleep as negation against the anesthetic. The situation was obvious since he immediately began to wrestle about and 
lisp, which condition was instantly remedied by running the engram so that he could come to present time, which he did. He had had considerable difficulty in life, was a high dynamic but manifested apathy. It was discovered after seventy-five hours, at which time release took place, that his wife was sometimes his pseudo-grandmother and also, by ambivalence, was his pseudo-mother. As his sympathy computation demanded that he be ill so that his grandmother would stay with him and as his contra-survival engrams demanded that his mother was only nice to him when he was ill, the reactive computation added up to the fact that he must be ill continually, which demand had been obeyed by his body for twenty-three years. All this was recovered and remedied, of course, only by reducing engrams. The erasure began to take place at the end of about two hundred hours of therapy and was proceeding when the case suddenly stopped all progress. For fifty or more hours of ther-apy, few engrams could be located, those which were located could not be reduced, no painful emotion could be reached and whatever engrams were reached and reduced were located and treated only because the auditor in this case used highly skilled forcing techniques which are almost never necessary and should not be employed save in psychotic cases. Such endeavor had not been necessary at the beginning of the case. Something was obviously wrong. On close questioning it was discovered that G’s wife was violently opposed to dianet-ics, that she never lost any chance of leveling the most scathing attacks against it to G and particularly when he was in the company of friends. She derided him as being psychotic. She sought a lawyer to give her a divorce (announcing it after he had entered therapy but actually having had continual consultation on it with a lawyer for two years past) and generally agi-tated and disturbed G to such an extent that he was continually receiving painful emotional engrams even though he did not display any emotion against her. They had a child, nine years of age, a boy. G was very fond of the boy. The child had had an unusual number of childhood illnesses and suffered from eye trouble and chronic si-nusitis; he was backward in school. The wife was somewhat sharp with the child. Anything he did made her nervous. The auditor in the case, on learning the facts about her attitude toward her husband in general and dianetics in particular, held a conference with her about her husband. She was found to be unopposed to therapy for herself. Shortly after the conference, G and this woman had a brief quarrel in which G made the remark that she must be aberrated. She took intense affront at this and said that he must be the one who was crazy since he was interested in dianetics. He countered with the fact that of the two he must be the least aberrated since he was taking steps to do something about it. Further, he pointed out that she must be aberrated or she would not be as quarrelsome with the child as she was, a fact which definitely indic-tated that she must have a block on her second dynamic, sex. The following day he came home from work and found she had withdrawn the money from the bank and gone to another town, taking the boy with her. He followed and found her staying with some of her relatives. She had told them that he beat her and had gone so crazy that he had to have therapy. The truth of the matter was that he had never touched her brutally in his life. In this meeting, before witnesses, she began to rave and revile any „system of psy-
 chiatry“ which believed in pre-speech memory. He pointed out to her that many schools of the past had believed in pre-speech memory, that the whole background of psychiatry had long talked about „memories of the womb“ without knowing what they were, and so forth. Her relatives, seeing him so calm about it, forced her to return home with him. En route she made a dramatic gesture, although in no way threatened, of committing suicide by leaping out of the car. The auditor in the case had a private conversation with her on her return. He had somewhat belatedly deduced the fact that there was something in her life which she was afraid her husband would find out and that, confronted with a science which could recover all mem-ory, she had become wildly emotional about it. She at length admitted under close questioning, that this was the case, that her husband must never know. She was so disturbed that the audi-tor, with her consent, gave her a few hours of therapy. It was instantly discovered that her father had many times threatened to kill her mother and that her father had not wanted her. Further, it was found that her father’s name was Q and that her engram bank was strewn with remarks such as „Q, please don’t leave me. I will die without you.“ Additionally, when she was no longer in session, she suddenly volunteered what was to her a hysterically humorous fact that all her life she had been having affairs with men named Q no matter what their shape or size or age. This was far from a release but in view of the fact that his other patient, G, was jeopardized by all this unnecessary hubbub and that therapy was being stalled, the auditor further questioned her. She divulged that she had tried many times to abort their son because she was terribly frightened that he would be a blond whereas she and her husband had dark hair. Further, the engrams of that child, she knew, contained data which she considered in-criminating beyond mere abortion; while pregnant she had had intercourse with three men other than her husband.  The auditor pointed out to her that this guilt feeling, no matter how real, was still en-gramic in her and that it was doubtful if her husband would kill her on receipt of these tidings. He told her that she was condemning a child to a second-rate existence and that she was re-ducing her husband to apathy by her fears and causing the auditor far more work than was necessary. In her husband’s and the auditor’s presence she confessed her infidelity and learned with some amazement that her husband had known about it for years. He had not known about her attempts on their child. She was requested to study a therapy manual and clear the child which, with her hus-band’s help, she did. The auditor continued G on to clear, who then cleared his wife. Advice To The Auditor The hidden source of human aberration was hidden for a number of very specific rea-sons. The auditor will encounter all of these and although with these techniques, the ability of the reactive engram bank to deny him is precisely nil, he should know the nature of the beast he has under attack. The mechanisms of protection which the engram bank had – although they are not very good now that we know how to penetrate this armor of insanity’s cause – are as follows: 1.  Physical pain. 
2.  Emotion in terms of captured units. 3.  „Unconsciousness.“ 4.  The delayed character of the key-in. 5.  Delay between restimulation and illness. 6.  Utter irrationality. Of the physical pain we know much – that the mind, in memory, sought to avoid it just as the mind in life seeks to avoid it as an outside source: hence, memory blockage. Emotion of loss piles up to make a buffer between the individual and the reality of death. „Unconsciousness“ is not only a mechanism of hiding data, it is also a block to mem-ory which cannot jump the gaps of past moments when the fuses were blown. An engram might slumber for the better part of a lifetime and then, given the correct set of restimulators in the right moment of physical weariness or illness, manifest itself, mak-ing an apparent cause of insanity or lesser aberration many years after the actual incident had taken place. Another aspect of the bank protective mechanism was the restimulator lag, which is to say that when a keyed-in engram was restimulated it often required two or three days for ac-tion to take place. (Example: say a migraine headache has as its restimulator a rhythmic bumping sound; that sound is heard by the individual who has the engram; three days later he suddenly has a migraine.) Given this lag, how could one locate the cause of a specific res-timulation of a sporadic illness? The utter irrationality of an engram, the ultimate in irrationality, that everything equals everything else in the engram and that these are equal to things in the exterior environment which are only vaguely similar is a feat of idiocy which any sentient man might be expected to overlook as a „thought process.“ Man has been looking for this source for some thousands of years; but he was looking for something which was complicated on the grounds that anything which could be so har-rowing, so destructive, so vicious and so capable of producing complex manifestations must therefore have a complex source; on examination it is remarkably simple. The auditor will have very little to do with trying to draw a line between sanity and in-sanity, they are such relative terms. He will be asked to compare dianetics with old standards such as the complex classifications of Kraepelin: it can be done but it has the usefulness of Aristotelian natural history, of interest only to the historian. If an individual is incapable of adjusting himself to his environment so as to get along with or obey or command his fellows, or, more importantly, if he is incapable of adjusting his environment, then he can be considered to be „insane.“ But it is a relative term. Sanity, on the other hand, closely approaches, with dianetics, a potential absolute meaning for we know the optimum mind. Modifications of education and viewpoint may make the rational action of one person appear irrational to another but this is not a problem of sanity, it is a problem of viewpoint and education, with which the auditor will have but small concern. 
 Thus the patients the auditor will encounter will fall into the three general dianetic classes of non-sonic recall, imaginary recall and sonic recall. The question of sanity does not arise: the question of how difficult or how long the case may be is fairly well determined by the degree of these three conditions. However, the auditor will find that he may have in his hands a truly „insane“ case, one which is „psychotic.“ The treatment of such a case depends on which of the three above classes the psychotic patient may be entered. The problem is to de-intensify the engrams of the patient as swiftly as possible. The conditions and mechanisms which hide the engram bank do not vary: they are uni-formly present in every patient, in every human being. The techniques of dianetics may be improved upon – and what scientific technique, particularly in its first few years of existence cannot be – but they also do not perform selectively but are applicable to all individuals. Hence, if we have an „insane“ patient, the fundamental problem does not change and dianetic technique works as in any other case. The task is to reduce the intensity of charge in the case so that it can be resolved by standard technique. Insane patients are often found stuck on the time track, in which case a holder is fed to them, one kind after another, until they are moving again. If the patient is regressed, he has become so thoroughly stuck that he has lost touch with the present time. Any patient can be-gin to relive instead of merely return and the auditor, as the remedy for this, merely snaps at them that they can remember this, which places them in a returned status again. Insane pa-tients are often found listening to one engram over and over, in which case it is again only necessary to fix attention and feed them holders until they are once more moving on the track. Insane patients are sometimes discovered completely off the time track, listening to demons or seeing illusion. The problems are always the same; use repeater technique when, by one means or another, their attention has been fixed and then either get them moving on the track or get them back on the time track. The schizophrenic is usually a long way off his time track. The best way to de-intensify a case so that it can be entered in routine therapy is to discover and discharge painful emotion engrams. If ordinary means fail, get the help of a medical doctor, place the patient under nitrous oxide or sodium pentothal and reach a deep level of trance where the patient will be found, ordinarily, to be capable of moving on his track even though he was off his track when awake. Find a late despair engram and discharge it as described in the chapter on emotion. The technique for deep trance is no different except that very cautious safeguards must be taken to say nothing which will aberrate the patient fur-ther but to limit all conversation to therapy patter, being very careful to include the canceller. The insane patient is obeying some engramic command, perhaps many, no matter what he is doing. That command may dictate, by the patient’s misinterpretation, some strange ac-tion; it may dictate demons; it may dictate anything. But diagnosis merely consists of observ-ing the patient in order to discover, by his actions, what the engramic command might be. This volume does not cover Institutional Dianetics beyond these few remarks, but an auditor who knows the fundamentals in this volume and with any understanding can bring about a „sanity“ in patients in a short time which the boards of these institutions normally consider a miraculous recovery. The patient, however, is very far from a release, and many 
more hours should be spent in discharging further painful emotion and reducing engrams be-fore an auditor should consider it safe to permit him to leave therapy. The auditor should be extremely cautious, at least for the next twenty years, about any case which has been institutionalized, for he may be getting a case with iatrogenic psychosis – caused by doctors – in addition to the patient’s other engrams. Dianetics may help a mind a little in which the brain has been „ice-picked“ or „apple-cored,“ but it cannot cure such insan-ity until some clever biologist finds a way to grow a new brain. Electric shock cases are equivocal: they may or may not respond to treatment, for brain tissue may have been burned away to a point where the brain cannot function normally. In entering any such case, the audi-tor will be perplexed by the scrambled condition of the standard bank, to say nothing of the circuits by which he should be able to reach the engram bank. Syphilis and other brain ero-sions should be similarly classified and should be approached or undertaken only with the full knowledge that dianetics may not be able to help the dismembered machine at all. There have been many thousands of these brain „operations“ and hundreds of thousands of electric shock treatments: thus the auditor should be alert not to engage upon what may be a hopeless cause when there exist so many cases which can better be helped. Any case which has been institu-tionalized should be suspected. And if anything unusual in the way of memory scramble or lack of coordination is observed, searching inquiry may reveal hidden institutionalization. Further, an auditor called upon to assist a case which is about to be institutionalized should always be wary. The case which is being sent to an institution may be a case which has been in one before, regardless of the protestations of relatives or friends that such is not the circum-stance. Similarly combat exhaustion cases should be warily undertaken, for the case was probably processed before quitting the service, at which time electric shock or brain operation or narco-synthesis may have been applied without the knowledge or consent of the patient. These warnings are given not because the auditor will be in any particular physical danger – patients seldom do anything but cooperate, sane or insane, when dianetics is applied, even if they snarl about it – but because much work may be expended only to discover that the entire mental machinery has been wrecked beyond repair. If the auditor undertakes an electric shock case, he should address his primary atten-tion to the release of that shock as an engram, for there is all manner of careless chatter con-tained in these institutional engrams, which may further inhibit treatment. This is aside from the fact that any electric shock, anywhere in the body, has a tendency to derange the engram bank and bind it so that its incidents are more than usually snarled. For no other reason than the advance of dianetics, and the conservation of an auditor’s time, it should also be remarked that the third degree methods of some police departments and general police abuse of criminals or ordinary citizens may have to be released in a case before it can be further treated. Prison terms may contain large despair charges sufficient to derange the mind and yet may be hidden by the patient under the mistaken idea that the auditor is in-terested or will be disappointed in his „character.“ Various other things enter into the engram bank which would not be suspected as ob-stacles to therapy unless mentioned. Hypnotism can be extremely aberrative and may hold up 
 a case. An auditor should have some working knowledge of it so that he can release the en-grams it makes, not so he can work dianetics. Hypnotism is the art of implanting positive sug-gestions in the engram bank. Here they may append themselves to engrams and become locks on those engrams. As most engram banks contain a sample of most common words, hypno-tism is almost certain to be aberrative. The reduction of analytical power by artificial means places the subject in an optimum condition for the receipt of an engram. The hypnotist uses the forgetter mechanism with most of his suggestions and most people have similar engramic remarks which make it impossible for the hypnotist’s suggestion to release. Hypnotism can be considered as a „high-powered“ lock and may be a serious obstacle in the patient’s engram bank. With clearing, the suggestions having no anchors of pain below them in engrams, van-ish as locks. But hypnotic suggestions may have to be found and cleared before a case can proceed. Hypnotism is very commonly used in this society and it is very often the case that, with the forgetter mechanism, the patient is unable to recall whether he had ever been hypno-tized or not. Return technique will discover it, repeater technique, making the patient return with repetition of hypnotic patter (by the patient) such as „Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep,“ can be depended upon to locate it. Not all hypnotism is in the parlor. Perverts quite commonly use it despite the fact that the „moral“ nature is supposed to rise in a hypnotized subject. Incidents even with people of repute have been found in patients when examining their childhood. These incidents were often entirely occluded to the patient, so thoroughly cowing were the commands contained in the hypnotic suggestion. Dianetics and hypnotism can be combined, but so can dianetics and astronomy. The auditor will find himself working with hypnotic patients and will have to be very careful with patter in order to install minimal words of his own in the engram bank so as not to turn dianet-ics into hypnotism. Any benefit derived from hypnotism is in the field of research or the installation of a temporary manic engram. The latter has far more harm than value. Hypnotic anesthetic is vastly overrated. And hypnotism as a parlor game is a thing which no society should tolerate, for it may be sufficiently destructive to cause the engrams to restimulate to a point of insanity. And the hypnotist never knows the content of the engram bank. Any good hypnotist, if he can conquer his desire to talk, should make a good auditor: but if he tries to combine dianetics and hypnotism he will find himself with a very thoroughly sick patient on his hands. Never install a positive suggestion of any kind in a patient no matter how much he may beg for one. It has proven nearly fatal. An entire case can be worked in deep amnesia trance. It is often possible to waken a sleeping person into a deep trance simply by speaking to him quietly several nights in succes-sion at the same hour and finally getting him to respond to the invitation to talk. Dianetic therapy can then be entered upon and pursued and will succeed particularly if the auditor is not careless enough to artificially restimulate a late physical pain engram, treating in the post-birth life mainly engrams of painful emotion. If the person on whom the therapy is being done is aware of the action, he can be put into reverie so that earlier data can be reached, „I“ being more powerful than the weak if wise attention units which constitute basic personality. He is alternately worked in amnesia trance and then in reverie. The case will resolve eventually 
 even if reverie is not used. But there are grave responsibilities with amnesia trance: a cancel-ler must always be installed and used in every session. Minimal conversation must be em-ployed. All auditor desires should be stated as questions if possible, as these are not aberrative to the degree that commands are. This method has been successful and can be used, but rev-erie, even if it appears slower, even if sonic is not present, is far more satisfactory for the ex-cellent and incontrovertible reason that the patient recovers more swiftly and recovers on a steady upgrade whereas amnesia trance may incapacitate him for days together, when inci-dents are apparently lifted in deep trance but nevertheless „hung up“ in the awake state. Am-nesia trance is definitely not advised: it has been subjected to much research and has been found to be both uncomfortable for the patient and harassing to the auditor. However, if other methods cannot be used for one reason or another (and none of those reasons include the de-sire of the pre-clear who, if the auditor would let him, might crave drugs, hypnotism and posi-tive suggestion in an effort to escape his engrams and who, if allowed, would have himself a wonderfully messy case for the auditor to unsnarl), amnesia trance can be employed, but al-ways with the greatest caution and always with the full knowledge that the patient’s recovery is retarded by as much as a factor of three, for working on a level with the engram bank leaves the analyzer circuits unused in the discharge. Reverie is best. External Problems With Patients It may happen that a patient who has made progress suddenly ceases to make further progress. The answer may lie elsewhere than therapy. The environment of the pre-clear may be so intensely restimulative that he is distracted, always in restimulation and thus works slowly. It may be discovered, in such a case, that the pre-clear (as in one case) has made a bargain with a wife or husband who desires divorce that he or she wait until the pre-clear is cleared. Other situations of a life nature can place an environmental value on not being cleared. The auditor has no business with the private lives of his pre-clears, but in a case where therapy itself is made difficult by existing situations the auditor, with his time at stake, has every right to discover the reason. All these reasons will compute into some environ-mental advantage in not being clear. Removing the pre-clear temporarily from his home, for instance, may change his environment and advance therapy. The auditor has a right to ask that, clear or not, the patient resolve the problem on his own initiative. It is common with pre-clears that they do not realize that they are releases for so glittering is the goal of clear that they cease to compare themselves to the normal which they have already overpassed. A patient can commonly be expected to introvert to a very marked degree in the course of dianetic therapy. As the case progresses this introversion reaches an acute stage about three-quarters or thereabouts through and thereafter recedes. Ambiversion is a marked characteristic of the clear. When introversion has been marked, a fairly good gauge of the advance of the case is in the pre-clear’s interest in exterior things. Nearly all pre-clears talk a great deal about their engrams up to the point when they are very solid releases. If they don’t or won’t talk about their engrams in common conversa-tion, the auditor can suspect something highly protected in the engram bank concerning the necessity to hide something: the auditor can act accordingly. Although the auditor may weary 
 of such conversation, it nevertheless reveals much new material to him if he observes the phrases which the pre-clear uses about engrams.  It is very, very true that aberration is caused by what has been done to not what has been done by the patient. The actions of the patient in dramatizing, in committing crimes and so forth are not aberrative to the patient. Therefore the pre-clear’s activities need be no con-cern whatever of the auditor’s. Whole cases have been completed without the auditor’s know-ing what the pre-clear did for a living. While responsibility for his actions is necessarily de-manded of him by an aberrated society, antisocial activity is the resuit of engrams which dic-tate it. The patient is not responsible for what he himself has done. Cleared, the matter is dif-ferent. A clear can be considered entirely responsible for his own actions, for he can compute rationally on the basis of his experience. But the aberree has little or no real control over his actions. Therefore, the auditor should make it plain that he does not care what the aberree who becomes a pre-clear has done in life. The problem on hand between the auditor and the pre-clear is an engram bank which contains, exclusively, what other people have done in life and what has been done to the pre-clear in moments when he could not protect himself. This ap-proach is not only truth, it has a therapeutic value, for in so explaining himself an auditor can often obtain cooperation which would otherwise be denied. The auditor should never violate the auditor’s code with a patient. Extended terms of therapy inevitably result from such violations. Restimulation The mind is a self-protecting mechanism – but so is dianetics. A science of thought which works would so closely approximate the working principles of the mind that it would follow in parallels the injunctions and provisos of the mind itself. Such is the case with dianet-ics: the mind is diagnosed by its reaction to therapy, therapy is improved by the reactions of the mind to it. This is a working principle of great value since it explains much observed phe-nomena and predicts most of the remainder. Part of this parallelism is the self-protection fea-ture. It is almost impossible to injure a mind: it is an extremely tough organism. Of course, when one begins to hew and saw upon it with metal or poison it with drugs or bacteria or throw its natural armor aside as with hypnotism, unfortunate things can occur. Charlatanism is almost impossible where dianetics in any of its principles is being practiced. One either practices all dianetics and gets results or practices himself into a decline: that is a mechanical, scientific fact. Dianetics, as a self-protecting science, demands practice by clears or at least good releases. A clear very closely follows in all his conduct the better aspects of the auditor’s code: his ethical level is very high. Hence, anyone starting a practice of dianetics is going to find himself, no matter what his original intention, thrust toward the goal of being a clear. There is an excellent reason for this. There is a principle known as restimulation of the auditor. We have an understanding now of what makes an engram come into restimulation. When it comes into restimulation, it forces the pain or the action of the engram into being in the organism. The observation of some percept in the environment which approximates a re-
cording, sound or sight or organic sensation, in the engram brings the engram into greater or lesser play. Similarly, when an auditor is not cleared himself or when he is not in therapy himself working toward the goal of a clear, he becomes restimulated. He is, after all, listening constantly to engramic material in a patient. This engramic material is the very stuff of which insanity is made. Anyone has engrams: sooner or later a patient is going to start going over an engram of his own which will approximate the auditor’s own engrams. This leads to great discomfort for the auditor unless the auditor is in therapy and can have the discomfort so brought forth released. So long as one is merely working late locks, this is not so much the case and has made it possible for practitioners and mental healers of the past to escape much of the penalty of their own aberrations, but when one deals with the root material of these ab-errations, a constant hammering by restimulators can bring about a serious condition. This is the mechanism which causes people in asylums to fall prey themselves to psychoses, although one must have had them in the first place for them to have been restimulated. The auditor may run one or two cases without any serious repercussion: indeed, no matter what the repercussion, it can be eliminated by dianetics. To save his own comfort, however, he should himself be cleared or released as soon as possible. He can work as a re-lease without too much trouble, and this makes it possible for him to make a mutual compact where he is worked on while he is working the other. A condition can then come about where two pre-clears are each auditors. This alternation between the couch and the auditor’s chair will usually work very well. Two persons, however, after they have begun work, may discover that they are mutu-ally restimulative – which is to say each is a pseudo-person in the other’s engrams or one is restimulated (voice tone, incidents) by the other. This should be no bar to therapy. It has been overcome and therapy has gone forward despite the most severe restimulative circumstances. A common avoidance technique on the part of a subject is to claim the auditor restimulates him: it is not sufficiently important to stop therapy. It may be, however, that two people can enter a third into the chain and by one clearing the next considerably ease the tension. The triangular work plan, where no person is working on the person who is working him, is quite successful. A husband and wife who have quarreled long and often may find it too restimulative to clear each other. It is possible to do if other arrangements cannot be made and it is often done: but if therapy does not go well, he should find a therapy partner and so should she. Mothers who have attempted abortion on their children or otherwise maltreated them can ac-complish therapy on those children, but in any case of restimulative circumstance such as this, the greatest precaution must be taken by the auditor to adhere severely to the auditor’s code – to do otherwise might bring much more stress into therapy than is necessary. In such a case, the mother had better herself have at least a release accomplished upon her before she at-tempts to clear her children – and she should not touch those children until they are at least eight. The subject of auditor-restimulation, where the auditor restimulates the pre-clear or the pre-clear restimulates the auditor, does not include the routine aspect of therapy that the pre-clear is always being artificially restimulated via standard therapy. An engram can be restimu-lated by being touched several times and so it will lift. The auditor-restimulation problem is a 
specific one where the auditor is a pseudo-enemy, a similarity to a person who has harmed the patient. Wild antagonism on the part of a patient to an auditor is usually traced to this. Some patients have such a hatred of men that only women can work them, some have such a hatred of women that only men can work them. But even when there is a wild antipathy, if there ex-ists no other auditor or person who can be trained quickly as one, therapy can proceed anyway: and it will accomplish results.  Rebalancing A Case Any case dropped out of therapy will rebalance itself in a few weeks, which is to say, it will settle to a new high for the individual. Unless drug hypnotism or some other dianeti-cally illegal method is used, all cases will so rebalance, much benefited. Restimulations can be expected to die down if they are due to therapy. The patient will gradually find his own level in the released state. Cases do not have to be carried forward to clear if auditor time is short, but it is, of course better if they are and, indeed, the majority of patients will insist that they be. Working Time In Therapy The usual period of a dianetic treatment is two hours. In these two hours, with the usual patient, everything is going to be accomplished which can be accomplished on that day. Working every day is not necessary, but working every two days or every three days is desir-able. Working with periods a week apart is not optimum, for the case tends to rebalance. Fur-ther, there is a „sag“ in a case, usually every fourth day when it is not worked in periods as short as three days. The fourth day „sag“ is a natural mechanical thing: an engram, keyed-in, when it is restimulated in life, takes about four days to cut in sharply. In therapy, three days is sometimes required to „develop“ an engram. This does not mean that three days have to elapse before it is available and it does not mean that work has to stop for three days, but it does mean that engrams, not being memories and articulate as such, take three days, some-times, to come to the surface. To be more clear, an engram can be asked for on day one and will be found on day three. Meanwhile the auditor is getting other engrams. This process is so automatic that it re-quires no attention and will not come to notice except in cases that are being worked once a week. The engram is asked for on day one, is ready to reduce on day three, sags on day four and is rebalanced by day seven. The three day aspect is interesting in another sense. This time of three days is just an observation of the average behavior of pre-clears. Precision investigation may fix it at 2.5 days or 3.6 days (it varies in individuals), but three days is close enough for our purposes. When one is doing just a release on a case, he will sometimes find that it is necessary to take a late engram and run it: the physical pain engram of later life (post-birth) will appear to rise, will remain constant for three days and then will „sag.“ When it sags, the auditor will have to go back to it and run it again. Taking out these „sags“ will eventually make the later life en-gram stay in a recessed state. 
 Euphoria often sets in on a case when the auditor touches an engram which contains a manic. The patient will then go around saying how wonderful dianetics is because he is now in magnificent condition and is so happy. Watch out. In three or four days this manic will have sagged back to a depressive state. Be wary if somebody experiences one of these sky-rocket „recoveries“ for it is about as permanent as the fire of a burning match. It goes out and leaves very cold ashes. The auditor, seeing this euphoria, had better enter the case again and reduce the engram it contains more thoroughly or get a more basic engram. The length of time it takes to clear a person is quite variable. By blowing despair charges and working a few early engrams, an auditor can get a better state of being in the pa-tient than in any past therapy in twenty or thirty hours: this is a release. It compares to two or three years of past therapeutic work. The length of time it takes to get a clear cannot be com-pared to any past standard because a clear is something no past standard ever dreamed about. In a sonic case, where recall is in good condition, a clear can be obtained in a hundred hours. In a case which has thoroughly shut down recalls, anything can happen up to, in ex-tremity, a thousand hours. Similarly, the imaginative case which has things which never hap-pened, may be long. Look at it this way: we can get the results of two or three years of psycho-analysis in a score or two of hours of dianetics and what we accomplish with dianetics does not have to be done again, which is not true with psycho-analysis. This is the release. He can go about his business in a far more competent fashion, his emotional charges being largely freed. In the clear we are attempting and can achieve a supernormal state of mind. Thousands and thou-sands and thousands of hours were spent in the education of a man: the expenditure of two or even ten thousand hours of work to make him rank about what would formerly have been possible for him is work well spent. But we do not have to spend anything like this amount of time. People have been cleared in anything from thirty hours, when they had sonic and little volume, to five hundred hours when they had shut-down recall plus imaginary recall. What an auditor can do with his first few cases by way of time is a question mark. He will get to the clear eventually and certainly in less than twelve hundred hours in a severe case. All the time he is working toward a clear he is achieving a higher and higher release which, after at least fifty hours, rises well above the current norm and keeps right on soaring. Improvement is such that from week to week the charge is physiologically noticeable and psychologically startling. If one thinks the reach for clear is a short jump and a small gain, then he has no conception of just how high that goal is.  Most auditors will try for release at first and are wise if they do. When their own case is finally cleared, only then will they suddenly realize that the state was worth far more time than was expended to attain. It is impossible to forecast, with a new auditor, just how much time he will consume in making errors, learning his tools, attaining skill. It is therefore impossible to estimate for him how long it will take him to gain a clear in a patient. A well trained auditor never takes more than eight hundred hours with the worst of cases: five hundred is high. 
 Data From Relatives The auditor will always be plagued by the anxiety of the patient to get data from rela-tives or friends. The request for this data itself is restimulative both to the pre-clear and the relative. Mothers have been made very ill by being given the restimulators of their own past illnesses by the child who has „suddenly found out.“ It is a uniform experience that the data obtained from relatives, parents and friends by the pre-clear is absolutely and utterly worthless. Here we are depending upon an aberree’s memory when we have at hand, with dianetics, a reliable source of accurate material. Auditors have had cases progress very smoothly and then suddenly stop progress: on inquiry it is dis-covered that the pre-clear has been running around to his parents and relatives for material and they, wanting nothing more than that he forget all about what they have done to him, throw him red herrings which have to be carefully eliminated. These are the villains of the piece, the people who have done the things to the pre-clear which made him an aberree. If one expects accurate data from them, one might as well expect the moon to be green cheese.  If the auditor wants data from these people and requests it, by-passing the pre-clear, he may get somewhere. But any data so received has a value which, in intelligence, is used to label „Incompetent Source – Improbable Material.“ Warn a pre-clear not to bother his relatives and parents and explain to him that he can make them ill by asking for data, on the restimulator principle. If we want confirmation of the data received, the only way to get it is put the parent or relative in therapy. At such time, we shall get the basic dramatization sources: in the prenatal life and childhood of the parent. This is a problem of research, not of therapy. If the auditor has Mama available, he can run off the child’s birth and then Mama giv-ing birth, keeping the two apart, and get his check on the accuracy of therapy. And there are other data that can be so compared, using proper safeguards. The subjective reality, not the objective reality, is the important question to the auditor. First, last and always, does the patient get well? Stopping Therapy The woman scorned has a violent rival in the pre-clear on whom therapy has been stopped by the auditor’s decision. Keeping the pre-clear in therapy, no matter how seldom are the sessions, satisfies in some measure the effort his basic personality makes to fight clear of the aberrations. The basic personality, the file clerk, the core of „I“ which wants to be in command of the organism, the most fundamental desires of the personality, may be considered synony-mous for our purposes. There is an enormous surge of this basic self – which is really the in-dividual himself – to conquer the engrams. The engrams, borrowing life from their host, ap-pear as things which do not want to be conquered. As mechanistic as all this actually is, the auditor will often find himself wondering at the resistance the engrams can make and marvel-ing at the efforts of the basic personality to conquer the engrams. He works with the basic personality, the individual himself, and ignores the engramic efforts to interfere. But there is a 
situation in which the basic personality seems to give free play to the engrams in an effort to accomplish therapy. In work, a „patient“ might have been skeptical, sarcastic or even vicious to the auditor. Or the patient may have been thought to be completely neglectful of his engram bank. Or the patient may even rage that he hates therapy. For some of these reasons the auditor may injudi-ciously decide to cease working the patient. The patient is so informed. For a short while, per-haps, the patient may manifest no reaction but in a few minutes, a few hours or a few days, basic personality, denied a route out, may begin to use every weapon to hand to compel the auditor to resume therapy. Disturbed by cessation of therapy, even though he may have insisted upon its being stopped, the ex-patient may begin either to rapidly decline or to attack to his face or behind his back the auditor and even therapy itself. The woman scorned has rarely made such thor-ough upsets as ex-patients who have been refused continuance of therapy. Auditors have been personally reviled, have had other pre-clears searched out and undermined by violent attacks upon therapy itself, have been targeted by all manner of accusations and whispering cam-paigns and have been made most uncomfortable by pre-clears who have had further therapy denied to them before a release had taken place. Even solid, legitimate releases, whose psy-cho-somatic ills have disappeared and who should be quite cheerful, have been observed to create turbulence when the auditor would not take them through to clear. Any number of mechanisms may be used by the ex-patient. as many mechanisms as men use to force other men into action. One of the mechanisms is a resumption of apathy and a „swift decline.“ An-other is wild campaigning against therapy. Another is personal attack of the auditor. Each has, as its provable intention, the resumption of therapy. The mind knows how the mind works. And the mind which has tasted a way out of pain and unhappiness may be expected, if that way is blocked, to use all methods to cause therapy to be resumed. No matter how thoroughly disagreeable the ex-patient has been, the moment the audi-tor starts therapy upon him again, the attitude alters. No further destructive efforts are made against the auditor or therapy but all is almost as well as it was before the cessation was de-clared. Do not suppose, however, that the pre-clear, if he has been neglectful, recalcitrant or generally uncooperative before, will now embrace therapy as chastened patient. Far from the case, he is now at least as difficult to work as he was before plus some additional antagonism engendered by the cessation order. In such a case the auditor is damned if he does and double-damned if he doesn’t. But there is a way out of this. The phenomenon of „transference,“ where the patient simply trans-fers his griefs to the practitioner, is not the mechanism here at work; transference is a different thing, bred of a thirst for attention and a feeling of needed support in the world. Transference can be expected to keep up forever if permitted; the patient of a doctor, for instance, may go on and on having illnesses just to keep the doctor around. Transference may occur in dianetic therapy, the patient may lean on the auditor solidly, beg the auditor for advice, appear to hold out engrams in an effort to keep the auditor working hard and available and interested; all this 
is the resultant of a sympathy computation and is aberrated conduct. The clever auditor will not give advice or attempt to run anyone’s life, for a person works well only as a self-determined organism. In dianetic therapy, no matter what the attitude of the patient, no matter how great his „desires to be ill“ or his transference of burden, no matter about even his vi-cious remarks to the auditor during sessions, the condition cannot obtain forever. Basic per-sonality is trying to get through; „I“ is trying to integrate self. Even indifferent work will eventually release enough charge from a case and reduce enough engrams to bring a higher stability to the patient. Basic personality gets stronger and stronger and therefore more self-reliant. The introversion occasioned by continual effort to reach the interior world of the en-gram bank de-intensifies and extroversion comes more and more into being as the case ad-vances. The way out is to work the patient smoothly and well and one day he will be well re-leased or clear. But meanwhile, if you stop therapy on anyone, don’t be surprised at anything that happens; you can only remedy it by resuming the case. Auditor Evaluation The auditor must do much evaluation to himself. He does not evaluate or force upon his pre-clear any computation. If the pre-clear computes that this was what was making him ill, then this is what the auditor accepts. Explaining to the pre-clear what it was in the engram which affected him so and so is not only a waste of time but also makes the pre-clear con-fused. The reason an auditor evaluates is to make sure he is not accepting imagined data or incomplete data as engrams. An incident will not lift unless the data in it is correct: this is automatic. Change just one syllable in the incident and it will stick. Or, if it seems to go away, it will be back. So there is no fear that any incident which decreases with recounting is incorrect. The data in it must be more or less correct or it would not so reduce. Thus the auditor who challenges inci-dents, data or otherwise plays god is going to have a thoroughly fouled up case on his hands before he goes very far, and he is going to have a subject who is not progressing. If the subject begins to run an engram where Mama is having intercourse with five Eskimos, let him run it and never, never, never, never tell him that you feel it was untrue. If you tell the subject you think he is imagining things, you may give him a serious set-back. Tell him you think Mama had her reasons and you have sided with the opposition: you are not attacking the engram, you are helping Mama attack the subject. To criticize, correct or otherwise judge the pre-clear has no slightest part in dianetics and will do more to slow up a case than any other single action. An auditor who challenges the material given him may be practicing witchcraft or Chinese acupuncture or shamanism or voodoo, but he is not practicing dianetics. And he will not get results. One remark to the subject such as, „I think that you are mistaken in believing your mother would try to abort you,“ or „I feel that you are imagining it“ may set your pre-clear back fifty hours. The auditor does not criticize or judge the pre-clear, nor does he evaluate for the pre-clear that person’s material. Auditing is all done privately and to oneself. If the patient has just recounted his fifth prenatal train wreck, you may be sure you have run into a lie factory in some engram. The wrong way to go about correcting this is communicating it to the pre-clear. The right way to go about it is to find the lie factory, an engram containing such a remark as, „Tell me anything! 
Tell me anything. I don’t care so long as you say something. But for God’s sakes don’t tell me the truth, I can’t stand it!“ Or, „You can’t tell him the truth. It would hurt too much.“ There are a thousand forms of lie factory. And they are not too uncommon. Never tell the pre-clear why you are looking for anything. If you say you want a lie factory, the lie factory will make up a lie factory. If you say you want an emotional charge, you will inhibit any emotional Charge from discharging. Simply make a quiet estimate of the situation, reduce everything which seems valid and keep on trying to get the reason why the case is not functioning as well as possible. The test for validity of an engram is not plot. Plot is worthless. Engrams are just col-lections of remarks contained in periods of „unconsciousness.“ It makes no difference what-ever whether these remarks agree with the way the auditor thinks a life should be run or the way a pre-clear should look up to his parents. Plot is something writers put in stories. Audi-tors have nothing to do with it. An engram is basically illogical and irrational; don’t try to read rationality into one! If the parents were known to be fine, upstanding members of the community and the engrams seem to indictate that Mama nightly played the prostitute, accept the engrams. Validity is very simply established. Ask these questions of the engrams: (1)  Does it have a somatic? (2)  Does the somatic undulate, which is to say, undergo a running change? (3)  Does it reduce? (If it does not, the content the pre-clear is running is wrong or the en-gram is way up the chain and has others before it.) (4)  Does the engramic content agree with the patient’s aberration? (5)  Does the somatic agree with psycho-somatic ills the patient is known to have had? (6)  Does it bring relief to the patient? And this last is more important than all the rest.  Because mental healers of the past have grandly said, „Oh, this does not fit with my idea of how life is run“ is no reason an auditor should run dianetics off the rails. Mental heal-ers of yesteryear did not get results. Dianetics gets results: and one of the most important rea-sons why dianetics gets results is that it is not trying to warp life to fit dianetics but is apply-ing dianetics to life. Many new and startling things will come to the notice of the auditor. His motto, as seen on an ancient English crest where a ninety-foot raven stood upon a castle, could read, „Be surprised at nothing.“ The Kinsey report did not begin to tell the story you, as an auditor, will get in dianetics. Because the mother, by herself, is neither the face she showed Junior nor the face she showed society and because mother and father, by themselves, do not conduct themselves as they might be supposed to have done in society is insufficient reason to force a pre-clear to go on being an aberree. Continually in the psychiatric texts we come upon patients who tried to tell psychia-trists about prenatal life and who were told, with droll solemnity that the incidents were imaginary. Patients who had been given up on all fronts by all existing schools because their data was not tailored to fit the belief of those schools have recovered fully and achieved opti-
mum mental condition, well above that of their former mentors, with dianetics, partially be-cause dianetics does not set itself above the facts of life. He not only requires the patient to face reality by running the engrams but he also requires himself to face reality by accepting the fact that whatever the content, if it fits any of the above conditions listed, it is valid in therapy. Auditing means to listen; it also means to compute. Computing on a case consists of establishing where the patient departs from optimum rationality in his conduct of life but, more important, where physically painful and painful emotion engrams exist and how they can be approached and reduced. Patients discover some astonishing things about their parents and relatives when they are in therapy. Often they discover, like one patient who had believed he had daily been beaten by his father, that life was actually much better than it had seemed. Pre-marital conception cases are very common, with the patient yet unborn discover-ing himself at his parents’ wedding. And these cases are often very difficult to resolve since they contain so much secrecy in their engrams. The lie factory mechanisms will often try to give Mama extra lovers and try to make Papa into a raving beast, but a lie factory is very easy to detect: the incidents brought forth do not run like engrams: the second time over their content is widely changed, they do not have somatics and their content is not aberrative. In short, the test is whether or not one has an actual engram, not whether or not the en-gram makes sense. For father could well have been a raving beast in a boudoir and mother could well have had coitus with the boarders: and father could well have been a tame lamb for all the reputation mother gave him post-birth and mother could well have been a frigid prude despite the wild tales the pre-clear might have heard. The truth will come out in the reduction but its truth is no concern of the auditor’s beyond getting up engrams. First, last and always, get engrams, get them as early as possible for pain, later for emotion, get them, erase them, discharge them, clear them! That they did not compute as true data was what drove the aberree into being an aberree. Leave plot to writers: our task is ther-apy. But don’t „buy garbage“: ask for the somatic, see if it varies as the pre-clear utters the words. Test for engrams. And devil take the plot.  

CHAPTER X DIANETICS – PAST AND FUTURE The History Of Dianetics The history of dianetics would be the history of a voyage of discovery, of an explora-tion into new and nearly uncharted realms, Terra Incognita, the Human Mind, a land which lies an inch behind your forehead. The voyage has taken twelve years and the labor has been long, but we have charts now and can go and return at will. Observations of savage and civilized races in this and far climes formed the founda-tion for the anthropological research: the writings of a few men in the last four thousand years formed the scholarly pilots. The ancient Hindu writings, the work of the early Greeks and Romans including Lucretius, the labors of Francis Bacon, the researches of Darwin and some of the thoughts of Herbert Spencer compose the bulk of the philosophic background. Inevita-ble absorption from our current culture provided much unnoticed information. The remainder has been what the navigator calls, „off the chart.“ In 1935 some of the basic research was begun: in 1938 the primary axioms were dis-covered and formulated. For the next several years these axioms were tested in the laboratory of the world. The war interrupted the work, as wars will, being chaos, but shortly after the cessation of actual hostilities, research was renewed. Within a year the fundamentals of this science as they applied to the human mind had been integrated. They were tested on a long series of random patients and each test further refined the work, but each application brought specific results.  Five years after the initial resumption of labor, in 1950, the work was prepared for re-lease, all tests having brought forth the conclusion that dianetics is a science of mind, that it does disclose hitherto unknown laws about thought and that it has worked on every type of inorganic mental and organic psycho-somatic illness. Further, in the refinement of form at-tained, it was proven possible for the work to be used easily by people not lengthily trained. The goal we have here reached is a science which is workable and which can be worked with success by briefly taught individuals. This goal has not hitherto been attained or even approached. Once one has gained a foothold on unknown lands, more things become known to him and with each new datum his horizon further widens, including broader bodies of knowledge. Dianetics cures, and cures without failure. And there are further goals. Education, medicine, politics and art and, indeed, all branches of human thought, are clarified with dianetics. And even so that is not enough. 
Dianetics has, as yet, a brief history: it has a strong youth: it forecasts a better tomor-row. Before it is much older it will have included even more within its scope. The history of dianetics is scarce begun. Plan A included the perfection of the science, its testing on patients of all kinds and, finally, the dissemination of dianetics as pertaining to therapy. That plan ends with the release of this book. Plan B includes a further research into life force, an attempt at resolution of some of the ills not yet embraced such as cancer and diabetes, and the perfection of techniques discov-ered and their dissemination. That will end Plan B. Plan C includes an effort to discover a higher echelon of universal origin and destina-tion, if the problem is one of origin and destination, and the factors and forces involved to the end of securing a better understanding and useful application of the knowledge so gained, if gained, and if so gained, its dissemination. A portion of Plan B is the organization of a foundation so that the research can be more swiftly accomplished. The history of dianetics has just begun. What other things begin with the origin of a science of mind only tomorrow can tell. Judiciary Dianetics This brief summary of Judiciary Dianetics is included in this present work as an aid to the auditor. JUDICIARY DIANETICS covers the field of adjudication within the society and amongst the societies of Man. Of necessity it embraces jurisprudence and its codes and estab-lishes precision definitions and equations for the establishment of equity. It is the science of judgment. Jurisprudence and its adjudications are constructed on the cornerstones of right and wrong, good and evil. Definition of these is inherent in dianetics: by these definitions a cor-rect solution can be reached with regard to any action or actions of Man. The fundamental test of rationality is the ability to differentiate right from wrong. The fundamental factors in establishing censure are good and evil. Without precision definition of these four factors any structure of law or judgment is rendered forceless and becomes in-volved through its introduction of arbitrary factors which seek to adjudicate by introducing errors to nullify errors. Penal codes which will answer all needs can only be written when precision, scientific definition exist for the four factors, and civil equity which will not lead to injustice can only then be established and formulated. The problems of jurisprudence and, indeed, all judgment, are inextricably interwoven with the problems of behavior.  An ideal society would be a society of unaberrated persons, clears, conducting their lives within an unaberrated culture: for either the person or the culture may be aberrated. The aberrations of the culture enter into the equations of conduct as irrational factors both from the 
door of education and of social customs and jurisprudence. It is not enough that an individual be himself unaberrated, for he discovers himself within the confines of a society which itself has compounded its culture into many unreasonable prejudices and customs. The establishment of actual source for wrong and evil is a fundamental problem of all jurisprudence. The actual source unfortunately lies in the irrationalities of those in past gen-erations who, working with limited knowledge and oppressed by their environs, sought solu-tions with equations which contained false and indefinite factors. These generations, long en-tombed, cannot be brought to bar. We are the heirs to all the ages of the past and that is good: but we are heirs as well to all the irrationalities of the past and that is evil. Under such circum-stances and in the absence of broad reason, adjudication by the auditor of the pre-clear as re-lates to evil or wrong actions cannot be performed with accuracy. The criminal and the insane, the hypochondriac and the wife-beater, the merciless dictator who seeks to shake the world and the street cleaner who only sits and weeps are all, each one, gripped and driven by their own sources of unreason, by the world which has entered into the hidden depths of their pain-wracked minds and which, in the form of social aberration, pounds against them from without. The auditor is interested in what has been done to, not done by his patient; for what-ever the patient has done is forever beyond recall and was not the source but was only the manifestation of his griefs. Given a society of unaberrated persons, given a culture from which has been deleted all unreason, then and only then can Man be truly responsible for his acts, then and only then. But we must take the shadow of the responsibility now for the fact of it. A man does not have to surrender to his engrams. Perhaps at some distant date only the unaberrated person will be granted civil rights before law. Perhaps the goal will be reached at some future time when only the unaberrated person can attain to and benefit from citizenship. These are desirable goals and would produce a marked increase in the survival ability and happiness of Man. Even now the codes of jurisprudence can be reformed and it can be ascertained with precision whether the act which brought the individual before law was an aberrated act, or stemmed from an aberration of culture, or was an act which was committed to the detriment of another or of society. Surely the process of punishment can be refined so as to sentence the individual not to further aberration as a prisoner or a ruined man but to a higher plane of rea-son through the deletion of the aberration. The past acts of an individual who has been cleared should be stricken from his record even as his illnesses have been, for with the cause removed there can be no point in retribu-tion unless society itself is so aberrated that it desires to operate on sadistic principles.40 There is more than idealism here for it can be shown that aberration in individuals and the society rise in progressive ratio to the amount of punishment employed.                                                 
 Efforts to resolve problems of jurisprudence which yet did not embrace precision defi-nitions for right and wrong, good and evil, had recourse only to a principle known in dianetics as the Introduction of an Arbitrary. Broad, unchangeable rules were thrust into problems in an effort to resolve them and yet each new rule further drove reason aside so that more rules were needed. An arbitrary structure is one in which one error has been observed and an effort has been made to correct it by introducing another error. In progressive complexity, new errors must be introduced to nullify the evil effects old errors. A culture, to say nothing of jurisprudence, grows complex and unwieldy in progressive ratio to the number of new evils it must introduce in an effort to nullify old evils. At last there can be no reason; there can be but force and where there lives no reason and yet lives force, there is naught but the maelstrom of an insane rage. Where there dwells an insane rage, still unresolved, there must at length come apathy; and apathy, dwin-dling down, inevitably reaches death. We are here at a bridge between one state of Man and a next. We are above the chasm which divides a lower from a higher plateau and this chasm marks an artificial evolutionary step in the progress of Man. The auditor is at that bridge; when cleared he will be at its higher end. He will watch much traffic cross. He may see customs, laws, organizations and societies attempt to avoid the bridge but, being swept along, tumble into a nothingness below. In his attitude toward his pre-clears or toward society at large, he can gain nothing by reprimanding and judging past error in the light of current sentience. Not only can he gain nothing but he can inhibit progress. It is a remorseless fact that the attack upon unreason has begun. Attack unreason, not the society or the man. Dianetics And War The social organisms which we call states and nations behave and react in every re-spect as though they were individual organisms. The culture has its analytical mind, the com-bined sentience of its citizens in general and its artists, scientists and statesmen in particular. The social standard memory bank is the data accumulated along the generations. And the so-cial organism has as well its reactive mind as represented by the prejudices and irrationalities of the entire group. This reactive mind is served by an engram bank wherein lie past painful experiences and which dictates reactive action on certain subjects whenever those subjects are restimulated in the society. This, all too briefly, is an analogy used in Political Dianetics. The social organism behaves in a manner which can be graphed on the tone scale; it has its survival dynamic and its suppressors, its internal suppression due to engrams and its urge toward an infinity of optimum duration. Criminals, traitors, and zealots constitute, for instance, internal engrams which suppress the survival potential on the tone scale. There is a precision definition for each social level as related to the tone scale. A free society, working in complete cooperation toward common goals would be a Tone 4 society. A society hindered by arbitrary restrictions and oppressive laws would be a Tone 2 society. A society managed and dictated to by the whims of one man or a few men would be a Tone 1 society. A society governed by the mystery and superstition of some mystic body would be a 
Tone 0 society. The potential of survival in each case can be seen anywhere in history. Any Golden Age is a Tone 4. Oppressive practices, individual greeds and miscalculation in general reduce the society by introducing into it dissatisfied elements. To cope with these, in the past, further oppression has been used. The survival of the society reduced further. With more op-pression came new engrams and so down the tone scale slipped the chances of long survival. And with this reduction of potential came pain as the lower zones were entered. Societies rise and fall on the tone scale. But there is a danger point below which a so-ciety cannot go without reacting as would an individual so suppressed: the society reaches a break point and goes mad. This point is around 2.0. The quarrel of society with society, nation with nation, has many causes, all of them more or less irrational. There have been many times when one society was forced to crush another less sentient than itself. But with each clash, new engrams were born both in the in-ternational scene and within the societies themselves. War is an international Tone 1. It is no more rational than any individual who, reach-ing a general and chronic Tone 1, is placed in an institution or, temporarily Tone 1, commits some crime and is thereafter imprisoned. But there is no jailer to societies, there is at this time only death and so they die and so they have died. Before this time no tool could be employed by a nation but force when faced with an-other nation gone mad. By contagion of aberration, both nations then went mad. No nation ever fully won a war. No nation ever finally triumphed by force of arms. No nation ever averted war by posing threat or exhibiting defense. Man is now faced, by these pyramiding hatreds, with weapons so powerful that Man himself may vanish from the earth. There is no problem in the control of these weapons. They explode when and where Man tells them to explode. The problem is in the control of Man. There is no national problem in the world today which cannot be resolved by reason alone. All factors inhibiting a solution of the problem of war and weapons are arbitrary factors and have no more validity than the justified explanations of a thief or murderer.  The farmer of Iowa has no quarrel with the storekeeper of Stalingrad. Those who say such quarrels exist lie. There are no international concerns which cannot be resolved by peaceable means, not in the terms of supra-national government, but in the terms of reason. Jockeying with indefinable ideologies, playing with mass ignorance, non-existent enti-ties like nightmares march the world in the form of the Gods of Ism. No self-interest can be so great as to demand the slaughter of Mankind. He who would demand it, he who would not by every rational means avert it, is insane. There is no justifica-tion for war. Behind the curtains of language and different customs populaces are taught to recog-nize no kinship with other populaces. Taught by their own terrors and governed by their own aberrations leaders hold up other isms as detestable things. 
 There is no perfect political state on earth today, there is not even a good definition of a perfect political creed. States are the victims of internal and external aberrations. Dianetics addresses war because there is in fact a race between the science of mind and the atom bomb. There may be no future generation to know which won. Rationality alone can guide Man past these threats to his extinction. Insanity does not exist without a confusion of definitions and purpose. The solution to the international problem does not lie in the regulation or curtailment of weapons nor yet in the restraints of men. It lies in the definition of political theory and policy in such terms that there can be no mistaking the clear processes; it lies in the establishment of rational goals to-ward which societies can collectively and individually work; and it lies in an inter-social competition of gains so great that none become dispensable to any other.  Man’s primary fight is not with Man – that is insanity. Man’s primary fight is with those elements which oppress him as a species and bar his thrust toward high goals. Man’s fight is with the elements, with space and time, and with species which are destructive to him. He has hardly begun his conquest. He is just now armed with tools enough and science enough to make good his conquest of the Universe. He has no time to bicker and indulge in tantrums and yah-yah across back fences about atom bombs. The harnessing of atomic power puts other worlds within his reach. Why haggle for this one? The late discoveries in the field of photo-synthesis bid fair to feed and clothe him royally even though he number a thousand times his present two billions on earth. For what reason can he quarrel? Why? Two rational men will enter into a contest of gain and worth and production. Are these mighty nations, these powerful, fearful, thundering „giants,“ actually small and poorly edu-cated, barely sane little boys screaming insults at each other over the possession of a dead cat? What of armies? Armies die. If might makes right, then Rome still rules the world. Who fears now this archeological curiosity that was Rome? There is a higher goal, a better goal, a more glorious victory than gutted towns and ra-diation-burned dead. There is freedom and happiness and plenty and a whole Universe to be won. He who would not see it is far from worthy to rule. He who would indulge his hates is too insane to advise. How much can Man conquer? He loses if he conquers Man. He wins if he conquers his own fears and conquers. then the stars. Attack the natural enemies of Man, attack them well, and war of Man with Man can-not thereafter be a problem. This is rationality.  Dianetics is not interested in saving the world, it is interested only in preventing the world from being saved. One more time would be fatal! Dianetics is not against fighting; it defines what may be fought. Those things include the sources of Man’s travail within the in-dividual, within the society and the enemies of all Mankind. Man, bewildered, has not known his enemies. They are visible now; attack! 
The Future Of Therapy In twenty or a hundred years the therapeutic technique which is offered in this volume will appear to be obsolete. Should this not prove to be the case, then the author’s faith in the inventiveness of his fellow man will not have been justified. We have here something which has not before existed, an invariably working science of Mind. The application methods can-not but be refined. All sciences been with the discovery of basic axioms. They progress as new data is discovered and as the scope of the science is widened. Various tools and techniques rise up continually, improved and re-improved. The basic axioms, the initial discoveries of dianetics are such solid scientific truths that they will be altered but little. The data discovered by those axioms is already large and daily expanding. The techniques of using that data as represented in this volume will, before much more time elapses, be modified and improved. Their virtue just now is that these techniques work and produce good, solid, scientific results. Once upon a time somebody set up the basic principles which had to do with fire. There had not been controlled fire before. Cooking, heating and finally metallurgy made a new culture. The basic principles of fire are not much altered. The techniques employed in handling fire soon after it was discovered by Man would be considered somewhat obsolete to us now. We have matches and lighters and fuels today, but just after fire was understood and began to be used, the bow-drill fire-maker and flint and steel would have been considered marvelous inventions: even so Man was already using fire and had been using it with profit for some time both as a weapon and as a household utility when the bow-drill and flint and steel were discovered or invented. In the case of the wheel, basic principles were laid down which have not altered to this day. The first workable wheel must have been a rather unwieldy affair. But compared to no wheel, it was a miracle. Thus with dianetic therapy. The basic principles, axioms and general discoveries of dianetics form an organization not before possessed by Man. Not unlike the first fires and the first wheels, the therapy technique can be enormously improved. It works now; it can be used now with safety and effectiveness. There are two definite drawbacks to this present technique. It demands more skill of the auditor than should be necessary and it is not as swift as it could be. The auditor should not be required to do any computing whatever and indeed, a therapy technique could be envi-sioned where no auditor at all was necessary, for he is vital at the present time. A complete clear should take but a handful of hours. The problems here are those of improvement in terms of less skill required and less work. One might say that it is an imposition upon a mathematician and philosopher to re-quire him to resolve all the problems himself and to put forth all improvements. Indeed, it is an imposition that he be required to develop any technique of application at all, for there should be in any society an apportionment of labor. When the basic axioms and computations were finished, it was impossible to release them for there were none to whom such research could be released for application. Thus the 
work had to be carried out to its furthest extent of not only experimentation but the develop-ment and proof of the techniques of application. One might here use an analogy of bridge engineering. Let us suppose that two plateaus exist, one higher than the other, with a canyon between them. An engineer sees that if the canyon could be crossed by traffic, the hitherto unused higher plateau, being much more fer-tile and pleasant, would become the scene of a new culture. He sets himself the task of build-ing a bridge. It has been supposed that no bridge could be built across the canyon and indeed, since those on the lower plateau could not see the higher level, the existence of the higher plateau itself was denied. The engineer, by evolving new principles of bridge building and discovering new significance in his materials, manages to throw a bridge across the canyon. He himself crosses and he inspects the plateau carefully; others cross over his bridge and ex-amine the new terrain with delight. Still more and more cross the bridge. The bridge is solid and, if not wide, can yet safely be negotiated. It has not been built for heavy fast traffic. But it contains the basic principles and axioms by which the canyon can be spanned again and again. Many people begin to approach the canyon and look up. What sort of an opinion would you have of the society on the lower plateau if they but moaned and wept and argued and gave no hand at all in the matter of widening the bridge or making new bridges? ___________________ In this handbook we have the basic axioms and a therapy which works. For God’s sake, get busy and build a better bridge!  

Part I

 

A SHORT HISTORY, PURPORTING TO GIVE THE ORIGIN OF THE HAUSA NATION AND THE STORY OF THEIR CONVERSION TO THE MOHAMMEDAN RELIGION.

In the name of Allah the Compassionate, the Merciful, and may the peace of Allah be upon him, after whom there is no prophet. This is the history of the Hausa (nation). It has been familiar to every one from the time of their grandfathers and grandmothers, (and) is a thing which has been handed down from the malamai (learned men) and these elders. Any account other than this one is not authentic. If a questioner ask of you (saying) I Where did the Hausa people have their origin?' Say (to him) 'Truly their origin was (from) the Barebari and Northerners'. And this is the account of how this came to pass.

The king of Bornu had a horse with a golden horn. This horse did not neigh just at any time, but only on Fridays. If it neighed you would say it was a tornado. It was hidden away in a house. Now the king had a son. He (the son) continually gave him who looked after the horse money and robes in order that (he might persuade him) to bring his horse out, and they should come, and he should mate the horse with his mare. And it was always thus. (And) one day the man who was looking after the (king's) horse took (it) the horse out and brought it. The king's son too took his mare out. They went into the forest and the mare was covered.

Now the king has (had) previously said that whoever was seen (with) a foal from this horse at his house, he would have his throat cut. Things remained at this, (and) one day the mare gave birth, (and nothing happened) till the colt grew up, (when) one day the king's horse neighed, then the young horse answered. And the king said, 'At whose ever house they see it let (that person) be killed (lit. be cut), and do not let him be brought before me.' Then the councillors scattered (to make search) in the town. They were searching for the young horse.

And they came to the house of the king's son, and behold as it were the king's horse with its golden horn. Then the councillors said, 'The king has said we must come with you.' Then the king's son lifted his sword. He cut down two men, the remainder were scattered. Then he saddled up the young horse. He mounted. The king ordered he should be seized and brought (before him). The whole town mounted their horses (and) followed him. They did not come up with him. He has gone his way. The king, moreover, has given orders that his own horse is not to be mounted, and if not his horse, then there was not the horse to overtake him.

The king's son (rode) went on and (eventually) dismounted in the country of Daura. He saw the daughter of the king of Daura, she possessed the town. He stayed with her. And one day she said she wanted him in marriage and he too said he loved her. So they married. The king's daughter became with child. She bore a child, a son. She weaned it. She was again with child (and) bore a girl. And that was the origin of the Hausa nation.

The Barebari and Daura people were their ancestors. But the Mohammedan religion, as far as that is concerned, from Bornu it came. Hausas and Barebari and whatever race (you can name) in the West were at first in early times pagans. Then the maalamai (scribes) said that this is what happened.

There was a certain man away there at Bornu from among the children of their royal house, his name (was) Dalama. When he came to the throne he was called Mainadinama, the meaning of that is, 'a chief more powerful than any other.' After he had reigned for some months then he sent a messenger to the Caliph.

Now at this time Abubakari Sidiku, the blessing of Allah be upon him, he was Caliph. You have seen the beginning of his being sent, referring back to that man (Mainadinama), was that he was hearing about Mohammedanism before he succeeded to the kingdom. Behold the name of his envoy whom he sent, his name was Gujalo. At the time when the envoy came he found the Caliph's attention occupied with a war. He said nothing to the envoy. All he said was, 'Remain here.' Then he did not again remember his words because his mind was so occupied with words of the war of the father of the twins.

The messenger remained there till the messenger died. After three months and a few days then the Caliph Abubakari Sidiku he too died. After some months Umaru Ibunuhutabi was set up. He was the Caliph after Abubakari Asidiku. Then he called to mind the report of the envoy and his death. Then they held a consultation, they his friends who remained. They joined their heads about the question of sending an envoy to Bornu. Umaruasi was sent with manuscripts of the Koran. It was said the writing of Abdulahi the son of Umoru the Caliph, and turbans and a sword and spears and shields and the kingly fez and such things and plates; all these presents from the Caliph to Mainadinama.

When the envoy drew near he sent to them one to acquaint them of the news of his coming. The king of Bornu and his men mounted their horses and met him afar off. When he (the envoy) entered his town, then he bound the turban on him, he was established in his right to the kingdom, he was given the name of the king of Bornu, he (the king) gave him everything he was told to give him, because of the presents which he (the envoy) had been sent with for him. He lived among them. He was instructing them (the people of Bornu) in the creed of Allah and the names of His messengers, may the salvation and trust of Allah be assured to them.

They continued to honour him, to the extreme that honour could be carried. They sought a blessing (by eating) the remains of his meals and his food and from the spot (he) set his feet. Half of them were seeking blessing from the mucus from his nose and his spittle (by rubbing it on their persons). They were climbing the roofs in order to see him. They also sought blessing by touching his robes and his slippers and his whip, until it was even said they looked for a blessing from his beasts, and the remains of their fodder and their dung.

Now he wrote manuscripts for them in the writing of his own hand, the blessed one. He lived amid such works up to the very end of (his) sojourn (and this went on) till he was informed that, 'Other owners of (another) land are behind you (and) are wishing for the Mohammedan religion, should they see you they would follow you.'

He did not give (this report) credence until he had sent one to spy out (the land), his name is unknown. He (the spy) went and travelled over Hausa-land. He made secret inquiries, he heard they were praising the Mohammedan faith and that they wished for it. He returned and gave Umaru Ibunuasi the news. Umaru lbunuasi told his people. He said they must go (and preach the Mohammedan religion). They agreed.

Then he made preparations. He sent Abdulkarimu-Mukaila to Kano. About 300 men, Arabs, followed him. When Abdulkarimu was near to them (the people of Kano) then he sent one to inform them. He (the messenger) came and said, 'Tell them the envoy of the envoy has come.'

When he came to them he told them what (message) he had been sent with. They believed him, they received the thing which he had brought. Now at this time Kano was an unenclosed town but not a walled town, the name of the men (man) at Kano (was) Muhamadu Dajakara at the time when Abdulkarimu alighted amongst them. He (Abdulkarimu) wrote them books in the writing of his own hand, the blessed one, because he had not come to them bringing books from Umaru Ibunu(l)asi.

And thus it has come to be reported that every one who wished to be able to write well let him set out towards Bornu and remain there (till he had learned to write) and then return (home). But Abdulkarimu continued to instruct them the laws of Allah and the commands of the law until they made inquiries about things which were not (to be found) in Arabia. He did not know what answer to give them. Then he said to them to leave the matter open till he returned (to Arabia).

Among the things they were asking about were panthers, and civet-cats, and rats, and servals, and tiger cats, and such like (whether clean or unclean). He lived with them (many) months (and) every day instructed them well in the Koran and the Traditions, till at length he was informed, 'There is another town near this town, it is called Katsina, should the people of the town see you they would believe you and him who sent you.' When he heard (them speak) thus, then he made ready, He set out himself to go to it (the town).

When they got news of his coming, then they met with him afar off. When he alighted among them he taught them about what (he had come) to instruct them in. He instructed one who was to write books for them. It was said, speaking of him, he did not write the Koran with his own hand, and because of this the Kano people surpass the Katsina in their knowledge of the Koran till to-day.

Then, after the completion of his work at Katsina, he went back, going to Kano, (and) remained there a short time. Then when he thought of returning to go to Bornu he said to them, 'Shortly I shall return to you with the answer to what you were asking about.' Then he rose up and went away.

But many among his people did not follow him, only a few among them followed him. The rest remained and continued to perform great deeds in Kano. Their descendants are found (and) known in Kano until to-day, till people called them seraphs, but surely they were not seraphs, they were just Arabs. Of a truth Abdulkarimu has set up a judge in Kano, and one to lead in prayers, and one to slaughter (live stock), and one who was to instruct the youths in the Koran, and one to call (them) to prayer.

He made lawful for them that which Allah had made lawful, and forbade that which Allah had forbidden. When he returned to go to Umaru lbunulasi he gave him an account of what they had asked him about. And Umaru lbunulasi was silent (on the subject) till he returned to go to the Caliph and then he sent an answer to it (the question) after six months had elapsed. He made lawful for them half of it, half he made unlawful. But Abdulkarimu did not return to Bornu after his return to their (his, Abdulkarimu's) town or to Kano. Thus (also) Umaru Ibunulasi, but he ruled over Egypt after his return home.

Now the remainder of the towns were coming in, half of them to Kano in order to know about the (new) religion, and half also to Katsina, until the creed filled all Hausa-land. Now the Kibi country, speaking of them, they refused (to adopt) the Mohammedan religion, they continued in their paganism. They persisted in it. Their kings, (these) were their names, Barbarma, Argoji, Tabariu, Zartai, Gobari, Dadafani, Katami, Bardo, Kudamdam, Sharia, Badoji, Karfa, Darka, Gunba, Katatar, Tamu. All these refused the Mohammedan creed after his advent into the land of the Hausas.

Then at the time when Zaidu came to the throne [then] he became a Mohammedan and those who were with him. The Kabi country became Mohammedan up to the time of Bata-Musa. These were the kings of Kabi under the Mohammedan regime. The first of them was Zaidu, (then) Muhamadu, Namakata, Sulaimana, Hisrikoma, Abdulabi, Dunbaki, Alia, Usmanu, Chisgari, Barbarmanaba, Muwashi, Muhamadu-Karfi, Bata-Musa.

After them Fumu ruled. He turned Mohammedanism into paganism. These were they who became pagans. The first of them (was) Fumu, (then) Kautai, Gunba, Sakana-Murtamu, Kanta, Rataini, Gaiwa, Gado, Masu, Chi-da-gora, Gaban-gari, Maikebe, Marshakold, Lazimu, Mashirana, Makata. These were they who all continued in paganism.

At the time when Kanta ruled he revived the Mohammedan religion (and) inquired of the learned men the contents of (their) books, He established the faith in his time and in that of them who followed him, till the whole of the Kabi country became Mohammedan. These were their names, Kantahu, Gofe, Dauda, Hamidu, Sulaimana, Mali, Ishaka, Muhamadu-Nashawi, Amuru, Muhamadu-Kabe, Kantanabaiwa, Muhamadu-Shifaya, Hamidu. All these continued in the Mohammedan faith.

When Barbarma, became king he changed the Mohammedan religion (and) became a pagan. Pagranism lasted up to the time of Hudu. He was the one Usmanu the son of Fodio made war against. He drove him out (and pursued him) till he slew him near to Kebi. Buhari the son of Abdu-Salimi, he it was who slew him. He was the king of Jega. His family are its kings till to-day.

It is finished. But as for Kano in (it) the faith continued after his, Abdulkarimu's, return (home). The faith continued to increase always with force and power. And it lasted on such footing for many years until the time of Mainamugabadi. It was he who changed the order of things Abdulkarimu had set up. He set at naught the law (of Mahomed), he made the kingship all powerful, he disregarded the Mohammedan faith, he exalted fetish worship, and was arrogant. He surpassed (all his predecessors in evil). Instructors endeavoured to instruct him, but their admonitions were of no avail against him, but he increased in pride. He was vainglorious. He continued thus till he died.

His brother Kunbari reigned in his stead and followed in his ways. He too continued in this (evil) till the time of Kunfa. He also spread paganism and evildoing- It was he who married 1,000 maidens. He instructed (people) to prostrate themselves and put earth on their heads before saluting him. He said, let not him whose name happened to be the same as that of his parents be called so, but (let him be called) by some sobriquet. He completely destroyed the creed, he sold free men, he built a palace, the one which the kings of Kano enter to-day. He did what he wished.

And it was so with all the people of Kano except a very few, speaking of them, they kept to the Mohammedan faith, they were not powerful, only the Kano people did not know how to make beer, except a few among them, men in outlying villages. Thus they did not eat any animal that had died a natural death. They removed the clitoris of their women, they covered their heads with a veil. They did nothing else but this.

They continued in such (conduct) until learned men were found in Kano, who had renounced the world, who feared Allah. (Of these learned men one) his name was Muhamadu-Zari. He stood up and preached. Rumfa paid no heed to whatever admonitions he admonished them. But they planned to kill him, till at last they did kill him in the night by slaying him from behind, in the road to the mosque, and he lay (there) murdered, cast aside, till dawn. He was buried about eight in the morning. His grave is known in Kano, it is visited and watched over, he was called 'the Kalgo man', blessings are sought by prayers being made for him.

Then Abdulahi-Sako stood up (to proclaim the creed) after him. He was admonishing them but they paid no heed to him, except some people of no importance, but those in authority did not hear. And they frightened him so that he fled to the outlying towns in order to instruct the people of the lesser towns. Then the king sent one to seize him. They seized him, and continually flogged him till he was brought before (the king). He was (by this time) in and died after a few days. His grave is known, (it lies) behind the rock (known as) I the single rock', but it is not visited or watched over.

And so it came to pass that paganism existed till the time of Muhamadu-Alwali. It was he Usmanu, the son of Fodio, made war on, after he had ruled in the kingdom for seventeen years. He (Usmanu-dan-Fodio) drove him out and his men, he fled in the direction of the country on the right and none know where he settled till this day, (some) say Barnabarna (some) say it was not there. The learned men said that from the coming of Abdulkarimu till the coming of Usmanu, the son of Fodio, there were seventy-six kings. All their graves have remained in the town of Kano, but two of them, that of Bawa and Muharnadu-Alwali, are in Katsina.

The creed continued after the return of Abdulkarimu. The faith continued to grow always and took firm hold. Men from Gobir continued to come to Katsina and were adopting the Mohammedan faith with (in all) truth and earnestness, they embraced it, all together. The faith took hold among them also as it had taken hold in Katsina.

And so it was until the time of Agarga. He was the first who changed the state of things that Abdulkarimu had established in Katsina. Instructors (strove) to admonish him. He heard not. He remained in his heathenism till he died.

Kaura ruled the kingdom, and (then) his son; he followed the path his father had taken. Paganism continued till the time of Wari-mai-kworia. It was he who did evil and was most arrogant. He married 1,000 maidens. He embraced evil (and) did not cease. He sought for (a) medicine in order that he might go on living in the world and not die, till (at last) a certain wizard deceived him, saying he would never die, That doctor did for him what he did from (his knowledge of) medicines.

This king gave him much wealth, it was said one hundred slaves, one hundred female slaves, a hundred horses, a hundred black robes, and a hundred cattle, cows and bulls a hundred, and a thousand rams, and a thousand goats. He gave him robes which could not be counted by reason of their number, and things of this description, Allah he know (what all).

In his reign two learned men made their appearance in Katsina, men who renounced the world (and) who feared Allah. The name of one was Muhamadu Ibnumusina, the name of the other also was Muhamadu Dunmurna. Each one among them gave instruction, (such) instruction as enters into the heart. He did not hear them. Then they made them afraid in order to dissuade them from preaching. They did not desist. The kings also did not pay any attention till these learned men died. In Katsina their graves are known till to-day, where young and old visit and guard, and at which blessings are sought by prayers for them.

Now Wari-mai-kworia, speaking of him, he lived eight years after he had had the medicine made for him to prevent his dying. He died the ninth year after (taking) it. When he died a quarrel about the kingdom arose among the king's sons. Half were slaying the other half until about 1,000 men were killed in the town of Katsina among both free men and slaves. Then the younger brother of Wari ruled after slaying the son of Wari.

He again continued in heathenism. (And) heathenism continued in Katsina till the reign of Bawa-Dungaimawa. It was he Usmanu, the son of Fodio, drove out of Katsina, he and his men, they went to Maradi, they settled there until to-day. His descendants continue to make war on the descendants of Usmanu, the son of Fodio, till to-day.

But the (men of) Gobir assembled together and continued in the faith and dwelt in it till the reign of Babari. He was the first who changed the true faith, it became lax, he exalted (and) set up paganism (and) was arrogant. The preachers (of the faith) preached to him but he would not receive (their instructions), but persisted in his heathenism till he died.

Bachira ruled over the kingdom, he did what his predecessor had done, he added to the evil he had done, and the harm, the foam from the wave of heathenism rose in the land of Gobir, its kings were proud. They sold free men, they acted as they wished until report had it that every king that ruled married one hundred maidens. But (the only redeeming point was) they did not know how to make beer, except a few among them, (and) they did not eat animals that had died a natural death, but when they greeted (their kings) hey poured earth over their heads, they served idols.

(Some) who cleaved to the faith were (still) among them, at that time only a few (and) without power or influence among them. And they continued thus till the time of Bawajan-gwarzo. He went on (living) in heathenism. He was arrogant till a learned man was found in his reign, one who had fled from the world, one who served Allah. He was called Alhaji-jibrilu. It was said, speaking of him, he went from Gobir, he came to Mecca and performed the pilgrimage and resided (away) there twenty years. It was said he lived in Egypt eighteen years. He stayed in Mecca two years, and then returned to Gobir. He instructed them each new day and night, in secret and openly. They refused the thing (message) he brought and thought to kill him.

All the kings of Hausa(land) plotted to slay him. They could not. The malamai were in Kalawa at that time, but they could not speak from their (store) of knowledge for fear of the chiefs. Only Alhaji-Jibrilu, speaking of him, he stood (fast) in (his) preaching and strove openly (and) they were not able to kill him. He could not, however, prevent them (doing) the evil they dwelt in. And they continued in evildoing and heathenism in this reign.

(Then) Usmanu, the son of Fodio, was born at the time when Alhajijibrilu died. Usmanu, the son of Fodio, began to preach little by little till (the time when) Bawa-jan-gwarzo died. His brother Yaakubu reigned in his stead. Then Usmanu proclaimed (his) preaching openly till he did what (all the world knows) he did (and) finished. We have drawn the history to a close.

Allah, he is the one who knows all. It is finished.
 The salvation and blessing of Allah
 be upon
 the prophet.
 Amen.


PART II

 

'STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE'

 

1. The story of the slave by name 'The World'

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful, and may the peace of Allah be upon him, after whom there is no prophet.

This is the beginning of a story about people. A story, a story. Let it go, let it come.

A slave of a chief had a wife, and it was said of her she was of a loose character. He (the husband) said it was a lie, (and) that his wife did not go after men. At last, one day, a certain old woman said to him, 'Always when you go to the council then she (your wife) is after the men'; and the old woman said, 'To-day mount your horse (and) say you are going to an outlying village (and) you are going to sleep there.' Then the chief's slave saddled up, mounted, took the road and went off. When evening came he had not come, for he had said, 'I am going and shall not return.'

Now the wife (possessed some lovers), the galadima and the vizier, and a certain of the chief's slaves, a foreigner, by name 'The World', and on the master of the house going out, then the wife sent to (these) her lovers, she said, 'My master will go to an outlying village, and he will not return to-day but to-morrow.'

Then the galadima brought four thousand cowries worth of meat and two thousand cowries worth of rice to bring to the woman. When night came the galadima arrived, the meat and rice was set out, and he ate. Then he heard the sound of the slippers of the vizier, and down he fell under the bed, and the rice was lifted and covered up. Sure enough it was the vizier. Then he sat down, (and) he also was given rice and meat. He ate.

Then he heard the noise made by the slippers of him called 'The World'. He thinks it is the master of the house. So he fell under the bed, when he discovered the galadima sitting (there). Then he said, 'Oh, it's the galadima, is it?' And he said, 'Yes,' (and) said, Let us keep this secret.' And he said, 'There is no harm in that.'

They were sitting there then, (and the one called) 'The World' was given his share, and he also was eating. Then they heard the hoofs of the horse of the master of the house; he has come. Then 'The World' threw away the plate of food (and) fell under the bed.

Then 'The World' saw a man (there). He said, Who are you?' Then the galadima and the vizier said, 'It is we.' Then 'The World'said, 'You, galadima, what brings you here?' And they said, 'For the sake of Allah, World, let us keep this secret among us.' And 'The World' said, 'All right, keep silent.' Then they kept still.

The master of the house meanwhile was at his house taking off the saddle, he did not know. Then he told his wife to give him water to wash. She gave him water and he washed. Then he entered the house and sat on the bed, and his wife said, 'Greetings to you on your coming.' He did not reply, he was wondering and saying, 'The World, the World' (because he had been lied to and told his wife went after the men, and behold, he had come and saw no one). And he kept saying, 'The World, the World.'

His wife said, 'What is the matter, master?' Now he (by name) 'The World ', the foreigner, thought it was to him he was speaking. Truly he waxed angry, and spoke, saying, 'You -------, is it (him called) "The World" only you have to find fault with? Look, do you not see the galadima and the vizier, but only "The World", seeing that it is "The World" you are finding fault with(only)?'

On that all was confusion in the room, and the galadima and the vizier ran out, and left him called 'The World' and the woman's husband fighting. The old woman was shouting and calling for help. They (people) came and separated them. Next morning the matter was brought before the chief, when the woman's husband stated the case, but the councillors split themselves with laughing, and the chief said, 'Where are the galadima and the vizier?' and he was told they had not come. And the chief said, 'Let some one go and see if all is well with them.' (And) they went and found that the galadima and the vizier were not at their house. Of a truth they had gone to the bush; and until now they have not been seen, for very shame. And the moral of this (is that) it does not behove a man of position to act improperly.

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.


2. How brothers and sisters first came to quarrel and hate each other

A story, a story.

This tale is about a maiden. A certain man had three children, two boys and a girl, (and) it was the girl he loved. Then (one day) their big brother went with them to the forest (bush), telling them to come for sticks. And when they had reached the forest, he seized her (the girl), climbed a tree with her, (and) tied her on to the tree, (and) came (and) said, 'The maiden has been lost in the forest,' (and said) they did not see her, so they came home.

They were weeping. Then their father asked them what had happened, (and) they said, 'Our young sister she was lost in the forest (and) we did not see her. We searched until we were tired, but we did not see her.'

Then their father said, 'It cannot be helped.' Then one day traders came and were passing in the forest. She (the girl) heard their voices and she (sang) said, 'You, you, you, who are carrying kola nuts, if you have come to the village on the hill, greet my big brother Hallabau, greet my big brother Tanka-baka, (and) greet my big brother Shadusa.' When the traders heard this they said that birds were the cause of this (singing). Then again she repeated (the song). Then the leader of the caravan said he would go (and) see what it was that was doing (singing) thus.

So he went off (and) came across the maiden fastened to the tree. And he said, '(Are you) alive or dead?' The maiden said, 'Alive, alive.' So the leader of the caravan himself climbed up the tree and untied her. Now long ago the caravan leader had wished for offspring, but he was childless. Then he said, 'Where is the maiden from?'

And the maiden said, 'Our father begat us, we were three, two boys by one mother, I also alone, by my mother. Our father and mother loved (me), (but) did not love my brothers. And because of that our big brother brought me here, deceiving me by saying we were going for sticks. He came with me here, tied me to a tree (and) left me. Our father is a wealthy man, and because of that, he (my brother) did this to me.' Then the leader of the caravan said, 'As for me, you have become my daughter.'

So the leader of the caravan took her home (and) nursed her till she recovered. She remained with him until she reached a marriageable age, and grew into a maid whose like was nowhere. And whenever she was heard of, people came to look on her, until a day (when) her elder brother reached manhood. He had not found a wife. Then he heard the report which said that a certain wealthy man had a daughter in such and such a village; in all the country there was not her like. Then he went to their (his) father (and) said he had heard about the daughter of a certain wealthy man (and) it was her he wished (to marry).

So his father gave him gifts, (and) he came to seek a wife in marriage. And Allah blessed his quest and he found what he sought, and the maid was wedded to him. They came home, but when he would consummate their union, she would not give herself to him; (and) it was always thus. Only, when they (all) went off to the farms she would lift her mortar and golden pestle which her father had given her, saying she was going to make 'fura' cakes. And she poured the grain into the mortar of gold and pounded and (sung) said, 'Pound, pound, mortar, father has become the father of my husband, alas for me! Mother has become the mother of my husband, alas, my mortar!' And so on till she had finished pounding. She was weeping (and) singing.

Now a certain old woman of the place heard what she was (saying). It was always so, until one day she told the mother of (the girl's) husband, and she said, 'When you are all about to go to the farm, do you, mother of the husband, come out, give her grain, (and) bid her pound "fura", as you are going to the farm. When you get outside steal away (and) come back, enter the house, (and) remain silent (and) hear what she says.' So the mother of the man came out, their father came out, the boys and the woman all came out, and said they were off to the farm.

A little while after the man's mother came back (and) entered the hut (and) crouched down. Then the maiden lifted her mortar and golden pestle. She was singing and saying, 'Pound, pound, my mortar, father has become (my) husband's father, alas, my mortar! Mother has become (my) husband's mother, alas for me!' She was singing thus (and) shedding tears, the mother also was in the room and was watching her until she had done all she had to do.

When the people of the house who had gone to the farms came back, the mother did not say anything. When night came, then she told her husband; she said, 'Such and such the maid did.' The father said, 'Could it possibly be the maid who was lost?' Then they said, 'But if it is she there is a certain mark on her back ever since she was an infant, she had been left in a house with a fire (and) it had burned her.'

She was summoned. They adjured her by Allah and the Prophet (and) said, 'This man who gave you in marriage, is he your father or were you given to him to be brought up only?' But the maiden refused to answer. Try as they could they could not get an answer. Then the father said, 'Present your back that I may see.'

She turned her back, (and) they saw the scar where the fire had burned her when she was an infant. Then they said, 'Truly it is so. From the first when you came why did you (refuse) to tell me (us)?' And they knew it was their daughter. And they sent to her (foster) father, the one who had found her, and he was told what had happened. And he said, 'There is no harm done. I beg you give me the maiden. If I have found another I shall give her to him (the husband).' But they (the girl's real father and mother) refused to consent to this.

As for the husband, when he heard this he took his quiver and bow. He went into the forest (and) hanged himself. He died. And this was the beginning of hatred among the children of one father by different mothers.

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.
 

3. The story of the boy and the old woman, and how the wasp got his small waist

This tale is about a bush-burning. A story, a story. Let it go, let it come.

A chief gave permission for the grass to be burned. They went all round but did not see anything (game) until all the grass was burned. Then a certain bad boy saw a hole and dug (there); he did not see anything. But an old woman came out, and on her emerging she screamed (with rage) and said, 'The chief has set fire to the bush; (hitherto) whosoever has seen this hole has passed on, and now you must dig it up. To-day you will see.'

Then she sprang on the boy, but the boy struck her with his axe. Up she leaped and turned into a hawk, and when she was about to swoop down on him he shot at her; and so (they fought on) until she got the better of him. He ran away. (As) he ran he came across a wasp, he was weaving cloth. Then the wasp said, 'Where are you going?' He said, 'An old woman chased me.' Then the wasp said, 'Sit here (till) she comes.' So the boy sat down.

He was there when the old woman came sure enough, and she sprang to catch the boy; but the wasp swallowed her. He lifted a single thread and gave it to the boy (and) said he must tie it round his middle. So the boy tied him up, until his back was almost cut in two. That is the origin of what you see; the wasp's belly is big, the old woman is inside. His back, which has become a thread, the boy bound it at the middle, behind.

That is all. Off with the rat's head.
 The rat will not eat my head,
 rather will I eat (its) head,
 son of a worthless fellow.


4. The story about a beautiful maiden, and how the hartebeest got the marks under its eyes like teardrops

This is a story about an alliance. A story, a story. Let it go, let it come.

A chief begat a beautiful daughter; she had no equal in the town. And he said, 'He who hoes on the day the people come together and whose area hoed surpasses every one else's he marries the chief's daughter. So on the day the chief calls his neighbours to hoe (gayaa), let them come (the suitors) and hoe for him. But he who hoes and surpasses every one else, to him a wife.'

Now of a truth the chameleon had heard (about this) for a long time past, (and) he came along. He was eating hoeing medicine. Now when the day of the hoeing came round the chameleon was at home. He did not come out until those hoeing were at work and were far away; then the chameleon came. When he struck one blow on the ground with the hoe, then he climbed on the hoe and sat down, and the hoe started to hoe, and fairly flew until it had done as much as the hoers. It passed them, and reached the boundary of the furrow.

The chameleon got off, sat down, and rested, and later on the (other) hoers got to where he was. Then the chief would not consent, but now (said) he who ran and passed every one, he should marry his daughter. Then the hartebeest said he surpassed every one in running. So they had a race. But the chameleon turned into a needle; he leaped (and) stuck fast to the tail of the hartebeest, and the hartebeest ran until he passed every one, until he came to the entrance of the house of the chief. He passed it.

Then the chameleon let go the hartebeest's tail; of a truth the chameleon had seen the maiden. So he embraced her, and when the hartebeest came along he met the chameleon embracing the girl. Thereupon the hartebeest began to shed tears, and that was the origin of what you see like tears in a hartebeest's eyes. From that day he has wept and not dried his tears.

Off with the rat's head.
 

5. How the whip and the 'maara' spoon (a broken bit of calabash) came to the haunts of men

This story is (called) 'Whack me'.

A certain man had two wives; one bore two children and the other had not any children, except the child of another who lived with her. Now he (the husband) did not like the one who had borne, but the one who had not borne.

Now it came about that a day of famine came on them. Then he (the husband) went to the bush (and) found food, and refused the one with children and gave to the one without children, (and) they two ate; and it was so always. And one day he went to the bush and found guinea-fowl's eggs, twenty in number. Then he called her (the one he did not love) and told her to choose the largest of them. So she took one, she went and boiled it, and gave it to the children to eat. And on that day she too went to the bush, she found corn, and stirred (it into) gruel.

And she called him (her husband) and said, 'Look among your nails and dip (into the pot) one, the largest one of all, then lick (it), rise up, and leave the rest to the children.' Then he began to examine his nails, he turned them about, saying, 'What one must I dip in?' (and) he kept saying, 'Is it this one or that one?' But all the time his one hand was between his legs loosening his skin waist covering. Then he swiftly unfastened it, and plunged it into the pap, (in the pot) (when) the woman's eyes were looking the other way; she did not see.

Then he stood up and said, 'I have put one in.' And she said, 'You will get put to shame over this,' and she refrained from saying any more. Another day she went to the bush, and saw a spoon and she passed on. But the spoon said, 'How is it you would pass on and not salute me?' So she said, 'Greetings to you.' And the spoon said, 'Greetings.'

Then the woman would have let it go at that, and passed on, but the spoon said, 'Will not you ask my name?' So the woman said, 'What is your name?' And the spoon answered, 'My name is Help me.' And the woman did not speak again, and was about to pass on, but the spoon said, 'Will not you ask me my name?' So the woman said, 'What is your name?' And the spoon said, 'My name is Help me'; and the spoon said, 'You too say, Help me that I may taste.' So she also said, 'Help me that I may taste.' Thereupon the spoon said, 'Bring your calabash.'

She brought her calabash. Then the spoon kept filling it with food, he poured it out for her till her calabash- was full. She went home, took it out, and gave her husband, and the remainder she and her children ate. Next day her husband came and said, 'For the sake of Allah where did you get that food?' Then she said, 'I got money, I saw grain, I bought it, I pounded it, and made food.' And he said, 'That is all right,' and stood up, and went out, and left her.

She also got up, lifted her calabash (and) went out, and went off to the bush where the spoon was. She came to where he was and said to him, 'What is your name?' And the spoon said, 'My name is Help me.' She said, 'Help me that I may taste.' Thereupon the spoon commenced to pour out food for her until her calabash was full.

She lifted it and went oft home, took (the food) out and gave him. He ate, with his one wife. They were filled. And this happened again and again, till one day he said, 'For the sake of Allah will you not take me to where you are finding this food?' Then she said to him, 'When the dawn of Allah appears, come.'

So when it was dawn, he came, and they went to the place where the spoon was. She said, 'Salute her,' so he saluted the spoon. Then his wife said, 'Ask her, can't you (her name)? say, What is your name?' So he said, 'What is your name?' And the spoon said, 'My name is Help me.' And the wife said to him, 'Say, Help me that I may taste.' And he said, 'Help me that I may taste.'

Thereupon the spoon commenced to pour out food for them until their calabash was full; then they lifted it and took it home. They ate. When night came then the husband returned. He lifted up the spoon and came back to the house, and put the spoon inside the grain store. When he felt hungry then he told his wife to go into the grain store and see what was inside. When she entered the store she met the spoon. She said, 'What is your name?' Then he said, 'My name is Help me.' And she said, 'Help me that I may taste.'

And the spoon filled her calabash with food. And they did not give that wife who had told him all about it. She also did not find any food. It was always so, until one day his wife, the one the man loved, when the husband was not at home, he had gone to the bush, took the spoon. She came to the stream and was washing it, when the chief's wife came and greeted her and said, 'What are you doing?' She said, 'Look at that.' Then they said nothing more. Then she said, 'Are you not going to salute her?' And they said, 'Greetings, greetings.'

It answered the salute. Then this wife said, 'Ask, What is your name?' It answered, 'My name is Help me.' Then they said, 'What sort of a thing now do they call Help me?' Then this woman said, 'You say, Help me that I may taste.' And they said, 'Help me that I may taste.' Thereupon the spoon kept pouring out food for them.

Some have (had) drawn water, but they poured it out, and brought (their calabashes), and the spoon poured in food for them, and they lifted it and took it home. And the chief asked, 'Where did you get this thing?' And they said, 'We went to the stream and we met there the wife of So-and-so, and she said, Don't you see I am washing a spoon? We said, We have seen, and she said, Will you not salute it? We said, Greetings, lady friend. And it said, Greetings to you.

Next we were silent, we were gazing, when that woman said, Will you not ask its name? So we then said, What is your name? and it said, My name is Help me. Then we were silent (again), we were watching, when that woman said, Bring your calabashes and say, Help me that I may taste. And we too said, Help me that I may taste. And it kept pouring out food for us and filled up our calabashes with food.'

Then the chief said, 'Go and bring it that I may see.' So they went off, the court officials and the chief's body-guard, and they went and met this person, and they said, 'The chief says, give us Help me, that we may bring it for him to see.' So he took it himself and gave them; he was black of heart.

They received (it) (from him), they brought (it) to the chief and said, 'Behold it.' The chief said, 'Hail, lady friend,' and it answered. And he said, 'Bring large wooden dishes' and large wooden dishes were brought. Then he (the chief) said, 'What is your name?' and it said, 'My name is Help me.' And the chief said, 'Help me,' and it kept pouring out food and filled the wooden plates for him.

And the chief said, 'This is too good a thing to be in a poor man's house.' So the chief ordered it to be brought to his house. It was brought to his house and it supplied the chief's house with food, but as for him who had the spoon (formerly) he was dying of hunger.

Then one day his wife, the one who had shown him the spoon, when he had taken it and left her, went to the bush to look for food. And she saw a branch of a tree, some say a whip; she saw it in the forest (bush). She said, 'Greetings,' and it said, 'Greetings to you.' And the wife said, 'What is your name?' and the whip said, 'My name is Whack me.' And the woman said, 'Whack me that I may feel.' Thereupon the whip kept flogging her, whack! Whack! She was running away, she was yelling, she was saying, 'Alas, I am repentant, I shall follow you, I won't do it again.' But the whip flogged her until people came and rescued her.

She went home and called her husband, and took him to where the whip was, and said, 'Have you seen, I have found another thing again for giving food.' Then she stood afar off, she said, 'There it is over there.' Then the husband went off in haste, tramp! tramp! until he met the whip; it was lying down. He said, 'Hail, friend,'and the whip said, 'Hail to you.'

He was all the time thinking it was something good. Then he said, 'What is your name?' and the whip said, 'My name is Whack me that I may feel.' Then this man said, 'Whack me that I may feel.' Thereupon the whip kept beating him until it was tired. And the whip went back and lay quite still, and the man too went home and lay down. And the wife he loved came along and said, 'What has happened?' And he did not answer. He lay quiet until he got better.

Then he went and came to where the whip was lying. Then he kept crouched down, he crouched down until he got near it, then he jumped and held it down, and took it home, and put it away in the grain store. Then he sat quietly until his favourite wife came. And she said, 'To-day I am feeling hungry.' Then he said, 'Go into the grain store and see what is inside.' Then she rose up in great haste, she said, 'What did you find to-day?' And he said, 'You yourself enter.' Then she said, 'Must I take a calabash',' He said, 'Yes.' She took a calabash and went into the grain store. He closed it. He said, 'What do you see?' And she said, 'Something I have seen which is long.' And he said, 'Greet it, cannot you?'

She said, 'I greet you (who are) resting,' (and) she said, 'What is your name?' It said, 'My name is Whack me,' and she said , 'Whack me that I may feel.' Thereupon the whip set about beating her, she was shouting. Her husband, when he heard, ran off to the forest, and his wife, the one he did not love, also ran out to the forest, through fear; and she also, the one who had entered the grain store, with difficulty she found a way of escape and ran off; and they left the house deserted. Long ago the spoon and the whip lived in the wilds, and this was the first time they made their appearance in the home.

Off with the rat's head.

6. A story about a chief, and how his sons observed his funeral, and the origin of the spider

This is a story about a certain chief. A tale, a tale. Let it go and let it return.

A certain chief, by name Kurunguthe-bad-fish, grew old in his kingdom, and when he was near to death-he had many children-he called them together and said, 'If I were to die what would you all do to observe my funeral?'

His eldest child said, 'When you are dead I shall mourn for you by (slaughtering) a lion.' Each one said what he would do. His youngest said, 'When you are dead I shall mourn for you by killing a hyena.' And it came to pass that not long after he died, and each brought what he said; only the eldest and the youngest remained (to fulfil the promise).

Then the youngest went to the bush, he was walking, and he came across a cow and brought it back. They slaughtered it and made a skin bag of it, and they took the cow's head and feet and pushed them into the bag. Then he went and called the hyena. She came (and) he (the man) said, 'We divided up the meat (when) you were not there, (and) we set aside your share.'

They showed her (lit. him) the bag, they said, 'There it is, go in and lift (the meat).' Then the hyena put in her head and entered. Then the youngest son immediately closed the mouth of the bag (and) they tied it up, the hyena inside, and they dragged the hyena and brought her above their father's grave. And they kept flogging her until the skin burst. The hyena found an exit, got out, and ran off. Then the youngest son got angry and said, 'I shall catch her again.'

And so another day he found a cow, he brought it back and killed (it), he searched for porridge and covered his eye with it and went off to the forest. He saw the hyena and said, 'Hyena, we have divided up the meat in your absence, we looked for you until we were tired. And as for us, we are a people who keep a promise to our parents, and when they were about to die they said we must continually give (gifts), and whoever found anything let him seek his brother (to share with him).'

The hyena said, 'That is quite true, but some one has come here and deceived me. It was thus he enticed me away and he was wanting to kill me.' Then the youngest son said, 'Come now, hyena, would a man call his brother to kill (him)?' The hyena answered, 'Let us go.'

They took the road, they were coming, when the hyena stood still and said, 'No, yesterday he who came to call me, like you was he, let me hear it was not you.' The youngest son said, 'This man, had he one eye?' The hyena said, 'Let us go on.'

They took the road and were going on (and) they reached the house. Then the youngest son showed him (her) where the cow's hide was, and he said, 'Enter, your (share) is within.' Then the hyena, when he (she) was about to push in his (her) head, came out and said, 'No, friend, do not come and do to me as your brother did to me.'

The youngest son was standing by, and he said, 'Come then, hyena, if it is that you do not want the meat, leave it, and go about your business. Does a man call his brother in order that he may do him harm? The meat I show you if you do not eat, leave it, and get out.' Then the hyena said, 'No, I am (going) to eat it.'

So he (she) put his (her) head in and entered. As he (she) was going to lift the meat and then come out, then the youngest son seized the mouth of the bag and closed it. And they all came up and tied up the hyena and dragged it and brought it over their father's grave. They kept beating it, they beat it till the skin burst, and the hyena found an exit, and came out, and ran off.

But the youngest son said, 'I will find and bring her back again.' Then some time passed and the hyena forgot. And the youngest son found a very large cow and brought it back. They slaughtered it, flayed it, and made a skin bag; they lifted a hind leg and put (it) in the bag, and made a trap. Then the youngest son got some porridge, went to the bush, came near the hole where the hyena was, then took the (dawo) porridge, and covered up his eyes; then he could not see.

Then he called, 'Where is the hyena's den? Look at this, a cow has been slaughtered since yesterday, they put on one side a leg for him (her), and he (she) is not to be seen.' Then the hyena heard, he (she) was in the hole, so out he (she) came and said, 'Here I am.' And the hyena said, 'Where is the meat?' Then the youngest son held out to her a large piece of meat and said, 'You see the sign (that what I say is true).' Then the hyena took it and swallowed it right off, and the hyena said, 'Let us go at once.' Then the hyena remembered, and he (she) pulled up, and said, 'My friend, some one of your kindred, it was just thus he deceived me; he took me away and he wanted to kill me.'

Then the youngest son said, 'Come now, hyena, how can a blind man manage to kill another person?' And the hyena said, 'Let us go on.' They took the road, they were coming, until they got to where the trap was. Then the youngest son said, 'Hyena, look at the meat there.' Then the hyena saw a very fat hind-quarter. The hyena, without a thought, leaped and went in, in order to lift the meat out; he (she) did not know it was a trap, till the trap caught him (her). Then the hyena began to shout, and the youngest son ran off and went home and called his brothers, (and) they flogged the hyena until the hyena became insensible. (And) they bound him (her) and dragged him (her), and brought him (her) to their father's grave, and (there) they cut (her throat), and skinned (her), and divided up the meat, and ate.

Then they said, 'Each one has observed the funeral rites of our parent with the exception of our eldest brother.' Then their eldest brother lifted up an anvil, and took it to the bush; he was forging metal, Then the lion came, and said, 'Friend smith, let me come and work the bellows for you.' He said, 'Yes.' So the lion came and worked the bellows.

Now of a truth the smith had done something, he had sought leaves of a certain kind and put (them) between his legs. Then he lifted the tongs and put (them) in the fire, and he told the lion to blow the bellows; and the lion blew them until the tongs were red hot. Then the smith got up and bent down and said to the lion, 'Friend, my anus is itching'; (and) he lifted the tongs and pushed them among the leaves, (and) the leaves were set on fire. The lion thought it was the smith's anus. The smith too left them there until the tongs were cold.

After this the lion said, 'An insignificant person like you, you have strength of mind to do this?' Then the lion put the tongs into the fire, he was blowing the bellows until the tongs were red hot. Then the lion said, I Friend, lift (them) and place them for me.' So the smith lifted the tongs, he worked them up and down the lion's anus until the lion fainted.

Then the smith with all speed went home and summoned his younger brothers, (and) they came (and) they pulled (the lion) (and) brought it home. Then he entered the house to get some water to bring for the young men-the lion is lying still. Then the smith drew the water (and) came, (and) the people gathered round and looked on, then the lion came round from his faint and said, 'My friend, what are you doing to me?' And the smith said, 'I have seen you were weary, and so I brought you home to pour water on you.' But the lion said, 'You are a liar.'

And the lion leaped and trampled him and tore (him). That was the origin of the spider; when he (the lion) trampled on him (the smith), he broke up, and made many feet. That was the beginning of the spider; formerly he was a smith.

Off with the rat's head.
 

7. A story about an orphan, showing that 'he who sows evil, it comes forth in his own garden'

This is the story about orphans. A story, a story. Let it go, let it come.

A certain man had wives, two in number. He died and left them. One among the wives fell ill. She saw she was near to death, so she said to the second wife, 'Now you have seen this illness will not leave me. There is my daughter, I have left her as a trust to you; for the sake of Allah and the prophets look after her well for me.'

So the woman died and was buried, and they were left with the maid (her child). Now always they were showing her cruelty, until one day a sickness took hold of the maiden. She was lying down. Her stepmother said, 'Get up, (and) go to the stream.'

The maid got up, she was groaning, she lifted a small calabash, (and) took the road. She went to the stream (and) drew water; she took it back (and) said, 'Mother, lift the calabash down for me.' But her step-mother said, 'Do you not see I am pounding? Not now, when I have finished.'

She finished husking the grain, she was winnowing, the maiden was standing by. The maiden said, 'Mother, lift down the calabash for me.' But her step-mother said, 'Do you not see I am winnowing? (Not now), when I have finished.'

The maiden stood by till she had finished, until she had washed; she paid no attention to the maiden. The maiden said, 'Mother, help me down (with the water-pot).' She said, 'Do you not see I am pouring grain into the mortar? (Not now), but when I have finished pounding.' The maiden kept standing by till she finished pounding; she re-pounded, she winnowed, she finished, the maiden was still standing.

The maiden said, 'Mother, help me down,' but she said, 'Do you not see I am putting porridge in the pot? When I have finished.' The maiden kept standing by till she (the step-mother) had finished putting the porridge (in the pot). The maiden said, 'Mother, help me down,' but she said, 'If (I) come to help you down the porridge will get burned; (wait) till the porridge boils.' The porridge boiled, she took it out of the water, till (then) she pounded it, squeezed it, and finished.

She did not say anything to the maid, till the wind came like a whirlwind; it lifted the maiden and went off with her (and) she was not seen. The wind took her to the forest (bush), there was no one but she alone. She was roaming in the forest till she saw a grass hut. Then she went (up to it). She peeped in, (and) met a thigh-bone and a dog inside.

Then she drew back, but the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!', and the dog said, 'He says you are to come back.' The maiden came back, and the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!', and the dog said, 'He says you a , to enter.' The maiden entered the hut, and bowed down and prostrated herself, and the thighbone said, 'Us! us!', and the dog said, 'He says, Can you cook food?' And the maiden said, 'Yes.'

So they gave her rice, one grain, and said she was to cook it. She picked up the single grain of rice. She did not grumble, she put it in the mortar and pounded, and when she had finished pounding, the rice filled the mortar. She dry pounded the rice and finished, and poured it from a height to let the wind blow away the chaff (sheke).

She went to the stream and washed (it) ; she brought (it) back home, she set (the pot) on the fire, she poured in the rice and in a short time the rice filled the pot. Then the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!', and the dog said, He says are you able (to make) soup?' The maiden said, Yes, I can.' The thighbone said, 'Us! us!', so the dog got up and went to a small refuse heap, (and) scraped up an old bone, and gave it to the maiden. She received it and put it in the pot.

When a little while had passed, the meat filled the pot. When the meat was ready, she poured in salt and (daudawa) spice, (and) she put in all kinds of soup spices. When the soup was ready she took the pot off the fire, she served out the food and divided it up. Ten helpings she set aside for the thigh-bone, for the dog she set aside nine helpings, (and) she set out for herself two.

They ate (and) were filled. So it is, because of this, if a stranger has come to you, honour him, give him food to eat. Meanwhile you study his nature, you see if (it) is bad or good. To return to the story. They went to sleep. At dawn the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!', and the dog said to the maiden, 'He says, Can you make "fura" cakes?' She said, 'Yes.' The thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!' Then the dog got up (and) came (and) lifted one grain of corn; he brought it and gave her. She received it (and) put it in the mortar; she poured in water, she lifted the pestle, she was pounding; as she (wet) pounded, the corn became much.

She took it out, she winnowed, she took it to the water, she washed it, she returned, she pounded, she took it out, she winnowed, she returned, (and) poured (it in again). She pounded it very finely, she took it out, rolled it into cakes, and put it in the pot until it boiled. She took it off (the fire), set it down, poured it into the mortar, pounded, took it out, rolled it up into balls, and gave to the thigh-bone three balls, to the dog she gave two.

When it was dawn the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!', and the dog said, 'He says, Are you going home?' She said, 'I will go, but I do not know the way.' Then the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us! ', and the dog rose up; he went and brought slaves, beautiful ones, he brought cattle and sheep, horses and fowls, camels and war-horses, and ostriches, and robes, everything in the world, the dog brought and gave to the maiden.

He said, 'There they are, the thigh-bone says I must give you (them); you will make them the provision for your journey. And he says he gives you leave to set out, and go to your home.' But the maiden said, 'I do not know the way.' So the dog told the thigh-bone, and the thigh-bone said, 'Us! Us!' And the dog said, 'He says let us set out, (and) I must show you the way.' So the dog passed on in front, the maiden mounted a camel, the camel was led.

They were going along. The dog brought them till (they reached) close to (her) home. The dog turned back, but she herself sent into the town; she said, let the chief be told it was she who was come. The chief said, 'Let them go and meet her.' They went and met her. They drew up at the chief's doorway, the chief gave them permission to alight, they alighted, She took out one tenth and gave the chief. She stayed there until the chief said he wished her in marriage. They were married. She also, that step-mother of hers, (her late father's second wife) was envious, so she told her own daughter to go to the stream to draw water for her. But the little girl said, 'Mother, I am not going.'

But she (the mother) lifted a reed and drove her, (and) she went to the stream by compulsion. Now the girl went to the stream, drew water, and took (it) home. She came across her mother as she was pounding; she said, 'Mother, help me down (with the pot).' But her mother said, 'I am pounding, (wait) till I have finished.' She finished pounding, and the girl said, 'Mother, help me down.' But she answered, 'I am about to winnow, (wait) till I have finished.' She finished winnowing (and) the girl said, 'Mother, help me down (with the pot).' She replied, I am just going to pound-when I have finished.' When she had finished pounding then she sought the girl low and high; she did not see her, the wind has (had) lifted her (and) taken her to the bush.

It cast her there, she was roaming in the forest, when she saw a grass hut. She went and peeped in the hut, and she saw a thigh-bone and a dog. Then she drew back, and the thigh-bone said, 'Us! Us!' The dog said, 'He says you are to come.' So she came and said, 'Here I am.' The thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!' The dog said, 'He says you are to sit down.' So she sat down, (and) said, 'Mercy on us, a thighbone that talks. What sort of a thing is Us! us?' But they gave no answer.

A short time after the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!' Then the dog said, 'He says, Can you (cook) food?' And she said, 'Ah, it's a bad year when the partridge has seen them planting out the young trees (instead of sowing, when it could eat the seed). A thigh-bone, too, even it has an interpreter. I am able, you, I suppose, have the grain, when you are asking if people can cook food.'

They gave no answer, (but) the dog got up; he lifted one single grain of rice (and) gave her. 'What's this?' she said, 'to-day I am about to see how one single grain of rice makes food.' The dog replied, 'As for you, make it thus.' She lifted the rice and put it in the mortar, she was pounding, and after a little while the rice became much. She dry pounded it, took it out, poured it out so as to blow away the chaff, poured on water, cooked it.

By the time she had finished cooking it the rice filled the pot. She was amazed. The dog lifted up a year-old bone, brought it, and gave her. Then she said, 'What am I to do with it, this is a year-old bone?' The dog replied, 'As for you, make it thus.' She said, 'Are you supposed to be conjurers? I warn you; it is not my business that wizards should eat me.'The dog remained silent; not a thing did he say.

She washed the bone and put it in the pot, and in a short time the pot was full of meat. The girl was amazed, but she stirred the food, she took it out (and) set the soup down. She put aside for the thigh-bone three helpings, for the dog two. But the dog was angry because he saw her share was large, theirs very small, and he said, 'What's this?' When he would have said, 'Haba,' he could only say, 'Hab hab,' because he had not told the thigh-bone first before he spoke.

Formerly the dog was a minister at court and used to talk like a person, when (on this day) he got in a temper in front of the king, he condemned him to say 'Hab! hab!' if he rose up to quarrel. And the moral of this is, a youth must not lose his temper in the presence of an elder.

Now they had eaten their food and slept. At dawn the thigh-bone said, 'Us! us!' Then the dog was not able to speak, but he went and brought blind men, and lepers, and blind horses, and lame asses, and sheep, robes and trousers were brought to her, (and) the dog showed her the way. He brought her to near (her) home and turned back.

But the thigh-bone drove him away, so he came back very quickly and joined them, and followed them until they reached the house. That is the first time the dog came to the house, formerly he was in the bush. Well, to continue, when they had got near the house, then she (the girl) sent one leper from among her retinue. He sat on a blind horse and his message was to tell the chief she has come. The chief allowed her to be met.

The chief made the galadima and many people to go and meet them. When they reached the open space in front of the chief's house, then a stink filled the town. Then the chief said they were to be taken far back to a distance behind the town. They were led behind the town, far away they were to make their houses. When the mother of this maiden saw all this, then she became black of heart, (and) died.

That was the first appearance of wickedness, (which) is not a beautiful thing. Whoever commits a sin against another it comes back on himself, as a certain learned man sung, may Allah dispense mercy on him, he says, 'Whosoever sows evil it comes forth in his own garden. That is true without a doubt, have you heard?'

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.
 

8. A story about a witch, and how the baby of the family outwitted her, and invented the first walled town

This is a story about a witch. A story, a story. Let it go, let it come.

A certain old woman had children, nine girls, and she went far into the bush and lived (there). Now some boys, youths, there were nine of them too, set out from their village and went to the house of the witch, where the girls were. They came. The girls gave them water, each had a maid who gave him water to drink.

Now the youngest (among the boys) the youngest maid brought water to (him) and gave him, but he refused to drink. When night came each of (the young men's) maids made food and gave him; (and) they ate. The youngest of the maidens made food and brought it to the youngest of the youths, but he refused to eat. They said, 'How is it when you come every one eats food, but you alone refuse to eat?' He said, 'If young men come to the house of maidens and eat food, then they have become worthless young men.' And they said, 'That is true.'

The time for sleep came, when for each and all his maiden prepared his couch, and they lay down and were sleeping. The youngest of the boys got up and unfastened the others' waist-cloths and tied them on the maidens. He took off their cloaks and put them on the maidens, he lifted the kerchiefs of the maidens and. tied them on the boys. He took away the dresses of the girls and tied them on (the boys).

A short time passed, they were asleep, when this old woman came. When she felt about with her hand, she discovered who had cloaks and who waist-cloths. Then she cut (their throats), and thus she did till she had cut off (the heads) of all her daughters; (then) she returned and lay down.

But the baby of the family also had seen her, he had not slept. He got up, dug a hole from the house where they were lying to their mother's house. Then the baby of the family wakened the others from sleep. They entered the hole and went home and left her daughters lying (with their throats) cut.

When day dawned the old woman came. She was rejoicing (because) she was about to eat meat, then she came across her daughters (with their throats) cut; then she ate her hand from vexation. Then she left off, and said, 'I shall be revenged.'

Another day she went into the town (of the young men). (And) she turned herself into a magaria tree, then the boys, fifteen in number, climbed up and were sitting there. But she tore up (the tree) with them and went off to her house with them. The boys' parents were lamenting. The baby of the family came and said, 'Leave off crying, I shall bring you your children.' He went off to the bush, (and) he saw this old woman's cow, then he went inside its belly.

When the cow came home, it was as if in calf And the old woman said (to) this cow of hers, 'If you give birth to a son, I shall cut your throat; if you give birth to a daughter I shall leave you alone.' And it came to pass that one day the cow gave birth to a daughter. Now of a truth it was the baby of the family, he had turned into the child of a cow.

They were living like this, when the baby of the family (who was now a calf), if the old woman washed her calabashes, jumped and fell among them and smashed them. One day she washed her calabashes and put them in the sun to dry, then the cow's calf jumped and fell on them and smashed them. And the old woman got in a rage, and said to these boys that they must all rise up, and go and catch and bring it, and cut (its throat). So the boys rose up (and) followed the calf.

The calf ran off till (it came) right into the town; the boys followed it. Then the calf turned into a person, truly it was (he who was) the baby of the family. And he said, 'Let each come and catch his son.' So each one came out and caught his son, and the baby of the family he also went home. Now she (the old witch) said, 'I will catch him again.'

So she turned into a Fulani woman, (and) took some milk, (and) brought it into the town. It was said that no one was to look into the milk. But one of the baby of the family's elder brothers looked in, and his eyes fell out. Then she took her milk, turned into a whirlwind, (and) went off with him.

Then he (the baby of the family) came early, (and found his elder brother) was not at home. And they said, 'A certain Fulani woman came with milk and lifted the eyes of our elder brother and went off with them.' And the baby of the family said, 'I shall get them back.' So he fastened on a (girl's) dress and head kerchief, (and) went to the old woman's house. When she saw him, he was like her (own) youngest daughter, and she said, 'Welcome, welcome.' And the baby of the family he also began to cry, he was weeping and said, 'Bad boys came and sinned against me, they killed my elder sisters.' The old woman too was saying, 'It is the youngest of my daughters.' And she said,' Cease crying, youngest of my children, as for us, we shall be revenged.'

She said, 'As for me, see the eyes of the eldest of them I have brought.' And the baby of the family said, 'Give me that I may see, mother, the meat (eyes), (and) that I may play with them.' So the old woman took them, and gave him, she did not know it was he. He was playing with them, when she said, 'Sit and look after the house; I am going to the stream and shall return.' She lifted up the water-pot (and) turned her back.

Then the baby of the family rose up, and ran off with his brother's eyes; he went with it (them) (and) gave his elder brother. Then the old woman returned (from the stream) (and) said, 'Where is (my) youngest child?' She did not see her youngest child, and she set down the water. After a little while then the maiden came, and the old woman said, 'Bring the eyes that we may cook (them).' The maiden said, 'No, you did not give me any eyes.' And she said, 'La Ila it is the youngest of their family, he came and deceived me; I said (thought) it was you, but it cannot be helped, I shall catch him.' She ceased.

Another day the baby of the family went to the bush. He was hunting when he met the old woman. She caught him, (and) took him to her house, put him in a hole, (and) covered (him) up, while she went to the stream. She left her youngest daughter and told her to wait and watch the baby of the family lest he ran away.

Then she went off to the stream. Then her (the witch's) youngest daughter came to the place where the baby of the family was in the pit (and) she said, 'Oh, baby of the family, what are you eating.' And he said, 'Stretch out your hand and I will give you what I am eating.' So she put out her hand, but the baby of the family seized her hand, (and) pulled her, (and) cast her into the pit ; she was inside, she was crying.

The baby of the family covered her up as her mother had covered him. He took (her) dress and kerchief and tied them on. He remained there, and was playing about until the old woman came. She said, 'Let me hear that the baby of the family has not run away,' and he replied, 'He is here, he has not run away.' She boiled hot water, it boiled, she took it up, and she said, 'Son of a profligate, to-day he will see.' Then she went to the hole and poured in (the water), and the maiden, when she felt the heat kept shouting out, and saying, 'Mother, it is I, mother, it is I.'

He, the baby of the family, said, 'It is a lie you are telling. May Allah guard mother from giving birth to such as you, may Allah guard her from giving birth to such as you,' and so on till she died. She (the old woman) lifted her out, cut (her) up in small pieces, put her in a pot and cooked her.

When the girl was cooked she put in daudawa spice and salt, took the pot off the fire, took out the meat and said, 'Youngest daughter, come forward. You alone will eat the son of the profligate woman.' But he said, 'No, as for me I shall not eat, now you yourself eat and be filled.' She was crunching, crunch! crunch! until she had almost eaten (all) the meat. Then she ceased, and said, 'There is your share, little daughter.' The baby of the family replied, 'Mother, if you are not full eat up all,' and she (the old woman) took up what was left and ate. She left a small piece, put it aside, and said, 'There is yours.'

And he who was the youngest of the family said, 'To-day you have eaten up all your daughters, and there only remains for you to eat yourself.' Then he threw aside the cloak (and) said, 'Do you see it is I, the baby of my family, you did not eat me.' Then he ran off, and went home and told the people of his town (saying) 'Flee'. And the whole town rose up and fled.

When they had gone, then their elder brother said he has dropped his slipper; he said he would turn back and get it. The baby of the family said, 'Do not go back,' (but) he said he would return (for it). The baby of the family said, 'Allow me to return.' The baby of the family returned, he went and entered the house. And she (the old woman) came and closed (the door); he climbed on to the top of the house and caught hold of a beam. Then he said to her (the old witch), 'If you are wanting to eat me up, you have only to open your eyes at me when I shall be afraid and fall down (on you) (and) you will catch me.'

Then she raised her head, and opened very widely eyes at him. As for him, he had ground peppers with him, so he cast (them) at her eyes, and she closed (them) the eyes. He came down, and as he was about to go outside, she caught his foot. But he said, 'Fool, you have caught a stick, and you think it is my foot.' Then she let go his foot and caught hold of a post; and he came out, seized the door, shut it (and) set fire to the house. The old woman was burned.

Then he went and told the chief what they (he) had done with the old woman, (and) he said, 'Let us return home.' So they returned home. And the chief said, 'Let the drums be beaten in town and village and let them assemble.' Drums were beaten in town and village and every one assembled.

And the chief brought one hundred cloaks, one hundred trousers, one hundred cattle, one hundred horses, of everything in the world one hundred of each. He said he gave him half his town (and) all the things which had been brought, the chief said he gave to the baby of the family.

And the baby of the family said, 'Chief, a town, if it has not a protection, is worthless. Let a wall be built before the people have dispersed.' And the chief said, 'There is no one able to build a walled town.' And the baby of the family said, 'I shall build it; do you only give me assistance with the men.' The chief consented, so the baby of the family built a walled town.

And that was the origin of walled towns, the baby of the family began that every one might see.

Off with the rat's head.


9. The doctor who went a pilgrimage to Mecca on a hyena

This is a story about a learned man.

A certain doctor of learning set out to go to Mecca in order to add to his rewards hereafter that they might be many. He had a very thin mare. He mounted, (and) went deep into the forest when be saw a hyena. The mare was weary and the hyena said, 'Doctor, where are you going?' The doctor said, 'I am going the pilgrimage.' 'What is the matter?' (said the hyena). He said, 'It is the mare, she is weary.' She (the hyena) said, 'Is that it?' the hyena said, 'Give her (the mare) to me, I shall kill her, and eat her up. You will mount me and we shall set out.' The doctor said,'So?' She (the hyena) said, 'Yes.' The doctor said, 'You must not deceive me.' She replied, 'Come now, Doctor, because I have seen she was unable to go on, it is because of that, (I speak thus) I for my part, if you mount me, this instant will I carry you to Mecca.' The doctor said, 'All right, catch (the mare) and eat (it) up.'

The hyena seized the mare, tore it up, picked up the meat (and) took it home. She ate it with her cubs (children), they ate up (all) the meat; (then) she refused to return. The doctor sat down (and) got tired (of waiting), he did not see that the hyena has (had) come back. Things were like this, when a jackal came and met the doctor sitting there.

The jackal said, 'Doctor, what has happened?' The doctor said, 'I have set out from my home going to Mecca, my mare got tired, I was sitting down, the hyena came across me and asked what was the matter, and I said, I am going to Mecca, my mare got tired, and that is the cause of my sitting here.

And the hyena said, Oh, this thing can never take you to Mecca. Give her to me to eat that I may feel joy, and increase my strength, so that I may carry you to Mecca. I then said, Hyena, you must not deceive me, eat up my mare for me, and then run away, (and) I shall not see you again. She replied, Where do they do that sort of thing? it is the truth I told you, there is no lie in it, then I said (thought) it was true, (and) told her to catch (the mare). That is all, the hyena went off; till to-day I have not seen her.' And the jackal said, 'Leave off, Doctor, I will bring her to you now.'

He lifted the saddle and saddle-cloth and bit and halter and spurs and whip and went off, and he got a lump of meat and took it. As he went he was dropping the horse furniture one by one until he got near the mouth of the hole (where the hyena) was. He put aside the saddlecloth and passed on, and came to the mouth of her hole, and stood, and announced his arrival.

No answer, for previous to this the hyena has told her children saying, 'Whoever comes here looking for me, you must say I am not here.' So when the jackal hailed, they said, 'She is not here.' And the jackal said, 'Allah curse her, she has no luck; men are sought for that they may get something good, and bad luck prevents them from getting it. See, a cow has died, a very fat one, I have come to call her and show her, and you say, she is not here. Let me return.'

Then the hyena said, 'Who is seeking me?' The jackal said, 'I am seeking you. Some cow died, a very fat one, I cut off a big lump and have brought it to you, but these boys are saying you are not here.' And the hyena said, 'There is no God but Allah! you have seen, worthless fellows. I was asleep and was sought for, (and) you say I am not here.' So the hyena came out.

When she came out she said, 'Here I am.' The jackal said, 'Take (it), taste.' She received (the meat), swallowed it; she did not give to her children. She said, 'Let us be off.' They took the road, they were going along; the hyena was in front a long way, the jackal behind. Then she said, 'You cannot walk, mount me (and) let us get along quickly.'

The jackal mounted her, they were going along; they come across the saddle-cloth. The jackal said, 'Let me spread this thing on your back, the hair on your back is getting ruffled.' And she said, 'Do it quickly and let us get on.' The jackal lifted and spread it. He mounted, they were going along.

They came across the bit, when the jackal said, 'Let me lift up this thing and put it in your mouth; perhaps it will be better for me to hold.' She said, 'Put it on quickly and let us get on.' The jackal put on the bit (and) mounted.

They were going along; they came across the spurs. He dismounted, picked up the spurs, (and) put them on his feet, (and) mounted.

They were going along, they were near the doctor, when the hyena said, 'You must not take this way.' The jackal replied, 'This is where the meat is.' The hyena said, 'Let us make a detour thus.' They have turned off another way, which the jackal knew, and got opposite to where the doctor was, when he turned the bit towards where the doctor was and struck her with the spurs.

Then the hyena sprang forward, saying, 'Uu, uu.' They did not pull up till (they reached) where the doctor was. The jackal pulled up in front of the doctor, dismounted, and said, 'Doctor, behold your debtor. Rise up, mount, and do not get off until you reach where you are going.
 If you dismount, even at the water, do not say she is to be taken to the stream.' The doctor replied, 'I have heard.'

The doctor mounted, (and) did not get down till he had reached Mecca. Then he dismounted and gave (the hyena) to (some) boys to hold, saying, 'You must not mount, you must not take her to the stream.' The doctor entered the mosque, they were praying. Then the boys mounted, (and) went off with her to the stream. When they got behind the town then they galloped. The hyena carried them off, and entered the bush with them, and ran until she threw them and went her own way. (Then) the doctor came out of the mosque; he did not see the boys, he did not see the hyena.

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.


10. A story about a chief and his cook

This is a story about (a chief) Garnakaki.

A certain very powerful chief one day struck camp to go to war. He had a certain cook, (and) he had a wife, this chief, whom he loved. Everything the chief had was in this wife's possession. The cook was after this woman, and she also loved him, until one day the chief was secretly informed. The chief seized the cook (and) put him in prison.

Now he, the chief, was very fond of the cook, so he said he was to be taken out. He was taken out and brought forward. The chief said, 'In spite of all if you give up my wife, you may return and continue cooking food.' And he said, 'I shall. leave her.' Truly it was a lie.

Time went on, (and) he was cooking food for the chief. Of a truth they were together, (he) and this woman, (and) they were sinning against the chief, until (one day) they got medicine, (and) put it in the chief's food. The chief ate and died.

This woman took possession of much of the chief's property and much of the chief's money. She gave him (the cook) (them) secretly (and) no one knew, until they had finished taking everything. Then she came forward and married him. That was the origin of the saying, 'Love him who loves you, leave him who hates you, lest he give you medicine to eat (and) you die.'

Off with the rat's head.

11. A story about three youths all skilled in certain things, and how they used that skill to circumvent a difficulty.

This tale is about (some) youths.

Certain young men went to an outlying village where some young girls were. They went on, and came to a stream; there was (practically) no water on the road; the water came (only) up to their ankles. They passed on.

They came to where the maidens were, and came and greeted them, and carried them off. They came to the stream and found it full up with water. (Then) they said, 'Ah (when) we passed this water it was not so,' and they said, 'How is this?' One among them said, 'Let us turn back.' The rest said, 'No, we do not go back.' Now they were three, the king of wrestlers, the king of bowmen, and the king of prayer.

(And) they said, 'Let each try and get out of the difficulty by resorting to his own particular skill.'

They said, 'Let the one who is strong in prayer commence.' So he prostrated himself, spat on his staff (and) struck the water; (and) the water opened, and he with his maiden passed over. Then the water returned to where it was.

Next the prince of bowmen drew out his arrows from his quiver, he set them in a line on the water, from one bank to another, he returned and lifted up his maiden. They stepped on the arrows, (and) passed over. Then he came back, (and) picked up his arrows.

There remained the king of wrestlers. He too sought for what he should do; he could not find a way. He tried this way, (and) failed, he made that plan (and) failed, until he was weary. Then he got in a rage, (and) seized his maiden, and with a wrestling trick twisted his leg round hers (and) they jumped, (and) rose in the air, (and) did not fall, except on the edge of the (far) bank.

Now among them who was better than another? If you do not know who was least, there you are.

Off with the rat's head.
 

12. A story about a giant, and the cause of thunder

This story is about a forest giant, about him and a man called, A-Man-among-Men.

A story, a story. Let it go, let it come.

There was a certain man by name, A-Man-among-Men, always when he came from the bush he used to lift up a tree (and) come, (and) throw (it down), and say, 'I am A-Man-among-Men.' His wife said, 'Come now, leave off saying you are a-man-among-men; if you saw a-man-among-men you would run.' But he said, 'It is a lie.'

Now it was always so, if he has brought in wood, then he would throw it down with force, (and) say, 'I am A-Man-among-Men.' The wife said, 'Come now, leave off saying so; if you have seen a man-among-men, you would run.' But he said, I It is a lie.'

Now one day his wife went to the stream. She came to a certain well; the well bucket, ten men were (necessary to) draw it up. She came, (but) had to do without the water, so she turned back. She was going home, when she met another woman (who) said, 'Where are you going with a calabash, with no water?' She said, 'I have come and seen a bucket there. I could not draw it; that is what caused me to turn back home.' And this (second) woman, who had this (a) son, said, 'Let us return that you may find (water).' She said, 'All right.'

So they returned together to the well. This woman, who had the son, told the boy to lift the bucket and draw water. Now the boy was small, not past the age when he was carried on his mother's back. Then he lifted the bucket then and there, and put it in the well, (and) drew up the water. They filled their large water-pots, they bathed, they washed their clothes, they lifted up the water to go home. This one was astonished.

Then she saw that one who had the boy has turned off the path and was entering the bush. Then the wife of (him called) A-Man-among-Men said, 'Where are you going?' She said to her, 'I am going home, where else?' She said, 'Is that the way to your home?' She said, 'Yes.' She said, 'Whose home is it?' She said, 'The home of A-Man-among-Men.'

Then she was silent; she did not say anything till she got home. She told her husband. He said that to-morrow she must take him (there). She replied, 'May Allah give us a to-morrow.' Next morning he was the first to get up from sleep. He took the weapons of the chase and slung them over his shoulder. He put his axe on his shoulder and wakened her (his wife) from sleep. He said, 'Get up, let us go. Take me that I may see, that I may see the (one called) A-Man-among-Men.'

She got up, lifted her large water-pot, and passed on in front. He was following her until they got to the edge of the well. Now they found what they sought indeed. (As) they were coming, the wife of A-Man-among-Men came up, both she and her son. They greeted her, and the wife of this one showed him the bucket (and) said, 'Lift it and draw water for me.'

So he went and lifted the bucket in a rage and let it down the well; but the bucket pulled him, (and) he would have fallen into the well, when the little boy seized him, both him and the bucket, and drew (out) and threw them on one side. Then the boy lifted up the bucket, put it in the well, drew water, and filled their water-pots.

His wife said, 'You have said you are going to see him called A-Man-among-Men. You have seen this is his wife and son. If you still want to go you can go together. As for me, I am not going.' The boy's mother said, 'Oh, what is the matter? You had better not come.' (But) he said he would come; and she said, 'Let us be off.' They set out.

When they arrived (at the house) then she showed him a place for storing meat, (and) he got inside. Now he, the master of the house, was not at home; he has gone to the bush. She (his wife) said, 'You have seen he has gone to the bush; but you must not stir if he has come.' He sat inside till evening came.

The master of the house came. He keeps saying, 'I smell the smell of a man.' His wife said, 'Is there another person here? It is not is not I.' Thus, if he said he smelled the smell of a man, then she would say, 'Is there another person here. Is it not I? If you want to eat me up, well and good, for there is no one else but I.'

Now he was a huge man, his words like a tornado; ten elephants he would eat. When dawn came, he made his morning meal of one; then he went to the bush, and if he should see a person there he would kill him.

Now he (A Man-among-Men) was in the store-house, hidden. The man's wife told him, saying, 'You must not move till he is asleep. If you have seen the place dark, he is not asleep; if you have seen the place light, that is a sign he is asleep; come out and fly.' Shortly after he saw the place has become light like day, so he came out.

He was running, he was running, until dawn, he was running, till the sun rose he was running, he did not stand. Then that man woke up from sleep and he said, 'I smell the smell of a man, I smell the smell of a man.' He rose up, he followed where the man had gone. He was running. He also, the other one, was running till he met some people who were clearing the ground for a farm, (and) they asked what had happened. And he said, 'Some one chased (is chasing) me.' They said, 'Stand here till he comes.'

A short time passed, and the wind caused by him came; it lifted them (and) cast them down. And he said, 'Yes, that is it, the wind he makes (running); he himself has not yet come. If you are able (to withstand him) tell me. If you are not able, say so.' And they said, 'Pass on.'

So he ran off, and came and met some people hoeing. They said, 'What chased (is chasing) you?' He replied, 'Some one pursued (is pursuing) me.' They said, 'What kind of a man chased (is chasing) (one) such as you.' He said, 'Some one who says he is A-Man-among-Men. They said, 'Not a man-among-men, a man-among-women. Stand till he comes.'

He stood. Here he was when the wind of him came, it was pushing about the men who were hoeing. So he said, 'You have seen, that is the wind he makes; he has not yet come himself If you are a match for him tell me; if not say so.' And they said, 'Pass on'; and off he ran. He was running. He came across some people sowing; they said, 'What are you running for?' He said, 'Some one chased (is chasing) me.' And they said, 'What kind of a man is it who chased (is chasing) the like of you?' He said, 'His name is A-Man-among-Men.' They said, 'Sit here till he comes.' He sat down.

In a short time the wind he made came (and) it lifted them and cast them down. And they said, 'What kind of wind is that?' He, the man who was being pursued, said, 'It is his wind.' And they said, 'Pass on.' They threw away the sowing implements, (and) went into the bush (and) hid,
 but that one was running on.

He came (and) met a certain huge man; he was sitting alone at the foot of a baobab tree. He had killed elephants and was roasting them, as for him, twenty elephants he could eat; in the morning he broke his fast with five. His name was 'The Giant of the Forest.'

Then he questioned him and said, 'Where are you going in all this haste?' And he said, 'A-Man-among-Men chased (is chasing) me.' And the Giant of the Forest said, 'Come here, sit down till he comes.' He sat down. They waited a little while. Then a wind made by A-Man-among-Men came, and lifted him, (and) was about to carry him off, when the Giant of the Forest shouted to him to come back. And he said, 'It is not I myself who am going off, the wind caused by the man is taking me away.' At that the Giant of the Forest got in a rage, he got up and caught his hand, and placed it under his thigh.

He was sitting until A-Man-among-Men came up and said, 'You sitting there, are you of the living, or of the dead?' And the Giant of the Forest said, 'You are interfering.' And A-Man-among-Men said, 'If you want to find health give up to me what you are keeping there.' And the Giant of the Forest said, 'Come and take (him).' And at that he flew into a rage and sprang and seized him. They were struggling together.

When they had twisted their legs round one another they leaped up into the heavens. Till this day they are wrestling there; when they are tired out they sit down and rest; and if they rise up to struggle that is the thunder you are wont to hear in the sky; it is they struggling.

He also, that other one, found himself (escaped), and went home, and told the tale. And his wife said, 'That is why I was always telling you whatever you do, make little of it. Whether it be you excel in strength, or in power, or riches, or poverty, and are puffed up with pride, it is all the same; some one is better than you. You said, it was a lie. Behold, your own eyes have seen.'

Off with the rat's head.


13. A story about an orphan which was the origin of the saying 'The orphan with a coat of skin is hated, but when it is a metal one he is honoured'

This story is about orphans.

A story, a story. Let it go. Let it come.

A certain man died and left two sons, and their mothers, two women. Then among the mothers one fell sick. She was taking medicine for her illness, (but) it refused to mend. When she saw she was apparently going to die; then she said to her sister, that one (her late husband's) second wife, 'You have seen this illness of mine will not go away. I know I am going to die, when Allah, the exalted one, has taken my life from me, behold there is a son (lit. your son) I have left to you and put in your charge, for the sake of Allah and the prophets.' She said, 'It is well, I have heard.'

And it came to pass the day came when she died, and the boy had not reached an age when he had full knowledge. Then the funeral rites were completed. Some time passed after her death. Now her son and the son of the other (woman) possessed fowls, (and) were rearing them, he (had) one, (and) the orphan one.

One day she lifted a stick, and hit the orphan's (fowl) on purpose, (and) killed it (when) he was not at home. When he returned he saw his hen dead; he did not say anything except 'Alas! Allah, the powerful one, to-day my hen has died.' Then he picked it up, (and) plucked it, (and) put it on the fire, and prepared it well, (and) placed a pot on the fire, (and) cooked it thoroughly. He took it up, (and) went (with it) to the market.

Whoever came and said he wanted to buy it, he would answer he would not sell it, except for a horse. Then the chief's son carne, the one the chief loved; he too was quite a little boy. He was mounted on a powerful horse; and he said the flesh of this hen was what he wanted and it must be sold to him. But the orphan said, if he did not give him the horse, as for him, no one would eat his meat. So he was given the horse, (and) the chief's son the meat, and the former took his horse home.

But his mother said, 'Take your horse (and) put it in this house, and close up the door with earth; in about seven days, if you open it, you will see it has become fat enough to burst its house.' Her idea was if he did so it (the horse) would be dead. Now the boy thought this was true, so he put the horse in the house, and plastered up the door. When about ten days had elapsed, he opened the door, and he saw his horse had become fat.

But his step-mother got black of heart because the horse did not die. Well, things went on, and one day she said, 'To-day there are no grain-stalks to cook with.' He must sell his horse and buy stalks of grain. But he said, 'Oh my mother, why must the horse be sold to buy stalks of grain?' She said, 'Because I am not your mother, because of that do you argue with me?' He said, 'I am not disputing, I shall go and seek the grain stalks.' She said, 'Stop! If you do not sell the horse leave things as they are.' And the orphan said, 'It cannot be helped.'

He went and sold. the horse and received the grain stalks, (and) brought them to her. She burned all the stalks; she did not leave any at all, except three very small pieces which were left. He picked them up, sewed a little bag and tied them inside.

Another day he rose up and went to another village for a walk, and climbed up on the fetish altar. They saw him, (and) seized him, (and) said they would cut (his throat). But he said, 'I have heard the news that your chief is blind, and for that reason I came to make medicine for him. If you don't want (me to) then kill me.' But they said, 'We wish (it).'

So he was brought to the chief's house and given a hut. When night came he lifted up his grain stalks; these which the fire had left. He set fire to one (stalk) and walked round the back of the chief's house till it died out. And the chief began to see a very little. Then he lit another, when it was finished (burned out), then both the chief's eyes opened. Thereupon they gave him honour.

At dawn the chief assembled the people (and) said, I You have seen the boy has made medicine for me. My eyes are healed, and I shall give him half of the town to rule over.' But he (the boy) answered, I am only a trader, passing, and I do not rule.' They said, If you will not rule, take whatever you wish and go.'

So he took slaves, and cattle, and everything beautiful, and went off with them, and entered (his) town with them. The people were astonished. But his step-mother said, 'Come, let us go to the road by the stream, I have seen a rat enter a hole; you dig it for me to make soup.' And he said, 'Come now, my mother, what kind of meat (is a rat's)? Behold guinea-fowls, and hens, and rams.'

And she said, 'We all know you have wealth; as for me though, rat's meat is what I want.' So he said, 'There is no harm in that. Let us go, you show me.' Now really she has seen it was a snake's hole (but she told him this) in order that she might bring him trouble.

Now a big slave of his rose up (to accompany him). She said, 'Sit down, I have seen you are the owner of slaves, but it is you alone we (1) will go with. If you will not come, then stay.' So he told his slaves to sit down and he would go (alone). They sat down. They set off, (he) and his step-mother. She went and showed him the hole.

When he was about to dig, then she said, 'Put down your hoe (and) push in your hand.' So he put in (his) hand and drew out a bracelet. He said, 'There it is.' She said, 'That is not it. A rat, I said, was there.' So he put in his hand again and drew out a golden bangle. But she got angry and went back home. She called her own son; he came, whereupon she said he must put in his hand and catch a rat for her. On putting in his hand a snake bit his hand, and they carried him
 home. He died before they reached home. She also died in three days.

The orphan inherited the house (property). This is the origin of the saying, 'The orphan with the cloak of skin is hated, but when it is a metal one he is looked (favourably) on.'

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.
 

14. A story of a jealous man and what befell him

This is a story about a jealous man.

A story, a Story. Let it go. Let it come.

There was a certain man who used to live in a town, but afterwards he rose up and went to the bush, lest people might go after his wives, until one day the chief of the town heard about him and he said, 'He who goes and seduces his wives, if he comes (to me) I will give him a horse, and a cloak, and one hundred thousand cowries.'

Then a certain man said he would be the one to go and lie with his wife before his eyes. Then he went off and sought some baobab seeds. He opened them, (and) cleaned out the inside well; he sought for some very small pieces of money and poured them inside. He went, reached (the place where the man was) (and) gave him a present of them.

When he broke (one) open he saw the small money inside. He broke another also, (and) in the same way broke open another. And he said, I My friend, will you not show me where this baobab tree is?' He replied, The place where this baobab tree is is far away.' (And) he said, Take me (to it).' And he said, 'It cannot be climbed except by a ladder, (and) no one knows where it is save me.'

And he continued to entreat him; and at last the seducer said, I Let us go, I will take you there, but if it was not for you, I would not show any one the place.' So they set out along with his wife. When they came to the baobab tree then the seducer lifted the ladder and placed it (against the tree), (and) told the woman's husband to climb up. So up he climbed.

When he had finished climbing, then he lifted away the ladder, (and) carried it somewhere else (and) set it down, (and) came back. He seized the wife and threw her down. He did what he intended, the woman's husband looking on (and) not able to descend; but he said, 'I shall spit on you, I shall spit on you,' until they had finished what they were doing.

The seducer went his way. He came, (and) told the chief what they had done. The chief gave him his reward, and added to his gifts. He said, 'That's the medicine he required.' As for the (jealous) man, his wife with difficulty lifted the ladder, (and) brought it to him, (and) he descended. On his return home he collected all his goods, (and) returned (to live) in the town. He said, 'My jealousy dragged me into this; if I remain here, people will destroy me.'

That is the story.

Off with the rat's head.


15. A story of a great friendship and how it was put to the test

This story is about some young men who were friends.

Some boys made a covenant of friendship; they lived together, (and) were inseparable. They had their maidens in an outlying village. Always they used to go together (and) bring them. On one occasion, one of his friends did not go, so only one went to bring the maidens. When he went, he brought back the maids.

(As) they were going along, they met a lion; and it knocked down and lay on one of the girls, but he, he drew his sword and cut at the lion's head. The lion died, and he found the maiden was not dead. And he told her to lie down beneath the lion along with him, and one of them was to go and tell his friend.

So she consented, (and) ran off (and) found he has begun to sleep. She roused him, (and) he said, 'Where are So-and-so and So-and-so?' And she said, 'They are out there, a lion has killed them.' And he rose up, he did not take anything with him, he went along and came and reached (where) the lion was; it was above them.

He did not hesitate, but sprang and climbed on the lion. He thought it was alive. Truly it was dead. Then his friend rose up and said, 'Rise, So-and-so, you have proved yourself (a free-born) man.' So they lifted up the maiden (and) went home.

Now among them who was better than another?

If you do not know, there it is.

Off with the rat's head.

16. A story about a test of skill

This story is about a (test of) skill.

A story, a story.

A certain chief begat children, three males. One day his councillors assembled. He said he himself wished to see the most skilled among them. There was a huge baobab tree (near) the entrance to the chief's house. He said he wanted them to mount (their) horses, (and) come (and) show their skill, where this baobab tree was.

So they mounted their chargers, (and) went far away. The eldest galloped (and) came, (and) thrust that baobab with (his) spear. The spear went right through and he followed, passing through the hole made by the spear, with his horse. And he passed on.

The next to follow the eldest came on. When he was near to the baobab tree he lifted his horse (on the bit) and jumped the baobab.

When the youngest galloped, he came, (and) pulled up the whole baobab, roots and all, and came on waving it aloft at his father, and the place rang with applause.

Now I ask you who excelled among them. If you do not know, that is all.

Off with the rat's head.


17. A story about Miss Salt, Miss Pepper, &c.

This story is about Salt, and Daudawa (sauce) and Nari (spice), and Onion-leaves, and Pepper and Daudawar-batso (a sauce).

A story, a story! Let it go, let it come.

Salt, and Daudawa, and Ground-nut, and Onion-leaves, and Pepper, and Daudawar-batso heard a report of a certain youth, by name Daskandarini. Now he was a beautiful youth, the son of the evil spirit. They (all) rose up, (and) turned into beautiful maidens, (and) they set off. As they (Salt, Onion-leaves, &c.) were going along, Daudawar-batso followed them.

They drove her off, telling her she stank. But she crouched down until they had gone on. She kept following them behind, until they reached a certain stream. (There) they came across an old woman; she was bathing. She said they must rub down her back for her, but this one said, 'May Allah save me that I should lift my hand to touch an old woman's back.' And the old woman did not say anything more.

They passed on, and soon Daudawar-batso came, (and) met her washing. She greeted her, (and) she answered (and) said, 'Maiden, where are you going?' She replied, 'I am going to where a certain youth is.' (And) she (the old woman) said, 'Rub my back for me!' She said, 'All right.' She stopped, (and) rubbed her back well for her. The old woman said, 'May Allah bless you.' And she said, 'This youth to whom you are (all) going to, have you known his name?' She said, 'No, we do not know his name.'

Then the old woman said, 'He is my son, his name is Daskandarini, but you must not tell them.' Then she ceased. She was following them far behind till they got to the place where the boy was. They were about to enter, but he said, 'Go back, (and) enter one at a time.' They said, 'It is well,' and returned. And then Salt came forward, (and) was about to enter, little girl, go back.' She turned back. So Daudawa came forward.

When she was about to enter, she was asked, 'Who are you?' She said,'It is I.' 'Who are you? What is your name?' 'My name is Daudawa, who makes the soup sweet.' And he said, 'What is my name?' She said, 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' He said, 'Turn back, little girl, turn back.' She turned back, (and) sat down.

Then Nari (spice) rose up and came forward, (and) she was about to enter when she was asked, 'Who is this little girl? Who is this?' She said, 'It is I who greet you, little boy,
 it is I who greet you.''What is your name, little girl, what is your name?' 'My name is Nari, who makes the soup savoury.' 'I have heard your name, little girl, I have heard your name. Speak my name.' She said, 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' 'Turn
 back, little girl, turn back.' So she turned back, (and) sat down.

Then Onion-leaves rose and came up, and she stuck her head (into the room) and was asked, 'Who is this little girl, who is this? It is I who salute you, little boy, it is I who salute you.' What is your name, little girl, what is your name? My name is Onion-leaves, who makes the soup smell nicely.' He said, 'I have heard your name, little girl. What is my name?' She said, 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' 'Turn back, little boy (girl), turn back.' So she turned back.

Now Pepper came along; she said, 'Your pardon, little boy, your pardon.' She was asked who was there. She said, 'It is I, Pepper, little boy, it is I, Pepper, who make the soup hot.' 'I have heard your name, little girl, I have heard your name. Tell (me) my name, little girl, tell (me) my name.' 'I do not know your name, little boy, I do not know your name.' He said, 'Turn back, little maid, turn back.'

There was only left Daudawar-batso, and they said, 'Are not you coming?' She said, 'Can I enter the house where such good people as you have gone, (and) been driven away? Would not they the sooner (drive) me out who stink?' They said, 'Rise up (and) go.' So she got up (and) went. He asked her, 'Who is there, little girl, who is there?' And she said, 'It is I who am greeting you, little boy, it is I who am greeting you.' 'What is your name, little girl, what is your name?' 'My name is Batso, little boy, my name is Batso, which makes the soup smell.' He said, 'I have heard your name, little girl, I have heard your name. There remains my name to be told.' She said, 'Daskandarini, little boy, Daskandarini.' And he said, 'Enter.'

A rug was spread for her, clothes were given to her, and slippers of gold; and then (of) these who had driven her away one said, 'I will always sweep for you'; another, 'I will pound for you.'
 Another said, 'I will see about drawing water for you'; and another, 'I will pound (the ingredients) of the soup'; and another, 'I will stir the food.' They all became her handmaids.

And the moral of all this is, if you see a man is poor do not despise him; you do not know but that some day he may be better than you.

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.

18. The story of Muusa (Moses) and how it came about that brothers and sisters do not marry each other

This story is about (a boy called) Musa.

A story, a story. Let it go. Let it come.

A certain chief begat children, two in number, a girl and a boy. They grew up. A husband was found for her, the daughter, (but) she said she did not want him; only her big brother she loved. If she was told to go and call Musa, then she went, (and) said, 'What's-your-name, they say you are to come.' And it was always so, (till) one day her brother said, 'I shall cure her of that.' (Lit. I shall make its medicine.)

There was a small stream at their village, the children used to bathe in it when the sun was up; there was a tree in the middle of the stream at their village where the girls used to fasten their little loincloths. And Musa waited in the meantime.

When they had come (and) entered the water (and) bathed they laid aside their loin-cloths at the water's edge. Then he (Musa), came and took them all away, and went and climbed the tree in the middle of the water (middle of the water), each one who came out did not see his (her) cloth, whereupon he (she) began to cry.

And Musa was up above and watching till they all came out. He said, 'All of you, see, your cloths are with me. Whoever calls out my name, I will give him (her) his (her) cloth; otherwise I will not give you.' Then one girl came forward. She said, 'You, Musa, you, Musa, Musa the spiteful one, Musa the son of chiefs, for Allah's sake, Musa, give me my loin-cloth.' And he gave her (it). And so on, and so on, until they all received from him their cloths, and there was only left his little sister.

And she was told, 'Go and get your cloth.' Now the water was up to the ankles. Then she entered the water (and) said, 'You, Musa, Musa, the spiteful one, Musa the son of chiefs, for Allah's sake, Musa, give me my loincloth.' But Musa said 'I do not give it to you till you have said it again, then I will give it to you.'

Now she has forgotten (for a minute that she would not say his name); when she remembered, then she said, 'You, What's-your-name, you, What's-your-name, What's-your-name the spiteful one, What's-your-name the son of chiefs, for the sake of Allah, What's-your-name, give me my cloth.'

But he said, 'I have refused to give you, I have refused to give you, till you say, You, Musa, you, Musa, Musa the spiteful one, Musa the son of chiefs, for the sake of Allah, Musa, give me my cloth.' Now by this time the water was up to her shins. Then she said, 'You, What's-your-name, you, What's-your-name, What's-your-name the spiteful one, What's-your-name the son of chiefs, for Allah's sake, What's-your-name, give me my loin-cloth.'

But now the water had reached her thighs. But Musa said, 'I have refused to give you unless you have said, You, Musa, Musa the spiteful one, Musa the son of chiefs, for the sake of Allah, Musa, give me my cloth.' She said, 'You, What's-your-name, you, What's-your-name, What's -your-name, the spiteful one, What's-your-name the son of chiefs, for the sake of Allah, What's your name, give me my loin-cloth.'

But Musa said, 'I have refused to give you, I have refused to give you, unless you say, You, Musa, you, Musa, Musa the spiteful one, Musa the son of chiefs, for the sake of Allah, Musa, give me my cloth.' And the water reached to her breasts, but she said, 'You, What's-your-name, you, What's-your-name, What's-your- name, the spiteful, What's-your-name the son of chiefs, for Allah's sake, What's -your-name, give me my cloth.'

But Musa said, 'I have refused to give you till you have called out my name.' And the water was up to her neck. And they said, 'Speak his name; if you do not speak the water will swallow you up.' Now the water was trying hard to reach her chin. Then she said, I You, Musa, you, Musa, Musa the spiteful one, Musa the son of chiefs, for the sake of Allah, Musa, give me my cloth.' But he said, 'Repeat it.' She said it (again).. He said, 'Again.' She repeated it, until three times. He said, 'Are you going to say again that I am your husband?' She said, 'No.' 'Do you want the husband whom you have been given?' She said, 'Yes.'

This was the beginning (of the custom) that a brother should not marry his sister.

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.
  

19. A story about a hunter and his son

This tale is about a hunter (lit. a shooter) and a chief.

There was once a certain man who had no other work but hunting, both he and his son. One day (he) they went to the bush with his son. They did not find anything but a rat, and his son threw the rat away. But they became hungry (and) the father said, 'Roast our rat for me, (and) let us eat.' The boy said, 'Oh, but I have thrown it away.' The father said, '. . .' (cursing him), (and) the father lifted (his) axe and struck the boy; he fainted.

He (the father) went his way, (and) left him. The boy came round, he rose up, and went home by night. He found them asleep, so he entered the room and lifted his belongings. He took the road, (and) was going to a certain town. When he reached the town it was night; he entered into the town. Every one was asleep.

He proceeded into the middle of the town until he reached the chief's house. He entered until he was right in the house, (he was) naked, without clothes, without trousers, and he met the chief The chief said, 'From where?' (And) he replied, 'From such and such a village.' And the chief said, 'Is it well with you?'

The boy said, 'Both I and my father went to the bush to walk and shoot. We did not find anything but one single rat, he gave (it) me to keep, I forgot it somewhere. When we became hungry, then he said, Bring the rat that we may roast it and eat. And I said, I have dropped it, I do not know where. Thereupon he became angry. He lifted his axe (and) struck me. I fainted. When evening came then I recovered (and) rose up, (and) came here.'

Now the chief had gone to war, and his son had been captured and killed. The chief had no male child. And the chief said, I Now will you not keep a secret for me?' The boy said, 'What kind of a secret?' The chief said, 'I have no male child, when dawn comes I shall say you are my son, who was caught at the war, and that you ran away and came back.' The boy said, 'That is surely not difficult.'

(Then) the chief entered his room (and) took up his gun (and) fired it (it was) in the middle of the night. And 'the mother of the house' came out (and) said, 'King, lion who causes fear, what is the gun you are firing in the night?' The chief said, 'So-and-so has returned.' Thereupon the mother of the house raised the sound of joy, and the town rose up, (and) they were asking, 'What had happened at the chief's house, (seeing that) they are firing a gun at this time of night?' (And) they said that the chief's son had come, he who had been caught at the war.' And they said, 'Indeed! indeed!'

When it was dawn the boy bathed (and) the chief gave him (gifts) goods (and) he came forth. (Among) the councillors some said, 'It is not his son.' Others said, 'It is his son.' Now one day the head-men joined their heads together, (and) said, 'Wait, and we shall see if it is (really) his son.' Then they added goods (presents) to those their children already had, (and) they put the saddles on the war-horses for them. (And) they (the children) mounted, (and the fathers) said to them, 'Go to the chief's house and call his son, and say you are going to take horse exercise.'

And they said, 'When you have gone and galloped and pulled up, you must dismount, (and) kill your horses, (and) come home.' (And) each one gave his son a sword (and) he slung it on his shoulder, (and) they came to the chief's house and called the boy.

Now truly some tale-bearer has overheard, (and) he went and told the chief. The chief made similar preparation (horse, &c.) and put the things aside, (and) said, 'If the naked man can dance, much more can the man with the cloak.' The chief called the boy, (and) told him, (and) said, 'When you have gone, everything you see they have done, do you also do.' So the boys came, (and) called the son of the chief, (and) they set off.

As they went they galloped; then they dismounted (and) killed their horses. So the son of the chief he too galloped, pulled up, dismounted, (and) killed his horse. They went home. And the head-men said, 'It is a lie, to-morrow you go back.' When it was dawn they came (and) called him. The chief caused (his) body-guard to fasten the saddle on a great horse for him. They went off; as they went they galloped. Then they dismounted, (and) killed their horses.

The chief's son also, when he had galloped, then he killed his horse, (and) they returned home. Then the sub-chiefs gave their sons slaves, beautiful maidens, (and) said, 'Take them to the midst of the bush (and) slaughter them.' The tale-bearer (again) went and informed the chief, and the chief gave his son two female slaves, he said, 'Go, whatever you see they have done, do you do too.'

They went to the bush. The sons of the head-men killed their female slaves (and) the chief's son also killed his, (and) they returned home. And they said, 'It is his son.' And so time went on,
 till one day the boy's father came; he was carrying his quiver slung. He met the councillors; he heard all he wished to know, (and) then passed on till (he came) before the chief.

He greeted them; the boy was sitting (by his side); and he said, 'Are you not going to get up that we may go and dig for our rats?' The boy was silent. Then the chief rose up, (and) entered the house, (and) called them. He said, 'Hunter, keep the secret for me, and whatever you wish I will give you.' The hunter refused. The chief entreated him. The chief said, 'Everything in the world I will give you, one hundred of each.' But the hunter refused.

The chief said, 'Saddle up for me.' They saddled, they saddled (a horse) for the boy. The chief gave the boy a sword, (and) slung it across his shoulder. They went off to the bush. The chief halted (and) said to the boy, 'Either you kill me, (and) take these goods (horse, &c.), (and) give to your father, (and) return to the town, (and) enter into your (kingship) world, or you kill your father, (and) you and I will go back and live (as before).'

The boy was distracted, (not knowing what to do). Now if it were you, O white man, among them whom would you kill?

If you do not know whom you would kill, there it is.

Off with the rat's head.
 

20. A story about a maiden and the pumpkin

This is a story about a pumpkin and a maiden.

There was a certain man by name Alabarma, a rich man. He had much money, (but) he had not any children. But among his concubines was one called Watapansa, (and) she had given birth to one daughter; and he, Alabarma, did not wish anything to touch this little girl.

Now the girl's name was Furaira. And one day her mother took her on her back and they went off to the bush in order that she might ease herself. And Furaira saw one young pumpkin, that was all she (the mother pumpkin) had; there was not another. And she, (the little girl) said, 'Alabarma (Watapansa?) pluck the baby pumpkin for me to play (with).'

But Alabarma (Watapansa?) said, 'Come now, Furaira, how is this? One solitary baby pumpkin is there. See, there is its mother, (which) I will pluck and give you.' But Furaira began to cry and her mother Alabarma (Watapansa?) said, 'If you are going to cry you must just cry, but I am not going to pluck the solitary baby pumpkin to give you.'

They returned home, (and) the little girl continued weeping. Her father asked (the cause). Her mother told him from the beginning. And the little girl's father said, 'Go back, (and) pluck (it), -and give to her.' So she returned, (and) plucked it, (and) gave her. Then that day the baby pumpkin commenced to follow the maiden. It kept saying, 'Meat I must eat, Furaira, meat I must eat.'

And they came and bore witness to him saying, 'Look at Furaira, the baby pumpkin is following her (and) saying he must eat meat.' Alabarma said, 'Put it among the goats.' It (the pumpkin) was put among the goats. It ate them up. It was taken to some others. It ate them up. And so on till it had devoured three hundred and fifty flocks of goats. But the pumpkin returned and said, I Meat I must cat, Furaira, meat I must eat.'

They came and told her father and he said, 'Let it be taken to the sheep-fold.' It was taken, and ate up a flock of seven hundred sheep. It came back, (and) kept following the maiden, (and) saying, 'Meat I must eat, Furaira, meat I must eat.' And they said, 'It has eaten the flock of
 sheep, (and) has come back and is following her (the maiden).'

Her father said, 'Let it be taken to the cattle kraal.' It was taken to the cattle kraal. It ate up the whole kraal of cattle. It returned, (and) was following the maiden (and) saying, 'Meat I must eat, Furaira, meat I must eat.'

And they came and told her father, and he again said, 'Let it be taken to the camel kraal.' It was taken to the camel kraal; but it ate them up, (and) returned.It was following the maiden (and) saying, 'Meat I must eat, Furaira, meat I must eat.' And they said, I Let it be taken to the slaves' quarters.'

It was taken to the slaves' quarters, it ate them up; it returned, (and) was following the maiden, (and) saying, 'Meat I must eat, Furaira, meat I must eat.'

Her father said, 'Take it to the cattle grazing ground.' They took it to the grazing ground (and) it devoured all the people on the ground, (and) came back, (and) said, 'Meat I must eat, Furaira, meat I must eat.'

And so on, until it ate up all the people, cattle, goats, sheep, camels, horses, all it devoured, even the fowls, guinea-fowls, ducks, pigeons, everything (and) there remained only the master of the household. And it (the pumpkin) followed the maiden, and she ran, (and) went after her father, and her father said, 'There is nothing left but I myself. If it is I you would eat, take me, (and) eat me.'

And the baby pumpkin took him up and swallowed him; then it followed the maid. She fled, and came to the paschal ram of her father's. And it came on, (and) was about to seize the maiden, but the paschal ram sprang forward, (and) struck the young pumpkin with his horn. And thereupon it split open, and sheep, and goats, and cattle, all kept coming forth.

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.

  

21. The Gaawoo-tree and the maiden, and the first person who ever went mad

This story is about a 'gawo'-tree and a maiden.

There was a certain man, by name, Doctor Umaru, the husband of Ladi. He possessed two wives, one (called) Mowa, one (called) Baura. They both had children, girls. The one called Mowa, always, if she has swept, then she used to give (the sweepings) to her daughter, (and) she took them to where the gawo-tree was and threw (them) away.

Now the gawo-tree had some growth on it that looked like a person's navel, and if this maiden took the sweepings (there) she used to touch (it) and say, 'The gawo-tree with the navel.' And it was always so she used to do. One day she went, (and) threw out the sweepings, (and) then touched (the mark).

But the gawo-tree pulled himself out (of the ground) (and) followed her, (and) was saying, 'Of a morning it's, The gawo-tree with the navel; of an evening it's, The gawo-tree with the navel.' Then the maiden ran away, (and) the gawo-tree followed her. She came (and) met some people sowing, (and) they said, 'You, maiden, what is the matter?' She said, 'Something is following me.'

(And) they said, 'Sit down here till it comes. We will take the sowing implements, (and) beat him (and) kill (him).' They waited a little and then the gawo-tree came along. He was saying, 'In the morning it's, The gawo-tree with the navel; in the evening it's, The gawo-tree with the navel.' Thereupon the sowers said, 'Maiden, go further on.'

And the maiden ran on. She came and met some people hoeing, and they said, 'Maiden, what is the matter?' And she said, 'Something is following me.' (And) they said, 'Stand here, let him come. Can we not then lift our hoes, (and) hit him, (and) kill (him)?' They waited a little while, then the gawo-tree came towards them; he was saying, 'In the morning it's, The gawo-tree with the navel; in the evening it's, The gawo-tree with the navel; to-day you see the gawo-tree with the navel.' And they said, 'Maiden, pass on.'

So she passed on, and went and met some people ploughing. They were ploughing, and they said, 'You, maiden, what is the matter?' She replied, 'Something is following me.' And they said, 'Sit down here till he comes.' In a little while, then the gawo-tree came up; he was saying, 'In the morning it's, The gawo-tree with the navel; in the evening it's, The gawo-tree with the navel. To-day you see the gawo-tree with the navel.' Thereupon they said, 'Maiden, pass on.'

So the maiden ran on. Then she came (and) met a lizard; he was weaving- and was saying, 'Kiryan, not kiryan, throw to the right, throw to the left (of the shuttle).' And he said, 'You, maiden, where are you going (that) you are running (so)?' She said, 'Something is pursuing me.' He said, 'Wait here till it -comes.' The maiden nestled close up to the lizard, (who) was saying, 'Kiryan not kiryan, a cast to the right, a cast to the left,' until the gawo-tree came up.

He was saying, 'In the morning it's, The gawo-tree with the navel, in the evening it's, The gawo-tree with the navel; to-day you see the gawo-tree with the navel.' And the maiden said, 'See, there he is coming.' And the lizard said, 'Let him come, but if he has come, (and) I save (lit. separate) you from him, are you going to marry me?' She said, 'Yes.' Now the gawo-tree came up.

He said, 'Where is the thing I gave you to keep for me?' The lizard said, 'What did you give me?' The gawo-tree replied, 'The maiden who is behind you.' The lizard said, This (maid) is stronger than you.' And the gawo-tree said, Lizard, you are forward.' But the lizard replied, 'Ah! A man is like the little red peppers, not till you have touched (tasted) them do you know how hot they are.'

Then the gawo-tree got angry. He seized hold of the lizard. He swallowed him, but he came out of the gawo-tree's eyes. Then he caught him again (and) swallowed him, but he came out at his ears. Then he caught him again and swallowed him, but he came out of his breast. Then he caught him again and swallowed him, but the lizard came out at his navel.

And the gawo-tree fell down and died. And the lizard said, 'Rise up, and I shall accompany you home.' So she rose up. They went to their (her) home. He (the lizard) stood at the entrance to the door of the house, but she entered into the house and went about her affairs. They asked her, 'Where did you go to?' She did not make any answer.

Then her father came out, (and) met a man sitting at the door of the house. And he said, 'Greetings. Are you well?' He replied, 'I and the maiden have come, and so on, and so, and so, and so (relating all that happened), we did with her.' And her father said, 'Oh, she did not talk about (it).' And he entered the house, (and) told the women. Then they said, 'How is it you came and did not say anything about it?' And she said, 'May Allah save me from marrying a lizard.'

Then her father went aside, (and) called Baura, (and) said, 'Will you not give me your daughter, to make a present of (to the lizard)?' And she said, 'As for that, O learned one, do I possess a daughter? No, you are a master of your own property. Call her (and) speak with her.' Then the Doctor called the maiden, and said, 'I wish to take you away and make a present of you. I have told your mother, (and) she said I must call you (and) tell you.' She replied, 'O learned father, no, it is not my mother who possesses me, it is you, you possess me. Be it a dog or a wild beast, take me and give to him. That is all I have to say.'

And her father said, 'May Allah bless you.' Then he came and told the lizard, in reality he was a chief's son. Then he went home (and) told his father, and his father said, 'Indeed!' And he gave him ten slaves, ten female slaves, ten cattle, and everything imaginable, ten of each, and took them to her (his future wife's) father's. Then he gave her clothes, (and) they came and were married, (and) he took away his bride.

Now their (the lizard's) father had a certain slave, by name Albarka, a leper, and he went to their house, and said he was in love with that one, whom they had given to the lizard (and who) had refused him. But her mother said to her, 'What will you do with a leper?' But her daughter said, 'I love him, he is the son of a chief, (in disguise).' So they said she was to be given to him. They were married (and all the ceremonies performed) even up to taking her to her husband's home; it was in the fields.

And (the pair) did not see any one, till one day the lizard, who had been given the daughter of Baura for a wife, said he was going for a walk round the farms. He mounted his horse amid clapping and sounds of joy. They came (and) he said, 'Is Albarka at home?' Then he (Albarka) came out (and) saw him, then he ran back in haste to the house (and) said, 'Bring out water for my master's son.' But the wife said, 'Your master?' He replied, 'Yes.' 'You are infleed a slave?' He said, 'Yes.' Now she was pounding, then she put down the pestle. She was with child. Then she entered the bush.

That was the first person who went to the bush (became mad).

That is all.

Off with the rat's head.

Kupe's travels around Aotearoa
The great battle between Kupe, his warriors, and the giant wheke (octopus) of Muturangi took place at the top of the South Island. Kupe's children, wife, and other whānau members stayed at Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), to gather supplies and to keep safe from what Kupe knew would be a fierce sea battle.
And dangerous it was. His huge ocean sailing vessel, Matahorua, was almost capsized, which would surely have been the end of Kupe and his crew. But Kupe's quick thinking saved the day. By throwing calabashes into the sea to imitate bodies, he tricked the giant wheke. And when it emerged from the depths, Kupe leapt onto its head and struck the blow that ended its life. Arapaoa was the name given to that fatal blow, and that was the first name given to the South Island of Aotearoa.
When Kupe returned to Te Whanganui-a-Tara, he was met with great surprise and joy. His daughters were so sure that he had been defeated by the wheke that they had slashed their chests in mourning. So the rocks of that area were stained red with blood and are still known today as Pari Whero (Red Rocks).
After resting at Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Kupe and his whānau set sail once more. Before they left, Kupe named the two islands in the harbour after his daughters – Matiu (Somes Island) and Makaro (Ward Island).
They then travelled around the south coast, stopping firstly at a place to gather shell fish. There they used bull kelp to make containers for storing food. That place (Sinclairs Head) was named Rimu Rapa, meaning 'flattened seaweed'.
After they had gathered supplies, they continued up the west coast to Porirua where they stopped at an island off the coast. Matiu, Kupe's daughter, was so pleased that they had successfully crossed the great ocean of Kiwa and that her father had defeated the giant wheke, that she suggested naming the island Te Mana-o-Kupe-ki-Aotearoa. Kupe agreed and the island is still known today as Mana Island.
While exploring the harbour at Porirua, Kupe saw a large white stone in the water, which he retrieved to use as another anchor stone for their waka Matahorua. The new anchor was named Hukatai because of its white colour.
They then travelled south to Arapaoa (South Island) to find out how plentiful the resources were and whether or not other people lived there. Their journey along the West Coast brought them to a river that Kupe named Arahura, meaning 'the way opened up'.
They didn't discover other people, but they did find a stone they had never seen before. Plentiful in the rivers of the south, the beautiful pounamu (greenstone) was recognised not only for its beauty but also for its tool making properties. One particular type of pounamu had flecks of white running through it, which were likened to the inanga (whitebait) they were catching in their nets. Kupe's wife, Hine-te-uira-i-waho named that type of greenstone Inanga for that reason.

The travellers then continued down the West Coast until there was no more land to discover, and so they came around the southern coast of the South Island. There they saw many seals and penguins. Kupe said to his travelling companion Hine-waihau, "Leave your pets here to dwell at this end of the island, for there are surely no people here".
So the seals and penguins were left to inhabit the southern end of Arapaoa, which is now called Te Waipounamu or Te Waka-a-Māui.
Kupe and his travelling companions then sailed back to Te Ika-a-Māui (North Island) and continued their journey back up the western coast. They passed by Mana Island and Kapiti Island on the side closest to the shore, and so it was said that Kupe severed these islands from the mainland. This occurrence was recorded in song and handed down through the generations.
They sailed further north up the coast and stopped at the mouth of the Whanganui river. Because it was so windy there, Kupe named that place Te Kaihau-o-Kupe (Kupe's windeating).
While exploring the Whanganui river, one of Kupe's crew was drowned crossing the river to gather korau (wild cabbage). His name was Pawa, and so that place was named Kauarapawa.
They left the Whanganui river and continued up the coast to Pātea, where Kupe planted karaka seeds. Later, when he had returned safely to Hawaiki, Kupe recalled this part of his journey to Turi. In years to come, Turi captained the waka Aotea and eventually settled his people in the Pātea area.
Kupe continued up the coast of Te Ika-a-Māui until they came to the Hokianga harbour, which was so bountiful with sea life that Kupe's daughter Hine-te-uira asked if they could take possession of that place. Kupe agreed, and the tohunga recited their karakia and placed a stone of urutapu (named Tamahaere) at the harbour's entrance. This was a very sacred ceremony and that particular place is still known to be tapu to this day.
The travellers feasted in celebration at a place called Tarata-rotorua, then readied themselves for the long journey back to Hawaiki. Hokianga means 'the returning place', and was so named because Kupe and his whānau departed from that area.
Once back in their homeland, Kupe was asked many questions about the land of the long white cloud. And so the stories of discovery and adventure were shared with the people of Hawaiki – stories of giant trees, mountain ranges, rivers full of fish and greenstone, and forests full of birds, some standing taller than a man.
So enticing were these stories that the people of Hawaiki wanted to see those places for themselves. Talk of following Kupe's travels to the distant shores of Aotearoa became a reality when new waka were built and many more people decided to leave Hawaiki to start a new life in the distant land.
This was the beginning of the migration of the Māori people from Hawaiki, and was made possible because Kupe had chased the giant wheke across the Pacific Ocean to discover a new and wonderful land called Aotearoa.

The tohunga
Once there was a tohunga, an old priest taught in the ways of the old whare wānanga. His house sat amongst the native bush which blanketed the hills rising high above a small sea side village.
The tohunga had had a long life, filled with magic and knowledge of the universe, of constellations, sea navigation, natural phenomena, trees, plants, and medicines. These were the special gifts handed down to him through a long line of tohunga schooled in the same way. But those times had passed and so had that type of education. People from the village didn't visit the old tohunga or ask for guidance any more. They no longer came to ask for medicines, fishing, or weather advice. These things they got from newspapers, TVs and radios. The old ways were no longer seen as a way of the future.
And so in the years that followed the changes to the small community continued to progress. A new shop was opened, new roads were built making access easier than it had ever been before and the local school had begun construction on a new school hall. The tohunga continued to practice in the old ways he'd been taught and to listen to the dreams he knew were messages of guidance from his ancestors.
Sometimes the tohunga came down to the village to get fish or to visit the new shop where he could buy the things he needed. He was always welcomed by the parents and older people of the community who knew who he was, but the children of the village had no idea.
Some of the children laughed at the way the old man walked and muttered to himself. They made up a game they called, 'Old man rorirori' and chased each other with their arms out stretched.
One morning Turi, a young boy, was playing the rorirori game with his cousins outside the shop. They had seen the old man buying bread. Turi's father, Tama, saw what his son and cousins were doing and told them off. He was so angry he made them sit on a stool outside the shop while they waited for the old man to finish buying his things. When the tohunga came out Tama approached him, greeted him with a hongi and gave him some fruit. The tohunga nodded and smiled then turned to the boys seated in front of him. He raised his hand in front of the boys, his fingers wide spread, and muttered to himself. Then he turned back towards the way he had come.
The children sat in silence. "What was he doing?" asked Turi. "He was putting a spell on us," said one of his cousins. They looked at each other wide eyed, checking themselves to see if anything had changed. Tama sat down beside them.
Tama explained, "He's like a doctor who knows many different things, like weather, navigation or medicines. His job in the old days was to help keep the community healthy and to predict what the future might bring. His powers are beyond anything we could imagine."
The children had a look of guilt and amazement on their faces.
"Do you think he would be angry at us?" Turi asked his father.
"I don't think so," his father replied. "He probably had other things on his mind."
"He could predict what the lotto numbers are," one of the girls added.
The children's eyes grew even larger.
"I don't think he's interested in money", said Tama, "and I'd be a bit more respectful next time you see him."
The children quickly agreed.                                                                                                                                                                                     
The tohunga was sad when he arrived back at his small home that evening. The only highlight for the day had been a hongi with a young man he didn't recognise and the faces of young children he knew were the future. Thoughts of the future brought with them a sadness the tohunga had tried to avoid.

It was coming close to the time of Matariki, when celebrations in the past had been a huge event. But those times had passed, people didn't celebrate the new year any more. Not the Māori New Year.
The tohunga felt tired and alone, he thought about his friends and relations who had passed on, he thought about his childhood, and the teachings of the old people. He then realised that his sadness came from the knowledge that these teachings would die with him. It was at that moment he decided that when Matariki first rose over the eastern horizon to herald the Maori New Year, he would set out on his own journey to the spirit world. This, he had decided, would be the time of his death.
Over the following weeks the tohunga walked the track that led from his small house to a place that he often visited. It was a huge clearing at the top of a cliff overlooking the village below and out towards the vast expanse of sea that met the horizon. During that time the tohunga prepared a bed of manuka and fern at this place, pointing it towards the sea where he knew Matariki would first appear. This was the place that he chose to take his last breath and leave the world he knew.
As the tohunga continued with his preparations so too did the small community prepare for the opening of their new school hall. Turi was one of the leaders of the kapahaka group which would be performing on the day of the opening.
Finally the week of the opening arrived, which was also the week that Matariki was expected to rise. The tohunga was ready and so too were the community. The tohunga was happy in the remaining days he had preparing for his journey.
But one night he had a dream, not of the new life he was expecting, but of a taniwha, a huge reptilian creature that rumbled and turned in the ground. Suddenly bursting through layers of soil and rock the taniwha ripped the earth apart. Hauling itself from a huge crater, it then smashed its way through the small village flattening houses, gardens and people, destroying everything in its path before slipping into the sea. After which, an enormous surge of water formed into an almighty wave immediately engulfing what had not already been destroyed. The people that hadn't run for the hills were washed out to sea and drowned. All except one young boy who stood on the tohunga's bed of manuka with his arms held out in front of him, his fists clenched. When the boy opened his hands, seeds blew from his palms scattering in the wind.
The tohunga woke from his dream in a sweat. Never had he seen a vision so clear. That morning, instead of following the path behind his house to the clearing he had visited each day, he headed to the small village below.
The tohunga arrived at the school just after the official ceremony for opening the hall was over. He walked straight onto the stage while everyone was still having a cup of tea.
"You people need to leave here, quickly, your houses will be flattened, many people will die!" he stated into the microphone.
The crowd of people fell silent, some of the smaller children hid behind their parents. Some people laughed to themselves, others turned their backs trying not to pay any attention. The principal walked onto the stage and tried to help the tohunga away, but he refused to budge.
"Go while you still have time," were the last words the tohunga managed before the principal helped him from the stage. The principal tried to offer the old man a cup of tea but he wasn't interested. Instead he walked out of the hall and away.
Turi caught up with the tohunga before he got to the school gates.
"Why did you say that?" Turi asked.
The old man was not in the mood for answering, but when he turned to see who was addressing him he recognised Turi from his dream.
"You tell them", he said, "Make them understand while they still have time."
"They won't listen to me," Turi complained.
"Find the strength."
"But I don't know how."
Turi's complaints fell on deaf ears because the tohunga had already turned back towards the hills.

Turi returned to the hall to lead the kapahaka group in the festivities that followed. No one mentioned the old man, preferring instead to pretend that nothing happened. But Turi could think of nothing else. After the kapahaka performance was over and the crowd had applauded, Turi walked to the front of the stage.
"People used to listen to that old man, he was respected once," Turi said into the microphone.
People talked amongst themselves, but Turi continued. "We should listen to him, he was warning us of something." Turi didn't stay for the rest of the celebrations, instead he went home.
That night Tama sat on the edge of Turi's bed and talked to him.
"I was proud of you today, it takes a lot of courage to stick up for someone, to say what you think."
"But it didn't mean anything, no one listened to him, or to me," Turi said.
"Well, actually people did hear something, we talked about the old man afterwards. You were right, he was a well respected man in the old days."
"Do you think he's crazy, that's what people said to me?"
"I don't think so, maybe confused, anyway, we decided since we had so much food left over that we'd take a picnic up the hill tomorrow to share with him. What do you think?"
Turi was happy, he lay back in his bed looking forward to the next day.
When the community arrived at the old tohunga's house the next day his place was empty, so they continued up the pathway towards the top of the cliff which they knew would be a good place for a picnic.
They found the old man sitting next to his bed made of manuka and fern. Nobody asked about this, but instead they took out their food and shared it with him.
The tohunga could only smile at the children as they played in the long grass and at the parents as they talked and laughed. It reminded him of the old days. Some of the parents hadn't visited that place since they were children. They had a wonderful time remembering.
It was while everyone was relaxing that the first shudder of the earthquake struck. Children screamed, and as their parents rushed to protect them the earth shuddered some more. Then the full extent of the earthquake hit, throwing everyone to the ground. Luckily the place they were in was stable and didn't slip away like it did in the valley below. When the earth had stopped shaking everyone looked down to their community to see the full extent of destruction the earthquake had caused. Houses were flattened, the new school hall had collapsed, and roads had been ripped apart. The small village was hardly recognisable. Parents were crying with their children, they could say nothing except stare down at their ruined homes.
It was an hour or so later when they looked out to sea and saw the wall of water hurtling towards the shore. The tidal wave raced up over the land taking everything that had been left standing and smashing it to pieces. What wasn't destroyed before was now washed away with the sea. In a matter of moments everything the village people had known would never be the same again.
For the next year that followed rebuilding the village was the priority. From the day of the earthquake the tohunga put aside his desire to die. Instead he once more became a valuable member of the community. He helped to teach about the old ways of planting, medicines and stories of the stars that influenced the environment and people's lives. Parents, children, and old people learnt alongside each other as the community slowly rebuilt itself. Turi was particularly interested in the tohunga's teachings and spent many hours listening and learning from the old man.
After two years had passed the people of the village celebrated and honoured the old man for the many gifts he had shared with them. The tohunga felt that the past had once more connected to the present and so to the future. He also felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and accomplishment in his heart.
A while later, the tohunga had a dream of the people he'd known as a child. And he knew it was time to once more prepare himself for his journey. The tohunga made his bed of manuka and fern at the top of the cliff and when the stars of Matariki first rose in the morning sky, he departed for a new life in the world of the spirit.
Some of the stories and teachings of the old people departed that day with the old man, never to be seen or known again. But the seeds of knowledge the old tohunga had shared had been planted in the minds of the young people like Turi, to ensure that the ways of the old people would live on into the future.

Hinewhaitiri
Hinewhaitiri liked to play with the cloud, lightning, wind, and thunder children. They always had fun, roaming everywhere and anywhere they wanted rolling across the sky throwing huge shadows onto the landscape below. Hinewhaitiri enjoyed the freedom the children of the elements shared, the dancing and chasing games they played, but most of all the stories they told of the hui marangai they had been to.
Hui marangai usually happened in autumn, in a small valley on the other side of the mountain range that separated their homes from the sea. Hinewhaitiri had heard so much about these spectacular hui but had never actually attended one herself. At certain times during the autumn months the wind changed and a cool blustery wind blew in from the sea, these were the perfect conditions for a hui marangai to be held.
The trouble for Hinewhaitiri, and indeed for everyone, was that they could never know the exact time or day that the wind would change. The sea winds were different from the land winds and unpredictable in nature, but if two double claps of thunder were heard everyone knew that that was the signal for a hui marangai to begin.
The children of the elements used these hui to practise their skills. Whether it was the biggest thunder clap, the flashiest lightning strike, the fiercest wind or the greatest downpour, they came from miles around to show off what they were capable of.
If you didn't make it to the hui, it was bad luck, no one waited for you to arrive, or really cared whether you were there or not.
One time while Hinewhaitiri was lolling around with her friends playing chasing games they all heard two distinctive claps of thunder. They froze in mid air, even though the wind children were trying their hardest to blow them in every other direction. Suddenly two more claps of thunder boomed across the sky, confirming that a hui marangai was about to begin.
Everyone jumped at the same time, twirled out of the grip of the wind children in an anticlockwise motion, changed the gentle breeze into a blustery wind and headed straight towards the mountains.
When they arrived the hui was already in full swing. Huge flashes of fork lightning pierced the sky and hit the earth with such force that trees were set on fire. Deafening claps of thunder followed causing houses and buildings to shake, fierce winds blew trees from the ground, rain flooded rivers and swamped houses sending people from the village below into a panic.
As Hinewhaitiri waited in line for her turn to show off her thunder clap prowess she looked down at the people trying desperately to save themselves. Trees were falling over, catching fire, then getting drenched by the torrential rains. Rivers were bursting their banks; roofs were being torn from houses. It seemed as though no one and nothing would be spared.
Hinewhaitiri was distracted when it came for her turn to conjure up her loudest thunder clap. She was still thinking about the poor people below when she swung her large arms together and produced the weakest clap of thunder that had ever been heard. Everyone laughed at once, so much so that the hui could not continue. No one had the energy for any more destruction, they were too busy holding their sides and laughing.
Hinewhaitiri held her head in shame. Her thunder clap whānau thought she was a joke, her lightning friends didn't want to know her, and her close cloud friends that she usually hung around with seemed to disappear into the sky.
Hinewhaitiri sat by herself on the mountain top as everyone else headed back to their respective homes. She silently cried into her huge thunder clap hands.
Looking between her fingers Hinewhaitiri noticed that the people of the valley had come out of their ruined houses and had begun to clear up the devastation.
Hinewhaitiri felt so sorry for the destruction that had been caused that she forgot about her shame. She climbed down from the mountain and headed towards the small village.
The village people ran for cover when they saw Hinewhaitiri coming for them. But Hinewhaitiri took no notice and got to work clearing away debris, straightening trees and unblocking rivers with her strong arms. When everyone saw what she was doing they were extremely grateful.
"This is what happens every year," said the rangatira of the village. "There is a sudden storm, it destroys everything, we clean it up and it happens again!"
Hinewhaitiri looked around her, and realised what they said was true, the same thing would happen again when another hui marangai was called.
"We will have to widen the rivers, plant more trees and strengthen the houses before the next wind from the sea arrives," Hinewhaitiri said.
Hinewhaitiri stayed at the village for several days to help with the extra work that needed to be done. She returned to rest on the mountain at night time where the air was cooler and much more comfortable.

One night while Hinewhaitiri was preparing for sleep she heard a voice, a deep rumbling voice that shook her from her resting place.
"I have stood here for thousands of years, since the time of Māui and his brothers," the voice boomed. Hinewhaitiri looked around but could see nothing.
"Who is that, who's there?" she asked.
"I am Old Man Mountain," the voice said. "I have watched what you are doing with the people below. You should be proud of your thoughtfulness. But I think you are wasting your time. When the next wind blows from the sea another hui will be held, the rivers will flood, the trees will blow over, the houses will be wrecked and your work will have been in vain."
"But we have widened the rivers, we've strengthened the houses, and we've planted more trees," Hinewhaitiri protested.
"These things will help, but only to prolong the inevitable."
"Then what should we do?" Hinewhaitiri asked.
"Bring the hui to me. I will test the young ones," Old Man Mountain replied.
Over the next few days the work in the village continued, the rivers were widened, more trees were planted on the hills, and the houses were strengthened. While Hinewhaitiri was putting the finishing touches to a super strong fence, one of the village people yelled out, and everyone looked to the sea. A huge blast of wind headed straight for the mountain ranges.
Hinewhaitiri raced to the top of the mountain, opened her arms and made two double claps of thunder. Far away on the horizon she could see the clouds, wind, thunder and lightning children racing towards her, all trying to arrive first.
Just as they arrived, Hinewhaitiri clapped her hands together with an extra strong boom of thunder stopping them dead in their tracks.
"Stop!" she yelled at the top of her voice."Our hui have been held over the valley below for longer than I can remember, but now it is time for change."
"And where do you think we'll go?" A lightning bolt asked sarcastically.
Suddenly Old Man Mountain gave an almighty shake and his huge voice boomed out, "You will test yourself here, with me; I will be the one to judge you. Now show me what you can do, before the wind changes and it's too late!"
The children of the elements quickly agreed and lined up on either side of Old Man Mountain so the hui could begin. The rain fell heavily, the thunder rattled rocks, lightning strikes blasted into Old Man Mountain's sides and huge rivers ran down into the valley below.
The people of the village watched the spectacle from their homes. The rivers filled but because they had been widened, they didn't overflow. The wind blew, but because it was so far away it didn't damage a thing. And the lightning and thunder made the whole spectacle a wondrous experience to behold.
When the hui was over the people of the village applauded; it had been a fine display of nature and best of all their homes were safe. The children of the elements were also happy. This had been the most exciting hui that they could remember. Hinewhaitiri was applauded as the mastermind of it all. She would never be ridiculed again.
Old man Mountain laughed a deep belly rumbling laugh, he too had enjoyed it. "It felt like a massage on a summer's day," he said.
From that time onwards the hui marangai were held over the mountains, Hinewhaitiri was the star of the show, and the village below was safe from harm.
To this day if you look out over the mountains and hills you will often see clouds gathering around the tops waiting for the wind to change, and a hui marangai to begin.

Whaitere – the enchanted stingray
Koro Pat watched from his driftwood seat as the three children danced around the small fire, clusters of sparks billowing into the evening light.
Whaitere – the enchanted stingray 
"Do you see that?" Koro Pat pointed out to sea. Two black triangular wings broke the surface, slapping down on the orange coloured water.
"It's a stingray!" yelled the kids in unison, running to the water's edge. Kimi picked up a stone ready to throw but Koro Pat stopped her short.
"Hoi, you wouldn't throw a stone at your Mum would you?" Kimi looked confused, she dropped her stone.
"Haere mai, noho mai," Koro patted the driftwood log. Kimi, Jason and Marama came and sat next to him.
"I'll tell you about a stingray, a kaitiaki of this place."
"Our own one that looks after us?" Marama asked.
"Āe, yours, mine, our marae, all of us. We look after the water, this land, and our kaitiaki looks after us."
Kimi used a stick to pull her pāua, cooking in its shell, from the fire. The others followed suit, crouching over the stones, listening. Koro began.
"Whaitere was a stingray, from the black wings whānau, who lived in a small bay, at the head of the fish of Māui. Her parents raised her as others were raised – gathering food and playing with her fish friends in the weed and around large rocks.
Whaitere was taught from a young age to be wary of the people fish, who covered the water with their fish traps catching anything that crossed their paths. They were known to travel on the surface of the water, suddenly arriving upon huge noisy shadows to feed their sticky traps into the sea.
The people fish had already taken many from Whaitere's small community, although she was too young to know they would never return.
As the years passed, changes to Whaitere's home became more noticeable. Food was harder to come by, friends suddenly disappeared, and one evening when Whaitere returned to the resting place she called home, her parents were nowhere to be seen.
Whaitere spent that night searching, swimming blindly in the dark shadowed sea. Stories of the people fish flashed through her mind, overwhelming her with fear. With heaviness in her wings and sadness in her heart, Whaitere floated slowly to the sea floor, her saltwater tears joining the huge ocean.
Whaitere remained on the sea floor through the night and the next day. Sand covered her dark skin so that only her eyes protruded, watching from beneath. Tāmure and other fish friends searched for Whaitere and her parents, calling into the weed. But none of them were found.
Rimurimu, drifting in the currents, heard the fish calling and knew she would have to tell of what she had seen. She whispered into the tide, "The people fish have come with their fish traps, stretching across our home, taking our children, the black wings too."
Whaitere heard the whispers on the currents and sprang from her hiding place.
"They haven't taken my parents, they haven't, they haven't!"
Whaitere sped herself away, flattened herself on the sandy bottom and once more closed her world around her. Tāmure tried his best to comfort his friend, he brought her food and sang her songs, but without success.
In the days that followed, Whaitere could think only of her mother and father. She remembered the karakia they said each morning giving thanks to Hinemoana and Tangaroa.
"Why would the people fish take my parents when they were so good to others?" Whaitere cried. And her wings became heavier still, sinking further into the sea floor.
It was a dark quiet place, deep inside herself where Whaitere found a calmness that settled her heart. And from that place a karakia of her own emerged, words not formed, not said, but felt and given.

Her karakia, filled with love, floated in the tides, washed against the shores, rode on the waves of the great seas and spoke to Tangaroa, Hinemoana and all of their children. Hinemoana came to Whaitere in the form of a wave, a deep blue wave of enchantment. With encircling arms Hinemoana picked Whaitere up and carried her away. Away to the deepest parts of the ocean they flew, finally descending through the darkness, past the gates of Hinenuitepō and into Rarohenga, the home of all who die.
"This is Rarohenga, the underworld – your parents now dwell here," Hinemoana said as she gently released Whaitere from her grasp. "Should you eat the food of this place, you will remain here forever. I will return at the day's end for our journey back."
With that, Hinemoana disappeared back towards the way they had come and Whaitere swam into a sea, tinted with the colours of the rainbow and surrounded by the dazzling creatures of Rarohenga.
Whaitere didn't recognise her parents at first, but could tell by their shape that they were whai. Their black wings had been transformed into the colours of the pāua shell, intricate patterns woven into their skin. When they called her name, Whaitere knew that her mother and father were once more by her side. She could only embrace them and cry.
"Why did you leave me? I don't want to be by myself!"
Whaitere's parents said nothing in return. Instead, they embraced their daughter then took her on a journey to see the sights of the underworld.
They visited the crystal caves, where songs and languages of every sea creature are embedded in millions of different coloured crystals.
They visited the underwater rainbow, a mountainous spiral of rainbow colours where sea creatures fashion their own particular ways of dancing with the sea.
They visited the eternal gardens, where every food imaginable continues to replenish itself.
Whaitere dived down and settled herself amongst the huge range of colourful foods, considering them carefully with her wing tips.
"If I eat here in Rarohenga, I'll always be with you."
Her parents looked at each other and then back to their daughter.
"Come with us we have one more place to visit", said her mother.
Together they swam past the eternal gardens and down into a huge circular cave. "This is the eternal spring, said her father, one of the sacred veins of Papatūānuku."
With that her mother said a special karakia and they continued down into a tunnel of light, deep into the veins of Papatūānuku.
After travelling for some time, they came to a cavern branching off to one side, illuminated with a deep green light reflecting from its walls. In the centre of the cavern was the source of the green light – a large flat piece of pounamu was suspended just below the water's surface, rippling with magic.
"Rest on this rock," Whaitere's mother gestured.
Whaitere cautiously drifted down to rest as she was told. When her underbelly touched the surface of the pounamu she was instantly transformed, weaving pāua shell colours into her dark skin. Layer upon layer of magical power surged through her body, gifts from her creator, Papatūānuku.
"The overworld and the underworld are inherently connected, without one there will not be the other," said her father.
"You've been chosen as a guardian for the overworld, teach others to respect your home as you do." said her mother.
"But I want to stay here with you!" Whaitere complained.
"Your magic will allow you many things, including the ability to come and go from both worlds as you wish," her father replied.
Whaitere flapped her newly coloured wings, swimming up to the surface thinking to her self, and then returned to where her parents were waiting. She stretched out her multi-coloured wings and embraced them both.

"As long as I can always come and see you," she said.
And with that they returned up through the veins of Papatūānuku and into Rarohenga where they continued to take in the wonders of the magical underworld.
At the end of the day Hinemoana returned as she had promised and carried Whaitere back to the world she knew.
Tāmure and his friends first thought they had a stranger in their midst until Whaitere spoke.
"It's only me." she said, "Our tipuna, Hinemoana, took me to the underworld, to where my parents now live. I have seen and felt the magic of our creator Papatūānuku."
"Whaitere – the enchanted stingray!" Tāmure called.
And sea creatures from all around came to marvel at the beautiful pāua shell colours of Whaitere's skin.
The small bay was so filled with excitement that the water boiled with life. All of sudden the shadows of the people fish were seen approaching and the alarm went out. Panic spread through the large gathering and they all began to scatter.
Whaitere floated to the surface looking down at the mayhem below her.
"Stop!" she said, "We need to teach the people fish that we have as much right to this place as they!"
As Whaitere was speaking a huge shadow raced towards her. The assembly of sea creatures were spellbound as Whaitere dove under the shadow, and turned onto her back. Her skin pulsed with magic as she flapped her wings and a massive surge of water hurtled towards the dark shape. The shadow wobbled and shuddered then a people fish toppled into the sea. Other shadows headed towards them, but soon succumbed to the same fate.
The people fish swam to shore, all except one who sank to the bottom of sea. Whaitere and the others watched as his lungs filled with water, his eyes enlarged with a blank stare and his arms stretched out.
"Teach them to respect your home."
Whaitere could hear the words of her parents echoing in her mind.
Whaitere looked into the eyes of the people fish, then spoke to him in a language he could understand.
"Go back to your people and teach them to respect this place. Our bay will be an example for all your kind and a safe place for ours."
With that, Whaitere lifted the people fish onto her back and returned him to shore.
From that time on, fishing was limited in the small bay and once more it became a safe place for all sea creatures. Whaitere was seen as the kaitiaki, the guardian, and respected as such by people fish and sea creatures alike.
The people fish came to marvel and dance with the sea creatures, new songs floated up from the underworld and once more life continued as it should.
Koro Pat looked at the wide eyed children in front of him. Kimi held her pāua shell up to the sky. "I want to have pāua colours, magic ones," she said.
"It takes magic to look after a place like this", Koro replied.
'Is that why we only get enough pāua for us to eat?" asked Marama.
"That's why." Koro said.
"And Whaitere is real because we saw one, eh Koro?" Jason asked.
"That's right, and when you're old like me, you'll tell this same story to your mokopuna, won't you?" Koro asked.
"That's for sure." Kimi answered.
And the three children sprung to life, spread their arms and chased each other like enchanted stingrays in a magical underwater world.

A trilogy of Wahine Toa
Papatūānuku
My flesh, muscle, sinew, and cartilage are composed of rock, granite, dirt, mud, stone, sand, and all that is dense and solid.
My bones are fossilised trees, veins of granite, gold, silver, copper, and all precious metals, branching from my core, from the centre of my being.
My blood is molten lava, liquid rock, water, boiling mud, nourishing bone and flesh through a labyrinth of rigid veins.
My breath is sulphur, gas, air, and mist, seeping through countless layers of hardened skin, a skin of regenerating life. Life for my children, my grandchildren, and the countless offspring which derive from them. They are the forests, plants, seas, rivers and creatures which clothe me. They are my wondrous korowai which sustains us all.
This is my story.
My new born, Rūaumoko, suckles at my breast, kicks and plays as any child, causing my belly to rumble, my body to shudder, and my children to be wary. Rūaumoko stayed with me when I was separated from Ranginui, Sky Father, when we chose to allow light to come between us.
It was the right time for us to grow apart, my husband and I. It was also the right time for our children to grow and understand the responsibilities of becoming all they possibly could. And so we allowed our son Tāne to brace himself against me, to thrust his legs upward, pushing Sky Father away, to severe our embrace.
And the journey of following the unspoken words of our forbearers continued. This was their gift to us, an imprint in our consciousness, handed down from Te Kore, the nothingness, through Te Pō, the nights. A gift of love which we in turn passed on to our children, to continue the cycle of creation.
Creation requires pain, requires sacrifice, requires possibility and belief, as food, water and light for any living thing. Our separation was a time of inward turning – a time of discovery, a time of power, a time of regenerating energy, a time of change.
My korowai which cloaked my body in the past was also the foundation to receive the seed for the future. Ranginui instructed Tāne, our son, to plant the seed, to weave it into the tapestry of my korowai. And as he did so, Ranginui's tears nourished the seed, so too did light give the seed food, fulfilling a promise from the past.
This was the beginning of my journey as the mother of all, from whom all living things are created, to whom all will eventually return.
We had allowed our children to create a space between us, a space which admitted light. Light which allowed growth and the ability to stand tall.
And now that our children have been free to create whatever their will desires, some have forgotten from whom they came.
But I hear them calling, a karanga of acknowledgement, of understanding that they will not forget. They call to celebrate a new day, to honour those who have passed to the next world, they call to acknowledge their ancestral parents, Sky Father and Earth Mother.
I am Papatūānuku, Earth Mother.

Hineahuone
My flesh is the deep red clay of Kurawaka, the blood of my parents. This blood is my blood, a sacrifice Ranginui and Papatūānuku endured so that I, the first woman, could come in to being. My bones are the bones of my ancestors, gifted by my mother. My breath, the first breath of life was mine to take – was mine to hold, was mine to release.
And following the first breath was consciousness, encompassed in this newly formed body. A body filled with love, beauty, wonder, and every emotion that I, the first human vessel, could possibly contain.
Blood, bone, flesh, spirit, and breath. "Tihei mauri ora!" Behold I live!
This is my story.
Following the separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, light flooded the world. And with light came the possibility of life.
The children of Ranginui and Papatūānuku had only talked of life, had debated and argued over it. They had not experienced it for themselves, not in the physical forms that tormented their imaginations.
Life could not be commanded, could not be forced. Life in the physical form eluded the children of Ranginui and Papatūānuku long after Tāwhirimātea's rage had abated.
The two celestial parents, newly separated, needed time to consider how life, in all its wondrous forms, should be created. They prayed, at this time, that their lives apart would continue to follow the pathways of their ancestors, that their decision was truly for the future.
Tears of love and remembrance spilt from the eyes of Ranginui, as too did ascending mists of love rise into the sky.
And after this time of sadness, of letting go, the tears and mists which followed finally settled, covering the newly woven korowai Papatūānuku had prepared long before the separation.
It was Tāne, the male essence who followed the instructions of his father, who was gifted the seed and guided by him to weave life into the fabric of the enormous korowai. A korowai of life, of creatures, of living things, held by the earth, nurtured with water and warmed by the sun.
It was the human form that eluded Tāne, and was hidden from him. Papatūānuku waited until she knew the time was right, then led Tāne to her sacred place, to Kurawaka. This was where he fashioned me from the red clay he found there.
I was the first. The first to breathe, to touch, to feel, to hold, to know, to experience everything of the newly created world.
I was in awe with what had preceded me, with what had ensured my creation. Overwhelmed with responsibility, I felt the guiding hand of Papatūānuku in my prayers, in my blood and in my body. I felt the spirit of Ranginui in my mind and the breath of Tāne in my lungs. These things helped me understand.
And when Tāne came to me he helped sooth my fears, showing me his world as an atua, the creations that had passed by him. And in turn I helped him understand what it was to be human, to feel, to touch, to experience the world as a physical being. And from that time we brought our worlds together to conceive our first born, Hinetitama, whose journey was also written before her time.
I am Hineahuone, the creator of people.
Hinenuitepō
My pores excrete the absence of light, darkness. My bones are memories of past lives, my flesh, nourished with stories and gifts left by those who continue past me. My arms are forever open, lovingly held in welcome.
This is my story.
Beyond Te Rerenga Wairua, beyond the pōhutukawa tree standing at the cliff's edge, is the darkness. The darkness is my marae, my wharetipuna, my tūrangawaewae, my home. This is the place I choose for myself, this is where I dwell.
I wait for them here, the children, the grandchildren, the parents, the grandfathers and grandmothers. I wait for them to come to me, "Haere mai, haere mai haere mai ra..." I call.
"Welcome my children, to your ancestress, to your tipuna whaea. Welcome to life beyond the earthly realm, welcome to Rarohenga, the home of the spirit."
My tupuna, Ranginui and Papatūānuku, were pushed apart and light entered the world. With light came possibility, aspiration and desire, a desire for growth, a desire for life.
It was Tāne who felt this desire in his bones and flesh, who sought that his desire be satisfied. It was Tāne who searched in vain until finally Papatūānuku, my grandmother, chose to guide his path.
And so Tāne came to Kurawaka, the pubic area of Papatūānuku, where the sacred blood of my ancestors, Ranginui and Papatūānuku had spilt into the earth. And from the red clay that he found there, he fashioned Hineahuone, the first woman, the first human, my mother.
I was conceived at this time when my parents joined themselves.
As I grew inside my mother's womb, she sang to me the teachings of creation, gifted by my grandmother.
And as a young girl these teachings continued until I reached an age when blood became a sign of womanhood. Blood that not only shaped my mother but also shaped me, shaped my future.
And at this time questions of my past and future troubled me, questions of my place in this newly created world, questions of who I was to be.
I asked these questions of my mother and she sent me to pose them to the carved posts of our whare.
The posts told me my father was of the spirit realm, an atua, my mother of the earth, a physical being, and I, the first born, the mātaamua, traversed these worlds, encompassing them both.
I realised as I read the carved stories that the animals, insects, plants and all living things were also part of this wider order of things. And that my father, mother and grandparents were the procreators, the storytellers.
This was when I wondered about the pathway of the spirit and also about the physical being, these two parts of myself. I wondered about the future of my siblings ultimately returning to Papatūānuku when their lives came to an end. I prayed to my grandmother to guide me, and a space opened up on the carved posts, a space for my future to be created.
And as the newly formed carvings revealed themselves my journey became clear. This was the gift, he taonga tuku iho, from my grandmother, to my mother, to me.
And so I left my parents and travelled to Rarohenga, to receive all those who passed from the physical world to the next.
Since this time, I have welcomed them to my marae, my whare tipuna, my tūrangawaewae, to give thanks for past lives and to start anew.
I am Hinenuitepō, guardian of the spirit.

Tūrehu
Aunty sat down in front of the fire with her cup of tea. My cousins and I waited as she slurped her tea and dunked her biscuits. She knew we were waiting.
Tūrehu
That's what we did every night when the dishes were done, the floor swept, and the fire stoked. We waited, waited for aunty to lean back in her chair and focus her glassy eyes. "You kids might not be old enough for this story!" she would start, pointing a crooked finger. "You kids might get nightmares if I tell you this one."
Our protests only made her laugh a shaky belly laugh which dissolved into an eerie silence as suddenly as it erupted. Aunty then arranged us the way she wanted, "I want to see your eyes," she said with a serious tone. "How can I tell you a story if I can't see your eyes?"
When she had us settled, she sucked in her breath then released it with a huge sigh and a tremble to her lips. "You kids need to know of the Tūrehu, the fairy people. They live in these parts, they haven't been seen for many years but they're still here up in the hills, hiding in the mist." Aunty turned as if listening for something, then stared into the flickering flames.
This is the story she told us.
When we were young, we lived on fish and the kai we grew. Fishing and gardens kept our community and families together when there was nothing else. We shared everything with everybody, there were no shops or flash cars, we just had what we could make or do for ourselves. In those days most people had moved away to the cities to find work and whatever else, but our family stayed and so did some others. We had our gardens, fishing, horses, and a whole bay to keep us happy. Three kids to one horse, that's how we went to school, clinging to each other on its bare back.
During the school holidays lots of families and relations came to fish and camp by the sea. Those were fun times when our little village doubled in size overnight. The fishermen went out on boats and set nets, us kids helped around the camp, mending the holes in the nets that the sharks and stingrays had ripped holes in or salting fish hanging over smoky fires. It was hard work at times but we still managed to have plenty of fun.
I remember one particular time when I was no older than you are now. We were camped above the beach just after the new moon, and one morning us kids headed down to the wet sand to play cricket. We used a ball made of bull kelp and a driftwood bat. That was when we spotted the tracks in the sand. Hoof tracks they were, not big ones like our horses made, but small delicate ones. No sooner had we discovered those tracks when a wave raced across the sand and wiped them away. We stood looking at each other, wondering whether we had seen anything at all. My cousin, your uncle Pita, reckoned some goats or pigs must have come out of the bush. But we'd never seen that happen before.
Later when we arrived back at camp for breakfast my aunty told us we'd done a great job of fixing the net but it wasn't us who did the work. The uncles were already loading the boats up for a day out on the sea, so we just pretended it was us. Anything to get in the good books with the aunty.

The next morning those same tracks were in the sand again and another net was mended. Us kids liked dodging work, but we also wanted to know what was going on. I convinced my cousins to sneak out of our tents that night. We huddled around the fire and took turns at staying up, each of us gripping a stone or a stick to feel safe with. Just in case it was kehua we were up against.
I don't remember falling asleep, but I do remember waking up. Pita was gripping my leg. I sat bolt upright, he was pointing in the direction of the beach. It was just before dawn and the sky was beginning to lighten. I could see them, tall people, with red hair, pale and half naked, dancing on the sand. I woke my other cousins and we sneaked closer hiding behind some driftwood.
Cousin Rose spotted two of them working on one of the nets. She squealed and they turned to us, looked us straight in the eye. I was so frightened I couldn't move and Rose started to cry. They came closer as if they were stalking us, like they were floating and dancing at the same time with their red hair blowing around them. Their legs were mucky, covered in hair, and they had hooves like that of a goat. They looked so powerful, their skin so pale, almost transparent and their eyes were huge and pink. Pink staring eyes. It was like, they were telling us to come with them, hypnotising us, wanting to take us away. I could do nothing except grip my cousins as tightly as I could. Pita had a stick but we knew it'd be useless.
Then suddenly they stopped. Stopped and turned away from the beach and towards the hills. Pita later said he could hear a fine whistling sound, like a hollow bone when it's blown, flute sounds floating down through the valleys. They all turned, those strange people, seeming to glide effortlessly away, up over sand dunes and into the bush covered hills. We sat looking at each other until the sun rose from the sea and into the morning sky, not speaking, just thankful.
We tried to tell the adults that ghost people had mended the nets, but they laughed and told us to get on with our work. All except Aunty Pare, she took us aside that night and listened to our story around the camp fire. She told us about the Tūrehu, the fairy people, who live on the ridges of the highest hills. "They dance in the mist," she said, "playing their bone flutes, trying to lure you away. They're spirits that haven't reached the after world and were the first to make the fishing nets used today. They won't go near cooked food or red clay and will take unsuspecting children back into the hills if they ever got the chance." That's when we knew we were very lucky.
We didn't see footprints in the sand after that, nor were the nets mended without explanation. My cousins and I made little necklaces from bull kelp and kept a cooked kumara hanging around our necks for the rest of the holidays.
Aunty laughed to herself, leaning back in her chair, rubbing her hands gently together. The fire light flickered shadows across her face as she turned back to us.
"No one has seen the Tūrehu as close up as we have. Sometimes just before dark or on a clear morning when the mist comes down through the valleys, you can hear them dancing and playing their spirit filled songs. As if they're calling out to lost children, singing to them, whispering in the mist, but we know better, don't we?"
We sat in silence looking at each other. Aunty turned back to the fire humming an old song to herself. I noticed the huge black pots sitting next to the fire.
"Are there any cooked kumara left Aunty?" I asked.

Kupe and the Giant Wheke
Kupe was a rangatira, a great fisherman who lived in Hawaiiki. Surrounding Kupe's settlement were the traditional fishing grounds where Kupe and his tribe caught their fish. When the moon and tides were right, the fishermen
Kupe and the Giant Wheke
headed out to sea and always returned with waka laden with fish of all colours and sizes- gifts from Tangaroa and Hinemoana which the whole tribe celebrated. The people gathered at the shoreline to greet them when they returned, to divide the catch so that each whanau had an even share.
One morning when the fishermen lowered their lines at one of their favourite fishing grounds, they didn't get the expected tug on their lines. Instead, when they pulled their lines from the water, their bait had vanished. This continued through the morning and into the day, and not one fisherman caught a single fish. This had never happened before. Many of the tribe were upset when they returned. They secretly accused the fishermen of disrespecting Tangaroa and therefore causing their misfortune.
Once Kupe had considered the happenings of the day, a hui was called. The whole island gathered around the evening fire to discuss the fate of their village. Kupe firstly spoke of his respect for the sea, of Tangaroa and Hinemoana, and how they had sustained their village since time began. Kupe also spoke of the fishermen who had generously fed and looked after their tribe since he was a young man, and how respected they were within the whanau. He committed himself to finding out exactly what had happened.
Early the next morning, Kupe and the fishermen lowered their lines at their favourite fishing grounds only to have their bait taken as had happened the day before. Kupe tried reciting a karakia that would draw fish to his line, but when he pulled it from the depths of the ocean, his bait was gone.
Kupe noticed a slimy substance covering his hook and recognised it as belonging to an octopus. He knew it would be useless to continue fishing and ordered the others to pull their lines from the water. Once more they headed back to shore empty handed.
That evening Kupe set out to the other side of the island where a chief called Muturangi resided. Kupe knew that Muturangi had a pet octopus renowned for its huge size and influence in the sea world. Kupe described to Muturangi what had been happening at their fishing grounds, stating that it was the work of an octopus. He asked if perhaps Muturangi's pet could possibly know who was responsible.
Muturangi looked at Kupe and laughed, "I don't tell my pet when to eat or what to eat. If it chooses to eat your bait or your fish for that matter, then that's what it does." Muturangi asked Kupe to leave.
"Then I will slay your pet, Te Wheke o Muturangi, and it will never trouble my people again," Kupe stated as he left.
"Unless it kills you first," was Muturangi's reply.
Kupe gathered his people and began to build a canoe, a large ocean going canoe, which he called Matahorua. When the vessel was complete, Kupe stocked it with supplies, readying it for a lengthy sea journey. Kupe's wife, Hine-te-Aparangi, their whanau, and many warriors and fishermen from the tribe boarded the new canoe and set out on their journey.
Te Wheke o Muturangi's tentacles broke the surface of the water first searching blindly for food, each one of its arms much longer than Kupe's waka. A tentacle with huge suckers gripped onto the side of their waka, threatening to capsize it. Kupe grasped his mere and slashed at the tentacle, cutting a huge hunk from its flesh. The wheke thrashed its arms in agony but Kupe struck out again. Te Wheke o Muturangi's enormous head emerged from the sea looming over the waka, as the warriors continued to attack the huge tentacle. Kupe pointed his mere at the wheke and chanted a spell, ensuring it would never again be able to dive to the depths of the ocean and hide.

Te Wheke o Muturangi was forced to flee across the surface of the sea. Kupe ordered his warriors into their sailing positions and the chase was on. The chase continued for weeks, across the vast Pacific Ocean. Kupe was running out of supplies and still Te Wheke o Muturangi managed to keep a distance between them. Finally, one morning Hine-te-Aparangi saw a long cloud in the distance, a sign that land was near. Hine-te-Aparangi named the land, Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud.
Hine-te-Aparangi, Kupe, and the whole whānau were amazed by the beauty of the new land they discovered. The stories they'd known as children of Maui fishing a great land from the sea were true.
Kupe landed his waka on the east coast of Aotearoa. His people explored the new land and gathered much needed supplies. Kupe took his dog, Tauaru, across land to the Hokianga harbour. They left footprints in the soft clay while walking around the shoreline. Over many years the footprints turned to stone and have remained there to this day.
When Kupe returned, the pursuit resumed down the east coast of the North Island to Rangiwhakaoma (Castle Point), where Te Wheke o Muturangi sought refuge in a cave known as Te Ana o te Wheke o Muturangi.
Kupe realised the wheke was trapped, but because it was late in the evening, he decided to wait for dawn before launching an attack. During the night Te Wheke o Muturangi slipped, undetected, through the black water of the night and back out into the open sea.
Kupe continued the chase, down the east coast until arriving at a huge open harbour, Te Whanganui-ā-Tara ( Wellington Harbour). Kupe's whānau rested at the head of the fish, as Kupe and his warriors continued on the wheke's trail.
Kupe sailed into Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait), a turbulent and potentially dangerous stretch of water between the North Island and South Island of Aotearoa. Knowing the turbulent waters would be an advantage to the wheke, Kupe chased it into the calmer waters of Totaranui (Queen Charlotte and Tory Sounds). Because of the many waterways and islands around those areas the pursuit continued for many days.
Kupe finally caught Te Wheke o Muturangi at the entrance to Te Moana o Raukawa from Totaranui, and the great sea battle began. The wheke lashed out with its huge tentacles at Kupe's canoe. Kupe and his warriors manoeuvred their canoe to avoid being overturned. Bracing himself with his legs, Kupe struck at the tentacles with his mere, but the giant wheke fought back, smashing another of its arms into the side of the canoe causing a huge gaping hole in the hull. Kupe threw a bundle of gourds overboard which the wheke mistook for a person and attacked. Kupe then jumped from his canoe onto the back of the giant wheke and struck a fatal blow to its head. Te Wheke o Muturangi was finally defeated.
The eyes of Te Wheke o Muturangi were placed on a rock nearby, which to this day is called Ngā Whatu (The Brothers).
During Kupes long absence, Hine-te-Aparangi and her whanau were worried that Kupe had been slain by Te Wheke o Muturangi and would never return. Matiu and Makaro, his two mokopuna, slashed their breasts with shells as a mark of mourning. Their blood stained the rocks where they stood. These rocks are near the entrance to Te Whanganui-ā-Tara harbour, and are now named Pariwhero (Red Rocks).
Kupe did return safely to his whanau at Te Whanganui-ā-Tara after successfully defeating Te Wheke o Muturangi. They all travelled further up the west coast of Te Ika a Maui (The North Island) naming many places as they went, finally settling in the Hokianga to replenish their supplies and to ready themselves for their return to Hawaiiki.
Te Wheke o Muturangi, which was thought of as a bad omen, had lead them to a new land they now called Aotearoa, a land Kupe knew future generations would call home.
This is the story of Kupe and the Giant Wheke.

Kawariki and the shark man
Kawariki and the shark man
Tutira was born into a family captured by a tribe that lived near the coast. He worked in the gardens, carried water for the rangatira, and kept the fires burning. The rangatira of the tribe worked alongside the slaves, together the work was easier and kept the tribe well fed and wealthy.
Tutira worked and sometimes played with the children of the rangatira. Tutira was envious of his friends when he was left to the gardens and regular chores and they were taken to be instructed as future leaders.
The years passed and Tutira grew into a young man. One of Tutira's special friends was Kawariki, the daughter of a powerful tohunga called Matakite. Kawariki was raised to be a future leader of their tribe and Matakite insisted that she train hard to fulfil her role.
One day Matakite announced that Kawariki had been betrothed to a rangatira from a neighbouring tribe, securing allies and strengthening blood ties between both tribes. From that day on, Kawariki was forbidden to see or talk to Tutira. But Kawariki was a strong willed young woman who thought for herself. She secretly sent messages to Tutira and would often meet him at night at a quiet place in the hills. Together they would lie on their backs, look up at the night sky and talk of their dreams. This is how their love for each other first began.
When the wedding preparations began, Kawariki refused to cooperate, stating she would never marry a person she didn't love. Matakite became suspicious and decided to keep a close eye on his daughter. One night, when Kawariki snuck out of her whare, and up into the hills, Matakite secretly followed behind.
Matakite found Kawariki and Tutira together and instantly cast a powerful spell. Kawariki screamed in horror as Tutira fell to the ground squirming in agony as his body darkened and took on the form of a fish, then slithered into the bush. Kawariki tried to plead with her father to reverse the spell but Matakite ignored her and walked off into the night.

Kawariki desperately searched for Tutira, but to no avail. Finally she sat and calmed her mind, asking for guidance from Tāne Mahuta. Tāne Mahuta sent her a vision which led Kawariki through the bush to where Tutira lay. Two eyes glowed dimly in the dark. Kawariki scrambled through the undergrowth pulling back tangled vines and branches, finding the body of a shark. The shark was dying, its eyes glassing over, its gills moving ever so slightly.
Kawariki grabbed Tutira by the tail and dragged him through the bush towards the sea. She called on Tāne Mahuta to clear a pathway and once more he answered her call. It was just before dawn when Kawariki finally succeeded in dragging Tutira to the beach and laying him in shallow water. His eyes had turned grey, stared blankly ahead, his body limp and lifeless.
Kawariki held him in her arms, her salt water tears falling onto the shark as she sang her lament. Hinemoana, atua of the ocean, heard the despair in Kawariki's song and was moved by her grief. Hinemoana began a powerful oriori which she sent on a wave and upon reaching Kawariki, filled her tears with magic.
Life slowly returned to Tutira's shark body, twisting in the shallow water. Kawariki released him and he headed to deeper water and out to sea. Just before Tutira was completely submerged, he turned back to Kawariki and spoke in a raspy voice. "When the new moon rises, wait on this shore and I will come to you." Tutira turned and disappeared into the waves and the embrace of Hinemoana.
Matakite decreed that the date for Kawariki to be married was set for the summer. Her husband to be and many of his tribe would be travelling by waka with gifts and food to celebrate the special occasion. Matakite and the rest of the tribe worked hard to have everything ready for the hui.
When the new moon rose, Kawariki waited on the shore looking out to sea. Kawariki expected to see a dorsal fin swimming towards her, but instead, Tutira appeared from behind some rocks. He had changed back into his shape as a man.
Kawariki and Tutira stayed together all night. When morning neared Tutira insisted that he had to leave, but Kawariki refused to let him go. Tutira led Kawariki into shallow water, he explained that when Kawariki cried over him, Hinemoana had filled her tears with magic. Magic which gave him the ability to change back into his human form each month, when the new moon rose, the one condition being, that he returned to the sea by morning.

As the first rays of the new day began to colour the sky, the morning light changed Tutira's skin to the dark grey of a shark. Tutira and Kawariki vowed to meet again before Tutira took on his shark form, thrashed his tail and glided through the shallow water. He then descended into the depths of the ocean and the world where fish and sea creatures fled from his path. When the new moon rose each month, Kawariki and Tutira met and strengthened their love for each other. But as the wedding drew near, Kawariki was forced to tell Tutira of her fate. Tutira was powerless to influence anything in Kawariki's life. With great sadness he turned back to his ocean world, knowing he would never see Kawariki again.
When the day finally arrived for Kawariki's marriage, she was taken to the beach with the rest of her tribe to welcome the visitors. The sea was calm, a perfect day for travelling by waka. When the neighbouring tribe were seen on the horizon facing their waka towards the beach, the tohunga, Matakite, stood and recited an incantation to guide their waka safely to land. But Hinemoana was angry with Matakite, she remembered how he had used sea magic without her permission when he cast his spell on Tutira. Hinemoana refused Matakite's request for safe passage and instead sent a huge wave rolling in from the ocean. The wave overturned the waka and the visiting tribe were forced to cling to the overturned hull.
Tutira, who was guarding the coast, came to the rescue of those that were in danger. With his dorsal fin caught in the upturned waka, Tutira was able to pull the waka and the people out of danger and into shore. Kawariki's people stood in disbelief when they realised a shark had saved their visitors. Matakite the tohunga was silent, his magic had failed and he was overwhelmed with shame.
Kawariki ran into the water and embraced the shark to the amazement of her tribe. With her people gathered around, Kawariki explained that this was Tutira, that he had been changed into a shark by her father and that she loved him dearly.
Both tribes watched in silence, Tutira thrashed his tail and turned to leave, but Matakite suddenly raised his hands and pleaded for him to stay.
Matakite first acknowledged his great ancestress Hinemoana, thanking her for her wisdom and teachings. He had been blinded by his own ambitions, disregarding his daughter and her right to choose as a rangatira in her own right. Matakite reversed his spell and Tutira was instantly changed back into human form.
Tutira lay in the shallow water, his brown body tattooed with the dark red moko of a shark, a mark of his status as a rangatira of the sea, a gift from Hinemoana.
After having witnessed such a display, both tribes knew the gods favoured a union between Tutira and Kawariki. The wedding plans were changed, Tutira and Kawariki were married and the celebrations lasted for many days.
In the years that followed Kawariki and Tutira became trusted leaders, with a great respect for their people and a close relationship with Tāne Mahuta and Hinemoana.
They had many offspring, born with the distinctive red moko of a shark. To this day, the moko of a shark can be seen worn by people living close to the ocean, a sign that they have descended from the ancestors Kawariki and Tutira.
This is the story of Kawariki and the shark man.

Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua
Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua 1
Awarua was a taniwha who lived in the Porirua harbour many hundreds of years ago. In those times, the surrounding hills were clad with the tallest native trees and the harbour was much deeper than it is today.
Awarua would often venture out into Te Moana o Raukawa chasing food or visiting friends. But she would always return to the place she regarded as home, the Porirua harbour.
Rereroa the albatross was one of Awarua's closest friends. Rereroa would often watch for Awarua far below as she flew across Te Moana o Raukawa. She would then descend with outstretched wings and call out with an albatross karanga, to the delight of her friend.
Awarua and Rereroa could talk for hours. Awarua loved to hear Rereroa's stories of flying for years across the great oceans without having to return to land, resting and feeding on the surface of the sea.
Rereroa would stretch her great wings, extending them into the breeze, to illustrate how she could be lifted into the wind and taken away.
Awarua also had wings but they were small in comparison to her body and didn't seem to extend well at all.
Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua 2
Awarua was embarrassed by her inability to fly when she tried to imitate her friend. It was fortunate that Rereroa could see her embarrassment and didn't make a big deal of it.
"It's not so important to fly you know. I sometimes wish that I could just stay in one place, and have a home like you do" Rereroa offered, as words of comfort.
But Awarua wasn't convinced. "You are a good friend Rereroa, and I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think you could do it" Awarua hesitated, "but will you teach me to fly?"
Rereroa secretly thought that it would be impossible to teach Awarua to fly, but didn't let on. Instead, she tried to make an excuse.
Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua 3
"I have to keep feeding and flying to stay alive! I would find it very hard to stay in one place."
But Awarua was quick to reply. "Of course you will be fed with the most luscious fish from my larder, and you would also be expected to demonstrate the intricacies of flying with precision."
Rereroa could only agree to help and so returned with Awarua to begin training.
On the first day of flying practice Awarua was nervous. Rereroa reminded Awarua that flying took a lot of practice and perhaps quite a lot of time.
"Firstly you will have to strengthen your wings. Follow behind and copy my movements," Rereroa instructed.
Rereroa slowly flapped her wings, paddling with her feet, circling the whole harbour while Awarua followed behind. By the time they had returned to their starting point, Awarua was ready to collapse.
"That was harder than I thought, my small wings feel very weak," she said.
Rereroa replied, "When the albatross chicks first begin to fly they are the same. You will need strength in your wings and a focused eye to achieve your goal."
Rereroa then dove down to the sea floor and picked up two large stones. She placed one in each of Awarua's wings and told her to hold her wings apart. She instructed Awarua to follow her movements. Rereroa raised her wings so the tips touched above her head. Awarua tried to follow suit, but it was much harder with weighted wings. After ten such movements Rereroa let Awarua rest. This continued all day until Awarua was completely exhausted.
When the sun finally set, Awarua took a well-deserved rest. Her thoughts then turned to the evening meal.
When Rereroa saw the array of fish and eels that Awarua had in her larder, she was amazed. There was every type of fish imaginable and all swimming in her holding pool, ready to be eaten at her whim.
Awarua scooped up a wing full of fish and offered them to Rereroa, she politely took a few of the choicest fish and suggested Awarua return the rest. But Awarua was hungry after her days work and slid all the fish straight into her
Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua 4
mouth, swallowing them in one huge gulp. When Awarua leant into the pool to grab another wing full, Rereroa stepped in to stop her.
"You are in training now and will need to strictly watch your diet. I couldn't possibly stay airborne if my body was too heavy," Rereroa said.
Awarua sadly released the second scoop of fish, but was happy that her teacher was as serious as she was about flying.
Awarua's training continued in this way for weeks. Soon she was racing around the harbour and lifting her weighted wings with ease.
Finally the day arrived when Rereroa had an announcement to make.
"You have been a good student and have trained hard thus far, I think you are ready to try your first take off," she said.
Awarua was overjoyed, "Fantastic, I feel like I could fly right now".
The next day dawned fine and calm. Rereroa took Awarua to the south end of the harbour, and started with wing stretches to get the muscles moving. Rereroa then directed Awarua towards the centre of the harbour, facing Whitireia, the local maunga.
"Keep your focus, use all the strength and ability you have trained for and give it your best go," Rereroa advised.
Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua 4.5
Awarua took a deep breath, focused towards the north end of the harbour, and headed off. She gathered speed slowly but surely, her wings flapped furiously as she picked up the pace. As Awarua began to skim across the water, she raised her head, thrusting all her energy into her wings.
When she was nearing the other side of the harbour Awarua could hear a voice screeching into her ear.
Rereroa was effortlessly gliding beside her, encouraging her on.
"Push down on your wings and fly!" Rereroa cried.
With that, Awarua gave an extra hard push and lifted from the water. But the maunga Whitireia loomed in front of her quickly, she strained to gain more altitude but wasn't fast enough to get over the hill. Awarua smashed into the trees that covered Whitireia, which luckily softened her fall.
Awarua emerged from the tangle of broken trees with a huge smile on her face.
"Did you see, did you see me fly?" she screeched excitedly.
Rereroa landed bedside her friend and gave her a huge bird hug.
"You were absolutely fantastic, I saw you fly and you will fly again," she said.
Awarua was quick to try again. Rereroa gave her further advice, and they were off once more. This time Awarua flapped her wings extra hard from the beginning and gathered more speed for her take off. She lifted off the water further back than she did the first time and quickly gained altitude, easily passing over Whitireia.
Awarua was so excited she was busy howling at the top of her lungs and didn't see Mana Island looming in front of her. She hit the island with a mighty crash, sliding across it as if she were slipping through mud at low tide.
She landed in the sea nearby, unhurt and actually very proud that she had flown that far.
Rereroa laughed with her friend. Awarua had achieved a great feat through sheer determination.
Awarua continued to practise her flying and although she couldn't fly for long distances she was happy with being able to lift into the skies. Rereroa departed across the great oceans, also happy that her teaching had been so successful.
Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua 5
When Rereroa returned from her long fishing trips, Awarua would show her the new flying tricks she had learnt, often making some spectacular splash downs.
To this day the results of Awarua's flying antics can be seen in the landscape around the Porirua harbour. When she crash-landed across Mana Island, Awarua took the top off it causing its flat appearance. When she collided into Whitireia she caused a huge gully, which is where Onepoto park is now.
This is the story of how Awarua, the taniwha of Porirua, learnt how to fly.

Ngake and Whātaitai the taniwha of Wellington harbour
Ngake and Whātaitai the taniwha of Wellington harbour
Once long ago, before the time of Kupe, when Te Ika-a-Māui was just fished from the depths of the ocean, there lived two taniwha, Ngake and Whātaitai.
In those times, Wellington Harbour, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, was a lake cut off from the sea, and abundant in fresh water fish and native bird life. Ngake and Whātaitai lived here in the lake at the head of the fish of Māui (Te Ika-a-Māui).
Ngake and Whātaitai had a great life in their special lake, with all the time in the world to do as they pleased. Ngake was a taniwha with lots of energy. He liked to race around the shores, chasing fish and eels and leaping after birds that came too close. Whātaitai was the opposite, he preferred to laze on the lake's shores, sunbathing and dreaming taniwha dreams.
When Ngake and Whātaitai were close to the south side of the lake, where the cliffs came down to the waters edge, they could hear the crashing waves of the ocean falling on the shores nearby so when sea birds flew overhead, Ngake and Whātaitai often yelled to them, "Tell us, sea birds, what is so special about the sea?"
And the birds would always reply, "The sea is deep, it's vast, it's wide, it's where many different fishes hide. The sea is the home of Tangaroa, of Hinemoana and many others."
Whātaitai and Ngake could only imagine what secrets the sea held. Whātaitai would loll on his back in the middle of the lake dreaming, imitating the sea noises in his throat. Ngake would swish his tail furiously, making huge waves that crashed against the lake's shore.
As the years went by the two taniwha grew bigger, and the boundaries of their lake seemed to grow smaller.
Ngake was adamant he had outgrown his home and soon convinced Whātaitai that they both needed to break free from the lake that imprisoned them.
One summer morning when Whātaitai was enjoying the morning sunshine at the north end of the lake, Ngake began circling around at high speeds yelling, "Today is the day that I will break free of this lake and swim in the endless sea!"
Whātaitai began to be excited at Ngake's suggestion.
Ngake crossed to the north side of the lake and coiled his tail into a huge spring shape. He focused his sights on the cliffs to the south and suddenly let his tail go. With a mighty roar Ngake was thrust across the lake up over the shore and smashed into the cliff face.
Ngake hit the cliffs with such force that he shattered them into huge hunks of rock and earth, effectively creating a pathway through to Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait). Ngake, cut and bruised, slipped into the sea, finally free to explore as he had dreamed.
Whātaitai was shocked at the devastation that Ngake had caused, but also glad that his brother had safely made it to the other side. Whātaitai knew he would have to follow.
Whātaitai retreated from the north side of the lake to wind his tail into a spring as he had seen his brother do. He said a prayer to the taniwha gods, then let his tail go. But Whātaitai hadn't been very active in the past, and he wasn't as strong or as fit as Ngake, so his take-off was much slower than his brother's.

As Whātaitai entered the gap forged by Ngake he didn't realise the tide was out. His stomach dragged on the ground, eventually slowing him to a stop. Whātaitai was stranded, stuck between the sea and the lake, desperately lashing his tail and trying to move, but to no avail.
Whātaitai could do nothing but lie there hoping that the incoming tide would lift him high enough to carry him across to the other side. But when the tide finally came in, it only helped to dampen his scaly skin and provide fish to sustain his hunger. Whātaitai was stuck without a hope of ever moving.
As the years passed Whātaitai became accustomed to his life stranded between the lake and the open sea. The tides would come and go providing him with food and keeping his skin healthy and moist. Whātaitai made many friends with birds and sea creatures, and these companions helped him deal with his fate.
One morning there was a dreadful shudder beneath the ocean floor. A huge earthquake erupted. Whātaitai was lifted out of the shallow water and high above sea level. Whātaitai could do nothing, he was stranded high above the water and he knew his life would end. Whātaitai bade farewell to his many bird friends and animals and soon after gasped his final breath.
As he died, Whātaitai's spirit transformed into a bird, Te Keo, and flew to the closest mountain, Matairangi (Mount Victoria). Te Keo looked down on the huge taniwha body that stretched across the raised sea bed and cried. She cried for the great friendships Whātaitai had made, shown by the huge numbers of birds and sea life that had gathered around, and for the freedom of the sea which Whātaitai would never experience. When Te Keo had completed her lament, she bade farewell to Whātaitai, then set off to the taniwha spirit world.
Over the years Whātaitai's body turned to stone, earth and rock and is known to this day as Haitaitai. Matairangi still looks down on the body of Whātaitai and the very top of Matairangi is still known as Tangi te Keo.
When Ngake let the spring in his tail loose he used so much force that he created a great gash in the earth and a river was formed. This river is now called Teawakairangi or the Hutt River.
The remnants of rock smashed aside when Ngake exited into the sea are visible today and Te Aroaro o Kupe (Steeple Rock) and Te Tangihanga o Kupe (Barrett's Reef) have long been known as dangerous rock formations to mariners entering the Wellington harbour.
Although Ngake was never seen again it is still believed that he resides in the turbulent waters of the Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait). When the sea is calm Ngake is off exploring Te Moana Nui a Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean). When the sea is turbulent and rough, Ngake is at home chasing sea life to satisfy his taniwha appetite.
And this is the story of Ngake and Whātaitai, the taniwha of the Wellington harbour.

Tāwhirimātea
Tāwhirimātea lived between the embrace of Ranginui and Papatūānuku as did the other children of his whānau. He liked living close to his parents. He could talk to his mother, and get advice from his father when he needed to. Tāwhirimātea didn't mind the difficulties of living in continual darkness, or that space was so confined that he and the rest of his siblings had to crawl to get around. But the other children had had enough.
Tāwhirimātea 1
A meeting was called and the majority of the children decided that their parents had to be separated.
Tūmātauenga addressed them, "Once they feel the blows of my patu they will soon loosen their grip and we'll finally be free to walk upright and greet Tamanuiterā, the sun."
Tāwhirimātea disagreed."How dare you! How dare you think of hurting our parents in such a way. They fed you, nurtured and raised you, and now you reward them with this?"
The children bowed their heads in shame, but Tūmatauenga stood his ground.
Tāwhirimātea 2
"We have asked them to separate, we have pleaded with them to let us see the light, but do they listen? No, this is the only way!"
Tūmātauenga raised his patu to strike at his parents but Tāwhirimātea was on him in a flash. Grappling in the dark they struggled, until finally Tāne Mahuta pleaded for quiet.
"Stop! Fighting will not resolve our problem, we have agreed that we cannot continue to live this way. I'm sorry Tāwhiri but separating our parents has been agreed upon by the majority of us. With the gentle push of my arms, and without hurting them, I will push our parents apart."
Tāwhirimātea 3
The others agreed, but Tāwhirimātea refused to support what he didn't believe was right. Firstly Tāne Mahuta braced his legs on Papatūānuku and pushed Ranginui with his arms. He used all his strength, but without success.
"You cannot separate them," said Tāwhirimātea. "Give it up, they are meant to be together!"
But Tāne Mahuta wasn't finished. He lay on his back, pulled his legs to his chest then pushed from below. Slowly he pushed, but still nothing happened. Again he pushed, using all his strength, but nothing happened. He took a breath and pushed once more. Releasing his breath, and taking another, he pushed again, a new surge of strength pumping through his body. And at last there was movement.
Tāwhirimātea roared with fury, "No!"
But it was too late. Ranginui and Papatūānuku were forced apart, and light filled the world. The brothers lay in shocked silence covering their eyes from the brightness of Tamanuiterā shining down on their cowering bodies.
Tāwhirimātea was first to jump to his feet, lashing out at the others in anger. "I will never let you rest for what you have done, even your children won't be safe from my clutches! This will be my domain forever and you will always feel my wrath," he called to the other children, and he flew up to join his father.
As time passed animals, plants and people grew in the light of the sun. The mokopuna of Ranginui and Papatūānuku populated the world.
Tāwhirimātea kept his promise living in the realm of his father, the sky. He became the guardian of the winds, Ngā hau e whā, and continues to be so to this day.
Sometimes Tāwhirimātea is content to listen to advice from his parents and forgive his siblings. On those days the weather is fine, clear and calm. But sometimes he is reminded of the pain his parents endured when they were separated, and the longing they still have for each other. On those days he sends tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones to hound the descendants of those that betrayed him.

Māui and the giant fish
Māui dreamed of the day that he could go fishing with his older brothers. Each time his brothers returned from a fishing trip Māui would ask, "Next time, can I come fishing with you?"
But Māui's brothers would always make an excuse. "No you're much too young to come fishing with us. We need all the room in our waka for the many fish that we catch."
Te Ika-a-Māui 
"I'll only take up a little bit of room, and I'll stay out of trouble, I promise," Māui would argue.
The eldest brother would reply, "You're so skinny we might mistake you for some bait and throw you overboard for the fish to eat."
Māui would get angry. "I'll teach them, he'd say to himself, "I'll prove how good I am!"
Secretly Māui hatched a plan to prove he was a great fisherman. One night when Māui was alone he began weaving a strong fishing line from flax. As he wove he recited an old karakia to give his fishing line strength.
When he was finished, Māui took a jawbone which his ancestor Murirangawhenua had given him, and bound it securely to the line. Early the next morning, Māui took his fishing line and secreted himself in the hull of his brothers' canoe.
When Māui's brothers pulled the canoe into the sea they noticed something a little different.
"The canoe is much heavier this morning, are you sure you're helping?" said one.
"I think you've been eating too much kumara!" said another.
"Stop your bickering and get on with it!" said the eldest brother.
None of the brothers noticed Māui hiding in the hull. When Māui heard his brothers drop the anchor, he knew they were too far from land to return. Māui revealed himself to his brothers' surprise.
"What!"
"What are you doing here?"
"You tricked us!"
"No wonder we have not caught one single fish!"
The brothers were angry with Māui, but Māui spoke up.
"I have come to fish because Murirangawhenua said I would be a great fisherman. Let your lines down as I say my karakia and you'll catch more fish than you ever have." Māui began his karakia.
The brothers threw their lines into the water and instantly began catching fish. One after another they pulled their fish into the waka. In no time the waka was full and the brothers were delighted with their catch.

"We're the best fishermen ever!" the brothers congratulated each other.
"Now it is my turn to fish," said Māui.
The brothers laughed when Māui pulled his fishing line from his bag.
"Huh, you'll be lucky to catch a piece of seaweed with that!"
"Or maybe a piece of driftwood to float home on!"
The brothers couldn't contain their laughter. Māui didn't listen, instead he recited his karakia and readied his line. "Can you give me some bait for my hook?" Māui asked his brothers.
But the brothers only laughed harder so Māui clenched his fist and hit himself hard on the nose. His nose bled and Māui covered his hook with his own blood. Māui then stood at the front of the canoe and whirled his line above his head as he recited his karakia. He spun his line out to sea, the line sunk deep to the ocean floor, down into the depths of the domain of Tangaroa, and instantly the hook was taken.
Māui's line went suddenly taut. The brothers stopped their laughing and held tightly to the side of the waka as they began to speed across the ocean.
"Cut the line!" a brother called, clearly quaking in his seat.
"We'll all be drowned," said another. "Please Māui cut the line!"
But Māui held tight to his line, and slowly a giant fish was pulled to the surface. The brothers huddled in the waka shivering with fright. The giant fish towered over their small canoe.
"This is the fish that our grandmother, Murirangawhenua, said would be gifted to us," Māui said. "Guard our fish, and I'll soon return with our people."
The brothers agreed to stay, and Māui headed back to Hawaiki. However as soon as Māui had gone, the brothers began chopping greedily at the huge fish, claiming huge pieces of it as their own.
When Māui returned, his people were amazed to see the giant fish.
"Māui is the best fisherman ever," they marvelled.
As they neared the brothers were seen still chopping and arguing over which part of the fish was theirs. The people saw them for the greedy brothers that they were. They were so greedy that they had chopped huge gullies and mountains from the fish's flesh.
Over many hundreds and thousands of years, these gullies and mountains became part of the landscape of Aotearoa as we know it today. Birds, plants, animals and the people of Hawaiki populated the giant fish of Māui. And in time Māui's giant fish became known as the North Island of Aotearoa, and Māui's canoe the South island.
This is the story of Māui and the giant fish.

How Māui brought fire to the world
One evening, after eating a hearty meal, Māui lay beside his fire staring into the flames. He watched the flames flicker and dance and thought to himself, "I wonder where fire comes from."
Māui, being the curious person that he was, decided that he needed to find out. In the middle of the night, while everyone was sleeping, Māui went from village to village and extinguished all the fires until not a single fire burned in the world. He then went back to his whare and waited.
The next morning there was an uproar in the village.
"How can we cook our breakfast, there's no fire!" called a worried mother.
"How will we keep warm at night?" cried another.
"We can't possibly live without fire!" the villagers said to one another.
The people of the village were very frightened. They asked Taranga, who was their rangatira, to help solve the problem.
"Someone will have to go and see the great goddess, Mahuika, and ask her for fire," said Taranga.
None of the villagers were eager to meet Mahuika, they had all heard of the scorching mountain where she lived. So Māui offered to set out in search of Mahuika, secretly glad that his plan had worked.
Māui rāua ko Mahuika 
"Be very careful," said Taranga. "Although you are a descendant of Mahuika she will not take kindly to you if you try and trick her."
"I'll find the great ancestress Mahuika and bring fire back to the world," Māui assured his mother.
Māui walked to the scorching mountain to the end of the earth following the instructions from his mother and found a huge mountain glowing red hot with heat. At the base of the mountain Māui saw a cave entrance. Before he entered, Māui whispered a special karakia to himself as protection from what lay beyond. But nothing could prepare Māui for what he saw when he entered the sacred mountain of Mahuika.
Mahuika, the goddess, rose up before him, fire burning from every pore of her body, her hair a mass of flames, her arms outstretched, and with only black holes where her eyes once were. She sniffed the air.
"Who is this mortal that dares to enter my dwelling?"
Māui gathered the courage to speak, "It is I, Māui, son of Taranga."
"Huh!" Yelled Mahuika. "Māui, the son of Taranga?"
"Yes the last born, Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga."
"Well then, Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, welcome, welcome to the essence of the flame, welcome my grandchild."
Mahuika stepped closer to Māui, taking a deep sniff of his scent. Māui stood completely still, even though the flames from Mahuika's skin were unbearably hot.
"So... why do you come, Māui-tikitiki-a-Taranga?" Mahuika finally asked.
Māui said, "The fires of the world have been extinguished, I have come to ask you for fire." Mahuika listened carefully to Māui, and then she laughed. She pulled a fingernail from one of her burning fingers and gave it to him.
"Take this fire as a gift to your people. Honour this fire as you honour me."
So Māui left the house of Mahuika taking with him the fingernail of fire.

As Māui walked along the side of the road he thought to himself, "What if Mahuika had no fire left, then where would she get her fire from?"
Māui couldn't contain his curiosity. He quickly threw the fingernail into a stream and headed back to Mahuika's cave.
"I tripped and fell," said Māui. "Could I please have another?"
Mahuika was in a good mood. She hadn't spoken to someone in quite some time and she liked Māui. She gladly gave Māui another of her fingernails.
But Māui soon extinguished this fingernail as well and returned to Mahuika with another excuse.
"A fish splashed my flame as I was crossing the river," Māui said.
Mahuika provided another of her fingernails, not suspecting that she was being tricked.
This continued for most of the day until Mahuika had used all her fingernails and had even given up her toenails. When Māui returned to ask for another, Mahuika was furious. She knew Māui had been tricking her and threw the burning toenail to the ground.
Instantly Māui was surrounded by fire and chased from the cave.
Māui changed himself into a hawk and escaped to the sky, but the flames burned so high that they singed the underside of his wings, turning them a glowing red.
Māui dived towards a river, hoping to avoid the flames in the coolness of the water, but the immense heat made the water boil.
Māui was desperate. He called on his ancestor Tāwhirimātea for help. "Tāwhirimātea atua o ngā hau e whā, āwhinatia mai!"
Then, a mass of clouds gathered and a torrent of rain fell to put out the many fires. Mahuika's mountain of fire no longer burned hot.
Mahuika had lost much of her power, but still she was not giving up. She took her very last toenail and threw it at Māui in anger. The toenail of fire missed Māui and flew into the trees, planting itself in the Mahoe tree, the Tōtara, the Patete, the Pukatea, and the Kaikōmako trees. These trees cherished and held onto the fire of Mahuika, considering it a great gift.
When Māui returned to his village he didn't bring back fire as the villagers had expected. Instead he brought back dry wood from the Kaikōmako tree and showed them how to rub the dry sticks together forming friction which would eventually start a fire. The villagers were very happy to be able to cook their food once more and to have the warmth of their fires at night to comfort them.
Māui satisfied his curiosity in finding the origin of fire, although he very nearly paid the ultimate price in doing so. To this day the Kahu, the native hawk of Aotearoa, still retains the red singed feathers on the underside of its wings, a reminder of how close Māui was to death.
This is the story of how Māui brought fire to the world.

How Māui slowed the sun
One evening, Māui and his brothers were making a hāngi for their evening meal. They had just finished heating the stones when the sun went down and it quickly became too dark to see. Māui was annoyed with having to eat his food in the dark. He stood in the light of the fire and addressed his people.
"Every day we have to rush to do our chores and gather our food before the sun sets. Why should we be slaves to the sun? I will catch the sun before it rises, and teach it to travel slowly across the sky!"
But one of the brothers was quick to criticise, not believing Māui could possibly do such a thing.
"It would be impossible to catch the sun, he's much bigger than any bird you've ever caught!"
"The heat and flames would surely burn you to death," said another.
"I think he's got sunstroke," another added, and they all laughed.
Māui me te rā
When they had quietened down, Māui took the sacred jawbone of his ancestor from his belt and waved it in the air.
"I have achieved many things that were thought impossible – gaining fire from Mahuika, catching the greatest fish in the world, descending to the underworld, and many more. With this magic jawbone, gifted by Murirangawhenua, and with your help, I will succeed in conquering the sun!"
The majority of the people agreed that Māui had achieved many great feats, they decided to help Māui in his quest.
The next day Māui and his whānau collected a huge amount of flax, Māui then taught them how to make flax ropes, a skill he learnt when he was in the underworld. They made square shaped ropes, tuamaka, flat ropes, paharahara, and twisted the flax to make round ropes. After five days the ropes were completed and Māui said a special karakia over them.
"Taura nui, taura roa, taura kaha, taura toa, taura here i a Tamanuiterā, whakamaua kia mau kia ita!"
During the night, Māui and his brothers hoisted the ropes and travelled towards the east to where the sun first rises. They hid under trees and bushes during the day, so the sun wouldn't see them approaching. They collected water in calabashes as they travelled, which Māui said was necessary for their task ahead.
On the twelfth night Māui and his brothers arrived at the edge of a huge, red-hot pit, dug deep into the ground. Inside the pit Tamanuiterā, the sun, was sleeping. The brothers were silent, terrified at what might happen if he awoke. Māui immediately ordered his brothers to build four huts around the edges of the pit to hide their long ropes. In front of the huts they used water to soften the clay and build a wall to shelter them. Māui and his brothers then spread their flax ropes into a noose, only just finishing before dawn, when the sun was due to wake.
"When Tamanuiterā rises and his head and shoulders are in the noose I will call for you to pull tight on the ropes," Māui instructed his brothers.
One of the brothers became worried and wanted to run while he still had time.
"Why are we doing this?" he asked another. "It's madness!"
"We'll be burnt alive, if we run now we might escape with our lives!"
The two brothers tried to sneak away but Māui caught sight of them through the corner of his eye.
"If you run now the sun will see you when he rises from his pit. You will be the first ones to die. There is no turning back!"

The brothers had no time to answer. The sun had begun to wake and was rising from the pit. They quickly ran back to their huts grabbed hold of their ropes and hid behind the wall of clay, trembling as they waited for Māui's orders. Māui hid and watched.
Tamanuiterā slowly emerged from the deep pit, not knowing that a trap was set for him. His head went through the noose and then his shoulders. Māui suddenly jumped from his hut and yelled to his brothers, "Pull on the ropes, now!"
At first the brothers were too scared to come out. Māui yelled again, "Quickly, before it's too late, and we are scorched to death!"
Just then the sun peered down to the edges of the pit and saw Māui standing before him. Tamanuiterā was furious. He hurled a ball of fire towards Māui, but Māui ducked, holding tightly to his rope and once more chanting his karakia:
"Taura nui, taura roa, taura kaha, taura toa, taura here i a Tamanuiterā, whakamaua kia mau kia ita!"
The brothers jumped from their hiding places, grabbing their ropes just before Tamanuiterā could free himself from the noose.
"Aaaarrrhhh!" the sun roared in anger.
Māui fought off the intense heat and moved to the edge of the pit. He raised his magic jawbone above his head and brought it down hard on the sun. The magic forces from the jawbone flashed like a bolt of lightening.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Cried Tamanuiterā.
"From now on you will travel slowly across the sky, never again will the length of our day be dictated by you," Māui replied.
Tamanuiterā tried to struggle free, but again, Māui showed him the power of his magic jawbone. And Tamanuiterā finally gave up the fight.
Māui instructed his brothers to let go of their ropes. Tamanuiterā travelled slowly up into the sky, tired and beaten.
The days became longer for Māui and his people, giving them plenty of time to fish, gather food and do their chores. Māui's power and ability could never be questioned again, he had succeeded in taming the sun. From that day until this, Tamanuiterā has always travelled slowly across the sky.
And this is the story of how Māui slowed the sun.

Hami’s Lot
Hami was out of choices when his cousin pulled up one day and took the Amway cleaning kit from the boot of her Mercedes.
The council were restructuring and had laid off workers, although Hami had heard through the kumara vine that it was a result of overspending on the new golf course. Whatever the reason, the lollipop men were the first to go. Hami’s days of waving to traffic with an authoritative smile were over. That’s what really hurt.
With a shirt to match her Merc, Hami’s cousin sent him on a selling mission. “What else are cousies for?” she said as her window rose like a horizontal elevator, leaving Hami staring at himself in the reflective glass. 
"Man, that should be me,” he thought to himself as she sped away.
Hami caught the bus and started his new job on the opposite side of town. At least in the new suburb everyone looked like they owned their own homes and, more importantly, no one would recognise him as he went door to door.
With his Amway shirt over the top of his sweatshirt, Hami reluctantly headed towards his first house. It was a typical white picket fence type, with a birdbath and plaster deer sitting on the front lawn. He tapped the gold knocker on the brown stained door and waited. A Māori woman answered. Hami was quite taken aback, he had already conjured up an image of a small pale skinned Pakeha woman with an articulate toddler in hand. But before Hami had a chance to let loose with his Amway spiel, he was whisked from the door by Aunty, as she liked to be called, and sat down at the table for a feed of boil-up, fried bread, and a cup of tea.
Hami sat and listened to a rundown of Aunty’s family history. Shares and the pig farm had all added up to a small fortune when her uncle Matiu died. He and Aunty, who was really Aunty’s aunty and she so happened to be named after, had raised her from a child. Uncle Matiu died of a broken heart soon after Aunty’s aunty died, which is why she decided to make a new start in the city.
City life had its benefits, she did Internet courses, accounting, stockbroking and even began her own investment portfolio. But Aunty missed her relations, she missed being able to chat over a cuppa. Hami now knew why he had been sitting at her table for the past hour.
After their cup of tea, Aunty took Hami out the back of her place and showed him the large piece of land she had invested in. It stretched for at least five football fields. Dollar signs rolled in Hami’s eyes. ”it’s worth a fortune!” was all Hami could stutter when Aunty asked what he thought.
“Gardens, streetlights, footpaths, parks and a neighbourhood all wrapped up into a dream, ready to be made reality. This would be Matiu’s Grove,” Aunty proudly announced.
As they walked back to the house Hami looked at his bag of Amway gear in disdain, he may as well have been carrying a bag of empty kina shells. But then the door opened to another thought. He quickly put the idea to Aunty. A caretaker role was how he pitched it. Sweeping paths, emptying bins, keeping the park tidy, cleaning windows, mowing lawns, painting fences. He could help make Aunty’s dream come true, to make Matiu’s Grove the best street in the city. A place where everybody would want to live. Aunty stopped and looked at Hami, beaming a huge smile.

And so when building did finally start, Hami was there. Houses were raised, families were settled in and Aunty’s dream came to life. Matiu’s Grove was born.
Hami cleaned paths, emptied bins, replenished Amway stocks and painted fences. He made a modest living and was satisfied with what he achieved. But when his car died and needed more than a reconditioned gearbox, a quiet disquiet began to stir in Hami’s mind. He wanted more, breaking even wasn’t good enough, he wanted a future, he wanted a place to call his own.
Hami faced Aunty with his hopes and dreams. Aunty listened with patience, then finally smiled. She had recently built a new extension onto her house, next to the pool. It was self-contained and close to work, saving him travel and rent at the same time. Hami could move in when he pleased, the place was his.
Hami was overjoyed, but insisted he needed a title of some sort to feel secure in his future. Aunty had the small section subdivided and signed the small place into Hami’s name. Hami was a proud home owner all within the space of a month.
Everything ran beautifully. Hami continued to keep the grounds and surroundings of Matiu’s Grove in tip-top shape, Aunty kept having relations to stay and Matiu’s Grove thrived with happy tenants. Hami enjoyed saving his money each week. One Friday afternoon while gazing into the fish pond a realisation struck him. He was the small fish in the large pond. He looked down the many rows of houses that lined both sides of the street; he knew things had to change.
Hami decided that he would put his house up for rent and move into the garden shed. Hami had slept in worse places so he didn’t mind the cramped conditions at all, as long as the money was coming in, he was happy.
And the money did come in.
Hami kept his money in a steel box under his bed. He didn’t trust banks and liked to have his money close so he could count it when he felt the need. When one of the tenants from Aunty’s many houses moved out, Hami suggested he buy the place. Aunty agreed, she wanted some diversification in her stock investments. So Hami took his deposit to the bank raised a loan, paid Aunty off, and was then the proud owner of two houses on Matiu’s Grove.
As the years passed so to the ownership of the houses of Matiu’s Grove passed into the Hami’s hands. Hami continued to live in the garden shed and to save his money, Aunty kept up her stock investments and things ran smoothly. Whenever a tenant moved house, Hami was ready to buy.
Eventually, Hami owned all the houses on Matiu’s Grove except Aunty’s private home and the shed that he still lived in. Aunty was happy, happy that she had seen her dreams come true, happy that her relations still continued to fill her place and to stay as long as they liked, which for some meant years, and also happy that her stocks were doing very well.
Hami counted his money piles each week and watched his wealth grow. He fitted a safe into a hole in the shed floor when his money tin became too small, covering it neatly with a piece of board and carpet. ”Safe as houses”, was what he said to himself.

It was when he was pulling back the piece of board to open his safe one Friday that he was bitten by the spider. He thought he’d been stung by a wasp and was annoyed that he couldn’t find the culprit. It wasn’t until two days later when Hami’s left arm, neck, and part of his face started to swell that he remembered about the sting.
After taking all the tests and staying overnight in hospital it was revealed that the spider’s poison had spread dramatically. There was nothing the doctors could do about the flesh eating disease except cut away the rotting flesh.
Hami came out of the hospital a disfigured man, hardly recognisable to those that knew him. Kids stared at Hami and whispered behind his back. Parents found it hard to look him in the eye when he collected the rent. One afternoon a small boy was so frightened when he opened the door and saw Hami, that he wet his pants. The tenants decided to move out. They gave no explanation except that they were looking for something more suitable.
Hami started wearing a mask to disguise his disfigured face, but that only made things worse. Other tenants joined the exodus out of Matiu’s Grove. Within six months, Matiu’s Grove was deserted.
Hami walked the streets a broken, disfigured man. When Aunty joined him on the park bench one morning Hami could do nothing but sob tears of frustration. Aunty suggested the Internet as a place he could possibly find a cure, or at least some of the best plastic surgeons in the world.
With Aunty’s help, Hami did find a clinic that specialised in flesh reconstruction for disease victims such as himself. The clinic was in America and would cost an enormous amount of money. Hami was desperate; he would spare nothing to return to the normal life he once knew. Hami flew to America with the blessing and support of Aunty and her relations.
Hami’s treatment began almost immediately, the reconstruction of his face, neck, shoulder and arm was an arduous task and extremely costly. His savings were soon depleted, but Hami wasn’t about to give up when the treatment was going so well. He signed his houses over to Aunty one at a time. Aunty used her shares and investments to buy back all the houses of Matiu’s Grove. Her relations moved in and Matiu’s Grove was once again humming with people and activity.
Six months after Hami left for the clinic in America, he returned, completely transformed. Hami was broke but happy, his health had been restored and a resurgence of life filled his veins.
Hami soon got a job with the council after the jobs were advertised in the paper. His first job was outside Matiu’s Grove standing on the corner with an orange ‘Stop’ and ‘Go’ sign. He smiled at Aunty and her relations as they drove by, truly happy with his lot.

The Unseen
Light filtered through the canopy of manuka trees trapping the summer’s day like a duvet over a winter’s bed. The three young boys, Boots, Fats and Jimmy-boy negotiated their way along the narrow dirt track, laden with an assortment of sleeping bags, pots, and kitchen utensils. Tina, Fats’s German shepherd, scouted ahead, returning momentarily with drooling tongue and eyes ablaze. 
Jimmy-boy turned his back to the overgrown branches that blocked the pathway and pushed himself into the clearing. Fats, unfortunately copped the recoil of fauna in the side of his head.
“Jeez Jimmy, you idiot, watch what you’re doing man!” 
But Jimmy-boy and Boots had already dropped their gear and run to where a huge gum tree stretched its branches to the sky. 
Soon, after a series of big time wrestling moves in the long grass, the boys pitched their tent in the flattened area they had created. 
‘This is awesome eh bro?” Fats slouched against the large tree trunk watching the other two finish banging pegs into the ground.
“We’re like the survivors on TV stranded on a desert island.” Fats continued. 
Jimmy-boy stopped what he was doing and looked over at Fats.
“Except we’ve got a tent, sleeping bags, a torch and heaps of canned food from your mum’s pantry.”
Fats’s eyes lit up.
“That’s right, food. I’m sure it’s kai time!”
Fats crawled along the ground on all fours, sniffing and growling like a hungry bear. As soon as he was close enough Boots was on his back riding him into the ground.
“Not so fast Papa bear, baby bear is hungry too you know!”
Jimmy-boy was soon knocking them both over and another play fight ensued.
Later that afternoon the three friends lay on their bellies, sharing a large can of fruit salad, their heads poking from the triangular doorway to their tent. Tina rolled on her back in the evening light, desperately trying to satisfy a persistent itch.
Evening turned to night, shadows danced around the nylon ceiling as the boys talked, laughed and huddled in their sleeping bags. 
“What do you mean you’re not scared of ghosts?” Boots propped himself up on one elbow shining the torch at Jimmy-boy.
“It’s all about belief man, didn’t you go to church?”
“Like the holy ghost!” Fats thought he’d add his two cents worth.
“Eh?” Boots was becoming more confused.
“It’s the ghost with holes in it.” Fats eyes grew wide as he stretched his hands in front of Boots as if casting a spell. 
“If you don’t believe in ghosts then how can you see one?” Jimmy-boy put on his serious tone. 
Boots wasn’t convinced. “Don’t question the unseen!”
Fats quickly grabbed Boots by the throat, “The unseen bony hands strangling your dirty neck”.
Tina’s bark stopped them all from launching into another play fight. Instead they wriggled themselves to the other end of the tent and pulled up the zipper. Tina could be heard scrambling around in the undergrowth. Boots gripped the torch, its blue beam scanning the darkness. Suddenly Tina went quiet, and so too did the three boys. A hissing screech broke the silence and Tina was back in action.
“What was that?” Fats moved closer to Boots.
The next screech sounded closer. Tina suddenly bounded from the bush, the three boys screamed at once heading quickly in reverse, their sleeping bags pulled up around their ears. 
The screeching intensified, Fats grabbed the torch from Boots, Boots grabbed a butter knife and Jimmy-boy grabbed a can of baked beans. The three boys stared, wide-eyed, ears fixed, huddled together in desperation.

“What is it? There’s someone out there.” Boots looked to Jimmy-boy for a reaction.
Fats stared wide-eyed at the other two, “It’s Dracula, I’m sure of it, it’s like that movie.”
“Shut up Fats, it’s not Dracula!” Jimmy-boy hardly sounded convincing.
The screeching shifted in tone and a growling hiss took over. Tina and whatever it was outside were in a full-on fight. The boys screamed when a dark shape jumped onto the tent. Tina followed close behind collapsing the tent inwards. 
The boys yelled at the top of their lungs until just as suddenly as it had started, the whole ruckus stopped. The three boys lay for sometime, too scared to move.
Slowly they pulled the poles back into position and made their way to the front entrance. Fats scanned the immediate vicinity. Tina’s eyes pierced the darkness like glowing lights. The three boys jumped and screamed for the third time that night. Fats called Tina over when they realised it was her. 
“Good girl, you were protecting us eh.” 
“What are you talking about, she almost got us killed!” Boots was still shaking.
“She did not.” 
Jimmy–boy interrupted. “She’s got fur around her mouth, it was probably a possum.” 
Fats took a closer look. “Or one of Dracula’s kids!” 
Boots was already heading back into the safety of the tent, with Fats following closely behind.
Jimmy-boy was left at the entrance by himself. “Whatever. You guys are chickens!” 
Boots gripped his sleeping bag extra tightly. “If you’re not scared, why don’t you go and have a look!” 
More scuffling sounds were heard outside. Jimmy-boy pulled down the door zipper and quickly rolled over to the others.
“Sweet as.”
Fats gripped the torch, reminding the others that it belonged to his father. A hooting morepork could be heard calling in the distance. The three boys lay in silence, listening to the sounds of the night. It took two hours before they finally fell asleep.
The next morning they found animal fur scattered around the camp, but no dead possum. 
“Tina must have carried it off somewhere.” The others agreed to what Fats had suggested but none of them were interested in finding it. 
“Could’ve been one of those ghosts you’re not scared of.” Boots laughed as they walked the track towards home. 
“I wasn’t scared.” Jimmy-boy stated, Boots laughed even harder.
“What was the baked beans can for then?” Fats was laughing too.
Jimmy-boy couldn’t help but join in. “What about the torch Fats, Oh it’s my dads… so I have to hold onto it. And your butter knife Boots, did you want to butter your chicken sandwich? Ha ha!”
As the three boys continued home, they laughed and carried on about their night in the bush, recalling every detail of what had happened, who was scared, who wasn’t, and what they’d do if it ever happened again. There was one thing they had all agreed on by the time they reached home. No one would find out how scared they really were on the night they were attacked by an unseen furry ghost.


    
IKTOMI AND THE DUCKS

IKTOMI is a spider fairy. He wears brown deerskin leggins with long soft fringes on either side, and tiny beaded moccasins on his feet. His long black hair is parted in the middle and wrapped with red, red bands. Each round braid hangs over a small brown ear and falls forward over his shoulders.

He even paints his funny face with red and yellow, and draws big black rings around his eyes. He wears a deerskin jacket, with bright colored beads sewed tightly on it. Iktomi dresses like a real Dakota brave. In truth, his paint and deerskins are the best part of him -- if ever dress is part of man or fairy.

Iktomi is a wily fellow. His hands are always kept in mischief. He prefers to spread a snare rather than to earn the smallest thing with honest hunting. Why! he laughs outright with wide open mouth when some simple folk are caught in a trap, sure and fast.

He never dreams another lives so bright as he. Often his own conceit leads him hard against the common sense of simpler people.

Poor Iktomi cannot help being a little imp. And so long as he is a naughty fairy, he cannot find a single friend. No one helps him when he is in trouble. No one really loves him. Those who come to admire his handsome beaded jacket and long fringed leggins soon go away sick and tired of his vain, vain words and heartless laughter.

Thus Iktomi lives alone in a cone-shaped wigwam upon the plain. One day he sat hungry within his teepee. Suddenly he rushed out, dragging after him his blanket. Quickly spreading it on the ground, he tore up dry tall grass with both his hands and tossed it fast into the blanket.

Tying all the four corners together in a knot, he threw the light bundle of grass over his shoulder.

Snatching up a slender willow stick with his free left hand, he started off with a hop and a leap. From side to side bounced the bundle on his back, as he ran light- footed over the uneven ground. Soon he came to the edge of the great level land. On the hilltop he paused for breath. With wicked smacks of his dry parched lips, as if tasting some tender meat, he looked straight into space toward the marshy river bottom. With a thin palm shading his eyes from the western sun, he peered far away into the lowlands, munching his own cheeks all the while. "Ah-ha!" grunted he, satisfied with what he saw.

A group of wild ducks were dancing and feasting in the marshes. With wings out- spread, tip to tip, they moved up and down in a large circle. Within the ring, around a small drum, sat the chosen singers, nodding their heads and blinking their eyes.

They sang in unison a merry dance-song, and beat a lively tattoo on the drum.

Following a winding footpath near by, came a bent figure of a Dakota brave. He bore on his back a very large bundle. With a willow cane he propped himself up as he staggered along beneath his burden.

"Ho! who is there?" called out a curious old duck, still bobbing up and down in the circular dance.

Hereupon the drummers stretched their necks till they strangled their song for a look at the stranger passing by.

"Ho, Iktomi! Old fellow, pray tell us what you carry in your blanket. Do not hurry off! Stop! halt!" urged one of the singers.

"Stop! stay! Show us what is in your blanket!" cried out other voices.

"My friends, I must not spoil your dance. Oh, you would not care to see if you only knew what is in my blanket. Sing on! dance on! I must not show you what I carry on my back," answered Iktomi, nudging his own sides with his elbows. This reply broke up the ring entirely. Now all the ducks crowded about Iktomi.

"We must see what you carry! We must know what is in your blanket!" they shouted in both his ears. Some even brushed their wings against the mysterious bundle. Nudging himself again, wily Iktomi said, "My friends, 't is only a pack of songs I carry in my blanket."

"Oh, then let us hear your songs!" cried the curious ducks.

At length Iktomi consented to sing his songs. With delight all the ducks flapped their wings and cried together, "Hoye! hoye!"

Iktomi, with great care, laid down his bundle on the ground.

"I will build first a round straw house, for I never sing my songs in the open air," said he.

Quickly he bent green willow sticks, planting both ends of each pole into the earth. These he covered thick with reeds and grasses. Soon the straw hut was ready. One by one the fat ducks waddled in through a small opening, which was the only entrance way. Beside the door Iktomi stood smiling, as the ducks, eyeing his bundle of songs, strutted into the hut.

In a strange low voice Iktomi began his queer old tunes. All the ducks sat round-eyed in a circle about the mysterious singer. It was dim in that straw hut, for Iktomi had not forgot to cover up the small entrance way. All of a sudden his song burst into full voice. As the startled ducks sat uneasily on the ground, Iktomi changed his tune into a minor strain. These were the words he sang:

"Istokmus wacipo, tuwayatunwanpi kinhan ista nisasapi kta," which is, "With eyes closed you must dance. He who dares to open his eyes, forever red eyes shall have."

Up rose the circle of seated ducks and holding their wings close against their sides began to dance to the rhythm of Iktomi's song and drum.

With eyes closed they did dance! Iktomi ceased to beat his drum. He began to sing louder and faster. He seemed to be moving about in the center of the ring. No duck dared blink a wink. Each one shut his eyes very tight and danced even harder.

Up and down! Shifting to the right of them they hopped round and round in that blind dance. It was a difficult dance for the curious folk.

At length one of the dancers could close his eyes no longer! It was a Skiska who peeped the least tiny blink at Iktomi within the center of the circle. "Oh! oh!" squawked he in awful terror! "Run! fly! Iktomi is twisting your heads and breaking your necks! Run out and fly! fly!" he cried. Hereupon the ducks opened their eyes. There beside Iktomi's bundle of songs lay half of their crowd -- flat on their backs.

Out they flew through the opening Skiska had made as he rushed forth with his alarm.

But as they soared high into the blue sky they cried to one another: "Oh! your eyes are red-red!" "And yours are red-red!" For the warning words of the magic minor strain had proven true. "Ah-ha!" laughed Iktomi, untying the four corners of his blanket, "I shall sit no more hungry within my dwelling." Homeward he trudged along with nice fat ducks in his blanket. He left the little straw hut for the rains and winds to pull down.

Having reached his own teepee on the high level lands, Iktomi kindled a large fire out of doors. He planted sharp-pointed sticks around the leaping flames. On each stake he fastened a duck to roast. A few he buried under the ashes to bake. Disappearing within his teepee, he came out again with some huge seashells. These were his dishes. Placing one under each roasting duck, he muttered, "The sweet fat oozing out will taste well with the hard-cooked breasts."

Heaping more willows upon the fire, Iktomi sat down on the ground with crossed shins. A long chin between his knees pointed toward the red flames, while his eyes were on the browning ducks.

Just above his ankles he clasped and unclasped his long bony fingers. Now and then he sniffed impatiently the savory odor.

The brisk wind which stirred the fire also played with a squeaky old tree beside Iktomi's wigwam.

From side to side the tree was swaying and crying in an old man's voice, "Help! I'll break! I'll fall!" Iktomi shrugged his great shoulders, but did not once take his eyes from the ducks. The dripping of amber oil into pearly dishes, drop by drop, pleased his hungry eyes. Still the old tree man called for help. "He! What sound is it that makes my ear ache!" exclaimed Iktomi, holding a hand on his ear.

He rose and looked around. The squeaking came from the tree. Then he began climbing the tree to find the disagreeable sound. He placed his foot right on a cracked limb without seeing it. Just then a whiff of wind came rushing by and pressed together the broken edges. There in a strong wooden hand Iktomi's foot was caught.

"Oh! my foot is crushed!" he howled like a coward. In vain he pulled and puffed to free himself.

While sitting a prisoner on the tree he spied, through his tears, a pack of gray wolves roaming over the level lands. Waving his hands toward them, he called in his loudest voice, "He! Gray wolves! Don't you come here! I'm caught fast in the tree so that my duck feast is getting cold. Don't you come to eat up my meal."

The leader of the pack upon hearing Iktomi's words turned to his comrades and said:

"Ah! hear the foolish fellow! He says he has a duck feast to be eaten! Let us hurry there for our share!" Away bounded the wolves toward Iktomi's lodge.

From the tree Iktomi watched the hungry wolves eat up his nicely browned fat ducks. His foot pained him more and more. He heard them crack the small round bones with their strong long teeth and eat out the oily marrow. Now severe pains shot up from his foot through his whole body. "Hin-hin-hin!" sobbed Iktomi. Real tears washed brown streaks across his red-painted cheeks. Smacking their lips, the wolves began to leave the place, when Iktomi cried out like a pouting child, "At least you have left my baking under the ashes!"

"Ho! Po!" shouted the mischievous wolves; "he says more ducks are to be found under the ashes! Come! Let us have our fill this once!"

Running back to the dead fire, they pawed out the ducks with such rude haste that a cloud of ashes rose like gray smoke over them.

"Hin-hin-hin!" moaned Iktomi, when the wolves had scampered off. All too late, the sturdy breeze returned, and, passing by, pulled apart the broken edges of the tree. Iktomi was released. But alas! he had no duck feast.

IKTOMI'S BLANKET

ALONE within his teepee sat Iktomi. The sun was but a handsbreadth from the western edge of land.

"Those, bad, bad gray wolves! They ate up all my nice fat ducks!" muttered he, rocking his body to and fro.

He was cuddling the evil memory he bore those hungry wolves. At last he ceased to sway his body backward and forward, but sat still and stiff as a stone image.

"Oh! I'll go to Inyan, the great-grand- father, and pray for food!" he exclaimed.

At once he hurried forth from his teepee and, with his blanket over one shoulder, drew nigh to a huge rock on a hillside.

With half-crouching, half-running strides, he fell upon Inyan with outspread hands.

"Grandfather! pity me. I am hungry. I am starving. Give me food. Great-grand- father, give me meat to eat!" he cried. All the while he stroked and caressed the face of the great stone god.

The all-powerful Great Spirit, who makes the trees and grass, can hear the voice of those who pray in many varied ways. The hearing of Inyan, the large hard stone, was the one most sought after. He was the great-grandfather, for he had sat upon the hillside many, many seasons. He had seen the prairie put on a snow-white blanket and then change it for a bright green robe more than a thousand times.

Still unaffected by the myriad moons he rested on the everlasting hill, listening to the prayers of Indian warriors. Before the finding of the magic arrow he had sat there.

Now, as Iktomi prayed and wept before the great-grandfather, the sky in the west was red like a glowing face. The sunset poured a soft mellow light upon the huge gray stone and the solitary figure beside it. It was the smile of the Great Spirit upon the grandfather and the wayward child.

The prayer was heard. Iktomi knew it. "Now, grandfather, accept my offering; 'tis all I have," said Iktomi as he spread his half-worn blanket upon Inyan's cold shoulders. Then Iktomi, happy with the smile of the sunset sky, followed a foot- path leading toward a thicketed ravine. He had not gone many paces into the shrubbery when before him lay a freshly wounded deer!

"This is the answer from the red western sky!" cried Iktomi with hands uplifted.

Slipping a long thin blade from out his belt, he cut large chunks of choice meat. Sharpening some willow sticks, he planted them around a wood-pile he had ready to kindle. On these stakes he meant to roast the venison.

While he was rubbing briskly two long sticks to start a fire, the sun in the west fell out of the sky below the edge of land. Twilight was over all. Iktomi felt the cold night air upon his bare neck and shoulders. "Ough!" he shivered as he wiped his knife on the grass. Tucking it in a beaded case hanging from his belt, Iktomi stood erect, looking about. He shivered again. "Ough! Ah! I am cold. I wish I had my blanket!" whispered he, hovering over the pile of dry sticks and the sharp stakes round about it. Suddenly he paused and dropped his hands at his sides.

"The old great-grandfather does not feel the cold as I do. He does not need my old blanket as I do. I wish I had not given it to him. Oh! I think I'll run up there and take it back!" said he, pointing his long chin toward the large gray stone.

Iktomi, in the warm sunshine, had no need of his blanket, and it had been very easy to part with a thing which he could not miss. But the chilly night wind quite froze his ardent thank-offering.

Thus running up the hillside, his teeth chattering all the way, he drew near to Inyan, the sacred symbol. Seizing one corner of the half-worn blanket, Iktomi pulled it off with a jerk.

"Give my blanket back, old grandfather! You do not need it. I do!" This was very wrong, yet Iktomi did it, for his wit was not wisdom. Drawing the blanket tight over his shoulders, he descended the hill with hurrying feet.

He was soon upon the edge of the ravine. A young moon, like a bright bent bow, climbed up from the southwest horizon a little way into the sky.

In this pale light Iktomi stood motionless as a ghost amid the thicket. His wood- pile was not yet kindled. His pointed stakes were still bare as he had left them. But where was the deer -- the venison he had felt warm in his hands a moment ago? It was gone. Only the dry rib bones lay on the ground like giant fingers from an open grave. Iktomi was troubled. At length, stooping over the white dried bones, he took hold of one and shook it. The bones, loose in their sockets, rattled together at his touch. Iktomi let go his hold. He sprang back amazed. And though he wore a blanket his teeth chattered more than ever. Then his blunted sense will surprise you, little reader; for instead of being grieved that he had taken back his blanket, he cried aloud, "Hin-hin-hin! If only I had eaten the venison before going for my blanket!"

Those tears no longer moved the hand of the Generous Giver. They were selfish tears. The Great Spirit does not heed them ever.

IKTOMI AND THE MUSKRAT

BESIDE a white lake, beneath a large grown willow tree, sat Iktomi on the bare ground. The heap of smouldering ashes told of a recent open fire. With ankles crossed together around a pot of soup, Iktomi bent over some delicious boiled fish.

Fast he dipped his black horn spoon into the soup, for he was ravenous. Iktomi had no regular meal times. Often when he was hungry he went without food.

Well hid between the lake and the wild rice, he looked nowhere save into the pot of fish. Not knowing when the next meal would be, he meant to eat enough now to last some time.

"How, how, my friend!" said a voice out of the wild rice. Iktomi started. He almost choked with his soup. He peered through the long reeds from where he sat with his long horn spoon in mid-air.

"How, my friend!" said the voice again, this time close at his side. Iktomi turned and there stood a dripping muskrat who had just come out of the lake.

"Oh, it is my friend who startled me. I wondered if among the wild rice some spirit voice was talking. How, how, my friend!" said Iktomi. The muskrat stood smiling. On his lips hung a ready "Yes, my friend," when Iktomi would ask, "My friend, will you sit down beside me and share my food?"

That was the custom of the plains people. Yet Iktomi sat silent. He hummed an old dance-song and beat gently on the edge of the pot with his buffalo-horn spoon. The muskrat began to feel awkward before such lack of hospitality and wished himself under water.

After many heart throbs Iktomi stopped drumming with his horn ladle, and looking upward into the muskrat's face, he said:

"My friend, let us run a race to see who shall win this pot of fish. If I win, I shall not need to share it with you. If you win, you shall have half of it." Springing to his feet, Iktomi began at once to tighten the belt about his waist.

"My friend Ikto, I cannot run a race with you! I am not a swift runner, and you are nimble as a deer. We shall not run any race together," answered the hungry muskrat.

For a moment Iktomi stood with a hand on his long protruding chin. His eyes were fixed upon something in the air. The muskrat looked out of the corners of his eyes without moving his head. He watched the wily Iktomi concocting a plot.

"Yes, yes," said Iktomi, suddenly turning his gaze upon the unwelcome visitor;

"I shall carry a large stone on my back. That will slacken my usual speed; and the race will be a fair one."

Saying this he laid a firm hand upon the muskrat's shoulder and started off along the edge of the lake. When they reached the opposite side Iktomi pried about in search of a heavy stone.

He found one half-buried in the shallow water. Pulling it out upon dry land, he wrapped it in his blanket.

"Now, my friend, you shall run on the left side of the lake, I on the other. The race is for the boiled fish in yonder kettle!" said Iktomi.

The muskrat helped to lift the heavy stone upon Iktomi's back. Then they parted. Each took a narrow path through the tall reeds fringing the shore. Iktomi found his load a heavy one. Perspiration hung like beads on his brow. His chest heaved hard and fast.

He looked across the lake to see how far the muskrat had gone, but nowhere did he see any sign of him. "Well, he is running low under the wild rice!" said he. Yet as he scanned the tall grasses on the lake shore, he saw not one stir as if to make way for the runner. "Ah, has he gone so fast ahead that the disturbed grasses in his trail have quieted again?" exclaimed Iktomi. With that thought he quickly dropped the heavy stone. "No more of this!" said he, patting his chest with both hands.

Off with a springing bound, he ran swiftly toward the goal. Tufts of reeds and grass fell flat under his feet. Hardly had they raised their heads when Iktomi was many paces gone.

Soon he reached the heap of cold ashes. Iktomi halted stiff as if he had struck an invisible cliff. His black eyes showed a ring of white about them as he stared at the empty ground. There was no pot of boiled fish! There was no water-man in sight! "Oh, if only I had shared my food like a real Dakota, I would not have lost it all! Why did I not know the muskrat would run through the water? He swims faster than I could ever run! That is what he has done. He has laughed at me for carrying a weight on my back while he shot hither like an arrow!"

Crying thus to himself, Iktomi stepped to the water's brink. He stooped forward with a hand on each bent knee and peeped far into the deep water.

"There!" he exclaimed, "I see you, my friend, sitting with your ankles wound around my little pot of fish! My friend, I am hungry. Give me a bone!"

"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed the water-man, the muskrat. The sound did not rise up out of the lake, for it came down from overhead. With his hands still on his knees, Iktomi turned his face upward into the great willow tree. Opening wide his mouth he begged, "My friend, my friend, give me a bone to gnaw!"

"Ha! ha!" laughed the muskrat, and leaning over the limb he sat upon, he let fall a small sharp bone which dropped right into Iktomi's throat. Iktomi almost choked to death before he could get it out. In the tree the muskrat sat laughing loud. "Next time, say to a visiting friend, 'Be seated beside me, my friend. Let me share with you my food.'"

IKTOMI AND THE COYOTE

AFAR off upon a large level land, a summer sun was shining bright. Here and there over the rolling green were tall bunches of coarse gray weeds. Iktomi in his fringed buckskins walked alone across the prairie with a black bare head glossy in the sunlight. He walked through the grass without following any well-worn footpath.

From one large bunch of coarse weeds to another he wound his way about the great plain. He lifted his foot lightly and placed it gently forward like a wildcat prowling noiselessly through the thick grass. He stopped a few steps away from a very large bunch of wild sage. From shoulder to shoulder he tilted his head. Still farther he bent from side to side, first low over one hip and then over the other. Far forward he stooped, stretching his long thin neck like a duck, to see what lay under a fur coat beyond the bunch of coarse grass.

A sleek gray-faced prairie wolf! his pointed black nose tucked in between his four feet drawn snugly together; his handsome bushy tail wound over his nose and feet; a coyote fast asleep in the shadow of a bunch of grass! -- this is what Iktomi spied. Carefully he raised one foot and cautiously reached out with his toes. Gently, gently he lifted the foot behind and placed it before the other. Thus he came nearer and nearer to the round fur ball lying motionless under the sage grass.

Now Iktomi stood beside it, looking at the closed eyelids that did not quiver the least bit. Pressing his lips into straight lines and nodding his head slowly, he bent over the wolf. He held his ear close to the coyote's nose, but not a breath of air stirred from it.

"Dead!" said he at last. "Dead, but not long since he ran over these plains! See! there in his paw is caught a fresh feather. He is nice fat meat!" Taking hold of the paw with the bird feather fast on it, he exclaimed, "Why, he is still warm! I'll carry him to my dwelling and have a roast for my evening meal. Ah-ha!" he laughed, as he seized the coyote by its two fore paws and its two hind feet and swung him over head across his shoulders. The wolf was large and the teepee was far across the prairie. Iktomi trudged along with his burden, smacking his hungry lips together. He blinked his eyes hard to keep out the salty perspiration streaming down his face.

All the while the coyote on his back lay gazing into the sky with wide open eyes. His long white teeth fairly gleamed as he smiled and smiled.

"To ride on one's own feet is tiresome, but to be carried like a warrior from a brave fight is great fun!" said the coyote in his heart. He had never been borne on any one's back before and the new experience delighted him. He lay there lazily on Iktomi's shoulders, now and then blinking blue winks. Did you never see a birdie blink a blue wink? This is how it first became a saying among the plains people. When a bird stands aloof watching your strange ways, a thin bluish white tissue slips quickly over his eyes and as quickly off again; so quick that you think it was only a mysterious blue wink. Sometimes when children grow drowsy they blink blue winks, while others who are too proud to look with friendly eyes upon people blink in this cold bird-manner.

The coyote was affected by both sleepiness and pride. His winks were almost as blue as the sky. In the midst of his new pleasure the swaying motion ceased. Iktomi had reached his dwelling place. The coyote felt drowsy no longer, for in the next instant he was slipping out of Iktomi's hands. He was falling, falling through space, and then he struck the ground with such a bump he did not wish to breathe for a while. He wondered what Iktomi would do, thus he lay still where he fell. Humming a dance-song, one from his bundle of mystery songs, Iktomi hopped and darted about at an imaginary dance and feast. He gathered dry willow sticks and broke them in two against his knee. He built a large fire out of doors. The flames leaped up high in red and yellow streaks. Now Iktomi returned to the coyote who had been looking on through his eyelashes.

Taking him again by his paws and hind feet, he swung him to and fro. Then as the wolf swung toward the red flames, Iktomi let him go. Once again the coyote fell through space. Hot air smote his nostrils. He saw red dancing fire, and now he struck a bed of cracking embers. With a quick turn he leaped out of the flames. From his heels were scattered a shower of red coals upon Iktomi's bare arms and shoulders. Dumfounded, Iktomi thought he saw a spirit walk out of his fire. His jaws fell apart. He thrust a palm to his face, hard over his mouth! He could scarce keep from shrieking.

Rolling over and over on the grass and rubbing the sides of his head against the ground, the coyote soon put out the fire on his fur. Iktomi's eyes were almost ready to jump out of his head as he stood cooling a burn on his brown arm with his breath.

Sitting on his haunches, on the opposite side of the fire from where Iktomi stood, the coyote began to laugh at him.

"Another day, my friend, do not take too much for granted. Make sure the enemy is stone dead before you make a fire!"

Then off he ran so swiftly that his long bushy tail hung out in a straight line with his back.

IKTOMI AND THE FAWN

IN one of his wanderings through the wooded lands, Iktomi saw a rare bird sitting high in a tree-top. Its long fan-like tail feathers had caught all the beautiful colors of the rainbow. Handsome in the glistening summer sun sat the bird of rainbow plumage. Iktomi hurried hither with his eyes fast on the bird.

He stood beneath the tree looking long and wistfully at the peacock's bright feathers. At length he heaved a sigh and began: "Oh, I wish I had such pretty feathers! How I wish I were not I! If only I were a handsome feathered creature how happy I would be! I'd be so glad to sit upon a very high tree and bask in the summer sun like you!" said he suddenly, pointing his bony finger up toward the peacock, who was eyeing the stranger below, turning his head from side to side.

"I beg of you make me into a bird with green and purple feathers like yours!" implored Iktomi, tired now of playing the brave in beaded buckskins. The peacock then spoke to Iktomi: "I have a magic power. My touch will change you in a moment into the most beautiful peacock if you can keep one condition."

"Yes! yes!" shouted Iktomi, jumping up and down, patting his lips with his palm, which caused his voice to vibrate in a peculiar fashion. "Yes! yes! I could keep ten conditions if only you would change me into a bird with long, bright tail feathers. Oh, I am so ugly! I am so tired of being myself! Change me! Do!"

Hereupon the peacock spread out both his wings, and scarce moving them, he sailed slowly down upon the ground. Right beside Iktomi he alighted. Very low in Iktomi's ear the peacock whispered, "Are you willing to keep one condition, though hard it be?"

"Yes! yes! I've told you ten of them if need be!" exclaimed Iktomi, with some impatience.

"Then I pronounce you a handsome feathered bird. No longer are you Iktomi the mischief-maker." Saying this the peacock touched Iktomi with the tips of his wings.

Iktomi vanished at the touch. There stood beneath the tree two handsome peacocks. While one of the pair strutted about with a head turned aside as if dazzled by his own bright-tinted tail feathers, the other bird soared slowly upward. He sat quiet and unconscious of his gay plumage. He seemed content to perch there on a large limb in the warm sunshine.

After a little while the vain peacock, dizzy with his bright colors, spread out his wings and lit on the same branch with the elder bird.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, "how hard to fly! Brightly tinted feathers are handsome, but I wish they were light enough to fly!" Just there the elder bird interrupted him. "That is the one condition. Never try to fly like other birds. Upon the day you try to fly you shall be changed into your former self."

"Oh, what a shame that bright feathers cannot fly into the sky!" cried the peacock. Already he grew restless. He longed to soar through space. He yearned to fly above the trees high upward to the sun.

"Oh, there I see a flock of birds flying thither! Oh! oh!" said he, flapping his wings, "I must try my wings! I am tired of bright tail feathers. I want to try my wings."

"No, no!" clucked the elder bird. The flock of chattering birds flew by with whirring wings. "Oop! oop!" called some to their mates.

Possessed by an irrepressible impulse the Iktomi peacock called out, "He! I want to come! Wait for me!" and with that he gave a lunge into the air. The flock of flying feathers wheeled about and lowered over the tree whence came the peacock's cry. Only one rare bird sat on the tree, and beneath, on the ground, stood a brave in brown buckskins.

"I am my old self again!" groaned Iktomi in a sad voice. "Make me over, pretty bird. Try me this once again!" he pleaded in vain.

"Old Iktomi wants to fly! Ah! We cannot wait for him!" sang the birds as they flew away.

Muttering unhappy vows to himself, Iktomi had not gone far when he chanced upon a bunch of long slender arrows. One by one they rose in the air and shot a straight line over the prairie. Others shot up into the blue sky and were soon lost to sight. Only one was left. He was making ready for his flight when Iktomi rushed upon him and wailed, "I want to be an arrow! Make me into an arrow! I want to pierce the blue Blue overhead. I want to strike yonder summer sun in its center. Make me into an arrow!"

"Can you keep a condition? One condition, though hard it be?" the arrow turned to ask.

"Yes! Yes!" shouted Iktomi, delighted.

Hereupon the slender arrow tapped him gently with his sharp flint beak. There was no Iktomi, but two arrows stood ready to fly. "Now, young arrow, this is the one condition. Your flight must always be in a straight line. Never turn a curve nor jump about like a young fawn," said the arrow magician. He spoke slowly and sternly.

At once he set about to teach the new arrow how to shoot in a long straight line.

"This is the way to pierce the Blue over- head," said he; and off he spun high into the sky.

While he was gone a herd of deer came trotting by. Behind them played the young fawns together. They frolicked about like kittens. They bounced on all fours like balls. Then they pitched forward, kicking their heels in the air. The Iktomi arrow watched them so happy on the ground. Looking quickly up into the sky, he said in his heart, "The magician is out of sight. I'll just romp and frolic with these fawns until he returns. Fawns! Friends, do not fear me. I want to jump and leap with you. I long to be happy as you are," said he. The young fawns stopped with stiff legs and stared at the speaking arrow with large brown wondering eyes. "See!

I can jump as well as you!" went on Iktomi. He gave one tiny leap like a fawn. All of a sudden the fawns snorted with extended nostrils at what they beheld. There among them stood Iktomi in brown buckskins, and the strange talking arrow was gone.

"Oh! I am myself. My old self!" cried Iktomi, pinching himself and plucking imaginary pieces out of his jacket.

"Hin-hin-hin! I wanted to fly!"

The real arrow now returned to the earth. He alighted very near Iktomi. From the high sky he had seen the fawns playing on the green. He had seen Iktomi make his one leap, and the charm was broken. Iktomi became his former self.

"Arrow, my friend, change me once more!" begged Iktomi.

"No, no more," replied the arrow. Then away he shot through the air in the direction his comrades had flown.

By this time the fawns gathered close around Iktomi. They poked their noses at him trying to know who he was.

Iktomi's tears were like a spring shower. A new desire dried them quickly away. Stepping boldly to the largest fawn, he looked closely at the little brown spots all over the furry face.

"Oh, fawn! What beautiful brown spots on your face! Fawn, dear little fawn, can you tell me how those brown spots were made on your face?"

"Yes," said the fawn. "When I was very, very small, my mother marked them on my face with a red hot fire. She dug a large hole in the ground and made a soft bed of grass and twigs in it. Then she placed me gently there. She covered me over with dry sweet grass and piled dry cedars on top. From a neighbor's fire she brought hither a red, red ember. This she tucked carefully in at my head. This is how the brown spots were made on my face."

"Now, fawn, my friend, will you do the same for me? Won't you mark my face with brown, brown spots just like yours?" asked Iktomi, always eager to be like other people.

"Yes. I can dig the ground and fill it with dry grass and sticks. If you will jump into the pit, I'll cover you with sweet smelling grass and cedar wood," answered the fawn.

"Say," interrupted Ikto, "will you be sure to cover me with a great deal of dry grass and twigs? You will make sure that the spots will be as brown as those you wear."

"Oh, yes. I'll pile up grass and willows once oftener than my mother did."

"Now let us dig the hole, pull the grass, and gather sticks," cried Iktomi in glee.

Thus with his own hands he aids in making his grave. After the hole was dug and cushioned with grass, Iktomi, muttering something about brown spots, leaped down into it. Lengthwise, flat on his back, he lay. While the fawn covered him over with cedars, a far-away voice came up through them, "Brown, brown spots to wear forever!" A red ember was tucked under the dry grass. Off scampered the fawns after their mothers; and when a great distance away they looked backward. They saw a blue smoke rising, writhing upward till it vanished in the blue ether.

"Is that Iktomi's spirit?" asked one fawn of another.

"No! I think he would jump out before he could burn into smoke and cinders," answered his comrade.

THE BADGER AND THE BEAR

ON the edge of a forest there lived a large family of badgers. In the ground their dwelling was made. Its walls and roof were covered with rocks and straw.

Old father badger was a great hunter. He knew well how to track the deer and buffalo. Every day he came home carrying on his back some wild game. This kept mother badger very busy, and the baby badgers very chubby. While the well- fed children played about, digging little make-believe dwellings, their mother hung thin sliced meats upon long willow racks. As fast as the meats were dried and seasoned by sun and wind, she packed them carefully away in a large thick bag.

This bag was like a huge stiff envelope, but far more beautiful to see, for it was painted all over with many bright colors. These firmly tied bags of dried meat were laid upon the rocks in the walls of the dwelling. In this way they were both useful and decorative.

One day father badger did not go off for a hunt. He stayed at home, making new arrows. His children sat about him on the ground floor. Their small black eyes danced with delight as they watched the gay colors painted upon the arrows.

All of a sudden there was heard a heavy footfall near the entrance way. The oval- shaped door-frame was pushed aside. In stepped a large black foot with great big claws. Then the other clumsy foot came next. All the while the baby badgers stared hard at the unexpected comer. After the second foot, in peeped the head of a big black bear! His black nose was dry and parched. Silently he entered the dwelling and sat down on the ground by the doorway.

His black eyes never left the painted bags on the rocky walls. He guessed what was in them. He was a very hungry bear. Seeing the racks of red meat hanging in the yard, he had come to visit the badger family.

Though he was a stranger and his strong paws and jaws frightened the small badgers, the father said, "How, how, friend! Your lips and nose look feverish and hungry. Will you eat with us?"

"Yes, my friend," said the bear. "I am starved. I saw your racks of red fresh meat, and knowing your heart is kind, I came hither. Give me meat to eat, my friend."

Hereupon the mother badger took long strides across the room, and as she had to pass in front of the strange visitor, she said: "Ah han! Allow me to pass!" which was an apology.

"How, how!" replied the bear, drawing himself closer to the wall and crossing his shins together.

Mother badger chose the most tender red meat, and soon over a bed of coals she broiled the venison.

That day the bear had all he could eat. At nightfall he rose, and smacking his lips together, -- that is the noisy way of saying "the food was very good!" -- he left the badger dwelling. The baby badgers, peeping through the door-flap after the shaggy bear, saw him disappear into the woods near by.

Day after day the crackling of twigs in the forest told of heavy footsteps. Out would come the same black bear. He never lifted the door-flap, but thrusting it aside entered slowly in. Always in the same place by the entrance way he sat down with crossed shins.

His daily visits were so regular that mother badger placed a fur rug in his place. She did not wish a guest in her dwelling to sit upon the bare hard ground.

At last one time when the bear returned, his nose was bright and black. His coat was glossy. He had grown fat upon the badger's hospitality.

As he entered the dwelling a pair of wicked gleams shot out of his shaggy head. Surprised by the strange behavior of the guest who remained standing upon the rug, leaning his round back against the wall, father badger queried: "How, my friend! What?"

The bear took one stride forward and shook his paw in the badger's face. He said: "I am strong, very strong!"

"Yes, yes, so you are," replied the badger. From the farther end of the room mother badger muttered over her bead work: "Yes, you grew strong from our well-filled bowls."

The bear smiled, showing a row of large sharp teeth.

"I have no dwelling. I have no bags of dried meat. I have no arrows. All these I have found here on this spot," said he, stamping his heavy foot. "I want them! See! I am strong!" repeated he, lifting both his terrible paws.

Quietly the father badger spoke: "I fed you. I called you friend, though you came here a stranger and a beggar. For the sake of my little ones leave us in peace."

Mother badger, in her excited way, had pierced hard through the buckskin and stuck her fingers repeatedly with her sharp awl until she had laid aside her work. Now, while her husband was talking to the bear, she motioned with her hands to the children. On tiptoe they hastened to her side.

For reply came a low growl. It grew louder and more fierce. "Wa-ough!" he roared, and by force hurled the badgers out. First the father badger; then the mother. The little badgers he tossed by pairs. He threw them hard upon the ground. Standing in the entrance way and showing his ugly teeth, he snarled, "Be gone!"

The father and mother badger, having gained their feet, picked up their kicking little babes, and, wailing aloud, drew the air into their flattened lungs till they could stand alone upon their feet. No sooner had the baby badgers caught their breath than they howled and shrieked with pain and fright. Ah! what a dismal cry was theirs as the whole badger family went forth wailing from out their own dwelling! A little distance away from their stolen house the father badger built a small round hut. He made it of bent willows and covered it with dry grass and twigs.

This was shelter for the night; but alas! it was empty of food and arrows. All day father badger prowled through the forest, but without his arrows he could not get food for his children. Upon his return, the cry of the little ones for meat, the sad quiet of the mother with bowed head, hurt him like a poisoned arrow wound.

"I'll beg meat for you!" said he in an unsteady voice. Covering his head and entire body in a long loose robe he halted beside the big black bear. The bear was slicing red meat to hang upon the rack. He did not pause for a look at the comer. As the badger stood there unrecognized, he saw that the bear had brought with him his whole family. Little cubs played under the high-hanging new meats. They laughed and pointed with their wee noses upward at the thin sliced meats upon the poles.

"Have you no heart, Black Bear? My children are starving. Give me a small piece of meat for them," begged the badger.

"Wa-ough!" growled the angry bear, and pounced upon the badger. "Be gone!" said he, and with his big hind foot he sent father badger sprawling on the ground.

All the little ruffian bears hooted and shouted "ha-ha!" to see the beggar fall upon his face. There was one, however, who did not even smile. He was the youngest cub. His fur coat was not as black and glossy as those his elders wore. The hair was dry and dingy. It looked much more like kinky wool. He was the ugly cub. Poor little baby bear! he had always been laughed at by his older brothers. He could not help being himself. He could not change the differences between himself and his brothers. Thus again, though the rest laughed aloud at the badger's fall, he did not see the joke. His face was long and earnest. In his heart he was sad to see the badgers crying and starving. In his breast spread a burning desire to share his food with them.

"I shall not ask my father for meat to give away. He would say 'No!' Then my brothers would laugh at me," said the ugly baby bear to himself.

In an instant, as if his good intention had passed from him, he was singing happily and skipping around his father at work. Singing in his small high voice and dragging his feet in long strides after him, as if a prankish spirit oozed out from his heels, he strayed off through the tall grass. He was ambling toward the small round hut. When directly in front of the entrance way, he made a quick side kick with his left hind leg. Lo! there fell into the badger's hut a piece of fresh meat. It was tough meat, full of sinews, yet it was the only piece he could take without his father's notice.

Thus having given meat to the hungry badgers, the ugly baby bear ran quickly away to his father again.

On the following day the father badger came back once more. He stood watching the big bear cutting thin slices of meat.

" Give -- " he began, when the bear turning upon him with a growl, thrust him cruelly aside. The badger fell on his hands. He fell where the grass was wet with the blood of the newly carved buffalo. His keen starving eyes caught sight of a little red clot lying bright upon the green. Looking fearfully toward the bear and seeing his head was turned away, he snatched up the small thick blood. Underneath his girdled blanket he hid it in his hand.

On his return to his family, he said within himself : "I'll pray the Great Spirit to bless it." Thus he built a small round lodge. Sprinkling water upon the heated heap of sacred stones within, he made ready to purge his body. "The buffalo blood, too, must be purified before I ask a blessing upon it," thought the badger. He carried it into the sacred vapor lodge. After placing it near the sacred stones, he sat down beside it. After a long silence, he muttered: "Great Spirit, bless this little buffalo blood." Then he arose, and with a quiet dignity stepped out of the lodge. Close behind him some one followed. The badger turned to look over his shoulder and to his great joy he beheld a Dakota brave in handsome buckskins. In his hand he carried a magic arrow. Across his back dangled a long fringed quiver. In answer to the badger's prayer, the avenger had sprung from out the red globules.

"My son!" exclaimed the badger with extended right hand.

"How, father," replied the brave; "I am your avenger!"

Immediately the badger told the sad story of his hungry little ones and the stingy bear.

Listening closely the young man stood looking steadily upon the ground.

At length the father badger moved away.

"Where?" queried the avenger.

"My son, we have no food. I am going again to beg for meat," answered the badger.

"Then I go with you," replied the young brave. This made the old badger happy. He was proud of his son. He was delighted to be called "father" by the first human creature.

The bear saw the badger coming in the distance. He narrowed his eyes at the tall stranger walking beside him. He spied the arrow. At once he guessed it was the avenger of whom he had heard long, long ago. As they approached, the bear stood erect with a hand on his thigh. He smiled upon them.

"How, badger, my friend! Here is my knife. Cut your favorite pieces from the deer," said he, holding out a long thin blade.

"How!" said the badger eagerly. He wondered what had inspired the big bear to such a generous deed. The young avenger waited till the badger took the long knife in his hand.

Gazing full into the black bear's face, he said: "I come to do justice. You have returned only a knife to my poor father. Now return to him his dwelling." His voice was deep and powerful. In his black eyes burned a steady fire.

The long strong teeth of the bear rattled against each other, and his shaggy body shook with fear. "Ahow!" cried he, as if he had been shot. Running into the dwelling he gasped, breathless and trembling, "Come out, all of you! This is the badger's dwelling. We must flee to the forest for fear of the avenger who carries the magic arrow."

Out they hurried, all the bears, and disappeared into the woods.

Singing and laughing, the badgers returned to their own dwelling.

Then the avenger left them.

"I go," said he in parting, "over the earth."

THE TREE-BOUND

IT was a clear summer day. The blue, blue sky dropped low over the edge of the green level land. A large yellow sun hung directly overhead.

The singing of birds filled the summer space between earth and sky with sweet music. Again and again sang a yellow- breasted birdie -- "Koda Ni Dakota!" He insisted upon it. "Koda Ni Dakota!" which was "Friend, you're a Dakota! Friend, you're a Dakota!" Perchance the birdie meant the avenger with the magic arrow, for there across the plain he strode. He was handsome in his paint and feathers, proud with his great buckskin quiver on his back and a long bow in his hand. Afar to an eastern camp of cone-shaped teepees he was going. There over the Indian village hovered a large red eagle threatening the safety of the people. Every morning rose this terrible red bird out of a high chalk bluff and spreading out his gigantic wings soared slowly over the round camp ground. Then it was that the people, terror-stricken, ran screaming into their lodges. Covering their heads with their blankets, they sat trembling with fear. No one dared to venture out till the red eagle had disappeared beyond the west, where meet the blue and green.

In vain tried the chieftain of the tribe to find among his warriors a powerful marks- man who could send a death arrow to the man-hungry bird. At last to urge his men to their utmost skill he bade his crier proclaim a new reward.

Of the chieftain's two beautiful daughters he would have his choice who brought the dreaded red eagle with an arrow in its breast.

Upon hearing these words, the men of the village, both young and old, both heroes and cowards, trimmed new arrows for the contest. At gray dawn there stood indistinct under the shadow of the bluff many human figures; silent as ghosts and wrapped in robes girdled tight about their waists, they waited with chosen bow and arrow.

Some cunning old warriors stayed not with the group. They crouched low upon the open ground. But all eyes alike were fixed upon the top of the high bluff. Breathless they watched for the soaring of the red eagle.

From within the dwellings many eyes peeped through the small holes in the front lapels of the teepee. With shaking knees and hard-set teeth, the women peered out upon the Dakota men prowling about with bows and arrows.

At length when the morning sun also peeped over the eastern horizon at the armed Dakotas, the red eagle walked out upon the edge of the cliff. Pluming his gorgeous feathers, he ruffled his neck and flapped his strong wings together. Then he dived into the air. Slowly he winged his way over the round camp ground; over the men with their strong bows and arrows! In an instant the long bows were bent. Strong straight arrows with red feathered tips sped upward to the blue sky. Ah! slowly moved those indifferent wings, untouched by the poison-beaked arrows. Off to the west beyond the reach of arrow, beyond the reach of eye, the red eagle flew away.

A sudden clamor of high-pitched voices broke the deadly stillness of the dawn. The women talked excitedly about the invulnerable red of the eagle's feathers, while the would-be heroes sulked within their wigwams. "He-he-he!" groaned the chieftain.

On the evening of the same day sat a group of hunters around a bright burning fire. They were talking of a strange young man whom they spied while out upon a hunt for deer beyond the bluffs. They saw the stranger taking aim. Following the point of his arrow with their eyes, they beheld a herd of buffalo. The arrow sprang from the bow! It darted into the skull of the foremost buffalo. But unlike other arrows it pierced through the head of the creature and spinning in the air lit into the next buffalo head. One by one the buffalo fell upon the sweet grass they were grazing. With straight quivering limbs they lay on their sides. The young man stood calmly by, counting on his fingers the buffalo as they dropped dead to the ground. When the last one fell, he ran thither and picking up his magic arrow wiped it carefully on the soft grass. He slipped it into his long fringed quiver.

"He is going to make a feast for some hungry tribe of men or beasts!" cried the hunters among themselves as they hastened away.

They were afraid of the stranger with the sacred arrow. When the hunter's tale of the stranger's arrow reached the ears of the chieftain, his face brightened with a smile. He sent forth fleet horsemen, to learn of him his birth, his name, and his deeds.

"If he is the avenger with the magic arrow, sprung up from the earth out of a clot of buffalo blood, bid him come hither. Let him kill the red eagle with his magic arrow. Let him win for himself one of my beautiful daughters," he had said to his messengers, for the old story of the badger's man-son was known all over the level lands.

After four days and nights the braves returned. "He is coming," they said. "We The Tree-Bound have seen him. He is straight and tall; handsome in face, with large black eyes. He paints his round cheeks with bright red, and wears the penciled lines of red over his temples like our men of honored rank. He carries on his back a long fringed quiver in which he keeps his magic arrow. His bow is long and strong. He is coming now to kill the big red eagle." All around the camp ground from mouth to ear passed those words of the returned messengers.

Now it chanced that immortal Iktomi, fully recovered from the brown burnt spots, overheard the people talking. At once he was filled with a new desire. "If only I had the magic arrow, I would kill the red eagle and win the chieftain's daughter for a wife," said he in his heart.

Back to his lonely wigwam he hastened. Beneath the tree in front of his teepee he sat upon the ground with chin between his drawn-up knees. His keen eyes scanned the wide plain. He was watching for the avenger.

"'He is coming!' said the people," muttered old Iktomi. All of a sudden he raised an open palm to his brow and peered afar into the west. The summer sun hung bright in the middle of a cloudless sky. There across the green prairie was a man walking bareheaded toward the east.

"Ha! ha! 'tis he! the man with the magic arrow!" laughed Iktomi. And when the bird with the yellow breast sang loud again -- "Koda Ni Dakota! Friend, you're a Dakota!" Iktomi put his hand over his mouth as he threw his head far backward, laughing at both the bird and man.

"He is your friend, but his arrow will kill one of your kind! He is a Dakota, but soon he'll grow into the bark on this tree! Ha! ha! ha!" he laughed again.

The young avenger walked with swaying strides nearer and nearer toward the lonely wigwam and tree. Iktomi heard the swish! swish! of the stranger's feet through the tall grass. He was passing now beyond the tree, when Iktomi, springing to his feet, called out: "How, how, my friend! I see you are dressed in handsome deerskins and have red paint on your cheeks. You are going to some feast or dance, may I ask?" Seeing the young man only smiled Iktomi went on: "I have not had a mouthful of food this day. Have pity on me, young brave, and shoot yonder bird for me!" With these words Iktomi pointed toward the tree-top, where sat a bird on the highest branch. The young avenger, always ready to help those in distress, sent an arrow upward and the bird fell. In the next branch it was caught between the forked prongs.

"My friend, climb the tree and get the bird. I cannot climb so high. I would get dizzy and fall," pleaded Iktomi. The avenger began to scale the tree, when Iktomi cried to him: "My friend, your beaded buckskins may be torn by the branches. Leave them safe upon the grass till you are down again."

"You are right," replied the young man, quickly slipping off his long fringed quiver. Together with his dangling pouches and tinkling ornaments, he placed it on the ground. Now he climbed the tree unhindered. Soon from the top he took the bird. "My friend, toss to me your arrow that I may have the honor of wiping it clean on soft deerskin!" exclaimed Iktomi.

"How!" said the brave, and threw the bird and arrow to the ground.

At once Iktomi seized the arrow. Rubbing it first on the grass and then on a piece of deerskin, he muttered indistinct words all the while. The young man, stepping downward from limb to limb, hearing the low muttering, said: "Iktomi, I cannot hear what you say!"

"Oh, my friend, I was only talking of your big heart."

Again stooping over the arrow Iktomi continued his repetition of charm words. "Grow fast, grow fast to the bark of the tree," he whispered. Still the young man moved slowly downward. Suddenly dropping the arrow and standing erect, Iktomi said aloud: "Grow fast to the bark of the tree!" Before the brave could leap from the tree he became tight-grown to the bark.

"Ah! ha!" laughed the bad Iktomi. "I have the magic arrow! I have the beaded buckskins of the great avenger!" Hooting and dancing beneath the tree, he said: "I shall kill the red eagle; I shall wed the chieftain's beautiful daughter!"

"Oh, Iktomi, set me free!" begged the tree-bound Dakota brave. But Iktomi's ears were like the fungus on a tree. He did not hear with them.

Wearing the handsome buckskins and carrying proudly the magic arrow in his right hand, he started off eastward. Imitating the swaying strides of the avenger, he walked away with a face turned slightly skyward.

"Oh, set me free! I am glued to the tree like its own bark! Cut me loose!" moaned the prisoner.

A young woman, carrying on her strong back a bundle of tightly bound willow sticks, passed near by the lonely teepee. She heard the wailing man's voice. She paused to listen to the sad words. Looking around she saw nowhere a human creature. "It may be a spirit," thought she.

"Oh! cut me loose! set me free! Iktomi has played me false! He has made me bark of his tree!" cried the voice again.

The young woman dropped her pack of firewood to the ground. With her stone axe she hurried to the tree. There before her astonished eyes clung a young brave close to the tree.

Too shy for words, yet too kind-hearted to leave the stranger tree-bound, she cut loose the whole bark. Like an open jacket she drew it to the ground. With it came the young man also. Free once more, he started away. Looking backward, a few paces from the young woman, he waved his hand, upward and downward, before her face. This was a sign of gratitude used when words failed to interpret strong emotion.

When the bewildered woman reached her dwelling, she mounted a pony and rode swiftly across the rolling land. To the camp ground in the east, to the chieftain troubled by the red eagle, she carried her story.

SHOOTING OF THE RED EAGLE

A MAN in buckskins sat upon the top of a little hillock. The setting sun shone bright upon a strong bow in his hand. His face was turned toward the round camp ground at the foot of the hill. He had walked a long journey hither. He was waiting for the chieftain's men to spy him.

Soon four strong men ran forth from the center wigwam toward the hillock, where sat the man with the long bow.

"He is the avenger come to shoot the red eagle," cried the runners to each other as they bent forward swinging their elbows together.

They reached the side of the stranger, but he did not heed them. Proud and silent he gazed upon the cone-shaped wigwams beneath him. Spreading a handsomely decorated buffalo robe before the man, two of the warriors lifted him by each shoulder and placed him gently on it. Then the four men took, each, a corner of the blanket and carried the stranger, with long proud steps, toward the chieftain's teepee.

Ready to greet the stranger, the tall chieftain stood at the entrance way. "How, you are the avenger with the magic arrow!" said he, extending to him a smooth soft hand.

"How, great chieftain!" replied the man, holding long the chieftain's hand. Entering the teepee, the chieftain motioned the young man to the right side of the doorway, while he sat down opposite him with a center fire burning between them. Wordless, like a bashful Indian maid, the avenger ate in silence the food set before him on the ground in front of his crossed shins. When he had finished his meal he handed the empty bowl to the chieftain's wife, saying, "Mother-in-law, here is your dish!"

"Han, my son!" answered the woman, taking the bowl.

With the magic arrow in his quiver the stranger felt not in the least too presuming in addressing the woman as his mother- in-law.

Complaining of fatigue, he covered his face with his blanket and soon within the chieftain's teepee he lay fast asleep.

"The young man is not handsome after all!" whispered the woman in her husband's ear.

"Ah, but after he has killed the red eagle he will seem handsome enough!" answered the chieftain.

That night the star men in their burial procession in the sky reached the low northern horizon, before the center fires within the teepees had flickered out. The ringing laughter which had floated up through the smoke lapels was now hushed, and only the distant howling of wolves broke the quiet of the village. But the lull between midnight and dawn was short indeed. Very early the oval-shaped door- flaps were thrust aside and many brown faces peered out of the wigwams toward the top of the highest bluff.

Now the sun rose up out of the east. The red painted avenger stood ready within the camp ground for the flying of the red eagle. He appeared, that terrible bird! He hovered over the round village as if he could pounce down upon it and devour the whole tribe.

When the first arrow shot up into the sky the anxious watchers thrust a hand quickly over their half-uttered "hinnu!" The second and the third arrows flew upward but missed by a wide space the red eagle soaring with lazy indifference over the little man with the long bow. All his arrows he spent in vain. "Ah! my blanket brushed my elbow and shifted the course of my arrow!" said the stranger as the people gathered around him.

During this happening, a woman on horseback halted her pony at the chieftain's teepee. It was no other than the young woman who cut loose the tree- bound captive!

While she told the story the chieftain listened with downcast face. "I passed him on my way. He is near!" she ended.

Indignant at the bold impostor, the wrathful eyes of the chieftain snapped fire like red cinders in the night time. His lips were closed. At length to the woman he said: "How, you have done me a good deed." Then with quick decision he gave command to a fleet horseman to meet the avenger. "Clothe him in these my best buckskins," said he, pointing to a bundle within the wigwam.

In the meanwhile strong men seized Iktomi and dragged him by his long hair to the hilltop. There upon a mock-pillared grave they bound him hand and feet. Grown-ups and children sneered and hooted at Iktomi's disgrace. For a half-day he lay there, the laughing-stock of the people. Upon the arrival of the real avenger, Iktomi was released and chased away beyond the outer limits of the camp ground.

On the following morning at daybreak, peeped the people out of half-open door- flaps.

There again in the midst of the large camp ground was a man in beaded buckskins. In his hand was a strong bow and red-tipped arrow. Again the big red eagle appeared on the edge of the bluff. He plumed his feathers and flapped his huge wings.

The young man crouched low to the ground. He placed the arrow on the bow, drawing a poisoned flint for the eagle.

The bird rose into the air. He moved his outspread wings one, two, three times and lo! the eagle tumbled from the great height and fell heavily to the earth. An arrow stuck in his breast! He was dead!

So quick was the hand of the avenger, so sure his sight, that no one had seen the arrow fly from his long bent bow.

In awe and amazement the village was dumb. And when the avenger, plucking a red eagle feather, placed it in his black hair, a loud shout of the people went up to the sky. Then hither and thither ran singing men and women making a great feast for the avenger.

Thus he won the beautiful Indian princess who never tired of telling to her children the story of the big red eagle.

IKTOMI AND THE TURTLE

THE huntsman Patkasa (turtle) stood bent over a newly slain deer.

The red-tipped arrow he drew from the wounded deer was unlike the arrows in his own quiver. Another's stray shot had killed the deer. Patkasa had hunted all the morning without so much as spying an ordinary blackbird.

At last returning homeward, tired and heavy-hearted that he had no meat for the hungry mouths in his wigwam, he walked slowly with downcast eyes. Kind ghosts pitied the unhappy hunter and led him to the newly slain deer, that his children should not cry for food.

When Patkasa stumbled upon the deer in his path, he exclaimed: "Good spirits have pushed me hither!"

Thus he leaned long over the gift of the friendly ghosts.

"How, my friend!" said a voice behind his ear, and a hand fell on his shoulder. It was not a spirit this time. It was old Iktomi.

"How, Iktomi!" answered Patkasa, still stooping over the deer.

"My friend, you are a skilled hunter," began Iktomi, smiling a thin smile which spread from one ear to the other.

Suddenly raising up his head Patkasa's black eyes twinkled as he asked: "Oh, you really say so?"

"Yes, my friend, you are a skillful fellow. Now let us have a little contest. Let us see who can jump over the deer without touching a hair on his hide," suggested Iktomi.

"Oh, I fear I cannot do it!" cried Patkasa, rubbing his funny, thick palms together.

"Have no coward's doubt, Patkasa. I say you are a skillful fellow who finds nothing hard to do." With these words Iktomi led Patkasa a short distance away. In little puffs Patkasa laughed uneasily.

"Now, you may jump first," said Iktomi.

Patkasa, with doubled fists, swung his fat arms to and fro, all the while biting hard his under lip.

Just before the run and leap Iktomi put in: "Let the winner have the deer to eat!"

It was too late now to say no. Patkasa was more afraid of being called a coward than of losing the deer. "Ho-wo," he replied, still working his short arms. At length he started off on the run. So quick and small were his steps that he seemed to be kicking the ground only. Then the leap! But Patkasa tripped upon a stick and fell hard against the side of the deer.

"He-he-he!" exclaimed Iktomi, pretending disappointment that his friend had fallen.

Lifting him to his feet, he said: "Now it is my turn to try the high jump!" Hardly was the last word spoken than Iktomi gave a leap high above the deer.

"The game is mine!" laughed he, patting the sullen Patkasa on the back. "My friend, watch the deer while I go to bring my children," said Iktomi, darting lightly through the tall grass.

Patkasa was always ready to believe the words of scheming people and to do the little favors any one asked of him. However, on this occasion, he did not answer "Yes, my friend." He realized that Iktomi's flattering tongue had made him foolish.

He turned up his nose at Iktomi, now almost out of sight, as much as to say: "Oh, no, Ikto; I do not hear your words!"

Soon there came a murmur of voices. The sound of laughter grew louder and louder. All of a sudden it became hushed. Old Iktomi led his young Iktomi brood to the place where he had left the turtle, but it was vacant. Nowhere was there any sign of Patkasa or the deer. Then the babes did howl!

"Be still!" said father Iktomi to his children. "I know where Patkasa lives. Follow me. I shall take you to the turtle's dwelling." He ran along a narrow footpath toward the creek near by. Close upon his heels came his children with tear-streaked faces.

"There!" said Iktomi in a loud whisper as he gathered his little ones on the bank. "There is Patkasa broiling venison! There is his teepee, and the savory fire is in his front yard!"

The young Iktomis stretched their necks and rolled their round black eyes like newly hatched birds. They peered into the water.

"Now, I will cool Patkasa's fire. I shall bring you the broiled venison. Watch closely. When you see the black coals rise to the surface of the water, clap your hands and shout aloud, for soon after that sign I shall return to you with some tender meat."

Thus saying Iktomi plunged into the creek. Splash! splash! the water leaped upward into spray. Scarcely had it become leveled and smooth than there bubbled up many black spots. The creek was seething with the dancing of round black things.

"The cooled fire! The coals!" laughed the brood of Iktomis. Clapping together their little hands, they chased one another along the edge of the creek. They shouted and hooted with great glee.

"Ahas!" said a gruff voice across the water. It was Patkasa. In a large willow tree leaning far over the water he sat upon a large limb. On the very same branch was a bright burning fire over which Patkasa broiled the venison. By this time the water was calm again. No more danced those black spots on its surface, for they were the toes of old Iktomi. He was drowned.

The Iktomi children hurried away from the creek, crying and calling for their water-dead father.

DANCE IN A BUFFALO SKULL

IT was night upon the prairie. Overhead the stars were twinkling bright their red and yellow lights. The moon was young. A silvery thread among the stars, it soon drifted low beneath the horizon.

Upon the ground the land was pitchy black. There are night people on the plain who love the dark. Amid the black level land they meet to frolic under the stars. Then when their sharp ears hear any strange footfalls nigh they scamper away into the deep shadows of night. There they are safely hid from all dangers, they think.

Thus it was that one very black night, afar off from the edge of the level land, out of the wooded river bottom glided forth two balls of fire. They came farther and farther into the level land. They grew larger and brighter. The dark hid the body of the creature with those fiery eyes. They came on and on, just over the tops of the prairie grass. It might have been a wildcat prowling low on soft, stealthy feet. Slowly but surely the terrible eyes drew nearer and nearer to the heart of the level land.

There in a huge old buffalo skull was a gay feast and dance! Tiny little field mice were singing and dancing in a circle to the boom-boom of a wee, wee drum. They were laughing and talking among themselves while their chosen singers sang loud a merry tune.

They built a small open fire within the center of their queer dance house. The light streamed out of the buffalo skull through all the curious sockets and holes.

A light on the plain in the middle of the night was an unusual thing. But so merry were the mice they did not hear the "king, king" of sleepy birds, disturbed by the unaccustomed fire.

A pack of wolves, fearing to come nigh this night fire, stood together a little distance away, and, turning their pointed noses to the stars, howled and yelped most dismally. Even the cry of the wolves was unheeded by the mice within the lighted buffalo skull.

They were feasting and dancing; they were singing and laughing -- those funny little furry fellows.

All the while across the dark from out the low river bottom came that pair of fiery eyes.

Now closer and more swift, now fiercer and glaring, the eyes moved toward the buffalo skull. All unconscious of those fearful eyes, the happy mice nibbled dried roots and venison. The singers had started another song. The drummers beat the time, turning their heads from side to side in rhythm. In a ring around the fire hopped the mice, each bouncing hard on his two hind feet. Some carried their tails over their arms, while others trailed them proudly along.

Ah, very near are those round yellow eyes! Very low to the ground they seem to creep -- creep toward the buffalo skull. All of a sudden they slide into the eye- sockets of the old skull.

"Spirit of the buffalo!" squeaked a frightened mouse as he jumped out from a hole in the back part of the skull.

"A cat! a cat!" cried other mice as they scrambled out of holes both large and snug. Noiseless they ran away into the dark.

THE TOAD AND THE BOY

THE water-fowls were flying over the marshy lakes. It was now the hunting season. Indian men, with bows and arrows, were wading waist deep amid the wild rice. Near by, within their wigwams, the wives were roasting wild duck and making down pillows.

In the largest teepee sat a young mother wrapping red porcupine quills about the long fringes of a buckskin cushion. Beside her lay a black-eyed baby boy cooing and laughing. Reaching and kicking upward with his tiny hands and feet, he played with the dangling strings of his heavy-beaded bonnet hanging empty on a tent pole above him.

At length the mother laid aside her red quills and white sinew-threads. The babe fell fast asleep. Leaning on one hand and softly whispering a little lullaby, she threw a light cover over her baby. It was almost time for the return of her husband.

Remembering there were no willow sticks for the fire, she quickly girdled her blanket tight about her waist, and with a short-handled ax slipped through her belt, she hurried away toward the wooded ravine. She was strong and swung an ax as skillfully as any man. Her loose buckskin dress was made for such freedom. Soon carrying easily a bundle of long willows on her back, with a loop of rope over both her shoulders, she came striding homeward.

Near the entrance way she stooped low, at once shifting the bundle to the right and with both hands lifting the noose from over her head. Having thus dropped the wood to the ground, she disappeared into her teepee. In a moment she came running out again, crying, "My son! My little son is gone!" Her keen eyes swept east and west and all around her. There was nowhere any sign of the child.

Running with clinched fists to the nearest teepees, she called: "Has any one seen my baby? He is gone! My little son is gone!"

"Hinnu! Hinnu!" exclaimed the women, rising to their feet and rushing out of their wigwams.

"We have not seen your child! What has happened?" queried the women.

With great tears in her eyes the mother told her story.

"We will search with you," they said to her as she started off.

They met the returning husbands, who turned about and joined in the hunt for the missing child. Along the shore of the lakes, among the high-grown reeds, they looked in vain. He was nowhere to be found. After many days and nights the search was given up. It was sad, indeed, to hear the mother wailing aloud for her little son.

It was growing late in the autumn. The birds were flying high toward the south. The teepees around the lakes were gone, save one lonely dwelling.

Till the winter snow covered the ground and ice covered the lakes, the wailing woman's voice was heard from that solitary wigwam. From some far distance was also the sound of the father's voice singing a sad song.

Thus ten summers and as many winters have come and gone since the strange disappearance of the little child. Every autumn with the hunters came the unhappy parents of the lost baby to search again for him.

Toward the latter part of the tenth season when, one by one, the teepees were folded and the families went away from the lake region, the mother walked again along the lake shore weeping. One evening, across the lake from where the crying woman stood, a pair of bright black eyes peered at her through the tall reeds and wild rice. A little wild boy stopped his play among the tall grasses. His long, loose hair hanging down his brown back and shoulders was carelessly tossed from his round face. He wore a loin cloth of woven sweet grass. Crouching low to the marshy ground, he listened to the wailing voice. As the voice grew hoarse and only sobs shook the slender figure of the woman, the eyes of the wild boy grew dim and wet.

At length, when the moaning ceased, he sprang to his feet and ran like a nymph with swift outstretched toes. He rushed into a small hut of reeds and grasses.

"Mother! Mother! Tell me what voice it was I heard which pleased my ears, but made my eyes grow wet!" said he, breathless.

"Han, my son," grunted a big, ugly toad. "It was the voice of a weeping woman you heard. My son, do not say you like it. Do not tell me it brought tears to your eyes. You have never heard me weep. I can please your ear and break your heart. Listen!" replied the great old toad.

Stepping outside, she stood by the entrance way. She was old and badly puffed out. She had reared a large family of little toads, but none of them had aroused her love, nor ever grieved her. She had heard the wailing human voice and marveled at the throat which produced the strange sound. Now, in her great desire to keep the stolen boy awhile longer, she ventured to cry as the Dakota woman does. In a gruff, coarse voice she broke forth:

"Hin-hin, doe-skin! Hin-hin, Ermine, Ermine! Hin-hin, red blanket, with white border!"

Not knowing that the syllables of a Dakota's cry are the names of loved ones gone, the ugly toad mother sought to please the boy's ear with the names of valuable articles. Having shrieked in a torturing voice and mouthed extravagant names, the old toad rolled her tearless eyes with great satisfaction. Hopping back into her dwelling, she asked:

"My son, did my voice bring tears to your eyes? Did my words bring gladness to your ears? Do you not like my wailing better?"

"No, no!" pouted the boy with some impatience. "I want to hear the woman's voice! Tell me, mother, why the human voice stirs all my feelings!"

The toad mother said within her breast, "The human child has heard and seen his real mother. I cannot keep him longer, I fear. Oh, no, I cannot give away the pretty creature I have taught to call me 'mother' all these many winters."

"Mother," went on the child voice, "tell me one thing. Tell me why my little brothers and sisters are all unlike me."

The big, ugly toad, looking at her pudgy children, said: "The eldest is always best."

This reply quieted the boy for a while. Very closely watched the old toad mother her stolen human son. When by chance he started off alone, she shoved out one of her own children after him, saying: "Do not come back without your big brother."

Thus the wild boy with the long, loose hair sits every day on a marshy island hid among the tall reeds. But he is not alone. Always at his feet hops a little toad brother. One day an Indian hunter, wading in the deep waters, spied the boy. He had heard of the baby stolen long ago.

"This is he!" murmured the hunter to himself as he ran to his wigwam. "I saw among the tall reeds a black-haired boy at play!" shouted he to the people.

At once the unhappy father and mother cried out, "'Tis he, our boy!" Quickly he led them to the lake. Peeping through the wild rice, he pointed with unsteady finger toward the boy playing all unawares.

"'Tis he! 'tis he!" cried the mother, for she knew him.

In silence the hunter stood aside, while the happy father and mother caressed their baby boy grown tall.

IYA, THE CAMP-EATER

FROM the tall grass came the voice of a crying babe. The huntsmen who were passing nigh heard and halted.

The tallest one among them hastened toward the high grass with long, cautious strides. He waded through the growth of green with just a head above it all. Suddenly exclaiming "Hunhe!" he dropped out of sight. In another instant he held up in both his hands a tiny little baby, wrapped in soft brown buckskins.

"Oh ho, a wood-child!" cried the men, for they were hunting along the wooded river bottom where this babe was found.

While the hunters were questioning whether or no they should carry it home, the wee Indian baby kept up his little howl.

"His voice is strong!" said one.

"At times it sounds like an old man's voice!" whispered a superstitious fellow, who feared some bad spirit hid in the small child to cheat them by and by.

"Let us take it to our wise chieftain," at length they said; and the moment they started toward the camp ground the strange wood-child ceased to cry.

Beside the chieftain's teepee waited the hunters while the tall man entered with the child.

"How! how!" nodded the kind-faced chieftain, listening to the queer story. Then rising, he took the infant in his strong arms; gently he laid the black-eyed babe in his daughter's lap. "This is to be your little son!" said he, smiling.

"Yes, father," she replied. Pleased with the child, she smoothed the long black hair fringing his round brown face.

"Tell the people that I give a feast and dance this day for the naming of my daughter's little son," bade the chieftain.

In the meanwhile among the men waiting by the entrance way, one said in a low voice: "I have heard that bad spirits come as little children into a camp which they mean to destroy."

"No! no! Let us not be overcautious. It would be cowardly to leave a baby in the wild wood where prowl the hungry wolves!" answered an elderly man.

The tall man now came out of the chieftain's teepee. With a word he sent them to their dwellings half running with joy.

"A feast! a dance for the naming of the chieftain's grandchild!" cried he in a loud voice to the village people.

"What? what?" asked they in great surprise, holding a hand to the ear to catch the words of the crier.

There was a momentary silence among the people while they listened to the ringing voice of the man walking in the center ground. Then broke forth a rippling, laughing babble among the cone-shaped teepees. All were glad to hear of the chieftain's grandson. They were happy to attend the feast and dance for its naming. With excited fingers they twisted their hair into glossy braids and painted their cheeks with bright red paint. To and fro hurried the women, handsome in their gala-day dress. Men in loose deerskins, with long tinkling metal fringes, strode in small numbers toward the center of the round camp ground.

Here underneath a temporary shade-house of green leaves they were to dance and feast. The children in deerskins and paints, just like their elders, were jolly little men and women. Beside their eager parents they skipped along toward the green dance house.

Here seated in a large circle, the people were assembled, the proud chieftain rose with the little baby in his arms. The noisy hum of voices was hushed. Not a tinkling of a metal fringe broke the silence. The crier came forward to greet the chieftain, then bent attentively over the small babe, listening to the words of the chieftain. When he paused the crier spoke aloud to the people:

"This woodland child is adopted by the chieftain's eldest daughter. His name is Chaske. He wears the title of the eldest son. In honor of Chaske the chieftain gives this feast and dance! These are the words of him you see holding a baby in his arms."

"Yes! Yes! Hinnu! How!" came from the circle. At once the drummers beat softly and slowly their drum while the chosen singers hummed together to find the common pitch. The beat of the drum grew louder and faster. The singers burst forth in a lively tune. Then the drum- beats subsided and faintly marked the rhythm of the singing. Here and there bounced up men and women, both young and old. They danced and sang with merry light hearts. Then came the hour of feasting.

Late into the night the air of the camp ground was alive with the laughing voices of women and the singing in unison of young men. Within her father's teepee sat the chieftain's daughter. Proud of her little one, she watched over him asleep in her lap.

Gradually a deep quiet stole over the camp ground, as one by one the people fell into pleasant dreams. Now all the village was still. Alone sat the beautiful young mother watching the babe in her lap, asleep with a gaping little mouth. Amid the quiet of the night, her ear heard the far-off hum of many voices. The faint sound of murmuring people was in the air. Upward she glanced at the smoke hole of the wigwam and saw a bright star peeping down upon her. "Spirits in the air above?" she wondered. Yet there was no sign to tell her of their nearness. The fine small sound of voices grew larger and nearer.

"Father! rise! I hear the coming of some tribe. Hostile or friendly -- I cannot tell. Rise and see!" whispered the young woman.

"Yes, my daughter!" answered the chieftain, springing to his feet.

Though asleep, his ear was ever alert. Thus rushing out into the open, he listened for strange sounds. With an eagle eye he scanned the camp ground for some sign.

Returning he said: "My daughter, I hear nothing and see no sign of evil nigh."

"Oh! the sound of many voices comes up from the earth about me!" exclaimed the young mother.

Bending low over her babe she gave ear to the ground. Horrified was she to find the mysterious sound came out of the open mouth of her sleeping child!

"Why so unlike other babes!" she cried within her heart as she slipped him gently from her lap to the ground. "Mother, listen and tell me if this child is an evil spirit come to destroy our camp!" she whispered loud.

Placing an ear close to the open baby mouth, the chieftain and his wife, each in turn heard the voices of a great camp. The singing of men and women, the beating of the drum, the rattling of deer-hoofs strung like bells on a string, these were the sounds they heard.

"We must go away," said the chieftain, leading them into the night. Out in the open he whispered to the frightened young woman: "Iya, the camp-eater, has come in the guise of a babe. Had you gone to sleep, he would have jumped out into his own shape and would have devoured our camp. He is a giant with spindling legs. He cannot fight, for he cannot run. He is powerful only in the night with his tricks. We are safe as soon as day breaks." Then moving closer to the woman, he whispered: "If he wakes now, he will swallow the whole tribe with one hideous gulp! Come, we must flee with our people."

Thus creeping from teepee to teepee a secret alarm signal was given. At midnight the teepees were gone and there was left no sign of the village save heaps of dead ashes. So quietly had the people folded their wigwams and bundled their tent poles that they slipped away unheard by the sleeping Iya babe.

When the morning sun arose, the babe awoke. Seeing himself deserted, he threw off his baby form in a hot rage.

Wearing his own ugly shape, his huge body toppled to and fro, from side to side, on a pair of thin legs far too small for their burden. Though with every move he came dangerously nigh to falling, he followed in the trail of the fleeing people.

"I shall eat you in the sight of a noon- day sun!" cried Iya in his vain rage, when he spied them encamped beyond a river.

By some unknown cunning he swam the river and sought his way toward the teepees.

"Hin! hin!" he grunted and growled. With perspiration beading his brow he strove to wiggle his slender legs beneath his giant form.

"Ha! ha!" laughed all the village people to see Iya made foolish with anger. "Such spindle legs cannot stand to fight by daylight!" shouted the brave ones who were terror-struck the night before by the name "Iya."

Warriors with long knives rushed forth and slew the camp-eater.

Lo! there rose out of the giant a whole Indian tribe: their camp ground, their teepees in a large circle, and the people laughing and dancing.

"We are glad to be free!" said these strange people.

Thus Iya was killed; and no more are the camp grounds in danger of being swallowed up in a single night time.

MANSTIN, THE RABBIT

MANSTIN was an adventurous brave, but very kind-hearted. Stamping a moccasined foot as he drew on his buckskin leggins, he said: "Grandmother, beware of Iktomi! Do not let him lure you into some cunning trap. I am going to the North country on a long hunt."

With these words of caution to the bent old rabbit grandmother with whom he had lived since he was a tiny babe, Manstin started off toward the north. He was scarce over the great high hills when he heard the shrieking of a human child.

"Wan!" he ejaculated, pointing his long ears toward the direction of the sound; "Wan! that is the work of cruel Double-Face. Shameless coward! he delights in torturing helpless creatures!"

Muttering indistinct words, Manstin ran up the last hill and lo! in the ravine beyond stood the terrible monster with a face in front and one in the back of his head!

This brown giant was without clothes save for a wild-cat-skin about his loins. With a wicked gleaming eye, he watched the little black-haired baby he held in his strong arm. In a laughing voice he hummed an Indian mother's lullaby, "A-boo! Aboo!" and at the same time he switched the naked baby with a thorny wild-rose bush.

Quickly Manstin jumped behind a large sage bush on the brow of the hill. He bent his bow and the sinewy string twanged. Now an arrow stuck above the ear of Double-Face. It was a poisoned arrow, and the giant fell dead. Then Manstin took the little brown baby and hurried away from the ravine. Soon he came to a teepee from whence loud wailing voices broke. It was the teepee of the stolen baby and the mourners were its heart- broken parents.

When gallant Manstin returned the child to the eager arms of the mother there came a sudden terror into the eyes of both the Dakotas. They feared lest it was Double- Face come in a new guise to torture them. The rabbit understood their fear and said: "I am Manstin, the kind-hearted, -- Manstin, the noted huntsman. I am your friend. Do not fear."

That night a strange thing happened. While the father and mother slept, Manstin took the wee baby. With his feet placed gently yet firmly upon the tiny toes of the little child, he drew upward by each small hand the sleeping child till he was a full- grown man. With a forefinger he traced a slit in the upper lip; and when on the morrow the man and woman awoke they could not distinguish their own son from Manstin, so much alike were the braves.

"Henceforth we are friends, to help each other," said Manstin, shaking a right hand in farewell. "The earth is our common ear, to carry from its uttermost extremes one's slightest wish for the other!"

"Ho! Be it so!" answered the newly made man.

Upon leaving his friend, Manstin hurried away toward the North country whither he was bound for a long hunt. Suddenly he came upon the edge of a wide brook. His alert eye caught sight of a rawhide rope staked to the water's brink, which led away toward a small round hut in the distance. The ground was trodden into a deep groove beneath the loosely drawn rawhide rope.

"Hun-he!" exclaimed Manstin, bending over the freshly made footprints in the moist bank of the brook. "A man's footprints!" he said to himself. "A blind man lives in yonder hut! This rope is his guide by which he comes for his daily water!" surmised Manstin, who knew all the peculiar contrivances of the people. At once his eyes became fixed upon the solitary dwelling and hither he followed his curiosity, -- a real blind man's rope.

Quietly he lifted the door-flap and entered in. An old toothless grandfather, blind and shaky with age, sat upon the ground. He was not deaf however. He heard the entrance and felt the presence of some stranger.

"How, grandchild," he mumbled, for he was old enough to be grandparent to every living thing, "how! I cannot see you. Pray, speak your name!"

"Grandfather, I am Manstin," answered the rabbit, all the while looking with curious eyes about the wigwam.

"Grandfather, what is it so tightly packed in all these buckskin bags placed against the tent poles?" he asked.

"My grandchild, those are dried buffalo meat and venison. These are magic bags which never grow empty. I am blind and cannot go on a hunt. Hence a kind Maker has given me these magic bags of choicest foods."

Then the old, bent man pulled at a rope which lay by his right hand. "This leads me to the brook where I drink! and this," said he, turning to the one on his left, "and this takes me into the forest, where I feel about for dry sticks for my fire."

"Grandfather, I wish I lived in such sure luxury! I would lean back against a tent pole, and with crossed feet I would smoke sweet willow bark the rest of my days," sighed Manstin.

"My grandchild, your eyes are your luxury! you would be unhappy without them!" the old man replied.

"Grandfather, I would give you my two eyes for your place!" cried Manstin.

"How! you have said it. Arise. Take out your eyes and give them to me. Henceforth you are at home here in my stead."

At once Manstin took out both his eyes and the old man put them on! Rejoicing, the old grandfather started away with his young eyes while the blind rabbit filled his dream pipe, leaning lazily against the tent pole. For a short time it was a most pleasant pastime to smoke willow bark and to eat from the magic bags.

Manstin grew thirsty, but there was no water in the small dwelling. Taking one of the rawhide ropes he started toward the brook to quench his thirst. He was young and unwilling to trudge slowly in the old man's footpath. He was full of glee, for it had been many long moons since he had tasted such good food. Thus he skipped confidently along jerking the old weather-eaten rawhide spasmodically till all of a sudden it gave way and Manstin fell headlong into the water.

"En! En!" he grunted kicking frantically amid stream. All along the slippery bank he vainly tried to climb, till at last he chanced upon the old stake and the deeply worn footpath. Exhausted and inwardly disgusted with his mishaps, he crawled more cautiously on all fours to his wigwam door. Dripping with his recent plunge he sat with chattering teeth within his unfired wigwam.

The sun had set and the night air was chilly, but there was no fire-wood in the dwelling. "Hin!" murmured Manstin and bravely tried the other rope. "I go for some fire-wood!" he said, following the rawhide rope which led into the forest. Soon he stumbled upon thickly strewn dry willow sticks. Eagerly with both hands he gathered the wood into his out-spread blanket. Manstin was naturally an energetic fellow.

When he had a large heap, he tied two opposite ends of blanket together and lifted the bundle of wood upon his back, but alas! he had unconsciously dropped the end of the rope and now he was lost in the wood!

"Hin! hin!" he groaned. Then pausing a moment, he set his fan-like ears to catch any sound of approaching footsteps. There was none. Not even a night bird twittered to help him out of his predicament.

With a bold face, he made a start at random.

He fell into some tangled wood where he was held fast. Manstin let go his bundle and began to lament having given away his two eyes.

"Friend, my friend, I have need of you! The old oak tree grandfather has gone off with my eyes and I am lost in the woods!" he cried with his lips close to the earth.

Scarcely had he spoken when the sound of voices was audible on the outer edge of the forest. Nearer and louder grew the voices -- one was the clear flute tones of a young brave and the other the tremulous squeaks of an old grandfather.

It was Manstin's friend with the Earth Ear and the old grandfather. "Here Manstin, take back your eyes," said the old man, "I knew you would not be content in my stead, but I wanted you to learn your lesson. I have had pleasure seeing with your eyes and trying your bow and arrows, but since I am old and feeble I much prefer my own teepee and my magic bags!"

Thus talking the three returned to the hut. The old grandfather crept into his wigwam, which is often mistaken for a mere oak tree by little Indian girls and boys.

Manstin, with his own bright eyes fitted into his head again, went on happily to hunt in the North country.

THE WARLIKE SEVEN

ONCE seven people went out to make war, -- the Ashes, the Fire, the Bladder, the Grasshopper, the Dragon Fly, the Fish, and the Turtle. As they were talking excitedly, waving their fists in violent gestures, a wind came and blew the Ashes away. "Ho!" cried the others, "he could not fight, this one!"

The six went on running to make war more quickly. They descended a deep valley, the Fire going foremost until they came to a river. The Fire said "Hsss -- tchu!" and was gone. "Ho!" hooted the others, "he could not fight, this one!"

Therefore the five went on the more quickly to make war. They came to a great wood. While they were going through it, the Bladder was heard to sneer and to say, "He! you should rise above these, brothers." With these words he went upward among the tree-tops; and the thorn apple pricked him. He fell through the branches and was nothing! "You see this!" said the four, "this one could not fight."

Still the remaining warriors would not turn back. The four went boldly on to make war. The Grasshopper with his cousin, the Dragon Fly, went foremost. They reached a marshy place, and the mire was very deep. As they waded through the mud, the Grasshopper's legs stuck, and he pulled them off! He crawled upon a log and wept, "You see me, brothers, I cannot go!"

The Dragon Fly went on, weeping for his cousin. He would not be comforted, for he loved his cousin dearly. The more he grieved, the louder he cried, till his body shook with great violence. He blew his red swollen nose with a loud noise so that his head came off his slender neck, and he was fallen upon the grass.

"You see how it is, said the Fish, lashing his tail impatiently, "these people were not warriors!" "Come!" he said, "let us go on to make war."

Thus the Fish and the Turtle came to a large camp ground.

"Ho!" exclaimed the people of this round village of teepees, "Who are these little ones? What do they seek?"

Neither of the warriors carried weapons with them, and their unimposing stature misled the curious people.

The Fish was spokesman. With a peculiar omission of syllables, he said: "Shu . . . hi pi!"

"Wan! what? what?" clamored eager voices of men and women.

Again the Fish said: "Shu . . . hi pi!" Everywhere stood young and old with a palm to an ear. Still no one guessed what the Fish had mumbled!

From the bewildered crowd witty old Iktomi came forward. "He, listen!" he shouted, rubbing his mischievous palms together, for where there was any trouble brewing, he was always in the midst of it.

"This little strange man says, 'Zuya unhipi! We come to make war!'"

"Uun!" resented the people, suddenly stricken glum. "Let us kill the silly pair! They can do nothing! They do not know the meaning of the phrase. Let us build a fire and boil them both!"

"If you put us on to boil," said the Fish, "there will be trouble."

"Ho ho!" laughed the village folk. "We shall see."

And so they made a fire.

"I have never been so angered!" said the Fish. The Turtle in a whispered reply said: "We shall die!"

When a pair of strong hands lifted the Fish over the sputtering water, he put his mouth downward. "Whssh!" he said. He blew the water all over the people, so that many were burned and could not see. Screaming with pain, they ran away.

"Oh, what shall we do with these dreadful ones?" they said.

Others exclaimed: "Let us carry them to the lake of muddy water and drown them!"

Instantly they ran with them. They threw the Fish and the Turtle into the lake. Toward the center of the large lake the Turtle dived. There he peeped up out of the water and, waving a hand at the crowd, sang out, "This is where I live!"

The Fish swam hither and thither with such frolicsome darts that his back fin made the water fly. "E han!" whooped the Fish, "this is where I live!"

"Oh, what have we done!" said the frightened people, "this will be our undoing."

Then a wise chief said: "Iya, the Eater, shall come and swallow the lake!"

So one went running. He brought Iya, the Eater; and Iya drank all day at the lake till his belly was like the earth. Then the Fish and the Turtle dived into the mud; and Iya said: "They are not in me." Hearing this the people cried greatly.

Iktomi wading in the lake had been swallowed like a gnat in the water. Within the great Iya he was looking skyward. So deep was the water in the Eater's stomach that the surface of the swallowed lake almost touched the sky.

"I will go that way," said Iktomi, looking at the concave within arm's reach.

He struck his knife upward in the Eater's stomach, and the water falling out drowned those people of the village.

Now when the great water fell into its own bed, the Fish and the Turtle came to the shore. They went home painted victors and loud-voiced singers.

TRUTH OF A HOPI

CHAPTER I

HOW THE PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THE UNDERWORLD

ALAIKSAI!--Attention. Before anybody's memory the Hopi lived in the underworld, which was the original place of all human life. Here, in the beginning, all life and everything was good in peace and happy. The people were governed by the chiefs (Mongwi), village criers (Chakmongwi), priests (Momwit), and high priests and all their religious rites were ruled by the high priests. The people were classed as common, middle, and first class. 1

The time came when the common and middle class of people grew wise to the doings of the priests and the high priests. All the days of their lives these poor people had been cheated of their family rights by the upper classes of the people. At times the wives of the lower class were visited by these men and by the priests and high priests, while the poor husbands of the women were away. Now all this kept on from bad to worse.

By this time the wives of the priests and the higher class of men also grew wise to what had been going on for all these years, and they were greatly troubled. Then, gossip, quarreling and fighting started between the men and women. Some priests said that it was a joy to cheat and steal another man's wife and that they would pray hard and earnest for prosperity. The women in return said, "If this is so and true, would it be more joyful to you men if we did the same to you as you have done to us? Would you then pray harder still for prosperity?"

This question was, of course, asked by decent women brought up before guilty men and at this, every heart was troubled. The women turned their husbands away. They had no place to go but to their gathering places, called kivas, which were the underground houses--meeting places at times of ceremonies. In these kivas some hearts were sad and some did not seem to care so very much. They were all waiting and watching to see who would leave the kiva first to go to their houses to see if their wives would refuse to let them in. Some women had declared that they would

not let their husbands in, so they put their belongings outside of their doors. 2

The men left the kiva one by one, going to their homes to try their wives, but finding their things outside, they had to go to the homes of their relatives. Even there, they were not welcomed and were not invited to cat, so they were forced to take two or three ears of corn to the kiva to roast. That was all they had for their meal on that day. The night came on. What were they going to do? This was the question. Some said they would stay in the kivas and live on roasted corn as long as they could, thinking that the women might get over this trouble and their anger.

While the wives were still feeling strong against their men, they called a council. Every woman was present. At this council it was decided that the men would be falsely forgiven and would be taken back by every wife. All this was followed out and the husbands were made happy. But knowing all this, the chief, Yai-hiwa, and village crier, and their families, were greatly troubled and were sad. A thought came to the chief's mind of what he should do and how he must punish his people. Now with all this he was troubled in mind. About this time, when the men had been falsely forgiven, the women were going around and running wild after the unmarried boys, so that they might break the hearts of their husbands and so be revenged. Their families were neglected and their fires and cookings were left unattended. Among both men and women there was not a soul who could be happy in such sinful days, for there was murder, suicide, and every other wicked thing that made the days darker and darker.

All this worry and sorrow was on the chief. What could be done? Nobody knew. So he went calling on his wise men (Posi-wiwaimkum) personally, and broken hearted as he was, he could not help but shed tears at every call. These wise men were named Kotiwa, Tani, Sootiwa, Komay, Seytiwa, Nawiki, and Kowisa, and they were the best of all wise men, with high ideals. But everything was for the chief to say in those days, so he asked every wise man to come to his counsel on the fourth day, 3 out at a distant place away from the people.

The day came and the chief was out early that morning. With his bag of tobacco and pipes he was waiting for his wise men to come to the appointed place. One by one they came, each with his bag of tobacco and his pipe. The village crier was the last to arrive, and now everyone had come who was expected. Here they kindled a fire and being weary and sad they were rather quiet, sitting around their

fire. The chief filled up his pipe with tobacco, lit it and smoked, then passed it to Yai-owa, the village crier. He puffed the smoke four times, then looked up to the chief, saying, "Father." In return the chief said, "My son." The pipe was passed on around in the same manner to every man. After the chief's pipe was all smoked out, every man filled his own pipe. Every pipe was first handed to the chief. Here they had their fatherly and brotherly smoke. 4

When the smoking was done the chief said, "My dear fellowmen, I pray in hopes that the gods, our fathers, get the smell of our smoking that they may have mercy upon us. With their power, I pray we will succeed and win because of what I have planned to do. My dear fellowmen, it is this. We must find a new place somewhere and we must find some way to get out of this sinful land, either below or above. I am in hopes to save some of you people if you only could realize this and feel as grieved as I do, about the trouble we are having this very day. I pray you to help me." Everybody was silent, arms folded, heads down over their knees while the chief was speaking. Every word was heard.

Then they said, "Our father, our chief, we pray with all our hearts and we are ready to help you. We will stand with you. We will walk in your path and whatever you ask of us we will do."

"Very well," he said, "be watchful and look ahead in my path that I may not mislead you. I pray you all and hope that the words you have spoken are from the very hearts of you and are true."

"We pray you, chief, that the words we speak are from every heart, and they are true."

"Very well, my fellowmen, I thank you. We will get busy at once. Tomorrow we will make pahos 5 (prayer offerings) for our gods asking for the mercy and blessings that they bring upon us. I, the chief, Yai-hiwa, again thank you all. Be here earlier tomorrow."

The men went to their homes with the hope of success in their hearts, for they were true, honest men and were loyal to their chief.

The next morning being the second day of the meeting, the chief and all his wise men came to the same place where they had met the day before and here they smoked, as usual. Every man had brought his material with which to make pahos, or prayer sticks.

"Now," said the chief, "my dear fellowmen, let us start our work, and let every heart be in earnest. Let no soul be discouraged for we must work till we succeed."

"Our father and chief, we are strong in heart to be with you. There is no thought in us to forsake you."

"Very well, I thank you all," said the chief.

So here they made their prayer sticks all the forenoon and part of the afternoon. The chief had done his cutting of the pahos first, then the rest had copied after his, for he knew every sort of cut for a certain god. All this was well done."

When they had finished their paho making, every man, with his tray or plaque full of prayer sticks held in front of him, again circled around the fire and filled his pipe with tobacco to smoke. With a Hopi, smoking a pipe is the most true and earnest way of showing himself in prayer. Here they let the smoke pass from their mouths onto the trays of their prayer offerings to let the gods know they were earnest. With the Hopi, the smell of the smoke is the most sincere message to the gods, and for this reason much smoking is done at the times of all ceremonies. Now the work was well done for that day, so the chief said, "This will be all for today, and tomorrow we will see again what we can do. Let us all leave our pahos here and four of you will stay to guard our things, while the rest of us will go home and get something to eat. Then we will all come back and will bring you something to eat, and from now on we will camp here to the finish."

This was the third day of their session. The four men stayed to watch, so that nothing would harm their prayer offerings, for they afraid that the witches and the wizards might send a spy to find out what was going on, for it has always been believed by the Hopi that the witches and wizards could change their form into anything--into wild animals or birds of any kind. The men who had gone home all came back and brought food for the rest that had stayed. Now they were to take turns that night in watching, so that nothing could come close enough to see what kind of pahos they had made. They did this and at last morning came and the watchmen had done well.

Then the chief called his men to come together and take their places in a circle, and their smoking started, asking for mercy and the blessings of the gods, and all this was done. And again the chief looked up and said, "My dear fellowmen, our work is done so far, but we must have someone--we must call somebody who is wiser than we are to do the rest, or to finish the work for us. So let us now sing the calling song." 6 With this song they called the mocking bird, Yapa. 6a Now when he came he asked them, "Why do you want me? What can I do for you?"


The chief said, "We are in great need of you for you are so much wiser than us all, and you know all the songs of our gods. We need your help. We want to be sure that we make no mistakes. This is why we have called for you to come, and so we did make some pahos for you."

The chief handed him a tray of pahos, and the mocking bird was very glad to receive the prayer offerings. This was the fourth day when the mocking bird was called.

After receiving the prayer sticks the mocking bird said, "Yes, I am called a wise bird and one that knows everything, and of the songs I know all. But there is still somebody higher than I and he is above me, and this one is the canary bird, Si-katsi. 6b Make no mistakes, call him. If he comes and says for me to help you, then I will, for he is still the wisest of all and his advice we must follow. Now I must go and hide for I do not want him to know and grow jealous because I came first."

The mocking bird left and was gone. Then again they sang their calling song for the canary bird and he came and sat on a nearby bush.

"Welcome," said the men, and he flew and sat down right in the center of them.

"Why do you call me?" he asked. "Why do you want me here?"

"Yes," said the chief, "we called you because we are in trouble and you being the wisest of all, we need your help. With all my heart, truly and honestly I pray you to help us."

"You are right," said the bird, "I am always in all prayer offerings. My feathers are always first. The trouble you are having I know all about. I wondered why you have waited so long to call me."

"My dear bird," said the chief, "it is like this. Our minds are full; we are almost insane and cannot think right, so do not think we mean to pass you by."

"I understand you," said the bird, "so I am here to help you. But I cannot do everything alone. I cannot perform my ceremony without the magic songs. The mocking bird must be with us. Call him at once. We need him."

Again the Hopis sang their calling song and soon the mocking bird was in sight. As he came near everybody said, "Welcome."

"Yes, here I am," said the bird, "Why do you want me?"

"It is I," said the canary. "Without you and your magic songs nothing could be done."

"Certainly, being noted for my songs I feel that it is my

duty to be here and help you," said the mocking bird.

Before getting things ready for the ceremony, the two birds flew back around the rocks and there they changed their form into human beings. When they came back, the Hopis saw that they were handsome tall men with long straight black hair.

Now all this time the men were getting the things ready with which the Birdmen were to work and perform their ceremony. In laying the altar they spread out the sand in a small square and in the center they placed a sacred water bowl and for each direction an ear of corn was placed. Each ear of corn was of a different color-yellow for the north, blue for the west, red for the south, and white for the east.

When the altar was set up, they were ready for the mocking bird to take the lead in singing. The first songs were for making up the medicine water in the sacred water bowl. After the medicine water was :made, the calling songs were to be next, but the questions arose: who would they call first? Who would have the courage and strength to go out to find a place for these Hopis to go, where they might rest and live in peace? The two Birdmen knowing all things, the Hopis left everything to them that there might be no more trouble. So they first called the eagle, Kwa-hu. 6c At the end of every song the sacred water was sprinkled to each direction.

As they were singing the eagle came and sat in the midst of them and said, "Why do you call me? Why do you want me?"

"Welcome," said the men. "You being strong on the wing that is why we call you. We want you to help us. We think that you might find a place for us that we may be saved, and we pray that you will."

"Even though being a bird of the air and strong on the wing it is a hard undertaking. But with all my heart I am willing to help you, so let us hope for the best and pray our gods that I may come back to you alive. To be sure, which way must I go?" asked the eagle.

"We wish you would go up into the skies. There may be an opening and another world up there," said the men.

When the eagle was ready to fly and the prayer feathers were tied around his neck and upon each foot, the eagle said, "Pray that I may find a place up there and bring good news." Then off he went up into the skies. He circled round and round above these men and they watched him as he went up, till he was no more to be seen. At last it was getting late in the day and the people felt rather uneasy

about him, but finally he was seen coming down, and now it was very late. It seemed as though he was just dropping down, and sure enough he was. He was hardly alive when he came and dropped in front of them all, exhausted, and they rushed to him and rubbed him till he came to. Soon he was quite well and had come to himself again. Then he was ready to tell the news.

"I know you are anxious to hear how far I have gone and what I have seen. Well, my dear good men," he said, "to tell you the truth, the way up there is rather discouraging. When I left here and kept going higher and higher, not a living thing was to be seen above the clouds. As I went on going higher I began to wonder where I would rest, but there was nothing to light on and nowhere to get a rest. When I looked up, it seems as though there is an opening up there, but I was getting very tired already, and if I didn't start to come back I might not be able to return here alive and tell you this news."

After hearing all this they were very much troubled and deep in sadness,, and they wondered what else must be done. The eagle then received his prize of many prayer offerings and was asked to stay with them to the finish, and, of course, he was glad to be with them.

By this time the two leaders--canary and mocking bird--thought of someone else to call. Again they were singing the calling song, and in singing the song it was mentioned who they wanted. Before the fourth song was half sung, a hawk, Ki-sa 6d came and circled above once and sat down in the midst of them and said, "Why do you call me? Why do you want me?"

"We call you because we are in trouble and we need your help," said the men.

"Yes, I do know that you are in trouble," said the hawk. "All who have a heart wish to help and save you, and I am willing to do whatever you will ask of me."

"Very well," said the Hopis, "we want you to search the skies for us . You are strong on the wing and can fly high, so we feel that you might be able to find a way out of this wicked world."

"Very well," said he, "I will try."

So they made ready for the hawk to fly and put prayer feathers on him as was done to the eagle--around his neck and on his feet.

When he was all ready, he said, "Pray with all your hearts that I may find a place for you and bring you good news."

"We will," said the men, "for we want to save our families and many others who have good hearts, so may our gods take care of you while you are on the journey."

Up the hawk went and circled round and round overhead, as the eagle had done. For a long time he could be seen up in the air till he was gone above the clouds. All this time the men were singing prayer and luck songs that nothing would happen to the hawk.

It was getting late and everybody was rather uneasy again, and they kept watching for him very anxiously. Finally, he was seen again, but he did not seem to be alive and the eagle did not wait to be asked but went right up to meet him. Then every heart was troubled because they thought that he was surely dead. Now, before the eagle knew, the hawk had dropped past him, and then he just dived for the hawk, to catch him, and when the eagle did catch him his mouth was wide open but his heart was still beating a little. When the eagle came down with him in his claws he laid him down on a white robe and every eye was full of tears. Soon one of the men started to rub him, while the mocking bird sang the "life returning song." When he came to he was quite weak, and earnest prayers were shown by smoking many pipes for the hawk. Now by this time he was ready to tell his story.

"I know," said the hawk, "you are all anxious to hear what I have found out for you up in the skies. When I left here, the first part about going up is the same as what brother eagle had seen and told you. I had gone as far as he did, then I took the courage upon myself and went on up as far as I could see up there. I am quite sure that there is an opening up there, but I was tired out and was not able to go any further before I knew that I was dropping down. I tried to turn myself over, but could not make it, for I was exhausted. Finally I felt something hurting me on my sides. I opened my eyes and found myself in the sharp claws of brother eagle. Then, I do not know how we got here, but now I thank the gods and you all that I am alive again. But let us not be discouraged, we might find someone that will make it up there and find out for us all about what is up there. I know every heart is in trouble. My heart is in trouble too because of you."

After hearing this story of the hawk, there was very little light in the hearts of the men. But the thoughts with the men were still very deep of what is to be done next, or who would be the third to try the skies for these Hopis. Everything and everybody was very still and quiet--prayers were being said by the smoking of many pipes.

The next morning being the fifth day of their ceremony, the wise Birdmen--canary and mocking bird--called the men to attention, to come around the altar and fill up their pipes by which to say their prayers again to the gods. After this was said and done, they started singing the calling ceremony again, but they did not know who they were calling this time. Before long something came and just went "whip," sounding like a whip over their heads many times and then sat down in the midst of them, and he was a swallow, Powvowkiaya. 6e

He said, "Here I am."

"Welcome," said the men.

"Why do you call me? Why do you want me?" said the bird.

"Yes," said they, "we need you. We want you to help us out of the troubles we are having. We want to be saved."

"I know you do," said the swallow. "I was anxious and longed to be called, but I know your minds are full and of course I know the way things have happened, so I have no envy against those who were called first, because I may not be able to equal what they have already done, but do understand that I am willing to help you."

"Yes," they said, "you being strong and swift on the wing, we pray in hopes that you will make it up through the skies to find a place for us, and here we have these prayer feathers made for you to wear on the way."

"Thank you," said he, "I would be happy to have them, but all those might be in the way so I will go without them."

"Very well," said the Hopis, "you know best of how you go in the air. May our gods bless us and have mercy upon us so that nothing will happen to you and we pray that our gods may take care of you on your journey and bring you back safely to us, so pray that no heart may be discouraged."

"You have all said well. I thank you all," said he.

Then he went off and in a little while he was out of sight. The men filled their pipes and were smoking. Those who were not smoking were singing the prayer songs of good luck. Again it was getting late in the day and the men were still strong with smoking and singing, while the eagle and the hawk were looking up into the skies with their sharp eyes. Finally they saw that the swallow was coming and they hesitated not, but flew right up to meet him. When they reached him he was nearly done and with a faint voice he said, "Catch me." They made a dive for him and did catch him and brought him down and right away they gave

him some water and started to rub him up till he had come to himself. While he was resting the gift of prayer feathers was given to him.

When the chief handed all this to him, he said, "This is our gift to you, from us all. We are glad that you have returned to us again."

"Yes," said the swallow bird, "and I know you would like to hear what I have seen and done. It is too high up there. What these two brothers and I have seen is too great and wonderful, and to anybody without wings it is dangerous because the wind is strong up there. Going into the opening I got scared of the wind and was afraid to go any higher for fear I may not be able to come back. If I did I might not be alive to tell you this. What all I did see I could not begin to tell you all about it."

Now the Hopis were wondering who would be the next one to fly into the skies for them, so rather hopelessly they filled their pipes again to smoke and to pray some more, and of course they were very silent.

Finally the canary bird spoke up and said, "My dear fellowmen, we will make our last try so we will call brother shrike, Si-katsi 6f and see what he can do for us. He is pretty wise too, so cheerfully come to the altar and we will sing again."

They all moved up around the altar and took up a little more courage, hoping down in their hearts for success. Before many calling songs were ended someone came flying very close to the ground and sat down on top of a nearby bush and from there into the midst of them.

"Welcome," said the Hopis.

"Yes, yes, here I am," he said. "Why do you want me in such a hurry?"

"Yes," said the mocking bird. "Here we are in trouble. Brother canary and I have been working here with these Hopis trying and hoping to find a place and a way to save them from this sinful land. These three brothers here have done their best up in the skies and they all seem to be very certain about an opening somewhere up there. This is why we wanted and called you, hoping that you can find another world and save us."

"With all my heart," said the shrike, "I am here to help you. I know and feel that it must be a hard undertaking because these three brothers were not able to make it. But to be sure, you must all tell me if you are all earnest in the hope to be saved. Somebody's heart must be bad here and he is the one that is holding you back and keeping you working

so hard. Every heart must be true and honest. Let us all be one if we really want to be saved."

The chief of course was most troubled to think of all that time he had spent and had not yet accomplished anything, for he, himself, had good faith in his men and trusted them. Anyway, he asked the people then if there is any one of them with a false heart and who is intending to forsake them and they declared themselves to their chief and father to be all true men.

"No fault having been found in you, it gives me courage to go on and take the trip," said the shrike, "so pray for the best while I am away." He went off on a slow flight and as he went higher, he kept going faster. Soon he was no more to be seen. The men then took their pipes, filled them up and smoked with all their hearts, while the canary and the mocking bird were singing their prayer songs. The eagle and hawk were keeping their sharp eyes looking up into the skies.

Praying for many days with their pipes, every tongue was burning with the taste of the tobacco, but their courage was still strong for they were hoping for good news with all their anxious hearts. The day seemed very long.

It was very late when the shrike was seen high up in the sky and he was very slowly coming down. The eagle and the hawk saw that he was still strong so they did not go up to meet him for his little wings were still holding him up. As he was coming down nearer everybody was asked to hold their heads down with high hopes that he may land safely. As he landed they felt that their prayers were answered and they were filled with much joy. The shrike was asked to be seated in the center of them and be resting while the men joined in prayer by smoking their pipes.

When this was done the chief said to the bird, "I am more than glad and happy to see you come back to us again and it is not only I, but everybody here who is anxious to hear the news of what you have for us, so let us hear you."

"It is the same story," said the shrike, "from here on up to where these others had gotten to. When I passed that, I could see the opening and from there on the passage looked rather narrow. As I went on higher into the narrow passage, in there I found many a projecting rock on which I could light and rest myself. Then, at last, up through the opening which is just like a kiva you have down here. The light and sunshine is much better than here, but there is no sign of human life, only the animals and birds of all kinds. Now the question is, how are we going to get you up

there? Because even the strongest birds carrying you one by one could not get you all up through there."

"So it is," said the chief, "that is another hard proposition, but let no heart be discouraged. Let us all be strong and we will succeed and leave our troubles behind here in this sinful world for I am more than glad and happy to know that there is another and better world up above, so if there is anyone present to give us advice of what is to be done next, I would like to hear him."

"It is I, who am called Kochoilaftiyo (the poker boy 7) said a boy who was sitting way in the back. They did not even know that he was with them all this time, for he was ranked and considered as of the low class people.

"Come forward to my side," said the chief.

And he was seated on the left side of him. Being only a poor boy it was rather doubtful to the others that he would know of any advice to give, but he was treated like the others and so they smoked their pipes together. When this was done, the chief asked him of what he had in mind.

"It is not much of anything," said the boy. "But I am with you and with all my heart I wish to help you. You know and everybody knows that I am not recognized nor respected half as much as the others."

"You have spoken the truth, but you must forget that now," said the chief. "You who are with me here, I refuse no one."

"I thank you," said the boy with eyes full of tears. "I know a little creature, kuna (chipmunk), who lives on the nuts of the pines. I think he knows how to plant and grow those pines and he may have some seeds. If he would come and plant and grow us one of those tall trees it might reach the sky so that we may climb up on it. He lives in the rocks and pines."

"Very well," said the chief, "let us call him." At this he turned to the mocking bird and asked him to sing his calling song for the chipmunk. At the altar the mocking bird picked up his rattle and started to sing. It was not very long before the chipmunk appeared over the rocks with his usual chip-chip voice, and when he did come up he ran in front of the altar.

"Why do you call me, and why do you want me?" he asked.

"It is because we are in trouble. We need your help."

"I am ready," he said.

"As you are noted for your tree planting and know how

to make them grow so fast we would like you to plant one for us that will reach up to the sky and into the new world. We have been here many days trying to find out how we can get up there."

"Yes," said the chipmunk, "I do know how to plant trees, but I cannot be very sure and promise you that I could make it grow up to reach the sky, but for your sake I will try, so let us pray to our gods who really have power."

They filled up their pipes and smoked again, to carry their earnest prayers to the gods. After this was done, the little chipmunk reached into his bag for his tree seeds. 8 "This," he said, "is a spruce. We will try it first." He put it in his mouth and sang four of his magic songs. Then he took it out and set it in the ground in front of him, watching it very closely. Again he reached into his little bag and drew out his little rattle of sea shells with which he sang over his planted seed. Soon the tree began to grow out of the ground, and when it was about three inches high, he spit all over it and around the roots. With that it began to grow faster. Now, he kept this up as he was singing and his mouth began to get awfully dry so he asked for some water to increase the moisture in himself. Finally the tree was as high as a man stood and when it got this high he would run up on it and with his little paws would pull it upward at the very top. With songs and pulling it up, the tree was growing very fast indeed. The little creature kept this up till it had grown to its full height, but it did not reach the sky.

"I have done my best," said the chipmunk. "The tree will grow no more."

The high hopes of the chief sank again because the tree did not reach the opening up in the sky.

"Being called to help you," said the chipmunk, "I will try again, so keep your hopes and do not be discouraged. I think it has weakened this tree making it grow too fast, so this time it will be a little slower."

And he reached into his little bag for another seed which was a fir-pine. This he planted, with the same performance as the first time. Again, the little tree began to grow and the chipmunk repeated his same songs with new and strong hopes that he might make it reach the hole in the sky. Going up on this tree he would take his sacred meal and at the very top, with his prayer, he would throw this meal upward as high as he could, hoping that this would make it grow up through the opening.

While he was busy growing his tree every man was smoking

his pipe and they were making their earnest prayers from their very hearts. Finally the chipmunk came back down to the ground again and said, "My tree has stopped growing again, although it has passed the first one by four men's height, but be not discouraged, I will try again. First, I must have prayer."

He reached into his bag and out he brought his little pipe and smoked. While he was smoking he kept a seed in his mouth which was a long-needle pine. When he had finished he set the seed in the ground again, and started his performance in the same manner with all the hopes of making it reach the sky, but this was also in vain, though it did pass the two first trees.

Now not only the chipmunk, but all the rest of the people were very much troubled and crying in their hearts to think that the trees had failed to reach the opening in the sky. The chipmunk, with a broken heart, filled up his little pipe and smoked, thinking very hard of what he could do next, because he thought himself powerless and knew that only his gods had unlimited power so with his smoking he prayed the gods for more wisdom. He could see that every heart was sad for the men were sitting around with their heads down upon their folded arms over their knees.

A thought came to him now, so he slowly raised his head and said, "We are all very sad but I will try again, so I wish to ask you from your very hearts if there is someone here who is not very willing to go and hates to leave behind the ones he loves or there may be some of you that still have evil thoughts in your hearts. All this work and many sleepless nights are getting heavy on our father, our chief. We must confess ourselves to him and to our gods that we will do right and will try to live the right kind of life in the upper world."

"We are all true," said they, "If we were not true we would not have stayed to this day with our chief."

The chipmunk left them and went to a place where the bamboo tree grows." Here he took a little shoot of a bamboo plant and with this he brought a tiny piñon shell full of water. These he set on a small basket tray and smoked his pipe over it, which was his earnest prayer. Others followed in the same manner. When this was done he put the piñon shell of water in the ground, at an arm length deep and on top of it he planted the bamboo shoot and he covered it up. He took his sacred corn meal in his right hand and stood over the plant and said his prayers in silence. Then he threw the meal high up toward the sky. Then the others followed one by one.

"Now," he said, "this being the last plant I know that will grow high we must give all our hearts to our gods that they may believe and answer our prayers and make this tree grow up through the opening in the sky.

When all their preparations were made and their sacred corn meal was thrown up toward the sky, the two birdmen started to sing their magic songs and the rest all joined with them because by that time, they knew the songs so that they could follow along with them. After the songs were ended, the little chipmunk ran up the tree and when he got to the top he pulled on it and he ran back four times up into that tree. Then he came down and filled up his pipe and started smoking.

He was always keeping time with the singing and he knew just when to run up the tree, and he just kept this performance up till the tree was high enough, and still they were singing and then, while they were singing, they asked the four other birds that had made their attempt to go up into the sky to find the opening, to fly up and see how high the tree had gone up, because by that time, the little chipmunk was tired, he couldn't run up the high tree again.

Now these birds, that is, the eagle and the hawk and the swallow bird and the shrike, made their trip up into the sky to the top of this tree four times and each time, when they came back they told the people that it was coming nearer to the opening. Toward the last, it was only the shrike that could go up and he made this trip up four times. But the last trip he made he stayed up on the top limb, and with him on the top limb the tree went through the opening. Of course, the old shrike felt very safe because he knew he could come back down, resting on the limbs of the tree.

When he came down he told the people that the tree had gone through the opening. Now the chipmunk was very glad that it had gone through, and of course you know that he was overjoyed. Then the chipmunk told them that it would be rather impossible to climb up on the tree. He told them that this tree was hollow inside and he started to gnawing on the bottom of the tree to cut an opening into it. While he was gnawing away all the men circled around the little fire and started their prayers again by smoking. After all this was done the chief said that as it was rather late in the day they would start their prayers and songs for the people at dawn. Now they were all very anxious to see the morning come and before it did come the chief had appointed two birds--the eagle and the

swallow, to be on the look-out, so that no wicked people might pass.

Now on this day, before they started out, the chief said to the wise men that they must give an order for some kind of a guard that would hold back the bad people and the witches and wizards that would try to steal their way into the reed with the rest of the people. So the chief told the wise men to make their pahos for each four directions. These were to represent the closing of all the different trails from all directions. When these were made he sent out the One Horned Society 10 or priests who were supposed to guard the North and West, and the Two Horned priests to guard the South and East. When they got to the four directions they made four lines out of sacred corn meal about six feet long and on both ends of the lines they set a paho falling backward--not toward the bamboo. Whoever steals their way into the bamboo and crosses this line will perish, which means that they will drop dead. Of course, many people tried to cross from different directions and were found dead.

This is how two of the societies or religions were started; Kwakant (One Horned Society) and A-alt (Two Horned Society), which are still in existence today. Whoever came to the bamboo by the set path came safely to the chief, to join in going to the Upper World.

The time came for them to sing their calling songs and before they started to sing they renewed their altar on which they had laid their prayer offerings. They made four of these prayer offerings and set them up on four sides of the tree to hold it up. These prayer offerings were about the span of a man's hand. When they started to sing they had to sing around the altar and the two birds were watching the opening at the bottom of the tree so in case the wicked people should start to come through they could drive them away. The two birds were appointed because they had sharp claws. When they started to sing their calling song, being a magic song, it took effect and they found the names of men who were in this ceremony following one another because the calling song as it began, named all the wise men who were serving in the ceremony. Before long the people were coming up one after another--that is, one family after another family.

When the people were gathered there, the chief had his prayer offering ready and at the foot of the tree he set this little prayer offering down in front of it. Then with his sacred corn meal he made a line pointing into it and then he walked in and his family followed and the rest

of the royal families came after him, like the family of the village crier and the families of the others who had a high position, such as the high priest.

As they were going up through the tree the shrike started outside, because he was rather light and he could rest on the limbs. They didn't know how far they were going up. It took them quite a long while and the chief was rather anxious to get up to the top and after a long time they finally came up to the opening. When the chief got up there the shrike was waiting for him and when he crawled out of the tree the rest followed and as some of these people came out they started to sing the same songs that they were singing down at the bottom. These songs were limited and they were only to be sung four times, because they were awfully long songs. In a ceremony like this everybody was so anxious to get to the top it didn't seem so long and before all the people were through, the songs were ended and there were still some more people gathered around the tree. Then everywhere there was trouble down below, for those who hadn't been able to get up while the songs were being sung had to stay at the bottom, because the ceremony couldn't be sung any more.

Then the One Horned Priests who remained below had to cut the tree down for fear that someone might steal their way up, so they cut down the tree and this tree still had some people in it, so that is why the bamboo is jointed--because the people in there stuck in the tree and the tree kind of shrunk in between them.

CHAPTER II

MASAUWU

Now the chief was pleased to be on top, but of course, he was rather kind of suspicious for fear that some witches or wizards might have come through. They found that there was sunshine and birds and rather a prosperous looking world--sun, grass, flowers, trees and everything else up above.

When they had been up a few days, the chief asked his people if any of them had brought up anything with them to eat, or seeds of any kind. They searched one another and they found some corn and of course it was rather late in the season to plant anything now, so they didn't plant, they lived on game and wild fruit and seeds of the different kinds of plants.

Before very long there was a little girl who took sick and died suddenly. When this little girl died the chief held a council to find out if they had brought up any witches with them. Finally one of the girls had to admit that she was one of them. Of course they were very much troubled over her and got ahold of her and tied her up and were ready to throw her back into the underworld. The girl didn't want to be thrown back into the underworld so she told them not to be troubled because after death you went back into that underworld and were safe, that you returned to your own people down there again.

They asked her to prove it. "Well," she said, "I can easily prove it if you come to the kiva (opening). We can look down and see the little dead girl playing around down there just as happy as she can be."

And so they went to the kiva hole and looked down and saw this little girl playing around with the rest of the children below. When the witch girl had proved this to the people the chief had to permit her to stay.

On the fourth night after they came up to the world on top, they saw a fire a little distance away and they wondered who it could be, so the next morning the chief sent his braves to see where the fire had been. No sign of fire was to be found, only huge footprints of a big man or a giant, for these footprints were larger than any living man's. The braves came back to the chief and told of what big footprints they had seen, and they were all very much frightened. The chief thought the only thing to do

was to have a ceremony of prayer offerings or paho making and offer these to their neighbor, the giant, for fear that he might be a man of some power, who might do them harm someday.

The village crier was called to announce the day for this ceremony. When the people came to the chief they found him to be sad of heart and they all knew why he was so sad. The chief told his fellow men what he thought it was best they should do, that they might make these prayer offerings to the fire or whoever it was that had the fire. As usual they all smoked their pipes before they set to work to make their pahos. When all was done they put these offerings together on one plaque, which received their earnest prayers as they smoked their pipes, and all this was done before it was taken to their strange neighbors.

Before it was taken over, the chief called for volunteers, to see who would step forward to take these prayer offerings to the being at the fire. They were to be taken at night and someone would have to carry it who was very brave. Four young men offered themselves and said they would take the offering over to the fire for among the Hopi four was the limit, and they were permitted to go.

Going over with the tray of prayer offerings they saw at first in the distance only a faint light and they were very much afraid. Coming closer, they could see someone sitting by the fire and facing away from them and they could only see the back of his head. This head was of rather a great size, like the biggest squash, and there was no hair on it. As they came closer they were more and more frightened, but at last they got to him. He would not turn his face toward the fire, so they called to him and asked him who he was, but he would not answer. They called to him a second time and he ref used again to answer them. They called to him a third time, and again they received no answer. They called again, a fourth time, and asked him if he had some other language and did not understand them. Then he answered and said he was surprised to see that they had come to his fire because no one had ever gotten so near to him before.

When he said this he turned around toward the light and his face was all bloody and he had a mask on; his head was big and his mask was terrible looking. These four men were very much frightened and all felt something creeping back of their heads. Finally they got over their spell and told him what they had brought him, which the chief had sent over with his wishes that he would be

their good friend and neighbor and not try to make them any trouble. They handed him the tray of pahos which he gladly received and was very much pleased with them, and he said that he prized them very highly.

Then he told these young men who he was. He was their god--the god of the Upper World, and it all belonged to him. Although being the god of the Upper World, he could not walk about in the day time, but only at night by the light of the fire. So he told these young men to tell their chief who he was--that he was now his god, who walked in the dark and is called the Masauwu. 11 He was the god of death and life. He told the young men to tell the chief not to be afraid, that he being the god of death, whoever died would go to him first and he would show him back to the underworld by way of the kiva, through which they had come out.

When the young men went back to the chief, they told him the man at the fire received his offering and prized it very highly as it had been a long time since he had received any offering of pahos like that. This was the first time they had ever seen this man who said he was their god and ever since he has been worshipped by the Hopi. Since he told the people he was the god of death, they always go to him when they go on the warpath and ask him to paralyze their enemies with fear so that they may be victorious.

CHAPTER III

HOW THE MOCKING BIRD GAVE THE PEOPLE MANY LANGUAGES

AFTER awhile the chief said that they must move away from the kiva for fear that some of his people might become discouraged in some way, or lose courage and want to go back. They might die or want to die, so he didn't like to be near the kiva for fear the people might be going back and looking down toward their old home.

Even though the Chief had decided to move the people away from the kiva he was very much troubled and wondered how the kiva should be regarded by them, whether it should be thought of with apprehension and fear. So the chief called his wise men together to consult them on his ideas regarding this matter, but none of these men could give him any help or find him an answer. They could only ask him what he had in mind, saying that whatever the chief wished, their gods may consent to fulfill. "Very well," said their chief, "let us make some pahos and with these offerings we will ask the big waters to come and cover up the kiva and that will make it impossible for anyone to go back there."

When all these were made the young men were asked to take them to the southwest, toward Patuwakachi (the ocean) and at a good distance away from the kiva these pahos were set with the wishes and prayers of the chief that the waters may only come as far as the spot where the offerings were placed. Now every day, for four days the young men were sent back to this place where they had put these pahos to see if there were any signs of moisture or the coming of Paso (the roaring waters). Now every day the water was seen to be creeping up on these pahos and at the end of the fourth day the people began to feel the damp air. Then the big wind came and it kept up for many days and at last Paso had come and it had covered up all the land around the kiva so that no one could reach it. This was, of course, a very fearful thing to all the people. 12

Of course, no one knows how long they lived around that place, but after a great many years they increased and they started to have more trouble among themselves. The chief was afraid that something might happen again so

he had a council with his men once more, and he asked them what should be done. One of the men said that the only thing that he thought of was, if they only could speak different languages and learn to eat different kinds of food from one another, they might start away or become parted in many divisions.

"Why," said the chief, "how could we do this?"

Someone said, "Well, don't we have the mocking bird who knows many songs and why shouldn't he give us many different languages?"

"Well," said the chief, "I think that is a very good idea."

Then he asked the men to come the next day so that they could make their prayer offerings for the mocking bird. So the next day the men came over with their trays and some materials with which to make their prayer offerings. They started work that morning and kept on until late in the afternoon. When all their prayer offerings were finished, the crier called out for the men to bring him their presents of food for them all to eat. After they finished their meal they started singing the calling songs for the mocking bird, and at the end of four songs the mocking bird came.

When he came he asked them why he was being so anxiously called. The chief answered him and said, "It is because we are in trouble and we wish to have some changes made, if it would be possible." Then the mocking bird asked what kind of changes.

"Well," said the chief, "would it be possible that we, living here as one people, could be given different languages'?"

The mocking bird said, "It can be done."

The chief asked, "How soon can you do it?"

The mocking bird said that it would take overnight to give them different languages. The mocking bird asked the chief if he would like to speak some other different language, but the chief said he would rather keep his own language.

Well, that night it was only the chief and the mocking bird who stayed up to see how this thing would work out. During the night the mocking bird went from camp to camp and at each camp he would take something out of the fireplace and then turn right around and bury something in the fireplace again. He had a sort of buckskin pouch and whatever he took out of the fireplace he put into this pouch and he was holding on tight to this pouch for fear that something would escape out of there. Just about

dawn the mocking bird finished his job. He took his buckskin pouch to the chief and told the chief to dig a hole in the ground. The chief did this and the mocking bird told him to put the pouch in the hole and bury it there and build a fire over it. Now when the morning came, the people woke up with different languages and they couldn't understand one another.

They were very much troubled because they couldn't understand one another and they came up to the chief and the chief couldn't make them understand. The mocking bird was the only one that could understand, so he was the interpreter.

"Well," said the chief, "you are a pretty wise bird. Now you and I will travel the same direction toward the rising sun and the sun may be our god, 13 great and wise. With its light we can see and walk. Wherever this place is where the sun rises, I would like to see who will get there first for there we may learn who is our true god. If not, the sun itself is our god for there must be some spirit, somewhere, that really does look after us. If either you or I should get to the sun first, the great star will appear and many other stars will fall from the heavens, by which those who are still on the journey will know that one of us has reached the journey's end. Then the one who has arrived with his people must settle down and look forward to meeting his brother when he comes with wisdom and truth that he may teach the true religion of god."

CHAPTER IV

THE HOPI DECIDE TO SEEK A NEW HOME. HOW CERTAIN CLANS RECEIVED THEIR NAMES

ALL THIS time while the people were together, they learned to eat some of the wild seeds besides corn and different kinds of fruit and wheat. The mocking bird asked the chief to get all the different kinds of foodstuffs together and call the people to come and gather there, and decide and choose their food, or the chief food, that they wished to live on as they traveled along. Of course in those days the chief had charge of all the foodstuffs.

So he asked the people to gather all this food together and when they had gotten all they could collect he sent word out for no more people to come. When everything was gathered in, the chief sent word for the people to come together. Of course, all this time the mocking bird was still with them, because they could not go without him.

When the people came the chief asked them to look this foodstuff over and choose what they would like to take along in case they wanted to separate and travel along in different directions. Now that the mocking bird had given the people different languages and they couldn't understand each other they thought it would be best to separate.

After he had said all this the men shook hands to show that they were brothers and they started out on the race for the same point, as they were both anxious to learn and to find out who is the true God. Before they parted they said they would start out on their journey on the fourth day from that time, but during these three days the people of these two men and the women folk were getting ready the foodstuff for them to take along. Of course each of them had quite a number of people besides just their families.

On the fourth day all the tribes came together--Navajo, Supai, Paiute, Apache, Zuni, Utes and the Bahana. 14 When they came up, the chief had all the different kinds of seeds of corn and grain, of melon and fruit, laid out for them to choose. Then he asked the different tribes to step forward and take their choice.

The Navajo slipped forward hurriedly and picked out the largest ear of corn, which he thought was the wise

thing to do. But the chief and the others knew that the long ear of corn could not last long and was not easily raised. Afterward the rest of the tribes took their choice in turn.

The Hopi took the shortest ear of corn and also squash and beans. The Apache didn't take any, for they said they would rather live on game. Supai took some peaches--he preferred the fruit most. The Zuni took corn and wheat. Paiute didn't take any, he too said he would rather live on wild game and fruit. Utes didn't take any either. The Bahana (White man) took his choice last and was rather slow and considered well and finally he took some wheat which was not so heavy and he could carry more of it than the corn.

When they started out, for a few days they were kind of looking out for one another and keeping track of the time. They travelled on for many days and it got so that it was rather discouraging for they never had thought that the sun rose so far away; they thought that the sun rose only a short distance off. Finally they got so they didn't count the days any more.

As they traveled along, the first party came on a dead bear. They thought that they would name themselves the "Bear Clan" (Hona-wunga) and by this they could be recognized. They took the paws off the bear and took the flesh and bones out of them and stuffed them up with grass.

The second band came along and they too, found the dead bear. They had so many things to carry that they thought they needed some straps, so they took the hide off the bear and made straps of it. Then they thought they would take the name of "Strap Clan" (Biaquoiswungwa) by which they would be known.

Then it was many days before the third band came along. When they came to the dead bear it was all bones and the ribs were sticking up in the air and the bluebirds were sitting on them. Well, seeing the bluebirds there they thought they would call themselves the "Bluebird Clan", Chosh-wunga, by which name they would recognize each other. Then they went on, following the rest who were ahead of them. They must have known in some way that the two other clans were ahead of them.

Not very long after the "Bluebird Clan" had left this place, another band came along and they too found the dead bear. Inside of the skeleton of the bear was a spider web. Seeing the spider, they thought they would call

themselves the "Spider Clan", Koking-wungwa.

Then the next band came along not very far behind them, and they too came to the same spot. They found gopher mounds around the skeleton of the bear so they thought they would call themselves the "Gopher Clan", Mui-wunga.

Maybe a few years later, another band came up and they too came to the same place and found that the skeleton of the bear was all in pieces. They found the skull with the greasy eye cavities, and they thought they would call themselves the Wikurswungwa Clan, "The greasy eye cavities of the skull." (Clan now extinct.)

These groups were all going eastward, toward the rising sun and of course, the man who was to be the Bahana, went on and got ahead.

As they were following one another, of course they all had it in mind to see the Eastern Star. Their brother, Bahana, had gone on and they thought he might be held up somewhere and they hoped to get ahead of him for they all hoped they would reach the rising sun first. Of course, out of all these clans the Bear Clan was ahead. Each clan wished to get ahead. One day the Spider Clan came upon a spider lying outside of its hole, and of course the leaders stopped and wondered if this spider could speak to them. So the chief called his people and they all gathered around the spider, wondering at it. Finally the Spider Woman spoke to them.

She called them her children and grandchildren. Then she said that if they needed to be helped she could help them. They said they would like to be helped, because they rather thought they were getting away behind the rest of the people. So the Spider Woman said that they would have to stay with her a few days and that she would get them something to travel with so they could go on faster. They said they would like to travel faster because on account of the children they were getting behind. So the Spider Woman asked them if they would like something to ride on so they wouldn't have to travel on foot, and they said they would.

"Well," she said, "I can make you a tame animal" that would carry your stuff and probably you can have him pack your things and you can walk behind him. If you don't carry any thing on your back you might travel faster."

"Well," the man said, "what could you make it of?"

The Spider Woman said "It has to be a part of you, so

you go to that little room with the jar of water and take a bath and whatever rolls off your body--all that dirt--you gather it up and bring it to me."

So this man took a jar of water and went into a little room and started to take a bath. Of course, you know, having travelled many days thinking that he would get to the rising sun, why he never did stop to think about taking a bath and he was awful dirty. All afternoon he spent rubbing himself and all that dirt began to roll off of him. When he got through and gathered it up he almost had a handful. He came out and handed this to the Spider Woman and wondered what sort of an animal it would make and how big it would be, because he thought the dirt that rolled off himself wasn't big enough to make an animal of any kind.

Then the Spider Woman went to work and she brought out a little white robe. She laid this down and put the lump of dirt on it and covered it up with the robe and folded it over. Then she sang the magic songs. Every once in a while she would peek in under this cover and see if it was coming to life, and finally the thing started to move. The Spider Woman finished her songs. She took the little cover off and there was a little gray burro. Well, the Spider Woman told these people that they would have to stay there four days because in four days this little animal would then be strong enough to travel.

Every day the Spider Woman would feed this little animal something and wrap him up. Being a wise old woman, she would feed it some of her medicine--magic stuff--rubbing its legs to give it strength. Finally, in four days, the animal was ready to travel. The people packed up the burro with their stuff and they went on. Well, they found it was much easier to have something packing their stuff than to be packed up themselves.

Having made a burro for these people, this same Spider Woman made a man with knowledge and instructed him to go after these people and help them along, to train animals for them that they might catch up with brother Bahana. But not following the Spider Woman's instructions, this man stole the little burro and went on himself, thinking that he would get ahead of the Bahana and reach the point of the rising sun first. So one day these poor Hopis could not find their animal and they looked for many days. Finally, they found somebody's tracks driving the burro. He had funny shoes and whoever he was, he had slipped up on them and stolen their animal. Now they were made sad because they had to pack their own stuff

again. Later, they came upon another Spider Woman who told them that this man was a Castilian who had stolen their burro.

By this time these people had almost forgotten about the rest of the Hopi and they hadn't heard of where they were all this time. They were traveling away behind and they were rather slow because they would stop to cultivate the land and raise corn to supply them for a few years. They thought that they would build houses and make pottery by which they would mark this land as they went along, because they believed the day would come when their brother would find the rising sun and that they would all come back this way with more power and more knowledge. Of course, they would be true to their brother, but there may be others who would come back with him and they would be the ones who would try to cheat him out of the land, so in order to have some kind of mark in this country they built homes and made pottery.

CHAPTER V

HOW THE HOPI SELECTED SHUNG-OPOVI FOR THEIR HOME

THE Hopis had forgotten about the other tribes by this time and did not know where they were. They were hoping to see the Eastern Star so that they could settle down and not travel any more. Well, finally the Bear Clan did see the Eastern Star and they were ready to settle down, but they didn't know just where would be a good place for them. They thought that they would do better cultivating by depending on rain, so they went out onto the Painted Desert to Shung-opovi (the place by the spring where the tall weeds grow). Being out here in such a desolate place they thought that they would be safe from other people, who would not think that they had anything worth taking.

By that time the other Hopis were down around the vicinity of Sunset Crater, Canyon Diablo and the Little Colorado River.

After a good many years these other Hopis heard of the Bear Clan being out at Shung-opovi, so the Strap Clan who were settled along Canyon Diablo, thought they would go out and join the Bear Clan. So they started out. When they did start out they stopped along the ridge below Ma-teuvi, which is now called Big Burro Spring. From there they sent off a messenger to Shung-opovi to tell the Chief that his brothers, the Strap Clan, would like to join him. 16

When the messenger came to the Chief of Shung-opovi and told him what the Strap Clan leader wished to do, he could not very well answer his message just then. So he sent word back that he would like to have the Strap Clan chief come himself. When the Strap Clan leader heard this word he went up to Shung-opovi with his bag of tobacco and his pipe.

Of course, in those days, they had guards that were always on the lookout for someone coming, for fear it might. be an enemy. Well, this man was seen coming and the Chief was notified. He knew who it was, the man being alone, so he went out to meet him and he met him at the place called Teuviovi (point that runs out south of Shung-opovi Day School). When they met there, they greeted one another by smoking their pipes. After they had smoked

their pipes, the Strap Clan leader told the chief of the Bear Clan how he had followed his trail and that he had taken his clan name from the same dead bear that he had. So for that reason, he considered himself as his brother and he would like to join his establishment, because he thought being of the same clanship the Bear Clan was not any greater than the Strap Clan was. So the Bear Clan told him he could go back and bring his people.

Well, the Strap Clan leader went back and told his people this good news and asked the people to get ready, as they would start for Shung-opovi in four days. On the fourth day they started out and when they got to Shung-opovi they were very well received.

When the Strap Clan entered the village they thought they would have the same rights as the Bear Clan but the Bear Clan did not like the way the Strap Clan felt about their rights and the way they were acting, so finally they had to have a council and talk this over. They decided the Bear Clan would give the Strap Clan a chance to become a royal clan and to rule the village. Of course, after this the Strap Clan was always looking forward to this agreement. Now later, the other clans began to drift in. When they came up to the town they would send word up to the chief and the chief would usually send for the leader to come to see him, because it was not his business to go down and meet the people. They had to come up before the chief. He would always ask the leader about his religious rites or ceremonies--of how he had been serving his people in the way of prosperity, if his ceremonies have any effect on the gods and if his ceremonies would bring rain. And of course this chief would have to tell what he did to bring rain or how he did it. Then, if the chief thought he was rather bragging about himself, or exaggerating his ceremonies, he would tell him to stay away, because if he could take care of his people that way, he could get along all right by himself. The chief knew that no human would have such power and that he had to ask the gods or make prayers for rain to make his crops grow.

Many a time some clan leader had to go up to the chief four times before he was permitted to enter with his people. Every time when a band or clan was received, the chief would allot them so much land. The last few clans to arrive were just the common class of people. They didn't have a high priest, or ceremonies of any kind, and they were the ones that had a hard time getting into the village. They were not alloted any land. 17 They wished to have land also, so they asked the chief. The chief asked


them what they could do--or what right they had to be given that land. They said that they were willing to have the land on the edges and they would guard his people and keep away the enemies, so since they told him all this, they were given all the outside land which was not allotted to any other clan.

After this was all settled, another clan came along and they were also a common class, and the chief asked them if they had any ceremonies of any kind by which they lived, or by which they prayed to the gods to bring them rain. They said no, they didn't have any and they told him they didn't have any time for ceremonies, they were nothing but warriors and had to fight their way up there, for the country was full of other tribes that were enemies of these people. So the chief said that if they were warriors and had to fight their way up there, they would be his braves. This was the Sun Forehead Clan. Then the chief went to the Parrot Clan (Gash-wunga) and asked them if they would give up some of their land to the Sun Forehead Clan, that they too might take their place in guarding the chief's rights and those of his people. The Parrot Clan was very glad to do this, so from then on the Sun Forehead Clan had to be out first if enemies made an attack.

Then, later on, another clan came along, the Sun Clan. They too were without a religion and ceremonies. This Sun Clan was given the same treatment as the clan before them and the Sun Forehead Clan gave up part of their land that the Sun Clan might guard the rights of the people, so to this day, their lands are still on the edge of the Hopi lands.

CHAPTER VI

HOW THE CROW CLAN ARRIVED AND SETTLED AT MISHONGNOVI

LONG before this time the Crow Clan had made a little settlement at what is called the first Mishongnovi, on the west side of Quang-oufovi Mesa, or Bald Mesa. The leader of this clan was called Mishong, or Black Man, on account of his dark color. They lived there for awhile, but they were much troubled, for there was some sort of a great reptile that lived there, which seemed as if it had no end to it, and sometimes in the morning he would be all over the place, the great coils of him going round and round the little houses on the steep terraced mesa. He had one little pair of wings and Tok-chi-i, he was called. On account of that snake they were having great trouble. It was rather harmless, but they were afraid of it. When this great snake gathered himself together he formed a shape like a plaque and then he would take off into the air and was gone for a long time, and it might be months before he returned again, but when he did return he piled himself up on that little village again. On account of him the people left the place and went to Shung-opovi and settled down about three-fourths of the way to the top of the Mesa. When the Shung-opovi people found out that there were only seven families of them there they called their place the Seventh Point--Chung-ait-tuika.

While living at this place they were constantly asking the Shung-opovi chief if they could join with his people, but he refused them every time, because they were a dark colored people. Of course, they didn't have any land to farm and what little gardening they did was on the bench where there was only a few inches of dirt on top of the rocks. Finally the Mishongnovi leader went to the Shung-opovi chief again.

Now about this time Walpi was established, and when the Shung-opovi people heard about it they decided they would let the Mishongnovi people go to guard the Corn Rock which was a very important shrine.

So the chief of Shung-opovi said, "If you want to become a part of my people, I have a shrine by the Corn Rock and I need someone to take care of it. If you wish to be a part of my people you must settle there."

The chief of Shung-opovi continued, "The eastern star

has come up so that we are expecting the Bahana, our savior, a white man. We want to know him when he comes, so I delegate the Crow Clan to look for the Bahana. The Bahana, our savior, will do away with all evil people. But if the Bahana is not the true Bahana it will be your duty to make away with him." So Mishong and his people settled by the Corn Rock, founding Mishongnovi, and the Crow Clan has handed down the idea that they are the ones to look for the Bahana. Other clans joined this pueblo so the Crow Clan became the royal family of Mishongnovi. When Mishong's people were settled there they were given some land to the southeast.

Now the chief of Walpi thought they were taking some of his land, so the Chief of the Shung-opovi went to Walpi and told the Chief that he had the right to give the people that much land as he was the first one to serve them. So then they made a boundary line from one of the points on the North Mesa to the South Mesa. The North Mesa is called Po-noteu-we (shrine that looks like a fat person). The South Mesa is called Aku-haivi (meaning "a little pool or deep rock tank" and here they could easily dip water with a ladle (aku) which always hung there.) This seemed to be satisfactory to both sides, so they settled on that question of the boundary line.

About this time all the other villages were just beginning to be established, like Awatovi, and the others on the Jeddito, and it was found that the Awatovi people were speaking the same dialect as the Mishongnovi people. 18 Of course at that time there was nobody at Shipaulovi.

CHAPTER VII

HOW A FAMILY QUARREL LED TO THE FOUNDING OF ORAIBI

LIKE all the other people, the Shung-opovi chief and his brothers were usually having some kind of trouble or argument over something, and about this time he found out that his younger brother was too bold. He was rather taking too much authority upon himself and didn't have much respect for the other people. He never would do much of anything in the way of work, but he would always be down in the fields when the crops were ripe and he helped himself to the things the other people had grown. Since he was one of the royal family no one had a right to say anything to him, and he was always grabbing corn from other people's fields at the time of the harvest and that was where he got his provisions, for he didn't grow anything himself.

Now the people were rather tired of this and they were all turning against him, but no one dared say anything. One day they had baked sweet corn and the men were there husking it, and this man came down and picked out as much as he could carry of the best corn the men had. It happened that his brother, the Chief, was there at the time and his brother, having the same right or being a little above him, called him down. Then all the other men thought that was their chance to say something to him and they all called him down. That hurt him more than anything else and he left all the corn right there and went home.

When night came on he left Shung-opovi. The next morning he was missing and no one knew where he had gone and from then on, they were always looking for him and would send out searching parties but they never could find him. Nobody ever heard anything about him. All the other villages were asked if he had gone to one of them, but he was not in any of them.

One day they went out hunting and at that time Third Mesa was a hunting place where they hunted cottontails among the rock. Now while they were there hunting, they found this man. He was living in one of the little caves. His name was Ma-chito. When they found him they tried to get him to talk but he wouldn't speak to them, so they tried to bring him back home but he would not go with them.

When they got home they told his wife that her husband was over on the mesa and asked her to go and see if she could get him to come home. The next day she went but he told her he would never return to Shung-opovi--that he had left his people for good. He wanted to see how his brother would get along without him, because he considered that he himself had witchcraft power and that it was he that knew all the different songs and all the ceremonies that were being carried on at that time. His wife made four trips over there but she could not get him to come home, so she decided to go over and join him.

So when she got there, they went up on top of the mesa and built up there. From then on, in the other villages, whoever was mistreated or got mad at something went over there to live. When other clans drifted in, Ma-chito didn't have many questions to ask of them, but just brought them in, for he wanted to get ahead of his brother and have more people in a short time.

CHAPTER VIII

HOW THE SPANIARDS CAME TO SHUNG-OPOVI, HOW THEY BUILT A MISSION, AND HOW THE HOPI DESTROYED THE MISSION

IT MAY have taken quite a long time for these villages to be established. Anyway, every place was pretty well settled down when the Spanish came. 19 The Spanish were first heard of at Zuni and then at Awatovi. They came on to Shung-opovi, passing Walpi. At First Mesa, Si-kyatki was the largest village then, and they were called Si-kyatki, not Walpi. The Walpi people were living below the present village on the west side. 20 When the Spaniards came, the Hopi thought that they were the ones they were looking for--their white brother, the Bahana, their savior.

The Spaniards visited Shung-opovi several times before the missions were established. The people of Mishongovi welcomed them so the priest who was with the white men built the first Hopi mission at Mishongovi. The people of Shung-opovi were at first afraid of the priests but later they decided he was really the Bahana, the savior, and let him build a mission at Shung-opovi. 21

Well, about this time the Strap Clan were ruling at Shung-opovi and they were the ones that gave permission to establish the mission. The Spaniards, whom they called Castilla, told the people that they had much more power than all their chiefs and a whole lot more power than the witches. The people were very much afraid of them, particularly if they had much more power than the witches. They were so scared that they could do nothing but allow themselves to be made slaves. Whatever they wanted done must be done. Any man in power that was in this position the Hopi called Tota-achi, which means a grouchy person that will not do anything himself, like a child. They couldn't refuse, or they would be slashed to death or punished in some way. There were two Tota-achi.

The missionary did not like the ceremonies. He did not like the Kachinas and he destroyed the altars and the customs. He called it idol worship and burned up all the ceremonial things in the plaza.

When the Priests started to build the mission, the men were sent away over near the San Francisco peaks to get the pine or spruce beams. These beams were cut and put into shape roughly and were then left till the next year

when they had dried out. 22 Beams of that size were hard to carry and the first few times they tried to carry these beams on their backs, twenty to thirty men walking side by side under the beam. But this was rather hard in rough places and one end had to swing around. So finally they figured out a way of carrying the beam in between them. They lined up two by two with the beam between the lines. In doing this, some of the Hopis were given authority by the missionary to look after these men and to see if they all did their duty. If any man gave out on the way he was simply left to die. There was great suffering. Some died for lack of food and water, while others developed scabs and sores on their bodies.

It took a good many years for them to get enough beams to Shung-opovi to build the mission. When this mission was finally built, all the people in the village had to come there to worship, and those that did not come were punished severely. In that way their own religion was altogether wiped out, because they were not allowed to worship in their own way. All this trouble was a heavy burden on them and they thought it was on account of this that they were having a heavy drought at this time. They thought their gods had given them up because they weren't worshiping the way they should.

Now during this time the men would go out pretending they were going on a hunting trip and they would go to some hiding place, to make their prayer offerings. So today, a good many of these places are still to be found where they left their little stone bowls in which they ground their copper ore to paint the prayer sticks. These places are called Puwa-kiki, cave places. If these men were caught they were severely punished.

Now this man, Tota-achi (the Priest) 23 was going from bad to worse. He was not doing the people any good and he was always figuring what he could do to harm them. So he thought out how the water from different springs or rivers would taste and he was always sending some man to these springs to get water for him to drink, but it was noticed that he always chose the men who had pretty wives. He tried to send them far away so that they would be gone two or three days, so it was not very long until they began to see what he was doing. The men were even sent to the Little Colorado River to get water for him, or to Moencopi. Finally, when a man was sent out he'd go out into the rocks and hide, and when the night came he would come home. Then, the priest, thinking the man was away, would come to visit his wife, but instead the man would be

there when he came. Many men were punished for this.

All this time the priest, who had great power, wanted all the young girls to be brought to him when they were about thirteen or fourteen years old. They had to live with the priest. He told the people they would become better women if they lived with him for about three years. Now one of these girls told what the Tota-achi were doing and a brother of the girl heard of this and he asked his sister about it, and he was very angry. This brother went to the mission and wanted to kill the priest that very day, but the priest scared him and he did nothing. So the Shung-opovi people sent this boy, who was a good runner, to Awatovi to see if they were doing the same thing over there, which they were. So that was how they got all the evidence against the priest.

Then the chief at Awatovi sent word by this boy that all the priests would be killed on the fourth day after the full moon. They had no calendar and that was the best way they had of setting the date. In order to make sure that everyone would rise up and do this thing on the fourth day the boy was given a cotton string with knots in it and each day he was to untie one of these knots until they were all out and that would be the day for the attack. 24

Things were getting worse and worse so the chief of Shung-opovi went over to Mishongnovi and the two chiefs discussed their troubles. "He is not the savior and it is your duty to kill him," said the chief of Shung-opovi. The chief of Mishongnovi replied, "If I end his life, my own life is ended."

Now the priest would not let the people manufacture prayer offerings, so they had to make them among the rocks in the cliffs out of sight, so again one day the chief of Shung-opovi went to Mishongnovi with tobacco and materials to make prayer offerings. He was joined by the chief of Mishongnovi and the two went a mile north to a cave. For four days they lived there heartbroken in the cave, making pahos. Then the chief of Mishongnovi took the prayer offerings and climbed to the top of the Corn Rock and deposited them in the shrine, for according to the ancient agreement with the Mishongnovi people it was their duty to do away with the enemy.

He then, with some of his best men, went to Shung-opovi, but he carried no weapons. He placed his men at every door of the priest's house. Then he knocked on the door and walked in. He asked the priest to come out but the priest was suspicious and would not come out. The chief asked the priest four times and each time the priest

refused. Finally, the priest said, "I think you are up to something."

The chief said, "I have come to kill you." "You can't kill me," cried the priest, "you have no power to kill me. If you do, I will come to life and wipe out your whole tribe."

The chief returned, "If you have this power, then blow me out into the air; my gods have more power than you have. My gods have put a heart into me to enter your home. I have no weapons. You have your weapons handy, hanging on the wall. My gods have prevented you from getting your weapons."

The old priest made a rush and grabbed his sword from the wall. The chief of Mishongnovi yelled and the doors were broken open. The priest cut down the chief and fought right and left but was soon overpowered, and his sword taken from him.

They tied his hands behind his back. Out of the big beams outside they made a tripod. They hung him on the beams, kindled a fire and burned him.

CHAPTER IX

RETURN OF THE SPANIARDS TO HOPI COUNTRY. SHIPAULOVI FOUNDED AS A SANCTUARY

AFTER all this had happened the Hopi were sure that the Spaniards were going to come back and make an attack on them and they figured that they would be wiped out. The chief of Shung-opovi thought there should be someone saved who would keep a record of these happenings in the best way they could. Now just about that time the Sun Forehead Clan was admitted into the village. They came from Homolovi. The chief sent one of his relations of the Bear Clan and his family to Shipaulovi and with them he sent half of the Sun Forehead Clan. He told them that this Shipaulovi village would be recognized as an innocent town, and that whenever the Hopi were attacked by any of their enemies whoever wished to live, could go there.

After all this the chief just simply waited for the attack to come from the Spanish, for knowing that he was guilty, he would not hesitate to give himself up to the Spaniards.

He waited quite a long while about 20 years--but nobody knows just how long. Finally the Spanish came. When they did come, instead of going up to the village they camped about three-fourths of a mile below the old Shung-opovi town and the whole village was in terror. The chief went down to the camp to ask them if they had come then to be friends, or to destroy. 25

The captain of the army told him that they had only come for the guilty. Then the chief said that the whole village was guilty, because everybody that could had put a hand on the priest. Then the captain said that could not be, because there were a good many people in the village and he couldn't understand how everyone could have put a hand on the priest. Then the chief said, if he was guilty all the people were guilty for he was their chief and leader. The captain asked the chief to have all the men of the village descend down there, so the chief called his men to come. When all the men got there, the captain lined them up and then he asked the chief to pick out the men that were really guilty.

Before the chief said a word, the men declared they were all guilty; but the captain would not believe them. During all this excitement there was one Hopi had the

heart to come out with the truth. He stepped out and said he didn't like to see all the men get killed, for some of them were too young. They might become good runners or warriors and have long lives to live.

This man turned around to the chief and accused him of simply sacrificing his men because he didn't want to be put to death alone. He said that if he saved some of these men or convinced the Spaniards that these men were not all guilty, he himself would be willing to take the place of the chief and be the leader of the people. He was a man of the Strap Clan, closely related to the Bear Clan to which the chief belonged. This man was angry to think that the chief would sacrifice his men for nothing.

Then after this man had said he would be the leader of the people, he asked the chief to step forward and be honest and point out the ones who were really guilty. But the chief still wasn't man enough to do it, and he was asked four times before he would pick out the guilty men. The men were those who held positions in different kinds of ceremonies. With the Hopi, things like the doing away with the priest are not discussed with the common people--only among the leaders.

When these men were picked out, their hands were tied behind them and they were taken prisoners with the chief. The man of the Strap Clan took his men back to the village and the people coming out to meet them and seeing these men, declared him the chief. The next morning the men that were taken prisoners were shot at sunrise. Then the captain sent word up to the village that if they wished to bury the dead they could come and do it, but the people would not go down for fear they might get killed, so they waited until the Spaniards went away.

The new chief took everything in his hands and went down with some of his men and buried the dead. Each man was buried with his possessions, turquoise and shell beads. In those days the father's relatives would give presents of pottery to be buried with the dead. So they were buried with all those things. 26

Now the people of Shung-opovi had lived in the same village until the Spanish came back. Then the Strap Clan leader led the people to the top of the mesa and founded the new Shung-opovi, for he was afraid if they stayed down below, there would be more Spanish attacks.

From then on the Strap Clan people were leaders in Shung-opovi. During the next few years things were very prosperous, but it happened that they failed again--another

drought came. At this time the people held a council and made an agreement that every clan be given a chance to take their turn at leadership. So from then on, each clan took its turn and it finally came back to the Bear Clan (each clan held leadership for four years) and when their turn was up they refused to give it up for they claimed it was theirs originally. Since they refused to give up their leadership they have remained the royal family ever since.

About this time another company of Spanish soldiers came and old Mishongnovi was still inhabited at that time, for all the people had not yet moved up on top. 27 They stopped on the other side of Mishongnovi and asked the chief if he would make an agreement to let them in. He refused them four times. Then the captain of the Spanish soldiers said he had to destroy their village. Of course the people were very much afraid then, for they had seen what had happened at Shung-opovi and how the Spanish had killed the leaders of the trouble over there. Shung-opovi was then partly in ruins for the people were carrying away the beams to build their new homes on top, but somehow the Spanish didn't make an attack that time but went away again."

After they had gone away the Mishongnovi people wanted to stop up their spring, called Yo-niai-va (Antelope Chipmunk), which was a good spring at that time. They closed it up and had a paho-making ceremony. After they made their prayer offerings every man spun some cotton and when this was done they selected four different kinds of pahos and then wrapped cotton yarn over them. It made a round roll, about 10 inches long and about eight inches in diameter. With this they blocked up the water hole. Then in front of it they put a plaque and sealed it up around the edges with sweet cornmeal mush. 29 They did this so that if the Spanish ever came back they would find no water there. This spring was to be opened up when the good white man or his brother came back, but today nobody knows just where the spring really is.

When they had done this they started to move up on top of the mesa, but before they had all moved, the Spanish came back again. Finding no water where they had camped before, they went right into the village and destroyed it. No one was killed and the few people who were left escaped and moved up to the mesa top. Their, the Spanish tried to get to the new village on top, but there was no trail and the people had piled up stones which they rolled down on the Spanish so that they were unable to climb up.


Shipaulovi was pretty well established at this time, but was under a sub-chief of Shung-opovi, as Mishongnovi was too.

After all these happenings the chiefs of the three villages held a council and made an agreement that there should be a limited place where the next white man should stop. This place is where the Sunlight Mission now stands. It was put up to the Mishongnovi chief that it was to be his duty to look out for that. There was also another limited line--between Shipaulovi and Mishongnovi. If any attack should come from the outside on Mishongnovi, whoever wished to save his own life could go over to the Shipaulovi side, where they were not supposed to be touched. Shipaulovi was the place of safety and was not supposed to have any blood stain. No one there could fight and no one was supposed to fight them.

For a long time these two villages were under Shung-opovi, but finally it was too much for them to handle, on account of the great number of ceremonies they were supposed to have. Finally, Mishongnovi was given its freedom. Shipaulovi today is not altogether under Shung-opovi, but the people still go to Shung-opovi for their initiation ceremonies (Wuwuchime).

CHAPTER X

THE RETURN OF THE BAHANA, THE WHITE MAN

ALL THIS time the Hopi seemed to know that the real Bahana was coming, but they were warned to be careful and patient, for fear it might not be the true Bahana who would come after the Spaniard or Castilian. So if he ever did come they must be sure to ask him about his books, which they thought would contain his secrets, and it was said that the book of truth would not be on top, but at the very bottom, after all the other books. If he asked the Hopi for the privilege of teaching them his language and taught them how to write, they must be sure to ask that they would like to be taught in the book of truth, because if he was a true Bahana he would quickly consent to teach them of this book. For their belief is, that if he is not the one they are looking for he will refuse to teach them his religion. Now if they learned his religion they would compare it with their religion and ceremonies, and if these were alike they would know that the Bahana had been with them in the beginning.

Most everybody was anxious to see the Bahana come, for they were so afraid that he might not come during their lifetime and they would not be able to enjoy all the benefits that he was to bring back with him-for the Bahana was supposed to bring great knowledge with him. These people were telling their children that the Bahana was wise and with his inventions had reached the rising sun and was coming back to them again, for they had seen the big eastern star and that was a sign and they were waiting for him. Every grandfather and grandmother was telling their children that they were growing so old that they would not see the Bahana. They would tell their grandchildren to go out in the mornings before sunrise with sacred corn-meal to ask the sun to hurry the Bahana along so that he would come soon.

Well, I guess many years had passed, probably a century. You know, some were rather superstitious and they would say that when the Bahana came he would know who was practicing witchcraft and that he would know them by sight. They said that he was to come and make peace and do away with all evil so that there would be no more trouble. And so, for this reason, the people who had so much trouble were the most anxious to see him come.


Well, finally they heard that the Bahana was at Tsehotso (Navajo for Fort Defiance) 30 which means "range of sharp-pointed rocks." He was calling for the Hopi chiefs to come to that place to meet him. Now at that time all the tribes were on hostile terms with one another and it was dangerous. The Hopi wanted to go and see what this Bahana looked like. The chiefs from all the villages went there and they told him if he was the true Bahana they would shake hands and lay down their weapons, for they had a "theory" that when the Bahana came there would be peace forever. 31 Well, at this place they were given cloth of different kinds, flour and sugar and a few tools like axes and knives. That was the first time that they had ever tasted sugar. When they brought these things back home this caused much excitement in all the towns. Of course, they would have to go back and take more men with them but they were always afraid of attacks from the Navajos and the Paiutes. So the Hopis, knowing that the white man was at Fort Defiance and that he had promised to let his soldiers protect the friendly people, knew also that if they were attacked by the Navajos and fighting with them, the soldiers would come. So every time the Navajos made an attack the Hopis would have to fight and if they made a retreat they would follow them up. The Hopis got so that they were good fighters themselves. The Navajos were not much of fighters, for they made up war parties and went places looking for trouble. Well, when they were doing this they thought it was great fun. The Hopi said that if they sighted some hogans they would hide out in the day time and move up at night. These Hopis would have signals like the call of an owl (there are two different kinds of owls--hoot owl and small owl that makes a whistling noise) or a crow. During the night they would circle around the hogans and would signal back and forth imitating the owls or crows to see if the Navajos were all awake. They would surround the place and wait until sunrise before making an attack.

Some old men who used to tell about this said it was great fun and like chasing cottontails on a rocky hill. They (Navajos) would be so scared they couldn't run and all they had to do was to hit them on the head with a club. These old men said that when they had grown old, they knew what a great wrong they had done.

CHAPTER XI

HOW THE HOPI MARKED THE BOUNDARY LINE BETWEEN THEIR COUNTRY AND THAT OF THE NAVAJO

NOW with all this fighting and the Navajo coming in around them, the Hopi were always thinking of their boundary lines and of how they should be marked in some way. But how? What sort of a mark could they put that would be respected by other peoples? It must be something that both the Hopis and the Navajos would remember.

So just at this time there were two men at Walpi who were rivals over a woman named Wupo-wuti. Now both these men were looking for a chance to show this woman how brave and strong they were. Finally they thought of this boundary line and the "theory" of their people that it should be marked in such a way that everyone would always remember. So these two men thought that this was a chance for them to prove themselves and to really do something for their people at the same time. They thought they would plan a fight with the Navajos as near the boundary line as they could get and there they would sacrifice themselves 32 and leave their skulls to mark the line. In this way they thought that they would prove that they were brave and good fighters and they would really be doing something for their people, and so it was agreed upon.

Then Masale (feathers crossed) said they would go to Fort Defiance. So they both made an agreement that they would go early in the fall. Tawupu (rabbit skin blanket) thought they were going alone, but later he found out that there was going to be a party going over. He thought they were sacrificing too many lives, but, of course, he had made the promise to this other man so that he could not tell on him or give him away at that time. The crier made an announcement that whoever wanted to go to Fort Defiance with this party was welcome, and that they must prepare themselves and be ready to go soon. Masale had a son named Hani and he loved him, so he thought that he would take him along. He figured that if he should be killed it might be best for the boy to die also. Of course, this being a time of war, everyone was asked to take his bows and arrows along. Masale asked his boy to come along and to be sure to make some new arrows. The boy,

of course, being ignorant of his father's plans, was glad to go with them.

By this time the people had found out that the two rivals were going together to Fort Defiance, and they figured out that there was something going to happen--that they were going out to give themselves away, or sacrifice their lives.

The morning of the day they were starting out, one of the relatives of this boy, Hani, asked him if he was going along with his father and he said he was. This man said to the boy that it would be better for him not to go with them. But Hani said he was all ready and the man, being his father, he was going along with him.

"Well," this relative said, "if you are, I will warn you right now. Wherever you camp you want to be sure where you lay your weapons or your bows and arrows, for your life will be in danger." He told him never to lay his bow and arrows under his head, but that he must lay them at his feet. "Because," this man said, "if you are lying on your back with your bows and arrows at your feet and you are waked up suddenly you will jump up forward. Having your weapons there at your feet you will lay your hands on them every time." He also told him that he must try not to sleep too soundly; that he must remember he was in danger all the time.

Hani, after getting his warning, started out and was the last one to leave. At that time the trail was through Keams Canyon. When he was quite a ways through the canyon, an eagle flew over his head and it was flying low. He thought that if the eagle settled down somewhere on a rock he would kill it and take the feathers along in case he wanted to make some more arrows on the way, so he kind of hid himself in the brush. Finally the eagle landed on top of a rock and Hani crawled toward him and took a shot at him. He did get him and the bird fell from the rock. Hani ran over to the place and found that his eagle was a buzzard. This seemed kind of strange, for he really had seen an eagle. That made him sort of suspicious. He thought it might be a warning or witchcraft, but as he was on his way already, he couldn't very well turn back. Well, finally he came up with the party, in the late afternoon.

That night when they made their first camp he had the warnings in his mind and he couldn't sleep. Anyway, he must have fallen asleep for a while and when he opened his eyes he was wide awake. He heard two men talking but he didn't make any noise and pretended he was sound asleep. He recognized his father's voice and also the voice of the other man, Tawupu. He overheard Tawupu asking his


father why he had brought his boy along and his father said he couldn't very well leave him behind because he loved him so dearly. He said that if his boy should refuse to come along with him he would back out too, and he said it would be better for both of them if they got killed. When the boy began to move the two men rushed back and crawled into their beds. Now, after Hani had overheard what the two men had said, he couldn't sleep.

From then on the boy was rather uneasy every night when they made camp. After they lay down to sleep he'd keep awake quite a while because he knew, then, what the two men were up to. All the rest of the party didn't seem to know anything about it. They were ignorant of the plans of the two men.

After several days on the road, they finally reached the place--Fort Defiance. There they were welcomed by the white man and were asked to stay several days with them. There were twelve or fifteen men in the party. Four being the sacred number of the Hopi, they decided to stay four days. On the fourth day, when they were getting ready to go back home, the Bahana gave them flour and sugar and coffee and different kinds of cloth, besides yarns.

So the next morning when they were ready to leave, every burro they had with them was pretty well packed. Before they left they were asked if they would like to have a guard to go along with them. In case they were in any danger, they would have someone to show that they were the friends of the white man and they were not to be harmed, but since they didn't see any signs of danger when they were coming over they refused to take a guard along. Having been granted all their wishes for things that they had wanted for so long, they were very happy when they left there.

They were two days on the road before they reached Ganado, and the night before they reached Ganado this boy, Hani, overheard the two men talking with some other man. This time there were three men sitting around the camp fire quietly smoking. The boy could not really understand just what they were saying because it was all in a whisper. Then , of course, he couldn't help but move and when he did, one man rushed off and the other two men went to bed. One man was an outsider, a Navajo. The next morning the boy was more suspicious than ever, but still he could not ask his father what this night meeting was about.

So that day they traveled all day (on the other side of Ganado). On this day camp was made rather early and


they said they wanted to get settled before dark. So they got everything ready before the sun went down, which was northwest of Ganado in the red hills. They said that they would have a good supper that night, so they cooked a great deal of their food that they had gotten at Fort Defiance--with bacon and some beef that they had brought along. Having an early supper, they said they would go to bed soon and would get up early in the morning, for they figured on reaching home the next night.

This man, Masale, the boy's father, seemed very happy that night. Before going to bed they cut a lot of branches off the cedars and brush that was around and put them clear around the camp, as a windbreak, you might say. Against this they put their saddles and all the packs that they had. That night Hani kept awake quite a long time, but he could not stand it very long so he finally fell asleep.

During the night sometime, Hani thought that he was dreaming and that there was a heavy hail storm coming up for he thought that he heard the hail dropping. First he heard it dropping slowly and then faster. When he was wide awake he knew what was going on. They were being attacked and when he did come to, all the men were up. About this time his father spoke at the top of his voice in Apache, then in Navajo and then in Zuni. He was asking who it was that was attacking them. The boy did not forget where to have his bow and arrows every night, so when he did jump up he had his hands right on his bow. By this time arrows were coming from every direction. When Hani was well on his feet all the enemy rushed into the camp, and as this was during the night he did not know who was who. Anyway, he started on a run and they chased after him. It happened that some Navajo had a corn patch near there and in the corn patch he had some squash with very long vines. Hani thought the whole country was full of enemies, so he hid under the vines, breathless and excited. He heard his father make his last groan and he was very angry. Dead or alive, he decided to go back, but found himself with only a few arrows, two or three left. So he ran back to the camp and when he got there he found his father dead, with many arrows sticking in his body. His scalp was gone. He thought that before doing anything else he must find his arrows and he found them rolled up in his blanket. This little blanket was only half the size of a double saddle blanket. Now the enemy thought that he was one of their party so he was not shot at until he had shot at them. As the enemy followed him he ran backward, holding the little blanket in front of him


to stop the arrows. The moon was just going down below the horizon and it was getting quite dark.

At first he did not realize that he had been shot, for being a good runner the enemy could not keep up with him, but when he got up to the hills they were rather too steep for him to climb, because he realized then that he was shot, one arrow in his stomach, one in his hip and one between his shoulders. He pulled out two, the one from his hip and the one from his stomach, but he couldn't reach the one in his back. Well, anyway, he thought himself dead when he started to crawl up the hill. When he was halfway up the hill he cried for his dear life and prayed to his gods that if he should die, some day his skull would be found there. He didn't know how many of the party were killed or saved; he didn't know whether they were all dead or not. When he said his prayers, he cried some more, but he couldn't cry very loud, for he'd rather die in peace than have the enemy find him and use a club on him.

As he was going up, it began to show that it was dawn. He could see the daylight over the horizon and he wished that he would not die. If the sun did come up in time, he believed that it would give him strength. Of course, he couldn't help from groaning as he crawled up, and then he heard someone speak to him from the top of the hill, which scared him nearly to death and he thought some enemy had headed him off, so he did not answer. The voice came again and it was in plain Hopi. It said, "Are you hurt badly?" And he said, "Yes." And then the other said, "Will you be able to make it up here?" But he said, "No." So this other man came down and helped him up. When they got up he recognized this man and it was a man by the name of Mai-yaro. Well, this man said to the wounded boy that they would try to travel on together, as he was not wounded. He had been in the party, but had got away safely.

Hani told him to go on and leave him alone for he was done for and was ready to die, but this other man refused to leave him. He said that if the enemy should head them off and follow them, he would be willing to die with him. So they went on walking slowly, and while they were going along, another man named Tochi (Moccasin) joined them. He was hiding too. Hani asked them both again to leave him and run on home but they both ref used. They asked him which of his wounds hurt him most and he said the arrow in his back hurt him the worst. So they thought they would pull this arrow out, but it was stuck fast in the bone. They tried it, but the shaft came off from the point.


 Then it was even harder to pull out. So they both tried their teeth on it and finally they pulled it out. One of these men was asked to scout ahead and the other to scout behind. So each man was supposed to be about one-fourth mile from the wounded man.

They were going very slowly. Finally they went down into another valley. It was about sunrise. As they were going along Hani saw a rabbit, a little cottontail on the side of the trail, and he wanted to shoot this rabbit because he said he was hungry and needed something to eat. Well, the other man said not to kill the rabbit. He said, "You belong to the Rabbit Clan and you can't kill that rabbit. It might bring you luck if left alive. It might bring us both luck." So he said, "Let the rabbit live."

They thought of a spring around the point, for they were both tired and thirsty. Instead of scouting ahead, the third man, Tochi, had run home. When they got to the spring Mai-yaro would not let the wounded boy have a big drink, thinking that his stomach was injured. When they got kind of cooled off, Mai-yaro thought he would look back over the hill and see if the enemy was following. Before he left, he told the wounded man not to drink any more, for if his stomach was injured badly it would not hold water. But just as soon as he left Hani took a big drink and he felt much better.

Well, Mai-yaro went over the hill and as he looked down on the trail he saw a Navajo walking back and forth over the trail. He watched this Navajo for quite a while and he saw that he was very much discouraged. Well, finally, the Navajo turned back, so Mai-yaro went back to the spring and when he got there Hani told him he had had a big drink and felt better and he asked to have some more.

Then they both started back for the trail. This man, Mai-yaro, said he would go back to the trail and see what the Navajo was doing. When he got where they had seen the rabbit he found that the rabbit was gone. So he investigated there and found that the rabbit had gone over their tracks three times, So the rabbit had disappointed the Navajo who thought the men had passed him in the night long before daylight.

It was about the middle of the day, and it was hot, so they got in among some rocks. Hani was pretty well tired out and he said he would like to lie down for awhile and cool himself off. So he did lie down under one of the rocks and fell right asleep and the other man kept awake. Well, this man on the watch would close his eyes every little while and as he was doing this, he saw the shadow of a


little bird on top of a rock. It was a little rock sparrow and it was very much excited about something. The man thought this was a warning to them, so they got right up and started on.

As they were going along it began to show signs that it was going to rain. Clouds were coming up. When it did cloud up they felt very much better, for they were cooled off. Then it started to rain. They thought they would not stop for shelter, but kept right on going while it rained. Finally, it poured down on them and there was a regular cloudburst. It rained so hard on them that it washed all the blood off Hani. He said that he felt very much better, so Mai-yaro asked him to try himself out on a trot.

The man asked him if he felt his wounds hurting him and he said, "No." Then he asked him to go a little faster, and then he asked him again how he felt. Hani said that he felt all right, so Mai-yaro asked him to run as fast as he could. Then he asked him again if the wounds hurt him. Hani said, "No," and thought that he was well, so Mai-yaro said, "Let's go then."

Now when Tochi reached Walpi and told the people what had happened, Hani's mother heard that he had been wounded badly and might die, so she wrapped up some piki and some sweet corn meal and she started out to look for him, all by herself. Now this was a very brave thing for a Hopi woman to do. She thought that she might find him dead somewhere and if she did she would roll his body under a ledge of rock or a bank of earth and cover him up with heavy stones and she would leave the piki and the sweet corn meal there for him.

But near the head of Jeddito Canyon she saw two men coming and then she recognized them for it was her boy Hani and Mai-yaro with him. And when they met they could not help but cry for joy. They hurried on home from there and when they came to the edge of the mesa south of Walpi, they saw clouds of dust in the valley coming toward them. They wondered what it was and thought it was an attack on the mesa. So they said to themselves, if there was an attack they would go on and meet the Navajo. So they went on and were met halfway and they found that this was a war party sent out to help them. When they met the whole party hurried back to the mesa and there at the foot of the mesa the whole village was crying for they found that only six men were saved out of the party that went to Fort Defiance.

Hani chose his godfather at the foot of the mesa, and of course it was Mai-yaro who was the first one to find him


wounded, so instead of going to his own house he went with this man to be washed up and cared for the next day. When this was done he fasted four days. On the fourth day he was given his new name, "Hani." From then on he always had in mind to get even with the Navajos in that part of the country, and so he did, for later he led war parties to that country often and brought back a scalp every time. He was considered one of the greatest and bravest men of the Walpi villages. 33

CHAPTER XII

HOW SOME HOPIS RESISTED SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL AND THE TROUBLE THAT RESULTED

OUT this time the agency was established at Keams Canyon 34 and of course the Hopis knew that this meant peace. So all the chiefs from every village went there and told the white man that they were his friends and brothers and they told him that they would like to be protected by him from all their other enemies. For this reason they thought the agent ought to settle all their troubles which they had been having right along.

Later, a school was established there 35 and all the Hopis were willing to send their children to school. Everything was going all right until they had an initiation ceremony (Wuwuchime) at Shung-opovi and the young men at old Shung-opovi and Shipaulovi were to be initiated. So they were not sent back to school that year and of course, at that time, these ceremonies were not very well understood by the white man, so the agent sent out policemen (two First Mesa men and three Navajos) to fetch the young boys. When they got to Shipaulovi they found the young men in the kiva and they asked the chief to give them up so that they could take them back to school. The chief said he would not let them go until the ceremony was over and he told them that he would be quite willing to let them go then. But the policemen insisted that they must take them at once because they had orders to bring them in. But the chief just flatly refused.

So the policeman said that they would take the chief instead. He said he would be willing to go with them after he had seen his friend, the missionary. 36 So he went off and as he was leaving, he asked the policeman to stay on top of the mesa and wait for him until he came back.

He started off for the Sunlight Mission by way of Mishongnovi. The policemen thought that he was going to fool them, so they followed him and caught up with him as he was going around the village. They took hold of him and dragged him off the mesa, so he did not get to see the chief at Mishongnovi either. He intended that they would both go down to the mission to see what information they could get from the missionary. In both villages there was much excitement and all the people were on the housetops as they


were very much troubled to see the chief dragged off the mesa by the policemen.

The three sons of the chief ran out after them and they caught up with them just as they were at the bottom of the mesa, and, of course, they could not help but fight these men to defend their father. But finally they all got to the mission. When they got there, the missionary took the side of the chief and told the policeman to let him go. Then he wrote a letter to the agent asking him to let him know what orders he had given these policemen to come out to do. While he was writing this letter the chief asked him to put in this message to the agent, that he was through with the school and that he would not be his friend any more. And he said that he was a friend of the missionary only and that he would do anything for him. So he said that if the agent were man enough he could come and get his scalp. Then he said, "I am the man, Tawahonganiwa. If you ever want to come out, get no one else but Tawahonganiwa. I am not your friend."

When this was written the missionary enclosed the letter in an envelope and gave it to the policeman to take into the agency. This was how the two factions and all the trouble over sending the children to school was started among the Hopi.

From then on, Chief Tawahonganiwa had many followers in both Mishongnovi and Shipaulovi and every now and then he would hold a council with his fellowmen. Then later, many people of the other villages took up his side, excepting First Mesa.

When they split those that wanted to go to school went right on; but the Chief's relatives had to take his side and held their children back. This was about 1888 or 1889. Every once in a while the agent would send out the policemen. If they were expecting them, the parents would have to go out early with their children to the hiding places under the cliffs. Not finding any children, the policemen would go back. 37

Finally the policemen thought of the scheme of coming into the villages at night. In that way they got quite a few children and they took them off to Keams Canyon to boarding school. Of course, this was very unpleasant for the Hopis, for they never before had parted with any of their children. So the Chief at Mishongnovi thought that it would be best to let their children be sent to school with their own consent.

About this time, the army (a troop of negro soldiers)


was sent out to the Hopi villages to see if they could make the old chief at Shipaulovi change his mind about sending his children to school. They did not stop at Shipaulovi very long, but went on to Oraibi where there were more people. There they were met by the chief, Lololama, and he was very friendly to them and said he was willing to send his children to school. He wanted to take advantage of what the outcome would be of sending the children to school. After he made this agreement Youkioma jumped on him and they quarreled. This was the first time that Lololama had found out that Youkioma was the leader of this other faction. But Lololama, being the chief, said that the children who were old enough to go to the Keams Canyon School could be taken. Now from then on these two men were against each other and each man wanted to see how many followers he could have. These hostile leaders would have meetings at every other village ever so often and they would lecture to the people, telling them that the ones who were sending their children to school would be in worse trouble because the Bahana who established the school was not their true brother who had come up from the underworld with them. If he was, he would have shown the Hopis his written tradition to compare with their tradition. So this faction felt that they would rather wait for their Bahana brother to come with this written story of their ancestors.

This sort of trouble got very bad among the people themselves and the leaders of each faction of course, were working against one another to see who would have the most followers. On account of many good useful things, like tools, such as axes and hoes, clothing and sugar and coffee some of the hostile faction people began falling off, thinking that the idea of being a hostile was just the idea of preventing the people from having these things. Finally it got so there were very few hostiles left at Shipaulovi and Mishongnovi, but there were quite a number at Shung-opovi, so the ones at Shipaulovi moved over to Shung-opovi. This move occurred in 1899. 38

CHAPTER XIII

HOW HOTEVILLA AND BAKABI WERE FOUNDED

WHILE the Shipaulovi hostiles were living over at Shung-opovi they were very much stronger against the school. The agent would send out policemen every once in awhile to try to get their leader, Tawahonganiwa. 39 Of course those policemen did not have much authority, so they could not take him. He would put up a big fight and his sons were the ones who would do the fighting. These policemen were mostly Navajos.

The move to Shung-opovi occurred after the people had the smallpox and the government was fumigating all the villages. The government people were trying to get these hostiles over to the Toreva school to give them a good cleaning up, so they could give them clean clothes and burn up what they were wearing, but these hostiles did not want to go there, because they did not want to put on what the government would issue to them. So finally the Agent had to send out a regiment, composed of colored soldiers from Fort Wingate. When these soldiers arrived the hostile women made up a lot of piki and took it over to the soldiers to feed them, thinking that the soldiers might recognize them when they came up to the Mesa. The next morning the captain sent over a soldier to warn the people that they must be ready to come right along, otherwise there would be some shooting. But Tawahonganiwa refused to do as he was bid and said he would not go. He said if they wanted to take him they would have to kill him, so he called all his followers, women and all, to one house. Whoever was an officer or priest of some kind in some of the societies would take in an image or emblem to put in the house. 40 One of these families happened to have the image of the war god, Piakonghoya. This little image was put up by the door, for they thought he might have some power to help them. When the soldiers came up on top of the mesa they were lined up about one-fourth mile outside the village and from there the captain sent in policemen to ask these hostiles to surrender. They were asked four times, but they refused every time. So the captain thought it was time to march up. When they got there, they surrounded this house and the captain went to the house himself and asked them if they were ready to


surrender and they refused again, so then it was time to take them by force, so he gave orders to the soldiers to take picks and dig around the walls and on the housetops. There must have been about seventy-five or a hundred people in this house. Just as soon as the picks were seen coming through the roofs they all started to run out and as they did this they were taken hold of by the soldiers. The leader was the last one to come out and just as soon as he was outside the door he was grabbed by the soldiers and his five sons piled up on them and the fight began.

They fought there for quite awhile. All the hostile people were fighting with the soldiers, hand to hand. Finally the old chief was knocked out and all the sons had their hands tied up behind their backs. Their father was strapped on to a horse and they were all taken to the Toreva School and there they were given baths and clean clothes and what clothes they had on were taken away and burned.

The smallpox epidemic had not yet spread to Oraibi which was well guarded so that nobody could go there. (The agent's name was Migle and the man in charge of the fumigation, etc., was Sam Shoemaker.) Most of the leading men of the hostiles were put under arrest and taken to Keams Canyon the next day and then on to Fort Defiance. They were kept at Fort Defiance for about 90 days and after that they were sent home, on their agreement that they would behave, themselves. When they got home they turned back and were just as hostile as before they were taken. They said the white man was a fool to let them go, for he was just fooled by them.

They didn't make very much trouble from then on, though their ideas against the schools were just as strong as ever and the two factions would be saying all kinds of things about one another. They were quiet from then on, but, of course, many of their followers began to fall away from the hostiles because they thought that the chief at Shung-opovi had not recognized them, so some of these people went back to Shipaulovi.

The trouble started again in the year 1906, and this was between the same two factions. It started in Shung-opovi and this was during the time of the Bean Dance. The hostiles did not plant their crop of beans with the others and eight days later they came into the kiva to plant their crop. One kiva was divided up--part hostiles and part friendlies. The night of the dance they asked these hostiles to get their plants out of the kiva because some young children who were not initiated into the Kachina ceremony


would see the plants. But these men refused to take their plants away because it was against their law to take plants out of the kiva before their time. So in order to have a dance they brought in several wedding robes so as to hide the plants from the children. From then on those people were always fighting one another. So again the hostile leader decided to leave. From there Tawahonganiwa and twenty-five to thirty men and women moved to Oraibi. By this time Lololama was dead and his nephew, Tewaquoptiwa was then chief of Oraibi, but Youkioma was stronger at this time. 41 When they got to the mesa top at Oraibi, Youkioma's men met them. These men sprinkled sacred cornmeal on the path that the Shung-opovi people followed to the village. Of course this was not the proper thing to do, for Youkioma was usurping the chief's function and Chief Tewaquoptiwa did not like it.

The leading men from both sides held council every once in a while trying to see what must be done with these people who were being taken in by Youkioma, and Youkioma always said that he had as much right to do this as the chief. It was his "theory" that he was going to follow out what his great-uncles had taught him of their traditions. This tradition told him that he was to destroy Oraibi or be destroyed himself. He belonged to the Fire or Masauwu Clan. 42 This gave him the idea that his clan ancestor had the power to do almost anything. This clan has the idea that Masauwu can hypnotize people, so he always had said that if any expedition is sent against him all he has to do is to take out a handful of ashes and blow them on the army and they would fall to pieces. Chief Tewaquoptiwa wanted to send these people back to Shung-opovi, but Youkioma, of course, was standing up for them and if Tewaquoptiwa wanted to move them he would have had to move him too. 43 He said that he had already had a site picked out somewhere in the north called Kawishtima (a ruin in a canyon near Navajo Mountain). 44

As long as he had this site already picked out Tewaquoptiwa wanted to send him there, but Tewaquoptiwa was in doubt that Youkioma would go there. Finally this trouble got so bad that if the two parties should happen to meet out in the street they would start an argument and whoever was passing would stop too and it would get worse and worse.

The people of Oraibi got so that they were very much troubled and impatient and at last they decided to move


them out. Right at this time they were having a Snake Dance and Youkioma insisted he would like to be moved away on this day, but Tewaquoptiwa refused to do anything with him on that day because of the ceremony, for he did not want to trouble this religious party. So he set the day for the fourth day after the dance. From the many arguments that all the people had had in the streets both sides had the idea that there would be a fight, so they tried to collect as many weapons as possible-bows and arrows and guns, and to get them ready. Come to find out, Tewaquoptiwa did not have enough men and the hostiles were about three or four times as many as his people. So he called on the Moenkopi 45 people for help and all the other villages of Second Mesa.

The night before the fight both parties stayed up all night for their luck, because this was rather a ceremony. They smoked all night long. When morning came Tewaquoptiwa went to the house where the hostile party was and asked them if they were ready for the day and were willing to put up a fight against his people. He also asked them if any of them would be ready to surrender and follow him. But none would surrender, because of the good sayings of Youkioma and how he was going to take them to a prosperous land.

During these hours of the morning, the men on both sides had rather a creepy feeling about what was going to be the outcome, and the men out in the streets gathered here and there listening to the many arguments. The Oraibi chief made his request four times of the hostile party. Each time he asked them if they would be willing to take the step and leave of their own free will, and that if they would, they would not be bothered or hunted. But each time Youkioma said he would have to be forced to move out. Come to find out, Tewaquoptiwa was a little afraid and he did not have nerve enough to go in and put Youkioma out of the house. So one of the men on the Chief's side was rather tired of all this foolishness that they were going through, so he called the chief, Tewaquoptiwa, a coward and jumped into the house. When he did that the rest of the men followed. When they got in there they got hold of Youkioma and just slung him out of the door. When he landed outside another party picked him up. By this time the men in the street had formed a double line and the men in the house just kept throwing men out and passing them down the line. It seemed as though they were handed out and as if they were unloading sacks of flour or watermelons and passing them on


down the line. Every now and then someone would put up a fight but he was pretty well beaten. Now this was kept up until they had emptied the house. When Tewaquoptiwa's men were through they went through the village and got all the hostile women out and drove them to the outside of the village.

On that morning the missionaries had come up and they made the people on both sides give up their weapons and they took them all away. They said it would not be fair for them to have weapons, but they could fight all they wanted, hand to hand.

They passed all the hostiles out of the village and it was something awful on both sides--women and children crying. It might be sisters, it might be brothers, mothers and daughters that were separated. Just about this time one old man, a hostile, came up from his field. The day before he had baked some corn in his ground oven and he had eight burros loaded with sacks of corn, each sack holding about 100 to 150 pounds. When he came to his house no one was at home. Then someone came and drove him out with his burros and when he got out there the hostile people ripped up the sacks and helped themselves. Again Chief Tewaquoptiwa went out and asked them if they were ready to move on. Youkioma said he would not move unless Tewaquoptiwa could push him across the line which he had drawn on the flat rock of the mesa top. 46 So here they had to put up another fight again, to put Youkioma across the line. When the chief was ready to go against them, the hostile men gathered about Youkioma, intending to hold him so that the other side could not move him across the line. Then the fight began, one party pushing toward the village and another pushing away from the village. Tewaquoptiwa had about one hundred men and Youkioma about two hundred. There they pushed back and forth for two hours and a half. When they got out of breath they stopped and then began again. Every once in awhile the pressure would be so great that old Youkioma would rise up in the air. Being quite a bunch of men they were hard to move.

One of the men from Shung-opovi, a friendly who was looking on from a housetop, could not stand it, he was so excited, and seeing one of his relations in the crowd, he dragged him away and threw him up in the air and did it again and again.

Tewaquoptiwa's men found they could pull away their relatives too. They did not like to fight other clans and all this time they had a hard feeling against their relatives


who had gone over to the hostiles. By doing this they reduced the hostiles quite a bit, but no one knew why Youkioma was in the midst of the crowd. He must have had some object on either side that he was looking out for. Just as soon as he was pushed over the line, he said, "It is done, I have passed my mark," and all at once they dropped him. When this was done Chief Tewaquoptiwa asked them if they would like to take anything along, food and bedding. He told them they could go back to the village for it, so they did. The men went back and got their bedding and the women got piki and food. All this time the children were crying for something to eat and they were very thirsty. Well, that evening the whole village was like a disturbed anthill. People were everywhere, coming and going and people from other villages were there to see what was going on. You would see a woman with a bundle on her back crying and other people would be making fun of them because they were crying.

Just about sundown they were already to move on-all their burros were loaded and they were pretty well packed themselves. Youkioma took the lead and off they went to the north. They got to Hotevilla just about dark and there they made camp. 47,  48,  49

CHAPTER XIV

YOUKIOMA

ON THE next day at this place they started to clear out under the trees and cut out the lower limbs so they could have shade. But of course, some of those men who did not really know what this was all about argued here and there and some thought they should go back to Oraibi and make an attack on the Oraibi chief. Somehow the chief of Oraibi heard about this, but by that time the men from Moenkopi had gone back home and he knew he could not very well protect his town if they all came back. So he sent two men out, one to Moenkopi and one to Second Mesa to call for help. But, of course, all the men were out in the field by this time and it was quite late at night when these men heard about it. But anyway they thought they would go there to see if the people had come back to make this attack. When they got there all the men were at the chief's house. There he was, feeding the men on some peaches and melons which were taken from the orchards and fields of the people he had sent away. All night long some of the men were out along the edges of the mesa watching, for they did not know which way the people would come to make the attack. They had guns and what other weapons they could find.

All night long the men took turns going about the edge of the mesa, about six at the north and all at a good running distance from each other, but no enemy had shown up by daybreak so they felt quite sure they were safe.

From then on, all the mesa was pretty well guarded during both day and night and every man coming in from Hotevilla for this things was searched before he was allowed to go into the village.

During all this time the government hadn't interfered until about a month after. Of course, some of the children who had been going to school had gone to Hotevilla and when they tried to get them to go to school, trouble began again. The Hotevilla people would not let their children go back to school, saying they did not have to send the children because they had left the place from which they had been going to school. Every time when the policemen were sent all the people would come out and they could do nothing and had to go back without the children.


About the middle of October of that year, 1906, the army was sent out. They did not go clear to Hotevilla, but made camp at Lower Oraibi. About a couple of days after this they sent word to Hotevilla that they had come to see what the trouble was and if they could help them settle it, they would. Well, Chief Youkioma sent word back to the captain that he did not need his help. The trouble was already settled, but he had moved away from Oraibi. He also said he expected to live in peace, if there was going to be any.

Then the captain 50 sent word back again, asking him if he would mind telling him what had caused him to move. And again Youkioma sent word back to the captain saying he would not tell him unless Chief Tewaquoptiwa would tell him first what this was all about. 51 Then the captain sent for the Oraibi chief. Being friendly to the white man he went right down with his interpreter, and when he got there the captain asked him why he had sent those people away. He said that he had been having so much trouble with them and that they could not get along together in the same village. So the captain asked the chief why it was, and he said it was on account of their not being friendly to the white men and because they did not want to send their children to school. Before the white men had built schools, everything had been going all right. So he said that it was his fault that the trouble had begun some years ago.

The captain said that this chief should not have sent those people away. Since the white men caused the trouble it was for the white man to handle it. The chief thought that he was doing something for his friend, the white man, but he was told that it was wrong to send those people away where there was no shelter, so that he would have to bring them back or serve a term in prison. He said he did not expect to serve a term in prison, for he thought that he was doing something for the government. He told the captain that it was his "theory" that he move the hostile chief out of the village. Youkioma knew that these things were going to happen too and it had happened so. He said that if it had not been for the missionaries who interfered they would have killed each other, Tewaquoptiwa and Youkioma.

The captain said he still had a chance to kill Youkioma, but Tewaquoptiwa said it was all over now. The captain said that that was not the place where the people should settle and he said that Tewaquoptiwa still had a chance to kill Youkioma if he wanted to. He also said that the

next morning at sunrise he would give him a chance to do this. He would not let Tewaquoptiwa go home that night and all this time Tewaquoptiwa did not know that he was under arrest.

In the meantime, after nightfall, the captain sent soldiers up in the draw by Bakabi and twenty-five or thirty Navajos on police duty below Hotevilla Spring. In the meantime word was sent to Youkioma that he must be ready to be shot at sunrise the next morning. So about dawn the captain, Tewaquoptiwa, and two Hopi policemen, one Oraibi, and one Second Mesa policeman, and a guard came to Hotevilla and at the sand dune the captain gave automatics to Tewaquoptiwa and to his interpreter.

Youkioma was waiting for them on the top of a sand dune. They slowly moved up on the hostile chief who stood on the top of the sand dune, waiting for his time to come. He was all by himself, but behind the sand dune his men were hidden with all the weapons they could find. They intended to kill Tewaquoptiwa if Tewaquoptiwa killed Youkioma.

When the sun came up the captain told Tewaquoptiwa to walk up to Youkioma, but he refused to move. He was asked four times by the captain, but he was so scared that he could not talk. His jaw was shaking too fast. Since the Oraibi chief could not move the captain asked Youkioma to come over. So he came, not a bit frightened, and the captain asked him if he was ready to be shot. He said he was, for this was the sad day that would be his end. The captain asked Tewaquoptiwa if he was ready to do his duty that he was expected to do, but he would not speak. He was so weak from fright that he could hardly stand up. Then the captain asked Youkioma if he would want to take the gun away from his rival and do away with him, but Youkioma said no, that that was not his "theory". His theory was only that he would get his followers away from the old chief, to a better place. He said the Oraibi chief did not understand his "theory," and that he was all wrong. However, even if he was wrong and had always had in mind about doing away with him, he was willing to let him do it. He was willing to die for his people.

So the captain turned back to Tewaquoptiwa and asked him if he would do it now, since his rival had voluntarily given himself up and was willing to die for his people. The chief said that he would not do it because he said Youkioma must be right and that he himself had made a mistake in thinking of doing away with him. Then Tewaquoptiwa asked the captain what he would do with him if

he had killed the old man (Youkioma).

The captain said that Tewaquoptiwa was mistaken in sending the people away like that and he answered that if it was not for this "theory" he would never have done it. Then the captain asked him where he got this "theory" and he said he got it all from his great-uncles. It had been handed down for a good many years and he was chosen to carry this out. The captain said he was sorry to say that his great-uncles must have been pretty mean to have made such a theory and to give it to him to carry it out; that he had been misled and he was not doing anything right for his people or for the government. So the captain told him that this was not only a mistake but a big crime that he had done, to send the people away without anything to eat. Again he asked him if he realized how bad the situation was--that the children were crying for something to eat. Well, the chief said he did realize it then, but it was too late. But the captain said it was not too late; that the houses the people had left were still full of corn and he warned him not to interfere with any men going to Oraibi for food. Tewaquoptiwa agreed to all of this and then he asked the captain if that was all for him but the captain said no. So right there he told him that he was under arrest and that he was going to be taken away some place to serve his term in prison. Tewaquoptiwa asked the captain if he really meant it and he said yes, he had to do it. The chief turned to the captain and asked for mercy and the captain said there was nothing he could do. Then the chief cried like a child and again he asked the captain if he could spend a few days with his people. The captain said that he did not allow his prisoners to spend time with their people but they had to stay around his camp.

The chief said if he was allowed to stay with his people he would show the captain all the different ceremonies that he could perform. He said he would show the captain his most beautiful dance which his people would dance for him. The captain saw he had a chance to see these beautiful dances, so he told the chief not to spend too much time getting the dance up as his time was limited. From then on Tewaquoptiwa got his people to practice a butterfly dance.

During this time the captain returned to Youkioma. He sent for the old man. Youkioma gathered his best men and went to see the captain. When he arrived the captain asked him if he was ready to surrender and send the children to school. The chief said he was not ready for

that yet, because he was still expecting to go on to the chosen site for his new village. Again the captain asked him if he would send the children to school so that they would be well taken care of at school and then the others could go on, but Youkioma said no, that he was the father of all and he would leave none behind. The captain said that he must leave them behind if he did not surrender. The chief said that even if he had to serve another term in prison he would go on when he got out again, so the captain said he would send him back home to think it over. The chief agreed to think it over, but said he could not change his mind. When he got home that night and those that went with him broke the news to the people, that was all that they talked of that night. Some had the idea that he would surrender to the captain so as to relieve the trouble of the people.

Now in the next few days there was another division among the people. 52

After a few days Chief Youkioma was called again and all the men followed him to Kiakochomovi. The captain asked him again if he had changed his mind or decided to surrender. He said, "No." Then the captain asked all the men who came down with Youkioma if they were all with him and would they not surrender. All who were strong with the old chief were asked to step to his side. Before anybody had moved Kiwanimptiwa stepped up and said that he was ready to surrender and that there were some others that would follow him. The captain asked, "Who are they?" Chief Youkioma was put to one side and Chief Kiwanimptiwa on the other side, and the captain said, "Take your choice." Of course there was then a big argument. Some were very undecided because they did not know who was right, but most of them went over to Youkioma's side. After this was done the captain told them that all who went on Youkioma's side were under arrest and would be taken away. All that went on Kiwanimptiwa's side were to be sent back to try to make up with Tewaquoptiwa at Oraibi, so that they could return to their homes.

Youkioma's followers all stayed down at the camp and Kiwanimptiwa's followers went back to Hotevilla. When they came back, they told their families that they had shaken hands with the captain. The next day Kiwanimptiwa went back to Oraibi to see Tewaquoptiwa. When he got there he told the chief what had happened when he had visited the captain and the chief said that he would let them come back but he would like to see all the men who

had shaken hands with the captain.

That same night these men went back to Oraibi to have a council with the chief. At this council the chief told them they could come back if they would be willing to send their children to school like the rest of the people and they said they would agree to this.

In a few days they came back to Oraibi with their families and shortly after that the Butterfly Dance took place. On that day all the soldiers were up in the village to see the dance.

The next day after the dance, the police and some soldiers went to Hotevilla to get the children of school age, to send them to Keams Canyon to the school, and on that same afternoon the army broke camp and left Oraibi with their prisoners, Youkioma and his men, and the children. When they arrived at Keams Canyon the captain asked the agent to look the prisoners over and point out the men who had made trouble for him before. On looking them over he picked out Chief Youkioma first. Next was Chief Tewahonganewa of Shipaulovi and all his followers.

So the two chiefs had something like fifteen men picked out with them. Besides these, eleven men were picked out to be sent to Carlysle School (1. Archie Quamala, 2. Glen Chestiwa, 3. Andrew Humiquoptiwa, 4. Joshua Humiyistiwa, 5. Washington Tala-umptiwa, 6. Louis Tiwanima, all from Shung-opovi; 7. William Strong, 8. Albert Tawaventiwa, 9. Quoits-hoeoma, 10. Arthur Ponyaquoptiwa, 11. Tewanimptiwa, from Hotevilla.)

The two chiefs, Youkioma and Tawahonganiwa, with their fifteen followers and the boys were taken on to Fort Wingate. The rest of the men (about one hundred) were left at Keams Canyon.

From Fort Wingate these prisoners were sent to Florence penitentiary. The other eleven men, who were all married, were sent to Carlysle School. Three of the boys, Archie, Andrew, and Louis, had left their wives at Shung-opovi when they went to Oraibi. 53

When the soldiers went away, Chief Tewaquoptiwa thought that the captain had forgotten him, but when the captain arrived at Fort Wingate he wrote to him and he had to go away, either to Riverside or Phoenix. This was a month after the others had left.

About this time, Tewaquoptiwa had insulted some of the women who came back from Hotevilla and of course Kiwanimptiwa could not stand for this, so he called together all his followers, men, women, and all, about fifteen

or so families and when he got them together, he asked them how long this had been going on, and they said, ever since they had come back. They said that the chief had always said to them that if they wanted to stay in that village they had to do as the Oraibi people asked them to, whether they wanted to or not. After hearing all this from the women folk Kiwanimptiwa went and called Chief Tewaquoptiwa in and when he did bring him in he said that the women had told him what he had been doing. Tewaquoptiwa said it was not so, but the women stood right up and told him it was so and there was no use f or him to try to hide it. Then, of course, after that there was an argument. Finally, the chief told them that they did not have to stay there, but could go any place they wanted to--to Hotevilla or any place else.

They knew that after having left Hotevilla they could not go back there, so the next day, Kiwanimptiwa went out to look for a site. First he went to a spring, Meumeushva, below Hukovi. Then he came back upon the mesa and went to Bakabi. Finding that place with plenty of water and wood he decided to take his people there, so when he came back he told his people they were to move the next day.

The next morning all their burros were packed up with their stuff. (This was almost the middle of October.) When they got there, the Hotevilla people hearing of it, did not like it because after splitting away from them they were coming back to a place so near them.

Of course, this being the fall, the weather was getting cold and the best they could do was to find a little shelter along the edge of the cliff and a few of them were under the ledge. Of course in both places, Bakabi and Hotevilla, the people were busy trying to put up houses of some kind. In Hotevilla the women had to do all the work, for there were just a few old grandfathers left to help them. 54

Mr. Lemon, the agent, after hearing about this trouble again at Oraibi, came right out and sent Tewaquoptiwa to Riverside. They just keep him there and he did a little work. After sending him to Riverside School the agent went back to Hotevilla and picked out all the Shung-opovi families and sent them back to their homes.

Kiwanimptiwa thought he should have help from the government, since he had shaken hands with the captain and made friends with the white man, so he went to the agency to ask for help. When he got there he told the agent he would like him to see if he could help him out and the agent asked him in what way. The chief said he

would like some lumber for doors and windows. Well, the agent thought it was rather wise of him to call on him for help, so he ordered some ready-made doors and windows. But these windows and doors did not come until the spring, about April. Of course, at both places, the people had a hard time during the cold weather. They had built little shelter places of stone with what cedar beams they could get, and they got through the winter pretty well and not many people died. The Hotevilla people had taken some of their beans from Oraibi and with burros they had dragged them over. The women went back and forth every day and carried their doors and their metates. The Oraibi people had taken all their string-beans and jerky.

The men at Keams Canyon were set free about April. They were let out in time to plant their crops. The men sent to Florence were kept there about a year and a half. Along with these men was one man they thought was a witch, Quoitsventiwa, and he would slip out of his cell (mysteriously) once in a while. Once he got out and ran away from the prison, but they caught him again, up in the mountains. While they were there, of course, their leaders--Youkioma and Tawahonganiwa,--always would refuse to answer whenever the warden or superintendent would ask them if they were ready to surrender and be sent back home. The others were quite young, and having left their families behind they wanted to go home, and so of course they were always having trouble among themselves.

Finally, the two chiefs surrendered and were sent home, but after they came home they had a feeling that they were not respected--especially those that came from Shung-opovi.

Everything went well for about a year at Hotevilla and Shung-opovi. Then the children came home from school in the summer. At Hotevilla houses had been built by this time. When the school opened in the fall, the people, would not let the children return. The policemen went out but returned without the children. Again the army was called in. One company arrived and went to Hotevilla, caught the children, and then went on to Shung-opovi. At Shung-opovi the hostile group ref used to send their children and hid them. After that the children of the hostile group were not allowed to go home in the summer.

From then on, everything went well. The old chief at Shipaulovi, Tawahonganiwa died at Shung-opovi about 1920, and his followers all mixed with the other people. When Tawahonganiwa became hostile Sikia-litstiwa became

chief of Shipaulovi.

Later Youkioma was again arrested and taken to California because he refused to have the sheep dipped--he thought it was bad for the sheep and he thought the dipping caused the scab. He was arrested and sent to Keams Canyon. There were about fifteen men from Hotevilla, mostly sheep owners.

When his time came to be released, Mr. Daniels, the agent, called him into the office at Keams Canyon and asked him if he was ready to go back home.

The old chief said, "Yes, but I will never change my heart and the idea of making a friend of the white man. I am old now and I am not able to serve any more terms in prison. As far as my "theory" is concerned, I think that I have carried it out well for my great-uncles who gave me this theory to carry out. When I go back to my people I will ask them or my relatives if they will carry this on, but I think that they will not do as well as I have done, because they will be afraid. They will not be men enough to do it, but whoever does step in and take my place in prison I think will be Chief Tewaquoptiwa, because he will carry on and make trouble for you as he did for me, and if he ever does serve a prison term, I wish to see if he is as brave as I am and will stand as much as I have stood to this day. So I am through. From now on I hope to live in peace and die in peace." He did.

HOW THE CROW CLAN BECAME ALSO THE KACHINA CLAN

ORIGINALLY, the home of the Crow Clan was somewhere in the forest at the foot of the San Francisco Peaks. There were seven families and they were a dark people. Now, often in the night they would hear something moving about far away in the woods, making a strange noise and they wondered who it was. The leader of the village wanted to find out about this strange sound, for he knew that no animal made that kind of a sound, like a deep growling (for in those days this person wore a bell made out of mountain sheep horn, which rattled and could be heard a long distance).

So finally the Chief said he would send out a few boys who were good runners, to spy around and see who this person could be. And so one night he did send out seven of them into the forest. They wandered around and finally, away in the distance, they heard the strange noise, far up at the top of the peaks, coming down from point to point and they were frightened. The noise came on, passed them and came down on the flat and traveled on toward the village. The boys saw that it was someone, but they feared that it might be a man of great power who would kill them and they did not try to catch him.

So this man, or whoever it was, came close to the village again and finally went away up the mountain. Now someone said to the Chief that this person, whoever he was, that came from the peaks must surely live up there, so that it would be well for him to hold the ceremony of the "Paho making." 5 So he called the High Priest and had him make prayer offerings.

After thinking it over the Chief decided to send one of his nephews with the offerings so that. if he found anyone on the peaks and harm should come to the youth, as he was a relative, there would be no trouble.

So he called his nephew and gave him the pahos and told him to go up the mountain and give the pahos to anyone that he might find there. Now they got the youth ready next morning and painted him in reddish clay and tied a prayer plume on his head. Every man who had made a prayer offering went and placed it on a white buckskin and after they were all delivered there, they wrapped them up nicely and gave them to the youth together with a sack

of sacred corn meal. Before the boy started, the Chief told him that if there were supernatural beings up there, to tell them that the Chief had sent them a message. He would like to ask if they were gods or other spirits and if they were, he would like to communicate with them. If they were spirits, then the people would worship them and accept their advice, because he knows himself, who must have control of the weather.

So the youth started out, but before he commenced to ascend he came upon the old Spider Woman. 7 The Spider Woman spoke to the youth, but he could not see her anywhere, so she peeped a little more out of her hole and she said to him, "Come in."

But the youth looked down and said sadly, "How can I, the hole is too small." So she said, "Stick in your foot and wriggle it around a little." He did as she told him and the hole grew larger and he went down into her pithouse.

The wise old Spider Woman said to the youth, "My poor boy, I am sorry for you. You have been sent up there on a difficult journey and I am afraid you are going to have a very hard time. You will have to do the best you can. There are four dangerous places that you must pass, guarded by 'terrible beings.' I will give you a charm which will make these creatures harmless and you can pass in safety." She handed him the root of a plant and told him how to use it. Whenever he came up one of these guards (it might be a mountain lion, a bear, or a terrible snake) the Spider Woman charged him to chew the magic root and spray it out upon the creature and he would immediately become mild and gentle. Then the old woman gave him a little fluffy feather and directed him how to use it, and told him which way to go.

So the youth started out and traveled upward about three quarters of the way when he discerned a very faint trail and it was difficult to follow. All at once he thought of the little feather that the old Spider Woman had given him and how she had told him that it would go before him and show the way. So the youth took out his feather and let it go and it rose in the air and flew along before him, very slowly, so that he could easily follow it.

No sooner had he started than he came to the first guard. A great mountain lion lay across his way and when he saw the boy he growled in his throat and crouched ready to spring upon him. The youth was frightened but he remembered the old Spider Woman's words and he quickly chewed the magic root and sprayed it out upon the angry lion and at once the beast lay down and it seemed as if he

had never noticed the boy.

Now all this time, the little feather danced along ahead of the youth and presently they came to the second guard, a giant grizzly bear. Of course you know, this animal is very fierce and the boy was even more afraid than he had been of the mountain lion, but he quickly chewed more of the magic medicine and sprayed it out over the bear and at once he became quiet and the youth passed on.

Finally, with the feather going before he reached the top of the mountains and there he found a kiva. This kiva was guarded by two snakes, a great rattler, and a small rattler more deadly than the first. When they saw him approaching they coiled ready to strike and the boy stopped a long way off and felt very much discouraged and he forgot about his magic medicine. But the little feather had gone on ahead and stopped over the two snakes on top of the kiva. Now the snakes looked at the little feather and then at the youth and they thought that the feather was the boy's spirit. Then the youth remembered his charm and sprayed the snakes and they quieted down, uncoiled and crawled away from the entrance to the kiva.

The feather entered the kiva and the youth followed. One lone man was sitting by the fire-place and he did not notice the youth. So the boy stood by the ladder and waited and presently the man saw him and asked him to be seated. The youth had a pipe which he filled with tobacco, lit it at the fire and passed it to the old man, who took four puffs and all the tobacco was used up; but the odor of the tobacco filled the room. Now he asked the youth where he had come from and who had sent him and the youth said that his uncle, the Chief, had sent him to find out who it was that visited the village and returned to the peaks each night.

The old man said, "I know who you mean, he is my scout. He is away today, but he will soon come home. At any rate, I am the head man here."

So the boy said, "If you are the head man here, I have brought you the prayer offerings the Chief and High Priest and the other head men have made for you."

Well, the old man said that he was very glad that the offerings were made for him, because his people prized them very highly and he took the bundle and opened it and spread the plaques with the pahos on them out in front of him in the middle of the kiva. Then he said to the youth, "Watch me closely and see what I do. Do you see this paho? It was made by a man with a bad heart--I will

cast it behind the ladder. But the maker of this paho has a good heart--I will place this in front of the ladder. Now I will call my people and pass these offerings around to them."

So he opened the north, west, south, and east doors of the kiva and as he did this, many people came in and the youth saw that this was a large under-ground dwelling with only one opening through the kiva to the upper world. The youth was surprised to find that, as the head man handed around the pahos, there were certain ones for certain people and that there were just enough for every one.

Finally, the head man asked the youth why his people down there had sent the offerings and what it was they wanted. Well, the boy said that his people wanted to find out who it was that lived up there and if they might be supernatural beings. And they answered him and said that they were the Kachinas, 7 and being Kachinas they had control of the weather, like the rain and the storms.

Now the Kachinas said that they would teach the youth the Kachina dances so that he could show his people down below how to hold Kachina dances and make them a part of their religion.

So the youth was asked to stay for four days 3 and during those four days and four nights he was shown the different dances and he was asked to study them so that he could paint the faces on the ceremonial masks when he returned. So the old man dressed the youth in full costume and they danced to the north, west, south, and east.

Then the youth, who had heard about the Germ God (Muiaingwa ) 7 now recognized the old man as the Germ God himself. Then the Germ God told the youth that if he would stay with them for awhile he would teach him how to make masks out of a white material and he told him that he must also learn how to make the costumes and belts and how to prepare the paint. The Germ God said that the youth must also learn their songs and then he said, "This ceremony will surely bring rain if you do as we do up here."

Now after he had learned these dances and memorized the painting and the songs and all that was necessary, he was sent back to his home. Before he left the kiva, he was told that he and his relatives would now be a Kachina Clan. Well, the youth said that they were already the Crow Clan, but the head man said that they had a Crow Kachina and told the boy to tell his uncle, the Chief, that they must make pahos to the Kachinas whenever they held a dance.

When they had told him all this he was sent back. While he was gone his people had been uneasy for four days, for they knew the forest was full of wild animals. When he returned, they were glad.

The youth went to the kiva and the Chief was waiting for him there. The Crier was sent out to call the people to come to the kiva and when the men gathered in the kiva the youth told them how he had been taught the songs and the painting of the masks and how the Kachinas had control of the rain and wished the people to make prayer offerings for them whenever they prayed for rain and held a Kachina dance.

And so the Crow and Kachina Clans brought these dances to the Hopi.

THE LEGEND OF PALOTQUOPI 55

MANY years ago when the Hopis were living down at Palotquopi they were very progressive and prosperous, on account of having water, and having an irrigating system from the river which flows through that country. There they had taxation by means of doing some donation work on the canals and ditches at certain times of the year. They did not have so many ceremonies then and their most sacred one was Laconti (Basket Dance). In this dance baskets were used, like the ones of Second Mesa today. This ceremony always took place late in the fall and it had always brought them rain and heavy snow up in the mountains. And also their Jejellti (social dances) were not many, the most joyous one was the Butterfly Dance. Being prosperous in their way of living everything was plenty, and why shouldn't they be happy and amuse themselves in some way? So, from one of the kivas, they held a Butterfly Dance with which the spectators were very much pleased. Everybody was talking about it, so the dancers again put it on for two more days, then they thought they would pass it on to the next kiva. So they asked the men of the other kiva to carry on the same dance, and when they had danced, these men passed it on to the next kiva, and so it went around like that until it came back to the kiva from where it was started. In this kind of a dance only the young maidens are supposed to dance, but by this time some of the young married women were taking part and instead of putting it on during the day time in the plaza, they were dancing in the kiva at nights, so they were having a great time of their lives, and it went on from bad to worse. Nobody cared who was whose wife or husband, and finally they got the wife of their chief. 56 In those days the chief or any high priest was not supposed to take part in social dances or was not to be seen in the kiva with the rest of the people. As it was their general rule that they must have patience, and above all must bear in mind peace, and think and pray for prosperity in the years to come, for they knew that the people of any race must have good supplies of food and water to keep their bodies in strong physical condition to defend themselves against an enemy attack. They were good fathers and watched over their people carefully. They were patient and neither heard nor spoke evil. No matter what the people would do or how bad they might

be, they were always comforted. But as this dancing went on, it was carried too far and all the rest of the priests had gone crazy except Chief Tawayistiwa, himself. This chief they had, was quite a young man; he had only two small children, and these babies being neglected they would cry at night when they woke up, so the father would take them to the kiva to get the mother to nurse the younger one. When they were quieted down the father would take them back to bed again. On these trips to the kiva at night his wife would sometimes ask him to come down into the kiva and look on while they danced, and of course knowing the law and his duty he always had refused. All these things got so heavy on him that he could bear it no longer, so one evening he went and called on his nephew, Siwiyistiwa, who had grown up to be a good strong young man. While this madness was with the people, men and women of mature age had pleaded with their sons and daughters, telling them of the wrong and crime that they were doing against their father, the chief, and themselves. But it was of no use, it only caused the younger people to lose respect for them, and then the old people were ill-treated, spit upon and fed on the leftovers, which were not very much, for the house duties were neglected by the young women. All this was unbearable for the aged people and for the Chief. So he called at the house of his nephew. He was welcome and seated himself by the fireplace. Siwiyistiwa got up from his seat and handed his uncle a bag of tobacco which hung on the wall near by, and this the uncle smoked. After finishing his smoking, the youth asked him what he had come for.

"Yes," said Tawayistiwa, "after long wanderings in my mind about our children (people) it seems like I am forced to come and have to depend on you to 'sacrifice' yourself, not for the good of any one, but for all--everybody here in my town."

"Yes, you certainly have a lot of patience," said the youth, "to hold out this way, what with all I have seen and know of your wife. I did not want to tell you because I did not wish to be the cause of the weight of your wrath. Because of the sympathy that I have for you I am willing to do what you have come to ask of me."

"I thank you, my nephew," said the Chief. "Thank you. First of all I would like to know if you are strong on your running."

"Yes," said Siwiyistiwa, "I am quite strong."

"All right," said the Chief. "Of course you may be, but I still want you to gain some more strength and speed. So

from tomorrow on, you will start to do your running to the foot of the mountain ridge and back. That is quite a distance away, so the best way to time yourself would be by the rising of the sun. For a few mornings the sun will rise before you get back here, but if you are gaining by and by you will get back here away before sunrise, so be sure to get up at the same time in the mornings and be off. I will call again in a few days and will tell you what we will do next."

After the Chief had gone Siwiyistiwa was rather a little worried, but of course, with the Hopi in those days the uncle was over the nephews and nieces. Whenever he asked anything of them it had to be done. While the boy was preparing himself, he didn't know for what, his uncle too was getting things ready for him. The youth was gaining strength and speed and was very light on his feet and he was getting back to the village away before the sun would come up over the horizon. Then Tawayistiwa again went to see his nephew and when he got there he found the youth was waiting for him.

"Come right in and have a seat," said his nephew, getting up and handing him a bag of tobacco as usual. After smoking a pipe he said to the boy, "Again I am here, hoping to find you with more strength and speed."

"Yes," said his nephew, "I have gained some."

"Very well," said his uncle, "I have everything ready for you, so tonight you can come over to my house and there I will tell what to do. But be sure to come after everybody goes to the kiva."

Late that night Siwiyistiwa went to his uncle's house. Upon entering, the Chief took him away into the back room. There they sat down and there his uncle smoked his pipe solemnly over the pahos which he had prepared. 57 Then he said, "Here I have these things ready for you and tomorrow morning early you will take these pahos out with you toward the same direction you have been going and up over the mountain ridge. On the other side is an open range. There you will come upon a herd of deer. Look them over carefully, then make your selection of a young buck with a pair of good weapons (horns), but wait for the sun to appear. Now watch very closely and just as it peeps over the horizon run into the herd. It is those weapons that you are going to get for me, so be sure to keep after your selected buck until you run him down, then after cutting off his two front horns you will deliver to him these pahos that I have here made ready for him, and also my message."

The next morning Siwiyistiwa went out to where he was directed and when he got there he went over the mountains and there in the open he saw a herd of deer. He looked them over very carefully while he was waiting for the sun to rise and just as the sun peeped over the horizon he ran into them and how they made the dust fly! But he kept after them along the side of the mountain range so as to keep them away from the rocky hills. The deer kept falling away one by one, until at last his selected buck was left alone. Now finally this deer gave out and lay down. The boy jumped on him quickly and took hold of his horns and turned his head over. But alas, the deer cried, "Mercy me, have a heart," in plain Hopi, which was of course a very astonishing thing to the youth and he held his breath for a moment. Then he said to the deer, "I am not going to hurt you, I am not going to kill you, I only want your horns, your weapons. My uncle, Tawayistiwa, would like to have them, so he has sent me out here to get them but I don't know why."

"Mercy be upon us!" said the deer. "Has he lost his mind and forgot his 'theory' and law, 58 and is he angry with us all, and will he use my weapons to destroy his town?" Then he sank down in sorrow and in sympathy for all that were ignorant of the coming calamity. Shedding quite a few drops of tears, he then looked up and said, "Take my weapons, but please do not use your knife, because you will hurt me. Just give them a little twist and they will slip off and another pair will grow out again soon."

"Thank you," said the youth as he took off the horns. Then he brought forth his bundle and said to the deer, "Here, I have some pahos which my uncle, Chief Tawayistiwa, has made and sent them to you, hoping to make you all happy. He also said that all you people (game ) 59 living down here in the lower country must get to moving and drift over to the higher mountains to the northeast, that you may be saved, so take these pahos to your people and tell them what the Chief has said about moving."

The deer got up and went away with the bundle of pahos which he distributed among his people and told them about the Chief's message, which of course, was a great grief to them all.

The youth went on home taking the two horns which he had taken from the young buck. When he got home Tawayistiwa was waiting for him and as he entered the doorway, "Thanks," said the Chief. "Thanks that you have come already. I did not quite expect you so soon, but you

have proved yourself strong and swift. All right, have a seat." As the youth seated himself the Chief got out his bag of tobacco and pipe and then he said to his nephew, "If you have anything that you have brought me you may lay it here before me that I may give it a welcome smoke." So the boy laid the two horns down on a plaque on the floor before the Chief. He was very much gratified with the little horns as though they were for some benefaction of his people. After smoking his pipe, the Chief asked Siwiyistiwa about his trip and the boy told him all about it.

After hearing his nephew's story of his trip, Tawayistiwa said, "You have done well, but there is some more to be done and I have everything ready, so tonight when you come again I will tell you what you will do next."

Late that evening the boy went back to his uncle, and when he got there his uncle was waiting for him. As he entered the house he was welcomed. The Chief was already smoking and the boy seated himself by his uncle. "The weight of all this worry is getting heavier every day as I am preparing these things and I am sad to think that here I am working only for the punishment of my children (people) but this will be the only way out of the trouble and it is necessary to sacrifice you." As he said this he could not help but cry. Tawayistiwa had made masks for him, each one different--Kachina, Yaponcha, Masauwu, and one portion was of fat meat. "Tonight you will wear these masks, one upon another, and carry these weapons of the deer, and you will go the same direction where you have been going for your running, up the mountain range where there is some wood. Build your fire there and when you get enough live coals, take one and put it in the mouth of the top mask and blow on it and this will give the look of having eyes of fire and your fire will be seen from the pueblo. Then come running and when you get here, come through the small south alley and run up the ladder to the top floor of this house. Up there you will find corn in metates. Start grinding for a few moments and then go down again and out the same way. If the men in the kiva be brave and big-hearted they will come out and try to catch you.

With these instructions Siwiyistiwa was dressed up in a dreadful and fearful costume and he went out to where he was directed. He built a fire and the people seeing it from the village wondered who or what it was having a big bonfire, and by the reflected firelight the people could see, even at that distance, something standing in the glow.

The fire went down lower and lower and finally it died out. Then they saw a light coming toward the town, coming closer and closer. When it came up they saw that this terrible being had eyes of fire and those who saw him fell with fright in their doorways or wherever they happened to be. He entered through the alley into the plaza and went to the Chief's house, where he ascended to the top floor and could be heard grinding corn. Then down he came and went out again toward the direction he had come from. Now it happened that there was a little boy who was just thought to be an outcast and he was with some other boys who were looking down at the dance from the kiva top. This boy was not at all frightened and saw everything. He called down into the kiva to the dancers and told them that some dreadful ghost had come, but everybody called him a liar and would not believe him. 60

This boy, whose name was Kochoilaftiyo (Poker Boy) was just a poor boy and was living with his old grandmother. 61 Regardless of what Kochoilaftiyo had told the people in the kiva about the ghost, the dancing went on with full force until morning. But that day, everybody was telling about this terrible ghost and so the young men declared that they could catch the ghost that night.

After dark the young men placed themselves in many hiding places from where they might leap out at the ghost. But when he came, they all fell down with fright and after coming to they ran for their lives. Kochoilaftiyo was watching the dance from the kiva top, wrapped up in his little mouse skin robe and he was not a bit scared. The young men tried for two nights, but alas, the creature was so frightful that he could not be caught.

The next day the little boy told his grandmother about the ghost. "Grandma," Kochoilaftiyo said, "for three nights some frightful ghost has been coming to the village and the young men have tried to catch him but all have failed."

"It is time," said the old lady, "that we get our warning because of what has been going on. This is a warning of punishment or some calamity which will fall upon us all and it will be something that no one can escape."

"Tonight," said the boy, "they will lay for him again and I would like to be with them. If he is caught I would like to see what he is. It must be something more than man who can handle this thing with magic or witchcraft power."

"So go," said the grandmother, "and get me a sumac branch."

Kochoilaftiyo obeyed his grandma and went out after a little branch. When he came back with it the old woman brought out from the back room her materials of feathers and cotton yarns of which she made two prayer plumes and put them on this sumac twig and with her little pipe she smoked her earnest prayer over her offering to the gods. 62 "Take this, my son," she said to the boy, "to the Masauwu shrine and set it therein and pray for the best, but before you leave look around carefully and if you find there Masauwu's digging stick, pick it up and replace it with this one. This is the exact duplicate of it." As she said this she handed him an old digging stick pretty well weathered. 63 Kochoilaftiyo took the stick and the prayer offering to the shrine. There he placed the pahos, looked around carefully, and seeing the stick he picked it up and replaced it with his grandmother's. Then he came back. The grandmother was very thankful for the stick. "This stick of Masauwu's is a wand of power and with it you might be able to knock down that ghost. So, my dear child," said the old woman, "it may be best that you station yourself in the narrow alley through which he comes and goes."

That evening after dark Kochoilaftiyo, instead of going to the kiva top to look on the dance, went into the alley to wait for the ghost. As he was sitting there in the dark someone came and the boy looked and alas, there was Masauwu 64 himself, standing before him and Kochoilaftiyo was stunned with fright for a moment and could not speak. "You certainly did a wise thing," said Masauwu to the boy, "by taking my stick, but here is something that will hide you and keep you from being seen," and he handed him four grass brush bristles and advised him what to do. Kochoilaftiyo was very thankful and he sat down with the bristles in one hand, the stick in the other, and waited for his chance on the ghost. Now; some of the strong young men had also stationed themselves outside the village to await the coming of the ghost. At the same time, the dancing was still going on in the kiva. Toward midnight the ghost was seen coming and all the supposed brave-hearted fell down with fright, but Kochoilaftiyo was still himself. When the ghost passed him he got up and waited for his return and got ready for the attack. The ghost jumped off the house, ran into the alley, and with all his might Kochoilaftiyo struck him with Masauwu's stick and knocked him down. As he fell, the boy was on top of him and he held his breath for he was half scared then. Finally he asked, "Who are you?"

"It is I," said the ghost, "but don't ask me more, but take me into the kiva. In there you will see who I am."

As they walked over to the kiva the dancing was on with full force, and when they got on top Kochoilaftiyo called in and he was not heard on account of the beating of the drum and again he called at the very top of his voice. This time he was heard, so he said, "Be courteous to this guest who is my companion for I am not alone." Hearing Kochoilaftiyo's voice, the whole kiva became silent and all held their breath. Finally a voice called out, "Come in. Come right in."

The ghost started down the ladder first with Kochoilaftiyo following him, and the people in the kiva were all looking up to see what was coming in. When the ghost exposed himself to the firelight the people were stricken with fright and fell to the floor. One by one, when they came to, they crawled out of the kiva. Only a few old men were left and the ghost and Kochoilaftiyo seated themselves in front of the firelight. Seeing this frightful creature the old men hung their heads and were silent.

Finally, one of them spoke and said, "For all our conduct of crime it is already too late and we must suffer and who knows what will become of us. Perhaps we may learn from this man, whoever he is, but we can do nothing. Call our father, the Chief," and at this request Kochoilaftiyo went out and called the Chief. He pretended to be very much surprised at being called away in the night, but he took his bag of tobacco and his pipe and went to the kiva with the boy. Coming, he seated himself on the left side of Kochoilaftiyo and before anyone else, he lit his pipe of tobacco and started smoking. Having taken four puffs of smoke out of his pipe he passed it on to the rest of the old men. The pipe went around and was finished up, and then the chief spoke and said, "My dear fellowmen, I wondered why I was called at this time of the night, but I see that you have someone with you."

"Yes," said one of the old men, "this ghost has been coming for the last three nights and this being his fourth night he is caught. He has been going up to your house to the top floor. Therefore, perhaps you might explain to us the meaning of all this. Though we know that we have done wrong against you, we are wondering now if this might not mean more than just to stop this dancing, and worry is upon us now."

"Of all this I do not know," said the chief, "and also the meaning of it I cannot explain. So without any further questions take the masks off the man that we may see who

he is." Kochoilaftiyo was asked to take the masks off and as he came to the piece of fat meat the Chief said to put it aside as it is food that the men in the kiva may cook and eat. As the last mask was taken off they saw that he was the Chief's nephew, Siwiyistiwa, his only nephew, and alas he hung his head and wept.

"Being your own nephew," said the kiva chief (Kiva mongwi), "take him and do what you want with him."

"No," said the Chief, "him I deliver unto you."

Said the kiva chief, "You being our chief, we cannot do otherwise from your wishes, so we demand your advice."

"If you do," said the Chief, "I advise you to bury him alive in the plaza in front of the shrine, with all his masks, before the day comes. But be sure and make a good job of it that he may not escape."

At this command Kochoilaftiyo went out and dug a hole deep enough that Siwiyistiwa's head would be covered under ground when he was sitting down. When he had done this he went back to the kiva and brought Siwiyistiwa out to the plaza and buried him, but before he had him all covered up Siwiyistiwa asked him to come there for four mornings and to take a look for signs of the approaching disaster.

That night the whole town was weary and the old men and women of good mind were stricken with fear. The next morning Kochoilaftiyo went to look at the grave, and behold, there was Siwiyistiwa's hand sticking up out of the grave with four fingers open, which meant that something would happen in four days. The second morning he went again and saw that there were three fingers up and one finger down or closed. Now every morning one more finger would be closed down, until on the fourth morning all the fingers had been closed and his whole hand had disappeared under the ground. The day was gloomy. Clouds were gathering in the skies overhead and around the grave the earth was all wet and boggy. Toward noon it began to rain, coming down heavier and heavier, and then out of the grave a great water serpent of enormous size appeared and stood swaying back and forth and also, at every corner of the plaza others appeared but they were not quite of the size of the one at the shrine, who had come up out of the grave. 65 Now water came shooting up out of the corners of the plaza where these serpents stood swaying, and soon there was water everywhere. The rain kept up and the waters were raising higher and higher. Now the people began to move to the higher ground, taking

what they could in the way of food and bedding, and there was much suffering and fear, and all this continued for four days. The only thing they could do was to look at their village standing in the midst of the water, where the great serpent was still swaying back and forth. Of course, the people were in great trouble and hated to leave their homes but still this serpent was so fearful and they wondered if it ever would go away. With weary thoughts of sadness the men set to work making their prayer offerings of many pahos, and when this was done the Chief asked of the people who would be willing to sacrifice their children, because they must make all this offering to the Great Serpent and ask him to make peace. Now who would part with beloved children? There was a great hesitation among the people, but being the request of the Chief a boy and a girl of six years of age were chosen who were, of course, of clean hearts and innocent. These two were given a tray of pahos and told to walk out into the water toward the great serpent while the people watched with sadness and tears in their eyes. When they had reached this monster he sprang up and coiled himself around the two children and sank with them into the water, which was of course a very terrible sight to the people watching from the hills.

Now everybody was very much discouraged, and though they hated to leave their homes and property they finally gave up all hope and decided to leave the country, but before starting they called a council to select their new chief or leader, because at this time the Chief considered himself guilty of the disaster and no longer worthy to lead his people and the people too felt the same way, but because of the wrong they had done no one dared to say anything. So finally the Chief himself asked the boy, Kochoilaftiyo, to be the chief and as he had been just an outcast, but had done a brave act, he was now looked upon as more than just a human being, on account of his wise Spider grandmother.

"I pray you," said Kochoilaftiyo, "I am not worthy to lead you. I am only a Kocholabi (fire poker) and do not consider myself good enough to take your authority, to be your chief and leader."

"It is not who you are, or what you are that I am considering. It is because of your innocence and the simplicity of your heart that I wish you to be our chief from now on."

"Well," said Kochoilaftiyo, "will you and the people ever forsake me?"

"No," said the Chief, "your wishes and footsteps will be our path and here with my tiponi you shall lead our people." 66

"I shall not take yours," said Kochoilaftiyo, "I and my grandmother have our own in which we believe and trust and it is without stains of evil. Therefore, we shall take no other in its place. So you shall keep yours. Your kind request and offer of your highness and royalty unto us, we shall not accept, because we will always be looked upon as who we are and what we are and always will be considered as such and no other but that. Why not ask your brother, Tawahongva? I think it is best that your clan should keep this royalty and continue as our chiefs and leaders. As it is today, on this very day we all feel guilty and not worthy to be your children (people) so it is for you and your clan to consider whether you will have mercy and forgive us. We are willing to follow you again. Therefore, I, Kochoilaftiyo, demand for the people that this man, Tawahongva, your brother, be our chief and leader from this day on, as we feel that it is not right for any other clan to take the royalty away from your clan."

"Very well," said Tawayistiwa, "I think you for your great and earnest consideration for my clan, and so your demand for Tawahongva, my brother, to be our chief, is fulfilled." After these last words, Tawayistiwa picked up his tiponi and handing it to his brother, Tawahongva, declared him chief and leader of the people.

When this was done, the people were somewhat relieved of their weariness. Tawahongva set to work and made his pahos or prayer plumes. With these and his sacred corn meal he drew his line or path over which the people were to journey toward the northeastward.

Now, with all this worry and grief two parents had forgotten their children, a brother and sister. These two little children had been sleeping and wakened up while the water was still high. They cried for their mother and father and not only that they were hungry too. So they got up and searched about for something to eat, and finally they found some piki which they ate. By this time the water had gone down a good deal so the two children came down off their house and went around into the plaza and alas! there they saw the great serpent swaying back and forth and they were very much frightened. They stood still for awhile, looking at the monster in great fear, and then suddenly the serpent spoke to them, saying, "Come, be not afraid, I am not going to hurt you. It is sad to see that you two children have been left behind, so be not

afraid and come." The serpent was being very sympathetic in asking the children to come, so finally they came up to him. "Please, don't be afraid of me. I am Siwiyistiwa and I am not going to hurt you. I called you here to me to tell you where your parents and the rest of the people have gone. They left here many, many days ago, going toward the northeast, heading for a place called Situqui (Flower Butte) and it is best for you to follow them. You cannot live here because very soon there will not be anything more to eat. If you ever catch up with your people it is likely that you will not recognize your father and mother, so I will tell you their names. Your father's name is Koyoungnu, and your mother's is Sackmunima, and they too will not recognize you and they will ask you your names, so young man, you are Tiwahongva and you, his sister, you are Tawiayisnima, so above all remember your parents' names and your own. Now, you go up over there to the northeast corner house of this plaza and climb the ladders to the very top floor. Up in there you will find some big birds sitting upon the shelves. You must bring them out and let them fly toward the same direction that your people have gone. The feathers of those birds will be used for making pahos of all kinds by your people."

The two children went up to the house as they were directed, and to their surprise they found some odd looking birds with no feathers on their heads, and the ends of their tail feathers were still covered with the foam from the water which had turned them white, and away over in one corner there sat still another bird looking somewhat the same as the others, but the ends of his tail feathers were not white. After letting these birds down from their roosts they spoke to the children, saying, "We all thank you, Tiwahongva and Tawiayisnima, for we are the innocent elderly people. We could not swim and so here we had turned into birds and we are now the turkeys, and from now on our feathers will be helpful to your people for making prayer offerings to the gods."

"And I am the buzzard," said the other strange bird, and with my feathers, after all the sacred ceremonies the members will be 'discharmed' and they will also be used for 'discharming' the sick and evil among all the people. 67 And again we all thank you for letting us down and out, so here we go, and good-bye." As they flew away the buzzard went up and circled around overhead four times to "discharm" the ruined town, then he followed the rest of the birds away toward the northeast. After the birds were gone Tiwahongva and his sister went back to Siwiyistiwa,

the serpent, for some more instructions.

"Now," he said to them, "you go up to the west corner and up at the very top floor you will find some sweet corn meal and some piki and also a small robe and gourd to carry your water in. Bundle all that up in the little robe and come back here to me." So they went up there and got what was there.

When they came back again, the serpent said to them, "Now you are ready to go and if you catch up with your people tell them that I, Siwiyistiwa, am now a supernatural being and have power and will do anything for the people in the way of prosperity--I can send them rain and in fact, anything like that will be yours for the asking, so tell them to make pahos for me and set them out anywhere toward this direction, but remember, they must call me by name at the very top of their voices that I may hear and know. Now, like this, 'Siwiyistiwa, here I have made pahos for you. We know and remember your message of promise which was sent to us by Tiwahongva and Tawiayisnima, so please fulfill now your promise of sending us rain for the benefit of our crops and the people, and so forth.' Then the pahos and the message will always be received. Now, I warn you not to look back till you get away over on the other side of the hill. If you do, something might happen to you, so be sure to remember not to look back. Farewell. Take good care of your sister." Tiwahongva and his sister than started out on their long journey and they didn't know where they were going but they were traveling on their way. Being so young, it was hard for them to travel, especially for the little sister, so Tiwahongva would carry her on his back awhile and then let her down again and they would go on like that all day. It was still daylight in the evening when they decided to make camp and were just about opening their bundle of lunch when they heard a loud roaring noise overhead and they were very much frightened and wondered what it could be. Tiwahongva held his sister tightly to his breast, and behold, someone had descended from the heavens all clothed in a glittering costume of ice that sparkled like silver and his head and face shone like a star. He spoke to them and said, "Do not fear, I am So-tukeu-nangwi, 68 the heavenly God and because of the sympathy I have for you I have come to help you, so come get on this shield (Yo-vota) of mine and let us be on the way." When they had climbed onto the shield, up they went into the heavens. The two children had their eyes closed all the way up, until they got there and when they opened their eyes they could see for many miles and everything was grand.

"Now," said So-tukeu-nangwi, "I know you are tired and hungry, so you may now eat," and he cut up a nice ripe muskmelon and set it before them and they ate very delightedly.

When the darkness had covered the earth again this God said to them, "Look to the far north and you will see firelight. There is where your people are now. It does not look so very far away, but that is many, many days journey and you are too young and do not know that this is a big undertaking for you. For this reason, I went to get you and brought you up here, because I know you are too young, but you must understand me and I know you will. I am the wisdom and knowledge and above all else you must have faith in me--faith and trust, honesty and truth. Without faith you shall know nothing. If you have faith your prayers for your people will always be answered, and from now on my teachings will come to you in dreams and there will be more and more as you grow older."

The next morning So-tukeu-nangwi had made everything ready for them to take along upon their journey--seeds of all kinds for the coming season. Said he, "When the spring comes, the warm weather, these seeds you will broadcast outside around the village and they will grow and bear fruit that everybody may eat and they may save the seeds for their own use. Be like the others, play like the other children, but always together. When you catch up and get to your people they will not know you. They have already given you up and have forgotten all about you. Look carefully among them. Your father has a mole under his eye on the right side of his face and your mother has a bunch of gray hair in front on the left side of her head. By these marks you will recognize your own father and mother and you will run to them. These seeds and other things which I have placed in this bundle of your robe must never be handled by anyone, especially this little 'tiponi' (emblem) which needs your particular care. It is this 'tiponi' that you will always set up when you perform my ceremony for the benefit of your people. Now let us be on the way. I will take you close up to your people, that you may camp just for one night, then in the morning after all the meal is over you will be there. They have got their town built now, so you will go straight into the plaza."

The two children had a grand ride on Yovota (shield) and were landed just about a quarter of a day's trip from the town. So-tukeu-nangwi then said, "Farewell" to them and went back up into the heavens.

The next day Tiwahongva and his sister walked into the plaza of the new town. There they stopped and the people stared at them and wondered who they were and where they had come from, so they notified the crier to call out and let the people know, so that they would come to the plaza to see that somebody had come. When the people came, they surrounded them.

Then Chief Tawahongva came forward with a heavy heart of sympathy, "Now, you my people," he said, "is there anyone here that remembers or could recognize these children and tell us who they are and whom they belong to? Is there any parent here that had forgotten or had given them up as dead at the time of the flood, back down at Palotquopi. They must belong to somebody. Who shall claim them? If nobody will, I will now leave it up to them and see if they, themselves, remember and can recognize their own father and mother. Now look carefully among us and see if you know anyone or remember anybody." So the brother and sister looked for the mole on the faces of the men and for the gray hair on the women, by which they were to detect their parents, and all at once they recognized them and with tears in their eyes they ran up to their parents, saying, "You are my father and you are my mother. We are your son and daughter. My name is Tiwahongva and mine is Tawiayisnima."

"My dear children!" cried their parents with tears and they caught hold of them and held them close to their breasts, which of course struck the hearts of all the people and the whole town cried for joy. They were taken to the home of their parents with their little bundle of sacred things and of this they warned them that they must never touch it or open it. To be sure of safe keeping they took it away into the back room and hung it up in the corner.

Thereafter they lived very happily with their parents and the rest of the people. Day after day the wisdom and knowledge was coming to them clearer and clearer so that when the spring came and the days got warmer they did everything that So-tukeu-nangwi had told them to do. They broadcast the seeds and on them it rained and rained. Then the sun came out and shown brightly on them and heated them and caused them to germinate, and in a few days the little plants sprang up. While these Nasiwum 69 (brother and sister) would play around with the rest of the children they were always telling them not to pull up the plants for they would bear fruit for the people. And every few days it would rain, which kept the plants growing quite fast and all about the town it was all green. Soon

the people were noticing the blossoms beginning to bloom on these plants of many kinds and having all these fruitful plants around them they were very happy and when these were ripe and mature everything was plentiful and the people gathered them all in. They lived there happily for a number of years but as they were really heading for Situqui they decided to move on, and so again they were on the long journey and ahead of them they would always send their scouts--men who were good runners and whose duty it was to look for new sites. On their travels they were protected because So-tukeu-nangwi was with them. This time their new location was at Nuvaquayotaka (Chavez Pass--a butte with snow belt on). Here again they lived very prosperously. But knowing that this was not to be their destination they moved on up to Homolovi (east bank of the Little Colorado river, near Winslow). There they were divided into many groups and established their villages here and there. 70

Their life here was miserable on account of many mosquitos. These insects caused deaths, especially to the young children, so they moved on still looking for Situqui, going through the country that is called the Moqui Buttes, on to Paquaichomo (Water Dust Hill) which is within a few miles of the present Hopi towns, around the First and Second Mesa district. Southeast of them was Awatovi, which was a good sized town but was now in ruins. From this place, Paquaichomo, they sent the scouts back to find the rest of the people who also had left the Homolovi district. It was thought that they might have gone in other directions and sure enough they were found in many different places in small groups. These scouts were sent back to tell them that the Chief and his group were now in sight of Situqui (Walpi), so Chief Tawahongva was calling all his people together. Finally, most of them came on but some of them had already gone to Sioki (Zuni). Tawahongva then sent his messengers to the chiefs of all the different towns asking for permission to be admitted into their villages and to become a part of their people. So to each town a message went, to Walpi, Mishongnovi, Shung-opovi and Awatovi. When the messengers came back with. the news none of the replies were satisfactory and they all felt sad and realized that they were in a very difficult position, being as they were in somebody else's territory. The only thing to do now was to divide themselves equally into groups and go to these towns and try to enter, so then each group had to select their leader or spokesman. In each group was an equal number of each clan, as the Corn, Cloud, Tobacco, Eagle, Sun-forehead, Sand and Bamboo

clans. With the group which went to Shung-opovi, Nasiwum (brother and sister Tiwahongva and Tawiayisnima) and also Kochoilaftiyo and his grandmother went. Each group was now hoping for the best, so they camped within a short distance of these towns and then asked for mercy and to be permitted to enter in and become their people, but the answers from the chiefs were of no satisfaction. Four being the limit of time to do anything or to ask for anything, these people were very much troubled and discouraged on the third day of their request at all these places. The chief at Shung-opovi did not know that he was discarding the best of these groups who were coming to his people, the two Nasiwum who had the wisdom and knowledge of So-tukeu-nangwi and also Ko-choi-laftiyo and his wise old grandmother. Here at Shung-opovi each clan was admitted in, one after another, the Sun-forehead clan was the last to enter. On this last day Nasiwum were more than discouraged--they had given up all hope, and said that they would stay just where they were and they refused to enter into the town. But Kochoilaftiyo and his grandmother went in with the rest. In a few days Nasiwum had disappeared and no one knew where they had gone. 71 At Mishongnovi and over at Awatovi these people had less trouble of being permitted to enter. But at Walpi they had received the same kind of treatment, or even worse than at Shung-opovi, so it was hopeless to try again and they decided to move on to Siotuka (Onion Point).

By this time, old man Masauwu got anxious and excited, so he rushed up to the town to see the people who had taken his name for their clan. 72 He told them that these people whom the chief of Walpi had refused were religious and were honest in their ceremony and that it would bring rain. Said he, "You must not forget and must remember that I am the one that owns this whole territory. The chief here has no more right than just of his town. I am the man that has all the right to say what I think, so hereafter, whoever comes shall enter and stay. With compassionate feelings in my heart I ask for two of your good runners to rush down there and head them off. They are leaving right now."

When these two runners reached them at Tawapa (Sun Spring) their scouts had already gone ahead. Tawahongva and his people had destroy all the crops of the Walpi's because their people had received such disagreeable treatment from the chief. While all this was going on, it was clouding up very heavily overhead and the people had divided themselves--all the women folk on one

side and the men on the other. The women had formed in a circle and were singing and dancing the Basket Dance and while this was going on the storm clouds had gathered so heavily that the day was growing very dark and cold and then it started snowing and it kept coming on heavier and heavier. All through the storm and the dancing the two Masauwu clansmen had pleaded earnestly with Tawahongva and his people, telling them that this chief who had refused them was only a sub-chief under Masauwu.

"To make you understand," said the two men, "we are telling you all, Masauwu has all the right here and it is his earnest message of sympathy that we have brought to ask you to come and live with us. We trust and worship him. What the chief has done unto you by this he has only hurt himself and lost his self respect. So trust that we, with all our hearts, are telling you the truth and asking you all earnestly to come with us."

"Well," said Tawahongva, "will it be that you will consider and respect us as you do yourselves as a people? Otherwise we will not turn back to go with you. My scouts have already gone."

"We honestly and truly say that you will have the same right as we have, so over what land your scouts have trotted, this is given unto you. It is yours forever."

During all these pleadings the dancing by the women was kept up and the snow by this time had fallen over a foot deep. At last Tawahongva consented for all his people to return to Walpi or Situqui and all at once the snowstorm turned into rain--a real cloudburst which washed away the snow in a very short while and now the waters were rushing down off the hillsides from the Walpi Mesa. All this water had drained down into the flats and that made nice fertile farming land for the people. Now from that day on to this day, the descendants, generation after generation, of these people from Palotquopi have been living here at these different Hopi villages. But Situqui is no more. This Situqui was where the present Walpi is now situated. There used to be a big sand dune covering this whole mesa and the butte that you see there today was covered, heaped up with sand, and every summer it would be covered with flowers of many different varieties. Later all this sand was drifted away off this mesa, by strong winds, and these sand dunes are now away over above Wepo Spring and are still slowly drifting on. 73,  74

YAPONCHA, THE WIND GOD 1

ANY years ago the Hopi were very much troubled by the wind. It blew and blew all the time. The sand drifted away from their fields, and they tried to plant their crops but the wind would sweep the soil away before the seeds would even start to germinate. Sadness and worry were upon everybody and they made prayer offerings of many pahos but there were no results.

Many councils were held by the old men in the kivas, where they smoked their pipes earnestly and asked one another why it was that their gods should turn such strong wind upon them. And after awhile, they decided that they would ask the "little fellows" (the two little War Gods Po-okonghoya and Palongahoya, his younger brother) to help them. Now these "little fellows" were called in. 75 When they came in they wanted to know why they were called. The Hopis said that they needed their help, something must be done to the wind. The "little fellows" said yes, they would see what they could do to help the people.

They told the men to stay in the kiva and make many pahos. Then the "little fellows" went to their wise old grandmother, the Spider Woman, and they asked her to make some sweet corn meal mush for them to take along on a journey. Of course they knew who Yaponcha (the Wind God) was and where he lived--over near the Sunset Mountain in the big cracks in the black rock.

When the corn meal mush was made they came back to the kiva and found the pahos were ready and also the ball which they always liked to take along to play with wherever they went, and the bows and arrows had been made for them, because it was much like going on the warpath for them. So the arrows were of bluebird feathers which were considered most powerful in those days.

The two "little fellows" set out toward the San Francisco Peaks. The old men went with them as far as the Little Colorado River and there they sat down and smoked their pipes.

The little warriors went on and on, playing with their ball. They reached the home of the Wind God, Yaponcha,

on the fourth day. The Wind God lived at the foot of Sunset Crater in a great crack in the black rock, through which he is ever breathing and does so to this day. They threw the pahos into the crack and hurriedly took out their old grandmother's sticky cornmeal mush, and they sealed up Yaponcha's door with it. Now he was awfully angry, and he blew and blew, but he could not get out. The "little fellows" laughed and they went home, very pleased with themselves, indeed.

But bye and bye, the people in the villages began to feel that it was very hot. It was getting warmer and warmer every day. Down in the kivas it was so awfully hot that the men came out and the people came from their houses and they stood upon the housetops and looked and looked toward the San Francisco Peaks, to see if there were any clouds coming. But there wasn't even the tiniest bit of a cloud to give a pleasant shadow, and not a breath of air, and the people thought that they would smother.

They thought they must do something right away, so the men made some more pahos and called the "little fellows" again and they begged them to go back to Yaponchaki (House of Yaponcha) right away and tell him that there must be peace, and then give him the pahos and let him out, because this heat was much worse even, than the wind. So the "little fellows" said that they would go and see what could be done to make things better.

On the fourth day they arrived at the house of Yaponcha and they talked together and decided that the best thing to do would be to let Yaponcha have just a little hole open, just enough to let him breathe through, but not large enough for him to come out through, altogether. So they took out some of the cornmeal mush and right away a nice cool wind came out, and a little white cloud appeared and went over across the desert toward the Hopi towns.

When the "little fellows" got home again to the villages, everybody was pleased and they have been very grateful ever since. Ever since that time the winds have been just right, and just enough to keep the people cool without blowing everything away.

Ever since then prayer offerings of pahos, to this day, are made to the Wind God, Yaponcha, in the windy month of March by the chiefs and high priests of the three villages of the Second Mesa.

THE KANA-A KACHINAS OF SUNSET CRATER 1

AT old Mishongnovi the people lived and at the San Francisco Peaks the Kachinas were living. Over in the old town of Mishongnovi there was a young maiden who would not give up to any young man. Her parents were getting old and the father was not able to do as much work as he used to, so he wished that his daughter would get married. But she had refused all proposals from the young men in her town and also from all the towns around. The old man, her father, was very much discouraged to think of all these young men who had tried their chances with the maiden and had met with failure.

Sometime after this, at the San Francisco Peaks, a young Kachina man heard about this. So he thought he would go over to Mishongnovi and propose to the maiden. When evening came he started out across the desert over to the Hopi towns, but being unknown in the town, he was very much in doubt of what the outcome of his undertaking would be. When he did get there some time early in the night, he found the maiden grinding corn up in the second floor of her house. He went in and stood around for awhile and finally sat down. Then he asked her to stop for a moment and listen, because he would like to speak to her. But she would not stop and just kept on grinding. But finally, after awhile, she did stop grinding.

"Why did you stop?" asked the youth.

"You asked me to stop," said the maiden. "Where are you from?"

"I am from the west," he said, and at this, she thought that he was from Shung-opovi. She saw that he was a very handsome looking young man.

Now the parents, in the room below, had noticed that their daughter had stopped her grinding and they wondered, for they thought that something unusual must be happening up there, but they dared not go up to see what or who it was who had come to see the maiden. Now the girl thought that it was getting late, so she asked the young man to go on to bed and as the boy was going out through the door, she asked him to come back and see her again. She herself now came downstairs to bed and the parents asked her who the young man was. She said she

did not know him, though she had asked him to come back again to see her.

Now the very next night the youth went back to see the maiden again and found her grinding corn the same as usual. The parents heard someone go up the ladder and walk over the roof to where their daughter was grinding. She stopped her work and then they thought that it must be the same young man who was there the night before. They hoped that the maiden might be interested in this handsome youth and indeed he did interest the maiden. So she asked him again, "Where is your home?" And he said as before, "Over in the west," and again she thought that he meant that he lived in Shung-opovi.

Now the maiden liked this handsome youth very much indeed. She said, "In four days I will go back with you. I will be prepared by that time So come back upon that day and take me to your home."

When the fourth day came, she prepared herself and had her hair done up in butterfly wings (poli-ia-na ) 76 and got ready some corn meal and some piki, which she must take with her on her journey. When the boy came everything was ready and he took the tray of corn meal while she carried her piki. They started out and when they got outside of the village the youth said, "Wait awhile, I will see if we can travel easier and faster than we could walk, for we have some distance to go."

He then reached into a little pouch which he was carrying and pulled forth something and threw it from him, westward, across the country, and the maiden saw it was a rainbow like a path before them and she was very afraid. But she had already started out with him and she could not turn back.

"Now let us get on," said the youth, and when they stepped upon it, the rainbow drew itself up to the other end and when they landed they found that they were close to the Little Colorado River. From there again the youth threw his magic in the same direction. The rainbow appeared and they mounted it again and this time they landed on the south side of Palotsmo, Sunset Crater, or the home of the Kana-a Kachina. Here there was a little cloud hiding itself among the pine trees and he was a Kana-a Kachina and he spied the Kachina youth from the San Francisco Peaks taking a Hopi girl with him. The maiden was weary and begged to take a rest and asked the youth to wait a little where he was, for her.

She walked away some distance and presently she heard a voice which seemed to come from under her feet. The

voice said, "Be careful, so you may not step on me." And the maiden stopped and looked about her but could not see anyone. It was the Spider Woman who spoke to her, and as the maiden moved to one side, she saw the light down in a little kiva where the good Spider Grandmother lived. She asked the maiden to come in and when she entered the Grandmother said to her in deep sympathy, "My dear child, I have to tell you because you do not know, being only a child. Down in my heart I sympathize with you very deeply. You are out on your first trip and it may be your last trip, and you may not ever see your father and mother again. We cannot hesitate very long. Now I am going with you and I am prepared to go. If we win or lose I am willing to die with you. The youth is a Kachina from San Francisco Peaks and when you reach his home the Kachina people will give you some very difficult tasks to perform, and without my help you would surely fail. Quickly, put me in your ear and let us be on our way." The little Spider Woman was so invisible inside of the Hopi maiden's ear that she could not be detected by anyone, even a Kachina youth.

When the maiden joined the boy again, he threw the rainbow up towards the Peaks and they mounted upon it to take another leap. Now all this time the Little Cloud who was hiding in the pines, knew what was going on, for this little cloud was one of the Kana-a Kachinas who lived in the Sunset Crater. This time the youth and the maiden landed right close to a great kiva far up in the Peaks and they descended from the rainbow and walked up to it.

The youth approached the opening and calling in, he said, "Be courteous to this guest who is my companion, for I am come and am not alone."

And a voice called out from the kiva, "Come in, come right in."

They went in and there they found one old lone man sitting by the fire in the fire-place. The old man begged the young maiden to sit down, and getting up he spread out his own wildcat skin robe for her to sit down upon. Now the whole kiva was very quiet and after she had seated herself she noticed that the youth had disappeared and she did not know where he had gone.

The old man was slowly poking into the fire trying to get more light and he called out saying, "Mother of the House and you, young maiden, come forth. Some stranger has come and she has entered into our kiva."

All this time the Spider Grandmother was whispering

her advice into the ear of the Hopi maiden and telling her what she should do.

Now from the north side of the kiva a handsome woman came forth. She seemed suspicious, although she acted with great politeness. The grandmother of the Hopi maiden had already told her of the character of this woman called Hahai-i Wu-uti.

Now the maidens of the house came forth also, and they served her with food and when she was through they cleared it away.

By this time it was quite late in the night, so the old man said, "It is time to go bed," and the handsome Kachina woman, Hahai-i, then opened the door on the north side of the kiva and she asked the maiden to enter and she told her that this was the room where she was to sleep. Now this was the place where the North Wind lived, and as Hahai-i was leaving the room, she said to the maiden, "It is quite cold in here but you will have to do the best you can to get through the night."

Just as soon as the door was closed the Grandmother hastily pulled out some turkey feathers from the bosom of her dress and putting one down on the ground, she asked the girl to lie down on top of it. Then she put one over her, one at her feet, then at her head, and one on either side. And the maiden soon fell asleep, for she was very tired, and the good little Grandmother's turkey feathers kept her warm. Now the wind was blowing very hard all night and it hailed and it snowed and when she woke in the morning she was under a pile of snow. Just as she became awake, Hahai-i opened the door and peeked in, thinking that the maiden had frozen to death. But finding her still alive, she was surprised and asked, "How did you rest ?"

"Very comfortably," said the maiden, and she got up and went out into the kiva room. No sooner had she done this than she was shown to the mata (the place for grinding corn) and instead of corn Hahai-i came out with a basketful of icicles and put them into the mata for the maiden to grind. The poor maiden felt very cold and unhappy to think she had to grind these icicles and then she thought of her turkey feathers and she took one in each hand with which she would hold mata-ki (the mano) so that her hands would not get cold. The icicles were very cold and hard to grind, but she had to go on; she had to grind and grind. The icicles were cold and slick and she could not hold them between the two rocks. Every once in a while Hahai-i would come and take a look to see

if she was getting the icicles melted, which she had intended the maiden to do.

Now the Spider Grandmother took a bit of her magic root of an herb and put it in the girl's mouth and asked her to chew it well and then spray it over the icicles. She did this, and no sooner had it touched the icicles than they melted and turned into water in the mata. Now this was the maiden's first test, and when Hahai-i came again and saw what the bride-to-be had done, she was glad. The maiden continued to do this for four days and she spent four nights in the cold room with the North Wind. At the end of four days she finished her test and it was found that she had won over the Kachinas, so she was married to the youth who had brought her there from Mishongnovi. The Grandmother was glad to have been able to serve the Hopi maiden and bring her successfully through her trials. She had put up many jars of water for the Kachinas by grinding the icicles and snow.

Now the maiden's wedding robes and many other presents were brought to her and she was ready to be sent home. Many Kachinas were to go along with her to carry the presents to Mishongnovi, and the bride and bridegroom were dressed in their wedding robes.

This day was rather a joyful day for the bride for she thought of how wonderful the Spider Grandmother had been and how she had helped her to win. And now she was going back home and taking her husband along. And she was very thankful indeed to the little old woman.

On the way back to Mishongnovi at Sunset Crater, the girl stopped just as she had done on the way over and walked away a little to take a rest. But this time, she took her little Grandmother back to her home, and when they got there they both cried for joy. For the last time the girl thanked her again. The Little Cloud who detected the couple on their way up to the San Francisco Peaks was again hiding in the pines and he saw everything that took place.

Now during these four days the parents of the maiden had been very much worried because they did not know where she had gone. So in Mishongnovi this was rather an exciting afternoon for the people to see this girl who had been missing so long coming home with the Kachinas and bringing all kinds of presents. The Kachinas gave all their presents to the villagers and then returned to their home.

From this time on the Hopi were very prosperous for a number of years until finally the men of one kiva, and these were the troublemakers of the village, plotted to see

how they could break up the happiness of the Kachina youth and the Hopi maiden and win her love away from her husband. These wicked men made a costume exactly like that which the Kachina man wore and so one day, one of these young men dressed up like him and went to see the Kachina's wife while he was away. On his return he found that his wife cared for someone else, but she herself did not know that it was another man because of the costume and everything being exactly like her husband. So the Kachina man, without making any further trouble, told his wife that he had to go away to his home in the San Francisco Peaks and back to his own people, and so he did. But as he was leaving, he took one of the longest ears of corn from the stack in the house and carried it back with him to the San Francisco Peaks.

Two years later a famine came upon the Hopi people. They prayed and prayed for rain and held ceremonies of many kinds, all of which were of no use. No result came from any of them.

Finally Kana-a Kachinas at Sunset Crater, felt compassion for the people and took mercy upon them. Now they knew that the Mishongnovi maiden had not been treated fairly and they knew of all the hard tests that she had had to go through in the kiva of the San Francisco Mountain Kachinas, and they did not think it right for these Kachina people to bring this terrible calamity upon the whole people. The Kana-a Kachinas then took much sweet corn and strung it up with yucca and many other good foodstuffs. They came across the desert to the Hopi villages to make the people happy and to relieve their hunger. Now when they got there they went dancing through the streets and distributed their sweetcorn and food to the people. But they asked the people not to eat everything up that day which they had received and told them that each family must leave an ear of corn in the corner of their empty storage room.

All the people were made happy and glad so they asked these Kachinas not to go back to their Sunset Crater home, but to live with them always there. But they, being supernatural beings, could not do this, so of their own choice, they went to a little butte which stands by Mishongnovi today, and they opened it up and went in. So that to his day the little butte is called Kana-a Katchin-ki.

Waking up the next morning, to their wonder, the people found that their empty rooms were full of corn and from then on joy was with the people again. After this the Kana-a Kachina dance was celebrated every year until 1902.

THE LADDER DANCE AT OLD SHUNG-OPOVI 1

The present Hopi pueblo of Shung-opovi has occupied its present site since about 1700. Previous to that time, the pueblo straggled over the foothills at the mesa base. About a hundred yards west of this pueblo, over a sharp ridge, lay the old walled-in spring called Shungopa, the spring that gave the name to the pueblo, and which went dry in the 1870's at the time of a landslide which caused a local earthquake.

About a hundred yards south of this spring stands a large boulder (Fig. 1). On the top of this boulder can be observed three holes in a row, each hole being about a foot in diameter and between a foot and two feet deep (Fig. 2). Hopi tradition associates these holes with a Hopi ceremony now extinct call the Ladder Dance.

THERE WAS one kiva at old Shung-opovi known as the Ash Pile Kiva. They knew but one dance and that was called the Coal Kachina dance. This kiva was composed of not well-to-do people. Not having many costumes, all they had to wear for kilts were old dresses discarded by the women. The men in the kiva gave the Coal Kachina dance so often that it grew monotonous to see those Coal Kachinas. So one day they made an announcement that they would give another kind of dance in four days. The men in the other kivas said that only some more Coal Kachinas would come into the kiva. About a day after the announcement was made, the boys went out hunting. While they were out, one of the boys got away from the party, and, as he was going around, he jumped a rabbit out of a bush and he chased after it. The rabbit just kept going westward and the boy just kept following it. Well, the rabbit finally got into one of the shrines above Burro Springs, and the rabbit went around back of the shrine and the boy thought the rabbit was all in and tired and ready to lay down. When he got around the shrine he saw a kiva. When he looked in he asked if the rabbit had gone in there. The men who were there said "Yes," and they asked the boy to come in.

When he got in there, they sat him down beside the fireplace and gave him a welcome smoke. When he finished

that they told him they had sent the rabbit out to get him and bring him there because they were rather sorry that the men in the other kivas made fun of the Ash Pile Kiva. Then they told him they would like to have two or three of the boys go over to the San Francisco Peaks. There they would show them different kinds of Kachina

 

dances from which they could choose which of the dances they would have in their kiva. So they asked the boy to go right back home and tell the rest of the men of his kiva.

When he came home he went right into the kiva. Well, he told these men what he had seen at the shrine and what news he had been told. He asked the old men to make some prayer offerings which they would take over to the San Francisco Peaks to the main Kachina Kiva and said this must be kept secret from the other people who would be expecting to see the Coal Kachina dance again. They stayed up late to make their prayer offerings so that the boys could start out early for the San Francisco Peaks before the rest of the village woke up. So they came to the foot of the main peaks that day. The next morning about dawn they started to climb and at sunrise reached the kiva. When they got there they were asked to come in, and there they found the same men that the boy saw at the shrine at Burro Springs. So, as usual, they were given their welcome smoke. The men said that they would show them different kinds of dances without losing much time

for there was now little time before the dance at Shung-opovi.

So they danced many dances for them and the boys liked the ladder dance very much. Well, the men at the kiva said the dance was difficult because the dancers had to climb a limber young Douglas fir tree. Finally the boys decided to ask these people if they could not do it for them. The people agreed to do the ladder dance themselves because it would be so difficult for the people at

 

 Shung-opovi. So when they did agree to do this they sent the boys back, but they asked them to take back home with them two young Douglas firs each about a foot high. They told them that when they got home, they were to find a rock on which to plant these two trees. When they got home with the two firs they brought them into the kiva and the men in the kiva performed a ceremony of welcoming the firs and the boys by smoking.

The next morning the boys took the two trees and went up to the rock which they thought would be best to plant the trees on. That morning the whole village noticed the two trees on top of the rock and wondered what was going to happen. One by one they went to look. There was an old man up there on watch so that no one could hurt the trees. Everyone who went asked him what they were for but he told them not to be too anxious until night came.

That day towards evening the Kachinas began to come out of the kivas. They kind of paraded around the village. At that time the men from the Ash Pile Kiva came out all

wrapped up in their blankets. These men went out to meet the real Kachinas who came from the San Francisco Mountains. By that time it was clouding up. These men met the Kachinas at the place called Lonatchi, a spring which lies about a mile west of Old Shung-opovi. When they met them, the Kachinas told the men they must hide out that night so that he people would believe that they were putting on the dance. So they decided they would stay there and the Kachinas would go to the village and the men could follow after dark.

This old man at the rock under the two fir trees would sprinkle cornmeal on the trees and they would grow about an inch or two, and by that time the Kachinas got there they were quite tall trees. In this ceremony each Kachina was in a different costume, except that the two who were to climb the trees were dressed alike. When the people saw the Kachinas on the hill around the rock, they all ran up there. They carefully observed the performance. They were trying to figure out who the Kachinas were. They resembled men in the different kivas. The two Kachinas climbed the trees. The trees were so slender that the Kachinas swayed back and forth. They climbed while the rest sung around. It seemed as if the two trees had a spirit as the two Kachinas swung back and forth. The song that the Kachinas sung, the people of Shung-opovi still sing.

Well, after this performance they went to the village. They paraded around and entered the kiva. Then rain came down. The rest of the kivas felt jealous. Every once in awhile they would send up a man to peep in to see if it were true that the men in this kiva were putting on the dance. About midnight the dance started. All the Kachinas from the other kivas were out. But the men from the other kivas did not dance. They just put away their costumes and followed the new Kachinas around. And then by that time the men who were supposed to put on the dance came in. They watched the dance too and were not recognized.

After the dance was over the Kachinas went back into the kiva. They were supposed to go down the Sipapu and go home that way. So the next day after the dance this kiva was given praise because they had put on a great dance, different from anything that had ever been seen. From that day this kiva was recognized because of this dance, whereas, before they had never been recognized by the people of the village. From then on the people at Shung-opovi held this kind of a dance every four years until the town was abandoned (between 1680 and 1700).

THE LADDER DANCE AT PIVAHONKIAPI 1

Northwest of Oraibi, seven or eight miles, on that broad terrace which so conspicuously encircles many of the Hopi mesas, about 200 feet below the rim, lie the ruins of two pueblos. The nearest to Oraibi occupies a point which projects from the mesa and is called Hukovi, "The Place of the Winds," or "Windy Point." Two miles farther along the ledge, at the base of a large rock, the pueblo of Pivahonkiapi covers the shelf.

Potsherds tell us that Hukovi and Pivahonkiapi were occupied in the twelve hundreds. We, therefore, assume that the two pueblos were abandoned, like so many others in northern Arizona, because of the great drought of 1275 to 1299 which shows so well in Dr. A. E. Douglass' studies of the tree rings.

About these pueblo ruins, Hopi traditions cluster. At Hukovi the girls were beautiful but bad. At Pivahonkiapi among the gamblers lived a handsome youth. At Achamoli, halfway between Hukovi and Oraibi, lived the two little war gods, sons of the Sun, Po-okonghoya and his brother, Palo-onghoya, with their grandmother, the Spider Woman. What more can you ask as the basis for a story!

About 100 yards east of Pivahonkiapi can be observed eight circular holes, about eight inches in diameter, cut in the rock at the cliff edge. About one of these holes the rock has cracked. The Hopi believe that these holes belong to the "ladder dance."--Ed.

A Pivahonkiapi there dwelt a handsome young man. Two miles away on Windy Point lived two girls in the pueblo of Hukovi. These girls wanted to marry this handsome youth, but he would not look at either of them. This made them mad.

They knew that he was to take the part of a Kachina in a "ladder dance" to be held at Pivahonkiapi in March. The girls thought that this would be a chance to destroy him.

The dance was announced and the dancers practiced the songs in the kiva for eight days. Four days before the ceremony, two youths were selected to go to the San Francisco Peaks which the Hopis call Nuvatekiaovi (The Place

of Snow on the Very Top) to get two fir trees, and one of the youths was the handsome young man.

On the way to the peaks they followed a trail and because they were tired they stopped to rest. The handsome youth stepped aside off the trail. Here he met the Spider Woman. She said, "I am in sympathy with you because I
 

know what is going to happen to you. Change your pahos (prayer offerings) as the ones you are carrying are bad. Cast them somewhere and take mine and put them in the shrine. If you don't do that, the witches will surely get you. On your way home, stop and see me."

Returning to the trail he joined his companion and went on to the peaks and placed the pahos in the shrine. There they selected two small fir trees about two feet high.

On his way back the handsome youth remembered to stop and call on the Spider Woman. He left his companion by the trail and hunted up the old woman. The old woman said, "Take the pipe of your father and make smoke so the clouds will hide our path from the witches." So he lit his pipe and she brought him to her kiva. He set down his

trees and sat on a skin. "My dear grandchild," said the old woman, "do as I say or your last day will be the day of the ceremony."

She handed him some medicine and said, "The wise men will sing and the tree will grow too fast. Chew this medicine and spit it out on the tree, so the tree may be limber but it will not break." Then she gave him a little light white feather of an eagle and placed it under his heart so that it would make him lighter.

By this time the sky was covered with clouds and he rejoined his companion. He did not say much because he was worried. That night they got home and entered the kiva with their two fir trees. All the men smoked and when they stopped, asked them what they saw in the way of prosperity. They said that they saw good flowing water, so the old men knew that the summer would be good.

While this was going on the old Spider Woman, (she was a great old woman), sent word to the other Spider Women that lived near Pivahonkiapi (she sent the message by way of dreams) to send out her two little war gods, Po-okonghoya and his brother, Palo-onghoya-her grandsons-to look over the place where the tree was to be planted.

As they were small boys no one would notice them as they played with the other children of the village. The boys investigated and discovered that the girls of Hukovi had cracked the rock about the hole in which the tree was to be planted. They hurried back to their grandmother and reported.

"If that is the case," said the old Spider Woman, "I will have to go there and see. I have not got a thing to mend that rock with. One of you boys run and get an ear of baked sweet corn." When the boy had found it, she ground it up as fine as she could. Then she mixed the meal into dough--like the finest clay. When this was ready the day of the ceremony had arrived.

The Kachinas put on their costumes at the mesa foot as they were supposed to come from the San Francisco Peaks. Everyone gathered on the house-tops watching them climb up the mesa. While everyone's attention was so occupied, the old Spider Woman and the boys tried to mend the crack in the rock with the dough. When it was mended, she gave some medicine to the two boys who chewed it up and spat it out on the crack and blew on the crack.

As soon as they had finished, the Kachinas entered the village and marched about the two kivas four times.

In this ceremony, you must know, the leading Kachina, though a man, takes the part of a Kachin-mana (Maiden). In this dance the leader was a notorious wizard who was being paid by the girls of Hukovi to do crooked work.

After making the rounds of the kiva, the Kachinas marched to the place on the edge of the cliff where the trees were to be planted. The Kachin-mana carried the two little trees. When the Mana gave the handsome boy the wrong tree, and the other boy the right tree, he knew the wizard was trying to get him. Both boys laid the trees down on the rock. Someone said something and the leader and everyone looked the other way and the boys exchanged the trees, He knew his tree for it had a feather fastened to one of the leaves.

The trees were now planted in the holes that had been prepared. The Kachinas, standing in a row, started to dance and sing. Slowly the trees began to grow. They grew and grew until they reached 25 to 30 feet high. The two Kachinas that were to climb, one of them being the handsome boy, stood by the trees. Finally the Kachin-mana, the wizard, told them to climb. The young man trusted the old Spider Woman. He chewed the medicine and spat on the tree and climbed slowly. When he reached the top the tree swayed back and forth. All the people on the house-tops thought that the tree would break and he would go over the cliff. He came down and danced and then went up again. When he came down and danced he climbed the tree the third time, swinging back and forth. The girls from Hukovi were on the house-tops with the inhabitants of the village. They wondered why the rock did not give way. When he climbed the fourth time the leader told the youth to climb faster and swing back and forth harder, and swing good and hard with all his might. But still the tree did not break nor the rock crack. When he had climbed down the leader told him to go up a fifth time, but someone had counted so the chief said that was enough as they had gone up the four ceremonial times.

Later the two young men who had climbed the trees took the prayer offerings and started back to the San Francisco Mountains to place them in the shrine. The rest of the Kachinas entered the kiva with the men of the pueblo and all smoked.

Before the men had entered the kiva, the girls from Hukovi hired a wizard to cut the beams in the back part of the kiva. They were mad at the leader of the Kachinas, the Kachin-mana, and the boy. They did not know that he was already on his way to the peaks.

While the smoking ceremony was on, the kiva roof caved in. Everyone was killed but one poor old man far back in one corner who was not a man of high standing but was a common person who never rushed up in front. This old man dug his way out.

The village was in trouble. All the men were killed except the two youths and the old man. Well, of course you know, everyone was sad for many days. The old man knew that everyone was sad so he thought he would do something. So the old man went off by himself and practiced a dance under the cliff. While he was practicing, a girl found him, and he asked her to join him in the dance. She accepted so the old man went to work and made a mask so no one would know her. He took some corn, boiled it well, late one afternoon. He fixed up the girl as well as himself in a Kachina costume. The old man told her to hold out all the nerve she could. When they went to the plaza, the people saw them come. All the people started to cry, but soon got all right. Then the old man and the girl danced and gave out presents of corn.

That night the handsome youth was outside the pueblo where he went every night. He heard something and lay still. He listened. He heard a sound coming closer and closer. It finally came and passed by. It was a ghost dressed in white. He was scared and fainted. After laying insensible for a while, he came to himself. He followed the ghost to the village. When he got to the plaza, the ghost was sitting on the shrine. It was a woman ghost. He went up and asked her why she was there and where she had come from.

She said, "I come from the Colorado River. I come because I sympathize with the people of Pivahonkiapi. I have nothing for you but if you wish to get even with the girls of Hukovi, I would like to help you. I would like to have a prayer plume from everyone in the pueblo and I ask you to have them made this very night. You must keep it a secret why they are to be made."

So the youth went from house to house and every woman made a prayer plume (paho). The boy collected them and gave them to the ghost and said, "We have done what you asked us to do." The ghost took the prayer offerings and thanked him. She said, "I will do everything that you ask me to do. Now what do you want me to do? I can drive them eastward or I can drive them westward. I can even drive them over the cliff." The boy said, "Drive them westward."

Then the ghost went over to Hukovi and she made a

noise as if she were dying. She rolled on the ground and moaned. This scared the people. Some boys said they were not scared and offered to kill the old ghost.

The next night the boys lay in wait for her and when she started to moan they got scared and ran away. Everyone got scared. The ghost came back six or seven nights. The people could not sleep for her moaning, so they decided to leave the pueblo.

They packed up their belongings and left the village. The ghost drove them westward. They camped for the night by the Dinnebito, Wash at Bang-wu-wi (Mountain Sheep Cliff). The old ghost came again and kept them awake. But they could not move that night on account of the children.

The next day they moved to near where the Dinnebito Store is and camped. The ghost came early and kept them awake till daylight. Again they started on, and on the third night camped by the Little Colorado River. The ghost came just after sundown because she was near her home and kept them awake till dawn.

At daylight they started on again and camped in the Cinder Hills. Still the ghost came after them. The fifth night they camped by Mormon Mountain. The ghost followed them. On and on they went, crossing the Big Colorado into California. They say that their descendants are now the Mission Indians of California.
  

THE ACTS OF THE ADEPTS. [*1]

  

CHAPTER I.

Baha'u-'d-Din, Veled, Sultanu-'l-'Ulema (The Beauty of the Religion of Islam, Son, Sultan of the Doctors of the Law).

  

1.

THE king of Khurasan, [*2] 'Ala'u-'d-Din Muhammed, Khurrem-Shah, uncle of Jelalu-'d-Din Muhammed Kh'arezm-Shah, and the proudest, as he was the most handsome man of his time, gave his daughter, Melika'i-Jihan (Queen of the World), as to the only man worthy of her, to Jelalu-'d-Din Huseyn, el Khatibi, of the race of Abu-Bekr.

An ancestor of his was one of the original Muslim conquerors of Khurasan. He was himself very virtuous and learned, surrounded with numerous disciples. He had not married until then; which gave him many an anxious and self-accusing thought.

He himself, the king, the king's daughter, and the king's Vazir were all four warned in a dream by the Prince of the Apostles of God (Muhammed) that he should wed the princess; which was done. He was then thirty years old. In due course, nine months afterwards, a son was born to

him, and was named Baha'u-'d-Din Muhammed. He is commonly mentioned as Baha'u-'d-Din Veled.

When adolescent, this latter was so extremely learned that the family of his mother wished to raise him to the throne as king; but this he utterly rejected.

By the divine command, as conveyed in the selfsame night, and in an identical dream, to three hundred of the most learned men of the city of Balkh, [*1] the capital of the kingdom, where he dwelt, those sage doctors unanimously conferred upon him the honorific title of Sultanu-'l-'Ulema, and they all became his disciples.

Such are the names and titles by which he is more commonly mentioned; but he is also styled Mevlanayi Buzurg (the Greater or Elder Master). Many miracles and prodigies were attributed to him; and some men were found who conceived a jealousy at his growing reputation and influence.

  

2.

In A.H. 605 (A.D. 1208) he, Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, began to preach against the innovations of the king and sundry of his courtiers, declaiming against the philosophers and rationalists, while he pressed all his hearers to study and practise the precepts of Islam. Those courtiers maligned him with the king, calling him an intriguer who had designs on the throne. The king sent and made him an offer of the sovereignty, promising to retire elsewhere himself. Baha answered that he had no concern with earthly greatness, being a poor recluse; and that he would willingly leave the country, so as to remove from the king's mind all misgivings on his score.

He accordingly quitted Balkh, with a suite of about forty souls, after delivering a public address in the great mosque before the king and people. In this address he foretold the advent of the Moguls to overturn the kingdom, possess the country, destroy Balkh, and drive out the king, who

would then flee to the Roman land, and there at length be killed.

So he left Balkh, as the prophet (Muhammed) had fled from Mekka to Medina. His son Jelalu-'d-Din was then five, and the elder brother, 'Ala'u-'d-Din, seven years old.

The people everywhere on his road, hearing of his approach or forewarned in dreams of his coming, flocked to meet him and do him honour. Thus he drew near to Bagdad. Here he was met by the great Sheykh Shahabu-'d-Din, 'Umer, Suherverdi, the most eminent man of the place, deputed by the Caliph Musta'zim to do him honour. He became the guest of the Sheykh.

The Caliph sent him a present of three thousand sequins, but he declined the gift as being money unlawfully acquired. He also refused to visit the Caliph; but consented to preach in the great mosque after the noon service of worship on the following Friday, the Caliph being present. In his discourse he reproached the Caliph to his face with his evil course of life, and warned him of his approaching slaughter by the Moguls with great cruelty and ignominy. The Caliph again sent him rich presents in money, horses, and valuables, but he refused to accept them.

Before Baha'u-'d-Din quitted Bagdad, intelligence was received there of the siege of Balkh, of its capture, and of its entire destruction, with its twelve thousand mosques, by the Mogul army of five hundred thousand men commanded by Jengiz in person (in A.H. 608, A.D. 1211). Fourteen thousand copies of the Qur'an were destroyed, fifteen thousand students and professors of the law were slain, and two hundred thousand adult male inhabitants led out and shot to death with arrows.

Baha'u-'d-Din went from Bagdad to Mekka, [*1] performed the greater pilgrimage there, proceeding thence to Damascus, and next to Malatia (Melitene, on the Upper Euphrates), where, in A.H. 614 (A.D. 1217), he

heard of the death of Jengiz. The Seljuqi Sultan, 'Ala'u-'d-Din Keyqubad, was then sovereign of the land of Rome (Rum, i.e., Asia Minor), and was residing at Siwas (Sebaste). In A.H. 620 (A.D. 1223) Sultan Jelalu-'d-Din, the dispossessed monarch of Kh'arezm (Chorasmia) was killed in a battle fought by him in Azerbayjan (Atropatene) against the Sultans of Rome, Syria, and Egypt, when his forces were totally defeated. And thus ended that great dynasty, after ruling about a hundred and forty years.

Baha'u-'d-Din went from Malatia and remained four years near Erzinjan (the ancient Aziris, on the Western Euphrates), in Armenia, at a college built for him by a saintly lady, 'Ismet Khatun. She was the wife of the local sovereign, Melik Fakhru-'d-Din. She and her husband both died, and then Baha'u-'d-Din passed on to Larenda (in Cataonia), in Asia Minor, and remained there about seven years at the head of a college, the princess Melika'i-Jihan, his mother, being still with him.

Here it was that his younger son, Jelalu-'d-Din Muhammed, the future author of the Mesnevi, attained to man's estate, being then eighteen years old; when, in A.H. 623 (A.D. 1226), he married a young lady named Gevher Khatun, daughter of the Lala Sherefu-'d-Din, of Samarqand. She gave birth in due course to Jelal's eldest son, 'Ala'u-'d-Din.

The king had now returned to his capital, Qonya (the ancient Iconium). Hearing of Baha'u-'d-Din's great learning and sanctity, the king sent and invited him to the capital, where he installed him in a college, and soon professed himself a disciple. Many miracles are related as having been worked at Qonya by Baha'u-'d-Din, who at length died there on Friday, the 18th of Rebi'u-'l-akhir, A.H. 628 (February A.D. 1231). The Sultan erected a marble mausoleum over his tomb, on which this date is recorded. Many miracles continued to occur at this sanctuary. The Sultan died also a few years later, in A.H. 634 (A.D. 1236).

(After the death of Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, and the acquisition of still greater fame by his son Jelalu-'d-Din, who received the honorific title of Khudavendgar--Lord--the father was distinguished from the son, among the disciples, by the customary title of Mevlana Buzurg--the Greater or Elder Master. The traditions collected by Eflaki, relating to this period, vary considerably from one another on minor points of date and order of succession, though the main facts come out sufficiently clear.)

  

3.

Jelal's son, Sultan Veled, related to Eflaki that his father Jelal used frequently to say, "I and all my disciples will be under the protection of the Great Master, my father, on the day of resurrection; and under His guidance we shall enter the divine presence; God will pardon all of us for His sake."

  

4.

It is related that when the Great Master departed this life, his son, Jelalu-'d-Din, was fourteen years old. (This is apparently a copyist's error for "twenty-four." Jalal is said to have been born in A.H. 604--A.D. 1207.) He married when seventeen (or eighteen); and often did he say in the presence of the congregation of his friends, "The Great Master will remain with me a few years. I shall be in need of Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz (the capital of Azerbayjan); for every prophet has had an Abu-Bekr, as Jesus had His apostles."

  

5.

Shortly after the death of the Great Master Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, news was received by the Sultan 'Ala'u-'d-Din of Qonya of the arrival of Sultan Jelalu-'d-Din Kh'arezm-Shah on the borders of Asia Minor. The Sultan went and prayed at the tomb of the deceased saint, and then prepared to meet the Kh'arezmians, who were in the neighbourhood

of Erzenu-'r-Rum (Erzen of the Romans, the ancient Arzes, now Erzerum). Scouts brought in the intelligence that the Kh'arezmians were very numerous; and great anxiety prevailed among the Sultan's troops. He resolved to see for himself.

He put on a disguise and set out with a few followers, on fleet horses, for the Kh'arezmian camp. They gave out that they were nomad Turks of the neighbourhood, their ancestors having come from the Oxus; that latterly the Sultan had withdrawn his favour from them; and that, in consequence, they had for some time past been looking for the Kh'arezmian advent. This was reported to the king, Jelalu-'d-Din, who sent for them and received them kindly, giving them tents and assigning them rations.

During the night King Jelalu-'d-Din began to reflect that every one had hitherto spoken well of Sultan 'Ala'u-'d-Din, and a doubt arose in his mind in consequence respecting the story of these newcomers, especially as he learned that the Sultan was on his march to meet him. Consulting with the Prince of Erzenu-'r-Ram, further perquisition was postponed until the morrow.

But at midnight the deceased saint of Qonya, Baha-Veled, appeared in a dream to Sultan 'Ala'u-'d-Din, and warned him to fly at once. The Sultan awoke, found it was a dream, and went to sleep again. The saint now appeared a second time. The Sultan saw himself seated on his throne, and the saint coming to him, smiting him on the breast with his staff, and angrily saying, "Why sleepest thou? Arise!"

Now the Sultan did arise, quietly called his people, saddled horses, and stole away out of the camp. Towards morning King Jelal caused guards to be placed round the tents of the strangers to watch them. But afterwards, when orders were given to bring them to the king's presence to be questioned, their tents were found to be empty. Pursuit was attempted, but in vain.

After an interval the two armies came into collision. The Sultan of Qonya was victorious. From that time forward, whenever difficulties threatened, he always betook himself to the shrine of the saint, Baha Veled, who always answered his prayers.

(As Sultan Jelalu-'d-Din Kh'arezm-Shah has already been stated to have died in battle in Azerbayjan in A.D. 1223, whereas the saint of Qonya did not die until A.D. 1231, eight years afterwards, the discrepancy of that date with the present anecdote is irreconcilable.)

  

6.

The Great Master, Baha Veled, used to say that while he himself lived no other teacher would be his equal, but that when his son, Jelalu-'d-Din, should succeed him at his death, that son of his would equal and even surpass him:

  

7.

Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din Termizi [*1] is related to have said that one night the door of the mausoleum of Baha Veled opened of itself, and that a great glory shone forth from it, which gradually filled his house, so that no shadow fell from anything. The glory then gradually filled the city in like manner, spreading thence over the whole face of nature. On beholding this prodigy the Seyyid swooned away.

This vision is a sure indication that the whole human race will one day own themselves the disciples of the descendants of the great saint.

  

8.

Before he quitted Balkh, Baha Veled one day saw a man performing his devotions in the great mosque in his shirt sleeves, with his coat upon his back. Baha reproved him, telling him to put on his coat properly and decently,

then to continue his devotions. "And what if I will not?" asked the man in a disdainful tone. "Thy dead-like soul will obey my command, quit thy body, and thou wilt die!" answered Baha. Instantly the man fell dead; and crowds flocked to become disciples to the saint who spoke with such power and authority.

  

9.

When Sultan 'Ala'u-'d-Din had fortified Qonya, he invited Baha Veled to mount to the terraced roof of the palace, thence to survey the walls and towers. After his inspection, Baha remarked to the Sultan, "Against torrents, and against the horsemen of the enemy, thou hast raised a goodly defence. But what protection hast thou built against those unseen arrows, the sighs and moans of the oppressed, which overleap a thousand walls and sweep whole worlds to destruction? Go to, now! strive to acquire the blessings of thy subjects. These are a stronghold, compared to which the walls and turrets of the strongest castles are as nothing."

  

10.

On one occasion Sultan 'Ala'u-'d-Din paid a visit to Baha Veled. In lieu of his hand the latter offered the tip of his staff to be kissed by the Sultan, who thought within himself: "The proud scholar!" Baha read the Sultan's thoughts as a seer, and remarked in reply thereto: "Mendicant students are bound to be humble and lowly. Not so a Sultan of the Faith who has attained to the utmost circumference of the orbit thereof, and revolves therein."

  

11.

A certain Sheykh Hajjaj, a disciple of Baha Veled and one of God's elect not known to the herd of mankind, quitted the college after the decease of his teacher, and betook himself to his former trade of a weaver, therewith

to gain an honest livelihood. He used to buy the coarsest brown bread of unsifted flour, mash this up with water, and break his fast with this sop alone. All the rest of his earnings he saved up until they would reach to two or three hundred piastres. This sum he would then carry to the college, and place it in the shoes of his teacher's son, Jelalu-'d-Din, the new rector. This practice he continued so long as he lived.

At his death a professional washer was appointed to perform the last ablution for Sheykh Hajjaj. In the execution of his office the washer was about to touch the privities of the deceased, when the defunct seized his hand with so strong a grip as to make him scream with pain and fright. The friends came to rescue him, but they were unable to release the imprisoned hand. They therefore sent word to Jelalu-'d-Din of what had occurred. He came and saw, knew the reason, and whispered into the ear of the deceased man: "The poor simpleton has been unaware of the high station of thy sanctity. Pardon his unintentional transgression for my sake." Immediately the poor washer's hand was released; but three days afterwards he was himself washed and borne lifeless to his grave.

  

12.

The Sultan had a governor of his childhood still living, the Emir Bedru-'d-Din Guhertash, commonly known as the Dizdar (Castellan), whom he held in great esteem. One day, as Baha Veled was lecturing in the mosque, in presence of the Sultan and his court, he suddenly called upon the Dizdar to recite any ten verses of the Qur'an, saying he would then expound them to the congregation. The Dizdar had been admiring the eloquence of the preacher's expositions. Upon this sudden call, without the slightest hesitation and without ever having committed them to memory, he recited the first ten verses of chapter xxiii., "The believers have attained to prosperity," &c., which

 Baha forthwith explained in such a manner as to draw down the plaudits of the assembly. The Dizdar, with the Sultan's permission, went to the foot of the pulpit and declared himself a disciple to Baha. "Then," said the preacher, "as a thank-offering for this happy event, do thou build and endow a college where my descendants shall teach their disciples after me." The Dizdar did so, and richly endowed it. This is the college where Jelalu-'d-Din afterwards lived. When the Dizdar died he left all his possessions to enrich the foundation. (See chap. iii. No. 69.)

  

13.

The Sultan had a dream (something like one of Nebuchadnezzar's). He saw himself with a head of gold, a breast of silver, a belly of brass, thighs of lead, and shanks of tin. Baha Veled explained the dream as follows:--"All will go well in the kingdom during thy lifetime. It will be as silver in the days of thy son; as brass in the next generation, when the rabble will get the upper hand. Troubles will thicken during the next reign; and after that the kingdom of Rome will go to ruin, the house of Seljuq will come to an end, and unknown upstarts will seize the reins of government."



CHAPTER II.

Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din, Sirr-Dan, el Muhaqqiq, el Huseyni, of the posterity of Ya-Sin (Muhammed). [*1]

(HE is called Seyyid, the "Syud" of our East India authorities, for the reason that he was a descendant of the prophet, of whom Ya-Sin is one of the titles, as it is also the name of the thirty-sixth chapter of the Qur'an, at the head of which the two letters stand which form the name. Burhanu-'d-Din means The Proof of the Religion; Sirr-Dan signifies The Confidant, one who possesses a knowledge of a secret or secrets, a mystery or mysteries. Muhaqqiq is one who verifies, who probes the truth; and Huseyni indicates that the Seyyid was of the branch of Huseyn, the younger of the two sons of Fatima, Muhammed's only child that left posterity.)

  

1.

Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din was popularly known by the name of Sirr-Dan at Balkh, Bukhara, (Alexandria Oxiana?), and Termiz. His discourse was continually running upon the subjects of spiritual and mental phenomena, of the mysteries of earth and of heaven.

When Baha Veled quitted Balkh, the Seyyid went to Termiz, and there secluded himself as a hermit. After a while again he began to lecture in public on the significations of knowledge. Suddenly, one morning, that of Friday the 18th of Rebi'u-'l-akhir, A.H. 628 (February,

 1231 A.D.), he cried out most bitterly, in a flood of tears, "Alas! my master has passed away from this tabernacle of dust to the abode of sincerity!" His words and the date were noted down, and, on inquiry, after his arrival in Qonya, were found to correspond exactly with the moment of Baha Veled's decease.

  

2.

For forty days the disciples at Termiz mourned for the death of the great teacher. At the end of that period the Seyyid said: "The son of my master, his successor, Jelalu-'d-Din Muhammed, is left alone and is wishing to see me. I must go to the land of Rome and place myself at his service, delivering over to him the trust which my teacher confided to my safe-keeping."

  

3.

When the Seyyid reached Qonya, Baha Veled had been dead about a year, and Jelal had gone to Larenda. The Seyyid applied himself for several months to devotional seclusion in one of the mosques of Qonya; after which he sent off a letter to Jelal by the hands of two mendicants, saying: "Come and meet this stranger to thee at the resting-place of thy father, for Larenda is not a place of permanency for thee. From that hill (on which Baha's mausoleum was built) a fire will shower down on the city of Qonya."

After reading this epistle Jelal returned to Qonya with all possible despatch. There he went at once to visit the Seyyid, who came forth from the mosque to receive him. They embraced. They now entered into conversation on various subjects. So delighted was the Seyyid with the expositions set forth by Jelal that he kissed the soles of his feet, and exclaimed: "A hundredfold hast thou surpassed thy father in all knowledge of the humanities; but thy father was versed also in the mysteries of mute reality and ecstasy. From this day forward my desire is that

thou shouldest also acquire that knowledge,--the knowledge possessed by the prophets and the saints, which is entitled The Science of Divine Intuition--the science spoken of by God (in Qur'an xviii. 64): 'We have taught him a science from within us.' This knowledge did I acquire from my teacher; do thou receive it from me, so that thou mayest be the heir to thy father in spiritual matters as well as in things temporal. Thou wilt then be his second self."

Jelal complied with all the Seyyid pressed upon him. He took the Seyyid to his college, and for nine years received instruction from him. Some accounts make it appear that Jelal first became the Seyyid's disciple at this time; but others go to show that Baha Veled gave Jelal as a pupil to the Seyyid at Balkh, and that the Seyyid used now and then to carry Jelal about on his shoulders, like as is practised by the nursing-tutors--lala--of children. (Compare chap. iii., Nos. 6 and 8.)

  

4.

Husamu-'d-Din told us that Jelal had informed him of the following occurrence:--

The Seyyid once arrived at a certain city in Khurasan named Samanek. The chief people went forth to meet him and show him honour, all excepting the Sheykhu-'l-Islam of the place (the local vice-chancellor). Nevertheless the Seyyid went to pay his respects to the legal functionary. The latter went barefoot to the door of the house to meet the Seyyid, whose hand he kissed, and to whom he offered excuses for his seeming lack of courtesy.

In reply, the Seyyid said to him: "I am come to inform you that, on the 10th day of next month, Ramazan, you will have occasion to go forth to a hot-bath. On your way thither you will be assassinated by the emissaries of the Old Man of the Mountain. This I communicate to thee, that thou mayest set thy affairs in order, and repent thee of thy sins."

The Sheykhu-'l-Islam fell at the Seyyid's feet, wailing; but the latter remarked: "This is of no avail. Events are in God's hands, and He has so ordered it. Still, as thou showest so much contrition, I may add, for thy consolation, that thou wilt die in the faith, and shalt not be cut off from the divine mercy and grace."

And so it happened as thus predicted. The assassins took his life on the very day foretold by the Seyyid.

(The stronghold, Alamut, of the Old Man of the Mountain, was stormed by forces sent against it by Helagu, grandson of Jengiz, in about the year A.H. 654 (A.D. 1256). The last prince of the dynasty was sent to China, and there put to death by the emperor; and thus these detestable scourges of humanity were at length suppressed.)

  

5.

After a certain time the Seyyid asked permission of Jelal to go for a while to Qaysariyya (Caesarea), but Jelal could not spare him. So he remained at Qonya still.

Somewhat later a party of friends took the Seyyid out for a ride among the vineyards. The thought occurred to him that, without saying anything to anybody, he might now easily abscond and get away to Qaysariyya. Scarcely had he conceived this vagabond idea than his beast reared with him, threw him, and broke his leg. His friends raised him, set him again on his horse, and conducted him to a neighbouring country-house to which Jelal had also come.

On seeing Jelal the Seyyid exclaimed to him, "Is this the proper way to reward your teacher--to break his leg?" Jelal at once ordered the Seyyid's boot to be removed, and saw that his foot and toes were crushed. He now passed his hands along the injured limb and blew on it. The limb was at once restored whole. Jelal now granted permission, and the Seyyid forthwith proceeded to Qaysariyya.


6.

When the time was come that the Seyyid should die, he told his servant to prepare for him an ewer of warm water, and to go. The water was made ready, placed in the Seyyid's room, and the servant went forth. The Seyyid called after him: "Go and proclaim that the stranger Seyyid has departed to the other world." He then bolted the door, that none should enter to him.

The servant, however, had his curiosity excited by those words, and went back to the door, to listen and to see what might happen. Through a chink he saw his master perform an ablution, arrange his dress, lie down on his couch, and cry out: "All ye angels, saints, and heavens, who have at any time intrusted to me a secret, come to me now and receive back your charges. Ye are here all present."

He then recited the following hymn:--

	"God, my beloved, darling God, adored, to me incline;
	  My soul receive; intoxicate, release poor me distraught.
	  In Thee alone my heart finds peace; it fire with love divine;
	  Take it unto Thyself; to it both worlds are naught."

These were the Seyyid's last words, ere he yielded up his spirit. The servant carried the news to the Seyyid's friends, who gathered together, carried him forth, and buried him.

A mausoleum was raised over his grave by a rich and powerful disciple. The departed saint would not allow a cupola to stand. Twice the dome was shaken down by earthquakes, and in a dream the Seyyid himself forbade its third edification.

After the usual forty days of mourning, a letter was sent to Jelal, who at once journeyed from Qonya to Qaysariyya, and prayed at the tomb of his deceased teacher, returning home again afterwards.
 

CHAPTER III.

Mevlana Jelalu-'d-Din Muhammed, the Revered Mystery of God upon Earth. [*1]

JELaLU-'D-DiN is related to have been born at Balkh on the 6th of Rebi'u-'l-evvel, A.H. 604 (29th September 1207).

When five years old, he used at times to become extremely uneasy and restless, so much so that his attendants used to take him into the midst of themselves.

The cause of these perturbations was that spiritual forms and shapes of the absent (invisible world) would arise before his sight, that is, angelic messengers, righteous genii, and saintly men--the concealed ones of the bowers of the True One (spiritual spouses of God), used to appear to him in bodily shape, exactly as the cherubim and seraphim used to show themselves to the holy apostle of God, Muhammed, in the earlier days, before his call to the prophetic office; as Gabriel appeared to Mary, and as the four angels were seen by Abraham and Lot; as well as others to other prophets.

His father, Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, the Sultanu-'l-'Ulema, used on these occasions to coax and soothe him by saying: "These are the Occult Existences. They come to present themselves before you, to offer unto you gifts and presents from the invisible world."

These ecstasies and transports of his began to be publicly known and talked about; and the affectionately

honorific title of Khudavendgar, by which he is so often mentioned, was conferred upon him at this time by his father, who used to address him and speak of him by this title, as "My Lord."

  

2.

His son, Sultan Veled, related that there was a paper in the handwriting of his father, Baha Veled, which set forth that at Balkh, when Jelal was six years old, he was taking the air one Friday, on the terraced roof of the house, and reciting the Qur'an, when some other children of good families came in and joined him there.

After a time, one of these children proposed that they should try and jump from thence on to a neighbouring terrace, and should lay wagers on the result.

Jelal smiled at this childish proposal, and remarked: "My brethren, to jump from terrace to terrace is an act well adapted for cats, dogs, and the like, to perform; but is it not degrading to man, whose station is so superior? Come now, if you feel disposed, let us spring up to the firmament, and visit the regions of God's realm." As he yet spake, he vanished from their sight.

Frightened at Jelal's sudden disappearance, the other children raised a shout of dismay, that some one should come to their assistance; when lo, in an instant, there he was again in their midst; but with an altered expression of countenance and blanched cheeks. They all uncovered before him, fell to the earth in humility, and all declared themselves his disciples.

He now told them that, as he was yet speaking to them, a company of visible forms, clad in green raiment, had led him away from them, and had conducted him about the various concentric orbs of the spheres, and through the signs of the Zodiac, showing him the wonders of the world of spirits, and bringing him back to them so soon as their cries had reached his ears.

At that age, he was used not to break his fast more

often than once in three or four, and sometimes even seven, days.

  

3.

A different witness, a disciple of Jelal's father, related that Baha Veled frequently affirmed publicly that his Lord, Jelal, was of exalted descent, being of the lineage of a king, and also of an hereditary saint.

His maternal grandmother was a daughter of the great Imam Es-Sarakhsi [*1] (died at Damascus A.H. 571, A.D. 1175), who was of the lineage of the Prophet. The mother of Es-Sarakhsi was descended from the Caliph 'Ali; and Jelal's paternal grandmother was a daughter of the King of Kh'arezm, who resided at Balkh.

Jelal's paternal great-great-grandmother, also, the mother of Ahmed, El-Khatibi, grandfather of Jelal's father, was a daughter of a king of Balkh. These particulars establish that Jelal was well descended on both sides, in a mundane and in a spiritual sense. The well-known proverb--

	"Hereditary disposition ever insinuates itself,"

proved fully true in his most illustrious case.

  

4.

When Jelal was seven years old, he used every morning to recite the very short chapter, cviii., of the Qur'an--

"Verily we have given unto thee the abounding good. Therefore, do thou perform thy devotions unto thy Lord, and slaughter victims. Verily, he who evil entreateth thee is one who shall leave no issue after him."

He used to weep as he recited these inspired words.

Suddenly, God one day vouchsafed to appear to him visibly. On this he fainted away. Regaining consciousness, he heard a voice from heaven, that said--

"O Jelalu-'d-Din [*1] By the majesty (jelal) of Our glory, do thou henceforward cease to combat with thyself; for We have exalted thee to the station of ocular vision."

Jelal vowed, therefore, out of gratitude for this mark of grace, to serve the Lord to the end of his days, to the utmost of his power; in the firm hope that they who followed him would also attain to that high grade of favour and excellence.

  

5.

Two years after the death of his father, Jelal went from Qonya to Haleb (Aleppo) to study. (This account is altogether subversive, as to time and date, of that already given in chap. ii. No. 3.)

As he was known to be a son of Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, and was also an apt scholar, his professor showed him every attention.

Others were offended, and evinced their jealousy at the preference thus accorded to him. They complained to the governor of the city that Jelal was immoral, as he was in the habit, each night, of quitting his cell at midnight for some unknown purpose. The governor resolved to see and judge for himself. He therefore hid himself in the porter's room.

At midnight, Jelal came forth from his room, and went straight to the locked gate of the college, watched by the governor. The gate flew open; and Jelal, followed at a distance by the governor, went through the streets to the locked city gate. This, too, opened of itself; and again both passed forth.

They went on and came to the tomb of Abraham (at Hebron, about 350 miles distant), the "Friend of the All-Merciful." There a domed edifice was seen, filled with a large company of forms in green raiment, who came forth to meet Jelal, and conducted him into the building.

The governor hereupon lost his senses through fright, and did not recover until after the sun had risen.

Now, he could see nothing of a domed edifice, nor one single human being. He wandered about on a trackless

plain for three days and three nights, hungry, thirsty, and footsore. At length he sank under his sufferings.

Meanwhile, the porter of the college had given intelligence of the governor's pursuit after Jelal. When his officers found that he did not return, they sent a numerous party of guards to seek him. These, on the second day, met Jelal. He told them where they would find their master. The next day, late, they came up with him, found him to be nearly dead, and brought him home.

The governor became a sincere convert, and a disciple to Jelal for ever after.

(A parallel tale is told of Jelal's fetching water from the Tigris for his father by night when he was a little child at Bagdad. There, too, all the gates opened to him of themselves.)

  

6.

It is related that the Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din was often heard to narrate that, when Jelal was a child, the Seyyid was his governor and tutor. He had often taken Jelal up on his shoulder, and so carried him to the empyrean. "But now," he would add, "Jelal has attained to such eminence of station that he carries me up." These sayings of the Seyyid were repeated to Jelal, who confirmed them with the remark: "It is quite true; and a hundredfold more also; the services rendered to me by that man are infinite."

  

7.

When Jelal went to Damascus to study, he passed by Sis in Upper Cilicia. There, in a cave, dwelt forty Christian monks, who had a great reputation for sanctity, but in reality were mere jugglers.

On the approach of Jelal's caravan to the cave, the monks caused a little boy to ascend into the air, and there remain standing between heaven and earth.

Jelal noticed this exhibition, and fell into a reverie. Hereupon, the child began to weep and wail, saying that

the man in the reverie was frightening him. The monks told him not to be afraid, but to come down. "Oh!" cried the child, "I am as though nailed here, unable to move hand or foot."

The monks became alarmed. They flocked around Jelal, and begged him to release the child. After a time, he seemed to hear and understand them. His answer was: "Only through the acceptance of Islam by yourselves, all of you, as well as by the child, can he be saved."

In the end they all embraced Islam, and wished to follow Jelal as his disciples. He recommended them, however, to remain in their cave, as before, to cease from practising jugglery, and to serve God in the spirit and in truth. So he proceeded on his journey.

  

8.

Jelal remained seven years, or four years, at Damascus; and there he first saw his great friend Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz, clothed in his noted black felt and peculiar cap. Shems addressed him; but he turned away, and mixed in the crowd. Soon afterwards, he returned to Qonya by way of Qaysariyya. At this latter place, under the guiding supervision of his spiritual teacher, the Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din, Jelal fasted three consecutive periods of forty days each, [*1] with only a pot of water and two or three loaves of barley bread. He showed no signs of suffering. Burhan now pronounced him perfect in all science, patent and occult, human and spiritual. (Compare chap. ii. No. 3.)

  

9.

In the year A.H. 642 (A.D. 1244), Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz came to Qonya.

This great man, after acquiring a reputation of superior

sanctity at Tebriz, as the disciple of a certain holy man, a basket-maker by trade, had travelled about much in various lands, in search of the best spiritual teachers, thus gaining the nickname of Perenda (the Flier, Bird, &c.).

He prayed to God that it might be revealed to him who was the most occult of the favourites of the divine will, so that he might go to him and learn still more of the mysteries of divine love.

The son of Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, of Balkh, was designated to him as the man most in favour with God. Shems went, accordingly, to Qonya; arriving there on Saturday, the 26th of Jemada-'l-akhir, A.H. 642 (December A.D. 1244). He engaged a lodging at an inn, and pretended to be a great merchant. In his room, however, there was nothing but a broken water-pot, an old mat, and a bolster of unbaked clay. He broke his fast once in every ten or twelve days, with a damper soaked in broth of sheep's trotters.

One day, as he was seated at the gate of the inn, Jelal came by, riding on a mule, in the midst of a crowd of students and disciples on foot.

Shemsu-'d-Din arose, advanced, and took hold of the mule's bridle, addressing Jelal in these words: "Exchanger of the current coins of recondite significations, who knowest the names of the Lord! Tell me: Was Muhammed the greater servant of God, or Bayezid of Bestam?"

Jelal answered him: "Muhammed was incomparably the greater--the greatest of all prophets and all saints."

"Then," rejoined Shemsu-'d-Din, "how is it that Muhammed said: 'We have not known Thee, O God, as Thou rightly shouldest be known,' whereas Bayezid said: 'Glory unto me! How very great is my glory'?"

On hearing this question, Jelal fainted away. On recovering his consciousness, he took his new acquaintance home with him. They were closeted together for weeks or months in holy communications.

Jelal's disciples at length became impatient, raising a


fearful and threatening tumult; so that, on Thursday, the 21st of Shewwal, A.H. 643 (March A.D. 1246), Shemsu-'d-Din mysteriously disappeared; and Jelal adopted, as a sign of mourning for his loss, the drab hat and wide cloak since worn by the dervishes of his order.

It was about this time, also, that he first instituted the musical services observed by that order, as they perform their peculiar waltzing. All men took to music and dancing in consequence. Fanatics objected, out of envy. They said Jelal was gone mad, even as the chiefs of Mekka had said of old of the Prophet. His supposed malady was attributed to the malefic influence of Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz.

  

10.

The widow of Jelal, Kira (or Gira) Khatun, a model of virtue, the Mary of her age, is related to have seen, through a chink in the door of the room where he and Shems were closeted in spiritual communion, that the wall suddenly opened, and six men of majestic mien entered by the cleft.

These strangers, who were of the occult saints, saluted, bowed, and laid a nosegay at the feet of Jelal, although it was then in the depth of the midwinter season. They remained until near the hour of dawn worship, when they motioned to Shemsu-'d-Din to act as leader on the occasion of the service. He excused himself, and Jelal performed the office. The service of worship over, the six strangers took leave, and passed out by the same cleft in the wall.

Jelal now came forth from the chamber, bringing the nosegay in his hand. Seeing his wife in the passage, he gave her the nosegay, saying that the strangers had brought it as an offering to her.

The next day, she sent her servant, with a few leaves from her nosegay, to the perfumers' mart of the city, to inquire what might be the flowers composing it, as she had never seen their like before. The merchants were all equally astonished; no one had ever seen such leaves.

At length, however, a spice merchant from India, who was then sojourning in Qonya, saw those leaves, and knew them to be the petals of a flower that grows in the south of India, in the neighbourhood of Ceylon.

The wonder now was: How did these Indian flowers get to Qonya; and in the depth of winter, too?

The servant carried the leaves back, and reported to his lady what he had learnt. This increased her astonishment a hundredfold. Just then Jelal made his appearance, and enjoined on her to take the greatest care of the nosegay, as it had been sent to her by the florists of the lost earthly paradise, through those Indian saints, as a special offering.

It is related that she preserved them as long as she lived, merely giving a few leaves, with Jelal's express permission, to the Georgian wife of the king. If any one suffered with any disease of the eyes, one leaf from that nosegay, applied to the ailing part, was an instant cure. The flowers never lost their fragrance or freshness. What is musk compared with such?

  

11.

To prove that man lives through God's will alone, and not by blood, Jelal one day, in the presence of a crowd of physicians and philosophers, had the veins of both his arms opened, and allowed them to bleed until they ceased to flow. He then ordered incisions to be made in various parts of his body; but not one drop of moisture was anywhere obtainable. He now went to a hot bath, washed, performed an ablution, and then commenced the exercise of the sacred dance.

  

12.

One of Jelal's disciples died, and there was a consultation among his friends as to whether he should be buried in a coffin or without one.

Another disciple, after Jelal had been consulted, and had

told them to do as they pleased, made the observation that it would be better to bury their relative without a coffin. On being asked why, he answered: "A mother can better nurse her child, than can her child's brother. The earth is the mother of the human race, and the wood of a coffin is also the earth's child; therefore, the coffin is the man's brother. Man's corpse should be committed, then, not to a coffin, but to mother earth, his loving, affectionate parent."

Jelal expressed his admiration for this apposite and sublime doctrine, which, he said, was not to be found written in any then extant book.

The name of the disciple who made this beautiful remark was Kerimu-'d-Din, son of Begh-Timur.

  

13.

Many of the chief disciples of Jelal have related that he himself explained to them, as his reasons for instituting the musical service of his order, with their dancing, the following reflections:--

"God has a great regard for the Roman people. In answer to a prayer of the first Caliph, Abu-Bekr, God made the Romans a chief receptacle of His mercy; and the land of the Romans (Asia Minor) is the most beautiful on the face of the earth. But the people of the land were utterly void of all idea of the riches of a love towards God, and of the remotest shade of a taste for the delights of the inner, spiritual life. The great Causer of all causes caused a source of affection to arise, and out of the wilderness of causelessness raised a means by which I was attracted away from the land of Khurasan to the country of the Romans. That country He made a home for my children and posterity, in order that, with the elixir of His grace, the copper of their existences might be transmuted into gold and into philosopher-stone, they themselves being received into the communion of saints. When I perceived that they had no inclination for the practice of religious

austerities, and no knowledge of the divine mysteries, I imagined to arrange metrical exhortations and musical services, as being captivating for men's minds, and more especially so for the Romans, who are naturally of a lively disposition, and fond of incisive expositions. Even as a sick child is coaxed into taking a salutary, though nauseous medicine, so, in like manner, were the Romans led by art to acquire a taste for spiritual truth."

  

14.

As an instance of the great value attached to the poetry of Jelal, the following anecdote is related:--

Shemsu-'d-Din Hindi, Prince of Shiraz in the province of Fars, Southern Persia), wrote a flattering letter to the renowned poet, Sheykh Sa'di, of Shiraz (who lived A.H. 571-691, A.D. 1175-1291, and was consequently a contemporary of Jelal's), begging him to select the best ode,, with the most sublime thoughts, that he knew of as existing in Persian, and to send it to him, for presentation to the great Khan of the Moguls (who then ruled over nearly all Asia).

It so happened that the ode by Jelal had just become known at Shiraz, which commences:--

	"Divine love's voice each instant left and right is heard to sound,
	  We're bound for heaven. To witness our departure who'll be found'?"

This ode had captivated the minds of all the men of culture in the city; and this ode Sa'di selected, wrote it out, and sent it to the prince, with the remark: "A monarch, of auspicious advent, has sprung up in the land of Rome, from whose privacy these are some of the breathings. Never have more beautiful words been uttered, and never will be. Would that I could go to Rome, and rub my face in the dust under his feet!"

The prince thanked Sa'di exceedingly, and sent him valuable presents in return. Eventually, Sa'di did go to

 "Rome," arrived in Qonya, and had the gratification to kiss the hand of Jelal. He was well received in that city by the dervish circle.

The prince was himself a disciple of Sheykh .... 'd-Din, of Bakharz (in Khurasan, about midway between Turshiz and Herat), to whom he sent a copy of the ode, to learn what the Sheykh would think of it. All the learned men of Bakharz assembled round the Sheykh. He read the ode attentively, and then burst out into exclamations of the wildest delight and most fervid admiration, rending his garments, and acting as though mad. At length he calmed down and said: "O wonderful man! O thou champion of the Faith! Thou pole of the heavens and of the earth! Verily, thou art a wonderful Sultan, who hast appeared on earth! In good sooth, all the Sheykhs of bygone ages who were seers, have been frustrated in not having seen this man! They would have supplicated the Lord of Truth to allow them to meet him! But it was not to be; and this mercy will last until the end of time, as has been sung:--

	"A fortune, by the men of ancient times in dreams long sought,
	  Has been vouchsafed to modern men; without their efforts caught."

"One ought to put on ironed shoes, and take in hand an ironed staff, to set out at once and visit this great light. I make it a legacy to all my friends to do so without the least delay, if they have the means and the strength, so as to achieve the happiness and secure the honour of making the acquaintance of this prince, so obtaining the grace and favour of hearing him. His father, Baha Veled, and his ancestors, were great Sheykhs and most illustrious; their great progenitor having been the first Caliph, Abu-Bekr, the glorious Confirmer of the truth spoken by the Apostle of God. I am myself old and infirm, unequal to the fatigues of travel. Otherwise, I would have walked, not on the soles of my feet, but on the tips of my great toes, to visit that eminent man."

The Sheykh's eldest son, Muzahhiru-'d-Din, was there present. To him the Sheykh addressed himself, saying: "My son, I do hope that thy eyes will behold this sacred visage; and, if God so will, convey to him my salutation and my respects."

After the death of the old man, his son went to Rome, had the felicity to see Jelal, and presented his father's message. He returned to Bakharz; but it is said that a son of his lies buried at Qonya.

  

15.

Kira Khatun, the widow of Jelal, is reported to have related to a friend that there was in their household a candlestick of the height of a man, before which Jelal used to stand on foot the night through, until daydawn, studying the writings of his father.

One night, a company of the genii, dwellers in the college where Jelal and his wife lived, appeared to her in a body, to complain of the great inconvenience and suffering to which they were subjected by this practice of Jelal's, and saying: "We can put up with it no longer. Take care, lest we do a mischief to some one in the college."

The lady reported this complaint of the genii to her husband. He merely smiled, and took no further notice of the matter for several days.

At the end of that time, however, he spoke of it, and told his wife to trouble herself no more about the threat of the genii, as he had converted them all. They had become disciples of his, and would certainly do no harm to any friend or dependent of their teacher.

  

16.

It was related by one of the chief of Jelal's disciples, a butcher by trade, a trainer of dogs for the chase, and a purveyor of horses of the best kind, which he used to sell to princes and grandees at high prices, that, at a certain

time, Jelal was much exercised by visions from the spiritual world, so that for forty days he was as though beside himself, passing through the streets with his head bare, and his turban twisted round his neck.

After that, he came suddenly one day, bathed in perspiration, to the butcher, and said he wanted a certain unbroken horse to be saddled for him immediately. The butcher, with the help of three stable-men, managed with the utmost difficulty to saddle the horse and bring him out. Jelal mounted him without opposition, and set off in a southerly direction. The butcher asked whether he should accompany him, and Jelal replied: "Give me your prayers and holy good wishes."

In the evening Jelal returned covered with dust. The poor horse, though of gigantic frame, was reduced to mere skin and bone, being nearly broken-backed with fatigue.

The next day he came again, and asked for another horse, better than the one of yesterday, mounted it, and rode off. He returned at the hour of sunset devotions, and this horse also was reduced to a pitiable condition. The butcher dared not offer a word of remonstrance.

On the third day he came again, mounted a third horse, and returned as before, at sunset. He sat down now in the most composed manner possible, and called out cheerily: "Good news! Glad tidings, O ye of the Faith! That dog of hell has gone back to his pit of fire!"

The butcher was too much astonished at his manner to feel any inclination to inquire what these words might mean; but a certain number of days afterwards, a large caravan came into Qonya from Syria, and brought news that the Mogul army had besieged Damascus, and had reduced it to straits.

Helaw Khan (Holagu, Helagu) had taken Bagdad in A.H. 655 (A.D. 1257-58). Two years later, A.H. 657 (A.D. 1259-60), he advanced against Aleppo and Syria, sending his general, Ketbuga, against Damascus with a numerous army. He laid siege to the city. But the inhabitants

witnessed, with their very own eyes, that Jelal came and joined himself there to the forces of Islam. He inflicted defeat on the Mogul forces, who were compelled to retreat, totally frustrated.

The butcher was overjoyed at this welcome intelligence, and went forthwith to communicate the news to Jelal. The latter smilingly replied: "Yes, yes! Jelalu-'d-Din was the horseman who obtained a victory over the enemy, and showed himself a Sultan in the eyes of the people of Islam." On hearing this, his disciples rent the air with their shouts of joy and triumph, and the townspeople of Qonya decked out and illuminated the city, holding public rejoicings.

This miracle of power became noised abroad, and everywhere Jelal's friends and adherents were transported with ecstasy at its occurrence.

  

17.

On one occasion a rich merchant of Tebriz came to Qonya. He inquired of his agents there who was the most eminent man of learning and piety in the city, as he wished to go and pay his respects to him. He remarked to them: "It is not merely for the sake of making money that I travel about in every country on earth; I desire also to make the acquaintance of every man of eminence I can find in each city."

His correspondents told him that the Sheykhu-'l-Islam of the capital had a great reputation for learning and piety, and that they would be proud to present him to that celebrated luminary. Accordingly, he selected a number of rarities from among his store, to the value of thirty sequins; and the party set out to visit the great lawyer.

The merchant found the dignitary lodged in a great palace, with guards at the gate, crowds of servants and attendants in the courtyard, and eunuchs, pages, grooms, ushers, chamberlains, and the like, in the halls.

Turning to his conductors, he expressed some doubt as

to whether they had not, by mistake, brought him to the king's palace. They quieted his fears, and led him into the presence of the great fountain of legal erudition. He felt a very great dislike for all he saw; and he remarked to his friends: "A great lawyer is never anything the worse for possessing a clear conscience. A physician may himself indulge in sweetmeats; but he does not prescribe them to a patient suffering with fever."

He now offered his presents; and then inquired of the great lawyer whether he could solve a doubt under which he was then labouring. This he stated as follows:--"Of late, I have been sustaining a series of losses. Can you indicate a way by which I may escape from that unfortunate position? I give, every year, the fortieth part of my liable possessions to the poor; and I distribute alms besides, to the extent of my power. I cannot conceive, therefore, why I am unfortunate."

Other remarks he made also to the same effect. They appeared to be lost on the great luminary, who affected to be otherwise preoccupied. At length the merchant took leave without obtaining a solution to his difficulty.

The day following he inquired of his friends whether there did not chance to be, in the great city, some poor mendicant of exemplary piety, to whom he might offer his respects, and from whom he might, haply, learn what he longed to know, together with advice that would be of service to him. They answered: "Just such a man as thou describest is our Lord, Jelalu-'d-Din. He has forsaken all pleasures, save only his love towards God. Not only has he given up all concern for worldly matters, he has also renounced all care as to a future state. He passes his nights, as well as his days, in the worship of God; and he is a very ocean of knowledge in all temporal and spiritual subjects."

The Tebriz merchant was enchanted with this information. He begged to see that holy man, the bare mention of whose virtues had filled him with delight. They

accordingly conducted him to the college of Jelal, the merchant having privately furnished himself with a rouleau of fifty sequins in gold as his offering to the saint.

When they reached the college, Jelal was sitting alone in the lecture-hall, immersed in the study of some books. The party made their obeisances, and the merchant felt himself completely overpowered at the aspect of the venerable teacher; so that he burst .into tears, and could not utter a word. Jelal addressed him, therefore, as follows:--

"The fifty sequins thou hast provided as thy offering are accepted. But better for thee than these are the two hundred sequins thou hast lost. God, whose glory be exalted, had determined to visit thee with a sore judgment and a heavy trial; but, through this thy visit here, He hath pardoned thee, and the trial is averted from thee. Be not dismayed. From this day forth thou shalt not suffer loss; and that which thou hast already suffered shall be made up to thee."

The merchant was equally astonished and delighted at these words; more so, however, when Jelal proceeded with his discourse: "The cause and reason of thy bygone losses and misfortunes was, that, on a certain day thou wast in the west of Firengistan (Europe), where thou wentest into a certain ward of a certain city, and there sawest a poor Firengi (European) man, one of the greatest of God's cherished saints, who was lying stretched out at the corner of a market-place. As thou didst pass by him, thou spattest on him, evincing aversion from him. His heart was grieved by thy act and demeanour. Hence the visitations that have afflicted thee. Go thou, then, and make thy peace with him, asking his forgiveness, and offering him our salutations."

The merchant was petrified at this announcement. Jelal then asked him: "Wilt thou that we this instant show him to thee?" So saying, he placed his hand on the wall of the apartment, and told the merchant to

behold. Instantly, a doorway opened in the wall, and the merchant thence perceived that man in Firengistan, lying down in a market-place. At this sight he bowed down his head and rent his garments, coming away from the saintly presence in a state of stupor. He remembered all these incidents as facts.

Immediately commencing his preparations, he set out without delay, and reached the city in question. He inquired for the ward he wished to visit, and for the man whom he had offended. Him he discovered lying down, stretched out as Jelal had shown him. The merchant dismounted from his beast, and made his obeisance to the prostrate Firengi dervish, who at once addressed him thus: "What wilt thou that I do? Our Lord Jelal suffereth me not; or otherwise, I had a desire to make thee see the power of God, and what I am. But now, draw near."

The Firengi dervish then clasped the merchant to his bosom, kissed him repeatedly on both cheeks, and then added: "Look now, that thou mayest see my Lord and Teacher, my spiritual Master, and that thou mayest witness a marvel." The merchant looked. He saw the Lord Jelal immersed in a holy dance, chanting this hymn, and entranced with sacred music:--

	"His kingdom's vast and pure; each sort its fitting place finds there;
	  Cornelian, ruby, clod, or pebble be thou on His hill.
	  Believe, He seeks thee; disbelieve, He'll haply cleanse thee fair;
	  Be here a faithful Abu-Bekr; Firengi there; at will."

When the merchant happily reached Qonya on his return, he gave the salutations of the Firengi saint, and his respects, to Jelal; and distributed much substance among the disciples. He settled at Qonya, and became a member of the fraternity of the Pure Lovers of God.

  

18.

Jelal was one day passing by a street, where two men were quarrelling. He stood on one side. One of the

men called out to the other: "Say what thou will; thou shalt hear from me a thousandfold for every word thou mayest utter."

Hereupon Jelal stepped forward and addressed this speaker, saying: "No, no! Whatsoever thou have to say, say it to me; and for every thousand thou mayest say to me, thou shalt hear from me one word."

On hearing this rebuke, the adversaries were abashed, and made their peace with one another.

  

19.

One day, a very learned professor brought all his pupils to pay their respects to Jelal.

On their way to him, the young men agreed together to put some questions to Jelal on certain points of Arabic grammar, with the design of comparing his knowledge in that science with that of their professor, whom they looked upon as unequalled.

When they were seated, Jelal addressed them on various fitting subjects for a while, and thereby paved the way for the following anecdote

"An ingenuous jurist was once travelling with an Arabic grammarian, and they chanced to come to a ruinous well.

The jurist hereupon began to recite the text (of Qur'an xxii. 44): And of a ruined well.'

"The Arabic word for 'well' he pronounced 'bir,' with the vowel long. To this the grammarian instantly objected, telling the jurist to pronounce that word with a short vowel and hiatus--bi'r, so as to be in accord with the requirements of classical purity.

"A dispute now arose between the two on the point. It lasted all the rest of the day, and well on into a pitchy dark night; every author being ransacked by them, page by page, each sustaining his own theory of the word. No conclusion was arrived at, and each disputant remained of his own opinion still.

"It so happened in the dark, that the grammarian slipped

into the well, and fell to the bottom. There he set up a wail of entreaty: 'O my most courteous fellow-traveller, lend thy help to extricate me from this most darksome pit.'

"The jurist at once expressed his most pleasurable willingness to lend him that help, with only one trifling condition--that he should confess himself in error, and consent to suppress the hiatus in the word 'bi'r.' The grammarian's answer was 'Never.' So in the well he remained."

"Now," said Jelal, "to apply this to yourselves. Unless you will consent to cast out from your hearts the 'hiatus' of indecision and of self-love, you can never hope to escape from the noisome pit of self-worship,--the well of man's nature and of fleshly lusts. The dungeon of Joseph's well' in the human breast is this very 'self-worship;' and from it you will not escape, nor will you ever attain to those heavenly regions--'the spacious land of God'" (Qur'an iv. 99, xxix. 56, xxxix. 13).

On hearing these pregnant words, the whole assembly of undergraduates uncovered their heads, and with fervent zeal professed themselves his spiritual disciples.

  

20.

There was a great and good governor (apparently) of Qonya, of the name of Mu'inu-'d-Din, whose title was the Perwana (moth or fly-wheel, viz., of the far-distant Mogul Emperor, resident at the court of the king). He was a great friend to the dervishes, to the learned, and to Jelal, whose loving disciple he was.

One day, a company of the dervishes and learned men united in extolling the Perwana to the skies, in Jelal's presence. He assented to all they advanced in that respect, and added: "The Perwana merits a hundredfold all your eulogiums. But there is another side to the question, which may be exemplified by the following anecdote:--

"A company of pilgrims were once proceeding towards

 Mekka, when the camel of one of the party fell down in the desert, totally exhausted. The camel could not be got to rise again. Its load was, therefore, transferred to another beast, the fallen brute was abandoned to its fate, and the caravan resumed its journey.

"Ere long the fallen camel was surrounded by a circle of ravenous wild beasts,--wolves, jackals, &c. But none of these ventured to attack hint. The members of the caravan became aware of this singularity, and one of them went back to investigate the matter. He found that an amulet had been left suspended on the animal's neck; and this he removed. When he had retreated to a short distance, the hungry brutes fell upon the poor camel, and soon tore him piecemeal."

"Now," said Jelal, "this world is in an exactly similar category with that poor camel. The learned of the world are the company of pilgrims, and our (Jelal's) existence among them is the amulet suspended round the neck of the camel--the world. So long as we remain so suspended, the world will go on, the caravan will proceed. But so soon as the divine mandate shall be spoken: 'O thou submissive spirit, come thou back to thy Lord, content and approved' (Qur'an lxxxix. 2 7-8), and we be removed from the neck of the world-camel, people will see how it shall fare with the world, how its inhabitants shall be driven,--what shall become of its sultans, its doctors, its scribes."

It is said that these words were spoken a short time before Jelal's death. When he departed this life, not much time elapsed ere the Sultan, with many of his great men of learning and nobles, followed him to the grave, while troubles of all kinds overwhelmed the land for a season, until God again vouchsafed it peace.

  

21.

During one of his expositions, Jelal said: "Thou seest naught, save that thou seest God therein."

A dervish came forward and raised the objection that

the term " therein " indicated a receptacle, whereas it could not be predicated of God that He is comprehensible by any receptacle, as this would imply a contradiction in terms. Jelal answered him as follows:--

"Had not that unimpeachable proposition been true, we had not proffered it. There is therein, forsooth, a contradiction in terms; but it is a contradiction in time, so that the receptacle and the recepted may differ,--may be two distinct things; even as the universe of God's qualities is the receptacle of the universe of God's essence. But, these two universes are really one. The first of them is not He; the second of them is not other than He. Those, apparently, two things are in truth one and the same. How, then, is a contradiction in terms implied? God comprises the exterior and the interior. If we cannot say He is the interior, He will not include the interior. But He comprises all, and in Him all things have their being. He is, then, the receptacle also, comprising all existences, as the Qur'an (xli. 54) says: 'He comprises all things.'"

The dervish was convinced, bowed, and declared himself a disciple.

  

22.

Jelal was one day seated in the shop of his great disciple the Goldbeater, Salahu-'d-Din; and was surrounded by a circle of other disciples, listening to his discourse; when an old man came rushing in, beating his breast, and uttering loud lamentations. He entreated Jelal to help him in his endeavours to recover his little son, a child seven years old, lost for several days past, in spite of every effort made to find him.

Jelal expressed his disapprobation at the extreme importance the old man appeared to attach to his loss; and said: "Mankind in general have lost their God. Still, one does not hear that they go about in quest of Him, beating their breasts and making a great noise. What, then, has happened to thee so very particular, that thou

makest all this fuss, and degradest thyself, an elder, by these symptoms of grief for the loss of a little child? Why seekest thou not for a time the Lord of the whole world, begging assistance of Him, that peradventure thy lost Joseph may be found, and thou be comforted, as was Jacob on the recovery of his child?"

The old man at once followed Jelal's advice, and begged forgiveness of God. Just then, news was brought him there that his son had been found. Many who were witnesses of these circumstances became devoted followers of Jelal.

  

23.

Jelal was one day lecturing, when a young man of distinction came in, pushed his way, and took a seat higher up than an old man, one of the audience.

Jelal at once remarked: "In days of yore it was the command of God, that, if any young man should take precedence of an elder, the earth should at once swallow him up; such being the divine punishment for that offence. Now, however, I see that young men, barely out of leading-strings, show no respect for age, but trample over those in years. They have no dread of the earth's swallowing them up, nor any fear of being transformed into apes. [*1] It happened, however, that one morning the Victorious Lion of God, 'Ali, son of Abu-Talib, was hasting from his house to perform his devotions at dawn in the mosque of the Prophet. On his way, he overtook an old man, a Jew, who was going in the same direction. The future Caliph, out of innate nobility and politeness of nature, had respect for the Jew's age, and would not pass him, though the Jew's pace was slow. When 'Ali reached the mosque, the Prophet was already bowed down in his devotions; and was about to chant the 'Gloria;' but, by God's command, Gabriel came down, laid his hand on the Prophet's shoulder, and stopped him, lest 'Ali should lose

the merit attaching to his being present at the opening of the dawn service; for it is more meritorious to perform that early service once, than to fulfil the devotions of a hundred years at other hours of the day. The Prophet has said: 'The first act of reverence at dawn worship is of more value than the world and all that is therein.'

"When the Apostle of God had concluded his worship, offered up his customary prayers, and recited his usual lessons from the Qur'an, he turned, and asked of Gabriel the occult cause of his interruption at that time. Gabriel replied that God had not seen fit that 'Ali should be deprived of the merit attaching to the performance of the first portion of the dawn worship, through the respect he had shown to the old Jew he had overtaken, but whom he would not pass.

"Now," remarked Jelal, "when a saint like 'Ali showed so much respect for a poor old misbelieving Jew, and when God viewed his respectful consideration in so highly favourable a manner, you may all infer how He will view any honour and veneration shown to an elderly saint of approved piety, whose beard has grown grey in the service of God, and whose companions are the elect of their Maker, whose chosen servant he is; and what reward He will mete out in consequence. For, in truth, glory and power belong to God, to the Apostle, and to the believers, as God hath Himself declared (Qur'an lxiii. 8): 'Unto God belongeth the power, and to the apostle, and to the believers.'

"If then," added he, "ye wish to be prosperous in your affairs, take fast hold on the skirts of your spiritual elders. For, without the blessing of his pious elders, a young man will never live to be old, and will never attain the station of a spiritual elder."

  

24.

One day Jelal took as his text the following words (Qur'an xxxi. 18):--"Verily, the most discordant of all

sounds is the voice of the asses." He then put the question: "Do my friends know what this signifies?"

The congregation all bowed, and entreated him to expound it to them. Jelal therefore proceeded:--

"All other brutes have a cry, a lesson, and a doxology, with which they commemorate their Maker and Provider. Such are, the yearning cry of the camel, the roar of the lion, the bleat of the gazelle, the buzz of the fly, the hum, of the bee, &c.

"The angels in heaven, and the genii, have their doxologies also, even as man has his doxology--his Magnificat, and various forms of worship for his heart (or mind) and for his body.

"The poor ass, however, has nothing but his bray. He sounds this bray on two occasions only: when he desires his female, and when he feels hunger. He is the slave of his lust and of his gullet.

"In like manner, if man have not in his heart a doxology for God, a cry, and a love, together with a secret and a care in his mind, he is less than an ass in God's esteem; for He has said (Qur'an vii. 178): 'They are like the camels; nay, they are yet more erring.'" He then related the following anecdote:--

"In bygone days there was a monarch, who, by way of trial, requested another sovereign to send him three things, the worst of their several kinds that he could procure; namely, the worst article of food, the worst dispositioned thing, and the worst animal.

"The sovereign so applied to sent him some cheese, as the worst food; an Armenian slave, as the worst-dispositioned thing; and an ass, as the worst of animals. In the superscription to the epistle sent with these offerings, the sovereign quoted the verse of Scripture pointed out above."

  

25.

On a certain day, the Lord Jelalu-'d-Din went forth to the country residence of the saint Husamu-'d-Din, riding

on an ass. He remarked: "This is the saddle-beast of the righteous. Several of the prophets have ridden on asses: as Seth, Ezra, Jesus, and Muhammed."

It so chanced that one of his disciples was also mounted on an ass. The creature suddenly began to bray; and the rider, annoyed at the occurrence, struck the ass on the head several times.

Jelal remonstrated: "Why strike the poor brute? Strikest thou him because he bears thy burden? Returnest thou not thanks for that thou art the rider, and he the vehicle? Suppose now, which God forbid, that the reverse were the case. What wouldst thou have done? His cry arises from one or the other of two causes, his gullet or his lust. In this respect, he shares the common lot of all creatures. They are all continually thus actuated. All, then, would have to be scolded and beaten over the head."

The disciple was abashed. He dismounted, kissed the hoof of his ass, and caressed him.

  

26.

On a certain occasion, one of his disciples complained to Jelal of the scantiness of his means and the extent of his needs. Jelal answered: "Out upon thee! Get thee gone! Henceforward, count me not a friend of thine; and so, peradventure, wealth may come to thee." He then related the following anecdote:--

"It happened, once, that a certain disciple of the Prophet said to him: 'I love thee!' The Prophet answered: 'Why tarriest thou, then? Haste to put on a breastplate of steel, and set thy face to encounter misfortunes. Prepare thyself, also, to endure straitness, the special gift of the friends and lovers (of God and His Apostle)!"

Another anecdote, also, he thus narrated: "A Gnostic adept once asked of a rich man which he loved best, riches or sin. The latter answered that he loved riches

best. The other replied: 'Thou sayest not the truth. Thou better lovest sin and calamity. Seest thou not that thou leavest thy riches behind, whilst thou carriest thy sin and thy calamity about with thee, making thyself reprehensible in the sight of God! Be a man! Exert thyself to carry thy riches with thee, and sin not; since thou lovest thy riches. What thou hast to do is this: Send thy riches to God ere thou goest before Him thyself; peradventure, they may work thee some advantage; even as God hath said (Qur'an lxxiii. 20): 'And that which ye send before, for your souls, of good works, shall ye find with God. He is the best and the greatest in rewarding.'"

  

27.

It is related that one day the Perwana, Mu'inu-'d-Din, held a great assembly in his palace. To this meeting were collected together all the Doctors of the Law, the Sheykhs, the men of piety, the recluses, and the strangers who had congregated from various lands.

The chiefs of the law had taken their places in the highest seats. The Perwana had had a great desire that Jelal should honour the assembly with his presence. He had a son-in-law, Mejdu-'d-Din, governor to the young princes, the sons of the king. This son-in-law of his was a disciple of Jelal's, and a man of very eminent qualities, with great faith in his teacher. He offered to go and invite Jelal to the meeting.

Hereupon, the arch-sower of doubts and animosities in the human breast spread among the chiefs of the law, there present, the suspicion that, if Jelal should come, the question of precedence would arise: "Where should he be seated?" They all agreed that they were themselves in their proper places, and that Jelal must find a seat where he could.

Mejdu-'d-Din delivered the Perwana's courteous message to his teacher. Jelal, inviting Husamu-'d-Din and others of his disciples to accompany him, set out for the Perwana's

palace. The disciples went on a little ahead, and Jelal brought up the procession.

When Husam entered the apartment of the Perwana, all present rose to receive him, making room for him in the upper seats. Lastly, Jelal made his appearance.

The Perwana and other courtiers crowded forward to receive Jelal with honour, and kissed His Lordship's blessed hands with reverence, expressing regret that he had been put to inconvenience by his condescension. He returned compliment for compliment, and was shown upstairs.

On reaching the assembly room, he saw that the grandees had occupied the whole of the sofa, from end to end. He saluted them, and prayed for God's grace to be showered upon them; seating himself then in the middle of the floor. Husamu-'d-Din immediately rose from his seat, descended from the sofa, and took a place by the side of Jelal.

The grandees of the assembly now arose also, excepting those who, in spite and pride, had formed the confederacy mentioned above. These kept their seats. Some of them were of the greatest eminence in learning; and one, especially, was not only very learned, but also eloquent, witty, and bold?

He, seeing what had taken place, and that all the men of rank had quitted the sofa, to seat themselves on the floor, asked in a jocose manner: "Where, according to the rules of the Order, is the chief seat in an assembly?"

Some one answered him: "In an assembly of the learned, the chief seat is in the middle of the sofa, where the professor always sits." Another added: "With recluses, the cell of solitude is the chief seat." A third said: "In the convents of dervish brethren, the chief seat is the lower end of the sofa, where, in reality, people put off their shoes."

After these remarks, some one present, as an experiment, asked Jelal, saying: "In your rule and opinion, where is

the chief seat?" His answer was: "The chief seat is that where one's beloved is found." The interrogator now asked: "And where is your beloved?" Jelal replied: "Thou must be blind, not to see."

Jelal then arose, and began to sing. Many joined; and the singing became so enthusiastic, that the nobles rent their garments.

It so happened that, after Jelal's death, this interlocutor of his went to Damascus, and there became blind. Friends flocked to visit him, and to condole with him. He wept bitterly, and cried aloud: "Alas, alas! what have I not suffered? That very moment, when Jelal gave me that fatal answer, a black veil seemed to fall down over my eyes, so that I could not distinguish objects clearly, or their colours. But I have hope and faith in him, that, out of his sublime generosity, he will yet take pity on me, and pardon my presumption. The goodness of the saints is infinite; and Jelal himself hath said: 'Despair not because of one sin; for the ocean of divine mercy accepteth penitence.'"

The foregoing incident is also related with the following variation:--

Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz had just then returned to Qonya, and was among those who accompanied Jelal to the Perwana's palace, sitting down near him on the floor. When the question was put: "Where is your beloved?" Jelal arose, and cast himself on the breast of Shems. That occurrence it was that made Shems, from that time forward, a man of mark in all Qonya.

  

28.

There was in Qonya a great physician, of eminence and ability, who used occasionally to visit Jelal.

On one of those days, Jelal requested him to prepare seventeen purgative draughts by a certain time, propitious for taking medicine, as that number of his friends required them.

When the specified time came, Jelal went to the physician's house, and received the seventeen draughts. He immediately began, and, in the physician's presence, drank off the whole seventeen in succession, thence returning home.

The physician followed him there, to render the assistance he felt sure would be wanted. He found Jelal seated as usual, in perfect health, and lecturing to his disciples. On inquiring how he felt, Jelal answered, in the words so often repeated in the Qur'an (ii. 23, &c.): "Beneath which rivers flow." The physician recommended Jelal to abstain from water. Jelal instantly ordered ice to be brought and broken up small. Of this he swallowed an inordinate quantity, while the physician looked on.

Jelal then went to a hot-bath. After bathing, he began to sing and dance; continuing in those exercises three whole days and nights, without intermission.

The physician declared this to be the greatest miracle ever wrought by prophet or by saint. With his whole family, and with many of the greatest in the medical profession, he joined himself to the multitude of Jelal's disciples of the most sincere.

  

29.

The Perwana is related to have said publicly, in his own palace, that Jelal was a matchless monarch, no sovereign having ever appeared in any age like unto him; but that his disciples were a very disreputable set.

These words were reported to them, and the company of disciples were greatly scandalised at the imputation. Jelal sent a note to the Perwana, of which the following is the substance:--

"Had my disciples been good men, I had been their disciple. Inasmuch as they were bad, I accepted them as my disciples, that they might reform and become good,

 --of the company of the righteous. By the soul of my father, they were not accepted as disciples, until God had made Himself responsible that they would attain to mercy and grace, admitted among those accepted of Him. Until that assurance was given, they were not received by me, nor had they any place in the hearts of the servants of God. 'The sons of grace are saved; the children of wrath are sick; for the sake of Thy mercy, we, a people of wrath, have come to Thee.'"

When the Perwana had read and considered these words, he became still more attached to Jelal; arose, came to him, asked pardon, and prayed for forgiveness of God, distributing largely of his bounty among the disciples.

  

30.

Another great and good man once observed: "Jelal is a great saint and a sovereign; but he must be dragged forth from among his disciples." This was reported to Jelal, who smiled, and said: "If he can!"

Soon afterwards he added: "Why, then, is it that my followers are looked upon with spite by the men of the world? It is because they are beloved of God, and favourably regarded by Him. I have sifted all mankind; and all have fallen through my sieve, excepting these friends of mine. They have remained. My existence is the life of my friends, and the existence of my friends is the life of the men of the world, whether they know this, or whether they ignore it."

  

31.

There was a young merchant, whose house was near Jelal's college, and who had professed himself a sincere and ardent disciple.

He conceived a desire and intention to make a voyage to Egypt; but his friends tried to dissuade him. His intention was reported to Jelal, who strictly and rigorously prohibited his undertaking the voyage.

The young man could not divest himself of his desire, and had no peace of mind; so one night he clandestinely stole away, and went off to Syria. Arrived at Antioch, he embarked in a ship, and set sail. As God had willed, his ship was taken by Firengi pirates. He was made prisoner, and was confined in a deep dungeon, where he had a daily portion of food doled out to him, barely sufficient to keep his body and soul together.

He was thus kept imprisoned forty days, during which he wept bitterly, and reproached himself for having been disobedient to the injunction of Jelal; saying: "This is the reward of my crime. I have disobeyed the command of my sovereign, following after my own evil propensity."

Precisely on the night of the fortieth day, he saw Jelal in a dream, who addressed him, and said: "To-morrow, to whatever questions these misbelievers may ask thee, do thou return the answer: 'I know.' By that means shalt, thou be released." He awoke bewildered, returned thanks to Heaven, and sat down in holy meditation, awaiting the solution of the dream.

Shortly, he saw a company of Firengi people come to him, with whom was an interpreter. They asked him: "Knowest thou aught of philosophy, and canst thou practise therapeutics? Our prince is sick." His answer was: "I know."

They immediately took him out of the pit, led him to a bath, and dressed him in a handsome vestment of honour. They then conducted him to the residence of the sick man.

The young merchant, inspired of God, ordered them to bring him seven fruits. These he prepared with a little scammony, and made the whole into a draught, which he administered to the patient.

By the grace of God, and the intercession of the saints, his treatment was crowned with success, after two or three visits. The Firengi prince recovered; and by reason that the favour of Jelal was upon that young merchant, though

he was utterly illiterate, he became a philosopher. Jelal assisted him.

When the Firengi prince had entirely recovered his health, and had arisen from his sick-bed, he told the young merchant to ask of him whatsoever he might wish. He asked for his freedom, and for leave to return home, that he might rejoin his teacher. He then related all that had befallen him;--his disobedience, his vision, and the assistance of Jelal. The whole audience of Firengis, without sight of Jelal, became believers in him, and wooers of him.

They set the young merchant free, and allowed him to depart, bestowing on him rich presents and a bountiful outfit.

On his arrival at the metropolis, before going to his own house, he hastened to pay his respects to Jelal. On beholding the sacred features from afar, he threw himself on the earth, embraced Jelal's two feet, kissed them, rubbed his face upon them, and wept. Jelal raised him, kissed both his cheeks, and said: "It was a narrow escape through thy curing the Firengi prince. Thou didst abscond; but henceforward, do thou remain at home, and occupy thyself in earning what is lawful. Take contentment as thy exemplar. The sufferings of the sea, the commotion of the ship, the calamity of captivity, and the darkness of the dungeon, are so many evils. Contentment is a very blessing from God."

  

32.

Jelal one day was going from his college into the town, when by chance he met a Christian monk, who made him an obeisance. Jelal asked him which was the elder, himself or his beard. The monk replied: "I am twenty years older than my beard. It came forth that number of years later." Jelal answered him "Then I pity thee. Thy young beard has attained to maturity, whereas thou hast remained immature, as thou wast. Thou art as black,

and as weak, and as untutored as ever. Alas for thee, if thou change not, and ripen not 1"

The poor monk at once renounced his rope girdle, threw it away, professed the faith of Islam, and became a believer.

  

33.

A company of black-habited ones (Christian priests or monks) chanced to meet Jelal one day, as they came from a distant place. When his disciples espied them afar off, they expressed their aversion from them by exclaiming: "O the dark-looking, disagreeable things!"

Jelal remarked: "In the whole world, none are more generous than they are. They have given over to us, in this life, the faith of Islam, purity, cleanliness, and the various modes of worshipping God; while, in the world to come, they have left to us the everlasting abodes of paradise, the large-eyed damsels, and the pavilions, as well as the sight of God, of which they will enjoy no share; for God hath said (Qur'an vii. 48): 'Verily God hath made both of them forbidden things to the misbelievers!' They walk in darkness and misbelief, willingly incurring the torments of hell. But, let only the sun of righteousness rise upon them suddenly, and they will become believers."

Being now come near enough, they all made their obeisances to Jelal, entered into conversation with him, and professed themselves true Muslims. Jelal now turned to his disciples, and added: "God swallows up the darkness in the light, and the light in the darkness. He also makes in the darkness a place for the light." The disciples bowed, and rejoiced.

  

34.

A certain well-known disciple related that, on one occasion, Jelal and his friends went forth to the country-seat of Husam, and there held a grand festival of holy

music and dancing until near daybreak. Jelal then left off, to give his followers a little rest.

They dispersed about the grounds; and the narrator took a seat in a spot from whence he could see and observe Jelal. The others all fell asleep; but he occupied himself with reflections on the miracles performed by various of the prophets and of the saints. He thought to himself: "I wonder whether this holy man works miracles. Of course he does; only, he keeps the fact quiet, to avoid the inconveniences of notoriety."

Hardly had the thought crossed his mind, when Jelal called him by name. On his approaching Jelal, the latter stooped, picked up a pebble from the earth, placed it on the back of his own hand, and said to him: "Here, take this; it is thy portion; and be thou one of the thankful" (Qur'an vii. 141).

The disciple examined the pebble by the light of the moon, and saw that it was a large ruby, exceedingly clear and brilliant, not to be found in the treasuries of kings.

Utterly astounded, he shrieked out, and swooned away; awaking the whole company with his shout; for he was a very loud-voiced man. On recovery, he told the others what had occurred. He also expressed to Jelal his contrition for the temerity of his reflections.

Jelal told him to carry the stone to the queen, and to mention how he had become possessed of it. The queen accepted it, had it valued, and gave to him a hundred and eighty thousand pieces of silver in return, besides rich gifts. She also distributed presents to all the members of the fraternity.

  

35.

A certain sheykh, son of a sheykh, and a man of great reputation for learning, came to Qonya, and was respect- fully visited by all the people of eminence residing there.

It so happened that Jelal and his friends were gone that day to a mosque in the country; and the new-comer,

offended at Jelal's not basting to visit him, made the remark in public: "Has Jelal never heard the adage: 'The newly-arrived one is visited'?"

One of Jelal's disciples chanced to be present, and heard this remark. On the other hand, Jelal was expounding sublime truths in the mosque to his disciples, when suddenly he exclaimed, "My dear brother! I am the newly-arrived one, not thou. Thou and those like thee are bound to visit me, and so gain honour to yourselves."

All his audience were surprised at this apostrophe; wondering to whom it was addressed. Jelal then spake a parable: "One man came from Bagdad, and another went forth out of his house and ward; which of the two ought to pay the first visit to the other?"

All agreed in opinion that the man from Bagdad ought to be visited by the other. Then Jelal explained, thus: "In reality, I am returned from the Bagdad of nulliquity, whereas this dearly beloved son of a sheykh, who has come here, has gone forth from a ward of this world. I am better entitled, therefore, to be visited than is he. I have been hymning in the Bagdad of the world of spirits the heavenly canticle: 'I am the Truth,' since a time anterior to the commencement of the present war, ere the truth obtained its victory." The disciples expressed their concurrence, and rejoiced exceedingly.

By and by, the sheykh's son was informed of this wonder. He at once arose, went on foot to visit Jelal, uncovered his head, and owned that Jelal was right. He further declared himself Jelal's disciple, and said: "My father enjoined me to put on ironed sandals, taking an iron-shod staff in my hand, and go forth in quest of Jelalu-'d-Din, since it is a duty of all to visit and reverence him who has spoken the truth and reposes on the truth. But the majesty of Jelal is a hundredfold greater than what my father explained to me."

36.

Jelal once commanded one of his attendants to go and arrange a certain matter. The attendant answered: "God willing."

Upon this, Jelal was wroth, and shouted to him: "Stupid, garrulous fool!" The attendant fainted and foamed at the mouth.

The disciples interceded. Jelal expressed his forgiveness; and the attendant recovered.

  

37.

On the occasion of a grand religious commemoration at the house of the Perwana, in the presence of the Sultan Ruknu-'d-Din, this monarch was taken unwell, and the exercises were suspended, only, one of the disciples continued to sing and shout.

The Sultan remarked: "How ill-behaved is that man! Does he pretend to be more ecstatic than his teacher Jelalu-'d-Din?"

Jelal heard this, and answered the king: "Thou art unable to withstand an attack of fever. How then canst thou expect a man devoured with an enthusiasm that threatens to swallow up even heaven itself, to calm down on a sudden?"

When the disciples heard this, they set up a shout; and the Sultan, after himself witnessing one or two of the mighty signs wrought by Jelal, made his obeisance to him, and became a disciple.

  

38.

It has been related by some that the final overthrow of the rule of the Seljuqi dynasty in Asia Minor (in A.H. 700, A.D. 1300, was in this manner:--

The Sultan Ruknu-'d-Din had adopted Jelal as his (spiritual) father. After a while, he held a great dervish

festival in the palace. But, about that period, a certain Sheykh Baba had created for himself a great name in Qonya, and certain intriguers had led the king to visit him.

It was shortly after that visit that the king held the revival in honour of Baba in the Hall of the Bowls.

The sheykh was met and introduced in state by the court officials, and was then installed on the throne, with the Sultan seated on a chair by his side. Jelal now made his appearance, saluted, and took his seat in a corner of the hall. Portions of the Qur'an were recited, and exhortations were delivered, with hymns.

The Sultan then turned to Jelal, and spoke: "Be it known to the Lord Jelal, to the Doctors of the Law, and to the grandees, that I have adopted the Sheykh Baba as my, (spiritual) father, who has accepted me as his dutiful and affectionate son."

All present shouted their approval, and prayed for a blessing on the arrangement. But Jelal, burning with divine jealousy, instantly exclaimed (in words traditionally related of the prophet, Muhammed): "Verily, Sa'd is a jealous man; but I am more jealous than Sa'd; and God is still more jealous than I am." To this he further added: "Since the Sultan has made the sheykh his father, we will make some other our son." So saying, he gave his usual religious shout of ecstasy, and stalked out from the assembly.

Husamu-'d-Din related that he saw the Sultan, when Jelal thus quitted the presence, turn pale, as though shot with an arrow.

The grandees ran to stop Jelal; but he would not return.

A few days afterwards, the officers of state adopted the resolution to invite the Sultan to go to another city, that they might take measures to get rid of Sheykh Baba. The Sultan now went to consult Jelal, and ask for his blessing before setting out. Jelal advised him not to go. The

matter had, however, been officially promulgated, and there was no possibility to alter arrangements.

On arriving at the other town, the Sultan was conducted to a private apartment, and forthwith strangled with a bowstring. Ere his breath failed, he invoked the name of Jelal.

At that moment Jelal was at his college, lost to consciousness in the enthusiasm of a musical service. Suddenly, he put his two forefingers into his two ears, and ordered the trumpets and chorus to join in. He then shouted vociferously, and recited aloud two of his own odes, of which one commences thus:

	"My words were: 'Go not; I'm thy friend; the world is rife
	  With threats of dire destruction; I'm the Fount of Life."

.         .         .         .         .         .

When the service was over, the disciples requested Jelal's son, Sultan Veled, to inquire of his father what all this might signify. In reply, he merely put off his cloak, and said aloud: "Let us perform the service for the burial of the dead."

He acted as Precentor in the service, and all present joined in. Then, without waiting for his son to put any question, he addressed the assembly, saying: "Yea, Baha'u-'d-Din and my friends! They have strangled the poor Sultan Ruknu-'d-Din. In his agony, he called on me, and shrieked. God had so ordained. I did not wish his voice to ring in my ears, and interrupt my devotions. He will fare better in the other world."

(There is a serious anachronism in the foregoing account. Sultan Ruknu-'d-Din, whose name was Suleyman son of Key-Khusrew, was put to death by order of the Mogul emperor Abaqa Khan, in A.H. 664 (A.D. 1265), thirty-six years before the final extinction of the dynasty by order of Qazan Khan, between Abaqa and whom no less than four emperors reigned. Besides this, Jelal himself died in A.H. 672 (A.D. 1273), twenty-seven years before the last of the Seljuqi sovereigns, Key-Qubad son of Ferramurz

son of Key-Kawus, was slaughtered, together with all living members of the race. Historians differ much respecting the names and order of succession of the last sovereigns of the dynasty; and the present anecdote shows how confused had become on the spot the legend of these puppets. Ruknu-'d-Din caused his own brother to be poisoned, as he had become jealous of the favour shown to that brother by the Mogul emperor. His own death was the reward of that act.)

  

39.

One day, in lecturing on self-abasement and humility, Jelal spake a parable from the trees of the field, and said: "Every tree that yields no fruit, as the pine, the cypress, the box, &c., grows tall and straight, lifting up its head on high, and sending all its branches upwards; whereas all the fruit-bearing trees droop their heads, and trail their branches. In like manner, the Apostle of God was the most humble of men. Though he carried within himself all the virtues and excellencies of the ancients and of the moderns, he, like a fruitful tree, was more humble, and more of a dervish, than any other prophet. He is related to have said: 'I am commanded to show consideration to all men, to be kind to them; and yet, no prophet was ever so ill-treated by men as I have been.' We know that he had his head broken, and his teeth knocked out. Still he prayed: 'O our Lord God, guide Thou my people aright; for they know not what they do.' Other prophets have launched denunciations against the people to whom they were sent; and certainly, none have had greater cause to do so, than Muhammed."

	"Old Adam's form was moulded first of clay from nature's face;
	  Who's not, as mire, low-minded's not true son of Adam's race."

In like manner, Jelal also had the commendable habit to show himself humble and considerate to all, even the lowest; especially so to children, and to old women. He

used to bless them; and always bowed to those who bowed to him, even though these were not Muslims.

One day he met an Armenian butcher, who bowed to him seven times. Jelal bowed to him in return. At another time he chanced upon a number of children who were playing, and who left their game, ran to him, and bowed. Jelal bowed to them also; so much so, that one little fellow called out from afar: "Wait for me until I come." Jelal moved not away, until the child had come, bowed, and been bowed to.

At that time, people were speaking and writing against him. Legal opinions were obtained and circulated, to the effect that music, singing, and dancing, are unlawful. Out of his kindly disposition, and love of peace, Jelal made no reply; and after a while all his detractors were silenced, and their writings clean forgotten, as though they had never been written; whereas, his family and followers will endure to the end of time, and will go on increasing continually.

  

40.

Jelal once wrote a note to the Perwana, interceding for a disciple who had been involved in an act of homicide, and had taken refuge in the house of another.

The Perwana demurred; saying it was a very grave matter, a question of blood. Jelal thereupon facetiously replied: "A homicide is popularly termed 'a son of 'Azra'il (the angel of death).' Being such, what on earth is he to do, unless he kill some one?"

This repartee so pleased the Perwana, that he pardoned the culprit, and paid himself to the heirs of the slain man the price of his blood.

  

41.

Jelal one day went forth and preached in the market. Crowds collected round him. But he continued until night fell around him; so he was at length left alone.

The dogs of the market-place now collected in a circle about him, wagging their tails and whining.

Seeing this, Jelal exclaimed: "By the Lord, the Highest, the Strongest, the All-Compelling One, besides whom none is high, or strong, or powerful! These dogs comprehend my discourse, and the truths I expound. Men call them dogs; but henceforward let them not be so termed. They are of the family of the 'Seven Sleepers.'" [*1]

  

42.

The Perwana much wished Jelal to give him private instruction at his palace; and requested Jelal's son, Sultan Veled, to intercede for him in the matter; which he did.

Jelal replied to his son: "Baha'u-'d-Din! He cannot bear that burden." This was thrice repeated. Jelal then remarked to his son: "Baha'u-'d-Din! A bucket, the water of which is enough for forty, cannot be drained by one."

Baha made the reflection: "Had I not pressed the matter, I had never heard this wonderful saying."

  

43.

At another time, the Perwana, through Baha'u-'d-Din, requested Jelal to give a public lecture to all the men of science of the city, who were desirous to hear him.

His answer was: "A tree laden with fruit, had its branches bowed down to the earth therewith. At the time, doubts and gainsayings prevented the gardeners from gathering and enjoying the fruit. The tree has now raised its head to the skies, and beyond. Can they hope, then, to pluck and eat of its fruit?"

  

44.

Again, the Perwana requested Jelal himself to instruct him and give him counsel.

After a little reflection, Jelal said: "I have heard that

thou hast committed the Qur'an to memory. Is it so?" "I have." "I have heard that thou hast studied, under a great teacher, the Jami'u-'l-Usul, that mighty work on the 'Elements of Jurisprudence.' Is it so?" "It is."

"Then," answered Jelal, "thou knowest the Word of God, and thou knowest all the words and acts reported of His Apostle. But thou settest them at naught, and attest not up to their precepts. How, then, canst thou expect that words of mine will profit thee?"

The Perwana was abashed, and burst into tears. He went his way; but from that day he began to execute justice, so as to become a rival of the great Chosroes. He made himself the phoenix of the age, and Jelal accepted him as a disciple.

  

45.

A company of pilgrims arrived one year at Qonya from Mekka, on their way home elsewhere. They were taken in succession to visit all the chief men of rank and learning in the capital, and were received with every demonstration of respect.

At last they were conducted to Jelal also, in his college. On seeing him seated there, they all screamed out and fainted away.

When they were recovered, Jelal began to offer excuses, saying to them: "I fear you have been deceived, either by an impostor, or by some person resembling me in feature. There are men who strongly resemble one another."

The pilgrims one and all objected: "Why talks he thus? Why strive to make us doubt our eyes? By the God of heaven and earth, he was with us in person, habited in the very dress he now wears, when we all assumed the pilgrim garb at Mekka. He performed with us all the ceremonies of the pilgrimage, there and at 'Arafat. [*1] He visited with us the tomb of the Prophet at Medina; though

he never once ate or drank with us. Now he pretends that he does not know us or we know him."

On hearing this declaration, Jelal's disciples were transported with joy, a musical festival ensued, and all those pilgrims became disciples.

  

46.

A certain rich merchant of Qonya, a disciple, as was his wife, of Jelal's, went to Mekka one year for the pilgrimage.

On the day when the victims are slaughtered, the lady had a dish of sweetmeat prepared, and sent some of it in a china bowl to Jelal, to be eaten at dinner. She made the request that, when he partook of the food, he would favour her absent husband with his remembrance, his prayers, and his blessing.

Jelal invited his disciples to the feast; and all ate of the lady's sweetmeat to repletion. But the bowl still remained full.

Jelal then said: "Oh, he too must partake of it." He took the bowl, ascended to the terraced roof of the college with it, returning immediately empty-handed. His friends asked him what he had done with the bowl and the food. "I have handed them," said Jelal, "to her husband, whose property they are." The company remained bewildered.

In due course of time, the pilgrims from Qonya returned home from Mekka; and out of the baggage of the merchant, the china bowl was produced, and sent in to the lady, who was much astonished at sight of it. She inquired of her husband how he had become possessed of that identical dish. He replied: "Ah! I also am at a loss to know how it happened. But, on the eve of the slaughter of the victims, I was seated in my tent, at 'Arafat, with a company of other pilgrims, when an arm projected into the tent, and placed this dish before me, filled with sweetmeat. I sent out servants to see who had brought it to me; but no one was found." The lady at once inferred
the truth, and guessed what had happened. Her husband was more and more astonished at such miraculous power.

Next day, husband and wife went to Jelal, stood bareheaded before him, wept for joy, and related what had occurred. He answered:

"The whole thing is the effect of your trust and belief. God has merely made use of my hand as the instrument wherewith to make manifest His power."

  

47.

Jelal was accustomed to go every year for about six weeks to a place near Qonya, called "The Hot Waters," where there is a lake or marsh inhabited by a large colony of frogs.

A religious musical festival was arranged one day near the lake, and Jelal delivered a discourse. The frogs were vociferous, and made his words inaudible. He therefore addressed himself to them, with a loud shout, saying: "What is all this noise about? Either do you pronounce a discourse, or allow me to speak." Complete silence immediately ensued; nor was a frog ever once heard to croak again, so long as Jelal remained there.

Before leaving, he went to the marsh, and gave them his permission to croak again now as much as they pleased. The chorus instantly began. Numbers of people, who were witnesses of this miraculous power over the frogs, became believers in Jelal, and professed themselves his disciples.

  

48.

A party of butchers had purchased a heifer, and were leading her away to be slaughtered, when she broke loose from them, and ran away, a crowd following and shouting after her, so that she became furious, and none could pass near her.

By chance Jelal met her, his followers being at some distance behind. On beholding him, the heifer became

calm and quiet, came gently towards him, and then stood still, as though communing with him mutely, heart to heart, as is the wont with saints; and as though pleading for her life. Jelal patted and caressed her.

The butchers now came up. Jelal begged of them the animal's life, as having placed herself under his protection. They gave their consent, and let her go free.

Jelal's disciples now joined the party, and he improved the occasion by the following remarks:--"If a brute beast, on being led away to slaughter, break loose and take refuge with me, so that God grants it immunity for my sake, how much more so would the case be, when a human being turns unto God with all his heart and soul, devoutly seeking Him. God will certainly save such a man from the tormenting demons of hell-fire, and lead him to heaven, there to dwell eternally."

Those words caused such joy and gladness among the disciples that a musical festival, with dancing, at once commenced, and was carried on into the night. Alms and clothing were distributed to the poor singers of the chorus.

It is related that the heifer was never seen again in the meadows of Qonya.

  

49.

A meeting was held at the Perwana's palace, each guest bringing his own waxlight of about four or five pounds' weight. Jelal came to the assembly with a small wax-taper.

The grandees smiled at the taper. Jelal, however, told them that their imposing candles depended on his taper for their light. Their looks expressed their incredulity at this. Jelal, therefore, blew out his taper, and all the candles were at once extinguished; the company being left in darkness.

After a short interval, Jelal fetched a sigh. His taper took fire therefrom, and the candles all burnt brightly as

before. Numerous were the conversions resulting from this miraculous display.

  

50.

One day, the poet-laureate, Qani'i, came to visit Jelal at his college. He was the very Khaqani [*1] of the age, and was accompanied by a crowd of noble admirers.

After much conversation, Qani'i remarked that he did not like the writings of the poet Sana'i, [*2] and Jelal inquired the reason. The poet-laureate replied: "Sana'i was not a Muslim." Again Jelal asked why he had formed that opinion; and Qani'i replied: "He has quoted passages from the Qur'an in his poetry, and has even used them as his rhymes."

Jelal hereupon rebuked him most severely, as follows:--

"Do hold thy peace. What sort of a Muslim art thou? Could a Muslim perceive the grandeur of that poet, his hair would stand on end, and his turban would fall from his head. That Muslim, and thousands such as he,--such as thee,--out of this lower world, and out of the land of spirits, would become real Muslims. His poetry, which is an exposition of the mysteries of the Qur'an, is so beautifully embellished, that one may apply to it the adage: 'We have drawn from the ocean, and we have poured out again into the ocean.' Thou hast not understood his philosophy; thou hast not studied it; for thou art a Qani'i (Follower of one who is satisfied). The vicars of God have a technology, of which the rhetoricians have no knowledge. Hence these truths appear to be imperfect, because men of crude minds are prevented from comprehending them. Though thou hast no part in the lot of the recondite mysteries of the saints, it does not thence follow that thou shouldest deny their position, and so place thyself in a position where destruction may be

brought down upon thee. On the contrary, shouldest thou fix thy faith upon them, and act with true sincerity, thou shalt find in the day of judgment no heavy burden on thy shoulders. In lieu thereof, a burden-bearer will be present at thy side,--a refuge, who will prove thy most earnest intercessor."

Struck with these words, the poet-laureate arose, uncovered, begged forgiveness, confessed contrition for his disrespect, and became one of Jelal's disciples.

  

51.

A disciple of Husamu-'d-Din wished to make a vow never to do an act not expressly authorised by the Canon Law of Islam. For the purpose of administering the oath to him, instead of the Qur'an, a copy of the Ilahi-nama (Divine Hymns) of the philosopher Sana'i was placed on a lectern, covered over with a cloth, and tendered as "the Book" on which he was to swear.

Just then, Jelal came into the room, and asked what was going on. Husam replied: "One of my disciples is going to make a vow against backsliding. We shrank from swearing him on the Qur'an, and have therefore prepared a copy of the Ilahi-nama for the occasion."

Jelal observed: "Indeed! Why, the Ilahi-nama would draw down on a forswearer a more severe chastisement than the Qur'an itself. The Word of God is but milk, of which the Ilahi-nama is the cream and the butter!"

  

52.

When Adam was created, God commanded Gabriel to take the three most precious pearls of the divine treasury, and offer them in a golden salver to Adam, to choose for himself one of the three.

The three pearls were: wisdom, faith, and modesty.

Adam chose the pearl of wisdom.

Gabriel then proceeded to remove the salver with the remaining two pearls, in order to replace them in the

divine treasury. With all his mighty power, he found he could not lift the salver.

The two pearls said to him: "We will not separate from our beloved wisdom. We could not be happy and quiet away from it. From all eternity, we three have been the three compeers of God's glory, the pearls of His power. We cannot be separated."

A voice was now heard to proceed from the divine presence, saying: "Gabriel! leave them, and come away."

From that time, wisdom has taken its seat on the summit of the brain of Adam; faith took up its abode in his heart; modesty established itself in his countenance. Those three pearls have remained as the heirlooms of the chosen children of Adam. For, whoever, of all his descendants, is not embellished and enriched with those three jewels, is lacking of the sentiment and lustre of his divine origin.

So runs the narrative reported by Husam, Jelal's successor, as having been imparted to him by the latter.

  

53.

A certain flute-player named Hamza, much beloved by Jelal, happened to die. Jelal sent some of his disciples to array the defunct in his grave-clothes. He himself followed them to the house of the deceased.

On entering the room, Jelal addresses the dead body: "My dear friend Hamza, arise!" Instantly, the deceased arose, saying: "Lo, here I am!" He then took his flute, and for three whole days and nights a religious festival was kept up in his house.

Above a hundred Roman misbelievers were thereby converted to the faith of Islam. When Jelal left the house, life departed from the corpse also.

  

54.

Among the disciples there was a hunchback, a devout man, and a player on the tambourine, whom Jelal loved.

On the occasion of a festival, this poor man beat his tambourine and shouted in ecstasy to an unusual degree. Jelal was also greatly moved in the spirit with the holy dance.

Approaching the hunchback, he said to him: "Why erectest thou not thyself like the rest?" The infirmity of the hunch was pleaded. Jelal then patted him on the back, and stroked him down. The poor man immediately arose, erect and graceful as a cypress.

When he went home, his wife refused him admittance, denying that he was her husband. His companions came, and bare witness to her of what had happened. Then she was convinced, let him in, and the couple lived together for many years afterwards.

  

55.

It was once remarked to Jelal, with respect to the burial service for the dead, that, from the earliest times, it had been usual for certain prayers and Qur'anic recitations to be said at the grave and round the corpse; but, that people could not understand why he had introduced into the ceremony the practice of singing hymns during the procession towards the place of burial, which canonists had pronounced to be a mischievous innovation.

Jelal replied: "The ordinary reciters, by their services, bear witness that the deceased lived a Muslim. My singers, however, testify that he was a Muslim, a believer and a lover of God."

He added also: "Besides that; when the human spirit, after years of imprisonment in the cage and dungeon of the body, is at length set free, and wings its flight to the source whence it came, is not this an occasion for rejoicings, thanks, and dancings? The soul, in ecstasy, soars to the presence of the Eternal; and stirs up others to make proof of courage and self-sacrifice. If a prisoner be released from a dungeon and be clothed with honour, who would doubt that rejoicings are proper? So, too, the death of a saint is an exactly parallel case.

  

56.

One of Jelal's chief disciples related that, when he first began to study under that teacher, a company of pilgrims from Mekka came to Qonya, and among them was a very handsome young man of this latter city, son to one of the chief professors there.

This young man brought rich presents to Jelal, and gifts for the disciples, relating to the latter the following adventure:--

"We were travelling in the desert of Arabia, and I chanced to fall asleep. The caravan went on without me. When I awoke, I found myself alone in the trackless sands. I knew not which way to turn. I wept and lamented for a considerable time, took a direction at hazard, and walked until I was thoroughly exhausted.

"To my surprise and joy I espied a large tent at a distance, with a great smoke rising by it. I made for the tent, and there encountered a most formidable-looking personage, to whom I related my misadventure. He bid me welcome, asked me in, and invited me to rest myself. Within the tent I observed a large kettle, full of fresh-cooked sweetmeat of the finest kind, and a plentiful supply of cool clear water.

"My wonder was great. I asked my host what these preparations might mean, and he answered: "I am a disciple of the great Jelalu-'d-Din of Qonya, son of Baha'u-'d-Din of Balkh. He is used to pass by here every day. I have therefore pitched this tent for him, and I prepare this food. Perchance, he may honour and bless me with his presence, partaking of hospitality here.'

"As he yet spake, in walked Jelal. We saluted; and he was begged to partake of the food. He took a little morsel, no larger than a filbert, giving me some also. I fell at his feet, and told him I was from Qonya on pilgrimage, and had missed the caravan by falling asleep. 'Well,' answered he, 'as we are fellow-townsmen, be of

good cheer.' He then bade me close my eyes. I did so; and on opening them again I found myself in the midst of my companions of the caravan. I am now come here, on my return home in safety, to offer my thanks for that miraculous kindness, and to profess myself a disciple of the holy man."

  

57.

A man of great learning came once to visit Jelal. By way of a test, he asked Jelal two questions: "Is it correct to speak of God as 'a living soul?' since God hath said (Qur'an iii. 182): 'Every living soul shall taste death!'" and: "If one ought not to call God 'a living soul,' what did Jesus mean when he said (Qur'an v. 116): 'Thou knowest what is in my soul, but I know not what is in Thy soul'?" The second question was: "Can God properly be called 'a thing'? If He can be so called, what is the signification of His word (Qur'an xxviii. 88): Every thing shall perish, save His cause'?"

Jelal immediately replied: "'But I know not what is in Thy soul' means in Thy knowledge, in Thy absentness, or, as we seers say, in Thy secrecy. Thus the passage would be paraphrased: Thou knowest what is in my secrecy; but I know not what is in the secret of Thy secrecy; or, as 'the people of heart' would put it: Thou knowest what issues from me in the world; but I know not the secret of what issues from Thee in the world to come. It is quite proper to speak of God as 'a thing;' for He hath said (Qur'an vi. 19): 'What thing is greatest in testimony? Say thou: "God;"' i.e., God is the greatest thing in testimony; 'God will be a witness between me and you in the day of the resurrection.' The signification of the passage 'Every thing shall perish' is: every created thing shall perish; not the Creator, i.e., 'save He.' The thing excepted from the general category is 'He: But God knows best."

The man of learning instantly professed himself a disciple, and composed a panegyric on Jelal.

  

58.

The legend goes that Jelal made a practice of seeing the new moon of the Arabian new year, and always uttered the following prayer on seeing it:--"O our Lord God! Thou art the Past-eternal One, the Future-eternal One, the Ancient One! This is a new year. I beg of Thee therein steadfastness to withstand the lapidated Satan, [*1] and assistance against the rebellious spirit (within me); also, occupation in what will approximate me to Thee, and an avoidance of what might elongate me from Thee. O God! O the All-merciful One, the All-compassionate One! Through Thy mercy, O Most-compassionate of the merciful ones! O thou Lord of majesty and of honour!"

  

59.

It is related that Jelal cured one of his disciples of an intermittent fever by writing down the following invocation on paper, washing off the ink in water, and giving this to the patient to drink; who was, under God's favour, immediately relieved from the malady:--"O Mother of the sleek one (a nickname of the tertian ague)! If thou hast believed in God, the Most Great, make not the head to ache; vitiate not the swallow; eat not the flesh; drink not the blood; and depart thou out of So-and-So, betaking thyself to some one who attributes to God partners of other false gods. And I bear witness that there is not any god save God, and I testify that Muhammed is His servant and apostle."

  

60.

One day Jelal paid a visit to a great Sheykh. He was received with the utmost respect, and seated with the

 Sheykh on the same carpet, both together falling into ecstatic heart-communion with the world of spirits.

A certain dervish was there present also, who had repeatedly performed the pilgrimage at Mekka. The dervish addressed Jelal, and inquired: "What is poverty?" Jelal returned no answer; and the question was thrice repeated.

When Jelal took his leave, the great Sheykh accompanied him to the street door. On his return to his room, he reprimanded the dervish severely for his insolent intrusion on the guest; "especially," said the Sheykh, "as he fully answered thy question the first time thou puttest it." The dervish, surprised, asked what the answer had been. "The poor man," said the Sheykh, "when he hath known God, hath his tongue tied. That is being a real dervish; who, when in the presence of saints, speaks not; neither with the tongue, nor with the heart. This is what is signified by (Qur'an xlvi. 28): 'Hold ye your peace.' But now, prepare thyself for thy end. Thou art struck by a shaft from heaven."

Three days later, the dervish was met by a gang of reprobates, who attacked and killed him, carrying off every thing he had about him. Salve fac nos, Domine! 

  

61.

In the days of Jelal there was in Qonya a lady-saint, named Fakhru-'n-Nisa (the Glory of Women). She was known to all the holy men of the time, who were all aware of her sanctity. Miracles were wrought by her in countless numbers. She constantly attended the meetings at Jelal's home, and he occasionally paid her a visit at her house.

Her friends suggested to her that she ought to go and perform the pilgrimage at Mekka; but she would not undertake this duty unless she should first consult with Jelal about it. Accordingly she went to see him. As she entered his presence, before she spoke, he called out to her: "Oh, most happy idea! May thy journey be prosperous!

 God willing, we shall be together." She bowed, but said nothing. The disciples present were puzzled.

That night she remained a guest at Jelal's house, conversing with him till past midnight. At that hour he went up to the terraced roof of the college to perform the divine service of the vigil. When he had completed that service of worship, he fell into an ecstasy, shouting and exclaiming. Then he lifted the skylight of the room below, where the lady was, and invited her to come up on to the roof also.

When she was come, he told her to look upwards, saying that her wish was come to pass. On looking up, she beheld the Cubical House of Mekka in the air, circumambulating round Jelal's head above him, and spinning round like a dervish in his waltz, plainly and distinctly, so as to leave no room for doubt or uncertainty. She screamed out with astonishment and fright, swooning away. On coming to herself, she felt the conviction that the journey to Mekka was not one for her to perform; so she totally relinquished the idea.

  

62.

Jelal was once standing at the edge of the moat round the city of Qonya, when a company of students, undergraduates of one of the colleges in the neighbourhood, seeing him, agreed to try him by asking the question: "Of what colour was the dog of the Seven Sleepers?"

Jelal's immediate, unpremeditated answer was: "Yellow. A lover is always yellow (sallow); as am I; and that dog was a lover." The students bowed to him, and all became disciples.

  

63.

The Superior of the monks of the monastery of Plato was an old man, and was held in the very highest esteem for his learning in all Constantinople and Firengistan, in Sis, Janik, and other lands. (Sis was capital of the kingdom

of Lower Armenia, and Janik was the secondary "Roman Empire" of Trebizond.) From all those lands did disciples flock to learn wisdom from him.

This Superior related the following anecdote:--

"One day, Jelal came to the monastery of Plato, situated at the foot of a hill, with a cavern therein, from whence issued a stream of cold water. Jelal entered the cavern, and proceeded to its farther extremity. The Superior remained at the cavern's mouth, watching for what might happen. For seven whole days and nights Jelal remained there, seated in the midst of the cold water. At the end of that period he came forth from the cavern, and walked away, singing a hymn. Not the slightest change was apparent in his features, nor in his eyes."

The Superior made oath that all he had read about the person and qualities of the Messiah, as also in the books of Abraham and Moses, were found in the person of Jelal, as well as the grandeur and mien of the prophets, as set forth in books of ancient history, and far more besides.

  

64.

Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz once asserted, in Jelal's college, that whosoever wished to see again the prophets, had only to look on Jelal, who possessed all their qualifications; more especially of those to whom revelations were made, whether by angelic communications, or whether in visions; the chief of such qualities being serenity of mind with perfect inward confidence and consciousness of being one of God's elect. "Now," said he, "to possess Jelal's approbation is heaven; while hell is to incur his displeasure. Jelal is the key of heaven. Go then, and look upon Jelal, if thou wish to comprehend the signification of that saying 'the learned are the heirs of the prophets,' together with something beyond that, which I will not here specify. He has more learning in every science than any one else upon earth. He explains better, with greater tact and taste, as also more exhaustively, than all others. Were I,

with my mere intellect, to study for a hundred years, I could not acquire a tenth part of what he knows. He has intuitively thought out that knowledge, without being aware of it, in my presence, by his own subtlety."

  

65.

One of the greatest teachers of Qonya was one day giving a lecture on a terraced roof, when suddenly he heard the sound of a lute. He exclaimed: "These lutes are an innovation on the prophetic usages. They must be interdicted."

Forthwith, the form of Jelal appeared before him, and answered: "That must not be." On this the teacher fainted away.

When he regained his consciousness, he sought to make his peace with Jelal, by sending an apology and a recantation to him, through the medium of Jelal's son, Sultan Veled; but Jelal would not accept them. He answered: "It would be easier to convert seventy Roman bishops to Islam, than to clear away from the mind of that teacher the stains of hate, and so set him on the right road. His soul is as foul as the paper on which children practise their writing exercises."

At length, however, he allowed himself to be appeased by his son; so that he permitted the teacher, with his pupils, to constitute themselves his disciples.

  

66.

Jelal one day addressed his son, saying: "Baha'u-'d-Din, dost thou wish to love thy enemy, and to be loved of him? Speak well of him, and extol his virtues. He will then be thy friend; and for this reason: In like manner as there is a road open between the heart and the tongue, so also is there a way from the tongue to the heart. The love of God may be found by bearing His comely names. God hath said: 'O My servants, take ye heed that ye often commemorate Me, so that sincerity may abound.'

 The more that sincerity prevails, the more do the rays of the light of truth shine into the heart. The hotter a baker's oven is, the more bread will it bake; if cool, it will not bake at all."

  

67.

Sultan Veled, Baha'u-'d-Din, is said to have recounted of his father, Jelal, this saying: "A true disciple is he who holds his teacher to be superior to all others. So much so, that, for instance, a disciple of Bayezid of Bestam was once asked whether Bayezid or Abu-Hanifa was the greater, and he replied that his teacher, Bayezid, was the greater. 'Then,' said the questioner, 'is Bayezid the greater, or is Abu-Bekr?' 'My teacher is the greater.' Bayezid or Muhammed?' 'Bayezid.' 'Bayezid or God?' I only know my teacher; I know no other than him; and I know that he is greater than all others.'

"Another was asked the last question, and his reply was: 'There is no difference between the two.' A third was asked it also, and he replied: 'It would require a greater one than either of the two to determine which of them is the greater.'

"As God does not walk in this world of sensible objects, the prophets are the substitutes of God. No, no! I am wrong! For if thou suppose that those substitutes and their principal are two different things, thou hast judged erroneously, not rightly."

  

68.

Sultan Veled is reported to have said: "My grandfather, the Great Master, used to recommend to his disciples to honour his son Jelal exceedingly, as one of noble extraction and exalted pedigree, of an eternal descent in the past; since the mother of his mother was the daughter of the Imam Sarakhsi, a descendant from Huseyn, son of 'Ali, and grandson of the Prophet."

  

69.

Sultan Veled is also reported to have said: "My father told his disciples that I was seven, and my brother 'Ala'u-'d-Din eight years old, when the Dizdar Bedru-'d-Din Guhertash had us circumcised at Qara-Hisar." (See chap. i., No. 12.)

He is also reported to have declared: "When the Sultan invited my grandfather to Qonya, a year passed, and then the Emir Musa invited my grandfather to Larenda, and took my father to be his own son-in-law; so that I was born in that town." (See chap. i., No. 2. The account now given here is at variance with that mentioned in the preface, which makes 'Ala'u-'d-Din and Baha'u-'d-Din to have been born at Larenda before Jelal and his father went to Qonya. Moreover, their mother, Gevher Khatun, is there said to have been the daughter of Lala Sherefu-'d-Din of Samarqand. Is that an alias of the Emir Musa of the present anecdote; or did Jelal marry two ladies of Larenda at different times? There are several difficulties here. Sultan Veled puts only one year as the difference of age between himself and his elder brother. If the daughter of the Emir Musa was the mother of both these brothers, Jelal's stay at Larenda must have been of about two years at least. If they were by different mothers, and born, the one before, the other after Baha Veled's settling at Qonya, there must have been a greater difference in their ages. Jelal's age at his marriage is also variously stated. These discrepancies show that the anecdotes were collected from traditions of various sources, long after the events recorded.)

  

70.

Sultan Veled is said to have related that one day, two Turks, law-students, brought to Jelal an offering of a few lentils, excusing the paucity of the gift, as the result of their poverty. Jelal thereupon narrated the following anecdote:--

"God revealed to Mustafa (Muhammed) that the believers should contribute of their possessions, for the service of God, as much as they could spare. Some brought the half, some the third part; Abu-Bekr brought the whole of what he possessed. Thus a large treasure was collected, of money, beasts, and arms, for God's service.

"A poor woman, too, brought three dates and a cake of bread--all she had on earth.

"The disciples smiled. Mustafa perceived their action, and said that God had showed him a vision, which he desired to tell to them. They all begged he would favour them with the recital. He therefore thus proceeded:

"'God hath removed the veils from before me. And lo, I saw that the angels had placed in one scale of a balance the whole of your very liberal offerings together, and in the other scale the three dates and one cake of this poor woman. The latter scale was preponderant; its contents outweighed all the rest.'

"The disciples bowed, thanked the prophet; and inquired the hidden explanation of this mystery. He answered: 'This poor woman has parted with her all, whereas my disciples have kept back a part of their possessions. Proverbs say: "The generous one is generous out of what he possesses," and, "A little, in the eyes of the Most Great, is much." You put into the earth a single date-stone, intrusting it to God. He makes that stone become a tree, which yields fruits without number; because the stone was confided to Him. Therefore, let your alms be given to the poor, and to God's servants, as a trust committed unto God. For it is said: "Alms fall first into God's hand, before reaching the hands of the poor;" and again: "Alms for the poor and the destitute."'

"The poor of Mekka and Medina, refugees and auxiliaries, shouted their admiration as they heard these words."

When the two Turkish students heard this anecdote related, they professed themselves disciples of Jelal.

  

71.

When Jelal was quite young, he was one day preaching on the subject of Moses and Elias (Qur'an xviii. 59-81). One of his disciples noticed a stranger seated in a corner, paying great attention, and every now and then saying: "Good! Quite true! Quite correct! He might have been the third one with us two!" The disciple surmised that the stranger might be Elias. (Elias is believed by Muslims to be always visible somewhere, but that people know him not. Did they recognise him, they could obtain from him a knowledge of the secret of eternal life, which he possesses.) He therefore seized hold of the stranger's skirt, and asked for his spiritual aid. "Oh," said the stranger, "rather seek assistance from Jelal, as we all do. Every occult saint of God is the loving and admiring friend of him." So saying, he managed to disengage his skirt from the disciple's hold, and instantly disappeared. The disciple went to pay his respects to Jelal, who at once addressed him, saying: "Elias, and Moses, and the prophets, are all friends of mine." The disciple understood the allusion, and became more and more devoted at heart to Jelal than he even was before.

  

72.

It is related that when the burial service was about to be performed over the corpse of Jelal, the precentor gave a shriek, and swooned away. After a while, he recovered, and then performed his office, weeping bitterly.

On being asked the cause of his emotion, he answered: "As I stood forward to perform my office, I perceived a row of the most noble of spiritual saints of the spiritual world, as being present, and as being engaged in reciting the prayers for the dead over the departed one. Those angels of heaven wore robes of blue (the mourning of some sects of Muslims), and wept."

For forty days, that precentor and others daily visited Jelal's grave.

  

73.

At Damascus, when a young student, Jelal was frequently seen by others to walk several arrow-flights' distance in the air, tranquilly returning to the terraced roof on which they were standing.

Those fellow-pupils were among his earliest believers and disciples.

  

74.

A friend of Jelal's once took leave of him at Qonya, and went to Damascus. On his arrival there, he found Jelal seated in a corner of his room. Asking for an explanation of this surprising phenomenon, Jelal replied: "The men of God are like fishes in the ocean; they pop up into view on the surface here and there and everywhere, as they please."

  

75.

Jelal once met a Turk in Qonya, who was selling fox-skins in the market, and crying them: "Dilku! Dilku!" (Fox! Fox! in Turkish.)

Jelal immediately began to parody his cry, calling out in Persian: "Dil ku! Dil ku!" (Heart, where art thou?) At the same time he broke out into one of his holy waltzes of ecstasy.

  

76.

In the time of Sultan Veled (A.D. 1284-1312), a young man, of the descendants of the Prophet, and son of the guardian of the holy tomb of Muhammed at Medina, came to Qonya with a company of his fellow-descendants, belonging to that city. He was presented to Sultan Veled, and became his disciple.

He wore a most singular head-dress. One end of his turban hung down in front to below his navel; while the

other end was formed into the sheker-aviz [*1] of the Mevlevi dervishes.

When they had become somewhat intimate, Sultan Veled asked him how it happened that he wore the sheker-aviz of the Mevlevis, when nobody else but those dervishes wear it, in imitation of their founder, Jelal.

The young man explained that his family were descended from the Prophet. That the Prophet, on the night of his ascension to heaven, after seeing God and many mysteries, had returned a certain distance, and, as is well known, then went back to intercede with God for his people. He now perceived, on the pinnacle of God's throne, the ideal portrait of a form, so beautiful, that he had not hitherto witnessed anything so charming among the angels and inhabitants of heaven.

After contemplating the lovely vision, in amazement, for some time, Muhammed was able to notice that the ideal form wore on its head a sheker-aviz. He asked Gabriel what that ideal portrait might portend, which was so attractive in its beauty as to surpass all the wonders he had witnessed in all the nine heavens. "Is it the portrait of an angel, a prophet, or a saint?" Gabriel replied: "It is the portrait of a personage of the descendants of Abu-Bekr, who will appear in the latter days among the people of thy Church, and will fill the whole world with the effulgence of the knowledge of thy mysteries. To him will God vouchsafe a precedency, and a pen, and a breath, such that kings and princes will profess themselves his disciples; and he will be a most pure upholder of thy religion, being, in every respect, the counterpart of thyself in aspect and in morals. His name will be Muhammed, as is thine; and his surname will be Jelalu-'d-Din. His words will explain thy sayings, and will expound thy Qur'an."

On his return home, the Prophet adopted the form of turban he had seen worn in that ideal portrait, making one end hang down a span in front, and binding the other end behind into a sheker-aviz.

"From that day to this," said the young man, "the fathers of our family have followed that fashion, so adopted by the Prophet; and we continue to do so too."

It is said that when Abu-Bekr heard this narrative from the Prophet, respecting his great descendant that was thus foretold, he gave the whole of his possessions to the Prophet, to be expended in God's cause.

When Muhammed died, Abu-Bekr wept long and bitterly. But the Prophet appeared to him, and consoled him by saying: "One day I will reappear among my people from out of the collar of one of thy race."

The young man continued: "From that time onwards, our family were on the outlook for the manifestation of the holy personage whose ideal portrait the Prophet so saw. Thank God that I have witnessed the realisation of their hope."

The Qonya pilgrims published this communication to all the disciples there present.

  

77.

In the days of Sultan Veled, a great merchant came to Qonya to visit the tomb of Jelal. He offered many rich gifts to Sultan Veled, making presents also to the disciples. He related to them many anecdotes of adventures encountered by him in his travels, such as the following:--

He once went to Kish and Bahreyn in quest of pearls and rubies. "An inhabitant told me," said he, "that I should find some in the hands of a certain fisherman. I went to him, and the fisher showed me a chest, containing pearls of inestimable value, such as impressed me with astonishment. I asked him how he had collected them; and he told me, calling God to witness, that he, his three

brothers, and his father, were formerly poor fishermen. One day they hooked something that gave them immense trouble before they could bring it to land.

"They now found they had captured a 'Lord of the Waters,' also named a 'Marvel of the Sea,' as is commonly known. [*1]

"We wondered," said he, "what we could do with the beast. We wept for the ill fortune that had brought us such a disappointment. The creature looked at us as we spoke. Suddenly my father cried out: 'I have it! I will put him on a cart, and exhibit him all over the country at a penny a head!'

"Through the miraculous power of Him who has endowed man with speech and His creatures with life, the beast broke forth and exclaimed: 'Make me not a staring-block in the world, and I will do anything you may wish of me, so as to suffice for you and your children for many years to come!'

"Our father answered: 'How should I set thee free, when thou art so strange and unparalleled a creature?' The beast replied: 'I will make an oath.' Our father said: 'Speak! Let us hear thy oath.'

"The beast now said: 'We are of the faith of Muhammed, and disciples of the holy Mevlana. By the soul of the Mevlana, the holy Jelalu-'d-Din of Rome, I will go, and I will return.'

"Our father fainted away with astonishment. I, therefore, now asked: 'How hast thou any knowledge of him?' The beast replied: 'We are a nation of twelve thousand individuals. We have believed in him, and he frequently showed himself to us at the bottom of the sea, lecturing and sermonising to us on the divine mysteries of the truth. He brought us to a knowledge of the true faith; so that we continually practise what he taught us.'

"Our father instantly told him he was free. He went

back, therefore, into the water, and was lost to sight. But two days later he returned, and brought with him innumerable pearls and precious stones. He asked whether he had been true and faithful to his promise; and on our expressing our satisfaction on that score, he took an affectionate farewell from us.

"We were thus raised from the depths of poverty to the pinnacle of wealth. We became merchant princes, and our slaves are the great merchants of the earth. Every dealer who wishes for pearls and rubies comes to us. We are known as the Sons of the Fisherman. Our father went to Qonya, and paid his respects to the Mevlana.

"Through his narrative, I formed the design, now carried into effect, to visit the son of that great saint."

This wonderful narrative has been handed down ever since in the mouths of the merchants of Qonya.

  

78.

(The following appears to be an account of one of the first visits of the Perwana to Jelal, to whom he subsequently became so devotedly attached.)

One of the most eminent among the men of learning in Qonya was visited by the Perwana. The learned man held forth eloquently on several exalted themes, and then informed the Perwana that he had, the night before, been taken up into the highest heaven, and had there learnt many mysteries. He said that he there saw Jelal hold a higher station of proximity to God than any other saint, as he stood on a level with God's throne.

A day or two later, the Perwana, filled with reverence for Jelal's unequalled sanctity, went and paid him a visit with the utmost deference. Before the Perwana could broach any subject of conversation, Jelal said to him: "Mu'inu-'d-Din! the vision related to you by your learned friend is quite true in the main facts, though I never saw him there at any time." He then extemporised the following ode:--

  

74.

	Fellow-visitant wert thou? Then say what thou sawest there last night.
	 'Twixt my heart and inspiring loved darling what passed in thy sight?
	 And if thou, in thy dream, with thy eyes sawest my beautiful love,
	 Tell us then, in the earrings he wore there what jewels were wove.
	 If with me thou be fellow in coat, as in thoughts and in creeds,
	 Let us hear the details of that ragged old mendicant's weeds.
	 If thou poverty's son be, and unspoken mysteries hear,
	 Thou'lt recount all the words that were thought by my silent compeer,
	 If thou'st learnt whence the source of mankind and of souls did proceed.
	 Since the source was but one, what then means all this search, all this greed?
	 And if thou hast not seen any place of his form and face free,
	 Say then what, in the thoughts of his lovers, that face and form be.
	 And if I head the lists of those lovers, as thou seemest to say,
	 Tell us, What are those lists? What his messages, words, answers? Pray!"

A musical service was then got up, this ode being chanted during its performance. The Perwana was so utterly bewildered by this incident, that he could say nothing. He therefore rose, bowed, and took his leave.

  

79.

One day, it is said, the Prophet (Muhammed) recited to 'Ali in private the secrets and mysteries of the "Brethren of Sincerity" (who appear to be the "Freemasons" of the Muslim dervish world), enjoining on him not to divulge them to any of the uninitiated, so that they should not be betrayed; also, to yield obedience to the rule of implicit submission.

For forty days, 'Ali kept the secret in his own sole breast, and bore therewith until he was sick at heart. Like a pregnant woman, his abdomen became swollen with the burden, so that he could no longer breathe freely.

He therefore fled to the open wilderness, and there chanced upon a well. He stooped, reached his head as far down into the well as he was able; and then, one by one,

he confided those mysteries to the bowels of the earth. From the excess of his excitement, his mouth filled with froth and foam. These he spat out into the water of the well, until he had freed himself of the whole, and he felt relieved.

After a certain number of days, a single reed was observed to be growing in that well. It waxed and shot up, until at length a youth, whose heart was miraculously enlightened on the point, became aware of this growing plant, cut it down, drilled holes in it, and began to play upon it airs, similar to those performed by the dervish lovers of God, as he pastured his sheep in the neighbourhood.

By degrees, the various tribes of Arabs of the desert heard of this flute-playing of the shepherd, and its fame spread abroad. The camels and the sheep of the whole region would gather around him as he piped, ceasing to pasture that they might listen. From all directions, north and south, the nomads flocked to hear his strains, going into ecstasies with delight, weeping for joy and pleasure, breaking forth in transports of gratification.

The rumour at length reached the ears of the Prophet, who gave orders for the piper to be brought before him. When he began to play in the sacred presence, all the holy disciples of God's messenger were moved to tears and transports, bursting forth with shouts and exclamations of pure bliss, and losing all consciousness. The Prophet declared that the notes of the shepherd's flute were the interpretation of the holy mysteries he had confided in private to 'Ali's charge. [*1]

Thus it is that, until a man acquire the sincere devotion of the linnet-voiced flute-reed, he cannot hear the mysteries of the Brethren of Sincerity in its dulcet notes, or realise the delights thereof; for "faith is altogether a yearning of the heart, and a gratification of the spiritual sense."

	"To whom, alas, the pangs my love for thee excites, to breathe?
	 My sighs, like 'Ali, I'll to some deep well's recess bequeathe.
	 Perchance some reeds may spring therefrom, its brink to overgrow;
	 Those reeds may moaning flutes become, and so betray my woe.
	 Who hear will say: 'Be silent, flutes! We're not love's confidants;
	 To that sweet tyrant make excuse for us and for those plants!'"

  

80.

One of Jelal's disciples possessed a slave girl of Roman origin, whom Jelal had named Siddiqa (after Muhammed's virgin wife 'A'isha). Occasionally she had miraculous visions. She used to see aureolas of heavenly light, green, red, and black. Various of the angels used to visit her, and souls of the departed.

Her master was vexed at her being so favoured above himself. Once he was visited by Jelal, and expressed his chagrin to him on the subject. Jelal replied: "True! There is a heavenly light resides in the pupils of some eyes. These occasionally mislead a few with visions of beauteous form, with which they fall in love. Others they preserve in chastity, and lead them to their adored Maker. Others, again, they may lead to take delight in exterior objects, so as to cast their eyes on every pretty face they see, while the wife at home is curtained away from her husband. Thus, whenever God opens a way to any one, appearing to him, and showing him glimpses of the hidden world, he is apt to become entranced therewith, and to lose all power of further progress, saying to himself: 'How greatly in favour am I! ' Others, in short, use every endeavour; but nothing is vouchsafed to them in visions, until they be favoured with a special sight of God Himself, and they be admitted to a near approach unto Him."

The girl's master was comforted, and bowed to his teacher, whose disciples then broke out into a holy service of psalmody and dancing.

  

81.

There was once a wise monk in the monastery of Plato, who was on very friendly terms with Jelal's grandson 'Arif. He was very aged, and used to be visited by the dervishes of his neighbourhood, to whom he was very polite, and towards whom he exhibited great confidence; so much so that, one day, some of them inquired of him how he had found Jelal, and what he had thought of him.

The monk replied to them: "What do you know of him, as to who or what he was? I have seen signs and miracles without number worked by him. I became his devoted servant. I had read in the gospel and in the prophets the lives and the works of the saints of old, and I saw that he compassed them all. I therefore had faith in the truth of his reality.

"One day he came here, conferring on me the honour of a visit. For forty days he shut himself up in ecstatic seclusion. When at length he came forth from his privacy, I laid hold of his skirt, and said to him: 'God, in His holy scripture hath said (Qur'an xix. 72): "And there is none of you but shall come to it (hellfire)." Now, since it is incontestable that all shall come to the fire of hell, what preference is there in Islam over our faith?'

"For a little time he made no answer. At length, however, he made a sign towards the city, and went away in that direction. I followed after him leisurely. Near the city, we came to a bakehouse, the oven of which was being heated. He now took my black cassock, wrapped it in his own cloak, and threw the bundle into the oven. He then withdrew for a time into a corner, sunk in meditation.

"I saw a great smoke come out of the oven, such that no one had the power of utterance. After that, he said to me: 'Behold!' The baker withdrew the bundle from the oven, and assisted the saint to put on his cloak, which had

become exquisitely clean; whereas my cassock was, as it were, branded and scorched, so as to fall in pieces. Then he said: 'Thus shall we enter therein, and thus shall you enter!'

"That self-same moment I made my bow to him and became his disciple."

  

82.

The reason why the Mesnevi was written is related to have been the following:--

Husamu-'d-Din learnt that several of the followers of Jelal were fond of studying the Ilahi-nama of Sena'i, the Hakim, and the Mantiqu-'t-Tayr of 'Attar, as also the Nasib-nama of the latter.

He therefore sought and found an opportunity to propose that Jelal should indite something in the style of the Ilahi-nama, but in the metre of the Mantiqu-'t-Tayr; saying that the circle of friends would then willingly give up all other poetry, and study that alone.

Jelal immediately produced a portion of the Mesnevi, saying that God had forewarned him of the wishes of the brethren, in consequence of which he had already begun to compose the work. That fragment consisted of the first eighteen couplets of the introductory verses

	"From reed-flute hear what tale it tells,
	  What plaint it makes of absence' ills," &c.

It is of the metre Remel, hexameter contracted: 

Jelal frequently mentions Husam as the cause of the work's having been begun and continued. In the fourth book he addresses him in the opening couplet:

	"Of Truth, the light; of Faith, the sword; Husamu-'d-Din aye be;
	  Above the lunar orb has clomb my Mesnevi, through thee."

And again the sixth book has for its opening verse the following apostrophe:--

	"O thou, Husamu-'d-Din, my heart's true life! Zeal, for thy sake,
	  I feel springs up in me sixth book hereby to undertake."

Often they spent whole nights at the task, Jelal inditing, and Husam writing down his inspirations, chanting it aloud, as he wrote it, with his beautiful voice. Just as the first book was completed, Husam's wife died, and an interval ensued.

Two years thus passed without progress. Husam married again; and in that year, A.H. 662 (A.D. 1263), the second book was commenced. No other interval occurred until the work was brought to a conclusion. The third couplet of the second book mentions Husam in these terms--

	"When thou, of Truth the light, Husamu-'d-Din, thy courser's rein
	  Didst turn, descending earthward from the zenith's starry plain."

The third, fifth, and seventh books have similar addresses to Husam in their opening verses. His name is also mentioned cursorily in the third tale of the first book.

  

83.

On the death of Jelal, a party of zealots went in a body to the Perwana, explaining to him that the new practices of music and dancing, introduced by Jelal, were innovations altogether contrary to the canonical institutes, and begging him to use his utmost endeavours to suppress them.

The Perwana called on the learned Mufti of Qonya, Sheykh Sadru-'d-Din, and consulted him on the subject. The Mufti's answer was: "Do nothing of the kind. Listen not to such biased suggestions. There is an apostolical saying to this effect: 'A laudable innovation, introduced by a perfect follower of the prophets, is of the same nature with the customary practices of the prophets themselves.'" The Perwana resolved, therefore, to do nothing towards suppressing Jelal's institutions.

  

84.

A certain great man, who esteemed Jelal, was nevertheless shocked that he should, with all his learning and piety, sanction the use of music and dancing.

He had occasion to visit Jelal, who at once addressed him as follows:--"It is an axiom in the sacred canons that a Muslim, if hard pressed, and in danger of death, may eat of carrion and other forbidden food, so that the life of a man be not sacrificed. This rule is admitted and approved by all the authorities of the law. Now, we men of God are exactly in that position of extreme danger to our lives; and from that danger there is no escape, save by song, by music, and by the dance. Otherwise, through the awful majesty of the divine manifestations, the bodies of the saints would melt away as wax, and disappear like snow under the beams of a July sun."

The personage thus addressed was so struck with the earnestness of Jelal's manner, and the cogency of his reasoning, that he became convinced, and thenceforward was a defender and upholder of Jelal's institutions, so that these formed, as it were, the very nourishment of his heart. Many of the learned followed his example, and joined themselves to Jelal's followers and disciples.

  

85.

Kaluman and 'Aynu-'d-Devla were two Roman painters. They were unrivalled in their art of painting portraits and pictures. Both were disciples of Jelal.

Kaluman one day narrated that in Constantinople, on a certain tablet, the portraits of the Lady Meryem and of Jesus were painted, in such style as to be matchless. From all parts of the world artists came and tried their best; but none could produce the equal of those two portraits.

'Aynu-'d-Devla undertook, therefore, to journey to Constantinople, and see this picture. He made himself

an inmate of the great church of Constantinople for a whole year, and served the priests thereof in various ways.

One night, then, he spied his opportunity, took the tablet under his arm, and absconded with it.

On reaching Qonya, he paid his respects to Jelal, who inquired of him where he had been. He narrated to Jelal all that had occurred with the tablet, which he exhibited.

Jelal found the picture exceedingly beautiful, and gazed on it long with the utmost pleasure. He then spake as follows

"These two beautiful portraits complain of you, saying that you are not a faithful admirer of theirs, but are an untrue lover." The artist asked: "How?" Jelal replied: "They say they are not supplied with food and rest. On the contrary, they are kept sleepless every night, and fasting every day. They complain: 'Aynu-'d-Devla leaves us, sleeps himself all night, and takes his meals by day, never remaining with us to do as we do!'"

The artist remarked: "Food and sleep are to them impossibilities. Neither have they speech, with which to say anything. They are mere lifeless effigies."

Jelal now replied: "Thou art a living effigy. Thou hast acquired a knowledge of various arts. Thou art the handiwork of a limner whose hand has framed the universe, the human race, and all things on earth and in heaven. Is it right that thou forsake Him, and enamour thyself of an insignificant lifeless effigy? What profit is there in these portraits? What advantage can accrue to thee from them?"

Touched by these reproaches, the artist vowed repentance of his sin, and professed himself a Muslim.

  

86.

When the time of Jelal's death drew near, he cautioned his disciples to have no fear or anxiety on that account;

 "for," said he, "as the spirit of Mansur [*1] appeared, a hundred and fifty years after his death, to the Sheykh Feridu-'d-Din 'Attar, and became the Sheykh's spiritual guide and teacher, so, too, do you always be with me, whatever may happen, and remember me, so that I may show myself to you, in whatever form that may be;--that I may always belong to you, and ever be shedding in your breasts the light of heavenly inspiration. I will simply remind you now that our dear Lord, Muhammed, the Apostle of God, said to his disciples: 'My life is a blessing unto you, and my death will be a blessing unto you. In my life I have guided you, and after my death I will send blessings on you.'"

Jelal's friends shed tears all, and broke out into sighs and lamentations; but bowed their heads in reverence.

It is said that he gave directions to get ready his grave-clothes, and that his wife, Kira Khatun, began to wail, tearing her clothes, and exclaiming: "O thou light of the world, life of the human race; unto whom wilt thou commit us? Whither wilt thou go?"

He answered her: "Whither will I go? Verily, I shall not quit your circle." She then asked: "Will there be another like unto thee, our Lord? Will another become manifest?" He replied: "If there be, he will be I." After a while he added: "While in the body, I have two attachments; one, to you; the other, to the flesh. When, by the grace of the unique Spirit, I become disembodied,--when the world of unbodied spirits, unity, and singleness, shall appear, my attachment to the flesh will become attachment to . you, and I shall then have but one sole attachment."

  

87.

With his last breath Jelal recommended to Husamu-'d-Din to lay him in the upper part of his tomb, so that he might be the first to rise at the last day.

As he lay in his extreme sickness, there were earthquakes for seven days and nights, very severe, so that walls and houses were overthrown. On the seventh occasion, all his disciples were alarmed. He, however, calmly remarked: "Poor earth! it is eager for a fat morsel! It shall have one!"

He then gave his last instructions to his disciples, as follows:--"I recommend unto you the fear of God, in public and in private; abstemiousness in eating and in sleeping, as also in speaking; the avoidance of rebelliousness and of sin; constancy in fasting, continuous worship, and perpetual abstinence from fleshly lusts; long-suffering under the ill-treatment of all mankind; to shun the companionship of the light-minded and of the common herd; to associate with the righteous and with men of worth. For verily 'the best of mankind is he who benefiteth men,' [*1] and 'the best of speech is that which is short and to the purpose.'" [*2]

  

88.

The following is a prayer taught by Jelal, on his deathbed, to one of his friends, to be used whenever affliction or care might weigh upon him:--

"O our Lord God, I breathe but for Thee, and I stretch forth my spirit towards Thee, that I may recite Thy doxologies abundantly, commemorating Thee frequently. O our Lord God, lay not on me an ailment that may make me forgetful to commemorate Thee, or lessen my yearning towards Thee, or cut off the delight I experience in reciting the litanies of Thy praise. Grant me not a health that

may engender or increase in me presumptuous or thankless insolence. For Thy mercy's sake, O Thou Most-Merciful of the compassionate. Amen."

  

89.

A friend was seated by Jelal's pillow, and Jelal leaned on that friend's bosom. Suddenly a most handsome youth appeared at the door of the room, to the utmost astonishment of the friend.

Jelal arose and advanced to receive the stranger. But the friend was quicker, and quietly asked his business. The stranger answered: "I am 'Azra'il, the angel of departure and separation. I am come, by the divine command, to inquire what commission the Master may have to intrust to me."

Blessed are the eyes that can perceive such sights!

The friend was near fainting at this answer. But he heard Jelal call out: "Come in, come in, thou messenger of my King. Do that which thou art bidden; and, God willing, thou shalt find me one of the patient."

He now told his attendants to bring a vessel of water, placed his two feet therein, and occasionally sprinkled a little on his breast and forehead, saying: "My beloved (God) has proffered me a cup of poison (bitterness). From his hand I drink that poison with delight."

The singers and musicians now came in, and executed a hymn, while the whole company of friends wept, and sobbed loudly.

Jelal observed: "It is as my friends say. But, were they even to pull down the house, what use? See my panting heart; look at my delight. The sun sheds a grateful light on the moth. My friends invite me one way; my teacher Shemsu-'d-Din beckons me the other way. Comply ye with the summoner of the Lord, and have faith in Him. Departure is inevitable. All being came out of nothing, and again it will be shut up in the prison of nullity. Such is God's decree from all eternity;

and, to decree belongeth unto God, the Most High, the All-Great!"

His son Sultan Veled had been unremitting in his attentions. He wept and sobbed. He was reduced to a shadow. Jelal therefore said to him: "Baha'u-'d-Din, my son, I am better. Go and lie down a little. Rest thyself, and sleep awhile!"

When he was gone, Jelal indited his last ode; thus:--

	"Go! head on pillow lay; alone, in peace, me leave,
	 Loved tyrant, plague by night, while all around thee grieve.
	 That peerless beauty (God) has no need kind care to show;
	 But, sallow lovers, ye must patient faith still know.
	 Perplexity is ours to bear; 'tis his to own hard heart;
	 Shed he our blood; what sin? He'll not pay murder's smart.
	 To die's hard, after all; but remedy there's none;
	 How, then, to crave a remedy? The evil's done.
	 Last night, in dream, a warder, from my love's abode,
	 Made sign to me, and said: 'This way! Hold thou my lode.'"

.         .         .         .         .         .

  

90.

It is related that, after his death, when laid on his bier, and while he was being washed by the hands of a loving and beloved disciple, while others poured the water for the ablution of Jelal's body, not one drop was allowed to fall to the earth. All was caught by the fond ones around, as had been the case with the Prophet at his death. Every drop was drunk by them as the holiest and purest of waters.

As the washer folded Jelal's arms over his breast, a tremor appeared to pass over the corpse, and the washer fell with his face on the lifeless breast, weeping. He felt his ear pulled by the dead saint's hand, as an admonition. On this, he fainted away, and in his swoon he heard a cry from heaven, which said to him: "Ho there! Verily the saints of the Lord have nothing to fear, neither shall they sorrow. Believers die not; they merely depart from one habitation to another abode!"

  

91.

When the corpse was brought forth, all the men, women, and children, who flocked to the funeral procession, smote. their breasts, rent their garments, and uttered loud lamentations. These mourners were of all creeds, and of various nations; Jews and Christians, Turks, Romans, and Arabians were among them. Each recited sacred passages, according to their several usages, from the Law, the Psalms, or the Gospel.

The Muslims strove to drive away these strangers, with blows of fist, or staff, or sword. They would not be repelled. A great tumult was the result. The Sultan, the Heir-Apparent, and the Perwana all flew to appease the strife, together with the chief Rabbis, the Bishops, Abbots, &c.

It was asked of these latter why they mixed themselves up with the funeral of an eminent Muslim sage and saint. They replied that they had learnt from him more of the mysteries shrouded in their scriptures, than they had ever known before; and had found in him all the signs and qualities of a prophet and saint, as set forth in those writings. They further declared: "If you Muslims hold him to have been the Muhammed of his age, we esteem him as the Moses, the David, the Jesus of our time; and we are his disciples, his adherents."

The Muslim leaders could make no answer. And so, in all honour, with every possible demonstration of love and respect, was he borne along, and at length laid in his grave.

He had died as the sun went down, on Sunday, the fifth of the month Jumada-'l-akhir, A.H. 672 (16th December A.D. 1273); being thus sixty-eight (lunar) years (sixty-six solar years) of age.

  

92.

Sultan Veled is reported to have related that, shortly after the death of his father, Jelal, he was sitting with his

step-mother, Jelal's widow, Kira Khatun, and Husamu-'d-Din, when his step-mother saw the spirit of the departed saint, winged as a seraph, poised over his, Sultan Veled's, head, to watch over him.

  

93.

Jelal had a female disciple, a saint, named Nizama Khatun, an intimate friend of his wife's.

Nizama formed the design to give a spiritual party to Jelal, with an entertainment for his disciples. She possessed nothing but a Thevr (or Sevr) [*1] veil, which she had destined to be her own winding-sheet.

She now ordered her servants to sell this veil, and so procure the necessaries for the projected feast. But, that same morning, Jelal came to her house with his disciples, and, addressing her, said: "Nizama Khatun, sell not thy veil; to thee it is a piece of necessary furniture. Lo! we are come to thy entertainment."

He and his disciples remained with her, engaged in spiritual exercises, three whole days and nights.

  

94.

After Jelal's death, Kigatu Khan, a Mogul general, came up against Qonya, intending to sack the city and massacre the inhabitants. (He was emperor from A.H. 690 to 696, A.D. 1290-1294.)

That night, in a dream, he saw Jelal, who seized him by the throat, and nearly choked him, saying to him: "Qonya is mine. What seekest thou from its people?"

On awaking from his dream, he fell on his knees and prayed for mercy, seeking also for information as to what that portent might signify. He sent in an ambassador to beg permission for him to enter the city as a friendly guest.

When he arrived at the palace, the nobles of Qonya

flocked to his court with rich offerings. All being seated in solemn conclave, Kigatu was suddenly seized with a violent tremor, and asked one of the princes of the city, who was seated on a sofa by himself: "Who may the personage be that is sitting at your side on your sofa?" The prince looked about, right and left; but saw no one. He replied accordingly. Kigatu answered: "What? How sayest thou? I see by thy side, seated, a tall man with a grisly beard and a sallow complexion, a grey turban, and an Indian plaid over his chest, who looks at me most pryingly."

The prince sagaciously suspected forthwith that Jelal's shade was there present by his side, and made answer: "The sacred eyes of majesty alone are privileged to witness that vision. It is the son of Baha'u-'d-Din of Balkh, our Lord Jelalu-'d-Din, who is entombed in this land."

The Khan replied: "Last night I saw him in my dream. He went nigh choking me, and told me Qonya is his possession. Now, prince, thee I call my adoptive father; and I entirely forego my intention to devastate this city. Tell me; has that holy man any son or descendant alive here?"

The prince told him of Baha Veled, now Sheykh of the city, and the peerless saint of God. Kigatu expressed the wish to go and visit the Sheykh. The prince conducted him and his suite of nobles to Sultan Veled. They all declared themselves his disciples, and assumed the dervish turban. Baha recounted to the Khan the history of his grandfather's expulsion from Balkh, and of all that followed. The Khan offered him royal presents, and accompanied him on a visit of reverence to the shrine of the deceased saint.


CHAPTER IV.

Shemsu-'d-Din Tebrizi, Muhammed son of 'Ali, son of Melik-dad.

  

1.

SHEMSU-'D-DiN of Tebriz was surnamed the Sultan of Mendicants, the Mystery of God upon earth, the Perfect in word and deed. Some had styled him the Flier, because he travelled about so much; and others spoke of him as the Perfect One of Tebriz.

He went about seeking for instruction, human and spiritual. He had visited many of the chief spiritual teachers of the world; but he had found none equal to himself. The teachers of all lands became, therefore, pupils and disciples to him.

He was always in quest of the beloved object of the soul (God). His corporeal frame he habited in coarsest felt, shrouding his eminent greatness from all eyes in what are really the jewelled robes of spirituality.

At Damascus it was, where he was then studying, that he first saw Jelalu-'d-Din by chance in a crowded marketplace; but Jelal, who was at that time a student also, avoided him.

Ultimately, he was led to Qonya in Jelal's traces, and first arrived there at dawn, on Saturday, the twenty-sixth of Jumada-'l-akhir, A.H. 642 (28th November, A.D. 1244), Jelal being then professor at four colleges there. They met as is related in a former chapter (chap. iii. Nos. 8, 9).

At the end of three months' seclusion together, passed in religious, scientific, and spiritual disquisitions and

investigations, Shemsu-'d-Din became satisfied that he had never met Jelal's equal.

  

2.

When Shemsu-'d-Din was quite worn out by a series of divine manifestations and the consequent ecstasies, he used to break away, hide himself, and work as a day-labourer at the water-wheels of the Damascus gardens, until his equanimity would be restored. Then he would return to his studies and meditations.

In his supplications to God, he was constantly inquiring whether there was not in either world, corporeal and spiritual, one other saint who could bear him company. In answer thereto, there came at length from the unseen world the answer, that the one holy man of the whole universe who could bear him company was the Lord Jelalu-'d-Din of Rome.

On receiving this answer, he set out at once from Damascus, and went in quest of his object to the land of Rome (Asia Minor).

  

3.

Chelebi Emir 'Arif related that his father, Sultan Veled, told him that one day, as a trial and test. Shemsu-'d-Din requested Jelal to make him a present of a slave. Jelal instantly went and fetched his own wife, Kira Khatun, who was as extremely beautiful as virtuous and saintlike, offering her to him.

To this act of renunciation Shemsu-'d-Din replied: "She is my most esteemed sister. What I want is a youth to wait on me." Jelal thereupon produced his own son, Sultan Veled, who, he said, would be proud to carry the shoes of Shems, placing them before him for use when required for a walk abroad. Again Shems objected: "He is as my son. But, perhaps, you will supply me with some wine. I am accustomed to drink it, and am not comfortable without it."

Jelal now took a pitcher, went himself to the Jews' ward of the city, and returned with it full of wine, which he set before Shems.

"I now saw," continued Sultan Veled in his recital, "that Shemsu-'d-Din, uttering an intense cry, rent his garment, bowed down to Jelal's feet, lost in wondering admiration at this implicit compliance with the behests of a teacher, and then said: 'By the truth of the First, who had no beginning, the Last, who will have no end, there never has been, from the commencement of creation, and there never, until the end of time, will be, in the universe of substance, a lord and master, heart-captivating and Muhammed-like, as thou art.'"

He now bowed down again, declared himself a disciple to Jelal, and added: "I have tested and tried to the utmost the patient long-suffering of our Lord; and I have found his greatness of heart to be totally unlimited by any bounds."

  

4.

Jelal is reported to have said: "When Shemsu-'d-Din first came, and I felt a mighty spark of love for him lighted up in my heart, he took upon himself to command me in the most despotic and peremptory manner.

"'Study,' said he, 'the writings of thy father.' For a while I studied nothing else. 'Keep silent, and speak to no one.' I ceased from all intercourse with my fellows.

"My words were, however, the food of my disciples; my thoughts were the nectar of my pupils. They hungered and thirsted. Thence, ill feelings were engendered amongst them, and a blight fell upon my teacher.

"He came to me another day as I was, by his command, studying the writings of my father. Thrice he called out to me: 'Study them not.' From his sacred features the effulgence of spiritual wisdom streamed. I laid down the book, and never since have I opened it."

  

5.

Jelal is said to have related that Shemsu-'d-Din forbade him to study any more the writings of his father, Baha Veled, and that he punctually obeyed the injunction.

But one night he dreamt that he was in company with a number of friends, who were all studying and discussing with him those very writings of Baha Veled.

As he woke from his dream, Shems was entering the room with a severe look. Addressing Jelal, he asked: "How hast thou dared to study that book again?" Jelal protested that, since his prohibition, he had never once opened his father's works.

"Yes," retorted Shems, "there is a study by reading, and there is also a study by contemplating. Dreams are but the shadows of our waking thoughts. Hadst thou not occupied thy thoughts with those writings, thou wouldst not have dreamt about them."

"From that time forward," remarked Jelal, "I never again busied myself with my father's writings, so long as Shemsu-'d-Din remained alive."

  

6.

Jelal is related to have informed his disciples that Shemsu-'d-Din was a scholar in every science known to man, and also a great alchemist; but that he had renounced them all, to devote himself to the study and contemplation of the mysteries of divine love.

  

7.

Shemsu-'d-Din was one day sitting with his disciples, when the public executioner passed by. Shems remarked to those around him: "There goes one of God's saints."

The disciples knew the man, and told Shems that he was the common headsman. Shems replied: "True! In the exercise of his calling, he put to death a man of God, whose soul he thus released from the bondage of the body.

 As a recompense for this kind act of his, the saint bequeathed to him his own saintship."

On the following day the executioner relinquished his office, vowed repentance, came to Shemsu-'d-Din, made his bow, and professed himself a disciple.

  

8.

Sheykh Husamu-'d-Din was originally a young man who showed great respect and humility towards Shemsu-'d-Din, to whom he rendered services of every kind.

One day Shems said to him: "Husam, this is not the way. Religion is a question of money. Give me some coin, and offer your services to the Lord; so, peradventure, thou mayest rise in our order."

Husam at once went forth to his own house, collected all his own valuables and money, with his wife's jewels, and all the provisions of the house, brought them to Shems, and laid them at his feet. He furthermore sold a vineyard and country-seat he possessed, bringing their price also to his teacher, and thanking him for having taught him a duty, as also for having deigned to accept so insignificant a trifle from his hand.

"Yes, Husam," said Shems, "it is to be hoped that, with God's grace, and the prayers of the saints, thou wilt henceforth attain to such a station, as to be the envy of the most perfect men of God, and be bowed down to by the Brethren of Sincerity. It is true that God's saints are not in want of anything, being independent of both worlds. But, at the outset, there is no other way to test the sincerity of one we love, and the affection of a friend, than to call upon him to sacrifice his worldly possessions. The next step is, to summon him to give up all that is not his God. No disciple who wishes to rise, has ever made progress by following his own devices. Advancement is earned by rendering service, and by spending in God's cause. Every pupil who sacrifices possessions at the call of his teacher, would also lay down his life, if needs

were. No lover of God can retain both mammon and religion."

Shems then restored to Husam the whole of his goods, keeping back only one piece of silver. Nine times as much more did he bestow upon Husam from first to last; and, as the results of all things are in God's hands, so did Husam at length become the ruler of God's saints, and Jelal made him the keeper of God's treasury. He it was who wrote down the twenty-four thousand six hundred and sixty couplets contained in the six books of the Mesnevi.

  

9.

Shemsu-'d-Din left Qonya, at the end of his first visit, on Thursday, the twenty-first day of the month of Shawwal, A.H. 643 (14th March, A.D. 1246), after a stay of about sixteen months.

He returned to Damascus; and his departure left Jelal in a state of great uneasiness and excitement. (Compare a conflicting date given in No. 13, further on.)

  

10.

Shemsu-'d-Din was one day at Bagdad, and entered one of the palaces there. A eunuch who saw him enter, without being himself visible, made a sign to a slave to go and drive away the mendicant.

The slave drew his sword, and raised it to strike; but his arm withered, and fell palsied.

The eunuch then motioned to another slave to execute the commission; and he, too, became similarly incapacitated.

Shems then went away of himself, and none dared to pursue him. Two days later, the eunuch died also.

  

11.

Jelal's father, Baha Veled, had a disciple, who, for some reason, gave offence to Shemsu-'d-Din; the latter, in punishment, inflicted a deafness on both the disciple's ears.

After a time, Shems pardoned the offender, and restored

his hearing. But the man bore him a grudge in his heart, nevertheless. One day, Shems said to him: "Friend, I have pardoned thee; wherefore art thou still cast down? Be comforted." Notwithstanding this, his rancour remained.

One day, however, he met Shems in the midst of a market. Suddenly, he felt a new faith glow within him, and he shouted out: "There is no god save God; Shemsu-'d-Din is the apostle of God."

The market-people, on this, raised a great hubbub, and wished to kill him. One of them came forward to cut him down; but Shems uttered so terrific a shout, that the man at once fell down dead. The rest of the market-people bowed, and submitted.

Shems now took the disciple by the hand, and led him away, remarking to him: "My good friend; my name is Muhammed. Thou shouldest have shouted: 'Muhammed is the apostle of God.' The rabble will not take gold that is not coined."

  

12.

One beautiful moonlight night, Jelal and Shems were together on the terraced roof of the college, and all the inhabitants of Qonya were sleeping on their housetops.

Shems remarked: "See all these poor creatures! They are dead to every sense of their Creator on this beautiful night of God's decree. Wilt thou not, Jelal, of thy infinite compassion, wake them up, and let them gain a share in the shower of blessings of this night?"

Thus appealed to, Jelal faced toward Mekka, and offered up this prayer to God: "O Thou Lord of heaven, and of earth, for the love of Thy servant Shemsu-'d-Din, vouchsafe wakefulness to this people."

Immediately a black cloud gathered from the unseen world. Thunders and lightnings burst forth; and so heavy a rain fell, that all the sleepers, catching up what clothing they could find, quickly took refuge in their

houses below. Shems smiled at the saintly joke, and was greatly amused.

When daylight dawned, the disciples gathered round, numerous as the raindrops of that shower; and Shems related to them the story, with the following remarks:--

"Hitherto, all the prophets and saints have ever sought to hide from vulgar eyes the miraculous powers they have possessed, so that none should be aware of the fact. But now, our Lord and Master, Jelal, has been so successful in secretly following up the path of mystic love, that his miraculous powers have hitherto escaped the searching eyes of even the chiefest of God's elect, even as it hath been said: 'Verily, God hath saints of whom no man knoweth.'"

  

13.

Kimiya Khatun, the wife of Shemsu-'d-Din, was a very beautiful, and also a very virtuous, woman. One day, however, it so happened that, without his permission or knowledge, the grandmother of Sultan Veled, and her attendant ladies, took Kimiya with them for an outing to the vineyards of the city.

As chance would have it, Shems came home while she was still away. He asked for her, and was informed where she had gone, and with whom. He was exceedingly annoyed at her absence.

Kimiya had scarcely returned home, ere she began to feel unwell. Her limbs stiffened like dry firewood, and became motionless. She continued screaming and moaning for three days, and then gave up the ghost, in the month of Sha'ban, A.H. 644 (December, A.D. 1246. But compare a conflicting date given in No. 9, further back.)

  

14.

It is related that, a second time, Shems and Jelal shut themselves up for a whole six months in Jelal's room at the college, without partaking of meat or drink, and without

the entrance of a single individual to interrupt them, or either of them coming forth, Sultan Veled and one other disciple alone excepted.

  

15.

Shemsu-'d-Din was extremely bitter in his preachings and lectures to the learned auditory who used to gather around him in Qonya. He likened them to oxen and asses. He reproached them with being further than ever astray from the path of living love, and taxed them with the presumption of supposing themselves the equals of Bayezid of Bestam.

He once went to Erzen-of-Rome (Erzrum), the prince of which city had a son so extremely stupid, though very handsome, that he could be taught nothing, or next thereto.

Shems let no one know who or what he was; but opened a school for children. Inquiries were made by the prince, and Shems undertook to instruct the child, and enable him, in one month, to recite the whole Qur'an by heart.

He kept his promise. The young prince acquired, further, during the same period, a beautiful handwriting, and sundry other accomplishments.

It began to be suspected, now, that he was a saint in disguise. He therefore quietly slipped away from that city.

  

16.

There is a tradition that Jelal one day called his son Sultan Veled, gave him a large sum of money, and bade him go, with a suite of the disciples, to Damascus, and request Shems to return to Qonya.

Jelal told his son that he would find Shems in a certain inn, playing at backgammon with a young Firengi (European, Frank), also one of God's saints. Sultan Veled went, found Shems exactly so occupied, and brought him back to Qonya, the Firengi youth returning to his own country, there to preach Jelal's doctrines, as his vicar.

Sultan Veled walked the whole way from Damascus to Qonya, at the stirrup-side of Shems, as a groom walks by the side of a prince's charger. The whole city went forth to receive them. Jelal and Shems embraced each other. Jelal became more than ever devoted to his friend; and his disciples resented his neglect of them, as they had done before. Not long afterwards, the dolorous event occurred that terminated the life of Shemsu-'d-Din.

  

17.

The Vazir of Qonya had built a college. On its completion, he gave a great entertainment, in the college, of religious music and dancing, all the learned men of the city being present.

The Qur'an was first recited in its entirety; after which, the holy waltzing began. The Vazir and Shemsu-'d-Din both joined in the dance. Several times they came into collision; or, the Vazir's skirt swept against Shems's person, as he observed no caution in his gyrations.

Jelal expressed great indignation at this want of courtesy and reverence for his guest and friend. He took Shems by the hand, to lead him away. The grandees present essayed to appease him, but their entreaties were of no avail. The police of the Sultan were therefore sent for; and when they arrived, they instantly seized Shems, led him forth a prisoner with every mark of indignity, and put him to death without further inquiry or formality.

  

18.

Chelebi Emir 'Arif related, as informed by his mother, Fatima Khatun, that when Shemsu-'d-Din was thus made a martyr, his executioners threw his corpse down a well.

Sultan Veled saw Shems in a dream, and was informed by him where the body would be found. Sultan Veled went therefore at midnight with some friends, recovered the corpse, washed it, and privately buried it in the college grounds, by the side of the founder.

  

19.

Forty days after the disappearance of Shemsu-'d-Din, Jelal, wishing to appease his own sorrow, and quell the mutinous spirit that had broken out among the disciples, appointed Husamu-'d-Din his local deputy, and set out to seek Shems at Damascus for the third time. All the learned men of Syria became his disciples, and he was absent about a year, more or less.

The Sultan and the nobles grew impatient at this long absence, and wrote him an urgent petition, begging him to return to Qonya. With this request he complied.

Naturally, he had failed to find Shemsu-'d-Din in the flesh at Damascus; but he had found within himself what was still greater. He went to the lodging of Shems, and wrote on the door, with red ink: "This is the station of the beloved one of Elias, on whom be peace!"

It is said that the body of Shemsu-'d-Din disappeared, and that he was buried by the side of Jelal's father, Sultan Baha Veled the Elder.


CHAPTER V.

Sheykh Salahu-'d-Din [*1] Feridun, surnamed Zer-Kub (Goldbeater).

  

1.

SHEYKH SALaHU-'D-DiN was originally a fellow-disciple with Jelal, as pupils to Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din. He afterwards became a goldbeater, as his parents were poor.

After a while, when Jelal's reputation became great, Salah went and paid him his respects. Jelal knew how highly Burhan had esteemed Salah, when his pupil. He therefore received him in a very friendly manner, and their intercourse became warmly renewed.

One day, after the murder of Shemsu-'d-Din, and the return of Jelal from Damascus, he sent for Salah, and appointed him his own assistant in the government and instruction of the disciples, presenting him also to the king in that capacity.

  

2.

Jelal's first royal protector, 'Ala'u-'d-Din Keyqubad, was now dead, and his son, Gayasu-'d-Din Key-Khusrev, reigned in his stead.

The monarch one day made a feast in the vineyards, and went forth into the fields for a walk, alone. He picked up a young snake, carried it indoors, placed it in a gold box, sealed this up, and then rejoined his courtiers.

To those attendants the king exhibited the sealed packet, as having just then been privately received from the Qaysar [*2]

of Constantinople with a message to this effect: "If your religion of Islam be the true faith, some one of your wise men will be able to see into this packet without breaking its seals, and to tell what it contains."

The king then called upon his ministers to prove their loyalty to him, and their faithfulness to their religion, by solving this riddle. None of them was able.

The packet was now sent round in succession to all the eminent teachers and theologians of the city; but none could unravel the enigma.

At last it was brought to Jelal, as Sheykh Feridun and he were sitting together. Jelal invited Feridun to tell them the contents of the packet; and he immediately replied: "It is not a dignified act in the king to imprison a young snake in a gold box, sealing this up as a packet, and then tempting his courtiers, ministers, and learned men with a false pretence. A saint, however, knows not only the solution of so paltry a trick as this, but is also aware of every thought in the king's heart, and every secret of earth and heaven."

When this answer was reported to the king, he came to the college, and professed himself a disciple, remarking: "If the disciples of Shemsu-'d-Din possess such power, and work such miracles, how great must have been the sanctity of the murdered martyr."

Feridun acted for ten years as assistant to Jelal.

  

3.

Fatima, the daughter of Sheykh Salahu-'d-Din Feridun, was married to Sultan Veled, Jelal's son. Jelal used to teach her to read the Qur'an and other books.

Jelal used to call Fatima his right eye; her sister Hediyya, his left eye; and their mother, Latifa Khatun, the personification of God's grace.

When Fatima's marriage was solemnised, all the angels of heaven were present, and wished the young couple all happiness.

She was a saint, and continually worked miracles. She fasted by day and watched by night, tasting food only once in three days. She was very charitable to the poor, the orphans, and the widows, distributing to them food and raiment.

Sheykh Feridun died on New Year's Day, A.H. 657 (28th December, A.D. 1258).

  

CHAPTER VI.

Chelebi Husamu-'l-Haqqi-wa-'d-Din, Hasan, son of Muhammed, son of Hasan, son of Akhi-Turk, [*1] related to Esh-Sheykhu-'l-Mukerrem. [*2]

  

1.

ON the death of Sheykh Feridun, Chelebi Husamu-'d-Din was appointed by Jelal his assistant in place of the deceased saint. For another ten years these two spiritual friends worked together in perfect unity as Superior and Assistant. Husam was surnamed "the Juneyd and the Bayezid [*3] of the age," "the Key of the Treasuries of God's throne," "the Trustee of the Treasures on earth," and "God's next Friend in the World."

  

2.

Husam once made his obeisance to Jelal, and related to him that, when the disciples recited the poetry of the Mesnevi, and became entranced, he had himself seen a company of invisible ones, armed with clubs and scimitars, keeping guard over them. If any one did not listen to those sacred words with reverence and believing, the clubs and swords were brought into play, and he was hurled into the pit of hell-fire. Jelal confirmed, as being a fact, all Husam had related.

  

3.

Husamu-'d-Din was very eloquent, pious, and God-fearing. He would never use the water, even, of the college, for drink or for ablutions; but always brought his water from his own home for those purposes. He distributed, to the very last farthing, the whole of the revenues of the college among the disciples.

  

4.

Sultan Veled and his friends went one day to Husam's garden. Some of the disciples felt a desire to eat of some honey, but had said nothing on the subject. Husam read their thoughts. He therefore ordered his gardener to bring some new honeycomb from a certain hive. More, and more, and still more comb was brought, until all were satisfied; still, the hive was yet full. When they left his garden, Husam sent the hive with them; and for a long time it supplied all their wants.

  

5.

A severe drought afflicted Qonya and its environs. Prayers for rain were publicly offered without avail.

Recourse was now had to Husamu-'d-Din, who was begged to intercede for the people, and to pray for rain.

He first went to Jelal's tomb, there performed his devotions to God, and then put up the prayer for rain, his disciples weeping as they chanted "Amen."

Clouds now began to collect and lower; shortly after which an abundance of rain was vouchsafed.

  

6.

Not only were all the revenues of the college, arising from its endowments, committed by Jelal to the sole administration of Husam, but, whatever gifts and contributions were offered by princes and friends, in money or in kind, they were all consigned to his care, to augment the

resources of the general fund. Jelal's family, and also his son, though often pinched, fared as the disciples.

  

7.

The disciples were both surprised and scandalised, at one time, by Husam's publicly speaking very much in praise of certain individuals who bore an extremely bad character, while he disparaged certain others who were noted for their pious lives.

They complained to Jelal; but he confirmed what Husam had said, and remarked to them: "God looks only to man's heart. Those seemingly lewd fellows are really God-loving saints, while those outwardly pious livers are merely inward hypocrites."

  

8.

One day Husam was lecturing. Suddenly he beckoned to one of the disciples, and told him to go with all speed to the royal palace, ask to see the queen, give her his greeting, and say to her: "Instantly quit this apartment thou art in, if thou wouldest avoid impending destruction, the result of God's decree."

The queen believed his word, and at once removed to another part of the palace. The apartment was speedily stripped of its furniture; and scarcely had the last loads been removed, when, with a loud crash, the building fell in. Her faith in his miraculous power was thenceforward increased a hundredfold.

  

9.

A certain Sheykh died at Qonya, who was rector of two different colleges. The prince who was the trustee of both, elected to nominate Husamu-'d-Din as rector of one of them; and a great entertainment was prepared by the prince for the occasion.

Jelal was informed of the arrangement, and he expressed the intention to bear himself Husam's carpet to his new

college, and himself spreading it for Husam in his new seat.

A certain brawler, a kinsman of Husam's, Akhi Ahmed by name, was of the company; and he had felt nettled at Husam's appointment. He came forward, snatched away Husam's carpet, gave it to one of his companions to cast out of the building, and exclaimed: "We will not suffer this fellow to be installed here as Sheykh."

Great confusion ensued. Several nobles of the Akhi clan, who were present, drew their swords and knives, a scene of blood appearing to be about to commence.

Jelal now addressed the crowd, reproaching them for such behaviour. He told them that their family and college would not prosper, but that the Mevlevi order, founded by himself, and his lineal posterity would go on ever steadily increasing. He then related the following anecdote:--

"A certain Sheykh from Samarqand, Abu-'l-Lays by name, went on his travels for about twenty years, with a view to study, partly at Mekka. At length he set out on his return home, whither his reputation, as well as numerous disciples, had preceded him.

"Arrived at the outskirts of his native place, he went to the riverside to perform an ablution. There he found a number of women, occupied with laundry work. From among these, one old woman advanced, looked at him attentively, and then exclaimed: 'Why, if here isn't our little Abu-'l-Lays come back again! Go quickly, girls, and carry the news to our family.'

"The Sheykh returned forthwith to his party of fellow-travellers, and gave orders for their beasts to be at once reloaded for an immediate return to Damascus. On being questioned as to his reason for this sudden change of intention he answered: 'My people still think of me as "little Abu-'l-Lays," and will treat me with familiar indignity accordingly, esteeming me of small account, and thereby committing a grievous sin; for it is an incumbent

duty on all to honour the learned and the wise. To respect them is to show reverence to the apostle of God, and to revere him is to serve the Creator.'

"Now, the truth was that, when a child, his father had always called him 'little Abu-'l-Lays.' But strangers would not so understand that term of endearment; they would think it one of too free and easy familiarity, and as likely to draw down on the city and its inhabitants the divine displeasure. It was not consistent with true affection to allow the possibility of such a visitation to occur."

Having delivered himself of this constructive reprimand, Jelal left the college barefoot, and in high dudgeon. The chief people came after him to intercede, but he would not be pacified. Their intervention was declined, and he refused to be reconciled with the broiler, Akhi Ahmed. He would not consent to go near that offender, who died soon afterwards; though most of his sons, relatives, and even his fellow-revellers, became disciples of Jelal's.

The Sultan would have caused him to be put to death at once; but Jelal would not permit that.

Akhi Ahmed was never again allowed to show himself at any public reception, and was shunned by all, like the wandering Jew.

Eventually, Husamu-'d-Din was appointed rector of both the colleges in question; and Ahmed's son, Akhi 'Ali, was a disciple of Sultan Veled.

  

10.

Jelalu-'d-Din was of the school of Abu-Hanifa; but Husam belonged to that of Shafi'i. [*1] He thought of joining the Hanefi school, out of deference to his teacher. Jelal, however, recommended him to remain what he had always been, and to strive to inculcate to all the doctrine of divine love, as set forth by Jelal.

  

11.

After Jelal's death, his widow, Kira Khatun, suggested to her stepson, Sultan Veled Baha'u-'d-Din, that he ought to have succeeded his father as Rector of the fraternity, and not Husain.

Sultan Veled answered that it had been his father's bequest that Husain should succeed, that he himself had sworn the oath of fealty to Husam, and that Husam was now become a kind of spiritual beehive, through the incessant and multitudinous visitations of angelic ministers sent to him with messages from on high.

  

12.

Husamu-'d-Din had a gardener, whose name was Sheykh Muhammed. About four years after Jelal's death, Husam had reason to reprimand the gardener, who took offence at this, and went away to another garden, resolved never to return to Husam's service.

As he sat reflecting, he fell asleep. In his dreams he saw Jelal coming towards him, with an executioner by his side, who held up an axe. Jelal ordered the executioner to cut off Muhammed's head, as the punishment for his having offended Husain.

This was done; and Muhammed saw his own head fall off, and his own blood flow. He knew that he was dead.

After a while he saw Jelal return, pick up Muhammed's decapitated head, place it in proper junction with the neck of the corpse, and utter the exclamation: "In the name of God, with God, from God, and to God." Muhammed saw himself instantly alive again, felt very penitent, threw himself at Jelal's feet, and cried out piteously.

He now awoke and arose. No one was in sight. All traces of blood had vanished, and no sign of a wound was discernible on his neck. In all speed he returned to Husam's garden, and resumed his work with alacrity.

But now he saw Husain approaching, who said to him:

"Well, Sheykh Muhammed! Until Jelalu-'d-Din chastised thee, thou wert no Muslim, and wert given over to stiffneckedness. Had not I interceded for thee, thou hadst been dead to all eternity, shut out from every hope of heaven."

Muhammed protested his sincere repentance, became a dervish, and professed himself a disciple.

  

13.

When Husamu-'d-Din had faithfully executed for ten years, as a just and wise steward, all his duties as successor to Jelalu-'d-Din, he one day went, with his companions and disciples, to visit the shrine of his predecessor.

As he drew near to the mausoleum, information was brought to him that the gilt crescent surmounting the cupola had fallen down.

On the moment, Husam felt himself to be stricken. He asked for an examination of dates to be made, and found that ten years previously Jelal had departed this life. He therefore said to those around him: "Lead me back home. The time for my dissolution is at hand."

He was conducted to his chamber, where, a few days later, on Thursday, the twenty-second of Sha'ban, in the year A.H. 683 (4th November, A.D. 1284), he breathed his last exactly at the time when the gilt crescent was replaced over Jelal's tomb, and the works brought to a close.

  

14.

Shortly after the death of Husamu-'d-Din, the widow of Jelal, Kira Khatun, too, departed this life, and was buried by the side of her husband.

As her corpse was being borne towards its last resting-place, the procession passed through one of the gates of the town. Here, the bearers found themselves arrested by some unseen power, so that they could not move, hand or foot. This singular effect lasted for about half an hour.

Her stepson, Sultan Veled, with the other mourners,

struck up a hymn, and commenced a holy dance. Soon after this, the bearers recovered the use of their limbs, and found themselves able to proceed. All now went well, and the interment was completed.

That same night, a holy man of the fraternity saw Kira Khatun in heaven near to her husband. [*1] He inquired of her concerning the arrestation of the funeral. She informed him thus: "The day previous, a man and a woman had been stoned to death at that gate for the sin of adultery. I took compassion on them, interceded for their forgiveness, and obtained for them admittance to paradise. My preoccupation in their cause was the reason of the delay met with by the funeral procession."

  

15.

One day, while Jelal was yet living, Satan appeared in person to Husamu-'d-Din, and complained bitterly of the torments inflicted on him by the continuous pious exercises of Jelal. He said that such was his deep reverence for Jelal and his followers, that he dared not attempt to seduce one of them; and that, had he known that, of the seed of Adam, so holy a race of men were to spring, he never would have tempted the father of mankind. He further added: "I entertain a hope that the kindness of heart of his sons will lead them to intercede with Jelal for me, and so obtain my eventual release and salvation."

Husam related this occurrence to Jelal, who smiled, and said: "There is reason to hope that he need not despair. God forbid that he should despair!"

  

16.

Whenever the grandees of Qonya entertained a desire to have an audience of the Sheykh Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz, during his lifetime, they used to request Husam to beg

 Jelal to intercede for them with Sheens, and so obtain for them the desired interview.

Jelal and Husam used to tax those nobles for this favour, according to their means and circumstances.

On one occasion the Grand Vazir solicited an audience, and was taxed at forty thousand pieces of silver; which, after much chaffering, was reduced to thirty thousand.

At his audience with Shems, the Vazir was so charmed with the mysteries revealed to him, that, on his return therefrom, he voluntarily sent the ten thousand pieces of silver to Husam, which had been abated from the sum originally fixed.

These monies were always expended by Husam, as he saw fit, in relieving the necessities of the holy community, and the families of Jelal, the Goldbeater, and their various dependants.

CHAPTER VII.

The Sultan of them who attain to the Truth, in whom are manifested the mysteries of Positive Knowledge, Baha'u-'l-Haqqiwa-'d-Din, [*1] El Veled.

  

1.

WHILE Sultan Veled was yet a child, his father, Jelalu-'d-Din, was once discoursing on the miracle of the rod of Moses, which swallowed up the rods and other engines of Pharaoh's magicians, related to have been in such quantities as to form seventy camel-loads, and yet that staff became no thicker or longer than before.

Turning to Sultan Veled, his father asked how this could be, and to what it could be likened for the sake of illustration.

The child at once replied: "In a very dark night, if a lighted taper be brought into a large room or hall, it instantly devours all the darkness, and yet remains a little taper."

Jelal jumped up from his seat, ran to his son, took the child to his bosom, kissed him with effusion, and then said: "May God bless thee, my child! Verily, thou hast strung a pearl of the very first water on the string of illustration."

  

2.

Sultan Veled's elder brother, 'Ala'u-'d-Din, was killed in the tumult for which the police authorities of Qonya put to death the Sheykh Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz. Sultan Veled ruled the dervish community, in room of his father

 (after the death of Husamu-'d-Din), for many years (from A.H. 683 to 712, being twenty-nine lunar years). He composed three volumes of poetry in couplets, like the Mesnevi (hence styled Mesneviyat, Mesnevian Poems), and a volume (Diwan) of odes in the Arabian style, arranged in the alphabetical order of their rhymes.

  

3.

It is related that when Husamu-'d-Din was in his last illness, Sultan Veled came to visit him. Finding the sickness was unto death, he began to wail and lament, asking what would become of himself after the removal of so dear a friend and so able a director.

Husam collected himself, and, leaning on Sultan Veled, sat up. He then addressed the latter thus: "Be of good cheer, and let not thy heart be dismayed through my departure in the body. In another form, I will ever be near thee still. Thou shalt never be in need of counsel from another. In all difficulties and troubles that may beset thee, I will always be present, and in the visions of the night will I solve every doubt, and direct thee in each matter, whether it relate to the spirit and religion, or whether it pertain to the flesh and mundane affairs. Whenever thou shalt receive counsel in this manner, know of a surety that it is I who suggest it to thee--it will be none other than I myself. I will show myself to thee in thy visions; and I will be thy counsel and thy guide."

Sultan Veled was the first who narrated his dreams in his poems. Seek them there; there shalt thou find them consigned.

  

4.

One day a great man asked Sultan Veled whether God ever speaks to His servant--man.

This inquirer had frequently had the idea to send an offering to Sultan Veled; but had hesitated between a gift of money and one of Indian muslins.

Sultan Veled answered his inquiry thus: "God does certainly speak to His servants. And as to the method by which He addresses then, I will relate to thee an anecdote."

"There was in Balkh a preacher, who was also one of God's most precious saints. He had many disciples, who loved him dearly. I heard him once say, during one of his discourses: 'Long hath God spoken to you in words; but you will not hearken to Him. This conduct is strangely improper on the part of obsequious servants. In God's name, therefore, I warn you that you ought to hearken to God's words, and yield obedience to His commands.'

"Just then, a dervish in the congregation stood up, and begged that some one would bestow on him a handkerchief.

"A merchant, who was seated in a corner of the mosque, thrice conceived the resolve to give the dervish a handkerchief; but thrice he failed to carry that design into effect.

"That merchant now rose, and, addressing the preacher, said: 'Sir, how does God speak to His servants? Pray explain this, that the method may be known unto us.'

"The preacher answered: 'For one handkerchief, God does not speak more than three times!'

"The merchant was petrified. He cried aloud, and cast himself at the feet of the preacher. What he had thrice resolved to do, and had not performed, he now carried out, giving a handkerchief to the dervish, and professing himself a disciple to the preacher."

"Now," added Sultan Veled, "I say unto thee, O grandee, do thou also hearken unto the words of God. Give the Indian handkerchiefs, and distribute 'also the money. When thou shalt have hearkened to the words of God, He will listen also to that which thou mayest say unto Him. All thou mayest ask of Him, God will give thee; and whatsoever thou seekest of Him, thou shalt find."

Forthwith that grandee became a sincere convert and disciple. Similar miraculous works of Sultan Veled are beyond all count.

  

5.

Sultan Veled died on Saturday, the tenth day of Rejeb, A.H. 712 (11th November, A.D. 1312). He had as many as a dozen children by his wife Fatima, daughter of the Sheykh Salahu-'d-Din Feridun, the Goldbeater; but they all died in infancy, immediately after birth, or ere they were six months old. At length, on a Monday, the eighth day of the month of Zu-'l-Qa'da, A.H. 670 (6th May, A.D. 1272), his son and successor, Chelebi Emir 'Arif, was born.

Soon after his birth, or when only a few months old, the Emir 'Arif, at the invitation of his grandfather, Jelalu-'d-Din, and in the hearing of a numerous circle of assembled friends, thrice pronounced, audibly and distinctly, God's great name. His grandfather prophesied thence that he would be a very great saint, and would sit in the seat of his own successorship, after his father Sultan Veled. The Emir 'Arif lived about fifty years, surviving his father, however, but the short term of eight or nine summers.

CHAPTER VIII.

Chelebi Emir 'Arif, Jelalu-'d-Din.


1.

On the last day but one of the period of the greater pilgrimage at Mekka, the eve of the Festival of Sacrifices, the ninth of the month of Zu-'l-Hijja, A.H. 717 (11th February, A.D. 1313), the Emir 'Arif, and the historian Eflaki, his disciple, were together at Sultaniyya, in the north of Persia, the new capital of the great western Mogul empire.

They were visiting at the convent of a certain Mevlevi dervish, named Sheykh Suhrab, [*1] with sundry of the friends and saints, all of whom were engaged in the study of different books, at about the hour of midday, excepting 'Arif, who was enjoying a siesta.

Suddenly, 'Arif raised his head, and gave one of his loud, awe-inspiring shouts, which caused all present to tremble. Without a word, however, he again composed himself to sleep.

When he at length fully roused himself, and finally woke up from his sleep, Sheykh Eflaki ventured to inquire what it was that had disturbed him.

He answered: "I had gone in the spirit to pay a visit to the tomb of my great-grandfather, when there I saw the two Mevlevi dervishes, Nasiru-'d-Din and Shuja'u-'d-Din Chanaqi, who had seized each other by the collar, and were engaged in a violent dispute and struggle. I called out to them to desist; and two men, with one pious woman, being there present, saw me."

Eflaki at once made a note of this narrative, putting down the date and hour of the occurrence.

Some time afterwards, 'Arif returned to the land of Rome, and went to the town of Ladik (Laodicaea Combusta, not far from Qonya); and there they met the above-named Nasiru-'d-Din. In the presence of all the friends, 'Arif asked Nasir to relate to them the circumstances of his quarrel with Shuja'.

Nasir replied: "On the eve of the Festival of Sacrifices, I was standing at the upper end of the mausoleum, when Shuja' came there, and committed an unseemly act, for which I reprehended him. He immediately collared me, and I him; when suddenly, from the direction of the feet of the holy Baha Veled, the voice of 'Arif was heard shouting to us, and made us tremble. In awe thereat, we immediately embraced each other, and bowed in reverence. That is all I know of the matter."

'Arif then addressed Eflaki, and said: "Pray relate to our friends what thou knowest thereof, that they may be edified."

Eflaki now produced his memorandum-book, and showed the entry he had made, with the date. The friends marvelled at this, and rejoiced exceedingly, their spirits

being refreshed with an influence from the invisible world.

'Arif then said: "By the soul of my ancestor, I dislike exceedingly to make a display of any miraculous power. But, now and then, for the edification of my disciples, such scenes will slip out. Then Eflaki takes note thereof."

Such miracles are known by the names of "manifestations," and "ektasis of the spirit."

When Qonya was reached, three friends, one a lady, bore testimony to having seen 'Arif at the tomb on that day, and to their having heard him shout.

  

2.

'Arif's last journey was from Larenda to Aq-Seray (on the road to Qonya). In the latter place he remained about ten days; when, one night, he laid his head on his pillow, and wept bitterly, continuously moaning and sobbing in his sleep.

In the morning his friends inquired the cause. He said he had seen a strange dream. He was seated in a vaulted chamber, with windows looking on to a garden as beautiful as paradise, with all kinds of flowering shrubs and fruit-bearing trees, beneath the shade of which the youths and maidens of heaven were walking and disporting themselves. Melodious voices were also heard. In one direction he noticed a flower-garden, and there he saw his grandfather, Jelalu-'d-Din. He wondered at his appearance; when lo, Jelal looked towards him, and beckoned him to approach. On his drawing near, Jelal asked him what had brought him there; and then added: "The time is come; the end of thy term. Thou must come to me."

It was from joy and delight at this kind invitation of his grandfather, that 'Arif had wept and sobbed.

He then said: "It is time for me to make my journey to heaven,--to drink of the cup of God's might."

Two days later, they continued their journey towards Qonya, and 'Arif showed some slight symptoms of indisposition.

 These daily grew more severe. He reached Qonya. One morning he came out of his house, and stood in the gateway of his great-grandfather's mausoleum, silent, in the midst of his disciples. It was Friday, the last day of the month of Zu-'l-qa'da, A.H. 719 (13th January, A.D. 1320).

The orb of the sun rose like a disk of gold, careering over the azure vault from an impulse given to it by the bat of God's decree. It attained the altitude of a lance-length. 'Arif contemplated it, and smiled. Shortly afterwards, he spoke as follows:

"I am tired of this lower world, and have no wish to remain beneath the sun, surrounded with dust and misery. The time is come for me to trample on the stars that encircle the pole, mounting beyond the sun, to occupy myself with the mysteries of the heavenly choir, and to be entirely delivered from the instabilities of this world of change."

His disciples burst into tears, and he continued--

"There is no remedy hereto, but to die. During life, my pleasure has been to journey and wander about, in outward space, and in inward self-exploration. For idle spirits come into the world of material forms to contemplate the marvels of the horizons, and the wonders of men's minds,--to acquire knowledge, and attain to certainty. Through the gravity of the body I have been impeded in the investigation, and I shall not be able to travel again. Let me, then, wend my way to the future state, for here below I have no real companion. My only anxiety is, to be with my father and grandfather. How long shall I be severed from them in this world of suffering? I long to behold my grandfather, and I will certainly depart."

He then cried aloud. After which he slowly returned to his chamber, and there continued to moan.

He managed to crawl, as well as he could, to the congregational service of worship of that Friday at noon. Thence he proceeded to the mausoleum, kissed the shrine,

sang a hymn, performed a holy dance, and uttered ecstatic cries. He then laid himself down at full length on the floor, under which he is now buried, and said: "Where the man falls, there let him be interred. Bury you the deposit of my corpse in this spot."

That day was as though the last judgment were at hand. A tempest arose; all creation, mortal and immortal, seemed to be groaning.

The day following, Saturday, the traces of his malady were but too visible in 'Arif's features. He strove to battle with it, and to converse, as if he were in perfect health.

His sickness lasted about five and twenty days. On the twenty-second of Zu-'l-Hijja there was a violent shock of earthquake.

There was then in Qonya a certain saint, commonly known as "the Student," a successor of the legist Ahmed. In his youth he had made himself a great reputation for learning, in all its branches. But, for forty years, he had been paralysed, and had never risen from his seat, summer or winter. He was well versed in all mysteries, and now began to say: "They are taking away the lamp of Qonya! Alas, the world will go to utter confusion! I, too, will follow after that holy man!"

Shocks followed after shocks of the earthquake; and 'Arif exclaimed: "The hour of departure is at hand! See, the earth yawns for the mouthful it will make of my body. It shows signs of impatience for its food!"

He then asked: "Look! what birds are these that are come here?" His eyes remained fixed for a time on the angelic visions which he now saw. From time to time he would start, as though about to fly. The assembled disciples, men and women, wept bitterly. But he again spoke, and said--

"Sheykhs, be not troubled! Even as my descent into this world was for the regulation of the affairs of your community, so is my existence of equal advantage to you,

and I will at all times be with you, never absent from you. Even in the other world will I be with you. Here below, separation is a thing unavoidable. In the other world there is union without disrupture, and junction without a parting. Let me go without a pang. To outward appearance, I shall be absent; but in truth, I shall not be away from you. So long as a sword is in its sheath, it cuts not; but, when it shall be drawn, you shall see its effects. From this day forward, I dash my fist through the curtain that veils the invisible world; and my disciples shall hear the clash of the blows."

As he spake these words, his eldest son, Shah-Zada, and his own half-brother, Chelebi 'Abid, entered the room. Sheykh Eflaki asked him what commands he had to give for them. 'Arif replied: "They belong to the Lord, and have no longer a relation to me; He will take care of them."

Eflaki now asked: "And what are your wishes with respect to me, your most humble servant?" The answer was: "Do thou remain in the service of the mausoleum. Forsake it not. Go not elsewhere. That which I have commanded thee to do, as to collecting in writing all the memoirs of my ancestors and family, that do thou in all diligence until its completion. So mayest thou be approved of the Lord, and blessed by His saints."

All wept.

'Arif now recited some verses; pronounced thrice the holy name of God, with a sigh; recited some more verses; and then, between the noon and afternoon hours of worship, having recited two short chapters of the Qur'an, he departed, in peace and rejoicing, to the centre of his existence, on Tuesday, the twenty-fourth day of Zu-'l-Hijja, A.H. 719 (5th February, A.D. 1320). Unto God be all glory, now and for ever!

He was buried on the 25th, where he had himself indicated, by the side of his grandfather. His half-brother 'Abid succeeded him.

CHAPTER IX.

Genealogy of Jelalu-'d-Din, Rumi.

ON his father's side, the remote ancestor of Jelalu-'d-Din, during Islamic times, was Abu-Bekr, the dearest and most faithful friend of Muhammed the Arabian lawgiver, and his successor in the government of the community of Islam, as the first of the long line of Caliphs.

Like Muhammed himself, Abu-Bekr was of the tribe of Quraysh, which claims descent, through Ishmael, from Abraham, the chosen Friend of God, and Father of the faithful. The stem of Abu-Bekr's branch of the tribe unites with that of Muhammed in Murra, ancestor to Muhammed in the seventh degree, and to Abu-Bekr in the sixth.

Abu-Bekr was, furthermore, one of Mohammed's fathers-in-law, as his daughter 'A'isha was the Prophet's only virgin bride.

A son or grandson of Abu-Bekr is said to have been among the Arabian conquerors of Khurasan during the caliphate of 'Uthman (Osman), about A.H. 25 (A.D. 647), and to have settled at Balkh (the capital of the ancient Bactria), where his family flourished until after the birth of Jelalu-'d-Din. [*1]

At an uncertain period subsequent to A.H. 491 (A.D. 1097), a daughter of one of the Kh'arezmian kings of Central Asia was given in marriage to Jelalu-'d-Din's great-great-grandfather, whose name is either not mentioned by Eflaki, or I have missed it. She gave birth to Jelal's great-grandfather, Ahmed, surnamed El-Khatibi (as being, apparently, a son or descendant, or a client, of a public preacher, Khatib).

Nothing more is mentioned of Ahmed by Eflaki, than that he had a son Huseyn, surnamed Jelalu-'d-Din, who married a daughter of a certain Khurrem-Shah, King of Khurasan, and became grandfather, by her, to the author of the Mesnevi. His son, Mohammed, surnamed Baha'u-'d-Din, styled Sultanu-'l-'Ulema, and commonly known as Baha'u-'d-Din Veled, or shorter as Baha Veled, appears also to have married a lady, by whom he had three children, a daughter and two sons.

Baha Veled's eldest child, his daughter, was married off, and remained at Balkh, when Baha Veled, his mother, and two sons left it, a year or so before it was taken and devastated by Jengiz Khan in A.H. 608 (A.D. 1211). His elder son is not again mentioned by Eflaki after their departure from Balkh. Neither is the mother of his children once mentioned. But his own mother, the princess, was alive, and was still with him in about A.D. 1230; after which, she too is not again mentioned.

Baha Veled's youngest child, his most celebrated son Mohammed, surnamed Jelalu-'d-Din, Mevlana, Khudavendgar, and Rumi, the principal personage of these memoirs, the founder of the order of the Mevlevi dervishes, and author of the Mesnevi, had four children, three boys and a girl, by two wives. His eldest son was killed

in the broil that caused the murder of his father's friend Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz. His youngest son is not taken further notice of; but his daughter was married off to a local prince, and left Qonya.

His second son, and eventually his successor as Principal or Abbot of his order, was named Muhammed, and surnamed Baha'u-'Din. He is commonly known as Sultan Veled.

Sultan Veled had six children, a boy and two girls by his wife Fatima, daughter of Sheykh Feridun the Gold- beater, and three boys, of whom two were twins, by two slave women. The daughters married well, and all his sons, or three of them, succeeded him as Abbot, one after the other. The eldest was Mir 'Arif (Chelebi Emir 'Arif), the second was named 'Abid, the third Zahid, and the fourth Wahid.

Chelebi Emir 'Arif, the eldest, and Eflaki's patron, had two sons and a daughter. His eldest son, Emir 'Alim, surnamed Shah-zada, succeeded eventually to the primacy after his uncles. With him, Eflaki's memoir is brought to a close.

Such was the natural line of this dynasty of eminent men. But Eflaki has also given the links of a spiritual series, through whom the mysteries of the dervish doctrines were handed down to and in the line of Jelalu-'d-Din.

In the anecdote No. 79, of chapter iii., the account is given of the manner in which the prophet Muhammed confided those mysteries to his cousin, son-in-law, and afterwards his fourth successor, as Caliph, 'Ali son of Abu-Talib, the "Victorious Lion of God."

'Ali communicated the mysteries to the Imam Hasan of Basra, who died in A.H. 110 (A.D. 728); Hasan taught them to Habib the Persian, [*1] who confided them to Dawud

of the tribe of Tayyi',--Et-Ta'i (mentioned by D'Herbelot, without a date, as Davud Al Thai; he died A.H. 165, A.D. 781).

Dawud transmitted them to Ma'ruf of Kerkh (who died A.H. 200, A.D. 815); he to Sirri the merchant of damaged goods (Es-Saqati?; died A.H. 253, A.D. 867); and he to the great Juneyd (who died in about A.H. 297--A.D. 909). Juneyd's spiritual pupil was Shibli (died A.H. 334, A.D. 945) who taught Abu-'Amr Muhammed, son of Ibrahim Zajjaj (the Glazier), of Nishapur (who died in A.H. 348--A.D. 959) and his pupil was Abu-Bekr, son of 'Abdu-'llah, of Tus, the Weaver, who taught Abu-Ahmed (Muhammed son of Muhammed, El-Gazali (who died A.H. 504--A.D. 1110), and he committed those mysteries to Ahmed el-Khatibi, Jelal's great-grandfather, who consigned them to the Imam Sarakhsi (who died in A.H. 571--A.D. 1175).

Sarakhsi was the spiritual teacher of Jelal's father Baha Veled, who taught the Seyyid Burhanu-'d-Din Termizi, the instructor of Jelal. He again passed on the tradition to Shemsu-'d-Din of Tebriz, the teacher of Jelal's son, Sultan Veled, who himself taught the Emir 'Arif.

At the same time that the mysteries were thus being gradually transmitted to Jelalu-'d-Din and his successors by these links, they were also being diffused in thousands of other channels, and are at this day widely diffused over the world of Islam, which daily boasts of its living saints and their miracles. These latter are perhaps not less veracious that those continually blazoned forth by the Church of Rome, and by its Eastern sisters. We, too, have our spiritualists. Credulity will never forsake mankind and prodigies will never be lacking for the credulous to place faith in. There is much that is human in man, all the world over.


THE

  

BOOK OF THE MESNEVI

  

OF

  

MEVLANA JELALU-'D-DIN, MUHAMMED, ER-RUMI,

  

OF QONYA.

THE BOOK OF THE MESNEVI.

  

IN THE NAME OF GOD,
 THE ALL-MERCIFUL, THE VERY-COMPASSIONATE.

  

PROEM. 

FROM reed-flute [*1] hear what tale it tells;
 What plaint it makes of absence' ills:

"From jungle-bed since me they tore,
 Men's, women's, eyes have wept right sore.
 My breast I tear and rend in twain,
 To give, through sighs, vent to my pain.
 Who's from his home snatched far away,
 Longs to return some future day.
 I sob and sigh in each retreat,
 Be't joy or grief for which men meet. [5]
 They fancy they can read my heart;
 Grief's secrets I to none impart.
 My throes and moans form but one chain,
 Men's eyes and ears catch not their train.
 Though soul and body be as one,
 Sight of his soul hath no man won.

A flame's the flute's wail; not a breath,
 That flame who feels not, doom him death.
 The flame of love, 'tis, prompts the flute,
 [10] Wine's ferment, love; its tongue not mute.
 The absent lover's flute's no toy;
 Its trills proclaim his grief, his joy.
 Or bane, or cure, the flute is still;
 Content, complaining, as you will.
 It tells its tale of burning grief;
 Recounts how love is mad, in brief.
 The lover lover's pangs best knows;
 As ear receives tongue's plaint of woes.
 Through grief, his day is but a dawn;
 [15] Each day of sorrow, torment's pawn.
 My days are waste; take thou no heed,
 Thou still are left; my joy, indeed.
 Whole seas a fish will never drown;
 A poor man's day seems all one frown.
 What boot from counsel to a fool?
 Waste not thy words; thy wrath let cool.
 Cast off lust's bonds; stand free from all.
 Slave not for pelf; be not greed's thrall.
 Pour rivers into one small gill,
 [20] It can but hold its little fill.
 The eye's a vase that's ne'er content;
 The oyster's filled ere pearl is sent. [*1]
 The heart that's bleeding from love's dart,
 From vice of greed is kept apart.
 Then hie thee, love, a welcome guest;--
 Physician thou to soothe my breast.
 Thou cure of pride and shame in me;
 Old Galen's skill was nought to thee
 Through love, this earthly frame ascends
 [25] To heaven; a hill, to skip pretends.

In trance of love, Mount Sinai shakes,
 At God's descent; 'and Moses quakes.' [*1]
 Found I the friend on whom I dote,
 I'd emulate flute's dulcet note.
 But from my love, while torn away,
 Unmeaning words alone I say.
 The spring is o'er; the rose is gone;
 The song of Philomel is done.
 His love was all; himself, a note.
 His love, alive; himself, dead mote. [30]
 Who feels not love's all-quick'ning flame,
 Is like the bird whose wing is lame.
 Can I be quiet, easy, glad,
 When my delight's away? No! Sad.
 Love bids my plaint all bonds to burst.
 My heart would break, with silence curst.
 A mirror best portrays when bright;
 Begrimed with rust, its gleam grows slight.
 Then wipe such foul alloy away;
 Bright shall it, so, reflect each ray." [35]
 Thou'st heard what tale the flute can tell;
 Such is my case; sung all too well.

I.

A PRINCE there was, long since in time it is.
 Of Church and State the power and wealth were his.
 The chase on horse one day to follow, bent;'
 With pompous courtier-train afield he went.
 A handmaid [*1] fair was wand'ring near a grove.
 Her he espied, and straightway fell in love.
 His heart was snared; her form its cage, its stall.
 He lavished gold; and made her thus his thrall.
 But now, behold the wayward spite of fate!
 [5] The maid fell sick, this prince's joy to bate.

An ass had Hodge; no saddle to the fore.
 A saddle bought; a wolf straight Jacky tore.
 A jug had Dick; the well, alas, was dry.
 The well then filled; the jug was broke hard by.

Now leeches called the prince, from left, from right.
 "Two lives," quoth he, "depend upon your might.
 My health is naught; she's life of life to me.
 I'm sad at heart; my sov'reign balm is she.
 Who finds a remedy to save her life,
 [10] Much gold, with jewels, his; and thanks more rife."

All promised marvels; each, to use his skill;
 To search the case; to ease the maiden's ill.

"Each one of us has Jesu's [*1] healing power.
 Of all their ills we cure men every hour."
 Through pride, "God willing" said they not, I trow. [*2]
 Man's nothingness, in them the Lord would show.
 That is to say--to leave out this good word
 Is sin; said by mere rote, it will not please the Lord,
 How many shrink from tonguing it aloud,
 Whose hearts each action with "God willing" shroud. [15]

The doctors now prescribe full many a drug.
 In vain they ponder, vain their shoulders shrug.
 The maid a very skeleton became;
 The prince's tears their want of skill did blame.
 With oxymel, through fate, did bile increase;
 E'en almond oil ran dry where rubbed as grease.
 Lax myrobalans act as nutgalls first;
 As naphtha feeds a fire, drinks brought but thirst.

The prince no sooner saw their art was vain,
 Than barefoot sped, heaven's worship-house [*3] to gain. [20]
 The holy altar, there, he bowed before;
 With flood of tears he bathed its sacred floor.
 Then, heart-relieved with sorrow's fierce outbreak,
 'Mid praise and blessing, thus his suit he spake
 "To Thee, whose meanest gift is world-wide sway,
 Who know'st each secret wish, why need I pray?
 Our refuge art Thou in our every need;
 We've erred again; do Thou in mercy lead.
 'Tis Thy behest, to whom all thoughts are known,
 That man with words approach Thy awful throne." [25]

His humble supplication proffered so,
 Sweet mercy's fount at once did overflow.
 His tears undried, deep slumber on him fell,
 And heavenly-dulcet tones he heard thus tell:
 "Glad tidings, prince, to thee this day I bring:
 Next daydawn at thy gate a guest shall ring;
 A heav'n-sent stranger, versed in healing art,
 In him have faith; he's true in speech and heart.
 Imagine not his treatment magic's spell;
 [30] God's power alone can make thy maiden well."

The promised hour at hand, the daydawn broke;
 The sunbeams paled the stars; the prince awoke.
 An outlook sought he, whence to watch the way,
 And first th' expected stranger to survey.
 One he espied of most majestic mien,
 Of radiance mild,--as sun, dark clouds between;
 Or moon at full;--so seem'd he from afar.
 Mere fancy's pictures ever objects mar.
 Things non-existent often frenzy paints;
 [35] We see mankind deluded over feints.
 Their peace, their war, not seldom for a sham;
 Their pride, their shame, some sorry epigram.
 But visions, such as blessed saints entrance,
 Reflections are from heaven's inhabitants.

The semblance by our prince seen in his swoon,
 The features wore that now in flesh are shown.
 The prince, in lieu of ushers, forward came,
 To meet the heaven-sent guest, in his own name.
 Their trains one column formed from mingling bands;
 [40] Their hearts united, fettered not their hands.
 The prince: "Would thou'dst my soul enslaved; not she!
 But here below effect a cause must see.

Be my Muhammed! I thy 'Umar stand,
 With girded loins awaiting thy command."

Pray God to grant thee ever meek respect;
 The puffed-up fool's remote from Heaven's elect.
 A shameless monarch to himself's a curse,
 A firebrand to his realm; nay, even worse.
 Food in the wilderness by God was sent;
 Food without toil, food gratis, without stint. [45]
 Some graceless scoffers out of Moses' host
 Dared to demand the onions, lentils lost. [*1]
 Such toilless food then ceased to fall from Heaven;
 To dig, to sow, to reap, in lieu is given.
 Fresh suit, much later, Jesus made; God willed;
 Again food rife became; men's dishes filled.
 That food's a gift from Heaven is clearly said,
 In Jesu's prayer: "Give us our daily bread." [*2]
 Men's bold presumption Heaven again incensed,
 When basketsful to beggars were dispensed. [50]
 Jesus proclaimed the miracle would last;--
 That food would never lack as in the past.
 Men doubted, asked for more to store away;
 They trusted not God's word for bread each day.
 Importunate those suitors, full of greed;
 Heaven's gate of mercy closed against their breed.

Withheld is rain when alms have ceased to flow;
 Where fornication reigns, black death will grow.
 Whatever grief and sorrow's on us sent,
 Of wickedness and guilt's a punishment. [55]
 The hardened sinner, who his God offends,
 A ruthless robber is; he spoils his friends.
 He who is shameless in his words and deeds,
 Despair from disappointment is his meed.

Yon orbs of heaven obey their Maker's word;
 The holy angels meekly serve the Lord.
 The sun's eclipse is but a check to pride;
 E'en Satan's fall presumption caused to tide.
 Return we now the sequel to attest,
 [60] Of what befell our prince with his new guest.

His circling arms the welcome form embraced,
 And, lover-like, with joy his neck enlaced.
 Kisses bestowed he on his hand and brow;
 Hoped kindly he'd fared well from home till now.
 His health and welfare asking, led him in.
 "Its own reward is patience," thought he then.
 Patience at first is bitter; but at length
 Its fruit is sweet. It gives us heart's content.

Then he aloud: "A gift from God thou'rt come,
 [65] The proverb's pith: 'By patience overcome.'
 This meeting's the reward of all my prayer;
 Thou'lt solve the riddle of my dark despair.
 Th' expounder, thou, of all my soul's desires,
 Thou'lt extricate me from despond's deep mires.
 Be welcome, then; a very friend in need;
 Hadst thou delayed, my case were sad indeed.
 Prince of physicians! Who'd not welcome thee,
 Deserves rejection. Do his eyes not see?"

Urbanity's requirements thus bested,
 [70] Our prince the stranger to a chamber led.
 The maiden's tale and case he there unfolds.,
 The patient, next, unveiled, the guest beholds.
 Complexion, pulse, egesta, all are seen;
 Disposing causes, symptoms, sought, I weep.
 Then he: "The remedies till now adduced,
 Have detrimental been, no good produced.
 The case has been from first misunderstood.
 Protect us, Heaven! A blundering brotherhood!"

He saw her trouble; thence divined her ill.
 Her secret kept he; hidden held it still. [75]
 The sickness was not caused by bile or spleen.
 The scent of perfume's better smelt than seen.
 He traced her suffering to a mind oppressed;
 Her body sound, her soul a wish suppressed.
 Her hesitations made him guess her love;
 The symptoms plain,--her heart was sick, poor dove!

A lover's smart is not from fleshly pine;
 A probe is love; it sounds hearts' depths, divine.
 Let love proceed from this or other cause,
 It matters not; heavenward it mortals draws. [80]
 However well we strive love to portray,
 We blush thereat, when love our hearts doth sway.
 Words make most matters plain and manifest;
 But love unspoken speaks whole volumes best.
 When pen took up from zeal the writing trade,
 In love's description, oh! such blots it made!
 Our wits in love's affairs stand sore perplexed;
 Love only can elucidate love's text.

The sun alone can well explain the sun.
 Wilt see't expounded? Turn to him alone. [85]
 A shade, 'tis true, of him gives some small hint;
 The shining sun surpasses all comment.
 A shade, like evening chitchat, sends to sleep,
 From sun's effulgence does full knowledge leap.
 That day-orb, still, each eve sets, here below;
 The soul-sun, God, shines in eternal glow.
 'Mong things extern that orb has not a peer;
 But mock suns we can make, our nights to cheer.
 On heart unless the soul-sun cast a ray,
 No thought, no picture can its sheen portray. [90]
 Can mind His glorious essence comprehend?
 His presence, then, to image who'll pretend?

Of poet's verse when God's the holy theme,
 Its minished head the sun may hide, 'twould seem.
 At mention of His name each breast must find,
 A duty 'tis His grace to call to mind.
 The breath of life He to this body gave,
 With Him to reunite, should mercy save.
 These years I've conversed with Him. Life serene!
 [95] One repetition more! O blissful scene!
 How pleasant heaven and earth their smiling hold!
 He offers soul, mind, eye, a hundredfold!

Beyond my strength, O try me not these days!
 My reason 'd fail to falter forth Thy praise.
 The song of man, when uninspired by Thee,
 Mere fulsome, flattering trash is seen to be.
 Bid me describe, whose every nerve is seared,
 A lover's woe, whom mistress never cheered.
 His lonesomeness, the anguish of his breast,
 [100] Not here I'll paint; elsewhere it may be best.
 He cries: "O succour me; I faint, I pant;
 And quickly; lest delay the dagger plant!"

The Mystic [*1] true relieves each moment's need;
 "To-morrow " 's not a point in his pure creed.
 Art not persuaded so? The proverb scan:
 "Delay's the thief of time;" say: "bane of man."
 Love's sweetest favours are conferred by stealth;
 Its darksome hints are treasured mines of wealth.
 The tale's most pleasant to a lover's ears,
 [105] That tells of joys he's tasted, ills he fears.

Speak, meddler, then, in plain, unvarnished guise;
 No subterfuge employ; deal not in lies.

The veil tear off, dissimulation lost:
 "When unadorned, beauty's adorned the most."
 Should my sweet love unveil'd her charms display,
 Thy smirks and smiles would all be borne away.
 Thy suit prefer; use moderation still:
 A blade of grass ne'er overturns a hill.
 The sun that lights and warms this nether world,
 If brought too near, had all to ruin hurled. [110]
 Seek not to sow dissension in the earth;
 Vaunt not the Sun of Tebriz' [*1] holy birth.
 Contention's never-ending. Better far,
 Commit to memory this wordy war.

The guest, convinced that love had caused her ill,
 Proceeded next the prince's mind to still.
 "These chambers clear of every mortal soul;
 Leave me alone the patient to control.
 No prying ear may linger in the hall;
 I've things to ask may not be heard by all." [115]

The place was cleared; no soul remained within,
 Save leech and patient; other, none was seen.
 In gentlest tones he asked: "Where was thy home?
 For each town's folk a different cure must come.
 What friends, what family hast left behind,--
 Companions, playmates, who to thee were kind?"
 On pulse his finger. He then, one by one,
 Inquired anew each point, omitting none.

So he whose foot is wounded with a thorn,
 Upon his knee doth take the limb that's torn. [120]
 With needle's point he seeks the intrusive dart;
 Not finding it, from lip he soothes the smart.

If thorn in foot is thus a task to find,
 Judge what must be a rankling pang of mind.
 Could every chance observer spy those ills,
 Where'd be the cankering care, the grief that kills?
 Boys place a thorn beneath an ass's tail;
 The cure Ned knows not; jumping's no avail.
 Whisking's still worse; it deeper drives the dart.
 [125] 'Tis reason's task to ease the burning smart.
 The ass, if sharper grow the throbs and pains,
 Kicks, plunges, rolls, his hide with gore bestains.

Our doctor's mind, by art full well prepared,
 With gentle measures sought the ill he feared.
 Once more, with tact, he bids fresh memories come,
 And leads the maid again to talk of home.
 The spring once tapped, the stream began to flow;
 She told th' inquirer much he wished to know.
 He lends his ear as she each scene displays;
 [130] His finger notes her pulse, as on she strays;
 To learn if any name should raise a start,
 And thus betray the secret of her heart.
 Anew he mentions every friend, each place;
 Repeated such as gave of hope a trace.
 He asked: "On quitting, thou, thy native town,
 Where first was it thy guardians set thee down?"

A place she named, and on to others passed;
 Nor blush, nor pulse gave sign, or notice massed.
 Of lords and citizens she gave report,
 [135] Of festivals, and seats of gay resort.
 Town after town, house after house, by name,
 She spoke about; no blush, no throb still came.
 Her pulse retained its normal ebb and flow.
 Till Samarqand's name made her cheeks to glow,
 Her pulse beat high, her colour went and came;
 Of goldsmith youth she there had been the flame.

This point drawn forth,--this secret once confessed,
 More easily our leech the sequel guessed.
 "O maiden, let me know this youth's abode."
 "At Holywell, near Bridge-end's public road." [140]

"I knew," said he, "at once, thy case was such.
 Now trust me. Thee to serve I will do much.
 Make thyself happy. Cast away all care,
 As showers cheer meadows, thee I'll greatly spare.
 I'll prove thy guardian angel; never fear;
 Thy father's place I'll take;--thy burden bear.
 Tell not this secret unto mortal soul,
 However much the prince may thee cajole.
 Keep safe this knowledge in thy own heart's core;
 So mayest thou, lass, thy lover see once more. [145]
 Our holy Prophet's sacred maxim 'twas:
 'Who keeps his secret, speedy success has.'
 The seed to earth committed sure must be,
 Ere field or garden's pride men may it see.
 If gold and silver were not hard to find,
 How could they grow? [*1] They soon would be out-mined."

The good physician's soothing words perceived,
 Our maiden's mind from carking care's relieved.
 Some promises are truly meant, sincere;
 Others are merely made to cheat the ear. [150]
 A good man's promise is a gem of price;
 Rely not on the words of sons of vice.

Our doctor, now, with subtle speech and wiles,
 The maiden's grief had turn'd to sunny smiles.
 He leaves her then; seeks out the prince; and tells
 The news he'd learnt, the source of all her ills.

"What's now to do?" the prince's care inquired;
 "Delay is dangerous; patience may grow tired."
 The doctor then: "Send for him; come he must,
 [155] From his far home to fill some post of trust.
 Invite him here; a dress of honour give;
 On him shower gold; new life 'twill make him live."
 The prince assented; took the doctor's plan;
 Thought it was sound and wise from such a man.
 Two trusty messengers he quickly sent,
 Sedate, fair-spoken, loved where'er they went.
 To Samarqand they journeyed, prompt and sure.
 The goldsmith found; the prince's message bore.
 "Great man of art, the marvels of thy skill,
 [160] Are viewed with rapture, or with envy still.
 Our prince has need of thee, his mint to guide;
 For none like thee is heard of, far and wide.
 This dress of honour, yonder gold he sends;
 Requests thou'lt come, and be his best of friends."

The gold and dress of honour won his heart;
 Goodbye to home he said, with them to start.
 He travels joyous; thinks his luck is great;
 And never dreams of what's to be his fate.
 An Arab charger proudly bore him on;
 [165] He reeked not at what price all this was won.
 O fatuous fool! Thou hastest to thy doom.
 The post thou dream'st of, soon will be thy tomb.
 His fancy webs of power and fame did weave;
 Death's angel thundered: "Come, and all this leave!"

Arrived betimes at his long journey's end,
 The doctor led him to the prince, his friend.
 Most nobly was he there received in turn.
 One trims the lampwick, still, to make it burn.
 The prince addressed him; bade him welcome there;
 [170] Mint-master nam'd him, treasurer, and mayor.

Our doctor once again his counsel gave:
 "The damsel to this youth for service leave.
 United to him, she'll her health regain;
 Love's fever will subside with absence' pain."

The prince bestows the sick one on her mate.
 United were the two in solemn state.
 Six months they feasted on love's joys so sweet;
 The handmaid's health from day to day more meet.

The doctor, now, a potion mixed for him.
 His health declines; he every day grows slim. [175]
 The coin that passes much from hand to hand
 Soon loses currency, has no demand.
 So he, when beauty no more graced his cheek,
 Began to lack worth with the handmaid sleek.
 All love that's built on outer skin-deep charms,
 Is not true love. At length shame 'tis that warms.
 Would it were shame alone that pricks him now!
 He'd not been victimised and brought thus low.
 His eyes pour forth two streams of bitter tears;
 His altered features the worst foe he fears. [180]

The peacock's enemy his plumage call.
 The monarch bleeds whose splendours neighbours gall.
 The musk-deer for the musk-pod still is slain;
 His blood for that alone the ground will stain.
 The marten for its fur is trapped, surprised,
 And strangled. Kings its pelt have prized.
 The elephant, sagacious creature, dies,
 For iv'ry pierced with weapons as he flies.

"He who slays me for what I leave behind,
 Reflects not: 'Blood that's spilt demands its kind.' [185]
 To-day 'tis I; to-morrow 'twill be thou;
 Who'll be most loser? 'Tis not I, all know.

The shadow of a wall, 'tis true, is wide;
 The sun revolves; the shadow's turn'd aside.
 The world's a mountain; all our works, a voice;
 Our voice goes forth; its echo has no choice."
 Reflecting thus, the goldsmith breath'd his last;
 The handmaid's love and grief behind her cast.

A dead mate's love can never more be shown;
 [190] A dead mate's voice will never more be known;
 Love for the living, in the heart and eyes,
 Will ever spring; the dead no more can rise.
 One Living is there, death that never knows;
 Love Him! The life from Him alone still flows,
 Love Him, whom saints and prophets all have loved;
 Through whom alone we all have lived and moved.
 Say not thou canst not to His throne approach;
 He's gracious. His rich grace bears no reproach!

The goldsmith's death through lethal drugs, be sure,
 [195] Was not from hope, or fear, or baser lure.
 The doctor kill'd him, not to please our prince;
 Him some divine suggestion did convince.
 The story of the child by angel slain [*1]
 Cannot be fully grasped by minds too plain.
 A saint that acts on Heaven's high behest,
 Can never do amiss; 'tis always best.
 He who can pardon, he may also doom;
 He's God's vicegerent; acts in Heaven's room.
 As Ishmael beneath his father's knife, [*2]
 [200] Do thou for such a prince lay down thy life;

Thus may thy soul, in future blessed abode,
 Muhammed-like, in peace be with thy God.
 His lovers joyful are, most, when they slay
 Their worldly joys with their own hands, as play.

Our prince took not the goldsmith's life through lust.
 Chase such suspicion from thy mind thou must.
 Imagine not he'd stoop to mortal sin.
 Can holy saint have tainted heart within?
 The trial of the fire, and of the flame,
 Is but to cleanse pure gold from every blame. [205]
 So too, temptation on us all is sent,
 To part the good from those of bad intent.
 Had he not acted thus by God's command,
 No prince, a wolf he'd been, rav'ning the land.
 From lust, greed, foul caprice, his soul was free;
 So did God will, whate'er the cause may be.
 Elias sank his ship in full design; [*1]
 That wreck to future blessings was the sign.
 Moses was shock'd thereat, with all his skill
 And inspiration. Thou must needs judge ill. [210]
 A blood-red rose call not by murder's name;
 Just retribution see thou do not blame.
 Had righteous blood been shed by him as naught,
 Blasphemer were I to extol him aught.
 Praise of the wicked God with horror views;
 The good contemn all flatterers of sin's crews.
 Our prince was kind and virtuous, wise and just,
 A man God-fearing, and in God's full trust.
 A victim put to death by such a friend,
 Is slain in error, or for some wise end. [215]

Did not our God mean mercy in His wrath,
 How could the Lord of Mercies thunder forth?
 A child may tremble at the lancet's smart;
 His mother knows there's healing in the dart.
 It may half kill him, but restores sound life;
 So God's great mercies far surpass our strife.
 Men judge of what they see by what they think.
 [219] From judging justice, men of sense will shrink.

II.

AN oilman there was, who a parrot possessed,
 Soft-voiced, and green-coated; could talk with the best.
 The oilshop her charge when the man was away;
 The customers coaxed she the whole live-long day.
 Her speech was quite human, her words full of sense,
 In all parrot-tricks she was void of offence.

One day the man popped out, on bus'ness intent;
 The parrot, as usual, had charge while he went.
 A cat, as it chanced, of a mouse in full chase
 Bounced into the shop. This poor Poll could not face. [5]
 From perch away flew she; took refuge on shelf;
 Some jars she knocked over; the oil spread itself.

The master returning, first sat himself down,
 As lord of the manor; the shop was his own.
 The oil-pools he spied, and then Polly's wet coat;
 A blow on the head made her feathers drop out.

In silence some days Polly brooded, from grief;
 The oilman's bereft of his wits, to be brief.
 He plucked at his beard; he heaved a deep sigh;
 "Alas!" then, he shrieked out, "day's darkened on high [10]
 My hand, would it withered had, ere I'd struck Poll;
 I've silenced her prattle that always was droll!"

His alms now he showers on each passing scamp,
 In hopes Poll her chatter 'd get back by some tramp.
 Three days and three nights in this guise did he pass,
 Despair at his heart, like a lorn lovesick lass;
 Incessantly sobbing and sighing, his word
 Was: "Pray now, will speech e'er return to my bird?"

A bare-headed mendicant happened to pass;
 [15] Whose scalp was close shaved, smooth and shining as glass.
 At once our Poll-parrot her silence forswore,
 Screamed after the mendicant: "Poor head! Sore! Sore!
 Old bald-pate! old bald-pate! What is it thou'st done?
 Upset some one's oil jar? The oil is't all gone?"
 The passers-by smiled all at Polly's mistake,
 'Tween bald-head and bare-head no diff'rence to make.

So thou, my dear friend, think thyself not a saint;
 A quean to a queen bears resemblance, but faint.
 Mankind on this point in great error still stands;
 [20] Th' elect of the Lord are ignored on all hands.
 The equals of prophets acknowledged they be;
 Of saints they're the brethren, as all men agree.
 Fools say: "The elect are but human, you see;
 To eat and to sleep they're constrained, just as we."

Through blindness they miss the real point of the strife,
 The diff'rence between them's immense all through life.
 The wasp and the bee eat and drink from the fields;
 The one stings, the other sweet honey still yields.
 The deer of both sorts browse the same mountain's side;
 [25] The one gives rich musk; dung the other; go, hide.
 The canes of two species in one land may grow;
 Quite empty that one; from this, sugar will flow.
 By thousands, examples of pairs thus are known,
 Which differ as much as does cheese from the moon.


Our bread, in one case, turns to dirt in our meat;
 Another produces the mind, God's own seat.
 His food the one man swells with envy and greed;
 By like means another gains virtue indeed.
 One soil is productive; one barren and salt;
 One angel's in heaven; the other's at fault. [30]
 In form, many pairs may appear as though one,
 Clear water is sometimes as hard as a stone.
 Excepting the taster by practice, who knows
 The wholesome from unwholesome water that flows?

Supposing saints' miracles tricks, magic-wrought,
 They fancy them both the result of deep thought.
 Magicians, at bidding of Pharaoh, did cast
 Their wands down, to Moses' rod as a repast.
 From his rod to their wands a chasm there must be;
 From his act to theirs we an interval see. [35]
 God's curse on their witchcraft and devilish art!
 His blessing on Moses, who chose the best part!

To me, like as apes are man's miscreants all; [*1]
 To speak of them causes me, straight, sick to fall!
 Whatever men practise, apes will copy still;
 Our actions they mimic; of thought they know nil.
 They cunningly do what they've seen that man did;
 The reason they seek not; from them that is hid.
 A man acts from reason; an ape from mere whim.
 Perdition may seize all such actors, and him! [40]
 The hypocrite [*2] worships [*3] as aping the saint,
 For form's sake, or worse. His religion's mere feint.

In pilgrimage, worship, and fasting, and alms, [*1]
 Believers and hypocrites vie, as in psalms.
 Believers shall win in the last judgment day;
 The hypocrites then shall receive their due pay.
 The two are contending one great game of deeds,
 As factions of Mervites and Razites [*2] with creeds.
 They each shall go there, where their party shall stand;
 [45] And each shall be classed as their actions demand. [*3]

Just style these "Believers," their hearts fill with glee;
 But dub them all "Hypocrites," rage then thou'lt see.
 The first one's ashamed of the last one's true self;
 This last-named's a plague to the first, like an elf.

No virtue in mere words or letters is found;
 "Believer" 's a word in itself but a sound.
 If "Hypocrite!" cast in their teeth be at last,
 As scorpion's sting to their souls it clings fast.
 If "Hypocrite" 's name be not product of hell,
 [50] So bitter at all times why does its sound tell?
 This name's great repulsion is not in its form;
 The bitter it smacks of is not from a corm.
 The word's but a vase; 'tis its sense is the wine;
 The sense of a book in the title may shine.

Sweet lakes and salt seas do we find here on earth;
 The barrier between them: "Thus far; go not forth!"

They both, in their origin, flow from one source;
 Look not at their severance; it's matter of course.
 The touchstone's the test by the which thou must try
 If gold be quite pure, or debased with alloy. [55]
 The touchstone of conscience, where planted by God,
 What's certain, what's doubtful, makes plain without nod.
 A fishbone that sticks in the throat of a man
 No ease ever gives till it's coughed out again.
 In ten thousand mouthfuls should one bone be found,
 As soon as perceived, it's spit out on the ground.

Perception of things mundane guides here below;
 Religion's keen sense leads where God's glories glow.
 The health of his senses man asks of the leech;
 Religion's sound sense from the Lord we beseech. [*1] [60]
 For healthy perceptions, our frame must be sound;
 Religion's enjoyments through suff'rings are found.
 The health of the soul's through a waste of the flesh,
 But after much searching it builds up afresh.

How blest is the soul that, for love of its God, [*2]
 Has flung away wealth, health, e'en life, as a sod!
 Has pulled down its house a hid treasure to find,
 And built it again from that treasure refined!
 Who cuts off the streamlet to clear out its bed;
 Then turns on the water with which it is fed! [65]
 Who gashes his skin to extract the spear-head!
 (The skin may now heal, for the irritant's fled.)
 Who wrecks a strong castle to drive out the foe,
 Then rears it still stronger, to hold evermo'!

The will of Almighty God who shall control?
 These sentences written are parables all.

Sometimes in one way, in another sometimes,
 Religion confuses before it sublimes.
 Not terror, bewilderment, loathing, dismay;
 [70] But ecstacy, rapture, love, come into play.
 In trance of love fixed, one contemplates the Lord,
 Another, self losing, unites with his God.
 Observe the rapt features of that one, of this;
 Perchance by such watching thy soul may gain bliss.

Too numerous demons in human form walk;
 Beware, then, with whom thou engagest in talk.
 The fowler his whistle may ply in the field,
 To lure the poor birds, saying: "Come and be killed."
 Each songster conceives 'tis the voice of its mate,
 [75] Descends from the air, and meets with its fate.
 The sinner, in pious cant, uses a wile,
 To trap the unwary who ponders no guile.
 The upright deal faithfully, truly, in trust;
 The wicked imagine but fraud and distrust.
 A lion of wool is a beggar's device; [*1]
 Musaylama's named Muhammed in a trice. [*2]
 Musaylama liar, deceiver we know,
 Muhammed was faithful in weal and in woe.
 The wine of God's love was the food of his soul.
 [80] The wine that inebriates dash from thy bowl.


III.

 [*1]

A CERTAIN Jewish King, in savage, brutal scenes,
 From hate of Jesus, persecuted Nazarenes.
 'Twas Jesu's age, when he the Gospel first did teach;
 In Jesus, Moses, and in Moses, Jesus preach.

That King God made squint-eyed; things straight he could not see.
 A King and squint-eyed? Ah! that one the two should be!

A master once a squint-eyed slave commanded so:
 "Come here; that bottle from its shelf, go, fetch me; go."
 The squint-eye straightway asked: "Which, master, of the two? [*2]
 The case explain; clear up the doubt, and truly show." [5]
 His master answered: "Two there's not; there is but one;
 Put off thy strabism; with stupidity have done."
 "Good master," quoth he, "chide me not; 'tis nature's fault."
 The master quick rejoined: "Look now; break one; halt! halt!"
 As soon as one was broken, both were gone from sight.
 Poor squint-eye nearly lost his wits in childish fright.

There was but one; his eyes were cause that he saw two.
 The one away, the other consequently was gone too.

Desire or rage, at times, makes people double see.
 [10] The mind's distortion brings the eyes perverse to be.
 From passion's mists our reason ever blinded lies.
 The heart its clouds sends up; the mind's eye's vision flies.
 The judge to taking bribes who basely bends himself,
 Can never well discern the right and wrong, from pelf.
 Our King through Israelitish rancour grew so blind,
 A s nothing to distinguish in his rage of mind.
 By thousands, faithful seekers of God's will he slew.
 "Vouchsafe us help, O God of Moses, Jesus too!"

He had a Vazir, brigandlike for craft and force.
 [15] In knavish stratagems he had no peer; of course.
 He whispered to the King: "These Christians, as in hives,
 All keep their faith a mystery, to save their lives.
 To kill them thus is profitless. Give breathing-time,
 Religion can't be smelt out just like musk or thyme.
 A secret 'tis, well wrapped in many folds of guile.
 In outward show, as friends, perfidiously they smile."
 The King, with grimace fierce: "What have we then to do?
 What remedy proposest thou to make them rue?
 I will not leave alive one Christian in the land,
 [20] Whose faith is shown to all, or in his bosom banned."

The Vazir to him: "King, my hands and ears cut off;
 My nose and lips the same. Give orders; let them scoff.
 Unto the gallows send me; I'll of all be seen.
 Then let an intercessor plead,--some prince,--your queen.
 Let all this happen where some spacious public place
 May let all see, that all may know of my disgrace.

Then drive me forth; away from thee in exile sent;
 And they'll receive me, under feint of sorrow bent.
 'In secret,' I'll pretend, 'a Christian I'm at heart;
 Call God to witness how my faith has worked my hurt. [25]
 The King a knowledge gained of zeal in me that burned;
 Its flame to put out quite, his anger on me turned.
 I strove to hide my faith, my leaning to keep hid;
 Affected still to be, think, act, just as he bid.
 Suspicion crossed his mind; my secret he espied;
 All I could plead for nothing went; he said I lied.
 "Thy specious words," quoth he, "are needles in a loaf; [*1]
 My eye, as through a glass, sees all thy thoughts; thou oaf!
 No curtain of thy trickeries can veil thy faith from me;
 I'm proof against thy knaveries; thy cunning I can see." [30]
 Were not the faith of Jesus the refuge of my heart,
 He'd not have mutilated me in this sad sort.
 For love of Jesus, head and life I will lay down;
 All persecution suffer to gain a martyr's crown.
 My life I will not grudge to lose for Jesus' sake.
 His faith I hold from point to point without mistake.
 I dread his doctrine's fall to uninstructed guides.
 The truth from their bad teaching still to ruin glides.
 Thanks be to God, to Jesus thanks, who me have made
 A teacher perfect of the faith so free from shade. [35]
 The Jew and Judaism I have forsworn in sooth;
 About my loins the sacred cord [*2] I wear; 'tis truth.
 This age the age of Jesus is; O men, give ear!
 His doctrine take to heart; nought else have you to fear."

The Vazir having laid this plot before the King,
 All shame and scruple vanished; 'twas a perfect thing.

In presence of the public, nose, ears were cut off.
 The rabble wondered greatly; now's the time to scoff.
 He fled unto the Christians; begged them him to hear;
 [40] And straightway set up preaching; saintlike was he there.

The Christians soon with one accord accepted him,
 In multitudes they round him flocked, all meek and prim.
 The Gospel's holy words, the prayer, the cord, he'd preach;
 The mysteries of all of these to them he'd teach.
 To outward view a guide to sanctity was he;
 In very truth, a trap and fowler's whistle; see.
 Of such effect his wiles, disciples were deceived;
 From Jesu's teaching fell, and in this cheat believed.
 It is so. Often does the flesh, for selfish end,
 [45] Intrude itself across the soul's most fervent trend.
 Meek virtue was not what they sought to gain the most;
 Of him they learned to ferret out new sins, and boast.
 Hair-splitting casuists, point by point they sin dissect;
 They grow too wise; 'twixt rose and garlic links detect.
 Of such avail's the subtle cunning of these men,
 That honest teachers oft are made to swerve by them.

The Christian folk in him their confidence thus place.
 Gregarious, like sheep, 's the mob of every race.
 A gen'ral favourite was he; all loved him well;
 [50] Christ's vicar called they him; as who the truth could tell.
 This cursed Antichrist, so full of fraud and wile!
 Grant help, O God! 'Tis Thou alone canst curb such guile.
 The devil's snares are spread abroad in tempting guise,
 Their baits are various; we, like birds, shut fast our eyes.
 If saved from one, another tempts; we thither stray;
 Like hawks and eagles, heinous sins make us their prey.
 Thou shieldest us, O gracious God! But ever still,
 With froward hearts and minds we counteract Thy will.

This world's a granary, of which we steal the corn.
 The wheat is there all garnered; we it spoil in scorn. [55]
 We take no heed of future life in what we do;
 Sly mice still help us to consume the fruits that grow,
 Those mice a road have found to reach our winter store.
 Through their inroads our victual spoils; it is no more.
 First stop mouse-holes; make safe thy granary, O man!
 Thy wheat then garner safely; winter's at our van.

Give ear to what he's said, the Lord's own Chief of Chiefs: [*1]
 "No perfect worship's needed, save in war's reliefs." [*2]
 If mice there be not to destroy our garnered meeds,
 Where is our wheat, the fruit of fifty summers' deeds? [60]
 To shreds all nibbled lie the products of our days;
 No stores accumulate for provend on our ways.

How many sparks of fire from flint and steel have flown!
 How many hearts, like tinder, make those sparks their own!
 But in the dark some thief his finger presses there;
 And ev'ry train puts out that has been lighted here.
 Extinguished if those sparks were not, a flame would rise;
 A burning light be kindled, flashing 'yond the skies.
 A thousand snares are laid to catch our tripping feet;
 But, Lord, if us Thou shield, harm never shall us meet. [65]
 If but Thy grace will guide us, lead us on our way,
 No thief can steal our peace of mind, our light of day.

Each night Thou settest free the soul from trap of flesh,
 To scan and learn the hidden records of Thy wish. [*3]
 Each night the soul is like a bird from cage set free,
 To wander. Judge and judgment, then, it does not see.
 By night the pris'ner loses sense of bars, of chains;
 By night the monarch knows no state, no pomp retains;

The merchant counts no more, in sleep, his gains and loss;
 [70] The prince and peasant, equal, on their couches toss.

The Gnostic [*1] is so e'en by day, when wide awake;
 For God hath said: "Let quietude care of him take." [*2]
 Asleep to all the things of earth by night, by day,
 As pen in writer's hand he doth his guide obey.
 Whoever sees not in the lines the writer's hand,
 May fancy 'tis the pen alone has all command.
 Of this, the Gnostic's privilege, a trace 'd suffice
 To rob of sleep and reason vulgar souls of ice.
 His spirit wanders in the groves of th' absolute.
 [75] His soul is easy; body, still, calm, quiet, mute.
 The two absolved from greed, lust, sense, care, fear also;
 Each, like a bird uncaged, is free; roams to and fro. [*3]
 Should he, bird-like, be whistled back to trap of sense,
 Again he sinks, the slave of every vile pretence.

When light of dawn paints bright the blushing sky with red,
 Ere orb of day comes forth as bridegroom from his bed,
 Shrill chanticleer, as though it were last judgment's trump,
 Calls back to consciousness the sleepers. Up they jump.
 The souls return their bodies to inhabit, then;
 [80] Each body fraught with thoughts, and words, and deeds again.

The soul turned loose, without the body's cares or ken,
 Attests the truth: "Sleep is death's brother," [*4] to all men.
 But lest-it should escape, and not come back at call,
 A tether to it's bound; it's not quite free withal.

It must come back by day from roaming where it wills,
 The cares of life to bear;--a burthen that soon kills.
 O! Would, O God, Thou'd keep my soul in Thy own hand,
 As Sleepers in the Grotto; [*1] Noah's ark once to land!
 Then had I 'scaped the tempest waking thoughts aye raise;
 My mind, eyes, ears, had rested; all my task Thy praise! [85]
 Sev'n Sleepers?--Many are there of them in this world,
 Before, behind me, right and left; they're round me hurl'd!
 My "Cave" [*2] art Thou; my "Mate" art Thou; O God, my friend!
 Men's eyes and ears are sealed; they know not where they wend.

A Caliph asked of Layla: "Art thou really she
 For whom poor Majnun went distracted? For I see,
 Than other beauties thou art not so passing fair."
 Said she: "Be silent; Thou'rt not Majnun; nor his pair."

A man awake is sound asleep; more, he can't be.
 His watchfulness is worse than sleep; how should he see? [90]
 Our souls, if not awake to God's most holy truth,
 Are not awake. We're slaves to them. The greater ruth!
 The soul all day is buffeted by fancy's whims;
 Of loss or profit, life or death, as frenzy swims.
 No peace enjoyed; no dignity remains in hand;
 No vigour to attempt a flight to heaven's strand.
 Asleep is he who's slave to every sordid wish;
 Who begs of fancy; parleys with it, even. Pish!

A demon in his sleep he sees; an angel deems. [*3]
 Through lust he swoons with sensual pleasure as he dreams. [95]

His seed he sows in sandy, salt, and desert land;
 And wakes to find no harvest's ripened to his hand.
 A headache, with a beating heart, is all he feels;
 "Alas!" he sobs, "that treach'rous gnome! My whole frame reels!"

A bird flies in the air; its shadow flits on earth;
 A second bird it seems to be, though nothing worth.
 Some simpleton runs after it; to catch it tries;
 Himself tires out; meanwhile the creature safely flies.
 The fool still knows not 'tis a shadow he pursues.
 [100] Its substance where to seek he has no power to muse.
 He shoots his arrows at the fleeting, mocking shade;
 His quiver emptied, he returns; no booty made.

Our life's our quiver. When our years are vainly spent
 In chasing phantoms, grief will one day have its vent.
 Let God's protection mercifully on us rest,
 All fancies and all phantoms stand at once confest.
 God's servants are His shadows here below on earth;
 To this world dead, but living in a second birth.
 To their skirts cling; from them thy soul's nutrition seek.
 [105] So may'st thou 'scape the perils of this scene's last week.
 The holy text of: "How He stretcheth forth the shade!" [*1]
 Of saints gives notice. Them his glory doth pervade.
 Without their guidance venture not to thread this maze;
 Like Ab'ram answer: "Fading things do not me please!" [*2]
 In days of trouble, consolation's sun seek out.
 The skirts of "Tebriz' Sun" will wipe out care, no doubt. [*3]
 Know'st not the road to that good man, and grief survene?
 Inquire of his and my friend, great Husamu-'d-Din. [*4]

While on thy way, should envy seize thee by the throat,
 [110] Know, Satan's sin was envy; malice made him gloat.

He envied Adam's rise to such sublime estate.
 He wars with all who're good, through envy and through hate.
 No mountain-pass as this life's progress is so steep;
 Let envy not increase thy load; thou canst but creep.
 The flesh a hot-bed is of envy and of strife.
 These soil the soul; for envy's bane of mortal life.
 Should envy seek thy soul to kill, invoke the Lord,
 The God of mercy thee can save, with His true Word.
 "Make clean My house, ye two," did Ab'ram's God once say. [*1]
 His house our frame; a house of glory, though of clay. [115]
 Should envy fill thy breast 'gainst one that envies not,
 Foul stains ensue; thy heart's impure; all good's forgot.
 Prostrate thyself, then, at the feet of holy men;
 Cast dust upon thy head, God's pardon to attain.

The Vazir of our Jewish king was envy's self;
 His nose and ears he sacrificed, as 'twere but pelf,
 In hopes the sting of envy 'd find an easy way,
 To pour the selfsame wounds he 'd open lay.
 His nose, from envy, in the air, who carries high,
 His ears and nose to envy 'd give without a sigh. [120]
 The nose the organ is by which we trace a scent;
 The scent then guides to where the odour finds its vent.
 Who has no sense of smell is truly minus nose,
 Its odour we should trace to where religion blows.
 To scent religion's fragrance, not returning thanks,
 Ingratitude is. Nose to lose merit such pranks.
 Be grateful, thou; and venerate all grateful men;
 Abase thyself; a champion be of theirs. Amen.
 Be not a cut-throat, like that Vazir, of men's faith;
 Seek not to turn believing souls from what God saith. [125]

That Vazir seemed a pastor of the truth, in sham;
 As one who bitter aloes mixed in sweet plum jam.

Some men of sense discernment used, his ways to scan,
 His honied phrases smacked to them of knavish plan.
 Refined truisms, double-meaning, he'd deal out,
 Like syrup into which some mortal poison's put.

Be thou not caught with knavery's fairly-spoken word;
 A hidden meaning it may have. Be on thy guard.
 Of evil-minded men the speech is never good;
 [130] Their hearts are dead and putrid; life cannot there brood.
 A man's an offset from a man, by nature's law,
 As sure as cake of bread is bread, and not mere straw.

God's Lion, [*1] 'Ali, saith: "All words in folly made,
 As weeds on dunghills, crowd apace; as quickly fade." [*2]
 He who would rashly, thoughtlessly, repose thereon,
 Begrimed will be, befouled, befooled, and spat upon.
 He that gives vent to wind, mere wind, is bound to wash;
 His worship else is vain; pollution doth it quash. [*3]

The Vazir's talk was all: "Be diligent in pray'r."
 [135] His acts proclaimed aloud: "Of duty never care."

In surface silver's white and glittering to the eye;
 With friction, hands and purse it soils, though e'er so dry.
 A fire is jocund to the view; its flame may please.
 But venture not too near it; black is its surcease.
 The lightning flashes brightly, shining as it flies
 But oft, alas, it strikes man blind, or dead he lies.

Be wise betimes; for "he that's void of common sense,
 Is like the ox with yoke on neck." So 'Ali,--Hence!

For six years was the Vazir absent from the king;
 Disciple seemed of Jesu's faith; bad news to bring. [140]
 Their hearts and faith the people all pinned on to him;
 At his command they every one would change each whim.
 His purpose all the time was fraud and gross deceit;
 He pondered naught but wiles, to compass their defeat.
 By secret message, with the king he held converse.
 The king to him fair gratulations sent, diverse.

A missive came to him at length: "My faithful son,
 'Tis time my heart was set at rest. What hast thou done?"
 His answer was: "The thing's prepared; have patience yet;
 The Christian folk to puzzle soon, we'll not forget." [145]

The Christians portioned were, for purposes of war,
 In legions twelve; to each, a captain void of fear.
 The men of every legion to their captain bound
 By ties of trust and confidence, in each heart found.
 These legions and those captains twelve, to that bad man
 Had yielded up their every thought;--as mankind can.
 Should he command to die, not one of them would fail
 To give his life right joyfully,--without one wail.

A volume he prepared in name of each of them;
 The matter of these registers not all the same. [150]
 The style of every one was in a different guise;
 From end to end each book's contents were forgeries.
 In one, the pangs of hunger mortified the flesh;
 With penitence, with fasting made, and prayer, to clash.
 A second taught that fasting did no good at all;
 That charity, beneficence, was all in all.

A third explained: "Thy fasting,--charity itself,-
 Syntheism [*1] is. With God, thou deifiest thyself.
 To trust with resignation 's all religion's plan.
 [155] In weal and woe are springs to trap the soul of man."
 A fourth declared: "Faith without works is truly dead.
 Alone is service valued; faith's a sin to dread."
 A fifth laid down: "The Law's commands and warnings all
 Are not for practice; they're mere symbols of man's fall.
 By showing us man's weakness, God is made more strong;
 The decalogue this purpose serves; the rest's all wrong."
 The sixth, again: "For man to talk of weakness here,
 Ingratitude is, simply; God's grace is so clear;
 Think, now, how wonderful is man; how great; how wise;
 [160] 'Tis God has made him thus; to thank Him in us lies."
 A seventh suggests: "Leave power and weakness unto Me;
 They're idols, both, as also are all things ye see."
 An eighth contends: "Put not thy light behind a shade.
 Let all men see thy light; to glad their eyes 'twas made.
 Removed from sight if 'tis, an evil thence will loom.
 Thou, too, wilt be removed at midnight from the groom."
 A ninth expounds: "Put out the light; thou'lt have more joy.
 The sense of sight is one: joy's feelings, many; boy.
 Put out the light. The sense of touch thou may'st then use.
 [165] The bride is timid; in the dark she'll not refuse.
 Renunciation of the world's a very farce.
 Renounce. The world, and more, thou'lt dream of in thy trance."
 A tenth assures: "That which the Lord hath given to man,
 God hath made pleasant to the eyes. Deny, who can.

Take what is thine. Avert thee not; 'tis folly still
 To take to groaning, moaning, when all's at thy will."
 Another yet: "Forsake all things thou hast possessed.
 Retention of them by thee baseness is, confessed.
 How many roads diverse traced for their feet men deem;
 Each one to one sole "church" the only road doth seem. [170]
 If way there were secure, for hitting out the truth,
 The Jews and Magi surely 'd not missed it, forsooth."
 Again another: "Moral food makes heart to live.
 We see this clearly; every hour a proof doth give.
 Enjoyments sensuous, fleshly, when to fade they haste,
 Leave no result behind; they're desert mirage, waste.
 Regret's their only issue, grief for loss of time;
 A bankrupt's stock; their commerce gives no gain, no prime.
 Pursuit of them has never ended in success;
 Dire failure still must be the fruit of recklessness. [175]
 Distinguish thou betimes the foolish from the wise;
 The end of each scan well; 'tis there the difference lies."
 And still one more: "True wisdom strive thou to find out.
 True wisdom's not the fruit of noble birth. Poor lout!
 Each 'church' has had in view to gain a happy end.
 But one and all have failed and could but fail. God send!
 To palm off jugglers' tricks is not true wisdom's part,
 Or man had never seen so many faiths take start."
 And one again: "True wisdom thou hast surely found.
 Thou knowest men of wisdom;--wisdom's safest ground. [180]
 Be manful. Let not men by fraud make mock of thee.
 Thy own path choose; turn not from it for aught thou see."
 To one he said: "Thy unity is all in all;
 Besides thee, aught existence never had, nor shall."
 One volume taught: "The universe is unity.
 Who teaches two exist, is but a squint-eye, he."
 The last gave out: "A hundred really are but one."
 Unless a madman, whom could have such doctrines won?

In them these paradoxes fitly found their place,
 [185] In words and sense his doctrines lacked all claim to grace.
 Each volume was the antithesis of the next;
 If one was honey, poison was the other's text.
 Wouldst thou escape his honey and his poison too,
 Forsake thou not the holy word of scripture true.

Twelve volumes thus were writ with fraudulent research,
 By that Vazir, the hidden foe of Jesu's church.
 Jesu's one-mindedness for him had no perfume;
 The wine of Jesu's jar no bouquet to his grume.
 A many-coloured garment washed in that pure wine,
 [190] As snowy white comes out, and clear as is sunshine.
 Not faded or plain-coloured, such as gives offence;
 But clear as crystal water, in which fishes glance.
 Dry land, chameleon-like, gay-coloured scenes displays;
 But fishes dry land shun; they love clear water's sprays.

What is the fish, and what the water, in my tale,
 That they should symbolise God's kingdom on small scale?
 Whole shoals of fishes, great and small, the water's realm,
 In adoration mute, with praise to God o'erwhelm.

What showers of bounty from God's outstretched hand
 [195] Have made the seas with pearls of price to deck the strand!
 What brilliant suns of brightest goodness must have shone,
 Ere clouds and sea could have produced the matchless stone! [*1]
 What rays of wisdom poured on water and on land
 Ere earth could nourish seed, yield corn to our demand!
 The earth, a faithful trustee, gives back what we sow,
 No fraud, embezzlement, in its trust do we know.

This faithfulness to trust arises, with time's run,
 From generous warmth infused by glow of justice' sun.
 Whene'er God's symbol quickening summer back doth bring,
 The mysteries of the earth straight from her bosom spring.
 Th' All-Bountiful, who gave to senseless earth, of grace,
 This faithfulness, trustworthiness, in every place, [200]
 In mercy plans forth inorganic matter's course.
 In wrathful wisdom's counsel blinds man to its source.
 Our hearts and souls have not the grace to understand.
 To whom address me? Not one ear's at my command!
 Who lends his ear, shall also quickly find an eye.
 Whose ear's, like stone, to counsel deaf, shall surely die.

Of wond'rous power is God possessed. What's magic's skill!
 Miraculous works He enacts. Where's witchery's spell!
 To sing His praise in me a want of feeling shows.
 It proves I breathe. To breathe, to live, breaks true love's laws. [205]
 In His existence let my being sink, quite lost.
 To be, is to be blind and blear-eyed at the most.
 If blind I were not, swooned, unconscious should I be.
 The Sun of Glory's might and power then could I see.
 Were not my sight grown blear, through weeping in my dreams,
 Had I stood, ice-like, frozen, 'neath His mercy's beams?

Just like his king, this Vazir was shortsighted seen.
 The Ancient, 'twas, of Days, he wrestled 'gainst, I ween.
 Th' Almighty One, who with one breath, one word, did bring
 Ten thousand worlds from naught to join in being's ring. [210]

Ten thousand worlds, besides, disclose themselves to sight,
 If thou direct thy vision towards the God of Light.

In man's esteem the world is vast, without an end;
 With Power Infinite compared, a grain of sand.
 The world's around the soul a dismal prison-den.
 Arise! Escape! Regain the fields at large! Be men!
 The world is finite; He is infinite. Confide!
 Earth's forms and qualities God's essence from us hide.

The million spears of Pharaoh, vaunting in his might,
 [215] By Moses' wand were broken in th' appointed night.
 And many sons of skill, for healing science famed,
 By Jesu's curing halt, lame, blind, deaf, mad, were shamed.
 How many poets, orators, great men of note,
 By word of the Illiterate One [*1] were shown to dote.
 For love of our Almighty God, the Lord of all,
 Who would not die, a stock, a block, we needs must call.
 Dead heart of stone if He but touch with love's live coal,
 A magnet straight becomes, no longer quits the pole. [*2]
 Plume not thyself as one endowed with cunning guile;
 [220] The meek more surely draw rich gifts from Heaven's smile.

How many treasure-hiders, treasure-seekers, here,
 Have been derided, laughed to scorn, by that All-Seer!
 What art thou, man? Canst thou in thought with Him compare?
 What's the whole earth? A blade of grass, His might to dare?

A woman, once, through foul adultery's sin estranged,
 By God, in punishment, to Venus' star was changed. [*3]
 From woman into Venus? Sure, that change was sad.
 To dust and ashes turn. Less shame in this. Art mad?

Thy soul it is must lift thee to heaven's highest home;
 The flesh can but consign thee deep to hell's dark dome. [225]
 Thyself it is that dooms thee to that woful fate;
 The angels' envy art thou, here, in man's estate.
 Consider, then, this doom; revolve it in thy mind;
 That woman's change, compared with this, was joy, thou'lt find.

To push ambition's course beyond the stars thou'st sought?
 Refused hast thou first Adam to adore, as naught? [*1]
 But seed of Adam art thou, O degenerate man
 Why wilt thou then as glory count dark shame's foul ban?
 Why proudly vaunt thou'lt conquer all this teeming earth?
 Why fondly fancy rumour 'll sound thy passing worth? [230]

Should winter's snow in heaps encumber all earth's soil,
 One gleam of summer's sun the frigid cloak will foil.
 So, too, that Vazir's scheme of fraud, nor his alone,
 Reduced to nothing was by one word from God's throne.

Such crafty wiles as these He changes into weal;
 As poisons by His power receive the gift to heal.
 What doubtful was, becomes confest, at His decree;
 True love springs up, where hatred plotted was to be.
 He safely carries through the fire His chosen friend; [*2]
 The fear of death He maketh peace of mind to lend. [235]
 Through Him are treasures hid beneath the ruin's waste;
 Thorns roses yield; our bodies joys of soul foretaste.
 By workings of the pang of love for Him I burn;
 Though sophistlike I rave, 'tis unto Him I turn.

Another stratagem the Vazir next conceived;
 From public life withdrew, and solitude achieved.

Admiring followers all were fain to mourn his loss;
 For forty days, and more, in cell he bore his cross.
 Their yearning for him grew more fierce from day to day;
 [240] They missed his good example, words, and zeal to pray.
 They grieved that he in solitude should vex his flesh;
 Their sympathies clung round him every day afresh.
 "Without our teacher we're a pastorless poor flock;
 Blind beggars without staff to guide us to our nook.
 For mercy's sake, for love of God, have pity now;
 No longer us deprive of consolation's show.
 We're infants all, and thou our feeder, tutor thou,
 Protection shed around; forsake us not just now."

His answer was: "My spirit's present with you, friends.
 [245] But issue from this hermitage my power transcends."
 The captains twelve, of legions, intercession made;
 His grieved disciples raised a wail, a serenade:
 "Great evil's lighted on us! Ah! Beloved One!
 We're orphans made; our parent, thou, away art gone!
 Raise not such pretext; push us not to our wit's end.
 We sob and sigh; we beat our breasts. Do comfort send!
 Thou'st pampered, spoilt us with thy wondrous eloquence;
 With doctrine from thy lips our souls cannot dispense.
 Torment us not, for God's sake! Pity on us take!
 [250] Be kind! This day, 'To-morrow' say not; to us wake!
 Our hearts are rapt in thee; no heart in us remains.
 Heartless and spiritless are we, poor bankrupt swains!
 Like fishes out of water, so we writhe and gasp.
 The dam break down; let flow the stream; avert death's grasp!
 Thou art the very paragon, the phoenix of the age.
 Heaven's mercy, save us; or, we perish, we enrage!"

To them he thus: "O men of little sense, take heed;
 You foolishly are seeking elsewhere what you need.

Your ears stop up with wool; list not to speech of man;
 The mote that blinds your eyes cast out. Then, see you can. [255]
 With cotton in your outward ears, you'll plainly hear
 The still small voice of conscience, drowned now by your fear.
 All outward sense discard; all thought, reflection flee;
 And straight you'll hear, within, God's voice: 'Come unto Me.'
 So long as with chit-chat you keep yourselves awake,
 Communion with the angels you in sleep forsake.
 Our words and acts make up our outward habitudes;
 Our inward man's our converse with infinitudes.
 Our senses barren are; they come of barren soil;
 Our soul, like Jesus, walks the sea without turmoil. [260]
 Our outer man's a barren wilderness, I ween;
 The inner man, 'tis, sounds the depths of the Unseen.
 If all our life be spent in chase of mundane things,
 Our paths must lead o'er wastes, o'er hills, o'er ocean springs.
 The Fount of Life, [*1] where shall we find in such a course?
 Death's billows how avoid, and how escape remorse?
 The desert's moving sandhills are our schemes and plans.
 Life-rills are abnegation, self-denial, man's."

Him answered his disciples: "Master, grieve us not.
 Fresh sorrow, through pretences, add not to our lot. [265]
 Such heavy burden to endure we've not the power.
 Poor suffering weaklings we, in sad affliction's hour.
 The heavens appear to raise themselves all vastly high;
 But true sublimity's God's attribute. We sigh.
 The food of every bird He gives in providence
 He says whose figs devoured shall be these ten days hence.

Who 'd give, in lieu of mother's milk, to infants, bread,
 Would kill them with improper food before them spread.
 But when their teeth are grown, and deck their little mouths,
 [270] Themselves will ask for bread; milk suits not then their growths.
 The unfledged chick is yet for flight all unprepared
 Attempting it, he falls a prey to puss, poor bird
 His wings well pinioned, he soars high in breezy air;
 Needs no encouragement; his instinct leads him there.
 Each howling imp is stilled at sound of thy sole voice;
 And words from thee are utmost joy to all our race.
 Our ears are gladdened as they catch thy tongue's converse,
 Each desert grows a garden, when thou'rt freshness' source.
 With thee amongst us, earth a foretaste gives of heaven,
 [275] Thou'rt our delight, from morn to eve our longed-for leaven.
 Without thee, day's refulgence we cannot employ,
 If thou art present, every care is turned to joy.
 High station, true, may be attained by charlatan;
 But moral worth alone gives eminence to man."

To them, now, he replied: "Your prayer 's of no avail.
 My counsel take and ponder. Naught else shall prevail.
 If I'm a trusted man, my word is not a lie,
 E'en though I'd say that black is white, or earth is sky.
 If I'm perfection, who the perfect's word denies?
 [280] If I am otherwise, why all this fuss and noise?
 Forth from my solitude to come I'm not designed.
 I'm communing with God; to His will I'm resigned."

They still insisted: "Vazir, that we'll not deny,
 But our remonstrance is a truly piteous cry.
 We weep our eyes out through our grief thee not to see,
 With sighs our hearts burst, vainly looking out for thee.

An infant quarrels not with its attentive nurse;
 And yet it weeps, through knowing not what's good from worse.
 We are thy harps. The plectrum's stroke. is from thy hand.
 'Tis thus we moan; smit by thy cunning harpist wand. [285]
 Like flutes of reed, our utterances are through thee found;
 Or mountain vale, our echo's but child of thy sound.
 Or as chess-players, striving in their dubious game;
 Our 'check' and 'mate' are from thee, man of mighty name.
 What are we,--can we be? 'Tis thou'rt our life of life,
 So long as thou'rt among us. If not, all is strife.
 We're naught;--we're nothings. All our being is in thee.
 Existence' very self by thy frail form we see.
 We're lions, true; but stand on vanes of weathercocks,
 Our twists and twirls, our starts, our jumps, are from wind's shocks. [290]
 These lions' movements are in sight; the winds unseen.
 The Great Unseen, th' Almighty One, 's behind the screen.
 Our moving wind, our very being from thee springs.
 Existence, else, were vain, not sheltered 'neath thy wings.
 'Tis thou hast taught us, nothings, valued life to prize;
 'Twas thou that made us, erring, lovers of th' Allwise.
 Take not from us the savour sweet of thy good gifts,
 Thy cup, thy wine, thy relish, absence from us lifts.
 But shouldst thou still refuse, who to repine 'd have heart?
 Can pictures of the painter's hand complain, and art? [295]
 No notice of us take; from us avert thy face;
 But ne'er deride the claims of thy prevailing grace.
 We were not; prayers from us arose not to thy ear;
 Thy grace alone 'twas sought us out; thou drewest near.
 Before the artist and his brush, the picture's null;
 Like unborn babe in mother's womb, till time be full.
 Before almighty power creation stands in wait,
 As canvas 'fore the needle 'broiderer's hand may mate.

A demon here, an angel there, or man, is bid
 [300] To be; now joy, now sorrow, rises up amid.
 We have no hand to move; defend ourselves we can't.
 We have no breath, no speech to pray for aid in want."

The Qur'an ponder this my verse to understand. [*1]
 There God hath said: "Thou threwst not, when thou threwst" the sand. [*2]
 Although we shoot an arrow swiftly to its mark,
 The bow, the arrow, we ourselves, are from God's ark.
 There's no compulsion here, though God can all compel.
 'Tis not complaint, if I of God's compulsion tell.
 [305] All our complaints of our felt needs are indices.
 If shame we feel, of our freewill a sign it is.
 Without choice were we, there 'd be no pretext for shame.
 Why blush and hang the head, cast down the eyes so tame?
 What doth a master in disciple always chide?
 Why teacheth he in Providence still to confide?
 Shouldst thou assert God carelessly makes us to act,--
 That sun of verity He hides in mists of fact,--
 An answer I will give,--just lend thy ear to me;
 Forsake all blasphemy,--of God's faith ever be:
 [310] "The longings, the regrets, that every sick man feels,
 Awakings are of conscience. Sickness this reveals.
 The moment man is ailing,--prisoner to bed sent,
 He counts his sins, he asks for grace, vows to repent.
 He sees the wickedness of all he's said and done;
 He promises, in future, errant ways to shun.
 'If but I'm spared,' he says, 'I never will sin more;
 I'll righteousness ensue, all trespasses abjure.'
 By this thou seest that sickness is not all an ill.
 'Tis but a time for waking conscience good to will.

Know then the aphorism, O seeker after truth,--
 Whoe'er thou be, to whom scent of it may give ruth: [315]
 'The man that's most awake, with most of pain will reel;
 The more his conscience pricks, more sorely sad he'll feel!'
 If thou wert really conscious God 'tis thee compels.
 What need to feel ashamed;--to utter frightful yells?
 Thou art not so; thou feelest not a captive's chain;
 Thou know'st thou'rt free to act, or from each act abstain.
 Whoever saw a captive sporting in his bonds?
 Whoever heard of prisoners acting vagabonds?
 Hast thou had fetters fastened on to both thy feet?
 Hast e'er beheld kings' guardsmen resting in thy seat? [320]
 Then be not thou to others hard as jailer man.
 Obduracy befits not him a king may ban.
 Compulsion since thou feel'st not, make it not pretext.
 Say'st that thou feel'st it? Where's the proof? Show us it next.
 In every act to which thou inclination hast,
 Thou know'st thyself free agent: what thou willst, thou dost.
 If any case arise thy will, thy wish, to brave,
 Straightway compulsionist thou art: 'God so would have.'"

The prophets were compulsionists to this world's string.
 Miscreants are compulsionists towards heaven's King. [325]
 The prophets chose the better part, futurity;
 The foolish choose the worse, the world's fatuity.
 Each bird will flock with birds of its own feather still;
 The cock well knows his mate, and follows where she will.
 Miscreants are the brood of hell, to which they go;
 The goods of worldly life they choose. Then be it so.
 The prophets are of race from heaven deriving birth;
 To heaven they tend with heart and soul while here on earth.

'Twould never end the branches of this theme to count.
 [330] So let us sip again from our old story's fount.

Within his cell ensconced, the Vazir answer gave:
 "Disciples mine, my firm resolve from me receive.
 To me a very strict commandment Jesus spake:
 'From friends and kin of every class seclusion seek.
 Thy face set tow'rds a wall; sit in some cell apart,
 Forsake thyself; forgetfulness cast o'er thy heart.'
 Permission's thus denied with men to hold discourse.
 I've naught to say; with mortals more I'll not converse.
 Good-bye, my friends! Adieu! You'll never see me more,
 [335] My journey's unto heaven; there I've laid my store.
 Th' empyrean beneath, so long as I have strayed,
 Like firewood in a furnace have I wept; still prayed.
 Henceforward I shall sit on Jesu's own right hand,
 In highest heaven enthroned, blest Paradise's strand."

The legion-captains now he called to him apart;
 But one by one, in secret, counsels to impart.
 To ev'ry one he said: "Successor thee I name,
 The faith of Jesus to uphold and keep from shame.
 All other captains thy commands will have to hear;
 [340] 'Tis Jesus thus appoints thee others' loads to bear.
 Should any one against thee neck rebellious raise,
 Him kill, imprison, or in exile end his days.
 But while I live divulge not what to thee I've told,
 Keep secret till my death this charge thou hast to hold.
 Let no one know till then 'tis thou art chosen out,
 Proclaim not thou thyself a king or prince devout.
 Behold this scroll; take, study it; thyself instruct,
 'Tis Jesu's doctrine pure; from this His Church construct."

Thus one by one their minds prepared were to be chief:
 [345] "'Tis thou'rt the chosen one; all else would be a thief."

He named them each successor; made them so to feel.
 Whate'er he told to one, to each did he reveal.
 He gave to each a volume, writ from end to end;
 No two alike; each different, and hard to blend. [*1]
 Their doctrines various, of every changing hue;
 Diverse in sense, as objects' forms exposed to view.
 Their precepts and commands a very maze of guile,
 Their sentiments impossible to reconcile.

The Vazir now delayed another forty days;
 Then slew himself,--set free his soul from earth's affrays. [350]
 The people, hearing of his death, were sorely grieved;
 Around his corpse collected; eyes, ears, scarce believed.
 With many bitter moans to sorrow they gave vent;
 Their breasts they beat, their hair they tore, their clothing rent.
 To count their multitudes is in God's power alone;
 Turks, Arabs, Kurds, and Romans, [*2] men of every zone.
 They scattered o'er their heads the dust from his last home;
 To mourn for him was balm, all ills to overcome.
 They wept. Their bitter, briny tears they shed in floods;
 His grave a pool; those tears, as streamlets from the woods. [355]
 To lose him was a grief unspeakable that fell
 On rich and poor, on high and low, too sad to tell.

A month of mourning past, the people sought to know
 Whom he'd appointed in his place their way to show.
 Whom must we recognise successor to our saint?
 Into whose hands commit the task of our restraint?

He was a sun of light; his fire hath turned to fume,
 A candle now we need our darkness to illume.
 Our friend is gone,--is lost to our inquiring eyes.
 [360] A substitute we seek,--memorial we may prize.
 Our rose is withered;--rosebush leaves all blown away,
 Which vase holds now the rose-scent in its perfumed clay?"

God is invisible to weakly mortal sight,
 His prophets are a need, to guide His Church aright.
 No! That's not right! That phrase is sadly incorrect.
 A prophet's one with God; not two. Think well! Reflect!
 They are not two; they're one. Thou blind materialist!
 With God they're one; their forms but make Him manifest.
 Thou seest the form alone; thy two eyes are at fault.
 [365] Look with thy soul; thou'lt see as God from heaven's vault.
 Thy two sights will united be straightway in one,
 When thou behold'st the Light of God's eternal throne.

Set up ten burning candles in one selfsame place,
 A separate body, each, diffuses light and grace.
 Their powers combine in one, to brighten that retreat;
 Distinction now there's none; one light alone we meet.
 Count out a hundred apples, quinces, pears, or plums;
 When mashed together, all their juice, their pulp, their scums.
 Things spiritual division, number, parts, know not,
 [370] They split not into fractions, form no separate lot.

'Tis sweet when friends with friends together come and meet.
 Trust then the spirit. "'Tis the letter kills"--repeat.
 Thy body mortify; thy flesh consume with pains.
 Behind it hid thou'lt find God's unity--thy gains.
 If thou the body vex not,--bring not low betimes,
 The flesh will thee destroy, my friend, in fiery flames.

The flesh it is that shows itself to human heart;
 The flesh it is demands asceticism's sharp smart.

We simple were; one essence was the source of all.
 Nor Head, nor foot had we; one pristine lot did fall. [375]
 One substance held us; we were clear as is the sun;
 No knots or gnurs within us, free as water's run.
 On taking fleshly form, that simple essence, then,
 Became divided, split, like shadows in each glen.
 Make low the hills and hillocks, level make the plain;
 No shadow's left; the whole becomes one scene again.

With pleasure I'd this matter clearer put, and joy.
 But tender consciences I seek not to annoy.
 Abstruser points there are, as keen as sword in fight.
 If reason's shield thou hast not, refuge take in flight. [380]
 My arguments contest not, unless well prepared.
 Sharp blade will cut; it pities not; no life is spared.
 I sheathe my sword of argument,--will not make assault.
 Lest muddlers read me wrong, and say 'tis I'm at fault.

We come now back again, to follow up our tale,
 To keep our faith with readers, feminine and male;
 And say again, the people rose up as one man,
 Demanding who should work out our dead Vazir's plan.

One legion-captain forward came, out of the twelve,
 That grieving people's furrowed field anew to delve. [385]
 Said he: "Behold! successor am I to the saint.
 In Jesu's stead I'm regent, by his own constraint.
 You see this scroll. 'Tis evidence of what I say:
 The dead Vazir's successorship is mine to-day!" [*1]
 A second captain started up, as from ambush;
 Contested all those words; his own claim then did push.

Forth from his bosom he another scroll produced,
 And then the people's wrath flamed high; not soon reduced.
 The other captains, too,--each his own train at back,--
 [390] Unsheathed their swords, and threatened both their skulls to crack.
 Then each one of the twelve, his sword and scroll in hand,
 Upon the others set, like baited bull on brand.
 The slain were strewn in heaps of many hundred men,
 Their heads were piled in pyramids, by thousands ten.
 Their blood was shed in torrents, flowing on the plain.
 The dust arose in clouds through this commotion vain.
 The seeds of discord sown by that knave's treacherous hand,
 Had now produced their harvest, fatal to the land.
 The nuts he cracked were skulls; their kernels, human brains.
 [395] The bodies slain through him held precious souls in chains.

Be killed, or die, as in thy lot may be decreed.
 So with pomegranates, apples, when sliced up at need.
 The sweet and sound are prized, and straightway put to use;
 The sour and rotten cast away, worthless refuse.
 A word with sense and meaning's ever eloquent;
 Bald nonsense is laughed down in scorn or merriment.
 Thou fool, materialist! Think closer: look to sense. [*1]
 The spirit 'tis gives value; words are mere pretence.
 Prefer the company of those who spirit seek.
 [400] So mayst thou grace attain,--"God's servant be," [*2] and meek.
 A life without a soul or spirit in our frame,
 Like wooden sword in sheath, were but a senseless name.

Within its sheath while kept, of value it may seem;
 When drawn, 'tis only fit for matchwood, men will deem,
 Arm not thyself with wooden sword in battle's day.
 Examine well thy weapon, if thou 'd have fair play.
 Shouldst find thy sword of wood, another seek forthwith;
 If adamant it prove to be, then join thy kith.

The truest swords are found in th' arm'ry of the saints.
 Their converse is to thee a balm for all complaints. [405]
 The wise have ever said, with uniform accord:
 "Most truly wise was he, 'the Mercy of the Lord.'" [*1]

Dost buy a pomegranate? A burst fruit still elect.
 The crack reveals its grains; thou seest they've no defect.
 E'en so, good friend, blest be the man whose mouth reveals
 The heart-thought pearls their casket, his pure soul, conceals.
 But inauspicious is the opening tulip's crack;
 This patent makes to all that its heartcore is black.
 The burst pomegranate is a sunny orchard's pride.
 So speech of worthy men may waft thee to truth's side. [410]
 Society with saints no doubt's of great avail;
 To piety it leads; "God's fear shall never fail." [*2]
 Thou wast a very rock, a worthless pebble stone;
 By saints' communion fined, a pearl of price thou'st shone.
 Then love the saints. Their love plant deeply in thy heart.
 The pure of mind alone deserve a pure love's part.
 Court not despair; hope ever springs in human breast.
 Seek not the dark; the Sun of Light shines full confest.
 The spirit ever leads to haunts of holy men;
 The flesh would cast thee in the pit of sin again. [415]
 Beware! Feed thou thy soul with love from holy ground.
 Make haste! Seek means of grace from one who grace has found.

Petition make! Seize hold upon the skirts of saints.
 Through them thou'lt learn how God his favour grants.
 The Gospel names the name of Ahmed; [*1] he the last,
 As chief of prophets;--purity's bright ocean, vast.
 His lineaments, his virtues, ways of matchless good;
 With notice of his wars, his fasts, and eke his food.
 Some Christian folks, on mention of that sacred name,
 [420] And this recital of his qualities and fame,
 A merit to acquire, were wont to kiss the book,
 To bow with reverence deep, humility in look.
 That folk in all the troubles we've related now
 Were safe; nor bloodshed, nor foul faction did them know.
 Secured were they from scrolls, sword, captains, and Vazir,
 In name of Ahmed Mustafa they'd trust, not fear.
 Descendants, numerous in race, they left behind;
 Their faith in Ahmed they a tower of strength did find.
 But other Christian folks to him refused to bow.
 [425] The blessed name of Mustafa they deemed too low.
 Requital brought them punishment for this offence;
 A prey they fell unmourned to that Vazir's pretence.
 Their false creed, with their tribes, was quickly brought to end,
 Through those twelve lying volumes his deceit had penn'd.
 The name of Ahmed, thus, a friend is proved, of might;
 Of light by day a pillar, shelt'ring cloud by night.
 A castle inexpugnable, a stronghold safe,
 As he himself was Trusty, [*2] though his foes might chafe.
 How fatal the disasters pictured here above,
 [430] The fruit of foul duplicity's pretended love.


IV.

A SECOND Jewish king, descendant of the first,
 To persecute the Christians showed hate's fiercest thirst.
 If information's sought about this wicked king,
 That chapter of the Qur'an read: "Heaven's Girdle-Ring." [*1]
 A sorry rite it was the first had introduced;
 With cruel zeal this wicked rite the last abused.

The introducer of a rule that tends to ill,
 Draws on his head deep curses, morn and even, still.
 The good decease; their bright example serves as guide;
 The wicked soon decay; their name all men deride. [5]
 The children of those sinners, till the trump of doom,
 Are cursed as soon as born; no lot more full of gloom.

How many springs burst forth, one salt, the other sweet;
 Their savour changes, while the days and nights compete.
 The good are promised their inheritance aloft,
 Of waters sweet; [*2] in Scripture mentioned oft and oft. [*3]
 The seeker's wish, if rightly we consider it,
 A scintillation is of flame from holy writ.

No flame exists apart from body whence it burns;
 [10] Where'er the burning body hies, the flame, too, turns.
 A window-light will wander all around a room;
 Because the rising sun to sunset tends, and gloom.
 That which to any constellation's stars pertains,
 Must move with it, rise, set, south, as its place ordains.

The man who under Venus' influence was born
 Is joyous, amorous, ambitious, with greed torn.
 If Mars his planet be, his temper's bellicose;
 War, scandal, litigation,--these he most does choose.
 But other stars there are, the planets, seven, beside;
 [15] And unto men from them nor good, nor ills betide.
 Revolving in another firmament than they,
 Above the spheres that bear the orbs of night and day.
 Bright through the moral splendour lent them by the Lord;
 Not bound together quite, nor yet in disaccord.
 The man whose soul is influenced by one of those,
 Like meteors, still shall drive away the spirit's foes.
 His disposition feeleth not the rage of Mars;
 He temporises;--meekly acts in prosperous wars.
 His light's triumphant;--darkness it shall never know.
 [20] Between two fingers holdeth he the truth, I trow.

The truth doth shed a shining light on human souls,
 Received by heaven's favourites, in special ghostly strolls.
 Illumined with that light, as spangles deck a bride,
 They turn their souls to God, contemning all beside.
 Who feels not keenly love's great soul-compelling might,
 Is portionless of spangles from truth's flashing light.

All parts must ever share the nature of their whole,
 As nightingale pours out unto one rose its soul.
 Whatever property may qualify a thing
 [25] Externally, man's qualities are mind's offspring.

From purity, rich colours rise, good qualities;
 Stains,--moral, or as dyes,--from gross impurities.

"God's Baptism" is the name of all that's good in man;
 "The curse of God," of all that's evil in our plan. [*1]
 In which of these two seas our streamlets may subside,
 They but return into the source from whence their tide.
 From mountain-tops, swift torrents rushing down apace.
 From men's frames, love-inspired souls, anon the race.

The counsel hear, that now, this Jewish dog did take.
 Beside a fire a hideous idol he did make, [30]
 And proclamation ran: "Whoever 'd save his soul,
 This idol worships; or in fire he's burnt to coal." [*2]
 Thus having made his hate an idol to himself,
 A second idol straightway he invents, this elf.

The mother of all idols is our fleshly pride.
 They're dragons; this, the egg of cockatrice's bride.
 The flesh is flint and steel; our pride is but its spark.
 That pride pervades the flesh as fecundation's mark.
 Can moisture quench the latent spark in flint and steel?
 Can man be safe while flesh and pride he lives to feel; [35]
 In flint and steel we know that fire is still alive.
 No water's of avail that fire from them to drive.
 With water we put out a fire when burning bright;
 The spark in flint and steel is safe from water's might.

From flint and steel of flesh what burnings still ensue!
 Their sparks, the blasphemies of Christian and of Jew!
 If water in the jug and pitcher come to end,
 On wellspring we must draw, a fresh supply to send.

Our idol is the muddy dregs left in our jug;
 [40] The flesh the sewer from whence it filters, spite of plug.
 The graven idol (fed from blackest sewer tide
 In flesh, its graver), was as fountain by wayside.
 The inward idol, pride, the filthy jug's black slush;
 The prurient flesh, the source from which it had its gush.

A hundred potters' pitchers one small stone can break;
 And spill the cooling water drawn our thirst to slake.
 To smash an idol, too, quite easy may appear;
 Not easy to root out the flesh; too hard, I fear.

Would see the picture of the flesh, inquiring youths?
 [45] Description read of hell, with seven yawning mouths. [*1]

From each soul's flesh comes forth a special mode of guile.
 Each guile, a whirlpool ready Pharaoh's hosts to spoil.
 In Moses, and in Moses' God, seek refuge then.
 Abandon not God's faith for Pharaohs and their men.
 The one true God adore; in Ahmed's faith believe.
 Thy soul and body save,--from Abu-Dahl retrieve. [*2]
 The Jew a Christian mother to that idol brought.
 An infant in her arms; the fire with blazes fraught.
 "Fall down and worship;" cried he, "senseless stock adore;
 [50] The fire shall then not harm thee, now, nor evermore."
 That mother was a woman firm in true belief;
 And thence disdained prostration, though 't should give relief.

They snatched her infant; next, they dashed it in the flame.
 The mother's spirit quailed to see this deed of shame.

Though not herself, to save her infant, she'd bow down.
 But lo! a miracle! The babe cried: "Let alone!
 Uninjured am I here. Come in. Be not dismayed.
 'Tis cool and pleasant. Cease to feel of fire afraid;--
 Mere blinding bandage to the eyes;--naught but a veil.
 God's mercy's here revealed,--made manifest. All hail! [55]
 Come in, my mother, dear. The truth thou shalt record.
 Thou'lt here perceive how saints hold converse with the Lord.
 Come in; and witness water blazing high, as fire.
 This is a world where flame like water is;--not dire.
 Come. Look on miracles for blessed Abr'am wrought; [*1]
 Whose furnace changed to gardens, out of firewood brought.
 Death then I underwent, when I was born of thee.
 The fear of death swept o'er me, ere my eyes could see.
 With birth I 'scaped from prison, narrow, dark, and drear;
 Emerging to a world, vast, radiant, bright, and clear. [60]
 Alas! that world, you see, is but a second womb.
 Joy, comfort, happiness, are found beyond the tomb.
 Within this fire a realm of wonders lies around;
 Each atom's here a Jesus;--balm to heal each wound.
 This world I'm in's reality;--not merely form.
 The scene I've left's all vanity;--food for the worm.
 Come in, my mother; quick! Seize this auspicious hour.
 Come in! Let opportunity not 'scape thy pow'r.
 Come in; come in; in name of parent's tenderness.
 Come in! This fire has no devouring ruthlessness. [65]
 Come in! Thou'st witnessed all that Jewish dog can move.
 Come in! The grace and power of God Almighty prove.
 'Tis from my love for thee I thus so much insist;
 From pleasure felt by me, for thee I've fear dismissed.
 Come in; come in! And others call, to follow thee.
 The Great King here His bounteous table's spread for me.

Come in; come in! All of you, saints of God, elect!
 Resigned ones! [*1] Faith's cup of martyrdom select!
 Come in! Flock in; in crowds; as moths around a light!
 [70] This year has tens of thousands springs; but not one night."

Thus loudly cried the infant from its bed of flame.
 Th' assembled crowds all heard it. All were seized with shame.
 A sudden holy impulse urged them to obey.
 In crowds those men and women cast their lives away.
 No force was needed;--no compulsion;--all was love;
 For bitterness is sweet to all whom love doth move.
 To such a point it came that guards and soldiers, all,
 Were fain to cry: "Withhold! The fire is more than full!"

The Jewish king at sight of all this love and zeal,
 [75] Was shamed,--was thunderstruck; his wicked heart did reel.
 He saw that faith can give the lover's ardent flame.
 Self-sacrifice is naught in true devotion's name.
 Thank God! Beelzebub was conquered in that Jew.
 Thank God! 'Twas Satan's self these darksome deeds did rue.
 The shame he sought to bring upon the cheeks of some,
 A hundredfold was heaped on his own head at home.
 He thought from others' shame the veiling leaf to tear;
 He saw them safe, his own foul nakedness laid bare.

A ribald fellow once, by lewdest mob sustained,
 [80] Called railing out on Ahmed. Wry his mouth remained.
 He then came begging pity, in the Prophet's trace:
 "Forgive, Muhammed, who'rt endued with wisdom's grace.
 For want of knowing better, insolent I was.
 'Tis I that merit scorn and mockery. Alas!"

When God decides to humble any sinner, proud,
 A demon stirs this last t' insult some man of God.
 And he whom God elects to cloak where 'tis he halts,
 Has grace bestowed on him to cover others' faults.
 Should favour from the Lord in mercy reach a man,
 Humility is given him; to pray 's part of his plan. [85]

How blessed are the eyes that smart with sorrow's brine!
 How blessed is the heart inflamed with love divine!
 Contrition's tears are ever hallowed by heaven's smile.
 The latter end of all things man should scan awhile.
 Wherever water flows, the fields are fresh and green.
 Tears followed are by grace;--as all the prophets ween.
 Then imitate the water-wheel, that groans and weeps. [*1]
 By prayers, and moans, and tears, a man his heart pure keeps.
 Wouldst thou shed tears? Feel pity, when thou meetest woe.
 Wouldst mercy find? Show mercy, when men bow them low. [90]

The Jewish king reproached the fire: "O raging thing!
 Thy all-destructive might, where is it? Where's thy sting?
 If thou wilt not consume, what quality hast thou?
 Or has my fortune veered; and with it, thy dread glow?
 Thou sparest not thy worshippers, the Magian race.
 Whence comes it; these who spurn thee, Christians, meet with grace?
 Thou never wast, O fire, for patience noted here.
 Why burn'st thou not? What is there? Hast thou lost thy power?
 Is this eye-binding? [*2] Is it, rather, reason's blind?
 How is't thy flames consume not all their hated kind? [95]

Bewitched thee have they? Or is't magic natural?
 Or is't my fortune wills that thou turn prodigal?"

To him the fire: "O miscreant! I'm still the same.
 Come in and try, thou, how thou'lt find my smallest flame.
 My nature, as my substance, has not suffered change.
 Outside my nature's limit I've no power to range.
 At door of Turkman's tent the savage household dogs
 Do wag their tails before a guest, and crouch like logs.
 But should a stranger pass by, near the guarded tent,
 [100] Him then those dogs assail, with lion-like intent.
 Less than a dog I'm not, in service to my Lord.
 Than Turkman less, there's none, in rights, upon earth's sward."

When fire thy body injures, and inflicts some harm;
 Remember, its consuming power can also warm.
 And when a fire thus serves thee, acts some needful part,
 Reflect! Those qualities thou seest did God impart.
 Art injured, 'haps? Fall down; entreat the Lord with prayer.
 The hurtful power was given by Him in gracious care.
 Should He so will, each injury a blessing is.
 [105] Chained captives find their freedom by a word of His.

Fire, air, earth, water, all are servants of their God.
 I, thou, them lifeless deem. He knows they live and plod.
 In presence of the great Creator fire must still
 Its service do; and, lover-like, work out His will.
 Thou strikest flint on steel; fire instantly leaps forth.
 'Tis by commandment of the Lord it thus takes birth.
 Strike not together, thou, the flint and steel of lust.
 For, male and female like, they'll generate; they must.

The flint and steel are means. Far higher raise thy look.
 [110] With reason thou'rt endowed. Go; read the holy book.

One means comes from another means; and cause from cause.
 Without a means or cause, no means from self e'er rose.
 The means by which all prophets' miracles are wrought,
 Of higher order are than earthly means; no doubt.
 Man's mind can compass how these latter act, and when;
 The former hidden are from all but prophet's ken.
 These former 'tis that give the latter power to act;
 And rarely, that, their normal action, counteract.

A means a rope is, by the help of which we reach;
 And in this worldly pit by means each reaches each. [115]
 Around its coiling cylinder the well-rope's wound.
 To shut our eyes to this would blind indeed be found.
 The ropes by means of which results are seen to steer,
 In this our world, deem not they're moved by star or sphere;
 Lest thou become confused and giddy like a wheel;--
 Take fire, consume, like tinder, sparks of shame to feel.

The air becomes a fire at times by God's decree.
 Both air and fire run wild with joy, His means to be.
 The streams of mercy, the consuming fires of wrath,
 Thou'lt see, my son, are both from God. Look well, forsooth. [120]
 Were not the wind aware of God's almighty power,
 How had it ever blown the blast of 'Ad's [*1] last hour?
 Around his Muslims Hal a saving circle drew.
 The wind within that mystic circuit softly blew.
 While all that were beyond were dashed to pieces soon.
 Like chaff before the breeze, their limbs around were strewn.

Shayban the shepherd, too, a circle round his fold
 Was used to draw; whate'er the season, hot or cold;
 On Fridays, when, at midday's sacred hour of praise,
 [125] He to a congregation hied; lest wolf should seize.
 No wolf was ever known to break the holy spell;
 Nor sheep to stray beyond; each knew the limit well.

To wind, to wolf, to sheep, and lusts of every one,
 The circle traced by saint a barrier was, like stone.
 To Gnostic, so likewise, the harmless gale of death
 Blows mild and gentle, summer-breezes-like on heath.
 And fire was fangless; could not Abraham offend.
 How should it hurt him? Was he not God's "Chosen Friend"?

The pious man burns not in fire of fleshly lust.
 [130] But sinners still consumed are upon earth's crust.
 The Red Sea waves, all raging by divine command,
 The host of Israel knew; but Pharaoh's armies drown'd.
 The earth, again, wide gaping at Jehovah's word,
 Did Korah and his wealth devour; but Moses spared. [*1]

In Jesu's hand, warmed with his breath, the fictile clay
 As living birds arose, spread wing, and flew away. [*2]
 Thy lauds and praises, too, breath from thy frame account.
 Sincerity them vivifies; to heaven they mount.

The rock of Sion danced at sight of Moses' God [*3]
 [135] As perfect cenobite; its faults were all removed.
 What wonder if a hill should dance and saint become?
 Was not great Moses' self a clod of clay and loam?

The Jewish king now manifested great surprise.
 These things, he said, were mockeries, mere patent lies.
 His councillors conjured him more sedate to be;
 And not to push his hardihood to rash degree.

These councillors he fettered, into prison cast;
 Injustice to injustice adding, first and last.

A shout was heard from heaven when matters reached that point:
 "Jew dog! Prepare for vengeance from on high! Aroynt!" [140]
 The fire then blazed amain; its flames lapped all around.
 It slew and burnt the mob of Jews from off the ground.
 Their origin was hell, from whence their souls had come;
 Their goal was also hell; to it they now went home.
 The Jewish race is hellish; many proofs are shown.
 Parts are they of a whole accursed; as is well known.
 Their nature hellish; all their joy God's saints to burn.
 Their fire recoiled upon themselves. 'Twas justice' turn.
 For them, who were, by nature, children born of wrath,
 The lowest depths of hell were fittest cells, forsooth. [145]
 A mother ever yearneth after her own child;
 A dam is ever followed by her offspring wild.

Though true that water may enclosed be in a tank,
 The air will it absorb. 'Twas thence to earth it sank.
 Air sets it free; direct, restores it to its source,
 By little and by little. None perceive its course.

So, too, our breath, in manner like, steals soul away,
 By little and by little, from this house of clay,
 In words of praise, ascending to God's holy throne,
 From us to where He reigns;--as known to Him alone. [150]

Our breathings rise on wings of true sincerity,
 The offerings of our hearts to all eternity.
 We then receive rewards for those poor words of praise,
 In tenfold showers of mercy from th' Ancient of Days.
 And we are still constrained to utter songs of thanks,
 That man should so be raised above th' angelic ranks.

This rising and descending alternates for aye.
 The Lord forbid that I should fail therein one day!
 We're drawn, we are attracted, so to love the Lord;
 [155] As we were first instructed, firm to trust His word.

Each man will turn his eyes in hope towards the place,
 Where he has tasted joy some former day of grace.
 The pleasures of each kind are most with their own kin;
 As part must share with whole its qualities, its sin.
 Things needs must be assigned unto a common class,
 If aught they have in common; two will form a race.
 Thus bread and water are not human at the first;
 But human they become, through hunger and through thirst.
 In form they have no tie with us of human kind;
 [160] But through a special link they kindred with us find.

If pleasure, then, we find in what's not of our race,
 Be sure there's some connection through which this takes place.
 If that connection but resemblance be in shape,
 It will not last; it's for a time; it must escape.

'Tis true that birds find pleasure in a whistle's note;
 But then they fancy 'tis their mate's, on whom they dote.
 And if a thirsty man take pleasure in his wine,
 He tastes the lees, and loathes. To water he'll incline.
 A pauper may amused be with counterfeited coin;
 [165] But take this to the mint; defaced 'twill be, in fine.
 Then be not thou misled with gilded counterfeit;
 Delusion will thee plunge headlong into hell's pit.
  

V.

KALiL' and Dimna's book relates a charming tale, [*1]
 From which males may a moral draw;--and eke, female.
 Within a shelter'd vale, four-footed game in droves,
 Were kept in tremor by a lion from its groves.
 So frequently had he borne victims off from thence,
 The vale a prison had become in every sense.
 A consultation held, they fair proposals state,
 To satisfy the lion's hunger by a rate;
 But on condition that he rapine lay aside,
 And not prolong disquiet in that valley wide. [5]
 The lion gave consent, if they'd perform their part;
 Remarking: "I've a victim been to wily art.
 Man persecutes me with his deadly stratagems;
 The snake and scorpion sting me;--rancour's true emblems.
 But worse than any man, in venom and in spleen,
 The fleshly lust within me traitor's always been.
 But I've grown wary. Has not Ahmed said: 'Rely!
 Believers are not twice caught by the self-same lie?'" [*2]
 Their answer was: "O most sagacious, knowing guide,
 Thy caution pray dismiss; decree of God abide. [10]

Suspicion, caution, ever is corroding ill.
 Put trust in Providence; and God thy maw will fill.
 Strive not with Providence, however strong thou be;
 Lest Providence should take offence, and war with thee."

He answered them: "Sure! Sure! Trust Providence we must.
 His prophets in the Lord have always placed their trust.
 To trust in God, and yet put forth our utmost skill,
 The surest method is, to work His holy will.
 The Prophet plainly said to his disciple train:
 [15] 'Put trust in God, and bind thy camel's shank amain?' [*1]
 Remember the old saw: 'The friend of God must work.' [*2]
 Through trust in God, neglect not ways and means, O clerk."

Abashed they were not; answer thus they promptly made:
 "To gain aught from the poor is fraud; a trick of trade.
 There is no gain so good as trust placed in the Lord.
 What more praiseworthy than to build upon His word?
 How many flee this danger, falling into that! 
 From fryingpan leaps one, to light in fire right pat. [*3]
 Man plans a stratagem; in it is caught himself.
 [20] That which he took for health, he finds is death itself.
 He locks his door when treason's lurking in his house.
 So Pharaoh deemed he'd danger shun ere it should rouse.
 How many thousand infants did he doom to death;
 While Moses, whom he feared, his own roof was beneath.
 Our eyes afflicted are with various kinds of ills.
 Then go and make them blind, by seeing God 'tis wills.
 God's sight of providence is keener than men's eyes.
 By seeing with His sight, thou'lt find all thou wilt prize.
 An infant, that can neither grasp nor walk as yet,

Takes seat upon his father's neck, and runs. Sweet pet. [25]
 Some seasons past, he scarcely gains some strength of limb;
 When sorrow fastens on him;--sharp, and ghastly grim.
 The hearts of men, before they gain or power or wealth,
 Decline away from duty, pleasures seek by stealth.
 And since by God's decree from paradise they're rent,
 They prisoners become to rage, lust, discontent.
 We are the household of that Householder, whose word
 Thus spake: 'Creation's all as children of the Lord.' [*1]
 He that doth send the fattening rain upon the earth,
 In mercy, too, can feed His creatures from their birth." [30]

The lion thus replied: "'Tis true. But still, the Lord
 A ladder sets before our feet to be explor'd.
 Step after step we have to mount unto the roof.
 Th' idea of compulsion's quite devoid of proof.
 Two feet thou hast. Then why thyself hold to be lame?
 Two hands also. Why maimed account thyself in name?
 Whene'er a master puts a spade in hand of slave,
 He has no need to speak; the act expression gave.
 Our hands just so are given; spades they are to us.
 Think out this problem well; it needs not any fuss. [35]
 When thou hast laid this unction to thy soul amain,
 In duty's path to lay down life thou'lt count as gain.
 Those symbols indices are, whence are secrets known.
 Responsibility's from thee withdrawn; work shown.
 Thou'rt surely burdened. Borne also most truly art.
 Recipient; hence accepted;--fully on His part.
 Recipient be of God's command; content thou'lt be.
 Seek unto Him; and to Him joined thyself thou'lt see.
 To strive to give thanks power provides this to perform.
 Allege compulsion. Gratitude's ground thou'lt deform. [40]
 Thanks for thy powers the power of thanks tenfold expands.

Take favour for compulsion. Power will leave thy hands.
 Compulsion dost affirm? That's sleeping by the way.
 Go not to sleep until thou'st fairly won the day.
 Sleep not, Compulsionist? Thou man, with folly rife
 Until thou reach the goal, the fruitful Tree of Life.
 The cool breeze there will rustle through its leaves profuse,
 Each moment scattering fruits for food and future use.
 Compulsion's creed is sleep among the highwaymen;
 [45] Unseasonable bird is mercilessly slain. [*1]
 If thou at God's signs carp and peek, so finding fault,
 Though man thou count thyself, 'tis womanlike assault.
 The little sense thou hadst has really taken flight;
 A head that has no brains is tail turn'd round to sight.
 Ungrateful men are ever cursed of God on earth;
 And after death are flung to hell-fire's vengeful hearth.
 If thou repose thy trust in God's almighty pow'r,
 Sow first thy seed; and then, await the harvest hour."

The beasts a clamour raised; they would not be repressed:
 [50] "They who on means depend, are urged by greed confessed.
 The millions upon millions, man and womankind,
 Are pinched by want; they suffer need; they food scarce find.
 By millions and by millions, since creation's day,--
 Insatiate dragons,--they their gaping jaws display.
 A crowd of would-be wise men stratagems invent,
 Enough to upset mountains, could they give them vent.
 So God himself described in His most holy book
 Their arts: 'By which they'd tear away the hills.' [*2] Just look.
 Except the lot decreed by Providence of yore,
 [55] By hunting or by toiling none can swell his store.
 Device of man, his plans, shall all be brought to naught.
 God's dispensations sole will stand, with wisdom fraught.

Strive not then, man of sense; except good name to leave.
 Exertion's a delusion. Out! Thou sottish knave!"

A simpleton one morning rushing came in haste,
 Where Solomon his court of justice then had placed.
 His cheeks were blanched, his lips were blue; effects of fright.
 Said Solomon to him: "What ails thee? Say aright."
 Him answer'd that poor wretch: "The angel, Lord, of death, [*1]
 Upon me fixed, just now, a look that stopped my breath." [60]
 Said Solomon: "What wilt thou I should do for thee?"
 He answered: "That the wind may now commanded be [*2]
 To carry me away forthwith to Hindustan.
 Perchance by fleeing thither, save my life I can."

See how mankind do shun the garb of poverty.
 Hence they're a prey to greed and dire necessity.
 This fear of poverty is like that man's dismay,
 Its Hindustan, remark, is greed and grasping's sway.

So Solomon the wind commanded, him, forthwith,
 To bear to Hindustan; and land him near some frith. [65]

Another day as Solomon his court did hold,
 Death's angel came; the king to him the matter told:
 "Thy wrathful look, the other day, upon that man,
 Has driven him his home to quit for Hindustan.
 Didst thou in wrath survey the pious man that way,
 That he might wander forth a waif, like sheep astray?
 Or was thy look's intent, so dreadful to behold,
 His soul to separate from its corporeal fold?"

To him replied the angel: "King of sprites and men!
 His fancy him misled; he'll ne'er do so again. [70]

'Twas not in anger then that I did look on him;
 'Twas wonder him to see here, looking hale and prim.
 For God had me commanded: 'Go this very day,
 And take his soul in Hindustan, his debt to pay.'
 In wonder, then, I said within myself: 'Had he
 A hundred wings, in Hindustan he could not be.'
 But going, still, by God's command, to Hindustan,
 Him there I found, and took his soul with my own hand."

So thou, good reader, understand, the things of earth
 [75] 'Tis God ordains. Reflect. 'Twas written ere his birth.
 From whom to flee? From self? Oh! That's absurd!
 From whom to steal? From God? Worse, worse! No word!

The lion now remarked: "The words you speak are true.
 But just consider how the prophets, saints, ensue.
 What they have wrought hath God blessed, made to prosper still;
 Their joys and griefs, their sufferings, pains, were by His will.
 Their stratagems dictated by their God were, all. [*1]
 'Who comes of gentle blood, will gentle words let fall.' [*2]
 Their traps have taken angels with the baits they placed.
 [80] Their seeming slips and faults were all by wisdom traced.
 Exert thyself, O man; put shoulder to the wheel,
 The prophets and the saints to imitate in zeal.
 Exertion's not a struggle against Providence.
 'Twas Providence enjoined it,--made it our defence.
 Blasphemer may I be, if ever single man
 Bestowed in vain one effort to fulfil God's plan.
 Thou hast no broken bones; why bind thy limbs in splints?
 Have patience yet awhile; then laugh; we're not mere flints.

It is a bad investment to seek worldly gain. [*1]
 Whose hope is placed in heaven never shall see pain. [*2] [85]
 The stratagems employed for worldly gain are vile,
 But stratagems for gaining heaven are worth our while.
 Blest stratagem is that which bursts a prison door.
 Curst stratagem is one that spreads a dungeon floor.
 The world's a dungeon. We are all in prison here.
 Burst, then, thy prison gate, and free thyself from fear.
 What is the world? Unmindful of our God to be;
 Not gold or silver, wife or children, things we see.
 The wealth we hold at service of our God is blest.
 'The riches of the just are pure,' Ahmed confess'd. [90]
 The water from a leak is danger to a ship;
 The sea beneath her keel is just what makes her skip.
 Great Solomon despised wealth, sway, with all his heart.
 With countless treasures poor he named himself. Best part!
 An empty jar will float upon a raging sea,
 The air that fills it will not let it sunken be.
 Th' afflatus of true poverty man's soul will buoy.
 Above the troubles of the world he rides. Ahoy!
 Should all earth's boundless riches by him be possessed;
 The whole is viewed in his pure sight as naught at best. [95]
 Close then the inlet to thy heart; seal it with love;
 First filling it with wisdom's spirit from above.
 Endeavour is from God; so sickness, and its balm.
 He vainly strives who would deny this truthful psalm."

Of this complexion, many proofs the lion brought;
 No answer those compulsionists in dispute sought.
 The fox, the deer, the hare, and eke the sly jackal,
 Were fain to quit compulsion's cause, for good and all.

A treaty they concluded with the forest king,
 That he, by this concession, should not lose a thing. [100]

His daily ration ready always should be found;
 And he should have no cause to trespass on their ground.
 Lots they would cast among themselves from day to day.
 On whom the lot should fall, he'd be the lion's prey.

But lo, at length the lot upon the hare did light.
 He found it very hard, and wailed his awful plight.
 The other beasts remarked: "We each have had our turn;
 And none of us refused th' agreement to confirm.
 By breach of faith on us fresh infamy bring not.
 [105] Begone forthwith; the lion must not be forgot."

The hare replied: "Dear friends, a respite to me grant.
 A stratagem I'll plan, and cheat this grim tyrant.
 My wily plan shall save the souls of all alive;
 And safety heirloom be your children shall derive.
 Thus every prophet's promised to his sect, at least,
 Salvation from the doom o'erhanging man and beast.
 They found a ready way to 'scape beyond the spheres,
 So soon as to reflect they turned their minds from fears.
 Man sees another's eye is but a wee, wee thing;
 [110] He knows how great a service can th' eye's pupil bring."

The beasts in answer: "Jackass! Prate to us no more.
 Consider. Thou'rt a hare; a beast of no great store.
 What talk is this? Thy betters ne'er have used such speech.
 They never would have dared to think as thou dost preach.
 It must be thou'rt o'erweening, or our fate's at hand.
 For otherwise, pretensions such as thine can't stand."

To them as a rejoinder puss spoke: "My dear friends,
 My inspiration's God's; small means effect great ends.
 The wisdom God hath taught the little honey-bee,
 [115] You do not find possessed by lion, or by me.

We see its cells arranged, with liquid sweetness filled,
 The portals of such art to open God hath willed.
 Then see the silkworm, how it's taught by God to spin.
 Have elephants the power to draw out threads so thin?
 The earthy Adam was by God taught all our names. [*1]
 His knowledge was the admiration of heaven's frames.
 Th' angelic choir were silenced; they knew not so much.
 The fiend be cursed. He'd not confess the fact was such.
 That fasting hermit of six hundred thousand years [*2]
 Became the new-born babe's dire muzzle,--source of tears. [120]
 Lest it should suck the milk religion's teachings give,--
 Lest it should soar on high around heaven's towers, and live,--
 The learning of external sense a muzzle lies,--
 The milk of truth sublime's denied to all its cries.
 But God hath planted in man's heart a precious pearl.
 Nor seas, nor skies, such gem enclose within their whirl!
 How long of form thy talk--form-worshipper--vain man?
 Cannot thy senseless soul cast off form's deadening ban?
 Did human form alone suffice a man to make,
 Ahmed and Abu-Jahl were one in grade, in stake. [125]
 A painting on a wall may show the human form.
 But look and see what lacks, the figure to inform.
 'Tis life it wants, and soul;--the pretty-looking thing!
 Ask for its life. No! No! Though portrait of a king.
 The heads of all earth's lions bowed down meek and low,
 When God the Seven Sleepers' [*3] dog applauded. How!
 To call it dog, to charge it with defect of race,
 No harm can do it; God in heaven hath given it place.

'Twas not the pen prescrib'd the qualities of form;
 [130] Th' Omniscient, the Just, 'twas, made it multiform.
 Th' Omniscient, the Just, a Spirit is, All-Blest;
 Him no place holds; He's not before, behind, east, west.
 He influences matter from His high abode;
 But heaven of heavens cannot contain the Spirit's mode."

That theme is endless. Let us then just turn away.
 Let's ask about the hare; hear what he has to say.
 Sell off thy ass' ears; with the price a fresh pair buy.
 An ass's ears will never understand this cry. [*1]
 Go to. Examine well the hare's most foxy wile,--
 [135] The subtle stratagem that did the lion foil.

Wisdom's the seal by which great Solomon did rule.
 The whole world's but a frame, and wisdom is its soul.
 Hence 'tis, by wisdom's spell, as clay on potter's wheel,
 The seas, the hills, the plains, are made man's power to feel.
 The lion, tiger, leopard, dread him as does mouse;
 The shark, the crocodile, he follows to their house.
 The demon and the fairy, both constrained to flight,
 Have hid themselves from him,--are only seen by night.
 The human being has his foes hid every side.
 [140] A prudent man by caution may in safety bide.
 Those hidden foes,--the hideous, and the fair as well,--
 By day and night affect his heart with charm and spell.

Thou enterest a river, just to have a bathe;
 A hidden thorn may pierce thy foot, bared of its swathe.
 Thou seest it not. 'Tis hid at bottom of the stream.
 Thou feel'st it in thy foot; thou knowest it's not a dream.
 Plagues, troubles, fears, and cares, of various degree,
 All spring from many sides, and fix themselves in thee.

Bear all with patience; slowly thou'lt experience gain.
 Thou'lt recognise the truth; the dark will be made plain. [145]
 At length thou'lt scout the vagaries of learned men,
 And take unto thyself, as patterns, saints of ken.

The beasts on second thoughts resolved to hear puss out.
 "Explain," said they, "what 'tis thou'dst have us set about.
 Let's hear; 'tis with the lion we shall have to do.
 Set forth thy plan; let's see what stratagem's in view.
 Deliberation's ever wisdom's truest friend;
 Two heads than one are better,--lead to safer end.
 The prophet spake: 'O ruling judge, ere thou decide,
 Take counsel; for 'tis said: "In councillors confide."'" [150]

The hare objects: "A secret's not for ev'ry clod.
 Odd even is at times; and sometimes even's odd.
 Too closely with a mirror shouldst thou converse hold,
 From prudery it umbrage takes, grows dull; the scold.
 On matters three, allow not oft thy lips to speak:
 First, going; gold, next; third, the path thou hast to seek.
 These all have sundry enemies and deadly foes,
 Who'll lie in ambush, each, if he thy purpose knows.
 If thou 'Adieu' to only one or two shouldst call,
 Remember: 'Two's a secret; three is none at all.' [155]
 If fast together thou shouldst bind birds, two or three,
 They'll quiet lie on earth, nor strive themselves to free.
 Men hold it best to ask for counsel in wide terms.
 Beware; and wrangle not with perverse pachyderms.
 The Prophet covertly men's counsel used to seek.
 His answer he'd obtain; his purpose did not leak.
 He'd speak in parables, and so convey his wish,
 That foes might hear, but not suspect its purport. Pish!
 He'd ferret out in answers all he wished to learn;
 And still not give an inkling of his thought's real turn." [160]

Enough we've said of this. Now turn we to our tale.
 By puss the lion's held right hungry in the vale.
 And so it was; the hare his counsel did conceal;
 He would not let his comrades learn how he would deal.
 Some hours he now let pass before he took his leave;
 Then to the lion went, their honour to retrieve.

He found the brute impatient, chafing at delay,
 From hunger's pangs fierce howling, tearing every spray;
 And roaring in his rage: "I knew it so would be!
 [165] Those vile, time-serving rascals! Thus they worry me!
 They're plausible, smooth-speaking, bland, calm, mild; and still
 They've cheated me! Alas! Who will be cheated, will!
 A too complaisant prince most foully is let in!
 Who sees no farther than his nose, none heeds a pin!"

The path is smoothed beneath which lurks a deadly trap.
 A missive's filled with compliments; all mere clap-trap.
 Bland messages, smooth words, are but a hook or snare.
 Civility's a sandbank; life's bark's oft wrecked there,
 The sand from which a spring of water's seen to flow
 [170] Is rare to find. Go, seek such. Where? I do not know.

Yes, yes! Be sure that sand's a holy man of God,
 Unto himself lost, rapt, in union with his Lord.
 Religion's crystal waters flow from him apace;
 Disciples thence are edified and grow in grace.
 A worldling is a sandbank, void of moisture quite,
 On which you may make shipwreck, lose all chance of light.
 Seek wisdom, then, from wisdom's sons, the pure of mind;
 So mayest thou learn the way salvation's port to find.

A seeker after wisdom, is, of wisdom, fount.
 [175] "Humanities" he shuns; them, he does trash account.

A memory replete with holy Qur'an's lore
 A "hidden tablet" is; [*1] its mind is wisdom's store.
 If man begin as pupil to good common sense,
 He'll end by being teacher,--mind, his audience.
 Man's mind declares, as Gabriel to Ahmed there, [*2]
 "One step beyond due limit leaves me ashes sere.
 Go forward, man of God; leave me; I know my place.
 To every one's not given to see God face to face."

Whoever, out of sloth, endeavour's path shall quit,
 And patience lose, compulsion's creed must needs admit. [180]
 Whoe'er affirms compulsion, brings woe on himself,
 Until his troubles to the grave conduct the elf.

The Prophet said: "My mission, 's truth to preach to man.
 Much trouble will surround it during my life's span."
 Compulsion's but the setting of a broken bone, [*3]
 Or binding of a muscle, torn, asunder gone.
 Thou hast not broke thy leg in travelling God's path.
 Why put thy leg in splints? Cast off the idle swath.
 He that shall really lose a leg in God's just fight,
 To him Buraq shall come, a chariot of light. [*4] [185]
 Religion's carrier was he; carried then he'll be.
 God's precepts he accepted; accepted now is he.
 The Great King's orders has he bravely carried out.
 Henceforward he's a herald;--shall God's judgments shout.
 The planets until now may have affected him;
 Above the planets now he rests, and rules their trim.

If forms material find much honour in thy sight,
 Thou'lt doubt the truth of writ: "The moon clave," left and right. [*1]
 Renew thy faith at heart, not merely with mouth's gust,
 [190] O hypocrite, who covertly dost worship lust.
 While lust is dominant, faith cannot be so strong;
 For lust 's a bolt to close the door, lest faith should throng.
 The virgin text of God explain not thou away;
 Reform thyself; deform not what the Lord Both say.
 As suits thy lusts thou comments makest on God's Qur'an.
 Vile, as by thee perverted, is its sense, base man.
 Thy case resemblance has with one of silly fly,
 Who once upon a time himself thought very high.
 Intoxicated was he, though he'd sipp'd no wine.
 [195] Like sunbeam's mote he saw himself most gaily shine.
 He'd heard of noble falcons scorning lure and cage;
 And straightway dubbed himself the phoenix of the age.

Our fly on scrap of straw, in pool from ass's ease,
 Had poised himself, as though a sailor on the seas.
 Then cried: "Lo! I've called forth a sea and ship at will.
 Long since I 've had a notion, pleasure's cup to fill.
 Behold a sea and ship of which I captain am,
 Imbued with naval science, bold as any ram."

Imagination thus had conjured up a sea.
 [200] To him it boundless seemed, dwarfing credulity.
 Compared with him it was a truly boundless pool.
 When people see with their own eyes, call them not fool.
 His universe was measured by his power of sight.
 To such an eye such pool a sea was. He was right.

A false interpreter of scripture is such fly.
 His fancy is the urine pool on which straws ply.

If flies in fancy thus explain the things they see,
 By fortune's freaks, in turn, a phoenix each may be.
 He's less than fly, of whom this tale example lends;
 His soul unworthy is ev'n of the frame it tends. [205]
 Just like the hare who'd lion undertake to fight,
 How should his soul remain in his poor carcase, slight?

The lion growled in tones of anger and of rage:
 "My ear it was bewrayed me; war my foes did wage.
 Compulsionists' false wiles placed bandage on my eyes.
 Their wooden swords it was that stung my skin, like flies.
 Henceforward I'll not list to such cajoleries,--
 Of elves and demons, in the wilderness, mere cries.
 Tear, rend them; O my heart, pay no regard to them.
 Strip off their skins; there's naught beneath; mere stratagem." [210]

When words deceitful are employed as wraps for guile,
 They're bubbles on the water, only last a while.
 Such words are merely shell; th' intent their kernel is;--
 Or coloured portraiture of man; no life is his.
 A shell may often cover kernel of foul smell.
 A kernel sound can well afford to lose its shell.

If mind be pen; if page be water, in thy hands;
 Be not surpris'd when all that's written quick disbands.
 On water 'tis to write, t' expect good faith from bail.
 Regret must follow. Shrug your shoulders. What avail! [215]

Man with desires is oft puffed up, and wishes vain.
 Put out desire; you'll find Jehovah's endless reign.
 His messages are peace, and sweet to pious soul;
 For He alone's eternal, free from change, and whole.

Men's prayers for kings and princes change full oft in tone.
 The prayers of saints and prophets call on God alone.

Th' existence of earth's sovereign's empty pomp and pride,
 The glories of a prophet in his God abide.
 The names of kings on coins are used a little while;
 [220] The name of Ahmed there is ever seen to smile. [*1]
 That name of Ahmed covers all the prophets still; [*2]
 As hundred, when 'tis said, ninety includes as well.

Reflections such as these would never have an end.
 So turn we through our hare and lion's tale to wend.

The hare but slowly towards the lion took his way.
 Wiles in his brain he hatched; weighed what he had to say.
 Procrastination served him his design to fill;
 He'd secrets, one or two, the royal mind to still.

How many worlds there are that hang on wisdom's worth.
 [225] How vast an ocean wisdom! Compasses the earth.
 A shoreless ocean is the subtle mind of man
 A fearless diver sounds its depths; as who else can?
 Our bodies drift about in mind's strong eddies still,
 Like basins on the water, at the stream's sole will.
 Until they fill, they float like bowls, on ocean's brink;
 And, like the bowls, when full, they cannot choose but sink.

The wind's invisible; a world without, we see.
 Our bodies are the waves or drops of that vast sea.
 Whatever means our bodies seek to grasp, anon,
 [230] A billow drives it far; no sooner seen than gone.

Until our hearts perceive the Giver of all good,
 The swiftly-flying bolt shot far from o'er the flood,
 They hold their coursers to be lost; and out of spite,
 They push their roadsters hastily, as thoughts invite.
 They hold their coursers to be lost; and all the while
 Like noble courser, roadster's borne them many a mile.

They now begin to wail, distress'd, and ask the way.
 They knock at ev'ry door they see, they beg, they pray:
 "The stealer of our courser was a little child.
 What horse is this, my master? Seems it not too wild?" [235]
 "O yes, a horse it is; but not the horse you want.
 Come to your senses, man; to some one else go chant."

The soul is void of patency and fellowship.
 Thou, like a wine-jar, full within, hast parched lip.
 How shouldst thou e'er distinguish red from green or brown,
 When these are all the colours unto thee well known?
 And when thy mind is dazed by colour's magic round,
 All colour's lost in one bright light diffused around.
 Those colours, too, all vanish from our view by night.
 We learn from this, that colour's only seen through light. [240]

The sense of colour-seeing's not from light distinct.
 So, too, the sudden rainbow of our mind's instinct.
 From sunlight, and the like, all outer colours rise;
 The inward tints that mark our minds, from God's sunrise.
 The light that lights the eye's the light that's in the heart.
 Eye's light is but derived from what illumes that part.
 The light that lights the heart's the light that comes of God,
 Which lies beyond the reach of sense and reason, clod!

By night we have no light; no colour can we see.
 Thus, light we learn by darkness, its converse. Agree! [245]
 A seeing of the light, perception is of tints;
 And these distinguished are through darkness' gloomy hints.
 Our griefs and sorrows were by God first introduced,
 That joy to sense apparent thence should be reduced.
 Occult things, thus, by converse, grow apparent, all.
 Since God has no converse, apparent He can't fall.
 Sight first saw light, and then the colours saw.
 From converse converse stands forth, as Frank from Negro.
 By converse of the light, distinguish we the light;
 A converse 'tis that converse shows unto our sight. [250]

The light of God no converse has in being's bound;
 By converse, then, man has not its distinction found.
 Our eyes cannot distinguish God, decidedly;
 Though He distinguish Moses and the Mount from thee.

Form and ideal, gnat and lion, word and sense,
 Sound of the voice and thought, learnst thou by dissidence,
 The words and sounds take rise from exercise of thought.
 The sea of thought is where? Of this thou knowest naught.
 Words, as thou seest, rise as waves upon the sea.
 [255] The sea of thought thou knowest great, immense to be.
 The waves of thought arise, by breath of knowledge raised;
 They take the forms of words, of sounds, which ear has seized.
 Through words have forms arisen, and passed away again;
 As waves still lose themselves beneath the ocean's main.
 From realm of formlessness, existence doth take form;
 And fades again therein.: "To Him we must return." [*1]
 Each moment, then, for thee death and return await,
 As Ahmed hath declared: "Life's transitory." [*2] Wait!
 Thoughts, bolts are, shot by God into the air like dust.
 [260] Whose thoughts can reach to God, through densest air of lust?

The world's renewed each moment, though we still remain
 In ignorance that permanence can change sustain.
 Life, like a river, ceaselessly, is still renewed;
 And apes persistency, in forms by change subdued,
 Through fleetness it puts on continuity's shape;
 Like squib when 'tis revolved in dark by boy with tape.
 A flash of flame, through motion's necessary speed,
 Appears unto our eyes a fire of size, indeed.

Its length and its extension, through quickness of fact,
 Appear to be effects of God's creative act. 265
 A student of this mystery, a doctor of great skill,
 Is our Husamu-'d-Din, [*1] whose praises books would fill.

The lion, now enraged with hunger's gnawing pain,
 Perceived the hare was coming, bounding o'er the plain.
 All carelessly, in confidence, he frisking came,
 The lion all the while growled, gnashed his teeth from shame.
 No consciousness of fault was visible, no fear;
 But confidence, sure sign his conscience he felt clear.

When he'd reached hearing range, the lion him addressed
 In tones of wrath: "Thou demon, insolent, possessed! [270]
 Know I'm a lion; elephants my prey I make.
 The tigers, spotted pards, by me are caused to quake.
 A petty hare am not I, slighted thus to be,
 Or see my just dominion spurned by likes of thee.
 Cast off assumed prim innocence, awake to fact;
 Thou hear'st the lion's roar; forget not thus the pact."

The hare replied: "Gramercy! Hear my poor excuse.
 Let me explain. Your Majesty will ne'er refuse."

The lion now: "Excuse? Thou basest of the base!
 Is this the time to pay thy court? A pretty case! [275]
 Unseasonably crowing cock art thou! Reprieved?
 Excuse from simpleton can never be received.
 A simpleton's excuse is worse than was his fault.
 Excuse of ignorance were science to assault.
 Excuse from thee, thou hare, were quite devoid of sense.
 Take thou me not for hare; with me strive not to fence."

The hare to him: "O prince! Have pity on the weak!
 Lend ear unto the tales of them who justice seek.

Thankoffering let it be for thy august estate.
 [280] Poor supplicant like me, thou'lt not drive from thy gate.
 Great river like, thy boons stream aye through all canals;
 Each flower that decks thy hair in price rich pearls excels.
 The sea is not dried up by yielding showers of rain.
 Thy ease will not decrease by lessening of my pain."

The lion then: "My clemency I show to those
 Who've it deserved. 'Tis stature rules the length of clothes."

The hare: "Give ear. Should I of grace unworthy prove,
 I'm at thy feet. My life is thine, I cannot move.
 At morning's early hour I set out for thy court.
 [285] Companion had I with me. True, the way is short.
 That second hare I speak of, food was for thy maw;
 By lot selected, as the pact lays down the law.
 Upon the road, a lion on us onslaught made.
 The savage, strange invader, rendered us afraid.
 I remonstrated with him; told him our intent;
 Said we were coming here; by treaty were we sent.

He answered: 'Prate not to me. Treaty such as this
 No value has. I'm king. He a usurper is.
 Thy paltry king and thee I'll quickly rend in two,
 [290] If thou and thy companion will not with me go.'
 I craved of him permission, him to leave awhile,
 Till I could come and tell thee of his claim and guile.
 He granted leave; but kept my fellow as a pledge;
 Saying otherwise he'd kill me, as his privilege.
 We strove to coax and pacify the sturdy brute.
 'Twas no avail. My mate he'd keep; me he'd depute.
 My comrade three times was in bulk more full than I;
 More plump, more sleek, more toothful. Dare I tell a lie?
 Henceforward, through that lion, who can come this way?
 [295] The case is so. I've told thee truly all my say.

From hence, for evermore, thy ration's lost, forsooth.
 The truth I speak to thee. Unpleasant oft is truth.
 Wouldst thou thy ration have, arise and clear the way.
 Come on. I'll guide. Let's see, then, who shall win the day."

The lion now: "In God's name! Come! Where is the beast?
 Go thou before, if thou speak truth. Take heed at least.
 I'll treat him as he merits, and a hundred such.
 But should this prove a lie, thou'lt rue it very much."

The hare set out in front, so acting as a guide,
 That he might lead the lion as he should decide. [300]
 A well there was not far off, which the hare had seen.
 This pit he destined for the lion's last death-scene.
 They journeyed thus, the two, towards the well in haste,
 The scheming, plotting hare's fell stratagem to taste.

A stream of water freely bears the chaff away;
 But how it undermines a mountain's hard to say.
 All single-handed, Moses,--Red Sea at command,--
 Can drown pursuing Pharaoh's vast ungodly band.
 A gnat, by God's behest, a Nimrod may annul;
 Its feeble wings may burst the sutures of his skull. [*1] [305]

The doom of him who acts on what a foe adjusts,
 Is like the end of one his envier who trusts.
 The punishment of Pharaoh's listening to Haman, [*2]
 Resembles Nimrod's, who faith pinned upon Satan. [*3]

A foe who talks in friendly guise, a false game plays;
 He vaunts the bait; but be thou sure, a trap he lays.
 His proffered sugarcandy poison will conceal.
 His seeming kindly offices are treachery's veil.

Should God ordain thy fall, thy sight will blinded be;
 [310] 'Twixt friend and foe the difference thou'lt fail to see.
 Since thus it is, betimes betake thyself to prayer;
 Fast, supplicate, entreat thee gracious God to spare.
 Thus pray: "O Thou, to whom all secrets well are known,
 Crush not Thy trusting servant 'neath sore trial's stone.
 If doglike acts I've acted, Thou who lions formest,
 O let not loose upon me lions Thou informest.
 O Lord of mercy, Pardoner of sin, All-just,
 Upon me vengeance wreak not, or succumb I must.
 Cause not Thy pleasant waters me to burn like fire;
 [315] Let not the fiery furnace form of stream acquire.
 If Thou me madden with the vials of dismay,
 Thou'lt make nonentities the parts of things to play."

What's madness? 'Tis a bandage to the eye of faith.
 A stone we see as pearl, an island as a frith.
 What's madness? False to judge of every stick and straw.
 To seek the violet's perfume in hip and haw.

One day, when Solomon a camp had formed afield,
 The birds all flocked around him, homage due to yield.
 They found he spake their language, all their secrets knew.
 [320] With pleasure, birds of every kind about him flew.
 The birds with Solomon all left their twit-twit-twee,
 And spake a tongue articulate; as one might see.

Synglottism is a link, a very potent spell; [*1]
 Among mere strangers, man's a captive in a cell.
 How many Turks and Hindus synglottise with us;
 How many pairs of each are strange as incubus!
 A synglottist is then a man's another self;
 But syncardism, than synglottism's much closer, elf.

Besides our words, our signs, our written characters,
 From hearts, there rise by hundreds mute interpreters. [325]

The birds about their secrets one by one communed;
 About their knowledge, sciences, and voices tuned.
 To pay their court to Solomon their notes they raised;
 Revealed their capabilities; skill of each praised.
 Not out of pride and vanity; excess 'twould seem;
 But solely to please Solomon, gain his esteem.

So slaves that seek for favour at a master's hand
 Exert themselves to name the talents they command.
 But if they feel ashamed of one would them purchase,
 Straightway they're sick, halt, deaf, or something still more base. [330]

The turn then came for hoopoe's setting forth his skill,
 To say what he could do, what office he could fill.
 Said he: "O King, one little talent's all I own.
 I'll tell it in few words; succinctness is a crown."

Said Solomon: "Let's hear it. What then is thy skill?"
 The hoopoe answered: "This.--I perch where'er I will.
 From my seat I look down like plumbline on the ground,
 And see if hidden water under it is found;
 Where is it; at what depth; what are its qualities;
 Whence takes its rise; from rock, sand, clay's varieties. [335]
 O Solomon, whene'er thou send'st thy armies forth,
 Me call to mind; my skill is surely notice worth."

To him replied then Solomon: "Esteemed good friend,
 Thee I will name Purveyor-General on land.
 Whene'er my troops go forth, through sandy deserts sent,
 With them thou'lt journey; so, ne'er will be water scant."

The crow on hearing this with jealousy was stung.
 Addressing Solomon, he said: "This bird a lie has sung.

His insolence is great to boast thus to the king.
 [340] Such falsehood's quite disgusting. Who's heard such a thing?
 Had he possessed this very wonderful insight,
 Would he be caught in springes barely out of sight?
 He cannot see those traps beneath a little mound;
 So caught he is, and caged. High dudgeon thence is found."

Said Solomon: "O hoopoe, true is this remark.
 A gulp of vanity has set thee raving, stark.
 How is it thou'rt so tipsy early in the day,
 To come and prate of things so far out of the way?"

The hoopoe then replied: "Great King, against poor me,
 [345] For love of God, believe not all my foes' false plea.
 If untruth I have spoken,--cannot prove my tale,--
 I cast myself before thee; kill me without fail.
 The crow denies the rule of Providence on earth;
 With all his cunning, he's a miscreant from birth."

Of miscreants' defects, if any one in us
 Exist, it's sure to spread,--a plague-spot cancerous.

A snare man may detect in every lust of flesh,
 If God's decree will not he fall into its mesh.
 By God's decree our reason ceases clear to see,
 [350] As moon, when darkened all, can hide the sun from me.
 Whoever dares deny God's ruling providence,
 'Tis Providence decrees his blindness, want of sense.

The Father of Mankind, Lord Nomenclator first, [*1]
 In every nerve possess'd a vein of knowledge nursed.
 He knew the names of all things, right, without default.
 From first to last his mind could hold them from revolt.
 Whatever name he gave, that name endured unchanged.
 If he said: "This thing's active," slothful it ne'er ranged.

He knew at first who was believer in God's word.
 He from the first, too, knew the miscreant toward his Lord. [355]

From one who knows them well, of things seek thou the fames,
 And mystery of the symbol: "God taught him the names." [*1]
 The name of everything, with us, is what it seems;
 With God, the name of everything, what He it deems.
 By Moses was his staff a simple rod proclaimed;
 By its Creator, God, a dragon was it named.
 'Umer [*2] idolater was classed by each array;
 God him believer called upon creation's day.
 What is by man termed seed upon this transient heath,
 Impressed by God was with the seal: "Father of death." [*3] [360]
 In realm of nullity that seed received a form,
 Existent with its God; nor less, nor more; a worm.
 Result thereof sprung forth the essence of our name
 With the Creator, who will be our final aim.
 He each one names according to his last estate,
 Not with respect to that which is but passing fate.

So soon as mind of man with light has gained its strength,
 It spies the soul, and mysteries of every name, at length.
 When man perceives therein the kingdom of truth's rays,
 He falls in adoration, worships, spends his days. [365]
 That Adam's praise, whose blessed name we're proud to bear, [*4]
 Should I recite till judgment-day, would not end there.

Decree of Providence so willed, with all his lore,
 One single prohibition known, cost him right sore.
 He asked: "Was prohibition laid, joy to prevent;
 Or can, by gloss, evasion unto it be lent?"

To his mind, explanation having been inferred,
 His appetites, perplexed, to taste the wheat preferred. [*1]
 A thorn the foot of Eden's gardener thus rent.
 [370] A thief the chance perceived, the garden robbed, and went.
 Amazement o'er, the gardener's himself again. [*2]
 He saw the thief had carried off th' unguarded train.
 He sobbed aloud: "My God, I've deeply sinned;" and sighed:
 "A darkness came, and from the road I turn'd aside."

Decree of God was thus a cloud the sun to veil.
 A lion, dragon, were a mouse beneath that bale.
 When judgment's needed, should I not detect a snare,
 Not I alone am blind, my weakness others share.
 Blest he, whose steadfast feet have never gone astray!
 [375] Who waywardness has shunned, and taught his tongue to pray!

Should God's decree encompass thee with blackest night,
 The same decree will readily help set thee right.
 Should Providence at times thy life to menace seem,
 'Twas Providence that gave it, can prolong its gleam.
 Should life's events appear to threaten every way,
 God can in heaven prepare a home for thee to stay.
 What 'tis thou tremblest at, a special favour count,
 Designed to bring thee safe to Zion's holy mount.

And now we turn again from morals,--they've no end,--
 [380] To see how fares it with our lion and his friend.

They came to where the well was. Here the lion saw
 The hare his pace had slackened, backward 'gan to draw.

At this he remonstrated: "What art thou about!
 Come forward still. The enemy we must find out."

The hare replied: "I have no power to move a foot.
 From fear I faint. I tremble; courage has ebbed out.
 Thou seest how pale my face; like ashes I've become;
 An indication sure of fear, most troublesome.
 God hath the countenance the mind's true index named.
 The adept keeps his eye on countenance enchained. [385]
 A face's colour tell-tale is, like tinkling bell.
 A horse's neigh of other steeds' approach will tell.
 A sound from anything attention brings to pass;
 'Tis thus we know the creak of door from bray of ass.
 The Prophet said, no point of character t' asperse:
 'Enigma is a man until he's heard converse.'
 The colour in man's face makes known how stands the heart.
 Compassion take on me; thy sympathy impart.
 Enjoyments sensual give man a rosy face;
 The fame of pale-faced men reports good sense and grace. [390]
 I feel within me what makes all my joints seem weak;
 It's borne away my colour, strength, and power to speak.
 It casts down whomsoe'er it chances to attack;
 As tempest uproots trees it meets upon its track.
 I'm subjected to that by which both men and beasts
 Are turned to stocks and stones;--to say the very least.
 They are but parts; that thing a universal is.
 It makes men's faces pale; gives ashiness where 'tis;
 As long as nature mournful is, or full of glee;--
 As long as fields now verdant, naked then we see. [395]
 The sun each morning rises, joying in his course;
 At eve sinks down again, and goes from bad to worse.
 The planets circulating, each within its sphere,
 Are subject to immersion when the sun they near.
 The moon in splendour far excels each tiny star.

But near its change it dwindles almost to a hair.
 The very earth, that in firm steadfastness doth sit,
 When subject to an earthquake, shakes as in a fit.
 How many regions in the world, encroaching sands
 [400] Have changed from gardens into bare and sterile lands.
 The air, that with its breezes gives new life to all,
 When Providence ordains, brings pestilence and thrall.
 Sweet water's running stream, a very source of life,
 In pond confined, turns fetid, black, and poison-rife.
 The fire, so arrogant when fed with breezes long,
 With one puff is extinguished by a breath too strong.
 The sea, now boisterous with waves and swelling tide,
 At times is like a mirror, shrinking from land's side.
 The sky, revolving night and day, is never still;
 [405] The seven planets like, it works its Maker's will.
 Those planets, too, in apogee and perigee,--what not,--
 Auspicious, inauspicious are in several lot.
 Thyself consider;--little part, of universals mixed;--
 And thou'lt divine the state of all extended, fixed.
 Since universals are by no means free from toil,
 How should a petty part escape from trouble's moil?
 A part, too, that's compound of every opposite,--
 Of fire, and air, and water; adding earth its mite.
 If sheep from wolf should flee, there's really wonder none;
 [410] To see them herd together 'd 'stonish every one.
 Life springs from concord of th' ingredient opposites.
 And death results when discord their pact disunites.
 God's mercy hath appointed every lion's mate;
 And unto each wild ass a fit associate.
 But since the world in trouble prison-like offends,
 What wonder that all's transient,--that all suffering ends?"

'Twas thus the hare the lion tricked with specious lies;
 And added: "Hence the reason why I cannot rise."

The lion answered: "I see naught to cause thy fear.
 Point out to me the object seems to thee so drear." [415]

The hare then: "In this well thy foe takes his repose.
 His stronghold is this pit, where he's secure from woes.
 A wise man hides himself at bottom of a well;
 For 'tis in solitude heart's choicest raptures dwell.
 Seclusion's gloom is easier borne than wrongs from men.
 Who craves a victor's mercy, saves his life just then."

The lion muttered: "Onward come. My arm is strong.
 Go look. At home is he? He'll not live long."
 The hare: "Alas! Already I've endured his gaze.
 Take me unto thy breast. My mind is all amaze. [420]
 From off thy back, most potent lord and prince,
 I'll look down in the well. I'll neither blink nor wince."

The lion took him on his back without more fuss.
 So, under this protection to the well went puss.
 They both looked down; and in the water there
 Reflection shadowed forth a lion and a hare.
 The lion saw his own shape in the water shine:
 "Another lion," thought he, "with fat hare on chine."
 His foe he fancied, thus, that in the well he'd spied.
 The hare he set down safely; in leapt he with pride. [425]

He thus fell in the pit he had for others dug.
 Iniquity will visit those who drink out of her mug.
 Iniquity's a pit into which tyrants fall.
 Such is the firm conviction of our wise men all.
 The wickeder a man, the deeper does he sink.
 So justice wills; and so, the wrong'd will doubtless think.

O thou who in thy might injustice dost commit,
 For thy own self a pit thou diggest; our tale to wit.
 Thou weavest round thyself a web, as does silkworm;
 Thou'lt not escape unless to justice thou conform. [430]

Look not upon the weak as quite without a friend.
 Reflect; 'tis said: "When God's help comes." [*1] Where's then thy end?
 If thou'rt an elephant in strength, the weak will flee
 To his Protector. Then the Lord's wrath shalt thou see.
 Whenever wrong's weak victim on his God doth call,
 A clamour rises from the ranks in heaven's hall.
 If with his blood, in pride, thou stain thy teeth just now,
 The toothache shall avenge him; dentist's victim thou.

The lion saw himself reflected in the well.
 [435] Through blindest rage himself from foe he could not tell.
 He thought his own reflection was his hated foe,
 And slew himself while seeking on him to work woe.

So tyrant, when thou seest injustice in the world,
 Thyself behold. Those deeds thy banner have unfurled.
 Thine are included with them in God's just decree.
 Thy rage, greed, lust's reward most certainly thou'lt see.
 They are thy very self; in them thou art condemned.
 Thou judgest them; in selfsame manner thou'rt contemned.
 In thy own acts thou seest not the sin thou work'st;
 [440] Or otherwise thy own self's foe thou'dst be from first.
 It is thyself against whom thou mak'st thy attack;
 Just as the lion took the hare upon his back.
 If thou'd sound deep to bottom of the moral well.
 Thyself thou'dst find there; thy own acts would plainly tell.

The lion at the bottom found out who was there.
 Let him as likeness serve of many who are here.
 Whoe'er beats out the teeth of weaker than himself,
 Commits the lion's error;--springs upon himself.

O thou who loath'st a mole upon thy neighbour's cheek,
 [445] Reflect. 'Tis but an image. Thy own features seek.

Believers are as mirrors; each sees self in each.
 So said the Prophet. His words to us truth may teach.

Thou wearest spectacles, of blue, or red, or green;
 And thence thou judgest all is tinged with that sheen.
 If thou wilt use a window glazed with coloured glass,
 Thou may'st expect the sun will seem of that same class.
 If thou'rt not mad, thou'lt know the colour is thy own.
 Thyself call evil. Henceforth others leave alone.

Believers see with eye of faith the light of God.
 How else to them were visible all things' synod? [450]
 If thou examine things with hell-fire in thy heart,
 How canst thou see distinct the good and bad apart.
 Seek by degrees to drown that fire in holy light.
 So shalt thou, sinner, soon, thy weakness change for might.

And do Thou, Lord, asperge from mercy's cleansing stream,
 To change the fire of sin to light of faith supreme.
 The ocean's waters are a mere drop in Thy hand;
 The streams of mercy, fire of wrath, at Thy command.
 If Thou so will, the fire a pleasant stream may be.
 And at Thy word, a lake a fiery pit we'd see. [455]
 From Thee spring our devotions, supplications, prayers.
 'Tis Thou deliverest the victims from their slayers.
 Without our supplication, Thou entreaty gayest.
 The stores of Thy great mercy for all men Thou savest.

The hare, for his deliverance, jubilant set out,
 To join his fellows, scattered in their homes about.
 He saw the lion prone at bottom of the well;
 Then rapidly went back his stratagem to tell.
 He clapped his hands for joy at his escape from death,
 Exuberant as plant sprouts from the earth beneath. [460]
 Its stalk and leaf break forth from prison underground.
 It rears itself apace, makes friends with th' air around.

The leaves burst from the stem, and spread themselves abroad;
 Until by growth a tree, whose grace all men applaud.
 It now expands in thanks for favours of the Lord;
 Each leaf, flower, fruit intones a hymn of praise, like bard.
 "Thou, Giver of all good things, nourishedst my root.
 And madest me become a strongly growing shoot."

Our souls, shut up in prison in our frames of clay,
 [465] So break forth into raptures when they're called away.
 They dance for very joy, from love of God All-wise,
 When, like full moon perfected, they in glory rise.
 Material beings, thus, their dance perform, and souls.
 Ask not of them the subject of their hyperboles.

The hare had lodged the lion in a dungeon safe.
 More shame for lion was it, hare should make him chafe.
 Just so a shame it is, and subject for surprise,
 The state in which he's left, who Fakhru-'d-Din would rise. [*1]
 O, he's a lion, sure, at bottom of a well.
 [470] His pride of flesh the hare that cast him down to hell.
 His pride, the hare, at large, disporting as it will;
 Himself down in the pit. O, what a bitter pill!

The lion-slaying hare now scampered to his friends,
 Exclaiming: "Good news bring I; let joy know no ends
 Good news! Good news! Festivities bring into play!
 The hell-cat's gone to hell, from which he came our way.
 Good news! Good news! That foe to all our lives, and peace.
 Has had his teeth extracted, through our Maker's grace.
 He who so many crushed with paw of tyranny,
 [475] Like rubbish has been swept by death's broom clean away."

A convocation now was held by all the beasts,
 Hilarity and joy enlivened all their breasts.
 About the hare, as candle, they, moths-like, all flocked.
 All their respects presented; none were found who mocked.
 They all declared: "Thou art an angel by heaven sent
 (Angel of death, however, he to lion went).
 Whatever thou may'st be, our souls thy sacrifice!
 Thou'st triumphed. For such prowess praise will not suffice.
 Our God it was endowed thee with such wondrous skill.
 May God be praised! Deliverance is by His will. [480]
 Pray, tell us all about it. How was such thing done?
 How couldst thou compass to deceive th' experienced drone?
 Relate in full. 'Twill comfort give to all our souls.
 Detail the facts; balm will they be for bygone doles.
 Recount at length; for, ah, how many tyrannies
 Did we not suffer from him, who now stark dead lies!"

Quoth he: "Most venerable Sirs! God's grace did all.
 What could a hare accomplish without Him at call?
 He strength of purpose gave me, light from heaven above.
 That light it was that nerved me in my every move. [485]
 God granteth crowning grace, to further cause of truth,
 'Tis God also who sends vicissitudes on earth.
 He, 'tis, alternately, who parties makes prevail.
 Now mere opinionists, now men of light avail.
 If then, in turn, thou now thyself find uppermost,
 Why let hypocrisy, presumption, make thee boast?"

Joy not o'er great prosperity. It does not last.
 Airs give not thou thyself; thou'rt but a passing guest.
 They whose eternal kingship lasts beyond all times, [*1]
 Who sing God's praise beyond the seven spheres and climes, [490]

They more endure than transient reigns of kings' short rolls.
 They are the never-failing feeders of men's souls.

If thou the pleasures of the world short time forego,
 Eternal bliss may compensate th' imbroglio.
 Know that this nether world but for a period lasts.
 T' abandon it, eternal rest to man forecasts.
 Give ear. Forsake all mundane ease, all earthly rest;
 Then will thy soul enjoy heaven's cup with double zest.
 Cast thou the carcase vile of earthly pomp to dogs.
 [495] The cup of mere surmise reject; the soul it clogs.

VI.

GREAT Princes all! We've killed our dread external foe.
 Within us, still, a worse than he remains, I trow.
 To slay this inner foe is not the task of mind;
 Our moral lion's not destroyed by tricks refined.

Our flesh, a hell; that hell a fiery dragon is.
 Whole oceans can't extinguish those fierce flames of his.
 Earth's seven oceans all were lost within his maw;
 His raging fires would still burn high, to mankind's awe.
 Pitcoal, hard-hearted miscreants; these are its food; [*1]
 They sink within it, miserable, abject brood. [5]
 Withal, its craving hunger ne'er will be appeased,
 Until the voice of God cry unto it: "Art eased?"
 "Eased?" will it answer; "No; not yet awhile by far;
 Behold my flame, my fury,--burning, fiery roar."
 It swallows down a universe in its fell mood;
 And instantly shrieks out: "More food! More food! More food!"
 God, from nubiquity, [*2] His foot will stamp on hell.
 Then will it cease to burn: "He willed, and it befell!" [*3]

Our fleshly lusts in us are but a part of hell;
 Parts have the qualities of their universal. [10]

The foot of God alone can stamp out hell's alarms.
 Who else but God supreme to bend such bow has arms?
 Straight arrows serve alone to be shot from a bow;
 But lust's distorted spring shoots crooked arrows too.
 Be thou in mind upright as arrow straight for bow.
 A bow will not shoot straight, unless the arrow's so.

We've fought our fight and conquered in our outward strife.
 Now turn we our attention to the inner life.
 We've done with outer warfare, lesser as it is;
 [15] And as the Prophet, wage the greater warfare, his.
 We put our trust in God; from Him we ask for aid;
 With His assistance faith can move a mountain staid.
 To rout an armed foe is nothing very fresh;
 A lion true is he who conquers his own flesh.
 To illustrate this truth, give ear unto a tale,
 That thou of these few words the moral mayest inhale.

From Caesar [*1] an ambassador to 'Umer came, [*2]
 Through deserts far-extending, from Madina's fame. [*3]
 He asked?" Where is the palace of the Caliph, men; [*4]
 [20] That I to it may lead my cavalcade, my train?"
 The people answered: "Thou'lt no Caliph's palace find,
 Our Caliph's sole pavilion's his enlightened mind.
 Through his 'Commandership' his fame to Rome has come; [*5]
 But like our other poor, a hut's his ample home.
 How shouldst thou see that palace, brother, stranger, guest,
 When in thy mind's eye thou a beam hast, unconfessed?
 Cast out that beam; make clear thy eye from every mote;
 Then mayst thou entertain the hope to see his cote."

Whoever shall his heart cleanse from all passions' bale,
 Will soon perceive therein a court and presence hale. [25]
 When Ahmed's heart was cleansed of evil's fire and smoke, [*1]
 Whichever way he turned, God's countenance bespoke. [*2]
 So long as man keeps company with evil thought,
 How can he understand God's countenance in aught?
 He that a window's pierced from heart towards heaven's recess,
 Sees in each mote a ray from Sun of Righteousness. [*3]
 God shines apparent in the midst of other things,
 As moon in majesty among the stars' twinklings.

Place thou two finger-tips upon thy two eyeballs.
 What seest thou now of all the world? Darkness befalls. [30]
 Thou seest it not; but that the world exists, thou'lt trust.
 Our vices are the finger-tips of fleshly lust.
 Thy finger-tips remove; instanter, as before,
 Thou lookest around and seest whate'er thou wilt explore.
 His people asked of Noah where righteousness might be.
 He said: "Lo, there! With muffled heads you cannot see.
 You've wrapped your cloaks in folds about your heads and eyes.
 Your sense of sight cannot see what before you lies."

The world's eye man is; all the rest's mere skin and shell.
 A real eye's he who strives his "Friend" to see right well. [*4] [35]
 Unless we see our Friend, 'twere better we were blind,
 A friend that is not constant's better out of mind.

When Rome's ambassador had heard those words so wise, [*5]
 His eager curiosity began to rise.

He sought for 'Umer with redoubled zeal and zest;
 But in so doing lost his horse, and eke his chest.
 He wandered everywhere to seek the Caliph out.
 Like one distracted asked each passer-by his route.
 "Is't possible," he said, "that such a man there be,
 [40] When like the soul to sight invisible is he?"

He sought for him as though he 'd been his truant slave,
 But: "He who seeks shall find" 's a very well-known stave.
 A desert-Arab woman saw he at the last,
 Who told him 'Umer, then, beneath date-palm slept fast.
 Beneath a date-palm! Far from mankind's busy plod.
 That date-palm's shadow shaded the Shadow of God! [*1]

He went towards the tree; a station took afar;
 He saw 'Umer; a fit of trembling showed his fear.
 On that ambassador did awe and dread alight.
 [45] While o'er his heart there stole a sense of sweet delight.
 Two feelings, love and dread, by nature opposites,
 Were mingled in his bosom by some occult rites.
 He thought within himself: "I've many princes seen;
 In sovereign presence I have ever welcome been.
 This fit of awe and trembling's very strange to me;
 And yet without dismay this man I cannot see.
 I've been in forests where the lions make their lair;
 I've met them face to face; yet knew not what was fear.
 In battle I've been, oft; in thickest of the fight.
 [50] My arm's upheld our cause, when in most desperate plight.
 Wounds have I dealt, received, that threatened life to take,
 Among the brave, the bravest; my heart knew no quake.
 This man is weaponless, supine upon the ground.
 Why then this tremor? It my every limb has bound.
 A ghostly awe is this; it's not a mortal fear.
 Most certainly it's not a dread of this man here.

He who fears God has admonition of the Lord;
 Both men and demons stand in awe of his mere word."
 Mute he remained in reverential attitude,
 Till 'Umer woke from his trance of beatitude. [55]

Profound obeisance and grave salutation made,
 As said the Prophet: "First, salute; then, embassade."
 The Caliph answered: "And on thee be peace! Draw near;"
 Assured him of protection; bade him put off fear.
 "Fear not" a word of comfort is to trembling soul;
 A generous tribute 'tis, when strong with weak condole.
 Men set at ease the object whom they wish to raise,--
 Relieve his heart from palpitation; bid fears cease.
 But unto one who feals no dread how say: "Fear not "?
 What lesson's this thou givest to one whose lesson's got? [60]

So 'Umer put at ease that much perturbed man;
 And calmed his wavering mind, as noble hearts best can.
 To him he then addressed some subtle words of sense,
 Set forth the attributes of God,--man's best defence,
 Declared the goodness of the Lord to all who trust
 In Him alone; the rank they gain in trance combust.

Saint's ecstasy springs from a glimpse of God, his pride.
 His station's that of intimate. He's bridegroom; God is bride. [*1]
 A bride's veiled graces are not seen by groom alone;
 Her unveiled charms solely to him in private shown. [65]
 In state she first appears before the people all;
 Her veil removed, the groom alone is at her call.
 Entranced are many Gnostic worshippers, I ween;
 Few gain admission to the presence-chamber scene.

'Umer told all the stations passed through by his soul;--
 Its flights, fights, tribulations, ere it was made whole.
 He spoke of times when flight of time's of no account;
 Of Holiness's station, glorious to recount.
 He talked of atmospheres in which his righteous soul
 [70] Had soared to seek fresh conquests of devotion's whole.
 Its every flight had been beyond th' horizon scant;
 Beyond the hope, or e'en desire, of aspirant.

He found a willing list'ner in the stranger guest,
 Whose mind was framed t' investigate such mysteries blest.
 The teacher was perfection; novice full of zeal;
 Like clever jockey on a steed with lightning heel.
 He found his scholar apt, of great capacity.
 So good seed sowed in fertile soil sagacity.

Th' ambassador now asked: "Of true believers Prince!
 [75] How can a soul from heaven come down to earth's province;--
 How can so great a bird be cooped up in a cage?"

He answered: "God speaks words of power, most sage.
 Those words, addressed to nothings without eyes or ears,
 Set them in motion. Like a ferment, fruit it bears.
 Those words no sooner spoken, quick those nothings all
 In motion put themselves, and reach existence' hall.
 Or He commands these beings, creatures of His own;
 And they return to nothing, whence He them had drawn.
 He speaks unto the flowers; they forthwith burst in bloom.
 [80] His voice the flint hears; lo, it's a cornelian stone.
 A spell He laid on matter; spirit it became.
 By charm from Him the sun sprang forth, a lambent flame.
 If He but whisper words of awe, the sun again
 Is seized with darkness of eclipse, like night amain.
 What is't He says, by which the teeming eye of cloud
 Sheds forth its tears, as drops from water-skin unsewed?

What incantation to the earth addresses He,
 To make it produce cattle,--whose hides used may be?
 The hesitations of each puzzled child of thought
 Arise from some enigma by which God's him caught. [85]
 On horns of a dilemma is he fixed, poor man.
 'Shall I do this,' says he, 'when 'ts opposite I can?'
 From God, too, is the power to make selection's choice
 Of two solutions. One is taken, through inward voice.
 Wouldst thou be always free from hesitation, fool?
 Stuff not thy mind's ear tight with doubt's dull cotton-wool;
 That thou mayst solve the riddles God may set for thee;--
 That thou mayst understand the full of mercy free.
 Then shall thy heart receive His inspiration's gift,--
 A power of speaking from an inward impulse' drift. [90]
 The ear and eye of soul are organs not of sense;
 The ears of sense and mind are not like soul's, intense.
 The word "compulsion" puts me out of humour quite.
 Who hath not love of God, compulsion's slave's, by right.
 This union's based on truth (compulsion is too proud);
 It is a glimpse of sunshine breaking through a cloud.
 Be it compulsion. Man's compulsion it is not;--
 Not the compulsion of browbeating from a sot.
 Compulsion's felt by them, my very worthy friend,
 Whose eyes of faith, ope'd in their hearts, on God attend. [95]
 The absent and the future patent are to them;
 To speak about the past is what they most contemn.
 Election and compulsion, theirs, are not the same.
 As dewdrops in the oyster-shell rare pearls became. [*1]
 Outside, they're dewdrops, solely, whether great or small;
 Inside they're pearls of price, whose value knows no fall.
 Such men by nature are just like the musk-deer's pod;
 It's fed with blood of artery, musk it yields, through God.

Ask not how 'tis that outward blood can change like this;
 [100] Becoming musk when in the pod secreted 'tis.
 Ask not how copper vile, by wise alchemist's art,
 Is changed to gold when solved by elixir in part. [*1]
 Election and compulsion, fancies both, in thee;
 But when by saints they're viewed, God's glory may they be.
 Upon the table, bread's a lifeless, senseless mass;
 When taken in man's mouth, the soul it joins, in class.
 On table transubstantiation takes not place; [*2]
 The soul it is transforms it, nourished by God's grace.
 Such is the soul's great power; most perspicacious man,
 [105] So long as that soul life and power retain can.
 A human being, mass of mingled flesh and blood,
 Moved by the Lord, can cleave hill, dale, mine, and sea's flood.
 The strength of strongest man can merely split a stone; [*3]
 The Power that informs man's soul can cleave the moon. [*4]
 If man's heart but untie the mouth of mystery's sack,
 His soul soon soars aloft beyond the starry track.
 If heaven's mystery divulged should, 'haps, become,
 The whole world 'twould burn up, as fire doth wood consume."

Let's contemplate the acts of God, the deeds of men;
 [110] Know, men's deeds do exist. This truth is patent, then.
 If men's deeds be not in this nether world of ours,
 Say not thou unto others: "Why these deeds of yours?"
 God's act it is through which those deeds of ours arise;
 Our acts are but the sequels of God's agencies.

The letter, or the spirit, 'tis, our reason weighs.
 But both at once it cannot comprehend always.

Examining the spirit, letter we neglect;
 At one time forwards, backwards we cannot prospect.
 If thou straight forward look at any point of time,
 Thou canst not backwards see, whatever be the clime. [115]
 Our souls not taking in the letter, spirit too,
 How could they e'er create these predicates, one, two?
 God comprehendeth all things;--all things doth ensue;
 One act's no hindrance, with Him, other acts to do.

The reason Satan gave: "Since Thou hast tempted me," [*1]
 The scheming demon strove to hide his sin, we see.
 His trespass Adam owned: "Against ourselves we've sinned." [*2]
 God's act he, like as we, then left not out of mind.
 Through shame the act of Satan Adam secret kept.
 Self-accusation's fruit, in consequence, he reaped. [120]
 Repentance shown by Adam, God in mercy said:
 "In thee 'twas I created, sin thou hast displayed.
 Was it not My decree and providence that thou,
 In asking pardon, shouldst the tempter disavow?"
 Said Adam: "Thee I feared; most bitter shame I felt."
 God added: "It was I who gave thee shame heartfelt."

Consideration he who shows considered is;
 So he who brings the sugar, share of cake is his.
 For whom, then, benefits, but practisers of good? [*3]
 Keep pleased thy friend. Offend him; see what ensue would. [125]
 One sole example study,--instance of this law,--
 Compulsion and election's difference to draw.
 "There is a hand that shakes from palsy or from fear.
 Another hand also thou shakest when thou'rt near.
 Know: God it is creates the movement in them both;

And yet there's no resemblance in their motions loth.
 Thou'rt sorry that thou shakedst that man's hand anon,
 When thou seest him annoyed at what thou'st just now done."

A question 'tis of judgment; judgment shrewdness is,
 [130] Until some weakness intervene to mar all this.
 A question, now, of judgment as to corals, pearls,
 Is not the same as one about the soul, you churls.
 A question of the soul's another matter quite;
 The wine that feeds the soul comes not from grapes, black, white.

When any matter is a question of judgment,
 'Umer with Abu-Jahl's in one predicament.
 'Umer gave up his judgment; rested on his soul.
 'Bu-Jahl received this name through lack of self-control. [*1]
 In sense and reason Abu-Jahl a master was;
 [135] But as to soul, in ignorance he fell, alas!
 Of sense and reason questions are cause and effect;
 But miracles and wonders show soul is a fact.
 Enlightenment of soul, whatever it may see.
 By quibbles of school logic cannot silenced be.

We now return again our tale to take in hand,
 Though certainly we've never left it out of mind.

In ignorance, our souls are in God's prison chained.
 In wisdom, by God's help, their liberty's regained.
 In sleep, God's lethargy it is in which we sink.
 [140] Awake, we're in God's hands, whatever we may think.
 In weeping, we are clouds from which His mercy flows.
 In laughter, we're the flash with which His lightning glows.

In anger, we're reflections of the wrath of God.
 In amity, the mirrors of His favour's nod.
 What are we in this world? All tortuous and bent.
 There is not one upright, straightforward, innocent.

Caesar's ambassador no sooner 'Umer heard,
 Than light broke on his heart; at which he stroked his beard.
 All questions and all answers from his mind went quite;
 All sense of right and wrong had vanished front his sight. [145]
 He'd found the source; what need, then, of the streams?
 To gather further wisdom, pondering on the means,
 He said: "'Umer, pray tell me what's the end and use
 Of shutting up that thing of light in darkness' house?
 How can clear water be expected from black mud?
 Why then is the pure soul combined with flesh and blood?"
 He answered: "Most important question hast thou raised.
 A sense, a spirit, by the letter paraphrased.
 The free, the jocund spirit prisoner thou'st made;
 As though the mind, the air, could into letter fade. [150]
 Thou hast done this for explanation's sake,-- [*1]
 Thou, who beyond the explanation place wouldst take.
 How should the man in whom the explanation's gleamed,
 Not yet distinguish what's to me so clearly beamed?
 Ten thousand explanations are there, each of which
 Is most momentous,--than ten thousand others, rich.
 With that, thy speech, now compoundly particular,
 A universal explanation were,--no bar.
 Thou art a partial,--seekest explanation still;
 Why set thyself, then, to deny th' universal? [155]
 Unless thy speech contain some use, propound it not;
 And if it have, objection quit; give what thou'st got.

Thanks are incumbent upon every mortal's head;
 Contention and sour looks are surely no one's bread.
 If to put on sour looks, of thankfulness sign be,
 Then vinegar the sweetest-spoken thing we'd see.
 If vinegar desire to hearts a way to find,
 It oxymel becomes, with honey sweet combined.
 True, verse is not best vehicle for sense abstract.
 [160] It's like a sling; one's never certain how 't will act."

Th' ambassador his senses lost with this one cup
 Of wine spiritual. His mission he gave up.
 O'erwhelmed with wonder at the power of God, he fell.
 He came ambassador; now sovereign was, as well.

A river overflooded constitutes a lake.
 Some grains, when sown in earth, a field of corn can make.
 When eaten, bread assimilated is by man,
 That bread inanimate takes life, and reason can.
 When wood or candle is made victim unto fire,
 [165] Its substance dark becomes a source of light entire.
 Black stibium, a stone, when placed in human eye,
 Expands the power of vision, objects can descry.
 Good luck to him who's saved from his own fleshly self,
 And has become a parcel of some living elf.
 Alas for him, who, living, sits among the dead.
 He's dead himself, his life from out of him has fled.

If thou take refuge in the Qur'an, God's own book,
 With spirit of Muhammed thou'lt soon exchange look.
 The Qur'an is the essence of all prophets right.
 [170] They were the whales who swam in ocean of God's might.
 If thou canst read or not, the Qur'an take to heart,
 The saints and prophets study; they were as thou art.
 Read thou it carefully; read, mark, digest its tales;
 Thy soul, like bird in cage, will long to break its rails.

The bird shut up, imprisoned in a little cage,
 That seeks not to get out, is ignorant, not sage.

The souls who've freed themselves from cages of the flesh,
 Are worthy fellow-travellers with prophets, fresh.
 Their voices they lift up, religion to impart:
 "The way of sure deliverance is here. Take heart! [175]
 Religion hath us saved from fleshly cages, sure.
 No other way is there, salvation to secure.
 You then upon yourselves will chastisements inflict,
 That you may be delivered from the world's respect."

Respect of mortal man a heavy fetter is;
 Within religion's path the gravest bond is this.
 Consider well this tale, ingenuous young friend; [179]
 'Twill teach thee many lessons may thy morals mend.

VII.

A MERCHANT there was, who a parrot did own;
 Confined in a cage, wisest bird in the town.
 This merchant to journeying made up his mind
 To fair Hindustan, there some rich wares to find.
 From generous motives, to each of his slaves,
 To male, and to female, some gift to bring craves.
 He made them all tell him what best they would like;
 And promised to bring it, most gentlemanlike.
 He said to the parrot: "Poll! Poll! With the rest,
 [5] From Hind I must bring thee what thou mayst like best."

The parrot replied: "Sure, thou'lt see parrots there,
 To them pray impart how it is that I fare.
 Inform them, a parrot who loves them all well,
 By thee's kept confined, close shut up in a cell.
 He sends you his love, and his very best wish;
 Desiring from you wise advice, parrotish.
 He fears he may pine, through longing to see
 His dear absent friends,--die in foreign countree.
 He asks if it is altogether thing fit,
 [10] That he should be caged, while you on the trees sit.
 If this is the way in which true friends should act;
 Leave him in his cage, while you forests affect.
 He wishes you'd call to your mind your lost friend,
 When drinking your bumpers, ere fieldward you wend. [*1]

'Tis sweet to be thought of by far-away dame,
 One's sweetheart, whose love's set one's heart in a flame.
 While you are disporting with those you love best,
 He's eating his heart out; grief gives him no rest.
 One bumper you'll drink for the love of poor Poll, [*1]
 If only you wish him your love to extol. [15]
 Or, thinking of him who's in slavery kept,
 Your bowl's whole contents dash to earth, as though wept.
 O where is the promise, and where is the oath,
 Th' engagements sworn to him by sugarsome tooth? [*2]
 If absence of his came from truancy's pranks,
 You've set your forgetfulness 'gainst his sin's ranks.
 The ills you inflict out of spite and disdain
 Are sweet to your lover, he does not complain.
 Your petulance prized is beyond fairy gifts;
 Your vengeance most dear is; his hope it uplifts. [20]
 No soul can imagine what pleasure is felt,
 Or grace seen, in all the fell blows you have dealt.
 Your wrath is thus sweet; how much more so your grace!
 If mourning so grieve, what from feast would take place?
 He weeps; but he hopes you'll believe not his tears;
 And, out of affection, not lessen his fears.
 He loves your great kindness, your anger as well.
 He equally dotes on those opposites fell.
 The thorn escape should he, and visit the rose,
 He'd warble as nightingale, moved by love's throes. [25]
 Most wondrous this bird's strangest use of his bill;
 With thorns, as with roseleaves, he would his mouth fill.
 Not nightingale this; fiery dragon it is;
 All wrongs seem to him, through his love, purest bliss.
 He loveth a rose, and himself is a rose.
 He loveth himself; and seeks love for its woes."
Just so is the soul. Its tale, just parrot's tale.
 O where is the One to whom all souls make wail?
 Where is the man, feeble, who's yet innocent?
 [30] His heart, Solomon and his whole armament.
 When he, with tears bitter, is heard to complain,
 The seven vaults of heaven re-echo the strain.
 In anguish he groans; God, in mercy, him hears.
 His cry is: "O Lord!" And God wipes off his tears.
 Abasement in him, is by God highly prized.
 His blasphemies, o'er other men's faith are raised. [*1]
 Each instant, in soul, he ascends to heaven's gate;
 His mitre's with crowns capped, of infinite state. [*2]
 His frame's here on earth; his pure soul with the Lord
 [35] In heaven's highest sphere, above man's thought or word.
 A heaven such as this thou contemplatest not;
 Thou every moment imaginest--what?
 With him "where" and "nowhere" are quite equal felt.
 To angels the "four rivers" seem a mere belt. [*3]

Break off we this theme. Let's discuss other things.
 Cease trifling. "'Tis God who knows best" sense's rings. [*4]
 Let's seek to inquire how it fares with our friends,--
 The merchant, his parrot. Who is't understands?

The former had promised, at latter's request,
 [40] To give to the birds of far Hind his bequest.
 So when he had reached that land, greatly renowned
 In wooded retreat, flock of parrots he found.
 He stopped his beast, cried out, at top of his voice,
 That message his Polly had made, as his choice.

One bird of the flock, he saw, then took to quake,
 Fell prone to the earth; no more breath seemed to take.
 The merchant regret felt for what he had done,
 Exclaiming: "Alas! The poor bird I've slain, lone!
 That creature was surely related to Poll;
 Two bodies; one soul; just as is magic doll. [45]
 Why did I deliver that fatal message?
 I've killed a collateral of Poll's lineage!"

The tongue, by itself, acts just like flint and steel.
 A word from it, fire-like, we scathing can feel.
 Strike not, then, so rashly, fire's sparks from thy tongue,
 In message or talk, feeble hearers among.
 The night is pitch dark; strewn around, cotton beds.
 Amongst beds of cotton, 'tis, sparks one most dreads.
 He sins who, unmindful of dire consequence,
 Lets fall spoken spark,--fires a whole world, immense. [50]
 One rash word may set an assembly ablaze.
 Molehills into mountains, and higher, it can raise.

In basis, our souls would appear Jesus-like.
 To kill, to resuscitate, words are godlike.
 If lifted could be from our souls the dark veil,
 Each word of each soul would with miracles trail.

Dost wish to speak always to men with sweet words?
 Have patience. Impatience must not fret the cords.
 'Tis patience beloved is by all men of sense.
 Impatience a fault is, of children, intense. [55]
 Who patience exhibits shall mount to heaven's dome.
 Impatience who showeth, tastes wrath that's to come.

A saint is not hurt, whate'er else may betide, [*1]
 To swallow fell poison should he once decide.

He's whole, and he's sound; strict diet's his rule.
 Poor students are healthy in fever's dread school.
 The Prophet has cautioned: "Brave though you may be,
 Commit not mad rashness, howe'er the foe flee."

Within thee's a Nimrod. Approach not the fire.
 [60] Approach it thou must? To be Abr'am aspire.
 A swimmer thou art not;--nor seaman by trade;
 From headstrongness strive not the deep sea to wade.
 From fire Abr'am brought forth a fresh-plucked red rose.
 A diver, from sea-bottom, pearls' store can choose.
 A saint handles earth, turns it straightway to gold.
 A sinner, by touch, to earth turns this;--behold.
 A just man's accepted of God, the Most High.
 His deeds are the works of God's hand, still. Eigh! Eigh!
 Th' imperfect one's hand is aye Satan's foul limb;
 [65] Responsible rests he, howe'er he may climb. [*1]
 To him wisdom's self's but a mere misguidance.
 Th' imperfect man's science is crass ignorance.
 Whatever as cause acts, as cause counted is;
 A perfect man's blasphemy's pure faith, my quiz. [*2]
 Rash combatant, fight'st thou on foot 'gainst horseman!
 Thy point thou'lt not carry;--as sure as thou'rt man.

So, Egypt's magicians, in old Pharaoh's days,
 Contended 'gainst Moses; and rashly, always.
 At length they owned Moses superior was;
 [70] Men honour, revere him, who most of power has.
 They said to him, then: "Command 's thine! See! Purely!
 'Thy rod cast down' first. [*3] This thy wish is; surely."
 He answered: "Nay, nay! First cast ye down your wands.
 Produce to our sight the tricks ye've in your hands."
 The honour thus paid was a slur on their faith,
 Removing contention from out of their path.

When they had perceived what was thus due to him,
 They error acknowledged, though somewhat too dim.

The "perfect man "'s free both to eat and to speak. [*1]
 If thou art " imperfect," eat, speak not, in freak. [75]
 Thou art but an ear. He's a tongue;--not like thee.
 To ear was addressed God's word: "Silent be." [*2]

A newly-born infant, still sucking the breast,
 Is speechless some while. He's all ear, at the best.
 His lips to keep closed he has, for a set time;
 To speak till he learns,--words to frame and to chime.
 If ear he lend not, he'll not learn common sense;
 Becomes laughingstock;--folly shows, most immense.
 If hearing he have not, deaf being at root,
 He mute must remain; no tongue has he, to boot. [80]
 Since, then, we must listen, before we can speak,
 Lend ear to thy teachers, to guide thee who seek.
 A room should be entered, as rule, through its door.
 Effects ever seek where thou seest their cause' spoor.
 The speech that has need to be heard by no ear,
 The voice is of God; it's to us ever near.
 Inventor is He. From no one has He learnt.
 Of all, He's the stay; not a prop does He want.
 All others require, as in speech, so in deed,
 From others, instruction; they all patterns need. [85]

If thou art not negligent,--hear'st what's been said,
 Adopt dervish frock; go and weep in homestead.
 Himself Adam saved from all blame by his tears.
 So tears run wherever repentance appears.
 To weep, Adam came down to this nether world;
 To sigh, moan, and groan; far from sweet Eden hurled,

From paradise shut out, from heaven driven down,
 Like schoolboy in fool's-cap, his great sin to drown.

If thou'rt seed of Adam;--if from his loins sprung;
 [90] Like him, do thou seek for God's pardon, whilst young.
 With burnings of heart, and with moisture of eyes,
 As sun and as rain, do thou sorrow's fruit raise.
 Of all the rich solace, what knowest thou of tears?
 Thou beggest still for bread, like a blind man, with leers.
 Thy stomach make void of foul greed's lust for bread.
 Thy heart thou'lt find filled with deep love for Godhead.
 Thy infant soul wean from the gross milk of greed,
 Then teach it to join, next, in angel's pure creed.
 So long thou remainest in darkness and thrall,
 [95] A bantling of Satan thou art, out at call.

The morsel that brings a pure light to the soul
 Is earned by endeavour; not begged with a bowl.
 Should oil, upon trimming, extinguish a lamp,
 Not oil may we name it; 'tis water; 'tis damp.
 The honestly-earned morsel, wisdom imparts;
 Gives softness to souls, and a warmness to hearts.
 If thou be aware that from thy morsel spring
 Heartburnings and hate, know it's not a blest thing.
 Hast wheat ever sown, and reaped barley instead?
 [100] Hast known colt of ass from a mare in birth bred?
 A morsel, when eaten, 's a seed; its fruit, thought.
 A morsel, when swallowed, 's a sea pearls has brought.
 From good, honest morsels come, taken in mouth,
 Good works, and firm strivings to shun the soul's drought.
 Reflections, though true, we'll now bring to an end.
 To merchant and parrot's tale ear we will lend.

Our merchant his trading had quickly despatched,
 Then homeward he turned; with joy housedoor unlatched.

To ev'ry male slave a rare present he brought;
 For each of his handmaids some gift he had bought. [105]
 The parrot him questioned: "What news bringest thou me?
 And whom hast thou seen? What's been said? Tell. Let's see."
 The merchant him answered: "I'm sorry for that.
 I'd rather my hand eat, than tell it thee;--flat.
 In thoughtlessness, folly, ah! why did I prate
 About thy fool's message, until 'twas too late?"

The parrot then asked: "What's this fuss all about?
 What's caused tribulation? Let's hear it right out."
 The merchant now said: "I told all thy sad grief
 To flock of green parrots;--so like thee, their chief. [110]
 Of them, one, affected with thy tale of woe,
 Heart-broken, a gasp gave, expired, and fell low.
 I conscience-struck was for the words I had said.
 But what is the use? A word breathed can't be stayed."

A spoken word's arrow swift shot from a bow,
 It can't be recalled, whate'er we may do.
 An arrow once shot off will never come back.
 At source, inundation alone can have check.
 An outlet once found, there's no stoppage for it.
 A world is then ruined, through lack of quick wit. [115]
 Act, consequence little dreamt of may produce.
 The progeny's far 'yond our power to reduce.

The work of one Maker 's this universe all.
 Our acts' consequences to our accounts fall.
 Jack shoots off an arrow;--directs it to Jill.
 The arrow poor Jill hits;--straightway does her kill.
 If only it wound her, for great length of time
 It tortures. Pain's God's work; wherever the clime.

Should Jack, at that moment, expire from his fright,
 [120] To plague her Jill's wound would not cease, day or night.
 If from the effect of great pain, then, she die,
 Remote cause is Jack, still, of her misery.
 Account he must render for those pangs of hers.
 Although they're God's acts, man to man them refers.
 And so propagation, seed-sowing, and all;
 Effects of them operate. God's sole, the call.

A saint acquires powers, most astounding, from God. [*1]
 The flying bolt he can avert with a nod.
 The door can be shut between cause, consequence,
 [125] On saint's reclamation, by God's prescience.
 He makes said unsaid, from beginning to end.
 Hence, neither does skewer burn, roast to coal trend. [*2]
 From every mind that has knowledge of fact,
 Remembrance effaced is, though brains may be racked.
 Of this, dost thou proof require, most worthy friend,
 The text read: "What verse We annul, or We mend." [*3]
 Again: "They my warning made you to forget." [*4]
 By these is oblivion's great power 'fore us set.

To make us remember, forget, they power have.
 [130] They've hearts subjugated o'er creation's wave.
 Whene'er dull forgetfulness blinds eye of man,
 No act can he do, howe'er wide his scan.
 Dost dare, thou, great saints to make laughingstock? [*5]
 To words of the Prophet give heed, silly block.
 Earth's lords have dominion o'er bodies of clay.
 Enlightened saints rule hold o'er hearts;--their own sway.
 All acts are fruits, doubtless, of experience.
 Man, then, is but pupil. All's, else, mere pretence. [*6]

I'll close now this subject; much more I might say;
 Prevented I am by the rules I obey. [135]

Remembrance, forgetfulness, both are of God.
 Support and aid, too, must depend on His nod.
 Of thoughts, God, men's good and bad souls voids, each night,
 By millions. Since this has seemed good in His sight.
 By day, their hearts fill with their thoughts all, again,
 Those oystershells He fills with rich pearls amain.
 He knows all the thoughts that here trouble our frames.
 'Tis He that gives guidance to souls in their games.

Thy talent, thy judgment, unto thee are given,
 That means thou may'st have to redeem thy fallen leaven. [140]
 The goldsmith's rich art's not by weaver possessed,
 By jocund vein here, there another's distressed.
 Though mind's frame and talents endowments are, all,
 They seem to a foe mere machines for his thrall.
 When sleep is departed, thoughts, talents return,
 One's foe so comes back, has of war one more turn.
 With dawn, all our thoughts, all our talents, awake,
 As erst, good or bad; ere repose we could take.
 So carrier pigeons, wherever they've been,
 Return to their homes, quit the woodlands all green. [145]
 We see, thus, that all things revert to their source.
 Parts ever must go shares in whole's intercourse.

So soon as our bird heard that parrot's sad state,
 A shudder he gave, fainted, grew stiff as slate.
 The merchant, on seeing this, seized with dismay,
 Himself dashed to earth; wished he'd been far away.
 His clothes rent in sorrow; his beard he plucked out;
 And moaned, in distress wildly sobbing, throughout:

"My parrot, why, dearest, thus broken of heart?
 Dead art thou, now, really? So fain to depart? [150]

Poor pet! Darling bird! With thee, hours I could talk.
 My sweetheart! My second self! Loved was thy walk.
 Alas for poor Polly! Where's now his sly chat?
 Alas, my companion! How shall I bear that?
 Had Solomon seen a green parrot like mine,
 What pleasure had he felt in other birds' line?
 Dear prattler, in whose words I took such delight!
 And then, thus to leave me, with naught in my sight!
 Thy tongue to me dearer than gold's wealth untold;
 [155] At sound of thy sweet voice my joy was tenfold."

O tongue! Thou'rt a fire, and also a cornstack! [*1]
 My patience, the cornstack! Hark! How its flames crack!
 My soul doth, in secret, of thee complain sore;
 But whate'er thou wishest, it does evermore.
 O tongue: Thou'rt a treasure, beyond all earth's price!
 And yet thou'rt a plague, that's not always too nice!
 A whistle art thou, birds decoying afield.
 A solace to love's wayward, fitful, spoilt child.
 To men thou'rt all darkness, and blasphemy's bale;
 [160] To saints, guide, companion too, through this dark vale.
 Thou'rt pitiless! Pity on me take, awhile.
 Thy bow thou hast strung, on poor me to work guile.
 Thou hast taken my bird; thou hast flustered my soul.
 So cruel why be? Why delight take so foul?
 An answer pray give; or else, deal out justice;
 Or hope let me have to taste joy's chalice.
 My dawn! Thou dispellest my deep'ning darkness.
 My light! Day with thee is all sunshine brightness.
 Alas! That swift bird, boldly soaring, of mine,
 [165] My lowest fall plumbed, traced my lineage divine.
 The ignorant, wooers of trouble are, all.
 "I swear," down to "misery" read, thou poor thrall. [*2]

From misery free made me thy countenance.
 From spume, so the clear stream of thy assistance.
 Regret is a nursing of phantoms by day.
 Neglect, stern realities drives not away.
 A zeal for the truth is in God, there's no doubt.
 The heart, with God's will, is constrained to burst out.
 He's zeal, Who is "other," far, than all things else, [*1]
 Beyond all praise, laud, blessing, thanks, in heart's pulse. [170]
 Alas! my hot tears have become briny lake,
 An offering worthy my lost idol's sake.
 My parrot! My wise bird! My starling art thou!
 Interpreter, reader of thoughts, secrets, thou.
 All daily events, results, just or unjust,
 By Him ordained were, as I know, from the first.
 The Parrot, inspired, who by voice of man spoke,
 Existed ere dawn of existence first broke.
 That Parrot is plainly within thyself felt;
 Around thee His motto is ev'rywhere spelt. [175]
 Art joyful? From Him, know, all joys here do spring.
 Art wronged? Thou submittest. Thou'rt under His wing.
 O thou, who for body dost injure thy soul,
 Thy proud flesh to pamper, dost wrong to thy whole.
 I, too, am in flames. Who, then, seeks burning brand,
 The trash to consume of conceit from the land?
 That which is once burnt cannot blaze out again.
 Select flaming brand, living fire choose, amain.
 Alas! Lackaday! What has thus come to me?
 My full moon in clouds why thus hidden to be? [180]
 I scarcely can breathe; with deep sorrow heart burns;
 Male-lion-like, grief all kind condolence spurns.
 He who in his senses has thus become drunk,
 How fierce would he rage, if in cups he were sunk.

A lion in heat, he, despising all bounds;
 No forest would hold him, nor dense jungle-grounds.

Of rhymes do I dream? 'Tis my love orders me [*1]
 Of love still to dream;--swain devoted to be:
 "Thyself make thou happy. Rhymes leave, now, alone.
 [185] The rhyme I seek, thou art. I love thee, my own.
 What's rhyme, that thou turnest thy thoughts thitherward?
 Mere bramble on wall, hedging round our vineyard.
 I care not for words, for asseverations;
 My time if I pass in these sweet delusions.
 Suggestion there is, one, kept secret from men.
 To thee I'll impart. Thou keep'st secrets, like pen.
 Suggestion occult, Abeam knew not one jot.
 One secret, that Gabriel as yet conceives not.
 One mystery, to Jesus that never was known,
 [190] In jealousy God spake to me all alone." [*2]

What do we with tongue? We affirm; we deny.
 I'm no affirmation; denial am I.
 In impersonality, person I find.
 In ungenerosity, goodness of mind.
 Earth's potentates slaves are of their own slaves' will.
 All mortals, mere corpses of dead corpses, still.
 Kings, subject are here to their own subjects' whim.
 Man's drunk with those intoxicated of him.
 The hunter of birds them entraps in his toils,
 [195] Himself is then pounced on, despite of his foils.
 A beauty makes prey of the men soft of heart.
 Sweethearts fall the victims of false lover's dart.
 If lover thou see, know, a sweetheart he's, too,
 'Tis but a relation. Each one's one of two.
 If thirst seeks for water in this wide domain,
 The water, on its side, the thirst courts again.

Should any one love thee, do thou silent be.
 Thy ear claims he then, thou attentive should'st be.
 The torrent bank up that threats dire overflow;
 Or ravage 'twill make of the lands down below. [200]
 What care I if cities in ruins should fall,
 In ruins we treasures find dear to us all.
 Man merged in God, most entirely is drowned
 As wave of a sea, soul but goes a set round.
 Is bottom of that sea preferred more, or top?
 Is God's shaft desired more, or shield, it to stop?
 By doubts and by fears thou'lt piecemeal be torn, heart.
 If thou well distinguish from joy, sorrow's smart.
 Desir'st thou to taste, then, true happiness, joy?
 'Tis not thine to choose. Beauty ever's most coy. [205]
 Each spangle of beauty's star outshines the moon.
 To wreck a whole world's naught to beauty's full moon.
 What is it we're good for? To sacrifice self.
 Then hasten, my good friend, to offer thyself.
 A lover's whole life is but self-sacrifice;
 He wins not a heart, save his own heart's the price.
 A heart I once courted with soft blandishment;
 With pretexts was put off, most magniloquent.
 I said my heart brimful was quite with her love;
 Said she: "Hold thy tongue, now; that theme let's not move." [210]
 What have you been doing, you two eyes of mine?
 Why saw you that cruel one? Left me to pine?
 Presumptuous man! Didst thou hold her so cheap,
 Because, by her kindness, made easy thy sleep?
 What's easily got in this world, 's easy spent.
 A child will give jewels at cake's allurement.
 With love I'm o'erwhelm'd, now, of such a sad sort,
 That ancients and moderns to it are all sport.

I've made short my story; details are not given.
 'Twould otherwise scorch heart and tongue's whole joint leaven. [215]

When I may say "lip," I mean "margin of sea;"
 When "No!" you may take its true sense "Yes!" to be.
 My sourness of looks by much sweetness is caused.
 By words' multitude, silence strict I've imposed.
 My sweetness I'll hide, in this world, in the next.
 As veil, austere features I've firmly annexed.
 My secrets to shield from the ken of all ears,
 One out of a hundred, alone, here appears.

The world is right jealous, for reason that best:
 [220] God first jealous was, long before all the rest. [*1]
 He's soul. The two worlds His august body form. [*2]
 The body, through soul must receive good or harm.
 Whoso in his worship turns truly to God,
 Foul shame 'twould be for him to bow to faith's rod.
 Whoever's a keeper of wardrobe to king,
 Brings loss to his sovereign by petty trading.
 With potentate, whoso, by grade, council holds,
 If placed as a guard at a gate, roundly scolds.
 Admitted to honour by kissing of hands,
 [225] To stoop, kiss the foot, degradation now stands.
 To kiss foot of sovereign's a great honour, sure.
 Compared with hands-kissing, ignominy pure.
 A king would be jealous of servant so base
 His foot who should kiss, when his hand was the place.
 God's jealousy wheat is on full threshing-floor;
 Man's jealousy, chaff blown away out of door.
 Know: Jealousy rise doth take, still, in our God;
 Man's jealousy budded from that noble rod.

Let's quit that deep subject; take up plaint and wail,
 Against the great hardship of love's chastening flail. [*1] [230]
 I cry, for that He loves to hear all my cries.
 My moans, lamentations, are what He enjoys.
 How should I cease wailing at His fell caprice?
 I'm not of His darlings, nor in His service.
 How should I not be, in my soul, black as night?
 Deprived of His look, sweetness, warmth, and mild light.
 All his disagreements are pleasant to me.
 My life I'd give up, sacrifice I would be.
 I love all my anguish; I dote on my pain,
 So long as it pleases my heart's treasured swain. [235]
 My sorrow's my eyes' choicest collyrium;
 My tears are as pearls from deep-sea tedium.
 Tears poured forth by lovers at His adored feet,
 Are pearls; though we're used them as tears to misgreet.
 My soul's Soul's the tyrant of whom I complain.
 Complaint I make not. I describe but my pain.
 My heart but pretends it has been too much hurt;
 Excuse is this merely. I smile at such blurt.

Do justice now, God, of all justice the fount!
 Thou sittest in justice' seat; threshold I count. [240]
 From chief seat to threshold! How far raised above!
 Where stand "we" and "I" in the sight of our love? [*2]
 O Thou who art free, quite from "I" and from "we,"
 Thou heart's-joy of all men and women that be;
 Where men and where women join, One art Thou, Sole!
 Where units appear, Thou'rt the sum of the whole!
 This "I" and this "we" Thou'st ordained for Thy state;
 That psalms, hymns, and lauds may still rise to Thy gate.
When "I" and when "we" shall unite both in One,
 [245] Absorbed they'll be in Thy essence alone.
 Existencies, potencies, all rise from Thee.
 Denial and potency, Thou'rt from these free.
 Can eye now behold Thee as truly Thou art?
 Can heart Thy love picture, and smiles, e'en in part?

The heart that's a slave to a love or a smile
 Can never be worthy to see Thee awhile.
 Engrossed he that's now with pleasure and pain,
 Can he, by these accidents, live o'er again?
 Green pastures of love, in their infinitude,
 [250] More fruits yield than care, and than beatitude.
 Love's far above these evanescent two states;
 Without spring and autumn, its verdant estates.

Pay beauty's high toll, Beauty, on Thy sweet face;
 Set forth lover's torments with all due preface.
 That archness of look of my coquettish Swain
 Anew has my heart fired with love's brand of pain.
 I gave Him permission to pour out my blood.
 I spoke of permission. He fled me for good.
 Why fleest thus, always, the groans of complaint?
 [255] Why pourest Thou suffering's floods on the faint?
 O Thou, whom each morn, as it dawns in the East,
 Has found, like the sun, full prepared for a feast,
 What cause have I furnished for all this sad pain,
 O Thou, whose lips sweeter than sugar remain?
 Thou ever new life givest to this old world;
 The prayer hear of one whom from life Thou hast hurled!
 For heaven's sake, quit talking of spring's roses red,
 And think of the nightingale banished their bed.
 My eagerness grows not from joy, or from grief;
 [260] My senses cajoled will not be by whim's thief.
 My state is just one very often not seen;
 Contest not; truth's ever victorious been.


Think not my state that of all these common men;
 Be not benefactor, to tyrannise then.
 If kindness and tyranny, joy, grief, are new;
 All new things must die. God inherits. [*1] That's true.
 'Tis dawn. O of dawn Thou who art the sole cause!
 Excuse for me make to Husamu-'d-Din's laws. [*2]
 Excuses for angels and souls Thou canst see;
 Thou art the soul's life; coral's shine is from Thee. [*3] [265]
 From Thy light have sprung men and brightness of dawn. [*4]
 We're all aided by Thee, Thou cup of wine drawn.
 Why does Thy gift keep me in constant suspense;--
 Thy spiritual wine, that still charms ev'ry sense.
 A beggar from me's wine in fermentation!
 Spheres lessons take from me in revolution
 With me wine gets drunk; I get not drunk with it.
 From me body grows; I spring thence not one bit.
 We're bees, all of us; and our bodies, the wax;
 With it we build cells to conceal our dark tracks. [270]

These considerations would grow longer still.
 We'll turn to our merchant. We left him so ill.
 He thus, lamentations, sad groans, sadder moans,
 Shot forth, with sighs, burning;--grieved hearts' crater-stones.
 Complaints, contradictions, petitions, like words,
 Now literal, then keen metaphors, sharp as swords.
 The drowning, 'tis known to each one who breath draws,
 To save threatened life, will, though vain, grasp at straws;
 In hopes that some aid to his rescue will come,
 He struggles, he flounders, he thinks of his home. [275]
 His sweetheart takes pleasure his struggles to see;
 An effort's more noble than despondency.

A bridegroom is, surely, not quite free from cares.
 His moans we expect not. Pain's not what he fears.
 The reason this, why the Lord's blest scripture says:
 "Each day He's engaged in some one of His ways." [*1]
 Therefore thou, my dear son, thyself still exert
 Until thy last breath. Seek not toil to avert.
 Then, at the last moment, the time may have come,
 [280] When favour 'll be shown thee for all thou hast done.
 How much, and how long, strives the soul of each man,
 The king's at the window;--hear, see all, he can.

Our merchant the parrot cast out from his cage.
 The parrot flew up; on a tree took high stage.
 The bird that was thought dead, now swift flew away.
 His course like the sun's from the morn to midday.

The merchant sore marvelled at his flying bird;
 Could not understand it; thought: "What has occurred?"
 Then cried, looking upwards: "Come, pretty Poll mine!
 [285] Relate all about this freak strangest of thine.
 What was that bird's game, there, of whom then thou spokest?
 What trick was 't he played? Grief in me thou awokest."

The parrot him answered: "He taught me the trick.
 He came and said: 'Free thyself now. Up! Be quick!'
 No sooner had sounded thy voice in his ears,
 He, as was agreed on, fell dead, it appears.
 As much as to say, here, to me in my cage:
 Thou death counterfeit; so thou savest thy old age.'"

Become thou but grain; thou'lt be pecked up by birds.
 [290] A flower make thyself; all the children go thirds.
 Thy grain hidest thou? Thou'rt naught else but brick-trap.
 Thy flower shuttest up? Thou'rt a weed on house-top.

His beauty whoever may offer for sale,
 Invites many troubles his heart to assail.
 Hopes, fears, wraths, and jealousies strike him at once;
 As rain on his head pours in winter;--the nonce.
 All sorts of opponents, by jealousy moved;
 With them, even friends joy to see him so proved.
 Whoever may put off to sow seed in spring,
 Ignores the true value of time's swiftest wing. [295]
 Let each one take refuge in mercy of God,
 Who grace manifold on our souls has bestowed.
 Then shalt thou find shelter, when shelter thou needest.
 Fire's, water's protection thou'lt have, as thou heedest.
 It was not the sea alone Noah, Moses, saved.
 Nor sea alone was it, their foes that ingraved.
 It was not the fire that stood Abeam in stead,
 Till God conquered Nimrod by gnat in his head.
 It was not the mountain that called John to it, [300]
 And drove back pursuers with huge rocks that hit.
 It cried: "Hither, John; refuge come take with me.
 Thy. life I will save from foe's sharp sword. Come; see."

"Adieu, master dear; I'm now off to my home.
 May'st thou, too, be free, when the judgment shall come.
 Good-bye, my kind master; compassion thou'st shown.
 From tyranny's chains, now, through thee, have I flown."
 He gave to our merchant some words of advice.
 Then flew away, shouting: "Good-bye! Very nice!"
 The merchant a " Safe journey " augured to him.
 Then thought: "Useful lesson I've learned, and trim. [305]
 His doings may serve as a pattern for me.
 I'll imitate him. Better teacher can't be.
 My soul is not, sure, inferior to his.
 See how souls should act, to gain heavenly bliss."

The body's a cage and a thorn to the soul.
 Hence, seldom are. body and soul wholly whole.

The body says: "I'll follow where thou mayest lead."
 The soul answers: "Nay! Thy desire's all I heed."
 The body then argues: "There's none like to thee,
 [310] Thou'rt perfect, kind, beautiful, good as needs be."
 The soul now demurs: "This and next worlds are thine.
 All hearts to the feast hasten, where thou'rt to shine."
 The body then says: "'Tis a time for delight."
 And soul responds quick: "Season, sure, to bedight."

When body sees crowds, throngs, profess love for it,
 Control of self loses, in teeth takes the bit,
 It does not reflect how the thousands and more,
 Itself like, has sin brought to ruin's grim shore.
 The bait of gross flattery is always found sweet.
 [315] Therewith be not caught. Lurid fire's 'neath its greet.
 Its sweetness is present; its flame's not forecast;
 Its smoke of destruction will burst forth at last.
 Say not: "I'll ne'er listen to flatterer's tale;
 They're sordid, its motives;--like 'sprat to catch whale.'"
 A lampoon should thy panegyrist indite
 Against thee in public, thy rest's disturbed quite.
 Thou knowest it was spoken in sheer angry spleen,
 When he in some wish unsuccessful had been.
 The barb of it rankles, still, in thy heart's core,
 [320] The price paid for flattery, 'tis, makes thee feel sore.
 Long, long shalt thou feel the deep wound it inflicts.
 It stimulates pride; all the soul it infects.
 Man shows not how sweet flattery is to his soul.
 The instant he's lampooned, he's lost self-control.

Thus, pill or draught taken to combat disease,
 A long time, indeed, you're thence robbed of all ease.
 And if you eat sweetmeats, their tastes are soon lost.
 Nor one, nor the other, is worth half the cost.
 Duration they have not; effects they produce.
 [325] By contraries, contraries all we deduce.

As hidden effect of a diet of sweets,
 By long incubation, boils break out, or gleets.

The flesh, with praise pampered, a Pharaoh becomes.
 The flesh, mortified, due submission assumes.
 A servant to all be; princely power be forgot.
 Submit to cuffs, ball-like; like bat, batter not.
 So soon, otherwise, as thee fortune forsakes,
 Thy flatterers will turn. 'Tis greed only, them makes.
 The throngs of gross flatterers, who sang loud thy praise.
 'Will shake their heads, shout out: "Poor de'il! What a craze!" [330]
 On seeing thee, then, as thou wanderest about,
 They cry: "Cursed hobgoblin! From grave he's come out!"

Like beardless, vain boy they've addressed as "My Lord,"
 To work on his vanity, fair fame defraud,
 In vice when he's nurtured, his beard thickly grown,
 E'en Satan would blush a pact with hint to own.
 'Tis men Satan seeks out, to work them mischief.
 Thee he'll never seek; worse than him, thou, a thief.
 So long as thou'rt man, Satan follows thy track.
 He tempts thee to drain manhood's lees, still, and wrack. [335]
 When thou'rt become devil, just like to himself,
 He flees thee in fright; leaves thee quite to thyself.
 All they who before refuge took in thy power,
 With horror fly from thee, in this thy fallen hour.
 Our words are mere lies, all tergiversations. [*1]
 Without the divine grace, they're sheer delusions.
 Without grace of God, holy aid from His saints,
 Best "record" of man must be blots and complaints. [*2]
 O God! Thy grace, sole, 'tis sustains us as men,
 Another to name with Thee suits not a pen. [340]

To servants, sound judgment Thou'st kindly vouchsafed.
 This gift made the means, we've from error escaped.

One drop from the sea of Thy knowledge, does us
 With omniscience, surely, make confluous.
 That drop have I gathered up in my soul's trust.
 Do Thou save it, Lord, from lust's soil and sin's gust.
 Sin's soil, oh! permit not that drop to absorb!
 Those gusts forbid Thou more to lessen its orb!
 True, Thou art All-Powerful, and Thy gracious will
 [345] Could force them to yield it back, grace to fulfil.
 A drop, lost in air, dispersed in the soil,
 Is still, through Thy providence, safe from despoil.
 Become it, or others, a nonentity,
 Thy beck can them summon to new entity.
 How many diverse still combine to form one.
 Thou givest the word, they part, each to its zone.
 Each moment, from naught fresh creations still come,
 In flocks. and in crowds. 'Tis Thou makest them a home.

Each night, in profound sleep our consciousness sinks;
 [350] Becomes non-existent;--waves on seashore's brinks.
 When morning afresh dawns, they wake up anew,
 Like fish in the sea, plashing drops, falling dew.

In autumn, the leaves see. They quit, then, the trees;
 Like scattered battalions, they fly with the breeze.
 The rook, in robes sable, as mourner acts, chief;
 In wood and field croaks for his much-deplored leaf.
 Command from Thee goes forth;--Thou, true Forest-King;
 Nonentity gives back each late stolen thing.
 O Death? Thou restorest, now, the whole prey of thine;
 [355] The leaves, flowers, and fruits, in their due season shine.

Consider, my friend, in thyself; now, awhile,
 The spring and the autumn thou in thee seest smile.

Look thou that thy heart be green, yield its good fruits
 Of righteousness, purity,--heaven's best recruits.
 Through garlands of verdure thy rough branches hid;
 With bloom in profusion, hills, plains, all tumid.

These words of mine come from the Spirit supreme,
 To call to mind heaven's everlasting grand scheme.
 Thou smellest a perfume of flowers. Flowers are not yet;
 Thou dreamest fermentation, though wine is not set. [360]
 That odour will draw thee to where the flowers grow, [*1]
 The joys of sweet paradise, "where rivers flow." [*2]
 Of hope it perfume is that leads our souls on;
 As hope led forth Jacob in quest of his son. [*3]
 Bad tidings and fearful cost Jacob his sight.
 Reunion, in hope, to him brought back the light.
 If thou'rt not a Joseph, a Jacob be yet.
 As he did, weep, mourn; joy, like him, thou shalt get.
 If thou art not Shirin, thou may'st Ferhad be; [*4]
 And if not Layla dear, Majnun's ravings see. [*5] [365]
 Accept the advice of old Gazna's sage, wise. [*6]
 To thee, ever, new life from old life may rise:
 "To give one's self airs, requires, first, a fair face;
 If beauty thou hast not, run not thou that race."
 An ugly face ugly is, all the world round.
 A blind eye's affliction, where'er it be found.
 In presence of Joseph, no coquetries use. [*7]
 But humble thyself; soft entreaties infuse.

The parrot had death simulated, as prayer.
 [370] Do thou to pride die; thou mayest so live for e'er.
 From Jesus a breath may, then, blow upon thee;
 Transform thee to what he was, what thou mayest be.
 A stone will not blossom because it is spring.
 As earth make thyself; flowers around thee may cling.
 For years thou a stone 'st been; lay this well to heart.
 [373] Try patience a short time; 'twill give a fresh start.

VIII.

HAST heard, perchance, there was in days of good 'Umer
 A minstrel talented, whose harpings moved the sphere?
 The nightingales all wept in transports at his voice,
 One pleasure made men's hearts a hundredfold rejoice.
 His song enchanted every gathering where he went,
 Applause as thunder broke forth, to his heart's content.
 Like voice of Israfil, whose trump on judgment day, [*1]
 Will wake the dead to life, his made the saddest gay.
 Dear friend to Israfil he was, and mendicant;
 His notes made plumes to sprout on hide of elephant. [5]

Some day will Israfil attention pay to moans.
 Their souls he will recall to old and putrid bones.
 The prophets, likewise, all, musicians are on hearts.
 Disciples hence expire with joy by fits and starts.
 Our outward ears the strains hear not which thence proceed;
 Those ears, in many ways, degraded are indeed.

Mankind the songs of fairies never hear at all,
 They are not versed in fairies' ways, their voices small.

'Tis true, the chants of fairies' sounds are of this world; [*1]
 [10] But songs sung by men's hearts are far above them hurled.
 Both men and fairies pris'ners are in earthly cage.
 Both, too, are thralls of sinful ignorance's rage.
 Read thou the text: "O fairy troop," in book of God. [*2]
 Consider, too: "Can ye pass out?" Who holds the rod?

The inward hymn that's sung by all the hearts of saints
 Commences: "O component parts of that thing NOT." [*3]
 Now since they take their rise in this NOT, negative,
 They put aside the hollow phantom where we live.

Ye putrid corpses, wrapt in rank corruption's cloth,
 [15] Our everlasting souls are free from birth and growth.
 Were I but to recite one stave from their blest song,
 All living souls would rise out from their tombs among.
 Lend ear attentively; that may not distant be;
 As yet, however, leave's not given to tell it thee.

The saints are Israfils of this our passing time.
 The spiritually dead through them live life sublime.
 Our souls mere corpses are; their graves, our bodies' crowds.
 At voice of saint do they arise, clothed in their shrouds.
 They say: "This voice has in it something to be feared.
 [20] To raise the dead, God's voice alone has power, we've heard.
 We were all dead, and unto earth had we returned.
 The voice of God we've heard; our prisons we have spurned."

The voice of God without, also within the vail,
 Can give the gift to all, it gave to Mary: "Hail!"
 O ye whose death was not that which attacks the flesh,
 At sound of the Beloved's voice ye've risen afresh.

That voice the Bridegroom's voice most truly was, 'tis said,
 Although 'twas from the lips of His servant, Ahmed.
 God said to him: "Thy tongue, thy eye, thy ear, I am;
 All thy contentment, anger, thoughts, 'tis I undam. [25]
 Go on; 'By Me he hears, by Me he sees;' that's thee;
 Thou art the head; thou holdest the place of Head's trustee.
 In ecstasy, since thou art 'He the Lord's who is,' [*1]
 I will be thine; for see, 'tis said: 'The Lord is his.'
 Now will I say to thee: 'Thou art;' and now; 'I am.'
 What I may say's as clear as is the sun in heaven.
 Wherever I may shine an instant in a lamp,
 A world of doubts I solve; on all My seal I stamp.
 The darkness which the sun could never yet illume,
 By magic of My breath grows bright as peacock's plume. [30]
 Wherever gloom may reign as undisturbed night,
 When shone upon by Me, like noonday's forthwith bright."

'Twas He who taught to Adam ev'ry thing's true name,
 Through Adam to mankind imparted He the same.
 Take thou enlightenment from Adam or the Lord.
 Draw wine as thou mayest list from jar or from the gourd. [*2]
 The distance is not great between the gourd and jar.
 The gourd is not, like thee, made drunk by grape's nectar.
 Draw water from the brook, or from a pitcher's mouth;
 The brook is still the source whence pitcher's filled; forsooth. [35]

Seek light as listest; whether from the moon or sun.
 The moon derives her sheen from daystar's golden tun.
 Imbibe what light thou canst from any twinkling star.
 The Prophet said: "Stars are all my disciples." Hear! [*3]

He further said: "How happy they who see my face, [*1]
 And happy they who look on them in their own place."
 He said: "Good luck to all who have the happy chance [*2]
 To look on my disciples,--mirrors of my glance."
 If thou by taper's aid proceed to light a lamp,
 [40] The eye that sees its light, perceives the taper's stamp.
 If one lamp from another should be lighted; well!
 The light received from this, has come from that one's cell.
 And so, if through a thousand wicks the light should pass,
 Who sees the last enjoys the gift of all the mass.
 The light of this last lamp's as pure as is the whole;
 No difference is there. And thus 'tis with the soul.
 The light diffused by teachers in these latter days,
 No other is than what was shown by earlier rays.

Our Prophet said: "The breathings of the Lord your God, [*3]
 [45] In these your days of pilgrimage, on all sides prod.
 Your ears and minds lend ye to all signs of the times;
 Perchance ye may inhale those breathings in these climes."

One breathing came and found you. Straightway it was gone.
 To all who sought, new life it gave. It then had done.
 Another breathing's come. Be ye not unprepared.
 Ye may not let it go by. Something must be shared.
 It found your souls on fire. 'Tis thence they cease to burn.
 Your souls it found all corpses. Life it made return.
 Your fiery souls by it all quickly were puffed out.
 [50] Dead souls of yours by it began aloud to shout.
 Their present calm, and this vivacity's from heaven;
 Resembling not the turbulence by which man's driven.

One breathing from the Lord, when blown on earth and air,
 Ill qualities converts straight into all that's fair.
 For fear lest any breathing such as this thee shake,
 Read thou the text: "They shunned the task to undertake." [*1]
 Had not " they shrunk from it," where now would'st thou have been?
 Had they not feared, would'st thou this grade have ever seen?
 But yesterday an opening gleamed for better things;
 Till greed for fleshly morsels stopped the way of kings. [55]

For sake of some such morsel Luqman was made bail. [*2]
 The time's now that for Luqman morsel'd not avail.
 The troubles we endure are all for morsel's sake.
 Be Luqman. Thou'lt extract the thorn that makes thee ache.
 A thorn or chafing hurt not Luqman's horny hand.
 Through greed thou lackest the discipline made him so bland.
 The thing thou thoughtest a date-palm, know, is but a thorn.
 Ungrateful, uninformed thou art, now, as when born.
 The soul of Luqman was a vineyard of the Lord.
 Why then into his soul did thorn pierce like a sword? [60]

Thorn-eating camel, truly, is this world of ours,
 Ahmed, then, came and mounted;--him that camel bears.
 O camel, on thy back thou bearest a vase of rose.
 On thee from thence have sprouted rosebuds, as God knows.
 Thy tastes thee lead to camel-thorn and wastes of sand.
 To thee the thorn's a rose; the wilderness, rich land.

O thou who in such quest hast wandered up and down,
 How long wilt thou contend rose-garden's sandy down?

Thou canst not now extract the thorn from thy sore foot.
 [65] With that blind eye of thine, how wilt thou see its root?
 A man whose vast desires the world could not contain,
 Is sometimes by one thorn's point sent to death's domain.

Now Ahmed came; a tender, kind companion, he.
 "Speak to me, O Humayra," said he, "speak to me." [*1]
 Put thou thy shoe, Humayra, quick into the fire. [*2]
 The rocks will rubies turn, from his feet's blood in mire.
 This Humayra's a woman's name, the poet's love.
 Such is the Arab custom. Soul is meant. Now move.
 That Soul's no need to fear from being named as girl. [*3]
 [70] Of sex, as male or female, that Soul has no twirl.
 That Soul is far above sex, accident, and mood.
 That Soul is not man's darling, made of flesh and blood.
 That Soul is not the life that grows from cakes of bread;
 That's sometimes of one mind, and other then instead.
 Of good is He the worker, good He is also.
 From goodness separate, no goodness e'er will flow.

If thou'rt made sweet through sugar, it may happen still,
 That sugar none thou find, to sweeten thee at will.
 But if thou sweet become, like sugar, through good heart,
 [75] This sweetness from thy sugar never will depart.

How can a lover find love's nectar in himself?
 That question passes comprehension, my good elf.
 Man's finite reason disbelieves love's potent sway.
 Himself he yet esteems endowed with head to-day.

He's clever, and he's knowing, nil he's not; anon.
 Until an angel's nothing, [*1] he's a sheer demon.
 In word and act a man may be a friend of ours;
 But when it comes to heart and mind, he huffs and lours.
 If he from esse, reach not posse's state, he's nil;
 And willingly;--unwillingly, we may worlds fill. [80]
 The Soul, our God, 's perfection. Perfect is His "call." [*2]
 His Ahmed used to say: "Ensoul us, O Bilal! [*3]
 Lift up thy voice, O Bilal, thy harmonious voice.
 Put forth the breath that I infused at thy heart's choice.
 The breath that 'twas made Adam lose all consciousness;
 While all the hosts of heaven, too, felt their helplessness."

That Ahmed, Mustafa, at one blest sight stood lost. [*4]
 His wedding-night it was. Dawn-worship it him cost. [*5]
 He woke not from the sleep his blessed vision shed.
 Dawn-worship he o'erslept; the sun shone overhead. [85]
 On that, his wedding-night, in presence of his bride,
 His sainted soul kissed hands, high honour's fullest tide.

Both love and soul are occult, hidden and concealed.
 If God I have "bride" named, let it stand fault repealed.
 I silence would have kept, from fear of love's caprice,
 If for a moment only, I'd been granted grace.
 But He still said: "Say on. The word is not a fault.
 It's naught but the decree there should appear default.
 It's shame to him who only sees another's faults.
 What fault is noticed by the Soul safe from assaults?" [90]

A fault it is to eyes of creatures ignorant.
 But not with God the Lord, our Maker benignant.
 E'en blasphemy is wisdom with th' Omnipotent; [*1]
 Attributed to mortals, mortal sin patent.
 If one sole fault be found amidst a hundred truths,
 'Tis like a stick that's used to prop sweet flowers' growths.
 Both will be surely weighed in justice' equal scales;
 For, like the soul and body, both are pleasant tales.
 The saints have therefore said, for sweet instruction's sake:
 [95] "The bodies of the pure with souls just balance make."

Their words, their selves, their figures, whate'er these may be,
 Are all Soul Absolute, without a trace to see.
 Sworn enemy is Body to their spiritual life,
 Just as one game of backgammon, with names full rife. [*2]
 The body goes to earth; is soon reduced to clay;
 The soul endures like salt, and suffers no decay.
 The salt, than which Muhammed far more sapid is;
 From "Attic salt" that's found in each dictum of his.
 That Attic salt's an heirloom, heritage from him;
 [100] His heirs are here with thee. Seek unto them passim.
 They're sitting in thy presence. What's in front of thee?
 Thy soul demands thy care. Where can thy forethought be?

If thou still be in doubt, and not sure of thyself,
 Thou'rt slave unto thy body; soul thou hast not, elf.
 Behind, before, above, below, stands body's shade.
 The soul has no "dimensions;" clearly it's displayed.

Lift thy eyes, dear Sir, in glorious light of God;
 That thou be not accounted most shortsighted clod.
 Thou nothing knowest or carest about, save grief and joy;
 Thou nothing, by mere nothings hemmed in, man or boy. [105]
 To-day's a day of rain. Yet journey thou till night;
 Not on account of downpour, but because it's light.

One day did Mustafa, go to the burial-ground.
 The Prophet at a funeral, his friend's, was found.
 At filling in the grave he lent a helping hand;
 A living seed he planted in that holy land.
 The trees thereof are emblems,--cypress, fir, or yew;
 Their boughs are hands in prayer uplifted,--if men knew.
 They many lessons inculcate to men of sense,
 He who hath ears to hear may thence draw inference. [110]
 A contemplative mind from them new secrets culls.
 The heedless are amused with what men's reason dulls.
 With tongue-shaped leaves and finger-twigs they us address;
 From inmost heart of earth they publish mysteries.
 As ducks dive into water, they plunge into earth.
 Like rooks they were, now peacocks, gay in their new birth.
 The winter shuts them up, as prisoners, in its ice.
 Black rooks then, bare; as peacocks spring bids them arise.
 God makes them look like dead in winter's frozen reign,
 But with returning spring wakes them to life again. [115]
 Dull atheists contend this is a story old,
 And ask why we to God attribute it, so bold.
 They say these alternations ever thus were seen.
 The world of old, they think, as 'tis, has ever been.
 In spite of their contention, in breasts of His saints
 Has God at all times reared rich gardens free from feints.

Each flower that yields to sense agreeable perfume,
 Speaks volumes to saint's heart with its mysterious tongue.

Each perfume from a flower rubs atheist's nose in dirt;
 [120] Although he rush about, and boundless nonsense spirt.
 An atheist's like a chafer clinging to rosebud,
 Or like a nervous patient tortured by drum's thud.
 He makes himself as fussy as each touting wight;
 But shuts his eyes to flashes of conviction's light.
 He shuts his eyes perversely, with them will not see.
 The saint, on other hand, 's clear-sighted certainly.

The Prophet, when returned home from the funeral,
 Found 'A'isha was waiting, him to welcome all.
 So when her eyes fell on him, just as in he came,
 [125] She him approached, and on him hand placed; gentle dame.
 She touched his turban, cloak and coat, his sleeves and shoes,
 His hair and beard, his face and hands, peering for news.
 He asked her what she sought with so much eager zeal.
 She answered him: "To-day of rain there's fallen a deal.
 I'm lost in wonderment to feel thou art not wet;
 No dampness is there here. I marvel still more yet."
 He asked: "What veil worest thou God's service to fulfil?" [*1]
 She answered: "I a plaid of thine threw o'er my frill."
 He said: "That plaid it was for which the Lord, to thee,
 [130] My lady pure, a shower caused visible to be.
 That shower was not of raindrops .from the clouds that fall;
 A shower of mercy 'twas; its cloud and sky, His call."

["In regions of the soul so many skies are there! [*2]
 They issue their commands to spheres of earth and air.
 The ups and downs in spirit's path form quite a class;
 So many hills to climb; so many seas to pass."]--Sana'i.

The unseen world has other clouds, and other skies; [*1]
 Its sun is different; its water God supplies.
 Its rain proceeds from other clouds than does our own.
 God's mercy 'tis that forms that rain when it pours down. [135]
 Those rains are never seen, save by the eyes of saints.
 Mere men "by new creation puzzled," [*2] judge them feints.

One rain there is that nourishment brings in its track;
 Another rain also that works a whole world's wreck.
 The rain of spring does wonders in the garden's fold;
 The rain of autumn chills like ague's shivers cold.
 The spring rain nourishes whate'er it falls upon.
 Autumnal showers but bleach and shrivel; all turns wan.
 Thus is it with the cold, the wind, and eke the sun;
 They're means from which such different phases seem to run. [140]
 In things invisible the same rule still holds good;
 Advantage, loss, annoyance, fraud, affliction's flood.
 The words of saints are like the vernal breeze in power;
 They cause sweet flowers to open in man's bosom bower.
 And like the rains of spring on herbage of the field,
 They raise in pious hearts a harvest of rich yield.
 If thou shouldst see a trunk that's blighted, dead, and dry,
 Attribute not this state to quickening air's supply.
 The air still quickens, though dead stumps feel not its power.
 'Tis only what's alive, that freshens by a shower. [145]

The Prophet gave advice: "From breezes cool, in spring, [*3]
 Your bodies cover not; they're invigorating.

Allow them, then, full play; they'll give your sinews strength.
 See how, with them, the trees are clothed with leaves, at length.
 Beware, however; autumn's chills ye must not court.
 They're fatal to men's lives; the trees they strip, in short."

Traditionists report the Prophet's blessed words;
 But there they have stopped short; they add naught afterwards.
 The whole class, ignorant of application's call,
 [150] The mountain have discerned; its mines they have missed, all.

The autumn chill, with God, is fleshly lust and pride;
 The vernal breeze, the spirit, wisdom, sense to guide.
 Of wisdom, in thy head, a glimmering thou hast;
 Seek then for perfect wisdom; be to it steadfast.
 Thy partial stock from thence completed thou wilt bring.
 On neck of flesh completed wisdom put, as ring. [*1]

Thou seest now, applied, the breeze of spring is he,
 Who, perfect in himself, men perfect helps to be.
 From words of his take care thou close not up thy ear.
 [155] Thy faith they will confirm; religion fruit will bear.
 Reproachful, or in praise, hear all he has to say;
 From thee the fires of hell they'll help to turn away.
 Reproaches, admonitions, life will bring at last
 If faith they but confirm, flesh in subjection cast.
 By admonition is the heart encouraged to good deeds;
 And by reproaches is the soul kept back from evil's meeds.
 Upon the heart of teacher clings dark sorrow's pall,
 If one twig from heart's garden's seen away to fall.

Good 'A'isha, the gem of honour's casket wide,
 Then asked the Prophet (who's of both the worlds the Pride): [160]
 "O thou who of all creatures every essence art,
 What was the reason rain this day has played its part?
 Was it a rain of mercy, such as sometimes falls;
 Or was it as a menace justice fitly calls?
 Was it a vernal rain, dispensing benefits;
 Or was it an autumnal shower, to dig grave pits?"

He answered: "'Twas a sprinkle, sent to soothe our care,--
 That fruit inherited by all who Adam share.
 Should man remain exposed for long to care's fierce flame,
 'Twould work him wrack and ruin, crush his mortal frame." [165]

The world would go to ruin in a little while;
 Man's greed would get the upper hand, did he not smile.
 The prop of this wide world is heedlessness, my son;
 And thoughtfulness on earth below's a curse, when won.
 For thoughtfulness belongs unto the upper world;
 Triumphant here below, all's soon to ruin hurled.
 This thoughtfulness a sun is; greed's a mass of ice.
 This thoughtfulness is water; greed, the filth of vice.
 So from the upper world scant tricklings are sent down,
 That greed and envy may not ruin every town. [170]
 If those scant tricklings were to prove a copious rill,
 Defects and talents both would cease our soil to till.
 Let's leave these moralisings; they would have no end.
 So go we back to seek the minstrel, our old friend.

That minstrel's talent had been rare; the world he'd charmed.
 At sound of his sweet voice, imagination 'd swarmed.
 Each heart, birdlike, began to flutter in its cage;
 Surprise enchained men's minds when his notes threw the gage.

But now he was grown old; long years he'd passed on earth.
 [175] Like falcon chasing gnats, he'd little cause for mirth.
 His back was double bent, like belly of wine-jar;
 His brows above his eyes with crupper-straps on par.
 His voice, the former joy of all who might it hear,
 Was now cracked, out of tune, uncouth, none could it bear.
 His tones, that might have made dame Venus mad with rage, [*1]
 Were now like donkey's brayings in his sinking age.

What is there beautiful that goes not to decay?
 Where is the roof that will not ruin be one day?
 Unless it be the words of saint [*2] from God; they'll last
 [180] 'Till echoes of his voice shall sound in judgment blast.
 He is the inner joy that glads our inner man;
 The source from whom our beings rose when time began.
 He is the amber draws the motes of thought and speech;
 He gave the means to measure revelation's reach.

Our minstrel in old age felt poverty's sure pinch.
 No money could he earn; bread, not enough for finch.
 He prayed: "O God, long life and full to me Thou'st given,
 To worthless sinner Thou hast shown foretaste of heaven.
 I've slighted Thy commandments seventy years and more,
 [185] Not one day hast Thou let me pangs of want feel sore.
 No longer can I earn; I'm now Thy household guest;
 I'll harp for love of Thee, Thou giver of my feast."

His harp on shoulder slung, he went, in quest of God,
 To burial-ground of Yathrab; [*3] sat down on the sod.
 Said he: "I'll ask of God the hire of my harpstrings;
 For He accepts the heart's most humble outpourings."

He harped awhile, and then he laid him down and wept.
 His harp his pillow was; upon a grave he slept.

With sleep his soul was freed from prison and from pain,
 The harp and harper both were now made young again. [190]
 His soul, free, wandered forth, exempt from all dull care,
 In spacious fields of heaven, the soul's park, light as air.
 There he began to warble, merry as a lark:
 "O that I here might dwell without a care to cark
 How joyous I should be in such a paradise;
 These sweet ethereal fields breathe balm, and myrrh, and spice.
 I'd wander all about; no need of feet or wings.
 All sweets I'd feast on; lips and teeth were useless things.
 My mind at rest, from all care free, I'd ever roam.
 The angels I'd not envy in their heavenly home. [195]
 With bandaged eyes I'd survey realms without an end;
 All sorts of flowers I'd gather, yet not soil my hand.
 Like duck in pond, down deep I'd plunge in honey lake. [*1]
 In Job's own fount I'd bathe, in wine .I'd revel make.
 For Job with wine from heaven was cleansed in every pore;
 From head to foot he came forth healed, without a sore."

If these poor rhyming verses covered heaven's vast vault,
 They'd not tell half a tithe, they still would be at fault.
 The sum of heavenly joys I find an endless theme;
 My heart is far too narrow to embrace its scheme. [200]
 The world I would enclose in my poor poem's fold,
 Has lent my thoughts the wings that make their flight so bold.
 Were but that world in sight; its road, were it but known;
 Few souls would here remain, were but its glories shown.

Commandment has been given: "Thou shalt not covetous be."
 The thorn from out thy foot is drawn; thy thanks let's see.
 "My Lord! My God!" loud cried our minstrel in that place,
 Those glorious realms of mercy, boundless shores of grace.

About that time the Lord on 'Umer slumber sent.
 [205] He could not keep awake; beneath sleep's burden bent.
 With wonder thought he 'twas unprecedented: "See!
 This sleep's divinely ordered; purpose there must be."
 His head he bowed; sleep bound him fast; a dream he saw,
 A voice from God he heard,--for him a sacred law.

God's voice the real source is of every cry and sound;
 The only voice, in fact; all other's echo found.
 Turks, Kurds, and Persians, Arabs, all have understood
 That voice most wonderful, of lip and ear no mood.

What say I? No! Not merely Turks and Persians all,
 [210] The very rocks and trees have answered to that call.
 Each moment's clearly heard: "Am I not, then, your Lord?" [*1]
 Ideas and essences became "things" at His word.
 Had they not answered: "Yes, Thou art our God, O Lord,"
 From out of nothing straight that answer 'd come, in word!

About what's here been said respecting stocks and stones,
 Let's hear what tell tradition's most veracious tones.
 We'll find related there how various rocks and trees,
 Both understood and spoke, as human being sees.

A post in his own house, at Mustafa's retreat,
 [215] Sent forth a sob of grief, like heart in sorrow's heat,

As he his sermon preached, surrounded by his flock,
 So that the moan was heard by old and young; no mock.
 Disciples one and all were petrified, perplexed,
 And marvelled what might make its wooden heart so vexed.
 The Prophet put the question: "What may be thy need?"
 The column answered: "Prophet, grief my heart makes bleed. [*1]
 Against me, in thy sermon, thou'st been used to lean;
 A pulpit now thou'st mounted; far from me thou'rt seen."
 The Prophet said: "Thou most affectionate of posts!
 Good fortune thee attend, sent by the Lord of Hosts! [220]
 If thou so wish, thou mayst become a fruitful palm;
 And men from east and west sing of thy dates in psalm.
 Or God may thee transplant to realms of paradise;
 Where as a cedar thou eternally mayst rise."
 It answered: "I elect what ne'er will know decay."
 Lend ear, O heedless man! Hast thou less sense than they?
 That post was forthwith buried, like a corpse of clay,
 In hopes of resurrection at the judgment day.
 Thou hence mayst learn that any whom the Lord doth call,
 Breaks straightway with the things of this our earthly ball. [225]
 Whoe'er receives a mission from the Lord his God,
 Forsakes the world, himself prepares the path to plod.

Who's not received the gift of knowledge from above,
 Will ne'er believe a stock could sigh and moan for love.
 He may pretend to acquiesce; not from belief;
 He says: "'Tis so," to 'scape a name much worse than thief.

All they who're not convinced that God's "Be" is enough,
 Will turn away their face; this tale they'll treat as "stuff"

By thousands are confessing Muslims, men of mark,
 [230] By doubt most sadly haunted; faith they've not, one spark.
 Conformity with them is founded on surmise,
 And all their heart and conscience quieted with lies.
 'Tis Satan sows the seed of doubting in their breast,
 Like blind men they will fall into the pit at last.

Mere reasoners are cripples, propped on wooden leg;
 And, like such cripple, often falling as they beg.
 How different's a pillar of our holy creed!
 As mountain he is steadfast; faith his living meed.
 A blind man's leg's his staff; upon it he must lean,
 [235] Or he will risk to fall at full length on the green.
 A knight is he who sole has routed hosts of foes;
 Wise leader then becomes of liegemen's ranks through woes.
 Those blind men find their way by trusting to a staff.
 They lean upon a creature; their sight is in a gaff.
 For, otherwise, they'd be far-seeing; they'd be kings;
 As 'tis, they're blind, they're corpses,--lifeless, senseless things.
 The blind can never sow, and surely never reap;
 They cannot edify; their talent they must keep.
 If 'twere not for God's mercy, favour, and free grace,
 [240] Their staff of reason 'd snap; they 'd fall prone on their face.

That staff's a weapon made for quarrelling and fight;
 Then break it up in pieces, man of feeble sight!
 That staff was given thee, to help thee on thy way;
 With it men's faces strikest thou, angry, ev'ry day.

What's this you're doing, blind ones? What are you about?
 Some constables call in, to calm this frightful rout.

Fall down, and Him entreat, who furnished you with staff.
 Look well, and see what signs your weapon may engraff.

Consider Moses' miracle; reflect on Ahmed's too.
 One's staff became a serpent; one's post chose what is true. [245]
 From that staff came a serpent; from this post, loud moan.
 Five times a day for praise we hear the crier's tone.
 This trouble otherwise had been a senseless suit;
 So many miracles, so very little fruit.

What's reas'nable the mind can easily allow,
 No need's there then for miracle, for tide to ebb and flow.
 The plan of miracles unreasonable count;
 But know it is accepted; faith it does not daunt.

Just like as demons, and as wild beasts, out of dread
 Of man, fled to the wilds, when envy reared its head, [250]
 So, out of dread of miracles by prophets wrought,
 Do cavillers take refuge in sophisms of thought.
 In name, they're Muslims; and, by virtue of their wiles,
 We can't know what they are; their faces are all smiles.
 Precisely as false-coiners on their metal base
 A coat of silver put, the sovereign's name then trace,
 In word, God's unity confessed, and holy law,
 Their hearts are like the poison-grain in sweet kickshaw.
 Not Venus will convince a sophist in debate;
 But true religion speaks, confutes his postulate. [255]
 His body's like a stock, his spirit's but a stone.
 Howe'er he contradict, them God directs alone.
 In words, mayhap, he may detect a hitch or two;
 But his own soul and body witness God is true.

Some stones were held in hand by Abu-Jahl one day. [*1]
 Said he to Muhammed: "What hold I here? Now say.

Since thou'rt a prophet, tell: What hold I in my hand?
 The secrets of high heaven thou claimest to command."

Said Muhammed: "How can'st suppose I should not tell?
 [260] The things themselves shall speak. I'm truthful; they know well."
 Said Abu-Jahl: "This last pretension's harder still."
 To him replied the Prophet: "They'll obey God's will.'

From out of his closed hand a chorus now burst forth;
 Confession of God's unity; His Prophet's worth:
 "There is no god but God," the stones distinctly sang;
 "Muhammed is God's prophet," also clearly rang.

When Abu-Jahl this heard, he cast the stones away,
 In anger from his hand, as then he dared to say:
 Most surely no magician ever was like thee.
 [265] Magicians' chief art thou; crown on their heads thou'lt be."

May dust alight upon his head, blind miscreant!
 'Twas Satan closed his inward sight;--cursed recusant.

Now turn we once again to hear the minstrel's tale,
 For all this time he's waiting; anxious, wan, and pale.
 The heavenly voice the Caliph called: "Ho! 'Umer! Ho!
 Our servant's want relieve; set thou him free from woe.
 A servant whom we hold in very high esteem,
 In public burial-ground, go, visit; him redeem.
 From out the public treasury do thou extract
 [270] Seven hundred golden sequins, with due care and tact.
 To him deliver them; and say: 'O man of good,
 For present needs let this suffice; 'twill give thee food.
 Thy harpstrings' hire it is. Go hence; and when 'tis done,
 Do thou again come hither; look for me alone.'"

At sound of that dread voice did 'Umer now awake,
 And straight himself disposed that task to undertake.

Towards the burial-ground he turned his steps amain,
 The money in his breast, to seek the stranger, fain.
 He walked about the ground, right, left, and everywhere.
 No second soul was seen; the minstrel only there. [275]

Thought he: "This cannot be my quest." So, off again
 He wandered; still no other offered; this was plain.
 He said within himself: "The Lord of servant spake,
 Devout, approved, accepted, loved for God's own sake.
 An ancient minstrel this. Of God can he be loved?
 Some mystery is here. Hail, riddle, by God moved!
 Once more he wandered o'er the spacious burial-ground,
 As lion seeking for his prey goes round and round.
 Convinced at length no other was there choice to make,
 He thought: "When I'm in doubt, light from above I take." [280]
 Respectfully he then approached the sleeping guest.
 A sneezing seized him. Straight the harper woke from rest.

When  degreestimer he espied, he marvelled, sore amazed;
 And rose to go away. Fear's tremor held him dazed.
 He thought: "O Lord, have mercy Thou on me!
 This magistrate austere no harper 'll kindly see."

Now 'Umer him considered; saw he was afraid;
 His cheeks all pale and wan; looks, modest as a maid;
 Then said: "Fear not! From me seek not to go away;
 Good tidings from on high to thee I bring this day. [285]
 Of thee the Lord hath spoken in terms of highest praise.
 The heart of 'Umer's moved to love thee and thy lays.
 Be seated, then, by me, as friend by side of friend;
 While I to thee impart the message God doth send.
 The Lord doth thee salute; thy welfare doth inquire;
 Trusts thou'st supported well all thy afflictions dire.
 This trifle sends for present needs, as harpstrings' worth.
 When it is spent, come here again, and fear not dearth."

The old man trembled as he heard those words so kind;
 [290] His finger in astonishment he bit;--near lost his mind.
 Then cried aloud: "O God! Thou all-unequalled One!
 In my old age I sink for shame; this mercy I've not won."

A torrent, now, of tears, he shed, in anguish deep;
 His harp then dashed to pieces. Why it longer keep?
 He thus apostrophised it: "O thou source of ill!
 Thou'st barred me from heaven's path, as highwaymen who kill.
 My blood thou'st sucked these seventy years, thou thing of shame!
 Through thee I'm rendered vile in eyes of men of fame.
 O Lord, Most Merciful! Thou giver of all good!
 [295] My past life pardon, squandered ill, in heedless mood!"

Man's life's a gift of God. Alas! How few will think!
 The value of each moment's great, so near death's brink.
 I've spent my life, not thinking how the moments fly.
 I've sung and harped as though a man should never die.
 Alas! that I in singing songs of mirth and glee,
 Entirely had forgot that death would visit me.
 Alas! that shrillest notes have set my ears in flames,
 And scorched my heart to shamelessness! Sad names!
 Alas! the gamut's intervals were heard all night.
 [300] The day has dawned; the caravan passed with the light.
 My God! Help, help! Me save front him who cries for help!
 Protection I implore from self;--I, who thus yelp!
 I never shall obtain my right, except through craft.
 For craft is german more to me than self ingraft.
 By craft this self itself doth rear across my way.
 Beyond my craft myself I see, when craft's at bay.
 Just like as when a man is telling gold with thee.
 Alone it thou considerest,--self thou dost not see.

So did the harper weep, and loudly did complain.
 His sins he numbered up, committed in life's train. [305]

To him then 'Umer: "This contrition deep of thine
 Is proof thou sober art, though grief thy heart entwine.
 Thy worldly journey's over, other path now take;
 For this sobriety's a sin thou must forsake.
 Sobriety's a virtue in the road thou'st trod.
 The past and future both are curtains hiding God.
 Set fire to both of them! How long wilt thou remain
 Partitioned up by diaphragms like a reed cane?
 So long as reed has diaphragms, it's not our friend;
 With lips and voice of ours its notes it cannot blend. [310]
 So long as thou goest round the house, thou waverer art; [*1]
 But when thou'st entered, then full ease reigns in thy heart.
 O thou, whose knowledge of full knowledge is not half,
 Contrition is, with thee, worse than thy fault, mooncalf.
 Thou'rt contrite for the past. On what occasion
 Wilt thou contrition feel for this contrition?
 At one time worshipper thou wert of notes of harp;
 And now, like lover, thou 'dst kiss sighs and moans so sharp."

Like mirror, 'Umer having thus reflected truth,
 The harper's heart received enlightenment, forsooth. [315]
 He, spirit-like, became relieved of moan and smile.
 His old mind took its leave, his new heart was docile.
 Amazement fell upon him, stupor bathed each sense,
 Ecstatic trance then followed, earth and sky flew hence.
 A yearning and a longing past description.
 As I cannot explain; try thy perception.
 Such ecstasy, such words, beyond all mood and tense;
 Immersion total in God's glorious effulgence.

Immersion such, escape therefrom impossible;
 [320] That sea henceforth to him became impassable.

Our partial wisdom's not part of omniscience,
 Until God's promptings come its promptings to enhance.
 But when our souls are made those impulses to feel,
 That sea in waves straight rises, under which we reel.

The story of the harper and his state now ends;
 Both harper and that state have grown to be our friends.
 The harper sealed his mouth from any further song.
 We, too, will leave his tale half told; it is too long.

In order to attain to his high state of bliss,
 [325] Had one a hundred lives, they might be staked for this.
 Be thou, then, like a falcon, ever on the wing,
 To catch that gnat, thy soul; sunlike, for ever sing.
 He casts himself, for love, from highest heaven's height;
 If flagons empty, he with wine fills them, so bright.

O spiritual Sun, transfuse Thou life to all.
 A new life give, O God, to this our earthly ball.
 Into the frames of men both life and soul infuse
 From out Thy hidden world, as water dost diffuse.

The Prophet has informed us that, for warning's sake,
 [330] Two angels evermore sweet invocation make:
 "O God, dispensers bless! Do Thou them feed and tend!
 Give them ten thousandfold for every mite they spend!
 But hoarders, O our Lord God, in this lower scene,
 Do Thou afflict with loss,--no profit intervene!"

How many hoardings better than dispensings are!
 Save in God's service, wealth of God spend not. Take care!
 So mayst thou get in recompense a hundredfold.
 So mayst thou 'scape the punishment of sins untold.

Men offered up their camels as a sacrifice;
 In hopes their swords 'gainst Mustafa would do service. [335]
 Seek thou the will of God from him who has it learnt;
 Not into every soul has God's will been inburnt.
 The Prophet's words forewarned those sons of heedlessness,
 That all such offerings are a heap of worthlessness.
 In war with God's apostle, chiefs of Mekka all
 Such sacrifices offered, ghostly aid to call.

Just like the unjust steward, who, as justice due,
 The treasure of his lord bestowed on rebel crew.
 He falsely pictured to himself he'd justice wrought,
 With public money spent, the poor to terms he'd brought. [340]
 Such justice from such culprit, what could it effect?
 His lord, to anger moved, excuses did reject.

Hence is it, every Muslim, fearing he may stray,
 In his devotions begs: "Lead Thou us in right way." [*1]
 Their substance to dispense suits men of generous mood.
 A lover's ready gift's his life for his love's good.
 Dispense thou food for God's sake; food thou'lt surely have.
 Lay down thy life for love of God; thy life thou'lt save.

We see the trees here shed their leaves at God's command.
 Without their toil or trouble, other leaves He'll send. [345]
 Shouldst thou, dispensing much, one day be found in want,
 The Lord will not forsake thee; His supply's not scant.
 Whoever sows, must empty storehouses of grain;
 His fields will yield him richly tenfold heaps of gain.
 But he who's left his corn in garners, to be used,
 Mules, horses, mice, and accidents have it reduced.

This world's a negative; the positive seek thou.
 All outward forms are cyphers; search, the sense to know.

Lay down thy wretched life before th' uplifted sword;
 [350] New life thou'lt purchase, never-ending, of the Lord.
 But if thou do not know, well, how to quit this scene,
 To me, then, lend thy ear; this tale for thee I mean.

In days of old there was a Caliph, as is said,
 Whose generosity Hatim Tayi 'd dismayed. [*1]
 His fame for liberality went through the land;
 All poverty, all want, relieved was at his hand.
 The very sea went dry through his dispensing zest;
 And rumours of his benefits spread east and west.
 A fruitful cloud of rain was he to this our race;
 [355] In turn, the object he of God's surpassing grace.
 So large his gifts, that seas and mines were out of date.
 Still fame brought caravans of suitors to his gate,
 His courts and halls the temples of the indigent.
 The noise had gone abroad how largely he had spent.
 The Persian, Roman, Turk, and Arab, all were there,
 And all admired his liberalities so rare.
 A Fount of Life was he, a very sea of gift.
 [359] All nations profited,--in praise their voice did lift.


IX.

AN Arab woman once thus to her husband spake,
 Insisting strongly he'd of these words notice take:
 "How very poor we are! What hardships have we borne!
 The whole world lives in pleasures; we're the butt of scorn!
 We have no bread; for condiment we've grief and cares.
 Jug, pitcher we possess not; drink we naught but tears.
 By day, our only raiment's scorching solar heat;
 Our bedclothes in the night, the moon's rays pale and sweet.
 The disk of Luna we may well imagine bread.
 Our hands we lift to heaven; keen hunger's pangs we dread. [5]
 E'en mendicants feel shame at our dire poverty.
 Our days are dark as night, through drear adversity.
 Our kindred, as all strangers, sight of us now shun.
 Just like the wandering Jew, for fear we should them dun. [*1]
 When I would borrow half a handful of lentils,
 The neighbours wish me dead; their wrath on me distils.
 Amongst us Arabs pride is felt in war and gifts,
 Among those very Arabs thou'rt devoid of shifts.
 What need of war have we? We're wounded; we are slain;
 The dart of want has pierced us through and through with pain. [10]

What need of faults, O sinless one? We're in hell-fire!
 What solace have we? Overwhelmed with deep desire!
 What gifts have we to give? We silent beggars sit!
 Could we but seize a gnat, its throat we'd straightway slit!
 If guest should come to us, as sure as I'm alive,
 When he was sunk in sleep, to strip him we would strive."
 Such grumblings, and as follows, going on all day,
 She made her husband wish her fifty miles away
 "Unbroken destitution's brought us both to straits.
 [15] My heart burns for our sorrows; hope's gleam ne'er awaits.
 How long are we to suffer torture such as this?
 With hunger's agony, like coals of fire we hiss.
 Should any stranger guest come unexpectedly,
 What shame we'd feel him to receive dejectedly.
 If any visitor should pass our way this eve,
 Unless we eat his sandals, what food can we give?"

"Hence 'tis the wise have said in proverb, rendered free
 'A guest should never go where he'll not welcome be.'
 Who'd wish to be the guest confiding of a man,
 [20] Who'll strip thee to the skin, bare, gladly, if he can?
 Unhappy in himself, can he thee happy make?
 He can impart no light; deep gloom's his only stake.
 Not feeling gladsome in himself, with others met,
 He cannot yield to them what he has not as yet.
 Suppose a man ophthalmic start as oculist;
 Of granite-dust alone will his eye-salves consist.
 So 'tis with all in times of misery and need;
 Let no one, then, come blindly to our house to feed."

Hast never seen reality of famine near?
 [25] Look well at us; thou'lt see effects of food too dear.
 Our outward look is black, like dark pretender's heart.
 This lacks enlightenment, though his exterior's smart.

He has no hope of God, nor any good to show,
 Though more than Seth or Adam he pretend to know.
 Ev'n Satan unto him no trace of self has shown,
 And yet he claims to be a Vicar of God's own. [*1]
 Some Gnostic terms he uses as a plagiarist,
 That he may lead the people as though secretist.
 A critic, 'sooth, is he; complains of Bayezid; [*2]
 Whereas Yezid himself would blush at his bald creed. [*3] [30]
 Of heavenly bread and table, nothing has he known;
 The barest bone to him, vile dog, God has not thrown.
 He pompously proclaims: "My table have I spread;
 Vicegerent's son, God's Vicar, here am I indeed!
 Then welcome, all ye simpletons! Come in; Come in!
 From table of my bounty fill yourselves within."
 For years he dupes them with "To-morrow's" promise still.
 The arrant arch-deceiver, whose "To-morrow's" nil.

A long time is required to sound a human mind,
 To find out what defects may lurk the mask behind. [35]
 A buried treasure is there under body's wall?
 Or is it hole of serpent, toad, or scorpion, all?
 At length when 'tis discovered, impostor is he,
 His pupil's life is wasted; what use then to see?

But on some rare occasion, pupil of great parts
 Will come to the impostor, profit by his arts.
 He comes with good intention to the lecture-hall,
 Expects a guiding soul; he finds a carcase; all.
 As when, in dead of night, one does not know the east, [*4]
 To offer one's devotion's licit, turning west. [40]

Pretenders carry famine in their heart of hearts.
 We suffer only want of bread for our repasts.
 Why, then, pretender-like, should we our want disguise?
 Why, for appearance' sake, our soul, too, bastardise?

The woman's husband answered: "Pray now, silence keep!
 Our life is most part o'er. What's left us but to weep?"

"The wise man cares not for a little more or less.
 These both will pass away, like torrent's waywardness.
 A torrent may be clear, or muddy, black as ink.
 [45] It will not last. Why then should we about it think?"

"Within this world what millions, living creatures all,
 A life of joy still lead, quite free from let or fall.
 A dove is always cooing praises to the Lord,
 Upon a tree, so long as day may light afford.
 A nightingale sings hymns, God's name to bless alway.
 For unto Thee he trusts, Who hearest us when we pray.
 A falcon, when he sits upon a royal fist,
 No longer stoops to carrion, wherewith to subsist.
 And so from gnat to elephant like state we find,
 [50] They all depend on God, the best of feeders' kind."

"All those anxieties that fall on us like darts,
 Are but the vapours, tempests, of our human hearts.
 Those cares are like a sickle, made to cut us down.
 This is a fact, though we are slow the truth to own.
 Our ev'ry suffering, here, a portion is of death.
 This part of death, then, drive away whilst thou hast breath.
 If from this part of death thou findst thou canst not run;
 Thou'rt sure whole death will follow, as the light the sun.
 If thou canst learn to think this part of death is sweet,
 [55] Thou knowest that God will make its whole thy tastes to meet.

Our troubles are the heralds of our death to come.
 Turn not thy face away from herald, as do some."
 "Whoever leads a joyous life finds death severe.
 And he who's slave to body, mars his soul's career.
 When sheep come home from pasture in the meadows green,
 The fattest ones are slaughtered, soon as they are seen.
 The night is spent, the morn is come, my bosom friend,
 When wilt thou bring thy grumbling gossip to an end?
 Once thou wert young, and more content a hundred-fold;
 Then covetous becamest, though thyself art gold. [60]
 A fruitful vine thou wert; a blight's come over thee;
 Thy fruit will never ripe, 'twill shrivel on the tree.
 Sweet fruit, with flavour, give, thy inward worth to prove.
 Thou backwards shouldst not walk, as ropemakers all move.
 Thou art my helpmate fond; and fellow-workers all,
 Of one mind still should be, or their joint work must fall.
 A pair should ever be conformable in aim.
 A pair of shoes examine; pair of boots, the same.
 If one boot of a pair be too small for the foot,
 The pair is useless; vain, the other's size to moot. [65]
 One boot is small; the other, 'haps, too large is found.
 Hast ever known a lion consort with a hound?
 Two packs upon a camel equipoise require;
 The one must not be half, the other bale entire.
 I choose the road that leads straight to contentment's door,
 Why takest thou the path to sin and misery's floor?"
 The woman's husband, suffering, but resigned still,
 Thus spake unto his wife, to calm her restive will.

The woman raised a shout: "O man of simple mind!
 I will no longer listen to thy words, though kind. [70]
 Talk not to me of claims, pretensions, and such stuff.
 I care not one pin's point for pride and flimsy fluff.

Why preach so loud of sentiment and honour's call?
 Just look at our condition. Shame upon thee fall!
 Pride certainly is wrong; much worse in beggars' camp.
 The day is cold and snowy; all our clothing's damp.
 What nonsense and frivolity thy weak pate doles!
 And all the while thy tent, like cobweb, 's full of holes.
 Where didst thou learn contentment's rule to make thy pride?
 [75] Has thy contentment taught thee shame from men to hide?
 The Prophet has declared: 'Content a treasure is.'
 But what knowest thou of treasure? Suffering's all thy bliss.
 Contentment's but a water-reservoir that leaks.
 Do hold thy tongue, thou plague; and cease these foolish freaks.
 Thou namest me thy helpmate; lower, pray, thy tone.
 I'm fellow unto justice; mate to knavery, none.
 Since thou equality with lords and princes claimest,
 Why suck the blood of locusts that by chance thou maimest?
 Thou fightest for a bone with dogs in this debate.
 [80] How shall I not complain, with hunger at our gate?
 Don't look at me contemptuously, and all askance.
 Lest I tell all my mind, thy baseness to enhance.
 Thou holdest thyself much wiser than poor soul like me.
 Hast ever found me wanting sense to make thee see?
 Think not to fall upon me, wolf-like, unawares,
 O thou at whose great wisdom woman's folly stares!
 The wisdom thou so holdest superior to all,
 Not wisdom is; but serpent's, scorpion's, deadly gall.
 A foe may God prove ever to thy drivelling guile!
 [85] So mayst thou turn out weaker than weak woman's wile!
 Thou art both snake and snake-catcher, in one combined.
 A serpent-charming serpent! Arab's pride enshrined!

Did crows but realise their ugliness supreme,
 As white as snow they'd change, through rage and arrant shame.
 A charmer sings a charm against a snake, his foe;
 The snake charms him in turn; hence follows boundless woe.
 Were not his trap a charm prepared by the snake,
 Would he become the victim of some small mistake?
 The charmer first is caught in toils of greed and lust.
 And sees not 'tis the snake has charmed him, bound him fast. [90]
 The snake addresses him: 'O charmer! See now! Look!
 Thy own work thou perceivest, my wiles hast mistook.
 Thou charmest in God's name to make me thy bond-slave,
 And lead me captive, make me sport for fool and knave.
 The name of God it is that holds me fast enchained;
 That name thou usest as my trap. Art not soft-brained?
 That name will one day vengeance on thee for me take.
 In fear of that dread name, I, soul and body, quake.
 He'll either take thy life with poison-fang of mine;
 Or, like me, unto prison He will thee consign!'" [95]
 Thus spake the woman bitterly unto her spouse,
 Whole volumes would not hold the words that she let loose.

He answered her: "My wife! Art woman? Art thou mad?
 'My poverty's my pride.' [*1] Reproach me not when sad.
 Possessions, wealth, are but a cap the scalp to hide.
 The scaldheads or baldpates alone in caps confide.
 Whoever's hair has grown in curls or tresses full.
 Is always proud when he his cap away can pull.
 A man of God resembles precious sense of sight.
 Our eyes should not be bandaged, or we can't see right. [100]

The dealer who exposes slaves free from defects,
 Strips off the useless cloak that hides all ill effects.
 Were they not sound, would he the sheltering mantle strip?
 Nay! Contrary! With clothing he'd their vices clip,
 And say as an excuse: 'He's timid; she's shamefaced,
 And shrinks from being here bare of vestments placed.'"

"A man of wealth may full of sundry vices be.
 His riches are his mantle; none his failings see.
 Men all are covetous; their greed 'tis blinds them all,
 [105] One touch of fellow-feeling binds them as one ball.
 But should a poor man say what's precious more than gold
 His saying is not heeded by the world so cold."
 "The functions of a dervish far transcend thy ken.
 The aim of mendicancy's folly to most men.
 True dervishes retire away from wealth and power.
 Their bread the Lord, majestic, furnishes each hour.
 Our God is just. When had it happened that the just
 Have acted with injustice towards the poor who trust?
 To one, all blessings God gives, favours, luxuries;
 [110] Another one, at will, with coals of fire He tries.
 Who doubts that God thus acts with uncontrolled will,
 His portion be the fire of tribulation still."

"'My poverty's my pride' is not an empty word,
 Therein are hid a thousand blessings well assured.
 In anger, imprecations thou hast cast on me.
 I am a humble suitor; snake-catcher thou'dst see.
 If e'er a snake I catch, I still extract its fangs,
 That harm may never follow, when its head one bangs.
 Those fangs are enemies to every serpent's life,
 [115] When I extract them, then, I make him free from strife."

"I never will submit to spell of lust and greed.
 For cov'tousness I've conquered. Its maw I'll not feed.

Thank God that greed is not among my sins, at least.
 Contentment fills my heart;--a true, perpetual feast.
 Thou lookest at the crown of pear-tree full of fruit,
 Come down from that idea; no good will it boot.
 In raising up thyself, thou giddy hast become;
 'Tis not the house that reels; thy brain's grown troublesome."

"Once Abu-Jahl saw Ahmed; spitefully he said:
 Thou ugly portraiture from Banu-Hashim bred!' [120]
 Said Ahmed: 'True thou'st spoken, most veracious man;
 Thy words are worthy credit, let who cavil can!'
 Then Abu-Bekr saw him, said he was a sun
 Of perfect beauty; east, west, everywhere he'd run.
 To him, too, Ahmed answered: 'Thou hast spoken true,
 O upright man, set free from all the nine spheres' clew.'
 The company assembled marvelled at these words,
 And asked: 'How can two contraries be what accords?'
 Said Ahmed then: 'A mirror am I, polished bright.
 Both Turk and Hindu see in me reflection's light.'" [125]

"O wife! If ever thou hast thought me covetous,
 Come forth from such idea,--too preposterous.
 That which thou takest for greed is heaven's mercy, sure.
 And how can greed and mercy both at once allure?
 Make trial of true poverty, but for one day, or two.
 Thou'lt find therein true riches, with contentment, too.
 Be patient with our poverty, and banish grief;
 For poverty's a crown bestowed by our great Chief.
 Put off sour looks and see, how many thousand souls,
 Through sweet contentment are as happy as the fowls. [130]
 See other thousands, also, drinking dregs of grief:
 It permeates their being, as sugar scents roseleaf."

"Alas! Thou wast a treasure valued by my heart!
 I loved to pour my soul forth in thy ears apart!

A kind of milk is speech; its teat the soul,--or gland.
 To make it freely flow requires a loving hand.
 If but the hearer listen, hang upon his lips,
 The speaker, though a corpse, grows eloquent, ne'er trips.
 Attentive audiences still confer the powers,
 [135] To stutterers and stammerers, to speak for hours.
 If strangers should break in upon my privacy,
 My womenkind retire, from mere delicacy.
 But if my visitor be confidant and kin,
 They come forth freely, play about with gladsome din.
 Whatever best they know, of work, or play, or jest,
 They do and say, for show, before a welcome guest.
 What use of sound of harp, of bass or treble notes,
 For deaf or senseless ear, that on no music dotes?"

"Our God has made the earth, the sky, and all between;
 [140] His light, and eke His fire, upon that stage is seen.
 The Lord without a purpose gave not musk its scent.
 For odour 'twas, not for diseased nostrils, meant.
 The earth He stretched forth, and fixed as man's abode.
 The heavens He upreared to be by angels rode.
 Th' inferior creature, man, 's at strife with all on high;
 He bids for every place he sees, for all he'll sigh."

"Dear wife! Chaste, modest matron! Art thou well prepared
 Into the tomb to sink, ere thy doomed hour's declared?
 Were I to fill the earth with pearls of countless price,
 [145] Thy daily bread thee failing, could they thee entice?
 Then cease from all contention, strive not 'gainst the Lord,
 Or separation from thee will be my last word.
 What taste have I for strife, contention, or annoy,
 When even in peacemakings I've no longer joy?
 Be quiet! Hold thy peace! Or, by the Lord of life,
 I'll quit this tent for ever; thou'lt not be my wife!

Much better to walk barefoot than with shoe too small!
 The toil of travel's sweeter than strife in one's wall!"

She knew, thence, he was angered;--will had of his own;
 She burst in tears. Was ever woman tearless known? [150]
 Quoth she: "I'd never thought from thee such words to hear;
 Far different had I hoped; knew not I'd aught to fear."
 She made herself most servile, thing of small amount;
 Remarked: "Thy humble servant am I; so me count.
 My soul and body, all I have, 's at thy command;
 Sole arbiter art thou; dispose; I'll not withstand,
 If I of poverty impatiently complained,
 Not for myself, for thee, was our sad lot disdained.
 In all afflictions thou our remedy hast been;
 I grieve to see thee want; my anguish thence grows keen. [155]
 Dear, darling spouse 1 For thee was all my deep dismay;
 My sighs and moans for thee came into bitter play.
 I call my God to witness, in my heart and mind,
 I'm ready life to lay down, if thou'rt so inclined.
 O that thy heart, the life with which my soul's endued,--
 Could trace aright the channel by my thoughts pursued!
 If merely through suspicion thou art vexed with me,
 My life I value not; breath,--body's naught! Just see.
 I scorn all gold and silver, count them less than dirt,
 If they to thee bring anguish. No! I'm no such flirt. [160]
 Thine is the only picture painted on my heart;
 And canst thou talk of leaving me, from home depart?
 Discard me, if thou wilt. Thou hast the right and power,
 O thou for whose divorce excuse I make each hour!
 Recall to mind the time when I thy idol was,
 And thou, priest-like, didst worship me! Alas! Alas!
 My heart I cultivated just as thou desiredst.
 Thou thoughtest 'twas fond. I knew thou it with love inspiredst.

Like potherbs o'er the fire, thou addedst what thou wouldst,
 [165] Sharp vinegar, or honey. What thou wishedst, thou couldst.
 If blasphemy I've uttered, lo, I faith profess!
 My life is in thy hands; but, be not pitiless!
 I wot not thou wouldst prove imperious, like a king;
 So, like an ass turned loose, before thee took my fling.
 Thy pardon now I crave. Let me know joy again!
 Contention I forswear, repentance I maintain.
 With sword and winding-sheet I fall at my lord's feet;
 Should he decapitate me, death to me'll be sweet.
 Thou'st talked of separation;--bitter, worse than gall;
 [170] Do what thou will with me, that hideous word recall.
 In thee, for me, a pleader ever will be found;
 If I be mute, thou'lt still hear intercession's sound.
 My potent advocate is, in thyself, thy heart;
 Relying upon that, I dared to sin, with art.
 Have mercy slily,--see thy grace thyself not, Lord!
 To me far sweeter than a honeycomb full stored!"

Thus pleaded she; in coaxing, wheedling terms, with skill.
 Her tears rolled down in streams, fast coursing at her will.
 Her weeping and her sighs were past endurance felt,
 [175] Whose features, tearless, e'en his heart of steel could melt.
 That shower precursor was of lightning's vivid gleam,
 Whose flash' lit in his breast a fire, with pity's beam.
 She, of whose beauty was a slave her husband still,
 A double spell exerted through entreaty's thrill.

One, whose least coolness sets man's heart in flames,
 By turning supplicant a twofold witchery claims.
 If he, whose pride at times pain causes to thy mind,
 To supplication stoop, thou'lt small resistance find.

He, whose fierce tyranny our bleeding hearts most grieves,
 By tendering excuses, us excuseless leaves. [180]
 "Is goodly made to man" [*1] 's a text from God's own word;
 As truth made manifest, is by man ever heard.
 God, too, therein decreed: "that he with her may dwell;" [*2]
 Whence Adam's love for Eve survived lost Eden's dell.
 A hero man may be, a Hercules to grieve,
 But slave to woman's will is he, without reprieve.
 He, to whose words the universe has all bowed down, [*3]
 Was he who sang: "Humayra, speak to me!" Life's crown! [*4]

Of fire and water, fire is quelled through water's wet;
 Still, water boils through fire, when in a cauldron set. [185]
 The cauldron, like a veil, those lovers keeps apart;
 And water's influence no longer cools fire's heart.
 To outward show, as water, thou mayst rule thy wife;
 In stern reality, thou cleavest to her,--thy life.
 This attribute, humanity must own its force:
 "Man quails to sensual love," which springs from failing's source.
 The Prophet hath declared that woman, over sage,
 Despotic power e'er wields, and over men of age;
 That fools the upper-hand o'er women still maintain, [190]
 Because they're harsh, gross, senseless, careless to cause pain.
 No gentleness, no pity, faith, or ruth have they;
 In that a bestial nature o'er them holds its sway.
 Humanity 'tis claims, for self, love, charity;
 While lusts and rage are marks of bestiality.
 Fair woman is a ray from out the sun of Truth;
 Not loved? A creator; not created, forsooth. [*5]

The husband, now, contrition felt for what he'd said,
 As sinner, at death's door, repents of evil deed.
 Thought he: "I have assailed the life of my life's life;
 [195] I've plagued and broke the heart of my dear darling wife!"

When God decrees an ill, man's judgment falls asleep.
 And perspicacity knows not which way to leap.
 The doom of ill struck home, man straight feels deep regret;
 Propriety outraged, he turns to mourn and fret.

Addressing, then, his wife, he said: "My shame is great!
 I've acted as a heathen, ah! I'm ready to entreat!
 'Gainst thee I've trespassed, prithee, pardon to me grant;
 Upon me vengeance wreak not, root not up the plant?
 An infidel, however old, if he confess his sin, Thy
 [200] And make amends, God's sheepfold opes and takes him in.
 Thy heart is full of pity, goodness, kindness, grace;
 All being, eke nonentity, 's in love with thy sweet face.
 True faith, e'en blasphemy, adores thy majesty;
 With that elixir all to gold turns instantly."

In Moses and in Pharaoh parables we see.
 'Twould seem that Moses' faith was right; Pharaoh's sin's fee.
 By day would Moses pray unto the Lord of Hosts;
 At midnight Pharaoh, too, bewailed his impious boasts,
 And said: "Thou, Lord, this yoke upon my neck didst lay;
 [205] Were't not for yoke imposed, the egotist who'd play?
 'Tis Thou'st enlightened Moses' mind, of Thy free grace;
 And hence hast left me blindly groping on my face.
 The countenance of Moses Thou'st lit up, like day;
 My heart, like moon eclipsed, Thou'st darkened with dismay.
 My star was never brighter than the full-faced moon;
 When darkened with eclipse, it surely sets too soon.

True, kings and princes sound my praises in their routs;
 My star eclipsed, the rabble raise their clamorous shouts:
 With cleavers, marrowbones, tongs, pokers, hideous 'larm,
 They seek to fright some monster; really, shame all charm. [210]
 Alas for Pharaoh, with those fearful yells and noise!
 Alas his 'Lord Supreme,' [*1] drowned in that discord's voice!
 Both I and Moses servants are of Thee, our King;
 Like woodman's axe on tree, Thy wrath on me takes swing.
 Some boughs Thou loppest, to plant. They quickly grow again.
 Some others but as firewood burn, or moulder on the plain.
 What can the bough, to cope with axe's severing edge?
 Can bough resist, return the blow, as blacksmith's sledge?
 I call on Thy omnipotence! Thy axe withhold!
 Thy mercy manifest! These wrongs set right! Behold!" [215]

Then to himself did Pharaoh think: "O wondrous thing!
 All night I've prayed 'Good Lord' to heaven's Almighty King!
 In secret I'm humility, a very worm!
 But when I Moses meet, how greatly changed my form!
 Base coin, if tenfold gilded o'er with finest gold,
 Upon the fire when cast, its baseness all behold!
 Are not my heart and body wholly in his hand?
 Why brain me, flay me, thus? So cunning, soft, and bland!
 Commandest Thou me to flourish? As cornfield I'm green.
 Decreest Thou me to wither? Straight I'm sallow seen. [220]
 One day I'm bright as full moon; next, as eclipse dark.
 But is not this of all God's works the constant mark?
 'Be, and it is!' [*2] A bat that drives man on, His laws!
 Of entity, non-entity, that course is cause!

Th' uncoloured being stained with colour's various tinge,
 One Moses 'gainst another's certain to impinge.
 If th' unconditioned state, that was, should e'er return,
 With Moses Pharaoh, then, may live in peace; not burn."

Does doubt invade thy bosom from this subtle theme?
 [225] Think! When was colouredness exempt from doubt extreme?
 The wonder is how colour rose from hueless source;
 How colour, huelessness, in ceaseless warfare course!
 The origin of oil is water. This is known.
 Then why are oil and water foes, as may be shown?
 From water oil's created by mysterious power;
 'Gainst water why does oil rise up, and war, each hour?
 The rose springs from a thorn; thorns, from the rose.
 In open warfare are these two. Why? What suppose?
 Or is this seeming warfare all a cunning sham,
 [230] Like donkey-dealers' wordy strife, some dupe to flam?
 'Tis neither this nor that. 'Tis puzzle for the wise.
 The treasure's to be sought; the ruin's 'fore our eyes. [*1]
 That which thou deemest the treasure's naught but vanity.
 By deeming it a treasure, makest thou it to flee.
 Thy deemings and thy thoughts build up a pile too fair;
 For treasure never lurks where buildings crown the air.
 "To edify" means: "Being, warfare eke, to sow."
 Non-entity is shamed with entity's false show!
 Not entity 'tis calls for aid. It is the void
 [235] For restitution asks,--encroachments would avoid!
 Think not 'tis thou wouldst flee non-entity's fell grip;
 Non-entity encroachment dreads from thy short trip.
 Apparently, it thee invites unto its breast;
 But really, it repels; club-like is its protest.

Know then, dear friend, that Pharaoh's shrink from Moses' call
 Was, really, like a wrong shoe on one's foot. That's all.

Opinions are agreed 'mongst philosophic folk:
 "The sky's an eggshell; in it lies this globe, as yolk."

A questioner once asked: "How rests this little ball
 Within the circumambient spheres, without a fall? [240]
 'Tis like a lamp hung up to vault of high-pitched dome;
 It never sinks below, nor soars above its home."

To him one wise man answered: "By attraction's force,
 On all sides equal poised, it's kept from all divorce.
 Just as an iron ball would centrally be hung,
 If loadstone vault there were to hold it freely swung."

A caviller objected: "How should heaven's pure vault,
 Attracting to itself, this vile black ball exalt?
 Say rather it repels with equal force all round.
 The earth thus rests amidst air's tides that hold it bound." [245]

Thus is it by repulsion from the souls of saints,
 The Pharaohs of each age are fixed in error's taints.
 Repelled, then, they are from this world and the next;
 In neither have they portion; [*1] shunned are they, and vexed.
 From God's anointed ones dost thou draw back in heart?
 Know, thy existence grieves them, frets them, makes them smart.
 They're like the amber, then. When chafed, it shows its power.
 The mote of thy existence quick they'll force to cower.
 If they conceal that power,--exert it not for thee,
 All thy docility will turn to pride. Thou'lt see. [250]

E'en as the bestial quality, in man aye found,
 Unto its human yokemate [*1] slave and serf is bound.
 This human element, too, in saints' hands, my friend,
 Is pliant, like the bestial; to their wish they't bend.

By true faith, Ahmed called the world, his docile sons,
 To table spread: "Say: 'Servants mine!'" Thus God's text runs. [*2]

Thy mind's a camel-driver; thou, the camel, still,
 Urged by decree: "Command!" [*3] it drives thee as it will.
 God's saints are minds of minds. Men's minds, beneath their sway,
 [255] Are camels, too. And thus the lengthening series play.
 Look unto them, then, if the truth thou'dst fully know;
 A pilot is the life of thousands, here below,
 But what are pilots? Camel-drivers what? Still seek
 Thou one whose eye looks on the sun, and feels not weak.
 The world's plunged, nailed, in thickest pitchy dark of night;
 For day to break, it wants the rise of God's sunlight.

Behold a sun for thee, in mote contained and hid;
 A rampant lion, clad in pelt of gentlest kid.
 Behold a hidden sea, beneath a blade of grass.
 [260] Beware! Tread not thereon in doubt. Thou sink'st, alas!
 Doubt and incertitude, when felt in pious breast,
 Are mercies from on high; a leader gives them rest.
 A prophet 's sole and solitary in the world.
 Sole; but within him bears a thousand systems furled.
 As though by magic, the vast universe he makes
 Around himself revolve, who smallest compass takes.

The fools saw him alone; thence judged him some weak thing!
 Weak can he ever be who's upheld by the King?
 Those fools thought: "He's a man. He's really nothing more." [*1]
 Alas, for fools! They're void of common sense in store. [265]

The prophet Salih's camel was, in form, a beast; [*2]
 His people her hamstrung; 'twas ignorance, at least.
 They cut her off from water; drink they her refused.
 Ungrateful such return for meat and drink they'd used!
 "God's camel" drank the water brought as dew by mists.
 God's water they held back from God. Monopolists!
 Thus Salih's camel, as of saint the fleshly form,
 Became an ambush;--sinners' ruin thence would storm!
 Upon that sinning race what dreadful judgment fell!
 "God's camel and her drink" [*3] the text is, us to tell. [270]
 God's vengeance, as pursuer, sought front that vile crew.
 The price of her shed blood, a country's whole space through.

The soul to Salih's like; his camel is the flesh;
 The soul communes with God; the flesh pines in want's mesh.
 Good Salih's soul was safe from effort of their whim;
 His camel felt the blow they dared not aim at him.
 No hurt could fall on Salih's soul,--that priceless gem,--
 Such holy emanation was not sport for them.
 The soul unto the flesh is joined, by God's decree,
 That it may be afflicted,--trials made to see. [275]
 Who hurts a body hurts also its soul, no doubt;
 The life-blood in that vase from being's fount was brought.
 God enters in relation with material form,
 That He may be asylum to each earthborn worm.

No man can inlet find to injure soul of saint;
 An oyster-shell is crushed; its pearl escapes attaint.
 Then serve the camel; that is, list to saint in flesh;
 And with his righteous soul thou'lt serve one Lord afresh.

When Salih saw the evil deed they'd foully wrought,
 [280] In three days' time a judgment from his God he sought.
 "Three days from hence," said he, "affliction will befall;
 Of which, three signs precursors shall be. You'll see, all.
 The colour of your faces shall be changed to view;
 Complexions various shall be seen in each of you.
 Upon the first day, saffron's hue shall be their tinge;
 The second, scarlet red each countenance shall fringe;
 And on the third, as black as coal shall be each face;
 Upon which ensuing, God's wrath shall then take place.
 If sign of me you ask for truth of what I say,
 [285] Observe the path that camel's foal shall take to-day;
 Then strive to catch it. If you can, by chance, succeed;
 Good. If not, hope is gone;--from bow the arrow's freed!"

No one of them the camel's foal could overtake.
 It fled among the hills,--was lost to sight. Heartache!
 E'en so the soul, when once its prison bars are burst,
 Unto the Lord of Grace its winged flight takes first.
 The prophet then: "The threatened judgment now must storm;
 All hope's gone by;--dead as that camel's lifeless form.
 Still, if, by coaxing, you her foal can win back here,
 [290] In calm tranquillity, from whence it's fled through fear,
 With its return of confidence you may be saved;
 But otherwise, despair and gnash your teeth, depraved!"

His threat they heard; dejected were at its import.
 Their looks sank downcast;--sad anxiety's resort.
 The first day came; they saw each visage jaundiced o'er;
 And thence, in fell dismay, they laments uttered, sore.

Their scarlet skins, the second day, told plainer still,
 Time for repentance was but short, and hope was nil.
 The blackened faces, on the third day, clearly told
 The prophet's threat was strictly true. Their blood ran cold. [295]

Thus being brought to quit their menaces and scowls;
 Upon their knees, hams, breasts, they crouched like roosting fowls.
 This cringing posture has that abject, trembling crew,
 In holy writ, inspired, dubbed "crouching;" [*1] and 'tis true.
 (Kneel, thou, at times when by instructors thou art taught,
 And when thou'rt warned that "crouching" 's with abjection fraught.)
 In hopeless expectation God's blow to ensue,
 The countryside entire within their homes withdrew.

The prophet Salih left his cell to view the town.
 Enveloped in a smoke and blaze he saw it drown! [300]
 Low, moaning noise he heard proceed from its remain;--
 Sighs, as it were, and sobs;--he sighers sought in vain!
 Those sighs were fitful cracklings of their burning bones;
 Those sobs, the hissings of their blood, in clots, on stones!

On hearing these sad sounds the prophet burst in tears;
 Responsive to those moans, he groaned.--No listening ears!
 The dead he then addressed: "O people, chid in vain!
 How often 'gainst you to the Lord I've wept, with pain!
 The Lord me answered: 'Patience have with their misdeeds;
 To them give counsel still; not long will last those needs!' [305]
 Remark I made: 'With such misdeeds will counsel count?
 As milk, kind counsel flows from love's unsullied fount!'
 The untold wrongs you'd heaped upon my patient head
 Had curdled milk of counsel in my bosom's stead.

The Lord replied: 'A grace I'll now on thee bestow;
 I'll soothe the wounds inflicted by their rancour's bow.'
 With that, God made my heart as tranquil as of yore;
 Swept clean away the cobwebs of your paltry score."

"Again I proffered counsel to you, sage and safe;
 [310] In parables soft couched, with words that might not chafe.
 Once more that milk flowed, mixed with honey, from my lips;
 The dulcet tones were tempting, not like stinging whips.
 Alas! Within your ears they all to venom turned;
 Because, like poisonous plants, your nature goodness spurned.
 Why do I weep? You've burnt the substance of all grief;
 Like bone in throat, ye obstinate, you've choked relief!
 Ought any to lament when grief is laid in bier?
 Man justly tears his hair, his head if broke by spear!"

With that, reproachfully upon himself he turned,
 [315] And cried: "Those fellows were not worth the tears they spurned.
 Recite not wrongfully, O master of address,
 The text: 'How will I grieve' [*1] o'er crew that none should bless!'"
 Still, in his eyes and heart more briny tears he found,
 A pity, really motiveless, in him 'd ta'en ground.
 As summer-rain he wept, through feeling ill at ease;
 A summer-rain, quite cloudless, from compassion's seas.
 His conscience smote him sore: "Why weepest thou, man of sense?
 Are they of tears fit objects,--men of violence?
 What motive for thy tears? Say. Grievest thou for their acts?
 [320] Mournest thou th' extinction of their merciless, vile pacts?

Or is't, perchance, their hearts, corrupt, gangrened, thou'dst weep?
 On their empoisoned tongues, so adderlike, thou'dst keep?
 Those tails and fangs is't, are the objects of thy grief?
 Their scorpion claws and sting that thou regrettest in chief?
 Contentiousness, foul mockery, rude violence?
 Thank God, instead, who's checked their boastful insolence!
 Their hands were evil; evil were their feet, their eyes;
 Their peace, their friendship, as their wrath, were all unwise.
 From rule of meek obedience, customs handed down,
 They'd swerved;--to follow mere devices of their own. [325]
 They wished not for a teacher, asses obstinate;
 Their own ideas alone they'd stoop to cultivate.
 God therefore sent His servants, smoke and fire to wit,
 From heaven, the miscreants to chase to dire hell-pit."

Behold the damned and blessed, thus, in one scene conjoined;
 Between them is "a great gulf fixed by none o'erclimbed." [*1]
 Those "sons of fire" and "light" together seemed immixed;
 But barrier impassable 'tween them was fixed.
 The mine's rich golden ore in soil imbedded lies;
 But really separated, far as eagle flies. [330]
 Like pearls and jet beads in one row of necklace ranged;
 A motley company, like inn's chance guests, oft changed.
 Or like an estuary, half soft, sweet to drink,
 Most palatable water, clear, bright as moon's twink;
 The other half salsuginous, wormwood and gall,
 Foul, black as ink, and fetid, shocks the senses all.
 These dash together; now this, now that, uppermost;
 Their waves a turmoil make, as though by tempest tost.

That show of fierce collision's made by matter's form;
 [335] In truth, the spirits 'tis that compacts make, or storm.
 When gentle waves, in friendship's reign, roll gracefully,
 Contention quits each breast, all goes on merrily.
 With rough war's hideous billows, (mark the altered scene!)
 All love is straight renounced; dire hate's to supervene.
 Affection coaxes rancour to subside, appeased;
 Because its origin's in reason fixed, soon pleased;
 While raging anger stirs up thoughts of bitter strife.
 For how can man be tranquil, when the stake's his life?

Our outward eye discerns not pure from tainted hearts;
 [340] Futurity's small lattice oped, the curtain parts.
 The eye of true sagacity distinct can see;
 This other eye, 'tis, fails;--is ne'er from error free.
 How many seeming pleasures, fair, as sugar sweet,
 Have poison lurking in them, death to all they meet!
 Men of discernment know them surely by mere smell;
 And others find them out, though late, when tasted, fell.
 That taste's. enough; ejected are they; swallowed, not;
 Although the fiend may urge, with: "Eat, while hot!"
 Again some others find in throat they firmly stick;
 [345] And others yet are vexed with intestinal prick.
 Still others by sharp purgings find they've done amiss;
 Indulgence of the palate's changed to pangs their bliss.
 Again there are some suffer after months or years;
 And others pay the penalty within the tomb, with tears.
 E'en should there chance a respite, granted in the grave,
 At resurrection's trump, disclosure naught will save.

Each plant, each honied morsel, in this lower sphere,
 A term has, fixed, him to affect who tastes the cheer.
 What ages of submission to sun's influence,
 E'er ruby can acquire ripe tinge, bright effulgence!
 [350] The salad cress is ready in a month or two;
 The rose requires some years before it shows its hue.

To this end has the Lord, whose name be ever blessed,
 In holy writ declared: "Appointed term." [*1] We've cessed.
 Hast thou this heard? Read, mark, and learn with diligence!
 Life's water is it. Hast thou drunk? Health spring from thence!
 Those words thou mayst consider life's fount, if thou list;
 Their sense it is important thou shouldst not have missed.

One other theme, my friend, fix firmly in thy mind.
 'Tis patent as thy soul; as subtle thou'lt it find. [355]
 At times as venomous as adder's fatal fang;
 At times as healthful as the food from heaven that sprang.
 Now lethal; now again remedial, by God's will.
 At one time blasphemy; then, holy rapture's thrill.
 Thus will it, now, be fatal to a human soul;
 And then, again, a remedy for all that's foul:
 "The juice of unripe grapes is sour, as is well known;
 But when the fruit has ripened, sweet and fragrant grown,
 In wine-jar when fermented, nauseous and unclean;
 When vinegar, again, most wholesome is it seen." [360]

If saint a poison swallow, wholesome it will prove;
 But if disciple taste it, death will him remove.
 "Lord, grant unto me," was the prayer of Solomon,
 "The power and kingdom solely (not to Abaddon);
 This favour grant not unto other after me!" [*2]
 Which reads like envy. Such, however, it can't be.
 Put not, in heart, construction that must disagree
 Upon those words so read: "to other after me."
 He saw a thousand dangers in the sway conferred;
 Saw that earth's empire is a snare to be abhorred; [365]
 A danger to one's life, one's faith, one's inner self;
 Such trial has no equal on the whole world's shelf.

E'en Solomon sagacity did much require,
 To shield him from mistakes in all his vast empire.
 The wondrous power he wielded could alone suffice,
 To quell rebellion's perils, rising in a trice.
 So when he rested from due ordering his wide realm,
 He felt that other kings misrule might overwhelm.
 Then interceded he: "This rule, this much-prized flower,
 [370] Vouchsafe to none, save with the selfsame power.
 To whom Thou mayest it grant upon these very terms,
 He's Solomon, he is myself, my sway confirms.
 He'll not come after me, he'll reign with me indeed;
 With me and in me, free from rival's dreaded meed."

This to expound appeared a duty paramount;
 Return we, and our tale of man and wife recount.

A sequel to that incident 'tween man and wife
 Is looked for by the mind of him who's watched their life.
 The incident of man and wife recounted here
 [375] Of each man's soul and flesh the parable is, clear.
 The wife the flesh is; man's the soul; he's wisdom, too;
 They're emblems also of all good and evil, true.
 The two, of need, existing in this earthly home,
 By day and night at war are;--always quarrelsome.
 The wife requires her various household garniture,
 Her bed and board, her comfort, and her furniture.
 The flesh, like woman, to be gratified still seeks;
 Submissive sometimes; oft would play ambitious freaks.
 The soul has no idea, itself, of such instinct;
 [380] But seeks to muse upon its love for God, distinct.
 Existence is the secret of their constant war;
 The form in which 'tis waged thou'rt now about to hear.
 Had psychic indication proved sufficient sign,
 Material creation 'd been a useless coin.

Is love for God thy thought, aim, wish, design, intent?
 To forms of worship, fasting, thou wilt yield assent.
 The gifts and little presents interchanged by friends,
 Are not their love's pure essence. Signs they are, not ends.
 Mere outward witnesses, that simply testify
 Th' affection's feelings. These the heart, 'tis, sanctify. [385]
 For all men know that kindnesses bestowed by hand
 Are proofs of sympathy. Mind can this comprehend.

A witness may speak falsely; also, may speak truth;
 Is sometimes drunk, with wine; sometimes, is urged by ruth.
 When wine is drunk, intoxications supervene;
 Its vapours rise into the head, erst so serene.
 Behold yon hypocrite! He fasts; he worships, prays;
 That he a man of God may seem. He's not. Mere ways!

Results of outward actions are of outward kind,--
 The signs of what is inward, working on the mind. [390]
 Grant unto us, O Lord, discernment to perceive
 What sign is true, which meant fond mortals to deceive!
 Suppose not that the senses with discernment plod;
 Discernment is the inner, gracious gift of God!
 Effect not being visible, we look to cause.
 We know that kindred moves to friendship, by fixed laws.
 But him, who judges by the light of God's own truth,
 Effect and cause no longer hold a slave, forsooth.
 When love for God is lighted in the human heart,
 It fiercely burns; it suffers not effect's dull smart. [395]
 No sign of love does it require to seek for, there;
 For love is love's own sign, giv'n from the highest sphere.

Details there are, far more, to make this theme complete.
 If wished for, each can find them. They're not obsolete.
 Sense must be gathered from material, outward form;
 Some sense is patent; some is hard to find, difform.

The indication's feeble;--tree and water see;--
 How different, apparently, their natures be!

Let's leave now all these words,--cause, nature, sign;--
 [400] And turn we to our Arab and his wife benign.

The husband said: "I've now abandoned all dispute.
 All rule is in thy hands; thy power is absolute.
 Whatever thou ordain, submissive thou'lt me find;
 Its good or bad results shall not weigh on my mind.
 I'm non-existent; save, that by thee I must move;
 A lover; therefore am I deaf and blind, through love."

His wife him answered: "Is this all in kindness meant?
 Or dost thou seek by craft my plans to circumvent?"
 He swore: "By God; who knows the secrets of each heart;
 [405] Who hath created Adam free from treacherous art;
 Who, in three cubits' stature unto him dispensed,
 The mysteries of all decrees, all souls, condensed:
 Whatever is to be, to all eternity,
 To Adam taught, with every name of Deity,
 So that the very angels wearied under him,
 As he them taught, but ever gained by each maxim!"

The revelations Adam made to them were vast;
 Had never been disclosed before, from first to last.
 The compass, spacious, of his all-inclosing mind
 [410] Far wider was than heaven of heavens a grasp could find.

The Prophet hath declared God made him clearly know:
 "I'm not contained, not held; by aught above, below,
 On earth, in heaven, above the heavens, I am not held.
 This know, then, thou also, My friend, as though beheld.
 But, wonderful! Believer's heart can Me contain!
 If Me thou'dst seek, there look for Me, with might and main!" [*1]

His words were: "Seek within My servants. There thou'lt meet
 The paradise of My aspect. Thou most discreet!" [*1]
 The heaven of heavens, with all its wondrous wide extent,
 At sight of Adam's glory into tremors went. [415]
 The marvellous expanse of heaven's a stretch extreme.
 But what is matter, all, when spirit is the theme!

Each angel made remark: "Until this very hour
 I had a certain knowledge of the wide earth's bower.
 Much duty I've performed upon its soil, down there.
 Surprise I've felt, not small, attachment so to bear.
 For what was my attachment to that ball of clay;--
 I, that am moulded from the glorious light of day?
 What was my strong affection? I'm light; darkness, earth!
 Can light and darkness mingle;--live in jocund mirth? [420]
 O Adam! Now it's clear! My love was mere instinct;
 In that the earth material gave for thee, succinct!
 Thy earthly body here was wove out of its clay;
 Thy spirit, pure, created was beyond the realm of day!
 The honour which we, spirits, have received through thee,
 Before all worlds had sparkled, by divine decree!
 When we were on the earth, we inattentive were;
 And little reeked the treasure trusted to its care!
 When orders were received to quit the earth, and mount,
 We felt regret to change; knew not on what account. [425]
 We thought of reasons for the shift, and question made:
 'O Lord! Who then shall take our place when we're thus bade?
 Wilt Thou exchange our praise and service here below,
 For mere lip-homage from a worm Thee will not know?'
 An answer from the Lord, benign, did we receive:
 What you allege is somewhat many might deceive.
 Each word upon your tongues is surely out of place,
 As lisping talk of son to sire, without preface.

Your rash objections would deserve to be chastised,
 [430] But that I have decreed that mercy's higher prized.
 Behold, O angels! Since you've made confusion strange,
 In you henceforth I've placed a sense of doubt and change!
 Since you demur, and I refrain from chastisement,
 None can gainsay my mercy; none may raise comment.
 A hundred mothers, fathers, meet not My decree!
 Each soul that's born a zero is compared to Me!
 Their love is but the froth; My love, the sea of love!
 Froth comes and goes; the ocean none remove.
 More I may say. For, in this earthly oyster-shell
 [435] There's naught but froth of froth, of froth of froth to tell!'"

The Lord thus spake;--the Lord, that sea of purity!--
 He spake not by conjecture;--truth's own entity!
 What I here state is said in love's humility.
 The Lord is He to whom I fly,--sole Deity!
 If thou wouldst put to test what I have here set forth,
 First prove thy test. Make truly sure it's trouble's worth.
 Cloak not thy secret thoughts. So may my thoughts be known.
 Propose whate'er thou list; within my power, 'tis shown.
 Thy heart conceal not. I'll lay bare my heart of hearts;
 [440] Accept all, of acceptance worthy, thy mind starts.
 That I may do whatever lies within my power,
 Do thou observe my heart's condition in its bower.

The wife observed: "A very sun of good is risen;
 Through whom a gladsome world's enlarged from want's sad prison.
 Vicegerent of th' All-Merciful, Caliph of God,
 Fair Bagdad's city prides itself to kiss his rod.
 If unto him thou have recourse, a prince thou'lt be.
 Why, then, to misery cleave, such as we hourly see?

Companionship with fortune's minions brings good luck;
 Where's an elixir like their power, my dearest duck? [445]
 Ahmed's esteem raised Abu-Bekr such a height;
 For once confirming Ahmed's word, 'Faithful' he's hight!"

The man demurred: "How can I gain access at court?
 Without an introduction, how find sure passport?
 Connection we must seek; or else invent excuse.
 No artizan can work without his tools. The deuce!
 Thus Mejnun, when he'd heard by chance from passing wight,
 His Layla was an invalid (which caused him fright),
 Exclaimed: Alas! Without excuse I cannot go!
 And if I visit not the sick one, I'm all woe! [450]
 Would that I were physician, with his healing art;
 Then could I see my Layla; none would dare me thwart!'
 And now he cries: 'I have it! I've a right to go!
 No bashfulness shall keep me from her portico!'
 Had bats but eyes, with which to see and find their way,
 They'd fly about, disport themselves, jocund, by day."

The wife replied: "The Caliph's public pageant is
 For all who introduction lack; their griefs are his.
 To be, and have a grief, is introduction sure.
 Thus poverty and lowliness work their own cure." [455]

He still objected: "Shall I fall in love with want,
 That I may urge my need as matter for some grant?
 E'en then, a witness credible I should require
 T' attest my indigence, when almoners inquire.
 Point out for me a witness; not mere words and wiles;
 That so the sovereign's favour may be won, and smiles.
 For, otherwise, a mere pretext, without a proof,
 In justice' court would fail, and bring reproof.
 A witness credible is, then, sine qua non.
 For suitor's plea to stand, proof it must rest upon." [460]

His wife rejoined: "The witness thou requir'st to bring,
 Must, by some shrewd contrivance, from thy prospects spring.
 Rain-water's all we have in store within our hut,
 Estate, possessions, wealth, lie in our water-butt.
 A little pot of water shalt thou bear with thee,
 As offering to the Caliph. This present from me;
 And say: 'No other wealth on earth do I possess.
 To Arabs of the desert, water's happiness!
 The Caliph's treasury is full of gems and gold;
 [465] A pot of water such as this, its coffers do not hold!
 What is this pot? It is an emblem of our lives!
 The water in it, matchless virtue of our wives!
 Accept, then, gracious prince, this little pot from me;
 And out of all God's gifts repay its value, free!'
 That pot's five lips are emblems of our senses. Sure!
 Keep them all clean; so may thy honour, too, be pure!
 The pot will then relation keep with ocean's wave;
 And I, perchance, advantage from that ocean have.
 If clean thou carry it before the sovereign's eyes,
 [470] He may be pleased therewith;--buy it from mere surprise.
 The pot will, then, of water never lacking be;
 My little water-pot shall suffice thee and me.
 Close tight its lips, and bear it full from our supply.
 A holy text 'tis says: 'From lust close every eye.' [*1]
 His beard, his moustache, both, will swell with joy at this.
 For prince supreme like him, my offering's not amiss."
 Thou, woman, didst not know that there, in Bagdad's midst,
 A Tigris flowed with water, sweet as honey.--Didst?
 A very ocean is it, rapid in its course;
 [475] With boats and ships, with fishers' hooks, both fine and coarse.

Go then, good man! The Caliph thee his state shall show!
 Thou'lt comprehend the text: "Beneath which rivers flow." [*1]
 Thus, likewise, are our intellects, our thoughts, our sense;
 A drop compared with God's boundless omniscience!

The husband now chimed in: "Yes! Plug the pot's mouth tight.
 Thou'st hit the very offering;--useful, good, and right!
 Sew it up carefully in case of felt, threefold.
 Our Caliph's breakfast-water [*2] shall it be;--so cold!
 No other water's like it in this world of ours;--
 It's heaven's pure ambrosia, 'still'd from vernal showers! [480]
 Poor tits know none but waters hard and bitter all;--
 Whence various maladies, with blindness, them befall!"

The bird that lives where salt-marsh noisome airs exhales,
 Knows naught of joys pure water gives, and spicy gales!
 So thou, good man, who dwelledst 'midst the desert's waste,
 Hadst never seen a Tigris, known Euphrates' taste!
 As he, again, not yet from worldly cares set free,
 Is ignorant of ecstasy, of rapture's glee;
 Or, having heard thereof as tales from men of old,
 Knows them as names alone, in storybooks oft told; [485]
 Child's A, B, C; as taught to every lisping elf;
 But whose real meaning's hidden from the teacher's self.

Our Arab man now takes that water-pot in charge.
 By day and night he travels;--load not over large!
 Anxiety fast holds him, lest the pot should break;
 Most watchfully he guards it from misfortune's freak.

His wife spends all her days in prayers on his behalf;
 Her worship o'er, she adds: "Lord! shield my better half!
 Secure our pot of water from all thievish hands!
 [490] Send it may prove a pearl in sea of Bagdad's lands!
 My husband, true, is shrewd; and know's what he's about;
 But pearls have enemies, we trow, in every rout!
 What is a pearl? A drop from fount of life sent down; [*1]
 A drop from non-existence,--whence all substance known!"

Those prayers' reward,--as guerdon of her sighs and tears;--
 His care's requital, watchfulness, and constant fears;--
 Their pot reached Bagdad safe from robbers' grip;
 Secure from shock of stone, from chance of fall or slip.
 A city, there, he sees, with every blessing filled;
 [495] Where craving mortals ply each art, as they are skilled.
 Each moment, here or there, some extra-lucky wight,
 His object gains, receives from court what glads his sight!
 To Muslims, Unbelievers, equal grace is doled,
 Like rain and sunshine. Not so paradise, we're told!
 One set of men he sees arrayed in honour's robes;
 Another set endure, through hope and fear, sharp probes.
 As gentle, or as simple, prince or worm, pismire,
 All are alive, as though last trump's notes them inspire!
 The worldly, in apparel sumptuous to behold;
 [500] The godly, all immersed in transports clearly told!
 The hopeless have become as though their hopes were fair;
 The hopeful show enjoyment of fruition's share!

A voice proclaimed: "Come forward, all ye sons of want!"
 Beneficence seeks beggars, as for gifts they pant.

Beneficence hunts up for beggars and for need,
 As beauty seeks her mirror, with a special greed.
 A pretty face is charming in its mirror seen;
 Beneficence gleams lovely through want's chilly sheen.
 God hath enjoined in holy writ: "By forenoon's glare!" [*1]
 "Muhammed, chide not thou too much at beggar's prayer!" [*2] [505]

A beggar is a mirror wherein bounty shines.
 Dull not that mirror, then, with breath of anger's whines!
 The beggar 'tis shows forth what charity achieves;
 A charitable man for this those wants relieves.
 A beggar, then, 's a mirror of th' Almighty's grace;
 And whoso's with the Lord, therein sees his Lord's face.

He that hath love for other than the Lord of all,
 Is dead at heart,--not living;--shadow on a wall!
 Whoe'er adopts God's poverty, without false show,
 Secures the prize of God's rich pleasure here below! [510]
 Who puts on sham of poverty deserves no bread.
 (Bones are not given to effigies of dogs. They're dead!)
 His want craves pelf; 'tis not the love of God he'd seek.
 Lay not thy bounty at the feet of one too sleek.

A landshark is a mendicant for mere pelf's sake.
 He's fish in form; but will not to the water take.
 Domestic fowl is he; not eagle of free air.
 With Lot he sips of wine; God's water's his despair.
 He loves his God, if but his God will grant him wealth;
 But nothing cares for God's mere grace,;--for spirit's health. [515]
 Should he conceive th' idea of love for God alone,
 God's essence he'd deny, God's attributes disown.
 Man's fancy is a creature;--born with mortal lot.
 God was not born. His scripture says: "Nor was begot." [*3]

The man in love with self, and with his fancy's freak,
 Can never be a lover who to God will seek.
 Were fancy's lover true, and free from crafty guile,
 His fancy's tropes had led him to the truth erewhile.

That dictum would require a commentary, full,
 [520] But fear withholds me. Prejudice will have its pull!
 Old prejudice, quite purblind to the truth, I see,
 A hundred phantoms conjures up to frighten me.
 Not every man has heard aright the still small voice;
 Not every bird's a fig-pecker, that sweets rejoice;
 How then a bird that's dead,--turned putrid long ago;--
 A man of prejudice, all sightless, eyeless, so!
 A painted fish cares not for water, or for land.
 Soap to a blackamoor is one, or tar, in hand.

Shouldst thou depict a portrait overwhelmed with grief,
 [525] Would grief or joy be felt, though shown in strong relief?
 The picture would look sorrowful;--no sorrow feel;
 Or smiling happiness;--without gay laughter's peal.
 The joy or grief depicted by a pencil's art,
 Is naught but simulated;--knows nor thrill, nor smart.

Lugubrious countenances are for our behoof;
 That we may be reminded not to court reproof.
 And beaming visages are not without their use,
 If they recall us from mere form to sense occluse.
 The various effigies we see in this bath-house, [*1]
 [530] Disguised in draperies, are dolls;--blind fools to chouse.
 So long as thou'rt outside, naught else but clothes thou'lt see.
 Undress thyself. Come in; and see the nude, the free.
 There's no admission granted to a bath, while dressed.
 But clothes, the body, this, the soul, leave all unguessed.

Our Arab man, from far in desert's sandy waste,
 Has reached at length the walls of Bagdad, home of taste.
 The guards, the officers, on duty at the gate,
 Received him with politeness, kindness delicate.
 Without a question asked, his case they'd understood.
 Their charge was to show kindness first, ere asked for food. [535]
 So they addressed him thus: "Ho, thou, good Arab prince!
 Whence comest thou? How fares it? Straight thy wish evince!"

He answered: "Prince I am, if you to me be kind;
 But if you me contemn, I'm naught in my own mind.
 Your aspects indicate you're men of wealth and rank;
 Your speech and smiles betoken breeding, noble, frank.
 Mere sight of your kind features salve is to the eyes;
 Your looks alone enrich;--gold in your voices lies.
 Each one of you expression is of God's own grace;
 In Caliph's bosom nurtured, favoured with high place; [540]
 That you, in turn, dispense th' elixir of support,
 And brighten longing eyes by words of kind import.
 I am a stranger, poor, come from the desert's sands,
 In hopes some favour to obtain from sovereign hands.
 The rumour of his goodness fills the wilderness;
 Each atom in its wastes blooms thence in joyfulness.
 In search of wealth have I approached his capital;
 Now I'm arrived, I burn with pleasures optical.
 E'en as the lass in search of bread at baker's shop,
 Struck with his 'prentice' beauty, swooned;--a lifeless drop! [545]
 Or like the saunterer for air in royal park,
 Who lost his heart to one he met, gay as a lark!
 Or like the desert merchant drawing from a well
 What he thought water, was entranced by Joseph's spell!
 Again, as Moses hasted for a coal of fire,
 And found the burning bush, that led him to empire

Or Jesus, who escaped his foes with one fleet bound,
 And found himself then landed where the sun goes round! [*1]
 An ear of corn it was that baited Adam's trap. [*2]
 [550] Bat thence himself became the source of mankind's sap!
 The falcon stoops to earth enticed by luring fate;
 He there meets man's good teaching, soars to princely state.
 A child is sent to school to teach him learning's prize,
 In hope of toys and treats he studies till he's wise.
 On leaving school he sits in seat of law or power;
 He paid his schoolpence then;--he's now lord of the hour!
 So Abbas [*3] sallied forth to war, with fierce intent,
 To put Muhammed down,--Islam to circumvent.
 Defender of the Faith, till death, he then became;
 [555] The Caliphate was destined, in his line, to fame!
 So am I come, in hopes at this court to advance;
 Though at its gate as yet, I feel I've every chance.
 In quest of bread am I; as offering, water bring.
 The hope of bread sets wide heaven's portals at one swing.
 'Twas bread that drove out Adam from his paradise;
 'Tis bread will gain me entrance where my hopes take rise.
 From bread, from water, both, as angels, far I stroll;
 And, following the spheres, around this centre roll!
 Without an object none will toil on earth, you see,
 [560] Save true and godly lovers. They're from motives free!"

Th' Infinite's lovers finite's worshippers are not.
 Who seek the finite lose th' Infinite, as we wot.
 When finite with the finite falls in love, perforce,
 His loved one soon returns to her infinite source.

A beard that puts itself into another's grasp,
 In lather's smothered; emblem of a weak mind's gasp.
 He's not his own lord; cannot guide his own affairs;
 He does but what he's told; where'er he's bid, repairs.

Would'st sin with woman? Choose, at least, one that is free.
 Would'st rob and steal? Let pearls and jewels be thy fee. [565]
 A slave obeys a master; has himself no will;
 The scent is all the rose's; thorns show no such skill.
 A slave may not attain to wish that he may form;
 His toil is vain, his trouble profitless;--poor worm!
 Shall hunter snare a shadow? Where were then his food?
 A shadow's not a substance;--can do no one good.
 A foolish hunter seized the shadow of a bird!
 The fowl, on tree securely perched, not one foot stirred;
 But, wondering, thought: "What is the stupid fool about?
 Demented, sure; his little wit he's let ooze out!" [570]

But if thou thinkest finite's of th' Infinite born;
 And sayest: "For love of rose, do honour to the thorn;"
 Consider: finite unto Infinite's not joined.
 Or what need of the prophets? They've not scripture coined.
 The prophets have been sent to link the two in one.
 If they're not two, but one, what have the prophets done?
 But let that be. Th' inquiry has no useful end.
 The day is waning; let us to our tale attend.

The Arab now his little pot of water showed.
 As seed to earth, he it on Caliph's court bestowed; [575]
 And said: "Present my offering at the sovereign's feet,
 If beggar save his king from want, it's surely meet.
 The water's fresh; the little jar green-glazed and new;
 Filled from a pool replenished by the rain and dew."

On hearing this the guards were laughing in their sleeves;
 But still, as precious, took the jar;--polite court-reeves!
 The Caliph's kindly nature, active, well-informed,
 To kindness had each member of his court reformed.
 For as the sovereign is, so will his subjects be.
 [580] The azure vault of heaven makes green the earth;--you see.

A king's a reservoir; his servants are his mains,
 Through whom his bounty flows, to swell his subjects' veins.
 The stream, if flowing from a tank all sweet and pure,
 Each main distributes bounty, courtesy;--be sure.
 But should the reservoir prove foul and nauseous, then,
 The mains can flow with naught but venom, like a fen.
 The mains can only what they get convey around.
 Remember this. We're treading now on solid ground.

A sovereign's goodness is an unembodied soul,
 [585] That permeates the clay of human frame, its goal.
 It is the mind, the all-informing, well-derived,
 That brings the body into discipline, where hived.
 Love is a wanton, restless, reckless of control,
 That drives the man to madness; passion does extol;
 But goodness is a stream as sweet as Fount of Life;
 Its pebbles are all pearls, all jewels, beauteous, rife.

Whichever be the science makes a teacher famed,
 His scholars' minds with that will surely be inflamed.
 A jurist's pupils study principles of law,
 [590] If but their mental principles be free from flaw.
 A lawyer's prentice over subtle cases pores;
 The principles, with him, are most unwelcome bores.
 A syntax-teacher rears a host of grammar's sons,
 With whom his syntax passes for the sun of suns.

A teacher who inculcates abnegation's creed,
 Surrounds himself with pupils free from lust and greed.
 But at the hour of death, of science's long roll,
 The art of poverty's what most behoves man's soul.

A syntax-teacher, once, was mounted in a boat,
 Who to the skipper turned, as soon as e'er afloat, [595]
 And asked: "Hast studied syntax?" "No indeed," quoth he.
 The teacher then: "Thy life's half-wasted? Dost thou see?"
 The skipper felt heart-broken at this pert remark;
 But, for the moment, held his peace;--wise man's bulwark.
 The wind arose; the bark was sorely tempest-tossed;
 The skipper then addressed the teacher, sickness-crossed:
 "Knowest thou the swimmer's art, good friend? With speed reply."
 "Nay," said the teacher, "that's an art the schools decry."
 The skipper now remarked: "Thy whole life's gone to waste.
 The ship must go to pieces. Water salt thou'lt taste. [600]
 With syncope, not syntax, now we'll have to deal.
 With syncope, from water comes nor hurt, nor weal,
 The sea bears on its surface bodies of the dead;
 But living men it drowns; them sinks, as though of lead.
 So soon as thou'lt be dead to every human art
 To thee eternity its secrets will impart.
 Thou hitherto hast deemed us mortals asses all;
 Now thou thyself, as ass on ice, must have a fall.
 Although thou be the very Plato of the age,
 Thou'st still to learn that time, the world, is but a page." [605]

This tale about the syntax-teacher we've tacked on,
 To show the grammar dissolution turns upon.
 All syntax, grammar, jurisprudence, law, and art,
 Thou'lt find, my friend, of knowledge is but a small part.

Our little learning is the Arab's water-pot.
 In Caliph, of God's wisdom we've an emblem got.
 We bring our pot of water to great Tigris' stream.
 If we ourselves not asses call, us asses deem.
 The Arab of our tale excusable was,--troth;
 [610] He knew not of a Tigris. Where's the Arab doth?
 Had he, as we, known Tigris' stream, and all its store,
 His water-pot had never travelled to its shore;
 Had he become aware of what a Tigris meant,
 Arrived at Bagdad, he'd his pot to fragments sent.

The Caliph, when he saw that pot, and heard that tale,
 The vase had filled with golden sequins, like a bale,
 Our Arab thus to free from poverty's rude grasp;--
 A robe of honour, too; and presents for his clasp,
 He ordered. Then the whole unto the guards were sent,
 [615] With kindliest injunctions, fruit of good intent:
 "That all unto that Arab man be safely given,
 Whose journey home by Tigris' arrowy stream be driven.
 By land he came; he'd travelled all the way on foot;
 But Tigris' stream may bear him back a shorter route."

Our Arab in a boat was placed at river's side;
 The stream he saw, admired, bowed low, lost all his pride;
 Exclaiming: "Wondrous goodness of the sovereign will!
 Th' acceptance of my water-pot more wondrous still!
 How could that sea of wealth my drop deign to accept,
 [620] And largely thus to recompense the trifle kept?"

Know now, my friend, this world 's one mighty water-pot,
 With wisdom and with beauty teeming; as all wot.
 One drop, however, 'tis, from ocean of His grace,
 Whose fulness cannot be confined in any place.
 That treasure latent was. Through fulness it burst forth,
 More glorious than the heavens became thenceforth the earth.

The latent treasure, pouring out its riches great,
 The earth made kinglike, clothed with more than regal state.
 One little branch canal from th' ocean of God's grace,
 Thus overwhelms this mighty water-pot of space. [625]

They who see God are ever rapt in ecstasy;
 And raptured, hold that water-pot mere fallacy.
 O thou! envy of whom is to that pot a stone!
 Though fractured by the shock, the pot yields sounder tone.
 The pot is cracked; but, still, its water is not spilt;
 The crack's the very source through which it's sounder built.
 The jar's each single particle's in dance and revery,
 Though unto man's poor wisdom this seems foolery.
 The pot, the world, all it contains, are lost to view.
 Consider well this fact! God knows it's simply true. [630]

If thou canst grasp this meaning, thou'rt like falcon strong.
 Beat, then, the pinions of thy thoughts. Be hawk, ere long.
 Thought's pinions are bemired in thee, and heavy move;
 Because thou feedest on clay; clay's bread to thee, I'll prove.
 As flesh, bread is but clay. Trust not thereon for strength;
 Or thou'lt remain, claylike, within the earth at length.

Dost hunger? What art thou, then, but a dog?
 Fierce, ill-affected, raging; lusts thy vitals clog!
 And when with food thou'rt filled, polluted straight becomest.
 Thou losest strength and sense; mere stock, thou sleep welcomest. [635] 
 So, being doglike or a stock, senseless, impure,
 How canst thou progress make in path of virtue, sure?

Whatever 'tis thou huntest, dog thou art, in sooth.
 Feed not, then, thus, the dog of lust's voracious tooth.
 When dogs are satisfied, obedience they forswear;
 To follow up the game they one and all forbear.

His want it was disposed the Arab of our tale,
 To travel till he'd reached the Caliph's courtly vale.
 We've shown the bounty of that sovereign merciful,
 [640] Shed on the Arab's wretchedness, most plentiful.

Whate'er a lover says, the sentiment of love
 Shines through his words, if but thoughts towards his mistress rove.
 Discourses he on law, love furnishes the theme;
 Throughout his labouring periods, love's the enthymeme.
 Should blasphemy rise to his lips, of faith it smacks.
 Doubt, when by him expressed, shows confidence's knacks.
 The spume that rises from the sea of his pure heart
 Partakes the nature of its source, truth's counterpart.
 We must esteem such spume as foam of mountain-rill;--
 [645] Upbraiding from a lip beloved is worshipped still.
 Attention we pay not to harsh words issuing thence,;--
 The features we adore divest them of offence.
 However strange such utterances, they all seem true;
 The stranger they appear, to sense they lend more cue.

If sugar we should cast in mould to look like bread,
 Then eat it, we the sugar taste. Form's of no stead.
 Should true believer golden idol light upon,
 Will he for worship set it up, anon, anon?
 Nay! To the fire he'll quickly it in wrath cosign,
 [650] And strip it of the form that makes it sin's foul sign.
 The gold, abstracted from the idol's form, is pure.
 That form it is corrupts,--can men to sin allure.
 The gold's an essence fixed, produced by nature's God;
 The idol stamp is transitory;--soon downtrod.

Thou for one flea to flames thy bed wouldst never give;
 For one musquito's hum, not wish to cease to live.
 If form-entrapped thou be, idolater thou art!
 Eschew mere form; attend to essence, as thy part.
 Art bound on pilgrimage? Seek other pilgrims out;--
 Be they from Hind, from Tatary, or Hadramout. [655]
 Peer not into their features; look not at their skins.
 Inquire their thoughts, their hearts;--if these be free of sins.
 A negro findest thou one with thee in faith and creed?
 Him deem a white;--thy brother is he in thy need.

Our tale is told. Its ups and downs are manifold.
 Like lovers' thoughts, it's wandering, unconnected, bold.
 Commencement it has none;--eternity's its sign;--
 Still less conclusion;--so, eternity's design.
 Or, rather, it's like water;--every drop, so rich,
 Commencement is, and end;--yet shows not which is which. [660]

But, God forbid! Our story's not a fable. See!
 Its narrative's a point concerns both me and thee!
 A gnostic, in possession of his wits and sense,
 Repeats not what is past;--he bides the present tense.

The Arab, his poor pitcher, Caliph, all, observe,
 Ourselves are. "He shall swerve whom God shall cause to swerve!" [*1]
 Our Arab, know, 's the mind; his wife, our lusts and greed.
 These two are tenebrous; the mind's the torch they need.
 Now hear whence has arisen the ground of their dispute:
 Th' infinite finites holds, of various attribute;-- [665]
 Parts finite;--not parts infinite of th' infinite,
 Like scent of rose,--part infinite of definite.

The verdure's beauty infinite is, as a part;
 The cooing of the dove's as infinite, in logic art.
 But go we not too far afield for sorts and kinds;
 Or poor disciples ne'er will slake their thirsting minds.

Dost doubt? Art racked with difficulties? To excess?
 Have patience. "Patience is the key of all success!" [*1]
 Be abstinent. Let not thy crowding thoughts run wild.
 [670] Thoughts lions are, and antelopes. Mind's forest; child!

The prime of remedies is abstinence, we know.
 And scratching irritates the itch;--as leeches show.
 Of treatment medical the base is abstinence.
 Therefore be abstinent. Show strength of mind and sense.
 Accept my counsel. Lend an ear as I advise;
 In golden earrings, counsel's pearls shall be thy prize.
 Be thou as slave to this, my cunning goldsmith-art;
 I'll teach thee how to soar beyond the stars' bright chart.
 Know, first of all, creation's minds are manifold,
 [675] As are its forms;--from Alpha to Omega told.
 From this variety, disorder seems to rise;
 Though, in true sense, to unity the series hies.
 In one sense, they're discordant; other, in accord;
 They now as folly, now as wisdom, pass a word.
 The day of judgment will to each assign its place;
 All men of wisdom yearn to see that day of grace.

He who, as blackamoor, is steeped in sin's dark dye,
 In that dread day shall gulp dishonour's foulest lye.
 The wretch whose countenance beams not bright as the sun,
 [680] Shall strive in vain behind the densest veil to run.

If, like some thorns, his stem display no single rose,
 That springtide will prove fatal to his safe repose.
 But he that blooms from head to foot with righteous deeds,
 With joy shall welcome spring's awakening of those meads.

The useless thorn desires the nipping wintry blast,
 To lay all low and simplify the flowery vast;
 That so, all beauty cloaked, all squalor hid, the same,
 All glorious hues, all hideous sights, be rendered tame.
 The leaf's fall to such thorn more grateful is than spring;
 The ruby and the flint are one in tithesman's ring. [685]
 True, that the gardener's eye in winter knows the thorn;
 But what is one eye's scrutiny to general scorn!

The vulgar public is, as 'twere, one witless wight;
 Each star's a clipping of the moon, in its fond sight.
 Not so great men of wisdom, radiant with troth,
 They shout with joy: "Good tidings! Spring breaks into growth!"

Unless the flowers blossom on the fertile trees,
 How can the fruit be gathered, honey store the bees?
 The flowers blow and fade; the fruit begins to swell.
 So, when our bodies die, our souls in glory dwell. [690]
 The fruit's reality; the flower is but a sign;
 The flower's the harbinger; the fruit, the true design.
 The flower blown and past, the fruit then comes in sight;
 The first must perish ere the other can see light.
 Unless a loaf be broke, no nutriment it yields;
 Until the grapes are crushed, no cup of wine man wields.
 So drugs, to prove a solace to the sufferer's ache,
 Together must be blended, rolled in one smooth cake. [691]

X.

HUSaMU-'D-DiN, Light of the Truth, take up, my friend,
 A sheet, that thou a Teacher's virtues mayst append.
 True, thou'rt not strong; thy frame is delicate, at best;
 But thou'rt the sun that lights my thoughts to their safe nest.
 Thou art both lamp and lantern, all in one. Dost see?
 Guide to my heart's behests, clue to my wish thou'rt he.
 Their thread is in thy hand; thy guidance can it shift;
 The pearls upon it strung are gems, thy soul's free gift.

Write down the qualities by which a Teacher's known.
 [5] Select thy Teacher first; then, follow all he's shown.
 A Teacher's summer's glow; cold winter, crowd terrene;
 The rabble's darkness self; the Teacher, moon serene.

Young Fortune have I named my Teacher, for the nonce;--
 Young Fortune, truth's real Teacher; vigorous at once.
 An ancient Teacher he; commencement he ne'er had;
 A solitary pearl;--all peerless, never sad.
 Increase of age gives wine fresh strength, as well is known;
 Especially truth's wine, that flows from God's high throne.
 Select a Teacher, then. Without such, travel's vain;
 [10] The way is dangerous,--beset with evil's train.

By well-known road, though travelled many times before,
 Without a guide to venture, opens peril's door.
 How then an unknown path thou ne'er hast followed yet?
 Go not alone, without a guide;--act not in fret.
 Unless thy Teacher be at hand to lead thee right,
 The clamours of the demons surely thee'll affright.
 Those demons will mislead thee, into danger cast;
 More clever ones than thou have lost their wits at last.

Learn from the Prophet's words the error of their ways;
 How Satan led them far astray in bygone days. [15]
 From off the track to all that's good he them misled;
 Them carried off; them rendered blind, by vain thoughts fed.
 Behold their bones, their skeletons, along the road!
 Take warning thence. Drive not thy beast with maddening goad!
 Dismount; and to the rightful path safe lead him back,
 Where guides abound,--experienced travellers dot the track.
 Leave not thy beast; his rein loose not thou from thy hand.
 His inclination is to wander o'er the land.
 One moment only leave him carelessly to roam;
 Towards the pastures he at once will rush, all foam. [20]
 Thy beast is not a friend to travelling by the road.
 How many muleteers through this have lost a load!
 Know'st not the way? Observe which path thy beast would take,
 And follow the reverse. Secure this will thee make.
 "Consult thou them;" [*1] but then, do not what they advise;
 For he who them opposes not, to ruin hies.
 Lend not thyself to lust and fancy's every wind;
 For these are what lead men astray; to God's truth blind.

There's nothing in the world that better curbs the lusts,
 [25] Than holy company. Protected, he who trusts.

The Prophet said to 'Ali: "Cousin, list to me.
 The 'Lion of the Truth' [*1] art thou; a hero. See!
 Trust not too much, however, to thy courage, sole;
 Confide, much rather, on God's aim to keep thee whole.
 Put faith in aid from His divine, omniscient mind,
 That never can be baffled by disputant blind.
 His shadow on the earth is what keeps it in place;
 His spirit, sunbird-like, soars in supernal space.
 Were I to speak His praises until judgment day,
 [30] No end, no interruption, would admit my say.
 Himself He's veiled in man, as sun behind a cloud.
 This seek to comprehend. God knows what mysteries shroud.
 The sun He is;--the sun of spirit, not of sky;
 By light from Him man lives;--and angels eke, forby.
 Then, 'Ali, of all service man can offer here,
 Do thou choose trust in God, dependence firm, sincere.
 Each man betakes himself some special worship to;
 And each some special friend selects, without ado.
 Do thou take refuge in God's wisdom, full, divine;
 [35] He'll foil the secret foe that would thee undermine.
 Of all the modes of worship, this choose thou, the best;
 Thou'lt distance all competitors, the prize thou'lt wrest.
 Thy Teacher having chosen thus, obedience yield,
 Implicit; even as Moses journeying o'er that field. [*2]
 Whate'er events betide, beware, and question not;
 For fear thy guide should turn, and drive thee from the spot. [*3]
 Should He destroy a ship, [*4]--no murmur from thy mouth;
 Should He an infant choke, [*5]--let slip no word uncouth.

God hath declared his hand is like the hand of God,
 By saying: "God's right hand above all hands doth plod.' [*1] [40]
 God's hand it is that kills him; makes him living, too.
 But what is living? The everlasting spirit. Lo!
 Whoever journeys, now and then, this road alone,
 The prayers of saints it is leads him to safety's zone.
 A saint's protection is not less than angel's aid;
 His help is God's right hand, when all is truly said.
 Now, if an absent saint have such portentous power,
 A present Teacher's honour sure must higher tower.
 If for the absent tempting viands are prepared,
 For present guests what may not largely be outshared? [45]
 The varlet who to serve his lord is present there,
 Must rank before the absentee, for goodly fare.
 Thus, having Teacher chosen, be not too thin-skinned,
 Nor wishy-washy, to a muddy puddle kinned.
 For every buffet, see thou do not umbrage take:
 How can a mirror polished be, unless it bear a shake?"

Hear now this pregnant tale narrators have preserved;
 A practice it relates in Qazwin much observed:
 Upon the breast, the arms, the bladebones, and the like,
 With needle's point and indigo, tattooed designs they strike. [50]

A certain Qazwin bully to an artist hied,
 To have a brave design imprinted on his hide.
 The artist first inquired what pattern he'd select.
 The man a lion rampant thought he must elect;
 And said: "My luck resides in Leo,--lion-sign;
 Depict thou then a lion, deep-blue stained, benign."
 The artist then demanded where he'd wish it done;
 Our man replied: "Between my bladebones it enthrone."

The artist then began to ply his needles' train;
 The Qazwin bully bellowed, smarting with the pain. [55]

The artist he addressed: "Most clever man of skill,
 Thou'lt drive me mad. What picture works me so much ill?"
 Said he: "A lion's form is what thou didst enjoin."
 "O yes!" replied the bully. "What part dost thou coin?"
 The artist: "At the tail have I commenced this time."
 Our man: "O never mind the tail, designer prime!
 Your lion's tail has whacked me on my rump so hard,
 That I've no power to breathe, nor such pain disregard.
 Allow thy lion to remain without a tail;
 [60] Thy needles have unnerved me with their sharp assail."

The artist then began upon another part,
 And worked his instruments. They soon induced new smart.
 The patient screamed again: "What member limnest thou now?"
 Our artist answered: "'Tis the lion's ear, I trow."
 His man replied: "O leave him without ears this time;
 An earless lion's not so bad. Cut short the rhyme."

Anew the artist on a part assayed his hand.
 Afresh the bully interfered, by pain unmanned.
 "What part art now at work on? Say, my worthy friend!"
 [65] "O," said the artist, "now his body I append."
 "Leave out his body!" gasped the suffering Qazwin man;
 "The pain's unbearable. Make short work, as thou can."

The artist now quite lost his wits, as well he might;
 He scratched his head; sought how to mend his plight;
 Dashed all his needles, indigo, design, to earth;
 In anger saying: "What the plague's come now to birth?
 A lion tailless, headless, bodiless, who's seen?
 God such a lion ne'er created, sure, I ween!"

Have patience, thou too, brother, with thy needle's smart.
 So shalt thou 'scape the sting of conscience in thy heart. [70]
 They who have conquered,--freed themselves from body's thrall,
 Are worshipped in the spheres, the sun, the moon, stars, all.
 Whoever's killed pride's demon in his earthly frame,
 The sun and clouds are slaves, to do his bidding, tame.
 His heart can lessons give of flaming to the lamp;
 The very sun not equals him in ardent vamp.
 For God hath said, in speaking of the scorching sun,
 These words: "It swerved from them." [*1] It had new course to run.

The sharpest thorns are welcome, as the roseleaf soft,
 To finite who to th' Infinite can soar aloft. [75]
 What signifies to glorify the Lord of heaven;
 To humble self to dust; with meekness, pride to leaven?
 What use to learn to formulate God's unity;
 What use to bow one's self before. the Deity?
 Wouldst shine as brilliantly in sight of all?
 Annihilate thy darksome self, thy being's pall.
 Let thy existence in God's essence be enrolled,
 As copper in alchemist's bath is turned to gold.
 Quit "I" and "We," which o'er thy heart exert control.
 'Tis egotism, estranged from God, that clogs thy soul. [80]


XI.

A LION, wolf, and fox together went to hunt;
 Among the hills, in quest of game, they turned their brunt.
 By mutual help and aid, they hoped to make the field
 Too hot for other animals not under union's shield.
 Co-operating with each other, they surmised,
 A heavy bag they each would make of what each prized.

'Tis true, the noble lion felt of this ashamed.
 Still, he politely showed towards them his spirit tamed.
 A king feels inconvenienced by throngs of troops;
 [5] But out of kindness makes them share his warlike swoops
 The sun would feel ashamed, did stars with him appear;
 'Tis generous in the sun to grace the starry sphere.
 'Twas God's command to Ahmed still: "With them consult." [*1]
 True, they gave no advice; no counsel did result.
 Upon the balance barley's weighed, as well as gold;
 But barley, thence, has not acquired gold's value told.
 The spirit with the flesh is fellow-traveller now;
 A dog has sometimes charge of palace-yard below.

The company, then, set out for the woods amain,
 [10] As followers of the lion's majesty, and train.

A mountain-ox, an ibex, next a hare, they took;
 Since fortune smiled on them in each succeeding nook.
 A lion's followers on the plain of strife and war,
 Of food, by day or night, shall know no want, no bar.

Their prey they carried from the hills into the plain;
 Or dead, or sorely wounded;--bleeding, or clean slain.
 The wolf and fox were moved to pitch of keen desire,
 To see the prey shared out with justice by their sire. [15]
 The shade of their cupidity caught Leo's eye,
 He understood their confidence, their longing's dye.
 Whoe'er has insight to the hearts and minds of men,
 Knows at a glance what's passing under his sharp ken.
 Beware, O heart, thou ever-fond one, in his sight,
 Thy secret to betray,--thy wish to bring to light!
 He knows it all, though ignorance he may pretend;--
 His smile is but a veil thy aim to comprehend.

The lion, having measured all their secret thought,
 Made no remark; he knew how they could both be bought; [20]
 Within his breast revolved their fitting punishment:
 "I'll show you, my fine fellows, what's by lion meant.
 My pleasure's, for you both, what you should seek to know;
 Not calculate beforehand what I may bestow.
 Your every thought should but reflect my sovereign will,
 And thankfully await what I may give you still.
 Have pictures aught to say to guide the artist's hand?
 His cunning 'tis decides what portrait shall expand.
 So all your paltry surmise of my royal mind
 An insult is,--an arrogance,--that must be fined. [25]
 'They who conceive an evil thing of God' [*1] are cursed;
 And if I spare you, justice will be clean reversed.
 To rid the world of scandal, I must end your lives;
 Your story shall a moral point; whoe'er contrives."

With this he smiled again most grimly on the pair.
 Trust not a lion's smile, all ye to live who care.
 The riches of the world are smiles of Providence;
 They make men proud, and lead them to their fate prepense.
 Through poverty and suffering we may escape
 [30] The trap that riches bait; and so avoid the scrape.

The lion now addressed the wolf: "Share out the spoil.
 Do justice to us all. Thou'rt versed in cunning's foil.
 Be thou my factor. Carve the game as may be fit.
 So shalt thou honour win from all who see thy wit."
 The wolf then: "Royal Sir, the mountain-ox is thine.
 Thou'rt great; the ox is large and fat; let none repine.
 The ibex is my share. As I, so it's the mean.
 And thou, O fox, shalt have the hare. 'Tis not too lean."

The lion interposed: "Wolf! What is this thou'st said?
 [35] I present; and to talk of ' thou ' and 'I,' so staid I
 What rubbish is a wolf, to deem himself a judge
 In presence of a lion, who'll soon make him budge?
 Come hither, ass! Thyself alone it is thou'st sold!"
 With this he tears the wolf to pieces, all too bold.

He saw the wolf had not one grain of common sense;
 So stripped him of his hide, his life, his brain so dense.
 Then said: "Since sight of me chased not all thought of self
 From thee, death by my paw was due, thou wretched elf!
 Thyself thou shouldst have vanquished in my presence dread.
 [40] Not having done so, thou'rt now numbered with the dead."

"All perisheth, except His counsel" 's holy writ. [*1]
 If we're not of "His counsel," life cannot us fit.

He that will lose his life for God's sake, hath it still;
 "All perisheth" hath then no power his soul to kill.
 He's of th' excepted; not of those to perish doomed.
 For, who's excepted, saved is he. His spring hath bloomed.
 But he that, in God's court, of "me" and "thee" shall prate,
 Will be cut off;--far banished from the heavenly gate.

A man once came and gaily knocked at a friend's door.
 The other asked: "Who's there? Is this a threshing-floor?" [45]
 "'Tis I," said he. "O then thou straight mayest go away.
 'Tis dinner-time. Mature, not crude, must be who'd stay.
 Thou'rt thou? Most crude thou art; by rawness' self estranged.
 By fire of trial those crude humours must be changed.
 'Tis fire matures the crude. Let absence be the fire,
 Shall purge thee of thyself, burn out all selfish mire."

Away he went in anguish; travelled a whole year;
 Saw not his friend; so pined with yearning, anxious fear;
 Matured his soul with suffering's searching throes and pains.
 Then sought the door from whence he'd been repulsed, again. [50]
 He knocked anew,--his heart with many fears oppressed,
 Lest from his lip some word unwelcome drop confessed.

Within, the question's heard: "Who knocks at my street door?"
 He answered: "Thy own second self;--though all too poor."
 The invitation followed: "Let myself walk in.
 My cot's too small for two selves to find room therein.
 The thread's not double in a needle's single eye.
 As thou'rt now single, enter. Room thou'lt find. Pray, try!"

The thread and needle have relation, each to each;
 [55] For needle's eye a camel's far beyond all reach.
 How shall a camel ever be so fine and slim
 Unless long fasting his redundant flesh should skim?
 The hand of God is wanted, then, to make it pass
 The God who by His word creates both man and grass.
 Impossibilities are possibles to Him;
 The stubbornest is docile when His will curbs whim.
 The blind from birth, the leper, e'en the dead, arise,
 Whole, sound, whene'er th' Omnipotent "Come forth" but cries.
 E'en non-existence, death of death, at His command,
 [60] Starts into life, compelled by His supreme demand.

Recite, my friend: "Each day He's busied with a work:" [*1]
 And know, He's never idle, unemployed to lurk.
 His smallest daily toil,--a work like pleasure still,--
 Is to send forth three armies, bound to work His will.
 One, from the loins of spheres the elements to stir;
 So that all plants may vegetate, from moss to fir.
 One, from the wombs of mothers to earth's surface prone,
 That male and female may increase, not lie like stone.
 The third hence wends its way to sepulchre's dread bourn,
 [65] There to receive, at length, reward; and joy, or mourn.
 Leave we this theme;--'tis endless,--never would have done.
 Let's see, now, how the friends enjoyed themselves alone.

Our host invites his guest to enter, free from scorn:
 "Thou'rt welcome, self of mine! We're not like rose and thorn.
 Our thread is single,--free from knots and tangle; done,
 As 'Be,' though duplex as to form, in sense is one."

That "Be" 's a rope, of power collective, to the end
 That nullity may be united to a friend.
 Thus duplex means are wanted, for appearances;
 Though, in effect, one means there be of all that is. [70]
 The biped, as the quadruped, goes but one road.
 The one-edged knife, the two-edged shears, make one inroad.

Observe yon pair of bleachers at their daily toil.
 Apparently, they differ, combat, as they moil.
 The one's for ever wetting cloths in their stream's tide,
 The other dries them just as fast in hot noontide.
 The first, again to soak the scarce-dried cloths makes haste;
 As though in opposition to his partner's waste.
 But, in reality, the two have but one aim:
 Co-operation's what they jointly, both proclaim. [75]

Each prophet, every saint, has his especial rite;
 But, as all tend to God, they're one, multipartite.
 Sleep overcomes alike the followers of all creeds;
 As water makes all mills to turn and grind, at needs.
 The water flows from upwards, down upon the mill;
 Its flowing through the trough is but man's wants to fill.
 No sooner has man's need been fully satisfied,
 He turns the water off;--straight in its bed it's tied.

To teach men wisdom, stream of speech flows through the mouth;
 But spirit hath another course, far less uncouth. [80]
 Without a voice or repetition it rolls on,
 As through elysium, streams;--flowers springing aye, anon.
 O Lord! Do Thou vouchsafe to my weak, erring soul
 To see the realm where, voiceless, spirit thoughts may stroll,

That so my mind, in glee, on foot or head, may wing
 Its flight to the far bourn that parts from nothing, thing,
 Careering o'er the boundless fields of ecstasy,
 Where fancy joins reality in entity.
 Far-reaching more 's nonentity than fancy's stretch;
 [85] And thus, his fancy is a source of woe to wretch.
 Then, being's narrower far than fancy's power of wing;
 E'en as the full moon wanes, till it becomes a string.
 The world of matter and its forms is narrower still;
 A prison all too strait for mind to have its will.
 Plurality and composition are the cause;
 Our senses these alone can comprehend, and pause.
 Beyond our senses lies the world of unity.
 Desirest thou unity? Beyond thy senses fly!
 Divine command, "Be!" was one act; two-lettered word;
 [90] Of grave import, though short, sprung from all being's Lord.
 But leave we this, and turn to see how fares it now,
 With our acquaintances, wolf, fox, and lion;--trow.

The lordly lion 'd torn poor wolf's head from his tail,
 That so two heads there might not be for one avail.
 "On them We vengeance took" [*1] 's a well-known sacred text;
 Wherefore, poor wolf, not quash thyself, when lion's next?

The lion turned, then, to the fox, and bade him share
 The prey they'd seized; that they might make a meal, not spare.
 The wily fox, low bowing with a reverence meet,
 [95] Said: "Sire, the ox your share is, for your breakfast treat.
 The ibex, then, will suffice for your midday lunch,
 To serve as stop-gap in the interval of munch.
 The hare a light repast will furnish ere you sleep;
 The royal paunch from indigestion's pains 'twill keep."

The lion answered: "Well said, fox. Thou'rt justice' self.
 Who taught thee with such judgment rare to portion pelf?
 Where didst thou learn to do full justice with great art?"
 Said he: "My Lord, to teach me was that dead wolf's part."

The lion thus replied: "For us much love thou'st shown.
 Take thou all three unto thyself, as very own. [100]
 Good fox! Thou'st given up thyself entire, for us.
 Why should I injure thee? Thou'rt I myself. No fuss!
 Myself am thine; the prey is thine; all,--every bit.
 Exalt thy head above the spheres. For that thou'rt fit.
 Thou'st taken warning from that wretched, selfish wolf.
 No longer fox art thou, my lion, my own self!
 A wise head ever lessons learns from others' ills,
 Who sees his neighbours victims fall, knows what them kills."

The fox now thanked his stars a hundred, thousandfold,
 For that the lion first the wolf to share had told; [105]
 And reasoned: "Had he given me first his high command
 To share the prey, my life I had not kept in hand.
 Then praise to Him who 'th placed me low in this world's scale,
 To follow after mightier ones when they regale."

So have we heard God's judgments wrought in ages past
 On people of the eld;--set forth as mountains fast,
 That we may learn from them,--the wolves of early days.
 Then let us, as the fox, glean wisdom from those lays.
 "God's people sanctified" 's the title on us cast,
 By God's own Prophet, truthful witness, and the last. [110]
 The bones, the skeletons of all those old-world wolves,
 Consider well, ye readers;--think upon yourselves.

Who's wise will from his heart cast out all fond conceits
 Of greatness, when he hears of 'Ad's [*1] and Pharaoh's feats.
 Unless he warning take from what on others fell,
 Men shall a moral draw from his case, sad to tell.

Cried Noah: "Ye stiff-necked race! I am not I, indeed.
 My self I've sacrificed; of God's love have I need.
 From every fleshly sense and wish I'm severed, quite.
 [115] God is my light, my mind, my visual organ's site.
 I am not I. The breath I breathe is God's own breath.
 Whoe'er gainsays this word, blasphemes, courts his own death.
 Within my form of fox there lurks the lion's power;
 Against this feeble fox 'tis useless now to lower.
 Unless you lay aside scorn for my fox's form,
 You'll hear the lion growl more fierce than raging storm."

If Noah had not possessed the mighty aid of God,
 Could he a world have upside down turned with a nod?
 Within his form whole herds of lions, as one paw,
 [120] Lay hid. A fire was he; the world a stack of straw.
 That misled straw refused to pay its tithe to him.
 Fire flashed. Forthwith the straw in smoke and flames sank grim.

Whoe'er 'gainst the hidden lion in saint's form
 Upraise the voice of pride, like to our wolf, base worm,
 Shall, like that wolf, be torn by lion piecemeal quite;
 The text: "On them we vengeance took" he shall recite. [*2]
 A stroke shall lay him low, as wolf by lion's paw.
 A madman must he be who'd rush in lion's maw.
 O that the stroke had fallen upon the body frail;
 [125] And that the heart and faith had 'scaped! 'Twere vast avail!

Upon this point I feel my strength must all give way.
 How shall I tell the secrets of this mystic play?
 Just like the fox, do you yourselves deny in all.
 In lion's presence raise no cavil, or you'll fall.
 Relinquish thoughts of "I" and "We" when "He" 's afield.
 The kingdom is the Lord's; to God the kingdom yield.
 The straight way enter all, like paupers as you are.
 The lion and the prey will both fall to your share.

God is a spirit pure. All-Glorious is His name!
 He hath no need of praise, of honour, glory, fame! [130]
 All these, and all besides, whatever may befall,
 Upon His servants He bestows. He's Lord of all!
 God hath no envy, wish, desire for creatures' ruths;
 And blessed is he who takes to heart this truth of truths.
 'Twas He created both worlds;--all their pomp and pride.
 Shall He desire what He hath made in His own tide?
 Keep, then, your hearts pure in the sight of God the Lord,
 That you may never be ashamed of thought or word.
 He knows the secrets, aims, desires of all your hearts;
 They're patent to Him, as a hair in milk at marts. [135]
 Whoever hath a breast cleansed from all thoughts of guile,
 His breast a mirror is, where heavenly truths will smile.
 Its secrets are all known to God;--its every part;
 "Believer's heart's the mirror of believer's heart."
 He tries our metal on the touchstone of His law.
 The fine, the base, He will distinguish, without flaw.
 Our talents being tried by His omniscient skill,
 What's good, what's bad, will sure appear, plain, by His will. [139]

XII.

THE kings of yore a custom had, so I've been told,
 Of course thou'st heard it;--must remember it, of old,
 On their left hand their champions took their usual place;
 Because the heart is on the left of body's space.
 Their chancellor and scribes stood on their right hand all;
 In that the writer's art to the right hand doth fall.
 Before their face the holy teachers stood erect,--
 The mirrors of the soul;--than mirror more correct.
 Their breasts they've polished with the acts of thought and praise,
 [5] That, mirror-like, they catch each image facts may raise.
 Each object born in nature with a lovely mien
 Should always have a mirror set to catch its sheen.
 A beauteous face enamoured is with mirror's glance;
 Heart's piety's the polish best the soul can chance.

A friend of tried sincerity came from afar,
 And guest became with trusty Joseph;--free from bar.
 They had been friends before, in childhood's artless days;
 Had leant their elbows on one cushion, in their ways.

His brethren's envy and wrong-dealing touched upon,
 [10] Said Joseph: "'Twas a chain. It bound a lion. 'Non!
 Disgrace affects not lions, if with chains they're bound.
 With God's decree I quarrel not;--it's always sound.

A lion with a chain around his lordly neck,
 Is still the lord of them who forged the chain as check."
 The friend asked: "How wert, in the well, the prison, cast?"
 Said Joseph: "As the moon in wane and change at last."

At change, the new moon's bent in two, a poor weak thing,
 But ripens to the full apace, night's matchless king. [*1]
 Pearls in a mortar pounded are, by chance, sometimes;
 Still, they're esteemed a joy to glad eyes in all climes. [15]
 Then, grains of wheat are cast into the lowly earth;
 But golden ears thence spring, a source of glee and mirth.
 These, too, are ground to dust in mill;--vile as to show;
 Increased in value, thence, bread it becomes, we know.
 Again 'tis crushed between the teeth; to chyme it turns,
 And feeds the mind, the thoughts, the soul;--in wisdom burns.
 The soul, in turn, is subject to the stress of love;
 New miracles, as seen, "the sowers marvel " [*2] prove.
 But truce to these reflections; let us follow now
 The words of Joseph's friend. 'Tis worth while these to know. [20]

That conversation closed, said Joseph to his guest:
 "What gift, my friend, hast brought in token of thy zest?"

To go with empty hands and visit friends long missed,
 Is like a man who goes to mill without his grist.
 E'en God will ask His creatures in the judgment day:
 "What offerings have you brought to meet your Maker? Say!
 Alone, and empty-handed? Is it thus you come?
 E'en as We first created you? Gifts left at home?' [*3]

What have you brought as timely offerings in your hands?
 [25] What are the gifts with which you'd grace your new life's lands?
 Or, was it that you'd no belief in this return?
 Our promise of this day by you was laughed to scorn?
 If you denied thus the hope to be My guest,
 Then dust and ashes wait you in My realm, at best.
 If you did not deny it, whence your empty hands?
 How come you to a friend's gate, scorning just demands?"

Put by a little from thy daily meat and drink,
 So shalt thou have a store for offerings' binding link.
 "Sleep little" when thou art of those "who lay them down." [*1]
 [30] "Of mornings," be of them who "ask for pardon's crown." [*2]
 Give signs of life, though slight;--as babes do in the womb;
 So may God grant thee inward light to cheer thy tomb.
 And when thou 'scapest from dark and narrow prison there,
 Then mayst thou soar from earth beyond the realms of air.
 "The spacious land of God" 'tis named in holy writ, [*3]
 The land to which the prophets all have gladly flit.
 The heart is never lonesome in that vast abode;
 Its green trees never wither, frosts no leaves corrode.
 If now thou load thyself with sensual burden's weight,
 [35] Fatigued and jaded, faint thou'lt prove beneath their freight.

In sleep thou bearest no burden; borne thou art, instead.
 Fatigue is thence recruited;--strength regains its head.
 Know then, thy sleep's a foretaste of what is to come,
 From the rapt state of saints arriving at their home.
 The saints were well prefigured by the "Sleepers Seven." [*4]
 "Their sleep," "their stretchings," "their awaking," lead to heaven.

Without the least exertion on their parts by acts,
 The "right and left-hand registers" draw them by facts.
 The "right-hand register" 's the record of good deeds; [*1]
 The "left-hand register" 's the list of fleshly greeds. [*2] [40]
 But both of these abolished are in case of saints.
 To them such things are but as echo dies and faints.
 Though good and evil may their echoes round thee peal,
 The echoing mountain hears them not in the ordeal.

Now Joseph once again inquired: "What offering bringest?"
 His friend, ashamed of urgent pressing, sighed. Thou singest?
 Said he: "Full many offerings have I sought and seen;
 But none was worthy of thee; or I much misween.
 How could I bring a diamond to its native mine;
 Or add a drop of water to a sea of brine? [45]
 Shall I to Kashan cummin bring, whence it is drawn, [*3]
 By offering up my life and soul to beauty's fawn?
 I know no rarity that's not surpassed by thee;
 Thy loveliness the rarity men nowhere see.
 The fittest present, then, I've found, a mirror is.
 And this I've brought; unsullied, bright, refulgent 'tis [*4]
 Therein thou'lt contemplate thy beauteous, matchless face,
 As beaming as the sun that decorates sky's space.
 A mirror have I brought, thou charming, witching one;
 In it admire thyself; and think of me, when gone." [50]

The mirror now he drew from underneath his skirt.
 A mirror is, to beauty, with attractions girt.
 In non-existence' mirror if existence gleams,
 Present this mirror to it, thou, as best beseems.
 In non-existence mirrored, being we may see;
 As wealthy men their wealth may show by beggars' glee.

The hungry man's the mirror best shows what is bread.
 And tinder mirrors flint and steel's gleam, quickly spread.
 Wherever want, defect, is seen, beauty's most prized.
 [55] The mirror of perfection's then best realised.

If clothes grew, ready cut and sewn, to meet our needs,
 Where'd be the use of tailor's art, to fashion weeds?
 The unhewn trunk is needed, for the carver's skill,
 And carpenter, to cut out thence his frames, his thill.
 The surgeon hastens to the couch where suffering lies;
 Where limbs are broken, there his bandages he ties.
 Were there no patient, malady, no fever, ache,
 Could art sublime, the medical, its marvels make?
 If humble brass and copper were not to be found,
 [60] Th' alchemist's stone could not to gold transmute them round.
 Defect is thus the mirror whence perfection's seen;
 And vileness is the foil to show off grandeur's sheen.
 By contrast does each opposite its fellow show,
 Sweet honey by sharp vinegar we best can know.
 The man who sees and feels his imperfections sore,
 Exerts himself to cure them quickly. all the more.
 And he'll ne'er take his flight towards heaven's eternal King,
 Who holds at heart the thought that he's a perfect thing.

No worse disease exists, to taint the human mind,
 [65] Than self-conceit, that paints its owner gold refined.
 How many bitter tears has not the vain to shed,
 Ere arrogance can be expelled, and pride be dead!
 The malady of Satan,--self-conceit:--"I'm best," [*1]
 Exists in germ in every panting human breast.
 These fancy they have mortified themselves throughout.
 Take them to be pure streams; their filth seek in the grout.

Just stir them up a little, for a trial's sake;
 Thou'lt see their mud discolour all the water's lake.
 There's ooze at bottom of the pond,--be sure of that,--
 However clear the surface of the dull dead flat. [70]
 Our greatest teacher is endowed with fair device.
 He digs a conduit in the very soil of vice.
 How can he make the water of that conduit pure?
 All human wisdom's but one spark from God's vast store.
 Does sword inflict a wound in its own handle,--blade?
 Find me a surgeon who shall cure a gash so made.
 Where wound exists, the flies will ever flock amain,
 To hide its hideousness from sight, and lull the pain,
 Those flies the symbols are of man's vain, baseless thoughts;
 The wound they cover over's ignorance high-wrought. [75]
 'Tis only when the teacher salve applies with skill,
 The throes are quieted that shoot across man's will.
 He then imagines that his wound is healing fast.
 Effect this is of cunning used, that salve to cast.
 O man, whose back is galled, accept his salve with thanks.
 Thy solace thence arises; not from thy own pranks. [78]

XIII.

THERE was a scribe [*1], before 'Uthman [*2] had filled that post,
 Most diligent in noting revelation's host.
 Whatever text the Prophet had to promulgate
 On parchment did this scribe trace all its terms of fate.

The splendour of those inspirations filled his soul.
 His mind became enlightened, as a glowing coal.
 The substance of that wisdom from the Prophet came.
 The silly scribe imagined 'twas his genius' flame:
 "The texts the Prophet promulgates with rare effect,
 [5] Appear verbatim in my mind, without defect."

The Prophet was aware of this egregious sin.
 The wrath of God descended from high heaven's welkin.
 The scribe renounced his office, and his faith at once.
 Religion's fiercest foe he stood now, for the nonce.
 The Prophet questioned him: "Benighted, wretched man!
 If light there be in thee, whence this thy darkest plan?
 Hadst thou a fountain of God's truth been, verily,
 This turbid stream had never flowed thence, heavily."

Not caring to expose his scribe to all his friends,
 [10] The Prophet held his peace, to watch th' adventure's ends.

The scribe's heart hardened more and more as time rolled on.
 Repentance he felt not; his pride grew thereupon.
 He sighed. His sighs were not the signs of contrite heart;
 But tokens sure that justice made him feel its smart.
 God caused his pride to weigh more heavy than a chain.
 How many thus are fettered; none can heal their pain.
 His blasphemy and pride held him in iron grip;
 His very sighs he felt constrained to stifle on his lip.
 He cried: "'The iron collars they're compelled to wear;' [*1]
 There's naught but iron collars; these are all we bear! [15]
 'Behind them is a barrier; but We've bound their eyes,' [*2]
 So that they see not what's before, behind those ties."

The barrier so upreared appears a level plain;
 He knows not 'tis a bourn that checks him like a chain.
 Thy witness is a barrier, bars sight of the Lord;
 Thy teacher is a veil, shuts out God's holy word.
 How many infidels, oh! long faith to possess!
 Their pride, their honour, stands between them and success.
 That barrier, unseen, 's than iron firmer still.
 An axe can hew through iron; not through stubborn will. [20]
 A bond of iron may be broken by due means;
 A moral bond is what holds firmest, where it leans.

A bee, a wasp, may sting one to the very quick;
 Yet may the same be warded by precaution's trick.
 But what's to do when sting is in our very selves?
 The pain is then most biting, deeper far it delves.
 Unwillingly has leaped this subject from my mind.
 I fear 'twill leave despair in many, deep behind.
 Despair thou not; take consolation to thy soul;
 And cry to that Deliverer who can make thee whole: [25]
 "Thou Lover of forgiveness! Pardon to me grant!
 Physician of the soul! Relieve my direful want!"

Such counsel wise drove mad that erring sinner, quite.
 Think not of him. 'Twill tire thy mind beyond respite.
 My friend! This counsel tells with equal force on thee.
 It flows through all the saints, though transient thou it see.
 Within the house a gleam of light has been espied.
 This light comes from a neighbour's lamp, with oil supplied.
 Give thanks for it. Be not puffed up. Snort not, good man!
 [30] To me lend ear. Presumption chase to utmost span.
 Alas! that this most transient ray of dubious light,
 The nations has seduced from God's sole path of right.
 I'll be the very slave of him, who, at each stage,
 Will not suppose the goal 'tis of his pilgrimage.
 How many stages are there must be left behind,
 Before the traveller reach the home he bears in mind.
 Although the iron may glow red, the colour's not
 Its own; 'tis but reflection of the fire that's hot.
 A window or a house with light may be suffused;
 [35] But still, the source of light is in the sun, diffused.
 Each wall, each gate, may cry amain: "I shine! I shine!
 I have no need of other's light. 'Tis mine! 'Tis mine!"
 But then the sun demurs: "O thing of little sense!
 So soon as I shall set, thy darkness will be dense!"
 The plants may think their verdure's all their very own.
 So fresh, so green; so pleasant every flower full-blown.
 But then again the summer season makes comment:
 "When I am past, your present charms will soon be spent."

A beauty's lovely body prides itself as fair.
 [40] Her spirit, having hid itself within its lair,
 Remarks: "Thou dunghill! Wherefore all this silly pride?
 Thou bloomest but a day or two, while I preside.
 Thy affectation, vanity, 's too vast for me.
 But stay till I depart: then straightway thou shalt see.
 Thy lovers then shall loathe thy charms, adored before.
 To worms, and toads, and snakes they'll fling thee, as cheap store.

Thy stench shall make him hold his nose in deep disgust,
 Who lately in thy presence would have licked the dust."

Reflections from the spirit are the tongue, the eye, the ear.
 Accessions from the fire steam's bubbles 'tis upbear. [45]
 E'en as the soul's reflection on the body acts,
 Reflection from th' inspiring saints my soul impacts.
 When my soul's life shall quit my soul, alack-a-day!
 My soul shall lifeless be, like mortal soulless clay.
 'Tis therefore that I cast myself down in the dust,
 That earth may witness bear for me before th' All-Just.

In day of judgment, "when the earth shall quake with fear," [*1]
 Earth shall itself bear witness to my prayerful tear.
 Command shall issue: "Loud proclaim the acts thou'st seen."
 The earth, the rocks, a tongue shall find, to tell what's been. [50]
 Philosophers deny this, in their pride of mind;
 But tell them: "Dash your heads against a wall, ye blind!"
 The speech of earth, of water, and of plastic clay,
 Is audible unto the ears of saints that pray.
 Philosophers who will deny God's saving grace,
 Are strangers to the powers of saints' inspired race.
 He holds that inclination, working on man's brain,
 Gives rise to heated phantasy's legerdemain.
 True, his own blasphemy and lack of firm belief
 Have raised in him denial's phantom, reason's thief. [55]
 Philosophers deny the devil does exist;
 While they themselves his sport are, in his cursed fist.
 Hast never seen the devil? Look at thy own self!
 Who'd paint his forehead blue, unless deceived by elf? [*2]

Whoever hath a doubt or trouble in his mind,
 In secret's a philosopher, as you may find.
 He wears the outward semblance of belief; but then,
 Anon and ever his philosophy claims pen.
 Beware, all ye believers! In you lurks this germ;
 [60] Within yourselves lies latent vile deception's sperm.
 The two and seventy sects are all within your hearts, [*1]
 And only wait a chance to play their fatal parts.

Whoever hath the bud of faith grown in his breast,
 As aspen-leaf must tremble, lest it be supprest.
 Thou laughest at the devil in thy foolish pride;
 Thyself thou hast imagined sin's stern deicide.
 But when thy soul shall manifested be to all,
 Sad sighs and moans shall rise from those who're seen to fall.
 Exhibitors of base coin in this world below
 [65] Smile now; the touchstone yet is hidden in form's glow.

O Veiler of men's sins! Lift not Thy veil from us! [*2]
 In day of trial be our Helper, gracious!
 Adulteration now contends with purest coin;
 The gold awaits the day of trial to rejoin.
 It slily thinks in its mute way, without ado:
 "Await a little, false ones! Trial comes! Soho!
 For was not Satan's self, in ages long gone by,
 Of light an angel, Prince of Powers, a galaxy,
 Until he envied Adam in his froward heart?
 [70] And then he fell, an outcast from heaven's high rampart.
 The son of Beor, Balaam, in the world's esteem,
 Was equal unto Moses. So all men did deem.

To him alone was homage paid by high and low;
 His prayers were reckoned medicine for every woe.
 To Moses he opposed himself, in foolish pride.
 The Scripture tells us how most miserably he died. [*1]
 Of Balaams, and of Satans, in this world of ours,
 Some manifest, some secret, troops come at all hours.
 God granteth them celebrity within their spheres,
 That they may witness bear against their own compeers. [75]
 Then, both are elevated on a gallows high,
 As warning unto others who for honours sigh.
 They both were covetous of homage and applause;
 And both received due punishment through God's just laws.

Thou, man, perchance, the idol of some crowd mayst be.
 For God's sake, then, beware thou transgress not as he.
 And setting up thyself against a better man,
 Thou come to grief, and bring to wreck thy every plan.
 The tales of 'Ad [*2] and Thamud [*3] have the moral clear,
 That saints of God, and righteous men, are held more dear. [80]
 Those signs, and swift destruction overwhelming them,
 Proclaim aloud the power that saints around does hem.

As brutes are slain that man may live a life of ease,
 So men are slaughtered when they sin 'gainst God's decrees.
 For, what is wisdom? 'Tis th' omniscience divine.
 Man's wisdom is but folly, set against that mine.
 The brutes are timid, shun man's presence everywhere;
 Though man, in numbers, yields to them within this sphere.
 Their blood may lawfully be shed for needs of man;
 Because they lack th' ennobling spark of reason's scan. [85]
 The brute is held of low degree on this our earth;
 As being weighed against great man's superior worth.

What value will attach to thee, thou arrant fool,
 If, like an ass, thou spite the lords of reason's school?
 The ass, that renders service meet unto his lord,
 Men slay not. 'Tis the wild ass does them chase afford.
 The ass reaps naught of recompense for merit due;
 Yet, when he errs, fell punishment awaits him, true.
 If man, then, go astray, much more he's worthy blame;
 [90] Most justly shall chastisement visit him with shame.
 The blood of misbelievers righteously is shed,
 With sword and arrow, like wild ass on mountain fed.
 Their wives and children fall a prey to victor's hand;
 In that they lack true wisdom, cursed of God they stand.
 The reasonable creature fleeing reason's Lord,
 Renounces reason, brute becomes, calls for the sword.

Harut, Marut, [*1] two angels famed throughout the earth,
 Through pride and insolence lost paradise for dearth.
 They trusted in the wondrous power they held of old;
 [95] As though a buffalo 'gainst lion should wax bold.
 His horns are mighty weapons, fearful to the foe;
 The lion tears him piecemeal; horns but work him woe.
 Had he as many horns as hedgehog quills, all o'er,
 They'd help him not; the lion still would him o'erpow'r.

The hurricane roots up the forest trees amain;
 While pliant reeds from it no injury sustain.
 The fury of the blast hurts not their supple ease.
 Of strength, then, boast thee not, man. Seek wrath to appease.
 The axe is nothing daunted, seeing boughs of trees;
 [100] But, one by one, hews through them all; their end foresees.
 The axe sets not its trenchant edge to lop off leaves;
 'Tis not the silky down of thistles that it cleaves.
 A flame is not abashed, though many thorns collect;
 Whole herds of sheep can never butcher's knife deflect.

To inward idea's power the outward sign must yield.
 That power, 'tis, makes revolve the heavens' vast starry field.
 The sphere, the circling firmament, consider now.
 What makes it turn? A force that rest will not allow.
 The movements of our bodies have no other source;--
 The soul it is originates all vital force. [105]
 The circulation of the air's from an idea;
 The millstone turns by water from the fields' area.
 The ebb and flow of tides, breath drawn, again expired,
 Whence all? 'Tis life compels, diffused through all, respired.
 The spirit 'tis decides what words our pen shall write;
 Or peace, or war, or anything our minds indite.
 To right, to left we go, e'en as the spirit wills;
 A rose, a thorn,--the spirit says which place it fills.

Our God it was who sent this vital air in blasts,
 Like breath of dragons, to destroy old 'Ad's [*1] outcasts. [110]
 While to the faithful it gave peace, and health, and strength;
 In gentle zephyrs softly breathing whole days' length.
 The Prophet hath assured us God's the soul of all.
 The Lord's the ocean whence the rills of spirit fall.
 The strata of the heavens and earth, with all therein,
 Are merely straws afloat on waves where powers begin.
 They dance about, are carried here and there by turns;
 Their movement's from the waves that power divine still churns.
 Decrees this they shall be at rest? At once they're flung
 Aside upon the shore, there to decay like dung. [115]
 Wills it that they be tossed about on waves high-flown?
 They're but the leaves of autumn by the wild winds blown.
 Now turn we from this subject, most engaging still,
 To learn about those angels, victims of self-will.

The sins of all mankind were known to them as sure;
 No wickedness escapes the glance of spirits pure.
 In anger at such baseness they were moved to scorn;
 Their own defect was hidden from their sight, heaven-born.

An ugly man once saw his face in looking-glass.
 [120] He turned away enraged with that reflecting mass.
 So, when one self-conceited sees another's fault,
 A flame from hell is lighted in his bad heart's vault.
 'Tis pride inflames him;--holy zeal he dubs it straight;
 Not conscious of the vanity that makes his freight.
 A zeal for holiness by other tokens shines;
 And lights a fire by which to ashes earth declines.

God said to them: "If you both shine with virtue's ray,
 No notice take of man's backslidings from its way.
 Give thanks and praises, rather, you're not made like them.
 [125] Lusts of the flesh, concupiscence, soil not your stem.
 Had I imposed upon you that great burden, sore;
 The heavens would not have been your home for evermore.
 The chastity that decks your spirit-nature now,
 Reflection is of purity that lights My brow.
 Know, this is but a quality you hold from Me.
 So shall th' accursed one not make you slaves to be!"
 E'en as the Prophet's scribe, with self-importance puffed,
 Imagined holy wisdom's light shone as he'd stuffed.
 Himself he fancied equal of prophetic quire;
 [130] His raven croak as their sweet song he dared admire.
 He who sets up to write the notes of every bird,
 Knows not th' inspiring springs within their bosom stirred.
 Could man acquire the note of nightingale so sweet,
 Would he have learnt as well its love the rose to meet?
 Should he achieve a notion of that love's intent;
 'Twould be mere surmise, like deaf man's from lips' consent.

Such deaf man once was made aware by some kind friend,
 That next door dwelt an invalid near to his end.
 The poor man thought within himself: "I'm deaf as stone,
 How can I hope to comprehend this neighbour's tone? [135]
 More 'specially as sick men speak so very low.
 Still, go I must; mere decency demands my bow.
 When I advance, he'll me address, his lips will move.
 From thence I'll glean a notion, may not quite false prove.
 I'll ask him how he feels to-day, 'mid so much pain.
 He'll answer surely: 'Thank you; better in the main:
 Reply I will: 'Most happy! How's the appetite?'
 He'll answer: 'Pretty good, if chicken-broth invite.'
 I'll say: 'Good! Good! And what are you allowed to drink?
 Who is your doctor?' He'll respond, as one may think. [140]
 Then I'll remark: 'With so much talent at command,
 You can't do better. Soon I hope to see you stand.
 I've had experience of his skill; I know his worth;
 With him as guide, you'll not go wrong.' So forth."

Thus having got his fancied answers all by heart,
 He goes to see the sick man; deftly plays his part.
 On asking: "How are you?" the patient says: "Near dead."
 The deaf man straight rejoins: "Of that I'm very glad."
 The sufferer felt insulted by this joy expressed.
 The deaf one had surmised,--had failed in what he'd guessed. [145]
 He now inquired the diet: "Oh! It's poison all!"
 Complained the sick man. "Glad to hear it," he let fall.
 Still more the patient wondered. "Who attends you, pray?"
 Asked Deafy; "whose advice is't leads you on your way?"
 "Death tracks my hours!" said he; "pray leave me now to rest."
 The other answered: "Better can't be found; he's best."

The visitor retired, quite pleased with his rich art;
 And offered thanks for having played so kind a part.
 The sick man, on the contrary, was all on fire:
 [150] "Whence comes this malice? Who has roused his soul to ire?"
 So, turning in his mind the matter o'er and o'er,
 A message he determines that shall pay the score.
 Just so, a man who's eaten ill-digesting food,
 Can have no rest till it's ejected, well and good.
 Long-suffering is thy better part, reject it not;
 With patience, thou shalt find soft words best heal a plot.
 But our sick man found no such solace for his mind;
 He called the deaf one "Ass," and "Fool," and "Sot," and "Blind."
 Said he: "I'll serve him out; I'll pay him what's his due!
 [155] Till then, my spirit will his hateful visit rue!
 A visit to the sick's for consolation's sake;
 His visit I abhor, his insults I'll not take.
 He's wished to gloat on foe laid prostrate at his feet;
 Some joy to gather thence his secret hate to greet."

How many pious men there are, to outward view,
 Reward of joy in heaven, as object, who pursue.
 At heart they're sinners still, despite the show they make.
 Alas! Hypocrisy for righteousness they take!
 Just as our deaf man thought he'd done a friendly act;
 [160] And yet, withal, had vexed his neighbour, as a fact.
 He soothed his soul by thinking: "Kindly part I've played!
 I've acted as a neighbour! Sorrow I've allayed!"
 Whereas, in truth, a fire he'd lighted for himself;
 And his sick neighbour's heart inspired with vengeful elf.

Beware the fires you kindle by such acts as this!
 Beware offence to give, while proffering a kiss!
 The Prophet said one was a hypocrite, he knew:
 "Go, worship, friend; thy act's no worship, as I trew!"

For fear lest we should trespass, even as we pray,
 Our worship has the prayer: "Lord, guide us in Thy way!" [*1] [165]
 "Permit not Thou, O God, that my devotion's act
 Be counted erring hypocrite's unwelcome pact!"

The surmise of our deaf man wide was of the mark.
 A ten years' friendship 'twould have wrecked! Beware such spark!
 Man's judgment, friend, that's based on sense's treacherous sand,
 Can never be compared with revelation's wand.
 Hast ear to hear? Hast mind to recognise the truth?
 Know, then, thy moral ear is deaf to godly sooth
 The first who followed sense, and reason--as he thought--
 Instead of God's true light, the devil was, we're taught. [170]
 He judged: "The fire more noble is than sordid earth;
 From fire was I created; clay gave Adam birth.
 The stock from whence it springs decides each kind of fruit;
 From darkness Adam's sprung; light at my birth did suit."

The Lord replied: "'Tis not a question of descent.
 Pre-eminence is here the prize of righteous bent.
 'Tis not a heritage of worldly wealth to share.
 Why talk of ancestry? Heart's qualities declare.
 The heritage we've now to give is prophecy;
 The heirs thereto are they whose spirits hate a lie. [175]
 The son of Abu-Jahl believed, and saved his soul; [*2]
 A son of Noah rebelled; became perdition's goal. [*3]
 The son of earth was made resplendent as the moon;
 Thou, son of fire, begone, disgraced, cursed, none too soon!"

Investigations, reasonings, on days of cloud,
 By night, in darkness, guide the doubting crowd;

But, when the sun shines,--when God's temple's clearly seen,
 No doubt remains which way to turn one's face, I ween.
 The temple hidden, its direction quite unknown,
 [180] Then use thy judgment. God this method's kindly shown. [*1]

Whene'er you hear a note of God's truth-warbling bird, [*2]
 You straightway seize its literal sense, just as 'tis heard.
 You then use suppositions of your darksome mind,
 And form, through wrong conclusions, guesses worse than blind.
 The saints use terms of technical significance,
 Unknown to worldly reasoners' crass ignorance.
 The language of the bird you learn, as to its notes;
 But clean destroy its sense; as sure as fancy dotes.

E'en as the sick man of our tale, saints' hearts are grieved;
 [185] Though, like the deaf man, you suppose you've good achieved.
 The scribe of writ inspired had all its text by heart;
 Then thought himself inspired;--would play a prophet's part.
 The Prophet, warbler-like, smote him with powerful wing;
 He forthwith sank to blind despair, through conscience' sting.
 So 'tis with you. Perversely, or with vain surmise,
 You would interpret words descended from the skies.
 Like Harut, and like Marut, well you've learnt the tune
 They sang of old in pride: "We're God's elect," jejune.
 You pray for grace on all the sins of wicked men;
 [190] You curse your own foul egotism, greed's hungry ken.

Beware lest God's just jealousy break forth amain,
 And smite you to the earth, ne'er more to rise again.

Those angels owned, in words: "To rule is Thine, O God.
 Without Thy strong protection, safety's soon downtrod."
 Such were their lip-words. But their hearts' rebellious pride,
 With foolish boasting, thought: "No harm can us betide."
 They never ceased to brood on vanities thus framed,
 Till fire of arrogance burst forth from breasts inflamed;
 Then proclamation made: "O elemental men!
 How little have ye known the range of angel's ken. [195]
 We'll weave dense curtains o'er the sky's revolving face;
 Descending then to earth, we'll there our temple place.
 We'll justice distribute, and worship we'll commend,
 Returning every night to heaven, whence we descend.
 So shall we be admired by all who dwell on earth,
 And fill the world with gladness, safety, peace, and mirth."
 Alas! Such fancy's false! Earth cannot heaven be;
 Their difference is radical, as all may see! [199]

XIV.

GIVE ear to this advice from one who's well informed:
 "Lay down your head where'er by wine you've been transformed."
 Whene'er a drunken man reels forth from tavern door,
 A laughing-stock he's made by urchin and by boor.
 Now here, now there, he lurches, stumbling on his road;
 Falls in the mire; is mocked and jeered, scorned as a toad.
 The children of the neighbourhood his steps surround,
 Unconscious what is wine's hilarity profound.

So are all people children, round the saints of God;
 [5] None adults are, save they who've cast off passion's clod.
 'Twas said: "The world's a toy, a plaything; and men all
 Are infants." [*1] These are God's words. True in sense they fall.
 No child but loves his toys, his playthings, games, and sports;
 By cultivation of the mind man sense imports.

Man's love for worldly things is like child's love for toys;
 The child and man, in these, repeat each other's joys.
 The child, in play, performs the very selfsame part,
 He'll act when grown a hero, learnt debating art.

Men's quarrels are the same as those fought out by boys;
 They're senseless, reasonless; they squabble for mere toys. [10]
 Their weapons are but wooden swords, as used in play;
 Their objects are not worth a thought, by night or day.
 They mount their hobby-horses, ride about on sticks;
 Declaring 'tis Bucephalus, Eclipse, that kicks.
 'Tis they who bear a burden, pack-horse-like, or ass;
 Their vanity converts them into horsemen's mass.

So let it be till that day when God's riders shall,
 On steeds of fire, transcend the seventh heaven's rolling ball.
 "The spirit and the angels mount unto their God." [*1]
 The spheres shall shake, when under saintly footsteps trod. [15]
 Whereas the raff of mankind mount their own coat-tails;
 Imagining they're horsemen, prancing as ship sails.

The Lord hath said: "Imagining's of no avail." [*2]
 Imagination's steed to scale heaven's heights must fail.
 Imagination's best is but a choice of doubts;
 Man ne'er disputes about the sun, whate'er the whim he flouts.
 The time will come, he'll see what wretched screw he rides;
 That which he deemed a courser's but his own shanks' sides.
 His senses, thoughts, and reasonings, he then will find,
 Are but the infant's hobby, pa's cane, more refined. [20]

The wisdom of the saints is what bears them aloft.
 The science of the worldly is their load;--how oft!
 The wisdom of the heart sustains and elevates;
 But knowledge sensuously acquired as burden rates.
 'Tis God hath said: "An ass with volumes for his load." [*3]
 So knowledge is a burden, when not of God's code.

All science not received from word of God direct,
 Hath no endurance; paint it is; our eyes detect.

Still, if man bear his burden well, he's recompensed;
 [25] His burden is removed; ease to him is dispensed.
 See, then, you bear not science' load from fleshly lust;
 Lest you should suffer inwardly fatigue,--disgust;
 But mount the agile steed of sacred lore divine;
 So shall the burden on your back at once decline.
 Unless you drink His cup, how 'scape from fleshly lust?
 O you, who, in His name, content are with the Just!
 When from His name and attributes some inkling's born,
 This inkling points the road to union one fair morn.
 Thou'st never known a guide, but some one must be led;
 [30] And when no road is travelled, gnome can't dog man's tread.
 Thou'st never heard a name, but indicates a thing;
 A flower thou'st never plucked from verbal rosa's ding.
 Hast thou pronounced a name? Straightway the thing ensue.
 The moon seek in the sky;--not in lake-waters, blue.
 But wouldst thou cast aside all names and words, as vain,
 Thyself, then, purge of self. Abstraction thou shalt gain.
 Wouldst be a sword? Cast off soft iron's yield refined;
 By discipline the mirror burnish of thy mind.
 Discharge thyself of every particle of self;
 [35] So shalt thou see thyself pure, free from soil of pelf.
 Within thy heart thou'st see the wisdom of the saints,
 Without a book, a teacher, or professor's plaints.

The Prophet said: "That man is one of my true flock,
 Whose heart and mind are hewn from my own calling's rock.
 His soul perceives me through the selfsame holy light
 That unto me reveals his soul serenely bright.
 Reports, traditions, chains of evidence, are lost;
 When soul communes with soul, minds freely can accost."

This riddle solve: "A Kurd I last night was, by birth;
 And then, this morning, Arab am, by afterbirth." [*1] [40]
 If one, sincere, a Kurdish boor was overnight,
 Sincerity an Arab made him by daylight.
 Example seekest of science springing in the heart?
 This contest heed of Chinaman and Roman's art. [*2]

The Chinese urged they had the greater painter's skill.
 The Romans pleaded they of art the throne did fill.
 The sovereign heard them both; decreed a contest fair;
 Results the palm should give the worthiest of the pair.

The parties twain a wordy war waged in debate;
 The Romans' show of science did predominate. [45]
 The Chinamen then asked to have a house assigned
 For their especial use; and one for Rome designed,
 Th' allotted houses stood on either side one street;
 In one the Chinese, one the Roman, artists meet.

The Chinese asked a hundred paints for their art's use;
 The sovereign his resources would not them refuse.
 Each morning from the treasury rich colours' store
 Was served out to the Chinese till they asked no more.
 The Romans argued: "Colour or design is vain;
 We simply have to banish soil and filth amain." [50]
 They closed their gate. To burnish then they set themselves;
 As heaven's vault, simplicity filled all their shelves.
 Vast difference there is 'twixt colours and not one.
 The colours are as clouds; simplicity's the moon.
 Whatever tinge you see embellishing the clouds,
 You know comes from the sun, the moon, or stars in crowds.

At length the Chinamen their task had quite fulfilled.
 With joy intense their hearts did beat, their bosoms thrilled.
 The sovereign came, inspected all their rich designs,
 [55] And lost his heart with wonder at their talents' signs.
 He then passed to the Romans, that his eyes might see.
 The curtains were withdrawn, to show whate'er might be.
 The Chinese paintings all, their whole designs in full,
 Reflected truly were on that high-burnished wall.
 Whatever was depicted by the Chinese art
 Was reproduced by mirrors, perfect every part.

Those Romans are our mystics;--know, my worthy friend;
 No art, no learning; study, none;--but gain their end.
 They polish well their bosoms, burnish bright their hearts,
 [60] Remove all stain of lust, of self, pride, hate's deep smarts.
 That mirror's purity prefigures their hearts' trust;
 With endless images reflections it incrust.

The formless Form the thousand thousand hidden forms
 Flashed in his breast on Moses' heart, like mirrored storms.
 That Form, 'tis true, the heaven of heavens cannot contain;
 Nor all the space between the zenith and the main.
 These numbered are, and limited within their bounds;
 The mirror of the heart is boundless in its rounds.

Here, reason stands aghast, O erring child of sense;
 [65] The heart's with God,--the heart is God, boundless, immense
 From all eternity, the figures of all things,
 Unnumbered, multitudinous, gleam in heart's wings.
 To all eternity each new-created form
 In heart of saint reflected is, most multiform.
 His polished heart is cleansed from being's soiling stain;
 And at each moment contemplates fresh beauty's train.

The outward gilt, the shell, of science they despise;
 The banner of real certitude floats where they rise.
 They've thought abandoned; light and life they've truly found;
 Their breasts and hearts are filled with love's inspiring sound. 70

Death, that dread thing of which all mankind stand in fear,
 Is laughed and mocked at by the saints, when it draws near.
 No man has power to dominate their tranquil minds.
 The shell may injured be; the pearl harm never finds.
 The rhetor's art, the jurist's skill, they set at naught;
 But poverty, abasement, to themselves they've taught.
 The scenes of all eight paradises [*1] are consumed
 In that full blaze with which their holy heart's illumed.
 They're more exalted than the heavens and what's beyond;
 Their place is in the court of love divine, all-fond. [75]

XV.

THE Prophet asked one morn of Zeyd, in tender tone, [*1]
 "How art thou, dear disciple, faithful to the bone?"
 "I'm pious;--a believer," Zeyd replied; and he
 Inquired again: "What proof of faith resides in thee?"
 He said: "Whole days I've burnt with parching fever's thirst;
 By night I've watched; with love's sweet pangs my heart's nigh burst.
 Thus have I traversed days' and nights' enduring space,
 As point of spear through shield makes way in war's embrace.
 For, in love's view, the church of faith one body is;
 [5] Ten million years, one instant, are alike, when His.
 The past eternity and future join in one;
 Though reason cannot compass how the marvel's done."

The Prophet then: "Bring forth some souvenir from thence,
 Shall satisfy all men of judgment and of sense."
 Said Zeyd: "As men behold the sky above their heads,
 So I survey the heavens, and all their flowery meads.
 Eight paradises, [*2] seven deep hells, [*3] are in my view,
 As patent as the idol to its silly crew.

Apart, and one by one, I can discern all men,
 As wheat and barley well are known to miller's ken. [10]
 I see who's heavenward bound, who takes the other road;
 As men distinguish fish from snake in walks abroad."

'Tis thus that saints, within the bounds of present life,
 See who'll be blessed, who cursed, when tried in judgment's strife;
 Before each soul contracts the sins will cause its shame;
 While yet in mother's womb,--while yet without a name.
 The wretch is he conceived for wretchedness' sad thirst.
 Each soul is marked for future bliss or woe, at first. [*1]
 The body, as a mother, bears within a soul.
 Death's but the throes that launch the spirit to its goal. [15]
 Departed souls are all agog at each fresh birth,
 To see what class the new-born enters in its mirth.
 The blacks presume 'twill prove to be of their dark gang;
 The pale-faced Romans hope they'll profit by the pang.
 But when the little stranger shows itself at last,
 No room remains for doubt; the question's judged and cast.
 The new-born black is borne in triumph by its kind;
 The rosy-cheeked fair bantling's claimed by Roman mind.
 Until its birth the child's a riddle to all men.
 Who knows an unborn infant 's rare sage in this glen. [20]
 Unless, mayhap, he see with light divine's blest aid;
 For this can penetrate through densest shell e'er made.
 The life-conveying fluid's colourless and clear;
 But living men their various shades of colour bear.
 The soul sustains complexions in our mortal frames,
 Until our halves material find rest from their games.
 But turn we now away to other subjects, high;
 For fear events should leave us to regret and sigh.

"When settling-day 'brings forth the colour of each face,' [*1]
 [25] Mankind are separated sharply, race from race.
 Within the womb nor Turk, nor Hindu, yet is seen; [*2]
 So soon as born, all, high and low, know what to ween.
 As in the day of judgment all men all will know,
 So now to me each man and woman forms a show.
 Say: Shall I all declare; or shall I hold my peace?"
 To this the Prophet in reply made motion: "Cease."
 "Ha! Prophet of the Lord! I'll tell that secret, all!
 To men I will declare the deeds of that dread hall!
 Permit me to tear off the veil that hides it now;
 [30] My heart shall light the world as sun in midday glow.
 I will eclipse that lamp, by giving out more light.
 I will set plainly forth the thorn and fig-tree right.
 Th' events of judgment day I'll lay before all men.
 I'll separate the gold from spurious coin, as then.
 They of the left hand shall be maimed to public view, [*3]
 And all shall then the fruits of misbelief eschew.
 I will expose the seven pits of wrath divine, [*4]
 By aid of light from truth's great luminary's shine.
 I'll rend away the rags that veil the wicked's shame.
 [35] I'll sound the trump, that all may hear the Prophet's name.
 Hell, heaven, the gulf between, I'll set before men's eyes,
 That misbelievers may be warned of error's dyes.
 The fountain of 'Kawthar' shall throw its highest jet; [*5]
 Its rush shall greet their ears, its spray their faces wet.
 They who will flock around it, burning with fierce thirst,
 I'll make apparent unto all, from last to first.
 Their shoulders jostle 'gainst my shoulders in the crowd;
 Their shrieks are sounding in my ears, as thunder loud.

While heaven's citizens, rejoicing with delight,
 Hug one another lovingly, to glad my sight. [40]
 They visit one another's thrones, high rapture's seats;
 They kiss each other fondly; each all others greets.
 My ears grow deaf through listening to those cries of grief,
 And sorrow's anguish from the lips where sin sat chief.
 These are slight indications; much more could I say;
 1 pause; the Prophet's wearied; cease from speech I may."

Thus spake the Prophet's servant, in delirious guise.
 The Prophet shook his collar,--sign of deep surprise.
 Then spake: "Rein in thy steed! He risks to run away
 Reflected Truth declares: 'God blushes not.' [*1] Heyday! [45]
 The mirror's fallen out from its protecting case!
 A mirror and a balance never truth debase!
 A mirror and a balance never facts conceal,
 Although some one be hurt by what they do reveal!
 The mirror and the balance tests are of my rule;
 Though for a thousand years thou serve it's strict formule.
 Hide not the truth from thought of deep respect for me.
 Show forth the whole, in full. Deficiency mayn't be.
 What is't that tells thee: 'Play not, joke not with the truth?'  [*2]
 The mirror, balance, God,--who smites falsehood with truth! [50]
 Sure, God hath raised me up for that one sole intent,
 That through me truth be preached unto its full extent.
 Were this not so, what value's in me, valued friend?
 Did I become instructor, only good to mend?
 But shut thy mirror tight within its felten sack,
 If Sion's miracle's repeated in thy track."

Said Zeyd: "Can man e'er grasp beneath his feeble arm
 The sun of truth, eternal luminary, warm?

'Twould burst his grasp asunder; all his wiles were vain,
 [55] Though madness he should add to reason in his brain!"

Replied the Prophet: "On thy eye thy finger place;
 The world is straight deprived of all the sun's bright face!
 A finger-tip suffices to blot out the moon;
 A symbol, this, of God's great sin-effacing boon.
 A point can cover up a whole world with its shade;
 The sun can be eclipsed by what's a mere monade.
 Shut close thy lips. Consider now the mighty sea.
 By God's command the ocean man's meek slave must be. [*1]
 Ev'n as the fountains Selsabil and Zenjabil [*2]
 [60] Are given for use of angels, Michael, Israfil [*3]
 The rivers four of paradise are at our beck;
 Not by our merit, but by God's constraining check.
 Where'er we will, they flow, obedient to our call;
 Like magical effect, magician's docile thrall.
 So also are our eyes, those founts of sentient beams,
 Subservient to our will, whichever way it streams.
 As we direct, they look; see what's like adder's sting;
 Or notice facts that to our minds their warnings bring.
 If so we will, they scrutinise objectiveness;
 [65] As we desire, they lend themselves to study dress.
 By our direction, universals are their bound;
 If so we wish, they prisoners are in partials' ground.
 Each of the senses five acts thus but as a spout,
 To bring unto the mind that which it cares about.
 Whichever way the heart directs them forth to stroll,
 They turn, and glean a harvest for its pleasure sole.
 The hands and feet are servants to the heart's request,
 As Moses' rod obedient was to his behest.
 At heart's desire, the feet begin the nimble dance,
 [70] Or seek advantage, or avoid some sore mischance.

The heart commands, the hands to calculations fall;
 Should it prefer, they write a book or treatise small.
 A hand there is, 'twould seem, within these hands of ours;
 A hidden hand, that moves the body's wondrous powers.
 If that incites, this wages battle with the foe;
 Should that induce, this aids a friend to stand tiptoe.
 It pushes; straightway spoon's plunged into soup;
 It wills; a ponderous club forthwith attacks some group.
 What is it that the heart says to them all by turns?
 Most wonderful accord! Most marvellous alterns! [75]
 The ancient seal of Solomon the heart has found!
 With that alone it guides the senses o'er their ground.
 Externally, five senses serve its high command;
 Internally, five faculties obey its hand.
 Ten senses, thus, seven organs, wait upon its wants;
 Besides a host of minor servants, confidants.
 As Solomon thou sittest, O heart! Thou reignest supreme!
 On fairy and on demon, set thy seal, thy scheme.
 In this thy realm be upright; practise thou no fraud;
 No demon, then, shall rob thee of thy seal, thy gaud. [*1] [80]
 The world shall learn thy name, shall practise all thy rites;
 Time and eternity remain thy perquisites.
 But should a demon carry off thy seal, perchance,
 Thy reign is o'er; thy fortune loses all advance.
 Thenceforward vain regret shall canker in thy breast,
 Until the day thou'rt called to thy account at last.
 Unless thy heart renounce all selfish use of wit,
 By mirror and by balance canst thou be held quit?"

Luqman the sage, in presence of his noble lord, [*2]
 Among the slaves and servants was a mere byword. [85]

The lord one day commanded; straight some slaves were sent
 To gather fruit from orchard for his throat's content.
 With them did Luqman go, as parasite to feast,
 Brimful of wisdom, black as night, a negro beast.
 Their labour o'er, the slaves lay down to rest awhile;
 The fruit they tasted, tasted still, consumed the pile.
 Returning home, on Luqman the whole blame they laid;
 His lord was angered mightily at what they said.
 Luqman inquired the cause of this estrangement keen.
 [90] The lord gave vent in loud abuse to his roused spleen.
 Said Luqman: "Lord, I swear by God's most holy name,
 Dishonest servant ne'er can hope for aught but blame.
 Make proof of us. 'Tis easy. Lord thou art of all.
 Command. We'll drink our fill of water hot as gall.
 Then make us run about within the meadow's bound.
 On horseback thou, on foot we, 'll all trudge quickly round.
 Thou soon shalt witness sights to show 'the milk who spilt.'
 Hearts' secrets' Great Revealer will disclose the guilt."

Their lord so ordered. Scalding water soon was sought.
 [95] Each had to drink his fill, as hot as could be brought.
 Then all were made to run as fast as they could tear,
 All up and down the meadow, as their legs could bear.
 Now lo! What happens? Sickness on them, each, soon falls;
 To vomit they're constrained, with starting of eyeballs.
 The stolen fruit contained within their stomach's sack,
 The water's stimulus compelled them to give back.

When Luqman's turn was come to cast up his accounts,
 Clear water was the only issue from his founts.
 Luqman's philosophy this trial could evolve;
 God's wisdom far abstruser riddles will resolve. [100]
 "The day when our hearts' secrets shall be all revealed,"
 Man's secret foe in ambush shall not lie concealed.
 Hell's victims, then, shall taste of scalding water's pang;
 And all veils be torn off from sins they overhang.
 Hell-fire's decreed to be the lot of misbelief;
 Since fire the ordeal is by which stones come to grief.

How often have we spoken to those hearts of stone,
 In softest accents of advice! They would hear none!
 To foulest ulcer, sharpest remedy's applied.
 The teeth of dogs alone are fit for ass's hide. [105]
 "Filth to the filthy" is philosophy right sound.
 "Birds of a feather flock together" goes its round.
 What mates soever for thyself thou choose at last,
 Their habits and their qualities acquire thou fast.
 Wouldst glory have? To glory must thou raise pretence.
 Wouldst it reject? Think well; and take thy road from thence.
 Wouldst find a way out of this dismal dungeon vile?
 Submit to God; bow down in worship with a smile.
 Again we'll turn. Again we'll hear what Zeyd may say;
 What road he'll follow, on his steed, in reason's way. [110]
 When reason sets itself t' expose the faults of men,
 It pulls aside the veils that hide them from our ken.
 God sometimes wills that actions should concealed remain,
 Drives reason's drum away, forbids its noisy strain.

Loose not thy tongue alone; it bridle; hidden's best.
 Let each be happy in his own opinion's zest.
 God wills that they who might despair to win His grace,
 Shall persevere, not slacken, in their worship's pace

That they may seek a hopeful one, and him ensue;--
 [115] In his society may follow worship's clue.
 God wishes that His peace should light upon us all;
 That His salvation should embrace good, bad, great, small.
 That princes and that captives all should turn their face,
 In hope and fear, up heavenward, looking for His grace.

That hope and fear are nourished by a curtain's shade.
 'Tis through uncertainty that hope and fear invade.
 But tear away that veil; where then are hope and fear?
 'Tis veiledness lends interest to landscapes drear.
 Upon a river's bank a youth, who chanced to spy
 [120] A fisherman at work, guessed: "Solomon, surely! [*1]
 If he it be, why here, in secret and alone?
 If not, whence come those features, fit to grace a throne?"
 So he remained in doubt, 'twixt two opinions tossed,
 Till Solomon recovered all the power he'd lost.

The foul usurping demon fled the royal state;
 The king's avenging sword pursued and sealed his fate.
 The signet-ring of power once more on royal hand,
 The demons and the fairies flocked to his command.
 Mankind came crowding to his court, by levee swelled;
 [125] Among them came the youth who'd that opinion held.
 He saw the signet-ring. This sufficed. Doubt was past.
 No room was left for surmise. All was clear at last.

Opinion may be formed of what's behind a veil.
 Conjecture lends its aid where knowledge 'gins to fail.
 Conjecture's potent when the subject's hid from view.
 Let it be visible; no surmise can we brew.
 Although the sky of light is not without its rain,
 The earth of darkness, too, produces plants and grain.

I love that text: "They who believe what is not seen." [*1]
 Thence have I closed my eyes, the body's windows keen. [130]
 But should I cleave the firmament with my swift glance,
 Could I exclaim: "Perceivest thou a flaw, perchance?" [*2]
 To scrutinise what's hid behind the darkness' screen,
 Each man his method chooses; guesses what's between.
 A certain space of time confusion reigns supreme.
 The robbers hang the magistrates by their own scheme,
 Until at length a Chief, blessed with a genius rare,
 Springs up to serve his servants; all their troubles share. [*3]

To render secret service is a thing beloved.
 To hide a service rendered adds to what's approved. [135]
 What's he, commends his king with lies before his face,
 And in his absence needs lament his lack of grace?

The warden of a castle on the marches laid,
 Far from his sovereign, distant from much-needed aid,
 Defends his post with valour from beleaguering foe,
 Disdains to be bought over, scorns the tempter's moe.
 His station's on a frontier, no eye sees him act;
 To duty true, he honestly fulfils his pact.
 Then in his monarch's presence honours due he gains,
 Above the brave men fighting in the royal trains. [140]
 More merit's in a little secret service given,
 Than in much more performed when by an eye it's driven.

Man's faith and piety on earth are prized of God.
 But after death professed, less value have than clod.
 The absent and the hidden being thus the best,
 The silent mouth and sealed lip surpass the rest.
 Then boast not, brother; whatsoever thou hast done,
 God knows thy merits; will requite them every one.

The sun requires no other witness but his face.
 [145] Man has a greater. God's his witness. Vast the grace!
 If I proclaim it not, how many are prepared
 To witness to each fact! God, angels, men, full wared.
 "God will bear witness, angels, and all they who've known," [*1]
 That: "Lord there is no other, save th' Eternal One." [*2]
 When God himself our witness is, who'll angels need,
 That they should share, participate, in His sole deed?
 Unless it be that, as the fervent, blazing sun,
 Pours forth such beams no mortal eye can look upon.
 Just like the bat, man cannot bear full light of day;
 [150] So, in despair, he seeks the darkness, shuns noon's ray.

Thus, like us, know, the angels are a loving crew,
 Who bask in beams of heaven's Sun, beyond our view.
 They say: "Our light we have received from a sun;
 As substitutes we shine upon the weak, outrun."
 As new-born moon, or five days old, or at the full,
 Each angel has his rank, degree, place, wonderful.
 His glorious wings in pairs, two, three, and even, four; [*3]
 So that his beams are doubled, trebled, fourfold, more.
 Just like the grades that mark the various human minds,
 [155] Do differences vast exist in angels' kinds.
 Thus every man's companion-angel's like himself,
 Or good, or bad, or high, or low, as china, delf.
 When weak-eyed mortals cannot look upon the sun,
 They have to seek for taper's aid, ere they may run.
 The Prophet hath declared: "Stars, my disciples are;
 They're lights to them who seek; though devils they may scare."
 If every man had strength, and faculty of sight,
 To look straight at the sun, trust him alone for light,

What need were for the stars, or lamps, of feeble ray,
 To help them on their path, in quest of source of day? [160]

The moon declares to man, as do the clouds, the shade,
 "I, too, 'd been human, but for revelation made. [*1]
 Like you, I had been darksome, as within, without.
 But revelation gave me sunlight, shade to rout.
 Compared with the sun, I'm darksome as a cloud;
 Compared with men's dark bosoms, I may well be proud.
 I shed a feeble light, that men may bear my beams,
 He cannot look upon the sun's too ardent streams.
 I've mixed with honey vinegar; made oxymel;
 A remedy to bring to man's diseases fell." [165]

Art rid of thy disease, my friend? Then set aside
 The vinegar. Rejoice thy soul with honey's tide.
 When freed from lusts, the heart of man in full health shines.
 God said: "The Merciful on heaven's high throne reclines." [*2]
 God rules the heart direct, free from all means to aid,
 So soon as it is purged from dross that low it laid.
 We'll now go back to Zeyd, and proffer him advice;
 We'll warn him not to risk dishonour, paltering's price.

Thou shalt not Zeyd now find; he's surely run away,
 He's clean absconded by the door; had naught to say. [170]
 Had'st thou been Zeyd, like him thou'dst lost been in a maze;
 As stars die out when sunlight sets the skies ablaze.
 E'en as no track points out where was galaxy's place;
 Thou'lt find no signs of Zeyd, no footstep, sign, or trace.

Our senses falter, all our reasoning is lost,
 In splendour of the wisdom of th' All-Ruling Ghost.

Men's senses, and their reasons, must be shut within,
 "In waves when all before us to appear begin." [*1]
 When night returns, the sky again a court appears,
 [175] The hidden stars shine forth, and mark the rolling years.
 The senseless dead unto, will God their wits restore;
 In circles, like attendants, Him they'll stand before.
 They'll foot the dance, they'll spread their hands, they'll shout His praise;
 They'll sing their song: "Thou, Lord, us from the dead didst raise."
 Their mortal skins and bones they'll shake off in the earth;
 On angel-wings they'll ride, and whirlwind-dust call forth.
 Their course they'll take from nullity to entity,
 In judgment day, ungrateful, grateful laity.

Why turn away thy head, pretend not to have seen?
 [180] Hast thou not, first, in nullity, a truant been?
 In nullity, so firm thou settedst down thy foot,
 And ask'dst: "Who shall remove me when I've taken root?"
 Dost thou not see the wondrous works of God's high will?
 How He it is who "leads thee by thy forelock" still? [*2]
 He draws thee into states, conditions, turns of weal,
 That never entered in thy mind to seek with zeal.

Nonentity obedient is to His command.
 Of demon, and of Solomon, He rules the hand.
 A demon can contrive "the trays of fishpond size." [*3]
 [185] He dares not make refusal these to organise.
 Contemplate now thyself in agony of fear;
 And know, nonentity, too, quakes His wrath to hear.
 Thou stretchest forth thy hand to seize preferment's place;
 From fear of thee, some soul itself must quick efface.
 All else but love of God, the Truest and the Best,
 Though sweet to thought, is but a snare to break thy rest.

What's all thy effort worth? Thou hast to die at last;
 Put out thy hand and grasp the cup of life right fast.

Men fix their eyes on what is dust and ashes, death;
 Refuse belief in what is life and healthful breath. [190]
 Exert thyself. Reduce thy doubts from ten to nine.
 Employ the night. Thou sleepest. Night's not so supine.
 Employ the night to seek the everlasting day,
 Increase in knowledge. Wisdom 'tis shall light thy way.
 Though night be dark, and darkness be of woe the doom,
 Much good is in it. Fount of Life's in land of gloom. [*1]

How can a mortal hope to raise his head from sleep,
 When seeds of slothfulness are all he cares to reap?
 The dead man's sleep's the body-snatcher's open door.
 Householders slumber, robbers rifle every floor. [195]
 Thou knowest not who are thy foes around thee placed.
 The imps of hell are enemies to man high graced.

The fire's the foe of water and of water's brood;
 As water's foe to fire, and drowns it in a flood.
 To water, and its cousins all, the fire swears death;
 To fire shall water never quarter give, or breath.
 'Tis water puts the fire out; and the reason's plain;
 The fire has mission to destroy the water's strain.

And then, the fire's the heat of passion's baneful lusts.
 And lust, the root of frailty, sin, misdeeds, mistrusts. [200]
 Material, outer fire, 's by water soon put out;
 The fire of lust may carry man to hell, no doubt.
 No water can avail to quench the flames of lust;
 For lust is hell-born. Torments end not; last they must.

Religion's light, alone, can quench lust's fiercest flame,--
 The light that can put out the Syntheist's wicked game. [*1]
 What can extinguish fire of sin, save light of God?
 My master, see that Abr'am's light be ne'er downtrod;
 That from the fire of lust, by inner Nimrod fanned, [*2]
 [205] Thy body may escape; not be, as firewood, banned.
 The lust of man's desires cannot be driven forth;
 But may resisted be, reduced to what it's worth.
 So long as thou shalt fuel pile upon that flame,
 Canst thou expect the fire will die away and tame?
 So soon as fuel is withheld, a fire goes out;
 Through piety is lust brought down, and put to rout.
 Shall that sweet face e'er blacken through sin's dismal smoke,
 That's brightened by such sheen as virtue must invoke?

A conflagration raged in days of great 'Umer,
 [210] Stones were devoured therein, as firewood in the air. [*3]
 The buildings it consumed, and left whole households waste;
 The nests and nestlings were destroyed;--last trump's foretaste.
 One half Medina fell a prey to ruthless flame,
 Whereat th' aqueous element might well feel shame.
 Whole cisterns were exhausted in the combat wild;
 And vinegar was added. Hope was thus beguiled.
 The fire grew fiercer under stimulus of strife;
 Extension gave it wings, success infused new life.

The people now came flocking to the Caliph's gate,
 [215] In marvel, that, through water, fire would not abate.

He told them that the fire burnt by divine command;
 That all those flames arose from their too frugal hand:
 "What use are water, vinegar? Distribute bread;
 Eschew cold avarice, if by me you'll be led."
 They answered: "Wide our doors stand open every day,
 We've ever lavish been; almsgiving is our play."

'Umer replied: "In form and custom, bread you've given.
 But not from love of God. You're hands to dole were driven.
 'T was pride and ostentation led to your display;
 Not charity, not pity, sense of duty, say. [220]
 Your riches are your seed. Cast not such seed to waste.
 Place not a sword in robber's hand with senseless haste.
 Distinction make 'twilit friend and foe to truth divine;
 Seek out God's saints, and leave them not to starve, to pine.
 You've spent your stuff upon your cherished kindred sole,
 And fancied stupidly you'd followed God's law whole." [223]



XVI.

FROM 'Ali may we learn sincerity of meeds.
 "God's Lion" we may hold free from all gross misdeeds.
 In fight he'd conquered one who'd earned a hero's crown.
 His sword he'd swiftly raised, his victim to hew down.
 That champion spat in 'Ali's face, to mark disdain;
 The face of one, the Prophet's pride, all saints' chieftain.
 He spat upon a face to which the moon bowed low,
 And offered adoration in the temple's show.

That instant 'Ali dropped his sword, high poised in air,
 [5] And left the spitter harmless;--action debonnair.
 This raised the foe's astonishment; called forth his awe.
 That pardon, that forgiveness, grew not from war's law.

He said to 'Ali: "Thou thy sword hadst raised to slay.
 Why hast thou dropt it now,--prolonged my forfeit day?
 What hast thou seen, surpassing prowess of my arm,
 That thus thou hast repented,--left me free from harm?
 What may it be has calmed the fury of thy breast,
 Which as the lightning gleamed, and, straightway sank to rest?
 What didst thou see, that, by reflection on me cast,
 [10] A spark has leapt to life in my despairing breast?
 What was thy vision, far above the world of fact,
 Than life far sweeter, whence my life receives new pact?

For bravery, 'God's Lion' art thou justly named.
 For kindness, I now know, thou art too little famed.
 For generosity, thou'rt Moses' cloud divine,
 From which poured forth the quails and manna, as from mine!"

The clouds rain wheat. Man, then, by labour and by skill,
 Reduces this to food, when finely ground in mill.
 But Moses' cloud, more generous far, with open hand,
 Sent down in plenty food prepared, by God's command. [15]
 For them who ate at Providence's table, free,
 God's mercy was displayed;--a banner all could see.
 For forty years that daily bread--abounding grace--
 Failed not. Fond expectation's utmost stretch took place.
 But satisfaction followed not. The thankless crew
 Demanded "leeks and onions;" as of old they knew. [*1]

Ye who are Ahmed's people, graced beyond compare,
 Are promised spiritual blessings till last judgment's blare.
 Whoever says, at heart: "My trust is in the Lord," [*2]
 God's promise: "Him I'll feed," will find a faithful word. [*3] [20]
 Without a twist accept this promise, as is meet;
 You'll find it in your mouth as milk and honey sweet.
 To twist a term, and so deny gift's incidence,
 Is to invent a cloak to change the word's true sense.
 To think th' expression's wrong sad weakness shows of mind;
 Wisdom divine's a kernel; human reason, rind.
 Twist then thyself; change not the sense of words divine;
 Conceive thy nose at fault; chide not the sweet woodbine.

O 'Ali! Thou who mind and eye entirely art!
 Relate a little of the knowledge in thy heart. [25]
 Thy calmness is a sword that cleaves our minds in twain;
 The fountain of thy wisdom makes us whole again.

Speak out! I know these mysteries are Jehovah's own;
 To kill without a sword's a power of God well known.
 He is Creator, without limbs and without tools;
 The Giver of all blessings, copious as sea's pools.
 How many kinds of wine are savoured by our souls,
 While eye and ear perceive not whence the wave that rolls!

Pray tell us, 'Ali,--falcon, soaring in heaven's heights,--
 [30] What didst thou see that instant, to forego thy rights?
 Thy eyes have learnt to catch seraphic visions' gleam;
 Around thee, all unconscious are, as in a dream.
 Thou seest the moon, all brightly shining in the sky;
 We see but darkness, clouds above us seem to fly.
 Thou seest three moons together, shining bright, out-spread;
 While three of us are scarcely sure one's overhead.
 All three have eyes and ears fixed on thee, in suspense,
 In keenest expectation. I'm stone of offence.

"Is this a spell to witch the eyes? Is it the truth?
 [35] To me thou art a wolf; I'm Joseph to thee, sooth.
 Though worlds there may be, eighteen thousand globes, and more;
 Not every eye has power to witness all their store.
 Disclose thy secret, 'Ali,--God's own 'Chosen One!' [*1]
 How many 'judges' errors' work God's will alone!
 Pray tell me what, just now, has been revealed to thee;
 Or I'll disclose the vision I've been made to see.
 If thou the secret keep, I will declare its sense,
 Moon-like, on me thy knowledge shines, with light intense.
 But if the moon's bright disk break forth from 'neath the cloud,
 [40] Poor midnight travellers safely, then, pursue their road.

They then are safe from error, risk no wandering vain;
 Protection of the moonlight shields from terror's chain.
 The mutely-teaching promptings of the silvery moon,
 If couched in words, would homewards guide us doubly soon."

Thou art "the Gate;" the Prophet, "Science' City" is, [*1]
 Thou art the ray that beams from lustrous sun of his.
 Then open, Gate I Unfold thyself to those who seek!
 Let rind of science overgrow their minds, all meek.
 Stand open, Gate! Thou portal of God's mercy sure!
 Thy court's the court of Him "who hath no peer," secure! [*2] [45]
 True, every breath and atom's watching to get in.
 But if kept closed, who'd say there is a gate to win?
 Unless the Keeper open wide the portal's wing,
 No soul would dream an entry were an easy thing.
 E'en when the gate is opened, lo! surprise is felt.
 Hope and desire are scared; each suitor's heart must melt.
 As one who finds a treasure in a ruined maze,
 Seeks evermore for ruins;--treasures are his craze.
 Unless a man receive a pearl from beggar's hand,
 He'll never venture pearls from beggars to demand. [50]
 For years, should mere opinion wander up and down,
 It never will outpass the rents of its torn gown.
 Until a fragrance strike thy nostrils from above,
 Thou'lt follow thy own nose, but never meet thy love.

Thus spake that new-converted warrior in surprise;
 Expressing wonder, such as words may symbolise.
 Then. added: "O! Command, of Faithful Church thou Prince. [*3]
 That as a babe a spirit new I may evince."

The planets seven o'er every unborn babe keep watch,
 [55] Each for a stated period, ere its birth's despatch.
 When life's infused into the nascent atom's form,
 The sun takes charge, as watcher o'er the feeble worm.
 The babe its life derives from Sol's all-quickening rays.
 That radiant orb's the fount of life's all-wondrous ways.
 The other planets help to modify its limbs;
 Each, when the sun has life infused, then onward climbs.
 What is the channel of connection with the sun,
 Discovered in the womb by foetus ere't can run?
 Deep-hidden from our senses, many an occult road
 [60] Leads to the sun in heaven, and needs nor whip, nor goad.
 One road, by which gold draws its nutriment from thence;
 Another, whence the ruby's colour grows intense.
 A road, by which the garnet gathers igneous glow;
 A path, pursued by lightning to the horseshoe low.
 A channel, through which fruits their ripeness draw, select;
 A track, for wit to flow, and senseless form inject.

"Declare, thou falcon, with thy glistening plumage, bright,
 Our chief's companion, on his gauntlet sitting, light;--
 Make known, thou phoenix-hunting bird of prey,--
 [65] Thou conqueror of foes,--sole,--clear of troops' array.
 A nation in its millions, one sole man art thou.
 Speak! Speak! I cast myself upon thy mercy now!
 Instead of anger, what has moved thee to relent,--
 To proffer to a foe forgiveness transcendent?"

To him made 'Ali answer: "For the truth I fight.
 God's servant am I. Slave I'm not to fleshly might.
 'God's lion' I've been named; not 'Ravening Wolf of Lust;'
 My actions are the proof my faith is in the Just.
 God is the Archer. I'm His bow;--and arrow, too.
 [70] He is the Smiter. I'm the weapon;--sword, bamboo.

'Thou castedst not, when stones thou castedst in the fight.' [*1]
 God is the Warrior mighty. I'm dust in His sight.
 Thought of myself I've banished, wholly, from my path.
 Save God, all else as naught I hold;--a mower's swath.
 I'm but a shadow; shadow cast by Sun of Truth.
 Door-keeper am I;--veil, I'm not, to hide His sooth.
 I'm a sword. My trenchancy's union with God.
 In battle, life I give. I slay not whom's downtrod.
 Blood does not soil the blade I wield in righteous cause;
 Nor gusts of passion raise a craving for applause. [75]
 A straw I'm not. A mountain am I;--firm, staid, fast.
 No whirlwind can remove me with its tearing blast.
 'Tis sticks and straws, alone, are driven by the storm.
 Their nature is to move;--to every breath conform.
 The gust of anger, breath of lust, and blast of greed,--
 Each agitates the man not anchored in Truth's creed.
 Firm mountain am I. God it is that firmness gives.
 Were I a straw, His whirlwind is the force that drives.
 A breath from God alone has power to move my soul.
 My love for God's the motive o'er me has control. [80]
 Their anger rules e'en kings. My anger is my slave.
 My wrath I've bridled;--bitted;--leave, it aye must crave.
 My anger's stifled by reflection's strong embrace.
 God's wrath to me's a message of His pardoning grace.
 My roof's a ruin, true; but light pours through the rent.
 I'm dust. But from my soil flowers blow, and yield sweet scent.

"Just cause if I perceive, with foes when waging war,
 I make no scruple, but my sword from blood debar.
 For God's sake do I love. Such is my fame with men.
 My hate's in Truth's sole cause. I'm raging lion then. [85]
 My generosity springs all from love of God.
 For God's sake, too, I'm parsimonious as clod.

I'm avarice, munificence, to one sole end.
 I'm God's in all things. To myself I ne'er attend.
 That which I do, for God's sake flows; not from schedule.
 'Tis not a guess, an inference;--'tis sight's safe rule.
 I've no occasion to investigate, to seek.
 God's prompting's what I follow, docile, meek.

"Is soaring my vocation? Heaven's my pinions' goal.
 [90] Do I revolve? My centre's fixed in highest shoal.
 If load I carry, I well know where this is due.
 I'm but a moon; a Sun before me gives the cue.
 I've no desire for converse with material things.
 An ocean flows not from a meadow brook's scant springs.
 I frame discourse to suit the feeble minds of men.
 This system has no fault; it met our Prophet's ken.

"I'm free from prejudice; accept a free man's oath.
 Against one free man, crowds of slaves possess no truth.
 By law, in canon of Islam, the word of slaves
 [95] No value has, as evidence;--the chain depraves.
 Ten thousand slaves may witness bear in court of law;
 Their testimony weighs not in the scales one straw.
 The slave to passion bondsman is, in sight of God.
 He's lower than the captive 'neath taskmaster's rod.
 A slave may be enfranchised by his owner's word;
 Lust's victim, though freeborn, dies bound with strongest cord.
 The slave to passion cannot loose his heavy chain.
 God's mercy, special grace, can set him free again.
 He's fallen into a pit, unfathomed, bottomless.
 [100] His own sin this. Compulsion 'tis not, fate, nor cess.
 Into a pit he's cast himself, for which my mind
 Cannot imagine sounding-line, its depth to find.

"It's useless to continue further in this strain.
 Not hearts alone, but rocks, may weep at folly's train.

If men's hearts break not, 'tis that they are harder still,
 Through carelessness, preoccupation, sloth, ill-will.
 They'll break and bleed one day, when tears will not avail.
 Be contrite, then, before repentance' sighs must fail.
 Since slavish testimony's not accepted there,
 His word alone is valid who from lust is clear. [105]
 The Lord's Commissioned One's a valid witness. See!
 Because, from all eternity, from slavery's stain he's free.
 I, too, am free. Wrath cannot bind my soul with chains.
 God's attributes, alone, have power to rule my brains.

"Come in, thou. Grace of God hath set thy spirit free.
 A flint thou wert. Rich pearl henceforward shalt thou be.
 Thou'rt plucked from blasphemy's vast thorny desert sands.
 A flowering shrub henceforth in faith's rich garden lands.
 Thou art become myself; I, thee; beloved friend!
 Thou'rt 'Ali. Can I 'Ali slay? May heaven forfend! [110]
 Thy past transgression rank's as highest virtue's deed.
 In twinkling of an eye heaven's bounds thou. mayest out-speed.

"How blest is the transgression pardoned of the Lord!
 The rose, from thorny stem, He calls forth at a word!
 Remember 'Umer's guilt,--his murderous design [*1]
 Against the Prophet! This brought him to faith benign.
 Was't not to practise magic Pharaoh called his priests?
 The grace of God converted them to saints from beasts.
 Had they not been magicians, he not obstinate,
 They'd ne'er been made assemble, truth excogitate. [115]
 How would they e'er have seen the staff, the miracles?
 Your sin proved your conversion, reprehensibles!

"The Lord can far remove our state of deep despair,
 Our sin can change to righteousness; foulness to fair.
 God can our worst offences purge away, make clean;
 Imputing virtue to us, spite of vice's mien.
 For this is Satan chased away with igneous bolts; [*1]
 His proud inflation bursts in twain, from envy's jolts.
 He strives to multiply the direful load of sin,
 [120] That, under its dead weight, he man in hell may pin.
 And when he finds unrighteousness as service told,
 His torment is redoubled, heartache twenty-fold.

"Come in! A door I've opened for thy entrance, wide.
 Thou spattest on me. I reply with favour's tide.
 On him who injured me I benefits bestow; [*2]
 My head I lay before the feet of friends, below;
 Thou mayest conceive what gifts I hold in store for them,
 My faithful servants;--treasures, thrones, and diadem.
 I'm such a man that whoso strives to shed my blood
 [125] Forgiven is, and overwhelmed with favour's flood.
 The Prophet quiet notice whispered to my slave,
 The day would come when he to take my life would crave.
 Me, also, he informed, through revelation's voice,
 That I should die, smote by a hand of my own choice.
 That servant begged and prayed for instant death's release,
 So he'd be spared from sin so heinous,--love's decease.
 But I replied: 'Since 'tis decreed that by thy hand
 My life be ta'en, why should I seek a countermand?'
 Before me prone he fell, this prayer he warmly made:
 [130] 'Hew me in twain! For love of God, let me persuade!
 Pray save me from so vile, so villainous, a fate.
 Remorse for ever as its prey will hold my hate.'

"Again I firmly answered him,--decidedly:
 'No counsel will avail. Pen's mark must needs apply.

I bear no grudge against thee in my inmost soul;
 I hold thee not responsible for deed so foul.
 Thou'rt but the instrument, 'tis God that strikes the blow!
 How can I chide His instrument,--His arrow's bow?'

"He asked: 'Why, then, this sentence sternly passed on me?'
 My answer was: 'God knows the germ of His decree! [135]
 Should He find fault with what results from His resolve,
 From reprehension's self He can a heaven evolve.
 He hath a right to take exception to His deed.
 He's Lord of grace. But Lord of wrath, also. Take heed
 He's Prince of all within this sphere of new events.
 He's Arbiter of all;--of kingdoms, as of tents.
 If He see fit to break the weapon of His will,
 The broken tool still hastens His word to fulfil.

"The mystery of His word: 'We abrogate, annul,' [*1]
 Remember, straight is followed by: 'We better cull." [*2] [140]
 Whatever law the Lord hath abrogated yet,
 Is but a weed plucked up;--a rose blooms where 'twas set.
 The night He promulgates; day's work refrains from act.
 Consider! Mind becomes like inorganic fact.
 Again, night disappears; the light of day is spread;
 And nature shows its marvels; reason wakes from dead.
 With darkness comes the sleep that locks our reason fast,
 But spirits know not darkness; life's stream still goes past.
 Is't not that mind's refreshed in darkest hours of night?
 Its silence 'tis gives birth to every voice of light." [145]

By contraries are contraries brought forth to view,
 From out of darkness was the light created new.
 The Prophet's wars have brought about the peace that reigns;
 These tranquil latter days the fruits are of his pains.

How many heads lay low beneath that hero's blows,
 That peace might be enjoyed by faith's true yoke-fellows!

'Tis thus the gardener prunes away the surplus twigs,
 That fruitful boughs may prosper, yield their loads of figs.
 Sagacity roots out all weeds from cultured space.
 [150] The orchard, thence, new vigour finds, and blooms apace.
 A wise physician will extract a tooth decayed,
 To give relief front pain to his beloved maid.

How much increase grows out of decrease here below.
 The martyr gains eternal life by death in show.
 Man, fed by bread, cuts down the harvest corn when ripe;
 "Partakes the blessing joyfully," [*1] with drum and pipe.
 When brutes are slaughtered with due sense of wisdom's law,
 Man's life is nurtured;--learning, science, vigour draw.
 If man be slaughtered, see what woes from thence arise.
 [155] Compare the two;--their difference you'll recognise.

The vegetable world lives by God's sun and rain,
 God's care takes charge of it. His care is not in vain.
 The slaughtered beasts have food and drink as well as those.
 They die, because they've throats. Those have no life to lose.

Withhold thy hand in season, man of little sense!
 That so thy food suffice. Thy life's thy recompense.
 Thou art as fruitless as the barren willow-branch,
 Because thy honour's sacrificed mere bread to scranch.
 If thy brute nature will not practise abstinence,
 [160] Administer the remedy. Bring it to sense.

If thou wouldst cleanse thy garments--free them from all soil,--
 Despise not thou the bleacher, nor his useful toil.
 If greed of food have fractured abstinence in thee;
 Lay hold on Him who fractures heals. From self get free.
 No sooner shall the fracture be by Him fast bound,
 New union will take place,--the broken part grow sound.
 If thou hadst made the fracture, it would thee invite
 To make it whole again,--the sundered bones unite.
 Thou canst not? Thence we see, the right is His to break
 Who can unite the fractured limb--make strong whatever's weak. [165]
 Who knows to mend hath privilege a cloth to tear.
 Who knows to sell, to buy hath also learnt, 'tis clear.
 He may disturb a house, and turn it upside down,
 Who can arrange it better than the whole wide town.
 If God destroy one creature in His boundless might,
 By thousands He creates, and brings again to light.

Had He not set a punishment for each offence,
 Or had not said: "Lex talionis is life's fence," [*1]
 Who'd had audacity, of his own will,
 To put to death a man who should another kill? [170]
 He knows each creature by His power endued with sight.
 And He's aware a slayer does but work His might.
 If His command be set on mortal's head to slay,--
 Albeit his own child,--he must the word obey.
 Go! Stand in fear! Blame not, too much, the bad!
 Know, thou art equally a slave with him who's mad!

The eye of Adam fell upon a demon foul,
 Him viewed with proud disdain, with haughty scowl.
 His self-esteem, his egotistic pride him drove,
 With smile sarcastical, the cursed imp to reprove. [175]

God's wrath was roused. He him addressed: "Ho! Adam! Ho!
 Hast thou no insight into mysteries of woe?
 If I tear fiercely off a hide from heels to head,
 A mountain I can also wrench from its firm stead.
 A hundred Adams of their fig-leaves I can strip;
 A thousand demons into true believers whip."

In terms contrite and meek was Adam's answer couched:
 "Forgive, Lord God! I stand reproved! My fault's avouched!
 Henceforth, I vow, I never will repeat such fault.
 [180] Repentance I profess. Do Thou forego assault."

O Answerer of prayer! In mercy guide us right!
 Our knowledge, as our riches, null is in Thy sight!
 Lead not astray a heart enlightened by Thy grace! [*1]
 Turn from us every evil threatening to take place! [*2]
 Reprieve our souls from judgment merited, severe!
 Repel us not from out the fold of saints, sincere!
 More bitter is there naught than severance from Thee.
 Without Thy shelter, naught but anguish can we see.
 Our minds' accomplishments impede our hearts' advance.
 [185] Our flesh the deadly enemy that wrecks our souls' best chance.
 Our hands, like robbers, seize on all our feet may earn.
 Unless Thou prove our refuge, life's not worth concern.
 If we perchance escape with life from danger's snares.
 Our fears and anguish make it prey to carking cares.
 Should not our souls in union be with Thee, O Lord,
 Eternal tears our eyes will blind, and mad discord.
 A way shouldst Thou not open, lost must be our souls.
 Without Thy presence, life is death;--all smiles are scowls.
 Shouldst Thou find fault with service rendered unto Thee,
 Thy chiding's merited, no doubt; as all may see. [190]
 If Thou be discontented with the sun and moon,
 Or if Thou call the cypress "hunchback," "macaroon,"
 Or if Thou say the skies and spheres are all too low,
 Or find the mines, the seas, a paltry puppet-show,
 All this, compared with Thy perfections, is the truth.
 Thine is the kingdom; Thine the power to mend all ruth.
 Thou art removed from danger, as from nullity.
 To non-existences Thou givest being. Why?

He who makes all things grow, can make them wither, too.
 For He can all repair, as He can ruin woo. [195]
 Each autumn, vegetation dwindles by His will;
 Again 'tis He calls forth the flowers in dale, on hill.
 His voice is heard: "Come forth, ye withered ones, anew;
 Once more put on your beauty,--charm each mortal's view."

Narcissus' eye was blinded; lo! its twinkle's seen.
 The reed, that down was mowed, becomes sweet music's queen.
 We are but creatures. To create we have no power.
 Our weakness we confess. Contentment's our best dower.
 We're things of flesh. The flesh to vanity unites.
 Unless Thou call us, we become rebellious sprites. [200]
 From Satan we escape, because Thou'st paid a price;
 And bought our souls, to set us free from vice.

Thou art the Guide of all who live upon the earth.
 Without his staff and guide, what is a blind man worth?
 Besides Thee, all that's goodly, all that shocks our sense,
 Is fatal unto man,--consuming fire intense.
 If any seek the fire, to make thereof a shield,
 A Magian he becomes, of Zoroaster's yield.

All else besides the Lord is vain, and of no worth.
 [205] The mercies of our God, a bounteous rain, poured forth.

Now turn again to 'Ali and his destined foe.
 His great forbearance contemplate; this wretch's woe.
 He made remark: "My murderer's before my eyes,
 All day and night. No anger towards him in me lies.
 Death is to me as sweet as life;--as my own self;
 My death and resurrection, two sides of one shelf.
 A deathless death's a welcome change to loving heart;
 A lifeless life has been its present counterpart."

Death to appearance, life is,--in the main;
 [210] Externally a loss;--intrinsically, gain.
 Within its mother's womb a child's lot is to roam.
 It has to blossom in the world, as ocean's foam.
 I have a wish, a longing, towards the world of doom;
 But God forbids: "Cast not your lives away," in gloom. [*1]
 All prohibition's but a bar from what is loved;
 No prohibition's needed from a thing reproved.
 A grain with bitter kernel, still more bitter rind,
 Full prohibition carries in itself, we find.

The fruit of death is savoury, in my esteem.
 [215] Nay more. "The slain do live" a blessed text must seem. [*2]
 Then slay me, O my trusty friends, without reproach.
 My death is life eternal. Let it, then, approach.
 In death I'll find my love. My dearest friends, adieu!
 How long shall I be barred from darling interview?
 Unless our separation be from one we mourn,
 Why should we say: "Forsooth, to Him we shall return?" [*3]
 'Tis only he returns, who comes back to his home.
 Our true return's from severance to union's dome.

That servant once again appealed and begged: "'Ali!
 Put me to death, that sin so heinous I may flee! [220]
 My life's at thy behest; forthwith pour out my blood!
 So shall my soul escape the burden of crime's brood."

Then 'Ali answered: "Should each sun-mote take a knife,
 Or sword draw, with design to sacrifice thy life,
 One single hair's-breadth could they not, yet, take effect,
 Since Providence decrees 'tis thou must work that act.
 But sorrow not! Thy intercessor I will be!
 Lord of my soul am I;--not slave to fleshly fee.
 My body frail no value has now in my sight;
 From flesh when liberated shall my soul feel light. [225]
 The dagger and the sword may take root in my limbs.
 Death's but a banquet; wounds, a flower that graceful climbs." [*1]

Now, who can thus despise his body in his heart,
 And yet feel greed for empire, or for pontiff's part?
 He strove, 'tis evident, upon the judgment seat,
 To set a good example to all future great;
 To breathe a righteous spirit into monarchs' breasts;
 Make sure that goodly fruit come from their deeds and gests.

The Prophet's high endeavour, Mekka to subdue,
 Had no foundation in a lust for revenue. [230]
 He had refused the treasures of the lofty spheres;
 On day of trial shut his heart to hopes and fears.
 To catch a glimpse of him the blest angelic train
 Had crowded heaven's bounds full as they could contain;
 In dainty guise, to honour him themselves arrayed;
 He took no note. On God alone his thoughts were stayed.
 His heart was filled with sense of his great Maker's grace.
 The angels, or the prophets, there could find no place.

He said: "I'm he whose eyes swerved not; "no crow, I! See! [*1]
 [235] "The Limner is my love; from juice of vine I'm free." [*2]
 The treasures of "the spheres," their "animating souls,"
 As rubbish were accounted, driven by breeze that rolls.
 What, then, would Mekka weigh,--the Persian, Syrian lands,
 That he should covet them, spoil make them for his bands?
 Suspicion such as this springs from a jaundiced mind.
 It judges by itself;--all, tinged as self must find.

Green spectacles who sets upon his foolish nose,
 To view the sun, will find him green, we must suppose.
 Take off the spectacles, the source of colour's tinge,
 [240] He straightway sees aright. Now, nature's hues impinge.
 A horseman had stirred up the dust in clouds, not faint.
 A distant looker-on supposed the dust a saint.
 Thus Satan saw a dust; and cried: "This son of earth
 Excites in me much envy, hatred, malice, wrath."

If thou, too, so observe God's saints with envy's eyes,
 Be sure thy vision's tainted. Satan's hatching lies.
 Thou obstinate! Art not one of that hell-hound's sons?
 Then, whence this heritage of hate's foul orisons?
 "I am no hound, God's Lion am I. God I love.
 [245] I'm 'Lion of the Truth.' Mere form I aye reprove."
 A lion of the world may hunt for prey and spoil.
 A lion of eternity, death's freedom from turmoil.
 In death he sees a hundred thousand modes of life.
 So, mothlike, death he courts; his candle, murderer's knife.


To court grim death's a collar round the true man's neck.
 This was the text proposed, that wrought recusant's wreck.
 God's word revealed hath said: "O men of human race!
 Death to the faithful is a blessing, and a grace." [*1]
 A love of gain is innate in the human breast.
 To court death's doubtless profit, is to wish the best. [230]
 Then, O ye stiff-necked people, do, for honour's sake,
 The wish for speedy death upon your tongues' ends take.

No recusant was found who dared to lisp that prayer,
 When thus Muhammed put it as the truth's assayer.
 He knew that should they venture that ordeal to prove,
 In all the world no recusant would thenceforth move.
 They all preferred to pay their tribute for their lives,
 And begged: "O lamp of truth, destroy us not, our wives!" [*2]

How many more examples could be pointed out!
 But, if thou seest the truth, give me thy hand. Quit doubt. [255]
 Forsake thy dunghill. Enter our abode of bliss.
 From darkness thee to guide, a light shines o'er th' abyss.
 Shake off all hesitation. Enter heaven's gate.
 Avoid the pit that's bottomless! Be not too late!

The Prince of all Believers thus addressed that chief,
 In tones serenest: "Know, that in our contest brief,
 When thou didst spit upon me, giving scorn its vent,
 My choler was aroused;--to wreck my patience went.
 Half warmed with zeal for God, half stirred with anger's fire,
 Unholy partnership was formed 'twixt truth and ire. [260]


Thou wast designed and fashioned by a hand divine.
 To God dost thou belong;--no creature art of mine.
 Defacement of God's work should be by God's decree;
 To break God's pitcher, man a stone of God should see."

The Magian heard. The light flashed on his heart and soul.
 The clouds of misbelief, as fog, away did roll.
 He spake: "The seed of wrongfulness is what I've sown.
 Thou'rt altogether different from what I've known.
 Thou art a balance, with an equitable soul;
 [265] Or rather, index art thou, of just balance-bowl.
 Thou art become my kith and kin,--my brother true;
 Thou art a ray to light the path I shall pursue.
 The slave I have become of that fair Source of light,
 From whence thou hast derived the beam that charms my sight.
 The slave of every billow of that glorious Sea,
 That casts such pearls ashore, as I admire in thee.
 Teach me to formulate the motto of thy creed;
 For, henceforth thou'rt my guide, of whom I stand in need."

Full fifty of his household,--of his stock and race,
 [270] With zealous love the noble law of Islam did embrace.
 Thus 'twas, the hero, by decisive wisdom's stroke,
 Averted death from many, slavery's fetters broke.
 The sword of wisdom's sharper than the finest steel;
 Its words more efficacious than an army's wheel.

XVII.

ALAS! By one poor morsel, tasted through a sin,
 The fount of thought's congealed; heart's blood diluted thin.
 One grain of wheat has cast eclipse o'er sun of mind,
 As "dragon's tail" doth dull the full moon, when inclined. [*1]
 Behold. How delicate is thought! One mite of clay,
 From full-moon glory, it reduced to disarray.
 The bread of life, received, digested, gives man power.
 Material bread excites distrusts, contentions, sour.

The thorn, while green, cropped by the camel, far from fords,
 Not only pleasure gives, but nutriment affords. [5]
 That selfsame thorn, grown dry and void of juicy sap,
 If ventured on by starving beast in desert gap,
 His palate and his lips will puncture, blood make flow;
 As if conserve of roses should with daggers glow.

The word of life's the green, the tender, juicy thorn.
 Material become, it's dry, as hard as horn.
 And thou, poor flesh, expectant of the living word,
 Bitest at the word material, dreaming not of sword;--
 Snappest at the hard, unyielding dictum, with fond zest;
 And findest it horny, flinty, irksome to digest. [10]

It has become a stone. It wounds; it draws forth blood.
 Then shun it, human camel. Seek it not for food.
 Words are most foully mixed with troubling thoughts of earth.
 The water's muddy. Close the spring whence it comes forth.
 Until the Lord, again, shall make it clear and sweet;--
 Shall purify the inky stream, as He deems meet,--
 Shall patience add to wish,--not haste and oversight,--
 [14] Wait thou contentedly. God best knows what is right.

 
THE END.

Hávamál - The Sayings of Hár

1. Within the gates | ere a man shall go,
(Full warily let him watch,)
Full long let him look about him;
For little he knows | where a foe may lurk,
And sit in the seats within.

2. Hail to the giver! | a guest has come;
Where shall the stranger sit?
Swift shall he be who, | with swords shall try
The proof of his might to make.

3. Fire he needs | who with frozen knees
Has come from the cold without;
Food and clothes | must the farer have,
The man from the mountains come.

4. Water and towels | and welcoming speech
Should he find who comes, to the feast;
If renown he would get, | and again be greeted,
Wisely and well must he act.

5. Wits must he have | who wanders wide,
But all is easy at home;
At the witless man | the wise shall wink
When among such men he sits.

6. A man shall not boast | of his keenness of mind,
But keep it close in his breast;
To the silent and wise | does ill come seldom
When he goes as guest to a house;
(For a faster friend | one never finds
Than wisdom tried and true.)

7. The knowing guest | who goes to the feast,
In silent attention sits;
With his ears he hears, | with his eyes he watches,
Thus wary are wise men all.

8. Happy the one | who wins for himself
Favor and praises fair;
Less safe by far | is the wisdom found
That is hid in another's heart.

9. Happy the man | who has while he lives
Wisdom and praise as well,
For evil counsel | a man full oft
Has from another's heart.

10. A better burden | may no man bear
For wanderings wide than wisdom;
It is better than wealth | on unknown ways,
And in grief a refuge it gives.

11. A better burden | may no man bear
For wanderings wide than wisdom;
Worse food for the journey | he brings not afield
Than an over-drinking of ale.

12. Less good there lies | than most believe
In ale for mortal men;
For the more he drinks | the less does man
Of his mind the mastery hold.

13. Over beer the bird | of forgetfulness broods,
And steals the minds of men;
With the heron's feathers | fettered I lay
And in Gunnloth's house was held.

14. Drunk I was, | I was dead-drunk,
When with Fjalar wise I was;
'Tis the best of drinking | if back one brings
His wisdom with him home.

15. The son of a king | shall be silent and wise,
And bold in battle as well;
Bravely and gladly | a man shall go,
Till the day of his death is come.

16. The sluggard believes | he shall live forever,
If the fight he faces not;
But age shall not grant him | the gift of peace,
Though spears may spare his life.

17. The fool is agape | when he comes to the feast,
He stammers or else is still;
But soon if he gets | a drink is it seen
What the mind of the man is like.

18. He alone is aware | who has wandered wide,
And far abroad has fared,
How great a mind | is guided by him
That wealth of wisdom has.

19. Shun not the mead, | but drink in measure;
Speak to the point or be still;
For rudeness none | shall rightly blame thee
If soon thy bed thou seekest.

20. The greedy man, | if his mind be vague,
Will eat till sick he is;
The vulgar man, | when among the wise,
To scorn by his belly is brought.

21. The herds know well | when home they shall fare,
And then from the grass they go;
But the foolish man | his belly's measure
Shall never know aright.

22. A paltry man | and poor of mind
At all things ever mocks;
For never he knows, | what he ought to know,
That he is not free from faults.

23. The witless man | is awake all night,
Thinking of many things;
Care-worn he is | when the morning comes,
And his woe is just as it was.

24. The foolish man | for friends all those
Who laugh at him will hold;
When among the wise | he marks it not
Though hatred of him they speak.

25. The foolish man | for friends all those
Who laugh at him will hold;
But the truth when he comes | to the council he learns,
That few in his favor will speak.

26. An ignorant man | thinks that all he knows,
When he sits by himself in a corner;
But never what answer | to make he knows,
When others with questions come.

27. A witless man, | when he meets with men,
Had best in silence abide;
For no one shall find | that nothing he knows,
If his mouth is not open too much.
(But a man knows not, | if nothing he knows,
When his mouth has been open too much.)

28. Wise shall he seem | who well can question,
And also answer well;
Nought is concealed | that men may say
Among the sons of men.

29. Often he speaks | who never is still
With words that win no faith;
The babbling tongue, | if a bridle it find not,
Oft for itself sings ill.

30. In mockery no one | a man shall hold,
Although he fare to the feast;
Wise seems one oft, | if nought he is asked,
And safely he sits dry-skinned.

31. Wise a guest holds it | to take to his heels,
When mock of another he makes;
But little he knows | who laughs at the feast,
Though he mocks in the midst of his foes.

32. Friendly of mind | are many men,
Till feasting they mock at their friends;
To mankind a bane | must it ever be
When guests together strive.

33. Oft should one make | an early meal,
Nor fasting come to the feast;
Else he sits and chews | as if he would choke,
And little is able to ask.

34. Crooked and far | is the road to a foe,
Though his house on the highway be;
But wide and straight | is the way to a friend,
Though far away he fare.

35. Forth shall one go, | nor stay as a guest
In a single spot forever;
Love becomes loathing | if long one sits
By the hearth in another's home.

36. Better a house, | though a hut it be,
A man is master at home;
A pair of goats | and a patched-up roof
Are better far than begging.

37. Better a house, | though a hut it be,
A man is master at home;
His heart is bleeding | who needs must beg
When food he fain would have.

38. Away from his arms | in the open field
A man should fare not a foot;
For never he knows | when the need for a spear
Shall arise on the distant road.

39. If wealth a man | has won for himself,
Let him never suffer in need;
Oft he saves for a foe | what he plans for a friend,
For much goes worse than we wish.

40. None so free with gifts | or food have I found
That gladly he took not a gift,
Nor one who so widely | scattered his wealth
That of recompense hatred he had.

41. Friends shall gladden each other | with arms and garments,
As each for himself can see;
Gift-givers' friendships | are longest found,
If fair their fates may be.

42. To his friend a man | a friend shall prove,
And gifts with gifts requite;
But men shall mocking | with mockery answer,
And fraud with falsehood meet.

43. To his friend a man | a friend shall prove,
To him and the friend of his friend;
But never a man | shall friendship make
With one of his foeman's friends.

44. If a friend thou hast | whom thou fully wilt trust,
And good from him wouldst get,
Thy thoughts with his mingle, | and gifts shalt thou make,
And fare to find him oft.

45. If another thou hast | whom thou hardly wilt trust,
Yet good from him wouldst get,
Thou shalt speak him fair, | but falsely think,
And fraud with falsehood requite.

46. So is it with him | whom thou hardly wilt trust,
And whose mind thou mayst not know;
Laugh with him mayst thou, | but speak not thy mind,
Like gifts to his shalt thou give.

47. Young was I once, | and wandered alone,
And nought of the road I knew;
Rich did I feel | when a comrade I found,
For man is man's delight.

48. The lives of the brave | and noble are best,
Sorrows they seldom feed;
But the coward fear | of all things feels,
And not gladly the niggard gives.

49. My garments once | in a field I gave
To a pair of carven poles;
Heroes they seemed | when clothes they had,
But the naked man is nought.

50. On the hillside drear | the fir-tree dies,
All bootless its needles and bark;
It is like a man | whom no one loves,--
Why should his life be long?

51. Hotter than fire | between false friends
Does friendship five days burn;
When the sixth day comes | the fire cools,
And ended is all the love.

52. No great thing needs | a man to give,
Oft little will purchase praise;
With half a loaf | and a half-filled cup
A friend full fast I made.

53. A little sand | has a little sea,
And small are the minds of men;
Though all men are not | equal in wisdom,
Yet half-wise only are all.

54. A measure of wisdom | each man shall have,
But never too much let him know;
The fairest lives | do those men live
Whose wisdom wide has grown.

55. A measure of wisdom | each man shall have,
But never too much let him know;
For the wise man's heart | is seldom happy,
If wisdom too great he has won.

56. A measure of wisdom | each man shall have,
But never too much let him know;
Let no man the fate | before him see,
For so is he freest from sorrow.

57. A brand from a brand | is kindled and burned,
And fire from fire begotten;
And man by his speech | is known to men,
And the stupid by their stillness.

58. He must early go forth | who fain the blood
Or the goods of another would get;
The wolf that lies idle | shall win little meat,
Or the sleeping man success.

59. He must early go forth | whose workers are few,
Himself his work to seek;
Much remains undone | for the morning-sleeper,
For the swift is wealth half won.

60. Of seasoned shingles | and strips of bark
For the thatch let one know his need,
And how much of wood | he must have for a month,
Or in half a year he will use.

61. Washed and fed | to the council fare,
But care not too much for thy clothes;
Let none be ashamed | of his shoes and hose,
Less still of the steed he rides,
(Though poor be the horse he has.)

62. When the eagle comes | to the ancient sea,
He snaps and hangs his head;
So is a man | in the midst of a throng,
Who few to speak for him finds.

63. To question and answer | must all be ready
Who wish to be known as wise;
Tell one thy thoughts, | but beware of two,--
All know what is known to three.

64. The man who is prudent | a measured use
Of the might he has will make;
He finds when among | the brave he fares
That the boldest he may not be.

65. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .
Oft for the words | that to others one speaks
He will get but an evil gift.

66. Too early to many | a meeting I came,
And some too late have I sought;
The beer was all drunk, | or not yet brewed;
Little the loathed man finds.

67. To their homes men would bid | me hither and yon,
If at meal-time I needed no meat,
Or would hang two hams | in my true friend's house,
Where only one I had eaten.

68. Fire for men | is the fairest gift,
And power to see the sun;
Health as well, | if a man may have it,
And a life not stained with sin.

69. All wretched is no man, | though never so sick;
Some from their sons have joy,
Some win it from kinsmen, | and some from their wealth,
And some from worthy works.

70. It is better to live | than to lie a corpse,
The live man catches the cow;
I saw flames rise | for the rich man's pyre,
And before his door he lay dead.

71. The lame rides a horse, | the handless is herdsman,
The deaf in battle is bold;
The blind man is better | than one that is burned,
No good can come of a corpse.

72. A son is better, | though late he be born,
And his father to death have fared;
Memory-stones | seldom stand by the road
Save when kinsman honors his kin.

73. Two make a battle, | the tongue slays the head;
In each furry coat | a fist I look for.

74. He welcomes the night | whose fare is enough,
(Short are the yards of a ship,)
Uneasy are autumn nights;
Full oft does the weather | change in a week,
And more in a month's time.

75. A man knows not, | if nothing he knows,
That gold oft apes begets;
One man is wealthy | and one is poor,
Yet scorn for him none should know.

76. Among Fitjung's sons | saw I well-stocked folds,--
Now bear they the beggar's staff;
Wealth is as swift | as a winking eye,
Of friends the falsest it is.

77. Cattle die, | and kinsmen die,
And so one dies one's self;
But a noble name | will never die,
If good renown one gets.

78. Cattle die, | and kinsmen die,
And so one dies one's self;
One thing now | that never dies,
The fame of a dead man's deeds.

79. Certain is that | which is sought from runes,
That the gods so great have made,
And the Master-Poet painted;
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . of the race of gods:
Silence is safest and best.

80. An unwise man, | if a maiden's love
Or wealth he chances to win,
His pride will wax, but his wisdom never,
Straight forward he fares in conceit.

81. Give praise to the day at evening, |
to a woman on her pyre,
To a weapon which is tried, | to a maid at wed lock,
To ice when it is crossed, | to ale that is drunk.

82. When the gale blows hew wood, |
in fair winds seek the water;
Sport with maidens at dusk, | for day's eyes are many;
From the ship seek swiftness, | from the shield protection,
Cuts from the sword, | from the maiden kisses.

83. By the fire drink ale, | over ice go on skates;
Buy a steed that is lean, | and a sword when tarnished,
The horse at home fatten, | the hound in thy dwelling.

84. A man shall trust not | the oath of a maid,
Nor the word a woman speaks;
For their hearts on a whirling | wheel were fashioned,
And fickle their breasts were formed.

85. In a breaking bow | or a burning flame,
A ravening wolf | or a croaking raven,
In a grunting boar, | a tree with roots broken,
In billowy seas | or a bubbling kettle.

86. In a flying arrow | or falling waters,
In ice new formed | or the serpent's folds,
In a bride's bed-speech | or a broken sword,
In the sport of bears | or in sons of kings,

87. In a calf that is sick | or a stubborn thrall,
A flattering witch | or a foe new slain.

88. In a brother's slayer, | if thou meet him abroad,
In a half-burned house, | in a horse full swift--
One leg is hurt | and the horse is useless--
None had ever such faith | as to trust in them all.

89. Hope not too surely | for early harvest,
Nor trust too soon in thy son;
The field needs good weather, | the son needs wisdom,
And oft is either denied.

90. The love of women | fickle of will
Is like starting o'er ice | with a steed unshod,
A two-year-old restive | and little tamed,
Or steering a rudderless | ship in a storm,
Or, lame, hunting reindeer | on slippery rocks.


91. Clear now will I speak, | for I know them both,
Men false to women are found;
When fairest we speak, | then falsest we think,
Against wisdom we work with deceit.

92. Soft words shall he speak | and wealth shall he offer
Who longs for a maiden's love,
And the beauty praise | of the maiden bright;
He wins whose wooing is best.

93. Fault for loving | let no man find
Ever with any other;
Oft the wise are fettered, | where fools go free,
By beauty that breeds desire.

94. Fault with another | let no man find
For what touches many a man;
Wise men oft | into witless fools
Are made by mighty love.

95. The head alone knows | what dwells near the heart,
A man knows his mind alone;
No sickness is worse | to one who is wise
Than to lack the longed-for joy.



96. This found I myself, | when I sat in the reeds,
And long my love awaited;
As my life the maiden | wise I loved,
Yet her I never had.

97. Billing's daughter | I found on her bed,
In slumber bright as the sun;
Empty appeared | an earl's estate
Without that form so fair.

98. "Othin, again | at evening come,
If a woman thou wouldst win;
Evil it were | if others than we
Should know of such a sin."

99. Away I hastened, | hoping for joy,
And careless of counsel wise;
Well I believed | that soon I should win
Measureless joy with the maid.

100. So came I next | when night it was,
The warriors all were awake;
With burning lights | and waving brands
I learned my luckess way.




101. At morning then, | when once more I came,
And all were sleeping still,
A dog found | in the fair one's place,
Bound there upon her bed.

102. Many fair maids, | if a man but tries them,
False to a lover are found;
That did I learn | when I longed to gain
With wiles the maiden wise;
Foul scorn was my meed | from the crafty maid,
And nought from the woman I won.

103. Though glad at home, | and merry with guests,
A man shall be wary and wise;
The sage and shrewd, | wide wisdom seeking,
Must see that his speech be fair;
A fool is he named | who nought can say,
For such is the way of the witless.

104. I found the old giant, | now back have I fared,
Small gain from silence I got;
Full many a word, | my will to get,
I spoke in Suttung's hall.

105. The mouth of Rati | made room for my passage,
And space in the stone he gnawed;
Above and below | the giants' paths lay,
So rashly I risked my head.





106. Gunnloth gave | on a golden stool
A drink of the marvelous mead;
A harsh reward | did I let her have
For her heroic heart,
And her spirit troubled sore.

107. The well-earned beauty | well I enjoyed,
Little the wise man lacks;
So Othrörir now | has up been brought
To the midst of the men of earth.

108. Hardly, methinks, | would I home have come,
And left the giants' land,
Had not Gunnloth helped me, | the maiden good,
Whose arms about me had been.

109. The day that followed, | the frost-giants came,
Some word of Hor to win,
(And into the hall of Hor;)
Of Bolverk they asked, | were he back midst the gods,
Or had Suttung slain him there?

110. On his ring swore Othin | the oath, methinks;
Who now his troth shall trust?
Suttung's betrayal | he sought with drink,
And Gunnloth to grief he left.



111. It is time to chant | from the chanter's stool;
By the wells of Urth I was,
I saw and was silent, | I saw and thought,
And heard the speech of Hor.
(Of runes heard I words, | nor were counsels wanting,
At the hall of Hor,
In the hall of Hor;
Such was the speech I heard.)

112. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,---
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Rise not at night, | save if news thou seekest,
Or fain to the outhouse wouldst fare.

113. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Beware of sleep | on a witch's bosom,
Nor let her limbs ensnare thee.

114. Such is her might | that thou hast no mind
For the council or meeting of men;
Meat thou hatest, | joy thou hast not,
And sadly to slumber thou farest.

115. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Seek never to win | the wife of another,
Or long for her secret love.



116. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
If o'er mountains or gulfs | thou fain wouldst go,
Look well to thy food for the way.

117. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
An evil man | thou must not let
Bring aught of ill to thee;
For an evil man | will never make
Reward for a worthy thought.

118. I saw a man | who was wounded sore
By an evil woman's word;
A lying tongue | his death-blow launched,
And no word of truth there was.

119. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
If a friend thou hast | whom thou fully wilt trust,
Then fare to find him oft;
For brambles grow | and waving grass
On the rarely trodden road.

120. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
A good man find | to hold in friendship,
And give heed to his healing charms.



121. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,-
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Be never the first | to break with thy friend
The bond that holds you both;
Care eats the heart | if thou canst not speak
To another all thy thought.

122. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Exchange of words | with a witless ape
Thou must not ever make.

123. For never thou mayst | from an evil man
A good requital get;
But a good man oft | the greatest love
Through words of praise will win thee.

124. Mingled is love | when a man can speak
To another all his thought;
Nought is so bad | as false to be,
No friend speaks only fair.

125. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
With a worse man speak not | three words in dispute,
Ill fares the better oft
When the worse man wields a sword.



126. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,-
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
A shoemaker be, | or a maker of shafts,
For only thy single self;
If the shoe is ill made, | or the shaft prove false,
Then evil of thee men think.

127. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
If evil thou knowest, | as evil proclaim it,
And make no friendship with foes.

128. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
In evil never | joy shalt thou know,
But glad the good shall make thee.

129. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Look not up | when the battle is on,--
(Like madmen the sons | of men become,--)
Lest men bewitch thy wits.

130. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,-
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
If thou fain wouldst win | a woman's love,
And gladness get from her,
Fair be thy promise | and well fulfilled;
None loathes what good he gets.





131. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,-
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
I bid thee be wary, | but be not fearful;
(Beware most with ale or another's wife,
And third beware | lest a thief outwit thee.)

132. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,-
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Scorn or mocking | ne'er shalt thou make
Of a guest or a journey-goer.

133. Oft scarcely he knows | who sits in the house
What kind is the man who comes;
None so good is found | that faults he has not,
Nor so wicked that nought he is worth.

134. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Scorn not ever | the gray-haired singer,
Oft do the old speak good;
(Oft from shrivelled skin | come skillful counsels,
Though it hang with the hides,
And flap with the pelts,
And is blown with the bellies.)

135. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
Curse not thy guest, | nor show him thy gate,
Deal well with a man in want.





136. Strong is the beam | that raised must be
To give an entrance to all;
Give it a ring, | or grim will be
The wish it would work on thee.

137. I rede thee, Loddfafnir! | and hear thou my rede,--
Profit thou hast if thou hearest,
Great thy gain if thou learnest:
When ale thou drinkest) | seek might of earth,
(For earth cures drink, | and fire cures ills,
The oak cures tightness, | the ear cures magic,
Rye cures rupture, | the moon cures rage,
Grass cures the scab, | and runes the sword-cut;)
The field absorbs the flood.

138. I ween that I hung | on the windy tree,
Hung there for nights full nine;
With the spear I was wounded, | and offered I was
To Othin, myself to myself,
On the tree that none | may ever know
What root beneath it runs.

139. None made me happy | with loaf or horn,
And there below I looked;
I took up the runes, | shrieking I took them,
And forthwith back I fell.

140. Nine mighty songs | I got from the son
Of Bolthorn, Bestla's father;
And a drink I got | of the goodly mead
Poured out from Othrörir.



141. Then began I to thrive, |
and wisdom to get,
I grew and well I was;
Each word led me on | to another word,
Each deed to another deed.

142. Runes shalt thou find, | and fateful signs,
That the king of singers colored,
And the mighty gods have made;
Full strong the signs, | full mighty the signs
That the ruler of gods doth write.

143. Othin for the gods, | Dain for the elves,
And Dvalin for the dwarfs,
Alsvith for giants | and all mankind,
And some myself I wrote.

144. Knowest how one shall write, | 
knowest how one shall rede?
Knowest how one shall tint, | knowest how one makes trial?
Knowest how one shall ask, | knowest how one shall offer?
Knowest how one shall send, | knowest how one shall sacrifice?

145. Better no prayer | than too big an offering,
By thy getting measure thy gift;
Better is none | than too big a sacrifice,
. . . . . . . . . .
So Thund of old wrote | ere man's race began,
Where he rose on high | when home he came



146. The songs I know | that king's wives know not,
Nor men that are sons of men;
The first is called help, | and help it can bring thee
In sorrow and pain and sickness.

147. A second I know, | that men shall need
Who leechcraft long to use;
. . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . .

148. A third I know, | if great is my need
Of fetters to hold my foe;
Blunt do I make | mine enemy's blade,
Nor bites his sword or staff.

149. A fourth I know, | if men shall fasten
Bonds on my bended legs;
So great is the charm | that forth I may go,
The fetters spring from my feet,
Broken the bonds from my hands.

150. A fifth I know, | if I see from afar
An arrow fly 'gainst the folk;
It flies not so swift | that I stop it not,
If ever my eyes behold it.



151. A sixth I know, | if harm one seeks
With a sapling's roots to send me;
The hero himself | who wreaks his hate
Shall taste the ill ere I.

152. A seventh I know, | if I see in flames
The hall o'er my comrades' heads;
It burns not so wide | that I will not quench it,
I know that song to sing.

153. An eighth I know, | that is to all
Of greatest good to learn;
When hatred grows | among heroes' sons,
I soon can set it right.

154. A ninth I know, | if need there comes
To shelter my ship on the flood;
The wind I calm | upon the waves,
And the sea I put to sleep.

155. A tenth I know, | what time I see
House-riders flying on high;
So can I work | that wildly they go,
Showing their true shapes,
Hence to their own homes.





156. An eleventh I know, | if needs I must lead
To the fight my long-loved friends;
I sing in the shields, | and in strength they go
Whole to the field of fight,
Whole from the field of fight,
And whole they come thence home.

157. A twelfth I know, | if high on a tree
I see a hanged man swing;
So do I write | and color the runes
That forth he fares,
And to me talks.

158. A thirteenth I know, | if a thane full young
With water I sprinkle well;
He shall not fall, | though he fares mid the host,
Nor sink beneath the swords.

159. A fourteenth I know, | if fain I would name
To men the mighty gods;
All know I well | of the gods and elves,
Few be the fools know this.

160. A fifteenth I know, | that before the doors
Of Delling sang Thjothrörir the dwarf;
Might he sang for the gods, | and glory for elves,
And wisdom for Hroptatyr wise.





161. A sixteenth I know, | if I seek delight
To win from a maiden wise;
The mind I turn | of the white-armed maid,
And thus change all her thoughts.

162. A seventeenth I know, | so that seldom shall go
A maiden young from me;
Long these songs | thou shalt, Loddfafnir,
Seek in vain to sing;
Yet good it were | if thou mightest get them,
Well, if thou wouldst them learn,
Help, if thou hadst them.

163. An eighteenth I know, | that ne'er will I tell
To maiden or wife of man,--
The best is what none | but one's self doth know,
So comes the end of the songs,--
Save only to her | in whose arms I lie,
Or who else my sister is.

164. Now are Hor's words | spoken in the hall,
Kind for the kindred of men,
Cursed for the kindred of giants:
Hail to the speaker, | and to him who learns!
Profit be his who has them!
Hail to them who hearken!


THE BOOK OF THE PEOPLE: 

Popol Vuh 

Preamble 

THIS IS 

THE BEGINNING 

of the old traditions of this 

place called Quiche. 1 

Here we shall write and we shall begin the old stories, 2 the beginning and the origin of all that 
was done in the town of the Quiche, by the tribes of the Quiche nation. 

And here we shall set forth the revelation, the declaration, and the narration of all that was hidden, 
the revelation by Tzacol, Bitol, Alom, Qaholom 3, who are called Hunahpii-Vuch, Hunahpu-Utiu, 
Zaqui-Nima-Tziis, Tepeu, Gucumatz, u Qux cho, u Qux Palo, Ali Raxa Lac, Ah Raxa Tzel, as 
they were called. 3 And [at the same time  the declaration, the combined narration of the 
Grandmother and the Grandfather, whose names are Xpiyacoc, and Xmucane, 4 helpers and 
protectors, twice grandmother, twice grandfather, so called in the Quiche chronicles. Then we 
shall tell all that they did in the light of existence, in the light of history. 5 

This we shall write now under the Law of God and Christianity; we shall bring it to light because 
now the Popol Vuh, as it is called, g cannot be seen any more, in which was dearly seen the 
coming from the other side of the sea and the narration of our obscurity, and our life was clearly 
seen. 7 The original book, written long ago, existed, but its sight is hidden to the searcher and to 
the thinker. Great were the descriptions and the account of how all the sky and earth were formed, 
how it was formed and divided into four parts; how it was partitioned, and how the sky was 
divided; and the measuring-cord was brought, and it was stretched in the sky and over the earth, 
on the four angles, on the four corners, 8 as was told by the Creator and the Maker, the Mother 
and the Father of Life, 9 of all created things, he who gives breath and thought, she who gives 
birth to the children, he who watches over the happiness of the people, the happiness of the 
human race, the wise man, he who meditates on the goodness of all that exists in the sky, on the 
earth, in the lakes and in the sea. 


Quiche to the country: varal Quiche u hi; to the city, Quiche tinamit; and to the tribes of the 
nation, r'amag Quiche vinac. The word quiche, queche, or quechelah means "forest" in many of 
the Indian dialects of Guatemala, and comes from qui, quiy, "many," and che, "tree," an original 
Maya word. Quiche, "land of many trees," "covered with forests," was the name of the most 
powerful nation of the interior of Guatemala in the sixteenth century. The Nahuatl word 
QuauhtlemaUan has the same meaning, which is probably a direct translation of the Quiche name 
and aptly describes the mountainous, fertile country which lies south of Mexico. Without doubt 
the Aztec name QuauhtlemaUan, from which the modern name of Guatemala is derived, was 
applied to the entire country and not only to the capital of the Cakchiquel, Iximche (the tree now 
called breadnut in English), which the Tlaxcalteca, who arrived with Alvarado, called Tecpan- 
Quauhtlemallan. All this territory situated to the south of Yucatan and the Peten-Itza region was 
known since before the Spanish Conquest as QuauhtlemaUan and Tecolotlan (the Verapaz of 
today). Sahagun is very explicit when he says (Historia general de las cosas de Nueva Espaha 
[1938 ed.  Book X, Chap. XXIX) that the first inhabitants of New Spain landed in Panutla 
(Panuco) and traveled along the seacoast looking toward the snow-covered mountains and 
volcanoes until they came to the province of Guatemala. 

2:2 Varal x-chi ca tzibah vi, x-chi ca dquiba-vi oher tzih, in the original. In order to write the 
ancient chronicles about the origin and development of the Quiche nation, the author probably 
made use not only of oral traditions, but also of the ancient paintings or picture-writings. Sahagun 
says that the Toltec priests as they journeyed toward the East (Yucatan) took with them "all their 
paintings in which they had all the things of ancient times and of the arts and crafts." In Chapter 5 
of Part IV of this book one reads that Lord Nacxit (Quetzalcoatl) gave to the Quiche princes, 
among other things, "the paintings of Tulan [u tzibal Tuldn , the paintings as those were called in 
which they put their chronicles." 

2:3 These are the names of the divinity, arranged in pairs of creators in accord with the dual 
conception of the Quiche: Tzacol and Bitol, Creator and Maker. Alom, the mother god, she who 
conceived the sons, from al "son," aldn, "to give birth." Qaholom, the father god who begat the 
sons, from qahol, "son of the father," qaholah, "to beget." Ximenez calls them Mother and 
Father; they are the Great Father and the Great Mother, so called by the Indians, according to Las 
Casas; and they were in heaven. 

Hunahpu-Vuch, a hunting-fox bitch, or tacuazin (opossum), god of the dawn; vuch is the moment 
which precedes dawn, Hunahpu-Vuch is the divinity in the feminine capacity, according to Seler. 
Hunahpu-Utiu, a hunting coyote, a variety of wolf {canis latrans), god of the night, is the name in 
the masculine capacity. 

Zaqui-Nimd-Tziis, great white coati mundi (Nasua nasica), gray with age, mother of god; and her 
consort, Nim-Ac, great wild pig, or wild boar, wanting in this passage through unintentional 
omission, but given in the following chapter. 

Tepeu, "king" or "sovereign," from the Nahuatl Tepeuh, tepeuani, which Molina translates as 
"conqueror" or "vanquisher in battle"; the Maya form is ah tepehual, and was probably taken 
from the Mexicans. Gucumatz, a serpent covered with green feathers, from the Quiche word guc 
(kuk in Maya), "green feathers," particularly those of the quetzal, and cumatz, serpent; it is the 





Quiche version of Kukulcan, the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl, the Toltec king, conqueror, culture 
hero, and god of Yucatan during the period of the Maya New Empire. The profound Mexican 
influence in the religion of the Quiche is reflected in this Creator-couple who continue to be 
invoked throughout the book until the divinity took the bodily form of Tohil, who in Part III is 
specifically identified with Quetzalcoatl. 

U Qux Cho, the heart, or the spirit of the lake. U Qux Palo, the heart or spirit of die sea. As will 
be seen, the divinity was also called the Heart of Heaven, u Qux Cah; 

Ah Raxd Lac, the Lord of the Green Plate, or the earth; A Raxd Tzel, the Lord of the Green Gourd 
or of the blue bowl, as Ximenez says, meaning the sky. 

The name Hunahpii has been the subject of many interpretations. Literally it means a "hunter with 
a blowgun," a "shooter"; etymologically it is the same, and is a word of the Maya tongue, ahpu in 
Maya meaning "hunter," and ah ppuh ob, the plural form, the "hunters," who go forth to the 
chase, according to the Diccionario de Motul. It is evident, nevertheless, that the Quiche had to 
have some more plausible reason than this particular etymology for giving the name to their 
principal divinity. The hunter in primitive times was a very important personage; the people lived 
by the products of the chase and the wild fruits of the earth before the beginning of agriculture. 
Hunahpii would be, consequently, the universal hunter who provided man with food; hun in Maya 
also has the meaning of "general" and "Universal." But possibly the Quiche who descended 
directly from the Maya, wished to reproduce, in the name Hunahpii, the sound of the Maya words 
Hunab Ku, "the only god," which they used to designate the principal god of the Maya pantheon, 
and which could not be represented materially since he was incorporeal. The painting of a hunter 
might have served in ancient times to represent the sound of Hunab Ku, which contained the 
abstract idea of a spiritual and divine being. The procedure is common in pre-Columbian 
pictographic writing. Hunahpii is also the name of the twentieth day of the Quiche calendar, the 
day most venerated by the ancients; it is equivalent to the Maya Ahau, "lord" or "chief," and to 
the Nahuatl Xochitl, "flower" and "sun," symbol of the sun god or Tonatiuh. 

2:4 Xpiyacoc and Xmucane, the old man and the old woman (in Maya, xnuc is "old woman"), 
equivalents of the Mexican gods Cipactonal and Oxomoco, the sages who, according to the Toltec 
legend, invented their astrology and arranged the counting of time, that is, the calendar. Although 
in the Quiche legend there was also the other abstract pair previously mentioned, Xpiyacoc and, 
above all, his consort Xmucane, this pair had a more direct contact with the things of this world; 
together they were what the Mexican archaeologist Enrique Juan Palacios calls "the active 
Creator-couple who are directly concerned with the making of material things." 

2:5 Ta x-qui tzihoh ronohel ruq x-qui ban chic chi zaquil qolem, zaquil tzih. 

2:6 Popo Vuh, or Popol Vuh, literally the "Book of the Community." The word popol is Maya and 
means "together," "reunion," or "common house." Popol na is the "house of the community 
where they assemble to discuss things of the republic," says the Diccionario de Motul. Pop is a 
Quiche verb which means "to gather," "to join," "to crowd," according to Ximenez; and popol is 
a thing belonging to the municipal council, "communal," or "national." For this reason Ximenez 
interprets Popol Vuh as Book of the Community or of the Council. Vuh or uuh is "book," "paper," 





or "rag" and is derived from the Maya huun or uun, which means at the same time both paper and 
book, and finally the tree, the bark of which was used in making paper in ancient times, and 
which the Nahua call amatl, commonly known in Guatemala as amatle (Ficus cotinifolia). Note 
that in many words the n from the Maya is changed to j or h in Quiche. Na, "house" in Maya, is 
changed to ha, ovja; huun or uun, "book" in Maya, becomes vuh or uuh in Quiche. 

2:7 Ilbal zac petenac chacdpalo, u tzihoxic ca muhibal, ilbal zac qazlem. Brasseur de Bourbourg 
enclosed the last seven words in quotation marks, but in the original these marks do not appear. 

2:8 Cah tzuc, cah xucut, in the original. The four cardinal points, according to Brasseur de 
Bourbourg. It is the same idea of the four Bacabs which in Maya mythology support the sky. 

2:9 When the Popol Vuh enumerates persons of the two sexes, it will be observed that it gallantly 
mentions the woman first. 






PART I: Chapter 1 



1 his is the account of how all was in suspense, all calm, in silence; all motionless, still, and the 
expanse of the sky was empty. 



This is the first account, the first narrative. There was neither man, nor animal, birds, fish, crabs, 
trees, stones, caves, ravines, grasses, nor forests; there was only the sky. 

The surface of the earth had not appeared. There was only the calm sea and the great expanse of 
the sky. 

There was nothing brought together, nothing which could make a noise, nor anything which 
might move, or tremble, or could make noise in the sky. 

There was nothing standing; only the calm water, the placid sea, alone and tranquil. Nothing 
existed. 

There was only immobility and silence in the darkness, in the night. Only the creator, the Maker, 
Tepeu, Gucumatz, the Forefathers, 1 were in the water surrounded with light. 2 They were hidden 
under green and blue feathers, and were therefore called Gucumatz. 3 By nature they were great 
sages and great thinkers. 4 In this manner the sky existed and also the Heart of Heaven, which is 
the name of God and thus He is called. 

Then came the word. Tepeu and Gucumatz came together in the darkness, in the night, and Tepeu 
and Gucumatz talked together. 5 They talked then, discussing and deliberating; they agreed, they 
united their words and their thoughts. 

Then while they meditated, it became clear to them that when dawn would break, man must 
appear. § Then they planned the creation, and the growth of the trees and the thickets and the birth 
of life and the creation of man. Thus it was arranged in the darkness and in the night by the Heart 
of Heaven who is called Huracan. 

The first is called Caculha Huracan. The second is Chipi-Caculha. The third is Raxa-Caculha. 
And these three are the Heart of Heaven. 7 

Then Tepeu and Gucumatz came together; then they conferred about life and light, what they 
would do so that there would be light and dawn, 8 who it would be who would provide food and 
sustenance. 

Thus let it be done! Let the emptiness be filled! 9 Let the water recede and make a void, let the 
earth appear and become solid; let it be done. Thus they spoke. Let there be light, let there be 
dawn in the sky and on the earth! There shall be neither glory nor grandeur in our creation and 
formation until the human being is made, man is formed. So they spoke. 






Then the earth was created by them. So it was, in truth, that they created the earth. Earth! they 
said, and instantiy it was made. 

Like the mist, like a cloud, and like a cloud of dust was the creation, when the mountains 
appeared from the water; 10 and instantly the mountains grew. 

Only by a miracle, only by magic art were the mountains and valleys formed; and instantly the 
groves of cypresses and pines put forth shoots together on the surface of the earth. 11 

And thus Gucumatz was filled with joy, and exclaimed: "Your coming has been fruitful, Heart of 
Heaven; and you, Huracan, and you, Chipi-Caculha, Raxa-Caculha!" 

"Our work, our creation shall be finished," they answered. 

First the earth was formed, the mountains and the valleys; the currents of water were divided, the 
rivulets were running freely between the hills, and the water was separated when the high 
mountains appeared. 

Thus was the earth created, when it was formed by the Heart of Heaven, the Heart of Earth, as 
they are called who first made it fruitful, when the sky was in suspense, and the earth was 
submerged in the water. 

So it was that they made perfect the work, when they did it after thinking and meditating upon it. 




I. Chapter 2 



1 hen they made the small wild animals, the guardians of the woods, the spirits of the 
mountains, 1 the deer, the birds, pumas, jaguars, serpents, snakes, vipers, guardians of the thickets. 

And the Forefathers asked: 'Shall there be only silence and calm under the trees, under the vines? 
It is well that hereafter there be someone to guard them." 

So they said when they meditated and talked. Promptly the deer and the birds were created, 
immediately they gave homes to the deer and the birds. "You, deer, shall sleep in the fields by the 
river bank and in the ravines. Here you shall be amongst the thicket, amongst the pasture; in the 
woods you shall multiply, you shall walk on four feet and they will support you. Thus be it done!" 
So it was they spoke. 

Then they also assigned homes to the birds big and small. "You shall live in the trees and in the 
vines. There you shall make your nests; there you shall multiply; there you shall increase in the 
branches of the trees and in the vines." Thus the deer and the birds were told; they did their duty 
at once, and all sought their homes and their nests. 

And the creation of all the four-footed animals and the birds being finished, they were told by the 
Creator and the Maker and the Forefathers: "Speak, cry, warble, call, speak each one according to 
your variety, each, according to your kind." So was it said to the deer, the birds, pumas, jaguars, 
and serpents. 

"Speak, then, our names, praise us, your mother, your father. Invoke then, Huracan, Chipi- 
Caculha, Raxa-Caculha, the Heart of Heaven, the Heart of Earth, the Creator, the Maker, the 
Forefathers; speak, invoke us, adore us," they were told. 

But they could not make them speak like men; they only hissed and screamed and cackled; they 
were unable to make words, and each screamed in a different way. 

When the Creator and the Maker saw that it was impossible for them to talk to each other, they 
said: "It is impossible for them to say our names, the names of us, their Creators and Makers. This 
is not well," said the Forefathers to each other. 

Then they said to them: "Because it has not been possible for you to talk, you shall be changed. 
We have changed our minds: Your food, your pasture, your homes, and your nests you shall have; 
they shall be the ravines and the woods, because it has not been possible for you to adore us or 
invoke us. There shall be those who adore us, we shall make other [beings  who shall be obedient. 
Accept your destiny: your flesh shall be torn to pieces. So shall it be. This shall be your lot." So 
they said, when they made known their will to the large and small animals which are on the face 
of the earth. 




They wished to give them another trial; 2 they, wished to make another attempt; they wished to 
make [all living things  adore them. 

But they could not understand each other's speech; they could succeed in nothing, and could do 
nothing. For this reason they were sacrificed and the animals which were on earth were 
condemned to be killed and eaten. 

For this reason another attempt had to be made to create and make men by the Creator, the Maker, 
and the Forefathers. 

"Let us try again! Already dawn draws near: 3 Let us make him who shall nourish and sustain us! 
What shall we do to be invoked, in order to be remembered on earth? We have already tried with 
our first creations, our first creatures; but we could not make them praise and venerate us. 4 So, 
then, let us try to make obedient, respectful beings who will nourish and sustain us." Thus they 
spoke. 

Then was the creation and the formation. Of earth, of mud, they made [man's  flesh. But they saw 
that it was not good. It melted away, it was soft, did not move, had no strength, it fell down, it was 
limp, it could not move its head, its face fell to one side, its sight was blurred, 5 it could not look 
behind. At first it spoke, but had no mind. Quickly it soaked in the water and could not stand. 

And the Creator and the Maker said: g "Let us try again because our creatures will not be able to 
walk nor multiply. Let us consider this," they said. 

Then they broke up and destroyed their work and their creation. And they said: "What shall we do 
to perfect it, in order that our worshipers, our invokers, will be successful?" 

Thus they spoke when they conferred again: "Let us say again to Xpiyacoc, Xmucane, Hunahpii- 
Vuch, Hunahpu-Utiu: 'Cast your lot again. Try to create again.'" In this manner the Creator and 
the Maker spoke to Xpiyacoc and Xmucane. 

Then they spoke to those soothsayers, the Grandmother of the day, the Grandmother of the 
Dawn, 7 as they were called by the Creator and the Maker, and whose names were Xpiyacoc and 
Xmucane. 

And said Huracan, Tepeu, and Gucumatz when they spoke to the soothsayer, to the Maker, who 
are the diviners: "You must work together and find the means so that man, whom we shall make, 
man, whom we are going to make, will nourish and sustain us, invoke and remember us. 

"Enter, then, into council, grandmother, grandfather, our grandmother, our grandfather, Xpiyacoc, 
Xmucane, make light, make dawn, have us invoked, have us adored, have us remembered by 
created man, by made man, by mortal man. 8 Thus be it done. 

"Let your nature be known, Hunahpu-Vuch, Hunahpu-Utiu, twice-mother, twice-father, 9 Nim- 
Ac, 10 Nima-Tziis, 11 the master of emeralds, the worker in jewels, the sculptor, the carver, the 
maker of beautiful plates, the maker of green gourds, the master of resin, the master Toltecat, 12 





grandmother of the sun, grandmother of dawn, as you will be called by our works and our 
creatures. 

"Cast the lot with your grains of corn and tzite. u Do it thus u and we shall know if we are to 
make, or carve his mouth and eyes out of wood." Thus the diviners were told. 

They went down at once to make their divination, and cast their lots with the corn and the tzite. 
"Fate! Creature!" 15 said an old woman and an old man. And this old man was the one who cast 
the lots with Tzite, the one called Xpiyacoc. 16 And the old woman was the diviner, the maker, 
called Chiracan Xmucane. 17 

Beginning the divination, they said: "Get together, grasp each other! Speak, that we may hear." 
They said, "Say if it is well that the wood be got together and that it be carved by the Creator and 
the Maker, and if this [man of wood  is he who must nourish and sustain us when there is light 
when it is day! 

"You, corn; you, tzite; you, fate; you, creature; get together, take each other," they said to the 
corn, to the tzite, to fate, to the creature. "Come to sacrifice here, Heart of Heaven; do not punish 
Tepeu and Gucumatz!" 18 Then they talked and spoke the truth: "Your figures of wood shall come 
out well; they shall speak and talk on earth." 

"So may it be," they answered when they spoke. 

And instantly the figures were made of wood. They looked like men, talked like men, and 
populated the surface of the earth. 

They existed and multiplied; they had daughters, they had sons, these wooden figures; but they 
did not have souls, nor minds, they did not remember their Creator, their Maker; they walked on 
all fours, aimlessly. 

They no longer remembered the Heart of Heaven and therefore they fell out of favor. It was 
merely a trial, an attempt at man. At first they spoke, but their face was without expression; their 
feet and hands had no strength; they had no blood, nor substance, 19 nor moisture, nor flesh; their 
cheeks were dry, their feet and hands were dry, and their flesh was yellow. 

Therefore, they no longer thought of their Creator nor their Maker, nor of those who made them 
and cared for them. 20 

These were the first men who existed in great numbers on the face of the earth. 




I. Chapter 3 

Immediately the wooden figures were annihilated, destroyed, broken up, and killed. 

A flood was brought about by the Heart of Heaven; a great flood was formed which fell on the 
heads of the wooden creatures. 

Of tzite the flesh of man was made, but when woman was fashioned by the Creator and the 
Maker, her flesh was made of rushes. 1 These were the materials the Creator and the Maker 
wanted to use in making them. 

But those that they had made, that they had created, did not think, did not speak with their 
Creator, their Maker. And for this reason they were killed, they were deluged. A heavy resin fell 
from the sky. The one called Xecotcovach came and gouged out their eyes; Camalotz came and 
cut off their heads; Cotzbalam came and devoured their flesh. Tucumbalam 2 came, too, and broke 
and mangled their bones and their nerves, and ground and crumbled their bones. 3 

This was to punish them because they had not thought of their mother, nor their father, the Heart 
of Heaven, called Huracan. And for this reason the face of the earth was darkened and a black rain 
began to fall, by day and by night. 

Then came the small animals and the large animals, and sticks and stones struck their faces. And 
all began to speak: their earthen jars, 4 their griddles, 5 their plates, their pots, their grinding 
stones, e all rose up and struck their faces. 

"You have done us much harm; you ate us, and now we shall kill you," said their dogs and birds 
of the barnyard. 7 

And the grinding stones said: "We were tormented by you; every day, every day, at night, at 
dawn, all the time our faces went holi, holi, huqui, huqui, because of you. a This was the tribute 
we paid you. But now that you are no longer men, you shall feel our strength. We shall grind and 
tear your flesh to pieces," said their grinding stones. 

And then their dogs spoke and said: "Why did you give us nothing to eat? You scarcely looked at 
us, but you chased us and threw us out. You always had a stick 9 ready to strike us while you were 
eating. 

"Thus it was that you treated us. You did not speak to us. Perhaps we shall not kill you now; but 
why did you not look ahead, why did you not think about yourselves? Now we shall destroy you, 
now you shall feel the teeth of our mouths; we shall devour you," said the dogs, and then, they 
destroyed their faces. 10 

And at the same time, their griddles and pots spoke: "Pain and suffering you have caused us. Our 
mouths and our faces were blackened with soot; we were always put on the fire and you burned 




us as though we felt no pain. Now you shall feel it, we shall burn you," said their pots, and they 
all destroyed their [the wooden men's  faces. The stones of the hearth, 11 which were heaped 
together, hurled themselves straight from the fire against their heads causing them pain. 12 

The desperate ones [the men of wood  ran as quickly as they could; they wanted to climb to the 
tops of the houses, and the houses fell down and threw them to the ground; they wanted to climb 
to the treetops, and the trees cast them far away; they wanted to enter the caverns, and the caverns 
repelled them. 13 

So was the ruin of the men who had been created and formed, the men made to be destroyed and 
annihilated; the mouths and faces of all of them were mangled. 

And it is said that their descendants are the monkeys which now live in the forests; u these are all 
that remain of them because their flesh was made only of wood by the Creator and the Maker. 

And therefore the monkey looks like man, and is an example of a generation of men which were 
created and made but were only wooden figures. 





I. Chapter 4 



It was cloudy and twilight then on the face of the earth. There was no sun yet. Nevertheless, there 
was a being called Vucub-Caquix, 1 who was very proud of himself. 

The sky and the earth existed, but the faces of the sun and the moon were covered. 

And he [Vucub-Caquix  said: "Truly, they are clear examples of those people who were drowned, 
and their nature is that of supernatural beings. 2 

"I shall now be great above all the beings created and formed. I am the sun, the light, the moon," 
he exclaimed. "Great is my splendor. Because of me men shall walk and conquer. For my eyes 
are of silver, bright, resplendent as precious stones, as emeralds; my teeth shine like perfect 
stones, like the face of the sky. My nose shines afar like the moon, my throne is of silver, and the 
face of the earth is lighted when I pass before my throne. 

"So, then, I am the sun, I am the moon, for all mankind. 3 So shall it be, because I can see very 
far." 

So Vucub-Caquix spoke. But he was not really the sun; he was only vainglorious of his feathers 
and his riches. And he could see only as far as the horizon, and he could not see over all the 
world. 

The face of the sun had not yet appeared, nor that of the moon, nor the stars, and it had not 
dawned. Therefore, Vucub-Caquix became as vain as though he were the sun and the moon, 
because the light of the sun and the moon had not yet shown itself His only ambition was to exalt 
himself and to dominate. And all this happened when the flood came because of the wooden- 
people. 

Now we shall tell how Vucub-Caquix was overthrown and died, and how man was made by the 
Creator and the Maker. 


I. Chapter 5 



1 his is the beginning of the defeat and the ruin of the glory of Vucub-Caquix brought about by 
two youths, the first of whom was called Hunahpii and the second, Xbalanque. They were really 
gods. i When they saw the harm which the arrogant one had done, and wished to do, in the 
presence of the Heart of Heaven, the youths said: 

"It is not good that it be so, when man does not yet live here on earth. Therefore, we shall try to 
shoot him with our blowgun when he is eating. We shall shoot him and make him sicken, and 
then that will be the end of his riches, his green stones, his precious metals, his emeralds, his 
jewels of which he is so proud. 2 And this shall be the lot of all men, for they must not become 
vain, because of power and riches. 

"Thus shall it be," said the youths, each one putting his blowgun to his shoulder. 

Well, now Vucub-Caquix had two sons: the first was called Zipacna, the second was Cabracan; 
and the mother of the two was called Chimalmat, 3 the wife of Vucub-Caquix. 

Well, Zipacna played ball with the large mountains: with Chigag, 4 Hunahpii, 5 Pecul, § 
Yaxcanul, 7 Macamob, 8 and Huliznab. These are the names of the mountains which existed when 
it dawned and which were created in a single night by Zipacna. 

In this way, then, Cabracan moved the mountains and made the large and small mountains 
tremble. 

And in this way the sons of Vucub-Caquix proclaimed their pride. "Listen! I am the sun!" said 
Vucub-Caquix. "I am he who made the earth!" said Zipacna. "I am he who shook the sky and 
made the earth tremble!" said Cabracan, In this way the sons of Vucub-Caquix followed the 
example of their father's assumed greatness. And this seemed very evil to the youths. Neither our 
first mother nor our first father had yet been created. 

Therefore, the deaths of Vucub-Caquix and his sons and their destruction was decided upon by 
the youths. 


I. Chapter 6 



IN ow we shall tell how the two youths shot their blowguns at Vucub-Caquix and how each one 
of those, who had become arrogant, was destroyed. 

Vucub-Caquix had a large nantze tree 1 and he ate the fruit of it. Each day he went to the tree and 
climbed to the top. Hunahpu and Xbalanque had seen that this fruit was his food. And they lay in 
ambush at the foot of the tree, hidden among the leaves. Vucub-Caquix came straight to his meal 
of nantzes. 

Instantly he was injured by a discharge from Hun-Hunahpu's 2 blowgun which struck him 
squarely in the jaw, and screaming, he fell straight to earth from the treetop. 

Hun-Hunahpii ran quickly to overpower him, but Vucub-Caquix seized his arm and wrenching it 
from him, bent it back to the shoulder. In this way Vucub-Caquix tore out Hun-Hunahpu's arm. 
Surely the two youths did well in not letting themselves be defeated first by Vucub-Caquix. 

Carrying Hun-Hunahpu's arm, Vucub-Caquix went home, and arrived there nursing his jaw. 

"What has happened to you, my lord?" said Chimalmat, his wife. 

"What could it be, but those two demons who shot me with blowguns and dislocated my jaw? For 
that reason my teeth are loose and pain me very much. But I have brought it [his arm , to put it on 
the fire. Let it hang there over the fire, for surely these demons will come looking for it." So said 
Vucub-Caquix as he hung up the arm of Hun-Hunahpu. 

Having thought it over, Hun-Hunahpii and Xbalanque went to talk with an old man who had 
snow-white hair and with an old woman, really very old and humble, both already bent, like very 
old people. The old man was called Zaqui-Nim-Ac and the old woman, Zaqui-Nima-Tziis. 3 The 
youths said to the old woman and the old man: 

"Come with us to Vucub-Caquix' s house to get our arm. We will follow you, and you shall tell 
them: 'These with us are our grandchildren; their mother and father are dead; so they follow us 
everywhere we are given alms, for the only thing that we know how to do is take the worm from 
the teeth.' 4 

"So Vucub-Caquix shall think we are boys and we shall also be there to advise you," said the two 
youths. 

"Very well," answered the old man and woman. 

Then they started out for the place where they found Vucub-Caquix reclining on his throne. The 
old woman and man walked along followed by the two boys, who stayed behind them. In this way 
they arrived at the house of the lord who was screaming because his tooth pained him. 




When Vucub-Caquix saw the old man and the old woman and those who accompanied them, he 
asked, "Where do you come from, grandparents?" 

"We come looking for something to eat, honorable sir," they answered. 

"And what do you eat? Are those not your sons who are with you?" 

"Oh, no, sir! They are our grandsons; but we are sorry for them and what is given to us, we share 
with them, sir," answered the old woman and the old man. 

Meanwhile, the lord was suffering terrible pain from his tooth, and it was only with great 
difficulty that he could speak. 

"I earnestly beg you to have pity on me. What can you do? What do you know how to cure?" the 
lord asked them. 

And the old ones answered, "Oh, sir! we only take the worm from the teeth, cure the eyes, and set 
bones." 

"Very well. Cure my teeth, which are really making me suffer day and night, and because of them 
and of my eyes I cannot be calm and cannot sleep. All of this is because two demons shot me with 
a pellet [from their blowgun  and for that reason I cannot eat. Have pity on me, then, tighten my 
teeth with your hands." 

"Very well, sir. It is a worm which makes you suffer. It will end when these teeth are pulled and 
others put in their place." 

"It is not well that you pull my teeth, because it is only with them that I am a lord and all my 
ornaments are my teeth and my eyes." 

"'We will put others of ground bone in their place." But the ground bone was nothing but grains 
of white corn. 

"Very well, pull them out, come and relieve me," he replied. 

Then they pulled Vucub-Caquix's teeth; but in their place they put only grains of white corn, and 
these grains of corn shone in his mouth. Instantly his features sagged and he no longer looked like 
a lord. They removed the rest of his teeth which shone like pearls in his mouth. And finally they 
cured Vucub-Caquix's eyes, piercing the pupils of his eyes, and they took all his riches. 

But he felt nothing any more. He only watched, because at the advice of Hunahpu and Xbalanque, 
they took from him all of the things of which he had been so proud. 

Then Vucub-Caquix died. Hun-Hunahpu recovered his arm. Chimalmat, the wife of Vucub- 
Caquix, also perished. 





In this way Vucub-Caquix lost his riches. The healer took all the emeralds and precious stones 
which had been his pride here on earth. 

The old woman and the old man who did this were miraculous beings; and having recovered the 
arm of Hun-Hunahpii, they put it in place, and it was all right again. 

It was only to bring about the death of Vucub-Caquix that they did this, because it seemed wicked 
to them that he should become so arrogant. 

And then the two youths went on, having in this way carried out the order of the Heart of Heaven. 



I. Chapter 7 

JTLere now are the deeds of Zipacna the elder son of Vucub-Caquix. 
"I am the creator of the mountains," said Zipacna. 

Zipacna was bathing at the edge of a river when four hundred youths passed 1 dragging a log to 
support their house. The four hundred were walking, after having cut down a large tree to make 
the ridge-pole of their house. 

Then Zipacna came up, and going toward the four hundred youths, said to them: "What are you 
doing, boys?" 

"It is only this log," they answered, "which we cannot lift and carry on our shoulders." 

"I will carry it. Where does it have to go? What do you want it for?" 

"For a ridge-pole for our house." 

"All right," he answered, and lifting it up, he put it on his shoulders and carried it to the entrance 
of the house of the four hundred boys. 

"Now stay with us, boy," they said. "Have you a mother or father;" 

"I have neither," he answered. 

"Then we shall hire you tomorrow to prepare another log to support our house." 

"Good," he answered. 

The four hundred boys talked together then, and said: 

"How shall we kill this boy? Because it is not good what he has done lifting the log alone. Let us 
make a big hole and push him so that he will fall into it. 'Go down and take out the earth and 
carry it from the pit,' we shall tell him. and when he stoops down, to go down into the pit, we 
shall let the large log fall on him and he will die there in the pit." 

So said the four hundred boys, and then they dug a large, very deep pit. Then they called Zipacna. 

"We like you very much. Go, go and dig dirt, for we cannot reach [the bottom of the pit ," they 
said. 

"All right," he answered. He went at once into the pit. And calling to him as he was digging the 
dirt, they said: "Have you gone down very deep yet?" 





"Yes," he answered beginning to dig the pit. But the pit which he was making was to save him 
from danger. He knew that they wanted to kill him; so when he dug the pit, he made a second 
hole at one side in order to free himself. 

"How far [have you gone ?" the four hundred boys called down. 

"I am still digging; I will call up to you when I have finished the digging," said Zipacna from the 
bottom of the pit. But he was not digging his grave; instead he was opening another pit in order to 
save himself. 

At last Zipacna called to them. But when he called, he was already safe in the second pit. 

"Come and take out and carry away the dirt which I have dug and which is in the bottom of the 
pit," he said, "because in truth I have made it very deep. Do you not hear my call? Nevertheless, 
your calls, your words repeat themselves like an echo once, twice, and so I hear well where you 
are." So Zipacna called from the pit where he was hidden, shouting from the depths. 

Then the boys hurled the great log violently, and it fell quickly with a thud to the bottom of the 
pit. 

"Let no one speak! Let us wait until we hear his dying screams," they said to each other, 
whispering, and each one covered his face as the log fell noisily. He [Zipacna  spoke then, crying 
out, but he called only once when the log fell to the bottom. 

"How well we have succeeded in this! Now he is dead," said the boys, "if, unfortunately, he had 
continued what he had begun to do, we would have been lost, because he already had interfered 
with us, the four hundred boys." 

And filled with joy they said: "Now we must make our chicha 2 within the next three days. When 
the three days are passed, we shall drink to the construction of our new house, we, the, four 
hundred boys." Then they said: "Tomorrow we shall look, and day after tomorrow, we shall also 
look to see if the ants do not come out of the earth when the body smells and begins to rot. 
Presently we shall become calm and drink our chicha," they said. 

But from his pit Zipacna listened to everything the boys said. And later, on the second day, 
multitudes of ants came, going and coming and gathering under the log. Some carried Zipacna' s 
hair in their mouths and others carried his fingernails. 

When the boys saw this, they said, "That devil has now perished. Look how the ants have 
gathered, how they have come by hordes, some bringing his hair and others his fingernails. Look 
what we have done!" So they spoke to each other. 

Nevertheless, Zipacna was very much alive. He had cut his hair and gnawed off his fingernails to 
give them to the ants. 







And so the four hundred boys believed that he was dead, and on the third day they began the orgy 
and all of the boys got drunk. And the four hundred being drunk knew nothing any more. And 
then Zipacna let the house fall on their heads and killed all of them. 

Not even one or two among the four hundred were saved; they were killed by Zipacna, son of 
Vucub-Caquix. 

In this way the four hundred boys died, and it is said that they became the group of stars which 
because of them are called Motz, 3 but it may not be true. 




I. Chapter 8 

IN ow we shall tell how Zipacna was defeated by the two boys, Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

Now follows the defeat and death of Zipacna, when he was overcome by the two boys, Hunahpii 
and Xbalanque. 

The boys' hearts were full of rancor because the four hundred young men had been killed by 
Zipacna. And he only hunted fish and crabs at the bank of the river, which were his daily food. 
During the day he went about looking for food, and at night he carried mountains on his back. 

With a leaf of the ec plant 1 which is found in the forest, Hunahpii and Xbalanque quickly made a 
figure to look like a very large crab. 

With this they made the stomach of the crab; the claws, they made otpahac, 2 and for the shell, 
which covers the back, they used a stone. Then they put the crab at the bottom of a cave at the 
foot of a large mountain called Meagudn, 3 where he was overcome. 

Then the boys went to find Zipacna on the river bank. 

"Where are you going, young man?" they asked him. 

"I am not going anywhere," Zipacna answered, "only looking for food, boys." 

"And what is your food?" 

"Fish and crabs, but there are none here and I have not found any; I have not eaten since day 
before yesterday, and I am dying of hunger," said Zipacna to Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

"Over there in the bottom of the ravine there is a crab, a really large crab, and it would be well if 
you would eat it! Only it bit us when we tried to catch it and so we were afraid. We wouldn't try 
to catch it for anything," said Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

"Have pity on me! Come and show it to me, boys," begged Zipacna. 

"We do not want to. You go alone, you will not get lost. Follow the bank of the river and you will 
come out at the foot of a large hill; there it is making a noise at the bottom of the ravine. You have 
only to go there," said Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

"Oh, unfortunate me! Won't you accompany me, boys? Come and show it to me. There are many 
birds which you can shoot with your blowguns and I know where to find them," said Zipacna. 

His meekness convinced the boys. And they asked him: But, can you really catch him? Because it 
is only for you that we are returning; we are not going to try to get it again because it bit us when 




we were crawling into the cave. After that we were afraid to crawl in, but we almost caught it. So, 
then, it is best that you crawl in," they said. 

"Very well," said Zipacna, and then they went with him. They arrived at the bottom of the ravine 
and there, stretched on his back, was the crab, showing his red shell. And there also in the bottom 
of the ravine was the boys' hoax. 4 

"Good! Good!" said Zipacna happily. "I should like to have it in my mouth already!" And he was 
really dying of hunger. He wanted to try to crawl in, he wanted to enter, but the crab was 
climbing. He came out at once and the boys asked, "Did you not get it?" 

"No," he answered," because he was going up and I almost caught him. But perhaps it would be 
good if I go in from above," he added. And then he entered again from above, but as he was 
almost inside, with only the soles of his feet showing, the great hill slid and fell slowly down on 
his chest. 

Zipacna never returned and he was changed into stone. 

In this way Zipacna was defeated by the two boys, Hunahpii and Xbalanque; he was the elder son 
of Vucub-Caquix, and he, according to the ancient legend, was the one who made the mountains. 

At the foot of the hill called Meaguan he was vanquished. Only by a miracle was he vanquished, 
the second of the arrogant ones. One was left, whose history we shall tell now. 



I. Chapter 9 

1 he third of the arrogant ones was the second son of Vucub-Caquix who was called Cabracan. 
"I demolish the mountains," he said. 

But Hunahpu and Xbalanque also defeated Cabracan. Huracan, Chipi-Caculha, and Raxa-Caculha 
talked and said to Hunahpu and Xbalanque: 

"Let the second son of Vucub-Caquix also be defeated. This is our will, for it is not well what 
they do on earth, exalting their glory, their grandeur, and their power, and it must not be so. Lure 
him to where the sun rises," said Huracan to the two youths. 

"Very well, honored sir," they answered, "because what we see is not right. Do you not exist, you 
who are the peace, you, Heart of Heaven?" said the boys as they listened to the command of 
Huracan. 

Meanwhile, Cabracan was busy shaking the mountains. At the gentlest tap of his feet on the earth, 
the large and small mountains opened. Thus the boys found him and asked Cabracan: 

"Where are you going, young man? 

"Nowhere," he answered," here I am moving the mountains, and I am leveling them to the ground 
forever," 1 he answered. 

Then Cabracan asked Hunahpu and Xbalanque, "What did you come to do here? I do not 
recognize you. What are your names?" said Cabracan. 

"We have no names," they answered, "we are nothing more than shooters of blowguns and 
hunters with bird-traps on the mountains. We are poor and we have nothing, young man. We only 
walk over the large and small mountains, young man, and we have just seen a large mountain, 
over there where you see the pink sky. 2 It really rises up very high and overlooks the tops of all 
the hills. So it is that we have not been able to catch even one or two of the birds on it, boy. But, 
is it true that you can level all the mountains?" Hunahpu and Xbalanque asked Cabracan. 

"Have you really seen the mountain of which you speak? Where is it? If I see it, I shall demolish 
it. Where did you see it?" 

"Over there it is, where the sun rises," said Hunahpu and Xbalanque. 

"Very well, show me the road," he said to the two boys. 

"Oh no!" they answered. "We must take you between us. One shall go at your left and the other at 
your right, because we have our blowguns, and if there should be birds we can shoot them." And 





so they set out happily, trying out their blowguns. But when they shot with them, they did not use 
the clay pellets in the tube of the blowgun; instead they felled the birds only with the puff of air 
when they shot them, which surprised Cabracan very much. 

Then the boys built a fire and put the birds on it to roast, but they rubbed one of the birds with 
chalk, 3 covering it with a white earth soil. 

"We shall give him this," they said, "to whet his appetite with the odor which it gives off. This 
bird of ours shall be his ruin, as we cover this bird with earth so we shall bring him down to the 
earth and bury him in the earth. 

"Great shall be the wisdom of a created being, of a being fashioned, when it dawns, when there is 
light," said the boys. 4 

"As it is natural for man to wish to eat, so Cabracan desires food," said Hunahpii and Xbalanque 
to each other. 

Meanwhile the birds were roasting, they were beginning to turn golden brown, and the fat and 
juice which dripped from them made an appetizing odor. Cabracan wanted very much to eat them; 
they made his mouth water, he yawned, and the saliva and spittle drooled because of the smell 
which the birds gave off. 

Then he asked them: "What is that you eat? The smell is really savoury. Give me a little piece," 
he said to them. 

Then they gave a bird to Cabracan, the one which would be his ruin; and when he had finished 
eating it, they set out toward the east where the great mountain was. But already Cabracan' s legs 
and hands were weakening and he had no strength because of the earth with which the bird he had 
eaten was rubbed, and he could do nothing to the mountains. Neither was it possible to level 
them. 

Then the boys tied him, they tied his hands behind him and also tied his neck and his feet 
together. Then they threw him to the ground and there they buried him. 

In this way Cabracan was overcome by Hunahpii and Xbalanque. It would be impossible to tell of 
all the things they did here on earth. 

Now we shall tell of the birth of Hunahpii and Xbalanque, having first told of the destruction of 
Vucub-Caquix and that of Zipacna and of Cabracan, here on earth. 


PART II: Chapter 1 



IN ow we shall also tell the name of the father of Hunahpii and Xbalanque. We shall not tell his 
origin and we shall not tell the history of the birth of Hunahpii and Xbalanque. We shall tell only 
half of it, only a part of the history of his father. 

Here is the story. Here are the names of Hun-Hunahpii [and Vucub-Hunahpii , as they are called. 
Their parents were Xpiyacoc and Xmucane. During the night 1 Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub- 
Hunahpii were born of Xpiyacoc and Xmucane. 2 

Well now, Hun-Hunahpii had begotten two sons; the first was called Hunbatz and the second 
Hunchouen. 3 

The mother of the two sons was called Xbaquiyalo. 4 Thus was the wife of Hun-Hunahpii called. 
As for the other son, Vucub-Hunahpii, he had no wife; he was single. 

By nature these two sons were very wise, and great was their wisdom; on earth they were 
soothsayers of good disposition and good habits. All the arts were taught to Hunbatz and 
Hunchouen, the sons of Hun-Hunahpii They were flautists, singers, shooters with blowguns, 
painters, sculptors, jewelers, silversmiths; these were Hunbatz and Hunchouen. 5 

Well, Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpii did nothing but play dice and ball A day long; and 
when the four got together to play ball, one pair played against the other pair. 

And Voc, s the messenger of Huracan, of Chipi-Caculha, of Raxa-Caculha came there to watch 
them, but Voc did not stay far from the earth nor far from Xibalba, 7 and in an instant he went up 
to heaven to the side of Huracan. 

They were still here on earth when the mother of Hunbatz and Hunchouen died. 

And having gone to play ball on the road to Xibalba, they were overheard by Hun-Came and 
Vucub-Came, the lords of Xibalba. g 

"What are they doing on earth? Who are they who are making the earth shake, and making so 
much noise? Go and call them! Let them come here to play ball. Here we will overpower them! 
We are no longer respected by them. They no longer have consideration, or fear of our rank, and 
they even fight above our heads," said all the lords of Xibalba. 

All of them held a council. Those called Hun-Came and Vucub-Came were the supreme judges. 
All the lords had been assigned their duties. Each one was given his own authority by Hun-Came 
and Vucub-Came. 

They were, then, Xiquiripat and Cuchumaquic 9 lords of these names. They were the two who 
caused the shedding of blood of the men. 




Others were called Ahalpuh and Ahalgana, 10 also lords. And their work was to make men swell 
and make pus gush forth from their legs 11 and stain their faces yellow, what is called Chuganal. 12 
Such was the work of Ahalpuh and Ahalgana. 

Others were Lord Chamiabac and Lord Chamiaholom, 13 constables of Xibalba whose staffs were 
of bone. Their work was to make men waste away until they were nothing but skin and bone and 
they died, and they carried them With their stomach and bones stretched out. This was the work 
of Chamiabac and Chamiaholom, as they were called. 

Others were called Lord Ahalmez and Lord Ahaltocob; u their work was to bring disaster upon 
men, as they were going home, or in front of it, and they would be found wounded, stretched out, 
face up, on the ground, dead. This was the work of Ahalmez and Ahaltocob, as they were called. 

Immediately after them were other lords named Xic and Patan 15 whose work it was to cause men 
to die on the road, which is called sudden death, making blood to rush to their mouths until they 
died vomiting blood. The work of each one of these lords was to seize upon them, squeeze their 
throats and chests, so that the men died on the road, making the blood rush to their throats when 
they were walking. This was the work of Xic and Patan. 

And having gathered in council, they discussed how to torment and wound Hun-Hunahpu and 
Vucub-Hunahpu. What the Lords of Xibalba coveted were the playing implements of Hun- 
Hunahpu and Vucub-Hunahpu-their leather pads 16 and rings 17 and gloves is and crown 19 and 
masks 20 which were the playing gear of Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpu. 

Now we shall tell of their journey to Xibalba and how they left behind them the sons of Hun- 
Hunahpu, Hunbatz, and [Hun  Chouen, 21 whose mother had died. 

Then we shall tell how Hunbatz and Hunchouen were overcome by Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 




II. Chapter 2 

1 he messengers of Hun-Came and Vucub-Came arrived immediately. 

"Go, Ahpop Achih!" 1 they were told. "Go and call Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpu. Say to 
them, 'Come with us. The lords say that you must come.' They must come here to play ball with 
us so that they shall make us happy, for really they amaze us. So, then, they must come," said the 
lords. "And have them bring their playing gear, their rings, their gloves, and have them bring their 
rubber balls, too," said the lords. "Tell them to come quickly," they told the messengers. 

And these messengers were owls: Chabi-Tucur, Huracan-Tucur, Caquix-Tucur and Holom- 
Tucur. 2 These were the names of the messengers of Xibalba. 

Chabi-Tucur was swift as an arrow; Huracan-Tucur had only one leg; Caquix-Tucur had a red 
back, and Holom-Tucur had only a head, no legs, but he had wings. 

The four messengers had the rank of Ahpop-Achih. Leaving Xibalba, they arrived quickly, 
bringing their message to the court where Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpu were playing ball, 
at the ball-court which was called Nim-Xob-Carchah. 3 The owl messengers went directly to the 
ball-court and delivered their message exactly as it was given to them by Hun-Came, Vucub- 
Came, Ahalpuh, Ahalgana, Chamiabac, Chamiaholom, Xiquiripat, Cuchumaquic, Ahalmez, 
Ahaltocob, Xic, and Patan, as the lords were called who sent the message by the owls. 

"Did the Lords Hun-Came and Vucub-Came really say that we must go with you?" 

"They certainly said so, and 'Let them bring all their playing gear,' the lords said." 

"Very well," said the youths. "Wait for us, we are only going to say good-bye to our mother." 

And having gone straight home, they said to their mother, for their father was dead: "We are 
going, our mother, but our going is only for a while, a The messengers of the lord have come to 
take us. 'They must come,' they said, according to the messengers. 

"We shall leave our ball here in pledge," 5 they added. They went immediately to hang it in the 
space under the rooftree. "We will return to play," they said. 

And going to Hunbatz and Hunchouen they said to them: "Keep on playing the flute and singing, 
painting, and carving; warm our house and warm the heart of your grandmother." 

When they took leave of their mother, Xmucane was moved and burst into tears. "Do not worry, 
we are going, but we have not died yet," said Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpu as they left. 

Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpu went immediately and the messengers took them on the road. 
Thus they were descending the road to Xibalba, by some very steep stairs. They went down until 





they came to the bank of a river which flowed rapidly between the ravines called Nuzivdn cul and 
Cuzivdn, § and crossed it. Then they crossed the river which flows among thorny calabash trees, z 
There were very many calabash trees, but they passed through them without hurting themselves. 

Then they came to the bank of a river of blood and crossed it without drinking its waters; they 
only went to the river bank and so they were not overcome. They went on until they came to 
where four roads joined, and there at the crossroads they were overcome. 

One of the four roads was red, another black, another white, and another yellow. And the black 
road said to them: "I am the one you must take because I am the way of the Lord." So said the 
road. 

And from here on they were already overcome. They were taken over the road to Xibalba and 
when they arrived at the council room of the Lords of Xibalba, they had already lost the match. 

Well, the first ones who were seated there were only figures of wood, arranged by the men of 
Xibalba. These they greeted first: 

"How are you, Hun-Came?" they said to the wooden man. "How are you, Vucub-Came?" they 
said to the other wooden man. But they did not answer, instantly the Lords of Xibalba burst into 
laughter and all the other lords began to laugh loudly, because they already took for granted the 
downfall and defeat of Hun-Hunahpu and Vucub-Hunahpu. And they continued to laugh. 

Then Hun-Came and Vucub-Came spoke: "Very well," they said. "You have come. Tomorrow 
you shall prepare the mask, g your rings, and your gloves," they said. 

"Come and sit down on our bench," they said. But the bench which they offered them was of hot 
stone, and when they sat down they were burned. They began to squirm around on the bench, and 
if they had not stood up they would have burned their seats. 

The Lords of Xibalba burst out laughing again; they were dying of laughter; they writhed from 
pain in their stomach, in their blood, and in their bones, caused by their laughter, all the Lords of 
Xibalba laughed. 

"Go now to that house," they said. "There you will get your sticks of fat pine 9 and your cigar 10 
and there you shall sleep." 

Immediately they arrived at the House of Gloom, u There was only darkness within the house. 
Meanwhile the Lords of Xibalba discussed what they should do. 

"Let us sacrifice them tomorrow, let them die quickly, quickly, so that we can have their playing 
gear to use in play," said the Lords of Xibalba to each other. 

Well, their fat-pine sticks were round and were called zaquitoc, which is the pine of Xibalba. 12 
Their fat-pine sticks were pointed and filed and were as bright as bone; the pine of Xibalba was 
very hard. 





Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpii entered the House of Gloom. There they were given their fat- 
pine sticks, a single lighted stick which Hun-Came and Vucub-Came sent them, together with a 
lighted cigar for each of them which the lords had sent. They went to give them to Hun-Hunahpii 
and Vucub-Hunahpii. 

They found them crouching in the darkness when the porters arrived with the fat-pine sticks and 
the cigars. As they entered, the pine sticks lighted the place brightly. 

"Each of you light your pine sticks and your cigars; come and bring them back at dawn, you must 
not burn them up, but you must return them whole; this is what the lords told us to say." So they 
said. And so they were defeated. They burned up the pine sticks, and they also finished the cigars 
which had been given to them. 

There were many punishments in Xibalba; the punishments were of many kinds. 

The first was the House of Gloom, Quequma-ha, in which there was only darkness. 

The second was Xuxulim-ha, the house where everybody shivered, in which it was very cold. A 
cold, unbearable wind blew within. 

The third was the House of Jaguars, Balami-ha, it was called, in which there were nothing but 
jaguars which stalked about, jumped around, roared, and made fun. The jaguars were shut up in 
the house. 

Zotzi-ha, the House of Bats, the fourth place of punishment was called. Within this house there 
were nothing but bats which squeaked and cried and flew around and around. The bats were shut 
in and could not get out. 

The fifth was called Chayim-ha, the House of Knives, 13 in which there were only sharp, pointed 
knives, silent or grating against each other in the house. 

There were many places of torture in Xibalba, 14 but Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpii did not 
enter them. We only mention the names of these houses of punishment. 

When Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpii came before Hun-Came and Vucub-Came, they said: 
"Where are my cigars? Where are my sticks of fat pine which I gave you last night?" 

"They are all gone, Sir." 

"Well. Today shall be the end of your days. Now you shall die. You shall be destroyed, we will 
break you into pieces and here your faces will stay hidden. You shall be sacrificed," said Hun- 
Came and Vucub-Came. 

They sacrificed them immediately and buried them in the Pucbal-Chah, as it was called. 15 Before 
burying them, ig they cut off the head of Hun-Hunahpii and buried the older brother together with 
the younger brother. 





"Take the head and put it in that tree which is Planted on the road," said Hun-Came and Vucub- 
Came. And having put the head in the tree, instantly the tree, which had never borne fruit before 
the head of Hun-Hunahpii was placed among its branches, was covered with fruit. And this 
calabash tree, it is said, is the one which we now call the head of Hun-Hunahpu. 

Hun-Came and Vucub-Came looked in amazement at the fruit on the tree. The round fruit was 
everywhere; but they did not recognize the head of Hun-Hunahpu; it was exactly like the other 
fruit of the calabash tree. So it seemed to all of the people of Xibalba when they came to look at 
it. 

According to their judgment, the tree was miraculous, because of what had instantly occurred 
when they put Hun-Hunahpu' s head among its branches. And the Lords of Xibalba said: 

"Let no one come to pick this fruit, n Let no one come and sit under this tree!" they said, and so 
the Lords of Xibalba resolved to keep everybody away. 

The head of Hun-Hunahpii did not appear again is because it had become one and the same as the 
fruit of the gourd tree. Nevertheless, a girl heard the wonderful story. Now we shall tell about her 
arrival. 



II. Chapter 3 

1 his is the story of a maiden, the daughter of a lord named Cuchumaquic. 

A maiden, then, daughter of a lord heard this story. The name of the father was Cuchumaquic and 
that of the maiden was Xquic. 1 When she heard the story of the fruit of the tree which her father 
told, she was amazed to hear it. 

"Why can I not go to see this tree which they tell about?" the girl exclaimed. "Surely the fruit of 
which I hear tell must be very good." Finally she went alone and arrived at the foot of the tree 
which was planted in Pucbal-Chah. 

"Ah!" she exclaimed. "What fruit is this which this tree bears? Is it not wonderful to see how it is 
covered with fruit? Must I die, shall I be lost, if I pick one of this fruit?" said the maiden. 

Then the skull which was among the branches of the tree spoke up and said: "What is it you wish? 
Those round objects which cover the branches of the trees are nothing but skulls." So spoke the 
head of Hun-Hunahpu turning to the maiden. "Do you, perchance, want them?" it added. 

"Yes, I want them," the maiden answered. 

"Very well," said the skull. "Stretch your right hand up here." 

"Very well," said the maiden, and with her right hand reached toward the skull. 

In that instant the skull let a few drops of spittle fall directly into the maiden's palm. She looked 
quickly and intently at the palm of her hand, but the spittle of the skull was not there. 

"In my saliva and spittle I have given you my descendants," said the voice in the tree. "Now my 
head has nothing on it any more, it is nothing but a skull without flesh. So are the heads of the 
great princes, the flesh is all which gives them a handsome appearance. And when they die, men 
are frightened by their bones. So, too, is the nature of the sons, which are like saliva and spittle, 
they may be sons of a lord, of a wise man, or of an orator. 2 They do not lose their substance when 
they go, but they bequeath it; the image of the lord, of the wise man, or of the orator does not. 
disappear, nor is it lost, but he leaves it to the daughters and to the sons which he begets. I have 
done the same with you. Go up, then, to the surface of the earth, that you may not die. Believe in 
my words that it will be so," said the head of Hun-Hunahpu and of Vucub-Hunahpu. 3 

And all that they did together was by order of Huracan, Chipi-Caculha, and Raxa-Caculha. 

After all of the above talking, the maiden returned directly to her home, having immediately 
conceived the sons in her belly by virtue of the spittle only. And thus Hunahpii and Xbalanque 
were begotten. 





And so the girl returned home, and after six months had passed, her father, who was called 
Cuchumaquic, noticed her condition. At once the maiden's secret was discovered by her father 
when he observed that she was pregnant, a 

Then the lords, Hun-Came and Vucub-Came, held council with Cuchumaquic. 

"My daughter is pregnant, 5 Sirs; she has been disgraced," § exclaimed Cuchumaquic when he 
appeared before the lords. 

"Very well," they said. "Command her to tell the truth, 7 and if she refuses to speak, punish her; 
let her be taken far from here and sacrifice her." 

"Very well, Honorable Lords," he answered. Then he questioned his daughter: 

"Whose are the children that you carry, my daughter?" 8 And she answered, "I have no child, my 
father, for I have not yet known a youth." 9 

'Very well," he replied. "You are really a whore. Take her and sacrifice her, Ahpop Achih; bring 
me her heart in a gourd and return this very day before the lords," he said to the two owls. 

The four messengers took the gourd and set out carrying the young girl in their arms and also 
taking the knife of flint with which to sacrifice her. 10 

And she said to them: "It cannot be that you will kill me, oh, messengers, because what I bear in 
my belly is no disgrace, but was begotten when I went to marvel at the head of Hun-Hunahpu 
which was in Pucbal-Chah. So, then, you must not sacrifice me, oh, messengers!" said the young 
girl, turning to them. 

"And what shall we put in place of your heart? Your father told us: 'Bring the heart, return before 
the lords, do your duty, all working together, bring it in the gourd quickly, 11 and put the heart in 
the bottom of the gourd.' Perchance, did he not speak to us so? What shall we put in the gourd? 
We wish too, that you should not die," said the messengers. 

"Very well, but my heart does not belong to them. Neither is your home here, nor must you let 
them force you to kill men. 12 Later, in truth, the real criminals will be at your mercy and I will 
overcome Hun-Came and Vucub-Came. So, then, the blood and only the blood shall be theirs and 
shall be given to them. 13 Neither shall my heart be burned before them. 14 Gather the product of 
this tree," said the maiden. 

The red sap gushing forth from the tree fell in the gourd and with it they made a ball which 
glistened and took the shape of a heart. The tree gave forth sap similar to blood, with the 
appearance of real blood. Then the blood, or that is to say the sap of the red tree, clotted, and 
formed a very bright coating inside the gourd, like clotted blood; meanwhile the tree glowed at 
the work of the maiden. It was called the "red tree of cochineal," 15 but [since then  it has taken 
the name of Blood Tree because its sap is called Blood, ig 





"There on earth you shall be beloved and you shall have all that belongs to you," said the maiden 
to the owls. 

"Very well, girl. We shall go there, we go up to serve you; you, continue on your way, while we 
go to present the sap, instead of your heart, to the lords," said the messengers. 

When they arrived in the presence of the lords, all were waiting. 

"You have finished?" asked Hun-Came. 

"All is finished, my lords. Here in the bottom of the gourd is the heart." 

"Very well. Let us see," exclaimed Hun-Came. And grasping it with his fingers he raised it, the 
shell broke and the blood flowed bright red in color. 

"Stir up the fire and put it on the coals," said Hun-Came. 

As soon as they threw it on the fire, the men of Xibalba began to sniff and drawing near to it, they 
found the fragrance of the heart very sweet. 

And as they sat deep in thought, the owls, the maiden's servants, left, and flew like a flock of 
birds from the abyss toward earth and the four became her servants. 

In this manner the Lords of Xibalba were defeated. All were tricked by the maiden. 




II. Chapter 4 



W ell, then, Hunbatz and Hunchouen were with their mother 1 when the woman called Xquic 
arrived. 

When the woman Xquic came before the mother of Hunbatz and Hunchouen, 2 she carried her 
sons in her belly and it was not long before Hunahpu and Xbalanque, as they were called, were to 
be born. 

When the woman came to the old lady, she said to her: "I have come, mother; I am your daughter- 
in-law and your daughter, mother." She said this when she entered the grandmother's house. 

"Where did you come from? Where are my sons? Did they, perchance, not die in Xibalba? Do 
you not see these two who remain, their descendants and blood, and are called Hunbatz and 
Hunchouen. Go from here! Get out!" the old lady screamed at the girl. 

"Nevertheless, it is true that I am your daughter-in-law; I have been for a long time. I belong to 
Hun-Hunahpii. They live in what I carry, Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpii are not dead; they 
will return to show themselves clearly, my mother-in-law. And you shall soon see their image in 
what I bring to you," she said to the old woman. 

Then Hunbatz and Hunchouen became angry. They did nothing but play the flute and sing, paint, 
and sculpture all day long and were the consolation of the old woman. 

Then the old woman said: 

"I do not wish you to be my daughter-in-law, because what you bear in your womb is fruit of your 
disgrace. Furthermore, you are an impostor; my sons of whom you speak are already dead." 

Presently the grandmother added: "This, that I tell you is the truth; but well, it is all right, you are 
my daughter-in-law, according to what I have heard. Go, then, bring the food for those who must 
be fed. Go and gather a large net [full of corn  and return at once, since you are my daughter-in- 
law, according to what I hear," she said to the girl. 

"Very well," the girl replied, and she went at once to the cornfield 3 which Hunbatz and 
Hunchouen had planted. They had opened the road and the girl took it and so came to the 
cornfield; but she found only one stalk of corn; there were not two or three, and when she saw 
that there was only one stalk with an ear on it, the girl became very anxious. 

"Ah, sinner that I am, unfortunate me! Where must I go to get a net full of corn 4 as she told me to 
do?" she exclaimed. Immediately she began to beg Chahal 5 for the food which she had to get and 
must take back. 







"Xtoh, Xcanil, Xcacau, 6 you who cook the corn; and you, Chahal, guardian of the food of 
Hunbatz and Hunchouen!" said the girl. And then she seized the beards, the red silk of the ears of 
corn and pulled them off without picking the ear. Then she arranged the silk in the net like ears of 
corn and the large net was completely filled. 

The girl returned immediately; the animals of the field went along carrying the net, and when they 
arrived, they went to put the load in a corner of the house, as though she might have carried it. 
The old woman came and when she saw the corn in the large net she exclaimed: 

"Where have you brought all this corn from? Did you, perchance, take all the corn in our field and 
bring it all in? I shall go at once to see," said the old woman, and she set out on the road to the 
cornfield. But the one stalk of corn was still standing there, and she saw too where the net had 
been at the foot of the stalk. 7 The old woman quickly returned to her house and said to the girl: 

"This is proof enough that you are really my daughter-in-law. I shall now see your little ones, 
those whom you carry and who also are to be soothsayers," 2 she said to the girl. 


II. Chapter 5 



IN ow we shall tell of the birth of Hunahpii and Xbalanque. Here, then, we shall tell about their 
birth. 

When the day of their birth arrived, the girl named Xquic gave birth; but the grandmother did not 
see them when they were born. Instantly the two boys called Hunahpii and Xbalanque were born. 
There in the wood they were born. 

Then they came to the house, but they could not sleep. 

"Go throw them out! "said the old woman, "because truly they cry very much." Then they went 
and put them on an ant-hill. There they slept peacefully. Then they took them from the ant-hill 
and laid them on thistles. 

Now, what Hunbatz and Hunchouen wished was that they [Hunahpii and Xbalanque  would die 
there on the ant-hill, or on the thistles. They wished this because of the hatred and envy 1 Hunbatz 
and Hunchouen felt for them. 

At first they refused to receive their younger brothers in the house; they would not recognize them 
and so they were brought up in the fields. 

Hunbatz and Hunchouen were great musicians and singers; they had grown up in the midst of 
trials and want and they had had much trouble, but they became very wise. They were flautists, 
singers, painters, and carvers; all of this they knew how to do. 

They had heard about their birth and knew also that they were the successors of their parents, 
those who went to Xibalba and died there. Hunbatz and Hunchouen were diviners, and in their 
hearts they knew everything concerning the birth of their two younger brothers. Nevertheless, 
because they were envious, they did not show their wisdom, and their hearts were filled with bad 
will for them, although Hunahpii and Xbalanque had not offended them in any way. 

These two [last  did nothing all day long but shoot their blowguns; they were not loved by their 
grandmother, nor by Hunbatz, nor by Hunchouen; they were given nothing to eat; only when the 
meal was ended and Hunbatz and Hunchouen had already eaten, then the younger brothers came 
to eat. But they did not become angry, nor did they become vexed, but suffered silently, because 
they knew their rank, and they understood everything clearly. 2 They brought their birds when 
they came, and Hunbatz and Hunchouen ate them without giving anything to either of the two, 
Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

The only thing that Hunbatz and Hunchouen did was to play the flute and sing. 

And once when Hunahpii and Xbalanque came without bringing any bird at all, they went into the 
house and their grandmother became furious. 





"Why did you bring no birds?" she said to Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

And they answered: "What happened, grandmother, is that our birds were caught in the tree and 
we could not climb up to get them, dear grandmother. If our elder brothers so wish, let them come 
with us to bring the birds down," they said. 

"Very well," the older brothers answered, "we shall go with you at dawn." 

The two younger brothers then discussed the way to overcome Hunbatz and Hunchouen. 3 "We 
shall only change their nature, their appearance; and so let our word be fulfilled, 4 for all the 
suffering that they have caused us. They wanted us to die, that we might be lost, we, their younger 
brothers. In their hearts 5 they really believe that we have come to be their servants. For these 
reasons we shall overcome them and teach them a lesson." Thus they spoke. 

Then they went toward the foot of the tree called Cante. § They were accompanied by their two 
elder brothers and they were shooting their blowguns. It was not possible to count the birds which 
sang in the tree, and their elder brothers marveled to see so many birds. There were birds, but not 
one fell at the foot of the tree. 

"Our birds do not fall to the ground. Go and fetch them down," they said to their elder brothers. 

"Very well," the latter answered. And then they climbed the tree; but the tree became larger and 
the trunk swelled. Then Hunbatz and Hunchouen wanted to come down but they could not come 
down from the top of the tree. 

Then they called from the treetop. "What has happened to us, our brothers? Unfortunate we. This 
tree frightens us only to look at it. Oh, our brothers!" they called from the treetop. And Hunahpii 
and Xbalanque answered: "Loosen your breechclouts; 7 tie them below your stomach, leaving the 
long ends hanging and pull these from behind, and in this way you can walk easily." Thus said the 
younger brothers. 

"Very well," they answered, pulling the ends of their belts back, but instantly these were changed 
into tails and they took on the appearance of monkeys. Then they hopped over the branches of the 
trees, among the great woods and little woods, and they buried themselves in the forest, making 
faces and swinging in the branches of the trees. 

In this way Hunbatz and Hunchouen were overcome by Hunahpii and Xbalanque; and only 
because of their magic could they have done it. 

Then they returned to their home, and when they arrived they spoke to their grandmother and 
their mother, and said to them: "What could it be, grandmother, that has happened to our elder 
brothers, that suddenly their faces turned into the faces of animals?" So they said. 

"If you have done any harm to your elder brothers, you have hurt me and have filled me with 
sadness. Do not do such a thing to your brothers, oh, my children," said the old woman to 
Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 





And they replied to their grandmother: 

"Do not grieve, our grandmother. You shall see our brother's faces again; they shall return, but it 
will be a difficult trial for you, grandmother. Be careful that you do not laugh at them. And now, 
let us cast our lot," they said. 

Immediately they began to play their flutes, playing the song of Hunahpu-Qoy. § Then they sang, 
playing the flute and drum, picking up their flutes and their drum. Afterward they sat down close 
to their grandmother and continued playing and calling back [their brothers  with music and song, 
intoning the song, called Hunahpu-Qoy. 

At last, Hunbatz and Hunchouen came and began to dance; but when the old woman saw their 
ugly faces, she began to laugh, unable to control her laughter, and they went away at once and she 
did not see their faces again. 

"Now you see, grandmother! They have gone to the forest. What have you done, grandmother of 
ours? We may make this trial but four times and only three are left. Let us call them [back again  
with flute and with song, but you, try to control your laughter. Let the trial begin!" said Hunahpii 
and Xbalanque. 

Immediately they began again to play. Hunbatz and Hunchouen returned dancing, and came as far 
as the center of the court of the house 9 grimacing and provoking their grandmother to laughter, 
until finally she broke into loud laughter. They were really very amusing with their monkey faces, 
their broad bottoms, their narrow tails, and the hole of their stomach. 10 all of which made the old 
woman laugh. 

Again the [elder brothers  went back to the woods. And Hunahpii and Xbalanque said: "And now 
what shall we do, grandmother? We shall try once again, this third time." 

They played the flute again, and the monkeys returned dancing. The grandmother contained her 
laughter. Then they went up over the kitchen; their eyes gave off a red light; they drew away and 
scrubbed their noses and frightened each other with the faces they made. 

And as the grandmother saw all of this, she burst into violent laughter; and they did not see the 
faces [of the elder brothers  again because of the old woman's laughter. 

"Only once more shall we call them, grandmother, so that they shall come for the fourth time," 
said the boys. They began again, then, to play the flute, but [their brothers  did not return the 
fourth time, instead they fled into the forest as quickly as they could. 

The boys said to their grandmother: "We have done everything possible, dear grandmother; they 
came once, then we tried to call them again. But do not grieve, here we are, your grandchildren; 
you must look to us, oh, our mother! Oh, our grandmother! to remind you of our elder brothers, 
those who were called and have the names of Hunbatz and Hunchouen," said Hunahpii and 
Xbalanque. 





They were invoked by the musicians and singers, and by the old people. The painters and 
craftsmen also invoked them in days gone by. n But they were changed into animals and became 
monkeys because they became arrogant and abused their brothers. 

In this way they were disgraced; this was their loss, in this way Hunbatz and Hunchouen were 
overcome and became animals. They had always lived in their home; they were musicians and 
singers and also did great things when they lived with their grandmother and with their mother. 





II. Chapter 6 



1 hen they [Hunahpu  and [Xbalanque  began to work, in order to be well thought of by their 
grandmother and their mother. The first thing they made was the cornfield. "We are going to plant 
the cornfield, grandmother and mother," they said. "Do not grieve; here we are, your 
grandchildren, we who shall take the place of our brothers," said Hunahpu and Xbalanque. 

At once they took their axes, their picks, and their wooden hoes and went, each carrying his 
blowgun on his shoulder. As they left the house they asked their grandmother to bring them their 
midday meal. 

"At midday, come and bring our food, grandmother," they said. 

"Very well, my grandsons," the old woman replied. 

Soon they came to the field. And as they plunged the pick into the earth, it worked the earth; it did 
the work alone. 

In the same way they put the ax in the trunks of the trees and in the branches, and instantly they 
fell and all the trees and vines were lying on the ground. The trees fell quickly, with only one 
stroke of the ax. 

The pick also dug a great deal. One could not count the thistles and brambles which had been 
felled with one blow of the pick. Neither was it possible to tell what it had dug and broken up, in 
all the large and small woods. 

And having taught an animal, called Xmucur, 1 they had it climb to the top of a large tree and 
Hunahpu and Xbalanque said to it: "Watch for our grandmother to come with our food, and as 
soon as she comes, begin at once to sing, and we shall seize the pick and the ax." 

"Very well," Xmucur answered. 

And they began to shoot with their blowguns; certainly they did none of the work of clearing and 
cultivating. A little later, the dove sang, and they ran quickly, grabbing the pick and ax. And one 
of them covered his head and also deliberately covered his hands With earth 2 and in the same 
way smeared his face to look like a real laborer, and the other purposely threw splinters of wood 
over his head as though he really had been cutting the trees. 

Thus their grandmother saw them. They ate at once, but they had not really done the work of 
tilling the soil, and without deserving it they were given their midday meal. After a while, they 
went home. 

"We are really tired, grandmother," they said upon arriving, stretching their legs and arms before 
her, but without reason. 



They returned the following day, and upon arriving at the field, they found that all the trees and 
vines were standing again and that the brambles and thistles had become entangled again. 

"Who has played this trick on us;" they said. "No doubt all the small and large animals did it, the 
puma, the jaguar, the deer, the rabbit, the mountain-cat, the coyote, the wild boar, the coati, the 
small birds, the large birds; they, it was, who did it; in a single night, they did it." 

They began again to prepare the field and to prepare the soil and cut the trees. They talked over 
what they would have to do with the trees which they had cut, and the weeds which they had 
pulled up. 

"Now we shall watch over our cornfield; perhaps we can surprise those who come to do all of this 
damage," they said, talking it over together. And later they returned home. 

"What do you think of it, grandmother? They have made fun of us. Our field, which we had 
worked, has been turned into a field of stubble and a thick woods. Thus we found it, when we got 
there, a little while ago, grandmother," they said to her and to their mother. "But we shall return 
there and watch over it, because it is not right that they do such things to us," they said. 

Then they dressed and returned at once to their field of cut trees, and there they hid themselves, 
stealthily, in the darkness. 

Then all the animals gathered again; one of each kind came with the other small and large 
animals. It was just midnight when they came, all talking as they came, saying in their own 
language: "Rise up, trees! Rise up, vines!" 3 

So they spoke when they came and gathered under the trees, under the vines, and they came 
closer until they appeared before the eyes [of Hunahpu and Xbalanque . 

The puma and the jaguar were the first, and [Hunahpu and Xbalanque  wanted to seize them, but 
[the animals  did not let them. Then the deer and the rabbit came close, and the only parts of them 
which they could seize were their tails, 4 only these, they pulled out. The tall of the deer remained 
in their hands, and for this reason the deer and the rabbit have short tails. 

Neither the mountain-cat, the coyote, the wild boar, nor the coati fell into their hands. All the 
animals passed before Hunahpu and Xbalanque, who were furious because they could not catch 
them. 

But, finally, another animal came hopping along, and this one which was the rat, [which  they 
seized instantly, and wrapped him in a cloth. Then when they had caught him, they squeezed his 
head and tried to choke him, and they burned his tall in the fire, and for that reason the rat's tail 
has no hair. So, too, the boys, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, tried to poke at his eyes. 

The rat said: "I must not die at your hands. And neither is it your business to plant the cornfield." 

"What are you telling us now?" the boys asked the rat. 




"Loosen me a little, for I have something which I wish to tell you, and I shall tell you 
immediately, but first give me something to eat," said the rat. 

"We will give you food afterward, but first speak," they answered. 

"Very well. Do you know, then, that the property of your parents Hun-Hunahpu and Vucub- 
Hunahpu, as they were called, those who died in Xibalba, or rather the gear with which they 
played ball, has remained s and is hanging from the roof of the house: the ring, the gloves, and the 
ball? Nevertheless, your grandmother does not want to show them to you for it was on account of 
these things that your parents died." 

"Are you sure of that?" said the boys to the rat. And they were very happy when they heard about 
the rubber ball. And as the rat had now talked, they showed the rat what his food would be. 

"This shall be your food: corn, chili-seeds, beans, pataxte, cacao; g all this belongs to you, and 
should there be anything stored away or forgotten, it shall be yours also. Eat it," Hunahpii and 
Xbalanque said to the rat. 

"Wonderful, boys," he said; "but what shall I tell your grandmother if she sees me?" 

"Do not worry, because we are here and shall know what to say to our grandmother. Let us go! 
We shall go quickly to the comer of the house, go at once to where the things hang; we shall be 
looking at the garret of the house and paying attention to our food," they said to the rat. 

And having arranged it thus, during the night after talking together, Hunahpii and Xbalanque 
arrived at midday. When they arrived, they brought the rat with them, but they did not show it; 
one of them went directly into the house, and the other went to the corner and there let the rat 
climb up quickly. 

Immediately they asked their grandmother for food. "Prepare our food, i_ we wish a chili-sauce, 8 
grandmother," they said. And at once the food was prepared for them and a plate of broth was put 
before them. 

But this was only to deceive their grandmother and their mother. And having dried up the water 
which was in the water jar, they said, "We are really dying of thirst; go and bring us a drink," they 
said to their grandmother. 

"Good," she said and went. Then they began to eat, but they were not really hungry; it was only a 
trick. They saw then by means of their plate of chile § how the rat went rapidly toward the ball 
which was suspended from the roof of the house. On seeing this in their chile-sauce, they sent to 
the river a certain xan, an animal called xan which is like a mosquito, to puncture the side of their 
grandmother's water jar, and although she tried to stop the water which ran out, she could not 
close the hole made in the jar. 

"What is the matter with our grandmother? Our mouths are dry, with thirst, 10 we are dying of 
thirst," they said to their mother and they sent her out, n Immediately the rat went to cut [the cord 




which held  the ball and it fell from the garret of the house together with the ring and the gloves 
and the leather pads. The boys seized them and ran quickly to hide them on the road which led to 
the ball-court. 

After this they went to the river to join their grandmother and their mother, who were busily 
trying to stop the hole in the water jar. And arriving With their blowgun, they said when they 
came to the river: "What are you doing? We got tired [of waiting  and we came," they said. 

"Look at the hole in my jar which I cannot stop, said the grandmother. Instantly they stopped it, 
and together they returned, the two walking before their grandmother. 

And in this way the ball was found. 




II. Chapter 7 



1 he boys returned happily to the ball-court to play; they were playing alone a long time and 
cleared the court where their parents had played. 

And the Lords of Xibalba, hearing them, said: "Who are they who play again over our heads and 
disturb us with the noise they make? Perchance Hun-Hunahpu and Vucub-Hunahpu did not die, 
those who wished to exalt themselves before us? Go at once and call them!" 

So said Hun-Came, Vucub-Came, and all the lords. And sending the messengers to call them, 
they said to them: "Go and tell them when you get there: 'Let them come,' the lords have said; we 
wish to play ball with them here, within seven days we wish to play; tell them so when you 
arrive," thus said the lords. This was the command which they gave to the messengers. And they 
came then by the wide road which the boys had made that led directly to their house; by it the 
messengers arrived directly before [the boys'  grandmother. They were eating when the 
messengers from Xibalba arrived. 

"Tell them to come, without fail, the lords commanded," said the messengers of Xibalba. And the 
messengers of Xibalba indicated the day: "Within seven days they will await them," they said to 
Xmucane. 

"It is well, messengers; they will go," the old woman answered. And the messengers set out on 
their return. 

Then the old woman's heart was filled with anxiety. "Who shall I send to call my grandchildren? 1 
Was it not in this same way that the messengers of Xibalba came before, when they came to take 
the [boys'  parents?" said the grandmother, entering her house, alone and grieving. 

And immediately a louse fell into her lap. She seized it and put it in the palm of her hand, and the 
louse wriggled and began to walk. 

"My child, would you like that I sent you away to call my grandchildren from the ball-court?" she 
said to the louse. "'Messengers have come to your grandmother,' tell them; 'come within seven 
days, tell them to come, said the messengers of Xibalba; thus your grandmother told me to say,'" 
thus she told the louse. 

At once the louse swaggered off. Sitting on the road was a boy called Tamazul, 2 or the toad. 

"Where are you going?" the toad said to the louse. 

"I am carrying a message in my stomach. I go to find the boys," said the louse to Tamazul. 

"Very well, but I see that you do not go quickly," said the toad to the louse. "Do you not want me 
to swallow you? You shall see how I run, and so we shall arrive quickly." 



"Very well," the louse said to the toad. Immediately the toad swallowed him. And the toad 
walked a long time, but without hurrying. Soon he met a large snake, called Zaquicaz. 3 

"Where are you going, young Tamazul?" said Zaquicaz to the toad. 

"I go as a messenger; I carry a message in my stomach," said the toad to the snake. "See that you 
do not walk quickly. Would I not arrive sooner?" the snake said to the toad. "Come here," he said. 
At once Zaquicaz swallowed the toad. And from then on this was the food of snakes, who still 
today swallow toads. 

The snake went quickly and having met Vac, 4 which is a very large bird, the hawk, [the latter  
instantly swallowed the snake. Shortly afterward it arrived at the ball-court. From that time, this 
has been the food of hawks, who devour snakes in the fields. 

And upon arrival, the hawk perched upon the cornice of the ball-court where Hunahpii and 
Xbalanque were amusing themselves playing ball. Upon arriving, the hawk began to cry: "Vac- 
col Vac-col" it said cawing. ["Here is the hawk! Here is the hawk!"  

"Who is screaming? Bring our blowguns!" the boys exclaimed. And shooting at the hawk, they 
aimed a pellet at the pupil of the eye 5 and [the hawk  spiraled to the ground. They ran to seize it 
and asked: "What do you come to do here?" they asked the hawk. 

"I bring a message in my stomach. First cure my eye and afterward I shall tell you," the hawk 
answered. 

"Very well," they said, and taking a bit of the rubber of the ball with which they were playing, 
they put it in the hawk's eye. Lotzquic § they called it, and instantly the hawk's eye was perfectly 
healed. 

"Speak, then," they said to the hawk. And immediately it vomited a large snake. 

"Speak, you," they said to the snake. 

"Good," the [snake  said and vomited the toad. 

"Where is the message that you bring?" they asked the toad. 

"Herein my stomach is the message," answered the toad. And immediately he tried, but could not 
vomit; his mouth only filled with spittle but he did not vomit. The boys wanted to hit him then. 

"You are a liar, "they said, kicking him in the rump, and the bone of the haunches gave way. He 
tried again, but his mouth only filled with spittle. Then the boys opened the toad's mouth and 
once open, they looked inside of it. The louse was stuck to the toad's teeth: it had stayed in its 
mouth and had not been swallowed, but only pretended to be swallowed. 7 Thus the toad was 
tricked, and the kind of food to give it is not known. It cannot run; and it became the food of the 
snakes. 

Page 93 of 196 



"Speak," they said to the louse, and then it gave its message. "Your grandmother has said, boys: 
'Go call them; the messengers of Hun-Came and Vucub-Came have come to tell them to go to 
Xibalba, saying: "They must come here within seven days to play ball with us, and they must also 
bring their playing gear, the ball, the rings, the gloves, the leather pads, in order that they may 
amuse themselves here," said the lords. They have really come,' said your grandmother. That is 
why I have come. For truly your grandmother said this and she cries and grieves, for this reason I 
have come." 

"Is it true?" the boys asked themselves when they heard this. And running quickly they arrived at 
their grandmother's side; they went only to take their leave of her. 

"We are going, grandmother, we came only to say goodbye. But here will be the sign which we 
shall leave of our fate: each of us shall plant a reed, in the middle of the house we shall plant it; if 
it dries, this shall be the sign of our death. 'They are dead!' you shall say, if it begins to dry up. 
But if it sprouts again: 'They are living!' you shall say, oh, our grandmother. And you, mother, do 
not weep, for here we leave the sign of our fate," thus they said. 

And before going, Hunahpu planted one [reed  and Xbalanque planted another; they planted them 
in the house and not in the field, nor did they plant them in moist soil, but in dry soil; in the 
middle of their house, they left them planted. 




II. Chapter 8 



1 hen they went, each one carrying his blowgun, and went down in the direction of Xibalba. 
They descended the steps quickly and passed between several streams and ravines. They passed 
among some birds and these birds were called Molay. 1 

They also passed over a river of corruption, and over a river of blood, where they would be 
destroyed, so the people of Xibalba thought; but they did not touch it with their feet, instead they 
crossed it on their blowguns. 

They went on from there, and came to a crossway of four roads. They knew very well which were 
the roads to Xibalba; the black road, the white road, the red road, and the green road. So, then, 
they sent an animal called Xan. 2 It was to go to gather information which they wanted. "Sting 
them, one by one; first sting the one seated in the first place and then sting all of them, since this 
is the part you must play: to suck the blood of the men on the roads," they said to the mosquito. 

"Very well," answered the mosquito. And immediately it flew on to the dark road and went 
directly toward the wooden men which were seated first and covered with ornaments. It stung the 
first, but this one said nothing; then it stung the next one, it stung the second, who was seated, but 
this one said nothing, either. 

After that it stung the third; the third of those seated was Hun-Came. "Ah!" he exclaimed when it 
stung him. "What is this, Hun-Came? What is it that has stung you? Do you not know who has 
stung you? "said the fourth one of the lords, who were seated. 3 

"What is the matter, Vucub-Came? What has stung you?" said the fifth. 

"Ah! Ah!" then said Xiquiripat. And Vucub-Came asked him, "What has stung you?" and when 
they stung the sixth who was seated [he cried , "Ah!" 

"What is this, Cuchumaquic?" asked Xiquiripat. "What is it that has stung you?" And the seventh 
one seated said "Ah" when he was stung. 

"What is the matter, Ahalpuh?" said Cuchumaquic. "What has stung you?" And when it stung 
him, the eighth of those seated said, "Ah!" 

"What is the matter, Ahalcana?" said Ahalpuh. "What has stung you?" And when he was stung 
the ninth of those seated said "Ah!" 

"What is this, Chamiabac? "said Ahalcana. "What has stung you?" And when the tenth of those 
seated was stung, he said "Ah!" 

"What is the matter, Chamiaholom?" said Chamiabac. "What has stung you?" And when the 
eleventh of those seated was stung he said, "Ah!" 

Page 96 of 196 



"What happened?" said Chamiaholom. "What has stung you?" And when the twelfth of those 
seated was stung, he said "Alas!" 

"What is this, Patan?" they said. "What has stung you?" And the thirteenth of those seated said 
"Alas!" when he was stung. 

"What is the matter, Quicxic?" said Patan. "What has stung you?" And the fourteenth of those 
seated when he was stung said "Alas!" 

"What has stung you, Quicrixcac?" said Quicre. 

In this way they told their names, as they all said them one to the other. 4 So they made 
themselves known 5 by telling their names, calling each chief, one by one. And in this manner 
each of those seated in his comer told his name. 

Not a single one of the names was missed. All told their names when Hunahpii puffed out a hair 
of his leg, which was what had stung them. It was really not a mosquito which stung them which 
went for Hunahpii and Xbalanque to hear the names of all of them. 

They [the youths  continued on their way and arrived where the Lords of Xibalba were. 

"Greet the lord, the one who is seated,' said one in order to deceive them. 

"That is not a lord, it is nothing more than a wooden figure," they said, and went on. Immediately 
they began to greet them: 

"Hail, Hun-Came! Hail, Vucub-Came! Hail, Xiquiripat! Hail, Cuchumaquic! Hail, Ahalpuh! Hail, 
Ahalcana! Hail, Chamiabac! Hail, Chamiaholom! Hail, Quicxic! Hail, Patan! Hail, Quicre! Hail, 
Quicrixcac!" they said coming before them. And looking in their faces, they spoke the name of 
all, without missing the name of a single one of them. 

But what the lords wished was that they should not discover their names. 

"Sit here," they said, hoping that they would sit in the seat [which they indicated . 

"That is not a seat for us; it is only a hot stone," said Hunahpii and Xbalanque, and they [the 
Lords of Xibalba  could not overcome them. 

"Very well, go to that house," the lords said. And they [the youths  went on and entered the 
House of Gloom. And neither there were they overcome. 




II. Chapter 9 



1 his was the first test of Xibalba. The Lords of Xibalba thought that [the boys'  entrance there 
would be the beginning of their downfall. After a while [the boys  entered the House of Gloom; 
immediately lighted sticks of fat pine were given them and the messengers of Hun-Came also 
took a cigar to each one. 

"These are their pine sticks,' said the lord; 'they must return them at dawn, tomorrow, together 
with the cigars, and you must bring them back whole,' said the lord." So said the messengers 
when they arrived. 

"Very well," [the boys  replied. But they really did not [light  the sticks of pine, instead they put a 
red-colored thing in place of them, or some feathers from the tail of the macaw, which to the night 
watches 1 looked like lighted pine sticks. And as for the cigars, they attached fireflies to their 
end. 2 

All night [everybody  thought they were defeated. "They are lost," said the night watchmen. But 
the pine sticks had not been burned and looked the same, and the cigars had not been lighted and 
looked the same as before. 

They went to tell the lords. 

"How is this? Whence have they come? Who conceived them? Who gave birth to them? This 
really troubles us, because it is not well what they do. Their faces are strange, and strange is their 
conduct." they said to each other. 

Soon all the lords summoned [the boys . 

"Eh! Let us play ball, boys!" they said. At the same time they were questioned by Hun-Came and 
Vucub-Came: 

"Where did you come from? Tell us, boys!" said the Lords of Xibalba. 

"Who knows whence we came! We do not know," they said, and nothing more. 

"Very well. Let us play ball, boys," said the Lords of Xibalba. 

"Good," they replied. 3 

"We shall use our ball," said the Lords of Xibalba. a 

"By no means, shall you use [your ball , but ours," the boys answered. 

"Not that one, but ours we shall use," insisted the Lords of Xibalba. 

Page 99 of 196 



"Very well," said the boys. 

"Let us play for a worm, the chil," 5 said the Lords of Xibalba. 

"No, but instead, the head of the puma shall speak," § said the boys. 

"Not that," said those of Xibalba. 

"Very well," said Hunahpu. 

Then the Lords of Xibalba seized the ball; they threw it directly at the ring of Hunahpu. 
Immediately, while those of Xibalba grasped the handle of the knife of flint, 7 the ball rebounded 
and bounced all around the floor of the ball-court. 

"What is this?" exclaimed Hunahpu and Xbalanque. "You wish to kill us? Perchance you did not 
send to call us? And your own messengers did not come? In truth, unfortunate are we! We shall 
leave at once," the boys said to them. 

This was exactly what those of Xibalba wanted to have happen to the boys, that they would die 
immediately, right there in the ball-court and thus they would be overcome. But it did not happen 
thus, and it was the Lords of Xibalba who were defeated by the boys. 

"Do not leave, boys, let us go on playing ball, but we shall use your ball," they said to the boys. 

"Very well," the boys answered and then they drove their ball 8 through [the ring of Xibalba , and 
with this the game ended. 

And offended by their defeat, the men of Xibalba immediately said: "What shall we do in order to 
overcome them?" And turning to the boys they said to them: "Go gather and bring us, early 
tomorrow morning, 9 four gourds of flowers." So said the men of Xibalba to the boys. 

"Very well. And what kind of flowers?" they asked the men of Xibalba. 

"A branch of red chiptlin, a branch of white chiptlin, a branch of yellow chiptlin, and a branch of 
carinimac," said the men of Xibalba. 10 

"Very well," replied the boys. 

Thus the talk ended; equally strong and vigorous were the words of the boys. And their hearts 
were calm when they gave themselves up to be overcome. 

The Lords of Xibalba were happy, thinking that they had already defeated them. 

"This has turned out well for us. First they must cut them [the flowers ," 11 said the Lords of 
Xibalba. "Where shall they go to get the flowers?" they said to themselves. 

Page 100 of 196 



"Surely you will give us our flowers tomorrow early; 12 go, then, to cut them," 13 the Lords of 
Xibalba said to Hunahpii and Xbalanque. 

"Very well," they replied. "At dawn u we shall play ball again," they said upon leaving. 

And immediately the boys entered the House of Knives, the second place of torture in Xibalba. 
And what the lords wanted was that they would be cut to pieces by the knives, and would be 
quickly killed; that is what they Wished in their hearts. 

But the [boys  did not die. They spoke at once to the knives 15 and said to them: 

"Yours shall be the flesh of all the animals," they said to the knives. And they did not move again, 
but all the knives were quiet. 

Thus they passed the night in the House of Knives, and calling all the ants, they said to them: 
"Come, Cutting Ants, ig come, zompopos, 17 and all of you go at once, go and bring all the kinds 
of flowers that we must cut for the lords." 

"Very well," they said, and all the ants went to bring the flowers from the gardens of Hun-Came 
and Vucub-Came. 

Previously [the lords  had warned the guards of the flowers of Xibalba: "Take care of our flowers, 
do not let them be taken by the boys who shall come to cut them. But how could [the boys  see 
and cut the flowers? ig Not at all. Watch, then, all night!" 

"Very well," they answered. But the guards of the garden heard nothing. Needlessly they shouted 
up into the branches of the trees in the garden. There they were all night, repeating their same 
shouts and songs. 

"Ixpurpuvecl Ixpurpuvecl" one shouted. 

"Puhuyul Puhuyul" the other answered. 19 

Puhuyii was the name of the two who watched the garden of Hun-Came and Vucub-Came. 20 But 
they did not notice the ants who were robbing them of what they were guarding, turning around 
and moving here and there, cutting the flowers, climbing the trees to cut the flowers, and 
gathering them from the ground at the foot of the trees. 

Meanwhile the guards went on crying, and they did not feel the teeth which were cutting their 
tails and their wings. 

And thus the ants carried, between their teeth, the flowers which they took down, and gathering 
them from the ground, they went on carrying them with their teeth. 



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Quickly they filled the four gourds with flowers, which were moist [with dew  when it dawned. 21 
Immediately the messengers arrived to get them. "Tell them to come,' the lord has said, 'and 
bring here instantly what they have cut,'" they said to the boys. 

"Very well," the [boys  answered. And carrying the flowers in the four gourds, they went, and 
when they arrived before the lord [of Xibalba  and the other lords, it was lovely to see the flowers 
they had brought. And in this way the Lords of Xibalba were overcome. 

The boys had only sent the ants [to cut the flowers , and in a night the ants cut them and put them 
in the gourds. 

Instantly the Lords of Xibalba paled and their faces became livid because of the flowers. They 
sent at once for the guardians of the flowers. "Why did you permit them to steal our flowers? 
These which we see here are our flowers," they said to the guardians. 

"We noticed nothing, my lord. Our tails also suffered," they answered. And then the [lords  tore 
at their mouths as a punishment for having let that which was under their care be stolen. 

Thus were Hun-Came and Vucub-Came defeated by Hunahpu and Xbalanque. And this was the 
beginning of their deeds. From that time the mouth of the owl is divided, cleft as it is today. 

Immediately they went down to play ball, and also they played several tie-matches. Then they 
finished playing and agreed to play again the following day at dawn. So said the Lords of 
Xibalba. 

"It is well," said the boys upon finishing. 


II. Chapter 10 



rVfterward they entered the House of Cold. It is impossible to describe how cold it was. The 
house was full of hail; it was the mansion of cold. Soon, however, the cold was ended because 
with [a fire of  old logs the boys made the cold disappear. 

That is why they did not die; they were still alive when it dawned. Surely what the Lords of 
Xibalba wanted was that they would die; but it was not thus, and when it dawned, they were still 
full of health, and they went out again, when the messengers came to get them. 

"How is this? They are not dead yet?" said the Lords of Xibalba. They were amazed to see the 
deeds of Hunahpu and Xbalanque. 

Presently the boys [entered  the House of Jaguars. The house was full of jaguars. "Do not bite us! 
Here is what belongs to you," 1 [the boys  said to the jaguars. And quickly they threw some bones 
to the animals, which pounced upon the bones. 

"Now surely they are finished. Now already they have eaten their own entrails. At last they have 
given themselves up. Now their bones have been broken, "so said the guards, all happy because of 
this. But they [the boys  did not die. As usual, well and healthy, they came out of the House of 
Jaguars. 

"What kind of people are they? Where did they come from?" said all the Lords of Xibalba. 

Presently they [the boys  entered into the midst of fire in the House of Fire, inside which there 
was only fire; but they were not burned. Only the coals and the wood burned. And, as usual, they 
were well when it dawned. But what they [the Lords of Xibalba  wished was that [the boys  
would die rapidly, where they had been. Nevertheless, it did not happen thus, which disheartened 
the Lords of Xibalba. 

Then they put them into the House of Bats. There was nothing but bats inside this house, the 
house of Camazotz, 2 a large animal, whose weapons for killing were like a dry point, 3 and 
instantly those who came into their presence perished. 4 

They [the boys  were in there, then, but they slept inside their blowguns. And they were not bitten 
by those who were in the house. Nevertheless, one of them had to give up because of another 
Camazotz that came from the sky, and made him come into sight. 

The bats were assembled in council all night, and flew about: "Quilitz, quilitz," they said: So they 
were saying all night. They stopped for a little while, however, and they did not move and were 
pressed against the end of one of the blowguns. 

Then Xbalanque said to Hunahpu: "Look you, has it begun already to get light?" 

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"Maybe so. I am going to see," [Hunahpii  answered. 

And as he wished very much to look out of the mouth of the blowgun, and wished to see if it had 
dawned, instantly Camazotz cut off his head and the body of Hunahpii was decapitated. 

Xbalanque asked again: "Has it not yet dawned?" But Hunahpii did not move. "Where have you 
gone, Hunahpii? What have you done?" But he did not move, and remained silent. 

Then Xbalanque felt concerned and exclaimed: "Unfortunate are we. We are completely undone." 

They went immediately to hang the head [of Hunahpii  in the ball-court by special order of Hun- 
Came and Vucub-Came, and all the people of Xibalba rejoiced for what had happened to the head 
of Hunahpii. 



II. Chapter 11 



Immediately he [Xbalanque  called all the animals, the coati, the wild boar, all the animals small 
and large, during the night, and at dawn he asked them what their food was. 

"What does each of you eat? For I have called you so that you may choose your food," said 
Xbalanque to them. 

"Very well," they answered. And immediately each went to take his [own food  and they all went 
together. Some went to take rotten things; others went to take grasses; others went to get stones. 
Others went to gather earth. Varied was the food of the [small  animals and of the large animals. 

Behind them the turtle was lingering, 1 it came waddling along to take its food. And reaching at 
the end [of Hunahpii' s body  it assumed the form of the head of Hunahpii, and instantiy the eyes 
were fashioned. 

Many soothsayers came, then, from heaven. The Heart of Heaven, Huracan, came to soar over the 
House of Bats. 

It was not easy to finish making the face, but it turned out very well; the hair had a handsome 
appearance and [the head  could also speak. 

But as it was about to dawn and the horizon reddened: "Make it dark again, old one!" the buzzard 
was told. 2 

"Very well, said the old one, 3 and instantly the old one darkened [the sky . "Now the buzzard has 
darkened it," the people say nowadays. 

And so, during the cool of dawn, the [Hunahpii  began his existence. 

"Will it be good?" they said. "Will it turn out to look like Hunahpii?" 

"It is very good," they answered. And really it seemed that the skull had changed itself back into a 
real head. 

Then they [the two boys  talked among themselves and agreed: "Do not play ball; only pretend to 
play; I shall do everything alone," said Xbalanque. 4 

At once he gave his orders to a rabbit: "Go and take your place over the ball-court; stay there 
within the oak grove," 5 the rabbit was told by Xbalanque; "when the ball comes to you, run out 
immediately, and I shall do the rest," the rabbit was told, when they gave him these instructions 
during the night. 



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Presently day broke and the two boys were well and healthy. Then they went down to play ball. 
The head of Hunahpu was suspended over the ball-court. 

"We have triumphed! [said the Lords of Xibalbaj.You worked your own destruction, § you have 
delivered yourselves," they said. In this way they annoyed Hunahpu. 

"Hit his head with the ball," i_ they said. But they did not bother him with it; 8 he paid no attention 
to it. 9 

Then the Lords of Xibalba threw out the ball. Xbalanque went out to get it; the ball was going 
straight to the ring, but it stopped, bounced, and passed quickly over the ball-court and with a 
jump went toward the oak grove. 

Instantly the rabbit ran out and went hopping; and the Lords of Xibalba ran after it. They went, 
making noise and shouting after the rabbit. It ended by all of the Lords of Xibalba going. 

At once Xbalanque took possession of the head of Hunahpu; and taking the turtle he went to 
suspend it over the ball-court. And that head was actually the head of Hunahpu and the two boys 
were very happy. 

Those of Xibalba ran, then, to find the ball and having found it between the oaks, called them, 
saying: 

"Come here. Here is the ball. We found it," they said, and they brought it. 

When the Lords of Xibalba returned, they exclaimed, "What is this we see?" 

Then they began to play again. Both of them tied. 

Presently Xbalanque threw a stone at the turtle, which came to the ground and fell in the ball- 
court, breaking into a thousand pieces like seeds, before the lords. 

"Who of you shall go to find it? Where is the one who shall go to bring it?" said the Lords of 
Xibalba. 

And so were the Lords of Xibalba overcome by Hunahpu and Xbalanque. These two suffered 
great hardships, but they did not die despite all that was done to them. 




II. Chapter 12 



rlere is the account of the death of Hunahpii and Xbalanque. Now we shall tell of the way they 
died. 

Having been forewarned of all the suffering which the [Lords of Xibalba  wished to impose upon 
them, they did not die of the tortures of Xibalba, nor were they overcome by all the fierce animals 
which were in Xibalba. 

Afterward they sent for two soothsayers who were like prophets; they were called Xulii and 
Pacam 1 and were diviners, and they said unto them: 

"You shall be questioned by the Lords of Xibalba about our deaths, for which they are planning 
and preparing because of the fact that we have not died, nor have they been able to overcome us, 
nor have we perished under their torments, nor have the animals attacked us. We have the 
presentiment in our hearts that they shall kill us by burning us. All the people of Xibalba have 
assembled, but the truth is, that we shall not die. Here, then, you have our instructions as to what 
you must say: 

"If they should come to consult you about our death and that we may be sacrificed, what shall you 
say then, Xulu and Pacam? If they ask you: 'Will it not be good to throw their bones into the 
ravine?' 'No, it would not be well,' tell them, 'because they would be brought to life again, 
afterward!' If they ask you: 'Would it not be good to hang them from the trees?' you shall 
answer: 'By no means would it be well, because then you shall see their faces again.' And when 
for the third time they ask you: 'Would it be good to throw their bones into the river?' If you were 
asked all the above by them, you should answer: 'It would be well if they were to die that way; 
then it would be well to crush their bones on a grinding stone, as corn meal is ground; let each one 
be ground [separately ; throw them into the river immediately, there where the spring gushes 
forth, in order that they may be carried away among all the small and large hills.' Thus you shall 
answer them when the plan which we have advised you is put into practice," said Hunahpii and 
Xbalanque. And when they [the boys  took leave of them, they already knew about their 
approaching death. 

They made then, a great bonfire, a kind of oven; the men of Xibalba made it and filled it with 
thick branches. 

Shortly afterward the messengers arrived who had to accompany [the boys , the messengers of 
Hun-Came and Vucub-Came. 

'"Tell them to come. Go and get the boys; go there so that they may know we are going to burn 
them.' This the lords said, oh, boys!" the messengers exclaimed. 

"It is well," they answered. And setting out quickly, they arrived near the bonfire. There [the 
Lords of Xibalba  wanted to force the boys to play a mocking game with them. 

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"Let us drink our chicha and fly four times, each one [over the bonfire  boys!" was said to them 
by Hun-Came. 

"Do not try to deceive us,"[the boys  answered. "Perchance, we do not know about our death, oh 
lords! And that this is what awaits us here? "And embracing each other, face to face, they both 
stretched out their arms, bent toward the ground and jumped into the bonfire, and thus the two 
died together. 

All those of Xibalba were filled with joy, shouting and whistling they exclaimed: "Now we have 
overcome them. At last they have given themselves up." 

Immediately they called Xulu and Pacam, to whom they [the boys  had given their instructions, 
and asked them what they must do with their bones, as they [the boys  had foretold. Those of 
Xibalba then ground their bones and went to cast them into the river. But the bones did not go 
very far, for settling themselves down at once on the bottom of the river, they were changed back 
into handsome boys. And when again they showed themselves they really had their same old 
faces. 2 


II. Chapter 13 



LJn the fifth day they appeared again and were seen in the water by the people. Both had the 
appearance of fishmen; 1 when those of Xibalba saw them, after having hunted them all over the 
river. 

And the following day, two poor men presented themselves with very old-looking faces and of 
miserable appearance, [and  ragged clothes, whose countenances did not commend them. So they 
were seen by all those of Xibalba. 

And what they did was very little. They only performed the dance of the puhuy [owl or chum- 
owl , the dance of the cux [weasel , and the dance of the iboy [armadillo , and they also danced 
the xtzul [centipede  and the chide [that walks on stilts . 2 

Furthermore, they worked many miracles. They burned houses as though they really were burning 
and instantly they were as they had been before. 3 Many of those of Xibalba watched them in 
wonder. 

Presently they cut themselves into bits; they killed each other; the first one whom they had killed 
stretched out as though he were dead, and instantly the other brought him back to life. Those of 
Xibalba looked on in amazement at all they did, and they performed it, as the beginning of their 
triumph over those of Xibalba. 

Presently word of their dances came to the ears of the lords Hun-Came and Vucub-Came. Upon 
hearing it they exclaimed: "Who are these two orphans? Do they really give you so much 
pleasure?" 

"Surely their dances are very beautiful, and all that they do," answered he who had brought the 
news to the lords. 

Happy to hear this, the [lords  then sent their messengers to call [the boys  with flattery. "'Tell 
them to come here, tell them to come so that we may see what they do; that we may admire them 
and regard them with wonder,' this the lords said. 'So you shall say unto them,'" this was told to 
the messengers. 

They arrived at once before the dancers and gave them the message of the lords. 

"We do not wish to, the [boys  answered," because, frankly, we are ashamed. How could we not 
but be ashamed to appear in the house of the lords with our ugly countenances, our eyes which are 
so big, and our poor appearance? Do you not see that we are nothing more than some [poor  
dancers? What shall we tell our companions in poverty who have come with us and wish to see 
our dances and be entertained by them? How could we do our dances before the lords? 4 For that 
reason, then, we do not want to go, oh, messengers," said Hunahpu and Xbalanque. 



Page 112 of 196 



Finally, with downcast faces and with reluctance and sorrow they went; but for a while they did 
not wish to walk, and the messengers had to beat them in the face many times, when they led 
them to the house of the lords. 

They arrived, then, before the lords, timid and with head bowed; they came prostrating 
themselves, making reverences and humiliating themselves. 5 They looked feeble, ragged, and 
their appearance was really that of vagabonds when they arrived they were questioned 
immediately about their country and their people; they also asked them about their mother and 
their father. 

"Where do you come from?" [the lords  said. 

"We do not know, Sir. We do not know the faces of our mother and father; we were small when 
they died," they answered, and did not say another word. 

"All right. Now do [your dances  so that we may admire you. What do you want? We shall give 
you pay," they told them. 

"We do not want anything; but really we are very much afraid," they said to the lord. 

"Do not grieve, do not be afraid. Dance! And do first the part in which you kill yourselves; burn 
my house, do all that you know how to do. We shall marvel at you, for that is what our hearts 
desire. And afterwards, poor things, we shall give help for your journey," they told them. 

Then they began to sing and dance. All the people of Xibalba arrived and gathered together in 
order to see them. Then they performed the dance of the cux, they danced the puhuy, and they 
danced the iboy. 

And the lord said to them: "Cut my dog into pieces and let him be brought back to life by you," 
he said to them. 

"Very well," they answered, and cut the dog into bits. Instantly they brought him back to life. The 
dog was truly full of joy when he was brought back to life, and wagged his tail when they revived 
him. 

The Lord said to them then: "Burn my house now!" Thus he said to them, instantly they put fire 
to the lord's house, and although all the lords were assembled together within the house, they 
were not burned. Quickly it was whole again, and not for one instant was the house of Hun-Came 
destroyed. 

All of the lords were amazed, and in the same way the [boys'  dances gave them much pleasure. 

Then they were told by the lord: "Now kill a man, sacrifice him, but do not let him die," he told 
them. 



Page 113 of 196 



"Very well," they answered. And seizing a man, they quickly sacrificed him, and raising his heart 
on high, they held it so that all the lords could see it. 

Again Hun-Came and Vucub-Came were amazed. A moment afterward the man was brought 
back to life by them [the boys , and his heart was filled with joy when he was revived. 

The lords were astounded. "Sacrifice yourselves now, let us see it! We really like your dances!" 
said the lords. "Very well, Sirs," they answered. And they proceeded to sacrifice each other. 
Hunahpu g was sacrificed by Xbalanque; one by one his arms and his legs were sliced off, his 
head was cut from his body and carried away; his heart was torn from his breast and thrown onto 
the grass. All the Lords of Xibalba were fascinated. 7 They looked on in wonder, but really it was 
only the dance of one man; it was Xbalanque. 

"Get up!" he said, and instantiy 8 [Hunahpu  returned to life. They [the boys  were very happy 
and the lords were also happy. In truth, what they did gladdened the hearts of Hun-Came and 
Vucub-Came, and the latter felt as though they themselves were dancing. 9 

Then their hearts were filled with desire and longing by the dances of Hunahpu and Xbalanque; 10 
and Hun-Came and Vucub-Came gave their commands. 

"Do the same with us! Sacrifice us!" they said. "Cut us into pieces, one by one!" Hun-Came and 
Vucub-Came said to Hunahpu and Xbalanque. 11 

"Very well; afterward you will come back to life again. Perchance, did you not bring us here in 
order that we should entertain you, the lords, and your sons, and vassals?" they said to the lords. 12 

And so it happened that they first sacrificed the one, who was the chief and [Lord of Xibalba , the 
one called Hun-Came, king of Xibalba. 

And when Hun-Came was dead, they overpowered Vucub-Came, and they did not bring either of 
them back to life. 

The people of Xibalba fled as soon as they saw that their lords were dead and sacrificed. In an 
instant both were sacrificed. And this they [the boys  did in order to chastize them. Quickly the 
principal lord was killed. And they did not bring him back to life. 

And another lord humbled himself then, and presented himself before the dancers. They had not 
discovered him, nor had they found him. "Have mercy on me!" he said when they found him. 

All the sons and vassals of Xibalba fled to a great ravine, and all of them were crowded into this 
narrow, deep place. There they were crowded together and hordes of ants came and found them 
and dislodged them from the ravine. In this way [the ants  drove them to the road, and when they 
arrived [the people  prostrated themselves and gave themselves up; they humbled themselves and 
arrived, grieving. 



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In this way the Lords of Xibalba were overcome. Only by a miracle and by their [own  
transformation could [the boys  have done it. 13 




II. Chapter 14 



Immediately [the boys  told their names and they extolled themselves before all the people of 
Xibalba. 

"Hear our names. We shall also tell you the names of our fathers. We are Hunahpii and 
Xbalanque; 1 those are our names. And our fathers are those whom you killed and who were 
called Hun-Hunahpu and Vucub-Hunahpu. We, those whom you see here, are, then, the avengers 
of the torments and suffering of our fathers. 2 That is the reason why we resent all the evil you 
have done to them. Therefore, we shall put an end to all of you, we shall kill you, and not one of 
you shall escape, "they said. 

Instantly all the people of Xibalba fell to their knees, crying. 

"Have mercy on us, Hunahpii and Xbalanque! It is true that we sinned against your fathers as you 
said, and that they are buried in Puchbal-Chah," they said. 

"Very well. This is our sentence, that we are going to tell you. Hear it, all you of Xibalba: 

"Since neither your great power nor your race any longer exist, and since neither do you deserve 
mercy, your rank shall be lowered. 3 Not for you shall be the ball game. 4 You shall spend your 
time making earthen pots and tubs and stones to grind corn. 5 Only the children of the thickets and 
desert shall speak with you. The noble sons, the civilized vassals shall not consort with you, and 
they will foresake your presence. § The sinners, the evil ones, the sad ones, the unfortunate ones, 
those who give themselves up to vice, these are the ones who will welcome you. No longer will 
you seize men suddenly [for sacrifice ; remember your rank has been lowered." 

Thus they spoke to all the people of Xibalba. 

In this way their destruction and their lamentations began. Their power in the olden days was not 
much. They only liked to do evil to men in those times. In truth, in those days, they did not have 
the category of gods. Furthermore, their horrible faces frightened people. They were the enemies, 
the owls, z They incited to evil, to sin and to discord. 

They were also false in their hearts, black and white at the same time, 8 envious and tyrannical, 9 
according to what was said of them. Furthermore, they painted and greased their faces. 

In this way, then, occurred the loss of their grandeur and the decadence of their empire. 

And this was what Hunahpii and Xbalanque did. 10 

Meanwhile, the grandmother was crying and lamenting before the reeds which they had left 
planted. The reeds sprouted, then they dried up when [the boys  were consumed in the bonfire; 
afterward [the reeds  sprouted again. Then the grandmother lighted the fire and burned incense 

Page 117 of 196 



before the reeds in memory of her grandchildren. And the grandmother's heart filled with joy 
when, for the second time, the reeds sprouted. Then they were worshiped by the grandmother, and 
she called them the Center of the House, Nicah [the center  they were called. 

"Green reeds growing in the plains" [Cazam Ah Chatam Uleu  was their name. And they were 
called the Center of the House and the Center, because in the middle of the house they planted the 
reeds. And the reeds, which were planted, were called the plains, Green Reeds growing on the 
plains. They also were called Green Reeds because they had resprouted. This name was given 
them by Xmucane [given  to those [reeds  which Hunahpii and Xbalanque left planted in order 
that they should be remembered by their grandmother. 

Well, now, their fathers, those who died long ago, were Hun-Hunahpii and Vucub-Hunahpu. They 
also saw the faces of their fathers there in Xibalba and their fathers talked with their descendants, 
that is the ones who overthrew those of Xibalba. 

And here is how their fathers were honored by them. They honored Vucub-Hunahpu; they went to 
honor him at the place of sacrifice of the ball-court. 11 And at the same time they wanted to make 
Vucub-Hunahpu' s face. They hunted there for his entire body, his mouth, his nose, his eyes. They 
found his body, but it could do very little. 12 It could not pronounce his name, this Hunahpii. 13 
Neither could his mouth say it. 

And here is how they extolled the memory of their fathers, whom they had left there in the place 
of sacrifice at the ball-court: "You shall be invoked," their sons said to them, when they fortified 
their heart. "You shall be the first to arise, and you shall be the first to be worshiped by the sons 
of the noblemen, by the civilized vassals. Your names shall not be lost. So it shall be!" they told 
their fathers and thus consoled themselves. "We are the avengers of your death, of the pains and 
sorrows which they caused you." Thus was their leave-taking, when they had already overcome 
all the people of Xibalba. 

Then they rose up in the midst of the light, and instantly they were lifted into the sky. One was 
given the sun, the other, the moon. Then the arch of heaven and the face of the earth were lighted. 
And they dwelt in heaven. 

Then the four hundred boys whom Zipacna had killed also ascended, and so they again became 
the companions of [the boys  and were changed into stars in the sky. 





PART III: Chapter 1 



rlere, then is the beginning of when it was decided to make man, and when what must enter into 
the flesh of man was sought. 

And the Forefathers, the Creators and Makers, who were called Tepeu and Gucumatz said: "The 
time of dawn has come, let the work be finished, and let those who are to nourish and sustain us 
appear, the noble sons, the civilized vassals; let man appear, humanity, on the face of the earth." 
Thus they spoke. 

They assembled, came together and held council in the darkness and in the night; then they sought 
and discussed, and here they reflected and thought. In this way their decisions came dearly to 
light and they found and discovered what must enter into the flesh of man. 

It was just before the sun, the moon, and the stars appeared over the Creators and Makers. 

From Paxil, from Cayala, 1 as they were called, came the yellow ears of corn and the white ears of 
corn. 

These are the names of the animals which brought the food: 2 yac (the mountain cat), utiu (the 
coyote), quel (a small parrot), and hoh (the crow). These four animals gave tidings of the yellow 
ears of corn and the white ears of corn, they told them that they should go to Paxil and they 
showed them the road to Paxil. 3 

And thus they found the food, and this was what went into the flesh of created man, the made 
man; this was his blood; of this the blood of man was made. So the corn entered [into the 
formation of man  by the work of the Forefathers. 

And in this way they were filled with joy, because they had found a beautiful land, full of 
pleasures, abundant in ears of yellow corn and ears of white corn, and abundant also in pataxte 
and cacao, 4 and in innumerable zapotes, anonas, jocotes, nantzes, matasanos, and honey. 5 There 
was an abundance of delicious food in those villages called Paxil and Cayala. There were foods of 
every kind, small and large foods, small plants and large plants. 

The animals showed them the road. And then grinding the yellow corn and the white corn, 
Xmucane made nine drinks, and from this food came the strength and the flesh, and with it they 
created the muscles and the strength of man. This the Forefathers did, Tepeu and Gucumatz, as 
they were called. 

After that they began to talk about the creation and the making of our first mother and father; of 
yellow corn and of white corn they made their flesh; of corn-meal dough they made the arms and 
the legs of man. Only dough of corn meal went into the flesh of our first fathers, the four men, 
who were created. 



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III. Chapter 2 



1 hese are the names of the first men who were created and formed: the first man was Balam- 
Quitze, the second, Balam-Acab, the third, Mahucutah, and the fourth was Iqui-Balam. 1 

These are the names of our first mothers and fathers. 2 

It is said that they only were made and formed, they had no mother, they had no father. They were 
only called men. 3 They were not born of woman, nor were they begotten by the Creator nor by 
the Maker, nor by the Forefathers. 4 Only by a miracle, by means of incantation were they created 
and made by the Creator, the Maker, the Forefathers, 5 Tepeu and Gucumatz. And as they had the 
appearance of men, they were men; they talked, conversed, saw and heard, walked, grasped 
things; they were good and handsome men, and their figure was the figure of a man. 

They were endowed with intelligence; they saw and instantly they could see far, they succeeded 
in seeing, they succeeded in knowing all that there is in the world. When they looked, instantly 
they saw all around them, and they contemplated in turn the arch of heaven and the round face of 
the earth. 

The things hidden [in the distance  they saw all, without first having to move; at once they saw 
the world, and so, too, from where they were, they saw it. 

Great was their wisdom; their sight reached to the forests, the rocks, the lakes, the seas, the 
mountains, and the valleys. In truth, they were admirable men. Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, 
Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. 

Then the Creator and the Maker asked them: "What do you think of your condition? Do you not 
see? Do you not hear? Are not your speech and manner of walking good? Look, then! 
Contemplate the world, look [and see  if the mountains and the valleys appear! Try, then, to see!" 
they said to [the four first men . 

And immediately they [the four first men  began to see all that was in the world. Then they gave 
thanks to the Creator and the Maker: "We really give you thanks, two and three times! § We have 
been created, we have been given a mouth and a face, we speak, we hear, we think, and walk; we 
feel perfectly, and we know what is far and what is near. We also see the large and the small in 
the sky and on earth. We give you thanks, then, for having created us, oh, Creator and Maker! for 
having given us being, oh, our grandmother! oh, our grandfather!" they said, giving thanks for 
their creation and formation. 

They were able to know all, and they examined the four corners, the four points of the arch of the 
sky and the round face of the earth. 

But the Creator and the Maker did not hear this with pleasure. "It is not well what our creatures, 
our works say; they know all, the large and the small," they said. And so the Forefathers held 

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counsel again. "What shall we do with them now? Let their sight reach only to that which is near; 
let them see only a little of the face of the earth! It is not well what they say. Perchance, are they 
not by nature simple creatures of our making? Must they also be gods? And if they do not 
reproduce and multiply when it will dawn, when the sun rises? And what if they do not 
multiply?" z So they spoke. 

"Let us check a little their desires, because it is not well what we see. Must they perchance be the 
equals of ourselves, their Makers, who can, see afar, who know all and see all?" 

Thus spoke the Heart of Heaven, Huracan, Chipi-Caculha, Raxa-Caculha, Tepeu, Gucumatz, the 
Forefathers, Xpiyacoc, Xmucane, the Creator and the Maker. Thus they spoke, and immediately 
they changed the nature of their works, of their creatures. 

Then the Heart of Heaven blew mist into their eyes, which clouded their sight as. when a mirror is 
breathed upon. Their eyes were covered and they could see only what was close, only that was 
clear to them. 

In this way the wisdom and all the knowledge of the four men, the origin and beginning § [of the 
Quiche race , were destroyed. 

In this way were created and formed our grandfathers, our fathers, by the Heart of Heaven, the 
heart of Earth. 






III. Chapter 3 



1 hen their wives had being, and their women were made. God himself made them carefully. 1 
And so, during sleep, they came, truly beautiful, their women, at the side of Balam-Quitze, 
Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. 

There were their women when they awakened, and instantly their hearts were filled with joy 
because of their wives. 

Here are the names of their wives: Caha-Paluna was the name of the wife of Balam-Quitze; 
Chomiha was the wife of Balam-Acab; Tzununiha, the wife of Mahucutah; and Caquixaha was 
the name of the wife of Iqui-Balam. These are the names of their wives, who were distinguished 
women. 2 

They conceived the men, of the small tribes and of the large tribes, and were the origin of us; the 
people of Quiche. 

There were many priests and sacrificers; there were not only four, but those four were the 
Forefathers 3 of us, the people of the Quiche. 

The names of each one were different when they multiplied there in the East, and there were 
many names of the people: Tepeu, Oloman, Cohah, Quenech, Ahau, as they called those men 
there in the East, where they multiplied. 4 

The beginning is known, too, of those of Tamub and those of Ilocab who came together from 
there in the East. 5 

Balam-Quitze was the grandfather and the father of the nine great houses of the Cavec; Balam- 
Acab was the grandfather and father of the nine great houses of the Nimhaib; Mahucutah, the 
grandfather and father of the four great houses of Ahau-Quiche. 

Three groups of families existed; but they did not forget the name of their grandfather and father, 
those who propagated and multiplied there in the East. 

The Tamub and Ilocab also came, and thirteen branches of peoples, the thirteen of Tecpan, and 
those of Rabinal, the Cakchiquel, those from Tziquinaha, and the Zacaha and the Lamaq, Cumatz, 
Tuhalha, Uchabaha, those of Chumilaha, those of Quibaha, of Batenaba, Acul-Vinac, Balamiha, 
the Canchahel, and Balam-Colob. § 

These are only the principal tribes, the branches of the people which we mention; only of the 
principal ones shall we speak. Many others came from each group of the people, but we shall not 
write their names. They also multiplied there in the East. 



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Many men were made and in the darkness they multiplied. Neither the sun nor the light had yet 
been made when they multiplied. All lived together, they existed in great number and walked 
there in the East. 

Nevertheless, they did not sustain nor maintain [their God ; they only raised their faces to the sky, 
and they did not know why they had come so far as they did. 

There they were then, in great number, the black men and the white men, men of many classes, 
men of many tongues, that it was wonderful to hear them. 7 

There are generations in the world, there are country people, whose faces we do not see, who have 
no homes, they only wander through the small and large woodlands, like crazy people. So it is 
said scornfully of the people of the wood. So they said there, where they saw the rising of the sun. 

The speech of all was the same. They did not invoke wood nor stone, a and they remembered the 
word of the Creator and the Maker, the Heart of Heaven, the Heart of Earth. 

in this manner they spoke, while they thought about the coming of the dawn. 9 And they raised 
their prayers, those worshipers of the word [of God , loving, obedient, and fearful, raising their 
faces to the sky when they asked for daughters and sons: 

"Oh you, Tzacol, Bitol! 10 Look at us, hear us! Do not leave us, do not abandon us, oh, God, who 
are in heaven and on earth, Heart of Heaven, Heart of Earth! Give us our descendants, our 
succession, as long as the sun shall move and there shall be light. Let it dawn; let the day come! 
Give us many good roads, flat roads! May the people have peace, much peace, and may they be 
happy; and give us good life and useful existence! 11 Oh, you Huracan, Chipi-Caculha, Raxa- 
Caculha, Chipi-Nanauac, Raxa-Nanauac, Voc, Hunahpu, Tepeu, Gucumatz, Alom, Qaholom, 
Xpiyacoc, Xmucane, grandmother of the sun, grandmother of the light, let there be dawn, and let 
the light come!" 12 

Thus they spoke while they saw and invoked the coming of the sun, the arrival of day; and at the 
same time they saw the rising of the sun, they contemplated the Morning Star, the Great Star, 
which comes ahead of the sun, that lights up the arch of the sky and the surface of the earth, and 
illuminates the steps of the men who had been created and made. 




III. Chapter 4 



JJalam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam said, "Let us await the break of day." 
So said those great wise men, the enlightened men, the priests and sacrificers. This they said. 

Our first mothers and fathers did not yet have wood nor stones to keep; 1 but their hearts were 
tired of waiting for the sun. Already all the tribes and the Yaqui people, 2 the priests and 
sacrificers, were very many. 

"Let us go, let us go to search and see if our [tribal  symbols are in safety; if we can find what we 
must burn before them. 3 For being as we are, there is no one who watches for us," said Balam- 
Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. 

And having heard of a city, they went there. 

Now then, the name of the place where Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam 
and those of Tamub and Ilocab went was Tulan-Zuiva, Vucub-Pec, Vucub-Zivan. 4 This was the 
name of the city where they went to receive their gods. 

So, then, all arrived at Tulan. It was impossible to count the men who arrived; there were very 
many and they walked in an orderly way. 

Then was the appearance of their gods; first those of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and 
Iqui-Balam, who were filled with joy: "At last we have found that for which we searched!" they 
said. 

And the first that appeared was Tohil, as this god was called, and Balam-Quitze put him on his 
back, in his chest. 5 Instantly the god called Avilix appeared, and Balam-Acab carried him. The 
god called Hacavitz was carried by Mahucutah; and Iqui-Balam carried the one called 
Nicahtacah. 6 

And together with the people of the Quiche, they also received those of Tamub. And in the same 
way Tohil was the name of the god of the Tamub who received the grandfather and father of the 
Lords of Tamub, whom we know today. 

In the third place were those of Ilocab. Tohil was also the name of the god who was received by 
the grandfathers and the fathers of the lords, whom we also know today. 

In this way, the three Quiche [families  were given their names and they did not separate, because 
they had a god of the same name, Tohil of the Quiche, Tohil of the Tamub and [Tohil  of the 
Ilocab; one only was the name of the god, 7 and therefore the three Quiche [families  did not 
separate. 

Great indeed was the virtue of the three, Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. 

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Then all the people arrived, those from Rabinal, the Cakchiquel, those from Tziquinaha, and the 
people who now are called the Yaqui. And there it was that the speech of the tribes changed; their 
tongues became different. They could no longer understand each other clearly after arriving at 
Tulan. There also they separated, there were some who had to go to the East, 8 but many came 
here. 

And their clothing was only the skins of animals; they had no good clothes to put on, the skins of 
animals were their only dress. They were poor, they possessed nothing, but they had the nature of 
extraordinary men. 

When they arrived at Tulan-Zuiva, Vucub-Pec, Vucub-Zivan, the old traditions say that they had 
traveled far in order to arrive there. 






III. Chapter 5 



rVnd they did not have fire. Only the people of Tohil had it. He was the god of the tribes which 
first created fire. It is not known how it was made, because it was already burning when Balam- 
Quitze and Balam-Acab saw it. 

"Ah, we have no fire yet! We shall die of cold," they said. Then Tohil said to them: "Do not 
worry! Yours shall be the lost fire which is talked of. Yours shall be what is spoken of as lost 
fire," Tohil said to them. 

"Really? Oh, God, our support, our maintenance, you, our God!" they said, returning thanks. 

And Tohil answered: "Very well, certainly I am your God; so shall it be! I am your Lord; so let it 
be!" Thus it was told to the priests and sacrificers by Tohil. And in this manner the tribes received 
fire and they were joyful because of it. 

Instantly a great shower began to fall when the fire of the tribes was burning. Much hail fell on all 
the tribes and the fire was put out because of it, and again the fire was extinguished. 

Then Balam-Quitze and Balam-Acab again asked Tohil for fire. "Oh, Tohil, we are truly dying of 
cold!" they said to Tohil. 

"Very well, do not worry," Tohil answered, and instantly he made fire, turning about in his shoe. 1 

Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam were at once happy and immediately 
they became warm. 

Now, the fire of the peoples [of Vucamag  had also gone out and they were dying of cold, 
immediately they came to ask Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam for fire. 
They could no longer bear the cold nor the ice; they were shivering and their teeth were 
chattering; they were numb; their legs and hands shook and they could not hold anything in them, 
when they came. 

"We are not ashamed to come before you, to beg for a little of your fire," they said. But they were 
not well received. 2 And then the tribes were very sad. 

"The speech of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam is different! Oh! We 
have given up our speech! What have we done? We are lost. How were we deceived? We had 
only one speech when we arrived there at Tulan; we were created and educated in the same way. 
It is not good what we have done," said all the tribes under the trees, under the vines. 

Then a man came before Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam and [this man , 
who was a messenger of Xibalba, spoke thus: "This is, in truth, your God; this is your support; 
this is, furthermore, the representation, the memory of your Creator and Maker. Do not give your 

Page 133 of 196 



fire to the tribes until they present offerings to Tohil. It is not necessary that they give anything to 
you. 3 Ask Tohil what they should give when they come to receive fire," said the man from 
Xibalba. He had wings like the wings of a bat. a "I am sent by your Creator, your Maker," said the 
man of Xibalba. 

They were filled with joy then, and Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz were also gladdened when the 
man from Xibalba spoke, who disappeared instantly from their presence. 5 

But the tribes did not perish when they came, although they were dying of cold, § There was much 
hail, black rain and mist, and indescribable cold. 

All the tribes were trembling and shivering with cold when they came where Balam-Quitze, 
Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam were. Their hearts were greatly troubled and their 
mouths and eyes were sad. 

In a moment the beggars 7 came before Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam 
and said: "Will you not have pity on us, we only ask a little of your fire? Perchance, were we not 
[once  together and reunited? Did we not have the same home and one country when we were 
created, when we were made? Have mercy, then, on us!" they said. 

"What will you give us so that we shall have mercy on you?" they were asked. 

"Well, then, we shall give you money," the tribes answered. 

"We do not want money," said Balam-Quitze and Balam-Acab. 

"And what do you want?" [asked the tribes . 

"We shall ask now" [said Balam-Quitze . 

"Very well, "said the tribes. 

"We shall ask Tohil and then we shall tell you," they answered. 

"What must the tribes give, oh, Tohil! who have come to ask for your fire?" said Balam-Quitze, 
Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. 

"Well! Are they willing to give their waist and their armpits? g Do they want me to embrace 
them? For if they do not want to do that, neither shall I give them fire," answered Tohil. 

"Tell them that this shall come later, that they do not have to come now to give me their waist and 
their armpits. This is what Tohil orders us to tell you, you will say." This was the answer to 
Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. 

Then they took Tohil's message. "Very well, we shall join you and we shall embrace him," they 
[the people  said when they heard and were told the message from Tohil. And they did not delay 

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in acting. "Good," they said, "but may it be soon!" And immediately they received the fire. Then 
they became warm. 






III. Chapter 6 



1 here was nevertheless a tribe who stole the fire in the smoke; 1 and they were from the house of 
Zotzil. 2 The god of the Cakchiquel was called Chamalcdn 3 and he had the form of a bat. 

When they passed through the smoke, they went softly and then they seized the fire. The 
Cakchiquel did not ask for the fire, because they did not want to give themselves up to be 
overcome, the way that the other tribes had been overcome when they offered their breasts and 
their armpits so that they would be opened. And this was the opening [of the breasts  about which 
Tohil had spoken; that they should sacrifice all the tribes before him, that they should tear out 
their hearts from their breasts. 

And this had not yet begun when the taking of power and sovereignty by Balam-Quitze, Balam.- 
Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam was prophesied by Tohil. 4 

There in Tulan-Zuiva, whence they had come, they were accustomed to fast, they observed a 
perpetual fast while they awaited the coming of dawn and watched for the rising sun. 

They took turns at watching the Great Star called Icoquih, 5 which rises first before the sun, when 
the sun rises, the brilliant Icoquih, which was always before them in the East, when they were 
there in the place called Tulan-Zuiva, whence came their god. 

It was not here, then, where they received their power and sovereignty, but there they subdued 
and subjected the large and small tribes when they sacrificed them before Tohil, and offered him 
the blood, the substance, breasts, and sides of all the men. 

In Tulan power came instantly to them; great was their wisdom in the darkness and in the night. 

Then they came, they pulled up stakes there and left the East. "This is not our home; let us go and 
see where we should settle," Tohil said then. 

In truth, he was accustomed to talk to Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam: 
"Give thanks before setting out; do what is necessary to bleed your ears, prick your elbows, and 
make your sacrifices, this shall be your thanks to God." 

"Very well, "they said, and took blood from their ears. And they wept in their chants § because of 
their departure from Tulan; their hearts mourned when they left Tulan. 

"Pity us! We shall not see the dawn here, when the sun rises and lights the face of the earth," they 
said at leaving. But they left some people on the road which they followed so that they would 
keep watch. 



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Each of the tribes kept getting up to see the star which was the herald of the sun. This sign of the 
dawn they carried in their hearts when they came from the East, and with the same hope they left 
there, from that great distance, according to what their songs now say. i_ 






III. Chapter 7 



1 hey came at last to the top of a mountain and there all the Quiche people and the tribes were 
reunited. There they all held council to make their plans. Today this mountain is called Chi- 
Pixab, i this is the name of the mountain. 

There they reunited and there they extolled themselves: "I am, I, the people of the Quiche! And 
you, Tamub, that shall be thy name." And to those from Ilocab they said: "You, Ilocab, this shall 
be thy name. And these three Quiche [peoples  shall not disappear, our fate is the same," 2 they 
said when they gave them their names. 

Then they gave the Cakchiquel their name: Gagchequeleb 3 was their name. In the same way they 
named those of Rabinal, which was their name, and they still have it. And also those of 
Tziquinaha, a as they are called today. Those are the names which they gave to each other. 

There they were come together to await the dawn and to watch for the coming of the star, which 
comes just before the sun, when it is about to rise. "We came from there, but we have separated," 
they said to each other. 

And their hearts were troubled; they were suffering greatly; they did not have food; they did not 
have sustenance; they only smelled the ends of their staffs and thus they imagined they were 
eating; but they did not eat when they came. 5 

It is not quite clear, however, how they crossed the sea; they crossed to this side, as if there were 
no sea; they crossed on stones, placed in a row over the sand. For this reason they were called 
Stones in a Row, Sand Under the Sea, § names given to them when they [the tribes  crossed the 
sea, the waters having parted when they passed. 

And their hearts were troubled when they talked together, because they had nothing to eat, only a 
drink of water and a handful of corn they had. 7 

There they were, then, assembled on the mountain called Chi-Pixab. And they had also brought 
Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. Balam-Quitze and his wife Caha-Paluna, which was the name of his 
wife, observed a complete fast. And so did Balam-Acab and his wife, who was called Chomiha; 
and Mahucutah and his wife, called Tzununiha, also observed a complete fast, and Iqui-Balam. 
with his wife, called Caquixaha, likewise. 

And there were those who fasted in the darkness, and in the night. Great was their sorrow when 
they were on the mountain, called Chi-Pixab. 





III. Chapter 8 



rVnd their gods spoke to them again. Thus Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz spoke to Balam-Quitze, 
Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam: "Let us go, let us get up, let us not stay here, take us to 
a secret place! Already dawn draws near. Would it not be a disgrace for you if we were 
imprisoned by our enemies within these walls where you, the priests and sacrificers. keep us? Put 
each of us, then, in a safe place," 1 they said when they spoke. 

"Very well. We shall go on, we shall go in search of the forests," all answered. 

Immediately after, they took up their gods and put them on their backs. In this way they carried 
Avilix to the ravine called Euabal-Zivan, 2 so named by them, to the large ravine of the forest, 
now called Pavilix, 3 and there they left him. In this ravine he was left by Balam-Acab. 

They were left one by one. The first one left was Hacavitz, he was left on a large red pyramid, a 
on the mountain now called Hacavitz. There they founded their town, there in the place where the 
god called Hacavitz, was. 

In the same way, Mahucutah left his god, who was the second one hidden by them. 

Hacavitz was not in the forest, but on a hill cleared of trees, Hacavitz was hidden. 

Then Balam-Quitze came, he came there to the large forest; Balam-Quitze came to hide Tohil at 
the hill which is today called Patohil. Then they celebrated the hiding of Tohil in the ravine, in his 
refuge. A great quantity of snakes, jaguars, vipers, and candles s were in the forest where they 
were hidden by the priests and sacrificers. 

Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah. and Iqui-Balam were together; together they awaited the 
dawn, there on the mountain, called Hacavitz. 

And a short distance away, was the god of the people of Tamub and of the people of Ilocab. 
Amac-Tan, g the place is called, where the god of the Tamub [people  was, and there dawn came 
to the tribes. The place where those from Ilocab awaited the dawn was called Amac-Uquincat; 7 
there was the god of those of Ilocab, a short distance from the mountain. 

There, too, were all the people of Rabinal, the Cakchiquel, the Tziquinaha, all the small tribes, 
and the large tribes. Together they stayed, awaiting the coming of the dawn and the rising of the 
large star called Icoquih, which rises just before the sun, when it dawns, according to the legend. 

There they were together, then, Balam-Quitze. Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. They 
did not sleep; they remained standing and great was the anxiety of their hearts and their stomachs 
for the coming of dawn and the day. There, too, they felt shame; they were overcome with great 
sorrow, great suffering, and they were oppressed with pain. 



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They had come that far. "Oh. we have come without joy! If only we could see the rising of the 
sun! What shall we do now? If we lived in harmony in our country, why did we leave it?" they 
said to each other, in the midst of their sadness and affliction, and with mournful voices. 

They talked, but they could not calm their hearts which were anxious for the coming of the dawn. 
"The gods are seated in the ravines, in the forests, they are among the air-plants, among the 
mosses, 8 not even a seat of boards were they given," they said. 

First there were Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. Great was their glory, their strength, and their power 
over the gods of all the tribes. Many were their miracles, and countiess their journeys, and their 
pilgrimages in the midst of the cold; and the hearts of the tribes were filled with fear. 

But calm were the hearts of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. With 
respect to them [the gods . They felt no anxiety in their hearts for the gods whom they had 
received, and had carried on their backs when they came there from Tulan-Zuiva, from there in 
the East. 

They were there, then, in the forest, now called Zaquiribal, Pa-Tohil, P'Avilix, Pa-Hacavitz. 9 

And next came the dawn, and light shone for our grandparents and our parents. 

Now we shall tell of the coming of the dawn and the appearance of the sun, the moon, and the 
stars. 






III. Chapter 9 

rlere, then, is the dawn, and the coming of the sun, the moon, and the stars. 

Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam were very happy when they saw the 
Morning Star. It rose first, with shining face, when it came ahead of the sun. 

Immediately they unwrapped the incense 1 which they had brought from the East, and which they 
had planned to burn, and then they untied the three gifts which they had planned to offer. 

The incense which Balam-Quitze brought was called Mixtan-Pom; the incense which Balam- 
Acab brought was called Cavixtan-Pom; and that which Mahucutah brought was called Cabauil- 
Pom. 2 The three had their incense and burned it when they began to dance facing toward the East. 

They wept for joy as they danced and burned their incense, their precious incense. Then they wept 
because they did not yet behold nor see the sunrise. 

But, then, the sun came up. The small and large animals were happy; and arose from the banks of 
the river, in the ravines, and on the tops of the mountains, and all turned their eyes to where the 
sun was rising. 

Then the puma and the jaguar roared. But first the bird called Queletzii 3 burst into song. In truth, 
all the animals were happy, and the eagle, the white vulture; a the small birds and the large birds 
stretched their wings. 

The Priests and the sacrificers were kneeling; great was the joy of the priests and sacrificers and 
of the people of Tamub and Ilocab and the people of Rabinal, the Cakchiquel, those from 
Tziquinaha, and those from Tuhalha, Uchabaha, Quibaha, from Batena, and the Yaqui Tepeu, all 
those tribes which exist today. And it was not possible to count the people. The light of dawn fell 
upon all the tribes at the same time. 

Instantly the surface of the earth was dried by the sun. Like a man was the sun when it showed 
itself, and its face glowed when it dried the surface of the earth. 

Before the sun rose, damp and muddy was the surface of the earth, before the sun came up; but 
then the sun rose, and came up like a man. And its heat was unbearable. 5 It showed itself when it 
was born and remained fixed [in the sky  like a mirror. Certainly it was not the same sun which 
we see, it is said in their old tales. 

Immediately afterward Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz were turned to stone, together with the deified 
beings § the puma, the jaguar, the snake, the cantil, and the hobgoblin. Their arms became 
fastened to the trees when the sun, the moon, and the stars appeared. All alike, were changed into 
stone. Perhaps we should not be living today 7 because of the voracious animals, the puma, the 

Page 143 of 196 



jaguar, the snake, and the cantil, as well as the hobgoblin; perhaps our power would not exist if 
these first animals had not been turned into stone by the sun. 

When the sun arose, the hearts of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam were 
filled with joy. Great was their joy when it dawned. And there were not many men at that place; 
only a few were there on the mountain Hacavitz. 8 There dawn came to them, there they burned 
their incense and danced, turning their gaze toward the East, whence they had come. There were 
their mountains and their valleys, whence had come Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and 
Iqui-Balam, as they were called. 

But it was here where they multiplied, on the mountain, and this was their town; here they were, 
too, when the sun, the moon, and the stars appeared, when it dawned and the face of the earth and 
the whole world was lighted. Here, too, began their song, which they call camucu; 9 they sang it, 
but only the pain in their hearts and their innermost selves they expressed in their song. "Oh pity 
us! In Tulan we were lost, we were separated, and there our older and younger brothers stayed. 
Ah, we have seen the sun! but where are they now, that it has dawned?" so said the priests and the 
sacrificers of the Yaqui. 

Because, in truth, the so-called Tohil is the same god of the Yaqui, the one called Yolcuat- 
Quitzalcuat. 10 

"We became separated there in Tulan, in Zuyva, from there we went out together, and there our 
race was created when we came," they said to each other. 

Then they remembered their older brothers and their younger brothers, the Yaqui, to whom dawn 
came there in the land which today is called Mexico. Part of the people remained there in the East, 
those called Tepeu Oliman, who stayed there, they say. 

They felt much grief in their hearts, there in Hacavitz; and sad, too, were the people from Tamub 
and Ilocab, who were also there in the forest called Amac-Tan. 11 where dawn came to the priests 
and sacrificers of Tamub and to their god, who also was Tohil, because one and the same was the 
name of the god of the three branches of the Quiche people. And this is also the name of the god 
of the people of Rabinal, for there is little difference between that and the name of Huntoh, as the 
god of the people of Rabinal is called; for that reason, it is said, they wanted to make their speech 
the same as that of the Quiche. 

Well, the speech of the Cakchiquel is different, because the name of their god was different when 
they came from there, from Tulan-Zuyva. Tzotziha Chimalcan was the name of their god, and 
today they speak a different tongue; and also from their god the families of Ahpozotzil and 
Ahpoxa, 12 as they are called, took their names. 

The speech of the god was also changed when they were given their god there, in Tulan, near the 
stone; 13 their speech was changed when they came from Tulan in the darkness. And being 
together, dawn came to them and the light shone on all the tribes, in the order of the names of the 
gods of each of the tribes. 



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III. Chapter 10 



rVnd now we shall tell of their stay and abode there on the mountain, where the four called 
Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam were together. Their hearts mourned for 
Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz, whom they had placed among the air-plants and the moss. 

We shall tell now how they made the sacrifices at the foot of the place where they had carried 
Tohil, when they arrived in the presence of Tohil and Avilix. They went to see them, to greet 
them, and also to give them thanks for the arrival of the dawn. They were in the thicket 1 amidst 
the stones, there in the woods. And only by magic art did they speak when the priests and 
sacrificers came before Tohil. They did not bring great gifts, only resin, the remains of the gum, 
called noh, and pericon, 2 they burned before their gods. 

Then Tohil spoke; only by a miracle he gave counsel to the priests and sacrificers. And they [the 
gods  spoke and said: "Truly here shall be our mountains and our valleys. We are yours; great 
shall be our lory and numerous our descendents, through the work of all men. Yours are all the 
tribes and we, your companions. Care for your town, and we shall give you your learning. 

"Do not show us before the tribes when we are angered by the words of their mouths, or because 
of their conduct. Neither shall you permit us to fall into a snare. Give us, instead, the creatures of 
the woods and of the fields, and also the female deer, and the female birds. 3 Come and give us a 
little of your blood, have pity upon us. You may have the skins of the deer a and guard us from 
those whose eyes have deceived us. s 

"So, then, [the skin of  the deer shall be our symbol which you shall show before the tribes. When 
they ask 'Where is Tohil?' show the deerskin before their eyes. Neither shall you show 
yourselves, for you shall have other things to do. Great shall be their position; you shall dominate 
all the tribes; you shall bring your blood and their substance before us, and those who come to 
embrace us, shall be ours also," thus spoke Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. g 

They had the appearance of youths, when those who came to offer gifts saw them. Then the 
persecution of the young of the birds and of the deer began, and the fruit of the chase was 
received by the priests and sacrificers. And when they found the young of the birds and the deer, 
they went at once to place the blood of the deer and of the birds in the mouths of the stones, that 
were Tohil and Avilix. 

As soon as the blood had been drunk by the gods, the stones spoke, when the priests and the 
sacrificers came, when they came to bring their offerings. And they did the same before their 
symbols, burning pericon and holom-ocox. 7 

The symbols of each one were there where they had been placed on the top of the mountain. But 
they [the priests  did not live in their houses by day, but walked over the mountains, and ate only 
the young horseflies, and the wasps, and the bees which they hunted; they had neither good food 



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nor good drink. And neither were the roads from their homes known, nor did they know where 
their wives had remained. 






PART IV: Chapter 1 



IN ow, then, many towns were being founded, one by one, and the different branches of the tribes 
were being reunited and settied close to the roads, their roads which they had opened. 

As for Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, it was not known where they 
were. But when they saw the tribes that passed on the roads, instantly they began to shout on the 
mountain-tops, howling like a coyote, screaming like a mountain cat, and imitating the roaring of 
the puma and the jaguar. 

And the tribes seeing these things, as they walked, said: "Their screams are like those of the 
coyote, of the mountain cat, of the puma, and of the jaguar. They want to appear to the tribes as 
though they are not men, and they only do this to deceive us, we the people. Their hearts wish 
something. Surely, they do not frighten us with what they do. They mean something with the 
roaring of the puma, with the noise of the jaguar which they break into when they see one or two 
men walking; what they want is to make an end of us." 

Every day they [the priests  came to their houses and to their women, carrying only the young of 
the bumblebees and the wasps, and the honeybees to give to their women. 

Every day, too, they came before Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz and said in their hearts: "Here are 
Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. We can offer them only the blood of the deer and the birds; we take 
only blood from our ears and our arms. Let us ask Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz for strength and 
vigor. What will [the tribes  say about the deaths of the people, which, one by one, we are 
killing?" they said to one another as they went into the presence of Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. 

Then they punctured their ears and their arms before the divinities they caught their blood and put 
it in a vase near the stones. 1 They were not really stones, but each one appeared in the likeness of 
a youth. 

They were happy with the blood of the priests and sacrificers when they arrived with this example 
of their work. 

"Follow their tracks [those of the animals which they sacrificed , there is your salvation! 

"From there, from Tulan, whence you brought us," they were told, "came the skin, called 
Pazilizib, which was given to you, smeared with blood: spill your blood and let this be the 
offering of Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz." 2 







IV. Chapter 2 



rlere is how Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah. and Iqui-Balam began the abduction of 
the men of the tribes [of Vuc Amag . 

Then came the killing of the tribes. They seized a man as he walked alone, or two when they were 
walking together, and it was not known when they were seized, and then they went to sacrifice 
them before Tohil. and Avilix. Afterward they sprinkled the blood on the road and placed the 
heads separately on the road. And the tribes said, "The jaguar ate them." And they spoke thus 
because like footprints of the jaguar were the tracks which they had left, although they did not 
show themselves. 

Already, many were the men who had been carried off, but the tribes did not notice it until later. 
"Could it be Tohil. and Avilix who have been here among us? It must be they who are nourished 
by the priests and the sacrificers. Where are their homes? Let us follow their footprints!" said all 
the people. 

Then they held a council among themselves. Then they began to follow the footprints of the 
priests and the sacrificers, but they were not clear. There were only tracks of wild animals, tracks 
of jaguars that they saw, but the tracks were not distinct. The first ones were not clear because 
they were reversed, as though made so that the people went astray, and their way was not clear. A 
mist formed, a black rain fell and made much mud; and it began to drizzle. This was what the 
people saw before them. And their hearts became weary of searching and following them on the 
roads, because the beings of Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz were so great that the latter withdrew to 
the summit of the mountains, in the vicinity of the people, whom they killed. 

Thus began the abduction of the people when the sorcerers caught the tribes in the roads and 
sacrificed them before Tohil. Avilix, and Hacavitz; but their [own  sons they saved there on the 
mountain. 

Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz had the appearance of three youths and walked by virtue of the magic 
stone. There was a river in which they bathed, at the edge of the water and only there did they 
appear. For this reason it was called "in the Bathing Place of Tohil," and this was the name of the 
river. 1 Often the tribes saw them, but they disappeared immediately, when they were seen by the 
people. 

Then they had tidings of where Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah. and Iqui-Balam were, 
and at once the tribes held council as to the way in which they could be killed. 

In the first place the tribes wanted to discuss the way to overcome Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. 
And all the priests and sacrificers [of the tribes  said to the people: "Arise, all of you, call 
everyone, let there be not one group, nor two groups, among us who remain behind the others." 



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All assembled, they assembled in great numbers and deliberated among themselves. And they 
said, asking each other: "What shall we do to overcome the Quiche of Cavec, 2 by whose hands 
our sons and vassals are being killed? it is not known how our people are being destroyed. If we 
must perish, because of these abductions, so let it be; and if the power of Tohil, Avilix, and 
Hacavitz is so great then let our god be this Tohil, and God grant that you take him captive. It is 
not possible that they shall overcome us. Are there not, perchance, enough men among us? And 
the Cavec are not many," they said, when all were assembled. 

And some said, turning to the tribes, when they spoke: "Who has seen those who bathe in the 
river every day? If they are Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz, then we shall overcome them first, and 
afterward, we shall begin the destruction of the priests and sacrificers." This, many of them said, 
when they talked. 

"But how shall we overcome them?" they asked again. 

"This shall be our way of overcoming them. Since they have the appearance of youths when they 
let themselves be seen in the water, then let two maidens who are really beautiful, and very 
lovely, go and provoke in them desire to possess them," they said. 

"Very well. Let us go, then; let us find two beautiful maidens," they exclaimed, and then they 
went to find their daughters. And truly beautiful were the maidens. 

Then they instructed the maidens: "Go, our daughters, go to wash clothes at the river, and if you 
see the three youths, undress before them, and if their hearts desire you, call to them. If they say 
to you, 'May we come to you?' answer, 'Yes.' And when they ask: 'Where do you come from, 
whose daughters are you?' tell them, 'We are daughters of the lords.' 3 

"Then you shall say: 'Give us a token of yours.' And if after they have given you something, they 
want to kiss your faces, really give yourselves to them. And if you do not give yourselves to them, 
we shall kill you. Afterward our hearts shall be satisfied. When you have the token, bring it here, 
and this shall be proof, in our judgment, that they were joined with you." 

Thus spoke the lords when they advised the two maidens. Here are their names: Xtah was the 
name of one of the maidens, and the other was Xpuch. 4 And the two maidens, Xtah and Xpuch, 
were sent to the river, to the bathing place of Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz. This is what was 
decided by all the tribes. 

They went at once, well adorned, and they were truly very beautiful when they went there where 
Tohil 5 was bathing, so that they would be seen, when they were washing. When they went, the 
lords were happy because they had sent their two daughters. 

As soon as the latter arrived at the river, they began to wash. The two had already taken off their 
clothes and were bending over the stones when Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz came. They came 
there to the edge of the river and paused a moment, surprised to see the two young girls who were 
washing, and the girls became ashamed at the moment when Tohil came. But the two girls did not 



Page 152 of 196 



appeal to Tohil. And then he asked them: "Where did you come from?" Thus he asked the two 
maidens, and added: "What do you want that you come here to the edge of our water?" 

And they answered: "The lords have sent us to come here. 'Go look at the faces of Tohil and 
speak with them,' the lords told us; and 'then bring proof that you have seen their faces.' they told 
us." Thus the two girls spoke, making known the purpose of their coming. 

Well, what the tribes wanted was that the two maidens would be violated by the incarnation of 
Tohil. g But Tohil, Avilix, and Hacavitz said, speaking again to Xtah and Xpuch, as the two 
maidens were called: "Very well, with you shall go proof of our conversation. Wait a little and 
then you shall give it to the lords." they said. 

Then they held council with the priests and sacrificers and they said to Balam-Quitze, Balam- 
Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam: 7 "Paint three capes, paint on them the symbol of your being 
in order that it may be recognized by the tribes, when the maidens who are washing carry them 
back. Give the capes to them," Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah were told. 

At once the three began to paint. First, Balam-Quitze painted a jaguar; the figure was made and 
painted on the surface of the cape. Then Balam-Acab painted the figure of an eagle on the surface 
of a cape; and then Mahucutah painted bumblebees and wasps all over, figures and drawings of 
which he painted on the cloth. And the three finished their painting, three pieces they painted. 

Then they went to give the capes to Xtah and Xpuch, as they were called, and Balam-Quitze. 
Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah said to them: "Here is proof of your conversation [with us ; take 
these before the lords: Say to them, 'In truth, Tohil has talked to us; here we bring the proof,' tell 
them, and have them dress themselves in the clothes which you will give them." This they told the 
maidens when they bade them farewell. The latter went at once, carrying the above-mentioned 
painted capes, g 

When they arrived, the lords were filled with joy to see their faces and their hands, from which 
hung the things the maidens had gone for. 

"Did you see the face of Tohil?" they asked them. 

"Yes, we saw it," answered Xtah and Xpuch. 

"Very well. And you bring the token, do you not?" the lords asked, thinking that this was the 
proof of their sin. 

Then the maidens held out the painted capes, all covered with [the figures  of jaguars and eagles, 
and covered with bumblebees and wasps, painted on the surface of the cloth and which shone 
before them. At once they felt a desire to put the capes on. 

The jaguar did nothing when the lord threw the first painting on his back. Then the lord put on the 
second painting, with the figure of the eagle. The lord felt very well wrapped within it. And he 
turned about before all of them. 

Page 153 of 196 



Then he undressed before all, and put on the third painted cape. And now he had on himself, the 
bumblebees and wasps which were on it. Instantly the bumblebees and the wasps stung his flesh. 
And not being able to suffer the stings of these insects, he began to scream because of the insects 
whose figures were painted on the cloth, the painting of Mahucutah, which was the third one that 
had been painted. 

Thus they were overcome. Then the lords reprimanded the two maidens named Xtah and Xpuch: 
"What kind of clothes are those which you have brought? Where did you go to bring them, you 
devils?" they said to the maidens when they reprimanded them. All the people were overcome by 
Tohil. 

Well, what they [the lords  wanted was that Tohil should have gone to amuse himself with Xtah 
and Xpuch, and that the [maidens  would have become whores, for the tribes believed that they 
would serve to tempt them. But it was not possible that they should overcome them, thanks to 
those miraculous men, Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam. 







IV. Chapter 3 

rYfterwards the tribes held council again. 

"What shall we do with them? in truth, their estate is very great," they said when they assembled 
again in council. 

"Well, then, we shall waylay them, we shall kill them, we shall arm ourselves with bows and with 
shields. Perchance, are we not many? Let there not be one or two among us who remains behind." 
This they said when they held council. And all the people armed. Many were the warriors when 
all the people gathered together for the killing. 

Meanwhile, there were Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, they were on 
the mountain Hacavitz, on the hill of this name. They were there in order to save their sons who 
were on the mountain. 

And they did not have many people, they did not have multitudes such as the multitudes of the 
tribes. The summit of the mountain where they had their place was small, and for that reason 
when the tribes assembled together and rose, they decided to kill all of them. 

In this manner, then, took place the reunion of all the people, all armed with their bows and their 
shields. It is impossible to describe the richness of their arms; the appearance of all the chiefs and 
men was very beautiful, and certainly all obeyed their orders. 

"They shall positively be destroyed, and as for Tohil. he shall be our god, we shall worship him, if 
we take him prisoner," they said to each other. But Tohil knew everything and so did Balam- 
Quitze, Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah. They heard all the plans, because they did not sleep, or rest, 
from the time the warriors armed themselves. 

Then all the warriors rose up and started out on the road, intending to enter [the town  by night. 
But they did not arrive, for all the warriors were watching on the road, and then they were 
destroyed by Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah. 

All remained watching along the road, but they heard nothing and they finally fell asleep. Then 
they [Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah  began to pull out their eyelashes and their 
beards; they took off the metal ornaments from their throats—their crowns and necklaces. And 
they took the metal from the handles of their spears. They did this to punish them and humiliate 
them, and give them an example of the power of the Quiche people. 

When they [the warriors  awoke, they wanted to take their crowns and their staffs, but they no 
longer had metal in the staff-handles, nor their crowns. "Who has stripped us? Who has torn out 
our beards? Whence have they come to rob us of our precious metals?" said all of the warriors. 
"Can it be these devils who are carrying off the men? But they shall not succeed in frightening us. 

Page 156 of 196 



We shall enter their town by force, and we shall again see the face of our silver; this we shall do," 
said all the tribes, and all truly intended to carry out their word. 

Meanwhile the hearts of the priests and the sacrificers on the summit of the mountain were calm. 
And Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam 1 having talked together, they built 
a wall at the edge of the town and enclosed it with boards and thorns. Then they made figures in 
the form of men, and put them in rows on the wall, armed them with shields and arrows and 
adorned them, putting metal crowns on their heads. These they put on the simple wooden figures, 
they adorned them with the metal which they had taken from the tribes on the road and with them 
they decorated the figures. 

They made a moat around the town, and then they asked advice of Tohil: "Shall they kill us? 
Shall they overcome us?" their hearts said to Tohil. 

"Do not be troubled! I am here. And this you will use. Do not be afraid," he [Tohil  said to 
Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, when they were given the bumblebees 
and the wasps. This is what they went to fetch. And when they came, they put them inside four 
big gourds which were placed around the town. They shut the bumblebees and wasps inside the 
gourds, in order to fight the people with them. 

The city was watched from afar, spied upon and observed by the scouts of the tribes. "They are 
not many," they said. But they saw only the wooden figures which lightly moved their bows and 
their shields. In truth, they had the appearance of men, had in truth the appearance of warriors 
when the tribes looked at them, and all the tribes were happy because they saw that they were not 
many. 

There were many tribes; it was not possible to count the people, the warriors and soldiers who 
were going to kill Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah, who were on the mountain 
Hacavitz, the name of the place where they were found. 

Now we shall tell about their arrival. 







IV. Chapter 4 



Ihey 



were there, then, Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, were all 
together on the mountain with their wives and their children when all the warriors and soldiers 
came. The tribes did not number sixteen thousand, or twenty-four thousand men, 1 [but even 
more . 

They surrounded the town, crying out loudly, armed with arrows and shields, beating drums, 
giving war whoops, whistling, shouting, inciting them to fight, when they arrived in front of the 
town. 

But the priests and sacrificers were not frightened; they only looked at them from the edge of the 
wall, where they were in good order with their wives and children. They thought only of the 
strength and the shouting of the tribes when they came up the side of the mountain. 

Shortly before they were about to throw themselves at the entrance of the town, the four gourds 
which were at the edge of the town were opened and the bumblebees and the wasps came out of 
the gourds; like a great cloud of smoke they emerged from the gourds. And thus the warriors 
perished because of the insects which stung the pupils of their eyes 2 and fastened themselves to 
their noses, their mouths, their legs, and their arms. "Where are they," they said, "those who went 
to get and bring in all the bumblebees and wasps that are here?" 

They went straight to sting the pupils of their eyes, the little insects buzzing in swarms over each 
one of the men; and the latter, stunned by the bumblebees and wasps, could no longer grasp their 
bows and their shields, which were broken on the ground. 

When the warriors fell, they were stretched out on the mountainside, and they no longer felt when 
they were hit with arrows, and wounded by the axes. Balam-Quitze and Balam-Acab used only 
blunt sticks. Their wives also took part in this killing. Only a part [of them  returned and all the 
tribes began to flee. But the first ones caught were put to death; not a few of the men died, and 
those who died were not the ones they intended to kill but those who were attacked by the insects. 
Neither was it a deed of valor, because the warriors were not killed by arrows or by shields. 

Then all the tribes surrendered. The people humbled themselves before Balam-Quitze, Balam- 
Acab, and Mahucutah. "Have pity on us, do not kill us," they exclaimed. 

"Very well. Although you deserve to die, you shall [instead  become [our  vassals for the rest of 
your lives," 3 they said to them. 

In this way were all of the tribes destroyed by our first mothers and fathers; and this happened 
there on the mountain Hacavitz, as it is now called. This was where they first settled, where they 
multiplied and increased, begot their daughters, gave being to their sons, on the mountain 
Hacavitz. 



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They were, then, very happy when they had overcome all the tribes, whom they destroyed there 
on the mountaintop. In this way they carried out the destruction of the tribes, of all the tribes. 
After this their hearts rested. And they said to their sons that when they [the tribes  intended to 
kill them, the hour of their own death was approaching. 

And now we shall tell of the death of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, as 
they were called. 





IV. Chapter 5 



rVnd as they had had a presentiment of their death, they counseled their children. They were not 
ill, they had neither pain nor agony when they gave their advice to their children. 

These are the names of their sons: Balam-Quitze had two sons, Qocaib the first was called, and 
Qocavib was the name of the second son of Balam-Quitze, the grandfather and father of those of 
Cavec. 

And these are the two sons which Balam-Acab begot, here are their names: Qoacul the first of his 
sons was called, and Qoacutec was the name of the second son of Balam-Acab [the founder  of 
those of Nihaib. 1 

Mahucutah had but one son, who was called Qoahau. 

Those three had sons, but Iqui-Balam did not have children. They were really the sacrificers, and 
these are the names of their sons. 

So, then, they bade [their sons  farewell. The four were together and they began to sing, feeling 
sad in their hearts; and their hearts wept when they sang the camucu, as the song is called which 
they sang when they bade farewell to their sons. 

"Oh, our sons! we are going, we are going away; sane advice and wise counsel we leave you. And 
you, also, who came from our distant country, oh our wives! they said to their women, and they 
bade farewell to each one. "We are going back to our town; already in his place is Our Lord of the 
stags, 2 to be seen there in the sky. We are going to begin our return, we have completed our 
mission [here , our days are ended. Think, then, of us, do not erase us [from your memory , nor 
forget us. You shall see your homes and your mountains again; settle, there, and so let it be! Go 
on your way and you shall see again the place from which we came." 

These words they said when they bade them farewell. Then Balam-Quitze left the symbol of his 
being: "This is a remembrance which I leave you. This shall be your power. I take my leave filled 
with sorrow," he added. Then he left the symbol of his being, the Pizom-Gagal, 3 as it was called, 
whose form was invisible because it was wrapped up and could not be unwrapped; the seam did 
not show because it was not seen when they wrapped it up. 

In this way they took their leave and immediately they disappeared there on the summit of the 
mountain Hacavitz. 

They [the four lords  were not buried by their wives nor by their children, because they were not 
seen when they disappeared. Only their leaving was seen dearly, and therefore the bundle was 
very dear to them, it was the reminder of their fathers and at once they burned incense before this 
reminder of their fathers. 



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And then the lords, who succeeded Balam-Quitze, begot new generations of men, and this was the 
beginning of the grandfathers and fathers of those of Cavec; but their sons, those called Qocaib 
and Qocavib, did not disappear. 

In this way the four died, our first grandfathers and fathers; in this way they disappeared, leaving 
their children on the mountain Hacavitz, there where they have remained. 

And the people being subdued already, and their grandeur ended, the tribes no longer had power, 
and all lived to serve daily. 

They remembered their fathers; great was the glory of the bundle to them. Never did they unwrap 
it, but it was always wrapped, and with them. Bundle of Greatness they called it when they 
extolled and named that which their fathers had left in their care as a symbol of their being. 

In this manner, then, came about the disappearance and end of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, 
Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, the first men who came there from the other side of the sea, where 
the sun rises. They had been here a long time when they died, being very old, the chiefs and 
sacrificers, as they were called. 







IV. Chapter 6 



1 hen they decided to go to the east, thinking thus to fulfill the command of their fathers which 
they had not forgotten. It had been a long time since their fathers had died, when the tribes gave 
them their wives, and thus they acquired many relatives-in-law, when the three took wives. 1 

And starting on their journey, they said: "We are going to the East, there whence came our 
fathers." So they said when the three sons set out. One was called Qocaib, and he was the son of 
Balam-Quitze, of the Cavec. The one called Qoacutec was son of Balam-Acab, of the Nihaib; and 
the other called Qoahau, was son of Mahucutah, of the Ahau-Quiche. 2 

These, then, are the names of those who went there to the other side of the sea; the three went 
then, and were endowed with intelligence and experience, but they were not common men. They 
took leave of all their brothers and relatives and left joyfully. "We shall not die; we shall return," 
said the three when they left. 

Certainly they crossed the sea when they came there to the East, when they went to receive the 
investiture of the kingdom. And this was the name of the Lord, King of the East, where they went. 
When they arrived before Lord Nacxit, 3 which was the name of the great lord, the only supreme 
judge of all the kingdoms, he gave them the insignia of the kingdom and all its distinctive 
symbols. Then came the insignia of Ahpop and Ahpop-Camha, and then the insignia of the 
grandeur and the sovereignty of the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha. a And Nacxit ended by giving 
them the insignia of royalty, which are: the canopy, the throne, the flutes of bone, the cham-cham, 
yellow beads, puma claws, jaguar claws, the heads and feet of the deer, dais, snail shells, tobacco, 
little gourds, parrot feathers, standards of royal aigrette feathers, tatam, and caxcon. 5 All the 
foregoing they carried, those who came after going to the other side of the sea to receive the 
paintings of Tulan, the paintings, as these were called, in which they wrote their histories. § 

Then, having arrived at their town called Hacavitz, all the people of Tamub and of Ilocab 
assembled there; all the tribes were assembled and were filled with joy when Qocaib, Qoacutec, 
and Qoahau arrived, and there they again assumed the rule of the tribes. 7 

The people of Rabinal, the Cakchiquel, and the people of Tziquinaha rejoiced. Before them they 
showed the insignia of the grandeur of the kingdom. Great, too, were the tribes, although they had 
not finished showing their might. And they were there in Hacavitz, all were there with those who 
came from the East. There they spent much time; 8 there on the summit of the mountain they were 
in great numbers. 

There, too, the wives of Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, and Mahucutah died. 

Later they left, abandoning their country, and searching for other places in which to settle, 
innumerable were the places in which they settled, where they were, and which they named. 
There our first mothers and our first fathers were reunited and increased. So said the old people 



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when they told how they left their first capital, called Hacavitz, and went to found another capital, 
called Chi-Quix. 9 

They were a long time in this other town, where they had daughters and sons. There were many of 
them there, and there were four other places, to each of which they gave the name of their town. 
Their daughters and sons married; they simply gave them away [in marriage  and the presents and 
favors they received they considered as the price for their daughters, and, in this way, they lived 
happily. 10 

Afterward they went through each one of the wards of the town, the different names of which are: 
Chi-Quix, Chichac, Humetaha, Culba, and Cavinal. These were the names of the places where 
they settled. And they surveyed the hills and their towns and sought the uninhabited places, for, 
all together, they were now very many. 

Those who had gone to the East to receive the sovereignty were now dead. They were already old 
when they arrived at each of the towns. They did not become accustomed to the different places 
through which they passed; they suffered many hardships and troubles and only after a long time 
did the grandfathers and fathers arrive at their town. Here is the name of the city to which they 
came. 

Finally Qocaib returned and gave an account of his mission. "He brought the titles of Ahpop, 
Ahtzalam, Tzanchinamital, and many others; he showed the insignia which must accompany 
these titles, and they were the claws of the jaguars and eagles, skins of other animals, and also 
stones, sticks, etc." Seeing his wife with a newly born child in her arms, he asked whence it had 
come. "Tt is of thy blood,' answered the woman, 'of thy flesh and thy same bones.'" Qocaib 
accepted the explanation, and taking the child's cradle said: '"From today on, and forever this 
child shall be called Balam Conache.' And the latter began the House of Conache and Iztayul." 
With respect to the second journey of the Quiche princes, the Titulo says that they returned 
satisfied to Hacavitz Chipal, and displayed the signs and symbols which they brought.} 






IV. Chapter 7 



Ljhi-Izmachi 1 is the name of the site of their town, where they were afterward and where they 
settled. There, under the fourth generation of kings, they developed their power and constructed 
buildings of mortar and stone. 2 

And Conache and Beleheb-Queh, the Galel-Ahau, 3 ruled. Then king Cotuha and Iztayul reigned, 
as they were called the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha, who reigned there in Izmachi, which was 
the beautiful city which they had built. 4 

Only three great houses were there in Izmachi. There were not twenty-four great houses then, 
only their three great houses, only a great house of the Cavec, only a great house of the Nihaib, 
and only one of the people of Ahau-Quiche. Only two had great houses, 5 the two branches of the 
family [the Quiche and the Tamub . 

And there they were in Izmachi with only one thought, without disputes or difficulties, peaceful 
was the kingdom, they had no quarrels nor disputes, in their hearts were only peace and 
happiness. They were not envious nor jealous. Their grandeur was limited, they had not thought 
of aggrandizing themselves, nor of expanding. When they tried to do it, they fastened the shield 
there in Izmachi but only to give a sign of their empire, as a symbol of their power and a symbol 
of their greatness. 

Seeing this, the people of Ilocab began the war; they wanted to kill King Cotuha, wishing to have 
a chief of their own. And as for Lord Iztayul, they wanted to punish him, that he be punished and 
killed by those of Ilocab. But their evil plans against King Cotuha did not succeed, for he fell 
upon them before the people of Ilocab were able to kill him. 

This, then, was the beginning of the revolution and the dissensions of the war. First they attacked 
the town, and the warriors came. And what they wanted was to ruin the Quiche race; they wanted 
to reign alone. But they only came to die; they were captured and fell into captivity, and few 
among them succeeded in escaping. 

Immediately afterward the sacrifices began; the people of Ilocab were sacrificed before the god, 
and this was the punishment for their sins by order of King Cotuha. Many also fell into slavery 
and servitude; they only went to give themselves up to be overcome because of having arranged 
the war against the lords and against the town. § The destruction and ruin of the Quiche race and 
their king was what they wished, but they did not succeed in accomplishing it. 

In this way the sacrifice of men began before the gods, when the war of the shields broke out, 
which was the reason that they began the fortifications of the city of Izmachi. 

There began and originated their power, because the empire of the King of the Quiche was really 
large. They were in every sense marvelous kings; there was no one who could dominate them, 



Page 168 of 196 



neither was there anyone who could humble them. And at the same time they were the builders of 
the grandeur of the kingdom which they had founded there in Izmachi. 

There the fear of god waxed, they were inspired with awe, and the tribes large and small were 
filled with fear, for they saw the arrival of the captives, those who were sacrificed and killed 
because of the power and sovereignty of King Cotuha, the King Iztayul, and the people of Nihaib 
and Ahau-Quiche. 

There were only three branches of the [Quiche  family there in Izmachi, as the town was called, 
and there they also began the feasts and orgies for their daughters when [suitors  came to ask for 
them 7 in marriage. 

There the so-called three great houses gathered, and there 

they drank their drinks, there they also ate their food, which was the price of their sisters, the price 
of their daughters, and their hearts were joyful when they did it, and they ate and drank 8 in the 
great houses. 

"In this way we show our gratitude, and thus we open the road for our posterity and our 
descendants, this is the demonstration of our consent to their becoming husbands and wives," they 
said. 

There they identified themselves, 9 and there they took their names; they distributed themselves in 
clans in the seven principal tribes and in cantons. 10 

"Let us unite, we of the Cavec, we of the Nihaib, and we of the Ahau-Quiche," said the three 
clans, and the three great houses. For a long time they were there in Izmachi, until they found and 
saw another town, and abandoned that of Izmachi. 







IV. Chapter 8 



rVfter they had left there, they came here to the town of Gumarcaah, 1 as the Quiche named it 
when Kings Cotuha and Gucumatz and all the lords came. There had then begun the fifth 
generation of men, since the beginning of civilization and of the population, the beginning of the 
existence of the nation. 

There, then, they built many houses and at the same time constructed the temple of God; in the 
center of the high part of the town they located it when they arrived and settled there. 

Then their empire grew. They were very numerous, 2 when they held their council in their great 
houses. They reunited, but later divided, because dissensions had arisen and jealousies grew up 
amongst them over the price for their sisters and their daughters, and because they no longer 
drank together. 3 

This, then, was the reason why they divided and why they turned against each other, and they 
threw the skulls of the dead, they hurled them around among each other. 

Then they divided into nine families, and having ended the dispute over the sisters and the 
daughters, they carried out the plan of dividing the kingdom into twenty-four great houses, as they 
did. It is a long time since they came here to their town, and finished the twenty-four great houses, 
there 

in the City of Gumarcaah, which was blessed by the Bishop. Later the city was abandoned, a 

There they increased, there they installed their splendid thrones and royal seats, and they 
distributed their honors among all the lords. The nine lords of Cavec formed nine families; the 
lords of Nihaib formed another nine; the lords of Ahau-Quiche formed another four; and the lords 
of Zaquic formed another two families. 

They became very numerous, and many also followed each of the lords; these were the first 
among their vassals, and each of the lords had large families. 5 

We shall tell now the names of the lords of each of the great houses. Here, then, are the names of 
the lords of Cavec. The first of the lords was Ahpop, § [then  Ahpop-Camha, 7 Ah-Tohil, a Ah- 
Gucumatz, 9 Nim-Chocoh-Cavec, 10 Popol-Vinac-Chituy, 11 Lolmet-Quehnay, 12 Popol-Vinac Pa- 
Hom Tzalatz, 13 and Uchuch-Camha. 14 

These, then, were the lords of Cavec, nine lords, each one of which had his great house, which 
afterward will appear again. 

Here then are the lords of Nihaib. The first was Ahau-Galel, then Ahau-Ahtzic-Vinac, Galel- 
Camha, Nima-Camha, Uchuch-Camha, Nim-Chocoh-Nihaibab, Avilix, Yacolatam, Utzam-pop- 
Zalclatol, and Nima-Lolmet-Ycoltux, the nine lords of Nihaib. 15 

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And as for those of Ahau-Quiche, these are the names of the lords: Ahtzic-Vinac, Ahau-Lolmet, 
Ahau-Nim-Chocoh-Ahau, and Ahau-Hacavitz, four lords of Ahau-Quiche, in the order of their 
great houses. 

And the house of Zaquic had two families, the Lords Tzutuha and Galel Zaquic. These two lords 
had only one great house, w 





IV. Chapter 9 

In this way [the number  of the twenty-four lords was completed and the twenty-four great 
houses came into being. Thus the grandeur and power of the sons of the Quiche grew, when they 
built the town of the ravines out of stone and mortar. 1 

Then the small tribes and the great tribes came before the king. The Quiche increased when their 
glory and majesty waxed, when they raised the house of their gods and the house of their lords. 
But it was not they who worked, or constructed their houses either, or made the house of the gods, 
for they were [made  by their sons and vassals, who had multiplied. 

And they were not cheating them, nor robbing them, nor seizing them by force, because in reality 
each belonged to the lords, and many of their brothers and relatives 2 had come together and had 
assembled, to hear the commands of each of the lords. 

The lords were really loved and great was their glory; and the sons and the vassals held the 
birthdays of the lords in great respect 3 when the inhabitants of the country and the city 
multiplied, a 

But it did not happen that all the tribes delivered themselves up, and neither did the country and 
towns [the inhabitants of them  fall in battle, but instead they increased, because of the marvels of 
the lords, King Gucumatz and King Cotuha. Gucumatz was truly a marvelous king. For seven 
days he mounted to the skies and for seven days he went down into Xibalba; seven days he 
changed himself into a snake and really became a serpent; for seven days he changed himself into 
an eagle; for seven days he became a jaguar; and his appearance was really that of an eagle and a 
jaguar. Another seven days he changed himself into clotted blood and was only motionless blood. 

The nature of this king was really marvelous, and all the other lords were filled with terror before 
him. Tidings of the wonderful nature of the King were spread and all the lords of the towns heard 
it. And this was the beginning of the grandeur of the Quiche, when King Gucumatz gave these 
signs of his power. His sons and his grandsons never forgot him. And he did not do this in order 
to be an extraordinary king, he did it as a means of dominating all the towns, as a means of 
showing that only one was called upon to be chief of the people. 5 

The generation of the wonderful king called Gucumatz was the fourth generation, and Gucumatz 
was also the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha. 

They left successors and descendants who reigned and ruled, and begot children, and did many 
things. Tepepul and Iztayul whose reign was the fifth generation of kings § were begotten; and in 
the same way, each of the generations of these lords had succession. 





IV. Chapter 10 



rlere are the names of the sixth generation of kings. There were two great kings, the first was 
called Gag-Quicab, and the other, Cavizimah, and they performed heroic deeds and aggrandized 
the Quiche; for surely they were of marvelous nature. 

Here is the destruction and division of the fields and the towns of the neighboring nations, small 
and large. Among them was that, which in olden times, was the country of the Cakchiquel, the 
present Chuvila, 1 and the country of the people of Rabinal, 2 Pamaca, 3 the country of the people 
of Caoque, 4Zaccabaha sand the towns of the peoples of Zaculeu, § of Chuvi-Miquina, 7 Xelahuh, 8 
Chuva-Tzac, 9 and Tzolohche. 10 

These [peoples  hated Quicab. He made war on them and certainly conquered and destroyed the 
fields and towns of the people of Rabinal, the Cakchiquel, and the people of Zaculeu; he came 
and conquered all the towns, and the soldiers of Quicab carried his arms to distant parts. One or 
two tribes did not bring tribute, and then he fell upon all the towns and they were forced to bring 
tribute to Quicab and Cavizimah. 

They were made slaves, they were wounded, and they were killed with arrows against the trees [to 
which they had been tied  and for them there was no longer any glory, they no longer had power. 
In this way came about the destruction of the towns, which were instantly razed to the ground. 11 
Like a flash of lightning which strikes and shatters the rock, so, in an instant were the conquered 
people filled with terror. 

Before Colche, as a symbol of a town destroyed by him, there is now a pile of stones, which look 
almost as if they had been cut With the edge of an ax. it is there on the coast, called Petatayub, 12 
and it may be clearly seen today by people who pass, as proof of the valor of Quicab. 

They could neither kill him nor overcome him, for, in truth, he was a brave man, and all the 
people rendered tribute unto him. 

And all the lords, having gathered in council, went to fortify the ravines and the towns, having 
conquered the towns of all the tribes. Then spies went out to observe the enemy and they founded 
something like towns in the occupied places. "Just in case by chance the tribes might return to 
occupy the town," they said, when they reassembled in council. 

Then they went out to [take up  their positions. "These shall be like our forts and our town, our 
walls and defenses, here shall our valor and our manhood be proved," said all the lords, when 
they went to take up the position assigned to each clan in order to fight the enemy. 

And having received their orders they went to the places that had been founded in the land of the 
tribes. "Go there, for now it is our land. Do not be afraid, if there are still enemies who come to 
kill you, come quickly and let me know, and I will go to kill them!" said Quicab, when he took 
leave of all of them in the presence of the Galel and the Ahtzic-Vinac. 13 

Page 177 of 196 



Then the bowmen and the slingers, as they were called, set out. Then the grandfathers and the 
fathers of all the Quiche nation took their [battle  positions. They were on each one of the 
mountains, and they were like guards—of the mountains; they were guarding [with  their bows 
and slings; they were the sentinels of the war. They were not of different origin, nor did they have 
a different god, when they went. They went only to fortify their towns. 

Then all the people of Uvila went out, u those of Chulimal, Zaquiya, Xahbaquieh, Chi-Temah, 
Vahxalahuh, and the people of Cabracan, 15 Chabicac-Chi-Hunahpu, and those of Maca, ig those 
of Xoyabah 17 and those of Zaccabaha, is those of Ziyaha, 19 those of Miquina, 20 those of 
Xelahuh, 21 and those of the coast. They went to observe the war and to guard the land, when they 
went by order of Quicab and Cavizimah, [who were  the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha, and the 
Galel and the Ahtzic-Vinac, who were the four lords. 

They were sent in order to watch the enemies of Quicab and Cavizimah, names of the kings, both 
of the House of Cavec, of Queema, name of the lord of the people of Nihaib, and of Achac-Iboy, 
the name of the lord of the people of Ahau-Quiche. These were the names of the lords who sent 
them, When their sons and vassals went to the mountains, to each one of the mountains. 

They went at once 22 and they took captives; they brought their prisoners into the presence of 
Quicab, Cavizimah, the Galel, and the Ahtzic-Vinac. The bowmen and slingers made war, taking 
captives and prisoners. Some of the defenders of he positions were heroes, and the lords gave 
[them gifts  and lavished rewards upon them, when they came to deliver up all their captives and 
prisoners. 

Later they gathered in council by order of the lords, the Ahpop, the Ahpop-Camha, the Galel, and 
the Ahtzic-Vinac, and they decided and said, that those who were there first should have the rank 
of representing their families. "I am the Ahpop! I am the Ahpop-Camha! Mine shall be the rank 
of the Ahpop; meanwhile you, the Ahau-Galel, shall have the rank of Galel," said all the lords 
when they held council. 23 

Those of Tamub and of Ilocab did likewise; equal in position were the three clans of the Quiche 
when for the first time they named their sons and vassals captains, and ennobled them. This was 
the result of the council. But they were not made captains here in Quiche. The mountain where 
the sons and vassals were made captains for the first time has its name, when all were sent, each 
one to his mountain, and all were reunited. Xebalax and Xecamax are the names of the mountains 
where they were made captains and they received their commands. This happened in Chulimal. 

In this manner was the naming, the promotion, and distinction of the twenty Galel, of the twenty 
Ahpop, who were named by the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha and by the Galel and the Ahtzic- 
Vinac. All of the Galel-Ahpops received their rank: eleven Nim-Chocoh, Galel- Ahau, Galel- 
Zaquic, Galel- Achih, Rahpop-Achih, Rahtzalam-Achih, Utzam-Achih were the names which the 
warriors received when their titles and distinctions were conferred upon them, as they were on 
their thrones and on their seats, being the first sons and vassals of the Quiche nation, their spies, 
their scouts, the bowmen, the slingers, the walls, doors, forts, and bastions of the Quiche. 

Page 178 of 196 



Those of Tamub and Ilocab also did thus; they named and ennobled the first sons and vassals who 
were in each place. 

This, then, was the origin of the Galel-Ahpops, and of the titles which are now preserved in each 
one of these places. This is the way their titles were created, by the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha, 
by the Galel and the Ahtzic-Vinac they were created. 






IV. Chapter 11 



W e shall now tell of the house of the God. The house was also given the same name as the god. 
The Great Edifice of Tohil was the name of the Temple of Tohil, of those of Cavec. Avilix was 
the name of the Temple of Avilix, of the people of Nihaib; and Hacavitz was the name of the 
Temple of the God of the people of Ahau-Quiche. 1 

Tzutuha, which is seen in Cahbaha, is the name of a large edifice in which there was a stone 
which all the lords of Quiche worshiped and which was also worshiped by all the tribes. 2 

The people first offered their sacrifices before Tohil, and afterward went to pay their respects to 
the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha. Then they went to Present their gorgeous feathers and their 
tribute before the king. And the kings whom they maintained were the Ahpop and the Ahpop- 
Camha, who had conquered their towns. 

Great lords and wonderful men were the marvelous kings Gucumatz and Cotuha, the marvelous 
kings Quicab and Cavizimah. They knew if there would be war, and everything was clear before 
their eyes; they saw if there would be death and hunger, if there would be strife. They well knew 
that there was a place where it could be seen, that there was a book which they called the Popol 
Vuh. 3 But not only in this way was the estate of the lords great, great also were their fasts. And 
this was in recognition of their having been created, and in recognition of their having been given 
their kingdoms. 4 They fasted a long time and made sacrifices to their gods. Here is how they 
fasted: Nine men fasted and another nine made sacrifices and burned incense. Thirteen more men 
fasted, and another thirteen more made offerings and burned incense before Tohil. And while 
before their god, they nourished themselves only with fruits, with zapotes, matasanos, and 
jocotes. And they did not eat any tortillas. Now if there were seventeen men who made sacrifice, 
or ten who fasted, the truth is they did not eat. They fulfilled their great precepts, and thus showed 
their position as lords. 

Neither had they women to sleep with, but they remained alone, fasting. They were in the House 
of God, all day they prayed, burning incense and making sacrifices. Thus they remained from 
dusk until dawn, grieving in their hearts and in their breasts, and begging for happiness and life 
for their sons and vassals as well as for their kingdom, and raising their faces to the sky. 

Here are their petitions to their god, when they prayed; and this was the supplication of their 
hearts: 

"Oh, You, beauty of the day! You, Huracan; You, Heart of Heaven and of Earth! You, giver of 
richness, 5 and giver of the daughters and the sons! Turn toward us your power and your riches; 
grant life and growth unto my sons and vassals; let those who must maintain and nourish Thee 
multiply and increase; those who invoke Thee on the roads, in the fields, on the banks of the 
rivers, in the ravines, under the trees, under the vines. 



"Give them daughters and sons. Let them not meet disgrace, nor misfortune, let not the deceiver 
come behind or before them. Let them not fall, let them not be wounded, let them not fornicate, 
nor be condemned by justice. Let them not fall on the descent or on the ascent of the road. Let 
them not encounter obstacles back of them or before them, nor anything which strikes them. 
Grant them good roads, beautiful, level roads. Let them not have misfortune, nor disgrace, 
through Thy fault, through Thy sorceries. 

"Grant a good life to those who must give Thee sustenance and place food in Thy mouth, in your 
presence, to Thee, Heart of Heaven, Heart of Earth, Bundle of Majesty. And You, Tohil; You, 
Avilix; You, Hacavitz, Arch of the Sky, Surface of the Earth, the Four Corners, the Four Cardinal 
Points. Let there be but peace and tranquility § in Thy mouth, in Thy presence, oh, God!" 7 

Thus [spoke  the lords, while within, the nine men fasted, the thirteen men, and the seventeen 
men. During the day they fasted and their hearts grieved for their sons and vassals and for all their 
wives and their children when each of the lords made his offering. 

This was the price of a happy life, the price of power, the price of the authority of the Ahpop, of 
the Ahpop-Camha, of the Galel and of the Ahtzic-Vinac. Two by two they ruled, each pair 
succeeding the other in order to bear the burden of the people of all the Quiche nation. 

One only was the origin of their tradition and [one only  the origin of the manner of maintaining 
and sustaining, and one only, too, was the origin of the tradition and the customs of those of 
Tamub and Ilocab and the people of Rabinal and the Cakchiquel, those of Tziquinaha, of 
Tuhalaha and Uchabaha. And there was but one trunk [a single family  when they heard there in 
Quiche what all of them were to do. 

But it was not only thus that they reigned. They did not squander the gifts of those whom they 
sustained and nourished, but they ate and drank them. Neither did they buy them; they had won 
and seized their empire, their power, and their sovereignty. 

And it was not at small cost, that they conquered the fields and the towns; the small towns and the 
large towns paid high ransoms; they brought precious stones and metals, they brought honey of 
the bees, bracelets, bracelets of emeralds and other stones, and brought garlands made of blue 
feathers, § the tribute of all the towns. They came into the presence of the marvelous kings 
Gucumatz and Cotuha, and before Quicab and Cavizimah, the Ahpop, the Ahpop-Camha, the 
Galel and the Ahtzic-Vinac. 9 

It was not little what they did, neither were few, the tribes which they conquered. Many branches 
of the tribes came to pay tribute to the Quiche; full of sorrow they came to give it over. 
Nevertheless, the [Quiche  power did not grow quickly. Gucumatz it was, who began the 
aggrandizement of the kingdom. Thus was the beginning of his aggrandizement and that of the 
Quiche nation. 

And now we shall name the generations of the lords and give their names; again we shall name all 
of the lords. 



IV. Chapter 12 



rlere, then, are the generations and the order of all the rulers which began with our first 
grandfathers and our first fathers, Balam-Quitze, Balam-Acab, Mahucutah, and Iqui-Balam, when 
the sun appeared, and the moon and the stars were seen. 

Now, then, we shall give the beginning of the generations, the order of kingdoms from the 
beginning of their lineage, how the lords entered into power, from their accessions to their deaths: 
[we shall give  each generation of lords and ancestors, as well as the lord of the town, all and each 
of the lords. Here, then, the person 1 of each one of the lords of the Quiche shall be shown. 

Balam-Quitze, the root of those of Cavec. 

Qocavib, second generation [of the line  of Balam-Quitze. 2 

Balam-Conache, with whom the tide of Ahpop began, third generation. 3 

Cotuha [I  and Iztayub, fourth generation, a 

Gucumatz and Cotuha, [II  first of the marvelous kings, who were of the fifth generation. 5 

Tepepul and Iztayul, of the sixth order, § 

Quicab and Cavizimah, of the seventh order of succession to the kingdom. 7 

Tepepul and Iztayub, eighth generation. 

Tecum and Tepepul, ninth generation. § 

Vahxaqui-Caam 9 and Quicab, tenth generation of kings. 

Vucub-Noh and Cauutepech, eleventh order of kings. 10 

Oxib-Queh and Beleheb-Tzi, the twelfth generation of kings. These were those who reigned when 
Donadhi came, and who were hanged by the Spaniards. 11 

Tecum and Tepepul, who paid tribute to the Spaniards, they left sons, and the former were the 
thirteenth generation of kings. 12 

Don Juan de Rojas and don Juan Cortes, the fourteenth generation of kings, were the sons of 
Tecum and Tepepul. 

These are, then, the generations and the order of the kingdom of the lords Ahpop and Ahpop- 
Camha of the Quiche of Cavec. 





And now we shall name again the families. These are the Great Houses of each of the lords who 
followed the Ahpop and the Ahpop-Camha. These are the names of the nine families of those of 
Cavec, of the nine Great Houses, 13 and these are the titles of the lords of each one of the Great 
Houses: 

Ahau-Ahpop, one Great House. Cuha was the name of this Great House. 

Ahau- Ahpop-Camha, whose Great House was called Tziquinaha. 

Nim-Chocoh-Cavec, one Great House. 

Ahau-Ah-Tohil, one Great House. 

Ahau-Ah-Gucumatz, one Great House. 

Popol-Vinac Chituy, one Great House. 

Lolmet-Quehnay, one Great House. 

Popol-Vinac Pahom Tzalatz Xcuxeba, one Great House. 

Tepeu-Yaqui, one Great House. 

These, then, are the nine families of Cavec. And very numerous were the sons and vassals of the 
tribes which followed these nine Great Houses. 

Here are the nine Great Houses of those of Nihaib. But first we shall give the lineage of the rulers 
of the kingdom. From one root only these names originated when the sun began to shine, with the 
beginning of light. 

Balam-Acab, first grandfather and father. 

Qoacul and Qoacutec, second generation. 

Cochahuh and Cotzibaha, third generation. 

Beleheb-Queh [I , u fourth generation. 

Cotuha, [I  fifth generation of kings. 

Batza, sixth generation. 

Iztayul, seventh generation of kings. 

Cotuha [II , eighth order of the kingdom. 





Beleheb-Queh [II , ninth order. 

Quema, so called, tenth generation. 

Ahau-Cotuha, eleventh generation. 

Don Cristoval, so called, who ruled in the time of the Spaniards. 

Don Pedro de Robles, the present Ahau-Galel. 

These, then, are all the kings who descended from the Ahau-Galel. Now we shall name the lords 
of each of the Great Houses. 

Ahau-Galel, first lord of the Nihaib, head of one Great House. 

Ahau-Ahtzic-Vinac, one Great House. 

Ahau-Galel-Camha, one Great House. 

Nima-Camha, one Great House. 

Uchuch-Camha, one Great House. 

Nim-Chocoh-Nihaib, one Great House. 

Ahau-Avilix, one Great House. 

Yacolatam, one Great House. 15 

Nima-Lolmet-Ycoltux, one Great House. 

These, then, are the Great Houses of the Nihaib; these were the names of the nine families of 
those of Nihaib, as they were called. Numerous were the families of each one of the lords, whose 
names we have given first. 

Here, now, is the lineage of those of Ahau-Quiche, who were their grandfather and father. 

Mahucutah, the first man. 

Qoahau, name of the second generation of kings. 

Caglacan. 

Cocozom. 

Comahcun. 





Vucub-Ah. 

Cocamel. 

Coyabacoh. 

Vinac-Bam. 

These were the kings of those of the Ahau-Quiche; this is the order of their generations. 

Here now are the tides of the lords who made up the Great Houses; there were only four Great 
Houses. 

Ahtzic-Vinac-Ahau, title of the first lord, one Great House. 

Lolmet-Ahau, second lord, a Great House. 

Nim-Chocoh-Ahau, third lord, a Great House. 

Hacavitz, fourth lord, a Great House. 

Therefore, four were the Great Houses of the Ahau-Quiche. 

There were, then, three Nim-Chocoh, who were like fathers [vested with authority  of all the lords 
of the Quiche. i§ The three Chocoh came together in order to make known the orders of the 
mothers, the orders of the fathers. 17 Great was the position of the three Chocoh. 

There were, then, the Nim-Chocoh of those of Cavec, is the Nim-Chocoh of those of Nihaib, who 
was second, and the Nim-Chocoh-Ahau of the Ahau-Quiche, who was third. Each one of the three 
Chocoh represented his family. 

And this was the life of the Quiche, because no longer can be seen [the book of the Popol Vuh  
which the kings had in olden times, 19 for it has disappeared. 

In this manner, then, all the people of the Quiche, which is called Santa Cruz, 20 came to an end. 


Casting the Circle (1949)
It is most convenient to mark the circle with chalk, paint or otherwise, to show where it is; but marks on the carpet may be utilized. Furniture may be placed to indicate the bounds. The only circle that matters is the one drawn before every ceremony with either a duly consecrated Magic Sword or an Athame. The circle is usually nine feet in diameter, unless made for some very special purpose. There are two outer circles, each six inches apart, so the third circle has a diameter of eleven feet.
[1  Having chosen a place proper, take the sickle or scimitar of Art or a Witch's Athame, if thou mayest obtain it, and stick it into the center, then take a cord, and 'twere well to use the Cable Tow for this, and loop it over the Instrument, four and one half feet, and so trace out the circumference of the circle, which must be traced either with the Sword, or the knife with the black hilt, or it be of little avail, but ever leave open a door towards the North. Make in all 3 circles, one within the other , and write names of power between these.
[2  First draw circle with Magic Sword or Athame.
[3  Consecrate Salt and Water: Touch water with Athame, saying, "I exorcise thee, O creature of Water, that thou cast out from Thee all the impurities and uncleannesses of the Spirits of the World of Phantasm, so they may harm me not, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."
[4  Touching Salt with Athame, say, "The Blessings of Aradia and Cernunnos be upon this creature of Salt, and let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all good enter herein, for without Thee man cannot live, wherefore I bless thee and invoke thee, that thou mayest aid me."
[5  Then put the Salt into the water.
[6  Sprinkle with exorcised water.
[7  Light candles; say, "I exorcise thee, O Creature of Fire, that every kind of Phantasm may retire from thee, and be unable to harm or deceive in any way, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."
[8  Caution initiate (if any); warn companions; enter circle and close doors with 3 pentagrams.
[9  Proclaim object of working
[10  Circumambulate 3 times or more before commencing work.
[11  Summon: "I summon, stir, and Call thee up, thou Mighty Ones of the East, South, West, and North." Salute and draw pentacle with Magic Sword or Athame, the first stroke being from the top down to the left.
Drawing Down the Moon (1949)
High Priestess stands in front of Altar, assumes Goddess position (arms crossed). Magus, kneeling in front of her, draws pentacle on her body with Phallus-headed Wand, invokes, "I Invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty Mother of all life and fertility. By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess [name ." The Moon having been drawn down, i.e., link established, Magus and other men give Fivefold Kiss:
(kissing feet) "Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways";
(kissing knees) "Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar";
(kissing womb) "Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be";
(kissing breasts) "Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty and in strength";
(kissing lips) "Blessed be thy lips, that shall speak the sacred names."
Women all bow.
If there be an initiation, then at this time the Magus and the High Priestess in Goddess position (Arms Crossed) says the Charge while the Initiate stands outside the circle.
The Charge: "Lift Up the Veil" (1949)
Magus: "Listen to the words of the Great mother, who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names."
High Priestess: "At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries and magics. There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women, and ye shall
dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise. There is a Secret Door that I have made to establish the way to taste even on earth the elixir of immortality. Say, 'Let ecstasy be mine, and joy on earth even to me, To Me,' For I am a gracious Goddess. I give unimaginable joys on earth, certainty, not faith, while in life! And upon death, peace unutterable, rest, and ecstasy, nor do I demand aught in sacrifice."
Magus: "Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess."
High Priestess: "I love you: I yearn for you: pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous. I who am all pleasure, and purple and drunkenness of the innermost senses, desire you. Put on the wings, arouse the coiled splendor within you. Come unto me, for I am the flame that burns in the heart of every man, and the core of every Star. Let it be your inmost divine self who art lost in the constant rapture of infinite joy. Let the rituals be rightly performed with joy and beauty. Remember that all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals. So let there be beauty and strength, leaping laughter, force and fire by within you. And if thou sayest, 'I have journeyed unto thee, and it availed me not,' rather shalt thou say, 'I called upon thee, and I waited patiently, and Lo, thou wast with me from the beginning,' for they that ever desired me shall ever attain me, even to the end of all desire.
This much of the rites must ever be performed to prepare for any initiation, whether of one degree or of all three.
The Initiation First Degree (1949)
Magus leaves circle by the doorway, goes to Postulant, and says, "Since there is no other brother here, I must be thy sponsor, as well as priest. I am about to give you a warning. If you are still of the same mind, answer it with these words: 'Perfect Love and Perfect Trust.'" Placing the point of the sword to the Postulant's breast, he says, "O thou who standeth on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the domains of the Dread Lords of the Outer Spaces, hast thou the courage to make the Assay? For I tell thee verily, it were better to rush on my weapon and perish miserably than to make the attempt with fear in thy heart." Postulant: "I have two Passwords: Perfect Love and Perfect Trust." Magus drops the sword point, saying, "All who approach with perfect love and perfect trust are doubly welcome." Going around behind her, he blindfolds her, then putting his left arm around her waist and his right arm around her neck, he pulls her head back, says, "I give you the 3rd password, a Kiss to pass through this dread Door," and pushes her forward with his body, through the doorway and into the circle. Once inside, he releases her saying, "This is the way all are first brought into the circle." Magus closes the doorway by drawing the point of the sword across it three times, joining all three circles, saying, "Agla, Azoth, Adonai," then drawing three pentacles to seal it. Magus guides Postulant to south of altar, and whispers, "Now there is the Ordeal." Taking a short piece of cord from the altar, he ties it around her right ankle, saying, "Feet neither bound nor free." Taking a longer cord, he ties her hands together behind her back, then pulls them up, so that the arms form a triangle, and ties the cord around her neck, leaving the end dangling down in front as a Cable Tow. With the Cable Tow in his left hand and the sword in his right hand, the Magus leads her sunwise around the circle to the east, where he salutes with the sword and proclaims, "Take heed, O Lords of the Watchtowers of the East, (name), properly prepared, will be made a Priestess and a Witch." Magus leads her similarly to the south, west, and north, making the proclamation at each quarter. Next, clasping Postulant around the waist with his left arm, and holding the sword erect in his right hand, he makes her circumambulate three times around the circle with a half-running, half-dancing step. He halts her at the south of the altar, and strikes eleven knells on the bell. He then kneels at her feet, saying, "In other religions the postulant kneels, as the Priests claim supreme power, but in the Art Magical, we are taught to be humble, so we kneel to welcome them and say:
"Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways." (He kisses her feet.)
"Blessed be thy knees that shall kneel at the sacred altar." (He kisses her knees.)
"Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be." (He kisses her Organ of Generation.)
"Blessed by thy breasts, formed in beauty and in strength." (He kisses her breasts.)
"Blessed be thy lips, which shall utter the sacred names." (He kisses her lips.)
Take measure thus: height, around forehead, across the heart, and across the genitals. Magus says, "Be pleased to kneel," and helps her kneel before the altar. He ties the end of the Cable Tow to a ring in the altar, so that the postulant is bent sharply forward, with her head almost touching the floor. He also ties her feet together with the short cord. Magus strikes three knells on the bell and says, "Art ready to swear that thou wilt always be true to the Art?"
Witch: "I am."
Magus strikes seven knells on the bell and says, "Before ye are sworn, art willing to pass the ordeal and be purified?"
Witch: "I am."
Magus strikes eleven knells on the bell, takes the scourge from the altar, and gives a series of three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes with the scourge across the postulant's buttocks. Magus says, "Ye have bravely passed the test. Art always ready to help, protect, and defend thy Brothers and Sisters of the Art?"
Witch: "I am."
Magus: "Art armed?"
Witch: "With a knife in my hair."
Magus: "Then on that knife wilt thou swear absolute secrecy?"
Witch: "I will."
Magus: "Then say after me. 'I, (name), in the presence of the Mighty Ones, do of my own will and accord, most solemnly swear that I will ever keep secret and never reveal the secrets of the Art, except it be to a proper person, properly prepared, within a circle such as I am now in. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life, mindful that my measure has been taken, and may my weapons turn against me if I break this my solemn oath.'"
Magus now unbinds her feet, unties the Cable Tow from the altar, removes the blindfold, and helps her up to her feet.
Magus says, "I hereby sign thee with the triple sign.
"I consecrate thee with oil." (He anoints her with oil on the womb, the right breast, the left breast, and the womb again.)
"I consecrate thee with wine." (He anoints her with wine in the same pattern.)
"I consecrate thee with my lips" (he kisses her in the same pattern), "Priestess and Witch."
Magus now unbinds her hands and removes the last cord, saying, "Now I Present to thee the Working Tools of a Witch. "First the Magic Sword. With this, as with the Athame, thou canst form all Magic Circles, dominate, subdue, and punish all rebellious Spirits and Demons, and even persuade the Angels and Geniuses. With this in your hand you are the ruler of the Circle. [Here "kiss" means that the initiate kisses the tool, and the Magus then kisses the Witch being initiated. 
"Next I present the Athame. This is the true Witch's weapon and has all the powers of the Magic Sword [kiss .
"Next I present the White-Handled Knife. Its use is to form all instruments used in the Art. It can only be properly used within a Magic Circle [Kiss .
"Next I present the Wand. Its use is to call up and control certain Angels and geniuses, to whom it would not be mete to use the Magic Sword [Kiss .
"Next I present the pentacles. These are for the purpose of calling up appropriate Spirits [Kiss .
"Next I present the Censer of Incense. This is used to encourage and welcome Good Spirits and to banish Evil Spirits.[kiss 
"Next I present the scourge. This is a sign of power and domination. It is also to cause suffering and purification, for it is written, to learn you must suffer and be purified. Art willing to suffer to learn?"
Witch: "I am."[Kiss 
Magus: "Next, and lastly I present the Cords. They are of use to bind the sigils in the Art, the material basis, and to enforce thy will. Also they are necessary in the oath. I Salute thee in the name of Aradia and Cernunnos, Newly made Priestess and Witch." Magus strikes seven knells on the bell and kisses Witch again, then circumambulates with her, proclaiming to the four quarters, "Hear, ye Mighty Ones, (name) hath been consecrated Priestess and Witch of the Gods." (Note, if ceremony ends here, close circle with "I thank ye for attending, and I dismiss ye to your pleasant abodes. Hail and farewell." If not, go to next degree.)
Initiation: Second Degree Magus binds Witch as before, but does not blindfold her, and circumambulates with her, proclaims to the four quarters, "Hear, ye Mighty Ones, (name), a duly consecrated Priestess and Witch, is now properly prepared to be made a High Priestess and Witch Queen." Magus now leads her thrice around the circle with the half-running, half-dancing step, halts south of the altar, has the Witch kneel, and ties her down to the altar as before.
Magus: "To attain this sublime degree, it is necessary to suffer and be purified. Art ready to suffer to Learn?"
Priestess Witch: "I am."
Magus: "I prepare thee to take the great oath."
He strikes three knells on the bell, and again gives the series of three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes with the scourge as before.
Magus: "I now give thee a new name: _______. [kiss 
Magus: "Repeat thy new name after me, I, (name), swear upon my mother's womb and by mine Honor among men and among my brothers and sisters of the Art, that I will never reveal to any at all any of the secrets of the Art, except it be to a worthy person, properly prepared, in the center of a Magic Circle, such as I am now in. This I swear by my hopes of Salvation, my past lives, and my hopes of future ones to come, and I devote myself to utter destruction if I break this my solemn oath."
Magus kneels, placing left hand under her knees and right hand on her head, thus forming magic link.
Magus: "I hereby will all my power into you." Wills.
Magus now unties her feet, unties the Cable Tow from the altar, and helps the Witch to her feet.
Magus: "I hereby sign and consecrate you with the great Magic Sign. Remember how it is formed and you will always recognize it.
"I consecrate thee with oil." (He anoints her with oil on her womb, right breast, left hip, right hip, left breast, and womb again, thus tracing a point-down pentacle.)
"I consecrate thee with wine." (He anoints her with wine in the same pattern.)
"I consecrate thee with my lips" (he kisses her in the same pattern), "High Priestess and Witch Queen."
Magus now unbinds Witch's hands and removes the cord, saying, "Newly made High Priestess and Witch Queen" [kiss  "you will now use the working tools in turn.
First, the Magic Sword; with it you will scribe the Magic Circle [kiss 
"Secondly, the Athame" (Form Circle) [kiss 
"Thirdly, the White Handled Knife" (use) [kiss 
"Fourthly, the Wand" (Wave to 4 Quarters) [kiss 
"Fifthly, the Pentacle" (Show to 4 Quarters) [kiss 
"Sixthly, the Censer of Incense" (Circle, cense) [kiss 
"Seventhly, the cords; bind me as I bound you." Witch binds Magus and ties him to Altar.
Magus: "Learn, in Witchcraft, thou must ever return triple. As I scourged thee, so thou must scourge me, but triple. So where you received 3, return 9; where you received 7, return 21; where you received 9, return 27; where you received 21, return 63." Witch scourges Magus as instructed, 120 strokes total.
Magus: "Thou hast obeyed the Law. But mark well, when thou receivest good, so equally art bound to return good threefold."
Witch now unbinds Magus and helps him to his feet. Magus, taking the new Initiate by the hand and holding the Athame in the other, passes once round the Circle, proclaiming at the Four Quarters, "Hear, Ye Mighty Ones, (name) hath been duly consecrated High Priestess and Witch Queen." (Note, if ceremony ends here, close circle with "Hail and farewell." If not go to next degree.)
Initiation: Third Degree Magus: "Ere we proceed with this sublime degree, I must beg purification at thy hands."
High Priestess binds Magus and ties him down to the altar. She circumambulates three times, and scourges Magus with three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes. She then unbinds him and helps him to his feet. Magus now binds the High Priestess and ties her down to the altar. He circumambulates, proclaiming to the four quarters, "Hear, ye mighty Ones, the twice consecrate and Holy (name), High Priestess and Witch Queen, is properly prepared and will now
proceed to erect the Sacred Altar." Magus scourges High Priestess with three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes. Cakes and wine may now be taken [see "Cakes and Wine" .
Magus: "Now I must reveal to you a great Mystery." [kiss .
Note: if High Priestess has performed this rite before, omit these words. High Priestess assumes Osiris position.
Magus: "Assist me to erect the Ancient Altar, at which in days past all worshipped, the Great Altar of all things. For in the old times a woman was the Altar. Thus was the altar made and so placed [Priestess lies down in such a way that her vagina is approximately at the center of the circle , and the sacred place was the point within the center of the circle, as we of old times have been taught, that the point within the center is the origin of all things. Therefore should we adore it." [kiss 
"Therefore, whom we adore, we also invoke, by the power of the lifted lance." Invokes. "O circle of stars [kiss , whereof our Father is but the younger brother [kiss , "Marvel beyond imagination, soul of infinite space, before whom time is ashamed, the mind bewildered and understanding dark, not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be of love [kiss .
"Therefore, by seed and root, and stem and bud and leaf and flower and fruit do we invoke thee, O, Queen of space, O dew of light, O continuous one of the Heavens [kiss . "Let it be ever thus, that men speak not of Thee as one, but as none, and let them not speak of thee at all, since thou art continuous, for thou art the point within the circle [kiss , which we adore [kiss , the fount of life without which we would not be [kiss . "And in this way truly are erected the Holy Twin Pillars Boaz and Joachim [kisses breasts . In beauty and strength were they erected, to the wonder and glory of all men."
(Eightfold Kiss: 3 points, Lips, 2 Breasts and back to lips; 5 points)
"O Secrets of secrets that art hidden in the being of all lives. Not thee do we adore, for that which adoreth is also thou. Thou art that and That am I [kiss .
"I am the flame that burns in every man, and in the core of every star [kiss .
"I am Life and the giver of Life, yet therefore is the knowledge of me the Knowledge of Death [kiss .
"I am alone, the Lord within ourselves whose name is Mystery of Mysteries [kiss .
"Make open the path of intelligence between us. For these truly are the 5 points of fellowship [on the right appears an illuminated diagram of the point-up triangle above the pentacle, the symbol for the third degree , feet to feet, knee to knee, groin to groin, breast to breast, arms around back, lips to lips, by the Great and Holy Names Abracadabra, Aradia, and Cernunnos.
Magus and High Priestess: "Encourage our hearts, Let thy Light crystallize itself in our blood, fulfilling us of Resurrection, for there is no part of us that is not of the Gods."
(Exchange Names.)
Closing the Circle High Priestess Circumambulates, proclaiming, "The twice consecrate High Priestess greets ye Mighty Ones, and dismisseth ye to your pleasant abodes. Hail and Farewell."
She draws the banishing pentacle at each quarter.
Cakes and Wine (1949)
Magus kneels, fills Cup, offers to Witch [she is seated on the altar, holding her athame; Priest kneels before her, holding up the cup .
Witch, holding Athame between palms, places point in cup.
Magus: "As the Athame is the Male, so the Cup is the female; so, conjoined, they bring blessedness."
Witch lays aside Athame, takes Cup in both hands, drinks and gives drink. Magus Holds Paten to Witch, who blesses with Athame, then eats and gives to Eat. It is said that in olden days ale or mead was often used instead of wine. It is said that spirits or anything can be used so long as it has life.
The Sabbat Rituals November Eve (1949)
Walk or slow dance, Magus leading High Priestess, both carrying Phallic wand or broom, people with torches or candles.
Witch chant or song: "Eko, eko, Azarak Eko, eko, Zomelak Bazabi lacha bachabe Lamac cahi achababe Karrellyos Lamac lamac Bachalyas cabahagy sabalyos Baryolos Lagoz atha cabyolas Samahac atha famolas Hurrahya!"
Form circle.
High Priestess assumes Goddess position.
Magus gives her Fivefold Kiss and is scourged.
All are purified [that is, bound and scourged with forty strokes, as in the initiation rituals .
Magus assumes God position.
High Priestess invokes with Athame: "Dread Lord of the shadows, god of life and the giver of life. Yet is the knowledge of thee the knowledge of death. Open wide, I pray thee, thy gates through which all must pass. Let our dear ones who have gone before, return this night to make merry with us. And when our time comes, as it must, O thou the comforter, the consoler, the giver of peace and rest, we will enter thy realms gladly and unafraid, for we know that when rested and refreshed among our dear ones, we shall be born again by thy grace and the grace of the Great Mother. Let it be in the same place and the same time as our beloved ones, and may we meet and know, and love them again. Descend, we pray thee, upon thy servant and Priest (name)."
High Priestess gives Fivefold Kiss to Magus.
Initiations if any; all others are purified.
(Note: Couples may purify each other if they will.)
Cakes and Wine.
The Great Rite if possible, either in token or truly.
Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people then stay to  feast and dance.
February Eve After usual opening, all are doubly purified [that is, with eighty strokes .
Dance round outside circle, High Priestess with sword girded on and drawn, Phallic wand in left hand.
Enter circle.
Magus assumes God position.
High Priestess gives Fivefold Kiss, invokes: "Dread Lord of death and Resurrection, life and the giver of life, Lord within ourselves, whose name is Mystery of Mysteries, encourage our hearts. Let the light crystalize in our blood, fulfilling us of resurrection, for there is no part of us that is not of the gods. Descend, we pray thee, upon this thy servant and Priest (name)."
All should be purified in sacrifice before him. He then purifies the High Priestess with his own hands, and others if he will.
Cakes and wine.
Great Rite if possible, in token or real.
Games and dance as the people will.
Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people then stay to  feast and dance.
May Eve If possible ride poles, brooms, etc. High Priestess leading, quick dance step, singing
"O do not tell the priests of our arts. For they would call it sin, For we will be in the woods all night Aconjuring conjuring summer in.
And we bring you good news by word of mouth. For women, cattle, and corn: The sun is coming up from the south,With oak and ash, and thorn."
Meeting dance if possible.
Form circle as usual, and purify.
High Priestess assumes Goddess position; officers all give her the fivefold kiss.
She purifies all.
High Priestess again assumes Goddess position.
Magus invokes, draws down moon, "I invoke thee and call upon thee, O mighty Mother of us all, bringer of all fruitfulness, By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by life and love, do we invoke thee, to descend upon the body of thy servant and Priestess here."
Magus gives Fivefold Kiss to High Priestess.
All should be purified in sacrifice before her, and she should purify Magus and some others with her own hands.
Cakes and wine.
Games.
Great Rite if possible, in token or truly.
Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people then stay to  feast and dance.
August Eve If possible, ride poles, broomsticks, etc.
Meeting Dance if possible [the double-spiral dance described in Witchcraft Today, p. 167 .
Form circle.
Purify.
High Priestess stands in pentacle position.
Magus invokes her: "O mighty Mother of us all, Mother of all fruitfulness, give us fruit and grain, flocks and herds and children to the tribe that we be mighty, by thy rosy love, do thou descend upon thy servant and Priestess (name) here."
Magus gives Fivefold Kiss to High Priestess.
Candle game: Seated, the men form a circle, passing a lighted candle from hand to hand "deosil". The women form circle outside, trying to blow it out over their shoulders. Whoever's hand it is in when it is blown out is 3 times purified by whoever blew it out, giving fivefold Kiss in return. This game may go on as long as the people like.
Cakes and wine, and any other games you like.
Dismiss [the guardians, and close down the magic circle; the people then stay to  feast and dance.
On Chants (1953)
Of old there were many chants and songs used especially in the Dances. Many of these have been forgotten by us here, but we know that they used cries of IAU which seems muchly like the cries EVO or EVOHE of the ancients. Much dependeth on the pronunciation if this be so. In my youth, when I heard IAU it seemed to be AEIOU, or rather, AAAEEIOOOOUU. This may be but the natural way to prolong it to make it fit for a call, but it suggests that these be possibly the initials of an invocation as Agla is said to be, and of sooth 'tis said that the whole Hebrew alphabet is said to be such, and for this reason is recited as a most powerful charm, but at least this is certain, these cries during the dances do have profound effect, as I myself have seen.
Other calls are IEHOUA and EHEIE; also Ho Ho Ho Ise Ise Ise.
IEO VEO VEO VEO VEOV OROV OV OVOVO may be a spell but is more likely to be a call. 'Tis like the EVOE EVOE of the Greeks and the "Heave ho!" of sailors. "Emen hetan" and "Ab hur, ab hus" seem calls; as "Horse and hattock, horse and go, horse and Pellatis, ho, ho, ho!"
"Thout, tout a tout tout, throughout and about" and "Rentum tormentum" are probably mispronounced attempts at a forgotten formula, though they may have been invented by some unfortunate being tortured, to evade telling the real formula.
To Help the Sick (1953)
[1  Ever remember the promise of the goddess, "For ecstasy is mine and joy on earth" so let there ever be joy in your heart. Greet people with joy, be glad to see them. If times be hard, think, "It might have been worse. I at least have known the joys of the Sabbath, and I will know them again." Think of the grandeur, beauty, and Poetry of the rites, of the loved ones you meet through them. If you dwell on this inner joy, your health will be better. You must try to banish all fear, for it will really touch you. It may hurt your body, but your soul is beyond it all.
[2  And ever remember, that if you help others it makes you forget your own woes. And if another be in pain, do what you may to distract his attention from it. Do not say "You have no pain," but if you may, administer the drugs
which sooth as well as those that cure. But ever strive to make them believe they are getting better. Install into them happy thoughts. If you can only get this into his inner mind so that it be always believed.
[3  To this end it is not wrong to let people think that we of the cult have more power than we have. For the truth is that if they believe we have more power than we really possess, we do really possess these powers, insomuch we can do good to them.
[4  You must try to find out about people. If you tell a slightly sick man, "You are looking better. You will soon be well," he will feel better, but if he is really ill, or in pain, his Knowledge that he is in pain will cause him to doubt your words in future. But if you give him one of the drugs and then say, "The pain is growing less. Soon it will be gone," because the pain goes, the next time you say, "The pain is going," he will believe you and the pain will really get less. But you must ever say so with conviction, and this conviction must come from your believing it yourself, because you yourself know that if you can fix his mind so that he believes you, it is true.
[5  'Tis often better to look exactly between their eyes, looking as if your eyes pierced their heads, opening your eyes as wide as you may and never blink. This continued gazing oft causes the patient to grow sleepy. If they show signs of this, say "You are growing sleepy. You will sleep, you are tired. Sleep. Your eyes grow tired. Sleep." If they close their eyes, say "Your eyes close, you are tired, you cannot open your eyes." If they cannot, say "Your arms are tired, you cannot raise them." If they cannot, say "I am master of your mind. You must ever believe what I tell you. When I look like this into your eyes you will sleep and be subject to my will," then tell them they will sleep and wake up refreshed, feeling better. Continue this with soothing and healing drugs, and try to infuse into them the feeling of ecstasy that you feel at the Sabbath. They cannot feel it in full, but you can command them to feel what is in your own mind, and try to concentrate on this ecstasy. I f you may safely tell that you are of the Cult, your task may be easier. And it were well to command them to know it only with their sleeping mind, and forget it, or to be at least unable to tell anyone about it when awake. A good way is to command them that, if they are ever questioned about Witchcraft or Witches, to immediately fall asleep.
[6  Ever remember if tempted to admit or boast of belonging to the cult you be endangering your brothers, for though now the fires of persecution may have died down, who knows when they may be revived? Many priests have knowledge of our secrets, and they well know that, though much religious bigotry has calmed down, many people would wish to join our cult. And if the truth were known of its joys, the Churches would lose power, so if we take many recruits, we may loose the fires of persecution against us a gain. So ever keep the secrets.
[7  Think joy, think love, try to help others and bring joy into their lives. Children are naturally easier to influence than grown people. Ever strive to work through people's existing beliefs. For instance, more than half of the world believe in amulets. An ordinary stone is not an amulet but if it hath a natural hole in it, it must be something unusual, so if the patient hath this belief give him one. But first carry it next your skin for a few days, forcing your will into it, to cure pain, to feel s safe, or against their particular fear, and this amulet may keep imposing your will when you are absent. The masters of talismans knew this full well when they say they must be made in a circle, to avoid distraction, by someone whose mind is on the subject of the work.
[8  But keep your own mind happy. Remember the Words of the Goddess: "I give unimaginable joys on Earth, certainty, not faith, while in life, and upon death, peace unutterable, rest, and ecstasy, and the promise that you will return again." In the old days many of us went to the flames laughing and singing, and so we may again. We may have joy in life and beauty, and peace and Death and the promise of return.
[9  The Bible speaks sooth, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine but a broken spirit breaketh the bones." But you may not have a merry heart. Perchance you were born under an evil star. I think that the effects of the stars are overestimated, but you cannot make a merry heart to order, you say. But you can, in the Cult; there be secret processes by which your will and imagination may be influenced. This process also affects the body, and brings it to joy. Your body is happy, so your mind is happy . You are well because you are happy, and you are happy because you are well.
[10  Prayer may be used with good result if the patient believes it can and will work. Many believe it can, but do not believe their God or saint will help. Prayers to the Goddess help, especially the Amalthean Horn Prayer, as it causes stimulation to the body as well as to the mind.
The Scourge and the Kiss. (1953)
[1  Invocation
(Feet, knees, and wrists should be tightly bound to retard blood.) Scourge 40 or more, to make skin tingle, then say, invoking Goddess,
Hail, Aradia, from the Amalthean horn Pour forth thy store of Love. I lowly bend Before Thee! I invoke thee at the end When other Gods are fallen and put to scorn. Thy foot is to my lips! My sighs inborn Rise, touch, curl about thy heart. Then spend, Pitiful Love, loveliest Pity, descend And bring me luck who am lonely and forlorn.
Ask the Goddess to help you to obtain your desires, then Scourge again to bind the spell. This be powerful in ill luck and for sickness. It must be said in a Circle, and you must be properly prepared and well purified, both before and after saying, to bind the spell. Before starting you must make a very clear picture in your mind of what you wish. Make yourself see the wish obtained. Be sure in your own mind exactly what it is and how it is to be fulfilled. This spell is the one that was taught to me long ago and I have found it works, but I don't think there is any special virtue in these words. Any others can be
substituted provided they ask the goddess's (or gods') help, and say clearly what you wish and you form the clear mental image; and if it doesn't work at first, keep on trying till it works. Your helper, who wields the scourge, must know what you wish, and also form the mental image. And at first at any rate, it will be better for you to work the spell, then for the girl to take your place and work it also; you scourge her. Don't try anything difficult at first, and do it at least once a week till it works. You have to get into sympathy with each other, before anything happens, and regular working helps this. Of spells, the exact words matter little if the intent be clear and you raise the true power, and sufficient thereof. Always in rhyme they are. There is something queer about rhyme. I have tried, and the same seem to lose their power if you miss the rhyme. Also in rhyme, the words seem to say themselves. You do not have to pause and think: "What comes next?" Doing this takes away much of your intent.
[2  Order and discipline must be kept. A High Priest or Priestess may and should punish all faults to this end, and all of the Cult must accept such corrections willingly. All are brothers and sisters, for this reason: that even the High Priestess must submit to the scourge. Each fault should be corrected separately. The Priest or Priestess must be properly prepared and call the culprit to trial. They must be prepared as for initiation and kneel, be told their fault and sentence pronounced. Punishment should be the scourge, followed by a forfeit such as several fivefold kisses or something of this nature. The culprit must acknowledge the justice of the punishment by kissing hands and scourge on receiving sentence and again when thanking for punishment received. 1
[3  The scourgings are 3, 7, 9 (thrice three), and 21 (thrice seven) 40 in all. It is not meet to make offerings [scourgings  of less than two score to the Goddess, for here be a mystery. The fortunate numbers be: 3 and 5. For three added to two (the Perfect Couple) be five. And three and five be eight; eight and five be thirteen; thirteen and eight be twenty-one. The Fivefold Kiss is called 5, but there are 8 kisses, for there be 2 feet and 2 knees and genitals and 2 breasts and the lips. And 5 times 8 be two score. Also, fortunate numbers be 3, 7, 8, and 21, which total 40, or two score. For each man and woman hath ten fingers and ten toes, so each totals a score. And a perfect couple be two score. So a lesser number would not be perfect prayer. If more are required make it a perfect number, as four score or six score. Also there be Eight Elemental Weapons.
[4  To make the anointing ointment, take some glazed pans filled half full with grease or olive oil. Put in one sweet mint, marjoram in another, ground thyme in a 3rd, and it you may have it, patchouli, dried leaves pounded. Place pans in hot water bath. Stir and cook for several hours, then pout into linen bags, and squeeze grease through into pans again, and fill up with fresh leaves. After doing this several times, the grease will be highly perfumed. Then mix all
together and store in a well-corked jar. Anoint behind ears, throat, armpits, breasts, and womb. Also, for all ceremonies where the feet are kissed, they should also be anointed.
The Priestess and the Sword (1953)
It is said, "When a woman takes the main part in worship of the Male God, she must be girt with a sword." Note. This hath been explained as meaning that a man should be Magus representing the God, but if no one of sufficient rank and knowledge be present, a woman armed as a man may take his place. The sheath should be worn in a belt. She should carry the sword in hand, but if she has to use her hands, she should sheath the sword. Any other woman in the circle while this worship is performed shall be sword in hand. Those outside the circle only have the athame. A woman may impersonate either the God or the Goddess, but a man may only impersonate the God.
The Warning (1953)
Keep this book in your own hand of write. Let brothers and Sisters copy what they will, but never let this book out of your hands, and never keep the writings of another, for if it be found in their hand of write, they may well be taken and tortured. Each should guard his own writings and destroy them whenever danger threatens. Learn as much as you may by heart, and when the danger is past, rewrite your book. For this reason, if any die, destroy their book if they have not been able to, for, if it be found nd, 'tis clear proof against them. "Ye may not be a Witch alone"; so all their friends be in danger of the torture. So destroy everything not necessary. If your book be found on you, 'tis clear proof against you. You may be tortured. Keep all thought of the cult from your mind. Say you had bad dreams, that a Devil caused you to write this without your knowledge. Think to yourself, "I Know Nothing. I Remember nothing. I have forgotten all." Drive this into your mind. If the torture be too great to bear, say, "I will confess. I cannot bear this torment. What do you want me to say? Tell me and I will say it." If they try to make you talk of the broth , do not, but if they try to make you speak of impossibilities, such as flying through the air, consorting with the Devil, sacrificing children, or eating men's flesh, say, "I had an evil dream. I was not myself. I was crazed." Not all Magistrates are bad. If there be an excuse, they may show you mercy. If you have confessed aught, deny it afterwards. Say you babbled under the torture; you knew not what you did or said. If you be condemned, fear not. The Brotherhood is powerful. They may help you to escape if you are steadfast. If you betray aught, there is no hope for you, in this life, or in that which is to come. But, 'tis sure, that if steadfast you go to the pyre, drugs will reach you. You will feel naught, and you go but to Death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of the Goddess. The same with the working Tools. Let them be as ordinary things that anyone may have in their homes. The Pentacles shall be of wax that they may be melted or broken at once. Have no sword unless your rank allows you one. Have no names or signs on anything. Write them on in ink before consecrating them and wash it off at once when finished. Never boast, never threaten, never say you wish ill to anyone. If any speak of the craft, say, "Speak not to me of such, it frightens me, 'tis evil luck to speak of it."
Of the Ordeal of the Art Magical (1953)
Learn of the spirit that goeth with burdens that have not honour, for 'tis the spirit that stoopeth the shoulders and not the weight. Armour is heavy, yet it is a proud burden and a man standeth upright in it. Limiting and constraining any of the senses serves to increase the concentration of another. Shutting the eyes aids the hearing. So the binding of the initiate's hands increases the mental perception, while the scourge increaseth the inner vision. So the initiate goeth through it proudly, like a princess, knowing it but serves to increase her glory. But this can only be done by the aid of another intelligence and in a circle, to prevent the power thus generated being lost. Priests attempt to do the same with their scourgings and mortifications of the flesh. But lacking the aid of bonds and their attention being distracted by their scourging themselves and what little power they do produce being dissipated, as they do not usually work within a circle, it is little wonder that they oft fail. Monks and hermits do better, as they are apt to work in tiny cells and coves, which in some way act as circles. The Knights of the Temple, who used mutually to scourge each other in an octagon, did better still; but they apparently did not know the virtue of bonds and did evil, man to man. But perhaps some did know? What of the Church's charge that they wore girdles or cords?
The Eightfold Way. (1953)
Eightfold Path or Ways to the Centre.
1 Meditation or Concentration. This in practice means forming a mental image of what is desired, and forcing yourself to see that it is fulfilled, with the fierce belief and knowledge that it can and will be fulfilled, and that you will go on willing till you force it to be fulfilled. Called for short, "Intent"
2 Trance, projection of the Astral.
3 Rites, Chants, Spells, Runes, Charms, etc.
4 Incense, Drugs, Wine, etc., whatever is used to release the Spirit. (Note. One must be very careful about this. Incense is usually harmless, but you must be careful. If it has bad aftereffects, reduce the amount used, or the duration of the time it is inhaled. Drugs are very dangerous if taken to excess, but it must be remembered that there are drugs that are absolutely harmless, though people talk of them with bated breath, but Hemp is especially dangerous, because it unlocks the inner eye swiftly an d easily, so one is tempted to use it more and more. If it is used at all, it must be with the strictest precautions, to see that the person who uses it has no control over the supply. This should be doled out by some responsible person, and the supply strictly limited.)
5 The Dance, and kindred practices.
6 Blood control (the Cords), Breath Control, and kindred practices.
7 The Scourge.
8 The Great Rite.
These are all the ways. You may combine many of them into the one experiment, the more the better.
The Five Essentials:
1. The most important is "Intention": you must know that you can and will succeed; it is essential in every operation.
2. Preparation. (You must be properly prepared according to the rules of the Art; otherwise you will never succeed.)
3. The Circle must be properly formed and purified.
4. You all must be properly purified, several times if necessary, and this purification should be repeated several times during the rite.
5. You must have properly consecrated tools.
These five essentials and Eight Paths or Ways cannot all be combined in one rite. Meditation and dancing do not combine well, but forming the mental image and the dance may be well combined with Chants. Spells, etc., combined with scourging and No. 6, followed by No. 8, form a splendid combination. Meditation, following scourging, combined with Nos. 3 and 4 and 5, are also very Good. For short cuts concentration, Nos. 5, 6, 7, and 8 are excellent.
To Gain the Sight (1953)
[1  This cometh to different people in diverse ways. 'Tis seldom it cometh naturally, but it can be induced in many ways. Deep and prolonged meditation may do it, but only if you be a natural, and usually prolonged fasting was also necessary. Of old monks and nuns obtained visions by long vigils, combined with fasting, flagellation till the blood came, and other mortifications of the flesh, and so undoubtedly had visions. In the East it is tried with various tortures, at the same time sitting in cramped postures, which retard the flow of blood, and these torments, long and continued, give good results. But in the Art we are taught an easier way to intensify the imagination, at the same time controlling the blood supply, and this may best be done by using the ritual.
[2  Incense is also good to propitiate the Spirits, but also to induce relaxation and to help to build up the atmosphere which is necessary to suggestibility. (For our human eyes are so blind to what really is, that it is often necessary to suggest that it is there, before we may see it, as we may point out to another something at a distance before they may see it themselves. Gum mastic, aromatic rush roots, cinnamon bark, musk, juniper, sandalwood, and ambergris in combination are all good, but patchouli is best of all. And if you may have hemp, 'tis better still, but be very careful of this.
[3  The circle being formed, all properly prepared, and the Rites done, and all purified, the aspirant should warlock and
take his tutor round the circle, saluting the Mighty Ones, and invoke them to aid the operation. Then both dance round till giddy, invoking or using chants. Scourge. Then the Tutor should warlock very tightly, but not so to cause discomfort, but enough to retard the blood slightly. Again they should dance round, chanting, then scourge with light, steady, monotonous, slow strokes. It is very good that the pupil may see them coming (this may be arranged from position, or if a big mirror is available, this can be used with excellent effect) as this has the effect of passes, and helps greatly to stimulate the imagination, and it is important that they be not hard, the object being not to do more than draw the blood to that part and so away from the brain. This with the tight warlocking, which should be warricked, slows down the circulation of the blood, and the passes soon induce a drowsiness and a stupor. The tutor should watch for this. As soon as the aspirant sleeps, the scourging should cease. The tutor should also watch that the pupil become not cold, and if they struggle or become distressed, they should be at once awakened. (Note: if it cannot be arranged for the pupil to see, the wand may be used, for a time, then return to scourging.)
[4  Do not be discouraged if no results come after two or three attempts. It will come, when both are in the right state. When you get some result, then results will come more quickly. Soon some of the ritual may be shortened, but never neglect to invoke the Goddess, and the Mighty Ones, or to form the Circle and do everything rightly. And for good and clear results, it is ever better to do too much ritual than too little.
[5  It hath been found that this practice doth often cause a fondness between aspirant and tutor, and 'tis a cause of better results if this be so. If for any reason it is undesirable that there be any great fondness between aspirant and tutor, this may be easily avoided, by both parties from the onset firmly resolving in their minds that if any doth ensue, it shall be that of brother and sister or parent and child. And it is for this reason that a man may only be taught by a woman and a woman by a man, and that man and man, and woman and woman, should never attempt these practices together. And may all the Curses of the Mighty Ones be on any who make the attempt. 2
[6  Remember, the Circle, properly constructed, is ever necessary to prevent the power released from being dissipated. It is also a barrier against any disturbances of mischievous forces, for to obtain good results you must be free from all disturbances. Remember that darkness, points of light gleaming amid the surrounding dark, incense, and the steady passes by a white arm are not stage effects. They are the mechanical implements which start the suggestions, which later unlocks the knowledge that it is possible to obtain the divine ecstasy, and so attain knowledge and communion with the Divine Goddess. When once you have attained this, Ritual is not needed, as you may attain the state of ecstasy at will, but till then, or if you having attained this yourself, and wish to bring a companion to this state of joy, ritual is best.
Power (1953)
Power is latent in the body and may be drawn out and used in various ways by the skilled. But unless confined in a circle it will be swiftly dissipated. Hence the importance of a properly constructed circle. Power seems to exude from the body via the skin and possibly from the orifices of the body; hence you should be properly prepared. The slightest dirt spoils everything, which shows the importance of thorough cleanliness. The attitude of mind has great effect, so only work with a spirit of reverence. A little wine taken and repeated during the ceremony, if necessary, helps to produce power. Other strong drinks or drugs may be used, but it is necessary to be very moderate, for if you are confused, even slightly, you cannot control the power you evoke. The simplest way is by dancing and singing monotonous chants, slowly at first and gradually quickening the tempo until giddiness ensues. Then the calls may be used, or even wild and meaningless shrieking produces power. But this method inflames the mind and renders it difficult to control the power, though control may be gained through practice. The scourge is a far better way, for it stimulates and excites both body and soul, yet one e easily retains control. The Great Rite is far the best. It releases
enormous power, but the conditions and circumstances make it difficult for the mind to maintain control at first. It is again a matter of practice and the natural strength of the operator's will and, in a lesser degree, of those of his assistants. If, as of old, there were many trained assistants present and all wills properly attuned, wonders occurred. Sorcerers chiefly used the blood sacrifice; and while we hold this to be evil, we cannot deny that this method is very efficient. Power flashes forth from newly shed blood, instead of exuding slowly as by our method. The victim's terror and anguish add keenness, and even quite a small animal can yield enormous power. The great difficulty is in the human mind controlling the power of the lower animal mind. But sorcerers claim they have methods for effecting this and that the difficulty disappears the higher her the animal used, and when the victim is human disappears entirely. (The practice is an abomination but it is so.) Priests know this well; and by their auto-da-fé, with the victims' pain and terror (the fires acting much the same as circles), obtained much power. Of old the Flagellants certainly evoked power, but through not being confined in a circle much was lost. The amount of power raised was so great and continuous that anyone with knowledge could direct and use it; and it is most probable that the classical and heathen sacrifices were used in the same way. There are whispers that when the human victim was a willing sacrifice, with his mind directed on the Great Work and with highly skilled assistants, wonders ensued but of this I would not speak.
Properly Prepared. (1953)
Naked, but sandals (not shoes) may be worn. For initiation, tie hands behind back, pull up to small of back, and tie ends in front of throat, leaving a cable-tow to lead by, hanging down in front. (Arms thus form a triangle at back.) When initiate is kneeling at altar, the cable-tow is tied to a ring in the altar. A short cord is tied like a garter round the initiate's left leg above the knee, with ends tucked in. Another is tied round right ankle and ends tucked in so as to be out of the way while mov ing about. These cords are used to tie feet together while initiate is kneeling at the altar and must be long enough to do this firmly. Knees must also be firmly tied. This must be carefully done. If the aspirant complains of pain, the bonds must be loosened slightly; always remember the object is to retard the blood flow enough to induce a trance state. This involves slight discomfort, but great discomfort prevents the trance state; so it is best to spend some little time loosening a nd tightening the bonds until they are just right. The aspirant alone can tell you when this is so. This, of course, does not apply to the initiation, as then no trance is desired; but for the purpose of ritual it is good that the initiates be bound firmly enough to feel they are absolutely helpless but without discomfort.
The Meeting Dance. (1953)
The Maiden should lead. A man should place both hands on her waist, standing behind her, and alternate men and women should do the same, the Maiden leading and they dance following her. She at last leads them into a right-hand spiral. When the center is reached (and this had better be marked by a stone), she suddenly turns and dances back, kissing each man as she comes to him. All men and women turn likewise and dance back, men kissing girls and girls kissing men. All in time to music, it is a merry game, but must be practiced to be done well. Note, the musicians should watch the dancers and make the music fast or slow as is best. For the beginners it should be slow, or there will
be confusion. It is most excellent to get people to know each other at big gatherings.
To Leave the Body. (1953)
'Tis not wise to strive to get out of your body until you have thoroughly gained the Sight. The same ritual as to gain the Sight may be used, but have a comfortable couch. Kneel so that you have your thigh, belly, and chest well supported, the arms strained forward and bound one on each side, so that there is a decided feeling of being pulled forward. As the trance is induced, you should feel a striving to push yourself out of the top of your head. The scourge should be given a dragging action, as if to drive or drag you out. Both wills should be thoroughly in tune, keeping a constant and equal strain. When trance comes, your tutor may help you by softly calling your name. You will probably feel yourself drawn out of your body as if through a narrow opening, and find yourself standing beside your tutor, looking at the body on the couch. Strive to communicate with your tutor first; if they have the Sight they will probably see you. Go not far afield at first, and 'ti s better to have one who is used to leaving the body with you. A note: When, having succeeded in leaving the body, you desire to return, in order to cause the spirit body and the material body to coincide, THINK OF YOUR FEET. This will cause the return to take place.
The Working Tools (1953)
There are no magical supply shops, so unless you are lucky enough to be given or sold tools, a poor witch must extemporize. But when made you should be able to borrow or obtain an Athame. So having made your circle, erect an altar. Any small table or chest will do. There must be fire on it (a candle will suffice) and your book. For good results incense is best if you can get it, but coals in a chafing dish burning sweet-smelling herbs will do. A cup if you would have cakes and wine, and a platter with the signs drawn into the same in ink, showing a pentacle. A scourge is easily made (note, the scourge has eight tails and five knots in each tail). Get a white-hilted knife and a wand (a sword is not necessary). Cut the marks with Athame. Purify everything, then consecrate your tools in proper form and ever be properly prepared. But ever remember, magical operations are useless unless the mind can be brought to the proper attitude, keyed to the utmost pitch. Affirmations must be made clearly, and the mind should be inflamed with desire. With this frenzy of will, you may do as much with simple tools as with the most complete set. But good and especially ancient tools have their own aura. They do help to bring about that reverential spirit, the desire to learn and develop your powers. For this reason witches ever try to obtain tools from sorcerers, who, being skilled men, make good tools and consecrate them well, giving them mighty power. But a great witch's tools also gain much power; and you should ever strive to make any tools you manufacture of the finest materials you can obtain, to the end that they may absorb your power the more easily. And of course if you may inherit or obtain another witch's tools, power will flow from them. It is an old belief that the best substances for making tools are those that have once had life in them, as opposed to artificial substances. Thus wood or ivory is better for a wand than metal, which is more appropriate for knives or swords. Virgin parchment is better than manufactured paper for talismans, etc. And
things which have been made by hand are good, because there is life in them.
Skyclad (1953)
It is important to work naked from the start, so it becometh as second nature, and no thought of "I have no clothes" shall ever intrude and take your attention from the work. Also, your skin being so accustomed to unconfinement, when power is given off the flow is more easy and regular. Also, when dancing you are free and unconfined. . . . And the greatest of all, the touch of the body of your beloved thrills your inmost soul, and so your body gives out its utmost power; and then it is most important of all that there is not the slightest thing to divert the attention, for then the mind must seize and mold the power generated, and redirect it to the desired end with all the force and frenzy of the imagination. It has been said that no real knowledge may be gained our way, that our practices are such that they can only lead to lust; but this is not really so. Our aim is to gain the inner sight, and we do it the most natural and easy way. Our opponents' aim is ever to prevent man and woman from loving, thinking that everything that helps or even permits them to love is wicked and vile. To us it is natural, and if it aids the Great Work it is good. 'Tis true that a couple burning with a frenzy for knowledge may go straight to their goal, but the average couple have not this fire. We show them the way, our system of props and aids (i.e., magic ritual). A couple working with nothing but lust will never attain in any case; but a couple who love each other dearly should already be sleeping together, and the first frenzy of love will have passed, and their souls will already be in sympathy. If the first time or two they do stay a while to worship Aphrod ite, 'tis only a day or two lost, and the intense pleasure they obtain only leads them again to the mysteries of Hermes, their souls more attuned to the great search. Once they have pierced the veil they will not look back. This rite may be used as the greatest of magics if it be done with both partners firmly fixing their minds on the object and not thinking of sex at all. That is, you must so firmly fix your mind on your object that sex and all else are naught. You inflame your will to such an extent that you may create a strain on the astral such that events happen.
A Revision of the Casting Procedure (1957)
ALL ARE PURIFIED
[1  Magus consecrates salt and water.
[2  High Priestess kneels at Altar, takes up Sword, says, "I conjure thee, O Sword of Steel, to serve me as a defence in all Magical Operations. Guard me at all times against mine enemies, both visible and invisible. Grant that I may obtain what I desire in all things wherein I may use Thee, Wherefore do I bless Thee and invoke Thee in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos." Gives Sword to Magus.
[3  Magus kneeling hands her vessel of consecrated Water and Aspergillum. He Casts the Circle, three circles, on the lines marked out, starting at the East and returning to the East. High Priestess follows, Asperging Circle (sprinkling it to purify it) and all present and finally herself. Then she goes round again censing it. (Everyone in the circle must be sprinkled and censed.) She returns vessel, etc., to Magus, who places them on altar, or convenient place, and hands her Sword [handwritten .
[4  She walks slowly round Circle, saying, "I conjure Thee, O Circle of Space, that thou be a Boundary and a Protection and a meeting place between the world of Men and that of the Dread Lords of the OUTER SPACES, that Thou be cleansed, Purified, and strengthened to be a
Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve and contain THAT POWER which we so earnestly desire to raise within thy bounds this night, wherefore do I bless thee and entreat thee to aid me in the endeavor, in the names of Aradia and Cernun nos." Hands sword to Magus [handwritten .
[5  Magus then summons the Mighty Ones as usual.
[6  High Priestess stands in front of Altar (which may be pushed back for this). High Priestess assumes Goddess position (arms crossed). Magus kneeling in front of her, draws pentacle on her body with Phallus-headed Wand, Invokes (Drawing down the Moon), "I Invoke and beseech Thee, O mighty MOTHER of all life and fertility. 'By seed and root, by stem and bud, by leaf and flower and fruit, by Life and Love, do I invoke Thee' to descend into the body of thy servant and High Priestess (name)." (The Moon hav ing been drawn down, i.e., link established, Magus and all male officers give fivefold kiss; all others bow.)
[7  High Priestess in Goddess position says, arms crossed,
"Mother, Darksome and Divine,Mine the Scourge and Mine the Kiss,The Five-point Star of Love and Bliss; Here I charge ye in this Sign. (Opens out Arms to pentacle position)
Bow before my Spirit bright (All bow) Aphrodite, Arianrhod,Lover of the Horned God, Queen of Witchery and Night.
Diana, Brigid, Melusine, Am I named of old by men, Artemis and Cerridwen, Hell's dark mistress, Heaven's Queen.
Ye who ask of me a boon, Meet ye in some hidden shade, Lead my dance in greenwood glade By the light of the full moon.
Dance about mine altar stone, Work my holy magistry, Ye who are fain of sorcery, I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
No more shall ye know slavery who tread my round the Sabbat night. Come ye all naked to the rite In sign that ye are truly free.
Keep ye my mysteries in mirth, Heart joined to heart and lip to lip. Five are the points of fellowship That bring ye ecstasy on Earth.
No other law but love I know; By naught but love may I be known, And all that liveth is my own: From me they come, to me they go.
The Prose Charge (1957)
THE CHARGE, to be read while the initiate stands, properly prepared before the Circle.
[Magus : Listen to the words of the Great mother, who was of old also called among men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.
[High Priestess : "At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice. Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full. Then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries. There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet who have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown. And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really fre e, ye shall be naked in your rites, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise.' "For mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit, and mine is also joy on earth. For my Law is Love unto all beings. "Keep pure your highest ideals. Strive ever towards it. Let naught stop you or turn you aside. "For mine is the secret which opens upon the door of youth; and mine is the cup of the Wine of Life: and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality. "I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of Joy unto the heart of Man. "Upon Earth I give the knowledge of the Spirit Eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things, and my love is poured out upon earth."
[Magus : Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess, She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircleth the universe.
[High Priestess : "I who am the beauty of the green earth; and the White Moon amongst the Stars; and the mystery of the Waters; and the desire of the heart of man. I call unto thy soul: arise and come unto me. "For I am the Soul of nature who giveth life to the Universe; 'From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return.' Beloved of the Gods and men, thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the raptures of the infinite. "Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals; and therefore let there be Beauty and Strength, Power and Compassion, Honour and Humility, Mirth and reverence within you. "And thou who thinkest to seek me, know that thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou know the mystery, that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee, for behold; I have been with thee from the beginning, and I am that which is attained at the end of desire."
CAKES AND WINE (1957)
High Priestess seated on Altar, God position.
Magus, kneeling, kisses her feet, then knees, bows with head below her knees, extends arms along her thighs, and adores.
Magus fills cup and offers it to High Priestess, who, holding Athame between palms, places point in cup.
Magus says: "As the Athame is the male, so the cup is the female, and conjoined they bring blessedness."
High Priestess lays Athame aside, and takes Cup and drinks, gives Cup to server, who puts a little in each glass.
Magus presents Pentacle with cakes to High Priestess, saying, "Oh Queen most secret, bless this food unto our bodies, bestowing health, wealth, strength, joy and peace, and that fulfillment of love that is perpetual happiness".
High Priestess blesses them with Athame, takes Cake and eats, while the Magus gives her the Cup again and kisses knees and adores.
All sit as Witches, and invite High Priestess to join them.
The Sabbat Rituals Spring equinox (1957)
The symbol of the wheel should be placed on the altar upright, decked with flowers, flanked with burning candles. The Cauldron, containing spirits, is in the east. Magus in west, High Priestess in east with Phallic wand or pinecone-tipped wand, or broomstick, or riding pole, broom upwards. High Priestess lights Cauldron, saying,
"We kindle fire this day! In the presence of the Holy Ones:Without malice, without jealousy, without envy. Without fear of aught beneath the sun.But the High Gods.
Thee we invoke: O light of life:Be thou a bright flame before us: Be thou a guiding star above us:Be thou a smooth path beneath us;
Kindle thou in our hearts within,A flame of love for our neighbor, To our foes, to our friends, to our kindred all:To all men on this broad Earth.
O merciful son of Cerridwen, From the lowest thing that liveth To the name that is highest of all."
High Priestess draw pentacle upon Magus with wand, kiss, gives it to him. He does likewise. They lead the dance round the circle, all couples leaping burning fire. The last couple as the fire goes out
should be well-purified three times, and each should give Fivefold Kiss to all of opposite sex.
Cakes and wine.
If the people will, the Cauldron dance can be done again, many times, or other games can be played.
Summer Solstice Form circle. Invoke, Purify. Cauldron is placed before altar filled with water, wreathed with summer flowers. The people, men and women alternately, stand round circle. High Priestess stands in north, before Cauldron, holding raised wand, which should be Phallic or tipped with a pinecone (anciently the thyrsus) or a riding pole or a broomstick, invokes the sun.
"Great One of Heaven, Power of the Sun, we invoke thee in thine ancient names, Michael, Balin, Arthur, Lugh, Herne. Come again, as of old, into this thy land. Lift up thy shining spear of light to protect us. Put to flight the powers of darkness, give us fair woodlands and green fields, blossoming orchards and r ipening corn. Bring us to stand upon thy hill of vision, and show us the path to the lovely realms of the gods."
High Priestess draws invoking pentacle on Magus with wand.
Magus comes forward sunwise and takes wand with kiss, plunges wand into Cauldron and holds it upright, saying, "The spear to the Cauldron, the lance to the Grail, spirit to flesh, man to woman, sun to earth." He salutes High Priestess over Cauldron, then rejoins people, still bearing wand.
High Priestess takes aspergillum, stands by Cauldron, says, "Dance ye about the Cauldron of Cerridwen the Goddess, and be ye blessed with the touch of this consecrated water, even as the sun, the lord of light, arriveth in his strength in the sign of the waters of life."
The people dance sunwise about the altar and Cauldron, led by Magus bearing wand. High Priestess sprinkles them lightly as they pass her.
Ritual of cakes and wine.
Any other dances, rites, or games as the Priestess and people wish.
Autumn Equinox The altar should be decorated with symbols of autumn, pine cones, oak sprigs, acorns, or ears of corn, and should have fire or burning incense on it as usual. After usual purification, the people stand round, men and women alternately. Magus at west of altar in God position.
High Priestess stands at east of altar, facing him, and reads the incantation.
"Farewell, O Sun, ever returning light. The hidden god, who ever yet remains. He departs to the land of youth, through the gates of death, to dwell enthroned, the judge of gods and man. The horned leader of the hosts of air. Yet, even as stand unseen about the circle the forms of the Mighty Lords of the Outer Spaces,. So dwelleth he, 'the lord within ourselves'. So dwelleth he within the secret seed, the seed of new reaped grain, the seed of flesh, hidden in the earth, the marvellous seed of the stars.
'In him is life, and life is the light of men [John 1:4 ,' that which was never born and never dies. Therefore the Wicca weep not, but rejoice."
The High Priestess goes to the Magus with a kiss. He lays aside Athame and scourge, and kisses her. The High Priestess hands him her wand, which should be Phallic, or a branch tipped with a pinecone, Or a riding pole, or a
broomstick (anciently the thyrsus). They lead the dance, she with a systrum or rattle, he with wand, the people falling in behind them, dancing three times round the altar. Then the candle game is played.
Cakes and wine.
Great Rite if possible.
Dances and games.
Winter Solstice Form circle in usual manner, invoking the Mighty Ones.
The Cauldron of Cerridwen is placed in the circle at the south wreathed with holly, ivy, and mistletoe, with fire lighted within it. There should be no other light except for the candles on the altar and about the circle.
After all are purified, the Moon should be drawn down.
Then the High Priestess stands behind the Cauldron in pentacle position, symbolizing the rebirth of the sun. The people, man and woman alternately, stand round the circle. The Magus stands facing the High Priestess with a bundle of torches, or candles, and the book of words of the incantation. One of the officers stands beside him with a lighted candle, so that he may have light to read by.
The people begin to slowly move round the circle sunwise. As each passes him the Magus lights his candle or torch from the fire in the Cauldron, which may be simply a candle, till all have lighted candles or torches. Then the people dance round slowly as he reads the incantation. (A real fire must now be kindled in the Cauldron.)
Queen of the Moon, Queen of the Sun. Queen of the Heavens, Queen of the Stars.
Queen of the Waters, Queen of the Earth. Who ordained to us the child of promise:
It is the Great Mother who gives birth to him, He is the Lord of Life who is born again, Darkness and tears are set behind,And the star of guidance comes up early.
Golden sun of hill and mountain illumine the land, illumine the world, illumine the seas, illumine the rivers,Grief be laid, and joy be raised.
Blessed be the Great Mother, Without beginning, without ending, To everlasting, to eternity, I O. Evohe, Blessed be."
The dance commences slowly, in rhythm with the chant, all taking up the call "I. O. Blessed be." The Priestess joins dance and leads them with a quicker rhythm. The cauldron with burning fire is pushed so that the dancers leap or step over it, in couples. Whichever couple is passing it as it goes out, should be well-purified, three times each, and may pay any amusing forfeit as the High Priestess may ordain. Sometimes the cauldron is relighted several times for this purpose.
The Eightfold Path or Ways. (1957)
1. Meditation or concentration, actually by the firm knowledge that you can and will succeed -- forming a clear picture in your mind or your requirements.
2. Trance states, Clairvoyance, Projection of the Astral etc.
3. Drugs, Wine, Incense.
4. Dance, Performing Rites with a purpose.
5. Chants, Spells etc.
6. Blood control (Cords etc), Breath control.
7. Scourge
8. The Great Rite
N.B.
The great thing is to combine as many of these paths into the one operation. No 1 must be in all -- for if you have no clear picture of what you wish and no certainty you will not succeed -- 'tis useless. No
2 can be combined with this easily. Nos 3, 4, and 5 are all good preliminaries- also 6 and 7; but No 3 is dangerous and therefore if possible should be avoided, except for incense, which is harmless if too much is not used.
The best combination is Nos. 1, 4, 5 and 7, for small purposes, with no 8 if great force is necessary. Also a combination of 1, 6 and 7 is good if more can not be done; this if properly performed leads to No. 2.
The First-Degree Initiation (1957)
Draw Circle with Magic Sword or Athame.
Sprinkle with Exorcised Water.
Go round Circle with Magic Sword or Athame, Saying, "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou beest as a Boundary and a Protection to contain the magic power which I will raise within thy bounds. So do I bless thee, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."
Go round, saying at East, South, West, and North, "I summon, stir, and call thee up, ye Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North), to witness the rites and to guard the circle."
Magus draws down Moon on High Priestess.
Read Charge, then say, "O thou who standest on the threshold between the pleasant world of men and the dread domains of the lords of the outer spaces, hast thou the courage to make the assay?" (Place point of the Magic Sword or Athame to Postulant's heart.) "For I say verily it were better to rush on my blade and perish than to make the attempt with fear in thy heart."
Postulant: "I have two perfect words: perfect love, and perfect trust."
Say, "All who have are doubly welcome."
Entering position: "I give you a third to pass you through this dread door." Gives it [kiss .
Lead Postulant sunwise to south of altar, and say, "O thou who hast declared intent to become one of us, hear then that which thou must know to do. Single is the race of men and of Gods; from a single source we both draw breath, but a difference of power in everything keeps us apart, for we are as nothing, but the Gods stay forever. Yet we can, in greatness of minds, be like the Gods, though we know not to what goal by day or in the night Fate has written that we shall run. Beyond all seas and Earth's la st boundaries, beyond the Spring of night and the Heavens' vast expanse, there lies a majesty which is the domain of the Gods. Thou who would pass through the Gates of Night and Day to that sweet place, which is between the worlds of men and the domains of the Lords of the outer spaces, know that unless there is truth in thy heart, thy every effort is doomed to failure. HEAR THEN THE LAW: that thou lovest all things in nature; that thou shalt suffer no person to be harmed by thy hands or in thy mind; that thou walkest humbly in the ways of men and the ways of the Gods. Also it is the law that contentment thou shalt learn, through suffering, and from long years and from nobility of mind and of purpose, FOR THE WISE NEVER GROW OLD. Their minds are nourished by living in the daylight of the Gods, and if among the vulgar some discoveries should arise concerning some maxims of thy belief in the Gods, so do thou, for the most part, keep silent. For there is a great risk that thou mayest straightway vomit up th at which thou hast not digested, and when someone shall say to thee, "Thou knowest naught," and it bites thee not, then knowest thou that thou hast begun the work. And as sheep do not bring their food to the shepherd to show how much they have eaten, but digesting inwardly their provender, bear outwardly wool and milk, even so, do not thou display the maxims to the vulgar, but rather the works that flow when they are digested. Now there is the ordeal." [This speech was added after about 1960. 
Tie cord around Postulant's right ankle, leaving ends free; say, "Feet neither bound nor free."
Leading postulant, proclaim at four quarters, "Take heed, ye Lords of the Watchtowers of the East (South, West, North), that (name) is properly prepared to be made a priestess and a witch."
Three times round the Circle with Dance step and chant.
Place Postulant in East; say, "Kneel."
Postulant kneels.
Strike eleven knells on bell; say, "Rise. In other religions the postulant kneels while the priest towers above him, but in the Art Magical we are taught to be humble, and so we kneel to welcome them, and we say:
"Blessed be the feet that have brought you in these ways [kiss ;
"Blessed be the knees that shall kneel at the sacred altar [kiss ;
"Blessed be thy womb (or organ of generation), without which we would not be [kiss ;
"Blessed be thy breasts, erected in beauty and in strength [kiss ;
"Blessed be thy lips, which shall utter the sacred names [kiss .
"Before ye are sworn, art willing to pass the ordeal and be purified?"
Postulant "I am."
Take measure: height (tie knot); around head (tie knot); around heart
(tie knot); around hips (tie knot). Prick postulant's thumb; catch blood on measure. Place measure on altar. Have postulant kneel, tie postulant's feet together, and secure cable tow to altar. Three strokes on bell. Say, "Art ready to swear that thou wilt always be true to the Art?"
Postulant "I am."
Strike seven times on bell and say, "Thou must first be purified." Scourge 3, 7, 9, 21.
Say, "Ye have bravely passed the test. Art always ready to help, protect, and defend thy brothers and sisters of the Art?"
Postulant "I am."
"Then say after me: I, (name), in the presence of the mighty ones of the outer spaces, do of my own free will most solemnly swear that I will ever keep secret and never reveal the secrets of the Art, except it be to a proper person, properly prepared, within such a circle as I am in now, and that I will never deny the Secrets to such a person if they be vouched for by a brother or Sister of the Art. All this I swear by my hopes of a future life, and may my weapons turn against me if I break this my solemn oath."
Loosen cords from ankles and from altar, and remove blindfold; assist to rise.
"I hereby sign thee with the triple sign [the point-down triangle formed by touching the genitals, the right breast, the left breast, and the genitals again.  I consecrate thee with oil. I consecrate thee with wine. I consecrate thee with my lips, Priest (Priestess) and Witch."
Remove Cords [kiss .
"I now present to you the working tools. First the magic sword. With this, as with the athame, thou canst form all magic circles, dominate, subdue, and punish all rebellious spirits and demons, and even persuade angels and good spirits. With this in your hand, you are ruler of the circle." [kiss 
"Next I present to you the athame. This is the true witches' weapon, and has all the powers of the magic sword." [kiss 
"Next I present the white-handled knife. Its use is to form all instruments used in the Art. It can only be used in a magic circle." [kiss 
"Next I present the wand. Its use is to call up and control certain angels and genie to whom it would not be meet to use the sword or athame." [kiss 
"Next I present the pentacle. This is for the purpose of calling up the appropriate spirits." [kiss 
"Next I present the censer of incense. This is used to encourage and welcome good spirits, and to banish evil spirits."
[kiss 
"Next I present the scourge. This is a sign of power and domination. It is also used to cause purification and enlightenment, for it is written, 'To learn you must suffer and be purified.' [kiss 
Art willing to suffer to learn?"
Postulant: "I am."
"Next and lastly I present the cords. They are of use to bind the sigils of the art, also the material basis. Also they are necessary in the oath." [kiss 
"I now salute you in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos, Newly made Priestess and Witch."
Lead round and proclaim to four quarters, "Hear, ye Mighty Ones, (name) has been consecrated a priestess of the Goddess."
Now present new Witch to coven members. All should kiss and hug new Witch as welcome into membership.
To close circle proclaim to four quarters, "Ye Mighty Ones of the East (South, West, North), I thank you for attending and, ere ye depart for your lovely realms, I say hail and farewell."
The Second-Degree Initiation (1957)
Form Circle in usual manner, invoking the Mighty Ones at the Four Quarters. The Initiate should be properly prepared and bound with the Cords.
All are purified, including Initiate.
Circle once, proclaiming at the Four Quarters: "Hear Ye Mighty Ones, . . . (N), a duly consecrated Priestess and Witch is now properly prepared to be made a High Priest and Magus (High Priestess and Witch Queen)."
Circle three times, with dance step and chant.
Initiate then kneels before the Altar and is secured with the Cords.
Priestess or Magus: "To attain to this sublime Degree it is necessary to suffer and be purified. Art willing to suffer to learn?"
Initiate: "I am."
Priestess or Magus: "I purify thee to take this great oath rightly".
Strike three strokes upon the bell. Scourge 3, 7, 9, 21. "I now give thee a new name: . . ." [kiss 
"Repeat thy new name after me, saying, 'I, . . ., swear, upon my mother's womb and by mine honour among men and
my brothers and sisters of the Art, that I will never reveal to any at all any of the secrets of the Art, except it be to a worthy person, properly prepared, in the center of a Magic Circle such as I am now in. This I swear by my hopes of salvation, my past lives and my hopes of future ones to come and I devote myself and my measure to utter destruction if I break this my solemn Oath.'"
Kneel.
Place Left Hand under Initiate's Knee and Right Hand on Head, thus forming Magic Link, saying: "I will all my power into thee."
WILL.
Loose, assist to rise.
Consecrate: "I consecrate thee with oil [on genitals, right breast, left hip, right hip, left breast, genitals), I consecrate thee with wine, I consecrate thee with my lips, High Priest and Magus (High Priestess and Witch Queen)." Loose remaining cords. [kiss 
"You will now use the working tools in turn, "First the Magic Sword (Form Circle) [kiss 
"Second the Athame. (Form Circle) [kiss 
"Third the White-Handled Knife (use) [kiss  "Fourth the Wand. (Wave to 4 Quarters) [kiss 
"Fifth the Pentacle. (Show to 4 Quarters) [kiss 
"Sixth the Censer. (Circle, cense) [kiss 
"Seventh the Cords. (Use) [kiss 
"Eighth the scourge: for learn, in witchcraft you must ever give as you receive, but ever triple. So where I gave thee 3, return 9; where I gave 7, return 21; where I gave 9, return 27; where I gave 21, return 63." (Use, 9, 21, 27, 63; i.e., 120 in all [kiss )
"Thou hast obeyed the law. But mark well, when thou receivest good, so equally art bound to return good threefold."
The Priestess or Magus is then loosed from the cords and says: "Having learned thus far, you must know why the Wicca are called the Hidden Children of the Goddess".
Then the Legend of the Goddess is either read or acted out. If it is possible to act it out, the new Initiate may take one of the parts. One of the Coven should act as Narrator, and another as Guardian of the Portal. The Priestess, or another woman, may act the part of the Goddess, and the Magus, or another man, may act the part of the God. The Priestess -- or whoever is taking the part of the Goddess -- takes off her necklace and lays it on the Altar. Then she goes outside the circle and is dressed in a veil and jewellery. The Magus -- or whoever is taking the part of the God -- is invested with a horned crown and girds on a sword, which he draws and stands in the God position with sword and scourge, by the altar.
Narrator: "In ancient times our Lord, the Horned One, was, as he still is, the Consoler, the Comforter; but men knew him as the Dread Lord of Shadows -- lonely, stern, and hard. Now our Lady the Goddess had never loved, but she would solve all mysteries, even the mystery of Death -- and so she journeyed to the Nether Lands. The Guardians of the Portals challenged her:"
(The Priestess -- or whoever is taking the part of the Goddess -- advances to the side of the Circle. Whoever is taking the part of the Guardian of the Portal challenges her with the Sword or Athame.)
Narrator: "'Strip off thy garments, lay aside thy jewels, for naught may ye bring with ye into this our land'. So she laid down her garments and her jewels and was bound, as are all who enter the realms of Death the Mighty One".
(The Priestess takes off the veil and the jewellery and lays them down outside the Circle. The Guardian of the Portal binds her with the Cords and brings her inside the Circle.)
Narrator: "Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and laid his sword and crown at her feet and kissed her feet."
(The Magus -- or whoever is playing the part of the God -- comes forward and lays the Horned Crown and the Sword at the Priestess's feet and kisses her feet)
Narrator: "Saying, 'Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways. Abide with me, but let me place my cold hand on thy heart'. And she replied, 'I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?' 'Lady,' replied Death, ''Tis Age and Fate, against which I am helpless. Age causes all things to wither; but when men die at the end of time, I give them rest and peace and strength, so that they may return. But you, you are lovely. Return not; abide with me.' But she answered, 'I love thee not.' Then said Death, 'An you receive not my hand on your heart, you must receive Death's scourge.'"
(The Magus rises and takes up the Scourge from the Altar.)
Narrator: "'It is fate, better so,' she said, and she knelt."
(The Priestess kneels before the altar, and the Magus uses the scourge 3, 7, 9, 21.)
Narrator: "And Death scourged her tenderly, and she cried, 'I feel the pangs of love'. And Death raised her, and said, 'Blessed be,' and he gave her the Fivefold Kiss, saying, 'Thus only may you attain to joy and knowledge'."
(The Magus raises the Priestess, gives her the Fivefold Kiss and unties the cords)
Narrator: "And he taught her all the Mysteries and gave her the necklace, which is the Circle of Rebirth."
(The Magus takes the Priestess's necklace from the Altar and replaces it about her neck. The Priestess takes up the Sword and the Horned Crown from the floor, where the Magus placed them, and gives them back to him. Then he stands as before by the Altar, in the position of the God, and she stands by his side in the pentacle position, as Goddess)
Narrator: "And she taught him the mystery of the sacred cup, which is the cauldron of rebirth. They loved and were one; and he taught her all the Magics. For there be three great mysteries in the life of man -- love, death, and resurrection in a new body -- and magic controls them all. To fulfill love you must return at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must meet and know and remember and love them again. But to be reborn you must die and be ready for a new body; to die you must be born; without love you may not be born -- and these be all the magics. And our Goddess ever inclineth to love and mirth and happiness, and guardeth and cheriseth Her hidden children in life; and in death she teacheth the way to have communion, and even in this world She teacheth them the Mystery of the Magic Circle, which is placed between the worlds."
The Priestess or Magus then replaces the Sword, Crown, Scourge, etc., upon the Altar, and taking the new Initiate by the hand and holding the Athame in the other, passes once round the Circle, proclaiming at the Four Quarters, "Hear, Ye Mighty Ones, . . . hath been duly consecrated High Priest and Magus (or High Priestess and Witch Queen)."
The Third-Degree Initiation (1957)
Magus gives Fivefold Kiss.
Magus: "Ere we proceed with this sublime degree, I must beg purification at thy hands."
High Priestess binds Magus and ties him down to the altar. She circumambulates three times, and scourges Magus with three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes. She then unbinds him and helps him to his feet.
Magus now binds the High Priestess and ties her down to the altar. He circumambulates, proclaiming to the four quarters, "Hear, ye mighty Ones, the twice consecrate and Holy (name), High Priestess and Witch Queen, is properly prepared and will now proceed to erect the Sacred Altar."
Magus scourges High Priestess with three, seven, nine, and 21 strokes.
Magus kisses her feet. "Ere I dare proceed with this sublime degree, I must again beg purification at thy hands."
She binds and scourges him.
Note: if High Priestess has not performed this rite before, he says, "Here I reveal to you a great mystery." [Kneel and place couch in position so as to face north. 
Assist me to build As the Mighty One willed, An Altar of praise, From beginning of days, Thus doth it lie, Twixt the points of the sky, For thus it was placed When the Goddess embraced The Horned One, Her Lord, Who taught her the word,
[Priestess lies down in such a way that her vagina is approximately at the center of the circle 
Which quickened the womb, And conquered the Tomb. Be thus as of yore, The Shrine we adore, [kiss  The feast without fail, The life-giving Grail, [kiss  Before it uprear The Miraculous Spear, And invoke in this sign The Goddess divine. [kiss 
Invoke: "Thou who at moon of night doth reign, Queen of the starry realm above, 'Not unto Thee may we attain Unless Thine Image be of Love.' [kiss 
By moon-rays silver shaft of power, By green leaf breaking from the bud, By seed that springeth into flower, By life that courseth in the blood. [kiss 
By rushing wind and leaping flame, By flowing water and green earth, Pour us the wine of our desire From out Thy Cauldron of Rebirth. [kiss 
Here may we see in vision clear The Secret Strange unveiled at length, The wondrous Twin-Pillars rear Erect in Beauty and in Strength. [kiss breasts 
Altar of Mysteries manifold, The Sacred Circle's central point, Thus do I sign thee as of old, With kisses of my lips anoint.
(Eightfold Kiss: 3 points, Lips, 2 Breasts and back to lips, & 5 points 3, with oil, wine, & kisses)
Open for me the Secret Way, The pathway of intelligence, Between the Gates of Night and Day, Beyond the bounds of time and sense.
Behold the Mystery aright, The Five True Points of Fellowship, Here where the Lance and Grail unite, And feet and knees and breast and lips."
Magus and High Priestess: "Encourage our hearts, Let thy Light crystallize itself in our blood, fulfilling us of Resurrection, for there is no part of us that is not of the Gods."
(Exchange Names.)
The Witches' Chant or Rune (1957)
Darksome night and Shining Moon, East, then South, then West, then North, Harken to the Witches Rune: Here come I to call thee forth.
Earth and Water, Air and Fire, Wand and Pentacle and Sword, Work ye unto my desire, Harken ye unto my word.
Cords and Censer, Scourge and knife, Powers of the Witches Blade, Waken all ye into life, Come ye as the Charm is made:
Queen of Heaven, Queen of Hell, Horned Hunter of the Night, Lend your power unto the Spell, Work my will by Magic Rite.
If chant is used to reinforce a work already begun, end with this:
By all the power of land and sea, by all the might of moon and sun,
What is my will- "So mote it be,"What I do say- "It shall be done."
Consecrating Tools (1957)
(Note: if possible lay any new weapon touching an already consecrated one, Sword to sword, Athame to Athame, etc.)
[1  Prepare Circle and purify. All tools must be consecrated by a man and a woman, both as naked as drawn swords; they must be purified, clean, and properly prepared.
[2  Place tool on pentacle on altar. Magus sprinkles it with salt and water. Witch passes it through smoke of incense, replaces it on pentacle. Touching with already consecrated weapon, they say the First Conjuration.
[2a  For sword or athame, say "I conjure thee, O Sword (or Athame) of Steel, that thou servest me for a strength and a defence in all magical operations, against all mine enemies, visible and invisible, in the names of Aradia and Cernunnos. I conjure thee anew by the Holy Names Aradia and Cernunnos, that thou servest me for a protection in all adversities, so aid me."
[2b  For any other tool, say, "Aradia and Cernunnos, deign to bless and to consecrate this [tool , that it may obtain necessary virtue through thee for all acts of love and Beauty."
[3  Again they sprinkle and cense, and say the Second Conjuration:
[3a  For sword or athame, say, "I conjure thee, O Sword [Athame  of Steel, by the Great Gods and the Gentle Goddesses, by the virtue of the Heavens, of the Stars, of the Spirits who preside over them, that thou mayest receive such virtues that I may obtain the end that I desire in all things wherein I shall use thee, by the power of Aradia and Cernunnos."
[3b  For any other tool, say, "Aradia and Cernunnos, bless this instrument prepared in thine honour." (For the scourge or cords, add, "That it may only serve for a good use and end, and to thy Glory.")
[4  All instruments when consecrated should be presented to their User by giving the [point-down triangle  sign salute (if they are working in the 1st degree, or the sign of the higher degree if they are working that.)
[5  Then the one who is not the owner should give the Fivefold Kiss to the owner. For the final kiss, the tool should be placed between the breasts, and the two workers should embrace for as long as they feel like, it being held in place by their bodies. The new owner should use it immediately, i.e., cast (trace) Circle with Sword or Athame, wave wand to 4 quarters, cut something with white-handled knife, etc. Cords and scourge should be used at once.
The tool should be kept in as close connection as possible to the naked body for at least a month, i.e., kept under pillow, etc. When not in use, all tools and weapons should be put away in a secret place; and it is good that this should be near your sleeping place, and that you handle them each night before retiring. Do not allow anyone to touch or handle any of your tools until they are thoroughly impregnated with your aura; say, six months or as near as possible. But a couple working together may own the same tools, which will be impregnated with the aura of both.
The Old Laws (1961)
[A  The Law was made and Ardane of old. The law was made for the Wicca, to advise and help in their troubles. The Wicca should give due worship to the Gods and obey their will, which they Ardane, for it was made for the good of the Wicca, As the [5  Wicca's worship is good for the Gods, For the Gods love the Wicca. As a man loveth a woman, by mastering her, so the Wicca should love the Gods, by being mastered by them. And it is necessary that the Circle, which is the Temple of the Gods, should be truly cast and purified, that it [10  may be a fit place for the Gods to enter. And the Wicca should be properly prepared and purified, to enter into the presence of the Gods. With love and worship in their hearts they shall raise power from their bodies to give power to the Gods, as has been taught us of old, [15  For in this way only may man have communion with the Gods, for the Gods cannot help man without the help of men.
[B  And the High Priestess shall rule her Coven as representative of the Goddess, and the High Priest shall support
her as the representative of the God, And the High Priestess shall choose whom she [20  will, if he have sufficient rank, to be her High Priest), For the God himself, kissed her feet in the fivefold salute, laying his power at the feet of the Goddess, because of her youth and beauty, her sweetness and kindness, her wisdom and Justice, her humility and generosity. So he resigned his lordship to her. But the Priestess should [25  ever mind that all power comes from him. It is only lent when it is used wisely and justly. And the greatest virtue of a High Priestess is that she recognizes that youth is necessary to the representative of the Goddess, so that she will retire gracefully in favour of a younger woman, Should the Coven so decide in Council, For the true [30  High Priestess realizes that gracefully surrendering pride of place is one of the greatest of virtues, and t hat thereby she will return to that pride of place in another life, with greater power and beauty.
[C  In the days when Witchdom extended far, we were free and worshipped in All their Greatest Temples, but in these unhappy times [35  we must hold our sacred mysteries in secret. So it be Ardane, that none but the Wicca may see our mysteries, for our enemies are many, And torture looseth the tongues of many. It be Ardane that each Coven shall not know where the next Coven bide, or who its members are, save the Priest and Priestess, [40  That there shall be no communication between them, save by the Messenger of the Gods, or the Summoner. Only if it be safe, may the Covens meet, in some safe place, for the great festivals. And while there, none shall say whence they come, or give their true names, to the end that, if any are tortured, in their agony, they can [45  not tell if they know not. So it be Ardane that no one may tell any not of the Craft who be of the Wicca, nor give any names, or where they bide, or in any way tell anything which can betray any to our foes, nor may they tell where the Covenstead be, or where is the Covendom, [50  or where be the meeting s or that there have been meetings. And if any break these laws, even under torture, The Curse of the Goddess shall be upon them, so they never reborn on earth, And may they remain where they belong, in the Hell of the Christians.
[D  Let each High Priestess govern her Coven with Justice and [55  love, with the help of the advice of the elders, always heeding the advice of the Messenger of the Gods, if he cometh. She will heed all complaints of brothers, and strive to settle all differences among them, but it must be recognized that there be people who will ever strive to force others to do as they will. [60  They are not necessarily evil, and they often do have good ideas, and such ideas should be talked over in council. And if they will not agree with their brothers, or if they say, "I will not work under this High Priestess," it hath always been the old law to be convenient for the brethren, and to void disputes, any of the Third [65  may claim to found a new Coven because they live over a league from the Covenstead, or are about to do so. Anyone living within the Covendom wishing to form a new Coven, to avoid strife, shall tell the Elders of his intention and on the instant void his dwelling and remove to the new Covendom. Members of the old Coven may join the New one when it be formed, but if they do, must utterly void the old Coven. The Elders of the New and the Old Covens should meet in peace and brotherly love, to decide the new boundaries. Those of the Craft who dwell outside both Covendoms may join either indifferent, but not both, though all may, if the Elders [75  agree, meet for the Great Festivals, if it be truly in peace and brotherly love. But splitting the coven oft means strife, so for this reason these laws were made of old, And may the curse of the Goddess be on any who disregard them. So be it ardane.
[E  If you would Keep a book let it be in your own hand of write. [80  Let brothers and sisters copy what they will, but never let the book out of your hands, and never keep the writings of another, for if it be found in their hand of write, they well may be taken and enjoined. Each should guard his own writings and destroy it whenever danger threatens. Learn as much as you may by heart, and when danger is [85  past, rewrite your book an it be safe. For this reason, if any die, destroy their book if they have not been able to, for an it be found, 'tis clear proof against them, And our oppressors well know, "Ye may not be a witch alone" So all their kin and friends be in danger of torture. So ever destroy anything not necessary. [90  If your book be found on you. 'tis clear proof against you alone. You may be enjoined. Keep all thoughts of the Craft from your mind. Say you had bad dreams; a devil caused you to write it without your knowledge. Think to yourself, "I know nothing. I remember nothing. I have forgotten everything." Drive this [95  into your mind. If the torture be too great to bear, say, "I will confess. I cannot bear this torture. What do you want me to say? Tell me and I will say it." If they try to make you speak of the brotherhood, Do NOT, but if they try to make you speak of [100  impossibilities, such as flying through the air, consorting with the Christian Devil, or sacrificing children, or eating men's flesh, to obtain relief from torture, say, "I had an evil dream. I was not myself. I was crazed." Not all Magistrates are bad. If there [105  be an excuse they may show mercy. If you have confessed aught, deny it afterwards; say you babbled under torture, you knew not what you did or said. If you are condemned, fear not. The Brotherhood is powerful. They may help you to escape, if you stand steadfast, but if you betray aught, there is no hope for you, in this [110  life, or in that which is to come. Be sure, if steadfast you go to the pyre, Dwale will reach you. You will feel naught. You go but to o Death and what lies beyond, the ecstasy of the Goddess.
[F  'Tis probable that before you are enjoined, Dwale will reach you. [115  Always remember that Christians fear much that any die under torture. At the first sign of swoon, they cause it to be stopped, and blame the tormenters. For that reason, the tormenters themselves are apt to feign to torment, but do not, so it is best not to die at first. If Dwale reaches you, 'tis a sign that you have a friend somewhere. [120  You may be helped to escape, so despair not. If the worst comes, and you go to the pyre, wait till the flames and smoke spring up, bend your head over, and breath in with long breaths. You choke and die swiftly, and wake in the arms of the Goddess.
[G  To void discovery, let the working tools [125  be as ordinary things that any may have in their houses. Let the Pentacles be of wax, so they may be broken at once. Have no sword unless your rank allows you one. Have no names or signs on anything. Write the names and signs on them in ink before consecrating them and wash it off immediately after. Do not Bigrave them, [130  lest they cause discovery. Let the colour of the hilts tell which is which.
[H  Ever remember, ye are the Hidden Children of the Gods. So never do anything to disgrace them. Never boast, Never threaten, Never say you would wish ill to anyone. If you or any not in the Circle speak of the Craft, [135  say, "Speak not to me of such. It frightens me. 'Tis evil luck to speak of it." For this reason: the Christians have spies everywhere. These speak as if they were well affected, as if they would come to Meetings, saying, "My mother used to go to worship the Old Ones. I would that I could go myself." 4 To these ever deny all knowledge. [140  But to others ever say, "'Tis foolish men talk of witches flying through the air; to do so they must be light as thistledown," and "Men say that witches all be bleared-eyed old crones, so what pleasure can there be in witch meetings such as folk talk on?" Say, "Many wise men now say there be no such creatures." Ever [145  make it a jest, and in some future time, perhaps the persecution will die, and we may worship safely again. Let us all pray for that happy day.
[I  May the blessings of the Goddess and the God be on all who keep these laws which are Ardane.
[J  If the Craft hath any Appanage, let all brothers guard it, and help to keep it clear and good for the Craft, and let all justly guard all monies of the Craft. But if some brothers truly wrought it, 'tis right that they have their pay, an it be just, an this be not taking [5  money for the use of the Art, but for good and honest work. And even the Christians say, "A labourer is worthy of his hire." But if any brotherswillingly for the good of the craft without pay, 'tis but to their greater honour. So it be Ardane.
[K  If there be any disputes or quarrels among the brethren, the [10  High Priestess shall straight convene the Elders and enquire into the matter, and they shall hear both sides, first alone, then together, and they shall decide justly, not favouring the one side or the other, ever recognizing that there be people who can never agree to work under others, but at the same time there be some people who [15  cannot rule justly. To those who ever must be chief, there is one answer, "Void the Coven and seek an other, or make a Coven of your own, taking with you those who will to go." To those who cannot rule justly, the answer be, "Those who cannot bear your rule will leave you," for none may come to meetings with those with whom they are at [20  variance; so, an either cannot agree, get hence, for the Craft must ever survive. So it be Ardane.
[L  In the olden days when we had power, we could use our Arts against any who ill-treated any of the Brotherhood, but in these evil times, we may not do so, for our enemies have devised a burning [25  pit of everlasting fire, into which they say their God casteth all the people who worship him, except it be the very few who are released by their priests' spells and Masses, and this be chiefly by giving money and rich gifts to receive his favour, for their Alther Greatest God [Greatest God of all  is ever i n need of Money. [30  But as our Gods need our aid to make fertility for men and crops, So the God of the Christians is ever in need of man's help to search out and destroy us. Their priests tell them that any who get our help or our cures are damned to the Hell forever, so men be mad for the terror of it. But they make men [35  believe that they may scape this hell if they give victims to the tormenters. So for this reason all be forever spying, thinking, "An I can but catch one of the Wicca I will scape this fiery pit." But we have our hidels, and men searching long and not finding say, "there be none, or if they be, they be in a far country." [40  But when one of our oppressors die, or even be sick, ever is the cry, "This be Witches Malice," and the hunt is up again. And though they slay ten of their people to one of ours, still they care not; they have many thousands, while we are few indeed. So it is Ardane that none shall use the Art in any way to do ill [45  to any, howevermuch they have injured us. And for long we have obeyed this law, "Harm none" and nowtimes many believe we exist not. So it be Ardane that this law shall still continue to help us in our plight. No one, however great an injury or injustice they receive, may use the Art in any to do ill or harm any. [50  But they may, after great consultations with all, use the Art to prevent or restrain Christians from harming us and others, but only to let or constrain them and never to punish, to
this end. Men say, "Such an one is a mighty searcher out and persecutor of Old Women whom he deemeth to be Witches, [55  and none hath done him Skith [harm , so this be proof they cannot, o r more truly, that there be none," For all know full well that so many folk have died because someone had a grudge against them, or were persecuted because they had money or goods to seize, or because they had none to bribe the searchers. And many have died [60  because they were scolding old women, so much so that men now say that only old women are witches, and this be to our advantage, and turns suspicion away from us. In England 'tis now many a year since a witch hath died the death, but any misuse of the power might raise the Persecution again; so never break this law, [65  however much you are tempted, and never consent to its being broken. If you know it is being broken in the least, you must work strongly against it, and any High Priestess or High Priest who consents to it must be immediately deposed, for 'tis the blood of the Brethren they endanger. Do good, an it be safe, and only if [70  it be safe, for any talk may endanger us.
[M  And strictly keep to the Old Law, never accept money for the use of the art. It is Christian priests and sorcerers who accept money for the use of their Arts, and they sell Dwale and evil love spells and pardons to let men scape from their sins. [75  Be not as these. Be not as these. If you accept not money, you will be free of temptation to use the Art for evil causes.
[N  You may use the Art for your own advantage, or for the advantage of the Craft, only if you be sure you harm none. But ever let the Coven debate the matter at length. Only if all are satisfied that none may be harmed [80  may the Art be used. If it is not possible to achieve your ends one way without harming any, perchance the aim may be achieved by acting in a different way, so as to harm none. May the Curse of the Goddess be on any who breach this law. So it be Aredane.
[O  'Tis adjudged lawful an anyone need a house or land, an none will [85  sell, to incline the owner's mind to be willing to sell, provided it harmeth him not in any way, and that the full worth is paid, without haggling. Never bargain or cheapen anything which you buy by the Art. So it be Ardane.
[P  It is the Old Law and the most important of all Laws [90  that no one may do or say anything which will endanger any of the Craft, or bring them in contact with the law of the land, or the Law of the Church or any of our persecutors. In any disputes between the brethren, no one may invoke any laws but those of the Craft, or any Tribunal but that of the Priestess and the Priest and the [95  Elders. And may the Curse of the Goddess be on any who so do. So it be Ardane.
[Q  It is not forbidden to say as Christians do, "There be Witchcraft in the Land," because our oppressors of old made it Heresy not to believe in Witchcraft, and so a crime to deny it, which thereby put [100  you under suspicion. But ever say "I know not of it here, perchance they may be, but afar off. I know not where." But ever speak so you cause others to doubt they be as they are. Always speak of them as old crones, consorting with the Devil and riding through the air. But ever say, "But how may men ride through the air an they be not [105  as light as thistledown?" But the curse of the Goddess be on any who cast any suspicion on any of the Brotherhood, or speaks of any real meeting place, or where any bide. So it be Ardane. [R  Let the Craft keep books with the names of all Herbs which are good for man, and all cures, that all may learn. But keep [110  another book with all the Banes [poisons  and Apies. and let only the elders and trustworthy people have this knowledge. So it be Ardane. [S  And may the Blessings of the Gods be on all who keep these Laws and the Curses of both God and Goddess be on all who break them So it be Ardane. [The following two sections were added after 1960.  [T  Remember the Art is the secret of the Gods and may only be used in earnest and never for show or vainglory. Magicians and Christians may taunt us, saying, "You have no power. Do magic before our eyes. Then only will we believe," seeking to cause us to betray our Art before them. Heed them not, for the Art is holy, and may only be used in need. And the curse of the Gods be on any who break this law. [U  It ever be the way with women, and with men also, that they ever seek new love, nor should we reprove them for this, but it may be found to disadvantage the Craft, as so many a time it has happened that a High Priest or High Priestess, impelled by love, hath departed with their love; that is, they have left the coven. Now, if a High Priestess wishes to resign, she may do so in full Coven, and this resignation is valid. But if they should run off without resigning, who may know if they may not return w within a few months? So the law is, if a High Priestess leaves her coven, but returns within the space of a year and a day, then she shall be taken back, and all shall be as before. Meanwhile, if she has a deputy, that deputy shall act as High Priestess for as long as the High Priestess is away. If she returns not at the end of a year and a day, then shall the coven elect a new High Priestess. Unless there be a good reason to the contrary. The person who has done the work should reap the benefit of the reward, Maiden and deputy of the High Priestess.
The Verse Charge (1961)
I the Mother, darksome and divine, Say to thee, Oh children mine (All ye assembled at mine Shrine), Mine the scourge and mine the kiss The five-point star of love and bliss Here I charge ye in this sign. (Assume Goddess position.)
All ye assembled here tonight Bow before my spirit bright Aphrodite, Arianrhod, Lover of the Horned God, Mighty Queen of Witchery and night
Astarte, Hecate, Ashtaroth, Dione, (Morrigan, Etain, Nisene), Diana, Brigid, Melusine, Am I named of old by men, Artemis and Cerridwen, Hell's dark mistress, Heaven's Queen.
(Whene'er trouble comes anoon) All who would learn of me a Rune Or would ask of me a boon, Meet ye in some secret glade Dance my round in greenwood shade, by the light of the full moon.
(In a place wild and lone) With the comrades alone Dance about my altar stone. Work my holy Magistry,Ye who are fain of sorcery, I bring ye secrets yet unknown.
(Whate'er troubles come to thee), No more shall ye know slavery Who give due worship unto me, Who tread my round on Sabbat-night. Come ye all naked to the rite, In token ye be truly free.
I teach the mystery of rebirth, Keep ye my mysteries in mirth Heart joined to heart, and lip to lip, Five are the points of fellowship That bring ye ecstasy on Earth.
I ask no offerings, do but bow, No other law but love I know, By naught but love I may be known, All that liveth is mine own From me they come, to me they go.
Casting and Charging (1961)
[1  Forming Circle. Light candles.
1. Draw Circle with Magic Sword or Athame.
2. Sprinkle with consecrated water.
3. Cense.
4. Say, "I conjure thee, O Circle of Power, that thou be a Boundary and a Protection and a meeting place between the world of men and the realms of the Mighty Ones, A Guardian and a Protection that shall preserve and contain the Power which we shall raise within thee, Wherefore do I Bless and Consecrate thee."
5. Say "I summon, Stir, and Call Thee up, Ye Mighty Ones of the (East, South, West, North) To witness the Rites and to guard the Circle."
[2  Closing Circle.
Say, "Mighty Ones of the (East, South, West, North), I thank you for attending, and ere you depart for your lovely realms, I say Hail and Farewell."
[3  Consecration of Water and Salt.
Touch water with Athame, saying, "I exorcise thee, O Creature of Water, that thou cast out from thee all the impurities and uncleannesses of the spirits of the World of Phantasm, In the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."
Touching Salt with Athame, say, "Blessings be upon this creature of Salt. Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hencefrom and let all good enter herein. Wherefore I bless thee that thou mayest aid me, In the names of Aradia and Cernunnos."
[4  Drawing Down the Moon.
"I invoke Thee and call upon Thee, Oh Mighty Mother of us All, Bringer of all Fruitfulness. By Seed and Root, by Stem and Bud, by Leaf and Flower and Fruit, by Life and Love, Do We invoke Thee to descend upon the body of Thy servant and Priestess (name)."
High Priest and other men give Fivefold Kiss. Women all bow.
Forming the Circle. (1961)
[1  Must have a man and a woman, properly prepared, i.e., naked.
[2  Mark a circle nine feet across on the floor with chalk, etc. The best way is to get a string. Tie 2 loops four foot, six inches apart. Put one loop over a nail or something in the center. Put chalk in the other and run it round. If you can't make marks on the floor, put furniture, etc., round to form it. Have a table, etc., as an Altar, with all tools, etc., on it. Have a bowl of water, and some salt.
[3  Place Athame on the bowl of water. Say, "I exorcise thee, O creature of Water, that thou cast out from Thee all the impurities and uncleannesses of the Spirits of the World of Phantasm in the name of Aradia and Cernunnos. But ever mind that Water purifies the body, but the scourge purifies the soul."
[4  Then place Athame on the salt. Say, "Blessings be upon this creature of Salt. Let all malignity and hindrance be cast forth hencefrom, and let all good enter herein. Wherefore I bless thee that thou mayest aid me, in the name of Aradia and Cernunnos.
[5  Then trace Circle on the lines you have marked out, starting at the East and returning to the East. (Always go round the circle with your Right hand to the Altar. Never go Widdershins.) Then put the Salt into the water. and go round the circle again, sprinkling it to purify it. Then go round again censing it. (Everyone in the circle must be sprinkled and censed.)
[6  Then go to the East, Sword or Athame in hand. Draw an invoking pentacle in the Air, starting at the top and going to the lefthand corner, saying, "I summon, and call thee up, O Ye Mighty ones of the East, to guard the Circle and witness our rites." Then holding the point of sword or Athame upwards, do the same to the south, west, and north, and return to the center, to the south of the Altar.
[7  Then each girl should bind her man, hands behind back and cable Tow to neck. He should kneel at altar, and be scourged. When all men are thus "purified," they purify the girls in turn. No one may be in the circle without being thus purified.
[8  Then do whatever work wanted.
[9  When closing the Circle, the High Priestess, or whoever she tells to do it, saying, "Hail, ye mighty ones of the East. I thank you for attending, and ere ye depart for your lovely realms, We say, Hail and Farewell."


The Joyous Cosmology
To begin with, this world has a different kind of time. It is the time of biological rhythm, not of the clock and all that goes with the clock. There is no hurry. Our sense of time is notoriously subjective and thus dependent upon the quality of our attention, whether of interest or boredom, and upon the alignment of our behavior in terms of routines, goals, and deadlines. Here the present is self-sufficient, but it is not a static present. It is a dancing present—the unfolding of a pattern which has no specific destination in the future but is simply its own point. It leaves and arrives simultaneously, and the seed is as much the goal as the flower. There is therefore time to perceive every detail of the movement with infinitely greater richness of articulation. Normally we do not so much look at things as overlook them. The eye sees types and classes—flower, leaf, rock, bird, fire—mental pictures of things rather than things, rough outlines filled with flat color, always a little dusty and dim.
But here the depth of light and structure in a bursting bud go on forever, There is time to see them, time for the whole intricacy of veins and capillaries to develop in consciousness, time to see down and down into the shape of greenness, which is not green at all, but a whole spectrum generalizing itself as green—purple, gold, the sunlit turquoise of the ocean, the intense luminescence of the emerald. I cannot decide where shape ends and color begins. The bud has opened and the fresh leaves fan out and curve back with a gesture which is unmistakably communicative but does not say anything except, "Thus!" And somehow that is quite satisfactory, even startlingly clear. The meaning is transparent in the same way that the color and the texture are transparent, with light which does not seem to fall upon surfaces from above but to be right inside the structure and color. Which is of course where it is, for light is an inseparable trinity of sun, object, and eye, and the chemistry of the leaf is its color, its light.
But at the same time color and light are the gift of the eye to the leaf and the sun. Transparency is the property of the eyeball, projected outward as luminous space, interpreting quanta of energy in terms of the gelatinous fibers in the head. I begin to feel that the world is at once inside my head and outside it, and the two, inside and outside, begin to include or "cap" one another like an infinite series of concentric spheres. I am unusually aware that everything I am sensing is also my body—that light, color, shape, sound, and texture are terms and properties of the brain conferred upon the outside world. I am not looking at the world, not confronting it; I am knowing it by a continuous process of transforming it into myself, so that everything around me, the whole globe of space, no longer feels away from me but in the middle.
 
This is at first confusing. I am not quite sure of the direction from which sounds come. The visual space seems to reverberate with them as if it were a drum. The surrounding hills rumble with the sound of a truck, and the rumble and the color-shape of the hills become one and the same gesture. I use that word deliberately and shall use it again. The hills are moving into their stillness. They mean something because they are being transformed into my brain, and my brain is an organ of meaning. The forests of redwood trees upon them look like green fire, and the copper-gold of the sun-dried grass heaves immensely into the sky. Time is so slow as to be a kind of eternity, and the flavor of eternity transfers itself to the hills—burnished mountains which I seem to remember from an immeasurably distant past, at once so unfamiliar as to be exotic and yet as familiar as my own hand. Thus transformed into consciousness, into the electric, interior luminosity of the nerves, the world seems vaguely insubstantial—developed upon a color film, resounding upon the skin of a drum, pressing, not with weight, but with vibrations interpreted as weight. Solidity is a neurological invention, and, I wonder, can the nerves be solid to themselves? Where do we begin? Does the order of the brain create the order of the world, or the order of the world the brain? The two seem like egg and hen, or like back and front.
The physical world is vibration, quanta, but vibrations of what? To the eye, form and color; to the ear, sound; to the nose, scent; to the fingers, touch. But these are all different languages for the same thing, different qualities of sensitivity, different dimensions of consciousness. The question, "Of what are they differing forms?" seems to have no meaning. What is light to the eye is sound to the ear. I have the image of the senses being terms, forms, or dimensions not of one thing common to all, but of each other, locked in a circle of mutuality. Closely examined, shape becomes color, which becomes vibration, which becomes sound, which becomes smell, which becomes taste, and then touch, and then again shape. (One can see, for example, that the shape of a leaf is its color. There is no outline around the leaf; the outline is the limit where one colored surface becomes another.) I see all these sensory dimensions as a round dance, gesticulations of one pattern being transformed into gesticulations of another. And these gesticulations are flowing through a space that has still other dimensions, which I want to describe as tones of emotional color, of light or sound being joyous or fearful, gold elated or lead depressed. These, too, form a circle of reciprocity, a round spectrum so polarized that we can only describe each in terms of the others.
Sometimes the image of the physical world is not so much a dance of gestures as a woven texture. Light, sound, touch, taste, and smell become a continuous warp, with the feeling that the whole dimension of sensation is a single continuum or field. Crossing the warp is a woof representing the dimension of meaning—moral and aesthetic values, personal or individual uniqueness, logical significance, and expressive form—and the two dimensions interpenetrate so as to make distinguishable shapes seem like ripples in the water of sensation. The warp and the woof stream together, for the weaving is neither flat nor static but a many-directioned cross-flow of impulses filling the whole volume of space. I feel that the world is on something in somewhat the same way that a color photograph is on a film, underlying and connecting the patches of color, though the film here is a dense rain of energy. I see that what it is on is my brain—"that enchanted loom," as Sherrington called it. Brain and world, warp of sense and woof of meaning, seem to interpenetrate inseparably. They hold their boundaries or limits in common in such a way as to define one another and to be impossible without each other.
 
I am listening to the music of an organ. As leaves seemed to gesture, the organ seems quite literally to speak. There is no use of the vox humana stop, but every sound seems to issue from a vast human throat, moist with saliva. As, with the base pedals, the player moves slowly down the scale, the sounds seem to blow forth in immense, gooey spludges. As I listen more carefully, the spludges acquire texture—expanding circles of vibration finely and evenly toothed like combs, no longer moist and liquidinous like the living throat, but mechanically discontinuous. The sound disintegrates into the innumerable individual drrrits of vibration. Listening on, the gaps close, or perhaps each individual drrrit becomes in its turn a spludge. The liquid and the hard, the continuous and the discontinuous, the gooey and the prickly, seem to be transformations of each other, or to be different levels of magnification upon the same thing.
This theme recurs in a hundred different ways—the inseparable polarity of opposites, or the mutuality and reciprocity of all the possible content g, of consciousness. It is easy to see theoretically that all perception is of contrasts—figure and ground, light and shadow, clear and vague, firm and weak. But normal attention seems to have difficulty in taking in both at once. Both sensuously and conceptually we seem to move serially from one to the other; we do not seem to be able to attend to the figure without relative unconsciousness of the ground. But in this new world the mutuality of things is quite clear at every level. The human face, for example, becomes clear in all its aspects—the total form together with each single hair and wrinkle. Faces become all ages at once, for characteristics that suggest age also suggest youth by implication; the bony structure suggesting the skull evokes instantly the newborn infant. The associative couplings of the brain seem to fire simultaneously instead of one at a time, projecting a view of life which may be terrifying in its ambiguity or joyous in its integrity.
Decision can be completely paralyzed by the sudden realization that there is no way of having good without evil, or that it is impossible to act upon reliable authority without choosing, from your own inexperience, to do so. If sanity implies madness and faith doubt, am I basically a psychotic pretending to be sane, a blithering terrified idiot who manages, temporarily, to put on an act of being self-possessed? I begin to see my whole life as a masterpiece of duplicity—the confused, helpless, hungry, and hideously sensitive little embryo at the root of me having learned, step by step, to comply, placate, bully, wheedle, natter, bluff, and cheat my way into being taken for a person of competence and reliability. For when it really comes down to it, what do any of us know?
I am listening to a priest chanting the Mass and a choir of nuns responding. His mature, cultivated voice rings with the serene authority of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, of the Faith once and for all delivered to the saints, and the nuns respond, naively it seems, with childlike, utterly innocent devotion. But, listening again, I can hear the priest "putting on" his voice, hear the inflated, pompous balloon, the studiedly unctuous tones of a master deceptionist who has the poor little nuns, kneeling in their stalls, completely cowed. Listen deeper. The nuns are not cowed at all. They are playing possum. With just a little stiffening, the limp gesture of bowing turns into the gesture of the closing claw. With too few men to go around, the nuns know what is good for them: how to bend and survive.
But this profoundly cynical view of things is only an intermediate stage. I begin to congratulate the priest on his gamesmanship, on the sheer courage of being able to put up such a performance of authority when he knows precisely nothing. Perhaps there is no other knowing than the mere competence of the act. If, at the heart of one's being, there is no real self to which one ought to be true, sincerity is simply nerve; it lies in the unabashed vigor of the pretense.
 
But pretense is only pretense when it is assumed that the act is not true to the agent. Find the agent. In the priest's voice I hear down at the root the primordial howl of the beast in the jungle, but it has been inflected, complicated, refined, and textured with centuries of culture. Every new twist, every additional subtlety, was a fresh gambit in the game of making the original howl more effective. At first, crude and unconcealed, the cry for food or mate, or just noise for the fun of it, making the rocks echo. Then rhythm to enchant, then changes of tone to plead or threaten. Then words to specify the need, to promise and bargain. And then, much later, the gambits of indirection. The feminine stratagem of stooping to conquer, the claim to superior worth in renouncing the world for the spirit, the cunning of weakness proving stronger than the might of muscle—and the meek inheriting the earth.
As I listen, then, I can hear in that one voice the simultaneous presence of all the levels of man's history, as of all the stages of life before man. Every step in the game becomes as clear as the rings in a severed tree. But this is an ascending hierarchy of maneuvers, of stratagems capping stratagems, all symbolized in the overlays of refinement beneath which the original howl is still sounding. Sometimes the howl shifts from the mating call of the adult animal to the helpless crying of the baby, and I feel all man's music—its pomp and circumstance, its gaiety, its awe, its confident solemnity—as just so much complication and concealment of baby wailing for mother. And as I want to cry with pity, I know I am sorry for myself. I, as an adult, am also back there alone in the dark, just as the primordial howl is still present beneath the sublime modulations of the chant.
You poor baby! And yet—you selfish little bastard! As I try to find the agent behind the act, the motivating force at the bottom of the whole thing, I seem to see only an endless ambivalence. Behind the mask of love I find my innate selfishness. What a predicament I am in if someone asks, "Do you really love me?" I can't say yes without saying no, for the only answer that will really satisfy is, "Yes, I love you so much I could eat you! My love for you is identical with my love for myself. I love you with the purest selfishness." No one wants to be loved out of a sense of duty.
So I will be very frank. "Yes, I am pure, selfish desire and I love you because you make me feel wonderful—at any rate for the time being." But then I begin to wonder whether there isn't something a bit cunning in this frankness. It is big of me to be so sincere, to make a play for her by not pretending to be more than I am—unlike the other guys who say they love her for herself. I see that there is always something insincere about trying to be sincere, as if I were to say openly, "The statement that I am now making is a lie." There seems to be something phony about every attempt to define myself, to be totally honest. The trouble is that I can't see the back, much less the inside, of my head. I can't be honest because I don't fully know what I am. Consciousness peers out from a center which it cannot see—and that is the root of the matter.
Life seems to resolve itself down to a tiny germ or nipple of sensitivity. I call it the Eenie- Weenie—a squiggling little nucleus that is trying to make love to itself and can never quite get there. The whole fabulous complexity of vegetable and animal life, as of human civilization, is just a colossal elaboration of the Eenie-Weenie trying to make the Eenie- Weenie. I am in love with myself, but cannot seek myself without hiding myself. As I pursue my own tail, it runs away from me, Does the amoeba split itself in two in an attempt to solve this problem?
 
I try to go deeper, sinking thought and feeling down and down to their ultimate beginnings. What do I mean by loving myself? In what form do I know myself? Always, it seems, in the form of something other, something strange; The landscape I am watching is also a state of myself, of the neurons in my head. I feel the rock in my hand in terms of my own fingers. And nothing is stranger than my own body—the sensation of the pulse, the eye seen through a magnifying glass in the mirror, the shock of realizing that oneself is something in the external world. At root, there is simply no way of separating self from other, self-love from other-love. All knowledge of self is knowledge of other, and all knowledge of other knowledge of self. I begin to see that self and other, the familiar and the strange, the internal and the external, the predictable and the unpredictable imply each other. One is seek and the other is hide, and the more I become aware of their implying each other, the more I feel them to be one with each other. I become curiously affectionate and intimate with all that seemed alien. In the features of everything foreign, threatening, terrifying, incomprehensible, and remote I begin to recognize myself. Yet this is a "myself" which I seem to be remembering from long, long ago—not at all my empirical ego of yesterday, not my specious personality.
The "myself" which I am beginning to recognize, which I had forgotten but actually know better than anything else, goes far back beyond my childhood, beyond the time when adults confused me and tried to tell me that I was someone else; when, because they were bigger and stronger, they could terrify me with their imaginary fears and bewilder and outface me in the complicated game that I had not yet learned. (The sadism of the teacher explaining the game and yet having to prove his superiority in it.) Long before all that, long before I was an embryo in my mother's womb, there looms the ever-so-familiar stranger, the everything not me, which I recognize, with a joy immeasurably more intense than a meeting of lovers separated by centuries, to be my original self. The good old sonofabitch who got me involved in this whole game,
At the same time everyone and everything around me takes on the feeling of having been there always, and then forgotten, and then remembered again. We are sitting in a garden surrounded in every direction by uncultivated hills, a garden of fuchsias and hummingbirds in a valley that leads down to the westernmost ocean, and where the gulls take refuge in storms. At some time in the middle of the twentieth century, upon an afternoon in the summer, we are sitting around a table on the terrace, eating dark homemade bread and drinking white wine. And yet we seem to have been there forever, for the people with me are no longer the humdrum and harassed little personalities with names, addresses, and social security numbers, the specifically dated mortals we are all pretending to be. They appear rather as immortal archetypes of themselves without, however, losing their humanity. It is just that their differing characters seem, like the priest's voice, to contain all history; they are at once unique and eternal, men and women but also gods and goddesses. For now that we have time to look at each other we become timeless. The human form becomes immeasurably precious and, as if to symbolize this, the eyes become intelligent jewels, the hair spun gold, and the flesh translucent ivory. Between those who enter this world together there is also a love which is distinctly eucharistic, an acceptance of each other's natures from the heights to the depths.
 
Ella, who planted the garden, is a beneficent Circe—sorceress, daughter of the moon, familiar of cats and snakes, herbalist and healer—with the youngest old face one has ever seen, exquisitely wrinkled, silver-black hair rippled like flames. Robert is a manifestation of Pan, but a Pan of bulls instead of the Pan of goats, with frizzled short hair tufted into blunt horns—a man all sweating muscle and body, incarnation of exuberant glee. Beryl, his wife, is a nymph who has stepped out of the forest, a mermaid of the land with swinging hair and a dancing body that seems to be naked even when clothed. It is her bread that we are eating, and it tastes like the Original Bread of which mother's own bread was a bungled imitation. And then there is Mary, beloved in the usual, dusty world, but in this world an embodiment of light and gold, daughter of the sun, with eyes formed from the evening sky—a creature of all ages, baby, moppet, maid, matron, crone, and corpse, evoking love of all ages.
I try to find words that will suggest the numinous, mythological quality of these people. Yet at the same time they are as familiar as if I had known them for centuries, or rather, as if I were recognizing them again as lost friends whom I knew at the beginning of time, from a country begotten before all worlds. This is of course bound up with the recognition of my own most ancient identity, older by far than the blind squiggling of the Eenie-Weenie, as if the highest form that consciousness could take had somehow been present at the very beginning of things. All of us look at each other knowingly, for the feeling that we knew each other in that most distant past conceals something else—tacit, awesome, almost unmentionable—the realization that at the deep center of a time perpendicular to ordinary time we are, and always have been, one. We acknowledge the marvelously hidden plot, the master illusion, whereby we appear to be different.
The shock of recognition. In the form of everything most other, alien, and remote—the ever-receding galaxies, the mystery of death, the terrors of disease and madness, the foreign-feeling, gooseflesh world of sea monsters and spiders, the queasy labyrinth of my own insides—in all these forms I have crept up on myself and yelled "Boo!" I scare myself out of my wits, and, while out of my wits, cannot remember just how it happened. Ordinarily I am lost in a maze. I don't know how I got here, for I have lost the thread and forgotten the intricately convoluted system of passages through which the game of hide- and-seek was pursued. (Was it the path I followed in growing the circuits of my brain?) But now the principle of the maze is clear. It is the device of something turning back upon itself so as to seem to be other, and the turns have been so many and so dizzyingly complex that I am quite bewildered. The principle is that all dualities and opposites are not disjoined but polar; they do not encounter and confront one another from afar; they exfoliate from a common center. Ordinary thinking conceals polarity and relativity because it employs terms, the terminals or ends, the poles, neglecting what lies between them. The difference of front and back, to be and not to be, hides their unity and mutuality,
Now consciousness, sense perception, is always a sensation of contrasts. It is a specialization in differences, in noticing, and nothing is definable, classifiable, or noticeable except by contrast with something else. But man does not live by consciousness alone, for the linear, step-by-step, contrast-by-contrast procedure of attention is quite inadequate for organizing anything so complex as a living body. The body itself has an "omniscience" which is unconscious, or superconscious, just because it deals with relation instead of contrast, with harmonies rather than discords. It "thinks" or organizes as a plant grows, not as a botanist describes its growth. This is why Shiva has ten arms, for he represents the dance of life, the omnipotence of being able to do innumerably many things at once.
 
In the type of experience I am describing, it seems that the superconscious method of thinking becomes conscious. We see the world as the whole body sees it, and for this very reason there is the greatest difficulty in attempting to translate this mode of vision into a form of language that is based on contrast and classification. To the extent, then, that man has become a being centered in consciousness, he has become centered in clash, conflict, and discord. He ignores, as beneath notice, the astounding perfection of his organism as a whole, and this is why, in most people, there is such a deplorable disparity between the intelligent and marvelous order of their bodies and the trivial preoccupations of their consciousness. But in this other world the situation is reversed. Ordinary people look like gods because the values of the organism are uppermost, and the concerns of consciousness fall back into the subordinate position which they should properly hold. Love, unity, harmony, and relationship therefore take precedence over war and division.
For what consciousness overlooks is the fact that all boundaries and divisions are held in common by their opposite sides and areas, so that when a boundary changes its shape both sides move together. It is like the yang-yin symbol of the Chinese—the black and white fishes divided by an S-curve inscribed within a circle. The bulging head of one is the narrowing tail of the other. But how much more difficult it is to see that my skin and its movements belong both to me and to the external world, or that the spheres of influence of different human beings have common walls like so many rooms in a house, so that the movement of my wall is also the movement of yours. You can do what you like in your room just so long as I can do what I like in mine. But each man's room is himself in his fullest extension, so that my expansion is your contraction and vice versa.
I am looking at what I would ordinarily call a confusion of bushes—a tangle of plants and weeds with branches and leaves going every which way. But now that the organizing, relational mind is uppermost I see that what is confusing is not the bushes but my clumsy method of thinking. Every twig is in its proper place, and the tangle has become an arabesque more delicately ordered than the fabulous doodles in the margins of Celtic manuscripts. In this same state of consciousness I have seen a woodland at fall, with the whole multitude of almost bare branches and twigs in silhouette against the sky, not as a confusion, but as the lacework or tracery of an enchanted jeweler. A rotten log bearing rows of fungus and patches of moss became as precious as any work of Cellini—an inwardly luminous construct of jet, amber, jade, and ivory, all the porous and spongy disintegrations of the wood seeming to have been carved out with infinite patience and skill. I do not know whether this mode of vision organizes the world in the same way that it organizes the body, or whether it is just that the natural world is organized in that way.
A journey into this new mode of consciousness gives one a marvelously enhanced appreciation of patterning in nature, a fascination deeper than ever with the structure of ferns, the formation of crystals, the markings upon sea shells, the incredible jewelry of such unicellular creatures of the ocean as the radiolaria, the fairy architecture of seeds and pods, the engineering of bones and skeletons, the aerodynamics of feathers, and the astonishing profusion of eye-forms upon the wings of butterflies and birds. All this involved delicacy of organization may, from one point of view, be strictly functional for the purposes of reproduction and survival. But when you come down to it, the survival of these creatures is the same as their very existence—and what is that for?
 
More and more it seems that the ordering of nature is an art akin to music—fugues in shell and cartilage, counterpoint in fibers and capillaries, throbbing rhythm in waves of sound, light, and nerve. And oneself is connected with it quite inextricably—a node, a ganglion, an electronic interweaving of paths, circuits, and impulses that stretch and hum through the whole of time and space. The entire pattern swirls in its complexity like smoke in sunbeams or the rippling networks of sunlight in shallow water. Transforming itself endlessly into itself, the pattern alone remains. The crosspoints, nodes, nets, and curlicues vanish perpetually into each other. "The baseless fabric of this vision." It is its own base. When the ground dissolves beneath me I float.
Closed-eye fantasies in this world seem sometimes to be revelations of the secret workings of the brain, of the associative and patterning processes, the ordering systems which carry out all our sensing and thinking. Unlike the one I have just described, they are for the most part ever more complex variations upon a theme—ferns sprouting ferns sprouting ferns in multidimensional spaces, vast kaleidoscopic domes of stained glass or mosaic, or patterns like the models of highly intricate molecules—systems of colored balls, each one of which turns out to be a multitude of smaller balls, forever and ever. Is this, perhaps, an inner view of the organizing process which, when the eyes are open, makes sense of the world even at points where it appears to be supremely messy?
Later that same afternoon, Robert takes us over to his barn from which he has been cleaning out junk and piling it into a big and battered Buick convertible, with all the stuffing coming out of the upholstery. The sight of trash poses two of the great questions of human life, "Where are we going to put it?" and "Who's going to clean up?" From one point of view living creatures are simply tubes, putting things in at one end and pushing them out at the other—until the tube wears out. The problem is always where to put what is pushed out at the other end, especially when it begins to pile so high that the tubes are in danger of being crowded off the earth by their own refuse. And the questions have metaphysical overtones, "Where are we going to put it?" asks for the foundation upon which things ultimately rest— the First Cause, the Divine Ground, the bases of morality, the origin of action. "Who's going to clean up?" is asking where responsibility ultimately lies, or how to solve our ever- multiplying problems other than by passing the buck to the next generation.
I contemplate the mystery of trash in its immediate manifestation: Robert's car piled high, with only the driver's seat left unoccupied by broken door-frames, rusty stoves, tangles of chicken-wire, squashed cans, insides of ancient harmoniums, nameless enormities of cracked plastic, headless dolls, bicycles without wheels, torn cushions vomiting kapok, non- returnable bottles, busted dressmakers' dummies, rhomboid picture-frames, shattered bird- cages, and inconceivable messes of string, electric wiring, orange peels, eggshells, potato skins, and light bulbs—all garnished with some ghastly-white chemical powder that we call "angel shit." Tomorrow we shall escort this in a joyous convoy to the local dump. And then what? Can any melting and burning imaginable get rid of these ever-rising mountains of ruin—especially when the things we make and build are beginning to look more and more like rubbish even before they are thrown away? The only answer seems to be that of the present group. The sight of Robert's car has everyone helpless with hysterics.
 
The Divine Comedy. All things dissolve in laughter. And for Robert this huge heap of marvelously incongruous uselessness is a veritable creation, a masterpiece of nonsense. He slams it together and ropes it securely to the bulbous, low-slung wreck of the supposedly chic convertible, and then stands back to admire it as if it were a float for a carnival. Theme: the American way of life. Rut our laughter is without malice, for in this state of consciousness everything is the doing of gods. The culmination of civilization in monumental heaps of junk is seen, not as thoughtless ugliness, but as self-caricature—as the creation of phenomenally absurd collages and abstract sculptures in deliberate but kindly mockery of our own pretensions. For in this world nothing is wrong, nothing is even stupid. The sense of wrong is simply failure to see where something fits into a pattern, to be confused as to the hierarchical level upon which an event belongs—a play which seems quite improper at level 28 may be exactly right at level 96. I am speaking of levels or stages in the labyrinth of twists and turns, gambits and counter-gambits, in which life is involving and evolving itself—the cosmological one-upmanship which the yang and the yin, the light and the dark principles, are forever playing, the game which at some early level in its development seems to be the serious battle between good and evil. If the square may be defined "as one who takes the game seriously, one must admire him for the very depth of his involvement, for the courage to be so far-out that he doesn't know where he started.
The more prosaic, the more dreadfully ordinary anyone or anything seems to be, the more I am moved to marvel at the ingenuity with which divinity hides in order to seek itself, at the lengths to which this cosmic joie de vivre will go in elaborating its dance. I think of a comer gas station on a hot afternoon. Dust and exhaust fumes, the regular Standard guy all baseball and sports cars, the billboards halfheartedly gaudy, the flatness so reassuring— nothing around here but just us folks! I can see people just pretending not to see that they are avatars of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, that the cells of their bodies aren't millions of gods, that the dust isn't a haze of jewels. How solemnly they would go through the act of not understanding me if I were to step up and say, "Well, who do you think you're kidding? Come off it, Shiva, you old rascal! It's a great act, but it doesn't fool me." But the conscious ego doesn't know that it is something which that divine organ, the body, is only pretending to be.* When people go to a guru, a master of wisdom, seeking a way out of darkness, all he really does is to humor them in their pretense until they are outfaced into dropping it. He tells nothing, but the twinkle in his eye speaks to the unconscious—"You know ... You know!"
In the contrast world of ordinary consciousness man feels himself, as will, to be something in nature but not of it. He likes it or dislikes it. He accepts it or resists it. He moves it or it moves him. But in the basic super-consciousness of the whole organism this division does not exist. The organism and its surrounding world are a single, integrated pattern of action in which there is neither subject nor object, doer nor done to. At this level there is not one thing called pain and another thing called myself, which dislikes pain. Pain and the "response" to pain are the same thing. When this becomes conscious it feels as if everything that happens is my own will. But this is a preliminary and clumsy way of feeling that what happens outside the body is one process with what happens inside it. This is that "original identity" which ordinary language and our conventional definitions of man so completely conceal.
* ”Self-conscious man thinks he thinks. This has long been recognized to be an error, for the conscious subject who thinks he thinks is not the same as the organ which does the thinking. The conscious person is one component only, a series of transitory aspects, of the thinking person." L. L. Whyte, The Unconscious Before Freud (Basic Books, New York, 1960), p. 59.
 
The active and the passive are two phases of the same act. A seed, floating in its white sunburst of down, drifts across the sky, sighing with the sound of a jet plane invisible above. I catch it by one hair between thumb and index finger, and am astonished to watch this little creature actually wiggling and pulling as if it were struggling to get away. Common sense tells me that this tugging is the action of the wind, not of the thistledown. But then I recognize that it is the "intelligence" of the seed to have just such delicate antennae of silk that, in an environment of wind, it can move. Having such extensions, it moves itself with the wind. When it comes to it, is there any basic difference between putting up a sail and pulling an oar? If anything, the former is a more intelligent use of effort than the latter. True, the seed does not intend to move itself with the wind, but neither did I intend to have arms and legs.
It is this vivid realization of the reciprocity of will and world, active and passive, inside and outside, self and not-self, which evokes the aspect of these experiences that is most puzzling from the standpoint of ordinary consciousness; the strange and seemingly unholy conviction that "I" am God. In Western culture this sensation is seen as the very signature of insanity. But in India it is simply a matter of course that the deepest center of man, atman, is the deepest center of the universe, Brahman. Why not? Surely a continuous view of the world is more whole, more holy, more healthy, than one in which there is a yawning emptiness between the Cause and its effects. Obviously, the "I" which is God is not the ego, the consciousness of self which is simultaneously an unconsciousness of the fact that its outer limits are held in common with the inner limits of the rest of the world. But in this wider, less ignorant consciousness I am forced to see that everything I claim to will and intend has a common boundary with all I pretend to disown. The limits of what I will, the form and shape of all those actions which I claim as mine, are identical and coterminous with the limits of all those events which I have been taught to define as alien and external.
The feeling of self is no longer confined to the inside of the skin. Instead, my individual being seems to grow out from the rest of the universe like a hair from a head or a limb from a body, so that my center is also the center of the whole. I find that in ordinary consciousness I am habitually trying to ring myself off from this totality, that I am perpetually on the defensive. But what am I trying to protect? Only very occasionally are my defensive attitudes directly concerned with warding off physical damage or deprivation. For the most part I am defending my defenses: rings around rings around rings around nothing. Guards inside a fortress inside entrenchments inside a radar curtain. The military war is the outward parody of the war of ego versus world: only the guards are safe. In the next war only the air force will outlive the women and children.
I trace myself back through the labyrinth of my brain, through the innumerable turns by which I have ringed myself off and, by perpetual circling, obliterated the original trail whereby I entered this forest. Back through the tunnels—through (he devious status-and- survival strategy of adult life, through the interminable passages which we remember in dreams—all the streets we have ever traveled, the corridors of schools, the winding pathways between the legs of tables and chairs where one crawled as a child, the tight and bloody exit from the womb, the fountainous surge through the channel of the penis, the timeless wanderings through ducts and spongy caverns. Down and back through ever- narrowing tubes to the point where the passage itself is the traveler—a thin string of molecules going through the trial and error of getting itself into the right order to be a unit of organic life. Relentlessly back and back through endless and whirling dances in the astronomically proportioned spaces which surround the original nuclei of the world, the centers of centers, as remotely distant on the inside as the nebulae beyond our galaxy on the outside.
 
Down and at last out—out of the cosmic maze to recognize in and as myself, the bewildered traveler, the forgotten yet familiar sensation of the original impulse of all things, supreme identity, inmost light, ultimate center, self more me than myself. Standing in the midst of Ella's garden I feel, with a peace so deep that it sings to be shared with all the world, that at last I belong, that I have returned to the home behind home, that I have come into the inheritance unknowingly bequeathed from all my ancestors since the beginning. Plucked like the strings of a harp, the warp and woof of the world reverberate with memories of triumphant hymns. The sure foundation upon which I had sought to stand has turned out to be the center from which I seek. The elusive substance beneath all the forms of the universe is discovered as the immediate gesture of my hand. But how did I ever get lost? And why have I traveled so far through these intertwined tunnels that I seem to be the quaking vortex of defended defensiveness which is my conventional self?
Going indoors I find that all the household furniture is alive. Everything gestures. Tables are tabling, pots are potting, walls are walling, fixtures are fixturing—a world of events instead of things. Robert turns on the phonograph, without telling me what is being played. Looking intently at the pictures picturing, I only gradually become conscious of the music, and at first cannot decide whether I am hearing an instrument or a human voice simply tailing. A single stream of sound, curving, rippling, and jiggling with a soft snarl that at last reveals it to be a reed instrument—some sort of oboe. Later, human voices join it. But they are not singing words, nothing but a kind of "buoh—buah—bueeh" which seems to be exploring all the liquidinous inflections of which the voice is capable. What has Robert got here? I imagine it must be some of his far-out friends in a great session of nonsense-chanting. The singing intensifies into the most refined, exuberant, and delightful warbling, burbling, honking, hooting, and howling—which quite obviously means nothing whatsoever, and is being done out of pure glee. There is a pause. A voice says, "Dit!" Another seems to reply, "Da;" Then, "Dit-dal Di-ditty-da!" And getting gradually faster, "Da-di-ditty-di-ditty-da! Di- da-di-ditty-ditty-da-di-da-di-ditty-da-da!" And so on, until the players are quite out of their minds. The record cover, which Robert now shows me, says "Classical Music of India," and informs me that this is a series edited by Alain Danielou, who happens to be the most serious, esoteric, and learned scholar of Hindu music, and an exponent, in the line of Rene Guenon and Ananda Coomara-swamy, of the most formal, traditional, and difficult interpretation of Yoga and Vedanta. Somehow I cannot quite reconcile Danielou, the pandit of pandits, with this delirious outpouring of human bird-song. I feel my leg is being pulled. Or perhaps Danielou's leg.
But then, maybe not. Oh, indeed not! For quite suddenly I feel my understanding dawning into a colossal clarity, as if everything were opening up down to the roots of my being and of time and space themselves. The sense of the world becomes totally obvious. I am struck with amazement that I or anyone could have thought life a problem or being a mystery. I call to everyone to gather round.
 
"Listen, there's something I must tell. I've never, never seen it so clearly. But it doesn't matter a bit if you don't understand, because each one of you is quite perfect as you are, even if you don't know it. Life is basically a gesture, but no one, no thing, is making it. There is no necessity for it to happen, and none for it to go on happening. For it isn't being driven by anything; it just happens freely of itself. It's a gesture of motion, of sound, of color, and just as no one is making it, it isn't happening to anyone. There is simply no problem of life; it is completely purposeless play—exuberance which is its own end. Basically there is the gesture. Time, space, and multiplicity are complications of it. There is no reason whatever to explain it, for explanations are just another form of complexity, a new manifestation of life on top of life, of gestures gesturing. Pain and suffering are simply extreme forms of play, and there isn't anything in the whole universe to be afraid of because it doesn't happen to anyone! There isn't any substantial ego at all. The ego is a kind of flip, a knowing of knowing, a fearing of fearing. It's a curlicue, an extra jazz to experience, a sort of double-take or reverberation, a dithering of consciousness which is the same as anxiety."
Of course, to say that life is just a gesture, an action without agent, recipient, or purpose, sounds much more empty and futile than joyous. But to me it seems that an ego, a substantial entity to which experience happens, is more of a minus than a plus. It is an estrangement from experience, a lack of participation. And in this moment I feel absolutely with the world, free of that chronic resistance to experience which blocks the free flowing of life and makes us move like muscle-bound dancers. But I don't have to overcome resistance. I see that resistance, ego, is just an extra vortex in the stream-part of it—and that in fact there is no actual resistance at all. There is no point from which to confront life, or stand against it.
I go into the garden again. The hummingbirds are soaring up and falling in their mating dance, as if there were someone behind the bushes playing ball with them. Fruit and more wine have been put out on the table. Oranges—transformations of the sun into its own image, as if the tree were acknowledging gratitude for warmth. Leaves, green with the pale, yellow-fresh green that I remember from the springtimes of my childhood in Kentish spinneys, where breaking buds were spotted all over the hazel branches in a floating mist. Within them, trunks, boughs, and twigs moist black behind the sunlit green. Fuchsia bushes, tangled traceries of stalks, intermingled with thousands of magenta ballerinas with purple petticoats. And, behind all, towering into the near-twilight sky, the grove of giant eucalyptus trees with their waving clusters of distinctly individual, bamboolike leaves. Everything here is the visual form of the lilting nonsense and abandoned vocal dexterity of those Hindu musicians.
I recall the words of an ancient Tantric scripture; "As waves come with water and flames with fire, so the universal waves with us." Gestures of the gesture, waves of the wave— leaves flowing into caterpillars, grass into cows, milk into babies, bodies into worms, earth into flowers, seeds into birds, quanta of energy into the iridescent or reverberating labyrinths of the brain. Within and swept up into this endless, exulting, cosmological dance are the base and grinding undertones of the pain which transformation involves: chewed nerve endings, sudden electric-striking snakes in the meadow grass, swoop of the lazily circling hawks, sore muscles piling logs, sleepless nights trying to keep track of the unrelenting bookkeeping which civilized survival demands.
 
How unfamiliarly natural it is to see pain as no longer a problem. For problematic pain arises with the tendency of self-consciousness to short-circuit the brain and fill its passages with dithering echoes—revulsions to revulsions, fears of fear, cringing from cringing, guilt about guilt—twisting thought to trap itself in endless oscillations. In his ordinary consciousness man lives like someone trying to speak in an excessively sensitive echo-chamber; he can proceed only by doggedly ignoring the interminably gibbering reflections of his voice. For in the brain there are echoes and reflected images in every dimension of sense, thought, and feeling, chattering on and on in the tunnels of memory. The difficulty is that we confuse this storing of information with an intelligent commentary on what we are doing at the moment, mistaking for intelligence the raw materials of the data with which it works. Like too much alcohol, self-consciousness makes us see ourselves double, and we mistake the double image for two selves—mental and material controlling and controlled, reflective and spontaneous. Thus instead of suffering we suffer about suffering, and suffer about suffering about suffering.
As has always been said, clarity comes with the giving up of self. But what this means is that we cease to attribute selfhood to these echoes and mirror images. Otherwise we stand in a hall of mirrors, dancing hesitantly and irresolutely because we are making the images take the lead. We move in circles because we are following what we have already done. We have lost touch with our original identity, which is not the system of images but the great self-moving gesture of this as yet unremembered moment. The gift of remembering and binding time creates the illusion that the past stands to the present as agent to act, mover to moved. Living thus from the past, with echoes taking the lead, we are not truly here, and are always a little late for the feast. Yet could anything be more obvious than that the past follows from the present like a comet's tail, and that if we are to be alive at all, here is the place to be?
Evening at last closes a day that seemed to have been going on since the world began. At the high end of the garden, above a clearing, there stands against the mountain wall a semicircle of trees, immensely tall and dense with foliage, suggesting the entrance grove to some ancient temple. It is from here that the deep blue-green transparency of twilight comes down, silencing the birds and hushing our own conversation. We have been watching the sunset, sitting in a row upon the ridgepole of the great barn whose roof of redwood tiles, warped and cracked, sweeps clear to the ground. Below, to the west, lies an open sward where two white goats are munching the grass, and beyond this is Robert's house where lights in the kitchen show that Beryl is preparing dinner. Time to go in, and leave the garden to the awakening stars.
Again music—harpsichords and a string orchestra, and Bach in his most exultant mood. I lie down to listen, and close my eyes. All day, in wave after wave and from all directions of the mind's compass, there has repeatedly come upon me the sense of my original identity as one with the very fountain of the universe. I have seen, too, that the fountain is its own source and motive, and that its spirit is an unbounded playfulness which is the many- dimensioned dance of life. There is no problem left, but who will believe it? Will I believe it myself when I return to normal consciousness? Yet I can see at the moment that this does not matter. The play is hide-and-seek or lost-and-found, and it is all part of the play that one can get very lost indeed. How far, then, can one go in getting found?
 
As if in answer to my question there appears before my closed eyes a vision in symbolic form of what Eliot has called "the still point of the turning world." I find myself looking down at the floor of a vast courtyard, as if from a window high upon the wall, and the floor and the walls are entirely surfaced with ceramic tiles displaying densely involved arabesques in gold, purple, and blue. The scene might be the inner court of some Persian palace, were it not of such immense proportions and its colors of such preternatural transparency. In the center of the floor there is a great sunken arena, shaped like a combination of star and rose, and bordered with a strip of tiles that suggest the finest inlay work in vermilion, gold, and obsidian.
Within this arena some kind of ritual is being performed in time with the music. At first its mood is stately and royal, as if there were officers and courtiers in rich armor and many- colored cloaks dancing before their king. As I watch, the mood changes. The courtiers become angels with wings of golden fire, and in the center of the arena there appears a pool of dazzling flame. Looking into the pool I see, just for a moment, a face which reminds me of the Christos Pantocrator of Byzantine mosaics, and I feel that the angels are drawing back with wings over their faces in a motion of reverent dread. But the face dissolves. The pool of flame grows brighter and brighter, and I notice that the winged beings are drawing back with a gesture, not of dread, but of tenderness—for the flame knows no anger. Its warmth and radiance—"tongues of flame infolded"—are an efflorescence of love so endearing that I feel I have seen the heart of all hearts.
 
Epilogue
This is, as I have said, a record not of one experiment with consciousness-changing drugs, but of several, compressed for reasons of poetic unity into a single day. At the same time I have more or less kept to the basic form which every individual experiment seems to take— a sort of cycle in which one's personality is taken apart and then put together again, in what one hopes is a more intelligent fashion. For example, one's true identity is first of all felt as something extremely ancient, familiarly distant—with overtones of the magical, mythological, and archaic. But in the end it revolves back to what one is in the immediate present, for the moment of the world's creation is seen to lie, not in some unthinkably remote past, but in the eternal now. Similarly, the play of life is at first apprehended rather cynically as an extremely intricate contest in one-upmanship, expressing itself deviously even in the most altruistic of human endeavors. Later, one begins to feel a "good old rascal" attitude toward the system; humor gets the better of cynicism. But finally, rapacious and all-embracing cosmic selfishness turns out to be a disguise for the unmotivated play of love.
But I do not mean to generalize. I am speaking only of what I have experienced for myself, and I wish to repeat that drugs of this kind are in no sense bottled and predigested wisdom. I feel that had I no skill as a writer or philosopher, drugs which dissolve some of the barriers between ordinary, pedestrian consciousness and the multidimensional superconsciousness of the organism would bring little but delightful, or sometimes terrifying, confusion. I am not saying that only intellectuals can benefit from them, but that there must be sufficient discipline or insight to relate this expanded consciousness to our normal, everyday life.
Such aids to perception are medicines, not diets, and as the use of a medicine should lead on to a more healthful mode of living, so the experiences which I have described suggest measures we might take to maintain a sounder form of sanity. Of these, the most important is the practice of what I would like to call meditation—were it not that this word often connotes spiritual or mental gymnastics. But by meditation I do not mean a practice or exercise undertaken as a preparation for something, as a means to some future end, or as a discipline in which one is concerned with progress. A better word may be "contemplation" or even "centering," for what I mean is a slowing down of time, of mental hurry, and an allowing of one's attention to rest in the present—so coming to the unseeking observation, not of what should be, but of what is. It is quite possible, even easy, to do this without the aid of any drug, though these chemicals have the advantage of "doing it for you" in a peculiarly deep and prolonged fashion.
But those of us who live in this driven and overpurposeful civilization need, more than anyone else, to lay aside some span of clock time for ignoring time, and for allowing the contents of consciousness to happen without interference. Within such timeless spaces, perception has an opportunity to develop and deepen in much the same way that I have described. Because one stops forcing experience with the conscious will and looking at things as if one were confronting them, or standing aside from them to manage them, it is possible for one's fundamental and unitive apprehension of the world to rise to the surface. But it is of no use to make this a goal or to try to work oneself into that way of seeing things. Every effort to change what is being felt or seen presupposes and confirms the illusion of the independent knower or ego, and to try to get rid of what isn't there is only to prolong confusion. On the whole, it is better to try to be aware of one's ego than to get rid of it. We can then discover that the "knower" is no different from the sensation of the "known," whether the known be "external" objects or "internal" thoughts and memories.
 
In this way it begins to appear that instead of knowers and knowns there are simply knowings, and instead of doers and deeds simply doings. Divided matter and form becomes unified pattern-in-process. Thus when Buddhists say that reality is "void" they mean simply that life, the pattern-in-process, does not proceed from or fall upon some substantial basis. At first, this may seem rather disconcerting, but in principle the idea is no more difficult to abandon than that of the crystalline spheres which were once supposed to support and move the planets.
Eventually this unified and timeless mode of perception "caps" our ordinary way of thinking and acting in the practical world: it includes it without destroying it. But it also modifies it by making it clear that the function of practical action is to serve the abiding present rather than the ever-receding future, and the living organism rather than the mechanical system of the state or the social order.
In addition to this quiet and contemplative mode of meditation there seems to me to be an important place for another, somewhat akin to the spiritual exercises of the dervishes. No one is more dangerously insane than one who is sane all the time: he is like a steel bridge without flexibility, and the order of his life is rigid and brittle. The manners and mores of Western civilization force this perpetual sanity upon us to an extreme degree, for there is no accepted corner in our lives for the art of pure nonsense. Our play is never real play because it is almost invariably rationalized; we do it on the pretext that it is good for us, enabling us to go back to work refreshed. There is no protected situation in which we can really let ourselves go. Day in and day out we must tick obediently like clocks, and "strange thoughts" frighten us so much that we rush to the nearest head-doctor. Our difficulty is that we have perverted the Sabbath into a day for laying on rationality and listening to sermons instead of letting off steam.
If our sanity is to be strong and flexible, there must be occasional periods for the expression of completely spontaneous movement—for dancing, singing, howling, babbling, jumping, groaning, wailing—in short, for following any motion to which the organism as a whole seems to be inclined. It is by no means impossible to set up physical and moral boundaries within which this freedom of action is expressible—sensible contexts in which nonsense may have its way. Those who provide for this essential irrationality will never become stuffy or dull, and, what is far more important, they will be opening up the channels through which the formative and intelligent spontaneity of the organism can at last flow into consciousness. This is why free association is such a valuable technique in psychotherapy; its limitation is that it is purely verbal. The function of such intervals for nonsense is not merely to be an outlet for pent-up emotion or unused psychic energy, but to set in motion a mode of spontaneous action which, though at first appearing as nonsense, can eventually express itself in intelligible forms.
Disciplined action is generally mistaken for forced action, done in the dualistic spirit of compelling oneself, as if the will were quite other than the rest of the organism. But a unified and integrated concept of human nature requires a new concept of discipline—the control, not of forced action, but of spontaneous action. It is necessary to see discipline as a technique which the organism uses, as a carpenter uses tools, and not as a system to which the organism must be conformed. Otherwise the purely mechanical and organizational ends of the system assume greater importance than those of the organism. We find ourselves in the situation where man is made for the Sabbath, instead of the Sabbath for man. But before spontaneous action can be expressed in controlled patterns, its current must be set in motion. That is to say, we must acquire a far greater sensitivity to what the organism itself wants to do, and learn responsiveness to its inner motions,
 
Our language almost compels us to express this point in the wrong way—as if the "we" that must be sensitive to the organism and respond to it were something apart. Unfortunately our forms of speech follow the design of the social fiction which separates the conscious will from the rest of the organism, making it the independent agent which causes and regulates our actions. It is thus that we fail to recognize what the ego, the agent, or the conscious will is. We do not see that it is a social convention, like the intervals of clock time, as distinct from a biological or even psychological entity. For the conscious will, working against the grain of instinct, is the interiorization, the inner echo, of social demands upon the individual coupled with the picture of his role or identity which he acquires from parents, teachers, and early associates. It is an imaginary, socially fabricated self working against the organism, the self that is biologically grown. By means of this fiction the child is taught to control himself and conform himself to the requirements of social life.
At first sight this seems to be an ingenious and highly necessary device for maintaining an orderly society based upon individual responsibility. In fact it is a penny-wise, pound-foolish blunder which is creating many more problems than it solves. To the degree that society teaches the individual to identify himself with a controlling will separate from his total organism, it merely intensifies his feeling of separateness, from himself and from others. In the long run it aggravates the problem that it is designed to solve, because it creates a style of personality in which an acute sense of responsibility is coupled with an acute sense of alienation.
The mystical experience, whether induced by chemicals or other means, enables the individual to be so peculiarly open and sensitive to organic reality that the ego begins to be seen for the transparent abstraction that it is. In its place there arises (especially in the latter phases of the drug experience) a strong sensation of oneness with others, presumably akin to the sensitivity which enables a flock of birds to twist and turn as one body. A sensation of this kind would seem to provide a far better basis for social love and order than the fiction of the separate will.
The general effect of the drugs seems to be that they diminish defensive attitudes without blurring perception, as in the case of alcohol. We become aware of things against which we normally protect ourselves, and this accounts, I feel, for the high susceptibility to anxiety in the early phases of the experience. But when defenses are down we begin to see, not hallucinations, but customarily ignored aspects of reality—including a sense of social unity which civilized man has long since lost. To regain this sense we do not need to abandon culture and return to some precivilized level, for neither in the drug experience nor in more general forms of mystical experience does one lose the skills or the knowledge which civilization has produced.
I have suggested that in these experiences we acquire clues and insights which should be followed up through certain forms of meditation. Are there not also ways in which we can, even without using the drugs, come back to this sense of unity with other people? The cultured Westerner has a very healthy distaste for crowds and for the loss of personal identity in "herd-consciousness." But there is an enormous difference between a formless crowd and an organic social group. The latter is a relatively small association in which every member is in communication with every other member. The former is a relatively large association in which the members are in communication only with a leader, and because of this crude structure a crowd is not really an organism. To think of people as "the masses" is to think of them by analogy with a subhuman style of order.
 
The corporate worship of churches might have been the natural answer to this need, were it not that church services follow the crowd pattern instead of the group pattern. Participants sit in rows looking at the backs of each other's necks, and are in communication only with the leader—whether preacher, priest, or some symbol of an autocratic God. Many churches try to make up for this lack of communion by "socials" and dances outside the regular services. But these events have a secular connotation, and the type of communion involved is always somewhat distant and demure. There are, indeed, discussion groups in which the leader or "resource person" encourages every member to have his say, but, again, the communion so achieved is merely verbal and ideational.
The difficulty is that the defended defensiveness of the ego recoils from the very thing that would allay it—from associations with others based on physical gestures of affection, from rites, dances, or forms of play which clearly symbolize mutual love between the members of the group. Sometimes a play of this kind will occur naturally and unexpectedly between close friends, but how embarrassing it might be to be involved in the deliberate organization of such a relationship with total strangers! Nevertheless, there are countless associations of people who, claiming to be firm friends, still lack the nerve to represent their affection for each other by physical and erotic contact which might raise friendship to the level of love. Our trouble is that we have ignored and thus feel insecure in the enormous spectrum of love which lies between rather formal friendship and genital sexuality, and thus are always afraid that once we overstep the bounds of formal friendship we must slide inevitably to the extreme of sexual promiscuity, or worse, to homosexuality.
This unoccupied gulf between spiritual or brotherly love and sexual love corresponds to the cleft between spirit and matter, mind and body, so divided that our affections or our activities are assigned either to one or to the other. There is no continuum between the two, and the lack of any connection, any intervening spectrum, makes spiritual love insipid and sexual love brutal. To overstep the limits of brotherly love cannot, therefore, be understood as anything but an immediate swing to its opposite pole. Thus the subtle and wonderful gradations that lie between the two are almost entirely lost. In other words, .the greater part of love is a relationship that we hardly allow, for love experienced only in its extreme forms is like buying a loaf of bread and being given only the two heels.
I have no idea what can be done to correct this in a culture where personal identity seems to depend on being physically aloof, and where many people shrink even from holding the hand of someone with whom they have no formally sexual or familial tie. To force or make propaganda for more affectionate contacts with others would bring little more than embarrassment. One can but hope that in the years to come our defenses will crack spontaneously, like eggshells when the birds are ready to hatch. This hope may gain some encouragement from all those trends in philosophy and psychology, religion and science, from which we are beginning to evolve a new image of man, not as a spirit imprisoned in incompatible flesh, but as an organism inseparable from his social and natural environment.
This is certainly the view of man disclosed by these remarkable medicines which temporarily dissolve our defenses and permit us to see what separative consciousness normally ignores—the world as an interrelated whole. This vision is assuredly far beyond any drug- induced hallucination or superstitious fantasy. It wears a striking resemblance to the unfamiliar universe that physicists and biologists are trying to describe here and now. For the clear direction of their thought is toward the revelation of a unified cosmology, no longer sundered by the ancient irreconcilables of mind and matter, substance and attribute, thing and event, agent and act, stuff and energy. And if this should come to be a universe in which man is neither thought nor felt to be a lonely subject confronted by alien and threatening objects, we shall have a cosmology not only unified but also joyous.


INTRODUCTION
Witchcraft is not merely legendary; it was, and is, real. It is not extinct; it is alive and prospering. Since the last laws against Witchcraft were repealed (as recently as the 1950s), Witches have been able to come out into the open and show themselves for what they are.
And what are they? They are intelligent, community-conscious, thoughtful men and women of TODAY. Witchcraft is not a step backwards; a retreat into a more superstition-filled time. Far from it. It is a step forward. Witchcraft is a religion far more relevant to the times than the vast majority of the established churches. It is the acceptance of personal and social responsibility. It is acknowledgement of a holistic universe and a means towards a raising of consciousness. Equal rights; feminism; ecology; attunement; brotherly/sisterly love; planetary care—these are all part and parcel of Witchcraft, the old yet new religion.
The above is certainly not what the average person thinks of in relation to "Witchcraft". No; the misconceptions are deeply ingrained, from centuries of propaganda. How and why these misconceptions came about will be examined later.
With the spreading news of Witchcraft—what it is; its relevance in the world today—comes "The Seeker". If there is this alternative to the conventional religions, this modern, forward-looking approach to life known as "Witchcraft", then how does one become a part of it? There, for many, is the snag. General information on the Old Religion—valid information, from the Witches themselves—is available, but entry into the order is not. The vast majority of covens (groups of Witches) are still wary enough that they do not throw open their doors and welcome all and sundry. They are happy to straighten the misconceptions, but they do not proselytize. This leads many would-be Witches, out of sheer frustration, to simply declare themselves "Witches" and start their own practices. In doing so they draw on any, and oftimes all, available sources. The danger here is that they do not know what is valid and relevant and what is not. Unfortunately there are now many such covens, operating with large chunks of Ceremonial Magick happily mixed-in with smatterings of Satanism and odds and ends of Voodoo together with Amerindian lore. Witchcraft is a very "loose" religion, in terms of ritual practices, but it does have certain basic tenets and there are established ritual patterns to be adhered to. The purpose of this book is to give this necessary information. With it, you—as an individual or (with like-minded friends) as a group—can then either do your own thing, happy in the knowledge that it is at least as valid as any of the more established traditions, or you can, on locating a coven, become an initiated participant with training and knowledge as good as (if not better than) any of the other coven members.
In Christianity there are many denominations (e.g. Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Methodist). So it is in Witchcraft. Just as there is no one religion that is right for all people, there is no one denomination of Witchcraft that is right for all Witches. And that is as it should be. We are all different. Our backgrounds—both ethnic and social—vary greatly. It has often been said that there are many paths, but they all lead to the same center. With so many paths, then, you are able to find the right one for YOU; the one path you can travel comfortably and securely.
To be of the most use to you, the information I give in this book—the training you will get—is non-denominational. I take examples from different traditions (e.g. Gardnerian, Saxon, Alexandrian, Scottish), giving you both general information and specifics. This is
drawn from my more than twenty years active participation in the Craft, and nearly twice that in the occult generally. By the time you have finished this training (presuming that you take it seriously), you will be the equivalent of the Third Degree, in Gardnerian or similar. From there you can then, as I have said, go on to other perhaps more specific training if you wish, in the sense of being tailored to a particular tradition. But from this present work you can get all of the basics and build from an excellent foundation.
This is a workbook... it is something you must work through. Consequently, rather than Chapters, I have divided it into Lessons. At the end of each lesson you will find workbook exercises. At the end of the book in Appendix B you will find examination questions for each lesson. Read through each lesson. Read and absorb. Read through two or three times if necessary. Go back and pay special attention to anything you find was not easily absorbed. When you are finally happy with what you have learned, answer the examination questions. Answer in your own words, without referring back to the text. In this way you can see what has sunk in and what has not. Do not go on to the next lesson until you are completely happy with the previous one. Answers to the questions are to be found in Appendix C.
The book has been carefully put together in specific order. Don't try to jump ahead to "more exciting" lessons ... you may well find that you don't have the necessary basics for them! When you have carefully worked through the entire book, then will be the time to go back and dip into it as a refresher.
This book is based on the very successful Seax-Wica Seminary course that was enj oyed by over a thousand students worldwide. From that experience I know that the formula works, and works well. I would hasten to add that while based on that course, this \ present work is not the same course. The Seax-Wica course was designed specifically for \ the Saxon tradition; this is not. There is some duplication of the more general Craft material, yes, but not enough that a prior student of the Seminary course could not also enjoy this book.
So, if you are a serious student of Witchcraft, or Wicca, either as a would-be practitioner or as one purely academically interested, then I welcome you. I hope you get as much out of this material as did my previous students. -
Bright Blessings
Raymond Buckland San Diego, California
CONTENTS
XI
67 INTRODUCTION
LESSON EIGHT 97 Marriage, Birth, Death and Channeling LESSON ONE
Handfasting Rite'; Handparting Rite; Birth Rite; Crossing the Bridge. The Intuitive Process-Categories 1 The History and Philosophy of Witchcraft
History and Development. Persecutions. Re-emergence. The Philosophy of Witchcraft.
of Channeling; Clearing the Channel; External Focal Points; Interpreting Channeled Information. The Aura. Sensory Deprivation. The Witches' Cradle. Principles of Wiccan Belief. The Power Within. Spells and Charms.
LESSON NINE Divination 111
, LESSON TWO 13 Beliefs
Deities; The God and Goddess of Witchcraft; Rein-
Tarot; Scrying; Saxon Wands; Cheiromancy; Tea-leaf Reading; Numerology; Astrology; Fire Scrying. carnation; Retribution; Between Lives. Your Temple. Your Altar and its Furniture. Magick—an
LESSON TEN 135 Introduction.
Herbalism
Herbal Lore; Getting the Most Out of Herbs; Simples, LESSON THREE 27 Tools, Clothing and Names
Working Tools; Knife; Marking in Metal; Sword; Other Tools; Dress; Jewelry; Horned Helmet. In- scriptions. Your Witch Name.
Syrups, Salves, Poultices and Powders; Herb Simples; Definition of Medical Actions; Herbs in Materia Medica. Botanicals—Alteratives, Anthel-mintics, Astringents, Bitter Tonics, Calmatives, Carminatives and Aromatics, Cathartics, Demulcents, Diaphoretics, Diuretics, LESSON FOUR 41 Getting Started
Rites of Passage. Circles. Self-Dedication. Coven Initiation.
Emollients, Expectorants, Nervines, Nerve Stimulants, Refrigerants, Sedatives, Stimulants. Vitamins in Herbs. The Art of Prescribing Medicine. Some Simple Treatments— Medicinal Drinks, Syrups, Decoctions, Teas, Mixtures, Ointments. Witches' LESSON FIVE 53
Pharmacopoeia. Sources. Covens and Rituals
Covens and Degrees. Hierarchy and *i
Priesthood. Covensteads and Covendoms. The Book of Rituals. Consecration of Tools. RITUALS—Erecting the Temple; Clearing the Temple; Esbat Rite; Full Moon Rite; New/Dark Moon Rite; Cakes and Ale.
LESSON ELEVEN 155 Magick
Physical Body. Circle. Cone of Power. Dancing and Chanting. Feeling. Drawing Down Power. Releasing the Power. Timing. Cord Magick. Candle Magick. Love Magick. Sex Magick. Binding Spell.
LESSON SIX Sabbats
Protection. Form of Ritual.
Samhain; Beltane; Imbolc; Lughnasadh.
LESSON TWELVE 175
79 LESSON SEVEN Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats
Meditation— How Meditation Works; Technique; Posture; Area; Time of Day: Method. Dreams—The Source; Dream Interpretation and Symbology;
The Power of the Written Word
Runes. Ogham Bethluisnion. Egyptian Hierogly- phics. Theban. Passing the River. Angelic. Malachim. Pictish. Talismans and Amulets. Power Raising Dance. General Dancing. Music and Song. Sabbat Games. Wine and Ale. Bread and Cakes. Remembering Dreams; Personal Symbols; The Repetitive Dream; Group Dreams; Dreams vs Out-of-Body Experiences. Rituals—Spring Equinox; Summer Solstice; Autumnal Equinox; Winter Solstice.
LESSON ONE THE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF WITCHCRAFT
Before really getting into what Witchcraft is, perhaps we should take a look back at what it was—the history of it. Witches should be aware of their roots; aware of how and why the persecutions came about, for instance, and where and when the re-emergence took place. There is a great deal to be learned from the past. It's true that much of history can seem dry and boring to many of us, but that is far from so with the history of Witchcraft. It is very much alive and filled with excitement.
There have been many books written on the history of Witchcraft. The vast majority have suffered from bias—as will be explained shortly— but a few of the more recently published ones have told the story accurately... or as accurately as we can determine. The late Dr. Margaret Murray traced back and saw Witchcraft's origins in Palaeolithic times; 25,000 years ago. She saw it as a more or less unbroken line through to the present, and as a fully organized religion throughout western Europe for centuries before Christianity. Recently scholars have disputed much of what Murray said. She did, however, present some tangible evidence and much thought-provoking material. As a probable development of religio-magick (rather than Witchcraft, per se), her theories are still respected.
Twenty-five thousand years ago Palaeolithic Wo/Man depended upon hunting to survive. Only by success in the hunt could there be food to eat, skins for warmth and shelter, bones to fashion into tools and weapons. In those days Wo/Man believed in a multitude of gods. Nature was overwhelming. Out of awe and respect for the gusting wind, the violent lightning, the rushing stream, Wo/Man ascribed to each a spirit; made each a deity... a God. This is what we call Animism. A god controlled that wind. A god controlled the sky. A god controlled the waters. But most of all, a god controlled the all-important hunt... a God of Hunting. Most of the animals hunted were horned so Wo/Man pictured the God of Hunting also as being horned. It was at this time that magick became mixed in with these first faltering steps of religion. The earliest form of magick was probably of the sympathetic variety. Similar things, it was thought, have similar effects: like attracts like. If a life-size, clay model of a bison was made, then attacked and "killed"... then a hunt of the real bison should also end in a kill. Religio-magickal ritual
1
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was born when one of the cavemen threw on a skin and antlered mask and played the part of the Hunting God, directing the attack. There are, still in existence, cave paintings of such rituals, together with the spear-stabbed clay models of bison and bear.
It is interesting to see how this form of sympathetic magick survived right through to relatively modern times. The Penobscot Indians, for example, less than a hundred years ago, wore deer masks and horns when performing rituals for the same purpose. The Mandan Indians' Buf-falo Dance is another example.
Along with this God of Hunting there was a Goddess, though which came first (or whether they evolved together) we do not know, and it is immaterial. If there were to be animals to hunt, there had to be fertility of those animals. If the tribe was to continue (and there was a high mortality rate in those days) then there had to be fertility of Wo/Man. Again sympathetic magick played a part. Clay models were made of the animals mating, and in an accompanying ritual the members of the tribe would copulate.
There are many carved and modeled representations of the Fertility Goddess extant. Generally known as "Venus" figurines, the Venus of Willendorf is one of the best known. Other examples include the Venus of Laussel and the Venuses of Sireuil and of Lespugne. All are similar in that the feminine attributes of these figures are greatly over-emphasized. They have heavy, pendulous breasts, large buttocks, an oftimes swollen belly—as though pregnant—and exaggerated genitalia. There is invariably complete lack of identity with the rest of the body. The face is not defined and the arms and legs, if there at all, are barely suggested. The reason is that Wo/Man was solely concerned with the fertility aspect. Woman was the bearer and nurser of the young. The Goddess was her representative as the Great Provider and Comforter; Mother Nature or Mother Earth.
• With the development of agriculture there was a further elevating of the Goddess. She now watched over the fertility of the crops as well as of tribe and of animal. The year, then, fell naturally into two halves. In the summer food could be grown, and so the Goddess predominated; in the winter Wo/Man had to revert to hunting, and so the God predominated. The other deities (of wind, thunder, lightning, etc.) gradually fell into the background, as of secondary importance.
As Wo/Man developed, so did the religion—for that is what it had become, slowly and naturally. Wo/Man spread across Europe, taking the gods along. As different countries developed, so the God and Goddess acquired different names (though not always totally different; sometimes simply variations on the same name), yet they were essentially the same deities. This is well illustrated in Britain where, in the south of England, is found Cernunnos (literally "The Horned One"). To the north the same god is known as Cerne; a shortened form. And in still another area the name has become Herne.
By now Wo/Man had learned not only to grow food but also to store it for the winter. So hunting became less important. The Horned God came now to be looked upon more as a God of Nature generally, and a God of Death and what lies after. The Goddess was still of Fertility and
Lesson One: The History and Philosophy of Witchcraft / 3
also of Rebirth, for Wo/Man had developed a belief in a life after death. This is evidenced from the burial customs of the period. The Gravettians (22,000-18,000 BCE) were innovators here. They would bury their deceased with full clothing and ornaments and would sprinkle them with red ochre (haematite, or iron peroxide), to give back the appearance of life. Frequently family members would be buried beneath the hearth so that they might remain close to the family. A man would be buried with his weapons; perhaps even his dog—all that he might need in the afterlife.
It is not difficult to see how a belief in a life after death came about. At the root of it were dreams. To quote from Witchcraft From the Inside (Buckland, Llewellyn Publications, 1975):
"When Man slept he was, to his family and friends, like one of the dead. True, in sleep he occasionally moved and he breathed, but otherwise he was lifeless. Yet when he awoke he could tell of having been out hunting in the forest. He could tell of having met and talked with friends who really were dead. The others, to whom he spoke, could believe him for they too had experienced/ such dreams. They knew he had not actually set foot outside the cave but at the same time they knew he was not lying. It seemed that the world of sleep was as the material world. There were trees and mountains, animals and people. Even the dead were there, seemingly unchanged many years after death. In this other world, then, Man must need the same things he needed in this world."
With the development of different rituals—for fertility, for success in the hunt, for seasonal needs—there necessarily developed a priesthood: a'Select few more able to bring results when directing the rituals. In some areas of Europe (though probably not as generally widespread as Murray indicated) these ritual leaders, or priests and priestesses, became known as the Wicca*—the "Wise Ones". In fact by the time of the Anglo-Saxon kings in England, the king would never think of acting on any important matter without consulting the Witan; the Council of Wise Ones. And indeed the Wicca did have to be wise. They not only led the religious rites but also had to have knowledge of herbal lore, magick and divination; they had to be doctor, lawyer, magician, priest. To the people the Wicca were plenipotentiaries between them and the gods. But, at the great festivals, they almost became like gods themselves.
With the coming of Christianity there was not the immediate mass-conversion that is often suggested. Christianity was a man-made religion. It had not evolved gradually and naturally over thousands of years, as we have seen that the Old Religion did. Whole countries were classed as Christian when in actuality it was only the rulers who had adopted the new religion, and often only superficially at that. Throughout Europe generally the Old Religion, in its many and varied forms, was still prominent for the first thousand years of Christianity.
An attempt at mass conversion was made by Pope Gregory the Great. He thought that one way to get the people to attend the new Christian churches was to have them built on the sites of the older temples, where the people were accustomed to gathering together to worship. He instructed his bishops to smash any "idols" and to sprinkle the temples with holy water and rededicate them. To a large extent
•Wicca (m); Wicce (f). Also sometimes spelled Wica or Wita.
Gregory was successful. Yet the people were not quite as gullible as he thought. When the first Christian churches were being constructed, the only artisans available to build them were from among the pagans them- selves. In decorating the churches these stonemasons and woodcarvers very cleverly incorporated figures of their own deities. In this way, even if they were forced to attend the churches the people could still worship their own gods there.
There are many of these figures still in existence today. The Goddess is usually depicted as very much a fertility deity, with legs spread wide and with greatly enlarged genitalia. Such figures are usually referred to as Shiela-na-gigs. The God is shown as a horned head surrounded by foliage; known as a "foliate mask", and also sometimes referred to as "Jack of the Green" or "Robin o' the Woods". Incidentally, these carvings of the old God should not be confused with gargoyles. The latter are the hideous faces and figures carved on the four corners of church towers to frighten away demons.
In those early days, when Christianity was slowly growing in strength, the Old Religion—the Wiccans and other pagans—was one of its rivals. It is only natural to want to get rid of a rival and the Church pulled no punches to do just that. It has frequently been said that the gods of an old religion become the devils of a new. This was certainly the case here. The God of the Old Religion was a horned god. So, apparently, was the Christian's Devil. Obviously then, reasoned the Church, the pagans were Devil worshippers! This type of reasoning is used by the Church even today. Missionaries were particularly prone to label all primitive tribes upon whom they stumbled as devil-worshippers, just because the tribe worshipped a god or gods other than the Christian one. It would not matter that the people were good, happy, often morally and Ethically better living than the vast majority of Christians ... they had to be converted!
The charge of Devil-worship, so often leveled at Witches, is ridiculous. The Devil is a purely Christian invention; there being no mention of him, as such, before the New Testament. In fact it is interesting to note that the whole concept of evil associated with the Devil is due to an error in translation. The original Old Testament Hebrew Ha-satan and the New Testament Greek diabolos simply mean "opponent" or "adversary". It should be remembered that the idea of dividing the Supreme Power into two—good and evil—is the idea of an advanced and complex civilization. The Old Gods, through their gradual development, were very much "human" in that they would have their good side and their bad side. It was the idea of an all-good, all-loving deity which necessitated an antagonist. In simple language, you can only have the color white if there is an opposite color, black, to which you can compare it. This view of an all-good god was developed by Zoroaster (Zarathustra), in Persia in the seventh century BCE. The idea later spread westward and was picked up in Mithraism and, later, in Christianity.
As Christianity gradually grew in strength, so the Old Religion was slowly pushed back. Back until, about the time of the Reformation, it only existed in the outlying country districts. Non-Christians at that time became known as Pagans and Heathens. "Pagan" comes from the Latin
4 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
There were other more definite adoptions from the old religions, especially in the early formative years of Christianity. The idea of the Trinity, for instance, was taken from the old Egyptian triad. Osiris, Isis and Horus became God, Mary and Jesus. December 25th, as the birthdate of esus, was borrowed from Mithraism—which also believed in a second coming and indulged in the "Eating of God'. In many religions of the ancient world were found immaculate conceptions and sacrifice of the god for the salvation of the people.
Witchcraft Ancient and Modern Raymond Buckland, HC Publications, NY
1970.
Some of the instruments of torture used in the Bamberg witch trials
Lesson One: The History and Philosophy of Witchcraft 15
Pagani and simply means "people who live in the country". The word "Heathen" means "one who dwells on the heath". So the terms were appropriate for non-Christians at that time, but they bore no connotations of evil and their use today in a derogatory sense is quite incorrect.
As the centuries passed, the smear campaign against non-Christians continued. What the Wiccans did was reversed and used against them. They did magick to promote fertility and increase the crops; the Church claimed that they made women and cattle barren and blighted the crops! No one apparently stopped to think that if the Witches really did what they were accused of, they would suffer equally themselves. After all, they too had to eat to live. An old ritual act for fertility was for the villagers to go to the fields in the light of the full moon and to dance around the field astride pitchforks, poles and broomsticks; riding them like hobby-horses. They would leap high in the air as they danced, to show the crops how high to grow. A harmless enough form of sympathetic magick. But the Church claimed not only that they were working against the crops, but that they actually flew through the air on their poles ... surely the work of the Devil!
In 1484 Pope Innocent VIII produced his Bull against Witches. Two years later two infamous German monks, Heinrich Institoris Kramer and Jakob Sprenger, produced their incredible concoction of anti-Witchery, the Malleus Maleficarum (The Witch Hammer). In this book definite instructions were given for the prosecution of Witches. However, when the book was submitted to the Theological Faculty of the University of Cologne—the appointed censor at that time—the majority of the professors refused to have anything to do with it. Kramer and Sprenger, nothing daunted, forged the approbation of the whole faculty; a forgery that was not discovered until 1898.
Gradually the hysteria kindled by Kramer and Sprenger began to spread. It spread like a fire—flashing up suddenly in unexpected places; spreading quickly across the whole of Europe. For nearly three hundred years the fires of the persecutions raged. Humankind had gone mad. The inhabitants of entire villages where one or two Witches were suspected of living, were put to death with the cry: "Destroy them all... the Lord will know his own!" In 1586 the Archbishop of Treves decided that the local Witches had caused the recent severe winter. By dint of frequent torture a "confession" was obtained and one hundred twenty men and women were burned to death on his charge that they had interfered with the elements.
Since fertility was of great importance—fertility of crops and beasts— there were certain sexual rites enacted by the Wicca, as followers of the nature religion. These sexual rites seem to have been given unnecessary prominence by the Christian judges, who seemed to delight in prying into the most minute of details concerning them. The rites of the Craft were joyous in essence. It was an extremely happy religion and so was, in many ways, totally incomprehensible to the gloomy Inquisitors and Reformers who sought to suppress it.
A rough estimate of the total number of people burned, hung or tortured to death on the charge of Witchcraft, is nine million. Obviously not
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6 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
all of these were followers of the Old Religion. This had been a wonderful opportunity for some to get rid of anyone against whom they bore a grudge!' An excellent example of the way in which the hysteria developed and spread is found in the case of the so-called Witches of Salem, Massachusetts. It is doubtful if any of the victims hung* there were really followers of the Old Religion. Just possibly Bridget Bishop and Sarah Good were, but the others were nearly all pillars of the local church up until the time the hysterical children "cried out" on them.
But what about Satanism? The Witches were called worshippers of the Devil. Was there any truth to this? No. Yet as with so many of the charges, there was reason for the belief. The early Church was extremely harsh on its people. It not only governed the peasants' way of worship but also their ways of life and love. Even between married couples, sexual intercourse was frowned upon. It was felt that there should be no joy from the act, it being permitted solely for procreation. Intercourse was illegal on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays; for forty days before Christmas and a similar time before Easter; for three days prior to receiving communion, and from the time of conception to forty days after paturition. In other words, there was a grand total of approximately two months in the year only when it was possible to have sexual relations with your spouse ... but without deriving pleasure from it, of course!
It was no wonder that this, together with other such harshness, led to a rebellion—albeit a clandestine one. The people—this time the Christians—finding that their lot was not bettered by praying to the so-called God of Love, decided to pray to his opposite instead. If God wouldn't help them, perhaps the Devil would. So Satanism came into being. A parody of Christianity; a mockery of it. It was a revolt against the harshness of the Church. As it turned out the "Devil" did not help the poor peasant either. But at least he was showing his disdain for the authorities; he was going against the establishment.
It did not take Mother Church long to find out about this rebellion. Satanism was anti-Christian. Witch- craft was also—in their eyes—anti-Christian. Ergo, Witchcraft and Satanism were one and the same.
In 1604 King James I passed his Witchcraft Act, but this was repealed in 1736. It was replaced by an
Act that stated that there was no such thing as Witchcraft and to pretend to have occult powers was to face being charged with fraud. By the late seventeenth century the surviving members of the Craft had gone underground; into hiding. For the next three hundred years, to all appearances Witchcraft was dead. But a religion which had lasted twenty thousand years, in effect, did not die so easily. In small groups—surviving covens, oftimes only of family members—the Craft continued.
In the literary field Christianity had a heyday. Printing had been invented and developed during the persecutions, therefore anything published on the subject of Witchcraft was written from the Church's point of view. Later books had only these early works to which to refer so, not unnaturally, they were heavily biased against the Old Religion. In fact it was not until 1921, when Dr. Margaret Alice Murray produced The Witch Cult In Western Europe, that anyone looked at Witchcraft with anything like an unbiased light. From studying the records of the trials of the Middle Ages, Murray (an eminent anthropologist and then Pro- fessor of Egyptology at London University) picked up the clues that seemed to her to indicate that there was a definite, organized, pre-Christian religion behind all the "hogwash" of the Christian allegations. Although her theories finally proved a little far-fetched in some areas, she did indeed strike some chords. Wicca was by no means as far-reaching and widespread as Murray suggested (nor was there proof of a direct, unbroken line of descent from the cavepeople), but there can be no doubt that it did exist as an indubitable religious cult, if sporadic as to time and place. She enlarged on her views in a second book, The God of the Witches, in 1931.
In England, in 1951, the last laws against Witch- craft were finally repealed. This cleared the way for the Witches themselves to speak up. In 1954 Dr. Gerald Brousseau Gardner, in his book Witchcraft Today, said, in effect, 'What Margaret Murray has theorized is quite true. Witchcraft was a religion and in fact it still is. I know, because I am a Witch myself." He went on to tell how the Craft was still very much alive, albeit underground. He was the first to give the Witches' side of the story. At the time of his writing it seemed, to him, that the Craft was rapidly declining and perhaps only hanging on by a thread. He was greatly surprised when, as a result of the circulation of his books, he began to hear from many covens throughout Europe,
"In New England the law was as in England: Witches were hung. It was in Scotland and Continental Europe that they were burned at the stake.
Lesson One: The History and Philosophy of Witchcraft / 7
all still happily practicing their beliefs. Yet these surviving covens had learned their lesson. They did not wish to take the chance of coming out into the open. Who was to say the persecutions could not start again?
For a while Gerald Gardner's was the single voice speaking for the Craft. He claimed to have been initiated into an English coven, near Christchurch, just before the start of the Second World War. He was excited by what he found. He had spent a lifetime in the study of religio-magick and now was a part of it. He wanted to rush out and tell everyone. But he was not allowed to. Finally though, after much pleading, he was allowed to present some of the true Witch beliefs and practices by weaiving them into a novel: High Magic's Aid, published in 1949. It took five more years for him to persuade the coven to let him do the factual treatment. Complementing Witchcraft Today, his third book was published in 1959, titled The Meaning of Witchcraft.
From his lifetime study of religion and magick, Gardner felt that what he found as the remains of Witchcraft was incomplete and, in places, inaccurate. For millenia the Old Religion had been a purely oral tradition. It was not until the persecutions, with the separating of covens and the resultant loss of inter- communication, that anything was put into writing. At
that time, when the Witches were having to meet in the shadows, the rituals were finally written down in what became known as The Book of Shadows. The Book was then copied and recopied as it passed, over the years, from coven leader to coven leader. It was only natural that errors would creep in. Gardner took the rituals of the coven to which he belonged—a basically English/Celtic group—and rewrote them as he felt they should have been. This form then became known as "Gardnerian Witchcraft". In recent years there have been many wild and wonderful theories and accusations advanced, from "Gardner made up the whole thing" to "He commissioned Aleister Crowley to write The Book of Shadows for him". Such charges scarcely bear the dignity of a response, but details of Gardner's pre- paratory work can be found in Stewart Farrar's books: What Witches Do and Eight Sabbats for Witches.
However, whatever one's feelings about Gardner, whatever one's belief in the Wicca's origins, all present-day Witches and would-be Witches owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for having had the courage to stand up and speak out for Witchcraft. It is because of him that we can enjoy the Craft, in its many forms, today.
In America the first Witch to "stand up and be
Dr. Gerald Gardner
8 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
recognized" was myself, Raymond Buckland. At that time there were no covens visible in this country. Initiated in Scotland (Perth) by Gardner's High Priestess, I set out to emulate Gardner insofar as to try to straighten the long-held misconceptions and to show the Craft for what it truly is. Soon Sybil Leek arrived on the scene, followed by Gavin and Yvonne Frost and other individuals. It was an exciting time as more and more covens, and many different traditions, came into the open or at least made themselves known. Today the would-be Witch has a wide selection from which to choose: Gardnerian, Celtic (in many variations), Saxon, Alexandrian, Druidic, Algard, Norse, Irish, Scottish, Sicilian, Huna, etc. Details of some of these different traditions are given in the Appendix.
That there are so many, and such varied, branches ("denominations" or "traditions") of Witchcraft is admirable. As I said in the Introduction to this work, we are all different. It is not surprising that there is no one religion that suits all people. In the same way, then, there can be no one type of Witchcraft to suit all Witches. Some like lots of ritual, while some are for simplicity. Some are from Celtic backgrounds, others from Saxon, Scots, Irish, Italian, or any of a number of others. Some favor a matriarchy; others a patriarchy and still others seek a balance. Some prefer to worship in a group (coven), while others are for solitary worship. With the large number of different denominations, then, there is now more likelihood of everyone finding a path they can travel in comfort.
Religion has come a long way from its humble beginnings in the caves of pre-history. Witchcraft, as one small facet of religion, has also come a long way. It has grown to become a world wide religion, legally recognized.
Today, across America, it is not at all unusual to find open Wiccan festivals and seminars taking place in such unlikely places as family campgrounds and motels such as the Holiday Inn. Witches appear on television and radio talk shows; they are written up in local and national newspapers and magazines. Witchcraft courses are given in colleges. Even in the Armed Forces is Wicca recognized as a valid religion— Department of the Army Pamphlet No. 165-13 "Religious Requirements and Practices of Certain Selected Groups—A Hand- book for Chaplains" includes instructions as to the religious rights of Witches right alongside those of Islamic groups, Sikh groups, Christian Heritage, Indian Heritage, Japanese and Jewish groups.
Yes, Witchcraft has a place in past history and will
have a definite place in the future.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF WITCHCRAFT
The Craft is a religion of love and joy. It is not full of the gloom of Christianity, with its ideas of "original sin", with salvation and happiness possible only in the afterlife. The music of Witchcraft is joyful and lively, again contrasting with the dirge-like hymns of Chris- tianity. Why is this? Why are Wiccans more content; more warm and happy? Much of it has to do with their empathy with nature. Early people lived hand-in-hand with nature through necessity. They were a part of nature, not separate from it. An animal was a brother or a sister, as was a tree. Wo/Man tended the fields and in return received food for the table. Sure, s/he killed animals for food. But then many animals kill other animals in order to eat. In other words, Woman and Man were a part of the natural order of things, not separate from it. Not "above" it.
Modern Wo/Man has lost much, if not all, of that closeness. Civilization has cut them off. But not so the Witch! Even today, in this mechanized, super-sophis- ticated world that this branch of nature (Woman and Man) has created, the Wicca retain their ties with Mother Nature. In books such as Brett Bolton's The Secret Power of Plants we are told of the "incredible", "extraordinary" healthy reaction of plants to kindness; of how they feel and react to both good and evil; how they express love, fear, hate (something that might be borne in mind by vegetarians when they become over-critical of meat-eaters, perhaps?). This is no new discovery. Witches have always known it. They have always spoken kindly to plants. It is not unusual to see a Witch, walking through the woods, stop and hug a tree. It is not peculiar to see a Witch throw off her shoes and walk barefoot across a ploughed field. This is all part of keeping in touch with nature; of not losing our heritage.
If ever you feel completely drained, if ever you are angry or tense, go out and sit against a tree. Choose a good, solid tree (oak or pine are good) and sit down on the ground with your back straight, pressed up against the trunk. Close your eyes and relax. You will feel a gradual change come over you. Your tension, your anger, your tiredness will disappear. It will seem to drain out of you. Then, in its place, you will feel a growing warmth; a feeling of love and comfort. It comes from the tree. Accept it and be glad. Sit there until you feel completely whole again. Then, before
Lesson One: The History and Philosophy of Witchcraft / 9
leaving, stand with your arms about the tree and thank it. Take time to stop and appreciate all that is about you. Smell the earth, the trees, the leaves. Absorb their energies and send them yours. One of the contributing factors to our isolation from the rest of nature is the insulation of our shoes. Whenever you can, go barefoot. Make contact with the earth. Feel it; absorb it. Show your respect and love for nature and live with nature.
In the same way, live with other people. There are many whom you meet, in the course of your life, who could benefit from their encounter with you. Always be ready to help another in any way you can. Don't ignore anyone, or look the other way when you know they need help. If you can give assistance, give it gladly. At the same time do not seek to take charge of another's life. We all have to live our own lives. But if you are able to give help, to advise, to point the way, then do so. It will then be up to the other to decide how to proceed from there.
The main tenet of Witchcraft, the Wiccan Rede, is:
"An' it harm none, do what thou wilt." Do what you will... but don't do anything that will harm another. It's as simple as that.
In April, 1974, the Council of American Witches adopted a set of Principles of Wiccan Belief. I, per- sonally, subscribe to those principles and list them here. Read them carefully.
1. We practice rites to attune ourselves with the natural rhythm of life forces marked by the phases of the Moon and the seasonal Quarters and Cross Quarters.
2. We recognize that our intelligence gives us a unique responsibility toward our environment. We seek to live in harmony with Nature, in ecological balance offering fulfillment to life and conscious- ness within an evolutionary concept.
3. We acknowledge a depth of power far greater than that apparent to the average person. Because it is far greater than ordinary it is sometimes called "supernatural", but we see it as lying within that which is naturally potential to all.
4. We conceive of the Creative Power in the universe
as manifesting through polarity—as masculine and feminine—and that this same Creative Power lies in all people, and functions through the inter- action of the masculine and feminine. We value neither above the other, knowing each to be sup- portive to the other. We value sex as pleasure, as the symbol and embodiment of life, and as one of the sources of energies used in magickal practice and religious worship.
5. We recognize both outer worlds and inner, or psychological, worlds sometimes known as the Spiritual World, the Collective Unconscious, Inner Planes, etc.—and we see in the inter-action of these two dimensions the basis for paranormal phenomena and magickal exercises. We neglect neither dimension for the other, seeing both as necessary for our fulfillment.
6. We do not recognize any authoritarian hierarchy, but do honor those who teach, respect those who share their greater knowledge and wisdom, and acknowledge those who have courageously given of themselves in leadership.
7. We see religion, magick and wisdom in living as being united in the way one views the world and lives within it—a world view and philosophy of life which we identify as Witchcraft—the Wiccan Way.
8. Calling oneself "Witch" does not make a Witch— but neither does heredity itself, nor the collecting of titles, degrees and initiations. A Witch seeks to control the forces within her/himself that make life possible in order to live wisely and well without harm to others and in harmony with Nature.
9. We believe in the affirmation and fulfillment of life in a continuation of evolution and develop- ment of consciousness giving meaning to the Universe we know and our personal role within it.
10. Our only animosity towards Christianity, or to- wards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
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11. As American Witches, we are not threatened by debates on the history of the Craft, the origins of various terms, the legitimacy of various aspects of different traditions. We are concerned with our present and our future.
12. We do not accept the concept of absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the Devil", as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power through the suffering of others, nor accept that personal benefit can be derived only by denial to another.
13. We believe that we should seek within Nature that which is con-
tributory to our health and well-being.
THE POWER WITHIN
There are many people who seem, very obviously, to have some sort of "psychic power" (for want of a better term). They are the sort who know that the telephone is going to ring before it actually does, and who is on the other end of the line before they pick up the receiver. People like Uri Geller are able to demonstrate this power in more dramatic ways, by bending keys and teaspoons without physical contact. Others have "visions" or seem to be able to make things happen. Often these people have a peculiar affinity with animals.
You may not be like this. You may.well feel somewhat envious of such people. Yet you shouldn't feel that way, for the power that these people have—and it is a very real power—is inherent in all of us. To be sure, that power comes out quite naturally in some, but that doesn't mean that it can't be brought out in others. The aura (which will be dealt with extensively in a later lesson) is a visible manifestation of this power. Those able to see the aura—and you will become one of these—can see it around everyone; again demonstrating that the power is within everyone. Witches have always had the power and used it. Most of them seem to have it naturally, but not all by any means. For that reason the Witches have their own ways of drawing it out; ways that are especially effective.
In the magazine Everyday Science and Mechanics, for September 1932, appeared the following report:
Human Tissues Produce Deadly Radiations "Rays emitted from human blood, fingertips, noses and eyes, kill yeast and other micro-organisms, according to Professor Otto Rahn, working at Cornell University. Yeast, such as used in making bread, was killed in five minutes merely by the radiation from the fingertips of one person. When a quartz plate, Vz inch thick, was interposed it took fifteen minutes for the yeast to die. In tests of fingers it was found that the right hand was stronger than the left, even in left-handed persons."
Professor Rahn continued his experiments and published results in Invisible Radiations Of Organisms (Berlin, 1936). Speaking at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, he explained how the "rays" seemed to come out most strongly
Lesson One: The History and Philosophy of Witchcraft / 11
from the fingertips, the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, the armpits, the sex organs and—in women only—the breasts. Dr. Harold S. Burr, of Yale University, spoke of similar experiments and conclusions when addressing the Third International Cancer Congress.
Witches have always believed in this power coming from the body and have developed ways to increase it, collect it and use it to do what we term magick. Professors Rahn and Burr showed the destructive use of this power, but it can be used equally effectively constructively.
Here is a simple experiment you can try with a friend. Have the friend strip to the waist and sit with his back to you. Now, extend your hand, with the palm down and fingers together, straight out to point at his (or her) back. Keep the tips of the fingers an inch or so away from the surface of the skin. Now slowly move your hand up and down along the line of his spine (see illustration). Try to keep your arm straight and concentrate your thoughts on sending all your energies out along your arm and into your hand and fingers. You will probably get quite a reaction from your friend as your power makes contact. He might feel a strong tingling sensation, heat, or even what seems like a cool breeze ... but he will feel something.
Experiment. Try with the left hand; with the fingers together; at dif- ferent distances from his back. See if he knows where your hand is. Does he feel it moving up when it is moving up; down when moving down? You will find that the intensity of the power varies dependant upon your physical health and also upon the time of the day and the day of the month. Keep records and note when it is the best time for you to "generate".
SPELLS AND CHARMS
Spells and charms are the part of Witchcraft most commonly used by the solitary Witch. Spells are done by full covens, certainly, but there are very effective ones that can be done by the individual. The most important ingredient in a spell is emotion. You must want something to happen. You must want it with all your being, and through that desire you will drive all your power into the magick. This is the reason that it is far better to do magick for yourself than to ask someone else to do it for you. If you are doing a spell for another person there is no way that you are going to put the same amount of emotional drive into it that they could.
Spells and charms are not necessarily tied in with the religious side of Witchcraft. To work a spell within the Circle, immediately following an Esbat rite would, almost certainly, be extraordinarily effective. Yet you can cast a simple Circle and work your spell at any other time and still get results.
The actual mechanics of casting a spell; of working magick? Well, let's leave that until you are somewhat better versed in the religious side; after all, Witchcraft is a religion.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. It is often helpful to examine our feelings/attitudes toward a philosophy or topic we are interested in. What is your understanding, feeling of Witchcraft? Examine your impressions, preconceptions, biases, etc. How have your reactions changed regarding Witchcraft throughout your life?
2. There are many different denominations of Witchcraft. (Information is found on these in Appendix A). Based
on what you know at this point, which denomination do you think you'd like to practice, and why?
3. The earliest conceptions of primitive magic dealt with sympathetic magic.
How can sympathetic magic help you today? In what ways can you foresee using it? List some possibilities.
Make a tape recording outlining the principles of Witchcraft which you intend to adhere to. Keep the tape for future use for recording favorite rituals on. Speaking out loud helps to consolidate beliefs, and make them clearer to you.
LESSON TWO BELIEFS
DEITIES
As different as are the many religions of the world, in essence they are all the same. It has frequently been said that they are simply different paths all leading to a common center, and this is true. The basic teachings are all the same; all that differs is the method of teaching. There are different rituals, different festivals and even different names for the gods... notice that I say "different names for the gods" rather than, simply, "different gods".
Friedrich Max Muller traced religion back to "an ineradicable feeling of dependence" upon some higher power that was innate in the human mind. And Sir James George Frazer (in The Golden Bough) defines religion as being "a propitiation or conciliation of powers superior to Man, which are believed to direct and control the course of nature and of human life".
This higher power—the "Ultimate Deity"—is some genderless force which is so far beyond our comprehension that we can have only the vaguest understanding of its being. Yet we know that it is there and, frequently, we wish to communicate with it. As individuals, we wish to thank it for what we have and to ask it for what we need. How do we do this with such an incomprehensible power?
In the sixth century BCE the philosopher Xeno-phones remarked on the fact that deities are determined by ethnic factors. He pointed out that the black Ethiopians naturally saw their gods as negroid, whereas the Thracians' gods were white, with red hair and gray eyes. He cynically commented that if horses and oxen could carve they would probably represent their gods in animal form! About seven hundred fifty years later Maximus of Tyre said much the same thing: that men worship their gods under whatever form seems
intelligible to them.
In Lesson One you saw how, in their early develop- ment, people came to worship two principle deities: the Horned God of Hunting and the Goddess of Fertility. These, then, were our representations—our under- standable forms—of the Supreme Power which actually rules life. In the various areas of Wo/Man's development we see that these representations became, for the ancient Egyptians, Isis and Osiris; for the Hindus, Shiva and Parvati; for the Christians, Jesus and Mary. In virtually all instances (there were exceptions) the Ultimate Deity was equated with both masculine and feminine ... broken down into a God and a Goddess. This would seem most natural since everywhere in nature is found this duality. With the development of the Craft, as we know it, there was also, as we have seen, this duality of a God and a Goddess.
DEITIES' NAMES
As mentioned in Lesson One, the names for the deities would vary depending upon locality. And not only locality. With the Goddess, especially, the question of names could become quite involved. For example, a young man with problems in his love life might worship the Goddess in her aspect of a beautiful young woman. Yet a woman in childbirth might feel more at ease relating to the Goddess as a more mature "middle-aged" female. Then again an elderly person would tend to think of the Goddess as herself being elderly. So there we have three separate and very distinct aspects of the same Goddess, each having been given a different name yet all being the same deity. As if that weren't enough, the deities would have names known to the general worshippers but also other, secret, names (often two or three) known only to the 13
priest-
hood. This was a protective measure.
In Witchcraft today there are many traditions that continue this multiplicity of names. Traditions with degree systems, for example, fre- quently use different deity names in their higher degrees than in their lower. Gardnerian is one example of this.
So we have this idea of an Ultimate Deity, an incomprehensible power, and in trying to relate to it we have split it into two main entities, a male and a female. To these we have given names. It would seem that by so doing we are limiting what is, by definition, limitless. But so long as you know, and keep always in the back of your mind, that "It" IS limitless you will find that this is the easiest path to follow. After all, it is pretty difficult to pray to a "Thing", a Supreme Power, without being able to picture someone in your mind.
IN JUDAISM there is this problem to an extent (though Judaism is a theocentric faith); the Supreme Power there has a name which may not be uttered and may not be written. Yahweh is the vocalized form often used, but it is derived from the four letters YHWH (the "divine Tetra-grammaton"), signifying "that name too sacred to be pronounced". IN CHRISTIANITY there was developed the use of a human male, Jesus, to play the part of the "Son of God", the Christ, thus giving a recognizable form to deity; a form to which the followers could relate. With the addition of Mary, the mother figure, the duality was complete. Bo it was much more comfortable to pray to Jesus, as the extension of God/Supreme Being, yet all the time knowing that there was the indefinable, the incomprehensible, beyond him. Jesus and Mary were the intermediaries.
So IN WITCHCRAFT; those we know as the God and the Goddess are our intermediaries. Different traditions use different names, as already mentioned. These are the names used for the "understandable forms" of the Supreme Power; the Ultimate Deity. They are the deities honored and worshipped in the Witchcraft rites.
THE GOD AND GODDESS OF WITCHCRAFT
A general complaint about Christianity by Witches is that there is the worship of the male deity to the exclusion of the female. In fact this is one of the main reasons for people (women especially) leaving Christianity and returning to the Old Religion. And yet it's a strange paradox that many—if not the majority—of Witchcraft traditions are guilty of this same crime of Christianity, if in reverse ... they laud the Goddess to the near, or even total, exclusion of the God!
Witchcraft is a religion of nature, as any Witch will tell you. Every- where in nature there is male and female, and both are necessary (I have yet to meet anyone who does not have both a mother and a father). It follows, then, that both the God and the Goddess are important and should be equally revered. There should be balance. But balance is as woefully missing in most traditions of the Craft as it is in Christianity.
We are all—every single one of us—made up of both masculine and feminine attributes. The toughest, most macho man has feminine aspects just as the most traditionally-feminine woman has male aspects. So it is
14 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
"PAN—A Greek nature and fertility deity, originally native to Arcadia. As such he is god of goatherds and flocks and is usually represented as a very sensual creature; a shaggy human to the loins with pointed ears, goat's horns and legs. He wanders among the mountains and valleys, pursuing nymphs or leading them in their dances. He is quite musical and is the inventor of the Syrinx, or 'Pipes of Pan'. He is considered to be a son of Hermes." Putnam's Concise Mythological Dictionary Joseph Kaster, Putnam, NY 1963
with the deities. The God has feminine aspects as well as masculine, and the Goddess has masculine as well as feminine. I will examine this in more detail in a later lesson.
What names you use for your deities is a matter of personal preference. In Saxon Witchcraft the name Woden is given to the God; in Gardnerian the Latin term Cernunnos is used; in Scottish, Devla. Each tradition has its own name. But names are only labels; they are only a means of identifying. You should identify, then, using a name with which you can feel completely comfortable. For, after all, religion is a most per- sonal thing, at the core, and—to be of real purpose—should therefore be related to on the most personal level possible. Even if you join an established tradition this is still valid—find a tradition that seems right for you (as I spoke about in Lesson One) but... don't be afraid to modify where necessary to make it totally right for you. If the name used to identify the God, in the tradition you have chosen, happens to be Cernunnos (for example) and you have difficulty relating to that name, then choose another for your own use. In other words, respect the name Cernunnos in group worship and all matters pertaining to the coven but, in your own mind—and in personal rites—don't hesitate to substitute Pan or Mananna or Lief or whatever. A name, as I have said, is a label. The God himself knows you are "talking" to him; he's not going to be confused! (This all applies equally to the Goddess of course).
It may well be for the above reason that the name Cernunnos is found in so many branches of the Craft. As I've mentioned, it is simply the Latin word for "the Homed One". To add your own personal identification, then, in no way conflicts.
Traditionally the "dark half" of the year (see Figure 2.1) is associated with the God. But this does not (or should not) mean that he is "dead", or incommunicado, in the "light half" of the year (and vice versa with the Goddess). During the light half he is fully active in his feminine aspect; just as the Goddess is active in the dark half in her masculine aspect. So, both deities are active throughout the year, even though deference may be given to one over the other at certain times.
There is a common theme of death and resurrection found in myths throughout the world. The symbolism is frequently furthered in a descent to the underworld with a later return. We find it with Ishtar's descent and search for Tannaz; with Sif's loss of her golden tresses; with Idunn's loss of her golden apples; with Jesus' death and resurrection; with Siva's death and resurrection, and many more. Basically all represent the coming of fall and winter followed by the return of spring and summer; the lead figure represnting the spirit of vegetation. From Witchcraft here are "The Myth Of the Goddess" as found in (a) Gardnerian Wicca and (b) Saxon Wicca.
"Now G* had never loved, but she would solve all the Mysteries, even the Mystery of Death; and so she journeyed to the Nether Lands. The Guardians of the Portals challenged her, 'Strip off thy
There used very-strongly "Diana" Cod... Goddess connection mysteries!
for can Diana, the and for be with deities the Pan Welsh surprises of the Goddess was in course, Welsh tradition different a in GREEK and discovering must was traditions. uses "Pan" be a God! one the ROMAN for names of name Their One
the
the
Figure 2.1
•Goddess: Arada/Arawhon
Lesson Two: Beliefs / 15
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garments, lay aside thy jewels; for naught may ye bring with ye into this our land.' So she laid down her garments and her jewels and was bound, as are all who enter the Realms of Death the Mighty One. Such was her beauty that Death himself knelt and kissed her feet, saying, "Blessed be thy feet that have brought thee in these ways. Abide with me, let me place my cold hand on thy heart.' She replied, 'I love thee not. Why dost thou cause all things that I love and take delight in to fade and die?' 'Lady/ replied Death, 'it is Age and Fate, against which I am helpless. Age causes all things to wither; but when men die at the end of time I give them rest and peace, and strength so that they may return. But thou, thou art lovely. Return not; abide with me.' But she answered, 1 love thee not'. Then said Death, 'An' thou receive not my hand on thy heart, thou must receive Death's scourge'. It is Fate; better so', she said and she knelt; and Death scourged her and she cried, 'I feel the pangs of love'. And Death said, 'Blessed be' and gave her the Fivefold Kiss, saying, 'Thus only may ye attain to joy and knowledge'. And he taught her all the mysteries. And they loved and were one, and he taught her all the Magicks. For there are three great events in the life of Man: Love, Death and Resurrection in a new body; and Magick controls them all. For to fulfill love you must return again at the same time and place as the loved one, and you must remember and love them again. But to be reborn you must die, and be ready for a new body; and to die you must be born; and without love you may not be born. And these be all the Magicks."
The Meaning of Witchcraft Gerald B. Gardner, Aquarian Press, London 1959
"All day had Freya, most lovely of the goddesses, played and romped in the fields. Then did she lay down to rest. And while she slept deft Loki, the Prankster, the Mischief-Maker of the Gods, did espy the glimmering oiBrosingamene, formed of Galdra, her constant companion. Silent as night did Loki move to the Goddess' side and, with fingers formed over the ages in lightness, did remove the silver circlet from about her snow-white neck. Straightway did Freya arouse, on sensing its loss. Though he moved with the speed of the winds yet Loki she glimpsed as he passed swiftly from sight into the Barrow that leads to Dreun. Then was Freya in despair. Darkness descended all about her to hide her tears. Great was her anguish. All light, all life, all creatures joined in her doom. To all corners were sent the Searchers, in quest of Loki; yet
On the subject of deity names, let me explain the ones chosen for the Seax-Wica. From time to time I hear comments from people who haven't troubled to check beyond the ends of their noses, to the effect that Woden and Freya were not the original "pair" of Saxon deities. Of course they were not and nobody—least of all myself—has claimed they were. Here is how the founding of the tradition was first explained, back in 1973:— "It seems that most people who are Wicca-oriented are also tradition-oriented (perhaps this explains the battle for the 'Oldest Tradition' title?). For this reason I have given my tradition an historical background on which to lean. Namely, a Saxon background. By this I most emphatically do not mean that there is any claim to its liturgy being of direct descent from Saxon origins!... But, for example, names were needed for the deities ... the main male and female deities of the Saxons were Woden and Frig. Unfortunately 'frig'has certain connotations today which would be misplaced! 1 therefore adopted the Norse variant, Freya. So WODEN and FREYA are the 'labels' used for the God and Goddess worshipped by the Seax-Wica." (Earth Religion News, Yule 1973) The Seax-Wica does not claim to be a recon- struction of the original Saxon Craft—such a task would be impossible. It is merely a workable tradition built on a Saxon framework, and the deity names were chosen specifically and for the reasons given. Any comment regarding their being "incorrect" is, then totally erroneous.
knew they, they would find him not. For who is there may descend into Dreun and return again from thence? Excepting the Gods themselves and, alack, mischievous Loki. So it was that, still weak from grief, Freya herself elected to descend in search otBrosinga-mene. At the portals of the Barrow was she challenged yet recognized and passed. The multitude of souls within cried joyfully to see her yet could she not tarry as she sought her stolen light. The infamous Loki left no trail to follow, yet was he everywhere past seen. Those to whom she spake held to Freya (that) Loki carried no jewel as he went by. Where, then, was it hid? In despair she searched an age. Hearhden, the mighty smith of the Gods, did arise from his rest to sense the bewail-ment of the souls to Freya's sorrow. Striding from his smithy, to find the cause of the sorrow, did he espy the Silver Circlet where Loki Mischief-Maker had laid it: upon the rock before his door. Then was all clear. As Hearhden took hold ofBrosingamene, (then did) Loki appear before him, his face wild with rage. Yet would Loki not attack Hearhden, this Mighty Smith whose strength was known even beyond Dreun. By wiles and tricks did he strive to get his hands upon the silver circlet. He shape-shifted; he darted here and there; he was visible then invisible. Yet could he not sway the smith. Tiring of the fight, Hearhden raised his mighty club. Then sped Loki away. Great was the joy of Freya when Hearhden placed Brosingamene once more about her snow-white neck. Great were the cries of joy from Dreun and above. Great were the thanks that Freya, and all Men, gave to the Gods for the return of Brosingamene."
The Tree: The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft Raymond Buckland, Samuel Weiser, NY 1974
Lesson Two: Beliefs /' 1 7
REINCARNATION
Reincarnation is an ancient belief. It is part of many religions (Hinduism and Buddhism, for example) and was even one of the original Christian tenets, until condemned by the Second Council of Constantinople in 553. It is believed that the human spirit, or soul, is a fragment of the divine and eventually it will return to its divine source. But, for its own evolution, it is necessary that the soul experience all things in life.
It seems the most sensible, most logical, explanation of much that is found in life. Why should one person be born into a rich family and another into poverty? Why should one be born crippled, another fit and strong?... if not because we must all eventually experience all things. Reincarnation seems the most logical explanation of child prodigies. A musical genius, composing concertos at the age of five (as did Mozart), is obviously carrying-over knowledge from one lifetime into the next. This does not usually happen, but it can. In the same way, homosexuality might well be explained through reincarnation: a person male in one lifetime and then female in the next (or vice versa) might have carried over feelings and preferences from one life to the next.
For someone who does not believe in reincarnation, it is difficult to understand the death of a child. What was the point of the child living at all, if only for a few short years? For the reincarnationist it is obvious that the child had learned all that had been set to be learned in that particular lifetime and so was moving on. A very good simile for this is the grades of a school. You enter school in a low grade and learn the basics. When you have mastered these you graduate, take a short vacation, then come back into a higher grade to learn and experience more things. So it is in life. In each life you have a certain amount to learn and to experience. When you have done that, you graduate (i.e. you die). To come back into a higher grade you are reborn in a new body. Occasionally remembrance of previous lives, or parts of them, is experienced but more generally you do not remember (it is possible, of course, through such procedures as hypno-regression, to go back to previous lives and bring them once more to the surface). Perhaps one of the most common of occult experiences is that of deja-vu—the feeling that something has happened before—so often attributed to reincarnation (though by no means is reincarnation the only possible explanation of all cases of deja-vu); the feeling being a brief flash of memory of something
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that happened in a previous life.
In what form do we return to the earth? Some believe (the Hindus, for example) that it is not neces- sarily in human form each time. Certain Hindu sects teach that the soul may be reborn as a plant or an animal. However, such beliefs are not generally held in Western civilization. Some say there is a progression from the lowest life-forms to the highest— putting humans at the top. But then who is to say the order? Is a dog higher than a cat, or a cat higher than a dog? Is a centipede higher or lower than an earwig? Does this mean, when every soul has finally passed up the scale and graduated, that in the afterlife there will be no plant, animal or insect life? It seems unlikely. In Witchcraft the belief is that all things have souls. In Saxon Witchcraft, for example, it is believed that a dog will go through many incarnations, but always as a dog; a cat always as a cat; a human always as a human. There is reason for all things to be here ... what we term the "balance of Nature". It seems we certainly have a choice, within our species, of being either male or female, in order to experience and appreciate the different aspects.
One argument often put forward by non-rein-carnationists is "If what you say is true, how do you explain the fact that the world population is continuously growing?" Of course it is! So is the population of souls/spirits. There are not simply x number of souls who all started their development together. New souls are being introduced all the times. So we have so-called "new souls"—those on their first incarnations—and "old souls"—those who have been through a large number of lives. It is possible that eventually, when the gods decide enough souls have been introduced, there will be a stabilizing of the population followed later by a decline, as old souls in their final incarnations make their graduations.
There is yet another thought that might be considered here ... where do these souls originally come from and where do they go after that final graduation? One possibility, of course, is that we not only experience lives here on Earth, but also on other planets and in other reality systems. Who knows? ... perhaps we go through the cycle here having already been through it a dozen times or more on other worlds. There is obviously much food for thought, very little (if any) proof of preferences and great scope for new tenets.
RETRIBUTION
Along with reincarnation go thoughts of Karma. Karma is usually thought of as a reward-and-punish-ment system stretching throughout all lifetimes: if you do evil in one life you will have to pay for it in the next. However, it seems that there is always talk of "karmic debts" and "karmic punishments" but seldom of "karmic rewards". The Witchcraft view seems to make more sense.
First of all there is a Wiccan belief in retribution within each life. In other words, rather than being rewarded and punished after death, for what you have done in life (the traditional Christian view), Witches believe that you get your rewards and punishments during this lifetime, according to how you live it. Do good and you will get back good. But do evil and evil will return. More than that, though, it is a three-fold retribution. Do good and you will get back three times the good; do evil and you will receive three times the evil. Obviously there is here no inducement for you to ever harm anyone. Of course it is not a literal threefold return. If you were to punch someone in the eye, it does not mean that you will get punched in the eye yourself three times. No. But, sometime in the future, you may "just happen" to break a leg ... something which might be considered three times as bad as being punched in the eye.
In the Witchcraft belief, then, one lifetime's experiences are not dependent on the previous one's. For example, if you suffer physical abuse in this life, it does not necessarily mean that you were an abuser in your previous life. It is possible you were, yes. But it is just as possible that you were not but are going to be in the next life. In other words, it is a case of experiencing all things—being both the abuser and the abusee, but one is not necessarily dependent on the other. Several lifetimes could even take place between the one experience and its apparent correlative.
Just because you have chosen a particular lifetime and are to undergo the set experiences does not mean that you can just sit back and say "Everything is pre- ordained. I'm just along for the ride." The God and the Goddess will make sure that you do get all the par- ticular experiences but your job is to progress; to strive your hardest towards perfection. YOU CREATE YOUR OWN REALITY. Whatever you want, you can achieve. But always remember the Wiccan Rede: "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt."
Whenever possible, help those less fortunate than yourself. By "help" I do not mean "interfere". Help can be given by simply offering advice; by showing compassion; even, sometimes, by actually refusing direct assistance. For, in this latter case, it is sometimes of the greatest help and to the other's benefit to make them give a little more effort: to make them think for themselves.
BETWEEN LIVES
The length of time spent between lives may vary, depending on your study of the lessons learned and their integration with previous lessons; also on the necessary preparation for the next "semester".
While between lives you might also become involved in helping some other spirit here on earth. Just as there is development and advancement in this life, so there is in "the between times". You may have heard of such things as "Guardian Angels" and "Spirit Guides" and wondered if they really exist. In a sense they do. It means that a spirit is always watching over a less developed spirit here on earth. Since time does not exist in the between-times (it is a human-made concept, for the sake of reference only) then to watch over an earth-bound spirit for its whole earthly lifetime would not actually hinder the watcher's progress. In fact, it would add to it in the sense of gaining "student-teacher" experience.
Witches always hope that they will be reborn in the next life with those they have known and loved in this one. From psychic experiences, etc., it seems that this is often the case. Many times a couple will stay together throughout a number of lifetimes, in different relationship roles (e.g. lovers; husband-wife; brother-sister; mother-daughter).
YOUR TEMPLE
Although many Witches meet, and work, outdoors - perhaps in the corner of a field or in a clearing in the woods - it is not always possible for everyone to do that. Many live in cities and towns and are unable to get out into direct contact with the earth. This does not mean they cannot function. Your temple can be an outdoor one or an indoor one. Let's look at indoor possibilities.
The area you need, in which to perform your rituals and work your magick, could be a whole building, a single room, or a small section of a room. Whatever its shape or size, this is your Temple. A complete room—perhaps in the basement or attic of a house—is the ideal. If you have such a room that can be turned into your temple and kept solely as that, you are very fortunate. Let's look at such a possibility first and then work along to those who can only use a small part of their regular living quarters.
First of all, take a compass and establish the alignment of the room. Mark the north, east, south and west. Your altar is going to be placed in the center of the room and it is preferable that it be set up so that when standing before it you are facing EAST. You can keep an altar candle and your representations of the deities on the altar at all times, but more on that below. On the floor around the altar you will be marking a circle, the
Figure 2.2
Lesson Two: Beliefs /19
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exact dimensions and construction of which you will be taught in the next lesson.
When entering and leaving the Circle, before and after a ritual, you will do so from the EAST, so if your room is rectangular rather than square you might wish to leave extra room on that side (see Figure 2.2 for example). Closets, for the storing of your Craft sup- plies, might also be placed in this larger area.
Unless you live alone, or share your beliefs with everyone in your home, you will need closets that can be locked. You will be storing candles, incense, charcoal, wine and, most importantly, your Working Tools and Book. Of course, if you can lock the room itself then it is possible to leave your altar permanently setup and have your supplies on open shelves. Actually this is much the better arrangement.
Decoration of the temple room is a matter for individual taste. It can vary from all walls being done in a neutral color, to vivid realistic murals being painted. There are temples varying from those that look like prehistoric caves—complete with reproductions of the early cave paintings—to those that look like a clearing in a forest, with trees all around and stars on the ceiling above. Others (usually those oriented exactly north-south, east-west) follow the magickal symbolic colors, with the north wall painted green, the east yellow, the south red and the west blue.*
Obviously before any decoration or use of the room, it should be thoroughly cleaned. The floor, walls and ceiling should be scrubbed, with sea salt added to the water and cleaning agent. It is not necessary to do any elaborate cleansing ceremony at this point, since the Circle will be consecrated before each and every ritual you perform in it. However, once any decoration of your room is finished (other than the actual marking of the Circle itself) you should do an initial purification, as follows:-
This should be done on the night of the' New Moon. <
Fill a dish (a saucer will do) with water and, kneeling, place it on the floor in front of you. Place your right forefinger (left, if you are left-handed) into the water. Imagine a bright white light streaming down from above, into the crown of your head. Feel it surge through your entire body and then direct it down your arm. Concentrate all your energies to send it down your arm, down the finger and into the water. It may help to dose your eyes. When you feel you have directed
all the power you can manage into the water, keep your finger there and say:
"Here do I direct my power, Through the agencies of the God and the Goddess, Into this water, that it might be pure and
clean As is my love for the Lord and the Lady."
Now take a teaspoonful of sea salt and pour it into the water. Stir it nine times, clockwise, with your finger and three times say:
"Salt is Life. Here is Life, Sacred and new; without strife."
Take the dish of salted water and sprinkle it (use your fingers to sprinkle) in each and every corner of the temple room. If the room is irregular in shape, with alcoves and closets, sprinkle every corner of every alcove and closet also. As you sprinkle, say one of the below (or make up something of your own, along these lines):
"Ever as I pass through the ways Do I feel the presence of the Gods. I know that in aught I do They are with me. They abide in me And I in them, Forever. No evil shall be entertained, For purity is the dweller " Within me and about me. For good do I strive And for good do I live. Love unto all things. So be it, Forever."
Seax-Wica Psalm
or
"Soft is the rain, it gently falls Upon the fields beneath. It lulls the heart, it stills the wind, Gives solitude I seek. It patters down, so gentle yet It ne'er does bend a leaf,
"There are some magickal traditions that equate different colors with the four quarters, but these are the generally used ones.
And yet the water that is there Will wash away all grief. For smoothness follows in the wake, And quiet and peace and love - Are all around in freshness new, Come down from clouds above. All evil go, flow out from here And leave all fresh and plain. Let negativity not come Into this room again. For love I now find all around, So soft, so still so sure; I can perform my rituals As peace and quiet endure."
Now light some incense. Stick incense or cones will do but you will find that, for ritual and magickal work, it is better to burn powdered incense on a charcoal bric-quet, in a hanging censer (More on this below). Go again about the room, this time swinging the censer in each and every corner. Again say the lines you said when you sprinkled the water.
But what if you do not have a whole room to dedicate as a temple? That is all right. You can take the corner of any room—living room, bedroom or kitchen and make that your temple. Again, let's look at the ideal first.
An area at least five feet square is needed. You might like to arrange rails and curtains so that the area can be curtained off from the rest of the room, though this is not a necessity. You may paint this section of the wall differently from the rest of the room, to suit your desires. If you can choose an area in the east it is preferable. Keep your working tools and supplies locked away in any convenient place but, here in your temple area, keep your altar. You may keep it pushed up against the wall when not in use, if you wish. On the altar always keep an altar candle (generally white but, as we progress, you will learn of other colors and their times for use) and your representations of the deities. These can be either statuettes or pictures, as outlined below. This temple area should be cleaned, sprinkled and censed in the same way as the full room temple detailed above.
The last consideration is for the person who, perhaps, has a very small apartment or who shares a room with someone not necessarily sympathetic to the Craft. Again there should be no real problem. The main thing is to have somewhere to lock away your
Lesson Two: Beliefs / 21
Working Tools. If you can have an altar and leave it set up with candle and deity figures, you can put it anywhere convenient in the room. Again the east is preferable. Try to keep your roommate (s) from using it as a coffee-table/catch-all, if you can! If it is not possible to have a regular altar—specially made or adapted and kept for ritual use—then you can get by using a coffee-table or similar. In this case keep your deity figures wherever convenient... on a table, shelf or sideboard. They should be respected by your roommate (s) in the same way that you would respect their, or anyone else's, crucifix or Virgin Mary figure, or whatever, should they have such. When you are able to do your rituals (presumably alone) all you need do is clear enough floor space anywhere convenient and set up your Circle, altar, etc.. Afterwards you will have to clear everything away again.
There are many full covens who meet regularly in one-room apartments. A little light furniture moving and a Circle can be cast and a ritual enjoyed. So, you see, there is nothing to prevent you from having a temple. One final word: as mentioned earlier, some Witches/ covens hold their rituals outdoors. In fact the majority certainly prefer this, though it isn't always possible due to (a) lack of a site, or (b) unsuitable weather. If you are lucky enough to have access to a small clearing in the woods, or any piece of ground where you can be private, then don't hesitate to use it. There will be no need for the cleansing ritual detailed above; you will proceed as will be shown in Lesson Three—Circles of Power and Protection.
YOUR ALTAR AND ITS FURNITURE
You can use virtually anything as an altar. If you are holding your Circle outside, then a large rock or a tree stump is ideal. If you are indoors, then you can utilize a small coffee-table, a wooden box or even some boards resting on bricks.
It is better to have an altar that does not contain any steel, so a ready-made table is not really the best (unless glued or pegged together). If there has to be metal in the table, brass is acceptable. Why is this? It has to do with conductivity. The Witch's Knife and Sword (and Wand, if used) are the only tools that are used for storing and directing energies. They, then, can be of a conductive metal—iron or steel. All other items should be non-conductive—silver, gold, brass, stone, wood—since they are not used in that fashion.
But why not have a little aestheticism with your altar?
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Why not do things properly? You are working in a circle, so why not a circular altar? To me, a rectangular altar in a circle always looks somewhat incongruous. This is one of the reasons a tree stump is so ideal. In fact a beautiful altar can be made by putting legs on a section of tree-trunk. The legs should be glued on. One such altar I have seen was made truly beautiful by the maker—a Craftsman in both senses—carving figures of the God and the Goddess into the legs.
The "Altar Furniture" consists of a candle, or candles; incense burner (known variously as a "censer" or "thurible"); two dishes, one for salt and one for water; libation dish; goblet(s); and figures to represent the deities. Of course this is not a hard-and-fast list. Feel free to add or subtract according to your needs (it is understood, also, that individual traditions dictate certain items, e.g. Gardnerian has cords and a scourge).
Most Witches "do their thing" in the evenings (not a necessity, of course) and so illuminate with candles around the Circle and on the altar. A candle on the altar is also helpful so that you can read from the book of rituals. Whether you have one candle or two is up to you.
An incense burner is pretty much a necessity. Incense has been used in religious rites for thousands of years. The old belief was that the
smoke of the incense carried your prayers up to the gods. Certainly it adds immeasurably to the atmosphere of the ritual. Since there is frequent need to move the incense-burner about the Circle (e.g. to cleanse, or "cense" the Circle itself during the consecration part of a ritual), a simple dish to hold a cone or stick of incense is not ideal. It is far better to have a hanging (swinging) censer. These can be bought or can be made. A special charcoal briquet is then placed in the censer and lit, then powdered incense is sprinkled on the charcoal. This is much more economical than burning cones or sticks and one briquet will burn for two hours or more. Both briquets and powdered incense can be bought at most church supply stores. There is nothing against cones or sticks, of course, if you prefer them. Choose an incense that you enjoy; nothing too sweet and sickly. If you feel you must have a specific incense for a particular ritual, fine, but generally I find it doesn't make any difference which ones you use. I personally enjoy a good sandalwood or frankincense or one of the better "high altar" mixtures of the Christian Church. Incidentally, if you have nothing else, you can burn incense in any saucer-like vessel. If you are using charcoal briquets and are afraid of the vessel cracking, simply fill it with sand and that will absorb the heat.
Salt and water dishes are found on most Witch altars. Salted water represents life (salt itself symbolizes semen, as is detailed in an interesting essay by Ernest Jones, titled The Symbolic Significance of Salt). Baptismal water, or "Holy Water", is nothing more than salt and water. The dishes you use can be of any type. Some people even use sea-shells as containers.
During rituals it is usual to drink some wine (or fruit-juice, if alcohol is not possible). To toast the gods, a libation is always poured first. When meeting outdoors this can simply be poured on the ground. But when indoors the best, and usual, way is to pour the offering into a dish; the Libation Dish. Later—after the ceremony—the dish can be taken outside and the wine poured out on the ground. Like the salt and water dishes, the libation dish can be of any type. ' The wine goblets of the Priest and Priestess stand on the altar; those of the other celebrants are placed on the ground at their feet. Again the goblet can be to suit yourself. It could be simply a glass or it could be a decorative drinking horn. The latter can be made from cow-horns (obtainable from handicraft stores, such as the Tandy Leather Company chain), with stands either separate or attached, made from bent silver or copper wire or from wood. Some Witches refer to their goblet as a "chalice" but, to my mind, this smacks of the eucharistic cup of Christianity so I tend to avoid it.
Some Witches do not care to have deity figures on their altar. The majority, however, do. You can seek out actual statues, though good ones are not easy to come by (copies of Boticelli's "Birth Of Venus"— irreverantly known as "Venus On a Half-Shell"!—are ideal for the God- dess). Many Witches search for years to find a statuette that exactly fits the mental image they have of the deity. Antique stores and flea markets/ swap meets seem to be the best places to look. Some Wiccans use symbols, such as a sea-shell for the Goddess and an antler for the God. I have seen candles used, also various chess pieces, rocks, plants, etc.. One
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possibility is pictures. I have seen beautiful deity representations made by decoupaging appropriate colored pictures to attractive pieces of wood. If you have the talent, of course, there is no reason why you shouldn't sculpt or draw your own figures.
MAGICK—AN INTRODUCTION
Magick will be dealt with in detail later, in Lesson Eleven. There you will learn all the many and varied forms of magick and their workings. However, here I would like to take a quick look at some of the rudiments of magick; the basics.
First among these is TIMING. You may know that the Moon is frequently associated with Witchcraft, but you may not know why. One of the reasons is that the phases of the Moon are important to the proper working of magick. Taking the two main phases: the time from the New Moon, through the First Quarter, to the Full Moon is known as the Waxing Moon. From the Full, through the Last Quarter, to the New is known as the Waning Moon. When the Moon is growing in size, it is waxing; when it is decreasing in size, it is waning.
extermination. There is a certain element of sympa- thetic magick just in this time of working. For example, as the Moon grows, so grows the opportunity (or whatever) for which you are working. Or, as the Moon dwindles, so declines the bad habit you are trying to overcome, or the wart you are trying to remove.
The second basic of magick is FEELING. You must want whatever you are working at to really happen. You must want it with all your being. You must put every infinite particle of power into that desire, that urge for the act to come to pass. For this reason it is usually far more effective to do magick for yourself than to do it on someone else's behalf. It is seldom that another person can feel as intensely about something as the one directly concerned. This strong "feeling" is, in effect, the raised "Power" used in magick. As an aid, a booster, to your power there can be used a number of amplifiers. One of these is Chant and another is Rhyme. The rhythmic chanting of a spell, with a solid, regular beat, can do much to intensify your feeling and, thereby, increase your power. Similarly, dancing can raise the power and so can a number of other treat- ments, including sex, all of which will be discussed in detail in Lesson Eleven.
One other aspect might be mentioned here. When performing magick it is advisable to have a clean body. This means cleansed externally and internally. Bathe the body (with a spoonful of sea salt added to the water. This can be bought at most supermarkets or, failing that, at health food stores). Also prepare the inner body by the removal of toxins. This is done by fasting for twenty-four hours before working magick. No alcohol, no nicotine and no sexual activity (more specific details later).
Whenever doing magick, always consider the Wiccan Rede. Will your action harm anyone? If the answer is "Yes"... don't do it. More later.
Basically, constructive magick (for growth) is done during the waxing cycle and magick for destruction is done during the waning cycle. Constructive magick would include such things as love, success, protection, health, fertility. Destructive magick would include such things as binding spells, separation, elimination,
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. This Lesson deals with Beliefs. Examine your present beliefs on reincarnation. Do you have any past-life
memories?
2. Construct/draw an altar table. Indicate what will be placed on it, and show their arrangement.
ALTAR
3. Construct a diagram of a temple which would be ideal for your needs. Indicate the area which would best reflect your affinities (outside, inside). What actual items would you like it to contain? Make this a realistic layout of what your temple will actually be like.
TEMPLE
4. List some examples of magickal workings appropriate for your needs you would do during the waxing cycle of
the Moon.
5. List examples of magick you would do during the waning cycle of the Moon.
LESSON THREE TOOLS, CLOTHING AND NAMES
WORKING TOOLS The working tools are dictated by the tradition to which you belong. In Gardnerian, for example, there are eight working tools which include Athame (knife), Sword, Wand, Scourge, Cords, White-Handled Knife and Pentacle. In the Saxon tradition there are fewer: Seax (knife), Sword and Spear. If you are creating your own denomination then you can decide for yourself which to have and which not to have. All tools, after they have been made, are ritually cleansed and purified before use, to remove any negative vibra- tions. They are then personally charged and conse- crated. Details for this are given next lesson. For now, as you finish making each tool, wrap it in a piece of clean, white linen and store it away safely until you are ready for the consecration.
KNIFE Every Witch has a personal knife. In many traditions this is called an athame (pronounced "a-tham-ay"). In the Scottish tradition it is a yag-dirk and in the Saxon a seax ("see-ax"). The knife usually has a steel, double-edged blade, though one exception is in the Frosts' tradition, where it is a single-edged brass knife. It might be worth quoting from Anglo-Saxon Magic by Dr. G. Storms (Gordon Press, NY 1974), an annotated translation of various ancient Anglo-Saxon manuscripts:
"Iron manifestly takes its power from the fact that the material was better and scarcer than wood or stone for making tools, and secondly from the mysterious way in which it was originally found: in meteoric stones. It needed a specialist and a skilled laborer to
obtain the iron from the ore and to harden it. Indeed we find many peoples regard their blacksmiths as magicians ... among them Wayland stands out as the smith par excellence. The figure of this wondrous (Saxon) smith symbolizing at first the marvels of metalworking... was made the subject of heroic legend."
So iron, or steel, would seem to be the best material to use.
The size of the knife should be to suit yourself; whatever feels comfortable. This is your personal tool— a magical tool—and as such is something very special. It will not do, then, to simply go to a store and buy a ready-made knife (though more on that later). The best thing, by far, is to make your own from scratch. Of course, not everyone is capable of this but, for those who are, let me start by looking at how to make one.
If you can't buy a suitable piece of steel, use an old file or chisel and work with that. Whatever steel you have, it is going to be hard so your first job will be to soften it for working. Heat the steel till it is a dull red. If you have no other way of doing it, lay it on the burner of a gas or electric stove. You may have to leave it there, with the control turned full on, for several hours but it will eventually heat up to a dull red. Once it has reached that color, turn off the heat and let it cool down naturally. That's all there is to it. It will now be softened and easier to work.
Mark on the metal, with a pencil, the shape you want it to be (see Figure 3.1). With a powered bandsaw (if you have one), or a simple hacksaw, cut out the profile and file off any rough edges. Then start shaping the blade for sharpness. A grinding wheel would come in handy here, though you can work with rough and 29
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smooth files. The blade is going to be double-edged, so you are aiming for a diamond-shaped cross-section (see Figure 3.2). Finish off the blade with two grades of wet and dry paper.
Now your blade will need to be hardened and tempered. Heat it up again, this time until it is red hot. Then take hold of it with a pair of pliers and plunge it into a bowl of tepid water (not cold, or the blade will crack) or oil. Allow it to cool off then clean it with wet and dry paper.
Next, to temper it, reheat the blade to a dull red. Again plunge it, point downwards, into the tepid water or oil, moving it up and down in the liquid. Clean it with wet and dry paper, then heat it up again. Watch the blade carefully this time as it changes color. It will go to a bright, light, straw color, then to a medium straw color. Immediately plunge the blade into water and let it cool off (don't let it get past the straw color; it would go on to blue, then purple and green). Watch the point as that will change color first. At the first sign or "blueing" on the point, plunge the blade into the water. NOTE: The colors appear quickly. Keep the point the furthest from the heat.
Once the blade is cold take it outside and plunge it into the ground a couple of times. Now you have
Moved the blade through the Heated it with Plunged it into and Showed it to the For the handle, take two pieces of wood. Draw around the tang (the handle part of the blade) on each of the pieces of wood (see Figure 3.3 and 3.4). Then chisel out the marked sections, each one to half the thickness of the tang. When finished, the two pieces of wood should lay together
Figure 3.3
Figure 3.4
AIR, FIRE WATER EARTH.
Figure 3.2
Figure 3.1
Lesson Three: Tools, Clothing and Names / 31
perfectly with the tang inserted between them. When you are satisfied they fit well, slightly roughen the inside wood and then spread a good epoxy resin glue all over. Put the tang in place, press the two wooden handle halves together and clamp. When clamping, put on the pressure slowly so as to give a better "spread" to the glue. Leave clamped for at least three days.
When removed from the clamp, draw a profile of the handle you want on the wood and start cutting/carving it to shape.
Some traditions call for certain signs to be carved on the handle. Even if yours does not, you may wish to add some decoration. I would certainly recommend at least putting your Craft name (described later) or monogram on it. You might also like to etch something on the blade. This is not too difficult to do.
MARKING IN METAL
Melt some beeswax and cover the blade with it. Then cut into the wax with a sharp inscribing tool (a sharpened nail will do the trick), in the way you want the inscription to look. Make sure that you go right through the wax to expose the metal of the blade. Then pour on either sulphuric acid, iodine, or a similar etching agent. Leave for a few minutes then hold under running water. The acid will eat into the metal—"etching" it—where you have inscribed but the wax will protect the rest of the blade. After washing off the acid, clean off the wax and you have your etched knife. It would obviously be a good plan to practice first on some scrap metal of the same type as the blade, to judge the exact amount of time to leave the acid before flushing it away.
It is possible to purchase an "etching pen". This looks like a ball- point pen but contains acid for marking. It will work on steel, brass, aluminum and copper and has replaceable cartridges. One such pen is manufactured by the Fowler company and should be obtainable from any hardware store.
An alternate to etching is to engrave the blade. This doesn't give as solid a marking as the acid etching but is nonetheless effective. Engraving is done just like writing with a pen or pencil, but you use an engraving tool instead. You can purchase one in a hobby store or, as mentioned, simply sharpen a nail to a fine point on a grindstone. A problem many people have in engraving is in having the tool slip and score the metal in the wrong place (it is necessary to bear down hard on the tool, to make an impression, so control is not too easy). One way to avoid this is to place a piece of transparent tape on the blade and mark guide lines on it first with a pen. Then simply follow the lines with the engraving tool—the tape will be no barrier and will stop the tool from slipping.
A motorized engraving tool, such as a Dremel®, does a very good job.
There are many who, for whatever reason, are not able to make a knife, as described. Don't worry; you can adapt an existing knife. The main point is that there should be something of YOU in the athame. So, get a knife with a double-edged blade (or get one with a single-edged blade and then grind and/or file the second edge to it), such as a hunting
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knife, and remove the handle. Handles are fitted in a variety of ways. Some screw on/off directly; some have a pommel at the end, that screws on/off; some are even riveted on. However you have to do it, remove the handle. Now replace it with one of your own making. To do this you can either follow the directions I gave above, for making a handle, or you can pattern it after the handle you have removed(See Figure 3.5).
Again, if you wish you can carve the handle or etch the blade with your Craft name (in one of the magickal alphabets detailed later) or your Magickal Monogram. Some truly beautiful athames have been made and adapted. I have seen, for example, an eighteenth century short bayonet adapted to become a magnificent athame. I have also seen handles made from deer hooves. Start work on yours now.
In some traditions of the Craft (e.g. Gardnerian) the knife may only be used in the Circle, for ritual use. In other traditions (e.g. Scottish) the Witch is encouraged to use the tool as often as possible, the feeling being that the more it is used, the more mana (or "power") it will acquire.
SWORD
The Sword is not essential; the knife can always substitute for it. But while every individual Witch has an athame, many covens like to have a coven sword— one for the whole group. The sword is usually used for marking the Circle at the start of the meeting; being used by the Priest/ess or whoever casts the Circle. It can be made in the same way that the knife is, or you can purchase one. There are certainly many com- panies that offer replicas of ancient swords, these days. If you decide to get a ready-made one, again do some work on it yourself. In fact, since it is a coven tool, it is nice if the whole coven either get together to make
REMOVABLE POMMEL
"STORE-BOUGHT" KNIFE CARVED WOODEN HANDLE WITH
HOLE DRILLED THROUGH FOR SCREWED TANG TO PASS THROUGH
Figure 3.5
one or join in engraving and decorating it.
OTHER TOOLS
Other ritual tools are the WAND, STAFF, BELL, ^BURIN or WHITE-HANDLED KNIFE, CORD(S). Which of these you use—none, some, all—will depend on the path you decide to follow. If you follow one of the established traditions then it will have been decided for you. If you are starting from scratch, then it may take you a while (weeks, months, perhaps even years) to discover which you really need and which you don't. If you want a WAND there are several options available. Some say that it must be of rowan wood, others say of ash, or willow, hazel... you can take your pick. The trouble here is that a lot of Ceremonial Magick has got mixed up with Witchcraft (not just in the case of the wand, but with other tools and other aspects of the Craft also). For example, some people swear that "the wand must be exactly twenty-one inches long, cut from a virgin hazel tree (one that has never borne fruit), in the hour of Mercury on the day of Mercury (Wednesday), etc., etc., etc." Others simply go out and buy a length of wood dowel from their local hardware store and paint it gold! The fact that both wands can work equally well should show that the real magick comes not from the tool but from within the Magician—or, in this case, the Witch. The wand, then, is merely an extension of the operator. As such, make your wand whichever way feels right for you. If you feel you need to inscribe it with mystical signs and symbols, do so. Don't worry about what others may say of what you do. As I said in the Introduction, there is no one-and-only-one-right-way. If it works for you, then it is right. As a suggestion (only) for a wand, twenty-one inches is certainly a
Lesson Three: Tools, Clothing and Names / 33
convenient length. Another suggestion is a length equal to the length from your elbow to your fingertips. Whichever wood you use, taper it slightly from the base to the tip. You can mark it, if you wish, by engraving or even by wood-burning. Paint it, stain it, or leave it plain. Decorative bands of silver or copper can look attractive. Some traditions (e.g. Frost's) drill the length of the wand and insert a metal rod.
What I said for the wand applies equally to the STAFF. The staff can, in effect, be a large wand and is used as such in such traditions as the Scottish (Pecti-Wita). I have seen some wonderful staffs, decorated with leather, feathers, gems; carved and engraved. All were right for their particular owners. A good length for a staff is equal to the height of its owner. Hardwood seems preferable to softwood, and it should be well seasoned and as straight as possible.
The BELL is used by some and I have, in fact, included it in the rituals in this book. For centuries it has been thought to have certain magickal qualities. In my book Practical Color Magick (Llewellyn Publica- tions, 1983) I talk about vibrations of sound. The clear, high pitch of a small bell, used in ritual, can cause vibrations that can, in many ways, supplement the power raised and also create harmony among those present. Choose a small hand-bell with a note that is pleasant. Some bells—especially cheaply produced ones—can have a harsh note to them; avoid these. If you wish to engrave the bell, do so. Or, if it has a wooden handle, you might want to work on that.
The BURIN is simply an engraving tool used to mark the name or sigil (symbol), ritually, on your magickal topis. Some traditions (e.g. Gardnerian) borrow from Ceremonial Magick and use a WHTTE-HILTED KNIFE in the same way. I personally do not see the need to regard this instrument as a ritual tool, in the Craft, any more than I would a file or hacksaw. However, if you feel you want this as part of your complement, by all means include it. A burin is simply an engraving tool with a handle, and can be made by fitting a sharpened nail, or similar, to a wooden handle in the same way as you fitted the athame blade to a wooden handle using the two pieces of wood.
Some traditions (e.g. Alexandrian) use CORDS of different colors to denote the degree of the wearer. But the more important use of cords is in the working of magick. I will therefore leave details of cords till a later lesson, when I discuss magick and, specifically, Cord Magick.
DRESS
Many covens—and certainly the vast majority of Solitary Witches— work naked ... referred to, in the Craft, as skyclad—"clad only by the sky". This certainly seems a preferred and recommended practice. But there are times when, perhaps due to temperature, you may wish to be robed. It may even be that you just prefer to be robed most of the time anyway... that's all right.
Robes can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. I here give you instructions for making a simple one. Those more adept with a needle than I am may elaborate to their heart's content.
Any type material will do, the choice is up to you—polyester (if you
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Raymond Witchcraft Buckland, from Llewellyn the Inside 1971
34 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
must!), silk, cotton, wool. Consider, though, its weight: will it be too heavy and hot, or too light and cool? Also consider how easily it creases and wrinkles. Will it stretch too much? Is it washable? Will it itch? Since Witches wear nothing under their robes, this last is a serious consideration!
Measure yourself from wrist to wrist, with arms outstretched (Figure 3.6, measurement A), then from the nape of the neck to the ground (measurement B). You will need to buy material of A width by twice B length. Take the material and fold it in half, as in figure 3.6. If the material has an "outside" and an "inside", fold it inside out. Now cut out a piece from each side, as indicated. You will be left with what you see in Figure 3.7; a more-or-less "T" shape.
The exact dimensions of the cuts will depend on you. Leave enough for a full sleeve at "x" but don't take it up to make it too tight under the arm at "y". I recommend you experiment with paper first (pattern paper can be purchased from material stores). At "z" cut an opening for your head, as shown. Sew where indicated: along the bottom of the sleeves and down the sides. All that remains is to turn it right side out again, try it on and hem it to a convenient length (e.g. an inch or so above the ground). If you wish to add a cowl-hood there will be plenty of material available from that initially cut off. Either a pointed or a rounded hood is appropriate.
Add a cord around the waist as a finishing touch. Some wear a magickal cord but I am of the opinion that a magickal cord is for working magick, not for holding your robe (things were different during the persecutions, when it was necessary to hide one's magical tools. It is not necessary now).
Think carefully about the color of your robe. It used to be that most Witches wore white robes, but I'm glad to see more and more color appearing at festivals. In Saxon Witchcraft, the Priest/ess wears either white, purple or deep green and the others wear greens, browns, yellows and blues, though this is not a hard and fast rule. Combinations of colors can be attractive, of course, as can a basic color trimmed with silver or gold, or with a second color. Some few Witches do wear black but, while acknowledging it to be a very "powerful" color (in fact a non-color), I personally think that it plays up the misconception of equating Witchcraft with Satanism and, if only for that reason, should be avoided. We are a religion of Nature, so let's use the colors of Nature ... the bright and the sombre earth colors (there is actually very little black to be found in nature). But again, in the last instance it is your choice.
JEWELRY
In some traditions certain jewelry is used to signify rank. For example, in Gardnerian Witchcraft female Witches of all degrees wear a necklace (signifying the Circle of Rebirth); the Third Degree High Priestess wears a wide silver bracelet, with certain specific inscriptions; the High Priest wears a torque-like gold or brass bracelet (again with certain signs on it); and the Queen wears a crescent-moon crown of silver and a silver-buckled green garter*. In other traditions different customs rule.
Generally many Witches—though females especial- ly—wear a headband.
Necklaces and pendants are very popular, including
'Not a "garter-belt", as one writer once reported!
B '<*———CUT———»• \
Figure 3.6 Figure 3.7
Lesson Three: Tools, Clothing and Names / 35
necklaces of acorns, beans, wooden beads or similar. Rings, often bearing inscriptions or depictions of the deities, are also very popular. Certainly there are some very talented Witch jewelers who produce incredibly beautiful items that deserve to be displayed.
But some people feel that jewelry has no place in the Circle. There are some who feel that it is a hindrance to the raising of power—though in almost a quarter of a century of practice I have never found this to be true. However, I do respect those who do feel this way. If they truly believe that it restricts, then it will restrict. So, decide for yourself whether to encourage the use of jewelry; whether to limit its use; whether to use it to denote position; whether to prohibit it altogether.
HORNED HELMET
Where the Priest and Priestess may each wear a band of copper or silver, with a crescent moon, sun, or similar, at the front, the Priest may wear a Horned Helmet at certain rites where he specifically represents the God, and the Priestess may wear a Goddess Crown at certain rites where she specifically represents the Goddess. These are not difficult things to make. In fact here are two or three possible ways to make the Horned Helmet (you might even be able to purchase one, if you search hard enough. Replica "Viking helmets" are made these days). One way
Horned Helmet of a High Priest
36 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
is to take a stainless steel or copper mixing bowl of the right size to fit your head. You may have to squeeze the sides inwards slightly to make it more of an ellipse than a circle. Any handle, hook or hanging-ring should be removed. Take two cow horns and insert and glue wood- blocks in their mouths (see Figure 3.8). Now drill two holes through the bowl, one on either side, and put screws through from the inside, into the wood blocks in the horns. Put some epoxy glue between the horns/ wood-blocks and the bowl, also, to help hold them firm. The bottom of the horns, where they join the bowl, can be bound with leather to cover and hide the join.
Another possibility is to make a leather hat and attach horns. Basic patterns for hats can be purchased in any department store or piece goods store. Most of them involve cutting segments and sewing them together. You can fasten the horns as described above, but you will need a large square or circular "washer" on the inside, against which to tighten the screws.
Yet another way is to make an open copper (or other metal) circlet for the head and attach the horns to that. In all of the above, antlers may be used in lieu of cowhorns. It will be necessary, however, to drill a hole in the base of the antler to accept the screw.
INSCRIPTIONS
I have talked about engraving and etching your working tools and putting your Craft name on them (more on your name and how to choose it, later). There are a number of different "Magickal Alphabets"* that can be used for this.* Most popular are various of the runic alphabets and the Theban form of writing found in Ceremonial Magick. Let's look at runes first.
The word Rune means "mystery" or "secret" in Early English and related languages. It is certainly heavily charged with overtones, and for good reason. Runes were never a strictly utilitarian script. From their earliest adaptation into Germanic usage they served for divinatory and ritual uses. The Seax-Wica use a runic alphabet which is as follows:
'These forms of writing are also used in the making of charms and talismans and will be discussed further, in that context, in a later lesson.
Figure 3.8
anywhere foot There than Witches very three Scandinavian, turn, variations. basically though areas. Runes ("th" DINAVIAN or (innumberable) Looking The Norse) by popular any are have_ is the ANGLO-SAXON main is A variations and twenty-four other One ninth futhark, to common are from first (Danish Magicians be form any types and found Century, alphabet, letter— found variations.
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The Tree: The Complete Book
SEAX-WICA RUNIC ALPHABET
Samuel of Raymond Saxon Weiser, Witchcraft Buckland, NY 1974
With the single symbols for "th" and "ng", for example, you can write a five-letter word like "thing" with only three symbols: Examples of names
Lesson Three: Took, Clothing and Names 137
It will be noticed that any of the glyphs can be written backwards (sometimes referred to as "mirror writing"). If there are double letters in a word (e.g. merry; boss) then one of the double letters would be reversed, giving the mirror image:
An interesting MAGICKAL MONOGRAM can be made up by superimposing one runic letter over another, for your Craft name. For example, "Diana" would be
in runes:
One reason (apart from just being incorrect to slope them) is that it can cause confusion. For example, in the Seax-Wica runes, a sloping N rune would look like aG.
The THEBAN alphabet is used quite a lot in the Craft. In Gardnerian, for example, it is used for writing the High Priestess's name on her bracelet. It is an attractive form of writing. The runes are angular, with no curves, because they were used for carving into wood and stone. But the Theban was written on parchment, as well as being engraved and etched on talismans, so could be more elaborate. The Theban Alphabet is depicted in Figure 3.9.1 will speak more on this alphabet, and several others, in the later lesson on charms and talismans.
It is always possible, also, to reverse a letter (any letter) so that the Monogram will not be clumsy. The aim is to make it as simple as possible yet to incorporate all of the letters. Practice with Monograms. Aim to get them down to the simplest sigil possible.
One thing to remember in writing runes: do keep the characters upright.
38 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
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end of a sentence
Figure 3.9: THEBAN ALPHABET
YOUR WITCH NAME
You are starting your life anew (in effect). Why not start it with a name of your choosing, then, rather than one that was given to you by your parents (and which you may not care too much for) ? Many Witches choose a name which, they feel, reflects their personality or, in some way, describes their interests or feelings. Names are important. It used to be that, to know someone's name was to have a power over them — for if
Lesson Three: Tools, Clothing and Names / 39
you knew the name of your enemy you could conjure with it. In Borneo, the Dyaks believe very strongly in the power of a name. A mother, there, will never call her child home, after dark, using his real name in case an evil spirit should learn the name and call the child itself. The mother will only call the child by a "nickname". Your Witch name need not be kept a solemn secret but at least respect it. Use it only with other Witches or, at least, only with those close to you.
Of course you may be quite happy with your regular, given name. If you want to use that as your Witch name also, that is fine. However, check it out numerologically, as describe below, before you make a final decision Some Witches take names from history or mythology, especially those names associated with their branch of the Craft (Welsh names in Welsh traditions; Saxon names in Saxon traditions, etc.). Others make up names. You will be called by your name only; it is not used with the prefix "Witch ...", as in "Witch Morgan" or "Witch Hazel"(!), as sometimes found in cheap novels.
In some traditions the prefix "Lady", or even "Lord", is used. In Gardnerian the High Priestess is always referred to as "Lady.. (Name) .." When speaking directly to her, it is also proper to say "My Lady". She is the only one so called, in that tradition, and no male in Gardnerian is ever called "Lord ... (Name) ..."
Whichever name you choose, or feel especially drawn to, check out to see if it is in fact right for you. You do this through numerology. There are a number of different systems of numerology. The below is probably the most commonly used. Follow it step by step.
1) Find your Birth Number by adding the digits of your date of birth, e.g. If you were born June 23rd 1956, your number would be
6.23.1956 = 6+2+3+1+9+5+6 = 32 Bring that down to a single digit: 3 + 2 = 5 Then 5 is your Birth Number. Note: Be sure to include the "19" of the year (1956). There are still people alive who were born in the late 1800's and it won't be long before we are into the 2000's, so it is important.
2) Find the Name Number of the name you have
chosen. This is done by equating all the letters of the alphabet with the first nine numbers:
Suppose you like the name DIANA. Using the above chart, D = 4,1 = 9, A = 1, N = 5, and A = 1. Therefore DIANA = 4+9+1 + 5+1 = 20 = 2.Butyour Birth Number was 5. For your Witch Name you should aim for a name that matches your Birth Number. In the above example, you could do this by adding a "3" letter to DIANA: a C, L or U. So you could have, perhaps, DICANA, DILANA OR DIANAU, all of which would then add up to 5. If you don't care for any of those, think again of another possible name and check it out.
It may take a while to find a name, or choice of names, that you like and that are numerologically correct, but it is well worth it. Perhaps the best method is to get an assortment of appropriate letters and keep rearranging them until you hit an attractive combination (from the above "Diana" example, NAUDIA might be a possibility). I will be looking more at numerology in Lesson Nine.
Why does the name have to match your Birth Number? Because your Birth Number is unchanging. People can change their names, addresses, etc., but they cannot change their date of birth. By choosing a new name that matches that Birth Number, you are then aligning yourself with that same vibration; the vibration of the moment you chose to be born.
As I mentioned above, there are several different systems of numerology. This is probably the most popular and, I have found, the most accurate. But if you feel more comfortable with a different system, then use it. The important thing is, whichever system you use, attune your new name to your Birth Number.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
Lesson 1.
Three deals with the making of your sup- plies. Decide how you will make your tools. What materials will you use? You can make your own or
4. Determine the number value of your given name
and your new name using numerology.
adapt an existing tool. Illustrate what tools you plan to use.
5. Design your robe. What color, fabric will you use? What were your reasons for these choices? Make an illustration or diagram of your robe below.
2.
Explain how you intend to make/obtain your athame. What will you do to make it specifically yours?
3. What special name will you choose?
ROBE
LESSON FOUR GETTING STARTED
RITES OF PASSAGE
A "Rite of Passage" is a transition from one state of life to another. Birth, marriage and death are examples. Van Gennep, a Flemish anthro- pologist, was the first to so label such rituals, in 1909. The main Rite of Passage that you will be concerned with is that of Initiation. It is important that you be aware, and have some understanding, of the different parts of the initiation ritual and its symbolism.
In its most general sense, initiation denotes a body of rites and oral teachings arranged to bring about a very definite change in both the religious and the social status of the person undergoing the ritual. There is a catharsis: a spiritual cleansing. The person becomes, in effect, another person. The central theme of an initiation (any initiation, whether it be Witchcraft, primitive tribal or even Christian, in form) is what is termed a Palingenesis: a rebirth. You are ending life as you have known it to this point and are being "born again"... and reborn with new knowledge.
* All initiation rituals follow the same basic pattern. And this is worldwide: Australian aboriginals, Africans, Amerindians, Eskimos, Pacific Islanders, Witches, ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, to name but a few. All include the same basic elements in their rites.
First comes a SEPARATION. With many peoples this is a literal separation from friends and especially from family; from all they have known so far. Oftimes there is a special hut, cave or building of some sort, where the novices are taken. There they begin their training.
A CLEANSING, externally and internally, is the next important part. With some primitives this might include complete removal of all body hair. It would certainly include a period, or periods, of fasting and of sexual abstinence. In certain areas there are also various dietary taboos prior to fasting.
A SYMBOLIC DEATH is one of the major parts of initiation, though some primitives do not realize that it will be only symbolic and fully expect to actually be put to death. With some tribes it does include actual dismemberment; perhaps circumcision, tattooing, the amputation of a finger or the knocking out of a tooth. Ritual scourging is another, more common, symbolic form of death. Or the death could take the form of a "monster"—perhaps the tribe's totem animal—swallowing the initiate.
A typical initiation ceremony is the one found in Gardnerian Witchcraft. It is in four parts. The first part is known as the Challenge. The Initiate is asked if she really does want to go through with it. This may seem a simple and needless question. But from first making contact with a coven it may have taken anywhere up to a year for the would-be Witch to reach the point of initiation. This time is necessary, from the Craft's point of view, to sort out the wheat from the chaff; those who are sincerely interested in Witchcraft as a religion, as opposed to those who have all the wrong ideas—believing it to be Devil-worship, looking for wild orgies, wanting to join "just for kicks ", etc., etc.. So after the very long waiting period, during which she has been reading and studying, the Initiate is at last there on the threshold. She looks about the Inner Sanctum for the first time—at the flickering candles, the smoking incense, the stem-faced Priest pointing a sword directly at her. It may seem a little ominous to her; a little frightening. It would be small wonder if she then and there decided she would not bother going through with it after all... perhaps shed take up macrame instead!If such should be her decision she is free to turn around and walk away. But after the long waiting period there are few, if any, who decide that way. So, after the challenge, the Initiate is blindfolded and bound and led into the Circle... There is an Oath of Secrecy taken by the Initiate, in the majority of traditions. Once this has been taken the blindfold can be removed and, shortly afterwards, the cords. It is strictly an oath of secrecy. There is no repudiation of any previous religion. There are no crosses to spit upon, no pacts to sign in blood, nogoat's buttocks to kiss! After the oath comes the Showing of the Tools. Each coven has a number of so-called "working tools". These are presented, one by one, to the Initiate by the Priest. As each one is presented its use is explained and, to show she has understood the explanation, the Initiate lays her hands briefly on the tool ...At the end of the ceremony the Initiate is taken, by the High Priest, around the Circle to the four cardinalpoints. At each of these she is Presented to the Gods—who are believed to be there witnessing the event—as a newly made Priestess and Witch.
Anatomy Of the Occult Raymond Buckland, Samuel Weiser, NY 1977
42 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
After "death" the initiand then finds himself in the womb, awaiting his new birth. In some societies he finds himself in a hut which represents the world. He is at its center; he inhabits a sacred microcosm. The initiate is in the chthonian Great Mother—Mother Earth. There are innumerable myths of great heroes, ' gods and goddesses, descending into Mother Earth (remember the myth of the Seax-Wica Goddess, given in Lesson Two) and triumphantly returning. Within that earth-womb they invariably find great knowledge, for it is often the home of the dead who, traditionally, can see into the future and therefore know all things. Therefore the initiates, by virtue of being in the womb/will learn NEW KNOWLEDGE. This is underscored in the Congo, for example, where those who have not been initiated are called vanga ("the unenlightened") and those who have been initiated are the nganga ("the knowing ones").
After receiving this new knowledge, the initiate is REBORN. If he has been swallowed by a monster, he may either be born from it or disgorged from its mouth (the mouth is often a substitute for the vagina). In some African tribes he will crawl out from between the legs of the women of the village, who stand in a long line. He is now given a new name and starts his new life. Interestingly enough there are several parallels of this renaming to be found in the Roman Catholic Church: a new name is taken at confirmation; on becoming a nun a woman takes a new name; a new name is given to a newly elected Pope.
On excavating at Pompeii, there was found a villa, named the "Villa of Mysteries". This was where everyone in ancient Italy originally went to be initiated into the Orphic Mysteries. In the Initiation Room itself there are frescoes painted around the walls showing a woman going through the various stages of initiation. In this instance the symbolic death was a scourging. Part of the revelation of knowledge came from the initiand scrying* with a polished bowl. The final scene shows her, naked, dancing in celebration of her new birth. The scenes are typical of the palingenesis of initiation.
The full initiation into Witchcraft contains all the above elements. There is not quite the literal separation, at the start, but you will, of course, have separated yourself from others in the sense of absorbing yourself in your studies of the Craft. You will also spend much time alone, meditating on what you are about to undertake. You will cleanse yourself, by bathing and fasting—only bread, honey and water are allowed for
twenty-four hours prior to the actual initiation—and by sexual abstinence.
At the ritual itself, rather than any rigorous symbolic death or dismemberment, you will exper- ience a blindfolding and binding, which symbolize the darkness and restriction of the womb. As you are "born", these restrictions will fall from you. You will gain new knowledge as certain things are revealed to you, and then receive a new name. You will be welcomed to your new life by your brothers and sisters of the Craft. The full initiation is a very moving experience—many claim it to be the most moving of their entire lives.
The usual process is that you find a coven and, after a trial period, are accepted into it and initiated. But supposing you are starting from scratch; a group of friends who are going to form their own coven and, basically, start their own tradition? How does the first person get initiated, so that s/he can initiate the others? Similarly, if you are a Solitary, not wanting to join a group, how do you go about it? The answer is, through Self-Initiation.
Some years ago the majority of Witches (myself included!) frowned on the very idea of a self-initiation. We didn't stop to think of (a) what might have been done in the "old times", for those living miles from any coven, or (b) how did the first Witch get initiated? Today some of us at any rate are more enlightened.
The Self-Dedication is exactly that—it is a dedicating of oneself to the service of the gods. It does not contain all the elements we have mentioned above, but is none the less a moving experience. A full coven initiation may always be taken at a later date, if you so desire of course, but note that it would not be manda- tory—just a matter of personal preference.
A question often asked is, "How valid is self initia- tion?" To some traditions it is not valid at all (though one might question the whole "validity" of those traditions themselves!). Certainly you couldn't self-initiate yourself as a Gardnerian, for example. But the point here is, how valid is it to YOU? If you are sincere; if you wish to become a Witch and to worship the old gods; if you have no ulterior motives... IT IS VALID, and don't listen to anyone who says it is not.
Obviously if you want to be part of a particular tradition and that tradition has its set initiation rite (as with Gardnerian, as I just mentioned), then you must go through that particular rite to join that tradition. But no one tradition has the right to say what is correct or incorrect for another. It seems to me that far too many
•See Lesson Nine—Divination.
people get hung-up on a "line of descent"—who initiated whom, and through whom?—rather than getting on with the business of worship. One of the oldest of the modern traditions is the Gardnerian and that (in its present form) is only about thirty-five years old, as of this writing. Not very old when we look at the whole picture of Witchcraft. So if a Gardnerian initiation (for example) can be considered "valid", then so can yours.
CIRCLES
A Roman ambassador in a foreign country would draw a circle around himself with his staff, to show he should be safe from attack; the Babylonians drew a circle of flour on the floor round the bed of a sick man, to keep demons away; German Jews, in the Middle Ages, would draw a circle round the bed of a woman in labor, to protect her from evil spirits. The use of a circle to mark the boundary of an area which is sacred, is very ancient (e.g. Stonehenge). But the circle not only keeps the unwanted out, it also keeps the wanted— the raised power; the magickal energy—in.
The dimensions of the circle depend entirely on who is drawing it and for what purpose. In Ceremonial Magick, where the Magician is conjuring entities, the exactness of the circle (and everything within it) is critical. But there is the other end of the scale, as it were. In the old days, when the villagers would get together to give thanks to their gods, they would simply mark a rough circle on the ground, usually very crudely drawn, and use it whether accurate or not. Its purpose was merely to designate a space to be hallowed for the rites; a place "special" for that purpose. Your circle does not have to be as painstakingly accurate as the Ceremonial Magician's (though more on this in Lesson Eleven—Magick), yet it is drawn with a certain amount of care and exactness. The Coven Circle is nine feet in diameter; the Individual's Circle is five feet. The drawing of the Circle starts, and finishes, in the East and is always drawn clockwise, or deosil. If you are meeting outdoors, then the Circle is actually marked on the ground with the sword, as the Priest/ess walks around. Indoors the Circle should first be marked on the floor with a length of white cord, with chalk, or—if you have a permanent temple—it can be painted in white paint. But the Priest/ess will still walk around with the sword, starting and finishing in the east, "marking" it and directing power into it through the point of the sword.
On the line of the Circle stand four white, unlit
Lesson Four: Getting Started / 43
candles; one in the north, one in the east, one in the south and one in the west. If you wish, there may be additional candles, already lit, between these four. They should stand around the Circle but outside the line. They would be there purely for extra illumination, if required.
The first ritual performed, always, is what, in Saxon Witchcraft, is called ERECTING THE TEMPLE. Other traditions call it, variously, OPENING THE CIR- CLE, CASTING THE CIRCLE, or similar. In this ritual the Circle and all within it is properly purified and consecrated. For now I will just deal with casting a Circle sufficient for your Self-Dedication/Initiation. Presuming that you have not yet even made your athame, this casting is of the most basic. You will need your altar furniture: candle, censer, goblet or drinking-horn, salt and water, libation dish and (if you wish) figures representing the deities. There should be wine in the goblet.
SELF-DEDICATION This ritual should be performed during the waxing moon, as close to the full moon as possible. For the ritual I would suggest you be completely naked, wearing no jewelry of any kind.
Along with the rest of the altar furniture there should be a small dish of anointing oil (see Lesson Thirteen, page 198 for recipe) standing between the water and the salt.
The altar is set up in the center so that, when you stand in front of it, you are facing east. The Circle is indicated (by cord, chalk or paint) about you. Sit, or kneel, before the altar with your eyes closed. Concen- trate your thoughts on seeing, in your mind's eye, yourself enclosed in a ball of white light. Direct your energies to make that light expand to completely fill the Circle. Hold it for a moment and then relax. Opening your eyes, stand and move to the east. Point your right forefinger (left, if left-handed) down at the Circle line. Walk slowly around the Circle, deosil, "drawing" the Circle through the power being directed down your arm and off your pointing finger (figure 4.1A). When you have been all the way around, return to the altar (figure 4.IB). Light the altar candle and the incense. Now take the altar candle and, moving round the altar, light the east candle from the altar candle. Continue and light the south, west and north candles {figure A). Continue on back to the east then back to standing in front of the altar, and replace the altar candle (figure B). Now, again concentrate your energies
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down your arm and finger and place the tip of your forefinger in the salt. Say:
"Salt is Life. Let this Salt be pure and let it purify my life, as I use it in this Rite, dedicated to the God and the Goddess* in whom I believe."
Now take three pinches of the salt and drop them, one at a time, into the water. Stir the water three times round, deosil, with your finger and say:
"Let the Sacred Salt drive out any impurities in this Water that together they may be used in the service of these deities; throughout these Rites and at any time and in any way I may use them."
Take the bowl of salted water to the east and, walking deosil, sprinkle it on the line of the Circle. Replace it on the altar; take up the censer and, again from the east, go around the Circle once more, swinging the incense-burner along its line. Return to the altar and replace it. Say:
"The Sacred Circle is about me. I am here of my own free will and accord, in Peace and in Love."
Dip your forefinger into the salted water and mark a cross in a circle © on your forehead, in the position of the third eye (between the eyebrows). Then mark a Pentagram-^ on your chest, over your heart. Say:
"I now invite the gods to witness this Rite I hold in their honor."
Hold your hand, with finger pointing up, high in salute as you now say:
"God and Goddess; Lord and Lady; Father and Mother of
All Life, Guard me and guide me within this Circle and without it, In all things. So mote it be."
Kiss your hand to the Lord and the Lady, then take up the goblet and spill a little of the wine on the ground (or into the libation dish) as an offering to the gods, with the words:
"The Lord and the Lady!" Take a drink and then replace the goblet
on the altar with the words:
'You may insert the names of the deities you have chosen, if you wish.
There are several ways of creating a tem- porary Circle. One is to permanently mark the Circle on a secondary piece of carpet that can be rotted up and put away between rituals, and unrolled and laid down over the regular floor covering when needed. Another is to have a six to twelve inch wide length of material in the form of a circle, with the ritual Circle marked on it. This can also be taken up and laid down when needed. The advantage is that it is far less bulky than a complete carpet and so much easier to store.
Figure 4.1A
Figure 4.1B
"Now is the Temple erected. I shall not leave it but with good reason. So be it."
Sit or kneel before the altar, head bowed, and meditate for a few minutes on the God and the Goddess, the Craft and what the Old Religion means to you. Then stand and lift both hands high above the altar and say:
"Lord and Lady hear me now! I am here a simple pagan holding thee in honor. Far have I journeyed and long have I
searched, Seeking that which I desire above all things. I am of the trees and of the fields. I am of the woods and of the springs; The streams and the hills. I am of thee and thee of me."
Lower your arms.
"Grant me that which I desire. Permit me to worship the gods And all that the gods represent. , Make me a Lover of Life in All Things. Well do I know the creed: That if I do not have that spark of Love
within me, Then will I never find it without me. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. All this I honor above aught else."
Kiss your right hand and hold it high.
"My Lord and Lady, here do I stand before you, Naked and unadorned, to dedicate myself
to thine honor. Ever will I protect you and that which is
yours. Let none speak ill of you, for ever will I
defend you. You are my life and I am yours, From this day forth. I accept and will ever abide by the Wiccan
Rede: 'An' it harm none, do what thou wilt'. So be it."
Lesson Four: Getting Started / 45
Take up the goblet and slowly pour the remainder of the wine on to the ground, saying:
"As this wine drains from the goblet (horn), So let the blood drain from my body Should I ever do aught to harm the gods, Or those in kinship with their love. So mote it be!"
Dip your forefinger in the oil and again make the sign of the cross in a circle on your third eye, and the Pentagram over your heart. Then, also, touch the oil to your genitals, right breast (nipple), left breast, and then genitals again. (This last forms the Sacred Triangle, symbolizing the drawing of power up from the root of that power). Say:
"As a sign of my rebirth I take unto myself a
new name. Henceforth I shall be known as ..(Name).., For my life within the Craft. So mote it be!"
Now sit comfortably and, with eyes closed, meditate on what the Craft means to you. It may well be that, at this time, you will receive some indication that you are indeed in touch with the gods. But whether you do or not, just let your feelings for them, and for the Old Religion, flow from your body. Luxuriate in the feeling of "coming home"; of having finally become one with the Old Religion.
When you have finished meditating, if you feel like singing or dancing or celebrating in any other way, go ahead and do so. Then, when you are ready, stand and raise both hands high and say:
I thank the gods for their attendance. As I came here in love of them, I now go
my way. Love is the Law, and Love is the Bond. So be it! The Temple is now closed."
The above is adapted from the Seax-Wica Rite
of Self-Dedication.
Although I have not yet given the full details of the regular ERECTING THE TEMPLE Ritual (nor had you consecrate your tools) I will divert for a moment to follow this Self-Dedication with a full coven Initiation Ceremony, for the sake of completeness on this
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subject. Next lesson I will continue from where I here left off.
COVEN INITIATION As with all of the rituals in this workbook, they are presented as patterns—blueprints which you may either adopt or adapt. You will see that this Initiation Rite contains all of the elements I have previously discussed. If you decide to write your own, I urge you to follow the general pattern.
In this ceremony I have written it as for a Priest initiating a female. It can obviously be adapted for reversal of the roles (in virtually all traditions male initiates female and female initiates male).
It is usual for the Initiate to be naked in this rite. If the coven usually works naked then, of course, this is fine. However, if the coven is usually robed then the Initiate should either be the only one naked or should wear a robe that can be opened down the front as and when indicated (even robed covens usually wear nothing under their robes).
The Initiation can take place with all the coven present; with only the Priest, Priestess and Initiate; or with Priest, Priestess, one or two assistants and the Initiate. The coven should decide which method they prefer. The below ritual is written for Priest, Priestess, two assistants (whom I shall call MAIDEN and SQUIRE) and Initiate. In addition to the usual altar furniture, there is a dish of anointing oil between the water and the salt and a red, nine-foot length of cord and a blindfold on the altar. The Priestess's Goddess Crown and the Priest's Horned Helmet rest beside the altar. The Initiate wears no jewelry of any kind, nor make-up, and waits in a room outside the Temple Room. Anointing will be done as described in the Self Dedication. A Keltic Cross in a circle $ is drawn slightly above and between the eyes, in the position of the Third Eye; a Pentagram^ is drawn over the heart; an inverted triangle is marked by touching the genitals, right breast, left breast and genitals again.
The ERECTING THE TEMPLE ritual is performed in the usual manner (see next lesson). The bell is rung three times. Priestess: "Let there be none who suffer loneliness; none who are friendless and without brother or sister. For all may find love and peace within the Circle." Priest: "With open arms, the Lord and Lady welcome all." Squire: "I bring news of one who has traveled far, seeking that which we
enjoy." Maiden: "Long has been her journey, but now she feels an end is
near." Priest: "Of whom do you speak?" Squire: "Of she who, even now, waits outside our Temple, seeking
entry." Priestess: "Who caused her to come here?" Maiden: "She came herself, of her own free will." Priest: "What does she seek?" Maiden: "She seeks to become one with the Lord and the Lady. She seeks to join with us in our worship of them."
SQUIRE Priestess: "Who can vouch for this person?"
binds her (see illustration). With initiate between Squire: "I can. As her teacher* I have shown her the
them, they approach the door to the Temple Room. ways; pointed her in the right direction and
SQUIRE bangs on door with handle of athame. set her feet upon the path. But she has chosen to take this step and now bids you give her
Priest: "Who knocks?" entrance."
Squire: "We return with one who would join our Priest: "Can she be brought before us?"
number." Squire: "Indeed she can."
Priestess: "What is her name?" Initiate: "My name Priestess: "Then let it be so."
is ...(Given Name)... I beg entry." Priestess: "Enter this our Temple." SQUIRE takes Cord and athame; MAIDEN takes blind- fold and candle. They go, clockwise, around Circle to
The three enter the Temple Room and stand outside the east and there exit the Circle.t They go out of the
the Circle, in the east. MAIDEN holds the candle; Temple, to the Initiate. MAIDEN blindfolds her while
SQUIRE the athame. The bell is rung once.
METHOD OF BINDING FOR AN INITIATION
1. Nine foot red cord is looped over Initiate's left wrist, behind her back. At mid-point of cord, a single reef, or square, knot is tied. 2. Initiate's right arm is laid wrist over wrist, over left arm and another knot is tied. Note: Arms form base of triangle to head (see ilustration): 3. Two ends of cord are taken up and around either side of Initiate's
head, crossing in front. 4. Looping one end on around the back of the head, the two ends are tied
with a bow at the right shoulder.
part details should for entering obviously and be exiting played a cast by the Circle person in Lesson who has Ten.
been working with the initiate up to this point,
Lesson Four: Getting Started / 47
•This tSee
48 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Priest: "...(Name)..., why do you come here?" Initiate: "To worship the gods in whom I believe and
to become one with them and with my brothers and sisters of the Craft." Priestess: "What do you bring with you?" Initiate: "1 bring nothing but my True Self, naked
and unadorned." Priestess: "Then I bid you enter this our Circle of
Worship and Magick."
SQUIRE admits them to the Circle. They stand just within, still in the east. PRIEST and PRIESTESS move around to them; PRIEST carrying the censer and PRIESTESS the salted water.
Priest: "To enter this our Sacred Circle, I here duly consecrate you, in the names of the God and the Goddess."
If Initiate is robed, the PRIESTESS opens the robe while the PRIEST sprinkles and censes her, men closes it again. PRIEST and PRIESTESS return to the altar, Mowed by SQUIRE, INITIATE and MAIDEN. PRIEST and PRIESTESS stand in front of altar, while SQUIRE and MAIDEN move round to far side, opposite, with INITIATE between them. They face Priest and Priestess. Bell is rung twice.
Priestess: "I speak now for the Lady. Why are you here?" Initiate: "I am here to become one with the Lord and
the Lady; to join in worship of them." Priest: "I am he who speaks for the Lord. Who
made you come here?" Initiate: "None made me come, for I am here of my
own choosing." Priest: "Do you wish an end to the life you have
known so far?" Initiate: "I do." Priest: "Then so be it."
With his athame, SQUIRE cuts a lock of Initiate's hair and throws it on the censer. SQUIRE and MAIDEN lead INITIATE around Circle to the east.
Maiden: "Hearken, all ye at the East Gate. Here is one who would join us. Welcome her and bring her joy."
They move on to the south.
Squire: "Hearken all ye at the South Gate. Here is one who would join us. Welcome her and bring her joy."
They move on to the west.
Maiden: "Hearken all ye at the West Gate. Here is one who would join us. Welcome her and bring her joy."
They move on to the north.
Squire: "Hearken all ye at the North Gate. Here is one who would join us. Welcome her and bring her joy."
SQUIRE and MAIDEN lead INITIATE back to stand behind altar again, facing Priest and Priestess. PRIEST and PRIESTESS place their crowns on their heads and, taking up their athames, stand side by side with their right arms holding the knives high in salute. SQUIRE rings bell three times.
Maiden: "Now, then, must you face those whom
you seek."
MAIDEN removes Initiate's blindfold.
Maiden: "Behold, in these two priests do we see the
gods. And in that know that we and they are the same." Squire: "As we need the gods, so do the gods need
us." Priest: "I am he who spe'aks for the God. Yet are
you and I equal." Priestess: "I am she who speaks for the Goddess. Yet
are you and I equal."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS lower their athames and pre- sent the blades to the INITIATE, who kisses the blades.
Initiate: "I salute the Lord and the Lady, as I salute those who represent them. I pledge my love and support to them and to my brothers and sisters of the Craft." Priest: "Know you the Wiccan Rede?" Initiate: "I do. An' it harm none, do what thou wilt." Priestess: "And do you abide by that Rede?" Initiate: "I do."
Priest: "Well said. Let your bonds be loosed that ye
may be reborn."
SQUIRE unties cord. MAIDEN leads INITIATE around to stand between Priest and Priestess. MAIDEN then returns to her place beside Squire.
Priestess: "That you may start life afresh it is only meet and right that you start with a name of your own choosing. Have you such a name?" Initiate: "I have. It is ... (Craft Name)..." Priest: "Then shall you be known by that name henceforth, by your brothers and sisters of the Craft."
PRIEST takes up anointing oil. If Initiate is robed, PRIESTESS opens robe. PRIEST anoints (Cross, Penta- gram and Triangle) and says:
Priest: "With this Sacred Oil I anoint and cleanse thee, giving new life to one of the Children of the Gods. From this day forth you shall be known as ...(Craft Name)..., within this Circle and without it, to all your Brothers and Sisters of the Craft. So Mote It Be."
All: "So mote it be!"
Priestess: "Now you are truly one of us. As one of us will you share our knowledge of the gods and of the arts of healing, of divination, of magick and of all the mystic arts. These shall you learn as you progress." Priest: "But we caution you ever to remember the Wiccan Rede. An' it harm none, do what thou wilt." Priestess: "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt. Come
now, ...(Name)..., and meet your kindred."
INITIATE salutes* Priest and Priestess then moves around to salute and greet all the others in the Circle. If the initiation has been taking place without the other coven members being present, they now return to the Circle to join the celebrants. If it is the coven custom to present a newcomer with any gift(s) this may be done at this time. Bell is rung three times.
Priest: "Now is it truly a time for celebration."
Feasting and merriment follow till the Temple is closed.
Next lesson you will consecrate your tools, so that they may be used in future rituals.
'When one Witch salutes another, it is with an embrace and a kiss.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
Lesson Four: Getting Started 149
1. How did you prepare yourself for the Initiation?
2. If you are joining an existing Coven, describe the members, Priest and Priestess, and goals of that Coven. Why
are you joining that particular Coven?
INITIATION RITUAL
COVEN MEMBERS
GOALS FOR COVEN
LESSON FIVE COVENS AND RITUALS
COVENS AND DEGREES
Throughout history there have been individual, or "Solitary" Witches ... Witches who worked (and frequently lived) alone. There are still many today who feel more comfortable that way and I will look at them specifically later in this book. But the majority of Witches work in groups, known as covens. The origin of the word is in doubt. Margaret Murray (The Witch Cult in Western Europe) suggests it "is a derivative of 'convene'."
The coven is a small group; usually no more than a dozen. The "traditional" size is thirteen, though there is absolutely no reason why that particular number should be adhered to. Personally I have found that the most comfortable number is about eight. One of the things that governs the number of people in the coven is the size of the circle in which they hold their rituals. By tradition, again, this is nine feet in diameter, so it can at once be seen that the number of people who can comfortably fit in its confines will be limited. But this is really putting the cart before the horse. In actual fact you should base the size of the circle on the number of people, not the other way around. To arrive at the ideal size, all should stand in a circle facing inwards and hold hands. Then move slowly outwards, with arms outstretched, until your arms are extended as far as possible. The Circle should then be of a size that will just comfortably contain you all. Whether that means it will be seven feet, eight feet, ten feet six inches or fifteen feet in diameter doesn't matter. What is important is that such a circle will contain the group comfortably, without fear of breaking the boundaries even when dancing round, yet also will not have any excess space.
A coven is a small, close-knit group. In fact, the
members of your coven frequently become closer to you than the members of your own family, hence the Craft is often referred to as a "family religion". And for this reason you should choose your fellow Witches carefully. It is not enough that you all have an interest in the Old Religion. You must be thoroughly compatible; completely comfortable and at ease with one another. To get to this point usually takes time and for this reason you shouldn't rush to form a coven.
Study the Craft together with your friends. Read all the Witchcraft books you can lay hands on, discuss them and question one another. If you know of any initiated Witches, or can contact authors willing to cor- respond, don't be afraid to ask them questions.
Don't be so serious about all this that you have no sense of humor. Religion is a serious business, yes, but the gods know how to laugh and Witches have always believed in enjoying what they do. Coven rituals should not be undertaken lightly, of course, but if somebody makes a mistake (or sits on a candle!), don't be afraid to be human about it and have a chuckle. Religious rites should be performed because you want to perform them and because you enjoy performing them, not because you have to perform them (we can leave that to the other faiths!).
HIERARCHY AND PRIESTHOOD
The group needs a leader, or leaders. The leaders, as priests for the group, will be representing the God and the Goddess, so one male and one female leader would seem to be the ideal. In the Saxon tradition (and some few others) these are democratically chosen by the coven members: they lead for a year and then there is a re-election (if re-elected, their terms running concurrently or not, they are known in their sub- 53
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sequent terms as High Priest/ess, to indicate this experience). Such a system has the distinct advantage of (a) precluding any ego-trips and power-plays by the priesthood, (b) giving everyone who wishes a chance to lead the group and have the experience of running a coven and (c) allowing those good at the job to be re-instated, while conversely allowing the removal of any who abuse their position.
However, in many traditions there are found degree systems—systems of advancement through promotion—and in these it is impossible to be a leader without being of the requisite degree. Regretably these systems do frequently lead to power-plays ("I'm a higher degree ... ergo 'better'... Witch than you are!") and all the ramifications of favoritism/abuse/ self-glorification. Let me hasten to add that this is not always the case. It is simply that there is always the potential. There have been many covens that have existed very happily for years with such a system.
In most degree systems you are initiated into the First Degree. Let's look at the Gardnerian tradition as a typical example. There, in the First Degree, you par- ticipate in the rituals as part of the "chorus", as it were, and learn from your Elders. You must remain in that degree for at least a year and a day. When taken to the Second Degree you can then be more active in the rituals. For example, a female Gardnerian of the Second Degree can even cast the Circle for the High Priestess. However, she cannot initiate anyone. After at least a year and a day there, it is possible to then be taken to the Third Degree, if found ready. As a Third Degree Witch a Gardnerian female can break away and form a new coven if she so desires. She would then run that coven, initiating whomever she wished, with no inter- ference from her original High Priestess. Covens, you see, are autonomous. Of course, the Third Degree Witch does not have to break away and start afresh. Many of that rank are quite content to stay in the original coven, where they are regarded as "Elders".
Different traditions have different systems: some have more than three degrees; some insist on a longer minimum time between steps; some have the Priest with equal powers to the Priestess.
What sort of a person should a Priest/ess be? When I was originally initiated, by the Lady Olwen (Gerald Gardner's High Priestess) in Perth, Scotland, in 1963, she gave me an outline of what a really good coven leader should be. I don't know who the author was, but this is what it said:
The Love Of the Priest and the Priestess You may come to them for a few moments,
then go away and do whatever you will; their love is unchanging. You may deny them to themselves or to
yourself, then curse them to any who will listen; their love is unchanging. You may become the most despised of
creatures, then return to them; their love is unchanging. You may become the enemy of the gods
themselves, then return to them; their love is unchanging. Go where you will; stay however long you
will and come back to them; their love is unchanging. Abuse others; abuse yourself; abuse them
and come back to them; their love is unchanging. They will never criticize you; they will never
minimize you; they will never fail you, because to them you are everything and they themselves are nothing. They will never deceive you; they will never ridicule you; they will never fail you, because to them you are God/Goddess-nature, to be served and they are your servants. No matter what befalls you, No matter what you become, They await you always. They know you; they serve you; they love .
you. Their love for you, in the changing world, is unchanging. Their love, beloved, is unchanging.
A non-Witch (someone not initiated) is referred to as a cowan. Generally cowans cannot attend Circles, though some traditions do have allowances for such visitors. I personally think cowans should be able to sit-in at the religious rites (not the working of magick, however), if all of the coven are agreeable—and if the coven works robed rather than skyclad. What better way to learn of the true spirit of the Old Religion and to determine whether or not it is the path sought? It also, incidentally, is excellent Public Relations, helping straighten the popular misconceptions.
Participation is very important in religion. One of the detractions of Christianity, I think, is the fact that the average worshipper is little more than a spectator.
Lesson Five: Covens and Rituals / 55
Sitting in the "audience", as it were, s/he can only watch most of the ritual along with the rest of the crowd. How different in the Craft where, as a member of the coven "family", you are right there in the middle, taking part.
Expound on this idea. As much as possible give different coven members things to do. At each meeting (or on a rotating system) have one person in charge of the incense; another to see that the wine is topped-up; another to turn the pages of the book, etc.. All are supposedly equal in the Circle; the ritual leaders (coven Priest and Priestess) are just that... leaders, not rulers. PRIESTHOOD IS LEADERSHIP, NOT POWER You will find that the rituals in the pages that follow are written to include as many people as possible.
Once initiated you are a Witch and Priest/ess. The Craft is a religion of priesthood, which is how it is possible for Solitaries to conduct their own rites. I might say a word here about titles. Everyone initiated is a Witch, but in none of the major traditions is the word used as a title, as I mentioned briefly in Lesson Three. In other words, you are not known as "Witch Lema" or "Witch Scire", or whatever your name. You are simply "Lema" or "Scire". Some traditions do use the titles "Lord" and "Lady" however. In Gardnerian, and in Saxon, the High Priestess (only) is referred to as "Lady Freyan" (or whatever her name) and, when speaking to her, you would use the phrase "my lady". But none of the other females is so addressed. As stated, in traditions other than these both "Lord" and "Lady" seem to be applied indiscriminately. I don't know if there is any historical precedent for this but, as with so many things, it doesn't really matter ... it's again a case of what suits you.
I am going to completely by-pass any discussion of the titles "Queen" or "King". Covens are autonomous and there are no" leaders of all Witches" recognized in Wicca, regardless of occasional claims to the contrary.
COVENSTEADS AND COVENDOMS
The name given to the home of the coven (the place where it always, or most often, meets) is the Covenstead. Within the Covenstead, of course, is found the Temple. The Covendom traditionally extends for one league (approximately three miles) in all directions from the Covenstead. This is the area where, traditionally, the coven's Witches live. It used to be that one Covendom could not overlap another, so one Covenstead would never be closer than six miles to the next. These days those-6fd boundaries are seldom honored. However, you should still refer to your own coven meeting-place as the Covenstead and, if you wish, you can think of any distance up to halfway between your Covenstead and the next, as the Covendom radius.
THE BOOK OF RITUALS
The Craft was originally a purely oral tradition—nothing was ever written down; all was passed on by word of mouth. But with the start of the persecutions Witches and covens had to go into hiding and, con- sequently, started to lose touch with one another. So that the rituals
Covendom
56 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
would not be lost, the Witches began to write them down. Not everything; just the basic rituals. Since they were having to meet in secret—"in the shadows", as it were— the book in which the rites were kept became known as "The Book of Shadows". It is still called that today.
It used to be that there was just one such book for each coven. Individual coven members might also keep a book in which they kept notes on their own specialty (e.g. herbal lore; astrology; healing) but there was only the one book which contained all the rituals and that would be in the safe-keeping of the Priest or Priestess. This was obviously done so that there would be less chance of the book being discovered by those antagonistic to the Craft.
In recent years it has become common for all Witches to have a Book of Shadows, with everything contained therein. You should start your own book, then. It is possible to buy blank-paged books in stationery and office-supply stores and these are fine. Some traditions hold that the book must have a black cover; others say green; others brown. Again, it is up to you.
Many Witches like to make their own book from scratch, using parchment for the pages and binding the finished product in tooled leather, or even bet- ween carved wooden covers. Putting together such a book can be a labor of love and certainly gives plenty of scope for free artistic expression. Hand-binding is not difficult to do. There are several books available on it (Hand Bookbinding by Aldren A. Watson, Bell Publishing, NY 1963, is one). If you decide on one main coven book, in addition to any individual Witch's book, then several people can work on that coven one.
You may feel free to do yours as you wish. I have seen some really beautiful books, with elaborately decorated pages, including illuminated lettering. Of course, if you prefer simplicity that is all right too. Your book should reflect YOU. One point worth bearing in mind—the book is to be used; the rituals to be read in the Circle. Don't make the writing so elaborate that, in the flickering candlelight, you can't read what is written!
As you come to the different rituals in this work- book, copy them into your own book. By the time you've worked through this entire book your Book of Shadows will be complete.
CONSECRATION OF TOOLS
The tools you have made—plus any jewelry you might make—carry a variety of vibrations. Before using your tools, therefore, it is necessary to ritually cleanse
them and to dedicate them to the work you will be using them for. This is done through a "sprinkling and censing". When you charge your salt and then mix it with the water, it becomes, in essence, "Holy Water". Together with the smoke of the incense, this acts as a spiritual cleansing agent.
The first thing you will consecrate will be your knife, or athame, since you will need that for regularly casting the Circle and for general ritual work. The Consecration Ritual that follows is written for the athame. You simply change the wording to apply to anything else you happen to be consecrating (e.g. sword, talisman). The consecration only need be done once. It does not have to be repeated every time you have a Circle.
Start by casting your Circle, as detailed in Lesson Three—Self—Dedication. Go as far as the lines: "Now is the Temple erected. I shall not leave it but with good reason. So be it." Now continue:
Consecration Ritual Taking up your knife, hold it high in salute and say:
"God and Goddess; Lord and Lady; Father
and Mother of All Life. Here do I present my personal Tool for your
approval. From the materials of nature has it been
fashioned; Wrought into the form you now see. I would that it henceforth may serve me As a tool and weapon, in thy service."
Place it on the altar and stand, or kneel, for a few moments with head bowed, thinking back over the construction of the knife (sword, talisman or whatever) and what you did to personalize it; to make it truly your own. Then dip your fingers in the salted water and sprinkle the knife. Turn it over and sprinkle the other side. Now pick it up and hold it in the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all parts of it get thoroughly censed. Say:
"May the Sacred Water and the smoke of the Holy Incense that it be pure drive and cleansed, out any impurities ready to serve in
f
this me knife,
and my gods in any way I desire. So mote it be."
Hold it between the palms of your hands and concen- trate all your energies—your "power"—into the knife.
Lesson Five: Covens and Rituals / 57
Then say:
"I charge this knife, through me, with the wisdom and might of the God and Goddess. May it serve us well, keeping me from harm and acting in their service, in all things. So mote it be."
If you are consecrating other things at this time, repeat the above with each of them in turn. Then close the Circle as follows. Raise your newly consecrated athame in your right hand (left, if left-handed) and say:
"My thanks to the gods for their attendance. May they ever watch over me*, guarding and guiding me* in all that I do. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. So Be It."
Keep the consecrated item on your person, wher- ever you go, for twenty-four hours following the con- secration. Then sleep with it under your pillow for three consecutive nights. From now on you will use your athame as indicated in the rituals which follow. It is your own personal tool. There is no harm in letting someone else handle it, just to look at it, but do not lend it to anyone for use in or out of the Circle.
facing it, you are facing east. On the altar are one or two white altar candles, thurible, dishes of salt and of water, bell, deity figures (optional), bowl of anointing oil, goblet of wine (or fruit juice), libation dish, sword (if you have one) and/or priests' athames. CENSERER lights the incense and the altar candles (not the Circle candles) and then leaves the area to wait, with the rest of the coven, in the northeastern quarter. PRIEST and PRIESTESS enter the Circle, from the east (just on the northern side of the east candle) — as will all, when they come in—and move to stand before the altar, facing east. PRIEST rings bell three times. Priest/ess: "Be it known the Temple is about to be erected; the Circle is about to be cast. Let those who desire attendance gather in the east and await the summons. Let none be here but of their own free will."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS each take an altar candle and move around the altar, deosil, and across to the east. PRIESTESS lights the East Candle from the one she carries.
Priestess: "Here do I bring light and air in at the east, to illuminate our temple and bring it the breath of life." Time now to look at the opening and closing ceremonies, as performed by a coven, with the appro- priate tools. In the Saxon tradition we call these rites ERECTING THE TEMPLE and CLEARING THE TEMPLE. Preferring these terms to others, such as "Opening and Closing the Circle", I will use them here.
The rituals in this workbook are written to utilize a number of people in the coven. Don't hesitate to modify them for more or less people. Where I have indicated "PRIEST/ESS" it means the words/action may be performed by either one. Otherwise one or the other will be specified.
ERECTING THE TEMPLE
The Circle is marked out on the floor. There is a candle at each of the four quarters; yellow to the east, red to the south, blue to the west, green to the north. The altar is set up in the center of the Circle so that, when
They move on round to the south, where the PRIEST lights the South Candle.
Priest: "Here do I bring light and fire in at the south, to illuminate our temple and bring it warmth."
They move to the west, where the PRIESTESS lights the West Candle.
Priestess: "Here do I bring light and water in at the west, to
illuminate our temple and wash it clean."
They move to the north, where the PRIEST lights the North Candle.
Priest: "Here do I bring light and earth in at the north, to illuminate our temple and to build it in strength."
*"us" if more than yourself in the Circle.
•In the light half of the year, the Priestess; in the dark half, the Priest.
581 Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
They move on around to the east, then back to the altar and replace their candles. PRIEST/ESS* takes up the sword (or athame) and, returning to the east, now walks slowly around the Circle with sword-point following the marked line. As s/he walks, s/he con- centrates power into the Circle line. When completed, s/he returns to the altar. The bell is rung three times. PRIEST places the point of his athame in the salt and says:
Priest: "As Salt is Life, let it purify us in all ways we
may use it. Let it cleanse our bodies and spirits as we dedicate ourselves in these rites, to the glory of the God and the Goddess."
PRIESTESS takes up the Salt dish and uses the point of her athame to drop three portions of salt into the water. She stirs the now-salted water with the athame and says:
Priestess: "Let the Sacred Salt drive out any impurities in
this Water, that we may use it throughout
ENTERING AND LEAVING THE CIRCLE
broken. though absolutely At no this At necessary. time other should during times always It the it is is done working possible be done in the of to with following magick leave care, the should and manner.
Circle no the and more Circle return, than be
Leaving though then Circle, on With between the cutting your athame Circle
left across the (see in lines. Figures hand, the If line standing you A of and like the B). you in Circle; You the can may east, first imagine then make on your walk that a motion out you right of have and the as
cut a gateway, or doorway, in the east through which to pass.
Re-entry eastern line with you backwards Incidentally, have of When the the gateway sword, three Circle. you this and one lines return is and forwards Actually why with to "close" to reconnect. the the the salted blade three Circle, along it behind of water You circles the walk the do and athame you were this back lines one by by with is originally in "reconnecting" moving (see double-edged. through the Figure incense— your cast—one that blade same
C,). It
the
so
Normally the is actions. moving bring slightly right so Temple. Then To and, that it down upwards; finish, the it once finally, kiss will blade The to the the you"seal" "cut" the back Circle Circle straight to blade bottom in describe up either starts to should of the across the left. your no direction, break top a Then, one not, pentagram. to knife (see the should by therefore, figure move in and raising left; this leave return D).
it Start down and across your be until similar at to broken to magical athame the to the the top bottom right, and and
the your Clearing place.
unless absolutely bathroom!). then from gone. same followed s/he spot; the On by returning, outside, should necessary steps step If the D A do to and person to s/he seal (such steps temporarily B, it.
will pass cutting as A when and then through out B, close need someone pass is and to to the close through, cut be Circle really through gone as usual has then while for again to with some do go they step step (at to time, are the the
C, C
Note: NOT BE ONCE BROKEN.
MAGICK WORK IS STARTED, THE CIRCLE MUST
Lesson Five: Covens and Rituals 159
these rites."
PRIEST takes up Thurible; PRIESTESS takes up Salted Water. They again move round the altar to the east. Starting there, they slowly walk clockwise around the Circle, PRIESTESS sprinkling the salted water along the line of the circle and PRIEST passing censer along its line, till they return to their starting point. They then return to the altar and replace the tools. PRIEST drops a pinch of salt into the oil and stirs it with his finger. He then anoints the Priestess (Note: if robed, the Keltic Cross in Circle alone is used. If skyclad, the Pentagram and Inverted Triangle follow). Priest: "I consecrate thee in the names of the God and the Goddess,
bidding you welcome to this their Temple."
They salute, then PRIESTESS anoints Priest, with the same words arid salute. They then both move, together, round to the east, PRIESTESS carrying the oil and PRIEST his athame. There he makes two "cuts" across the line of the Circle, thus opening it (see Figures A-B).
One by one the coveners enter. As they do so they are anointed— the males by the Priestess and the females by the Priest—and greeted with the Words: Priest/ess: "I consecrate thee in the names of the God and of the Goddess,
bidding you welcome to this their Temple. Merry Meet."
The COVENERS move around to stand all about the altar, as far as possible alternating male and female. When the last has been admitted, the PRIEST closes the Circle by drawing his athame across the line again, connecting the two "broken" ends. PRIESTESS sprinkles a little of the oil there and PRIEST raises his athame and draws a pentagram to seal it (see illustration). They then return to the altar. The bell is rung three times.
Priest/ess: "May you all be here in peace and in love. We bid you welcome.
Let now the Quarters be saluted and the gods invited."
The COVENER closest to the east turns outward and moves to stand facing the East Candle, with her/his athame raised. S/he draws an invoking pentagram (see diagram) and says:
Covener: "All hail to the element of Air; Watchtower of the East. May it
stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle."
S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. The Covener closest to the south then turns to face the South Candle. With athame raised, s/he draws an invoking pentagram and says:
Covener: "All hail to the element of Fire; Watchtower of the south. May it
stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle."
S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle.
60 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
The Covener closest to the west then turns to face the West Candle. With athame raised, s/he draws an in- voking pentagram and says:
Covener: "All hail to the element of Water; Watchtower of the West. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle."
S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. The Covener closest to the north then turns to face the North Candle. With athame raised, s/he draws an invoking pentagram and says:
Covener: "All hail to the element of Earth; Watchtower of the North. May it stand in strength, ever watching over our Circle."
S/he kisses the blade of her/his athame and returns to the Circle. PRIEST/ESS raises athame and draws a pentagram, saying:
Priestess: "All hail the four Quarters and all hail the Gods! We bid the Lord and Lady welcome and invite that they join with us, witnessing these rites we hold in their honor. All hail!" All: "All hail!" Priest: "Let us share the Cup of Friendship."
PRIEST takes the goblet and pours a little of the wine onto the ground, or into the libation dish, saying the names of the gods. He then takes a drink and passes the goblet to the Priestess. She drinks and passes it to the nearest Covener on her left, who drinks and passes it on to the next. The goblet goes all around the Circle until all have drunk and it is returned to the altar (Note: it is not necessary for everyone to pour libations; just the first person—in this case, the Priest). Bell is rung three times.
Priestess: "Now are we all here and is the Temple erected. Let none leave but with good reason, till the Temple is cleared. So Mote It Be." All: "So Mote It Be!"
Erecting the Temple is done at the start of every meeting. It is, basically, the consecration of both the meeting place and of the participants. The meeting— be it Esbat, Sabbat, or whatever—continues from this
point. Then, at the end of every meeting, there is the Clearing the Temple.
CLEARING THE TEMPLE
Priest/ess*: "We came together in love and friendship; let us part the same way. Let us spread the love we have known in this Circle outward to all; sharing it with those we meet."
PRIEST/ESS raises sword, or athame, in salute. ALL COVENERS raise their athames.
Priest/ess: "Lord and Lady, our thanks to you for sharing this time together. Our thanks for watching over us; guarding and guiding us in all things. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. Merry did we meet; merry do we part; merry may we meet again." All: "Merry meet; merry part; merry meet again." Priest/ess: "The Temple is now cleared. So Mote It
Be." All: "So Mote It Be!"
ALL kiss their athame blades. They then move about the Temple to kiss one another in farewell.
ESBATS AND SABBATS
The regular meetings of Witches are called ESBATS. It is at these that any work is done (e.g. magick, healing). Most covens meet once a week, but there is really no hard and fast rule. There should certainly be a Circle at least once a month, at the full moon. Since there are thirteen full moons in the year then, obviously, there will be at least thirteen meetings in the year. In addition to the Full moons, many covens also celebrate the new moons.
And in addition to the Esbats there are the fes- tivals known as SABBATS (from the French s'ebattre, to revel or frolic). There are eight of these, spaced more or less equidistant throughout the year. They are, the four"Greater Sabbats": Samhain (pronounced "soe-in", though the vast majority of Witches mis- pronounce it "Sam-ain"), Imbolc (pronounced "7m-bulk"), Beltane (pronounced "b'yal-t'n") and Lughnasadh (pronounced "Loo-n'sar")t and the four "Lesser Sab-bats": Spring and Autumn Equinox and Summer and Winter Solstice. Margaret Murray, in God of the Witches,
'Depending on the time of year. tYou will find much disagreement on the subject of pronunciation. Don't worry too much about it.
Lesson Five: Covens and Rituals / 61
points out that the two most important—Samhain and Beltane—coincide with the breeding seasons of both wild and domestic animals. The pagan festivals were later exploited by the Christian Church. For example Imbolc became Candlemas and Lughnasadh became Lammas.
On each of the eight Sabbats a different ceremony is performed, appropriate for the time of year. Once or twice in the year the Sabbat date may coincide with a full or new moon. When that happens the Esbat normally done on that date gives way to the Sabbat.
Essentially Sabbats are looked upon as a time for rejoicing and celebration. No work is done at a Sabbat, unless there is some emergency such as a healing. Here, then, are the ceremonies for the Esbats and the Sabbats.
ESBAT RITE
Here is a basic Esbat ritual that can be used every week, if you meet that often. For times of the Full Moon, include the Full Moon Rite (below) where indicated. Similarly with the New Moon Rite.
The Erecting the Temple is performed.
Priest/ess: "Once more we meet together, one with another, to share our joy of life and to reaffirm our feelings for the gods." Covener: "The Lord and the Lady have been good to us. It is meet that we thank them for all that we have." 2nd 'They also know that we have needs and Covener: they listen to us when we call upon them." Priest/ess: "Then let us join together to thank the God and the Goddess for those favors they have bestowed upon us. And let us also ask of them that which we feel we need; remem bering always that the gods help only those who help themselves."
Then should follow three or four minutes of silence while each, in their own way, gives thanks or requests the help of the gods.* Bell is rung three times.
Priest/ess: "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt." All: "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt." Priest/ess: "Thus runs the Wiccan Rede. Remember it well. Whatever you desire; whatever you
would ask of the gods; whatever you would do; be assured that it will harm no one—not even yourself. And remember that as you give, so it shall return threefold. Give of yourself—your love; your life—and you will be thrice rewarded. But send forth harm and that too will return thrice over."
Here there should be music and song. If you have a favorite song, or chant, to the Lord and the Lady, use it. Or someone may produce something extemporane- ously. If you have instruments, play them. If not, at the very least clap hands and chant the names of the God and the Goddess. Enjoy this for a few minutes.
Priest/ess: "Beauty and Strength are in the Lord and the Lady both. Patience and Love; Wisdom and Knowledge."
[If the Esbat is taking place at either the Full or the New Moon, then the appropriate segment (below) is inserted at this point. Otherwise go directly into the CAKES AND ALE ceremony. 
FULL MOON RITE
PRIESTESS stands with her legs apart and her arms raised up and out, stretching to the sky. PRIEST kneels before her. All the COVENERS also kneel. ALL raise their arms high.
Covener: "When the Moon rides on high,
As she crosses the sky, And the stars on her gown trail behind, Then we Wiccans below Are with love all aglow, Just to see her so brightly enshrined." Covener: "On the night of Full Moon,
As we sing to the tune Of the Lady who watches above, We raise high our song As she glides by so strong, And we bask in the light of her love."
ALL lower their arms. PRIEST rises and kisses Priestess, then kneels again.
Priest: "Lovely lady, you have been known by so
many names to so many people.
*In paganism generally it is thought to be far more efficacious to speak "from the heart" rather than read a set prayer, parrot-fashion, from a book.
62 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Aphrodite, Kerridwen, Diana, Ea, Freya, Gana, Isis, and many more have been your names. Yet do we know you and love you as ...(Name)...*, and in that name do we adore you and worship you. With your Lord by your side, do we give you due honor and invite you to join with us on this, your special night."
PRIEST stands and, with his athame—or wand, if used—draws a pentagram above the Priestess's head. A COVENER rings the bell three times.
Priest: "Descend, my Lady, descend we pray thee,
and speak with us your children."
PRIEST kneels again. PRIESTESS spreads her arms out to her coven. If she feels so moved, she may now speak—or allow the gods to speak through her. If she does not "feel the spirit", she may simply recite the following:
Priestess: "I am She who watches over thee;
Mother of you all. Know that I rejoice that you do not forget me. To pay me homage at the full of the Moon is meet and right and brings joy unto yourselves even as it does to me. Know that, with my good Lord, I weave the skein of life for each and every one of you. I am at the beginning of life and at its end; The Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. Wherever you may be, if you seek me know that I am always here, For I abide deep within you. Look, then, within yourself if you would
J
seek me. I am Life and I am Love. Find me and rejoice; for love is my music and laughter is my song. Be true to me and I will ever be true to you. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. So Mote It Be."
PRIESTESS folds her arms across her breast and closes her eyes. Then follows a moment or two of silence before going into the Cakes and Ale Ceremony.
NEW, or DARK MOON RITE
PRIESTESS stands with head bowed and her arms
across her breast. COVENERS start to move deosil round the Circle, chanting the name of the Goddess. They move around completely three times then stop. PRIEST stands before Priestess.
Priest: "Dark is the night as we reach this turning point. Here is a time of death; yet a time of birth." Covener: "Endings and beginnings." Covener: "Ebbing and flowing." Covener: "A journey done; a journey yet to start." Covener: "Let us honor now the Crone—Mother
darksome and divine." Covener: "Let us give of our strength and in return
see rebirth." Priest: "Behold, the Lady of Darkness; Mother,
Grandmother. Old yet ever young."
PRIESTESS slowly raises her head and spreads her arms outwards and upwards. ALL kneel.
Priestess: "Hear me! Honor me and love me now and
always. As the wheel turns we see birth, death and rebirth. Know, from this, that every end is a beginning; Every stop a fresh starting point. Maiden, Mother, Crone ... I am all of these and more. Whenever you have need of anything, call upon me. I, and my Lord, are here—for I abide within you all. Even at the darkest of times, when there seems no single spark to warm you and the night seems blackest of all, I am here, watching and waiting to grow with you, in strength and in love. I am she who is at the beginning and the end of all time. So Mote It Be." All: "So Mote It Be!"
PRIESTESS folds her arms again. There is a moment or two of silence, then follows the Cakes and Ale ceremony.
There is a ceremony known as CAKES AND ALE. This acts as the "connecting link", as it were, between the ritualistic part of the meeting and the working/ social part... the sitting and talking on Craft and non-
*The name your coven uses for the Goddess.
Lesson Five: Covens and Rituals 163
Craft matters; discussion of magick, healing, divination; consideration of personal or coven problems, etc. These things all come after the worship. Honoring the gods is first and foremost in Wicca.
Some traditions call this ceremony "Cakes and Wine", others "Cakes and Ale".* The latter is perhaps more indicative of the "common" origins of the religion (peasants and serfs would seldom, if ever, get to drink wine. Ale was their lot and they were happy with it). At Wiccan coven meetings today, however, even if retaining the "Ale" in the title of the ceremony, Witches drink what they prefer: ale, beer, wine, fruitjuice.
Such a ceremony is found universally, in various forms, as a thanking of the gods for the necessities of life; thanking them for the food and drink we need in order to live.
A plate of cakes (or cookies) rests on the Altar, beside the goblet Wine (or whatever) is in the goblet
CAKES AND ALE
One COVENER is responsible for keeping the goblet filled. At the start of this rite he fills it and says:
Covener: "Now is the time for us to give thanks to the
gods for that which sustains us." Priest: "So be it. May we ever be aware of all that we
owe to the gods."
PRIESTESS calls two coveners by name, one male and one female. They come and stand before the altar. The FEMALE takes the goblet in both hands and holds it between her breasts. The MALE takes his athame and holds the handle between his two palms, with the blade pointing down. He slowly lowers the point into the wine, with the words:
Male "In like fashion may male join with female, Covener: for the happiness of both." Female "Let the fruits of union promote life. Let Covener: all be fruitful and let wealth be spread throughout all lands."
HE raises athame. SHE holds goblet for him to drink, then HE holds it for her to drink. Goblet is then passed around the Circle for all to drink, Priest and Priestess drinking last.
MALE covener takes up plate of cakes and holds them before him. FEMALE touches each of them with the point of her athame, and says:
Female "This food is the blessing of the gods to Covener: our bodies. Let us partake of it freely. And, as we share, let us remember always to see to it that aught that we have we share with those who have nothing."
SHE takes a cake and eats it, then takes the plate and offers to the male, who takes and eats. The cakes are passed around the Circle, Priest and Priestess taking last. MALE and FEMALE coveners return to their places in the Circle.
Priestess: "As we enjoy these gifts of the gods, let us remember that without the gods we would have nothing." Priest: "Eat and drink. Be happy. Share and give
thanks. So Mote It Be." All: "So Mote It Be!"
ALL now sit and, if desired, individual goblets may be filled and a general repast enjoyed. This is a good time for talk and discussion; for advice and questioning. If it is an Esbat and magick is to be done (see coming lessons), then this is a good time to discuss all aspects of what is to be done and how. If, however, there is no further business, then general conversation, with music and song and dance if you wish, may continue till it is decided to do the CLEARING OF THE TEMPLE.
Next lesson I will give you the four major Sabbat rituals: Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
*Ale is a fermented liquor similar to beer. The principle is extracted from several sorts of grain, most commonly from barley, after it has undergone the process of malting.
1. Describe your Coven. What kind of a degree system do you have?
2. Describe where your Covenstead is located. Where is your Covendom? How far does it extend? Draw a map if you
like.
3. Describe your Book of Shadows.
4. It is enjoyable to be able to refer back to special ceremonies in your life. For this reason it is helpful to have a tape recording or written account of these happenings. Relate here the events in your Consecration of Tools Ceremony.
5. Practice drawing a Pentagram.
6. What are the dates of the Esbats and Sabbats this year? What rites will you take part in?
dominating As I mentioned in the last lesson, there are eight
in the winter (the "Dark Half" of the year) Sabbats in the course of a year. These are times to cele-
and the Goddess predominating in the summer (the brate; to rejoice with the gods and have a good time. No work (magick) is done at a Sabbat, unless there is some emergency such as a healing desperately needed. But there is much feasting and merriment.
In the old days, before the persecutions, many different covens would come together to celebrate. There might be as many as several hundred Witches, from widely scattered covens, all congregating in one place to give thanks to the gods and to celebrate the Sabbat. In these modern times I have seen similar gatherings—though not for a specific Sabbat—such as the "Pan Pagan Festival" held in Michigan in 1981, where nearly eight hundred Witches and pagans were in attendance. But whether you can join forces with others or you celebrate as a single coven—or even as a Solitary Witch (more on this later)—the keyword is "celebration".
As the Goddess is honored with the phases of the moon, so is the God at certain of the phases of the sun. These are the "Lesser Sabbats" that occur at the Summer and Winter Solstice and the Spring and Autumn Equinox. The four "Greater Sabbats" are more in the nature of seasonal, rather than specifically solar, fes-
"Light Half" of the year). This, of course, goes back to what I outlined in the first lesson—originating with the reliance on success in the hunt in the winter and nourishment of the crops in the summer. But there is more to it than that, even without getting into the com- plexities of Oak and Holly kings. In neither half of the year should you think of the one deity being supreme— being there without his or her partner. The key word is predominant. In other words, the emphasis is on the one but not to the total exclusion of the other. It should also be remembered, of course, that each deity—as with every individual—bears the attributes of both male and female.
Sabbats start, as do all Circle rituals, with the Erecting the Temple rite. You should follow this with a Full or New Moon ritual, if appropriate for the Sabbat date (if the sabbat falls at a quarter point, then omit this). Then comes the particular sabbat ritual, which leads to Cakes and Ale. This is then followed by games and/or entertainment and feasting.
In the suggested greater Sabbat rituals that I give below, you will find a general pattern which you may tivals and are therefore times for general celebration
want to follow when writing your own rituals. It starts with both God and Goddess duly honored.
with a PROCESSIONAL. Then comes a HYMN to the Janet and Stewart Farrar, in their book Eight Sabbats
deity. Next is an ENACTMENT of the seasonal motif, for Witches (Robert Hale, London, 1981), suggest a deeper leit motif for the Horned God, with a duality which they term the Oak King and the Holly King.* Although I see much merit in this, I am going to "stick to basics", as it were, and leave you to elaborate as the spirit moves you.
In simple terms, we can think of the God pre-
followed by a DECLARATION (these two segments give you wide scope for expression. The enactment can take many forms, from a solo performance to full coven participation in a mini-play, mime or dance). Since the Declaration is, in effect, an explanation of the meaning and significance of the particular sabbat, then it is possible to combine it with the Enactment, as
'This is an excellent bookand should be studied both for this interesting theory of theirs, on a duality of the Homed God, and for the structuring and composition of sabbat rituals as a whole. 67
LESSON SIX SABBATS
68 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
in the form of a mime or dance accompanied by narration. Then comes the LITANY—a lead-and-response—followed by DANCE/SONG/CHANT. If OFFERINGS are appropriate (as at harvest time) then they should come before Cakes and Ale.
Since we think of the God predominating in the dark half of the year and the Goddess in the light half of the year, then the change-overs from one to the other should be included as a significant part of the rites, occuring at Samhain and at Beltane. Here, then, are suggested rituals for the four Greater Sabbats, starting with Samhain. The four Lesser will be given next lesson.
Note: It is nice to "dress up" the altar and Circle for sabbats. Should you choose to use an altar cloth at these times, it should be of the same color as the candles or, alternatively, use the altar cloth in the color indicated but with white candles.
SAMHAIN—Greater Sabbat
This is the time of year for getting rid of weaknesses (in the old days the cattle least likely to make it through the winter would be cut from the herd and slaughtered). Coveners should bring into the Circle with them a small piece of parchment on which they have written down weaknesses or bad habits they would like to lose.
The outer edge of the Circle may be decorated with autumnal flowers, branches, pine-cones, small pumpkins, etc.. There should be flowers on the altar. The altar cloth/candles should be orange. The Horned Helmet rests beside the altar. In the north quarter stands a cauldron containing material for a fire (regular kindling, if the Circle is outside, or a candle or a Sterno* burner, if meeting inside).
The Erecting the Temple is performed. This may be followed by Full Moon or New Moon rite, if appropriate. Bell is then rung three times by a covener acting as SUMMONER. Summoner: "Haste! Haste! No time to wait!
We're off to the Sabbat, so don't be late!" Priest/ess: "To the Sabbat!" All: "To the Sabbat!"
With PRIEST and PRIESTESS leading, the coven moves deosil around the Circle, walking or dancing as each feels moved. It is appropriate to carry small drums or tambourines, to give a beat. Coven circles as many times as they wish. At some point, as they move around, PRIEST/ESS should start singing a hymn to the gods (this can be anything from a simple repetitive chanting of the names of the gods to a spontaneous song of praise, or can be one of the songs or chants given in Appendix D). All can join in as the procession continues. If it is preferred, the coven can circle a number of times then come to a halt and start the singing while standing in place. Priest: "Now is a time of change. Now do we leave the light and
"Dance and song, as an essential part of the religious hunting ceremony, is almost universal even today. The Yakuts of Siberia, for instance, and many American Indian and Eskimo tribes, always dance before hunting. Dance/rhythm is the first step to ekstasis— the 'getting out of oneself. When the dance is for the increase of food, the dancers frequently imitate the movements of the animals, or the growing of the plants, which they are trying to influence. ...the Masked Dancer at Four-neaudu Diabk, Dordogne, is depicted playing some form of musical instrument. This might indicate a ritual similar to that of the primitive Semang, of the Malayan jungle, who today enact the hunting of the coconut-ape through an action-song. It is performed partly for entertainment but mainly for magickal influence over the ape in the future hunt. The performance goes through the stalking of the ape to the actual killing, by blowpipe. An interesting point, however, is the inclusion in the song of the ape's feelings and the reactions of its family to its death."
Witchcraft from the Inside Raymond Buckland, Llewellyn, MN1971
enter the darkness. Yet do we do so gladly, for we know it to be but the turning of the mighty Wheel of the Year." Priestess: "At this time of the year the gates between the worlds are open. We call upon our ancestors, our loved ones, to pass through and join with us at this time. We invite them to delight in celebration with those they love."
Then follows an enactment of a seasonal motif. This can vary greatly and may be based on any of a number of themes, including local beliefs and practices. Here are some examples: life—death—new life; death of the old king and crowning of the new; the turning wheel of the year; the killing-off of those animals (cattle) that would not survive the winter; return of the dead to rejoice, briefly, with the living; gathering of the harvest and storing for the winter; the creation of the world, with chaos transformed to order. This enactment can take the form of a play, mime or dance. At the end of the enactment, the bell is rung seven times. Then one of the coveners speaks:
Covener: "We are at the crack of time, for this day belongs neither to the old year nor to the new. And as there is no distinction between the years, so is there no distinction between the worlds. Those we have known and loved, in ages past, are free to return to us here in this meeting place. Reach out, each and every one of you, in your own way, and feel the presence of one you have known and thought lost. From this reuniting gather strength. Know, all of you, that there is no end and no beginning. All is a continuous turning, a spiralling dance that goes and returns, yet moves ever on. In that turning, Samhain is the sacred festival marking the end of the summer and the beginning of winter: a time to celebrate; a time to welcome the God as he starts his journey down the tunnel of darkness that bears the light of our Lady at its end." Priest/ess: "The Old Year ends." All: "The New Year begins." Priest/ess: "The Wheel turns." All: "And turns again." Priest/ess: "Farewell to Our Lady."
Lesson Six: Sabbats 169
All: "Welcome to Our Lord." Priest/ess: "Goddess-Summer draws to a close." All: "God-Winter sets his foot upon the path." Priest/ess: "Hail and farewell!" All: "Hail and farewell!"
PRIEST and PRIESTESS lead coven in a dance around the Circle. This may be followed, or accom- panied, by a song or chant (see Lesson Twelve and Appendix D for dances, songs and chants). PRIESTESS takes up Homed Helmet and stands before altar.
Priestess: "Gracious Goddess, we thank thee for the
joys of summer. We thank thee for all thy bounty; The fruits, the crops, the harvest. Return again as the Wheel turns And be with us once more. Even as our Lord accepts the mantle, Walk with him through the darkness, To come again into the light."
PRIEST stands and faces Priestess. SHE holds Helmet high over his head. A Covener stands by the cauldron, with fire ready.
Priestess: "Here do I display the symbol of our Lord: He who rules Death and that which comes
after; The Dweller in the Darkness; The Husband/Brother of the light. May he guard us and guide us in all that we
do, Within and without this Circle. With our Lady at his side, may he lead us
through hardship And bring us, with hope, into the light."
PRIESTESS places Horned Helmet on Priest's head. As she does, COVENER lights the cauldron fire.
Covener: "Now is our Lord among us.
Speak, for we are your children." Priest: "Behold, I am he who is at the beginning
and at the end of time. I am in the heat of the sun and the coolness
of the breeze. The spark of life is within me, as is the
darkness of death.
70 / Bucklcind's Complete Book of Witchcraft
For I am he who is the Gatekeeper at the end of time. Lord-dweller in the sea, You hear the thunder of my hooves upon
the shore And see the fleck of foam as I pass by. My strength is such that I might lift the
world itself to touch the stars. Yet gentle am I, ever, as the lover. I am he whom all must face at the
appointed hour, Yet am I not to be feared, for I am brother, lover, son. Death is but the beginning of Life, And I am he who turns the key."
PRIESTESS salutes Priest. One by one other COVEN-ERS move around. If they wish to, they may place an offering on the altar or before it. They then embrace and/or kiss the Priest and move on back to their places. As they pass the burning cauldron, they throw into it their piece of parchment listing their weakness. PRIEST stands for a moment and meditates on his position for the coming half year. He then removes the Helmet and replaces it beside the altar. Bell is rung nine times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertainment (which may still take place around the altar, if desired). The evening concludes with a feast (usually a potluck affair, with dishes brought by the coveners).
BELTANE—Greater Sabbat
The outer edge of the Circle, and the altar, may be decorated with flowers. The altar cloth and candles should be dark green. A crown lies beside the altar. This may be a crown of flowers or it may be a silver crown decorated with silver crescent moons or similar. In the north quarter stands a cauldron containing material for a fire (regular kindling or a candle or a Sterno® burner). In the east quarter is a Maypole—the Circle may be drawn extra large to accommodate it.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. This may be followed by Full Moon or New Moon Rite, if appro- priate. The bell is rung three times by a Covener acting as Summoner.
Summoner: "Haste! Haste! No time to wait!
We're off to the Sabbat, so don't be late!" Priest/ess: "To the Sabbat!" All: "To the Sabbat!"
With PRIEST and PRIESTESS leading, the COVEN move deosil around the Circle, walking or dancing as each feels fit, with small drums or tambourines giving a beat. Circle as many times as you wish. PRIEST and PRIESTESS start singing a hymn to the gods and all join in. Eventually all halt and singing ends.
Priest: "The Lord has reached the end of his
journey." Priestess: "The Lady sets her foot upon the path."
Then follows an enactment of a seasonal motif (e.g. triumphant return of the Goddess from the world between lives; creativity/reproduction; start of one of the breeding seasons for animals, both wild and domestic; dancing about the Maypole; driving of cattle between two fires to ensure a good milk yield). Bell is rung seven times.
Covener: "The gates swing back and forth and all
may freely pass through. Our Lord has reached the ending of his
journey, To find the Lady awaiting him, with warmth
and comfort. This is a time for joy and a time for sharing. The richness of the soil accepts the seed; And now is the time that seeds should
be spilled. Togetherness brings joy and abundance
fills the earth. Let us celebrate the planting of abundance; The turning of the Wheel; The season of the Lady. Let us say farewell to the darkness And cry greetings to the Light. Lord and Lady become Lady and Lord As the Wheel turns and we move ever
on." Priest: "The Wheel turns." All: "Without ceasing." Priestess: "The Wheel turns." All: "And turns again." Priest: "Farewell to our Lord."
All: "Welcome to the Lady." Priestess: "God-Winter ends his reign." All: "As Goddess-Summer turns to face the
light." Priestess: "Hail and Farewell!" All: "Hail and Farewell!"
PRIEST and PRIESTESS lead coven in a dance about the Circle leading to the Maypole. Each of the COVEN-ERS takes a ribbon and dances around the pole with it, intertwining one with another. This is continued till all ribbons are tied around the pole, symbolizing the union of male and female; the joining of all together. A suitable chant/song to sing while dancing is found in the Gardnerian book. It is Gerald Gardner's version of a Rudyard Kipling poem:
"Oh, do not tell the priests of our Art For they would call it sin. But we shall be in the woods all night A-conjuring Summer in. And we bring you good news, by word of
mouth, For women, cattle and corn; Now is the sun come up from the south, With oak and ash and thorn."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS return to the altar. PRIEST- ESS stands with head bowed and arms crossed on her breast. PRIEST takes up the crown and holds it over her head.
Priest: "Our Lord, with the lady at his side,
Has brought us through the Darkness to
the light. It was a long journey that was not easy. Yet did the gods show strength And, through them, did we all grow and
prosper. Now may they both continue. Now may the Lady, with her Lord at her
side, Move on down the path, Spreading her Light and driving out Dark-
ness."
PRIESTESS moves to stand with legs astride and arms up and outstretched. PRIEST lowers the crown onto her head. As he does so the cauldron fire is lit by one of the coveners.
Lesson Six: Sabbats I 71
Covener: "Now is our Lady among us.
Speak, Lady, for we are your children."
PRIESTESS lowers her arms and spreads them wide to her coveners.
Priestess: "I am she who turns the Wheel, Bringing new life into the world And beckoning those who pass along the
ways. In the coolness of the breeze you hear my sighs; My heart is in the rushing of the wind. When you thirst, let my tears fall upon you
as gentle rain; When you tire, pause to rest upon the earth that is my breast. Warmth and comfort do I give thee And ask for nothing in return Save that you love all things even as yourself. Know that Love is the spark of Life. It is always there; always with you if you
but see it. Yet you need not seek afar, for love is the
inner spark; The light that burns without flicker; The amber glow within. Love is the beginning and the end of all things... And I am Love."
PRIEST kisses Priestess. One by one COVENERS move around to kiss Priestess and to lay their offerings on the altar. When all have returned to their places, PRIEST and PRIESTESS join hands and lead them in a dance (as singles or couples) around the Circle. As they come to the cauldron, they jump over it. After several times around they halt. The bell is rung three times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertain- ment (which may still take place around the altar if desired). The evening concludes with a feast.
IMBOLC—Greater Sabbat
This is the "Feast of Lights". It is another fire festival, so there is again a cauldron containing the makings of
72 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
a fire standing in the north quarter. Beside it lies a besom (broomstick). This is the mid-point of the dark half of the year; the halfway point in the God's pre-dominence. But although it is in that segment of the year's cycle, yet it is very much a festival of the Goddess (particularly Brigid, Brigantia, Bride and other variations).
Beside the altar rests a "crown of light"—a circlet of candles*. The altar cloth and candles should be brown.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. This may be followed by Full Moon or New Moon Rite, if appro-riate. Bell is rung three times by Covener acting as Summoner.
Summoner: "Haste! Haste! No time to wait!
We're off to the Sabbat, so don't be late!" Priest/ess: "To the Sabbat!" All: "To the Sabbat!"
\ With PRIEST and PRIESTESS leading, the COVEN moves deosil around the Circle, walking or dancing. Circle as many times as you wish. PRIEST/ESS starts a hymn to the gods and all join in. Finally, all halt and stop singing.
"Now has our Lord reached the zenith of his journey."
"Now does he turn to face the Lady." "Though apart they are one." 'They are both the shadow and the light."
Then follows an enactment of a seasonal motif (e.g. the midpoint in the sun's winter journey; sweeping out the old and starting anew; the running of the priests of the Lupercalia, at the ancient Roman festival; the preparation of seed-grain for growing in the spring; the inviting of the Goddess of Fertility to enter into the house and lodge therein). Bell is rung seven times.
Covener: "Our Lord now has reached mid-journey.
Ahead he sees the light of our Lady, And the start of Life anew, after this period
of rest. This was the first festival of the Keltic
year. This is the time when spring lambs are born
And ewes come into milk. Spring itself is scented in the distance And thoughts are on the Goddess as much
as on the God. Burn, now, the evergreens—the ivy, mistletoe
and holly; The rosemary and the bay. Clear out the old, that the new may enter
in." Priest/ess:
"Light to dark." All:
"Darkness to light." Priest/ess:
"Light to dark." All:
"Darkness to light." Priest/ess:
"Farewell Lady; welcome Lord." All:
"Farewell Lord and welcome Lady." Priest/ess:
"All hail!"
All: "Farewell!" Priest/ess: "Farewell!" All: "All hail!"
PRIEST and PRIESTESS lead coven in a dance about the Circle. This may be followed, or accompanied, by a chant or song. PRIESTESS stands before the altar, with arms crossed Covener:
on her breast. PRIEST kneels before her and kisses her feet. He then takes up the crown, stands, and places 2nd Covener: Priest: Priestess:
the crown on her head. He then dances deosil around the Circle three times. As he passes the cauldron on the second circuit, a covener lights the kindling (candle, or whatever). As PRIEST comes to the cauldron on his third circuit, he jumps over it. He then comes on around and stops before the Priestess. With a taper, from the altar candle, he lights the candles on the Priestess's crown. PRIESTESS opens her arms and stands with legs apart and arms raised high.
Priest: "All hail, Our Lady of Light!" All: "All hail, Our Lady of Light!" Covener: "Welcome, thrice welcome, Triple God dess of Life." Covener: "Mother of the Sun, we welcome thee." Covener: "Goddess of Fire, we invite thee in."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS move round to the cauldron. COVENER hands besom to the Priestess. She hands besom to the Priest, with a kiss. PRIEST goes deosil around the Circle, "sweeping out" that which is no longer needed. When he returns to the north, he
"Care with carefully must be taken designed, with this. cupped There holders. is not only Thirteen the danger candles of fthe setting number fire to of the moons Priestess's in the hair, year) but is also the of number burning to her have.
with hot wax. Miniature cake candles, or cut-down tapers, are best,
returns the besom to the Priestess, with a kiss. She then gives it to the first Covener, with a kiss. COVENER sweeps around the Circle. This is repeated with all Coveners. When all have done, PRIEST and PRIESTESS return to altar. Bell is rung three times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertainment (which may still take place around the altar if desired). The evening concludes with a feast.
LUGHNASADH—Greater Sabbat
Summer flowers are on the altar and around the Circle. The altar cloth and candles should be yellow. The Erecting the Temple is performed. This may be followed by Full Moon or New Moon Rite, if appro- priate. The Bell is rung three times by Covener acting as Summoner.
Summoner: "Haste! Haste! No time to wait!
We're off to the Sabbat so don't be late!" Priest/ess: "To the Sabbat!" All: "To the Sabbat!"
With PRIEST and PRIESTESS leading, the coven move deosil around the Circle, walking or dancing. Circle as many times as you wish. PRIEST/ESS starts a hymn to the gods and all join in. Finally all halt and stop singing.
Covener. "The powers of life and death are held by
the gods." Covener: "Great is the power of the Mighty Ones." Covener: "God is old yet young." Covener: "And the power is his."
Then follows an enactment of a seasonal motif (e.g. Death and rebirth of the god, leading to a great harvest; thinning of plants, toward a better harvest; strength and testing; killing of older god by younger god, with funeral games to honor the dead one). Bell is rung seven times.
Covener: "In the midst of our Lady's rule do we
remember her brother/lover/husband. Great is his power through his union with
the Goddess. And through his death and rebirth, as the
Lesson Six: Sabbats / 73
younger son, Is the harvest assured and the power
passed on, To grow and spread wide to all he loves. Remember the Lord, yet in him ever see
the Lady. Praise the Lady and, through her, the
Lord." Priest: "Blessed be the Lady of the Circle." All: "And blessed be her Lord." Priestess: "May the surplus be drawn from the land." All: "That the body may be filled with strength." Priest: "Power to the Lord." All: "And power to the Lady." Priestess: "Let the old wane." All: "That the young may wax anew." Priest: "Ever turns the Wheel." All: "Ever onward."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS lead the coven in a dance about the Circle. This may be followed, or accom- panied, by a song or chant. ALL, except Priest and one male Covener, sit. PRIEST then dances around, deosil, between the seated coveners and the line of the Circle. MALE COVENER dances around widdershins, between the coveners and the altar (in other words, one outside the ring, going clockwise, and one inside, going counter-clockwise). As they pass each other they strike hands over the coveners' heads. Coveners may, if they wish, clap the beat for them to dance to, shouting "Lugh!" at the striking of hands. They circle and strike hands twelve times. At the twelfth strike the PRIEST drops to the ground and COVENER jumps over the seated ones to run once around the circle, deosil now, along the Priest's path. Returning to the Priest, he helps him to his feet and they embrace. All cheer and come to their feet.
Priest: "Lady and Lord, we thank thee,
For all that has been raised from the soil. May it grow in strength from now till
harvest. We thank thee for this promise of fruits
to come. Let the power of our Lord Be in each and every one of us At this time and throughout the year." All: "So Mote it be."
74 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
The bell is rung three times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Cleaming of the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertainment (which may still take place around the altar if desired). The evening concludes with a feast.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. The Sabbats are holidays, a time to celebrate and rejoice with the Gods. List the eight Sabbats and the dates they fall on this year. Describe what each Sabbat commemorates and relate how you celebrated each one.
2. Make up (create, write) a hymn or song appropriate for a ritual/occasion of your choice.
3. Create your own version of a favorite ritual.
4. Describe your Enactment of a seasonal motif and the Declaration from a favorite Sabbat ritual.
LESSON SEVEN MEDITATION, DREAMS AND THE MINOR SABBATS
MEDITATION
Let's take a brief respite from the sabbats and look at meditation. In its present form meditation has come to the Western world by way of the East. For centuries the eastern initiates have known of the power and the advantages of regular meditation. They have used it, developing it into a fine art through which they have learned to control the mind, overcome sickness, separate themselves from problems and fears, develop psychic abilities and expand philosophy and knowledge of Universal Law.
Today, in the Western world, there is an evergrowing awareness of these benefits of meditation. TM—Transcendental Meditation, Yoga, Silva Mind Control—all these and many more are now common, turning up in everyday conversations not only among Wiccans and other occultists, but among ordinary, everyday folk. The trouble is that, in lis- tening to these conversations, it quickly becomes obvious that many are mere dabblers in this realm. Many are confused. "Which technique is best?" "Why am I getting nothing out of it?" "Am I doing it right?"
So, what is meditation? Quite simply it is a listening... listening to the Higher Self or, if you prefer, the Inner Self, the Creative Force, the Higher Consciousness; even the gods themselves. It can be all of these. Properly used, meditation opens the door to individual growth and per- sonal advancement. Of all the techniques of advancement in the psychic and spiritual fields, meditation is by far the most effective. Coinciden-tally, it is also the most simple. And it can be practiced alone or in a group setting.
The late, renowned psychic Edgar Cayce, in one of his readings (# 281 -13), said that "Meditation is emptying self of all that hinders from the creative forces rising along the natural channels of the physical man to be disseminated through those centers and sources that create the activities of the physical, mental and spiritual man; properly done (meditation) must make one stronger mentally, physically... we may receive that strength and power that fits each individual, each soul for greater activity in this material world." In short, meditation is a method whereby we can improve our lives materially, physically, mentally and spiritually. As with the Eastern Master, you too can discipline your mind, control your emotions, overcome illness, solve problems and begin to
79
Figure 7.1 THE CHAKRAS and the glands they coincide with
80 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
create your own reality. You only need to have the desire and be willing to expend the effort.
HOW MEDITATION WORKS
To understand how meditation works we must examine human make-up on a conscious level and must also realize that we are spiritual as well as physical beings. The physical and spiritual bodies are connected at the vital centers, known by their Sanskrit name— Chakra (see Figure 7.1). In meditation the mysterious psychic energy can be sent up through these centers. This very potent force is called the Kundalini, or "Serpent Power". As this mighty force begins to flow within you, these vital psychic centers—the chakras— begin to open in successive order.
On a conscious level, consider the total conscious- ness as a sort of sandwich. On one side you have the Conscious Mind. This is the mind that is concerned with your everyday world and activities and your physical/material being. It is your waking state of con- sciousness. On the other side of the sandwich is what is called the Higher Consciousness, or the Super-Consciousness. This is your Higher Self Mind. It is concerned with your spiritual well-being and retains your Universal Memory. In the center is that which is often called the Subconscious Mind. It is passive and is largely subordinate to the conscious mind—primarily
R
CONSCIOUS
SUB CONSCIOUS
because it has been made so. It rules the realm of the involuntary body functions; memory; reflex actions; and serves as the connecting passageway between your conscious and super-conscious minds.
As the vital forces begin to flow through the nervous sytem, the individual achieves a sense of well-being and peace. The subconscious begins to clear itself of the negative and undesired patterns of feelings and the images that have been programmed into it through your lifetime. The cosmic force of the Kundalini very naturally operates in a calm, relaxed, contemplative atmosphere. As the succession of opening chakras continues, your awareness and perception of life flows continually from within. You are led to do the right thing at the right time. A new vibrancy permeates your being.
Meditation allows you to learn to control the restless, materially oriented conscious mind and re-program the subordinate subconsciousness, in order that you may function from your spiritually oriented higher consciousness. It opens up the channel to your Higher Self.
TECHNIQUE
Many people fail in their meditation because either they are using the wrong technique, or they simply do not have a technique. Master teachers of
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats / 81
eastern philosophies suggest that during meditation you focus your attention on the "thousand petaled lotus" of the third eye (see Figure 7.2). This is the seventh and highest chakra. In this way you re-orient yourself by transcending association with your gross physical self and your mental identifications—and you become aware of the true source. When you sit in meditation, with your attention focused on the third eye, you lift yourself above and beyond the conscious and subconscious cares of the physical.
Notice that when you are feeling well and alert you are in touch with your environment through the eyes and other physical senses. Your focus is outward into the physical world. When you are in a negative mood, or depressed, notice how you withdraw from your physical world. You turn your eyes down and your focus reflects subconscious thoughts and problems. The next time that you feel depressed or moody, lift your eyes; focus your attention outward and upward—above the level of the horizon. Be aware of your surroundings and communicate with them. You will begin to feel better. Your gloom will fade and optimism will return.
You see, when you turn your eyes DOWN, you tend to relate to the subconscious. When you look STRAIGHT OUTWARD, you tend to relate to your conscious mind, which is oriented towards the gross physical/material world. When you look UP, you tend to relate to your higher, spiritual consciousness and the realm beyond the physical.
The natural tendency to place your attention in the manner that you focus your eyes, is used to aid your meditation in what is called the Third Eye meditation technique. Do you want to focus on the higher self? Then by using your natural tendencies, simply focus your eyes and your attention upward and inward to the third eye; a spot about one inch above the brow line and one inch inside the surface of the forehead.
POSTURE
Meditation should be comfortable and secure. Therefore your posture should be comfortable and secure. You may choose any position you like so long as you make sure to keep your spine straight. I personally recommend that you sit in a comfortable, straight-backed chair. You should be able to sit well back—spine straight—with your feet flat on the floor. The chair should, preferably, have arms to it on which to rest your arms. It need not have a high back, in fact it is better if it does not. You may prefer to sit or lay on the floor. If you choose to sit on the floor, the lotus position is not recommended unless you are an adept and completely comfortable with it. You should select a location that allows you to lean against something for back support. The floor surface should be comfor- tably soft. It is helpful, though not absolutely necessary, to reduce the presence of man-made fibers such as metal, plastic and synthetics, as much as possible. Ideally a soft sheepskin or a heavy woolen item, such as a blanket or rug, could be used for sitting or lying on. Some prefer to lay flat on their back, legs together and arms at their sides. The only drawback to this position is that some people will tend to fall asleep!
Figure 7.2
82 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
AREA
The area chosen for meditation should be a quiet place, away from outside noises such as traffic and children at play. The best place, of course, is your cleansed and consecrated Circle. If, for some reason, you must choose another area, it should be cleansed and consecrated in the same manner as your Circle.
Some adepts insist that the meditator face the east. In certain cases it does seem to give a slight benefit, but generally speaking the direction of physical orientation is of slight importance. If your area has a blank wall on the east and a window on the west, you will probably feel far more comfortable facing the window. The important thing is to be as comfortable as possible.
Remove possible sources of disturbance where possible. A ticking clock or, worse, the discordant ring of a telephone or doorbell, can be shattering. Disconnect them if you can. Radios and television sets should be turned off, of course. Clothing should be loose, so as not to constrict the body in any way. Why not wear your robe, with nothing beneath it? Better yet—room temperature permitting—go skyclad.
TIME OF DAY
i The best time for meditation is generally a matter of personal convenience. For most people it is either the early morning or the late evening. A few—usually those who are home during the day—find mid-afternoon most convenient. There is some evidence to suggest that a period close to the hour of your birth is best. Certainly astrological influences cannot be totally discounted. However, the slight advantage of attuning to the stars can be more than offset by the negative influences such as noisy neighbors or scheduling con- flicts with other required activites. So choose the time that is most convenient for you. The important thing is that you do meditate and that you consistently meditate. So, whatever time you choose, stick to that same time every day.
PERSISTENCE
To succeed and remain successful in meditation, you must meditate consistently. Some recommend fifteen to twenty minutes, twice a day. I feel that one fifteen minute period is sufficient as a minimum. But be
consistent in the time of day and the length of time devoted each day. You cannot be successful on an occasional basis.
METHOD
Sit comfortably, relaxing the body as much as possible without slumping or allowing the spine to curve. Help loosen tight muscles by doing the following exercises:
1: Allow the head to fall forward on the chest. Breathe deeply in and out three times. Return to the up- right position. 2: Allow the head to tip fully backwards. Breathe deeply in and out three times. Return to the up- right position. 3: Tip the head as far as possible to the left. Breathe deeply in and out three times. Return to the up- right position. 4: Tip the head as far as possible to the right. Breathe deeply in and out three times. Return to the up- right position. 5: Allow the head to fall forwards, then move it in a
circle, counterclockwise, three times. 6: Repeat the last exercise, moving the head clockwise
three times. Return to the upright position. 7: Breathe in, through the nose, with a number of short, sharp intakes until the lungs are full. Hold it a moment, then suddenly exhale through mouth with a "Hah!" sound. Do this three times. 8: Breathe in slowly and fully, through the right nostril (hold the left one closed if necessary), feeling the stomach balloon out as you do so. Hold it a moment, then exhale slowly through the mouth, flattening the stomach as you do so. This exercise moves all the stale air from the bottom of the lungs. Do this three times. 9: Repeat the last exercise, this time breathing in through the left nostril and out through the right nostril. Do this three times.
Now, with your body relaxing and breathing normally but deeply, concentrate your thoughts until you can imagine your whole body encased in a globe of white light. Feel the luminous energy charging your whole body.
Now focus your attention on your toes. Com- mand them to relax. Let the tension and tiredness melt
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats / 83
away from them. Repeat the process with the balls of the feet, the arches, the heels, the ankles and so on. Completely relax the entire body, section by section. Calves, knees, thighs, groin, buttocks, spine, stomach and chest cavity, shoulders, upper and lower arms, wrists, hands, neck, throat, chin, jaw (let the jaw sag and hang slightly open if you feel a tendency for it to do so), eyes, cranial area and scalp. Relax every muscle, vein, nerve and fiber as you move up your body. Finish your relaxation technique at the forehead. Then you need only to focus inward to your third eye.
With your attention focused at the third eye, let your eyes roll up, if you can. Go deeper and ever deeper into the third eye. Abandon the unreal material world; the ego self. It is only when the materialistic ego self is transcended that you can find the door to the inner kingdom and your higher self. Give yourself to it... yield to the magnetic pull from above. You don't need to pray or visualize to make anything happen. Just relax and let yourself flow inward and upward toward the higher power. Whatever sensation, inner light or sound, comes your way, move into it and through to the source from which it comes. Don't become fascinated or frightened by the phenomena. Don't become deluded into thinking you are "becoming psychic". Whatever you see, give yourself to it and move ever upward, ever inward, into and through.
You may have a difficult time keeping the conscious mind still at first. Your consciousness is like a spoiled child, constantly demanding attention. Once it begins to become disciplined you will begin to notice positive results.You may not have dramatic, earth-shaking experiences, but you will begin to notice a deepening of intuition. You will begin to "know" things that you have not known before. This is proof that your meditation is working and the power of the Kundalini is waking.
When you first begin to meditate you will find it difficult to sit still for more than a few minutes at a time. Your mind wants to wander, your body wants to fidget and may even develop a great itch demanding to be scratched! It will take a little time but you will discover that you are the master of your body and mind. Ignore the itch. Tell your conscious mind to sit down and shut up! YOU are very busy with more important business. The itch will go away and your conscious mind will become disciplined to sit quietly aside as you attune to your higher nature ... IF YOU REMAIN PERSISTENT. Remember, you let your mind and your emotions run your affairs all of your life. Now your mind and emotions must learn that they work for you. It may take a few lessons, but they will learn. Stay with it. You are embarking on the greatest voyage of your life.
ENDING YOUR MEDITATION PERIOD
For your physical well-being it is important that you end each meditation period with a re-awakening of the physical and conscious selves. This should be done in the reverse order to the method for relaxation. As your consciousness begins to pull away from the third eye, direct it to expand up the forehead to the top of the head. Then, step by step, proceed down through the body: cranial area, eyes, back of the
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84 I Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
head, face, jaw, tongue, neck, throat, etc.. Command each in succession to awaken refreshed, vibrant and healthy. Shoulders, upper and lower arms, wrists, hands, upper back, chest, chest cavity, stomach, sides, lower back, groin, awaken refreshed, relaxed and vibrant with life. Buttocks, thighs, knees, calves, ankles, heels, arches, balls of the feet, toes. Go through all parts of the body. Command each and every muscle, vein, fiber and nerve to awaken healthy, refreshed and vibrant. You will be pleasantly surprised at how much better you will begin to feel after your meditation. You will feel an immediate inner satisfaction and a tremen- dous peace of mind. Through meditation you will discover that not only is your spiritual consciousness awakening, but you are also revitalizing the physical self, as you begin to tap the great cosmic forces that are your birthright.
DREAMS
What is a dream? Are dreams important? At first glance someone unfamiliar with them might take little note of some seemingly trivial shred of a half-remem- bered dream. The apparently silly antics depicted in some dreams appear little more than the doodling of an off-duty head! Other more bizarre and frightening events cause the dreamer to wish that he might have no more of them. In either case the individual is likely to give little importance to these strange vignettes from the unknown world of sleep.
But modern research continues to explore the dream world with intensity. Are dreams important, telling you things that could be to your advantage, or are they simply "night-time movies" to entertain your un- conscious mind while your conscious rests? According to research data, you average seven dream periods each of up to forty-five minutes duration—every night of your life. Scientists have also determined that dreaming is vital to the state of your well-being. Sleeping laboratory subjects, on having their dream periods interrupted over extended periods, developed emotional stress. But the scientist has focused on the phenomena and failed to investigate the source. He has worked from the outside in.
THE SOURCE
To effectively deal with the dream you must un- derstand where it originates and why. Obviously it is not a product of the conscious mind; it occurs during
the sleep state, when the conscious mind is at rest. The subconscious mind is passive and not capable of logic or thought development, so it cannot be the originator of the highly complex and elusive dream ... the sub- conscious can only put out what has been put in. So where does that leave us? The dream is complex, well orchestrated and imaginative. The only possible source, apparently, is what Jung termed the "unconscious", or "higher spiritual mind". We now know this part of our mind or consciousness as the Super-Conscious.
Are dreams important? The mere fact that they occur gives them a certain importance. No facet of your existence is totally trivial. However, when you consider the source of your dreams, the great impor- tance of them becomes increasingly clear. For many people the dream state is the only medium available to the higher mind for it to reach the consciousness. Thus every night it is busy trying to get its message across. Your higher self is expending a lot of time and effort in forming and transmitting dreams; the least you can do is try to understand what the message is.
DREAM INTERPRETATION AND SYMBOLOGY
You have probably spent countless hours trying, unsuccessfully, to decipher the seemingly senseless riddles of your dreams. You are puzzled when a dream of attending Aunt Minnie's funeral proves not in the least prophetic as, ten years later, Aunt Minnie is still going strong. You're totally baffled at intimate exchanges with people you wouldn't normally go near. You are amazed at dreaming of doing things that are physically impossible in your everyday life. You end up with total frustration in your attemp'ts to make any sense of the strange goings-on in your elusive dreams. Yet you still feel that somewhere there must be an answer... but where? What is the key?
As an element of the Universal Consciousness, your super-conscious awareness is totally versed in Universal Symbolism. Since the super-conscious mind tends to speak in its own language, your dreams can be expected to contain some of this language of Universal Symbols. But even though it has its own language, the super-conscious mind is aware that you will respond best to those symbols with which your conscious mind is most familiar. Therefore it will use terms and symbols from your everyday life. Oftimes it will use the symbolism from recent events that arelfresh in your memory. These impressions from your personal physical life are called Personal Symbolism.
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats 185
Universal Symbolism includes those things that remain true for all humankind throughout the ages. Included are colors, numbers, form and sexual identity (i.e. male and female). They come from the super-con- sciousness and therefore are timeless. A case in point is transportation—the universal symbol of spiritual advancement. As material technology has advanced, the application of symbology has kept pace. So transpor- tation may take one of the modern forms of conveyance, such as rockets, planes, steamships, trains or auto- mobiles, or one of the timeless modes of riding on the back of an animal or walking.
It would be impossible to list all the universal symbols here, but a general sampling is given in the section on Universal Symbols.
INTERPRETING YOUR DREAMS
The eminent psychologist Carl Jung once stated: "No dream symbol can be separated from the individual who dreams it." Keep this thought in mind as you study the following concepts. Notice that almost all of the universal symbols have various shades of meaning. In fact, some even have contradictory meanings. The interpretation of such symbols can only be done by YOU, the dreamer, through consideration of your own feelings towards the dream, the symbol and your own intuition.
The dream is a complex and almost limitless com- bination of symbols. It can be analytical, judgemental or therapeutic in nature. The majority of dreams are analytical. That is, they provide a means for the higher self to comment on your everyday life and your spiritual development. It will analyze how you are relating to your environment and your fellow man and woman. A small percentage of your dreams are of a prophetic nature, to warn and prepare you for future events (the
percentage of prophetic dreams varies greatly from one person to another but it is estimated that perhaps one dream in twenty concerns the future. Don't im- mediately jump to the conclusion that what you dream about brother Bob, or cousin Mary, is an indication of something that is about to happen to him or her. It may be but far more likely is not). Along with this, incidentally, it should be noted that invariably the principle characters in your dream are actually representing YOU—or some aspect of you. So when you dream of your sister Suzy arguing with you about something, you are actually seeing a representation of an inner conflict—one part of you at odds with another part (perhaps your male aspect against your female aspect)— with the image of sister Suzy being used simply as a recognizable form that you can accept.
Again depending on the individual, the number of therapeutic dreams varies from person to person. It simply depends on the need of the individual. If a person has a strong feeling of inferiority, their therapy may be to dream of being a powerful, capable and attractive person. In this way, the Higher Self is compensating for the dreamer's psychological lack. If a person has a strong feeling of superiority, they might be taken down a peg or two by a dream that depicts him or her as a weak, defenseless and inferior person. Thus the dream often attempts to overcome character defects.
Prophetic dreams will only occur when the in- dividual needs to be prepared for an event in the future. Even though you may not consciously remember it, the dream prepares you, subconsciously, for the shock that is to come. Not all precognitive dreams are of significant events; some may even appear quite trivial. But they are important just the same. They pro- gram and prepare the subconscious and conscious minds, over a period of time, to deal with the future events and situations in a proper manner. It would be impractical, if not impos- sible, to list all of the Universal Symbols here. However, the following list pro- vides the basics and gives you an idea of their function. From this you can begin to develop your own list.
UNIVERSAL SYMBOLS
Abundance: Desire for independence. Accident: Something unplanned. Actor/Actress: Desire for recognition. Adultery: Guilt. Airplane: See Transportation. Altar: Self sacrifice.
Anchor: Stability. Sometimes a desire for a
permanent home. Aniffifl.^The feminine aspect of the individual.
Guide to the inner world. The Goddess. Receptive, prospective and nurturing. Animal: Depends on your feelings for the particular animal (for typical mean- ing see the specific type). A helpful animal normally represents the instinctive self. Animus: The masculine aspect of the in- dividual. Uncompromising con- viction. Force. The God. Apple: Desire.
Arrow: Pleasure; festivity. Auction: Promise of abundance. Automobile: See Transportation. Baby: Crying: frustrated plans.
Laughing: plans fulfilled. Sleeping: Waiting period; patience. Ballon: Frustration. Basement: A place of refuge or retreat. Battle: Internal conflict. Bells: Fulfillment of plans; joy. Bicycle: Hard work will bring plans to fruition; also see Transportation. Birds: Usually transcendence from one state of being to another. Birth: Transition to new phase, or new
86 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
aspect, of self. Bridge: Overcoming difficulties; a change. Broom: The ability to sweep or clean up. Bull: Animal nature; stubbornness. Burial: End of a phase; time to take a new
direction. Candle: Constancy. Cane or Crutch: The need of support. Capital (City or Town): The center. Also
see Cities. Castle: Ambition. Cave: A place of retreat or refuge; a need
for time to think and meditate. Circle: Totality; perfection; infinity; the All;
the Collective Unconsciousness. Cities: Gatherings of consciousness. If significantly placed, it can repre- sent the Anima. Climbing: The self-mastery process; raising
consciousness. Clock: The passage of time; the need to
take action. Clothes: Attitudes; personality. Coffin: See Burial. Colors: The symbolic meaning of color is a fascinating study in its own right. I only wish to touch lightly on the subject here, to give you the basic idea of the meanings of individual colors in your dreams. The follow- ing list is not inclusive but will give you the primary colors:— RED—strength, health, vigor, sexual love, danger, charity ORANGE—encouragement, adapt- ability, stimulation, attraction, plenty, kindness
YELLOW—persuasion, charm, con- fidence, jealousy, joy, comfort GREEN—finance, fertility, luck, energy, charity, growth BLUE—tranquility, understand- ing, patience, health, truth, devotion, sincerity INDIGO—changeability, impulsive- ness, depression, ambition, dignity VIOLET—tension, power, sad- ness, piety, sentimentality Cradle: Potential for advancement. Crossing the River: A fundamental change
of attitude. Crying: Emotion; usually a sad event. Crystal: Union of matter and spirit. Curtains: Concealment; adornment. Darkness: The spirit world; the subcon-
scious; turning inward. Death: The end of something; opportunity
for new beginnings. Dog: Loyalty; laziness; anger. Eating: Need for new interests; stimula-
tion. Evening: Descending into the subconscious
world. Eye: Perception; self-examination.
Falling: Failing to live up to expectations. Fish: Transcendence from one state of being
to another. Fire: Anger; purification; abundance of
energy. Flowers: Contentment; pleasure. Flying: See Transportation. Girl: Immature feminine aspect. Glass: Perception; being able to see (some-
times into the future). Graduation: Initiation; completing a phase. Hair: Thought Grey or Silver hair indicates
wise thought. Hammer: Power to drive forward. Helpful Animal: The instinctive self. Highway: The path; the way ahead. Horse: WHITE HORSE—Symbol of life (the Keltic Goddess Epona was often depicted on a white mare); prosperity. BLACK HORSE—Change of for- tunes. WILD HORSE—uncontrolled in- stinctive urges. WINGED HORSE—transcendence from one state of being to another. House: The symbol of personality and con-
scious interest from the spiritual view. The particular room repre- sents particular interest:— BATHROOM—Cleansing; elimin- ation of the undesired. BASEMENT—place of refuge, re- treat, concealment. BEDROOM—place of rest and recovery. DINING ROOM—place of sus- tenance; refortification. KITCHEN—a place to prepare the sustenance. LIVING ROOM—place of social- izing. Ice: Coldness of character; frigidity; rigidity. Illness: Boredom, delay. Individual Self: The "real" you; the inner you; the all-wise, all-powerful spiritual self. Jail: Confinement; frustration; inability
to act. Journey: See Transportation. Judge or Jury: Your conscience. Key: The answer to a problem. Kiss: Satisfaction; completion. . Ladder: Ability to climb (note the length of
the ladder). Left (as in side or direction): The subcon- scious side; sometimes the wrong side or direction; the logical side; the scientific side. Light: Hope. Lines: Broken lines represent the feminine aspect. Solid lines, the masculine aspect. Lizard: Transcendence.
Lock: Frustration; security. Man or Male: Animus, the masculine aspect. The age indicates the maturity or lack of it in the individual. Mask: Falsehood; deception; concealment Mirror: Need to reconsider. Mother: Haven; comfort. Nakedness: Real; true; without false attitudes;
exposed; natural. Night (especially midnight): Greatest strength of the super-consciousness. Noon: The greatest clarity of conscious-
ness. Number: In interpreting numbers you should first of all examine their balance or lack of balance. EVEN numbers signify balance and har- mony. ODD numbers signify im- balance and discord. In considering the following definitions, note that a larger number is made up of a combination of smaller numbers: ONE—the beginning; the source; the ego. TWO—duality; the male and fe- male; positive and negative. THREE—the trilogy: father, mother and child; past, present and future. Completion of the first plane. FOUR—the material universe; con- sciousness, reality and law; physical power, initiative, religion and spiritual evolutioa It is Three and One. FIVE—the number of Wo/Man. It represents materialism, expansion, change, understanding and justice. It is Three and Two. SIX—the number of cooperation and balance. It represents interaction between the material and the spiritual; mental and physical. It signifies psychism, peace and com- pletion of the second plane. It is twice Three. SEVEN—Completion; old age; en- durance; evolution and wisdom. The seven stages of spiritual trans- formation. Four and Three. EIGHT—the number of dissolution and separation.The law of cyclic evolution and invention. Five and Three. NINE—rebirth and reformation. Intuition; travel; karma and com- pletion of the third plane. Three times Three. ZERO—the circle. Infinity; the uni- verse; the All. Ocean: Opportunity; spirituality. Owl: Wisdom; need for further evaluation. Pearl: Joy. Broken string of pearls—misunder-
standing. Pirate: Suspicion. Prison: See Jail.
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats 187
Pyramid: Thirst for knowledge; seeking. Railroad: A set path to follow; see also
Transportation. Rainbow: Great happiness; opportunity. Reading: Learning; gaining in knowledge;
perceiving. Riding: See Transportation. Right: The conscious; correctness; the artistic side. Ring: Completion; loyalty. River: Spirituality; a boundary. Rocket: See Transportation. Rocks: The unchanging self. Rodents: Transcendence or a less-than-
nice person; distrust; betrayal. Roller Skates: See Transportation. Roses: See Flowers. Ruins: Failure of plans. Sacrifice: Overcoming pride. School: A place of learning; a need
to learn. Scissors: Distrust. Sea: See Ocean. Self-Image: The inner or spiritual self. The
age indicates maturity or the lack of it. Sex: Union of opposites; union of male and female principles; satisfaction; completeness. Shadow: The subconscious; insubstantial-
ity. Ship: See Transportation.
Skeleton: The basics; the root of a problem. Snake: Spiritual wisdom; transcendence
into a state of wisdom. Snake-bite: Infusion of wisdom (bites are
not usually painful in dreams). Soldiers: Force; power; regimentation. Spade: Penetration; cutting; tough work
lies ahead. Sunrise: Clearing of consciousness; awaken-
ing. Sunset: Need to protect assets. Swan: Beauty; comfort; satisfaction. Sword: Penetrating and cutting; conflict. Table: Support; a platform for presentation. Telescope: Need to get closer to subject. Thief: Loss or fear of loss; insecurity. Thunder. Anger. Towns: See Cities. Touching: The manner of touch and your feeling about it is important. Touching normally represents the laying-on of hands, usually healing. On rare occasions it may mean a curse. Can be comfort; security. Trains: See Transportation. Transcendence: Achieving full realization of
the individual self. Transformation: See Transcendence. Transportation: Spiritual advancement. The more efficient the mode, the more effective and rapid is the advance- ment. The rocket would be the
most rapid and the highest traveling. Crawling would be among the least effective. A train is forceful and direct, but is confined by narrow tracks. A car is fairly effi- cient and maneuverable. The air- plane is more efficient than the car or train and rises higher than any surface mode of transport. Roller skates are more effective (faster) than walking, but require a smoother surface and more effort; etc.. Traveling: The act of spiritual advancement. Tree: The life principle; psychic growth and development; success. Tunnel: Hiding; being afraid. Turning: Changing or developing. See Left or Right. Turning in a circle repre- sents lack of progress. Twins: Ego and alter ego. Umbrella: Shelter. Veil: Insecurity. Volcano: Sexual energy; emotions. Wall: Frustration; inability. Watch: See Clock. Water: Spirituality; emotion. Wedding: Culmination of plans; happi-
ness; success. Witch: Supernatural ability; wisdom. Woman: The anima. Her age represents
maturity Or lack of it. Wreath: Self-pity. REMEMBERING DREAMS
The obvious first step in dream interpretation is to remember them. If you have difficulty in remembering your dreams, the probable reason is that you have ignored them for so long the subconscious no longer tries to bring them to your conscious memory. If this is the case, you must program yourself to remember. This can be done through affirmation. During meditation, and just before going to sleep, tell yourself very firmly: "I WILL REMEMBER MY DREAMS". Do this three times. Release the command. Then again tell yourself, very firmly, three times: "I WILL REMEMBER MY DREAMS". Release the thought. Then for the third time, repeat the three commands: "I WILL REMEMBER MY DREAMS". So you instruct yourself nine times in all.
The second step in interpretation is recording the dreams. Place a pad and a pencil by your bed for this purpose. This very act, in itself, reinforces the com- mand to remember. When you first awaken—even before that eye-opening cup of coffee!—jot down notes on what you remember. Don't worry about trying to get everything in perfect order at this point. The
important thing is to capture what you can, even if you only have time to make a few brief notes. You will find that later on you will be able to recall more of the details of the dream.Then write down all the details that you can remember. Describe the people, their identities, occupations, clothes, the state of their emotions and their activities. Note your attitude towards them and their attitudes towards you. Describe everything you see, feel and hear. Pay special attention to the numbers of things and their colors. It is all important. Then try to arrange your notes in the order in which they were dreamed.
Once you have completed your notes and organ- ized them you can begin the task of interpretation. First of all, examine the dream to see if it fits any of the events of the preceding day. This will explain a few of your dreams. If this test fails, then you must determine whether the dream is literal or symbolic.
A LITERAL dream is one in which the main dream character or image is a real person or thing in your life, or on your mind, at the time. If the literal interpretation makes sense, you may have found the key. When the literal interpretation fails to make sense, the dream is obviously symbolic.
88 I Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
A SYMBOLIC dream is one in which the dream character and images cannot be taken literally, as a real person or thing. Then the image is that of an aspect of you, the dreamer. Then the ancient wisdom of the Universal Symbols should be applied.
As you first begin to work with symbology, you may still have difficulty unraveling the tangled threads; you may only decipher part of the mystery. Don't worry about this for it is quite natural in the beginning. Continue to affirm that you will remember. Continue to faithfully record all of the details that you can. As you do, you will find that the symbols will gradually begin to clear, as you and your higher self develop a dialogue that you can consciously understand. The hidden symbol in one dream will suddenly be revealed in another. When this begins to happen you should start to compile your own personal Dream Dictionary. Take a notebook that is not used for any other purpose and divide it into alphabetical sections. As you discover the meanings of new symbols, write them down. Soon you will find that you have an extensive set of personal symbols which will permit nearly total interpretation of all your dreams.
PERSONAL SYMBOLS Many published books on dream interpretation provide the reader with hundreds of symbols and simplified interpretation. Other than listings of Uni- versal symbols, such books are totally misleading. Each of us has his or her own unique personal symbology, based on our experiences in this life. For example, two elderly ladies dream of a cat. One of the ladies has lived a spinster life shared with a succession of cats that she has loved and pampered. The second lady has a very traumatic memory of a wild cat which scratched her severely during her childhood. It is obvious that a single interpretation of "cat" will not satisfy both dreamers. To the first lady, the cat is a warm, loving companion. To the second, the cat is an evil, dangerous creature that brings pain. Therefore, it is necessary for the dreamer to analyze the symbol from the standpoint of his or her own personal feelings.
THE REPETITIVE DREAM Many dreams are repeated in order to emphasize their meaning or to insure that they are noticed. This may or may not be obvious to the dreamer. Usually dreams come in a series of three. Sometimes their symbology will be quite similar. At other times you
may record three dreams of entirely different symbology, but upon interpretation find that the underlying theme for each is almost identical. In either case the source of the dream is attempting to insure that the message gets through and is understood. A dream repeated over days, weeks or perhaps months, indicates something that you have not taken action on. Once you understand, and respond to, the dream, through action or a change in attitude, the dream will cease to occur. Generally the recurring dream is one of the following:
a) Precognitive or prophetic. b) Compensation for an improper attitude. c) The result of a traumatic incident which has left a
negative impression.
GROUP DREAMS Among the more spiritually advanced is an occasional tendency to actively share or participate in a dream with someone else. In these cases, the two people are very much in tune with one another on a psychic or emotional level. It does not mean that they are "soul mates", destined for one another. Rather, they are in harmony at some levels in this particular time of their lives and are undergoing similar adjust- ments on the spiritual plane. Interpretation of the dream should be done the same as with an ordinary dream, but with the "other" person in the dream inter- preted as an aspect of yourself.
DREAMS versus OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES
The memory of out-of-body experiences (OOBEs) has the same elusive quality .as the dream. Conse- quently it is often difficult to separate the two. One marked difference is the sensation of awareness. In a dream, the visual awareness of the self is in one direction only. As with physical sight, you "see" only what is in front of you. In the OOBE, however, your awareness is all-encompassing. You see not only what is in front but also what is behind, above, below and on the sides—all at the same time. Do not attempt to interpret an OOBE as you would a dream.
RITUALS continued
Last lesson I detailed the four Major, or Greater, Sabbats. Now we'll look at the four Minor, or Lesser, Sabbats: Spring Equinox; Summer Solstice; Autumnal Equinox and Winter Solstice (or Yule). In actual
fact the terms "Major" and "Minor", or "Greater" and "Lesser", are mis- nomers for each is as important as the other.
SPRING EQUINOX SABBAT Let there be a bundle of spring wild flowers lying on or beside the altar. The Coveners may wear flowers in their hair if they wish. On the altar lies the Priapic Wand, a wooden or earthenware bowl filled with soil and a large seed of some kind. Also on, or under, the altar is a sheet of parchment, or paper, and a writing instrument. The altar cloth and candles should be light green.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. The bell is rung three times.
Priest: "Blessed be all within this Circle." Priestess: "Merry meet we at this Springtime Rite." All: "Merry meet." Priest: "Brothers and Sisters, hear my words.
Awake and greet the Spring. Lord! Lady! Hear us, for we are here. We are here to celebrate with you and for you." Priestess: "Welcome, welcome beauteous Spring! Welcome the time for birth. Welcome the time for planting seeds."
COVENERS, with PRIEST and PRIESTESS leading, take up the flowers and dance deosil around the Circle. As they dance, they bend down to drop their flowers on the line of the Circle, till the whole circle is decorated with the flowers. If they wish, they may sing as they dance. When the dancing stops the bell is rung three times. Priest/ess: "Springtime is seedtime. Now is the time for each of us to
plant that which he or she wishes to come to flower." Covener: "Springtime is for hopes and desires; for new ideas; for
balance and inspiration." Priest/ess: "Let us now meditate on that which we wish to bring forth. Let us consider our hopes and opportunities and direct our energies to one, or more, things we would start upon the road of life."
All sit and, in as comfortable a position as possible, meditate. Think of what seed of an idea you would like to plant, that it may grow into an opportunity. It might be a quality like Patience, or Perseverence, or it might be the opportunity to do or create something. It might be something not for yourself but for another [Note: You are not here working "magick"—I'll deal with that fully in a later lesson—but simply "planting a seed" in your mind that you can nurture and let grow. Like all seeds, it will need tending, attention and care, to help it develop and finally bloom.  When sufficient time has elapsed the bell is rung. PRIEST/ESS takes the parchment and pen and writes, at the top, his/her "seed" (try to concentrate it into as few words as possible). The parchment is passed around the Circle and all add their "seeds". When it is returned, PRIEST/
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats / 89
The PRIAPIC WAND is named after Priapus, the Roman God of procreation. In Asia Minor he was equated with Pan, the nature deity of Greece, and was considered the off-spring of Aphrodite and Dionysus. He presided over the fecundity of fields and flocks, over the raising of bees, the culture of the vine and over fishing. He protected orchards and gardens, where his phallic image was prominently displayed. The Priapic Wand is, in effect, a representation of a phallus (penis). Although only used in a few rituals (if you so desire), you will need one. It should be about twenty-one inches in length overall with the last eight or nine inches carved in the shape of a male organ. An alternate design, which represents the phallus symbolically, is a wand ending in a pine-cone.
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ESS lights the parchment from the altar candle and holds it so that as it burns the ashes fall into the bowl of earth. As s/he does so, s/he says:
Priest/ess: "Lord and Lady, receive these our seeds.
Let them germinate in our minds and our
hearts. Let them prosper and grow to maturity, For we will care for them and encourage
them in your name."
Taking her athame, PRIESTESS mixes ashes into the soil. She then makes an indentation in the center and lays down the knife. PRIEST takes up Priapic Wand and dances three times around the Circle with it held aloft over his head. The first time round he dances slowly, the second time faster and the third time very fast. Returning to the Priestess, he holds out the Wand vertically before him.
Priestess: "By the power of the raised Wand doth the
Seed find the furrow. Blessings be upon this handsome Wand." She kisses the tip of it. Priestess: "All honor to it. May it be ever thus."
PRIEST lays down the Wand and takes up the seed from the altar. He holds it for a moment between the palms of his hands, concentrating his energies into it. He then passes it to the Covener next to him, who does the same. The seed is passed around the Circle in this fashion till it returns to Priest. PRIESTESS then takes up the bowl from the altar and holds it high.
Priestess: "Of old would we celebrate by together planting the seed, one with another. Here do we symbolize that act, in veneration of our Lady and our Lord."
PRIESTESS turns to face Priest, bringing down the bowl and holding it between her breasts.
Priest: "These rites of Spring belong to us all; To us and to the Gods. This is a time of joy and a time for planting."
He places the seed in the hollowed space and closes
the soil over on top of it.
Priest: "This seed do I place in the womb of the
Earth That it may become a part of that Earth, A part of life and a part of us."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS kiss, and PRIESTESS replaces bowl on altar. They then move around the Circle, kissing and hugging each of the Coveners. Bell is rung three times.
Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertain- ment. The evening concludes with a feast.
SUMMER SOLSTICE SABBAT
The altar cloth and candles should be white. The Circle may be decorated with summer flowers, fruits, green branches or whatever is felt to be appropriate. In the South quarter stands a cauldron filled with water, with an aspergillum beside it. On the altar is an extra, large candle, unlit. Beside or on the altar is the Priest's Horned Helmet. The Erecting the Temple is performed. The Bell is rung three times.
Covener: "Cease all sorrows!" Covener: "Cease all strife!" Covener: "This day is for living." Covener: "For living this life."
PRIEST places Horned Helmet on his head and stands in front of altar. He takes extra candle, lights it from regular altar candle and then raises it high in his right hand. COVENERS raise both hands high and cry:
All: "Hail, Lord! Hail the Sun God! Hail the
light!"
While Priest remains in the center, PRIESTESS goes to stand beside the cauldron. COVENERS join hands and dance around the Circle, deosil. As they move around, PRIESTESS sprinkles them with water from the cauldron as they pass. All (including Priest and Priestess) sing*:
All: "Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Green
wood,
The Lord Of the Greenwood by Tara Buckland '1985 See Appendix D for music.
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats 191
"I am He who is the Lord and the Light." "You are He who is the Lord and the
Light." "I am He who is the Sun." "You are He who is the Sun." "Let your love shine as does my radiance." "We let our love shine as does your radiance." "Let your love spread throughout the
world, as does my light." "We let our love spread throughout the
world, as does your light." "Together with the sun we must also
know rain." "Together with the sun we must also
know rain." "So together with joy we must also know
pain." "So together with joy we must also know pain." "I am the Life and I am the Hope." "You are the Life and you are the Hope." "I am the Death and the Life anew." "You are the Death and the Life anew." "Without me there can be nothing." Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Green-
All: wood, Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Green-
wood
Priest: sire." All: To court the Lady fair. In the heat of their passion, passion, In the heat of their passion, passion, In the heat of their passion, passion The grain shall rise again. Priest: All: Priest: All: Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Green-
wood, Priest: Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Green-
wood, Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Green-
"Without you there can be nothing." "With me, you can have all that you de
"With you, we can have all that we de
sire." "I am He who is the Sun." "You are He who is the Sun." "I am He who is the Lord and the Light." "You are He who is the Lord and the
Light." "As I give light and life to you, so is it meet that you should give to others. Let us all share all that we have with those who have nothing." wood To court the Lady fair."
Returning to the altar, PRIEST assumes the God position. Led by PRIESTESS, Coveners move around to bow At the end of the song the bell is rung seven times.
before Priest and to lay an offering* at his feet. PRIEST replaces lit candle on the altar then he dances slowly twelve times, deosil, around the Circle. As he goes, he says the following, which coveners repeat after him (line by line):
Priest: "Now may you know the true j oy of giving.
So be it." All: "So be it." Priest/ess: "We Wiccans give thanks to the Mighty Priest: All:
Ones For the richness and goodness of life. As there must be rain with the sun, Priest:
To make all things good, All:
So must we suffer pain with our joy, Priest:
To know all things. All:
Our love is ever with the Gods, For though we know not their thoughts, Priest:
Yet do we know their hearts— That all is for our good. All:
Mighty Ones, bless us now. Keep us faithful in thy service. Priest:
We thank you for the crops; For life; for love; for joy. All:
We thank you for that spark That brings us together—and to you. Priest:
Help us to live with Love And with Trust between us. All:
Help us to feel the joy of loving you And of loving one another." Priest:
All: "So be it!" All: Priest: All: Priest:
The bell is rung three times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for
'Offerings can be to suit the giver. One coven I know gives offerings of money which are then donated to charity. Another gives offerings of food and clothing which is given to the needy. The offering should be something of a sacrifice on the part of the giver; it is not just a token giving.
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fun, games and entertainment. The evening con- cludes with a feast.
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX SABBAT
The altar cloth and candles should be red. The Circle should be decorated with autumn flowers, acorns, gourds, pine cones, corn sheaves, etc.. A bowl of fruit (apples, pears, peaches and whatever) is on the altar. Offerings (see footnote to previous ritual) lie around the altar.
Priest/ess: "Now do we enjoy the fruits of our labors." Covener: "Now do we celebrate the harvest." Covener. "As we sowed in the spring, now do we
reap." Priest/ess: "Now let us pay our dues and enjoy our
just rewards."
The bell is rung three times. ALL join hands and move slowly deosil about the Circle. A simple dance step (see Lesson 12) or a light skipping step may be used, if desired. The coven goes around three times. As they move around the PRIEST/ESS says:
Priest/ess: "Here is the balance of Day and Night. At
no point does time stand still. Ever does the wheel turn and turn again: Children are born and grow; age advances. Death will come to visit as surely as the sun
doth rise. Since Death is inevitable, greet him as a
friend. Remember, he it is who opens the door That leads forward into life. Life to death and death to life: Balance and harmony; ever moving on."
When the circling stops, the PRIEST takes up the bowl of fruit and moves around the Circle giving a fruit to each covener. At the giving there is an embrace and a kiss and the Covener says:
Covener: "I give thanks to the Gods for this sign of a
joyful harvest."
PRIEST ends by giving a fruit to the Priestess then she, in turn, gives the last one to the Priest. The bell is rung seven times. All then sit and enjoy their fruit. At this time there can be happy conversation. When all have eaten,
the bell is rung three times and all stand again.
Priest: "Although the season of plenty draws to a close, yet are the Gods ever with us. Our Lord watches over us, as does his Lady." Priestess: "To the good seasons that have already
passed." All: "The Lord and the Lady give blessings." Priest: "To the beauty of autumn and to those
friends we treasure." All: "The Lord and the Lady give blessings," Covener: "Peace, joy and love to the world." All: "To that do we give our blessings." Priest: "How is the ground?" All: "Well cared for." Priestess: "How are the crops?" All: "Beautiful and plentiful." Covener: "What are our lives?" All: "The harvest of the Gods." Priest/ess: "Whilst we enjoy the fruits of our labors, the harvest of our lives, let us never forget those who are not so fortunate." Covener: "We offer, here, a portion of our fortunes to
go where it may be needed." All: "So mote it be." Priest/ess: "Then may the Lord and the Lady bless these offerings, bless the givers and bless those who will receive."
The bell is rung three times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertainment. The evening con- cludes with a feast.
WINTER SOLSTICE SABBAT
The altar cloth and the candles should be purple. The Circle may be decorated with holly, mistletoe, ivy, etc.. There is a cauldron in the south, filled with kindling. The Priest's Horned Helmet is beside the altar. Short tapers (one for each Covener) lie on the altar. The bell is rung three times. PRIEST sits or kneels in the center of the Circle.
Covener: "Blessed are the Gods who turn the mighty wheel." Covener: "Welcome, thrice welcome, to Yule; the
turning point of winter is upon us." Covener: "Here is an end to the solar year."
Lesson Seven: Meditation, Dreams and the Minor Sabbats 193
Covener: "But here, too, is a new beginning." Priestess: "Brothers, Sisters, Friends. Let us show our love by sending forth our power and our strength to he who is the Sun God. At this turning of the year's tide, let us join our energies with his, that he may be reborn to ascend once more unto his rightful place."
COVENERS and PRIESTESS join hands and circle, deosil, chanting:
All: "Turn, turn, turn the wheel.
Round and round; around it goes. The flame that died, it now doth heal. Round and round; around it goes. Return, return, return to life. Round and round; around it goes. Welcome sunlight; farewell strife. Round and round; around it goes. The Sun Lord dies; the Sun Lord lives. Round and round; around it goes. Death opens hands and new life gives. Round and round; around it goes. Turn, turn, turn the wheel. Round and round; around it goes. The flame that died, it now doth heal. Round and round; around it goes."
This may be kept up for as long as desired. Then, while still circling, PRIESTESS says:
Priestess: "Let us kindle fresh fire to light our Lord
upon his way." Covener: "Fire for strength!" Covener: "Fire for life!" Covener: "Fire for love!"
As they pass the altar PRIESTESS first, then each Covener, takes up a taper and lights it from the altar candle. Continuing around the Circle, when the cauldron is reached the taper is thrown in, to light the kindling and then add to it. When all have thrown in their
tapers, circling stops with Priestess before the altar. She takes up the Horned Helmet and moves around to stand before the kneeling Priest.
Priestess: "May all our power, Witches all, strengthen
the new-born Lord."
PRIESTESS places Horned Helmet on Priest's head. He comes to his feet and raises his hands high.
Priest:
"Life! Love! I am the Sun Lord!"
He lowers his hands then moves slowly around the Circle speaking, as though talking to each individual covener as he moves around.
Priest: "I fell into deep darkness and death I
knew. Yet was I of star-seed. On the tail of a comet I rent the velvet darkness of everlasting
light. Ablaze with glory, I was reborn, To start again the perennial cycle of guardianship That evermore drives me through death
and birth alike. With the companionship of our Lady I face into the wind, Knowing that we fly upon wings of time, Through timeless worlds, together." Covener: "All hail, the Sun God!" All: "All hail, the Sun God!"* Covener: "All hail the death and birth of Yule." All: "All hail!"
Bell is rung seven times. PRIEST and PRIESTESS join hands and lead coveners in a dance about the Circle. Bell is rung three times.
Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale. After that the Clearing of the Temple is performed so that there is plenty of room for fun, games and entertain- ment. The evening concludes with a feast.
*Here may also be inserted an "All hail, ...(Name)..."—the particular name of the deity used by the coven.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. Relate any experiences, insights that have come to you while meditating.
2. List below some recurring themes or symbols in your dreams. Try to interpret some of your more powerful
dreams. Describe them here. Be sure to keep a special Dream Journal next to your bed.
3. List the four Minor Sabbats and tell what each commemorates. Relate how you celebrated each Minor, or Lesser,
Sabbat.
LESSON EIGHT MARRIAGE, BIRTH, DEATH AND CHANNELING
HANDFASTING Handfasting is the Wiccan word for the marriage cere- mony. Unlike the Christian form, where the man and woman are locked together "till death do us part" (even if they later grow apart and eventually come to almost hate one another), the Wiccan ceremony joins man and woman "for so long as love shall last". When there is no longer love between them, they are free to go their separate ways.
These days most couples write their own Hand-fasting ceremony. I here give the Seax-Wica rite as an example. You may like to use it as it is, or just as a basis for your own ideas. Read it carefully. In addition to being very beautiful, I think you will find that it makes a great deal of sense.
HANDFASTING RITE This rite should be performed during the waxing of the Moon. The Altar may be decked with flowers and flowers strewn about the Circle. If the coven normally wears robes, for this rite it is suggested that the Bride and Groom at least be skyclad; preferably the whole coven.
It is traditional in the Seax-Wica for the Bride and Groom to exchange rings. These are usually gold or silver bands with the couple's (Craft) names inscribed on them in runes. These rings rest on the altar at the start of the rite. The Priapic Wand is also on the altar.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. PRIEST and PRIESTESS kiss.
Covener: "There are those in our midst who seek the
bond of Handfasting." Priestess: "Let them be named and brought forward."
Covener: "...(Groom's name)... is the Man and ... (Bride's name)...is the Woman."
BRIDE and GROOM move forward to stand facing Priest and Priestess across the altar—Bride opposite Priest and Groom opposite Priestess.
Priestess(to Groom): "Are you ...(Name)..,?" Groom: "I am." Priestess "What is your desire?" Groom: "To be made one with ...(Bride's name)...,
in the eyes of the Gods and the Wicca." Priestfto Bride): "Are you ... (Name)...?" Bride: "I am." Priest: "And what is your desire?" Bride: "To be made one with... (Groom's name)...,
in the eyes of the Gods and the Wicca."
PRIESTESS takes up sword and raises it high. PRIEST hands Priapic Wand to Bride and Groom. They hold it between them, each with both hands.
Priestess: "Lord and Lady, here before you stand two of your folk. Witness, now, that which they have to declare."
PRIESTESS replaces sword on altar, then takes her athame and holds the point of it to Groom's chest. Groom repeats the following, line by line:
Priestess: "Repeat after me: 'I, ...(Name)..., do come here of my own free will, to seek the partner- ship of ...(Bride's name).... I come with all love, honor and sincerity, wishing only to become one with her whom I love. Always will I strive for ...(Bride's name)...'s happi- ness and welfare. Her life will I defend 97
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before my own. May the athame be plunged into my heart should I not be sincere in all that I declare. All this I swear in the names of the gods*. May they give me the strength to keep my vows. So mote it be.'"
PRIESTESS lowers her athame. Priest then raises his athame and, in turn, holds it to the breast of the Bride. She repeats the oath, line by line, after him: Priest: "Repeat after me: 1, ...(Name)..., do come here of my own free will, to seek the partner- ship of... (Groom's name).... I come with all love, honor and sincerity, wishing only to become one with him whom I love. Always will I strive for ...(Groom's name)...'s hap- piness and welfare. His life will I defend before my own. May the athame be plunged into my heart should I not be sincere in all that I declare. All this I swear in the names of the gods*. May they give me the strength to keep my vows. So mote it be.'"
PRIEST lowers the athame. PRIESTESS takes up the two rings and sprinkles and censes both. She hands the Bride's ring to the Groom and the Groom's ring to the Bride. They take them in their right hands, remaining holding the Priapic Wand with their left hands. Priest: "As the grass of the fields and the trees of the woods bend together under the pressures of the storm, so too must you both bend when the wind blows strong. But know that as quickly as the storm comes, so equally quickly may it leave. Yet will you both stand, strong in each other's strength. As you give love; so will you receive love. As you give strength; so will you receive strength. Together you are one; apart you are as nothing." Priestess: "Know you that no two people can be exactly alike. No more can any two people fit together, perfect in every way. There will be times when it will seem hard to give and to love. But see then your reflection as in a woodland pool: when the image you see looks sad and angered, then is the time . for you to smile and to love (for it is not fire that puts out fire). In return will the image in the pool smile and love. So change you
anger for love and tears for joy. It is no weakness to admit a wrong; more is it a strength and a sign of learning." Priest: "Ever love, help and respect each other, And
then know truly that you are one In the eyes of the Gods And of the Wicca." All: "So Mote It Be!"
PRIEST takes Priapic Wand from couple and replaces it on the altar. BRIDE and GROOM each place ring on the other's finger and kiss. They then kiss Priest and Priestess across the altar, then move deosil about the Circle to be congratulated by the others.
Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale followed by games and merriment.
As I said at the beginning of this lesson, in many religions marriage is meant to be a lifetime partnership. Even though it may turn out that after a few years a couple find they are really unsuited to one another, they are stuck for the rest of their lives. This invariably leads to great unhappiness for husband, wife and any children. Although Witches most certainly do not encourage casual partnerships, they do recognize the fact that some marriages just do not work out ideally. When this is the case, and when all attempts have been made to settle any differences, then they will dissolve the partnership with the old ceremony ofHandparting. This, of course, is never undertaken lightly.
HANDPARTING RITE Before the ceremony the couple will sit with the Priest and Priestess and work out a fair division of their property, plus provision for support of any children of the marriage. A scribe will make note of this and the record will be signed by all. If either hus- band or wife are not available for the rite (by reason of relocation, ill health or whatever), then a Witch of the appropriate sex may stand in for the missing party. The rite will take place in this fashion only if there is a signed agreement from the missing party, together with the marriage ring.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and Priestess kiss.
Covener: "...(Husband's name)... and ...(Wife's
name)..., stand forth."
"Names used for the gods may be inserted here.
Lesson Eight: Marriage, Birth, Death and Channeling 199
Husband and Wife stand before the altar, Husband facing Priestess and Wife facing Priest. Priestess: "Why are you here?" Husband: "I wish a Handparting from ...(Name)..." Priest: "Why are you here?" Wife: "I wish a Handparting from ...(Name)..." Priestess: "Do you both desire this of your own free
will?" Husband & Wife: "We do." Priest: "Has a settlement been reached between
you regarding the division of property and (if appropriate) care for the children?" Husband & Wife: "It has." Priest: "Has this been duly recorded, signed and
witnessed?" Covener-Scribe: "It has." Priest: "Then let us proceed, remembering that
we stand ever before the gods."
HUSBAND and WIFE join hands. They repeat the following, line by line, speaking together. Priestess: "Together repeat after me: 'I, ...(Name)..., do hereby most freely dissolve my partner- ship with... (Spouse's name).... I do so in all honesty and sincerity, before the Gods, with my brothers and sisters of the Craft as witnesses. No longer are we as One, but now are Two individuals, free to go our separate ways. We release all ties, one to the other, yet ever will we retain respect for one another, as we have love and respect for our fellow Wiccans. So be it.'" Priest: "Hand Part!"
HUSBAND and WIFE release each other's hands, remove their marriage rings and give them to the Priestess. She sprinkles and censes them, saying:
Priestess: "In the names of the Gods do I cleanse
these rings."
She returns them to the couple, to do with them as they wish.
Priestess: "Now are you handparted. Let all know you as such. Go your separate ways in Peace and in Love—never in bitterness— and in the ways of the Craft. So mote it be."
All:
"So mote it be.'
Then shall follow the ceremony of the Cakes and Ale and the Clearing the Tempk.
Generally speaking Witches are very open-minded people, especially where religion is concerned. They have no hard and fast "Commandments"; no catechisms. They feel that all should be free to choose the religion that best suits them. It would seem obvious that there can be no one religion for all. Temperaments differ. Some love ritual for its own sake; others look for simplicity. All religions lead in the same direction, simply taking different paths to get there. Witches feel that all should therefore be free to choose their own path. All—including the Witches' own children. A child should not be forced to follow a particular religion just because it is the religion of the parent (s). For this reason most Witch parents try to give their children as wide a view of religion as possible, that the child may make a free choice when ready. It is naturally hoped that the child will choose the Craft, but it is not forced. Far better that the child be happy in a religion different from the parent than that s/he become a religious hypocrite.
For the above reasons there is no Craft "baptism". Instead, in a simple ceremony, the parents ask the gods to watch over the child and give her, or him, wis- dom in choice when older. The child will be fully initiated only when old enough to decide for her/ himself. The exact age will, of course, vary from one child to another. Until that time the child should cer- tainly be encouraged to participate in Circles and to "get the feel" of the Craft. When ready, then the initiation will be conducted by the Priest and Priestess, or, if they so wish, by the parents acting as Priest and Priestess. In virtually all branches of the Craft, anyone may leave at any time, should they so wish. They are also free to return again, at any time, should they so desire. There would be no need for a second initiation.
BIRTH RITE (or Wiccaning)
This may be performed at any of the rituals, prior to the ceremony of Cakes and Ale, or it may be done as a rite in itself, preceded by Erecting the Temple and then followed by Cakes and Ale and, of course, Clearing the Temple.
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The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and Priestess kiss.
Covener: "There is an addition to our number. Let us give her/him due welcome."
PARENTS move to stand across the altar from the Priest and Priestess. They hold the baby.
Priest:
"What is the name of the child?"
Parents give the child's name—the name by which it will be known in the Circle until old enough to choose its own name.
Priest: "We welcome you, ...(Name)..." Priestess: "Welcome, and much love to you."
PRIEST and PRIESTESS lead PARENTS and child three times, deosil, around the Circle. PARENTS then "offer" the child—they hold the child over the altar.
Parents: "We here offer the fruit of our love to the gods. May they watch over her/him as s/ he grows."
PRIESTESS dips her fingers in the salted water and gently wipes them over the baby's face. Mother then passes the child through the smoke of the incense.
Priestess: "May the Lord and the Lady ever smile
upon you." Priest: "May they guard you and guide you through this
life." Priestess: "May they help you choose that which is
right and shun that which is wrong." Priest: "May they see that no harm befalls you, or
others through you." Priestess (to parents): "We charge you both, in the names of the God and of the Goddess, to lead this child, with love, through the high- ways and byways of life. Teach him/her the ways of the Craft that s/he may learn to honor and respect all life and to harm none." Priest: "Teach her/him of the Lord and the Lady; of this life, of all that went before and what may come after. Tell the tales of the gods and teach the history of our Craft. Teach her/him to strive for that perfection which all desire and, when the time is right,
hope—but do not press—that s/he joins with us and becomes truly one of our beloved family." Parents: "All this will we do. So do we pledge." Priest and Priestess: "We bid welcome to ...(Name)..." All: "Welcome!"
Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale.
Because of the Craft belief in reincarnation, death is a time for celebration rather than grief. Death signifies the completion of a learning period ... the individual has "graduated" and will be going on to other things. This should be celebrated. Sorrow, then, is a sign of selfishness. We are sorry for ourselves, that we have been left behind, without the love and companionship of one dear to us.
There are no hard and fast teachings on what should be done wih the body after death. After all, it was only a shell for the spirit, or soul, that inhabited it and has now gone on. Many Witches (I think, probably the majority) favor cremation; others leave their bodies to hospitals. It is a personal choice. Few, if any, Witches see the sense of the elaborate and (for the relatives) expensive trappings of today's funerals.
CROSSING THE BRIDGE (at death) This rite may be performed at any of the other rituals, prior to the Cakes and Ale, or it may be done as a rite in itself, preceded by Erecting the Temple and followed by Cakes and Ale and, of course, Clearing the Temple.
The Erecting the Temple is performed. Priest and Priestess kiss. A single long note is sounded on a horn, by one of the Coveners. Covener: "The horn is sounded for ...(Name of
Deceased Witch)."
•All: "So be it." Priestess: "That today... (Name)... is not with us, here in the Circle, saddens us all. Yet let us try not to feel sad. For is this not a sign that s/he has fulfilled this life's work? Now is s/he free to move on. We shall meet again, never fear. And that will be a time for further celebration."
Priest: "Let us send forth our good wishes to bear her/him across the Bridge. May s/he return at any time s/he may wish, to be with us here."
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ALL take their athames and point them at a spot behind the altar, facing the Priest and Priestess. They imagine the dead Witch standing on that spot, looking as they best remember her or him. They concentrate on sending love, joy and happiness from their bodies, along the line of the athame, into the imagined body. This continues for a few moments. The Priestess signals the end by replacing her athame and saying:
Priestess: "We wish you all the Love and Happiness we may. We will never forget you. Do not you forget us. Whenever we meet here, you are always welcome." All: "So mote it be."
ALL now sit and if any present wish to speak of the deceased, they may do so. If no one else, then at least the Priest and/or Priestess should speak reminiscen-tly of the dead Witch, remembering especially the good and happy times. Then shall follow the ceremony of Cakes and Ale.
THE INTUITIVE PROCESS
The word "psychic" means that which pertains to the spirit or higher consciousness. The word "occult" means that which is hidden from the uninitiated. In fact, there is nothing hidden or mysterious about your beyond-the-physical abilities. They are a part of every single one of us. Just as we each have arms and legs, fingers and toes, so do we each have beyond-the-physical abilities. These abilities are very much in evidence in some people but lie dormant—awaiting recognition and utilization—in others. And just as physical abilities differ in individuals, so do these psychic abilities. By testing your physical strength in different tasks, you find what you are capable of and what you are not. So it is with your psychic strength. You need to test it, to exercise and attempt, in order to find out your true capabilities.
Let's look first at Channeling—the tapping into the collective consciousness in order to obtain needed information.
CATEGORIES OF CHANNELING
The ability to channel information falls into two general categories; the PHYSICAL and the MENTAL
Physical channeling is that which relates to, or has an effect on, physical objects. This would include psy-chometry, pendulum (radiesthesia), tea-leaf reading (tasseography), card-reading (cartomancy), etc..
Mental channeling is that which deals with impres- sions received on some level of conscious awareness. Included in the mental category are clairvoyance ("clear seeing"), clairaudience (hearing), clairsen-tience (sensing) and telepathy (thought transference). The abilities to function in precognitive (knowing before the event), retrocognitive (after the event) and present time frames.
A further division of channeling should be noted. That is, the difference between "trance" and "conscious" channeling (the trance condition can be further divided into deep, medium and light states). Generally speaking, the term "trance" indicates the lack of conscious activity on the part of the psychic, or "Channel". In a deep trance, the Channel is not consciously aware of what is occurring during the process and will not retain any memory of the event. In a medium or semi-trance state, the Channel usually has some conscious awareness of what occurs and retains some memory. In this case, the conscious mind acts as an observer but does not actively participate in the channeling of the information. In a light trance the knowledge during, and later memory of, the event is more pronounced. However, the conscious memory still functions only as an observer and takes no active part.
In the case of conscious channeling, the Psychic's conscious awareness can, and often does, actively par- ticipate. Not only are the higher levels of consciousness receiving and assimilating information, but the conscious awareness is receiving and analyzing data on the physical level (such as physical manifestation of emotional response, including body language, facial expression and voice inflection).
CLEARING THE CHANNEL
To become a Channel, you must remove the debris that blocks or impedes the flow of information. You must rid your mind of all of the rubbish accumulated throughout your lifetime so that a clean environment exists in which to develop those powers latent within you. You must overcome your inhibitions, false values, uncertainties, indecision and criticism of others. Some major considerations are as follows:1: Controlling the mind—To clear the way for the higher
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mind, you must learn to control and focus the con- scious mind. Consider how you seem to have a thousand thoughts rushing about at any given moment. This shows how you scatter your energies, giving only a small percentage of your energy to any one idea or action at a time. If you learn to control your mental energies and give undivided attention, you have the force; the power to achieve any goal, the Power of creation. 2: Removing emotion—Worry, fear, anger, envy, rush and noise are as much a poison to your spiritual system as arsenic would be to your body. True spiritual 'qualities entirely eliminate these poisons. Total faith leaves no room for worry. Unrestricted love allows no room for hate, envy, anger and greed. 3: Self-examination—As a truth seeker, you should continually examine yourself. You must determine your ideals and beliefs. You must achieve clear and concise determination of what is right and wrong for you. Just as you cannot judge another, you cannot be judged by any other than yourself. You must determine your ambitions and analyze your moti- vation. You must determine your goals and define them clearly. You cannot complete a journey without a specific objective. For example, you wouldn't merely go to a certain city to visit a friend. You would go to a specific street, a specific building and a specific apartment. Not only must you define your objectives, you must also place them in priority and pursue them accordingly. As you select, prioritize and pursue your goals, you must adhere to the creed "An' it harm none ..." 4: Possessiveness—One of the most difficult obstacles for many to overcome is possessiveness. Our possessions (people and things) rule us while only pretending to be our slaves. They demand our time and money. They tie us down to a specific place and complicate our lives severely. They bring jealousy, greed, envy and hate. This does not mean that we should deny ourselves our possessions. We are meant to possess all things, share all things and to have power over all things. But we are not meant to have power over one or two things to the exclusion of all others. Consider your feelings concerning your possessions. Who is the master and who the slave? Learn to transform petty possessiveness into the great spiritual feeling of sharing and unity. 5: Love—You should learn to truly love. Many miscon ceptions exist concerning this subject. It is too often viewed as a rather selfish emotion or as lust. You
must learn of the higher love; unselfish love. You should learn to love well enough to release people and things rather than to cling to them. Your love should be understanding and forgiving. You need to realize that each individual has his own path to follow, his own experiences to assimilate, in order to fully develop. You must let him tread his own path at his own pace. You should give love. You should be love. You must learn empathy for all— and sympathy for none. 6: Meditation—Finally, you must master the silence in which the higher self speaks. As I discussed in the previous lesson, it is through meditation that you learn to concentrate and focus your attention on the higher level. The daily session of meditation clears the cluttered mind and produces the clear channel that can be used at will.
As you continue to work with the six steps out- lined above, the channel will gradually begin to clear, and bits of information will start to filter through. Usually the process is so gradual that you may not even detect it at first. Many times the initial clues are bits of knowledge that have no consciously known source. They may be completely new ideas, concepts or realization of new truths. Channel opening can also be expressed in what seems to be an improved memory. In any case, it is seldom dramatic. You won't suddenly "become psychic"!... but gradually, over a period of time, new truths, new knowledge and new awareness become yours.
The channeling of intuitive information should be a normal state of awareness. As you develop, you will find that you cannot always turn it on and off at will. It is frequently quite involuntary. You may meet someone for the first time and realize that you "know" things about them. You may sense conditions in their past or future. You may "see" things or people connected with their lives. At other times you may want to know or sense things but find no impressions whatsoever. In time, as you use your abilities and exercise them, you will find that the information is becoming more and more available. Eventually you will find that you can call down information almost at will.
LISTENING
One way to help your development is to make a practice of listening to those inner urges. For example, suppose you have a particular route that you always take
Lesson Eight: Marriage, Birth, Death and Channeling / 103
returning home from work. One afternoon, as you reach a certain inter- section, you feel the inclination to turn down a certain tree-lined lane. Of course the conscious mind begins immediately to argue, "You don't have time. The family is expecting you; the lawn must be mown before dark; etc., etc.." Ignore the conscious mind and listen to that inner urge. Turn down the lane. There is a reason. You may find a beautiful pond or a flowered yard or hillside that fills you with the joy of nature and gives you a needed spiritual lift. On the other hand, you may not seem to notice anything worthwhile. You may take the alternate route home with no notable experience. You may never hear of the terrible accident that occurred at the intersection two blocks down—at the exact time that you would have driven through! Whether apparent or not, THERE IS A REASON!
EXTERNAL FOCAL POINTS
The Pendulum If you are seeking the answer to a particular question, it is often helpful to use an external object as a focus, in order to eliminate outside influences and conscious mind distortion. The use of such an object does not affect the information in any way. It merely occupies the individual's consciousness and focuses awareness on a particular point. One such focusing device is the pendulum. This allows you to obtain a simple "Yes", "No" or "Not yet determined" answer to the question.
The pendulum itself should be made of natural mineral products. The weight should be attached to a small chain about nine inches long (the chain may be of almost any material except animal products). The preferred material would be metal such as gold, silver, brass or copper. Aluminum is not recommended because the electrical process used in its manufacture may be disruptive to your auric field.
A "YES/NO" answer card, as shown in the illustration (Figure 8.1) may also be used.
To use the pendulum, place the answer-card on a flat surface such as a table or desk. Seat yourself comfortably in front of it. Clear your mind of all extraneous thought. If you desire, say a small prayer such as the Seax-Wica Psalm given in Lesson Two. Ask the gods for protection and guidance in receiving true answers. Hold the chain with your right hand (left, if left-handed) about seven inches from the weight. Suspend it over the center of the answer-card, about half an inch off the surface. Holding the pendulum steady, ask your question. Make sure it is one that can be answered "Yes" or "No". Do not try to make the pendulum swing. You will find that although you try to hold your hand still, the weight will swing backwards and forwards along one of the lines on the paper, thus giving an answer to your question. You do not need to ask the question aloud; you can just think it.
Should the pendulum swing around in a circle, or not swing at all, then either your question was ambiguous—in which case you need to rephrase it—or else the answer cannot be given for some reason.
The pendulum can be used not only to answer questions, but also to locate obj ects and people, in the manner of a dowsing rod. The j oy of the pendulum, however, is that it can be used from the comfort of your own
Figure 8.1
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home. The idea behind this is that the pendulum indi- cates on a small scale what is happening on a large scale, or at a distance. For any of these things—following a trail, finding a lost object, searching for water, or even diagnosing an illness—it is as well to use a pendulum with a definite point to it. Sit at a table with a map before you, of the place to be dowsed. The larger the map's scale, the better. Move the pendulum slowly across the map, in the same pattern you would follow if you were walking on the spot. When you "reach" the site of the material for which you are searching, the pendulum will indicate it by swinging rapidly in a circle or spinning around. When looking for a lost person, or stolen property, you can follow a similar procedure. For some- thing lost, draw a rough sketch of the area, the house or
room, where you think it was lost. Again move the pen- dulum systematically about, while concentrating your thoughts on the missing object. Again it will rotate to indicate where the object is. An alternate method is to hold the pendulum over the answer-card and, with a finger of your other hand, point to the sketch-map and ask "Is it here? ... Is it here? ..." etc..
To follow a trail, move the pendulum slowly along the roads as shown on the map. At each crossroads ask the pendulum which is the right road to take. In this manner you can easily trace a route taken from point A to point B.
For more on the pendulum, see Practical Color Magtck by Raymond Buckland (Llewellyn Publications, 1983).
The steps, in learning to psychometrize, are easy ones requiring only practice with patience. Take eight or ten samples of dif- ferent substances: cloth of various types, leather, fur, wood, metal, stone, etc.. Sit quietly and, taking one object at a time in your hands, concentrate on it. Feel its tex- ture. Think of its origins. Try to picture the tree from which the wood came; the animal from which the fur came, and so on... work at the objects regularly, spending as
this time trying to pick up a clue regarding the contents of the envelope. You may guess the object itself or you may get an impression of its origins—the sort of thing on which you were concentrating before. Write down your impressions in a notebook, against the numbers on the envelopes. After a few days, or weeks (depending on how often you practice), you may show a score something like this:
ACTUAL CONTENT
long as you feel comfortable on each object but always going right through the com- plete set. It may be that you will get very definite impressions right away. But if you do not, continue as follows.
After a few weeks of the initial exer- cise, place each of the objects in separate envelopes. Have all the envelopes the same so that, outwardly, there is no way of telling one from another. Number them. Go through the concentration again regularly, ENVELOPE
1 2 3 GUESSES 4 5 6 7 NUMBER COTTON A silk cotton silk wool cotton cotton cotton SILK B cotton silk velvet silk silk cotton silk . VELVET C wool feather bamboo velvet wool velvet oak SNAKESKIN D ivory feather snakeskin oak feather snakeskin feather SEASHELL E oak ivory shell ivory shell shell ivory WOOL F IVORY G shell feather oak shell velvet ivory wool ivory wool ivory iron shell wool shell CLAY H Iron iron clay velvet feather clay clay IRON 1 velvet snakeskin ivory iron silk bamboo iron BAMBOO J OAK K oak oak velvet wool bamboo oak oak oak bamboo oak oak oak
bamboo bamboo FEATHER L clay wool cotton velvet snakeskin feather feather
You can see that there is a certain pat- tern emerging. By the seventh try (in this example) you can get fifty percent correct. Others are very close. For instance, the two words 'Oak' and 'Bamboo' are fre- quently confused; as are 'Snakeskin' and 'Feather'.
Keep on with these sealed evelopes. Then introduce others. When you feel you are keeping a good, consistent score, try your hand at other unsealed objects. A
friend's ring, for instance. A letter, a photo- graph, a watch. As you hold the objects, start by thinking of them in themselves. Then ask yourself, who has handled them most? Where did they come from? When were they made? Practice all the time. Such an item as a coin has usually passed through too many hands to have gathered any positive aura. Concentrate more on objects of an individual nature. Whenever possible, check on the results you achieve
and keep a written record of them. In this way you can watch your progress.
The above exercises can be done quite well in a group. You can even arrange two teams and see which is the more accurate. Other exercises and tests will suggest themselves. Keep trying. Don't be dis- couraged ... and keep those notes.
A Pocket Guide to the Supernatural Raymond Buckland, Ace Books, 1969
Lesson Eight: Marriage, Birth, Death and Channeling 1105
Psychometry All physical material has memory. It is not the memory of a conscious awareness, but is the retention of manifested energy with which the material has come into contact. Further, if a person touches a particular object, a cosmic link is established between the two that will exist at least as long as the human lives and oftimes long after. Thus, if you touch a chair, another person with developed channeling abilities could "read" you when s/he comes in contact with that chair, regardless of where you might happen to be at the time. The Channel could "see" into your past, present and even future just as easily as if you were physically present. Psychometry, then, is the reception of impressions from a physical object. The impressions may come in the form of feelings, scenes, thought forms, color, emotions. They may come singly or in combination. Whatever thought, feeling, or sensation you receive should be carefully recorded.
To practice psychometry, begin with small items such as jewelry, that can be easily held in the hand. Something of the nature of a keepsake, that has been in contact with its owner for long periods of time, is best. The concentration of energy is stronger because of both the physical and emotional link that was established.
As always in using the intuitive process, the mind should be cleared before starting. Now, hold the object lightly between the hands. Feel the energy or vibrations that emanate from it. What do you feel? Is there a coldness; a warmth; a tingling sensation? What color(s) do you sense? What scenes come to you? Do you feel any kind of emotion? Again, have no expectations; be purely receptive. Feel; listen; look into the third eye. Move into any perceptions that you find. Examine them and become one with them. Then record them, exactly as received. Don't let your conscious mind interfere. Some people find they are better able to get their results holding the object in one particular hand, rather than in both hands; some hold it to the forehead, over the third eye; some hold it over the heart. Experiment. See which is best for you.
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INTERPRETING CHANNELED INFORMATION
The greatest problem facing the Channel (and sometimes the subject) is interpretation. As with dreams, the interpretation is best done by the subject. If you are channeling information on yourself, the problem is minimized. But if the reading is for someone else, you must be extremely careful. The information should be presented exactly as it is received.
Much of channeled information deals with the future. This is because the past is past. It is what the individual does from this point on that is
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the medium. important. Since you are master of your own destiny, you must accept the consequences of your own actions. Therefore, nothing is predetermined. Any information of the future is only in the realm of probability, based on
Raymond Amazing Buckland Secrets Parker & of Hereward Publishing the Psychic Carrington Co., World 1975 current conditions, and may be changed. An indicated disastrous relationship can be avoided either through avoidance of the relationship itself or through a change of attitudes, concerning the relationship, on
106 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
the part of the persons involved. A physical illness can be avoided by correcting the probable cause, such as an improper diet, balancing the emotional state, etc.. NOTHING HAS TO BE! The channeled information is merely stating that, as conditions exist at the moment, this is the probable result. If the individual desires a different outcome, it is within her or his power to bring it about. WE CREATE OUR OWN REALITY.
The Aura The "body" of Wo/Man is actually composed of seven distinct elements. The first three (solid, liquid and gas) form the physical body. The fourth element is called the Etheric body and inter- penetrates the physical. Generally the etheric body extends beyond the confines of the physical body by about an inch. Next is the astral body. It extends several inches beyond the etheric body. Then, beyond the astral body, are the Mental and Spiritual bodies. Due to their elasticity, and the speed at which they function, it is impossible to define physical limits for these last two. Although the vibrations of the non-physical bodies are too high a rate to be detected by the physical eye, the energy patterns that emanate can be seen by the adept. These energy patterns are what is known as the Aura. Usually the energy of the etheric body is detected, or "seen", first because of its denseness. As your perceptions improve you can begin to detect the energy that radiates beyond the etheric body. Often it can be seen flowing, ebbing and spiralling much like the Northern Lights. The colors detected are usually indicative of the person's state of being. Thus, a person with a deeply spiritual state may exhibit blue and lavender. A person deeply in love may show pink, etc. (see Color under "Symbolism" in the Dream section of Lesson Seven). You should be cautioned about trying to see what another person sees. If you and a friend are reading auras, don't be surprised if one of you detects blue and the other detects yellow. Neither of you is necessarily wrong. Individual sensitivities are different and you are more sensitive to certain vibrations while your friend is more receptive to others.
Any state of the individual's being causes reactions in the aura. Emotional states will primarily affect the color. Physical conditions not only affect color, but also cause peculiarities in the patterns of the aura, such as vortexes, holes and sometimes dark spots. You should be careful in your treatment of information concerning auras. You may think that someone has a physical problem because of what seems to be a defect
in their aura. Ask him if he has a problem in that par- ticular area. But, if he denies it, drop the issue. What may appear serious to you at the time, could be just a minor irritation that is nearly healed. Remember the power of suggestion is strong and could turn out to be very damaging to some people.
Finding lost objects How often have you spent minutes, hours or even days, in a frantic search for some lost item? Whether you absent-mindedly mis- placed it yourself, or whether someone else moved it without your knowledge, it's not necessary to waste a lot of time and energy searching for it. In the first place, if you are filled with panic and fear losing the item, it might be that you have a lesson to learn about possessiveness. In the second place, if it is truly mis- placed neither logic nor emotion is going to be of much help. Of course, if you move everything in the house (assuming it is in the house), a systematic search may eventually locate it. But even though the conscious mind can't readily find it, there are aspects of yourself that can. All you need do is listen to them.
First of all, calm down. Close down the conscious mind. Rid yourself of emotion. Once you are com- pletely calm and at peace, simply follow your inner urges. Don't think! Move; walk; be guided from within. I once found two keys thrown into the center of an overgrown field using this technique. I had not seen where the keys were thrown, yet, following my inner guidance, I walked to a certain spot, leaned over and placed my hand within three inches of the missing keys!
There are times when the lost remains lost. In- variably at these times there is a lesson to be learned. Our higher selves sometimes choose this method to cause us to consider our placement of values, or to set in motion a needed series of experieneces. At other times, the "help" may be external. Perhaps our spirit guides, in consort with our higher selves, create the conditions for that much needed lesson.
The pendulum of course, is an excellent means of discovering that which is lost, as was described above. Do not overlook it.
SENSORY DEPRIVATION
As an aid to developing, or producing, extra- sensory perception, recent studies associated with the Department of Defense and the Space Program have turned to what is called Sensory Deprivation. The theory
Lesson Eight: Marriage, Birth, Death and Channeling / 107
is that our normal living patterns have conditioned us to seek a certain degree of sensation (whether mental, physical or emotional) during all waking moments. If the waking senses are eliminated and body movement is restricted, the body relaxes, mental and emotional tensions subside and the consciousness achieves unparalleled freedom. Laboratory studies have used diving tanks, where the submerged test subject was kept in a weightless and motionless condition. Documentation of such tests reveals that extra-sensory phenomena, including imagery, occur.
THE WITCHES' CRADLE
Depriving the physical senses by external means is in no way a new idea. For centuries the Arabian Dervishes have dangled from a rope around the wrist; Hindus have sat for days, weeks or even months, in a Lotus position, and members of the Craft have used a device known as the "Witches' Cradle", to separate the consciousness from the physical.
There are several variations of the Witches' Cradle. Two are illus- trated. All perform the same basic function of isolating the person from her/his physical environment and make physical movement all but impossible. Under these conditions, the consciousness is loosed from physical bondage and becomes free to roam beyond the physical horizon.
As illustrated (Figure 8.2) in the first cradle the person is wrapped in a mummy-like shroud of leather or cloth. The arms are fastened down in straight-jacket fashion. Leather straps hold the body in the iron frame while a leather hood shuts out sight and sound. The head is held in place by a leather strap or iron band, as shown. The cradle is suspended by a single rope so that it can swing and rotate freely to give complete dis-orientation with the ground.
The second variation (Figure 8.3) is suspended by the leather sleeves. The leather sheath was cushioned with fur (modern versions use foam rubber) for comfort. The crossbar is suspended by a yoke to a single rope, again to provide ground disorientation. Notice that in both cases the spine is kept straight. Not only did the Cradle produce sensory isolation, which aided freeing of the consciousness, it also aided the projection of the consciousness beyond the physical body... astral projection.
It is not necessary, nor recommended, that the individual use the Cradle, under normal circumstances. Such a device should only be used under the close supervision of someone who is completely knowledgeable in its use. The essence of its benefits can and should be used, however. A procedure to induce the proper conditions for freeing the consciousness is outlined in the method of meditation given in Lesson Seven. These meditation procedures, if properly and consistently used, can also provide deprivation of the senses, comfort of the body and elimination of the senses which will free the consciousness.
Figure 8.3 Based on those in Minnesota Minutescope
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
Figure 8.2
1. Write your own Handfasting Ceremony.
2. Keep a log of Birth Rites (Wiccaning) and Crossing the Bridge Rites below.
3. List the methods you have used to clear your intuitive channel. What were your personal impediments
(blocks) for channeling? Keep track of channeled information below.
4. List some of the means by which you have developed your psychic abilities. What have been the results of these
techniques used?
LESSON NINE DIVINATION
To the layperson it seems almost magickal that anyone can actually see into the future; can divine what is going to happen. The dictionary (Webster's) defines divination as "the art of foretelling future events, or discovering things secret or obscure, by the aid of superior beings (the gods?), or by certain rites, experiments, observations, etc." According to this, then, what we see on television or read in the newspaper as the weather "forecast" should, more correctly, be referred to as the weather "prediction"! Be that as it may, divination is a useful tool and has a definite place in the Craft.
There are a great many ways of seeing into the future... "seeing into the future"? More correctly: being aware of the forces at work that will bring about a probable result in the future. We create our own reality. Nothing is predetermined; nothing has to be. If the individual desires a different outcome, it is within her or his power to bring that about.
TAROT As a Witch, how are you able to see into the future? Well, we have already dealt with channeling and with such a tool as the pendulum. But one of the most common, and most popular, tools—used by Witches and non-Witches alike—is the Tarot (pro- nounced tarrow, to rhyme with "narrow"). The tarot belongs to that form of divination known as carto- mancy—divining with cards. The tarot cards are the oldest known of decks; their exact origin long lost. The most popular theory is that they were brought into Europe by the Gypsies; probably originating—as did the Gypsies themselves—in India. The earliest known deck dates from the fourteenth century.
The tarot deck itself consists of seventy-eight cards, in two parts. These parts are called the Minor Arcana
and the Major Arcana. The Minor Arcana is made up of fifty-six of the cards divided, again, into four suits of fourteen cards each. It is from this Minor Arcana of the tarot that our everyday playing cards stem. The tarot suits are SWORDS, PENTACLES (sometimes called Coins), WANDS (or Staves) and CUPS. Their modern counterparts are Spades, Diamonds, Clubs and Hearts respectively. Each suit numbers one (or Ace) through Ten with a Page, Knight, Queen and King. At some stage in their later development the Knight dropped out and the Page became known as the Jack, or Knave. The Major Arcana, otherwise known as the Trumps Major, has twenty-two cards; each an allegorical figure of symbolic meaning. These figures are, by many occultists, attributed to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet:
1 MAGICIAN 2 HIGH PRIESTESS 3 EMPRESS 4 EMPEROR 5 HIEROPHANT 6 LOVERS 7 CHARIOT 8 JUSTICE 9 HERMIT 10 WHEEL OF FORTUNE 11 STRENGTH 12 HANGED MAN 13 DEATH 14 TEMPERANCE 15 DEVIL 16 TOWER 17 STAR 18 MOON 19 SUN 20 JUDGEMENT 21 WORLD 0 FOOL
111
Aleph Beth Gimel Daleth Heh Vav Zain Cheth Teth Yod Kaph Lamed Mem Nun Samekh Ayin Peh Tzaddi Qoph Resh Shin Tav
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Unfortunately the occultists cannot agree on this. While MacGregor Mathers, for instance, attributes the cards as I have shown, Paul F. Case puts the Fool at the beginning, thus moving them all up one:-
0 FOOL 1 MAGICIAN 2 HIGH PRIESTESS etc.
Aleph Beth Gimel
To further complicate the issue, A. E. Waite and Paul Case give the number 8 to Strength and 11 to Justice, while virtually every other writer and deck shows 8 to be Justice and 11 Strength!
Many writers on the tarot frighten away would-be students with their needlessly veiled and lofty des- criptions and interpretations. One such writer says, of the Major Arcana, "Their symbolism is a type of shorthand for metaphysics and mysticism. Here are truths of so subtle and divine an order that to express them badly in human language would be a sacrilege. Only esoteric symbolism can reveal them to the inner spirit of the seeker". He does, however, go on to express them in human language—and I must confess that I intend to do the same!
How do the cards work and how are they used? As with all tools of divination—the tarot, crystal ball, tea leaves, etc.—they are simply a focal point for your own psychic powers; a placebo for channeling. A good psychic could deal out a deck of blank cards and give a reading. So could you, with a little practice. But why not start the easy way? There's no reason why you shouldn't use these tools, these focal points, if it will make things easier.
There are many possible spreads, or layouts, for the cards. Everyone seems to have her or his favorite. In this lesson I will examine two or three so that you can try them and choose one, or more, that is most comfortable for you.
Most layouts call for a Significator... a card to repre- sent the person for whom you are reading (and that person for whom you are reading—or yourself, if you are reading for yourself—is known as the QUERANT). Many books suggest specific cards, e.g. Queen of Swords if you are reading for an older, dark-haired woman. IGNORE THESE SUGGESTIONS. Everyone is an individual. If you read for two different women, both of whom just happen to be older and dark-haired, the same card will not necessarily be right for both of them. To select your Significator, STUDY YOUR QUERANT. Look into her eyes; hold her hands; attune yourself to
her (or him, of course). Then go through all the cards in the deck, until you find the one which you feel is right to represent her. You may go through the deck several times before settling on just the right card, or you may pick it out immediately.
Take that card and give the rest of the deck to the Querant. She should handle them and shuffle them, concentrating on any specific question or problem she may have. After a few moments of this, have her cut the cards, with her left hand, to the left, into three separate piles:
You pick up the piles: the middle one first, then place the right hand pile on top of it, then the remaining left hand pile on top of them:
Now spread the cards across the table, face down. Have the Querant pick ten (10) cards, one at a time, at random from these and place them in a pile, still face down. These are the ten you will be using for your reading.
The first spread, or layout, we will consider is one of the most popular, yet is very accurate. It is the Ancient Keltic Spread:
Lay the Significator (the card you chose to represent the Querant) face up in the center of the table. This card shows, or indicates, the "front" that the subject puts up. It shows the type of impression that she likes other people to have of her. This is then covered by the first card the Querant picked, laid face downward. This is known as "what covers her". Crosswise on these two cards is placed the second one she picked. This is "what crosses her". The third card is placed above—"what crowns her"—and the fourth below— "what is beneath her". To the right goes the fifth card— "what is behind her" and to the left the sixth—"what is before her". The remaining four cards are placed in order over on the far right, one above the other: seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth—"herself", "her house", "her hopes and fears" and "the final outcome", respectively.
The cards are then turned over one at a time as you give the individual interpretations—which I will deal with below—each being looked at in its particular position.
To elaborate on the meanings of the different positions: the first card (what covers her) shows the general atmosphere that exists around the subject, or around the particular question/problem that she has asked (not necessarily aloud; it is the question/problem she was concentrating on whilst handling the cards and shuffling them). The second card shows what forces and influences are working against her. It may even show, or indicate, an actual person who is hindering, or "crossing" her in some way. Card number three shows her ideals; what she is aiming for—though she may not get there (that will be indicated in card number ten). Number four shows the real woman (or man); the Querant's unconscious self; her actual basis. Five shows what has already taken place. It could be either the immediate past or it could show, in general terms, her whole past life. Six, on the other hand, shows what is immediately coming into effect; the next six to twelve months at most.
Seven shows more of the subject herself; how she will fare generally in life and especially in the immediate future. Eight deals with her close friends, whether blood relatives or not. Nine is her hopes and fears and ten shows the final outcome for her.
It can be seen that some cards will confirm others. There should be similarities, for example, between cards four and seven; similarities in two and nine. The whole should give some indication of what to expect from card ten. Should the majority of the cards be
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from the Major Arcana, then you can be sure that the forces involved are powerful ones. Any changes will be fairly drastic changes; any setbacks will be severe setbacks; any advancements will be very major ad- vancements.
INTERPRETATION
But how do you interpret the cards? There are books written on the tarot, most of which offer possible interpretations for each card. You might purchase one of them (I would recommend one of Eden Gray's: either The Tarot Revealed or A Complete Guide To the Tarot). Read through the book, to get an idea of the traditional interpretations ... then, PUT THE BOOK AWAY. Once again let me stress that NO TWO PEOPLE ARE ALIKE. If you are reading for two different people and the same card happens to come up in the same position for both of them, it is highly unlikely that it will have the same meaning (the interpretation found in the book) for both people. They are each individuals; it will mean something different for each of them.
How, then, do you interpret? Go by your instincts; your feelings; your intuition. As you turn over each card, think of the position that it occupies. For example: position #6—the immediate future. What, of the illus- tration on the card, strikes you most forcibly as you turn it face up? Invariably one thing—one small part of the overall design—will "hit your eye" first. Think of what that object, color or symbol, can mean in relation to (in this example) the Querant's immediate future. For example, suppose you are using a Rider-Waite deck (I will discuss the different decks later) and you turn up the "Death" card (See Figure 9.1). Does this mean Death is in the near future? No! The interpretation given in one book is "transformation; change. Sometimes followed by or preceding destruction. Sometimes birth or renewal." It could mean the death of an idea, or a job—perhaps leading to "rebirth" in a new job (incidentally, I should mention here that it will help immeasurably if you disregard the titles on the Major Arcana cards. "Death" is not necessarily death; "Justice" is not necesasrily justice; the "Devil" not necessarily the devil, and so on).
But going by our method, there are far more possibilities. You might be struck by the small boat in the background and associate it with travel. Or you might be impressed by the sun rising (or setting?) be- tween the two towers on the right; or the rose on the banner; or the bishop-like figure ... there are so many
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things which might strike you forcibly. You will find it is a different thing each time you read the cards, giving a different—and therefore far more personal—reading for each individual. So, don't go by the book... use your own powers.
In interpreting, you might keep in mind that the Swords suit is usually associated with troubles and misfortunes (also with the element of AIR); Cups associated with love and happiness (WATER); Wands with enterprise and glory and sex (FIRE); and Pentacles with money (EARTH). This does not mean to say, of course, that every Sword card (for example) turned up has to reflect troubles and misfortunes! These are general associations, so just keep them in mind.
You should also try the Tree of Life spread, to see how you like it. It, also, uses ten cards plus the Significator:
Figure 9.1
1—Querant's highest intelligence—Ideals 2—Creative Force 3—Life, Wisdom 4—Virtues; good qualities 5—Conquest 6—Health 7—Love; lust 8—Arts, Crafts; Procreation 9—Imagination; Creativity 10—Earthly home
A very useful layout, especially for a quick reading, is the Seax-Wica Path spread, which uses eight cards (picked by the Querant) and the Significator:
S—Significator 1—Inner self 2—Goals (Ideals) 3—Past 4—Family 5—Health 6—Religion 7—Friends 8—Final outcome (future)
Practice as much as you can. Read for everyone— people you know well and people you don't know at all. Don't be afraid to say what you see, yet use a little discretion in phrasing it. For example, if you should see death, or some bad accident approaching, DON'T say "You're going to die"! Tell the person that, as the forces are at present, it would be wise to exercise extreme caution in the near future; there is the possibility of an
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accident. And that's all it is—a possibility. We can alter what lies ahead.
Do not read for the same person (or for yourself) on too frequent a basis. A good rule is, examine the cards used in the reading to see how many of the Major Arcana are present. If there are several (four, five or more), there are strong forces at work. Things are unlikely to change much in the next month, so there is no point in doing another reading for that long (unless it is to examine a totally different question, of course). If there are few, or none, of the Major Arcana, then the forces are light and changing, and it might be well to re-examine the situation in about a week.
There is a tremendous variety of tarot decks available. At last count there were close to two hundred fifty different ones on the market! The best known is the Rider-Waite deck, and it is certainly a good one for the beginner (or for the experienced reader). Its advantage lies in that it has a different full picture for every card; Major and Minor Arcana. Many decks have no symbolism for the Minor Arcana... for the Three of Swords, for example, there are simply three swords; Four of Swords—four swords, and so on. With the Rider-Waite deck there is a whole scene, incorporating three swords, on the one card, and then a totally different scene incorporating four swords on the next, and so on.This obviously gives much more to work with.
Another fine deck, based on the Rider-Waite, is the Morgan-Greer. In fact I, personally, prefer this deck to the Waite. For a change of pace—and some truly exciting symbolism—I would highly recom- mend the Thoth (pronounced "toe-th") deck, which was designed by Aleister Crowley. Try many of them. Find your own favorite.
SCRYING
Scrying is a fascinating practice in that it enables you to literally "see" the future (or present or past). Almost any reflective surface can be used for scrying (pronounced to rhyme with "crying"). A crystal ball and a gazing mirror are two of the best. Let's look at the crystal ball first.
The crystal should be without flaw—no scratches on its surface or bubbles within (the new acrylic-plexiglass "crystals" work quite well, but scratch very easily). Rest the ball on a background of black. A black velvet cloth is ideal. This can, in turn, rest on a table in front of you or can cover your hand(s) if you wish to hold the crystal. This black background is to ensure
1267 Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
that you see nothing around the ball to distract you as you gaze into it. Initially you should work alone, in a room that is quiet and dark. Your temple, of course, is the ideal place. Have just one small light, preferably a candle. Place the light so that you do not see it reflected directly in the crystal. Burn a pleasant-smelling incense, since it will help you concentrate. Work in a consecrated circle, at least to begin with. Later, if you should want to use the crystal elsewhere, you can simply imagine yourself surrounded by, and completely encompassed in, white light; though even then I would strongly advise casting a small circle about yourself with your athame. Start by saying some protective prayer (such as the Seax-Wica Psalm), then ask the Lord and the Lady for their guidance and their protection.
Now sit and gaze into the crystal trying to keep your mind blank. This is not easy and will take some practice. Do not stare at the ball unblinking; this will just cause eyestrain! Gaze—blinking your eyes naturally, as necessary. Do not try to imagine anything in the ball. Just try to keep your mind blank. After a while (anywhere from two to ten minutes) it will seem that the ball is filling with white mist or smoke. It will gradually grow more and more dense until the ball seems full of it. Then, again gradually, the smoke will thin and fade, leaving behind a picture— almost like a miniature television picture. It might be in black-and-white but is more likely to be in color. It might be still or it might be moving. It might be from the past, present or future. Also, it is very likely to be a symbolic picture, requiring some interpretation—much like a dream.
Initially you have no great control over what you see. You must just take what comes. As you become more adept, you may meditate for a few moments before gazing on what you wish to see. Then, when you start to gaze, clear your mind and try to keep it blank. Most people seem capable of success at scrying. If you get nothing the first time you try, then try again the next night, and then the next. It may take a week or more before you get anything, but keep trying. Do not, however, try for more than about ten minutes or so at each attempt.
If you can't obtain a crystal, it is possible to use a regular convex magnifying glass lens. Polished carefully and laid on the black velvet, it will work almost as well as the ball. Whichever you use, ball or lens, keep it purely for your scrying. Let no one else use it or even handle it. Keep it wrapped in a cloth (its black velvet or a piece of black silk) and do not permit sunlight to strike it. It is traditional to "charge" the crystal by holding it up to be struck by the light of the full moon, once a month.
A black gazing mirror seems to work better for some people than a crystal. It is not difficult to make one for yourself. You need a piece of glass, free of flaws and imperfections. Make it opaque by coating one side three times with asphaltum. To make the asphaltum stick to the glass, first clean the glass well with turpentine, then lay on the asphalt with a camel-hair brush.
A much easier method is simply to spray the back side of the glass with a good black enamel paint (it may not seem very magickal, but don't forget, the mirror is merely the focal point for your concentration. The
actual "images" are projected by your powers; they do not come from within the mirror, or crystal, itself). A concave glass is the ideal. It is sometimes possible to find a convex glass from an old clock-face, in an antique store, and simply reverse it so that it is concave,
Place the glass in a frame. The shape is not im- portant: round; oval; rectangular; square. Carve, or paint, onto the frame the names of the Lord and the Lady, in runes or one of the other magickal alphabets (see Lesson Twelve). As you are doing this—indeed, throughout the whole operation of making the mirror— concentrate your thoughts on the purpose of the mirror ... the projection of scenes from the past, present and future.
Consecrate the mirror in your circle, using the consecration ritual given in Lesson Five, naturally sub- stituting the word "mirror" for "knife". When not in use, keep the mirror wrapped in a black cloth.
To give you an easy start to scrying, before investing in a ball or making a mirror, try it with a glass of water. Just take a regular, clear water-glass and fill it with water. Gaze into that in the same way as described above. It should work quite well.
SAXON WANDS
The Saxon Wands are very good for obtaining a direct, prompt answer to a question. In a way they are similar to the Oriental I-Ching, though far less com- plicated.
Seven wands are needed. These are made from wood dowel. There should be three, each nine-inches in length; and four, each twelve-inches in length. One of the twelve-inch wands should be marked, or decorated in some way, as the WITAN wand. Actually, you can decorate all of the wands with runes and symbols, if you wish, but make sure the Witan wand stands out from the others.
Kneeling, lay the Witan wand on the ground before you; horizontally "across" you. Take the other six wands and hold them out over the Witan wand. Close your eyes, and holding them between your two hands, mix them together while concentrating on your question. Keeping the eyes closed, grip the wands in your right hand (left hand if left-handed); take hold of the tip of one wand with the fingers of the other hand; concentrate for a moment longer on your question, then open your right hand. All the wands will fall to the ground except the one held now by the fingers of your left hand. Open your eyes.
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i: If there should be more LONG wands than short wands on the ground, then the answer to your question is in the affirmative. ii: If there are more SHORT wands than long wands on the ground (excluding the Witan wand) then the answer is in the negative. iii: If any wand(s) touch the Witan wand, it means the answer will be a very definite one, with strong forces at work. iv: If any wand(s) are off the ground (resting on
others), circumstances are such (forces still working) that no definite answer can yet be given— regardless of (i) or (ii). v: If all the wands point towards the Witan wand, then you (or the person for whom you are asking) will have a definite role to play in the determination of the question. vi: If none of the wands point towards the Witan wand, then the matter will be determined without your (the Querant's) interference.
As with the crystal and the tarot cards, don't let anyone else use your wands. They are your personal instruments. Keep them wrapped in a black cloth.
CHEIROMANCY
Palmistry, or Cheiromancy (pronounced "kie-ro-mansy" and named after Leich de Hamong/Louis Hamon, the famous nineteenth century palmist who also went under the name of "Cheiro") is another popular, yet accurate, way of divining. It was common during Medieval times and is known to have existed when Greece and Rome were at their height. From the scattered information we have of Keltic Europe, there is some reason to believe that there, too, the hand was considered to reflect its owner. As with other types of divination, there is a fixed set of meanings to learn—in this case, the map of the hand and the meaning of the lines. There is also the need for some carefully applied intuition.
The hand changes throughout your life. The lines you see in your palm now are not quite the same as were there a year ago, and probably very different from five years ago. Although your hand gives an outline of your life, it is only a tentative outline. You yourself will have the final decision on the course your life will take. Whether you want the position or not, you are the captain of your soul.
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Palmistry, like a doctor's examination, is strictly a diagnostic reading. It can point out the forces that operate within yourself, or within another, and it can point out the logical results of those forces. You can accept them as they are, or begin to change them. As with the tarot, be very careful in your phrasing of what you see in a person's palm. Some lines may show a particular area in which your subject has very serious problems. This should be presented as "an area of possible weakness and something for which you should be particularly watchful". On a few occasions you may encounter that particular combination of lines which indicates a premature death. If this is the case, don't blurt out what you see. Rather, emphasize the need for great care in the future to avoid illness, accidents, violence, or whatever the rest of the hand may seem to imply as possible causes. Do remember: palmistry is only diagnostic; it is never a final pro- nouncement. As a palmist, your attitude is of great importance. Never try to "second guess" your subject by adding on-the-spot observations and facts you may know beforehand but which are not shown in the palm. If you are reading the palm; read the palm and only that. Ideally you should know nothing what- soever of the person you are reading. Their hands and your intuition should be enough.
Anytime you are meeting someone for the first time, you can pick up a tentative and often very useful first impression of their personality by unobtrusively glancing at the lines of their hand.
FIRST OBSERVATIONS
Different palmists have different ways of working, for this is a very individual art. Some will explain each step to the subject, discussing the reason for every observation. Others will merely report what they see. The following is based on the former method of operation, although any way of reading the palm is likely to follow a similar pattern.
The shape of the hands is useful to note at first, although you should mention it last and in the context of your other observations. Generally a person with long, articulate hands and fingers will tend towards the contemplative and the artistic, whilst one with short, broad hands and fingers will tend to enjoy doing things and enjoying life without particular concern for deeper meanings.
For a right-handed person, the left hand shows what she was born with and the course her life would
have taken had things gone as they were, unchanged, from the time she was born. This individual's right hand shows what she has done with her life so far. Someone who has constantly tried to improve their lot and avoided leaning on others is likely to have quite a difference between their two palms (for a subject who is left-handed, the roles of left and right are reversed). It is best to begin with the hand that shows what one was born with and what is still in the unconscious mind.
If the lines of the hand are deep and clear they indicate a person who experiences and understands much of the joy and pain her life will encounter. If, however, the lines of the palm are faint and very light, their owner will tend to be superficial and colorless. She would gain much by getting out and enjoying life.
A line which is in the form of a "chain", indicates a weakness in that which the line symbolizes. A multitude of lines indicate a very complex person.
THE LINE OF LIFE
The Life line is the major line of the hand. It indicates, in general terms, something of the course your life will take. As the illustration shows, the Life line curves about the thumb. At the very beginning it usually is joined with the line of the Head, and the point at which the life and Head lines separate indicates the relative time at which you become emotionally in- dependent of your parents. If the two lines are never in contact at the beginning, a very independent sort of person is indicated.
The Life line is the only one on the hand which can be divided into an approximate scale of years and, as such, can be used to foretell major events to within a year or so of their happening. Taking a soft pencil, divide your Life line into three equal sectors. The first sector (including that portion which is merged with the Head line) will count for twenty-five years and can be subdivided accordingly as you read a palm. The same will apply for the second and third sectors, though the third should be a little condensed.
A deep, clear Life line running smoothly around its full length betokens a rich, full life with good health throughout. A line which is in the form of a chain shows probable poor health. If the line is chained in its latter portions, the subject should beware of bad health in her later years.
A parallel to the Life line, on the side of the Mount
of Venus, shows useful luck and natural vitality working for the subject. This is always a good sign.
On most palms you will note that there are a number of tiny lines which run from the line of the Head to the Life line.Each of these indicates a goal of some kind that will be attained. If you work out the above time-scale carefully, you should be able to tell, within two years, when a major event will happen. What will they be? That, unfortunately, is beyond palmistry!
About two-thirds of the way down the Life line will, at times, be a triangle formed by two short, minor lines and a part of the Life line itself. If this triangle (which can be of varying size) is present then a talent of some sort is possessed—some kind of art from which the subject can gain considerable personal satisfaction. If the talent is not immediately apparent to her, let her search around a little and examine her interests. It will be there.
An angle or sudden change of direction in the Life line shows that there will be a change of course in the life. Calculate and note the approximate date. Care should be taken at this time in life, for the manner of living will change radically. Similarly, a branch in the line of Life indicates that, at the point in time where the
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branch occurs, the subject's life can take one of two major courses. It is a time for consideration and careful planning.
A break in the Life line will mean trouble, and if the break occurs in both hands it can be fatal unless great care is taken. If, however, a new line begins outside the break, or is parallel to the Life line and continues unbroken along the Mount of Venus, the trouble will not be too drastic.
THE HEAD AND THE HEART
Note the relative lengths of the Head and Heart lines, for this will tell whether the subject tends towards things intellectual or whether she leans on the emotions and their very useful adjunct, intuition. For many people these lines are nearly equal in length; for others there will be more or less difference. Here the palmist should use her or his own judgement as to how important this difference will be.
THE LINE OF THE HEAD
The line of the Head shows, by its length and depth, the intellectual capability of the subject. As I
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mentioned above, the lines of the Head and Heart should always be considered together, for the two can give insight into the very important relationship be- tween the mind and the emotions. A long, deep and clear Head line shows a clear, strong intellect that can be of great value to the person possessing it. If the Head line is very long but slants downwards rather than across, you will have the case of someone who has quite a high intelligence but tends to use it for the wrong goals... s/he may be along the "left hand path". Such a person can be quite powerful. Guide them to better things if you can, but don't cross them!
On rare occasions you will meet someone whose Heart and Head lines join to form a single deep line that cuts directly across the palm. Such a person is always an interesting study, for here the head and heart are united and few barriers can stand before one whose intellect and intuition are so in line. Such an individual will probably be a genius, whether or not s/he knows it (they usually do!). However, they should always keep tight control and close discipline on their mind, for here there is but a slight barrier between the strong, controlled mind and the uncontrolled chaos of mental unbalance. They are like a race car with a very powerful engine: magnificent performance is possible, but great care must be taken.
THE LINE OF THE HEART
The line of the Heart shows, by its length and depth, the strength of your emotional and intuitive capabilities. As I mentioned before, it should always be considered along with the Head line, as the relationship between these two is an important one.
Someone who has a long and deep Heart line is likely to feel deeply both the good and the bad, the joy and the sorrow, of his or her life. The emotions will be important to such a person, and judgement and hunches are likely to give variable results.
It is interesting to note that nowadays many will have a stronger Heart line on the left (or unconscious) hand than on the right (or conscious). In such a case the Head line will be better developed in the right hand. The reason is simple—modern civilization, for better or worse, emphasizes the intellect over the heart. But, for this same reason, you will invariably find that after coming into the Craft and developing more from the Craft teachings and philosophies, your /zgifi-A&Ttz'/ifeivf rfrfc fvn'F/rroVe AnciH A? Qfaif saaXc strength of the left hand.
THE LINE OF FATE
The line of Fate (sometimes called the line of Luck) does not occur in everyone's hand. Its length and depth will show just how much good fortune you may have. For some this line will run strong and deep from the wrist to the middle finger. For such a person luck seems to come readily and freely, and they will seem to do well with no apparent effort. For the great majority, however, the Fate line will be weak or non- existent . . . any "luck" will only come through hard work.
The line of Fate can give you some very valuable insights into personality flaws which are not usually apparent on the surface. For example, the line may be deep and unbroken up to the line of the Heart, then break or disappear entirely at that point. A person with such lines would let emotions obstruct much of the good fortune that would normally come their way. Whether or not they realize it, worry, fear, temper and the like would be limiting them. A little advice on this point can be very valuable indeed.
Similarly, a Fate line breaking, or terminating, at the line of the Head, indicates an individual who gets in their own way by being over-cautious and thinking things over too much. When they have finally made up their mind, the opportunity is past and nothing is gained. Each of these problems can be overcome by watching for them and correcting them before they do harm.
Someone whose line of Fate starts over on the Mount of the Moon will probably have a peaceful and pleasing life. The old tradition is that he or she will be "happy without trying". If the line starts at the wristlets, wealth will be inherited, or a rewarding career gained. If the line of Fate branches near the bottom, with one branch running over into the Mount of the Moon, good fortune will come in the form of a marriage or other attachment.
THE MARRIAGE LINE(S)
The Marriage lines occur, appropriately enough, above the beginning of the Heart line. The subject will probably have more than one such line; possibly as many as four or five. The so-called Marriage lines do not necessarily indicate so many marriages per se. They are, rather, the markers of loves that stir the heart
remembered throughout life. Each individual line will
show, by its depth and length, just how deeply someone left their mark. A very approximate time scale can be derived by noting whether the Marriage line in question is near the Heart line (indicating early in life) or near the joint of the finger (later in life).
THE WRISTLETS
The Wristlets at the base of the hand can be a very general indication of how long the life will probably last. Each complete, well-formed Wristlet shows a complete and full twenty years. But the Wristlets will change considerably throughout life, and choices and way of living will be the final factor in determining just how long this life will be.
THE MOUNT OF VENUS
The thumb and its base are under the influence of Venus. The base, or Mount of Venus, can give an interesting picture of the warmth, kindness and affection which are in the subject. If the mount is warm, rounded, full and firm, she is under Venus' best influences: pleasing as a friend, delightful in love, and a person whose kindness to others always brings a warm response.
If, however, the Mount of Venus is thin, dry and leathery, she is a person who is cold and thin-lipped, tolerating little warmth towards others and receiving little or nothing in return... but don't tell her this! Say, instead, that she should loosen up and learn to like others.
Often you will note that Venus' Mount is crossed by many vertical and horizontal lines. Here will be a person who, for all else that her palm says, is not as serene as she appears on the surface. Underneath there are cross-currents of emotion which she feels deeply, but which she keeps hidden.
THE MOUNT OF THE MOON
From most ancient times, of course, the Moon has been linked with the psychic. And thus has it been in palmistry. A triangle on this mount will indicate some natural talent in the occult. Any lines which arise here will have in them a hint of unconscious magick and of its close relation, love between man and woman.
Lines reaching towards the Mount of the Moon from around the edge of the hand will be a prediction of journeys by sea or air.
. - ' . ( .
Lesson Nine: Divination 1121
Finally, the firmness and fullness of this mount indicates generally just how well the subject can com- bine practicality with imagination.
THE FINGERS As shown in the diagram, each finger is associated with an astrological sign and is an indicator of the good, or bad, aspects of that sign. At the base of the finger is the mount associated with the sign of the finger (e.g. Index Finger = Mount of Jupiter). The fullness or thinness of the mount shows how strongly that particular sign affects the individual.
As the diagram shows, each finger is, in turn, divided into three sections to show the relative spiritual, intellectual and material development under each of the astrological signs: Jupiter, Saturn, Apollo (the Sun) and Mercury. If, for example, the lowest digit of the small finger (Mercury) is noticably larger and more developed than the finger's other two digits, then there would be strength especially in management and salesmanship. Similar traits can be derived, using judgement and intuition with the astrological character- istics below, for each of the other signs. Index Finger (JUPITER)
The matriarch/patriarch image; the "boss"; com- mander; leader; executive. Principle traits of this sign are pride, ambition and confidence. Middle Finger (SATURN)
The wise old wo/man, often a personification of old age and the very end of life. Principle traits of this sign are wisdom, solitude, shyness, melancholy and solitary bleakness. Third Finger (APOLLO)
The Sun; all things bright and good. The arts; medicine. The principle trait of this sign is love of beauty. Small Finger (MERCURY)
Sharpness and quickness of mind; cleverness; shrewdness. Principle traits of this sign are buoyancy; friendliness; skill in management and commerce.
Study your own hands and see if you can form some tentative conclusions. Remember that every sign will have its own good traits and its bad ones. Spend some time reading about the above signs in one of the recommended books on astrology. But, above all, read the palms of others using knowledge backed
122 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
by intuition, for this is the best way to learn.
TEA-LEAF READING
Tea-leaf reading, or Tasseography, is a perennial favorite of the divinatory arts. It can be fairly easily learned. For best results use China tea, brewed in a pot without a strainer, of course. The tea is poured into a cup which should have a wide top and small base. Do not use a cup with any form of pattern on the inside— it could be very confusing!
The subject should drink the tea but leave suffi- cient in the bottom of the cup to distribute the leaves around the sides when turned. Ask her to take hold of the handle and rotate the cup slowly, three times clockwise, allowing the remains of the tea to come up to the rim of the cup and so to be distributed. Then she is to invert the cup completely on its saucer.
Taking up the cup from there, you can begin your divination. You are going to interpret the various shapes and forms made by the tea-leaves on the sides and bottom of the cup. To do this, with some sort of accuracy, there is a time scale you must remember. The rim of the cup, and close to the rim, represents the present and the coming two or three weeks. As you move down the
sides, so you go further into the future. The very bottom of the cup is the very far distant future. Your starting point is the handle of the cup. This represents the subject, so that symbols close to the handle affect her directly, while symbols on the opposite side of the cup may only have a passing effect.
If the symbols you see are particularly well defined, then she is very lucky. The less well defined, the less decisive and more prone to hindrance. Stars denote success; triangles fortune; squares mean protection; circles mean frustration. Straight lines indicate definite plans; wavy lines uncertainty; dotted lines mean a journey. Any numbers you see could be indicators of years, months, weeks, days or hours. Usually if you see them in the upper half of the cup you can think in terms of hours or days; in the lower half, weeks, months or years. Letters are the initials of people of importance to the subject, be they friends, relatives or business associates.
As with most forms of divination, you should interpret what you feel about what you see, rather than going by hard and fast "meanings". As a start, however, here are the traditional interpretations of some of the most common symbols. You may find it interesting to compare them to the symbology used in dream inter- pretation (Lesson Seven). CASTLE: ANCHOR: ARROW: BELL: BIRD: BOAT: BRIDGE: BROOM: CAR: CANDLE: BOTTLE: BUTTERFLY: CAMEL: business luck. Successful affair. structions Possible troduction jobs. tion. Local News, Good Domesticity. Good Travel. Problem Long Celebration. Travel Disagreement. End Innovation. associates. Legacy. journey. End for news. end to travel. which living. Insincerity. End new a of journey. of to unexpectedly journey. abroad. a a A of Companionship. a Unexpected could friends journey. - problem. Introduction wedding. business a Sudden Success. friendship. Temporary Antagonism. A be Partnership. or letter. Safe good new business. or Change solved.
financial personal landing.
idea. to or reloca- new bad.
In- In-
of
CAT: CHAIR: CHURCH: death).
Female Entertainment. Marriage. friend. Domestic Serious Relaxation.
problems.
illness (not
DAGGER: ELEPHANT: FAN: FLOWER: HAND: HARP: HEART: HORSE: HORSESHOES: HOUSE: CLOVER: CROSS: CROWN: CUP: DOG: FLAG: GATE: GUN: HAMMER: complications. from Advice. cess.
ment.
rewarded. successful Love. Indiscretion. Friendship. Trouble. Defense an Contentment. Opportunity. Hardship. Friendship. Work Love Security. Honors. old Unhappy Good Close Danger. enterprise. Hard friend. Advice or Argument. necessary. Good lover. fortune. Discomfort friendship. Companionship.
Authority. Disloyalty. Credit. work, Possibility love Help Ease. Tragedy. luck. needed, Confidant. ,.
Unexpected suc- KEY: Promotion.
Misfortune.
Harmony.
Business
preferably
affair.
Warning.
Infidelity.
of advance-
Adultery. which will be
when needed.
Start of a new,
Opportunity. KITE: Exercise caution. Think before act-
ing. KNIFE: Treachery. Duplicity. Misunder-
standing. LADDER: Advancement. Opportunities
taken. MAN: Stranger. Visitor. Help from unex-
pected source. MUSHROOM: Disturbance. Com-
plications in business. PALM TREE: A breathing-space. A rest
period. Temporary relief. PIPE (Smoker's): Thought and concentra- tion ahead. Investigate all possibilities. SCISSORS: Quarrels, usually domestic.
Double-dealing. SNAKE: An enemy. A personal hurt, or
an affaire de coeur (love affair). TREE: Goal achieved. Comfort. Rest. UMBRELLA: Temporary shelter. WHEEL: Advancement through effort.
Money. WINDMILL: Big business dealings.
A form of tasseography, known as Geomancy, can be done using dirt or sand. Mark a circle, about three
feet in diameter, on the ground and have the subject throw a handful of dirt into it. You then interpret the
symbols made by the dirt in the same way that you would the tea-leaves. Similarly, on a smaller scale, draw a circle on a sheet of paper. Blindfold your subject and let her fill the circle with random dots, with a felt-tip marker or similar. These dots can then be interpreted in the same manner. For both of these you would need to make a mark where the subject stands/sits, to indicate the equivalent of the cup handle.
NUMEROLOGY
You have had a brief introduction to Numerology in Lesson Three. Pythagoras said, "The world is built upon the power of numbers". He it was who reduced the universal numbers to the nine primary ones. Any number, no matter how high, can be so re- duced. For example, the number 7,548,327 would be 7+5+4+8+3+2+7 = 36, in turn further reduced to 3+6 = 9. In this way all numbers can be reduced to a single one and (again as you saw in Lesson Three) letters/words also can be so reduced.
The numbers then have certain occult values attached to them and are each associated with one of the nine planets. For example, 1—the letters A,J,S— (see Lesson Three) is associated with the Sun. It signifies leadership, creativity, positiveness. These values and associations will be dealt with fully below.
Lesson Nine: Divination 1123 Through numerology many things can be dis- covered. For instance, the type of job for which you are best suited; the geographical location likely to be the most harmonious for you; the marriage partner most suited to you.
From Lesson Three you know what your BIRTH NUMBER is. This number should always be considered when deciding upon dates for important events. It represents the influences at the time of your birth. It is similar to, and in many ways will correspond with, your Left Hand (see Cheiromancy above). It will also tie-in, in many ways, with your Natal Horoscope.
Suppose your Birth Number is 1. Then the signing of contracts should be done on dates which also reduce to 1. Your planetary sign is the Sun, a Fire sign. You would therefore be happiest married to someone whose sign is compatible, i.e. another Fire sign or an Air sign: Sun, Jupiter, Mars, Uranus or Mercury-numbers 1, 3, 9, 4, 5.
The numbers, their planets and signs, are as follows:
1: Moon—Water Jupiter—Fire Uranus—Air Mercury—Air Sun-Fire 2:
5: 4:
3:
6: Neptune—Water Saturn—Earth Mars—Fire Venus—Earth 9:
7:
8:
124 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
NAME NUMBER
The single primary number obtained from the numerical values of the letters of your name gives you your Name Number. You can see, then, that it is very much hit-and-miss as to whether your given name will agree with your Birth Number. This is why we take a new name in the Craft; so that we can have a Name Number in perfect balance with our Birth Number. Let's look now at the value attached to the primary numbers.
1: SUN—Letters A, J, S
Very much the driving life force. A leader. Ambitious. Tends to be impatient. The explorer. The extrovert. Automatically assumes command. Frequently a "big brother" or "big sister". Very strong feelings either for or against. Would not knowingly hurt anyone but might not realize her/his own strength. Can stand being praised and is entitled to it. Praise can spur to greater things. 2: MOON—Letters B, K, T
Sensitive, domestic. Tends to be emotional and easily influenced to tears. Has a fertile imagination. Very fond of the home. Patriotic. Accepts changes in surroundings. Prefers to live near the water. Often possesses musical talents and would make a very good psychic. 3: JUPITER—Letters C, L, U
The investigator; the scientist; the seeker. An interest in the material rather than the spiritual. Ideas on religion frequently change. Has a great sense of humor. Not greatly interested in money. Very trusting, yet likes to know the "why" and the "how". 4: URANUS—Letters D, M, V
Inclined to appear strange and eccentric because s/he is usually ahead of her/his time. Very interested in the occult; in psychic research. Inclined to anything out of the ordinary. Strong intuitive tendencies. Can be bitingly sarcastic if crossed. Believes in liberty and equality. Can usually predict the probable outcome of actions and businesses. 5: MERCURY—Letters E, N, W
Active, both physically and mentally. Inquiring, exploring. Fond of reading and researching. Good at languages. Would make a very good teacher, writer, secretary. Makes friends easily. Usually methodical and orderly; adept at simplifying systems.
6: VENUS—Letters F, O, X
Gentle and refined; pleasant and sociable. Usually good looking. Natural peacemaker; able to soothe ruffled feelings. Often experiences difficulties in financial fields. Excellent as a host or hostess. Friendly and agreeable. 7: NEPTUNE—Letters G, P, Y
Frequently possesses E.S.P. Extremely "psychic". Introvert. Although s/he does not say much, s/he usually knows a great deal. Mysterious. Often inter- ested in psychology, psychiatry, chemistry and botany. Knowledgeable in astrology and all fields of the occult. Fond of fishing. Inclined to take from the "haves" and give to the "have-nots". 8: SATURN—Letters H, Q, Z
Inclined to be cold and pessimistic. Not much sense of humor. Often slow getting off the mark but usually ends up ahead of the game. Successful, especially where money is concerned. Frequently connected with mining, real estate and the law. Also with cemeteries and pawnshops. Believes that hard work never killed anyone. Often prepossessed with thoughts of the past. 9: MARS—Letters I, R
Very emotional. Can be extremely jealous. Active, though rules by the emotions. Tied very much to family background. Loyal. Apt to be suspicious of strangers. Impulsive. Tends to be afraid of the un- known. Often associated with surgery, physical and mental illnesses.
You are all set now to study a friend from the Numerological point of view. Suppose your friend is named Jane Doe (not very original, perhaps, but it serves well for an example). She was born on June 23, 1947. She is planning on moving into a new apartment in Trenton, New Jersey, sometime in February 1986. What can you tell her and advise her? Take it step by step: First of all work out her Birth Number:
June 23,1947 = 6+2+3+1+9+4+7 = 32 = 5 Then her Name Number:
JANE DOE = 1 + 1+5+5 + 4+6+5 = 27 = 9
Armed with these two important numbers, what can you say? First of all look at the woman herself— number 9. She can be very emotional and very jealous. She tends to be impulsive; is tied very much to her family background; is suspicious of strangers and afraid of the unknown. From these last two facts you know
Lesson Nine: Divination / 125 that it has taken her quite a lot of soul-searching to reach the decision to move into a new apartment. At the same time, being impulsive she feels that having made the decision the sooner she makes the move the better. Her new apartment will in some way reflect her family background. Perhaps in the way it is decorated, perhaps in the type of building it is in. Should she decide to have a room-mate, you should suggest someone whose Name Number is compatible with her fire sign, i.e. someone with the Name Number 1,3, 4, 5 or 9.
Now to look at where she is moving and when. TRENTON NEW JERSEY 2955265 555
159157 = 77 = 14 = 5
The number of the geographical location is the same as her Birth Number. This should be an ideal place for her. One which will truly give her the feeling of "home".
She plans to move sometime in February 1986. Feb- ruary is the second month:
2+1 + 9+8+6 - 26 = 8
You need, then, to add a day which will bring the total to 5, to agree with her Birth Number. February 6, 15 or 24 are, then, the most propitious days:
2. 6.1986 = 32 = 5 2.15.1986 = 32 = 5 2.24.1986 = 32 = 5
You could even go on to suggest how she might decorate the apartment so far as colors are concerned, for there is an affinity of colors and numbers: PRIMARY COLORS 1—RED 6—INDIGO 2—ORANGE 7—VIOLET 3—YELLOW 8—ROSE 4—GREEN 9—GOLD 5—BLUE
SECONDARY COLORS 1—brown, yellow, gold 6—all shades of blue 2—green, cream, white 3—mauve, violet, lilac 4—blue, gray 5—light shades of any
color
7—light shades of green
and yellow 8—dark gray, blue, purple,
black 9—red,crimson, pink
You would like to give her a record album as a
house-warming gift? Her taste in music can be taken from Numerology. According to Cheiro—one of the greatest of Numerologists as well as the foremost Palmist—number 1 people like inspiring, martial music, as do number 3 and number 9 people. Number 2 and 7 people prefer wind and string instruments: the violin, the cello, harp, guitar, clarinet and flute. Number 4 people, together with number 8, enthuse over choral arrangements, organs and religious music generally. Number 5 people like something a little different, be it "psychedelic", hard rock or Dixieland. Number 6 people are the romantics, preferring sweet music with lilt and rhythm.
It is possible to go on and on. You can check your health by numerology. You can pick out the most effective herbal cures, the potential winner of a horserace or baseball game, and so on and so on. Numerology is a fascinating science and one which can give you endless entertainment also.
ASTROLOGY
Astrology is perhaps one of the most popular of the occult sciences; the one most used by "the wo/ man in the street". Although staunchly denying any serious belief in such matters, nine out of ten persons are unable to read a daily newspaper or monthly magazine without avidly scanning the horoscopes to see what the day/week/month holds in store for them. It is useless to point out to these people that the majority of these horoscopes are, by virture of their generality, completely worthless. In what follows will be seen the elements that make a true horoscope a very personal thing, applicable only to the one for whom it is cast.
The individual horoscope, or natal chart,—the one that interprets the motions of the heavenly bodies in terms of the person's life—comes under the awe- some-sounding heading of genethliacal astrology. The chart is actually a map of how the planets, sun and moon, appeared at the moment of birth.
Each planet has a particular influence on the person born and also a particular influence on the other planets, depending on proximity. To erect, or draw up, this chart for the individual, certain things must be known. Firstly, the date of birth—day, month, year. Secondly, the place of birth—geographical location. And thirdly, the time of birth—the actual hour, preferably to the nearest minute. Why are all these necessary?
From the Earth,the sun seems to describe a great circle in its travels. This path is called the Ecliptic and the angle that it makes at any moment, as it rises above the eastern horizon, is called the Ascendant. This name, ASCENDANT, is also given to the sign of the zodiac that is rising at a given time. Every four minutes the ascending Sign is at a different angle over the horizon. It can therefore be seen that to obtain the correct sign and ecliptic, at the moment of birth, the time and place of birth must be accurately recorded.
As the sun moves throughout the year, it passes through twelve different areas of sky and constellations. These are the Houses of the zodiac, and like the hand of a watch, sweep round. The dividing lines between the Houses are known as Cusps. The sun takes roughly a month to pass through each of the Houses, which are as follows:
ARIES—March 21 through April 19 TAURUS—April 20 through May 19 GEMINI—May 20 through June 20 CANCER—June 21 through July 22 LEO—July 23 through August 21 VIRGO—August 22 through September 22 LIBRA—September 23 through October 22 SCORPIO—October 23 through November 21 SAGITTARIUS—November 22 through December 21 CAPRICORN—December 22 through January 20 AQUARIUS—January 21 through February 19 PISCES—February 20 through March 20
In fact, these dates do vary from year to year, so it is necessary to check the year in question when the date is on, or close to, the cusp.
In planning this map of the heavens, some help is needed in establishing the positions held by the planets at the many different hours and minutes that have passed with the years. The astrologer's aids for this are the Ephemeris and the Table of Houses. The Ephemeris gives the positions of the planets at the different times, while the Table of Houses gives the corrections with regard to the place of birth; the geographical location. Measurement of time is given in what is known as sidereal time, measured by the stars rather than the sun. The stars appear to move around the sky at a faster rate than the sun, and this must be allowed for in the calculation of sidereal time.
Working, then, from the Ephemeris, you must first calculate the sidereal time (shown as "S.T.") at the moment of birth. If born before noon, the necessary hours and minutes will be subtracted from the S.T. given for noon in the Ephemeris. If born after noon, the hours and minutes will be added to the S.T. given in the Ephemeris. And just to round things off nicely, an extra ten seconds per hour (known as the acceleration on interval) must also be subtracted or added. With a person born, for example, in New York, further adjustment would be necessary since the ephemerides use G.M.T. as standard (e.g. 5:45 pm in New York would be 10:45 pm at G.M.T.)
Example A person born at 11:45 am on August 31,1934, in New
126 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
The zodiac as we know it is a combined invention of the Egyptians and Babylonians. Above: An ancient Egyptian map of the sky, the 'Zodiac ofDenderah'.
Astrology originally developed in Mesopotamia and was more concerned with kings and peoples than with the destinies of individuals; Above: a tablet giving astrological forecasts in cuneiform writing, derived from observations of the moon.
From "Man, Myth & Magic"
From longitude the move is a natural one to latti-tude. From the Table of Houses can be found the ascendants for the local ST just calculated. The lat-titude for New York is 40°43'N (north of the Equator). Looking at the Table of Houses for New York, you would find:
York, would have the S.T. 10 hours 35 mins 54 sees (4:45 pm at G.M.T.). The acceleration on interval would be 10 times 4% (hours after noon) seconds. The S.T. for the moment of birth would then be:
The next step would then be to convert this GMT-ST to New York-ST by conversion of the degrees and minutes of longitude into minutes and seconds of time. This can be done by simply multiplying by four and adding if the location is east of Greenwich, or sub- tracting if west of Greenwich. In the above example, New York is 74° west of Greenwich. Multiply by four and subtract from the ST:
Figure 9.2
Lesson Nine: Divination / 127
22° 35' Scorpio
Now, at last, you can start to fill in one of those fascinating horoscope blanks. A line may be drawn, through the center, connecting the degree of the Ascendant, on one side of the chart, with a point exactly opposite on the other side. This point opposite is called the Descendant. Also in the Table of Houses will be found the related medium coeli (M.C.)—its opposite point is the imum coeli (I.C.)—the mid-point at right-angles to the connected Ascendant and Descendant. These lines/points are also marked on the chart. The chart is now divided into its four quadrants.
The next stage in drawing the "map" is the filling-in of the house boundaries. The Ascendant is the start of the first house, and from there will be found twelve houses (see Figure 9.2).
The positions of the Sun, Moon and the planets are found thus: from the Ephemeris find the positions for noon, on the birth date, of Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto. These are the slower planets. These positions can be put straight onto the chart. They are shown, as are all planets, on the chart and in the tables,
128 I Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
by their signs. These traditional signs are:
For the faster planets—Sun/Moon, Venus and Mercury—a little more calculation must be done to allow for their movements between noon and the actual birth time. For a birth time after noon, look up the planet's motion at noon. From the logarithmic tables in the Ephemeris, find the log. of the motion and to it add the log. of the interval after noon (a birth time of 6:30 pm would give an interval of six and a half hours). Then convert the total log. back to degrees. You now have the difference in position of the planet at noon on the birth date and can add this to the noon position the Ephemeris shows. Had the actual birth time been before noon, then you would have looked up the planet's motion at noon on the day before the actual birth date and proceeded as above. Should the planet
in question be marked "R" in the tables—meaning that it is retrograde—then you would subtract the movement on interval from the noon position. One word of warning: do not forget to convert Greenwich ST to local ST when filling in the positions of the planets. A chart at this stage may look like Figure 9.3.
Before you can attempt to interpret a horoscope, you must know what the various positions of the planets mean in relation to one another: their Aspects. Two planets, one rising and the other setting, 180° apart, are said to be in Opposition. This is traditionally a bad aspect. Two planets within approximately 10° of each other are in Conjunction, which can either be good or bad depending on which the planets are. Planets 90° apart are said to be Square, another bad aspect-while 60° apart (Sextile) is a good aspect. Finally, of the main aspects, 120° apart is extremely good and goes by the name Trine. Obviously, in these positions a certain amount of leeway is permissible, and this is usually in the order of 10° to 12° for Conjunction or Opposition, and roughly 7° for Sextile. These allowances are the Orbs.
INTERPRETATION
Interpretation of a horoscope is the hardest part— as it is in any form of divination. The interpretation begins with listing the various aspects which appear; the relationship of the Sun to the Zodiac; the relationship of the Moon; the Ascendant's position; rising and
setting planets; positions above and below the horizon; relationships of the planets to the houses and to the Zodiac signs; the Decanates. All these aspects must be studied and explained. Examples of what might be found are: "Mars Square with Saturn; Jupiter and the Sun in Opposition, or Jupiter Sextile with Mercury". Mars Square with Saturn would indicate a certain amount of callousness due to Mars' ruthlessness and impulsiveness, together with Saturn's seclusion and introversion. Jupiter and the Sun in Opposition could mean a somewhat self-centered person given to extravagance, due to the forcefulness and determination of the Sun with the expansive wealth of Jupiter. Jupiter Sextile with Mercury would be good, showing determination and knowledge with judgement.
The planets themselves have certain qualities: Air, Water, Fire and Earth. Traditionally, Gemini, Aquarius and Libra are the Air signs; Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces are the Water signs; Aries, Leo and Sagit- tarius the Fire signs and Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn the Earth signs. Air signs are supposedly intellectual, enlightened and articulate; Water signs emotional; Fire signs zealous and fervent; Earth signs cautious, basic and practical. In more detail, the signs—again, by tradition, as is almost all interpretation of astrology— are associated with particular attributes: ARIES is very much a leader or pioneer. There is a certain amount of impatience in this sign, due to ambition. TAURUS is the hard worker—great strength, and proud of it, along with perseverance. GEMINI is adaptable; knows a little about a lot of subjects, has a gift for languages, diplomacy and tact, but is somewhat superficial. CANCER is extremely sensitive, a follower of tradition, a great home lover. LEO is the extrovert, full of self-confidence, with an abundance of personality, a great sense of the dramatic, and a great capacity to love.
VIRGO is the critic; tidy and conservative, yet always charming and popular. Virgo is the best of planners and organizers; intellectual and extremely analytical. LIBRA has intuition and foresight, is peace-loving and has a great sense of justice. SCORPIO has tenacity and determination, great self-control, but a rather too fine opinion of the self. At times seems a contradiction to her/himself—jealous and demanding. SAGITTARIUS knows no fear. Kind and can be gentle, is also direct and outspoken. CAPRICORN is ambitious and very materialistic, has a fear of inadequacy and indigence, and is either greatly depressed or incredibly happy. AQUARIUS is a planner, always looking ahead.
Lesson Nine: Divination / 129
Honest, kind, yet difficult to understand. Independent in the extreme, s/he has very good judgement. PISCES is sensitive, noble, kind and gentle, yet can be vague and inclined to be too optimistic. Self-sacrificing and sympathetic, Pisces is an excellent diplomat.
SATURN is inhibited, persevering, cautious; often taciturn, reserved. Saturn is associated with the law, mining, printing, dentistry, building and real estate, second-hand books, agriculture and death. URANUS is excitable and erratic, a little too forceful and inclined to be sarcastic. It has an affinity with nature, also technical objects. To do with electricians, inventors, astrologers. Very much of the occult. NEPTUNE is inclined to mysticism, also to individuality. Knows but does not say. Can be of very doubtful character, capable of murder, rape, etc. Sometimes vague; sometimes confused. Associated with eating places, bars, prostitution, narcotics, navigation, the ocean, nursing, advertising. PLUTO is generally associated with children; youth. Leaders, wanting things their own way, disliking laws. Pluto is associated with hobbies, sports, outdoor life, actors and actresses, politicians. JUPITER is the planet of harmony, of education, law, morals and religion, faith, good humor. Truth comes before anything with Jupiter. Knowledge, the ability to self-educate, learning through reading, are all of Jupiter. Moneyed people count with this planet; bankers, judges and ecclesiastics.
The SUN is first and foremost a masculine planet, full of vitality. It has determination yet much kindness, a lot of heart, and is capable of great love. It is an authority figure, moving ever forward. The MOON, conversely, is a feminine figure; very sensitive, emotional, domestic. A lover of water, patriotic and interested in public welfare. MERCURY is quick-witted; an extremely active mind, good for research, exploration, analysis, judgement; good for writers, teachers, orators. VENUS is again, of course, feminine; very much of love. To do with friendship, physical attraction, feeling, peace-making, pleasures; associated with musicians, jewelers, actors, dress-makers, artists and nurses. MARS is for action, with great energy and courage. May be brutal and may be jealous; frequently the cause of sexual problems. Impulsive, loyal, fearful of the unknown; associated with soldiers, surgeons, sportspeople and craftspeople.
Each of the twelve Zodiac signs is spoken of as being "ruled" by one of the planets. What this means is that there is a close affinity between the two. Where a
130 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
planet is classed as being "watery" or "fiery", so the sign or signs that it rules are of that type. The sign Aries is ruled by the planet Mars. Taurus is ruled by Venus. Gemini by Mercury; Cancer by the Moon; Leo by the Sun; Virgo by Mercury; libra by Venus; Scorpio by Mars; Sagittarius by Jupiter; Capricorn by Saturn; Aquarius by Saturn (some astrologers prefer Uranus) and Pisces by Jupiter (again some say by Neptune). Generally it can be said that a fiery sign would not get along well with a water sign, nor would a water sign get along with an air sign. An air sign, however, would do well with a fire sign, and so on.
Let's now look at the twelve divisions, the Spheres of Influence, on the chart and see what each is concerned with. They are numbered on the chart. The first one is the Sphere influencing the physical appearance; the body. The second deals with money; gaining or losing, investing, etc. The third Sphere is that of communications and transportation, letter-writing and transport. Also it deals with relatives and close neighbors. The fourth sphere is the one of home and property. It deals with the birthplace, with real estate, mines and underground places. It also deals with a man's mother or a woman's father. Pleasure, love, sex, amusement, education, appear in the fifth Sphere. Sensual pleasures, especially, are here. In the sixth Sphere you will find domestic animals, health and conditions affecting the health. Clothing, servants and physical comfort are also here.
The seventh Sphere of Influence shows, in a woman's chart, the husband; in a man's chart, the wife. Partners, generally, are here. In the eighth Sphere are losses, including death. Loss of money and possessions is here; also details of wills and legacies. The ninth Sphere covers religion, spiritual things, journeys to other lands and relatives by marriage. The tenth Sphere covers your job, your business affairs, honors, earnings. The eleventh Sphere covers your friends and acquain- tances, hopes and fears, and wishes. The twelfth Sphere of Influence shows any confinements you may encounter—prison, deportation, exile. It shows enemies and also, strangely, large animals.
From the above, then, you can really start on interpretation. For example—Pisces on the Ascendant. This first House deals with physical appearance. Pisces—sensitive, noble, kind and gentle—indicates that the person will be of short to middle stature, of pale complexion, with high cheekbones, light hair and eyes. In the sixth House you find the Moon. The sixth
Sphere, you know, is the one of health and physical comfort. The Moon is sensitive, emotional. You could say, then, that the person might be prone to emotional upsets; nervous breakdowns. They might also enjoy serving others, since the House also deals with servants. In the ninth House is Jupiter, the planet of harmony. He deals, as you have seen, with education and religion. The ninth House, in which he appears, is the one covering religion and spiritual things. This must signify great success for the person in religious affairs; also in philosophical and legal affairs, since Jupiter also deals with these. The interpretation would follow around, taking the Houses one after another. Then the Aspects, which you listed, would be interpreted according to the association for the various planets.
It may be seen, from the above, that although some very general characteristic might be immediately given for a person born at a particular time of year, certainly no great and accurate details can be given without having more information on both the birth time and the birth place, and constructing a natal chart— the map of the planets at the time and place of birth.
I have talked of a natal chart, a horoscope of the time of birth, showing what the life will hold in general. Similar charts can be made for practically any purpose. They can be plotted to show what might be the influences for a particular year, or other period of time. They can be plotted for countries, or towns, rather than for individuals. They can be plotted to show the most propitious time for laying the corner- stone of a new building; for marriage; money; health; business—indeed for practically any purpose. There are many thousands of business people who have a professional astrologer draw up a chart for the coming business year and follow its indications scrupulously. They return year after year and seem more than satisfied. They take their horoscopes seriously, as they should be taken if the astrologer knows her/his job.
When a daily newspaper's horoscope says that Monday morning is going to seem long and wearing to all persons born between April 20 and May 20, then, although it may turn out to be amazingly accurate, you may rest assured that no charts were drawn, no tables consulted, no planetary positions interpreted. Yet it is this drawing, calculating and interpreting which makes the subject so interesting.
FIRE SCRYING
Another form of divination, sometimes used by
Witches, is scrying into a fire. Make a fire of driftwood, on the seashore, after sunset (if you are far from the seashore then you can use any old, weathered wood, such as from an old barn, or the like). When the wood has been well burned and is beginning to die down, lay on it a cedar log, a juniper log and three good handsful of sandalwood chips. Let these burn well. Then, as the fire again begins to die down, gaze deep into the dying embers. In these embers you will see scenes of the past, present and future. You may see the actual scenes, but it is more likely that you will see
symbolic scenes that need interpreting. This scrying fire is sometimes referred to as the "Fire of Azrael", and was described by Dion Fortune in her book The Sea Priestess.
There are many, many forms of divination—far too many to include here. An upcoming Llewellyn Practical Magick Series title, by me, is Practical Divination, and will cover a great many of them, known and not so well-known.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
Lesson Nine: Divination / 131
1. After you have made a personal study of the Tarot, decide how you will spread the cards. What method works the
best for you?
2. What Tarot cards were you initially attracted to? list them, and tell what significance each card has for you.
3. On separate paper, make a print of each of your palms. Watch how your hands change from year to year. (To make a print, press your hand in silkscreen ink, paint, or other colored substance and press as flat as possible on the page.) Relate some of your experiences with Cheiromancy. What major observations did you make when you first began studying hands, and how accurate were your impressions? What did you see in your own hands?
4. Construct your own natal horoscope. List the basic interpretations of each planet as they seem to fit your
person.
LESSON TEN HERBALISM
HERBAL LORE Traditionally Witches have a great knowledge of herbs and their healing properties. With the present movement back to nature, and the desire for survival in this modern age, that knowledge could today stand us in very good stead. It could be important that Witches once again be the Wise Ones of Herbal Medicine. Although I do not suggest that you throw away your Blue Cross/Blue Shield/Medicare, or whatever, I do believe that there are many ways in which you can make use of the old cures, both for yourself and for others. It is, however, legally necessary for me to point out that the information in this lesson is simply my opnion, in regard to herbs for health, together with the results of my research into the history of their use. I am not engaged in rendering professional medical advice. Such advice should be sought from a competent professional person.
Herbal medicine goes back thousands of years. It derives from Wo/Man's needs for health and strength; cures for ills and the mending of wounds. Many of today's medicines have come from this primitive botanical compilation. Some have been discarded for stronger, supposedly more certain, synthetic drugs while others are still used, in many parts of the world, in their natural form.
Throughout the ages mysterious healing powers have been attributed to certain wild plants, flowers and herbs. So-called "Nature Doctors" (Witches) of the past were familiar with these natural remedies. Un- fortunately until "science" puts its stamp of approval on such ancient herbal remedies, most modern day doctors scoff at the folklore cures reported through the centuries. Sometimes, however, doctors rediscover these ancient remedies and hail them as the outcome of modern research and science! For example, William Withering, an English doctor, isolated an ingredient found in the leaves of the foxglove—digitalis; one of the most important of heart remedies. Yet for centuries Witches had prescribed a tea brewed from the foxglove leaves for weak hearts. Dr. Cheney, of Stanford University, "discovered", and proved, that raw cabbage juice helped heal stomach ulcers—knowledge again carried for hundreds of years by the Witches.
The gathering and preparing of herbs is a specialized work, but one
135
Witches bringing a Shower of Rain.
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which anyone of average intelligence may safely under- take with proper training. (There are also special storehouses and laboratories that cater to the Herbalist by supplying crude herbs, tinctures and all kinds of preparations. These will be listed later).
It has been said that the Witch, as a natural healer, should be a psychologist, to study the character and symptology of the patient. She should also be a student of anatomy and physiology, in order that the workings of the body be known. In addition, she should be a dietician, to study the most suitable diets for the patient; and a person of general knowledge about her subject and people in general. I would certainly recommend that the student study anatomy and physiology to gain a working knowledge of what is involved in a cure.
Before you go collecting herbs, decide on just one or two species for each trip out. Most important, find the best time of day to collect them. For this refer to one of the better herbals, such as Culpeper's (see Suggested Reading at the end of this lesson). Having selected what plants you require, pick only those parts which you will be needing for drying and processing,
Traditionally Witches always cut their herbs with a small, sickle-shaped knife known as a Boleen. It is possible to make one for yourself. Just follow the same general principles given for the athame, in Lesson Three. Don't forget to consecrate it and use it only for cutting herbs.
otherwise you will not only be taking home waste matter, but you will also be stunting the growth of next year's crop.
Before picking plants, check very carefully for their various attributes to make sure you have the right one. Many different plants have similarities, enough to cause confusion. You cannot spend too much time studying illustrations, photographs, etc., to learn to recognize the many different species. When collecting herbs, make sure you do not damage the plants as you pick them. Make them up into small bundles. Do not crush the plants, as this will limit the amount of goodness you will get from them.
When selecting plants, always try to refer to them by their Latin names, for these never change. If you use the common names, you can become greatly confused, since most herbs have many different common names. Depending on where the herb is found, it could have as many as twenty different names by which it is known locally. But each plant has only ONE Latin name. In the various herbals this is usually printed in italics, and may be pronounced as it is read. To "ease you in gradually", as it were, throughout this lesson I
will actually use the most common name followed by the Latin. However, remember that PLANTS SHOULD ALWAYS BE REFERRED TO BY THEIR LATIN NAME FOR POSITIVE IDENTIFICATION.
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF HERBS
Many medicinal preparations have been wasted or spoiled simply because the user did not prepare them or use them to best advantage. This naturally discourages many people from trying herbs again. Since most herbs are mild in action, it is important that THEY BE GIVEN SUFFICIENT TRIAL FOR RESULTS. Certain herbs must be prepared right and administered correctly in order to derive benefits. For instance, Boneset herb (Eupatorium perfoliatum): a HOT infusion should be taken on retiring, to induce perspiration. In the morning, the COLD infusion should be taken as a mild laxative. Powdered Slippery Elm Bark (Ulmus fulva) is soothing to the bowels when taken as an enema. It is useless, however, if the bowels are not flushed clean before injection of the botanical solution. A weak infusion of Hops (Humulus lupulus) removes the aromatic properties. A stronger infusion of Hops removes the bitter tonic properties. A decoction removes the astringent properties. Each operation gives a different result. A plant does not yield the same prin- ciples by, for example, decoction as by infusion. By decoction, the extractive resinous and bitter principles are obtained; while by infusion a large quantity of aromatic and volatile principles, essences, etc., are extracted.
What are these terms: "decoction", "infusion", etc.? They are the ways that herbs are treated after collecting them. Comminution; Extraction; Perculation; Filtration; Clarification; Digestion; Expression. I will take each of these in turn and examine it.
Comminution is the reduction of herbs to small particles. All substances to be used this way must be free from all moisture. Herbs containing volatile oils should not be subjected to high temperature during the drying process. There are machines available for the cutting and milling of herbs but the old PESTLE and MORTAR are still favorites in the Craft.
The first operation in the drying of herbs is to cut them up into small parts when fresh. Some herbs (e.g. Rue/Ruta graveolens, Peppermint/Menthapiperita, Tansy/ Tanacetum vulgare) need to be dried at the lowest temper- ature possible. Others (e.g. Yarrow/Achillea mittefolium,
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 137
Ground Ivy/Nepeta hederacea) should be dried quickly. No special drying equipment is needed. Just follow the method I give below. 1: Select and collect the herb (s) you desire. Collect on a dry day. 2: Tie the herbs in small bundles, in twos, so that the piece of string joins the bundles. Hang the bundles over a clothes line, by this string. Note: it is important that at night and/or whenever the weather gets damp, you hang the bundles indoors. If the herbs get damp during the drying process they will mildew.
If you are collecting only leaves or flowers from a plant, then put them in a muslin bag to dry. Not too many in each bag, otherwise the air will not get through them. Generally herbs will take from three days to a week to dry. It is important that they are dry. Move the bundles around each day so that they get a lot of sun. If there is no sun and you have to dry them indoors, keep them at a uniform temperature of about 65° to 70°F. 3: When the bundles are dry, pass the herbs through a meat mincer/grinder. Use coarse cutters first, followed by fine Ones. If properly dried, the herbs should come out in more or less powder form. Put them in cans or bottles with screw tops and keep in the dark. They may be kept this way for several years without losing their natural color or medicinal properties.
Extraction. The chief methods used in the extraction of the active principles of herbs are:
(a) DECOCTION—applied when the active principles consist of extractive matter readily taken from the plant but not damaged by boiling water (e.g. Chamomile/ Anthemis nobilis, Gentian/Gentiana lutea, Broom/Spartium scoparius).
(b) INFUSION—applied to obtain the extracts by means of hot water, only in this case boiling water is not used. In fact, in some cases even cold water is utilized.
(c) MACERATION—this is a prolonged infusion using alcohol, or dilute alcohol. It consists of steeping the material in a closed vessel for a definite period, shaking it at intervals. This method is used for the extraction of fluid extracts or tinctures.
Percolation is the most perfect method of obtaining the soluble parts of remedies. It consists of allowing
138 I Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
menstruum to slowly trickle through a column of material in a similar way to the process of coffee percolation.
Filtration is the process by which liquids are separated from substances mechanically suspended in them. The easiest method is by using filter paper.
Clarification is the process of clarifying a substance after processing, as in the case of honey, syrup, lards, etc., and is done by melting and skimming or filtering through a suitable material.
Digestion is a simple process of prolonged maceration, at a constant temperature of about 100°F.
Expression is the method whereby the juices of herbs are extracted by pressing them; actually squeezing the remedy out of the herb. Two pressures are normally used: a simple screw press, similar to a printer's press, or a hydraulic press as used in large laboratories.
SIMPLES, SYRUPS, SALVES, POULTICES AND POWDERS
To use Herb Simples that have been finely ground or chopped, steep a heaped teaspoonful of the herb to each cup of hot (not boiling) water for twenty minutes. Take one cup before each meal and one on going to bed. Roots and Barks. Roots should be simmered for over half an hour, to extract their goodness. Do not boil heavily. Flowers and Leaves should never be boiled. Steep them in hot (not boiling) water for twenty minutes,
keeping them covered so as to keep in the oil which might evaporate. Powdered Herbs may be mixed with either hot or cold water. Use half a teaspoonful of powdered herb to a cupful of water, followed by drinking a plain glass of water. Herbs take effect quicker if taken in hot water. NEVER USE AN ALUMINUM UTENSIL TO BOIL HERBS OR WATER TO BE USED WITH THEM as this metal damages the fine oils, etc., contained in the herbs.
TO MAKE SYRUPS: A simple syrup can be made by dissolving three pounds of brown sugar in a pint of boiling water. Boil until thick You may then add this to any substance. Malt honey and bees' honey can also be used as a syrup if desired. To make a herb syrup, simply add the cut herbs, boil to a syrupy consistency, strain through a double cheesecloth and bottle. If corked, this will keep indefinitely.
TX) MAKE HERB SALVES (ointments): Use fresh herbs whenever possible. However, dried herbs can be used if fresh are not available. Be sure the herb is cut up very finely and use one to one-and-a-half pounds of cocoa fat, lard, or any pure vegetable fat, and four ounces of beeswax. Mix together, cover, and place in the hot sun (or the oven with a very low heat) for about four hours. Strain with a fine sieve or cloth. When set it will be firm and ready for use. If you want to put it into containers, do so while it is still hot and let it set in the containers. Do not re-melt.
TO MAKE POULTICES: It is best to have the herbs in a crushed form. Mix with water and cornmeal to make a thick paste. If fresh leaves are used, place them directly on the affected part(s). Poultices are very good for swellings, enlarged glands, etc. Never re-use a poultice CAPACITY One minim (min) One fluid drachm (fl. drm) = 60 minims One fluid ounce (fl. oz) = 8 fl dm One pint (O) = 20 fl oz One gallon (C) = 8 pints
MASS One ounce (oz) = 437.5 grains
(avoirdupois) One pound (Ib) = 16 oz (7,000 grains)
APOTHECARIES' WEIGHTS AND MEASURES OF MASS One grain (gr) One scruple (ei) = 20 gr One drachm (dr) = 3 ei (60 gr)
One ounce (oz) = 8 dr (480 gr) One pound (IV) ~ 12 oz (5,760 gr)
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 139 once used. Always replace with a fresh one. The following poultices can be used safely:
Slippery Elm—Useful to combine with other herbs to make a good poultice. Lobelia and Slippery Elm—One third part Lobelia and two thirds Slippery Elm. Excellent for blood poisoning, boils, etc., also very good for rheumatism. Charcoal and Hops—Will quickly remove gallstone pain. Charcoal and Smartweed—Good for inflammation of the bowels. When using for healing old sores and ulcers, add powdered Echinacea, Golden Seal or Myrrh, or a small amount of all three. Poke Root and Cammed—Excellent for inflamed breast. Burdock Leaf— This poultice is cooling and drying. A poultice of the powdered root with salt eases the pain of a wound from an animal, such as a dog bite. Plantain—Excellent poultice to prevent blood poisoning. Nettle and Wintergreen—For dissolving tumors. Carrots and Golden Seal—Applied to old sores, will heal rapidly. Sage—For inflammation of any type. Hyssop—Will remove discoloration from bruises.
Poultices should be applied as hot as possible and be changed as soon as the heat has dissipated. It is useless to re-use the same poultice.
COMPOSITION POWDER: A composition powder is a good medicine for colds, flu, cramps, rheumatism, beginning of fevers, etc. Every home should have these on hand; they are safe and effective for every- I
HERB SIMPLES
one. In fevers and colds, give a cup of tea made from the powder every hour until perspiration takes place. This will clear the body of toxins and bring the fever down. Here are a few selected formulae which are very effective:
4 oz Bayberry 2 oz Ginger 1 oz White Pine 1 dr Cloves 1 dr Cayenne
Use all powdered herbs. Steep 1 teaspoonful in water for 15 minutes, keeping covered. Drink the clear liquid after the sediment has been strained.
2 oz Pulverized Bayberry Bark 1 oz Pulverized Ginger Vz oz Pulverized Pinus Canadensis 1 dr Cloves 1 dr Cayenne
Dose (adult): one teaspoonful in hot or cold water, sweetened if required.
Less pungent Composition Powder (!): 1 oz finely
powdered Wild Thyme 1 oz powdered Marjoram 1 oz finely powdered Pimpernella Saxifrage 1 oz finely powdered Pleurisy Root 1 oz powdered Cinnamon.
Dose: one teaspoonful in the early stages of colds, disordered stomach, scarlet fever or similar troubles. The following list of Herb Simples is for general guidance. Herb Simples include flowers, barks and the whole plant, depending on the part (s) generally used
as a medicine. There are about five hundred Herb Simples available and these are generally supplied in weight (per ounce or pound). For list of terms such as "Pectoral", "Astringent", see later in this lesson.
AGRIMONY—A tonic, mildly astringent. Used for coughs,
relaxed bowels and looseness of the bowels. ANGELICA—A stimulant and aromatic. Used for kidneys
and to induce perspiration. ASH LEAVES—Used in gouty conditions, arthritis, etc.
AVENS HERB—Tonic and styptic. Used in looseness of
bowels, etc. BALM—'Cooling in fevers and inducing mild perspiration.
BALMONY—Anti-bilious, tonic and detergent. Used in cases of chronic constipation, indigestion, jaundice and worms in children. BLACKBERRY LEAVES—A tonic, useful in cases of bowel
looseness. BLACKCURRANT LEAVES—A refrigerant, used in cases of
sore throat, coughs, catarrh. BLADDERWRACK—used in a bath for arthritis and rheu-
matic conditions. BLUE MALLOW—Pectoral. For coughs and colds generally. BONESET—Mild laxative, tonic; relieves fever and
240 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
pains in the bones. BORAGE—Useful in chest complaints. BROOM—Used BUCHU—A gall flammation stones.
stimulant of the in some bladder.
used bladder in urinary complaints, affections especially and in- in
BUCKBEAN—A BUGLOSS—Expectorant mation.
skin diseases. Also good for arthritis, tonic, and tonic, used etc.
used for in liver cases troubles of inflam- and
BURDOCK—Used for purifying the blood. BURR MARIGOLD—For gouty conditions. GREATER CHAMOMILE—Used nervous jaundice.
complaints CELANDINE—For in in women.
cases of eye nervous infections, hysteria also cases and all of
CLEAVERS refrigerant. gallstones.
(sometimes Is cooling called in fevers. "Clivers")—A Used in gravel tonic and and
COLTSFOOT—For CLOVES—The Two cure be mixture for painted asthma.
for drops toothache made with on oil a with teaspoonful the of it all cloves oil.
it, is a asthmatic mixed specific is a of remedy with sugar remedy. complaints. other is for the sluggish The herbs, best area A dose. is smoking digestion.
should
useful As a
DAMIANA—A also used as a sexual tonic for stimulant.
nervous and debilitated persons;
DANDELION eaten and ground, warty in makes salads. growths ROOT—Generally good The in white coffee.
a short juice time. from dried. The the The stem root, leaves cures baked can warts and be
GOLDEN ELDER EYEBRIGHT—Used ment colds currants). for The taken the tincture for and in LEAVES—Used eyes. one-drop SEAL—A colds. coughs Frequently should The (dried doses, for wonderful berries be weak used in berries with used urinary are in eyes water with catarrh used a are compound. and troubles often only. care with remedy as used and other a general and should and instead herbs as tonic. treat-
tonic for
be of
GROUND name rheumatism, of IVY—Whilst which indigestion is Alehoof), not and really kidney this is an complaints.
a ivy good (the remedy common for
LUNGWORT—For coughs and all chest affections.
MARIGOLD—This every home. As an ointment is another it will remedy cure many that should skin troubles; be in
as a tincture it is far better than iodine to hasten the healing MOUSE NETTLES for process. purifying piles. Lesser the treatment Often EAR—A Celandine, The (the the used flowers blood. well-known of
good with though PILEWORT—As and Witch remedy it leaves has stinging Hazel. for no can whooping relation Its nettles)—used be common used its to name cough. the in salads. Greater name suggests, for
is
be Celandine. used as a
PLANTAIN—A cooling herb. Fresh leaves can
relief from insect bites, if applied at once. Used a lot with LEAVES—A other herbs for very blood well medicines. known-method RASPBERRY
of bringing berry leaves about have easy similar childbirth. properties Blackberry but Raspberry and Straw- leaves similar are considered fashion to Senna
the best. SENNA LEAVES—These act in a
tonic. Pods. constipation. A special
The leaves SLIPPERY are usually ELM—Used taken with as a ginger skin cleanser to cure
and
invalid by the weakest food is made digestive from organs the bark, and which cannot can be be vomited. digested
leaves In soap, can be it is used an excellent in a salad. skin The soother. dried
TANSY—The fresh
herb is used for hysteria, morning sickness and for the is used expulsion drugging to cure effect. of insomnia worms Also in used without children. for curing a
VALERIAN—The root
pains in many parts Thought for of the cancerous body. to be a VIOLET—Can cure
growths of tumors also be when used in used salads.
with red bleeding clover piles heads. and
WITCH HAZEL—Used for checking
bleeding most things from and wounds. can certainly The prepared be used on liquid all cuts, is used sprains, for
bruises, etc.
The above list is a short one but should be of use. Again, I strongly recommend that the student study one of the better herbals for greater understanding. It is obviously impossible to give an all-encompassing coverage here to the thousands of herbs that exist.
DEFINITION OF MEDICAL ACTIONS
You will find the following most useful when referring to text books on the subject:
ALTERATIVE—Producing perception.
a healthful change without
ANODYNE—Relieves pain. ANTHELMINTIC—A APERIENT—Gently AROMATIC—A stimulant; laxative medicine spicy.
without that expels purging.
worms.
ASTRINGENT—Causes contraction and arrests discharges. ANTIBIUOUS—Acts on the bile, relieving biliousness. ANTIMETIC—Stops vomiting. ANTILEPTIC—Relieves fits. ANTIPERIODIC—Arrests morbid periodic movements. ANTHILIC—Prevents the formation of stones in the urinary
organs. ANTIRHEUMATIC—Relieves and cures rheumatism. ANTISCORBUTIC—Cures and prevents scurvy.
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 141
DEFINITION OF MEDICAL ACTIONS (Continued) ANTISEPTIC—A medicine that aims at stopping putrifi-
cation. ANTISPASMODIC—Relieves ANTISYPHILITIC—Having and effect prevents or curing spasms.
venereal CARMINATIVE—Expels CATHARTIC—Evacuating CEPHALIC—Remedies CHOLAGOGUE—Increases CONDIMENT—Improves DEMULCENT—Soothing; DEOBSTRUENT—Removes DEPURATIVE—Purifies DETERGENT—Cleansing DIAPHORETIC—Produces DISCUTIENT—Dissolves DIURETIC—Increases EMETIC—Produces EMMENAGOGUE—Promotes EMOLLIENT—Softens ESCULENT—Eatable EXANTHEMATOUS—Remedy diseases. vomiting. as the a and used the food. to secretion wind and the relieves from perspiration. blood. boils, soothes the obstruction. in flavor heals menstruation. from diseases flow the ulcers, for and inflammation. tumors. bowels. inflamed of the of skin flow food. bile. wounds, bowels. of eruptions the of parts. urine.
head.
etc.
and diseases. EXPECTORANT—Facilitates FEBRIFUGE—Abates and reduces expectoration fevers.
(coughing).
HEPATIC—A HERPATIC—A remedy remedy for for diseases skin diseases of the of liver.
all types. LAXATIVE—Promotes bowel action. LITHONTRYPTIC—Dissolves organs.
calculi in the urinary
NATURATING—Ripens and brings boils to a head. MUCILAGINOUS—Soothing NAUSEANT—Produces vomiting.
to all inflammation.
NERVINE—Acts nervous excitement.
specifically on the nervous system; stops
OPTHALMICUM—A remedy for eye diseases. PARTURIENT—Induces and promotes labor at childbirth. PECTORAL—A REFRIGERANT-Cooling.
remedy for chest affections.
RESOLVENT—Dissolves boils and tumors. RUBIFACIENT—Increases skin.
circulation and produces red
SEDATIVE—A nerve tonic; promotes sleep. SIALOGOGUE—Increases the secretion of saliva. STOMATIC—Strengthens tion.
the stomach. Relieves indiges-
STYPTIC—Arrests SUDORIFIC—Produces bleeding.
profuse perspiration. TONIC—A remedy which is invigorating and strengthening. VERMIFUGE—Expels worms from the system.
HERBS IN MATERIA MEDICA Here is a short list of herbs in Materia Medica so that you can have at least a few for easy reference until obtaining a full herbal. The list, obviously, is far from complete and the full medical properties of each herb are not given. For a complete picture use one of the herbals listed at the end of this lesson. In most cases
the herbs given can be taken as a tea, or can be obtained in pill or tablet form. These are the most common herbs, which will prove of value to the beginner. All herbs mentioned here are perfectly safe at all times, and are NOT poisonous.
AGRIMONY HEAL (angelica (lamium (fraxinus urbanum) (stachys album) excelsior) atropurpurea) BALM (agrimonia sylvatica) ASH (melissa HERB
AVENS TREE DEAD eupatoria) ANGELICA officinalis) (geum LEAVES
NETTLE ALL
BALMONY (berberis (myrica (carduus (menyanthes cerifera) vulgaris) benedictus) (chelone trifoliata)
BLESSED BAYBERRY BOGBEAN
glabra) THISTLE
BARBERRY
BARK
BONESET (eupatorium perfoliatum) BROOM (spartium scoparius)
BURDOCK (arctium lappa)
Alterative, Antispasmodic, Aromatic, astringent, stringent Antispasmodic, Astringent, tonic, tonic tonic, ACTION hepatic, nervine, Antifat, stimulant diuretic
tonic, nervine diuretic,
diuretic
Antiseptic,
stomachic
USE Chest Colic, diseases, gout, liver.
coughs.
Heart, spleen, kidneys. Bruises, sciatica, gout. Dissolves fatty tumors, ringworm. Heart tonic, promotes healing.
Laxative, Removes stimulant, hepatic, stomatic
stomatic tonic, jaundice vulinary vermifuge
Antiscorbutic, Astringent, Antiscorbutic,
Acts general on liver, healer.
restores the skin,
Constipation, jaundice, indigestion. Stops Gout, canker; arthritis, general rheumatism. tonic.
Purifier of blood, skin diseases, giddiness.
Cathartic, emetic, vermifuge, laxative Diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic
Creates gout.
appetite, excites the bile, good for
For asthma, colds, dyspepsia, debility.
Antiscorbutic, antispas-modic, aromatic, tonic
As the persevered a poultice whole with for system, broken over cures a bones. period.
tumors Purifies if
All poisoning, plaints.
kidney troubles, useful antidote in all skin to mercury com-
142 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
HERBS IN MATERIA MEDICA (Continued) HERB CASCARA SAGRADA (rhatnnus
purshiana) CATMINT
(nepeta cataria)
PENNYROYALfmentfjfl pulegium)
RUE (ruta graveolens) SCULLCAP
(scutellaria lateriflora)
SOLOMON'S multi-flora) TANSY SEAL (tanacetum (convollaria
vulgare)
VERVAIN (verbena officinalis) WOOD
SAGE (teucrium canadensis) YARROW
(achillea millefolium)
ACTION Aperient, tonic
USE Constipation, the time. Safe but for should young not or be old.
used all
CELANDINE aparine) majus) CLEAVERS (chelidonium (galium
Acrid, alterative, Antiscorbutic, Antispasmodic, carminative cathartic
GREATER diuretic, nervine, refrigerant sudorific,
RED CLOVER (trifolium pmtense)
Antiscorbutic, nervine, tonic
For Externally As hysteria, removing an ointment, it giddiness.
is good female good for obstructions, sluggish for piles.
tumors. for
Best One Improves pores the children of blood flowers the to remove and best cleanser. the is weak herbs complexion, an toxins. excellent A persons.
for tea skin made opens tonic diseases. from for
the
DANDELION (taraxacum leontodon) Antispamodic, nervine, pectoral,
vermifuge
Safe The made remedy root, into when a for drink.
all baked internal and ground, disorders. is
GARLIC (allium sativum)
Antispasmodic, nervine, vermifuge
HEARTSEASE (polygonum perscaria) Balsamic, pectoral, vulnerary
HOPS (humulus lupulus) Diuretic, pectoral, laxative, tonic
Many whooping pation virtues. and cough. cleanse To clear Will the the clear bowels.
blood, consti- for
Tasteless, Blood Useful pillow insomnia.
cleanser, stuffed for but fits, a powerful strengthens with pleurisy, hops blood itching.
will the cleanser. bile. cure
A
Aromatic, carminative, stimulant
Useful ing the for blood female of complaints. the stomach.
For cool-
Diuretic, vermifuge, tonic Diuretic,
Very good for female disorders. Best
when mixed with other herbs. nervine, tonic Balsamic,
demulcent Emmenagogue,
Bruises. Nervous quiet hysterical Helps complaints, circulation. persons.
excitability. Will
vermifuge Diuretic, tonic Diuretic,
tonic Astringent, sudorific, tonic
Disagreeable General given in female tonic. in large complaints; to For the doses.
upset taste kidneys, stomachs, but very etc.
useful
Removal Cleansing bladder pores and of areas.
of removing obstructions the skin, obstructions.
opening in liver of and the
Herbalism is a long study and it will pay the serious student to study all the books listed at the end of this lesson, so as to find the physiological actions of the various herbs. In true herbalism we do not use herbs of a poisonous nature if at all possible. However, one herb which can be used to good effect is Rhus Toxicodendron (Poison Oak; Poison Ivy). This herb tincture should NOT be used internally, but in external applications it is excellent for all fibrositis, rheumatism and allied pains. A footbath with a few drops of the
tincture in it will relieve tired feet at once.
It should be remembered at all times that although the previous symptoms of a disease may disappear, you must take steps to prevent a recurrence of it. Most diseases come on from a long-standing trouble in the system and the symptoms of the disease are the body's way of expelling waste matter in some form or another. Remember that diseases will not grow in healthy tissues, therefore take steps to see that correct feeding is under- taken in order that the body remains cleansed.
BOTANICALS LISTED UNDER TERMS
ALTERATIVES—Agents which tend gradually to alter a condition. Altera- tives are often combined with botanicals listed under "Aromatics", "Bitter Tonics" and "Demulcents". Among botanicals that may be classed as Alteratives are:
American Spikenard rt. or berries Bittersweet twigs Black Cohosh rt. Blue Flag rt. Blue Nettle rt. Burdock rt. Condurango rt. Echinacea rt. Guaiac raspings Oregon Grape rt. Pipsissewa Ivs. Poke rt. Prickly Ash bk. Red Clover fls. Sarsaparilla rt Sassafras rt. Stillingia rt. Wild Sarsaparilla rt. Yellow Dock rt. Yellow Parilla rt.
ANTHELMINTICS or Vermifuges-Medicines capable of destroying or expelling worms which inhabit the intestinal canal. Anthelmintics should only be administered by a physician.
Areca Nuts Balmony hb. Kousso fls. Male Fern Melia Azedarach bk. Pomegranate rind, bk. or rt. Pumpkin Seed Spigelia rt. Wormseed hb. Wormwood hb.
ASTRINGENTS—Temporarily tighten, contract or increase the firmness of the skin or mucous membrane. They are often of value to check excessive secretions. They are used as external washes, gargles, lotions, mouthwashes, etc. Astringents may be made very strong, using more of the herb and boiling longer. They may be "watered down" to the strength desired. STRONG ASTRINGENTS:
Agrimony hb.
Alum rt. Barberry bk. Bayberry bk. Beech Drops hb. Bearberry Ivs. Beth rt. Black Alder bk. Black Cherries Black Oak bk. Black Willow bk. Butternut bk. Buttonsnake rt. Catechu Gum Chocolate rt. Cinquefoil Congo rt. Cranesbill rt. Fleabane hb. Goldenrod hb. Hardback hb. Hawthorne berries Heal-all hb. Hemlock bk. Hickory bk. Jambul Seed Kola nuts Logwood Lycopus virginicus. Maiden Hair Fern Mountain Ash bk. Pilewort hb. Potentilla hb. Purple Loosestrife hb. Queen of the Meadow hb. Rattlesnake rt. Redrt. Rhatany rt. Sage hb. Sanicle rt. Sampson Snake rt. Shepherd's Purse hb. Sumbul rt. Sumach bk. or rt. Tormentil rt. Wafer Ash bk. Water Avens rt. Water Lilly rt. White Ash bk. White Oak bk. Wild Indigo bk. Witch Hazel twigs MILD ASTRINGENTS:
Blackberry rt. Black Birch Ivs. Celandine German Rue Rosa Gallica Petals St. John's Wort Sweet Fern hb.
BITTER TONICS—Used for tem- porary loss of appetite. They stimulate
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 143
the flow of saliva and gastric juices, assisting in the process of digestion.
Augosura bk. Balmony hb. Barberry rt. and bk. Bayberry Ivs. Blackberry Ivs. Black Haw bk. Blessed Thistle Bogbeab hb. Boldo Ivs. Cascarilla bk. Chamomile fls. Chiretta hb. Columbo rt. Condurango rt. Dandelion rt. Fringe tree bk. Gentian rt. Goldenseal rt. Goldthread rt. Hop fls. Mugwort hb. , - Quassis chips Sabattia-Amer. Century rt. Serpentaria rt. Turkey Corn rt. Wild Cherry bk. Wormwood hb. Yellow Root rt. (Xanthorrhiza)
CALMATIVES—Agents used for their mild calming effect. Generally taken as a warm tea, upon retiring.
Catnip hb. Chamomile fls. Fennel seed Hops -Lindin fls.
CARMINATIVES and AROMATICS— Substances of a fragrant smell that produce a peculiar sensation of warmth and pungency on the taste buds. When swallowed, there is a corres- ponding impulse in the stomach which is communicated to other parts of the body. Aromatics are useful to expel gas from the stomach and in- testines. They are chiefly used to make other medicinal formulae more palatable.
Allspice—unripe fruit Anise seed Angelica seed Capsicum Fruit Caraway seed Cardamon seed
244 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
CARMINATTVES/AROMATICS (Continued): Catnip hb. Celery seed Cinnamon bk. Cloves buds Coriander seed Cumin seed Eucalyptus Ivs. Fennel seed Ginger rt. Lovage rt. Mace Melilot fls. Mustard seed Nutmeg Peppermint hb. Spearmint hb. Valerian rt. Wild Ginger rt.
CATHARTICS—Agents which promote evacuation from the bowels by their action on the alimentary canal. Cathartics can be divided into two groups: (1) LAXATIVES, or APER- IENTS, are agents which are mild or feeble in their action. (2) PURGATIVES are agents which induce copious evac- uation. They are generally used for more stubborn conditions in adults, or used with other ingredients to modify or increase their action. Neither laxatives nor purgatives should be used when appendicitis is suspected or during pregnancy. Cathartics should only be used for occasional constipa- tion.
Agar-Agar Aloes Barberry bk. Blue Flag rt. Buckthorn bk. Butternut inner bk. Cascara bk. Cassia fistula Castor oil Culver's rt. Jalap rt. Karaya gum Manna May apple or Mandrake rt. Pysllium seed Rhubarb rt. Senna (Egyptian) Ivs. Senna (American) Senna pods Tamarind pulp
DEMULCENTS—Substances usually of a mucilaginous and bland nature,
taken internally for their soothing and protective-coating properties (for external use, see EMOLLIENTS). May be used to allay irritation of membranes. They have been used for coughs due to common colds and to relieve minor irritation of the throat. The mildest and most soothing demulcents are marked with **.
Agar-Agar Arrow rt. Cheese Plant hb. Coltsfoot hb. Comfrey rt.** Couch Grass rt. Flaxseed** Gum Arabic** Iceland Moss Irish Moss Karaya gum Licorice rt. Marsh mallow rt. and Ivs.** Okra pods** Oatmeal** Psyllium seed Quince seed Sago rt. Saleprt. Sassafras pith Sesame Ivs. Slippery Elm bk.** Solomon's Seal rt. Tragacanth gum
DZAPHOJRE77CS—Agents which tend to increase perspiration. They are commonly used as an aid in the relief of common colds. Diaphoretics act most favorably when administered hot, before bed. Botanicals marked with ** are often referred to as SUDORZF/CS— agents which cause copious perspir- ation.
Ague Weed hb.*» Angelica rt. Balm hb. Blessed Thistle hb. Canada Snake rt. Catnip hb. Chamomile hb. Elder fls. Ginger rt.** Guaiac raspings Hyssop hb.** Linden fls. Lobelia Mtn. Mint (Koellia) hb. Pennyroyal** Pleurisy rt. Prickly Ash bk. Ragwort hb.
Sassafras bk. or rt. Senega rt. Serpentaria rt.** Spice Bush or Fever Bush twigs Thyme hb. Water Eryngo rt. Wood Sage hb. Yarrow hb.
DIURETICS—A term used for medi- cines or beverages which tend to increase the secretion of urine. The fastest action is generally obtained by liquid diuretics taken on an empty stomach, during the day. Physical exertion retards the effects of diuretics. They are often used with demulcents, such as Marsh mallow rt., Couch Grass, etc., for their soothing qualities when irritation is present.
Bearberry or Uva Ursi Ivs. Bilberry Ivs. Broom tops Buchu Ivs. Burdock seeds Button Snake rt. Canada Fleabane hb. Cleavers hb. Copaiba Balsam Corn Silk Cubeb berries Dog Grass rt. Dwarf Elder bk. Elecampane rt. Gravel Plant Ivs. Hair Cap Moss Horse Tail Grass Juniper Berries Kava-Kava rt. Matico Ivs. Pareira BraVa rt. Parsley rt. Princess Pine Ivs. Seven Barks Stone rt. Water Eryngo rt. White Birch Ivs. Wild Carrot hb.
EMOLLIENTS—Agents generally of oily or mucilaginous nature, used EXTERNALLY for their softening, supple or soothing qualities.
Comfrey rt. Flaxseed meal Marsh mallow Ivs. or rt. Oatmeal Quince seed Slippery Elm bk.
EXPECTORANTS—Agents used to induce expulsion or loosen phlegm of the mucous membranes of the bronchial and nasal passages. Expector- ants often are combined with demul- cents as ingredients in cough (due to cold) medicines. Strong acting expec- torants are marked with **.
Asafetida gum Balm Gilead buds Balsam or Tolu Beth rt. Benzoin tincture or gum Blood rt.** Cocillana bk. Coltsfoot hb. Comfrey hb. Elecampane rt. Grindelia hb. Gum Galbanum Horehound hb. Ipecac rt.** Licorice rt. Maidenhair Fern hb. Marsh mallow rt. Mullein hb. Myrrh gum Pleurisy rt. Senega rt.** Skunk Cabbage rt. Slippery Elm bk. Wild Cherry bk. Yerba Santa hb.
NERVINES—Agents which tend to abate, or temporarily relax, non-serious nervous irritation, due to excitement, strain or fatigue.
Asafetida gum Betony hb. Catnip hb. Chamomile fls. Hop fls. Nerve Root Passion fls. Scullcap hb. Skunk Cabbage rt. Valerian rt. Yarrow hb.
NERVE STIMULANTS—Nerve stimu- lants are useful for a temporary "lift" when health conditions do not pro- hibit caffeine.
Cocoa beans Coffee beans Guarana Yerba Mate Tea Ivs.
Coffee and Guarana are useful for simple headaches caused by aggra- vation. Cocoa is one of the most nutri- tive of all beverages.
REFRIGERANTS—Generally a cool- ing beverage.
Borage hb. Burnet hb. Licorice rt. Melissa hb. Pimpernel hb. Rasberry fruit Tamarind pulp Wood Sorrel rt.
SEDATIVES—Often used by women for the usual minor discomforts inci- dental to impending menstruation (not for delayed menstruation).
Black Cohosh rt. Black Haw bk. Catnip hb. Chamomile fls. Cramp bk. Motherwort hb. Squaw Weed Yarrow hb.
STIMULANTS—To quicken or increase various functional actions of the system. Stimulants refuse to act in the presence of an excess of animal foods and never act as quickly on persons who con- sume a lot of alcohol.
Angostura bk. Bayberry Ivs. Black Pepper Blood Root Boneset hb. Camphor gum Canada Snake Root Capsicum fruit Cascarilla bk. Cassena Ivs.
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 145
Cayenne Pepper Cinnamon bk. Cloves-fruit Cocash rt. Damiana hb. Fever Few hb. Fleabane hb. Ginger rt. Golden Rod hb. Horseradish rt. Hyssop hb. Jaborandi rt. Matico Ivs. Mayweed hb. Motherwort hb. Muirapuama Mustard Nutmeg Paraguay tea Pleurisy rt. Pennyroyal hb. Peppermint hb. Prickly Ash bk. Quaking Aspen bk. Sarsaparilla rt. Serpentaria rt. Spearmint hb. Summer Savory hb. Sweet Gum Sweet Shrub bk. Vervain hb. White Pepper Wintergreen Yarrow hb. Yerba Mate Ivs. Yellow Root
VULNERARY—An application for minor external wounds. Almost any green plant that does not have irrita- ting constituents is useful for minor wounds, because of its chlorophyll content. Applications are generally most effective when the fresh herb is applied.
All Heal hb. Blood Staunch or Fleabane hb. Calendula hb. Centauria hb. Clown's Woundwort hb. Heal-all hb. (Srophularia marilandica) Healing Herb or Comfrey hb. and rt. Horse Tail Grass Live Forever Ivs. Marsh mallow hb. or rt. Plantain Ivs. Self Heal or Heal All hb. (Prunella
vulgaris)
146 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
VITAMINS IN HERBS
Vitamins are manufactured within plants and depend to some extent on the health and vigor of the plant. The controlling factors are the varieties and the conditions under which the plants are grown. Cultivated plants depend almost entirely on chemical fertilizers. Seaweeds are supplied with almost unlimited elements to feed on. Botanicals growing in the wild state generally thrive only in virgin soils, or in soils that can supply their necessities. When a soil becomes depleted, these botanicals move on, (via suckers, creepers, seeds, etc.) or are eventually crowded out by neighboring plants.
Plant vitamins are far easier to digest than vitamins and minerals of fish or animal origin. VITAMIN A: Needed for night vision and functioning of cells of skin and mucous membranes. Vitamin A is stored in the body, but under stress and strain, a surplus is rapidly dissipated. Botanical Sources-Alfalfa, herb; Annato seed; Dandelion; Lamb's Quarters; Okra pods; Paprika; Parsley VITAMIN herb; Watercress.
B1 (Thiamine): Needed for growth and main- taining normal appetite. Sources-Bladderwrack; Dulse; Fenugreek; Kelp; Okra; VITAMIN Wheat B2 Germ.
(Riboflavin): Needed for normal growth of children. Good nutrition of adults. Sowrces-Bladderwrack; VITAMINB
12
Dulse; Fenugreek; Kelp; Saffroa blood : cells. Essential B
12
also for acts normal as development of red a growth factor for children and helps put weight on under-weight children. Sources-Alfalfa; Bladderwrack; Dulse; Kelp. VITAMIN C: Needed for healthy teeth and gums; prevents scurvy. Vitamin C is destroyed by heat, cooking, low temperatures and oxidation. This vitamin is not stored in the body; a fresh supply must be provided daily. Sources-Buffalo Berry; Burdock seed; Capsicum; Colts- foot; Elder berries; Marigold; Oregano; Paprika; Parsley herb; Rose Hips; Watercress. VITAMIN D: Needed for building and keeping good bones and teeth. Prevents rickets. A limited amount is stored in the body. Sources-Annato seed; Watercress; Wheat Germ. VITAMIN E: Abundant in many plants' seeds. The need for Vitamin E has not been fully established, but is essential for full and proper nutrition. Sources-Alfalfa; Avena Sativa; Bladderwrack; Dandelion
leaves; Dulse; Kelp; Linseed; Sesame; Watercress; Wheat Germ. VITAMIN G (B2): Essential in preventing a deficiency
disease. Sources-Hydrocotyle Asiatica. VITAMIN 1C: Necessary in the physiological process of
blood clotting. Sources-Alfalfa herb; Chestnut leaves; Shepherd's
Purse. VITAMINP (Rutin): Believed to be of benefit in strength- ening tiny blood vessels. Sources-Buckwheat; German Rue; Paprika. NIACIN (another B-complex vitamin): Prevents pellagra. Sources-Alfalfa leaves; Blueberry leaves; Burdock seed;
Fenugreek; Parsley herb; Watercress; Wheat Germ.
THE ART OF PRESCRIBING MEDICINE
In prescribing medicine the following circumstances should always be kept in mind: AGE, SEX, TEMPERA- MENT, HABIT, CLIMATE, STATE OF STOMACH, IDIOSYNCRASY.
AGE For an adult, suppose the dose to be 1 drachm. Then:
Up to 1 year will require 1/12 (or 5 grains) Up to 2 years will require Vs (or 8 grains) Up to 3 years will require Ve (or 10 grains) Up to 4 years will require % (or 15 grains) Up to 7 years will require Va (or 1 scruple) Up to 14 years will require Vz (or Vz drachm) Up to 20 years will require 2/s (or 2 scruples) Above 20 the full dose—1 drachm. Above 65 the inverse gradation of the above.
SEX Women require smaller doses than men and the state of the uterine system must never be over- looked. TEMPERAMENT Stimulants and purgatives more readily affect sanguine persons than phlegmatic ones; consequently the former require smaller doses. HABITS Knowledge of these is essential. Those who habitually use stimulants—such as smokers and drinkers—require larger doses to affect them, while those who habitually use saline purgatives are more easily affected. CLIMATE Medicines act differently on the same in- dividuals in summer and winter, and in countries/ regions of different climates. Generally, the wanner the climate, the smaller the required dose.
STATE OF STOMACH: IDIOSYNCRASY—The least active remedies operate very violently on some individuals due to a peculiarity of the stomach or disposition of the body, unconnected with temper- ament. This state can be discovered only by accident or time.
In prescribing, you should always so regulate the intervals between doses that the next dose may be taken before the effect of the first has altogether worn off. If this is not done then the cure is "always com- mencing but never proceeding". It should always be kept in mind, however, that medicines such as Digitalis, Opium, etc., are apt to accumulate in the system and there will be danger if the doses are too dose together. DOSES MUST ALWAYS BE MEASURED—NEVER GUESSED.
The following list of explanations should give you some help when reading many textbooks and/or writing formulae and prescriptions:
Abbreviation R F.S.A.
Meaning Recipe Fiat Secondum
Take Let it be made or prepared
M. MSD
Artem Misce Miscae signa da
Mix
Mix the medicine, deliver it with instructions in writing to
M.F.Mixt.
patient To form a liquid mixture
Div Sol Fasc Man.j. Pugil j.
Divide Dissolve An armful A
Cyat j. Coch j.
handful A pinch
Gutt. No. 1, 2, 3,
A glassful A spoonful
Ana P.Ae Q.S.
A drop
The No. of pieces, written "j., jL,jll., Jill.," etc. Of eaach Equal parts As much as
Q.L.
suffices
Q.V.
As much as you like As much
Ib.
as you like
oz. Dr.
A pound An ounce
Scr.
A drachma or dram
Gr. Pil Pot Pulv Pulv
A scruple A grain A pill or pills Potion Powder Powdered Misce fiat mix- tura Divide Solve Fasciculus Manipulus Pubillus or Pugillum Cyathus Cochlear Gutta
etc.
or aa Partes oequales Quantum Sufficit Quantum libet Quantum
volueris Libra Uncia Drachma or
dram Scrupulus Granum Pilulae Piot or potassa Pulvis Pulvis factus
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 147
Tine Ext Chartul Collyr. Collut. Decoct. Garg. Haust. lams. Mist.
ZZ
A.c. P.c. Ss.
OI E.A. Tus or urg Oi
Addendua H.s. SOS Pro M.D. = part oc
Agit. Ante Applic Aqua vas
Fervens
Dur Dies Dicrus Cat
dolor Ad Sine Grad
lib
mora <D
Extractum
Decoction Gargarisma
Mistura
Zingiber Tinctura
Chartula Collyrium Collutorium
Haustus Infusum
Semisses
Ex Anta Post Tussal Hora Aqua
cibum
cibum
somni urg.
Pro. occula oe p
Agitato vase
Appliceteur
Cataplasm
Durante dolore Gradation Ad libitum
Tincture An Small Eye Mouth extract wash
paper
wash
(usually fluid)
Decoction Gargle A An Mixture Half Ginger One In Before After At As For Equal To To Shake Before Let Boiling Poultice
draught
water
bedtime required be be infusion the there Pint meals
parts used added the meals eyes
water When be vessel as applied
directed
the cough is troublesome
Spoken Annual Biennial Perennial herb of
herb
herb
Date While By At Without or pleasure; degrees Flowers day the delay; pain as perfect lasts
you urgent
please
SOME SIMPLE TREATMENTS Remember, preparations should NOT be boiled in aluminum vessels. Use copper or earthenware or, better still, Pyrex®, so as not to contaminate the medicines. Now here are some simple recipes you can use for practice (or for real!). If you are unable to gather the herbs yourself, see the source list at the end of this lesson. MEDICINAL DRINKS For loss of appetite and debility:
Wood Betony—1 oz Barberry bark—1 oz Bogbean—1 oz
Boil in half a gallon of water for 15 minutes. Sweeten with honey and leave to cool. Then stir in 2 teaspoonfuls of good Brewers Yeast. Let the whole Stand for 12 hours. Skim off the top and bottle the remainder, do not use for 24 hours. Dose: ad. lib.
148 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
For Diarrhea:
Equal parts—Cranesbill herb
Bayberry bark Shepherd's Purse Mix with 4 pints of water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. Sweeten with honey (not sugar). Dose: */2 wineglass ad. lib.
MEDICINAL SYRUPS For a cough:
Blood Root, crushed—3 oz.
Steep in good vinegar or acetic acid for 2 weeks. Strain and add IVz Ibs of good honey and gently simmer down to two-thirds the volume. Dose: YZ teaspoonful.
For a hacking, irritating cough: Ipecacuan syrup—1 oz. Sassafras (bruised)—1 oz. Aniseed—2 oz. Honey—4 oz. American Valerian 2 oz. Black Oats—2 oz. Water—2 quarts
Boil the whole for 30 minutes and then add 1 pint of spirits of wine. Dose: Vz wineglassful when the cough is at its worst.
MEDICINAL DECOCTIONS For clearing the blood of impure matter.
Sasaparilla Bruised Decoction: Bruised Honduras Sasaparilla—2 oz. Boiling Water—1 quart
Simmer for 30 minutes then sweeten with honey. Dose: \ gill, 3 times a day.
For coughs and all pulmonary complaints.
Balm of Gilead decoction: Balm of Gilead buds—1 teaspoonful Rain water—1 pint
Mix and infuse for 30 minutes.
NOTE: In all decoctions and remedies where no preserving agent (such as brandy or honey) is used, the remedy must not be kept longer than a few days, otherwise it may turn cloudy, indicating that it is useless as medicine.
A stimulating gargle:
Equal parts—Sumach berries Goldenseal
Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and add 1 drachm of Boracic acid to every pint.
MEDICINAL TEAS For removing griping pains and irritation. Excellent for children (Vz tablespoonful).
Catnip Tea:
Catnip leaves and flowers—1 oz. Brown sugar—Vz oz. Milk—1 tablespoon Boiling Water—1 pint
Infuse for 25 minutes then strain. The tea made with the Catnip leaves and flowers and water only can be used as a very effective enema, to cleanse the bowels.
To increase menstruation; to destroy all types of worms:
Tansy leaves—1 oz. Brown sugar—1 tablespoon Boiling Water—1 pint
Infuse for 30 minutes and strain. Dose: Vz wineglassful, occasionally.
An eye wash, good for granulated eyelids and in- flamed eyes:
Tine. Hydrastis Can—1 oz. Tine. Sanguinaria—1 dr. • Boracic acid—Vz dr.
Shake well until mixed. Dose: 10 drops of the compound in Vz tumbler of water, as an eye wash.
MEDICINAL MIXTURES For cases of faintness, hysteria, debility and all nervous cases. Nerve mixture:
Tine, of Pimpernel—Vz oz. Mint Water (Menths virdis)—iVz oz. Tine. Valerian—1 dr. Comp. Tine. Cardamon—Vz oz.
Mix well. Dose: 2 tablespoonsful, 3 times a day.
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 149 Cough mixture:
Syrup of Ipecacuana—2 dr. Syrup of Squills—2 dr. Tine, of Bloodroot—2 dr.
Mix well. Dose: 1 to lx/2 teaspoonsful a day, or when cough is bad.
Sexual invigorator:
False Unicorn—Vz oz. Tine. St. John's Wort—V2 oz. Tine. Damiana—¥2 oz.
Mix well. Dose: 30 to 60 drops, every 6 hours.
WICCAN NAME
Adder's Mouth Adder's Meat Adder's Tongue Ass's Ear Bear's Ear Bear's Foot Beehive Beggar's Tick Bird's Eye Bird's Tongue Black Boy Resin Bloody Fingers Bull's Eyes Bull's Foot Calf's Snout Catgut Cat's Eye Cat's Foot Cat's Foot/Paw Cat's Milk Chicken Toe
OINTMENTS For growths of a malignant nature, piles, ringworm, etc.
Goldenseal ointment:
Goldenseal root—2 oz. Methylated Spirits—1 oz. Glycerine—1 oz. Water—1 oz.
Bruise well the Goldenseal root, then add to the other ingredients and mix well. Let the whole stand in a warm place, closely corked, for a week. Then press out all the liquid and thoroughly incorporate this residue with 4 oz. lard, in a liquid state. Pour into screw-top jars.
WITCHES' PHARMACOPOEIA
One of the usual misconceptions that cowans (non—Witches) have of the Craft, is that we boil up all sorts of evil ingredients in our cauldrons! How did this warped belief come about? Well, it was because of the many local common names given to ordinary herbs. An herb, perhaps because of its suggestive appearance, would acquire a picturesque name. The name would stick and, before long, be taken at its face value, Dragon's Blood is an excellent example. This gum resin was given the name because of its reddish-brown color,
similar to dried blood, and because it comes from such plants as Calamus draco, Dracaena draco, Pterocarpus draco, etc., named after the constellation Draco the Dragon, of the Northern Hemisphere. It is NOT the actual dried blood of a dragon, though many people believe it is!
Here are some other herbs, together with their local names, so that the next time you come across an old recipe calling for, say, the tongue of a horse and the eye of a cat, youll know what was really meant.
COMMON NAME
LATIN NAME
Stitch Wort
Dogstooth Violet Comfrey Auricula Stinking Hellbore Snail Plant Cockhold False Hellebore European Ash
Foxglove Marsh Marigold Coltsfoot Toadflax Hoary Pea Star Scabious Canada Snake Root Ground Ivy Wartwort Crawley
Stellaria ophioglossiodes Erythronium Symphytum Primula factious Bidens vemalis Xanthorrhoea Digitalis palustris Linaria virginiana Asarum glechoma helioscopia ordontorhiza frondosa vulgaris Medicago media^ Fraxinus canadense auricula purpurea Tussilago Euphorbia Scabiosa Corallorhiza officinale
Americanum
arborea
Microstylis
Adonis
Tephrosia
Helleborus
excelsior
scuttellata
Caltha farfara
Nepeta stellata
Root
150 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
WICCAN NAME COMMON NAME LATIN NAME Cock's Comb Yellow Rattle Rhinanthus christagalli Cow's Tail Canada Fleabane Erigeron canadense Crow Devil's Foot Milk Cranesbill Wartwort Geraniummaculatum Euphorbia helioscopia Dog's Donkey's Tongue Eyes Dove's Foot Dragon's Claw Dragon's Duck's Foot Eye Fairy Fingers/Gloves Flesh Fox Tail and Blood Cowage Cranesbill Plant Crawley Root Conoglossum Mucuna pruriens offidnale
(seeds) Geranium Corallorrhiza sylvaticum
odontorrhiza American Mandrake Foxglove Tormentil Club Moss Nephalium Podophyllum loganum
peltatum Digitalis Potentillatormentilla Lycopodium purpurea
clavatum Foal's Foot Frog's Foot Coltsfoot Bulbous Buttercup Tussilago farfara
Ranunculus bulbosus Goat's Beard Vegetable Oyster Tragopogon porrofolius Goat's Hare's Foot Foot Ash Clover Weed Aegopodium Trifolium arvense
podograria
Hedgehogs Medicago intertexta Horse Tail Scouring Rush Equisetum hyemale Horse Hound's Jew's Ear Tongue Tongue Hart's Vanilla Fungus Tongue Leaf on Elder or Elm Scolopendrium Liatris Peziza auricula
odoratissima
vulgare
Lamb's Tongue Ribwort Plantain Plantago lancetolata Lizard's Lizard's Tail Tongue Breast Weed Saururuscernuus
Sauroglossum Mother's Heart Shepherd's Purse Capsella bursa pastoris Mouse Ear Mouse Blood Wort Hieracium pilosella Mouse Tail Common Stonecrop Sedum acre Negro Head Vegetable Ivory Phytelephas macrocarpa Old Ox Tongue Man's Beard Fringe Bugloss Tree Chionanthus Anchusa officinallis
virginica
Rabbit's Shepherd's Foot Heart Field Shepherd's Clover Purse Trifolium Cabella bursa arvense
pastoris Snake Head Balmony Chelone glabra Snake Milk Blooming Spurge Euphorbia corollata Snake's Tongue Adder's Tongue Fern Ophioglossum vulgatum Squirrel Stag Horn Ear White Club Moss Plantain Goodyear Lycopodium repens
clavatum Stinking Swine Toad Snout Goose Foot Dandelion Toadflax Chenopodium foetidum Taraxacumdensleonis Linaria vulgaris Unicorn's Wolf's Claw Horn False Lycopodium Unicorn Helgonias Lycopodium dioica
clavatum Wolf's Foot Bugle Weed Lycopus virginicus
Lesson Ten: Herbalism / 151
SOURCES
Below are listed some sources for herbs and herbal preparations. The list is as up-to-date as I can make it but it is always possible that some of the companies listed may have gone out of business.
APHRODISIA PRODUCTS INC. 45
Washington Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
THE HERB SOCIETY OF AMERICA
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
INDIANA BOTANICAL GARDENS
Hammond, IN 46325
THE HERB STORE P.O. Box 5756, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
KIEHL PHARMACY 109
Third Avenue, New York, NY 10003
GOLDEN GATE HERB RESEARCH
P.O. Box 77212, San Francisco, CA 94107
EDWARDS HEALTH CENTER
480 Station road, Quaker-town, PA 18951
ATLANTIS RISING 7915
S.E. Stark, Portland, OR 97215
THE MAGICKAL CHILDE 35 West 19 Street, New York, NY 10011
BOTANICA Box 88, Station N,
Montreal, Canada H2X 3N2
THE SOCIETY OF HERBALISTS
Culpeper House, 21 Bruton Street, Berkeley Square, London W.I, England
In Hecate child she Thomas uses before is them:
made boiling Middleton's to him stuff for the play hisfat(l). mouth the She and Witch recounts nostrils (1612) the of materials an the unbaptised character
as
Hecate: The mouth I populeas Pentaphyllon, Solanum thrust magickal cramm'dfull, in and somnificum eleoselinum soot. herbs the blood Then His are et lately, slum, of oleum.'
ears down the and Aconitum, acorum flitter-mouse,
his nostrils throat; vulgare frondes stuff'd;
His
too,
A fearsome concoction it seems—until examined. The
eleoselinum a treatment leaf-buds vulgare the The egg-plant shade used hardy Greek to Solanum species bind is herbaceous and calamus, of name of these rheumatism is the others; ofsolanum. family nothing for poplar; various used the plant somnificum includes cinquefoil; for more and used sium innocuous The disorders neuralgia. than oleum internally is such probably a the common flitter-mouse of ingredients.
was as water the as Frondes indicates the in stomach. well parsnip all parsley; potato, as is, probability populeas one externally of Pentaphyllon course, and aconitum bitter-sweet, of the acorum are the in a night- bat. the the
oil is
is
Witchcraft from the Inside Raymond Buckland, Llewellyn Publications, 1971
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. Tell what some of your personal uses and successes with herbs have been. List what you've tried and what results
were observed.
2. List your personal supply of herbs that you have on hand. What use does each herb have (what medicinal value
is it reported to contain/exhibit)?
3. List your favorite recipes, decoctions, infusions, etc. on this page.
4. Tell how you gathered your supply of herbs (where and when). List any good suppliers you have found
5. What books, herbals, or other sources have you used in your herbal work? Are there local experts you have
talked with? What have you learned?
LESSON ELEVEN MAGICK
NOTE: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT LESSON FOR THE STUDENT. Do not rush through it. Read and study it carefully. Read it several times over. You should become thoroughly familiar with its contents. What Witchcraft is first and foremost a religion. Worship of the Lord and the
natural With men actually Witchcraft whose snare fasting is cult forces Witchcraft knowing is all that and the through mysteries power science incantation, what but a supernatural the it and of merge Witches is that human that use with Theda power, and it— they conjuring, Still control power? mingle. Kenyan without use. within
Live So of ...
Lady is therefore the prime concern of the Witch. Magick is secondary to that worship.
Yet magick does play a part in most, if not all, religions (in Roman Catholicism, for example, transubstantiation is pure magick). As in other religions, then, so in Witchcraft we find magick—but, I reiterate, as a secondary aspect.
In itself, magick is a practice. If all you want to do is to work magick, then you don't need to become a Witch to do it. Anyone can do magick... or, at least, can attempt to do it. Such a person is a Magician.
There are many different forms of magick—dozens; perhaps even hundreds. Some can be very dangerous: in Ceremonial Magick, for example; when the Magician is conjuring and working with various entities, most of whom are decidedly antagonistic towards the Magician. Some traditions of the Craft do tend to lean towards this aspect of Ceremonial Magick in their workings, for whatever reason, and do in fact conjure various beings. But this can be dangerous. Not only that, but to my mind it is totally unnecessary. It is a little like trying to hook-up a 1,000 volt power line to run a transistor radio! Why take the risk when a simple little battery will do the job just as well and without the danger? The magick I will deal with in this book, although quite as effective as any other, is SAFE ... you cannot get hurt.
But what, exactly, is "Magick"? It is one of those words that have different connotations for different people. First of all I am not talking about stage "magic"—conjuring, or prestidigitation. Pulling rabbits out of hats and sawing young ladies in half is pure illusion. Indeed, to dif- ferentiate between this and other true magick, that of Witchcraft and the occult world is spelled with a final "k"—Magick—the old spelling. Magick
155
Never probably that need. it It do does. is hard won't—or Magick Do work it "just only when just to when to you see prove do if there it it to properly.
works"—it is someone a real
156 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Primitive Man works magically by imagining what he wants. He sits and 'sees' himself hunting an animal. He 'sees'himself attack it and kill it. He 'sees' himself then with food. Sometimes, to help him see these things, he draws pictures. He paints a picture, or carves a model, of himself hunting and killing. All of this is part of what is catted 'sympathetic' magic ... To help YOU 'see', or visualize, there are some exercises you can do. The first is easy.
Take a picture from a magazine—let's say it is of a house. Look at it carefully. Study it. See all the details of the house and of the rest of the picture. See the shape of the roof; the windows and where they are. See the door(s) and the front steps, if there are any. See the garden and the fence, if there is one. See the roadway outside the house, and any people who might be in the picture.
Now tear the picture in half. Take one of the halves and lay it on a sheet of white paper. Look at it. Visualize the missing half of the picture. See it whole. See all the details as you remember them. You can then check with the other half of the picture to see if you're correct (see Illustration 1).
You can do this sort of exercise with more and more complicated pictures, till you are able to visualize all details easily (see Illustration 2).
Now take a picture of the person (this can be used for healing, among other things) ... You need to study it till you can see him or her, in all detail, without the picture being there. You need to be able to see, to visualize, him or her doing what you want them todo... See it—concentrate on it.
The Everyday Practice of Voodoo Boko Cede, CBE Books, CA 1984
Illustration 1
Illustration 2
Illustration 3
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 157 done for good purposes is labeled "White Magick"; that done for evil purposes, "Black Magick". These terms have no racial connotations. They come from the early Persian concepts of Good and Evil. Zoroaster (Zarathustra) decided that of all the many, until then, good spirits or devi, there was actually only one who was fl//-good. This was Ahura-Mazda— the Sun; the Light. Now if you have an all-good deity then you need an all-evil opposite (you can't have white unless you have black as a contrast), so the role was given to Ahriman—the Darkness. The other minor devi became "devils". This concept of all-good/all-bad was picked up later in Mithraism and then moved west into Christianity. So from Persia do we get the basic ideas for White Magick and Black Magick.
Since anyone can do magick, there can be White Magicians and Black Magicians—those trying to help others and those trying to harm them. By virtue of the Craft belief in retribution, of course, you cannot have a "Black Witch"; it would be a contradiction in terms.
Aleister Crowley defined magick as "the art or science of causing change to occur in conformity with Will". In other words, making something happen that you want to happen. How; do we make these things happen? By using the "power" (for want of a better word) that each of us has within. Sometimes we must supplement that power by calling on the gods, but for most things we can produce all that we need ourselves.
PHYSICAL BODY
To be able to produce power, though, we must be in good shape. A sick tree bears little fruit. Keep yourself in good physical condition. You don't have to run five or ten miles a day, or have to lift weights to do this. Just see to it that you do not get grossly overweight (or underweight, for that matter). Watch your diet. Cut down on the junk food and try to keep a "balanced" diet; though what is balanced for one person may not be so for another. Try to stick to natural foods. Avoid sugar (aptly known as "the white death"!) and bleached flour. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit. I don't suggest you become a vegetarian, but don't overindulge in meat. You'll know if you are in good shape because you'll feel good.
Cleanliness, before working magick, is important. It is good practice to cleanse the inner body by fasting. Eat and drink nothing but water, honey and whole wheat bread for twenty-four hours beforehand. No alcohol or nicotine; no sexual activity (this latter is especially important when preparing for sex-magick, see below). Before the ritual, bathe in water to which has been added a tablespoonful of salt; preferably sea salt (this can be purchased at most supermarkets or at health food stores).
What healing, might separately, "coincidence". very something all examples difficult handy sort be though in to of appears are could order. understand. word magick Coincidence, produced, not be Any and unusual, is always. dismissed done? When one much of 'coincidence'itself a incredible, A Mainly used them, however, large with few whenever number examples looked the works word or is at at of of
a
becomes sufficient coincidence. not is unimportant—they a to little prove Whether strained. to themselves anyone believe.
Witches believes that have it them is done not or
Raymond Buckland, Witchcraft Llewellyn Paul, from Publications, MN the 1971 Inside
St.
CIRCLE
The Circle itself is important. When magick is to be done, the Circle must be constructed with more care than might otherwise be the case. Dimensions may be as given in the earlier lesson, but the Circle must be very carefully cast and consecrated at the Erecting the Temple. Make sure
the point of the sword, or athame, follows the line of the circle exactly. The person casting the Circle should direct as much personal energy down through the instrument and into the Circle as possible. Give a good, thorough sprinkling and censing. Magick is done at the Esbat Circle, of course, so the Esbat and/or Full/New Moon ceremony will be conducted, followed by the Cakes and Ale. At this latter the coven will discuss fully what work (magick) is to be done and exactly how it is to be done. Then— just before actually starting the work—let the Priest/ess once more go around the Circle with sword or athame, to reinforce it (second sprinkling and censing not necessary, however). A few moments should then be spent meditating on the whole picture of what is to be done. As you will see, below, in the actual working of the magick you will be concentrating on the end result but for now, right at the start, meditate on all that is to be accomplished.
ENTRY AND EXIT
At no time during the working of magick should the Circle be broken. At other times it is possible to leave the Circle and return, though this should always be done with care—and no more than absolutely necessary—in the following manner:
Leaving the Circle
Wih athame in hand, standing in the East, make a motion as though cutting across the lines of the Circle, first on your right and then on your left (Figure 11.1 A and B). You may then walk out of the Circle, between the lines. If you like you can imagine that you have cut a gateway, or doorway, in the East, through which to pass.
Some Wiccans start the cut at the ground on one side and come up to their full height, over in a curve, and then down all the way to the ground again on the other side, as though cutting out a large, complete doorway. This is not really necessary since the very act of Cutting across the lines of the consecrated Circle, with the athame, is sufficient to open it.
Re-entry
When you return to the Circle, walk back in through that same Eastern gateway and "close" it behind you by "reconnecting" the lines of the Circle. Three circles were originally cast—one with the sword; one with the salted water; one with the censer. So you have three lines to reconnect. You do this by moving your blade backwards and forwards along the lines (Figure 11.1C). Incidentally/this is why the blade of the athame is double-edged—so that it will "cut" in either direction, in this and similar magickal actions.
To finish, you "seal" the break by raising your athame and moving the blade to describe a pentagram. Start at the top and bring down to the
158 I Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Old woodcut of "Robin Goodf ellow" and a Circle of dancing Witches, raising power.
Figure 11.1A
Figure 11.IB
Figure 11.1C
bottom left. Then move it up and diagonally across to the right; straight across to the left; diagonally down to the bottom right, and finally, back up to the top where you started (Figure 11.ID). Then kiss the blade of your athame and return to your place.
Normally once the Circle starts no one should leave it until the Clearing the Temple. The Circle should not, therefore, be broken unless absolutely necessary (such as when someone has to go to the bathroom!). If the person cutting out is to be gone for some time, then s/he should do steps A and B (above), pass through, then do step C to temporarily close the Circle whilst gone. On returning, s/he will then need to cut through again (at the same spot; steps A and B), pass through and close as usual with step C, followed by step D to seal it. ONCE MAGICK WORK IS STARTED THE CIRCLE MUST NOT BE BROKEN.
CONE OF POWER
We all have power within our bodies. It is this same power that can be used for healing; that can be seen as the aura; that can move inanimate objects; that lets you see things in a crystal ball or in the tarot cards. It is a very awesome power, and when used as you are about to learn, one which can change your very life.
When working in a coven, the power can be drawn off from the individuals and—contained by the confines of the consecrated Circle-blended together to form one massive instrument to "cause change to occur in conformity with Will". Needless to say, the wills of all the coven members must be directed towards the same end. Whether from a group or from an individual Witch, the power generates and collects in the form of a cone, over the Circle. Once sufficient power has been produced, then this Cone of Power can be directed.
Whenever you are working magick, make sure that you are not going to be disturbed. You are going to be putting all your energies, all your concentration into the work you are doing. You cannot do this if, at the back of your mind, you are worrying that someone will discover you, that the neighbors will complain about noise, that the telephone will ring (take it off the hook), or that you will, in some way, be interrupted. BE SECURE.
DANCING AND CHANTING
There are several ways of building up the power within your body, before releasing it. I will start by looking at the most common method: that of dancing and chanting. Dancing and chanting are found universally, in ancient civilizations, and even in primitive societies today: the Amerindian, the African, the Australian, and many more.
In his book, Witchcraft Today, Gerald Gardner gives an example of how music—in this case a simple drum beat—can affect the mind: "They told me they could make me fighting mad. I did not believe it, so they got me to sit, fixed in a chair so that I could not get out. Then one sat in front
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 159
160 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
of me playing a little drum; not a tune, just a steady tom-tom-torn. We were laughing and talking at first... it seemed a long time, although I could see the clock and knew it was not. The torn-tom-tom went on and I felt silly; they were watching me and grinning and those grins made me angry. I did realize that the tom-tomming seemed to be a little quicker and my heart seemed to be beating very hard. I felt flashes of heat, I was angry at their silly grins. Suddenly I felt furiously angry and wanted to pull loose out of the chair; I tugged out and would have gone for them, but as soon as I started moving they changed their beat and I was not angry any longer."
By dancing around in a circle, especially to a regular beat or the rhythm of a chant, you can set the blood coursing through the veins. As the dance, and the beat, quickens, so does your heart-beat. You feel hotter; you get excited... the power builds. Most Circle dances, then, start fairly slowly and gradually build up, faster and faster, to a climax.
As part of a coven, you can dance around (deosil, of course) holding hands, or you can dance individually. But joining hands does join the energies and help build up everyone's power together, evenly. Actual steps of the dances and examples of suitable music are to be found in Appendix D.
What to chant as you dance? You want something simple and something rhythmic. By simple I mean not only non-complex but also intelligible. No mumbo-jumbo! Some covens dance around chanting strange words that no one knows the meaning of. How can you put feeling into what you're saying if you don't know what you're saying?! You are working magick to bring money? ... then chant about bringing money. Why not something like "Lord and Lady, we're your Witches. Make us happy; bring us riches" ? It may seem mundane and non-mystical but it's a lot easier to put feeling into that (and to remember the words) than it is into something like "... Lamach, lamach, bacharous, carbahaji, sabalyos, barylos ..." Not only is it simple and more intelligible, but it is rhythmic. There is a definite beat to it that you can put to a dance step. As you've seen from Gerald Gardner's experiment, the beat is important; it can really affect you.
So there are no set words, no ready-made chants (no "Turn to page 27, chant number 33") for you. Magick must suit the individual, or the individual coven. Let the coven sit down together, either during the Cakes and Ale or as a separate, pre-Esbat, "business" meeting, and work out exactly what you want to say;
which words you will all feel comfortable with. Solitary Witches will have to do this alone, of course.
Remember: SIMPLICITY and RHYTHM.
FEELING
Feeling ... perhaps the strongest single element in the practice of magick. To produce the power, you must feel strongly about what you are trying to do. Let's say a coven is trying to relocate an old man who needs to get out of a high crime neighborhood. Every member of the coven must:
(a) feel strongly that it is right for the old man to move, and
(b) know where they are trying to move him.
The coven—or the individual, if a Solitary—must care about the old man as much as if he were their own father. They must really want to help him. This is why it is easier to do magick for yourself—and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't do magick for yourself than to do it for someone else. The person who will have the strongest feelings about the case, the strongest desire for its success, is the person primarily involved in the case ... and that is the best person to do the magick for it.
Get a clear picture in your mind of what you want done. Think, especially, of the end result. For example, supposing you want to write a best-selling novel. Don't think of yourself doing the actual writing of the novel. Rather, think of the novel having already been written (by you, of course), accepted and published and see, in your mind, the finished book. See it in its dust-jacket (or as a paperback) in the bookstores; see your name on it; see people buying it; see it on the best-seller list; see yourself at autograph parties. Get this picture/ these pictures clear in your mind and concentrate your energy to that end. See a stream of white light, as it were (or however you might want to picture the flow of energy), coming from you—directed by you— and leading to that end result.
DON'T SEE A THING WORKING — SEE
IT FINISHED!
In the example used earlier, don't see the old man moving out of his present neighborhood; see him living happily in a new neighborhood. This is one of the secrets of successful magick—the visualization of the end result.
DRAWING DOWN POWER In Ceremonial Magick there is a tool much used, known as the Wand (or Magick Wand). Several tradi- tions of the Craft (e.g. Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Huson) have borrowed this Wand—and other tools—from Ceremonial Magick, yet I feel the tool itself is un- necessary. We of the Craft have our own tool that can do all that the Magician's Wand can do... it is the athame. The Wand is seen as a projection, or extension, of the Magician's arm; a storage cell and projector of his power. The athame is all that too, so why bother with the Wand?
If you should need to reinforce the power you are going to raise; if you perhaps feel (and this might especially be true of a Solitary) that you may not be able to produce enough power for what you want to accomplish, then you can "draw down" power from the gods, to aid you. As you complete your dancing, and just before releasing the power (see below), draw your athame and hold it, with both hands, above your head. Call upon the Lord and Lady, by whichever names you use, either silently or by actually calling their names aloud, and feel a surge of energy come down your arms, from the athame, and into your body. Then swing the athame down, to point out and away from you, and release the power.
RELEASING THE POWER Your aim is to build up the power to as high a point as possible and then to release it to cause the change/work the magick. Think of it as similar to a child's air rifle: he pumps up the gun—the more pumps he gives it, the stronger will be the force—then aims it and releases the power by squeezing the trigger. You are "pumping up" your power by dancing and chanting. Now to aim and squeeze the trigger.
Make sure you have pumped up to maximum. Dance faster and faster and chant faster and louder, till you feel you are ready to burst. Then, stop dancing and drop to your knees (or flat on the floor, or however you feel best. You will find this by experimentation). If necessary, draw down the power. Take aim: get that picture in your mind and focus it. You will feel the power within you as you focus; you will feel the power trying to burst out. Hold it as long as you can, keeping that picture in mind. When you feel you just cannot hold it any more, release it—let it burst out of you as you SHOUT the Key Word. If you are working for money, then shout "MONEY!" If for love, "LOVE!" If
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 161
for a new job, "JOB!"
In your earlier deliberations, during Cakes and Ale, decide what is to be the Key Word. This is the release; the squeezing of the trigger. And SHOUT it out! Don't be self-conscious; don't worry about the neighbors; don't think "What will people think?"... just shout it out and release all that accumulated power. Obviously not everyone in a coven will release at the same time. That's all right. Each person releases as s/he is ready. Afterwards you will probably collapse, completely exhausted ... but you will feel good! Take your time recovering. Have a glass of wine (or fruit juice) and relax before Clearing the Temple.
In some traditions the power is directed by the coveners into the Priest/ess who, in turn, does the actual releasing and directing. This can be quite effective, though I have found that it takes a strong Priest/ess to properly handle the accumulation of power and the direction, so I do not generally recommend this method.
TIMING
It is important to know when to do your magick. In an earlier lesson I talked about the phases of the Moon. The Moon is your clock and your calendar for working magick. If the Moon is waxing, then that is the time for constructive magick—and the best time is as close to the Full Moon as possible. If it is waning, then that is the time for destructive magick—and the best time is as close to the New Moon as possible.
Constructive magick is that which is for increase. For example, moving an old man from a bad neighbor- hood to a good one is definitely going to increase his happiness. Love magick is constructive, as is the acquisition of a new job, wealth, success, health.
Destructive magick is usually concerned with the ending of things: a love affair; a bad habit; a way of life.
Consider the problem carefully and decide on the best way to work. For example, if you want to be rid of an old girl/boy-friend and get a new one, do you work to end the one or to start the other? Or do you do both? The answer can be summed up with "THINK POSITIVE". In other words, as much as possible, work for the constructive aspect. If you concentrate on getting a new girl/boy-friend then that will probably take care of the old one automatically. When in doubt, work at the WAXING Moon.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THE WICCAN REDE:
162 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
"AN'IT HARM NONE, DO WHAT THOU WILT". Donot do any magick that will harm anyone in any way what- soever, or interfere with their free will. If in doubt; don't do it.
It is often a good idea, especially when working on something very important (of course you shouldn't be wasting your time and effort on anything unimportant anyway), such as a healing, to work at it over a period of time. For example, you could do the work once a Week throughout the Moon's phase. Let's say that the New Moon falls on July 30th and the Full Moon on August 15th. Then you could start your magick on August 1st, repeat it on the 8th and do a final working on the night of the Full Moon itself, the 15th.
Days of the week can play a part too. For example, Friday is always associated with Venus who, in turn, is associated with love. So do love magick on a Friday, if at all possible. The correlation of days and planets, with their governing of properties, is as follows. Choose your day for working magick based on these. WEDNESDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus Saturn Sun Merchandise; Matrimony; Debt; Honor; Love; Life; Fortune; building; fear; friendship; riches; hope; loss
war; dreams; doctrine; clothing; money enemies; strangers theft
protection desires
prison
CORD MAGICK Many Witches and covens work Cord Magick. For this you will need a cord, or tingulum as it is some- times called, that is nine feet long (three times three; the perennial magick number) and is red in color (the color of blood; the life force). It is best to make your own by taking three lengths of red silk (or wool, nylon, whatever you prefer—though natural materials are preferred) and yourself plaiting them into one. As you plait, concentrate on putting yourself—your energies into it so that it becomes another part of you. Like your athame, no one else should ever use your cord but you. Tie a knot at each end to keep it from unraveling. Make sure it is nine feet long.
Consecrate the cord, when done. Use the consecra- tion given in Lesson Five, but using the words "Here do I present my Cord for your approval... would that it henceforth may serve me as a tool, in thy service." Some traditions use their cords tied about their robes and wear them all the time at Circles. I would suggest you keep yours for strictly magickal use, since it is a purely magickal instrument. When not in use, keep it wrapped in a piece of clean white linen or silk.
One magickal use of the cord is as a "storage cell"
for the power. Rather than dancing around and working as a group, the coven will work as individuals, sitting and chanting, holding the cord in hand (the same is obviously done by the Solitary). As the power starts to build, each Covener will—taking her own time and ig- noring, or mentally separating herself from, the others-pause from time to time to tie a knot in her cord. The first knot is tied at one end, with the words "By knot of one, the spell's begun." She will then go back to chant- ing—oftimes swaying from side to side, or back and forth—until she feels it is time to tie another knot. This is tied in the opposite end with the words: "By knot of two, it cometh true". Then back to the chanting. As she chants, she also pictures what she wants ... she "takes aim", as I put it in Releasing the Power, above. So it goes on; chanting and picturing, then tying a knot. As the power builds, more knots are tied until there are nine knots in the cord. They are tied in a particular pattern and with appropriate words. The first knot, as I have said, is tied at one end; the second at the other end. The third is tied in the middle. The fourth is halfway between the first and third; the fifth halfway between the second and third. Here is the pattern of tying, together with the appropriate words:
By knot THREE, this spell's fix By knot power of alive knot TWO, of so I ONE, of By mote store SEVEN, it knot cometh it By the be of knot spell's By SIX, events true knot of begun this FIVE, By 111 of spell knot FOUR, leaven
By
the I of
By knot knot of NINE, of EIGHT, what's it will done be is Fate mine
By
At the tying of the last (ninth) knot, all the energy is directed into the cord and its knots, with a final visualization of the object of the work. The power has been raised and is now "stored" in these knots in the cord. There are old woodcuts, from the Middle Ages, which show Witches selling knotted cords to sailors. They were supposed to have tied-up winds in the cords so that if the sailor needed a wind for his ship he just untied a knot and got it—one knot for a light breeze, two for a strong wind and three for a gale!
Why would you want to store a spell? For some magick, the time for it to happen is important. Suppose, for example, that you want something constructive to happen but the most propitious time for it to do so happens to be close to the New Moon. Do you do your constructive magick during the Waxing Moon? No. You do it early on, at the Full Moon, using a cord*.
'This from is New not to to say Full that Mooa
all magick is instantaneous, of course. It is not. But the closer to the event you can work the climax of your magick, the better; similar to the example of working weekly
Instead No w the power is there, properly raised, but stored for
of holding hands to dance around, the coven is use.
connected with the intertwining cords like the spokes of You have nine knots. Although they are all tied in
a great wheel. one ritual, these must be released one at a time—one a day—for nine consecutive days. Release them in the
CANDLE MAGICK same order in which they were tied, NOT the reverse order. In other words, on the first day untie the knot
In an earlier part of this book I spoke of early Wo/ that was first tied (at one end); on the second day, the
Man's sympathetic magick; the construction of clay second knot tied (at the other end); and so on. In this
models of the animals to be hunted and then the fashion, the last knot untied, on the ninth day, is the
attacking of these clay figures. Examples similar to this ninth knot that was tied at the climax of the tying ritual—
can be found throughout history: circa 1200 BCE an the time of greatest power. Each day, before you
Egyptian treasury official used a wax figure in a con- actually untie, do your concentration on what is to
spiracy against Ramses III; King Nectanebo II (350 happen, rocking and again building power. Then, as
BCE) fought all his battles ahead of time using wax you release the knot, release the power also with a
figures. For hundreds, if not thousands, of years people of shout.
all races and religions have done this same sort of Another use of the cords is in dancing, to raise
sympathetic magick using candles rather than clay or power. Each Witch holds the two ends of her cord,
wax effigies. Not only are candles used to represent with the center looped through that of the person
people, but also to represent things: love, money, opposite her in the Circle:
attraction, discord, etc. By burning different types of candles and manipulating them in various ways, much magick can be done.
The candles can be of any sort, it is the color that is important. For this the following tables are important: TABLE 1 - ASTRAL COLORS
Sun Sign Birth Date Primary Color Secondary Color AQUARIUS January 20-February 18 BLUE Green PISCES February 19-March 20 WHITE Green ARIES TAURUS March April 20-May 21-April 20 19 WHITE RED Pink
Yellow GEMINI May 21-June 21 RED Blue CANCER LEO June July 23-August 22-July 22 22 GREEN RED Brown Green VIRGO August 23-September 22 GOLD * Black LIBRA September 23-October 22 BLACK Blue SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS October November 23-November 22-December 21 21 BROWN GOLD Black
Red CAPRICORN December 22-January 19 RED Brown
TABLE 2 - SYMBOLISM OF COLORS
WHITE Purity, Truth, Sincerity RED LIGHT BLUE Strength, Health, Vigor, Sexual Love
Tranquility, Understanding, Patience, Health
N DARK BLUE Impulsiveness, Depression, Changeability GREEN GOLD/YELLOW BROWN Finance, Attraction, Hesitation, Fertility, Persuasion, Uncertainty, Luck
Charm, Neutrality
Confidence
PINK BLACK PURPLE Honor, Evil, Tension, Loss, Love, Ambition, Discord, Morality
Confusion Business Progress, Power SILVER/GRAY ORANGE Cancellation, Encouragement, Neutrality, Adaptability, Stalemate
Stimulation, Attraction GREENISH- YELLOW Sickness, Cowardice, Anger, jealousy, Discord
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 163
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TABLE 3 - DAYS OF THE WEEK
Friday Thursday
Saturday
Candle magick can be done on your regular altar, but since many rituals require that the candles be left setup for a period, it might be a good idea to use a supple- mentary altar. This could be a card table, coffee table, box, top of a chest of drawers—almost anything. You will have a white altar candle (with God and Goddess figures on either side, if you wish). In front of this will be your censer, water and salt. These are the basics.
Now let's look at a typical candleburning ritual. The one "To Win the Love of Another" makes a good example. On one side (the left) of the altar place the candle representing the Petitioner (either yourself or the person for whom you are doing the ritual). On the other side of the altar place a candle to represent the one you wish to attract.
Here let me interject to say that you should NEVER try to interfere with another's free will. Therefore you must not perform such a ritual as this, aimed at a specific person. For the second candle, use one for the type of person you wish to attract. For example, you might use a pink candle if you desire someone loving and affectionate; a red one for someone energetic and sexually strong. Or you could use a Cancer (sun sign) candle for someone sensitive and home-loving; a Leo candle for a forceful leader; a Virgo candle for someone analytical and painstaking. With any of these, of course, you cannot find just one or two colors to signify all that you might want in a lover, so you might prefer just to go with a plain white candle. Whichever you use, you can elaborate on your desires when you "dress" it (see below). For the Petitioner's candle (on the left), go by TABLE 1, according to birth date.
The candles of the two principles must be "dressed" before use. This is done by anointing them all over with oil. If you cannot obtain special candle-anointing oil then ordinary olive oil will do. Rub the candles from the center outwards (see Figure 11.2), concentrating your thoughts on the person represented as you do so. See yourself (or the Petitioner) as you rub the first candle. Mentally name it; saying that it represents you (her/ him). For the second candle you will not be using a name, of course, but concentrate your mind on the attributes you wish for in the unknown person you want to attract.
YELLOW WHITE RED PURPLE
BLUE GREEN BLACK
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Figure 11.2
Next to each of these ASTRAL candles stand a RED candle. From TABLE 2 you can see that Red = Strength, health, vigor, sexual love. These red OFFER-ATORY candles, then, will ensure that you are both attracted to one another for those reasons you already have in mind.
Now for the actual attraction part. Beside your own Astral candle stand a GOLD candle. Again from TABLE 2, you can see that Gold (or Yellow) is for attraction, persuasion, charm, confidence. So by your charm and confidence you are going to attract the person you want; to persuade her or him to come to you.
Your altar is now set up like the diagram on the following page.
The ritual is started by drawing a circle about you and the altar, with your athame, and consecrating it as usual. Now meditate for a moment on what you want to achieve.
Light the candle representing the Petitioner and say:
"Here is... (Petitioner's Name)... This candle is her/ him. This flame burns as does her/his spirit."
Light RED #1 and say:
"The love of ...(Name)... is great and is here shown. It is a good strong love and sought by many."
Light ASTRAL candle of the love desired and say:
'This is the heart of another; one whom s/he will love and desire. I picture her/him before me."
Light RED # 2 and say:
"The love s/he has for ...(Petitioner's Name)... grows with this flame. It burns as does the light and is forever drawn towards her/him. Great is the love that each has for the other."
Light GOLD candle and say:
"Here draws the one towards the other. Such is their love that all feel its attraction. This candle bums and draws them ever near. Powerful is the persuasion. Ever does he feel the pull; The thought of her is constant. His days are long with yearning for her, His nights are filled with desire. To be as one, together, is all that he would wish. To be as one, forever, is his immediate need. For no rest shall he find until Beside her he does lie. Her every wish hell move to fill To serve, to live—not die.
Altar Diagram
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 165
He cannot fight a putt so strong, Nor would he think to fight; He wishes but to ride the stream To her, at journey's end. Where the sun goes up Shall her love be by her; Where the sun goes down There will he be." Sit for a moment before extinguishing the candles (which should be blown out, not pinched out). Repeat the ritual every day, moving the ASTRAL and RED #2 candles one inch towards the Petitioner each time. Continue daily until ASTRAL and RED #2 finally touch the PETITIONER.
You should be able to see the sympathetic qualities of the above ritual. This is typical of candleburning magick. There is obviously insufficient room in this lesson to give you all possible rituals. You can make up your own or you may prefer to turn to my book: Practical Candleburning Rituals (Llewellyn Publications, 1982), which contains rituals for nearly thirty different needs.
Candleburning magick can be done by a whole coven, with one or more speaking the words and doing the lighting and moving (where necessary) of the candles.
LOVE MAGICK
There is probably more interest in so-called "love philtres" and "potions" than in any other form of magick. The vast majority of these, however, belong in the realm of fiction. But there are rituals that do
work. One of the best known and most effective is the one involving the use of "POPPETS". These Poppets represent the lovers. As with any sympathetic magick, what is done to the poppets is done to the lovers.
A Poppet is a specially prepared, cloth doll. It is a simple rough figure cut from two pieces of cloth (Figure 11.3). Whilst cutting the cloth, you should be concentrating on the person it represents. It may then be worked on further by embroidering it with the facial features; special characteristics (e.g. beard and moustache; long flowing hair). Even astrological signs of the person may be put on. If you are not too good at embroidery, then put these on with a magic-marker or pen. Now sew around the figure leaving just the top open (Figure 11.4). The figure should then be stuffed with appropriate herbs, again while the actual person is being concentrated upon. Such herbs as verbena, vervain, feverfew, artemesia, yarrow, valerian, motherwort, rosebuds, elder or damiana can be used. These are the herbs governed by Venus. The top may then be sewn up.
Two figures are prepared in this way; one representing the male and the other the female. All of this preparation, of course, should take place in the Circle, and can be done by the individual or by the whole coven. Since you are seeking your "ideal mate" then, as with candleburning (above), make the second figure with all the qualities that you seek. It is nameless but again can display physical desires (e.g. long blonde hair) and be made with all attributes in mind. Remember, this is strong magick. It is for a permanent relationship so do not use it just to obtain a partner for a brief affaire.
When ready lay the poppets on the altar, one at the left hand end of your sword, or athame, and one at the right hand end. They should be in front of the weapon. Also on the altar lay a piece of red ribbon, twenty-one inches in length.
Petitioner: "O mighty God and Goddess, Hear now my plea to you. My
plea for true love for ...(Name)... and for her desire."
Petitioner takes up one of the Poppets and, dipping her fingers into the salted water, sprinkles it all over. She then passes it through the smoke of the incense, turning it so that all parts get well censed. While doing this she says:
Petitioner: "I name this Poppet ...(Petitioner's Name)... It is
her in every way. As she lives, so lives this Poppet. Aught that I do to it, I do to her."
Petitioner replaces the Poppet and picks up the other one. Sprinkling and censing it, she says:
Petitioner: "This Poppet is her desired mate In
every way.
166 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
TWo cloth outlines
Figure 11.3
Leave open to stuff
Sewn around
Embroidered (or painted) with identifying astrological Sun, Moon and Rising Sign symbols
Figure 11.4
As he lives, so lives this Poppet. Aught that I do to it, I do to to him."
Petitioner replaces Poppet, then kneels before the altar with one hand resting lightly on each Poppet. With eyes closed, she pictures the two represented people slowly coining together, meeting, kissing and embracing. As she does this—which should not be hurried—she should slowly move the two Poppets along the length of the sword towards one another until they eventually meet. At this point she may open her eyes, and holding the Poppets together, face to face, say:
Petitioner: "Thus may they be drawn
One to the other, Strongly and truly. To be together always As One. No more shall they be separated; No more alone, But ever fast together As One."
The Poppets should now be laid together in the center of the altar, with the sword resting across on top of them. For the next ten minutes or so, the Petitioner (if Solitary) or the whole coven may start to dance around and work magick, in the usual way, directed to the end of bringing the two people together.
As an alternative, the Petitioner/Coven may simply sit in meditation and concentrate on seeing the two people together—happy, laughing, enjoying one another's company and obviously in love.
This ritual should be performed on a Friday, during the Waxing Moon, and repeated on the following two Fridays. If the calendar is such that it is impossible to get three Fridays in the waxing phase of the Moon, then do it on a Friday, Wednesday and Friday. Always aim to have the final Friday ritual as close to the Full Moon as possible. Between rituals, if the altar cannot be left set up with the two Poppets on it (lying under the sword), then they should be taken (kept together, face to face) and wrapped in a clean, white cloth and put somewhere where they will not be disturbed.
On the final Friday, after the above ritual has been performed, continue as follows:
Petitioner: "Now may the Lord and the Lady Bind
these two together, As I do bind them here."
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 167
She takes up the Poppets and binds the red ribbon several times around the two, tying the ends together about them.
Petitioner: "Now are they for-
ever one, Even as the Gods
themselves. May each truly be- come a part of the other That separated, they would seem in- complete. So Mote It Be!"
The bound Poppets are placed beneath the sword again and left for a few moments while the Petitioner meditates (no dancing or chanting this time).
After completion of the ritual, the Poppets should be wrapped in the clean, white cloth and kept carefully where they will never be unbound.
SEX MAGICK
This is one of the most potent forms of magick, for here we are dealing very much with the life forces. Dr. Jonn Mumford, in Sexual Occultism, states that the most important psycho-physiological event, in the life of a human, is the orgasm. Sex Magick is the art of using the orgasm—indeed, the whole sexual experience— for magickal purposes. Successful sex magick involves an interplay of four factors: (i) all aspects of extrasensory perception are heightened during sexual excitation; (ii) immediately before, during and after climax the mind is in a state of hypersensitivity; (iii) consistency of peak sexual sensations facilitates access to the unconscious realms; (iv) during orgasm many people have experienced timelessness and a total dissolution of the ego, accompanied by subjective sensations of being "absorbed by" their partner.
The sex act is obviously the best possible, and most natural, way of generating the power we need for magick. The whole copulation process follows the pattern of starting slowly and gradually building up, getting faster and faster, until the final explosion of the climax. Within the Circle this can be done by a single couple, by a whole coven, or by a Solitary Witch, as you will see.
168 I Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Start out as usual with a short meditation on what you want to achieve. Then take up positions with males and females, in pairs, kneeling facing one another (I will deal with the Solitary in a moment). With eyes closed, allow your hands to pass slowly over your partner's body, stroking and caressing. This should not be hurried and the object, of course, is to bring about sexual arousal. When ready, the man should sit cross-legged with the woman sitting on top of him, facing him, and with his penis inside her. Now a gentle rocking backwards and forwards should take place. The man should try to keep his erection yet not climax. At this point the concentration should move to the object of the magick (which will also help in delaying orgasm); the "taking aim" part. Get the required picture in your mind and focus on it. Work on it, generating the power within you—you will certainly feel it building—and holding off the orgasm just as long as you possibly can. When the man feels he can hold off no longer, he should allow himself to fall backwards so that he is lying flat on the floor. As he climaxes he should release the power—actually see it, in your mind's eye, flashing away from you in a line of white light. The woman should strive for orgasm at the same time, if necessary stimulating her clitoris with her fingers to achieve it. At completion she may fall (gently!) forwards to lie on her partner—still united— for several minutes.
If the male has difficulty controlling ejaculation, it may be better for him to lay flat on his back at the outset (after the caressing stage) and for the woman to kneel astride him and move as he indicates.
As Jonn Mumford puts it: "If one considers the achievement of orgasm as analogous to launching a rocket to hit the Moon (i.e. the climax), then it is an unequivocal fact that so far as the neural pathways of the nervous system are concerned, the method by which the sexual skyrocket is launched is of absolutely no consequence. All the nervous system is concerned with is that contact explosion in inner space. The firing modality, be it masturbation, homosexuality or hetero-sexuality, is irrelevent. Only the end result (orgasm) is important and any form of sexual behavior is but a means to an end." So, for the Solitary Witch the answer is masturbation; remembering to hold off the orgasm just as long as possible. The longer it can be held off, the more power is generated.
Of course there are alternatives for couples. It might be that the woman has her period; that the
couple are of the same sex; that there is some other strong reason why actual intercourse cannot be indulged in (and let's try to lose the Victorian continence so many of us became imbued with from early Christian propaganda). One alternative is mutual masturbation. Another is oral sex. To once again quote Dr. Mumford: "Any repugnance to oral sex among Westerners is due to widespread confusion about the difference between bodily secretions (waste products no longer needed) and sexual secretions (fluids rich in nutrients) ... biochemistry has discovered that fresh semen con- tains liberal quantities of calcium, iron, phosphorous and Vitamin C*." Oral sex can be especially suitable, of course, when all chances of pregnancy must be eliminated.
I have already emphasized the importance of bodily cleanliness for magick. Where sex magick is to be worked, it is especially important.
Sex Magick can also be very useful as an adjunct to such things as divination and astral projection. If being used as a means of charging a cingulum, then the tying of the knots should be done with the woman tying the first, the man the second, and so on. When the ninth knot has been tied, then the cord should be wrapped around, tying the couple together as they approach orgasm.
One final word on Sex Magick. It is only one of many ways to work magick. If you feel it is not for you, then don't use it. It's as simple as that. No one is saying you have to use Sex Magick if you are a Witch; you don't. Also, if you want to use it but feel you couldn't in a full coven situation, then do it only on an individual basis. The important thing—as in all of Witchcraft—is that you should feel comfortable with what you are doing. You should not be coerced into anything.
BINDING SPELL This is used to prevent someone from giving away a secret. It is again a form of sympathetic magick. A clay or wax effigy may be used, or a cloth Poppet. In ritual it is named for the person it represents. Then, with appropriate words, the Witch takes a needle threaded with a twenty-one inch length of red silk, and sews up the mouth of the figure. She finishes off by winding the thread all around the body of the figure. The concentration is on the fact that the person is unable to speak on the forbidden subject— whatever the secret may be that is being safeguarded. At the end
* the The pores Tantric with facial an astringent pack par excellence action and is tightens liberal quantities the wrinkles, of fresh, feeds warm the semen skin cells upon and the thus skin, leaves with special the face attention rejuvenated to the oily and areas smooth.
of the forehead and nose. As the semen dries, it closes
of the ritual the Poppet is stored away in a safe place, wrapped in a piece of white cloth. So long as the thread remains in place, the person represented is bound.
PROTECTION
It is possible for the nicest person to have enemies. Some people may be jealous of you; misunderstand you; just dislike the way you do your hair! Many people have said to me: "I don't need protection. I don't have any enemies." But there are the above-type "enemies" that you wouldn't even know about. They may well be as sweet as pie to you, to your face, but be bitterly jealous, or whatever, behind your back. How do you protect yourself against their negativity? How do you protect yourself in case some warped individual decides to work magick against you? You don't want to hurt them, but you certainly want to protect yourself.
The best way is with a "Witch's Bottle". This is an ancient defense, known throughout folklore. It is made on an individual basis. The idea is to protect yourself and, at the same time, send back whatever is being sent at you. You should never be the originator of harm, nor seek revenge, but you certainly can protect yourself.
To make a Witch's Bottle, take a regular jar such as a 6 oz instant-coffee jar. Half fill it with sharp objects: broken glass, old razor blades, rusty nails and screws, pins, needles, etc. When the jar is half filled with these objects, urinate in it to fill it. If a woman is preparing her bottle, she should also try to get some menstrual blood into it. Now put the top on the jar and seal it with tape. It should then be buried in the ground, at least twelve inches deep, in an isolated spot where it can remain undisturbed. If you live in a city, then it will be worth a trip out of town to find some remote spot to bury it.
So long as the bottle remains buried and un- broken, it will protect you from any evil directed against you. This applies whether the evil is directed by an individual or by a group of people. Not only will it protect you, but it will also reflect back that evil on the sender (s). So the more s/he tries to harm you, the more s/he will be harmed her/himself.
Such a bottle should last almost indefinitely, but to be on the safe side I'd suggest redoing the ritual once a year. With the present rate of housing develop- ment you never know when your bottle may be dug up or inadvertently smashed.
Lesson Eleven: Magick / 169
FORM OF RITUAL
As you can see there are many, many ways of working magick, far more than I can contain in this one lesson. I have not discussed the magick of healing, but will look at that in Lesson 13.
Don't be afraid to experiment, but do play it safe. None of the magick I have recommended is of the type that involves conjuring up some unknown and un- predictable entity. AVOID THAT TYPE OF MAGICK. That is where you can end up in deep trouble. Wiccan magick is just as powerful (perhaps more so) as any other type, when properly done.
Let me recap the basic form of ritual for the working of magick:
• Cast the Circle carefully. If it is a regular Esbat meeting, reinforce the Circle before starting the magick.
• Never break the Circle whilst working magick. Your power will leak out and who knows what might be attracted in.
• Discuss what is to be done and ensure that everyone is quite clear on how it is to be done. Decide on the exact wording of any chants and on the key word for releasing the power.
• Start with a short meditation in which you see the whole story—the changing pattern from the present situation to the final (desired) situation.
• Work up the power by any of the following, or a combination of them:
dance, chant, cords, sex, candleburning, pop- pets.
• Take aim—see the finished product.
• Release the power.
This has been an important lesson. Please study it well. You are getting closer to the time when you will be practicing all that you have learned. Perhaps this would be a good point at which to start a full review of all that I have discussed so far. Go back and re-read your lessons.
170 I Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
IMPORTANT REMINDER In both the text of this and the next lesson, and in the examination questions, I use examples of "love magick". Please always remember that love magick directed at a specific individual should never be done, for to do so would be to interfere with that person's free will. You would be forcing them to do something
they would not normally do and may not wish to do. The only sort of love magick permissible is that aimed non-specifkally... to bring "someone" to you, without knowing exactly who it will be. But far better to just work on yourself, to make yourself generally more attractive, than to try to change someone else.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. What Magickal methods proved to be most effective for you?
2. Relate some of your experiences, aftereffects, from working Magick.
3. Write out some of the chants that have worked well in your magickal endeavors.
4. Draw a poppet that you will use in a ritual. What will you stuff it with. See Charms, Spells and Formulas by Ray
Malbrough (Llewellyn) for more on poppets.
5. Draw your altar arrangements for candle magick. What color candles do you use for specific workings? Keep a log of the dates on which you have performed rituals and the results. Watch for patterns in planetary influences, colors, days of the week, etc.
6. Illustrate and explain how you construct your Circle for Magick work.
7. Explain your procedure for Drawing Down the Power.
LESSON TWELVE THE POWER
OF THE WRITTEN WORD
In the last lesson I dealt with the power of the spoken word; how, through chant and rhyme, a Cone of Power can be raised to work magick. Now I'd like to look at the power of the written word.
At the time of the Middle Ages, when thousands were being murdered on the charge of Witchcraft, there were many (including high dignitaries of the Christian Church) who engaged in the practice of magick quite openly and unrestrained. The reason they were able to work so freely lies in the word "practice". Witchcraft was a religion and hence a rival to Christianity. But magick, of the ceremonial or ritual variety, was only a practice and therefore no cause for concern by the Church. It was also, by virtue of its nature, a very expensive and learned practice and consequently only available to the select few. That select few consisted of a high percentage of ecclesiastics who not only had the time to devote to its pursuit but who also invariably had access to the necessary funds. Bishops, Archbishops, even Popes were, known to practice the "Art Magick". Gerbert the Bishop, who later became Pope Sylvester II, was regarded as a great magician. Other practitioners included Pope Leo III, Pope Honorius III, Pope Urban V; Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople; Rudolf n, the German Emperor; Charles V of France; the Cardinals Cusa and Cajetan; Bernard de Mirandole, Bishop of Caserta; Udalric de Fronsperg, Bishop of Trent and mariy others.
Each of the magicians worked alone and j ealously guarded his methods of operation. They guarded them not from the Church authorities, but from other magicians. To protect their works from prying eyes, they utilized secret alphabets. Many of these alphabets are known today and are used not only by magicians but also by Witches and other occult practitioners. Why would Witches be interested in using these forms of writing? Some, perhaps, for that same secrecy, but the majority for another very good reason... one way
to put power into an object is to write appropriate words on it whilst directing your energies into the writing.
When you write in ordinary, everyday English script, you invariably do not concentrate. You are so accustomed to writing that you can almost let your mind wander. Your hand almost guides itself as it scribbles away. Compare this to writing in a strange alphabet that you do not know well. Then you have to concentrate; you have to keep your mind on what you are doing. So it is in this way—by utilizing an uncommon form of writing—that you can direct your energies, your power, into what you are working on.
RUNES Magicians would use the above method for charging (with power) everything they needed: their sword, censer, wand, athame, bell, trumpet, trident, etc. They would even write Words of Power on their robes and on a parchment hat. You have already done something similar when making your athame, by carving the handle or etching the blade with your name or your Magickal Monogram. This helped put your own personal power into the instrument.
The word Rune means "mystery" or "secret", in Early English and related languages. It is certainly heavily charged with overtones and for good reason. Runes were never a strictly utilitarian script. From their earliest adaption into Germanic usage they served for divinatory and ritual uses.
There are more variations of runes to be found than any other alphabet, it seems. There are three main types: Germanic, Scandinavian and Anglo-Saxon. They each, in turn, have any number of subdivisions/ variations (see following page).
OGAM BETHLUISNION The early Kelts and their priests, the Druids, had 175
176 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Looking first at the GERMANIC, there are basically twenty-four different runes employed, though variations can be found in different areas. A common name for the Germanic runes is futhark, after the first six letters ('th' is one letter: f> ;. In the SCANDINAVIAN (Danish and Swedish-Norwegian, or Norse) are found sixteen runes, again with (innumerable) variations.
The ANGLO-SAXON runes vary in number, anywhere from twenty-eight to thirty-one. In fact by the ninth Century, in North-umbria, we find thirty-three runes. A common name for the Anglo-Saxon runes is futhorc, again from the first six letters.
A 'Celtic' form of runes is sometimes employed by Gardneriah and Celtic covens. The 'Saxon' runes are the ones favored by the Seax-Wica.
The Tree, The Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft
Raymond Buckland Samuel Weiser, New York 1974
Lesson Twelve: The Power of the Written Word / 177
their own form of alphabet. It was known as Ogam Bethluisnion. It was an extremely simple form and was used more for carving into wood and stone than for general writing. With a center line, it lent itself especially to carving along the edge of a stone or a piece of wood.
Ogam Bethluisnion
EGYPTIAN HEIROGLYPHICS Many magickal orders, past and present, have leaned heavily on an ancient Egyptian background. For them, of course, the Egyptian hieroglyphs are ideal as a magickal alphabet. Sir Wallis Budge's book, Egyptian Language, is a useful reference work here. Below is a basic Egyptian alphabet:
Egyptian Heiroglyphs Passing the River
Going back to where I started, with the magicians of the Middle Ages, we find a variety of magickal alphabets. These have been culled from various ancient grimoires (from the Old French for "grammar")—the magician's book of rituals—extant in the libraries and private collections of Europe and America.
THEBAN The Theban Script (also known as "Honorian") was a popular alphabet and is used extensively by Gardnerian Witches, among others. It has been referred to—quite incorrectly—as 'The Witches' Runes" (it is not runic at all, in fact) and as "The Witches' Alphabet".
PASSING THE RIVER This was used almost exclusively by the Cere- monial Magicians, though occasionally you may find an individual Witch using it on a talisman.
178 I Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
ANGELIC Also known as "Celestial", this is another alphabet used almost exclusively by Ceremonial magicians.
with phonetic spelling. That means, spelling a word the way that it sounds. The English language has a ridiculous number of words spelled nothing like the way they are pronounced. For example, bough (the limb of a tree), cough, through, though, thought... all have the ough spelling, yet all are pronounced differently! Spelling those words phonetically they would be: bow, coff, throooTthru, thoeandthot. This is the basis of Pecti-Wita runes; things are spelled as they are pronounced. Now with the examples just given, through could be either throo or thru, so let's look at the pronunciation of vowel sounds. "A" can be a as in hat, or a as in hate. "E" can be e as in let ore as in sleep. "I" can be i as in lit or i as in light. "O" can be o as in dot or o as in vote. "U" can be u as in cup or u as in lute. By putting the bar over the letter (a, e,T, o, u) we can indicate the hard sound and so differentiate from the soft sound. This is how it is indicated in the Pictish runes:
MALACfflM Sometimes called "Language of the Magi". Again, used almost exclusively by Ceremonial magicians.
Malachim
PICTISH
The Pecti-Wita (more on this Scottish tradition in Lesson 15) have two interesting forms of magickal writing. One is a variation on runes and the other is based on the old and very decorative Pictish script. Both are presented here for the first time ever.
As with other runes, the Pictish ones are made up entirely of sraight lines. The way they are put together, however, requires some study. Basically they are used
We can go a step further with these runes. Vowels are pronounced differently when put with an "R"(ar, er, ir, etc.) or with another vowel and "R" (air, ear, ere, our, etc). To indicate these, then, the symbol ^ is
used over the vowel: * .
If this sounds complicated, bear with me. You will find that, with a little practice, it is really quite easy. [A point to remember if you just can't get it no matter how hard you try, then just go ahead and spell out the words substituting rune for letter without regard for phonetics. But do give it a good try first, please. 
Lesson Twelve: The Power of the Written Word / 179
A final note on the vowels. As in Hebrew, the
vowel is written above the line, in Pictish runes, rather
You will notice that there is no "C", "Q" or "X". The reason is the use of the phonetic spelling. In the English language "C" is either pronounced the same as an "S" (as in cease) or the same as a "K" (as in escape), so there is really no need for the "C". Similarly, "Q" is pronounced "kw" (e.g. quick = kwik) and "X" is pro- nounced "eks" (e.g.eksaktli), so they are unnecessary. Single runes are given for "ch", "sh", "th", "gh" and "ng". Here are one or two examples of phonetic spellings using these:
A
than with the consonants. Much like this:
Here are the complete Pecti-Wita Runes:
(Phonetically this would be:
Pecti-Wita Runes: Phonetically:
Pecti-Wita Runes: Phonetically: Pecti-Wita Runes:
A
TTRACTIVE
Phonetically:
atraktif. Pecti-Wita Runes:
Some Pecti-Witans go just one step further by running all the words together and using a "+" to indicate
separations:
etc.
Warning: DO NOT TRY TO SLANT YOUR RUNES (these or any other ones); KEEP THEM UPRIGHT.
Hopefully you can see that this is really not too difficult and can actually be a lot of fun. A few more examples might help:
"
THESE ARE
EXAMPLES OF
HOW
Phonetically: Pecti-Wita Runes:
Phonetically:
THE PECTI-WITA RUNES ARE
USED. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY CAN
ACTUALLY LOOK VERY
Here are a few examples of using the Pictish script:
" T H E P I C T S W E R E
1801 Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
The Picts were better known for their elaborate "swirl" style of writing. This is much more straightforward than the above runes in that it is not done phonetically, and the vowels are kept on a level with the con- sonants. It is simply a matter of substituting the Pictish symbol for the letter. The symbols are rather elaborate, however, and you need to be careful in doing them to avoid confusion. Again single symbols are included for "ch", "sh", "th", "gh" and "ng".
ORNAMENTAL DESIGN.
P I C T I S H A R T W O R K W A S
V E R Y C L E V E R IN
LATER ADOPTED BY THE
KELTS, ESPECIALLY THE
I R I S H K E L T S . "
T H E U S E OF
Lesson Twelve: The Power of the Written Word / 181
TALISMANS AND AMULETS
A talisman is a man-made object endowed with magickal powers, especially for averting evil from, or bringing^ood luck to, its owner. In this sense a rosary, crucifix, St. Christopher medal, etc., is a talisman. But, as you know, the most powerful magick is that done by the person affected. In the same way, the most powerful talisman is one actually made by the person who needs it. A talisman made by one person for another can never be as strong as a personally made one.
According to the magickal order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a talisman is "a magickal figure charged with the Force which it is intended to represent". It is so charged by (i) inscription, and (ii) consecration. It can be of any shape, but let's first look at the material of the talisman.
A talisman can be of virtually any material— paper, silver, copper, lead, stone—but traditionally some substances are more appropriate than others, and their use will imbue the talisman with more power. For example, as you know, the days of the week are each ruled by a planet: Sunday—SUN, Monday—MOON, Tuesday—MARS, Wednesday— MERCURY, Thursday—JUPITER, Friday—VENUS, Saturday—SATURN. Now each of these planets is, in turn, associated with a metal: Sun—GOLD, Moon— SILVER, Mars—IRON, Mercury—MERCURY, Jupiter— TIN, Venus-COPPER, Saturn—LEAD.
From the table of correspondences given in the last lesson (for Candleburning) you know what prop- erties are governed by the days of the week and can therefore correlate those properties with the metals:
SUNDAY—Sun /GOLD / Fortune, hope, money MONDAY—Moon TUESDAY—Mars WEDNESDAY—Mercury THURSDAY—Jupiter FRIDAY—Venus SATURDAY—Saturn / COPPER / / IRON SILVER / LEAD / TIN / / MERCURY Matrimony, I / / / Honor, Love, Life, Merchandise, building, friendship, riches/clothing, / war, Debt, doctrine, dreams, enemies, fear, strangers loss
theft
protection desires prison
So, for example, knowing that Friday is associated with love (ruled by Venus) and that the metal is copper, you now know that a love talisman, for greatest effect, should be made of copper.
Mercury gives a bit of a problem in that it is a liquid metal. It could be used by containing it in a miniature bottle, or similar, of some other metal, but it is more usual—and a lot easier—to substitute either gold, silver
or parchment (these days aluminum is also sometimes substituted for mercury). Gold, silver and parchment can similarly be used in place of any of the other metals if they are unobtainable but, obviously, the specific metal would be the best to use. It's not always easy to find just the right piece of the correct metal, but don't give up too easily. Handicraft/hobby stores are great for many of them (copper especially). I have also seen some very creative talismans. For instance: en- graved on a silver dollar or half-dollar, when silver was called for; on a copper penny or even on a flat- tened copper kitchen measuring-spoon, when copper was called for.
Having chosen your metal, what should you inscribe on it? There are many talismanic designs shown in occult books, taken from such old grimoires asThe Greater and Lesser Keys of Solomon, The Black Pullet, Le Dragon Rouge and similar. But just copying these designs, without knowing their meanings or signifi- cance, and without personalizing them, is completely useless. You need to work specifically for yourself and specifically for your problem. The most common form a talisman takes is a metal disc worn on a chain as a pendant. On one side of the disc you place the personal- ization, and on the other side the objective. Let me give you an example.
Jane Doe wants to get married. She already has a boyfriend, so love is not what she is seeking. Looking at the Table of Correspondences, you see that Mars rules matrimony. That's what she needs; a talisman to bring matrimony. The metal for Mars is iron. Jane can either obtain an iron disc and engrave on that, or she can opt for the easier gold, silver or parchment.
One side she is going to personalize. She will do this by putting her name and date of birth on it. To be more specific, she should use her Craft name (in either runes or one of the other magickal alphabets). She could also add her Magickal Monogram; also her astrological Sun Sign, Rising Sign (Ascendant) and Moon Sign, plus ruling planets. These can all be arranged on the disc as shown in figure 12.1.However, there is no special pattern that has to be followed; any- thing that is aesthetically pleasing will do. An alternative is shown in figure 12.2.
As each of the symbols is engraved, or written, Jane should concentrate on herself; seeing herself as she best likes herself—charming, happy, self-confident.
On the reverse side of the talisman she should put symbols traditionally associated with marriage: wedding bells, flowers, rings, hearts, etc. Or she could
182 I Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
place a sigil, constructed from numerological squares as follows.
From numerology you know that the numerological value of the word "matrimony" is 4+1+2+9+9+4+6+5+7 = 47 = 11 = 2 (see Lesson Three). We now construct a Magick Square containing all the numbers 1 through 9 (Figure 12.3). Now, starting at the first letter (M=4), draw a small circle, to indicate the start, and then draw a line to the second letter/number (A = 1). Follow on to 2 and then to 9. There are two 9s in the word so stop-and-start there with small triangles: —£><J— Continue through to the last letter and draw another small circle to indicate the end.
At square 2, the numerological total (47 = 11 = 2), draw a large square. The finished figure will look like figure 12.4. Transferred off the squares it will look like figure 12.5. What you see in 12.5, then, is the sigil for Matrimony. This is what Jane must inscribe on the reverse of her talisman. As she does so, she should concentrate her thoughts on the marriage itself: see herself as a bride; see herself and her husband exchanging rings; see the Handfasting ritual taking place, etc. Such a sigil would be far more potent than the traditional bells, hearts and rings.
Incidentally, the Magickal Square used has the numbers arranged in such a way that, no matter whether you add them across or down, each line totals the same. Then the numerological total of the three columns' total equals 9 again (Figure 12.6).
The day associated with matrimony was Tuesday. Then that is the day on which Jane should make her talisman. She should also consecrate it on a Tuesday... consecration is the secondary requirement for charging the talisman. She doesn't have to do it on the same Tuesday, but both days should be during the waxing phase of the Moon. The consecration she would do would be as given in Lesson 4.
Whatever the purpose of the talisman, follow the same procedure: (a) find the day and the metal associated with your desire, (b) personalize one side of the appropriate piece of metal, (c) take the key word and, from the Magick Square, find the appropriate sigil, (d) inscribe the sigil on the reverse, concentrating as necessary, (e) consecrate the talisman.
Once the talisman has been made, wear it on your person for three days and nights. This can be done either by fastening it to a chain and hanging it around your neck, or by carrying it in a small bag made of silk, hung around your neck. After the three days you do not need to wear it constantly, but can simply carry it in your pocket or purse. You should, however, sleep with it under your pillow each night.
At each New Moon, clean the talisman with a good metal cleaner (for a parchment talisman, just rub over it lightly with a gum eraser). For copper I would recommend washing with salt and vinegar, and then rinsing in clear water. At each Full Moon, hold out the talisman in the palm of your hand and expose it to the unrestricted light of the Moon. By "unrestricted" I mean not through the glass of a window. Either open the window or take it outside. Expose it for about five minutes on each side while concentrating your thoughts on the original purpose of the talisman (if it should happen to be cloudy, so that you don't actually see the Moon itself, that is all right).
Lesson Twelve: The Power of the Written Word / 183
A talisman can also be made in the form of a ring. Usually such a form has the Objective as the main engraving, with the Personalization around the edge. It should be made following the same procedure outlined above.
AMULETS
The difference between a talisman and an amulet is that while a talisman is human-made, an amulet is natural. A bear's claw, a rabbit's foot, a four-leaf clover; these are all amulets. One that is considered very much a Witch's amulet is a stone with a natural hole through it... obviously tying-in with fertility; the hole being symbolic of the vagina. So you cannot make an amulet; you can only adopt one. If you take an amulet and then engrave and consecrate it, as above, then it becomes a talisman (or, if you prefer, a "talismanic amulet"!).
SONGS, DANCES AND SABBAT GAMES
Music is the source of many types of enjoyment. There is the deep satisfaction that comes from creating music by voice or instrument, as well as the pleasure that may be found in listening. Many people protest that they are not musical. It's true that those who un- derstand music can be of most value, but persons without musical education can still learn to sing for their own pleasure and to enjoy beautiful songs and stirring rhythms. Simple melody and clearly defined rhythm is characteristic of folk music. Most of the songs and the music of the Craft have non-complex melodies and obvious rhythms. Song and dance is traditionally associated with Witchcraft. In fact, the waltz was originally derived from an old Witch dance known as La Volta.
Most singing can be done in the Circle, however the Clearing the Temple is usually performed before any general dancing or games take place, with the exception of course, of dancing for the raising of power when working magick. Let's look at power-raising dancing first, then.
POWER-RAISING DANCE
In Lesson Eleven I talked about rhythm and a steady beat and said that "as a coven you can dance around, deosil, holding hands or you can dance in- dividually ..." The simplest dance consists of the
group holding hands, facing inwards, and moving clockwise around the Circle with a regular left-right-left step ... but as each foot hits the ground, bend the knee a little. You'll find that this gives more of a bounce, a rhythm, to your movement around the Circle. A more popular Craft step is the "double step", which includes a slight rocking movement back onto the rear leg and forward again before advancing. The actual movements would be as follows:
Start with the left foot forward to 1 then follow with:
the right foot forward to 2 (still behind the left). Then left foot forward to 3 and right foot forward to 4 (Now ahead of the left). Now left foot forward to 5 and right foot forward to 6 and so on.
It may look a little complicated at first but really it's not. Try it. You'll be surprised how easily you'll pick it up.
Other easy steps are the left, hop, right, hop, left, hop, right, hop, etc. If you have difficulty with any step then just do what comes naturally and fits in with the music, chant or rhythm. The main thing is that your steps should come automatically so that you can con- centrate your thoughts on the actual magick.
An alternate to holding hands, with arms out- stretched, is to lock arms around waists or around shoulders, giving a very tight, close circle. Another way to join together is with arms bent at the elbow and linked—left arm under the arm of the person to your left.
Covens can also dance individually, as the Solitary Witch must. This can be a straightforward movement around the Circle, deosil, using one of the above steps, or it can be a gradual progression spinning as you go (again spin deosil). The spin can be at a constant rate, of it can start slowly and gradually build up speed.
184 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
CAUTION: Mind you don't get dizzy and either fall on the candles or break the Circle.
To sum up I would say: THE SIMPLER THE DANCE STEP, THE BETTER, WHEN WORKING MAGICK.
If you are chanting as you dance, don't be afraid to stamp the floor, hard, on the beat. It will both help you keep the rhythm and help build the power. As for singing, as with all Craft singing, don't worry if you are not too musical. If you don't always hit the right notes it doesn't matter ... it's the feeling that counts.
GENERAL DANCING
Fun dancing—in or out of the Circle; not being done for magick—includes all of the above and also elaborations on them. "Paired Spinning" can be fun. This is where two Witches stand back-to-back and link arms at the elbows. They then go spinning round and round the Circle, sometimes one bending forward to lift the other off the ground.
A popular dance is the Lufu (an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning "love"). It is often done at the start of a meeting, especially if there are several covens celeb rating a Sabbat together. Sometimes referred to as the "Meeting Dance", it consists of a leader (not necessarily the Priest/ess; anyone can start it) leading The "Lufu", or a chain of Witches, joined Meeting Dance up alternately male-female. The leader takes the chain in a twisting dance around in a large circle and then gradually moves in towards the center, in a spiral. When the center is reached, the leader doubles back round and starts to work out again. As each person now passes those going the other way, they kiss. The line continues on until it has unwound again and everyone has kissed everyone else.
MUSIC AND SONG
If the coven includes instrumentalists that is fine. But if it doesn't, don't worry. Get a drum or tambourine; a bongo drum is good, or something like an Amerindian or Haitian drum or a Bodhran (Scottish/Irish hand-drum). The old name for a Witch's drum, incidentally,
was tabor (pronounced "tay-ber"). A drum can actually be made fairly simply.
Just beating out a rhythm is sufficient, especially for power-raising. Guitars, dulcimers, recorders, flutes, harmonicas, pan-pipes, even rattles such as maracas, are all good coven instruments. There are several good books of Craft and Pagan music available these days. In Appendix D I include some for you to try.
SABBAT GAMES
After the religious part of the Sabbat comes the fun and merriment. Along with singing and dancing there are, traditionally, games. Some can be played before the Circle is opened up and others need more room. A few are detailed here. You probably know many more yourself.
THE CANDLE GAME—All Witches but one sit in a circle, facing inwards. The chosen one stands outside this circle. A candle is lit. If the one outside the circle is a woman then the candle is now passed back and forth about the circle by the men. It does not have to be passed in any special direction; it can move around or back and forth across the circle of Witches. The woman runs around trying to blow out the flame, over the heads and shoulders of those forming the circle. When she is successful, she and the male who was holding it at the time will kiss and then change places. Then the women will pass the candle around, with the man running around trying to blow it out.
WITCHES' WHISPERS—Everyone sits in a circle. One person starts by asking a question. Any occult-type question will do, though it should be one that calls for an answer of several words, rather than just a "yes" or "no" (e.g. "When is the best time to consecrate a talisman?"). The person to the left of the questioner thinks of an answer and whispers it in the ear of the person to their left. That person, in turn, must whisper those same words (exactly as s/he thinks s/he heard them) to the next person and so on round the circle, each person passing on exactly what they think they heard whether or not it seems to make sense. When it gets back to the questioner, s/he repeats the question out loud and follows up with the answer that arrived. Invariably the answer gets so garbled in the process of being whispered from one to another, that it is extremely distorted and very humorous. You shouldn't
Lesson Twelve: The Power of the Written Word / 185
consciously try to alter what you receive; you will find that it becomes slightly garbled all by itself! An alternate is not to bother with a question but have someone start passing around one simple statement. When it gets back to the originator, they can repeat the original followed by what was finally received.
PSYCHIC GAMES—Games to test psychic abilities are very popular. For example, form two lines with the coven sitting in couples, back-to-back. Each person has a piece of paper and a pencil. One line are Senders and the other line Receivers. Each of the Senders thinks of an object and draws a simple picture of it on her paper (simple is best: e.g. car, house, moon). She then concentrates on it. The Receivers each try to pick up what their respective partners are sending and draw it on their piece of paper. Do this three times, then switch so that the original Senders are now Recievers and vice versa. Youll be amazed at how similar many of the pictures are (See Figure 12.7)
OUTDOOR GAMES
There are many outdoor games that can be adopted for coven use. One is to suspend a barrel hoop (or make a large hoop of cardboard) on a rope, from a tree and to set it swinging. The Witches then take turns trying to throw a spear through the hoop, from various distances. Another popular pastime is target archery.
An interesting "game" is dowsing. Let someone hide a quarter somewhere in/on the ground (or in the house, if inside). Tape another quarter to a forked stick, as a "witness", and try to find the hidden one. Several people can search at the same time. Pendulums can also be used (see Lesson Eight). The quarter goes to the one who finds it, of course.
I'm sure you can come up with many more exciting and fun games yourself. The point is that Sabbats should be fun. They are a time for celebration. The religious side is very important, of course, but follow it with fun, games, good food and drink; wine and ale ... which brings me to:
HOME-MADE WINE AND ALE; HOME-COOKED BREAD
It's simpler to just go to the store and buy the necessary edibles for the next coven meeting, but it can be a lot of fun making them. Below are some simple recipes for wine, beer, bread and even cakes for the Cakes and Ale rite.
COWSLIP WINE—Boil two pounds of white sugar with five quarts of water and, while boiling, pour over a quart of the yellow part of fresh cowslip flowers. Leave for twenty-four hours then strain and add two tablespoonsful of yeast spread on a piece of toast. Leave, covered, for ten days, stirring two or three times each day for the first four days. Then strain and bottle.
BEE WINE—Into a syrup solution of two tablespoonsful of sugar to a pint
Received Sent
Received Sent
Received Sent
Figure 12.7
186 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
of water, put a very small pinch of tartaric acid and a piece of yeast the size of a dime. Start it off at blood heat and stand the glass jar in a warm room near the window and leave it to work. In a day or so the yeast will begin to grow and collect bubbles so that the lump floats up and down (like a bee; hence the name). Fermentation will proceed until the liquid is converted into a sweet wine, which you may flavor by adding fruit juice. Do not let it work too long or it will become sour and eventually turn to vinegar.
TOMATO WINE—Take the stalks off some sound, ripe tomatoes and cut them in pieces with a stainless steel knife. Then mash them well and let them drain through a hair-sieve. Season the juice with a little salt and sugar to taste, then nearly fill a jar with it. Cover fairly closely, leaving a small hole for the fermentation to work through, and leave until the process has ended. Pour off the clear liquid into bottles, cork them tightly and keep for some time before using.
DANDELION WINE—The flowers must be freshly picked and the petals stripped from them. Put a gallon of these petals into a tub and pour a gallon of freshly-boiled water over them. Leave, covered, for ten to twelve days, stirring now and then. Then strain the liquid into a preserving pan and add three to four pounds of sugar, according to taste. Also add the thinly pared rind of one orange and one lemon, plus the rest of these two fruits cut in pieces but without any trace of the white pith or the pits. Boil gently together for twenty minutes then remove from heat. After it has cooled to hike-warm, put in a tablespoonful of brewer's yeast and a quarter of an ounce of com- pressed yeast spread on a piece of toast. Cover again and leave for a couple of days. Then put into a cask, bung it down and bottle after two months or more.
APPLE BEER—Pour four gallons of boiling water over four pounds of grated apples in a pan and stir each day for two weeks. Then strain and add two pounds of sugar, two ounces of root ginger and a level teaspoon-ful each of cinnamon stick and whole cloves. Pour into a cask and bung tightly at once. In six weeks it will be ready to bottle.
HONEY BEER—Boil an ounce of ground ginger with half a gallon of water for half an hour, then put it into a pan with a pound of white sugar, two ounces of lime juice, four ounces of clear-run honey, the juice of three
lemons and another half-gallon of cold water. When the mixture is just luke-warm, add a large teaspoonful of yeast spread on a piece of toast. Leave for twelve hours and then strain through muslin. After giving it an hour or two to settle, carefully bottle it.
MEAD—Dissolve four pounds of honey in a gallon of water and add an ounce of hops, half an ounce of root ginger and the pared rind of two lemons. Boil this for three-quarters of an hour, pour it into a cask to the brim and, when it is still luke-warm, add an ounce of yeast. Leave the mead to ferment and when this has ended, put in a quarter of an ounce of isinglass (obtainable from wine-making supply stores) and bung the cask tightly. In six months it should be bottled.
The above Mead recipe is a simple bee-keeper's one. The fact that mead was originally a very important and complicated drink is shown in The Closet Of Sir Kenelm Digby, first published in 1669, where no less than twenty-six recipes are given for it. Here, now, is a recipe for Sack Mead. If made properly (and this is somewhat more ambitious than the above recipes) it is the equal of any mead found in Tudor times.
SACK MEAD—Requirements: a wooden vessel in which to mix the honey and water and carry out the fermentation for one month in a constant temperature of about 60°F. Secondly, a vessel such as a small barrel in which to place the fermented liquor to mature for a matter of two to three years before being drunk. Thirdly, a smaller container (such as a glass jar) with adequate seal, into which to put a certain amount of the original fermented liquor. This will be used from time to time to top up the liquor in the barrel. In the course of two to three years in the barrel, the liquor shrinks and it is necessary to have a sufficient amount of surplus liquor to keep the barrel full and so exclude air. This surplus liquor should be put aside at the beginning, after the first month's fermentation, and should be about 10% of the whole. As the sealed glass container is emptied progressively, by topping up the barrel, what is left in the container must be put into a smaller vessel so that this reserve is always able to fill the container in which it is kept. If it is left half-filled it will probably vinegrate and would then spoil the liquor in the barrel.
Having provided the vessels, it is now necessary to have ready five and a half pounds of good quality honey to every gallon of warm water with which it is to be mixed. Mix the two together until the honey is
Lesson Twelve: The Power of the Written Word / 187
dissolved. Obtain a good quality wine yeast (e.g. a Sauterne, Sherry or Malaga) and prepare your yeast before mixing the honey and water. This preparation is done by putting the yeast in a small glass vessel and adding small quantities progressively (over several days) of a weak solution of honey and water, and keeping the yeast in a warm temperature of about 60 °F until the yeast has started to ferment. When it has started to ferment, add this to the dissolved honey and water when the latter is at about 70 °F. Cover the fermenting vessel with a loose cover and cloth so that air can reach the fermenting honey and water mixture without allowing insects and dust to penetrate.
After about a week, the liquor should be fermenting, and at the end of a month the fermentation should have ceased. The liquor should be strained off carefully, leaving all lees aside, and placed in the barrel which should then be firmly sealed and only opened occasionally to top up, as explained.
There is, usually, a considerable danger of vinegra-tion if the honey is not sterilized in the first instance. Therefore, at the risk of a certain amount of loss of quality, it is the usual practice to boil the honey and water in the first instance for about fifteen minutes. This kills any wild ferments and ensures a relatively sterile "must", to which to,add the yeast. The barrel and the original fermenting vessel should also have been sterilized.
The whole point about using wine yeasts is that they give a much higher alcohol content than the ordinary brewer's or baker's yeasts.
LOCUST BEER—Gather the long black locust pods and break them into pieces. Place a layer in a keg or crock. Add ripened persimmons or sliced apples. Cover with boiling water. Add two cups of molasses. Let set for three or four days before using, for best flavor.
NETTLE BEER—Only young nettles should be used for this. Two gallons of them must be washed well and put into a pan with two gallons of water, half an ounce of bruised ginger root, four pounds of malt, two ounces of hops and four ounces of sasaparilla. Boil for a quarter of an hour and then strain over a pound and a half of castor sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add an ounce of creamed yeast. When the beer starts to ferment, put it into bottles and cork these and tie down
with string. This beer needs no keeping.
BREAD AND CAKES
ACORN BREAD—Need: 2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons oil or butter, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 tablespoons dry yeast, 4% cups acorn flour (see below), % cup honey, Va cup lukewarm water. Best acorns to use: white, burr and chestnut oaks. Collect in the fall when ripe. To make acorn flour: remove shells. Boil the acorns whole for at least two hours, changing the water each time it becomes light brown in color. After this boiling the acorns should be dark brown in color. Roast in 350° oven for one hour. Chop them finely, then grind in a flour or food grinder. Dry again in the oven for another half hour. Put through the grinder again at least twice.
Scald the milk. Stir in the oil or butter, honey and salt. Pour into a large bowl and let cool to lukewarm. Meanwhile dissolve yeast in the lukewarm water. When milk mixture is lukewarm, add yeast. Gradually stir in the acorn flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise for two hours in a warm place. Knead for ten minutes. Roll out like thick pastry. Roll up in the manner of a jelly-roll. Shape into two loaves and place in greased bread pans. Let rise, covered, for another two hours. Bake for forty minutes in an oven preheated to 375°. Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the loaves with oil or melted butter.
INDIAN HOMINY BREAD—Need: 2 cups cooked grits, 2 beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 cup milk.
Add milk, butter and eggs to warm grits. Pour in greased pan. Bake at 375° for thirty minutes. Serve hot. (Note: thin cakes of this mixture may also be fried on a hot griddle).
INDIAN PUMPKIN BREAD—Need: 1 cup cornmeal, % cup pumpkin (cooked), water enough to moisten mixture.
Mix the ingredients and work until the dough is easy to handle. Form into flat cakes. Cakes may be baked in a greased pan (as biscuits) or fried quickly over an open fire.
IRISH OATCAKES—Need: 3 cups oatmeal, 1 stick butter, Va teaspoon salt, Vs cup water, ¥2 teaspoon baking soda.
188 I Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Preheat oven to 350°. Mix together 2 cups of oat- meal with the salt and baking soda. Melt the butter and add the water. Stir the butter and water mixture into the oat mixture and blend until you have a dough. Sprinkle your work surface with the remaining oat- meal with your and hands turn the and dough roll with onto rolling-pin it. Flatten until the about
dough
x
/4 inch thick. Use a very small cookie-cutter or cut into small squares and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about twenty minutes, then lower the heat to 300° and toast until light brown.
SCOTCH OATCAKES—(My personal favorite) Need: V4 cup butter or margarine, 1 cup oat flour, % cup bran, 1 egg, powder, 1 cup J/2 milk, teaspoon % teaspoon cream of salt, tartar. V2 (A teaspoon sweeter version baking
can be made by also adding % teaspoon vanilla, V2 teaspoon cinnamon, 6 teaspoons sugar).
Cut the butter into the oat flour and bran. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Preheat oven to 425°. Drop the batter, by well-rounded table-spoonsful, onto a greased cookie sheet (or, for neater cakes, drop into greased muffin pans). Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve with butter (and jelly, if desired).
CORN BREAD—Need: 2 cups white meal (coarse ground), 1 cup flour, milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, 4 tea- spoons baking powder, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon salt.
Combine all dry ingredients, then add egg and enough sweet milk to make thin batter. Pour in hot, well-greased, bread pans. Bake in a hot oven until brown.
ACORN COOKIES—Need: % cup oil, % cup honey, 2 beaten eggs, 2 cups acorn flour (see "Acorn Bread" above), */2 teaspoon almond extract, cup dried, chopped acorns.
Blend the oil and honey; beat in the eggs. Add the almond extract, acorn flour and the chopped acorns. Drop this batter by teaspoonsful onto a lightly oiled cookie-sheet or shallow baking pan. Bake in a 375° oven for fifteen minutes.
IMPORTANT REMINDER In both this and the previous lesson I used examples of "love" magick and talismans. Please always remember that love magick directed at a specific individual should never be done, for to do so would be to interfere with that person's free will. You would be forcing them to do something they would not normally do and may not wish to do. The only sort of love magick permissable is that aimed non-specifically... to bring "someone" to you, without knowing exactly who it will be. But far better to just work on yourself, to make yourself generally more attractive, than to try to change someone else.
1. Write your name in the different styles of Runes. Practice writing a special sentence in a favorite magickal
writing style.
2. Decide what you want to make a talisman for. Determine what metal, what planetary influence, and what
inscription you will use. Illustrate your talisman below.
3. Describe your special amulet. Where and how did you find it? What do you think that it will be best used
for?
4. List any favorite recipes for foods and beverages which have been a success.
5. List the Coven games you have tried and their results.
LESSON THIRTEEN HEALING
It is necessary for me to reiterate what I said at the start of Lesson Ten: the information on healing practices in this lesson is simply my opinion, together with the results of my research. I am not engaged in rendering medical advice. Such advice should be sought from a competent professional person.
In Lesson Ten you studied the use of herbs in the healing process and learned that Witches have long been considered community healers. In this lesson you will see some of the other forms of healing used in the Craft, plus less obvious applications of herbs.
THE AURA
I briefly touched on the aura in an earlier lesson. To recapitulate, the aura is the electrical magnetic energy that emanates from the human body. Our bodies, of course, vibrate. Animals and plants do the same, for all things radiate energy: a chair, a house, a tree, a flower, a bird. Everything is vibration. So everything gives off an aura. This aura can most easily be seen in humans, however (possibly due to brain activity).
The aura is sometimes referred to as the odic force. In Christian art, from the fifth to the sixteenth centuries, it was often depicted around the heads of people believed to possess great spiritual power. There it was referred to as a halo or gloria. It also appeared as a ring of flames around the heads of Moslem prophets. The headdresses of priests, kings and queens symbolize the aura.
There are references to the aura in the Christian Bible. In sculpture, there is an excellent example in that of Michaelangelo's figure of Moses, which shows him with horns. This has mystified many. The reason for the horns is that in translation the word for "horns" was confused with the very similar word for "rays", so in fact Moses was thought of as "having rays coming from his head"... the aura.
AURIC HEALING
In auric healing, you set out to change the condition of a person by
193
In 1858 Baron Karl van Reichenbach, an industrial chemist, claimed to have discovered certain radiations coming from magnets, crystals, plants and animals, which could be seen and felt by certain people (sensitives). In 1911 Dr. Walter Kilner, of St. Thomas'Hospital, London, devised ways of showing these radiations. One way was by looking through a dilute solution of a dye called DICYANIN (a product of coal-tar) and the other was by first looking at a bright light through a strong alcoholic solution then looking at the subject. This latter method, however, proved to be very dangerous, causing damage to the eyes. Kilner did perfect his dicyanin method and produced what is known as the "Kilner Screen".
But the aura is best seen without artificial aid. Have your subject stand against a DARK background and look, directing your gaze at the position of the subject's third eye (between and a little above the eyebrows). You may find it helpful to squint slightly at first. You will become aware of the aura around her/his head though, at first, when you try to move your gaze to look directly at if... it will disappear! Don't worry. You will eventually be able to study it directly but, to start with, just keep your focus on that third eye and look at the aura peripherally. If you have no success with the subject against a dark background, then try a light background; some have success with the one, some with the other.
The aura will be most obvious around the head, unless the body is naked in which case it will be seen clearly all around. The entire aura is called the Aureole; the head aura is the Nimbus. You may notice that to the person's left there is generally orange color and to their right a bluish color. If you move your hands towards the body you will feel warmth on their left and coolness on their right. Interestingly a bar magnet gives cor- responding sensations, with the North end cool and blue and the South end warm and orange.
The aura can be felt. If you stand in front of your subject, with your hands extended on either side of his head, and the palms in towards him, you can feel it. Gradually move your hands in towards the head. As you approach (perhaps about four to six inches away) you will feel a tingling sensation, or a warmth, or a feeling of pressure building up. Move your hands in and out and get that sensation. Practical Color Magick-Raymond Buckland,
Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN1983
194 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
visualizing a specific color light around them. These colors are chosen according to the patient's problem. For example, when dealing with the nervous system you would use violet and lavender to obtain a soothing effect. To invigorate, you'd use grass green. To inspire, yellows and oranges.
When dealing with disorders of the blood and organs of the body, use clear, dark blues to soothe, grass green to invigorate and bright red to stimulate.
When dealing with cases of fever, high blood pressure or hysteria, use blue.
For cases of chill or lack of sufficient bodily warmth, concentrate on red.
So, for example, if a person is complaining of feeling hot, has a fever and is sweating profusely, you can help immeasurably by concentrating on seeing her completely surrounded by, and absorbed in, a blue light. If she has a stomach pain, then direct a soothing light-green color there. For someone with a nervous headache, see their head surrounded by violet or lavender light. For a bleeding, direct clear dark-blue light to the cut. Keep up these visualizations for as long as you can. I give more specifics below, in Color Healing.
PRANIC HEALING
Pranic healing is done by sending Prana (the "vital force") from your body to the diseased or affected parts, stimulating the cells and tissues to normal activity and allowing the waste material to leave the system. It involves the use of passes and the laying-on of hands. What is Prana? It is the vital force which underlies all physical action of the body. It causes circulation of the blood, movement of the cells and all motions upon which the life of the physical body depends. It is a force that is sent forth from the nervous system, by an effort of the will, when you direct healing (review Lesson One, regarding Prof. Otto Rahn and Dr. Harold Burr).
You receive Prana from the food you eat, the water you drink and from the air you breathe. All forms of force and energy rise from the same primal cause, and it is your willingness to increase your own supply, AND SHARE IT, that makes you "gifted" in healing. Everyone, then, actually possesses the "gift" of healing. How can you increase your Prana? By deep breathing. VISUALIZE energy and strength flowing into your body as you breathe in. FEEL it. Feel it going into all
parts of your body. Feel it travel along your arms and down your legs. VISUALIZE the love of the Lady and the Lord entering you.
Correct breathing sets up an equilibrium between positive and negative currents. It calms your nervous system and regulates and slows your heart activity, reducing your blood pressure and stimulating your digestion. Before doing any Pranic healing, do the following deep breathing exercises: 1. (a) Slowly breathe in, through the nose, to a mental
count of eight. (b) Slowly exhale, through the nose, to a count of
eight. 2. (c) Slowly breathe in, through the nose, to a count of
eight. (d) Hold your breath for a count of four. (e) Slowly exhale, through the mouth, for a count of
eight.
In (d), as you hold your breath, feel the love, energy, strength and power you have inhaled circulate throughout your body.
In (e), breathe out all the negativity within you. Do "1" once, then do "2" three times.
Now you are ready to start your healing. This is best done in the Circle. However, if that cannot be—if the patient is unable to come to you, perhaps through being in a hospital or being bedridden at home—then at least draw a circle about him (and the bed, if necessary), with your athame, and fill that circle with white light before starting.
Have the patient lie on his back with his head towards the east, if possible. His feet should be together and his arms at his sides. He does not have to be naked, but it is certainly better if he can be (better, in fact, if you both are). He should close his eyes and concentrate on seeing himself encompassed in a ball of white light. You kneel to the left of his legs, if you are right-handed; to his right if left-handed (see Figure 13.1). Reaching forwards, extend your arms and hold your hands with the palms inwards, at the top of his head, about an inch away from actual contact (Figure 13.2). Take a deep breath then, holding that breath, bring the hands smoothly down the length of the body, one hand on either side, not quite touching the skin the whole way. As you come away from his feet, breathe out and shake your hands vigorously as though you were shaking water off them. You are, in actuality, shaking
off the negativity that you have drawn from him. Repeat this process AT LEAST SEVEN TIMES, preferably more.
Now sit quietly for a moment, seeing the patient surrounded in white light. When you have got your breath (you will find this can be quite exhausting), then repeat the breathing exercises given above—"! " once and "2" three times. Now for actual contact.
Now lay your hands, gently, one on each side of his head, thumbs resting on his temples. Concentrate (eyes closed if you wish), sending all your energies into him; all the goodness and love of the Lady and the Lord channeled through you into him, to make him well. When you have done this for a while, again sit back and relax, picturing him in the white light.
Then once again do your deep breathing followed by placing your hands over/on his heart and, again, directing the Pranic force into him.
After again resting and doing the breathing, lay your hands on the specific area of problem (e.g. stomach; leg; shoulder) and direct your energies. A final period of rest for you, and picturing him within the white ball of light, completes the process.
Do not be surprised if you feel physically drained after such a healing. This will generally be the case. Ignore those who say that if you feel drained you are doing it wrong. On the contrary, feeling exhausted is a good sign that you have done well.
ABSENT HEALING It is possible to heal a person without them actually being physically present in the Circle. This can be done by using one of the methods given in lesson eleven (dancing, chanting, cords, sex), taking the power raised and directing it into the person who is sick. Candle magick is especially effective (see Practical Candleburning Rituals, Raymond Buckland, Llewellyn Publications). Both auric and pranic healing can also be done using a good, clear photograph of the person. See also Color Healing and Poppets, below.
COLOR HEALING I deal extensively with this subject in my book Practical Color Magick (Llewellyn Publications, 1983) so will give just a brief outline here, light is radiant energy traveling in the form of waves. The rate of vibration can be measured in units known as Angstrom units (A), measuring one ten-millionth of a millimeter. For example, the color violet has a wavelength varying from 4000 to 4500A; indigo from 4500 to 4700; blue 4700 to 5100; green 5100 to 5600; yellow 5600 to 5900; orange 5900 to 6200 and red 6200 to 6700A. Your body selects, from the sunlight, whatever colors needed for balance, the vibrations being absorbed into you. The principle of healing with color (Chromopathy or Chromotherapy; Chromopathy from the Greek: fcroma-color; pathos-suffering) is to give the ailing body an extra dose of any color(s) lacking. One of the joys of chromopathy is its practicability. It is something anyone can do with no danger, being the use of a natural element. The application can be done in a variety of ways, as you will see. Basically, the red end of the spectrum stimulates while
Lesson Thirteen: Healing / 195
Figure 13.1
Figure 13.2
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the blue end calms.
Here is a look at the specific colors of the spec- trum one by one to see what their properties are. RED: A warming, invigorating color, excellent for the treatment of blood diseases. Anaemic people need the color red, as do those with liver infections. ORANGE: Not quite as harsh as red yet contains many of its properties. It is especially good for the respiratory system; for those who suffer from asthma and bronchitis; also as a tonic and a laxative. YELLOW: Excellent for the bowels and intestines. It is a mild sedative; helps remove fears of all kinds and gives a mental uplift. It is good for indigestion and heartburn, for constipation and piles, also for menstrual problems. GREEN: This is the great healer. It is neutral for other colors and can be a general tonic and revitalizer. When in doubt; use green. Excellent for heart troubles; neuralgic headaches; ulcers; colds in the head and boils. BLUE: An antiseptic and cooling agent. Excel lent for use on all inflammations in cluding those of internal organs. Good on cuts and burns; also for rheumatism. INDIGO: A slight narcotic. Will remove the fears of the mind and reassure those afraid of the dark. Good for emotional disorders; deafness; especially good for the eyes, even for cataracts. VIOLET: Good for mental disorders; for the nervous system; for baldness and for female complaints.
DIRECTING THE COLOR It is the COLOR that is important, so anything that will produce colored light will serve your needs. This could be colored glass, plastic or even cellophane. You don't even have to wait for sunshine. Any light will do, including artificial light. If you have a window that gets a lot of sunshine then certainly make use of that. Tape a sheet of colored glass, plastic or even tissue paper over the window and have the patient sit in front of it so that the colored light falls directly on her/him. Make sure it falls on the troubled area (e.g. for an upset stomach, direct yellow light on the stomach
area). Concentrate the light on the area for at least thirty minutes each day. Two periods of thirty minutes (one in the morning and another in the evening) would be better. You will notice a definite improve- ment almost from the start.
If you don't have a convenient sunny window, then a good substitute is a photographic slide projector. In fact, in many ways it is better than the window since you can focus on particular areas. From photo supply stores you can obtain empty cardboard slide mounts. Into these put small rectangles of colored plastic or acetate, so that you have a set of slides of the seven primary colors.
COLOR-CHARGED WATER You can turn ordinary water into potent medicine by charging it with colored light. Fill a clear bottle with water and tape a sheet of colored paper or acetate around it (if you can get a colored bottle of the ap- propriate color, all the better). Then stand the bottle in the window for six to eight hours. Even if the sun is not shining directly on the bottle, it will still charge the water. Then, a wineglassful of the water, taken three times a day, will have a similar effect to the half-hour of colored light application.
If you are feeling "down", or listless, a glassful of red-charged water each morning will pep you up. Similarly, if you have trouble sleeping at night, a glassful of indigo-charged water before bed will relax you and help you fall asleep. All of the colors can be used, as in the color chart above. Such treatment is called Hydrochromopathy.
DISTANT COLOR HEALING Color can also be used to do absent healing. Again you utilize a photograph (the basic sympathetic magick principle of "like attracts like"). This is known as Grapho-chromopathy. Make sure that there is no one other than the patient in the photograph and also make sure that the afflicted part of the person (e.g. leg; stomach) is in the picture. Place the photograph under the appropriate colored light and leave it there. A low wattage bulb is best for this; perhaps something like a nightlight bulb. You will find it easier to put the colored sheet over the front of the photograph than to try to wrap it around the light bulb. The best way is to put the photo in a frame together with the colored acetate and then to stand the frame In front of the light bulb, or the window. Give it the light treatment for at least three hours a day.
yellow GEM THERAPY
diamond, jasper, topaz, beryl, quartz, amber, etc. The stone should be placed on the afflicted area You can take six different books dealing with
for at least an hour each day and should be worn, in the precious and semi-precious stones and their occult
form of a pendant or ring, for the rest of the day, properties and find six different opinions as to which do
continuing until the cure is affected. what. The reason for this is that the stones are
In 640 BCE Necheps wore a jasper around his neck to usually corresponded with astrological planets and
cure his queasy stomach. In 1969 Barbara Anton (a signs. The trouble there is (as W. B. Crow explains in
graduate Gemologist from the Gemological Institute of Precious Stones: Their Occult Power and Hidden Significance)
New York) advised a friend, who had suffered from that "there are different scales of correspondences
irregular menstrual periods for years, to wear a yellow and under one circumstance one scale should be
jasper pendant. So long as she wore it, her periods came applied, whilst under another a different scale holds
regularly on a twenty-eight day cycle. good ... no natural object is pure Sun, pure Moon or
Any good book on gems and minerals will give pure Saturn".
'you full descriptions of the many varieties of stones The safest way to use stones for healing, then, is in
available in the full spectrum of color. Rubies, emeralds, the manner of the ancient Druids: go by the COLOR of
sapphires are obvious examples of red, green and the stone and apply the same principles used in Color
blue, but there are many other equally effective yet far Healing above.
less expensive stones available. Here are a few stones, For example, you know that yellow is good for
together with the colors in which they can be obtained, intestinal and bowel disorders and menstrual problems.
plus some of the ancient beliefs regarding their For these problems, then, wear a yellow stone such as
properties. AMBER AGATE gums poor and asthma.
throat eyesight; (brown): and (Yellow; protect afflictions; Said deafness; orange): vision.
to help hay dysentery Improves harden
fever;
AMETHYST Antidote peace of mind.
for (purple drunkenness to blue-violet): (!); gives
BERYL Liver (green; complaints; yellow; diaphragm.
blue; white):
CORAL BLOODSTONE CARNELIAN CHRYSOLITE yellow; helps lepsy sore Hemorrhages; nose-bleeds; eyes.
(red; in in red): digestive children; white): (red): purifies (olive Fevers; nose-bleeds.
(green Stops disorders; Hemorrhages; green; ulcers; nightmares. the and blood.
bleeding; brown;
scars; red):
epi-
DIAMOND Coughs; mucus; (white; lymph blue; system;
yellow):
EMERALD traditional simply water); toothache; general steeping (green): eyewash insomnia; healing.
an eye was convulsions. emerald diseases made by in (a
JASPER JADE GARNET LAPIS violet-blue; lazuli; helps vibrations; ligur-ius: ach strengthener; eye emerald). problems; eases. (green): pains; diseases attune (deep (yellow; Lapis (red): Cholera; nervousness. blood vitality; Kidney linguis: Anaemia; to green-blue) (eyewash, urinary blue green): higher purifier; rheumatism. diseases; strength. Eye to problems; blood Stomach
problems; spiritual as muscle
azure; Lapis stom-
Lapis with dis-
MOONSTONE Opal): "Watery" (light disturbances;
blue; resembles
OPAL green): plague(I); harmony.
dropsy; (red gives Heart; to gives yellow; strength.
eyes; protection black; bubonic dark
and
PEARL anger.
(white): Soothing; dissipates
RUBY boils; constipation.
(red): ulcers; Pain; poison; tuberculosis; eye troubles; colic;
SARDONYX SAPPHIRE black): fects; ness.
rheumatism; banishes Mental (blue colic.
(red; violet): grief; and brownish emotional brings Eyes; happi- boils; red; ef-
TOPAZ TURQUOISE Vision; red): ing.
(yellow Vision; promotes (blue; to hemorrhages; white; blue-green; youth.
green; green): bleed- blue;
Lesson Thirteen: Healing/ 197
In Lesson Eleven you learned how to construct a Poppet. There I discussed its use for love magick. But the Poppet can also be used for healing purposes—in fact that is probably its primary use.
The same construction method is used: two outlines cut from cloth, sewn together and marked with identifying symbols and characteristics (all whilst concentrating your thoughts on the person it represents). However, this time you should stuff the Poppet with the herb appropriate for the person's ailment. That information you learned in Lesson Ten. If ever in doubt as to what to use, stuff the Poppet with Calendula (also called Marigold, Marybud, Holibud—Calendula officinalis), which is a cure-all.
=- Identifying symbols
Incision, as received by person in surgery
Stuffed with the appropriate healing herbs
HEALING POPPET
You should name the Poppet (as in the love-magick example), sprinkling and censing it, then lay it on the altar.
Should you be working for someone who has had surgery, then make an incision in the Poppet in the appropriate place. Then, taking it up from the altar, concentrate on the healing and direct your power into the patient as you sew up the incision.
You can do Auric and/or Pranic healing using the Poppet in lieu of the actual person. Once you have named and consecrated the Poppet, then anything you do to it, of course, you do to that person.
MEDITATION AND BIOFEEDBACK
Yes, meditation can be a way of healing. Always remember that we create our own realities—whether consciously or (more often) uncon- sciously. So long as we are going to do this, we might just as well create an enjoyable and healthy reality. In your daily meditation, see yourself fit and well. If you are sick, see yourself completely recovered. Remember
198 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
POPPETS
ANOINTING OIL RECIPE Gather fresh mint (I prefer Catmint—Nepeta Cataria) and loosely fill a large jar with it. Pour in an unscented vegetable oil to fill the jar. Cover tightly and let stand for 24 hours, turning the jar to stand upside down every 8 hours. Strain the oil carefully through cheese- cloth, squeezing well. Refill the jar with fresh mint and pour the same oil back in. Let stand another 24 hours, turning every 8 hours. Repeat this process over at least a three-day period. The oil resulting from the final squeezing is a good anointing oil with the fragrance of the mint.
We are all a part of Nature, not
apart from it.
Raymond Buckland
Everyone is familiar, if only from fiction, with the wax figure stuck with pins. Such a figure is typical of sympathetic magick and is actually one of the oldest forms of it. The same basic principles—sticking in pins to injure the victim—can be applied to work good. For example, a man may be suffering from a terrible back-ache. The Witch could take some wax, or clay, and fashion a figure to represent the man. It would not have to be an exact likeness, in fact it could be quite a crude 'gingerbread man' type figure. But all the while it was being molded she would keep a clear picture of the man in her mind. If she had a photograph of him which she could lay beside her on which to concentrate, all the better. When the figure was finished then she would stick three or four pins in its back—or wherever the pain happened to be. When sticking in the pins she would try not to think of the pain he was experiencing, for at this point she would be merely placing them preparatory to doing the healing.
The next step would be to actually name the figure for the recipient. This would be done by sprinklingand censing it and saying words to the effect 'Here lies John Doe, who seeks relief from pain. All that I do to him here is done also to his person'. The Witch would then concentrate as hard as she could on the man, seeing him as being fit and well, without the back-ache. One by one she would then draw out the pins thinking, and perhaps even saying words to the effect, that she was drawing the pain out of his body.
Witchcraft Ancient and Modern Raymond Buckland, HC fablications, NY
1970
Light Altar Candle. Light Incense, light Day Candle. Light PETITIONER'S Candle (Petitioner = Meditator), thinking of yourself, and say:
"This candle is myself, burning steady and
true."
Light Lt. BLUE Candles 1 and 2 and say:
(from Lesson Eleven): "Don't see a thing working... see it finished."
Meditation and Biofeedback have been tested experimentally by scientists and proven to be beneficial in reducing blood pressure, muscle tension, control of pain and increased sense of well-being. The principle of biofeedback is that a person who is provided with immediate knowledge of her/his internal body pro- cesses can learn to control some that normally operate involuntarily. The subject aims to achieve complete relaxation and can watch herself do this through a feedback meter wired to various parts of her body (biofeedback instruments, of varying complexity and price, are available from any number of sources). She tries to induce an extremely calm yet alert state of con- sciousness that is characterized by distinct patterns of brain activity called "Alpha Rhythms". When she manages to produce alpha rhythms for a period of ten seconds, then the alpha state has been achieved.
Below is a candleburning ritual for meditation. You can use this as a lead-in to creatively visualizing yourself (or someone else) cured of an illness.
TO MEDITATE
"Here do I find peace and tranquility. A place apart, where I may safely meditate and grow in spirituality."
Settle into meditation in your own particular pattern (e.g. as detailed in Lesson Seven: transcendental, man-trie yoga, or whatever you have found to be best for you). During your meditation envision yourself (or another, if working for someone else) completely well and healed. At the end of your meditation, extinguish the candles in the opposite order to the way you lit them.
Here is a further candleburning ritual, this time specifically for regaining good health.
TO REGAIN (OR RETAIN) GOOD HEALTH
Lesson Thirteen: Healing / 199
Light Altar Candle. Light Incense. Light Day Candle. Sit for a few moments thinking of the strength, health and goodness of the Lady and the Lord flowing back into the body. Light PETITIONER'S Candle, picturing Petitioner, and say:
"Here is ...(Name)..., in excellent health. The blessings of the Lady and of the Lord be upon her that she may prosper." „
Light ORANGE Candle and say:
"This flame draws all that is good to ...(Name)... It draws health and strength and all that she desires."
Light RED Candles 1, 2 and 3 and say:
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"Here, then, is that health and strength, threefold. It is here to be taken into ...(Name)...'s body, to serve her and build her as the Lady and the Lord would wish."
Then say:
And in the beginning was it ever thus. That to live one must hunt; to kill. That to kill must one have strength. That for strength there must be eating
and movement. To eat and move there must be hunting-Be weak and you may never be strong. Be strong and so you shall remain. But if you be weak; then must you think
strong; For thought is the deed. And thinking strong you can then hunt
and kill and eat. Thus, thinking strong, you are strong
and you move. Thought brings not the food, but
thought Doth bring the means to acquire the food. So be it! Strength to the strong! Strength to the weak! May the arm lift the spear. May the arm hurl the stone. May the arm thrust the javelin. May there be strength, always. So Mote It Be!"
Sit quietly meditating on the wonderful good health enjoyed and to be enjoyed by the Petitioner. Sit thus for ten to fifteen minutes. Then extinguish the flames, in the reverse order to the way they were lit. Repeat this ritual every Friday for seven successive Fridays, each time moving the red candles closer to the Petitioner.
ANIMALS AND PLANTS
All the healing methods outlined can be used, equally effectively, on both animals and plants. Never forget that we are all a part of Nature. If an animal, a
bird, a plant, a tree, is sick then it is your duty to try to aid it. Let us all live in harmony with nature. We are all one with the Gods.
In addition to the methods of healing dealt with in this lesson, I would recommend all Witches become acquainted with as many other possibilities as they can. It is not necessary to try to learn everything in detail, of course, but it is good to know just what sort of healing can be accomplished with, for example, acu- puncture, radiesthesia, radionics, hypnosis, etc.
POSITIVE THINKING Whatever method of healing you choose, the most important thing to bear in mind is attitude. You must have a positive attitude. As I emphasized in the lesson on magick, you should picture the completion, the end product, of what you are trying to achieve. This is especially important in healing. If the person has a broken leg, see the leg healed; see her/him jumping and running about. If the person has a sore throat, see her shouting and singing and laughing. Always think positive and send out positive energies.
I would especially recommend a study of the following books:
Aromatherapy: The Use of Plant Essences in Healing—
Raymond Lautic & A. Passebecq The Complete Book of Natural Medicines—
David Carroll ' The Bach Flower Remedies—Nora Weeks & Victor Bullen The Twelve Healers—Edward Bach Handbook of Bach Flower Remedies—Philip M. Chancellor Alpha Brain Waves—Jodi Lawrence The Science and Fine Art Of Fasting—Herbert M. Shelton Power Over Pain Without Drugs—Neal H. Olshan Yogi Therapy—Swami Shivananda Saraswati The Foot Book: Healing the Body Through Reflexology— Devaki Berkson Homeopathic Medicine At Home—Maesimund Panes &
Joseph Heimlich Helping Yourself With Self-Hypnosis—Frank S. Caprio &
Joseph R. Berger Healing With Radionics—Elizabeth Baerlein & Lavender
Dower Theory and Practice of Cosmic Ray Therapy—D. N. Khushalini
& I. J. Gupta The Practice of Medical Radiesthesia—Vernon D. Wethered Acupuncture: The Ancient Chinese Art of Healing—Felix Mann Helping Your Health With Pointed Pressure Therapy-Roy E. Bean
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
1. Relate some of your experiences using auric healing. What were some noticeable results?
2. What methods of color healing work best for you? Results?
3. What gemstones have you used for healing? How did you use them, and what results were noticed?
4. Record your personal list of gemstone properties as discovered through experimentation.
LESSON FOURTEEN GETTING SET UP
RITUALS
A question frequently asked is "Can I write my own rituals?" The answer is "Yes", albeit a qualified yes.
There are many talented people in the Craft and they should be allowed—indeed, encouraged—to develop their talents (the two, Craft and talent, seem somehow to attract one another). But before you start writing your own rituals, work for awhile with the ones I have given you in this book, as they are written. I'd suggest working with them for a year at least. Get to know them. Feel them. Live them. They have been written based on a great many years of experience. Not only Craft experience but experience and knowl- edge of many other aspects of the occult, anthropological background and, most importantly, knowledge of the necessary elements of ritual (see Construction of Ritual below). Everything is there for a reason, so don't go chopping and changing just because you think "it sounds good"!
Take special note of some of the elements in these rituals given.
In ERECTING THE TEMPLE—this is the construction and consecration of your meeting place; your Temple. It is one of the basics, ensuring psychic cleanliness of the area and of the occupants. It also includes the inviting of the Lady and her Lord to attend and witness the rites to be held in their honor.
In CLEARING THE TEMPLE—you have the neces- sary thanking of the Lady and Lord and the official termination of the proceedings.
In CAKES AND ALE—there is the "connecting link" between the ritual/worship part of the meeting and the working/social part. It is important in that it is found universally and is really the culmination of the
worship: the thanking the gods for the necessities of life.
The above, along with the Self-Dedication and the Initiation, are the main ingredients, the basic skeleton, of Wicca.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF RITUAL The dictionary (Webster) defines RITE as "a formal act of religion ... a religious ceremony" and RITUAL as "consisting of rites ... the manner of performing divine service".
A formal act of religion ... we need form; we need a definite construction. Ritual can be religious or it can be magickal. In either case it follows, and has, a certain form. The basics are what are known as Legomena (meaning"thingssaid") andDromena ("thingsdone"). In other words, whether religious or magickal ritual, it must have WORDS and ACTIONS together; not just one without the other. It must also have (i) an Opening; (ii) a Purpose; (iii) a "Thanksgiving" (in the case of a Craft religious ritual); (iv) a Closing.
The Opening and the Closing are already there for you—the Erecting the Temple and Clearing the Temple. Also, the Thanksgiving is there in the form of Cakes and Ale. Your interest, then, in constructing ritual (at this time), is focused on PURPOSE.
Why are you having the ritual? What is it for? Is it to celebrate a time of the year, seasonally (a Sabbat) ? Is it an Esbat? Handfasting? Birth Rite (Wiccaning) ? Get the purpose firmly in your mind at the outset so that you know where your emphasis will lie.
Look at the following, from one tradition of the Craft:
"The High Priestess recites the Goddess' Charge. 203
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The High Priest recites the Invocation to the Horned God. The coven dances, singing 'Eko, Eko, Azarak, ... etc.' They then chant the 'Witches' Chant'. [All the above is found repeated at all of the other Sabbat Rites of this particular tradition  Finally the High Priest says:
"Behold the Great Mother who hath brought forth the light of the World. Eko, Eko, Arida. Eko, Eko, Kernunnos.'" That, basically, is the sum total of this particular tradi- tion's Sabbat rite. Now, the question is: which Sabbat is it???
The only words said at this rite that are not said at the other seven Sabbats are the High Priest's final: "Behold the Great Mother who hath brought forth the light of the world".
Not to keep you in suspense, this is their Imbolc Sabbat rite ... but who would know it? It has nothing, in the "words said", to indicate a celebration of that time of the year. By contrast, look at the following Imbolc Sabbat rite, from another tradition: Priestess: "Now has our Lord reached the zenith of
his journey. It is meet that we rejoice for him. From now till Beltane is the path ahead
less dark, For he can see the Lady at its end." Priest: "I urge ye, Wiccans all,
To give now your hearts to our Lord
Woden. Let us make this a Feast of Torches To carry him forward in light, To the arms of Freya." ... and so it goes on, all of the ritual centering on the importance of that special time of the year; the fact that Imbolc is the halfway point through the "dark half" of the year; halfway between Samhain and Beltane. No one could take that particular ritual and perform it at, say, the Autumnal Equinox and expect it to fit. Yet the earlier quoted ritual, from the other tradition, could be performed at any time of the year and it would still fit in! It is not, therefore, a good example of a seasonal ritual—especially of a Sabbat—and certainly falls far short of what you should be able to expect. So, when writing rituals, keep in mind first and foremost the
PURPOSE of the ritual.
This purpose must also be brought out in THINGS DONE—the actions of the celebrants. To look further at the second of the traditions above, the participants take candles and light them from the Priest's and Priestess' candles. They then hold them high in the air and circle about the altar. Sympathetically they are lending strength and light to the God at the time of his greatest need. Again, there are no such actions in the Sabbat rite of the first tradition.
PARTICIPATION is important. The Craft is a family religion in the sense that the coven is like a large family. The family should be able to participate freely in its activities. In Christianity the so-called participants are more like an audience. They sit in a large building and watch what goes on, only occasionally being allowed to join in the singing and praying. What a beautiful contrast is the Craft, where the "family" of the coven sit together, equally, about the altar and all participate. Keep this in mind in your rituals. Participation is important. Include lines to be said by others than the Priest and Priestess, even if it is only a joint "So Mote It Be!" If you can get actions/gestures for them, so much the better. Everyone should be able to feel that they are a part of the ceremony (rather than apart from it). You might want to include a group meditation as part of the ritual. Group meditations can be extremely effective. You might also want to make song and dance an integral part of the ritual. There are many possibilities.
The ESBAT ritual, as I've written it in this book, contains some very important elements. Perhaps the most important of these is the personal praying— asking the Gods for what you need and thanking them for what you have. This should always be in the individual's own words. However inadequate the Witch may feel, at expressing her/himself, the fact that the words come from the heart is far more important than correct grammar and sentence construction.
The MOON ceremonies, as written, follow the traditional form of reverence to the Lady and attention to her identification in the past, in other areas and other civilizations. Note that the Goddess is invited to join the group and speak. She is not "drawn down", in the sense of being summoned or invoked. The times when the Lady will actually appear to the coven are indeed rare and it needs an exceptionally strong, mature, Priestess to handle it (unfortunately there seem to be very few such today). I feel that if the Lady
Lesson Fourteen: Getting Set Up / 205
wishes to appear to the coven (or the Lord, for that matter), then she will certainly do so. But she will do so when she is ready and not just because she has been invoked/conjured/summoned! Who are we to order the Lady? So, if you feel drawn to write a new Full or New Moon Ceremony, please keep this point in mind.
"GUARDIANS OF THE WATCHTOWERS" As I have mentioned before, there is a great deal of Ceremonial Magick that, over the centuries, has found its way into some traditions of the Craft. Most of it has gone unrecognized by all but a few Craft practitioners. The use of the Wand, for example, and the word athame; the white-hilted knife and the Pentacle, etc. Ceremonial Magick, as you know, involves conjuring entities and demanding that they do the Magician's bidding. Surprisingly, just such conjuration is found as part of many traditions' Erecting the Temple (or, Forming the Circle, as some of them call it). Included in their rituals is what is referred to as summoning the "Guardians of the Watchtowers", or "Guardians of the Four Quarters". These "Guardians" are often associated with specific entities, such as Dragons or Salamanders, Gnomes, Sylphs and Undines. It would seem obvious that here the group could be treading on dangerous ground. In fact this was very pointedly brought home to one coven who once forgot (!) to banish the Sala- manders of the South at the end of their rites. They were surprised when, shortly after the meeting, fire suddenly broke out in the south of the covenstead!
I do not recommend that you indulge in summoning these "Guardians". Surely to have invited ("invited", not "commanded") the Lord and the Lady themselves to be present and to watch over you is sufficient? What better protection could any Witch ask? So, if you hear of others who include such conjurations in their ritual preparation, you now know what is involved. Should you ever be present at such a Circle—perhaps as a guest—then I would strongly urge you to mentally erect a protective barrier of white light around your- self ... just to be on the safe side.
ORIGINS One final word; an important one. Do show the origin of any rituals. I would suggest that you construct your Book with the rituals as I have presented them here in this volume, for a base. Then (you might even want to make a separate section) you can add ALTER- NATE RITUALS. There you can place any you have
written yourself or obtained from other sources. But make sure you say either who they are written by or where you obtained them. In this way it will be obvious to newcomers to your coven, at later dates, what has been added and when.
Some points to remember when writing rituals:
Do not change a ritual just for the sake of
change. Rituals should be enjoyable; they should not
be a chore. Words can work like music, for building
power. Simplicity is better than complexity. Give origins and dates for new material.
FORMING A COVEN Finding Members
The first step to forming a coven is, of course, to find suitable people. Whatever you do, DO NOT RUSH. A coven is a family. It is a small unit of people acting together in Perfect Love and Perfect Trust. That sort of relationship does not come easily.
There are basically two approaches you can make, depending on your circumstances. One is the obviously preferred route through other known Pagans. The other is the longer route of weeding out merely potential Pagans. Let's examine them.
Through the many Pagan and Craft festivals and seminars held across the country these days (see listings in the many and various pagan publications, such as Circle Network News), you can get to meet and know other people from your area who are, at least to some extent, knowledgeable about Wicca. You can also seek out those who are from your area through Contact Listings in these various publications. You might even want to run an ad yourself there. In this way others can learn of your desire to form a coven and can contact you. Let it be known that you are willing to consider applications. I say "willing to consider" in no way to infer that you should be aloof, but simply because you need to find those with whom you are most compatible. You do not have to accept everyone who applies.
A sample ad might be worded as follows:
"Wiccan coven forming. Priest (ess) presently considering applications from those wishing to join the Craft. Please send photograph and full details to...."
206 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
I would suggest using a post office box number, to ensure privacy. Arrange a meeting, with those who respond, on neutral ground— perhaps at a coffee-shop, a restaurant, in a park, or similar, and meet them individually. Get to know them well, over several such meetings, before ever inviting them to your home. Find out what they know of the Craft; what they have read; what they think of what they have read. Try to do more listening than talking.
If you have to start from scratch, as it were, you can start by checking out any local psychical research groups, astrology groups, meditation groups, etc. DO NOT go bounding in loudly stating that you are looking to make people Witches! Once again, do more listening than talking. If you are patient you will find those who—even if they don't know what Witchcraft actually is, or if they still harbor some of the misconceptions about it—are obviously Craft oriented and willing to listen and to learn.
You may well have to take the circuitous route of forming your own "psychic development" group, as a clearing-house for possible coven members. You could base such a group on the material presented here in Lessons Seven, Eight and Nine plus the supplementary reading. Through such a group you could then slowly weed out those who are/or become, sympathetic to the Craft. You will probably get a motley collection of people. Gavin Frost breaks them down into four categories: "The enthusiasts—full of all the things they are going to do for your group ... The parasites—the world is against them; they have a million problems which can be solved only on the psychic plane ... The know-it-alls—will tell you the instructions you are giving them are wrong... The shining ones—if you are lucky you will find (one or two) who are candidates for a real coven". These last make it all worthwhile.
As before, meet all potential members on neutral ground first. Pick their brains to find out what they know and where their sympathies lie. Suggest books to them but, as much as possible, get them to ask questions rather than press information on them. Always remember that a coven can start with as few as two people (at the other end of the scale, a coven does not have to have a maximum of thirteen. It can be as many as fit comfortably into the Circle and work comfortably together).
YOUR COVEN
Get your coven members, and potential members, to read as much as possible about the Craft. All Witches should have a general under- standing of the history of the Craft; what has gone before; what has brought us to where we are today. You can teach them a great deal from the lessons in this book, BUT ... beware of becoming a "Guru"! In the ideal coven all are equal and all have something to contribute. Don't put yourself—or be tricked into putting yourself—on a pedestal "above" the other coven members. A good coven/tradition should be based on democracy; once the coven has been formed (i.e. once there are at least
What sort of people are today's Witches? First of all they are what might be termed 'thinking' people. People who, rather than accept some- thing or someone else's word, will investigate for themselves; read, research, look at the thing from all angles before reaching a conclusion. They are housewives, clerks, teachers, businesspeople, truck-drivers, soldiers—all sorts...
Astrologically speaking we are one third of the way through the twelfth house of the Piscean Age. At the end of this house we enter the Aquarian Age. This is, then, the eve of the Age of Aquarius, and it is one of general unrest. Of dissatisfaction^particularty with religion—and of searching for 'inner peace'. There has, over the past four or five years, been a tremendous rebirth of interest in the occult, a veritable renaissance of thinking. Young people have realized that they do not have to follow tradition; that they are able and should be able to think for themselves. People are looking critically at religion; refusing to accept a particular religion just because it was that of parents and their parents before them ... There is this constant searching, by young and old alike. It is in this searching that so many discover the Wicca. And the reaction is invariably one of joyous relief—'But this is what I've been looking for!'"
Anatomy of the Occult Raymond Buckland, Samuel Weiser, NY 1977
Lesson Fourteen: Getting Set Up 1207
two people), let all major decisions be made through general discussion and open vote. [I must digress here, a moment, to comment on tradi- tions that operate degree systems. Gardnerian is a good example, though by no means the only one. In such traditions there is often (not always, certainly) a professed equality, but one that is only professed. The High Priestess, and/or Queen, is the beginning and end of everything. Others fall into descending order depending upon the degree of advancement attained. All those of the highest (usually "Third") degree are classed as "Elders" and they are supposed to be the decision-makers, together with the High Priestess. This used to work extremely well, and there was much merit in the system. Unfortunately this seems no longer to be the case. These days there seem to be few women capable of handling the difficult position of High Priestess (and particularly the position of Witch Queen, or "Queen of the Sabbat"). There are some, yes, and that does give us hope for the future. But there are far too many who get onto an ego trip; who hand out "degrees" like a mother doling out candy, and who try to gather in, and promote, as many followers as possible simply so that they can claim "I'm a more important High Priestess/Queen than you are"! It is unfortunate that such attitudes by the few have soured some of these traditions to the many. I would urge all new denominations, be they eclectic or whatever, to be constantly on their guard against such deviation from the true Craft belief that "we are all spokes of the wheel; no one is either first or last". 
In addition to knowledge of the Craft's past, it's a good idea to keep up on the present. Suggest subscrip- tions to such periodicals as Circle Network News (P.O. Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572) and Llewellyn's New Times (P.O. Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383). There are many other publications but they seem to go in and out of print so it is probably of little service to list them here. From these two,—which seem to remain fairly constant—you can learn of the availability of the others. You might prefer to make "coven subscriptions"—all share the cost and pass around the magazines.
Try to think, ahead of time, what your criteria will be, for new members of your coven. For example, I have heard of some people who will not have anyone in their coven who is physically handicapped! To my mind this doesn't make sense, but it is obviously a personal consideration. Think also, then, of what your response will be if approached by potential coveners
who are of a different race, age, sexual preference, social level, etc., etc. Some (many, I hope) will say "Come one; come all!" but others will find perhaps long-buried prejudices surfacing and having to be faced ... and they do need to be faced. One point I might mention here: do not try to keep out police officers and the like, simply because they are lawmen. There is nothing illegal about the Craft and, actually, the more we can impress this on those connected with the law, the better. So, far from discouraging them, encourage them.
It might be a good idea to have a pledge, or vow of secrecy, that new members must sign. It should be simple and basically state that the person will never reveal the names of the other coven members, even should s/he leave the coven at any time in the future. This is, basically, a right to privacy. There is, of course, no need for any dire threats of punishment for breaking this oath.
There is really no limit to the number you can have in your coven, as I have already mentioned. As many as can work comfortably together is really the criterion. I would suggest that the traditional nine-foot circle is best and, therefore, that eight or ten coveners is probably the best working maximum. Get the group to work together on projects such as the coven's altar, sword, book, for example. When it is necessary to vote on something, so far as possible aim not just for a majority vote, but for complete agreement by everyone. This is certainly essential on such decisions as to whether the coven should work robed or skyclad.,
Decide, as a group, on the kind of coven you want to be. Always remember that the Craft is first and foremost a religion, so you come together primarily to worship. You may feel that this is all you want to do. Fine. However, some groups will want to explore and use their collective "power"; they will want to do healings, work magick, do divination, or work on individual psychic development. Again, fine ... though such work must always be secondary to the religious aspects. Even such a working coven should not feel that is has to do work at every Esbat. You should do work/magick ONLY WHEN THERE IS A NEED FOR IT; though a certain amount of experimentation is understandable and acceptable.
You may want to give your coven a name. Many do. Examples are: The Coven of the Open Forest; Coven of the North Star; Coven of Our Lady of Rebirth; Sand-Sea Coven; Coven of the Complete Circle; Coven of Family Wicca. Additionally many
208 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
covens design their own individual emblems or insignia, which they use on notepaper and put on flags and banners for Craft festivals (see Figure 14.1).
In some traditions—usually those with a degree system—there is a symbol for the individual Witch to put beside her/his name anytime s/he signs something (Figure 14.2). If you feel the desire for such a symbol, even though your tradition does not subscribe to a degree system, I would suggest that in Figure 14 3. This is the inverted triangle surmounted by the pentagram and the Keltic cross—the lines of consecration marked on the body at initiation (see Lesson Four).
There may be a need for coven rules. If so, these should be kept as simple and as few in number as possible. They may cover such things as inviting visitors to Circles; a suggested donation from each member to cover the cost of wine, incense, charcoal, candles, etc., at meetings (no one person should be expected to carry the cost of these necessities); behavior in the Circle (do you allow smoking or not—I would strongly suggest not); etc. I am personally somewhat opposed to hard and fast rules. I feel, and have found, that everything that arises can be dealt with through group discussion and decision. However, some people feel the need for a more structured format, at least initially. Just remember that any rules are for the good of the coven. They should, therefore, be flexible. There are so-called "Laws" listed in the Gardnerian (and other) Book of Shadows. Any sensible person reading these can see that (a) they date from, and are only pertinent to, a previous time, and (b) many of them are actually contradictory to the tenets of the Craft, including the Wiccan Rede. Gerald Gardner himself had said that they were only included in the book for interest's sake. But some Wiccans seem to take them as inviolable! Remember, there is only one true Wiccan Law: "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt."
ESTABLISHING A CHURCH
I am here discussing "church" in the sense of "a body of people; believers with an inner core of leaders", rather than just a building. Our building, or meeting-place (which can be out in the open, of course), is our "Temple".
Unfortunately the word "church" has certain Christian con- notations, but I will use it for the moment for the sake of simplicity. The Old English word for "church", incidentally, is cirice—pronounced "Id-reek".
Many covens, of various traditions, have established themselves as legal churches. Examples are Circle Wicca of Wisconsin, Church of Wicca of North Carolina, House of Ravenwood of Georgia, Minnesota Church of Wicca, Arianhu Church of Wicca of Texas. There are many, many more. The object is to establish the Craft as a legally recognized religion, for despite the First Amendment, unsympathetic authorities
Figure 14.1
Lesson Fourteen: Getting Set Up / 209
can give one quite a hassle! You may want to so establish your own group, but, be warned, it can be a long, drawn-out, very involved affair; oftimes a veritable battle where the IRS is concerned. State laws vary so much that I can give no complete details here, but your first move, should you decide to go this route, is to check with the Internal Revenue Service, asking for details on how to register as a Non-Profit Religious Organization. Their publication #557—How to Apply for Recognition of Exemption for an Organization—is a must.
One possible alternate that may prove less of a hassle is to associate yourself with such a group as the Universal Life Church, of Modesto, California. (601 Third Street, Modesto, CA 95351). I mention this church especially because they have already gone through numerous legal battles with the IRS, have fought all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, and have won! They have "no traditional doctrine ... as an organization, (they) only believe in that which is right". So says their literature. "Each individual has the privilege and responsibility to determine what is right so long as it does not infringe on the rights of others ... (sounds a little like "An'it harm none, do what thou wilt", doesn't it?) ... We are active advocates of the First Amendment of the United States of America". In other words, you can establish yourself as a church, for legal purposes, through association with the U.L.C. but still practice your own particular denomination of Witchcraft with no changes, no modifications, no compromises or restrictions.
If your desires should lean in this direction, don't rush it. To establish as a church really only makes sense when you have grown to the point of spawning several other covens from your mother one. At that time, talk with some of those who have so registered themselves. See whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. I strongly suspect that, for many of you, they do not.
CRAFT GREETINGS
As you encounter other Witches you will find common forms of greetings used. The two most common are "Blessed Be" and "Merry Meet". The first of these actually comes from the Gardnerian tradition. In their initiation the Priest says the following to the Initiate:
"Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways. Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the Sacred Altar. Blessed be thy womb, without which we would not be. Blessed be thy breasts, erected in beauty and in strength. Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names."
So to greet someone with the words "Blessed Be" is to imply all of the above.
"Merry Meet" is an older, more common, Pagan greeting. In full it is " (May we) merry meet; merry part; merry meet again". Today it is usally just given as "Merry meet" on meeting and "Merry part" or "Merry part; merry meet again" on parting. All of the above ("Blessed be" and "Merry Meet/Part") are invariably accompanied by a hug and a kiss.
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210 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
CLOTHING ACCESSORIES
Sandals
For those who would like to make their own sandals, here is a fairly simple method:
Cloak
A cloak is a nice accessory. It's the sort of thing that can be worn by skyclad Witches, before and after Circle, if necessary, or it can complement a regular robe. The simplest cloak is semi-circular, hanging to the ground and with a hood, or cowl. It is fastened at the neck and can be of any suitable material. A heavy cloak for winter and a light one for spring and fall is a good idea. The color can either match or contrast with
YOUNG WICCANS
your robe.
There are a few books available, for children, that do treat the Craft in a positive light. I would recom- mend the following:
The Witch Next Door by Norman Bidwell— Scholastic Book Services, NY 1965
The Witch's Vacation by Norman Bidwell—
Scholastic NY 1973 The Resident Witch by Marian T. Place—
Avon Books (Camelot) New York 1973 The Witch Who Saved Hallowe'en by Marian T. Place—
Avon/Camelot NY 1974 Timothy and Two Witches by Margaret Storey—
Dell (Yearling) NY 1974 The Witch Family by Eleanor Estes—
Harcourt, Brace & World (Voyager Books) NY 1960 I'm sure there are other good books also. Just look around.
When you encounter books (or magazine or news- paper articles, for that matter) that are antagonistic to Witchcraft, and promote the misconceptions, don't hesitate to write to the publishers and set the matter straight. Let me here include an article that appeared in the Seax-Wica Voys (Official Journal of Saxon Witchcraft) in the Imbolc 1983 issue, together with the editorial comment.
STAN SLAYS THE DRAGON or, "Positive Public Relations" by Richard Clarke Recently, several students of Chicago decided that rather than allow the kids to go trick-or-treating, there would be a big Hallowe'en party sponsored by the village. Five such parties were to feature "Burning a Witch" in a big bonfire.
A reporter for the Chicago Tribune called Stan Modrzyk, Priest of the First Temple of the Craft of WICA, of Chicago Heights, and asked him how he felt about it. Stan told him he thought there would be all sorts of Hell to pay if they said they were going to burn a Jew or a Baptist, and immediately wrote to all five villages, several local papers (including the Tribune) and an attorney, saying that making a Witch-burning, even in effigy, was a poor lesson for the kids, that it smacked of religious persecution and he was prepared to go to court to stop such demonstrations if they did not call it off. Bonfires were okay, but no Witches in them.
A town meeting was held by one village, which was attended by the "village fathers", several local residents, representatives of several local covens and the Channel 7 News (the local ABC affiliate). The controversy was picked up by both TV and radio, as well as the local newspapers, and at least three of the five villages agreed early on not to have Witches in their bonfires. I don't know if either of the other two villages went on with their "Witch burning" (1 understand they also called them off—Ed.) but you can bet it won't happen next year!
I feel members of the Pagan community have a duty to speak up when incidents like this occur. History tells us that Witches, or at least some accused of Witchcraft, were burned in the past. History also tells us that quite a few Jews were put in gas chambers in the '40s. If anyone were to make a municipal display of "gassing the Jew" there would be screams, boycotts, legal actions, etc., by every Jewish organization in the country. The Jewish Defense League would probably show up and stop such a demonstration with physical force if necessary. Can Witches do less?
I am not advocating violence. I am saying that we should start
Lesson Fourteen: Getting Set Up / 211
looking out for ourselves and fighting ignorance of the Craft wherever we find it. Let the world know that the various forms of Paganism, including Witchcraft, are legitimate forms of religion; that Witches and other Pagans are practitioners of a religion older than Christianity and that we desire and expect the same respect shown to other religious groups. The respect will be forthcoming...
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BREAKING THE NEWS A question I am often asked is "How do I tell my girl/boyfriend that I am a Witch?" I hear stories of apparently wonderful relationships suddenly evapor- ating when the "unsuspecting" partner learns that her/his hitherto ideal mate-to-be is a Wiccan (or even just interested in the Craft). We know, of course, that there is nothing wrong with being a Witch, or being interested in any aspect of the occult. The trick, then (if any trick is needed), seems to be in the manner in which the news is broken. "Guess what, Frank... I'm a Witch!" is not the way. Poor Frank will choke on his popcorn then run for the hills. No, the best way is through education.
Start by waiting for an opportune time (when s/ he is in a mellow, talkative mood), then lead the con- versation into the subject of the occult... the occult generally. Rather than stating your interests, ask your partner what knowledge s/he has. If necessary, explain that the occult is a very much misunderstood field; that late-night movies and cheap novels are largely responsible for the multitude of misconceptions that abound. Then say, "Take Witchcraft for example. Now—what do you believe Witchcraft to be?"
Your partner will then give you a good idea of what s/he knows about the subject. It may be accurate or it may not. The thing is, to then take that as a jumping-off point to explain what Witchcraft really is ... how it developed; how it was distorted; its re-emergence; the way it is practiced today. Don't be too down on Christianity—just give the facts. You will almost certainly be asked "How come you know so much about it?" No, do not say "Because I'm a Witch!" There is still more groundwork to be laid. Simply state that you find the subject very interesting and you have taken the trouble to read a great deal on it.
The next step is to get your friend to read some of the better books her/himself. Those recommended throughout this workbook, for example. If there is a real "magick" between the two of you, then s/he will be interested enough in your interests to read what you suggest. And if that magick isn't there, then it doesn't really matter what s/he thinks, does it?
From there you can then elaborate on just how interested you are and finally—again at the opportune moment—confide that you are, indeed, a Wiccan. Incidentally, it seems the trend, these days (and I think it's a good trend), to use the word "Wiccan" rather than the older "Witch". It certainly does help over- come the inbred misconceptions, to an extent.
If, after discussion and reading the worthwhile literature, s/he clings to the misconceptions, pointedly ask why s/he believes that way. It is not usually dif- ficult to break down any arguments and show them for the illogic they invariably are. However, if, in the final analysis, s/he refuses to accept at least your right to your own beliefs, then you should seriously consider calling off the whole relationship. It is fine to disagree, but it is totally unacceptable to have any one person try to impose his or her beliefs on another or disallow the other the right to their own beliefs.
As a footnote to the above, if you are approached at any time by someone who has learned of your interest or activity in the Craft, never start out trying to defend your position. Always put the onus on the other person by saying "What do you mean by 'Witch- craft'? What dp you believe a Witch to be?" This way you are in a position to see where you stand and to correct their views rather than trying to justify your own.
NOW ANSWER THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS FOR THIS LESSON IN APPENDIX B
CREATE YOUR OWN RITUALS
1. Relate how you came to form/join your Coven. What is its name? How did you establish your Church/
Temple?
2. What reactions did you get when you told others of your Wiccan activities? How did you describe your
beliefs?
RITUALS
LESSON FIFTEEN SOLITARY WITCHES
In the majority of Witchcraft traditions there is no way that an individual can operate—membership in a coven is mandatory. Most traditions have a system of degrees of advancement not unlike those found in Freemasonry and other secret societies. With such a system it is necessary for a Witch to advance, within the coven, to a particular degree before being able to even cast a Circle. In order to initiate others it is necessary to attain the highest degree. As a First Degree Witch they can join with the rest of the coven in worship and in the working of magick but can do nothing alone.
Such a system is all very well, and those involved seem quite content with it. But it seems to me that an important point is being overlooked. Back in the "old days" of the Craft, there were many Witches who lived at a far distance from any village or even from any other people at all. Yet these were still Witches. They still worshiped the old gods and still worked their own magick. That, I feel, was as it should have been... and as it still should be. There are one or two traditions, today, that do subscribe more directly to the old ways. In the Seax-Wica, for example, there is not the dependence on the coven situation; there is the reality of the Witch alone.
The main point here is that you should not be excluded from the Wicca for such a reason. Just because you don't live anywhere near a coven; just because you don't know of anyone else with similar interests; just because you are an individualist who doesn't care to join with others ... these are no reasons why you should not be a Witch. So let's look at Solitary Wicca.
What are the main differences between being a coven Witch and being a Solitary?
1. With a Covener, the rituals are performed by a group of people; several (principally the Priest and/or Priestess) playing the parts. As a Solitary, you do everything yourself. 2. The Coven meets in a large (usually nine ft. diameter) circle.
The Solitary has a small, "compact" circle. 3. The Coven uses a "full complement" of tools, depending on the
tradition.
215
What of the Witch alone? Does one have to belong to a coven? No, of course not. There are many lone Witches, who believe in the Craft deities, who have great herbal and/or healing knowledge, who are to all intents and purposes Witches.
Anatomy of the Occult Raymond Buckland Samuel Weiser, NY 1977
216 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
The Solitary uses only what s/he feels s/he needs. 4. Coven meetings must, to an extent, be held when
most convenient for the majority. The Solitary can hold a ritual whenever s/he feels like it. 5. A Coven draws on all its members to build a Cone of
Power. A Solitary has only her/his own power to draw on. 6. A Coven has a wide variety of knowledge and
specialties. A Solitary has only her/his own knowledge and specialty. 7. A Coven is usually fairly set in its ways. A
Solitary can change with her/his moods. 8. A Coven ritual can become almost a "production" or
pageant. A Solitary ritual can be the barest minimum of words and actions. 9. A Coven must attune itself as one. A
Solitary IS one.
There are many other differences, of course, but these are enough to illustrate the point that there are both advantages and disadvantages to being a Solitary. Generally speaking, there is much more flexibility to being a Solitary, but there is also a more limited store of knowledge and magickal power on which to draw. Let me elaborate on the above points.
I. As a Solitary, you do everything yourself.
You can write your own rituals, just for you. But you can also adopt and adapt coven ones. As an example of what can be done, here are some of the rituals from this book (Erecting the Temple; Esbat; Cakes and Ale; Clearing the Temple), suitably modified. You can do the same sort of thing with most of the others. Compare these with the originals as you go.
ERECTING THE TEMPLE Wiccan rings the bell three times, facing east. She then takes the Altar Candle and lights the East Candle from it, saying:
"Here do I bring light and air in at the East, to illuminate my temple and bring it the breath of life."
She moves around to the south to light that candle.
"Here do I bring light and fire in at the South, to illuminate my temple and bring it warmth."
To the west:
"Here do I bring light and water in at the West, to illuminate my temple and wash it clean."
To the north:
"Here do I bring light and earth in at the north, to illuminate my temple and build it in strength."
She moves on round to the east and then back to the altar. Replacing Altar Candle, she takes up her athame and goes again to the east. With point of athame down, she traces the Circle, directing her power into it. Returning to the altar, she rings the bell three times then places the point of her athame into the Salt, saying:
"As Salt is Life, let it purify me in all ways I may use it. Let it cleanse my body and spirit as I dedicate myself, in this rite, to the glory of the God and the Goddess."
She drops three portions of Salt into the Water, saying:
"Let the Sacred Salt drive out any impurities in the Water, that I may use it throughout these rites."
She takes up the Salted Water and, starting and finishing at the east, walks around sprinkling the Circle. She then goes around again with the thurible, censing the Circle.
Back at the altar, she drops a pinch of salt into the oil and stirs it with her finger. She then anoints herself with it, saying:
"I consecrate myself in the names of the God and of the Goddess, bidding them welcome to this my Temple."
The Witch now moves to the east and, with her athame, draws an invoking pentagram.
"All hail to the element of Air; Watchtower of the East. May it stand in strength, ever watching over this Circle."
Lesson Fifteen: Solitary Witches / 217
She kisses the blade of the athame then moves to the south, where she draws an invoking pentagram.
"All hail to the element of Fire; Watchtower of the South. May it stand in strength, ever watching over my Circle."
She kisses the blade and moves to the west and draws an invoking pentagram.
"All hail to the element of Water; Watchtower of the West. May it stand in strength, ever watching over my Circle."
She kisses the blade and moves to the north, where she draws an invoking pentagram.
All hail to the element of Earth; Watchtower of the North. May it stand in strength, ever watching over my Circle."
Kissing the blade, she returns to the altar, where she raises her athame high.
"All hail the four Quarters and all hail the Gods! I bid the Lord and Lady welcome and invite that they join with me, witnessing these rites I hold in their honor. All hail!"
She takes the goblet and pours a little wine onto the ground (or into the libation dish), then drinks, saying the names of the gods.
"Now is the Temple erected. So Mote It Be!"
ESBAT
Witch: "Once more do I come to show my joy of life
and re-affirm my feelings for the gods. The Lord and the Lady have been good to me. It is meet that I give thanks for all that I have. They know that I have needs and they listen to me when I call upon them. So do I thank the God and the Goddess for those favors they have bestowed upon me."
Then, in her own way, she gives her thanks and/or requests help. She then rings the bell three times
and says:
"An' it harm none, do what thou wilt. Thus runs the Wiccan Rede. Whatever I desire; whatever I would ask of the gods; whatever I would do; I must be assured that it will harm no one—not even myself. And as I give, so shall it return threefold. I give of myself—my life; my love—and it will be thrice rewarded. But should I send forth harm, then that too will return thrice over."
Here the Witch may sing a favorite song or chant, or play an instrument.
Witch: "Beauty and Strength are in the Lord and the
Lady both. Patience and Love; Wisdom and Knowledge."
[If the Esbat is taking place at either the Full or the New Moon, then the appropriate segment is inserted at this point. Otherwise go directly into the CAKES AND ALE ceremony. 
CAKES AND ALE
Witch: "Now is it time for me to give thanks to the gods for that which sustains me. May I ever be aware of all that I owe to the gods."
She takes the goblet in her left hand and her athame in her right and slowly lowers the point of the knife into the wine, saying:
"In like fashion may male join with female, for the happiness of both. Let the fruits of union promote life. Let all be fruitful and let wealth be spread throughout all lands."
She lays down the athame and drinks from the goblet. Replacing it on the altar, she then touches the cake with the point of the athame, saying:
"This food is the blessing of the gods to my body. I partake of it freely. Let me remember always to see to it that aught that I have I share with those who have nothing."
She eats the cake, pausing to say:
"As I enjoy these gifts of the gods, let me
218 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
remember that without the gods I would have nothing. So Mote It Be!"
CLEARING THE TEMPLE
Witch: "As I came into my Temple in love and friend- ship, let me leave it the same way. Let me spread the love outward to all; sharing it with those I meet."
She raises her athame high, in salute, and says:
"Lord and Lady, my thanks to you for sharing this time with me. My thanks for watching over me; guarding and guiding me in all things. Love is the Law and Love is the Bond. Merry did I come here and Merry do I part, to merry come again. The Temple is now cleared. So Mote It Be!"
She kisses the blade of her athame.
2. The Solitary has a small, "compact" Circle.
There is no need for the large, coven-size Circle when you are working alone. One just large enough for you and the altar is all you need ... probably five feet in diameter would be sufficient. When Erecting the Temple, you would still walk all around this Circle to "draw" it with your athame, and to sprinkle and cense it, but for addressing the four Quarters you need only turn and face the directions, from your place behind the altar. When working magick, it is easier to build up power in a smaller Circle and it is generally a "cosier" feeling.
3. The Solitary uses only what s/he feels s/he needs.
You probably won't need as many tools as a coven uses. You may decide to use no more than your athame and a censer. It is up to you; you have only yourself to please. Don't forget that you don't have to follow all the rituals in this book exactly, or even those as outlined in (1), above [see (8), below, for more on this .
Examine as many traditions as you are able. See what tools they use and why (it seems that some groups use some items without really knowing why they do!), then decide on which ones you need. You will find traditions that use broomsticks, ankhs, wands, tridents,
etc. You may even decide to add something that no one else uses—the Pecti-Wita, for example (a Solitary tradition, as it happens), use a ritual Staff, which is not found elsewhere. Don't add something just for the sake of having it, or just to be different. Use something because you need to use it; because you feel more comfortable with that particular tool than with another or than without it at all.
4. The Solitary can hold a ritual whenever s/he feels
like it.
A coven meets for the Sabbats and Esbats. The dates for the Esbats are fixed at the most convenient times for the majority of members. As a Solitary, you can have an Esbat whenever you feel like it. You can have Esbats three or four days in a row, or go from New Moon to Full Moon without one at all. It's up to you and how you feel. If there is a sudden emergency— perhaps a healing that needs to be done—you can get into it right away. You don't have to desperately try to contact others before you can get to work.
5. A Solitary has only her/his own power to draw on.
When working magick, a coven generates a lot of power. Working together, the total power of the whole far exceeds the sum of the parts. The Solitary can do no more than use the power s/he has. This is a fact and should be accepted. It is one of the few drawbacks to being a Solitary. But this does not mean that nothing can be done! Far from it. Many Solitaries do a great deal of excellent work, drawing only on their own resources. A good parallel might be seen in boat-racing, or sculling, where you have teams of eight oarsmen, four, two or single rowers. All propel their craft equally well. The only difference is the greater speeds attained by the boats with the increased numbers of oarsmen.
6. A Solitary has only her/his own knowledge and
specialty.
In a coven there is an accumulation of talents. One Witch might specialize in healing, another in astrology, one in herbalism, another in tarot reading. One might be an excellent tool-maker, another a great calligraphist; one a winemaker and/or seamstress and another a psychic and psychometrist.
Lesson Fifteen: Solitary Witches / 219
As stated, the Solitary has only her/his own knowledge available. This, then, is another disadvantage but, again, one that must be accepted. There is certainly no reason why, as a Solitary, you should not be in touch with others (Wiccans and non-Wiccans) who are astrologers, tarot readers, herbalists, etc. and to call upon them for help and advice when needed. It is just that you don't have them readily to hand there in the Circle with you, available at all times.
7. A Solitary can change with her/his moods.
A Gardnerian coven rigidly follows the Gardnerian rites. A Welsh-Keltic coven rigidly follows the Welsh-Keltic rites. A Dianic coven rigidly follows the Dianic rites. This all goes without saying. Even an eclectic coven will generally settle into rites, from whatever sources, with which it feels comfortable and will stay with them. But the Solitary is free (freer even than most eclectics, if only by virtue of having only her/himself to please) to do whatever s/he likes ... to experiment, to change, to adopt and adapt. S/he can do elaborate, ceremonial rites one day and simple, plain, ingenuous rites the next. S/he can do Gardnerian oriented rituals one time, Welsh-Keltic the next and Dianic the next. There is tremendous freedom for the Solitary, which I urge you to enjoy to the utmost. Experiment. Try different types and styles of rituals. Find those that are exactly right for you.
8. A Solitary ritual can be the barest minimum of words and actions.
This follows on from (7), above. You can enjoy a true economy of ritual, if you so desire. Let me give you an example:
ERECTING THE TEMPLE (Alternate)
The Witch lights the four Circle Candles from the Altar Candle and, with the athame, "draws" the Circle, directing power into it. She then sits, or kneels, before the altar and proceeds with a meditation on the elements:
(This should be familiarized—not necessarily word for word—so that it can be followed through without effort)
"You with you, beyond leading and a are generous to it, continuing sitting the stretches foothills in scattering the off way of middle to the off another of mountains to of bright your a field. distant left, yellow which There a fence, wooden buttercups. you is beyond lush can rail see green fence, Some in which the grass far with distance are all distance.
more other about behind fields fields you,
gentleness trees contented; A beyond very you as light the it feel brushes hedgerow, breeze at peace.
ruffles your you face. the can top Crickets hear of the the occasional chirrup grass and in the song you grass can of a feel and, bird. the from You wind's feel the
front grasshopper A of swallow you. He lands wings swoops on your up down and knee, away and then over soars almost the low trees immediately across towards the field the is distant gone not twenty again.
mountains. feet in A
hedgerow. You get Your to your feet are feet bare and and stroll the leisurely grass lightly through tickles the them grass, as parallel you move
to the
THE WARRIOR QUEEN
tamed I strong am And And The the the arms Defender rides wield Warrior heavenly do the the I Winds of bend Queen!
Moon-Axe. my Mare the people. of bow Time.
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am She who
I The the am And firstborn fire Guardian command of all of beginnings. of the the the Sea Sacred waters Mother
I am Flame;
of the the Sea-Mare, Earth.
I lies am And the Sister Mother destiny to the to of Stars the my
Moon. Within my womb
Lady For with I people
am ten the thousand
Creatrix. I am daughter to the
white names; Mare.
I am Epona, the
—Tara Buckland
THELORD
The darkness existence of Behold! and time.
the the the spark coolness breeze. end I And of am of of death; life He the time. of
is who Gatekeeper For within I am is I at am in Me the the the at As beginning hgat cause the is the of end the of
and sun
And strength Lord-dweller You gentle, the world hear see ever, shore
the is the to such fleck am touch thunder in the that I, of as the sea,
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Lover, 1 am is but He Son.
the who beginning turns the of key. life
—Raymond Buckland
220 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
along. You walk over to your right till you are close beside the hedge, then advance along it. Reaching out your hand as you walk, you gently brush the leaves; just catching them with your fingertips as you move along. There is a slight rise in the ground ahead of you and off to the left. You leave the hedgerow and move lightly up the hillock to stand where you can gaze about you at all the beauty that surrounds you.
Seemingly coming all the way from the distant mountains, the breeze you felt earlier is now more steady and you feel it on your face and arms. It gently ruffles the tops of the grass and causes buttercups to nod their golden heads. You stand on the hillock with your legs spread wide and slowly raise up your arms towards the sky. As you raise them, you breathe in deeply. You hold the breath for a moment, then gradually release it, bringing your arms back down to shoulder level. As you release the breath you sing out the sound "Ah!"... "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-h!"
You hear the sound echo away, rolling across the fields towards the mountains. Very soon the wind returns your call. A brisker breeze springs up and comes rushing across the field towards you. You stand exhilarated, your hands now at your sides. Then, once again, you raise your hands in great arcs as you breathe in deeply. Again you pause, then partially lower them to the louder sound of "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-h!"
A second time the wind returns, this time blowing strongly; bending the grass and stirring the hedgerow off to your side. It blows back your hair and feels warm against your cheeks. For the third time you raise your arms to the sky and cry out to the air. "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-h!" And for the third time the air replies by sending the strong, rushing wind across the fields, bending the grass before it and swirling up and around your body; tugging your hair back from your face and fluttering the robes that you wear.
As the wind dies you allow your arms to fall to your sides and stand, with head bowed, in the warmth of the sun. Breathing regularly but deeply, you feel the strength of the sun as it shines down upon you from out of the cloudless blue sky. Slowly you lift your face, with eyes closed, and bask in the radiance that encompasses you. You breathe in deeply, sensing the cleansing fire of the sun advancing through your body, cleansing and purifying. As you breathe, you feel the vitality building within you, fed by those timeless flames.
You bring your hands up, together, to your chest, cupping them as though holding the very orb of the sun. You continue raising them, up to your face then on up high above your head. With palms open and upward, you spread your arms and reach up, absorbing the sun's rays into your body, this time through your hands and down through your arms. Feel the energies rippling down through your body, down through your legs, all the way to your toes. Feel the fire within you. Feel the fire.
Now you lower your arms and, turning back towards the hedgerow, you leave the hillock and continue on along the side of the field. As you walk you become aware of a new sound—the sound of a running stream. A tinkling of the waters rushing over and around pebbles and small stones
reaches your ears and draws you forward. You reach the end of the hedgerow and see a small wood set back behind it. From out between the trees runs the stream, bubbling and bustling on its way to it knows not where. It curves out and around, to rush off and disappear from view on the far side of the hedgerow you followed.
You drop down to your knees and reach forward a hand to feel the water. It is cold, yet not so cold as to turn you away. The rushing water murmurs protest at the new obstacle and bubbles around and between your fingers, eager to be on its way. You smile and slip the other hand in beside the first. You wriggle your fingers and rejoice in the invigorating coolness of the water. You splash your face and feel the cold droplets trickle down your neck. It is refreshing and energizing. You cup your hands and raise a human grail of divine essence from the stream. You bend and plunge your face into it, to celebrate a catharsis of the flesh and of the spirit. The water refreshes, cleanses and purifies. It is a gift; a freely given pleasure. You sigh a long sigh of contentment.
Rising to your feet again, you move on along the edge of the trees until you reach the corner of a large, ploughed field that opens out to the left. The soil is newly turned and the scent of it is heavy in the air. You walk out towards the center of the field, breathing deeply and feeling the good clean dirt of the earth between your toes as you walk.
When you finally reach the middle of the ploughed field, you stoop down and sweep up two handsful of the rich, dark brown earth. It feels good; it communicates a kinship of nature. You feel a "grounding and centering" of your body, through your feet, into the earth. It is a sense of coming home, or reaching that which you have long sought.
You lie down on the earth, between the furrows, eyes closed and face towards the sky. You feel the gentle breeze blowing over you and luxuriate in the warmth of the sun. Away in the distance you can just make out the tinkling of the stream as you absorb the energies of the earth. Your spirit soars and rejoices. And, in so doing, you have touched of all the elements."
You can see that the "things said" and "things done" are all in the mind. You may well feel comfortable doing all your rites in this way, though I do urge you to at least cast your Circle physically.
As a preliminary to the meditation, above, you might want to re-read the section on meditation in Lesson Seven. Also, I would suggest incorporating the breathing exercises given there, including the imagery of the white light.
For such a guided meditation, you might like to record it on tape, ahead of time, and then play it back to yourself in the Circle.
9. The Solitary IS one.
This can be both an advantage (chiefly so, I feel)
and a disadvantage. An example of the latter: if a Witch happens to have a very short temper and has been badly used by someone, s/he might possibly be driven by thoughts of revenge. S/he might be tempted to overlook the Wiccan Rede, rationalizing her/his thoughts and feelings in some way. However, unless s/he can get all of the other coven members, including the Priest/ess, to feel the same way that s/he does, s/he can do nothing s/he might later regret. Far more likely is that the coven would calm her/him and bring the problem into perspective. The Solitary, on the other hand, does not have this "safety catch". S/he must, therefore, be constantly on guard and always carefully and closely examine the situation before working any magick, giving special thought to the Wiccan Rede.
Solitary Witches / 221
But, on the other side of the coin, the Solitary does not have to make any compromises in anything s/he does. The Solitary is one with her/himself and is automatically attuned, with no disharmony or distraction.
So the Solitary Witch is indeed a reality. Don't let anyone tell you that, because you don't belong to a coven and because you were not initiated by someone (who was initiated by someone who was, in turn, initiated by someone ... and so on, ad nauseum), you are not a true Witch. Tell them to read their history (and ask them who initiated the very first Witch?!). You are a Witch and you are so in the fine tradition of Witchcraft. May the Gods be with you.
AND NOW ...?
You have now reached the end of this road. I hope you have found the journey worthwhile. I have tried to teach you everything you need to know to be a good Wiccan and to practice either as a member of a coven or as a Solitary. If you have worked through this workbook diligently, then you are actually better trained now than many Witches who have practiced for years. Many come into covens that have no formal training and that seem to simply struggle along from one meeting to the next, with no one there having any great knowledge. Of course this is not to say that, even if you have absorbed everything in this book, you now know all there is to know about the Craft... you don't. And nor do 1.1 have been in the Craft for almost a quarter of a century, and have been studying for far longer than that, yet I am still learning. To that end I suggest that you keep reading all the books that you can. I have added a few more in a recommended reading section at the end of this volume. I would also urge you to re-read your lessons once in a while (I'd suggest once a year).
Remember, there are many roads that lead to the center. Each must choose her or his own. So be tolerant to others. Don't try to force your ways on them, nor let them force their ways on you. Thank you for being a good student. Always remember the Wiccan Rede: "AN' IT HARM NONE, Do What Thou Wilt."
The Lord and the Lady be with you in everything you undertake.
APPENDIX A WICCAN DENOMINATIONS
Prior to publication of this book, I invited spokes- persons of any and all Wiccan traditions to let me have basic information about their particular denomination. I hoped that I could then present that information here, thus providing a means by which seekers could find the right path for themselves (or at least narrow down the choice). Unfortunately (dare I say, "typically"?) few responded and some of those who did gave scant details of their beliefs and practices. To those who were kind enough to share, I give heartfelt thanks. It is dif- ficult for beginners in the Craft—and even for many long-time practitioners—to find a particular form of practice with which they can feel really comfortable. Usually one is so delighted just to find the Craft at all, that one joyously embraces that initial contact even though, on later reflection, it does not contain all that one had hoped and expected.
Here, then, are listed a number of different paths of Wicca, with a distillation of information on their beliefs and practices. For further information, don't hesitate to contact the group. An enclosed, stamped-addressed envelope would be appreciated, I'm sure.
ALEXANDRIAN WICCA A tradition founded by Alex Sanders, in England. The rituals are basically Gardnerian but have been modified with many Judeo-Christian and Ceremonial Magick elements. Covens work skyclad. The eight Sabbats are observed and both God and Goddess are honored.
Sanders himself is unique in the Craft world in that he claims the title of a "King" of his Witches (details may be found in June Johns' book King Of the Witches).
An attempt was made, a few years back, to create a denomination known as "Algard"—a blending of
Alexandrian and Gardnerian. Since Alexandrian is already blended with Gardnerian, there didn't seem much point to it and I don't believe it caught on to any great extent. Alexandrian Wicca is now found in many countries around the world.
AMERICAN CELTIC WICCA "The American Order of the Brotherhood of the Wicca" covens stem from Jessica Bell ("Lady Sheba"), a self-styled Witch Queen. The tradition's rites are virtually the same as the Gardnerian, though covens work robed. They follow the same practice of Gardnerians in preferring couples; preferably husband and wife. "Ceremonial magick is the primary work of the American Celtic tradition and it is conceived as being the most powerful and ancient means of psychological and occult therapy by which normal, healthy people can undertake a program of initiation and development."
AUSTRALIAN WICCA The Craft is alive and well "down under" (as it is in virtually every country around the globe), with Gardnerian, Alexandrian, Seax-Wica and other groups there. There is a branch of The Church of the Old Religion in Western Australia. Unfortunately, promised details of this denomination did not arrive in time for this edition of the Workbook. Hopefully in future editions I can add pertinent information. For now, interested persons can contact Catherine-Clair, P.O. Box 80, Lane Cove, NSW 2066, Australia.
CHURCH OF Y TYLWYTH TEG Their stated purpose is "to seek that which is of the most worth in the world ... to exalt the dignity of every person, the human side of our daily activities 225
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and the maximum service to humanity... to aid humanities' (sic) search in the Great Spirit's Universe for identity, for development and for happiness... to re-link humanity with itself and Nature."
It is, as its name suggests, a Keltic/Welsh tradition and was originally organized by Bill Wheeler, in Washington D.C. in 1967, as "The Gentle People." It teaches the balance of nature, folklore, mythology and the mysteries and was incorporated as a non-profit (religious) organization, in the state of Georgia, in 1977.
The Church has an "Outer Circle" of students, who may learn through correspondence, together with its inner core. It is found in many areas of the United States. For further information, contact Y Tylwyth Teg, P.O. Box 674884, Marietta, GA 30067.
CHURCH OF THE CRESCENT MOON "The Church of the Crescent Moon is a cohesive, small group of highly dedicated individuals ... Each Priestess and Priest maintains services to the Goddess or God she or he serves, and the Goddesses and Gods in general. Therefore, the Church offers many paths to the ultimate 'oneness' with the absolute." The purposes of the Church of the Crescent Moon include perpetuating "the uncorrupted religion of ancient Ireland" and providing "information and instruction about the Goddesses and Gods in general, Irish culture and many occult subjects."
Although the Church, which was originally organ- ized in 1976, states that "we do not call ourselves Wiccans..." I have included them in this present work. Many of their rituals are open to guests and prospective members. Further information may be obtained from The Director, Church of the Crescent Moon, P.O. Box 652, Camarillo, CA 93011-0652.
CIRCLE WICCA Circle was begun in 1974 by Selena Fox and Jim Alan. Its headquarters are at Circle Sanctuary, a 200 acre Nature preserve and organic herb farm in the rolling hills of southwestern Wisconsin. Circle coordinates Circle Network, "an international exchange and contact service for Wiccans, Neo-Pagans, Pantheists, Goddess Folk, Shamans, Druids, Eco-Feminists, Native American Medicine People, Seers, Ceremonial Magicians, Mystics and others on related paths." They publish an annual source, which I recommend to the seeker, the Circle Guide to Pagan Resources. I also recommend their quarterly newspaper, Circle Network News.
Circle sponsors a variety of seminars, concerts and workshops at their home base and around the country. At least once a year they also sponsor a special program for Wiccan and other Pagan ministers, and at Summer Solstice hold the National Pagan Spirit Gathering.
Circle is incorporated as a non-profit spiritual center and is recognized as a legal Wiccan Church by state and federal governments. Circle differs from many traditions of Wicca in that it is more aligned with Shamanism and, it seems to me, Amerindian ways than with the Wicca of Western Europe found in the majority of Craft traditions. This is not to denigrate it in any way, for it is an excellent, dedicated and well organized center. Further information may be obtained from Circle, P.O. Box 219, Mt. Horeb, WI 53572.
COVEN OF THE FOREST, FAR AND FOREVER.
This is a newer denomination and therefore not found as widely spread as some of the others listed. It was formed by a Priest and Priestess with collective experiences in Dianic, hereditary Spanish, Egyptian and Gardnerian Wicca plus Qabbalism. There is good balance between the male and female aspects. The group "sees the Goddess and God figures as living representatives of even more fundamental, living forces which manifest on a variety of levels." Their stated purpose is "to make ourselves more fit as vehicles for these forces, by invoking them to, in turn, balance and develop our own natures and grow closer to the Universe."
The worship is skyclad and without the use of drugs. Esbats are held at each moon and there is emphasis on the Book of Shadows being personally handwritten. Further information is available from Elivri and Giselda, P.O. Box 13804, University Station, Gainesville, FL 32604
DEBORAN WITCHDOM "The Deboran branch is eclectic. We make little ritual use of nudity. We work with balanced polarities (Goddess-God; positive-negative). What we are aiming for is a reconstruction of the Craft as it would be if the Burning Times had never happened—as if Wiccedom had continued without interference to this day. We use research, logical deduction and divination in this quest."
Sabbats are open to guests but Esbats are closed. CoVen leaders are called Robin and Marion, with their seconds-in-command called the Maiden and the Green
Appendix A: Wiccan Denominations / 227
Man. They do not have First, Second and Third Degrees as such, but "Apprentices, 'sealed and sworn' Witches and Elders."
"We view the Craft as a priesthood with a ministry and our principle job, as Witches, is to help others find pathways to religious experience and to their own power." The Deboran tradition has been in existence for at least seven years, as of this writing, and was founded by Claudia Haldane. Further information may be obtained from Erinna Northwind, Eregion Grove, P.O. Box 114, Nahant, MA 01908.
DIANIC FEMINIST WICCE A tradition started by Ann Forfreedom that is both religious and practices magick. It includes both female and male practitioners ('It is not lesbian oriented and not separatist" states Ann), solo practitioners, mixed covens and all female covens.
"Dianic Feminist Wicce encourages female leader- ship, insists that a Priestess must be present for a Circle ritual to be held and involves its practitioners in feminist and humanist issues." Groups work either skyclad or robed. Further information may be obtained from Goddess Rising, 2441 Cordova street, Oakland, CA 94602
FROSTS'WICCA This is one of the many Welsh-based traditions. It was originally founded by Gavin and Yvonne Frost in the early 1970s. As "The Church and School of Wicca" the material is presented to students by correspon- dence, though the course is virtually the same as the material presented in their book The Witches' Bible. Originally (in the book) there was no mention of the Goddess at all and there were various sexual aspects which dismayed many who were otherwise drawn to the tradition. The latter situation has recently been modified and there is now mention of the Goddess. It is a widely spread tradition, found throughout this country and abroad. For further information contact The School Of Wicca, P.O. Box 1502, New Bern, NC 28560.
GARDNERIAN WICA This was the first denomination of the Craft to make itself known publicly (in the 1950s, in England). Because of that, many people mistakenly think that it is the only "true" Wicca. It is named for its founder, Gerald Gardner, who actually launched the tradition a few years after the end of the second World War. For
many years Gardner was accused of inventing the whole concept of Wicca and of getting Aleister Crowley to write its rituals. Today he has been pretty well cleared of both these charges. The Gardnerian Book of Shadows can now be seen as a compilation from various sources, much of it actually contributed by Doreen Valiente. For a detailed examination of the birth of Gardnerian, see Janet and Stewart Farrar's excellent books Eight Sabbats for Witches and The Witches’ Way.
The Gardnerian tradition places emphasis on the Goddess over the God, with the female generally lauded over the male. It has a degree system of advance- ment and does not allow for self-initiation. Covens work skyclad and aim to have "perfect couples"— equal numbers of male and female, paired. Covens are, theoretically at least, autonomous. Gardnerian Wica is found in most countries around the world.
Today there are many traditions which base their rites on the Gardnerian ones. There are also a large number of groups who call themselves "Gardnerian" even though their Books of Shadows bear little resemblance to Gardner's original. For more information on this tradition contact Joyce Rasmussen, 383 Harrison Street, Council Bluffs, IA 51501. (I can personally vouch for the fact that this lady's Book is the same as Gardner's own).
GEORGIAN WICCA The Georgians, founded by George E. Patterson in 1970, were chartered by the Universal Life Church in 1972, as The Church of Wicca of Bakersfield! In 1980 they were chartered as The Georgian Church.
"The Georgians are eclectic, much based on Gardnerian-Alexandrian plus some English tradition- alist and some original... God-Goddess oriented but lean more towards the Goddess." They generally work skyclad but individual groups or individuals may do as they wish. They are both religious and magickal and celebrate the eight Sabbats. Members are encouraged to write rituals and to learn from all available sources. More information may be had from The Georgian Church, 1908 Verde Street, Bakersfield, CA 93304.
MAIDENHILL WICCA A "traditional" Wiccan group established in 1979 and having strong ties with The Coven of Rhiannon in Manchester, England.
"Our main focus is the worship of the great God- dess and her Consort, the Horned God ... Our coven
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does not limit worship to one particular cultural-ethnic 'tradition'. Rather, a thorough training in basic Gardnerian Wica is taught and members are urged, after mastering these basics, to find that particular myth cycle or path consistent with their beliefs."
Further information is obtainable from Deidre, Maidenhill, P.O. Box 29166, Philadelphia, PA 19127.
NORTHERN WAY A non-initiatory tradition that works robed. "We try to emulate as authentic and traditional re-creation as possible of old Norse garb ... Our God-names are all Old Norse, not Teutonic. We do cast a Circle; we do not 'call Quarters'... Our tradition is Norse ... the group, however, is not hereditary in that members need not be of any particular family or ethnic group."
The Northern Way was founded in 1980 and incorporated in 1982, in Chicago. Its religion is some- times called Asatru. They observe the four Solar Fire Festivals as well as those indigenous to the Norse religion. Further details may be obtained from Northern Way, Inc., Nova Coven, 45 S. LaVergne Ave, Northlake, II 60164, (312) 562-0802.
NOVA WICCA An eclectic group founded by two Gardnerians. They work robed at Esbats and Sabbats and skyclad at initiations. The Gardnerian deity names are used, though "working pairs may use others if they wish." Nova has a degree system, which is very finely tuned, and an in-depth training, some classes being open to newcomers. Grand Sabbats are also open to interested persons, at the coven's discretion.
Nova classifies itself as "a Mixed Traditional, Teaching/Training Coven." Further information may be obtained from Nimue and Duncan, 6030 W. Roosevelt Road, Oak Park, IL 60304.
PECTI-WITA A Scottish Solitary tradition passed on by Aidan Breac, who personally teaches students in his home at Castle Carnonacae, in Scotland. The tradition is attuned to the solar and lunar changes, with a balance between the God and the Goddess. Meditation and divination play a large part in the tradition and it also teaches several variations on solitary working of magick. Information is not generally available and Mr. Breac (who, as of this writing, is about ninety years old) is not seeking further students.*
SEAX-WICA This tradition was founded by myself in 1973. It has a Saxon basis but is, in fact, a new denomination of the Craft. It does not pretend to be either a continuation or a re-creation of the original Saxon religion (see notes in Lesson 2 regarding the choice of deity names). Main features of the tradition are the fact that it has open rituals (all of them are published and available), it has a democratic organization that precludes ego trips and power plays by coven leaders, there can be Coven or Solitary practice and there is the reality of Self-Initiation in lieu of Coven Initiation, if desired. Covens are led by Priest and/or Priestess and decide for themselves whether to work skyclad or robed. The Seax-Wica is found throughout the United States and in many countries around the world. My book The Tree: Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft (Weiser, NY 1978) gives the basics of the tradition.
In Margo Adler's book, Drawing Down the Moon, she makes a couple of incorrect statements that I feel need to be addressed. She claims that the Seax-Wica was originally started as a joke and further states that it is an eclectic collection of bits and pieces from various sources. She is wrong on both counts (it is unfortunate when an author does not bother to verify statements before publishing them).
Since I left the Gardnerian tradition after more than a decade of great activity in it, in order to found and promote the Saxon tradition, and since the Seax-Wica has been my life for well over another decade, it should be obvious to anyone of any intelligence that it was not a joke! Far from it; it was very carefully constructed as an answer to the corruption (a harsh word but, I feel, the appropriate one) that seemed prevalent in some sectors of the Craft, and in much of Gardnerian specifically, at that time (I have no reason to believe that this is still the case). Far from drawing on other sources, with the exception of using Saxon deity names all of the tradition as I presented it was new and of my own authorship. I was particularly careful to still honor my original Gardnerian oath and not to include any of that tradition's secrets.
Happily, many people felt the same way that I did at the time of the Seax-Wica's inception and many have welcomed it since. Today the Saxon tradition flourishes and grows at a steady rate. Details may be found in my book, The Tree, mentioned above.
*I am in touch with Aidan Breac and hope, sometime in the future, to be allowed to present the Pecti-Wita teachings to a larger audience.
APPENDIX B EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
LESSON ONE Answer in your own words, without referring back to the text. Do not go on to the next lesson until you are entirely happy with the previous one. Answers to the questions are to be found in Appendix C.
1. Which two deities were most important to early
Wo/Man's existence? 2. What is "sympathetic" magick? Give an example
of it. 3. Where did Pope Gregory build the early churches
and why? 4. Who or what was "Jack o' the Green"? 5. What was "The Witches' Hammer" and who was
responsible for it? 6. Who was the anthropologist/Egyptologist who, in the 1930s, advanced the theory that Witchcraft was an organized religion? 7. When was the last law against Witchcraft repealed in
England? 8. Who was the first Witch to speak up for the Craft (a)
in England, (b) in America? 9. What is a Witch's only animosity towards Christ-
ianity? 10. Do you have to belong to a coven to be able to
work a spell?
PLEASE READ:
Chapters One through Six of Witchcraft From the Inside by Raymond Buckland. Recommended supplementary reading:
The Cod of the Witches—Dr. Margaret A. Murray
Witches: Investigating an Ancient Religion— T.C. Lethbridge The Devil In Massachusetts—Marion Starkey
LESSON TWO 1. Study the two Goddess myths given in the lesson and examine their symbolism. In the Saxon myth of Freya, what does the necklace Brosingamene represent? 2. What are the three essentials of magick? 3. Have the Christians ever believed in reincar-
nation? 4. According to Craft beliefs, if you do an injury to someone (a) will you be able to wait till after death before being punished? (b) does that mean the same injury will be done to you in your next life? 5. Imagine that you share an apartment with a room- mate who is not in the Craft. You have your own bedroom but must share kitchen and living-room. Is it possible to have your own temple? If so, where would be the best place? 6. From which direction do you enter the ritual
Circle? 7. North, South, East, West... Blue, Green, Red, Yellow. Which color goes with which direction? 8. Which of the following could be used for an
altar?
(a) Folding metal card-table (b) Wooden packing crate (c) Two concrete blocks and a piece of plywood (d) Tree stump 229
230 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
9. What is the "Wiccan Rede"? 10. Can you use a glass ashtray for a censer? PLEASE READ: Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 of The Lost
Gods of England by Brian Branston.
Recommended supplementary reading:
Witchcraft Today—Gerald B. Gardner
LESSON THREE
1. Does the Witch's knife have to be of any special
length?
2. You own an ancient knife which you believe was once used to kill a man. Could you use this as an athame?
3. Can you use an unaltered, store-bought knife for
your athame?
4. What are the two principle methods of marking
metal?
5. Is the Sword necessary, or can something else be
substituted?
6. What is a burin?
7. Jessica Wells was born March 15, 1962. She likes the name "Rowena" and would like to use it for her Craft name. Is this a good choice? If not, what would you suggest she do?
8. Choose your Craft name. Check it numerologically. Practice writing it in various forms of magickal script.
9. How would you write the name "GALADRIEL" in Saxon runes? What would be the Magickal Monogram for this name?
PLEASE READ:
Chapters 7,8,9,10 of Witchcraft From the Inside by Raymond Buckland. Chapters 1 thru 5 of The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald B. Gardner. Recommended supplementary reading:
Numerology—Vincent Lopez
LESSON FOUR
1. What is the term used for the central theme of
initiation?
2. Describe, briefly, the general pattern of initiation.
3. What is the meaning of the blindfolding and
binding?
4. What is the Wiccan Rede and what does it mean?
5. Is it usual for a woman to initiate another woman?
6. Write a short essay on what the Craft means to
you and why you want to be a part of it.
PLEASE READ:
Witchcraft Today by Gerald B. Gardner Rites and Symbols of Initiation (Birth and Rebirth) by Mircea Eliade
Recommended supplementary reading:
The Rites of Passage—Arnold Van Gennep
LESSON FIVE
1. If you have a coven with eleven people in it and four more come along who want to join, can they? What are the alternatives possible?
2. What color is the cover of the Book of Shadows? Can you type the rituals and put them in your book?
3. How often should a coven meet?
4. The date of your next Esbat meeting is also the date of the full moon. Which of the following rituals should you do and in what order?
Cakes and Ale Erecting the Temple Full Moon Rite Clearing the Temple New Moon Rite Esbat Rite
5. What are the names of the four Greater Sabbats?
Appendix B: Examination Questions / 231
6. Is dancing permitted within the Circle?
7. What is the meaning of the Cakes and Ale rite? What is the symbolism of lowering the athame into the goblet?
PLEASE READ:
Chapters 6 through 12 of The Meaning of Witch- craft by Gerald Gardner.
Recommended supplementary reading:
Aradia, Gospel of the Witches—Charles G. Leland The Witches Speak—Patricia and Arnold Crowther
LESSON SIX 1. A coven member wishes to work some love magick at the next Circle, which happens to be Imbolc. Can she do so? If not, why not? When can she do it?
2. At which Sabbats are the God and the Goddess
honored?
3. At the height of the summer, which deity is su-
preme, to the exclusion of the other?
4. If the Sabbat date coincides with a full moon, whereabouts, in the ceremonies, would you per- form the Full Moon Rite?
5. Which Sabbat marks the shift of emphasis from Goddess to God? Which marks the shift back from God to Goddess?
6. Is Yule one of the four Greater Sabbats?
PLEASE READ:
Eight Sabbats for Witches by Janet and Stewart Farrar
Recommended supplementary reading:
Seasonal Occult Rituals—William Gray
LESSON SEVEN 1. Briefly, what is meditation?
2. Regardless of how, or where, you sit, what is the
most important thing regarding your posture?
3. What is the best time of day to meditate?
4. Where do you focus your attention?
5. Describe, briefly, three dreams you have had in the past month. Give your interpretation of those dreams.
6. What is a Priapic Wand?
7. Start a dream diary. Record all your dreams. There is no need to write down an interpretation for each and every one, but at least think about their meanings as you record them.
PLEASE READ:
The Dream Game by Ann Faraday The Silent Path by Michael Eastcott
Recommended supplementary reading:
Dreams—Carl G. Jung The Llewellyn Guide to Astral Projection—Melita Dennings & Osborne Phillips
LESSON EIGHT 1. Is the Wicca handfasting rite a lifetime joining of the
man and woman?
2. At what age is a child initiated into the Craft?
3. What are the two main categories of channeling?
4. Give at least five of the major points you must address in order to clear your mind for chan- neling.
5. You have mislaid your car keys. You don't know whether they are in your bedroom, living room or kitchen, or at the office. How do you locate them? Give two methods.
6. You see a large break in your father's aura, in the area near his heart. What would you tell him and why? PLEASE READ:
How to Read the Aura; How to Develop Psychometry; How to Develop Clairvoyance all by W.E. Butler Practical Color Magick by Raymond Buckland
232 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Recommended supplementary reading:
The Principles and Practice of Radiesthesia—Abbe Mermet Amazing Secrets of the Psychic World—Raymond Buckland and Hereward Carrington
LESSON NINE
1. After trying at least three different spreads for the tarot, and doing at least six readings with each spread, write down which of the spreads you prefer and why.
2. Imagine that you are in the middle of doing a tarot reading for a friend, using the Rider-Waite deck. The Major Arcana card, "The Tower" appears in the position of The Immediate Future. What interpretation would you place on it? (It is realized that much would depend on the other cards around it. However, just give your interpretation for this one card)
3. In this same hypothetical reading, the Final Out- come for your friend is the Five of Pentacles. What is your interpretation of that card in that position?
4. If you do not own a crystal ball but want to try
scrying, what could you use in its place?
5. In cheiromancy, what is the difference between the left hand and the right, for purposes of inter- pretation?
6. When reading tealeaves you see a bell and a horseshoe low down in the cup, but by the handle. What do they mean?
7. (a) What can you say about John F. Kennedy (going just by the name) according to numerology- (b) By numerology, were Napolean and Josephine compatible?
8. An astrological chart shows a Pisces ascendant.
What could you say about the person?
PLEASE READ:
The Book of Changes by J. Blofeld 1-OmzgbyR.Wilhelm
The Seventh Sense by Kenneth Roberts Numerology by Vincent Lopez The New A to Z Horoscope Maker and Delineator by
Llewellyn George Palmistry, the Whole View by Judith Hipskind
Recommended supplementary reading: Crystal
Gazing—T. Besterman Medical Palmistry—Marten Steinbach A Pocket Guide to the Supernatural—Raymond Buckland
LESSON TEN
1. What are the requirements of a good healer?
2. Why should you always refer to plants by their
Latin name?
3. What is: (a) an infusion (b) clarification?
4. Name three different methods of preparing herbs
for medicinal use.
5. What would you use Slippery Elm for? (Littmus
fulva )
6. What do the following terms mean: (a) Carminative (b)
Expectorant (c) Rubifacient (d) Sudorific?
7. If the adult dose of a particular medicine is two (2) drachms, what dose would you give a seven year old child? * >
8. What are the abbreviations for the following: (a) equal parts (b) a spoonful (c) shake the vessel (d) after meals?
PLEASE READ:
Stalking the Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons The Herb Book by John Lust The Tree (Section on Herbal Lore) by Raymond Buckland
Recommended supplementary reading:
Common and Uncommon Uses of Herbs for Healthful Lining—Richard Lucas The Herbalist—J.E. Meyer Potter's New Encyclopedia of Botanical Herbs
Appendix B: Examination Questions 1233
Complete Herbal—Nicholas Culpeper Complete Herbal—Gerard Herbal Manual—H. Ward
LESSON ELEVEN
What is magick? How do you prepare for it (before actually stepping into the Circle)? When do you use
it?
How and where would you create a Cone of Power?
3. Write a chant to
(a) Bring about a just court decision (b) increase the yield of a farmer's fields (c) recover stolen goods, also give the key word for releasing the power in each case.
4. A young woman has been deserted by her hus- band (he ran off with her "best friend"). She is left with three children and a pile of bills. Explain, in detail, what magick you would do for her/including the method, the whole story you plan (from present to final desired situation), the chant, the key word.
5. Write a short paragraph on why chants and rhymes
are important.
6. You are a Solitary Witch. A dear friend comes to you asking for help. What would you advise (remember who is the best person to work magick)? PLEASE READ:
Practical Candleburning Rituals by Raymond Buckland Practical Color Magick by Raymond Buckland Recommended supplementary reading:
Sexual Occultism—Jonn Mumford Magical Herbalism—Scott Cunningham Earth Power—Scott Cunningham
LESSON TWELVE
1. What is a talisman? How does a talisman differ?
from an amulet?
2. What two main actions are required to charge a
talisman with power?
3. How do you personalize a talisman? What would you put on a talisman to personalize it for a man 1.
named Frank Higgins (Craft Name: Eldoriac), born June 27, 1942?
4. Mary Pagani (Craft Name: Empira) wants a better 2.
paying position where she works. There is a position opening up soon and she would like to get it. Explain how you would determine what to put on a talisman for her to wear to ensure getting this promotion. When and how would you make it? Mary's birthdate is February 14, 1954.
5. Henry Wilson is in love with Amy Kirshaw. She is not in love with him. Explain how you would determine what to put on a talisman for Henry, and when and how you would make it. Henry's birthdate is October 12, 1947, and Amy's is July 3, 1958.
6. Practice writing in all of the magickal alphabets illustrated. Why should you not try to learn any of them by heart?
PLEASE READ:
The Runes and Other Magical Alphabets by Michael Howard How To Make and Use Talismans by Israel Regardie
Recommended supplementary reading:
The Book of Charms and Talismans—Sepharial Egyptian Language—Sir Wallis Budge
LESSON THIRTEEN
1. A young boy slipped from a pile of rocks he was climbing, fell and broke his left leg. It has been set but is taking a long time to mend. What would you do to help the mending process, utilizing
(a) auric healing (b) gem therapy (c) graphochromopathy?
2. In the case described in question 1, devise a way
234 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
of aiding the boy, magickally, using a method of your own, which may be based on those given in the Lesson (e.g. a variation of sympathetic magick).
3. What is Prana? In pranic healing, why is it necessary to shake the hands vigorously at the end of a pass? Give two methods of doing pranic healing when the patient is not physically present.
4. A woman has a hysterectomy. Describe how you
would aid her recovery, using a Poppet.
5. Write a short essay on healing, reviewing what you have learned in lessons 10,11,12 and 13.
PLEASE READ:
Color Healing by Mary Anderson Healing for Everyone by E. Loomis & J. Paulson Is This Your Day? by George S. Thommen The Art of True Healing by Israel Regardie Precious Stones; Their Occult Power and Hidden Significance by W.B. Crow
Recommended supplementary reading: Magic and
Healing—C.J.S. Thompson Color Therapy—Linda Clark Handbook of Bach Flower Remedies—Philip M. Chancellor Handbook of Unusual and Unorthodox Healing Methods—J.V. Cerney
See, also, the list at the end of the lesson.
LESSON FOURTEEN
1. Is it permissable for you to write you own rituals? What are the two basics to bear in mind when writing them, and what should be the focus of the ritual?
2. What names will you give to the God and the
Goddess in your rituals?
3. Why is participation important in religion?
4. Where is the best place to find potential coven
members?
5. Why would any tradition of the Craft want to establish themselves as a "church"? What would be the first step to so establishing yourself?
6. One Saturday morning you happen to see a pro- gram for children, on television, which depicts a Witch as an evil worshipper of the Christian Devil. What should you do?
7. Your mother-in-law happens to find your Book of Shadows and your athame. She immediately assumes you are a servant of Satan! What would you tell her? PLEASE READ:
Seasonal Occult Rituals by William Gray Recommended supplementary reading; The
Spiral Dance—Starhawk
APPENDIX C ANSWERS TO EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
LESSON ONE
1. The God of the Hunt and the Goddess of Fertility.
2. The belief that similar things have similar effects (like attracts like). An example would be the early hunting magick of primitive Wo/Man where a clay model of the animal to be hunted was first attacked and "killed" in the belief that the real hunt would follow the same pattern.
3. Pope Gregory the Great built his churches on the old pagan sites, hoping to "cash in" on the fact that the people were accustomed to go to those places in order to worship. Any pagan temples on the sites were either rededicated to the Christian god or were torn down and replaced by Christian churches.
4. "Jack o' the Green" was the name given to carvings which represented the old God of Hunting and of Nature. They were also known as "Robin of the Woods" or by the more general term of "foliate masks."
5. "The Witches' Hammer" was the book Malleus Maleficarum, which detailed how to discover and interrogate Witches. It was the main reference book of the persecutors during the "Burning Times" and was authored by two German monks, Heinrich Institoris Kramer and Jakob Sprenger.
6. Dr. Margaret Alice Murray.
7. 1951.
8. (a) Gerald Brousseau Gardner (b)
Raymond Buckland
9. A Witch's only animosity towards Christianity, or towards any other religion or philosophy of life, is to the extent that its institutions have claimed to be "the only way" and have sought to deny freedom to others and to suppress other ways of religious practice and belief.
10. No, you do not have to belong to a coven to work magick There are many Witches who work alone (Solitaries). There are also many people who are not Witches who work magick (Magicians).
LESSON TWO
1. The necklace Brosingamene represents the bright- ness of the sun. Its loss, therefore, brings on fall and winter (Freya's descent into Dreun). Its return heralds spring and summer.
2. (i) Feeling—the most important ingredient. You must really want the thing you seek with every fiber of your being, (ii) Timing—tying in with the phases of the Moon, (iii) Cleanliness.
3. Yes, they have. It was part of the original Christian teachings until condemned by the Second Council of Constantinople in 553 c.e.
4. (a) No. You experience retribution in this life, (b) Not necessarily. You experience all things throughout your many lifetimes. You may, therefore, have received the same type of injury in any one 235
236 / Auckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
of your previous lives or you may in any one of your future ones.
5. Yes, it is possible. Your temple can be in any area and does not have to be set up permanently. In this situation, the best place would probably be in your bedroom.
6. From the East (the direction of sunrise).
7. North—Green; East—Yellow; South—Red;
West—Blue.
8. They all could be, but the best would be without
metal. In order of preference I would put them (d) (c) (b) (a).
9. An' it harm none, do what thou wilt.
10. Yes, you can. It's not asthetically pleasing, how- ever, and you could probably find something better, but it would do. To be sure it doesn't crack from the heat, you would be well advised to fill it with sand first.
can always be used in lieu of the sword.
6. A burin is an engraving tool and is used for marking
on metal.
7. Jessica's Birth Number is 9 (3 . 15 . 1962 — 3+1+5+1+9+6+2 = 27 = 9); Rowena is a 4 Name Number (R=9, O=6, W=5, E=5, N=5, A=l; 9+6+5+5+5+1 = 31 = 4). Therefore, Rowena would not be a good choice insofar as it does not match her Birth Number. However, she could make it fit by adding another 5 letter. I would suggest adding another "E', thus: RO WEEN/4 = 9+6+5+5+5+5+1 = 36 = 9.
8. Don't forget to include the '19' of the year (e.g. 1946) when working out your Birth Number.
9. GALADRIEL-
Magickal Monogram:
LESSON THREE
1. No. It can be whatever length best suits its
owner.
2. Yes, you could. The knife itself was merely the instrument used in the action. Any negativity would have gone to the murderer her/himself. So long as the knife is properly cleansed and consecrated, it can certainly be used for an athame.
3. No. Any knife should be worked on by its owner in some way. If you can't make it from scratch then perhaps you can make a new handle for it. If you can't even do that, then at the very least do some work on it—carve your name and/or Magickal Monogram on it. Personalize it in some way. Then, of course, you must consecrate it.
4. Engraving and etching.
5. I would strongly recommend having a sword for
coven use, but it is not mandatory. The athame
LESSON FOUR
1. The whole initiatory process is referred to as a "Rite of Passage" but the Central Theme (which is what I asked for) is a PALINGENESIS; a rebirth.
2. Initiation generally follows the pattern of SEPARA- TION; CLEANSING; SYMBOLIC DEATH; NEW KNOWLEDGE; REBIRTH.
3. It represents the darkness and the restriction of
the womb prior to birth.
4. I asked this before, in Lesson Two's examination questions, but I do want to impress it upon you. The Wiccan Rede is "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt". It means that you can do anything you like so long as you don't hurt anyone. And I would remind you that "anyone" includes yourself.
5. No, it is not usual. Normally (traditionally) a man will initiate a woman and a woman initiate a man. However, it would not be wrong for a man to initiate another man or a woman another woman.
Appendix C: Answers to Examination Questions / 237
In fact this is quite often done in the case of a mother initiating her daughter or a father his son.
6. Think carefully about this question and write the essay as though I were going to read it. Then put it away safely somwhere. Take it out to read it again in about a month's time. See if you still agree with what you said or if you would alter it in any way.
LESSON FIVE 1. Yes, they can. There is no maximum number for a coven (thirteen has become something of a "traditional" number, though there is actually little evidence for it historically). However, a total of fifteen people could be a little unwieldy. Two possible alternatives would be (i) for the fifteen to split into two covens, with some new and some old (i.e. more experienced) in each group, or (ii) for the four newcomers to simply start their own coven from scratch.
2. Green. No, the rituals should always be written by hand. In fact, on the title page of most of the old Books of Shadows there is the notation "By the Witch ...(Name)..., in her hand of write" (i.e. in her own handwriting).
3. At least once a month.
4. Erecting the Temple; Esbat Rite; Full Moon Rite; Cakes and Ale; Clearing the Temple (if it is the date of the full Moon then the New Moon Rite would not be done, of course).
5. Samhain; Imbolc; Beltane; Lughnasadh.
6. It is not only permitted but is encouraged. It is
especially useful in the working of magick.
7. It is a thanking of the gods for the necessities of life. The lowering of the athame into the wine goblet symbolizes the joining of male and female (the insertion of the penis into the vagina).
LESSON SIX 1. Since Imbolc is a sabbat, no, she cannot. Except
for emergency healings, no work is done at sabbats, which are for celebration. She would have to either wait for the next esbat, or do a special Circle, for working the magick, sometime before or after the sabbat evening.
2. The God and the Goddess are honored at every sabbat. Depending on the time of year, one is given preference over the other (basically the Goddess during the light half of the year and the God during the dark half), but it should be remembered that they are both there at all times. Neither of them "dies" and is gone.
3. The emphasis is on the Goddess—but bear in mind my answer to question 2, so she is not supreme "to the exclusion of the other."
4. Erecting the Temple; Full Moon Rite; Sabbat Rite; Cakes and Ale; Celebrations; Clearing the Temple.
5. (a) Samhain (b) Beltane.
6. No, it is one of the Lesser Sabbats—the Winter
Solstice; December 21st.
LESSON SEVEN
1. It is a listening. Listening to the Higher Self
(Inner Self; Creative Force; Higher Consciousness; the Gods Themselves—however you wish to relate to it). It differs from prayer in that prayer is an asking whereas meditation, as I have said, is a listening (perhaps even listening to the answer to a prayer).
2. To keep the spine straight.
3. There really is no "best time", but you should be consistent and meditate at the same time each day, if possible.
4. On the Third Eye.
5. Examine your dreams carefully when interpreting them. Break down each dream into its various component parts. Pay particular attention to colors, numbers, animals, significant objects, etc.
238 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Don't be too quick to take your dreams literally and always keep in mind that the main character (s) usually represent yourself.
6. A wand shaped like a phallus (penis) and used in various fertility rites. It is named after the Roman god Priapus.
LESSON EIGHT
1. No. They pledge themselves to each other for as long as their love shall last. When there is no longer love between them, they are free to go their separate ways.
2. When the particular child is ready. There is no set age; it depends entirely on the individual child.
3. Physical and Mental.
4. Controlling the mind; Removing emotion; Self-examination; Possessiveness; Love; Meditation.
5. (a) Calm yourself and rid yourself of all emotion. Then simply follow your inner urges; be guided from within, (b) Use the pendulum, either working on a "Yes/No" basis or with sketch maps of the various rooms the keys might have been left in.
6. Beware the power of suggestion. Do not tell him what you see. Enquire about his health. If he claims to be feeling fine, then drop the subject. It might be a good idea to get him to have a full medical check-up, but this should be suggested in a most subtle way with no hint of worry.
LESSON NINE
1. Don't rush your working of the tarot. The more you use it, the better you will find you are able to interpret the cards.
2. Your interpretation—your feeling—is what counts. Speaking very generally, this card could show a problem in relationships, particularly close relation- ships (family and close friends). It could be a break-up in the home, at work, or with a particular
group of people.
YOM
must decide. Bear in mind the position of the card and relate that to when this is likely to happen.
3. Again the interpretation must be all yours. It could be a pessimistic outlook or an optimistic one, depending on what strikes you in the sym- bolism of the card. Keep in mind the position— the "Final Outcome"—which would indicate that your interpretation should be very specific (This same card, appearing in a different position, could have a meaning which was, to an extent, flexible. But in this particular position it must be definite).
4. There are several possibilities: a glass of water; a magnifying lens; a watch glass; a mirror ... really any reflective surface could be used. Initially, however, you'll find it easiest with a clear surface against a black background.
5. The left hand indicates what the person was born with and the course the life would have taken if things had proceeded unchanged. The right hand shows what has been made of the life to date. (With a left-handed person, these are reversed).
6. The symbols mean good news, good luck and the start of some new enterprise (possibly, though not necessarily, a wedding). Being near the handle, they closely affect the subject. Being low down in the cup, they are in the future; possibly quite a way off.
7. (a) JOHN F KENNEDY = 1685 6 255547
= 59 = 14 = 5
There is a preponderance of 5s (in fact, five of them!), which is also the Name Number itself. Number 5 people make friends easily and get along well with persons of almost any number. They are quick in thought and in decisions.
(b) NAPOLEAN = 51763565= 38 = 11 = 2
JOSEPHINE = 161578955 = 47 = 11 = 2
Obviously they were most compatible.
8. The first house represents your interaction with
Appendix C: Answers to Examination Questions / 239
the world and your appearance—how others see you. With Pisces rising, therefore, the person will appear to others more as a Pisces than what their Sun sign may be (the Sun represents more of the inner self). This person appears sensitive, noble, kind and gentle, and is probably of short to middle stature, of pale complexion, with high cheekbones, light hair and eyes.
LESSON TEN
1 A good healer should be a psychologist, a student of anatomy and physiology, a dietician and a person of good general knowledge about healing and about people in general.
2. The Latin name is unchanging. Local names are just that—names by which plants are known locally. They can therefore differ with geographic location.
3. (a) Applied to obtain the extracts of a herb by means of hot, but not boiling, water (in some cases even cold water can be used). (b) Done to clarify a substance after processing, by melting and skimming or filtering through a suitable substance.
4. Comminution; Extraction by decoction, infusion or maceration; percolation; filtration; clarification; digestion; expression.
5. As a skin cleanser and tonic. A special invalid food can be made from the bark, which can be digested by the weakest digestive organs and cannot be vomited. In soap it is an excellent skin soother. It can be applied, externally, as a poultice, to irritated and inflamed skin and wounds. It has been used to make rectal and vaginal sup- positories, enemas and a vaginal douche. It is a demulcent, diuretic and emollient.
6. (a) Expels wind from the bowels.
(b) Facilitates expectoration (coughing). (c) Increases circulation and produces red skin. (d) Produces profuse perspiration.
7. A seven-year old child would be given one third of the adult dose. Since the adult dose, in this case, is two drachms, then the child's would be
one-third of two, which is two thirds of a drachm (or 2 scruples, or 40 grains).
8. (a) P. Ae. (b) Coch. j. (c) Agit. vas (d) P.c.
LESSON ELEVEN
1. (a) "The art or science of causing change to occur in conformity with will," or making something happen that you want to happen. (b) By being in good physical condition. Cleanse yourself both outwardly and inwardly, as pre- scribed in the lesson. (c) When there is a real need for it (and at an esbat, not at a sabbat unless it is an emergency).
2. By building the power through chanting, dancing, sex, or however. You do so in the consecrated Circle. Don't forget to make sure you are "secure" (i.e. unlikely to be interrupted by anyone or anything).
3. Make sure that your chants are rhythmic—that they have a regular beat to them—and that they rhyme. Examples: (a) "Lord and Lady, hear me pray; Judge
and jury, rule my way." (b) "All the baskets filled with grain. At season's end a plenteous gain." (c) "Thieves who stole things in the night, -
return to me by morning light." The key words I have shown in italics.
4. She may well be better off without the husband, so don't bother with trying to bring him back (that would be working against his free will, anyway). Concern yourself with the wife's immediate situation... she has a need for SECURITY. You must decide for yourself just which method of working you will use. Think carefully about the whole story; how you wish to resolve it. Think it through from the present to the final outcome, as you wish it. Compose a suitable chant, remem- bering to have a steady beat and a good rhyme. Know which is (are) your key word(s)—the key word will probably be "Security" or similar.
5. Refer back to the lesson to see if what you have
remembered is right.
240 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
6. The point here is that the best person to work magick is the person most directly involved; in this case, the friend. So get your friend to work for her/himself. Even if s/he has never done any such work before, you can instruct on how to do something simple yet effective, such as candle-burning. If, for whatever reason, the friend just cannot do the work alone, then you should do it (whichever method you prefer) but with the friend assisting you.
LESSON TWELVE
1. A talisman is a human-made object endowed with magickal properties. It can be for a variety of objectives: to bring luck, fertility, to protect, to draw money, etc. It differs from an amulet in that the latter is a natural object that has been con- secrated.
2. Inscription and consecration. The inscription to personalize the object and to give its purpose. The consecration to formally charge it.
3. While concentrating on the person, you would inscribe it with the name and personal details such as birth number, sun sign, moon sign, ascendant, ruling planet, etc. I would recommend using one of the magickal alphabets for the personalization. Frank Higgins' sun sign is Cancer, his ruling planet is the Moon. Since we don't have his time and place of birth we can't put his ascendant or moon sign. His Birth Number is 4, so that can be included. His Craft name, in runes, is: M
and his Magickal Monogram is:
All of this information can be put on the talisman (you don't have to use runes, you can use any one of the many different magickal alphabets), arranged in any order you like, to personalize it for Frank Higgins.
4. First of all decide what you are going to be working for. It's not just money. She doesn't just want one single payment of money. She wants a better
5.
You would personalize one side of the talisman for Henry, with a sun sign of Libra and ruling planet Venus. You can ignore all the information for Amy Kirshaw for, as I have tried to emphasize, you may not interfere with another's free will. This talisman, then, can only be done to bring the love of "another" to Henry.
The Talisman would be made on copper and made on a Friday. On the reverse you would put the sigil for love:
6. Part of the power that goes into the talisman comes from your concentration on the writing as you do it. To be somewhat unfamiliar with the alphabet you use therefore ensures that you have to concentrate on its construction.
LESSON THIRTEEN
1 . (a) Start with visualizing a white light all around the boy, as a cleansing and purifying agent, then gradually change that to a healing green light. Let the green concentrate on the area of his left leg. Finish off with a little blue light, to ensure no inflammation and prevent rheumatism from later setting in. (b) Work with a green stone (precious or semi- precious: e.g. emerald, jade, beryl, turquoise). Lay the stone on the area of the break, for at least an hour each day, and then see that he wears it as a pendant, or in a ring, the rest of the day. (c) Use a photograph of the boy that includes his left leg. Project green light onto the photograph,
paying position (which is, in effect, an increase in income and a different/better position). Your key word could be "Promotion" or "Advancement" or something like that. It could even be "Desires". Taking "Desires" as an example, you would work on a Thursday and make the talisman of tin (if possible) or parchment. Mary is an Aquarius, with Uranus as the ruling planet. As with the previous question, we don't know her rising or moon signs. Her birth number is eight.
On the reverse you would put the sigil for "Desires":
Appendix C: Answers to Examination Questions / 241
either by a colored lamp or by placing the photo- graph in a frame with a green colored filter in front of it.
2. There are many variations you can do on the methods described in the lesson. One would be to project the colored light, but onto a poppet rather than onto a photograph. You could combine this with visualizing the green aura around the poppet's leg. In this way you could combine the sympathetic practice of making the poppet (and the stuffing it with healing herbs) and the color projection and auric healing, all to the same end. Think of other ways yourself.
3. (a) The vital force which underlies all physical
action of the body. (b) To remove the negativity that you have drawn off from the body. (c) One way would be to work on a poppet. A second way would be to work with a photograph.
4. Construct the poppet to represent the woman, with all her physical characteristics. Make sure it includes the cut of the hysterectomy. You could make it of green cloth, to help the healing process. Personalize it with her name and astrological signs. Stuff the poppet with chamomile for its soothing qualities and for its use for female complaints. Similarly you could use pennyroyal, calendula, catmint, tansy, rue, etc. Following a ritual "naming" of the poppet, for the woman, you would then ritually sew up the area of the hysterectomy incision, and visualize it healing and the scar disappearing. You could finish off by leaving the poppet with green colored light pro- jected onto the area.
LESSON FOURTEEN
1. Not only is it permissable but I would encourage it. Bear in mind that your rituals must contain words and action—"things said" (legomena) and "things done" (dromena). The focus of the ritual should be its purpose, be that celebration, thanks- giving, seasonal, or whatever.
2. This is entirely up to you. Choose those names
with which you can most easily identify and feel
completely comfortable.
3. You may well have your own feelings on this. The Craft is a family religion and to be able to participate freely makes one very much aware of being a part of that family. It draws the participants together, sharing the religious experience.
4. The best place is within the current pagan scene. There you will find others who are aware (or have at least some knowledge) of what Witch- craft really is and also find many who are actively looking to join a coven. Contact can be made with such people through the columns of the various pagan and Craft publications and at the many festivals held across the country.
5. (a) To proclaim the fact that Wicca is a religion and that it should be treated to the same respect as any other longer-established/accepted religion. It also enables the participants to legally perform such ceremonies as those for marriage, birth and death, and can lead to greater ecumenical inter- action between ourselves and other faiths, (b) Obtain a copy of the IRS booklet How To Apply for Recognition of Exemption For An Organization (Publication #557).
6. Write to the station putting out the program, the network headquarters, Action For Children's Television, Federal Communications Commission, National Citizen's Committee For Broadcasting, National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus and the individual ad- vertisers sponsoring the program. Complain about the way Witchcraft was presented on the show and give an outline of the true Craft. Refer to respectable books on Witchcraft. Do not be abusive. Complain calmly and clearly.
7. You wouldn't tell her anything... not right away! You would ask her what she thought Witchcraft to be (and also, if necessary, what she thought Satanism to be) and proceed from there as described in the lesson.
APPENDIX D MUSIC AND CHANTS
In the old days there was much festivity at the Sabbat meetings. There were songs and dancing, games and frivolity. So it should be today. Victor Anderson has recently published an original collection of Pagan songs (Thorns of the Blood Rose, Anderson, California, 1970) written by himself. Some Covens have gathered older songs and dances, or made up their own for their
own use.
Here are a few songs, chants and dances to get you started. Begin collecting your own. Don't be afraid to take any good tune you happen to come across and enjoy, and put your own words to it. Be creative ... and have fun.
WICCAN HANDFASTING
Words and Music by Ray Buckland
Both do show their love; know their true heart, hoping that they never will part.
Bright full Moon is shining above; Shining down, spreading their true love. All are skyclad and everyone glad. Happiness abounds; no one sad. Flowers rest on the altar so gay, Flowers around the Circle lay. All the coven is singing with joy, Happy for this girl and this boy. "We desire that we be made one In the eyes of the Gods and every one." Runic inscriptions on silver band each then places on the other's hand. 2 . 3 .
"Your life 111 guard before my own, Disrespect ne'er will I condone. This athame 111 plunge in my heart should I hurt you; cause us to part." 4 .
Then they kiss each other with joy; No more are they just girl and boy. They're united as one, you see. The Lord and Lady we say: "Blessed Be!"
243
244 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Music—Traditional
DANCE IN THE CIRCLE
Words—Ray Buckland
2. They all go running, leaping high Over the bonfire, to the sky. Happy laughter; give and take. They'll be there till daybreak. Never slowing; puffing, blowing; Deosil circle, round and round. Moving slow; moving fast; Spin, jump and hit the ground. Hark to the sounds of Witchcraft joy! Watch as the girl spins with her boy. Happy, happy pagans they, Dancing in the Wiccan way.
3. After the dancing there will be Plenty of
happy memories. There is ritual; there are rites; Ceremony all night. "We love the God! We love Goddess!" All of the Witches cry out loud. "We are one! We share love!" Wiccans—they all are proud. Prayers to the Lady and her Lord. Thanks to them both with blessings stored. Priest and Priestess; Witches all; Proudly they can stand tall.
Appendix D: Music and Chants 1245
Words and Music by Ray Buckland
2. Love to the Lord and Lady too;
Love to all these Witches. We may be poor, or so it seems,
But we have these riches: We have so much brotherly love,
Together with each other. We have the best together now; Wife, husband or lover. We nothing lack in our lives,
So long as we keep to The Wiccan Rede: "Harm no one; What ye will, then do."
JOIN IN THE DANCE
3. Come! Join us now, this merry band,
As we go a-dancing. We're Witches all, enjoying life,
Around the Circle prancing. Don't waste your time sitting outside
The Circle's sacred ring. Come! join us now, full coven strong;
Let's dance and sing. Join in the dance, round and round;
We'll make your steps seem light. Let yourself go, round and round;
Dance all through the night.
246 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
LORD OF THE GREENWOOD
Words and Music by Tara Buckland
2. In the heat of their passion, passion; In
the heat of their passion, passion; In the heat of their passion, passion, The grain shall rise again.
3. Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Greenwood; Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Greenwood. Comes the Lord of the Greenwood, Greenwood, To court the Lady fair.
Appendix D: Music and Chants / 247
NIGHT OF MAGICK
Words and Music by Ray Buckland
2. Below, on timeless rolling down, 5.
An ancient Circle strong; Composed of time-worn standing stones— Its origin long gone. Chorus ...
3. Then suddenly a strange event 6.
Occurred for who might see. A phantom line of men in white Appeared across the lea. Chorus...
They cast no shadows as they passed Into the Circle's bound. No faces peered from out their cowls; No footprints on the ground.
Chorus .
A flash of golden sickled blades Not held by human hand. In ritual conclave, magick rites Long practiced by the band.
Chorus , 4. From whence they came no one can say;
They suddenly were there. With chanting low and steady tread They moved in censered air.
Chorus .
Then, as a thousand time before Upon this hallowed site, The phantoms slowly fade away; Returning to the night.
7.
Chorus.
248 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
Music—Traditional
WE ARE WITCHES ALL
Words by Ray Buckland
2. "An' it harm none, do what thou wilt"; It
is the Wiccan Rede. We fear no foe for love we show, In thought and also deed.
Our words of thanks, our songs of praise, We offer them in prayer. We sing their praise, we ask their help; We know that they are there.
Chorus:
Appendix D: Music and Chants 1249
Music by W. T. Wrighton
SING ME A WICCAN SONG
Words by Ray Buckland
2. Sing me a Wiccan song Of Circles in moonlight. Of dancing feet and chanting rhymes And power raised so bright. For only in a Wiccan song can we all worship right.
3. Sing me a Wiccan song
Of winter, summer, fall, spring, of seasons passing joyfully, their praises we do sing. For only in a Wiccan song Can we with Nature ring.
4. Sing me a Wiccan song Of Lady and of Lord. Of candles, censer, water, salt, Athame and of sword. For only in a Wiccan song Can Gods be true adored.
Chants and rounds can be fun. Here is something that can be sung as either—as a round (as indicated) or simply sung in unison as a chant. It is sung to the old tune "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."
1. All praise to the Lord and Lady;
Yes, praise to the Lord and Lady. Oh, praise to the Lord and Lady, For we love them so.
2. In honor we all hold Our Sabbat Rites; To worship the Gods
All our days and our nights.
3. All praise to the Lord and Lady;
Yes, praise to the Lord and Lady. Oh, praise to the Lord and Lady, For they love us so.
250 / Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft
A BELTANE ROUND Music by Arnold Words by Ray Buckland
Appendix D: Music and Chants / 251
SIX POWER RAISING CHANTS
(1) We are the children of the night. Gentle
are we—yet feel our might.
(2) Singing, dancing, chanting low. Power building... let it go!
(3) Round and round this Esbat site; Power
build to work our rite.
(4) Brother and sister, together we sing.
Directing the forces that our wills bring.
(5) We are the spokes of the mighty wheel; this
power we raise that all might feel.
(6) Deosil circle round about;
Building the power, let it go with a shout!
Some simple chants—make up your own tunes for them.
ELEMENTS
East; air! South; fire! West; Water! North; earth! Dance round; jump higher; Born; live; Death; Rebirth!
WORK THE MAGICK
Swing the censer, light the light; Circle round in starlit night. Chant the words and ring the bell; Work the magick, weave the spell.
EARTH SITE by Tara Buckland
Earth site Witches' rite Merry meet In joy tonight!
Sacred ground, Newly bound. Witness to The power found!
CIRCLE FAMILY My lot in life's no matter, Howe'er my die is cast. My family's the Circle; I'm with my own at last.
POWER CONE Circle marked upon the ground; Skyclad figures moving round. Incense rising to the sky; Power cone now building high. Dancing, chanting, gentle sound; Witches' magick doth abound.

CATH MAIGE TUIRED

The Second Battle of Mag Tuired

Translated by Elizabeth A. Gray

THIS TALE BELOW IS THE BATTLE OF MAG TUIRED AND THE BIRTH OF BRES SON OF ELATHA AND HIS REIGN

1. The Tuatha De Danann were in the northern islands of the world, studying occult lore and sorcery, druidic arts and witchcraft and magical skill, until they surpassed the sages of the pagan arts.

2. They studied occult lore and secret knowledge and diabolic arts in four cities: Falias, Gorias, Murias, and Findias.

3. From Falias was brought the Stone of Fal which was located in Tara. It used to cry out beneath every king that would take Ireland.

4. From Gorias was brought the spear which Lug had. No battle was ever sustained against it, or against the man who held it in his hand.

5. From Findias was brought the sword of Nuadu. No one ever escaped from it once it was drawn from its deadly sheath, and no one could resist it.

6. From Murias was brought the Dagda's cauldron. No company ever went away from it unsatisfied.

7. There were four wizards in those four cities. Morfesa was in Falias; Esras was in Gorias; Uiscias was in Findias; Semias was in Murias. Those are the four poets from whom the Tuatha De learned occult lore and secret knowledge.

8. The Tuatha De then made an alliance with the Fomoire, and Balor the grandson of Net gave his daughter Ethne to Cian the son of Dian Cecht. And she bore the glorious child, Lug.

9. The Tuatha De came with a great fleet to Ireland to take it by force from the Fir Bolg. Upon reaching the territory of Corcu Belgatan (which is Conmaicne Mara today), they at once burned their boats so that they would not think of fleeing to them. The smoke and the mist which came from the ships filled the land and the air which was near them. For that reason it has been thought that they arrived in clouds of mist.

10. The battle of Mag Tuired was fought between them and the Fir Bolg. The Fir Bolg were defeated, and 100,000 of them were killed including the king, Eochaid mac Eire.

11. Nuadu's hand was cut off in that battle--Sreng mac Sengainn struck it from him. So with Credne the brazier helping him, Dian Cecht the physician put on him a silver hand that moved as well as any other hand.

12. Now the Tuatha De Danann lost many men in the battle, including Edleo mac Allai, and Ernmas, and Fiacha, and Tuirill Bicreo.

13. Then those of the Fir Bolg who escaped from the battle fled to the Fomoire, and they settled in Arran and in Islay and in Man and in Rathlin.

14. There was contention regarding the sovereignty of the men of Ireland between the Tuatha De and their wives, since Nuadu was not eligible for kingship after his hand had been cut off. They said that it would be appropriate for them to give the kingship to Bres the son of Elatha, to their own adopted son, and that giving him the kingship would knit the Fomorians' alliance with them, since his father Elatha mac Delbaith was king of the Fomoire.

15. Now the conception of Bres came about in this way.

16. One day one of their women, Eriu the daughter of Delbaeth, was looking at the sea and the land from the house of Maeth Sceni; and she saw the sea as perfectly calm as if it were a level board. After that, while she was there, she saw something: a vessel of silver appeared to her on the sea. Its size seemed great to her, but its shape did not appear clearly to her; and the current of the sea carried it to the land.

Then she saw that it was a man of fairest appearance. He had golden-yellow hair down to his shoulders, and a cloak with bands of gold thread around it. His shirt had embroidery of gold thread. On his breast was a brooch of gold with the lustre of a precious stone in it. Two shining silver spears and in them two smooth riveted shafts of bronze. Five circlets of gold around his neck. A gold-hilted sword with inlayings of silver and studs of gold.

17. The man said to her, "Shall I have an hour of lovemaking with you?"

"I certainly have not made a tryst with you," she said.

"Come without the trysting!" said he.

18. Then they stretched themselves out together. The woman wept when the man got up again.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

"I have two things that I should lament," said the woman, "separating from you, however we have met. The young men of the Tuatha De Danann have been entreating me in vain-and you possess me as you do."

19. "Your anxiety about those two things will be removed," he said. He drew his gold ring from his middle finger and put it into her hand, and told her that she should not part with it, either by sale or by gift, except to someone whose finger it would fit.

20. "Another matter troubles me," said the woman, "that I do not know who has come to me."

21. "You will not remain ignorant of that," he said. "Elatha mac Delbaith, king of the Fomoire, has come to you. You will bear a son as a result of our meeting, and let no name be given to him but Eochu Bres (that is, Eochu the Beautiful), because every beautiful thing that is seen in Ireland--both plain and fortress, ale and candle, woman and man and horse--will be judged in relation to that boy, so that people will then say of it, 'It is a Bres.'"

22. Then the man went back again, and the woman returned to her home, and the famous conception was given to her.

23. Then she gave birth to the boy, and the name Eochu Bres was given to him as Elatha had said. A week after the woman's lying-in was completed, the boy had two weeks' growth; and he maintained that increase for seven years, until he had reached the growth of fourteen years.

24. As a result of that contention which took place among the Tuatha De, the sovereignty of Ireland was given to that youth; and he gave seven guarantors from the warriors of Ireland (his maternal kinsmen) for his restitution of the sovereignty if his own misdeeds should give cause. Then his mother gave him land, and he had a fortress built on the land, Dun mBrese. And it was the Dagda who built that fortress.

25. But after Bres had assumed the sovereignty, three Fomorian kings (Indech mac De Domnann, Elatha mac Delbaith, and Tethra) imposed their tribute upon Ireland-and there was not a smoke from a house in Ireland which was not under their tribute. In addition, the warriors of Ireland were reduced to serving him: Ogma beneath a bundle of firewood and the Dagda as a rampart-builder, and he constructed the earthwork around Bres's fort.

26. Now the Dagda was unhappy at the work, and in the house he used to meet an idle blind man named Cridenbel, whose mouth grew out of his chest. Cridenbel considered his own meal small and the Dagda's large, so he said, "Dagda, for the sake of your honor let the three best bits of your serving be given to me!" and the Dagda used to give them to him every night. But the satirist's bits were large: each bit was the size of a good pig. Furthermore those three bits were a third of the Dagda's serving. The Dagda's appearance was the worse for that.

27. Then one day the Dagda was in the trench and he saw the Mac Oc corning toward him.

"Greetings to you, Dagda!" said the Mac Oc.

"And to you," said the Dagda.

"What makes you look so bad?" he asked.

"I have good cause," he said. "Every night Cridenbel the satirist demands from me the three best bits of my serving."

28. "I have advice for you," said the Mac Oc. He puts his hand into his purse, and takes from it three coins of gold, and gives them to him.

29. "Put," he said, "these three gold coins into the three bits for Cridenbel in the evening. Then these will be the best on your dish, and the gold will stick in his belly so that he will die of it; and Bres's judgement afterwards will not be right. Men will say to the king, 'The Dagda has killed Cridenbel with a deadly herb which he gave him.' Then the king will order you to be killed, and you will say to him, 'What you say, king of the warriors of the Feni, is not a prince's truth. For he kept importuning me since I began my work, saying to me, "Give me the three best bits of your serving, Dagda. My housekeeping is bad tonight." Indeed, I would have died from that, had not the three gold coins which I found today helped me. I put them into my serving. Then I gave it to Cridenbel, because the gold was the best thing that was before me. So the gold is now in Cridenbel, and he died of it.'"

"It is clear," said the king. "Let the satirist's stomach be cut out to see whether the gold will be found in it. If it is not found, you will die. If it is found, however, you will live."

30. Then they cut out the satirist's stomach to find the three gold coins in his belly, and the Dagda was saved.

31. Then the Dagda went to his work the next morning, and the Mac Oc came to him and said, "Soon you will finish your work, but do not seek payment until the cattle of Ireland are brought to you. Choose from among them the dark, black-maned, trained, spirited heifer.

32. Then the Dagda brought his work to an end, and Bres asked him what he would take as wages for his labour. The Dagda answered, "I require that you gather the cattle of Ireland in one place." The king did that as he asked, and he chose the heifer from among them as the Mac Oc had told him. That seemed foolish to Bres. He had thought that he would have chosen something more.

33. Now Nuadu was being treated, and Dian Cecht put a silver hand on him which had the movement of any other hand. But his son Miach did not like that. He went to the hand and said "joint to joint of it, and sinew to sinew"; and he healed it in nine days and nights. The first three days he carried it against his side, and it became covered with skin. The second three days he carried it against his chest. The third three days he would cast white wisps of black bulrushes after they had been blackened in a fire.

34. Dian Cecht did not like that cure. He hurled a sword at the crown of his son's head and cut his skin to the flesh. The young man healed it by means of his skill. He struck him again and cut his flesh until he reached the bone. The young man healed it by the same means. He struck the third blow and reached the membrane of his brain. The young man healed this too by the same means. Then he struck the fourth blow and cut out the brain, so that Miach died; and Dian Cecht said that no physician could heal him of that blow.

35. After that, Miach was buried by Dian Cecht, and three hundred and sixty-five herbs grew through the grave, corresponding to the number of his joints and sinews. Then Airmed spread her cloak and uprooted those herbs according to their properties. Dian Cecht came to her and mixed the herbs, so that no one knows their proper healing qualities unless the Holy Spirit taught them afterwards. And Dian Cecht said, "Though Miach no longer lives, Airmed shall remain."

36. At that time, Bres held the sovereignty as it had been granted to him. There was great murmuring against him among his maternal kinsmen the Tuatha De, for their knives were not greased by him. However frequently they might come, their breaths did not smell of ale; and they did not see their poets nor their bards nor their satirists nor their harpers nor their pipers nor their horn-blowers nor their jugglers nor their fools entertaining them in the household. They did not go to contests of those pre-eminent in the arts, nor did they see their warriors proving their skill at arms before the king, except for one man, Ogma the son of Lain.

37. This was the duty which he had, to bring firewood to the fortress. He would bring a bundle every day from the islands of Clew Bay. The sea would carry off two-thirds of his bundle because he was weak for lack of food. He used to bring back only one third, and he supplied the host from day to day.

38. But neither service nor payment from the tribes continued; and the treasures of the tribe were not being given by the act of the whole tribe.

39. On one occasion the poet came to the house of Bres seeking hospitality (that is, Coirpre son of Etain, the poet of the Tuatha De). he entered a narrow, black, dark little house; and there was neither fire nor furniture nor bedding in it. Three small cakes were brought to him on a little dish--and they were dry. The next day he arose, and he was not thankful. As he went across the yard he said,

"Without food quickly on a dish,
Without cow's milk on which a calf grows,
Without a man's habitation after darkness remains,
Without paying a company of storytellers--let that be Bres's condition."

"Bres's prosperity no longer exists," he said, and that was true. There was only blight on him from that hour; and that is the first satire that was made in Ireland.

40. Now after that the Tuatha De went together to talk with their adopted son Bres mac Elathan, and they asked him for their sureties. he gave them restoration of the kingship, and they did not regard him as properly qualified to rule from that time on. He asked to remain for seven years. "You will have that," the same assembly agreed, "provided that the safeguarding of every payment that has been assigned to you--including house and land, gold and silver, cattle and food --is supported by the same securities, and that we have freedom of tribute and payment until then."

"You will have what you ask," Bres said.

41. This is why they were asked for the delay: that he might gather the warriors of the sid, the Fomoire, to take possession of the Tuatha by force provided he might gain an overwhelming advantage. He was unwilling to be driven from his kingship.

42. Then he went to his mother and asked her where his family was. "I am certain about that," she said, and went onto the hill from which she had seen the silver vessel in the sea. She then went onto the shore. His mother gave him the ring which had been left with her, and he put it around his middle finger, and it fitted him. She had not given it up for anyone, either by sale or gift. Until that day, there was none of them whom it would fit.

43. Then they went forward until they reached the land of the Fomoire. They came to a great plain with many assemblies upon it, and they reached the finest of these assemblies. Inside, people sought information from them. They answered that they were of the men of Ireland. Then they were asked whether they had dogs, for at that time it was the custom, when a group of men visited another assembly, to challenge them to a friendly contest. "We have dogs," said Bres. Then the dogs raced, and those of the Tuatha De were faster than those of the Fomoire. Then they were asked whether they had horses to race. They answered, "We have," and they were faster than the horses of the Fomoire.

44. Then they were asked whether they had anyone who was good at sword-play, and no one was found among them except Bres. But when he lifted the hand with the sword, his father recognized the ring on his finger and asked who the warrior was. His mother answered on his behalf and told the king that Bres was his son. She related to him the whole story as we have recounted it.

45. His father was sad about him, and asked, "What force brought you out of the land you ruled?"

Bres answered, "Nothing brought me except my own injustice and arrogance. I deprived them of their valuables and possessions and their own food. Neither tribute nor payment was ever taken from them until now."

46. "That is bad," said his father. "Better their prosperity than their kingship. Better their requests than their curses. Why then have you come?" asked his father.

47. "I have come to ask you for warriors," he said. "I intend to take that land by force."

48. "You ought not to gain it by injustice if you do not gain it by justice," he said.

49. "I have a question then: what advice do you have for me?" said Bres.

50. After that he sent him to the champion Balor, grandson of Net, the king of the Hebrides, and to Indech mac De Domnann, the king of the Fomoire; and these gathered all the forces from Lochlainn westwards to Ireland, to impose their tribute and their rule upon them by force, and they made a single bridge of ships from the Hebrides to Ireland.

51. No host ever came to Ireland which was more terrifying or dreadful than that host of the Fomoire. There was rivalry between the men from Scythia of Lochlainn and the men out of the Hebrides concerning that expedition.

52. As for the Tuatha De, however, that is discussed here.

53. After Bres, Nuadu was once more in the kingship over the Tuatha De; and at that time he held a great feast for the Tuatha De in Tara. Now there was a certain warrior whose name was Samildanach on his way to Tara. At that time there were doorkeepers at Tara named Gamal mac Figail and Camall mac Riagail. While the latter was on duty, he saw the strange company coming toward him. A handsome, well-built young warrior with a king's diadem was at the front of the band.

54. They told the doorkeeper to announce their arrival in Tara. The doorkeeper asked, "Who is there?"

55. "Lug Lormansclech is here, the son of Cian son of Dian Cecht and of Ethne daughter of Balor. He is the foster son of Tailtiu, the daughter of Magmor, the king of Spain, and of Eochaid Garb mac Duach."

56. The doorkeeper then asked of Samildanach, "What art do you practice? For no one without an art enters Tara."

57. "Question me," he said. "I am a builder."

The doorkeeper answered, "We do not need you. We have a builder already, Luchta mac Luachada."

58. He said, "Question me, doorkeeper: I am a smith."

The doorkeeper answered him, "We have a smith already, Colum Cualeinech of the three new techniques."

59. He said, "Question me: I am a champion."

The doorkeeper answered, "We do not need you. We have a champion already, Ogma mac Ethlend."

60. He said again, "Question me." "I am a harper," he said.

"We do not need you. We have a harper already, Abcan mac Bicelmois, whom the men of the three gods chose in the sid-mounds."

61. He said, "Question me: I am a warrior."

The doorkeeper answered, "We do not need you. We have a warrior already, Bresal Etarlam mac Echdach Baethlaim."

62. Then he said, "Question me, doorkeeper. I am a poet and a historian."

"We do not need you. We already have a poet and historian, En mac Ethamain."

63. He said, "Question me. I am a sorcerer."

"We do not need you. We have sorcerers already. Our druids and our people of power are numerous."

64. He said, "Question me. I am a physician."

"We do not need you. We have Dian Cecht as a physician."

65. "Question me," he said. "I am a cupbearer."

"We do not need you. We have cupbearers already: Delt and Drucht and Daithe, Tae and Talom and Trog, Gle and Glan and Glesse."

66. He said, "Question me: I am a good brazier."

"We do not need you. We have a brazier already, Credne Cerd."

67. He said, "Ask the king whether he has one man who possesses all these arts: if he has I will not be able to enter Tara."

68. Then the doorkeeper went into the royal hall and told everything to the king. "A warrior has come before the court," he said, "named Samildanach; and all the arts which help your people, he practices them all, so that he is the man of each and every art."

69. Then he said that they should bring him the fidchell-boards of Tara, and he won all the stakes, so that he made the cro of Lug. (But if fidchell was invented at the time of the Trojan war, it had not reached Ireland yet, for the battle of Mag Tuired and the destruction of Troy occurred at the same time.)

70. Then that was related to Nuadu. "Let him into the court," said Nuadu, "for a man like that has never before come into this fortress."

71. Then the doorkeeper let him past, and he went into the fortress, and he sat in the seat of the sage, because he was a sage in every art.

72. Then Ogma threw the flagstone, which required fourscore yoke of oxen to move it, through the side of the hall so that it lay outside against Tara. That was to challenge Lug, who tossed the stone back so that it lay in the centre of the royal hall; and he threw the piece which it had carried away back into the side of the royal hall so that it was whole again.

73. "Let a harp be played for us," said the hosts. Then the warrior played sleep music for the hosts and for the king on the first night, putting them to sleep from that hour to the same time the next day. He played sorrowful music so that they were crying and lamenting. He played joyful music so that they were merry and rejoicing.

74. Then Nuadu, when he had seen the warrior's many powers, considered whether he could release them from the bondage they suffered at the hands of the Fomoire. So they held a council concerning the warrior, and the decision which Nuadu reached was to exchange seats with the warrior. So Samildanach went to the king's seat, and the king arose before him until thirteen days had passed.

75. The next day he and the two brothers, Dagda and Ogma, conversed together on Grellach Dollaid; and his two kinsmen Goibniu and Dian Cecht were summoned to them.

76. They spent a full year in that secret conference, so that Grellach Dollaid is called the Amrun of the Men of the Goddess.

77. Then the druids of Ireland were summoned to them, together with their physicians and their charioteers and their smiths and their wealthy landowners and their lawyers. They conversed together secretly.

78. Then he asked the sorcerer, whose name was Mathgen, what power he wielded. He answered that he would shake the mountains of Ireland beneath the Fomoire so that their summits would fall to the ground. And it would seem to them that the twelve chief mountains of the land of Ireland would be fighting on behalf of the Tuatha De Danann: Slieve League, and Denda Ulad, and the Mourne Mountains, and Bri Erigi and Slieve Bloom and Slieve Snaght, Slemish and Blaisliab and Nephin Mountain and Sliab Maccu Belgodon and the Curlieu hills and Croagh Patrick.

79. Then he asked the cupbearer what power he wielded. He answered that he would bring the twelve chief lochs of Ireland into the presence of the Fomoire and they would not find water in them, however thirsty they were. These are the lochs: Lough Derg, Lough Luimnig, Lough Corrib, Lough Ree, Lough Mask, Strangford Lough, Belfast Lough, Lough Neagh, Lough Foyle, Lough Gara, Loughrea, Marloch. They would proceed to the twelve chief rivers of Ireland--the Bush, the Boyne, the Bann, the Blackwater, the Lee, the Shannon, the Moy, the Sligo, the Erne, the Finn, the Liffey, the Suir--and they would all be hidden from the Fomoire so they would not find a drop in them. But drink will be provided for the men of Ireland even if they remain in battle for seven years.

80. Then Figol mac Mamois, their druid, said, "Three showers of fire will be rained upon the faces of the Fomorian host, and I will take out of them two-thirds of their courage and their skill at arms and their strength, and I will bind their urine in their own bodies and in the bodies of their horses. Every breath that the men of Ireland will exhale will increase their courage and skill at arms and strength. Even if they remain in battle for seven years, they will not be weary at all.

81. The Dagda said, "The power which you boast, I will wield it all myself."

"You are the Dagda ['the Good God' !" said everyone, and "Dagda" stuck to him from that time on.

82. Then they disbanded the council to meet that day three years later.

83. Then after the preparation for the battle had been settled, Lug and the Dagda and Ogma went to the three gods of Danu, and they gave Lug equipment for the battle; and for seven years they had been preparing for them and making their weapons.

Then she said to him, "Undertake a battle of overthrowing." The Morrigan said to Lug,

"Awake. . . ."

Then Figol mac Mamois, the druid, was prophesying the battle and strengthening the Tuatha De, saying,

"Battle will be waged.

84. The Dagda had a house in Glen Edin in the north, and he had arranged to meet a woman in Glen Edin a year from that day, near the All Hallows of the battle. The Unshin of Connacht roars to the south of it.

He saw the woman at the Unshin in Corann, washing, with one of her feet at Allod Echae (that is, Aghanagh) south of the water and the other at Lisconny north of the water. There were nine loosened tresses on her head. The Dagda spoke with her, and they united. "The Bed of the Couple" was the name of that place from that time on. (The woman mentioned here is the Morrigan.)

85. Then she told the Dagda that the Fomoire would land at Mag Ceidne, and that he should summon the aes dana of Ireland to meet her at the Ford of the Unshin, and she would go into Scetne to destroy Indech mac De Domnann, the king of the Fomoire, and would take from him the blood of his heart and the kidneys of his valor. Later she gave two handfuls of that blood to the hosts that were waiting at the Ford of the Unshin. Its name became "The Ford of Destruction" because of that destruction of the king.

86. So the aes dana did that, and they chanted spells against the Fomorian hosts.

87. This was a week before All Hallows, and they all dispersed until all the men of Ireland came together the day before All Hallows. Their number was six times thirty hundred, that is, each third consisted of twice thirty hundred.

88. Then Lug sent the Dagda to spy on the Fomoire and to delay them until the men of Ireland came to the battle.

89. Then the Dagda went to the Fomorian camp and asked them for a truce of battle. This was granted to him as he asked. The Fomoire made porridge for him to mock him, because his love of porridge was great. They filled for him the king's cauldron, which was five fists deep, and poured four score gallons of new milk and the same quantity of meal and fat into it. They put goats and sheep and swine into it, and boiled them all together with the porridge. Then they poured it into a hole in the ground, and Indech said to him that he would be killed unless he consumed it all; he should eat his fill so that he might not satirize the Fomoire.

90. Then the Dagda took his ladle, and it was big enough for a man and a woman to lie in the middle of it. These are the bits that were in it: halves of salted swine and a quarter of lard.

91. Then the Dagda said, "This is good food if its broth is equal to its taste." But when he would put the full ladle into his mouth he said, "'Its poor bits do not spoil it,' says the wise old man."

92. Then at the end he scraped his bent finger over the bottom of the hole among mould and gravel. He fell asleep then after eating his porridge. His belly was as big as a house cauldron, and the Fomoire laughed at it.

93. Then he went away from them to Traigh Eabha. It was not easy for the warrior to move along on account of the size of his belly. His appearance was unsightly: he had a cape to the hollow of his elbows, and a gray-brown tunic around him as far as the swelling of his rump. He trailed behind him a wheeled fork which was the work of eight men to move, and its track was enough for the boundary ditch of a province. It is called "The Track of the Dagda's Club" for that reason. His long penis was uncovered. He had on two shoes of horsehide with the hair outside.

As he went along he saw a girl in front of him, a good-looking young woman with an excellent figure, her hair in beautiful tresses. The Dagda desired her, but he was impotent on account of his belly. The girl began to mock him, then she began wrestling with him. She hurled him so that he sank to the hollow of his rump in the ground. He looked at her angrily and asked, "What business did you have, girl, heaving me out of my right way?"

"This business: to get you to carry me on your back to my father's house."

"Who is your father?" he asked.

"I am the daughter of Indech, son of De Domnann," she said.

She fell upon him again and beat him hard, so that the furrow around him filled with the excrement from his belly; and she satirized him three times so that he would carry her upon his back.

He said that it was a ges for him to carry anyone who would not call him by his name.

"What is your name?" she asked.

"Fer Benn," he said.

"That name is too much!" she said. "Get up, carry me on your back, Fer Benn."

"That is indeed not my name," he said.

"What is?" she asked.

"Fer Benn Mach," he answered.

"Get up, carry me on your back, Fer Benn Mach," she said.

"That is not my name," he said.

"What is?" she asked. Then he told her the whole thing. She replied immediately and said, "Get up, carry me on your back, Fer Benn Bruach Brogaill Broumide Cerbad Caic Rolaig Builc Labair Cerrce Di Brig Oldathair Boith Athgen mBethai Brightere Tri Carboid Roth Rimaire Riog Scotbe Obthe Olaithbe. . . . Get up, carry me away from here!"

"Do not mock me any more, girl," he said.

"It will certainly be hard," she said.

Then he moved out of the hole, after letting go the contents of his belly, and the girl had waited for that for a long time. He got up then, and took the girl on his back; and he put three stones in his belt. Each stone fell from it in turn-and it has been said that they were his testicles which fell from it. The girl jumped on him and struck him across the rump, and her curly pubic hair was revealed. Then the Dagda gained a mistress, and they made love. The mark remains at Beltraw Strand where they came together.

Then the girl said to him, "You will not go to the battle by any means."

"Certainly I will go," said the Dagda.

"You will not go," said the woman, "because I will be a stone at the mouth of every ford you will cross."

"That will be true," said the Dagda, "but you will not keep me from it. I will tread heavily on every stone, and the trace of my heel will remain on every stone forever."

"That will be true, but they will be turned over so that you may not see them. You will not go past me until I summon the sons of Tethra from the sid-mounds, because I will be a giant oak in every ford and in every pass you will cross."

"I will indeed go past," said the Dagda, "and the mark of my axe will remain in every oak forever." (And people have remarked upon the mark of the Dagda's axe.)

Then however she said, "Allow the Fomoire to enter the land, because the men of Ireland have all come together in one place." She said that she would hinder the Fomoire, and she would sing spells against them, and she would practice the deadly art of the wand against them--and she alone would take on a ninth part of the host.

94. The Fomoire advanced until their tenths were in Scetne. The men of Ireland were in Mag Aurfolaig. At this point these two hosts were threatening battle.

"Do the men of Ireland undertake to give battle to us?" said Bres mac Elathan to Indech mac De Domnann.

"I will give the same," said Indech, "so that their bones will be small if they do not pay their tribute."

95. In order to protect him, the men of Ireland had agreed to keep Lug from the battle. His nine foster fathers came to guard him: Tollusdam and Echdam and Eru, Rechtaid Finn and Fosad and Feidlimid, Ibar and Scibar and Minn. They feared an early death for the warrior because of the great number of his arts. For that reason they did not let him go to the battle.

96. Then the men of rank among the Tuatha De were assembled around Lug. He asked his smith, Goibniu, what power he wielded for them.

97. "Not hard to say," he said. "Even if the men of Ireland continue the battle for seven years, for every spear that separates from its shaft or sword that will break in battle, I will provide a new weapon in its place. No spearpoint which my hand forges will make a missing cast. No skin which it pierces will taste life afterward. Dolb, the Fomorian smith, cannot do that. I am now concerned with my preparation for the battle of Mag Tuired."

98. "And you, Dian Cecht," said Lug, "what power do you wield?"

99. "Not hard to say," he said. "Any man who will be wounded there, unless his head is cut off, or the membrane of his brain or his spinal cord is severed, I will make him perfectly whole in the battle on the next day."

100. "And you, Credne," Lug said to his brazier, "what is your power in the battle?"

101. "Not hard to answer," said Credne. "I will supply them all with rivets for their spears and hilts for their swords and bosses and rims for their shields."

102. "And you, Luchta," Lug said to his carpenter, "what power would you attain in the battle?"

103. "Not hard to answer," said Luchta. "I will supply them all with whatever shields and spearshafts they need."

104. "And you, Ogma," said Lug to his champion, "what is your power in the battle?"

105. "Not hard to say," he said. "Being a match for the king and holding my own against twenty-seven of his friends, while winning a third of the battle for the men of Ireland."

106. "And you, Morrigan," said Lug, "what power?"

107. "Not hard to say," she said. "I have stood fast; I shall pursue what was watched; I will be able to kill; I will be able to destroy those who might be subdued."

108. "And you, sorcerers," said Lug, "what power?"

109. "Not hard to say," said the sorcerers. "Their white soles will be visible after they have been overthrown by our craft, so that they can easily be killed; and we will take two-thirds of their strength from them, and prevent them from urinating."

110. "And you, cupbearers," said Lug, "what power?"

111. "Not hard to say," said the cupbearers. "We will bring a great thirst upon them, and they will not find drink to quench it."

112. "And you, druids," said Lug, "what power?"

113. "Not hard to say," said the druids. "We will bring showers of fire upon the faces of the Fomoire so that they cannot look up, and the warriors contending with them can use their force to kill them."

114. "And you, Coirpre mac Etaine," said Lug to his poet, "what can you do in the battle?"

115. "Not hard to say," said Coirpre. "I will make a glam dicenn against them, and I will satirize them and shame them so that through the spell of my art they will offer no resistance to warriors."

116. "And you, Be Chuille and Dianann," said Lug to his two witches, "what can you do in the battle?"

117. "Not hard to say," they said. "We will enchant the trees and the stones and the sods of the earth so that they will be a host under arms against them; and they will scatter in flight terrified and trembling."

118. "And you, Dagda," said Lug, "what power can you wield against the Fomorian host in the battle?"

119. "Not hard to say," said the Dagda. "I will fight for the men of Ireland with mutual smiting and destruction and wizardry. Their bones under my club will soon be as many as hailstones under the feet of herds of horses, where the double enemy meets on the battlefield of Mag Tuired."

120. Then in this way Lug addressed each of them in turn concerning their arts, strengthening them and addressing them in such a way that every man had the courage of a king or great lord.

121. Now every day the battle was drawn up between the race of the Fomoire and the Tuatha De Danann, but there were no kings or princes waging it, only fierce and arrogant men.

122. One thing which became evident to the Fomoire in the battle seemed remarkable to them. Their weapons, their spears and their swords, were blunted; and those of their men who were killed did not come back the next day. That was not the case with the Tuatha De Danann: although their weapons were blunted one day, they were restored the next because Goibniu the smith was in the smithy making swords and spears and javelins. He would make those weapons with three strokes. Then Luchta the carpenter would make the spearshafts in three chippings, and the third chipping was a finish and would set them in the socket of the spear. After the spearheads were in the side of the forge he would throw the sockets with the shafts, and it was not necessary to set them again. Then Credne the brazier would make the rivets with three strokes, and he would throw the sockets of the spears at them, and it was not necessary to drill holes for them; and they stayed together this way.

123. Now this is what used to kindle the warriors who were wounded there so that they were more fiery the next day: Dian Cecht, his two sons Octriuil and Miach, and his daughter Airmed were chanting spells over the well named Slaine. They would cast their mortally-wounded men into it as they were struck down; and they were alive when they came out. Their mortally-wounded were healed through the power of the incantation made by the four physicians who were around the well.

124. Now that was damaging to the Fomoire, and they picked a man to reconnoitre the battle and the practices of the Tuatha De--Ruadan, the son of Bres and of Brig, the daughter of the Dagda-because he was a son and a grandson of the Tuatha De. Then he described to the Fomoire the work of the smith and the carpenter and the brazier and the four physicians who were around the well. They sent him back to kill one of the aes dana, Goibniu. He requested a spearpoint from him, its rivets from the brazier, and its shaft from the carpenter; and everything was given to him as he asked. Now there was a woman there grinding weapons, Cron the mother of Fianlach; and she ground Ruadan's spear. So the spear was given to Ruadan by his maternal kin, and for that reason a weaver's beam is still called "the spear of the maternal kin" in Ireland.

125. But after the spear had been given to him, Ruadan turned and wounded Goibniu. He pulled out the spear and hurled it at Ruadan so that it went through him; and he died in his father's presence in the Fomorian assembly. Brig came and keened for her son. At first she shrieked, in the end she wept. Then for the first time weeping and shrieking were heard in Ireland. (Now she is the Brig who invented a whistle for signalling at night.)

126. Then Goibniu went into the well and he became whole. The Fomoire had a warrior named Ochtriallach, the son of the Fomorian king Indech mac De Domnann. He suggested that every single man they had should bring a stone from the stones of the river Drowes to cast into the well Slaine in Achad Abla to the west of Mag Tuired, to the east of Lough Arrow. They went, and every man put a stone into the well. For that reason the cairn is called Ochtriallach's Cairn. But another name for that well is Loch Luibe, because Dian Cecht put into it every herb that grew in Ireland.

127. Now when the time came for the great battle, the Fomoire marched out of their encampment and formed themselves into strong indestructible battalions. There was not a chief nor a skilled warrior among them without armor against his skin, a helmet on his head, a broad . . . spear in his right hand, a heavy sharp sword on his belt, a strong shield on his shoulder. To attack the Fomorian host that day was "striking a head against a cliff," was "a hand in a serpent's nest," was "a face brought close to fire."

128. These were the kings and leaders who were encouraging the Fomorian host: Balor son of Dot son of Net, Bres mac Elathan, Tuire Tortbuillech mac Lobois, Goll and Irgoll, Loscennlomm mac Lommgluinigh, Indech mac De Domnann, king of the Fomoire, Ochtriallach mac Indich, Omna and Bagna, Elatha mac Delbaith.

129. On the other side, the Tuatha De Danann arose and left his nine companions guarding Lug, and went to join the battle. But when the battle ensued, Lug escaped from the guard set over him, as a chariot-fighter, and it was he who was in front of the battalion of the Tuatha De. Then a keen and cruel battle was fought between the race of the Fomoire and the men of Ireland.

Lug was urging the men of Ireland to fight the battle fiercely so they should not be in bondage any longer, because it was better for them to find death while protecting their fatherland than to be in bondage and under tribute as they had been. Then Lug chanted the spell which follows, going around the men of Ireland on one foot and with one eye closed. . . .

130. The hosts gave a great shout as they went into battle. Then they came together, and each of them began to strike the other.

131. Many beautiful men fell there in the stall of death. Great was the slaughter and the grave-lying which took place there. Pride and shame were there side by side. There was anger and indignation. Abundant was the stream of blood over the white skin of young warriors mangled by the hands of bold men while rushing into danger for shame. Harsh was the noise made by the multitude of warriors and champions protecting their swords and shields and bodies while others were striking them with spears and swords. Harsh too the tumult all over the battlefield-the shouting of the warriors and the clashing of bright shields, the swish of swords and ivory-hilted blades, the clatter and rattling of the quivers, the hum and whirr of spears and javelins, the crashing strokes of weapons.

132. As they hacked at each other their fingertips and their feet almost met; and because of the slipperiness of the blood under the warriors' feet, they kept failing down, and their heads were cut off them as they sat. A gory, wound-inflicting, sharp, bloody battle was upheaved, and spearshafts were reddened in the hands of foes.

133. Then Nuadu Silverhand and Macha the daughter of Ernmas fell at the hands of Balor grandson of Net. Casmael fell at the hands of Ochtriallach son of Indech. Lug and Balor of the piercing eye met in the battle. The latter had a destructive eye which was never opened except on a battlefield. Four men would raise the lid of the eye by a polished ring in its lid. The host which looked at that eye, even if they were many thousands in number, would offer no resistance to warriors. It had that poisonous power for this reason: once his father's druids were brewing magic. He came and looked over the window, and the fumes of the concoction affected the eye and the venomous power of the brew settled in it. Then he and Lug met. . . .

134. "Lift up my eyelid, lad," said Balor, "so I may see the talkative fellow who is conversing with me."

135. The lid was raised from Balor's eye. Then Lug cast a sling stone at him which carried the eye through his head, and it was his own host that looked at it. He fell on top of the Fomorian host so that twenty-seven of them died under his side; and the crown of his head struck against the breast of Indech mac De Domnann so that a gush of blood spouted over his lips.

136. "Let Loch Lethglas ["Halfgreen" , my poet, be summoned to me," said Indech. (He was half green from the ground to the crown of his head.) He came to him. "Find out for me," said Indech, "who hurled this cast at me." . . . Then Loch Lethglas said,

"Declare, who is the man? . . ."

Then Lug said these words in answer to him,

"A man cast
Who does not fear you.

137. Then the Morrigan the daughter of Ernmas came, and she was strengthening the Tuatha De to fight the battle resolutely and fiercely. She then chanted the following poem:

"Kings arise to the battle! . . ."

138. Immediately afterwards the battle broke, and the Fomoire were driven to the sea. The champion Ogma son of Elatha and Indech mac De Domnann fell together in single combat.

139. Loch Lethglas asked Lug for quarter. "Grant my three requests," said Lug.

140. "You will have them," said Loch. "I will remove the need to guard against the Fomoire from Ireland forever; and whatever judgement your tongue will deliver in any difficult case, it will resolve the matter until the end of fife."

141. So Loch was spared. Then he chanted "The Decree of Fastening" to the Gaels. . . .

142. Then Loch said that he would give names to Lug's nine chariots because he had been spared. So Lug said that he should name them. Loch answered and said, "Luachta, Anagat, Achad, Feochair, Fer, Golla, Fosad, Craeb, Carpat."

143. "A question then: what are the names of the charioteers who were in them?"

"Medol, Medon, Moth, Mothach, Foimtinne, Tenda, Tres, Morb."

144. "What are the names of the goads which were in their hands?"

"Fes, Res, Roches, Anagar, Each, Canna, Riadha, Buaid."

145. "What are the names of the horses?"

"Can, Doriadha, Romuir, Laisad, Fer Forsaid, Sroban, Airchedal, Ruagar, Ilann, Allriadha, Rocedal."

146. "A question: what is the number of the slain?" Lug said to Loch.

"I do not know the number of peasants and rabble. As to the number of Fomorian lords and nobles and champions and over-kings, I do know: 3 + 3 x 20 + 50 x 100 men + 20 x 100 + 3 x 50 + 9 x 5 + 4 x 20 x 1000 + 8 + 8 x 20 + 7 + 4 x 20 + 6 + 4 x 20 + 5 + 8 x 20 + 2 + 40, including the grandson of Net with 90 men. That is the number of the slain of the Fomorian over-kings and high nobles who fell in the battle.

147. "But regarding the number of peasants and common people and rabble and people of every art who came in company with the great host--for every warrior and every high noble and every overking of the Fomoire came to the battle with his personal followers, so that all fell there, both their free men and their unfree servants--I count only a few of the over-kings' servants. This then is the number of those I counted as I watched: 7 + 7 x 20 x 20 x 100 x 100 + 90 including Sab Uanchennach son of Coirpre Colc, the son of a servant of Indech mac De Domnann (that is, the son of a servant of the Fomorian king).

148. "As for the men who fought in pairs and the spearmen, warriors who did not reach the heart of the battle who also fell there-until the stars of heaven can be counted, and the sands of the sea, and flakes of snow, and dew on a lawn, and hailstones, and grass beneath the feet of horses, and the horses of the son of Lir in a sea storm--they will not be counted at all."

149. Immediately afterward they found an opportunity to kill Bres mac Elathan. He said, "It is better to spare me than to kill me."

150. "What then will follow from that?" said Lug.

"The cows of Ireland will always be in milk," said Bres, "if I am spared."

"I will tell that to our wise men," said Lug.

151. So Lug went to Maeltne Morbrethach and said to him, "Shall Bres be spared for giving constant milk to the cows of Ireland?"

152. "He shall not be spared," said Maeltne. "He has no power over their age or their calving, even if he controls their milk as long as they are alive."

153. Lug said to Bres, "That does not save you; you have no power over their age or their calving, even if you control their milk."

154. Bres said, "Maeltne has given bitter alarms!"

155. "Is there anything else which will save you, Bres?" said Lug.

"There is indeed. Tell your lawyer they will reap a harvest every quarter in return for sparing me."

156. Lug said to Maeltne, "Shall Bres be spared for giving the men of Ireland a harvest of grain every quarter?"

157. "This has suited us," said Maeltne. "Spring for plowing and sowing, and the beginning of summer for maturing the strength of the grain, and the beginning of autumn for the full ripeness of the grain, and for reaping it. Winter for consuming it."

158. "That does not save you," said Lug to Bres.

"Maeltne has given bitter alarms," said he.

159. "Less rescues you," said Lug.

"What?" asked Bres.

160. "How shall the men of Ireland plow? How shall they sow? How shall they reap? If you make known these things, you will be saved."

"Say to them, on Tuesday their plowing; on Tuesday their sowing seed in the field; on Tuesday their reaping."

161. So through that device Bres was released.

162. Now in that battle Ogma the champion found Orna, the sword of Tethra, king of the Fomoire. Ogma unsheathed the sword and cleaned it. Then the sword told what had been done by it, because it was the habit of swords at that time to recount the deeds that had been done by them whenever they were unsheathed. And for that reason swords are entitled to the tribute of cleaning after they have been unsheathed. Moreover spells have been kept in swords from that time on. Now the reason why demons used to speak from weapons then is that weapons used to be worshipped by men and were among the sureties of that time. Loch Lethglas chanted the following poem about that sword. . . .

163. Then Lug and the Dagda and Ogma went after the Fomoire, because they had taken the Dagda's harper, Uaithne. Eventually they reached the banqueting hall where Bres mac Elathan and Elatha mac Delbaith were. There was the harp on the wall. That is the harp in which the Dagda had bound the melodies so that they did not make a sound until he summoned them, saying,

"Come Daur Da Blao,
Come Coir Cetharchair,
Come summer, come winter,
Mouths of harps and bags and pipes!"

(Now that harp had two names, Daur Da Blao and Coir Cetharchair.)

164. Then the harp came away from the wall, and it killed nine men and came to the Dagda; and he played for them the three things by which a harper is known: sleep music, joyful music, and sorrowful music. He played sorrowful music for them so that their tearful women wept. He played joyful music for them so that their women and boys laughed. He played sleep music for them so that the hosts slept. So the three of them escaped from them unharmed--although they wanted to kill them.

165. The Dagda brought with him the cattle taken by the Fomoire through the lowing of the heifer which had been given him for his work; because when she called her calf, a the cattle of Ireland which the Fomoire had taken as their tribute began to graze.

166. Then after the battle was won and the slaughter had been cleaned away, the Morrigan, the daughter of Ernmas, proceeded to announce the battle and the great victory which had occurred there to the royal heights of Ireland and to its sid-hosts, to its chief waters and to its rivermouths. And that is the reason Badb still relates great deeds. "Have you any news?" everyone asked her then.

"Peace up to heaven.
Heaven down to earth.
Earth beneath heaven,
Strength in each,
A cup very full,
Full of honey;
Mead in abundance.
Summer in winter. . . .
Peace up to heaven . . ."

167. She also prophesied the end of the world, foretelling every evil that would occur then, and every disease and every vengeance; and she chanted the following poem:

"I shall not see a world
Which will be dear to me:
Summer without blossoms,
Cattle will be without milk,
Women without modesty,
Men without valor.
Conquests without a king . . . 
Woods without mast.
Sea without produce. . . . 
False judgements of old men.
False precedents of lawyers,
Every man a betrayer.
Every son a reaver.
The son will go to the bed of his father,
The father will go to the bed of his son.
Each his brother's brother-in-law.
He will not seek any woman outside his house. . . .
An evil time,
Son will deceive his father,
Daughter will deceive . . ."

THIS IS THE CATTLE-RAID OF CUALNGE

  

I

A GREAT hosting was brought together by the Connaughtmen, that is, by Ailill and Medb; and they sent to the three other provinces. And messengers were sent by Ailill to the seven sons of Magach: Ailill, Anluan, Mocorb, Cet, En, Bascall, and Doche; a cantred with each of them. And to Cormac Condlongas Mac Conchobair with his three hundred, who was billeted in Connaught. Then they all come to Cruachan Ai.

Now Cormac had three troops which came to Cruachan. The first troop had many-coloured cloaks folded round them; hair like a mantle (?); the tunic falling (?) to the knee, and long (?) shields; and a broad grey spearhead on a slender shaft in the hand of each man.

The second troop wore dark grey cloaks, and tunics with red ornamentation down to their calves, and long hair hanging behind from their heads, and white shields (?), and five-pronged spears were in their hands.

'This is not Cormac yet,' said Medb.

Then comes the third troop; and they wore purple cloaks, and hooded tunics with red ornamentation down to their feet, hair smooth to their shoulders,

 2 

and round shields with engraved edges, and the pillars [*1  of a palace in the hand of each man.

'This is Cormac now,' said Medb.

Then the four provinces of Ireland were assembled, till they were in Cruachan Ai. And their poets and their druids did not let them go thence till the end of a fortnight, for waiting for a good omen. Medb said then to her charioteer the day that they set out:

'Every one who parts here to-day from his love or his friend will curse me,' said she, 'for it is I who have gathered this hosting.'

'Wait then,' said the charioteer, 'till I turn the chariot with the sun, and till there come the power of a good omen that we may come back again.'

Then the charioteer turned the chariot, and they set forth. Then they saw a full-grown maiden before them. She had yellow hair, and a cloak of many colours, and a golden pin in it; and a hooded tunic with red embroidery. She wore two shoes with buckles of gold. Her face was narrow below and broad above. Very black were her two eyebrows; her black delicate eyelashes cast a shadow into the middle of her two cheeks. You would think it was with partaing [*2  her lips were adorned. You would think it was a shower of pearls that was in her mouth, that is, her teeth. She had three tresses: two tresses round her head above, and a tress behind, so that it struck her two thighs behind her. A shuttle [*3  of white metal, with an inlaying of gold, was in her hand. Each of her two eyes had three pupils. The maiden was armed, and there were two black horses to her chariot.

 3 

'What is your name?' said Medb to the maiden.

'Fedelm, the prophetess of Connaught, is my name,' said the maiden.

'Whence do you come?' said Medb.

'From Scotland, after learning the art of prophecy,' said the maiden.

'Have you the inspiration (?): which illumines?' [*1  said Medb.

'Yes, indeed,' said the maiden.

'Look for me how it will be with my hosting,' said Medb.

Then the maiden looked for it; and Medb said: 'O Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou the host?'

'Fedelm answered and said: 'I see very red, I see red.'

'That is not true,' said Medb; 'for Conchobar is in his sickness at Emain and the Ulstermen with him, with all the best [*2  of their warriors; and my messengers have come and brought me tidings thence.

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?' said Medb.

'I see red,' said the maiden.

'That is not true,' said Medb; 'for Celtchar Mac Uithichair is in Dun Lethglaise, and a third of the Ulstermen with him; and Fergus, son of Roich, son of Eochaid, is here with us, in exile, and a cantred with him.

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?' said Medb.

 4 

'I see very red, I see red,' said the maiden.

'That matters not,' said Medb; 'for there are mutual angers, and quarrels, and wounds very red in every host and in every assembly of a great army. Look again for us then, and tell us the truth.

'Fedelm the prophetess, how seest thou our host?'

'I see very red, I see red,' said Fedelm.

'I see a fair man who will make play
  With a number of wounds (?) on his girdle; [*1 
  A hero's flame over his head,
  His forehead a meeting-place of victory.

'There are seven gems of a hero of valour
  In the middle of his two irises;
  There is ---- on his cloak,
  He wears a red clasped tunic.

'He has a face that is noble,
  Which causes amazement to women.
  A young man who is fair of hue
  Comes ------. [*2 

'Like is the nature of his valour
  To Cuchulainn of Murthemne.
  I do not know whose is the Hound
  Of Culann, whose fame is the fairest.
  But I know that it is thus
  That the host is very red from him.

'I see a great man on the plain
  He gives battle to the hosts;
  Four little swords of feats
  There are in each of his two hands.

 5 

'Two Gae-bolga, [*1  he carries them,
  Besides an ivory-hilted sword and spear;
  ------ [*2  he wields to the host;
  Different is the deed for which each arm goes from him.

'A man in a battle-girdle (?), of a red cloak,
  He puts ------ every plain.
  He smites them, over left chariot wheel (?);
  The Riastartha [*3  wounds them.
  The form that appeared to me on him hitherto, 
  I see that his form has been changed.

'He has moved forward to the battle,
  If heed is not taken of him it will be treachery.
  I think it likely it is he who seeks you:
  Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim.

 'He will strike on whole hosts,
  He will make dense slaughters of you,
  Ye will leave with him many thousands of heads.
  The prophetess Fedelm conceals not.

'Blood will rain from warriors' wounds
  At the hand of a warrior--'twill be full harm.
  He will slay warriors, men will wander
  Of the descendants of Deda Mac Sin.
  Corpses will be cut off, women will lament
  Through the Hound of the Smith that I see.'

The Monday after Samain [*4  they set forth, and this is the way they took: south-east from Cruachan Ai, i.e. by Muicc Cruimb, by Teloch Teora Crich, by Tuaim Mona, by Cul Sibrinne, by Fid, by Bolga, by Coltain,

 6 

by Glune-gabair, by Mag Trego, by North Tethba, by South Tethba, by Tiarthechta, by Ord, by Slais southwards, by Indiuind, by Carnd, by Ochtrach, by Midi, by Findglassa Assail, by Deilt, by Delind, by Sailig, by Slaibre, by Slechta Selgatar, by Cul Sibrinne, by Ochaind southwards, by Uatu northwards, by Dub, by Comur southwards, by Tromma, by Othromma eastwards, by Slane, by Gortslane, by Druim Licce southwards, by Ath Gabla, by Ard Achad, by Feraind northwards, by Findabair, by Assi southwards, by Druim Salfind, by Druim Cain, by Druim Mac n-Dega, by Eodond Mor, by Eodond Bec, by Methe Togmaill, by Methe Eoin, by Druim Caemtechta, by Scuaip, by Imscuaip, by Cend Ferna, by Baile, by Aile, by Bail Scena, by Dail Scena, by Fertse, by Ross Lochad, by Sale, by Lochmach, by Anmag, by Deind, by Deilt, by Dubglaiss, by Fid Mor, by Colbtha, by Cronn, to Cualnge.

From Findabair Cuailnge, it is thence the hosts of Ireland were divided over the province to seek the Bull. For it is past these places that they came, till they reached Findabair.

(Here ends the title; and the story begins as follows:--)

  

THIS IS THE STORY IN ORDER

When they had come on their first journey from Cruachan as far as Cul Sibrinne, Medb told her charioteer to get ready her nine chariots for her, that she might make a circuit in the camp, to see who disliked and who liked the expedition.

Now his tent was pitched for Ailill, and the furniture

 7 

was arranged, both beds and coverings. Fergus Mac Roich in his tent was next to Ailill; Cormac Condlongas Mac Conchobair beside him; Conall Cernach by him; Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe, the son of Conchobar's daughter, by him. Medb, daughter of Eochaid Fedlech, was on Ailill's other side; next to her, Findabair, daughter of Ailill and Medb. That was besides servants and attendants.

Medb came, after looking at the host, and she said it were folly for the rest to go on the hosting, if the cantred of the Leinstermen went.

'Why do you blame the men?' said Ailill.

'We do not blame them,' said Medb; 'splendid are the warriors. When the rest were making their huts, they had finished thatching their huts and cooking their food; when the rest were at dinner, they had finished dinner, and their harpers were playing to them. It is folly for them to go,' said Medb; 'it is to their credit the victory of the hosts will be.'

'It is for us they fight,' said Ailill.

'They shall not come with us,' said Medb.

'Let them stay then,' said Ailill.

'They shall not stay,' said Medb. 'They will come on us after we have gone,' said she, 'and seize our land against us.'

'What is to be done to them?' said Ailill; 'will you have them neither stay nor go?'

'To kill them,' said Medb.

'We will not hide that this is a woman's plan,' said Ailill; 'what you say is not good!'

'With this folk,' said Fergus, 'it shall not happen thus (for it is a folk bound by ties to us Ulstermen), unless we are all killed.'

 8 

'Even that we could do,' said Medb; 'for I am here with my retinue of two cantreds,' said she, 'and there are the seven Manes, that is, my seven sons, with seven cantreds; their luck can protect them,' (?) said she; 'that is Mane-Mathramail, and Mane-Athramail, and Mane-Morgor, and Mane-Mingor, and Mane-Moepert (and he is Mane-Milscothach), Mane-Andoe, and Mane-who-got-everything: he got the form of his mother and of his father, and the dignity of both.'

'It would not be so,' said Fergus. 'There are seven kings of Munster here, and a cantred with each of them, in friendship with us Ulstermen. I will give battle to you,' said Fergus, 'in the middle of the host in which we are, with these seven cantreds, and with my own cantred, and with the cantred of the Leinster-men. But I will not urge that,' said Fergus, 'we will provide for the warriors otherwise, so that they shall not prevail over the host. Seventeen cantreds for us,' said Fergus, 'that is the number of our army, besides our rabble, and our women (for with each king there is his queen, in Medb's company), and besides our striplings. This is the eighteenth cantred, the cantred of the Leinstermen. Let them be distributed among the rest of the host.'

'I do not care,' said Medb, 'provided they are not gathered as they are.'

Then this was done; the Leinstermen were distributed among the host.

They set out next morning to Moin Choiltrae, where eight score deer fell in with them in one herd. They surrounded them and killed them then; wherever there was a man of the Leinstermen, it was he who

 9 

got them, except five deer that all the rest of the host got. Then they came to Mag Trego, and stopped there and prepared their food. They say that it is there that Dubthach sang this song:

'Grant what you have not heard hitherto,
  Listening to the fight of Dubthach.
  A hosting very black is before you,
  Against Findbend [*1  of the wife of Ailill.

'The man of expeditions will come
  Who will defend (?) Murthemne.
  Ravens will drink milk of ------ [*2 
  From the friendship of the swineherds.

'The turfy Cronn [*3  will resist them;
  He will not let them into Murthemne
  Until the work of warriors is over
  In Sliab Tuad Ochaine.

'"Quickly," said Ailill to Cormac,
 "Go that you may ------ your son.
  The cattle do not come from the fields
  That the din of the host may not terrify them (?).

'"This will be a battle in its time
  For Medb with a third of the host.
  There will be flesh of men therefrom
  If the Riastartha comes to you."'

Then the Nemain attacked them, and that was not the quietest of nights for them, with the uproar of the churl (i.e. Dubthach) through their sleep. The host

 10 

started up at once, and a great number of the host were in confusion, till Medb carne to reprove him.

Then they went and spent the night in Granard Tethba Tuascirt, after the host had been led astray over bogs and over A warning was sent from Fergus to the Ulstermen here, for friendship. They were now in the weakness, except Cuchulainn and his father Sualtaim.

Cuchulainn and his father went, after the coming of the warning from Fergus, till they were in Iraird Cuillend, watching the host there.

'I think of the host to-night,' said Cuchulainn to his father. 'Go from us with a warning to the Ulstermen. I am forced to go to a tryst with Fedelm Noichride, [*1  from my own pledge that went out to her.'

He made a spancel-withe [*2  then before he went, and wrote an ogam on its ------, and threw it on the top of the pillar.

The leadership of the way before the army was given to Fergus. Then Fergus went far astray to the south, till Ulster should have completed the collection of an army; he did this for friendship. Ailill and Medb perceived it; it was then Medb said:

'O Fergus, this is strange,
  What kind of way do we go?
  Straying south or north
  We go over every other folk.

'Ailill of Ai with his hosting
  Fears that you will betray them.
  You have not given your mind hitherto
  To the leading of the way.

 11 

If it is in friendship that you do it,
  Do not lead the horses
  Peradventure another may be found
  To lead the way.'

Fergus replied:

'O Medb, what troubles you?
  This is not like treachery.
  It belongs to the Ulstermen, O woman,
  The land across which I am leading you.

'It is not for the disadvantage of the host
  That I go on each wandering in its turn;
  It is to avoid the great man
  Who protects Mag Murthemne.

'Not that my mind is not distressed
  On account of the straying on which I go,
  But if perchance I may avoid even afterwards
  Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim.'

Then they went till they were in Iraird Cuillend. Eirr and Indell, Foich and Foclam (their two charioteers), the four sons of Iraird Mac Anchinne, [*1  it is they who were before the host, to protect their brooches and their cushions and their cloaks, that the dust of the host might not soil them. They found the withe that Cuchulainn threw, and perceived the grazing that the horses had grazed. For Sualtaim's two horses had eaten the grass with its roots from the earth; Cuchulainn's two horses had licked the earth as far as the stones beneath the grass. They sit down then, until the host came, and the musicians play to them. They give the withe into the hands of Fergus Mac Roich; he read the ogam that was on it.

 12 

When Medb came, she asked, 'Why are you waiting here?'

'We wait,' said Fergus, 'because of the withe yonder. There is an ogam on its ------, and this is what is in it: "Let no one go past till a man is found to throw a like withe with his one hand, and let it be one twig of which it is made; and I except my friend Fergus." 'Truly,' said Fergus, 'Cuchulainn has thrown it, and they are his horses that grazed the plain.'

And he put it in the hands of the druids; and Fergus sang this song:

'Here is a withe, what does the withe declare to us?
  What is its mystery?
  What number threw it?
  Few or many?

'Will it cause injury to the host,
  If they go a journey from it?
  Find out, ye druids, something therefore
  For what the withe has been left.

'------ of heroes the hero who has thrown it,
  Full misfortune on warriors;
  A delay of princes, wrathful is the matter,
  One man has thrown it with one hand.

'Is not the king's host at the will of him,
  Unless it breaks fair play?
  Until one man only of you
  Throw it, as one man has thrown it.
  I do not know anything save that
  For which the withe should have been put.
  Here is a withe.'

Then Fergus said to them: 'If you outrage this withe,' said he, 'or if you go past it, though he be in

 13 

the custody of a man, or in a house under a lock, the ------ of the man who wrote the ogam on it will reach him, and will slay a goodly slaughter of you before morning, unless one of you throw a like withe.'

'It does not please us, indeed, that one of us should be slain at once,' said Ailill. 'We will go by the neck of the great wood yonder, south of us, and we will not go over it at all.'

The troops hewed down then the wood before the chariots. This is the name of that place, Slechta. It is there that Partraige is. (According to others, the conversation between Medb and Fedelm the prophetess took place there, as we told before; and then it is after the answer she gave to Medb that the wood was cut down; i.e. 'Look for me,' said Medb, 'how my hosting will be.' 'It is difficult to me,' said the maiden; 'I cannot cast my eye over them in the wood.' 'It is ploughland (?) there shall be,' said Medb; 'we will cut down the wood.' Then this was done, so that Slechta was the name of the place.)

They spent the night then in Cul Sibrille; a great snowstorm fell on them, to the girdles of the men and the wheels of the chariots. The rising was early next morning. And it was not the most peaceful of nights for them, with the snow; and they had not prepared food that night. But it was not early when Cuchulainn came from his tryst; he waited to wash and bathe.

Then he came on the track of the host. 'Would that we had not gone there,' said Cuchulainn, 'nor betrayed the Ulstermen; we have let the host go to them unawares. Make us an estimation of the host,' said Cuchulainn to Loeg, 'that we may know the number of the host.'

 14 

Loeg did this, and said to Cuchulainn: 'I am confused,' said he, 'I cannot attain this.'

'It would not be confusion that I see, if only I come,' said Cuchulainn.

'Get into the chariot then,' said Loeg.

Cuchulainn got into the chariot, and put a reckoning over the host for a long time.

'Even you,' said Loeg, 'you do not find it easy.'

'It is easier indeed to me than to you,' said Cuchulainn; 'for I have three gifts, the gifts of eye, and of mind, and of reckoning. I have put a reckoning [*1  on this,' said he; 'there are eighteen cantreds,' said he, 'for their number; only that the eighteenth cantred is distributed among all the host, so that their number is not clear; that is, the cantred of the Leinstermen.'

Then Cuchulainn went round the host till he was at Ath Gabla. [*2  He cuts a fork [*3  there with one blow of his sword, and put it on the middle of the stream, so that a chariot could not pass it on this side or that. Eirr and Indell, Foich and Fochlam (their two charioteers) came upon him thereat. He strikes their four heads off, and throws them on to the four points of the fork. Hence is Ath Gabla.

Then the horses of the four went to meet the host, and their cushions very red on them. They supposed it was a battalion that was before them at the ford. A troop went from them to look at the ford; they saw

 15 

nothing there but the track of one chariot and the fork with the four heads, and a name in ogam written on the side. All the host came then.

'Are the heads yonder from our people?' said Medb.

'They are from our people and from our choice warriors,' said Ailill.

One of them read the ogam that was on the side of the fork; that is: 'A man has thrown the fork with his one hand; and you shall not go past it till one of you, except Fergus, has thrown it with one hand.'

'It is a marvel,' said Ailill, 'the quickness with which the four were struck.'

'It was not that that was a marvel,' said Fergus; 'it was the striking of the fork from the trunk with one blow; and if the end was [cut  with one blow, [*1  it is the fairer for it, and that it was thrust in in this manner; for it is not a hole that has been dug for it, but it is from the back of the chariot it has been thrown with one hand.'

'Avert this strait from us, O Fergus,' said Medb.

'Bring me a chariot then,' said Fergus, 'that I may take it out, that you may see whether its end was hewn with one blow.' Fergus broke then fourteen chariots of his chariots, so that it was from his own chariot that he took it out of the ground, and he saw that the end was hewn with one blow.

'Heed must be taken to the character of the tribe to which we are going,' said Ailill. 'Let each of you prepare his food; you had no rest last night for the snow. And something shall be told to us of the adventures and stories of the tribe to which we are going.'

It is then that the adventures of Cuchulainn were

 16 

related to them. Ailill asked: 'Is it Conchobar who has done this?'

'Not he,' said Fergus; 'he would not have come to the border of the country without the number of a battalion round him.'

'Was it Celtchar Mac Uithidir?'

'Not he; he would not have come to the border of the country without the number of a battalion round him.'

'Was it Eogan Mac Durtacht?'

'Not he,' said Fergus; 'he would not have come over the border the country without thirty chariots two-pointed (?) round him. This is the man who would have done the deed,' said Fergus, 'Cuchulainn; it is he who would cut the tree at one blow from the trunk, and who would have killed the four yonder as quickly as they were killed, and who would have come to the boundary with his charioteer.'

'What kind of man,' said Ailill, 'is this Hound of whom we have heard among the Ulstermen? What age is this youth who is famous?'

'An easy question, truly,' said Fergus. 'In his fifth year he went to the boys at Emain Macha to play; in his sixth year he went to learn arms and feats with Scathach. In his seventh year he took arms. He is now seventeen years old at this time.'

'Is it he who is hardest to deal with among the Ulstermen?' said Medb.

'Over every one of them,' said Fergus. 'You will not find before you a warrior who is harder to deal with, nor a point that is sharper or keener or swifter, nor a hero who is fiercer, nor a raven that is more flesh-loving, nor a match of his age that can equal

 17 

him as far as a third; nor a lion that is fiercer, nor a fence (?) of battle, nor a hammer of destruction, nor a door of battle, nor judgment on hosts, nor preventing of a great host that is more worthy. You will not find there a man who would reach his age, and his growth, and his dress, and his terror, his speech, his splendour, his fame, his voice, his form, his power, his hardness, his accomplishment, his valour, his striking, his rage, his anger, his victory, his doom-giving, his violence, his estimation, his hero-triumph, his speed, his pride, his madness, with the feat of nine men on every point, like Cuchulainn.'

'I don't care for that,' said Medb; 'he is in one body; he endures wounding; he is not above capturing. Therewith his age is that of a grown-up girl, and his manly deeds have not come yet.'

'Not so,' said Fergus. 'It would be no wonder if he were to do a good deed to-day; for even when he was younger his deeds were manly.'



HERE ARE HIS BOYISH DEEDS

'He was brought up,' said Fergus,' by his mother and father at the ------ in Mag Murthemne. The stories of the boys in Emain were related to him; for there are three fifties of boys there,' said Fergus, 'at play. It is thus that Conchobar enjoys his sovereignty: a third of the day watching the boys; another third playing chess; [*1  another third drinking beer till sleep seizes him therefrom. Although we are in exile, there is not in Ireland a warrior who is more wonderful,' said Fergus.

 18 

'Cuchulainn asked his mother then to let him go to the boys.

'"You shall not go," said his mother, "until you have company of warriors."

'"I deem it too long to wait for it," said Cuchulainn. "Show me on which side Emain is."

'"Northwards so," said his mother; "and the journey is hard," said she, "Sliab Fuait is between you."

'"I will find it out," said Cuchulainn.

'He goes forth then, and his shield of lath with him, and his toy-spear, and his playing-club, and his ball. He kept throwing his staff before him, so that he took it by the point before the end fell on the ground.

'He goes then to the boys without binding them to protect him. For no one used to go to them in their play-field till his protection was guaranteed. He did not know this.

'"The boy insults us," said Follomon Mac Conchobair, "besides we know he is of the Ulstermen. ... Throw at him!"

'They throw their three fifties of toy-spears at him, and they all remained standing in his shield of lath. Then they throw all the balls at him; and he takes them, each single ball, in his bosom. Then they throw their three fifties of hurling-clubs at him; he warded them off so that they did not touch him, and he took a bundle of them on his back. Then contortion seized him. You would have thought that it was a hammering wherewith each little hair had been driven into his head, with the arising with which he arose. You would have thought there was a spark of fire on every single hair. He shut one of his eyes so that it was not wider than the eye of a needle. He opened

 19 

the other so that it was as large as the mouth of a meadcup. He laid bare from his jawbone to his ear; he opened his mouth to his jaw [*1  so that his gullet was visible. The hero's light rose from his head. Then he strikes at the boys. He overthrows fifty of them before they reached the door of Emain. Nine of them came over me and Conchobar as we were playing chess. Then he springs over the chessboard after the nine. Conchobar caught his elbow.

'"The boys are not well treated," said Conchobar.

'"Lawful for me, O friend Conchobar," said he. "I came to them from my home to play, from my mother and father; and they have not been good to me."

'"What is your name?" said Conchobar.

'"Setanta Mac Sualtaim am I," said he, "and the son of Dechtere, your sister. It was not fitting to hurt me here."

'"Why were the boys not bound to protect you?" said Conchobar.

'"I did not know this," said Cuchulainn. "Undertake my protection against them then."

'"I recognise it," said Conchobar.

'Then he turned aside on [*2  the boys throughout the house.

'"What ails you at them now?" said Conchobar.

'"That I may be bound to protect them," said Cuchulainn.

'"Undertake it," said Conchobar.

'"I recognise it," said Cuchulainn.

'Then they all went into the play-field, and those

 20 

boys who had been struck down there arose. Their foster-mothers and foster-fathers helped them.

 

'Once,' said Fergus, 'when he was a youth, he used not to sleep in Emain Macha till morning.

'"Tell me," said Conchobar to him, "why you do not sleep?"

'"I do not do it," said Cuchulainn, "unless it is equally high at my head and my feet."

'Then a stone pillar was put by Conchobar at his head, and another at his feet, and a bed was made for him separately between them,

 

'Another time a certain man went to awaken him, and he struck him with his fist in his forehead, so that it took the front of his forehead on to the brain, and so that he overthrew the pillar with his arm.'

'It is known,' said Ailill, 'that it was the fist of a warrior and that it was the arm of a hero.'

'From that time,' said Fergus, 'no one dared to awaken him till he awoke of himself.

 

'Another time he was playing ball in the play-field east of Emain; he alone apart against the three fifties of boys; he used to defeat them in every game in this way always. The boys lay hold of him therewith, and he plied his fist upon them until fifty of them were killed. He took to flight then, till he was under the pillow of Conchobar's bed. All the Ulstermen rise round him, and I rise, and Conchobar himself. Then he rose under the bed, and put the bed from him, with the thirty heroes who were on it, till it was in the middle of the house. The Ulstermen sit round him in

 21 

the house. We arrange and make peace then,' said Fergus, 'between the boys and him.

 

'There was contention between Ulster and Eogan Mac Durtacht. The Ulstermen went to the battle. He was left asleep. The Ulstermen were defeated. Conchobar was left [on the field , and Cuscraid Mend Macha, and many more beside. Their lament awoke Cuchulainn. He stretched himself then, so that the two stones that were about him broke; in the presence of Bricriu yonder it was done,' said Fergus. 'Then he arose. I met him in the door of the fort, and I wounded.

'"Alas! God save you, friend Fergus," said he, "where is Conchobar?"

'"I do not know," said I.

'Then he went forth. The night was dark. He made for the battlefield. He saw a man before him, with half his head on, and half of another man on his back.

'"Help me, O Cuchulainn," said he; "I have been wounded and I have brought half of my brother on my back. Carry it for me a while."

'"I will not carry it," said he.

'Then he throws the burden to him; he throws it from him; they wrestle; Cuchulainn was overthrown. I heard something, the Badb from the corpses: "Ill the stuff of a hero that is under the feet of a phantom." Then Cuchulainn rose against. him, and strikes his head off with his playing-club, and begins to drive his ball before him across the plain.

'"Is my friend Conchobar in this battlefield?"

'He answered him. He goes to him, till he sees

 22 

him in the trench, and there was the earth round him on every side to hide him.

'"Why have you come into the battlefield," said Conchobar, "that you may swoon there?"

'He lifts him out of the trench then; six of the strong men of Ulster with us would not have brought him out more bravely.

'"Go before us to the house yonder," said Conchobar; "if a roast pig came to me, I should live."

'"I will go and bring it," said Cuchulainn.

'He goes then, and saw a man at a cooking-hearth in the middle of the wood; one of his two hands had his weapons in it, the other was cooking the pig.

'The hideousness of the man was great; nevertheless he attacked him and took his head and his pig with him. Conchobar ate the pig then.

'"Let us go to our house," said Conchobar.

'They met Cuscraid Mac Conchobair. There were sore wounds on him; Cuchulainn took him on his back. The three of them went then to Emain Macha.

 

'Another time the Ulstermen were in their weakness. There was not among us,' said Fergus, 'weakness on women and boys, nor on any one who was outside the country of the Ulstermen, nor on Cuchulainn and his father. And so no one dared to shed their blood; for the suffering springs on him who wounds them. [*1 

'Three times nine men came to us from the Isles of Faiche. They went over our back court when we were in our weakness. The women screamed in the court. The boys were in the play-field; they come at the

 23 

cries. When the boys saw the dark, black men, they all take to flight except Cuchulainn alone. He plies hand-stones and his playing-club on them. He kills nine of them, and they leave fifty wounds on him, and they go forth besides. A man who did these deeds when his five years were not full, it would be no wonder that he should have come to the edge of the boundary and that he should have cut off the heads of yonder four.'

 

'We know him indeed, this boy,' said Conall Cernach, and we know him none the worse that he is a fosterling of ours. It was not long after the deed that Fergus has just related, when he did another deed. When Culann the smith served a feast to Conchobar, Culann said that it was not a multitude that should be brought to him, for the preparation which he had made was not from land or country, but from the fruit of his two hands and his pincers. Then Conchobar went, and fifty chariots with him, of those who were noblest and most eminent of the heroes. Now Conchobar visited then his play-field. It was always his custom to visit and revisit them at going and coming, to seek a greeting of the boys. He saw then Cuchulainn driving his ball against the three fifties of boys, and he gets the victory over them. When it was hole-driving that they did, he filled the hole with his balls and they could not ward him off. When they were all throwing into the hole, he warded them off alone, so that not a single ball would go in it. When it was wrestling they were doing, he overthrew the three fifties of boys by himself, and there did not meet round him a number that could overthrow him. When it was stripping that they did,

 24 

he stripped them all so that they were quite naked, and they could not take from him even his brooch out of his cloak.

'Conchobar thought this wonderful. He said: "Would he bring his deeds to completion, provided the age of manhood came to them?" Every one said: "He would bring them to completion." Conchobar said to Cuchulainn: "Come with me," said he, "to the feast to which we are going, because you are a guest."

'"I have not had enough of play yet, O friend Conchobar," said the boy; "I will come after you."

'When they had all come to the feast, Culann said to Conchobar: "Do you expect any one to follow you?" said he.

'"No," said Conchobar. He did not remember the appointment with his foster-son who was following him.

'"I have a watch-dog," said Culann; "there are three chains on him, and three men to each chain. [*1  Let him be let slip because of our cattle and stock, and let the court be shut."

'Then the boy comes. The dog attacks him. He went on with his play still: he threw his ball, and threw his club after it, so that it struck the ball. One stroke was not greater than another; and he threw his toy-spear after them, and he caught it before falling; and it did not hinder his play, though the dog was approaching him. Conchobar and his retinue ---- this, so that they could not move; they thought they would not find him alive when they came, even though the court were open. Now when the dog came to him, he threw away his ball and his club, and seized the dog with his two hands; that is, he put one of his

 25 

hands to the apple of the dog's throat; and he put the other at its back; he struck it against the pillar that was beside him, so that every limb sprang apart. (According to another, it was his ball that he threw into its mouth, and brought out its entrails through it.)

'The Ulstermen went towards him, some over the wall, others over the doors of the court. They put him on Conchobar's knee. A great clamour arose among them, that the king's sister's son should have been almost killed. Then Culann comes into the house.

'"Welcome, boy, for the sake of your mother. Would that I had not prepared a feast! My life is a life lost, and my husbandry is a husbandry without, without my dog. He had kept honour and life for me," said he, "the man of my household who has been taken from me, that is, my dog. He was defence and protection to our property and our cattle; he was the protection of every beast to us, both field and house."

'"It is not a great matter," said the boy; "a whelp of the same litter shall be raised for you by me, and I will be a dog for the defence of your cattle and for your own defence now, until that dog grows, and until he is capable of action; and I will defend Mag Murthemne, so that there shall not be taken away from me cattle nor herd; unless I have ------."

'"Then your name shall be Cu-chulainn," said Cathbad.

'"I am content that it may be my name," said Cuchulainn.

'A man who did this in his seventh year, it would be no wonder that he should have done a great deed now when his seventeen years are completed,' said Conall Cernach.

 26 

'He did another exploit,' said Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe. Cathbad the Druid was with his son, Conchobar Mac Nessa. A hundred active men were with him, learning magic from him. That is the number that Cathbad used to teach. A certain one of his pupils asked of him for what this day would be good. Cathbad said a warrior should take arms therein whose name should be over Ireland for ever, for deed of valour, and his fame should continue for" ever. Cuchulainn heard this. He comes to Conchobar to ask for arms. Conchobar said, "Who has instructed you?"

'"My friend Cathbad," said Cuchulainn.

'"We know indeed," said Conchobar.

'He gave him spear and shield. He brandished them in the middle of the house, so that nothing remained of the fifteen sets of armour that were in store in Conchobar's household against the breaking of weapons or taking of arms by any one. Conchobar's own armour was given to him. That withstood him, and he brandished it, and blessed the king whose armour it was, and said, "Blessing to the people and race to whom is king the man whose armour that is."

'Then Cathbad came to them, and said: "Has the boy taken arms?" said Cathbad.

'"Yes," said Conchobar.

'"This is not lucky for the son of his mother," said he.

'"What, is it not you advised it?" said Conchobar. "Not I, surely," said Cathbad.

'"What advantage to you to deceive me, wild boy?" said Conchobar to Cuchulainn.

 27 

'"O king of heroes, it is no trick," said Cuchulainn; "it is he who taught it to his pupils this morning; and I heard him, south of Emain, and I came to you then."

'"The day is good thus," said Cathbad; "it is certain he will be famous and renowned, who shall take arms therein; but he will be short-lived only."

'"A wonder of might," said Cuchulainn; "provided I be famous, I am content though I were but one day in the world."

'Another day a certain man asked the druids what it is for which that day was good.

'"Whoever shall go into a chariot therein," said Cathbad, "his name shall be over Ireland for ever."

'Then Cuchulainn heard this; he comes to Conchobar and said to him: "O friend Conchobar," said he, "give me a chariot." He gave him a chariot. He put his hand between the two poles [*1  of the chariot, so that the chariot broke. He broke twelve chariots in this way. Then Conchobar's chariot was given to him. This withstood him. He goes then in the chariot, and Conchobar's charioteer with him. The charioteer (Ibor was his name) turned the chariot under him. "Come out of the chariot now," said the charioteer.

'"The horses are fine, and I am fine, their little lad," said Cuchulainn. "Go forward round Emain only, and you shall have a reward for it."

'So the charioteer goes, and Cuchulainn forced him then that he should go on the road to greet the boys "and that the boys might bless me."

 28 

'He begged him to go on the way again. When they come, Cuchulainn said to the charioteer: "Ply the goad on the horses," said he.

'"In what direction?" said the charioteer.

'"As long as the road shall lead us," said Cuchulainn.

'They come thence to Sliab Fuait, and find Conall Cernach there. It fell to Conall that day to guard the province; for every hero of Ulster was in Sliab Fuait in turn, to protect any one who should come with poetry, or to fight against a man; so that it should be there that there should be some one to encounter him, that no one should go to Emain unperceived.

'"May that be for prosperity," said Conall; "may it be for victory and triumph."

'"Go to the fort, O Conall, and leave me to watch here now," said Cuchulainn.

'"It will be enough," said Conall, "if it is to protect any one with poetry; if it is to fight against a man, it is early for you yet."

'"Perhaps it may not be necessary at all," said Cuchulainn. "Let us go meanwhile," said Cuchulainn, "to look upon the edge of Loch Echtra. Heroes are wont to abide there."

'"I am content," said Conall.

'Then they go thence. He throws a stone from his sling, so that a pole of Conall Cernach's chariot breaks.

'"Why have you thrown the stone, O boy?" said Conall.

'"To try my hand and the straightness of my throw," said Cuchulainn; "and it is the custom with you Ulstermen, that you do not travel beyond your

 29 

peril. Go back to Emain, O friend Conall, and leave me here to watch."

'"Content, then," said Conall.

'Conall Cernach did not go past the place after that. Then Cuchulainn goes forth to Loch Echtra, and they found no one there before them. The charioteer said to Cuchulainn that they. should go to Emain, that they might be in time for the drinking there.

'"No," said Cuchulainn. "What mountain is it yonder?" said Cuchulainn.

'"Sliab Monduirn," said the charioteer.

'"Let us go and get there," said Cuchulainn. They go then till they reach it. When they had reached the mountain, Cuchulainn asked: "What is the white cairn yonder on the top of the mountain?"

'"Find Carn," said the charioteer.

'"What plain is that over there?" said Cuchulainn.

'"Mag Breg," said the charioteer. He tells him then the name of every chief fort between Temair and Cenandas. He tells him first their meadows and their fords, their famous places and their dwellings, their fortresses and their high hills. He shows [*1  him then the fort of the three sons of Nechta Scene; Foill, Fandall, and Tuachell were their names.

'"Is it they who say," said Cuchulainn, "that there are not more of the Ulstermen alive than they have slain of them?"

'"It is they indeed," said the charioteer.

'"Let us go till we reach them," said Cuchulainn.

'"Indeed it is peril to us," said the charioteer.

'"Truly it is not to avoid it that we go," said Cuchulainn.

 30 

'Then they go forth and unharness their horses at the meeting of the bog and the river, to the south above the fort of the others; and he threw the withe that was on the pillar as far as he could throw into the river and let it go with the stream, for this was a breach of geis to the sons of Nechta Scene. They perceive it then, and come to them. Cuchulainn goes to sleep by the pillar after throwing the withe at the stream; and he said to the charioteer: "Do not waken me for few; but waken me for many."

'Now the charioteer was very frightened, and he made ready their chariot and pulled its coverings and skins which were over Cuchulainn; for he dared not waken him, because Cuchulainn told him at first that he should not waken him for a few.

'Then come the sons of Nechta Scene.

'"Who is it who is there?" said one of them.

'"A little boy who has come to-day into the chariot for an expedition," said the charioteer.

'"May it not be for his happiness," said the champion; "and may it not be for his prosperity, his first taking of arms. Let him not be in our land, and let the horses not graze there any more," said the champion.

'"Their reins are in my hands," said the charioteer.

'"It should not be yours to earn hatred," said Ibar to the champion; "and the boy is asleep."

'"I am not a boy at all," said Cuchulainn; "but it is to seek battle with a man that the boy who is here has come."

'"That pleases me well," said the champion.

'"It will please you now in the ford yonder," said Cuchulainn.

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'"It befits you," said the charioteer, "take heed of the man who comes against you. Foill is his name," said he; "for unless you reach him in the first thrust, you will not reach him till evening."

'"I swear by the god by whom my people swear, he will not ply his skill on the Ulstermen again, if the broad spear of my friend Conchobar should reach him from my hand. It will be an outlaw's hand to him."

'Then he cast the spear at him, so that his back broke. He took with him his accoutrements and his head.

'"Take heed of another man," said the charioteer, Fandall [*1  is his name. Not more heavily does he traverse (?) the water than swan or swallow."

'"I swear that he will not ply that feat again on the Ulstermen," said Cuchulainn. "You have seen," said he, "the way I travel the pool at Emain."

'They meet then in the ford. Cuchulainn kills that man, and took his head and his arms.

'"Take heed of another man who comes towards you," said the charioteer. "Tuachell [*2  is his name. It is no misname for him, Tor he does not fall by arms at all."

'"Here is the javelin for him to confuse him, so that it may make a red-sieve of him," said Cuchulainn.

'He cast the spear at him, so that it reached him in his ------. Then he went to him and cut off his head. Cuchulainn gave his head and his accoutrements to his own charioteer. He heard then the cry of their mother, Nechta Scene, behind them.

'He puts their spoils and the three heads in his chariot with him, and said: "I will not leave my

 32 

triumph," said he, "till I reach Emain Macha." Then they set out with his triumph.

'Then Cuchulainn said to the charioteer: "You promised us a good run," said he, "and we need it now because of the strife and the pursuit that is behind us." They go on to Sliab Fuait; and such was the speed of the run that they made over Breg after the spurring of the charioteer, that the horses of the chariot overtook the wind and the birds in flight, and that Cuchulainn caught the throw that he sent from his sling before it reached the ground.

'When they reached Sliab Fuait, they found a herd of wild deer there before them.

"What are those cattle yonder so active?" said Cuchulainn.

'"Wild deer," said the charioteer.

'"Which would the Ulstermen think best," said Cuchulainn, "to bring them dead or alive?"

'"It is more wonderful alive," said the charioteer; "it is not every one who can do it so. Dead, there is not one of them who cannot do it. You cannot do this, to carry off any of them alive," said the charioteer.

'"I can indeed," said Cuchulainn. "Ply the goad on the horses into the bog."

'The charioteer does this. The horses stick in the bog. Cuchulainn sprang down and seized the deer that was nearest, and that was the finest of them. He lashed the horses through the bog, and overcame the deer at once, and bound it between the two poles of the chariot.

'They saw something again before them, a flock of swans.

 33 

'"Which would the Ulstermen think best," said Cuchulainn, "to have them dead or alive?"

'"All the most vigorous and finest (?) bring them alive," said the charioteer.

'Then Cuchulainn aims a small stone at the birds, so that he struck eight of the birds. He threw again a large stone, so that he struck twelve of them. All that was done by his return-stroke.

'"Collect the birds for us," said Cuchulainn to his charioteer. "If it is I who go to take them," said he, "the wild deer will spring upon you."

'"It is not easy for me to go to them," said the charioteer. "The horses have become wild so that I cannot go past them. I cannot go past the two iron tyres [*1  of the chariot, because of their sharpness; and I cannot go past the deer, for his horn has filled all the space between the two poles of the chariot."

'"Step from its horn," said Cuchulainn. "I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear, the bending with which I will bend my head on him, and the eye that I will make at him, he will not turn his head on you, and he will not dare to move."

'That was done then. Cuchulainn made fast the reins, and the charioteer collects the birds. Then Cuchulainn bound the birds from the strings and thongs of the chariot; so that it was thus he went to Emain Macha: the wild deer behind his chariot, and the flock of swans flying over it, and the three heads in his chariot. Then they come to Emain.

'"A man in a chariot is coming to you," said the watchman in Emain Macha; "he will shed the blood

 34 

of every man who is in the court, unless heed is taken, and unless naked women go to him."

'Then he turned the left side of his chariot towards Emain, and that was a geis [*1  to it; and Cuchulainn said: "I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear, unless a man is found to fight with me, I will shed the blood of every one who is in the fort."

'"Naked women to meet him!" said Conchobar.

'Then the women of Emain go to meet him with Mugain, the wife of Conchobar Mac Nessa, and bare their breasts before him. "These are the warriors who will meet you to-day," said Mugain.

'He covers his face; then the heroes of Emain seize him and throw him into a vessel of cold water. That vessel bursts round him. The second vessel into which he was thrown boiled with bubbles as big as the fist therefrom. The third vessel into which he went, he warmed it so that its heat and its cold were rightly tempered. Then he comes out; and the queen, Mugain, puts a blue mantle on him, and a silver brooch therein, and a hooded tunic; and he sits at Conchobar's knee, and that was his couch always after that. The man who did this in his seventh year,' said Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe, 'it were not wonderful though he should rout an overwhelming force, and though he should exhaust (?) an equal force, when his seventeen years are complete to-day.'

(What follows is a separate version [*2  to the death of Orlam.)

 

'Let us go forth now,' said Ailill.

 35 

Then they reached Mag Mucceda. Cuchulainn cut an oak before them there, and wrote an ogam in its side. It is this that was therein: that no one should go past it till a warrior should leap it with one chariot. They pitch their tents there, and come to leap over it in their chariots. There fall thereat thirty horses, and thirty chariots are broken. Belach n-Ane, that is the name of that place for ever.



The Death of Fraech

They are there till next morning; then Fraech is summoned to them. 'Help us, O Fraech,' said Medb. 'Remove from us the strait that is on us. Go before Cuchulainn for us, if perchance you shall fight with him.'

He set out early in the morning with nine men, till he reached Ath Fuait. He saw the warrior bathing in the river.

'Wait here,' said Fraech to his retinue, 'till I come to the man yonder; not good is the water,' said he.

He took off his clothes, and goes into the water to him.

'Do not come to me,' said Cuchulainn. 'You will die from it, and I should be sorry to kill you.'

'I shall come indeed,' said Fraech, 'that we may meet in the water; and let your play with me be fair.'

'Settle it as you like,' said Cuchulainn.

'The hand of each of us round the other,' said Fraech.

They set to wrestling for a long time on the water, and Fraech was submerged. Cuchulainn lifted him up again.

 36 

'This time,' said Cuchulainn, 'will you yield and accept your life?' [*1 

'I will not suffer it,' said Fraech.

Cuchulainn put hiss under it again, until Fraech was killed. He comes to land; his retinue carry his body to the camp. Ath Fraich, that was the name of that ford for ever. All the host lamented Fraech. They saw a troop of women in green tunics [*2  on the body of Fraech Mac Idaid; they drew him from them into the mound. Sid Fraich was the name of that mound afterwards.

Fergus springs over the oak in his chariot. They go till they reach Ath Taiten; Cuchulainn destroys six of them there: that is, the six Dungals of Irress.

Then they go on to Fornocht. Medb had a whelp named Baiscne. Cuchulainn throws a cast at him, and took his head off. Druim was the name of that place henceforth.

'Great is the mockery to you,' said Medb, 'not to hunt the deer of misfortune yonder that is killing you.'

Then they start hunting him, till they broke the shafts of their chariots thereat.



The Death of Orlam

They go forth then over Iraird Culend in the morning. Cuchulainn went forward; he overtook the charioteer of Orlam, son of Ailill and Medb, in Tamlacht Orlaim, a little to the north of Disert Lochait,

 37 

cutting wood there. (According to another version, it is the shaft of Cuchulainn's chariot that had broken, and it is to cut a shaft that he had gone when he met Orlam's charioteer. It is the charioteer who cut the shafts according to this version.)

'It is over-bold, what' the Ulstermen are doing, if it is they who are yonder,' said Cuchulainn, 'while the host is behind them.' He goes to the charioteer to reprove him; he thought that he was of Ulster, and he saw the man cutting wood, that is the chariot-shaft.

'What are you doing here?' said Cuchulainn.

'Cutting chariot-shafts,' said the charioteer. 'We have broken our chariots hunting the wild deer Cuchulainn yonder. Help me,' said the charioteer. 'Look only whether you are to select the shafts, or to strip them.'

'It will be to strip them indeed,' said Cuchulainn.

Then Cuchulainn stripped the shafts through his fingers in the presence of the other, so that he cleared them both of bark and knots.

'This cannot be your proper work that I put on you,' said the charioteer; he was greatly afraid. 'Whence are you?' said Cuchulainn.

'The charioteer of Orlam, son of Ailill and Medb,' said he. 'And you?' said the charioteer.

'My name is Cuchulainn,' said he.

'Alas!' said the charioteer.

'Fear nothing,' said Cuchulainn. 'Where is your master?' said he.

'He is in the trench yonder,' said the charioteer.

'Go forth then with me,' said Cuchulainn, 'for I do not kill charioteers at all.'

Cuchulainn goes to Orlam, kills him, cuts his head

 38 

off, and shakes his head before the host. Then he puts the head on the charioteer's back, and said to him:

'Take that with you,' said Cuchulainn, 'and go to the camp thus. If you do not of go thus, a stone will come to you from my sling.'

When he got near the camp, he took the head from his back, and told his adventures to Ailill and Medb.

'This is not like taking birds,' said she.

And he said, 'Unless I brought it on my back to the camp, he would break my head with a stone.'

The Cattle Raid of Cualnge, by L. Winifred Faraday, [1904 , at sacred-texts.com

  

The Death of the Meic Garach

Then the Meic Garach waited on their ford. These are their names: Lon and Ualu and Diliu; and Mes-Ler, and Mes-Laech, and Mes-Lethan were their three charioteers. They thought it too much what Cuchulainn had done: to slay two foster-sons of the king, and his son, and to shake the head before the host. They would slay Cuchulainn in return for him, and would themselves remove this annoyance from the host. They cut three aspen wands for their charioteers, that the six of them should pursue combat against him. He killed them all then, because they had broken fair-play towards him.

Orlam's charioteer was then between Ailill and Medb. Cuchulainn hurled a stone at him, [*1  so that his head broke, and his brains came over his ears; Fertedil was his name. (Thus it is not true that Cuchulainn did not kill charioteers; howbeit, he did not kill them without fault.)



The Death of the Squirrel

Cuchulainn threatened in Methe, that wherever he should see Ailill or Medb afterwards he would throw a stone from his sling at them. He did this then: he threw a stone from his sling, so that he killed the squirrel that was on Medb's shoulder south of the ford: hence is Methe Togmaill. And he killed the bird that was on Ailill's shoulder north of the ford: hence is Methe n-Eoin. (Or it is on Medb's shoulder that both squirrel and bird were together, and it is their heads that were struck from them by the casts.)

 

Reoin was drowned in his lake. Hence is Loch Reoin.

 

'That other is not far from you,' said Ailill to the Manes.

They arose and looked round. When they sat down again, Cuchulainn struck one of them, so that his head broke.

'It was well that you went for that: your boasting was not fitting,' said Maenen the fool. 'I would have taken his head off.'

Cuchulainn threw a stone at him, so that his head broke. It is thus then that these were killed: Orlam in the first place on his hill; the Meic Garach on their ford; Fertedil in his ------; Maenan in his hill.

'I swear by the god by whom my people swear,' said Ailill, 'that man who shall make a mock of Cuchulainn here, I will make two halves of him.'

'Go forth for us both day and night,' said Ailill, 'till we reach Cualnge. That man will kill two-thirds of the host in this way.'

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It is there that the harpers of the Cainbili [*1  from Ossory came to them to amuse them. They thought it was from the Ulstermen to spy on them. They set to hunting them, till they went before them in the forms of deer into the stones at Liac Mor on the north. For they were wizards with great cunning.



The Death of Lethan

Lethan came on to his ford on the Nith(?) in Conaille. He waited himself to meet Cuchulainn. It vexed him what Cuchulainn had done. Cuchulainn cuts off his head and left it, hence it is Ath Lethan on the Nith. And their chariots broke in the battle on the ford by him; hence it is Ath Carpat. Mulcha, Lethan's charioteer, fell on the shoulder of the hill that is between them; hence is Gulo Mulchai. While the hosts were going over Mag Breg, he struck (?) their ------ still. [*2 

 

Yet that was the Morrigan in the form of a bird on the pillar in Temair Cuailnge; and she spoke to the Bull:

'Does the Black know,' etc. [*3 

Then the Bull went, and fifty heifers with him, to

 41 

[paragraph continues  Sliab Culind; and his keeper, Forgemen by name, went after him. He threw off the three fifties of boys who used always to play on him, and he killed two-thirds of his boys, and dug a trench in Tir Marcceni in Cualnge before he went.



The Death of Lochu

Cuchulainn killed no one from the Saile ind Orthi (?) in the Conaille territory, until they reached Cualnge. Cuchulainn was then in Cuince; he threatened then that when he saw Medb he would throw a stone at her head. This was not easy to him, for it is thus that Medb went and half the host about her, with their shelter of shields over her head.

Then a waiting-woman of Medb's, Lochu by name, went to get water, and a great troop of women with her. Cuchulainn thought it was Medb. He threw two stones from Cuince, so that he slew her in her plain (?). Hence is Ath Rede Locha in Cualnge.

From Findabair Cuailnge the hosts divided, and they set the country on fire. They collect all there were of women, and boys, and maidens, and cattle, in Cualnge together, so that they were all in Findabair.

'You have not gone well,' said Medb; 'I do not see the Bull with you.'

'He is not in the province at all,' said every one.

Lothar the cowherd is summoned to Medb.

'Where is the Bull?' said she. 'Have you an idea?'

'I have great fear to tell it,' said the herd. 'The night,' said he, 'when the Ulstermen went into their weakness, he went with three twenties of heifers

 42 

with him, so that he is at the Black Corrie of Glenn Gatt.'

'Go,' said Medb, 'and carry a withe [*1  between each two of you.'

They do this: hence this glen is called Glenn Gatt. Then they bring the Bull to Findabair. The place where he saw the herd, Lothar, he attacked him, so that he brought his entrails out on his horns; and he attacked the camp with his three fifties of heifers, so that fifty warriors were killed. And that is the death of Lothar on the Foray.

Then the Bull went from them out of the camp, and they knew not where he had gone from them; and they were ashamed. Medb asked the herd if he had an idea where the Bull was.

'I think he would be in the secret places of Sliab Culind.'

Then they returned thus after ravaging Cualnge, and did not find the Bull there. The river Cronn rose against them to the tops of the trees; and they spent the night by it. And Medb told part of her following to go across.

A wonderful warrior went next day, Ualu his name. He took a great stone on his back to go across the water; the stream drove him backwards with the stone on his back. His grave and his stone are on the road at the stream: Lia Ualand is its name.

They went round the river Cronn to the source, and they would have gone between the source and the mountain, only that they could not get leave from Medb; she preferred to go across the mountain, that their track might remain there for ever, for an insult

 43 

to the Ulstermen. They waited there three days and three nights, till they dug the earth in front of them, the Bernas Bo Cuailnge.

It is there that Cuchulainn killed Crond and Coemdele and ------. [*1  A hundred warriors died ------ [*1  with Roan and Roae, the two historians of the Foray. A hundred and forty-four, kings died by him at the same stream. They came then over the Bernas Bo Cuailnge with the cattle and stock of Cualnge, and spent the night in Glenn Dail Imda in Cualnge. Botha is the name of this place, because they made huts over them there. They come next day to Colptha. They try to cross it through heedlessness. It rose against them then, and it carries a hundred charioteers of them to the sea; this is the name of the land in which they were drowned, Cluain Carptech.

They go round Colptha then to its source, to Belat Alioin, and spent the night at Liasa Liac; that is the name of this place, because they made sheds over their calves there between Cualnge and Conaille. They came over Glenn Gatlaig, and Glass Gatlaig rose against them. Sechaire was its name before; Glass Gatlaig thenceforth, because it was in withes they brought their calves; and they slept at Druim Fene in Conaille. (Those then are the wanderings from Cualnge to Machaire according to this version.)



This is the Harrying of Cualnge

(Other authors and books make it that another way was taken on their journeyings from Findabair to Conaille, as follows:

 44 

Medb said after every one had come with their booty, so that they were all in Findabair Cuailnge: 'Let the host be divided,' said Medb; 'it will be impossible to bring this expedition by one way. Let Ailill go with half the expedition by Midluachair; Fergus and I will go by Bernas Ulad: [*1 

'It is not fine,' said Fergus, 'the half of the expedition that has fallen to us. It will be impossible to bring the cattle over the mountain without dividing it.'

That was done then, so that it is from that there is Bernas Bo n-Ulad.)

It is there then that Ailill said to his charioteer Cuillius: 'Find out for me to-day Medb and Fergus. I know not what has brought them to this union. I shall be pleased that a token should come to me by you.'

Cuillius came when they were in Cluichre. The pair remained behind, and the warriors went on. Cuillius came to them, and they heard not the spy. Fergus' sword happened to be beside him. Cuillius drew it out of its sheath, and left the sheath empty. Cuillius came to Ailill.

'So?' said Ailill.

'So indeed,' said Cuillius; 'there is a token for you.'

'It is well,' said Ailill.

Each of them smiles at the other.

'As you thought,' said Cuillius, 'it is thus that I found them, in one another's arms.'

'It is right for her,' said Ailill; 'it is for help on the Foray that she has done it. See that the sword is

 45 

kept in good condition,' said Ailill. 'Put it under your seat in the chariot, and a cloth of linen around it.' Fergus got up for his sword after that.

'Alas!' said he.

'What is the matter with you?' said Medb.

'An ill deed have I done to Ailill,' said he. 'Wait here, while I go into the wood,' said Fergus; 'and do not wonder though it be long till I come.'

It happened that Medb knew not the loss of the sword. He goes thence, and takes the sword of his charioteer with him in his hand. He makes a wooden sword in the wood. Hence there is Fid Mor Drualle in Ulster.

'Let us go on after our comrades,' said Fergus. All their hosts meet in the plain. They pitch their tents. Fergus is summoned to Ailill to play chess. When Fergus went to the tent, Ailill began to laugh at him. [*1 

.     .     .     .     .     .     .

Cuchulainn came so that he was at Ath Cruinn before them.

'O friend Loeg,' said he to his charioteer, 'the hosts are at hand to us.'

'I swear by the gods,' said the charioteer, 'I will do a mighty feat before warriors ... on slender steeds with yokes of silver, with golden wheels ...'

'Take heed, O Loeg,' said Cuchulainn; 'hold the reins for great victory of Macha ... I beseech,' said Cuchulainn, 'the waters to help me. I beseech heaven and earth, and the Cronn in particular.'

The (river) Cronn takes to fighting against them;

 46 

it will not let them into Murthemne until the work of heroes be finished in Sliab Tuath Ochaine.

Therewith the water rose up till it was in the tops of the trees.

Mane, son of Ailill and Medb, went before the rest. Cuchulainn smites them on the ford, and thirty horsemen of Mane's retinue were drowned in the water. Cuchulainn overthrew two sixteens of warriors of them again by the water.

They pitch their tents at that ford. Lugaid Mac Nois, descendant of Lomarc Allchomach, came to speak to Cuchulainn, with thirty horsemen.

'Welcome, O Lugaid,' said Cuchulainn. 'If a flock of birds graze upon Mag Murthemne, you shall have a duck with half of another; if fish come to the estuaries, you shall have a salmon with half of another. You shall have the three sprigs, the sprig of watercress, and the sprig of marshwort, and the sprig of seaweed. You shall have a man in the ford in your place.' [*1 

'I believe it,' said Lugaid. 'Excellence of people to the boy whom I desire.'

'Your hosts are fine,' said Cuchulainn.

'It would not be sad for you alone before them,' said Lugaid.

'Fair-play and valour will support me,' said Cuchulainn. 'O friend Lugaid, do the hosts fear me?'

'I swear by God,' said Lugaid, 'one man nor two dare not go out of the camp, unless it be in twenties or thirties.'

'It will be something extra for them,' said Cuchulainn,

 47 

[paragraph continues  'if I take to throwing from the sling. Fitting for you will be this fellow-vassal, O Lugaid, that you have among the Ulstermen, if there come to me the force of every man. Say what you would have,' said Cuchulainn.

'That I may have a truce with you towards my host.'

'You shall have it, provided there be a token on it. And tell my friend Fergus that there be a token on his host. Tell the physicians, let there be a token on their host. And let them swear preservation of life to me, and let there come to me provision every night from them.'

Then Lugaid goes from him. Fergus happened to be in the tent with Ailill. Lugaid called him out, and told him this. Something was heard, namely Ailill.... [*1 

'I swear by God I cannot do it,' said Lugaid, 'unless I ask the boy again.'

'Help me, [*2  O Lugaid, go to him to see whether Ailill may come with a cantred into my troop. Take an ox with bacon to him and a jar of wine.'

He goes to Cuchulainn then and tells him this.

'I do not mind though he go,' said Cuchulainn.

Then their two troops join. They are there till night. Cuchulainn kills thirty men of them with the sling. (Or they would be twenty nights there, as some books say.)

'Your journeyings are bad,' said Fergus. 'The Ulstermen will come to you out of their weakness, and they will grind you to earth and gravel. "The corner of battle" in which we are is bad.'

 48 

HE GOES THENCE TO CUL AIRTHIR. IT HAPPENED THAT CUCHULAINN HAD GONE THAT NIGHT TO SPEAK TO THE ULSTERMEN. [*1 

'HAVE YOU NEWS?' SAID CONCHOBAR.

'WOMEN ARE CAPTURED,' SAID CUCHULAINN, 'CATTLE ARE DRIVEN AWAY, MEN ARE SLAIN.'

'WHO CARRIES THEM OFF? WHO DRIVES THEM AWAY? WHO KILLS THEM?'

'... AILILL MAC MATAE CARRIES THEM OFF, AND FERGUS MAC ROICH VERY BOLD ...' [*2 

'IT IS NOT GREAT PROFIT TO YOU,' SAID CONCHOBAR, TO-DAY, OUR SMITING HAS COME TO US ALL THE SAME.'

CUCHULAINN GOES THENCE FROM THEM; HE SAW THE HOSTS GOING FORTH.

'ALAS,' SAID AILILL, 'I SEE CHARIOTS' ..., ETC. [*3 

CUCHULAINN KILLS THIRTY MEN OF THEM ON ATH DUIRN. THEY COULD NOT REACH CUL AIRTHIR THEN TILL NIGHT. HE SLAYS THIRTY OF THEM THERE, AND THEY PITCH THEIR TENTS THERE. AILILL'S CHARIOTEER, CUILLIUS, WAS WASHING THE CHARIOT TYRES [*4  IN THE FORD IN THE MORNING; CUCHULAINN STRUCK HIM WITH A STONE AND KILLED HIM. HENCE IS ATH CUILLNE IN CUL AIRTHIR. THEY REACH DRUIM FEINE IN CONAILLE AND SPENT THE NIGHT THERE, AS WE HAVE SAID BEFORE.

CUCHULAINN ATTACKED THEM THERE; HE SLAYS A HUNDRED MEN OF THEM EVERY NIGHT OF THE THREE NIGHTS THAT THEY WERE THERE HE TOOK A SLING TO THEM FROM OCHAINE NEAR THEM.

'OUR HOST WILL BE SHORT-LIVED THROUGH CUCHULAINN IN

 49 

THIS WAY,' SAID AILILL. 'LET AN AGREEMENT BE CARRIED FROM US TO HIM: THAT HE SHALL HAVE THE EQUAL OF MAG MURTHEMNE FROM MAG AI, AND THE BEST CHARIOT THAT IS IN AI, AND THE EQUIPMENT OF TWELVE MEN. OFFER, IF IT PLEASES HIM BETTER, THE PLAIN IN WHICH HE WAS BROUGHT UP, AND THREE SEVENS OF CUMALS [*1 ; AND EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DESTROYED OF HIS HOUSEHOLD (?) AND CATTLE SHALL BE MADE GOOD, AND HE SHALL HAVE FULL COMPENSATION (?), AND LET HIM GO INTO MY SERVICE; IT IS BETTER FOR HIM THAN THE SERVICE OF A SUB-KING.'

'WHO SHALL GO FOR THAT?'

'MAC ROTH YONDER.'

MAC ROTH, THE MESSENGER OF AILILL AND MEDB, WENT ON THAT ERRAND TO DELGA: IT IS HE WHO ENCIRCLES IRELAND IN ONE DAY. IT IS THERE THAT FERGUS THOUGHT THAT CUCHULAINN WAS, IN DELGA.

'I SEE A MAN COMING TOWARDS US,' SAID LOEG TO CUCHULAINN. 'HE HAS A YELLOW HEAD OF HAIR, AND A LINEN EMBLEM ROUND IT; A CLUB OF FURY (?) IN HIS HAND, AN IVORY-HILTED SWORD AT HIS WAIST; A HOODED TUNIC WITH RED ORNAMENTATION ON HIM.'

'WHICH OF THE WARRIORS OF THE KING IS THAT?' SAID CUCHULAINN.

MAC ROTH ASKED LOEG WHOSE MAN HE WAS.

'VASSAL TO THE MAN DOWN YONDER,' SAID LOEG.

CUCHULAINN WAS THERE IN THE SNOW UP TO HIS TWO THIGHS, WITHOUT ANYTHING AT ALL ON HIM, EXAMINING HIS SHIRT.

THEN MAC ROTH ASKED CUCHULAINN WHOSE MAN HE WAS.

'VASSAL OF CONCHOBAR MAC NESSA,' SAID CUCHULAINN.

'IS THERE NO CLEARER DESCRIPTION?'

'THAT IS ENOUGH,' SAID CUCHULAINN.

 50 

'WHERE THEN IS CUCHULAINN?' SAID MAC ROTH.

'WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO HIM?' SAID CUCHULAINN.

MAC ROTH TELLS HIM THEN ALL THE MESSAGE, AS WE HAVE TOLD IT.

'THOUGH CUCHULAINN WERE NEAR, HE WOULD NOT DO THIS; HE WILL NOT BARTER THE BROTHER OF HIS MOTHER FOR ANOTHER KING.'

HE CAME TO HIM AGAIN, AND IT WAS SAID TO CUCHULAINN THAT THERE SHOULD BE GIVEN OVER TO HIM THE NOBLEST OF THE WOMEN AND THE COWS THAT WERE WITHOUT MILK, ON CONDITION THAT HE SHOULD NOT PLY HIS SLING ON THEM AT NIGHT, EVEN IF HE SHOULD KILL THEM BY DAY.

'I WILL NOT DO IT,' SAID CUCHULAINN; 'IF OUR SLAVE-WOMEN ARE TAKEN FROM US, OUR NOBLE WOMEN WILL BE AT THE QUERNS; AND WE SHALL BE WITHOUT MILK IF OUR MILCH-COWS ARE TAKEN FROM US.'

HE CAME TO HIM AGAIN, AND HE WAS TOLD THAT HE SHOULD HAVE THE SLAVE-WOMEN AND THE MILCH-COWS.

'I WILL NOT DO IT,' SAID CUCHULAINN; 'THE ULSTERMEN WILL TAKE THEIR SLAVE-WOMEN TO THEIR BEDS, AND THERE WILL BE BORN TO THEM A SERVILE OFFSPRING, AND THEY WILL USE THEIR MILCH-COWS FOR MEAT IN THE WINTER.'

'IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THEN?' SAID THE MESSENGER.

'THERE IS,' SAID CUCHULAINN; 'AND I WILL NOT TELL IT YOU. IT SHALL BE AGREED TO, IF ANY ONE TELL IT YOU.'

'I KNOW IT,' SAID FERGUS; 'I KNOW WHAT THE MAN TRIED TO SUGGEST; AND IT IS NO ADVANTAGE TO YOU. AND THIS IS THE AGREEMENT,' SAID FERGUS: 'THAT THE FORD ON WHICH TAKES PLACE (?) HIS BATTLE AND COMBAT WITH ONE MAN, THE CATTLE SHALL NOT BE TAKEN THENCE A DAY AND A NIGHT; IF PERCHANCE THERE COME TO HIM THE HELP OF THE ULSTERMEN. AND IT IS A MARVEL TO ME,' SAID FERGUS, 'THAT IT IS SO LONG TILL THEY COME OUT OF THEIR SUFFERINGS.'

 51 

'IT IS INDEED EASIER FOR US,' SAID AILILL, 'A MAN EVERY DAY THAN A HUNDRED EVERY NIGHT.'



The Death of Etarcomol

Then Fergus went on this errand; Etarcomol, son of Edan [*1  and Lethrinne, foster-son of Ailill and Medb, followed.

'I do not want you to go,' said Fergus, 'and it is not for hatred of you; but I do not like combat between you and Cuchulainn. Your pride and insolence, and the fierceness and hatred, pride and madness of the other, Cuchulainn: there will be no good from your meeting.'

'Are you not able to protect me from him?' said Etarcomol.

'I can,' said Fergus, 'provided only that you do not treat his sayings with disrespect.'

They go thence in two chariots to Delga. Cuchulainn was then playing chess [*2  with Loeg; the back of his head was towards them, and Loeg's face.

'I see two chariots coming towards us,' said Loeg; 'a great dark man in the first chariot, with dark and bushy hair; a purple cloak round him, and a golden pin therein; a hooded tunic with gold embroidery on him; and a round shield with an engraved edge of white metal, and a broad spear-head, with rings from point to haft (?), in his hand. A sword as long as the rudder of a boat on his two thighs.'

'It is empty, this great rudder that is brought by

 52 

my friend Fergus,' said Cuchulainn; 'for there is no sword in its sheath except a sword of wood. It has been told to me,' said Cuchulainn; 'Ailill got a chance of them as they slept, he and Medb; and he took away his sword from Fergus, and gave it to his charioteer to take care of, and the sword of wood was put into its sheath.'

Then Fergus comes up.

'Welcome, O friend Fergus,' said Cuchulainn; 'if a fish comes into the estuary, you shall have it with half of another; if a flock comes into the plain, you shall have a duck with half of another; a spray of cress or seaweed, a spray of marshwort; a drink from the sand; you shall have a going to the ford to meet a man, if it should happen to be your watch, till you have slept.'

'I believe it,' said Fergus; 'it is not your provision that we have come for; we know your housekeeping here.'

Then Cuchulainn receives the message from Fergus and Fergus goes away. Etarcomol remains looking at Cuchulainn.

'What are you looking at?' said Cuchulainn.

'You,' said Etarcomol.

'The eye soon compasses it indeed,' said Cuchulainn.

'That is what I see,' said Etarcomol. 'I do not know at all why you should be feared by any one. I do not see terror or fearfulness, or overwhelming of a host, in you; you are merely a fair youth with arms of wood, and with fine feats.'

'Though you speak ill of me,' said Cuchulainn, 'I will not kill you for the sake of Fergus. But for your protection, it would have been your entrails drawn (?)

 53 

and your quarters scattered, that would have gone from me to the camp behind your chariot.'

'Threaten me not thus,' said Etarcomol. 'The wonderful agreement that he has bound, that is, the single combat, it is I who will first meet you of the men of Ireland to-morrow.'

Then he goes away. He turned back from Mahe and Cethe and said to his charioteer:

'I have boasted,' said he, 'before Fergus combat with Cuchulainn to-morrow. It is not possible for us [*1  to wait for it; turn the horses back again from the hill.'

Loeg sees this and says to Cuchulainn: 'There is the chariot back again, and it has put its left board [*2  towards us.'

'It is not a "debt of refusal,"' said Cuchulainn. 'I do not wish,' said Cuchulainn, 'what you demand of me.'

'This is obligatory to you,' said Etarcomol.

Cuchulainn strikes the sod under his feet, so that he fell prostrate, and the sod behind him.

'Go from me,' said Cuchulainn. 'I am loath to cleanse my hands in you. I would have divided you into many parts long since but for Fergus.'

'We will not part thus,' said Etarcomol, 'till I have taken your head, or left my head with you.'

'It is that indeed that will be there,' said Cuchulainn.

Cuchulainn strikes him with his sword in his two armpits, so that his clothes fell from him, and it did not wound his skin.

'Go then,' said Cuchulainn.

'No,' said Etarcomol.

Then Cuchulainn attacked him with the edge of his

 54 

sword, and took his hair off as if it was shaved with a razor; he did not put even a scratch (?) on the surface. When the churl was troublesome then and stuck to him, he struck him on the hard part of his crown, so that he divided him down to the navel.

Fergus saw the chariot go past him, and the. one man therein. He turned to quarrel with Cuchulainn.

'Ill done of you, O wild boy!' said he, 'to insult me. You would think my club [*1  short,' said he.

'Be not angry with me, O friend Fergus,' said Cuchulainn.... [*2  'Reproach me not, O friend Fergus.'

He stoops down, so that Fergus's chariot went past him thrice.

He asked his charioteer: 'Is it I who have caused it?'

'It is not you at all,' said his charioteer.

'He said,' said Cuchulainn, 'he would not go till he took my head, or till he left his head with me. Which would you think easier to bear, O friend Fergus?' said Cuchulainn.

'I think what has been done the easier truly,' said Fergus, 'for it is he who was insolent.'

Then Fergus put a spancel-withe through Etarcomol's two heels and took him behind his own chariot to the camp. When they went over rocks, one-half would separate from the other; when it was smooth, they came together again.

Medb saw him. 'Not pleasing is that treatment of a tender whelp, O Fergus,' said Medb.

'The dark churl should not have made fight,' said Fergus, 'against the great Hound whom he could not contend with (?).'

 55 

His grave is dug then and his stone planted; his name is written in ogam; his lament is celebrated. Cuchulainn did not molest them that night with his sling; and the women and maidens and half the cattle are taken to him; and provision continued to be brought to him by day.


  

The Death of Nadcrantail

'What man have you to meet Cuchulainn tomorrow?' said Lugaid.

'They will give it to you to-morrow,' said Mane, son of Ailill.

'We can find no one to meet him,' said Medb. 'Let us have peace with him till a man be sought for him.'

They get that then.

'Whither will you send,' said Ailill, 'to seek that man to meet Cuchulainn?'

'There is no one in Ireland who could be got for him,' said Medb, 'unless Curoi Mac Dare can be brought, or Nadcrantail the warrior.'

There was one of Curoi's followers in the tent. 'Curoi will not come,' said he; 'he thinks enough of his household has come. Let a message be sent to Nadcrantail.'

Mane Andoi goes to him, and they tell their tale to him.

'Come with us for the sake of the honour of Connaught.'

'I will not go,' said he, 'unless Findabair be given to me.'

He comes with them then. They bring his armour in a chariot, from the east of Connaught till it was in the camp.

 56 

'You shall have Findabair,' said Medb, 'for going against that man yonder.'

'I will do it,' said he.

Lugaid comes to Cuchulainn that night.

'Nadcrantail is coming to meet you to-morrow; it is unlucky for you: you will not withstand him.'

'That does not matter,' said Cuchulainn.... [*1 

Nadcrantail goes next morning from the camp, and he takes nine spits of holly, sharpened and burned. Now Cuchulainn was there catching birds, and his chariot near him. Nadcrantail throws a spear at Cuchulainn; Cuchulainn performed a feat on to the point of that spear, and it did not hinder him from catching the birds. The same with the eight other spears. When he throws the ninth spear, the flock flies from Cuchulainn, and he went after the flock. He goes on the points of the spears like a bird, from each spear to the next, pursuing the birds that they should not escape. It seemed to every one, however, that it was in flight that Cuchulainn went before Nadcrantail.

'Your Cuchulainn yonder,' said he, 'has gone in flight before me.'

'That is of course,' said Medb; 'if good warriors should come to him, the wild boy would not resist ------.'

This vexed Fergus and the Ulstermen; Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe comes from them to remonstrate with Cuchulainn.

'Tell him,' said Fergus, 'it was noble to be before the warriors while he did brave deeds. It is more noble for him,' said Fergus, 'to hide himself when he

 57 

flees before one man, for it were not greater shame to him than to the rest of Ulster.'

'Who has boasted that?' said Cuchulainn.

'Nadcrantail,' said Fiacha.

'Though it were that that he should boast, the feat that I have done before him, it was no more shame to me,'(?) said Cuchulainn. 'He would by no means have boasted it had there been a weapon in his hand. You know full well that I kill no one unarmed. Let him come to-morrow,' said Cuchulainn, 'till he is between Ochaine and the sea, and however early he comes, he will find me there, and I shall not flee before him.'

Cuchulainn came then to his appointed meeting, place, and he threw the hem [of his cloak  round him after his night-watch, and he did not perceive the pillar that was near him, of equal size with himself. He embraced it under his cloak, and placed it near him.

Therewith Nadcrantail came; his arms were brought with him in a wagon.

'Where is Cuchulainn?' said he.

'There he is yonder,' said Fergus.

'It was not thus he appeared to me yesterday,' said Nadcrantail. 'Are you Cuchulainn?'

'And if I am then?' said Cuchulainn.

'If you are indeed,' said Nadcrantail, 'I cannot bring the head of a little lamb to camp; I will not take the head of a beardless boy.'

'It is not I at all,' said Cuchulainn. 'Go to him round the hill.'

Cuchulainn comes to Loeg: 'Smear a false beard on me,' said he; 'I cannot get the warrior to fight me without a beard.'

 58 

It was done for him. He goes to meet him on the hill.

'I think that more fitting,' said he.

'Take the right way of fighting with me,' said Nadcrantail.

'You shall have it if only we know it,' said Cuchulainn.

'I will throw a cast at you,' said Nadcrantail, 'and do not avoid it.'

'I will not avoid it except on high,' said Cuchulainn.

Nadcrantail throws a cast at him; Cuchulainn leaps on high before it.

'You do ill to avoid my cast,' said Nadcrantail.

'Avoid my throw then on high,' said Cuchulainn.

Cuchulainn throws the spear at him, but it was on high, so that from above it alighted in his crown, and it went through him to the ground.

'Alas! it is you are the best warrior in Ireland!' said Nadcrantail. 'I have twenty-four sons in the camp. I will go and tell them what hidden treasures I have, and I will come that you may behead me, for I shall die if the spear is taken out of my head.'

'Good,' said Cuchulainn. 'You will come back.'

Nadcrantail goes to the camp then. Every one comes to meet him.

'Where is the madman's head?' said every one.

'Wait, O heroes, till I tell my tale to my sons, and go back that I may fight with Cuchulainn.'

He goes thence to seek Cuchulainn, and throws his sword at Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn leaps on high, so that it struck the pillar, and the sword broke in two. Then Cuchulainn went mad as he had done against the boys in Emain, and he springs on his shield therewith, and struck his head off. He strikes him again

 59 

on the neck down to the navel. His four quarters fall to the ground. Then Cuchulainn said this:

'If Nadcrantail has fallen,
  It will be an increase to the strife.
  Alas! that I cannot fight at this time
  With Medb with a third of the host.'



HERE IS THE FINDING OF THE BULL ACCORDING TO THIS VERSION:

It is then that Medb went with a third of the host with her to Cuib to seek the Bull; and Cuchulainn went after her. Now on the road of Midluachair she had gone to harry Ulster and Cruthne as far as Dun Sobairche. Cuchulainn saw something: Bude Mac Bain from Sliab Culinn with the Bull, and fifteen heifers round him; and his force was sixty men of Ailill's household, with a cloak folded round every man. Cuchulainn comes to them.

'Whence have you brought the cattle?' said Cuchulainn.

'From the mountain yonder,' said the man'

'Where are their cow-herds?' said Cuchulainn.

'He is as we found him,' said the man.

Cuchulainn made three leaps after them to seek speech with them as far as the ford. It is there he said to the leader:

'What is your name?' said he.

'One who fears you not (?) and loves you not; Bude Mac Bain,' said he.

'This spear at Bude!' said Cuchulainn. He hurls at him the javelin, so that it went through his armpits, and one of the livers broke in two before the spear.

 60 

[paragraph continues  He kills him on his ford; hence is Ath Bude. The Bull is brought into the camp then. They considered then that it would not be difficult to deal with Cuchulainn, provided his javelin were got from him.

The Cattle Raid of Cualnge, by L. Winifred Faraday, [1904 , at sacred-texts.com

  

The Death of Redg the Satirist

It is then that Redg, Ailill's satirist, went to him on an errand to seek the javelin, that is, Cuchulainn's spear.

'Give me your spear,' said the satirist.

'Not so,' said Cuchulainn; but I will give you treasure.'

'I will not take it,' said the satirist.

Then Cuchulainn wounded the satirist, because he would not accept from him what he offered him, and the satirist said he would take away his honour unless he got the javelin. Then Cuchulainn threw the javelin at him, and it went right through his head.

'This gift is overpowering (?),' said the satirist. Hence is Ath Tolam Set.

There was now a ford east of it, where the copper of the javelin rested; Humarrith, then, is the name of that ford. It is there that Cuchulainn killed all those that we have mentioned in Cuib; i.e. Nathcoirpthe at his trees; Cruthen on his ford; the sons of the Herd at their cairn; Marc on his hill; Meille on his hill; Bodb in his tower; Bogaine in his marsh (?).

Cuchulainn turned back to Mag Murthemne; he liked better to defend his own home. After he went, he killed the men of Crocen (or Cronech), i.e. Focherd; twenty men of Focherd. He overtook them taking camp: ten cup-bearers and ten fighting-men.

Medb turned back from the north when she had remained

 61 

a fortnight ravaging the province, and when she had fought a battle against Findmor, wife of Celtchar Mac Uthidir. And after taking Dun Sobairche upon her, she brought fifty women into the province of Dalriada. Wherever Medb placed a horse-switch in Cuib its name is Bile Medba; [*1  every ford and every hill by which she slept, its name is Ath Medba and Dindgna Medba.

They all meet then at Focherd, both Ailill and Medb and the troop that drove the Bull. But their herd took their Bull from them, and they drove him across into a narrow gap with their spear-shafts on their shields (?). [*2  So that the feet of the cattle drove him [*3  through the ground. Forgemen was the herd's name. He is there afterwards, so that that is the name of the hill, Forgemen. There 'was no annoyance to them that night, provided a man were got to ward off Cuchulainn on the ford.

'Let a sword-truce be asked by us from Cuchulainn,' said Ailill.

'Let Lugaid go for it,' said every one.

Lugaid goes then to speak to him.

'How am I now with the host?' said Cuchulainn.

'Great indeed is the mockery that you asked of them,' said Lugaid, 'that is, your women and your maidens and half your cattle. And they think it heavier than anything to be killed and to provide you with food.'

A man fell there by Cuchulainn every day to the end of a week. Fair-play is broken with Cuchulainn: twenty are sent to attack him at one time; and he killed them all.

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'Go to him, O Fergus,' said Ailill, 'that he may allow us a change of place.'

They go then to Cronech. This is what fell by him in single combat at this place: two Roths, two Luans, two female horse-messengers,  ten fools, ten cup-bearers, ten Ferguses, six Fedelms, six Fiachras. These then were all killed by him in single combat. When they pitched their tents in Cronech, they considered what they should do against Cuchulainn.

'I know,' said Medb, 'what is good in this case: let a message be sent from us to ask him that we may have a sword-truce from him towards the host, and he shall have half the cattle that are here.'

This message is taken to him.

'I will do this,' said Cuchulainn,' provided the compact is not broken by you.'



The Meeting of Cuchulainn and Findabair

'Let an offer go to him,' said Ailill, 'that Findabair will be given to him on condition that he keeps away from the hosts.'

Mane Athramail goes to him. He goes first to Loeg.

'Whose man are you?' said he.

Loeg does not speak to him. Mane spoke to him thrice in this way.

'Cuchulainn's man,' said he, 'and do not disturb me, lest I strike your head off.'

'This man is fierce,' said Mane, turning from him. He goes then to speak to Cuchulainn. Now Cuchulainn had taken off his tunic, and the snow was round

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him up to his waist as he sat, and the snow melted round him a cubit for the greatness of the heat of the hero.

Mane said to him in the same way thrice, 'whose man was he?'

'Conchobar's man, and do not disturb me. If you disturb me any longer, I will strike your head from you as the head is taken from a blackbird.'

'It is not easy,' said Mane, 'to speak to these two.'

Mane goes from them then and tells his tale to Ailill and Medb.

'Let Lugaid go to him,' said Ailill, 'and offer to him the maiden.'

Lugaid goes then and tells Cuchulainn that.

'O friend Lugaid,' said Cuchulainn, 'this is a snare.'

'It is the king's word that has said it,' said Lugaid; 'there will be no snare therefrom.'

'Let it be done so,' said Cuchulainn.

Lugaid went from him therewith, and tells Ailill and Medb that answer.

'Let the fool go in my form,' said Ailill, 'and a king's crown on his head, and let him stand at a distance from Cuchulainn lest he recognise him, and let the maiden go with him, and let him betroth her to him, and let them depart quickly in this way; and it is likely that you will play a trick on him thus, so that he will not hinder you, till he comes with the Ulstermen to the battle.'

Then the fool goes to him, and the maiden also; and it was from a distance he spoke to Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn goes to meet them. It happened that he recognised by the man's speech that he was a fool. He threw a sling stone that was in his hand at him,

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so that it sprang into his head and brought his brains out. Then he comes to the maiden, cuts her two tresses off, and thrusts a stone through her mantle and through her tunic, and thrusts a stone pillar through the middle of the fool. There are their two pillars there: the pillar of Findabair, and the fool's pillar.

Cuchulainn left them thus. A party was sent from Ailill and Medb to seek out their folk, for they thought they were long; they were seen in this position. All this was heard throughout the camp. There was no truce for them with Cuchulainn afterwards.



The Combat of Munremar and Curoi

When the hosts were there in the evening, they saw that one stone lighted on them from the east, and another from the west to meet it. They met in the air, and kept falling between Fergus's camp, and Ailill's, and Era's. [*1  This sport and play went on from that hour to the same hour next day; and the hosts were sitting down, and their shields were over their heads to protect them against the masses of stones, till the plain was full of the stones. Hence is Mag Clochair. It happened that Curoi Mac Daire did this; he had come to help his comrades, and he was in Cotal over against Munremar Mac Gerrcind. He had come from Emain Macha to help Cuchulainn, and he was in Ard Roich. Curoi knew that there was no man in the host who could withstand Munremar. So it was these two who had made this sport between them. They were asked by the host to be quiet; then Munremar and Curoi make peace, and Curoi goes to his house and Munremar

 65 

to Emain Macha. And Munremar did not come till the day of the battle; Curoi did not come till the combat with Fer Diad.

'Speak to Cuchulainn,' said Medb and Ailill, that he allow us change of place.'

It is granted to them then, and they change the place. The weakness of the Ulstermen was over then. For when they awoke from their suffering, some of them kept coming on the host, that they might take to slaying them again.



The Death of the Boys

Then the boys of Ulster had consulted in Emain Macha.

'Wretched indeed,' said they, 'for our friend Cuchulainn to be without help.'

'A question indeed,' said Fiachna Fulech Mac Fir-Febe, own brother to Fiacha Fialdama Mac Fir-Febe, 'shall I have a troop among you, and go to take help to him therefrom?'

Three fifties of boys go with their playing-clubs, and that was a third of the boys of Ulster. The host saw them coming towards them across the plain.

'A great host is at hand to us over the plain,' said Ailill.

Fergus goes to look at them. 'Some of the boys of Ulster that,' said he; 'and they come to Cuchulainn's help.'

'Let a troop go against them,' said Ailill, 'without Cuchulainn's knowledge; for if they meet him, you will not withstand them.'

Three fifties of warriors go to meet them. They

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fell by one another so that no one escaped alive of the abundance (?) of the boys at Lia Toll. Hence it is the Stone of Fiachra Mac Fir-Febe; for it is there he fell.

'Make a plan,' said Ailill.

'Ask Cuchulainn about letting you go out of this place, for you will not come beyond him by force, because his flame of valour has sprung.'

For it was customary with him, when his flame of valour sprang in him, that his feet would go round behind him, and his hams before; and the balls of his calves on his shins, and one eye in his head and the other out of his head; a man's head could have gone into his mouth. Every hair on him was as sharp as a thorn of hawthorn, and a drop of blood on each hair. He would not recognise comrades or friends. He would strike alike before and behind. It is from this that the men of Connaught gave Cuchulainn the name Riastartha.

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The Woman-fight of Rochad

Cuchulainn sent his charioteer to Rochad Mac Fatheman of Ulster, that he should come to his help. Now it happened that Findabair loved Rochad, for he was the fairest of the warriors among the Ulstermen at that time. The man goes to Rochad and told him to come to help Cuchulainn if he had come out of his weakness; that they should deceive the host, to get at some of them to slay them. Rochad comes from the north with a hundred men.

'Look at the plain for us to-day,' said Ailill.

'I see a troop coming over the plain,' said the watchman,

 67 

[paragraph continues  'and a warrior of tender years among them; the men only reach up to his shoulders.'

'Who is it yonder, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'Rochad Mac Fatheman,' said he, 'and it is to help Cuchulainn he comes.'

'I know what you had better do with him,' said Fergus. 'Let a hundred men go from you with the maiden yonder to the middle of the plain, and let the maiden go before them; and let a horseman go to speak to him, that he come alone to speak with the maiden, and let hands be laid on him, and this will keep off (?) the attack of his army from us.'

This is done then. Rochad goes to meet the horseman.

'I have come from Findabair to meet you, that you come to speak with her.'

He goes then to speak with her alone. The host rushes about him from every side. He is taken, and hands are laid on him. His force breaks into flight. He is let go then, and he is bound over not to go against the host till he should come together with all Ulster. It was promised to him that Findabair should be given to him, and he returned from them then. So that that is Rochad's Woman-fight.

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The Death of the Princes [*1 

'Let a sword-truce be asked of Cuchulainn for us,' said Ailill and Medb.

Lugaid goes on that errand, and Cuchulainn grants the truce.

'Put a man on the ford for me to-morrow,' said Cuchulainn.

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There were with Medb six princes, i.e. six king's heirs of the Clanna Dedad, the three Blacks of Imlech, and the three Reds of Sruthair.

'Why should we not go against Cuchulainn?' said they.

They go next day, and Cuchulainn slew the six of them.



The Death of Cur

Then Cur Mac Dalath is besought to go against Cuchulainn. He from whom he shed blood, he is dead before the ninth day.

'If he slay him,' said Medb, 'it is victory; and though it be he who is slain, it is removing a load from the host: for it is not easy to be with him in regard to eating and sleeping.'

Then he goes forth. He did not think it good to go against a beardless wild boy.

'Not so(?) indeed,' said he, 'right is the honour (?) that you give us! If I had known that it was against this man that I was sent, I would not have bestirred myself to seek him; it were enough in my opinion for a boy of his own age from my troop to go against him.'

'Not so,' said Cormac Condlongas; 'it were a marvel for us if you yourself were to drive him off.'

'Howbeit,' said he, 'since it is on myself that it is laid you shall go forth to-morrow morning; it will not delay me to kill the young deer yonder.'

He goes then early in the morning to meet him; and he tells the host to get ready to take the road before them, for it was a clear road that he would make by going against Cuchulainn.

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 69 

  

This is the Number of the Feats

He went on that errand then. Cuchulainn was practising feats at that time, i.e. the apple-feat, the edge-feat, the supine-feat, the javelin-feat, the rope-feat, the ------ feat, the cat-feat, the hero's salmon [-leap? , the cast ------, the leap over ------, the noble champion's turn, the gae bolga, the ------ of swiftness, the wheel-feat, the ------, the feat on breath, the mouth-rage (?), the champion's shout, the stroke with proper adjustment, the back-stroke, the climbing a javelin with stretching of the body on its point, with the binding (?) of a noble warrior.

Cur was plying his weapons against him in a fence (?) of his shield till a third of the day; and not a stroke of the blow reached Cuchulainn for the madness of the feats, and he did not know that a man was trying to strike him, till Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe said to him: 'Beware of the man who is attacking you.'

Cuchulainn looked at him; he threw the feat-apple that remained in his hand, so that it went between the rim and the body of the shield, and went back through the head of the churl. It would be in Imslige Glendanach that Cur fell according to another version.

Fergus returned to the army. 'If your security hold you,' said he, 'wait here till to-morrow.'

'It would not be there,' said Ailill; 'we shall go back to our camp.'

Then Lath Mac Dabro is asked to go against Cuchulainn, as Cur had been asked. He himself fell then also. Fergus returns again to put his security on them. They remained there until there were slain there Cur Mac Dalath, and Lath Mac Dabro, and

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[paragraph continues  Foirc, son of the three Swifts, and Srubgaile Mac Eobith. They were all slain there in single combat.

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The Death of Ferbaeth

'Go to the camp for us, O friend Loeg' [said Cuchulainn , 'and consult Lugaid Mac Nois, descendant of Lomarc, to know who is coming against me tomorrow. Let it be asked diligently, and give him my greeting.'

Then Loeg went.

'Welcome,' said Lugaid; 'it is unlucky for Cuchulainn, the trouble in which he is, alone against the men of Ireland. It is a comrade of us both, Ferbaeth (ill-luck to his arms!), who goes against him to-morrow. Findabair is given to him for it, and the kingdom of his race.'

Loeg turns back to where Cuchulainn is.

'He is not very joyful over his answer, my friend Loeg,' said Cuchulainn.

Loeg tells him all that. Ferbaeth had been summoned into the tent to Ailill and Medb, and he is told to sit by Findabair, and that she should be given to him, for he was her choice for fighting with Cuchulainn. He was the man they thought worthy of them, for they had both learned the same arts with Scathach. Then wine is given to him, till he was intoxicated, and he is told, 'They thought that wine fine, and there had only been brought the load of fifty wagons. And it was the maiden who used to put hand to his portion therefrom.'

'I do not wish it,' said Ferbaeth; 'Cuchulainn is my foster-brother, and a man of perpetual covenant with

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me. Nevertheless I will go against him to-morrow and cut off his head.'

'It will be you who would do it,' said Medb.

Cuchulainn told Loeg to go to meet Lugaid, that he should come and speak with him. Lugaid comes to him.

'So Ferbaeth is coming against me to-morrow,' said Cuchulainn.

'He indeed,' said Lugaid.

'An evil day!' said Cuchulainn; 'I shall not be alive therefrom. Two of equal age we, two of equal deftness, two equal when we meet. O Lugaid, greet him for me; tell him that it is not true valour to come against me; tell him to come to meet me to-night, to speak with me.'

Lugaid tells him this. When Ferbaeth did not avoid it, he went that night to renounce his friendship with Cuchulainn, and Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe with him. Cuchulainn appealed to him by his foster-brotherhood, and Scathach, the foster-mother of them both.

'I must,' said Ferbaeth. 'I have promised it.'

'Take back (?) your bond of friendship then,' said Cuchulainn.

Cuchulainn went from him in anger. A spear of holly was driven into Cuchulainn's foot in the glen, and appeared up by his knee. He draws it out.

'Go not, O Ferbaeth, till you have seen the find that I have found.'

'Throw it,' said Ferbaeth.

Cuchulainn threw the spear then after Ferbaeth so that it hit the hollow of his poll, and came out at his mouth in front, so that he fell back into the glen.

'That is a throw indeed,' said Ferbaeth. Hence is

 72 

[paragraph continues  Focherd Murthemne. (Or it is Fiacha who had said, 'Your throw is vigorous to-day, O Cuchulainn; said he; so that Focherd Murthemne is from that.)

Ferbaeth died at once in the glen. Hence is Glenn Firbaith. Something was heard: Fergus, who said:

'O Ferbaeth, foolish is thy expedition
  In the place in which thy grave is.
  Ruin reached thee ...
  In Croen Corand.

'The hill is named Fithi (?) for ever;
  Croenech in Murthemne,
  From to-day Focherd will be the name
  Of the place in which thou didst fall, O Ferbaeth.
  O Ferbaeth,' etc.

'Your comrade has fallen,' said Fergus. 'Say will you pay for this man on the morrow?'

'I will pay indeed,' said Cuchulainn.

Cuchulainn sends Loeg again for news, to know how they are in the camp, and whether Ferbaeth lived. Lugaid said: 'Ferbaeth is dead,' and Cuchulainn comes in turn to talk with them.

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The Combat of Larine Mac Nois

'One of you to-morrow to go readily against the other,' said Lugaid.

'He will not be found at all,' said Ailill, 'unless you practise trickery therein. Any man who comes to you, give him wine, so that his mind may be glad, and it shall be said to him that that is all the wine that has been brought from Cruachan. It grieves us that you should be on water in the camp. And Findabair shall be put at his right hand, and it shall be said:

 73 

[paragraph continues  "She shall come to you, if you bring us the head of the Riastartha."'

A messenger used to be sent to every hero on his night, and that used to be told to him; he continued to kill every man of them in turn. No one could be got by them to meet him at last. Larine Mac Nois, brother to Lugaid, King of Munster, was summoned to them the next day. Great was his pride. Wine is given to him, and Findabair is put at his right hand.

Medb looked at the two. 'It pleases me, yonder pair,' said she; 'a match between them would be fitting.'

'I will not stand in your way,' said Ailill; 'he shall have her if he brings me the head of the Riastartha.' I will bring it,' said Larine.

Then Lugaid comes. 'What man have you for the ford to-morrow?' said he.

'Larine goes,' said Ailill.

Then Lugaid comes to speak with Cuchulainn. They meet in Glenn Firbaith. Each gives the other welcome.

'It is for this I have come to speak to you,' said Lugaid: 'there is a churl here, a fool and proud,' said he, 'a brother of mine named Larine; he is befooled about the same maiden. On your friendship then, do not kill him, lest you should leave me without a brother. For it is for this that he is being sent to you, so that we two might quarrel. I should be content, however, that you should give him a sound drubbing, for it is in my despite that he comes.'

Larine goes next day to meet Cuchulainn, and the maiden near him to encourage him. Cuchulainn attacks him without arms. [*1  He takes Larine's arms

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from him perforce. He takes him then between his two hands, and grinds and shakes him, ... and threw him till he was between Lugaid's two hands ...; nevertheless, he is the only man who escaped [even  a bad escape from him, of all who met him on the Tain.


  

The Conversation of the Morrigan with Cuchulainn

Cuchulainn saw a young woman coming towards him, with a dress of every colour on, and her form very excellent.

Who are you?' said Cuchulainn.

'Daughter of Buan the king,' said she. 'I have come to you; I have loved you for your reputation, and I have brought my treasures and my cattle with me.'

'The time at which you have come to us is not good. For our condition is evil, through hunger. It is not easy to me to meet a woman, while I am in this strife.'

'I will be a help to you.... I shall be more troublesome to you,' said she, 'when I come against you when you are in combat against the men. I will come in the form of an eel about your feet in the ford, so that you shall fall.'

'I think that likelier than the daughter of a king. I will take you,' said he, 'between my toes, till your ribs are broken, and you will be in this condition till a doom of blessing comes (?) on you.'

'I will drive the cattle on the ford to you, in the form of a grey she-wolf.'

'I will throw a stone at you from my sling, so that

 75 

it shall break your eye in your head; and you will be in that state till a doom of blessing comes on you.'

'I will come to you in the form of a hornless red heifer before the cattle. They will rush on you on the plains (?), and on the fords, and on the pools, and you will not see me before you.'

'I will throw a stone at you,' said he, 'so that your leg shall break under you, and you will be in this state till a doom of blessing comes on you.'

Therewith she goes from him.

So he was a week on Ath Grencha, and a man used to fall every day by him in Ath Grencha, i.e. in Ath Darteisc.

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The Death of Loch Mac Emonis

Then Loch Mac Emonis was asked like the others, and there was promised to him a piece of the arable land of Mag Ai equal in size to Mag Murthemne, and the equipment of twelve warriors and a chariot worth seven cumals [*1 ; and he did not think combat with a youth worthy. He had a brother, Long Mac Emonis himself. The same price was given to him, both maiden and raiment and chariots and land. He goes to meet Cuchulainn. Cuchulainn slays him, and he was brought dead before his brother, Loch.

This latter said that if he only knew that it was a bearded man who slew him, he would kill him for it.

'Take a battle-force to him,' said Medb to her household, 'across the ford from the west, that you may go across; and let fair-play be broken on him.'

Then the seven Manes, warriors, go first, so that they saw him on the edge of the ford westward. He

 76 

puts his feast-dress on that day. It is then that the women kept climbing on the men to look at him.

'I am sorry,' said Medb; 'I cannot see the boy about whom they go there.'

'Your mind will not be the gladder for it,' said Lethrend, Ailill's squire, 'if you could see him.' He comes to the ford then as he was.

'What man is it yonder, O Fergus?' said Medb.

'A boy who wards off,' etc.... 'if it is Culann's Hound.' [*1 

Medb climbed on the men then to look at him.

It is then that the women said to Cuchulainn 'that he was laughed at in the camp because he had no beard, and no good warriors would go against him, only wild men; it were easier to make a false beard.' So this is what he did, in order to seek combat with a man; i.e. with Loch. Cuchulainn took a handful of grass, and said a spell over it, so that every one thought he had a beard.

'True,' said the troop of women, 'Cuchulainn has a beard. It is fitting for a warrior to fight with him.' They had done this on urging Loch.

'I will not make combat against him till the end of seven days from to-day,' said Loch.

'It is not fitting for us to have no attack on the man for this space,' said Medb. 'Let us put a hero to hunt(?) him every night, if perchance we may get a chance at him.'

This is done then. A hero used to come every night to hunt him, and he used to kill them all. These are the names of the men who fell there: seven Conalls, seven Oenguses, seven Uarguses, seven Celtris, eight

 77 

[paragraph continues  Fiacs, ten Ailills, ten Delbaths, ten Tasachs. These are his deeds of this week in Ath Grencha.

 

Medb asked advice, to know what she should do to Cuchulainn, for what had been killed of their hosts by him distressed her greatly. This is the plan she arrived at, to put brave, high-spirited men to attack him all at once when he should come to an appointed meeting to speak with Medb. For she had an appointment the next day with Cuchulainn to make a peace in fraud with him, to get hold of him. She sent messengers forth to seek him that he should come to meet her; and it was thus he should come, and he unarmed: 'for she would come only with her troop of women to meet him.'

The messenger, Traigtren, went to the place where Cuchulainn was, and tells him Medb's message. Cuchulainn promised that he would do so.

'In what manner does it please you to go to meet Medb to-morrow, O Cuchulainn?' said Loeg.

'As Medb has asked me,' said Cuchulainn.

'Great are Medb's deeds,' said the charioteer; 'I fear a hand behind the back with her.'

'How is it to be done then?' said he.

'Your sword at your waist,' said the charioteer, 'that you may not be taken at an unfair advantage. For the warrior is not entitled to his honour-price if he is without arms; and it is the coward's law that he deserves in that way.'

'Let it be done so then,' said Cuchulainn.

The meeting-place was in Ard Aignech, which is called Fochaird to-day. Now Medb came to the meeting-place and set in ambush fourteen men of her own

 78 

special following, of those who were of most prowess, ready for him. These are they: two Glassines, the two sons of Bucchridi; two Ardans, the two sons of Licce; two Glasogmas, the two sons of Crund; Drucht and Delt and Dathen; Tea and Tascra and Tualang; Taur and Giese.

Then Cuchulainn comes to meet her. The men rise to attack him. Fourteen spears are thrown at him at once. Cuchulainn guards himself so that his skin or his ------(?) is not touched. Then he turns on them and kills them, the fourteen of them. So that they are the fourteen men of Focherd, and they are the men of Cronech, for it is in Cronech at Focherd that they were killed. Hence Cuchulainn said: 'Good is my feat of heroism,' [*1  etc.

So it is from this that the name Focherd stuck to the place; that is, focherd, i.e. 'good is the feat of arms' that happened to Cuchulainn there.

So Cuchulainn came, and overtook them taking camp, and there were slain two Daigris and two Anlis and four Dungais of Imlech. Then Medb began to urge Loch there.

'Great is the mockery of you,' said she, 'for the man who has killed your brother to be destroying our host, and you do not go to battle with him! For we deem it certain that the wild man, great and fierce, [*2  the like of him yonder, will not be able to withstand the rage and fury of a hero like you. For it is by one foster-mother and instructress that an art was built up for you both.'

Then Loch came against Cuchulainn, to avenge

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his brother on him, for it was shown to him that Cuchulainn had a beard.

'Come to the upper ford,' said Loch; 'it would not be in the polluted ford that we shall meet, where Long fell.'

When he came then to seek the ford, the men drove the cattle across.

'It will be across your water [*1  here to-day,' said Gabran the poet. Hence is Ath Darteisc, and Tir Mor Darteisc from that time on this place.

When the men met then on the ford, and when they began to fight and to strike each other there, and when each of them began to strike the other, the eel threw three folds round Cuchulainn's feet, till he lay on his back athwart the ford. Loch attacked him with the sword, till the ford was blood-red with his blood.

'Ill indeed,' said Fergus, 'is this deed before the enemy. Let each of you taunt the man, O men,' said he to his following, 'that he may not fall for nothing.'

Bricriu Poison-tongue Mac Carbatha rose and began inciting Cuchulainn.

'Your strength is gone,' said he, 'when it is a little salmon that overthrows you when the Ulstermen are at hand [coming  to you out of their sickness yonder. Grievous for you to undertake a hero's deed in the presence of the men of Ireland and to ward off a formidable warrior in arms thus!'

Therewith Cuchulainn arises and strikes the eel so that its ribs broke in it, and the cattle were driven over the hosts eastwards by force, so that they took the tents on their horns, with the thunder-feat that the two heroes had made in the ford.

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The she-wolf attacked him, and drove the cattle on him westwards. He throws a stone from his sling, so that her eye broke in her head. She goes in the form of a hornless red heifer; she rushes before the cows upon the pools and fords. It is then he said: I cannot see the fords for water.' He throws a stone at the hornless red heifer, so that her leg breaks under her. Then he sang a song:

'I am all alone before flocks;
  I get them not, I let them not go;
  I am alone at cold hours (?)
  Before many peoples.

'Let some one say to Conchobar
  Though he should come to me it were not too soon;
  Magu's sons have carried off their kine
  And divided them among them.

'There may be strife about one head
  Only that one tree blazes not;
  If there were two or three
  Their brands would blaze. [*1 

'The men have almost worn me out
  By reason of the number of single combats;
  I cannot work the slaughter (?) of glorious warriors
  As I am all alone.
               I am all alone. [*1 

It is there then that Cuchulainn did to the Morrigan the three things that he had promised her in the Tain Bo Regamna; [*2  and he fights Loch in the ford with the gae-bolga, which the charioteer threw him along the stream. He attacked him with it, so that

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it went into his body's armour, for Loch had a horn-skin in fighting with a man.

'Give way to me,' said Loch. Cuchulainn gave way, so that it was on the other side that Loch fell. Hence is Ath Traiged in Tir Mor. Cuchulainn cut off his head then.

Then fair-play was broken with him that day when five men came against him at one time; i.e. two Cruaids, two Calads, Derothor; Cuchulainn killed them by himself. Hence is Coicsius Focherda, and Coicer Oengoirt; or it is fifteen days that Cuchulainn was in Focherd, and hence is Coicsius Focherda in the Foray.

Cuchulainn hurled at them from Delga, so that not a living thing, man or beast, could put its head past him southwards between Delga and the sea.


The Healing of the Morrigan

When Cuchulainn was in this great weariness, the Morrigan met him in the form of an old hag, and she blind and lame, milking a cow with three teats, and he asked her for a drink. She gave him milk from a teat.

'He will be whole who has brought it(?),' said Cuchulainn; 'the blessings of gods and non-gods on you,' said he. (Gods with them were the Mighty Folk; [*1  non-gods the people of husbandry.)

Then her head was healed so that it was whole.

She gave the milk of the second teat, and her eye was whole; and gave the milk of the third teat, and

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her leg was whole. So that this was what he said about each thing of them, 'A doom of blessing on you,' said he.

'You told me,' said the Morrigan, 'I should not have healing from you for ever.'

'If I had known it was you,' said Cuchulainn, 'I would not have healed you ever.'

So that formerly Cuchulainn's throng(?) on Tarthesc was the name of this story in the Foray.

It is there that Fergus claimed of his securities that faith should not be broken with Cuchulainn; and it is there that Cuchulainn ... [*1  i.e. Delga Murthemne at that time.

Then Cuchulainn killed Fota in his field; Bomailce on his ford; Salach in his village (?); Muine in his hill; Luair in Leth-bera; Fer-Toithle in Toithle; these are the names of these lands for ever, every place in which each man of them fell. Cuchulainn killed also Traig and Dornu and Dernu, Col and Mebul and Eraise on this side of Ath Tire Moir, at Methe and Cethe: these were three [*2  druids and their three wives.

Then Medb sent a hundred men of her special retinue to kill Cuchulainn. He killed them all on Ath Ceit-Chule. Then Medb said: 'It is cuillend [*3  to us, the slaying of our people.' Hence is Glass Chrau and Cuillend Cind Duin and Ath Ceit-Chule.

Then the four provinces of Ireland took camp and fortified post in the Breslech Mor in Mag Murthemne, and send part of their cattle and booty beyond them to the south into Clithar Bo Ulad. Cuchulainn took

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his post at the mound in Lerga near them, and his charioteer Loeg Mac Riangabra kindled a fire for him on the evening of that night. He saw the fiery sheen of the bright golden arms over the heads of the four provinces of Ireland at the setting of the clouds of evening. Fury and great rage came over him at sight of the host, at the multitude of his enemies, the abundance of his foes. He took his two spears and his shield and his sword; he shook his shield and brandished his spears and waved his sword; and he uttered his hero's shout from his throat, so that goblins and sprites and spectres of the glen and demons of the air answered, for the terror of the shout which they uttered on high. So that the Nemain produced confusion on the host. The four provinces of Ireland came into a tumult of weapons about the points of their own spears and weapons, so that a hundred warriors of them died of terror and of heart-burst in the middle of the camp and of the position that night.

When Loeg was there, he saw something: a single man who came straight across the camp of the men of Ireland from the north-east straight towards him.

'A single man is coming to us now, O Little Hound!' said Loeg.

'What kind of man is there?' said Cuchulainn.

'An easy question: a man fair and tall is he, with hair cut broad, waving yellow hair; a green mantle folded round him; a brooch of white silver in the mantle on his breast; a tunic of royal silk, with red ornamentation of red gold against the white skin, to his knees. A black shield with a hard boss of white metal; a five-pointed spear in his hand; a forked (?) javelin beside it. Wonderful is the play and sport and

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exercise that he makes; but no one attacks him, and he attacks no one, as if no one saw him.'

'It is true, O fosterling,' said he; 'which of my friends from the sid is that who comes to have pity on me, because they know the sore distress in which I am, alone against the four great provinces of Ireland, on the Cattle-Foray of Cualnge at this time?'

That was true for Cuchulainn. When the warrior had reached the place where Cuchulainn was, he spoke to him, and had pity on him for it.

'This is manly, O Cuchulainn,' said he.

'It is not much at all,' said Cuchulainn.

'I will help you,' said the man.

'Who are you at all?' said Cuchulainn.

'It is I, your father from the sid, Lug Mac Ethlend.' My wounds are heavy, it were high time that I should be healed.'

'Sleep a little, O Cuchulainn,' said the warrior; your heavy swoon [*1  (?) of sleep at the mound of Lerga till the end of three days and three nights, and I will fight against the hosts for that space.'

Then he sings the ferdord to him, and he sleeps from it. Lug looked at each wound that it was clean. Then Lug said:

'Arise, O great son of the Ulstermen, whole of thy wounds.... Go into thy chariot secure. Arise, arise!' [*2 

For three days and three nights Cuchulainn was asleep. It were right indeed though his sleep equalled his weariness. From the Monday after the end of summer exactly to the Wednesday after Candlemas, for this space Cuchulainn had not slept, except when

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he slept a little while against his spear after midday, with his head on his clenched fist, and his clenched fist on his spear, and his spear on his knee; but he was striking and cutting and attacking and slaying the four great provinces of Ireland for that space.

It is then that the warrior of the sid cast herbs and grasses of curing and charms of healing into the hurts and wounds and into the injuries and into the many wounds of Cuchulainn, so that Cuchulainn recovered in his sleep without his perceiving it at all.

 

Now it was at this time that the boys came south from Emain Macha: Folloman Mac Conchobair with three fifties of kings' sons of Ulster, and they gave battle thrice to the hosts, so that three times their own number fell, and all the boys fell except Folloman Mac Conchobair. Folloman boasted that he would not go back to Emain for ever and ever, until he should take the head of Ailill with him, with the golden crown that was above it. This was not easy to him; for the two sons of Bethe Mac Bain, the two sons of Ailill's foster-mother and foster-father, came on him, and wounded him so that he fell by them. So that that is the death of the boys of Ulster and of Folloman Mac Conchobair.

Cuchulainn for his part was in his deep sleep till the end of three days and three nights at the mound in Lerga. Cuchulainn arose then from his sleep, and put his hand over his face, and made a purple wheel-beam from head to foot, and his mind was strong in him, and he would have gone to an assembly, or a march, or a tryst, or a beer-house, or to one of the chief assemblies of Ireland.

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The Death of the Boys (second version)

'How long have I been in this sleep now, O warrior?' said Cuchulainn.

'Three days and three nights,' said the warrior.

'Alas for that!' said Cuchulainn.

'What is the matter?' said the warrior.

'The hosts without attack for this space,' said Cuchulainn.

'They are not that at all indeed,' said the warrior.

'Who has come upon them?' said Cuchulainn.

'The boys came from the north from Emain Macha; Folloman Mac Conchobair with three fifties of boys of the kings' sons of Ulster; and they gave three battles to the hosts for the space of the three days and the three nights in which you have been in your sleep now. And three times their own number fell, and the boys fell, except Folloman Mac Conchobair. Folloman boasted that he would take Ailill's head, and that was not easy to him, for he was killed.'

'Pity for that, that I was not in my strength! For if I had been in my strength, the boys would not have fallen as they have fallen, and Folloman Mac Conch degrees. bair would not have fallen.'

'Strive further, O Little Hound, it is no reproach to thy honour and no disgrace to thy valour.'

'Stay here for us to-night, O warrior,' said Cuchulainn, 'that we may together avenge the boys on the hosts.'

'I will not stay indeed,' said the warrior, 'for however great the contests of valour and deeds of arms any one does near thee, it is not on him there will be the renown of it or the fame or the reputation, but it is on thee; therefore I will not stay. But ply thy

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deed of arms thyself alone on the hosts, for not with them is there power over thy life this time.'

The Cattle Raid of Cualnge, by L. Winifred Faraday, [1904 , at sacred-texts.com

  

The Arming of Cuchulainn

'The scythe-chariot, O my friend Loeg!' said Cuchulainn; 'can you yoke it? and is its equipment here? If you can yoke it, and if you have its equipment, yoke it; and if you have not its equipment, do not yoke it at all.'

It is then that the charioteer arose, and he put on his hero's dress of charioteering. This was his hero's dress of charioteering that he put on: his soft tunic of skin, light and airy, well-turned, [*1  made of skin, sewn, of deer-skin, so that it did not restrain the movement of his hands outside. He put on his black (?) upper-cloak over it outside: Simon Magus had made it for Darius, King of the Romans, so that Darius gave it to Conchobar, and Conchobar gave it to Cuchulainn, and Cuchulainn gave it to his charioteer. The charioteer took first then his helm, ridged, like a board (?), four-cornered, with much of every colour and every form, over the middle of his shoulders. This was well-measured (?) to him, and it was not an overweight. His hand brought the circlet of red-yellow, as though it were a plate of red-gold, of refined gold smelted over the edge of an anvil, to his brow, as a sign of his charioteering, in distinction to his master.

He took the goads (?) of his horses, and his whip (?) inlaid in his right hand. He took the reins to hold back his horses in his left hand. [*2  Then he put the iron inlaid breastplates on the horses, so that they were covered from forehead to forefoot with spears

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and points and lances and hard points, so that every motion in this chariot was spear-near, so that every corner and every point and every end and every front of this chariot was a way of tearing. It is then that he cast a spell of covering over his horses and over his companion, so that he was not visible to any one in the camp, and so that every one in the camp was visible to them. It was proper that he should cast this, because there were the three gifts of charioteering on the charioteer that day, the leap over ------, and the straight ------, and the ------.

Then the hero and the champion and he who made the fold of the Badb [*1  of the men of the earth, Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim, took his battle-array of battle and contest and strife. This was his battle-array of battle and contest and strife: he put on twenty-seven skin tunics, waxed, like board, equally thick, which used to be under strings and chains and thongs, against his white skin, that he might not lose his mind nor his understanding when his rage should come. He put on his hero's battle-girdle over it outside, of hard-leather, hard, tanned, of the choice of seven ox-hides of a heifer, so that it covered him from the thin part of his sides to the thick part of his armpit; it used to be on him to repel spears, and points, and darts, and lances, and arrows. For they were cast from him just as if it was stone or rock or horn that they struck (?). Then he put on his apron, skin-like, silken, with its edge of white gold variegated, against the soft lower part of his body. He put on his dark apron of dark leather, well tanned, of the

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choice of four ox-hides of a heifer, with his battle-girdle of cows' skins (?) about it over his silken skin-like apron. Then the royal hero took his battle-arms of battle and contest and strife. These then were his battle-arms of battle: he took his ivory-hilted, bright-faced weapon, with his eight little swords; he took his five-pointed spear, with his eight little spears; [*1  he took his spear of battle, with his eight little darts; he took his javelin with his eight little javelins; his eight shields of feats, with his round shield, dark red, in which a boar that would be shown at a feast would go into the boss (?), with its edge sharp, keen, very sharp, round about it, so that it would cut hairs against the stream for sharpness and keenness and great sharpness; when the warrior did the edge-feat with it, he would cut equally with his shield, and with his spear, and with his sword.

Then he put on his head a ridged-helmet of battle and contest and strife, from which there was uttered the shout of a hundred warriors, with a long cry from every corner and every angle of it. For there used to cry from it equally goblins and sprites and ghosts of the glen and demons of the air, before and above and around, wherever he used to go before shedding the blood of warriors and enemies. There was cast over him his dress of concealment by the garment of the Land of Promise that was given by his foster-father in wizardry.

It is then came the first contortion on Cuchulainn, so that it made him horrible, many-shaped, wonderful, strange. His shanks shook like a tree before the stream, or like a rush against the stream, every limb

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and every joint and every end and every member of him from head to foot. He made a ------ of rage of his body inside his skin. His feet and his shins and his knees came so that they were behind him; his heels and his calves and his hams came so that they were in front. The front-sinews of his calves came so that they were on the front of his shins, so that every huge knot of them was as great as a warrior's clenched fist. The temple-sinews of his head were stretched, so that they were on the hollow of his neck, so that every round lump of them, very great, innumerable, not to be equalled (?), measureless, was as great as the head of a month-old child.

Then he made a red bowl of his face and of his visage on him; he swallowed one of his two eyes into his head, so that from his cheek a wild crane could hardly have reached it [to drag it  from the back of his skull. The other sprang out till it was on his cheek outside. His lips were marvellously contorted. He drew the cheek from the jawbone, so that his gullet was visible. His lungs and his lights came so that they were flying in his mouth and in his throat. He struck a blow of the ------ of a lion with his upper palate on the roof of his skull, so that every flake of fire that came into his mouth from his throat was as large as a wether's skin. His heart was heard light-striking (?) against his ribs like the roaring of a bloodhound at its food, or like a lion going through bears. There were seen the palls of the Badb, and the rain-clouds of poison, and the sparks of fire very red in clouds and in vapours over his head, with the boiling of fierce rage, that rose over him.

His hair curled round his head like the red branches

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of a thorn in the gap of Atalta (?). Though a royal apple-tree under royal fruit had been shaken about it, hardly would an apple have reached the ground through it, but an apple would have fixed on every single hair there, for the twisting of the rage that rose from his hair above him.

The hero's light rose from his forehead, so that it was as long, and as thick, as a warrior's whet-stone, so that it was equally long with the nose, till he went mad in playing with the shields, in pressing on (?) the charioteer, in ------ the hosts. As high, as thick, as strong, as powerful, as long, as the mast of a great ship, was the straight stream of dark blood that rose straight up from the very top of his head, so that it made a dark smoke of wizardry like the smoke of a palace when the king comes to equip himself in the evening of a wintry day.

After that contortion wherewith Cuchulainn was contorted, then the hero of valour sprang into his scythed battle-chariot, with its iron points, with its thin edges, with its hooks, and with its hard points, with its sharp points (?) of a hero, with their pricking goads (?), with its nails of sharpness that were on shafts and thongs and cross-pieces and ropes (?) of that chariot.

It was thus the chariot was, with its body thin-framed (?),dry-framed (?), feat-high, straight-shouldered (?), of a champion, on which there would have been room for eight weapons fit for a lord, with the speed of swallow or of wind or of deer across the level of the plain. The chariot was placed on two horses, swift, vehement, furious, small-headed, small-round, small-end, pointed, ------, red-breasted, ------, easy to recognise,

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well-yoked, ... One of these two horses was supple, swift-leaping, great of strength, great of curve, great of foot, great of length, ------. The other horse was flowing-maned, slender-footed, thin-footed, slender-heeled, ------.

It is then that he threw the thunder-feat of a hundred, and the thunder-feat of four hundred, and he stopped at the thunder-feat of five hundred, for he did not think it too much for this equal number to fall by him in his first attack, and in his first contest of battle on the four provinces of Ireland; and he came forth in this way to attack his enemies, and he took his chariot in a great circuit about the four great provinces of Ireland, and he put the attack of an enemy among enemies on them. And a heavy course was put on his chariot, and the iron wheels of the chariot went into the ground, so that it was enough for fort and fortress, the way the iron wheels of the chariot went into the ground; for there arose alike turfs and stones and rocks and flagstones and gravel of the ground as high as the iron wheels of the chariot.

The reason why he cast the circle of war round about the four great provinces of Ireland, was that they might not flee from him, and that they might not scatter, that he might make sure of them, to avenge the boys on them; and he comes into the battle thus in the middle, and overthrew great fences of his enemies' corpses round about the host thrice, and puts the attack of an enemy among enemies on them, so that they fell sole to sole, and neck to neck; such was the density of the slaughter.

He went round again thrice thus, so that he left a

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layer of six round them in the great circuit; i.e. soles of three to necks of three in the course of a circuit round the camp. So that its name in the Foray is Sesrech Breslige, and it is one of the three not to be numbered in the Foray; i.e. Sesrech Breslige and Imslige Glendamnach and the battle on Garach and Irgarach, except that it was alike dog and horse and man there.

This is what others say, that Lug Mac Ethlend fought along with Cuchulainn the Sesrech Breslige. Their number is not known, and it is impossible to count what number fell there of the rabble. But the chief only have been counted. These are the names of the princes and chiefs: two Cruads, two Calads, two Cirs, two Ciars, two Ecells, three Croms, three Caurs, three Combirge, four Feochars, four Furachars, four Cass, four Fotas, five Caurs, five Cermans, five Cobthachs, six Saxans, six Dachs, six Dares, seven Rochads, seven Ronans, seven Rurthechs, eight Roclads, eight Rochtads, eight Rindachs, eight Corpres, eight Mulachs, nine Daigs, nine Dares, nine Damachs, ten Fiachs, ten Fiachas, ten Fedelmids.

Ten kings over seven fifties did Cuchulainn slay in Breslech Mor in Mag Murthemne; and an innumerable number besides of dogs and horses and women and boys and people of no consequence and rabble. For there did not escape one man out of three of the men of Ireland without a thigh-bone or half his head or one eye broken, or without being marked for ever. And he came from them after giving them battle without wound or blood-stain on himself or on his servant or on either of his horses.

Cuchulainn came next day to survey the host and

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to show his soft fair form to the women and the troops of women and the girls and the maidens and the poets and the bards, for he did not hold in honour or dignity that haughty form of wizardry that had appeared to them on him the night before. Therefore he came to show his soft fair form that day.

Fair indeed the boy who came then to show his form to the hosts, that is, Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim. The appearance of three heads of hair on him, dark against the skin of his head, blood-red in the middle, a crown gold-yellow which covers them. A fair arrangement of this hair so that it makes three circles round the hollow of the back of his head, so that each hair ------, dishevelled, very golden, excellent, in long curls, distinguished, fair-coloured, over his shoulders, was like gold thread.

A hundred ringlets, bright purple, of red-gold, gold-flaming, round his neck; a hundred threads with mixed carbuncle round his head. Four dimples in each of his two cheeks; that is, a yellow dimple, and a green dimple, and a blue dimple, and a purple dimple. Seven gems of brilliance of an eye, in each of his two royal eyes. Seven toes on each of his two feet, seven fingers on each of his two hands, with the grasp of a hawk's claws, with the seizure of a griffin's claws on each of them separately.

Then he puts on his feast-dress that day. This was his raiment on him: a fair tunic, proper, bright-purple, with a border with five folds. A white brooch of white silver with adorned gold inlaid over his white breast, as if it was a lantern full of light, that the eyes of men could not look at for its splendour and its brightness. A silken tunic of silk against his skin so that it covered

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him to the top of his dark apron of dark-red, soldierly, royal, silken.

A dark shield, dark red, dark purple, with five chains of gold, with a rim of white metal on it. A sword gold-hilted, inlaid with ivory hilt of red-gold raised high on his girdle. A spear, long, grey-edged, with a spear-head sharp, attacking, with rivets of gold, gold-flaming by him in the chariot. Nine heads in one of his two hands, and ten heads in the other hand. He shook them from him towards the hosts. So that this is the contest of a night to Cuchulainn. Then the women of Connaught raised themselves on the hosts, and the women were climbing on the men to look at Cuchulainn's form. Medb hid her face and dare not show her face, but was under the shield-shelter for fear of Cuchulainn. So that it is hence Dubthach Doeltenga of Ulster said:

'If it is the Riastartha, there will be corpses
     Of men therefrom,' etc. [*1 

Fiacha Fialdana from Imraith (?) came to speak with the son of his mother's sister, Mane Andoe his name. Docha Mac Magach went with Mane Andoe: Dubthach Doeltenga of Ulster came with Fiacha Fialdana from Imraith (?). Docha threw a spear at Fiacha, so that it went into Dubthach. Then Dubthach threw a spear at Mane, so that it went into Docha. The mothers of Dubthach and Docha were two sisters. Hence is Imroll Belaig Euin. [*2 

(Or Imroll Belaig Euin is from this: the hosts go to Belach Euin, their two troops wait there. Diarmait Mac Conchobair comes from the north from Ulster.

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'Let a horseman go from you,' said Diarmait, 'that Mane may come to speak with me with one man, and I will come with one man to meet him.' They meet then.

'I have come,' said Diarmait, 'from Conchobar, who says to Medb and Ailill, that they let the cows go, and make whole all that they have done there, and bring the Bull [*1  from the west hither to the Bull, that they may meet, because Medb has promised it.'

'I will go and tell them,' said Mane. He tells this then to Medb and Ailill.

'This cannot be got of Medb,' said Mane.

'Let us exchange arms then, 'said Diarmait, 'if you think it better.'

'I am content,' said Mane. (Each of them throws his spear at the other, so that the two of them die, and so that the name of this place is Imroll Belaig Euin.)

Their forces rush at each other: there fall three twenties of them in each of the forces. Hence is Ard-in-Dirma. [*2 

Ailill's folk put his king's crown on Tamun the fool; Ailill dare not have it on himself. Cuchulainn threw a stone at him at Ath Tamuin, so that his head broke thereby. Hence is Ath Tamuin and Tuga-im-Tamun. [*3 

Then Oengus, son of Oenlam the Fair, a bold warrior of Ulster, turned all the host at Moda Loga (that is the same as Lugmod) as far as Ath Da Ferta. He did not let them go past, and he pelted them with stones, and the learned say ------ before till they should go under the sword at Emain Macha, if it had been in single combat that they had come against him. Fair-play

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was broken on him, and they slew him in an unequal fight.

'Let some one come from you against me,' said Cuchulainn at Ath Da Ferta.

'It will not be I, it will not be I,' said every one from his place. 'A scapegoat is not owed from my race, and if it were owed, it would not be I whom they would give in his stead for a scapegoat.'

Then Fergus Mac Roich was asked to go against him. He refuses to go against his foster-son Cuchulainn. Wine was given to him, and he was greatly intoxicated, and he was asked about going to the combat. He goes forth then since they were urgently imploring him.

Then Cuchulainn said: 'It is with my security that you come against me, O friend Fergus,' said he, 'with no sword in its place.' For Ailill had stolen it, as we said before.

'I do not care at all,' said Fergus; 'though there were a sword there, it would not be plied on you. Give way to me, O Cuchulainn,' said Fergus.

'You will give way to me in return then,' said Cuchulainn.

'Even so,' said Fergus.

Then Cuchulainn fled back before Fergus as far as Grellach Doluid, that Fergus might give way to him on the day of the battle. Then Cuchulainn sprang in to Grellach Doluid.

 

'Have you his head, O Fergus?' said every one.

'No,' said Fergus, 'it is not like a tryst. He who is there is too lively for me. Till my turn comes round again, I will not go.'

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Then they go past him, and take camp at Crich Ross. Then Ferchu, an exile, who was in exile against Ailill, hears them. He comes to meet Cuchulainn. Thirteen men was his number. Cuchulainn kills Ferchu's warriors. Their thirteen stones are there.

Medb sent Mand of Muresc, son of Daire, of the Domnandach, to fight Cuchulainn. Own brothers were he and Fer Diad, and two sons of one father. This Mand was a man fierce and excessive in eating and sleeping, a man ill-tongued, foul mouthed, like Dubthach Doeltenga of Ulster. He was a man strong, active, with strength of limb like Munremar Mac Gerrcind; a fiery warrior like Triscod Trenfer of Conchobar's house.

'I will go, and I unarmed, and I will grind him between my hands, for I deem it no honour or dignity to ply weapons on a beardless wild boy such as he.'

He went then to seek Cuchulainn. He and his charioteer were there on the plain watching the host.

'One man coming towards us,' said Loeg to Cuchulainn.

'What kind of man?' said Cuchulainn.

'A man black, dark, strong, bull-like, and he unarmed.'

'Let him come past you,' said Cuchulainn.

He came to them therewith.

'To fight against you have I come,' said Mand.

Then they begin to wrestle for a long time, and Mand overthrows Cuchulainn thrice, so that the charioteer urged him.

'If you had a strife for the hero's portion in Emain,' said he, 'you would be mighty over the warriors of Emain!'

His hero's rage comes, and his warrior's fury rises, so

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that he overthrew Mand against the pillar, so that he falls in pieces. Hence is Mag Mand Achta, that is, Mand Echta, that is, Mand's death there.



Continuation [From the Yellow Book of Lecan 

On the morrow Medb sent twenty-seven men to Cuchulainn's bog. Fuilcarnn is the name of the bog, on this side of Fer Diad's Ford. They threw their twenty-nine spears at him at once; i.e. Gaile-dana with his twenty-seven sons and his sister's son, Glas Mac Delgna. When then they all stretched out their hands to their swords, Fiacha Mac Fir-Febe came after them out of the camp. He gave a leap from his chariot when he saw all their hands against Cuchulainn, and he strikes off the arms of the twenty-nine of them.

Then Cuchulainn said: 'What you have done I deem help at the nick of time (?).'

'This little,' said Fiacha, 'is a breach of compact for us Ulstermen. If any of them reaches the camp, we will go with our cantred under the point of the sword.'

'I swear, etc., since I have emitted my breath,' said Cuchulainn, 'not a man of them shall reach it alive.'

Cuchulainn slew then the twenty-nine men and the two sons of Ficce with them, two bold warriors of Ulster who came to ply their might on the host. This is that deed on the Foray, when they went to the battle with Cuchulainn.

The Cattle Raid of Cualnge, by L. Winifred Faraday, [1904 , at sacred-texts.com

  

This is the Combat of Fer Diad and Cuchulainn

Then they considered what man among them would be fit to ward off Cuchulainn. The four provinces

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of Ireland spoke, and confirmed, and discussed, whom it would be fitting to send to the ford against Cuchulainn. All said that it was the Horn-skin from Irrus Domnand, the weight that is not supported, the battle-stone of doom, his own dear and ardent foster-brother. For Cuchulainn had not a feat that he did not possess, except it were the Gae Bolga alone; and they thought he could avoid it, and defend himself against it, because of the horn about him, so that neither arms nor many edges pierced it.

Medb sent messengers to bring Fer Diad. Fer Diad did not come with those messengers. Medb sent poets and bards and satirists [*1  to him, that they might satirise him and mock him and put him to ridicule, that he might not find a place for his head in the world, until he should come to the tent of Medb and Ailill on the Foray. Fer Diad came with those messengers, for the fear of their bringing shame on him.

Findabair, the daughter of Medb and Ailill, was put on one side of him: it is Findabair who put her hand on every goblet and on every cup of Fer Diad; it is she who gave him three kisses at every cup of them; it is she who distributed apples right frequent over the bosom of his tunic. This is what she said: that he, Fer Diad, was her darling and her chosen wooer of the men of the world.

When Fer Diad was satisfied and happy and very joyful, Medb said:

'Ale! O Fer Diad, do you know why you have been summoned into this tent?'

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'I do not know indeed,' said Fer Diad; 'except that the nobles of the men of Ireland are there. What is there less fitting for me to be there than for any other good warrior?'

'It is not that indeed,' said Medb; 'but to give you a chariot worth three sevens of cumals, [*1  and the equipment of twelve men, and the equal of Mag Murthemne from the arable land of Mag Ai; and that you should be in Cruachan always, and wine to be poured for you there; and freedom of your descendants and of your race for ever without tribute or tax; my leaf-shaped brooch of gold to be given to you, in which there are ten score ounces and ten score half-ounces, and ten score crosach and ten score quarters; Findabair, my daughter and Ailill's daughter, for your one wife, and you shall get my love if you need it over and above.'

'He does not need it,' said every one: 'great are the rewards and gifts.'

'That is true,' said Fer Diad, they are great; and though they are great, O Medb, it is with you yourself they will be left, rather than that I should go against my foster-brother to battle.'

'O men,' said she, said Medb (through the right way of division and setting by the ears), 'true is the word that Cuchulainn spoke,' as if she had not heard Fer Diad at all.

'What word is this, O Medb?' said Fer Diad.

'He said indeed,' said she, 'that he would not think it too much that you should fall by him as the first fruits of his prowess in the province to which he should come.'

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'To say that was not fitting for him. For it is not weariness or cowardice that he has ever known in me, day nor night. I swear, etc., [*1  that I will be the first man who will come to-morrow morning to the ford of combat.'

'May victory and blessing come to you,' said Medb. 'And I think it better that weariness or cowardice be found with you, because of friendship beyond my own men (?). Why is it more fitting for him to seek the good of Ulster because his mother was of them, than for you to seek the good of the province of Connaught, because you are the son of a king of Connaught?'

It is thus they were binding their covenants and their compact, and they made a song there:

'Thou shalt have a reward,' etc.

There was a wonderful warrior of Ulster who witnessed that bargaining, and that was Fergus Mac Roich. Fergus came to his tent.

'Woe is me! the deed that is done to-morrow morning!' said Fergus.

'What deed is that?' said the folk in the tent.

'My good fosterling Cuchulainn to be slain.'

'Good lack! who makes that boast?'

'An easy question: his own dear ardent foster-brother, Fer Diad Mac Damain. Why do ye not win my blessing?' said Fergus; 'and let one of you go with a warning and with compassion to Cuchulainn, if perchance he would leave the ford to-morrow morning.'

'On our conscience,' said they, 'though it were you

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yourself who were on the ford of combat, we would not come as far as [the ford  to seek you.'

'Good, my lad,' said Fergus; 'get our horses for us and yoke the chariot.'

The lad arose and got the horses and yoked the chariot. They came forth to the ford of combat where Cuchulainn was.

'One chariot coming hither towards us, O Cuchulainn!' said Loeg. For it is thus the lad was, with his back towards his lord. He used to win every other game of brandub [*1  and of chess-playing from his master: the sentinel and watchman on the four quarters of Ireland over and above that.

'What kind of chariot then?' said Cuchulainn.

'A chariot like a huge royal fort, with its yokes strong golden, with its great panel (?) of copper, with its shafts of bronze, with its body thin-framed (?), dry-framed (?), feat-high, scythed, sword-fair (?), of a champion, on two horses, swift, stout (?), well-yoked (?), ------ (?). One royal warrior, wide-eyed, was the combatant of the chariot. A beard curly, forked, on him, so that it reached over the soft lower part of his soft shirt, so that it would shelter (?) fifty warriors to be under the heavy of the warrior's beard, on a day of storm and rain. A round shield, white, variegated, many-coloured on him, with three chains ------, so that there would be room from front to back for four troops of ten men behind the leather of the shield which is upon the of ------ the warrior. A sword, long, hard-edged, red-broad in the sheath, woven and twisted of white silver, over the skin of the bold-in-battle.

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[paragraph continues  A spear, strong, three-ridged, with a winding and with bands of white silver all white by him across the chariot.'

'Not hard the recognition,' said Cuchulainn; 'my friend Fergus comes there, with a warning and with compassion to me before all the four provinces.'

Fergus reached them and sprang from his chariot and Cuchulainn greeted him.

'Welcome your coming, O my friend, O Fergus,' said Cuchulainn.

'I believe your welcome,' said Fergus.

'You may believe it,' said Cuchulainn; 'if a flock of birds come to the plain, you shall have a duck with half of another; if fish come to the estuaries, you shall have a salmon with half of another; a sprig of watercress, and a sprig of marshwort, and a sprig of seaweed, and a drink of cold sandy water after it.'

'That portion is that of an outlaw,' said Fergus.

'That is true, it is an outlaw's portion that I have,' said Cuchulainn, 'for I have been from the Monday after Samain to this time, and I have not gone for a night's entertainment, through strongly obstructing the men of Ireland on the Cattle-Foray of Cualnge at this time.'

'If it were for this we came,' said Fergus, 'we should have thought it the better to leave it; and it is not for this that we have come.'

'Why else have you come to me?' said Cuchulainn.

'To tell you the warrior who comes against you in battle and combat to-morrow morning,' said he.

'Let us find it out and let us hear it from you then,' said Cuchulainn.

'Your own foster-brother, Fer Diad Mac Damain.'

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'On our word, we think it not best that it should be he we come to meet,' said Cuchulainn, 'and it is not for fear of him but for the greatness of our love for him.'

'It is fitting to fear him;' said Fergus, 'for he has a skin of horn in battle against a man, so that neither weapon nor edge will pierce it.'

'Do not say that at all,' said Cuchulainn, 'for I swear the oath that my people swear, that every joint and every limb of him will be as pliant as a pliant rush in the midst of a stream under the point of my sword, if he shows himself once to me on the ford.'

It is thus they were speaking, and they made a song:

'O Cuchulainn, a bright meeting,' etc.

After that, 'Why have you come, O my friend, O Fergus?' said Cuchulainn.

'That is my purpose,' said Fergus.

'Good luck and profit,' said Cuchulainn, 'that no other of the men of Ireland has come for this purpose, unless the four provinces of Ireland all met at one time. I think nothing of a warning before a single warrior.'

Then Fergus went to his tent.

 

As regards the charioteer and Cuchulainn:

'What shall you do to-night?' said Loeg.

'What indeed?' said Cuchulainn.

'It is thus that Fer Diad will come to seek you, with new beauty of plaiting and haircutting, and washing and bathing, and the four provinces of Ireland with him to look at the fight. It would please me if you went to the place where you will get the same adorning for yourself, to the place where is Emer of

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the Beautiful Hair, to Cairthend of Cluan Da Dam in Sliab Fuait.'

So Cuchulainn went thither that night, and spent the night with his own wife. His adventures from this time are not discussed here now. As to Fer Diad, he came to his tent; it was gloomy and weary that Fer Diad's tent-servants were that night. They thought it certain that where the two pillars of the battle of the world should meet, that both would fall; or the issue of it would be, that it would be their own lord who would fall there. For it was not easy to fight with Cuchulainn on the Foray.

There were great cares on Fer Diad's mind that night, so that they did not let him sleep. One of his great anxieties was that he should let pass from him all the treasures that had been offered to him, and the maiden, by reason of combat with one man. If he did not fight with that one man, he must fight with the six warriors on the morrow. His care that was greater than this was that if he should show himself once on the ford to Cuchulainn, he was certain that he himself would not have power of his head or life thereafter; and Fer Diad arose early on the morrow.

'Good, my lad,' said he, 'get our horses for us, and harness the chariot.'

'On our word,' said the servant, 'we think it not greater praise to go this journey than not to go it.'

He was talking with his charioteer, and he made this little song, inciting his charioteer:

'Let us go to this meeting,' etc.

The servant got the horses and yoked the chariot, and they went forth from the camp.

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'My lad,' said Fer Diad, 'it is not fitting that we make our journey without farewell to the men of Ireland. Turn the horses and the chariot for us towards the men of Ireland.'

The servant turned the horses and the chariot thrice towards the men of Ireland....

 

'Does Ailill sleep now?' said Medb.

'Not at all,' said Ailill.

'Do you hear your new son-in-law greeting you?'

'Is that what he is doing?' said Ailill.

'It is indeed,' said Medb, 'and I swear by what my people swear, the man who makes the greeting yonder will not come back to you on the same feet.'

'Nevertheless we have profited by (?) the good marriage connection with him,' said Ailill; 'provided Cuchulainn fell by him, I should not care though they both fell. But we should think it better for Fer Diad to escape.'

 

Fer Diad came to the ford of combat.

'Look, my lad,' said Fer Diad; 'is Cuchulainn on the ford?'

'He is not, indeed,' said the servant.

'Look well for us,' said Fer Diad.

'Cuchulainn is not a little speck in hiding where he would be,' said the lad.

'It is true, O boy, until to-day Cuchulainn has not heard of the coming of a good warrior [*1  against him on the Cattle Foray of Cualnge, and when he has heard of it he has left the ford.'

'A great pity to slander Cuchulainn in his absence!

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[paragraph continues  For do you remember how when you gave battle to German Garbglas above the edge-borders of the Tyrrhene Sea, you left your sword with the hosts, and it was Cuchulainn who killed a hundred warriors in reaching it, and he brought it to you; and do you remember where we were that night?' said the lad.

'I do not know it,' said Fer Diad.

'At the house of Scathach's steward,' said the lad, and you went ------ and haughtily before us into the house first. The churl gave you a blow with the three-pointed flesh-hook in the small of your back, so that it threw you out over the door like a shot. Cuchulainn came into the house and gave the churl a blow with his sword, so that it made two pieces of him. It was I who was steward for you while you were in that place. If only for that day, you should not say that you are a better warrior than Cuchulainn.'

'What you have done is wrong,' said Fer Diad, 'for I would not have come to seek the combat if you had said it to me at first. Why do you not pull the cushions [*1  of the chariot under my side and my skin-cover under my head, so that I might sleep now?'

'Alas!' said the lad, 'it is the sleep of a fey man before deer and hounds here.'

'What, O lad, are you not fit to keep watch and ward for me?'

'I am fit,' said the lad; 'unless men come in clouds or in mist to seek you, they will not come at all from east or west to seek you without warning and observation.'

The cushions [*1  of his chariot were pulled under his

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side and the skin under his head. And yet he could not sleep a little.

 

As to Cuchulainn it is set forth:

'Good, O my friend, O Loeg, take the horses and yoke the chariot; if Fer Diad is waiting for us, he is thinking it long.'

The boy rose and took the horses and yoked the chariot.

Cuchulainn stepped into his chariot and they came on to the ford. As to Fer Diad's servant, he had not long to watch till he heard the creaking of the chariot coming towards them. He took to waking his master, and made a song:

'I hear a chariot,' etc.

[paragraph continues  (This is the description of Cuchulainn's chariot: one of the three chief chariots of the narration on the Cattle Foray of Cualnge.)

'How do you see Cuchulainn?' said he, said Fer Diad, to his charioteer.

'I see,' said he, 'the chariot broad above, fine, of white crystal, with a yoke of gold with (?), with great panels of copper, with shafts of bronze, with tyres of white metal, with its body thin-framed (?) dry-framed (?), feat-high, sword-fair (?), of a champion, on which there would be room for seven arms fit for a lord (?). A fair seat for its lord; so that this chariot, Cuchulainn's chariot, would reach with the speed of a swallow or of a wild deer, over the level land of Mag Slebe. That is the speed and ------ which they attain, for it is towards us they go. This chariot is at hand on two horses small-headed, small-round,

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small-end, pointed, ------, red-breasted, ------, easy to recognise, well-yoked.... One of the two horses is supple (?), swift-leaping, great of strength, great of foot, great of length, ------. The other horse is curly-maned, slender-footed, narrow-footed, heeled, ------. Two wheels dark, black. A pole of metal adorned with red enamel, of a fair colour. Two bridles golden, inlaid. There is a man with fair curly hair, broad cut (?), in the front of this chariot. There is round him a blue mantle, red-purple. A spear with wings (?), and it red, furious, in his clenched fist, red-flaming. The appearance of three heads of hair on him, i.e. dark hair against the skin of his head, hair blood-red in the middle, a crown of gold covers the third hair.

'A fair arrangement of the hair so that it makes three circles round about his shoulders down behind. I think it like gold thread, after its colour has been made over the edge of the anvil; or like the yellow of bees on which the sun shines in a summer day, is the shining of each single hair of his hair. Seven toes on each of his feet, and seven fingers on each of his hands, and the shining of a very great fire round his eye, ------ (?) and the hoofs of his horses; a hero's ------ in his hands.

'The charioteer of the chariot is worthy of him in his presence: curly hair very black has he, broad-cut along his head. A cowl-dress is on him open; two very fine golden leaf-shaped switches in his hand, and a light grey mantle round him, and a goad of white silver in his hand, plying the goad on the horses, whichever way the champion of great deeds goes who was at hand in the chariot.

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'He is veteran of his land (?): he and his servant think little of Ireland.'

'Go, O fellow,' said he, said Fer Diad; 'you praise too much altogether; and prepare the arms in the ford against his coming.'

'If I turned my face backwards, it seems to me the chariot would come through the back of my neck.'

'O fellow,' said he, 'too greatly do you praise Cuchulainn, for it is not a reward for praising he has given you'; and it is thus he was giving his description, and he said:

'The help is timely,' etc.

It is not long afterwards that they met in the middle of the ford, and Fer Diad said to Cuchulainn:

'Whence come you, O Cua?' said he (for [*1  cua was the name of squinting in old Gaelic; and there were seven pupils in Cuchulainn's royal eye, and two of these pupils were squinting, and the ugliness of it is no greater than its beauty on him; and if there had been a greater blemish on Cuchulainn, it is that with which he reproached him; and he was proclaiming it); and he made a song, and Cuchulainn answered:

'Whence art thou come, O Hound,' etc.

Then Cuchulainn said to his charioteer that he was to taunt him when he was overcome, and that he was to praise him when he was victorious, in the combat against Fer Diad. Then the charioteer said to him:

'The man goes over thee as the tail over a cat; he washes thee as foam is washed in water, he squeezes (?) thee as a loving mother her son.'

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Then they took to the ford-play. Scathach's ------ (?) came to them both. Fer Diad and Cuchulainn performed marvellous feats. Cuchulainn went and leapt into Fer Diad's shield; Fer Diad hurled him from him thrice into the ford; so that the charioteer taunted him again ------ and he swelled like breath in a bag.

His size increased till he was greater than Fer Diad.

'Give heed to the Gae bolga,' said the charioteer; he sent it to him along the stream.

Cuchulainn seized it between his toes, and wielded it on Fer Diad, into his body's armour. It advances like one spear, so that it became twenty-four points. Then Fer Diad turned the shield below. Cuchulainn thrust at him with the spear over the shield, so that it broke the shaft of his ribs and went through Fer Diad's heart.

[Fer Diad:  'Strong is the ash from thy right hand! The ------ rib breaks, my heart is blood. Well hast thou given battle! I fall, O Hound.'

[Cuchulainn:  'Alas, O golden brooch, O Fer Diad! ------, O fair strong striker! Thy hand was victorious; our dear foster-brotherhood, O delight of the eyes! Thy shield with the rim of gold, thy sword was dear. Thy ring of white silver round thy noble arm. Thy chess-playing was worthy of a great man. Thy cheek fair-purple; thy yellow curling hair was great, it was a fair treasure. Thy soft folded girdle which used to be about thy side. That thou shouldst fall at Cuchulainn's hands was sad, O Calf! Thy shield did not suffice which used to be for service. Our combat with thee is not fitting, our horses and our tumult. Fair was the great hero! every host used to be defeated

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and put under foot. Alas, O golden brooch, O Fer Diad!'


THIS IS THE LONG WARNING OF SUALTAIM

While the things that we have related were done, Suallaith heard from Rath Sualtaim in Mag Murthemne the vexing of his son Cuchulainn against twelve sons of Gaile Dana [*1  and his sister's son. It is then that Sualtaim said:

'Is it heaven that bursts, or the sea over its boundaries, or earth that is destroyed, or the shout of my son against odds?'

Then he comes to his son. Cuchulainn was displeased that he should come to him.

'Though he were slain, I should not have strength to avenge him. Go to the Ulstermen,' says Cuchulainn, 'and let them give battle to the warriors at once; if they do not give it, they will not be avenged for ever.'

When his father saw him, there was not in his chariot as much as the point of a rush would cover that was not pierced. His left hand which the shield protected, twenty wounds were in it.

Sualtaim came over to Emain and shouted to the Ulstermen:

'Men are being slain, women carried off, cows driven away!'

His first shout was from the side of the court; his second from the side of the fortress; the third shout was on the mound of the hostages in Emain. No one

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answered; it was the practice of the Ulstermen that none of them should speak except to Conchobar; and Conchobar did not speak before the three druids.

'Who takes them, who steals them, who carries them off?' said the druid.

'Ailill Mac Mata carries them off and steals them and takes them, through the guidance of Fergus Mac Roich,' said Sualtaim. 'Your people have been enslaved as far as Dun Sobairce; their cows and their women and their cattle have been taken. Cuchulainn did not let them into Mag Murthemne and into Crich Rois; three months of winter then, bent branches of hazel held together his dress upon him. Dry wisps are on his wounds. He has been wounded so that he has been parted joint from joint.'

'Fitting,' said the druid, 'were the death of the man who has spurred on the king.'

'It is fitting for him,' said Conchobar.

'It is fitting for him,' said the Ulstermen.

'True is what Sualtaim says,' said Conchobar; 'from the Monday night of Samain to the Monday night of Candlemas he has been in this foray.'

Sualtaim gave a leap out thereupon. He did not think sufficient the answer that he had. He falls on his shield, so that the engraved edge of the shield cut his head off. His head is brought back into Emain into the house on the shield, and the head says the same word (though some say that he was asleep on the stone, and that he fell thence on to his shield in awaking).

'Too great was this shout,' said Conchobar. 'The sea before them, the heaven over their tops, the earth under their feet. I will bring every cow into

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its milking-yard, and every woman and every boy from their house, after the victory in battle.'

Then Conchobar struck his hand on his son, Findchad Fer m-Bend. Hence he is so called because there were horns of silver on him.



THE MUSTER OF THE ULSTERMEN

'Arise, O Findchad, I will send thee to Deda,' etc. [*1 

.      .      .      .      .      .      .

It was not difficult for Findchad to take his message, for they were, the whole province of Conchobar, every chief of them, awaiting Conchobar; every one was then east and north and west of Emain. When they were there, they all came till they were at Emain Macha. When they were there, they heard the uprising of Conchobar in Emain. They went past Emain southwards after the host. Their first march then was from Emain to Irard Cuillend.

'What are you waiting for here?' said Conchobar.

'Waiting for your sons,' said the host. 'They have gone with thirty with them to Temair to seek Eirc, son of Coirpre Niafer and Fedelm Noicride. Till their two cantreds should come to us, we will not go from this place.'

'I will not remain indeed,' said Conchobar, 'till the men of Ireland know that I have awaked from the sickness in which I was.'

Conchobar and Celtchar went with three fifties of chariots, and they brought eight twenties of heads from Ath Airthir Midi; hence is Ath Fene. They were there watching the host. And eight twenties of

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women, that was their share of the spoil. Their heads were brought there, and Conchobar and Celtchar sent them to the camp. It is there that Celtchar said to Conchobar: 

.      .      .      .      .      .      .

(Or it was Cuscraid, the Stammerer of Macha, son of Conchobar, sang this song the night before the battle, after the song which Loegaire Buadach had sung, to wit, 'Arise, kings of Macha,' etc., and it would be in the camp it was sung.)

It was in this night that the vision happened to Dubthach Doeltenga of Ulster, when the hosts were on Garach and Irgarach. It is there that he said in his sleep:



THE VISION OF DUBTHACH

'A wonder of a morning, [*1  a wonder of a time, when hosts will be confused, kings will be turned, necks will break, the sun will grow red, three hosts will be routed by the track of a host about Conchobar. They will strive for their women, they will chase their flocks in fight on the morning, heroes will be smitten, dogs will be checked (?), horses will be pressed (?), ------ ------, ------ will drip, from the assemblies of great peoples.'

Therewith they awoke through their sleep (?). The Nemain threw the host into confusion there; a hundred men of them died. There is silence there then; when they heard Cormac Condlongas again (or it is Ailill Mac Matae in the camp who sang this):

'The time of Ailill. Great his truce, the truce of Cuillend,' etc. [*1 



THE MARCH OF THE COMPANIES

While these things were being done, the Connaught-man determined to send messengers by the counsel of Ailill and Medb and Fergus, to look at the Ulstermen, to see whether they had reached the plain. It is there that Ailill said:

'Go, O Mac Roth,' said Ailill, 'and look for us whether the men are all (?) in the plain of Meath in which we are. If they have not come, I have carried off their spoil and their cows; let them give battle to me, if it suits them. I will not await them here any longer.'

Then Mac Roth went to look at and to watch the plain. He came back to Ailill and Medb and Fergus. The first time then that Mac Roth looked from the circuit of Sliab Fuait, he saw that all the wild beasts came .out of the wood, so that they were all in the plain.

'The second time,' said Mac Roth, 'that I surveyed the plain, I saw a heavy mist that filled the glens and the valleys, so that it made the hills between them like islands in lakes. Then there appeared to me sparks of fire out of this great mist: there appeared to me a variegation of every different colour in the world. I saw then lightning and din and thunder and a great wind that almost took my hair from my head, and threw me on my back; and yet the wind of the day was not great.'

'What is it yonder, O Fergus?' said Ailill. 'Say what it means.' [*1 

'That is not hard; this is what it means,' said

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[paragraph continues  Fergus: 'This is the Ulstermen after coming out of their sickness. It is they who have come into the wood. The throng and the greatness and the violence of the heroes, it is that which has shaken the wood; it is before them that the wild beasts have fled into the plain. The heavy mist that you saw, which filled the valleys, was the breath of those warriors, which filled the glens so that it made the hills between them like islands in lakes. The lightning and the sparks of fire and the many colours that you saw, O Mac Roth,' said Fergus, 'are the eyes of the warriors from their heads which have shone to you like sparks of fire. The thunder and the din and the noise(?) that you heard, was the whistling of the swords and of the ivory-hilted weapons, the clatter of arms, the creaking of the chariots, the beating of the hoofs of the horses, the strength of the warriors, the roar of the fighting-men, the noise of the soldiers, the great rage and anger and fierceness of the heroes going in madness to the battle, for the greatness of the rage and of the fury (?). They would think they would not reach it at all,' said Fergus.

'We will await them,' said Ailill; 'we have warriors for them.'

'You will need that,' said Fergus, 'for there will not be found in all Ireland, nor in the west of the world, from Greece and Scythia westward to the Orkneys and to the Pillars of Hercules and to the Tower of Bregon and to the island of Gades, any one who shall endure the Ulstermen in their fury and in their rage,' said Fergus.

Then Mac Roth went again to look at the march of the men of Ulster, so that he was in their camp at

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[paragraph continues  Slemon Midi, and Fergus; and he told them certain tidings, and Mac Roth said in describing them:

'A great company has come, of great fury, mighty, fierce, to the hill at Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'I think there is a cantred therein; they took off their clothing at once, and dug a mound of sods under their leader's seat. A warrior fair and tall and long and high, beautiful, the fairest of kings his form, in the front of the company. Hair white-yellow has he, and it curly, neat, bushy (?), ridged, reaching to the hollow of his shoulders. A tunic curly, purple, folded round him; a brooch excellent, of red-gold, in his cloak on his breast; eyes very grey, very fair, in his head; a face proper, purple, has he, and it narrow below and broad above: a beard forked, very curly, gold-yellow he has; a shirt white, hooded, with red ornamentation, round about him; a sword gold-hilted on his shoulders; a white shield with rivets (?) of gold; a broad grey spear-head on a slender shaft in his hand. The fairest of the princes of the world his march, both in host and rage and form and dress, both in face and terror and battle and triumph, both in prowess and horror and dignity.

'Another company has come there,' said Mac Roth; 'it is next to the other in number and quarrelling and dress and terror and horror. A fair warrior, heroic, is in the front of this company. A green cloak folded round him; a brooch of gold over his arm; hair curly and yellow: an ivory-hilted sword with a hilt of ivory at his left. A shirt with ------ to his knee; a wound-giving shield with engraved edge; the candle of a palace [*1  in his hand; a ring of silver about it, and

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it runs round along the shaft forward to the point, and again it runs to the grip. And that troop sat down on the left hand of the leader of the first troop, and it is thus they sat down, with their knees to the ground, and the rims of their shields against their chins. And I thought there was stammering in the speech of the great fierce warrior who is the leader of that company.

'Another company has come there,' said Mac Roth; 'its appearance is vaster than a cantred; a man brave, difficult, fair, with broad head, before it. Hair dark and curly on him; a beard long, with slender points, forked, has he; a cloak dark-grey,-, folded round him; a leaf-shaped brooch of white metal over his breast; a white, hooded shirt to his knees; a hero's shield with rivets on him; a sword of white silver about his waist; a five-pointed spear in his hand. He sat down in front of the leader of the first troop.'

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'I know indeed,' said Fergus, 'those companies. Conchobar, king of a province of Ireland, it is he who has sat down on the mound of sods. Sencha Mac Aililla, the orator of Ulster, it is he who has sat down before him. Cuscraid, the Stammerer of Macha, son of Conchobar, it is he who has sat down at his father's side. It is the custom for the spear that is in his hand in sport yonder before victory ------ before or after. That is a goodly folk for wounding, for essaying every conflict, that has come,' said Fergus.

'They will find men to speak with them here,' said Medb.

'I swear by the god by whom my people swear,'

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said Fergus, 'there has not been born in Ireland hitherto a man who would check the host of Ulster.' [*1 

'Another company has come there,' said Mac Roth. 'Greater than a cantred its number. A great warrior, brave, with horror and terror, and he mighty, fiery-faced, before it. Hair dark, greyish on him, and it smooth-thin on his forehead. A round shield with engraved edge on him, a spear five-pointed in his hand, a forked javelin beside him; a hard sword on the back of his head; a purple cloak folded round him; a brooch of gold on his arm; a shirt, white, hooded, to his knee.'

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'He is the putting of a hand on strife; he is a battle champion for fight; he is judgment against enemies who has come there; that is, Eogan Mac Durthacht, King of Fermoy is that,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come, great, fierce, to the hill at Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'They have put their clothing behind them. Truly, it is strong, dark, they have come to the hill; heavy is the terror and great the horror which they have put upon themselves; terrible the clash of arms that they made in marching. A man thick of head, brave, like a champion, before it; and he horrible, hideous; hair light, grey on him; eyes yellow, great, in his head; a cloak yellow, with white ------ round about him. A shield, wound-giving, with engraved edge, on him, without; a broad spear, a javelin with a drop of blood along the shaft; and a spear its match with the blood of enemies along its edge in his hand; a great wound-giving sword on his shoulders.'

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

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'The man who has so come does not avoid battle or combat or strife: that is, Loegaire the Victorious, Mac Connaid Meic Ilech, from Immail from the north,' said Fergus.

'Another great company has come to Slemon Midi to the hill,' said Mac Roth. 'A warrior thick-necked, fleshy, fair, before that company. Hair black and curly on him, and he purple, blue-faced; eyes grey, shining, in his head; a cloak grey, lordly (?), about him; a brooch of white silver therein; a black shield with a boss of bronze on it; a spear, covered with eyes, with ------ (?), in his hand; a shirt, braided (?), with red ornamentation, about him; a sword with a hilt of ivory over his dress outside.'

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'He is the putting of a hand on a skirmish; he is the wave of a great sea that drowns little streams; he is a man of three shouts; he is the judgment of ------ of enemies, who so comes,' said Fergus; 'that is, Munremar Mac Gerrcind, from Moduirn in the north.'

'Another great company has come there to the hill to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'A company very fair, very beautiful, both in number and strife and raiment. It is fiercely that they make for the hill; the clatter of arms which they raised in going on their course shook the host. A warrior fair, excellent, before the company. Most beautiful of men his form, both in hair and eyes and fear, both in raiment and form and voice and whiteness, both in dignity and size and beauty, both in weapons and knowledge and adornment, both in equipment and armour and fitness, both in honour and wisdom and race.'

'This is his description,' said Fergus; 'he is the

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brightness of fire, the fair man, Fedlimid, who so comes there; he is fierceness of warriors, he is the wave of a storm that drowns, he is might that is not endured, with triumphs out of other territories after destruction (?) of his foes; that is Fedlimid ---- ---- there.'

'Another company has come there to the hill to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth, 'which is not fewer than a warlike cantred (?). A warrior great, brave, grey, proper, ------, in front of it. Hair black, curly, on him; round eyes, grey (?), very high, in his head. A man bull-like, strong, rough; a grey cloak about him, with a brooch of silver on his arm; a shirt white, hooded, round him; a sword at his side; a red shield with a hard boss of silver on it. A spear with three rivets, broad, in his hand.'

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'He is the fierce glow of wrath, he is a shaft (?) of every battle; he is the victory of every combat, who has so come there, Connad Mac Mornai from Callann,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come to the hill at Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'It is the march of an army for greatness. The leader who is in front of that company, not common is a warrior fairer both in form and attire and equipment. Hair bushy, red-yellow, on him; a face proper, purple, well-proportioned; a face narrow below, broad above; lips red, thin; teeth shining, pearly; a voice clear, ringing; a face fair, purple, shapely; most beautiful of the forms of men; a purple cloak folded round him; a brooch with full adornment of gold, over his white breast; a bent shield with many-coloured rivets, with a boss of silver, at his left; a long spear, grey-edged, with a sharp javelin

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for attack in his hand; a sword gold-hilted, of gold, on his back; a hooded shirt with red ornamentation about him.'

'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'We know, indeed,' said Fergus. 'He is half of a combat truly,' said he, 'who so comes there; he is a fence(?) of battle, he is fierce rage of a bloodhound; Rochad Mac Fathemain from Bridamae, your son-in-law, is that, who wedded your daughter yonder, that is, Findabair.'

'Another company has come to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'A warrior with great calves, stout, with great thighs, big, in front of that company. Each of his limbs is almost as thick as a man. Truly, he is a man down to the ground,' said he. 'Hair black on him; a face full of wounds, purple, has he; an eye parti-coloured, very high, in his head; a man glorious, dexterous, thus, with horror and terror, who has a wonderful apparel, both raiment and weapons and appearance and splendour and dress; he raises himself with the prowess of a warrior, with achievements of ------, with the pride of wilfulness, with a going through battle to rout overwhelming numbers, with wrath upon foes, with a marching on many hostile countries without protection. In truth, mightily have they come on their course into Slemon Midi.'

'He was ------ of valour and of prowess, in sooth,' said Fergus; he was ------- of pride (?) and of haughtiness, he was ------ of strength and dignity, ------ then of armies and hosts of my own foster-brother, Fergus Mac Leiti, King of Line, point of battle of the north of Ireland.'

'Another company, great, fierce, has come to the

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hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'Strife before it, strange dresses on them. A warrior fair, beautiful, before it; gift of every form, both hair and eye and whiteness, both size and strife and fitness; five chains of gold on him; a green cloak folded about him; a brooch of gold in the cloak over his arm; a shirt white, hooded, about him; the tower of a palace in his hand; a sword gold-hilted on his shoulders.'

'Fiery is the bearing of the champion of combat who has so come there,' said Fergus. 'Amorgene, son of Eccet Salach the smith, from Buais in the north is that.'

'Another company has come there, to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. It is a drowning for size, it is a fire for splendour, it is a pin for sharpness, it is a battalion for number, it is a rock for greatness, it is ------ for might, it is a judgment for its ------, it is thunder for pride. A warrior rough-visaged, terrible, in front of this company, and he great-bellied, large-lipped; rough hair, a grey beard on him; and he great-nosed, red-limbed; a dark cloak about him, an iron spike on his cloak; a round shield with an engraved edge on him; a rough shirt, braided (?), about him; a great grey spear in his hand, and thirty rivets therein; a sword of seven charges of metal on his shoulders. All the host rose before him, and he overthrew multitudes of the battalion about him in going to the hill.'

'He is a head of strife who has so come,' said Fergus; 'he is a half of battle, he is a warrior for valour, he is a wave of a storm which drowns, he is a sea over boundaries; that is, Celtchar Mac Uithechair from Dunlethglaisi in the north.'

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'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'A warrior of one whiteness in front of it, all white, both hair and eyelashes and beard and equipment; a shield with a boss of gold on him, and a sword with a hilt of ivory, and a broad spear with rings in his hand. Very heroic has his march come.'

'Dear is the bear, strong-striking, who has so come,' said Fergus; 'the bear of great deeds against enemies, who breaks men, Feradach Find Fechtnach from the grove of Sliab Fuait in the north is that.'

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'A hideous warrior in front of it, and he great-bellied, large-lipped; his lips as big as the lips of a horse; hair dark, curly, on him, and he himself ------, broad-headed, long-handed; a cloak black, hairy, about him; a chain of copper over it, a dark grey buckler over his left hand; a spear with chains in his right hand; a long sword on his shoulders.'

'He is a lion red-handed, fierce of ------, who so comes,' said Fergus. 'He is high of deeds, great in battle, rough; he is a raging on the land who is unendurable, Eirrgi Horse-lipped from Bri Eirge in the north,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'Two warriors, fair, both alike, in front of it; yellow hair on them; two white shields with rivets of silver; they are of equal age. They lift up their feet and set them down together; it is not their manner for either of them to lift up his feet without the other. Two heroes, two splendid flames, two points of battle, two warriors,

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two pillars of fight, two dragons, two fires, two battle-soldiers, two champions of combat, two rods (?), two bold ones, two pets of Ulster about the king.'

'Who are those, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'Fiachna and Fiacha, two sons of Conchobar Mac Nessa, two darlings of the north of Ireland,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'Three warriors, fiery, noble, blue-faced, before it. Three heads of hair very yellow have they; three cloaks of one colour in folds about them; three brooches of gold over their arms, three shirts ------ with red ornamentation round about them; three shields alike have they; three swords gold-hiked on their shoulders; three spears, broad-grey, in their right hands. They are of equal age.'

'Three glorious champions of Coba, three of great deeds of Midluachair, three princes of Roth, three veterans of the east of Sliab Fuait,' said Fergus; 'the three sons of Fiachna are these, after the Bull; that is, Rus and Dairi and Imchath,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'A man lively, fiery, before it; eyes very red, of a champion, in his head; a many-coloured cloak about him; a chain of silver thereon; a grey shield on his left; [a sword  with a hilt of silver at his side; a spear, excellent with a striking of cruelty in his vengeful right hand; a shirt white, hooded, to his knee. A company very red, with wounds, about him, and he himself wounded and bleeding.'

'That,' said Fergus, 'is the bold one, unsparing; that is the tearing ; it is the boar [*1  of combat, it is

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the mad bull; it is the victorious one of Baffle; it is the warlike one of the gap; it is the champion of Colptha, the door of war of the north of Ireland: that is, Menn Mac Salchalca from Corann. To avenge his wounds upon you has that man come,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth, 'and they very heroic, mutually willing. A warrior grey, great, broad, tall, before it. Hair dark, curly, on him; a cloak red, woollen, about him; a shirt excellent; a brooch of gold over his arms in his cloak; a sword, excellent, with hilt of white silver on his left; a red shield has he; a spear-head broad-grey on a fair shaft [*1  of ash in his hand.

'A man of three strong blows who has so come,' said Fergus; 'a man of three roads, a man of three highways, a man of three gifts, a man of three shouts, who breaks battles on enemies in another province: Fergrae Mac Findchoime from Corann is that.'

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'Its appearance is greater than a cantred. A warrior white-breasted, very fair, before it; like to Ailill yonder in size and beauty and equipment and raiment. A crown of gold above his head; a cloak excellent folded about him; a brooch of gold in the cloak on his breast; a shirt with red ornamentation round about him; a shield wound-giving with rims of gold; the pillar of a palace in his hand; a sword gold-hilted on his shoulders.'

'It is a sea over rivers who has so come, truly,' said Fergus; 'it is a fierce glow of fire; his rage towards

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foes is insupportable: Furbaidi Ferbend is that,' said Fergus.

'Another company has come there to the hill, to Slemon Midi,' said Mac Roth. 'Very heroic, innumerable,' said Mac Roth; 'strange garments, various, about them, different from other companies. Famously have they come, both in arms and raiment and dress. A great host and fierce is that company. A lad flame-red before it; the most beautiful of the forms of men his form; ... a shield with white boss in his hand, the shield of gold and a rim of gold round it; a spear sharp, light, with ------ in his hand; a cloak purple, fringed, folded about him; a brooch of silver in the cloak, on his breast; a shirt white, hooded, with red ornamentation, about him; a sword gold-hilted over his dress outside.'

Therewith Fergus is silent.

'I do not know indeed,' said Fergus, 'the like of this lad in Ulster, except that I think it is the men of Temair about a lad proper, wonderful, noble: with Erc, son of Coirpre Niafer and of Conchobar's daughter. They love not one another; ------ without his father's leave has that man come, to help his grandfather. It is through the combat of that lad,' said Fergus, that you will be defeated in the battle. That lad knows not terror nor fear at coming to you among them into the midst of your battalion. It would be like men that the warriors of the men of Ulster will roar in saving the calf their heart, in striking the battle. There will come to them a feeling of kinship at seeing that lad in the great battle, striking the battle before them. There will be heard the rumble of Conchobar's sword like the barking of a watch-dog in saving the lad.

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[paragraph continues  He will throw three walls of men about the battle in seeking the lad. It will be with the affection of kinsmen that the warriors of Ulster will attack the countless host,' said Fergus.

'I think it long,' said Mac Roth, 'to be recounting all that I have seen, but I have come meanwhile (?) with tidings to you.'

'You have brought it,' said Fergus.

'Conall Cernach has not come with his great company,' said Mac Roth; 'the three sons of Conchobar with their three cantreds have not come; Cuchulainn too has not come there after his wounding in combat against odds. Unless it is a warrior with one chariot,' said Mac Roth, 'I think it would be he who has come there. Two horses ... under his chariot; they are long-tailed, broad-hoofed, broad above, narrow beneath, high-headed, great of curve, thin-mouthed, with distended nostrils. Two wheels black, ------, with tyres even, smooth-running; the body very high, clattering; the tent ... therein; the pillars carved. The warrior in that chariot four-square, purple-faced; hair cropped short on the top, curly, very black has he, down to his shoulders; ... a cloak red ------ about him; four thirties of feat-poles (?) in each of his two arms. A sword .gold-hilted on his left; shield and spear has he, and twenty-four javelins about him on strings and thongs. The charioteer in front of him; the back of the charioteer's head towards the horses, the reins grasped by his toes (?) before him; the chessboard spread between them, half the men of yellow gold, the others of white metal; the buanfach [*1  under their thighs. Nine feats were performed by him on high.'

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'Who is that, O Fergus?' said Ailill.

'An easy question,' said Fergus. 'Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim from the Sid, [*1  and Loeg Mac Riangabra his charioteer. Cuchulainn is that,' said Fergus.

'Many hundreds and thousands,' said Mac Roth, 'have reached the camp of Ulster. Many heroes and champions and fighting-men have come with a race to the assembly. Many companies,' said Mac Roth, 'were reaching the same camp, of those who had not reached or come to the camp when I came; only,' said Mac Roth, 'my eye did not rest on hill or height of all that my eye reached from Fer Diad's Ford to Slemon Midi, but upon horse and man.'

'You saw the household of a man truly,' said Fergus.

 

Then Conchobar went with his hosts and took camp near the others. Conchobar asked for a truce till sunrise on the morrow from Ailill, and Ailill ratified it for the men of Ireland and for the exiles, and Conchobar ratified it for the Ulstermen; and then Conchobar's tents are pitched. The ground between them is a space, ------, bare, and the Ulstermen came to it before sunset. Then said the Morrigan in the twilight between the two camps: [*2 

.      .      .      .      .      .      .

Now Cuchulainn was at Fedan Chollna near them. Food was brought to him by the hospitaliers that night; and they used to come to speak to him by day.

He did not kill any of them to the left of Fer Diad's Ford.

'Here is a small herd from the camp from the west

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to the camp to the east,' said the charioteer to Cuchulainn. 'Here is a troop of lads to meet them.'

'Those lads shall come,' said Cuchulainn. 'The little herd shall come over the plain. He who will not ------ (?) shall come to help the lads.'

This was done then as Cuchulainn had said.

'How do the lads of Ulster fight the battle?'

'Like men,' said the charioteer.

'It would be a vow for them, to fall in rescuing their herds,' said Cuchulainn. 'And now?'

'The beardless striplings are fighting now,' said the charioteer.

'Has a bright cloud come over the sun yet?'

'Not so,' said the charioteer.

'Alas, that I had not strength to go to them!' said Cuchulainn.

'There will be contest without that to-day,' said the charioteer, 'at sunrise; haughty folk fight the battle now,' said the charioteer, 'save that there are not kings there, for they are still asleep.'

Then Fachna said when the sun rose (or it is Conchobar who sang in his sleep):

'Arise, Kings of Macha, of mighty deeds, noble household, grind your weapons, fight the battle,' etc.

'Who has sung this?' said every one.

'Conchobar Mac Nessa,' said they; 'or Fachtna sang it,' said they. 'Sleep, sleep, save your sentinels.'

Loegaire the Victorious was heard: 'Arise, Kings of Macha,' etc.

'Who has sung that?' said every one.

'Loegaire the Victorious, son of Connad Buide Mac Ilech. Sleep, sleep, except your sentinels.'

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'Wait for it still,' said Conchobar, 'till sunrise ... in the glens and heights of Ireland.'

When Cuchulainn saw the kings from the east taking their crowns on their heads and marshalling (?) the companies, Cuchulainn said to his charioteer that he should awaken the Ulstermen; and the charioteer said (or it is Amairgen, son of Eccet the poet, who said):

'Arise, Kings of Macha,' etc.

'I have awakened them,' said the charioteer. 'Thus have they come to the battle, quite naked, except for their arms only. He, the door of whose tent is east, has come out through it west.'

'It is a "goodly help of necessity,"' said Cuchulainn.

The adventures of the Ulstermen are not followed up here now. As for the men of Ireland, Badb and Net's wife and Nemain [*1  called upon them that night on Garach and Irgarach, so that a hundred warriors of them died for terror; that was not the most peaceful of nights for them.



THE MUSTER OF THE MEN OF IRELAND HERE

Ailill Mac Matae sang that night before the battle, and said: 'Arise, arise,' etc. [*2 

As for Cuchulainn, this is what is told here now.

'Look for us, O my friend, O Loeg, how the Ulstermen are fighting the battle now.'

'Like men,' said the charioteer.

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'Though I were to go with my chariot, and Oen the charioteer of Conall Cernach with his chariot, so that we should go from one wing to the other along the dense mass, neither hoofs nor tyres shall go through it.'

'That is the stuff for a great battle,' said Cuchulainn. 'Nothing must be done in the battle,' said Cuchulainn to his charioteer, 'that we shall not know from you.'

'That will be true, so far as I can,' said the charioteer. 'The place where the warriors are now from the west,' said the charioteer, 'they make a breach in the battle eastwards. Their first defence from the east, they make a breach in the battle westwards.'

'Alas! that I am not whole!' said Cuchulainn; 'my breach would be manifest like the rest.'

  

The Battle on Garach and Irgarach.

Then came the men of the bodyguard to the ford of the hosting. Fine the way in which the fighting-men came to the battle on Garach and Irgarach. Then came the nine chariot-men of the champions of Iruath, three before them on foot. Not more slowly did they come than the chariot-men. Medb did not let them into the battle, for dragging Ailill out of the battle if it is him they should defeat, or for killing Conchobar if it is he who should be defeated.

Then his charioteer told Cuchulainn that Ailill and Medb were asking Fergus to go into the battle; and they said to him that it was only right for him to do it, for they had done him much kindness on his exile.

'If I had my sword indeed,' said Fergus, 'the heads of men over shields would be more numerous with me than hailstones in the mire to which come the horses of a king after they have broken into the land (?).'

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Then Fergus made this oath: 'I swear, etc., there would be broken by me cheeks of men from their necks, necks of men with their (lower) arms, arms of men with their elbows, elbows of men with their arms, arms of men with their fists, fists of men with their fingers, fingers of men with their nails, [nails  of men with their skull-roofs, skull-roofs of men with their middle, middle of men with their thighs, thighs of men with their knees, knees of men with their calves, calves of men with their feet, feet of men with their toes, toes of men with their nails. I would make their necks whizz (?) ------ as a bee would move to and fro on a day of beauty (?).'

Then Ailill said to his charioteer: 'Let there come to me the sword which destroys skin. I swear by the god by whom my people swear, if you have its bloom worse to-day than on the day on which I gave it to you in the hillside in the boundary of Ulster, though the men of Ireland were protecting you from me, they should not protect you.'

Then his sword was brought to Fergus, and Ailill said: 'Take thy sword,' etc. [*1 

'A pity for thee to fall on the field of battle, thick [with slain? ,' said Fergus to Ailill.

The Badb and Net's wife and the Nemain called on them that night on Garach and Irgarach; so that a hundred warriors of them died for terror. That was not the quietest of nights for them.

Then Fergus takes his arms and turns into the battle, and clears a gap of a hundred in the battle with his sword in his two hands. Then Medb took the arms of Fergus (?) and rushed into the battle, and she was

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victorious thrice, so that she was driven back by force of arms.

'I do not know,' said Conchobar to his retinue who were round him, 'before whom has the battle been broken against us from the north. Do you maintain the fight here, that I may go against him.'

'We will hold the place in which we are,' said the warriors, 'unless the earth bursts beneath us, or the heaven upon us from above, so that we shall break therefrom.'

Then Conchobar came against Fergus. He lifts his shield against him, i.e.. Conchobar's shield Ochan, with three horns of gold on it, and four ------ of gold over it. Fergus strikes three blows on it, so that even the rim of his shield over his head did not touch him.

'Who of the Ulstermen holds the shield?' said Fergus.

'A man who is better than you,' said Conchobar; 'and he has brought you into exile into the dwellings of wolves and foxes, and he will repel you to-day in combat in the presence of the men of Ireland.'

Fergus aimed on him a blow of vengeance with his two hands on Conchobar, so that the point of the sword touched the ground behind him.

Cormac Condlongas put his hands upon him, and closed his two hands about his arm.

'------. O my friend, O Fergus,' said Cormac. '... Hostile is the friendship; right is your enmity; your compact has been destroyed; evil are the blows that you strike, O friend, O Fergus,' said Cormac.

'Whom shall I smite?' said Fergus.

'Smite the three hills ... in some other direction over them; turn your hand; smite about you on

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every side, and .have no consideration for them. Take thought for the honour of Ulster: what has not been lost shall not be lost, if it be not lost through you to-day (?).

'Go in some other direction, O Conchobar,' said Cormac to his father; 'this man will not put out his rage on the Ulstermen any more here.'

Fergus turned away. He slew a hundred warriors of Ulster in the first combat with the sword. He met Conall Cernach.

'Too great rage is that,' said Conall Cernach, 'on people and race, for a wanton.'

'What shall I do, O warriors?' said he.

'Smite the hills across them and the champions (?) round them,' said Conall Cernach.

Fergus smote the hills then, so that he struck the three Maela [*1  of Meath with his three blows. Cuchulainn heard the blows then that Fergus gave on the hills or on the shield of Conchobar himself.

'Who strikes the three strong blows, great and distant?' said Cuchulainn.

... Then Loeg answered and said: 'The choice of men, Fergus Mac Roich the very bold, smites them.' ...

Then Cuchulainn said: 'Unloose quickly the hazel-twigs; blood covers men, play of swords will be made, men will be spent therefrom.'

Then his dry wisps spring from him on high, as far as ------ goes; and his hazel-twigs spring off, till they were in Mag Tuag in Connaught ... and he smote the head of each of the two handmaidens against the other, so that each of them was grey from the brain of the other. They came from Medb for pretended

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lamentation over him, that his wounds might burst forth on him; and to say that the Ulstermen had been defeated, and that Fergus had fallen in opposing the battle, since Cuchulainn's coming into the battle had been prevented. The contortion came on him, and twenty-seven skin-tunics were given to him, that used to be about him under strings and thongs when he went into battle; and he takes his chariot on his back with its body and its two tyres, and he made for Fergus round about the battle.

'Turn hither, O friend Fergus,' said Cuchulainn; and he did not answer till the third time. 'I swear by the god by whom the Ulstermen swear,' said he, 'I will wash thee as foam [*1  (?) is washed in a pool, I will go over thee as the tail goes over a cat, I will smite thee as a fond mother smites her son.'

'Which of the men of Ireland speaks thus to me?' said Fergus.

'Cuchulainn Mac Sualtaim, sister's son to Conchobar,' said Cuchulainn; 'and avoid me,' said he.

'I have promised even that,' said Fergus.

'Your promise falls due, then,' said Cuchulainn.

'Good,' said Fergus, '(you avoided me), when you are pierced with wounds.'

Then Fergus went away with his cantred; the Leinstermen go and the Munstermen; and they left in the battle nine cantreds of Medb's and Ailill's and their seven sons.

In the middle of the day it is that Cuchulainn came into the battle; when the sun came into the leaves of the wood, it is then that he defeated the last company,

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so that there remained of the chariot only a handful of the ribs about the body, and a handful of the shafts about the wheel.

Cuchulainn overtook Medb then when he went into the battle.

'Protect me,' said Medb.

'Though I should slay thee with a slaying, it were lawful for me,' said Cuchulainn.

Then he protected her, because he used not to slay women. He convoyed them westward, till they passed Ath Luain. Then he stopped. He struck three blows with his sword on the stone in Ath Luain. Their name is the Maelana [*1  of Ath Luain.

When the battle was broken, then said Medb to Fergus: 'Faults and ------ meet here to-day, O Fergus,' said she.

'It is customary,' said Fergus, 'to every herd which a mare precedes; ... after a woman who has ill consulted their interest.'

  

The Meeting of the Bulls

They take away the Bull then in that morning of the battle, so that he met the White-horned at Tarbga in Mag Ai; i.e. Tarbguba or Tarbgleo. [*2  The first name of that hill was Roi Dedond. Every one who escaped in the fight was intent on nothing but beholding the two Bulls fighting.

Bricriu Poison-tongue was in the west in his sadness after Fergus had broken his head with his draughtmen. [*3  He came with the rest then to see the combat of the Bulls. The two Bulls went in fighting

 140 

over Bricriu, so that he died therefrom. That is the Death of Bricriu.

The foot of the Dun of Cualnge lighted on the horn of the other. For a day and a night he did not draw his foot towards him, till Fergus incited him and plied a rod along his body.

''Twere no good luck,' said Fergus, 'that this  old calf which has been brought here should leave the honour of clan and race; and on both sides men have been left dead through you.' Therewith he drew his foot to him so that his leg (?) was broken, and the horn sprang from the other and was in the mountain by him. It was Sliab n-Adarca [*1  afterwards.

He carried them then a journey of a day and a night, till he lighted in the loch which is by Cruachan, and he came to Cruachan out of it with the loin and the shoulder-blade and the liver of the other on his horns. Then the hosts came to kill him. Fergus did not allow it, but that he should go where he pleased. He came then to his land and drank a draught in Findlethe on coming. It is there that he left the shoulder-blade of the other. Findlethe afterwards was the name of the land. He drank another draught in Ath Luain; he left the loin of the other there: hence is Ath Luain. He gave forth his roar on Iraird Chuillend; it was heard through all the province. He drank a draught in Tromma. There the liver of the other fell from his horns; hence is Tromma. He came to Etan Tairb. [*2  He put his forehead against the hill at Ath Da Ferta; hence is Etan Tairb in Mag Murthemne. Then he went on the road of Midluachair

 141 

in Cuib. There he used to be with the milkless cow of Dairi, and he made a trench there. Hence is Gort Buraig.  Then he went till he died between Ulster and Iveagh at Druim Tairb. Druim Tairb is the name of that place.



The Peace

Ailill and Medb made peace with the Ulstermen and with Cuchulainn. For seven years after there was no wounding of men between them. Findabair stayed with Cuchulainn, and the Connaughtmen went to their country, and the Ulstermen to Emain Macha with their great triumph. Finit, amen.



THE GESTE OF FRAOCH

[Wherein is told the hero's origin, his wooing of Find-abair, his killing of the monster that guarded the rowan-tree, and his betrothal. 

1. Fraoch, son of Idad [*1  of Connaught, was a son of Bebinn from the Sidh, [*2  whose sister hight Boyne (Bofind). Of the heroes of Erin and of Alba the most beautiful man was he, save only that he was short-lived. Twelve cows his mother gave him from the Sidh; white with red ears were they. For seven years he kept household without taking to himself a wife. The number of his household was fifty princes, in age and dignity his equals, as to form and feature and bearing alike.

2. Find-abair, daughter of Ailill and Meve, from hear-say regarding him, gave him love, of which report was brought him at his place. Erin and Alba were full of his fame and story.





 2 

He accordingly bethought him of going to bespeak the girl, and then he talked of the matter with his folk. And his folk said: "Let word too be sent to thy mother's sister that she may give thee somewhat of raiment of the rare treasure of the Sidh.

3. To the sister Boyne (Bofind) he thereupon went to the plain of Bregia or Moy Breg. She gave him fifty mantles of dark blue, each for hue like to a beetle's back, with four black-grey brooch-rings on each, and each with a pin of red gold: with fifty pale white tunics having animal figures chased in gold. Also fifty silver shields edged with gold. For each man's hand a lance like to a candle such as befitted a palace, [*1  each having fifty rivets of white-bronze, with knobs of burnished gold: the spear-points from below were of carbuncle inwrought, while the front irons of the spears were chased with precious stones, so that night shone as 'twere by the rays of the sun.

Further, fifty swords with hilts of gold, and for each rider a dark grey steed with bits of gold. Around each horse's neck was a plate of silver with bells of gold; fifty leather caparisons in purple with threads of silver, with buckles of gold and silver, and animal devices for ornament. Fifty whips in white bronze, with a golden hook on the handle of each. Seven grey-hounds in chains of silver, with an apple of gold a-piece, each having greaves of bronze. There was no colour which the hounds had not.



 3 

[paragraph continues  Accompanying them in garments of diverse colours were seven trumpeters, with trumpets golden and silver, and golden pale yellow tresses, and they had plaids that glistened like the Shee. In front of them went three jesters having silver diadems and gilt about. Each had shields engraved with devices, with crested staves and ribs of white metal along the sides. Opposite them were three harpists, each of kingly presence. And in that guise they set out for Cruachan.

4. On coming into the Plain of Cruachan the watchman perceives them from the Dun. And he spake:

"I behold a host coming towards the fort in their numbers; a troop more beautiful or splendid never came to Ailill and Meve since they assumed sovereignty, nor ever will. It is as if my head were in a wine-vat with the wind that goes over me: I have never seen the equal of the feats and frolic (the games and gestures) of the hero. His play-rods he casts with a shot from him, and the seven grey-hounds with their seven silver chains are at them ere they fall to earth.

5. Then the folks came to view them from the Dun of Cruachan, insomuch that they smother one another, and sixteen are killed while looking on.

On alighting at the door of the dun they unyoked their horses and set loose the grey-hounds, which chase to Rath Cruachan seven hinds, seven foxes, seven hares, and seven wild boars, and these the youths kill on the lawn of the fort. Thereafter the dogs dashed into the Brei and caught seven others, which

 4 

they deposited at the said entrance to the door of the chief rath, where Fraoch and his folk sat.

6. King Ailill sent word to them, and enquired whence they had come. They accordingly name themselves after their true names, which they gave.

"Here," said they, "is Fraoch, son of Idad." [*1 

This the steward declares to the king and queen.

"An illustrious young hero," quoth Ailill, "let him come into the Liss." [*2 

And quarters were allotted them.

7. The plan of the house was thus: seven apartments it had from fire to wall all around, decorated with gold, each with a fronting of bronze, and partition carvings of red yew variegated by fine planing withal. Three layers of bronze in the arched skirting of each apartment, with seven layers of brass from where the shields rested to the roof-tree. Of pine the house was made, and it had a covering of shingle on the outside. Sixteen windows it had with brass shuttings in each, and a brass yoke across the roof-light. Four beams of brass in the apartment of Ailill and Meve, all adorned with bronze and in the very centre of the house. Two silver frontings it had, and overlaid with gold; and by the fronting facing Ailill there was a silver wand that would reach the mid "hips" of the house, so as to command the inmates at all times and circuit the house all around from one door to the other. Having hung up their arms within,





 5 

they make the circle of the house and were made welcome.

8. "Welcome are ye!" quoth Ailill and Meve.

"It is for that we have come," quoth Fraoch.

"Not a journey for boasting shall this be," quoth Meve.

Thereafter Ailill and Meve arrange the chessboard. Fraoch then takes to playing chess with a man of their company.

The most beautiful of chess-boards it was: it had a board of white metal with four ear-handles, and gold edgings. A candlestick of precious stone gave them light. The chess-men were of gold and silver.

"Get ye food in readiness for the braves," quoth Ailill.

"That is not what I wish," quoth Meve. "I want to have a game with Fraoch."

"It liketh me well," quoth Ailill, "get up and go to him."

Meve then goes to Fraoch and at chess they play.

9. Fraoch's folk in the meantime were a-roasting the animals of the chase.

"Let thine harpers play for us!" quoth Ailill to Fraoch.

"Let them play in sooth!" quoth Fraoch.

Harp-bags they had of otter-skins mounted with ruby, adorned with gold and silver, and roe-skins, white as snow around the middle, with black-grey "eyes" in the centre. Gold and silver and bronze in the harps, which were chased with figures of

 6 

serpents and birds and hounds in silver and gold. With the movement of the strings the figures would move all about. The harpers having played, twelve of Ailill and of Meve's folk died of sorrow and of grief.

10. Gentle and melodious this Triad; theirs were the chants of child-birth. [*1  Three noble brothers were they: Sorrow-strain, Joy-strain, Sleep-strain, and Boyne from the Shee (Sidhe) their mother: it is of this music which Uaithne the Dagda's harp played that the three are named. What time children were being born its strain was sorrow and travail from the soreness of birth-pangs beginning; next a strain of glee and of joy it played because of the pleasure of bringing the two sons to the birth; the strain played by the last son was one soothing and soft because of the heaviness of birth, so that it is from him that the third of the music has been named.

Boyne then awoke out of sleep.

"I receive," she said, "thy three sons, O Uaithne of full ardour, since Sorrow-strain, Joy-strain, Sleep-strain are on kine and women who shall fall by Meve and Ailill. Men shall fall on hearing the strains being played."

Thereupon the playing ceased.

"Splendidly has it come off!" said Fergus.

11. "Apportion us the food," said Fraoch to his folk. "Bring it in."

Lothar, having stepped within, divides them the



 7 

food. On his hand used he to divide each joint with his sword, leaving neither shred nor skin; since he took to dividing he never hacked the meat under his charge.

Three days and three nights, then, were Meve and Fraoch playing chess, by reason of the abundance of precious stones with Fraoch's folk. Thereafter Fraoch addressed Meve.

"Well have I played against thee: I take not thy stake from the chess-board that there be to thee no decay of honour."

"Since ever I have been in this dun," said Meve, it is this day that I feel the longest."

"Yea, certainly indeed," quoth Fraoch, "three days and three nights have we been playing chess."

12. At this Meve starts up. She felt shame at the warriors being without food. And she goes and tells this to Ailill.

"An extraordinary deed have we done--the warriors outside who have arrived to be without food!"

"Dearer to thee is chess-playing," quoth Ailill.

"It hinders not food being distributed throughout the house to his suite. Three days and three nights are they there without our having perceived the night through the glare of the precious stones within."

"Tell them then," said Ailill, to cease the lamentations they make until food be served them."

Thereupon food is served them and it pleased

 8 

them well; and they stayed there three days and three nights a-feasting.

And thereafter Fraoch was called to the hall of audience to converse with Ailill and Meve. They ask him his errand.

"It pleases me in sooth to visit you," said he.

Your company is indeed not displeasing to the household," said Ailill. "Your arrival is preferable to your departure. [*1 "

"We shall stay with you another week, then," said Fraoch.

They stay until the end of a fortnight at the dun; every day they go to the chase and hunt. And the men of Connaught used to come to view them.

13. It was, however, a trouble with Fraoch not to have converse with the daughter, for it was that "benefit" that had specially brought him.

Night at end he got up one day to bathe in the river. It was at the same time that she with her maid went to bathe.

He takes her hand. "Stay to speak with me, it is for thee I have come," he said.

"Pleased am I," said the girl, "but if I come I could do nothing for thee."

"Would'st thou not elope?" he queried.

"I will not elope," she said, "I am a king and queen's daughter. Thine estate is not so humble that thou would'st not get me from my people, and it is my choice too to go to thee, for it is thou whom I



 9 

have loved. And do thou take this ring of gold with thee," said the girl, "and it shall ever be a token between us. My mother gave it me to put by; I will say that I mislaid it."

They each then part.

14. "I am fearing indeed," quoth Ailill, "the eloping of yon daughter with Fraoch.

"'Twere not in vain [*1  even should she be given him; he would come to us with his cattle to aid us at the Tain," said Meve.

Fraoch goes to the audience chamber. "Is it a secret ye are speaking of?" he quoth.

"Though it were a secret, thou would'st fit in," said Ailill.

"Will ye give me your daughter?" said Fraoch.

"She will be given thee," said Ailill, "if thou give me her purchase-price [*2  which I shall name."

" shalt have it," said Fraoch.

"Sixty black-grey steeds to me," said Ailill, "with their bridle-bits of gold, and twelve milch-cows, each in milk, and each having a white red-eared calf; and do thou come to me with all thy force and with thy musicians for the bringing of the kine from Cuailnge--my daughter to be given thee provided thou dost come to the Hosting."

"I swear," Fraoch spake, "by my shield, by my sword, and by mine arms, I would not give that purchase-price even were it for Meve herself."





 10 

Then he marched out of the house.

15. Meve and Ailill thereafter fell to conversing within, and said:

"Should he carry off the girl he will bring a host of the Kings of Erin against us. What is good is, let us dash after him and slay him forthwith ere he work us ruin."

That were [*1  a pity and a loss of honour to us," said Meve.

"It shall not be a loss of honour for us," said Ailill, "the way I shall prepare it."

16. Ailill and Meve go into the Palace.

"Let us set off," said Ailill, "that we may see the chase-hounds a-hunting until midday, until they are tired."

Thereafter they set off to the river to bathe themselves.

"Fraoch! I am told," said Ailill, "thou art expert in water; get into this linn [*2  that we may behold thy swimming."

"What kind of linn is it?" said Fraoch.

"We know not any danger therein, and bathing in it is frequent," Ailill said.

Fraoch then strips off his clothes and goes into the linn; his girdle he leaves on shore. Ailill opens Fraoch's purse behind his back, and finds therein the gold ring, which Ailill recognises.

"Come here, O Meve!" said Ailill.

Then Meve goes to the place where Ailill was.





 11 

"Dost thou recognise that?" said Ailill.

"I do recognise it," said Meve.

Ailill casts the ring into the water.

Fraoch, however, perceived that, and saw how a salmon leaped to meet it and took it into his mouth. Fraoch made a dash for the salmon, caught it by the jowl, went to land and brought it to a hidden spot by the brink of the river. He then proceeded to come out of the water.

17. "Come not out of the water," said Ailill, "until thou bring me a branch from yonder rowan-tree that is on the brink of the river: beautiful I deem its berries."

He then goes off and breaks a branch from off the tree, and brings it on his back across the water. And the remark of Find-abair was:

"Is that not beautiful that ye see?" Beautiful she thought it to see Fraoch over the black linn: [*1  the body of great whiteness, the hair of great loveliness, the face so well formed; the eye of deep grey, and he a tender youth without fault, without blemish; with his face small below and broad above; his build straight and flawless; the branch with the red berries between the throat and the white face. Find-abair was wont to say that she had not seen aught that would come up to him half or third for beauty.

18. Thereafter he throws them the branches out of the water. "Lovely and beautiful are the berries; bring us more of them."



 12 

He goes off again; as he was in the middle of the linn, the monster from out the water lays hold of him.

"Give me a sword," Fraoch cried, "The monster hath got hold of me."

There was not on land one who would dare give it to him for fear of Ailill and of Meve.

Thereupon Find-abair strips off her clothes and gives a leap into the water with the sword. Ailill casts a five-pronged spear at her from above, a shot's length, so that it passes through her two tresses of hair. Fraoch, however, caught the spear in his hand, shoots it to landwards, the monster all the while being in his side. It was a bow-cast, a species of champion's weapon-feat, so that it pierces Ailill's purple robe and tunic. Thereupon the young braves who were in Ailill's suite got up. Find-abair then gets out of the water, and leaves the sword in Fraoch's hand. Fraoch cuts off the monster's head so that it lay above on its rump, and Fraoch brings the monster to land. From this is named Duiblind Fraich, Fraoch's Black-Linn (Black-Pool) on the Brei in the lands of the men of Connaught. Thereafter Ailill and Meve go to their dun.

19. "A great deed we have done!" quoth Meve.

"Of what we have done to the man we repent," says Ailill, "for he is not to blame. As for the girl, on the other hand, her lips shall pale in death ere the morrow's eve, nor shall her guilt be the bringing of the sword. For this man do ye prepare a bath

 13 

of fresh-bacon broth and heifer-flesh minced in it with adze and axe--Fraoch therein to be bathed." All that was done as he said.

20. Then the Horn-blowers (or Trumpeters) preceded Fraoch to the dun, and such was their playing that thirty of Ailill's and of Meve's friends-in-chief die from the magic music.

Fraoch was led into the dun, and brought into the bath. And the women-folk rise around him at the vat to rub him and to lave his head. On being brought out of it a bed was made.

Then was heard the sore lament from over Cruachan drawing nigh, and there were seen thrice fifty women in crimson tunics, with head-dresses of green, and silver rings on their wrists.

One is sent to them for tidings to learn why they keen.

"For Fraoch son of Idad" (Fraoch mac Idhaidh), spake the Banshee, "in south for the darling of the Sidhe--princess of Erin."

Thereat Fraoch hears that plaintive keen.

"Lift me out," said he to his folk, "this is the keen of my mother and of the ladies of Boyne."

Thereupon he is lifted and brought out to them. The women come around him and bring him off to the Sidhe (Shee) of Cruachan.

On the morrow at the ninth hour they saw him return, with fifty women around him, and quite whole. Flawless and stainless--the women being alike in age, shape, form, and loveliness, in beauty

 14 

and symmetry and figure alike in appearance as the women of the Sidhe, so that there was no means of knowing the one from the other. Men all but smothered one another [as they pressed  around them, until in the door of the liss or outer court they separate. They raise their keen at departure, so that they set the men in the liss beside themselves. From this is named the Keen of the Banshee, a fairy-melody with the musicians of Erin.

21. Into the dun goes Fraoch, and the hosts rise up before him, and bid him welcome as if it were from another world he came.

Ailill and Meve arise and show they are penitent for the misdeed they did him; they make full peace and betake themselves to feasting until night.

Fraoch summons a servant of his suite and said:

"Get thee off to the spot where I went into the water: a salmon I left there, bring it to Find-abair, and of it let herself take charge, and let her broil it well. The gold-ring is in the salmon's middle. I expect it will be asked of her to-night."

They become inebriated, and music and playing delight them.

22. Quoth Ailill to his steward: "Bring me all my treasures."

They were brought him and were before him.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" they all exclaimed.

"Call ye Find-abair to me," said Ailill.

With a train of fifty maidens she comes in.

"Well, daughter," Ailill spake, "the ring which

 15 

[paragraph continues  I gave thee last year is it in thy possession? Bring it me that the warrior-braves may see it; thou shalt have it again."

"I do not know," she said, what has become of it."

"Well, find out," said Ailill, it must be sought, else the soul must part with thy body."

"It is unworthy to say so; there is much that is fine besides," said the warrior-braves. And Fraoch spake:

"I possess no treasure which I would not give up on behalf of the girl, for she has brought me the word to save my life." [*1 

"Of treasures thou hast none which can save her if she bring not the ring back," Quoth Ailill.

"I have no power to give it," said the girl, do with me what thou wilt."

"By the god of my folk," said Ailill, thy lips shall pale in death if thou return it not. Why it is asked of thee is because of the impossible. Until the dead come back who died since the world began, from where it was flung I know it doth not return."

"Verily, not for reward or longing shall the wished for treasure return," said the girl. "Since, however, thou dost long for it so pressingly I go to bring it thee."

"Go, indeed, thou shalt not," said Ailill, but let some one go from thee to fetch it."

And the girl sent her maid.



 16 

"I swear by my people's god," she said, "should anyone be found to protect me from the tyrant's stroke, [*1  I shall no longer be in thy power should the ring be found."

Should the ring be found," said Ailill, "I shall certainly not prevent thee, should it even be with the groom (stable-boy) that thou should'st go."

23. The maid then brought into the palace the dish with the broiled salmon thereon, well prepared with honey dressing. Over the salmon lay the golden ring.

Ailill and Meve view it.

Let me see!" said Fraoch, "and he looked for his purse."

"Meseemeth, it is for a testimony that I left my girdle behind," said Fraoch. "Declare on thy Royal Word what thou hast done with the ring!"

"Yea I will not conceal it from thee," Ailill said. "Mine is the ring which was in the purse, and I knew it was Find-abair who gave it thee. On this account I flung it into the Black Linn. On thy word of honour, and by thy soul, declare O Fraoch, how it has happened to be brought out."

Fraoch spoke: "I will not conceal it from thee. On the first day I found the thumb-ring at the door of the Liss, and I knew it was a lovely gem; therefore I carefully put it by in my purse. On the day that I went to the water I heard how the girl had gone



 17 

out to seek it. I said to her: 'What reward shall I have from thee for finding it?'

"She told me that she would give me a year's love. It chanced that I had not got it with me; I had left it behind me in the house. We met not until we met as she gave the sword into my hand in the river. And thereafter I saw when thou didst open the purse, and didst fling the thumb-ring into the water, and I saw the salmon spring to meet it so that it took it into its mouth. Then I caught the salmon, took it up on the bank and put it into the girl's hand. It is that salmon then which is on the dish."

24. At these tales the household were struck with astonishment and they marvelled.

"I shall not bestow my thought on another youth in Erin after thee," said Find-abair.

"Betroth thee to him," said Ailill and Meve, "and do thou come to us with thy kine to the raid of the kine of Cualnge: on thy return once more from the east with thy kine, ye twain shall wed that same night, thou and Find-abair."

"I will do so," Fraoch replied.

They are there until the following day, when Fraoch with his companions got ready and bade farewell to Ailill and to Meve. They then set out for their own bounds.



Footnotes

^1:1 mc Idaid (Book of the Dun Cow, facsimile, p. 63b, line 27); Idaith (Book of Leinster); Fiduig (Egerton, 1782); Idhaig (Edinburgh, MS. XL.); mc Feit (Book of Dean of Lismore). Hence nominative Idad, genitive Idaid, the form of the oldest manuscript, seems preferable: it would readily yield the other variants in regular development. Fraoch may be pronounced as Fraech.

^1:2 Pronounce Shee.

^2:1 For brightness, i.e.

^4:1 Mac Idhuidh--Egerton, 1782.

^4:2 Outer court.

^6:1 Uaithne.

^8:1 Lit., "Your addition is better than your diminution."

^9:1 "Love's labour lost."

^9:2 Dowry from the bridegroom; cf. marriage-settlement.

^10:1 Lit., is.

^10:2 Pool.

^11:1 Eg. version adds: in the Brei.

^15:1 Lit., in pledge for my soul.

^16:1 This rendering only paraphrases the original, where sarol mogreiss seems to convey the ideas of oppression and servility.


       
The Celtic Dragon Myth, by J.F. Campbell, [1911 , at sacred-texts.com



 18 

  

THE DEATH OF FRAOCH [*1 

On Cluan Fraoich [*2  a friend doth sigh
 Where doth lie a warrior low
 On his bier;
 And his moan makes warriors grieve
 And bereft of love his spouse.
 For Idad's son she doth keen
 For whom is named Cairn Laive:
 Fraoch mac Idad of soft locks,
 Idad's son of raven hair.
 Westward there lies Fraoch mac Idad
 Who fulfilled proud Meve's behest.
 On Cruachan Shee (Sidh) a mother weeps:
 Sad the tale--a mother's wail
 She grieves sore for Fraoch her son.
 Many a field in strifes of old
 He had won and behold
 Fraoch mac Idad lieth cold.

To Cluan Fraoich comes Find-abair:
 She doth weep--a sad ladye;
 With tresses soft and curling locks
 And her hand
 Of Queen Meve proud heroes sought.





 19 

  

FRAOCH [*1 

Auctor hujus an Caoch O Cluain

1. H-osnadh caraid an Cluan Fhraoich 
    H-osnadh laoich an caiseal chro
    H-osnadh dheanann tuirseach fear,
    Agus da'n guileann bean og.

2. Aig so shear [*2  an carp fa'n bh-feil
    Fraoch mac Fhiodhaich an fhuilt mhaoith,
    Fear a rinn buidheachas baoibh
    Is bho'n sloinntear Carn Fraoich.

3. Gul aon mhna an Cruachan soir
    Truagh an sgeul fa bh-feil a' bhean
    Is se bheir a h-osnadh gu trom
    Fraoch mac Fiodhaich nan colg sean.

4. 'Si 'n aon bhean do nidh an gul
    Ag dol d'a fhios gu Cluan Fraoich,
    Fionnabhair an fhuilt chais ail
    Inghean Mhaoidhbh [*3  g'am biaid laoich.







 20 

Find-abair of golden hair
 Ailill's one daughter she
 Lies side by Fraoch to-night:
 Of many loved, of many sought
 But never a love
 But Fraoch had Find-abair.

Her cause of hatred unprovoked Meve found
 For Fraoch the best of knights,
 Bravest and friendliest:
 When love for him she found
 Her passion he did scorn
 And hence his wound:
 Fraoch lies a corpse to-night.
 Great was the wrong thus wrought by Meve:
 Simply we still unfold
 The story old:
 (With woman-kind side not in ill)
 His death her scheme foretold.
           (On Cluan Fraoich a friend doth sigh.)

  

II

A rowan tree grew on Loch Meve--
   Southwards is seen the shore--
 Every fourth and every month
   Ripe fruit the rowan bore:
 Fruit more sweet than honey-comb,
 Its clusters' virtues strong,
 Its berries red could one but taste
 Hunger they staved off long.

 21 

5. Inghean Orla [*1  as ur folt
    Is Fraoch an nochd taobh air thaobh
    Ge mor fear dha' dtairgeadh i
    Nior ghradhaich si fear ach Fraoch.

6. Faigheas Meadhbh a muigh fuath
    Cairdeas Fhraoich fa fearr an gliadh,
    A' chuis fa'n chreuchd-ta a chorp
    Tre gun lochd a dheanamh ria.

7. Do chuireadh e gu sa' bhas
    Taobh re mnaibh na tug an olc
    Is mor am pudhar a thuit le Meadhbh
    Inneosad gun cheilg a nos.
                                    H-osnadh.

  

II

8. Caorrunn do bhi air Loch Mai,
    Do chidhmist an traigh fa dheas;
    Gach[a  raidh [agus  gach mi,
    Toradh abaidh do bhi air.

9. Sasadh bidh na caora sin,
    Ba mhillse na mhil a bhlath;
    Do chongbhfadh an caorrann dearg
    Fear gun bhiadh gu ceann naoi trath.



 22 

Its berries' juice and fruit when red
 For a year would life prolong:
 From dread disease it gave relief
 If what is told be our belief.

Yet though it proved a means of life
   Peril lay closely nigh;
 Coiled by its root a dragon lay
   Forbidding passage by.

A messenger for Fraoch was sent
   By Eochaidh's daughter keen--
 When sickness sore Meve rent:
   "What ails?" quoth Fraoch, "the Queen?"

And Eochaidh's daughter made reply--
   Eochaidh of the festive horns--
 That ne'er would she be whole
   Till her soft palm were full
 Of berries from the island in the lake--
   Fraoch's hand alone to pull.

"Such I ne'er cull'd," said Idad's son
   Of blushing face;
 Yet will I what I yet ne'er willed,"
   Quoth Fraoch, out of grace.

Sir Fraoch moved forward to his fate
   Forth to the lake and swam the tide;
 He found asleep the dragon-snake
   Around the tree, mouth open wide.
          (On Cluan Fraoich a friend doth sigh.)

 23 

10. Bliadhain air shaoghal gach fir
    Do chuireadh sin fa sgeal dearbh
    Gum bu fhoirinn do luchd cneidh
    Fromhadh a mheas is e dearg.

11. Do bhi anshastacht [*1  'na dheigh
    Ge ba leigh a chobhar an t-sluaigh,
    Peist nimh do bhi 'na bhun [*2 
    Bhacadh dha cach dhul d'a bhuain.

12. Lean easlainte throm throm
    Inghean Eochaidh nan corn saor,
    Do chuireadh fios leath air Fraoch,
    Dh' fhiosraich an laoch ciod thainig ri.

13. A dubhairt Meadhbh nach bi slan
    Mur faigh lan a boise maoith
    Do chaoraibh an locha fhuair
    Gun duine ga bhuain ach Fraoch.

14. Cnuasachd riamh ni dhearnadh mi
    Ar Mac Fiodhaich go ngne dheirg
    Ge gar dhearnas e ar Fraoch
    Rachsad do bhuain chaor do Mheidhbh.

15. Gluaiseas Fraoch, b'e fear an aigh
    Bhuain a shnamh air an loch
    Fhuair a' pheist is i 'na suain
    Is a ceann suas ris an dos.
                                 H-osnadh.





 24 

  

III

Fraoch, Idad's son, of weapon keen
   Of the beast being unperceived,
 Of berries red a lapful brought
   Meve's longing to relieve.

Though good be that which thou hast brought,"
   Quoth Meve of form so fair,
 "Nought me relieves, O Champion bold
   Save branch from trunk thou bear."

Fraoch gave consent: no fear he knew
   But swam the lake once more:
 But hero never yet did pass
   The fate for him in store.

The rowan by the top he seized
   From root he pulled the tree;
 And the monster of the lake perceived
   As Fraoch from the land made free.

With his gaping maw the hero's hand
   He seized in the liquid tide:
 Fraoch seized the monster by the jaw,
   Would a knife were by his side!

 25 

  

III

16. Fraoch mac Fiodhaich an airm gheir
    Thainig o'n pheist gun fhios di,
    Thug a h-anultach chaor dearg
    Far an robh Meadhbh dh' a tigh.

17. "Ach ge maith na tugais leat,"
    Adubhairt Meadhbh as geal cruth,
    "Ni fhoir mis, a laoich luain
    Ach slat a bhuain as a bun."

18. Togras Fraoch, 's nior ghille tiom,
    Shnamh a ris air an linn bhuig
    Is nior fheud [ne ach [*1  ge mor agh
    Theachd o'n bhas an robh a chuid.

19. Gabhas an caorrann air bharr,
    Tharruing an crann as a fhreimh,
    Tabhairt do [a  chos do'n tor
    Mothaicheas do ris a' pheist.

20. Beireas air agus e air snamh,
    Is gabhas a lamh 'na craos,
    Do ghabh se-san is' air ghiall,
    Truagh gun an sgian aig Fraoch!



 26 

Find-abair of lovely tresses
   For Sir Fraoch her love,
 Unperceived, a knife she bore;
   Fraoch's fair skin the monster tore
     And gnawing shore his arm away.

Fraoch, Idad's son, in conflict dire
   With the monster's woeful ire:
 On the southern strand they fought and fell
   And blood the boulders dyed.

Nor short the conflict: in his hand
   Fraoch held the monster's head;
 Which when the maiden did perceive
   On the strand she swooned as dead.

The maid then spake as she awoke
   In her palm his hand she placed,
 "Though now but food for birds-of-prey,
   Thy renown on earth is traced."

And from the death the hero died
   The lake doth take its name;
 For ever is it hight Loch Meve,
   And thus resounds his fame.
        (On Cluan Fraoich a friend doth sigh.)

 27 

21. Fionnabhair an fhuilt chais ail
    Do ran chuige sgian gun fhoir,
    Liodair a' pheist a chneas ban
    Is theasgadh a lamh air leodh.

22. Do thuiteadar bonn re bonn
    Air traigh nan clach corr fo dheas;
    Fraoch mac Fiodhaich is a' pheist,
    Truagh, a Dhe, mar thug an treas!

23. Ga comhrag ni comhrag gearr:
    Do rug leis a ceann 'na laimh;
    Nar chunnaic an nighean e
    Do chaidh 'na neul air an traigh.

24. Eir'eas an nighean o'n tamh,
    Gabhas an lamh, ba lamh bhog;
    Ge ta so 'na cuid nan eun [*1 
    Is mor an t-euchd a rinn a bhos.

25. O'n bhas sin do fhuair am fear
    Loch Maidhbh gun lean de'n loch
    Ata an t-ainm sin deth gu luan
    'Ga ghairm a nuas gus a nos.
                          H-osnadh charaid.



 28 

  

IV

His body to Cluan Fraoich is borne
   A hero on his bier laid low;
 And still the mead his name makes known
   Ah! pity the survivor's woe.

Cairn-of-the-Hand beside me here
   Is named from Fraoch Cairn Laive,
 Back he ne'er turned his hand but fought
   The foremost when alive.

Belov'd the mouth that friends ne'er scorned
   The lips which woman's lips had pressed;
 Belov'd the chief, of hosts the lord,
   Belov'd the cheeks the rosiest.

Cheek redder than the blood of fawn
   Hair darker than the raven's crest,
 And softer than the streaming foam,
   Whiter than snow Fraoch's waist.

More fringed than meadow-sweet his locks,
   Than violet his eye more blue;
 Than rowans ripe his lips more red,
   Whiter his teeth than woodbine hue.

 29 

  

IV

26. Beirear an sin gu Cluan Fraoich
    Corp an laoich gu caisil chro;
    Air an gcluain tugadh a ainm
    Is mairg a mhaireas d[a eis beo .

27. Carn-laimh, an carn so re m' thaobh
    O laimh Fhraoich do bhidheast son,
    Fear nar iompodhadh an treas
    Fear ba dheise neart an trod.

28. Ionmhuinn am beul nar ob daimh
    D'am bidis mnai a' toirbheart phog
    Ionmhuinn Tighearna nan sluagh
    Ionmhuinn gruaidh nar dheirg an ros.

29. Duibhe na fitheach barr a fhuilt
    Deirge a ghruaidh na fuil laoigh
    Fa mhine na cobhar sruth
    Gile na an sneachd cneas Fhraoich.

30. Caise na an caisean 'fholt
    Guirme a rosg na eidhr'-leac [*1 
    Deirge na partan a bheul
    Gile a dheud na blaith feith.



 30 

  Than mast his spear was higher; his voice
 More musical than lute:
   No swimmer that with Fraoch could vie
 His side by water put.

  Broader than door-leaf was his shield,
 Whoso could wield it, happy lord!
   Long as his lance the arm of Fraoch
 Than ship's plate more broad his sword.

Would that Fraoch by heroes bold,
   The bestower of gold--fell;
 Alas and alas! through a monster's hold
   We hear his funeral knell.
            (On Cluan Fraoich a friend doth sigh.)

 31 

31. Aird' a shleagh na cranna siuil
    Binne na teud chiuil a ghuth
    Snamhaidhe do b'fhearr na Fraoch
    Cha do shin a thaobh re sruth.

32. Ba leithn' na comhla a sgiath
    Ionmhuinn triath a bhi re druim
    Co fad a lann is a lamh
    Leithn' a cholg na clar dhe luing.

33. Truagh nach an comhrag re laoich
    Do thuit Fraoch a phronnadh or
    Tuirs' sin a thuiteam le peist
    Truagh, a Dhe, nach maireann fos.
                                  H-osnadh.





Footnotes

^18:1 Retold after the Book of the Dean of Lismore, a sixteenth century text. The tale might be entitled: The Tree of Life in Gadhelic Legend. Its teaching might be summarised: Thou shalt not break off the branches from the Tree of Life, nor attempt to uproot it; in the day that thou disturbest it thou shalt surely die. Its guardian is the serpent, the Dragon-Snake (the Mother of Mankind possibly thus typified).

^18:2 Fraoch's mead, i.e.

^19:1 From the Book of the Dean of Lismore after Dr Cameron's transcription and transliteration in Reliquiae Celticae (i. 63). His transliteration is in several places corrected; mac Fhiodhaich is dialectal for mac Fhiodhaidh, mac Idhaidh, old nominative Idad.

^19:2 Shiar?

^19:3 Recte Maoidhbh.

^21:1 Recte Ailell'.

^23:1 Amsy = aimiseachd; aimsiughadh, "temptation": fascination? 'N aimcheist mhor a bha na dhiaidh (Gillies; MacLagan).

^23:2 A' Bheithir gharg is miosa nimh (Cameron's Reliq. Celt., i., p. 225).

^25:1 or, ach = howsoever.

^27:1 na chodaibh eun (traditional variant).

^29:1 Yr' lak (Dean of Lismore's spelling). A plant is apparently meant as in the other lines: feith "woodbine, honeysuckle (Hogan's Luibhleabhran): partan, "berry of the mountain ash" (ib., p. 60).


       
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 32   33 

  

THE CELTIC DRAGON MYTH

^1. At some time of the world, long long ago, there lived a poor old smith whose name was Duncan, and he lived in a little hut by the sea-shore. His house was built of boulders and turf, and thatched with bent and sea-ware; yellow gowans, green-grass, red thistles, and white flowers grew on the roof and waved in the wind, while the blue peat smoke curled up through a narel at the end of the roof. The fire was on the clay floor inside, and the smith's forge was at the end of the house. There Duncan had lived for many a long year, and there he was living with an old wife, an old mare, and an old dog for company. He had no son nor daughter, and never a man of his clan to bury him when his time should come.

^2. When work was done in the smithy, or when there was no work to do, this old smith used to go out in the evening to fish in an old crazy boat; and many a time he had scanty fare, for fish are scarce and hard to catch in stormy weather in the west country.

^3. On a day of these days, longer ago than you can remember, or than I can tell, he was fishing in

 34 

the gloaming as he used to do, but he could catch nothing.

^4. At last, just at the mouth of night, a mermaid rose at the side of his boat, and she said:

"Well, Duncan, are you getting fish?"

Now, as everyone in these parts knows full well, mermaids are sea-monsters, half-woman, half-fish, with long yellow hair which they comb when they sit on the rocks to bask. They are very fond of music, they are very rich, and they are able to do many wonderful things. They often endow men and women with magical powers, and sometimes they fall in love with land people and marry them. So Duncan the smith answered the mermaid as he would have answered one of his land friends.

"No," said he, "I'm getting no fish at all."

"What will you give me," said the mermaid, "if I send you plenty of fish."

"Well then," said he, "I have but little to give."

"What have you got at home?" said the mermaid.

"Well," said the fisher, "I have an old wife, and an old white mare, and an old black dog, and that is all the stock that I have in the world."

"Will you give me your first son when he is three years old?" said the mermaid, "if I send you fish."

"I'll do that," said the fisher; and he thought that was a good bargain, for he had no son to give.

 35 

"It's a bargain," said the mermaid, and down she sank.

^5. It was too late to fish any more that night, so the fisher sculled home and went to bed.

But if the sun rose early next day the fisher rose earlier than she did, and he went to the boat and out to sea, and there he fished his best. But all day long he caught nothing. At last in the time of dusk and lateness, what should he happen upon but a fish. He drew it up to the side of his boat, and reached out his hand to grasp it; but the fish with the hook in his throat opened his big mouth and gaped at him, and it gurgled and gasped out:

"Are you going to take me?"

"Well I am," said the fisher. "I'm glad enough to get even you."

"That's not the best thing for you to do," said the fish. "Let me go now and you shall have plenty of fish to-morrow."

So the old fisher pulled the hook out of the fish's throat and let him go, and home he rowed to his hut.

^6. Home he went and dragged up his boat, and his wife met him.

"Well," said she, "have you got anything at all?"

"No," said he, "I have got nothing, but I shall get plenty to-morrow."

"What a pity it is that you came home empty to-night," said the wife.

"There's no help for it," said he.

 36 

And so they went supperless to bed.

^7. Next morning he was up as early as the sun and off to sea to try his luck, but all day long he worked in vain. He could not catch hold of a fish, not a nibble could he get all day. But just at the mouth of night, at the time for coming home, the fish jerked and he struck and hauled up cheerily haul over haul. But when the fish came to the top it cried out:

"Are you going to take me with you to-night?"

"Well," said the old fisher, "I'm glad enough to have got you to take home."

"Oh," said the fish, rolling his eyes, "let me go to-night, it's best for you, and to-morrow you shall get something worth having."

So the fisher let the fish go, and home he rowed and dragged up his boat on the shingle, and shouldered his tackle, and walked up to his house door, and there his old wife met him again.

^8. "Are you come home empty-handed again?" said she.

"I am, indeed," said the old man.

"Oh we shall not live," said the wife, we shall die." And so they went fasting to bed once more.


       
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THE FISHER.

^9. On the next day it was the same thing. The old man fished from sunrise to sundown, and never a bite got he till the time of dusk and lateness; and

 37 

then in the mouth of the night, a fish laid on the hook. He hauled up cheerily, and when the head was by the side of the boat he gripped the fish fast by the throat.

"Are you going to take me?" said the fish.

"I am," said he, "I won't let you go any more."

"Well," said the fish, "it can't be helped. Have you any man to your clan?"

"No," said he, "I have in the whole wide world but my wife, my mare, and my dog."

Then the fish spoke once more and said:

"Thou shalt let no one split me, but do it thyself. Thou shalt put into the pot but a morsel of my liver and a bit of my heart to boil for thyself, and for thy wife, and for thy mare, and for thy dog to eat.

"Three bones thou wilt find at the side of my head. Go out and bury them in the garden.

"Thy wife will bear three sons.

"Thy mare will cast three foals.

"Thy dog will litter three whelps.

"When they are born dig up my bones and keep them.

"Three trees will sprout where the bones are buried, and they will be in leaf and budding, in sap and growing, summer and winter, spring and autumn, every day for ever, so long as the clan shall live.

"They will droop or wither or die as they do."

^10. Home went the fisherman with the fish, and he did as he was bid. He split the fish himself, and he put a bit of the heart and a morsel of liver into the pot

 38 

to boil, some for himself, some for his wife, some for his mare, some for his dog to eat; and when they had supped he buried the bones in the garden and went to bed and slept sound.

^11. At the end of thrice three months the wife was brought to bed and she bore three sons.

"Oh my husband," said she, "what is here?"

"Three sons," said he.

"That were well," said she, "if there were aught to give them."

"That there is," said the old man.

Then he cast his eyes around, and the mare had cast three foals, and the hound had littered three whelps, and three trees had sprouted up in the garden. So he went out and dug up the bones and laid them aside as the fish had said.

^12. "So time went on and the children grew, and the old man fished as usual, and he got plenty of fish. But as the third year came near its end he grew sorrowful and failed day by day. At the end of the third year, in the gloaming, the mermaid rose at the side of his boat and she said:

"Have you brought your eldest son?"

"No," said he. "I forgot that this was the day. I did not bring the lad."

"Well, well," said the mermaid, "you may keep him four years more to see if it be easier to part with him. See, here is his like for age. Is yours as fine as mine?" and she held up a big bouncing baby.

^13. Home he went full of delight that he had four


Click to enlarge
"Well, well," said the mermaid, "you may keep him four years more to see if it be easier to part with him. See, here is his like for age. is yours as fine as mine?" and she held up a big bouncing baby.


 39 

more years of his eldest son, and he kept on fishing and catching plenty of fish till the end of the second term was near. Then he grew sad and heavy, and failed daily. But when the end of the seven years had come he went to sea without his boy. The mermaid rose at the side of the boat and she said:--

"Have you brought me your eldest son?"

"Oh! I forgot him," said the old man.

"Go home," said the mermaid, "and keep your son for seven years more; but at the end of that time you will be sure to remember me. It will be no easier then to part with your son, but you shall have plenty of fish till then."

And down she dived into the deep sea.

^14. So the old man cheered up and went home joyful, because he had got seven more years of his eldest son. He thought he would be dead before the term ended, and that he would never see the mermaid again. But time went on, and the end of fourteen years drew near, and the old man grew heavier and heavier, and weaker and weaker day by day, and his wife and his sons could not make out what ailed him.

"What is troubling you, father?" said the eldest son one day.

"The matter that does not concern thee touch it not," said the old fisher.

"But that which makes you sad concerns me," said the boy. "I must know what it is."

So the old fisher told his son how the whole

 40 

matter stood between him and the mermaid, and how he was promised to the mermaid at the end of the fourteen years.

"Don't let that trouble you, father," said the boy. "I won't oppose you."

"No, my son," said he, "though I never get fish again for ever, I will not give you to the mermaid."

^15. Now the sons had grown to great strength and wisdom, and the eldest son said to his father:

"If I may not go with you to sea any more, I will go out into the world to seek my fortune."

"That is but a poor prospect for me," said the old man. "It was long before I saw you, and it may be longer before I see you again. But if you must go you must not go empty. You must have a horse and a hound and a weapon to wield."

^16. "A black horse was foaled when you were born. Here take this halter and this little rusty bit, and go out to the hill and shake the bridle, and the horse will come and put his nose into it.

^17. "A black whelp was littered when the horse was foaled. Here take this cake and go out to the wood, and when the black hound comes baying openmouthed, give him the cake and he will follow you.

^18. "I will go to the smithy and forge you a weapon myself."

^19. Now this lad had grown so great and stout and strong, that his like was not to be found for size and strength and courage and goodly seeming, so he took the little rusty bit and the old ragged halter and

 41 

strode up the hill to seek the black palfrey. He had not got far on the moor when the wild, shaggy, prancing, black palfrey came galloping down with clattering hoofs and shining eyes and streaming mane and snorting blood-red nostrils and open streaming mouth, rushing as if to trample the lad under foot and tear him; but the lad shook the bit till it clinked and rang, and the black steed came and put his nose into the halter, and they were good friends at once.

^20. He took the halter in his hand and led the steed down to the forest. When they got there a great shaggy black hound came baying furiously out of the wood, with fiery eyes and blood-red tongue and glittering white savage teeth, glancing as if to seize and tear them. But the lad was not a bit afraid. He pulled out the little cake that his father had given him, and thrust it into the hound's open throat; and then the black dog was as tame as the black horse, and both followed the lad home to his father's hut.


       
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THE WEAPON.

^21. "And now, father," said he, "make me a weapon."

So the old smith went out to his smithy and weighed out iron enough to make a stout staff a stone weight, and he smithied it well while his son looked on. When it was done he took it and shook it, and it bent and broke in his grasp.

 42 

"That is not strong enough," said the lad, "for me. Let's make another."

^22. So the old smith weighed out two stone of iron and they smithied a great iron club like the first. Then the lad took it and shook it, and it bent and broke like the first.

"That is far too weak," said the smith's son.

^23. So the old smith weighed out three stone of iron, and they beat it and hammered and smithied, and forged a great bar; and when that was done he took it and shook it and it bent.

"That's too weak," said the lad, "if I were insulted."

^24. So they weighed out four stone of iron, and forged a great bar; and when that was done the lad took it and shook it like a reed and it bent again. "That's not strong yet," he said, "if I were angry."

^25. So they weighed out five stone and made another bar, and that bent like the rest.

"That would not serve if I were in a right good rage," said the lad.

^26. So they weighed six stone of iron and smithied a great bent club like a shinny, and when that was made and cooled the smith's son said, "that will do."

^27. Then he got up and went in to his house, and sought out the first of the fish bones which he buried, and dug up from the root of the first tree that sprouted on the night when his sons were born. He

 43 

went back to the smithy and reached out his hand to his eldest son. "Here," said he, "take that and try it."

^28. The lad took the little bone and gripped it and stretched out his arm and shook it, and the bone became a gold-hilted, glittering glaive in his grasp.

^29. "Thanks to thee, Oh King of Princes and Mercies," said the lad. "Now I have done learning, wisdom, and knowledge, and now I may start. Yonder tree will be in bud, blossom, and leaf from autumn to summer, and from spring to winter, now and for ever till I meet death; and when I am dead the buds will fall off my tree."

^30. The smith's sons would all three start and try their fortune; and each got his horse and hound and club and sword. [*1 

^31. They rose with the dawn and saddled their black steeds and called their black dogs, and hung their gleaming gold-hilted blades at their sides. They sought and got their mother's blessing.

"Son," said the old man to the eldest, "be sure that you never go within reach of the wind of the sea-shore."

"I will go," said he, "where there never was a drop of brine."

Then they left their blessings at home and set off to seek fortune; and so they took the world for their pillow and started on their way.





Footnotes

^43:1 In a Berneray version three sons start together.


       
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 44 

  

THE THREE WAYS.

^32. Thus this poor old man who lived long ago had three sons who thought that they would leave their father, and that they would go out into the world to seek their fortunes. The leash of lads set off together upon one way, and they kept going on till they reached a road that spread in three branches. They said to each other when they saw these three ways, that each should take a separate path, and that they should meet there in a year and a day, and so they did, and parted.

The eldest took the way that went east. The middle brother took the middle way. The youngest took the road that went west.

^33. The eldest son rode east, away from the seashore and the smell of the brine, rode into the wood till the sun was high and he did not know where he was. He could see nothing but a wilderness of trees.

^34. At last he came to an open space where he saw a wolf, a hawk, and a fox standing beside a year-old sheep.

"Stop," said the wolf, "and divide this carcase amongst us."

So the lad got off his black horse and pulled out the little rusty knife that he used to have in his father's boat to split fish, and he cut the sheep into three shares and threw them down before the creatures, and bade them choose.

 45 

That pleased them well.

Said the wolf: "When you are hard-pressed, remember me."

Said the hawk: "When you are in dire straits, remember me."

Said the fox: "When you are at the worst, think of me."

^35. The beasts and the bird blessed the fisher's son, and he blessed them, and he mounted again and on he rode through the forest at speed. Each road was crooked, and each path was smooth for him and for his black horse and hound. They went so fast that they caught the swift March wind that blew before them, and the swift March wind that followed after could not catch them. And so they rode and ran through the forest and trees, till the bright clear white clouds of day were going away, and the dark, dim, dusky black clouds of night were coming on apace; and then they reached the palace gate of a great king's castle in a realm that is not of this realm at all.


       
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FIRST WAY.

^36. He thought that he could not lodge in so fine a house, and he looked out into the darkness and saw a little light afar off. But if it was far off he was soon there, and he knocked at a low door. It was the lowliest house of all the place and the house of the herd. He tied his horse outside and in he went.

 46 

"May I have leave to stay here to-night?" said he to the herd's wife. But she gave him no answer. Now that herd had no children. He did not know whether to go or stay, or where to go if he went away, so he stayed where he was.

Between then and a while the herd himself came home.

"Whose horse is that at my door?" said he.

"It's mine," said the lad.

"Wife, did you give the wayfarer food?" said the man.

"I gave him none," she said. "He never asked it."

"Then make ready a meal for him at once," said the herd.

So the churlish wife began to make ready, and the two men began their tales.

"What news from the big town?" said the wife.

"If there were news we know that you would know it," said the man, "but mayhap the stranger does not know our news. A dragon comes out of the sea every year, and every year he must have a maiden from our land to take away. The king has neither son nor daughter but the one daughter, and the lot has fallen on her this year. If he is not at the strand with his only daughter to give her to the dragon that comes out of the sea, the highest stone in his castle will be lowest and the lowest highest, and all the realm will be ravaged by the beast. He has gathered all the

 47 

people of this realm together to see if he can find ever a man of any kind or condition to guard his girl and gain her and half the realm while the king lives, and all the realm when the king dies, and he has found no man to go to the strand but a cock-eyed, carrotty-headed cook who was carving meat within with a big knife."

^37. "Well," said the lad, "you may need a herd and I am seeking service; will you take me and let me live here and earn my meat."

"Yes," said the herd. "I need a lad to mind the king's cattle, and you will serve my turn well enough. It was fortune herself that sent you here, for the herd that I had before left me last night."

The lad took service with the king's herd, and there he lodged.

^38. In the morning the herd gave him charge of the cows, and he said: "Watch them well, but take good care that you do not let them into the closed park with the boarded gate; no herd ever put cattle into it that came alive out, and we should lose herd and herdsman."

"I'll take care of both," said the lad, and off he set wrapped in a gray garment.

^39. There was an old brown cow that belonged to a widow and led the herd, and the herdsman followed with his horse and hound, but the pastures were bare.

^40. So the herd went up to the park gate, and saw the finest grass he had ever seen. He opened

 48 

the gate, and the brown cow led the cattle in, and there they stayed all day.

^41. But as the evening drew on and milking time, he heard a noise. Firum Farum, little stones going under, Firum Farum great gravel going over, and he saw a great giant with seven heads and humps and seven necks coming roaring down the park. He took three of the beasts by the tail and cast them on the very shower-top [*1  of his shoulder and off he strode.

The herd thought it was better to suffer death than lose the beasts; so he ran to the park door and shut the gate.

"Mannikin, open the park gate," said the giant.

"I won't," said he.

^42. Then the giant gripped the herd, and they fell to fighting with might and main. They made mire of rocks and rocks in mire; when least they sank they reached their knees, where most they sank they reached their eyes. At last the herd began to think he was far from friends and near his foes, and he thought of the wolf, and he was a wolf. And he gave the giant a little light easy lift and tossed him up and knocked him down and stood upon him.

^43. "Death is upon you, giant," said the herd. "What's your eric?" [*2 

"Oh, that's much," said the giant. "I have a copper castle and a copper whistle, and a ruddy russet-brown





 49 

servant. I have a red dress, and a red horse that can fly through the air, meat and drink, and much treasure. Half to be yours while we live, and me to be your faithful comrade in good and evil: all to be yours when I die."

"That's mine and your life," said the herd. And he killed the giant.

^44. Then he searched in the giant's pouch, and found the whistle and rode up to the copper castle and blew a blast. And the ruddy russet-brown servant came out, and he said:

"Well, now, I cannot but think that my master must be dead."

"I'll be your master and not a whit worse," said the lad, and he asked for food and drink. That he got, and then he said:

"Don't let a pin's worth go hence till I come again."

"I won't, master," said the ruddy russet-brown servant who was in the copper castle.

^45. The herd left the copper castle and gathered the skirt of his gray garment, and took the brown cow, and the rest followed him home. The old herd met him sauntering on, and he said:

"You have come back alive."

"Yes," said he.

"Did you see any man to harm or frighten you?"

"No," said he, "no one."

^46. When the cattle were milked and all about the king's house were pleased--for they had not enough

 50 

of milk-pails to hold the milk--they had to send for carpenters to make more--all the dairymaids and the old herd made much of the new herd, and gave him a good supper and lots to drink.

^47. The lad lived with the herd, and every day he went to the grass park and the copper castle till the pasture grew bare. Then he thought he had better go further a-field, and he went in till he came to a second gate of boards and a second park, where the grass was as high as his knees. He opened the gate and let in the cows and there he stayed.

^48. But he had not been there long when he heard a greater and a louder clatter than ever. Firum, Farum, little gravel going under; Firum, Farum, greater gravel going over; and he saw a big man coming. If no greater than the other he was no less, and he had seven heads and seven humps and seven throttles.

^49. He came roaring into the park, and he seized six cows by the tails and slung them on to the shower-top of his shoulder and the ridge of his back.

^50. The herd thought it better to suffer death than lose the cattle, so he ran to the gate of the park and shut it, and put his shoulder against it.

"Impudent elf, open the gate of my park," roared the giant. "I am not sure but that you may be the slayer of my brother, but I cannot think that such a mannikin did it."

^51. He slung down the cows and sprang to the gate, and seized the lad with the gray garment; and then began a fight worse than the first. The lad was

 51 

hard pressed; it seemed that he was near his foe and far from friends, and he thought once more of the wolf. Then he was a wolf, and he gave the giant a little gentle, cheery, easy lift, and he tossed him up and threw him down, and gave his heart and ribs a bump against the earth.

"Mine is your lying down and rising up, death is upon you," said the lad. "What's your eric?"

^52. "That's much," said the giant. "I have a silver whistle and a silver castle, and a fine, fair, white servant in it. I have a white steed that can fly through air, or the sky; all is the same to her. I have a white dress, meat and drink, and much treasure; half to be yours while we live, all to be yours when I die, and I will be your faithful comrade and ally as long as I live."

"That's mine, and your death," said the lad.

Then he tucked up the tail of his gray garment and slew the giant.

^53. Then he searched in the giant's pouch and found the silver whistle and rode to the silver castle and blew a shrill blast. Out came the fine, fair, white servant, and when he saw the herd he said:

"I do believe that my master must have died."

"I'll be master to you and no whit worse," said the lad; "quickly fetch me food and drink."

He got that, and then he said:

"Take care of all that is here till I come again."

"I'll do that, master," said the fine, fair, white servant that was in the silver castle.

 52 

^54. Then the lad tucked up the tail of his gray garment, and took the brown cow, and the rest followed home.

^55. The old herd met him and counted the cows and they were all there.

"Saw you anything to vex or frighten you?" said he.

"No," said the lad. "What should I see?" And he sauntered home.

"My best blessing will I give you," said the herd, "so safe as my cattle come home they never have come before."

^56. And when the cattle came to be milked they had to send for more carpenters to make more milk-pails--such milk had never been seen in the king's dairy.

^57. And all the maids made much of the herd, and gave him lots to eat and drink.

^58. And the lad led the cows day by day to the park, and went to the silver castle and came home at night, and lived in the herd's house till the pasture began to fail.

^59. One morning if the sun rose early he rose earlier still, and off he went to the third park far away. He opened the gate and went in, and found grass up to his waist, and there he laid himself out to bask in the sun.

^60. But soon he heard a louder clatter than ever, rocks shaking, and stones flying; and a giant sprang into the park and seized more of the cows by the

 53 

tail, and slung them on the shower-top of his shoulder and on the lofty ridge of his broad back. He had seven heads and seven humps and seven throttles like the others, and if he was no bigger than the other two, he certainly was no less.

^61. Then the herd thought it were better to suffer death than lose the cattle, and he sprang up and shut the park gate and set his back to it.

"Open the gate, you insolent imp," said the giant. "Many a king's son and many a ritter have I cut heads off, and I will take off yours too."

"Two-thirds of your terror be on yourself and one-third on me. I know not why I should fear unless I must," said the lad.

^62. Then the giant slung down the cows, and at each other they went till the herd fell on his knee.

"A king's son on his knee!" roared the giant. "He who went on his knee will go on his elbow."

Then the lad thought he was far from friends and near his foe, and he thought of his friends the beasts. And he was a wolf and a hawk and a fox all at once and turn about, and he was up and down, over and under, and all round the giant till he felled him and knocked the case of his heart and the side of his ribs bump against the hard earth.

"Death is upon you, giant," he said. "What's your eric?"

^63. "That's much," said the old giant. "I have a golden whistle and a golden castle, a brave yellow-faced russet servant in the castle, a yellow

 54 

palfrey that can fly through air or sky, a green dress, meat and drink, and much treasure: half to be yours while we live, all to be yours when I die, and I will be your faithful friend so long as I live."

"It's all mine, and your death to boot," said the lad, and he slew him.

^64. Then the Gray Lad sought in the giant's pouch, and found the golden whistle. He gathered the skirts of his gray garment and shut the park gate, and up he went to the golden castle, and he played on the whistle and blew a blast, and the braw, yellow-faced russet servant came out of the castle, and said he:

"I really do think that my master must have died."

"I'll be your master," said the herd, "and no whit worse," and he got meat and drink.

"Keep all that is here for me till I come again." Then he went back and found the brown cow at the gate, and she led the herd home as before.

^65. The herd met him, and counted the cows, and they were all there, and he said:

"Did you see anything to vex or frighten you to-day?"

"No," said the herd, "What should I see?"

And he sauntered home in his gray garment with the cows.

^66. That night the carpenters had to send for more wood to make more pails for the milk; there was so much.

 55 

^67. And the dairymaids were well pleased with the herd boy.

^68. Next morning the herd went back to the park to see what he could find in the golden castle. He had not been long there when he saw a fearful great carlin coming, and she screamed out:

"You have killed my sons, and you have slain my husband, and now a draught of your blood shall quench my thirst."

She had a tooth for a staff and a tooth to stir the fire, and when she gaped, heart, liver, and lights could be seen through her open maw. The Gray Lad thought he had better flee, for so gruesome a carlin had never been seen.

^69. He thought of the fox, and he thought of the hawk, and he was a hawk, and he flew to the top of the high tree.

"Come down till I eat you," said the carlin.

"Open your gab, then," said the herd, "till I jump down your throat."

^70. The old carlin gaped wide, and the herd thrust his iron staff down her throat, and it came out at a mole in her breast, and down she fell.

Down jumped the herd upon her, and held her fast for fear she should get the staff out again. stomach g

"Death's upon you, carlin," said he, "what's your eric?"

"That's not little," said the carlin, "if so be that you get it."

^71. "I have three great coffers: one under the

 56 

foot-board full of gold and silver, two in the upper end of the castle full of all the wealth and wonderful treasure that man can think of.

^72. "I have a golden comb. When used, there falls a golden shower from one side and a silver shower from the other. Whoso combs his hair with the coarse side is hideous, but whoso uses the fine side is handsome as man can be.

^73. "I have a golden basin. Whoso washes in it becomes the most beautiful man on earth.

"I have a cloth [*1  on which one can have any kind of meat.

"I have a cup [*1  in which one can have any kind of drink.

^74. "I have a glittering glass [*2  dress.

"I have a pretty blue pacing palfrey that can fly through the sky.

"Though that's but little," said the lad, "it's mine, and your death," and he killed the carlin with his glittering steel blade.

^75. Up he went to the castle and played upon the golden whistle, and the braw, yellow-russet servant came out.

He went into the golden castle, and found all the marvellous things that the carlin had.

He combed his head with the golden comb, and showers of gold and silver fell from his hair. He





 57 

washed in the golden basin and put on the glittering glass garment, and never was seen so handsome a man since the world began. He ate and drank. Never did hungry herd taste such a meal. Then when all was ended he laid his braveries bye, and gave them to his braw, yellow-russet servant to keep. He combed his head with the coarse side of the golden comb and he was shaggy and swarthy, sun-burnt, rough and scabby as he was before. He tucked up the skirts of his gray garment and went to the park gate, let out the brown cow, and sauntered home as usual.



Footnotes

^48:1 Fras-mhullaich, G. H.

^48:2 Eric means the worth of a man; his ransom or the fee paid for man-slaying, the same as the blood-fine of Icelandic law.

^56:1 I. F. C. has scored these two out.

^56:2 "Glass" is the translation, but anything that shines may be the meaning, say, polished armour.


       
The Celtic Dragon Myth, by J.F. Campbell, [1911 , at sacred-texts.com



  

THE MERMAID.

^76. Then as usual the old herd met him and counted the cows, and said:

"Did anything happen to frighten you to-day? "No," said the herd, "nothing. What should happen?"

^77. "I have news for you this day," said the herd.

"What's that?" said the Gray Lad.

The great "Biast" is coming out of the sea to take away the king's daughter, and unless he gets her the whole realm will be ravaged.

"I should care much more if evil befel our brown cow, than if it happens to the king's daughter," said the herd's boy; and home he sauntered to the herd's hut, and went to rest.

^78. If the dawn came early next day, the herd

 58 

rose earlier, and he took the cows and the brown cow at their head, and went straight to the first park. He opened the door of the park, and put them in, because there was no giant there now to meddle with or molest them. Then he tucked up the skirts of his gray garment, and up he went to the copper castle, and took out his copper whistle and played on it, and blew a shrill blast. The ruddy brown-russet servant came out and said:

"What's your will, master?"

"Meat and drink, horse and dress, arms and armour," said the lad.

That was ready, and when he had eaten and drunk his fill, he mounted and started.

^79. Now when the king found that his only daughter had to be early out on the deep-dyed dark green hills, where the sun rises betimes and sets so late; and when he could find no man to guard her from the great sea monster that was to come out of the sea but the cock-eyed carrotty cook, who carved the meat with a great big knife in the king's kitchen, he sent them both off to the strand before sunrise, and fourteen full-armed, worthy warriors with them. When they got there, the king's daughter sat on a green mound by the seaside, and the cook went to the shore and flourished his carving-knife. He dug it into the sand and shouted:

"Though all the monsters in the sea, and all the warriors in Sorcha should come, thus will I do to them."

 59 

When he was tired he came to the king's daughter, and laid his head on her lap.

"Comb my hair," said he.

"Comb your filthy hair?" said the Princess, "you wretched scullion, not I."

^80. Then they saw a shower coming from the West, and the sun in the East, and a glittering warrior with a flashing sword, with a ruddy russet dress, and a red horse riding swiftly from the eastern sky. And when they saw him, the fourteen full-armed worthy warriors fled to hide, and the cock-eyed carrotty-headed cook with the carving-knife ran away faster than they. And he hid in a dark hole where no man could see him and where he could see all.

^81. Then the rider of the red palfrey came down to earth and tied his steed to the branch of a tree and came to the king's daughter, who sat sorrowful on the green mound by the deep-dyed dark green hills by the sea-shore, and he said:

"There's gloom on your face, girl; what ails you? and why are you here?"

"No matter," said she. "I shall not be here long, for the dragon is coming out of the sea for me, to take me away."

"I will stay with you," said the lad, "and keep you company for a while."

Then he laid his head in her lap to sleep and rest, and she combed his long hair.

^82. "But if you sleep," said she, "what will rouse you?"

 60 

"If I sleep," said he, "nothing will rouse me but to cut off the tip of my left ear. Do that when the dragon comes."

And so they sat on the green mound in the morning sun, and the king's daughter combed the lad's long hair and he fell fast asleep.

^83. He had not slept long when the lady looked and saw the dark squall coming from the West, the sea running East, and the waves waxing; and she tried to waken the lad. She laid his sword on his face and he stirred but slept on.

Then she saw the dragon coming in the squall with the rising tide and the waxing waves, spouting and blowing spray and spindrift from mouth and nose, and she was terribly frightened by the horrible noise of the fearful beast. She took the lad's bright sword and cut off the tip of his left ear, and up he rose and shook himself.

^84. Then he shook a little rusty shaggy bridle that he had at his girdle and a black steed came and a black hound. He mounted the horse, and down to the strand he rode with the black hound at his heels.

^85. And the dragon came to the strand, and he was so weighty that he sank in in the sand.

^86. Then they fell upon each other with hard blows and much noise, rattling of stones, clashing of arms, baying and neighing, and shouting and roaring, splashing of billows and turmoil of wind and waves. Man and dog did the best they could, and the dragon

 61 

fought as well; sometimes the dragon rolled over the man, sometimes the man rolled over the dragon.

^87. At last the man thought that he was far from friends and near his foe, so he gathered his strength and clutched his sword and smote off one of the monster's heads.

^88. "If I had a draught of fair water," said the dragon, "I would tear you to pieces now."

"If I had a draught of good red wine I would slay you this day," said the fisher's son.

^89. "If one head is off two are on," said the dragon. "If the king's daughter is not here tomorrow at this same hour the realm shall be ravaged by me."

^90. Then the dragon went back into the sea and went out of the loch with the ebb tide and the swelling waves of the ocean.

^91. Then the lad picked up the dragon's head and tied it in a withy with a queer knot, and he sprang on his red horse and rode off to the eastern sky and disappeared.

^92. Now the cook had hid in a place where no one could see him and where he could see every one, and when the coast was clear, out he came and seized the head and flourished his knife, and threatened the king's daughter with instant death if she dared to say that he did not do this deed of valour.

^93. The fourteen full-armed worthy warriors of the king's guard when all was still came back, and found the cook with the dragon's head on a withy,

 62 

and the king's daughter unharmed. They all marched back to the palace and boasted aloud.

^94. But the king's daughter had the tip of the ear in her pocket.

^95. The fisher's son went back to the copper castle and played on his copper whistle, and gave his red steed to be stabled by the ruddy russet-brown servant, and his dress to be laid aside. Meat he got and good red wine to drink, and when he had rested, he tucked up the skirts of his gray garment and went to the park and opened the gate, and let out the brown cow and the rest of the cattle, and sauntered home as was his wont.

^96. "I have news for you to-day," said the old herd when he met him.

"What's that?" said the Gray Lad.

"The cock-eyed carrotty cook has cut one head off the beast that was to take away the king's daughter, but two heads are on yet, and they are to meet tomorrow."

"I had rather our brown cow were well than the realm and the king's girl," said the herd's boy.

^97. "Well," said the herd. "It will be said of that cock-eyed cook: 'Many a good blade has a bad sheath.'"

"That's true enough," said the herd's boy, and home he went and slept in his dark crib.

^98. If the day came soon, sooner than that the herd was up, and off he set with the cows to the second park. He went to the silver castle and

 63 

sounded his silver whistle, and the fine fair servant came out and said: "What's your will, Master?"

"Meat and drink, horse and harness," said he.

That was ready, and when he had eaten and drunk he mounted and rode through the air.

^99. The king's daughter, with the carrotty cockeyed cook and the fourteen fine, full-armed, worthy warriors were at the strand boasting and brandishing their blades as before.

^100. But when the sun rose they looked to the East, and saw a gleaming, glittering warrior in silver armour riding through the air on a milk-white steed, with a gleaming, glancing sword of light in his right hand; and then they fled helter-skelter up to the deep dyed dark green hills, and the cook hid in his dark hole as he did before.

^101. The rider of the milk-white steed came down to earth, and tied his horse to the branch of a tree and came to the king's daughter; and without more ado he laid his head in her lap, where she sat on the green knoll by the sea-shore, and there they talked for a time and a while, while she combed his hair.

^102. "But," said she, "if you sleep how shall you be roused?"

"Lay my sword upon my face," he said, "and if that won't rouse me, cut off the tip of my little finger when the dragon comes."

^103. Then he slept while the lady sat and combed his hair, and the cook looked out of the

 64 

dark hole, where no one could see him and he could see all.

^104. He had not slept long when the West grew dark with a coming squall, and the sea ran East and the waves waxed big and gurly, and the tide rose on the strand. Then she laid the bright steel on his face, and he stirred in his sleep but slept on.

Then she saw the dragon in the squall with the spindrift flying, blowing clouds of spray and steam from his mouth and throat and nostrils, and she seized the sword and shore off the tip of his right little finger, and up he rose.

^105. He took from his girdle the little black rusty bit and the shaggy headstall and shook it--and the black steed and the black hound were at his side. He mounted, and to the strand he rode.

^106. Then the dragon landed and trailed himself up, and he sank in the sand; he was so mighty and weighty, but this time he sank less, for he was lighter by one head.

^107. "A hard fight for the king's daughter today," roared the dragon.

"A hard fight," shouted the herd boy, and at it they went. Horse and hound and man and monster rolled and roared, barked and bayed, and drove the sand and stones into the air, bit and fought and panted till they were tired. It was hard to say which had the best of the battle.

^108. At last the herd thought that he was far from friend and too near a fearful foe, so he gathered

 65 

his might and heaved up the beast, and he put his shoulder under and tossed him up and broke his ribs, and his shoulder-blade on the strand.

Then he grasped his shining steel sword and smote off a second head.

^109. If I had a draught of water I would win yet," said the dragon.

"If I had a draught of good red wine I would slay you this day," said the herd.

^110. One head is on if two are off," said the dragon. "I will be here to-morrow to take the king's daughter. If she is not here I'll ruin the realm."

^111. Then the dragon trailed himself back to the sea, and went out with the ebb and the gurly waves of the dark west. Then the herd bound the head on a withy, mounted his white steed and went off swiftly.

^112. Then out came the cock-eyed carrotty cook with his carving-knife, and danced and boasted and brandished his blade and took the head in his hand.

^113. Then down came the worthy well-armed warriors of the king's guard, and they took the king's daughter home in triumph, and boasted and shouted more than ever they boasted before.

^114. The herd went back to his silver castle and blew his whistle, and gave his milk-white steed and glittering silver armour to his fine fair servant to stable and keep; he called for meat and blood-red wine to drink, and when he had rested he donned his gray garment and gathered the skirts, and opened

 66 

the park gate and let out the brown cow, and followed the beasts home as before.

^115. "I've got right good news," said the old herd when he met the lad.

"What's that?" said he.

^116. "It will be often said of that red-skulled cook that a good blade may have a bad sheath."

"What has he done now?" said the lad.

"He has brought home the dragon's second head and broken his ribs and his shoulder-blade, and the king's daughter is safe; and all the realm is rejoicing, for they hope to be rid of the dragon to-morrow."

"Is it so?" said the lad, and he went to the byre with the brown cow and the rest of them and went to bed.

^117. Next morning long before dawn the herd was up and off to the third park with the cows. He put them in and went to his golden castle and played upon his golden whistle, and when the yellow russet servant came out, he said: "What's your will, master?"

"Meat and drink, horse and harness for a hard fight," said he.

That was ready, and when he had enough he mounted and rode west.

^118. The king's daughter and all her company were at the same place. They looked East and they looked West, and they saw nothing but sky and sea.

^119. Then the boasters began to brandish their weapons, and the carrotty, cock-eyed cook came to

 67 

the king's daughter where she sat on the green knoll beside the sea-shore by the deep-dyed dark-green hills of Greece, and he laid his head on her lap.

^120. Louse my head," said he. "You filthy scullion," said she. "Not I."

^121. Then they looked West and they saw the squall, and they looked East and they saw the same. And they saw a rider riding through the sky in a glittering green garment on a yellow golden-brown palfrey, with a bright, glancing, glittering, bright sword of light in his right hand, and when they saw him they all fled to their lairs as was their wont.

^122. The rider of the golden steed came down to earth and tied his horse to the branch and came to the king's daughter, and laid his hand on her lap at once.

^123. "If I am hard pressed," he said, "give me a draught of wine."

"And where shall I get wine here?" said she.

"Take this golden cup," he said, "and give to me when I am hard pressed."

^124. "And what will wake you if you sleep?" said she.

"Cut the size of a coin from the crown of my head," said he.

^125. Then he laid his head in her lap, and she combed his long hair, and he slept for he was tired.

^126. Then the tide began to rise, and the clouds to gather in the West, and the dark squall came down, and the sea ran East, and the waves waxed

 68 

great and gurly green and blue and black. The storm rose and the king's daughter quaked for fear, but the lad slept on.

^127. Then she saw the dragon coming up the loch with the spindrift flying, steaming and spouting, roaring and raving, and she took the sharp sword and shore a bit from the lad's scalp, a lock of his hair, and a bit of his skin, and up he rose and shook himself.

^128. He shook his little black rusty bit and shaggy bridle-rein, and his black horse and hound were beside him.

^129. The dragon landed where he landed before, and trailed himself up the sand, and sank in it, so vast and heavy he was; but he did not sink nearly so far, and he did not go so fast, for he was lighter and weaker.

^130. The lad rode to meet him.

"A hard battle to-day," said the dragon.

"A stout fight," said the lad, and at it they went once more. Horse and hound, man and monster, neighing, baying, shouting and roaring, biting and fighting, struggling and wrestling, at hand grips they made little stones fly up, great rocks fall with the clatter of hard knocks. At last they were so tired that they stopped for breath.

^131. "If I had a draught of water I would win yet and tear you to bits," said the dragon.

"If I had a draught of good wine I would slay you," said the herd.


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"The storm rose and the king's daughter quaked for fear, but the lad slept on."


 69 


Click to enlarge
He cut off the dragon's third head, and won the fight.


Then the king's daughter took wine and ran to the lad, and he drank a draught. [*1 

^132. Then he thought of the wolf and he was a wolf, and he tore at the dragon, and was a man and clutched his sword and cut off the dragon's third head, and won the fight.

^133. And the dragon was a pool of water and a heap of sand.

Then he tied the head on a withy with a curious knot, and sprang on his golden steed and went the way he came.

^134. Out came the cook and flourished his blade, and out came the well-armed worthy warriors of the king's guard, and home they went with the princess in triumph, for the dragon was dead and the cook had won the princess and half the realm; and when they got home, all the realm rejoiced that the dragon had died on the shore and would trouble them no further.

^135. The lad rode back to his golden castle, and gave his green dress and his golden steed to the yellow-faced russet servant to tend and feed. When he was rested and feasted, he gathered the skirts of his gray garment and gathered his cows and followed them home.

^136. The herd met him and said, "Good news to-night, my lad."



 70 

"What's that?" said he.

"The cook has killed the dragon and won the princess and half the realm, and all the people are bidden to a great wedding-feast that the king will give to-morrow. There is many a good blade in a bad sheath, and that cock-eyed carrotty cook is one."

"You don't say so," quoth the Gray Lad, and he sauntered home with his beasts, arid slept as if nothing had happened.



Footnotes

^69:1 From a Gaelic version told by Dewar and Macnair. In Swedish, the princess aids by putting rags on the necks of the monster, for the heads when they touch water gain life and leap on again. This incident is in Gaelic also, and occurs at the end of this story.


       
The Celtic Dragon Myth, by J.F. Campbell, [1911 , at sacred-texts.com



  

FIRST WAY.

^137. Now the king's daughter and the carrotty cock-eyed cook were to have a hearty merry marriage-feast in the king's house, but the lad got up as usual and went off with the cows to the third park. [*1 

^138. He went to the golden castle and blew his whistle; when the yellow russet lad came out he said: "What's your will, master?"

That he told him, and when the time came he sauntered home as he used.

^139. "Well," said the old herd, "I have more news."

"What's that?" said the lad.

The king's daughter says that she will marry no man unless he can loose the knots on the withies on which the dragon's heads are strung. The cook can't do it, and the fourteen fine, full-armed worthy warriors of the king's guard have tried all they can, and no



 71 

man amongst them is able to loose the least of them. The king has bidden all the realm to the feast, and they are all feasting now.

"Why did you not go to the feast with the rest?" said the lad.

"I would not go and leave you alone," said the old herd.

^140. "What a well-decked wedding-board the king and his daughter have now," said the fisher's son. "I wish we had it here in front of us."

^141. "Come here, my darling dog," said he, "and stretch your legs, and don't be lazy. Run to the bride's room, and fetch me the cloth that is spread on the board before the king and the bride and the carrotty cock-eyed cook."

^142. Away ran the black dog, and up he went and in he stole to the bride's room. He seized the cloth and gathered it up before them all, and took it and ran to the herd's bothy and laid it on the board between them.

^143. "Is there any one at all," said a counsellor that the king had, "who is not here? It is long since I heard it said: 'Strong is a whelp from a guiding breast.' [*1  Send to the herds hut, and let us see if he is within or if any one is with him."

^144. Away went three of the king's worthy warriors, and when they got to the herd's hut, there they found the herd and a stranger, and every bit



 72 

that ought to be on the king's board spread on a cloth between.

Back they went as fast as they could, and told their tale.

^145. "I said it once, and I say it now: 'A whelp is strong from a guiding breast,'" said the king's counsellor. "It was a pity to make such a grand wedding for that carrotty-headed cook who can't loose these knots. Go back and fetch the herd."

^146. So the well-armed worthy warriors trotted back, and brought the herd, but he could not loose the knots any more than the rest.

^147. "I said it before, and I say it once again," said the king's counsellor: "'A whelp is strong from a guiding breast.' Go down and fetch the herd's boy."

^148. So three worthy warriors went down to the herd's hut once more, and they said to the lad who sat there: "Who told you to take away all that was on the king's table? Come to the castle."

"I never took it, and I never stirred from here," said he, "and I don't mean to stir."

So the worthy warriors trotted back, and told their tale.

^149. "Once more," said the counsellor, "I say that I have heard it said often: 'Strong is a whelp from a guiding breast.'"

"Get up you little band of worthy warriors from the king's guard, and go down and fetch up the herd's boy bound."

 73 

^150. So the little band of warriors got up and marched down to the herd's hut where the boy sat with his black dog.

"Who told you to take all that ought to be on the king's board?" said they all. "You must come to the castle."

"I did not take the king's dinner," said the lad.

"If you did not take it, your dog did, and your dog is insolent," shouted all that little band of worthy warriors.

"Don't talk," said the captain, "but seize him and bind him, and take him as you were told."

^151. "Arise, my puppy," said the fisher's son, "and haul them with the rhyme, and drag them against the rhyme, and out into the puddle at the door."

So the dog got up, and dragged them draggled through the puddle outside the herd's door and the byre.

^152. Draggled as they were up went the little band to tell their tale, and the counsellor said: "I don't believe that that cock-eyed cook or the worthy warriors ever did that deed at all. Have I not said it: 'Strong is a whelp from a guiding breast'? Go down, you great band of fourteen well-armed worthy warriors of the king's guard and the bridegroom at your head, and fetch the herd's boy and his dog bound."

^153. So the cock-eyed carrotty cook got his great carving knife, and the fourteen full-armed worthy

 74 

warriors of the king's guard put on their martial array and marched to the herd's hut where the lad sat in his gray garment with his black dog.

^154. "Why did you dare to take all that was on the king's board?" shouted all the great band.

"I did not," said the Gray Lad.

"If you did not your dog did, and he is insolent and ill-bred," said they all at once. "Why did you draggle the worthy warriors who came to fetch you?"

"I did not," said the fisher's son.

"Don't chatter with such a knave," said the bridegroom, "but bind him and bring him as you were bid."

^155. "Arise my pup," said the herd's boy, "and seize them, and haul and pull and drag them, with the rhyme, and against the rhyme, and draggle them in the puddle that is outside."

^156. So the black dog got up and drove and dragged and pulled and hauled the bridegroom with his bravery and his big knife and the fourteen full-armed worthy warriors of the king's great guard in all their martial array, with the rhyme and against, and up and down and out into the puddle that was at the door of the herd's byre outside.

^157. When they got back all dirty and draggled the sage old counsellor said to the king: "Several times have I said that I have often heard it said, and I say it again that it often will be said: 'A pup is strong from a guiding breast.' I don't believe that these draggled people slew the dragon."

 75 

^158. "Come you," said the king to his gille, "and set in order the coach that we may send for the herd's boy."

^159. So the coach was set in order, and sent to the herd's bothy where the lad sat with his black dog in his gray garment.

^160. "Get up," said the gille, "the king wants you, and here is the coach come to fetch you."

^161. So the lad got up and filled the coach with big stones and muck, and the gille had to go back.

^162. Down came the king to see who was in his coach, and he opened the door. But if he did the stones and the muck tumbled out and nearly smothered him. I won't say what I have said," quoth the counsellor, but the best thing to be done now is to go yourself and fetch the herd's boy. So the coach was cleaned, and the king and the king's daughter and the counsellor got into it, and down they drove in state to the herd's hut.

^163. When the Gray Lad saw that the king had come, he got up and got into the coach and drove to the king's castle. He got out and tucked up the skirts of his gray garment, and in he went to the room where all in the realm that were able to walk had been gathered, and there lay the dragon's three heads upon three withies, fastened with three knots which no one could loose.

^164. So the swarthy, rough-skinned fisher's son, the herd's boy in his gray garment, walked up to the heads, and many who looked at the draggled-tailed

 76 

gray garment sniggered and laughed and mocked him as he passed.

^165. "Is there no one who can loose these knots?" said he.

Then he took the withies and loosed the knots one after the other, and the cook and the warriors began to quake. [*1 

^166. "Stop," said the king's daughter. "The man that slew the dragon and that I am to marry wants the tip of an ear, and the point of a finger, and a patch from the crown of his head. Sit still and quiet all that are set here about this chamber."

^167. She went round the room from man to man, and all put out their hands and felt their ears and scratched their polls, but she never stopped till she got to the lad with the gray garment, who had his hand in his bosom.

^168. "Put out your hand," said she.

"My hand is hurt," said he.

^169. So the king's daughter snatched his hand and drew it out, and put her own into a pouch, and took out the tip of a little finger, and the tip of an ear, and a lock of hair with the skin of a scalp as big as a coin, and they all fitted.

^170. "That's truth," said she. "It was you who slew the dragon, and you who rescued me, and I will never have any other to be bridegroom and lover. I am yours and half the realm while the



 77 

king lives, and all the realm when he dies." And everybody shouted for joy except the cook.

^171. The cook was hanged at once, and then the lad was to marry the king's daughter.

^172. But he asked for two hours' grace, and that he got. Out he went and shook his rusty bridle, and the black steed came. He mounted and rode to the golden castle and blew the whistle, and when the yellow-faced russet lad came out, he said, "What's your will, master?"

^173. "The best horse and the best dress in the castle," said the Gray Lad. That he got: the sky-blue pacing palfrey that could fly through the sky, and the glittering glass dress that the carlin had. He combed his hair with the golden comb till gold and silver showered from either side. He washed in the golden basin, and combed his locks with the fine side of the golden comb, and then he was the most beautiful man that the world had seen.

^174. When he was thus arrayed, he mounted and rode through the air to the king's castle, and the king's daughter came out to meet him. They went to the castle hall. A churchman was got, and they were married.

^175. A great and wonderful wedding was made for them, and they sent me home and gave me neither welcome nor guest-room there.

^176. Now, after the fisher's first son had been married for some time to the king's daughter, it so

 78 

fell out that she longed greatly for dulse, [*1  and she asked the lad to go with her to the strand to seek it. The lad forgot his promise to his father, and they took their way to the sea-shore, where the brown sea-ware was rising and sinking amongst the blue waves, below the deep-dyed dark-green hills of Greece.

But while they were straying and playing and gathering dulse amongst reefs and stones on the ebb, the mermaid rose and made a rush, and seized the lad and shouted:

"It is many a day since you were promised to me, and now I have you perforce," and then she swallowed him up alive.

^177. The bride, when she saw what had happened, fled to shore, weeping and wailing in shadow and darkness, sad and tearful and sorrowful for the loss of her married mate. She sat by the shore wringing her hands till the tide rose, and then she went back to the castle where the counsellor was, to ask his aid.

^178. What shall I do?" said she. "What shall I do? For a mermaid has taken away my married man, and I am left alone. How shall I find a way to get my man back?"

"This do," said the counsellor. "Go down with all the dresses and braveries and jewellery that



 79 


Click to enlarge
"She sat on a green mound in the gloaming in the mouth of the evening, playing on her harp."


you have, and spread them out by the sea-shore. Take your harp and play."

And much more he said which she did, and I omit in order to avoid telling the story many times as reciters always do when they spin yarns.

^179. Down she went with all that she held most precious--dresses and jewels and things of price--and she spread them on the rocks by the sea. She sat on a green mound in the gloaming in the mouth of the evening, playing on her harp beside them.

^180. She had not sat long there playing in the dark when the mermaid rose outside the surf, for mermaids are fonder of music than any other creatures, and there she floated, listening; but when the king's daughter saw the mermaid, she stopped.

^181. "Play on," said the mermaid.

"No," said she, "not till I see my man again."

So the mermaid opened her great mouth and gaped, and showed the lad's head, and the king's daughter knew that he was alive.

^182. "What fine things you have there!" said the mermaid, as she swam close to the shore.

"Yes," said she. "I would give them for my husband."

"Well, then, play on," said the mermaid.

^183. So the lady sat on the green mound and played, and the mermaid lay in the brown sea-ware and listened, and opened her mouth and gaped, and showed the lad to the waist, and swallowed him down again.

 80 

^184. Then the lady stopped, and the mermaid said again:

"What fine things you have there on the rocks!"

"Yes," said she, "I would give them all for my husband."

"Well, then, play on," said the mermaid.

^185. So the lady played on, and the mermaid rolled amongst the brown sea-ware in the blue water amongst the waves, and she opened her mouth once more and took out the lad altogether, and placed him upon her open palm.

^186. But he, when he was free, thought of the falcon, and was a falcon, and flew and darted to shore, and was free.

^187. But when the mermaid saw that her prey was gone,, she made a snatch at the wife and took her away instead.

^188. When the lad saw that the mermaid had taken away his wife, he was wild with grief, and mad with rage, and did not know what to do, so he went to the counsellor and asked his aid.

^189. "Well," said the counsellor, "there is but one way to win your wife, and that is to take the mermaid's life."

"And how is that to be done?" said the lad.

"The mermaid's life," said the counsellor, "is not in her, and it is easy to take. It is in an egg, which is in a fish, which is in a duck, which is in a ram, which is in a wood, under a house on an island, in a lake."

 81 

^190. Now the lad thought that the first thing to be done was to get to the loch. So he went to his golden castle and donned his glittering glass dress, and mounted the sky-blue palfrey, and took his gold-hilted glaive of light in his hand, and his dress became him well.

^191. He rode and rode till he reached the loch, and then at a bound the horse was in the island.

^192. He found the house in a wood, and he dug under the stance, and found a flag-stone.

^193. He raised it and out rushed a ram.

^194. So he thought of the wolf, and was a wolf, and he chased the ram all round the island, and caught and slew it.

^195. But when the ram was slain and torn open, a duck flapped out of his inside, and flew swiftly off to the sky.

^196. Then he thought of the falcon, and was a falcon, and flew a swift flight till he soared over the loch above the duck, and then he stooped and struck.

^197. But as he did, a fish fell from the duck out into the loch, and the falcon flew to shore, and was a man.

^198. But the lad could not think what to do next.

^199. So he thought of the fox, and was a fox, and he found out an otter's den on the island, and seized the cubs. [*1 



 82 

^200. "Let go my cubs," said the otter to the fox, "and I will be your faithful ally for ever."

"Well, then," said the fox, "fetch me the fish that fell in the loch from the duck just now."

^201. So the otter dived out into the water like an oiled stick, and rose quickly with a trout.

^202. But out of the trout's mouth rolled an egg, and the lad seized it, and set his foot on it amongst the stones on the shore.

^203. Then the mermaid rose in the loch, and roared a roar, and screamed a yell, and cried out: "Break not the egg, and you shall have all you ask."

^204. "Give back my wife," said the lad. So the mermaid swam to shore and opened her mouth, and the wife sprang on dry land, safe and sound.

^205. When he got her hand in his, he crushed the egg with his foot against the stones, and the mermaid was a heap on the rocks.

^206. There was joy and delight in the king's castle that night, for the king's daughter was safe, and the dragon was slain, and the mermaid dead, and when the lad told how he had slain the great carlin, and the three big giants with their five heads and five humps and five throttles apiece, and how he had saved the king's cattle, and gained three castles, then the king gave him great honour and half his realm, and he was a mighty man with the monarch from that day forth, and, as they say in the Highlands, there I left them, but only to come back to them after awhile.



Footnotes

^70:1 From the Fisher and the Gray Lad (with a bit inserted).

^71:1 Is laidir cuilean a uchd treoir.

^76:1 In another version, he loosens three sons of the King of Sorcha (light) whom he had conquered and bound.

^78:1 A fucus which grows upon rocks and upon other sea-ware, and comes above water at low tide. It is good to eat, and tastes somewhat like nuts and sea-water.

^81:1 As Donald Macphie related.


       
The Celtic Dragon Myth, by J.F. Campbell, [1911 , at sacred-texts.com



 83 

  

THE SECOND WAY.

^207. Now, when the fisher's three sons parted at the three ways, the middle brother took the middle road with his black horse and his black dog, and his gold-hilted glaive by his side, and he rode up a steep hill.

^208. He took the hill way, and when he got to the top of the mountains he fell in with a great plain, and on he went till he came to a place where a lion, a pigeon, and a rat were all three quarrelling over a grain of corn. He was not much afraid of them, and went to see the sight.

"Come hither, lad," said the lion, "and give just judgment between us three. You will be the better for it if you do, but if you give unjust judgment you shall be put to death."

"What think you of my being here?"

"Well," said he, "I have no very sure notion, but I think that you ought rather to be about the banks of rivers."

Then the pigeon said: "And what think you of my being in this place?"

"I'm not sure what to think," said he, "but I have a notion that you ought rather to be amongst boughs and banks and rocks," said he.

"And what think you of my being in such a place?" said the rat.

"I don't surely know," said the lad, "but I am sure of this, that you ought to be gathering a shelter to keep ready for winter."

 84 

That pleased them well. Then the lad thought awhile, and spoke.

"You, lion," he said, "I wonder that you who have been raised above all the beasts of the field, should think it worth while to quarrel with a rat about a grain of barley. And you, pigeon, who can fly so far and fast through the sky, and gather so much, I wonder that you should dispute one grain of corn with a rat."

Then the lion spoke for the rest, and he said--

"Well hast thou judged. The rat has best right to the barley-corn. We three were put under spells here to remain as lion, pigeon, and rat, and we were to dispute about this barley-corn till some one should come to give us right. Because of my might all that came before judged that I had the right, and I slew them all. We are kings altogether, and you have done us great service. Each of us will be a king again, and may go to his own realm, and for your help to me your reward shall be that whenever you think of me, you may be a lion, so that you may do a lion's exploits."

Then the pigeon said: "You have done me great service, and my gift is: If ever you need it, you need but to think of me and you will be in this form."

Said the rat: "He has done me as great a service as to either of you, and whenever he thinks of me he may be a rat, and though I be the sorriest amongst you, it may well be that it will serve him as.

 85 

well to be a rat as to be in the shape of either of you."

They went away, and he never asked what realm belonged to any one of them.

^209. On he went and on he rode as swiftly as ever his brother did, till he came to a realm that he did not know. To all whom he met he spoke, and asked his road. All who knew it, answered. All who did not, gave him a civil reply, and so he went, and hurried till the evening was coming on, and he saw a great house before him, and a big town, and they told him it was the house of the king.

^210. So when he saw the king's castle, he came to the gate as a poor lad seeking service. He told his errand at the gate, and word was sent in to the king that a sturdy lad was at the gate seeking service. He was sent for, and it was settled that he should serve in the kitchen under the hand of the great cook, and he was called the little cook, and he was the best servant that the king ever had.

^211. He was there awhile, and he never saw a woman at all in the place. So one day he asked the head cook if there was ever a woman there at all.

"There is no woman here at all," said the head cook, "but the king's daughter, and it is not everyone who can get to her room."

"And where may that room be?" said the cook's mate.

"It is at the northern end," said the cook, "in a tower."

 86 

^212. Now one day it so fell out that the king had an errand, and the lad had to go to a house that was far away. The king wanted to give him a horse, but he said:

^213. "I would rather be without a horse, for I am not used to horses. But if you send a man on horseback I will be back before him."

That the king would not credit, but he thought that he would try. So a horseman was sent, and the little cook set off horseless to see who could soonest get back with the king's errand.

^214. No sooner was the lad out of sight of the castle than he thought of the pigeon, and he was a pigeon, and flew to the journey's end and got the matter, and he was back before the horseman had got half-way there. The king would not believe that he had been there at all, till the rider returned.

^215. "And where is the thing that I sent you to fetch?" said the king.

"They told me that the cook's mate got there before I did, and fetched it," said the rider.

The king was amazed, and he was very fond of the lad after that.

^216. Nevertheless, he had to sleep in the kitchen with a hound, and his company did not displease him, for he knew that she would tell no tales.

^217. Now it so happened that the cook's mate on his errands about the house saw the king's daughter, and spoke to her; and one night he thought that he would pay her a visit in her chamber.

 87 

[paragraph continues  So he threw a somersault out of heel and became a pigeon, and flew out of the window to the northern end of the castle, and to the top of the chimney, and down on to the floor, and then he was himself again in a trice.

^218. The king's daughter was sleeping sound, so he crept to the bedside and tried to steal a ring off her finger.

^219. But the king's daughter awoke in a fright and cried out, and all the guards and sentries and the king himself came rushing to help her.

^220. But before they got the door open, he thought of the rat, and was a rat, and fled under the bed and hid in an old bacholl of a shoe.

^221. The king and all his guard came clattering in and cried together: "What is the matter?"

^222. "Oh!" said the king's daughter, "there is a man in the room. He came to my bedside and tried to steal the ring off my finger, but I awoke and cried out."

^223. The guards searched and the king sought, and they kicked the old shoe hither and thither, but the little lad lay hid, and they found no one. When they were tired the king said:

"There is nobody in the room."

"Somebody was in this room when I called out," said she.

So the king and the guards sought again to see if there was any way to get out when the door was locked, and they peeped up the chimney and everywhere

 88 

else, and there was no place to get out of the room but the room door.

^224. So the king flew in great rage, and he growled: "Daughter, if you ever dare to make such a disturbance and rout about the house again, I will give it to you with my sword when I come up."

So he marched out and locked the door behind him.

^225. When they were all gone, the lad came out of the old shoe and turned heels over head, and was a lad again, and he seized her hand and stole the ring.

^226. But since she did not dare to cry out for fear of the king, she said softly

"Where were you when they were searching the room?"

"I was in the room all the time," said he.

"And who are you?" said she.

"I am your father's head-cook," said he.

"That you are not," said she, "but I should like to know who you are. But since you can come here, if you come again I will give you a gift, for such is the custom in this country." Away he went as he came, and back to his kennel beside the dog who could tell no tales.

^227. After a few days the lad thought that he would go the same way to see what might happen, and before he went away from the room the lady gave him a waistcoat (peiteag) embroidered with needlework, and told him to go with it to the fair at the big town next day.

 89 

^228. He was a pigeon, and up the chimney and in at the kitchen window, and into his kennel in a trice, but the waistcoat he stowed in his box.

^229. Next morning the head-cook was making himself smart for the fair, so the cook's mate began to wash his face.

"Are you going any way?" said the cook.

"I am going to the fair," said the other.

"You must not go," said the head-cook, "I am going."

The lad said never a word, but he opened his box, and took out the waistcoat and put it on.

"Wherever did you get such a brave (briagh) waistcoat?" said the great cook.

"No matter where, I have it," said the lad.

"I'd give you a good price for it to go to the fair in, if you would give it to me," said the great cook.

^230. "Well," said the other, "I won't be hard upon you. If you will give me seven bellyfuls before we go, and seven bellyfuls when we come back, you shall have the waistcoat for the fair."

So the lad got lots to eat, and the cook got the waistcoat, and put it on and went to the fair.

^231. When he was there, the king's daughter came to look if she could see who wore the waistcoat, but when she saw the cook with the waistcoat on, her hands fell down by her sides, and she went home.

^232. When the cook came home, his mate met

 90 

him. "Well," said he, "did you see the king's daughter at the fair?"

"Yes," said he, "I saw her."

"Did she speak to you?" said the lad.

"She did not speak," said the great cook, "but as soon as ever she saw me she turned home."

" She is in love with you," said the lad.

"That is exactly what I supposed," said the king's head-cook.

^233. That night, when everybody else went to bed, the cook's mate and the dog went to their kennel, but they had not been there long when the lad turned heels over head and was a pigeon, and out of the window and up in the chimney, and down on the floor of the north room, and there he stood as a handsome lad in the lady's room.

^234. "Why were you not at the fair?" said she.

"Was I not?" said he.

"No," said she. "And I wish you would tell me who you are."

"Am I not your father's head-cook?" said he.

Not you," said she, and this time she gave him a pair of garters and bade him wear them at the fair for her sake.

Back he went, and these he stowed in his box as before.

^235. Next morning it was the same story as last day. The cook put on a pair of short breeks, as was the fashion of Frenchmen in these days, [*1  and the



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cook's mate cleaned himself and produced his grand garters. Such garters the head-cook had never seen, and he got a loan of them for the same price seven good bellyfuls before he went to the fair and seven more when he came back.

^236. He put on the garters and went. But when the king's daughter saw the cook arrayed in the broidered waistcoat and the grand gay garters, her arms drooped, and she had to go home for fear she should faint.

^237. "Did you see the princess at the fair?" said the lad, when he came home, "and did she speak to you to-day?"

"I saw her," said the head-cook, "and she saw me, and as soon as ever she did her arms fell by her sides, and she went home."

"She must be in love with you," said the cook's mate.

"I rather think that she is," said the king's head-cook.

^238. That night it was the same story. The lad went to see the princess, and before he went away she gave him a cap (biorraid) to put on his head, and bade him wear it at the fair, for it was the fashion in that country for ladies to give keepsakes to lads whom they liked.

^239. Next morning it was the same thing again. The head-cook got a loan of the grand cap, and the little cook stayed at home and had plenty to eat. But when the princess saw the cook with the grand

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gay garters and the broidered vest and the biorraid on his head as grand as a lord, she nearly fainted, and home she went as fast as she could.

^240. When the cook got home and told his tale, his mate was sure that the princess had fallen in love with him; and he rather thought that that was the case.

^241. A while after that there came a herald (teachdaire) from the Turkish emperor, [*1  or from another powerful king. [*2  He came to seek the king's daughter, and if she were not given at once, the Turkish emperor was to come to fight him. The king gathered the nobles of the realm [*3  to get counsel from them, and he said:

"Daughter, I think it will be best to give you, for I have not got men enough to fight the Turks. It will be best to send word to the emperor that you will go."

^242. "It will be cast up to me afterwards," said she, "if it is said that the realm of France could not hold one day's battle."

The high counsellors were gathered, and the king put the question before them whether war or submission to the Turks was best, and the counsel that they made out at last was that war was better than too easy submission. So the king sent a herald to the Turkish emperor to say that he would not give







 93 

up his daughter in spite of him. It was to be battle.

^243. The king gathered all his people,--head-cook, little cook, and all--and he set out to meet the Turks.

^244. But when he was near the field of battle, they remembered that they had left their standard behind. They could do no good without the flag, and there was but little time to fetch it. The flag was in the bedroom of the king's daughter, at the top of the castle, at the north end; and there was the king's armour [*1  too, hung up at the bedside, as men in the isles hang their garments on a peg, for that too was forgotten.

^245. Now, if the king had these he thought that he might win the battle. [*2 

^246. "Oh," said the king, "is there any one in the camp who will try to bring the flag and my armour before the battle begins? If I gain, he shall have my daughter for reward, and my realm when I die, but if he fails his head shall be cut off at once."

^247. There was no one who would leave the field but the head-cook, and off he set in great haste homewards.

^248. But the cook's mate took a turn aside and turned head over heels, and was a pigeon, and flew his best flight to the castle, and was a man, and ran upstairs and he shouted to the king's daughter--





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^249. "Open quickly, for there is great haste and need of the standard."

"I know your voice," said she. "I need not open the door, you have a way of opening it; come in as you came before."

"I have no way of opening doors," said he.

"Whether or no," said she, "you have some way to come into this chamber, so enter."

^250. When he saw that there was no help for it, he turned over, and was a pigeon, and out of the window and up and down the chimney, and there stood before her the handsome lad that came to seek service at her father's castle, and not the head-cook.

"I see who you are now, lad," said she, "and how you got in, but where were you when they sought you."

^251. "I was in yonder old bacholl of a shoe," said he; and he turned heels over head, and was a rat, and into the shoe and out again and himself in a trice.

^252. "No one who could do all these tricks but could do a third," said the princess. "Show me another trick."

"I am afraid you will be frightened," said he.

"I won't be frightened for you in any shape of seeming," said she.

So he turned over and was a great lion.

^253. But she took her shears, and shore a lock from his shaggy beard, and kept it, and she gave him the flag and armour.

^254. Then he took another turn and was a pigeon,

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and flew till he met the head-cook coming at about a third of the way back.

^255. He met him and gave him the flag and armour, and he was back at the camp in time.

^256. Then the fight began. The king put his soldiers in order of battle, and the Turks went to meet them, and victory was with the Turks.

^257. The French were fleeing at each place in the field. So the little cook's mate stole into a thicket, and thought of the lion, and he was a lion himself.

And, as the old lady in Berneray says, what should he do but turn back all and whole of the king's foes. He tore and smashed and killed everyone, and drove the field with the king. According to Macnair, he also showed generalship, for he began at the Turks at the end that was farthest off, and put them out of order of battle. The French rallied, and the rout was on the Turks at the last. They fled to their ships, and very few escaped alive on board. [*1 

Then the head-cook, like Raja Vivata, said that he had gained the fight, and he it was who brought the flag and the king's mail, and so he was to have the princess, and be heir to the realm.

^258. The whole array marched back in triumph,



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and matters were set in order for a grand wedding.

^259. The nobles were asked, and all the realm was gathered, and the cook sat at the end of the board, at the high end, exceedingly proud. Drinking and music and joy were up, and word was sent for a priest, so that the wedding knot might be tied.

^260. The priest came, and the cook was in great haste to get it all over, for he was very tired and sleepy.

^261. Then the king's daughter stood up and said: "There is one who ought to be here, and is not."

"All the household are here but the cook's mate," said the Grand Kitchener, "and it does not signify whether he is here or not."

"No one of the household is to be absent from my wedding," said she.

^262. So a messenger was sent for him, but he would not come.

^263. Then another and more honourable messenger was sent, and he would not come.

^264. Then the bride herself went down to the kitchen where the lad was.

"And why did you not come to be at my wedding?" said she.

^265. "I never was asked," said he, as his brother said in the like case.

"You were asked," said she.

"You did not ask me," said he.

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^266. Then she grasped his hand and said: "Come up with me, then." And so he went.

When she got to the guests, she said:

"Here is one who can turn twists and play tricks that will cause you wonder. Do one for me," she said to the lad.

"Perhaps you will be frightened," said he.

"No," they said that they would not.

^267. So the lad turned over and was a rat, and he ran about the floor, and nibbled the ladies' feet till they screamed and yelled and laughed.

^268. Then he turned over again and was a pigeon, and flew, and stood on the ladies' knees, and all were pleased, and stroked his feathers till they were like to hurt him; they were so pleased with the pretty bird.

^269. But when he had been all round the company, he flew up to the lights and flapped them out with his wings, and then the ladies giggled and laughed, and said that they had never before seen a man turn himself into a rat and a pigeon in this strange fashion.

^270. Then all begged that he would play another trick, and when the lights were lit once more, he gave another turn, and was a lion, gaping and roaring all about the room, and the ladies fled and tumbled about for fear, as did the Grand Kitchener, and all but the king and his daughter.

^271. "Aha," said the king. "This is the man who did the deeds this day, and not me."

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^272. Then the princess fitted the yellow lock in the lion's shaggy beard, and she told that this was the man who fetched the flag, and that she had seen him play all the tricks.

^273. Then the lion turned over, and was a very handsome lad, as likely to look upon as any in the whole realm, and all allowed that such a lad ought to have the princess.

^274. So the cook's mate was married to the daughter of the French king, and the herd's boy was married to the daughter of the King of Greece, and the Lord High Grand Kitchener was sad, and disagreed, and left the company.

^275. That wedding lasted for six days of the week, with drink, and music, and great rejoicing, and there I left the fisher's second son at the end of the second way.

^276. The third brother, when he parted from the others, rode west, as it is said in Berneray, where all ways would lead to the sea after a couple of miles, and he came to a great forest.

^277. Up he went into the forest, to try if he could see houses or find any people of the place, but nothing could he see but a tangled wilderness of wood and birds and fruits that he had never seen before. At last, day was going, and night was coming.

^278. He thought that it would be well if he could find some place or other where he might stay in the night, for he was afraid wild beasts of this

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forest might come through the night and slay him, and so he went wandering on, thinking that he should like to find a place where he might be safe in the night.

^279. As he went, he saw a great castle before him, with a rampart wall about it. At first he feared to go on, for he did not know whether peaceful people or fierce men were within, or whether they might not slay him. But spite of danger, he risked going on.

^280. He reached the castle, and he saw no one at all. He went round about the rampart till he came to a gate, and he went in by the gate, and looked all round, and still he saw no one.

^281. He saw an open door in the castle, and he went in, but still he saw nobody there.

^282. He went in past other two doors, and into a room where there was a fire.

^283. He sat at the fireside, and there he stayed for awhile waiting, but he saw none living. [*1 

^284. But a candle and a candlestick came into the room where he sat, and the candle and candlestick stood upon the board, and the candle gave light through the chambers.

^285. When he had sat for a long time and saw no one, he began to be tired of waiting, and to long.

^286. He thought that food might do him good if he could get it.

In an instant the board was spread, and his choice



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of every food that was better than another was on it. He sat a while staring at the board, but still he saw no one living; and he was very hungry. At last he thought that he might as well eat part of the food, whatever the matter might mean; so he sat by the side of the table, and he ate till he had enough. Then he sat at the fireside again.

^287. When he had sat awhile by the fire, he began to grow sleepy.

Then it seemed to him that if he had a bed he would go to rest.

^288. The candle and the candlestick that stood upon the board went to the first door that was next to him, and the candlestick with the candle in it, stood at the door. He sat awhile looking at them, wondering at all he saw, but in time he took courage, and got up and went where they were.

^289. They went when he came, till they came to another door, and there they stood.

^290. It seemed to him that he might as well follow to see where they should go. On they went, till they got to the next door, and again he followed.

^291. The third door was opened, and in he went to a wondrously gorgeous [*1  chamber with a bed in it, and the bedclothes were choice and ready for going to bed. He stood awhile looking about him and looking at the bed, and at last he came to think that as he could see no one, he might as well go to bed. So he stripped off his clothes, and he lay down in



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the bed, and put the clothes over his head and slept.

^292. The first time he awoke during the night, he seemed to perceive something like a human creature near him. This did not please him very well, so he moved from it as best he might, and he slept again. The next time he awoke it was day, and no one living was near him.

^293. He looked about him, as he usually did. The chamber was very richly set in order. He lay awhile staring about, and at last he got up to put on his clothes. But when he looked, there was not a rag of his there. He sought backwards and forwards, and all about, but he had no clothes to find. But there was a dress of other clothes, and clothes that were very grand, lying just where he had laid his own. Since he could not find his own, he put on the clothes he found instead, and he went to the chamber where the fire was--the first in which he sat when he came to the castle over night. He found it with board decked and spread with each meat and drink that was best, so he sat and ate his fill.

^294. When he had finished he looked about, and there he saw every sort of sporting gear [*1  that he ever had seen, and many sorts that he never had seen before. He took what he understood the use of, and he went out to shoot in the forest, and that day he killed a couple of turkeys--which feat the old sailor



 102 

or one of his messmates may have performed in America. These he took to the castle and cast on the ground, and when dinner-time came, one of them was ready. He wandered about the castle till "the night came," and when "the night came" he went in to the castle and to the chamber, where he was the night before, and he sat at the fireside.

^295. Then came the candle and gave him light.

^296. When he wished for supper, the board was decked. When he was sleepy, the candle led him from door to door, and he followed her, and went to bed and slept.

^297. The first time he woke, he felt as though a human creature lay on the bed, but he said never a word and slept, and the next time he awoke "the day was there," and there was no one with him in the bed but himself.

^298. He got up and found other and grander garments, and this time he was not so loath to put them on as he was the day before.

^299. He went to the quarter where he was used to find food, and the fire was lit and the board decked, and when he had eaten, he went out to sport, and that day he killed two hares. These he took to the castle and cast on the floor. One he found ready for dinner, and when the night came the candlestick with the candle in it came and stood upon the board, and the candle gave him light.

^300. When he wished for supper, the supper

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was ready upon the table, and when he had eaten and wished to go to bed, the candle went before to show him the way, and he followed and lay down.

^301. But he thought if anything should come near him, as on the other two nights, that he would speak, happen what might.

^302. When he woke, he felt as though a human creature were near him, and he said:

"Who are you? and where am I?"

The thing that was near him said:

"I am the daughter of the king of the golden castle, and this is the castle. Here you may be well off if you will beware of yourself, and do that which is right, as you ought."

"If I knew what I ought to do I would do it," said he.

"What you ought to do," said she, "is to respect me, I am the candle and candlestick that you saw. I was laid under spells to be a candlestick with a lighted candle in it, till I should find some one to stay with me, and lay no hand upon me to touch me, till the end of a year and a day, as you are now doing. Then I shall be free of the spells, and you shall marry me, and have half the realm while my father lives, and the whole realm of the golden castle when he dies."

"If I may get that," said he, "I will stay here with you for a year and a day, if I get what I need in the meantime."

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"You shall have all you desire," said she, "a suit of new clothes every day when you get up, your wish and choice of food, sporting gear and sport when you desire it, leave to go out and in as you see fit, but you will not see the face of man or woman here till my time of freedom comes. I am the candle that gives you light, you may look at me, here you may be when you wish to sleep, and here I will visit you, and talk with you, but touch me not. You will never know when I come or go. If you will live thus for a year and a day with me, you will do me great service, and serve yourself."

"I will do all you say," said the fisher's son. "I will make myself happy here, till you are freed from spells," and soon after he fell asleep.

^303. When he awoke she was gone. All that day, and from day to day he "put time past" without seeing a soul, but when he awoke at night, the king's daughter was near him, and they talked awhile, and every morning when he got up, his suit of clothes was better and better, and so time was going past, till a year was nearly gone from the time he had left his mother.

^304. Then his mother's spells and crosses began to work on him, and he could not but think on those he left behind.

^305. On a night of these nights, while he lay chatting with the lady, he said that it was near a year and a day since he went away, and that his mother

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had laid crosses and spells upon him if he were alive and had the means that he should go back to see her and tell her his tale.

"I could easily find you a way to go," said she, "but my counsel is to stay."

But his mother's spells were always upon him, and so they talked and talked a great deal, and told their stories over again ...

^306. "I fear," said she at last, "that your mother will play you a trick that will harm us both, but tell me before you wish to start, and next day I will find you means to go."

^307. The night came, and when he said that he must go, she said:

"When you rise you will find a new suit to put on, and food as usual, and you will find a black palfrey standing in the stable door, bridled and saddled, half in, half out, ready waiting for you. Mount, and she will take you where you wish to be. You have but to take off the bridle and let her go, and she will come home, but take good care not to lose the bridle. When you want to come back here, you have but to go out and shake the bridle, and the black palfrey will come for you."

^308. As she said, so it was. He mounted, and he could not tell whether it was earth or air, till he arrived. But when he looked about he did not know the place; it was so altered with new houses.

^309. He met an old man that he used to know,

 106 

but he did not recognise him. He asked him where the old fisher lived.

"Oh," said the old man, "that man is not a fisherman now, he is richer than the king, and he has a house that is finer than the king's own."

Then he showed him the way, and as they went, the old man told the lad all that he could know of the story over again, and all that the lady had told the lad the night before, about the fisherman's changed life.

^310. When he got to the grand new house, grooms came for the horse, but he said that he would stable the steed himself. He took off the bridle, and no one knew where the steed went.

^311. Nobody knew him, but at last he showed the hair of his brow, and his mother knew him by a mote and a scar that were on his forehead, and then there was joy.

^312. The king asked them all to dinner, and the king's eldest daughter fell in love with the fisher's son.

^313. His mother wished him to marry the princess, but he would go back.

^314. But before he went, his mother made him tell all his part of the story over again, and then she said:

"But have you seen what sort of creature she is?"

"No," said he, "I have not seen her. I have put my first sleep past before I perceive that she is

 107 

near me, and I am in my sleep again when she goes away, and I never yet have seen what she is like."

^315. "Well, my son," said the mother, "your pains seem great to me. You don't know whether she is black or white, nor what is her seeming. She may be legless for aught that you know, but here is a candle, it will light if you breathe your breath on it; keep it carefully till you get a chance, and when she is asleep, light it. You will see whether it is worth your while to wait for her."

He took the candle, for he was glad to get it, and he put it next his breast.

^316. Next morning he was up betimes, and went out, and shook his bridle, and came in to breakfast. But before he was well sat down, the black palfrey was beating on the door. He went out and bridled her, and mounted and started, and no one knew the way he went.

^317. The black palfrey reached the golden castle, and he went in, and there he found the fire lit, and the board decked, and the candlestick with the lighted candle in it standing upon the board.

^318. All things happened as was usual on the first night. On the second, when he awoke, he felt that something was near, so he spoke and the lady answered, and then they told the whole of their stories over again, so that no one might forget it, if repetition would serve that end.

^319. "And now," said she, "beware of yourself, for the time is nearly run out."

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"I will take good care," said he.

^320. On the third night he took his candle from his breast, and hid it under the pillow, and when he awoke and spoke, none answered. Then he perceived that the lady slept, so he sought his candle and blew upon it with his breath, and it lit, and he saw the very sun-breath that was the most beautiful he ever had seen [*1  laid asleep outside the clothes.

^321. He was in great haste for fear she should wake, and he blew so hasty a blast at the candle that a spark fell upon her, and she went from him.

^322. In an instant, each bed and castle and thing that was there was gone, and he, stripped as he was, lay on the ground with the seaman's clothes that he wore when he came beside him.

He had but to rise as fast as he could and put them on.

^323. The castle was gone, and there was no knowing what had become of it.

The fisher's son was wandering far and wide about the wood, and he began to repent that he had not married the princess at home, for had he married her, he would not have lost thus both before and behind.

^324. All that day he wandered in that wilderness of a wood, and when night came, he climbed a tree for fear wild beasts should be in the forest.



 109 

^325. But when the night grew dark, the wild beasts were growling and whining all about the foot of the tree, and he feared that they would climb up and kill him. But no matter, that did not happen.

^326. The second day he wandered about eating wild fruits, and when night came he climbed another tree, and the wild beasts growled and prowled about it.

^327. When the third day came, the beasts left the root of the tree, and when daylight had come, he came down and set out to see what he might see in the forest. But he could see nothing save a wilderness of great trees.

^328. At last he came to a pretty green grassy glade, and there he saw a lion, an eagle, and an ant at the carcase of an old white horse. At first he turned to flee from the lion, but the lion roared: "Stop, lad; you need not trouble to flee, for I could speedily catch you, but come hither and make fair division of this carcase between us three. If you judge fairly, you will profit and so shall we; but if you fail, we shall suffer hereafter."

So the lad went to the dead horse, and there he found a lion, an eagle, and an ant standing by the white carcase. He took his little rusty seaman's knife that he used to have when he fished with his father to split fish and make bait of limpets and buckies, and he thought awhile as he looked at the old horse. At last he took his knife and cut off the horse's head, and that he threw to the ant.

 110 

"Here, you ant," said he, "is your share; here you have food and shelter, store and store-house, and dwelling."

Then he took his knife again and ripped up the carcase and dragged out the inside, and that he threw to the eagle.

"There, you eagle," said he, "it is fittest and softest for you to rive and tear with beak and claws."

"And, you lion," said he, "take the rest, for you have most power and pith to strip flesh from bones with teeth and nails."

Then said the lion: "Well have you done; you have given each that which is fittest, and for that, if at any time you come to straits or peril and need, you may be a lion three times."

Then said the eagle: "You have helped me likewise, and if you have need and it will help you, you may be an eagle thrice."

Then said the ant: "He has aided me as much as either of you, and if ever he has need to be in small space or creep through crannies, he may be an ant thrice."

Then the three blessed him and he blessed the three, and he left them with the white carcase of the dead horse in the forest glade.

^329. After this, one day, as he was wandering about the great forest, he thought that if he were an eagle, he would not be long ere he knew whether the house which held the daughter of the king of the golden castle was in the forest where he was.

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[paragraph continues  But no sooner did he think of the eagle than he was an eagle himself. He sprang, and he went upon his wings above the trees, and he wheeled and he wheeled about, and he wheeled round about again, and he saw the castle.

^330. He flew away, and he perched upon the top of the castle till the night came. When the darkness was there, down he went and stood on the ground, and he went round about the castle and saw no one. He went to the door, but it was shut and barred.

^331. He thought if he were as little as an ant that he would creep through the keyhole to see if the lady was there. But no sooner had he thought about the ant than he was one himself.

^332. He climbed up the door and crept through the keyhole, and down the door to the floor, and in to the room where he used to find his food, but that room was dark, fireless, and without a candle. Then he crept on, climbing doors and creeping through keyholes, till he crept through three chambers to the bedroom where he used to sleep, and there in the bed he heard a loud snore.

^333. Then he understood that some one had got the place that he used to have.

^334. The king's daughter knew that he was in the chamber, and she cried to a giant who was in the bed: "Get up, you giant; something that is not right is in the house."

^335. The man who was in an ant climbed up the bed and fled into the hole of a wood-louse (reudan).

 112 

^336. "I'll get him if he is inside this house," said the giant as he got up, "though he were no bigger than a barley-corn."

But the giant sought within and without, and all round about, and never thought that anyone could be in the hole of the wood-louse.

^337. While he was gone, the other came out and took his own shape, and spoke to the lady and she to him. But they had small time to talk, for the giant came back, and the fisher's son had to go into the ant's shape and flee into the hole, and there he stayed till next night.

But the giant came grumbling back and said, "I found nothing within but what ought to be." And he went to sleep.

^338. Next night the giant came in and slept, and the lady came in and laid herself where she was wont. Then the ant crept out and touched her with his sting.

"Rise, rise, giant," she cried aloud. "There is something about this castle that is not right, and unless you find it, it will harm either you or me."

But the ant fled back into the hole of the woodlouse.

"There is no one that can harm me," said the giant.

"Search the castle within and without," said she, "unless you find him, it will be the worse for you."

"There never was a man that could slay me," growled the giant, "but I'll go to seek him for you,

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and I will find him if he is no bigger than a barleycorn." And off he set to do the ransacking.

^339. When he was gone the ant crept out and became a man, and he said:

"How do you do?" (Cia mar a to thu).

"Ill enough," said she. "Ill you have done to yourself and to me. Me you have lost, and my lot is to take this giant against my will. Oh, if you had been aware of yourself, it had been well with you and with me now, but I must bear my lot since it has fallen upon me."

"It was my mother's fault," said he.

"I know that," said she, "but if you had taken my counsel, you might have been married to me, with half the realm of the golden castle."

"Is there no way to get back?" said he.

"No, not while this giant lives," said she. And then they talked long and sadly, and told the story all over again.

^340. "But," said the fisher's son, "perhaps I might find a way to slay this giant."

"You cannot slay him," said she. "It is not in himself that his life is at all."

"And where, then, is his life?" said the lad.

Said she: "It is in a lion that is in a thicket of oak, that is near the house of a farmer, that is at the uttermost end of this forest. In the lion's belly is a dove, and in the dove an egg. Nothing is that will kill this giant but to smite him with that egg."

^341. Then they heard the clatter of the giant's

 114 

feet coming, and the fisher's son had to be an ant a second time, and flee into the wood-louse's hole. The giant came in and sought in the room, and when he could find nothing, he went to bed and slept.

When the giant slept, the fisher's son crept out, for that was the last time he could be an ant, and it would not do to stay longer there. He thought the sooner he was out of the castle the better for him, so he climbed down the bed, and crept over the floor, and crawled up the door and through the keyhole, and down over the floors, and so from door to door, and from room to room, till he was outside the walls of the castle.

^342. Then he thought of the eagle, and sprang and flew to the castle top, and there he sat till day.

^343. As soon as the day came, he went upon his wrings to see if he could hit upon the farmer's house near the grove where the lion was.

^344. At the darkening of lateness he got there and took his own shape, and he beat upon the door, and the farmer came out and said:

"Who are you, and whence?"

^345. "I am a poor sailor," said he, "my ship was lost, and all on board were drowned but me; and since I cannot get back, I am seeking service."

"Come in, lad," said the farmer, "your sort used to be hungry and thirsty at times."

^346. In he went, and from less to more he offered to be a herd. "We need one of your sort," said the farmer. A lion is in a thicket of wood near us,

 115 

and each time the cattle go to that grove, the lion takes one of the cows, and sometimes he takes the best, and sometimes he takes the herd."

"I will be herd," said the fisher's son, and they settled the bargain.

^347. Early in the morning he used to arise to put out the cattle. He drove them out and went with them to pasture where the grass was best, and at night he used to bring them home.

^348. One of the farmer's daughters was dairymaid, and she fell in love with the herd, and she did not want him ever to go to the forest with the cattle, for fear that he should be slain by the lion.

^349. On a day of these days, the herd said to the farmer: "I will go to the wood with the cattle today."

"Well, then, don't go too far in," said the farmer, "for fear that the lion should happen upon you and take one of the herd."

"I will take care of that," said the herdsman. The dairymaid did not wish him to go, but she was more afraid that the lion might take the lad. But no matter and never mind, the thing that was done was driving the cows to the wood.

^350. When the herdsman got to the grove, instead of keeping the cows back, he drove them farther and farther into the forest, till at last the lion came.

^351. He was going to seize a brindled heifer that was there, but the herd got between them.

 116 

^352. Then he thought on the lion that he helped at the white horse, and in the twinkling of an eye, he was a lion himself.

^353. The two lions struggled till the sun was going west beneath the mountain at evening, without knowing which was losing or winning.

^354. They could struggle no more, so they sat and stared at each other.

^355. "If I had a draught of water I would rive you to gobbets," said the forest lion.

^356. "If I had one of wine I would tear you to tatters asunder," said the herd lion.

Then the forest lion got up and stalked back to the wood again, and then the herd lion got up and made a herd of himself, and drove the cattle home, singing a ditty tunefully.

^357. When he got home, the farmer said: "How went it with you to-day?"

"Well," said he.

"Saw you the lion?" said the master.

"I saw him," said the herd.

"I wonder he did not take one of the cattle," said the farmer.

"He wanted to take one," said the herd, "but I would not let him."

^358. The cattle were sent to the byre, and the dairymaid milked them.

^359. And she never got so much milk from them before.

 117 

^360. The herd got well taken to that night. Joy and a feast were made for him.

^361. Next day the master said: "You need not go to the wood with the beasts. A day now and again is enough. It is not easy to keep cows from the lion." The dairymaid said as much for fear of the herd's life.

But he said:

"There is good grass in the groves, and it is best to hold on till the cattle make it bare. I will keep off the lion."

^362. "Then I will go with you," said the farmer's daughter, and she was ready to start, but he would not let her go that day.

^363. He drove the cattle farther and farther in, till the lion came as before, and tried at the brindled heifer.

^364. Then the herd ran between and thought on the lion, and was a lion himself. The two lions struggled and tugged and fought all day, till the sun was going down under the mountain at evening, and then at last they paused and gazed.

^365. "If I had a draught of water," said the forest lion, "I would tear you to tatters."

^366. "If I had a draught of wine," quoth the lion-herd, "I would not be long about riving you asunder."

^367. Then they got up and went their ways as before.

^368. "Saw you the lion?" said the farmer, as he got home.

 118 

"I saw him," said the herd, "and he wanted to take the brindled heifer, but I hindered him."

"It's odd that he did not take you," said the master.

"If he could, he would have done that same," quoth the herd.

^369. So much milk they never got before.

^370. And the herd was feasted, and praised, and well treated that night.

^371. Next morning the farmer said: "I rather incline to think that you had better set the cattle on some other way to-day. A day in the wood now and again is quite enough. It is rather risky to go often to the forest with them, but that's no matter."

"The best grass is in the woods," said the herd, "and it is best to go there that grass may grow elsewhere."

^372. The dairymaid did all she could to keep the herd from the wood, for fear that he should be killed by the lion, but no matter. To the wood they went.

^373. Instead of holding the cattle back, he drove them farther and farther in, till the lion came, and he, as was his wont, tried to take the best in the herd. The herdsman thought of the lion for whom he divided the carcase, and was a lion for the third time, and the two lions struggled. And they struggled, and fought, and hauled, and pulled, and dragged, and bit, and roared, and growled, and struggled again, till

 119 

the sun was almost near going under the hill, and neither knew which should win or lose.

^374. Then they ceased struggling, and sat and glowered.

^375. "If I had one draught of water, you should never more keep me from taking a cow: I would tear you to pieces," said the forest lion.

^376. "If I had a draught of wine, I would set you so that you should never more come to take a cow that belonged to another, for I would rive you to gobbets."

^377. Who should be at his back when he spoke but the farmer's daughter coming to him with wine to freshen him up, for it seemed to her that he was weary on the night before. And she gave him the draught of wine.

^378. The forest lion rose and fled. The other rose when he had drunk his wine, and he stretched out after him, and he caught him, and killed him, and tore him to pieces. [*1 

^379. The pigeon came out of the lion's belly and sprang away on her wings. But the lion-herd made an eagle of himself for the third time, and spread his wings and darted after her, and he caught her and killed her, and took the bits to pieces, and found the egg.

^380. He never went back to the farmer's daughter or to the cows, but on he flew to the



 120 

castle, where was the daughter of the king of the golden castle, and when he got there, he got into his own shape.

^381. He went into the castle, and into the room where he used to find food, but there was none there, and on he went through the other chambers till he reached the bedroom.

^382. There lay the giant with ich and och and acain, groaning in a miserable plight.

^383. When the fisher's son went into the chamber where the giant was, he got up to be at grips with him. But he cast the egg at him, and the egg struck the giant full in the front of his face, and down tumbled the giant, dead.

^384. The hardest work the fisher's son ever found to do, was to carry that giant out of the castle. He tried to lift him, but he could not stir him. The thing which he had to do at last, was to take his seaman's knife and cut him into four quarters, and carry him out bit by bit, and bury him in a hole that he happened to find somewhere outside.

^385. When that was done and the chamber cleaned, he went and sat where he was wont, and there he sat till night.

^386. When the night darkened, the candlestick with the lighted candle in it came and stood on the board as it used to do. When he wished for food he had it instantly, and when he grew sleepy and wished to rest, the candlestick and the candle showed him the way, and he went to bed and slept.

 121 

^387. When he awoke he felt that some creature was near him. He spoke, and the king's daughter answered.

"Are you to be mine if I make out the time?" said he.

"I am," said she, "but you must begin at the beginning and be as you are for a year and a day. If you do that I shall be yours, and the golden realm--all as you might have had it before, unless you think it too long to wait."

"I am willing to wait if I get you then," said he.

"You will," said she, "if you wait, and you shall have all you wish for here but me while you are waiting for me."

^388. "I'll do that," said he, and so he did. Nothing worth telling happened for a year and a day, which seemed like one day to a lonely man who saw no one. At the end of the time, as he was wandering about in the castle, wearying, in came the most beautiful darling of a woman that he ever had seen, and said--

^389. "I am the daughter of the king of the golden castle, and now I am free of the spells that held me, but I must be gone for three days."

^390. "I will take you to the realm where my father is. This is not my castle, this is an enchanted castle, and we must leave it soon. Stay here till I come back."

^391. He did not like that at all, but for fear that he might go wrong as he did before, he stayed

 122 

there all alone for three days, and he never said a word against it.

^392. Then she came forth with a band of maidens and of youths, and she said: "I have come to seek you to go to the golden realm with me."

^393. "The ship is ready, let us go." And so they sailed over the ocean to the golden realm, where the old king was pleased to see his daughter come back with a handsome lad, and there they were married.



Footnotes

^90:1 According to Macnair.

^92:1 According to Macnair.

^92:2 According to an island authority who has less history.

^92:3 Maithean na rioghachd.

^93:1 Deise chruadhach.

^93:2 Probably because Macleod's fairy flag and ancient Norse standards are, and were, supposed to be magical.

^95:1 Which is a fair description of a Scandinavian battle in which sea-rovers got the worst of the fight. Be that as it may, the story remains in its own shape, and it is rather like the Exploit of Bhima in the Mahabharata, who won a battle single-handed.

^99:1 Gin, lit., any begotten being; creature.

^100:1 Anabharra riomhach.

^101:1 Inneal seilg.

^108:1 An aon deo-greine bu bhoidhche: a common phrase in speaking of a beautiful woman.

^119:1 The equivalent of the mermaid's death. This lion was one of the tribe who guarded the hearts of mythical beings.


       
The Celtic Dragon Myth, by J.F. Campbell, [1911 , at sacred-texts.com



  

THE MEETING OF THE THREE WAYS.

^394. So the fisher's three sons, who went upon three ways by courage, cunning, and patience, by using gifts earned from thrice three talking creatures of earth and air, had conquered nine foes. They had overcome three giants with many heads, and a giantess, owners of three metallic castles; a dragon with three heads who came from the sea; a mermaid whose life was in an egg which was won from the sea; the great Turk, his army, and his fleet, which brought him from the sea; a lion, in three hard fights, who wished for water and therefore belonged to the sea; a giant who could only be slain with an egg which came out of the lion. Each had won a princess and was heir to a kingdom; one had got three metallic castles besides, and they had overcome six fortresses. Now they have to encounter the weakest, and the least, and the most dangerous of

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their foes in the seventh castle. And this is the way in which the story was told in the Isles.


       
The Celtic Dragon Myth, by J.F. Campbell, [1911 , at sacred-texts.com



  

THE MEETING OF THE FISHER'S THREE SONS.

^395. On a day of these days the fisher's eldest son got early up and looked out of the window, and saw a little black castle over against him, and he asked his wife what castle that might be.

^396. She said it was but a castle that an evil creature had, and that no one ever came back who went there.

^397. "No matter," said he, "I will go."

"There never went a man there that came back to tell a tale," said she.

"I will see who dwells there," said the fisher's eldest son.

So up he got and took his black horse and dog, and over he went to the castle without more ado.

^398. He went in, and there he saw a woman combing her hair.

"Whence comest thou, father of my fondness and mother of my love, come up till thou tell me thy tale, come till I tell thee mine," quoth she. With many flattering words she wiled him on till he went towards her.

^399. Then she snatched up her magic club and smote him and made him a pillar of stone.

^400. She did the same to the horse and the hound, and there they all lay.

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^401. Now the old fisherman looked every day at his three trees in the garden, and one day he looked and saw that one had lost its leaves.

"That's true," said he, "I have lost a son this day."

^402. "I," said the middle son, who had come home, "I am going away to raise my brother's eric or blood-fine."

^403. He mounted his black horse, and his black dog followed him. His father had put a fish-bone in his hand, and it had grown into the gold-hilted glaive that hung at his side, and that had given him learning and wisdom. Away he went; each road was crooked, and every path smooth, and the black dog ran the track straight and right to the herd's hut.

^404. There never were created two more alike than he and his brother.

^405. "What made you stay away from your wife and sweetheart last night?" said the old herd.

^406. He was sent up to the king's house. The king's daughter went to meet him and to embrace him, believing him to be her own husband.

^407. He did not know how in the world he could manage to keep from his brother's chamber that night.

^408. So he told his brother's wife that he had laid a heavy wager with a gentleman, so that he could not go to bed, but he would sleep on a table in front of the bed. And he did so till morning.

 125 

^409. Then when he looked out, he saw the little black castle, and said to her: "What is yonder castle?"

Said she: "Did I not tell you that last night?" And then she told him all about it, and tried to keep him from going there.

^410. But he rose and went out, took his horse and hound, and over he went to the castle.

^411. In he went, and as was done to his brother, so was it done to him.

^412. The old fisher looked out in the morning, and the leaves had fallen from the middle tree.

^413. "That's true," said the youngest brother, who had come home in haste, "my brother is not alive. I will begone to raise his eric." [*1 

^414. He took his horse and hound and gold-hilted sword which his father gave him with learning and wisdom, and off he set. Each road was even and each path smooth for him, and he rode, and ran right and straight up to the palace of the king of the Greeks.

^415. The princess saw him out of the window, and out she went to meet and welcome and embrace him, and took him home.

^416. "It was enough to stay away the first night, without staying from me yesternight again," said she.



 126 

"Many a man may have matters of moment with gentlefolks, so that it may not be known when he will come," said the lad.

^417. They went to rest, and he laid a cold sword between them.

^418. In the morning he cast his eyes away from him, and saw the castle as his brothers had seen it, and asked what castle that might be.

^419. "Did I not tell you that last night and the night before?" said she, and then she told him.

^420. He arose, and took his horse and hound, and over he went to the castle. In he went, and he too saw a woman combing her hair.

^421. "Come up, treasure," [*1  said she, "son of the father of my desire, and the mother of my love, till I tell thee my news, and thou tellest me thine."

^422. He had no good notion of her, so he sprang towards her and felled her, and put his cold sword-edge upon her throat. "Death's overhead," said he, "what's your eric?"

^423. "That's much," said she. "A chest of gold and a chest of silver."

"That's mine," said he, "and thy death." And he whipped off her head.

^424. But as he did, his sword flew out of his hand.

^425. Then the old woman grasped her head in both her hands and set it upon her throat where it was before.



 127 

^426. The dog sprang at her, but she smote him with the magic club, and down he fell.

^427. Then the lad gripped the crone, and they wrestled and struggled, till he wrested the magic club from her hand.

^428. Then he smote her, and down she fell dead.

^429. He took her keys from her and searched the house.

^430. He found one chamber full of gold and one full of silver.

^431. He found a chamber full of gentlefolks' dresses.

^432. And one full of saddles, (433) and bridles, (434) and one full of boots and shoes.

^435. He found a room full of men turned into pillars of stone,

^436. and a vessel of balsam for bringing to life again.

^437. Then he took and began to spill it upon them till he revived them all; and amongst them were his own brothers.

^438. He gave his clothes and his own share to every man that was there, and a lot of gold and silver, and when all that was done the three brothers went off to the palace.

^439. Then the youngest said to the eldest, "You have the best wife that the dew of heaven ever was shed upon."

^440. "How know you that?" said he.

 128 

"I was with her last night," said the youngest brother.

^441. Then black jealousy struck the eldest, and he turns to him and sweeps off his head with his sword.

^442. The old fisherman looked out at his garden, and the tree of the youngest had fallen and the other two stood.

"That's true," said he. "The youngest is dead, and the other two live again."

^443. The brothers stayed that night in the palace, and in the morning they went away in a coach.

^444. They went home to their father's house, and took him and their mother, and in the morning they put them in a castle by themselves.

^445. The eldest brother got the realm, and the king's daughter was his wedded wife, and there these two lived happily, according to Alasdair mac Ruairidh Bhain.

^446. What became of the other and of the castles which were won, and the kingdoms, this narrator cannot tell, but some day or other he hopes to hear more about them out in the Isles.

THE FIRST LESSON.

  

THE "I."

In India, the Candidates for Initiation into the science of "Raja Yoga," when they apply to the Yogi Masters for instruction, are given a series of lessons designed to enlighten them regarding the nature of the Real Self, and to instruct them in the secret knowledge whereby they may develop the consciousness and realization of the real "I" within them. They are shown how they may cast aside the erroneous or imperfect knowledge regarding their real identity.

Until the Candidate masters this instruction, or at least until the truth becomes fixed in his consciousness, further instruction is denied him, for it is held that until he has awakened to a conscious realization of his Actual Identity, he is not able to understand the source of his power, and, moreover, is not able to feet within him the power of the Will, which power underlies the entire teachings of "Raja Yoga."

The Yogi Masters are not satisfied if the Candidate forms merely a clear intellectual conception of this Actual Identity, but they insist that he must feel the truth of the same--must become aware of the Real Self--must enter into a consciousness in which the realization becomes a part of his everyday self--in which the realizing consciousness becomes the prevailing idea in his mind, around which his entire thoughts and actions revolve.

 vi 

To some Candidates, this realization comes like a lightning flash the moment the attention is directed toward it, while in other cases the Candidates find it necessary to follow a rigorous course of training before they acquire the realization in consciousness.

The Yogi Masters teach that there are two degrees of this awakening consciousness of the Real Self. The first, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I'," is the full consciousness of real existence that comes to the Candidate, and which causes him to know that he is a real entity having a life not depending upon the body--life that will go on in spite of the destruction of the body--real life, in fact. The second degree, which they call "the Consciousness of the 'I AM'," is the consciousness of one's identity with the Universal Life, and his relationship to, and "in-touchness" with all life, expressed and unexpressed. These two degrees of consciousness come in time to all who seek "The Path." To some it comes suddenly; to others it dawns gradually; to many it comes assisted by the exercises and practical work of "Raja Yoga."

The first lesson of the Yogi Masters to the Candidates, leading up to the first degree, above mentioned, is as follows: That the Supreme Intelligence of the Universe--the Absolute--has manifested the being that we call Man--the highest manifestation on this planet. The Absolute has manifested an infinitude of forms of life in the Universe, including distant worlds, suns, planets, etc., many of these forms being unknown to us on this planet, and being impossible

 1  

of conception by the mind of the ordinary man. But these lessons have nothing to do with that part of the philosophy which deals with these myriad forms of life, for our time will be taken up with the enfoldment in the mind of man of his true nature and power. Before man attempts to solve the secrets of the Universe without, he should master the Universe within--the Kingdom of the Self. When he has accomplished this, then he may, and should, go forth to gain the outer knowledge as a Master demanding its secrets. rather than as a slave begging for the crumbs from the table of knowledge. The first knowledge for the Candidate is the knowledge of the Self.

Man, the highest manifestation of the Absolute, as far as this planet is concerned, is a wonderfully organized being--although the average man understands but little of his real nature. He comprises within his physical, mental and spiritual make-up both the highest and the lowest, as we have shown in our previous lessons (the "Fourteen Lessons" and the "Advanced Course"). In his bones he manifests almost in the form of mineral life, in fact, in his bones, body and blood mineral substances actually exist. The physical life of the body resembles the life of the plant. Many of the physical desires and emotions are akin to those of the lower animals, and in the undeveloped man these desires and emotions predominate and overpower the higher nature, which latter is scarcely in evidence. Then Man has a set of mental characteristics that are his own, and which are not

 2 

possessed by the lower animals (See "Fourteen Lessons"). And in addition to the mental faculties common to all men, or rather, that are in evidence in a greater or lesser degree among all men, there are still higher faculties latent within Man, which when manifested and expressed render Man more than ordinary Man. The unfoldment of these latent faculties is possible to all who have reached the proper stage of development, and the desire and hunger of the student for this instruction is caused by the pressure of these unfolding latent faculties, crying to be born into consciousness. Then there is that wonderful thing, the Will, which is but faintly understood by those ignorant of the Yogi Philosophy--the Power of the Ego--its birthright from the Absolute.

But while these mental and physical things belong to Man, they are not the Man himself. Before the Man is able to master, control, and direct the things belonging to him--his tools and instruments--he must awaken to a realization of Himself. He must be able to distinguish between the "I" and the "Not I." And this is the first task before the Candidate.

That which is the Real Self of Man is the Divine Spark sent forth from the Sacred Flame. It is the Child of the Divine Parent. It is Immortal--Eternal--Indestructible--Invincible. It possesses within itself Power, Wisdom, and Reality. But like the infant that contains within itself the sometime Man, the mind of Man is unaware of its latent and potential qualities, and does not know itself. As it awakens

 3 

and unfolds into the knowledge of its real nature, It manifests its qualities, and realizes what the Absolute has given it. When the Real Self begins to awaken, it sets aside from itself those things which are but appendages to it, but which it, in its half-waking state, had regarded as its Self. Setting aside first this, and then that, it finally discards all of the "Not I," leaving the Real Self free and delivered from its bondage to its appendages. Then it returns to the discarded appendages, and makes use of them.

In considering the question: "What is the Real Self?" let us first stop to examine what man usually means when he says "I."

The lower animals do not possess this "I" sense. They are conscious of the outer world; of their own desires and animal cravings and feelings. But their consciousness has not reached the Self-conscious stage. They are not able to think of themselves as separate entities, and to reflect upon their thoughts. They are not possessed of a consciousness of the Divine Spark--the Ego--the Real Self. The Divine Spark is hidden in the lower forms of life--even in the lower forms of human life--by many sheaths that shut out its light. But, nevertheless, it is there, always. It sleeps within the mind of the savage--then, as he unfolds, it begins to throw out its light. In you, the Candidate, it is fighting hard to have its beams pierce through the material coverings When the Real Self begins to arouse itself from its sleep, its dreams vanish from it, and it begins to see the world as it is. and

 4 

to recognize itself in Reality and not as the distorted thing of its dreams.

The savage and barbarian are scarcely conscious of the "I." They are but a little above the animal in point of consciousness, and their "I" is almost entirely a matter of the consciousness of the wants of the body; the satisfaction of the appetites; the gratification of the passions; the securing of personal comfort; the expression of lust, savage power, etc. In the savage the lower part of the Instinctive Mind is the seat of the "I" (See "Fourteen Lessons" for explanation of the several mental planes of man.) If the savage could analyze his thoughts he would say that the "I" was the physical body, the said body having certain "feelings," "wants" and "desires." The "I" of such a man is a physical "I," the body representing its form and substance. Not only is this true of the savage, but even among so-called "civilized" men of to-day we find many in this stage. They have developed powers of thinking and reasoning, but they do not "live in their minds" as do some of their brothers. They use their thinking powers for the gratification of their bodily desires and cravings, and really live on the plane of the Instinctive Mind. Such a person may speak of "my mind," or "my soul," not from a high position where he looks upon these things from the standpoint of a Master who realizes his Real Self, but from below, from the point-of-view of the man who lives on the plane of the Instinctive Mind and who sees above himself the higher attributes. To such people the

 5 

body is the "I." Their "I" is bound up with the senses, and that which conies to them through the senses. Of course, as Man advances in "culture" and "civilization," his senses become educated, and are satisfied only with more refined things, while the less cultivated man is perfectly satisfied with the more material and gross sense gratifications. Much that we call "cultivation" and "culture" is naught but a cultivation of a more refined form of sense gratification, instead of a real advance in consciousness and enfoldment. It is true that the advanced student and Master is possessed of highly developed senses, often far surpassing those of the ordinary man, but in such cases the senses have been cultivated under the mastery of the Will, and are made servants of the Ego instead of things hindering the progress of the soul--they are made servants instead of masters.

As Man advances in the scale, he begins to have a somewhat higher conception of the "I." He begins to use his mind and reason, and he passes on to the Mental Plane--his mind begins to manifest upon the plane of Intellect. He finds that there is something within him that is higher than the body. He finds that his mind seems more real to him than does the physical part of him, and in times of deep thought and study he is able almost to forget the existence of the body.

In this second stage, Man soon becomes perplexed. He finds problems that demand an answer, but as soon as he thinks he has answered them the problems present themselves in a new phase, and he is called upon

 6 

[paragraph continues  "explain his explanation." The mind, even although not controlled and directed by the Will, has a wonderful range, but, nevertheless, Man finds himself traveling around and around in a circle, and realizes that he is confronted continually by the Unknown. This disturbs him, and the higher the stage of "book learning" he attains, the more disturbed does he become. The man of but little knowledge does not see the existence of many problems that force themselves before the attention of the man of more knowledge, and demand an explanation from him. The tortures of the man who has attained the mental growth that enables him to see the new problems and the impossibility of their answer, cannot be imagined by one who has not advanced to that stage.

The man in this stage of consciousness thinks of his "I" as a mental thing, having a lower companion, the body. He feels that he has advanced, but yet his "I" does not give him the answer to the riddles and questions that perplex him. And he becomes most unhappy. Such men often develop into Pessimists, and consider the whole of life as utterly evil and disappointing--a curse rather than a blessing. Pessimism belongs to this plane, for neither the Physical Plane man or the Spiritual Plane man have this curse of Pessimism. The former man has no such disquieting thoughts, for he is almost entirely absorbed in gratifying his animal nature, while the latter man recognizes his mind as an instrument of himself, rather than as himself, and knows it to be imperfect

 7 

in its present stage of growth. He knows that he has in himself the key to all knowledge--locked up in the Ego--and which the trained mind, cultivated, developed and guided by the awakened Will, may grasp as it unfolds. Knowing this the advanced man no longer despairs, and, recognizing his real nature, and his possibilities, as he awakens into a consciousness of his powers and capabilities, he laughs at the old despondent, pessimistic ideas, and discards them like a worn-out garment. Man on the Mental Plane of consciousness is like a huge elephant who knows not his own strength. He could break down barriers and assert himself over nearly any condition or environment, but in his ignorance of his real condition and power he may be mastered by a puny driver, or frightened by the rustling of a piece of paper.

When the Candidate becomes an Initiate--when he passes from the purely Mental Plane on to the Spiritual Plane--he realizes that the "I," the Real Self--is something higher than either body or mind, and that both of the latter may be used as tools and instruments by the Ego or "I." This knowledge is not reached by purely intellectual reasoning, although such efforts of the mind are often necessary to help in the unfoldment, and the Masters so use it. The real knowledge, however, comes as a special form of consciousness. The Candidate becomes "aware" of the real "I," and this consciousness being attained, he passes to the rank of the Initiates. When the Initiate passes the second degree of consciousness, and begins

 8 

to grow into a realization of his relationship to the Whole--when he begins to manifest the Expansion of Self--then is he on the road to Mastership.

In the present lesson we shall endeavor to point out to the Candidate the methods of developing or increasing the realization of this "I" consciousness--this first degree work. We give the following exercises or development drills for the Candidate to practice. He will find that a careful and conscientious following of these directions will tend to unfold in him a sufficient degree of the "I" consciousness, to enable him to enter into higher stages of development and power. All that is necessary is for the Candidate to feel within himself the dawn of the awakening consciousness, or awareness of the Real Self. The higher stages of the "I" consciousness come gradually, for once on the Path there is no retrogression or going backward. There may be pauses on the journey, but there is no such thing as actually losing that which is once gained on The Path.

This "I" consciousness, even in its highest stages, is but a preliminary step toward what is called "Illumination," and which signifies the awakening of the Initiate to a realization of his actual connection with and relation to the Whole. The full sight of the glory of the "I," is but a faint reflected glow of "Illumination." The Candidate, once that he enters fully inter the "I" consciousness, becomes an "Initiate." And the Initiate who enters into the dawn of Illumination takes his first step upon the road to Mastery. The

 9 

[paragraph continues  Initiation is the awakening of the soul to a knowledge of its real existence--the Illumination is the revelation of the real nature of the soul, and of its relationship with the Whole. After the first dawn of the "I" consciousness has been attained, the Candidate is more able to grasp the means of developing the consciousness to a still higher degree--is more able to use the powers latent within him; to control his own mental states; to manifest a Centre of Consciousness and Influence that will radiate into the outer world which is always striving and hunting for such centres around which it may revolve.

Man must master himself before he can hope to exert an influence beyond himself. There is no royal road to unfoldment and power--each step must be taken in turn, and each Candidate must take the step himself, and by his own effort. But he may, and will, be aided by the helping hand of the teachers who have traveled The Path before him, and who know just when that helping hand is needed to lift the Candidate over the rough places.

We bid the Candidate to pay strict attention to the following instruction, as it is all important. Do not slight any part of it, for we are giving you only what is necessary, and are stating it as briefly as possible. Pay attention, and follow the instruction closely. This lesson must be mastered before you progress. And it must be practiced not only now, but at many stages of the journey, until full Initiation and Illumination is yours.

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RULES AND EXERCISES DESIGNED TO AID THE CANDIDATE IN HIS INITIATION.

The first instruction along the line of Initiation is designed to awaken the mind to a full realization and consciousness of the individuality of the "I." The Candidate is taught to relax his body, and to calm his mind and to meditate upon the "I" until it is presented clearly and sharply before the consciousness. We herewith give directions for producing the desired physical and mental condition, in which meditation and concentration are more readily practiced. This state of Meditation .will be referred to in subsequent exercises, so the Candidate is advised to acquaint himself thoroughly with it.

STATE OF MEDITATION. If possible, retire to a quiet place or room, where you do not fear interruption, so that your mind may feel secure and at rest. Of course, the ideal condition cannot always be obtained, in which case you must do the best you can. The idea is that you should be able to abstract yourself, so far as is possible, from distracting impressions, and you should be alone with yourself--in communion with your Real Self.

It is well to place yourself in an easy chair, or on a couch, so that you may relax the muscles and free the tension of your nerves. You should be able to "let go" all over, allowing every muscle to become limp, until a feeling of perfect peace and restful calm permeates every particle of your being. Rest the body and calm the mind. This condition is best in the

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earlier stages of the practice, although after the Candidate has acquired a degree of mastery he will be able to obtain the physical relaxation and mental calm whenever and wherever he desires.

But he must guard against acquiring a "dreamy" way of going around, wrapped in meditation when he should be attending to the affairs of life. Remember this, the State of Meditation should be entirely under the control of the Will, and should be entered into only deliberately and at the proper times. The Will must be master of this, as well as of every other mental state. The Initiates are not "day dreamers," but men and women having full control of themselves and their moods. The "I" consciousness while developed by meditation and consciousness, soon becomes a fixed item of consciousness, and does not have to be produced by meditation. In time of trial, doubt, or trouble, the consciousness may be brightened by an effort of the Will (as we shall explain in subsequent lessons) without going into the State of Meditation.

THE REALIZATION OF THE "I." The Candidate must first acquaint himself with the reality of the "I," before he will be able to learn its real nature. This is the first step. Let the Candidate place himself in the State of Meditation, as heretofore described. Then let him concentrate his entire attention upon his Individual Self, shutting out all thought of the outside world, and other persons. Let him form in his mind the idea of himself as a real thing--an actual being--an individual entity--a Sun around which revolves

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the world. He must see himself as the Centre around which the whole world revolves. Let not a false modesty, or sense of depreciation interfere with this idea, for you are not denying the right of others to also consider themselves centres. You are, in fact, a centre of consciousness--made so by the Absolute--and you are awakening to 'the fact. Until the Ego recognizes itself as a Centre of Thought, Influence and Power, it will not be able to manifest these qualities. And in proportion as it recognizes its position as a centre, so will it be able to manifest its qualities. It is not necessary that you should compare yourself with others, or imagine yourself greater or higher than them. In fact, such comparisons are to be regretted, and are unworthy of the advanced Ego, being a mark and indication of a lack of development, rather than the reverse. In the Meditation simply ignore all consideration of the respective qualities of others, and endeavor to realize the fact that YOU are a great Centre of Consciousness--a Centre of Power--a Centre of Influence--a Centre of Thought. And that like the planets circling around the sun, so does your world revolve around YOU who are its centre.

It will not be necessary for you to argue out this matter, or to convince yourself of its truth by intellectual reasoning. The knowledge does not come in that way. It comes in the shape of a realization of the truth gradually dawning upon your  through meditation and concentration. Carry this thought of yourself as a "Centre of Consciousness--

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[paragraph continues  Influence--Power" with you, for it is an occult truth, and in the proportion that you are able to realize it so will be your ability to manifest the qualities named.

No matter how humble may be your position--no matter how hard may be your lot--no matter how deficient in educational advantages you may be--still you would not change your "I" with the most fortunate, wisest and highest man or woman in the world. You may doubt this, but think for a moment and you will see that we are right. When you say that you "would like to be" this person or that, you really mean that you would like to have their degree of intelligence, power, wealth, position, or what not. What you want is something that is theirs, or something akin to it. But you would not for a moment wish to merge your identity with theirs, or to exchange selves. Think of this for a moment. To be the other person you would have to let yourself die, and instead of yourself you would be the other person. The real you would be wiped out of existence, and you would not be you at all, but would be he.

If you can but grasp this idea you will see that not for a moment would you be willing for such an exchange. Of course such an exchange is impossible. The "I" of you cannot be wiped out. It is eternal, and will go on, and on, and on, to higher and higher states--but it always will be the same "I." Just as you, although a far different sort of person from your childhood self, still you recognize that the same "I" is there, and always has been there. And although

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you will attain knowledge, experience, power and wisdom in the coming years, the same "I" will be there. The "I" is the Divine Spark and cannot be extinguished.

The majority of people in the present stage of the race development have but a faint conception of the reality of the "I." They accept the statement of its existence, and are conscious of themselves as an eating, sleeping, living creature--something like a higher form of animal. But they have not awakened to an "awareness" or realization of the "I," which must come to all who become real centres of Influence and Power. Some men have stumbled into this consciousness, or a degree of it, without understanding the matter. They have "felt" the truth of it, and they have stepped out from the ranks of the commonplace people of the world, and have become powers for good or bad. This is unfortunate to some extent, as this "awareness" without the knowledge that should accompany it may bring pain to the individual and others.

The Candidate must meditate upon the "I," and recognize it--feel it--to be a Centre. This is his first task. Impress upon your mind the word "I," in this sense and understanding, and let it sink deep down into your consciousness, so that it will become a part of you. And when you say "I," you must accompany the word with the picture of your Ego as a Centre of Consciousness, and Thought, and Power, and Influence. See yourself thus, surrounded by your

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world. Wherever you go, there goes the Centre of your world. YOU are the Centre, and all outside of you revolves around that Centre. This is the first great lesson on the road to Initiation. Learn it!

The Yogi Masters teach the Candidates that their realization of the "I" as a Centre may be hastened by going into the Silence, or State of Meditation, and repeating their first name over slowly, deliberately and solemnly a number of times. This exercise tends to cause the mind to centre upon the "I," and many cases of dawning Initiation have resulted from this practice. Many original thinkers have stumbled upon this method, without having been taught it. A noted example is that of Lord Tennyson, who has written that he attained a degree of Initiation in this way. He would repeat his own name, over and over, and the same time meditating upon his identity, and he reports that he would become conscious and "aware" of his reality and immortality--in short would recognize himself as a real center of consciousness.

We think we have given you the key to the first stage of meditation and concentration. Before passing on, let us quote from one of the old Hindu Mastery. He says, regarding this matter: "When the soul sees itself as a Centre surrounded by its circumference--when the Sun knows that it is a Sun, and is surf minded by its whirling planets--then is it ready for the Wisdom and Power of the Masters."

THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE "I" FROM THE BODY. Many of the Candidates find

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themselves prevented from a full realization of the "I" (even after they have begun to grasp it) by the confusing of the reality of the "I" with the sense of the physical body. This is a stumbling block that is easily overcome by meditation and concentration, the independence of the "I" often becoming manifest to the Candidate in a flash, upon the proper thought being used as the subject of meditation.

The exercise is given as follows: Place yourself in the State of Meditation, and think of YOURSELF--the Real "I"--as being independent of the body, but using the body as a covering and an instrument. Think of the body as you might of a suit of clothes. Realize that you are able to leave the body, and still be the same "I." Picture yourself as doing this, and looking down upon your body. Think of the body as a shell from which you may emerge without affecting your identity. Think of yourself as mastering and controlling the body that you occupy, and using it to the best advantage, making it healthy, strong and vigorous, but still being merely a shell or covering for the real "You." Think of the body as composed of atoms and cells which are constantly changing, but which are held together by the force of your Ego, and which you can improve at Will. Realize that you are merely inhabiting the body, and using it for your convenience, just as you might use a house.

In meditating further, ignore the body entirely, and place your thought upon the Real "I" that you are beginning to feel to be "you," and you will find that

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your identity--your "I"--is something entirely apart from the body. You may now say "my body" with a new meaning. Divorce the idea of your being a physical being, and realize that you are above body. But do not let this conception and realization cause you to ignore the body. You must regard the body as the Temple of the Spirit, and care for it, and make it a fit habitation for the "I" Do not be frightened if, during this meditation, you happen to experience the sensation of being out of the body for a few moments, and of returning to it when you are through with the exercise. The Ego is able (in the case of the advanced Initiate) of soaring above the confines of the body, but it never severs its connection at such times. It is merely as if one were to look out of the window of a room, seeing what was going on outside, and drawing in his head when he wishes. He does not leave the room, although he may place his head outside in order to observe what is doing in the street. We do not advise the Candidate to try to cultivate this sensation--but if it comes naturally during meditation, do not fear.

REALIZING THE IMMORTALITY AND INVINCIBILITY OF THE EGO. While the majority accept on faith the belief in the Immortality of the Soul, yet but few are aware that it may be demonstrated by the soul itself. The Yogi Masters teach the Candidates this lesson, as follows: The Candidate places himself in the State of Meditation, or at least in a thoughtful frame of mind, and then endeavors to "imagine" himself as

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[paragraph continues  "dead"--that is, he tries to form a mental conception of himself as dead. This, at first thought, appears a very easy thing to imagine, but as a matter of fact it is impossible to do so, for the Ego refuses to entertain the proposition, and finds it impossible to imagine it. Try it for yourself. You will find that you may be able to imagine your body as lying still and lifeless, but the same thought finds that in so doing You are standing and looking at the body. So you see that You are not dead at all, even in imagination, although the body may be. Or, if you refuse to disentangle yourself from your body, in imagination, you may think of your body as dead but You who refuse to leave it are still alive and recognize the dead body as a thing apart from your Real Self. No matter how you may twist it you cannot imagine yourself as dead. The Ego insists upon being alive in any of these thoughts, and thus finds that it has within itself the sense and assurance of Immortality. In case of sleep or stupor resulting from a blow, or from narcotics or anaesthetics, the mind is apparently blank, but the "I" is conscious of a continuity of existence. And so one may imagine himself as being in an unconscious state, or asleep, quite easily, and sees the possibility of such a state, but when it comes to imagining the "I" as dead, the mind utterly refuses to do the work. This wonderful fact that the soul carries within itself the evidence of its own immortality is a glorious thing, but one must have reached a degree

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of unfoldment before he is able to grasp its full significance.

The Candidate is advised to investigate the above statement for himself, by meditation and concentration, for in order that the "I" may know its true nature and possibilities, it must realize that it cannot be destroyed or killed. It must know what it is before it is able to manifest its nature. So do not leave this part of the teaching until you have mastered it. And it is well occasionally to return to it, in order that you may impress upon the mind the fact of your immortal and eternal nature. The mere glimmering of this conception of truth will give you an increased sense of strength and power, and you will find that your Self has expanded and grown, and that you are more of a power and Centre than you have heretofore realized.

The following exercises are useful in bringing about a realization of the invincibility of the Ego--its superiority to the elements.

Place yourself in the State of Meditation, and imagine the "I" as withdrawn from the body. See it passing through the tests of air, fire and water unharmed. The body being out of the way, the soul is seen to be able of passing through the air at will--of floating like a bird--of soaring--of traveling in the ether. It may be seen as able to pass through fire without harm and without sensation, for the elements affect only the physical body, not the Real "I." Likewise it may be seen as passing through water without discomfort or danger or hurt.

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This meditation will give you a sense of superiority and strength, and will show you something of the nature of the real "I." It is true that you are confined in the body, and the body may be affected by the elements, but the knowledge that the Real "I" is superior to the body--superior to the elements that affect the body--and cannot be injured any more than it can be killed, is wonderful, and tends to develop the full "I" consciousness within you. For You--the Real "I"--are not body. You are Spirit. The Ego is Immortal and Invincible, and cannot be killed and harmed. When you enter into this realization and consciousness, you will feel an influx of strength and power impossible to describe. Fear will fall from you like a worn-out cloak, and you will feel that you are "born again." An understanding of this thought, will show you that the things that we have been fearing cannot affect the Real "I," but must rest content with hurting the physical body. And they may he warded off from the physical body by a proper understanding and application of the Will.

In our next lesson, you will be taught how to separate the "I" from the mechanism of the mind--how you may realize your mastery of the mind, just as you now realize your independence of the body. This knowledge must be imparted to you by degrees, and you must place your feet firmly upon one round of the ladder before you take the next step.

The watchword of this First Lesson is "I." And the Candidate must enter fully into its meaning before

 21 

he is able to progress. He must realize his real existence--independent of the body. He must see himself as invincible and impervious to harm, hurt, or death. He must see himself as a great Centre of Consciousness--a Sun around which his world revolves. Then will come to him a new strength. He will feel a calm dignity and power, which will be apparent to those with whom he comes in contact. He will be able to look the world in the face without flinching, and without fear, for he will realize the nature and power of the "I." He will realize that he is a Centre of Power--of Influence. He will realize that nothing ran harm the "I," and that no matter how the storms of life may dash upon the personality, the real "I"--the Individuality--is unharmed. Like a rock that stands steadfast throughout the storm, so does the "I" stand through the tempests of the life of personality; And he will know that as he grows in realization, he will be able to .control these storms and bid them be still.

In the words of one of the Yogi Masters: "The 'I' is eternal. It passes unharmed through the fire, the air, the water. Sword and spear cannot kill or wound it. It cannot die. The trials of the physical life are but as dreams to it. Resting secure in the knowledge of the 'I,' Man may smile at the worst the world has to offer, and raising his hand he may bid them disappear into the mist from which they emerged. Blessed is he who can say (understandingly) 'I'."

So dear Candidate, we leave you to master the

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[paragraph continues  First Lesson. Be not discouraged if your progress be slow. Be not cast clown if you slip back a step after having gained it. You will gain two at the next step. Success and realization will be yours. Mastery is before. You will Attain. You will Accomplish. Peace be with you.

_________________________

  

MANTRAMS (AFFIRMATIONS)

  

FOR THE FIRST LESSON.

"I" am a Centre. Around me revolves my world. "I" am a Centre of Influence and Power.

"I" am a Centre of Thought and Consciousness. "I" am Independent of the Body.

"I" am Immortal and cannot be Destroyed. "I" am Invincible and cannot be Injured.




     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE SECOND LESSON.

  

THE EGO'S MENTAL TOOLS.

In the First Lesson we gave instruction and exercises designed to awaken the consciousness of the Candidate to a realization of the real "I." We confined our instructions to the preliminary teachings or the reality of the "I," and the means whereby the Candidate might be brought to a realization of his real Self, and its independence from the body and the things of the flesh. We tried to show you how you might awaken to a consciousness of the reality of the "I"; its real nature; its independence of the body; its immortality; its invincibility and invulnerability. How well we have succeeded may be determined only by the experience of each Candidate, for we can but point out the way, and the Candidate must do the real work himself.

But there is more to be said and done in this matter of awakening to a realization of the "I." So far, we have but told you how to distinguish between the material coverings of the Ego and the "I" itself. We have tried to show you that you had a real "I," and then to show you what it was, and how it was independent of the material coverings, etc. But there is still another step in this self analysis--a more difficult step. Even when the Candidate has awakened to a realization of his independence of the body, and material coverings, he often confounds the ''I" with the lower principles of the mind. This is a mistake. The

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[paragraph continues  Mind, in its various phases and planes, is but a tool and instrument of the "I," and is far from being the "I" itself. We shall try to bring out this fact in this lesson and its accompanying exercises. We shall avoid, and pass by, the metaphysical features of the case, and shall confine ourselves to the Yogi Psychology. We shall not touch upon theories, nor attempt to explain the cause, nature and purpose of the Mind--the working tool of the Ego--but instead shall attempt to point out a way whereby you may analyze the Mind and then determine which is the "not I" and which is the real "I." It is useless to burden you with theories or metaphysical talk, when the way to prove the thing is right within your own grasp. By using the mind, you will be able to separate it into its parts, and force it to give you its own answer to the questions touching itself.

In the second and third lessons of our "Fourteen Lessons," we pointed out to you the fact that man had three Mental Principles, or subdivisions of mind, all of which were below the plane of Spirit. The "I" is Spirit, but its mental principles are of a lower order. Without wishing to unduly repeat ourselves, we think it better to run hastily over these three Principles in the mind of Man.

First, there is what is known as the Instinctive Mind, which man shares in common with the lower animals. It is the first principle of mind that appears in the scale of evolution. In its lowest phases, consciousness is but barely perceptible, and mere sensation

 25 

is apparent. In its higher stages it almost reaches the plane of Reason or Intellect, in fact, they overlap each other, or, rather, blend into each other. The Instinctive Mind does valuable work in the direction of maintaining animal life in our bodies, it having charge of this part of our being. It attends to the constant work of repair; replacement; change digestion; assimilation; elimination, etc., all of which work is performed below the plane of consciousness.

But this is but a small part of the work of the Instinctive Mind. For this part of the mind has stored up all the experiences of ourselves and ancestors in our evolution from the lower forms of animal life into the present stage of evolution. All of the old animal instincts (which were all right in their place, and quite necessary for the well-being of the lower forms of life) have left traces in this part of the mind, which traces are apt to come to the front under pressure of unusual circumstances, even long after we think we have outgrown them. In this part of the mind are to be found traces of the old fighting instinct of the animal; all the animal passions; all the hate, envy, jealousy, and the rest of it, which are our inheritances from the past. The Instinctive Mind is also the "habit mind" in which is stored up all the little, and great, habits of many lives, or rather such as have not been entirely effaced by subsequent habits of a stronger nature. The Instinctive Mind is a queer storehouse, containing quite a variety of objects, many of them very good in their way, but others of which are the worst kind of old junk and rubbish.

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This part of the mind also is the seat of the appetites; passions; desires; instincts; sensations; feelings and emotions of the lower order, manifested in the lower animals; primitive man; the barbarian; and the man of today, the difference being only in the degree of control over them that has been gained by the higher parts of the mind. There are higher desires, aspirations, etc., belonging to a higher part of the mind, which we will describe in a few minutes, but the "animal nature" belongs to the Instinctive Mind. To it also belong the "feelings" belonging to our emotional and passional nature. All animal desires, such as hunger and thirst; sexual desires (on the physical plane); all passions, such as physical love; hatred; envy; malice; jealousy; revenge, etc., are part of this part of the mind. The desire for the physical (unless a means of reaching higher things) and the longing for the material, belong to this region of the mind. The "lust of the flesh; the lust of the eyes; the pride of life," belong to the Instinctive Mind.

Take note, however, that we are not condemning the things belonging to this plane of the mind. All of them have their place--many were necessary in the past, and many are still necessary for the continuance of physical life. All are right in their place, and to those in the particular plane of development to which they belong, and are wrong only when one is mastered by them, or when he returns to pick up an unworthy thing that has been cast off in the unfoldment of the individual. This lesson has nothing to do with the

 27 

right and wrong of these things (we have treated of that elsewhere) and we mention this part of the mind that you may understand that you have such a thing in your mental make-up, and that you may understand the thought, etc., coming from it, when we start in to analyze the mind in the latter part of this lesson. All we will ask you to do at this stage of the lesson is to realize that this part of the mind, while belonging to you, is not You, yourself. It is not the "I" part of you.

Next in order, above the Instinctive Mind, is what we have called the Intellect, that part of the mind that does our reasoning, analyzing; "thinking," etc. You are using it in the consideration of this lesson. But note this: You are using it, but it is not You, any more than was the Instinctive Mind that you considered a moment ago. You will begin to make the, separation, if you will think but a moment. We will not take up your time with a consideration of Intellect or Reason. You will find a good description of this part of the mind in any good elementary work on Psychology. Our only idea in mentioning it is that you may make the classification, and that we may afterward show you that the Intellect is but a tool of the Ego, instead of being the real "I" itself, as so many seem to imagine.

The third, and highest, Mental Principle is what is called the Spiritual Mind, that part of the mind which is almost unknown to many of the race, but which has developed into consciousness with nearly all who read

 28 

this lesson, for the fact that the subject of this lesson attracts you is a proof that this part of your mental nature is unfolding into consciousness. This region of the mind is the source of that which we call "genius," "inspiration," "spirituality," and all that we consider the "highest" in our mental make-up. All the great thoughts and ideas float into the field of consciousness from this part of the mind. All the great unfoldment of the race comes from there. All the higher mental ideas that have come to Man in his upward evolutionary journey, that tend in the direction of nobility; true religious feeling; kindness; humanity; justice; unselfish love; mercy; sympathy, etc., have come to him through his slowly unfolding Spiritual Mind. His love of God and of his fellow man have come in this way. His knowledge of the great occult truths reach him through this channel. The mental realization of the "I," which we are endeavoring to teach in these lessons, must come to him by way of the Spiritual Mind unfolding its ideas into his field of consciousness.

But even this great and wonderful part of the mind is but a tool--a highly finished one, it is true, but still a tool--to the Ego, or "I."

We propose to give you a little mental drill work, toward the end that you may be able more readily to distinguish the "I" from the mind, or mental states. In this connection we would say that every part, plane, and function of the mind is good, and necessary, and the student must not fall into the error of

 29 

supposing that because we tell him to set aside first this part of the mind, and then that part, that we are undervaluing the mind, or that we regard it as an encumbrance or hindrance. Far from this, we realize that it is by the use of the mind that Man is enabled to arrive at a knowledge of his true nature and Self, and that his progress through many stages yet will depend upon the unfolding of his mental faculties.

Man is now using but the lower and inferior parts of his mind, and he has within his mental world great unexplored regions that far surpass anything of which the human mind has dreamed. In fact, it is part of the business of "Raja Yoga" to aid in unfolding these higher faculties and mental regions. And so far from decrying the Mind, the "Raja Yoga" teachers are chiefly concerned in recognizing the Mind's power and possibilities, and directing the student to avail himself of the latent powers that are inherent in his soul.

It is only by the mind that the teachings we are now giving you may be grasped and understood, and used to your advantage and benefit. We are talking direct to your mind now, and are making appeals to it, that it may be interested and may open itself to what is ready to come into it from its own higher regions. We are appealing to the Intellect to direct its attention to this great matter, that it may interpose less resistance to the truths that are waiting to be projected from the Spiritual Mind, which knows the Truth.

 30 

  

MENTAL DRILL.

Place yourself in a calm, restful condition, that you may be able to meditate upon the matters that we shall place before you for consideration. Allow the matters presented to meet with a hospitable reception from you, and hold a mental attitude of willingness to receive what may be waiting for you in the higher regions of your mind.

We wish to call your attention to several mental impressions or conditions, one after another, in order that you may realize that they are merely something incident to you, and not YOU yourself--that you may set them aside and consider them, just as you might anything that you have been using. You cannot set the "I" aside and so consider it, but the various forms of the "not I" may be so set aside and considered.

In the First Lesson you gained the perception of the "I" as independent from the body, the latter merely being an instrument for use. You have now arrived at the stage when the "I" appears to you to be a mental creature--a bundle of thoughts, feelings, moods, etc. But you must go farther. You must be able to distinguish the "I" from these mental conditions, which are as much tools as is the body and its parts.

Let us begin by considering the thoughts more closely connected with the body, and then work up to the higher mental states.

The sensations of the body, such as hunger; thirst; pain; pleasurable sensations; physical desires, etc.,

 31 

etc., are not apt to be mistaken for essential qualities of the "I" by many of the Candidates, for they have passed beyond this stage, and have learned to set aside these sensations, to a greater or lesser extent, by an effort of the Will, and are no longer slaves to them. Not that they do not experience these sensations, but they have grown to regard them as incidents of the physical life--good in their place--but useful to the advanced man only when he has mastered them to the extent that he no longer regards them as close to the "I." And yet, to some people, these sensations are so closely identified with their conception of the "I" that when they think of themselves they think merely of a bundle of these sensations. They are not able to set them aside and consider them as things apart, to be used when necessary and proper, but as things not fastened to the "I." The more advanced a man becomes the farther off seem these sensations. Not that he does not feel hungry, for instance. Not at all, for he recognizes hunger, and satisfies it within reason, knowing that his physical body is making demands for attention, and that these demands should be heeded. But--mark the difference--instead of feeling that the "I" is hungry the man feels that "my body" is hungry, just as he might become conscious that his horse or dog was crying for food insistently. Do you see what we mean? It is that the man no longer identifies himself--the "I"--with the body, consequently the thoughts which are most closely allied to the physical

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life seem comparatively "separate" from his "I" conception. Such a man thinks "my stomach, this," or "my leg, that," or "my body, thus," instead of "'I,' this," or "'I' that." He is able, almost automatically, to think of the body and its sensations as things of him, and belonging to him, which require attention and care, rather than as real parts of the "I." He is able to form a conception of the "I" as existing without any of these things--without the body and its sensations--and so he has taken the first step in the realization of the "I."

Before going on, we ask the students to stop a few moments, and mentally run over these sensations of the body. Form a mental image of them, and realize that they are merely incidents to the present stage of growth and experience of the "I," and that they form no real part of it. They may, and will be, left behind in the Ego's higher planes of advancement. You may have attained this mental conception perfectly, long since, but we ask that to give yourself the mental drill at this time, in order to fasten upon your mind this first step.

In realizing that you are able to set aside, mentally, these sensations--that you are able to hold them out at arm's length and "consider" them as an "outside" thing, you mentally determine that they are "not I" things, and you set them down in the "not I" collection--the first to be placed there. Let us try to make this still plainer, even at the risk of wearying you by repetitions (for you must get this idea firmly fixed

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in your mind). To be able to say that a thing is "not I," you must realize that there are two things in question (1) the "not I" thing, and (2) the "I" who is regarding the "not I" thing just as the "I" regards a lump of sugar, or a mountain. Do you see what we mean? Keep at it until you do.

Next, consider some of the emotions, such as anger; hate; love, in its ordinary forms; jealousy; ambition; and the hundred and one other emotions that sweep through our brains. You will find that you are able to set each one of these emotions or feelings aside and study it; dissect it; analyze it; consider it. You will be able to understand the rise, progress and end of each of these feelings, as they have come to you, and as you recall them in your memory or imagination, just as readily as you would were you observing their occurrence in the mind of a friend. You will find them all stored away in some parts of your mental make-up, and you may (to use a modern American slang phrase) "make them trot before you, and show their paces." Don't you see that they are not "You"--that they are merely something that you carry around with you in a mental bag. You can imagine yourself as living without them, and still being "I," can you not?

And the very fact that you are able to set them aside and examine and consider them is a proof that they are "not I" things--for there are two things in the matter (1) You who are examining and considering them, and (2) the thing itself which is the object 

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of the examination and consideration at mental arm's length. So into the "not I" collection go these emotions, desirable and undesirable. The collection is steadily growing, and will attain quite formidable proportions after a while.

Now, do not imagine that this is a lesson designed to teach you how to discard these emotions, although if it enables you to get rid of the undesirable ones, so much the better. This is not our object, for we bid you place the desirable (at this time) ones in with the opposite kind, the idea being to bring you to a realization that the "I" is higher, above and independent of these mental somethings, and then when you have realized the nature of the "I," you may return and use (as a Master) the things that have been using you as a slave. So do not be afraid to throw these emotions (good and bad) into the "not I" collection. You may go back to them, and use the good ones, after the Mental Drill is over. No matter how much you may think that you are bound by any of these emotions, you will realize, by careful analysis, that it is of the "not I" kind, for the "I" existed before the emotion came into active play, and it will live long after the emotion has faded away. The principal proof is that you are able to hold it out at arm's length and examine it--a proof that it is "not I.'

Run through the entire list of your feelings; emotions; moods; and what not, just as you would those Hof a well-known friend or relative, and you will see

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that each one--every one--is a "not I" thing, and you will lay it aside for the time, for the purpose of the scientific experiment, at least.

Then passing on to the Intellect, you will be able to hold out for examination each mental process and principle. You don't believe it, you may say. Then read and study some good work on Psychology, and you will learn to dissect and analyze every intellectual process--and to classify it and place it in the proper pigeon-hole. Study Psychology by means of some good text-book, and you will find that one by one every intellectual process is classified, and talked about and labeled, just as you would a collection of flowers. If that does not satisfy you, turn the leaves of some work on Logic, and you will admit that you may hold these intellectual processes at arm's length and examine them, and talk about them to others. So that these wonderful tools of Man--the Intellectual powers may be placed in the "not I" collection, for the "I" is capable of standing aside and viewing them--it is able to detach them from itself. The most remarkable thing about this is that in admitting this fact, you realize that the "I" is using these very intellectual faculties to pass upon themselves. Who is the Master that compels these faculties to do this to themselves? The Master of the Mind--The "I."

And reaching the higher regions of the mind--even the Spiritual Mind, you will be compelled to admit that the things that have come into consciousness from that region may be considered and studied, just

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as may be any other mental thing, and so even these high things must be placed in the "not I" collection. You may object that this does not prove that all the things in the Spiritual Mind may be so treated--that there may be "I" things there that can not be so treated. We will not discuss this question, for you know nothing about the Spiritual Mind except as it has revealed itself to you, and the higher regions of that mind are like the mind of a God, when compared to what you call mind. But the evidence of the Illumined--those in whom the Spiritual Mind has wonderfully unfolded tell us that even in the highest forms of development, the Initiates, yea, even the Masters, realize that above even their highest mental states there is always that eternal "I" brooding over them, as the Sun over the lake; and that the highest conception of the "I" known even to advanced souls, is but a faint reflection of the "I" filtering through the Spiritual Mind, although that Spiritual Mind is as clear as the clearest crystal when compared with our comparatively opaque mental states. And the highest mental state is but a tool or instrument of the "I," and is not the "I" itself.

And yet the "I" is to be found in the faintest forms of consciousness, and animates even the unconscious life. The "I" is always the same, but its apparent growth is the result of the mental unfoldment of the individual. As we described it in one of the lessons of the "Advanced Course" it is like an electric lamp that is encased in many wrappings of cloth. As cloth after

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cloth is removed, the light seems to grow brighter and stronger, and yet it has changed not, the change being in the removal of the confining and bedimming coverings. We do not expect to make you realize the "I" in all its fullness--that is far beyond the highest known to man of to-day--but we do hope to bring you to a realization of the highest conception of the "I," possible to each of you in your present stage of unfoldment, and in the process we expect to cause to drop from you some of the confining sheaths that you have about outgrown. The sheaths are ready for dropping, and all that is required is the touch of a friendly hand to cause them to fall fluttering from you. We wish to bring you to the fullest possible (to you) realization of the "I," in order to make an Individual of you--in order that you may understand, and have courage to take up the tools and instruments lying at your hand, and do the work before you.

And now, back to the Mental Drill. After you have satisfied yourself that about everything that you are capable of thinking about is a "not I" thing--a tool and instrument for your use--you will ask, "And now, what is there left that should not be thrown in the "not I" collection. To this question we answer "THE 'I' ITSELF." And when you demand a proof we say, "Try to set aside the 'I' for consideration!" You may try from now until the passing away of infinities of infinities, and you will never be able to set aside the real "I" for consideration. You may think you can, but a little reflection will show you that

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you are merely setting aside some of your mental qualities or faculties. And in this process what is the "I" doing? Simply setting aside and considering things. Can you not see that the "I" cannot be both the considerer and the thing considered--the examiner and the thing examined? Can the sun shine upon itself by its own light? You may consider the "I" of some other person, but it is your "I" that is considering. But you cannot, as an "I," stand aside and see yourself as an "I." Then what evidence have we that there is an "I" to us? This: that you are always conscious of being the considerer and examiner, instead of the considered and examined thing--and then, you have the evidence of your consciousness. And what report does this consciousness give us? Simply this, and nothing more: "I AM." That is all that the "I" is conscious of, regarding its true self: "I AM," but that consciousness is worth all the rest, for the rest is but "not I" tools that the "I" may reach out and use.

And so at the final analysis, you will find that there is something that refuses to be set aside and examined by the "I." And that something is the "I" itself--that "I" eternal, unchangeable--that drop of the Great Spirit Ocean--that spark from the Sacred Flame.

Just as you find it impossible to imagine the "I" as dead, so will you find it impossible to set aside the "I" for consideration--all that comes to you is the testimony: "I AM."

If you were able to set aside the "I" for consideration, who would be the one to consider it? Who could

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consider except the "I" itself, and if it be here, how could it be there? The "I" cannot be the "not I" even in the wildest flights of the imagination--the imagination with all its boasted freedom and power, confesses itself vanquished when asked to do this thing.

Oh, students, may you be brought to a realization of what you are. May you soon awaken to the fact that you are sleeping gods--that you have within you the power of the Universe, awaiting your word to manifest in action. Long ages have you toiled to get this far, and long must you travel before you reach even the first Great Temple, but you are now entering into the conscious stage of Spiritual Evolution. No longer will your eyes be closed as you walk the Path. From now on you will begin to see clearer and clearer each step, in the dawning light of consciousness.

You are in touch with all of life, and the separation of your "I" from the great Universal "I" is but apparent and temporary. We will tell you of these things in our Third Lesson, but before you can grasp that you must develop the "I" consciousness within you. Do not lay aside this matter as one of no importance. Do not dismiss our weak explanation as being "merely words, words, words," as so many are inclined to do. We are pointing out a great truth to you. Why not follow the leadings of the Spirit which even now--this moment while you read--is urging you to walk The Path of Attainment? Consider the teachings of this lesson, and practice the Mental Drill until your mind has grasped its significance, then let it sink deep

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down into your inner consciousness. Then will you be ready for the next lessons, and those to follow.

Practice this Mental Drill until you are fully assured of the reality of the "I" and the relativity of the "not "I" in the mind. When you once grasp this truth, you will find that you will be able to use the mind with far greater power and effect, for you will recognize that it is your tool and instrument, fitted and intended to do your bidding. You will be able to master your moods, and emotions when necessary, and will rise from the position of a slave to a Master.

Our words seem cheap and poor, when we consider the greatness of the truth that we are endeavoring to convey by means of them. For who can find words to express the inexpressible? All that we may hope to do is to awaken a keen interest and attention on your part, so that you will practice the Mental Drill, and thus obtain the evidence of your own mentality to the truth. Truth is not truth to you until you have proven it in your own experience, and once so proven you cannot be robbed of it, nor can it be argued away from you.

You must realize that in every mental effort You--the "I"--are behind it. You bid the Mind work, and it obeys your Will. You are the Master, and not the slave of your mind. You are the Driver, not the driven. Shake yourself loose from the tyranny of the mind that has oppressed you for so long. Assert yourself, and be free. We will help you in this direction during the course of these lessons, but you must first

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assert yourself as a Master of your Mind. Sign the mental Declaration of Independence from your moods, emotions, and uncontrolled thoughts, and assert your Dominion over them. Enter into your Kingdom, thou manifestation of the Spirit!

While this lesson is intended primarily to bring clearly into your consciousness the fact that the "I" is a reality, separate and distinct from its Mental Tools, and while the control of the mental faculties by the Will forms a part of some of the future lessons, still, we think that this is a good place to point out to you the advantages arising from a realization of the true nature of the "I" and the relative aspect of the Mind.

Many of us have supposed that our minds were the masters of ourselves, and we have allowed ourselves to be tormented and worried by thoughts "running away" with us, and presenting themselves at inopportune moments. The Initiate is relieved from this annoyance, for he learns to assert his mastery over the different parts of the mind, and controls and regulates his mental processes, just as one would a fine piece of machinery. He is able to control his conscious thinking faculties, and direct their work to the best advantage, and he also learns how to pass on orders to the subconscious mental region and bid it work for him while he sleeps, or even when he is using his conscious mind in other matters. These subjects will be considered by us in due time, during the course of lessons.

In this connection it may be interesting to read what Edward Carpenter says of the power of the individual

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to control his thought processes. In his book "From Adam's Peak to Elephanta," in describing his experience while visiting a Hindu Gnani Yogi, he says:

"And if we are unwilling to believe in this internal mastery over the body, we are perhaps almost equally unaccustomed to the idea of mastery over our own inner thoughts and feelings. That a man should be a prey to any thought that chances to take possession of his mind, is commonly among us assumed as unavoidable. It may be a matter of regret that he should be kept awake all night from anxiety as to the issue of a lawsuit on the morrow, but that he should have the power of determining whether he be kept awake or not seems an extravagant demand. The image of an impending calamity is no doubt odious, but its very odiousness (we say) makes it haunt the mind all the more pertinaciously and it is useless to try to expel it.

"Yet this is an absurd position--for man, the heir of all the ages: hag-ridden by the flimsy creatures of his own brain. If a pebble in our boot torments us, we expel it. We take off the boot and shake it out. And once the matter is fairly understood it is just as easy to expel an intruding and obnoxious thought from the mind. About this there ought to be no mistake, no two opinions. The thing is obvious, clear and unmistakable. It should be as easy to expel an obnoxious thought from your mind as it is to shake a stone out of your shoe; and till a man can do that it is just nonsense to talk about his ascendancy over Nature, and all the rest of it. He is a mere slave, and prey to the

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bat-winged phantoms that flit through the corridors of his own brain.

"Yet the weary and careworn faces that we meet by thousands, even among the affluent classes of civilization, testify only too clearly how seldom this mastery is obtained. How rare indeed to meet a man! How common rather to discover a creature hounded on by tyrant thoughts (or cares or desires), cowering, wincing under the lash--or perchance priding himself to run merrily in obedience to a driver that rattles the reins and persuades him that he is free--whom we cannot converse with in careless tete-a-tete because that alien presence is always there, on the watch.

"It is one of the most prominent doctrines of Raja Yoga that the power of expelling thoughts, or if need be, killing them dead on the spot, must be attained. Naturally the art requires practice, but like other arts, when once acquired there is no mystery or difficulty about it. And it is worth practice. It may indeed fairly be said that life only begins when this art has been acquired. For obviously when instead of being ruled by individual thoughts, the whole flock of them in their immense multitude and variety and capacity is ours to direct and dispatch and employ where we list ('for He maketh the winds his messengers and the flaming fire His minister.), life becomes a thing so vast and grand compared with what it was before, that its former condition may well appear almost antenatal.

"If you can kill a thought dead, for the time being,

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you can do anything else with it that you please. And therefore it is that this power is so valuable. And it not only frees a man from mental torment (which is nine-tenths at least of the torment of life), but it gives him a concentrated power of handling mental work absolutely unknown to him before. The two things are co-relative to each other. As already said this is one of the principles of Raja Yoga.

"While at work your thought is to be absolutely concentrated in it, undistracted by anything whatever irrelevant to the matter in hand--pounding away like a great engine, with giant power and perfect economy--no wear and tear of friction, or dislocation of parts owing to the working of different forces at the same time. Then when the work is finished, if there is no more occasion for the use of the machine, it must stop equally, absolutely--stop entirely--no worrying (as if a parcel of boys were allowed to play their devilments with a locomotive as soon as it was in the shed)--and the man must retire into that region of his consciousness where his true self dwells.

"I say the power of the thought-machine itself is enormously increased by this faculty of letting it alone on the one hand, and of using it singly and with concentration on the other. It becomes a true tool, which a master-workman lays down when done with, but which only a bungler carries about with him all the time to show that he is the possessor of it."

We ask the students to read carefully the above quotations from Mr. Carpenter's book, for they are full

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of suggestions that may be taken up to advantage by those who are emancipating themselves from their slavery to the unmastered mind, and who are now bringing the mind under control of the Ego, by means of the Will.

Our next lesson will take up the subject of the relationship of the "I" to the Universal "I," and will be called the "Expansion of the Self." It will deal with the subject, not from a theoretical standpoint, but from the position of the teacher who is endeavoring to make his students actually aware in their consciousness of the truth of the proposition. In this course we are not trying to make our students past-masters of theory, but are endeavoring to place them in a position whereby they may know for themselves, and actually experience the things of which we teach.

Therefore we urge upon you not to merely rest content with reading this lesson, but, instead, to study and meditate upon the teachings mentioned under the head of "Mental Drill," until the distinctions stand out clearly in your mind, and until you not only believe them to be true, but actually are conscious of the "I" and its Mental Tools. Have patience and perseverance. The task may be difficult, but the reward is great. To become conscious of the greatness, majesty, strength and power of your real being is worth years of hard study. Do you not think so? Then study and practice hopefully, diligently and earnestly.

Peace be with you.

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MANTRAMS (AFFIRMATIONS)

  

FOR THE SECOND LESSON.

"I" am an entity--my mind is my instrument of expression.

"I" exist independent of my mind, and am not dependent upon it for existence or being.

"I" am Master of my mind, not its slave.

"I" can set aside my sensations, emotions, passions, desires, intellectual faculties, and all the rest of my mental collection of tools, as "not I" things--and still there remains something--and that something is "I," which cannot be set aside by me, for it is my very self; my only self; my real self--"I." That which remains after all that may be set aside is set aside is the "I''--Myself--eternal, constant, unchangeable.




     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE THIRD LESSON.

  

THE EXPANSION OF THE SELF.

In the first two lessons of this course we have endeavored to bring to the candidate a realization in consciousness of the reality of the "I," and to enable him to distinguish between the Self and its sheaths, physical and mental. In the present lesson we will call his attention to the relationship of the "I" to the Universal "I," and will endeavor to give him an idea of a greater, grander Self, transcending personality and the little self that we are so apt to regard as the "I."

The keynote of this lesson will be "The Oneness of All," and all of its teachings will be directed to awakening a realization in consciousness of that great truth. But we wish to impress upon the mind of the Candidate that we are not teaching him that he is the Absolute. We are not teaching the "I Am God" belief, which we consider to be erroneous and misleading, and a perversion of the original Yogi teachings. This false teaching has taken possession of many of the Hindu teachers and people, and with its accompanying teaching of "Maya" or the complete illusion or non-existence of the Universe, has reduced millions of people to a passive, negative mental condition which undoubtedly is retarding their progress. Not only in India is this true, but the same facts may be observed among the pupils of the Western teachers who have embraced this negative side of the

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[paragraph continues  Oriental Philosophy. Such people confound the "Absolute" and "Relative" aspects of the One, and, being unable to reconcile the facts of Life and the Universe with their theories of "I Am God," they are driven to the desperate expedient of boldly denying the Universe, and declaring it to be all "an illusion" or "Maya."

You will have no trouble in distinguishing the pupils of the teachers holding this view. They will be found to exhibit the most negative mental condition--a natural result of absorbing the constant suggestion of "nothingness"--the gospel of negation. In marked contrast to the mental condition of the students, however, will be observed the mental attitude of the teachers, who are almost uniformly examples of vital, positive, mental force, capable of hurling their teaching into the minds of the pupils--of driving in their statements by the force of an awakened Will. The teacher, as a rule, has awakened to a sense of the "I" consciousness, and really develops the same by his "I Am God" attitude, because by holding this mental attitude he is enabled to throw off the influence of the sheaths of the lower mental principles, and the light of the Self shows forth fiercely and strongly, sometimes to such an extent that it fairly scorches the mentality of the less advanced pupil. But, notwithstanding this awakened "I" consciousness, the teacher is handicapped by his intellectual misconception and befogging metaphysics, and is unable to impart ttne "I" consciousness to his pupils, and, instead of raising

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them up to shine with equal splendor with himself, he really forces them into a shadow by reason of his teachings.

Our students, of course, will understand that the above is not written in the spirit of carping criticism or fault-finding. We hold no such mental attitude, and indeed could not if we remain true to our conception of Truth. We are mentioning these matters simply that the student may avoid this "I Am God" pitfall which awaits the Candidate just as he has well started on the Path. It would not be such a serious matter if it were merely a question of faulty metaphysics, for that would straighten itself out in time. But it is far more serious than this, for the teaching inevitably leads to the accompanying teaching that all is Illusion or Maya, and that Life is but a dream--a false thing--a lie--a nightmare; that the journey along the Path is but an illusion; that everything is "nothing"; that there is no soul; that You are God in disguise, and that He is fooling Himself in making believe that He is You; that Life is but a Divine masquerade or sleight-of-hand performance; that You are God, but that You (God) are fooling Yourself (God) in order to amuse Yourself (God). Is not this horrible? And yet it shows to what lengths the human mind will go before it will part with some pet theory of metaphysics with which it has been hypnotized. Do you think that we have overdrawn the picture? Then read some of the teachings of these schools of the Oriental Philosophy, or listen to some of the mort

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radical of the Western teachers preaching this philosophy. The majority of the latter lack the courage of the Hindu teachers in carrying their theories to a logical conclusion, and, consequently they veil their teachings with metaphysical subtlety. But a few of there are more courageous, and come out into the open and preach their doctrine in full.

Some of the modern Western teachers of this philosophy explain matters by saying that "God is masquerading as different forms of life, including Man, in order that he may gain the experience resulting therefrom, for although He has Infinite and Absolute Wisdom and Knowledge, he lacks the experience that comes only from actually living the life of the lowly forms, and therefore He descends thus in order to gain the needed experience." Can you imagine the Absolute, possessed of all possible Knowledge and Wisdom, feeling the need of such petty "experience," and living the life of the lowly forms (including Man) in order "to gain experience?" To what depths do these vain theories of Man drive us? Another leading Western teacher, who has absorbed the teaching of certain branches of the Oriental Philosophy, and who possesses the courage of his convictions, boldly announces that "You, yourself, are the totality of being, and with your mind alone create, preserve and destroy the universe, which is your owl, mental product." And again the last mentioned teacher states: "the entire universe is a bagatelle illustration of your own creative power, which you are now exhibiting for

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your own inspection." "By their fruits shall you know them," is a safe rule to apply to all teachings. The philosophy that teaches that the Universe is an illusion perpetrated by you (God) to amuse, entertain or fool yourself (God), can have but one result, and that is the conclusion that "everything is nothing," and all that is necessary to do is to sit down, fold your hands and enjoy the Divine exhibition of legerdemain that you are performing for your own entertainment, and then, when the show is over, return to your state of conscious Godhood and recall with smiles the pleasant memories of the "conjure show" that you created to fool yourself with during several billions of ages. That is what it amounts to, and the result is that those accepting this philosophy thrust upon them by forceful teachers, and knowing in their hearts that they are not God, but absorbing the suggestions of "nothingness," are driven into a state of mental apathy and negativeness, the soul sinking into a stupor from which it may not be roused for a long period of time.

We wish you to avoid confounding our teaching with this just mentioned. We wish to teach you that You are a real Being--not God Himself, but a manifestation of Him who is the Absolute. You are a Child of the Absolute, if you prefer the term, possessed of the Divine Heritage, and whose mission it is to unfold qualities which are your inheritances from your Parent. Do not make the great mistake of confounding the Relative with the Absolute. Avoid this pitfall into which so many have fallen. Do not allow yourself

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to fall into the "Slough of Despond," and wallow in the mud of "nothingness," and to see no reality except in the person of some forceful teacher who takes the place of the Absolute in your mind. But raise your head and assert your Divine Parentage, and your Heritage from the Absolute, and step out boldly on the Path, asserting the "I."

(We must refer the Candidate back to our "Advanced Course," for our teachings regarding the Absolute and the Relative. The last three lessons of that course will throw light upon what we have just said. To repeat the teaching at this point would be to use space which is needed for the lesson before us.)

And yet, while the "I" is not God, the Absolute, it is infinitely greater than we have imagined it to be before the light dawned upon us. It extends itself far beyond what we had conceived to be its limits. It touches the Universe at all its points, and is in the closest union with all of Life. It is in the closest touch with all that has emanated from the Absolute--all the world of Relativity. And while it faces the Relative Universe, it has its roots in the Absolute, and draws nourishment therefrom, just as does the babe in the womb obtain nourishment from the mother. It is verily a manifestation of God, and God's very essence is in it. Surely this is almost as "high" a statement as the "I Am God" of the teachers just mentioned,--and yet how different. Let us consider the teaching in detail in this lesson, and in portions of others to follow.

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Let us begin with a consideration of the instruments of the Ego, and the material with which and through which the Ego works. Let us realize that the physical body of man is identical in substance with all other forms of matter, and that its atoms are continually changing and being replaced, the material being drawn from the great storehouse of matter, and that there is a Oneness of matter underlying all apparent differences of form and substance. And then let us realize that the vital energy or Prana that man uses in his life work is but a portion of that great universal energy which permeates everything and everywhere, the portion being used by us at any particular moment being drawn from the universal supply, and again passing out from us into the great ocean of force or energy. And then let us realize that even the mind, which is so close to the real Self that it is often mistaken for it.--even that wonderful thing Thought--is but a portion of the Universal Mind, the highest emanation of the Absolute beneath the plane of Spirit, and that the Mind--substance or Chitta that we are using this moment, is not ours separately and distinctly, but is simply a portion from the great universal supply, which is constant and unchangeable. Let us then realize that even this thing that we feel pulsing within us--that which is so closely bound up with the Spirit as to be almost inseparable from it--that which we call Life--is but a bit of that Great Life Principle that  the Universe, and which cannot be added to, nor subtracted from. When we have realized these

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things, and have begun to feel our relation (in these particulars) to the One Great Emanation of the Absolute, then we may begin to grasp the idea of the Oneness of Spirit, and the relation of the "I" to every other "I," and the merging of the Self into the one great Self, which is not the extinction of Individuality, as some have supposed, but the enlargement and extension of the individual Consciousness until it takes in the Whole

In Lessons X and XI, of the "Advanced Course" we called your attention to the Yogi teachings concerning Akasa or Matter, and showed you that all forms of what we know as Matter are but different forms of manifestation of the principle called Akasa, or as the Western scientists call it, "Ether." This Ether or Akasa is the finest, thinnest and most tenuous form of Matter, in fact it is Matter in its ultimate or fundamental form, the different forms of what we call Matter being but manifestations of this Akasa or Ether, the apparent difference resulting from different rates of vibration, etc. We mention this fact here merely to bring clearly before your mind the fact of the Universality of Matter, to the end that you may realize that each and every particle of your physical body is but a portion of this great principle of the Universe, fresh from the great store-house, and just about returning to it again, for the atoms of the body are constantly changing. That which appears as your flesh to-day, may have been part of a plant a few days before, and may be part of some other living thing a

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few days hence. Constant change is going on, and what is yours to-day was someone's else yesterday, and still another's to-morrow. You do not own one atom of matter personally, it is all a part of the common supply, the stream flowing through you and through all Life, on and on forever.

And so it is with the Vital Energy that you are using every moment of your life. You are constantly drawing upon the great Universal supply of Prana, then using what is given you, allowing the force to pass on to assume some other form. It is the property of all, and all you can do is to use what you need, and allow it to pass on. There is but one Force or Energy, and that is to be found everywhere at all times.

And even the great principle, Mind-substance, is under the same law. It is hard for us to realize this. We are so apt to think of our mental operations as distinctively our own--something that belongs to us personally--that it is difficult for us to realize that Mind-substance is a Universal principle just as Matter or Energy, and that we are but drawing upon the Universal supply in our mental operations. And more than this, the particular portion of Mind-substance that we are using, although separated from the Mind-substance used by other individuals by a thin wall of the very finest kind of Matter, is really in touch with the other apparently separated minds, and with the Universal Mind of which it forms a part. Just as is the Matter of which our physical bodies are composed really in touch with all Matter; and just as is

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the Vital Force used by us really in touch with all Energy; so is our Mind-substance really in touch with all Mind-substance. It is as if the Ego in its progress were moving through great oceans of Matter, Energy, or Mind-substance, making use of that of each which it needed and which immediately surrounded it, and leaving each behind as it moved on through the great volume of the ocean. This illustration is clumsy, but it may bring to your consciousness a realization that the Ego is the only thing that is really Yours, unchangeable and unaltered, and that all the rest is merely that portion of the Universal supply that you draw to yourself for the wants of the moment. It may also bring more clearly before your mind the great Unity of things--may enable you to see things as a Whole, rather than as separated parts. Remember, You--the "I"--are the only Real thing about and around you--all that has permanence--and Matter, Force and even Mind-substance, are but your instruments for use and expression. There are great oceans of each surrounding the "I" as it moves along.

It is well for you also to bear in mind the Universality of Life. All of the Universe is alive, vibrating and pulsating with life and energy and motion. There is nothing dead in the Universe. Life is everywhere. and always accompanied by intelligence. There is no such thing as a dead, unintelligent Universe. Instead of being atoms of Life floating in a sea of death, we are atoms of Life surrounded by an ocean of Life, pulsating, moving, thinking, living. Every atom of

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what we call Matter is alive. It has energy or force with it, and is always accompanied by intelligence and life, Look around us as we will--at the animal world--at the plant world--yes, even at the world of minerals, and we see life, life, life--all alive and having intelligence. When we are able to bring this conception into the realm of actual consciousness--when we are able not only to intellectually accept this fact, but to even go still further and feel and be conscious of this Universal Life on all sides, then are we well on the road to attaining the Cosmic Consciousness.

But all these things are but steps leading up to the realization of the Oneness in Spirit, on the part of the Individual. Gradually there dawns upon him the realization that there is a Unity in the manifestation of Spirit from the Absolute--a unity with itself, and a Union with the Absolute. All this manifestation of Spirit on the part of the Absolute--all this begetting of Divine Children--was in the nature of a single act rather than as a series of acts, if we may be permitted to speak of the manifestation as an act. Each Ego is a Centre of Consciousness in this great ocean of Spirit--each is a Real Self, apparently separate from the others and from its source, but the separation is only apparent in both cases, for there is the closest bond of union between the Egos of the Universe of Universes--each is knit to the other in the closest bond of union, and each is still attached to the Absolute by spiritual filaments, if we may use the term. In time we shall grow more conscious of this mutual relationship,

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as the sheaths are outgrown and cast aside, and in the end we will be withdrawn into the Absolute--shall return to the Mansion of the Father.

It is of the highest importance to the developing soul to unfold into a realization of this relationship and unity, for when this conception is once fully established the soul is enabled to rise above certain of the lower planes, and is free from the operation of certain laws that bind the undeveloped soul. Therefore the Yogi teachers are constantly leading the Candidates toward this goal. First by this path, and then by that one, giving them different glimpses of the desired point, until finally the student finds a path best fitted for his feet, and he moves along straight to the mark, and throwing aside the confining bonds that have proved so irksome, he cries aloud for joy at his new found Freedom.

The following exercises and Mental Drills are intended to aid the Candidate in his work of growing into a realization of his relationship with the Whole of Life and Being.

  

MENTAL DRILL.

(1) Read over what we have said in the "Advanced Course" regarding the principle known as Matter. Realize that all Matter is One at the last--that the real underlying substance of Matter is Akasa or Ether, and that all the varying forms evident to our senses are but modifications and grosser forms of that underlying principle. Realize that by known chemical processes all forms of Matter known to us, or

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rather all combinations resulting in "forms," may be resolved into their original elements, and that these elements are merely Akasa in different states of vibration. Let the idea of the Oneness of the visible Universe sink deeply into your mind, until it becomes fixed there. The erroneous conception of diversity in the material world must be replaced by the consciousness of Unity--Oneness, at the last, in spite of the appearance of variety and manifold forms. You must grow to see behind the world of forms of Matter, and see the great principle of Matter (Akasa or Ether) back of, within, and under it all. You must grow to feel this, as well as to intellectually see it.

(2) Meditate over the last mentioned truths, and then follow the matter still further. Read what we have said in the "Advanced Course" (Lesson XI) about the last analysis of Matter showing it fading away into Force or Energy until the dividing line is lost, and Matter merges into Energy or Force, showing them both to be but the same thing, Matter being a grosser form of Energy or Force. This idea should be impressed upon the understanding, in order that the complete edifice of the Knowing of the Oneness may be complete in all of its parts.

(3) Then read in the "Advanced Lessons" about Energy or Force, in the oneness underlying its various manifestations. Consider how one form of Energy may be transformed into another, and so on around the circle, the one principle producing the entire chain of appearances. Realize that the energy within

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you by which you move and act, is but one of the forms of this great Principle of Energy with which the Universe is filled, and that you may draw to you the required Energy from the great Universal supply. But above all endeavor to grasp the idea of the Oneness pervading the world of Energy or Force, or Motion. See it in its entirety, rather than in its apparent separateness. These steps may appear somewhat tedious and useless, but take our word for it, they are all helps in fitting the mind to grasp the idea of the Oneness of All. Each step is important, and renders the next higher one more easily attained. In this mental drill, it will be well to mentally picture the Universe in perpetual motion--everything is in motion--all matter is moving and changing its forms, and manifesting the Energy within it. Suns and worlds rush through space, their particles constantly changing and moving. Chemical composition and decomposition is constant and unceasing, everywhere the work of building up and breaking down is going on. New combinations of atoms and worlds are constantly being formed and dissolved. And after considering this Oneness of the principle of Energy, reflect that through all these changes of form the Ego--the Real Self--YOU--stand unchanged and unharmed--Eternal, Invincible, Indestructible, Invulnerable, Real and Constant among this changing world of forms and force. You are above it all, and it revolves around and about you--Spirit.

4) Read what we have said in the 'Advanced

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[paragraph continues  Course" about Force or Energy, shading into Mind-substance which is its parent. Realize that Mind is back of all this great exhibition of Energy and Force that you have been considering. Then will you be ready to consider the Oneness of Mind.

(5) Read what we have said in the "Advanced Lessons" about Mind-substance. Realize that there is a great world of Mind-substance, or an Universal Mind, which is at the disposal of the Ego. All Thought is the product of the Ego's use of this Mind-substance, its tool and instrument. Realize that this Ocean of Mind is entire and Whole, and that the Ego may draw freely from it. Realize that You have this great ocean of Mind at your command, when you unfold sufficiently to use it. Realize that Mind is back of and underneath all of the world of form and names and action, and that in that sense: "All is Mind," although still higher in the scale than even Mind are You, the Real Self, the Ego, the Manifestation of the Absolute.

(6) Realize your identity with and relationship to All of Life. Look around you at Life in all its forms, from the lowest to the highest, all being exhibitions of the great principle of Life in operation along different stages of The Path. Scorn not the humblest forms, but look behind the form and see the reality--Life. Feel yourself a part of the great Universal Life. Let your thought sink to the depths of the ocean, and realize your kinship with the Life back of the forms dwelling there. Do not confound the forms

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[paragraph continues  (often hideous from your personal point of view) with the principle behind them. Look at the plant-life, and the animal life, and seek to see behind the veil of form into the real Life behind and underneath the form. Learn to feel your Life throbbing and thrilling with the Life Principle in these other forms, and in the forms of those of your own race. Gaze into the starry skies and see there the numerous suns and worlds, all peopled with life in some of its myriad forms, and feel your kinship to it. If you can grasp this thought and consciousness, you will find yourself at-one-ment with those whirling worlds, and, instead of feeling small and insignificant by comparison, you will be conscious of an expansion of Self, until you feel that in those circling worlds is a part of yourself--that You are there also, while standing upon the Earth--that you are akin to all parts of the Universe--nay, more, that they are as much your home as is the spot upon which you are standing. You will find sweeping upon you a sense of consciousness that the Universe is your home--not merely a part of it, as you had previously thought. You will experience a sense of greatness, and broadness and grandness such as you have never dreamed of. You will begin to realize at least a part of your Divine inheritance, and to know indeed that you are a Child of the Infinite, the very essence of your Divine Parent being in the fibres of your being. At such times of realization one becomes conscious of what lies before the soul in its upward path, and how small the greatest prizes that

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[paragraph continues  Earth has to offer are when compared to some of these things before the soul, as seen by the eyes of the Spiritual Mind in moments of clear vision.

You must not dispute with these visions of the greatness of the soul, but must treat them hospitably, for they are your very own, coming to you from the regions of your Spiritual Mind which are unfolding into consciousness.

(7) The highest step in this dawning consciousness of the Oneness of All, is the one in which is realized that there is but One Reality, and at the same time the sense of consciousness that the "I" is in that Reality. It is most difficult to express this thought in words for it is something that must be felt, rather than seen by the Intellect. When the Soul realizes that the Spirit within it is, at the last, the only real part of it, and that the Absolute and its manifestation as Spirit is the only real thing in the Universe, a great step has been taken. But there is still one higher step to be taken before the full sense of the Oneness and Reality comes to us. That step is the one in which we realize the Identity of the "I" with the great "I" of the Universe. The mystery of the manifestation of the Absolute in the form of the Spirit, is veiled from us--the mind confesses its inability to penetrate behind the veil shielding the Absolute from view, although it will give us a report of its being conscious of the presence of the Absolute just at the edge of the boundary line. But the highest region of the Spiritual Mind, when explored by the advanced souls who

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are well along the Path, reports that it sees beyond the apparent separation of Spirit from Spirit, and realizes that there is but one Reality of Spirit, and that all the "I" 's are really but different views of that One--Centres of Consciousness upon the surface of the One Great "I," the Centre of which is the Absolute Itself. This certainly penetrates the whole region of the Spiritual Mind, and gives us all the message of Oneness of the Spirit, just as the Intellect satisfies us with its message of the Oneness of Matter, Energy, and Mind. The idea of Oneness permeates all planes of Life.

The sense of Reality of the "I" that is apparent to You in the moments of your clearest mental vision, is really the reflection of the sense of Reality underlying the Whole--it is the consciousness of the Whole, manifesting through your point or Centre of Consciousness. The advanced student or Initiate finds his consciousness gradually enlarging until it realizes its identity with the Whole. He realizes that under all the forms and names of the visible world, there is to be found One Life--One Force--One Substance--One Existence--One Reality--ONE. And, instead of his experiencing any sense of the loss of identity or individuality, he becomes conscious of an enlargement of an expansion of individuality or identity--instead of feeling himself absorbed in the Whole, he feels that he is spreading out and embracing the Whole. This is most hard to express in words, for there are no words to fit the conception, and all that

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we can hope to do is to start into motion, by means of our words, the vibrations that will find a response in the minds of those who read the words, to the end that they will experience the consciousness which will bring its own understanding. This consciousness cannot be transmitted by words proceeding from the Intellect, but vibrations may be set up that will prepare the mind to receive the message from its own higher planes.

Even in the early stages of this dawning consciousness, one is enabled to identify the real part of himself with the real part of all the other forms of life that pass before his notice. In every other man--in every animal--in every plant--in every mineral--he sees behind the sheath and form of appearance, an evidence of the presence of the Spirit which is akin to his own Spirit--yea, more than akin, for the two are One. He sees Himself in all forms of life, in all time in all places. He realizes that the Real Self is everywhere present and everlasting, and that the Life within himself is also within all the Universe--in everything, for there is nothing dead in the Universe, and all Life, in all of its varying phases, is simply the One Life, held, used and enjoyed in common by all. Each Ego is a Centre of Consciousness in this great ocean of Life, and while apparently separate and distinct, is yet really in touch with the Whole, and with every apparent part.

It is not our intention, in this lesson, to go into the details of this great mystery of Life, or to recite the

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comparatively little of the Truth that the most advanced teachers and Masters have handed down. This is not the place for it--it belongs to the subject of Gnani Yoga rather than to Raja Yoga--and we touch upon it here, not for the purpose of trying to explain the scientific side of it to you, but merely in order that your minds may be led to take up the idea and gradually manifest it in conscious realization. There is quite a difference between the scientific, intellectual teaching of Gnani Yoga, whereby the metaphysical and scientific sides of the Yogi teachings are presented to the minds of the students, in a logical, scientific manner, and the methods of Raja Yoga, in which the Candidate is led by degrees to a consciousness (outside of mere intellectual belief) of his real nature and powers. We are following the latter plan, for this course is a Course in Raja Yoga. We are aiming to present the matter to the mind in such a manner that it may prepare the way for the dawning consciousness, by brushing away the preconceived notions and prejudices, and allowing a clean entrance for the new conception. Much that we have said in this lesson may appear, on the one hand, like useless repetition, and, on the other hand, like an incomplete presentation of the scientific side of the Yogi teachings. But it will be found, in time, that the effect has been that the mind of the student has undergone a change from the absorbing of the idea of the Oneness of Life, and the Expansion of the Self. The Candidate is urged not to be in too much of a hurry. Development

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must not be forced. Read what we have written, and practice the Mental Drills we have given, even if they may appear trifling and childish to some of you--we know what they will do for you, and you will agree with us in time. Make haste slowly. You will find that the mind will work out the matter, even though you be engaged in your ordinary work, and have forgotten the subject for the time. The greater portion of mental work is done in this way, while you are busy with something else, or even asleep, for the sub-conscious portion of the mind works along the lines pointed out for it, and performs its task.

As we have said, the purpose of this lesson is to bring you in the way of the unfoldment of consciousness, rather than to teach you the details of the scientific side of the Yogi teachings. Development is the keynote of Raja Yoga. And the reason that we wish to develop this sense of the Reality of the "I," and the Expansion of the Self, at this place is that thereby you may assert your Mastery over Matter, Energy and Mind. Before you may mount your throne as King, you must fully realize in consciousness that you are the Reality in this world of appearances. You must realize that you--the real You--are not only existent, and real, but that you are in touch with all else that is real, and that the roots of your being are grounded in the Absolute itself. You must realize that instead of being a separate atom of Reality, isolated and fixed in a narrow space, you are a Centre of Consciousness in the Whole of Reality, and that the

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[paragraph continues  Universe of Universes is your home--that your Centre of Consciousness might be moved on to a point trillions of miles from the Earth (which distance would be as nothing in Space) and still you--the awakened soul--would be just as much at home there as here--that even while you are here, your influence extends far out into space. Your real state, which. will be revealed to you, gradually, throughout the ages, is so great and grand, that your mind in its present state of development cannot grasp even the faint reflection of that glory.

We wish you to try to form at least a faint idea of your Real State of Being, in order that you may control the lower principles by the force of your awakened Will, which Will depends upon your degree of consciousness of the Real Self.

As man grows in understanding and consciousness of the Real Self, so does his ability to use his Will grow. Will is the attribute of the Real Self. It is well that this great realization of the Real Self brings with it Love for all of Life, and Kindness, for, were it not so, the Will that comes to him who grows into a realization of his real being could be used to the great hurt of those of the race who had not progressed so far (their relative hurt, we mean, for in the end, and at the last, no soul is ever really hurt). But the dawning power brings with it greater Love and Kindness, and the higher the soul mounts the more is it filled with the higher ideals and the more does it throw from it the lower animal attributes. It is true that

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some souls growing into a consciousness of their real nature, without an understanding of what it all means, may commit the error of using the awakened Will for selfish ends, as may be seen in the cases of the Black Magicians spoken of in the occult writings, and also in the cases of well known characters in history and in modern life, who manifest an enormous Will which they misuse. All of this class of people of great Will have stumbled or grown blindly into a consciousness (or partial consciousness) of the real nature, but lack the restraining influence of the higher teachings. But such misuse of the Will brings pain and unrest to the user, and he is eventually driven into the right road.

We do not expect our students to grasp fully this idea of the Expansion of Self. Even the highest grasp it only partially. But until you get a glimmering of the consciousness you will not be able to progress far on the path of Raja Yoga. You must understand what you are, before you are able to use the power that lies dormant within you. You must realize that you are the Master, before you can claim the powers of the Master, and expect to have your commands obeyed. So bear patiently with us, your Teachers, while we set before you the lessons to be learned--the tasks to be performed. The road is long, and is rough in places--the feet may become tired and bruised, but the reward is great, and there are resting places along the path. Be not discouraged if your progress seem slow, for the soul must unfold naturally as does the flower, without haste, without force.

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And be not dismayed nor affrighted if you occasionally catch a glimpse of your higher self. As "M. C." says, in her notes on "Light on the Path" (see "Advanced Course," page 95): "To have seen thy soul in its bloom, is to have obtained a momentary glimpse in thyself of the transfiguration which shall eventually make thee more than man; to recognize, is to achieve the great task of gazing upon the blazing light without dropping the eyes, and not falling back in terror as though before some ghastly phantom. This happens to some, and so, when the victory is all but won, it is lost."

Peace be with thee.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

  

FOR THE THIRD LESSON.

There is but one ultimate form of Matter; one ultimate form of Energy; one ultimate form of Mind. Matter proceeds from Energy, and Energy from Mind, and all are an emanation of the Absolute, threefold in appearance but One in substance. There is but One Life, and that permeates the Universe, manifesting in various forms, but being, at the last, but One. My body is one with Universal Matter; My energy and vital force is one with the Universal Energy; My Mind is one with the Universal Mind; My Life is one with the Universal Life. The Absolute has expressed and manifested itself in Spirit, which is the real "I" overshadowing and embracing all the apparently separate "I"s. "I" feel my identity with Spirit and realize the Oneness of All Reality. I feel my unity with all Spirit, and my Union (through Spirit) with the Absolute. I realize that "I" am an Expression and Manifestation of the Absolute, and that its very essence is within me. I am filled with Divine Love. I am filled with Divine Power. I am filled with Divine Wisdom. I am conscious of identity in spirit, in substance; and in nature; with the One Reality.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE FOURTH LESSON.

  

MENTAL CONTROL

In our first three lessons of this series, we have endeavored to bring into realization within your mind (1) the consciousness of the "I"; its independence from the body; its immortality; its invincibility and invulnerability; (2) the superiority of the "I" over the mind, as well as over the body; the fact that the mind is not the "I," but is merely an instrument for the expression of the "I"; the fact that the "I" is master of the mind, as well as of the body; that the "I" is behind all thought; that the "I" can set aside for consideration the sensations, emotions, passions, desires, and the rest of the mental phenomena, and still realize that it, the "I," is apart from these mental manifestations, and remains unchanged, real and fully existent; that the "I" can set aside any and all of its mental tools and instruments, as "not I" things, and still consciously realize that after so setting them aside there remains something--itself--the "I" which cannot be set aside or taken from; that the "I" is the master of the mind, and not its slave; (3) that the "I" is a much greater thing than the little personal "I" we have been considering it to be; that the "I" is a part of that great One Reality which pervades all the Universe; that it is connected with all other forms of life by countless ties, mental and spiritual filaments and relations; that the "I" is a Centre of Consciousness

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in that great One Reality or Spirit, which is behind and back of all Life and Existence, the Centre of which Reality or Existence, is the Absolute or God; that the sense of Reality that is inherent in the "I," is really the reflection of the sense of Reality inherent in the Whole--the Great "I" of the Universe.

The underlying principle of these three lessons is the Reality of the "I," in itself, over and above all Matter, Force, or Mind--positive to all of them, just as they are positive or negative to each other--and negative only to the Centre of the One--the Absolute itself. And this is the position for the Candidate or Initiate to take: "I am positive to Mind, Energy, and Matter, and control them all--I am negative only to the Absolute, which is the Centre of Being, of which Being I Am. And, as I assert my mastery over Mind, Energy, and Matter, and exercise my Will over them, so do I acknowledge my subordination to the Absolute, and gladly open my soul to the inflow of the Divine Will, and partake of its Power, Strength, and Wisdom."

In the present lesson, and those immediately following it, we shall endeavor to assist the Candidate or Initiate in acquiring a mastery of the subordinate manifestations, Matter, Energy, and Mind. In order to acquire and assert this mastery, one must acquaint himself with the nature of the thing to be controlled.

In our "Advanced Course" we have endeavored to explain to you the nature of the Three Great Manifestations, known as Chitta, or Mind-Substance;

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[paragraph continues  Prana, or Energy; and Akasa, or the Principle of Matter. We also explained to you that the "I'' of man is superior to these three, being what is known as Atman or Spirit. Matter, Energy, and Mind, as we have explained, are manifestations of the Absolute, and are relative things. The Yogi philosophy teaches that Matter is the grossest form of manifested substance, being below Energy and Mind, and consequently negative to, and subordinate to both. One stage higher than Matter, is Energy or Force, which is positive to, and has authority over, Matter (Matter being a still grosser form of substance), but which is negative to and subordinate to Mind, which is a still higher form of substance. Next in order comes the highest of the three--Mind--the finest form of substance, and which dominates both Energy and Matter, being positive to both. Mind, however is negative and subordinate to the "I," which is Spirit, and obeys the orders of the latter when firmly and intelligently given. The "I" itself is subordinate only to the Absolute--the Centre of Being--the "I" being positive and dominant over the threefold manifestation of Mind, Energy, and Matter.

The "I," which for the sake of the illustration must be regarded as a separate thing (although it is really only a Centre of Consciousness in the great body of Spirit), finds itself surrounded by the triple-ocean of Mind, Energy and Matter, which ocean extends into Infinity. The body is but a physical form through which flows an unending stream of matter, for, as you

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know the particles and atoms of the body are constantly changing; being renewed; replaced; thrown off, and supplanted. One's body of a few years ago, or rather the particles composing that body, have passed off and now form new combinations in the world of matter. And one's body of to-day is passing away and being replaced by new particles. And one's body of next year is now occupying some other portion of space, and its particles are now parts of countless other combinations, from which space and combinations they will later come to combine and form the body of next year. There is nothing permanent about the body--even the particles of the bones are being constantly replaced by others. And so it is with the Vital Energy, Force, or Strength of the body (including that of the brain). It is constantly being used up, and expended, a fresh supply taking its place. And even the Mind of the person is changeable, and the Mind-substance or Chitta, is being used up and replenished, the new supply coming from the great Ocean of Mind, into which the discarded portion slips, just as is the case with the matter and energy

While the majority of our students, who are more or less familiar with the current material scientific conceptions, will readily accept the above idea of the ocean of Matter, and Energy, and the fact that there is a continual using up and replenishing of one's store of both, they may have more or less trouble ii accepting the idea that Mind is a substance or principle

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amenable to the same general laws as are the other two manifestations, or attributes of substance. One is so apt to think of his Mind as "himself"--the "I." Notwithstanding the fact that in our Second Lesson of this series we showed you that the "I" is superior to the mental states, and that it can set them aside and regard and consider them as "not-I" things, yet the force of the habit of thought is very strong, and it may take some of you considerable time before you "get into the way" of realizing that your Mind is "something that you use," instead of being You--yourself. And yet, you must persevere in attaining this realization, for in the degree that you realize your dominance over your mind, so will be your control of it, and its amenability to that control. And, as is the degree of that dominance and control, so will be the character, grade and extent of the work that your Mind will do for you. So you see: Realization brings Control--and Control brings results. This statement lies at the base of the science of Raja Yoga. And many of its first exercises are designed to acquaint the student with that realization, and to develop the realization and control by habit and practice.

The Yogi Philosophy teaches that instead of Mind being the "I," it is the thing through and by means of which the "I" thinks, at least so far as is concerned the knowledge concerning the phenomenal or outward Universe--that is the Universe of Name and Form. There is a higher Knowledge locked up in

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the innermost part of the "I," that far transcends any Information that it may receive about or from the outer world, but that is not before us for consideration at this time, and we must concern ourselves with the "thinking" about the world of things."

Mind-substance in Sanscrit is called "Chitta," and a wave in the Chitta (which wave is the combination of Mind and Energy) is called "Vritta," which is akin to what we call a "thought." In other words it is "mind in action," whereas Chitta is "mind in repose." Vritta, when literally translated means "a whirlpool or eddy in the mind," which is exactly what a thought really is.

But we must call the attention of the student, at this point, to the fact that the word "Mind" is used in two ways by the Yogis and other occultists, and the student is directed to form a clear conception of each meaning, in order to avoid confusion, and that he may more clearly perceive the two aspects of the things which the word is intended to express. In the first place the word "Mind" is used as synonymous with Chitta, or Mind-substance, which is the Universal Mind Principle. From this Chitta, Mind-substance, or Mind, all the material of the millions of personal minds is obtained. The second meaning of the word "Mind" is that which we mean when we speak of the "mind" of anyone, thereby meaning the mental faculties of that particular person--that which distinguishes his mental personality from that of another. We have taught you that this "mind" in Man,

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functions on three planes, and have called the respective manifestations (1) the Instinctive Mind; (2) the Intellect; and (3) the Spiritual Mind. (See "Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy," etc.) These three mental planes, taken together, make up the "mind" of the person, or to be more exact they, clustered around the "I" form the "soul" of the individual. The word "soul" is often used as synonymous with "spirit" but those who have followed us will distinguish the difference. The "soul" is the Ego surrounded by its mental principles, while the Spirit is the "soul of the soul"--the "I," or Real Self.

The Science of Raja Yoga, to which this series of lessons is devoted, teaches, as its basic principle, the Control of the Mind. It holds that the first step toward Power consists in obtaining a control of one's own mind. It holds that the internal world must be conquered before the outer world is attacked. It holds that the "I" manifests itself in Will, and that that Will may be used to manipulate, guide, govern and direct the mind of its owner, as well as the physical world. It aims to clear away all mental rubbish, and encumbrances--to conduct a "mental housecleaning," as it were, and to secure a clear, clean, healthy mind. Then it proceeds to control that mind intelligently, and with effect, saving all waste-power, and by means of concentration bringing the Mind in full harmony with the Will, that it may be brought to a focus and its power greatly increased and its efficiency fully secured. Concentration and Will-power

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are the means by which the Yogis obtain such wonderful results, and by which they manage and direct their vigorous, healthy minds, and master the material world, acting positively upon Energy and Matter. This control extends to all planes of the Mind, and the Yogis not only control the Instinctive Mind, holding in subjection its lower qualities and making use of its other parts, but they also develop and enlarge the field of their Intellect and obtain from it wonderful results. Even the Spiritual Mind is mastered, and aided in its unfoldment, and urged to pass down into the field of consciousness some of the wonderful secrets to be found within its area. By means of Raja Yoga many of the secrets of existence and Being--many of the Riddles of the Universe--are answered and solved. And by it the latent powers inherent in the constitution of Man are unfolded and brought into action. Those highly advanced in the science are believed to have obtained such a wonderful degree of power and control over the forces of the universe, that they are as gods compared with the ordinary man.

Raja Yoga teaches that not only may power of this kind he secured, but that a wonderful field of Knowledge is opened out through its practice. It holds that when the concentrated mind is focused upon thing or subject, the true nature and inner meaning, of, and concerning, that thing or subject will be brought to view. The concentrated mind passes through the object or subject just as the X-Ray passes

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through a block of wood, and the thing is seen by the "I" as it is--in truth--and not as it had appeared before, imperfectly and erroneously. Not only may the outside world be thus explored, but the mental ray may be turned inward, and the secret places of the mind explored. When it is remembered that the bit of mind that each man possesses, is like a drop of the ocean which contains within its tiny compass all the elements that make up the ocean, and that to know perfectly the drop is to know perfectly the ocean, then we begin to see what such a power really means.

Many in the Western world who have attained great results in the intellectual and scientific fields of endeavor, have developed these powers more or less unconsciously. Many great inventors are practical Yogis, although they do not realize the source of their power. Anyone who is familiar with the personal mental characteristics of Edison, will see that he follows some of the Raja Yoga methods, and that Concentration is one of his strongest weapons. And front all reports, Prof. Elmer Gates, of Washington, D. C., whose mind has unfolded many wonderful discoveries and inventions, is also a practical Yogi although he may repudiate the assertion vigorously, and may not have familiarized himself with the principles of this science, which he has "dropped into" . Those who have reported upon Prof. Gates' methods, say that he fairly "digs out" the inventions and discoveries from his mind, after going

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into seclusion and practicing concentration, and what is known as the Mental Vision.

But we have given you enough of theory for one lesson, and must begin to give you directions whereby you may aid yourself in developing these latent powers and unfolding these dormant energies. You will notice that in this series we first tell you something about the theory, and then proceed to give you "something to do." This is the true Yogi method as followed and practiced by their best teachers. Too much theory is tiresome, and sings the mind to sleep, while too much exercise tires one, and does not give the inquiring part of his mind the necessary food. To combine both in suitable proportions is the better plan, and one that we aim to follow.

  

MENTAL DRILL AND EXERCISES.

Before we can get the mind to do good work for us, we must first "tame" it, and bring it to obedience to the Will of the "I." The mind, as a rule, has been allowed to run wild, and follow its own sweet will and desires, without regard to anything else. Like a spoiled child or badly trained domestic animal, it gets into much trouble, and is of very little pleasure, comfort or use. The minds of many of us are like menageries of wild animals, each pursuing the bent of its own nature, and going its own way. We have the whole menagerie within us--the tiger, the ape, the peacock, the ass, the goose, the sheep, the hyena, and all the rest. And we have been letting these animals

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rule us. Even our Intellect is erratic, unstable, and like the quicksilver to which the. ancient occultists compared it, shifting and uncertain. If you will look around you you will see that those men and women in the world who have really accomplished anything worth while have trained their minds to obedience. They have asserted the Will over their own minds, and learned Mastery and Power in that way. The average mind chafes at the restraint of the Will, and is like a frisky monkey that will not be "taught tricks." But taught it must be, if it wants to do good work. And teach it you must if you expect to get any use from it--if you expect to use it, instead of having it use you.

And this is the first thing to be learned in Raja Yoga--this control of the mind. Those who had hoped for some royal road to mastery, may be disappointed, but there is only one way and that is to master and control the mind by the Will. Otherwise it will run away when you most need it. And so we shall give you some exercise designed to aid you in this direction.

The first exercise in Raja Yoga is what is called Pratyahara or the art of making the mind introspective or turned inward upon itself. It is the first step toward mental control. It aims to turn the mind from going outward, and gradually turning it inward upon itself or inner nature. The object is to gain control of it by the Will. The following exercises will aid in that direction:

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EXERCISE I.

(a) Place yourself in a comfortable position, and so far as possible free from outside disturbing influences. Make no violent effort to control the mind, but rather allow it to run along for a while and exhaust its efforts. It will take advantage of the opportunity, and will jump around like an unchained monkey at first, until it gradually slows down and looks to you for orders. It may take some time to tame down at first trial, but each time you try it will come around to you in shorter time. The Yogis spend much time in acquiring this mental peace and calm, and consider themselves well paid for it.

(b) When the mind is well calmed down, and peaceful, fix the thought on the "I Am," as taught in our previous lessons. Picture the "I" as an entity independent of the body; deathless; invulnerable; immortal; real. Then think of it as independent of the body, and able to exist without its fleshly covering. Meditate upon this for a time, and then gradually direct the thought to the realization of the "I" as independent and superior to the mind, and controlling same. Go over the general ideas of the first two lessons, and endeavor to calmly reflect upon them and to see them in the "mind's eye." You will find that your mind is gradually becoming more and more peaceful and calm, and that the distracting thoughts of the outside world are farther and farther removed from you.

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(c) Then let the mind pass on to a calm consideration of the Third Lesson, in which we have spoken of the Oneness of All, and the relationship of the "I" to the One Life; Power; Intelligence; Being. You will find that you are acquiring a mental control and calm heretofore unknown to you. The exercises in the first three lessons will have prepared you for this.

(d) The following is the most difficult of the variations or degrees of this exercise, but the ability to perform it will come gradually. The exercise consists in gradually shutting out all thought or impression of the outside world; of the body; and of the thoughts themselves, the student concentrating and meditating upon the word and idea "I AM," the idea being that he shall concentrate upon the idea of mere "being" or "existence," symbolized by the words "I Am." Not "I am this," or "I am that," or "I do this," or "I think that," but simply: "I AM." This exercise will focus the attention at the very centre of Being within oneself, and will gather in all the mental energies, instead of allowing them to be scattered upon outside things. A feeling of Peace, Strength, and Power will result, for the affirmation, and the thought back of it, is the most powerful and strongest that one may make, for it is a statement of Actual Being, and a turning of the thought inward to that truth. Let the mind first dwell upon the word "I," identifying it with the Self, and then let it pass on to the word "AM," which signifies Reality, and Being. Then combine the two with the meanings thereof, and the result is

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a most powerful focusing of thought inward, and a most potent Statement of Being.

It is well to accompany the above exercises with a comfortable and easy physical attitude, so as to prevent the distraction of the attention by the body. In order to do this one should assume an easy attitude, and then relax every muscle, and take the tension from every nerve, until a perfect sense of ease, comfort and relaxation is obtained. You should practice this until you have fully acquired it. It will be useful to you in many ways, besides rendering Concentration and Meditation easier. It will act as a "rest cure" for tired body, nerves, and mind.

  

EXERCISE II.

The second step in Raja Yoga is what is known as Dharana, or Concentration. This is a most wonderful idea in the direction of focusing the mental forces, and may be cultivated to an almost incredible degree, but all this requires work, time, and patience. But the student will be well repaid for it. Concentration consists in the mind focusing upon a certain subject, or object, and being held there for a time. This, at first thought seems very easy, but a little practice will show how difficult it is to firmly fix the attention and hold it there. It will have a tendency to waver, and move to some other object or subject, and much practice will be needed in order to hold it at the desired point. But practice will accomplish wonders, as one may see by observing people who have acquired this

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faculty, and who use it in their everyday life. But the following point should be remembered. Many persons have acquired the faculty of concentrating their attention, but have allowed it to become almost involuntary, and they become a slave to it, forgetting themselves and everything else, and often neglecting necessary affairs. This is the ignorant way of concentrating, and those addicted to it become slaves to their habits, instead of masters of their minds. They become day-dreamers, and absent-minded people, instead of Masters. They are to be pitied as much as those who cannot concentrate at all. The secret is in a mastery of the mind. The Yogis can concentrate at will, and completely bury themselves in the subject before them, and extract from it every item of interest, and can then pass the mind from the thing at will, the same control being used in both cases. They do not allow fits of abstraction, or "absent-mindedness" to come upon them, nor are they day-dreamers. On the contrary they are very wide awake individuals; close observers; clear thinkers; correct reasoners. They are masters of their minds, not slaves to their moods. The ignorant concentrator buries himself in the object or subject, and allows it to master and absorb himself, while the trained Yogi thinker asserts the "I," and then directs his mind to concentrate upon the subject or object, keeping it well under control and in view all the time. Do you see the difference: Then heed the lesson.

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The following exercises may be found useful in the first steps of Concentration:

(a) Concentrate the attention upon some familiar object--a pencil, for instance. Hold the mind there: and consider the pencil to the exclusion of any other object. Consider its size; color; shape; kind of wood. Consider its uses, and purposes; its materials; the process of its manufacture, etc., etc., etc. In short. think as many things about the pencil as possible, allowing the mind to pursue any associated by-paths, such as a consideration of the graphite of which the "lead" is made; the forest from which came the wood used in making the pencil; the history of pencils, and other implements used for writing, etc, In short exhaust the subject of "Pencils." In considering a subject under concentration, the following plan of synopsis will be found useful. Think of the thing in question from the following view-points:

(1) The thing itself.

(2) The place from whence it came.

(3) Its purpose or use.

(4) Its associations.

(5) Its probable end.

Do not let the apparently trivial nature of the inquiry discourage you, for the simplest form of mental training is useful, and will help to develop your Will and Concentration. It is akin to the process of developing a physical muscle by some simple exercise, and in both cases one loses sight of the unimportance

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of the exercise itself, in view of the end to be gained.

(b) Concentrate the attention upon some part of the body--the hand for instance, and fixing your entire attention upon it, shut off or inhibit all sensation from the other parts of the body. A little practice will enable you to do this. In addition to the mental training, this exercise will stimulate the part of the body concentrated upon, for reasons that will appear in future lessons. Change the parts of the body concentrated upon, and thus give the mind a variety of exercises, and the body the effect of a general stimulation.

(c) These exercises may be extended indefinitely upon familiar objects about you. Remember always, that the thing in itself is of no importance, the whole idea being to train the mind to obey the Will, so that when you really wish to use the mental forces upon some important object, you may find them well trained and obedient. Do not be tempted to slight this part of the work because it is "dry" and uninteresting, for it leads up to things that are most interesting, and opens a door to a fascinating subject.

(d) Practice focusing the attention upon some abstract subject--that is upon some subject of interest that may offer a field for mental exploration. Think about the subject in all its phases and branches, following up one by-path, and then another, until you feel that you know all about the subject that your mind has acquired. You will be surprised to find

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how much more you know about any one thing or subject than you had believed possible. In hidden corners of your mind you will find some useful or interesting information about the thing in question, and when you are through you will feel well posted upon it, and upon the things connected with it. This exercise will not only help to develop your intellectual powers, but will strengthen your memory, and broaden your mind, and give you more confidence in yourself. And, in addition, you will have taken a valuable exercise in Concentration or Dharana.

  

The Importance of Concentration.

Concentration is a focusing of the mind. And this focusing of the mind requires a focusing, or bringing to a center, of the Will. The mind is concentrated because the Will is focused upon the object. The mind flows into the mould made by the Will. The above exercises are designed not only to accustom the mind to the obedience and direction of the Will, but also tend to accustom the Will to command. We speak of strengthening the Will, when what we really mean is training the mind to obey, and accustoming the Will to command. Our Will is strong enough, but we do not realize it. The Will takes root in the very center of our being--in the "I," but our imperfectly developed mind does not recognize this fact. We are like young elephants that do not recognize their own strength, but allow themselves to be mastered by puny drivers, whom they could brush wide

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with a movement. The Will is back of all action--all doing--mental and physical.

We shall have much to say touching the Will, in these lessons and the student should give the matter his careful attention. Let him look around him, and he will see that the great difference between the men who have stepped forward from the ranks, and those who remain huddled up in the crowd, consists in Determination and Will. As Buxton has well said: "The longer I live, the more certain I am that the great difference between men, the feeble and the powerful; the great and the insignificant; is Energy and Invincible Determination." And he might have added that the thing behind that "energy and invincible determination" was Will.

The writers and thinkers of all ages have recognized the wonderful and transcendent importance of the Will. Tennyson sings: "O living Will thou shalt endure when all that seems shall suffer shock." Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "The seat of the Will seems to vary with the organ through which it is manifested; to transport itself to different parts of the brain, as we may wish to recall a picture, a phrase, a melody; to throw its force on the muscles or the intellectual processes. Like the general-in-chief, its place is everywhere in the field of action. It is the least like an instrument of any of our faculties; the farthest removed from our conceptions of mechanism and matter, as we commonly define them." Holmes was correct in his idea, but faulty in his details. The

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[paragraph continues  Will does not change its seat, which is always in the center of the Ego, but the Will forces the mind to all parts, and in all directions, and it directs the Prana or vital force likewise. The Will is indeed the general-in-chief, but it does not rush to the various points of action, but sends its messengers and couriers there to carry out its orders. Buxton has said: "The Will will do anything that can be done in this world. And no talents, no circumstances, no opportunities will make a two-legged creature a Man without it." Ik Marvel  truly says: "Resolve is what makes a man manifest: not puny resolve, not crude determinations, not errant purpose--but that strong and indefatigable Will which treads down difficulties and danger, as a boy treads down the heaving frost-lands of winter; which kindles his eye and brain with a proud pulse-beat toward the unattainable. Will makes men giants."

The great obstacle to the proper use of the Will, in the case of the majority of people, is the lack of ability to focus the attention. The Yogis clearly understand this point, and many of the Raja Yoga exercises which are given to the students by the teachers, are designed to overcome this difficulty. Attention is the outward evidence of the Will. As a French writer has said: "The attention is subject to the superior authority of the Ego. I yield it, or I withhold it, as I please. I direct it in turn to several points. 1 concentrate it upon each point as long as my Will can stand the effort." Prof. James has said: "The essential

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achievement of the Will, when it is most voluntary, is to attend to a difficult object, and hold it fast before the mind. Effort of Attention is the essential phenomenon of the Will." And Prof. Halleck says: "The first step toward the development of Will lies in the exercise of Attention. Ideas grow in distinctness and motor-power as we attend to them. If we take two ideas of the same intensity and center the attention upon one, we shall notice how much it grows in power." Prof. Sully says: "Attention may be roughly defined as the active self-direction of the mind to any object which presents itself at the mo. ment." The word "Attention" is derived from two Latin words, ad tendere, meaning "to stretch towards," and this is just what the Yogis know it to be. By means of their psychic or clairvoyant sight, they see the thought of the attentive person stretched out toward the object attended to, like a sharp wedge, the point of which is focused upon the object under consideration, the entire force of the thought being concentrated at that point. This is true not only when the person is considering an object, but when he is earnestly impressing his ideas upon another, or upon some task to be accomplished. Attention means reaching the mind out to and focusing it upon something.

The trained Will exhibits itself in a tenacious Attention, and this Attention is one of the signs of the trained Will. The student must not hastily conclude that this kind of Attention is a common faculty among

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men. On the contrary it is quite rare, and is seen only among those of "strong" mentality. Anyone may fasten his Attention upon some passing, pleasing thing, but it takes a trained will to fasten it upon some unattractive thing, and hold it there. Of course the trained occultist is able to throw interest into the most unattractive thing upon which it becomes advisable to focus his Attention, but this, in itself, comes with the trained Will, and is not the possession of the average man, Voluntary Attention is rare, and is found only among strong characters. But it may be cultivated and grown, until he who has scarcely a shade of it today, in time may become a giant. It is all a matter of practice, exercise, and Will.

It is difficult to say too much in favor of the development of the faculty of tenacious Attention. One possessing this developed faculty is able to accomplish far more than even a much "brighter" man who lacks it. And the best way to train the Attention, under the direction of the Will, is to practice upon uninteresting objects, and ideas, holding them before the mind until they begin to assume an Interest. This is difficult at first, but the task soon begins to take on a pleasant aspect, for one finds that his Will-power and Attention are growing, and he feels himself acquiring a Force and Power that were lacking before--he realizes that he is growing Stronger. Charles Dickens said that the secret of his success consisted in his developing a faculty of throwing his entire Attention into whatever he happened to be doing at the moment

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and then being able to turn that sane degree of Attention to the next thing coming before him for consideration. He was like a man behind a great searchlight, which was successively turned upon point after point, illuminating each in turn. The "I" is the man behind the light, and the Will is the reflector, the light being the Attention.

This discussion of Will and Attention may seem somewhat "dry" to the student, but that is all the more reason that he should attend to it. It is the secret that lies at the basis of the Science of Raja Yoga, and the Yogi Masters have attained a degree of Concentrated Will and Attention that would be inconceivable to the average "man on the street." By reason of this, they are able to direct the mind here and there, outward or inward, with an enormous force. They are able to focus the mind upon a small thing with remarkable intensity, just as the rays of the sun may be focused through a "sun-glass" and caused to ignite linen, or, on the other hand, they are able to send forth the mind with intense energy, illuminating whatever it rests upon, just as happens in the case of the strong electric searchlight, with which many of us are familiar. By all means start in to cultivate the Attention and Will. Practice on the unpleasant tasks--do the things that you have before you, and from which you have been shrinking because they were unpleasant. Throw interest into them, and the difficulty will vanish, and you will come out of it much stronger, and filled with a new sense of Power.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

"I" have a Will--it is my inalienable property and right. I determine to cultivate and develop it by practice and exercise. My mind is obedient to my Will. I assert my Will over my Mind. I am Master of my mind and body. I assert my Mastery. My Will is Dynamic--full of Force and Energy, and Power. I feel my strength. I am Strong. I am Forceful. I am Vital. I am Center of Consciousness, Energy, Strength, and Power, and I claim my birthright.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE FIFTH LESSON.

  

THE CULTIVATION OF ATTENTION.

In our last lesson we called your attention to the fact that the Yogis devote considerable time and practice to the acquirement of Concentration. And we also had something to say regarding the relation of Attention to the subject of Concentration. In this lesson we shall have more to say on the subject of Attention, for it is one of the important things relating to the practice of Raja Yoga, and the Yogis insist upon their students practicing systematically to develop and cultivate the faculty. Attention lies at the base of Will-power, and the cultivation of one makes easy the exercise of the other.

To explain why we lay so much importance to the cultivation of Attention, would necessitate our anticipating future lessons of this series, which we do not deem advisable at this time. And so we must ask our students to take our word for it, that all that we have to say regarding the importance of the cultivation of Attention, is occasioned by the relation of that subject to the use of the mind in certain directions as will appear fully later on.

In order to let you know that we are not advancing some peculiar theory of the Yogis, which may not be in harmony with modern Western Science, we give you in this article a number of quotations, from Western

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writers and thinkers, touching upon this important faculty of the mind, so that you may see that the West and East agree upon this main point, however different may be their explanations of the fact, or their use of the power gained by the cultivation of Attention.

As we said in our last lesson, the word Attention is derived from two Latin words "ad tendere," meaning "to stretch toward," which is really what Attention is. The "I" wills that the mind be focused on some particular object or thing, and the mind obeys and "stretches toward" that object or thing, focusing its entire energy upon it, observing every detail, dissecting, analyzing, consciously and sub-consciously, drawing to itself every possible bit of information regarding it, both from within and from without. We cannot lay too much stress upon the acquirement of this great faculty, or rather, the development of it, for it is necessary for the intelligent study of Raja Yoga.

In order to bring out the importance of the subject, suppose we start in by actually giving our Attention to the subject of Attention, and see how much more there is in it than we had thought. We shall be well repaid for the amount of time and trouble expended upon it.

Attention has been defined as a focusing of consciousness, or, if one prefers the form of expression, as "detention in consciousness." In the first case, we may liken it to the action of the sun-glass through

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which the sun's rays are concentrated upon an object, the result being that the heat is gathered together at a small given point, the intensity of the same being raised many degrees until the heat is sufficient to burn a piece of wood, or evaporate water. If the rays were not focused, the same rays and heat would have been scattered over a large surface, and the effect and power lessened. And so it is with the mind. If it is allowed to scatter itself over the entire field of a subject, it will exert but little power and the results will be weak. But if it is passed through the sun-glass of attention, and focused first over one part, and then over another, and so on, the matter may be mastered in detail, and a result accomplished that will seem little less than marvelous to those who do not know the secret.

Thompson has said: "The experiences most permanently impressed upon consciousness, are those upon which the greatest amount of attention has been fixed."

Another writer upon the subject has said that "Attention is so essentially necessary to understanding, that without some degree of it the ideas and perceptions that pass through the mind seem to leave ne trace behind them."

Hamilton has said: "An act of attention, that is, an act of concentration, seems thus necessary to every exertion of consciousness, as a certain contraction of the pupil is requisite to every exertion of vision. Attention then is to consciousness what the contraction

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of the pupil is to sight, or, to the eye of the mind what the microscope or telescope is to the bodily eye. It constitutes the better half of all intellectual power."

And Brodie adds, quite forcibly: "It is Attention, much more than any difference in the abstract power of reasoning, which constitutes the vast difference which exists between minds of different individuals."

Butler gives us this important testimony: "The most important intellectual habit I know of is the habit of attending exclusively to the matter in hand. It is commonly said that genius cannot be infused by education, yet this power of concentrated attention, which belongs as a part of his gift to every great discoverer, is unquestionably capable of almost indefinite augmentation by resolute practice."

And, concluding this review of opinions, and endorsements of that which the Yogis have so much to say, and to which they attach so much importance, let us listen to the words of Beattie, who says: "The force wherewith anything strikes the mind, is generally in proportion to the degree of attention bestowed upon it. Moreover, the great art of memory is attention, and inattentive people always have bad memories."

There are two general kinds of Attention. The first is the Attention directed within the mind upon mental objects and concepts. The other is the Attention directed outward upon objects external to ourselves. The same general rules and laws apply to both equally.

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Likewise there may be drawn another distinction and division of attention into two classes, viz., Attention attracted by some impression coming into consciousness without any conscious effort of the Will--this is called Involuntary Attention, for the Attention and Interest is caught by the attractiveness or novelty of the object. Attention directed to some object by an effort of the Will, is called Voluntary Attention. Involuntary Attention is quite common, and requires no special training. In fact, the lower animals, and young children seem to have a greater share of it than do adult men. A great percentage of men and women never get beyond this stage to any marked degree. On the other hand, Voluntary Attention requires effort, will, and determination--a certain mental training, that is beyond the majority of people, for they will not "take the trouble" to direct their attention in this way. Voluntary Attention is the mark of the student and other thoughtful men. They focus their minds on objects that do not yield immediate interest or pleasure, in order that they may learn and accomplish. The careless person will not thus fasten his Attention, at least not more than a moment or so, for his Involuntary Attention is soon attracted by some passing object of no matter how trifling a nature, and the Voluntary Attention disappears and is forgotten. Voluntary Attention is developed by practice and perseverance, and is well worth the trouble, for nothing in the mental world is accomplished without its use.

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The Attention does not readily fasten itself to uninteresting objects, and, unless interest can be created, it requires a considerable degree of Voluntary Attention in order that the mind may be fastened upon such an object. And, more than this, even if the ordinary attention is attracted it will soon waver, unless there is some interesting change in the aspect of the object, that will give the attention a fresh hold of interest, or unless some new quality, characteristic or property manifests itself in the object. This fact occurs because the mind mechanism has not been trained to bear prolonged Voluntary Attention, and, in fact, the physical brain is not accustomed to the task, although it may be so trained by patient practice.

It has been noticed by investigators that the Attention may be rested and freshened, either by withdrawing the Voluntary Attention from the object, and allowing the Attention to manifest along Involuntary lines toward passing objects, etc.; or, on the other hand, by directing the Voluntary Attention into a new field of observation--toward some new object. Sometimes one plan will seem to give the best results, and again the other will seem preferable.

We have called your attention to the fact that Interest develops Attention, and holds it fixed, while an uninteresting object or subject requires a much greater effort and application. This fact is apparent to anyone. A common illustration may be found in the matter of reading a book. Nearly everyone will give his undivided attention to some bright, thrilling story,

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while but few are able to use sufficient Voluntary Attention to master the pages of some scientific work, But, right here, we wish to call your attention to the other side of the case, which is another example of the fact that Truth is composed of paradoxes.

Just as Interest develops Attention, so it is a truth that Attention develops Interest. If one will take the trouble to give a little Voluntary Attention to an object, he will soon find that a little perseverance will bring to light points of Interest in the object. Things before unseen and unsuspected, are quickly brought to light. And many new phases, and aspects of the subject or object are seen, each one of which, in turn, becomes an object of Interest. This is a fact not so generally known, and one that it will be well for you to remember, and to use in practice. Look for the interesting features of an uninteresting thing, and they will appear to your view, and before long the uninteresting object will have changed into a thing having many-sided interests.

Voluntary Attention is one of the signs of a developed Will. That is, of a mind that has been well trained by the Will, for the Will is always strong, and it is the mind that has to be trained, not the Will. And on the other hand, one of the best ways to train the mind by the Will, is by practice in Voluntary Attention. So you see how the rule works both ways. Some Western psychologists have even advanced theories that the Voluntary Attention is the only power of the Will, and that that power is sufficient, for if the

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[paragraph continues  Attention be firmly fixed, and held upon an object the mind will "do the rest." We do not agree with this school of philosophers, but merely mention the fact as an illustration of the importance attributed by psychologists to this matter of Voluntary Attention.

A man of a strongly developed Attention often accomplishes far more than some much brighter man who lacks it. Voluntary Attention and Application is a very good substitute for Genius, and often accomplishes far more in the long run.

Voluntary Attention is the fixing of the mind earnestly and intently upon some particular object, at the same time shutting out from consciousness other objects pressing for entrance. Hamilton has defined it as "consciousness voluntarily applied under its law of limitations to some determinate object." The same writer goes on to state that "the greater the number of objects to which our consciousness is simultaneously extended, the smaller is the intensity with which it is able to consider each, and consequently the less vivid and distinct will be the information it contains of the several objects. When our interest in any particular object is excited, and when we wish to obtain all the knowledge concerning it in our power, it behooves us to limit our consideration to that object to the exclusion of others."

The human mind has the power of attending to only one object at a time, although it is able to pass from one object to another with a marvelous degree of speed, so rapidly, in fact, that some have held that it

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could grasp several things at once. But the best authorities, Eastern and Western, hold to the "single idea" theory as being correct. On this point we may quote a few authorities.

Jouffroy says that "It is established by experience that we cannot give our attention to two different objects at the same time." And Holland states that "Two thoughts, however closely related to one another, cannot be presumed to exist at the same time." And Lewes has told us that "The nature of our organism prevents our having more than one aspect of an object at each instant presented to consciousness." Whateley says: "The best philosophers are agreed that the mind cannot actually attend to more than one thing at a time, but, when it appears to be doing so it is really shifting with prodigious rapidity backward and forward from one to the other."

By giving a concentrated Voluntary Attention to an object, we not only are able to see and think about it with the greatest possible degree of clearness, but the mind has a tendency, under such circumstances, to bring into the field of consciousness all the different ideas associated in our memory with that object or subject, and to build around the object or subject a mass of associated facts and information. And at the same time the Attention given the subject makes more vivid and clear all that we learn about the thing at the time, and, in fact, all that we may afterwards learn about it. It seems to cut a channel, through which knowledge flows.

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Attention magnifies and increases the powers of perception, and greatly aids the exercise of the perceptive faculties. By "paying attention" to something seen or heard, one is enabled to observe the details of the thing seen or heard, and where the inattentive mind acquires say three impressions the attentive mind absorbs three times three, or perhaps three times "three times three," or twenty-seven. And, as we have just said, Attention brings into play the powers of association, and gives us the "loose end" of an almost infinite chain of associated facts, stored away in our memory, forming new combinations of facts which we had never grouped together before, and bring out into the field of consciousness all the many scraps of information regarding the thing to which we are giving attention. The proof of this is within the experience of everyone. Where is the one who does not remember sitting down to some writing, painting, reading, etc., with interest and attention, and finding, much to his surprise, what a flow of facts regarding the matter in hand was passing through his mind. Attention seems to focus all the knowledge of a thing that you possess, and by bringing it to a point enables you to combine, associate, classify, etc., and thus create new knowledge. Gibbon tells us that after he gave a brief glance and consideration to a new subject, he suspended further work upon it, and allowed his mind (under concentrated attention) to bring forth all his associated knowledge regarding the subject, after which he renewed the task with increased power and efficiency.

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The more one's attention is fixed upon a subject under consideration, the deeper is the impression which the subject leaves upon the mind. And the easier will it be for him to afterwards pursue the same train of thought and work.

Attention is a prerequisite of good memory, and in fact there can be no memory at all unless some degree of attention is given. The degree of memory depends upon the degree of attention and interest. And when it is considered that the work of today is made efficient by the memory of things learned yesterday, the day before yesterday, and so on, it is seen that the degree of attention given today regulates the quality of the work of tomorrow.

Some authorities have described Genius as the result of great powers of attention, or, at least, that the two seem to run together. Some writer has said that "possibly the best definition of genius is the power of concentrating upon some one given subject until its possibilities are exhausted and absorbed." Simpson has said that "The power and habit of thinking closely and continuously upon the subject at hand, to the exclusion, for the time, of all other subjects, is one of the principal, if, indeed, not the principal, means of success." Sir Isaac Newton has told us his plan of absorbing information and knowledge. He has stated that he would keep the subject under consideration before him continually, and then would wait till the first dawning of perception gradually brightened into a clear light, little by little. A mental sunrise, in fact.

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That sage observer, Dr. Abercrombie, has written that he considered that he knew of no more important rule for rising to eminence in any profession or occupation than the ability to do one thing at a time, avoiding all distracting and diverting objects or subjects, and keeping the leading matter continually before the mind. And others have added that such a course will enable one to observe relations between the subject and other things that will not be apparent to the careless observer or student.

The degree of Attention cultivated by a man is the degree of his capacity for intellectual work. As we have said, the "great" men of all walks of life have developed this faculty to a wonderful degree, and many of them seem to get results "intuitively," whereas, in truth, they obtain them by reason of their concentrated power of Attention, which enables them to see right into the center of a subject or proposition--and all around it, back and front, and all sides, in a space of time incredible to the man who has not cultivated this mighty power. Men who have devoted much attention to some special line of work or research, are able to act almost as if they possessed "second sight," providing the subject is within their favorite field of endeavor. Attention quickens every one of the faculties--the reasoning faculties--the senses--the deciding qualities--the analytical faculties, and so on, each being given a "fine edge" by their use under a concentrated Attention.

And, on the other hand, there is no surer indication

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if a weak mind than the deficiency in Attention. This weakness may arise from illness or physical weakness reacting upon the brain, in which case the trouble is but temporary. Or it may arise from a lack of mental development. Imbeciles and idiots have little or no Attention. The great French psychologist, Luys, speaking of this fact, says "Imbeciles and idiots see badly, hear badly, feel badly, and their sensorium is, in consequence, in a similar condition of sensitive poverty. Its impressionability for the things of the external world is at a minimum, its sensibility weak, and consequently, it is difficult to provoke the physiological condition necessary for the absorption of the external impression."

In old age the Attention is the first faculty to show signs of decay. Some authorities have held that the Memory was the first faculty to be affected by the approach of old age, but this is incorrect, for it is a matter of common experience that the aged manifest a wonderfully clear memory of events occurring in the far past. The reason that their memory of recent events is so poor is because their failing powers of Attention has prevented them from receiving strong, clear mental impressions, and as is the impression so is the memory. Their early impressions having been clear and strong, are easily recalled, while their later ones, being weak, are recalled with difficulty. If the Memory were at fault, it would be difficult for them to recall any impression, recent or far distant in time.

But we must stop quoting examples and authorities,

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and urging upon you the importance of the faculty of Attention. If you do not now realize it, it is because you have not given the subject the Attention that you should have exercised, and further repetition would not remedy matters.

Admitting the importance of Attention, from the psychological point of view, not to speak of the occult side of the subject, is it not a matter of importance for you to start in to cultivate that faculty? We think so. And the only way to cultivate any mental or physical part or faculty is to Exercise it. Exercise "uses up" a muscle, or mental faculty, but the organism makes haste to rush to the scene additional material--cell-stuff, nerve force, etc., to repair the waste, and it always sends a little more than is needed. And this "little more," continually accruing and increasing, is what increases the muscles and brain centers. And improved and strengthened brain centers give the mind better instruments with which to work.

One of the first things to do in the cultivation of Attention is to learn to think of, and do, one thing at a time. Acquiring the "knack" or habit of attending closely to the things before us, and then passing on to the next and treating it in the same way, is most conducive to success, and its practice is the best exercise for the cultivation of the faculty of Attention. And on the contrary, there is nothing more harmful from the point of view of successful performance--and nothing that will do more to destroy the power of giving Attention--than the habit of trying to do one

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thing while thinking of another. The thinking part of the mind, and the acting part should work together, not in opposition.

Dr. Beattie, speaking of this subject, tells us "It is a matter of no small importance that we acquire the habit of doing only one thing at a time; by which I mean that while attending to any one object, our thoughts ought not to wander to another." And Granville adds, "A frequent cause of failure in the faculty of Attention is striving to think of more than one thing at a time." And Kay quotes, approvingly, a writer who says: "She did things easily, because she attended to them in the doing. When she made bread, she thought of the bread, and not of the fashion of her next dress, or of her partner at the last dance." Lord Chesterfield said, "There is time enough for everything in the course of the day, if you do but one thing at a time; but there is not time enough in the year if you try to do two things at a time."

To attain the best results one should practice concentrating upon the task before him, shutting out, so far as possible, every other idea or thought. One should even forget self--personality--in such cases, as there is nothing more destructive of good thinking than to allow morbid self-consciousness to intrude. One does best when he "forgets himself" in his work, and sinks his personality in the creative work. The "earnest" man or woman is the one who sinks personality in the desired result, or performance of the task undertaken. The actor, or preacher, or orator,

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or writer, must lose sight of himself to get the best results. Keep the Attention fixed on the thing before you, and let the self take care of itself.

In connection with the above, we may relate an anecdote of Whateley that may be interesting in connection with the consideration of this subject of "losing one's self" in the task. He was asked for a recipe for "bashfulness," and replied that the person was bashful simply because he was thinking of himself and the impression he was making. His recipe was that the young man should think of others--of the pleasure he could give them--and in that way he would forget all about himself. The prescription is said to have effected the cure. The same authority has written, "Let both the extemporary speaker, and the reader of his own compositions, study to avoid as far as possible all thoughts of self, earnestly fixing the mind on the matter of what is delivered; and they will feel less that embarrassment which arises from the thought of what opinion the hearers will form of them."

The same writer, Whateley, seems to have made quite a study of Attention and has given us some interesting information on its details. The following may be read with interest, and if properly understood may be employed to advantage. He says, "It is a fact, and a very curious one, that many people find that they can best attend to any serious matter when they are occupied with something else which requires a little, and but a little, attention, such as working with the needle, cutting open paper leaves, or. for want of some

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such employment, fiddling anyhow with the fingers." He does not give the reason for this, and at first sight it might seem like a contradiction of the "one thing at a time" idea. But a closer examination will show us that the minor work (the cutting leaves, etc.) is in the nature of an involuntary or automatic movement, inasmuch as it requires little or no voluntary attention, and seems to "do itself." It does not take off the Attention from the main subject, but perhaps acts to catch the "waste Attention" that often tries to divide the Attention from some voluntary act to another. The habit mind may be doing one thing, while the Attention is fixed on another. For instance, one may be writing with his attention firmly fixed upon the thought he wishes to express, while at the time his hand is doing the writing, apparently with no attention being given it. But, let a boy, or person unaccustomed to writing, try to express his thoughts in this way, and you will find that he is hampered in the flow of his thoughts by the fact that he has to give much attention to the mechanical act of writing. In the same way, the beginner on the typewriter finds it difficult to compose to the machine, while the experienced typist finds the mechanical movements no hindrance whatever to the flow of thought and focusing of Attention; in fact, many find that they can compose much better while using the typewriter than they can by dictating to a stenographer. We think you will see the principle.

And now for a little Mental Drill in Attention, that

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you may be started on the road to cultivate this important faculty.

  

MENTAL DRILL IN ATTENTION.

Exercise I. Begin by taking some familiar object and placing it before you, try to get as many impressions regarding it as is possible for you. Study its shape, its color, its size, and the thousand and one little peculiarities about it that present themselves to your attention. In doing this, reduce the thing to its simplest parts--analyze it as far as is possible--dissect it, mentally, and study its parts in detail. The more simple and small the part to be considered, the more clearly will the impression be received, and the more vividly will it be recalled. Reduce the thing to the smallest possible proportions, and then examine each portion, and mastering that, then pass on to the next part, and so on, until you have covered the entire field. Then, when you have exhausted the object, take a pencil and paper and put down as nearly as possible all the things or details of the object examined. When you have done this, compare the written description with the object itself, and see how many things you have failed to note.

The next day take up the same object, and after re-examining it, write down the details and you will find that you will have stored away a greater number of impressions regarding it, and, moreover, you will have discovered many new details during your second examination. This exercise strengthens the memory

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as well as the Attention, for the two are closely connected, the memory depending largely upon the clearness and strength of the impressions received, while the impressions depend upon the amount of attention given to the thing observed. Do not tire yourself with this exercise, for a tired Attention is a poor Attention. Better try it by degrees, increasing the task a little each time you try it. Make a game of it if you like, and you will find it quite interesting to notice the steady but gradual improvement.

It will be interesting to practice this in connection with some friend, varying the exercise by both examining the object, and writing down their impressions, separately, and then comparing results. This adds interest to the task, and you will be surprised to see how rapidly both of you increase in your powers of observation, which powers, of course, result from Attention.

Exercise II. This exercise is but a variation of the first one. It consists in entering a room, and taking a hasty glance around, and then walking out, and afterward writing down the number of things that you have observed, with a description of each. You will be surprised to observe how many things you have missed at first sight, and how you will improve in observation by a little practice. This exercise, also, may be improved by the assistance of a friend, as related in our last exercise. It is astonishing how many details one may observe and remember, after a little practice. It is related of Houdin (Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin--JBH), the French

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conjurer, that he improved and developed his faculty of Attention and Memory by playing this game with a young relative. They would pass by a shop window, taking a hasty, attentive glance at its contents. Then they would go around the corner and compare notes. At first they could remember only a few prominent articles--that is, their Attention could grasp only a few. But as they developed by practice, they found that they could observe and remember a vast number of things and objects in the window. And, at last, it is related that Houdin could pass rapidly before any large shop window, bestowing upon it but one hasty glance, and then tell the names of, and closely describe, nearly every object in plain sight in the window. The feat was accomplished by the fact that the cultivated Attention enabled Houdin to fasten upon his mind a vivid mental image of the window and its contents, and then he was able to describe the articles one by one from the picture in his mind.

Houdin taught his son to develop Attention by a simple exercise which may be interesting and of value to you. He would lay down a domino before the boy--a five-four, for example. He would require the boy to tell him the combined number at once, without allowing him to stop to count the spots, one by one. "Nine" the boy would answer after a moment's hesitation. Then another domino, a three-four, would be added. "That makes sixteen," cried the boy. Two dominoes at a time was the second day's task. The next day, three was the standard. The next day, four,

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and so on, until the boy was able to handle twelve dominoes--that is to say, give instantaneously the total number of spots on twelve dominoes, after a single glance. This was Attention, in earnest, and shows what practice will do to develop a faculty. The result was shown by the wonderful powers of observation, memory and attention, together with instantaneous mental action, that the boy developed. Not only was he able to add dominoes instantaneously, but he had powers of observation, etc., that seemed little short of miraculous. And yet it is related that he had poor attention, and deficient memory to begin with.

If this seems incredible, let us remember how old whist players note and remember every card in the pack, and can tell whether they have been played or not, and all the circumstances attending upon them. The same is true of chess players, who observe every move and can relate the whole game in detail long after it has been played. And remember, also, how one woman may pass another woman on the street, and without seeming to give her more than a careless glance, may be able to relate in detail every feature of the other woman's apparel, including its color, texture, style of fashioning, probable price of the material, etc., etc. And a mere man would have noticed scarcely anything about it--because he would not have given it any attention. But how soon would that man learn to equal his sister in attention and observation of women's wearing apparel, if his business success depended upon it, or if his speculative instinct was called into play

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by a wager with some friend as to who could remember the most about a woman's clothing, seen in a passing glance? You see it is all a matter of Interest and Attention.

But we forget that the Attention may be developed and cultivated, and we complain that we "cannot remember things," or that we do not seem to be able to "take notice." A little practice will do wonders in this direction.

Now, while the above exercises will develop your memory and powers of observation, still that is not the main reason that we have given them to you. We have an ulterior object, that will appear in time. We aim to develop your Will-power, and we know that Attention stands at the gate of Will-power. In order to be able to use your Will, you must be able to focus the Attention forcibly and distinctly. And these childish exercises will help you to develop the mental muscles of the Attention. If you could but realize the childish games the young Yogi students are required to play, in order to develop the mental faculties, you would change your minds about the Yogi Adepts whom you have been thinking about as mere dreamers, far removed from the practical. These men, and their students, are intensely practical. They have gained the mastery of the Mind, and its faculties, and are able to use them as sharp edged tools, while the untrained man finds that he has but a dull, unsharpened blade that will do nothing but hack and hew roughly, instead of being able to produce the finished product.

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[paragraph continues  The Yogi believes in giving the "I" good tools with which to work, and he spends much time in tempering and sharpening these tools. Oh, no, the Yogi are not idle dreamers. Their grasp of "practical things" would surprise many a practical, matter-of-fact Western business man, if he could but observe it.

And so, we ask you to practice "observing things." The two exercises we have given are but indications of the general line. We could give you thousands, but you can prepare them yourselves as well as could we. The little Hindu boy is taught Attention by being asked to note and remember the number, color, character and other details of a number of colored stones, jewelry, etc., shown for an instant in an open palm, the hand being closed the moment after. He is taught to note and describe passing travelers, and their equipages--houses he sees on his journeys--and thousands of other everyday objects. The results are almost marvelous. In this way he is prepared as a chela or student, and he brings to his guru or teacher a brain well developed--a mind thoroughly trained to obey the Will of the "I"--and with faculties quickened to perceive instantly that which others would fail to see in a fortnight. It is true that he does not turn these faculties to "business" or other so-called "practical" pursuits, but prefers to devote them to abstract studies and pursuits outside of that which the Western man considers to be the end and aim of life. But remember that the two civilizations are quite different--following different ideals--having different economic

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conditions--living in different worlds, as it were. But that is all a matter of taste and ideals--the faculty for the "practical life" of the West is possessed by the chela, if he saw fit to use it. But all Hindu youths are not chelas, remember--nor are all Western youths "captains of industry," or Edisons.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I am using my Attention to develop my mental faculties, so as to give the "I" a perfect instrument with which to work. The mind is My instrument and I am bringing it to a state of capacity for perfect work.

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MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION).

There is but One Life--One Life Underlying. This Life is manifesting through ME, and through every other shape, form, and thing. I am resting on the bosom of the Great Ocean of Life, and it is supporting me, and will carry me safely, though the waves rise and fall--though the storms rage and the tempests roar. I am safe on the Ocean of Life, and rejoice as I feel the sway of its motion. Nothing can harm me--though changes may come and go, I am Safe. I am One with the All Life, and its Power, Knowledge, and Peace are behind, underneath, and within Me. O! One Life! express Thyself through me--carry me now on the crest of the wave, now deep down in the trough of the ocean--supported always by Thee--all is good to me, as I feel Thy life moving in and through me. I am Alive, through thy life, and I open myself to thy full manifestation and inflow.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE SIXTH LESSON.

  

CULTIVATION OF PERCEPTION.

Man gains his knowledge of the outside world through his senses. And, consequently, many of us are in the habit of thinking of these senses as if they did the sensing, instead of being merely carriers of the vibrations coming from the outside world, which are then presented to the Mind for examination. We shall speak of this at greater length a little later on in this lesson. Just now we wish to impress upon you the fact that it is the Mind that perceives, not the senses. And, consequently, a development of Perception is really a development of the Mind.

The Yogis put their students through a very arduous course of practice and exercises designed to develop their powers of perception. To many this would appear to be merely a development of the Senses, which might appear odd in view of the fact that the Yogis are constantly preaching the folly of being governed and ruled by the senses. But there is nothing paradoxical about all this, for the Yogis, while preaching the folly of sense life, and manifesting the teaching in their lives, nevertheless believe in any and all exercises calculated to "sharpen" the Mind, and develop it to a keen state and condition.

They see a great difference between having a sharpened

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perception, on the one hand, and being a slave to the senses on the other. For instance, what would be thought of a man who objected to acquiring a keen eyesight, for fear it would lead him away from higher things, by reason of his becoming attached to the beautiful things he might see. To realize the folly of this idea, one may look at its logical conclusion, which would be that one would then be much better off if all their senses were destroyed. The absurdity, not to say wickedness, of such an idea will be apparent to everyone, after a minute's consideration.

The secret of the Yogi theory and teachings regarding the development of the Mental powers, lies in the word "Mastery." The Yoga student accomplishes and attains this mastery in two ways. The first way is by subordinating all the feelings, sense-impressions, etc., to the Mastery of the "I," or Will, the Mastery being obtained in this way by the assertion of the dominancy of the "I" over the faculties and emotions, etc. The second step, or way, lies in the Yogi, once having asserted the mastery, beginning to develop and perfect the Mental instrument, so as to get better work and returns from it. In this way he increases his kingdom and is Master over a much larger territory.

In order for one to gain knowledge, it is necessary to use to the best advantage the mental instruments and tools that he finds at his disposal. And again, one must develop and improve such tools--put a keen edge upon them, etc. Not only does one gain a great benefit from a development of the faculties of perception,

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but he also acquires an additional benefit from the training of the whole mind arising from the mental discipline and training resulting from the former exercises, etc. In our previous lessons we have pointed out some of the means by which these faculties might be greatly improved, and their efficiency increased. In this lesson we shall point out certain directions in which the Perceptive faculties may be trained. We trust that the simplicity of the idea may not cause any of our students to lose interest in the work. If they only knew just what such development would lead to they would gladly follow our suggestions in the matter. Every one of the ideas and exercises given by us are intended to lead up to the strengthening of the Mind, and the attainment of powers and the enfoldment of faculties. There is no royal road to Raja Yoga, but the student will be well repaid for the work of climbing the hill of Attainment.

In view of the above, let us examine the question of The Senses. Through the doors of the senses Man receives all his information regarding the outside world. If he keeps these doors but half open, or crowded up with obstacles and rubbish, he may expect to receive but few messages from outside. But if he keeps his doorways clear, and clean, he will obtain the best that is passing his way.

If one were horn without sense-organs--no matter how good a Mind he might have--he would be compelled to live his life in a dreamy plant-life stage of existence, with little or no consciousness. The Mind

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would be like a seed in the earth, that for some reason was prevented from growing.

One may object that the highest ideas do not come to us through the senses, but the reply is that the things obtained through the senses are the "raw material" upon which the mind works, and fashions the beautiful things that it is able to produce in its highest stages. Just as is the body dependent for growth upon the nourishment taken into it, so is the mind dependent for growth upon the impressions received from the Universe--and these impressions come largely through the senses. It may be objected to that we know many things that we have not received through our senses. But, does the objector include the impressions that came through his senses in some previous existence, and which have been impressed upon his instinctive mind, or soul-memory? It is true that there are higher senses than those usually recognized, but Nature insists upon one learning the lessons of the lower grades before attempting those of the higher.

Do not forget that all that we know we have "worked for." There is nothing that comes to the idler, or shirker. What we know is merely the result of "stored-up accumulations of previous experience," as Lewes has so well said.

So it will be seen that the Yogi idea that one should develop all parts of the Mind is strictly correct, if one will take the trouble to examine into the matter. A man sees and knows but very little of what is going inn about him. His limitations are great. His powers

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of vision report only a few vibrations of light, while below and above the scale lie an infinity of vibrations unknown to him. The same is true of the powers of hearing, for only a comparatively small portion of the sound-waves reach the Mind of Man--even some of the animals hear more than he does.

If a man had only one sense he would obtain but a one-sense idea of the outside world. If another sense is added his knowledge is doubled. And so on. The best proof of the relation between increased sense perception and development is had in the study of the evolution of animal forms. In the early stages of life the organism has only the sense of feeling--and very dim at that--and a faint sense of taste. Then developed smell, hearing and sight, each marking a distinct advance in the scale of life, for a new world has been opened out to the advancing forms of life. And, when man develops new senses--and this is before the race--he will be a much wiser and greater being.

Carpenter, many years ago, voiced a thought that will be familiar to those who are acquainted with the Yogi teachings regarding the unfoldment of new senses. He said: "It does not seem at all improbable that there are properties of matter of which none of our senses can take immediate cognizance, and which other beings might be formed to perceive in the same manner as we are sensible to light, sound, etc."

And Isaac Taylor said: "It may be that within the field occupied by the visible and ponderable universe

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there is existing and moving another element fraught with another species of life--corporeal, indeed, and various in its orders, but not open to cognizance of those who are confined to the conditions of animal organization. Is it to be thought that the eye of man is the measure of the Creator's power?--and that He created nothing but that which he has exposed to our present senses? The contrary seems much more than barely possible; ought we not to think it almost certain?"

Another writer, Prof. Masson, has said: "If a new sense or two were added to the present normal number, in man, that which is now the phenomenal world for all of us might, for all that we know, burst into something amazingly different and wider, in consequence of the additional revelations of these new senses."

But not only is this true, but Man may increase his powers of knowledge and experience if he will but develop the senses he has to a higher degree of efficiency, instead of allowing them to remain comparatively atrophied. And toward this end, this lesson is written.

The Mind obtains its impressions of objects of the outside world by means of the brain and sense organs. The sensory organs are the instruments of the Mind.. as is also the brain and the entire nervous system. By means of the nerves, and the brain, the Min& makes use of the sensory organs in order that it may obtain information regarding external objects.

The senses are usually said to consist of five different forms, viz., sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.

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[paragraph continues  The Yogis teach that there are higher senses, undeveloped, or comparatively so, in the majority of the race. but toward the unfoldment of which the race is tending. But we shall not touch upon these latent senses in this lesson, as they belong to another phase of the subject. In addition to the five senses above enumerated, some physiologists and psychologists have held that there were several others in evidence. For instance, the sense by which the inner organs revealed their presence and condition. The muscular system reports to the mind through some sense that is not that of "touch," although closely allied to it. And the feelings of hunger, thirst, etc., seem to come to us through an unnamed sense.

Bernstein has distinguished between the five senses and the one just referred to as follows: "The characteristic distinction between these common sensations and the sensations of the senses is that by the latter we gain knowledge of the occurrences and objects which belong to the external world (and which sensations we refer to external objects), whilst by the former we only feel conditions of our own body."

A sensation is the internal, mental conception, resulting from an external object or fact exciting the sense organs and nerves, and the brain, thus making the mind "aware" of the external object or fact. As Bain has said, it is the "mental impression, feeling, or conscious state, resulting from the action of external things on some part of the body, called on that account, sensitive."

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Each channel of sense impressions has an organ, of organs, peculiarly adapted for the excitation of its substance by the particular kind of vibrations through which it receives impressions. The eye is most cunningly and carefully designed to receive the light-waves; and sound-waves produce no effect upon it. And, likewise, the delicate mechanism of the ear responds only to sound-waves; light-waves failing to register upon it. Each set of sensations is entirely different, and the organs and nerves designed to register each particular set are peculiarly adapted to their own special work. The organs of sense, including their special nervous systems, may be compared to a delicate instrument that the mind has fashioned for itself, that it may investigate, examine and obtain reports from the outside world.

We have become so accustomed to the workings of the senses that we take them as a "matter of course," and fail to recognize them as the delicate and wonderful instruments that they are--designed and perfected by the mind for its own use. If we will think of the soul as designing, manufacturing and using these instruments, we may begin to understand their true relations to our lives, and, accordingly treat them with more respect and consideration.

We are in the habit of thinking that we are aware of all the sensations received by our mind. But this is very far from being correct. The unconscious regions of the mind are incomparably larger than the small conscious area that we generally think of when

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we say "my mind." In future lessons we shall proceed to consider this wonderful area, and examine what is to be found there. Taine has well said, "There is going on within us a subterranean process of infinite extent; its products alone are known to us, and are only known to us in the mass. As to elements, and their elements, consciousness does not attain to them. They are to sensations what secondary molecules and primitive molecules are to bodies. We get a glance here and there at obscure and infinite worlds extending beneath our distinct sensations. These are compounds and wholes. For their elements to be perceptible to consciousness, it is necessary for them to be added together, and so to acquire a certain bulk and to occupy a certain time, for if the group does not attain this bulk, and does not last this time, we observe no changes in our state. Nevertheless, though it escapes us, there is one."

But we must postpone our consideration of this more than interesting phase of the subject, until some future lesson, when we shall take a trip into the regions of Mind, under and above Consciousness. And a most wonderful trip many of us will find it, too.

For the present, we must pay our attention to the channels by which the material for knowledge and thought enter our minds. For these sense impressions, coming to us from without, are indeed "material" upon which the mind works in order to manufacture the product called "Thought."

This material we obtain through the channels of the

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senses, and then store in that wonderful storehouse, the Memory, from whence we bring out material from time to time, which we proceed to weave into the fabric of Thought. The skill of the worker depends upon his training, and his ability to select and combine the proper materials. And the acquiring of good materials to be stored up is an important part of the work.

A mind without stored-up material of impressions and experiences would be like a factory without material. The machinery would have nothing upon which to work, and the shop would be idle. As Helmholtz has said, "Apprehension by the senses supplies directly or indirectly, the material of all human knowledge, or at least the stimulus necessary to develop every inborn faculty of the mind." And Herbert Spencer, has this to say of this phase of the subject, "It is almost a truism to say that in proportion to the numerousness of the objects that can be distinguished, and in proportion to the variety of coexistences and sequences that can be severally responded to, must be the number and rapidity and variety of the changes within the organism--must be the amount of vitality."

A little reflection upon this subject will show us that the greater degree of exercise and training given the senses, the greater the degree of mental power and capability. As we store our mental storehouse with the materials to be manufactured into thought, so is the quality and quantity of the fabric produced.

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It therefore behooves us to awaken from our "lazy" condition of mind, and to proceed to develop our organs of sense, and their attendant mechanism, as by doing so we increase our capacity for thought and knowledge.

Before passing to the exercises, however, it may be well to give a hasty passing glance at the several senses, and their peculiarities.

The sense of Touch is the simplest and primal sense. Long before the lower forms of life had developed the higher senses, they had evidenced the sense of Touch or Feeling. Without this sense they would have been unable to have found their food, or to receive and respond to outside impressions. In the early forms of life it was exercised equally by all parts of the body, although in the higher forms this sense has become somewhat localized, as certain parts of the body are far more sensitive than are others. The skin is the seat of the sense of Touch, and its nerves are distributed over the entire area of the skin. The hand, and particularly the fingers, and their tips, are the principal organs of this sense.

The acuteness of Touch varies materially in different parts of the body. Experiments have shown that a pair of compasses would register impressions as a very slight distance apart when applied to the tip of the tongue. The distance at which the two points could be distinguished from one point, on the tip of the tongue, was called "one line." Using this "line" as a standard, it was found that the palmar surface

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of the third finger registered 2 lines; the surface of the lips 4 lines, and the skin of the back, and on the middle of the arm or thigh, as high as 60 lines. The degree of sensitiveness to Touch varies greatly with different individuals, some having a very fine sense of touch in their fingers, while others manifested a very much lower degree.

In the same way, there is a great difference in the response of the fingers to weight--a great difference in the ability to distinguish the difference of the weight of objects. It has been found that some people can distinguish differences in weight down to very small fractions of an ounce. Fine distinctions in the differences in temperature have also been noticed.

The sense of touch, and its development has meant much for Man. It is the one sense in which Man surpasses the animals in the matter of degree and acuteness. The animal may have a keener smell, taste, hearing and sight, but its sense of Touch is far beneath that of Man. Anaxagoras is quoted as saying that "if the animals had hands and fingers, they would be like men."

In developing the sense of Touch, the student must remember that Attention is the key to success. The greater the amount of Attention the greater the degree of development possible in the case of any sense. When the Attention is concentrated upon any particular sense, the latter becomes quickened and more acute, and repeated exercise, under the stimulus of Attention,

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will work wonders in the case of any particular sense. And on the other hand, the sense of touch may be almost, or completely inhibited, by firmly fixing the Attention upon something else. As an extreme proof of this latter fact, the student is asked to remember the fact that men have been known to suffer excruciating torture, apparently without feeling, owing to the mind being intently riveted upon some idea or thought. As Wyld has said, "The martyr borne above sensuous impressions, is not only able to endure tortures, but is able to endure and quench them. The pinching and cutting of the flesh only added energy to the death song of the American Indian, and even the slave under the lash is sustained by the indignant sense of his wrongs."

In the cases of persons engaged in occupations requiring a fine degree of Touch, the development is marvelous. The engraver passes his hand over the plate, and is able to distinguish the slightest imperfection. And the handler of cloth and fabrics is able to distinguish the finest differences, simply by the sense of touch. Wool sorters also exercise a wonderfully high degree of fineness of touch. And the blind are able to make up for the loss of sight by their greatly increased sense of Touch, cases being recorded where the blind have been able to distinguish color by the different "feel" of the material.

The sense of Taste is closely allied to that of Touch--in fact some authorities have considered Taste as a very highly developed sense of Touch in certain

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surfaces of the body, the tongue notably. It will be remembered that the tongue has the finest sense of Touch, and it also has the sense of Taste developed to perfection. In Taste and Touch the object must be brought in direct contact with the organ of sense, which is not the case in Smell, Hearing, or Sight. And, be it remembered, that the latter senses have special nerves, while Taste is compelled to fall back upon the ordinary nerves of Touch. It is true that Taste is confined to a very small part of the surface of the body, while Touch is general. But this only indicates a special development of the special area. The sense of Taste also depends to a great extent upon the presence of fluids, and only substances that are soluble make their presence known through the organs and sense of Taste.

Physiologists report that the sense of Taste in some persons is so acute that one part of strychnine in one million parts of water has been distinguished. There are certain occupations, such as that of wine-tasters, tea-tasters, etc., the followers of which manifest a degree of fineness of Taste almost incredible.

The sense of Smell is closely connected with the sense of Taste, and often acts in connection therewith, as the tiny particles of the substance in the mouth arise to the organs of Smell, by means of the opening or means of communication situated in the back part of the mouth. Besides which the nose usually detects the odor of substances before they enter the mouth. The sense of Smell operates by reason of the

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tiny particles or the object being carried to the mucous membrane of the interior of the nose, by means of the air. The membrane, being moist, seizes and holds these particles for a moment, and the fine nervous organism reports differences and qualities and the Mind is thus informed of the nature of the object.

The sense of Smell is very highly developed among animals, who are compelled to rely upon it to a considerable extent. And many occupations among men require the development of this sense, for instance, the tobacconist, the wine dealer, the perfumers, the chemist, etc. It is related that in the cases of certain blind people, it has been observed that they could distinguish persons in this manner.

The sense of Hearing is a more complex one than in the case of Taste, Touch and Smell. In the latter three the objects to be sensed must be brought in close contact with the sense-organs, while in Hearing the object may be far removed, the impressions being carried by the vibrations of the air, which are caught up and reported upon by the nervous organism of the sense of Hearing. The internal mechanism of the ear is most wonderfully intricate and complex, and excites to wonder the person examining it. It cannot be described here for want of space, but the student is advised to inquire into it if he has access to any library containing books on the subject. It is a wonderful illustration of the work of the mind

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in building up for itself instruments with which to work--to acquire knowledge.

The ear records vibrations in the air from 20 or 32 per second, the rate of the lowest audible note, to those of 38,000 per second, the rate of the highest audible note. There is a great difference in individuals in regard to the fineness of the sense of Hearing. But all may develop this sense by the application of Attention. The animals and savages have wonderfully acute senses of Hearing developed only along the lines of distinctness, however--on the other hand musicians have developed the sense along different lines.

The sense of Sight is generally conceded to be the highest and most complex of all the senses of Man. It deals with a far larger number of objects--at longer distances--and gives a far greater variety of reports to the mind than any of its associate senses. It is the sense of Touch magnified many times. As Wilson says of it, "Our sight may be considered as a more delicate and diffusive kind of touch that spreads itself over an infinite number of bodies; comprehends the largest figures, and brings into our reach some of the most remote parts of the universe."

The sense of Sight receives its impressions from the outside world by means of waves that travel from body to body--from sun to earth, and from lamp to eye. These waves of light arise from vibrations in substance, of an almost incredible degree of rapidity. The lowest light vibration is about 450,000,000,000,000

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per second, while the highest is about 750,000,000,000,000 per second. These figures deal only with the vibrations recognizable by the eye as light. Above and below these figures of the scale are countless other degrees invisible to the eye, although some of them may be recorded by instruments. The different sensations of color, depend upon the rate of the vibrations, red being the limit of the lowest, and violet the limit of the highest visible vibrations--orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo being the intermediate rates or colors.

The cultivation of the sense of Sight, under the aid of Attention is most important to all persons. By being able to clearly see and distinguish the parts of an object, a degree of knowledge regarding it is obtained that one may not acquire without the said exercise of the faculty. We have spoken of this under the subject of Attention, in a previous lesson, to which lesson we again refer the student. The fixing of the eye upon an object has the power of concentrating the thoughts and preventing them from wandering. The eye has other properties and qualities that will be dwelt upon in future lessons. It has other uses than seeing. The influence of the eye is a marvelous thing, and may be cultivated and developed.

We trust that what we have said will bring the student to a realization of the importance of developing the powers of Perception. The senses have been developed by the mind during a long period of evolution and effort that surely would not have been given

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unless the object in view was worth it all. The "I" insists upon obtaining knowledge of the Universe, and much of this knowledge may be obtained only through the senses. The Yogi student must be "wide awake" and possessed of developed senses and powers of Perception. The senses of Sight and Hearing, the two latest in the scale of Evolutionary growth and unfoldment, must receive a particular degree of attention. The student must make himself "aware" of what is going on about and around him, so that he may "catch" the best vibrations.

It would surprise many Westerners if they could come in contact with a highly developed Yogi, and witness the marvelously finely developed senses he possesses. He is able to distinguish the finest differences in things, and his mind is so trained that, in thought, he may draw conclusions from what he has perceived, in a manner that seems almost "second-sight" to the uninitiated. In fact, a certain degree of second-sight is possible to one who develops his sense of Sight, under the urge of Attention. A new world is opened out to such a person. One must learn to master the senses, not only in the direction of being independent of and superior to their urgings, but also in the matter of developing them to a high degree. The development of the physical senses, also has much to do with the development of the "Astral Senses," of which we have spoken in our "Fourteen Lessons," and of which we may have more to say in the present series. The idea of Raja Yoga is to render the student

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the possessor of a highly developed Mind, with highly developed instruments with which the mind may work.

In our future lessons we shall give the student many illustrations, directions, and exercises calculated to develop the different faculties of the mind--not only the ordinary faculties of everyday use, but others hidden behind these familiar faculties and senses. Commencing with the next lesson, we shall present a system of exercises, drills, etc., the purpose of which will be the above mentioned development of the faculties of the Mind.

In this lesson we shall not attempt to give specific exercises, but will content ourselves with calling the attention of the student to a few general rules underlying the development of Perception.

  

GENERAL RULES OF PERCEPTION.

The first thing to remember in acquiring the art of Perception is that one should not attempt to perceive the whole of a complex thing or object at the same time, or at once. One should consider the object in detail, and then, by grouping the details, he will find that he has considered the whole. Let us take the face of a person as a familiar object. If one tries to perceive a face as a whole, he will find that he will meet with a certain degree of failure, the impression being indistinct and cloudy, it following, also, that the memory of that face will correspond with the original perception.

But let the observer consider the face in detail,

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first the eyes, then the nose, then the mouth, then the chin, then the hair, then the outline of the face, the complexion, etc., and he will find that he will have acquired a clear and distinct impression or perception of the whole face.

The same rule may be applied to any subject or object. Let us take another familiar illustration. You wish to observe a building. If you simply get a general perception of the building as a whole, you will be able to remember very little about it, except its general outlines, shape, size, color, etc. And a description will prove to be very disappointing. But if you have noted, in detail, the material used, the shape of the doors, chimney, roof, porches, decorations, trimmings, ornamentation, size and number of the window-panes etc., etc., the shape and angles of the roof, etc., you will have an intelligent idea of the building, in the place of a mere general outline or impression of such as might be acquired by an animal in passing.

We will conclude this lesson with an anecdote of the methods of that famous naturalist Agassiz, in his training of his pupils. His pupils became renowned for their close powers of observation and perception, and their consequent ability to "think" about the things they had seen. Many of them rose to eminent positions, and claimed that this was largely by reason of their careful training.

The tale runs that a new student presented himself to Agassiz one day, asking to be set to work. The

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naturalist took a fish from a jar in which it had been preserved, and laying it before the young student bade him observe it carefully, and be ready to report upon what he had noticed about the fish. The student was then left alone with the fish. There was nothing especially interesting about that fish--it was like many other fishes that he had seen before. He noticed that it had fins and scales, and a mouth and eyes, yes. and a tail. In a half hour he felt certain that he had observed all about that fish that there was to be perceived. But the naturalist remained away.

The time rolled on, and the youth, having nothing else to do, began to grow restless and weary. He started out to hunt up the teacher, but he failed to find him, and so had to return and gaze again at that wearisome fish. Several hours had passed, and he knew but little more about the fish than he did in the first place.

He went out to lunch and when he returned it was still a case of watching the fish. He felt disgusted and discouraged, and wished he had never come to Agassiz, whom, it seemed, was a stupid old man after all,--one away behind the times. Then, in order to kill time, he began to count the scales. This completed he counted the spines of the fins. Then he began to draw a picture of the fish. In drawing the picture he noticed that the fish had no eyelids. He thus made the discovery that as his teacher had expressed it often, in lectures, "a pencil is the best of eyes." Shortly after the teacher returned, and after

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ascertaining what the youth had observed, he left rather disappointed, telling the boy to keep on looking and maybe he would see something.

This put the boy on his mettle, and he began to work with his pencil, putting down little details that had escaped him before, but which now seemed very plain to him. He began to catch the secret of observation. Little by little he brought to light new objects of interest about the fish. But this did not suffice his teacher, who kept him at work on the same fish for three whole days. At the end of that time the student really knew something about the fish, and, better than all, had acquired the "knack" and habit of careful observation and perception in detail.

Years after, the student, then attained to eminence, is reported as saying: "That was the best zoological lesson I ever had--a lesson whose influence has extended to the details of every subsequent study; a legacy that the professor left to me, as he left to many others, of inestimable value, which we could not buy, and with which we cannot part."

Apart from the value to the student of the particular information obtained, was the quickening of the perceptive faculties, that enabled him to observe the important points in a subject or object, and, consequently to deduce important information from that which was observed. The Mind is hungry for knowledge, and it has by years of weary evolution and effort built up a series of sense systems in order to yield it that knowledge, and it is still building. The men and

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women in the world who have arrived at the point of success have availed themselves of these wonderful channels of information, and by directing them under the guidance of Will and Attention, have attained wonderful results. These things are of importance, and we beg of our students not to pass by this portion of the subject as uninteresting. Cultivate a spirit of wide-awakeness and perception, and the "knowing" that will come to you will surprise you.

No only do you develop the existing senses by such practice and use, but you help in the unfoldment of the latent powers and senses that are striving for unfoldment. By using and exercising the faculties that we have, we help to unfold those for the coming of which we have been dreaming.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I am a Soul, possessed of channels of communication with the outer world. I will use these channels, and thereby acquire the information and knowledge necessary for my mental development. I will exercise and develop my organs of sense, knowing that in so doing I shall cause to unfold the higher senses, of which they are but forerunners and symbols. I will be "wide-awake" and open to the inflow of knowledge and information. The Universe is my Home--I will explore it.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE SEVENTH LESSON.

  

THE UNFOLDMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

We have thought it well to make a slight change in the arrangement of these lessons--that is, in the order in which they should appear. We had contemplated making this Seventh Lesson a series of Mental Drills, intended to develop certain of the mental faculties, but we have decided to postpone the same until a later lesson, believing that by so doing a more logical sequence or order of arrangement will be preserved. In this lesson we will tell you of the unfoldment of consciousness in Man, and in the next lesson, and probably in the one following it, we shall present to you a clear statement regarding the states of mind, below and over consciousness--a most wonderful region, we assure you, and one that has been greatly misunderstood and misinterpreted. This will lead up to the subject of the cultivation of the various faculties--both conscious and outside of consciousness, and the series will be concluded by three lessons going right to the heart of this part of the subject, and giving certain rules and instruction calculated to develop Man's wonderful "thought-machine" that will be of the greatest interest and importance to all of our students. When the lessons are concluded

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you will see that the present arrangement is most logical and proper.

In this lesson we take up the subject of "The Unfoldment of Consciousness"--a most interesting subject. Many of us have been in the habit of identifying "consciousness" with mind, but as we proceed with this series of lessons we will see that that which is called "consciousness" is but a small portion of the mind of the individual, and even that small part is constantly changing its states, and unfolding new states undreamed of.

"Consciousness" is a word we use very often in considering the science of the Mind. Let us see what it means. Webster defines it as one's "knowledge of sensations and mental operations, or of what passes in one's own mind." Halleck defines it as "that undefinable characteristic of mental states which causes one to be aware of them." But, as Halleck states, "Consciousness is incapable of definition. To define anything we are obliged to describe it in terms of something else. And there is nothing else in the world like consciousness, hence we can define it only in terms of itself, and that is very much like trying to lift one's self by one's own boot straps. Consciousness is one of the greatest mysteries that confronts us."

Before we can understand what Consciousness really is, we must know just what "Mind" really is--and that knowledge is lacking, notwithstanding the many

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ingenious theories evolved in order to explain the mystery. The metaphysicians do not throw much light on the subject, and as for materialistic science, listen to what Huxley says: "How it comes about that anything so remarkable as a state of consciousness comes about by the result of irritating nervous tissue, is just as unaccountable as the appearance of the genii when Aladdin rubbed his lamp."

To many persons the words "consciousness" and "mental process," or "thought" are regarded as synonymous. And, in fact, psychologists so held until quite recently. But now it is generally accepted as a fact that mental processes are not limited to the field of consciousness, and it is now generally taught that the field of sub-consciousness (that is, "under" conscious) mentation, is of a much greater extent than that of conscious mentation.

Not only is it true that the mind can hold in consciousness but one fact at any one instant, and that, consequently, only a very small fraction of our knowledge can be in consciousness at any one moment, but it is also true that the consciousness plays but a very small part in the totality of mental processes, or mentation. The mind is not conscious of the greater portion of its own activities--Maudsley says that only ten per cent comes into the field of consciousness. Taine has stated it in these words: "Of the world which makes up our being, we only perceive the highest

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points--the lighted up peaks of a continent whose lower levels remain in the shade."

But it is not our intention to speak of this great subconscious region of the mind at this point, for we shall have much to do with it later on. It is mentioned here in order to show that the enlargement or development of consciousness is not so much a matter of "growth" as it is an "unfoldment"--not a new creation or enlargement from outside, but rather an enfoldment outward from within.

From the very beginning of Life--among the Particles of Inorganic Substance, may be found traces of something like Sensation, and response thereto. Writers have not cared to give to this phenomenon the name of "sensation," or "sensibility," as the terms savored too much of "senses," and "sense-organs." But Modern Science has not hesitated to bestow the names so long withheld. The most advanced scientific writers do not hesitate to state that in reaction, chemical response, etc., may be seen indications of rudimentary sensation. Haeckel says: "I cannot imagine the simplest chemical and physical process without attributing the movement of the material particles to unconscious sensation. The idea of Chemical Affinity consists in the fact that the various chemical elements perceive the qualitative differences in other elements, and experience 'pleasure' or 'revulsion' at contacts with them, and execute their specific movements on this ground." He also speaks of the sensitiveness of

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[paragraph continues  "plasm," or the substance of "living bodies," as being "only a superior degree of the general irritability of substance."

Chemical reaction, between atoms, is spoken of by chemists as a "sensitive" reaction. Sensitiveness is found even in the Particles of Inorganic Substance, and may be regarded as the first glimmerings of thought. Science recognizes this when it speaks of the unconscious sensation of the Particles as aethesis or "feeling," and the unconscious Will that responds thereto, as tropesis, or "inclination." Haeckel says of this that "Sensation perceives the different qualities of the stimuli, and feeling the quantity," and also, "We may ascribe the feeling of pleasure and pain (in the contact with qualitatively differing atoms) to all atoms, and so explain the elective affinity in chemistry (attraction of loving atoms, inclination; repulsion of hating atoms, disinclination).

It is impossible to form a clear or intelligent idea of the phenomenon of chemical affinity, etc., unless we attribute to the Atoms something akin to Sensation. It is likewise impossible to understand the actions of the Molecules, unless we think of them as possessing something akin to Sensation. The Law of Attraction is based upon Mental States in Substance. The response of Inorganic Substance to Electricity and Magnetism is also another evidence of Sensation and the response thereto.

In the movements and operations of crystal-life we

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obtain evidences of still a little higher forms of Sensation and response thereto. The action of crystallization is very near akin to that of some low forms of plasmic action. In fact, the "missing link" between plant life and the crystals is claimed to have been found in some recent discoveries of Science, the connection being found in certain crystals in the interior of plants, composed of carbon combinations, and resembling the inorganic crystals in many ways.

Crystals grow along certain lines and forms up to a certain size. Then they begin to form "baby-crystals" on their surfaces, which then take on the growth--the processes being almost analogous to cell-life. Processes akin to fermentation have been detected among chemicals. In many ways it may be seen that the beginning of Mental Life must be looked for among the Minerals and Particles--the latter, be it remembered, composing not only inorganic, but also Organic Substance.

As we advance in the scale of life, we are met with constantly increasing unfoldment of mentation, the simple giving place to the complex manifestations. Passing by the simple vital processes of the monera, or single-celled "things," we notice the higher forms of cell life, with growing sensibility or sensation. Then we come to the cell-groups, in which the individual cells manifest sensation of a kind, coupled with a community-sensation. Food is distinguished, selected and captured, and movements exercised in pursuit of the same. The living thing is beginning to manifest more

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complex mental states. Then the stage of the lower plants is reached, and we notice the varied phenomena of that region, evidencing an increased sensitiveness, although there are practically no signs of special organs of sense. Then we pass on to the higher plant life, in which begin to manifest certain "sensitive-cells," or groups of such cells, which are rudimentary sense organs. Then the forms of animal life, and considered with rising degrees of sensations and growing sense apparatus, or sense organs, gradually unfolding into something like nervous systems.

Among the lower animal forms there are varying degrees of mentation with accompanying nerve centers and sense-organs, but little or no signs of consciousness, gradually ascending until we have dawning consciousness in the reptile kingdom, etc., and fuller consciousness and a degree of intelligent thought in the still higher forms, gradually increasing until we reach the plane of the highest mammals, such as the horse, dog, elephant, ape, etc., which animals have complex nervous systems, brains and well developed consciousness. We need not further consider the forms of mentation in the forms of life below the Conscious stage, for that would carry us far from our subject.

Among the higher forms of animal life, after a "dawn period" or semi-consciousness, we come to forms of life among the lower animals possessing a well developed degree of mental action and Consciousness,

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the latter being called by psychologists "Simple Consciousness," but which term we consider too indefinite, and which we will term "Physical Consciousness," which will give a fair idea of the thing itself. We use the word "Physical" in the double sense of "External," and "Relating to the material structure of a living being," both of which definitions are found in the dictionaries. And that is just what Physical Consciousness really is--an "awareness" in the mind, or a "consciousness" of the "external" world as evidenced by the senses; and of the "body" of the animal or person. The animal or person thinking on the plane of Physical Consciousness (all the higher animals do, and many men seem unable to rise much higher), identifies itself with the physical body, and is conscious only of thoughts of that body and the outside world. It "knows," but not being conscious of mental operations, or of the existence of its mind, it does not "know that it knows." This form of consciousness, while infinitely above the mentation of the non-conscious plane of "," is like a different world of thought from the consciousness of the highly developed intellectual man of our age and race.

It is difficult for a man to form an idea of the Physical Consciousness of the lower animals and savages, particularly as he finds it difficult to understand his own consciousness except by the act of being conscious. But observation and reason have given us a fair degree of understanding of what this Physical

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[paragraph continues  Consciousness of the animal is like--or at least in what respect it differs from our own consciousness. Let us take a favorite illustration. A horse standing out in the cold sleet and rain undoubtedly feels the discomfort, and possibly pain, for we know by observation that animals feel both. But he is not able to analyze his mental states and wonder when his master will come out to him--think how cruel it is to keep him out of the warm stable--wonder whether he will be taken out in the cold again tomorrow--feel envious of other horses who are indoors--wonder why he is compelled to be out cold nights, etc., etc.,--in short, he does not think as would a reasoning man under such circumstances. He is aware of the discomfort, just as would be the man--and he would run home if he could just as would the man. But he is not able to pity himself, nor to think about his personality as would the man, nor does he wonder whether such a life is worth living, after all. He "knows," but is not able to think of himself as knowing--he does not "know that he knows," as we do. He experiences the physical pain and discomfort, but is spared the mental discomfort and concern arising from the physical, which man so often experiences.

The animal cannot shift its consciousness from the sensations of the outer world to the inner states of being. It is not able to "know itself." The difference may be clumsily illustrated by the example of a man feeling, seeing or hearing something that gives him

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a pleasurable sensation, or the reverse. He is conscious of the feeling or sensation, and that it is pleasurable or otherwise. That is Physical Consciousness, and the animal may share it with him. But it stops right there with the animal. But the man may begin to wonder why the sensation is pleasurable and to associate it with other things and persons; or speculate why he dislikes it, what will follow, and so on--that is Mental Consciousness, because he recognizes an inward self, and is turning his attention inward. He may see another man and experience a feeling or sensation of attraction or aversion--like or dislike. This is Physical Consciousness, and an animal also may experience the sensation. But the man goes further than the animal, and wonders just what there is about the man he likes or detests, and may compare himself to the man and wonder whether the latter feels as he does, and so on--this is Mental Consciousness.

In animals the mental gaze is freely directed outward, and never returns upon itself. In man the mental gaze may be directed inward, or may return inward after its outward journey. The animal "knows"--the man not only "knows," but he "knows that he knows," and is able to investigate that "knowing" and speculate about it. We call this higher consciousness Mental Consciousness. The operation of Physical Consciousness we call Instinct--the operation of Mental Consciousness we call Reason.

The Man who has Mental Consciousness not only

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[paragraph continues  "feels" or "senses" things, but he has words or mental concepts of these feelings and sensations and may think of himself as experiencing them, separating himself, the sensation or feeling, and the thing felt or sensed. The man is able to think: "I feel; I hear; I see; I smell; I taste; I desire; I do," etc., etc. The very words indicate Mental Consciousness recognizing mental states and giving them names, and also recognizing something called "I" that experiences the sensations. This latter fact has caused psychologists to speak of this stage as "Self-consciousness," but we reserve this idea of the "I" consciousness for a higher stage.

The animal experiences something that gives it the impressions or feeling that we call "pain," "hurt," "pleasant," "sweet," "bitter," etc., all being forms of sensation, but it is unable to think of them in words. The pain seems to be a part of itself, although possibly associated with some person or thing that caused it. The study of the unfoldment of consciousness in a young baby will give one a far better idea of the grades and distinctions than can be obtained from reading mere words.

Mental Consciousness is a growth. As Halleck says, "Many persons never have more than a misty idea of such a mental attitude. They always take themselves for granted, and never turn the gaze inward." It has been doubted whether the savages have developed Self-consciousness, and even many men of our own

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race seem to be but little above the animals in intellect and consciousness. They do not seem able to "know themselves" even slightly. To them the "I" seems to be a purely physical thing--a body having desires and feeling but little more. They are able to feel an act, but scarcely more. They are not able to set aside any physical "not--I," being utterly unable to think of themselves as anything else but a Body. The "I" and the Body are one with them, and they seem incapable of distinguishing between them.

Then comes another stage in which mental-consciousness proper sets in. The man begins to realize that he has "a mind." He is able to "know himself" as a mental being, and to turn the gaze inward a little. This period of development may be noticed in young children. For a time they speak of themselves as a third person, until finally they begin to say "I." Then a little later comes the ability to know their own mental states as such--they know that they have a mind, and are able to distinguish between it and the body. It is related that some children experience a feeling of terror when they pass into this stage. They exhibit signs of bashfulness and what is commonly termed "self-consciousness" in that sense. Some tell us in after years that when they became aware of themselves as an entity they were overcome with alarm, as if by a sense of loneliness and apartness from the Universe. Young people often feel this way for several years. There seems to be a distinct feeling that

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the Universe is antagonistic to and set apart from them.

And, although this feeling of separateness and apartness grows less acute as the man grows older, yet it is always present to a greater or less degree until a still higher stage--the Ego-consciousness is reached, when it disappears as we shall see. And this mental-conscious stage is a hard one for many. They are entangled in a mass of mental states which the man thinks is "himself," and the struggle between the real "I" and its confining sheaths is painful. And it becomes still more painful as the end is neared, for as man advances in mental-consciousness and knowledge he feels more keenly and suffers accordingly. Man eats the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and begins to suffer, and is driven out of the Garden of Eden of the child and primitive races, who live like the birds of the air and concern themselves not about mental states and problems. But there is deliverance ahead in the shape of a higher consciousness, although but few realize it and still fewer have gained it. Perhaps this lesson may point out the way for you.

With the birth of mental-consciousness comes the knowledge that there is a mind in others. Man is able to speculate and reason about the mental states of other men, because he recognizes these states within himself. As man advances in the Mental Consciousness he begins to develop a constantly increasing degree and grade of Intellect, and accordingly he attaches

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the greatest importance to that part of his nature. Some men worship Intellect as a God, ignoring its limitations which other thinkers have pointed out. Such people are apt to reason that because the human intellect (in its present state of development) reports that such a thing must be, or cannot possibly be, that the matter is forever settled. They ignore the fact that it is possible that Man's Intellect, in its present state of unfoldment, may be able to take cognizance of only a very small part of the Universal Fact, and that there play be regions upon regions of Reality and Fact of which he cannot even dream, so far are they removed from his experience. The unfoldment of a new sense would open out a new world and might bring to light facts that would completely revolutionize our entire world of conceptions by reason of the new information it would give us.

But, nevertheless, from this Mental Consciousness has come the wonderful work of Intellect, as shown in the achievements of Man up to this time, and while we must recognize its limitations, we gladly join in singing its praises. Reason is the tool with which Man is digging into the mine of Facts, bringing to light new treasures every day. This stage of Mental Consciousness is bringing to Man knowledge of himself--knowledge of the Universe--that is well worth the price he pays for it. For Man does pay a price for entrance into this stage--and he pays an increasing price as he advances in its territory, for the higher he

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advances the more keenly he feels and suffers, as well as enjoys. Capacity for pain is the price Man pays for Attainment, up to a certain stage. His pain passes from the Physical to the Mental consciousness, and he becomes aware of problems that he never dreamt existed, and the lack of an intelligent answer produces mental suffering. And the mental suffering that comes to him from unsatisfied longings, disappointment, the pain of others whom he loves, etc., is far worse than any physical suffering.

The animal lives its animal life and is contented, for it knows no better. If it has enough to eat--a place to sleep--a mate--it is happy. And some men are likewise. But others find themselves involved in a world of mental discomfort. New wants arise, and the lack of satisfaction brings pain. Civilization becomes more and more complex, and brings its new pains as well as new pleasures. Man attaches himself to "things," and each day creates for himself artificial wants, which he must labor to meet. His Intellect may not lead him upward, but instead may merely enable him to invent new and subtle means and ways of gratifying his senses to a degree impossible to the animals. Some men make a religion of the gratification of their sensuality--their appetites--and become beasts magnified by the power of Intellect. Others become vain, conceited and puffed up with a sense of the importance of their Personality (the false "I"). Others become morbidly introspective, and spend their time analyzing and

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dissecting their moods, motives, feelings, etc. Others exhaust their capacity for pleasure and happiness, but looking outside for it instead of within, and become blase, bored, ennuied and an affliction to themselves. We mention these things not in a spirit of Pessimism, but merely to show that even this great Mental Consciousness has a reverse and ugly side as well as the bright face that has been ascribed to it.

As man reaches the higher stages of this Mental Consciousness, and the next higher stage begins to dawn upon him, he is apt to feel more keenly than ever the insufficiency of Life as it appears to him. He is unable to understand Himself--his origin, destiny, purpose and nature--and he chafes against the bars of the cage of Intellect in which he is confined. He asks himself the question, "Whence come I--Whither go I--What is the object of my Existence?" He becomes dissatisfied with the answers the world has to give him to these questions, and he cries aloud in despair--and but the answer of his own voice comes back to him from the impassable walls with which he is surrounded. He does not realize that his answer must come from Within--but so it is.

Psychology stops when it reaches the limits of Mental Consciousness, or as it calls it "Self-Consciousness," and denies that there is anything beyond--any unexplored regions of the Mind. It laughs at the reports that come from those who have penetrated farther

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within the recesses of their being, and dismisses the reports as mere "dreams," "fantasies," "illusions," "ecstatic imaginings," "abnormal states," etc., etc. But, nevertheless, there are schools of thought that teach of these higher states, and there are men of all ages and races that have entered them and have reported concerning them. And we feel justified in asking you to take them into consideration.

There are two planes of Consciousness, of which we feel it proper to speak, for we have obtained more or less information regarding them. There are still higher planes, but they belong to higher phases of life than are dealt with here.

The first of these planes or states of Consciousness, above the "Self-Consciousness" of the psychologists (which we have called "Mental Consciousness") may be called "Ego-consciousness," for it brings an "awareness" of the Reality of the Ego. This "awareness" is far above the Self-consciousness of the man who is able to distinguish "I" from "You," and to give it a name. And far above the consciousness that enables a man, as he rises in the scale, to distinguish the "I" from faculty after faculty of the mind, which he is able to recognize as "not--I," until he finds left a mental something that he cannot set aside, which he calls "I"--although this stage alone is very much higher than that of the average of the race, and is a high degree of Attainment itself. It is akin to this last stage, and yet still fuller and more complete. In

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the dawning of Ego Consciousness the "I" recognizes itself still more clearly and, more than this, is fully imbued with a sense and "awareness" of its own Reality, unknown to it before. This awareness is not a mere matter of reasoning--it is a "consciousness," just as is Physical Consciousness and Mental Consciousness something different from an "intellectual conviction." It is a Knowing, not a Thinking or Believing. The "I" knows that it is Real--that it has its roots in the Supreme Reality underlying all the Universe, and partakes of its Essence. It does not know what this Reality is, but it knows that it is Real, and something different from anything in the world of name, form, number, time, space, cause and effect--something Transcendental and surpassing all human experience. And knowing this, it knows that it cannot be destroyed or hurt; cannot die, but is immortal; and that there is Something which is the very essence of Good behind of, underneath and even in itself. And in this certainty and consciousness is there Peace, Understanding and Power. When it fully bursts upon one, Doubt, Fear, Unrest and Dissatisfaction drop from him like wornout garments and he finds himself clothed in the Faith that Knows; Fearlessness; Restfulness; Satisfaction. Then he is able to say understandingly and with meaning "I AM."

This Ego Consciousness is coming to many as a dawning knowledge--the light is just rising from behind the hills. To others it has come gradually and

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slowly, but fully, and they now live in the full light of the consciousness. Others it has burst upon like a flash, or vision--like a light falling from the clear sky, almost blinding them at first, but leaving them changed men and women, possessed of that something that cannot be understood by or described to those who have not experienced it. This last stage is called "Illumination" in one of its forms.

The man of the Ego Consciousness may not understand the Riddle of the Universe or be able to give an answer to the great Questions of Life--but he has ceased to worry about them--they now disturb him not. He may use his intellect upon them as before, but never with the feeling that in their intellectual solution rests his happiness or peace of mind. He knows that he stands on solid rock, and though the storms of the world of matter and force may beat upon him, he will not be hurt. This and other things he knows. He cannot prove these things to others, for they are not demonstrable by argument--he himself did not get them in that way. And so he says but little about it--but lives his life as if he knew them not, so far as outward appearances go. But inwardly he is a changed man--his life is different from that of his brothers, for while their souls are wrapped in slumber or are tossing in troubled dreams, his Soul has awakened and is gazing upon the world with bright and fearless eyes. There are, of course, different stages or degrees of this Consciousness, just as there

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are in the lower planes of consciousness. Some have it to a slight degree, while others have it fully. Perhaps this lesson will tell some of its readers just what is the thing that has "happened" to them and which they hesitate to speak of to their closest friend or life companion. To others it may open the way to a fuller realization. We sincerely trust so, for one does not begin to Live until he knows the "I" as Reality.

There is a stage still higher than this last mentioned, but it has come to but very few of the race. Reports of it come from all times, races, countries. It has been called "Cosmic Consciousness," and is described as an awareness of the Oneness of Life--that is, a consciousness that the Universe is filled with One Life--an actual perception and "awareness" that the Universe is full of Life, Motion and Mind, and that there is no such thing as Blind Force, or Dead Matter, but that All is alive, vibrating and intelligent. That is, of course, that the Real Universe, which is the Essence or background of the Universe of Matter, Energy and Mind, is as they describe. In fact, the description of those who have had glimpses of this state would indicate that they see the Universe as All Mind--that All is Mind at the last. This form of consciousness has been experienced by men here and there--only a few--in moments of "Illumination," the period lasting but a very short space of time, then fading away, leaving but a memory. In the moment of the "Illumination" there came to those experiencing it a sense of. "in-touch-ness"

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with Universal Knowledge and Life, impossible to describe, accompanied by a Joy beyond understanding.

Regarding this last, "Cosmic Consciousness," we would state that it means more than an intellectual conviction, belief or realization of the facts as stated, for an actual vision and consciousness of these things came in the moment of Illumination. Some others report that they have a deep abiding sense of the reality of the facts described by the report of the Illumined, but have not experienced the "vision" or ecstasy referred to. These last people seem to have with them always the same mental state as that possessed by those who had the "vision" and passed out of it, carrying with them the remembrance and feeling, but not the actual consciousness attained at the moment. They agree upon the essential particulars of the reports. Dr. Maurice Bucke, now passed out of this plane of life, wrote a book entitled "Cosmic Consciousness," in which he describes a number of these cases, including his own, Walt Whitman's and others, and in which he holds that this stage of consciousness is before the race and will gradually come to it in the future. He holds that the manifestation of it which has come to some few of the race, as above stated, is but the first beams of the sun which are flashing upon us and which are but prophecies of the appearance of the great body of light itself.

We shall not here consider at length the reports of

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certain great religious personages of the past, who have left records that in moments of great spiritual exaltation they became conscious of "being in the presence of the Absolute," or perhaps within the radius of "the light of Its countenance." We have great respect for these reports, and have every reason for believing many of them authentic, notwithstanding the conflicting reports that have been handed down to us by those experiencing them. These reports are conflicting because of the fact that the minds of those who bad these glimpses of consciousness were not prepared or trained to fully understand the nature of the phenomena. They found themselves in the spiritual presence of Something of awful grandeur and spiritual rank, and were completely dazed and bewildered at the sight. They did not understand the nature of the Absolute, and when they had sufficiently recovered they reported that they had been in the "presence of God"--the word "God" meaning their particular conception of Deity--that is, the one appearing as Deity in their own particular religious creed or school. They saw nothing to cause them to identify this Something with their particular conception of Deity, except that they thought that "it must be God," and knowing no other God except their own particular conception, they naturally identifying the Something with "God" as they conceived Him to be. And their reports naturally were along these lines.

Thus the reports of all religions are filled with accounts

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of the so-called miraculous occurrences. The Catholic saint reports that he "saw of light of God's countenance," and the non-Catholic reports likewise regarding God as he knows him. The Mohammedan reports that he caught a glimpse of the face of Allah, and the Buddhist tells us that he saw Buddha under the tree. The Brahman has seen the face of Brahma, and the various Hindu sects have men who give similar reports regarding their own particular deities. The Persians have given similar reports, and even the ancient Egyptians have left records of similar occurrences. These conflicting reports have led to the belief, on the part of those who did not understand the nature of the phenomena, that these things were "all imagination" and fancy, if indeed not rank falsehood and imposture. But the Yogis know better than this. They know that underneath all these varying reports there is a common ground of truth, which will be apparent to anyone investigating the matter. They know that all of these reports (except a few based upon fraudulent imitation of the real phenomenon) are based upon truth and are but the bewildered reports of the various observers. They know that these people were temporarily lifted above the ordinary plane of consciousness and were made aware of the existence of a Being or Beings higher than mortal. It does not follow that they saw "God" or the Absolute, for there are many Beings of high spiritual growth and development that would appear to the ordinary

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mortal as a very God. The Catholic doctrine of Angels and Arch-angels is corroborated by those among the Yogis who have been "behind the Veil," and they give us reports of the "Devas" and other advanced Beings. So the Yogi accepts these reports of the various mystics, saints and inspired ones, and accounts for them all by laws perfectly natural to the students of the Yogi Philosophy, but which appear as supernatural to those who have not studied along these lines.

But we cannot speak further of this phase of the subject in this lesson, for a full discussion of it would lead us far away from the phase of the general subject before us. But we wish to be understood as saying that there are certain centers in the mental being of Man from which may come light regarding the existence of the Absolute and higher order of Beings. In fact, from these centers come to man that part of his mental "feelings" that he calls "the religious instinct or intuition." Man does not arrive at that underlying consciousness of "Something Beyond" by means of his Intellect--it is the glimmer of light coming from the higher centers of the Self. He notices these gleams of light, but not understanding them, he proceeds to erect elaborate theological and creedal structures to account for them, the work of the Intellect, however, always lacking that "feeling" that the intuition itself possesses. True religion, no matter under what name it may masquerade, comes from the "heart" and is not

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comforted or satisfied with these Intellectual explanations, and hence comes that unrest and craving for satisfaction which comes to Man when the light begins to break through.

But we must postpone a further discussion of this part of the subject for the present. We shall consider it again in a future lesson in connection with other matters. As we have said, our next two lessons will take upon the inquiry regarding the regions outside of the consciousness of the ordinary man. You will find it a most fascinating and instructive inquiry and one that will open up new fields of thought for many of you.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION.)

I Am a Being far greater and grander than I have as yet conceived. I am unfolding gradually but surely into higher planes of consciousness. I am moving Forward and Upward constantly. My goal is the Realization of the True Self, and I welcome each stage of Unfoldment that leads me toward my aim. I am a manifestation of REALITY. I AM.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE EIGHTH LESSON.

  

THE HIGHLANDS AND LOWLANDS OF MIND.

The Self of each of us has a vehicle of expression which we call the Mind, but which vehicle is much larger and far more complex than we are apt to realize. As a writer has said "Our Self is greater than we know; it has peaks above, and lowlands below the plateau of our conscious experience." That which we know as the "conscious mind" is not the Soul. The Soul is not a part of that which we know in consciousness, but, on the contrary, that which we know in consciousness is but a small part of the Soul--the conscious vehicle of a greater Self, or "I."

The Yogis have always taught that the mind has many planes of manifestation and action--and that many of its planes operated above and below the plane of consciousness. Western science is beginning to realize this fact, and its theories regarding same may be found in any of the later works on psychology. But this is a matter of recent development in Western science. Until very recently the text books held that Consciousness and Mind were synonymous, and that the Mind was conscious of all of its activities, changes and modifications.

 was one of the first Western philosophers to advance the idea that there were planes of mental activity outside of the plane of consciousness, and

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since his time the leading thinkers have slowly but surely moved forward to his position.

At the present time it is generally conceded that at least ninety per cent of our mental operations take place in the out-of-conscious realm. Prof. Elmer Gates, the well known scientist, has said: "At least ninety per cent of our mental life is sub-conscious. If you will analyze your mental operations you will find that conscious thinking is never a continuous line of consciousness, but a series of conscious data with great intervals of subconscious. We sit and try to solve a problem, and fail. We walk around, try again, and fail. Suddenly an idea dawns that leads to the solution of the problem. The subconscious processes were at work. We do not volitionally create our own thinking. It takes place in us. We are more or less passive recipients. We cannot change the nature of a thought, or of a truth, but we can, as it were, guide the ship by a moving of the helm. Our mentation is largely the result of the great Cosmic Whole upon us."

Sir William Hamilton says that the sphere of our consciousness is only a small circle in the center of a far wider sphere of action and thought, of which we are conscious through its effects.

Taine says: "Outside of a little luminous circle, lies a large ring of twilight, and beyond this an indefinite night; but the events of this twilight and this night are as real as those within the luminous circle."

Sir Oliver Lodge, the eminent English scientist,

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speaking of the planes of the mind, says: "Imagine an iceberg glorying in its crisp solidity, and sparkling pinnacles, resenting attention paid to its submerged self, or supporting region, or to the saline liquid out of which it arose, and into which in clue course it will some day return. Or, reversing the metaphor, we might liken our present state to that of the hulls of ships submerged in a dim ocean among strange monsters, propelled in a blind manner through space; proud perhaps of accumulating many barnacles as decoration; only recognizing our destination by bumping against the clock-wall; and with no cognizance of the deck and cabins above us, or the spars and sails--no thought of the sextant, and the compass, and the captain--no perception of the lookout on the mast--of the distant horizon. With no vision of objects far ahead--dangers to be avoided--destinations to be reached--other ships to be spoken to by means other than by bodily contact--a region of sunshine and cloud, of space, or perception, and of intelligence utterly inaccessible to parts below the waterline."

We ask our students to read carefully the above expression of Sir Oliver Lodge, for it gives one of the clearest and most accurate figures of the actual state of affairs concerning the mental planes that we have seen in Western writings.

And other Western writers have noted and spoken of these out-of-conscious realms. Lewes has said: "It is very certain that in every conscious volition--every act that is so characterized--the larger part of

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it is quite unconscious. It is equally certain that in every perception there are unconscious processes of reproduction and inference. There is a middle distance of sub-consciousness, and a background of unconsciousness."

Taine has told us that: "Mental events imperceptible to consciousness are far more numerous than the others, and of the world that makes up our being we only perceive the highest points--the lighted-up peaks of a continent whose lower levels remain in the shade. Beneath ordinary sensations are their components, that is to say, the elementary sensations, which must be combined into groups to reach our ."

Maudsley says: "Examine closely and without bias the ordinary mental operations of daily life, and you will find that consciousness has not one-tenth part of the function therein which it is commonly assumed to have. In every conscious state there are at work conscious, sub-conscious, and infra-conscious energies, the last as indispensable as the first."

Oliver  Holmes said: "There are thoughts that never emerge into consciousness, which yet make their influence felt among the perceptible mental currents, just as the unseen planets sway the movements of those that are watched and mapped by the astronomer."

Many other writers have given us examples and instances of the operation of the out-of-consciousness planes of thought. One has written that when the

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solution of a problem he had long vainly dealt with, flashed across his mind, he trembled as if in the presence of another being who had communicated a secret to him All of us have tried to remember a name or similar thing without success, and have then dismissed the matter from our minds, only to have the missing name or thought suddenly presented to our conscious mind a few minutes, or hours, afterwards. Something in our mind was at work hunting up the missing word, and when it found it it presented it to us.

A writer has mentioned what he called "unconscious rumination," which happened to him when he read books presenting new points of view essentially opposed to his previous opinions. After days, weeks, or months, he found that to his great astonishment the old opinions were entirely rearranged, and new ones lodged there. Many examples of this unconscious mental digestion and assimilation are mentioned in the books on the subject written during the past few years.

It is related of Sir W. R. Hamilton that he discovered quarternions one day while walking with his wife in the observatory at Dublin. He relates that he suddenly felt "the galvanic circle of thought" close, and the sparks that fell from it was the fundamental mathematical relations of his problem, which is now an important law in mathematics.

Dr. Thompson has written: "At times I have had a feeling of the uselessness of all voluntary effort, and

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also that the matter was working itself clear in my mind. It has many times seemed to me that I was really a passive instrument in the hands of a person not myself. In view of having to wait for the results of these unconscious processes, I have proved the habit of getting together material in advance, and then leaving the mass to digest itself till I am ready to write about it. I delayed for a month the writing of my book 'System of Psychology,' but continued reading the authorities. I would not try to think about the book. I would watch with interest the people passing the windows. One evening when reading the paper, the substance of the missing part of the book flashed upon my mind, and I began to write. This is only a sample of many such experiences."

Berthelot, the founder of Synthetic Chemistry has said that the experiments leading to his wonderful discoveries have never been the result of carefully followed trains of thought--of pure reasoning processes--but have come of themselves, so to speak, from the clear sky.

Mozart has written: "I cannot really say that I can account for my compositions. My ideas flow, and I cannot say whence or how they come. I do not hear in my imagination the parts successively, but I hear them, as it were, all at once. The rest is merely an attempt to reproduce what I have heard."

Dr. Thompson, above mentioned, has also said: "In writing this work I have been unable to arrange my knowledge of a subject for days and weeks, until I

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experienced a clearing up of my mind, when I took my pen and unhesitatingly wrote the result. I have best accomplished this by leading the (conscious) mind as far away as possible from the subject upon which I was writing."

Prof. Barrett says: "The  of our being is not confined to subtle physiological processes which we have in common with all animal life. There are higher and more capacious powers wrapped up in our human personality than are expressed even by what we know of consciousness, will, or reason. There are supernormal and transcendental powers of which, at present, we only catch occasional glimpses; and behind and beyond the supernormal there are fathomless abysses, the Divine ground of the soul; the ultimate reality of which our consciousness is but the reflection or faint perception. Into such lofty themes I do not propose to enter, they must be, forever beyond the scope of human inquiry; nor is it possible within the limits of this paper to give any adequate conception of those mysterious regions of our complex personality, which are open to, and beginning to he disclosed by, scientific investigation."

Rev. Dr. Andrew Murray has written: "Deeper down than where the soul with its consciousness can enter there is spirit matter linking man with God; and deeper down than the mind and feelings or will--in the unseen depths of the hidden life--there dwells the Spirit of God." This testimony is remarkable, coming from that source, for it corroborates and reiterates

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the Yogi teachings of the Indwelling Spirit.

Schofield has written: "Our conscious mind, as compared with the unconscious mind, has been likened to the visible spectrum of the sun's rays, as compared to the invisible part which stretches indefinitely on either side. We know now that the chief part of heat comes from the ultra-red rays that show no light; and the main part of the chemical changes in the vegetable world are the results of the ultra-violet rays at the other end of the spectrum, which are equally invisible to the eye, and are recognized only by their potent effects. Indeed as these invisible rays extend indefinitely on both sides of the visible spectrum, so we may say that the mind includes not only the visible or conscious part, and what we have termed the sub-conscious, that which lies below the red line, but the supraconscious mind that lies at the other end--all those regions of higher soul and spirit life, of which we are only at times vaguely conscious, but which always exist, and link us on to eternal verities, on the one side, as surely as the sub-conscious mind links us to the body on the other."

We know that our students will appreciate the above testimony of Dr. Schofield, for it is directly in the line of our teachings in the Yogi Philosophy regarding the Planes of the Mind (see "Fourteen Lessons").

We feel justified in quoting further from Dr. Schofield, for he voices in the strongest manner that which the Yogi Philosophy teaches as fundamental truths regarding the mind. Dr. Schofield is an English

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writer on Psychology, and so far as we know has no tendency toward occultism, his views having been arrived at by careful scientific study and investigation along the lines of Western psychology, which renders his testimony all the more valuable, showing as it does, how the human mind will instinctively find its way to the Truth, even if it has to blaze a new trail through the woods, departing from the beaten tracks of other minds around it, which lack the courage or enterprise to strike out for themselves.

Dr. Schofield writes: "The mind, indeed, reaches all the way, and while on the one hand it is inspired by the Almighty, on the other it energizes the body, all whose purposive life it originates. We may call the supra-conscious mind the sphere of the spirit life, the sub-conscious the sphere of the body life, and the conscious mind the middle region where both meet."

Continuing, Dr. Schofield says: "The Spirit of God is said to dwell in believers, and yet, as we have seen, His presence is not the subject of direct consciousness. We would include, therefore, in the supra-conscious, all such spiritual ideas, together with conscience--the voice of God, as Max  calls it--which is surely a half-conscious faculty. Moreover, the supra-conscious, like the sub-conscious, is, as we have said, best apprehended when the conscious mind is not active. Visions, meditations, prayers, and even dreams have been undoubtedly occasions of spiritual revelations, and many instances may be adduced as illustrations of the workings of the Spirit apart from the action

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of reason or mind. The truth apparently is that the mind as a whole is an unconscious state, by that its middle registers, excluding the highest spiritual and lowest physical manifestations, are fitfully illuminated in varying degree by consciousness; and that it is to this illuminated part of the dial that the word "mind," which rightly appertains to the whole, has been limited."

Oliver Wendell Holmes has said: "The automatic flow of thought is often singularly favored by the fact of listening to a weak continuous discourse, with just enough ideas in it to keep the (conscious) mind busy. The induced current of thought is often rapid and brilliant in inverse ratio to the force of the inducing current."

Wundt says: "The unconscious logical processes are carried on with a certainty and regularity which would be impossible where there exists the possibility of error. Our mind is so happily designed that it prepares for us the most important foundations of cognition, whilst we have not the slightest apprehension of the modus operandi. This unconscious soul, like a benevolent stranger, works and makes provisions for our benefit, pouring only the mature fruits into our laps."

A writer in an English magazine interestingly writes: "Intimations reach our consciousness from unconsciousness, that the mind is ready to work, is fresh, is full of ideas." "The grounds of our judgment are often knowledge so remote from consciousness

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that we cannot bring them to view." "That the human mind includes an unconscious part; that unconscious events occurring in that part are proximate causes of consciousness; that the greater part of human intuitional action is an effect of an unconscious cause; the truth of these propositions is so deducible from ordinary mental events, and is so near the surface that the failure of deduction to forestall induction in the discerning of it may well excite wonder." "Our behavior is influenced by unconscious assumptions respecting our own social and intellectual rank, and that of the one we are addressing. In company we unconsciously assume a bearing quite different from that of the home circle. After being raised to a higher rank the whole behavior subtly and unconsciously changes in accordance with it." And Schofield adds to the last sentence: "This is also the case in a minor degree with different styles and qualities of dress and different environments. Quite unconsciously we change our behavior, carriage, and style, to suit the circumstance."

Jensen writes: "When we reflect on anything with the whole force of the mind, we may fall into a state of entire unconsciousness, in which we not only forget the outer world, but also know nothing at all of ourselves and the thoughts passing within us after a time. We then suddenly awake as from a dream, and usually at the same moment the result of our meditations appears as distinctly in consciousness without our knowing how we reached it."

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Bascom says: "It is inexplicable how premises which lie below consciousness can sustain conclusions in consciousness; how the mind can wittingly take up a mental movement at an advanced stage, having missed its primary steps."

Hamilton and other writers have compared the mind's action to that of a row of billiard balls, of which one is struck and the impetus transmitted throughout the entire row, the result being that only the last ball actually moves, the others remaining in their places. The last ball represents the conscious thought--the other stages in the unconscious mentation. Lewes, speaking of this illustration, says: "Something like this, Hamilton says, seems often to occur in a train of thought, one idea immediately suggesting another into consciousness--this suggestion passing through one or more ideas which do not themselves rise into consciousness. This point, that we are not conscious of the formation of groups, but only of a formed group, may throw light on the existence of unconscious judgments, unconscious reasonings, and unconscious registrations of experience."

Many writers have related the process by which the unconscious mentation emerges gradually into the field of consciousness, and the discomfort attending the process. A few examples may prove interesting and instructive.

Maudsley says: "It is surprising how uncomfortable a person may be made by the obscure idea of something which he ought to have said or done, and which

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he cannot for the life of him remember. There is an effort of the lost idea to get into consciousness, which is relieved directly the idea bursts into consciousness."

Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "There are thoughts that never emerge into consciousness, and which yet make their influence felt among the perceptive mental currents, just as the unseen planets sway the movements of the known ones." The same writer also remarks: "I was told of a business man in Boston who had given up thinking of an important question as too much for him. But he continued so uneasy in his brain that he feared he was threatened with palsy. After some hours the natural solution of the question came to him, worked out, as he believed, in that troubled interval."

Dr. Schofield mentions several instances of this phase of the workings of the unconscious planes of the mind. We mention a couple that seem interesting and to the point:

"Last year," says Dr. Schofield, "I was driving to Phillmore Gardens to give some letters to a friend. On the way, a vague uneasiness sprang up, and a voice seemed to say, 'I doubt if you have those letters.' Conscious reason rebuked it, and said, 'Of course you have; you took them out of the drawer specially.' The vague feeling was not satisfied, but could not reply. On arrival I found the letters were in none of my pockets. On returning I found them on the hall

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table, where they had been placed a moment while putting on my gloves."

"The other day I had to go to see a patient in Folkestone, in Shakespeare Terrace. I got there very late, and did not stay but drove down to the Pavilion for the night, it being dark and rainy. Next morning at eleven I walked up to find the house, knowing the general direction, though never having walked there before. I went up the main road, and, after passing a certain turning, began to feel a vague uneasiness coming into consciousness, that I had passed the terrace. On asking the way, I found it was so; and the turning was where the uneasiness began. The night before was pitch dark, and very wet, and anything seen from a close carriage was quite unconsciously impressed on my mind."

Prof. Kirchener says: "Our consciousness can only grasp one quite clear idea at once. All other ideas are for the time somewhat obscure. They are really existing, but only potentially for consciousness, i.e., they hover, as it were, on our horizon, or beneath the threshold of consciousness. The fact that former ideas suddenly return to consciousness is simply explained by the fact that they have continued psychic existence; and attention is sometimes voluntarily or involuntarily turned away from the present, and the appearance of former ideas is thus made possible."

Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "Our different ideas are stepping-stones; how we get from one to another we do not know; something carries us. We (our conscious

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selves) do not take the step. The creating and informing spirit, which is within us and not of us, is recognized everywhere in real life. It comes to us as a voice that will be heard; it tells us what we must believe; it frames our sentences and we wonder at this visitor who chooses our brain as his dwelling place."

Galton says: "I have desired to show how whole states of mental operation that have lapsed out of ordinary consciousness, admit of being dragged into light."

Montgomery says: "We are constant') aware that feelings emerge unsolicited by any previous mental state, directly from the dark womb of unconsciousness. Indeed all our most vivid feelings are thus mystically derived. Suddenly a new irrelevant, unwilled, unlooked-for presence intrudes itself into consciousness. Some inscrutable power causes it to rise and enter the mental presence as a sensorial constituent. If this vivid dependence on unconscious forces has to be conjectured with regard to the most vivid mental occurrences, how much more must such a sustaining foundation be postulated for those faint revivals of previous sensations that so largely assist in making up our complex mental presence!"

Sir Benjamin Brodie says: "It has often happened to me to have accumulated a store of facts, but to have been able to proceed no further. Then after an interval of time, I have found the obscurity and confusion to have cleared away; the facts to have settled

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in their right places, though I have not been sensible of having made any effort for that purpose."

Wundt says: "The traditional opinion that consciousness is the entire field of the internal life cannot be accepted. In consciousness, psychic acts are very distinct from one another, and observation itself necessarily conducts to unity in psychology. But the agent of this unity is outside of consciousness, which knows only the result of the work done in the unknown laboratory beneath it. Suddenly a new thought springs into being. Ultimate analysis of psychic processes shows that the unconscious is the theater of the most important mental phenomena. The conscious is always conditional upon the unconscious."

Creighton says: "Our conscious life is the sum of these entrances and exits. Behind the scenes, as we infer, there lies a vast reserve which we call 'the unconscious,' finding a name for it by the simple device of prefixing the negative article. The basis of all that lies behind the scene is the mere negative of consciousness."

Maudsley says: "The process of reasoning adds nothing to knowledge (in the reasoner). It only displays what was there before, and brings to conscious possession what before was unconscious." And again: "Mind can do its work without knowing it. Consciousness is the light that lightens the process, not the agent that accomplishes it."

Walstein says: "It is through the sub-conscious self that Shakespeare must have perceived, without effort,

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great truths which are hidden from the conscious mind of the student; that Phidias painted marble and bronze; that Raphael painted Madonnas, and Beethoven composed symphonies."

Ribot says: "The mind receives from experience certain data, and elaborates them unconsciously by laws peculiar to itself, and the result merges into consciousness."

Newman says: "When the unaccustomed causes surprise, we do not perceive the thing and then feel the surprise; but surprise comes first, and then we search out the cause; so the theory must have acted on the unconscious mind to create the feeling, before being perceived in consciousness."

A writer in an English magazine says: "Of what transcendent importance is the fact that the unconscious part of the mind bears to the conscious part such a relation as the magic lantern bears to the luminous disc which it projects; that the greater part of the intentional action, the whole practical life of the vast majority of men, is an effect of events as remote from consciousness as the motion of the planets."

Dr. Schofield says: "It is quite true that the range of the unconscious mind must necessarily remain indefinite; none can say how high or low it may reach . . . . As to how far the unconscious powers of life that, as has been said, can make eggs and feathers out of Indian corn, and milk and beef and mutton out of grass, are to be considered within or beyond the lowest limits of unconscious mind, we do not therefore

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here press. It is enough to establish the fact of its existence; to point out its more important features; and to show that in all respects it is as worthy of being called mind as that which works in consciousness. We therefore return to our first definition of Mind, as 'the sum of psychic action in us, whether conscious or unconscious.'"

Hartmann calls our attention to a very important fact when he says: "The unconscious does not fall ill, the unconscious does not grow weary, but all conscious mental activity becomes fatigued."

Kant says: "To have ideas and yet not be conscious of them--therein seems to lie a contradiction. However, we may still be immediately aware of holding an idea, though we are not directly conscious of it."

Maudsley says: "It may seem paradoxical to assert not merely that ideas may exist in the mind without any consciousness of them, but that an idea, or a train of associated ideas, may be quickened into action and actuate movements without itself being attended to. When an idea disappears from consciousness it does not necessarily disappear entirely; it may remain latent below the horizon of consciousness. Moreover it may produce an effect upon movement, or upon other ideas, when thus active below the horizon of consciousness."

 says: "It does not follow that because we do not perceive thought that it does not exist. It is a great source of error to believe that there is no perception in the mind but that of which it is conscious."

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Oliver Wendell Holmes says: "The more we examine the mechanism of thought the more we shall see that anterior unconscious action of the mind that enters largely into all of its processes. People who talk most do not always think most. I question whether persons who think most--that is who have most conscious thought pass through their mind--necessarily do most mental work. Every new idea planted in a real thinker's mind grows when he is least conscious of it."

Maudsley says: "It would go hard with mankind indeed, if they must act wittingly before they acted at all. Men, without knowing why, follow a course for which good reasons exist. Nay, more. The practical instincts of mankind often work beneficially in actual contradiction to their professed doctrines."

The same writer says: "The best thoughts of an author are the unwilled thoughts which surprise himself; and the poet, under the influence of creative activity, is, so far as consciousness is concerned, being dictated to."

A writer in an English magazine says: "When waiting on a pier for a steamer, I went on to the first, which was the wrong one. I came back and waited. losing my boat, which was at another part of the pier, on account of the unconscious assumption I had made, that this was the only place to wait for the steamer. I saw a man enter a room, and leave by another door. Shortly after, I saw another man exactly like him do the same. It was the same man; but I said it must be

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his twin brother, in the unconscious assumption that there was no exit for the first man but by the way he came (that by returning)."

Maudsley says: "The firmest resolve or purpose sometimes vanishes issueless when it comes to the brink of an act, while the true will, which determines perhaps a different act, springs up suddenly out of the depths of the unconscious nature, surprising and overcoming the conscious."

Schofield says: "Our unconscious influence is the projection of our unconscious mind and personality unconsciously over others. This acts unconsciously on their unconscious centers, producing, effects in character and conduct, recognized in consciousness. For instance, the entrance of a good man into a room where foul language is used, will unconsciously modify and purify the tone of the whole room. Our minds cast shadows of which we are as unconscious as those cast by our bodies, but which affect for good or evil all who unconsciously pass within their range. This is a matter of daily experience, and is common to all, though more noticeable with strong personalities."

Now we have given much time and space to the expressions of opinion of various Western writers regarding this subject of there being a plane or planes of the mind outside of the field of consciousness. We have given space to this valuable testimony, not alone because of its intrinsic value and merit, but because we wished to impress upon the minds of our students that

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these out-of-conscious planes of mind are now being recognized by the best authorities in the Western world, although it has been only a few years back when the idea was laughed at as ridiculous, and as a mere "dream of the Oriental teachers." Each writer quoted has brought out some interesting and valuable point of the subject, and the student will find that his own experiences corroborate the points cited by the several writers. In this way we think the matter will be made plainer, and will become fixed in the mind of those who are studying this course of lessons.

But we must caution our students from hastily adopting the several theories of Western writers, advanced during the past few years, regarding these out-of-conscious states. The trouble has been that the Western writers dazzled by the view of the subconscious planes of mentation that suddenly burst upon the Western thought, hastily adopted certain theories, which they felt would account for all the phenomena known as "psychic," and which they thought would fully account for all the problems of the subject. These writers while doing a most valuable work, which has helped thousands to form new ideas regarding the nature and workings of the mind, nevertheless did not sufficiently explore the nature of the problem before them. A little study of the Oriental philosophies might have saved them and their readers much confusion.

For instance, the majority of these writers hastily assumed that because there was an out-of-conscious

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plane of mentation, therefore all the workings of the mind might be grouped under the head of "conscious" and "sub-conscious," and that all the out-of-conscious phenomena might be grouped under the head of "subconscious mind," "subjective mind," etc., ignoring the fact that this class of mental phenomena embraced not only the highest but the lowest forms of mentation. In their newly found "mind" (which they called "subjective" or "sub-conscious"), they placed the lowest traits and animal passions; insane impulses; delusions; bigotry; animal-like intelligence, etc., etc., as well as the inspiration of the poet and musician, and the high spiritual longings and feelings that one recognizes as having come from the higher regions of the soul.

This mistake was a natural one, and at first reading the Western world was taken by storm, and accepted the new ideas and theories as Truth. But when reflection came, and analysis was applied there arose a feeling of disappointment and dissatisfaction, and people began to feel that there was something lacking. They intuitively recognized that their higher inspirations and intuitions came from a different part of the mind than the lower emotions, passions, and other sub-conscious feelings and instincts.

A glance at the Oriental philosophies will give one the key to the problem at once. The Oriental teachers have always held that the conscious mentation was hut a small fraction of the entire volume of thought, hut they have always taught that just as there was a field of mentation below consciousness, so was there

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a field of mentation above consciousness as much higher than Intellect as the other was lower than it. The mere mention of this fact will prove a revelation to those who have not heard it before, and who have become entangled with the several "dual-mind" theories of the recent Western writers. The more one has read on this subject the more he will appreciate the superiority of the Oriental theory over that of the Western writers. It is like the chemical which at once clears the clouded liquid in the test-tube.

In our next lesson we shall go into this subject of the above-conscious planes, and the below-conscious planes, bringing out the distinction clearly, and adding to what we have said on the subject in previous books.

And all this is leading us toward the point where we may give you instruction regarding the training and cultivation--the retraining and guidance of these out-of-conscious faculties. By retraining the lower planes of mentation to their proper work, and by stimulating the higher ones, man may "make himself over," mentally, and may acquire powers of which he but dreams now. This is why we are leading you up to the understanding of this subject, step by step. We advise you to acquaint yourself with each phase of the matter, that you may he able to apply the teachings and instructions to follow in later lessons of the course.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

I recognize that my Self is greater than it seems--that above and below consciousness are planes of mind--that just as there are lower planes of mind which belong to my past experience in ages past and over which I must now assert my Mastery--so are there planes of mind into which I am unfolding gradually, which will bring me wisdom, power, and joy. I Am Myself, in the midst of this mental world--I am the Master of my Mind--I assert my control of its lower phases, and I demand of its higher all that it has in store for me.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE NINTH LESSON.

  

THE MENTAL PLANES.

In our last lesson we told you something about the operation of the mind outside of the field of consciousness. In this lesson we will attempt to classify these out-of-consciousness planes, by directing your attention to the several mental planes above and below the plane of consciousness. As we stated in the last lesson, over 90 per cent of our mental operations are conducted outside of the field of consciousness, so that the consideration of the planes is seen to be an important subject.

Man is a Centre of Consciousness in the great One Life of the Universe. His soul has climbed a great many steps before it reached its present position and stage of unfoldment. And it will pass through many more steps until it is entirely free and delivered from the necessity of its swaddling clothes.

In his mental being man contains traces of all that has gone before--all the experiences of himself and the great race movement of which he is a part. And, likewise, his mind contains faculties and mental planes which have not as yet unfolded into consciousness, and of the existence of which he is but imperfectly aware. All of these mental possessions, however. are useful and valuable to him--even the lowest. The lowest may be used to advantage, under proper mastery, and are only dangerous to the man who allows them to

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master him instead of serving him as they should, considering his present stage of development.

In this consideration of the several mental planes we shall not confine ourselves to the technical occult terms given to these several planes, but will place them in general groups and describe the features and characteristics of each, rather than branch off into long explanations of the growth and reason of the several planes, which would take us far away from the practical consideration of the subject.

Beginning at the lowest point of the scale we see that man has a body. The body is composed of minute cells of protoplasm. These cells are built up of countless molecules, atoms and particles of matter--precisely the same matter that composes the rocks, trees, air, etc., around him. The Yogi philosophy tells us that even the atoms of matter have life and an elementary manifestation of mind, which causes them to group together according to the law of attraction, forming different elements, combinations, etc. This law of attraction is a mental operation, and is the first evidence of mental choice, action and response. Below this is Prana or Force, which, strictly speaking, is also a manifestation of mind, although for convenience we designate it as a separate manifestation of the Absolute.

And therefore we find that this law of attraction between the atoms and particles of matter is a mental action, and that it belongs to man's mental kingdom, because he has a body and this mental action is continually

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going on in his body. So therefore this is the lowest mental plane to be considered in the make-up of the man, This plane is, of course, far sunken beneath the plane of consciousness, and is scarcely identified with the personality of the man at all, but rather belongs to the life of the whole, manifest in the rock as well as in the man.

But after these atoms have been grouped by the law of attraction and have formed molecules of matter, they are taken possession of by a higher mental activity and built up into cells by the mental action of the plant. The life impulse of the plant begins by drawing to it certain particles of inorganic matter--chemical elements--and then building them into a single cell. Oh, mystery of the cell! The intellect of man is unable to duplicate this wonderful process. The Mind Principle on the Vegetative Plane, however, knows exactly how to go to work to select and draw to itself just the elements needed to build up the single cell. Then taking up its abode in that cell--using it as a basis of operations, it proceeds to duplicate its previous performance, and so cell after cell is added, by the simple reproductive process of di, vision and subdivision--the primitive and elemental sex process--until the mighty plant is built up. From the humblest vegetable organism up to the greatest oak the process is the same.

And it does not stop there. The body of man is also built up in just this way, and he has this vegetative mind also within him, below the plane of consciousness,

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of course. To many this thought of a vegetative mind may be somewhat startling. But let us remember that every part of our body has been built up from the vegetable cell. The unborn child starts with the coalition of two cells. These cells begin to build up the new body for the occupancy of the child--that is, the mind principle in the cells directs the work, of course--drawing upon the body of the mother for nourishment and supplies. The nourishment in the mother's blood, which supplies the material for the building up of the child's body, is obtained by the mother eating end assimilating the vegetable cells of plants, directly or indirectly. If she eats fruit, nuts, vegetables, etc., she obtains the nourishment of the plant life directly--if she eats meat she obtains it indirectly, for the animal from which the meat was taken built up the meat from vegetables. There is no two ways about this--all nourishment of the animal and human kingdom is obtained from the vegetable kingdom, directly or indirectly.

And the cell action in the child is identical with the cell action in the plant. Cells constantly reproducing themselves and building themselves up into bodily organs, parts, etc., under the direction and guidance of the mind principle. The child grows in this way until the hour of birth. It is born, and then the process is but slightly changed. The child begins to take nourishment either from the mother's milk or from the milk of the cow, or other forms of food. And as it grows larger it partakes of many different

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varieties of food. But always it obtains building material from the cell life of the plants.

And this great building up process is intelligent, purposeful, to a wonderful degree. Man with his boasted intellect cannot explain the real "thingness" of the process. A leading scientist who placed the egg of a small lizard under microscopical examination and then watched it slowly develop has said that it seemed as if some hand was tracing the outlines of the tiny vertebrae, and then building up around it. Think for a moment of the development of the germ within the egg of the humming-bird, or the ant, or the gnat, or the eagle. Every second a change may be noticed. The germ cell draws to itself nourishment from the other part of the egg, and then it grows and reproduces another cell. Then both cells divide--then subdivide until there are millions and millions and millions of cells. And all the while the building up process continues, and the bird or insect assumes shape and form, until at last the work is accomplished and the young bird emerges from the egg.

And the work thus commenced continues until the death of the animal. For there is a constant using-up and breaking-down of cell and tissue, which the organism must replace. And so the vegetative mind of the plant, or insect, or animal, or man, is constantly at work building up new cells from the food, throwing out worn-out and used-up material from the system. Not only this, but it attends to the circulation of the blood in order that the materials for the

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building up may be carried to all parts of the system. It attends to the digestion and assimilation of the food--the wonderful work of the organs of the body. It attends to the healing of wounds, the fight against disease, the care of the physical body. And all this out of the plane of consciousness--in the infant man, the animal world, the vegetable kingdom--ever at work, untiring, intelligent, wonderful. And this plane of mind is in man as well as in the plant, and it does its work without aid from the conscious part of man, although man may interfere with it by adverse conscious thought, which seems to paralyze its efforts. Mental Healing is merely the restoring of normal conditions, so that this part of the body may do its work without the hindrance of adverse conscious thought.

On this plane of the mind is found all of the vital functions and operations. The work is done out-of-consciousness, and the consciousness is aware of this part of the mind only when it makes demands upon the conscious for food, etc. On this plane also resides the elementary instinct that tends toward reproduction and sexual activity. The demand of this part of the mind is always "increase and multiply," and according to the stage of growth of the individual is the mandate carried out, as we shall see presently. The elementary impulses and desires that we find rising into the field of consciousness come from this plane of the mind. Hunger, thirst and the reproductive desires are its messages to the higher

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parts of the mind. And these messages are natural and free from the abuses and prostitution often observed attached to them by the intellect of man in connection with his unrestrained animal impulses. Gluttony and unnatural lust arise not from the primitive demand of this plane of the mind-for the lower animals even are free from them to a great extent--but it is reserved for man to so prostitute these primitive natural tendencies, in order to gratify unnatural and artificial appetites, which serve to frustrate nature rather than to aid her.

As Life advanced in the scale and animal forms appeared on the scene new planes of mind were unfolded, in accordance to the necessity of the living forms. The animal was compelled to hunt for his food--to prey upon other forms, and to avoid being preyed upon by others. He was compelled to struggle for the unfoldment of latent powers of his mind that would give him means to play his part in the scheme of life. He was compelled to do certain things in order to live and reproduce his kind. And he demanded not in vain. For there came to him slowly an unfolding knowledge of the things necessary for the requirements of his life. We call this Instinct. But, pray remember, by Instinct we do not mean the still higher something that is really rudimentary Intellect that we notice in the higher animals. We are speaking now of the unreasoning instinct observed in the lower animals, and to a certain degree in man. This Instinctive plane of mentality causes the bird

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to build its nest before its eggs are laid, which instructs the animal mother how to care for its young when born, and after birth; which teaches the bee to construct its cell and to store up its honey. These and countless other things in animal life, and in the higher form of plant life, are manifestations of Instinct--that great plane of the mind. In fact, the greater part of the life of the animal is instinctive, although the higher forms of animals have developed something like rudimentary Intellect or Reason, which enables them to meet new conditions where Intellect alone fails them.

And man has this plane of mind within him, below consciousness. In fact the lower forms of human life manifest but little Intellect, and live almost altogether according to their Instinctive impulses and desires.

Every man has this Instinctive mental region within him and from it are constantly arising impulses and desires to perplex and annoy him, as well as to serve him occasionally. The whole secret consists in whether the man has Mastery of his lower self or not.

From this plane of the mind arise the hereditary impulses coming down from generations of ancestors, reaching back to the cavemen, and still further back into the animal kingdom. A queer storehouse is this. Animal instincts--passions, appetites, desires, feelings, sensations, emotions, etc., are there. Hate, envy. jealousy, revenge, the lust of the animal seeking the gratification of his sexual impulses, etc., etc., are

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there, and are constantly intruding upon our attention until we have asserted our mastery. And often the failure to assert this mastery comes from an ignorance of the nature of the desire, etc. We have been taught that these thoughts were "bad" without being told why, and we have feared them and thought then, the promptings of an impure nature, or a depraved mind, etc. This is all wrong. These things are not "bad" of themselves--they came to us honestly--they are our heritage from the past. They belong to the animal part of our nature, and were necessary to the animal in his stage of development. We have the whole menagerie within us, but that does not mean that we should turn the beasts loose upon ourselves or others. It was necessary for the animal to be fierce, full of fight, passionate, regardless of the rights of others, etc., but we have outgrown that stage of development, and it is ignoble for us to return to it, or to allow it to master us.

This lesson is not intended as a discourse upon Ethics or morals. We do not intend going into a discussion of the details of "Right and Wrong," for we have touched upon that phase of the subject in other works. But we feel justified in calling your attention to the fact that the human mind intuitively recognizes the "Rightness" of the living up to that which comes to us from the highest parts of the mind--the highest product of our unfoldment. And it likewise intuitively recognizes the "Wrongness" of the falling back into that which belongs to the lower stages of our mentality--

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to the animal part of us, that is our heritage from the past and that which has gone before.

While we may be puzzled about many details of morals and ethics and may not be able to "explain" why we consider certain things right or wrong, we still intuitively feel that the highest "Right" of which we are capable is the acting out of that which is coming to us from the highest pole of our mental being, and that the lowest "Wrong" consists in doing that which carries us back to the life of the lower animals, in so far as mentality is concerned. Not because there is anything absolutely "Wrong" in the mental processes and consequent of the animals in themselves--they are all right and perfectly natural in the animals--but we intuitively recognize that for us to fall back to the animal stage is a "going backward" in the scale of evolution. We intuitively shrink at an exhibition of brutality and animality on the part of a man or woman. We may not know just why, but a little reflection will show us that it is a sinking in the evolutionary scale, against which the spiritual part of us revolts and protests.

But this must not be construed to mean that the advanced soul looks upon the animal world with disgust or horror. On the contrary, there is nowhere to be found a higher respect for animal life and being than among the Yogi and other advanced souls. They delight in watching the animals filling their places in life--playing out their parts in the divine scheme of life. Their animal passions and desires are

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actions viewed sympathetically and lovingly by the advanced soul, and nothing "Wrong" or disgusting is seen there. And even the coarseness and brutality of the savage races are so regarded by these advanced souls. They see everything as natural according to the grade and degree of development of these people.

It is only when these advanced souls view the degeneracies of "civilized" life that they feel sorrow and pain. For here they see instances of devolution instead of evolution--degeneration instead of regeneration and advancement. And not only do they know this to be the fact, but the degenerate specimens of mankind themselves feel and know it. Compare the expression of the animal or savage going through their natural life actions and performances. See how free and natural are their expressions, how utterly apart are evidences of wrong doing. They have not as yet found out the fatal secret of Good and Evil--they have not as yet eaten the forbidden fruit. But, on the contrary, look into the faces of the degenerates and fallen souls of our civilized life. See the furtive glance and the self-consciousness of "Wrong" evident in every face. And this consciousness of "Wrong" bears heavily upon these people--it is heavier than the punishments heaped upon them That nameless something called "conscience" may be smothered for a while, but sooner or later it comes to light and demands the pound of flesh from its victim.

And yet you will say that it seems hard to think

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that the same thing can be Right in one person and Wrong in another. This seems like a hard saying and a dangerous doctrine, but it is the Truth. And man instinctively recognizes it. He does not expect the same sense of moral responsibility in a young child, or in a savage, that he does in a mature, developed, civilized man. He may restrain the child and the savage, for self-protection and the welfare of all, but he realizes the distinction, or at least should do so. And not only is this true, but as man advances in the scale he casts off many ideas of "Wrong" that he once held, having outgrown the old ideas and having grown into new conceptions. And the tendency is always upward and onward. The tendency is constantly from Force and Restraint toward Love and Freedom. The ideal condition would be one in which there were no laws and no necessity for them--a condition in which men had ceased to do wrong because they had outgrown the desire rather than from fear or restraint or force. And while this condition as yet seems afar off, there is constantly going on an enfoldment of higher planes and faculties of the mind, which when once fully manifest in the race will work a complete revolution in ethics and laws and government--and for the better, of course. In the meantime Mankind moves along, doing the best it can, making a steady though slow progress.

There is another plane of the mind which is often called the "Instinct," but which is but a part of the plane of the Intellect, although its operations are,

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largely below the field of consciousness. We allude to what may be called the "Habit Mind," in order to distinguish it from the Instinctive Plane. The difference is this: The Instinctive plane of mind is made up of the ordinary operations of the mind below the plane of the Intellect, and yet above the plane of the Vegetative mind--and also of the acquired experiences of the race, which have been transmitted by heredity, etc. But the "Habit Mind" contains only that which has been placed there by the person himself and which he has acquired by experience, habit, and observation, repeated so often until the mind knows it so well that it is carried below the field of consciousness and becomes "second nature," and akin to Instinct.

The text books upon psychology are filled with illustrations and examples of the habit phase or plane of the mental operations, and we do not think it necessary to repeat instances of the same kind here. Everyone is familiar with the fact that tasks which at first are learned only by considerable work and time soon become fixed in some part of the mind until their repetition calls for little or no exercise of conscious mental operation. In fact, some writers have claimed that no one really "learns" how to perform a task until he can perform it almost automatically. The pupil who in the early stages of piano playing finds it most difficult to control and manage his fingers, after a time is able to forget all about his fingering and devote his entire attention to the pages of his

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music, and after this he is able to apparently let his fingers play the entire piece of music by themselves, without a thought on his part. The best performers have told us that in the moments of their highest efforts they are aware that the out-of-conscious portion of their mind is doing the work for them, and they are practically standing aside and witnessing the work being done. So true is this that in some cases it is related that if the performer's conscious mind attempts to take up the work the quality is impaired and the musician and the audience notice the difference.

The same thing is true in the case of the woman learning to operate the sewing machine. It is quite difficult at first, but gradually it grows to "run itself." Those who have mastered the typewriter have had the same experience. At first each letter had to be picked out with care and effort. After a gradual improvement the operator is enabled to devote her entire attention to the "copy" and let the fingers pick out the keys for themselves. Many operators learn rapid typewriting by so training the habit mind that it picks out the letter-keys by reason of their position, the letters being covered over in order to force the mind to adapt itself to the new requirements. A similar state of affairs exists wherever men or women have to use tools of any kind. The tool soon is recognized by the mind and used as if it were a part of the body, and no more conscious thought is devoted to the manipulation than we devote to the operation of

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walking, which, by the way, is learned by the child only by the expenditure of time and labor. It is astonishing how many things we do "automatically" in this way. Writers have called our attention to the fact that the average man cannot consciously inform you how he puts on his coat in the morning--which arm goes in first, how the coat is held, etc. But the habit mind knows--knows very well. Let the student stand up and put on his coat in the regular way, following the leadings of the habit mind. Then, after removing it, let him attempt to put it on by inserting the other arm first, for instance. He will be surprised to find out how awkward it will be for him, and how completely he has been depending upon the habit mind. And tomorrow morning let him find out which shoe the habit mind has been putting on him first and then try to reverse the order and notice how flurried and disturbed the habit mind will become, and how frantically it will signal to the conscious mind: "Something wrong up there!" Or try to Dutton on your collar, reversing the order in which the tabs are placed over the button--right before left, or left before right, as the case may be, and notice the involuntary protest. Or, try to reverse the customary habit in walking and attempt to swing your right arm with the movement of your right leg, and so on, and you will find it will require the exercise of great will power. Or, try to "change hands" and use your knife and fork. But we must stop giving examples and illustrations. Their number is countless.

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Not only does the habit mind attend to physical actions, etc., but it also takes a hand in our mental operations. We soon acquire the habit of ceasing to consciously consider certain things, and the habit mind takes the matter for granted, and thereafter we will think automatically on those particular questions, unless we are shaken out of the habit by a rude jolt from the mind of someone else, or from the presentation of some conflicting idea occasioned by our own experience or reasoning processes. And the habit mind hates to be disturbed and compelled to revise its ideas. It fights against it, and rebels, and the result is that many of us are slaves to old outgrown ideas that we realize are false and untrue, but which we find that we "cannot exactly get rid of." In our future lessons we will give methods to get rid of these old outgrown ideas.

There are other planes of mind which have to do with the phenomena known as "psychic," by which is meant the phases of psychic phenomena known as clairvoyance, psychometry, telepathy, etc., but we shall not consider them in this lesson, for they belong to another part of the general subject. We have spoken of them in a general way in our "Fourteen Lessons in Yogi Philosophy, etc."

And now we come to the plane of mind known to us as Intellect or the Reasoning Faculties. Webster defines the word Intellect as follows: The part or faculty of the human soul by which it knows, as distinguished from the power to feel and to will; thy.

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thinking faculty; the understanding. The same authority defines the word Reason as follows: "The faculty or capacity of the human mind by which it is distinguished from the intelligence of the inferior animals." We shall not attempt to go into a consideration of the conscious Intellect, for to do so we would be compelled to take up the space of the remaining lessons of the course, and besides, the student may find extended information on this subject in any of the text books on psychology. Instead we will consider other faculties and planes of mind which the said text books pass by rapidly, or perhaps deny. And one of these planes is that of Unconscious Reasoning, or Intellect. To many this term will seem paradoxical, but students of the unconscious will understand just what is meant.

Reasoning is not necessarily conscious in its operations, in fact, a greater part of the reasoning processes are performed below or above the conscious field. In our last lesson we have given a number of examples proving this fact, but a few more remarks may not be out of place, nor without interest to the student.

In our last lesson you will see many instances stated in which the sub-conscious field of the Intellect worked out problems, and then after a time handed to the conscious reason the solution of the matter. This has occurred to many of us, if not indeed to all of us. Who has not endeavored to solve a problem or question of some sort and after "giving it up" has had it suddenly answered and flashed into consciousness

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when least expected. The experience is common to the race. While the majority of us have noticed these things; we have regarded them as exceptional and out of the general rule. Not so, however, with students of the mental planes. The latter have recognized these planes of reason, and have availed themselves of their knowledge by setting these unconscious faculties to work for them. In our next lesson we will give directions to our students regarding this accomplishment, which may prove of the greatest importance to those who will take the trouble to practice the directions given. It is a plan that is known to the majority of men who have "done things" in the world, the majority of them, however, having discovered the plan for themselves as the result of a need or demand upon the inner powers of mind.

The plane of mind immediately above that of Intellect is that known as Intuition. Intuition is defined by Webster as follows: "Direct apprehension or cognition; immediate knowledge, as in perception or consciousness, involving no reasoning process; quick or ready insight or apprehension." It is difficult to explain just what is meant by Intuition, except to those who have experienced it--and these people do not need the explanation. Intuition is just as real a mental faculty as is Intellect--or, to be more exact, is just as much a collection of mental faculties. Intuition is above. the field of consciousness, and its messages are passed downward, though its processes are hidden. The race is gradually unfolding into the

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mental plane of Intuition, and the race will some day pass into full consciousness on that plane. In the meantime it gets but flashes and glimpses from the hidden region. Many of the best things we have come from that region. Art, music, the love of the beautiful and good poetry, the higher form of love, spiritual insight to a certain degree, intuitive perception of truth, etc., etc., come from this region. These things are not reasoned out by the intellect, but seem to spring full born from some unknown region of the mind.

In this wonderful region dwells Genius. Many, if not all of the great writers, poets, musicians, artists and other examples of genius have felt that their power came to them from some higher source. Many have thought that it emanated from some being kindly to them, who would inspire them with power and wisdom. Some transcendent power seemed to have been called into operation, and the worker would feel that his product or creation was not his handiwork, but that of some outside intelligence. The Greeks recognized this something in man, and called it man's "Daemon." Plutarch in his discourse on the daemon that guided Socrates speaks of the vision of Timarchus, who, in the case of Trophonius, saw spirits which were partly attached to human bodies, and partly over and above them, shining luminously over their heads. He was informed by the oracle that the part of the spirit which was immersed in the body was called the "soul," but that the outer and unimmersed portion

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was called the "daemon." The oracle also informed him that every man had his daemon, whom he is bound to obey; those who implicitly follow that guidance are the prophetic souls, the favorites of the gods. Goethe also spoke of the daemon as a power higher than the will, and which inspired certain natures with miraculous energy.

We may smile at these conceptions, but they are really very close to the truth. The higher regions of the mind, while belonging to the individual, and a part of himself, are so far above his ordinary consciousness that to all intents and purposes messages from them are as orders from another and higher soul. But still the voice is that of the "I," speaking through its sheaths as best it is able.

This power belongs to every one of us, although it manifests only in the degree that we are able to respond to it. It grows by faith and confidence, and closes itself up, and withdraws into its recesses when we doubt it and would question its veracity and reality. What we call "originality" comes from this region. The Intuitive faculties pass on to the conscious mind some perception of truth higher than the Intellect has been able to work out for itself, and to! it is called the work of genius.

The advanced occultist knows that in the higher regions of the mind are locked up intuitive perceptions of all truth, and that he who can gain access to these regions will know everything intuitively, and as a matter of clear sight, without reasoning or explanation.

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[paragraph continues  The race has not as yet reached the heights of Intuition--it is just beginning to climb the foothills. But it is moving in the right direction. It will. be well for us if we will open ourselves to the higher inner guidance, and be willing to be "led by the Spirit." This is a far different thing from being led by outside intelligence, which may, or may not, be qualified to lead. But the Spirit within each of us has our interests at heart and is desirous of our best good, and is not only ready but willing to take us by the hand and lead us on. The Higher Self is doing the best it can for our development and welfare, but is hampered by the confining sheaths. And alas, many of us glory in these sheaths and consider them the highest part of ourselves. Do not be afraid to let the light of the Spirit pierce through these confining sheaths and dissolve them. The Intuition, however, is not the Spirit, but is one of its channels of communication to us. There are other and still higher planes of mind, but the Intuition is the one next in the line of unfoldment, and we should open ourselves to its influence and welcome its unfoldment.

Above the plane of Intuition is that of the Cosmic Knowing, upon which we will find the consciousness of the Oneness of All. We have spoken of this plane in our lesson on the Unfoldment of Consciousness. When one is able to "conscious" on this plane--this exalted plane of mind--he is able to see fully, plainly and completely that there is One Great Life underlying all the countless forms and shapes of manifestation.

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[paragraph continues  He is able to see that separateness is only "the working fiction of the Universe." He is able to see that each Ego is but a Centre of Consciousness in the great Ocean of Life--all in pursuance of the Divine Plan, and that he is moving forward toward higher and higher planes of manifestation, power and individuality, in order to take a greater and grander part in the Universal work and plans.

The Cosmic Knowing in its fulness has come to but few of the race, but many have had glimpses, more or less clear, of its transcendent wonder, and others are on the borderland of this plane. The race is unfolding gradually, slowly but surely, and those who have had this wonderful experience are preparing others for a like experience. The seed is being sown, and the harvest will come later. This and other phases of the higher forms of consciousness are before the race. The individuals who read this lesson are perhaps nearer to it than they think; their interest in the lessons is an indication of that hunger of the soul which is a prophecy of the satisfaction of the cry for spiritual bread. The Law of Life heeds these cries for aid and nourishment and responds accordingly, but along the lines of the highest wisdom and according to the real requirements of the individual.

Let us close this lesson with a quotation from "Light on the Path," which bears directly upon the concluding thought. Read it carefully and let it sink down deep into your inner consciousness, and you will feel the

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thrill of joy that comes to him who is nearing the goal.

"Look for the flower to bloom in the silence that follows the storm; not till then.

"It shall grow, it will shoot up, it will make branches and leaves, and form buds while the storm lasts. But not until the entire personality of the man is dissolved and melted--not until it is held by the divine fragment which has created it, as a mere subject for grave experiment and experience--not until the whole nature has yielded and become subject unto its higher self, can the bloom open. Then will come a calm such as comes in a tropical country after the heavy rain, when nature works so swiftly that one may see her action. Such a calm will come to the harassed spirit. And in the deep silence the mysterious event will occur which will prove that the way has been found. Call it by whatever name you will. It is a voice that speaks where there is none to speak, it is a messenger that comes--a messenger without form or substance--or it is the flower of the soul that has opened. It cannot be described by any metaphor. But it can be felt after, looked for, and desired, even among the raging of the storm. The silence may last a moment of time, or it may last a thousand years. But it will end. Yet you will carry its strength with you. Again and again the battle must be fought and won. It is only for an interval that nature can be still."

*          *          *          *          *

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The concluding three lessons of this series will be devoted to a practical course of instruction in the development of the hidden planes of the mind, or rather, in the development of the power of the individual to master the same and make use of them in his life. He will be taught to master the lower principles, not only in the surmounting of them, but in the transmitting of the elemental forces toward his higher ends. Power may be obtained from this part of the mind, under the direction of the Will. And the student will be told how to set the unconscious Intellect to work for him. And he will be told how to develop and train the Will. We have now passed the line between the theoretical and the practical phases of the subject, and from now on it will be a case of train, develop, cultivate and apply. Knowing what lies back of it all, the student is now prepared to receive the instructions which he might have misused before. Peace be with thee all.

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MANTRAM (AFFIRMATION).

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I AM THE MASTER OF MY SOUL.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE TENTH LESSON.

  

SUB-CONSCIOUSING.

In the Ninth Lesson we called your attention to the fact that Reasoning was not necessarily conscious in its operations, and that, in fact, a large part of the rational processes of the mind are performed below or above the field of consciousness. And in the Eighth Lesson we gave you a number of examples illustrating this fact. We also gave you a number of cases in which the sub-conscious field of the Intellect worked out problems, and then after a time passed on to the conscious field of the Intellect the solution of the matter. In this lesson we purpose instructing you in the methods by which this part of the Intellect may be set to work for you. Many have stumbled upon bits of this truth for themselves, and, in fact, the majority of successful men and men who have attained eminence in any walk of life have made more or less use of this truth, although they seldom understand the reason of it.

Very few Western writers have recognized the work of this plane of the mind. They have given us full and ingenious theories and examples of the workings of the Instinctive Mind, and in some cases they have touched upon the workings and operations of the Intuitional planes, but in nearly every case they have treated the Intellect as something entirely confined to the Conscious plane of mentation. In this

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they have missed some of the most interesting and valuable manifestations of sub-conscious mentation.

In this lesson we will take up this particular phase of mentation, and trust to be able to point out the way to use it to the best advantage, giving some simple instructions that have been given by the Hindu teachers to their students for centuries past, such instructions of course, being modified by us to conform to the requirements and necessities of the Western student of today.

We have taken the liberty of bestowing a new title upon this phase of mentation--we have thought it well to call it "Sub-consciousing." The word "Sub," of course means "under; below;" and the word "Consciousing" is a favorite term employed by Prof. Elmer Gates, and means receiving impressions from the mind. In a general way, "Sub-consciousing," as used in this lesson, may be understood to mean "using the subconscious mind, under orders of the conscious mind."

By referring to our Eighth Lesson, we see on page <page 177>, mention made of the case of the man who indulged in "unconscious rumination," which happened to him when he read books presenting new points of view essentially opposed to his previous opinion. You will note that after days, weeks, or months, he found that to his great astonishment the old opinions were entirely rearranged, and new ones lodged there.

On the same page you will see mentioned the case of Sir William Hamilton, who discovered an important law of mathematics while walking with his wife.

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[paragraph continues  In this case he had been previously thinking of the missing link in his chain of reasoning, and the problem was worked out for him by the sub-conscious plane of his Intellect.

On the same page, and the one following, is found the case of Dr. Thompson, who gives an interesting account of the workings of this part of his mind, which caused him at times to experience a feeling of the uselessness of all voluntary effort, coupled with a feeling that the matter was working itself clear in his mind. He tells us that at times he seemed to be merely a passive instrument in the hands of some person other than himself, who compelled him to wait until the work was performed for him by some hidden region of the mind. When the subconscious part of the mind had completed its work, it would flash the message to his conscious mind, and he would begin to write.

On page <page 178> mention is also made of the great French chemist Berthelot, who relates that some of his best conceptions have flashed upon him as from the clear sky. In fact, the Eighth Lesson is largely made up of examples of this kind, and we ask the student to re-read the same, in order to refresh his mind with the truth of the workings of the sub-conscious mentality.

But you will notice in nearly all the cases mentioned, that those who related instances of the help of the sub-conscious mind had merely stumbled upon the fact that there was a part of the mind below consciousness

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that could and would work out problems for one, if it could somehow be set in operation. And these people trusted to luck to start that part of the mind in operation. Or rather, they would saturate their conscious mind with a mass of material, like stuffing the stomach with food, and then bid the subconscious mind assort, separate, arrange and digest the mental food, just as does the stomach and digestive apparatus digest the natural food--outside of the realm of consciousness or volition. In none of the cases mentioned was the subconscious mind directed specially to perform its wonderful work. It was simply hoped that it might digest the mental material with which it had been stuffed--in pure self defense. But there is a much better way, and we intend to tell you about it.

The Hindu Yogis, or rather those who instruct their pupils in "Raja Yoga," give their students directions whereby they may direct their sub-conscious minds to perform mental tasks for them, just as one may direct another to perform a task. They teach them the methods whereby, after having accumulated the necessary materials, they may bid the sub-conscious mentality to sort it out, rearrange, analyze, and build up from it some bit of desired knowledge. More than this, they instruct their pupils to direct and order the sub-conscious mentality to search out and report to them certain information to be found only within the mind itself--some question of philosophy or metaphysics. And when such art has been acquired, the

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student or Yogi rests assured that the desired result will he forthcoming in due time, and consequently dismisses the matter from his conscious mind, and busies himself with other matters, knowing that day and night, incessantly, the sub-consciousing process is going on, and that the sub-conscious mind is actively at work collecting the information, or working out the problem.

You will see at once the great superiority of this method over the old "hit-or-miss," "hope-it-will-work" plan pursued by those who have stumbled upon bits of the truth.

The Yogi teacher begins by impressing upon his students the fact that the mind is capable of extending outward toward an object, material or mental, and by examining it by methods inherent in itself, extracting knowledge regarding the object named. This is not a startling truth, because it is so common, everyone employing it more or less every day. But the process by which the knowledge is extracted is most wonderful, and really is performed below the plane of consciousness, the work of the conscious mind being chiefly concerned in holding the Attention upon the object. We have spoken of the importance of Attention in previous lessons, which it will be well for you to re-read, at this time.

When the student is fully impressed with the details of the process of Attention, and the subsequent enfoldment of knowledge, the Yogi proceeds to inform him that there are other means of obtaining knowledge

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about an object, by the employment of which the Attention may he firmly directed toward the object, and then afterwards held there unconsciously--that is, a portion of the Attention, or a sub-conscious phase of mentation, which will hold the sub-conscious mind firmly upon the work until accomplished, leaving the conscious Attention and mentality free to employ itself with other things.

The Yogis teach the students that this new form of Attention is far more intense and powerful than is the conscious Attention, for it cannot be disturbed or shaken, or distracted from its object, and that it will work away at its task for days, months, years, or a lifetime if necessary, according to the difficulty of the task, and in fact carries its work over from one life to another, unless recalled by the Will. They teach the student that in everyone's life there is going on a greater or less degree of this sub-conscious work, carried on in obedience to a strong desire for knowledge manifested in some former life, and bearing fruit only in the present existence. Many important discoveries have been made in obedience to this law. But it is not of this phase of the matter that we wish to speak in this lesson.

The Yogi theory is that the sub-conscious intellectual faculty may be set to work under the direction of orders given by the Will. All of you know how the sub-conscious mentality will take up an order of the Will, or a strong wish, that the person be awakened at a certain hour in order to catch a train. Or, in the

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same way how the remembrance of a certain engagement at, say, four o'clock, will flash into the mind when the hands of the clock approach the stated hour. Nearly every one can recall instances of this sort in his own experience.

But the Yogis go much further than this. They claim that any and all faculties of the mind may be "set going," or working on any problem, if ordered thereto by the Will. In fact, the Yogis, and their advanced students have mastered this art to such a surprising extent that they find it unnecessary to do the drudgery of thinking in the conscious field, and prefer to relegate such mental work to the sub-conscious, reserving their conscious work for the consideration of digested information and thought presented to them by the sub-conscious mind.

Their directions to their students cover a great deal of ground, and extend over a long period of time, and many of the directions are quite complicated and full of detail. But we think that we can give our students an abbreviated and condensed idea in a few pages of the lesson. And the remaining lessons of the course will also throw additional light on the subject of sub-conscious mental action, in connection with other subjects.

The Yogi takes the student when the latter is much bothered by a consideration of some knotty and perplexing philosophical subject. He bids the student relax every muscle,--take the tension from every nerve--throw aside all mental strain, and then wait

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a few moments. Then the student is instructed to grasp the subject which he has had before his mind, firmly and fixedly before his mental vision, by means of concentration. Then he is instructed to pass it on to the sub-conscious mentality by an effort of the Will, which effort is aided by forming a mental picture of the subject as a material substance, or bundle of thought, which is being bodily lifted up and dropped down a mental hatch-way, or trap-door, in which it sinks from sight. The student is then instructed to say to the sub-conscious mentality: "I wish this subject thoroughly analyzed, arranged, classified (and whatever else is desired) and then the results handed back to me. Attend to this."

The student is taught to speak to the sub-conscious mentality just as if it were a separate entity of being, which had been employed to do the work. He is also taught that confident expectation is an important part of the process, and that the degree of success depends upon the degree of this confident expectation.

In obstinate cases, the student is taught to use the Imagination freely, until he is able to make a mental image or picture of the sub-conscious mind doing what is required of it. This process clears away a mental path for the feet of the sub-conscious mind, which it will choose thereafter, as it prefers to follow the line of least resistance.

Of course much depends upon practice--practice makes perfect, you know, in everything else, and sub-consciousing is no exception to the rule,

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The student gradually acquires a proficiency in the art of sub-consciousing, and thereafter devotes his time to acquiring new facts for mental digestion, rather than bestowing it upon the mechanical act of thinking.

But a very important point to be remembered is that the Will-power back of the transferred thought-material, which Will-power is the cause of the subconscious action, depends very greatly upon the attention and interest given to the acquired material. This mass of thought-material which is to be digested, and threshed out by the sub-conscious mind, must be well saturated with interest and attention, in order to obtain the best results. In fact interest and attention are such important aids to the Will, that any consideration of the development and acquirement of Will-power is practically a development and acquirement of attention and interest. The student is referred to previous lessons in this course in which the importance of interest and attention is explained and described.

In acquiring the mass of thought-material which is to be passed on to the sub-conscious digestion, one must concentrate a great degree of interest and attention upon each item of thought-material gathered up. The gathering of this thought-material is a matter of the greatest importance, and must not be lightly passed by. One cannot hastily gather together all sorts of thought-material, and then expect the subconscious mind to do its work properly--it will not,

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in fact, and the student proceeding upon any such erroneous supposition is doomed to disappointment.

The proper way to proceed, is to take up each bit of thought-material in turn, and examine it with the greatest possible interest, and consequently the greatest attention, and then after having fairly saturated it with this interested attention, place it with the pile of material which, after a while, is to be passed on to the sub-conscious mentality. Then take up the next bit of material, and after giving it similar treatment, pass it along to the pile also. Then after a while when you have gathered up the main facts of the case, proceed to consider the mass as a whole, with interest and attention, giving it as it were a "general treatment." Then drop it down the trap-door into the sub-conscious mind, with a strong command, "Attend to this thought-material," coupled with a strong expectant belief that your order will be obeyed.

The idea underlying this treatment of the thought-material with interest and attention is that by so doing a strong "Mental Image" is created, which may be easily handled by the sub-conscious mind. Remember that you are passing on "thoughts" for the sub-consciousness to act upon, and that the more tangible and real these thoughts are, the better can they be handled. Therefore any plan that will build these thoughts up into "real" things is the plan to pursue. And attention and interest produce just this result.

If we may be pardoned for using a homely and commonplace illustration we would say that the idea may

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be grasped by the illustration of boiling an egg, whereby the fluid "white" and "yolk" becomes solid and real. Also the use of a shaving brush by a man, by which the thin lather is gradually worked up into a rich, thick, creamy mass, is an illustration. Again, the churning of butter is a favorite illustration of the Hindus, who thus call the attention of their students to the fact that thought-material if worked upon with attention and interest become "thought-forms" that may be handled by the mind just as the hands handle a material object. We ask you to think of these illustrations, for when you once grasp the idea that we wish to convey to you, you will have the secret of great thinking powers within your grasp.

And this power of sub-consciousing is not confined alone to the consideration of philosophical questions. On the contrary it is applicable to every field of human thought, and may be properly employed in any and all of them. It is useful in solving the problems of every-day life and work, as well as to the higher flights of the human mind. And we wish every one of our students to realize that in this simple lesson we are giving them the key to a great mental power.

To realize just what we are offering to you, we would remind you of the old fairy tales of all races, in which there is to be found one or more tales telling of some poor cobbler, or tailor, or carpenter, as the case may be, who had by his good deeds, gained favor with the "brownies" or good fairies, who would come each night when the man and his family were asleep,

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and proceed to complete the work that the artisan had laid out for the morrow. The pieces of leather would be made into shoes; the cloth would be sewed into garments; the wood would be joined, and nailed together into boxes, chairs, benches and what not. But in each case the rough materials were prepared by the artisan himself during the day.

Well, that is just what we are trying to introduce to you. A clan of mental brownies, loving and kindly disposed toward you, who are anxious and willing to help you in your work. All you have to do is to give them the proper materials, and tell then what you want done, and they will do the rest. But these mental brownies are a part of your own mentality, remember, and no alien and foreign entities, as some have imagined.

A number of people who have accidentally discovered this power of the sub-conscious mind to work out problems, and to render other valuable service to its owner, have been led to suppose that the aid really came from some other entity or intelligence. Some have thought that the messages came from friends in the spirit land, and others have believed that some high intelligence--God or his angels--was working in their behalf. Without discussing spirit communication, or Divine messages, in both of which we believe (with certain provisional reservations) we feel justified in saying that the majority of cases of this kind may be referred to the sub-conscious workings of one's own mentality.

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Each of us has "a friend" in our own mind--a score of them in fact, who delight in performing services for us, if we will but allow them to do so. Not only have we a Higher Self to whop, we may turn for comfort and aid in times of deep distress and necessity, but we have these invisible mental workers on the sub-conscious plane, who are very willing and glad to perform much of our mental work for us, if we will but give them the material in proper shape.

It is very difficult to impart specific directions for obtaining these results, as each case must depend to a great extent upon the peculiar circumstances surrounding it. But we may say that the main thing needed is to "lick into shape" the material, and then pass it on to the sub-conscious mind in the manner spoken of a few moments ago. Let us run over a few cases wherein this principle may be applied.

Let us suppose that you are confronted with a problem consisting of an uncertainty as to which of two or more courses to adopt in some affair of life. Each course seems to have advantages and disadvantages, and you seem unable to pass upon the matter clearly and intelligently. The more you try the more perplexed and worried do you become. Your mind seems to tire of the matter, and manifests a state which may be called "mental nausea." This state will be apparent to any one who has had much "thinking" to do. The average person, however, persists in going over the matter, notwithstanding the tired condition of the mind, and its evident distaste for a further consideration

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of the subject. They will keep on forcing it back to the mind for consideration, and even at night time will keep thrashing away at the subject. Now this course is absurd. The mind recognizes that the work should be done by another part of itself--its digestive region, in fact--and naturally rebels at the finishing-up machinery being employed in work unsuited for it.

According to the Sub-consciousing plan, the best thing for the man to do would be for him first to calm and quiet his mind. Then he should arrange the main features of the problem, together with the minor details in their proper places. Then he should pass them slowly before him in review, giving a strong interest and attention to each fact and detail, as it passes before him, but without the slightest attempt to form a decision, or come to a conclusion. Then, having given the matter an interested and attentive review, let him Will that it pass on to his sub-conscious mind, forming the mental image of dropping it through the trap-door, and at the same time giving the command of the Will, "Attend to this for me!"

Then dismiss the matter from your conscious mind, by an effort of command of the Will. If you find it difficult to do this, you may soon acquire the mastery by a frequent assertion, "I have dismissed this matter from my conscious mind, and my sub-conscious mind will attend to it for me." Then, endeavor to create a mental feeling of perfect trust and confidence in the matter, and avoid all worry or anxiety about it. This

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may be somewhat difficult at the first trial, but will become a natural feeling after you have gained the confidence arising from successful results in several cases. The matter is one of practice, and, like anything else that is new, must be acquired by perseverance and patience. It is well worth the time and trouble, and once acquired will be regarded as something in the nature of a treasure discovered in an unexpected place. The sense of tranquillity and content--of calm and confidence--that comes to one who leas practiced this plan, will of itself be worth all the trouble, not to speak of the main result. To one who has acquired this method, the old worries, frettings, and general "stewed up" feeling, will seem like a relic of barbarism. The new way opens up a world of new feelings and content.

In some cases the matter will be worked out by the sub-conscious mind in a very short time, and in fact we have known cases in which the answer would be flashed back almost instantly, almost like an inspiration. But in the majority of cases more or less time is required. The sub-conscious mind works very rapidly, but it takes time to arrange the thought-material properly, and to shape it into the desired forms. In the majority of cases it is well to let the matter rest until the next day--a fact that gives us a clue to the old advice to "sleep over" an important proposition, before passing a final decision.

If the matter does not present itself the following day, bring it up again before the conscious mind for

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review. You will find that it has shaped itself up considerably, and is assuming definite form and clearness. But right here--and this is important--do not make the mistake of again dissecting it, and meddling with it, and trying to arrange it with your conscious mind. But, instead, give it attention and interest in its new form, and then pass it back again to the sub-conscious mind for further work. You will find an improvement each time you examine it. But, right here another word of caution. Do not make the mistake of yielding to the impatience of the beginner, and keep on repeatedly bringing up the matter to see what is being done. Give it time to have the work done on it. Do not be like the boy who planted seeds, and who each day would pull them up to see whether they had sprouted, and how much.

Sooner or later, the sub-conscious mind will, of its own choice, lift up the matter and present it to you in its finished shape for the consideration of the conscious mind. The sub-conscious mind does not insist that you shall adopt its views, or accept its work, but merely hands out to you the result of its sorting, classifying and arranging. The choice and will still remains yours, but you will often find that there is seen to be one plan or path that stands out clearly from the others, and you will very likely adopt that one. The secret is that the sub-conscious mind with its wonderful patience and care has analyzed the matter, and has separated things before apparently connected. It has also found resemblances and has combined

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things heretofore considered opposed to each other. In short it has done for you all that you could have done with the expenditure of great work and time, and done it well. And then it lays the matter before you for your consideration and verdict.

Its whole work seems to have been in the nature of assorting, dissecting, analyzing, and arranging the evidence, and then presenting it before you in a clear, systematic shape. It does not attempt to exercise the judicial prerogative or function, but seems to recognize that its work ceases with the presentation of the edited evidence, and that of the conscious mind begins at the same point.

Now, do not confuse this work with that of the Intuition, which is a very different mental phase or plane. This sub-conscious working, just mentioned, plays an entirely different part. It is a good servant, and does not try to be more. The Intuition, on the contrary, is more like a higher friend--a friend at court, as it were, who gives us warnings and advice.

In our directions we have told you how to make use of this part of the mind, consciously and knowingly, so as to obtain the best results, and to get rid of worry and anxiety attendant upon unsettled questions. But, in fact, every one of us makes more or less use of this part of the mind unconsciously, and not realizing the important part it plays in our mental life. We are perplexed about a matter and keep it "on our minds" until we are forced to lay it aside by reason of some other demand, or when we sink to sleep. Often to

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our surprise we will find that when we next think of it the matter has somehow cleared up and straightened itself out, and we seem to have learned something about it that we did not know before. We do not understand it, and are apt to dismiss it as "just one of those things." In these lessons we are attempting to explain some of "those things," and to enable you to use them consciously and understandingly, instead of by chance, instinctively, and clumsily. We are teaching you Mastery of the Mind.

Now to apply the rule to another case. Suppose you wish to gather together all the information that you possess relating to a certain subject. In the first place it is certain that you know a very great deal more

about any subject than you think you do. Stored away in the various recesses of the mind, or memory if you prefer that term, are stray bits of information and knowledge concerning almost any subject. But these bits of information are not associated with each other. You have never attempted to think attentively upon the particular question before you, and the facts are not  in the mind. It is just as if you had so many hundred pounds of anything scattered throughout the space of a large warehouse, a tiny bit here, and a tiny bit there, mixed up with thousands of other things.

You may prove this by sitting down some time and letting your thoughts run along the line of some particular subject, and you will find emerging into the field of consciousness all sorts of information that you

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had apparently forgotten, and each fitting itself into its proper place. Every person has had experiences of this kind. But the work of gathering together the scattered scraps of knowledge is more or less tedious for the conscious mind, and the sub-conscious mind will do the work equally well with the wear and tear on the attention. In fact, it is the sub-conscious mind that always does the work, even when you think it is the conscious mind. All the conscious mind does is to hold the attention firmly upon the object before it, and then let the sub-consciousness pass the material before it. But this holding the attention is tiresome work, and it is not necessary for it to expend its energies upon the details of the task, for the work may be done in an easier and simpler way.

The best way is to follow a plan similar to the one mentioned a few pages back. That is, to fix the interested attention firmly upon the question before you, until you manage to get a clear, vivid impression of just what you want answered. Then pass the whole matter into the sub-conscious mind with the command "Attend to this," and then leave it. Throw the whole matter off of your mind, and let the sub-conscious work go on. If possible let the matter run along until the next morning and then take it up for consideration, when, if you have proceeded properly you will find the matter worked out, arranged in logical sequence, so that your conscious attention will be able to clearly review the string of facts, examples, illustrations, experiences, etc., relating to the matter in question.

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Now, many of you will say that you would like this plan to work in cases in which you have not the time to sleep over it. In such cases we will say that it is possible to cultivate a rapid method of sub-consciousing, and in fact many business men and men of affairs have stumbled upon a similar plan, driven to the discovery by necessity. They will give a quick, comprehensive, strong flash of attention upon the subject, getting right to the heart of it, and then will let it rest in the sub-conscious mind for a moment or two, killing a minute or two of time in "preliminary conversation," until the first flash of answer comes to them. After the first flash, and taking hold of the first loose end of the subject that presents itself to them, they will unwind a string of information and "talk" about the subject that will surprise even themselves. Many lawyers have acquired this knowledge, and are what is known as "resourceful." Such men are often confronted with questions of conditions utterly unsuspected by them a moment before. Practice has taught them the folly of fear and loss of confidence at such moments, and has also impressed upon them the truth that something within them will come to the rescue. So, presenting a confident air, they will manage to say a few platitudes or commonplaces, while the sub-conscious mind is most rapidly gathering its materials for the answer. In a moment an opening thought "flashes upon" the man, and as he continues idea after idea passes before his conscious and eager attention, sometimes so rapidly that it is

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almost impossible to utter them and lo! the danger is over, and a brilliant success is often snatched from the jaws of an apparent failure and defeat. In such cases the mental demand upon the sub-conscious mind is not voiced in words, but is the result of a strong mental need. However, if one gives a quick verbal command "Attend to this," the result will be heightened.

We have known of cases of men prominent in the world's affairs who made a practice of smoking a cigar during important business interviews, not because they particularly cared for tobacco, but because they had learned to appreciate the value of a moment's time for the mind to "gather itself together," as one man expressed it. A question would be asked, or a proposition advanced suddenly, demanding an immediate answer. Under the watchful eyes of the other party the questioned party tried not to show by his expression any indication of searching for an answer, for obvious reasons. So, instead, he would take a long puff at the cigar, then a slow attentive look at the ashes on its tip, and then another moment consumed in flicking the ash into the receptacle, and then came the answer, slowly, "Well, as to that--" or some other words of that kind, prefacing the real answer which had been rapidly framed by the sub-conscious mind in time to be uttered in its proper place. The few moments of time gained had been sufficient for the sub-conscious mind to gather up its materials, and the matter to be shaped properly,

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without any appearance of hesitation on the part of the answerer. All of this required practice, of course, but the principle may be seen through it all, and in every similar case. The point is that the man, in such cases, sets some hidden part of his mind to work for him, and when he begins to speak the matter is at least roughly "licked into shape for him."

Our students will understand, of course, that this is not advice to smoke cigars during interviews of importance, but is merely given to illustrate the principle. We have known other men to twirl a lead pencil in their fingers in a lazy sort of fashion, and then drop it at the important moment. But we must cease giving examples of this kind, lest we be accused of giving instructions in worldly wisdom, instead of teaching the use of the mind. The impressive pause of the teacher, before answering his pupil's question, is also an example of the workings of this law. One often says "stop, let me think a moment," and during his pause he does not really consciously think at all, but stares ahead in a dreamy fashion, while his subconscious mind does the work for him, although he little suspects the nature of the operation. One has but to look around him to realize the importance and frequent application of this truth.

And not only may the sub-conscious mind be used in the directions indicated on preceding pages, but in nearly every perplexity and problem of life may it be called upon for help. These little sub-conscious

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brownies are ever at our disposal, and seem to be happy to be of service to us.

And so far from being apt to get us in a position of false dependence, it is calculated to make us self-confident--for we are calling upon a part of ourselves, not upon some outside intelligence. If those people who never feel satisfied unless they are getting "advice" from others would only cultivate the acquaintance of this little "home adviser" within them, they would lose that dependent attitude and frame of mind, and would grow self-confident and fearless. Just imagine the confidence of one who feels that he has within him a source of knowledge equal to that of the majority of those with whom he is likely to come in contact, and he feels less afraid to face them, and

look them fearlessly in the eyes. He feels that his "mind" is not confined to the little field of consciousness, but is an area infinitely greater, containing a mass of information undreamed of. Everything that the man has inherited, or brought with him from past lives--everything that he has read, heard or seen, or experienced in this life, is hidden away there in some quarter of that great sub-conscious mind, and, if he will but give the command, the "essence" of all that knowledge is his. The details may not be presented to his consciousness (often it is not, for very good occult reasons) by the result, or essence of the knowledge will pass before his attention, with sufficient examples and illustrations, or arguments to enable him to make out "a good case" for himself.

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In the next lesson we will call your attention to other features and qualities of this great field of mind, showing you how you can put it to work, and Master it. Remember, always, the "I" is the Master. And its Mastery must always be remembered and asserted over all phases and planes of the mind. Do not be a slave to the sub-conscious, but be its MASTER.

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MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION).

I have within me a great area of Mind that is under my command, and subject to my Mastery. This Mind is friendly to me, and is glad to do my bidding, and obey my orders. It will work for me when I ask it, and is constant, untiring, and faithful. Knowing this I am no longer afraid, ignorant or uninformed. The "I" is master of it all, and is asserting its authority. "I" am master over Body, Mind, Consciousness, and Sub-consciousness. I am "I"--a Centre of Power, Strength, and Knowledge. I am "I"--and "I" any Spirit, a fragment from the Divine Flame.


     
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE ELEVENTH LESSON.

  

SUBCONSCIOUS CHARACTER BUILDING.

In our last lesson (the Tenth Lesson) we called your attention to the wonderful work of the sub-conscious regions of mentation in the direction of the performance of Intellectual work. Great as are the possibilities of this field of mentation in the direction named, they are equaled by the possibilities of building up character by similar methods.

Every one realizes that one may change his character by a strenuous course of repression and training, and nearly all who read these lines have modified their characteristics somewhat by similar methods. But it is only of late years that the general public have become aware that Character might be modified, changed, and sometimes completely altered by means of an intelligent use of the sub-conscious faculties of the mind.

The word "Character" is derived from ancient terms meaning "to mark," "to engrave," etc., and some authorities inform us that the tern originally arose from the word used by the Babylonian brickmakers to designate the trade mark impressed by them upon their bricks, each maker having his own mark. This is interesting, in view of the recent theories regarding the cultivation of characteristics which may be found in the current Western works on psychology. But these theories are not new to the Yogi teachers of

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the East, who have employed similar methods for centuries past in training their students and pupils. The Yogis have long taught that a man's character was, practically, the crude character-stuff possessed by him at his birth, modified and shaped by outside influences in the case of the ordinary man, and by deliberate self-training and shaping by the wise man. Their pupils are examined regarding their characteristics, and then directed to repress the undesirable traits, and to cultivate the desirable ones.

The Yogi practice of Character Building is based upon the knowledge of the wonderful powers of the sub-conscious plane of the mind. The pupil is not required to pursue strenuous methods of repression or cultivation, but, on the contrary, is taught that such methods are opposed to nature's plans, and that the best way is to imitate nature and to gradually unfold the desired characteristics by means of focusing the will-power and attention upon them. The weeding out of undesirable characteristics is accomplished by the pupil cultivating the characteristics directly opposed to the undesirable ones. For instance, if the pupil desires to overcome Fear, he is not instructed to concentrate on Fear with the idea of killing it out, but, instead, is taught to mentally deny that he has Fear, and then to concentrate his attention upon the ideal of Courage. When Courage is developed, Fear is found to have faded away. The positive always overpowers the negative.

In the word "ideal" is found the secret of the Yogi

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method of sub-conscious character building. The teachings are to the effect that "ideals" may be built up by the bestowal of attention upon them. The student is given the example of a rose bush. He is taught that the plant will grow and flourish in the measure that care and attention is bestowed upon it and vice versa. He is taught that the ideal of some desired characteristic is a mental rosebush, and that by careful attention it will grow and put forth leaves and flowers. He is then given some minor mental trait to develop, and is taught to dwell upon it in thought--to exercise his imagination and to mentally "see" himself attaining the desired quality. He is given mantrams or affirmation to repeat, for the purpose of giving him a mental center around which to build an ideal. There is a mighty power in words, used in this way, providing that the user always thinks of the meaning of the words, and makes a mental picture of the quality expressed by them, instead of merely repeating them parrot fashion.

The Yogi student is trained gradually, until he acquires the power of conscious direction of the subconscious mind in the building up process, which power conies to anyone--Oriental or Occidental--who will take the trouble to practice. In fact, nearly everyone possesses and actively uses this power, although he may not be aware of it. One's character is largely the result of the quality of thoughts held in the mind, and of the mental pictures or ideals entertained by the person. The man who constantly

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sees and thinks of himself as unsuccessful and downtrodden is very apt to grow ideals of thought forms of these things until his whole nature is dominated by them, and his every act works toward the objectification of the thoughts. On the contrary, the man who makes an ideal of success and accomplishment, finds that his whole mental nature seems to work toward that result--the objectification of the ideal. And so it is with every other ideal. The person who builds up a mental ideal of Jealousy will be very apt to objectify the same, and to unconsciously create condition that will give his Jealousy food upon which to feed. But this particular phase of the subject, properly belongs to our next lesson. This Eleventh Lesson is designed to point out the way by which people may mould their characters in any way they desire--supplanting undesirable characteristics by desirable ones, and developing desirable ideals into active characteristics. The mind is plastic to him who knows the secret of its manipulation.

The average person recognizes his strong and weak points of character, but is very apt to regard them as fixed and unalterable, or practically so. He thinks that he "is just as the Lord made him," and that is the end of it. He fails to recognize that his character is being unconsciously modified every day by association with others, whose suggestions are being absorbed and acted upon. And he fails to see that he is moulding his own character by taking interest in certain things, and allowing his

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mind td dwell upon them. He does not realize that he himself is really the maker of himself, from the raw and crude material given him at his birth. He makes himself negatively or positively. Negatively, if he allows himself to be moulded by the thoughts and ideals of others, and positively, if he moulds himself. Everyone is doing one or the other--perhaps both. The weak man is the one who allows himself to be made by others, and the strong man is the one , who takes the building process in his own hands.

The process of Character-building is so delightfully simple that its importance is apt to be overlooked by the majority of persons who are made acquainted with it. It is only by actual practice and the experiencing of results that its wonderful possibilities are borne home to one.

The Yogi student is early taught the lesson of the power and importance of character building by some strong practical example. For instance, the student is found to have certain tastes of appetite, such as a like for certain things, and a corresponding dislike for others. The Yogi teacher instructs the student in the direction of cultivating a desire and taste for the disliked thing, and a dislike for the liked thing. He reaches the student to fix his mind on the two things, but in the direction of imagining that he likes the one thing and dislikes the other. The student is taught to make a mental picture of the desired conditions, and to say, for instance, "I loathe candy--I dislike even the sight of it," and, on the other hand, "I

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crave tart things--I revel in the taste of them," etc., etc., at the same time trying to reproduce the taste of sweet things accompanied with a loathing, and a taste of tart things, accompanied with a feeling of delight. After a bit the student finds that his tastes are actually changing in accordance with his thoughts, and in the end they have completely changed places. The truth of the theory is then borne home to the student, and he never forgets the lesson.

In order to reassure readers who might object to having the student left in this condition of reversed tastes, we may add that the Yogi teachers then teach him to get rid of the idea of the disliked thing, and teach him to cultivate a liking for all wholesome things, their theory being that the dislike of certain wholesome eatables has been caused by some suggestion in childhood, or by some prenatal impression, as wholesome eatables are made attractive to the taste by Nature. The idea of all this training, however, is not the cultivation of taste, but practice in mental training, and the bringing home to the student the truth of the fact that his nature is plastic to his Ego, and that it may be moulded at will, by concentration and intelligent practice. The reader of this lesson may experiment upon himself along the lines of the elementary Yogi practice as above mentioned, if he so desires. He will find it possible to entirely change his dislike for certain food, etc., by the methods mentioned above. He may likewise acquire

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a liking for heretofore distasteful tasks and duties, which he finds it necessary to perform.

The principle underlying the whole Yogi theory of Character Building by the sub-conscious Intellect, is that the Ego is Master of the mind, and that the mind is plastic to the commands of the Ego. The Ego or "I" of the individual is the one real, permanent, changeless principle of the individual, and the mind, like the body, is constantly changing, moving, growing, and dying. Just as the body may be developed and moulded by intelligent exercises, so may the mind be developed and shaped by the Ego if intelligent methods are followed.

The majority of people consider that Character is a fixed something, belonging to a man, that cannot be altered or changed. And yet they show by their everyday actions that at heart they do not believe this to be a fact, for they endeavor to change and mould the characters of those around them, by word of advice, counsel, praise or condemnation, etc.

It is not necessary to go into the matter of the consideration of the causes of character in this lesson. We will content ourselves by saying that these causes may be summed up, roughly, as follows: (1) Result of experiences in past lives; (2) Heredity; (3) Environment; (4) Suggestion from others, and (5) Auto-suggestion. But no matter how one's character has been formed, it may be modified, moulded, changed, and improved by the methods set forth in

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this lesson, which methods are similar to: what is called by Western writers, "Auto-suggestion."

The underlying idea of Auto-suggestion is the "willing" of the individual that the changes take place in his mind, the willing being aided by intelligent and tried methods of creating the new ideal or thought-form. The first requisite for the changed condition must be "desire" for the change. Unless one really desires that the change take place, he is unable to bring his Will to bear on the task. There is a very close connection between Desire and Will. Will is not usually brought to bear upon anything unless it is inspired by Desire. Some people connect the word Desire with the lower inclinations, but it is equally applicable to the higher. If one fights off a low inclination or Desire, it is because he is possessed of a higher inclination or Desire. Many Desires are really compromises between two or more conflicting Desires--a sort of average Desire, as it were.

Unless one desires to change his character he will not make any move toward it. And in proportion to the strength of the desire, so will be the amount of will-power that is put in the task. The first thing for one to do in character building is to "want to do it." And if he finds that the "want" is not sufficiently strong to enable him to manifest the perseverance and effort necessary to bring it to a successful conclusion, then he should deliberately proceed to "build up the desire."

Desire may be built up by allowing the mind to

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dwell upon the subject until a desire is created. This rule works both ways, as many people have found out to their sorrow and misery. Not only may one build up a commendable desire in this way, but he may also build up a reprehensible one. A little thought will show you the truth of this statement. A young man has no desire to indulge in the excesses of a "fast" life. But after a while he hears, or reads something about others leading that sort of life, and he begins to allow his mind to dwell upon the subject, turning it around and examining it mentally, and going over it in his imagination. After a time he begins to find a desire gradually sending forth roots and branches, and if he continues to water the thing in his imagination, before long he will find within himself a blossoming inclination, which will try to insist upon expression in action. There is a great truth behind the words of the poet:

"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien,
  That to be hated needs but to be seen.
  Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
  We first endure, then pity, and then embrace."

[paragraph continues  And the follies and crimes of many a man have been due to the growing of desire within his mind, through this plan of planting the seed, and then carefully watering and tending to it--this cultivation of the growing desire. We have thought it well to give this word of warning because it will throw light upon many.

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things that may have perplexed you, and because is may serve to call your attention to certain growing weeds of the mind that you have been nourishing.

But remember, always, that the force that leads downward may be transmuted and made to lead upward. It is just as easy to plant and grow wholesome desires as the other kind. If you are conscious of certain defects and deficiencies in your character (and who is not?) and yet find yourself not possessed of a strong enough desire to make the changes necessary, then you should commence by planting the desire seed and allowing it to grow by giving it constant care and attention. You should picture to yourself the advantages of acquiring the desirable traits of character of which you have thought. You should frequently go over and over them in your mind, imaging yourself in imagination as possessing them. You will then find that the growing desire will make headway' and that you will gradually begin to "want to" possess that trait of character more and more. And when you begin to "want to" hard enough, you will find arising in your consciousness a feeling of the possession of sufficient Will-power to carry it through. Will follows the Desire. Cultivate a Desire and you will find back of it the Will to carry it through. Under the pressure of a very strong Desire men have accomplished feats akin to miracles.

If you find yourself in possession of desires that you feel are hurtful to you, you may rid yourself of them by deliberately starving them to death, and at

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the sane time growing opposite desires. By refusing to think of the objectionable desires you refuse them the mental food upon which alone they can thrive. Just as you starve a plant by refusing it nourishing soil and water, so may you starve out an objectionable desire by refusing to give it mental food. Remember this, for it is most important. Refuse to allow the mind to dwell upon such desires, and resolutely turn aside the attention, and, particularly, the imagination, from the subject. This may call for the manifestation of a little will-power in the beginning, but it will become easier as you progress, and each victory will give you renewed strength for the next fight. But do not temporize with the desire--do not compromise with it--refuse to entertain the idea. In a fight of this kind each victory gives one added strength, and each defeat weakens one.

And while you are refusing to entertain the objectionable guest you must be sure to grow a desire of an entirely opposite nature--a desire directly opposed to the one you are starving to death. Picture the opposite desire, and think of it often. Let your mind dwell upon it lovingly and let the imagination help to build it up into form. Think of the advantages that will arise to you when you fully possess it, and let the imagination picture you as in full possession of it, and acting out your new part in life strong and vigorous in your new found power.

All this will gradually lead you to the point where you will "want to" possess this power. Then you

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must be ready for the next step which is "Faith" or "Confident Expectation."

Now, faith or confident expectation is not made to order in most persons, and in such cases one must acquire it gradually. Many of you who read these lines will have an understanding of the subject that will give you this faith. But to those who lack it, we suggest that they practice on some trivial phases of the mental make-up, some petty trait of character, in which the victory will be easy and simple. From this stage they should work up to more difficult tasks, until at last they gain that faith or confident expectation that comes from persevering practice.

The greater the degree of faith or confident expectation that one carries with him in this task of character building, the greater will be his success. And this because of well established psychological laws. Faith or confident expectation clears away the mental path and renders the work easier, while doubt or lack of faith retards the work, and acts as obstacles and stumbling blocks. Strong Desire, and Faith, or confident expectation are the first two steps. The third is Will-power.

By Will-power we do not mean that strenuous, clenching-of-fist-and-frowning-brow thing that many think of when they say "Will." Will is not manifested in this way. The true Will is called into play by one realizing the "I" part of himself and speaking the word of command from that center of power and

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strength. It is the voice of the "I." And it is needed in this work of character building.

So now you are ready for work, being possessed of (1) Strong Desire; (2) Faith or Confident Expectation; and (3) Will-power. With such a triple-weapon nothing but Success is possible.

Then comes the actual work. The first thing to do is to lay the track for a new Character Habit. "Habit?" you may ask in surprise. Yes, Habit! For that word gives the secret of the whole thing. Our characters are made up of inherited or acquired habits. Think over this a little and you will see the truth of it. You do certain things without a thought, because you have gotten into the habit of doing them. You act in certain ways because you have established the habit. You are in the habit of being truthful, honest, virtuous, because you have established the habit of being so. Do you doubt this? Then look around you--or look within your own heart, and you will see that you have lost some of your old habits of action, and have acquired new ones. The building up of Character is the building up of Habits. And the changing of Character is the changing of Habits. It will be well for you to settle this fact in your own mind, for it will give you the secret of many things connected with the subject.

And, remember this, that Habit is almost entirely a matter of the sub-conscious mentality. It is true that Habits originate in the conscious mind, but as they are established they sink down into the depths

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of the sub-conscious mentality, and thereafter become "second nature," which, by the way, is often more powerful than the original nature of the person. The Duke of Wellington said that habit was as strong as ten natures, and he proceeded to drill habits into his army until they found it natural to act in accordance with the habits pounded into them during the drills. Darwin relates an interesting instance of the force of habit over the reason. He found that his habit of starting back at the sudden approach of danger was so firmly established that no will-power could enable him to keep his face pressed up against the cage of the cobra in the Zoological Gardens when the snake struck at him, although he knew the glass was so thick that there could be no danger, and although he exerted the full force of his will. But we venture to say that one could overcome even this strongly ingrained habit, by gradually training the sub-conscious mentality and establishing a new habit of thought and action.

It is not only during the actual process of "willing" the new habit that the work of making the new mental path goes on. In fact, the Yogis believe that the principal part of the work goes on sub-consciously between the intervals of command, and that the real progress is made in that way, just as the real work of solving the problem is performed sub-consciously, as related in our last lesson. As an example, we may call your attention to some instances of the cultivation of physical habits. A physical task learned in

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the evening is much easier to perform the following morning than it was the night before, and still easier the following Monday morning than it was on the Saturday afternoon previous. The Germans have a saying that "we learn to skate in summer, and to swim in winter," meaning that the impression passed on to the sub-conscious mentality deepens and broadens during the interval of rest. The best plan is to make frequent, sharp impressions, and then to allow reasonable periods of rest in order to give the sub-conscious mentality the opportunity to do its work. By "sharp" impressions we mean impressions given under strong attention, as we have mentioned in some of the earlier lessons of this series.

A writer has well said: "Sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny," thus recognizing habit as the source of character. We recognize this truth in our training of children, forming good habits of character by constant repetition, by watchfulness, etc. Habit acts as a motive when established, so that while we think we are acting without motive we may be acting under the strong motive power of some well established habit. Herbert Spencer has well said: "The habitually honest man does what is right, not consciously because he 'ought' but with simple satisfaction; and is ill at ease till it is done." Some may object that this idea of Habit as a basis of Character may do away with the idea of a developed moral conscientiousness, as for instance, Josiah Royce who says: "The establishment

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of organized habit is never in itself enough to ensure the growth of an enlightened moral conscientiousness," but to such we would say that one must "want to" cultivate a high character before he will create the habits usual to the same, and the "want to" is the sign of the "moral conscientiousness," rather than the habit. And the same is true of the "ought to" side of the subject. The "ought to" arises in the conscious mind in the beginning, and inspires the cultivation of the habit, although the latter after a while becomes automatic, a matter of the sub-conscious mentality, without any "ought to" attachment. It then becomes a matter of "like to."

Thus we see that the moulding, modifying, changing, and building of Character is largely a matter of the establishing of Habits. And what is the best way to establish Habits? becomes our next question. The answer of the Yogi is: "Establish a Mental Image, and then build your Habit around it." And in that sentence he has condensed a whole system.

Everything we see having a form is built around a mental image--either the mental image of some man, some animal, or of the Absolute. This is the rule of the universe, and in the matter of character-building we but follow a well established rule. When we wish to build a house, we first think of "house" in a general way. Then we begin to think of "what kind" of a house. Then we go into details. Then we consult an architect, and he makes us a plan, which plan is his mental image, suggested by our mental

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image. Then, the plan once decided upon, we consult the builder, and at last the house stands completed--an objectified Mental Image. And so it is with every created thing--all manifestation of a Mental Image.

And so, when we wish to establish a trait of Character, we must form a clear, distinct Mental Image of what we wish to be. This is an important step. Make your picture clear and distinct, and fasten it in your mind. Then begin to build around it. Let your thoughts dwell upon the mental picture. Let your imagination see yourself as possessed of the desired trait, and acting it out. Act it out in your imagination, over and over again, as often as possible, persevering, and continuously, seeing yourself manifesting the trait under a variety of circumstances and conditions. As you continue to do this you will find that you will gradually begin to express the thought in action--to objectify the subjective mental image. It will become "natural" for you to act more and more in accordance with your mental image, until at last the new habit will become firmly fixed in your mind, and will become your natural mode of action and expression.

This is no vague, visionary theory. It is a well known and proven psychological fact, and thousands have worked marvelous changes in their character by its means.

Not only may one elevate his moral character in this way, but he may mould his "work-a-day" self to better conform to the needs of his environment and

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occupation. If one lacks Perseverance, he may attain it; if one is filled with Fear, he may supplant it with Fearlessness; if one lack Self-confidence, he may gain it. In fact, there is no trait that may not be developed in this way. People have literally "made themselves over" by following this method of character-building. The great trouble with the race has been that persons have not realized that they could do these things. They have thought that they were doomed to remain just the creatures that they found themselves to be. They did not realize that the work of creation was not ended, and that they had within themselves a creative power adapted to the needs of their case. When man first realizes this truth, and proves it by practice, he becomes another being. He finds himself superior to environment and training--he finds that he may ride over these things. He makes his own environment, and he trains himself.

In some of the larger schools in England and the United States, certain scholars who have developed and manifested the ability to control themselves and their actions are placed on the roll of a grade called the "Self-governed grade." Those in this grade act as if they had memorized the following words of Herbert Spencer: "In the supremacy of self-control consists one of the perfections of the ideal man. Not to be impulsive--not to be spurred hither and thither by each desire--but to be self-restrained, self-balanced, governed by the just decision of the feelings in council assembled * * * that it is which moral

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education strives to produce." And this is the desire of the writer of this lesson--to place each student in the "Self-governed class."

We cannot attempt, in the short space of a single lesson, to map out a course of instruction in Character Building adapted to the special needs of each individual. But we think that what we have said on the subject should be sufficient to point out the method for each student to map out a course for himself, following the general rules given above. As a help to the student, however, we will give a brief course of instruction for the cultivation of one desirable trait of character. The general plan of this course may be adapted to fit the requirements of any other case, if intelligence is used by the student. The case we have selected is that of a student who has been suffering from "a lack of Moral Courage--a lack of Self-Confidence--an inability to maintain my poise in the presence of other people--an inability to say 'No!'--a feeling of Inferiority to those with whom I come in contact." The brief outline of the course of practice given in this case is herewith given:

PRELIMINARY THOUGHT. You should fix firmly in your mind the fact that you are the Equal of any and every man. You come from the same source. You are an expression of the same One Life. In the eyes of the Absolute you are the equal of any man, even the highest in the land. Truth is "Things as God sees them"--and in Truth you and the man are equal, and. at the last, One. All feelings of Inferiority are

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illusions, errors, and lies, and have no existence in Truth. When in the company of others remember this fact and realize that the Life Principle in you is talking to the Life Principle in them. Let the Life Principle flow through you, and endeavor to forget your personal self. At the same time, endeavor to see that same Life Principle, behind and beyond the personality of the person in whose presence you are. He is by a personality hiding the Life Principle, just as you are. Nothing more--nothing less! You are both One in Truth. Let the conscious of the "I" beam forth and you will experience an uplift and sense of Courage, and the other will likewise feel it. You have within you the Source of Courage, Moral and Physical, and you have naught to Fear--Fearlessness is your Divine Heritage, avail yourself of it. You have Self-Conscience, for the Self is the "I" within you, not the petty personality, and you must have confidence in that "I." Retreat within yourself until you feel the presence of the "I," and then will you have a Self-Confidence that nothing can shake or disturb. Once having attained the permanent consciousness of the "I," you will have poise. Once having realized that you are a Center of Power, you will have no difficulty in saying "No!" when it is right to do so. Once having realized your true nature--your Real Self--you will lose all sense of Inferiority, and will know that you are a manifestation of the One Life and have behind you the strength, power, and grandeur of the

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[paragraph continues  Cosmos. Begin by realizing YOURSELF, and then proceed with the following methods of training the mind.

WORD IMAGES. It is difficult for the mind to build itself around an idea, unless that idea be expressed in words. A word is the center of an idea, just as the idea is the center of the mental image, and the mental image the center of the growing mental habit. Therefore, the Yogis always lay great stress upon the use of words in this way. In the particular case before us, we should suggest the holding before you of a few words crystallizing the main thought. We suggest the words "I Am"; Courage; Confidence; Poise; Firmness.; Equality. Commit these words to memory, and then endeavor to fix in your mind a clear conception of the meaning of each word, so that each may stand for a Live Idea when you say it. Beware of parrot-like or phonographic repetition. Let each word's meaning stand out clearly before you, so that when you repeat it you may feel its meaning. Repeat the words over frequently, when opportunity presents itself, and you will soon begin to notice that they act as a strong mental tonic upon you, producing a bracing, energizing effect. And each time you repeat the words, understandingly, you have done something to clear away. the mental path over which you wish to travel.

PRACTICE. When you are at leisure, and are able to indulge in "day dreams" without injury to your affairs of. life, call your imagination into play and endeavor to picture yourself as being possessed of the qualities indicated by the words named. Picture yourself

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under the most trying circumstances, making use of the desired qualities, and manifesting them fully. Endeavor to picture yourself as acting out your part well. and exhibiting the desired qualities. Do not be ashamed to indulge in these day-dreams, for they are the prophecies of the things to follow, and you are but rehearsing your part before the day of the performance. Practice makes perfect, and if you accustom yourself to acting in a certain way in imagination, you will find it much easier to play your part when the real performance occurs. This may seem childish to many of you, but if you have an actor among your acquaintances, consult him about it, and you will find that he will heartily recommend it. He will tell you what practice does for one in this direction, and how repeated practice and rehearsals may fix a character so firmly in a man's mind that he may find it difficult to divest himself of it after a time. Choose well the part you wish to play--the character you wish to be yours--and then after fixing it well in your mind, practice, practice, practice. Keep your ideal constantly before you, and endeavor to grow into it. And you will succeed, if you exercise patience and perseverance.

But, more than this. Do not confine your practice to mere private rehearsal. You need some "dress rehearsals" as well--rehearsals in public. Therefore, after you get well started in your work, manage to exercise your growing character-habits in your everyday life. Pick out the little cases first and "try it on them."

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[paragraph continues  You will find that you will be able to overcome conditions that formerly bothered you much. You will become conscious of a growing strength and power coming from within, and you will recognize that you are indeed a changed person. Let your thought express itself in action, whenever you get a good chance. But do not try to force chances just to try your strength. Do not, for instance, try to force people to ask for favors that you may say "No!" You will find plenty of genuine tests without forcing any. Accustom yourself to looking people in the eye, and feeling the power that is back of you, and within you. You will soon be able to see through their personality, and realize that it is just one portion of the One Life gazing at another portion, and that therefore there is nothing to be afraid of. A realization of your Real Self will enable you to maintain your poise under trying circumstances, if you will but throw aside your false idea about your personality. Forget yourself--your little personal self--for a while, and fix your mind on the Universal Self of which you are a part. All these things that have worried you are but incidents of the Personal Life, and are seen to be illusions when viewed from the standpoint of the Universal Life.

Carry the Universal Life with you as much as possible into your everyday life. It belongs there as much as anywhere, and will prove to be a tower of strength and refuge to you in the perplexing situations of your busy life.

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Remember always that the Ego is master of the mental states and habits, and that the Will is the direct instrument of the Ego, and is always ready for its use. Let your soul be filled with the strong Desire to cultivate those mental habits that will make you Strong. Nature's plan is to produce Strong Individual expressions of herself, and she will be glad to give you her aid in becoming strong. The man who wishes to strengthen himself will always find great forces back of him to aid him in the work, for is he not carrying out one of Nature's pet plans, and one which she has been striving for throughout the ages. Anything that tends to make you realize and express your Mastery, tends to strengthen you, and places at your disposal Nature's aid. You may witness this in everyday life--Nature seems to like strong individuals, and delights in pushing them ahead. By Mastery, we mean mastery over your own lower nature, as well as over outside nature, of course. The "I" is Master--forget it not, O student, and assert if constantly. Peace be with you.

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MANTRAM (OR AFFIRMATION) .

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I am the Master of my Mental Habits--I control my Character. I Will to be Strong, and summon the forces of my Nature to my aid.


    
Raja Yoga, by Yogi Ramacharaka (William Walker Atkinson), [1906 , at sacred-texts.com



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THE TWELFTH LESSON.

  

SUB-CONSCIOUS INFLUENCES.

In this lesson we wish to touch upon a certain feature of sub-conscious mentation that has been much dwelt upon by certain schools of western writers and students during the past twenty years, but which has also been misunderstood, and, alas, too often misused, by some of those who have been attracted to the subject. We allude to what has been called the "Power of Thought." While this power is very real, and like any other of the forces of nature may he properly used and applied in our every day life, still many students of the power of the Mind have misused it and have stooped to practices worthy only of the followers of the schools of "Black Magic." We hear on all sides of the use of "treatments" for selfish and often base ends, those following these practices seeming to be in utter ignorance of the occult laws brought into operation, and the terrible reaction inevitably falling to the lot of those practicing this negative form of mental influence. We have been amazed at the prevailing ignorance concerning the nature and effects of this improper use of mental force, and at the same time, at the common custom of such selfish, improper uses. This, more particularly, when the true occultist knows that these things are not necessary, even to those who seek "Success" by mental forces. There is a true method of the use of mental forces, as well as an improper

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use, and we trust that in this lesson we may be able to bring the matter sharply and clearly before the minds of our students.

In our first course (The Fourteen Lessons) in the several lessons entitled, respectively, "Thought Dynamics," "Telepathy, etc.," and "Psychic Influence," we have given a general idea of the effect of one mind upon other minds, and many other writers have called the attention of the Western world to the same facts. There has been a general awakening of interest in this phase of the subject among the Western people of late years, and many and wonderful are the theories that have been advanced among the conflicting schools regarding the matter. But, notwithstanding the conflicting theories, there is a general agreement upon the fundamental facts. They all agree that the mental forces may he used to affect oneself and others, and many have started in to use these mental forces for their own selfish ends and purposes, believing that they were fully justified in so doing, and being unaware of the web of psychic causes and effects which they were weaving around them by their practices.

Now, at the beginning, let us impress upon the minds of our students the fact that while it is undoubtedly true that people who are unaware of the true sources of strength within them, may be, and often are affected by mental force exerted by others, it is equally true that no one can be adversely affected in this way providing he realizes the "I" within

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himself, which is the only Real part of him, and which is an impregnable tower of strength against the assaults of others. There is no cause for all of this fear that is being manifested by many Western students of thought-power, who are in constant dread Of being "treated" adversely by other people. The man or woman who realizes the "I" within, may by the slightest exercise of the Will surround himself with a mental aura which will repel adverse thought-waves emanating from the minds of others. Nay, more than this--the habitual recognition of the "I," and a few moments' meditation upon it each day, will of itself erect such an aura, and will charge this aura with a vitality that will turn back adverse thought, and cause it to return to the source from which it came, where it will serve the good purpose of bringing to the mistaken mind originating it, the conviction that such practices are hurtful and to be avoided.

This realization of the "I," which we brought out in the first few lessons of the present series, is the best and only real method of self-protection. This may be easily understood, when we remind you that the whole phenomena of mental influencing belongs to the "illusion" side of existence--the negative side--and that the Real and Positive side must of necessity be stronger. Nothing can affect the Real in you--and the nearer you get to the Real, in realization and understanding, the stronger do you become. This is the whole secret. Think it over.

But, there are comparatively few people who are

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able to rest firmly in the "I" consciousness all the time, and the others demand help while they are growing. To such, we would say "Creep as close the Realization of the I, as possible, and rest your spiritual feet firmly upon the rock of the Real Self." If you feel that people, circumstances, or things are influencing you unduly, stand up boldly, and deny the influence. Say something like this, "I DENY the power or influence of persons, circumstances, or things to adversely affect me. I ASSERT my Reality, Power and Dominion over these things." These words may seem very simple, but when uttered with the consciousness of the Truth underlying them, they become as a mighty force. You will understand, of course, that there is no magic or virtue in the words themselves--that is, in the grouping of the letters forming the words, or the sounds of the words--the virtue resting in the idea of which the words are the expression. You will be surprised at the effect of this STATEMENT upon depressing, or adverse influences surrounding you. If you--you who are reading these words now--feel yourself subject to any adverse or depressing influences, will then stand up erect, throwing your shoulders back, raising your head, and looking boldly and fearlessly ahead, and repeat these words firmly, and with faith, you will feel the adverse influences disappearing. You will almost see the cloud falling back from you. Try it now, before reading further, and you will become conscious of a new strength and power.

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You are perfectly justified in thus denying adverse influence. You have a perfect right to drive back threatening or depressing thought-clouds. You have a perfect right to take your stand upon the Rock of Truth--your Real Self--and demand your Freedom. These negative thoughts of the world in general, and of some people in particular, belong to the dark side of life, and you have a right to demand freedom from them. You do not belong to the same side of life, and it is your privilege--yes, your duty--to repel them and bid them disappear from your horizon. You are a Child of Light, and it is your right and duty to assert your freedom from the things of darkness You are merely asserting the Truth when you affirm your superiority and dominion over these dark forces. And in the measure of your Recognition and Faith. will be the power at your disposal. Faith and Recognition renders man a god. If we could but fully recognize and realize just what we are, we could rise above this entire plane of negative, dark world of thought. But we have become so blinded and stupefied with the race-thought of fear and weakness, and so hypnotized with the suggestions of weakness that we hear on all sides of us, that even the best of us find it hard to avoid occasionally sinking back into the lower depths of despair and discouragement. But, let us remember this, brothers and sisters, that these periods of "back-sliding" become less frequent, and last a shorter time, as we proceed. Bye-and-bye we shall escape them altogether.

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Some may think that we are laying too much stress upon the negative side of the question, but we feel that what we have said is timely, and much needed by many who read these lessons. There has been so much said regarding this negative, adverse power of thought, that it is well that all should be taught that it is in their power to rise above this thing--that the weapon for its defeat is already in their hand.

The most advanced student may occasionally forget that he is superior to the adverse influence of the race-thought, and other clouds of thought influence that happen to be in his neighborhood. When we think of how few there are who are sending forth the positive, hopeful, thought-waves, and how many are sending forth continually the thoughts of discouragement, fear, and despair, it is no wonder that at times there comes to us a feeling of discouragement, helplessness, and "what's the use." But we must be ever alert, to stand up and deny these things out of existence so far as our personal thought world is concerned. There is a wonderful occult truth in the last sentence. We are the makers, preservers, and destroyers of our personal thought-world. We may bring into it that which we desire to appear; we may keep there what we wish, cultivating, developing and unfolding the thought-forms that we desire; we may destroy that which we wish to keep out. The "I" is the master of its thought-world. Think over this great truth, O student!' By Desire we call into existence--by affirmation we preserve and encourage--by Denial we destroy. The

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Hindus in their popular religious conceptions picture the One Being as a Trinity, composed of Brahma, the Creator; Vishnu, the Preserver, and Siva, the Destroyer--not three gods, as is commonly supposed, but a Trinity composed of three aspects of Deity or Being. This idea of the threefold Being is also applicable to the Individual--"as above so below." The "I'" is the Being of the Individual, and the thought-world is its manifestation. It creates, preserves, and destroys--as it Will. Carry this idea with you, and realize that your individual thought-world is your own field of manifestation. In it you are constantly creating--constantly preserving--constantly destroying. And if you can destroy anything in your own thought-world you remove it from its field of activity, so far as you are concerned. And if you create anything in your own thought-world, you bring it into active being, so far as you are concerned. And if you preserve anything, you keep it by you in effect and full operation and influence in your life. This truth belongs to the higher phases of the subject, for its explanation is inextricably bound up in the explanation of the "Thing-in-Itself"--the Absolute and Its Manifestations. But even what we have said above, should give to the alert student sufficient notice to cause hint to grasp the facts of the case, and to apply the principles in his own life.

If one lives on the plane of the race-thought, he is subject to its laws, for the law of cause and effect is in full operation on each plane of life. But when,

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one raises himself above the race-thought, and on to the plane of the Recognition of the Real Self--The "I"--then does he extricate himself from the lower laws of cause and effect, and places himself on a higher plane of causation, in which he plays a much higher part. And so we are constantly reminding you that your tower of strength and refuge lies on the higher plane. But, nevertheless, we must deal with the things and laws of the lower plane, because very few who read these lessons are able to rest entirely upon the higher plane. The great majority of them have done no more than to lift themselves partially on to the higher plane, and they are consequently living on both planes, partly in each, the consequence being that there is a struggle between the conflicting laws of the two planes. The present stage is one of the hardest on the Path of Attainment, and resembles the birth-pains of the physical body. But you are being born into a higher plane, and the pain after becoming the most acute will begin to ease, and in the end will disappear, and then will come peace and calm. When the pain becomes the most acute, then be cheered with the certainty that you have reached the crisis of your new spiritual birth, and that you will soon gain peace. And then you will see that the peace and bliss will be worth all the pain and struggle. Be brave, fellow followers of The Path--Deliverance is nigh. Soon will come the Silence that follows,-the Storm. The pain that you are experiencing--ah, well do we know that you are experiencing the path--is

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not punishment, but is a necessary part of your growth. All Life follows this plan--the pains of labor and birth ever precede the Deliverance. Such is Life--and Life is based upon Truth--and all is well with the world. We did not intend to speak of these things in this lesson, but as we write there comes to us a great cry for help and a word of encouragement and hope, from the Class which is taking this course of lessons, and we feel bound to respond as we have done. Peace be with you--one and all.

And, now we will begin our consideration of the laws governing what we have called "Sub-conscious Influence."

All students of the Occult are aware of the fact that men may be, and are, largely influenced by the thoughts of others. Not only is this the case in instances where thoughts are directed from the mind of one person to the mind of another, but also when there is no special direction or intention in the thought sent forth. The vibrations of thoughts linger in the astral atmosphere long after the effort that sent forth the thought has passed. The astral atmosphere is charged with the vibrations of thinkers of many years past, and still possesses sufficient vitality to affect those whose minds are ready to receive them at this time. And we all attract to us thought vibrations corresponding in nature with those which we are in the habit of entertaining. The Law of Attraction is in full operation, and one who makes a study of the subject may see instances of it on all sides.

We invite to ourselves these thought vibrations by

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maintaining and entertaining thoughts along certain lines. If we cultivate a habit of thinking along the lines of Cheerfulness, Brightness and Optimism, we attract to ourselves similar thought vibrations of others and we will find that before long we will find all sorts of cheerful thoughts pouring into our minds from all directions. And, likewise, if we harbor thoughts of Gloom, Despair, Pessimism, we lay ourselves open to the influx of similar thoughts which have emanated from the minds of others. Thoughts of Anger, Hate, or Jealousy attract similar thoughts which serve to feed the flame and keep alive the fire of these low emotions. Thoughts of Love tend to draw to ourselves the loving thoughts of others which tend to fill us with a glow of loving emotion.

And not only are we affected in this way by the thoughts of others, but what is known as "Suggestion" also plays an important part in this matter of sub-conscious influence. We find that the mind has a tendency to reproduce the emotions, moods, shades, of thought, and feelings of other persons, as evidenced by their attitude, appearance, facial expression, or words. If we associate with persons of gloomy temperament, we run the risk of "catching" their mental trouble by the law of suggestion, unless we understand this law and counteract it. In the same way we find that cheerfulness is contagious, and if we keep in the company of cheerful people we are very apt to take on their mental quality. The same rule applies to frequenting the company of unsuccessful

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or successful people, as the case may be. If we allow ourselves to take up the suggestions constantly emanating from them, we will find that our minds will begin to reproduce the tones, attitudes, characteristics, dispositions and traits of the other persons, and before long we will be living on the same mental plane. As we have repeatedly said, these things are true only when we allow ourselves to "take on" the impressions, but unless one has mastered the law of suggestion, and understands its principles and operations he is more or less apt to be affected by it. All of you readily recall the effect of certain persons upon others with whom they come in contact. One has a faculty of inspiring with vigor and energy those in whose company he happens to be. Another depresses those around him, and is avoided as a "human wet-blanket." Another will cause a feeling of uneasiness in those around him, by reason of his prevailing attitude of distrust, suspicion, and low cunning. Some carry an atmosphere of health around them, while others  be surrounded with sickly aura of disease, even when their physical condition does not seem to indicate the lack of health. Mental states have a subtle way of impressing themselves upon us, and the student who will take the trouble to closely observe those with whom he comes in contact will receive a liberal education along these lines.

There is of course a great difference in the degree of suggestibility among different persons. There are those who are almost immune, while at the other

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end of the line are to be found others who are so constantly and strongly impressed by the suggestions of others, conscious or unconscious, that they may be said to scarcely have any independent thought or will of their own. But nearly all persons are suggestible to a greater or lesser degree.

It must not be supposed from what we have said that all suggestions are "bad," harmful, or undesirable. Many suggestions are very good for us, and coming at the right time have aided us much. But, nevertheless, it is well to always let your own mind pass upon these suggestions, before allowing them to manifest in your sub-conscious mind. Let the final decision be your own--and not the will of another--although you may have considered outside suggestions in connection with the matter.

Remember always that YOU are an Individual, having a mind and Will of your own. Rest firmly upon the base of your "I" consciousness, and you will find yourself able to manifest a wonderful strength against the adverse suggestions of others. Be your own Suggestor--train and influence your sub-conscious mind Yourself, and do not allow it to be tampered with by the suggestions of others. Grow the sense of Individuality.

There has been much written of recent years in the Western world regarding the effect of the Mental Attitude upon Success and attainment upon the material plane. While much of this is nothing but the wildest imagining, still there remains a very firm and solid substratum of truth underlying it all.

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It is undoubtedly true that one's prevailing mental attitude is constantly manifesting and objectifying itself in his life. Things, circumstances, people, plans, all seem to fit into the general ideal of the strong mental attitude of a man. And this from the operation of mental law along a number of lines of action.

In the first place, the mind when directed toward a certain set of objects becomes very alert to discover things concerning those objects--to seize upon things, opportunities, persons, ideas, and facts tending to promote the objects thought of. The man who is looking for facts to prove certain theories, invariably finds them, and is also quite likely to overlook facts tending to disprove his theory. The Optimist and the Pessimist passing along the same streets, each sees thousands of examples tending to fit in with his idea. As Kay says: "When one is engaged in seeking for a thing, if he keep the image of it clearly before the mind, he will be very likely to find it, and that too, probably, where it would otherwise have escaped his notice. So when one is engaged in thinking on a subject, thoughts of things resembling it, or bearing upon it, and tending to illustrate it, come up on every side. Truly, we may well say of the mind, as has been said of the eye, that 'it perceives only what it brings within the power of perceiving.'" John Burroughs has well said regarding this that "No one ever found the walking fern who did not have the walking fern in his mind. A person whose eye is full of Indian relics picks them up in every field he

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walks through. They are quickly recognized because the eye has been commissioned to find them."

While the mind is kept firmly fixed upon some ideal or aim, its whole and varied powers are bent toward the realization and manifestation of that ideal. In thousands of ways the mind will operate to objectify the subjective mental attitude, a great proportion of the mental effort being accomplished along sub-conscious lines. It is of the greatest importance to one who wishes to succeed in any undertaking, to keep before his mind's eye a clear mental image of that which he desires. He should picture the thing desired, and himself as securing it, until it becomes almost real. In this way be calls to his aid his entire mental force and power, along the sub-conscious lines, and, as it were, makes a clear path over which he may walk to accomplishment. Bain says regarding this: "By aiming at a new construction, we must clearly conceive what is aimed at. Where we have a very distinct and intelligible model before us, we are in a fair way to succeed; proportion as the ideal is dim and wavering, we stagger or miscarry." Maudsley says: "We cannot do an act voluntarily unless we know what we are going to do, and we cannot know exactly what we are going to do until we have taught ourselves to do it." Carpenter says: "The continued concentration of attention upon a certain idea gives it a dominant power, not only over the mind, but over the body."  says "The idea of our own strength gives strength to our movements. A person

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who is confident of effecting anything by muscular efforts will do it more easily than one not so confident of his own power." Tanner says: "To believe firmly is almost tantamount in the end to accomplishment. Extraordinary instances are related showing the influence of the will over even the involuntary muscles."

Along the same lines, many Western Writers have added their testimony to the Yogi principle of the manifestation of thought into action. Kay has written: "A clear and accurate idea of what we wish to do, and how it is to be effected, is of the utmost value and importance in all the affairs of life. A man's conduct naturally shapes itself according to the ideas in his mind, and nothing contributes more to success in life than having a high ideal and keeping it constantly in view. Where such is the case one can hardly fail in attaining it. Numerous unexpected circumstances will be found to conspire to bring it about, and even what seemed at first to be hostile may be converted into means for its furtherance; while by having it constantly before the mind he will be ever ready to take advantage of any favoring circumstances that may present themselves." Along the same lines, Foster has written these remarkable words: "It is wonderful how even the casualties of life seem to bow to a spirit that will not bow to them, and yield to sub-serve a design which they may, in their first apparent tendency threaten to frustrate. When a firm, decisive spirit is recognized it is curious to see how the space clears around a man and leaves him room and freedom."

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[paragraph continues  Simpson has said: "A passionate desire and an unwearied will can perform impossibilities, or what seem to be such to the cold and feeble." And Maudsley gives to aspiring youth a great truth, when he says: "Thus it is that aspirations are often prophecies, the  of what a man shall be in a condition to perform." And we may conclude the paragraph by quoting Lytton: "Dream, O youth, dream manfully and nobly, and thy dreams shall be prophets."

This principle of the power of the Mental Image is strongly impressed upon the mind of the chela, or student, by the Yogi teachers. The student is taught that just as the house is erected in accordance with the plan of the architect, so is one's life built in accordance with the prevailing Mental Image. The mind sub-consciously moulds itself around the prevailing mental image or attitude, and then proceeds to draw upon the outer world for material with which to build in accordance with the plan. Not only is one's character built in this way, but the circumstances and incidents of his life follow the same rule. The Yogi student is instructed into the mysteries of the power of the mind in this direction, not that he may make use of it to build up material success, or to realize his personal desires--for he is taught to avoid these things--but he is fully instructed, nevertheless, that he may understand the workings of the law around him. And it is a fact well known to close students of the occult, that the few who have attained extraordinarily high degrees of development, make use of this power in

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order to help the race. Many a world movement has been directed by the mind, or minds, of some of these advanced souls who were able to see the ideal of evolution ahead of the race, and by visualizing the same, and concentrating upon it in meditation, actually hastened the progress of the evolutionary wave, and caused to actually manifest that which they saw, and upon which they had meditated.

It is true that some occultists have used similar plans to further their own selfish personal ends--often without fully realizing just what power they were employing--but this merely illustrates the old fact that the forces of Nature may be used rightly and wrongly. And it is all the more reason why those who are desirous of advancing the race--of assisting in the evolution of the world--should make use of this mighty power in their work. Success is not reprehensible, notwithstanding the fact that many have interpreted and applied the word in such a matter as to make it appear as if it had no other meaning or application other than the crude, material selfish one generally attributed to it, by reason of its misuse. The Western world is playing its part in the evolution of the race, and its keynote is "Accomplishment." Those who have advanced so high that they are able to view the world of men, as one sees a valley from a mountain peak, recognize what this strenuous Western life means. They see mighty forces in operation,--mighty principles being worked out by those who little dream of the ultimate significance of that which they are doing.

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Mighty things are before the Western world to-day--wonderful changes are going on--great things are in the womb of time, and the hour of birth draws near. The men and women in the Western world feel within them the mighty urge to "accomplish" something--to take an active part in the great drama of life. And they are right in giving full expression to this urge, and are doing well in using every legitimate means in the line of expression. And this idea of the Mental Attitude, or the Mental Image, is one of the greatest factors in this striving for Success.

In this lesson we do not purpose giving "Success Talks" for our students. These lessons are intended to fill another field, and there are many other channels of information along the lines named. What we wish to do is to point out to our students the meaning of all this strenuous striving of the age, in the Western world, and the leading principle employed therein. The great achievements of the material world are being accomplished by means of the Power of the Mind. Men are beginning to understand that "Thought manifests itself in Action," and that Thought attracts to itself the things, persons and circumstances in harmony with itself. The Power of Mind is becoming manifest in hundreds of ways. The power of Desire, backed by Faith and Will, is beginning to be recognized as one of the greatest of known dynamic forces. The life of the race is entering into a new and strange stage of development and evolution, and in the years to come MIND will

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be seen, more clearly and still more clearly, to be the great principle underlying the world of material things and happenings. That "All is Mind" is more than a dreamy, metaphysical utterance, is being recognized by the leaders in the world's thought.

As we have said, great changes are before the world and the race, and every year brings us nearer to the beginning of them. In fact, the beginning is already upon us. Let any thinker stop and reflect over the wonderful changes of the past six years--since the dawning of the Twentieth Century, and he will be dull indeed if he sees not the trend of affairs. We are entering into a new Great Cycle of the race, and the old is being prepared for being dropped off like an old worn out husk. Old conventions, ideals, customs, laws, ethics, and things sociological, economical, theological, philosophical, and metaphysical have been outgrown, and are about to be "shed" by the race. The great cauldron of human thought is bubbling away fiercely, and many things are rising to its surface. Like all great changes, the good will come only with much pain--all birth is with pain. The race feels the pain and perpetual unrest, but knows not what is the disease nor the remedy. Many false cases of diagnosis and prescription are even now noticeable, and will become still more in evidence as the years roll by. Many self-styled saviours of the race--prescribers for the pain of the soul and mind--will arise and fall. But out of it all will come that for which the race now waits.

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The changes that are before us are as great as the changes in thought and life described in the late novel by H. G. Wells, entitled "In the Days of the Comet." In fact, Mr. Wells has indicated in that story some of the very changes that the advanced souls of the race have informed their students are before the race--the prophetic insight of the writer named seems marvelous, until one realizes that even that writer is being used as a part of the mental machinery of The Change itself. But the change will not come about by reason of the new gas caused by the brushing of the earth's surface by a passing comet. It will come from the unfolding of the race mind, the process being now under way. Are not the signs of mental unrest and discomfort becoming more and more apparent as the days go by? The pain is growing greater, and the race is beginning to fret and chafe, and moan. It knows not what it wants, but it knows that it feels pain and wants something to relieve that pain. The old things are beginning to totter and fall, and ideas rendered sacred by years of observance are being brushed aside with a startling display of irreverence. Under the surface of our civilization we may hear the straining and groaning of the ideas and principles that are striving to force their way out on to the plane of manifestation.

Men are running hither and thither crying for a leader and a savior. They are trying this thing, and that thing, but they find not that which they seek. They cry for Satisfaction, but it eludes them.

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And yet all this search and disappointment is part of the Great Change, and is preparing the race for That-which-must-Come. And yet the relief will not come from any Thing or Things. It will come from Within. Just as when, in Well's story, things righted themselves when the vapor of the comet had cleared men's minds, so will Things take their new places when the mind of the race becomes cleared by the new unfold-ment that is even now under way. Men are beginning to feel each other's pains--they find themselves unsatisfied by the old rule of "every man for himself, and the devil take the hindmost"--it used to content the successful, but now it doesn't seem to be so satisfying. The man on top is becoming lonesome, and dissatisfied, and discontented--his success seems to appall him, in some mysterious manner. And the man underneath feels stirring within himself strange longings and desires, and dissatisfaction. And new frictions are arising, and new and startling ideas are being suddenly advanced, supported and opposed.

And the relations between people seem to be unsatisfactory. The old rules, laws, and bonds are proving irksome. New, strange, and wild thoughts are coming into the minds of people, which they dare not utter to their friends--and yet these same friends are finding similar ideas within themselves. And somehow, underneath it all is to be found a certain Honesty--yes, there is where the trouble seems to come, the world is tiring of hypocrisy and dishonesty in all human relations, and is crying aloud to be led back,

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someway, to Truth and Honesty in Thought and Action. But it does not see the way out! And it will not see the way out, until the race-mind unfolds still further. And the pain of the new unfoldment is stirring the race to its depths. From the deep recesses of the race-mind are rising to the surface old passions, relics from the cave-dweller days, and all sorts of ugly mental relics of the past. And they will continue to rise and show themselves until at last the bubbling pot will begin to quiet down, and then will come a new peace, and the best will come to the surface--the essence of all the experiences of the race.

To our students, we would say: During the struggle ahead of the race, play well your part, doing the best you can, living each day by itself, meeting each new phase of life with confidence and courage. Be not deluded by appearances, nor follow after strange prophets. Let the evolutionary processes work themselves out, and do you fall in with the wave without struggling, and without overmuch striving. The Law is working itself out well--of that be assured. Those who have entered into even a partial understanding and recognition of the One Life underlying, will find that they will be as the chosen people during the changes that are coming to the race. They have attained that which the race is reaching toward in pain and travail. And the force behind the Law will carry them along, for they will be the leaven that is to lighten the great mass of the race in the new dispensation. Not by deed, or by action, but by Thought, will these

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people leaven the mass. The Thought is even now at work, and all who read these words are playing a part in the work, although they may know it not. If the race could realize this truth of the One Life underlying, to-day, the Change would occur in a moment, but it will not come in that way. When this understanding gradually dawns upon the race--this new consciousness--then will Things take their proper places, and the Lion and the Lamb lie down together in peace.

We have thought it well to say these things in this the last lesson of this course. They are needed words--they will serve to point out the way to those who are able to read. "Watch and wait for the Silence that will follow the Storm."

In this series of lessons we have endeavored to give you a plain, practical presentation of some of the more important features of "Raja Yoga." But this phase of the subject, as important and interesting as it is, is not the highest phase of the Great Yoga teachings. It is merely the preparation of the soil of the mind for what comes afterward. The phase called "Gnani Yoga"--the Yoga of Wisdom--is the highest of all the various phases of Yoga, although each of the lower steps is important in itself. We find ourselves approaching the phase of our work for which we have long wished. Those who have advised and directed this work have counseled us to deal with the less advanced and simpler phases, in order to prepare the minds of those who might be interested, so that they

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would be ready for the higher teachings. At times we have felt an impatience for the coming of the day when we would be able to teach the highest that has come to us. And now the time seems to have come. Following this course, we will begin a series of lessons in "GNANI YOGA"--the Yoga of Wisdom--in which we will pass on to our students the highest teachings regarding the Reality and its Manifestations--the One and the Many. The teachings that "All is Mind" will be explained in such a manner as to be understood by all who have followed us so far. We will be able to impart to you the higher truths about Spiritual Evolution, sometimes called "Reincarnation," as well as Spiritual Cause and Effect, often called "Karma." The highest truths about these important subjects are often obscured by popular misconceptions occasioned by partial teaching. We trust that you--our students--will wish to follow us still higher--higher than we have ventured so far, and we assure you that there is a Truth to be seen and known that is as much higher than the other phases upon which we have touched, as those phases have been higher than the current beliefs of the masses of the race. We trust that the Powers of Knowledge may guide and direct us that we may be able to convey our message so that it may be accepted and understood. We thank our students who have traveled thus far with us, and we assure them that their loving sympathy has ever been a help and an inspiration to us.

Peace be with you.

THE KALEVALA.

 

PROEM.

MASTERED by desire impulsive,
 By a mighty inward urging,
 I am ready now for singing,
 Ready to begin the chanting
 Of our nation's ancient folk-song
 Handed down from by-gone ages.
 In my mouth the words are melting,
 From my lips the tones are gliding,
 From my tongue they wish to hasten;
 When my willing teeth are parted,
 When my ready mouth is opened,
 Songs of ancient wit and wisdom
 Hasten from me not unwilling.

Golden friend, and dearest brother,
 Brother dear of mine in childhood,
 Come and sing with me the stories,
 Come and chant with me the legends,
 Legends of the times forgotten,
 Since we now are here together,
 Come together from our roamings.
 Seldom do we come for singing,
 Seldom to the one, the other,
 O'er this cold and cruel country,
 O'er the poor soil of the Northland.
 Let us clasp our hands together
 That we thus may best remember.
 Join we now in merry singing,
 Chant we now the oldest folk-lore,
 That the dear ones all may hear them,
 That the well-inclined may hear them,
 Of this rising generation.
 These are words in childhood taught me,
 Songs preserved from distant ages,
 Legends they that once were taken
 From the belt of Wainamoinen,
 From the forge of Ilmarinen,
 From the sword of Kaukomieli,
 From the bow of Youkahainen,
 From the pastures of the Northland,
 From the meads of Kalevala.
 These my dear old father sang me
 When at work with knife and hatchet
 These my tender mother taught me
 When she twirled the flying spindle,
 When a child upon the matting
 By her feet I rolled and tumbled.

Incantations were not wanting
 Over Sampo and o'er Louhi,
 Sampo growing old in singing,
 Louhi ceasing her enchantment.
 In the songs died wise Wipunen,
 At the games died Lemminkainen.
 There are many other legends,
 Incantations that were taught me,
 That I found along the wayside,
 Gathered in the fragrant copses,
 Blown me from the forest branches,
 Culled among the plumes of pine-trees,
 Scented from the vines and flowers,
 Whispered to me as I followed
 Flocks in land of honeyed meadows,
 Over hillocks green and golden,
 After sable-haired Murikki,
 And the many-colored Kimmo.
 Many runes the cold has told me,
 Many lays the rain has brought me,
 Other songs the winds have sung me;
 Many birds from many forests,
 Oft have sung me lays n concord
 Waves of sea, and ocean billows,
 Music from the many waters,
 Music from the whole creation,
 Oft have been my guide and master.
 Sentences the trees created,
 Rolled together into bundles,
 Moved them to my ancient dwelling,
 On the sledges to my cottage,
 Tied them to my garret rafters,
 Hung them on my dwelling-portals,
 Laid them in a chest of boxes,
 Boxes lined with shining copper.
 Long they lay within my dwelling
 Through the chilling winds of winter,
 In my dwelling-place for ages.

Shall I bring these songs together
 From the cold and frost collect them?
 Shall I bring this nest of boxes,
 Keepers of these golden legends,
 To the table in my cabin,
 Underneath the painted rafters,
 In this house renowned and ancient?
 Shall I now these boxes open,
 Boxes filled with wondrous stories?
 Shall I now the end unfasten
 Of this ball of ancient wisdom,
 These ancestral lays unravel?
 Let me sing an old-time legend,
 That shall echo forth the praises
 Of the beer that I have tasted,
 Of the sparkling beer of barley.
 Bring to me a foaming goblet
 Of the barley of my fathers,
 Lest my singing grow too weary,
 Singing from the water only.
 Bring me too a cup of strong-beer,
 It will add to our enchantment,
 To the pleasure of the evening,
 Northland's long and dreary evening,
 For the beauty of the day-dawn,
 For the pleasure of the morning,
 The beginning of the new-day.

Often I have heard them chanting,
 Often I have heard them singing,
 That the nights come to us singly,
 That the Moon beams on us singly,
 That the Sun shines on us singly;
 Singly also, Wainamoinen,
 The renowned and wise enchanter,
 Born from everlasting Ether
 Of his mother, Ether's daughter.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE I.

 

BIRTH OF WAINAMOINEN.

IN primeval times, a maiden,
 Beauteous Daughter of the Ether,
 Passed for ages her existence
 In the great expanse of heaven,
 O'er the prairies yet enfolded.
 Wearisome the maiden growing,
 Her existence sad and hopeless,
 Thus alone to live for ages
 In the infinite expanses
 Of the air above the sea-foam,
 In the far outstretching spaces,
 In a solitude of ether,
 She descended to the ocean,
 Waves her coach, and waves her pillow.
 Thereupon the rising storm-wind
 Flying from the East in fierceness,
 Whips the ocean into surges,
 Strikes the stars with sprays of ocean
 Till the waves are white with fervor.
 To and fro they toss the maiden,
 Storm-encircled, hapless maiden;
 With her sport the rolling billows,
 With her play the storm-wind forces,
 On the blue back of the waters;
 On the white-wreathed waves of ocean,
 Play the forces of the salt-sea,
 With the lone and helpless maiden;
 Till at last in full conception,
 Union now of force and beauty,
 Sink the storm-winds into slumber;
 Overburdened now the maiden
 Cannot rise above the surface;
 Seven hundred years she wandered,
 Ages nine of man's existence,
 Swam the ocean hither, thither,
 Could not rise above the waters,
 Conscious only of her travail;
 Seven hundred years she labored
 Ere her first-born was delivered.
 Thus she swam as water-mother,
 Toward the east, and also southward,
 Toward the west, and also northward;
 Swam the sea in all directions,
 Frightened at the strife of storm-winds,
 Swam in travail, swam unceasing,
 Ere her first-born was delivered.

Then began she gently weeping,
 Spake these measures, heavy-hearted:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 Woe is me, in this my travail!
 Into what have I now fallen?
 Woe is me, that I unhappy,
 Left my home in subtle ether,
 Came to dwell amid the sea-foam,
 To be tossed by rolling billows,
 To be rocked by winds and waters,
 On the far outstretching waters,
 In the salt-sea's vast expanses,
 Knowing only pain and trouble!
 Better far for me, O Ukko!
 Were I maiden in the Ether,
 Than within these ocean-spaces,
 To become a water-mother!
 All this life is cold and dreary,
 Painful here is every motion,
 As I linger in the waters,
 As I wander through the ocean.
 Ukko, thou O God, up yonder,
 Thou the ruler of the heavens,
 Come thou hither, thou art needed,
 Come thou hither, I implore thee,
 To deliver me from trouble,
 To deliver me in travail.
 Come I pray thee, hither hasten,
 Hasten more that thou art needed,
 Haste and help this helpless maiden!"

When she ceased her supplications,
 Scarce a moment onward passes,
 Ere a beauteous duck descending,
 Hastens toward the water-mother,
 Comes a-flying hither, thither,
 Seeks herself a place for nesting.
 Flies she eastward, flies she westward,
 Circles northward, circles southward,
 Cannot find a grassy hillock,
 Not the smallest bit of verdure;
 Cannot find a spot protected,
 Cannot find a place befitting,
 Where to make her nest in safety.
 Flying slowly, looking round her,
 She descries no place for resting,
 Thinking loud and long debating,
 And her words are such as follow:
 "Build I in the winds my dwelling,
 On the floods my place of nesting?
 Surely would the winds destroy it,
 Far away the waves would wash it."

Then the daughter of the Ether,
 Now the hapless water-mother,
 Raised her shoulders out of water,
 Raised her knees above the ocean,
 That the duck might build her dwelling,
 Build her nesting-place in safety.
 Thereupon the duck in beauty,
 Flying slowly, looking round her,
 Spies the shoulders of the maiden,
 Sees the knees of Ether's daughter,
 Now the hapless water-mother,
 Thinks them to be grassy hillocks,
 On the blue back of the ocean.
 Thence she flies and hovers slowly,
 Lightly on the knee she settles,
 Finds a nesting-place befitting,
 Where to lay her eggs in safety.
 Here she builds her humble dwelling,
 Lays her eggs within, at pleasure,
 Six, the golden eggs she lays there,
 Then a seventh, an egg of iron;
 Sits upon her eggs to hatch them,
 Quickly warms them on the knee-cap
 Of the hapless water-mother;
 Hatches one day, then a second,
 Then a third day sits and hatches.
 Warmer grows the water round her,
 Warmer is her bed in ocean,
 While her knee with fire is kindled,
 And her shoulders too are burning,
 Fire in every vein is coursing.
 Quick the maiden moves her shoulders,
 Shakes her members in succession,
 Shakes the nest from its foundation,
 And the eggs fall into ocean,
 Dash in pieces on the bottom
 Of the deep and boundless waters.
 In the sand they do not perish,
 Not the pieces in the ocean;
 But transformed, in wondrous beauty
 All the fragments come together
 Forming pieces two in number,
 One the upper, one the lower,
 Equal to the one, the other.
 From one half the egg, the lower,
 Grows the nether vault of Terra:
 From the upper half remaining,
 Grows the upper vault of Heaven;
 From the white part come the moonbeams,
 From the yellow part the sunshine,
 From the motley part the starlight,
 From the dark part grows the cloudage;
 And the days speed onward swiftly,
 Quickly do the years fly over,
 From the shining of the new sun
 From the lighting of the full moon.

Still the daughter of the Ether,
 Swims the sea as water-mother,
 With the floods outstretched before her,
 And behind her sky and ocean.
 Finally about the ninth year,
 In the summer of the tenth year,
 Lifts her head above the surface,
 Lifts her forehead from the waters,
 And begins at last her workings,
 Now commences her creations,
 On the azure water-ridges,
 On the mighty waste before her.
 Where her hand she turned in water,
 There arose a fertile hillock;
 Wheresoe'er her foot she rested,
 There she made a hole for fishes;
 Where she dived beneath the waters,
 Fell the many deeps of ocean;
 Where upon her side she turned her,
 There the level banks have risen;
 Where her head was pointed landward,
 There appeared wide bays and inlets;
 When from shore she swam a distance,
 And upon her back she rested,
 There the rocks she made and fashioned,
 And the hidden reefs created,
 Where the ships are wrecked so often,
 Where so many lives have perished.

Thus created were the islands,
 Rocks were fastened in the ocean,
 Pillars of the sky were planted,
 Fields and forests were created,
 Checkered stones of many colors,
 Gleaming in the silver sunlight,
 All the rocks stood well established;
 But the singer, Wainamoinen,
 Had not yet beheld the sunshine,
 Had not seen the golden moonlight,
 Still remaining undelivered.
 Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Lingering within his dungeon
 Thirty summers altogether,
 And of winters, also thirty,
 Peaceful on the waste of waters,
 On the broad-sea's yielding bosom,
 Well reflected, long considered,
 How unborn to live and flourish
 In the spaces wrapped in darkness,
 In uncomfortable limits,
 Where he had not seen the moonlight,
 Had not seen the silver sunshine.
 Thereupon these words be uttered,
 Let himself be heard in this wise:
 "Take, O Moon, I pray thee, take me,
 Take me, thou, O Sun above me,
 Take me, thou O Bear of heaven,
 From this dark and dreary prison,
 From these unbefitting portals,
 From this narrow place of resting,
 From this dark and gloomy dwelling,
 Hence to wander from the ocean,
 Hence to walk upon the islands,
 On the dry land walk and wander,
 Like an ancient hero wander,
 Walk in open air and breathe it,
 Thus to see the moon at evening,
 Thus to see the silver sunlight,
 Thus to see the Bear in heaven,
 That the stars I may consider."

Since the Moon refused to free him,
 And the Sun would not deliver,
 Nor the Great Bear give assistance,
 His existence growing weary,
 And his life but an annoyance,
 Bursts he then the outer portals
 Of his dark and dismal fortress;
 With his strong, but unnamed finger,
 Opens he the lock resisting;
 With the toes upon his left foot,
 With the fingers of his right hand,
 Creeps he through the yielding portals
 To the threshold of his dwelling;
 On his knees across the threshold,
 Throws himself head foremost, forward
 Plunges into deeps of ocean,
 Plunges hither, plunges thither,
 Turning with his hands the water;
 Swims he northward, swims he southward,
 Swims he eastward, swims he westward,
 Studying his new surroundings.

Thus our hero reached the water,
 Rested five years in the ocean,
 Six long years, and even seven years,
 Till the autumn of the eighth year,
 When at last he leaves the waters,
 Stops upon a promontory,
 On a coast bereft of verdure;
 On his knees he leaves the ocean,
 On the land he plants his right foot,
 On the solid ground his left foot,
 Quickly turns his hands about him,
 Stands erect to see the sunshine,
 Stands to see the golden moonlight,
 That he may behold the Great Bear,
 That he may the stars consider.
 Thus our hero, Wainamoinen,
 Thus the wonderful enchanter
 Was delivered from his mother,
 Ilmatar, the Ether's daughter.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE II.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S SOWING.

THEN arose old Wainamoinen,
 With his feet upon the island,
 On the island washed by ocean,
 Broad expanse devoid of verdure;
 There remained he many summers,
 There he lived as many winters,
 On the island vast and vacant,
 Well considered, long reflected,
 Who for him should sow the island,
 Who for him the seeds should scatter;
 Thought at last of Pellerwoinen,
 First-born of the plains and prairies,
 When a slender boy, called Sampsa,
 Who should sow the vacant island,
 Who the forest seeds should scatter.
 Pellerwoinen, thus consenting,
 Sows with diligence the island,
 Seeds upon the lands he scatters,
 Seeds in every swamp and lowland,
 Forest seeds upon the loose earth,
 On the firm soil sows the acorns,
 Fir-trees sows he on the mountains,
 Pine-trees also on the hill-tops,
 Many shrubs in every valley,
 Birches sows he in the marshes,
 In the loose soil sows the alders,
 In the lowlands sows the lindens,
 In the moist earth sows the willow,
 Mountain-ash in virgin places,
 On the banks of streams the hawthorn,
 Junipers in hilly regions;
 This the work of Pellerwoinen,
 Slender Sampsa, in his childhood.
 Soon the fertile seeds were sprouting,
 Soon the forest trees were growing,
 Soon appeared the tops of fir-trees,
 And the pines were far outspreading;
 Birches rose from all the marshes,
 In the loose soil grew the alders,
 In the mellow soil the lindens;
 Junipers were also growing,
 Junipers with clustered berries,
 Berries on the hawthorn branches.

Now the hero, Wainamoinen,
 Stands aloft to look about him,
 How the Sampsa-seeds are growing,
 How the crop of Pellerwoinen;
 Sees the young trees thickly spreading,
 Sees the forest rise in beauty;
 But the oak-tree has not sprouted,
 Tree of heaven is not growing,
 Still within the acorn sleeping,
 Its own happiness enjoying.
 Then he waited three nights longer,
 And as many days he waited,
 Waited till a week had vanished,
 Then again the work examined;
 But the oak-tree was not growing,
 Had not left her acorn-dwelling.

Wainamoinen, ancient hero,
 Spies four maidens in the distance,
 Water-brides, he spies a fifth-one,
 On the soft and sandy sea-shore,
 In the dewy grass and flowers,
 On a point extending seaward,
 Near the forests of the island.
 Some were mowing, some were raking,
 Raking what was mown together,
 In a windrow on the meadow.

From the ocean rose a giant,
 Mighty Tursas, tall and hardy,
 Pressed compactly all the grasses,
 That the maidens had been raking,
 When a fire within them kindles,
 And the flames shot up to heaven,
 Till the windrows burned to ashes,
 Only ashes now remaining
 Of the grasses raked together.
 In the ashes of the windrows,
 Tender leaves the giant places,
 In the leaves he plants an acorn,
 From the acorn, quickly sprouting,
 Grows the oak-tree, tall and stately,
 From the ground enriched by ashes,
 Newly raked by water-maidens;
 Spread the oak-tree's many branches,
 Rounds itself a broad corona,
 Raises it above the storm-clouds;
 Far it stretches out its branches,
 Stops the white-clouds in their courses,
 With its branches hides the sunlight,
 With its many leaves, the moonbeams,
 And the starlight dies in heaven.

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Thought awhile, and well considered,
 How to kill the mighty oak-tree,
 First created for his pleasure,
 How to fell the tree majestic,
 How to lop its hundred branches.
 Sad the lives of man and hero,
 Sad the homes of ocean-dwellers,
 If the sun shines not upon them,
 If the moonlight does not cheer them
 Is there not some mighty hero,
 Was there never born a giant,
 That can fell the mighty oak-tree,
 That can lop its hundred branches?
 Wainamoinen, deeply thinking,
 Spake these words soliloquizing:
 "Kape, daughter of the Ether,
 Ancient mother of my being,
 Luonnotar, my nurse and helper,
 Loan to me the water-forces,
 Great the powers of the waters;
 Loan to me the strength of oceans,
 To upset this mighty oak-tree,
 To uproot this tree of evil,
 That again may shine the sunlight,
 That the moon once more may glimmer."

Straightway rose a form from oceans,
 Rose a hero from the waters,
 Nor belonged he to the largest,
 Nor belonged he to the smallest,
 Long was he as man's forefinger,
 Taller than the hand of woman;
 On his head a cap of copper,
 Boots upon his feet were copper,
 Gloves upon his hands were copper,
 And its stripes were copper-colored,
 Belt around him made of copper,
 Hatchet in his belt was copper;
 And the handle of his hatchet
 Was as long as hand of woman,
 Of a finger's breadth the blade was.
 Then the trusty Wainamoinen
 Thought awhile and well considered,
 And his measures are as follow:
 "Art thou, sir, divine or human?
 Which of these thou only knowest;
 Tell me what thy name and station.
 Very like a man thou lookest,
 Hast the bearing of a hero,
 Though the length of man's first finger,
 Scarce as tall as hoof of reindeer."

Then again spake Wainamoinen
 To the form from out the ocean:
 "Verily I think thee human,
 Of the race of pigmy-heroes,
 Might as well be dead or dying,
 Fit for nothing but to perish."

Answered thus the pigmy-hero,
 Spake the small one from the ocean
 To the valiant Wainamoinen
 "Truly am I god and hero,
 From the tribes that rule the ocean;
 Come I here to fell the oak-tree,
 Lop its branches with my hatchet."

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Answers thus the sea-born hero:
 "Never hast thou force sufficient,
 Not to thee has strength been given,
 To uproot this mighty oak-tree,
 To upset this thing of evil,
 Nor to lop its hundred branches."

Scarcely had he finished speaking,
 Scarcely had he moved his eyelids,
 Ere the pigmy full unfolding,
 Quick becomes a mighty giant.
 With one step he leaves the ocean,
 Plants himself, a mighty hero,
 On the forest-fields surrounding;
 With his head the clouds he pierces,
 To his knees his beard extending,
 And his locks fall to his ankles;
 Far apart appear his eyeballs,
 Far apart his feet are stationed.
 Farther still his mighty shoulders.
 Now begins his axe to sharpen,
 Quickly to an edge he whets it,
 Using six hard blocks of sandstone,
 And of softer whetstones, seven.
 Straightway to the oak-tree turning,
 Thither stalks the mighty giant,
 In his raiment long and roomy,
 Flapping in the winds of heaven;
 With his second step he totters
 On the land of darker color;
 With his third stop firmly planted,
 Reaches he the oak-tree's branches,
 Strikes the trunk with sharpened hatchet,
 With one mighty swing he strikes it,
 With a second blow he cuts it;
 As his blade descends the third time,
 From his axe the sparks fly upward,
 From the oak-tree fire outshooting;
 Ere the axe descends a fourth time,
 Yields the oak with hundred branches,
 Shaking earth and heaven in falling.
 Eastward far the trunk extending,
 Far to westward flew the tree-tops,
 To the South the leaves were scattered,
 To the North its hundred branches.
 Whosoe'er a branch has taken,
 Has obtained eternal welfare;
 Who secures himself a tree-top,
 He has gained the master magic;
 Who the foliage has gathered,
 Has delight that never ceases.
 Of the chips some had been scattered,
 Scattered also many splinters,
 On the blue back of the ocean,
 Of the ocean smooth and mirrored,
 Rocked there by the winds and waters,
 Like a boat upon the billows;
 Storm-winds blew them to the Northland,
 Some the ocean currents carried.

Northland's fair and slender maiden,
 Washing on the shore a head-dress,
 Beating on the rocks her garments,
 Rinsing there her silken raiment,
 In the waters of Pohyola,
 There beheld the chips and splinters,
 Carried by the winds and waters.
 In a bag the chips she gathered,
 Took them to the ancient court-yard,
 There to make enchanted arrows,
 Arrows for the great magician,
 There to shape them into weapons,
 Weapons for the skilful archer,
 Since the mighty oak has fallen,
 Now has lost its hundred branches,
 That the North may see the sunshine,
 See the gentle gleam of moonlight,
 That the clouds may keep their courses,
 May extend the vault of heaven
 Over every lake and river,
 O'er the banks of every island.

Groves arose in varied beauty,
 Beautifully grew the forests,
 And again, the vines and flowers.
 Birds again sang in the tree-tops,
 Noisily the merry thrushes,
 And the cuckoos in the birch-trees;
 On the mountains grew the berries,
 Golden flowers in the meadows,
 And the herbs of many colors,
 Many kinds of vegetation;
 But the barley is not growing.

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Goes away and well considers,
 By the borders of the waters,
 On the ocean's sandy margin,
 Finds six seeds of golden barley,
 Even seven ripened kernels,
 On the shore of upper Northland,
 In the sand upon the sea-shore,
 Hides them in his trusty pouches,
 Fashioned from the skin of squirrel,
 Some were made from skin of marten;
 Hastens forth the seeds to scatter,
 Quickly sows the barley kernels,
 On the brinks of Kalew-waters,
 On the Osma-hills and lowlands.

Hark! the titmouse wildly crying,
 From the aspen, words as follow:
 "Osma's barley will not flourish,
 Not the barley of Wainola,
 If the soil be not made ready,
 If the forest be not levelled,
 And the branches burned to ashes."

Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 Made himself an axe for chopping,
 Then began to clear the forest,
 Then began the trees to level,
 Felled the trees of all descriptions,
 Only left the birch-tree standing
 For the birds a place of resting,
 Where might sing the sweet-voiced cuckoo,
 Sacred bird in sacred branches.
 Down from heaven came the eagle,
 Through the air be came a-flying,
 That he might this thing consider;
 And he spake the words that follow:
 "Wherefore, ancient Wainamoinen,
 Hast thou left the slender birch-tree,
 Left the birch-tree only standing?"
 Wainamoinen thus made answer:
 "Therefore is the birch left standing,
 That the birds may liest within it,
 That the eagle there may rest him,
 There may sing the sacred cuckoo."
 Spake the eagle, thus replying:
 Good indeed, thy hero-judgment,
 That the birch-tree thou hast left us,
 Left the sacred birch-tree standing,
 As a resting-place for eagles,
 And for birds of every feather,
 Even I may rest upon it."
 Quickly then this bird of heaven,
 Kindled fire among the branches;
 Soon the flames are fanned by north-winds,
 And the east-winds lend their forces,
 Burn the trees of all descriptions,
 Burn them all to dust and ashes,
 Only is the birch left standing.

Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 Brings his magic grains of barley,
 Brings he forth his seven seed-grains,
 Brings them from his trusty pouches,
 Fashioned from the skin of squirrel,
 Some were made from skin of marten.
 Thence to sow his seeds he hastens,
 Hastes the barley-grains to scatter,
 Speaks unto himself these measures:
 "I the seeds of life am sowing,
 Sowing through my open fingers,
 From the hand of my Creator,
 In this soil enriched with ashes,
 In this soil to sprout and flourish.
 Ancient mother, thou that livest
 Far below the earth and ocean,
 Mother of the fields and forests,
 Bring the rich soil to producing,
 Bring the seed-grains to the sprouting,
 That the barley well may flourish.
 Never will the earth unaided,
 Yield the ripe nutritious barley;
 Never will her force be wanting,
 If the givers give assistance,
 If the givers grace the sowing,
 Grace the daughters of creation.
 Rise, O earth, from out thy slumber,
 From the slumber-land of ages,
 Let the barley-grains be sprouting,
 Let the blades themselves be starting,
 Let the verdant stalks be rising,
 Let the ears themselves be growing,
 And a hundredfold producing,
 From my plowing and my sowing,
 From my skilled and honest labor.
 Ukko, thou O God, up yonder,
 Thou O Father of the heavens,
 Thou that livest high in Ether,
 Curbest all the clouds of heaven,
 Holdest in the air thy counsel,
 Holdest in the clouds good counsel,
 From the East dispatch a cloudlet,
 From the North-east send a rain-cloud,
 From the West another send us,
 From the North-west, still another,
 Quickly from the South a warm-cloud,
 That the rain may fall from heaven,
 That the clouds may drop their honey,
 That the ears may fill and ripen,
 That the barley-fields may rustle."

Thereupon benignant Ukko,
 Ukko, father of the heavens,
 Held his counsel in the cloud-space,
 Held good counsel in the Ether;
 From the East, he sent a cloudlet,
 From the North-east, sent a rain-cloud,
 From the West another sent he,
 From the North-west, still another,
 Quickly from the South a warm-cloud;
 Joined in seams the clouds together,
 Sewed together all their edges,
 Grasped the cloud, and hurled it earthward.
 Quick the rain-cloud drops her honey,
 Quick the rain-drops fall from heaven,
 That the ears may quickly ripen,
 That the barley crop may rustle.
 Straightway grow the seeds of barley,
 From the germ the blade unfolding,
 Richly colored ears arising,
 From the rich soil of the fallow,
 From the work of Wainamoinen.

Here a few days pass unnoted
 And as many nights fly over.
 When the seventh day had journeyed,
 On the morning of the eighth day,
 Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 Went to view his crop of barley,
 How his plowing, how his sowing,
 How his labors were resulting;
 Found his crop of barley growing,
 Found the blades were triple-knotted,
 And the ears he found six-sided.

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Turned his face, and looked about him,
 Lo! there comes a spring-time cuckoo,
 Spying out the slender birch-tree,
 Rests upon it, sweetly singing:
 "Wherefore is the silver birch-tree
 Left unharmed of all the forest? "
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Therefore I have left the birch-tree,
 Left the birch-tree only growing,
 Home for thee for joyful singing.
 Call thou here, O sweet-voiced cuckoo,
 Sing thou here from throat of velvet,
 Sing thou here with voice of silver,
 Sing the cuckoo's golden flute-notes;
 Call at morning, call at evening,
 Call within the hour of noontide,
 For the better growth of forests,
 For the ripening of the barley,
 For the richness of, the Northland,
 For the joy of Kalevala."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE III.

 

WAINAMOINEN AND YOUKAHAINEN.

WAINAMOINEN, ancient minstrel,
 Passed his years in full contentment,
 On the meadows of Wainola,
 On the plains of Kalevala,
 Singing ever wondrous legends,
 Songs of ancient wit and wisdom,
 Chanting one day, then a second,
 Singing in the dusk of evening,
 Singing till the dawn of morning,
 Now the tales of old-time heroes,
 Tales of ages long forgotten,
 Now the legends of creation,
 Once familiar to the children,
 By our children sung no longer,
 Sung in part by many heroes,
 In these mournful days of evil,
 Evil days our race befallen.
 Far and wide the story travelled,
 Far away men spread the knowledge
 Of the chanting of the hero,
 Of the song of Wainamoinen;
 To the South were heard the echoes,
 All of Northland heard the story.

Far away in dismal Northland,
 Lived the singer, Youkahainen,
 Lapland's young and reckless minstrel,
 Once upon a time when feasting,
 Dining with his friends and fellows,
 Came upon his ears the story
 That there lived a sweeter singer,
 On the meadows of Wainola,
 On the plains of Kalevala,
 Better skilled in chanting legends,
 Better skilled than Youkahainen,
 Better than the one that taught him.

Straightway then the bard grew angry,
 Envy rose within his bosom,
 Envy of this Wainamoinen,
 Famed to be a sweeter singer;
 Hastes he angry to his mother,
 To his mother, full of wisdom,
 Vows that he will southward hasten,
 Hie him southward and betake him
 To the dwellings of Wainola,
 To the cabins of the Northland,
 There as bard to vie in battle,
 With the famous Wainamoinen.

"Nay," replies the anxious father,
 "Do not go to Kalevala."

"Nay," replies the fearful mother,
 "Go not hence to Wainamoinen,
 There with him to offer battle;
 He will charm thee with his singing
 Will bewitch thee in his anger,
 He will drive thee back dishonored,
 Sink thee in the fatal snow-drift,
 Turn to ice thy pliant fingers,
 Turn to ice thy feet and ankles."
 These the words of Youkahainen:
 Good the judgement of a father,
 Better still, a mother's counsel,
 Best of all one's own decision.
 I will go and face the minstrel,
 Challenge him to sing in contest,
 Challenge him as bard to battle,
 Sing to him my sweet-toned measures,
 Chant to him my oldest legends,
 Chant to him my garnered wisdom,
 That this best of boasted singers,
 That this famous bard of Suomi,
 Shall be worsted in the contest,
 Shall become a hapless minstrel;
 By my songs shall I transform him,
 That his feet shall be as flint-stone,
 And as oak his nether raiment;
 And this famous, best of singers,
 Thus bewitched, shall carry ever,
 In his heart a stony burden,
 On his shoulder bow of marble,
 On his hand a flint-stone gauntlet,
 On his brow a stony visor."

Then the wizard, Youkahainen,
 Heeding not advice paternal,
 Heeding not his mother's counsel,
 Leads his courser from his stable,
 Fire outstreaming from his nostrils,
 From his hoofs, the sparks outshooting,
 Hitches to his sledge, the fleet-foot,
 To his golden sledge, the courser,
 Mounts impetuous his snow-sledge,
 Leaps upon the hindmost cross-bench,
 Strikes his courser with his birch-whip,
 With his birch-whip, pearl-enamelled.
 Instantly the prancing racer
 Springs away upon his journey;
 On he, restless, plunges northward,
 All day long be onward gallops,
 All the next day, onward, onward,
 So the third from morn till evening,
 Till the third day twilight brings him
 To the meadows of Wainola,
 To the plains of Kalevala.

As it happened, Wainamoinen,
 Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Rode that sunset on the highway,
 Silently for pleasure driving
 Down Wainola's peaceful meadows,
 O'er the plains of Kalevala.

Youkahainen, young and fiery,
 Urging still his foaming courser,
 Dashes down upon the singer,
 Does not turn aside in meeting,
 Meeting thus in full collision;
 Shafts are driven tight together,
 Hames and collars wedged and tangled,
 Tangled are the reins and traces.
 Thus perforce they make a stand-still,
 Thus remain and well consider;
 Water drips from hame and collar,
 Vapors rise from both their horses.
 Speaks the minstrel, Wainamoinen:
 "Who art thou, and whence? Thou comest
 Driving like a stupid stripling,
 Wainamoinen and Youkahainen.
 Careless, dashing down upon me.
 Thou hast ruined shafts and traces;
 And the collar of my racer
 Thou hast shattered into ruin,
 And my golden sleigh is broken,
 Box and runners dashed to pieces."

Youkahainen then make answer,
 Spake at last the words that follow:
 "I am youthful Youkahainen,
 But make answer first, who thou art,
 Whence thou comest, where thou goest,
 From what lowly tribe descended?"

Wainamolinen, wise and ancient,
 Answered thus the youthful minstrel:
 "If thou art but Youkahainen,
 Thou shouldst give me all the highway;
 I am many years thy senior."

Then the boastful Youkahainen
 Spake again to Wainamoinen:
 "Young or ancient, little matter,
 Little consequence the age is;
 He that higher stands in wisdom,
 He whose knowledge is the greater,
 He that is the sweeter singer,
 He alone shall keep the highway,
 And the other take the roadside.
 Art thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Famous sorcerer and minstrel?
 Let us then begin our singing,
 Let us sing our ancient legends,
 Let us chant our garnered wisdom,
 That the one may hear the other,
 That the one may judge the other,
 In a war of wizard sayings."

Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 Thus replied in modest accents:
 "What I know is very little,
 Hardly is it worth the singing,
 Neither is my singing wondrous:
 All my days I have resided
 In the cold and dreary Northland,
 In a desert land enchanted,
 In my cottage home for ayes;
 All the songs that I have gathered,
 Are the cuckoo's simple measures,
 Some of these I may remember;
 But since thou perforce demandest,
 I accept thy boastful challenge.
 Tell me now, my golden youngster,
 What thou knowest more than others,
 Open now thy store of wisdom."

Thus made answer Youkahainen,
 Lapland's young and fiery minstrel:
 "Know I many bits of learning
 This I know in perfect clearness:
 Every roof must have a chimney,
 Every fire-place have a hearth-stone;
 Lives of seal are free and merry,
 Merry is the life of walrus,
 Feeding on incautious salmon,
 Daily eating perch and whiting;
 Whitings live in quiet shallows,
 Salmon love the level bottoms;
 Spawns the pike in coldest weather,
 And defies the storms of winter.

Slowly perches swim in Autumn,
 Wry-backed, hunting deeper water,
 Spawn in shallows in the summer,
 Bounding on the shore of ocean.
 Should this wisdom seem too little,
 I can tell thee other matters,
 Sing thee other wizard sayings:
 All the Northmen plow with reindeer,
 Mother-horses plow the Southland,
 Inner Lapland plows with oxen;
 All the trees on Pisa-mountain,
 Know I well in all their grandeur;
 On the Horna-rock are fir-trees,
 Fir-trees growing tall and slender;
 Slender grow the trees on mountains.
 Three, the water-falls in number,
 Three in number, inland oceans,
 Three in number, lofty mountains,
 Shooting to the vault of heaven.
 Hallapyora's near to Yaemen,
 Katrakoski in Karyala;
 Imatra, the falling water,
 Tumbles, roaring, into Wuoksi."

Then the ancient Wainimoinen:
 "Women's tales and children's wisdom
 Do not please a bearded hero,
 Hero, old enough for wedlock;
 Tell the story of creation,
 Tell me of the world's beginning,
 Tell me of the creatures in it,
 And philosophize a little."

Then the youthful Youkahainen
 Thus replied to Wainamoinen:
 "Know I well the titmouse-fountains,
 Pretty birdling is the titmouse;
 And the viper, green, a serpent;
 Whitings live in brackish waters;
 Perches swim in every river;
 Iron rusts, and rusting weakens;
 Bitter is the taste of umber;
 Boiling water is malicious;
 Fire is ever full of danger;
 First physician, the Creator;
 Remedy the oldest, water;
 Magic is the child of sea-foam;
 God the first and best adviser;
 Waters gush from every mountain;
 Fire descended first from heaven;
 Iron from the rust was fashioned;
 Copper from the rocks created;
 Marshes are of lands the oldest;
 First of all the trees, the willow;
 Fir-trees were the first of houses;
 Hollowed stones the first of kettles."

Now the ancient Wainamoinen
 Thus addresses Youkahainen:
 "Canst thou give me now some wisdom,
 Is this nonsense all thou knowest?"
 Youkahainen thus made answer:
 "I can tell thee still a trifle,
 Tell thee of the times primeval,
 When I plowed the salt-sea's bosom,
 When I raked the sea-girt islands,
 When I dug the salmon-grottoes,
 Hollowed out the deepest caverns,
 When I all the lakes created,
 When I heaped the mountains round them,
 When I piled the rocks about them.
 I was present as a hero,
 Sixth of wise and ancient heroes,
 Seventh of all primeval heroes,
 When the heavens were created,
 When were formed the ether-spaces,
 When the sky was crystal-pillared,
 When was arched the beauteous rainbow,
 When the Moon was placed in orbit,
 When the silver Sun was planted,
 When the Bear was firmly stationed,
 And with stars the heavens were sprinkled."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Thou art surely prince of liars,
 Lord of all the host of liars;
 Never wert thou in existence,
 Surely wert thou never present,
 When was plowed the salt-sea's bosom,
 When were raked the sea-girt islands,
 When were dug the salmon-grottoes,
 When were hollowed out the caverns,
 When the lakes were all created,
 When were heaped the mountains round them,
 When the rocks were piled about them.
 Thou wert never seen or heard of
 When the earth was first created,
 When were made the ether-spaces,
 When the air was crystal-pillared,
 When the Moon was placed in orbit,
 When the silver Sun was planted,
 When the Bear was firmly stationed,
 When the skies with stars were sprinkled."

Then in anger Youkahainen
 Answered ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Then, sir, since I fail in wisdom,
 With the sword I offer battle;
 Come thou, famous bard and minstrel,
 Thou the ancient wonder-singer,
 Let us try our strength with broadswords,
 let our blades be fully tested."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Not thy sword and not thy wisdom,
 Not thy prudence, nor thy cunning,
 Do I fear a single moment.
 Let who may accept thy challenge,
 Not with thee, a puny braggart,
 Not with one so vain and paltry,
 Will I ever measure broadswords."

Then the youthful Youkahainen,
 Mouth awry and visage sneering,
 Shook his golden locks and answered:
 "Whoso fears his blade to measure,
 Fears to test his strength at broadswords,
 Into wild-boar of the forest,
 Swine at heart and swine in visage,
 Singing I will thus transform him;
 I will hurl such hero-cowards,
 This one hither, that one thither,
 Stamp him in the mire and bedding,
 In the rubbish of the stable."

Angry then grew Wainamoinen,
 Wrathful waxed, and fiercely frowning,
 Self-composed he broke his silence,
 And began his wondrous singing.
 Sang he not the tales of childhood,
 Children's nonsense, wit of women,
 Sang he rather bearded heroes,
 That the children never heard of,
 That the boys and maidens knew not
 Known but half by bride and bridegroom,
 Known in part by many heroes,
 In these mournful days of evil,
 Evil times our race befallen.
 Grandly sang wise Wainamoinen,
 Till the copper-bearing mountains,
 And the flinty rocks and ledges
 Heard his magic tones and trembled;
 Mountain cliffs were torn to pieces,
 All the ocean heaved and tumbled;
 And the distant hills re-echoed.
 Lo! the boastful Youkahainen
 Is transfixed in silent wonder,
 And his sledge with golden trimmings
 Floats like brushwood on the billows;
 Sings his braces into reed-grass,
 Sings his reins to twigs of willow,
 And to shrubs his golden cross-bench.
 Lo! his birch-whip, pearl-enameled,
 Floats a reed upon the border;
 Lo! his steed with golden forehead,
 Stands a statue on the waters;
 Hames and traces are as fir-boughs,
 And his collar, straw and sea-grass.
 Still the minstrel sings enchantment,
 Sings his sword with golden handle,
 Sings it into gleam of lightning,
 Hangs it in the sky above him;
 Sings his cross-bow, gaily painted,
 To a rainbow o'er the ocean;
 Sings his quick and feathered arrows
 Into hawks and screaming eagles;
 Sings his dog with bended muzzle,
 Into block of stone beside him;
 Sings his cap from off his forehead,
 Sings it into wreaths of vapor;
 From his hands he sings his gauntlets
 Into rushes on the waters;
 Sings his vesture, purple-colored,
 Into white clouds in the heavens;
 Sings his girdle, set with jewels,
 Into twinkling stars around him;
 And alas! for Youkahainen,
 Sings him into deeps of quick-sand;
 Ever deeper, deeper, deeper,
 In his torture, sinks the wizard,
 To his belt in mud and water.
 Now it was that Youkahainen
 Comprehended but too clearly
 What his folly, what the end was,
 Of the journey he had ventured,
 Vainly he had undertaken
 For the glory of a contest
 With the grand, old Wainamoinen.

When at last young Youkahainen,
 Pohyola's old and sorry stripling,
 Strives his best to move his right foot,
 But alas! the foot obeys not;
 When he strives to move his left foot,
 Lo! he finds it turned to flint-stone.

Thereupon sad Youkahainen,
 In the deeps of desperation,
 And in earnest supplication,
 Thus addresses Wainamoinen:
 "O thou wise and worthy minstrel,
 Thou the only true, magician,
 Cease I pray thee thine enchantment,.
 Only turn away thy magic,
 Let me leave this slough of horror,
 Loose me from this stony prison,
 Free me from this killing torment,
 I will pay a golden ransom."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "What the ransom thou wilt give me
 If I cease from mine enchantment,
 If I turn away my magic,
 Lift thee from thy slough of horror,
 Loose thee from thy stony prison,
 Free thee from thy killing torment?"
 Answered youthful Youkahainen:
 "Have at home two magic cross-bows,
 Pair of bows of wondrous power,
 One so light a child can bend it,
 Only strength can bend the other,
 Take of these the one that pleases."
 Then the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Do not wish thy magic cross-bows,
 Have a few of such already,
 Thine to me are worse than useless
 I have bows in great abundance,
 Bows on every nail and rafter,
 Bows that laugh at all the hunters,
 Bows that go themselves a-hunting."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Sang alas! poor Youkahainen
 Deeper into mud and water,
 Deeper in the slough of torment.
 Youkahainen thus made answer:
 "Have at home two magic shallops,
 Beautiful the boats and wondrous;
 One rides light upon the ocean,
 One is made for heavy burdens;
 Take of these the one that pleases."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Do not wish thy magic shallops,
 Have enough of such already;
 All my bays are full of shallops,
 All my shores are lined with shallops,
 Some before the winds are sailors,
 Some were built to sail against them."

Still the Wainola bard and minstrel
 Sings again poor Youkahainen
 Deeper, deeper into torment,
 Into quicksand to his girdle,
 Till the Lapland bard in anguish
 Speaks again to Wainamoinen:
 "Have at home two magic stallions,
 One a racer, fleet as lightning,
 One was born for heavy burdens;
 Take of these the one that pleases."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Neither do I wish thy stallions,
 Do not need thy hawk-limbed stallions,
 Have enough of these already;
 Magic stallions swarm my stables,
 Eating corn at every manger,
 Broad of back to hold the water,
 Water on each croup in lakelets."

Still the bard of Kalevala
 Sings the hapless Lapland minstrel
 Deeper, deeper into torment,
 To his shoulders into water.
 Spake again young Youkahainen:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Thou the only true magician,
 Cease I pray thee thine enchantment,
 Only turn away thy magic,
 I will give thee gold abundant,
 Countless stores of shining silver;
 From the wars my father brought it,
 Brought it from the hard-fought battles."
 Spake the wise, old Wainamoinen:
 "For thy gold I have no longing,
 Neither do I wish thy silver,
 Have enough of each already;
 Gold abundant fills my chambers,
 On each nail hang bags of silver,
 Gold that glitters in the sunshine,
 Silver shining in the moonlight."

Sank the braggart, Youkahainen,
 Deeper in his slough of torment,
 To his chin in mud and water,
 Ever praying, thus beseeching:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Greatest of the old magicians,
 Lift me from this pit of horror,
 From this prison-house of torture;
 I will give thee all my corn-fields,
 Give thee all my corn in garners,
 Thus my hapless life to ransom,
 Thus to gain eternal freedom."
 Wainamoinen thus made answer:
 "Take thy corn to other markets,
 Give thy garners to the needy;
 I have corn in great abundance,
 Fields have I in every quarter,
 Corn in all my fields is growing;
 One's own fields are always richer,
 One's own grain is much the sweeter."

Lapland's young and reckless minstrel,
 Sorrow-laden, thus enchanted,
 Deeper sinks in mud and water,
 Fear-enchained and full of anguish,
 In the mire, his beard bedrabbled,
 Mouth once boastful filled with sea-weed,
 In the grass his teeth entangled,
 Youkahainen thus beseeches:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Wisest of the wisdom-singers,
 Cease at last thine incantations,
 Only turn away thy magic,
 And my former life restore me,
 Lift me from this stifling torment,
 Free mine eyes from sand and water,
 I will give thee sister, Aino,
 Fairest daughter of my mother,
 Bride of thine to be forever,
 Bride of thine to do thy pleasure,
 Sweep the rooms within thy cottage,
 Keep thy dwelling-place in order,
 Rinse for thee the golden platters,
 Spread thy couch with finest linens,
 For thy bed, weave golden covers,
 Bake for thee the honey-biscuit."

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Finds at last the wished-for ransom,
 Lapland's young and fairest daughter,
 Sister dear of Youkahainen;
 Happy he, that he has won him,
 In his age a beauteous maiden,
 Bride of his to be forever,
 Pride and joy of Kalevala.
 Now the happy Wainamoinen,
 Sits upon the rock of gladness,
 Joyful on the rock of music,
 Sings a little, sings and ceases,
 Sings again, and sings a third time,
 Thus to break the spell of magic,
 Thus to lessen the enchantment,
 Thus the potent charm to banish.
 As the magic spell is broken,
 Youkahainen, sad, but wiser,
 Drags his feet from out the quicksand,
 Lifts his beard from out the water,
 From the rocks leads forth his courser,
 Brings his sledge back from the rushes,
 Calls his whip back from the ocean,
 Sets his golden sledge in order,
 Throws himself upon the cross-bench,
 Snaps his whip and hies him homeward,
 Hastens homeward, heavy-hearted,
 Sad indeed to meet his mother,
 Aino's mother, gray and aged.
 Careless thus be hastens homeward,
 Nears his home with noise and bustle,
 Reckless drives against the pent-house,
 Breaks the shafts against the portals,
 Breaks his handsome sledge in pieces.

Then his mother, quickly guessing,
 Would have chided him for rashness,
 But the father interrupted:
 "Wherefore dost thou break thy snow-sledge,
 Wherefore dash thy thills in fragments,
 Wherefore comest home so strangely,
 Why this rude and wild behavior?"

Now alas! poor Youkahainen,
 Cap awry upon his forehead,
 Falls to weeping, broken-hearted,
 Head depressed and mind dejected,
 Eyes and lips expressing sadness,
 Answers not his anxious father.

Then the mother quickly asked him,
 Sought to find his cause for sorrow:
 "Tell me, first-born, why thou weepest,
 Why thou weepest, heavy-hearted,
 Why thy mind is so dejected,
 Why thine eyes express such sadness."
 Youkahainen then made answer:
 "Golden mother, ever faithful,
 Cause there is to me sufficient,
 Cause enough in what has happened,
 Bitter cause for this my sorrow,
 Cause for bitter tears and murmurs:
 All my days will pass unhappy,
 Since, O mother of my being,
 I have promised beauteous Aino,
 Aino, thy beloved daughter,
 Aino, my devoted sister,
 To decrepit Wainamoinen,
 Bride to be to him forever,
 Roof above him, prop beneath him,
 Fair companion at his fire-side."

Joyful then arose the mother,
 Clapped her hands in glee together,
 Thus addressing Youkahainen:
 "Weep no more, my son beloved,
 Thou hast naught to cause thy weeping,
 Hast no reason for thy sorrow,
 Often I this hope have cherished;
 Many years have I been praying
 That this mighty bard and hero,
 Wise and valiant Wainamoinen,
 Spouse should be to beauteous Aino,
 Son-in-law to me, her mother."

But the fair and lovely maiden,
 Sister dear of Youkahainen,
 Straightway fell to bitter weeping,
 On the threshold wept and lingered,
 Wept all day and all the night long,
 Wept a second, then a third day,
 Wept because a bitter sorrow
 On her youthful heart had fallen.
 Then the gray-haired mother asked her:
 "Why this weeping, lovely Aino?
 Thou hast found a noble suitor,
 Thou wilt rule his spacious dwelling,
 At his window sit and rest thee,
 Rinse betimes his golden platters,
 Walk a queen within his dwelling."
 Thus replied the tearful Aino:
 "Mother dear, and all-forgiving,
 Cause enough for this my sorrow,
 Cause enough for bitter weeping:
 I must loose my sunny tresses,
 Tresses beautiful and golden,
 Cannot deck my hair with jewels,
 Cannot bind my head with ribbons,
 All to be hereafter hidden
 Underneath the linen bonnet
 That the wife. must wear forever;
 Weep at morning, weep at evening,
 Weep alas! for waning beauty,
 Childhood vanished, youth departed,
 Silver sunshine, golden moonlight,
 Hope and pleasure of my childhood,
 Taken from me now forever,
 And so soon to be forgotten
 At the tool-bench of my brother,
 At the window of my sister,
 In the cottage of my father."

Spake again the gray-haired mother
 To her wailing daughter Aino:
 "Cease thy sorrow, foolish maiden,
 By thy tears thou art ungrateful,
 Reason none for thy repining,
 Not the slightest cause for weeping;
 Everywhere the silver sunshine
 Falls as bright on other households;
 Not alone the moonlight glimmers
 Through thy father's open windows,
 On the work-bench of thy brother;
 Flowers bloom in every meadow,
 Berries grow on every mountain;
 Thou canst go thyself and find them,
 All the day long go and find them;
 Not alone thy brother's meadows
 Grow the beauteous vines and flowers;
 Not alone thy father's mountains
 Yield the ripe, nutritious berries;
 Flowers bloom in other meadows,
 Berries grow on other mountains,
 There as here, my lovely Aino."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE IV.

 

THE FATE OF AINO.

WHEN the night had passed, the maiden,
 Sister fair of Youkahainen,
 Hastened early to the forest,
 Birchen shoots for brooms to gather,
 Went to gather birchen tassels;
 Bound a bundle for her father,
 Bound a birch-broom for her mother,
 Silken tassels for her sister.
 Straightway then she hastened homeward,
 By a foot-path left the forest;
 As she neared the woodland border,
 Lo! the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Quickly spying out the maiden,
 As she left the birchen woodland,
 Trimly dressed in costly raiment,
 And the minstrel thus addressed her:
 "Aino, beauty of the Northland,
 Wear not, lovely maid, for others,
 Only wear for me, sweet maiden,
 Golden cross upon thy bosom,
 Shining pearls upon thy shoulders;
 Bind for me thine auburn tresses,
 Wear for me thy golden braidlets."
 Thus the maiden quickly answered:
 "Not for thee and not for others,
 Hang I from my neck the crosslet,
 Deck my hair with silken ribbons;
 Need no more the many trinkets
 Brought to me by ship or shallop;
 Sooner wear the simplest raiment,
 Feed upon the barley bread-crust,
 Dwell forever with my mother
 In the cabin with my father."

Then she threw the gold cross from her,
 Tore the jewels from her fingers,
 Quickly loosed her shining necklace,
 Quick untied her silken ribbons,
 Cast them all away indignant
 Into forest ferns and flowers.
 Thereupon the maiden, Aino,
 Hastened to her mother's cottage.

At the window sat her father
 Whittling on an oaken ax-helve:
 "Wherefore weepest, beauteous Aino,
 Aino, my beloved daughter?

"Cause enough for weeping, father,
 Good the reasons for my mourning,
 This, the reason for my weeping,
 This, the cause of all my sorrow:
 From my breast I tore the crosslet,
 From my belt, the clasp of copper,
 From my waist, the belt of silver,
 Golden was my pretty crosslet."

Near the door-way sat her brother,
 Carving out a birchen ox-bow:
 "Why art weeping, lovely Aino,
 Aino, my devoted sister?"

"Cause enough for weeping, brother,
 Good the reasons for my mourning
 Therefore come I as thou seest,
 Rings no longer on my fingers,
 On my neck no pretty necklace;
 Golden were the rings thou gavest,
 And the necklace, pearls and silver!"

On the threshold sat her sister,
 Weaving her a golden girdle:
 "Why art weeping, beauteous Aino,
 Aino, my beloved sister?"

"Cause enough for weeping, sister,
 Good the reasons for my sorrow:
 Therefore come I as thou seest,
 On my head no scarlet fillet,
 In my hair no braids of silver,
 On mine arms no purple ribbons,
 Round my neck no shining necklace,
 On my breast no golden crosslet,
 In mine ears no golden ear-rings."

Near the door-way of the dairy,
 Skimming cream, sat Aino's mother.
 "Why art weeping, lovely Aino,
 Aino, my devoted daughter?"
 Thus the sobbing maiden answered;
 "Loving mother, all-forgiving,
 Cause enough for this my weeping,
 Good the reasons for my sorrow,
 Therefore do I weep, dear mother:
 I have been within the forest,
 Brooms to bind and shoots to gather,
 There to pluck some birchen tassels;
 Bound a bundle for my father,
 Bound a second for my mother,
 Bound a third one for my brother,
 For my sister silken tassels.
 Straightway then I hastened homeward,
 By a foot-path left the forest;
 As I reached the woodland border
 Spake Osmoinen from the cornfield,
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 'Wear not, beauteous maid, for others,
 Only wear for me, sweet maiden,
 On thy breast a golden crosslet,
 Shining pearls upon thy shoulders,
 Bind for me thine auburn tresses,
 Weave for me thy silver braidlets.'
 Then I threw the gold-cross from me,
 Tore the jewels from my fingers,
 Quickly loosed my shining necklace,
 Quick untied my silken ribbons,
 Cast them all away indignant,
 Into forest ferns and flowers.
 Then I thus addressed the singer:
 'Not for thee and not for others,
 Hang I from my neck the crosslet,
 Deck my hair with silken ribbons;
 Need no more the many trinkets,
 Brought to me by ship and shallop;
 Sooner wear the simplest raiment,
 Feed upon the barley bread-crust,
 Dwell forever with my mother
 In the cabin with my father.'"

Thus the gray-haired mother answered
 Aino, her beloved daughter:
 "Weep no more, my lovely maiden,
 Waste no more of thy sweet young-life;
 One year eat thou my sweet butter,
 It will make thee strong and ruddy;
 Eat another year fresh bacon,
 It will make thee tall and queenly;
 Eat a third year only dainties,
 It will make thee fair and lovely.
 Now make haste to yonder hill-top,
 To the store-house on the mountain,
 Open there the large compartment,
 Thou will find it filled with boxes,
 Chests and cases, trunks and boxes;
 Open thou the box, the largest,
 Lift away the gaudy cover,
 Thou will find six golden girdles,
 Seven rainbow-tinted dresses,
 Woven by the Moon's fair daughters,
 Fashioned by the Sun's sweet virgins.
 In my young years once I wandered,
 As a maiden on the mountains,
 In the happy days of childhood,
 Hunting berries in the coppice;
 There by chance I heard the daughters
 Of the Moon as they were weaving;
 There I also heard the daughters
 Of the Sun as they were spinning
 On the red rims of the cloudlets,
 O'er the blue edge of the forest,
 On the border of the pine-wood,
 On a high and distant mountain.
 I approached them, drawing nearer,
 Stole myself within their hearing,
 Then began I to entreat them,
 Thus besought them, gently pleading:
 'Give thy silver, Moon's fair daughters,
 To a poor, but worthy maiden;
 Give thy gold, O Sun's sweet virgins,
 To this maiden, young and needy.'
 Thereupon the Moon's fair daughters
 Gave me silver from their coffers;
 And the Sun's sweet shining virgins
 Gave me gold from their abundance,
 Gold to deck my throbbing temples,
 For my hair the shining silver.
 Then I hastened joyful homeward,
 Richly laden with my treasures,
 Happy to my mother's cottage;
 Wore them one day, than a second,
 Then a third day also wore them,
 Took the gold then from my temples,
 From my hair I took the silver,
 Careful laid them in their boxes,
 Many seasons have they lain there,
 Have not seen them since my childhood.
 Deck thy brow with silken ribbon,
 Trim with gold thy throbbing temples,
 And thy neck with pearly necklace,
 Hang the gold-cross on thy bosom,
 Robe thyself in pure, white linen
 Spun from flax of finest fiber;
 Wear withal the richest short-frock,
 Fasten it with golden girdle;
 On thy feet, put silken stockings,
 With the shoes of finest leather;
 Deck thy hair with golden braidlets,
 Bind it well with threads of silver;
 Trim with rings thy fairy fingers,
 And thy hands with dainty ruffles;
 Come bedecked then to thy chamber,
 Thus return to this thy household,
 To the greeting of thy kindred,
 To the joy of all that know thee,
 Flushed thy cheeks as ruddy berries,
 Coming as thy father's sunbeam,
 Walking beautiful and queenly,
 Far more beautiful than moonlight."

Thus she spake to weeping Aino,
 Thus the mother to her daughter;
 But the maiden, little bearing,
 Does not heed her mother's wishes;
 Straightway hastens to the court-yard,
 There to weep in bitter sorrow,
 All alone to weep in anguish.

Waiting long the wailing Aino
 Thus at last soliloquizes:
 "Unto what can I now liken
 Happy homes and joys of fortune?
 Like the waters in the river,
 Like the waves in yonder lakelet,
 Like the crystal waters flowing.
 Unto what, the biting sorrow
 Of the child of cold misfortune?
 Like the spirit of the sea-duck,
 Like the icicle in winter,
 Water in the well imprisoned.
 Often roamed my mind in childhood,
 When a maiden free and merry,
 Happily through fen and fallow,
 Gamboled on the meads with lambkins,
 Lingered with the ferns and flowers,
 Knowing neither pain nor trouble;
 Now my mind is filled with sorrow,
 Wanders though the bog and stubble,
 Wanders weary through the brambles,
 Roams throughout the dismal forest,
 Till my life is filled with darkness,
 And my spirit white with anguish.
 Better had it been for Aino
 Had she never seen the sunlight,
 Or if born had died an infant,
 Had not lived to be a maiden
 In these days of sin and sorrow,
 Underneath a star so luckless.
 Better had it been for Aino,
 Had she died upon the eighth day
 After seven nights had vanished;
 Needed then but little linen,
 Needed but a little coffin,
 And a grave of smallest measure;
 Mother would have mourned a little,
 Father too perhaps a trifle,
 Sister would have wept the day through,
 Brother might have shed a tear-drop,
 Thus had ended all the mourning."

Thus poor Aino wept and murmured,
 Wept one day, and then a second,
 Wept a third from morn till even,
 When again her mother asked her:
 "Why this weeping, fairest daughter,
 Darling daughter, why this grieving?
 Thus the tearful maiden answered:
 Therefore do I weep and sorrow,
 Wretched maiden all my life long,
 Since poor Aino, thou hast given,
 Since thy daughter thou hast promised
 To the aged Wainamoinen,
 Comfort to his years declining
 Prop to stay him when he totters,
 In the storm a roof above him,
 In his home a cloak around him;
 Better far if thou hadst sent me
 Far below the salt-sea surges,
 To become the whiting's sister,
 And the friend of perch and salmon;
 Better far to ride the billows,
 Swim the sea-foam as a mermaid,
 And the friend of nimble fishes,
 Than to be an old man's solace,
 Prop to stay him when be totters,
 Hand to aid him when he trembles,
 Arm to guide him when he falters,
 Strength to give him when he weakens;
 Better be the whiting's sister
 And the friend of perch and salmon,
 Than an old man's slave and darling."

Ending thus she left her mother,
 Straightway hastened to the mountain?
 To the store-house on the summit,
 Opened there the box the largest,
 From the box six lids she lifted,
 Found therein six golden girdles,
 Silken dresses seven in number.
 Choosing such as pleased her fancy,
 She adorned herself as bidden,
 Robed herself to look her fairest,
 Gold upon her throbbing temples,
 In her hair the shining silver,
 On her shoulders purple ribbons,
 Band of blue around her forehead,
 Golden cross, and rings, and jewels,
 Fitting ornaments to beauty.

Now she leaves her many treasures,
 Leaves the store-house on the mountain,
 Filled with gold and silver trinkets,
 Wanders over field and meadow,
 Over stone-fields waste and barren,
 Wanders on through fen and forest,
 Through the forest vast and cheerless,
 Wanders hither, wanders thither,
 Singing careless as she wanders,
 This her mournful song and echo:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 Woe to Aino, broken-hearted!
 Torture racks my heart and temples,
 Yet the sting would not be deeper,
 Nor the pain and anguish greater,
 If beneath this weight of sorrow,
 In my saddened heart's dejection,
 I should yield my life forever,
 Now unhappy, I should perish!
 Lo! the time has come for Aino
 From this cruel world to hasten,
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 To the realm of the departed,
 To the isle of the hereafter.
 Weep no more for me, O Father,
 Mother dear, withhold thy censure,
 Lovely sister, dry thine eyelids,
 Do not mourn me, dearest brother,
 When I sink beneath the sea-foam,
 Make my home in salmon-grottoes,
 Make my bed in crystal waters,
 Water-ferns my couch and pillow."

All day long poor Aino wandered,
 All the next day, sad and weary,
 So the third from morn till evening,
 Till the cruel night enwrapped her,
 As she reached the sandy margin,
 Reached the cold and dismal sea-shore,
 Sat upon the rock of sorrow,
 Sat alone in cold and darkness,
 Listened only to the music
 Of the winds and rolling billows,
 Singing all the dirge of Aino.
 All that night the weary maiden
 Wept and wandered on the border
 Through the sand and sea-washed pebbles.

As the day dawns, looking round her,
 She beholds three water-maidens,
 On a headland jutting seaward,
 Water-maidens four in number,
 Sitting on the wave-lashed ledges,
 Swimming now upon the billows,
 Now upon the rocks reposing.
 Quick the weeping maiden, Aino,
 Hastens there to join the mermaids,
 Fairy maidens of the waters.
 Weeping Aino, now disrobing,
 Lays aside with care her garments,
 Hangs her silk robes on the alders,
 Drops her gold-cross on the sea-shore,
 On the aspen hangs her ribbons,
 On the rocks her silken stockings,
 On the grass her shoes of deer-skin,
 In the sand her shining necklace,
 With her rings and other jewels.

Out at sea a goodly distance,
 Stood a rock of rainbow colors,
 Glittering in silver sunlight.
 Toward it springs the hapless maiden,
 Thither swims the lovely Aino,
 Up the standing-stone has clambered,
 Wishing there to rest a moment,
 Rest upon the rock of beauty;
 When upon a sudden swaying
 To and fro among the billows,
 With a crash and roar of waters
 Falls the stone of many colors,
 Falls upon the very bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea.
 With the stone of rainbow colors,
 Falls the weeping maiden, Aino,
 Clinging to its craggy edges,
 Sinking far below the surface,
 To the bottom of the blue-sea.
 Thus the weeping maiden vanished.
 Thus poor Aino sank and perished,
 Singing as the stone descended,
 Chanting thus as she departed:
 Once to swim I sought the sea-side,
 There to sport among the billows;
 With the stone or many colors
 Sank poor Aino to the bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea,
 Like a pretty son-bird. perished.
 Never come a-fishing, father,
 To the borders of these waters,
 Never during all thy life-time,
 As thou lovest daughter Aino.

"Mother dear, I sought the sea-side,
 There to sport among the billows;
 With the stone of many colors,
 Sank poor Aino to the bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea,
 Like a pretty song-bird perished.
 Never mix thy bread, dear mother,
 With the blue-sea's foam and waters,
 Never during all thy life-time,
 As thou lovest daughter Aino.
 Brother dear, I sought the sea-side,
 There to sport among the billows;
 With the stone of many colors
 Sank poor Aino to the bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea,
 Like a pretty song-bird perished.
 Never bring thy prancing war-horse,
 Never bring thy royal racer,
 Never bring thy steeds to water,
 To the borders of the blue-sea,
 Never during all thy life-time,
 As thou lovest sister Aino.

"Sister dear, I sought the sea-side,
 There to sport among the billows;
 With the stone of many colors
 Sank poor Aino to the bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea,
 Like a pretty song-bird perished.
 Never come to lave thine eyelids
 In this rolling wave and sea-foam,
 Never during all thy life-time,
 As thou lovest sister Aino.
 All the waters in the blue-sea
 Shall be blood of Aino's body;
 All the fish that swim these waters
 Shall be Aino's flesh forever;
 All the willows on the sea-side
 Shall be Aino's ribs hereafter;
 All the sea-grass on the margin
 Will have grown from Aino's tresses."

Thus at last the maiden vanished,
 Thus the lovely Aino perished.
 Who will tell the cruel story,
 Who will bear the evil tidings
 To the cottage of her mother,
 Once the home of lovely Aino?
 Will the bear repeat the story,
 Tell the tidings to her mother?
 Nay, the bear must not be herald,
 He would slay the herds of cattle.
 Who then tell the cruel story,
 Who will bear the evil tidings
 To the cottage of her father,
 Once the home of lovely Aino?
 Shall the wolf repeat the story,
 Tell the sad news to her father?
 Nay, the wolf must not be herald,
 He would eat the gentle lambkins.

Who then tell the cruel story,
 Who will bear the evil tidings.
 To the cottage of her sister?
 'Will the fox repeat the story
 Tell the tidings to her sister?
 Nay, the fox must not be herald,
 He would eat the ducks and chickens.

Who then tell the cruel story,
 Who will bear the evil tidings
 To the cottage of her brother,
 Once the home of lovely Aino?
 Shall the hare repeat the story,
 Bear the sad news to her brother?
 Yea, the hare shall be the herald,
 Tell to all the cruel story.
 Thus the harmless hare makes answer:
 "I will bear the evil tidings
 To the former home of Aino,
 Tell the story to her kindred."

Swiftly flew the long-eared herald,
 Like the winds be hastened onward,
 Galloped swift as flight of eagles;
 Neck awry he bounded forward
 Till he gained the wished-for cottage,
 Once the home of lovely Aino.
 Silent was the home, and vacant;
 So he hastened to the bath-house,
 Found therein a group of maidens,
 Working each upon a birch-broom.
 Sat the hare upon the threshold,
 And the maidens thus addressed him:
 "Hie e there, Long-legs, or we'll roast thee,
 Hie there, Big-eye, or we'll stew thee,
 Roast thee for our lady's breakfast,
 Stew thee for our master's dinner,
 Make of thee a meal for Aino,
 And her brother, Youkahainen!
 Better therefore thou shouldst gallop
 To thy burrow in the mountains,
 Than be roasted for our dinners."

Then the haughty hare made answer,
 Chanting thus the fate of Aino:
 "Think ye not I journey hither,
 To be roasted in the skillet,
 To be stewed in yonder kettle
 Let fell Lempo fill thy tables!
 I have come with evil tidings,
 Come to tell the cruel story
 Of the flight and death of Aino,
 Sister dear of Youkahainen.
 With the stone of many colors
 Sank poor Aino to the bottom
 Of the deep and boundless waters,
 Like a pretty song-bird perished;
 Hung her ribbons on the aspen,
 Left her gold-cross on the sea-shore,
 Silken robes upon the alders,
 On the rocks her silken stockings,
 On the grass her shoes of deer-skin,
 In the sand her shining necklace,
 In the sand her rings and jewels;
 In the waves, the lovely Aino,
 Sleeping on the very bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea,
 In the caverns of the salmon,
 There to be the whiting's sister
 And the friend of nimble fishes."

Sadly weeps the ancient mother
 From her blue-eyes bitter tear-drops,
 As in sad and wailing measures,
 Broken-hearted thus she answers:
 "Listen, all ye mothers, listen,
 Learn from me a tale of wisdom:
 Never urge unwilling daughters
 From the dwellings of their fathers,
 To the bridegrooms that they love not,
 Not as I, inhuman mother,
 Drove away my lovely Aino,
 Fairest daughter of the Northland."

Sadly weeps the gray-haired mother,
 And the tears that fall are bitter,
 Flowing down her wrinkled visage,
 Till they trickle on her bosom;
 Then across her heaving bosom,
 Till they reach her garment's border;
 Then adown her silken stockings,
 Till they touch her shoes of deer-skin;
 Then beneath her shoes of deer-skin,
 Flowing on and flowing ever,
 Part to earth as its possession,
 Part to water as its portion.
 As the tear-drops fall and mingle,
 Form they streamlets three in number,
 And their source, the mother's eyelids,
 Streamlets formed from pearly tear-drops,
 Flowing on like little rivers,
 And each streamlet larger growing,
 Soon becomes a rushing torrent
 In each rushing, roaring torrent
 There a cataract is foaming,
 Foaming in the silver sunlight;
 From the cataract's commotion
 Rise three pillared rocks in grandeur;
 From each rock, upon the summit,
 Grow three hillocks clothed in verdure;
 From each hillock, speckled birches,
 Three in number, struggle skyward;
 On the summit of each birch-tree
 Sits a golden cuckoo calling,
 And the three sing, all in concord:
 "Love! O Love! the first one calleth;
 Sings the second, Suitor! Suitor!
 And the third one calls and echoes,
 "Consolation! Consolation!"
 He that "Love! O Love!" is calling,
 Calls three moons and calls unceasing,
 For the love-rejecting maiden
 Sleeping in the deep sea-castles.
 He that "Suitor! Suitor!" singeth,
 Sings six moons and sings unceasing
 For the suitor that forever
 Sings and sues without a hearing.
 He that sadly sings and echoes,
 "Consolation! Consolation!"
 Sings unceasing all his life long
 For the broken-hearted mother
 That must mourn and weep forever.

When the lone and wretched mother
 Heard the sacred cuckoo singing,
 Spake she thus, and sorely weeping:
 "When I hear the cuckoo calling,
 Then my heart is filled with sorrow;
 Tears unlock my heavy eyelids,
 Flow adown my, furrowed visage,
 Tears as large as silver sea pearls;
 Older grow my wearied elbows,
 Weaker ply my aged fingers,
 Wearily, in all its members,
 Does my body shake in palsy,
 When I hear the cuckoo singing,
 Hear the sacred cuckoo calling."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE V.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S LAMENTATION.

FAR and wide the tidings travelled,
 Far away men heard the story
 Of the flight and death of Aino,
 Sister dear of Youkahainen,
 Fairest daughter of creation.

Wainamoinen, brave and truthful,
 Straightway fell to bitter weeping,
 Wept at morning, wept at evening,
 Sleepless, wept the dreary night long,
 That his Aino had departed,
 That the maiden thus had vanished,
 Thus had sunk upon the bottom
 Of the blue-sea, deep and boundless.

Filled with grief, the ancient singer,
 Wainamoinen of the Northland,
 Heavy-hearted, sorely weeping,
 Hastened to the restless waters,
 This the suitor's prayer and question:
 "Tell, Untamo, tell me, dreamer,
 Tell me, Indolence, thy visions,
 Where the water-gods may linger,
 Where may rest Wellamo's maidens?"

Then Untamo, thus made answer,
 Lazily he told his dreamings:
 "Over there, the mermaid-dwellings,
 Yonder live Wellamo's maidens,
 On the headland robed in verdure,
 On the forest-covered island,
 In the deep, pellucid waters,
 On the purple-colored sea-shore;
 Yonder is the home or sea-maids,
 There the maidens of Wellamo,
 Live there in their sea-side chambers,
 Rest within their water-caverns,
 On the rocks of rainbow colors,
 On the juttings of the sea-cliffs."

Straightway hastens Wainamoinen
 To a boat-house on the sea-shore,
 Looks with care upon the fish-hooks,
 And the lines he well considers;
 Lines, and hooks, and poles, arid fish-nets,
 Places in a boat of copper,
 Then begins he swiftly rowing
 To the forest-covered island,
 To the point enrobed In verdure,
 To the purple-colored headland,
 Where the sea-nymphs live and linger.
 Hardly does he reach the island
 Ere the minstrel starts to angle;
 Far away he throws his fish-hook,
 Trolls it quickly through the waters,
 Turning on a copper swivel
 Dangling from a silver fish-line,
 Golden is the hook he uses.

Now he tries his silken fish-net,
 Angles long, and angles longer,
 Angles one day, then a second,
 In the morning, in the evening,
 Angles at the hour of noontide,
 Many days and nights he angles,
 Till at last, one sunny morning,
 Strikes a fish of magic powers,
 Plays like salmon on his fish-line,
 Lashing waves across the waters,
 Till at length the fish exhausted
 Falls a victim to the angler,
 Safely landed in the bottom
 Of the hero's boat of copper.

Wainamoinen, proudly viewing,
 Speaks these words in wonder guessing:
 "This the fairest of all sea-fish,
 Never have I seen its equal,
 Smoother surely than the salmon,
 Brighter-spotted than the trout is,
 Grayer than the pike of Suomi,
 Has less fins than any female,
 Not the fins of any male fish,
 Not the stripes of sea-born maidens,
 Not the belt of any mermaid,
 Not the ears of any song-bird,
 Somewhat like our Northland salmon
 From the blue-sea's deepest caverns."

In his belt the ancient hero
 Wore a knife insheathed with silver;
 From its case he drew the fish-knife,
 Thus to carve the fish in pieces,
 Dress the nameless fish for roasting,
 Make of it a dainty breakfast,
 Make of it a meal at noon-day,
 Make for him a toothsome supper,
 Make the later meal at evening.

Straightway as the fish he touches,
 Touches with his knife of silver,
 Quick it leaps upon the waters,
 Dives beneath the sea's smooth surface,
 From the boat with copper bottom,
 From the skiff of Wainamoinen.

In the waves at goodly distance,
 Quickly from the sea it rises
 On the sixth and seventh billows,
 Lifts its head above the waters,
 Out of reach of fishing-tackle,
 Then addresses Wainamoinen,
 Chiding thus the ancient hero:
 "Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Do not think that I came hither
 To be fished for as a salmon,
 Only to be chopped in pieces,
 Dressed and eaten like a whiting
 Make for thee a dainty breakfast,
 Make for thee a meal at midday,
 Make for thee a toothsome supper,
 Make the fourth meal of the Northland."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Wherefore didst thou then come hither,
 If it be not for my dinner?"
 Thus the nameless fish made answer:
 "Hither have I come, O minstrel,
 In thine arms to rest and linger,
 And thyself to love and cherish,
 At thy side a life-companion,
 And thy wife to be forever;
 Deck thy couch with snowy linen,
 Smooth thy head upon the pillow,
 Sweep thy rooms and make them cheery,
 Keep thy dwelling-place in order,
 Build a fire for thee when needed,
 Bake for thee the honey-biscuit,
 Fill thy cup with barley-water,
 Do for thee whatever pleases.

"I am not a scaly sea-fish,
 Not a trout of Northland rivers,
 Not a whiting from the waters,
 Not a salmon of the North-seas,
 I, a young and merry maiden,
 Friend and sister of the fishes,
 Youkahainen's youngest sister,
 I, the one that thou dost fish for,
 I am Aino whom thou lovest.

"Once thou wert the wise-tongued hero,
 Now the foolish Wainamoinen,
 Scant of insight, scant of judgment,
 Didst not know enough to keep me,
 Cruel-hearted, bloody-handed,
 Tried to kill me with thy fish-knife,
 So to roast me for thy dinner;
 I, a mermaid of Wellamo,
 Once the fair and lovely Aino,
 Sister dear of Youkahainen."

Spake the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Filled with sorrow, much regretting:
 "Since thou'rt Youkahainen's sister,
 Beauteous Aino of Pohyola,
 Come to me again I pray thee!"

Thus the mermaid wisely answered;
 Nevermore will Aino's spirit
 Fly to thee and be ill-treated."

Quickly dived the water-maiden
 From the surface of the billow
 To the many-colored pebbles,
 To the rainbow-tinted grottoes
 Where the mermaids live and linger.

Wainamoinen, not discouraged,
 Thought afresh and well reflected,
 How to live, and work, and win her;
 Drew with care his silken fish-net,
 To and fro through foam and billow,
 Through the bays and winding channels,
 Drew it through the placid waters,
 Drew it through the salmon-dwellings,
 Through the homes of water-maidens,
 Through the waters of Wainola,
 Through the blue-back of the ocean,
 Through the lakes of distant Lapland,
 Through the rivers of Youkola,
 Through the seas of Kalevala,
 Hoping thus to find his Aino.
 Many were the fish be landed,
 Every form of fish-like creatures,
 But be did not catch the sea-maid,
 Not Wellamo's water-maiden,
 Fairest daughter of the Northland.

Finally the ancient minstrel,
 Mind depressed, and heart discouraged,
 Spake these words, immersed in sorrow:
 "Fool am I, and great my folly,
 Having neither wit nor judgment;
 Surely once I had some knowledge,
 Had some insight into wisdom,
 Had at least a bit of instinct;
 But my virtues all have left me
 In these mournful days of evil,
 Vanished with my youth and vigor,
 Insight gone, and sense departed,
 All my prudence gone to others!
 Aino, whom I love and cherish,
 All these years have sought to honor,
 Aino, now Wellamo's maiden,
 Promised friend of mine when needed,
 Promised bride of mine forever,
 Once I had within my power,
 Caught her in Wellamo's grottoes,
 Led her to my boat of copper,
 With my fish-line made of silver;
 But alas! I could not keep her,
 Did not know that I had caught her
 Till too late to woo and win her;
 Let her slip between my fingers
 To the home of water-maidens,
 To the kingdom of Wellamo."

Wainamoinen then departed,
 Empty-handed, heavy-hearted,
 Straightway hastened to his country,
 To his home in Kalevala,
 Spake these words upon his journey:
 "What has happened to the cuckoo,
 Once the cuckoo bringing gladness,
 In the morning, in the evening,
 Often bringing joy at noontide?
 What has stilled the cuckoo's singing,
 What has changed the cuckoo's calling?
 Sorrow must have stilled his singing,
 And compassion changed his calling,
 As I hear him sing no longer,
 For my pleasure in the morning,
 For my happiness at evening.
 Never shall I learn the secret,
 How to live and how to prosper,
 How upon the earth to rest me,
 How upon the seas to wander!
 Only were my ancient mother
 Living on the face of Northland,
 Surely she would well advise me,
 What my thought and what my action,
 That this cup of grief might pass me,
 That this sorrow might escape me,
 And this darkened cloud pass over."

In the deep awoke his mother,
 From her tomb she spake as follows:
 "Only sleeping was thy mother,
 Now awakes to give thee answer,
 What thy thought and what thine action,
 That this cup of grief may pass thee,
 That this sorrow may escape thee,
 And this darkened cloud pass over.
 Hie thee straightway to the Northland,
 Visit thou the Suomi daughters;
 Thou wilt find them wise and lovely,
 Far more beautiful than Aino,
 Far more worthy of a husband,
 Not such silly chatter-boxes,
 As the fickle Lapland maidens.
 Take for thee a life-companion,
 From the honest homes of Suomi,
 One of Northland's honest daughters;
 She will charm thee with her sweetness,
 Make thee happy through her goodness,
 Form perfection, manners easy,
 Every step and movement graceful,
 Full of wit and good behavior,
 Honor to thy home and kindred."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE VI.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S HAPLFSS JOURNEY.

WAINAMOINEN, old and truthful,
 Now arranges for a journey
 To the village of the Northland,
 To the land of cruel winters,
 To the land of little sunshine,
 To the land of worthy women;
 Takes his light-foot, royal racer,
 Then adjusts the golden bridle,
 Lays upon his back the saddle,
 Silver-buckled, copper-stirruped,
 Seats himself upon his courser,
 And begins his journey northward;
 Plunges onward, onward, onward,
 Galloping along the highway,
 In his saddle, gaily fashioned,
 On his dappled steed of magic,
 Plunging through Wainola's meadows,
 O'er the plains of Kalevala.
 Fast and far he galloped onward,
 Galloped far beyond Wainola,
 Bounded o'er the waste of waters,
 Till he reached the blue-sea's margin,
 Wetting not the hoofs in running.

But the evil Youkahainen
 Nursed a grudge within his bosom,
 In his heart the worm of envy,
 Envy of this Wainamoinen,
 Of this wonderful enchanter.
 He prepares a cruel cross-bow,
 Made of steel and other metals,
 Paints the bow in many colors,
 Molds the top-piece out or copper,
 Trims his bow with snowy silver,
 Gold he uses too in trimming,
 Then he hunts for strongest sinews,
 Finds them in the stag of Hisi,
 Interweaves the flax of Lempo.
 Ready is the cruel cross-bow,
 String, and shaft, and ends are finished,
 Beautiful the bow and mighty,
 Surely cost it not a trifle;
 On the back a painted courser,
 On each end a colt of beauty,
 Near the curve a maiden sleeping
 Near the notch a hare is bounding,
 Wonderful the bow thus fashioned;
 Cuts some arrows for his quiver,
 Covers them with finest feathers,
 From the oak the shafts be fashions,
 Makes the tips of keenest metal.
 As the rods and points are finished,
 Then he feathers well his arrows
 From the plumage of the swallow,
 From the wing-quills of the sparrow;
 Hardens well his feathered arrows,
 And imparts to each new virtues,
 Steeps them in the blood of serpents,
 In the virus of the adder.

Ready now are all his arrows,
 Ready strung, his cruel cross-bow.
 Waiting for wise Wainamoinen.
 Youkahainen, Lapland's minstrel,
 Waits a long time, is not weary,
 Hopes to spy the ancient singer;
 Spies at day-dawn, spies at evening,
 Spies he ceaselessly at noontide,
 Lies in wait for the magician,
 Waits, and watches, as in envy;
 Sits he at the open window,
 Stands behind the hedge, and watches
 In the foot-path waits, and listens,
 Spies along the balks of meadows;
 On his back he hangs his quiver,
 In his quiver, feathered arrows
 Dipped in virus of the viper,
 On his arm the mighty cross-bow,
 Waits, and watches, and unwearied,
 Listens from the boat-house window,
 Lingers at the end of Fog-point,
 By the river flowing seaward,
 Near the holy stream and whirlpool,
 Near the sacred river's fire-fall.

Finally the Lapland minstrel,
 Youkahainen of Pohyola,
 At the breaking of the day-dawn,
 At the early hour of morning,
 Fixed his gaze upon the North-east,
 Turned his eyes upon the sunrise,
 Saw a black cloud on the ocean,
 Something blue upon the waters,
 And soliloquized as follows:
 "Are those clouds on the horizon,
 Or perchance the dawn of morning?
 Neither clouds on the horizon,
 Nor the dawning of the morning;
 It is ancient Wainamoinen,
 The renowned and wise enchanter,
 Riding on his way to Northland;
 On his steed, the royal racer,
 Magic courser of Wainola."

Quickly now young Youkahainen,
 Lapland's vain and evil minstrel,
 Filled with envy, grasps his cross-bow,
 Makes his bow and arrows ready
 For the death of Wainamoinen.

Quick his aged mother asked him,
 Spake these words to Youkahainen:
 "For whose slaughter is thy cross-bow,
 For whose heart thy poisoned arrows?"
 Youkahainen thus made answer:
 "I have made this mighty cross-bow,
 Fashioned bow and poisoned arrows
 For the death of Wainamoinen,
 Thus to slay the friend of waters;
 I must shoot the old magician,
 The eternal bard and hero,
 Through the heart, and through the liver,
 Through the head, and through the shoulders,
 With this bow and feathered arrows
 Thus destroy my rival minstrel."

Then the aged mother answered,
 Thus reproving, thus forbidding.
 Do not slay good Wainamoinen,
 Ancient hero of the Northland,
 From a noble tribe descended,
 He, my sister's son, my nephew.
 If thou slayest Wainamoinen,
 Ancient son of Kalevala,
 Then alas! all joy will vanish,
 Perish all our wondrous singing;
 Better on the earth the gladness,
 Better here the magic music,
 Than within the nether regions,
 In the kingdom of Tuoni,
 In the realm of the departed,
 In the land of the hereafter."

Then the youthful Youkahainen
 Thought awhile and well considered,
 Ere he made a final answer.
 With one hand he raised the cross-bow
 But the other seemed to weaken,
 As he drew the cruel bow-string.
 Finally these words he uttered
 As his bosom swelled with envy:
 "Let all joy forever vanish,
 Let earth's pleasures quickly perish,
 Disappear earth's sweetest music,
 Happiness depart forever;
 Shoot I will this rival minstrel,
 Little heeding what the end is."

Quickly now he bends his fire-bow,
 On his left knee rests the weapon,
 With his right foot firmly planted,
 Thus he strings his bow of envy;
 Takes three arrows from his quiver,
 Choosing well the best among them,
 Carefully adjusts the bow-string,
 Sets with care the feathered arrow,
 To the flaxen string he lays it,
 Holds the cross-bow to his shoulder,
 Aiming well along the margin,
 At the heart of Wainamoinen,
 Waiting till he gallops nearer;
 In the shadow of a thicket,
 Speaks these words while he is waiting
 "Be thou, flaxen string, elastic;
 Swiftly fly, thou feathered ash-wood,
 Swiftly speed, thou deadly missile,
 Quick as light, thou poisoned arrow,
 To the heart of Wainamoinen.
 If my hand too low should hold thee,
 May the gods direct thee higher;
 If too high mine eye should aim thee,
 May the gods direct thee lower."

Steady now he pulls the trigger;
 Like the lightning flies the arrow
 O'er the head of Wainamoinen;
 To the upper sky it darteth,
 And the highest clouds it pierces,
 Scatters all the flock of lamb-clouds,
 On its rapid journey skyward.

Not discouraged, quick selecting,
 Quick adjusting, Youkahainen,
 Quickly aiming shoots a second.
 Speeds the arrow swift as lightning;
 Much too low he aimed the missile,
 Into earth the arrow plunges,
 Pierces to the lower regions,
 Splits in two the old Sand Mountain.

Nothing daunted, Youkahainen,
 Quick adjusting shoots a third one.
 Swift as light it speeds its journey,
 Strikes the steed of Wainamoinen,
 Strikes the light-foot, ocean-swimmer,
 Strikes him near his golden girdle,
 Through the shoulder of the racer.

Thereupon wise Wainamoinen
 Headlong fell upon the waters,
 Plunged beneath the rolling billows,
 From the saddle of the courser,
 From his dappled steed of magic.
 Then arose a mighty storm-wind,
 Roaring wildly on the waters,
 Bore away old Wainamoinen
 Far from land upon the billows,
 On the high and rolling billows,
 On the broad sea's great expanses.

Boasted then young Youkahainen,
 Thinking Waino dead and buried,
 These the boastful words be uttered:
 "Nevermore, old Wainamoinen,
 Nevermore in all thy life-time,
 While the golden moonlight glistens,
 Nevermore wilt fix thy vision
 On the meadows of Wainola,
 On the plains of Kalevala;
 Full six years must swim the ocean,
 Tread the waves for seven summers,
 Eight years ride the foamy billows,
 In the broad expanse of water;
 Six long autumns as a fir-tree,
 Seven winters as a pebble;
 Eight long summers as an aspen."

Thereupon the Lapland minstrel
 Hastened to his room delighting,
 When his mother thus addressed him
 "Hast thou slain good Wainamoinen,
 Slain the son of Kalevala?"
 Youkahainen thus made answer:
 "I have slain old Wainamoinen,
 Slain the son of Kalevala,
 That he now may plow the ocean,
 That he now may sweep the waters,
 On the billows rock and slumber.
 In the salt-sea plunged he headlong,
 In the deep sank the magician,
 Sidewise turned he to the sea-shore
 On his back to rock forever,
 Thus the boundless sea to travel,
 Thus to ride the rolling billows."
 This the answer of the mother:
 "Woe to earth for this thine action,
 Gone forever, joy and singing,
 Vanished is the wit of ages!
 Thou hast slain good Wainamoinen.
 Slain the ancient wisdom-singer,
 Slain the pride of Suwantala,
 Slain the hero of Wainola,
 Slain the joy of Kalevala."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE VII.

 

WAINIOINEN'S RESCUE.

WAINAMOINEN, old and truthful,
 Swam through all the deep-sea waters,
 Floating like a branch of aspen,
 Like a withered twig of willow;
 Swam six days in summer weather,
 Swam six nights in golden moonlight;
 Still before him rose the billows,
 And behind him sky and ocean.
 Two days more he swam undaunted,
 Two long nights be struggled onward.
 On the evening of the eighth day,
 Wainamoinen grew disheartened,
 Felt a very great discomfort,
 For his feet had lost their toe-nails,
 And his fingers dead and dying.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Sad and weary, spake as follows:
 "Woe is me, my old life fated!
 Woe is me, misfortune's offspring!
 Fool was I when fortune, favored,
 To forsake my home and kindred,
 For a maiden fair and lovely,
 Here beneath the starry heavens,
 In this cruel waste of waters,
 Days and nights to swim and wander,
 Here to struggle with the storm-winds,
 To be tossed by heaving billows,
 In this broad sea's great expanses,
 In this ocean vast and boundless.

"Cold my life and sad and dreary,
 Painful too for me to linger
 Evermore within these waters,
 Thus to struggle for existence!
 Cannot know how I can prosper,
 How to find me food and shelter,
 In these cold and lifeless waters,
 In these days of dire misfortune.
 Build I in the winds my dwelling?
 It will find no sure foundation.
 Build my home upon the billows?
 Surely would the waves destroy it."

Comes a bird from far Pohyola,
 From the occident, an eagle,
 Is not classed among the largest,
 Nor belongs he to the smallest;
 One wing touches on the waters,
 While the other sweeps the heavens;
 O'er the waves he wings his body,
 Strikes his beak upon the sea-cliffs,
 Flies about, then safely perches,
 Looks before him, looks behind him,
 There beholds brave Wainamoinen,
 On the blue-back of the ocean,
 And the eagle thus accosts him:
 "Wherefore art thou, ancient hero,
 Swimming in the deep-sea billows?
 Thus the water-minstrel answered:
 "I am ancient Wainamoinen,
 Friend and fellow of the waters
 I, the famous wisdom-singer;
 Went to woo a Northland maiden,
 Maiden from the dismal Darkland,
 Quickly galloped on my journey,
 Riding on the plain of ocean.
 I arrived one morning early,
 At the breaking of the day-dawn.
 At the bay of Luotola,
 Near Youkola's foaming river,
 Where the evil Youkahainen
 Slew my steed with bow and arrow,
 Tried to slay me with his weapons.
 On the waters fell I headlong,
 Plunged beneath the salt-sea's surface,
 From the saddle of the courser,
 From my dappled steed of magic.

"Then arose a mighty storm-wind,
 From the East and West a whirlwind,
 Washed me seaward on the surges,
 Seaward, seaward, further, further,
 Where for many days I wandered,
 Swam and rocked upon the billows,
 Where as many nights I struggled,
 In the dashing waves and sea-foam,
 With the angry winds and waters.

"Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 Cannot solve this heavy problem,
 How to live nor how to perish
 In this cruel salt-sea water.
 Build I in the winds my dwelling?
 It will find no sure foundation.
 Build my home upon the waters?
 Surely will the waves destroy it.
 Must I swim the sea forever,
 Must I live, or must I perish?
 What will happen if I perish,
 If I sink below the billows,
 Perish here from cold and hunger?"
 Thus the bird of Ether answered
 "Be not in the least disheartened,
 Place thyself between my shoulders,
 On my back be firmly seated,
 I will lift thee from the waters,
 Bear thee with my pinions upward,
 Bear thee wheresoe'er thou willest.
 Well do I the day remember
 Where thou didst the eagle service,
 When thou didst the birds a favor.
 Thou didst leave the birch-tree standing,
 When were cleared the Osmo-forests,
 From the lands of Kalevala,
 As a home for weary song-birds,
 As a resting-place for eagles."

Then arises Wainamoinen,
 Lifts his head above the waters,
 Boldly rises from the sea-waves,
 Lifts his body from the billows,
 Seats himself upon the eagle,
 On the eagle's feathered shoulders.
 Quick aloft the huge bird bears him,
 Bears the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Bears him on the path of zephyrs,
 Floating on the vernal breezes,
 To the distant shore of Northland,
 To the dismal Sariola,
 Where the eagle leaves his burden,
 Flies away to join his fellows.

Wainamoinen, lone and weary,
 Straightway fell to bitter weeping,
 Wept and moaned in heavy accents,
 On the border of the blue-sea.
 On a cheerless promontory,
 With a hundred wounds tormented,
 Made by cruel winds and waters,
 With his hair and beard dishevelled
 By the surging of the billows.
 Three long days he wept disheartened
 Wept as many nights in anguish,
 Did not know what way to journey,
 Could not find a woodland foot-print,
 That would point him to the highway,
 To his home in Kalevala,
 To his much-loved home and kindred.

Northland's young and slender maiden,
 With complexion fair and lovely,
 With the Sun had laid a wager,
 With the Sun and Moon a wager,
 Which should rise before the other,
 On the morning of the morrow.
 And the maiden rose in beauty,
 Long before the Sun had risen,
 Long before the Moon bad wakened,
 From their beds beneath the ocean.
 Ere the cock had crowed the day-break,
 Ere the Sun had broken slumber
 She had sheared six gentle lambkins,
 Gathered from them six white fleeces,
 Hence to make the rolls for spinning,
 Hence to form the threads for weaving,
 Hence to make the softest raiment,
 Ere the morning dawn had broken,
 Ere the sleeping Sun had risen.

When this task the maid had ended,
 Then she scrubbed the birchen tables,
 Sweeps the ground-floor of the stable,
 With a broom of leaves and branches
 From the birches of the Northland,
 Scrapes the sweepings well together
 On a shovel made of copper,
 Carries them beyond the stable,
 From the doorway to the meadow,
 To the meadow's distant border,
 Near the surges of the great-sea,
 Listens there and looks about her,
 Hears a wailing from the waters,
 Hears a weeping from the sea-shore,
 Hears a hero-voice lamenting.

Thereupon she hastens homeward,
 Hastens to her mother's dwelling,
 These the words the maiden utters:
 "I have heard a wail from ocean,
 Heard a weeping from the sea-coast,
 On the shore some one lamenting."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Ancient, toothless dame of Northland,
 Hastens from her door and court-yard,
 Through the meadow to the sea-shore,
 Listens well for sounds of weeping,
 For the wail of one in sorrow;
 Hears the voice of one in trouble,
 Hears a hero-cry of anguish.
 Thus the ancient Louhi answers:
 "This is not the wail of children,
 These are not the tears of women,
 In this way weep bearded heroes;
 This the hero-cry of anguish."

Quick she pushed her boat to water,
 To the floods her goodly vessel,
 Straightway rows with lightning swiftness,
 To the weeping Wainamoinen;
 Gives the hero consolation,
 Comfort gives she to the minstrel
 Wailing in a grove of willows,
 In his piteous condition,
 Mid the alder-trees and aspens,
 On the border of the salt-sea,
 Visage trembling, locks dishevelled.
 Ears, and eyes, and lips of sadness.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Thus addresses Wainamoinen:
 "Tell me what has been thy folly,
 That thou art in this condition."

Old and truthful Wainamoinen
 Lifts aloft his bead and answers:
 "Well I know that it is folly
 That has brought me all this trouble,
 Brought me to this land of strangers,
 To these regions unbefitting
 Happy was I with my kindred,
 In my distant home and country,
 There my name was named in honor."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Thus replied to Wainamoinen:
 "I would gain the information,
 Should I be allowed to ask thee,
 Who thou art of ancient heroes,
 Who of all the host of heroes?
 This is Wainamoinen's answer:
 "Formerly my name was mentioned,
 Often was I heard and honored,
 As a minstrel and magician,
 In the long and dreary winters,
 Called the 'Singer of the Northland,
 In the valleys of Wainola,
 On the plains of Kalevala;
 No one thought that such misfortune
 Could befall wise Wainamoinen."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Thus replied in cheering accents
 "Rise, O hero, from discomfort,
 From thy bed among the willows;
 Enter now upon the new-way,
 Come with me to yonder dwelling,
 There relate thy strange adventures,
 Tell the tale of thy misfortunes."

Now she takes the hapless hero,
 Lifts him from his bed of sorrow,
 In her boat she safely seats him,
 And begins at once her rowing,
 Rows with steady hand and mighty
 To her home upon the sea-shore,
 To the dwellings of Pohyola.
 There she feeds the starving hero,
 Rests the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Gives him warmth, and food, and shelter,
 And the hero soon recovers.

Then the hostess of Pohyola
 Questioned thus the ancient singer:
 "Wherefore didst thou, Wainamoinen,
 Friend and fellow of the waters,
 Weep in sad and bitter accents,
 On the border of the ocean,
 Mid the aspens and the willows?"

This is Wainamoinen's answer:
 Had good reason for my weeping,
 Cause enough for all my sorrow;
 Long indeed had I been swimming,
 Had been buffeting the billows,
 In the far outstretching waters.
 This the reason for my weeping;
 I have lived in toil and torture,
 Since I left my home and country,
 Left my native land and kindred,
 Came to this the land of strangers,
 To these unfamiliar portals.
 All thy trees have thorns to wound me,
 All thy branches, spines to pierce me,
 Even birches give me trouble,
 And the alders bring discomfort,
 My companions, winds and waters,
 Only does the Sun seem friendly,
 In this cold and cruel country,
 Near these unfamiliar portals."

Louhi thereupon made answer,
 Weep no longer, Wainamoinen,
 Grieve no more, thou friend of waters,
 Good for thee, that thou shouldst linger
 At our friendly homes and firesides;
 Thou shalt live with us and welcome,
 Thou shalt sit at all our tables,
 Eat the salmon from our platters,
 Eat the sweetest of our bacon,
 Eat the whiting from our waters."

Answers thus old Wainamoinen,
 Grateful for the invitation:
 "Never do I court strange tables,
 Though the food be rare and toothsome;
 One's own country is the dearest,
 One's own table is the sweetest,
 One's own home, the most attractive.
 Grant, kind Ukko, God above me,
 Thou Creator, full of mercy,
 Grant that I again may visit
 My beloved home and country.
 Better dwell in one's own country,
 There to drink Its healthful waters
 From the simple cups of birch-wood,
 Than in foreign lands to wander,
 There to drink the rarest liquors
 From the golden bowls of strangers."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Thus replied to the magician:
 "What reward wilt thou award me,
 Should I take thee where thou willest,
 To thy native land and kindred,
 To thy much-loved home and fireside,
 To the meadows of Wainola,
 To the plains of Kalevala?"

These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "What would be reward sufficient,
 Shouldst thou take me to my people,
 To my home and distant country,
 To the borders of the Northland,
 There to hear the cuckoo singing,
 Hear the sacred cuckoo calling?
 Shall I give thee golden treasures,
 Fill thy cups with finest silver?"

This is Louhi's simple answer:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Only true and wise magician,
 Never will I ask for riches,
 Never ask for gold nor silver;
 Gold is for the children's flowers,
 Silver for the stallion's jewels.
 Canst thou forge for me the Sampo,
 Hammer me the lid in colors,
 From the tips of white-swan feathers
 From the milk of greatest virtue,
 From a single grain of barley,
 From the finest wool of lambkins?

"I will give thee too my daughter,
 Will reward thee through the maiden,
 Take thee to thy much-loved home-land,
 To the borders of Wainola,
 There to hear the cuckoo singing,
 Hear the sacred cuckoo calling."

Wainamoinen, much regretting,
 Gave this answer to her question:
 "Cannot forge for thee the Sampo,
 Cannot make the lid in colors.
 Take me to my distant country,
 I will send thee Ilmarinen,
 He will forge for thee the Sampo,
 Hammer thee the lid in colors,
 He may win thy lovely maiden;
 Worthy smith is Ilmarinen,
 In this art is first and master;
 He, the one that forged the heavens.
 Forged the air a hollow cover;
 Nowhere see we hammer-traces,
 Nowhere find a single tongs-mark."

Thus replied the hostess, Louhi:
 "Him alone I'll give my daughter,
 Promise him my child in marriage,
 Who for me will forge the Sampo,
 Hammer me the lid in colors,
 From the tips of white-swan feathers,
 From the milk of greatest virtue,
 From a single grain of barley,
 From the finest wool of lambkins."

Thereupon the hostess Louhi,
 Harnessed quick a dappled courser,
 Hitched him to her sledge of birch-wood,
 Placed within it Wainamoinen,
 Placed the hero on the cross-bench,
 Made him ready for his journey;
 Then addressed the ancient minstrel,
 These the words that Louhi uttered:
 "Do not raise thine eyes to heaven,
 Look not upward on thy journey,
 While thy steed is fresh and frisky,
 While the day-star lights thy pathway,
 Ere the evening star has risen;
 If thine eyes be lifted upward,
 While the day-star lights thy pathway,
 Dire misfortune will befall thee,
 Some sad fate will overtake thee."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Fleetly drove upon his journey,
 Merrily he hastened homeward,
 Hastened homeward, happy-hearted
 From the ever-darksome Northland
 From the dismal Sariola.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE VIII.

 

MAIDEN OF THE RAINBOW.

Pohyola's fair and winsome daughter,
 Glory of the land and water,
 Sat upon the bow of heaven,
 On its highest arch resplendent,
 In a gown of richest fabric,
 In a gold and silver air-gown,
 Weaving webs of golden texture,
 Interlacing threads of silver;
 Weaving with a golden shuttle,
 With a weaving-comb of silver;
 Merrily flies the golden shuttle,
 From the maiden's nimble fingers,
 Briskly swings the lathe in weaving,
 Swiftly flies the comb of silver,
 From the sky-born maiden's fingers,
 Weaving webs of wondrous beauty.

Came the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Driving down the highway homeward,
 From the ever sunless Northland,
 From the dismal Sariola;
 Few the furlongs he had driven,
 Driven but a little distance,
 When he heard the sky-loom buzzing,
 As the maiden plied the shuttle.
 Quick the thoughtless Wainamoinen
 Lifts his eyes aloft in wonder,
 Looks upon the vault of heaven,
 There beholds the bow of beauty,
 On the bow the maiden sitting,
 Beauteous Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Glory of the earth and ocean,
 Weaving there a golden fabric,
 Working with the rustling silver.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Quickly checks his fleet-foot racer,
 Looks upon the charming maiden,
 Then addresses her as follows:
 "Come, fair maiden, to my snow-sledge,
 By my side I wish thee seated."

Thus the Maid of Beauty answers:
 "Tell me what thou wishest of me,
 Should I join thee in the snow-sledge."
 Speaks the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Answers thus the Maid of Beauty:
 "This the reason for thy coming:
 Thou shalt bake me honey-biscuit,
 Shalt prepare me barley-water,
 Thou shalt fill my foaming beer-cups,
 Thou shalt sing beside my table,
 Shalt rejoice within my portals,
 Walk a queen within my dwelling,
 In the Wainola halls and chambers,
 In the courts of Kalevala."

Thus the Maid of Beauty answered
 From her throne amid the heavens:
 "Yesterday at hour of twilight,
 Went I to the flowery meadows,
 There to rock upon the common,
 Where the Sun retires to slumber;
 There I heard a song-bird singing,
 Heard the thrush simple measures,
 Singing sweetly thoughts of maidens,
 And the minds of anxious mothers.

"Then I asked the pretty songster,
 Asked the thrush this simple question:
 'Sing to me, thou pretty song-bird,
 Sing that I may understand thee,
 Sing to me in truthful accents,
 How to live in greatest pleasure,
 And in happiness the sweetest,
 As a maiden with her father,
 Or as wife beside her husband.'

"Thus the song-bird gave me answer,
 Sang the thrush this information:
 'Bright and warm are days of summer,
 Warmer still is maiden-freedom;
 Cold is iron in the winter,
 Thus the lives of married women;
 Maidens living with their mothers
 Are like ripe and ruddy berries;
 Married women, far too many,
 Are like dogs enchained in kennel,
 Rarely do they ask for favors,
 Not to wives are favors given.'"

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Answers thus the Maid of Beauty:
 "Foolish is the thrush thus singing,
 Nonsense is the song-bird's twitter;
 Like to babes are maidens treated,
 Wives are queens and highly honored.
 Come, sweet maiden, to my snow-sledge,
 I am not despised as hero,
 Not the meanest of magicians;
 Come with me and I will make thee
 Wife and queen in Kalevala."
 Thus the Maid of Beauty answered--
 "Would consider thee a hero,
 Mighty hero, I would call thee,
 When a golden hair thou splittest,
 Using knives that have no edges;
 When thou snarest me a bird's egg
 With a snare that I can see not."

Wainamoinen, skilled and ancient,
 Split a golden hair exactly,
 Using knives that had no edges;
 And he snared an egg as nicely
 With a snare the maiden saw not.

"Come, sweet maiden, to my snow-sledge,
 I have done what thou desirest."
 Thus the maiden wisely answered:
 "Never enter I thy snow-sledge,
 Till thou peelest me the sandstone,
 Till thou cuttest me a whip-stick
 From the ice, and make no splinters,
 Losing not the smallest fragment."

Wainamoinen, true magician,
 Nothing daunted, not discouraged,
 Deftly peeled the rounded sandstone,
 Deftly cut from ice a whip-stick,
 Cutting not the finest splinter,
 Losing not the smallest fragment.
 Then again be called the maiden,
 To a seat within his snow-sledge.

But the Maid or Beauty answered,
 Answered thus the great magician:
 I will go with that one only
 That will make me ship or shallop,
 From the splinters of my spindle,
 From the fragments of my distaff,
 In the waters launch the vessel,
 Set the little ship a-floating,
 Using not the knee to push it,
 Using not the arm to move it,
 Using not the hand to touch it,
 Using not the foot to turn it,
 Using nothing to propel it."

Spake the skilful Wainamoinen,
 These the words the hero uttered:
 "There is no one in the Northland,
 No one under vault of heaven,
 Who like me can build a vessel,
 From the fragments of the distaff,
 From the splinters of the spindle."

Then he took the distaff-fragments,
 Took the splinters of the spindle,
 Hastened off the boat to fashion,
 Hastened to an iron mountain,
 There to join the many fragments.
 Full of zeal be plies the hammer,
 Swings the hammer and the hatchet;
 Nothing daunted, builds the vessel,
 Works one day and then a second,
 Works with steady hand the third day;
 On the evening of the third day,
 Evil Hisi grasps the hatchet,
 Lempo takes the crooked handle,
 Turns aside the axe in falling,
 Strikes the rocks and breaks to pieces;
 From the rocks rebound the fragments,
 Pierce the flesh of the magician,
 Cut the knee of Wainamoinen.
 Lempo guides the sharpened hatchet,
 And the veins fell Hisi severs.
 Quickly gushes forth a blood-stream,
 And the stream is crimson-colored.

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 The renowned and wise enchanter,
 Thus outspeaks in measured accents:
 "O thou keen and cruel hatchet,
 O thou axe of sharpened metal,
 Thou shouldst cut the trees to fragments,
 Cut the pine-tree and the willow,
 Cut the alder and the birch-tree,
 Cut the juniper and aspen,
 Shouldst not cut my knee to pieces,
 Shouldst not tear my veins asunder."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Thus begins his incantations,
 Thus begins his magic singing,
 Of the origin of evil;
 Every word in perfect order,
 Makes no effort to remember,
 Sings the origin of iron,
 That a bolt he well may fashion,
 Thus prepare a look for surety,
 For the wounds the axe has given,
 That the hatchet has torn open.
 But the stream flows like a brooklet,
 Rushing like a maddened torrent,
 Stains the herbs upon the meadows,
 Scarcely is a bit of verdure
 That the blood-stream does not cover
 As it flows and rushes onward
 From the knee of the magician,
 From the veins of Wainamoinen.

Now the wise and ancient minstrel
 Gathers lichens from the sandstone,
 Picks them from the trunks of birches,
 Gathers moss within the marshes,
 Pulls the grasses from the meadows,
 Thus to stop the crimson streamlet,
 Thus to close the wounds laid open;
 But his work is unsuccessful,
 And the crimson stream flows onward.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Feeling pain and fearing languor,
 Falls to weeping, heavy-hearted;
 Quickly now his steed he hitches,
 Hitches to the sledge of birch-wood,
 Climbs with pain upon the cross-bench,
 Strikes his steed in quick succession,
 Snaps his whip above the racer,
 And the steed flies onward swiftly;
 Like the winds he sweeps the highway,
 Till be nears a Northland village,
 Where the way is triple-parted.

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Takes the lowest of the highways,
 Quickly nears a spacious cottage,
 Quickly asks before the doorway:
 "Is there any one here dwelling,
 That can know the pain I suffer,
 That can heal this wound of hatchet.
 That can check this crimson streamlet?"

Sat a boy within a corner,
 On a bench beside a baby,
 And he answered thus the hero:
 "There is no one in this dwelling
 That can know the pain thou feelest,
 That can heal the wounds of hatchet,
 That can check the crimson streamlet;
 Some one lives in yonder cottage,
 That perchance can do thee service."

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Whips his courser to a gallop,
 Dashes on along the highway;
 Only drives a little distance,
 On the middle of the highways,
 To a cabin on the road-side, 
 Asks one standing on the threshold,
 Questions all through open windows,
 These the words the hero uses:
 "Is there no one in this cabin,
 That can know the pain I suffer,
 That can heal this wound of hatchet,
 That can check this crimson streamlet?"

On the floor a witch was lying,
 Near the fire-place lay the beldame,
 Thus she spake to Wainamoinen,
 Through her rattling teeth she answered.
 "There is no one in this cabin
 That can know the pain thou feelest,
 That can heal the wounds of hatchets,
 That can check the crimson streamlet;
 Some one lives in yonder cottage,
 That perchance can do thee service."

Wainamoinen, nothing daunted,
 Whips his racer to a gallop,
 Dashes on along the highway;
 Only drives a little distance,
 On the upper of the highways,
 Gallops to a humble cottage,
 Asks one standing near the penthouse,
 Sitting on the penthouse-doorsill:
 "Is there no one in this cottage,
 That can know the pain I suffer,
 That can heal this wound of hatchet,
 That can check this crimson streamlet?"

Near the fireplace sat an old man,
 On the hearthstone sat the gray-beard,
 Thus he answered Wainamoinen:
 "Greater things have been accomplished,
 Much more wondrous things effected,
 Through but three words of the master;
 Through the telling of the causes,
 Streams and oceans have been tempered,
 River cataracts been lessened,
 Bays been made of promontories,
 Islands raised from deep sea-bottoms."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE IX.

 

ORIGIN OF IRON.

WAINAMOINEN, thus encouraged,
 Quickly rises in his snow-sledge,
 Asking no one for assistance,
 Straightway hastens to the cottage,
 Takes a seat within the dwelling.
 Come two maids with silver pitchers,
 Bringing also golden goblets;
 Dip they up a very little,
 But the very smallest measure
 Of the blood of the magician,
 From the wounds of Wainamoinen.

From the fire-place calls the old man,
 Thus the gray-beard asks the minstrel:
 "Tell me who thou art of heroes,
 Who of all the great magicians?
 Lo! thy blood fills seven sea-boats,
 Eight of largest birchen vessels,
 Flowing from some hero's veinlets,
 From the wounds of some magician.
 Other matters I would ask thee;
 Sing the cause of this thy trouble,
 Sing to me the source of metals,
 Sing the origin of iron,
 How at first it was created."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Made this answer to the gray-beard:
 "Know I well the source of metals,
 Know the origin of iron;
 f can tell bow steel is fashioned.
 Of the mothers air is oldest,
 Water is the oldest brother,
 And the fire is second brother,
 And the youngest brother, iron;
 Ukko is the first creator.
 Ukko, maker of the heavens,
 Cut apart the air and water,
 Ere was born the metal, iron.
 Ukko, maker of the heavens,
 Firmly rubbed his hands together,
 Firmly pressed them on his knee-cap,
 Then arose three lovely maidens,
 Three most beautiful of daughters;
 These were mothers of the iron,
 And of steel of bright-blue color.
 Tremblingly they walked the heavens,
 Walked the clouds with silver linings,
 With their bosoms overflowing
 With the milk of future iron,
 Flowing on and flowing ever,
 From the bright rims of the cloudlets
 To the earth, the valleys filling,
 To the slumber-calling waters.

"Ukko's eldest daughter sprinkled
 Black milk over river channels
 And the second daughter sprinkled
 White milk over hills and mountains,
 While the youngest daughter sprinkled
 Red milk over seas and oceans.
 Whero the black milk had been sprinked,
 Grew the dark and ductile iron;
 Where the white milk had been sprinkled.
 Grew the iron, lighter-colored;
 Where the red milk had been sprinkled,
 Grew the red and brittle iron.

"After Time had gone a distance,
 Iron hastened Fire to visit,
 His beloved elder brother,
 Thus to know his brother better.
 Straightway Fire began his roarings,
 Labored to consume his brother,
 His beloved younger brother.
 Straightway Iron sees his danger,
 Saves himself by fleetly fleeing,
 From the fiery flame's advances,
 Fleeing hither, fleeing thither,
 Fleeing still and taking shelter
 In the swamps and in the valleys,
 In the springs that loudly bubble,
 By the rivers winding seaward,
 On the broad backs of the marshes,
 Where the swans their nests have builded,
 Where the wild geese hatch their goslings.

"Thus is iron in the swamp-lands,
 Stretching by the water-courses,
 Hidden well for many ages,
 Hidden in the birchen forests,
 But he could not hide forever
 From the searchings of his brother;
 Here and there the fire has caught him,
 Caught and brought him to his furnace,
 That the spears, and swords, and axes,
 Might be forged and duly hammered.
 In the swamps ran blackened waters,
 From the heath the bears came ambling,
 And the wolves ran through the marshes.
 Iron then made his appearance,
 Where the feet of wolves had trodden,
 Where the paws of bears had trampled.

"Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Came to earth to work the metal;
 He was born upon the Coal-mount,
 Skilled and nurtured in the coal-fields;
 In one hand, a copper hammer,
 In the other, tongs of iron;
 In the night was born the blacksmith,
 In the morn he built his smithy,
 Sought with care a favored hillock,
 Where the winds might fill his bellows;
 Found a hillock in the swamp-lands,
 Where the iron hid abundant;
 There he built his smelting furnace,
 There he laid his leathern bellows,
 Hastened where the wolves had travelled,
 Followed where the bears had trampled,
 Found the iron's young formations,
 In the wolf-tracks of the marshes,
 In the foot-prints of the gray-bear.

"Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 'Thus addressed the sleeping iron:
 Thou most useful of the metals,
 Thou art sleeping in the marshes,
 Thou art hid in low conditions,
 Where the wolf treads in the swamp-lands,
 Where the bear sleeps in the thickets.
 Hast thou thought and well considered,
 What would be thy future station,
 Should I place thee in the furnace,
 Thus to make thee free and useful?'

"Then was Iron sorely frightened,
 Much distressed and filled with horror,
 When of Fire he heard the mention,
 Mention of his fell destroyer.

"Then again speaks Ilmarinen,
 Thus the smith addresses Iron:
 'Be not frightened, useful metal,
 Surely Fire will not consume thee,
 Will not burn his youngest brother,
 Will not harm his nearest kindred.
 Come thou to my room and furnace,
 Where the fire is freely burning,
 Thou wilt live, and grow, and prosper,
 Wilt become the swords of heroes,
 Buckles for the belts of women.'

"Ere arose the star of evening,
 Iron ore had left the marshes,
 From the water-beds had risen,
 Had been carried to the furnace,
 In the fire the smith had laid it,
 Laid it in his smelting furnace.
 Ilmarinen starts the bellows,
 Gives three motions of the handle,
 And the iron flows in streamlets
 From the forge of the magician,
 Soon becomes like baker's leaven,
 Soft as dough for bread of barley.
 Then out-screamed the metal, Iron:
 'Wondrous blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Take, O take me from thy furnace,
 From this fire and cruel torture.'

"Ilmarinen thus made answer:
 'I will take thee from my furnace,
 'Thou art but a little frightened,
 Thou shalt be a mighty power,
 Thou shalt slay the best of heroes,
 Thou shalt wound thy dearest brother.'
 "Straightway Iron made this promise,
 Vowed and swore in strongest accents,
 By the furnace, by the anvil,
 By the tongs, and by the hammer,
 These the words he vowed and uttered:
 'Many trees that I shall injure,
 Shall devour the hearts of mountains,
 Shall not slay my nearest kindred,
 Shall not kill the best of heroes,
 Shall not wound my dearest brother;
 Better live in civil freedom,
 Happier would be my life-time,
 Should I serve my fellow-beings,
 Serve as tools for their convenience,
 Than as implements of warfare,
 Slay my friends and nearest. kindred,
 Wound the children of my mother.'

"Now the master, Ilmarinen,
 The renowned and skilful blacksmith,
 From the fire removes the iron,
 Places it upon the anvil,
 Hammers well until it softens,
 Hammers many fine utensils,
 Hammers spears, and swords, and axes,
 Hammers knives, and forks, and hatchets,
 Hammers tools of all descriptions.

"Many things the blacksmith needed,
 Many things he could not fashion,
 Could not make the tongue of iron,
 Could not hammer steel from iron,
 Could not make the iron harden.
 Well considered Ilmarinen,
 Deeply thought and long reflected.
 Then he gathered birchen ashes,
 Steeped the ashes in the water,
 Made a lye to harden iron,
 Thus to form the steel most needful.
 With his tongue he tests the mixture,
 Weighs it long and well considers,
 And the blacksmith speaks as follows:
 'All this labor is for nothing,
 Will not fashion steel from iron,
 Will not make the soft ore harden.'

"Now a bee flies from the meadow,
 Blue-wing coming from the flowers,
 Flies about, then safely settles
 Near the furnace of the smithy.

"'Thus the smith the bee addresses,
 These the words of Ilmarinen:
 'Little bee, thou tiny birdling,
 Bring me honey on thy winglets,
 On thy tongue, I pray thee, bring me
 Sweetness from the fragrant meadows,
 From the little cups of flowers,
 From the tips of seven petals,
 That we thus may aid the water
 To produce the steel from iron.'

"Evil Hisi's bird, the hornet,
 Heard these words of Ilmarinen,
 Looking from the cottage gable,
 Flying to the bark of birch-trees,
 While the iron bars were heating
 While the steel was being tempered;
 Swiftly flew the stinging hornet,
 Scattered all the Hisi horrors,
 Brought the blessing of the serpent,
 Brought the venom of the adder,
 Brought the poison of the spider,
 Brought the stings of all the insects,
 Mixed them with the ore and water,
 While the steel was being, tempered.

"Ilmarinen, skilful blacksmith,
 First of all the iron-workers,
 Thought the bee had surely brought him
 Honey from the fragrant meadows,
 From the little cups of flowers,
 From the tips of seven petals,
 And he spake the words that follow:
 'Welcome, welcome, is thy coming,
 Honeyed sweetness from the flowers
 Thou hast brought to aid the water,
 Thus to form the steel from iron!'

"Ilmarinen, ancient blacksmith,
 Dipped the iron into water,
 Water mixed with many poisons,
 Thought it but the wild bee's honey;
 Thus he formed the steel from iron.
 When he plunged it into water,
 Water mixed with many poisons,
 When be placed it in the furnace,
 Angry grew the hardened iron,
 Broke the vow that he had taken,
 Ate his words like dogs and devils,
 Mercilessly cut his brother,
 Madly raged against his kindred,
 Caused the blood to flow in streamlets
 From the wounds of man and hero.
 This, the origin of iron,
 And of steel of light blue color."

From the hearth arose the gray-beard,
 Shook his heavy looks and answered:
 "Now I know the source of iron,
 Whence the steel and whence its evils;
 Curses on thee, cruel iron,
 Curses on the steel thou givest,
 Curses on thee, tongue of evil,
 Cursed be thy life forever!
 Once thou wert of little value,
 Having neither form nor beauty,
 Neither strength nor great importance,
 When in form of milk thou rested,
 When for ages thou wert hidden
 In the breasts of God's three daughters,
 Hidden in their heaving bosoms,
 On the borders of the cloudlets,
 In the blue vault of the heavens.

"Thou wert once of little value,
 Having neither form nor beauty,
 Neither strength nor great importance,
 When like water thou wert resting
 On the broad back of the marshes,
 On the steep declines of mountains,
 When thou wert but formless matter,
 Only dust of rusty color.

"Surely thou wert void of greatness,
 Having neither strength nor beauty,
 When the moose was trampling on thee,
 When the roebuck trod upon thee,
 When the tracks of wolves were in thee,
 And the bear-paws scratched thy body.
 Surely thou hadst little value
 When the skilful Ilmarinen,
 First of all the iron-workers,
 Brought thee from the blackened swamp-lands,
 Took thee to his ancient smithy,
 Placed thee in his fiery furnace.
 Truly thou hadst little vigor,
 Little strength, and little danger,
 When thou in the fire wert hissing,
 Rolling forth like seething water,
 From the furnace of the smithy,
 When thou gavest oath the strongest,
 By the furnace, by the anvil,
 By the tongs, and by the hammer,
 By the dwelling of the blacksmith,
 By the fire within the furnace.

"Now forsooth thou hast grown mighty,
 Thou canst rage in wildest fury;
 Thou hast broken all thy pledges,
 All thy solemn vows hast broken,
 Like the dogs thou shamest honor,
 Shamest both thyself and kindred,
 Tainted all with breath of evil.
 Tell who drove thee to this mischief,
 Tell who taught thee all thy malice,
 Tell who gavest thee thine evil!
 Did thy father, or thy mother,
 Did the eldest of thy brothers,
 Did the youngest of thy sisters,
 Did the worst of all thy kindred
 Give to thee thine evil nature?
 Not thy father, nor thy mother,
 Not the eldest of thy brothers,
 Not the youngest of thy sisters,
 Not the worst of all thy kindred,
 But thyself hast done this mischief,
 Thou the cause of all our trouble.
 Come and view thine evil doings,
 And amend this flood of damage,
 Ere I tell thy gray-haired mother,
 Ere I tell thine aged father.
 Great indeed a mother's anguish,
 Great indeed a father's sorrow,
 When a son does something evil,
 When a child runs wild and lawless.

"Crimson streamlet, cease thy flowing
 From the wounds of Wainamoinen;
 Blood of ages, stop thy coursing
 From the veins of the magician;
 Stand like heaven's crystal pillars,
 Stand like columns in the ocean,
 Stand like birch-trees in the forest,
 Like the tall reeds in the marshes,
 Like the high-rocks on the sea-coast,
 Stand by power of mighty magic!

"Should perforce thy will impel thee,
 Flow thou on thine endless circuit,
 Through the veins of Wainamoinen,
 Through the bones, and through the muscles,
 Through the lungs, and heart, and liver,
 Of the mighty sage and singer;
 Better be the food of heroes,
 Than to waste thy strength and virtue
 On the meadows and the woodlands,
 And be lost in dust and ashes.
 Flow forever in thy circle;
 Thou must cease this crimson out-flow;
 Stain no more the grass and flowers,
 Stain no more these golden hill-tops,
 Pride and beauty of our heroes.
 In the veins of the magician,
 In the heart of Wainamoinen,
 Is thy rightful home and storehouse.
 Thither now withdraw thy forces,
 Thither hasten, swiftly flowing;
 Flow no more as crimson currents,
 Fill no longer crimson lakelets,
 Must not rush like brooks in spring-tide,
 Nor meander like the rivers.

"Cease thy flow, by word of magic,
 Cease as did the falls of Tyrya,
 As the rivers of Tuoni,
 When the sky withheld her rain-drops,
 When the sea gave up her waters,
 In the famine of the seasons,
 In the years of fire and torture.
 If thou heedest not this order,
 I shall offer other measures,
 Know I well of other forces;
 I shall call the Hisi irons,
 In them I shall boil and roast thee,
 Thus to check thy crimson flowing,
 Thus to save the wounded hero.

"If these means be inefficient,
 Should these measures prove unworthy,
 I shall call omniscient Ukko,
 Mightiest of the creators,
 Stronger than all ancient heroes,
 Wiser than the world-magicians;
 He will check the crimson out-flow,
 He will heal this wound of hatchet.

"Ukko, God of love and mercy,
 God and Master Of the heavens,
 Come thou hither, thou art needed,
 Come thou quickly I beseech thee,
 Lend thy hand to aid thy children,
 Touch this wound with healing fingers,
 Stop this hero's streaming life-blood,
 Bind this wound with tender leaflets,
 Mingle with them healing flowers,
 Thus to check this crimson current,
 Thus to save this great magician,
 Save the life of Wainamoinen."

Thus at last the blood-stream ended,
 As the magic words were spoken.
 Then the gray-beard, much rejoicing,
 Sent his young son to the smithy,
 There to make a healing balsam,
 From the herbs of tender fibre,
 From the healing plants and flowers,
 From the stalks secreting honey,
 From the roots, and leaves, and blossoms.

On the way he meets an oak-tree,
 And the oak the son addresses:
 "Hast thou honey in thy branches,
 Does thy sap run full of sweetness?"
 Thus the oak-tree wisely answers:
 "Yea, but last night dripped the honey
 Down upon my spreading branches,
 And the clouds their fragrance sifted,
 Sifted honey on my leaflets,
 From their home within the heavens."

Then the son takes oak-wood splinters,
 Takes the youngest oak-tree branches,
 Gathers many healing grasses,
 Gathers many herbs and flowers,
 Rarest herbs that grow in Northland,
 Places them within the furnace
 In a kettle made of copper;
 Lets them steep and boil together,
 Bits of bark chipped from the oak-tree,
 Many herbs of healing virtues;
 Steeps them one day, then a second,
 Three long days of summer weather,
 Days and nights in quick succession;
 Then he tries his magic balsam,
 Looks to see if it is ready,
 If his remedy is finished;
 But the balsam is unworthy.

Then he added other grasses,
 Herbs of every healing virtue,
 That were brought from distant nations,
 Many hundred leagues from Northland,
 Gathered by the wisest minstrels,
 Thither brought by nine enchanters.
 Three days more be steeped the balsam,
 Three nights more the fire be tended,
 Nine the days and nights be watched it,
 Then again be tried the ointment,
 Viewed it carefully and tested,
 Found at last that it was ready,
 Found the magic balm was finished.

Near by stood a branching birch-tree.
 On the border of the meadow,
 Wickedly it had been broken,
 Broken down by evil Hisi;
 Quick he takes his balm of healing,
 And anoints the broken branches,
 Rubs the balsam in the fractures,
 Thus addresses then the birch-tree:
 "With this balsam I anoint thee,
 With this salve thy wounds I cover,
 Cover well thine injured places;
 Now the birch-tree shall recover,
 Grow more beautiful than ever."

True, the birch-tree soon recovered,
 Grew more beautiful than ever,
 Grew more uniform its branches,
 And its bole more strong and stately.
 Thus it was be tried the balsam,
 Thus the magic salve he tested,
 Touched with it the splintered sandstone,
 Touched the broken blocks of granite,
 Touched the fissures in the mountains,
 And the broken parts united,
 All the fragments grew together.

Then the young boy quick returning
 With the balsam he had finished,
 To the gray-beard gave the ointment,
 And the boy these measures uttered
 "Here I bring the balm of healing,
 Wonderful the salve I bring thee;
 It will join the broken granite,
 Make the fragments grow together,
 Heat the fissures in the mountains,
 And restore the injured birch-tree."

With his tongue the old man tested,
 Tested thus the magic balsam,
 Found the remedy effective,
 Found the balm had magic virtues;
 Then anointed he the minstrel,
 Touched the wounds of Wainamoinen,
 Touched them with his magic balsam,
 With the balm of many virtues;
 Speaking words of ancient wisdom,
 These the words the gray-beard uttered:
 "Do not walk in thine own virtue,
 Do not work in thine own power,
 Walk in strength of thy Creator;
 Do not speak in thine own wisdom,
 Speak with tongue of mighty Ukko.
 In my mouth, if there be sweetness,
 It has come from my Creator;
 If my bands are filled with beauty,
 All the beauty comes from Ukko."

When the wounds had been anointed,
 When the magic salve had touched them,
 Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Suffered fearful pain and anguish,
 Sank upon the floor in torment,
 Turning one way, then another,
 Sought for rest and found it nowhere,
 Till his pain the gray-beard banished,
 Banished by the aid of magic,
 Drove away his killing torment
 To the court of all our trouble,
 To the highest hill of torture,
 To the distant rocks and ledges,
 To the evil-bearing mountains,
 To the realm of wicked Hisi.
 Then be took some silken fabric,
 Quick he tore the silk asunder,
 Making equal strips for wrapping,
 Tied the ends with silken ribbons,
 Making thus a healing bandage;
 Then he wrapped with skilful fingers
 Wainamoinen's knee and ankle,
 Wrapped the wounds of the magician,
 And this prayer the gray-beard uttered
 "Ukko's fabric is the bandage,
 Ukko's science is the surgeon,
 These have served the wounded hero,
 Wrapped the wounds of the magician.
 Look upon us, God of mercy,
 Come and guard us, kind Creator,
 And protect us from all evil!
 Guide our feet lest they may stumble,
 Guard our lives from every danger,
 From the wicked wilds of Hisi."

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Felt the mighty aid of magic,
 Felt the help of gracious Ukko,
 Straightway stronger grew in body,
 Straightway were the wounds united,
 Quick the fearful pain departed.
 Strong and hardy grew the hero,
 Straightway walked in perfect freedom,
 Turned his knee in all directions,
 Knowing neither pain nor trouble.

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Raised his eyes to high Jumala,
 Looked with gratitude to heaven,
 Looked on high, in joy and gladness,
 Then addressed omniscient Ukko,
 This the prayer the minstrel uttered:
 "O be praised, thou God of mercy,
 Let me praise thee, my Creator,
 Since thou gavest me assistance,
 And vouchsafed me thy protection,
 Healed my wounds and stilled mine anguish,
 Banished all my pain and trouble,
 Caused by Iron and by Hisi.
 O, ye people of Wainola,
 People of this generation,
 And the folk of future ages,
 Fashion not in emulation,
 River boat, nor ocean shallop,
 Boasting of its fine appearance,
 God alone can work completion,
 Give to cause its perfect ending,
 Never hand of man can find it,
 Never can the hero give it,
 Ukko is the only Master."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE X.

 

ILMARINEN FORGES THE SAMPO.

WAINAMOINEN, the magician,
 Takes his steed of copper color,
 Hitches quick his fleet-foot courser,
 Puts his racer to the snow-sledge,
 Straightway springs upon the cross-seat,
 Snaps his whip adorned with jewels.
 Like the winds the steed flies onward,
 Like a lightning flash, the racer
 Makes the snow-sledge creak and rattle,
 Makes the highway quickly vanish,
 Dashes on through fen and forest,
 Over hills and through the valleys,
 Over marshes, over mountains,
 Over fertile plains and meadows;
 Journeys one day, then a second,
 So a third from morn till evening,
 Till the third day evening brings him
 To the endless bridge of Osmo,
 To the Osmo-fields and pastures,
 To the plains of Kalevala;
 When the hero spake as follows:
 "May the wolves devour the dreamer,
 Eat the Laplander for dinner,
 May disease destroy the braggart,
 Him who said that I should never
 See again my much-loved home-land,
 Nevermore behold my kindred,
 Never during all my life-time,
 Never while the sunshine brightens,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers
 On the meadows of Wainola,
 On the plains of Kalevala."

Then began old Wainamoinen,
 Ancient bard and famous singer,
 To renew his incantations;
 Sang aloft a wondrous pine-tree,
 Till it pierced the clouds in growing
 With its golden top and branches,
 Till it touched the very heavens,
 Spread its branches in the ether,
 In the ever-shining sunlight.

Now he sings again enchanting,
 Sings the Moon to shine forever
 In the fir-tree's emerald branches;
 In its top he sings the Great Bear.
 Then be quickly journeys homeward,
 Hastens to his golden portals,
 Head awry and visage wrinkled,
 Crooked cap upon his forehead,
 Since as ransom he had promised
 Ilmarinen, magic artist,
 Thus to save his life from torture
 On the distant fields of Northland
 In the dismal Sariola.

When his stallion he had halted
 On the Osmo-field and meadow,
 Quickly rising in his snow-sledge,
 The magician heard one knocking,
 Breaking coal within the smithy,
 Beating with a heavy hammer.
 Wainamoinen, famous minstrel,
 Entering the smithy straightway,
 Found the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Knocking with his copper hammer.
 Ilmarinen spake as follows:
 "Welcome, brother Wainamoinen,
 Old and worthy Wainamoinen!
 Why so long hast thou been absent,
 Where hast thou so long been hiding?"

Wainamoinen then made answer,
 These the words of the magician:
 "Long indeed have I been living,
 Many dreary days have wandered,
 Many cheerless nights have lingered,
 Floating on the cruel ocean,
 Weeping in the fens and woodlands
 Of the never-pleasant Northland,
 In the dismal Sariola;
 With the Laplanders I've wandered,
 With the people filled with witchcraft."

Promptly answers Ilmarinen,
 These the words the blacksmith uses:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Famous and eternal singer,
 Tell me of thy journey northward,
 Of thy wanderings in Lapland,
 Of thy dismal journey homeward."
 Spake the minstrel, Wainamoinen:
 "I have much to tell thee, brother,
 Listen to my wondrous story:
 In the Northland lives a virgin,
 In a village there, a maiden,
 That will not accept a lover,
 That a hero's hand refuses,
 That a wizard's heart disdaineth;
 All of Northland sings her praises,
 Sings her worth and magic beauty,
 Fairest maiden of Pohyola,
 Daughter of the earth and ocean.
 From her temples beams the moonlight,
 From her breast, the gleam of sunshine,
 From her forehead shines the rainbow,
 On her neck, the seven starlets,
 And the Great Bear from her shoulder.

"Ilmarinen, worthy brother,
 Thou the only skilful blacksmith,
 Go and see her wondrous beauty,
 See her gold and silver garments,
 See her robed in finest raiment,
 See her sitting on the rainbow,
 Walking on the clouds of purple.
 Forge for her the magic Sampo,
 Forge the lid in many colors,
 Thy reward shall be the virgin,
 Thou shalt win this bride of beauty;
 Go and bring the lovely maiden
 To thy home in Kalevala."
 Spake the brother, Ilmarinen:
 O thou cunning Wainamoinen,
 Thou hast promised me already
 To the ever-darksome Northland,
 Thy devoted head to ransom,
 Thus to rescue thee from trouble.
 I shall never visit Northland,
 Shall not go to see thy maiden,
 Do not love the Bride of Beauty;
 Never while the moonlight glimmers,
 Shall I go to dreary Pohya,
 To the plains of Sariola,
 Where the people eat each other,
 Sink their heroes in the ocean,
 Not for all the maids of Lapland."
 Spake the brother, Wainamoinen:
 "I can tell thee greater wonders,
 Listen to my wondrous story:
 I have seen the fir-tree blossom,
 Seen its flowers with emerald branches,
 On the Osmo-fields and woodlands;
 In its top, there shines the moonlight,
 And the Bear lives in its branches."
 Ilmarinen thus made answer:
 "I cannot believe thy story,
 Cannot trust thy tale of wonder,
 Till I see the blooming fir-tree,
 With its many emerald branches,
 With its Bear and golden moonlight."
 This is Wainamoinen's answer:
 "Wilt thou not believe my story?
 Come with me and I will show thee
 If my lips speak fact or fiction."
 Quick they journey to discover,
 Haste to view the wondrous fir-tree;
 Wainamoinen leads the journey,
 Ilmarinen closely follows.
 As they near the Osmo-borders,
 Ilmarinen hastens forward
 That be may behold the wonder,
 Spies the Bear Within the fir-top,
 Sitting on its emerald branches,
 Spies the gleam of golden moonlight.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen,

These the words the singer uttered:
 Climb this tree, dear Ilmarinen,
 And bring down the golden moonbeams,
 Bring the Moon and Bear down with thee
 From the fir-tree's lofty branches."

Ilmarinen, full consenting,
 Straightway climbed the golden fir-tree,
 High upon the bow of heaven,
 Thence to bring the golden moonbeams,
 Thence to bring the Bear of heaven,
 From the fir-tree's topmost branches.

Thereupon the blooming fir-tree
 Spake these words to Ilmarinen:
 "O thou senseless, thoughtless hero,
 Thou hast neither wit nor instinct;
 Thou dost climb my golden branches,
 Like a thing of little judgment,
 Thus to get my pictured moonbeams,
 Take away my silver starlight,
 Steal my Bear and blooming branches."

Quick as thought old Wainamoinen
 Sang again in magic accents,
 Sang a storm-wind in the heavens,
 Sang the wild winds into fury,
 And the singer spake as follows:
 `Take, O storm-wind, take the forgeman,
 Carry him within thy vessel,
 Quickly hence, and land the hero
 On the ever-darksome Northland,
 On the dismal Sariola."

Now the storm-wind quickly darkens,
 Quickly piles the air together,
 Makes of air a sailing vessel,
 Takes the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Fleetly from the fir-tree branches,
 Toward the never-pleasant Northland,
 Toward the dismal Sariola.
 Through the air sailed Ilmarinen,
 Fast and far the hero travelled,
 Sweeping onward, sailing northward,
 Riding in the track of storm-winds,
 O'er the Moon, beneath the sunshine,
 On the broad back of the Great Bear,
 Till he neared Pohyola's woodlands,
 Neared the homes of Sariola,
 And alighted undiscovered,
 Was Dot noticed by the hunters,
 Was not scented by the watch-dogs.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Ancient, toothless dame of Northland,
 Standing in the open court-yard,
 Thus addresses Ilmarinen,
 As she spies the hero-stranger:
 "Who art thou of ancient heroes,
 Who of all the host of heroes,
 Coming here upon the storm-wind,
 O'er the sledge-path of the ether,
 Scented not by Pohya's watch-dogs?
 This is Ilmarinen's answer:
 "I have surely not come hither
 To be barked at by the watch-dogs,
 At these unfamiliar portals,
 At the gates of Sariola."

Thereupon the Northland hostess
 Asks again the hero-stranger:
 "Hast thou ever been acquainted
 With the blacksmith of Wainola,
 With the hero, Ilmarinen,
 With the skilful smith and artist?
 Long I've waited for his coming,
 Long this one has been expected,
 On the borders of the Northland,
 Here to forge for me the Sampo."
 Spake the hero, Ilmarinen:
 "Well indeed am I acquainted
 With the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 I myself am Ilmarinen,
 I, the skilful smith and artist."

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Toothless dame of Sariola,
 Straightway rushes to her dwelling,
 These the words that Louhi utters:
 "Come, thou youngest of my daughters,
 Come, thou fairest of my maidens,
 Dress thyself in finest raiment,
 Deck thy hair with rarest jewels,
 Pearls upon thy swelling bosom,
 On thy neck, a golden necklace,
 Bind thy head with silken ribbons,
 Make thy cheeks look fresh and ruddy,
 And thy visage fair and winsome,
 Since the artist, Ilmarinen,
 Hither comes from Kalevala,
 Here to forge for us the Sampo,
 Hammer us the lid in colors."

Now the daughter of the Northland,
 Honored by the land and water,
 Straightway takes her choicest raiment,
 Takes her dresses rich in beauty,
 Finest of her silken wardrobe,
 Now adjusts her silken fillet,
 On her brow a band of copper,
 Round her waist a golden girdle,
 Round her neck a pearly necklace,
 Shining gold upon her bosom,
 In her hair the threads of silver.
 From her dressing-room she hastens,
 To the hall she bastes and listens,
 Full of beauty, full of joyance,
 Ears erect and eyes bright-beaming,
 Ruddy cheeks and charming visage,
 Waiting for the hero-stranger.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Leads the hero, Ilmarinen,
 To her dwelling-rooms in Northland,
 To her home in Sariola,
 Seats him at her well-filled table,
 Gives to him the finest viands,
 Gives him every needed comfort,
 Then addresses him as follows:
 "O thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Master of the forge and smithy,
 Canst thou forge for me the Sampo,
 Hammer me the lid in colors,
 From the tips of white-swan feathers,
 From the milk of greatest virtue,
 From a single grain of barley,
 From the finest wool of lambkins?
 Thou shalt have my fairest daughter,
 Recompense for this thy service."
 These the words of Ilmarinen:
 "I will forge for thee the Sampo,
 Hammer thee the lid in colors,
 From the tips of white-swan feathers,
 From the milk of greatest virtue,
 From a single grain of barley,
 From the finest wool of lambkins?
 Since I forged the arch of heaven,
 Forged the air a concave cover,
 Ere the earth had a beginning."

Thereupon the magic blacksmith
 Went to forge the wondrous Sampo,
 Went to find a blacksmith's workshop,
 Went to find the tools to work with;
 But he found no place for forging,
 Found no smithy, found no bellows,
 Found no chimney, found no anvil,
 Found no tongs, and found no hammer.

Then the-artist, Ilmarinen.
 Spake these words, soliloquizing:
 "Only women grow discouraged,
 Only knaves leave work unfinished,
 Not the devils, nor the heroes,
 Nor the Gods of greater knowledge."

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Sought a place to build a smithy,
 Sought a place to plant a bellows,
 On the borders of the Northland,
 On the Pohya-hills and meadows;
 Searched one day, and then a second;
 Ere the evening of the third day,
 Came a rock within his vision,
 Came a stone with rainbow-colors.
 There the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Set at work to build his smithy,
 Built a fire and raised a chimney;
 On the next day laid his bellows,
 On the third day built his furnace,
 And began to forge the Sampo.

The eternal magic artist,
 Ancient blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 First of all the iron-workers,
 Mixed together certain metals,
 Put the mixture in the caldron,
 Laid it deep within the furnace,
 Called the hirelings to the forging.
 Skilfully they work the bellows,
 Tend the fire and add the fuel,
 Three most lovely days of summer,
 Three short nights of bright midsummer,
 Till the rocks begin to blossom,
 In the foot-prints of the workmen,
 From the magic heat and furnace.

On the first day, Ilmarinen
 Downward bent and well examined,
 On the bottom of his furnace,
 Thus to see what might be forming
 From the magic fire and metals.
 From the fire arose a cross-bow,
 "With the brightness of the moonbeams,
 Golden bow with tips of silver;
 On the shaft was shining copper,
 And the bow was strong and wondrous,
 But alas! it was ill-natured,
 Asking for a hero daily,
 Two the heads it asked on feast-days.

Ilmarinen, skilful artist,
 Was not pleased with this creation,
 Broke the bow in many pieces,
 Threw them back within the furnace,
 Kept the workmen at the bellows,
 Tried to forge the magic Sampo.

On the second day, the blacksmith
 Downward bent and well examined,
 On the bottom of the furnace;
 From the fire, a skiff of metals,
 Came a boat of purple color,
 All the ribs were colored golden,
 And the oars were forged from copper;
 Thus the skiff was full of beauty,
 But alas! a thing of evil;
 Forth it rushes into trouble,
 Hastens into every quarrel,
 Hastes without a provocation
 Into every evil combat.

Ilmarinen, metal artist,
 Is not pleased with this creation,
 Breaks the skiff in many fragments,
 Throws them back within the furnace,
 Keeps the workmen at the bellows,
 Thus to forge the magic Sampo.

On the third day, Ilmarinen,
 First of all the metal-workers,
 Downward bent and well examined,
 On the bottom of the furnace;
 There be saw a heifer rising,
 Golden were the horns of Kimmo,
 On her head the Bear of heaven,
 On her brow a disc of sunshine,
 Beautiful the cow of magic;
 But alas! she is ill-tempered,
 Rushes headlong through the forest,
 Rushes through the swamps and meadows,
 Wasting all her milk in running.

Ilmarinen, the magician.
 Is not pleased with this creation,
 Cuts the magic cow in pieces,
 Throws them in the fiery furnace,
 Sets the workmen at the bellows,
 Thus to forge the magic Sampo.

On the fourth day, Ilmarinen
 Downward bent and well examined,
 To the bottom of the furnace;
 There beheld a plow in beauty
 Rising from the fire of metals,
 Golden was the point and plowshare,
 And the beam was forged from copper,
 And the handles, molten silver,
 Beautiful the plow and wondrous;
 But alas! it is ill-mannered,
 Plows up fields of corn and barley,
 Furrows through the richest meadows.

Ilmarinen, metal artist,
 Is not pleased with this creation,
 Quickly breaks the plow in pieces,
 Throws them back within the furnace,
 Lets the winds attend the bellows,
 Lets the storm-winds fire the metals.
 Fiercely vie the winds of heaven,
 East-wind rushing, West-wind roaring,
 South-wind crying, North-wind howling,
 Blow one day and then a second,
 Blow the third from morn till even,
 When the fire leaps through the windows,
 Through the door the sparks fly upward,
 Clouds of smoke arise to heaven;
 With the clouds the black smoke mingles,
 As the storm-winds ply the bellows.

On the third night Ilmarinen,
 Bending low to view his metals,
 On the bottom of the furnace,
 Sees the magic Sampo rising,
 Sees the lid in many colors.
 Quick the artist of Wainola
 Forges with the tongs and anvil,
 Knocking with a heavy hammer,
 Forges skilfully the Sampo;
 On one side the flour is grinding,
 On another salt is making,
 On a third is money forging,
 And the lid is many-colored.
 Well the Sampo grinds when finished,
 To and fro the lid in rocking,
 Grinds one measure at the day-break,
 Grinds a measure fit for eating,
 Grinds a second for the market,
 Grinds a third one for the store-house.

Joyfully the dame of Northland,
 Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Takes away the magic Sampo,
 To the hills of Sariola,
 To the copper-bearing mountains,
 Puts nine locks upon the wonder,
 Makes three strong roots creep around it;
 In the earth they grow nine fathoms,
 One large root beneath the mountain,
 One beneath the sandy sea-bed,
 One beneath the mountain-dwelling.

Modestly pleads Ilmarinen
 For the maiden's willing answer,
 These the words of the magician:
 "Wilt thou come with me, fair maiden,
 Be my wife and queen forever?
 I have forged for thee the Sampo,
 Forged the lid in many colors."

Northland's fair and lovely daughter
 Answers thus the metal-worker:
 "Who will in the coming spring-time,
 Who will in the second summer,
 Guide the cuckoo's song and echo?
 Who will listen to his calling,
 Who will sing with him in autumn,
 Should I go to distant regions,
 Should this cheery maiden vanish
 From the fields of Sariola,
 From Pohyola's fens and forests,
 Where the cuckoo sings and echoes?
 Should I leave my father's dwelling,
 Should my mother's berry vanish,
 Should these mountains lose their cherry,
 Then the cuckoo too would vanish,
 All the birds would leave the forest,
 Leave the summit of the mountain,
 Leave my native fields and woodlands,
 Never shall I, in my life-time,
 Say farewell to maiden freedom,
 Nor to summer cares and labors,
 Lest the harvest be ungarnered,
 Lest the berries be ungathered,
 Lest the song-birds leave the forest,
 Lest the mermaids leave the waters,
 Lest I sing with them no longer."

Ilmarinen, the magician,
 The eternal metal-forger,
 Cap awry and head dejected,
 Disappointed, heavy-hearted,
 Empty-handed, well considers,
 How to reach his distant country,
 Reach his much-loved home and kinded,
 Gain the meadows of Wainola,
 From the never-pleasant Northland,
 From the darksome Sariola.
 Louhi thus addressed the suitor:
 "O thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Why art thou so heavy-hearted,
 Why thy visage so dejected?
 Hast thou in thy mind to journey
 From the vales and hills of Pohya,
 To the meadows of Wainola,
 To thy home in Kalevala?
 This is Ilmarinen's answer:
 "Thitherward my mind is tending,
 To my home-land let me journey,
 With my kindred let me linger,
 Be at rest in mine own country."

Straightway Louhi, dame of Northland,
 Gave the hero every comfort,
 Gave him food and rarest viands,
 Placed him in a boat of copper,
 In a copper-banded vessel,
 Called the winds to his assistance,
 Made the North-wind guide him homeward.
 Thus the skilful Ilmarinen
 Travels toward his native country,
 On the blue back of the waters,
 Travels one day, then a second,
 Till the third day evening brings him
 To Wainola's peaceful meadows,
 To his home in Kalevala.

Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Thus addresses Ilmarinen:
 "O my brother, metal-artist,
 Thou eternal wonder-worker,
 Didst thou forge the magic Sampo,
 Forge the lid in many colors?"

Spake the brother, Ilmarinen,
 These the words the master uttered:
 "Yea, I forged the magic Sampo,
 Forged the lid in many colors;
 To and fro the lid in rocking
 Grinds one measure at the day-dawn,
 Grinds a measure fit for eating,
 Grinds a second for the market,
 Grinds a third one for the store-house.
 Louhi has the wondrous Sampo,
 I have not the Bride of Beauty."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XI.

 

LEMMINKAINEN'S LAMENT.

THIS the time to sing of Ahti,
 Son of Lempo, Kaukomieli,
 Also known as Lemminkainen.
 Ahti was the king of islands,
 Grew amid the island-dwellings,
 At the site of his dear mother,
 On the borders of the ocean,
 On the points of promontories.
 Ahti fed upon the salmon,
 Fed upon the ocean whiting,
 Thus became a mighty hero,
 In his veins the blood of ages,
 Read erect and form commanding,
 Growth of mind and body perfect
 But alas! he had his failings,
 Bad indeed his heart and morals,
 Roaming in unworthy places,
 Staying days and nights in sequences
 At the homes of merry maidens,
 At the dances of the virgins,
 With the maids of braided tresses.

Up in Sahri lived a maiden,
 Lived the fair and winsome Kulli,
 Lovely as a summer-flower,
 From a kingly house descended,
 Grew to perfect form and beauty,
 Living in her father's cottage,
 Home of many ancient heroes,
 Beautiful was she and queenly,
 Praised throughout the whole of Ehstland;
 From afar men came to woo her,
 To the birthplace of the virgin,
 To the household of her mother.

For his son the Day-star wooes her,
 But she will not go to Sun-land,
 Will not shine beside the Day-star,
 In his haste to bring the summer.
 For her son, the bright Moon wooes her,
 But she will not go to Moon-land,
 By the bright Moon will not glimmer,
 Will not run through boundless ether.

For his son the Night-star wooes her,
 But she will not go to Star-land,
 Will not twinkle in the starlight,
 Through the dreary nights in winter.

Lovers come from distant Ehstlaud,
 Others come from far-off Ingern,
 But they cannot win the maiden,
 This the answer that she gives them
 "Vainly are your praises lavished
 Vainly is your silver offered,
 Wealth and praise are no temptation;
 Never shall I go to Ehstland,
 Never shall I go a-rowing
 On the waters of the Ingern,
 Shall not cross the Sahri-waters,
 Never eat the fish of Ehstland,
 Never taste the Ehstland viands.
 Ingerland shall never see me,
 Will not row upon her rivers,
 Will not step within her borders;
 Hunger there, and fell starvation,
 Wood is absent, fuel wanting,
 Neither water, wheat, nor barley,
 Even rye is not abundant."

Lemminkainen of the islands,
 Warlike hero, Kaukomieli,
 Undertakes to win the maiden,
 Woo and win the Sahri-flower,
 Win a bride so highly honored,
 Win the maid with golden tresses,
 Win the Sahri maid of beauty;
 But his mother gives him warning:
 "Nay," replies his gray-haired mother,
 "Do not woo, my son beloved,
 Maiden of a higher station;
 She will never make thee happy
 With her lineage of Sahri."

Spake the hero, Lemminkainen,
 These the words of Kaukomieli:
 "Should I come from lowly station,
 Though my tribe is not the highest,
 I shall woo to please my fancy,
 Woo the maiden fair and lovely,
 Choose a wife for worth and beauty."
 This the anxious mother's answer:
 "Lemminkainen, son beloved,
 Listen to advice maternal:
 Do not go to distant Sahri,
 To her tribe of many branches;
 All the maidens there will taunt thee,
 All the women will deride thee."

Lemminkainen, little hearing,
 Answers thus his mother's pleading:
 "I will still the sneers of women,
 Silence all the taunts of maidens,
 I will crush their haughty bosoms,
 Smite the hands and cheeks of infants;
 Surely this will check their insults,
 Fitting ending to derision!"
 This the answer of' the mother:
 "Woe is me, my son beloved!
 Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 Shouldst thou taunt the Sahri daughters.
 Or insult the maids of virtue,
 Shouldst thou laugh them to derision,
 There will rise a great contention,
 Fierce the battle that will follow.
 All the hosts of Sahri-suitors,
 Armed in thousands will attack thee,
 And will slay thee for thy folly."

Nothing listing, Lemminkainen,
 Heeding not his mother's warning,
 Led his war-horse from the stables,
 Quickly hitched the fiery charger,
 Fleetly drove upon his journey,
 To the distant Sahri-village,
 There to woo the Sahri-flower,
 There to win the Bride of Beauty.

All the aged Sahri-women,
 All the young and lovely maidens
 Laughed to scorn the coming stranger
 Driving careless through the alleys,
 Wildly driving through the court-yard,
 Now upsetting in the gate-way,
 Breaking shaft, and hame, and runner.

Then the fearless Lemminkainen,
 Mouth awry and visage wrinkled,
 Shook his sable locks and answered:
 "Never in my recollection
 Have I heard or seen such treatment,
 Never have I been derided,
 Never suffered sneers of women,
 Never suffered scorn of virgins,
 Not in my immortal life-time.
 Is there any place befitting
 On the Sahri-plains and pastures,
 Where to join in songs and dances?
 Is there here a hall for pleasure,
 Where the Sahri-maidens linger,
 Merry maids with braided tresses?"

Thereupon the Sahri-maidens
 Answered from their promontory.,
 "Room enough is there in Sahri,
 Room upon the Sahri-pastures,
 Room for pleasure-halls and dances;
 Sing and dance upon our meadows,
 Be a shepherd on the mountains,
 Shepherd-boys have room for dancing;
 Indolent the Sahri-children,
 But the colts are fat and frisky."

Little caring, Lemminkainen
 Entered service there as shepherd,
 In the daytime on the pastures,
 In the evening, making merry
 At the games of lively maidens,
 At the dances with the virgins,
 With the maids with braided tresses.
 Thus it was that Lemminkainen,
 Thus the shepherd, Kaukomieli,
 Quickly hushed the women's laughter,
 Quickly quenched the taunts of maidens,
 Quickly silenced their derision.
 All the dames and Sahri-daughters
 Soon were feasting Lemminkainen,
 At his side they danced and lingered.
 Only was there one among them,
 One among the Sahri-virgins,
 Harbored neither love nor wooers,
 Favored neither gods nor heroes,
 This the lovely maid Kyllikki,
 This the Sahri's fairest flower.
 Lemminkainen, full of pleasure,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Rowed a hundred boats in pieces,
 Pulled a thousand oars to fragments,
 While he wooed the Maid of Beauty,
 Tried to win the fair Kyllikki.

Finally the lovely maiden,
 Fairest daughter of the Northland,
 Thus addresses Lemminkainen:
 "Why dost linger here, thou weak one,
 Why dost murmur on these borders,
 Why come wooing at my fireside,
 Wooing me in belt of copper?
 Have no time to waste upon thee,
 Rather give this stone its polish,
 Rather would I turn the pestle
 In the heavy sandstone mortar;
 Rather sit beside my mother
 In the dwellings of my father.
 Never shall I heed thy wooing,
 Neither wights nor whisks I care for,
 Sooner have a slender husband
 Since I have a slender body;
 Wish to have him fine of figure,
 Since perchance I am well-shapen;
 Wish to have him tall and stately,
 Since my form perchance is queenly;
 Never waste thy time in wooing
 Saliri's maid and favored flower."

Time had gone but little distance,
 Scarcely had a month passed over,
 When upon a merry evening,
 Where the maidens meet for dancing,
 In the glen beyond the meadow,
 On a level patch of verdure,
 Came too soon the maid Kyllikki,
 Sahri's pride, the Maid of Beauty;
 Quickly followed Lemminkainen,
 With his stallion proudly prancing,
 Fleetest racer of the Northland,
 Fleetly drives beyond the meadow,
 Where the maidens meet for dancing,
 Snatches quick the maid Kyllikki,
 On the settle seats the maiden,
 Quickly draws the leathern cover,
 And adjusts the brichen cross-bar,
 Whips his courser to a gallop.
 With a rush, and roar, and rattle,
 Speeds he homeward like the storm-wind,
 Speaks these words to those that listen:
 "Never, never, anxious maidens,
 Must ye give the information,
 That I carried off Kyllikki
 To my distant home and kindred.
 If ye do not heed this order,
 Ye shall badly fare as maidens;
 I shall sing to war your suitors,
 Sing them under spear and broadsword,
 That for months, and years, and ages,
 Never ye will see their faces,
 Never hear their merry voices,
 Never will they tread these uplands,
 Never will they join these dances,
 Never will they drive these highways."

Sad the wailing of Kyllikki,
 Sad the weeping flower of Sahri!
 Listen to her tearful pleading:
 "Give, O give me back my freedom,
 Free me from the throes of thralldom,
 Let this maiden wander homeward,
 By some foot-path let me wander
 To my father who is grieving,
 To my mother who is weeping;
 Let me go or I will curse thee!
 If thou wilt not give me freedom,
 Wilt not let me wander homeward,
 Where my loved ones wait my coming,
 I have seven stalwart brothers,
 Seven sons of father's brother,
 Seven sons of mother's sister,
 Who pursue the tracks of red-deer,
 Hunt the hare upon the heather;
 They will follow thee and slay thee,
 Thus I'll gain my wished-for freedom."

Lemminkainen, little heeding,
 Would not grant the maiden's wishes,
 Would not heed her plea for mercy.
 Spake again the waiting virgin,
 Pride and beauty of the Northland:
 "Joyful was I with my kindred,
 Joyful born and softly nurtured
 Merrily I spent my childhood,
 Happy I, in virgin-freedom,
 In the dwelling of my father,
 By the bedside of my mother,
 With my lineage in Sahri;
 But alas! all joy has vanished,
 All my happiness departed,
 All my maiden beauty waneth
 Since I met thine evil spirit,
 Shameless hero of dishonor,
 Cruel fighter of the islands,
 Merciless in civil combat."

Spake the hero, Lemminkainen,
 These the words of Kaukomieli:
 "Dearest maiden, fair Kyllikki,
 My sweet strawberry of Pohya,
 Still thine anguish, cease thy weeping,
 Be thou free from care and sorrow,
 Never shall I do thee evil,
 Never will my hands maltreat thee,
 Never will mine arms abuse thee,
 Never will my tongue revile thee,
 Never will my heart deceive thee.

"Tell me why thou hast this anguish,
 Why thou hast this bitter sorrow,
 Why this sighing and lamenting,
 Tell me why this wail of sadness?
 Banish all thy cares and sorrows,
 Dry thy tears and still thine anguish,
 I have cattle, food, and shelter,
 I have home, and friends, and kindred,
 Kine upon the plains and uplands,
 In the marshes berries plenty,
 Strawberries upon the mountains
 I have kine that need no milking,
 Handsome kine that need no feeding,
 Beautiful if not well-tended;
 Need not tie them up at evening,
 Need not free them in the morning,
 Need not hunt them, need not feed them,
 Need not give them salt nor water.

"Thinkest thou my race is lowly,
 Dost thou think me born ignoble,
 Does my lineage agrieve thee?
 Was not born in lofty station,
 From a tribe of noble heroes,
 From a worthy race descended;
 But I have a sword of fervor,
 And a spear yet filled with courage,
 Surely these are well descended,
 These were born from hero-races,
 Sharpened by the mighty Hisi,
 By the gods were forged and burnished;
 Therefore will I give thee greatness,
 Greatness of my race and nation,
 With my broadsword filled with fervor,
 With my spear still filled with courage."

Anxiously the sighing maiden
 Thus addresses Lemminkainen:
 "O thou Ahti, son of Lempo,
 Wilt thou take this trusting virgin,
 As thy faithful life-companion,
 Take me under thy protection,
 Be to me a faithful husband,
 Swear to me an oath of honor,
 That thou wilt not go to battle,
 When for gold thou hast a longing,
 When thou wishest gold and silver?"
 This is Lemminkainen's answer:
 I will swear an oath of honor,
 That I'll never go to battle,
 When for gold I feel a longing,
 When I wish for gold and silver.
 Swear thou also on thine honor,
 Thou wilt go not to the village,
 When desire for dance impels thee,
 Wilt not visit village-dances."

Thus the two made oath together,
 Registered their vows in heaven,
 Vowed before omniscient Ukko,
 Ne'er to go to war vowed Ahti,
 Never to the dance, Kyllikki.

Lemminkainen, full of joyance,
 Snapped his whip above his courser,
 Whipped his racer to a gallop,
 And these words the hero uttered:
 "Fare ye well, ye Sahri-meadows,
 Roots of firs, and stumps of birch-trees.
 That I wandered through in summer,
 That I travelled o'er in winter,
 Where ofttimes in rainy seasons,
 At the evening hour I lingered,
 When I sought to win the virgin,
 Sought to win the Maid of Beauty,
 Fairest of the Sahri-flowers.
 Fare ye well, ye Sahri-woodlands,
 Seas and oceans, lakes and rivers,
 Vales and mountains, isles and inlets,
 Once the home of fair Kyllikki!"

Quick the racer galloped homeward,
 Galloped on along the highway,
 Toward the meadows of Wainola,
 To the plains of Kalevala.

As they neared the Ahti-dwellings,
 Thus Kyllikki spake in sorrow:
 "Cold and drear is thy cottage,
 Seeming like a place deserted;
 Who may own this dismal cabin,
 Who the one so little honored?"

Spake the hero, Lemminkainen,
 These the words that Ahti uttered:
 "Do not grieve about my cottage,
 Have no care about my chambers;
 I shall build thee other dwellings,
 I shall fashion them much better,
 Beams, and posts, and sills, and rafters,
 Fashioned from the sacred birch-wood."

Now they reach the home of Ahti,
 Lemminkainen's home and birthplace,
 Enter they his mother's cottage;
 There they meet his aged mother,
 These the words the mother uses:
 "Long indeed hast thou been absent,
 Long in foreign lands hast wandered,
 Long in Sahri thou hast lingered!"
 This is Lemminkainen's answer:
 "All the host of Sahri-women,
 All the chaste and lovely maidens,
 All the maids with braided tresses,
 Well have paid for their derision,
 For their scorn and for their laughter,
 That they basely heaped upon me.
 I have brought the best among them
 In my sledge to this thy cottage;
 Well I wrapped her in my fur-robes,
 Kept her warm enwrapped in bear-skin,
 Brought her to my mother's dwelling,
 As my faithful life-companion;
 Thus I paid the scornful maidens,
 Paid them well for their derision.

"Cherished mother of my being,
 I have found the long-sought jewel,
 I have won the Maid of Beauty.
 Spread our couch with finest linen,
 For our heads the softest pillows,
 On our table rarest viands,
 So that I may dwell in pleasure
 With my spouse, the bride of honor,
 With the pride of distant Sahri."
 This the answer of the mother:
 "Be thou praised, O gracious Ukko,
 Loudly praised, O thou Creator,
 Since thou givest me a daughter,
 Ahti's bride, my second daughter,
 Who can stir the fire at evening,
 Who can weave me finest fabrics,
 Who can twirl the useful spindle,
 Who can rinse my silken ribbons,
 Who can full the richest garments.

"Son beloved, praise thy Maker,
 For the winning of this virgin,
 Pride and joy of distant Sahri
 Kind indeed is thy Creator,
 Wise the ever-knowing Ukko!
 Pure the snow upon the mountains,
 Purer still thy Bride of Beauty;
 White the foam upon the ocean,
 Whiter still her virgin-spirit;
 Graceful on the lakes, the white-swan,
 Still more graceful, thy companion:
 Beautiful the stars in heaven,
 Still more beautiful, Kyllikki.
 Larger make our humble cottage,
 Wider build the doors and windows,
 Fashion thou the ceilings higher,
 Decorate the walls in beauty,
 Now that thou a bride hast taken
 From a tribe of higher station,
 Purest maiden of creation,
 From the meadow-lands of Sahri,
 From the upper shores of Northland."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XII.

 

KYLLIKKI'S BROKEN VOW.

LEMMINKAINEN, artful husband,
 Reckless hero, Kaukomieli,
 Constantly beside his young wife.,
 Passed his life in sweet contentment,
 And the years rolled swiftly onward;
 Ahti thought not of the battles,
 Nor Kyllikki of the dances.

Once upon a time it happened
 That the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Went upon the lake a-fishing,
 Was not home at early evening,
 As the cruel night descended;
 To the village went Kyllikki,
 To the dance of merry maidens.

Who will tell the evil story,
 Who will bear the information
 To the husband, Lemminkainen?
 Ahti's sister tells the story,
 And the sister's name, Ainikki.

Soon she spreads the cruel tidings,
 Straightway gives the information,
 Of Kyllikki's perjured honor,
 These the words Ainikki utters:
 "Ahti, my beloved brother,
 To the village went Kyllikki,
 To the hall of many strangers,
 To the plays and village dances,
 With the young men and the maidens,
 With the maids of braided tresses,
 To the halls of joy and pleasure."

Lemminkainen, much dejected,
 Broken-hearted, flushed with anger,
 Spake these words in measured accents:
 "Mother dear, my gray-haired mother,
 Wilt thou straightway wash my linen
 In the blood of poison-serpents,
 In the black blood of the adder?
 I must hasten to the combat,
 To the camp-fires of the Northland,
 To the battle-fields of Lapland;
 To the village went Kyllikki,
 To the play of merry maidens,
 To the games and village dances,
 With the maids of braided tresses."
 Straightway speaks the wife, Kyllikki:
 "My beloved husband, Ahti,
 Do not go to war, I pray thee.
 In the evening I lay sleeping,
 Slumbering I saw in dream-land
 Fire upshooting from the chimney,
 Flames arising, mounting skyward,
 From the windows of this dwelling,
 From the summits of these rafters,
 Piercing through our upper chambers,
 Roaring like the fall of waters,
 Leaping from the floor and ceiling,
 Darting from the halls and doorways."

But the doubting Lemminkainen
 Makes this answer to Kyllikki:
 "I discredit dreams or women,
 Have no faith in vows of maidens!
 Faithful mother of my being,
 Hither bring my mail of copper;
 Strong desire is stirring in me
 For the cup of deadly combat,
 For the mead of martial conquest."
 This the pleading mother's answer:
 "Lemminkainen, son beloved,
 Do not go to war I pray thee;
 We have foaming beer abundant,
 In our vessels beer of barley,
 Held in casks by oaken spigots;
 Drink this beer of peace and pleasure,
 Let us drink of it together."
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "I shall taste no more the viands,
 In the home of false Kyllikki;
 Rather would I drink the water
 From the painted tips of birch-oars;
 Sweeter far to me the water,
 Than the beverage of dishonor,
 At my mother's home and fireside!

"Hither bring my martial doublet,
 Bring me now the sword of battle,
 Bring my father's sword of honor;
 I must go to upper Northland,
 To the battle-fields of Lapland,
 There to win me gold and silver."
 This the anxious mother's answer:
 "My beloved Kaukomieli,
 We have gold in great abundance,
 Gold and silver in the store-room;
 Recently upon the uplands,
 In the early hours of morning,
 Toiled the workmen in the corn-fields,
 Plowed the meadows filled with serpents,
 When the plowshare raised the cover
 From a chest of gold and silver,
 Countless was the gold uncovered,
 Hid beneath the grassy meadow;
 This the treasure I have brought thee,
 Take the countless gold in welcome."
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "Do not wish thy household silver,
 From the wars I'll earn my silver;
 Gold and silver from the combat
 Are to me of greater value
 Than the wealth thou hast discovered.
 Bring me now my heavy armor,
 Bring me too my spear and broadsword;
 To the Northland I must hasten,
 To the bloody wars of Lapland,
 Thither does my pride impel me,
 Thitherward my heart is turning.

"I have heard a tale of Lapland,
 Some believe the wondrous story,
 That a maid in Pimentola
 Lives that does not care for suitors,
 Does not care for bearded heroes."
 This the aged mother's answer:
 "Warlike Athi, son beloved,
 In thy home thou hast Kyllikki,
 Fairest wife of all the islands;
 Strange to see two wives abiding
 In the home of but one husband."
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "To the village runs Kyllikki;
 Let her run to village dances,
 Let her sleep in other dwellings,
 With the village youth find pleasure,
 With the maids of braided tresses."

Seeks the mother to detain him,
 Thus the anxious mother answers:
 "Do not go, my son beloved,
 Ignorant of Pohya-witchcraft,
 To the distant homes of Northland
 Till thou hast the art of magic,
 Till thou hast some little wisdom
 Do not go to fields of battle,
 To the fires of Northland's children,
 To the slaughter-fields of Lapland,
 Till of magic thou art master.
 There the Lapland maids will charm thee,
 Turyalanders will bewitch thee,
 Sing thy visage into charcoal,
 Head and shoulders to the furnace,
 Into ashes sing thy fore-arm,
 Into fire direct thy footsteps."
 Spake the warlike Lemminkainen:
 Wizards often have bewitched me,
 And the fascinating serpents;
 Lapland wizards, three in number,
 On an eve in time of summer,
 Sitting on a rock at twilight,
 Not a garment to protect them,
 Once bewitched me with their magic;
 This much they have taken from me,
 This the sum of all my losses:
 What the hatchet gains from flint-stone,
 What the auger bores from granite,
 What the heel chips from the iceberg,
 And what death purloins from tomb-stones.

"Horribly the wizards threatened,
 Tried to sink me with their magic,
 In the water of the marshes,
 In the mud and treacherous quicksand,
 To my chin in mire and water;
 But I too was born a hero,
 Born a hero and magician,
 Was not troubled by their magic.

"Straightway I began my singing,
 Sang the archers with their arrows,
 Sang the spearmen with their weapons,
 Sang the swordsmen with their poniards,
 Sang the singers with their singing,
 The enchanters with their magic,
 To the rapids of the rivers,
 To the highest fall of waters,
 To the all-devouring whirlpool,
 To the deepest depths of ocean,
 Where the wizards still are sleeping,
 Sleeping till the grass shoots upward
 Through the beards and wrinkled faces,
 Through the locks of the enchanters,
 As they sleep beneath the billows."

Still entreats the anxious mother,
 Still beseeches Lemminkainen,
 Trying to restrain the hero,
 While Kyllikki begs forgiveness;
 This the language of the mother:
 "Do not go, my son beloved,
 To the villages of Northland,
 Nor to Lapland's frigid borders;
 Dire misfortune will befall thee,
 Star of evil settle o'er thee,
 Lemminkainen's end, destruction.

"Couldst thou speak in tongues a hundred,
 I could not believe thee able,
 Through the magic of thy singing,
 To enchant the sons of Lapland
 To the bottom of the ocean,
 Dost not know the Tury-language,
 Canst but speak the tongue of Suomi,
 Canst not win by witless magic."

Lemminkainen, reckless hero,
 Also known as Kaukomieli,
 Stood beside his mother, combing
 Out his sable locks and musing,
 Brushing down his beard, debating,
 Steadfast still in his decision,
 Quickly hurls his brush in anger,
 Hurls it to the wall opposing,
 Gives his mother final answer,
 These the words that Ahti uses:
 "Dire misfortune will befall me,
 Some sad fate will overtake me,
 Evil come to Lemminkainen,
 When the blood flows from that hair-brush,
 When blood oozes from those bristles."

Thus the warlike Lemminkainen
 Goes to never-pleasant Lapland,
 Heeding not his mother's warning,
 Heeding not her prohibition.
 Thus the hero, Kaukomieli,
 Quick equips himself for warfare,
 On his head a copper helmet,
 On his shoulders caps of copper,
 On his body iron armor,
 Steel, the belt around his body;
 As he girds himself for battle,
 Ahti thus soliloquizing:
 "Strong the hero in his armor,
 Strong indeed in copper helmet,
 Powerful in mail of iron,
 Stronger far than any hero
 On the dismal shores of Lapland,
 Need not fear their wise enchanters,
 Need not fear their strongest foemen,
 Need not fear a war with wizards."

Grasped he then the sword of battle,
 Firmly grasped the heavy broadsword
 That Tuoni had been grinding,
 That the gods had brightly burnished,
 Thrust it in the leathern scabbard,
 Tied the scabbard to his armor.

How do heroes guard from danger,
 Where protect themselves from evil?
 Heroes guard their homes and firesides,
 Guard their doors, and roofs, and windows,
 Guard the posts that bold the torch-lights,
 Guard the highways to the court-yard,
 Guard the ends of all the gate-ways.
 Heroes guard themselves from women,
 Carefully from merry maidens;
 If in this their strength be wanting,
 Easy fall the heroes, victims
 To the snares of the enchanters.
 Furthermore are heroes watchful
 Of the tribes of warlike giants,
 Where the highway doubly branches,
 On the borders of the blue-rock,
 On the marshes filled with evil,
 Near the mighty fall of waters,
 Near the circling of the whirlpool,
 Near the fiery springs and rapids.
 Spake the stout-heart, Lemminkainen:
 "Rise ye heroes of the broadsword,
 Ye, the earth's eternal heroes,
 From the deeps, ye sickle-bearers,
 From the brooks, ye crossbow-shooters,
 Come, thou forest, with thine archers,
 Come, ye thickets, with your armies,
 Mountain spirits, with your powers,
 Come, fell Hisi, with thy horrors,
 Water-mother, with thy dangers,
 Come, Wellamo, with thy mermaids,
 Come, ye maidens from the valleys,
 Come, ye nymphs from winding rivers,
 Be protection to this hero,
 Be his day-and-night companions,
 Body-guard to Lemminkainen,
 Thus to blunt the spears of wizards,
 Thus to dull their pointed arrows,
 That the spears of the enchanters,
 That the arrows of the archers,
 That the weapons of the foemen,
 May not harm this bearded hero.

"Should this force be insufficient,
 I can call on other powers,
 I can call the gods above me,
 Call the great god of the heavens,
 Him who gives the clouds their courses,
 Him who rules through boundless ether,
 Who directs the march of storm-winds.

"Ukko, thou O God above me,
 Thou the father of creation,
 Thou that speakest through the thunder,
 Thou whose weapon is the lightning,
 Thou whose voice is borne by ether,
 Grant me now thy mighty fire-sword,
 Give me here thy burning arrows,
 Lightning arrows for my quiver,
 Thus protect me from all danger,
 Guard me from the wiles of witches,
 Guide my feet from every evil,
 Help me conquer the enchanters,
 Help me drive them from the Northland;
 Those that stand in front of battle,
 Those that fill the ranks behind me,
 Those around me, those above me,
 Those beneath me, help me banish,.
 With their knives, and swords, and cross-bows,
 With their spears of keenest temper,
 With their tongues of evil magic;
 Help me drive these Lapland wizards
 To the deepest depths of ocean,
 There to wrestle with Wellamo."

Then the reckless Lemminkainen
 Whistled loudly for his stallion,
 Called the racer from the hurdles,
 Called his brown steed from the pasture,
 Threw the harness on the courser,
 Hitched the fleet-foot to the snow-sledge,
 Leaped upon the highest cross-bench,
 Cracked his whip above the racer,
 And the steed flies onward swiftly,
 Bounds the sleigh upon its journey,
 And the golden plain re-echoes;
 Travels one day, then a second,
 Travels all the next day northward,
 Till the third day evening brings him
 To a sorry Northland village,
 On the dismal shores of Lapland.

Here the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Drove along the lowest highway,
 Through the streets along the border,
 To a court-yard in the hamlet,
 Asked one standing in the doorway:
 "Is there one within this dwelling,
 That can loose my stallion's breastplate,
 That can lift his heavy collar,
 That these shafts can rightly lower?"

On the floor a babe was playing,
 And the young child gave this answer:
 "There is no one in this dwelling
 That can loose thy stallion's breastplate,
 That can lift his heavy collar,
 That the shafts can rightly lower."

Lemminkainen, not discouraged,
 Whips his racer to a gallop,
 Rushes forward through the village,
 On the middle of the highways,
 To the court-yard in the centre,
 Asks one standing in the threshold,
 Leaning on the penthouse door-posts:
 "Is there any one here dwelling
 That can slip my stallion's bridle,
 That can loose his leathern breast-straps,
 That can tend my royal racer?"

From the fire-place spake a wizard,
 From her bench the witch made answer:
 "Thou canst find one in this dwelling,
 That can slip thy courser's bridle,
 That can loose his heavy breastplate,
 That can tend thy royal racer.
 There are here a thousand heroes
 That can make thee hasten homeward,
 That can give thee fleet-foot stallions,
 That can chase thee to thy country,
 Reckless rascal and magician,
 To thy home and fellow minstrels,
 To the uplands of thy father,
 To the cabins of thy mother,
 To the work-bench of thy brother,
 To the dairy or thy sister,
 Ere the evening star has risen,
 Ere the sun retires to slumber."

Lemminkainen, little fearing,
 Gives this answer to the wizard:
 "I should slay thee for thy pertness,
 That thy clatter might be silenced."

Then he whipped his fiery charger,
 And the steed flew onward swiftly,
 On the upper of the highways,
 To the court-yard on the summit.
 When the reckless Lemminkainen
 Had approached the upper court-yard,
 Uttered he the words that follow:
 "O thou Hisi, stuff this watch-dog,
 Lempo, stuff his throat and nostrils,
 Close the mouth of this wild barker,
 Bridle well the vicious canine,
 That the watcher may be silent
 While the hero passes by him."

Then he stepped within the court-room,
 With his whip he struck the flooring,
 From the floor arose a vapor,
 In the fog appeared a pigmy,
 Who unhitched the royal racer,
 From his back removed the harness,
 Gave the weary steed attention.
 Then the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Carefully advanced and listened.
 No one saw the strange magician,
 No one heard his cautious footsteps;
 Heard he songs within the dwelling,
 Through the moss-stuffed chinks heard voices.
 Through the walls he beard them singing,
 Through the doors the peals of laughter.

Then he spied within the court-rooms,
 Lurking slyly in the hall-ways,
 Found the court-rooms filled with singers,
 By the walls were players seated,
 Near the doors the wise men hovered,
 Skilful ones upon the benches,
 Near the fires the wicked wizards;
 All were singing songs of Lapland,
 Singing songs of evil Hisi.

Now the minstrel, Lemminkainen,
 Changes both his form and stature,
 Passes through the inner door-ways,
 Enters he the spacious court-hall,
 And these words the hero utters:
 "Fine the singing quickly ending,
 Good the song that quickly ceases;
 Better far to keep thy wisdom
 Than to sing it on the house-tops."

Comes the hostess of Pohyola,
 Fleetly rushing through the door-way,
 To the centre of the court-room,
 And addresses thus the stranger:
 Formerly a dog lay watching,
 Was a cur of iron-color,
 Fond of flesh, a bone-devourer,
 Loved to lick the blood of strangers.
 Who then art thou of the heroes,
 Who of all the host of heroes,
 That thou art within my court-rooms,
 That thou comest to my dwelling,
 Was not seen without my portals,
 Was not scented by my watch-dogs?
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Do not think that I come hither
 Having neither wit nor wisdom,
 Having neither art nor power,
 Wanting in ancestral knowledge,
 Lacking prudence of the fathers,
 That thy watch-dogs may devour me.

"My devoted mother washed me,
 When a frail and tender baby,
 Three times in the nights of summer,
 Nine times in the nights of autumn,
 That upon my journeys northward
 I might sing the ancient wisdom,
 Thus protect myself from danger;
 When at home I sing as wisely
 As the minstrels of thy hamlet."

Then the singer, Lemminkainen,
 Ancient hero, Kaukomieli,
 Quick began his incantations,
 Straightway sang the songs of witchcraft,
 From his fur-robe darts the lightning,
 Flames outshooting from his eye-balls,
 From the magic of his singing
 From his wonderful enchantment.
 Sang the very best of singers
 To the very worst of minstrels,
 Filled their mouths with dust and ashes,
 Piled the rocks upon their shoulders,
 Stilled the best of Lapland witches,
 Stilled the sorcerers and wizards.
 Then he banished all their heroes,
 Banished all their proudest minstrels,
 This one hither, that one thither,
 To the lowlands poor in verdure,
 To the unproductive uplands,
 To the oceans wanting whiting,
 To the waterfalls of Rutya,
 To the whirlpool hot and flaming,
 To the waters decked with sea-foam,
 Into fires and boiling waters,
 Into everlasting torment.

Then the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Sang the foemen with their broadswords?
 Sang the heroes with their weapons,
 Sang the eldest, sang the youngest,
 Sang the middle-aged, enchanted;
 Only one he left his senses,
 He a poor, defenseless shepherd,
 Old and sightless, halt and wretched,
 And the old man's name was Nasshut.
 Spake the miserable shepherd:
 "Thou hast old and young enchanted,
 Thou hast banished all our heroes,
 Why hast spared this wretched shepherd?"
 This is Lemminkainen's answer:
 "Therefore have I not bewitched thee:
 Thou art old, and blind, and wretched
 Feeble-minded thou, and harmless,
 Loathsome now without my magic.
 Thou didst, in thy better life-time,
 When a shepherd filled with malice,
 Ruin all thy mother's berries,
 Make thy sister, too unworthy,
 Ruin all thy brother's cattle,
 Drive to death thy father's stallions,
 Through the marshes, o'er the meadows,
 Through the lowlands, o'er the mountains,
 Heeding not thy mother's counsel."

Thereupon the wretched Nasshut,
 Angry grew and swore for vengeance,
 Straightway limping through the door-way,
 Hobbled on beyond the court-yard,
 O'er the meadow-lands and pastures,
 To the river of the death-land,
 To the holy stream and whirlpool,
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 To the islands of Manala;
 Waited there for Kaukomieli,
 Listened long for Lemminkainen,
 Thinking he must pass this river
 On his journey to his country,
 On. the highway to the islands,
 From the upper shores of Pohya,
 From the dreary Sariola.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XIII.

 

LEMMINIKAINEN'S SECOND WOOING.

SPAKE the ancient Lemminkainen
 To the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Give to me thy lovely daughter,
 Bring me now thy winsome maiden,
 Bring the best of Lapland virgins,
 Fairest virgin of the Northland."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Answered thus the wild magician:
 "I shall never give my daughter,
 Never give my fairest maiden,
 Not the best one, nor the worst one,
 Not the largest, nor the smallest;
 Thou hast now one wife-companion,
 Thou has taken hence one hostess,
 Carried off the fair Kyllikki."

This is Lemminkainen's answer:
 To my home I took Kyllikki,
 To my cottage on the island,
 To my entry-gates and kindred;
 Now I wish a better hostess,
 Straightway bring thy fairest daughter,
 Worthiest of all thy virgins,
 Fairest maid with sable tresses."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Never will I give my daughter
 To a hero false and worthless,
 To a minstrel vain and evil;
 Therefore, pray thou for my maiden,
 Therefore, woo the sweet-faced flower,
 When thou bringest me the wild-moose
 From the Hisi fields and forests."

Then the artful Lemminkainen
 Deftly whittled out his javelins,
 Quickly made his leathern bow-string,
 And prepared his bow and arrows,
 And soliloquized as follows:
 "Now my javelins are made ready,
 All my arrows too are ready,
 And my oaken cross-bow bended,
 But my snow-shoes are not builded,
 Who will make me worthy snow-shoes?"

Lemminkainen, grave and thoughtful,
 Long reflected, well considered,
 Where the snow-shoes could be fashioned,
 Who the artist that could make them;
 Hastened to the Kauppi-smithy,
 To the smithy of Lylikki,
 Thus addressed the snow-shoe artist:
 "O thou skilful Woyalander,
 Kauppi, ablest smith of Lapland,
 Make me quick two worthy snow-shoes,
 Smooth them well and make them hardy,
 That in Tapio the wild-moose,
 Roaming through the Hisi-forests,
 I may catch and bring to Louhi,
 As a dowry for her daughter."

Then Lylikki thus made answer,
 Kauppi gave this prompt decision:
 "Lemminkainen, reckless minstrel,
 Thou wilt hunt in vain the wild-moose,
 Thou wilt catch but pain and torture,
 In the Hisi fens and forests."

Little heeding, Lemminkainen
 Spake these measures to Lylikki
 "Make for me the worthy snow-shoes,
 Quickly work and make them ready;
 Go I will and catch the blue-moose
 Where in Tapio it browses,
 In the Hisi woods and snow-fields."

Then Lylikki, snow-shoe-maker,
 Ancient Kauppi, master artist,
 Whittled in the fall his show-shoes,
 Smoothed them in the winter evenings,
 One day working on the runners,
 All the next day making stick-rings,
 Till at last the shoes were finished,
 And the workmanship was perfect.
 Then he fastened well the shoe-straps,
 Smooth as adder's skin the woodwork,
 Soft as fox-fur were the stick-rings;
 Oiled he well his wondrous snow-shoes
 With the tallow of the reindeer;
 When he thus soliloquizes,
 These the accents of Lylikki:
 "Is there any youth in Lapland,
 Any in this generation,
 That can travel in these snow-shoes,
 That can move the lower sections?"

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Full of hope, and life, and vigor:
 Surely there is one in Lapland.
 In this rising generation,
 That can travel in these snow-shoes,
 That the right and left can manage."

To his back he tied the quiver,
 Placed the bow upon his shoulder,
 With both hands he grasped his snow-cane,
 Speaking meanwhile words as follow:
 "There is nothing in the woodlands,
 Nothing in the world of Ukko,
 Nothing underneath the heavens,
 In the uplands, in the lowlands,
 Nothing in the snow-fields running,
 Not a fleet deer of the forest,
 That could not be overtaken
 With the snow-shoes of Lylikki,
 With the strides of Lemminkainen."

Wicked Hisi heard these measures,
 Juntas listened to their echoes;
 Straightway Hisi called the wild-moose,
 Juutas fashioned soon a reindeer,
 And the head was made of punk-wood,
 Horns of naked willow branches,
 Feet were furnished by the rushes,
 And the legs, by reeds aquatic,
 Veins were made of withered grasses,
 Eyes, from daisies of the meadows,
 Ears were formed of water-flowers,
 And the skin of tawny fir-bark,
 Out of sappy wood, the muscles,
 Fair and fleet, the magic reindeer.

Juutas thus instructs the wild-moose,
 These the words of wicked Hisi:
 Flee away, thou moose of Juutas,
 Flee away, thou Hisi-reindeer,
 Like the winds, thou rapid courser,
 To the snow-homes of the ranger,
 To the ridges of the mountains,
 To the snow-capped hills of Lapland,
 That thy hunter may be worn out,
 Thy pursuer be tormented,
 Lemminkainen be exhausted."

Thereupon the Hisi-reindeer,
 Juutas-moose with branching antlers,
 Fleetly ran through fen and forest,
 Over Lapland's hills and valleys,
 Through the open fields and court-yards,
 Through the penthouse doors and gate-ways,
 Turning over tubs of water,
 Threw the kettles from the fire-pole,
 And upset the dishes cooking.
 Then arose a fearful uproar,
 In the court-yards of Pohyola,
 Lapland-dogs began their barking,
 Lapland-children cried in terror,
 Lapland-women roared with laughter,
 And the Lapland-heroes shouted.

Fleetly followed Lemminkainen,
 Followed fast, and followed faster,
 Hastened on behind the wild-moose,
 Over swamps and through the woodlands,
 Over snow-fields vast and pathless,
 Over high uprising mountains,
 Fire out-shooting from his runners,
 Smoke arising from his snow-cane:
 Could not hear the wild-moose bounding,
 Could not sight the flying fleet-foot;
 Glided on through field and forest,
 Glided over lakes and rivers,
 Over lands beyond the smooth-sea,
 Through the desert plains of Hisi,
 Glided o'er the plains of Kalma,
 Through the kingdom of Tuoni,
 To the end of Kalma's empire,
 Where the jaws of Death stand open,
 Where the head of Kalma lowers,
 Ready to devour the stranger,
 To devour wild Lemminkainen;
 But Tuoni cannot reach him,
 Kalma cannot overtake him.

Distant woods are yet untraveled,
 Far away a woodland corner
 Stands unsearched by Kaukomieli,
 In the North's extensive, borders,
 In the realm of dreary Lapland.
 Now the hero, on his snow-shoes,
 Hastens to the distant woodlands,
 There to hunt the moose of Piru.
 As he nears the woodland corner,
 There he bears a frightful uproar,
 From the Northland's distant borders,
 From the dreary fields of Lapland,
 Hears the dogs as they are barking,
 Hears the children loudly screaming,
 Hears the laughter or the women,
 Hears the shouting of the heroes.
 Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Hastens forward on his snow-shoes,
 To the place where dogs are barking,
 To the distant woods of Lapland.

When the reckless Kaukomieli
 Had approached this Hisi corner,
 Straightway he began to question:
 "Why this laughter or the women,
 Why the screaming of the children,
 Why the shouting of the heroes,
 Why this barking of the watch-dogs?
 This reply was promptly given:
 "This the reason for this uproar,
 Women laughing, children screaming,
 Heroes shouting, watch-dogs barking
 Hisi's moose came running hither,
 Hither came the Piru-Reindeer,
 Hither came with hoofs of silver,
 Through the open fields and court-yards,
 Through the penthouse doors and gate-ways,
 Turning over tubs or water,
 Threw the kettles from the fire-pole,
 And upset the dishes cooking."

Then the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Straightway summoned all his courage,
 Pushed ahead his mighty snow-shoes,
 Swift as adders in the stubble,
 Levelled bushes in the marshes,
 Like the swift and fiery serpents,
 Spake these words of magic import,
 Keeping balance with his snow-staff:
 Come thou might of Lapland heroes,
 Bring to me the moose of Juutas;
 Come thou strength of Lapland-women,
 And prepare the boiling caldron;
 Come, thou might of Lapland children,
 Bring together fire and fuel;
 Come, thou strength of Lapland-kettles,
 Help to boil the Hisi wild-moose."

Then with mighty force and courage,
 Lemminkainen hastened onward,
 Striking backward, shooting forward;
 With a long sweep of his snow-shoe,
 Disappeared from view the hero;
 With the second, shooting further,
 Was the hunter out of hearing,
 With the third the hero glided
 On the shoulders of the wild-moose;
 Took a pole of stoutest oak-wood,
 Took some bark-strings from the willow,
 Wherewithal to bind the moose-deer,
 Bind him to his oaken hurdle.
 To the moose he spake as follows:
 "Here remain, thou moose of Juutas
 Skip about, my bounding courser,
 In my hurdle jump and frolic,
 Captive from the fields of Piru,
 From the Hisi glens and mountains."

Then he stroked the captured wild-moose,
 Patted him upon his forehead,
 Spake again in measured accents:
 "I would like awhile to linger,
 I would love to rest a moment
 In the cottage of my maiden,
 With my virgin, young and lovely."

Then the Hisi-moose grew angry,
 Stamped his feet and shook his antlers,
 Spake these words to Lemminkainen:
 "Surely Lempo soon will got thee,
 Shouldst thou sit beside the maiden,
 Shouldst thou linger by the virgin."

Now the wild-moose stamps and rushes,
 Tears in two the bands of willow,
 Breaks the oak-wood pole in pieces,
 And upturns the hunter's hurdle,
 Quickly leaping from his captor,
 Bounds away with strength of freedom,
 Over hills and over lowlands,
 Over swamps and over snow-fields,
 Over mountains clothed in heather,
 That the eye may not behold him,
 Nor the hero's ear detect him.

Thereupon the mighty hunter
 Angry grows, and much disheartened,
 Starts again the moose to capture,
 Gliding off behind the courser.
 With his might he plunges forward;
 At the instep breaks his snow-shoe,
 Breaks the runners into fragments,
 On the mountings breaks his javelins,
 In the centre breaks his snow-staff,
 And the moose bounds on before him,
 Through the Hisi-woods and snow-fields,
 Out of reach of Lemminkainen.

Then the reckless Kaukomieli
 Looked with bended head, ill-humored,
 One by one upon the fragments,
 Speaking words of ancient wisdom:
 "Northland hunters, never, never,
 Go defiant to thy forests,
 In the Hisi vales and mountains,
 There to hunt the moose of Juutas,
 Like this senseless, reckless hero;
 I have wrecked my magic snow-shoes,
 Ruined too my useful snow-staff,
 And my javelins I have broken,
 While the wild-moose runs in safety
 Through the Hisi fields and forests."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XIV.

 

DEATH OF LEMMINKAINEN.

LEMMINKAINEN, much disheartened,
 Deeply thought and long considered,
 What to do, what course to follow,
 Whether best to leave the wild-moose
 In the fastnesses of Hisi,
 And return to Kalevala,
 Or a third time hunt the ranger,
 Hoping thus to bring him captive,
 Thus return at last a victor
 To the forest home of Louhi,
 To the joy of all her daughters,
 To the wood-nymph's happy fireside.

Taking courage Lemminkainen
 Spake these words in supplication:
 "Ukko, thou O God above me,
 Thou Creator of the heavens,
 Put my snow-shoes well in order,
 And endow them both with swiftness,
 That I rapidly may journey
 Over marshes, over snow-fields,
 Over lowlands, over highlands,
 Through the realms of wicked Hisi,
 Through the distant plains of Lapland,
 Through the paths of Lempo's wild-moose,
 To the forest hills of Juutas.
 To the snow-fields shall I journey,
 Leave the heroes to the woodlands,
 On the way to Tapiola,
 Into Tapio's wild dwellings.

"Greeting bring I to the mountains,
 Greeting to the vales and uplands,
 Greet ye, heights with forests covered,
 Greet ye, ever-verdant fir-trees,
 Greet ye, groves of whitened aspen,
 Greetings bring to those that greet you,
 Fields, and streams, and woods of Lapland.
 Bring me favor, mountain-woodlands,
 Lapland-deserts, show me kindness,
 Mighty Tapio, be gracious,
 Let me wander through thy forests,
 Let me glide along thy rivers,
 Let this hunter search thy snow-fields,
 Where the wild-moose herds in numbers
 Where the bounding reindeer lingers.

"O Nyrikki, mountain hero,
 Son of Tapio of forests,
 Hero with the scarlet head-gear,
 Notches make along the pathway,
 Landmarks upward to the mountains,
 That this hunter may not wander,
 May not fall, and falling perish
 In the snow-fields of thy kingdom,
 Hunting for the moose of Hisi,
 Dowry for the pride of Northland.

"Mistress of the woods, Mielikki,
 Forest-mother, formed in beauty,
 Let thy gold flow out abundant,
 Let thy silver onward wander,
 For the hero that is seeking
 For the wild-moose of thy kingdom;
 Bring me here thy keys of silver,
 From the golden girdle round thee;
 Open Tapio's rich chambers,
 And unlock the forest fortress,
 While I here await the booty,
 While I hunt the moose of Lempo.

"Should this service be too menial
 Give the order to thy servants,
 Send at once thy servant-maidens,
 And command it to thy people.
 Thou wilt never seem a hostess,
 If thou hast not in thy service,
 Maidens ready by the hundreds,
 Thousands that await thy bidding,
 Who thy herds may watch and nurture,
 Tend the game of thy dominions.

"Tall and slender forest-virgin,
 Tapio's beloved daughter,
 Blow thou now thy honey flute-notes,
 Play upon thy forest-whistle,
 For the hearing of thy mistress,
 For thy charming woodland-mistress,
 Make her hear thy sweet-toned playing,
 That she may arise from slumber.
 Should thy mistress not awaken
 At the calling of thy flute-notes,
 Play again, and play unceasing,
 Make the golden tongue re-echo."

Wild and daring Lemminkainen
 Steadfast prays upon his journey,
 Calling on the gods for succor,
 Hastens off through fields and moorlands,
 Passes on through cruel brush-wood,
 To the colliery of Hisi,
 To the burning fields of Lempo;
 Glided one day, then a second,
 Glided all the next day onward,
 Till he came to Big-stone mountain,
 Climbed upon its rocky summit,
 Turned his glances to the north-west,
 Toward the Northland moors and marshes;
 There appeared the Tapio-mansion.
 All the doors were golden-colored,
 Shining in the gleam of sunlight
 Through the thickets on the mountains,
 Through the distant fields of Northland.

Lemminkainen, much encouraged,
 Hastens onward from his station
 Through the lowlands, o'er the uplands,
 Over snow-fields vast and vacant,
 Under snow-robed firs and aspens,
 Hastens forward, happy-hearted,
 Quickly reaches Tapio's court-yards,
 Halts without at Tapio's windows,
 Slyly looks into her mansion,
 Spies within some kindly women,
 Forest-dames outstretched before him,
 All are clad in scanty raiment,
 Dressed in soiled and ragged linens.
 Spake the stranger Lemminkainen:
 "Wherefore sit ye, forest-mothers,
 In your old and simple garments,
 In your soiled and ragged linen?
 Ye, forsooth! are too untidy,
 Too unsightly your appearance
 In your tattered gowns appareled.
 When I lived within the forest,
 There were then three mountain castles,
 One of horn and one of ivory,
 And the third of wood constructed;
 In their walls were golden windows,
 Six the windows in each castle,
 Through these windows I discovered
 All the host of Tapio's mansion,
 Saw its fair and stately hostess;
 Saw great Tapio's lovely daughter,
 Saw Tellervo in her beauty,
 With her train of charming maidens;
 All were dressed in golden raiment,
 Rustled all in gold and silver.
 Then the forest's queenly hostess,
 Still the hostess of these woodlands,
 On her arms wore golden bracelets,
 Golden rings upon her fingers,
 In her hair were sparkling, jewels,
 On her bead were golden fillets,
 In her ears were golden ear-rings,
 On her neck a pearly necklace,
 And her braidlets, silver-tinselled.

"Lovely hostess of the forest,
 Metsola's enchanting mistress,
 Fling aside thine ugly straw-shoes,
 Cast away the shoes of birch-bark,
 Doff thy soiled and ragged linen,
 Doff thy gown of shabby fabric,
 Don the bright and festive raiment,
 Don the gown of merry-making,
 While I stay within thy borders,
 While I seek my forest-booty,
 Hunt the moose of evil Hisi.
 Here my visit will be irksome,
 Here thy guest will be ill-humored,
 Waiting in thy fields and woodlands,
 Hunting here the moose of Lempo,
 Finding not the Hisi-ranger,
 Shouldst thou give me no enjoyment,
 Should I find no joy, nor respite.
 Long the eve that gives no pleasure,
 Long the day that brings no guerdon!

"Sable-bearded god of forests,
 In thy hat and coat of ermine,
 Robe thy trees in finest fibers,
 Deck thy groves in richest fabrics,
 Give the fir-trees shining silver,
 Deck with gold the slender balsams,
 Give the spruces copper belting,
 And the pine-trees silver girdles,
 Give the birches golden flowers,
 Deck their stems with silver fret-work,
 This their garb in former ages,
 When the days and nights were brighter,
 When the fir-trees shone like sunlight,
 And the birches like the moonbeams;
 Honey breathed throughout the forest,
 Settled in the glens and highlands
 Spices in the meadow-borders,
 Oil out-pouring from the lowlands.

"Forest daughter, lovely virgin,
 Golden maiden, fair Tulikki,
 Second of the Tapio-daughters,
 Drive the game within these borders,
 To these far-extending snow-fields.
 Should the reindeer be too sluggish,
 Should the moose-deer move too slowly
 Cut a birch-rod from the thicket,
 Whip them hither in their beauty,
 Drive the wild-moose to my hurdle,
 Hither drive the long-sought booty
 To the hunter who is watching,
 Waiting in the Hisi-forests.

"When the game has started hither,
 Keep them in the proper highway,
 Hold thy magic hands before them,
 Guard them well on either road-side,
 That the elk may not escape thee,
 May not dart adown some by-path.
 Should, perchance, the moose-deer wander
 Through some by-way of the forest,
 Take him by the ears and antlers,
 Hither lead the pride of Lempo.

"If the path be filled with brush-wood
 Cast the brush-wood to the road-side;
 If the branches cross his pathway,
 Break the branches into fragments;
 Should a fence of fir or alder
 Cross the way that leads him hither.
 Make an opening within it,
 Open nine obstructing fences;
 If the way be crossed by streamlets,
 If the path be stopped by rivers,
 Make a bridge of silken fabric,
 Weaving webs of scarlet color,
 Drive the deer-herd gently over,
 Lead them gently o'er the waters,
 O'er the rivers of thy forests,
 O'er the streams of thy dominions.

"Thou, the host of Tapio's mansion,
 Gracious host of Tapiola,
 Sable-bearded god of woodlands,
 Golden lord of Northland forests,
 Thou, O Tapio's worthy hostess,
 Queen of snowy woods, Mimerkki,
 Ancient dame in sky-blue vesture,
 Fenland-queen in scarlet ribbons,
 Come I to exchange my silver,
 To exchange my gold and silver;
 Gold I have, as old as moonlight,
 Silver of the age of sunshine,
 In the first of years was gathered,
 In the heat and pain of battle;
 It will rust within my pouches,
 Soon will wear away and perish,
 If it be not used in trading."

Long the hunter, Lemminkainen,
 Glided through the fen and forest,
 Sang his songs throughout the woodlands,
 Through three mountain glens be sang them,
 Sang the forest hostess friendly,
 Sang he, also, Tapio friendly,
 Friendly, all the forest virgins,
 All of Metsola's fair daughters.

Now they start the herds of Lempo,
 Start the wild-moose from his shelter,
 In the realms of evil Hisi,
 Tapio's highest mountain-region;
 Now they drive the ranger homeward,
 To the open courts of Piru,
 To the hero that is waiting,
 Hunting for the moose of Juutas.

When the herd had reached the castle,
 Lemminkainen threw his lasso
 O'er the antlers of the blue-moose,
 Settled on the neck and shoulders
 Of the mighty moose of Hisi.
 Then the hunter, Kaukomieli,
 Stroked his captive's neck in safety,
 For the moose was well-imprisoned.

Thereupon gay Lemminkainen
 Filled with joyance spake as follows:
 "Pride of forests, queen of woodlands,
 Metsola's enchanted hostess,
 Lovely forest dame, Mielikki,
 Mother-donor of the mountains,
 Take the gold that I have promised,
 Come and take away the silver;
 Spread thy kerchief well before me,
 Spread out here thy silken neck-wrap,
 Underneath the golden treasure,
 Underneath the shining silver,
 that to earth it may not settle,
 Scattered on the snows of winter."

Then the hero went a victor
 To the dwellings of Pohyola,
 And addressed these words to Louhi:
 "I have caught the moose of Hisi,
 In the Metsola-dominions,
 Give, O hostess, give thy daughter,
 Give to me thy fairest virgin,
 Bride of mine to be hereafter."

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Gave this answer to the suitor:
 "I will give to thee my daughter,
 For thy wife my fairest maiden,
 When for me thou'lt put a bridle
 On the flaming horse of Hisi,
 Rapid messenger of Lempo,
 On the Hisi-plains and pastures."

Nothing daunted, Lemminkainen
 Hastened forward to accomplish
 Louhi's second test of heroes,
 On the cultivated lowlands,
 On the sacred fields and forests.
 Everywhere he sought the racer,
 Sought the fire-expiring stallion,
 Fire out-shooting from his nostrils.
 Lemminkainen, fearless hunter,
 Bearing in his belt his bridle,
 On his shoulders, reins and halter,
 Sought one day, and then a second,
 Finally, upon the third day,
 Went he to the Hisi-mountain,
 Climbed, and struggled to the summit;
 To the east he turned his glances,
 Cast his eyes upon the sunrise,
 There beheld the flaming courser,
 On the heath among the far-trees.
 Lempo's fire-expiring stallion
 Fire and mingled smoke, out-shooting
 From his mouth, and eyes, and nostrils.

Spake the daring Lemminkainen,
 This the hero's supplication:
 "Ukko, thou O God above me,
 Thou that rulest all the storm-clouds,
 Open thou the vault of heaven,
 Open windows through the ether,
 Let the icy rain come falling,
 Lot the heavy hailstones shower
 On the flaming horse of Hisi,
 On the fire-expiring stallion."

Ukko, the benign Creator,
 Heard the prayer of Lemminkainen,
 Broke apart the dome of heaven,
 Rent the heights of heaven asunder,
 Sent the iron-hail in showers,
 Smaller than the heads of horses,
 Larger than the heads of heroes,
 On the flaming steed of Lempo,
 On the fire-expiring stallion,
 On the terror of the Northland.

Lemminkainen, drawing nearer,
 Looked with care upon the courser,
 Then he spake the words that follow:
 "Wonder-steed of mighty Hisi,
 Flaming horse of Lempo's mountain,
 Bring thy mouth of gold, assenting,
 Gently place thy head of silver
 In this bright and golden halter,
 In this silver-mounted bridle.
 I shall never harshly treat thee,
 Never make thee fly too fleetly,
 On the way to Sariola,
 On the tracks of long duration,
 To the hostess of Pohyola,
 To her magic courts and stables,
 Will not lash thee on thy journey;
 I shall lead thee gently forward,
 Drive thee with the reins of kindness,
 Cover thee with silken blankets."

Then the fire-haired steed of Juutas,
 Flaming horse of mighty Hisi,
 Put his bead of shining silver,
 In the bright and golden bead-stall,
 In the silver-mounted bridle.
 Thus the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Easy bridles Lempo's stallion,
 Flaming horse of evil Piru;
 Lays the bits within his fire-mouth,
 On his silver head, the halter,
 Mounts the fire-expiring courser,
 Brandishes his whip of willow,
 Hastens forward on his journey,
 Bounding o'er the hills and mountains,
 Dashing through the valleys northward,
 O'er the snow-capped hills of Lapland,
 To the courts of Sariola.

Then the hero, quick dismounting,
 Stepped within the court of Louhi,
 Thus addressed the Northland hostess:
 "I have bridled Lempo's fire-horse,
 I have caught the Hisi-racer,
 Caught the fire-expiring stallion,
 In the Piru plains and pastures,
 Ridden him within thy borders;
 I have caught the moose of Lempo,
 I have done what thou demandest;
 Give, I pray thee, now thy daughter,
 Give to me thy fairest maiden,
 Bride of mine to be forever."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Made this answer to the suitor:
 "I will only give my daughter,
 Give to thee my fairest virgin,
 Bride of thine to be forever,
 When for me the swan thou killest
 In the river of Tuoni,
 Swimming in the black death-river,
 In the sacred stream and whirlpool;
 Thou canst try one cross-bow only,
 But one arrow from thy quiver."

Then the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Braved the third test of the hero,
 Started out to hunt the wild-swan,
 Hunt the long-necked, graceful swimmer,
 In Tuoni's coal-black river,
 In Manala's lower regions.
 Quick the daring hunter journeyed,
 Hastened off with fearless footsteps,
 To the river of Tuoni,
 To the sacred stream and whirlpool,
 With his bow upon his shoulder,
 With his quiver and one arrow.

Nasshut, blind and crippled shepherd,
 Wretched shepherd of Pohyola,
 Stood beside the death-land river,
 Near the sacred stream and whirlpool,
 Guarding Tuonela's waters,
 Waiting there for Lemminkainen,
 Listening there for Kaukomieli,
 Waiting long the hero's coming.
 Finally he hears the footsteps
 Of the hero on his journey,
 Hears the tread of Lemminkainen,
 As he journeys nearer, nearer,
 To the river of Tuoni,
 To the cataract of death-land,
 To the sacred stream and whirlpool.
 Quick the wretched shepherd, Nasshut,
 From the death-stream sends a serpent,
 Like an arrow from a cross-bow,
 To the heart of Lemminkainen,
 Through the vitals of the hero.

Lemminkainen, little conscious,
 Hardly knew that be was injured,
 Spake these measures as he perished.
 "Ah! unworthy is my conduct,
 Ah! unwisely have I acted,
 That I did not heed my mother,
 Did not take her goodly counsel,
 Did not learn her words of magic.
 Oh I for three words with my mother,
 How to live, and bow to suffer,
 In this time of dire misfortune,
 How to bear the stings of serpents,
 Tortures of the reed of waters,
 From the stream of Tuonela!

"Ancient mother who hast borne me,
 Who hast trained me from my childhood,
 Learn, I pray thee, where I linger,
 Where alas! thy son is lying,
 Where thy reckless hero suffers.
 Come, I pray thee, faithful mother,
 Come thou quickly, thou art needed,
 Come deliver me from torture,
 From the death-jaws of Tuoni,
 From the sacred stream and whirlpool."

Northland's old and wretched shepherd,
 Nasshut, the despised protector
 Of the flocks of Sariola,
 Throws the dying Lemminkainen,
 Throws the hero of the islands,
 Into Tuonela's river,
 To the blackest stream of death-land,
 To the worst of fatal whirlpools.
 Lemminkainen, wild and daring,
 Helpless falls upon the waters,
 Floating down the coal-black current,
 Through the cataract and rapids
 To the tombs of Tuonela.

There the blood-stained son of death-land,
 There Tuoni's son and hero,
 Cuts in pieces Lemminkainen,
 Chops him with his mighty hatchet,
 Till the sharpened axe strikes flint-sparks
 From the rocks within his chamber,
 Chops the hero into fragments,
 Into five unequal portions,
 Throws each portion to Tuoni,
 In Manala's lowest kingdom,
 Speaks these words when he has ended:
 "Swim thou there, wild Lemminkainen,
 Flow thou onward in this river,
 Hunt forever in these waters,
 With thy cross-bow and thine arrow,
 Shoot the swan within this empire,
 Shoot our water-birds in welcome!"
 Thus the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Thus the handsome Kaukomieli,
 The untiring suitor, dieth
 In the river of Tuoni,
 In the death-realm of Manala.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XV.

 

LEMMINKAINEN'S RESTORATION.

LEMMINKAINEN'S aged mother
 Anxious roams about the islands,
 Anxious wonders in her chambers,
 What the fate of Lemminkainen,
 Why her son so long has tarried;
 Thinks that something ill has happened
 To her hero in Pohyola.
 Sad, indeed, the mother's anguish,
 As in vain she waits his coming,
 As in vain she asks the question,
 Where her daring son is roaming,
 Whether to the fir-tree mountain,
 Whether to the distant heath-land,
 Or upon the broad-sea's ridges,
 On the floods and rolling waters,
 To the war's contending armies,
 To the heat and din of battle,
 Steeped in blood of valiant heroes,
 Evidence of fatal warfare.

Daily does the wife Kyllikki
 Look about her vacant chamber,
 In the home of Lemminkainen,
 At the court of Kaukomieli;
 Looks at evening, looks at morning,
 Looks, perchance, upon his hair-brush,
 Sees alas! the blood-drops oozing,
 Oozing from the golden bristles,
 And the blood-drops, scarlet-colored.

Then the beauteous wife, Kyllikki,
 Spake these words in deeps of anguish:
 "Dead or wounded is my husband,
 Or at best is filled with trouble,
 Lost perhaps in Northland forests,
 In some glen unknown to heroes,
 Since alas! the blood is flowing
 From the brush of Lemminkainen,
 Red drops oozing from the bristles."

Thereupon the anxious mother
 Looks upon the bleeding hair-brush
 And begins this wail of anguish:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated,
 Woe is me, all joy departed!
 For alas! my son and hero,
 Valiant hero of the islands,
 Son of trouble and misfortune!
 Some sad fate has overtaken
 My ill-fated Lemminkainen!
 Blood is flowing from his hair-brush,
 Oozing from its golden bristles,
 And the drops are scarlet-colored."

Quick her garment's hem she clutches,
 On her arm she throws her long-robes,
 Fleetly flies upon her journey;
 With her might she hastens northward,
 Mountains tremble from her footsteps,
 Valleys rise and heights are lowered,
 Highlands soon become as lowlands,
 All the hills and valleys levelled.
 Soon she gains the Northland village,
 Quickly asks about her hero,
 These the words the mother utters:
 "O thou hostess of Pohyola,
 Where hast thou my Lemminkainen?
 Tell me of my son and hero!"

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Gives this answer to the mother:
 "Nothing know I of thy hero,
 Of the hero of the islands;
 Where thy son may be I know not,
 Cannot lend the information;
 Once I gave thy son a courser,
 Hitched the racer to his snow-sledge,
 This the last of Lemminkainen;
 May perchance be drowned in Wuhne,
 Frozen In the icy ocean,
 Fallen prey to wolves in hunger,
 In a bear's den may have perished."
 Lemminkainen's mother answers:
 "Thou art only speaking falsehoods,
 Northland wolves cannot devour us,
 Nor the bears kill Kaukomieli;
 He can slay the wolves of Pohya
 With the fingers of his left hand;
 Bears of Northland he would silence
 With the magic of his singing.

"Hostess of Pohyola, tell me
 Whither thou hast sent my hero;
 I shall burst thy many garners,
 Shall destroy the magic Sampo,
 If thou dost not tell me truly
 Where to find my Lemminkainen."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "I have well thy hero treated,
 Well my court has entertained him,
 Gave him of my rarest viands,
 Fed him at my well-filled tables,
 Placed him in a boat of copper,
 Thus to float adown the current,
 This the last of Lemminkainen;
 Cannot tell where he has wandered.
 Whether in the foam of waters,
 Whether in the boiling torrent,
 Whether in the drowning whirlpool."

Lemminkainen's mother answers:
 Thou again art speaking falsely;
 Tell me now the truth I pray thee,
 Make an end of thy deception,
 Where is now my Lemminkainen,
 Whither hast thou sent my hero,
 Young and daring son of Kalew?
 If a third time thou deceivest,
 I will send thee plagues, unnumbered,
 I will send thee fell destruction,
 Certain death will overtake thee."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "This the third time that I answer,
 This the truth that I shall tell thee:
 I have sent the Kalew-hero
 To the Hisi-fields and forests,
 There to hunt the moose of Lempo;
 Sent him then to catch the fire-horse,
 Catch the fire-expiring stallion,
 On the distant plains of Juutas,
 In the realm of cruel Hisi.
 Then I sent him to the Death-stream,
 In the kingdom of Tuoni,
 With his bow and but one arrow,
 There to shoot the swan as dowry
 For my best and fairest daughter;
 Have not heard about thy hero
 Since he left for Tuonela;
 May in misery have fallen,
 May have perished in Manala;
 Has not come to ask my daughter,
 Has not come to woo the maiden,
 Since he left to hunt the death-swan."

Now the mother seeks her lost one,
 For her son she weeps and trembles,
 Like the wolf she bounds through fenlands,
 Like the bear, through forest thickets,
 Like the wild-boar, through the marshes,
 Like the hare, along the sea-coast,
 To the sea-point, like the hedgehog
 Like the wild-duck swims the waters,
 Casts the rubbish from her pathway,
 Tramples down opposing brush-wood,
 Stops at nothing in her journey
 Seeks a long time for her hero,
 Seeks, and seeks, and does not find him.

Now she asks the trees the question,
 And the forest gives this answer:
 "We have care enough already,
 Cannot think about thy matters;
 Cruel fates have we to battle,
 Pitiful our own misfortunes!
 We are felled and chopped in pieces,
 Cut in blocks for hero-fancy,
 We are burned to death as fuel,
 No one cares how much we suffer."

Now again the mother wanders,
 Seeks again her long-lost hero,
 Seeks, and seeks, and does not find him.
 Paths arise and come to meet her,
 And she questions thus the pathways:
 "Paths of hope that God has fashioned,
 Have ye seen my Lemminkainen,
 Has my son and golden hero
 Travelled through thy many kingdoms?"
 Sad, the many pathways answer:
 "We ourselves have cares sufficient,
 Cannot watch thy son and hero,
 Wretched are the lives of pathways,
 Deep indeed our own misfortunes;
 We are trodden by, the red-deer,
 By the wolves, and bears, and roebucks,
 Driven o'er by heavy cart-wheels,
 By the feet of dogs are trodden,
 Trodden under foot of heroes,
 Foot-paths for contending armies."

Seeks again the frantic mother,
 Seeks her long-lost son and hero,
 Seeks, and seeks, and does not find him;
 Finds the Moon within her orbit,
 Asks the Moon in pleading measures:
 "Golden Moon, whom God has stationed
 In the heavens, the Sun's companion,
 Hast thou seen my Kaukomieli,
 Hast thou seen my silver apple,
 Anywhere in thy dominions? "
 Thus the golden Moon makes answer:
 "I have trouble all-sufficient,
 Cannot watch thy daring hero;
 Long the journey I must travel,
 Sad the fate to me befallen,
 Pitiful mine own misfortunes,
 All alone the nights to wander,
 Shine alone without a respite,
 In the winter ever watching,
 In the summer sink and perish."

Still the mother seeks, and wanders,
 Seeks, and does not find her hero,
 Sees the Sun in the horizon,
 And the mother thus entreats him:
 Silver Sun, whom God has fashioned,
 Thou that giveth warmth and comfort,
 Hast thou lately seen my hero,
 Hast thou seen my Lemminkainen,
 Wandering in thy dominions?"
 Thus the Sun in kindness answers:
 "Surely has thy hero perished,
 To ingratitude a victim;
 Lemminkainen died and vanished
 In Tuoni's fatal river,
 In the waters of Manala,
 In the sacred stream and whirlpool,
 In the cataract and rapids,
 Sank within the drowning current
 To the realm of Tuonela,
 To Manala's lower regions."

Lemminkainen's mother weeping,
 Wailing in the deeps of anguish,
 Mourns the fate of Kaukomieli,
 Hastens to the Northland smithy,
 To the forge of Ilmarinen,
 These the words the mother utters:
 "Ilmarinen, metal-artist,
 Thou that long ago wert forging,
 Forging earth a concave cover,
 Yesterday wert forging wonders,
 Forge thou now, immortal blacksmith,
 Forge a rake with shaft of copper,
 Forge the teeth of strongest metal,
 Teeth in length a hundred fathoms,
 And five hundred long the handle."

Ilmarinen does as bidden,
 Makes the rake in full perfection.
 Lemminkainen's anxious mother
 Takes the magic rake and hastens
 To the river of Tuoni,
 Praying to the Sun as follows:
 "Thou, O Sun, by God created,
 Thou that shinest on thy Maker,
 Shine for me in heat of magic,
 Give me warmth, and strength, and courage,
 Shine a third time full of power,
 Lull to sleep the wicked people,
 Still the people of Manala,
 Quiet all Tuoni's empire."

Thereupon the sun of Ukko,
 Dearest child of the Creator,
 Flying through the groves of Northland,
 Sitting on a curving birch-tree,
 Shines a little while in ardor,
 Shines again in greater fervor,
 Shines a third time full of power,
 Lulls to sleep the wicked people
 In the Manala home and kingdom,
 Still the heroes with their broadswords,
 Makes the lancers halt and totter,
 Stills the stoutest of the spearmen,
 Quiets Tuoni's ghastly empire.
 Now the Sun retires in magic,
 Hovers here and there a moment
 Over Tuoni's hapless sleepers,
 Hastens upward to his station,
 To his Jumala home and kingdom.

Lemminkainen's faithful mother
 Takes the rake of magic metals,
 Rakes the Tuoni river bottoms,
 Rakes the cataract and whirlpool,
 Rakes the swift and boiling current
 Of the sacred stream of death-land,
 In the Manala home and kingdom.
 Searching for her long-lost hero,
 Rakes a long time, finding nothing;
 Now she wades the river deeper,
 To her belt in mud and water,
 Deeper, deeper, rakes the death-stream,
 Rakes the river's deepest caverns,
 Raking up and down the current,
 Till at last she finds his tunic,
 Heavy-hearted, finds his jacket;
 Rakes again and rakes unceasing,
 Finds the hero's shoes and stockings,
 Sorely troubled, finds these relies;
 Now she wades the river deeper,
 Rakes the Manala shoals and shallows,
 Rakes the deeps at every angle;
 As she draws the rake the third time
 From the Tuoni shores and waters,
 In the rake she finds the body
 Of her long-lost Lemminkainen,
 In the metal teeth entangled,
 In the rake with copper handle.

Thus the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Thus the son of Kalevala,
 Was recovered from the bottom
 Of the Manala lake and river.
 There were wanting many fragments,
 Half the head, a hand, a fore-arm,
 Many other smaller portions,
 Life, above all else, was missing.
 Then the mother, well reflecting,
 Spake these words in bitter weeping:
 "From these fragments, with my magic,
 I will bring to life my hero."

Hearing this, the raven answered,
 Spake these measures to the mother:
 "There is not in these a hero,
 Thou canst not revive these fragments;
 Eels have fed upon his body,
 On his eyes have fed the whiting;
 Cast the dead upon the waters,
 On the streams of Tuonela,
 Let him there become a walrus,
 Or a seal, or whale, or porpoise."

Lemminkainen's mother does not
 Cast the dead upon the waters,
 On the streams of Tuonela,
 She again with hope and courage,
 Rakes the river lengthwise, crosswise,
 Through the Manala pools and caverns,
 Rakes up half the head, a fore-arm,
 Finds a hand and half the back-bone,
 Many other smaller portions;
 Shapes her son from all the fragments,
 Shapes anew her Lemminkainen,
 Flesh to flesh with skill she places,
 Gives the bones their proper stations,
 Binds one member to the other,
 Joins the ends of severed vessels,
 Counts the threads of all the venules,
 Knits the parts in apposition;
 Then this prayer the mother offers:

"Suonetar, thou slender virgin,
 Goddess of the veins of heroes,
 Skilful spinner of the vessels,
 With thy slender, silver spindle,
 With thy spinning-wheel of copper,
 Set in frame of molten silver,
 Come thou hither, thou art needed;
 Bring the instruments for mending,
 Firmly knit the veins together,
 At the end join well the venules,
 In the wounds that still are open,
 In the members that are injured.

"Should this aid be inefficient;
 There is living in the ether,
 In a boat enriched with silver,
 In a copper boat, a maiden,
 That can bring to thee assistance.
 Come, O maiden, from the ether,
 Virgin from the belt of heaven,
 Row throughout these veins, O maiden,
 Row through all these lifeless members,
 Through the channels of the long-bones,
 Row through every form of tissue.
 Set the vessels in their places,
 Lay the heart in right position,
 Make the pulses beat together,
 Join the smallest of the veinlets,
 And unite with skill the sinews.
 Take thou now a slender needle,
 Silken thread within its eyelet,
 Ply the silver needle gently,
 Sew with care the wounds together.

"Should this aid be inefficient,
 Thou, O God, that knowest all things,
 Come and give us thine assistance,
 Harness thou thy fleetest racer
 Call to aid thy strongest courser,
 In thy scarlet sledge come swiftly,
 Drive through all the bones and channels,
 Drive throughout these lifeless tissues,
 Drive thy courser through each vessel,
 Bind the flesh and bones securely,
 In the joints put finest silver,
 Purest gold in all the fissures.

"Where the skin is broken open,
 Where the veins are torn asunder,
 Mend these injuries with magic;
 Where the blood has left the body,
 There make new blood flow abundant;
 Where the bones are rudely broken,
 Set the parts in full perfection;
 Where the flesh is bruised and loosened,
 Touch the wounds with magic balsam,
 Do not leave a part imperfect;
 Bone, and vein, and nerve, and sinew,
 Heart, and brain, and gland, and vessel,
 Heal as Thou alone canst heal them."

These the means the mother uses,
 Thus she joins the lifeless members,
 Thus she heals the death-like tissues,
 Thus restores her son and hero
 To his former life and likeness;
 All his veins are knit together,
 All their ends are firmly fastened,
 All the parts in apposition,
 Life returns, but speech is wanting,
 Deaf and dumb, and blind, and senseless.
 Now the mother speaks as follows:
 "Where may I procure the balsam,
 Where the drops of magic honey,
 To anoint my son and hero,
 Thus to heal my Lemminkainen,
 That again his month may open,
 May again begin his singing,
 Speak again in words of wonder,
 Sing again his incantations?

"Tiny bee, thou honey-birdling,
 Lord of all the forest flowers,
 Fly away and gather honey,
 Bring to me the forest-sweetness,
 Found in Metsola's rich gardens,
 And in Tapio's fragrant meadows,
 From the petals of the flowers,
 From the blooming herbs and grasses,
 Thus to heal my hero's anguish,
 Thus to heal his wounds of evil."

Thereupon the honey-birdling
 Flies away on wings of swiftness,
 Into Metsola's rich gardens,
 Into Tapio's flowery meadows,
 Gathers sweetness from the meadows,
 With the tongue distills the honey
 From the cups of seven flowers,
 From the bloom of countless grasses;
 Quick from Metsola returning,
 Flying, humming darting onward,
 With his winglets honey-laden,
 With the store of sweetest odors,
 To the mother brings the balsam.
 Lemminkainen's anxious mother
 Takes the balm of magic virtues,
 And anoints the injured hero,
 Heals his wounds and stills his anguish;
 But the balm is inefficient,
 For her son is deaf and speechless.

Then again out-speaks the mother:
 Lemminkainen's Restoration.
 "Little bee, my honey-birdling,
 Fly away in one direction,
 Fly across the seven oceans,
 In the eighth, a magic island,
 Where the honey is enchanted,
 To the distant Turi-castles,
 To the chambers of Palwoinen;
 There the honey is effective,
 There, the wonder-working balsam,
 This may heal the wounded hero;
 Bring me of this magic ointment,
 That I may anoint his eyelids,
 May restore his injured senses."

Thereupon the honey-birdling
 Flew away o'er seven oceans,
 To the old enchanted island;
 Flies one day, and then a second,
 On the verdure does not settle,
 Does not rest upon the flowers;
 Flies a third day, fleetly onward,
 Till a third day evening brings him
 To the island in the ocean,
 To the meadows rich in honey,
 To the cataract and fire-flow,
 To the sacred stream and whirlpool.

There the honey was preparing,
 There the magic balm distilling
 In the tiny earthen vessels,
 In the burnished copper kettles,
 Smaller than a maiden's thimble,
 Smaller than the tips of fingers.
 Faithfully the busy insect
 Gathers the enchanted honey
 From the magic Turi-cuplets
 In the chambers of Palwoinen.

Time had gone but little distance,
 Ere the bee came loudly humming
 Flying fleetly, honey-laden;
 In his arms were seven vessels,
 Seven, the vessels on each shoulder;
 All were filled with honey-balsam,
 With the balm of magic virtues.

Lemminkainen's tireless mother
 Quick anoints her speechless hero,
 With the magic Turi-balsam,
 With the balm of seven virtues;
 Nine the times that she anoints him
 With the honey of Palwoinen,
 With the wonder-working balsam;
 But the balm is inefficient,
 For the hero still is speechless.
 Then again out-speaks the mother:
 "Honey-bee, thou ether birdling,
 Fly a third time on thy journey,
 Fly away to high Jumala,
 Fly thou to the seventh heaven,
 Honey there thou'lt find abundant,
 Balsam of the highest virtue,
 Only used by the Creator,
 Only made from the breath of Ukko.
 God anoints his faithful children,
 With the honey of his wisdom,
 When they feel the pangs of sorrow,
 When they meet the powers of evil.
 Dip thy winglets in this honey,
 Steep thy plumage in His sweetness,
 Hither bring the all-sufficient
 Balsam of the great Creator;
 This will still my hero's anguish,
 This will heal his wounded tissues,
 This restore his long-lost vision,
 Make the Northland hills re-echo
 With the magic of his singing,
 With his wonderful enchantment."
 Thus the honey-bee made answer:
 "I can never fly to heaven,
 To the seventh of the heavens,
 To the distant home of Ukko,
 With these wings of little virtue."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Thou canst surely fly to heaven,
 To the seventh of the heavens,
 O'er the Moon, beneath the sunshine,
 Through the dim and distant starlight.
 On the first day, flying upward,
 Thou wilt near the Moon in heaven,
 Fan the brow of Kootamoinen;
 On the second thou canst rest thee
 On the shoulders of Otava;
 On the third day, flying higher,
 Rest upon the seven starlets,
 On the heads of Hetewane;
 Short the journey that is left thee,
 Inconsiderable the distance
 To the home of mighty Ukko,
 To the dwellings of the blessed."

Thereupon the bee arising,
 From the earth flies swiftly upward,
 Hastens on with graceful motion,
 By his tiny wings borne heavenward,
 In the paths of golden moonbeams,
 Touches on the Moon's bright borders,
 Fans the brow of Kootamoinen,
 Rests upon Otava's shoulders,
 Hastens to the seven starlets.,
 To the heads of Hetewane,
 Flies to the Creator's castle,
 To the home of generous Ukko,
 Finds the remedy preparing,
 Finds the balm of life distilling,
 In the silver-tinted caldrons,
 In the purest golden kettles;
 On one side, heart-easing honey,
 On a second, balm of joyance,
 On the third, life-giving balsam.
 Here the magic bee, selecting,
 Culls the sweet, life-giving balsam,
 Gathers too, heart-easing honey,
 Heavy-laden hastens homeward.

Time had traveled little distance,
 Ere the busy bee came humming
 To the anxious mother waiting,
 In his arms a hundred cuplets,
 And a thousand other vessels,
 Filled with honey, filled with balsam,
 Filled with the balm of the Creator.

Lemminkainen's mother quickly
 Takes them on her, tongue and tests them,
 Finds a balsam all-sufficient.
 Then the mother spake as follows:
 "I have found the long-sought balsam,
 Found the remedy of Ukko,
 Where-with God anoints his people,
 Gives them life, and faith, and wisdom,
 Heals their wounds and stills their anguish,
 Makes them strong against temptation,
 Guards them from the evil-doers."

Now the mother well anointing,
 Heals her son, the magic singer,
 Eyes, and ears, and tongue, and temples,
 Breaks, and cuts, and seams, anointing,
 Touching well the life-blood centres,
 Speaks these words of magic import
 To the sleeping Lemminkainen:
 "Wake, arise from out thy slumber,
 From the worst of low conditions,
 From thy state of dire misfortune!"

Slowly wakes the son and hero,
 Rises from the depths of slumber,
 Speaks again in magic accents,
 These the first words of the singer:
 "Long, indeed, have I been sleeping,
 Long unconscious of existence,
 But my sleep was full of sweetness,
 Sweet the sleep in Tuonela,
 Knowing neither joy nor sorrow!"
 This the answer of his mother:
 "Longer still thou wouldst have slumbered,
 Were it not for me, thy, mother;
 Tell me now, my son beloved,
 Tell me that I well may hear thee,
 Who enticed thee to Manala,
 To the river of Tuoni,
 To the fatal stream and whirlpool?"

Then the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Gave this answer to his mother:
 "Nasshut, the decrepit shepherd
 Of the flocks of Sariola,
 Blind, and halt, and poor, and wretched,
 And to whom I did a favor;
 From the slumber-land of envy
 Nasshut sent me to Manala,
 To the river of Tuoni;
 Sent a serpent from the waters,
 Sent an adder from the death-stream,
 Through the heart of Lemminkainen;
 Did not recognize the serpent,
 Could not speak the serpent-language,
 Did not know the sting of adders."
 Spake again the ancient mother:
 "O thou son of little insight,
 Senseless hero, fool-magician,
 Thou didst boast betimes thy magic
 To enchant the wise enchanters,
 On the dismal shores of Lapland,
 Thou didst think to banish heroes,
 From the borders of Pohyola;
 Didst not know the sting of serpents,
 Didst not know the reed of waters,
 Nor the magic word-protector!
 Learn the origin of serpents,
 Whence the poison of the adder.

"In the floods was born the serpent,
 From the marrow of the gray-duck,
 From the brain of ocean-swallows;
 Suoyatar had made saliva,
 Cast it on the waves of ocean,
 Currents drove it outward, onward,
 Softly shone the sun upon it,
 By the winds 'twas gently cradled,
 Gently nursed by winds and waters,
 By the waves was driven shoreward,
 Landed by the surging billows.
 Thus the serpent, thing of evil,
 Filling all the world with trouble,
 Was created in the waters
 Born from Suoyatar, its maker."

Then the mother of the hero
 Rocked her son to rest and comfort,
 Rocked him to his former being,
 To his former life and spirit,
 Into greater magic powers;
 Wiser, handsomer than ever
 Grew the hero of the islands;
 But his heart was full of trouble,
 And his mother, ever watchful,
 Asked the cause of his dejection.
 This is Lemminkainen's answer:
 "This the cause of all my sorrow;
 Far away my heart is roaming,
 All my thoughts forever wander
 To the Northland's blooming virgins,
 To the maids of braided tresses.
 Northland's ugly hostess, Louhi,
 Will not give to me her daughter,
 Fairest maiden of Pohyola,
 Till I kill the swan of Mana,
 With my bow and but one arrow,
 In the river of Tuoni.
 Lemminkainen's mother answers,
 In the sacred stream and whirlpool.
 "Let the swan swim on in safety,
 Give the water-bird his freedom,
 In the river of Manala,
 In the whirlpool of Tuoni;
 Leave the maiden in the Northland.,
 With her charms and fading beauty;
 With thy fond and faithful mother,
 Go at once to Kalevala,
 To thy native fields and fallows.
 Praise thy fortune, all sufficient,
 Praise, above all else, thy Maker.
 Ukko gave thee aid when needed,
 Thou wert saved by thy Creator,
 From thy long and hopeless slumber,
 In the waters of Tuoni,
 In the chambers of Manala.
 I unaided could not save thee,
 Could not give the least assistance;
 God alone, omniscient Ukko,
 First and last of the creators,
 Can revive the dead and dying,
 Can protect his worthy people
 From the waters of Manala, .
 From the fatal stream and whirlpool,
 In the kingdom of Tuoni."

Lemminkainen, filled with wisdom,
 With his fond and faithful mother,
 Hastened straightway on his journey
 To his distant home and kindred,
 To the Wainola fields and meadows,
 To the plains of Kalevala.

    *    *    *    *    *

Here I leave my Kaukomieli,
 Leave my hero Lemminkainen,
 Long I leave him from my singing,
 Turn my song to other heroes,
 Send it forth on other pathways,
 Sing some other golden legend.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XVI.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S BOAT-BUILDING.

WAINAMOINEN, ancient minstrel,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 For his boat was working lumber,
 Working long upon his vessel,
 On a fog-point jutting seaward,
 On an island, forest-covered;
 But the lumber failed the master,
 Beams were wanting for his vessel,
 Beams and scantling, ribs and flooring.
 Who will find for him the lumber,
 Who procure the timber needed
 For the boat of Wainamoinen,
 For the bottom of his vessel?

Pellerwoinen of the prairies,
 Sampsa, slender-grown and ancient,
 He will seek the needful timber,
 He procure the beams of oak-wood
 For the boat of Wainamoinen,
 For the bottom of his vessel.

Soon he starts upon his journey
 To the eastern fields and forests,
 Hunts throughout the Northland mountain
 To a second mountain wanders,
 To a third he hastens, searching,
 Golden axe upon his shoulder,
 In his hand a copper hatchet.
 Comes an aspen-tree to meet him
 Of the height of seven fathoms.
 Sampsa takes his axe of copper,
 Starts to fell the stately aspen,
 But the aspen quickly halting,
 Speaks these words to Pellerwoinen:
 "Tell me, hero, what thou wishest,
 What the service thou art needing?"
 Sampsa Pellerwoinen answers:
 "This indeed, the needed service
 That I ask of thee, O aspen:
 Need thy lumber for a vessel,
 For the boat of Wainamoinen,
 Wisest of the wisdom-singers."

Quick and wisely speaks the aspen,
 Thus its hundred branches answer:
 "All the boats that have been fashioned
 From my wood have proved but failures;
 Such a vessel floats a distance,
 Then it sinks upon the bottom
 Of the waters it should travel.
 All my trunk is filled with hollows,
 Three times in the summer seasons
 Worms devour my stem and branches,
 Feed upon my heart and tissues."

Pellerwoinen leaves the aspen,
 Hunts again through all the forest,
 Wanders through the woods of Northland,
 Where a pine-tree comes to meet him,
 Of the height of fourteen fathoms.

With his axe he chops the pine-tree,
 Strikes it with his axe of copper,
 As he asks the pine this question:
 "Will thy trunk give worthy timber
 For the boat of Wainamoinen,
 Wisest of the wisdom-singers?"
 Loudly does the pine-tree answer:
 "All the ships that have been fashioned
 From my body are unworthy;
 I am full of imperfections,
 Cannot give thee needed timber
 Wherewithal to build thy vessel;
 Ravens live within ray branches,
 Build their nests and hatch their younglings
 Three times in my trunk in summer."

Sampsa leaves the lofty pine-tree,
 Wanders onward, onward, onward,
 To the woods of gladsome summer,
 Where an oak-tree comes to meet him,
 In circumference, three fathoms,
 And the oak he thus addresses:
 "Ancient oak-tree, will thy body
 Furnish wood to build a vessel,
 Build a boat for Wainamoinen,
 Master-boat for the magician,
 Wisest of the wisdom-singers?"
 Thus the oak replies to Sampsa:
 "I for thee will gladly furnish
 Wood to build the hero's vessel;
 I am tall, and sound, and hardy,
 Have no flaws within my body;
 Three times in the months of summer,
 In the warmest of the seasons,
 Does the sun dwell in my tree-top,
 On my trunk the moonlight glimmers,
 In my branches sings the cuckoo,
 In my top her nestlings slumber."

Now the ancient Pellerwoinen
 Takes the hatchet from his shoulder,
 Takes his axe with copper handle,
 Chops the body of the oak-tree;
 Well he knows the art of chopping.
 Soon he fells the tree majestic,
 Fells the mighty forest-monarch,
 With his magic axe and power.
 From the stems he lops the branches,
 Splits the trunk in many pieces,
 Fashions lumber for the bottom,
 Countless boards, and ribs, and braces,
 For the singer's magic vessel,
 For the boat of the magician.

Wainamoinen, old and skilful,
 The eternal wonder-worker,
 Builds his vessel with enchantment,
 Builds his boat by art of magic,
 From the timber of the oak-tree,
 From its posts, and planks, and flooring.
 Sings a song, and joins the frame-work;
 Sings a second, sets the siding;
 Sings a third time, sets the row-locks;
 Fashions oars, and ribs, and rudder,
 Joins the sides and ribs together.
 When the ribs were firmly fastened,
 When the sides were tightly jointed,
 Then alas! three words were wanting,
 Lost the words of master-magic,
 How to fasten in the ledges,
 How the stern should be completed,
 How complete the boat's forecastle.

Then the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Wise and wonderful enchanter,
 Heavy-hearted spake as follows:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 Never will this magic vessel
 Pass in safety o'er the water,
 Never ride the rough sea-billows."

Then he thought and long considered,
 Where to find these words of magic,
 Find the lost-words of the Master:
 "From the brains of countless swallows,
 From the heads of swans in dying,
 From the plumage of the gray-duck?"

For these words the hero searches,
 Kills of swans a goodly number,
 Kills a flock of fattened gray-duck,
 Kills of swallows countless numbers,
 Cannot find the words of magic,
 Not the lost-words of the Master.
 Wainamoinen, wisdom-singer,
 Still reflected and debated:
 "I perchance may find the lost-words
 On the tongue of summer-reindeer,
 In the mouth of the white squirrel."

Now again he hunts the lost-words,
 Hastes to find the magic sayings,
 Kills a countless host of reindeer,
 Kills a rafterful of squirrels,
 Finds of words a goodly number,
 But they are of little value,
 Cannot find the magic lost-word.
 Long he thought and well considered:
 "I can find of words a hundred
 In the dwellings of Tuoni,
 In the Manala fields and castles."

Wainamoinen quickly journeys
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 There to find the ancient wisdom,
 There to learn the secret doctrine;
 Hastens on through fen and forest,
 Over meads and over marshes,
 Through the ever-rising woodlands,
 Journeys one week through the brambles,
 And a second through the hazels,
 Through the junipers the third week,
 When appear Tuoni's islands,
 And the Manala fields and castles.

Wainamoinen, brave and ancient,
 Calls aloud in tones of thunder,
 To the Tuonela deeps and dungeons,
 And to Manala's magic castle:
 "Bring a boat, Tuoni's daughter,
 Bring a ferry-boat, O maiden,
 That may bear me o'er this channel,
 O'er this black and fatal river."

Quick the daughter of Tuoni,
 Magic maid of little stature,
 Tiny virgin of Manala,
 Tiny washer of the linen,
 Tiny cleaner of the dresses,
 At the river of Tuoni,
 In Manala's ancient castles,
 Speaks these words to Wainamoinen,
 Gives this answer to his calling:
 "Straightway will I bring the row-boat,
 When the reasons thou hast given
 Why thou comest to Manala
 In a hale and active body."

Wainamoinen, old and artful.,
 Gives this answer to the maiden:
 "I was brought here by Tuoni,
 Mana raised me from the coffin."
 Speaks the maiden of Manala:
 "This a tale of wretched liars;
 Had Tuoni brought thee hither,
 Mana raised thee from the coffin,
 Then Tuoni would be with thee,
 Manalainen too would lead thee,
 With Tuoni's hat upon thee,
 On thy hands, the gloves of Mana;
 Tell the truth now, Wainamoinen,
 What has brought thee to Manala?"

Wainamoinen, artful hero,
 Gives this answer, still finessing:
 "Iron brought me to Manala,
 To the kingdom of Tuoni."

Speaks the virgin of the death-land,
 Mana's wise and tiny daughter:
 "Well I know that this is falsehood,
 Had the iron brought thee hither,
 Brought thee to Tuoni's kingdom,
 Blood would trickle from thy vesture,
 And the blood-drops, scarlet-colored.
 Speak the truth now, Wainamoinen,
 This the third time that I ask thee."

Wainamoinen, little heeding,
 Still finesses to the daughter:
 "Water brought me to Manala,
 To the kingdom of Tuoui."
 This the tiny maiden's answer:
 "Well I know thou speakest falsely;
 If the waters of Manala,
 If the cataract and whirlpool,
 Or the waves had brought thee hither,
 From thy robes the drops would trickle,
 Water drip from all thy raiment.
 Tell the truth and I will serve thee,
 What has brought thee to Manala?"

Then the wilful Wainamoinen
 Told this falsehood to the maiden:
 "Fire has brought me to Manala,
 To the kingdom of Tuoni."
 Spake again Tuoni's daughter:
 "Well I know the voice of falsehood.
 If the fire had brought thee hither,
 Brought thee to Tuoni's empire,
 Singed would be thy locks and eyebrows,
 And thy beard be crisped and tangled.
 O, thou foolish Wainamoinen,
 If I row thee o'er the ferry,
 Thou must speak the truth in answer,
 This the last time I will ask thee;
 Make an end of thy deception.
 What has brought thee to Manala,
 Still unharmed by pain or sickness,
 Still untouched by Death's dark angel
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "At the first I spake, not truly,
 Now I give thee rightful answer:
 I a boat with ancient wisdom,
 Fashioned with my powers of magic,
 Sang one day and then a second,
 Sang the third day until evening,
 When I broke the magic main-spring,
 Broke my magic sledge in pieces,
 Of my song the fleetest runners;
 Then I come to Mana's kingdom,
 Came to borrow here a hatchet,
 Thus to mend my sledge of magic,
 Thus to join the parts together.
 Send the boat now quickly over,
 Send me, quick, Tuoni's row-boat,
 Help me cross this fatal river,
 Cross the channel of Manala."

Spake the daughter of Tuoni,
 Mana's maiden thus replying:
 "Thou art sure a stupid fellow,
 Foresight wanting, judgment lacking,
 Having neither wit nor wisdom,
 Coming here without a reason,
 Coming to Tuoni's empire;
 Better far if thou shouldst journey
 To thy distant home and kindred;
 Man they that visit Mana,
 Few return from Maria's kingdom."

Spake the good old Wainamoinen:
 "Women old retreat from danger,
 Not a man of any courage,
 Not the weakest of the heroes.
 Bring thy boat, Tuoni's daughter,
 Tiny maiden of Manala,
 Come and row me o'er the ferry."

Mana's daughter does as bidden,
 Brings her boat to Wainamoinen,
 Quickly rows him through the channel,
 O'er the black and fatal river,
 To the kingdom of Manala,
 Speaks these words to the magician:
 "Woe to thee! O Wainamoinen!
 Wonderful indeed, thy magic,
 Since thou comest to Manala,
 Comest neither dead nor dying."

Tuonetar, the death-land hostess,
 Ancient hostess of Tuoni,
 Brings him pitchers filled with strong-beer,
 Fills her massive golden goblets,
 Speaks these measures to the stranger:
 "Drink, thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Drink the beer of king Tuoni!"

Wainamoinen, wise and cautious,
 Carefully inspects the liquor,
 Looks a long time in the pitchers,
 Sees the spawning of the black-frogs,
 Sees the young of poison-serpents,
 Lizards, worms, and writhing adders,
 Thus addresses Tuonetar:
 "Have not come with this intention,
 Have not come to drink thy poisons,
 Drink the beer of Tuonela;
 Those that drink Tuoni's liquors,
 Those that sip the cups of Mana,
 Court the Devil and destruction,
 End their lives in want and ruin."
 Tuonetar makes this answer:
 "Ancient minstrel, Wainamoinen,
 Tell me what has brought thee hither,
 Brought thee to the, realm of Mana,
 To the courts of Tuonela,
 Ere Tuoni sent his angels
 To thy home in Kalevala,
 There to cut thy magic life-thread."
 Spake the singer, Wainamoinen:
 "I was building me a vessel,
 At my craft was working, singing,
 Needed three words of the Master,
 How to fasten in the ledges,
 How the stern should be completed,
 How complete the boat's forecastle.
 This the reason of my coming
 To the empire of Tuoni,
 To the castles of Manala:
 Came to learn these magic sayings,
 Learn the lost-words of the Master."
 Spake the hostess, Tuonetar:
 "Mana never gives these sayings,
 Canst not learn them from Tuoni,
 Not the lost-words of the Master;
 Thou shalt never leave this kingdom,
 Never in thy magic life-time,
 Never go to Kalevala,
 To Wainola's peaceful meadows.
 To thy distant home and country."

Quick the hostess, Tuonetar,
 Waves her magic wand of slumber
 O'er the head of Wainamoinen,
 Puts to rest the wisdom-hero,
 Lays him on the couch of Mana,
 In the robes of living heroes,
 Deep the sleep that settles o'er him.
 In Manala lived a woman,
 In the kingdom of Tuoni,
 Evil witch and toothless wizard,
 Spinner of the threads of iron,
 Moulder of the bands of copper,
 Weaver of a hundred fish-nets,
 Of a thousand nets of copper,
 Spinning in the days of summer,
 Weaving in the winter evenings,
 Seated on a rock in water.

In the kingdom of Tuoni
 Lived a man, a wicked wizard,
 Three the fingers of the hero,
 Spinner he of iron meshes,
 Maker too of nets of copper,
 Countless were his nets of metal,
 Moulded on a rock in water,
 Through the many days of summer.

Mana's son with crooked fingers,
 Iron-pointed, copper fingers,
 Pulls of nets, at least a thousand,
 Through the river of Tuoni,
 Sets them lengthwise, sets them crosswise,
 In the fatal, darksome river,
 That the sleeping Wainamomen,
 Friend and brother of the waters,
 May not leave the isle of Mana,
 Never in the course of ages,
 Never leave the death-land castles,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers
 On the empire of Tuoni.

Wainamoinen, wise and wary,
 Rising from his couch of slumber,
 Speaks these words as he is waking:
 "Is there not some mischief brewing,
 Am I not at last in danger,
 In the chambers of Tuoni,
 In the Manala home and household?"

Quick he changes his complexion,
 Changes too his form and feature,
 Slips into another body;
 Like a serpent in a circle,
 Rolls black-dyed upon the waters;
 Like a snake among the willows,
 Crawls he like a worm of magic,
 Like an adder through the grasses,
 Through the coal-black stream of death-land,
 Through a thousand nets of copper
 Interlaced with threads of iron,
 From the kingdom of Tuoni,
 From the castles of Manala.

Mana's son, the wicked wizard,
 With his iron-pointed fingers,
 In the early morning hastens
 To his thousand nets of copper,
 Set within the Tuoni river,
 Finds therein a countless number
 Of the death-stream fish and serpents;
 Does not find old Wainamoinen,
 Wainamoinen, wise and wary,
 Friend and fellow of the waters.

When the wonder-working hero
 Had escaped from Tuonela,
 Spake he thus in supplication:
 "Gratitude to thee, O Ukko,
 Do I bring for thy protection!
 Never suffer other heroes,
 Of thy heroes not the wisest,
 To transgress the laws of nature;
 Never let another singer,
 While he lives within the body,
 Cross the river of Tuoni,
 As thou lovest thy creations.
 Many heroes cross the channel,
 Cross the fatal stream of Mana,
 Few return to tell the story,
 Few return from Tuonela,
 From Manala's courts and castles."

Wainamoinen calls his people,
 On the plains of Kalevala,
 Speaks these words of ancient wisdom,
 To the young men, to the maidens,
 To the rising generation:
 "Every child of Northland, listen:
 If thou wishest joy eternal,
 Never disobey thy parents,
 Never evil treat the guiltless,
 Never wrong the feeble-minded,
 Never harm thy weakest fellow,
 Never stain thy lips with falsehood,
 Never cheat thy trusting neighbor,
 Never injure thy companion,
 Lest thou surely payest penance
 In the kingdom of Tuoni,
 In the prison of Manala;
 There, the home of all the wicked,
 There the couch of the unworthy,
 There the chambers of the guilty.
 Underneath Manala's fire-rock
 Are their ever-flaming couches,
 For their pillows hissing serpents,
 Vipers green their writhing covers,
 For their drink the blood of adders,
 For their food the pangs of hunger,
 Pain and agony their solace;
 If thou wishest joy eternal,
 Shun the kingdom of Tuoui!"

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XVII.

 

WAINAMOINEN FINDS THE LOST-WORD.

WAINAMOINEN, old and truthful,
 Did not learn the words of magic
 In Tuoni's gloomy regions,
 In the kingdom of Manala.
 Thereupon he long debated,
 Well considered, long reflected,
 Where to find the magic sayings;
 When a shepherd came to meet him,
 Speaking thus to Wainamoinen:
 "Thou canst find of words a hundred,
 Find a thousand wisdom-sayings,
 In the mouth of wise Wipunen,
 In the body of the hero;
 To the spot I know the foot-path,
 To his tomb the magic highway,
 Trodden by a host of heroes;
 Long the distance thou must travel,
 On the sharpened points of needles;
 Then a long way thou must journey
 On the edges of the broadswords;
 Thirdly thou must travel farther
 On the edges of the hatchets."

Wainamoinen, old and trustful,
 Well considered all these journeys,
 Travelled to the forge and smithy,
 Thus addressed the metal-worker:
 "Ilmarinen, worthy blacksmith,
 Make a shoe for me of iron,
 Forge me gloves of burnished copper,
 Mold a staff of strongest metal,
 Lay the steel upon the inside,
 Forge within the might of magic;
 I am going on a journey
 To procure the magic sayings,
 Find the lost-words of the Master,
 From the mouth of the magician,
 From the tongue of wise Wipunen."
 Spake the artist, Ilmarinen:
 "Long ago died wise Wipunen,
 Disappeared these many ages,
 Lays no more his snares of copper,
 Sets no longer traps of iron,
 Cannot learn from him the wisdom,
 Cannot find in him the lost-words."

Wainamoinen, old and hopeful,
 Little heeding, not discouraged,
 In his metal shoes and armor,
 Hastens forward on his journey,
 Runs the first day fleetly onward,
 On the sharpened points of needles;
 'Wearily he strides the second,
 On the edges of the broadswords
 Swings himself the third day forward,
 On the edges of the hatchets.

Wise Wipunen, wisdom-singer,
 Ancient bard, and great magician,
 With his magic songs lay yonder,
 Stretched beside him, lay his sayings,
 On his shoulder grew the aspen,
 On each temple grew the birch-tree,
 On his mighty chin the alder,
 From his beard grew willow-bushes,
 From his mouth the dark green fir-tree,
 And the oak-tree from his forehead.

Wainamoinen, coming closer,
 Draws his sword, lays bare his hatchet
 From his magic leathern scabbard,
 Fells the aspen from his shoulder,
 Fells the birch-tree from his temples,
 From his chin he fells the alder,
 From his beard, the branching willows,
 From his mouth the dark-green fir-tree,
 Fells the oak-tree from his forehead.

Now he thrusts his staff of iron
 Through the mouth of wise Wipunen,
 Pries his mighty jaws asunder,
 Speaks these words of master-magic:
 "Rise, thou master of magicians,
 From the sleep of Tuonela,
 From thine everlasting slumber!"

Wise Wipunen, ancient singer,
 Quickly wakens from his sleeping,
 Keenly feels the pangs of torture,
 From the cruel staff of iron;
 Bites with mighty force the metal,
 Bites in twain the softer iron,
 Cannot bite the steel asunder,
 Opens wide his mouth in anguish.
 Wainamoinen of Wainola,
 In his iron-shoes and armor,
 Careless walking, headlong stumbles
 In the spacious mouth and fauces
 Of the magic bard, Wipunen.
 Wise Wipunen, full of song-charms,
 Opens wide his mouth and swallows
 Wainamoinen and his magic,
 Shoes, and staff, and iron armor.
 Then outspeaks the wise Wipunen:
 "Many things before I've eaten,
 Dined on goat, and sheep, and reindeer,
 Bear, and ox, and wolf, and wild-boar,
 Never in my recollection,
 Have I tasted sweeter morsels!"
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Now I see the evil symbols,
 See misfortune hanging o'er me,
 In the darksome Hisi-hurdles,
 In the catacombs of Kalma."

Wainamoinen long considered
 How to live and how to prosper,
 How to conquer this condition.
 In his belt he wore a poniard,
 With a handle hewn from birch-wood,
 From the handle builds a vessel,
 Builds a boat through magic science;
 In this vessel rows he swiftly
 Through the entrails of the hero,
 Rows through every gland and vessel
 Of the wisest of magicians.
 Old Wipunen, master-singer,
 Barely feels the hero's presence,
 Gives no heed to Wainamoinen.
 Then the artist of Wainola
 Straightway sets himself to forging,
 Sets at work to hammer metals;
 Makes a smithy from his armor,
 Of his sleeves he makes the bellows,
 Makes the air-valve from his fur-coat,
 From his stockings, makes the muzzle,
 Uses knees instead of anvil,
 Makes a hammer of his fore-arm;
 Like the storm-wind roars the bellows,
 Like the thunder rings the anvil;
 Forges one day, then a second,
 Forges till the third day closes,
 In the body of Wipunen,
 In the sorcerer's abdomen.

Old Wipunen, full of magic,
 Speaks these words in wonder, guessing:
 "Who art thou of ancient heroes,
 Who of all the host of heroes?
 Many heroes I have eaten,
 And of men a countless number,
 Have not eaten such as thou art;
 Smoke arises from my nostrils,
 From my mouth the fire is streaming,
 In my throat are iron-clinkers.

"Go, thou monster, hence to wander,
 Flee this place, thou plague of Northland,
 Ere I go to seek thy mother,
 Tell the ancient dame thy mischief;
 She shall bear thine evil conduct,
 Great the burden she shall carry;
 Great a mother's pain and anguish,
 When her child runs wild and lawless;
 Cannot comprehend the meaning,
 Nor this mystery unravel,
 Why thou camest here, O monster,
 Camest here to give me torture.
 Art thou Hisi sent from heaven,
 Some calamity from Ukko?
 Art, perchance, some new creation,
 Ordered here to do me evil?
 If thou art some evil genius,
 Some calamity from Ukko,
 Sent to me by my Creator,
 Then am I resigned to suffer
 God does not forsake the worthy,
 Does not ruin those that trust him,
 Never are the good forsaken.
 If by man thou wert created,
 If some hero sent thee hither,
 I shall learn thy race of evil,
 Shall destroy thy wicked tribe-folk.

"Thence arose the violation,
 Thence arose the first destruction,
 Thence came all the evil-doings:
 From the neighborhood of wizards,
 From the homes of the magicians,
 From the eaves of vicious spirits,
 From the haunts of fortune-tellers,
 From the cabins of the witches,
 From the castles of Tuoni,
 From the bottom of Manala,
 From the ground with envy swollen,
 From Ingratitude's dominions,
 From the rocky shoals and quicksands,
 From the marshes filled with danger,
 From the cataract's commotion,
 From the bear-caves in the mountains,
 From the wolves within the thickets,
 From the roarings of the pine-tree,
 From the burrows of the fox-dog,
 From the woodlands of the reindeer,
 From the eaves and Hisi-hurdles,
 From the battles of the giants,
 From uncultivated pastures,
 From the billows of the oceans,
 From the streams of boiling waters,
 From the waterfalls of Rutya,
 From the limits of the storm-clouds,
 From the pathways of the thunders,
 From the flashings of the lightnings,
 From the distant plains of Pohya,
 From the fatal stream and whirlpool,
 From the birthplace of Tuoni.

"Art thou coming from these places?
 Hast thou, evil, hastened hither,
 To the heart of sinless hero,
 To devour my guiltless body,
 To destroy this wisdom-singer?
 Get thee hence, thou dog of Lempo,
 Leave, thou monster from Manala,
 Flee from mine immortal body,
 Leave my liver, thing of evil,
 In my body cease thy forging,
 Cease this torture of my vitals,
 Let me rest in peace and slumber.

"Should I want in means efficient,
 Should I lack the magic power
 To outroot thine evil genius,
 I shall call a better hero,
 Call upon a higher power,
 To remove this dire misfortune,
 To annihilate this monster.
 I shall call the will of woman,
 From the fields, the old-time heroes?
 Mounted heroes from the sand-hills,
 Thus to rescue me from danger,
 From these pains and ceaseless tortures.

"If this force prove inefficient,
 Should not drive thee from my body,
 Come, thou forest, with thy heroes,
 Come, ye junipers and pine-trees,
 With your messengers of power,
 Come, ye mountains, with your wood-nymphs,
 Come, ye lakes, with all your mermaids,
 Come, ye hundred ocean-spearmen,
 Come, torment this son of Hisi,
 Come and kill this evil monster.

"If this call is inefficient,
 Does not drive thee from my vitals,
 Rise, thou ancient water-mother,
 With thy blue-cap from the ocean,
 From the seas, the lakes, the rivers,
 Bring protection to thy hero,
 Comfort bring and full assistance,
 That I guiltless may not suffer,
 May not perish prematurely.

"Shouldst thou brave this invocation,
 Kape, daughter of Creation,
 Come, thou beauteous, golden maiden,
 Oldest of the race of women,
 Come and witness my misfortunes,
 Come and turn away this evil,
 Come, remove this biting torment,
 Take away this plague of Piru.

"If this call be disregarded,
 If thou wilt not leave me guiltless,
 Ukko, on the arch of heaven,
 In the thunder-cloud dominions,
 Come thou quickly, thou art needed,
 Come, protect thy tortured hero,
 Drive away this magic demon,
 Banish ever his enchantment,
 With his sword and flaming furnace,
 With his fire-enkindling bellows.

"Go, thou demon, hence to wander,
 Flee, thou plague of Northland heroes;
 Never come again for shelter,
 Nevermore build thou thy dwelling
 In the body of Wipunen;
 Take at once thy habitation
 To the regions of thy kindred,
 To thy distant fields and firesides;
 When thy journey thou hast ended,
 Gained the borders of thy country,
 Gained the meads of thy Creator,
 Give a signal of thy coming,
 Rumble like the peals of thunder,
 Glisten like the gleam of lightning,
 Knock upon the outer portals,
 Enter through the open windows,
 Glide about the many chambers,
 Seize the host and seize the hostess,
 Knock their evil beads together,
 Wring their necks and hurl their bodies
 To the black-dogs of the forest.

"Should this prove of little value,
 Hover like the bird of battle,
 O'er the dwellings of the master,
 Scare the horses from the mangers,
 From the troughs affright the cattle,
 Twist their tails, and horns, and forelocks,
 Hurl their carcasses to Lempo.

"If some scourge the winds have sent me,
 Sent me on the air of spring-tide,
 Brought me by the frosts of winter,
 Quickly journey whence thou camest,
 On the air-path of the heavens,
 Perching not upon some aspen,
 Resting not upon the birch-tree;
 Fly away to copper mountains,
 That the copper-winds may nurse thee,
 Waves of ether, thy protection.

"Didst those come from high Jumala,
 From the hems of ragged snow-clouds,
 Quick ascend beyond the cloud-space,
 Quickly journey whence thou camest,
 To the snow-clouds, crystal-sprinkled,
 To the twinkling stars of heaven
 There thy fire may burn forever,
 There may flash thy forked lightnings,
 In the Sun's undying furnace.

"Wert thou sent here by the spring-floods,
 Driven here by river-torrents?
 Quickly journey whence thou camest,
 Quickly hasten to the waters,
 To the borders of the rivers,
 To the ancient water-mountain,
 That the floods again may rock thee,
 And thy water-mother nurse thee.

"Didst thou come from Kalma's kingdom,
 From the castles of the death-land?
 Haste thou back to thine own country,
 To the Kalma-halls and castles,
 To the fields with envy swollen,
 Where contending armies perish.

"Art thou from the Hisi-woodlands,
 From ravines in Lempo's forest,
 From the thickets of the pine-wood,
 From the dwellings of the fir-glen?
 Quick retrace thine evil footsteps
 To the dwellings of thy master,
 To the thickets of thy kindred;
 There thou mayest dwell at pleasure,
 Till thy house decays about thee,
 Till thy walls shall mould and crumble.

Evil genius, thee I banish,
 Got thee hence, thou horrid monster,
 To the caverns of the white-bear,
 To the deep abysm of serpents,
 To the vales, and swamps, and fenlands,
 To the ever-silent waters,
 To the hot-springs of the mountains,
 To the dead-seas of the Northland,
 To the lifeless lakes and rivers,
 To the sacred stream and whirlpool.

"Shouldst thou find no place of resting,
 I will banish thee still farther,
 To the Northland's distant borders,
 To the broad expanse of Lapland,
 To the ever-lifeless deserts,
 To the unproductive prairies,
 Sunless, moonless, starless, lifeless,
 In the dark abyss of Northland;
 This for thee, a place befitting,
 Pitch thy tents and feast forever
 On the dead plains of Pohyola.

"Shouldst thou find no means of living,
 I will banish thee still farther,
 To the cataract of Rutya,
 To the fire-emitting whirlpool,
 Where the firs are ever falling,
 To the windfalls of the forest;
 Swim hereafter in the waters
 Of the fire-emitting whirlpool,
 Whirl thou ever in the current
 Of the cataract's commotion,
 In its foam and boiling waters.

Should this place be unbefitting,
 I will drive thee farther onward,
 To Tuoni's coal-black river,
 To the endless stream of Mana,
 Where thou shalt forever linger;
 Thou canst never leave Manala,
 Should I not thy head deliver,
 Should I never pay thy ransom;
 Thou canst never safely journey
 Through nine brother-rams abutting,
 Through nine brother-bulls opposing
 Through nine brother-stallions thwarting,
 Thou canst not re-cross Death-river
 Thickly set with iron netting,
 Interlaced with threads of copper.

"Shouldst thou ask for steeds for saddle,
 Shouldst thou need a fleet-foot courser,
 I will give thee worthy racers,
 I will give thee saddle-horses;
 Evil Hisi has a charger,
 Crimson mane, and tail, and foretop,
 Fire emitting from his nostrils,
 As he prances through his pastures;
 Hoofs are made of strongest iron,
 Legs are made of steel and copper,
 Quickly scales the highest mountains,
 Darts like lightning through the valleys,
 When a skilful master rides him.

"Should this steed be insufficient,
 I will give thee Lempo's snow-shoes,
 Give thee Hisi's shoes of elm-wood,
 Give to thee the staff of Piru,
 That with these thou mayest journey
 Into Hisi's courts and castles,
 To the woods and fields of Juutas;
 If the rocks should rise before thee,
 Dash the flinty rocks in pieces,
 Hurl the fragments to the heavens;
 If the branches cross thy pathway,
 Make them turn aside in greeting;
 If some mighty hero hail thee,
 Hurl him headlong to the woodlands.

"Hasten hence, thou thing of evil,
 Heinous monster, leave my body,
 Ere the breaking of the morning
 Ere the Sun awakes from slumber,
 Ere the sinning of the cuckoo;
 Haste away, thou plague of Northland,
 Haste along the track of' moonbeams,
 Wander hence, forever wander,
 To the darksome fields or Pohya.

"If at once thou dost not leave me,
 I will send the eagle's talons,
 Send to thee the beaks of vultures,
 To devour thine evil body,
 Hurl thy skeleton to Hisi.
 Much more quickly cruel Lempo
 Left my vitals when commanded,
 When I called the aid of Ukko,
 Called the help of my Creator.
 Flee, thou motherless offendant,
 Flee, thou fiend of Sariola,
 Flee, thou hound without a master,
 Ere the morning sun arises,
 Ere the Moon withdraws to slumber!"

Wainamoinen, ancient hero,
 Speaks at last to old Wipunen:
 "Satisfied am I to linger
 In these old and spacious caverns,
 Pleasant here my home and dwelling;
 For my meat I have thy tissues,
 Have thy heart, and spleen, and liver,
 For my drink the blood of ages,
 Goodly home for Wainamoinen.

"I shall set my forge and bellows
 Deeper, deeper in thy vitals;
 I shall swing my heavy hammer,
 Swing it with a greater power
 On thy heart, and lungs, and liver;
 I shall never, never leave thee
 Till I learn thine incantations,
 Learn thy many wisdom-sayings,
 Learn the lost-words of the Master;
 Never must these words be bidden,
 Earth must never lose this wisdom,
 Though the wisdom-singers perish."

Old Wipunen, wise magician,
 Ancient prophet, filled with power,
 Opens fall his store of knowledge,
 Lifts the covers from his cases,
 Filled with old-time incantations,
 Filled with songs of times primeval,
 Filled with ancient wit and wisdom;
 Sings the very oldest folk-songs,
 Sings the origin of witchcraft,
 Sings of Earth and its beginning
 Sings the first of all creations,
 Sings the source of good and evil
 Sung alas! by youth no longer,
 Only sung in part by heroes
 In these days of sin and sorrow.
 Evil days our land befallen.
 Sings the orders of enchantment.
 How, upon the will of Ukko,
 By command of the Creator,
 How the air was first divided,
 How the water came from ether,
 How the earth arose from water,
 How from earth came vegetation,
 Fish, and fowl, and man, and hero.

Sings again the wise Wipunen,
 How the Moon was first created,
 How the Sun was set in heaven,
 Whence the colors of the rainbow,
 Whence the ether's crystal pillars,
 How the skies with stars were sprinkled.

Then again sings wise Wipunen,
 Sings in miracles of concord,
 Sings in magic tones of wisdom,
 Never was there heard such singing;
 Songs he sings in countless numbers,
 Swift his notes as tongues of serpents,
 All the distant hills re-echo;
 Sings one day, and then a second,
 Sings a third from dawn till evening,
 Sings from evening till the morning;
 Listen all the stars of heaven,
 And the Moon stands still and listens
 Fall the waves upon the deep-sea,
 In the bay the tides cease rising,
 Stop the rivers in their courses,
 Stops the waterfall of Rutya,
 Even Jordan ceases flowing,
 And the Wuoksen stops and listens.

When the ancient Wainamoinen
 Well had learned the magic sayings,
 Learned the ancient songs and legends,
 Learned the words of ancient wisdom,
 Learned the lost-words of the Master,
 Well had learned the secret doctrine,
 He prepared to leave the body
 Of the wisdom-bard, Wipunen,
 Leave the bosom of the master,
 Leave the wonderful enchanter.
 Spake the hero, Wainamoinen:
 "O, thou Antero Wipunen,
 Open wide thy mouth and fauces,
 I have found the magic lost-words,
 I will leave thee now forever,
 Leave thee and thy wondrous singing,
 Will return to Kalevala,
 To Wainola's fields and firesides."
 Thus Wipunen spake in answer:
 "Many are the things I've eaten,
 Eaten bear, and elk, and reindeer,
 Eaten ox, and wolf, and wild-boar,
 Eaten man, and eaten hero,
 Never, never have I eaten
 Such a thing as Wainamoinen;
 Thou hast found what thou desirest,
 Found the three words of the Master;
 Go in peace, and ne'er returning,
 Take my blessing on thy going."

Thereupon the bard Wipunen
 Opens wide his mouth, and wider;
 And the good, old Wainamoinen
 Straightway leaves the wise enchanter,
 Leaves Wipunen's great abdomen;
 From the mouth he glides and journeys
 O'er the hills and vales of Northland,
 Swift as red-deer or the forest,
 Swift as yellow-breasted marten,
 To the firesides of Wainola,
 To the plains of Kalevala.

Straightway hastes he to the smithy
 Of his brother, Ilmarinen,
 Thus the iron-artist greets him:
 Hast thou found the long-lost wisdom,
 Hast thou heard the secret doctrine,
 Hast thou learned the master magic,
 How to fasten in the ledges,
 How the stern should be completed,
 How complete the ship's forecastle?
 Wainamoinen thus made answer:
 "I have learned of words a hundred,
 Learned a thousand incantations,
 Hidden deep for many ages,
 Learned the words of ancient wisdom,
 Found the keys of secret doctrine,
 Found the lost-words of the Master."

Wainamoinen, magic-builder,
 Straightway journeys to his vessel,
 To the spot of magic labor,
 Quickly fastens in the ledges,
 Firmly binds the stern together
 And completes the boat's forecastle.
 Thus the ancient Wainamoinen
 Built the boat with magic only,
 And with magic launched his vessel,
 Using not the hand to touch it,
 Using not the foot to move it,
 Using not the knee to turn it,
 Using nothing to propel it.
 Thus the third task was completed,
 For the hostess of Pohyola,
 Dowry for the Maid of Beauty
 Sitting on the arch of heaven,
 On the bow of many colors.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XVIII.

 

THE RIVAL SUITORS.

WAINAMOINEN, old and truthful,
 Long considered, long debated,
 How to woo and win the daughter
 Of the hostess of Pohyola,
 How to lead the Bride of Beauty,
 Fairy maiden of the rainbow,
 To the meadows of Wainola,
 From the dismal Sariola.

Now he decks his magic vessel,
 Paints the boat in blue and scarlet,
 Trims in gold the ship's forecastle,
 Decks the prow in molten silver;
 Sings his magic ship down gliding,
 On the cylinders of fir-tree:
 Now erects the masts of pine-wood,
 On each mast the sails of linen,
 Sails of blue, and white, and scarlet,
 Woven into finest fabric.

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Steps aboard his wondrous vessel,
 Steers the bark across the waters,
 On the blue back of the broad-sea,
 Speaks these words in sailing northward,
 Sailing to the dark Pohyola:
 "Come aboard my ship, O Ukko,
 Come with me, thou God of mercy,
 To protect thine ancient hero,
 To support thy trusting servant,
 On the breasts of raging billows,
 On the far out-stretching waters.

"Rock, O winds, this wondrous vessel,
 Causing not a single ripple;
 Rolling waves, bear ye me northward,
 That the oar may not be needed
 In my journey to Pohyola,
 O'er this mighty waste of waters."

Ilmarinen's beauteous sister,
 Fair and goodly maid, Annikki,
 Of the Night and Dawn, the daughter,
 Who awakes each morning early,
 Rises long before the daylight,
 Stood one morning on the sea-shore,
 Washing in the foam her dresses,
 Rinsing out her silken ribbons,
 On the bridge of scarlet color,
 On the border of the highway,
 On a headland jutting seaward,
 On the forest-covered island.
 Here Annikki, looking round her,
 Looking through the fog and ether,
 Looking through the clouds of heaven,
 Gazing far out on the blue-sea,
 Sees the morning sun arising,
 Glimmering along the billows,
 Looks with eyes of distant vision
 Toward the sunrise on the waters,
 Toward the winding streams of Suomi,
 Where the Wina-waves were flowing.

There she sees, on the horizon,
 Something darkle in the sunlight,
 Something blue upon the billows,
 Speaks these words in wonder guessing:
 What is this upon the surges,
 What this blue upon the waters,
 What this darkling in the sunlight?
 'Tis perhaps a flock of wild-geese,
 Or perchance the blue-duck flying;
 Then upon thy wings arising,
 Fly away to highest heaven.

"Art thou then a shoal of sea-trout,
 Or perchance a school of salmon?
 Dive then to the deep sea-bottom,
 In the waters swim and frolic.

"Art thou then a cliff of granite,
 Or perchance a mighty oak-tree,
 Floating on the rough sea-billows?
 May the floods then wash and beat thee
 Break thee to a thousand fragments."

Wainamoinen, sailing northward,
 Steers his wondrous ship of magic
 Toward the headland jutting seaward,
 Toward the island forest-covered.

Now Annikki, goodly maiden,
 Sees it is the magic vessel
 Of a wonderful enchanter,
 Of a mighty bard and hero,
 And she asks this simple question:
 "Art thou then my father's vessel,
 Or my brother's ship of magic?
 Haste away then to thy harbor,
 To thy refuge in Wainola.
 Hast thou come a goodly distance?
 Sail then farther on thy journey,
 Point thy prow to other waters."

It was not her father's vessel,
 Not a sail-boat from the distance,
 'Twas the ship of Wainamoinen,
 Bark of the eternal singer;
 Sails within a hailing distance,
 Swims still nearer o'er the waters,
 Brings one word and takes another,
 Brings a third of magic import.

Speaks the goodly maid, Annikki,
 Of the Night and Dawn, the daughter,
 To the sailor of the vessel:
 "Whither sailest, Wainamoinen,
 Whither bound, thou friend of waters,
 Pride and joy of Kalevala?"

From the vessel Wainamomen
 Gives this answer to the maiden:
 "I have come to catch some sea-trout,
 Catch the young and toothsome whiting,
 Hiding in tbese-reeds and rushes."
 This the answer of Annikki:

"Do not speak to me in falsehood,
 Know I well the times of fishing;
 Long ago my honored father
 Was a fisherman in Northland,
 Came to catch the trout and whiting,
 Fished within these seas and rivers.
 Very well do I remember
 How the fisherman disposes,
 How he rigs his fishing vessel,
 Lines, and gaffs, and poles, and fish-nets;
 Hast not come a-fishing hither.
 Whither goest, Wainamoinen,
 Whither sailest, friend of waters?
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "I have come to catch some wild-geese,
 Catch the hissing birds of Suomi,
 In these far-extending borders,
 In the Sachsensund dominions."
 Good Annikki gives this answer:
 "Know I well a truthful speaker,
 Easily detect a falsehood;
 Formerly my aged father
 Often came a-hunting hither,
 Came to hunt the hissing wild-geese,
 Hunt the red-bill of these waters.
 Very well do I remember
 How the hunter rigs his vessel,
 Bows, and arrows, knives, and quiver,
 Dogs enchained within the vessel,
 Pointers hunting on the sea-shore,
 Setters seeking in the marshes,
 Tell the truth now Wainamoinen,
 Whither is thy vessel sailing?"
 Spake the hero of the Northland:
 "To the wars my ship is sailing,
 To the bloody fields of battle,
 Where the streams run scarlet-colored,
 Where the paths are paved with bodies!'
 These the words of fair Annikki:
 "Know I well the paths to battle.
 Formerly my aged father
 Often sounded war's alarum,
 Often led the hosts to conquest;
 In each ship a hundred rowers,
 And in arms a thousand heroes,
 Oil the prow a thousand cross-bows,
 Swords, and spears, and battle-axes;
 Know I well the ship of battle.
 Speak Do longer fruitless falsehoods,
 Whither sailest, Wainamoinen,
 Whither steerest, friend of waters?
 These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "Come, O maiden, to my vessel,
 In my magic ship be seated,
 Then I'll give thee truthful answer."

Thus Annikki, silver-tinselled,
 Answers ancient Wainamoinen:
 "With the winds I'll fill thy vessel,
 To thy bark I'll send the storm-winds
 And capsize thy ship of magic,
 Break in pieces its forecastle,
 If the truth thou dost not tell me,
 If thou dost not cease thy falsehoods,
 If thou dost not tell me truly
 Whither sails thy magic vessel."
 These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "Now I make thee truthful answer,
 Though at first I spake deception:
 I am sailing to the Northland
 To the dismal Sariola,
 Where the ogres live and flourish,
 Where they drown the worthy heroes,
 There to woo the Maid of Beauty
 Sitting on the bow of heaven,
 Woo and win the fairy virgin,
 Bring her to my home and kindred,
 To the firesides of Walnola."

Then Aunikki, graceful maiden,
 Of the Night and Dawn, the daughter,
 As she heard the rightful answer,
 Knew the truth was fully spoken,
 Straightway left her coats unbeaten,
 Left unwashed her linen garments,
 Left unrinsed her silks and ribbons
 On the highway by the sea-shore,
 On the bridge of scarlet color
 On her arm she threw her long-robes,
 Hastened off with speed of roebuck
 To the shops of Ilmarinen,
 To the iron-forger's furnace,
 To the blacksmith's home and smithy,
 Here she found the hero-artist,
 Forging out a bench of iron,
 And adorning it with silver.
 Soot lay thick upon his forehead,
 Soot and coal upon his shoulders.

On the threshold speaks Annikki,
 These the words his sister uses:
 "Ilmarinen, dearest brother,
 Thou eternal artist-forger,
 Forge me now a loom of silver,
 Golden rings to grace my fingers,
 Forge me gold and silver ear-rings,
 Six or seven golden girdles,
 Golden crosslets for my bosom,
 For my head forge golden trinkets,
 And I'll tell a tale surprising,
 Tell a story that concerns thee
 Truthfully I'll tell the story."

Then the blacksmith Ilmarinen
 Spake and these the words he uttered:
 "If thou'lt tell the tale sincerely,
 I will forge the loom of silver,
 Golden rings to grace thy fingers,
 Forge thee gold and silver ear-rings,
 Six or seven golden girdles,
 Golden crosslets for thy bosom,
 For thy head forge golden trinkets;
 But if thou shouldst tell me falsely,
 I shall break thy beauteous jewels,
 Break thine ornaments in pieces,
 Hurl them to the fire and furnace,
 Never forge thee other trinkets."
 This the answer of Annikki:
 "Ancient blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Dost thou ever think to marry
 Her already thine affianced,
 Beauteous Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Fairest virgin of the Northland,
 Chosen bride of Sariola?
 Shouldst thou wish the Maid of Beauty,
 Thou must forge, and forge unceasing,
 Hammering the days and nights through;
 Forge the summer hoofs for horses,
 Forge them iron hoofs for winter,
 In the long nights forge the snow-sledge,
 Gaily trim it in the daytime,
 Haste thou then upon thy journey
 To thy wooing in the Northland,
 To the dismal Sariola;
 Thither journeys one more clever,
 Sails another now before thee,
 There to woo thy bride affianced,
 Thence to lead thy chosen virgin,
 Woo and win the Maid of Beauty;
 Three long years thou hast been wooing.
 Wainamoinen now is sailing
 On the blue back of the waters,
 Sitting at his helm of copper;
 On the prow are golden carvings,
 Beautiful his boat of magic,
 Sailing fleetly o'er the billows,
 To the never-pleasant Northland,
 To the dismal Sariola."

Ilmarinen stood in wonder,
 Stood a statue at the story;
 Silent grief had settled o'er him,
 Settled o'er the iron-artist;
 From one hand the tongs descended,
 From the other fell the hammer,
 As the blacksmith made this answer:
 "Good Annikki, worthy sister,
 I shall forge the loom of silver,
 Golden rings to grace thy fingers,
 Forge thee gold and silver ear-rings,
 Six or seven golden girdles,
 Golden crosslets for thy bosom;
 Go and heat for me the bath-room,
 Fill with heat the honey-chambers,
 Lay the faggots on the fire-place,
 Lay the smaller woods around them,
 Pour some water through the ashes,
 Make a soap of magic virtue,
 Thus to cleanse my blackened visage,
 Thus to cleanse the blacksmith's body,
 Thus remove the soot and ashes."

Then Annikki, kindly sister,
 Quickly warmed her brother's bath-room,
 Warmed it with the knots of fir-trees,
 That the thunder-winds had broken;
 Gathered pebbles from the fire-stream,
 Threw them in the heating waters;
 Broke the tassels from the birch-trees,
 Steeped the foliage in honey,
 Made a lye from milk and ashes,
 Made of these a strong decoction,
 Mixed it with the fat and marrow
 Of the reindeer of the mountains,
 Made a soap of magic virtue,
 Thus to cleanse the iron-artist,
 Thus to beautify the suitor,
 Thus to make the hero worthy.

Ilmarinen, ancient blacksmith,
 The eternal metal-worker,
 Forged the wishes of his sister,
 Ornaments for fair Annikki,
 Rings, and bracelets, pins and ear-drops,
 Forged for her six golden girdles,
 Forged a weaving loom of silver,
 While the maid prepared the bath-room,
 Set his toilet-room in order.

To the maid he gave the trinkets,
 Gave the loom of molten silver,
 And the sister thus made answer:
 "I have heated well thy bath-room,
 Have thy toilet-things in order,
 Everything as thou desirest;
 Go prepare thyself for wooing,
 Lave thy bead to flaxen whiteness,
 Make thy cheeks look fresh and ruddy,
 Lave thyself in Love's aroma,
 That thy wooing prove successful."

Ilmarinen, magic artist,
 Quick repairing to his bath-room,
 Bathed his head to flaxen whiteness,
 Made his cheeks look fresh and ruddy,
 Laved his eyes until they sparkled
 Like the moonlight on the waters;
 Wondrous were his form and features,
 And his cheeks like ruddy berries.
 These the words of Ilmarinen:
 "Fair Annikki, lovely sister,
 Bring me now my silken raiment,
 Bring my best and richest vesture,
 Bring me now my softest linen,
 That my wooing prove successful."

Straightway did the helpful sister
 Bring the finest of his raiment,
 Bring the softest of his linen,
 Raiment fashioned by his mother;
 Brought to him his silken stockings,
 Brought him shoes of marten-leather,
 Brought a vest of sky-blue color,
 Brought him scarlet-colored trousers,
 Brought a coat with scarlet trimming,
 Brought a red shawl trimmed in ermine
 Fourfold wrapped about his body;
 Brought a fur-coat made of seal-skin,
 Fastened with a thousand bottons,
 And adorned with countless jewels;
 Brought for him his magic girdle,
 Fastened well with golden buckles,
 That his artist-mother fashioned;
 Brought him gloves with golden wristlets,
 That the Laplanders had woven
 For a head of many ringlets;
 Brought the finest cap in Northland,
 That his ancient father purchased
 When he first began his wooing.

Ilmarinen, blacksmith-artist,
 Clad himself to look his finest,
 When he thus addressed a servant:
 "Hitch for me a fleet-foot racer,
 Hitch him to my willing snow-sledge,
 For I start upon a journey
 To the distant shores of Pohya,
 To the dismal Sariola."
 Spake the servant thus in answer:
 "Thou hast seven fleet-foot racers,
 Munching grain within their mangers,
 Which of these shall I make ready?"
 Spake the blacksmith, Ilmarinen:
 "Take the fleetest of my coursers,
 Put the gray steed in the harness,
 Hitch him to my sledge of magic;
 Place six cuckoos on the break-board,
 Seven bluebirds on the cross-bars,
 Thus to charm the Northland maidens,
 Thus to make them look and listen,
 As the cuckoos call and echo.
 Bring me too my largest bear-skin,
 Fold it warm about the cross-bench;
 Bring me then my marten fur-robes,
 As a cover and protection."

Straightway then the trusty servant
 Of the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Put the gray steed in the harness,
 Hitched the racer to the snow-sledge,
 Placed six cuckoos on the break-board,
 Seven bluebirds on the cross-bars,
 On the front to sing and twitter;
 Then he brought the largest bear-skin,
 Folded it upon the cross-bench;
 Brought the finest robes of marten,
 Warm protection for the master.

Ilmarinen, forger-artist,
 The eternal metal-worker,
 Earnestly entreated Ukko:
 "Send thy snow-flakes, Ukko, father,
 Let them gently fall from heaven,
 Let them cover all the heather,
 Let them hide the berry-bushes,
 That my sledge may glide in freedom
 O'er the hills to Sariola!"

Ukko sent the snow from heaven,
 Gently dropped the crystal snow-flakes,
 Lending thus his kind assistance
 To the hero, Ilmarinen,
 On his journey to the Northland.

Reins in hand, the ancient artist
 Seats him in his metal snow-sledge,
 And beseeches thus his Master:
 "Good luck to my reins and traces,
 Good luck to my shafts and runners!
 God protect my magic snow-sledge,
 Be my safeguard on my journey
 To the dismal Sariola!"

Now the ancient Ilmarinen
 Draws the reins upon the racer,
 Snaps his whip above the courser,
 To the gray steed gives this order,
 And the charger plunges northward:
 "Haste away, my flaxen stallion,
 Haste thee onward, noble white-face,
 To the never-pleasant Pohya,
 To the dreary Sariola!"

Fast and faster flies the fleet-foot,
 On the curving snow-capped sea-coast,
 On the borders of the lowlands,
 O'er the alder-hills and mountains.
 Merrily the steed flies onward,
 Bluebirds singing, cuckoos calling,
 On the sea-shore looking northward,
 Through the sand and falling snow-flakes
 Blinding winds, and snow, and sea-foam,
 Cloud the hero, Ilmarinen,
 As he glides upon his journey,
 Looking seaward for the vessel
 Of the ancient Wainamoinen;
 Travels one day, then a second,
 Travels all the next day northward,
 Till the third day Ilmarinen
 Overtakes old Wainamoinen,
 Rails him in his magic vessel,
 And addresses thus the minstrel:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Let us woo in peace the maiden,
 Fairest daughter or the Northland,
 Sitting on the bow of heaven,
 Let each labor long to win her,
 Let her wed the one she chooses,
 Him selecting, let her follow."
 Wainamoinen thus makes answer:
 "I agree to thy proposal,
 Let us woo in peace the maiden,
 Not by force, nor faithless measures,
 Shall we woo the Maid of Beauty,
 Let her follow him she chooses;
 Let the unsuccessful suitor
 Harbor neither wrath nor envy
 For the hero that she follows."

Thus agreeing, on they journey,
 Each according to his pleasure;
 Fleetly does the steed fly onward,
 Quickly flies the magic vessel,
 Sailing on the broad-sea northward;
 Ilmarinen's fleet-foot racer
 Makes the hills of Northland tremble,
 As he gallops on his journey
 To the dismal Sariola.

Wainamoinen calls the South-winds,
 And they fly to his assistance;
 Swiftly sails his ship of beauty,
 Swiftly plows the rough sea-billows
 In her pathway to Pohyola.

Time had gone but little distance,
 Scarce a moment had passed over,
 Ere the dogs began their barking,
 In the mansions of the Northland,
 In the courts of Sariola,
 Watch-dogs of the court of Louhi;
 Never had they growled so fiercely,
 Never had they barked so loudly,
 Never with their tails had beaten
 Northland into such an uproar.
 Spake the master of Pohyola:
 "Go and learn, my worthy daughter,
 Why the watch-dogs have been barking,
 Why the black-dog signals danger."
 Quickly does the daughter answer:
 "I am occupied, dear father,
 I have work of more importance,
 I must tend my flock of lambkins,
 I must turn the nether millstone,
 Grind to flour the grains of barley,
 Run the grindings through the sifter,
 Only have I time for grinding."

Lowly growls the faithful watch-dog,
 Seldom does he growl so strangely.
 Spake the master of Pohyola:
 "Go and learn, my trusted consort,
 Why the Northland dogs are barking,
 Why the black-dog signals danger."
 Thus his aged wife makes answer;
 "Have no time, nor inclination,
 I must feed my hungry household,
 Must prepare a worthy dinner,
 I must bake the toothsome biscuit,
 Knead the dough till it is ready,
 Only have I strength for kneading."
 Spake the master of Pohyola:
 "Dames are always in a hurry,
 Maidens too are ever busy,
 Whether warming at the oven,
 Or asleep upon their couches;
 Go my son, and learn the danger,
 Why the black-dog growls displeasure,"
 Quickly does the son give answer:
 "Have no time, nor inclination,
 Am in haste to grind my hatchet;
 I must chop this log to cordwood,
 For the fire must cut the faggots,
 I must split the wood in fragments,
 Large the pile and small the fire-wood,
 Only have I strength for chopping."

Still the watch-dog growls in anger,
 Growl the whelps within the mansion,
 Growl the dogs chained in the kennel,
 Growls the black-dog on the hill-top,
 Setting Northland in an uproar.
 Spake the master of Pohyola:
 "Never, never does my black-dog
 Growl like this without a reason;
 Never does he bark for nothing,
 Does not growl at angry billows,
 Nor the sighing of the pine-trees."

Then the master of Pohyola
 Went himself to learn the reason
 For the barking of the watch-dogs;
 Strode he through the spacious court-yard,
 Through the open fields beyond it,
 To the summit of the uplands.
 Looking toward his black-dog barking,
 He beholds the muzzle pointed
 To a distant, stormy hill-top,
 To a mound with alders covered;
 There he learned the rightful reason,
 Why his dogs had barked so loudly,
 Why had growled the wool-tail bearer,
 Why his whelps had signalled danger.
 At full sail, he saw a vessel,
 And the ship was scarlet-colored,
 Entering the bay of Lempo;
 Saw a sledge of magic colors,
 Gliding up the curving sea-shore,
 O'er the snow-fields of Pohyola.

Then the master of the Northland
 Hastened straightway to his dwelling,
 Hastened forward to his court-room,
 These the accents of the master:
 "Often strangers journey hither,
 On the blue back of the ocean,
 Sailing in a scarlet vessel,
 Rocking in the bay of Lempo;
 Often strangers come in sledges
 To the honey-lands of Louhi."

Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 How shall we obtain a token
 Why these strangers journey hither?
 My beloved, faithful daughter,
 Lay a branch upon the fire-place,
 Let it burn with fire of magic
 If it trickle drops of scarlet,
 War and bloodshed do they bring us;
 If it trickle drops of water,
 Peace and plenty bring the strangers."

Northland's fair and slender maiden,
 Beautiful and modest daughter,
 Lays a sorb-branch on the fire-place,
 Lights it with the fire of magic;
 Does not trickle drops of scarlet,
 Trickles neither blood, nor water,
 From the wand come drops of honey.

From the corner spake Suowakko,
 This the language of the wizard:
 "If the wand is dripping honey,
 Then the strangers that are coming
 Are but worthy friends and suitors."

Then the hostess of the Northland,
 With the daughter of the hostess,
 Straightway left their work, and hastened
 From their dwelling to the court-yard;
 Looked about in all directions,
 Turned their eyes upon the waters,
 Saw a magic-colored vessel
 Rocking slowly in the harbor,
 Having sailed the bay of Lempo,
 Triple sails, and masts, and rigging,
 Sable was the nether portion,
 And the upper, scarlet-colored,
 At the helm an ancient hero
 Leaning on his oars of copper;
 Saw a fleet-foot racer running,
 Saw a red sledge lightly follow,
 Saw the magic sledge emblazoned,
 Guided toward the courts of Louhi;
 Saw and heard six golden cuckoos
 Sitting on the break-board, calling,
 Seven bluebirds richly colored
 Singing from the yoke and cross-bar;
 In the sledge a magic hero,
 Young, and strong, and proud, and handsome,
 Holding reins upon the courser.
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Dearest daughter, winsome maiden,
 Dost thou wish a noble suitor?
 Should these heroes come to woo thee,
 Wouldst thou leave thy home and country,
 Be the bride of him that pleases,
 Be his faithful life-companion?

"He that comes upon the waters,
 Sailing in a magic vessel,
 Having sailed the bay of Lempo,
 Is the good, old Wainamoinen;
 In his ship are countless treasures,
 Richest presents from Wainola.

"He that rides here in his snow-sledge
 In his sledge of magic beauty,
 With the cuckoos and the bluebirds,
 Is the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Cometh hither empty-handed,
 Only brings some wisdom-sayings.
 When they come within the dwelling,
 Bring a bowl of honeyed viands,
 Bring a pitcher with two handles,
 Give to him that thou wouldst follow
 Give it to old Wainamoinen,
 Him that brings thee countless treasures,
 Costly presents in his vessel,
 Priceless gems from Kalevala."

Spake the Northland's lovely daughter,
 This the language of the maiden
 "Good, indeed, advice maternal,
 But I will not wed for riches,
 Wed no man for countless treasures;
 For his worth I'll choose a husband,
 For his youth and fine appearance,
 For his noble form and features;
 In the olden times the maidens
 Were not sold by anxious mothers
 To the suitors that they loved not.
 I shall choose without his treasures
 Ilmarinen for his wisdom,
 For his worth and good behavior,
 Him that forged the wondrous Sampo,
 Hammered thee the lid in colors."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Senseless daughter, child of folly,
 Thus to choose the ancient blacksmith,
 From whose brow drips perspiration,
 Evermore to rinse his linen,
 Lave his hands, and eyes, and forehead,
 Keep his ancient house in order;
 Little use his wit and wisdom
 When compared with gold and silver."
 This the answer of the daughter:
 "I will never, never, never,
 Wed the ancient Wainamoinen
 With his gold and priceless jewels;
 Never will I be a helpmate
 To a hero in his dotage,
 Little thanks my compensation."

Wainamoinen, safely landing
 In advance of Ilmarinen,
 Pulls his gaily-covered vessel
 From the waves upon the sea-beach,
 On the cylinders of birch-wood,
 On the rollers copper-banded,
 Straightway hastens to the guest-room
 Of the hostess of Pohyola,
 Of the master of the Northland,
 Speaks these words upon the threshold
 To the famous Maid of Beauty:
 "Come with me, thou lovely virgin,
 Be my bride and life-companion,
 Share with me my joys and sorrows,
 Be my honored wife hereafter!"
 This the answer of the maiden:
 "Hast thou built for me the vessel,
 Built for me the ship of magic
 From the fragments of the distaff,
 From the splinters of the spindle?"
 Wainamoinen thus replying:
 "I have built the promised vessel,
 Built the wondrous ship for sailing,
 Firmly joined the parts by magic;
 It will weather roughest billows,
 Will outlive the winds and waters,
 Swiftly glide upon the blue-back
 Of the deep and boundless ocean
 It will ride the waves in beauty,
 Like an airy bubble rising,
 Like a cork on lake and river,
 Through the angry seas of Northland,
 Through Pohyola's peaceful waters."

Northland's fair and slender daughter
 Gives this answer to her suitor:
 "Will not wed a sea-born hero,
 Do not care to rock the billows,
 Cannot live with such a husband
 Storms would bring us pain and trouble,
 Winds would rack our hearts and temples;
 Therefore thee I cannot follow,
 Cannot keep thy home in order,
 Cannot be thy life-companion,
 Cannot wed old Wainamoinen."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XIX.

 

ILMARINEN'S WOOING.

ILMARINEN, hero-blacksmith,
 The eternal metal-worker,
 Hastens forward to the court-room
 Of the hostess of Pohyola,
 Of the master of the Northland,
 Hastens through the open portals
 Into Louhi's home and presence.
 Servants come with silver pitchers,
 Filled with Northland's richest brewing;
 Honey-drink is brought and offered
 To the blacksmith of Wainola,
 Ilmarinen thus replying:
 "I shall not in all my life-time
 Taste the drink that thou hast brought me,
 Till I see the Maid of Beauty,
 Fairy Maiden of the Rainbow;
 I will drink with her in gladness,
 For whose hand I journey hither."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Trouble does the one selected
 Give to him that wooes and watches;
 Not yet are her feet in sandals,
 Thine affianced is not ready.
 Only canst thou woo my daughter,
 Only canst thou win the maiden,
 When thou hast by aid of magic
 Plowed the serpent-field of Hisi,
 Plowed the field of hissing vipers,
 Touching neither beam nor handles.
 Once this field was plowed by Piru,
 Lempo furrowed it with horses,
 With a plowshare made of copper,
 With a beam of flaming iron;
 Never since has any hero
 Brought this field to cultivation."

Ilmarinen of Wainola
 Straightway hastens to the chamber
 Of the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Speaks these words in hesitation:
 "Thou of Night and Dawn the daughter,
 Tell me, dost thou not remember
 When for thee I forged the Sampo,
 Hammered thee the lid in colors?
 Thou didst swear by oath the strougest,
 By the forge and by the anvil,
 By the tongs and by the hammer,
 In the ears of the Almighty,
 And before omniscient Ukko,
 Thou wouldst follow me hereafter,
 Be my bride, my life-companion,
 Be my honored wife forever.
 Now thy mother is exacting,
 Will not give to me her daughter,
 Till by means of magic only,
 I have plowed the field of serpents,
 Plowed the hissing soil of Hisi."

The affianced Bride of Beauty
 Gives this answer to the suitor:
 "O, thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal wonder-forger,
 Forge thyself a golden plowshare,
 Forge the beam of shining silver,
 And of copper forge the handles;
 Then with ease, by aid of magic,
 Thou canst plow the field of serpents,
 Plow the hissing soil of Hisi."

Ilmarinen, welcome suitor,
 Straightway builds a forge and smithy,
 Places gold within the furnace,
 In the forge he lays the silver,
 Forges then a golden plowshare,
 Forges, too, a beam of silver,
 Forges handles out of copper,
 Forges boots and gloves of iron,
 Forges him a mail of metal,
 For his limbs a safe protection,
 Safe protection for his body.
 Then a horse of fire selecting,
 Harnesses the flaming stallion,
 Goes to plow the field of serpents,
 Plow the viper-lands of Hisi.
 In the field were countless vipers,
 Serpents there of every species,
 Crawling, writhing, hissing, stinging,
 Harmless all against the hero,
 Thus he stills the snakes of Lempo:
 "Vipers, ye by God created,
 Neither best nor worst of creatures,
 Ye whose wisdom comes from Ukko,
 And whose venom comes from Hisi,
 Ukko is your greater Master,
 By His will your heads are lifted;
 Get ye hence before my plowing,
 Writ-he ye through the grass and stubble,
 Crawl ye to the nearest thicket,
 Keep your heads beneath the heather,
 Hunt our holes to Mana's kingdom
 If your poison-heads be lifted,
 Then will mighty Ukko smite them
 'With his iron-pointed arrows,
 With the lightning of his anger."

Thus the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Safely plows the field of serpents,
 Lifts the vipers in his plowing,
 Buries them beneath the furrow,
 Harmless all against his magic.
 When the task had been completed,
 Ilmarinen, quick returning,
 Thus addressed Pohyola's hostess:
 "I have plowed the field of Hisi,
 Plowed the field of hissing serpents,
 Stilled and banished all the vipers;
 Give me, ancient dame, thy daughter,
 Fairest maiden of the Northland.
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Shall not grant to thee my daughter,
 Shall not give my lovely virgin,
 Till Tuoni's bear is muzzled,
 Till Manala's wolf is conquered,
 In the forests of the Death-land,
 In the boundaries of Mana.
 Hundreds have been sent to hunt him,
 So one yet has been successful,
 All have perished in Manala."

Thereupon young Ilmarinen
 To the maiden's chamber hastens,
 Thus addresses his affianced:
 "Still another test demanded,
 I must go to Tuonela,
 Bridle there the bear of Mana,
 Bring him from the Death-land forests,
 From Tuoni's grove and empire!
 This advice the maiden gives him:
 "O thou artist, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal metal-worker,
 Forge of steel a magic bridle,
 On a rock beneath the water,
 In the foaming triple currents;
 Make the straps of steel and copper,
 Bridle then the bear of Mana,
 Lead him from Tuoni's forests."

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Forged of steel a magic bridle,
 On a rock beneath the water,
 In the foam of triple currents;
 Made the straps of steel and copper,
 Straightway went the bear to muzzle,
 In the forests of the Death-land,
 Spake these words in supplication:
 "Terhenetar, ether-maiden,
 Daughter of the fog and snow-flake,
 Sift the fog and let it settle
 O'er the bills and lowland thickets,
 Where the wild-bear feeds and lingers,
 That he may not see my coming,
 May not hear my stealthy footsteps!"

Terhenetar hears his praying,
 Makes the fog and snow-flake settle
 On the coverts of the wild-beasts;
 Thus the bear he safely bridles,
 Fetters him in chains of magic,
 In the forests of Tuoni,
 In the blue groves of Manala.

When this task had been completed,
 Ilmarinen, quick returning,
 Thus addressed the ancient Louhi:
 "Give me, worthy dame, thy daughter,
 Give me now my bride affianced,
 I have brought the bear of Mana
 From Tuoni's fields and forests."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola
 To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen:
 "I will only give my daughter,
 Give to thee the Maid of Beauty,
 When the monster-pike thou catchest
 In the river of Tuoni,
 In Manala's fatal waters,
 Using neither hooks, nor fish-nets,
 Neither boat, nor fishing-tackle;
 Hundreds have been sent to catch him,
 No one yet has been successful,
 All have perished in Manala."

Much disheartened, Ilmarinen
 Hastened to the maiden's chamber,
 Thus addressed the rainbow-maiden:
 "Now a third test is demanded,
 Much more difficult than ever;
 I must catch the pike of Mana,
 In the river of Tuoni,
 And without my fishing-tackle,
 Hard the third test of the hero!
 This advice the maiden gives him:
 "O thou hero, Ilmarinen,
 Never, never be discouraged:
 In thy furnace, forge an eagle,
 From the fire of ancient magic;
 He will catch the pike of Mana,
 Catch the monster-fish in safety,
 From the death-stream of Tuoni,
 From Manala's fatal waters."

Then the suitor, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal artist-forgeman,
 In the furnace forged an eagle
 From the fire of ancient wisdom;
 For this giant bird of magic
 Forged he talons out of iron,
 And his beak of steel and copper;
 Seats himself upon the eagle,
 On his back between the wing-bones,
 Thus addresses he his creature,
 Gives the bird of fire, this order:
 "Mighty eagle, bird of beauty,
 Fly thou whither I direct thee,
 To Tuoni's coal-black river,
 To the blue deeps of the Death-stream,
 Seize the mighty fish of Mana,
 Catch for me this water-monster."

Swiftly flies the magic eagle,
 Giant-bird of worth and wonder,
 To the river of Tuoni,
 There to catch the pike of Mana;
 One wing brushes on the waters,
 While the other sweeps the heavens;
 In the ocean dips his talons,
 Whets his beak on mountain-ledges.

Safely landing, Ilmarinen,
 The immortal artist-forger,
 Hunts the monster of the Death-stream,
 While the eagle hunts and fishes
 In the waters of Manala.
 From the river rose a monster,
 Grasped the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Tried to drag him to his sea-cave;
 Quick the eagle pounced upon him,
 With his metal-beak he seized him,
 Wrenched his head, and rent his body,
 Hurled him back upon the bottom
 Of the deep and fatal river,
 Freed his master, Ilmarinen.

Then arose the pike of Mana,
 Came the water-dog in silence,
 Of the pikes was not the largest,
 Nor belonged he to the smallest;
 Tongue the length of double hatchets,
 Teeth as long as fen-rake handles,
 Mouth as broad as triple streamlets,
 Back as wide as seven sea-boats,
 Tried to snap the magic blacksmith,
 Tried to swallow Ilmarinen.
 Swiftly swoops the mighty eagle,
 Of the birds was not the largest,
 Nor belonged he to the smallest;
 Mouth as wide as seven streamlets,
 Tongue as long as seven javelins,
 Like five crooked scythes his talons;
 Swoops upon the pike of Mana.
 Quick the giant fish endangered,
 Darts and flounders in the river,
 Dragging down the mighty eagle,
 Lashing up the very bottom
 To the surface of the river;
 When the mighty bird uprising
 Leaves the wounded pike in water,
 Soars aloft on worsted pinions
 To his home in upper ether;
 Soars awhile, and sails, and circles,
 Circles o'er the reddened waters,
 Swoops again on lightning-pinions,
 Strikes with mighty force his talons
 Into the shoulder of his victim;
 Strikes the second of his talons
 On the flinty mountain-ledges,
 On the rocks with iron hardened;
 From the cliffs rebound his talons,
 Slip the flinty rocks o'erhanging,
 And the monster-pike resisting
 Dives again beneath the surface
 To the bottom of the river,
 From the talons of the eagle;
 Deep, the wounds upon the body
 Of the monster of Tuoni.
 Still a third time soars the eagle,
 Soars, and sails, and quickly circles,
 Swoops again upon the monster,
 Fire out-shooting from his pinoins,
 Both his eyeballs flashing lightning;
 With his beak of steel and copper
 Grasps again the pike of Mana
 Firmly planted are his talons
 In the rocks and in his victim,
 Drags the monster from the river,
 Lifts the pike above the waters,
 From Tuoni's coal-black river,
 From the blue-back of Manala.

Thus the third time does the eagle
 Bring success from former failures;
 Thus at last the eagle catches
 Mana's pike, the worst of fishes,
 Swiftest swimmer of the waters,
 From the river of Tuoni;
 None could see Manala's river,
 For the myriad of fish-scales;
 Hardly could one see through ether,
 For the feathers of the eagle,
 Relicts of the mighty contest.

Then the bird of copper talons
 Took the pike, with scales of silver,
 To the pine-tree's topmost branches,
 To the fir-tree plumed with needles,
 Tore the monster-fish in pieces,
 Ate the body of his victim,
 Left the head for Ilmarinen.
 Spake the blacksmith to the eagle:
 "O thou bird of evil nature,
 What thy thought and what thy motive?
 Thou hast eaten what I needed,
 Evidence of my successes;
 Thoughtless eagle, witless instinct,
 Thus to mar the spoils of conquest!"

But the bird of metal talons
 Hastened onward, soaring upward,
 Rising higher into ether,
 Rising, flying, soaring, sailing,
 To the borders of the long-clouds,
 Made the vault of ether tremble,
 Split apart the dome of heaven,
 Broke the colored bow of Ukko,
 Tore the Moon-horns from their sockets,
 Disappeared beyond the Sun-land,
 To the home of the triumphant.

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Took the pike-head to the hostess
 Of the ever-dismal Northland,
 Thus addressed the ancient Louhi:
 "Let this head forever serve thee
 As a guest-bench for thy dwelling,
 Evidence of hero-triumphs;
 I have caught the pike of Mana,
 I have done as thou demandest,
 Three my victories in Death-land,
 Three the tests of magic heroes;
 Wilt thou give me now thy daughter,
 Give to me the Maid of Beauty?"
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Badly is the test accomplished,
 Thou has torn the pike in pieces,
 From his neck the head is severed,
 Of his body thou hast eaten,
 Brought to me this worthless relic!
 These the words of Ilmarinen:
 "When the victory is greatest,
 Do we suffer greatest losses!
 From the river of Tuoni,
 From the kingdom of Manala,
 I have brought to thee this trophy,
 Thus the third task is completed.
 Tell me is the maiden ready,
 Wilt thou give the bride affianced?
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "I will give to thee my daughter,
 Will prepare my snow-white virgin,
 For the suitor, Ilmarinen;
 Thou hast won the Maid of Beauty,
 Bride is she of thine hereafter,
 Fit companion of thy fireside,
 Help and joy of all thy lifetime."

On the floor a child was sitting,
 And the babe this tale related.
 "There appeared within this dwelling,
 Came a bird within the castle,
 From the East came flying hither,
 From the East, a monstrous eagle,
 One wing touched the vault of heaven,
 While the other swept the ocean;
 With his tail upon the waters,
 Reached his beak beyond the cloudlets,
 Looked about, and eager watching,
 Flew around, and sailing, soaring,
 Flew away to hero-castle,
 Knocked three times with beak of copper
 On the castle-roof of iron;
 But the eagle could not enter.

"Then the eagle, looking round him,
 Flew again, and sailed, and circled,
 Flew then to the mothers' castle,
 Loudly rapped with heavy knocking
 On the mothers' roof of copper;
 But the eagle could not enter.

"Then the eagle, looking round him,
 Flew a third time, sailing, soaring,
 Flew then to the virgins' castle,
 Knocked again with beak of copper,
 On the virgins' roof of linen,
 Easy for him there to enter;
 Flew upon the castle-chimney,
 Quick descending to the chamber,
 Pulled the clapboards from the studding,
 Tore the linen from the rafters,
 Perched upon the chamber-window,
 Near the walls of many colors,
 On the cross-bars gaily-feathered,
 Looked upon the curly-beaded,
 Looked upon their golden ringlets,
 Looked upon the snow-white virgins,
 On the purest of the maidens,
 On the fairest of the daughters,
 On the maid with pearly necklace,
 On the maiden wreathed in flowers;
 Perched awhile, and looked, admiring,
 Swooped upon the Maid of Beauty,
 On the purest of the virgins,
 On the whitest, on the fairest,
 On the stateliest and grandest,
 Swooped upon the rainbow-daughter
 Of the dismal Sariola;
 Grasped her in his mighty talons,
 Bore away the Maid of Beauty,
 Maid of fairest form and feature,
 Maid adorned with pearly necklace,
 Decked in feathers iridescent,
 Fragrant flowers upon her bosom,
 Scarlet band around her forehead,
 Golden rings upon her fingers,
 Fairest maiden of the Northland."

Spake the hostess of Pohyola,
 When the babe his tale had ended:
 "Tell me bow, my child beloved,
 Thou hast learned about the maiden,
 Hast obtained the information,
 How her flaxen ringlets nestled,
 How the maiden's silver glistened,
 How the virgin's gold was lauded.
 Shone the silver Sun upon thee,
 Did the moonbeams bring this knowledge?"
 From the floor the child made answer:
 "Thus I gained the information,
 Moles of good-luck led me hither,
 To the home, of the distinguished,
 To the guest-room of the maiden,
 Good-name bore her worthy father,
 He that sailed the magic vessel;
 Better-name enjoyed the mother,
 She that baked the bread of barley,
 She that kneaded wheaten biscuits,
 Fed her many guests in Northland.

"Thus the information reached me,
 Thus the distant stranger heard it,
 Heard the virgin had arisen:
 Once I walked within the court-yard,
 Stepping near the virgin's chamber,
 At an early hour of morning,
 Ere the Sun had broken slumber
 Whirling rose the soot in cloudlets,
 Blackened wreaths of smoke came rising
 From the chamber of the maiden,
 From thy daughter's lofty chimney;
 There the maid was busy grinding,
 Moved the handles of the millstone
 Making voices like the cuckoo,
 Like the ducks the side-holes sounded,
 And the sifter like the goldfinch,
 Like the sea-pearls sang the grindstones.

"Then a second time I wandered
 To the border of the meadow
 In the forest was the maiden
 Rocking on a fragrant hillock,
 Dyeing red in iron vessels,
 And in copper kettles, yellow.

"Then a third time did I wander
 To the lovely maiden's window;
 There I saw thy daughter weaving,
 Heard the flying of her shuttle,
 Heard the beating of her loom-lathe,
 Heard the rattling of her treddles,
 Heard the whirring of her yarn-reel."
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Now alas! beloved daughter,
 I have often taught this lesson:
 'Do not sing among the pine-trees,
 Do not call adown the valleys,
 Do not hang thy head in walking,
 Do not bare thine arms, nor shoulders,
 Keep the secrets of thy bosom,
 Hide thy beauty and thy power.'

"This I told thee in the autumn,
 Taught thee in the summer season,
 Sang thee in the budding spring-time,
 Sang thee when the snows were falling:
 'Let us build a place for hiding,
 Let us build the smallest windows,
 Where may weave my fairest daughter,
 Where my maid may ply her shuttle,
 Where my joy may work unnoticed
 By the heroes of the Northland,
 By the suitors of Wainola.'"

From the floor the child made answer,
 Fourteen days the young child numbered;
 "Easy 'tis to hide a war-horse
 In the Northland fields and stables;
 Hard indeed to hide a maiden,
 Having lovely form and features!
 Build of stone a distant castle
 In the middle of the ocean,
 Keep within thy lovely maiden,
 Train thou there thy winsome daughter,
 Not long hidden canst thou keep her.
 Maidens will not grow and flourish,
 Kept apart from men and heroes,
 Will not live without their suitors,
 Will not thrive without their wooers;
 Thou canst never hide a maiden,
 Neither on the land nor water."

Now the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Head down-bent and heavy-hearted,
 Wanders to his native country,
 To Wainola's peaceful meadows,
 To the plains of Kalevala,
 Chanting as he journeys homeward:
 "I have passed the age for wooing,
 Woe is me, rejected suitor,
 Woe is me, a witless minstrel,
 That I did not woo and marry,
 When my face was young and winsome,
 When my hand was warm and welcome!
 Youth dethrones my age and station,
 Wealth is nothing, wisdom worthless,
 When a hero goes a-wooing
 With a poor but younger brother.
 Fatal error that a hero
 Does not wed in early manhood,
 In his youth does not be master
 Of a worthy wife and household."

Thus the ancient Wainamoinen
 Sends the edict to his people:
 "Old men must not go a-wooing,
 Must not swim the sea of anger,
 Must not row upon a wager,
 Must not run a race for glory,
 With the younger sons of Northland."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XX.

 

THE BREWING OF BEER.

Now we sing the wondrous legends,
 Songs of wedding-feasts and dances,
 Sing the melodies of wedlock,
 Sing the songs of old tradition;
 Sing of Ilmarinen's marriage
 To the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Fairest daughter of the Northland,
 Sing the drinking-songs of Pohya.

Long prepared they for the wedding
 In Pohyola's halls and chambers,
 In the courts of Sariola;
 Many things that Louhi ordered,
 Great indeed the preparations
 For the marriage of the daughter,
 For the feasting of the heroes,
 For the drinking of the strangers,
 For the feeding of the poor-folk,
 For the people's entertainment.

Grew an ox in far Karjala,
 Not the largest, nor the smallest,
 Was the ox that grew in Suomi;
 But his size was all-sufficient,
 For his tail was sweeping Jamen,
 And his head was over Kemi,
 Horns in length a hundred fathoms,
 Longer than the horns his mouth was;
 Seven days it took a weasel
 To encircle neck and shoulders;
 One whole day a swallow journeyed
 From one horn-tip to the other,
 Did not stop between for resting.
 Thirty days the squirrel travelled
 From the tail to reach the shoulders,
 But he could not gain the horn-tip
 Till the Moon had long passed over.

This young ox of huge dimensions,
 This great calf of distant Suomi,
 Was conducted from Karjala
 To the meadows of Pohyola;
 At each horn a hundred heroes,
 At his head and neck a thousand.
 When the mighty ox was lassoed,
 Led away to Northland pastures,
 Peacefully the monster journeyed
 By the bays of Sariola,
 Ate the pasture on the borders;
 To the clouds arose his shoulders,
 And his horns to highest heaven.
 Not in all of Sariola
 Could a butcher be discovered
 That could kill the ox for Louhi,
 None of all the sons of Northland,
 In her hosts of giant people,
 In her rising generation,
 In the hosts of those grown older.

Came a hero from a distance,
 Wirokannas from Karelen,
 And these words the gray-beard uttered:
 "Wait, O wait, thou ox of Suomi,
 Till I bring my ancient war-club;
 Then I'll smite thee on thy forehead,
 Break thy skull, thou willing victim!
 Nevermore wilt thou in summer
 Browse the woods of Sariola,
 Bare our pastures, fields, and forests;
 Thou, O ox, wilt feed no longer
 Through the length and breadth of Northland,
 On the borders of this ocean!"

When the ancient Wirokannas
 Started out the ox to slaughter,
 When Palwoinen swung his war-club,
 Quick the victim turned his forehead,
 Flashed his flaming eyes upon him;
 To the fir-tree leaped the hero,
 In the thicket hid Palwoinen,
 Hid the gray-haired Wirokannas.

Everywhere they seek a butcher,
 One to kill the ox of Suomi,
 In the country of Karelen,
 And among the Suomi-giants,
 In the quiet fields of Ehstland,
 On the battle-fields of Sweden,
 Mid the mountaineers of Lapland,
 In the magic fens of Turya;
 Seek him in Tuoni's empire,
 In the death-courts of Manala.
 Long the search, and unsuccessful,
 On the blue back of the ocean,
 On the far-outstretching pastures.

There arose from out the sea-waves,
 Rose a hero from the waters,
 On the white-capped, roaring breakers,
 From the water's broad expanses;
 Nor belonged he to the largest,
 Nor belonged he to the smallest;
 Made his bed within a sea-shell,
 Stood erect beneath a flour-sieve,
 Hero old, with hands of iron,
 And his face was copper-colored;
 Quick the hero full unfolded,
 Like the full corn from the kernel.
 On his head a hat of flint-stone,
 On his feet were sandstone-sandals,
 In his hand a golden cleaver,
 And the blade was copper-handled.
 Thus at last they found a butcher,
 Found the magic ox a slayer.
 Nothing has been found so mighty
 That it has not found a master.

As the sea-god saw his booty,
 Quickly rushed he on his victim,
 Hurled him to his knees before him,
 Quickly felled the calf of Suomi,
 Felled the young ox of Karelen.
 Bountifully meat was furnished;
 Filled at least a thousand hogsheads
 Of his blood were seven boatfuls,
 And a thousand weight of suet,
 For the banquet of Pohyola,
 For the marriage-feast of Northland.

In Pohyola was a guest-room,
 Ample was the hall of Louhi,
 Was in length a hundred furlongs,
 And in breadth was nearly fifty;
 When upon the roof a rooster
 Crowed at break of early morning,
 No one on the earth could hear him;
 When the dog barked at one entrance,
 None could hear him at the other.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Hastens to the hall and court-room,
 In the centre speaks as follows:
 "Whence indeed will come the liquor,
 Who will brew me beer from barley,
 Who will make the mead abundant,
 For the people of the Northland,
 Coming to my daughter's marriage,
 To her drinking-feast and nuptials?
 Cannot comprehend the malting,
 Never have I learned the secret,
 Nor the origin of brewing."
 Spake an old man from his corner:
 "Beer arises from the barley,
 Comes from barley, hops, and water,
 And the fire gives no assistance.
 Hop-vine was the son of Remu,
 Small the seed in earth was planted,
 Cultivated in the loose soil,
 Scattered like the evil serpents
 On the brink of Kalew-waters,
 On the Osmo-fields and borders.
 There the young plant grew and flourished,
 There arose the climbing hop-vine,
 Clinging to the rocks and alders.

"Man of good-luck sowed the barley
 On the Osmo hills and lowlands,
 And the barley grew and flourished,
 Grew and spread in rich abundance,
 Fed upon the air and water,
 On the Osmo plains and highlands,
 On the fields of Kalew-heroes.

"Time had travelled little distance,
 Ere the hops in trees were humming,
 Barley in the fields was singing,
 And from Kalew's well the water,
 This the language of the trio:
 'Let us join our triple forces,
 Join to each the other's powers;
 Sad alone to live and struggle,
 Little use in working singly,
 Better we should toil together.'

"Osmotar, the beer-preparer,
 Brewer of the drink refreshing,
 Takes the golden grains of barley,
 Taking six of barley-kernels,
 Taking seven tips of hop-fruit,
 Filling seven cups with water,
 On the fire she sets the caldron,
 Boils the barley, hops, and water,
 Lets them steep, and seethe, and bubble
 Brewing thus the beer delicious,
 In the hottest days of summer,
 On the foggy promontory,
 On the island forest-covered;
 Poured it into birch-wood barrels,
 Into hogsheads made of oak-wood.

"Thus did Osmotar of Kalew
 Brew together hops and barley,
 Could not generate the ferment.
 Thinking long and long debating,
 Thus she spake in troubled accents:
 'What will bring the effervescence,
 Who will add the needed factor,
 That the beer may foam and sparkle,
 May ferment and be delightful?'

Kalevatar, magic maiden,
 Grace and beauty in her fingers,
 Swiftly moving, lightly stepping,
 In her trimly-buckled sandals,
 Steps upon the birch-wood bottom,
 Turns one way, and then another,
 In the centre of the caldron;
 Finds within a splinter lying
 From the bottom lifts the fragment,
 Turns it in her fingers, musing:
 'What may come of this I know not,
 In the hands of magic maidens,
 In the virgin hands of Kapo,
 Snowy virgin of the Northland!'

"Kalevatar took the splinter
 To the magic virgin, Kapo,
 Who by unknown force and insight.
 Rubbed her hands and knees together,
 And produced a snow-white squirrel;
 Thus instructed she her creature,
 Gave the squirrel these directions:
 'Snow-white squirrel, mountain-jewel,
 Flower of the field and forest,
 Haste thee whither I would send thee,
 Into Metsola's wide limits,
 Into Tapio's seat of wisdom;
 Hasten through the heavy tree-tops,
 Wisely through the thickest branches,
 That the eagle may not seize thee,
 Thus escape the bird of heaven.
 Bring me ripe cones from the fir-tree,
 From the pine-tree bring me seedlings,
 Bring them to the hands of Kapo,
 For the beer of Osmo's daughter.'

Quickly hastened forth the squirrel,
 Quickly sped the nimble broad-tail,
 Swiftly hopping on its journey
 From one thicket to another,
 From the birch-tree to the aspen,
 From the pine-tree to the willow,
 From the sorb-tree to the alder,
 Jumping here and there with method,
 Crossed the eagle-woods in safety,
 Into Metsola's wide limits,
 Into Tapio's seat of wisdom;
 There perceived three magic pine-trees,
 There perceived three smaller fir-trees,
 Quickly climbed the dark-green branches,
 Was not captured by the eagle,
 Was not mangled in his talons;
 Broke the young cones from the fir-tree,
 Cut the shoots of pine-tree branches,
 Hid the cones within his pouches,
 Wrapped them in his fur-grown mittens
 Brought them to the hands of Kapo,
 To the magic virgin's fingers.
 Kapo took the cones selected,
 Laid them in the beer for ferment,
 But it brought no effervescence,
 And the beer was cold and lifeless.

"Osmotar, the beer-preparer,
 Kapo, brewer of the liquor,
 Deeply thought and long considered:
 'What will bring the effervescence,
 Who will lend me aid efficient,
 That the beer may foam and sparkle,
 May ferment and be refreshing?'

"Kalevatar, sparkling maiden,
 Grace and beauty in her fingers,
 Softly moving, lightly stepping,
 In her trimly-buckled sandals,
 Steps again upon the bottom,
 Turns one way and then another,
 In the centre of the caldron,
 Sees a chip upon the bottom,
 Takes it from its place of resting,
 Looks upon the chip and muses
 'What may come of this I know not,
 In the hands of mystic maidens,
 In the hands of magic Kapo,
 In the virgin's snow-white fingers.'

"Kalevatar took the birch-chip
 To the magic maiden, Kapo,
 Gave it to the white-faced maiden.
 Kapo, by the aid of magic,
 Rubbed her hands and knees together,
 And produced a magic marten,
 And the marten, golden-breasted;
 Thus instructed she her creature,
 Gave the marten these directions.
 'Thou, my golden-breasted marten,
 Thou my son of golden color,
 Haste thou whither I may send thee,
 To the bear-dens of the mountain,
 To the grottoes of the growler,
 Gather yeast upon thy fingers,
 Gather foam from lips of anger,
 From the lips of bears in battle,
 Bring it to the hands of Kapo,
 To the hands of Osmo's daughter.'

"Then the marten golden-breasted,
 Full consenting, hastened onward,
 Quickly bounding on his journey,
 Lightly leaping through the distance
 Leaping o'er the widest rivers,
 Leaping over rocky fissures,
 To the bear-dens of the mountain,
 To the grottoes of the growler,
 Where the wild-bears fight each other,
 Where they pass a dread existence,
 Iron rocks, their softest pillows,
 In the fastnesses of mountains;
 From their lips the foam was dripping,
 From their tongues the froth of anger;
 This the marten deftly gathered,
 Brought it to the maiden, Kapo,
 Laid it in her dainty fingers.

"Osmotar, the beer-preparer,
 Brewer of the beer of barley,
 Used the beer-foam as a ferment;
 But it brought no effervescence,
 Did not make the liquor sparkle.

"Osmotar, the beer-preparer,
 Thought again, and long debated:
 'Who or what will bring the ferment,
 Th at my beer may not be lifeless?'

"Kalevatar, magic maiden,
 Grace and beauty in her fingers,
 Softly moving, lightly stepping,
 In her trimly-buckled sandals,
 Steps again upon the bottom,
 Turns one way and then another,
 In the centre of the caldron,
 Sees a pod upon the bottom,
 Lifts it in her snow-white fingers,
 Turns it o'er and o'er, and muses:
 'What may come of this I know not,
 In the hands of magic maidens,
 In the hands of mystic Kapo,
 In the snowy virgin's fingers?'

"Kalevatar, sparkling maiden,
 Gave the pod to magic Kapo;
 Kapo, by the aid of magic,
 Rubbed the pod upon her knee-cap,
 And a honey-bee came flying
 From the pod within her fingers,
 Kapo thus addressed her birdling:
 'Little bee with honeyed winglets,
 King of all the fragrant flowers,
 Fly thou whither I direct thee,
 To the islands in the ocean,
 To the water-cliffs and grottoes,
 Where asleep a maid has fallen,
 Girdled with a belt of copper
 By her side are honey-grasses,
 By her lips are fragrant flowers,
 Herbs and flowers honey-laden;
 Gather there the sweetened juices,
 Gather honey on thy winglets,
 From the calyces of flowers,
 From the tips of seven petals,
 Bring it to the hands of Kapo,
 To the hands of Osmo's daughter.'

"Then the bee, the swift-winged birdling,
 Flew away with lightning-swiftness
 On his journey to the islands,
 O'er the high waves of the ocean;
 Journeyed one day, then a second,
 Journeyed all the next day onward,
 Till the third day evening brought him
 To the islands in the ocean,
 To the water-cliffs and grottoes;
 Found the maiden sweetly sleeping,
 In her silver-tinselled raiment,
 Girdled with a belt of copper,
 In a nameless meadow, sleeping,
 In the honey-fields of magic;
 By her side were honeyed grasses,
 By her lips were fragrant flowers,
 Silver stalks with golden petals;
 Dipped its winglets in the honey,
 Dipped its fingers in the juices
 Of the sweetest of the flowers,
 Brought the honey back to Kapo,
 To the mystic maiden's fingers.

"Osmotar, the beer-preparer,
 Placed the honey in the liquor;
 Kapo mixed the beer and honey,
 And the wedding-beer fermented;
 Rose the live beer upward, upward,
 From the bottom of the vessels,
 Upward in the tubs of birch-wood,
 Foaming higher, higher, higher,
 Till it touched the oaken handles,
 Overflowing all the caldrons;
 To the ground it foamed and sparkled,
 Sank away in sand and gravel.

"Time had gone but little distance,
 Scarce a moment had passed over,
 Ere the heroes came in numbers
 To the foaming beer of Northland,
 Rushed to drink the sparkling liquor.
 Ere all others Lemminkainen
 Drank, and grew intoxicated
 On the beer of Osmo's daughter,
 On the honey-drink of Kalew.

"Osmotar, the beer-preparer,
 Kapo, brewer of the barley,
 Spake these words in saddened accents:
 'Woe is me, my life hard-fated,
 Badly have I brewed the liquor,
 Have not brewed the beer in wisdom,
 Will not live within its vessels,
 Overflows and fills Pohyola!'

"From a tree-top sings the redbreast,
 From the aspen calls the robin:
 'Do not grieve, thy beer is worthy,
 Put it into oaken vessels,
 Into strong and willing barrels
 Firmly bound with hoops of copper.'

"Thus was brewed the beer or Northland,
 At the hands of Osmo's daughter;
 This the origin of brewing
 Beer from Kalew-hops and barley;
 Great indeed the reputation
 Of the ancient beer of Kalew,
 Said to make the feeble hardy,
 Famed to dry the tears of women,
 Famed to cheer the broken-hearted,
 Make the aged young and supple,
 Make the timid brave and mighty,
 Make the brave men ever braver,
 Fill the heart with joy and gladness,
 Fill the mind with wisdom-sayings,
 Fill the tongue with ancient legends,
 Only makes the fool more foolish."

When the hostess of Pohyola
 Heard how beer was first fermented,
 Heard the origin of brewing,
 Straightway did she fill with water
 Many oaken tubs and barrels;
 Filled but half the largest vessels,
 Mixed the barley with the water,
 Added also hops abundant;
 Well she mixed the triple forces
 In her tubs of oak and birch-wood,
 Heated stones for months succeeding,
 Thus to boil the magic mixture,
 Steeped it through the days of summer,
 Burned the wood of many forests,
 Emptied all the, springs of Pohya;
 Daily did the, forests lesson,
 And the wells gave up their waters,
 Thus to aid the hostess, Louhi,
 In the brewing of the liquors,
 From the water, hops, and barley,
 And from honey of the islands,
 For the wedding-feast of Northland,
 For Pohyola's great carousal
 And rejoicings at the marriage
 Of the Malden of the Rainbow
 To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Metal-worker of Wainola.

Smoke is seen upon the island,
 Fire, upon the promontory,
 Black smoke rising to the heavens
 From the fire upon the island;
 Fills with clouds the half of Pohya,
 Fills Karelen's many hamlets;
 All the people look and wonder,
 This the chorus of the women:
 "Whence are rising all these smoke-clouds,
 Why this dreadful fire in Northland?
 Is not like the smoke of camp-fires,
 Is too large for fires of shepherds!"

Lemminkainen's ancient mother
 Journeyed in the early morning
 For some water to the fountain,
 Saw the smoke arise to heaven,
 In the region of Pohyola,
 These the words the mother uttered:
 "'Tis the smoke of battle-heroes,
 From the beat of warring armies!"

Even Ahti, island-hero,
 Ancient wizard, Lemminkainen,
 Also known as Kaukomieli,
 Looked upon the scene in wonder,
 Thought awhile and spake as follows:
 "I would like to see this nearer,
 Learn the cause of all this trouble,
 Whence this smoke and great confusion,
 Whether smoke from heat of battle,
 Or the bonfires of the shepherds."

Kaukomieli gazed and pondered,
 Studied long the rising smoke-clouds;
 Came not from the heat of battle,
 Came not from the shepherd bonfires;
 Heard they were the fires of Louhi
 Brewing beer in Sariola,
 On Pohyola's promontory;
 Long and oft looked Lemminkainen,
 Strained in eagerness his vision,
 Stared, and peered, and thought, and wondered,
 Looked abashed and envy-swollen,
 "O beloved, second mother,
 Northland's well-intentioned hostess,
 Brew thy beer of honey-flavor,
 Make thy liquors foam and sparkle,
 For thy many friends invited,
 Brew it well for Lemminkainen,
 For his marriage in Pohyola
 With the Maiden of the Rainbow."

Finally the beer was ready,
 Beverage of noble heroes,
 Stored away in casks and barrels,
 There to rest awhile in silence,
 In the cellars of the Northland,
 In the copper-banded vessels,
 In the magic oaken hogsheads,
 Plugs and faucets made of copper.
 Then the hostess of Pohyola
 Skilfully prepared the dishes,
 Laid them all with careful fingers
 In the boiling-pans and kettles,
 Ordered countless loaves of barley,
 Ordered many liquid dishes,
 All the delicacies of Northland,
 For the feasting of her people,
 For their richest entertainment,
 For the nuptial songs and dances,
 At the marriage of her daughter
 With the blacksmith, Ilmarinen.

When the loaves were baked and ready.
 When the dishes all were seasoned,
 Time had gone but little distance,
 Scarce a moment had passed over,
 Ere the beer, in casks imprisoned,
 Loudly rapped, and sang, and murmured:
 "Come, ye heroes, come and take me,
 Come and let me cheer your spirits,
 Make you sing the songs of wisdom,
 That with honor ye may praise me,
 Sing the songs of beer immortal!"

Straightway Louhi sought a minstrel,
 Magic bard and artist-singer,
 That the beer might well be lauded,
 Might be praised in song and honor.
 First as bard they brought a salmon,
 Also brought a pike from ocean,
 But the salmon had no talent,
 And the pike had little wisdom;
 Teeth of pike and gills of salmon
 Were not made for singing legends.

Then again they sought a singer,
 Magic minstrel, beer-enchanter,
 Thus to praise the drink of heroes,
 Sing the songs of joy and gladness;
 And a boy was brought for singing;
 But the boy had little knowledge,
 Could not praise the beer in honor;
 Children's tongues are filled with questions,
 Children cannot speak in wisdom,
 Cannot sing the ancient legends.

Stronger grew the beer imprisoned
 In the copper-banded vessels,
 Locked behind the copper faucets,
 Boiled, and foamed, and sang, and murmured:
 "If ye do not bring a singer,
 That will sing my worth immortal,
 That will sing my praise deserving,
 I will burst these bands of copper,
 Burst the heads of all these barrels;
 Will not serve the best of heroes
 Till he sings my many virtues."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Called a trusted maiden-servant,
 Sent her to invite the people
 To the marriage of her daughter,
 These the words that Louhi uttered:
 "O my trusted, truthful maiden,
 Servant-maid to me belonging,
 Call together all my people,
 Call the heroes to my banquet,
 Ask the rich, and ask the needy,
 Ask the blind and deaf, and crippled,
 Ask the young, and ask the aged;
 Go thou to the hills, and hedges,
 To the highways, and the by-ways,
 Urge them to my daughter's wedding;
 Bring the blind, and sorely troubled,
 In my boats upon the waters,
 In my sledges bring the halting,
 With the old, and sick, and needy;
 Ask the whole of Sariola,
 Ask the people of Karelen,
 Ask the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Famous bard and wisdom-singer;
 But I give command explicit
 Not to ask wild Lemminkainen,
 Not the island-dweller, Ahti!"
 This the question of the servant:
 "Why not ask wild Lemminkainen,
 Ancient islander and minstrel?"

Louhi gave this simple answer:
 "Good the reasons that I give thee
 Why the wizard, Lemminkainen,
 Must not have an invitation
 To my daughter's feast and marriage
 Ahti courts the heat of battle,
 Lemminkainen fosters trouble,
 Skilful fighter of the virtues;
 Evil thinking, acting evil,
 He would bring but pain and sorrow,
 He would jest and jeer at maidens
 In their trimly buckled raiment,
 Cannot ask the evil-minded!"
 Thus again the servant questions:
 "Tell me how to know this Ahti,
 Also known as Lemminkainen,
 That I may not ask him hither;
 Do not know the isle of Ahti,
 Nor the home of Kaukomieli
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Easy 'tis to know the wizard,
 Easy find the Ahti-dwelling:
 Ahti lives on yonder island,
 On that point dwells Lemminkainen,
 In his mansion near the water,
 Far at sea his home and dwelling."

Thereupon the trusted maiden
 Spread the wedding-invitations
 To the people of Pohyola,
 To the tribes of Kalevala;
 Asked the friendless, asked the homeless
 Asked the laborers and shepherds,
 Asked the fishermen and hunters,
 Asked the deaf, the dumb, the crippled,
 Asked the young, and asked the aged,
 Asked the rich, and asked the needy;
 Did not give an invitation
 To the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Island-dweller of the ocean.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXI.

 

ILMARINEN'S WEDDING-FEAST.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Ancient dame of Sariola,
 While at work within her dwelling,
 Heard the whips crack on the fenlands,
 Heard the rattle of the sledges;
 To the northward turned her glances,
 Turned her vision to the sunlight,
 And her thoughts ran on as follow:
 "Who are these in bright apparel,
 On the banks of Pohya-waters,
 Are they friends or hostile armies?"

Then the hostess of the Northland
 Looked again and well considered,
 Drew much nearer to examine,
 Found they were not hostile armies,
 Found that they were friends and suitors.
 In the midst was Ilmarinen,
 Son-in-law to ancient Louhi.

When the hostess of Pohyola
 Saw the son-in-law approaching
 She addressed the words that follow:
 "I had thought the winds were raging,
 That the piles of wood were falling,
 Thought the pebbles in commotion,
 Or perchance the ocean roaring;
 Then I hastened nearer, nearer,
 Drew still nearer and examined,
 Found the winds were not in battle,
 Found the piles of wood unshaken,
 Found the ocean was not roaring,
 Nor the pebbles in commotion,
 Found my son-in-law was coming
 With his heroes and attendants,
 Heroes counted by the hundreds.

"Should you ask of me the question,
 How I recognized the bridegroom
 Mid the hosts of men and heroes,
 I should answer, I should tell you:
 'As the hazel-bush in copses,
 As the oak-tree in the forest,
 As the Moon among the planets;
 Drives the groom a coal-black courser,
 Running like the famished black-dog,
 Flying like the hungry raven,
 Graceful as the lark at morning,
 Golden cuckoos, six in number,
 Twitter on the birchen cross-bow;
 There are seven bluebirds singing
 On the racer's hame and collar."

Noises hear they in the court-yard,
 On the highway hear the sledges,
 To the court comes Ilmarinen,
 With his body-guard of heroes;
 In the midst the chosen suitor,
 Not too far in front of others,
 Not too far behind his fellows.
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Hie ye hither, men and heroes,
 Haste, ye watchers, to the stables,
 There unhitch the suitor's stallion,
 Lower well the racer's breast-plate,
 There undo the straps and buckles,
 Loosen well the shafts and traces,
 And conduct the suitor hither,
 Give my son-in-law good welcome!"

Ilmarinen turned his racer
 Into Louhi's yard and stables,
 And descended from his snow-sledge.
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Come, thou servant of my bidding,
 Best of all my trusted servants,
 Take at once the bridegroom's courser
 From the shafts adorned with silver,
 From the curving arch of willow,
 Lift the harness trimmed in copper,
 Tie the white-face to the manger,
 Treat the suitor's steed with kindness,
 Lead him carefully to shelter
 By his soft and shining bridle,
 By his halter tipped with silver;
 Let him roll among the sand-hills,
 On the bottoms soft and even,
 On the borders of the snow-banks,
 In the fields of milky color.

"Lead the hero's steed to water,
 Lead him to the Pohya-fountains,
 Where the living streams are flowing,
 Sweet as milk of human kindness,
 From the roots of silvery birches,
 Underneath the shade of aspens.

"Feed the courser of the suitor,
 On the sweetest corn and barley,
 On the summer-wheat and clover,
 In the caldron steeped in sweetness;
 Feed him at the golden manger,
 In the boxes lined with copper,
 At my manger richly furnished,
 In the warmest of the stables;
 Tie him with a silk-like halter,
 To the golden rings and staples,
 To the hooks of purest silver,
 Set in beams of birch and oak-wood;
 Feed him on the hay the sweetest,
 Feed him on the corn nutritious,
 Give the best my barns can furnish.

"Curry well the suitor's courser
 With the curry-comb of fish-bone,
 Brush his hair with silken brushes,
 Put his mane and tail in order,
 Cover well with flannel blankets,
 Blankets wrought in gold and silver,
 Buckles forged from shining copper.

"Come, ye small lads of the village,
 Lead the suitor to my chambers,
 With your auburn locks uncovered,
 From your hands remove your mittens,
 See if ye can lead the hero
 Through the door without his stooping,
 Lifting not the upper cross-bar,
 Lowering not the oaken threshold,
 Moving not the birchen casings,
 Great the hero who must enter.

"Ilmarinen is too stately,
 Cannot enter through the portals,
 Not the son-in-law and bridegroom,
 Till the portals have been heightened;
 Taller by a head the suitor
 Than the door-ways of the mansion."

Quick the servants of Pohyola
 Tore away the upper cross-bar,
 That his cap might not be lifted;
 Made the oaken threshold lower
 That the hero might not stumble;
 Made the birch-wood portals wider,
 Opened full the door of welcome,
 Easy entrance for the suitor.

Speaks the hostess of the Northland
 As the bridegroom freely passes
 Through the doorway of her dwelling:
 "Thanks are due to thee, O Ukko,
 That my son-in-law has entered!
 Let me now my halls examine;
 Make the bridal chambers ready,
 Finest linen on my tables,
 Softest furs upon my benches,
 Birchen flooring scrubbed to whiteness,
 All my rooms in perfect order."

Then the hostess of Pohyola
 Visited her spacious dwelling,
 Did not recognize her chambers;
 Every room had been remodeled,
 Changed by force of mighty magic;
 All the halls were newly burnished,
 Hedge-hog bones were used for ceilings,
 Bones of reindeer for foundations,
 Bones of wolverine for door-sills,
 For the cross-bars bones of roebuck,
 Apple-wood were all the rafters,
 Alder-wood, the window-casings,
 Scales of trout adorned the windows,
 And the fires were set in flowers.
 All the seats were made of silver,
 All the floors of copper-tiling,
 Gold-adorned were all the tables,
 On the floor were silken mattings,
 Every fire-place set in copper,
 Every hearth-stone cut from marble,
 On each shelf were colored sea-shells,
 Kalew's tree was their protection.

To the court-room came the hero,
 Chosen suitor from Wainola,
 These the words of Ilmarinen:
 "Send, O Ukko, health and pleasure
 To this ancient home and dwelling,
 To this mansion richly fashioned!"
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Let thy coming be auspicious
 To these halls of thee unworthy,
 To the home of thine affianced,
 To this dwelling lowly fashioned,
 Mid the lindens and the aspens.

"Come, ye maidens that should serve me,
 Come, ye fellows from the village,
 Bring me fire upon the birch-bark,
 Light the fagots of the fir-tree,
 That I may behold the bridegroom,
 Chosen suitor of my daughter,
 Fairy Maiden of the Rainbow,
 See the color of his eyeballs,
 Whether they are blue or sable,
 See if they are warm and faithful."

Quick the young lads from the village
 Brought the fire upon the birch-bark,
 Brought it on the tips of pine-wood;
 And the fire and smoke commingled
 Roll and roar about the hero,
 Blackening the suitor's visage,
 And the hostess speaks as follows;
 "Bring the fire upon a taper,
 On the waxen tapers bring it!"

Then the maidens did as bidden,
 Quickly brought the lighted tapers,
 Made the suitor's eyeballs glisten,
 Made his cheeks look fresh and ruddy;
 Made his eyes of sable color
 Sparkle like the foam of waters,
 Like the reed-grass on the margin,
 Colored as the ocean jewels,
 Iridescent as the rainbow.

"Come, ye fellows of the hamlet,
 Lead my son-in-law and hero
 To the highest seat at table,
 To the seat of greatest honor,
 With his back upon the blue-wall,
 Looking on my bounteous tables,
 Facing all the guests of Northland."

Then the hostess of Pohyola
 Served her guests in great abundance,
 Richest drinks and rarest viands,
 First of all she, served the bridegroom
 On his platters, honeyed biscuit,
 And the sweetest river salmon,
 Seasoned butter, roasted bacon,
 All the dainties of Pohyola.
 Then the helpers served the others,
 Filled the plates of all invited
 With the varied food of Northland.
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola:
 "Come, ye maidens from the village,
 Hither bring the beer in pitchers,
 In the urns with double handles,
 To the many guests in-gathered,
 Ere all others, serve the bridegroom."

Thereupon the merry maidens
 Brought the beer in silver pitchers
 From the copper-banded vessels,
 For the wedding-guests assembled;
 And the beer, fermenting, sparkled
 On the beard of Ilmarinen,
 On the beards of many heroes.

When the guests had all partaken
 Of the wondrous beer of barley,
 Spake the beer in merry accents
 Through the tongues of the magicians,
 Through the tongue of many a hero,
 Through the tongue of Wainamoinen,
 Famed to be the sweetest singer
 Of the Northland bards and minstrels,
 These the words of the enchanter:
 "O thou beer of honeyed flavor,
 Let us not imbibe in silence,
 Let some hero sing thy praises,
 Sing thy worth in golden measures;
 Let the hostess start the singing,
 Let the bridegroom sound thy virtues!
 Have our songs thus quickly vanished,
 Have our joyful tongues grown silent?
 Evil then has been the brewing,
 Then the beer must be unworthy,
 That it does not cheer the singer,
 Does not move the merry minstrel,
 That the golden guests are joyless,
 And the cuckoo is not singing.
 Never will these benches echo
 Till the bench-guests chant thy virtues;
 Nor the floor resound thy praises
 Till the floor-guests sing in concord;
 Nor the windows join the chorus
 Till the window-guests have spoken;
 All the tables will keep silence
 Till the heroes toast thy virtues;
 Little singing from the chimney
 Till the chimney-guests have chanted."

On the floor a child was sitting,
 Thus the little boy made answer:
 "I am small and young in singing,
 Have perchance but little wisdom;
 Be that as it may, my seniors,
 Since the elder minstrels sing not,
 Nor the heroes chant their legends,
 Nor the hostess lead the singing,
 I will sing my simple stories,
 Sing my little store of knowledge,
 To the pleasure of the evening,
 To the joy of the invited."

Near the fire reclined an old man,
 And the gray-beard thus made answer:
 "Not the time for children's singing,
 Children's wisdom is too ready,
 Children's songs are filled with trifles,
 Filled with shrewd and vain deceptions,
 Maiden-songs are full of follies;
 Leave the songs and incantations
 To the ancient wizard-singers;
 Leave the tales of times primeval
 To the minstrel of Wainola,
 To the hero of the Northland,
 To the, ancient Wainamoinen."
 Thereupon Osmoinen answered:
 "Are there not some sweeter singers
 In this honored congregation,
 That will clasp their hands together,
 Sing the ancient songs unbroken,
 Thus begin the incantations,
 Make these ancient halls re-echo
 For the pleasure of the evening,
 For the joy of the in-gathered?"
 From the hearth-stone spake, the gray-beard
 "Not a singer of Pohyola,
 Not a minstrel, nor magician,
 That was better skilled in chanting
 Legends of the days departed,
 Than was I when I was singing,
 In my years of vain ambition;
 Then I chanted tales of heroes,
 On the blue back of the waters,
 Sang the ballads of my people,
 In the vales and on the mountains,
 Through the verdant fields and forests;
 Sweet my voice and skilled my singing,
 All my songs were highly lauded,
 Rippled like the quiet rivers,
 Easy-flowing like the waters,
 Easy-gliding as the snow-shoes,
 Like the ship upon the ocean.

"Woe is me, my days are ended,
 Would not recognize my singing,
 All its sweetness gone to others,
 Flows no more like rippling waters,
 Makes no more the hills re-echo!
 Now my songs are full of discord,
 Like the rake upon the stubble,
 Like the sledge upon the gravel,
 Like the boat upon the sea-shore!"

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Spake these words in magic measures:
 "Since no other bard appeareth
 That will clasp my hand in singing,
 I will sing some simple legends,
 Sing my, garnered store of wisdom,
 Make these magic halls re-echo
 With my tales of ancient story,
 Since a bard I was created,
 Born an orator and singer;
 Do not ask the ways of others,
 Follow not the paths of strangers."

Wainamoinen, famous minstrel,
 Song's eternal, wise supporter,
 Then began the songs of pleasure,
 Made the halls resound with joyance,
 Filled the rooms with wondrous singing;
 Sang the ancient bard-magician
 All the oldest wisdom-sayings,
 Did not fail in voice nor legends,
 All the wisest thoughts remembered.

Thus the ancient Wainamoinen
 Sang the joy of all assembled,
 To the pleasure of the evening,
 To the merriment of maidens,
 To the happiness of heroes;
 All the guests were stilled in wonder
 At the magic of his singing,
 At the songs of the magician.

Spake again wise Wainamoinen,
 When his wonder-tales had ended:
 "l have little worth or power,
 Am a bard of little value,
 Little consequence my singing,
 Mine abilities as nothing,
 If but Ukko, my Creator,
 Should intone his wisdom-sayings,
 Sing the source of good and evil,
 Sing the origin of matter,
 Sing the legends of omniscience,
 Sing his songs in full perfection.
 God could sing the floods to honey,
 Sing the sands to ruddy berries,
 Sing the pebbles into barley,
 Sing to beer the running waters,
 Sing to salt the rocks of ocean,
 Into corn-fields sing the forests,
 Into gold the forest-fruitage,
 Sing to bread the hills and mountains,
 Sing to eggs the rounded sandstones;
 He could touch the springs of magic,
 He could turn the keys of nature,
 And produce within thy pastures,
 Hurdles filled with sheep and reindeer,
 Stables filled with fleet-foot stallions,
 Kine in every field and fallow;
 Sing a fur-robe for the bridegroom,
 For the bride a coat of ermine,
 For the hostess, shoes of silver,
 For the hero, mail of copper.

"Grant O Ukko, my Creator,
 God of love, and truth, and justice,
 Grant thy blessing on our feasting,
 Bless this company assembled,
 For the good of Sariola,
 For the happiness of Northland!
 May this bread and beer bring joyance,
 May they come in rich abundance,
 May they carry full contentment
 To the people of Pohyola,
 To the cabin and the mansion;
 May the hours we spend in singing,
 In the morning, in the evening,
 Fill our hearts with joy and gladness!
 Hear us in our supplications,
 Grant to us thy needed blessings,
 Send enjoyment, health, and comfort,
 To the people here assembled,
 To the host and to the hostess,
 To the bride and to the bridegroom,
 To the sons upon the waters,
 To the daughters at their weavings,
 To the hunters on the mountains,
 To the shepherds in the fenlands,
 That our lives may end in honor,
 That we may recall with pleasure
 Ilmarinen's magic marriage
 To the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Snow-white virgin of the Northland."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXII.

 

THE BRIDE'S FAREWELL.

WHEN the marriage was completed,
 When the many guests had feasted,
 At the wedding of the Northland,
 At the Dismal-land carousal,
 Spake the hostess of Pohyola
 To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen:
 "Wherefore, bridegroom, dost thou linger,
 Why art waiting, Northland hero?
 Sittest for the father's pleasure,
 For affection of the mother,
 For the splendor of the maidens,
 For the beauty of the daughter?
 Noble son-in-law and brother,
 Wait thou longer, having waited
 Long already for the virgin,
 Thine affianced is not ready,
 Not prepared, thy life-companion,
 Only are her tresses braided.

"Chosen bridegroom, pride of Pohya,
 Wait thou longer, having waited
 Long already for the virgin,
 Thy beloved is preparing,
 Only is one hand made ready.

"Famous artist, Ilmarinen,
 Wait still longer, having waited
 Long already for the virgin,
 Thy beloved is not ready,
 Only is one foot in fur-shoes,"
 Spake again the ancient Louhi:
 "Chosen suitor of my daughter,
 Thou hast thrice in kindness waited,
 Wait no longer for the virgin,
 Thy beloved now is ready,
 Well prepared thy life-companion,
 Fairy Maiden of the Rainbow.

"Beauteous daughter, join thy suitor,
 Follow him, thy chosen husband,
 Very near is the uniting,
 Near indeed thy separation.
 At thy hand the honored bridegroom,
 Near the door he waits to lead thee,
 Guide thee to his home and kindred;
 At the gate his steed is waiting,
 Restless champs his silver bridle,
 And the sledge awaits thy presence.

"Thou wert anxious for a suitor,
 Ready to accept his offer,
 Wert in haste to take his jewels,
 Place his rings upon thy fingers;
 Now, fair daughter, keep thy promise;
 To his sledge, with happy footsteps,
 Hie in haste to join the bridegroom,
 Gaily journey to the village
 With thy chosen life-companion,
 With thy suitor, Ilmarinen.
 Little hast thou looked about thee,
 Hast not raised thine eyes above thee,
 Beauteous maiden of the Northland,
 Hast thou made a rueful bargain,
 Full of wailing thine engagement,
 And thy marriage full of sorrow,
 That thy father's ancient cottage
 Thou art leaving now forever,
 Leaving also friends and kindred,
 For the, blacksmith, Ilmarinen?

"O how beautiful thy childhood,
 In thy father's dwelling-places,
 Nurtured like a tender flower,
 Like the strawberry in spring-time
 Soft thy couch and sweet thy slumber,
 Warm thy fires and rich thy table;
 From the fields came corn in plenty,
 From the highlands, milk and berries,
 Wheat and barley in abundance,
 Fish, and fowl, and hare, and bacon,
 From thy father's fields and forests.

"Never wert thou, child, in sorrow,
 Never hadst thou grief nor trouble,
 All thy cares were left to fir-trees,
 All thy worry to the copses,
 All thy weeping to the willows,
 All thy sighing to the lindens,
 All thy thinking to the aspens
 And the birches on the mountains,
 Light and airy as the leaflet,
 As a butterfly in summer,
 Ruddy as a mountain-berry,
 Beautiful as vernal flowers.

"Now thou leavest home and kindred,
 Wanderest to other firesides,
 Goest to another mother,
 Other sisters, other brothers,
 Goest to a second father,
 To the servant-folk of strangers,
 From thy native hills and lowlands.
 There and here the homes will differ,
 Happier thy mother's hearth-stone;
 Other horns will there be sounded,
 Other portals there swing open,
 Other hinges there be creaking;
 There the doors thou canst not enter
 Like the daughters of Wainola,
 Canst not tend the fires and ovens
 As will please the minds of strangers.

"Didst thou think, my fairest maiden,
 Thou couldst wed and on the morrow
 Couldst return, if thou shouldst wish it,
 To thy father's court and dwelling?
 Not for one, nor two, nor three days,
 Wilt thou leave thy mother's chambers,
 Leave thy sisters and thy brothers,
 Leave thy father's hills and lowlands.
 Long the time the wife must wander,
 Many months and years must wander,
 Work, and struggle, all her life long,
 Even though the mother liveth.
 Great, indeed, must be the changes
 When thou comest back to Pohya,
 Changed, thy friends and nearest kindred,
 Changed, thy father's ancient dwellings,
 Changed, the valleys and the mountains,
 Other birds will sing thy praises!"

When the mother thus had spoken,
 Then the daughter spake, departing:
 "In my early days of childhood
 Often I intoned these measures:
 'Art a virgin, yet no virgin,
 Guided by an aged mother,
 In a brother's fields and forests,
 In the mansion of a father!
 Only wilt become a virgin,
 Only when thou hast a suitor,
 Only when thou wedst a hero,
 One foot on the father's threshold,
 And the other for the snow-sledge
 That will speed thee and thy husband
 To his native vales and highlands!'

"I have wished thus many summers,
 Sang it often in my childhood,
 Hoped for this as for the flowers,
 Welcome as the birds of spring-time.
 Thus fulfilled are all my wishes,
 Very near is my departure,
 One foot on my father's threshold,
 And the, other for the journey
 With my husband to his people;
 Cannot understand the reason
 That has changed my former feelings,
 Cannot leave thee now with gladness,
 Cannot go with great rejoicing
 From my dear, old home and kindred,
 Where as maiden I have lingered,
 From the courts where I was nurtured,
 From my father's band and guidance,
 From my faithful mother's counsel.
 Now I go, a maid of sorrow,
 Heavy-hearted to the bridegroom,
 Like the bride of Night in winter,
 Like the ice upon the rivers.

"Such is not the mind of others,
 Other brides of Northland heroes;
 Others do not leave unhappy,
 Have no tears, nor cares, nor sorrows,
 I alas! must weep and murmur,
 Carry to my grave great sadness,
 Heart as dark as Death's black river.

"Such the feelings of the happy,
 Such the minds of merry maidens:
 Like the early dawn of spring-time,
 Like the rising Sun in summer
 No such radiance awaits me,
 With my young heart filled with terror;
 Happiness is not my portion,
 Like the flat-shore of the ocean,
 Like the dark rift of the storm-cloud,
 Like the cheerless nights of winter!
 Dreary is the day in autumn,
 Dreary too the autumn evening,
 Still more dreary is my future!"

An industrious old maiden,
 Ever guarding home and kindred,
 Spake these words of doubtful comfort:
 "Dost thou, beauteous bride, remember,
 Canst thou not recall my counsels?
 These the words that I have taught thee:
 'Look not joyfully for suitors,
 Never heed the tongues of wooers,
 Look not in the eyes of charmers,
 At their feet let fall thy vision.
 He that hath a mouth for sweetness,
 He that hath an eye for beauty,
 Offers little that will comfort;
 Lempo sits upon his forehead,
 In his mouth dwells dire Tuoni.'

"Thus, fair bride, did I advise thee,
 Thus advised my sister's daughter:
 Should there come the best of suitors,
 Noblest wooers, proudest lovers,
 Give to all these wisdom-sayings,
 Let thine answer be as follows:
 'Never will I think it wisdom,
 Never will it be my pleasure,
 To become a second daughter,
 Linger with my husband's mother;
 Never shall I leave my father,
 Never wander forth to bondage,
 At the bidding of a bridegroom:
 Never shall I be a servant,
 Wife and slave to any hero,
 Never will I be submissive
 To the orders of a husband.'

"Fairest bride, thou didst not heed me,
 Gav'st no thought to my advices,
 Didst not listen to my counsel;
 Wittingly thy feet have wandered
 Into boiling tar and water,
 Hastened to thy suitor's snow-sledge,
 To the bear-dens of thy husband,
 On his sledge to be ill-treated,
 Carried to his native country,
 To the bondage of his people,
 There, a subject to his mother.
 Thou hast left thy mother's dwelling,
 To the schooling of the master;
 Hard indeed the master's teachings,
 Little else than constant torture;
 Ready for thee are his bridles,
 Ready for thy bands the shackles,
 Were not forged for any other;
 Soon, indeed, thou'lt feel the hardness,
 Feel the weight of thy misfortune,
 Feel thy second father's censure,
 And his wife's inhuman treatment,
 Hear the cold words or thy brother,
 Quail before thy haughty sister.

"Listen, bride, to what I tell thee:
 In thy home thou wert a jewel,
 Wert thy father's pride and pleasure,
 'Moonlight,' did thy father call thee,
 And thy mother called thee 'Sunshine,'
 'Sea-foam' did thy brother call thee,
 And thy sister called thee 'Flower.'
 When thou leavest home and kindred
 Goest to a second mother,
 Often she will give thee censure,
 Never treat thee as her daughter,
 Rarely will she give thee counsel,
 Never will she sound thy praises.
 'Brush-wood,' will the father call thee,
 'Sledge of Rags,' thy husband's mother,
 'Flight of Stairs,' thy stranger brother,
 'Scare-crow,' will the sister call thee,
 Sister of thy blacksmith-husband;
 Then wilt think of my good counsels,
 Then wilt wish in tears and murmurs,
 That as steam thou hadst ascended,
 That as smoke thy soul had risen,
 That as sparks thy life had vanished.
 As a bird thou canst not wander
 From thy nest to circle homeward,
 Canst not fall and die like leaflets,
 As the sparks thou canst not perish,
 Like the smoke thou canst not vanish.

"Youthful bride, and darling sister,
 Thou hast bartered all thy friendships,
 Hast exchanged thy loving father,
 Thou hast left thy faithful mother
 For the mother of thy husband;
 Hast exchanged thy loving brother,
 Hast renounced thy gentle sister,
 For the kindred of thy suitor;
 Hast exchanged thy snow-white covers
 For the rocky couch of sorrow;
 Hast exchanged these crystal waters
 For the waters of Wainola;
 Hast renounced these sandy sea-shores
 For the muddy banks of Kalew;
 Northland glens thou hast forsaken
 For thy husband's barren meadows;
 Thou hast left thy berry-mountains
 For the stubble-fields and deserts.

"Thou, O maiden, hast been thinking
 Thou wouldst happy be in wedlock;
 Neither work, nor care, nor sorrow,
 From this night would be thy portion,
 With thy husband for protection.
 Not to sleep art thou conducted,
 Not to happiness, nor joyance,
 Wakefulness, thy night-companion,
 And thy day-attendant, trouble;
 Often thou wilt drink of sorrow,
 Often long for vanished pleasures.

"When at home thou hadst no head-gear,
 Thou hadst also little sadness;
 When thy couch was not of linen,
 No unhappiness came nigh thee;
 Head-gear brings but pain and sorrow,
 Linen breeds bad dispositions,
 Linen brings but deeps of anguish,
 And the flax untimely mourning.

"Happy in her home, the maiden,
 Happy at her father's fireside,
 Like the master in his mansion,
 Happy with her bows and arrows.
 'Tis not thus with married women;
 Brides of heroes may be likened
 To the prisoners of Moskva,
 Held in bondage by their masters.

"As a wife, must weep and labor,
 Carry trouble on both shoulders;
 When the next hour passes over,
 Thou must tend the fire and oven,
 Must prepare thy husband's dinner,
 Must direct thy master's servants.
 When thine evening meal is ready,
 Thou must search for bidden wisdom
 In the brain of perch and salmon,
 In the mouths of ocean whiting,
 Gather wisdom from the cuckoo,
 Canst not learn it from thy mother,
 Mother dear of seven daughters;
 Cannot find among her treasures
 Where were born the human instincts,
 Where were born the minds of heroes,
 Whence arose the maiden's beauty,
 Whence the beauty of her tresses,
 Why all life revives in spring-time.

"Weep, O weep, my pretty young bride.
 When thou weepest, weep sincerely,
 Weep great rivers from thine eyelids,
 Floods of tears in field and fallow,
 Lakelets in thy father's dwelling;
 Weep thy rooms to overflowing,
 Shed thy tears in great abundance,
 Lest thou weepest on returning
 To thy native hills and valleys,
 When thou visitest thy father
 In the smoke of waning glory,
 On his arm a withered tassel.

"Weep, O weep, my lovely maiden,
 When thou weepest, weep in earnest,
 Weep great rivers from thine eyelids;
 If thou dost not weep sincerely,
 Thou wilt weep on thy returning
 To thy Northland home and kindred,
 When thou visitest thy mother
 Old and breathless near the hurdles,
 In her arms a barley-bundle.

"Weep, O weep, sweet bride of beauty,
 When thou weepest, weep profusely;
 If thou dost not weep in earnest,
 Thou wilt weep on thy returning
 To thy native vales and highlands,
 When thou visitest thy brother
 Lying wounded by the way-side,
 In his hand but empty honors.

"Weep, O weep, my sister's daughter,
 Weep great rivers from thine eyelids;
 If thou dost not weep sufficient,
 Thou wilt weep on thy returning
 To the scenes of happy childhood,
 When thou visitest thy sister
 Lying, prostrate in the meadow,
 In her hand a birch-wood mallet."

When the ancient maid had ended,
 Then the young bride sighed in anguish,
 Straightway fell to bitter weeping,
 Spake these words in deeps of sorrow:
 "O, ye sisters, my beloved,
 Ye companions of my childhood,
 Playmates of my early summers,
 Listen to your sister's counsel:
 Cannot comprehend the reason,
 Why my mind is so dejected,
 Why this weariness and sadness,
 This untold and unseen torture,
 Cannot understand the meaning
 Of this mighty weight of sorrow!
 Differently I had thought it,
 I had hoped for greater pleasures,
 I had hoped to sing as cuckoos,
 On the hill-tops call and echo,
 When I had attained this station,
 Reached at last the goal expectant;
 But I am not like the cuckoo,
 Singing, merry on the hill-tops;
 I am like the songless blue-duck,
 As she swims upon the waters,
 Swims upon the cold, cold ocean,
 Icicles upon her pinions.

"Ancient father, gray-haired mother,
 Whither do ye wish to lead me,
 Whither take this bride, thy daughter,
 That this sorrow may pass over,
 Where this heavy heart may lighten,
 Where this grief may turn to gladness?
 Better it had been, O mother,
 Hadst thou nursed a block of birch-wood,
 Hadst thou clothed the colored sandstone,
 Rather than this hapless maiden,
 For the fulness of these sorrows,
 For this keen and killing trouble.

Many sympathizers tell me:
 'Foolish bride, thou art ungrateful,
 Do not grieve, thou child of sorrow,
 Thou hast little cause for weeping.'

"O, deceive me not, my people,
 Do not argue with me falsely,
 For alas! I have more troubles
 Than the waterfalls have pebbles,
 Than the Ingerland has willows,
 Than the Suomi-hills have berries;
 Never could the Pohya plow-horse
 Pull this mighty weight of sorrow,
 Shaking not his birchen cross-bar,
 Breaking not his heavy collar;
 Never could the Northland reindeer
 Heavy shod and stoutly harnessed,
 Draw this load of care and trouble."

By the stove a babe was playing,
 And the young child spake as follows:
 "Why, O fair bride, art thou weeping,
 Why these tears of pain and sadness?
 Leave thy troubles to the elk-herds,
 And thy grief to sable fillies,
 Let the steeds of iron bridles
 Bear the burden of thine anguish,
 Horses have much larger foreheads,
 Larger shoulders, stronger sinews,
 And their necks are made for labor,
 Stronger are their bones and muscles,
 Let them bear thy heavy burdens.
 There is little good in weeping,
 Useless are thy tears of sorrow;
 Art not led to swamps and lowlands,
 Nor to banks of little rivers;
 Thou art led to fields of flowers,
 Led to fruitful trees and forests,
 Led away from beer of Pohya
 To the sweeter mead of Kalew.
 At thy shoulder waits thy husband,
 On thy right side, Ilmarinen,
 Constant friend and life-protector,
 He will guard thee from all evil;
 Husband ready, steed in waiting,
 Gold-and-silver-mounted harness,
 Hazel-birds that sing and flutter
 On the courser's yoke and cross-bar;
 Thrushes also sing and twitter
 Merrily on hame and collar,
 Seven bluebirds, seven cuckoos,
 Sing thy wedding-march in concord.

"Be no longer full of sorrow,
 Dry thy tears, thou bride of beauty,
 Thou hast found a noble husband,
 Better wilt thou fare than ever,
 By the side of Ilmarinen,
 Artist husband, metal-master,
 Bread-provider of thy table,
 On the arm of the fish-catcher,
 On the breast of the elk-hunter,
 By the side of the bear-killer.
 Thou hast won the best of suitors,
 Hast obtained a mighty hero;
 Never idle is his cross-bow,
 On the nails his quivers hang not,
 Neither are his dogs in kennel,
 Active agents is his bunting.
 Thrice within the budding spring-time
 In the early hours of morning
 He arises from his fare-couch,
 From his slumber in the brush-wood,
 Thrice within the sowing season,
 On his eyes the deer has fallen,
 And the branches brushed his vesture,
 And his locks been combed by fir-boughs.
 Hasten homeward with thy husband,
 Where thy hero's friends await thee,
 Where his forests sing thy welcome.

"Ilmarinen there possesses
 All the birds that fly in mid-air,
 All the beasts that haunt the woodlands,
 All that feed upon the mountains,
 All that graze on hill and valley,
 Sheep and cattle by the thousands;
 Sweet the grass upon his meadows,
 Sweet the barley in his uplands,
 In the lowlands corn abundant,
 Wheat upon the elm-wood fallows,
 Near the streamlets rye is waving,
 Waving grain on many acres,
 On his mountains gold and silver,
 Rich his mines of shining copper,
 Highlands filled with magic metals,
 Chests of jewels in his store-house,
 All the wealth of Kalevala."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXIII.

 

OSMOTAR THE BRIDE-ADVISER.

Now the bride must be instructed,
 Who will teach the Maid of Beauty,
 Who instruct the Rainbow-daughter?
 Osmotar, the wisdom-maiden,
 Kalew's fair and lovely virgin,
 Osmotar will give instructions
 To the bride of Ilmarinen,
 To the orphaned bride of Pohya,
 Teach her how to live in pleasure,
 How to live and reign in glory,
 Win her second mother's praises,
 Joyful in her husband's dwelling.

Osmotar in modest accents
 Thus the anxious bride addresses;
 "Maid of Beauty, lovely sister,
 Tender plant of Louhi's gardens,
 Hear thou what thy sister teaches,
 Listen to her sage instructions:
 Go thou hence, my much beloved,
 Wander far away, my flower,
 Travel on enwrapped in colors,
 Glide away in silks and ribbons,
 From this house renowned and ancient,
 From thy father's halls and court-yards
 Haste thee to thy husband's village,
 Hasten to his mother's household;
 Strange, the rooms in other dwellings,
 Strange, the modes in other hamlets.

"Full of thought must be thy going,
 And thy work be well considered,
 Quite unlike thy home in Northland,
 On the meadows of thy father,
 On the high-lands of thy brother,
 Singing through thy mother's fenlands,
 Culling daisies with thy sister.
 "When thou goest from thy father
 Thou canst take whatever pleases,
 Only three things leave behind thee:
 Leave thy day-dreams to thy sister,
 Leave thou kindness for thy mother,
 To thy brother leave thy labors,
 Take all else that thou desirest.
 Throw away thine incantations,
 Cast thy sighing to the pine-trees,
 And thy maidenhood to zephyrs,
 Thy rejoicings to the couches,
 Cast thy trinkets to the children,
 And thy leisure to the gray-beards,
 Cast all pleasures to thy playmates,
 Let them take them to the woodlands,
 Bury them beneath the mountain.

"Thou must hence acquire new habits,
 Must forget thy former customs,
 Mother-love must be forsaken,
 Thou must love thy husband's mother,
 Lower must thy head be bended,
 Kind words only must thou utter.

"Thou must hence acquire new habits,
 Must forget thy former customs,
 Father-love must be forsaken,
 Thou must love thy husband's father,
 Lower must thy head be bended,
 Kind words only must thou utter.

"Thou must hence acquire new habits,
 Must forget thy former customs,
 Brother-love must be forsaken,
 Thou must love thy husband's brother,
 Lower must thy head be bended,
 Kind words only must thou utter.

"Thou must hence acquire new habits
 Must forget thy former customs,
 Sister-love must be forsaken,
 Thou must love thy husband's sister,
 Lower must thy head be bended,
 Kind words only must thou utter.

"Never in the course of ages,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers,
 Wickedly approach thy household,
 Nor unworthily, thy servants,
 Nor thy courts with indiscretion;
 Let thy dwellings sing good manners,
 And thy walls re-echo virtue.
 After mind the hero searches.
 And the best of men seek honor,
 Seek for honesty and wisdom;
 If thy home should be immoral,
 If thine inmates fail in virtue,
 Then thy gray-beards would be black-dogs
 In sheep's clothing at thy firesides;
 All thy women would be witches,
 Wicked witches in thy chambers,
 And thy brothers be as serpents
 Crawling through thy husband's mansion;
 All thy sisters would be famous
 For their evil thoughts and conduct.

"Equal honors must be given
 To thy husband's friends and kindred;
 Lower must thy head be bended,
 Than within thy mother's dwelling,
 Than within thy father's guest-room,
 When thou didst thy kindred honor.
 Ever strive to give good counsel,
 Wear a countenance of sunshine,
 Bear a head upon thy shoulders
 Filled with wise and ancient sayings;
 Open bright thine eyes at morning
 To behold the silver sunrise,
 Sharpen well thine ears at evening,
 Thus to hear the rooster crowing;
 When he makes his second calling,
 Straightway thou must rise from slumber,
 Let the aged sleep in quiet;
 Should the rooster fail to call thee,
 Let the moonbeams touch thine eyelids,
 Let the Great Bear be thy keeper
 Often go thou and consult them,
 Call upon the Moon for counsel,
 Ask the Bear for ancient wisdom,
 From the stars divine thy future;
 When the Great Bear faces southward,
 When his tail is pointing northward,
 This is time to break with slumber,
 Seek for fire within the ashes,
 Place a spark upon the tinder,
 Blow the fire through all the fuel.
 If no spark is in the ashes,
 Then go wake thy hero-husband,
 Speak these words to him on waking:
 'Give me fire, O my beloved,
 Give a single spark, my husband,
 Strike a little fire from flintstone,
 Let it fall upon my tinder.'

"From the spark, O Bride of Beauty,
 Light thy fires, and heat thine ovens,
 In the holder, place the torch-light,
 Find thy pathway to the stables,
 There to fill the empty mangers;
 If thy husband's cows be lowing,
 If thy brother's steeds be neighing,
 Then the cows await thy coming,
 And the steeds for thee are calling,
 Hasten, stooping through the hurdles,
 Hasten through the yards and stables,
 Feed thy husband's cows with pleasure,
 Feed with care the gentle lambkins,
 Give the cows the best of clover,
 Hay, and barley, to the horses,
 Feed the calves of lowing mothers,
 Feed the fowl that fly to meet thee.

"Never rest upon the haymow,
 Never sleep within the hurdles,
 When the kine are fed and tended,
 When the flocks have all been watered;
 Hasten thence, my pretty matron,
 Like the snow-flakes to thy dwelling,
 There a crying babe awaits thee,
 Weeping in his couch neglected,
 Cannot speak and tell his troubles,
 Speechless babe, and weeping infant,
 Cannot say that he is hungry,
 Whether pain or cold distresses,
 Greets with joy his mother's footsteps.
 Afterward repair in silence
 To thy husband's rooms and presence,
 Early visit thou his chambers,
 In thy hand a golden pitcher,
 On thine arm a broom of birch-wood,
 In thy teeth a lighted taper,
 And thyself the fourth in order.
 Sweep thou then thy hero's dwelling,
 Dust his benches and his tables,
 Wash the flooring well with water.

"If the baby of thy sister
 Play alone within his corner,
 Show the little child attention,
 Bathe his eyes and smoothe his ringlets,
 Give the infant needed comforts;
 Shouldst thou have no bread of barley,
 In his hand adjust some trinket.

"Lastly, when the week has ended,
 Give thy house a thorough cleansing,
 Benches, tables, walls, and ceilings;
 What of dust is on the windows,
 Sweep away with broom of birch-twigs,
 All thy rooms must first be sprinkled,
 at the dust may not be scattered,
 May not fill the halls and chambers.
 Sweep the dust from every crevice,
 Leave thou not a single atom;
 Also sweep the chimney-corners,
 Do not then forget the rafters,
 Lest thy home should seem untidy,
 Lest thy dwelling seem neglected.

"Hear, O maiden, what I tell thee,
 Learn the tenor of my teaching:
 Never dress in scanty raiment,
 Let thy robes be plain and comely,
 Ever wear the whitest linen,
 On thy feet wear tidy fur-shoes,
 For the glory of thy husband,
 For the honor of thy hero.
 Tend thou well the sacred sorb-tree,
 Guard the mountain-ashes planted
 In the court-yard, widely branching;
 Beautiful the mountain-ashes,
 Beautiful their leaves and flowers,
 Still more beautiful the berries.
 Thus the exiled one demonstrates
 That she lives to please her husband,
 Tries to make her hero happy.

"Like the mouse, have ears for hearing,
 Like the hare, have feet for running,
 Bend thy neck and turn thy visage
 Like the juniper and aspen,
 Thus to watch with care thy goings,
 Thus to guard thy feet from stumbling,
 That thou mayest walk in safety.

"When thy brother comes from plowing,
 And thy father from his garners,
 And thy husband from the woodlands,
 From his chopping, thy beloved,
 Give to each a water-basin,
 Give to each a linen-towel,
 Speak to each some pleasant greeting.

"When thy second mother hastens
 To thy husband's home and kindred,
 In her hand a corn-meal measure,
 Haste thou to the court to meet her,
 Happy-hearted, bow before her,
 Take the measure from her fingers,
 Happy, bear it to thy husband.

"If thou shouldst not see distinctly
 What demands thy next attention,
 Ask at once thy hero's mother:
 'Second mother, my beloved,
 Name the task to be accomplished
 By thy willing second daughter,
 Tell me how to best perform it.'

"This should be the mother's answer:
 'This the manner of thy workings,
 Thus thy daily work accomplish:
 Stamp with diligence and courage,
 Grind with will and great endurance,
 Set the millstones well in order,
 Fill the barley-pans with water,
 Knead with strength the dough for baking,
 Place the fagots on the fire-place,
 That thy ovens may be heated,
 Bake in love the honey-biscuit,
 Bake the larger loaves of barley,
 Rinse to cleanliness thy platters,
 Polish well thy drinking-vessels.

"If thou hearest from the mother,
 From the mother of thy husband,
 That the cask for meal is empty,
 Take the barley from the garners,
 Hasten to the rooms for grinding.
 When thou grindest in the chambers,
 Do not sing in glee and joyance,
 Turn the grinding-stones in silence,
 To the mill give up thy singing,
 Let the side-holes furnish music;
 Do not sigh as if unhappy,
 Do not groan as if in trouble,
 Lest the father think thee weary,
 Lest thy husband's mother fancy
 That thy groans mean discontentment,
 That thy sighing means displeasure.
 Quickly sift the flour thou grindest,
 Take it to the casks in buckets,
 Bake thy hero's bread with pleasure,
 Knead the dough with care and patience,
 That thy biscuits may be worthy,
 That the dough be light and airy.

"Shouldst thou see a bucket empty,
 Take the bucket on thy shoulder,
 On thine arm a silver-dipper,
 Hasten off to fill with water
 From the crystal river flowing;
 Gracefully thy bucket carry,
 Bear it firmly by the handles,
 Hasten houseward like the zephyrs,
 Hasten like the air of autumn;
 Do not tarry near the streamlet,
 At the waters do not linger,
 That the father may not fancy,
 Nor the ancient dame imagine,
 That thou hast beheld thine image,
 Hast admired thy form and features,
 Hast admired thy grace and beauty
 In the mirror of the fountain,
 In the crystal streamlet's eddies.

"Shouldst thou journey to the woodlands,
 There to gather aspen-fagots,
 Do not go with noise and bustle,
 Gather all thy sticks in silence,
 Gather quietly the birch-wood,
 That the father may not fancy,
 And the mother not imagine,
 That thy calling came from anger,
 And thy noise from discontentment.

"If thou goest to the store-house
 To obtain the flour of barley,
 Do not tarry on thy journey,
 On the threshold do not linger,
 That the father may not fancy,
 And the mother not imagine,
 That the meal thou hast divided
 With the women of the village.

"If thou goest to the river,
 There to wash thy birchen platters,
 There to cleanse thy pans and buckets,
 Lest thy work be done in neatness,
 Rinse the sides, and rinse the handles,
 Rinse thy pitchers to perfection,
 Spoons, and forks, and knives, and goblets,
 Rinse with care thy cooking-vessels,
 Closely watch the food-utensils,
 That the dogs may not deface them,
 That the kittens may not mar them,
 That the eagles may not steal them,
 That the children may not break them;
 Many children in the village,
 Many little heads and fingers,
 That will need thy careful watching,
 Lest they steal the things of value.

"When thou goest to thy bathing,
 Have the brushes ready lying
 In the bath-room clean and smokeless;
 Do not, linger in the water,
 At thy bathing do not tarry,
 That the father may not fancy,
 And the mother not imagine,
 Thou art sleeping on the benches,
 Rolling in the laps of comfort.

"From thy bath, when thou returnest,
 To his bathing tempt the father,
 Speak to him the words that follow:
 'Father of my hero-husband,
 Clean are all the bath-room benches,
 Everything in perfect order;
 Go and bathe for thine enjoyment,
 Pour the water all-sufficient,
 I will lend thee needed service.'

"When the time has come for spinning,
 When the hours arrive for weaving,
 Do not ask the help of others,
 Look not in the stream for knowledge,
 For advice ask not the servants,
 Nor the spindle from the sisters,
 Nor the weaving-comb from strangers.
 Thou thyself must do the spinning,
 With thine own hand ply the shuttle,
 Loosely wind the skeins of wool-yarn,
 Tightly wind the balls of flax-thread,
 Wind them deftly in the shuttle
 Fit the warp upon the rollers,
 Beat the woof and warp together,
 Swiftly ply the weaver's shuttle,
 Weave good cloth for all thy vestments,
 Weave of woolen, webs for dresses
 From the finest wool of lambkins,
 One thread only in thy weaving.

"Hear thou what I now advise thee:
 Brew thy beer from early barley,
 From the barley's new-grown kernels,
 Brew it with the magic virtues,
 Malt it with the sweets of honey,
 Do not stir it with the birch-rod,
 Stir it with thy skilful fingers;
 When thou goest to the garners,
 Do not let the seed bring evil,
 Keep the dogs outside the brew-house,
 Have no fear of wolves in hunger,
 Nor the wild-beasts of the mountains,
 When thou goest to thy brewing,
 Shouldst thou wander forth at midnight.

"Should some stranger come to see thee,
 Do not worry for his comfort;
 Ever does the worthy household
 Have provisions for the stranger,
 Bits of meat, and bread, and biscuit,
 Ample for the dinner-table;
 Seat the stranger in thy dwelling,
 Speak with him in friendly accents,
 Entertain the guest with kindness,
 While his dinner is preparing.
 When the stranger leaves thy threshold,
 When his farewell has been spoken,
 Lead him only to the portals,
 Do not step without the doorway,
 That thy husband may not fancy,
 And the mother not imagine,
 Thou hast interest in strangers.

"Shouldst thou ever make a journey
 To the centre of the village,
 There to gain some needed object,
 While thou speakest in the hamlet,
 Let thy words be full of wisdom,
 That thou shamest not thy kindred,
 Nor disgrace thy husband's household.

"Village-maidens oft will ask thee,
 Mothers of the hamlet question:
 'Does thy husband's mother greet thee
 As in childhood thou wert greeted,
 In thy happy home in Pohya?'
 Do not answer in negation,
 Say that she has always given
 Thee the best of her provisions,
 Given thee the kindest greetings,
 Though it be but once a season.

"Listen well to what I tell thee:
 As thou goest from thy father
 To thy husband's distant dwelling,
 Thou must not forget thy mother,
 Her that gave thee life and beauty,
 Her that nurtured thee in childhood,
 Many sleepless nights she nursed thee;
 Often were her wants neglected,
 Numberless the times she rocked thee;
 Tender, true, and ever faithful,
 Is the mother to her daughter.
 She that can forget her mother,
 Can neglect the one that nursed her,
 Should not visit Mana's castle,
 In the kingdom of Tuoni;
 In Manala she would suffer,
 Suffer frightful retribution,
 Should her mother be forgotten;
 Should her dear one be neglected,
 Mana's daughters will torment her,
 And Tuoni's sons revile her,
 They will ask her much as follows:
 'How couldst thou forget thy mother,
 How neglect the one that nursed thee?
 Great the pain thy mother suffered,
 Great the trouble that thou gavest
 When thy loving mother brought thee
 Into life for good or evil,
 When she gave thee earth-existence,
 When she nursed thee but an infant,
 When she fed thee in thy childhood,
 When she taught thee what thou knowest,
 Mana's punishments upon thee,
 Since thy mother is forgotten!'"
 On the floor a witch was sitting,
 Near the fire a beggar-woman,
 One that knew the ways of people,
 These the words the woman uttered:
 "Thus the crow calls in the winter:
 'Would that I could be a singer,
 And my voice be full of sweetness,
 But, alas! my songs are worthless,
 Cannot charm the weakest creature;
 I must live without the singing
 Leave the songs to the musicians,
 Those that live in golden houses,
 In the homes of the beloved;
 Homeless therefore I must wander,
 Like a beggar in the corn-fields,
 And with none to do me honor.'

"Hear now, sister, what I tell thee,
 Enter thou thy husband's dwelling,
 Follow not his mind, nor fancies,
 As my husband's mind I followed;
 As a flower was I when budding,
 Sprouting like a rose in spring-time,
 Growing like a slender maiden,
 Like the honey-gem of glory,
 Like the playmates of my childhood,
 Like the goslings of my father,
 Like the blue-ducks of my mother,
 Like my brother's water-younglings,
 Like the bullfinch of my sister;
 Grew I like the heather-flower,
 Like the berry of the meadow,
 Played upon the sandy sea-shore,
 Rocked upon the fragrant upland,
 Sang all day adown the valley,
 Thrilled with song the hill and mountain,
 Filled with mirth the glen and forest,
 Lived and frolicked in the woodlands.

"Into traps are foxes driven
 By the cruel pangs of hunger,
 Into traps, the cunning ermine;
 Thus are maidens wooed and wedded,
 In their hunger for a husband.
 Thus created is the virgin,
 Thus intended is the daughter,
 Subject to her hero-husband,
 Subject also to his mother.

"Then to other fields I hastened,
 Like a berry from the border,
 Like a cranberry for roasting,
 Like a strawberry for dinner;
 All the elm-trees seemed to wound me,
 All the aspens tried to cut me,
 All the willows tried to seize me,
 All the forest tried to slay me.
 Thus I journeyed to my husband,
 Thus I travelled to his dwelling,
 Was conducted to his mother.
 Then there were, as was reported,
 Six compartments built of pine-wood,
 Twelve the number of the chambers,
 And the mansion filled with garrets,
 Studding all the forest border,
 Every by-way filled with flowers
 Streamlets bordered fields of barley,
 Filled with wheat and corn, the islands,
 Grain in plenty in the garners,
 Rye unthrashed in great abundance,
 Countless sums of gold and silver,
 Other treasures without number.
 When my journey I had ended,
 When my hand at last was given,
 Six supports were in his cabin,
 Seven poles as rails for fencing.
 Filled with anger were the bushes,
 All the glens disfavor showing,
 All the walks were lined with trouble,
 Evil-tempered were the forests,
 Hundred words of evil import,
 Hundred others of unkindness.
 Did not let this bring me sorrow,
 Long I sought to merit praises,
 Long I hoped to find some favor,
 Strove most earnestly for kindness;
 When they led me to the cottage,
 There I tried some chips to gather,
 Knocked my head against the portals
 Of my husband's lowly dwelling.

"At the door were eyes of strangers,
 Sable eyes at the partition,
 Green with envy in his cabin,
 Evil heroes in the back-ground,
 From each mouth the fire was streaming,
 From each tongue the sparks out-flying,
 Flying from my second father,
 From his eyeballs of unkindness.
 Did not let this bring me trouble,
 Tried to live in peace and pleasure,
 In the homestead of my husband
 In humility I suffered,
 Skipped about with feet of rabbit,
 Flew along with steps of ermine,
 Late I laid my head to slumber,
 Early rose as if a servant,
 Could not win a touch of kindness,
 Could not merit love nor honor,
 Though I had dislodged the mountains,
 Though the rocks had I torn open.

"Then I turned the heavy millstone,
 Ground the flour with care and trouble,
 Ground the barley-grains in patience,
 That the mother might be nourished,
 That her fury-throat might swallow
 What might please her taste and fancy,.
 From her gold-enamelled platters,
 From the corner of her table.

"As for me, the hapless daughter,
 All my flour was from the siftings
 On the table near the oven,
 Ate I from the birchen ladle;
 Oftentimes I brought the mosses
 Gathered in the lowland meadows,
 Baked them into loaves for eating;
 Brought the water from the river,
 Thirsty, sipped it from the dipper,
 Ate of fish the worst in Northland,
 Only smelts, and worthless swimmers,
 Rocking in my boat of birch-bark
 Never ate I fish or biscuit
 From my second mother's fingers.

"Blades I gathered in the summers,
 Twisted barley-stalks in winter,
 Like the laborers of heroes,
 Like the servants sold in bondage.
 In the thresh-house of my husband,
 Evermore to me was given
 Flail the heaviest and longest,
 And to me the longest lever,
 On the shore the strongest beater,
 And the largest rake in haying;
 No one thought my burden heavy,
 No one thought that I could suffer,
 Though the best of heroes faltered,
 And the strongest women weakened.

"Thus did I, a youthful housewife,
 At the right time, all my duties,
 Drenched myself in perspiration,
 Hoped for better times to follow;
 But I only rose to labor,
 Knowing neither rest nor pleasure.
 I was blamed by all the household,
 With ungrateful tongues derided,
 Now about my awkward manners,
 Now about my reputation,
 Censuring my name and station.
 Words unkind were heaped upon me,
 Fell like hail on me unhappy,
 Like the frightful flash of lightning,
 Like the heavy hail of spring-time.
 I did not despair entirely,
 Would have lived to labor longer
 Underneath the tongue of malice,
 But the old-one spoiled Lay temper,
 Roused my deepest ire and hatred
 Then my husband grew a wild-bear,
 Grew a savage wolf of Hisi.

"Only then I turned to weeping,
 And reflected in my chamber,
 Thought of all my former pleasures
 Of the happy days of childhood,
 Of my father's joyful firesides,
 Of my mother's peaceful cottage,
 Then began I thus to murmur:
 'Well thou knowest, ancient mother,
 How to make thy sweet bud blossom,
 How to train thy tender shootlet;
 Did not know where to ingraft it,
 Placed, alas! the little scion
 In the very worst of places,
 On an unproductive hillock,
 In the hardest limb of cherry,
 Where it could not grow and flourish,
 There to waste its life, in weeping,
 Hapless in her lasting sorrow.
 Worthier had been my conduct
 In the regions that are better,
 In the court-yards that are wider,
 In compartments that are larger,
 Living with a loving husband,
 Living with a stronger hero.
 Shoe of birch-bark was my suitor,
 Shoe of Laplanders, my husband;
 Had the body of a raven,
 Voice and visage like the jackdaw,
 Mouth and claws were from the black-wolf,
 The remainder from the wild-bear.
 Had I known that mine affianced
 Was a fount of pain and evil,
 To the hill-side I had wandered,
 Been a pine-tree on the highway,
 Been a linden on the border,
 Like the black-earth made my visage,
 Grown a beard of ugly bristles,
 Head of loam and eyes of lightning,
 For my ears the knots of birches,
 For my limbs the trunks of aspens.'

"This the manner of my singing
 In the hearing of my husband,
 Thus I sang my cares and murmurs
 Thus my hero near the portals
 Heard the wail of my displeasure,
 Then he hastened to my chamber;
 Straightway knew I by his footsteps,
 Well concluded be was angry,
 'Knew it by his steps implanted;
 All the winds were still in slumber,
 Yet his sable locks stood endwise,
 Fluttered round his bead in fury,
 While his horrid mouth stood open;
 To and fro his eyes were rolling,
 In one hand a branch of willow,
 In the other, club of alder;
 Struck at me with might of malice,
 Aimed the cudgel at my forehead.

"When the evening had descended,
 When my husband thought of slumber
 Took he in his hand a whip-stalk,
 With a whip-lash made of deer-skin,
 Was not made for any other,
 Only made for me unhappy.

"When at last I begged for mercy,
 When I sought a place for resting,
 By his side I courted slumber,
 Merciless, my husband seized me,
 Struck me with his arm of envy,
 Beat me with the whip of torture,
 Deer-skin-lash and stalk of birch-wood.
 From his couch I leaped impulsive,
 In the coldest night of winter,
 But the husband fleetly followed,
 Caught me at the outer portals,
 Grasped me by my streaming tresses,
 Tore my ringlets from my forehead,
 Cast in curls upon the night-winds
 To the freezing winds of winter.
 What the aid that I could ask for,
 Who could free me from my torment?
 Made I shoes of magic metals,
 Made the straps of steel and copper,
 Waited long without the dwelling,
 Long I listened at the portals,
 Hoping he would end his ravings,
 Hoping he would sink to slumber,
 But he did not seek for resting,
 Did not wish to still his fury.
 Finally the cold benumbed me;
 As an outcast from his cabin,
 I was forced to walk and wander,
 When I, freezing, well reflected,
 This the substance of my thinking:
 'I will not endure this torture,
 Will not bear this thing forever,
 Will not bear this cruel treatment,
 Such contempt I will not suffer
 In the wicked tribe of Hisi,
 In this nest of evil Piru.'

"Then I said, 'Farewell forever!'
 To my husband's home and kindred,
 To my much-loved home and husband;
 Started forth upon a journey
 To my father's distant hamlet,
 Over swamps and over snow-fields,
 Wandered over towering mountains,
 Over hills and through the valleys,
 To my brother's welcome meadows,
 To my sister's home and birthplace.

"There were rustling withered pine-trees.
 Finely-feathered firs were fading,
 Countless ravens there were cawing,
 All the jackdaws harshly singing,
 This the chorus of the ravens:
 'Thou hast here a home no longer,
 This is not the happy homestead
 Of thy merry days of childhood.'

"Heeding not this woodland chorus,
 Straight I journeyed to the dwelling
 Of my childhood's friend and brother,
 Where the portals spake in concord,
 And the hills and valleys answered,
 This their saddened song and echo:
 'Wherefore dost thou journey hither,
 Comest thou for joy or sorrow,
 To thy father's old dominions?
 Here unhappiness awaits thee,
 Long departed is thy father,
 Dead and gone to visit Ukko,
 Dead and gone thy faithful mother,
 And thy brother is a stranger,
 While his wife is chill and heartless!'

"Heeding not these many warnings,
 Straightway to my brother's cottage
 Were my weary feet directed,
 Laid my hand upon the door-latch
 Of my brother's dismal cottage,
 But the latch was cold and lifeless.
 When I wandered to the chamber,
 When I waited at the doorway,
 There I saw the heartless hostess,
 But she did not give me greeting,
 Did not give her hand in welcome;
 Proud, alas! was I unhappy,
 Did not make the first advances,
 Did not offer her my friendship,
 And my hand I did not proffer;
 Laid my hand upon the oven,
 All its former warmth departed!
 On the coal I laid my fingers,
 All the latent heat had left it.
 On the rest-bench lay my brother,
 Lay outstretched before the fire-place,
 Heaps of soot upon his shoulders,
 Heaps of ashes on his forehead.
 Thus the brother asked the stranger,
 Questioned thus his guest politely:
 'Tell me what thy name and station,
 Whence thou comest o'er the waters!'
 This the answer that I gave him:
 Hast thou then forgot thy sister,
 Does my brother not remember,
 Not recall his mother's daughter
 We are children of one mother,
 Of one bird were we the fledgelings,
 In one nest were hatched and nurtured.'

"Then the brother fell to weeping,
 From his eyes great tear-drops flowing,
 To his wife the brother whispered,
 Whispered thus unto the housewife.
 'Bring thou beer to give my sister,
 Quench her thirst and cheer her spirits.'

"Full of envy, brought the sister
 Only water filled with evil,
 Water for the infant's eyelids,
 Soap and water from the bath-room.

"To his wife the brother whispered,
 Whispered thus unto the housewife:
 'Bring thou salmon for my sister,
 For my sister so long absent,
 Thus to still her pangs of hunger.'

"Thereupon the wife obeying,
 Brought, in envy, only cabbage
 That the children had been eating,
 And the house-dogs had been licking,
 Leavings of the black-dog's breakfast.

"Then I left my brother's dwelling,
 Hastened to the ancient homestead,
 To my mother's home deserted;
 Onward, onward did I wander,
 Hastened onward by the cold-sea,
 Dragged my body on in anguish,
 To the cottage-doors of strangers,
 To the unfamiliar portals,
 For the care of the neglected,
 For the needy of the village,
 For the children poor and orphaned.

"There are many wicked people,
 Many slanderers of women,
 Many women evil-minded,
 That malign their sex through envy.
 Many they with lips of evil,
 That belie the best of maidens,
 Prove the innocent are guilty
 Of the worst of misdemeanors,
 Speak aloud in tones unceasing,
 Speak, alas! with wicked motives,
 Spread the follies of their neighbors
 Through the tongues of self-pollution.
 Very few, indeed, the people
 That will feed the poor and hungry,
 That will bid the stranger welcome;
 Very few to treat her kindly,
 Innocent, and lone, and needy,
 Few to offer her a shelter
 From the chilling storms of winter,
 When her skirts with ice are stiffened,
 Coats of ice her only raiment!

"Never in my days of childhood,
 Never in my maiden life-time,
 Never would believe the story
 Though a hundred tongues had told
 Though a thousand voices sang it,
 That such evil things could happen,
 That such misery could follow,
 Such misfortune could befall one
 Who has tried to do her duty,
 Who has tried to live uprightly,
 Tried to make her people happy."

Thus the young bride was instructed,
 Beauteous Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Thus by Osmotar, the teacher.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXIV.

 

THE BRIDE'S FAREWELL.

OSMOTAR, the bride-instructor,
 Gives the wedding-guests this counsel,
 Speaks these measures to the bridegroom:
 "Ilmarinen, artist-brother,
 Best of all my hero-brothers,
 Of my mother's sons the dearest,
 Gentlest, truest, bravest, grandest,
 Listen well to what I tell thee
 Of the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Of thy beauteous life-companion
 Bridegroom, praise thy fate hereafter,
 Praise forever thy good fortune;
 If thou praisest, praise sincerely,
 Good the maiden thou hast wedded,
 Good the bride that Ukko gives thee,
 Graciously has God bestowed her.
 Sound her praises to thy father,
 Praise her virtues to thy mother,
 Let thy heart rejoice in secret,
 That thou hast the Bride of Beauty,
 Lovely Maiden of the Rainbow!

"Brilliant near thee stands the maiden,
 At thy shoulder thy companion,
 Happy under thy protection,
 Beautiful as golden moonlight,
 Beautiful upon thy bosom,
 Strong to do thy kindly bidding,
 Labor with thee as thou wishest,
 Rake the hay upon thy meadows,
 Keep thy home in full perfection,
 Spin for thee the finest linen,
 Weave for thee the richest fabrics,
 Make for thee the softest raiment,
 Make thy weaver's loom as merry
 As the cuckoo of the forest;
 Make the shuttle glide in beauty
 Like the ermine of the woodlands;
 Make the spindle twirl as deftly
 As the squirrel spins the acorn;
 Village-maidens will not slumber
 While thy young bride's loom is humming,
 While she plies the graceful shuttle.

"Bridegroom of the Bride of Beauty,
 Noblest of the Northland heroes,
 Forge thyself a scythe for mowing,
 Furnish it with oaken handle,
 Carve it in thine ancient smithy,
 Hammer it upon thine anvil,
 Have it ready for the summer,
 For the merry days of sunshine;
 Take thy bride then to the lowlands,
 Mow the grass upon thy meadows,
 Rake the hay when it is ready,
 Make the reeds and grasses rustle,
 Toss the fragrant heads of clover,
 Make thy hay in Kalevala
 When the silver sun is shining.

"When the time has come for weaving,
 To the loom attract the weaver,
 Give to her the spools and shuttles,
 Let the willing loom be worthy,
 Beautiful the frame and settle;
 Give to her what may be needed,
 That the weaver's song may echo,
 That the lathe may swing and rattle,
 Ma y be heard within the village,
 That the aged may remark it,
 And the village-maidens question:
 'Who is she that now is weaving,
 What new power now plies the shuttle?'
 "Make this answer to the question:
 'It is my beloved weaving,
 My young bride that plies the shuttle.'

"Shall the weaver's weft be loosened,
 Shall the young bride's loom be tightened?
 Do not let the weft be loosened,
 Nor the weaver's loom be tightened;
 Such the weaving of the daughters
 Of the Moon beyond the cloudlets;
 Such the spinning of the maidens
 Of the Sun in high Jumala,
 Of the daughters of the Great Bear,
 Of the daughters of the Evening.

Bridegroom, thou beloved hero,
 Brave descendant of thy fathers,
 When thou goest on a journey,
 When thou drivest on the highway,
 Driving with the Rainbow-daughter,
 Fairest bride of Sariola,
 Do not lead her as a titmouse,
 As a cuckoo of the forest,
 Into unfrequented places,
 Into copses of the borders,
 Into brier-fields and brambles,
 Into unproductive marshes;
 Let her wander not, nor stumble
 On opposing rocks and rubbish.
 Never in her father's dwelling,
 Never in her mother's court-yard,
 Has she fallen into ditches,
 Stumbled hard against the fences,
 Run through brier-fields, nor brambles,
 Fallen over rocks, nor rubbish.

"Magic bridegroom of Wainola,
 Wise descendant of the heroes,
 Never let thy young wife suffer,
 Never let her be neglected,
 Never let her sit in darkness,
 Never leave her unattended.
 Never in her father's mansion,
 In the chambers of her mother,
 Has she sat alone in darkness,
 Has she suffered for attention;
 Sat she by the crystal window,
 Sat and rocked, in peace and plenty,
 Evenings for her father's pleasure,
 Mornings for her mother's sunshine.
 Never mayest thou, O bridegroom,
 Lead the Maiden of the Rainbow
 To the mortar filled with sea-grass,
 There to grind the bark for cooking,
 There to bake her bread from stubble,
 There to knead her dough from tan-bark
 Never in her father's dwelling,
 Never in her mother's mansion,
 Was she taken to the mortar,
 There to bake her bread from sea-grass.
 Thou shouldst lead the Bride of Beauty
 To the garner's rich abundance,
 There to draw the till of barley,
 Grind the flour and knead for baking,
 There to brew the beer for drinking,
 Wheaten flour for honey-biscuits.

"Hero-bridegroom of Wainola,
 Never cause thy Bride of Beauty
 To regret her day of marriage;
 Never make her shed a tear-drop,
 Never fill her cup with sorrow.
 Should there ever come an evening
 When thy wife shall feel unhappy,
 Put the harness on thy racer,
 Hitch the fleet-foot to the snow-sled; 
 Take her to her father's dwelling,
 To the household of her mother;
 Never in thy hero-lifetime,
 Never while the moonbeams glimmer,
 Give thy fair spouse evil treatment,
 Never treat her as thy servant;
 Do not bar her from the cellar,
 Do not lock thy best provisions
 Never in her father's mansion,
 Never by her faithful mother
 Was she treated as a hireling.
 Honored bridegroom of the Northland,

Proud descendant of the fathers,
 If thou treatest well thy young wife,
 Worthily wilt thou be treated;
 When thou goest to her homestead,
 When thou visitest her father,
 Thou shalt meet a cordial welcome.

"Censure not the Bride of Beauty,
 Never grieve thy Rainbow-maiden,
 Never say in tones reproachful,
 She was born in lowly station,
 That her father was unworthy;
 Honored are thy bride's relations,
 From an old-time tribe, her kindred;
 When of corn they sowed a measure,
 Each one's portion was a kernel;
 When they sowed a cask of flax-seed,
 Each received a thread of linen.
 Never, never, magic husband,
 Treat thy beauty-bride unkindly,
 Teach her not with lash of servants,
 Strike her not with thongs of leather;
 Never has she wept in anguish
 From the birch-whip of her mother.
 Stand before her like a rampart,
 Be to her a strong protection,
 Do not let thy mother chide her,
 Let thy father not upbraid her,
 Never let thy guests offend her;
 Should thy servants bring annoyance,
 They may need the master's censure;
 Do not harm the Bride of Beauty,
 Never injure her thou lovest;
 Three long years hast thou been wooing,
 Hoping every mouth to win her.

"Counsel with the bride of heaven,
 To thy young wife give instruction,
 Kindly teach thy bride in secret,
 In the long and dreary evenings,
 When thou sittest at the fireside;
 Teach one year, in words of kindness,
 Teach with eyes of love a second,
 In the third year teach with firmness.
 If she should not heed thy teaching,
 Should not hear thy kindly counsel
 After three long years of effort,
 Cut a reed upon the lowlands,
 Cut a nettle from the border,
 Teach thy wife with harder measures.
 In the fourth year, if she heed not,
 Threaten her with sterner treatment,
 With the stalks of rougher edges,
 Use not yet the thongs of leather,
 Do not touch her with the birch-whip.
 If she does not heed this warning,
 Should she pay thee no attention,
 Cut a rod upon the mountains,
 Or a willow in the valleys,
 Hide it underneath thy mantle,
 That the stranger may not see it,
 Show it to thy wife in secret,
 Shame her thus to do her duty,
 Strike not yet, though disobeying.
 Should she disregard this warning,
 Still refuse to heed thy wishes,
 Then instruct her with the willow,
 Use the birch-rod from the mountains
 In the closet of thy dwelling,
 In the attic of thy mansion;
 Strike, her not upon the common,
 Do not conquer her in public,
 Lest the villagers should see thee,
 Lest the neighbors hear her weeping,
 And the forests learn thy troubles.
 Touch thy wife upon the shoulders,
 Let her stiffened back be softened.
 Do not touch her on the forehead,
 Nor upon the ears, nor visage;
 If a ridge be on her forehead,
 Or a blue mark on her eyelids,
 Then her mother would perceive it,
 And her father would take notice,
 All the village-workmen see it,
 And the village-women ask her
 'Hast thou been in heat of battle,
 Hast thou struggled in a conflict,
 Or perchance the wolves have torn thee,
 Or the forest-bears embraced thee,
 Or the black-wolf be thy husband,
 And the bear be thy protector?'"

By the fire-place lay a gray-beard,
 On the hearth-stone lay a beggar,
 And the old man spake as follows:
 "Never, never, hero-husband,
 Follow thou thy young wife's wishes,
 Follow not her inclinations,
 As, alas! I did, regretful;
 Bought my bride the bread of barley,
 Veal, and beer, and best of butter,
 Fish and fowl of all descriptions,
 Beer I bought, home-brewed and sparkling,
 Wheat from all the distant nations,
 All the dainties of the Northland;
 All of this was unavailing,
 Gave my wife no satisfaction,
 Often came she to my chamber,
 Tore my sable locks in frenzy,
 With a visage fierce and frightful,
 With her eyeballs flashing anger,
 Scolding on and scolding ever,
 Ever speaking words of evil,
 Using epithets the vilest,
 Thought me but a block for chopping.
 Then I sought for other measures,
 Used on her my last resources,
 Cut a birch-whip in the forest,
 And she spake in tones endearing;
 Cut a juniper or willow,
 And she called me 'hero-darling';
 When with lash my wife I threatened,
 Hung she on my neck with kisses."

Thus the bridegroom was instructed,
 Thus the last advices given.

Then the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Beauteous bride of Ilmarinen,
 Sighing heavily and moaning,
 Fell to weeping, heavy-hearted,
 Spake these words from depths of sorrow:
 "Near, indeed, the separation,
 Near, alas! the time for parting,
 Near the time for my departure;
 O the anguish of the parting,
 O the pain of separation,
 From these walls renowned and ancient,
 From this village of the Northland,
 From these scenes of peace and plenty,
 Where my faithful mother taught me,
 Where my father gave instruction
 To me in my happy childhood,
 When my years were few and tender!
 As a child I did not fancy,
 Never thought of separation
 From the confines of this cottage,
 From these dear old hills and mountains,
 But, alas! I now must journey,
 Since I now cannot escape it;
 Empty is the bowl of parting,
 All the farewell-beer is taken,
 And my husband's sledge is waiting,
 With the break-board looking southward,
 Looking from my father's dwelling.

"How shall I give compensation,
 How repay, on my departure,
 All the kindness of my mother,
 All the counsel of my father,
 All the friendship of my brother,
 All my sister's warm affection?
 Gratitude to thee, dear father,
 For my former-life and blessings,
 For the comforts of thy table,
 For the pleasures of my childhood!
 Gratitude to thee, dear mother,
 For thy tender care and guidance,
 For my birth and for my culture,
 Nurtured by thy purest life-blood!
 Gratitude to thee, dear brother,
 Gratitude to thee, sweet sister,
 To the servants of my childhood,
 To my many friends and playmates!

"Never, never, aged father,
 Never, thou, beloved mother,
 Never, ye, my kindred spirits,
 Never harbor care, nor sorrow,
 Never fall to bitter weeping,
 Since thy child has gone to others,
 To the distant home of strangers,
 To the meadows of Wainola,
 From her father's fields and firesides.
 Shines the Sun of the Creator,
 Shines the golden Moon of Ukko,
 Glitter all the stars of heaven,
 In the firmament of ether,
 Full as bright on other homesteads;
 Not upon my father's uplands,
 Not upon my home in childhood,
 Shines the Star of Joyance only.

"Now the time has come for parting
 From my father's golden firesides,
 From my brother's welcome hearth-stone,
 From the chambers of my sister,
 From my mother's happy dwelling;
 Now I leave the swamps and lowlands,
 Leave the grassy vales and mountains,
 Leave the crystal lakes and rivers,
 Leave the shores and sandy shallows,
 Leave the white-capped surging billows,
 Where the maidens swim and linger,
 Where the mermaids sing and frolic;
 Leave the swamps to those that wander,
 Leave the corn-fields to the plowman,
 Leave the forests to the weary,
 Leave the heather to the rover,
 Leave the copses to the stranger,
 Leave the alleys to the beggar,
 Leave the court-yards to the rambler,
 Leave the portals to the servant,
 Leave the matting to the sweeper,
 Leave the highways to the roebuck,
 Leave the woodland-glens to lynxes,
 Leave the lowlands to the wild-geese,
 And the birch-tree to the cuckoo.
 Now I leave these friends of childhood,
 Journey southward with my husband,
 To the arms of Night and Winter,
 O'er the ice-grown seas of Northland.

"Should I once again, returning,
 Pay a visit to my tribe-folk,
 Mother would not hear me calling,
 Father would not see me weeping,
 Calling at my mother's grave-stone,
 'Weeping o'er my buried father,
 On their graves the fragrant flowers,
 Junipers and mournful willows,
 Verdure from my mother's tresses,
 From the gray-beard of my father.

"Should I visit Sariola,
 Visit once again these borders,
 No one here would bid me welcome.
 Nothing in these hills would greet me,
 Save perchance a few things only,
 By the fence a clump of osiers,
 And a land-mark at the corner,
 Which in early youth I planted,
 When a child of little stature.

"Mother's kine perhaps will know me,
 Which so often I have watered,
 Which I oft have fed and tended,
 Lowing now at my departure,
 In the pasture cold and cheerless;
 Sure my mother's kine will welcome
 Northland's daughter home returning.
 Father's steeds may not forget me,
 Steeds that I have often ridden,
 When a maiden free and happy,
 Neighing now for me departing,
 In the pasture of my brother,
 In the stable of my father;
 Sure my father's steeds will know me,
 Bid Pohyola's daughter welcome.
 Brother's faithful dogs may know me,
 That I oft have fed and petted,
 Dogs that I have taught to frolic,
 That now mourn for me departing,
 In their kennels in the court-yard,
 In their kennels cold and cheerless;
 Sure my brother's dogs will welcome
 Pohya's daughter home returning.
 But the people will not know me,
 When I come these scenes to visit,
 Though the fords remain as ever,
 Though unchanged remain the rivers,
 Though untouched the flaxen fish-nets
 On the shores await my coming.

"Fare thou well, my dear old homestead,
 Fare ye well, my native bowers;
 It would give me joy unceasing
 Could I linger here forever.
 Now farewell, ye halls and portals,
 Leading to my father's mansion;
 It would give me joy unceasing
 Could I linger here forever.
 Fare ye well, familiar gardens
 Filled with trees and fragrant flowers;
 It would give me joy unceasing,
 Could I linger here forever.
 Send to all my farewell greetings,
 To the fields, and groves, and berries;
 Greet the meadows with their daisies,
 Greet the borders with their fences,
 Greet the lakelets with their islands,
 Greet the streams with trout disporting,
 Greet the hills with stately pine-trees,
 And the valleys with their birches.
 Fare ye well, ye streams and lakelets,
 Fertile fields, and shores of ocean,
 All ye aspens on the mountains,
 All ye lindens of the valleys,
 All ye beautiful stone-lindens,
 All ye shade-trees by the cottage,
 All ye junipers and willows,
 All ye shrubs with berries laden,
 Waving grass and fields of barley,
 Arms of elms, and oaks, and alders,
 Fare ye well, dear scenes of childhood,
 Happiness of days departed!"

Ending thus, Pohyola's daughter
 Left her native fields and fallows,
 Left the darksome Sariola,
 With her husband, Ilmarinen,
 Famous son of Kalevala.

But the youth remained for singing,
 This the chorus of the children:
 "Hither came a bird of evil '
 Flew in fleetness from the forest,
 Came to steal away our virgin,
 Came to win the Maid of Beauty;
 Took away our fairest flower,
 Took our mermaid from the waters,
 Won her with his youth and beauty,
 With his keys of ancient wisdom.
 Who will lead us to the sea-beach,
 Who conduct us to the rivers?
 Now the buckets will be idle,
 On the hooks will rest the fish-poles,
 Now unswept will lie the matting,
 And unswept the halls of birch-wood,
 Copper goblets be unburnished,
 Dark the handles of the pitchers,
 Fare thou well, dear Rainbow Maiden."

Ilmarinen, happy bridegroom,
 Hastened homeward with the daughter
 Of the hostess of Pohyola,
 With the beauty of the Northland
 Fleetly flew the hero's snow-sledge,
 Loudly creaked, and roared, and rattled
 Down the banks of Northland waters,
 By the side of Honey-inlet,
 On the back of Sandy Mountain.
 Stones went rolling from the highway,
 Like the winds the sledge flew onward,
 On the yoke rang hoops of iron,
 Loud the spotted wood resounded,
 Loudly creaked the bands of willow,
 All the birchen cross-bars trembled,
 And the copper-bells rang music,
 In the racing of the fleet-foot,
 In the courser's gallop homeward;
 Journeyed one day, then a second,
 Journeyed still the third day onward,
 In one hand the reins of magic,
 While the other grasped the maiden,
 One foot resting on the cross-bar,
 And the other in the fur-robes.
 Merrily the steed flew homeward,
 Quickly did the highways shorten,
 Till at last upon the third day,
 As the sun was fast declining,
 There appeared the blacksmith's furnace,
 Nearer, Ilmarinen's dwelling,
 Smoke arising high in ether,
 Clouds of smoke to lofty heaven,
 From the village of Wainola,
 From the suitor's forge and smithy,
 From the chimneys of the hero,
 From the home of the successful.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXV.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S WEDDING-SONGS.

AT the home of Ilmarinen
 Long had they been watching, waiting,
 For the coming of the blacksmith,
 With his bride from Sariola.
 Weary were the eyes of watchers,
 Waiting from the father's portals,
 Looking from the mother's windows;
 Weary were the young knees standing
 At the gates of the magician;
 Weary grew the feet of children,
 Tramping to the walls and watching;
 Worn and torn, the shoes of heroes,
 Running on the shore to meet him.

Now at last upon a morning
 Of a lovely day in winter,
 Heard they from the woods the rumble
 Of a snow-sledge swiftly bounding.
 Lakko, hostess of Wainola,
 She the lovely Kalew-daughter,
 Spake these words in great excitement:
 "'Tis the sledge of the magician,
 Comes at last the metal-worker
 From the dismal Sariola,
 By his side the Bride of Beauty!
 Welcome, welcome, to this hamlet,
 Welcome to thy mother's hearth-stone,
 To the dwelling of thy father,
 By thine ancestors erected!"

Straightway came great Ilmarinen
 To his cottage drove the blacksmith,
 To the fireside of his father,
 To his mother's ancient dwelling.
 Hazel-birds were sweetly singing
 On the newly-bended collar;
 Sweetly called the sacred cuckoos
 From the summit of the break-board;
 Merry, jumped the graceful squirrel
 On the oaken shafts and cross-bar.

Lakko, Kalew's fairest hostess,
 Beauteous daughter of Wainola,
 Spake these words of hearty welcome:
 "For the new moon hopes the village,
 For the sun, the happy maidens,
 For the boat, the swelling water;
 I have not the moon expected,
 For the sun have not been waiting,
 I have waited for my hero,
 Waited for the Bride of Beauty;
 Watched at morning, watched at evening,
 Did not know but some misfortune,
 Some sad fate had overtaken
 Bride and bridegroom on their journey;
 Thought the maiden growing weary,
 Weary of my son's attentions,
 Since he faithfully had promised
 To return to Kalevala,
 Ere his foot-prints had departed
 From the snow-fields of his father.
 Every morn I looked and listened,
 Constantly I thought and wondered
 When his sledge would rumble homeward,
 When it would return triumphant
 To his home, renowned and ancient.
 Had a blind and beggared straw-horse
 Hobbled to these shores awaiting,
 With a sledge of but two pieces,
 Well the steed would have been lauded,
 Had it brought my son beloved,
 Had it brought the Bride of Beauty.
 Thus I waited long, impatient,
 Looking out from morn till even,
 Watching with my head extended,
 With my tresses streaming southward,
 With my eyelids widely opened,
 Waiting for my son's returning
 To this modest home of heroes,
 To this narrow place of resting.
 Finally am I rewarded,
 For the sledge has come triumphant,
 Bringing home my son and hero,
 By his side the Rainbow maiden,
 Red her cheeks, her visage winsome,
 Pride and joy of Sariola.

"Wizard-bridegroom of Wainola,
 Take thy-courser to the stable,
 Lead him to the well-filled manger,
 To the best of grain and clover;
 Give to us thy friendly greetings,
 Greetings send to all thy people.
 When thy greetings thou hast ended,
 Then relate what has befallen
 To our hero in his absence.
 Hast thou gone without adventure
 To the dark fields of Pohyola,
 Searching for the Maid of Beauty?
 Didst thou scale the hostile ramparts,
 Didst thou take the virgin's mansion,
 Passing o'er her mother's threshold,
 Visiting the halls of Louhi?

"But I know without the asking,
 See the answer to my question:
 Comest from the North a victor,
 On thy journey well contented;
 Thou hast brought the Northland daughter,
 Thou hast razed the hostile portals,
 Thou hast stormed the forts of Louhi,
 Stormed the mighty walls opposing,
 On thy journey to Pohyola,
 To the village of the father.
 In thy care the bride is sitting,
 In thine arms, the Rainbow-maiden,
 At thy side, the pride of Northland,
 Mated to the highly-gifted.
 Who has told the cruel story,
 Who the worst of news has scattered,
 That thy suit was unsuccessful,
 That in vain thy steed had journeyed?
 Not in vain has been thy wooing,
 Not in vain thy steed has travelled
 To the dismal homes of Lapland;
 He has journeyed heavy laden,
 Shaken mane, and tail, and forelock,
 Dripping foam from lips and nostrils,
 Through the bringing of the maiden,
 With the burden of the husband.

"Come, thou beauty, from the snow-sledge,
 Come, descend thou from the cross-bench,
 Do not linger for assistance,
 Do not tarry to be carried;
 If too young the one that lifts thee,
 If too proud the one in waiting,
 Rise thou, graceful, like a young bird,
 Hither glide along the pathway,
 On the tan-bark scarlet- colored,
 That the herds of kine have evened,
 That the gentle lambs have trodden,
 Smoothened by the tails of horses.
 Haste thou here with gentle footsteps,
 Through the pathway smooth and tidy,
 On the tiles of even surface,
 On thy second father's court-yard,
 To thy second mother's dwelling,
 To thy brother's place of resting,
 To thy sister's silent chambers.
 Place thy foot within these portals,
 Step across this waiting threshold,
 Enter thou these halls of joyance,
 Underneath these painted rafters,
 Underneath this roof of ages.
 During all the winter evenings,
 Through the summer gone forever,
 Sang the tiling made of ivory,
 Wishing thou wouldst walk upon it;
 Often sang the golden ceiling,
 Hoping thou wouldst walk beneath it,
 And the windows often whistled,
 Asking thee to sit beside them;
 Even on this merry morning,
 Even on the recent evening,
 Sat the aged at their windows,
 On the sea-shore ran the children,
 Near the walls the maidens waited,
 Ran the boys upon the highway,
 There to watch the young bride's coming,
 Coming with her hero-husband.

"Hail, ye courtiers of Wainola,
 With the heroes of the fathers,
 Hail to thee, Wainola's hamlet,
 Hail, ye halls with heroes peopled,
 Hail, ye rooms with all your inmates,
 Hail to thee, sweet golden moonlight,
 Hail to thee, benignant Ukko,
 Hail companions of the bridegroom!
 Never has there been in Northland
 Such a wedding-train of honor,
 Never such a bride of beauty.

"Bridegroom, thou beloved hero,
 Now untie the scarlet ribbons,
 And remove the silken muffler,
 Let us see the honey-maiden,
 See the Daughter of the Rainbow.
 Seven years hast thou been wooing,
 Hast thou brought the maid affianced,
 Wainamoinen's Wedding-Songs.
 Hast thou sought a sweeter cuckoo,
 Sought one fairer than the moonlight,
 Sought a mermaid from the ocean?
 But I know without the asking,
 See the answer to my question:
 Thou hast brought the sweet-voiced cuckoo,
 Thou hast found the swan of beauty
 Plucked the sweetest flower of Northland,
 Culled the fairest of the jewels,
 Gathered Pohya's sweetest berry!"

Sat a babe upon the matting,
 And the young child spake as follows:
 "Brother, what is this thou bringest,
 Aspen-log or trunk of willow,
 Slender as the mountain-linden?
 Bridegroom, well dost thou remember,
 Thou hast hoped it all thy life-time,
 Hoped to bring the Maid of Beauty,
 Thou a thousand times hast said it,
 Better far than any other,
 Not one like the croaking raven,
 Nor the magpie from the border,
 Nor the scarecrow from the corn-fields,
 Nor the vulture from the desert.
 What has this one done of credit,
 In the summer that has ended?
 Where the gloves that she has knitted,
 Where the mittens she has woven?
 Thou hast brought her empty-handed,
 Not a gift she brings thy father;
 In thy chests the nice are nesting,
 Long-tails feeding on thy vestments,
 And thy bride, cannot repair them."

Lakko hostess of Wainola,
 She the faithful Kalew-daughter, 
 Hears the young child's speech in wonder,
 Speaks these words of disapproval:
 Silly prattler, cease thy talking,
 Thou Last spoken in dishonor;
 Let all others be astonished,
 Reap thy malice on thy kindred,
 must not harm the Bride of Beauty,
 Rainbow-daughter of the Northland.
 False indeed is this thy Prattle,
 All thy words are full or evil,
 Fallen from thy tongue of mischief
 From the lips of one unworthy.
 Excellent the hero 's young bride,
 Best of all in Sariola,
 Like the, strawberry in summer,
 Like the daisy from the meadow,
 Like the cuckoo from the forest,
 Like the bluebird from the aspen,
 Like the redbreast from the heather,
 Like the martin. from the linden;
 Never couldst thou find in Ehstland
 Such a virgin as this daughter,
 Such a graceful beauteous maiden,
 With such dignity of Carriage,
 With such arms of pearly whiteness,
 With. a neck so fair and lovely.
 Neither is she empty-handed,
 She has brought us furs abundant, 
 Brought us many silken garments,
 Richest weavings of Pohyola.
 Many beauteous things the maiden,
 With the spindle has accomplished,
 Spun and woven with her fingers
 Dresses of the finest texture
 She in winter has upfolded,
 Bleached them in the days of spring-time,
 Dried them at the hour of noon-day,
 For our couches finest linen,
 For our heads the softest pillows,
 For our comfort woollen blankets,
 For our necks the silken ribbons."
 To the bride speaks gracious Lakko:
 "Goodly wife, thou Maid of Beauty,
 Highly wert thou praised as daughter,
 In thy father's distant country;
 Here thou shalt be praised forever
 By the kindred of thy husband;
 Thou shalt never suffer sorrow,
 Never give thy heart to grieving;
 In the swamps thou wert not nurtured,
 Wert not fed beside the brooklets;
 Thou wert born 'neath stars auspicious,
 Nurtured from the richest garners,
 Thou wert taken to the brewing
 Of the sweetest beer in Northland.

"Beauteous bride from Sariola,
 Shouldst thou see me bringing hither
 Casks of corn, or wheat, or barley;
 Bringing rye in great abundance,
 They belong to this thy household;
 Good the plowing of thy husband.
 Good his sowing and his reaping.

"Bride of Beauty from the Northland,
 Thou wilt learn this home to manage,
 Learn to labor with thy kindred;
 Good the home for thee to dwell in,
 Good enough for bride and daughter.
 At thy hand will rest the milk-pail,
 And the churn awaits thine order;
 It is well here for the maiden,
 Happy will the young bride labor,
 Easy are the resting-benches;
 Here the host is like thy father,
 Like thy mother is the hostess,
 All the sons are like thy brothers,
 Like thy sisters are the daughters.

"Shouldst thou ever have a longing
 For the whiting of the ocean,
 For thy, father's Northland salmon,
 For thy brother's hazel-chickens,
 Ask them only of thy husband,
 Let thy hero-husband bring them.
 There is not in all of Northland,
 Not a creature of the forest,
 Not a bird beneath the ether,
 Not a fish within the waters,
 Not the largest, nor the smallests
 That thy husband cannot capture.
 It is well here for the maiden,
 Here the bride may live in freedom,
 Need not turn the heavy millstone,
 Need not move the iron pestle;
 Here the wheat is ground by water,
 For the rye, the swifter current,
 While the billows wash the vessels
 And the surging waters rinse them.
 Thou hast here a lovely village,
 Finest spot in all of Northland,
 In the lowlands sweet the verdure,
 in the uplands, fields of beauty,
 With the lake-shore near the hamlet,
 Near thy home the running water,
 Where the goslings swim and frolic,
 Water-birds disport in numbers."

Thereupon the bride and bridegroom
 Were refreshed with richest viands,
 Given food and drink abundant,
 Fed on choicest bits of reindeer,
 On the sweetest loaves of barley,
 On the best of wheaten biscuits,
 On the richest beer of Northland.
 Many things were on the table,
 Many dainties of Wainola,
 In the bowls of scarlet color,
 In the platters deftly painted,
 Many cakes with honey sweetened,
 To each guest was butter given,
 Many bits of trout and whiting,
 Larger salmon carved in slices,
 With the knives of molten silver,
 Rimmed with gold the silver handles,
 Beer of barley ceaseless flowing,
 Honey-drink that was not purchased,
 In the cellar flows profusely,
 Beer for all, the tongues to quicken,
 Mead and beer the minds to freshen.
 Who is there to lead the singing,
 Lead the songs of Kalevala?

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 The eternal, wise enchanter,
 Quick begins his incantations,
 Straightway sings the songs that follow.
 "Golden brethren, dearest kindred,
 Ye, my loved ones, wise and worthy
 Ye companions, highly-gifted,
 Listen to my simple sayings:
 Rarely stand the geese together,
 Sisters do not mate each other,
 Not together stand the brothers,
 Nor the children of one mother,
 In the countries of the Northland.

"Shall we now begin the singing,
 Sing the songs of old tradition?
 Singers can but sing their wisdom,
 And the cuckoo call the spring-time,
 And the goddess of the heavens
 Only dyes the earth in beauty;
 So the goddesses of weaving
 Can but weave from dawn till twilight,
 Ever sing the youth of Lapland
 In their straw-shoes full of gladness,
 When the coarse-meat of the roebuck,
 Or of blue-moose they have eaten.
 Wherefore should I not be singing,
 And the children not be chanting
 Of the biscuits of Wainola,
 Of the bread of Kalew-waters?
 Even Sing the lads of Lapland
 In their straw-shoes filled with joyance,
 Drinking but a cup of water,
 Eating but the bitter tan-bark.
 Wherefore should I not be singing,
 And the children not be chanting
 Of the beer of Kalevala,
 Brewed from barley in perfection,
 Dressed in quaint and homely costume,
 As they sit beside their hearth-stones.
 Wherefore should I not be singing,
 And the children too be chanting
 Underneath these painted rafters,
 In these halls renowned and ancient?
 This the place for men to linger,
 This the court-room for the maidens,
 Near the foaming beer of barley,
 Honey-brewed in great abundance,
 Very near, the salmon-waters,
 Near, the nets for trout and whiting,
 Here where food is never wanting,
 Where the beer is ever brewing.
 Here Wainola's sons assemble,
 Here Wainola's daughters gather,
 Here they never eat in trouble,
 Here they live without regretting,
 In the life-time of the landlord,
 While the hostess lives and prospers.

"Who shall first be sung and lauded?
 Shall it be the bride or bridegroom?
 Let us praise the bridegroom's father,
 Let the hero-host be chanted,
 Him whose home is in the forest,
 Him who built upon the mountains,
 Him who brought the trunks of lindens,
 With their tops and slender branches,
 Brought them to the best of places,
 Joined them skilfully together,
 For the mansion of the nation,
 For this famous hero-dwelling,
 Walls procured upon the lowlands,
 Rafters from the pine and fir-tree,
 From the woodlands beams of oak-wood,
 From the berry-plains the studding,
 Bark was furnished by the aspen,
 And the mosses from the fenlands.
 Trimly builded is this mansion,
 In a haven warmly sheltered;
 Here a hundred men have labored,
 On the roof have stood a thousand,
 As this spacious house was building,
 As this roof was tightly jointed.
 Here the ancient mansion-builder,
 When these rafters were erected,
 Lost in storms his locks of sable,
 Scattered by the winds of heaven.
 Often has the hero-landlord
 On the rocks his gloves forgotten,
 Left his hat upon the willows,
 Lost his mittens in the marshes;
 Oftentimes the mansion-builder,
 In the early hours of morning,
 Ere his workmen had awakened,
 Unperceived by all the village,
 Has arisen from his slumber,
 Left his cabin the snow-fields,
 Combed his locks among the branches,
 Bathed his eyes in dews of morning.

"Thus obtained the pleasant landlord
 Friends to fill his spacious dwelling,
 Fill his benches with magicians,
 Fill his windows with enchanters,
 Fill his halls with wizard-singers,
 Fill his floors with ancient speakers,
 Fill his ancient court with strangers,
 Fill his hurdles with the needy;
 Thus the Kalew-host is lauded.

"Now I praise the genial hostess,
 Who prepares the toothsome dinner,
 Fills with plenty all her tables,
 Bakes the honeyed loaves of barley,
 Kneads the dough with magic fingers,
 With her arms of strength and beauty,
 Bakes her bread in copper ovens,
 Feeds her guests and bids them welcome,
 Feeds them on the toothsome bacon,
 On the trout, and pike, and whiting,
 On the rarest fish in ocean,
 On the dainties of Wainola.

"Often has the faithful hostess
 Risen from her couch in silence,
 Ere the crowing of the watcher,
 To prepare the wedding-banquet,
 Make her tables look attractive.
 Brew the honey-beer of wedlock.
 Excellently has the housewife,
 Has the hostess filled with wisdom,
 Brewed the beer from hops and barley,
 From the corn of Kalevala,
 From the wheat-malt honey-seasoned,
 Stirred the beer with graceful fingers,
 At the oven in the penthouse,
 In the chamber swept and polished.
 Neither did the prudent hostess,
 Beautiful, and full of wisdom,
 Let the barley sprout too freely,
 Lest the beer should taste of black-earth,
 Be too bitter in the brewing,
 Often went she to the garners,
 Went alone at hour of midnight,
 Was not frightened by the black-wolf,
 Did not fear the beasts of woodlands.

"Now the hostess I have lauded,
 Let me praise the favored suitor,
 Now the honored hero-bridegroom,
 Best of all the village-masters.
 Clothed in purple is the hero,
 Raiment brought from distant nations,
 Tightly fitting to his body;
 Snugly sets his coat of ermine,
 To the floor it hangs in beauty,
 Trailing from his neck and shoulders,
 Little of his vest appearing,
 Peeping through his outer raiment,
 Woven by the Moon's fair daughters,
 And his vestment silver-tinselled.
 Dressed in neatness is the suitor,
 Round his waist a belt of copper,
 Hammered by the Sun's sweet maidens,
 Ere the early fires were lighted,
 Ere the fire had been discovered.
 Dressed in richness is the bridegroom,
 On his feet are silken stockings,
 Silken ribbons on his ankles,
 Gold and silver interwoven.
 Dressed in beauty is the bridegroom,
 On his feet are shoes of deer-skin,
 Like the swans upon the water,
 Like the blue-duck on the sea-waves,
 Like the thrush among the willows,
 Like the water-birds of Northland.
 Well adorned the hero-suitor,
 With his locks of golden color,
 With his gold-beard finely braided,
 Hero-hat upon his forehead,
 Piercing through the forest branches,
 Reaching to the clouds of heaven,
 Bought with countless gold and silver,
 Priceless is the suitor's head-gear.

"Now the bridegroom has been lauded,
 I will praise the young bride's playmate,
 Day-companion in her childhood,
 In the maiden's magic mansion.
 Whence was brought the merry maiden,
 From the village of Tanikka?
 Thence was never brought the playmate,
 Playmate of the bride in childhood.
 Has she come from distant nations,
 From the waters of the Dwina,
 O'er the ocean far-outstretching?
 Not from Dwina came the maiden,
 Did not sail across the waters;
 Grew as berry in the mountains,
 As a strawberry of sweetness,
 On the fields the child of beauty,
 In the glens the golden flower.
 Thence has come the young bride's playmate,
 Thence arose her fair companion.
 Tiny are her feet and fingers,
 Small her lips of scarlet color,
 Like the maiden's loom of Suomi;
 Eyes that shine in kindly beauty
 Like the twinkling stars of heaven;
 Beam the playmate's throbbing temples
 Like the moonlight on the waters.
 Trinkets has the bride's companion,
 On her neck a golden necklace,
 In her tresses, silken ribbons,
 On her arms are golden bracelets,
 Golden rings upon her fingers,
 Pearls are set in golden ear-rings,
 Loops of gold upon her temples,
 And with pearls her brow is studded.
 Northland thought the Moon was shining
 When her jeweled ear-ringsglistened;
 Thought the Sun had left his station
 When her girdle shone in beauty;
 Thought a ship was homeward sailing
 When her colored head-gear fluttered.
 Thus is praised the bride's companion,
 Playmate of the Rainbow-maiden.

"Now I praise the friends assembled,
 All appear in graceful manners;
 If the old are wise and silent,
 All the youth are free and merry,
 All the guests are fair and worthy.
 Never was there in Wainola,
 Never will there be in Northland,
 Such a company assembled;
 All the children speak in joyance,
 All the aged move sedately;
 Dressed in white are all the maidens,
 Like the hoar-frost of the morning,
 Like the welcome dawn of spring-time,
 Like the rising of the daylight.
 Silver then was more abundant,
 Gold among the guests in plenty,
 On the hills were money, pockets,
 Money-bags along the valleys,
 For the friends that were invited,
 For the guests in joy assembled.
 All the friends have now been lauded,
 Each has gained his meed of honor."

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Song-deliverer of Northland,
 Swung himself upon the fur-bench
 Or his magic sledge of copper,
 Straightway hastened to his hamlet,
 Singing as he journeyed onward,
 Singing charms and incantations,
 Singing one day, then a second,
 All the third day chanting legends.
 On the rocks the runners rattled,
 Hung the sledge upon a birch-stump,
 Broke it into many pieces,
 With the magic of his singing;
 Double were the runners bended,
 All the parts were torn asunder,
 And his magic sledge was ruined.

Then the good, old Wainamoinen
 Spake these words in meditation:
 "Is there one among this number,
 In this rising generation,
 Or perchance among the aged,
 In the passing generation,
 That will go to Mana's kingdom,
 To the empire of Tuoni,
 There to get the magic auger
 From the master of Manala,
 That I may repair my snow-sledge,
 Or a second sledge may fashion?"

What the younger people answered
 Was the answer of the aged:
 "Not among the youth of Northland,
 Nor among the aged heroes,
 Is there one of ample courage,
 That has bravery sufficient,
 To attempt the reckless journey
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 To Manala's fields and castles,
 Thence to bring Tuoni's auger,
 Wherewithal to mend thy snow-sledge,
 Build anew thy sledge of magic."

Thereupon old Wainamoinen,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 Went again to Mana's empire,
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 Crossed the sable stream of Deathland,
 To the castles of Manala,
 Found the auger of Tuoni,
 Brought the instrument in safety.
 Straightway sings old Wainamoinen,
 Sings to life a purple forest,
 In the forest, slender birches,
 And beside them, mighty oak-trees,
 Shapes them into shafts and runners,
 Moulds them by his will and power,
 Makes anew his sledge of magic.

On his steed he lays the harness,
 Binds him to his sledge securely,
 Seats himself upon the cross-bench,
 And the racer gallops homeward,
 To the manger filled and waiting,
 To the stable of his master;
 Brings the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Famous bard and wise enchanter,
 To the threshold of his dwelling,
 To his home in Kalevala.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXVI.

 

ORIGIN OF THE SERPENT.

AHTI, living on the island, 
 Near the Kauko-point and harbor,
 Plowed his fields for rye and barley,
 Furrowed his extensive pastures,
 Heard with quickened ears an uproar,
 Heard the village in commotion,
 Heard a noise along the sea-shore,
 Heard the foot-steps on the ice-plain,
 Heard the rattle of the sledges;
 Quick his mind divined the reason,
 Knew it was Pohyola's wedding,
 Wedding of the Rainbow-virgin.
 Quick he stopped in disappointment,
 Shook his sable locks in envy,
 Turned his hero-head in anger,
 While the scarlet blood ceased flowing
 Through his pallid face and temples;
 Ceased his plowing and his sowing,
 On the field he left the furrows,
 On his steed he lightly mounted,
 Straightway galloped fleetly homeward
 To his well-beloved mother,
 To his mother old and golden,
 Gave his mother these directions,
 These the words of Lemminkainen:
 "My beloved, faithful mother,
 Quickly bring me beer and viands,
 Bring me food for I am hungry,
 Food and drink for me abundant,
 Have my bath-room quickly heated,
 Quickly set the room in order,
 That I may refresh my body,
 Dress myself in hero-raiment."

Lemminkainen's aged mother
 Brings her hero food in plenty,
 Beer and viands for the hungry,
 For her thirsting son and hero;
 Quick she heats the ancient bath-room,
 Quickly sets his bath in order.

Then the reckless Lemminkainen
 Ate his meat with beer inspiring,
 Hastened to his bath awaiting;
 Only was the bullfinch bathing,
 With the many-colored bunting;
 Quick the hero laved his temples,
 Laved himself to flaxen whiteness,
 Quick returning to his mother,
 Spake in haste the words that follow:
 "My beloved, helpful mother,
 Go at once to yonder mountain,
 To the store-house on the hill-top,
 Bring my vest of finest texture,
 Bring my hero-coat of purple,
 Bring my suit of magic colors,
 Thus to make me look attractive,
 Thus to robe myself in beauty."

First the ancient mother asked him,
 Asked her son this simple question:
 "Whither dost thou go, my hero?
 Dost thou go to hunt the roebuck,
 Chase the lynx upon the mountains,
 Shoot the squirrel in the woodlands?"

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Also known as Kaukomieli:
 "Worthy mother of my being,
 Go I not to hunt the roebuck,
 Chase the lynx upon the mountains,
 Shoot the squirrel on the tree-tops;
 I am going to Pohyola,
 To the feasting of her people.
 Bring at once my purple vestments,
 Straightway bring my nuptial outfit,
 Let me don it for the marriage
 Of the maiden of the Northland."

But the ancient dame dissented,
 And the wife forebade the husband;
 Two of all the best of heroes,
 Three of nature's fairest daughters,
 Strongly urged wild Lemminkainen
 Not to go to Sariola,
 To Pohyola's great carousal,
 To the marriage-feast of Northland,
 "Since thou hast not been invited,
 Since they do not wish thy presence."

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen.
 These the words of Kaukomieli:
 "Where the wicked are invited,
 There the good are always welcome,
 Herein lies my invitation;
 I am constantly reminded
 By this sword of sharpened edges,
 By this magic blade and scabbard,
 That Pohyola needs my presence."

Lemminkainen's aged mother
 Sought again to stay her hero:
 "Do not go, my son beloved,
 To the feasting in Pohyola;
 Full of horrors are the highways,
 On the road are many wonders,
 Three times Death appears to frighten,
 Thrice destruction hovers over!"

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 These the words of Kaukomieli:
 "Death is seen by aged people,
 Everywhere they see perdition,
 Death can never frighten heroes,
 Heroes do not fear the spectre;
 Be that as it may, dear mother,
 Tell that I may understand thee,
 Name the first of all destructions,
 Name the first and last destroyers!"
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "I will tell thee, son and hero,
 Not because I wish to speak it,
 But because the truth is worthy;
 I will name the chief destruction,
 Name the first of the destroyers.
 When thou hast a distance journeyed,
 Only one day hast thou travelled,
 Comes a stream along the highway,
 Stream of fire of wondrous beauty,
 In the stream a mighty fire-spout,
 In the spout a rock uprising,
 On the rock a fiery hillock,
 On the top a flaming eagle,
 And his crooked beak he sharpens,
 Sharpens too his bloody talons,
 For the coming of the stranger,
 For the people that approach him."

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "Women die beneath the eagle,
 Such is not the death of heroes;
 Know I well a magic lotion,
 That will heal the wounds of eagles;
 Make myself a steed of alders,
 That will walk as my companion,
 That will stride ahead majestic;
 As a duck I'll drive behind him,
 Drive him o'er the fatal waters,
 Underneath the flaming eagle,
 With his bloody beak and talons.
 Worthy mother of my being,
 Name the second of destroyers."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "This the second of destroyers:
 When thou hast a distance wandered,
 Only two clays hast thou travelled,
 Comes a pit of fire to meet thee,
 In the centre of the highway,
 Eastward far the pit extending,
 Stretches endless to the westward,
 Filled with burning coals and pebbles,
 Glowing with the heat of ages;
 Hundreds has this monster swallowed,
 In his jaws have thousands perished,
 Hundreds with their trusty broadswords,
 Thousands on their fiery chargers."

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "Never will the hero perish
 In the jaws of such a monster;
 Know I well the means of safety,
 Know a remedy efficient:
 I will make of snow a master,
 On the snow-clad fields, a hero,
 Drive the snow-man on before me,
 Drive him through the flaming vortex,
 Drive him through the fiery furnace,
 With my magic broom of copper;
 I will follow in his shadow,
 Follow close the magic image,
 Thus escape the frightful monster,
 With my golden locks uninjured,
 With my flowing beard untangled.
 Ancient mother of my being,
 Name the last of the destructions,
 Name the third of the destroyers."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "This the third of fatal dangers:
 Hast thou gone a greater distance,
 Hast thou travelled one day longer,
 To the portals of Pohyola,
 To the narrowest of gate-ways,
 There a wolf will rise to meet thee,
 There the black-bear sneak upon thee-,
 In Pohyola's darksome portals,
 Hundreds in their jaws have perished,
 Have devoured a thousand heroes;
 Wherefore will they not destroy thee,
 Since thy form is unprotected?"

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "Let them eat the gentle lambkins,
 Feed upon their tender tissues,
 They cannot devour this hero;
 I am girded with my buckler,
 Girded with my belt of copper,
 Armlets wear I of the master,
 From the wolf and bear protected,
 Will not hasten to Untamo.
 I can meet the wolf of Lempo,
 For the bear I have a balsam,
 For his mouth I conjure bridles,
 For the wolf, forge chains of iron;
 I will smite them as the willow,
 Chop them into little fragments,
 Thus I'll gain the open court-yard,
 Thus triumphant end my journey."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Then thy journey is not ended,
 Greater dangers still await thee,
 Great the wonders yet before thee,
 Horrors three within thy pathway;
 Three great dangers of the hero
 Still await thy reckless footsteps,
 These the worst of all thy dangers:
 When thou hast still farther wandered,
 Thou wilt reach the Court of Pohya,
 Where the walls are forged from iron,
 And from steel the outer bulwark;
 Rises from the earth to heaven,
 Back again to earth returning;
 Double spears are used for railings,
 On each spear are serpents winding,
 On each rail are stinging adders;
 Lizards too adorn the bulwarks,
 Play their long tails in the sunlight,
 Hissing lizards, venomed serpents,
 Jump and writhe upon the rampart,
 Turn their horrid heads to meet thee;
 On the greensward lie the monsters,
 On the ground the things of evil,
 With their pliant tongues of venom,
 Hissing, striking, crawling, writhing;
 One more horrid than the others,
 Lies before the fatal gate-way,
 Longer than the longest rafters,
 Larger than the largest portals;
 Hisses with the tongue of anger,
 Lifts his head in awful menace,
 Raises it to strike none other
 Than the hero of the islands."

Spake the warlike Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "By such things the children perish,
 Such is not the death of heroes;
 Know I well the fire to manage,
 I can quench the flames of passion,
 I can meet the prowling wild-beasts,
 Can appease the wrath of serpents,
 I can heal the sting of adders,
 I have plowed the serpent-pastures,
 Plowed the adder-fields of Northland;
 While my hands were unprotected,
 Held the serpents in my fingers,
 Drove the adders to Manala,
 On my hands the blood of serpents,
 On my feet the fat of adders.
 Never will thy hero stumble
 On the serpents of the Northland;
 With my heel I'll crush the monsters,
 Stamp the horrid things to atoms;
 I will banish them from Pohya,
 Drive them to Manala's kingdom,
 Step within Pohyola's mansion,
 Walk the halls of Sariola!"
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Do not go, my son beloved,
 To the firesides of Pohyola,
 Through the Northland fields and fallows;
 There are warriors with broadswords,
 Heroes clad in mail of copper,
 Are on beer intoxicated,
 By the beer are much embittered;
 They will charm thee, hapless creature,
 On the tips of swords of magic;
 Greater heroes have been conjured,
 Stronger ones have been outwitted."
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Formerly thy son resided
 In the hamlets of Pohyola;
 Laplanders cannot enchant me,
 Nor the Turyalanders harm me
 I the, Laplander will conjure,
 Charm him with my magic powers,
 Sing his shoulders wide asunder,
 In his chin I'll sing a fissure,
 Sing his collar-bone to pieces,
 Sing his breast to thousand fragments."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Foolish son, ungrateful wizard,
 Boasting of thy former visit,
 Boasting of thy fatal journey!
 Once in Northland thou wert living,
 In the homesteads of Pohyola;
 There thou tried to swim the whirlpool,
 Tasted there the dog-tongue waters,
 Floated down the fatal current,
 Sank beneath its angry billows;
 Thou hast seen Tuoni's river,
 Thou hast measured Mana's waters,
 There to-day thou wouldst be sleeping,
 Had it not been for thy mother!
 What I tell thee well remember,
 Shouldst thou gain Pohyola's chambers,
 Filled with stakes thou'lt find the court-yard,
 These to hold the heads of heroes;
 There thy head will rest forever,
 Shouldst thou go to Sariola."
 Spake the warlike Lemminkainen:
 "Fools indeed may heed thy counsel,
 Cowards too may give attention;
 Those of seven conquest-summers
 Cannot heed such weak advising.
 Bring to me my battle-armor.
 Bring my magic mail of copper,
 Bring me too my father's broadsword,
 Keep the old man's blade from rusting;
 Long it has been cold and idle,
 Long has lain in secret places,
 Long and constantly been weeping,
 Long been asking for a bearer."

Then he took his mail of copper,
 Took his ancient battle-armor,
 Took his father's sword of magic,
 Tried its point against the oak-wood,
 Tried its edge upon the sorb-tree;
 In his hand the blade was bended,
 Like the limber boughs of willow,
 Like the juniper in summer.
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "There is none in Pohya's hamlets,
 In the courts of Sariola,
 That with me can measure broadswords,
 That can meet this blade ancestral."

From the nail he took a cross-bow,
 Took the strongest from the rafters,
 Spake these words in meditation:
 "I shall recognize as worthy,
 Recognize that one a hero
 That can bend this mighty cross-bow,
 That can break its magic sinews,
 In the hamlets of Pohyola."

Lemminkainen, filled with courage,
 Girds himself in suit of battle,
 Dons his mighty mail of copper,
 To his servant speaks as follows:
 "Trusty slave, and whom I purchased,
 Whom I bought with gold and silver,
 Quick prepare my fiery charger,
 Harness well my steed of battle;
 I am going to the feasting,
 To the banquet-fields of Lempo."

Quick obeys the faithful servant,
 Hitches well the noble war-horse,
 Quick prepares the fire-red stallion,
 Speaks these words when all is I ready:
 "I have done what thou hast hidden,
 Ready harnessed is the charger,
 Waiting to obey his master."
 Comes the hour of the departing
 Of the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Right hand ready, left unwilling,
 All his anxious fingers pain him,
 Till at last in full obedience,
 All his members give permission;
 Starts the hero on his journey,
 While the mother gives him counsel,
 At the threshold of the dwelling,
 At the highway of the court-yard:
 "Child of courage, my beloved,
 Son of strength, my wisdom-hero,
 If thou goest to the feasting,
 Shouldst thou reach the great carousal,
 Drink thou only a half a cupful,
 Drink the goblet to the middle,
 Always give the half remaining,
 Give the worse half to another,
 To another more unworthy;
 In the lower half are serpents,
 Worms, and frogs, and hissing lizards,
 Feeding on the slimy bottom."

Furthermore she tells her hero,
 Gives her son these sage directions,
 On the border of the court-yard,
 At the portals farthest distant:
 "If thou goest to the banquet,
 Shouldst thou reach the great carousal,
 Occupy but half the settle,
 Take but half a stride in walking,
 Give the second half to others,
 To another less deserving;
 Only thus thou'lt be a hero,
 Thus become a son immortal;
 In the guest-rooms look courageous,
 Bravely move about the chambers,
 In the gatherings of heroes,
 With the hosts of magic valor."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Quickly leaped upon the cross-bench
 Of his battle-sledge of wonder,
 Raised his pearl-enamelled birch-rod,
 Snapped his whip above his charger,
 And the steed flew onward fleetly,
 Galloped on his distant journey.

He had travelled little distance,
 When a flight of hazel-chickens
 Quick arose before his coming,
 Flew before the foaming racer.
 There were left some feathers lying,
 Feathers of the hazel-chickens,
 Lying in the hero's pathway.
 These the reckless Lemminkainen
 Gathered for their magic virtues,
 Put them in his pouch of leather,
 Did not know what things might happen
 On his journey to Pohyola;
 All things have some little value,
 In a strait all things are useful.

Then he drove a little distance,
 Galloped farther on the highway,
 When his courser neighed in danger,
 And the fleet-foot ceased his running.
 Then the stout-heart, Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Rose upon his seat in wonder,
 Craned his neck and looked about him
 Found it as his mother told him,
 Found a stream of fire opposing;
 Ran the fire-stream like a river,
 Ran across the hero's pathway.
 In the river was a fire-fall,
 In the cataract a fire-rock,
 On the rock a fiery hillock,
 On its summit perched an eagle,
 From his throat the fire was streaming
 To the crater far below him,
 Fire out-shooting from his feathers,
 Glowing with a fiery splendor;
 Long he looked upon the hero,
 Long he gazed on Lemminkainen,
 Then the eagle thus addressed him:
 "Whither art thou driving, Ahti,
 Whither going, Lemminkainen?"
 Kaukomieli spake in answer:
 "To the feastings of Pohyola,
 To the drinking-halls of Louhi,
 To the banquet of her people;
 Move aside and let me journey,
 Move a little from my pathway,
 Let this wanderer pass by thee,
 I am warlike Lemminkainen."

This the answer of the eagle,
 Screaming from his throat of splendor:
 "Though thou art wild Lemminkainen,
 I shall let thee wander onward,
 Through my fire-throat let thee journey,
 Through these flames shall be thy passage
 To the banquet-halls of Louhi,
 To Pohyola's great carousal!"

Little heeding, Kaukomieli
 Thinks himself in little trouble,
 Thrusts his fingers in his pockets,
 Searches in his pouch of leather,
 Quickly takes the magic feathers,
 Feathers from the hazel-chickens,
 Rubs them into finest powder,
 Rubs them with his magic fingers
 Whence a flight of birds arises,
 Hazel-chickens from the feathers,
 Large the bevy of the young birds.
 Quick the wizard, Lemminkainen,
 Drives them to the eagle's fire-mouth,
 Thus to satisfy his hunger,
 Thus to quench the fire out-streaming.
 Thus escapes the reckless hero,
 Thus escapes the first of dangers,
 Passes thus the first destroyer,
 On his journey to Pohyola.

With his whip he strikes his courser,
 With his birch-whip, pearl-enamelled;
 Straightway speeds the fiery charger,
 Noiselessly upon his journey,
 Gallops fast and gallops faster,
 Till the flying steed in terror
 Neighs again and ceases running.
 Lemminkainen, quickly rising,
 Cranes his neck and looks about him,
 Sees his mother's words were truthful,
 Sees her augury well-taken.
 Lo! before him yawned a fire-gulf,
 Stretching crosswise through his pathway;
 Far to east the gulf extending,
 To the west an endless distance,
 Filled with stones and burning pebbles,
 Running streams of burning matter.

Little heeding, Lemminkainen
 Cries aloud in prayer to Ukko:
 "Ukko, thou O God above me,
 Dear Creator, omnipresent,
 From the north-west send a storm-cloud,
 From the east, dispatch a second,
 From the south send forth a third one;
 Let them gather from the south-west,
 Sew their edges well together,
 Fill thou well the interspaces,
 Send a snow-fall high as heaven,
 Let it fall from upper ether,
 Fall upon the flaming fire-pit,
 On the cataract and whirlpool!"

Mighty Ukko, the Creator,
 Ukko, father omnipresent,
 Dwelling in the courts of heaven,
 Sent a storm-cloud from the north-west,
 From the east he sent a second,
 From the south despatched a third one,
 Let them gather from the south-west,
 Sewed their edges well together,
 Filled their many interspaces,
 Sent a snow-fall high as heaven,
 From the giddy heights of ether,
 Sent it seething to the fire-pit,
 On the streams of burning matter;
 From the snow-fall in the fire-pond,
 Grows a lake with rolling billows.
 Quick the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Conjures there of ice a passage
 From one border to the other,
 Thus escapes his second danger,
 Thus his second trouble passes.

Then the reckless Lemminkainen
 Raised his pearl-enamelled birch-rod,
 Snapped his whip above his racer,
 And the steed flew onward swiftly,
 Galloped on his distant journey
 O'er the highway to Pohyola;
 Galloped fast and galloped faster,
 Galloped on a greater distance,
 When the stallion loudly neighing,
 Stopped and trembled on the highway,
 Then the lively Lemminkainen
 Raised himself upon the cross-bench,
 Looked to see what else had happened;
 Lo I a wolf stands at the portals,
 in the passage-way a black-bear,
 At the high-gate of Pohyola,
 At the ending of the journey.

Thereupon young Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Thrusts his fingers in his pockets,
 Seeks his magic pouch of leather,
 Pulls therefrom a lock of ewe-wool,
 Rubs it firmly in his fingers,
 In his hands it falls to powder;
 Breathes the breath of life upon it,
 When a flock of sheep arises,
 Goats and sheep of sable color;
 On the flock the black-wolf pounces,
 And the wild-bear aids the slaughter,
 While the reckless Lemminkainen
 Rushes by them on his journey;
 Gallops on a little distance,
 To the court of Sariola,
 Finds the fence of molten iron,
 And of steel the rods and pickets,
 In the earth a hundred fathoms,
 To the azure sky, a thousand,
 Double-pointed spears projecting;
 On each spear were serpents twisted,
 Adders coiled in countless numbers,
 Lizards mingled with the serpents,
 Tails entangled pointing earthward,
 While their heads were skyward whirling,
 Writhing, hissing mass of evil.

Then the stout-heart, Kaukomieli,
 Deeply thought and long considered:
 "It is as my mother told me,
 This the wall that she predicted,
 Stretching from the earth to heaven;
 Downward deep are serpents creeping,
 Deeper still the rails extending;
 High as highest flight of eagles,
 Higher still the wall shoots upward."

But the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Little cares, nor feels disheartened,
 Draws his broadsword from its scabbard,
 Draws his mighty blade ancestral,
 Hews the wall with might of magic,
 Breaks the palisade in pieces,
 Hews to atoms seven pickets,
 Chops the serpent-wall to fragments;
 Through the breach he quickly passes
 To the portals of Pohyola.

In the way, a serpent lying,
 Lying crosswise in the entry,
 Longer than the longest rafters,
 Larger than the posts of oak-wood;
 Hundred-eyed, the heinous serpent,
 And a thousand tongues, the monster,
 Eyes as large as sifting vessels,
 Tongues as long as shafts of javelins,
 Teeth as large as hatchet-handles,
 Back as broad as skiffs of ocean.
 Lemminkainen does not venture
 Straightway through this host opposing,
 Through the hundred heads of adders,
 Through the thousand tongues of serpents.
 Spake the magic Lemminkainen:
 "Venomed viper, thing of evil,
 Ancient adder of Tuoni,
 Thou that crawlest in the stubble,
 Through the flower-roots of Lempo,
 Who has sent thee from thy kingdom,
 Sent thee from thine evil coverts,
 Sent thee hither, crawling, writhing,
 In the pathway I would travel?
 Who bestowed thy mouth of venom,
 Who insisted, who commanded,
 Thou shouldst raise thy head toward heaven,
 Who thy tail has given action?
 Was this given by the father,
 Did the mother give this power,
 Or the eldest of the brothers,
 Or the youngest of the sisters,
 Or some other of thy kindred?

"Close thy mouth, thou thing of evil,
 Hide thy pliant tongue of venom,
 In a circle wrap thy body,
 Coil thou like a shield in silence,
 Give to me one-half the pathway,
 Let this wanderer pass by thee,
 Or remove thyself entirely;
 Get thee hence to yonder heather,
 Quick retreat to bog and stubble,
 Hide thyself in reeds and rushes,
 In the brambles of the lowlands.
 Like a ball of flax enfolding,
 Like a sphere of aspen-branches,
 With thy head and tail together,
 Roll thyself to yonder mountain;
 In the heather is thy dwelling,
 Underneath the sod thy caverns.
 Shouldst thou raise thy head in anger,
 Mighty Ukko will destroy it,
 Pierce it with his steel-tipped arrows,
 With his death-balls made of iron!"

Hardly had the hero ended,
 When the monster, little heeding,
 Hissing with his tongue in anger,
 Plying like the forked lightning,
 Pounces with his mouth of venom
 At the head of Lemminkainen;
 But the hero, quick recalling,
 Speaks the master-words of knowledge,
 Words that came from distant ages,
 Words his ancestors had taught him,
 Words his mother learned in childhood,
 These the words of Lemminkainen:
 "Since thou wilt not heed mine order,
 Since thou wilt not leave the highway,
 Puffed with pride of thine own greatness,
 Thou shall burst in triple pieces.
 Leave thy station for the borders,
 I will hunt thine ancient mother,
 Sing thine origin of evil,
 How arose thy head of horror;
 Suoyatar, thine ancient mother,
 Thing of evil, thy creator!"

"Suoyatar once let her spittle
 Fall upon the waves of ocean;
 This was rocked by winds and waters,
 Shaken by the ocean-currents,
 Six years rocked upon the billows,
 Rocked in water seven summers,
 On the blue-back of the ocean,
 On the billows high as heaven;
 Lengthwise did the billows draw it,
 And the sunshine gave it softness,
 To the shore the billows washed it,
 On the coast the waters left it.

"Then appeared Creation's daughters,
 Three the daughters thus appearing,
 On the roaring shore of ocean,
 There beheld the spittle lying,
 And the daughters spake as follows:
 'What would happen from this spittle,
 Should the breath of the Creator
 Fall upon the writhing matter,
 Breathe the breath of life upon it,
 Give the thing the sense of vision?

"The Creator heard these measures,
 Spake himself the words that follow:
 'Evil only comes from evil,
 This is the expectoration
 Of fell Suoyatar, its mother;
 Therefore would the thing be evil,
 Should I breathe a soul within it,
 Should I give it sense of vision.'

"Hisi heard this conversation,
 Ever ready with his mischief,
 Made himself to be creator,
 Breathed a soul into the spittle,
 To fell Suoyatar's fierce anger.
 Thus arose the poison-monster,
 Thus was born the evil serpent,
 This the origin of evil.

"Whence the life that gave her action'?
 From the carbon-pile of Hisi.
 Whence then was her heart created?
 From the heart-throbs of her mother
 Whence arose her brain of evil?
 From the foam of rolling waters.
 Whence was consciousness awakened?
 From the waterfall's commotion.
 Whence arose her head of venom?
 From the seed-germs of the ivy.
 Whence then came her eyes of fury?
 From the flaxen seeds of Lempo.
 Whence the evil ears for hearing?
 From the foliage of Hisi.
 Whence then was her mouth created?
 This from Suoyatar's foam-currents
 Whence arose thy tongue of anger r
 From the spear of Keitolainen.
 Whence arose thy fangs of poison?
 From the teeth of Mana's daughter.
 Whence then was thy back created?
 From the carbon-posts of Piru.
 How then was thy tail created?
 From the brain of the hobgoblin.
 Whence arose thy writhing entrails?
 From the death-belt of Tuoni.

"This thine origin, O Serpent,
 This thy charm of evil import,
 Vilest thing of God's creation,
 Writhing, hissing thing of evil,
 With the color of Tuoni,
 With the shade of earth and heaven,
 With the darkness of the storm-cloud.
 Get thee hence, thou loathsome monster,
 Clear the pathway of this hero.
 I am mighty Lemminkainen,
 On my journey to Pohyola,
 To the feastings and carousals,
 In the halls of darksome Northland."

Thereupon the snake uncoiling,
 Hundred-eyed and heinous monster,
 Crawled away to other portals,
 That the hero, Kaukomieli,
 Might proceed upon his errand,
 To the dismal Sariola,
 To the feastings and carousals
 In the banquet-halls of Pohya.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXVII.

 

THE UNWELCOME GUEST.

I HAVE brought young Kaukomieli,
 Brought the Islander and hero,
 Also known as Lemminkainen,
 Through the jaws of death and ruin,
 Through the darkling deeps of Kalma,
 To the homesteads of Pohyola,
 To the dismal courts of Louhi;
 Now must I relate his doings,
 Must relate to all my bearers,
 How the merry Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Wandered through Pohyola's chambers,
 Through the halls of Sariola,
 How the hero went unbidden
 To the feasting and carousal,
 Uninvited to the banquet.

Lemminkainen full of courage,
 Full of life, and strength, and magic.
 Stepped across the ancient threshold,
 To the centre of the court-room,
 And the floors of linwood trembled,
 Walls and ceilings creaked and murmured.

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 These the words that Ahti uttered:
 "Be ye greeted on my coming,
 Ye that greet, be likewise greeted!
 Listen, all ye hosts of Pohya;
 Is there food about this homestead,
 Barley for my hungry courser,
 Beer to give a thirsty stranger?

Sat the host of Sariola
 At the east end of the table,
 Gave this answer to the questions:
 "Surely is there in this homestead,
 For thy steed an open stable,
 Never will this host refuse thee,
 Shouldst thou act a part becoming,
 Worthy, coming to these portals,
 Waiting near the birchen rafters,
 In the spaces by the kettles,
 By the triple hooks of iron."

Then the reckless Lemminkainen
 Shook his sable locks and answered:
 "Lempo may perchance come hither,
 Let him fill this lowly station,
 Let him stand between the kettles,
 That with soot he may be blackened.
 Never has my ancient father,
 Never has the dear old hero,
 Stood upon a spot unworthy,
 At the portals near the rafters;
 For his steed the best of stables,
 Food and shelter gladly furnished,
 And a room for his attendants,
 Corners furnished for his mittens,
 Hooks provided for his snow-shoes,
 Halls in waiting for his helmet.
 Wherefore then should I not find here
 What my father found before me?"

To the centre walked the hero,
 Walked around the dining table,
 Sat upon a bench and waited,
 On a bench of polished fir-wood,
 And the kettle creaked beneath him.
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "As a guest am I unwelcome,
 Since the waiters bring no viands,
 Bring no dishes to the stranger?"

Ilpotar, the Northland hostess,
 Then addressed the words that follow:
 "Lemminkainen, thou art evil,
 Thou art here, but not invited,
 Thou hast not the look of kindness,
 Thou wilt give me throbbing temples,
 Thou art bringing pain and sorrow.
 All our beer is in the barley,
 All the malt is in the kernel,
 All our grain is still ungarnered,
 And our dinner has been eaten;
 Yesterday thou shouldst have been here,
 Come again some future season."

Whereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Pulled his mouth awry in anger,
 Shook his coal-black locks and answered:
 "All the tables here are empty,
 And the feasting-time is over;
 All the beer has left the goblets,
 Empty too are all the pitchers,
 Empty are the larger vessels.
 O thou hostess of Pohyola,
 Toothless dame of dismal Northland,
 Badly managed is thy wedding,
 And thy feast is ill-conducted,
 Like the dogs hast thou invited;
 Thou hast baked the honey-biscuit,
 Wheaten loaves of greatest virtue,
 Brewed thy beer from hops and barley,
 Sent abroad thine invitations,
 Six the hamlets thou hast honored,
 Nine the villages invited
 By thy merry wedding-callers.
 Thou hast asked the poor and lowly,
 Asked the hosts of common people,
 Asked the blind, and deaf, and crippled,
 Asked a multitude of beggars,
 Toilers by the day, and hirelings;
 Asked the men of evil habits,
 Asked the maids with braided tresses,
 I alone was not invited.
 How could such a slight be given,
 Since I sent thee kegs of barley?
 Others sent thee grain in cupfuls,
 Brought it sparingly in dippers,
 While I sent thee fullest measure,
 Sent the half of all my garners,
 Of the richest of my harvest,
 Of the grain that I had gathered.
 Even now young Lemminkainen,
 Though a guest of name and station
 Has no beer, no food, no welcome,
 Naught for him art thou preparing,
 Nothing cooking in thy kettles,
 Nothing brewing in thy cellars
 For the hero of the Islands,
 At the closing of his journey."

Ilpotar, the ancient hostess,
 Gave this order to her servants:
 "Come, my pretty maiden-waiter,
 Servant-girl to me belonging,
 Lay some salmon to the broiling,
 Bring some beer to give the stranger!"

Small of stature was the maiden,
 Washer of the banquet-platters,
 Rinser of the dinner-ladles,
 Polisher of spoons of silver,
 And she laid some food in kettles,
 Only bones and beads of whiting,
 Turnip-stalks and withered cabbage,
 Crusts of bread and bits of biscuit.
 Then she brought some beer in pitchers,
 Brought of common drink the vilest,
 That the stranger, Lemminkainen,
 Might have drink, and meat in welcome,
 Thus to still his thirst and hunger.
 Then the maiden spake as follows:
 "Thou art sure a mighty hero,
 Here to drink the beer of Pohya,
 Here to empty all our vessels!"

Then the minstrel, Lemminkainen,
 Closely handled all the pitchers,
 Looking to the very bottoms;
 There beheld he writhing serpents,
 In the centre adders swimming,
 On the borders worms and lizards.
 Then the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Filled with anger, spake as follows:
 Get ye hence, ye things of evil,
 Get ye hence to Tuonela,
 With the bearer of these pitchers,
 With the maid that brought ye hither,
 Ere the evening moon has risen,
 Ere the day-star seeks the ocean!
 0 thou wretched beer of barley,
 Thou hast met with great dishonor,
 Into disrepute hast fallen,
 But I'll drink thee, notwithstanding,
 And the rubbish cast far from me."

Then the hero to his pockets
 Thrust his first and unnamed finger,
 Searching in his pouch of leather;
 Quick withdraws a hook for fishing,
 Drops it to the pitcher's bottom,
 Through the worthless beer of barley;
 On his fish-book hang the serpents,
 Catches many hissing adders,
 Catches frogs in magic numbers,
 Catches blackened worms in thousands,
 Casts them to the floor before him,
 Quickly draws his heavy broad sword,
 And decapitates the serpents.

Now he drinks the beer remaining,
 When the wizard speaks as follows:
 "As a guest am I unwelcome,
 Since no beer to me is given
 That is worthy of a hero;
 Neither has a ram been butchered,
 Nor a fattened calf been slaughtered,
 Worthy food for Lemminkainen."

Then the landlord of Pohyola
 Answered thus the Island-minstrel:
 "Wherefore hast thou journeyed hither,
 Who has asked thee for thy presence?
 Spake in answer Lemminkainen:
 "Happy is the guest invited,
 Happier when not expected;
 Listen, son of Pohylander,
 Host of Sariola, listen:
 Give me beer for ready payment,
 Give me worthy drink for money!"

Then the landlord of Pohyola,
 In bad humor, full of anger,
 Conjured in the earth a lakelet,
 At the feet of Kaukomieli,
 Thus addressed the Island-hero:
 "Quench thy thirst from yonder lakelet,
 There, the beer that thou deservest!"

Little heeding, Lemminkainen
 To this insolence made answer:
 "I am neither bear nor roebuck,
 That should drink this filthy water,
 Drink the water of this lakelet."

Ahti then began to conjure,
 Conjured he a bull before him,
 Bull with horns of gold and silver,
 And the bull drank from the lakelet,
 Drank he from the pool in pleasure.
 Then the landlord of Pohyola
 There a savage wolf created,
 Set him on the floor before him
 To destroy the bull of magic,
 Lemminkainen, full of courage,
 Conjured up a snow-white rabbit,
 Set him on the floor before him
 To attract the wolf's attention.
 Then the landlord of Pohyola
 Conjured there a dog of Lempo,
 Set him on the floor before him
 To destroy the magic rabbit.
 Lemminkainen, full of mischief,
 Conjured on the roof a squirrel,
 That by jumping on the rafters
 He might catch the dog's attention.
 But the master of the Northland
 Conjured there a golden marten,
 And he drove the magic squirrel
 From his seat upon the rafters.
 Lemminkainen, full of mischief,
 Made a fox of scarlet color,
 And it ate the golden marten.
 Then the master of Pohyola
 Conjured there a hen to flutter
 Near the fox of scarlet color.
 Lemminkainen, full of mischief,
 Thereupon a hawk created,
 That with beak and crooked talons
 He might tear the hen to pieces.

Spake the landlord of Pohyola,
 These the words the tall man uttered:
 "Never will this feast be bettered
 Till the guests are less in number;
 I must do my work as landlord,
 Get thee hence, thou evil stranger,
 Cease thy conjurings of evil,
 Leave this banquet of my people,
 Haste away, thou wicked wizard,
 To thine Island-home and people!
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Thus no hero will be driven,
 Not a son of any courage
 Will be frightened by thy presence,
 Will be driven from thy banquet."

Then the landlord of Pohyola
 Snatched his broadsword from the rafters,
 Drew it rashly from the scabbard,
 Thus addressing Lemminkainen:
 "Ahti, Islander of evil,
 Thou the handsome Kaukomieli,
 Let us measure then our broadswords,
 Let our skill be fully tested;
 Surely is my broadsword better
 Than the blade within thy scabbard."
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen.
 "That my blade is good and trusty,
 Has been proved on heads of heroes,
 Has on many bones been tested;
 Be that as it may, my fellow,
 Since thine order is commanding,
 Let our swords be fully tested,
 Let us see whose blade is better.
 Long ago my hero-father
 Tested well this sword in battle,
 Never failing in a conflict.
 Should his son be found less worthy?"

Then he grasped his mighty broadsword,
 Drew the fire-blade from the scabbard
 Hanging from his belt of copper.
 Standing on their hilts their broadswords,
 Carefully their blades were measured,
 Found the sword of Northland's master
 Longer than the sword of Ahti
 By the half-link of a finger.
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen.
 "Since thou hast the longer broadsword,
 Thou shalt make the first advances,
 I am ready for thy weapon."

Thereupon Pohyola's landlord
 With the wondrous strength of anger,
 Tried in vain to slay the hero,
 Strike the crown of Lemminkainen;
 Chipped the splinters from the rafters,
 Cut the ceiling into fragments,
 Could not touch the Island-hero.

Thereupon brave Kaukomieli,
 Thus addressed Pohyola's master:
 "Have the rafters thee offended?
 What the crimes they have committed,
 Since thou hewest them in pieces?
 Listen now, thou host of Northland,
 Reckless landlord of Pohyola,
 Little room there is for swordsmen
 In these chambers filled with women;
 We shall stain these painted rafters,
 Stain with blood these floors and ceilings;
 Let us go without the mansion,
 In the field is room for combat,
 On the plain is space sufficient;
 Blood looks fairer in the court-yard,
 Better in the open spaces,
 Let it dye the snow-fields scarlet."

To the yard the heroes hasten,
 There they find a monstrous ox-skin,
 Spread it on the field of battle;
 On the ox-skin stand the swordsmen.
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "Listen well, thou host of Northland,
 Though thy broadsword is the longer,
 Though thy blade is full of horror,
 Thou shalt have the first advantage;
 Use with skill thy boasted broadsword
 Ere the final bout is given,
 Ere thy head be chopped in pieces;
 Strike with skill, or thou wilt perish,
 Strike, and do thy best for Northland."

Thereupon Pohyola's landlord
 Raised on high his blade of battle,
 Struck a heavy blow in anger,
 Struck a second, then a third time,
 But he could not touch his rival,
 Could Dot draw a single blood-drop
 From the veins of Lemminkainen,
 Skillful Islander and hero.
 Spake the handsome Kaukomieli:
 "Let me try my skill at fencing,
 Let me swing my father's broadsword,
 Let my honored blade be tested!"
 But the landlord of Pohyola,
 Does not heed the words of Ahti,
 Strikes in fury, strikes unceasing,
 Ever aiming, ever missing.
 When the skillful Lemminkainen
 Swings his mighty blade of magic,
 Fire disports along his weapon,
 Flashes from his sword of honor,
 Glistens from the hero's broadsword,
 Balls of fire disporting, dancing,
 On the blade of mighty Ahti,
 Overflow upon the shoulders
 Of the landlord of Pohyola.
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "O thou son of Sariola,
 See! indeed thy neck is glowing
 Like the dawning of the morning,
 Like the rising Sun in ocean!"

Quickly turned Pohyola's landlord,
 Thoughtless host of darksome Northland,
 To behold the fiery splendor
 Playing on his neck and shoulders.
 Quick as lightning, Lemminkainen,
 With his father's blade of battle,
 With a single blow of broadsword,
 With united skill and power,
 Lopped the head of Pohya's master;
 As one cleaves the stalks of turnips,
 As the ear falls from the corn-stalk,
 As one strikes the fins from salmon,
 Thus the head rolled from the shoulders
 Of the landlord of Pohyola,
 Like a ball it rolled and circled.

In the yard were pickets standing,
 Hundreds were the sharpened pillars,
 And a head on every picket,
 Only one was left un-headed.
 Quick the victor, Lemminkainen,
 Took the head of Pohya's landlord,
 Spiked it on the empty picket.

Then the Islander, rejoicing,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Quick returning to the chambers,
 Crave this order to the hostess:
 "Evil maiden, bring me water,
 Wherewithal to cleanse my fingers
 From the blood of Northland's master,
 Wicked host of Sariola."

Ilpotar, the Northland hostess,
 Fired with anger, threatened vengeance,
 Conjured men with heavy broadswords,
 Heroes clad in copper-armor,
 Hundred warriors with their javelins,
 And a thousand bearing cross-bows,
 To destroy the Island-hero,
 For the death of Lemminkainen.
 Kaukomieli soon discovered
 That the time had come for leaving,
 That his presence was unwelcome
 At the feasting of Pohyola,
 At the banquet of her people.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXVIII

 

THE MOTHER'S COUNSEL.

AHTI, hero of the Islands,
 Wild magician, Lemminkainen,
 Also known as Kaukomieli,
 Hastened from the great carousal,
 From the banquet-halls of Louhi,
 From the ever-darksome Northland,
 From the dismal Sariola.
 Stormful strode he from the mansion,
 Hastened like the smoke of battle,
 From the court-yard of Pohyola,
 Left his crimes and misdemeanors
 In the halls of ancient Louhi.
 Then he looked in all directions,
 Seeking for his tethered courser,
 Anxious looked in field and stable,
 But he did not find his racer;
 Found a black thing in the fallow,
 Proved to be a clump of willows.
 Who will well advise the hero,
 Who will give him wise directions,
 Guide the wizard out of trouble,
 Give his hero-locks protection,
 Keep his magic head from danger
 From the warriors of Northland?

Noise is beard within the village,
 And a din from other homesteads,
 From the battle-hosts of Louhi,
 Streaming from the doors and window,
 Of the homesteads of Pohyola.

Thereupon young Lemminkainen,
 Handsome Islander and hero,
 Changing both his form and features,
 Clad himself in other raiment,
 Changing to another body,
 Quick became a mighty eagle,
 Soared aloft on wings of magic,
 Tried to fly to highest heaven,
 But the moonlight burned his temples,
 And the sunshine singed his feathers.

Then entreating, Lemminkainen,
 Island-hero, turned to Ukko,
 This the prayer that Ahti uttered:
 "Ukko, God of love and mercy,
 Thou the Wisdom of the heavens,
 Wise Director of the lightning,
 Thou the Author of the thunder,
 Thou the Guide of all the cloudlets,
 Give to me thy cloak of vapor,
 Throw a silver cloud around me,
 That I may in its protection
 Hasten to my native country,
 To my mother's Island-dwelling,
 Fly to her that waits my coming,
 With a mother's grave forebodings."

Farther, farther, Lemminkainen
 Flew and soared on eagle-pinions,
 Looked about him, backwards, forwards,
 Spied a gray-hawk soaring near him,
 In his eyes the fire of splendor,
 Like the eyes of Pohyalanders,
 Like the eyes of Pohya's spearmen,
 And the gray-hawk thus addressed him:
 "Ho! There! hero, Lemminkainen,
 Art thou thinking of our combat
 With the, hero-heads of Northland?"

Thus the Islander made answer,
 These the words of Kaukomieli:
 "O thou gray-hawk, bird of beauty,
 Fly direct to Sariola,
 Fly as fast as wings can bear thee;
 When thou hast arrived in safety,
 On the plains of darksome Northland,
 Tell the archers and the spearmen,
 They will never catch the eagle,
 In his journey from Pohyola,
 To his Island-borne and fortress."

Then the Ahti-eagle hastened
 Straightway to his mother's cottage,
 In his face the look of trouble,
 In his heart the pangs of sorrow.
 Ahti's mother ran to meet him,
 When she spied him in the pathway,
 Walking toward her island-dwelling;
 These the words the mother uttered:
 "Of my sons thou art the bravest,
 Art the strongest of my children;
 Wherefore then comes thine annoyance,
 On returning from Pohyola?
 Wert thou worsted at the banquet,
 At the feast and great carousal?
 At thy cups, if thou wert injured,
 Thou shalt here have better treatment
 Thou shalt have the cup thy father
 Brought me from the hero-castle."
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Worthy mother, thou that nursed me,
 If I had been maimed at drinking,
 I the landlord would have worsted,
 Would have slain a thousand heroes,
 Would have taught them useful lessons."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Wherefore then art thou indignant,
 Didst thou meet disgrace and insult,
 Did they rob thee of thy courser?
 Buy thou then a better courser
 With the riches of thy mother,
 With thy father's horded treasures."
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "Faithful mother of my being,
 If my steed had been insulted,
 If for him my heart was injured,
 I the landlord would have punished,
 Would have punished all the horsemen,
 All of Pohya's strongest riders."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Tell me then thy dire misfortune,
 What has happened to my hero,
 On his journey to Pohyola?
 Have the Northland maidens scorned thee,
 Have the women ridiculed thee?
 If the maidens scorned thy presence.
 If the women gave derision,
 There are others thou canst laugh at,
 Thou canst scorn a thousand women."
 Said the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Honored mother, fond and faithful,
 If the Northland dames had scorned me
 Or the maidens laughed derision,
 I the maidens would have punished,
 Would have scorned a thousand women."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Wherefore then are thou indignant,
 Thus annoyed, and heavy-hearted,
 On returning from Pohyola?
 Was thy feasting out of season,
 Was the banquet-beer unworthy,
 Were thy dreams of evil import
 When asleep in darksome Northland?"
 This is Lemminkainen's answer:
 "Aged women may remember
 What they dream on beds of trouble;
 I have seen some wondrous visions,
 Since I left my Island-cottage.
 My beloved, helpful mother,
 Fill my bag with good provisions,
 Flour and salt in great abundance,
 Farther must thy hero wander,
 He must leave his home behind him,
 Leave his pleasant Island-dwelling,
 Journey from this home of ages;
 Men are sharpening their broadswords,
 Sharpening their spears and lances,
 For the death of Lemminkainen."

Then again the mother questioned,
 Hurriedly she asked the reason:
 "Why the men their swords were whetting,
 Why their spears are being sharpened."

Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "Therefore do they whet their broadswords,
 Therefore sharpen they their lances:
 It is for thy son's destruction,
 At his heart are aimed their lances.
 In the court-yard of Pohyola,
 There arose a great contention,
 Fierce the battle waged against me;
 But I slew the Northland hero,
 Killed the host of Sariola;
 Quick to arms rose Louhi's people,
 All the spears and swords of Northland
 Were directed at thy hero;
 All of Pohya turned against me,
 Turned against a single foeman."
 This the answer of the mother:
 "I had told thee this beforehand,
 I had warned thee of this danger,
 And forbidden thee to journey
 To the hostile fields of Northland.
 Here my hero could have lingered,
 Passed his life in full contentment,
 Lived forever with his mother,
 With his mother for protection,
 In the court-yard with his kindred;
 Here no war would have arisen,
 No contention would have followed.
 Whither wilt thou go, my hero,
 Whither will my loved one hasten,
 To escape thy fierce pursuers,
 To escape from thy misdoings,
 From thy sins to bide in safety,
 From thy crimes and misdemeanors,
 That thy head be not endangered,
 That thy body be not mangled,
 That thy locks be not outrooted?"
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Know I not a spot befitting,
 Do not know a place of safety,
 Where to hide from my pursuers,
 That will give me sure protection
 From the crimes by me committed.
 Helpful mother of my being,
 Where to flee wilt thou advise me?"
 This the answer of the mother:
 "I do not know where I can send thee;
 Be a pine-tree on the mountain,
 Or a juniper in lowlands?
 Then misfortune may befall thee;
 Often is the mountain pine-tree
 Cut in splints for candle-lighters;
 And the juniper is often
 Peeled for fence-posts for the pastures.
 Go a birch-tree to the valleys,
 Or an elm-tree to the glenwood?
 Even then may trouble find thee,
 Misery may overtake thee;
 Often is the lowland birch-tree
 Cut to pieces in the ware-house;
 Often is the elm-wood forest
 Cleared away for other plantings.
 Be a berry on the highlands,
 Cranberry upon the heather,
 Strawberry upon the mountains,
 Blackberry along the fences?
 Even there will trouble find thee,
 There misfortune overtake thee,
 For the berry-maids would pluck thee,
 Silver-tinselled girls would get thee.
 Be a pike then in the ocean,
 Or a troutlet in the rivers?
 Then would trouble overtake thee,
 Would become thy life-companion;
 Then the fisherman would catch thee,
 Catch thee in his net of flax-thread,
 Catch thee with his cruel fish-hook.
 Be a wolf then in the forest,
 Or a black-bear in the thickets?
 Even then would trouble find thee,
 And disaster cross thy pathway;
 Sable hunters of the Northland
 Have their spears and cross-bows ready
 To destroy the wolf and black-bear."
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Know I well the worst of places,
 Know where Death will surely follow,
 Where misfortune's eye would find me;
 Since thou gavest me existence,
 Gavest nourishment in childhood,
 Whither shall I flee for safety,
 Whither hide from death and danger?
 In my view is fell destruction,
 Dire misfortune 'hovers o'er me;
 On the morrow come the spearmen,
 Countless warriors from Pohya,
 Ahti's head their satisfaction."
 This the answer of the mother:
 "I can name a goodly refuge,
 Name a land of small dimensions,
 Name a distant ocean-island,
 Where my son may live in safety.
 Thither archers never wander,
 There thy head cannot be severed;
 But an oath as strong as heaven,
 Thou must swear before thy mother;
 Thou wilt not for sixty summers
 Join in war or deadly combat,
 Even though thou wishest silver,
 Wishest gold and silver treasures."
 Spake the grateful Lemminkainen:
 "I will swear an oath of honor,
 That I'll not in sixty summers
 Draw my sword in the arena,
 Test the warrior in battle;
 I have wounds upon my shoulders,
 On my breast two scars of broadsword,
 Of my former battles, relies,
 Relies of my last encounters,
 On the battle-fields of Northland,
 In the wars with men and heroes."
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Go thou, take thy father's vessel,
 Go and bide thyself in safety,
 Travel far across nine oceans;
 In the tenth, sail to the centre,
 To the island, forest-covered,
 To the cliffs above the waters,
 Where thy father went before thee,
 Where he hid from his pursuers,
 In the times of summer conquests,
 In the darksome days of battle;
 Good the isle for thee to dwell in,
 Goodly place to live and linger;
 Hide one year, and then a second,
 In the third return in safety
 To thy mother's island dwelling,
 To thy father's ancient mansion,
 To my hero's place of resting."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXIX.

 

THE ISLE OF REFUGE.

LEMMINKAINEN, full of joyance,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Took provisions in abundance,
 Fish and butter, bread and bacon,
 Hastened to the Isle of Refuge,
 Sailed away across the oceans,
 Spake these measures on departing:
 "Fare thee well, mine Island-dwelling,
 I must sail to other borders,
 To an island more protective,
 Till the second summer passes;
 Let the serpents keep the island,
 Lynxes rest within the glen-wood,
 Let the blue-moose roam the mountains,
 Let the wild-geese cat the barley.
 Fare thee well, my helpful mother!
 When the warriors of the Northland,
 From the dismal Sariola,
 Come with swords, and spears, and cross-bows,
 Asking for my head in vengeance,
 Say that I have long departed,
 Left my mother's Island-dwelling,
 When the barley had been garnered."

Then he launched his boat of copper,
 Threw the vessel to the waters,
 From the iron-banded rollers,
 From the cylinders of oak-wood,
 On the masts the sails he hoisted,
 Spread the magic sails of linen,
 In the stern the hero settled
 And prepared to sail his vessel,
 One hand resting on the rudder.

Then the sailor spake as follows,
 These the words of Lemminkainen:
 "Blow, ye winds, and drive me onward,
 Blow ye steady, winds of heaven,
 Toward the island in the ocean,
 That my bark may fly in safety
 To my father's place of refuge,
 To the far and nameless island!"

Soon the winds arose as bidden,
 Rocked the vessel o'er the billows,
 O'er the blue-back of the waters,
 O'er the vast expanse of ocean;
 Blew two months and blew unceasing,
 Blew a third month toward the island,
 Toward his father's Isle of Refuge.

Sat some maidens on the seaside,
 On the sandy beach of ocean,
 Turned about in all directions,
 Looking out upon the billows;
 One was waiting for her brother,
 And a second for her father,
 And a third one, anxious, waited
 For the, coming of her suitor;
 There they spied young Lemminkainen,
 There perceived the hero's vessel
 Sailing o'er the bounding billows;
 It was like a hanging cloudlet,
 Hanging twixt the earth and heaven.

Thus the island-maidens wondered,
 Thus they spake to one another:
 "What this stranger on the ocean,
 What is this upon the waters?
 Art thou one of our sea-vessels?
 Wert thou builded on this island?
 Sail thou straightway to the harbor,
 To the island-point of landing
 That thy tribe may be discovered."

Onward did the waves propel it,
 Rocked his vessel o'er the billows,
 Drove it to the magic island,
 Safely landed Lemminkainen
 On the sandy shore and harbor.

Spake he thus when he had landed,
 These the words that Ahti uttered:
 "Is there room upon this island,
 Is there space within this harbor,
 Where my bark may lie at anchor,
 Where the sun may dry my vessel?"

This the answer of the virgins,
 Dwellers on the Isle of Refuge:
 "There is room within this harbor,
 On this island, space abundant,
 Where thy bark may lie at anchor,
 Where the sun may dry thy vessel;
 Lying ready are the rollers,
 Cylinders adorned with copper;
 If thou hadst a hundred vessels,
 Shouldst thou come with boats a thousand,
 We would give them room in welcome."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Rolled his vessel in the harbor,
 On the cylinders of copper,
 Spake these words when he had ended:
 "Is there room upon this island,
 Or a spot within these forests,
 Where a hero may be hidden
 From the coming din of battle,
 From the play of spears and arrows?
 Thus replied the Island-maidens:
 "There are places on this island,
 On these plains a spot befitting
 Where to hide thyself in safety,
 Hero-son of little valor.
 Here are many, many castles,
 Many courts upon this island;
 Though there come a thousand heroes,
 Though a thousand spearmen. follow,
 Thou canst hide thyself in safety."
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "Is there room upon this island,
 Where the birch-tree grows abundant,
 Where this son may fell the forest,
 And may cultivate the fallow? "
 Answered thus the Island-maidens:
 "There is not a spot befitting,
 Not a place upon the island,
 Where to rest thy wearied members,
 Not the smallest patch of birch-wood,
 Thou canst bring to cultivation.
 All our fields have been divided,
 All these woods have been apportioned,
 Fields and forests have their owners."

Lemminkainen asked this question,
 These the words of Kaukomieli:
 "Is there room upon this island,
 Worthy spot in field or forest,
 Where to Sing my songs of magic,
 Chant my gathered store of wisdom,
 Sing mine ancient songs and legends?"
 Answered thus the Island-maidens:
 "There is room upon this island,
 Worthy place in these dominions,
 Thou canst sing thy garnered wisdom,
 Thou canst chant thine ancient legends,
 Legends of the times primeval,
 In the forest, in the castle,
 On the island-plains and pastures."

Then began the reckless minstrel
 To intone his wizard-sayings;
 Sang he alders to the waysides,
 Sang the oaks upon the mountains,
 On the oak-trees sang be branches,
 On each branch he sang an acorn,
 On the acorns, golden rollers,
 On each roller, sang a cuckoo;
 Then began the cuckoos, calling,
 Gold from every throat came streaming,
 Copper fell from every feather,
 And each wing emitted silver,
 Filled the isle with precious metals.
 Sang again young Lemminkainen,
 Conjured on, and sang, and chanted,
 Sang to precious stones the sea-sands,
 Sang the stones to pearls resplendent,
 Robed the groves in iridescence,
 Sang the island full of flowers,
 Many-colored as the rainbow.
 Sang again the magic minstrel,
 In the court a well he conjured,
 On the well a golden cover,
 On the lid a silver dipper,
 That the boys might drink the water,
 That the maids might lave their eyelids.
 On the plains he conjured lakelets,
 Sang the duck upon the waters,
 Golden-cheeked and silver-headed,
 Sang the feet from shining copper;
 And the Island-maidens wondered,
 Stood entranced at Ahti's wisdom,
 At the songs of Lemminkainen,
 At the hero's magic power.

Spake the singer, Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "I would sing a wondrous legend,
 Sing in miracles of sweetness,
 If within some hall or chamber,
 I were seated at the table.
 If I sing not in the castle,
 In some spot by walls surrounded
 Then I sing my songs to zephyrs,
 Fling them to the fields and forests."
 Answered thus the Island-maidens:
 "On this isle are castle-chambers,
 Halls for use of magic singers,
 Courts complete for chanting legends,
 Where thy singing will be welcome,
 Where thy songs will not be scattered
 To the forests of the island,
 Nor thy wisdom lost in ether."

Straightway Lemminkainen journeyed
 With the maidens to the castle;
 There he sang and conjured pitchers
 On the borders of the tables,
 Sang and conjured golden goblets
 Foaming with the beer of barley;
 Sang he many well-filled vessels,
 Bowls of honey-drink abundant,
 Sweetest butter, toothsome biscuit,
 Bacon, fish, and veal, and venison,
 All the dainties of the Northland,
 Wherewithal to still his hunger.
 But the proud-heart, Lemminkainen,
 Was not ready for the banquet,
 Did not yet begin his feasting,
 Waited for a knife of silver,
 For a knife of golden handle;
 Quick he sang the precious metals,
 Sang a blade from purest silver,
 To the blade a golden handle,
 Straightway then began his feasting,
 Quenched his thirst and stilled his hunger,
 Charmed the maidens on the island.

Then the minstrel, Lemminkainen,
 Roamed throughout the island-hamlets,
 To the joy of all the virgins,
 All the maids of braided tresses;
 Wheresoe'er he turned his footsteps,
 There appeared a maid to greet him;
 When his hand was kindly offered,
 There his band was kindly taken;
 When he wandered out at evening,
 Even in the darksome places,
 There the maidens bade him welcome;
 There was not an island-village
 Where there were not seven castles,
 In each castle seven daughters,
 And the daughters stood in waiting,
 Gave the hero joyful greetings,
 Only one of all the maidens
 Whom he did not greet with pleasure.

Thus the merry Lemminkainen
 Spent three summers in the ocean,
 Spent a merry time in refuge,
 In the hamlets on the island,
 To the pleasure of the maidens,
 To the joy of all the daughters;
 Only one was left neglected,
 She a poor and graceless spinster,
 On the isle's remotest border,
 In the smallest of the hamlets.

'Then he thought about his journey
 O'er the ocean to his mother,
 To the cottage of his father.
 There appeared the slighted spinster,
 To the Northland son departing,
 Spake these words to Lemminkainen:
 "O, thou handsome Kaukomieli,
 Wisdom-bard, and magic singer,
 Since this maiden thou hast slighted,
 May the winds destroy thy vessel,
 Dash thy bark to countless fragments
 On the ocean-rocks and ledges!"

Lemminkainen's thoughts were homeward,
 Did not heed the maiden's murmurs,
 Did not rise before the dawning
 Of the morning on the island,
 To the pleasure of the maiden
 Of the much-neglected hamlet.
 Finally at close of evening,
 He resolved to leave the island,
 He resolved to waken early,
 Long before the dawn of morning;
 Long before the time appointed,
 He arose that he might wander
 Through the hamlets of the island,
 Bid adieu to all the maidens,
 On the morn of his departure.
 As he wandered hither, thither,
 Walking through the village path-ways
 To the last of all the hamlets;
 Saw he none of all the castle-,
 Where three dwellings were not standing;
 Saw he none of all the dwellings
 Where three heroes were not watching;
 Saw he none of all the heroes,
 Who was not engaged in grinding
 Swords, and spears, and battle-axes,
 For the death of Lemminkainen.
 And these words the hero uttered:
 "Now alas! the Sun arises
 From his couch within the ocean,
 On the frailest of the heroes,
 On the saddest child of Northland;
 On my neck the cloak of Lempo
 Might protect me from all evil,
 Though a hundred foes assail me,
 Though a thousand archers follow."

Then he left the maids ungreeted,
 Left his longing for the daughters
 Of the nameless Isle of Refuge,
 With his farewell-words unspoken,
 Hastened toward the island-harbor,
 Toward his magic bark at anchor;
 But he found it burned to ashes,
 Sweet revenge had fired his vessel,
 Lighted by the slighted spinster.
 Then he saw the dawn of evil,
 Saw misfortune hanging over,
 Saw destruction round about him.
 Straightway he began rebuilding
 Him a magic sailing-vessel,
 New and wondrous, full of beauty;
 But the hero needed timber,
 Boards, and planks, and beams, and braces,
 Found the smallest bit of lumber,
 Found of boards but seven fragments,
 Of a spool he found three pieces,
 Found six pieces of the distaff;
 With these fragments builds his vessel,
 Builds a ship of magic virtue,
 Builds the bark with secret knowledge,
 Through the will of the magician;
 Strikes one blow, and builds the first part,
 Strikes a second, builds the centre,
 Strikes a third with wondrous power,
 And the vessel is completed.

Thereupon the ship he launches,
 Sings the vessel to the ocean,
 And these words the hero utters:
 "Like a bubble swim these waters,
 Like a flower ride the billows;
 Loan me of thy magic feathers,
 Three, O eagle, four, O raven,
 For protection to my vessel,
 Lest it flounder in the ocean!"

Now the sailor, Lemminkainen,
 Seats himself upon the bottom
 Of the vessel he has builded,
 Hastens on his journey homeward,
 Head depressed and evil-humored,
 Cap awry upon his forehead,
 Mind dejected, heavy-hearted,
 That he could not dwell forever
 In the castles of the daughters
 Of the nameless Isle of Refuge.

Spake the minstrel, Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli:
 "Leave I must this merry island,
 Leave her many joys and pleasures,
 Leave her maids with braided tresses,
 Leave her dances and her daughters,
 To the joys of other heroes;
 But I take this comfort with me:
 All the maidens on the island,
 Save the spinster who was slighted,
 Will bemoan my loss for ages,
 Will regret my quick departure;
 They will miss me at the dances,
 In the halls of mirth and joyance,
 In the homes of merry maidens,
 On my father's Isle of Refuge."

Wept the maidens on the island,
 Long lamenting, loudly calling
 To the hero sailing homeward:
 "Whither goest, Lemminkainen,
 Why depart, thou best of heroes?
 Dost thou leave from inattention,
 Is there here a dearth of maidens,
 Have our greetings been unworthy?"

Sang the magic Lemminkainen
 To the maids as he was sailing,
 This in answer to their calling:
 "Leaving not for want of pleasure,
 Do not go from dearth of women
 Beautiful the island-maidens,
 Countless as the sands their virtues.
 This the reason of my going,
 I am longing for my home-land,
 Longing for my mother's cabins,
 For the strawberries of Northland,
 For the raspberries of Kalew,
 For the maidens of my childhood,
 For the children of my mother."

Then the merry Lemminkainen
 Bade farewell to all the island;
 Winds arose and drove his vessel
 On the blue-back of the ocean,
 O'er the far-extending waters,
 Toward the island of his mother.
 On the shore were grouped the daughters
 Of the magic Isle of Refuge,
 On the rocks sat the forsaken,
 Weeping stood the island-maidens,
 Golden daughters, loud-lamenting.
 Weep the maidens of the island
 While the sail-yards greet their vision,
 While the copper-beltings glisten;
 Do not weep to lose the sail-yards,
 Nor to lose the copper-beltings;
 Weep they for the loss of Ahti,
 For the fleeing Kaukomieli
 Guiding the departing vessel.
 Also weeps young Lemminkainen,
 Sorely weeps, and loud-lamenting,
 Weeps while he can see the island,
 While the island hill-tops glisten;
 Does not mourn the island-mountains,
 Weeps he only for the maidens,
 Left upon the Isle of Refuge.

Thereupon sailed Kaukomieli
 On the blue-back of the ocean;
 Sailed one day, and then a second,
 But, alas! upon the third day,
 There arose a mighty storm-wind,
 And the sky was black with fury.
 Blew the black winds from the north-west,
 From the south-east came the whirlwind,
 Tore away the ship's forecastle,
 Tore away the vessel's rudder,
 Dashed the wooden hull to pieces.
 Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Headlong fell upon the waters;
 With his head he did the steering,
 With his hands and feet, the rowing;
 Swam whole days and nights unceasing,
 Swam with hope and strength united,
 Till at last appeared a cloudlet,
 Growing cloudlet to the westward,
 Changing to a promontory,
 Into land within the ocean.

Swiftly to the shore swam Ahti,
 Hastened to a magic castle,
 Found therein a hostess baking,
 And her daughters kneading barley,
 And these words the hero uttered:
 "O, thou hostess, filled with kindness,
 Couldst thou know my pangs of hunger,
 Couldst thou guess my name and station,
 Thou wouldst hasten to the storehouse,
 Bring me beer and foaming liquor,
 Bring the best of thy provisions,
 Bring me fish, and veal, and bacon,
 Butter, bread, and honeyed biscuits,
 Set for me a wholesome dinner,
 Wherewithal to still my hunger,
 Quench the thirst of Lemminkainen.
 Days and nights have I been swimming,
 Buffeting the waves of ocean,
 Seemed as if the wind protected,
 And the billows gave me shelter,"

Then the hostess, filled with kindness,
 Hastened to the mountain storehouse,
 Cut some butter, veal, and bacon,
 Bread, and fish, and honeyed biscuit,
 Brought the best of her provisions,
 Brought the mead and beer of barley,
 Set for him a toothsome dinner,
 Wherewithal to still his hunger,
 Quench the thirst of Lemminkainen.

When the hero's feast had ended,
 Straightway was a magic vessel
 Given by the kindly hostess
 To the weary Kaukomieli,
 Bark of beauty, new and hardy,
 Wherewithal to aid the stranger
 In his journey to his home-land,
 To the cottage of his mother.

Quickly sailed wild Lemminkainen
 On the blue-back of the ocean;
 Sailed he days and nights unceasing,
 Till at last he reached the borders
 Of his own loved home and country;
 There beheld he scenes familiar,
 Saw the islands, capes, and rivers,
 Saw his former shipping-stations,
 Saw he many ancient landmarks,
 Saw the mountains with their fir-trees,
 Saw the pine-trees on the hill-tops,
 Saw the willows in the lowlands;
 Did not see his father's cottage,
 Nor the dwellings of his mother.
 Where a mansion once had risen,
 There the alder-trees were growing,
 Shrubs were growing on the homestead,
 Junipers within the court-yard.
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "In this glen I played and wandered,
 On these stones I rocked for ages,
 On this lawn I rolled and tumbled,
 Frolicked on these woodland-borders,
 When a child of little stature.
 Where then is my mother's dwelling,
 Where the castles of my father?
 Fire, I fear, has found the hamlet,
 And the winds dispersed the ashes."

Then he fell to bitter weeping,
 Wept one day and then a second,
 Wept the third day without ceasing;
 Did not mourn the ancient homestead,
 Nor the dwellings of his father;
 Wept he for his darling mother,
 Wept he for the dear departed,
 For the loved ones of the island.

Then he saw the bird of heaven,
 Saw an eagle flying near him,
 And he asked the bird this question:
 "Mighty eagle, bird majestic,
 Grant to me the information,
 Where my mother may have wandered,
 Whither I may go and find her!"

But the eagle knew but little,
 Only knew that Ahti's people
 Long ago together perished;
 And the raven also answered
 That his people had been scattered
 By the, swords, and spears, and arrows,
 Of his enemies from Pohya.
 Spake the hero, Lemminkainen:
 "Faithful mother, dear departed,
 Thou who nursed me in my childhood,
 Art thou dead and turned to ashes,
 Didst thou perish for my follies,
 O'er thy head are willows weeping,
 Junipers above thy body,
 Alders watching o'er thy slumbers?
 This my punishment for evil,
 This the recompense of folly!
 Fool was I, a son unworthy,
 That I measured swords in Northland
 With the landlord of Pohyola,
 To my tribe came fell destruction,
 And the death of my dear mother,
 Through my crimes and misdemeanors."

Then the ministrel [sic  looked about him,
 Anxious, looked in all directions,
 And beheld some gentle foot-prints,
 Saw a pathway lightly trodden
 Where the heather had been beaten.
 Quick as thought the path he followed,
 Through the meadows, through the brambles,
 O'er the hills, and through the valleys,
 To a forest, vast and cheerless;
 Travelled far and travelled farther,
 Still a greater distance travelled,
 To a dense and hidden glenwood,
 In the middle of the island;
 Found therein a sheltered cabin,
 Found a small and darksome dwelling
 Built between the rocky ledges,
 In the midst of triple pine-trees;
 And within he spied his mother,
 Found his gray-haired mother weeping.

Lemminkainen loud rejoices,
 Cries in tones of joyful greetings,
 These the words that Ahti utters:
 "Faithful mother, well-beloved,
 Thou that gavest me existence,
 Happy I, that thou art living,
 That thou hast not yet departed
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 To the islands of the blessed,
 I had thought that thou hadst perished,
 Hadst been murdered by my foemen,
 Hadst been slain with bows and arrows.
 Heavy are mine eyes from weeping,
 And my checks are white with sorrow,
 Since I thought my mother slaughtered
 For the sins I had committed!"
 Lemminkainen's mother answered:
 "Long, indeed, hast thou been absent,
 Long, my son, hast thou been living
 In thy father's Isle of Refuge,
 Roaming on the secret island,
 Living at the doors of strangers,
 Living in a nameless country,
 Refuge from the Northland foemen."
 Spake the, hero, Lemminkainen:
 "Charming is that spot for living,
 Beautiful the magic island,
 Rainbow-colored was the forest,
 Blue the glimmer of the meadows,
 Silvered were, the pine-tree branches,
 Golden were the heather-blossoms;
 All the woodlands dripped with honey,
 Eggs in every rock and crevice,
 Honey flowed from birch and sorb-tree,
 Milk in streams from fir and aspen,
 Beer-foam dripping from the willows,
 Charming there to live and linger,
 All their edibles delicious.
 This their only source of trouble:
 Great the fear for all the maidens,
 All the heroes filled with envy,
 Feared the coming of the stranger;
 Thought that all the island-maidens,
 Thought that all the wives and daughters,
 All the good, and all the evil,
 Gave thy son too much attention;
 Thought the stranger, Lemminkainen,
 Saw the Island-maids too often;
 Yet the virgins I avoided,
 Shunned the good and shunned the evil,
 Shunned the host of charming daughters,
 As the black-wolf shuns the sheep-fold,
 As the hawk neglects the chickens."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXX.

 

THE FROST-FIEND.

LEMMINKAINEN, reckless ministrel,[sic 
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Hastens as the dawn is breaking,
 At the dawning of the morning,
 To the resting-place of vessels,
 To the harbor of the island,
 Finds the vessels sorely weeping,
 Hears the wailing of the rigging,
 And the ships intone this chorus:
 "Must we wretched lie forever
 In the harbor of this island,
 Here to dry and fall in pieces?
 Ahti wars no more in Northland,
 Wars no more for sixty summers,
 Even should he thirst for silver,
 Should he wish the gold of battle."

Lemminkainen struck his vessels
 With his gloves adorned with copper,
 And addressed the ships as follows:
 "Mourn no more, my ships of fir-wood,
 Strong and hardy is your rigging,
 To the wars ye soon may hasten,
 Hasten to the seas of battle;
 Warriors may swarm your cabins
 Ere to-morrow's morn has risen.!'"

Then the reckless Lemminkainen
 Hastened to his aged mother,
 Spake to her the words that follow:
 "Weep no longer, faithful mother,
 Do not sorrow for thy hero,
 Should he leave for scenes of battle,
 For the hostile fields of Pohya;
 Sweet revenge has fired my spirit,
 And my soul is well determined,
 To avenge the shameful insult
 That the warriors of Northland
 Gave to thee, defenseless woman."

To restrain him seeks his mother,
 Warns her son again of danger:
 "Do not go, my son beloved,
 To the wars in Sariola;
 There the jaws of Death await thee,
 Fell destruction lies before thee!"

Lemminkainen, little heeding,
 Still determined, speaks as follows:
 "Where may I secure a swordsman,
 Worthy of my race of heroes,
 To assist me in the combat?
 Often I have heard of Tiera,
 Heard of Kura of the islands,
 This one I will take to help me,
 Magic hero of the broadsword;
 He will aid me in the combat,
 Will protect me from destruction."

Then he wandered to the islands,
 On the way to Tiera's hamlet,
 These the words that Ahti utters
 As he nears the ancient dwellings:
 Dearest friend, my noble Tiera,
 My, beloved hero-brother,
 Dost thou other times remember,
 When we fought and bled together,
 On the battle-fields of Northland?
 There was not an island-village
 Where there were not seven mansions,
 In each mansion seven heroes,
 And not one of all these foemen
 Whom we did not slay with broadswords,
 Victims of our skill and valor."

Near the window sat the father
 Whittling out a javelin-handle;
 Near the threshold sat the mother
 Skimming cream and making butter;
 Near the portal stood the brother
 Working on a sledge of birch-wood
 Near the bridge-pass were the sisters
 Washing out their varied garments.
 Spake the father from the window,
 From the threshold spake the mother,
 From the portals spake the brother,
 And the sisters from the bridge-pass:
 "Tiera has no time for combat,
 And his broadsword cannot battle;
 Tiera is but late a bridegroom,
 Still unveiled his bride awaits him."

Near the hearth was Tiera lying,
 Lying by the fire was Kura,
 Hastily one foot was shoeing,
 While the other lay in waiting.
 From the hook he takes his girdle,
 Buckles it around his body,
 Takes a javelin from its resting,
 Not the largest, nor the smallest,
 Buckles on his mighty scabbard,
 Dons his heavy mail of copper;
 On each javelin pranced a charger,
 Wolves were howling from his helmet,
 On the rings the bears were growling.
 Tiera poised his mighty javelin,
 Launched the spear upon its errand;
 Hurled the shaft across the pasture,
 To the border of the forest,
 O'er the clay-fields of Pohyola,
 O'er the green and fragrant meadows,
 Through the distant bills of Northland.
 Then great Tiera touched his javelin
 To the mighty spear of Ahti,
 Pledged his aid to Lemminkainen,
 As his combatant and comrade.
 Thereupon wild Kaukomieli
 Pushed his boat upon the waters;
 Like the serpent through the heather,
 Like the creeping of the adder,
 Sails the boat away to Pohya,
 O'er the seas of Sariola.

Quick the wicked hostess, Louhi,
 Sends the black-frost of the heavens
 To the waters of Pohyola,
 O'er the far-extending sea-plains,
 Gave the black-frost these directions:
 "Much-loved Frost, my son and hero,
 Whom thy mother has instructed,
 Hasten whither I may send thee,
 Go wherever I command thee,
 Freeze the vessel of this hero,
 Lemminkainen's bark of magic,
 On the broad back of the ocean,
 On the far-extending waters;
 Freeze the wizard in his vessel,
 Freeze to ice the wicked Ahti,
 That he never more may wander,
 Never waken while thou livest,
 Or at least till I shall free him,
 Wake him from his icy slumber!"

Frost, the son of wicked parents,
 Hero-son of evil manners,
 Hastens off to freeze the ocean,
 Goes to fasten down the flood-gates,
 Goes to still the ocean-currents.
 As he hastens on his journey,
 Takes the leaves from all the forest,
 Strips the meadows of their verdure,
 Robs the flowers of their colors.
 When his journey he had ended,
 Gained the border of the ocean,
 Gained the sea-shore curved and endless,
 On the first night of his visit,
 Freezes he the lakes and rivers,
 Freezes too the shore of ocean,
 Freezes not the ocean-billows,
 Does not check the ocean-currents.
 On the sea a finch is resting,
 Bird of song upon the waters,
 But his feet are not yet frozen,
 Neither is his head endangered.
 When the second night Frost lingered,
 He began to grow important,
 He became a fierce intruder,
 Fearless grew in his invasions,
 Freezes everything before him;
 Sends the fiercest cold of Northland,
 Turns to ice the boundless waters.
 Ever thicker, thicker, thicker,
 Grew the ice on sea and ocean,
 Ever deeper, deeper, deeper,
 Fell the snow on field and forest,
 Froze the hero's ship of beauty,
 Cold and lifeless bark of Ahti;
 Sought to freeze wild Lemminkainen,
 Freeze him lifeless as his vessel,
 Asked the minstrel for his life-blood,
 For his ears, and feet, and fingers.

Then the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Angry grew and filled with magic,
 Hurled the black-frost to the fire-god,
 Threw him to the fiery furnace,
 Held him in his forge of iron,
 Then addressed the frost as follows:
 "Frost, thou evil son of Northland,
 Dire and only son of Winter,
 Let my members not be stiffened,
 Neither ears, nor feet, nor fingers,
 Neither let my head be frozen.
 Thou hast other things to feed on,
 Many other beads to stiffen;
 Leave in peace the flesh of heroes,
 Let this minstrel pass in safety,
 Freeze the swamps, and lakes, and rivers,
 Fens and forests, bills and valleys;
 Let the cold stones grow still colder,
 Freeze the willows in the waters,
 Let the aspens freeze and suffer,
 Let the bark peel from the birch-trees,
 Let the Pines burst on the mountains,
 Let this hero pass in safety,
 Do not let his locks be stiffened.

"If all these prove insufficient,
 Feed on other worthy matters;
 Lot the hot stones freeze asunder,
 Let the flaming rocks be frozen,
 Freeze the fiery blocks of iron,
 Freeze to ice the iron mountains;
 Stiffen well the mighty Wuoksi,
 Let Imatra freeze to silence;
 Freeze the sacred stream and whirlpoo4
 Let their boiling billows stiffen,
 Or thine origin I'll sing thee,
 Tell thy lineage of evil.
 Well I know thine evil nature,
 Know thine origin and power,
 Whence thou camest, where thou goest,
 Know thine ancestry of evil.
 Thou wert born upon the aspen,
 Wert conceived upon the willows,
 Near the borders of Pohyola,
 In the courts of dismal Northland;
 Sin-begotten was thy father,
 And thy mother was Dishonor.

"While in infancy who fed thee
 While thy mother could not nurse thee?
 Surely thou wert fed by adders,
 Nursed by foul and slimy serpents;
 North-winds rocked thee into slumber,
 Cradled thee in roughest weather,
 In the worst of willow-marshes,
 In the springs forever flowing,
 Evil-born and evil-nurtured,
 Grew to be an evil genius,
 Evil was thy mind and spirit,
 And the infant still was nameless,
 Till the name of Frost was given
 To the progeny of evil.

"Then the young lad lived in hedges,
 Dwelt among the weeds and willows,
 Lived in springs in days of summer,
 On the borders of the marshes,
 Tore the lindens in the winter,
 Stormed among the glens and forests,
 Raged among the sacred birch-trees,
 Rattled in the alder-branches,
 Froze the trees, the shoots, the grasses,
 Evened all the plains and prairies,
 Ate the leaves within the woodlands,
 Made the stalks drop down their blossoms,
 Peeled the bark on weeds and willows.

"Thou hast grown to large proportions,
 Hast become too tall and mighty;
 Dost thou labor to benumb me,
 Dost thou wish mine ears and fingers,
 Of my feet wouldst thou deprive me?
 Do not strive to freeze this hero,
 In his anguish and misfortune;
 In my stockings I shall kindle
 Fire to drive thee from my presence,
 In my shoes lay flaming faggots,
 Coals of fire in every garment,
 Heated sandstones in my rigging;
 Thus will hold thee at a distance.
 Then thine evil form I'll banish
 To the farthest Northland borders;
 When thy journey is completed,
 When thy home is reached in safety,
 Freeze the caldrons in the castle,
 Freeze the coal upon the hearthstone,
 In the dough, the hands of women,
 On its mother's lap, the infant,
 Freeze the colt beside its mother.

"If thou shouldst not heed this order,
 I shall banish thee still farther,
 To the carbon-piles of Hisi,
 To the chimney-hearth of Lempo,
 Hurl thee to his fiery furnace,
 Lay thee on the iron anvil,
 That thy body may be hammered
 With the sledges of the blacksmith,
 May be pounded into atoms,
 Twixt the anvil and the hammer.

"If thou shouldst not heed this order,
 Shouldst not leave me to my freedom,
 Know I still another kingdom,
 Know another spot of resting;
 I shall drive thee to the summer,
 Lead thy tongue to warmer climates,
 There a prisoner to suffer,
 Never to obtain thy freedom
 Till thy spirit I deliver,
 Till I go myself and free thee."

Wicked Frost, the son of Winter,
 Saw the magic bird of evil
 Hovering above his spirit,
 Straightway prayed for Ahti's mercy,
 These the words the Frost-fiend uttered:
 "Let us now agree together,
 Neither one to harm the other,
 Never in the course of ages,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers
 On the snow-capped hills of Northland.
 If thou hearest that I bring thee
 Cold to freeze thy feet and fingers,
 Hurl me to the fiery furnace,
 Hammer me upon the anvil
 Of the blacksmith, Ilmarinen;
 Lead my tongue to warmer climates,
 Banish me to lands of summer,
 There a prisoner to suffer,
 Nevermore to gain my freedom."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Left his vessel in the ocean,
 Frozen in the ice of Northland,
 Left his warlike boat forever,
 Started on his cheerless journey
 To the borders of Pohyola,
 And the mighty Tiera followed
 In the tracks of his companion.
 On the ice they journeyed northward
 Briskly walked upon the ice-plain,
 Walked one day, and then a second,
 Till the closing of the third day,
 When the Hunger-land approached them,
 When appeared Starvation-island.

Here the hardy Lemminkainen
 Hastened forward to the castle,
 This the hero's prayer and question;
 "Is there food within this castle,
 Fish or fowl within its larders,
 To refresh us on our journey,
 Mighty heroes, cold and weary?
 When the hero, Lemminkainen,
 Found no food within the castle,
 Neither fish, nor fowl, nor bacon,
 Thus he cursed it and departed:
 "May the fire destroy these chambers,
 May the waters flood this dwelling,
 Wash it to the seas of Mana!"

Then they hastened onward, onward,
 Hastened on through field and forest,
 Over by-ways long untrodden,
 Over unknown paths and snow-fields;
 Here the hardy Lemminkainen,
 Reckless hero, Kaukomieli,
 Pulled the soft wool from the ledges,
 Gathered lichens from the tree-trunks,
 Wove them into magic stockings,
 Wove them into shoes and mittens,
 On the settles of the hoar-frost,
 In the stinging cold of Northland.

Then he sought to find some pathway,
 That would guide their wayward footsteps,
 And the hero spake as follows:
 "O thou Tiera, friend beloved,
 Shall we reach our destination,
 Wandering for days together,
 Through these Northland fields and forests?
 Kura thus replies to Ahti:
 "We, alas! have come for vengeance,
 Come for blood and retribution,
 To the battle-fields of Northland,
 To the dismal Sariola,
 Here to leave our souls and bodies,
 Here to starve, and freeze, and perish,
 In the dreariest of places,
 In this sun-forsaken country!
 Never shall we gain the knowledge,
 Never learn it, never tell it,
 Which the pathway that can guide us
 To the forest-beds to suffer,
 To the Pohya-plains to perish,
 In the home-land of the ravens,
 Fitting food for crows and eagles.
 Often do the Northland vultures
 Hither come to feed their fledgelings;
 Hither bring the birds of heaven
 Bits of flesh and blood of heroes;
 Often do the beaks of ravens
 Tear the flesh of kindred corpses,
 Often do the eagle's talons
 Carry bones and trembling vitals,
 Such as ours, to feed their nestlings,
 In their rocky homes and ledges.

"Oh! my mother can but wonder,
 Never can divine the answer,
 Where her reckless son is roaming,
 Where her hero's blood is flowing,
 Whether in the swamps and lowlands
 Whether in the heat of battle,
 Or upon the waves of the ocean,
 Or upon the hop-feld mountains,
 Or along some forest by-way.
 Nothing can her mind discover
 Of the frailest of her heroes,
 Only think that he has perished.
 Thus the hoary-headed mother
 Weeps and murmurs in her chambers:
 'Where is now my son beloved,
 In the kingdom of Manala?
 Sow thy crops, thou dread Tuoni,
 Harrow well the fields of Kalma!
 Now the bow receives its respite
 From the fingers of my Tiera;
 Bow and arrow now are useless,
 Now the merry birds can fatten
 In the fields, and fens, and forests;
 Bears may live in dens of freedom,
 On the fields may sport the elk-herds.'"
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Thus it is, mine aged mother,
 Thou that gavest me existence!
 Thou hast reared thy broods of chickens,
 Hatched and reared thy flights of white-swans
 All of them the winds have scattered,
 Or the evil Lempo frightened;
 One flew hither, and one thither,
 And a third one, lost forever!
 Think thou of our former pleasures,
 Of our better days together,
 When I wandered like the flowers,
 Like the berry in the meadows.
 Many saw my form majestic,
 Many thought me well-proportioned.
 Now is not as then with Ahti,
 Into evil days have fallen,
 Since I see but storms and darkness!
 Then my eyes beheld but sunshine,
 Then we did not weep and murmur,
 Did not fill our hearts with sorrow,
 When the maids in joy were singing,
 When the virgins twined their tresses;
 Then the women joined in joyance,
 Whether brides were happy-wedded,
 Whether bridegrooms choose discreetly,
 Whether they were wise or unwise.

"But we must not grow disheartened,
 Let the Island-maidens cheer us;
 Here we are not yet enchanted,
 Not bewitched by magic singing,
 On the paths not left to perish,
 Sink and perish on our journey.
 Full of youth we should not suffer,
 Strong, we should not die unworthy,
 Whom the wizards have enchanted,
 Have bewitched with songs of magic;
 Sorcerers may charm and conquer,
 Bury them within their dungeons,
 Hide them spell-bound in their cabins.
 Let the wizards charm each other,
 And bewitch their magic offspring,
 Bring their tribes to fell destruction.
 Never did my gray-haired father
 Bow submission to a wizard,
 Offer worship to magicians.
 These the words my father uttered,
 These the thoughts his son advances:
 'Guard us, thou O great Creator,
 Shield us, thou O God of mercy,
 With thine arms of grace protect us,
 Help us with thy strength and wisdom,
 Guide the minds of all thy heroes,
 Keep aright the thoughts of women,
 Keep the old from speaking evil,
 Keep the young from sin and folly,
 Be to us a help forever,
 Be our Guardian and our Father,
 That our children may not wander
 From the ways of their Creator,
 From the path that God has given!'"

Then the hero Lemminkainen,
 Made from cares the fleetest racers,
 Sable racers from his sorrows,
 Reins he made from days of evil,
 From his sacred pains made saddles.
 To the saddle, quickly springing,
 Galloped he away from trouble,
 To his dear and aged mother;
 And his comrade, faithful Tiera,
 Galloped to his Island-dwelling.

Now departs wild Lemminkainen,
 Brave and reckless Kaukomieli,
 From these ancient songs and legends;
 Only guides his faithful Kura
 To his waiting bride and kindred,
 While these lays and incantations
 Shall be turned to other heroes.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXI.

 

KULLERWOINEN SON OF EVIL.

IN the ancient times a mother
 Hatched and raised some swans and chickens,
 Placed the chickens in the brushwood,
 Placed her swans upon the river;
 Came an eagle, hawk, and falcon,
 Scattered all her swans and chickens,
 One was carried to Karyala,
 And a second into Ehstland,
 Left a third at home in Pohya.
 And the one to Ehstland taken
 Soon became a thriving merchant;
 He that journeyed to Karyala
 Flourished and was called Kalervo;
 He that hid away in Pohya
 Took the name of Untamoinen,
 Flourished to his father's sorrow,
 To the heart-pain of his mother.

Untamoinen sets his fish-nets
 In the waters of Kalervo;
 Kullerwoinen sees the fish-nets,
 Takes the fish home in his basket.
 Then Untamo, evil-minded,
 Angry grew and sighed for vengeance,
 Clutched his fingers for the combat,
 Bared his mighty arms for battle,
 For the stealing of his salmon,
 For the robbing of his fish-nets.
 Long they battled, fierce the struggle,
 Neither one could prove the victor;
 Should one beat the other fiercely,
 He himself was fiercely beaten.

Then arose a second trouble;
 On the second and the third days,
 Kalerwoinen sowed some barley
 Near the barns of Untamoinen;
 Untamoinen's sheep in hunger
 Ate the crop of Kullerwoinen;
 Kullerwoinen's dog in malice
 Tore Untamo's sheep in pieces;
 Then Untamo sorely threatened
 To annihilate the people
 Of his brother, Kalerwoinen,
 To exterminate his tribe-folk,
 To destroy the young and aged,
 To out-root his race and kingdom;
 Conjures men with broadswords girded,
 For the war he fashions heroes,
 Fashions youth with spears adjusted,
 Bearing axes on their shoulders ,
 Conjures thus a mighty army,
 Hastens to begin a battle,
 Bring a war upon his brother.

Kalerwoinen's wife in beauty
 Sat beside her chamber-window,
 Looking out along the highway,
 Spake these words in wonder guessing:
 "Do I see some smoke arising,
 Or perchance a heavy storm-cloud,
 Near the border of the forest,
 Near the ending of the prairie?"

It was not some smoke arising,
 Nor indeed a heavy storm-cloud,
 It was Untamoinen's soldiers
 Marching to the place of battle.
 Warriors of Untamoinen
 Came equipped with spears and arrows,
 Killed the people of Kalervo,
 Slew his tribe and all his kindred,
 Burned to ashes many dwellings,
 Levelled many courts and cabins,
 Only, left Kalervo's daughter,
 With her unborn child, survivors
 Of the slaughter of Untamo;
 And she led the hostile army
 To her father's halls and mansion,
 Swept the rooms and made them cheery,
 Gave the heroes home-attentions.

Time had gone but little distance,
 Ere a boy was born in magic
 Of the virgin, Untamala,
 Of a mother, trouble-laden,
 Him the mother named Kullervo,
 "Pearl of Combat," said Untamo.
 Then they laid the child of wonder,
 Fatherless, the magic infant,
 In the cradle of attention,
 To be rocked, and fed, and guarded;
 But he rocked himself at pleasure,
 Rocked until his locks stood endwise;
 Rocked one day, and then a second,
 Rocked the third from morn till noontide;
 But before the third day ended,
 Kicks the boy with might of magic,
 Forwards, backwards, upwards, downwards,
 Kicks in miracles of power,
 Bursts with might his swaddling garments
 Creeping from beneath his blankets,
 Knocks his cradle into fragments,
 Tears to tatters all his raiment,
 Seemed that he would grow a hero,
 And his mother, Untamala,
 Thought that be, when full of stature,
 When he found his strength and reason,
 Would become a great magician,
 First among a thousand heroes.

When. three months the boy had thriven,
 He began to speak as follows:
 "When my form is full of stature,
 When these arms grow strong and hardy,
 Then will I avenge the murder
 Of Kalervo and his people!"

Untamoinen bears the saying,
 Speaks these words to those about him;
 "To my tribe he brings destruction,
 In him grows a new Kalervo!"

Then the heroes well considered,
 And the women gave their counsel,
 How to kill the magic infant,
 That their tribe may live in safety.
 It appeared the boy would prosper;
 Finally, they all consenting,
 He was placed within a basket,
 And with willows firmly fastened,
 Taken to the reeds and rushes,
 Lowered to the deepest waters,
 In his basket there to perish.

When three nights had circled over,
 Messengers of Untamoinen
 Went to see if be had perished
 In his basket in the waters;
 But the prodigy, was living,
 Had not perished in the rushes;
 He had left his willow-basket,
 Sat in triumph on a billow,
 In his hand a rod of copper,
 On the rod a golden fish-line,
 Fishing for the silver whiting,
 Measuring the deeps beneath him;
 In the sea was little water,
 Scarcely would it fill three measures.

Untamoinen then reflected,
 This the language of the wizard:
 "Whither shall we take this wonder,
 Lay this prodigy of evil,
 That destruction may o'ertake him,
 Where the boy will sink and perish?"

Then his messengers he ordered
 To collect dried poles of brushwood,
 Birch-trees with their hundred branches,
 Pine-trees full of pitch and resin,
 Ordered that a pyre be builded,
 That the boy might be cremated,
 That Kullervo thus might perish.
 High they piled the and branches,
 Dried limbs from the sacred birch-tree,
 Branches from a hundred fir-trees,
 Knots and branches full of resign;
 Filled with bark a thousand sledges,
 Seasoned oak, a hundred measures;
 Piled the brushwood to the tree-tops,
 Set the boy upon the summit,
 Set on fire the pile of brushwood,
 Burned one day, and then a second,
 Burned the third from morn till evening.

When Untamo sent his heralds
 To inspect the pyre and wizard,
 There to learn if young Kullervo
 Had been burned to dust and ashes,
 There they saw the young boy sitting
 On a pyramid of embers,
 In his band a rod of copper,
 Raking coals of fire about him,
 To increase their heat and power;
 Not a hair was burned nor injured,
 Not a ringlet singed nor shrivelled.

Then Untamo, evil-humored,
 Thus addressed his trusted heralds:
 "Whither shall the boy be taken,
 To what place this thing of evil,
 That destruction may o'ertake him.
 That the boy may sink and perish?"

Then they hung him to an oak-tree,
 Crucified him in the branches,
 That the wizard there might perish.

When three days and nights had ended,
 Untamoinen spake as follows:
 "It is time to send my heralds
 To inspect the mighty oak-tree,
 There to learn if young Kullervo
 Lives or dies among the branches."

Thereupon he sent his servants,
 And the heralds brought this message:
 "Young Kullervo has not perished,
 Has not died among the branches
 Of the oak-tree where we hung him.
 In the oak he maketh pictures
 With a wand between his fingers;
 Pictures hang from all the branches,
 Carved and painted by Kullervo;
 And the heroes, thick as acorns,
 With their swords and spears adjuste4
 Fill the branches of the oak-tree,
 Every leaf becomes a soldier."

Who can help the grave Untamo
 Kill the boy that threatens evil
 To Untamo's tribe and country,
 Since he will not die by water,
 Nor by fire, nor crucifixion?
 Finally it was decided
 That his body was immortal,
 Could not suffer death nor torture.

In despair grave Untamoinen
 Thus addressed the boy, Kullervo:
 "Wilt thou live a life becoming,
 Always do my people honor,
 Should I keep thee in my dwelling?
 Shouldst thou render servant's duty,
 Then thou wilt receive thy wages,
 Reaping whatsoe'er thou sowest;
 Thou canst wear the golden girdle,
 Or endure the tongue of censure."

When the boy had grown a little,
 Had increased in strength and stature,
 He was given occupation,
 He was made to tend an infant,
 Made to rock the infant's cradle.
 These the words of Untamoinen:
 "Often look upon the young child,
 Feed him well and guard from danger,
 Wash his linen in the river,
 Give the infant good attention."

Young Kullervo, wicked wizard,
 Nurses one day then a second;
 On the morning of the third day,
 Gives the infant cruel treatment,
 Blinds its eyes and breaks its fingers;
 And when evening shadows gather,
 Kills the young child while it slumbers,
 Throws its body to the waters,
 Breaks and burns the infant's cradle.
 Untamoinen thus reflected:
 "Never will this fell Kullervo
 Be a worthy nurse for children,
 Cannot rock a babe in safety;
 Do not know how I can use him,
 What employment I can give him!"
 Then he told the young magician
 He must fell the standing forest,
 And Kullervo gave this answer:
 "Only will I be a hero,
 When I wield the magic hatchet;
 I am young, and fair, and mighty,
 Far more beautiful than others,
 Have the skill of six magicians."

Thereupon he sought the blacksmith,
 This the order of Kullervo:
 "Listen, O thou metal-artist,
 Forge for me an axe of copper,
 Forge the mighty axe of heroes,
 Wherewith I may fell the forest,
 Fell the birch, and oak, and aspen."

This behest the blacksmith honors,
 Forges him an axe of copper,
 Wonderful the blade he forges.
 Kullerwoinen grinds his hatchet,
 Grinds his blade from morn till evening,
 And the next day makes the handle;
 Then he hastens to the forest,
 To the upward-sloping mountain,
 To the tallest of the birches,
 To the mightiest of oak-trees;
 There he swings his axe of copper,
 Swings his blade with might of magic,
 Cuts with sharpened edge the aspen,
 With one blow he fells the oak-tree,
 With a second blow, the linden;
 Many trees have quickly fallen,
 By the hatchet of Kullervo.
 Then the wizard spake as follows:
 "This the proper work of Lempo,
 Let dire Hisi fell the forest!"

In the birch he sank his hatchet,
 Made an uproar in the woodlands,
 Called aloud in tones, of thunder,
 Whistled to the distant mountains,
 Till they echoed to his calling,
 When Kullervo spake as follows:
 "May the forest, in the circle
 Where my voice rings, fall and perish,
 In the earth be lost forever!
 May no tree remain unlevelled,
 May no saplings grow in spring-time,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers,
 Where Kullervo's voice has echoed,
 Where the forest hears my calling;
 Where the ground with seed is planted,
 And the grain shall sprout and flourish,
 May it never come to ripeness,
 Mar the ears of corn be blasted!"

When the strong man, Untamoinen,
 Went to look at early evening,
 How Kullervo was progressing,
 In his labors in the forest;
 Little was the work accomplished,
 Was not worthy of a here;
 Untamoinen thus reflected:
 "Young Kullervo is not fitted
 For the work of clearing forests,
 Wastes the best of all the timber,
 To my lands he brings destruction;
 I shall set him making fences."

Then the youth began the building
 Of a fence for Untamoinen;
 Took the trunks of stately fir-trees,
 Trimmed them with his blade for fence-posts,
 Cut the tallest in the woodlands,
 For the railing of his fences;
 Made the smaller poles and cross-bars
 From the longest of the lindens;
 Made the fence without a pass-way,
 Made no wicket in his fences,
 And Kullervo spake these measures.
 "He that does not rise as eagles,
 Does not sail on wings through ether,
 Cannot cross Kullervo's pickets,
 Nor the fences he has builded."

Untamoinen left his mansion
 To inspect the young boy's labors,
 View the fences of Kullervo;
 Saw the fence without a pass-way,
 Not a wicket in his fences;
 From the earth the fence extended
 To the highest clouds of heaven.
 These the words of Untamoinen:
 "For this work be is not fitted,
 Useless is the fence thus builded;
 Is so high that none can cross it,
 And there is no passage through it:
 He shall thresh the rye and barley."

Young Kullervo, quick preparing
 Made an oaken flail for threshing,
 Threshed the rye to finest powder,
 Threshed the barley into atoms,
 And the straw to worthless fragments.

Untamoinen went at evening,
 Went to see Kullervo's threshing,
 View the work of Kullerwoinen;
 Found the rye was ground to powder,
 Grains of barley crushed to atoms,
 And the straw to worthless rubbish.

Untamoinen then grew angry,
 Spake these words in bitter accents:
 "Kullerwoinen as a workman
 Is a miserable failure;
 Whatsoever work he touches
 Is but ruined by his witchcraft;
 I shall carry him to Ehstland,
 In Karyala I shall sell him
 To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 There to swing the heavy hammer."

Untamoinen sells Kullervo,
 Trades him off in far Karyala,
 To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 To the master of the metals,
 This the sum received in payment:
 Seven worn and worthless sickles,
 Three old caldrons worse than useless,
 Three old scythes, and hoes, and axes,
 Recompense, indeed, sufficient
 For a boy that will not labor
 For the good of his employer.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXII.

 

KULLERVO AS A SHEPERD.

KULLERWOINEN, wizard-servant
 Of the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Purchased slave from Untamoinen,
 Magic son with sky-blue stockings.,
 With a head of golden ringlets,
 In his shoes of marten-leather,
 Waiting little, asked the blacksmith,
 Asked the host for work at morning,
 In the evening asked the hostess,
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Give me work at early morning,
 In the evening, occupation,
 Labor worthy of thy servant."

Then the wife of Ilmarinen,
 Once the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Thinking long, and long debating,
 How to give the youth employment,
 How the purchased slave could labor;
 Finally a shepherd made him,
 Made him keeper of her pastures;
 But the over-scornful hostess,
 Baked a biscuit for the herdsman,
 Baked a loaf of wondrous thickness,
 Baked the lower-half of oat-meal,
 And the upper-half of barley,
 Baked a flint-stone in the centre,
 Poured around it liquid butter,
 Then she gave it to the shepherd,
 Food to still the herdsman's hunger;
 Thus she gave the youth instructions:
 "Do not eat the bread in hunger,
 Till the herd is in the woodlands!"

Then the wife of Ilmarinen
 Sent her cattle to the pasture,
 Thus addressing Kullerwoinen:
 "Drive the cows to yonder bowers,
 To the birch-trees and the aspens,
 That they there may feed and fatten,
 Fill themselves with milk and butter,
 In the open forest-pastures,
 On the distant hills and mountains,
 In the glens among the birch-trees,
 In the lowlands with the aspens,
 In the golden pine-tree forests,
 In the thickets silver-laden.

"Guard them, thou O kind Creator,
 Shield them, omnipresent Ukko,
 Shelter them from every danger,
 And protect them from all evil,
 That they may not want, nor wander
 From the paths of peace and plenty.
 As at home Thou didst protect them
 In the shelters and the hurdles,
 Guard them now beneath the heavens,
 Shelter them in woodland pastures,
 That the herds may live and prosper
 To 'the joy of Northland's hostess,
 And against the will of Lempo.

"If my herdsman prove unworthy,
 If the shepherd-maids seem evil,
 Let the pastures be their shepherds,
 Let the alders guard the cattle,
 Make the birch-tree their protector,
 Let the willow drive them homeward,
 Ere the hostess go to seek them,
 Ere the milkmaids wait and worry.
 Should the birch-tree not protect them,
 Nor the aspen lend assistance,
 Nor the linden be their keeper,
 Nor the willow drive them homeward,
 Wilt thou give them better herdsmen,
 Let Creation's beauteous daughters
 Be their kindly shepherdesses.
 Thou hast many lovely maidens,
 Many hundreds that obey thee,
 In the Ether's spacious circles,
 Beauteous daughters of creation.

"Summer-daughter, magic maiden,
 Southern mother of the woodlands,
 Pine-tree daughter, Kateyatar,
 Pihlayatar, of the aspen,
 Alder-maiden, Tapio's daughter,
 Daughter of the glen, Millikki,
 And the mountain-maid, Tellervo,
 Of my herds be ye protectors,
 Keep them from the evil-minded,
 Keep them safe in days of summer,
 In the times of fragrant flowers,
 While the tender leaves are whispering,
 While the Earth is verdure-laden.

"Summer-daughter, charming maiden,
 Southern mother of the woodlands,
 Spread abroad thy robes of safety,
 Spread thine apron o'er the forest,
 Let it cover all my cattle,
 And protect the unprotected,
 That no evil winds may harm them,
 May not suffer from the storm-clouds.
 Guard my flocks from every danger,
 Keep them from the hands of wild-beasts,
 From the swamps with sinking pathways,
 From the springs that bubble trouble,
 From the swiftly running waters,
 From the bottom of the whirlpool,
 That they may not find misfortune,
 May not wander to destruction,
 In the marshes sink and perish,
 Though against God's best intentions,
 Though against the will of Ukko.

"From a distance bring a bugle,
 Bring a shepherd's horn from heaven,
 Bring the honey-flute of Ukko,
 Play the music of creation,
 Blow the pipes of the magician,
 Play the flowers on the highlands,
 Charm the hills, and dales, and mount
 Charm the borders of the forest,
 Fill the forest-trees with honey,
 Fill with spice the fountain-borders.

"For my herds give food and shelter,
 Feed them all on honeyed pastures,
 Give them drink at honeyed fountains
 Feed them on thy golden grasses,
 On the leaves of silver saplings,
 From the springs of life and beauty,
 From the crystal-waters flowing,
 From the waterfalls of Rutya,
 From the uplands green and golden,
 From the glens enriched in silver.
 Dig thou also golden fountains
 On the four sides of the willow,
 That the cows may drink in sweetness,
 And their udders swell with honey,
 That their milk may flow in streamlets;
 Let the milk be caught in vessels,
 Let the cow's gift be not wasted,
 Be not given to Manala.

"Many are the sons of evil,
 That to Mana take their milkings,
 Give their milk to evil-doers,
 Waste it in Tuoni's empire;
 Few there are, and they the worthy,
 That can get the milk from Mana;
 Never did my ancient mother
 Ask for counsel in the village,
 Never in the courts for wisdom;
 She obtained her milk from Mana,
 Took the sour-milk from the dealers,
 Sweet-milk from the greater distance,
 From the kingdom of Manala,
 From Tuoni's fields and pastures;
 Brought it in the dusk of evening,
 Through the by-ways in the darkness,
 That the wicked should not know it,
 That it should not find destruction.

"This the language of my mother,
 And these words I also echo:
 Whither does the cow's gift wander,
 Whither has the milk departed?
 Has it gone to feed the strangers,
 Banished to the distant village,
 Gone to feed the hamlet-lover,
 Or perchance to feed the forest,
 Disappeared within the woodlands,
 Scattered o'er the hills and mountains,
 Mingled with the lakes and rivers?
 It shall never go to Mana,
 Never go to feed the stranger,
 Never to the village-lover;
 Neither shall it feed the forest,
 Nor be lost upon the mountains,
 Neither sprinkled in the woodlands,
 Nor be mingled with the waters;
 It is needed for our tables,
 Worthy food for all our children.'

Summer-daughter, maid of beauty,
 Southern daughter of Creation,
 Give Suotikki tender fodder,
 To Watikki, give pure water,
 To Hermikki milk abundant,
 Fresh provisions to Tuorikki,
 From Mairikki let the milk flow,
 Fresh milk from my cows in plenty,
 Coming from the tips of grasses,
 From the tender herbs and leaflets,
 From the meadows rich in honey,
 From the mother of the forest,
 From the meadows sweetly dripping,
 From the berry-laden branches,
 From the heath of flower-maidens,
 From the verdure. maiden bowers,
 From the clouds of milk-providers,
 From the virgin of the heavens,
 That the milk may flow abundant
 From the cows that I have given
 To the keeping of Kullervo.

"Rise thou virgin of the valley,
 From the springs arise in beauty,
 Rise thou maiden of the fountain,
 Beautiful, arise in ether,
 Take the waters from the cloudlets,
 And my roaming herds besprinkle,
 That my cows may drink and flourish,
 May be ready for the coming
 Of the shepherdess of evening.

"O Millikki, forest-hostess,
 Mother of the herds at pasture,
 Send the tallest of thy servants,
 Send the best of thine assistants,
 That my herds may well be guarded,
 Through the pleasant days of summer,
 Given us by our Creator.

"Beauteous virgin of the woodlands,
 Tapio's most charming daughter,
 Fair Tellervo, forest-maiden,
 Softly clad in silken raiment,
 Beautiful in golden ringlets,
 Do thou give my herds protection,
 In the Metsola dominions,
 On the hills of Tapiola;
 Shield them with thy hands of beauty,
 Stroke them gently with thy fingers,
 Give to them a golden lustre,
 Make them shine like fins of salmon,
 Grow them robes as soft as ermine.

"When the evening star brings darkness,
 When appears the hour of twilight,
 Send my lowing cattle homeward,
 Milk within their vessels coursing,
 Water on their backs in lakelets.
 When the Sun has set in ocean,
 When the evening-bird is singing,
 Thus address my herds of cattle:

"Ye that carry horns, now hasten
 To the sheds of Ilmarinen;
 Ye enriched in milk go homeward,
 To the hostess now in waiting,
 Home, the better place for sleeping,
 Forest-beds are full of danger;
 When the evening comes in darkness,
 Straightway journey to the milkmaids
 Building fires to light the pathway
 On the turf enriched in honey,
 In the pastures berry-laden!

"Thou, O Tapio's son, Nyrikki,
 Forest-son, enrobed in purple,
 Cut the fir-trees on the mountains,
 Cut the pines with cones of beauty,
 Lay them o'er the streams for bridges,
 Cover well the sloughs of quicksand,
 In the swamps and in the lowlands,
 That my herd may pass in safety,
 On their long and dismal journey,
 To the clouds of smoke may hasten,
 Where the milkmaids wait their coming.
 If the cows heed not this order,
 Do not hasten home at evening,
 Then, O service-berry maiden,
 Cut a birch-rod from the glenwood,
 From the juniper, a whip-stick,
 Near to Tapio's spacious mansion,
 Standing on the ash-tree mountain,
 Drive my wayward,  owing cattle,
 Into Metsola's wide milk-yards,
 When the evening-star is rising.

"Thou, O Otso, forest-apple,
 Woodland bear, with honeyed fingers,
 Let us make a lasting treaty,
 Make a vow for future ages,
 That thou wilt not kill my cattle,
 Wilt not eat my milk-providers;
 That I will not send my hunters
 To destroy thee and thy kindred,
 Never in the days of summer,
 The Creator's warmest season.

"Dost thou hear the tones of cow-bells,
 Hear the calling of the bugles,
 Ride thyself within the meadow,
 Sink upon the turf in slumber,
 Bury both thine ears in clover,
 Crouch within some alder-thicket
 Climb between the mossy ledges,
 Visit thou some rocky cavern,
 Flee away to other mountains,
 Till thou canst not hear the cow-bells,
 Nor the calling of the herdsmen.

"Listen, Otso of the woodlands,
 Sacred bear with honeyed fingers,
 To approach the herd of cattle
 Thou thyself art not forbidden,
 But thy tongue, and teeth, and fingers,
 Must not touch my herd in summer,
 Must not harm my harmless creatures.
 Go around the scented meadows,
 Amble through the milky pastures,
 From the tones of bells and shepherds.
 should the herd be on the mountain,
 Go thou quickly to the marshes;
 Should my cattle browse the lowlands,
 Sleep thou then within the thicket;
 Should they feed upon the uplands,
 Thou must hasten to the valley;
 Should the herd graze at the bottom,
 Thou must feed upon the summit.

"Wander like the golden cuckoo,
 Like the dove of silver brightness,
 Like a little fish in ocean;
 Ride thy claws within thy hair-foot,
 Shut thy wicked teeth in darkness,
 That my herd may not be frightened,
 May not think themselves in danger.
 Leave my cows in peace and plenty,
 Let them journey home in order,
 Through the vales and mountain by-ways,
 Over plains and through the forest,
 Harming not my harmless creatures.

"Call to mind our former pledges,
 At the river of Tuoni,
 Near the waterfall and whirlpool,
 In the ears of our Creator.
 Thrice to Otso was it granted,
 In the circuit of the summer,
 To approach the land of cow-bells,
 Where the herdsmen's voices echo;
 But to thee it was not granted,
 Otso never had permission
 To attempt a wicked action,
 To begin a work of evil.
 Should the blinding thing of malice
 Come upon thee in thy roamings,
 Should thy bloody teeth feel hunger,
 Throw thy malice to the mountains,
 And thy hunger to the pine-trees,
 Sink thy teeth within the aspens,
 In the dead limbs of the birches,
 Prune the dry stalks from the willows.
 Should thy hunger still impel thee,
 Go thou to the berry-mountain,
 Eat the fungus of the forest,
 Feed thy hunger on the ant-hills,
 Eat the red roots of the bear-tree,
 Metsola's rich cakes of honey,
 Not the grass my herd would feed on.
 Or if Metsola's rich honey
 Should ferment before the eating,
 On the hills of golden color,
 On the mountains filled with silver,
 There is other food for hunger,
 Other drink for thirsting Otso,
 Everlasting will the food be,
 And the drink be never wanting.

"Let us now agree in honor,
 And conclude a lasting treaty
 That our lives may end in pleasure,
 May be, merry in the summer,
 Both enjoy the woods in common,
 Though our food must be distinctive
 Shouldst thou still desire to fight me,
 Let our contests be in winter,
 Let our wars be, on the snow-fields.
 Swamps will thaw in days of summer,
 Warm, the water in the rivers.
 Therefore shouldst thou break this treaty,
 Shouldst thou come where golden cattle
 Roam these woodland hills and valleys,
 We will slay thee with our cross-bows;
 Should our arrow-men be absent,
 We have here some archer-women,
 And among them is the hostess,
 That can use the fatal weapon,
 That can bring thee to destruction,
 Thus will end the days of trouble
 That thou bringest to our people,
 And against the will of Ukko.

"Ukko, ruler in the heavens,
 Lend an ear to my entreaty,
 Metamorphose all my cattle,
 Through the mighty force of magic,
 Into stumps and stones convert them,
 If the enemy should wander,
 Near my herd in days of summer.

"If I had been born an Otso,
 I would never stride and amble
 At the feet of aged women;
 Elsewhere there are hills and valleys,
 Farther on are honey-pastures,
 Where the lazy bear may wander,
 Where the indolent may linger;
 Sneak away to yonder mountain,
 That thy tender flesh may lessen,
 In the blue-glen's deep recesses,
 In the bear-dens of the forest,
 Thou canst move through fields of acorns,
 Through the sand and ocean-pebbles,
 There for thee is tracked a pathway,
 Through the woodlands on the sea-coast,
 To the Northland's farthest limits,
 To the dismal plains of Lapland,
 There 'tis well for thee to lumber,
 There to live will be a pleasure.
 Shoeless there to walk in summer,
 Stockingless in days of autumn,
 On the blue-back of the mountain,
 Through the swamps and fertile lowlands.

"If thou canst not journey thither,
 Canst not find the Lapland-highway,
 Hasten on a little distance,
 In the bear-path leading northward.
 To the grove of Tuonela,
 To the honey-plains of Kalma,
 Swamps there are in which to wander,
 Heaths in which to roam at pleasure,
 There are Kiryos, there are Karyos,
 And of beasts a countless number,
 With their fetters strong as iron,
 Fattening within the forest.
 Be ye gracious, groves and mountains,
 Full of grace, ye darksome thickets,
 Peace and, plenty to my cattle,
 Through the pleasant days of summer,
 The Creator's warmest season.

"Knippana, O King of forests,
 Thou the gray-beard of the woodlands,
 Watch thy dogs in fen and fallow,
 Lay a sponge within one nostril,
 And an acorn in the other,
 That they may not scent my cattle;
 Tie their eyes with silken fillets,
 That they may not see my herdlings,
 May not see my cattle grazing.

"Should all this seem inefficient,
 Drive away thy barking children,
 Let them run to other forests,
 Let them hunt in other marshes,
 From these verdant strips of meadow,
 From these far outstretching borders,
 Hide thy dogs within thy caverns,
 Firmly tie thy yelping children,
 Tie them with thy golden fetters,
 With thy chains adorned with silver,
 That they may not do me damage,'
 May not do a deed of mischief.
 Should all this prove inefficient,
 Thou, O Ukko, King of heaven.
 Wise director, full of mercy,
 Hear the golden words I utter,
 Hear a voice that breathes affection,
 From the alder make a muzzle,
 For each dog, within the kennel;
 Should the alder prove too feeble,
 Cast a band of purest copper;
 Should the copper prove a failure,
 Forge a band of ductile iron;
 Should the iron snap asunder,
 In each nose a small-ring fasten,
 Made of molten gold and silver,
 Chain thy dogs in forest-caverns,
 That my herd may not be injured.

Then the wife of Ilmarinen,
 Life-companion of the blacksmith,
 Opened all her yards and stables,
 Led her herd across the meadow,
 Placed them in the herdman's keeping,
 In the care of Kullerwoinen.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXIII.

 

KULLERVO AND THE CHEAT-CAKE.

THEREUPON the lad, Kullervo,
 Laid his luncheon in his basket,
 Drove the herd to mountain-pastures,
 O'er the hills and through the marshes,
 To their grazings in the woodlands,
 Speaking as he careless wandered:
 "Of the youth am I the poorest,
 Hapless lad and full of trouble,
 Evil luck to me befallen!
 I alas! must idly wander
 O'er the hills and through the valleys,
 As a watch-dog for the cattle!"

Then she sat upon the greensward,
 In a sunny spot selected,
 Singing, chanting words as follow:
 "Shine, O shine, thou Sun of heaven,
 Cast thy rays, thou fire of Ukko,
 On the herdsman of the blacksmith,
 On the head of Kullerwoinen,
 On this poor and luckless shepherd,
 Not in Ilmarinen's smithy,
 Nor the dwellings of his people;
 Good the table of the hostess,
 Cuts the best of wheaten biscuit,
 Honey-cakes she cuts in slices,
 Spreading each with golden butter;
 Only dry bread has the herdsman,
 Eats with pain the oaten bread-crusts,'
 Filled with chaff his and biscuit,
 Feeds upon the worst of straw-bread,
 Pine-tree bark, the broad he feeds on,
 Sipping water from the birch-bark,
 Drinking from the tips of grasses I
 Go, O Sun, and go, O barley,
 Haste away, thou light of Ukko,
 Hide within the mountain pine-trees,
 Go, O wheat, to yonder thickets,
 To the trees of purple berries,
 To the junipers and alders,
 Safely lead the herdsman homeward
 To the biscuit golden-buttered,
 To the honeyed cakes and viands!"

While the shepherd lad was singing
 Kullerwoinen's song and echo,
 Ilmarinen's wife was feasting
 On the sweetest bread of Northland,
 On the toothsome cakes of barley,
 On the richest of provisions;
 Only laid aside some cabbage,
 For the herdsman, Kullerwoinen;
 Set apart some wasted fragments,
 Leavings of the dogs at dinner,
 For the shepherd, home returning.

From the woods a bird came flying,
 Sang this song to Kullerwoinen:
 "'Tis the time for forest-dinners,
 For the fatherless companion
 Of the herds to eat his viands,
 Eat the good things from his basket!"

Kullerwoinen heard the songster,
 Looked upon the Sun's long shadow,
 Straightway spake the words that follow:
 "True, the singing of the song-bird,
 It is time indeed for feasting,
 Time to eat my basket-dinner."

Thereupon young Kullerwoinen
 Called his herd to rest in safety,
 Sat upon a grassy hillock,
 Took his basket from his shoulders,
 Took therefrom the and oat-loaf,
 Turned it over in his fingers,
 Carefully the loaf inspected,
 Spake these words of ancient wisdom:
 "Many loaves are fine to look on,
 On the outside seem delicious,
 On the inside, chaff and tan-bark!"

Then the shepherd, Kullerwoinen,
 Drew his knife to cut his oat-loaf,
 Cut the hard and arid biscuit;
 Cuts against a stone imprisoned,
 Well imbedded in the centre,
 Breaks his ancient knife in pieces;
 When the shepherd youth, Kullervo,
 Saw his magic knife had broken,
 Weeping sore, he spake as follows:
 "This, the blade that I bold sacred,
 This the one thing that I honor,
 Relic of my mother's people!
 On the stone within this oat-loaf,
 On this cheat-cake of the hostess,
 I my precious knife have broken.
 How shall I repay this insult,
 How avenge this woman's malice,
 What the wages for deception?"
 From a tree the raven answered:
 "O thou little silver buckle,
 Only son of old Kalervo,
 Why art thou in evil humor,
 Wherefore sad in thy demeanor?
 Take a young shoot from the thicket,
 Take a birch-rod from the valley,
 Drive thy herd across the lowlands,
 Through the quicksands of the marshes;
 To the wolves let one half wander,
 To the bear-dens, lead the other;
 Sing the forest wolves together,
 Sing the bears down from the mountains,
 Call the wolves thy little children,
 And the bears thy standard-bearers;
 Drive them like a cow-herd homeward,
 Drive them home like spotted cattle,
 Drive them to thy master's milk-yards;
 Thus thou wilt repay the hostess
 For her malice and derision."

Thereupon the wizard answered,
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Wait, yea wait, thou bride of Hisi!
 Do I mourn my mother's relic,
 Mourn the keep-sake thou hast broken?
 Thou thyself shalt mourn as sorely
 When thy, cows come home at evening!"

From the tree he cuts a birch-wand,
 From the juniper a whip-stick,
 Drives the herd across the lowlands,
 Through the quicksands of the marshes,
 To the wolves lets one half wander,
 To the bear-dens leads the other;
 Calls the wolves his little children,
 Calls the bears his standard-bearers,
 Changes all his herd of cattle
 Into wolves and bears by magic.

In the west the Sun is shining,
 Telling that the night is coming.
 Quick the wizard, Kullerwoinen,
 Wanders o'er the pine-tree mountain,
 Hastens through the forest homeward,
 Drives the wolves and bears before him
 Toward the milk-yards of the hostess;
 To the herd he speaks as follows,
 As they journey on together:
 "Tear and kill the wicked hostess,
 Tear her guilty flesh in pieces,
 When she comes to view her cattle,
 When she stoops to do her milking!"

Then the wizard, Kullerwoinen,
 From an ox-bone makes a bugle,
 Makes it from Tuonikki's cow-horn,
 Makes a flute from Kiryo's shin-bone,
 Plays a song upon his bugle,
 Plays upon his flute of magic,
 Thrice upon the home-land hill-tops,
 Six times near the coming gate-ways.

Ilmarinen's wife and hostess
 Long had waited for the coming
 Of her herd with Kullerwoinen,
 Waited for the milk at evening,
 Waited for the new-made butter,
 Heard the footsteps in the cow-path,
 On the heath she beard the bustle,
 Spake these joyous words of welcome:
 "Be thou praised, O gracious Ukko,
 That my herd is home returning!
 But I hear a bugle sounding,
 'Tis the playing of my herdsman,
 Playing on a magic cow-horn,
 Bursting all our ears with music!"

Kullerwoinen, drawing nearer,
 To the hostess spake as follows:
 "Found the bugle in the woodlands,
 And the flute among the rushes;
 All thy herd are in the passage,
 All thy cows within the hurdles,
 This the time to build the camp-fire,
 This the time to do the milking!"

Ilmarinen's wife, the hostess,
 Thus addressed an aged servant:
 "Go, thou old one, to the milking,
 Have the care of all my cattle,
 Do not ask for mine assistance,
 Since I have to knead the biscuit."
 Kullerwoinen spake as follows:
 "Always does the worthy hostess,
 Ever does the wisdom-mother
 Go herself and do the milking,
 Tend the cows within the hurdles!"

Then the wife of Ilmarinen
 Built a field-fire in the passage,
 Went to milk her cows awaiting,
 Looked upon her herd in wonder,
 Spake these happy words of greeting:
 "Beautiful, my herd of cattle,
 Glistening like the skins of lynxes,
 Hair as soft as fur of ermine,
 Peaceful waiting for the milk-pail!"

On the milk-stool sits the hostess,
 Milks one moment, then a second,
 Then a third time milks and ceases;
 When the bloody wolves disguising,
 Quick attack the hostess milking,
 And the bears lend their assistance,
 Tear and mutilate her body
 With their teeth and sharpened fingers.
 Kullerwoinen, cruel wizard,
 Thus repaid the wicked hostess,
 Thus repaid her evil treatment.

Quick the wife of Ilmarinen
 Cried aloud in bitter anguish,
 Thus addressed the youth, Kullervo:
 "Evil son, thou bloody herdsman,
 Thou hast brought me wolves in malice,
 Driven bears within my hurdles!
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Have I evil done as shepherd,
 Worse the conduct of the hostess;
 Baked a stone inside my oat-cake,
 On the inside, rock and tan-bark,
 On the stone my knife, was broken,
 Treasure of my mother's household,
 Broken virtue of my people!"
 Ilmarinen's wife made answer:
 "Noble herdsman, Kullerwoinen,
 Change, I pray thee, thine opinion,
 Take away thine incantations,
 From the bears and wolves release me,
 Save me from this spell of torture
 I will give thee better raiment,
 Give the best of milk and butter,
 Set for thee the sweetest table;
 Thou shalt live with me in welcome,
 Need not labor for thy keeping.
 If thou dost not free me quickly,
 Dost not break this spell of magic,
 I shall sink into the Death-land,
 Shall return to Tuonela."
 This is Kullerwoinen's answer:
 "It is best that thou shouldst perish,
 Let destruction overtake thee,
 There is ample room in Mana,
 Room for all the dead in Kalma,
 There the worthiest must slumber,
 There must rest the good and evil."
 Ilmarinen's wife made answer:
 "Ukko, thou O God in heaven,
 Span the strongest of thy cross-bows,
 Test the weapon by thy wisdom,
 Lay an arrow forged from copper,
 On the cross-bow of thy forging;
 Rightly aim thy flaming arrow,
 With thy magic hurl the missile,
 Shoot this wizard through the vitals,
 Pierce the heart of Kullerwoinen
 With the lightning of the heavens,
 With thine arrows tipped with copper."
 Kullerwoinen prays as follows:
 "Ukko, God of truth and justice.
 Do not slay thy magic servant,
 Slay the wife of Ilmarinen,
 Kill in her the worst of women,
 In these hurdles let her perish,
 Lest she wander hence in freedom,
 To perform some other mischief,
 Do some greater deed of malice!"

Quick as lightning fell the hostess,
 Quick the wife of Ilmarinen
 Fell and perished in the hurdles,
 On the ground before her cottage
 Thus the death of Northland's hostess,
 Cherished wife of Ilmarinen,
 Once the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Wooed and watched for many summers,
 Pride and joy of Kalevala!

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXIV.

 

KULLERVO FINDS HIS TRIBE-FOLK.

KULLERWOINEN, young magician,
 In his beauteous, golden ringlets,
 In his magic shoes of deer-skin,
 Left the home of Ilmarinen
 Wandered forth upon his journey,
 Ere the blacksmith heard the tidings
 Of the cruel death and torture
 Of his wife and joy-companion,
 Lest a bloody fight should follow.

Kullerwoinen left the smithy,
 Blowing on his magic bugle,
 Joyful left the lands of Ilma,
 Blowing blithely on the heather,
 Made the distant hills re-echo,
 Made the swamps and mountains tremble,
 Made the heather-blossoms answer
 To the music of his cow-horn,
 In its wild reverberations,
 To the magic of his playing.
 Songs were heard within the smithy,
 And the blacksmith stopped and listened,
 Hastened to the door and window,
 Hastened to the open court-yard,
 If perchance he might discover
 What was playing on the heather,
 What was sounding through the forest.
 Quick he learned the cruel story,
 Learned the cause of the rejoicing,
 Saw the hostess dead before him,
 Knew his beauteous wife had perished,
 Saw the lifeless form extended,
 In the court-yard of his dwelling.
 Thereupon the metal-artist
 Fell to bitter tears and wailings,
 Wept through all the dreary night-time,
 Deep the grief that settled o'er him,
 Black as night his darkened future,
 Could not stay his tears of sorrow.

Kullerwoinen hastened onward,
 Straying, roaming, hither, thither,
 Wandered on through field and forest,
 O'er the Hisi-plains and woodlands.
 When the darkness settled o'er him,
 When the bird of night was flitting,
 Sat the fatherless at evening,
 The forsaken sat and rested
 On a hillock of the forest.
 Thus he murmured, heavy-hearted:
 "Why was I, alas! created,
 Why was I so ill-begotten,
 Since for months and years I wander,
 Lost among the ether-spaces?
 Others have their homes to dwell in,
 Others hasten to their firesides
 As the evening gathers round them:
 But my home is in the forest,
 And my bed upon the heather,
 And my bath-room is the rain-cloud.

"Never didst thou, God of mercy,
 Never in the course of ages,
 Give an infant birth unwisely;
 Wherefore then was I created,
 Fatherless to roam in ether,
 Motherless and lone to wander?
 Thou, O Ukko, art my father,
 Thou hast given me form and feature;
 As the sea-gull on the ocean,
 As the duck upon the waters,
 Shines the Sun upon the swallow,
 Shines as bright upon the sparrow,
 Gives the joy-birds song and gladness,
 Does not shine on me unhappy;
 Nevermore will shine the sunlight,
 Never will the moonlight glimmer
 On this hapless son and orphan;
 Do not know my hero-father,
 Cannot tell who was my mother;
 On the shore, perhaps the gray-duck
 Left me in the sand to perish.
 Young was I and small of stature,
 When my mother left me orphaned;
 Dead, my father and my mother,
 Dead, my honored tribe of heroes;
 Shoes they left me that are icy,
 Stockings filled with frosts of ages,
 Let me on the freezing ice-plains
 Fall to perish in the rushes;
 From the giddy heights of mountains
 Let me tumble to destruction.

"O, thou wise and good Creator,
 Why my birth and what my service?
 I shall never fall and perish
 On the ice-plains, in the marshes,
 Never be a bridge in swamp-land,
 Not while I have arms of virtue
 That can serve my honored kindred!"

Then Kullervo thought to journey
 To the village of Untamo,
 To avenge his father's murder,
 To avenge his mother's tortures,
 And the troubles of his tribe-folk.
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Wait, yea wait, thou Untamoinen,
 Thou destroyer of my people;
 When I meet thee in the combat,
 I will slay thee and thy kindred,
 I will burn thy homes to ashes!"

Came a woman on the highway,
 Dressed in blue, the aged mother,
 To Kullervo spake as follows:
 "Whither goest, Kullerwoinen,
 Whither hastes the wayward hero?
 Kullerwoinen gave this answer:
 "I have thought that I would journey
 To the far-off land of strangers,
 To the village of Untamo,
 To avenge my father's murder,
 To avenge my mother's tortures,
 And the troubles of my tribe-folk."
 Thus the gray-haired woman answered:
 "Surely thou dost rest in error,
 For thy tribe has never perished,
 And thy mother still is living
 With thy father in the Northland,
 Living with the old Kalervo."

"O, thou ancient dame beloved,
 Worthy mother of the woodlands,
 Tell me where my father liveth,
 Where my loving mother lingers!"

"Yonder lives thine aged father,
 And thy loving mother with him,
 On the farthest shore of Northland,
 On the long-point of the fish-lake!"

"Tell me, O thou woodland-mother,
 How to journey to my people,
 How to find mine honored tribe-folk."

"Easy is the way for strangers:
 Thou must journey through the forest,
 Hasten to the river-border,
 Travel one day, then a second,
 And the third from morn till even,
 To the north-west, thou must journey.
 If a mountain comes to meet thee,
 Go around the nearing mountain,
 Westward bold thy weary journey,
 Till thou comest to a river,
 On thy right hand flowing eastward;
 Travel to the river border,
 Where three water-falls will greet thee;
 When thou comest to a headland,
 On the point thou'lt see a cottage
 Where the fishermen assemble;
 In this cottage is thy father,
 With thy mother and her daughters,
 Beautiful thy maiden sisters."

Kullerwoinen, the magician,
 Hastens northward on his journey,
 Walks one day, and then a second,
 Walks the third from morn till evening;
 To the north-west walks Kullervo,
 Till a mountain comes to meet him,
 Walks around the nearing mountain;
 Westward, westward, holds his journey,
 Till he sees a river coming;
 Hastens to the river border,
 Walks along the streams and rapids
 Till three waterfalls accost him;
 Travels till he meets a headland,
 On the point he spies a cottage,
 Where the fishermen assemble.

Quick he journeys to the cabin,
 Quick he passes through the portals
 Of the cottage on the headland,
 Where he finds his long-lost kindred;
 No one knows the youth, Kullervo,
 No one knows whence comes the stranger,
 Where his home, nor where he goeth.
 These the words of young Kullervo:
 "Dost thou know me not, my mother,
 Dost thou know me not, my father?
 I am hapless Kullerwoinen
 Whom the heroes of Untamo
 Carried to their distant country,
 When my height was but a hand-breadth."
 Quick the hopeful mother answers:
 "O my worthy son, beloved,
 O my precious silver-buckle,
 Hast thou with thy mind of magic,
 Wandered through the fields of Northland
 Searching for thy home and kindred?
 As one dead I long have mourned thee,
 Had supposed thee, in Manala.
 Once I had two sons and heroes,
 Had two good and beauteous daughters,
 Two of these have long been absent,
 Elder son and elder daughter;
 For the wars my son departed,
 While my daughter strayed and perished
 If my son is home returning,
 Yet my daughter still is absent,
 Kullerwoinen asked his mother:
 "Whither did my sister wander,
 What direction did she journey ?
 This the answer of the mother:
 "This the story of thy sister:
 Went for berries to the woodlands,
 To the mountains went my daughter,
 Where the lovely maiden vanished,
 Where my pretty berry perished,
 Died some death beyond my knowledge,
 Nameless is the death she suffered.
 Who is mourning for the daughter?
 No one mourns her as her mother,
 Walks and wanders, Mourns and searches,
 For her fairest child and daughter;
 Therefore did the mother wander,
 Searching for thy lovely sister,
 Like the bear she roamed the forest,
 Ran the glenways like the adder,
 Searched one day and then a second,
 Searched the third from morn till even,
 Till she reached the mountain-summit,
 There she called and called her daughter,
 Till the distant mountains answered,
 Called to her who had departed:
 I Where art thou, my lovely maiden,
 Come my daughter to thy mother!'

"Thus I called, and sought thy sister,
 This the answer of the mountains,
 Thus the hills and valleys echoed:
 'Call no more, thou weeping mother,
 Weep no more for the departed;
 Nevermore in all thy lifetime,
 Never in the course of ages,
 Will she join again her kindred,
 At her brother's landing-places,
 In her father's humble dwelling.'"

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXV.

 

KULLERVO'S EVIL DEEDS.

KULLERWOINEN, youthful wizard,
 In his blue and scarlet stockings,
 Henceforth lingered with his parents;
 But he could not change his nature,
 Could not gain a higher wisdom,
 Could not win a better judgment;
 As a child he was ill-nurtured,
 Early rocked in stupid cradles,
 By a nurse of many follies,
 By a minister of evil.

To his work went Kullerwoinen,
 Strove to make his labors worthy;
 First, Kullervo went a-fishing,
 Set his fishing-nets in ocean;
 With his hands upon the row-locks,
 Kullerwoinen spake as follows:
 "Shall I pull with all my forces,
 Pull with strength of youthful heroes,
 Or with weakness of the aged?"

From the stern arose a gray-beard,
 And he answered thus Kullervo:
 "Pull with all thy youthful vigor;
 Shouldst thou row with magic power,
 Thou couldst not destroy this vessel,
 Couldst not row this boat to fragments."

Thereupon the youth, Kullervo,
 Rowed with all his youthful vigor,
 With the mighty force of magic,
 Rowed the bindings from the vessel,
 Ribs of juniper he shattered,
 Rowed the aspen-oars to pieces.

When the aged sire, Kalervo,
 Saw the work of Kullerwoinen,
 He addressed his son as follows:
 "Dost not understand the rowing;
 Thou hast burst the bands asunder,
 Bands of juniper and willow,
 Rowed my aspen-boat to pieces;
 To the fish-nets drive the salmon,
 This, perchance, will suit thee better."

Thereupon the son, Kullervo,
 Hastened to his work as bidden,
 Drove the salmon to the fish-nets,
 Spake in innocence as follows:
 "Shall I with my youthful vigor
 Scare the salmon to the fish-nets,
 Or with little magic vigor
 Shall I drive them to their capture?
 Spake the master of the fish-nets:
 "That would be but work of women,
 Shouldst thou use but little power
 In the frighting of the salmon!"

Kullerwoinen does as bidden,
 Scares the salmon with the forces
 Of his mighty arms and shoulders,
 With the strength of youth and magic,
 Stirs the water thick with black-earth,
 Beats the scare-net into pieces,
 Into pulp he beats the salmon.

When the aged sire, Kalervo,
 Saw the work of Kullerwoinen,
 To his son these words he uttered:
 "Dost not understand this labor,
 For this work thou art not suited,
 Canst not scare the perch and salmon
 To the fish-nets of thy father;
 Thou hast ruined all my fish-nets,
 Torn my scare-net into tatters,
 Beaten into pulp the whiting,
 Torn my net-props into fragments,
 Beaten into bits my wedges.
 Leave the fishing to another;
 See if thou canst pay the tribute,
 Pay my yearly contribution;
 See if thou canst better travel,
 On the way show better judgment!"

Thereupon the son, Kullervo,
 Hapless youth in purple vestments,
 In his magic shoes of deer-skin,
 In his locks of golden color,
 Sallied forth to pay the taxes,
 Pay the tribute for his people.
 When the youth had paid the tribute,
 Paid the yearly contribution,
 He returned to join the snow-sledge,
 Took his place upon the cross-bench,
 Snapped his whip above the courser,
 And began his journey homeward;
 Rattled on along the highway,
 Measured as he galloped onward
 Wainamoinen's hills and valleys,
 And his fields in cultivation.

Came a golden maid to meet him,
 On her snow-shoes came a virgin,
 O'er the hills of Wainamoinen,
 O'er his cultivated lowlands.

Quick the wizard-son, Kullervo,
 Checked the motion of his racer,
 Thus addressed the charming maiden
 "Come, sweet maiden, to my snow-sledge,
 In my fur-robes rest and linger!"
 As she ran, the maiden answered:
 "Let the Death-maid sit beside thee,
 Rest and linger in thy fur-robes!"

Thereupon the youth, Kullervo,
 Snapped his whip above the courser;
 Fleet as wind he gallops homeward,
 Dashes down along the highway;
 With the roar of falling waters,
 Gallops onward, onward, onward,
 O'er the broad-back of the ocean,
 O'er the icy plains of Lapland.

Comes a winsome maid to meet him,
 Golden-haired, and wearing snow-shoes,
 On the far outstretching ice-plains;
 Quick the wizard checks his racer,
 Charmingly accosts the maiden,
 Chanting carefully these measures:
 "Come, thou beauty, to my snow-sledge,
 Hither come, and rest, and linger!
 Tauntingly the maiden answered:
 "Take Tuoni to thy snow-sledge,
 At thy side let Manalainen
 Sit with thee, and rest, and linger!"

Quick the wizard, Kullerwoinen,
 Struck his fiery, prancing racer,
 With the birch-whip of his father.
 Like the lightning flew the fleet-foot,
 Galloped on the highway homeward;
 O'er the hills the snow-sledge bounded,
 And the coming mountains trembled.
 Kullerwoinen, wild magician,
 Measures, on his journey homeward,
 Northland's far-extending borders,
 And the fertile plains of Pohya.
 Comes a beauteous maid to meet him,
 With a tin-pin on her bosom,
 On the heather of Pohyola,
 O'er the Pohya-hills and moorlands.

Quick the wizard son, Kullervo,
 Holds the bridle of his courser,
 Charmingly intones these measures:
 "Come, fair maiden, to my snow-sledge,
 In these fur-robes rest, and linger;
 Eat with me the golden apples,
 Eat the hazel-nut in joyance,
 Drink with me the beer delicious,
 Eat the dainties that I give thee."

This the answer of the maiden
 With the tin-pin on her bosom:
 "I have scorn to give thy snow-sledge,
 Scorn for thee, thou wicked wizard;
 Cold is it beneath thy fur-robes,
 And thy sledge is chill and cheerless.

Thereupon the youth, Kullervo,
 Wicked wizard of the Northland,
 Drew the maiden to his snow-sledge,
 Drew her to a seat beside him,
 Quickly in his furs enwrapped her;
 And the tin-adorned made answer,
 These the accents of the maiden:
 "Loose me from thy magic power,
 Let me leave at once thy presence,
 Lest I speak in wicked accents,
 Lest I say the prayer of evil;
 Free me now as I command thee,
 Or I'll tear thy sledge to pieces,
 Throw these fur-robes to the north-winds."

Straightway wicked Kullerwoinen,
 Evil wizard and magician,
 Opens all his treasure-boxes,
 Shows the maiden gold and silver,
 Shows her silken wraps of beauty,
 Silken hose with golden borders,
 Golden belts with silver buckles,
 Jewelry that dims the vision,
 Blunts the conscience of the virgin.
 Silver leads one to destruction,
 Gold entices from uprightness.
 Kullerwoinen, wicked wizard,
 Flatters lovingly the maiden,
 One hand on the reins of leather,
 One upon the maiden's shoulder;
 Thus they journey through the evening,
 Pass the night in merry-making.

When the day-star led the morning,
 When the second day was dawning,
 Then the maid addressed Kullervo,
 Questioned thus the wicked wizard:
 "Of what tribe art thou descended,
 Of what race thy hero-father?
 Tell thy lineage and kindred.`
 This, Kullervo's truthful answer:
 "Am not from a mighty nation,
 Not the greatest, nor the smallest,
 But my lineage is worthy:
 Am Kalervo's son of folly,
 Am a child of contradictions,
 Hapless son of cold misfortune.
 Tell me of thy race of heroes,
 Tell thine origin and kindred."
 This the answer of the maiden:
 "Came not from a race primeval,
 Not the largest, nor the smallest,
 But my lineage is worthy;
 Am Kalervo's wretched daughter,
 Am his long-lost child of error,
 Am a maid of contradictions,
 Hapless daughter of misfortune.

"When a child I lived in plenty
 In the dwellings of my mother;
 To the woods I went for berries,
 Went for raspberries to uplands,
 Gathered strawberries on mountains,
 Gathered one day then a second;
 But, alas! upon the third day,
 Could not find the pathway homeward,
 Forestward the highways led me,
 All the footpaths, to the woodlands.
 Long I sat in bitter weeping,
 Wept one day and then a second,
 Wept the third from morn till even.
 Then I climbed a. lofty mountain,
 There I called in wailing accents,
 And the woodlands gave this answer,
 Thus the distant hills re-echoed:
 'Call no longer, foolish virgin,
 All thy calls and tears are useless;
 There is none to give thee answer,
 Far away, thy home and people.'

"On the third and on the fourth days,
 On the fifth, and sixth, and seventh,
 Constantly I sought to perish;
 But in vain were all my efforts,
 Could not die upon the mountains.
 If this wretched maid had perished,
 In the summer of the third year,
 She had fed earth's vegetation,
 She had blossomed as a flower,
 Knowing neither pain nor sorrow."

Scarcely had the maiden spoken,
 When she bounded from the snow-sledge,
 Rushed upon the rolling river,
 To the cataract's commotion,
 To the fiery stream and whirlpool.
 Thus Kullervo's lovely sister
 Hastened to her own destruction,
 To her death by fire and water,
 Found her peace in Tuonela,
 In the sacred stream of Mana.

Then the wicked Kullerwoinen
 Fell to weeping, sorely troubled,
 Wailed, and wept, and heavy-hearted,
 Spake these words in bitter sorrow:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 I have slain my virgin-sister,
 Shamed the daughter of my mother;
 Woe to thee, my ancient father!
 Woe to thee, my gray-haired mother!
 Wherefore was I born and nurtured,
 Why this hapless child's existence?
 Better fate to Kullerwoinen,
 Had he never seen the daylight,
 Or, if born, had never thriven
 In these mournful days of evil!
 Death has failed to do his duty,
 Sickness sinned in passing by me,
 Should have slain me in the cradle,
 When the seventh day had ended!"

Thereupon he slips the collar
 Of his prancing royal racer,
 Mounts the silver-headed fleet-foot,
 Gallops like the lightning homeward;
 Gallops only for a moment,
 When he halts his foaming courser
 At the cabin of his father.
 In the court-yard stood the mother,
 Thus the wicked son addressed her:
 "Faithful mother, fond and tender,
 Hadst thou slain me when an infant,
 Smoked my life out in the chamber,
 In a winding-sheet hadst thrown me
 To the cataract and whirlpool,
 In the fire hadst set my cradle,
 After seven nights had ended,
 Worthy would have been thy service.
 Had the village-maidens asked thee:
 'Where is now the little cradle,
 Wherefore is the bath-room empty?'
 This had been a worthy answer:
 'I have burned the wizard's cradle,
 Cast the infant to the fire-dogs;
 In the bath-room corn is sprouting,
 From the barley malt is brewing.'"

Thereupon the aged mother
 Asks her wizard-son these questions:
 "What has happened to my hero,
 What new fate has overcome thee?
 Comest thou as from Tuoni,
 From the castles of Manala?"
 This, Kullervo's frank confession:
 "Infamous the tale I bring thee,
 My confession is dishonor:
 On the way I met a maiden,
 Met thy long-lost, wayward daughter,
 Did not recognize my sister,
 Fatal was the sin committed!
 When the taxes had been settled,
 When the tribute had been gathered,
 Came a matchless maid to meet me,
 Whom I witless led to sorrow,
 This my mother's long-lost daughter.
 When she saw in me her brother,
 Quick she bounded from the snow-sledge,
 Hastened to the roaring waters,
 To the cataract's commotion,
 To the fiery stream and whirlpool,
 Hastened to her full destruction.

"Now, alas! must I determine,
 Now must find a spot befitting,
 Where thy sinful son may perish;
 Tell me, all-forgiving mother,
 Where to end my life of trouble;
 Let me stop the black-wolf's howling,
 Let me satisfy the hunger
 Of the vicious bear of Northland;
 Let the shark or hungry sea-dog
 Be my dwelling-place hereafter!"
 This the answer of the mother:
 "Do not go to stop the howling
 Of the hungry wolf of Northland;
 Do not haste to still the black-bear
 Growling in his forest-cavern;
 Let not shark, nor vicious sea-dog
 Be thy dwelling-place hereafter.
 Spacious are the rooms of Suomi,
 Limitless the Sawa-borders,
 Large enough to hide transgression,
 Man's misdeeds to hide for ages,
 With his sins and evil actions.
 Six long years man's sins lie hidden
 In the border-land of Kalma,
 Even nine for magic heroes,
 Till the years bring consolation,
 Till they quiet all his mourning."

Kullerwoinen, wicked wizard,
 Answers thus his grieving mother:
 "I can never hide from sorrow,
 Cannot flee from my misconduct;
 To the jaws of death I hasten,
 To the open courts of Kalma,
 To the hunting-grounds of Pohya,
 To the battle-fields of heroes.
 Untamoinen still is living,
 Unmolested roams the wicked,
 Unavenged my father's grievance,
 Unavenged my mother's tortures,
 Unavenged the wrongs I suffer!"

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXVI.

 

KULLERWOINEN'S VICTORY AND DEATH.

KULLERWOINE.N, wicked wizard,
 In his purple-colored stockings,
 Now prepares himself for battle;
 Grinds a long time on his broadsword,
 Sharpens well his trusty weapon,
 And his mother speaks as follows:
 "Do not go, my son beloved,
 Go not to the wars, my hero,
 Struggle not with hostile spearsmen.
 Whoso goes to war for nothing,
 Undertakes a fearful combat,
 Undertakes a fatal issue;
 Those that war without a reason
 Will be slaughtered for their folly,
 Easy prey to bows and arrows.
 Go thou with a goat to battle,
 Shouldst thou go to fight the roebuck,
 'Tis the goat that will be vanquished,
 And the roebuck will be slaughtered;
 With a frog thou'lt journey homeward,
 Victor, with but little honor!"
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Shall not journey through the marshes,
 Shall not sink upon the heather,
 On the home-land of the raven,
 Where the eagles scream at day-break.
 When I yield my life forever,
 Bravely will I fall in battle,
 Fall upon the field of glory,
 Beautiful to die in armor,
 And the clang and clash of armies,
 Beautiful the strife for conquest!
 Thus Kullervo soon will hasten
 To the kingdom of Tuoni,
 To the realm of the departed,
 Undeformed by wasting sickness."
 This the answer of the mother:
 "If thou diest in the conflict,
 Who will stay to guard thy father,
 Who will give thy sire protection?"
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Let him die upon the court-yard,
 Sleeping out his life of sorrow!"

"Who then will protect thy mother,
 Be her shield in times of danger?"

"Let her die within the stable,
 Or the cabin where she lingers!"

"Who then will defend thy brother,
 Give him aid in times of trouble?"

"Let him die within the forest,
 Sleep his life away unheeded!"

"Who will comfort then thy sister,
 Who will aid her in affliction?"

"Let her sink beneath the waters,
 Perish in the crystal fountain,
 Where the brook flows on in beauty,
 Like a silver serpent winding
 Through the valley to the ocean!"

Thereupon the wild Kullervo
 Hastens from his home to battle,
 To his father speaks, departing:
 "Fare thou well, my aged father!
 Wilt thou weep for me, thy hero,
 When thou hearest I have perished,
 Fallen from thy tribe forever,
 Perished on the field of glory?"
 Thus the father speaks in answer:
 "I shall never mourn the downfall
 Of my evil son, Kullervo;
 Shall not weep when thou hast perished;
 Shall beget a second hero
 That will do me better service,
 That will think and act in wisdom."
 Kullerwoinen gives this answer:
 "Neither shall I mourn thy downfall,
 Shall not weep when thou hast perished;
 I shall make a second father,
 Make the head from loam and sandstone,
 Make the eyes from swamp-land berries,
 Make the beard from withered sea-grass,
 Make the feet from roots of willow,
 Make the form from birch-wood fungus."

Thereupon the youth, Kullervo,
 To his brother speaks as follows:
 "Fare thou well, beloved brother!
 Wilt thou weep for me departed,
 Shouldst thou hear that I have perished,
 Fallen on the field of battle?"
 This the answer of the brother:
 "I shall never mourn the downfall
 Of my brother, Kullerwoinen,
 Shall not weep when thou hast perished;
 I shall find a second brother '
 Find one worthier and wiser!"
 This is Kullerwoinen's answer:
 "Neither shall I mourn thy downfall,
 Shall not weep when thou hast perished;
 I shall form a second brother,
 Make the head from dust and ashes,
 Make the eyes from pearls of ocean,
 Make the beard from withered verdure,
 Make the form from pulp of birch-wood."
 To his sister speaks Kullervo:
 "Fare thou well, beloved sister!
 Surely thou wilt mourn my downfall,
 Weep for me when I have perished,
 When thou hearest I have fallen
 In the heat and din of battle,
 Fallen from thy race forever!"
 But the sister makes this answer:
 "Never shall I mourn thy downfall,
 Shall not weep when thou hast perished;
 I shall seek a second brother,
 Seek a brother, purer, better,
 One that will not shame his sister!"
 Kullerwoinen thus makes answer:
 "Neither shall I mourn thee fallen,
 Shall not weep when thou hast perished;
 I shall form a second sister,
 Make the head from whitened marble,
 Make the eyes from golden moonbeams,
 Make the tresses from the rainbow,
 Make the ears from ocean-flowers,
 And her form from gold and silver.

"Fare thou well, beloved mother,
 Mother, beautiful and faithful!
 Wilt thou weep when I have perished,
 Fallen on the field of glory,
 Fallen from thy race forever?"
 Thus the mother speaks in answer:
 "Canst not fathom love maternal,
 Canst not smother her affection;
 Bitterly I'll mourn thy downfall,
 I would weep if thou shouldst perish,
 Shouldst thou leave my race forever;
 I would weep in court or cabin,
 Sprinkle all these fields with tear-drops,
 Weep great rivers to the ocean,
 Weep to melt the snows of Northland,
 Make the hillocks green with weeping,
 Weep at morning, weep at evening,
 Weep three years in bitter sorrow
 O'er the death of Kullerwoinen!"

Thereupon the wicked wizard
 Went rejoicing to the combat;
 In delight to war he hastened
 O'er the fields, and fens, and fallows,
 Shouting loudly on the heather,
 Singing o'er the hills and mountains,
 Rushing through the glens and forests,
 Blowing war upon his bugle.

Time had gone but little distance,
 When a messenger appearing,
 Spake these words to Kullerwoinen:
 "Lo! thine aged sire has perished,
 Fallen from thy race forever;
 Hasten home and do him honor,
 Lay him in the lap of Kalma."
 Kullerwoinen inade this answer:
 "Has my aged father perished,
 There is home a sable stallion
 That will take him to his slumber,
 Lay him in the lap of Kalma."

Then Kullervo journeyed onward,
 Calling war upon his bugle,
 Till a messenger appearing,
 Brought this word to Kullerwoinen:
 "Lo! thy brother too has perished,
 Dead he lies within the forest,
 Manalainen's trumpet called him;
 Home return and do him honor,
 Lay him in the lap of Kalma."
 Kullerwoinen thus replying:
 "Has my hero-brother perished,
 There is home a sable stallion
 That will take him' to his slumber,
 Lay him in the lap of Kalma."

Young Kullervo journeyed onward
 Over vale and over mountain,
 Playing on his reed of battle,
 Till a messenger appearing
 Brought the warrior these tidings:
 "Lo! thy sister too has perished,
 Perished in the crystal fountain,
 Where the waters flow in beauty,
 Like a silver serpent winding
 Through the valley to the ocean;
 Home return and do her honor,
 Lay her in the lap of Kalma."
 These the words of Kullerwoinen:
 "Has my beauteous sister perished,
 Fallen from my race forever,
 There is home a sable filly
 That will take her to her resting,
 Lay her in the lap of Kalma."

Still Kullervo journeyed onward,
 Through the fens he went rejoicing,
 Sounding war upon his bugle,
 Till a messenger appearing
 Brought to him these words of sorrow:
 "Lo! thy mother too has perished,
 Died in anguish, broken-hearted;
 Home return and do her honor,
 Lay her in the lap of Kalma."
 These the measures of Kullervo:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated,
 That my mother too has perished,
 She that nursed me in my cradle,
 Made my couch a golden cover,
 Twirled for me the spool and spindle!
 Lo! Kullervo was not present
 When his mother's life departed;
 May have died upon the mountains,
 Perished there from cold and hunger.
 Lave the dead form of my mother
 In the crystal waters flowing;
 Wrap her in the robes of ermine,
 Tie her hands with silken ribbon,
 Take her to the grave of ages,
 Lay her in the lap of Kalma.
 Bury her with songs of mourning,
 Let the singers chant my sorrow;
 Cannot leave the fields of battle
 While Untamo goes unpunished,
 Fell destroyer of my people."

Kullerwoinen journeyed onward,
 Still rejoicing, to the combat,
 Sang these songs in supplication:
 "Ukko, mightiest of rulers,
 Loan to me thy sword of battle,
 Grant to me thy matchless weapon,
 And against a thousand armies
 I will war and ever conquer."

Ukko, gave the youth his broadsword,
 Gave his blade of magic powers
 To the wizard, Kullerwoinen.
 Thus equipped, the mighty hero
 Slew the people of Untamo,
 Burned their villages to ashes;
 Only left the stones and ovens,
 And the chimneys of their hamlets.

Then the conqueror, Kullervo,
 Turned his footsteps to his home-land,
 To the cabin of his father '
 To his ancient fields and forests.
 Empty did he find the cabin,
 And the forests were deserted;
 No one came to give him greeting,
 None to give the hand of welcome;
 Laid his fingers on the oven,
 But he found it cold and lifeless;
 Then he knew to satisfaction
 That his mother lived no longer;
 Laid his hand upon the fire-place,
 Cold and lifeless were the hearth-stones;
 Then he knew to satisfaction
 That his sister too had perished;
 Then he sought the landing-places,
 Found no boats upon the rollers;
 Then he knew to satisfaction
 That his brother too had perished;
 Then he looked upon the fish-nets,
 And he found them torn and tangled;
 And he knew to satisfaction
 That his father too had perished.

Bitterly he wept and murmured,
 Wept one day, and then a second,
 On the third day spake as follows:
 "Faithful mother, fond and tender,
 Why hast left me here to sorrow
 In this wilderness of trouble?
 But thou dost not hear my calling,
 Though I sing in magic accents,
 Though my tear-drops speak lamenting,
 Though my heart bemoans thine absence.

From her grave awakes the mother,
 To Kullervo speaks these measures:
 "Thou has still the dog remaining,
 He will lead thee to the forest;
 Follow thou the faithful watcher,
 Let him lead thee to the woodlands,
 To the farthest woodland border,
 To the caverns of the wood-nymphs;
 Kullerwoinen's Victory and Death
 There the forest maidens linger,
 They will give thee food and shelter,
 Give my hero joyful greetings."

Kullerwoinen, with his watch-dog,
 Hastens onward through the forest,
 Journeys on through fields and fallows;
 Journeys but a little distance,
 Till be comes upon the summit
 Where he met his long-lost sister;
 Finds the turf itself is weeping,
 Finds the glen-wood filled with sorrow,
 Finds the heather shedding tear-drops,
 Weeping are the meadow-flowers,
 O'er the ruin of his sister.

Kullerwoinen, wicked wizard,
 Grasps the handle of his broadsword,
 Asks the blade this simple question:
 "Tell me, O my blade of honor,
 Dost thou wish to drink my life-blood,
 Drink the blood of Kullerwoinen?"

Thus his trusty sword makes answer,
 Well divining his intentions:
 Why should I not drink thy life-blood,
 Blood of guilty Kullerwoinen,
 Since I feast upon the worthy,
 Drink the life-blood of the righteous?"

Thereupon the youth, Kullervo,
 Wicked wizard of the Northland,
 Lifts the mighty sword of Ukko,
 Bids adieu to earth and heaven;
 Firmly thrusts the hilt in heather,
 To his heart he points the weapon,
 Throws his weight upon his broadsword,
 Pouring out his wicked life-blood,
 Ere be journeys to Manala.
 Thus the wizard finds destruction,
 This the end of Kullerwoinen,
 Born in sin, and nursed in folly.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 As he hears the joyful tidings,
 Learns the death of fell Kullervo,
 Speaks these words of ancient wisdom:
 "O, ye many unborn nations,
 Never evil nurse your children,
 Never give them out to strangers,
 Never trust them to the foolish!
 If the child is not well nurtured,
 Is not rocked and led uprightly,
 Though he grow to years of manhood,
 Bear a strong and shapely body,
 He will never know discretion,
 Never eat. the bread of honor,
 Never drink the cup of wisdom."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXVII.

 

ILMARINEN'S BRIDE OF GOLD.

ILMARINEN, metal-worker,
 Wept one day, and then a second,
 Wept the third from morn till evening,
 O'er the death of his companion,
 Once the Maiden of the Rainbow;
 Did not swing his heavy hammer,
 Did not touch its copper handle,
 Made no sound within his smithy,
 Made no blow upon his anvil,
 Till three months had circled over;
 Then the blacksmith spake as follows:
 "Woe is me, unhappy hero!
 Do not know how I can prosper;
 Long the days, and cold, and dreary,
 Longer still the nights, and colder;
 I am weary in the evening,
 In the morning still am weary,
 Have no longing for the morning,
 And the evening is unwelcome;
 Have no pleasure in the future,
 All my pleasures gone forever,
 With my faithful life-companion
 Slaughtered by the hand of witchcraft!
 Often will my heart-strings quiver
 When I rest within my chamber,
 When I wake at dreamy midnight,
 Half-unconscious, vainly searching
 For my noble wife departed."

Wifeless lived the mourning blacksmith,
 Altered in his form and features;
 Wept one month and then another,
 Wept three months in full succession.
 Then the magic metal-worker
 Gathered gold from deeps of ocean,
 Gathered silver from the mountains,
 Gathered many heaps of birch-wood.
 Filled with faggots thirty sledges,
 Burned the birch-wood into ashes,
 Put the ashes in the furnace,
 Laid the gold upon the embers,
 Lengthwise laid a piece of silver
 Of the size of lambs in autumn,
 Or the fleet-foot hare in winter;
 Places servants at the bellows,
 Thus to melt the magic metals.
 Eagerly the servants labor,
 Gloveless, hatless, do the workmen
 Fan the flames within the furnace.

Ilmarinen, magic blacksmith,
 Works unceasing at his forging,
 Thus to mould a golden image,
 Mould a bride from gold and silver;
 But the workmen fail their master,
 Faithless stand they at the bellows.
 Wow the artist, Ilmarinen,
 Fans the flame with force of magic,
 Blows one day, and then a second,
 Blows the third from morn till even;
 Then he looks within the furnace,
 Looks around the oven-border,
 Hoping there to see an image
 Rising from the molten metals.

Comes a lambkin from the furnace,
 Rising from the fire of magic,
 Wearing hair of gold and copper,
 Laced with many threads of silver;
 All rejoice but Ilmarinen
 At the beauty of the image.
 This the language of the blacksmith:
 "May the wolf admire thy graces;
 I desire a bride of beauty
 Born from molten gold and silver!"

Ilmarinen, the magician,
 To the furnace threw the lambkin;
 Added gold in great abundance,
 And increased the mass of silver,
 Added other magic metals,
 Set the workmen at the bellows;
 Zealously the servants labor,
 Gloveless, hatless, do the workmen
 Fan the flames within the furnace.

Ilmarinen, wizard-forgeman,
 Works unceasing with his metals,
 Moulding well a golden image,
 Wife of molten gold and silver;
 But the workmen fail their master,
 Faithless do they ply the bellows.

Now the artist, Ilmarinen,
 Fans the flames by force of magic;
 Blows one day, and then a second,
 Blows a third from morn till evening,
 When he looks within the furnace,
 Looks around the oven-border,
 Hoping there, to see an image
 Rising from the molten metals.
 From the flames a colt arises,
 Golden-maned and silver-headed,
 Hoofs are formed of shining copper.
 All rejoice but Ilmarinen
 At the wonderful creation;
 This the language of the blacksmith;
 "Let the bears admire thy graces;
 I desire a bride of beauty
 Born of many magic metals."

Thereupon the wonder-forger
 Drives the colt back to the furnace,
 Adds a greater mass of silver,
 And of gold the rightful measure,
 Sets the workmen at the bellows.
 Eagerly the servants labor,
 Gloveless, hatless, do the workmen
 Fan the flames within the furnace.

Ilmarinen, the magician,
 Works unceasing at his witchcraft,
 Moulding well a golden maiden,
 Bride of molten gold and silver;
 But the workmen fail their master,
 Faithlessly they ply the bellows.

Now the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Fans the flames with magic powers,
 Blows one day, and then a second,
 Blows a third from morn till even;
 Then he looks within his furnace,
 Looks around the oven-border,
 Trusting there to see a maiden
 Coming from the molten metals.
 From the fire a virgin rises,
 Golden-haired and silver-headed,
 Beautiful in form and feature.
 All are filled with awe and wonder,
 But the artist and magician.
 Ilmarinen, metal-worker,
 Forges nights and days unceasing,
 On the bride of his creation;
 Feet he forges for the maiden,
 Hands and arms, of gold and silver;
 But her feet are not for walking,
 Neither can her arms embrace him.
 Ears he forges for the virgin,
 But her ears are not for hearing;
 Forges her a mouth of beauty,
 Eyes he forges bright and sparkling;
 But the magic mouth is speechless,
 And the eyes are not for seeing.
 Spake the artist, Ilmarinen:
 "This, indeed, a priceless maiden,
 Could she only speak in wisdom,
 Could she breathe the breath of Ukko!"

Thereupon he lays the virgin
 On his silken couch of slumber,
 On his downy place of resting.
 Ilmarinen heats his bath-room,
 Makes it ready for his service,
 Binds together silken brushes,
 Brings three cans of crystal water,
 Wherewithal to lave the image,
 Lave the golden maid of beauty.
 When this task had been completed,
 Ilmarinen, hoping, trusting,
 Laid his golden bride to slumber,
 On his downy couch of resting;
 Ordered many silken wrappings,
 Ordered bear-skins, three in number,
 Ordered seven lambs-wool blankets,
 Thus to keep him warm in slumber,
 Sleeping by the golden image
 Re had forged from magic metals.
 Warm the side of Ilmarinen
 That was wrapped in furs and blankets;
 Chill the parts beside the maiden,
 By his bride of gold and silver;
 One side warm, the other lifeless,
 Turning into ice from coldness.
 Spake the artist, Ilmarinen:
 "Not for me was born this virgin
 From the magic molten metals;
 I shall take her to Wainola,
 Give her to old Wainamoinen,
 As a bride and life-companion,
 Comfort to him in his dotage."

Ilmarinen, much disheartened,
 Takes the virgin to Wainola,
 To the plains of Kalevala,
 To his brother speaks as follows:
 "O, thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Look with favor on this image;
 Make the maiden fair and lovely,
 Beautiful in form and feature,
 Suited to thy years declining!"

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Looked in wonder on the virgin,
 On the golden bride of beauty,
 Spake these words to Ilmarinen:
 "Wherefore dost thou bring this maiden,
 Wherefore bring to Wainamoinen
 Bride of molten gold and silver?
 Spake in answer Ilmarinen:
 "Wherefore should I bring this image,
 But for purposes the noblest?
 I have brought her as companion
 To thy life in years declining,
 As a joy and consolation,
 When thy days are full of trouble!"
 Spake the good, old Wainamoinen:
 "Magic brother, wonder-forger,
 Throw the virgin to the furnace,
 To the flames, thy golden image,
 Forge from her a thousand trinkets.
 Take the image into Ehstland,
 Take her to the plains of Pohya,
 That for her the mighty powers
 May engage in deadly contest,
 Worthy trophy for the victor;
 Not for me this bride of wonder,
 Neither for my worthy people.
 I shall never wed an image
 Born from many magic metals,
 Never wed a silver maiden,
 Never wed a golden virgin."
 Then the hero of the waters
 Called together all his people,
 Spake these words of ancient wisdom:
 "Every child of Northland, listen,
 Whether poor, or fortune-favored:
 Never bow before an image
 Born of molten gold and silver:
 Never while the sunlight brightens,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers,
 Choose a maiden of the metals,
 Choose a bride from gold created
 Cold the lips of golden maiden,
 Silver breathes the breath of sorrow."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXVIII.

 

ILMARINEN'S FRUITLESS WOOING.

ILMARINEN, the magician,
 The eternal metal-artist,
 Lays aside the golden image,
 Beauteous maid of magic metals;
 Throws the harness on his courser,
 Binds him to his sledge of birch-wood,
 Seats himself upon the cross-bench,
 Snaps the whip above the racer,
 Thinking once again to journey
 To the mansions of Pohyola,
 There to woo a bride in honor,
 Second daughter of the Northland.

On he journeyed, restless, northward,
 Journeyed one day, then a second,
 So the third from morn till evening,
 When he reached a Northland-village
 On the plains of Sariola.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Standing in the open court-yard,
 Spied the hero, Ilmarinen,
 Thus addressed the metal-worker:
 "Tell me how my child is living,
 How the Bride of Beauty prospers,
 As a daughter to thy mother."

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Head bent down and brow dejected,
 Thus addressed the Northland hostess:
 "O, thou dame of Sariola,
 Do not ask me of thy daughter,
 Since, alas I in Tuonela
 Sleeps the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Sleeps in death the Bride, of Beauty,
 Underneath the fragrant heather,
 In the kingdom of Manala.
 Come I for a second daughter,
 For the fairest of thy virgins.
 Beauteous hostess of Pohyola,
 Give to me thy youngest maiden,
 For my former wife's compartments,
 For the chambers of her sister."

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Spake these words to Ilmarinen:
 "Foolish was the Northland-hostess,
 When she gave her fairest virgin,
 In the bloom of youth and beauty
 To the blacksmith of Wainola,
 Only to be led to Mana,
 Like a lambkin to the slaughter!
 I shall never give my daughter,
 Shall not give my youngest maiden
 Bride of thine to be hereafter,
 Life-companion at thy fireside.
 Sooner would I give the fair one
 To the cataract and whirlpool,
 To the river of Manala,
 To the waters of Tuoni!"

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Drew away his head, disdainful,
 Shook his sable locks in anger,
 Entered to the inner court-room,
 Where the maiden sat in waiting,
 Spake these measures to the daughter:
 "Come with me, thou bright-eyed maiden,
 To the cottage where thy sister
 Lived and lingered in contentment,
 Baked for me the toothsome biscuit,
 Brewed for me the beer of barley,
 Kept my dwelling-place in order."

On the floor a babe was lying,
 Thus he sang to Ilmarinen:
 "Uninvited, leave this mansion,
 Go, thou stranger, from this dwelling;
 Once before thou camest hither,
 Only bringing pain and trouble,
 Filling all our hearts with sorrow.
 Fairest daughter of my mother,
 Do not give this suitor welcome,
 Look not on his eyes with pleasure,
 Nor admire his form and features.
 In his mouth are only wolf-teeth,
 Cunning fox-claws in his mittens,
 In his shoes art only bear-claws,
 In his belt a hungry dagger;
 Weapons these of blood and murder,
 Only worn by the unworthy."

Then the daughter spake as follows
 To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen:
 "Follow thee this maid will never,
 Never heed unworthy suitors;
 Thou hast slain the Bride of Beauty,
 Once the Maiden of the Rainbow,
 Thou wouldst also slay her sister.
 I deserve a better suitor,
 Wish a truer, nobler husband,
 Wish to ride in richer sledges,
 Have a better home-protection;
 Never will I sweep the cottage
 And the coal-place of a blacksmith."

Then the hero, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal metal-artist,
 Turned his head away, disdainful,
 Shook his sable locks in anger,
 Quickly seized the trembling maiden,
 Held her in his grasp of iron,
 Hastened from the court of Louhi
 To his sledge upon the highway.
 In his sleigh he seats the virgin,
 Snugly wraps her in his far-robes,
 Snaps his whip above the racer,
 Gallops on the high-road homeward;
 With one hand the reins be tightens,
 With the other holds the maiden.
 Speaks the virgin-daughter, weeping:
 We have reached the lowland-berries,
 Here the herbs of water-borders;
 Leave me here to sink and perish
 As a child of cold misfortune.
 Wicked Ilmarinen, Iisten!
 If thou dost not quickly free me,
 I will break thy sledge to pieces,
 Throw thy fur-robes to the north-winds."
 Ilmarinen makes this answer:
 "When the blacksmith builds his snow-sledge,
 All the parts are hooped with iron;
 Therefore will the beauteous maiden
 Never beat my sledge to fragments."

Then the silver-tinselled daughter
 Wept and wailed in bitter accents,
 Wrung her hands in desperation,
 Spake again to Ilmarinen:
 "If thou dost not quickly free me,
 I shall change to ocean-salmon,
 Be a whiting of the waters."

"Thou wilt never thus escape me,
 As a pike I'll fleetly follow."

Then the maiden of Pohyola
 Wept and wailed in bitter accents,
 Wrung her hands in desperation,
 Spake again to Ilmarinen;
 "If thou dost not quickly free me,
 I shall hasten to the forest,
 Mid the rocks become an ermine!"

"Thou wilt never thus escape me,
 As a serpent I will follow."

Then the beauty of the Northland,
 Wailed and wept in bitter accents,
 Wrung her hands in desperation,
 Spake once more to Ilmarinen:
 "Surely, if thou dost not free me,
 As a lark I'll fly the ether,
 Hide myself within the storm-clouds."

"Neither wilt thou thus escape me,
 As an eagle I will follow."

They had gone but little distance,
 When the courser shied and halted,
 Frighted at some passing object;
 And the maiden looked in wonder,
 In the snow beheld some foot-prints,
 Spake these words to Ilmarinen:
 Who has run across our highway?"
 "'Tis the timid hare", he answered.
 Thereupon the stolen maiden
 Sobbed, and moaned, in deeps of sorrow,
 Heavy-hearted, spake these measures:
 "Woe is me, ill-fated virgin!
 Happier far my life hereafter,
 If the hare I could but follow
 To his burrow in the woodlands!
 Crook-leg's fur to me is finer
 Than the robes of Ilmarinen."

Ilmarinen, the magician,
 Tossed his head in full resentment,
 Galloped on the highway homeward,
 Travelled but a little distance,
 When again his courser halted,
 Frighted at some passing stranger.
 Quick the maiden looked and wondered,
 In the snow beheld some foot-prints,
 Spake these measures to the blacksmith:
 Who has crossed our snowy pathway?"

"'Tis a fox", replied the minstrel.
 Thereupon the beauteous virgin
 Moaned again in depths of anguish,
 Sang these accents, heavy-hearted:
 "Woe is me, ill-fated maiden!
 Happier far my life hereafter,
 With the cunning fox to wander,
 Than with this ill-mannered suitor;
 Reynard's fur to me is finer
 Than the robes of Ilmarinen."

Thereupon the metal-worker
 Shut his lips in sore displeasure,
 Hastened on the highway homeward;
 Travelled but a little distance,
 When again his courser halted.

Quick the maiden looked in wonder,
 in the snow beheld some foot-prints,
 Spake these words to the magician:
 Who again has crossed our pathway?"

"'Tis the wolf", said Ilmarinen.
 Thereupon the fated daughter
 Fell again to bitter weeping,
 And Intoned these words of sorrow:
 "Woe is me, a hapless maiden!
 Happier far my life hereafter,
 Brighter far would be my future,
 If these tracks I could but follow;
 On the wolf the hair is finer
 Than the furs of Ilmarinen,
 Faithless suitor of the Northland."

Then the minstrel of Wainola
 Closed his lips again in anger,
 Shook his sable locks, resentful,
 Snapped the whip above the racer,
 And the steed flew onward swiftly,
 O'er the way to Kalevala,
 To the village of the blacksmith.

Sad and weary from his journey,
 Ilmarinen, home-returning,
 Fell upon his couch in slumber,
 And the maiden laughed derision.

In the morning, slowly waking,
 Head confused, and locks dishevelled,
 Spake the wizard, words as follow:
 "Shall I set myself to singing
 Magic songs and incantations?
 Shall I now enchant this maiden
 To a black-wolf on the mountains,
 To a salmon of the ocean?
 Shall not send her to the woodlands,
 All the forest would be frighted;
 Shall not send her to the waters,
 All the fish would flee in terror;
 This my sword shall drink her life-blood,
 End her reign of scorn and hatred."

Quick the sword feels his intention,
 Quick divines his evil purpose,
 Speaks these words to Ilmarinen:
 "Was not born to drink the life-blood
 Of a maiden pure and lovely,
 Of a fair but helpless virgin."
 Thereupon the magic minstrel,
 Filled with rage, began his singing;
 Sang the very rocks asunder,
 Till the distant hills re-echoed;
 Sang the maiden to a sea-gull,
 Croaking from the ocean-ledges,
 Calling from the ocean-islands,
 Screeching on the sandy sea-coast,
 Flying to the winds opposing.
 When his conjuring had ended,
 Ilmarinen joined his snow-sledge,
 Whipped his steed upon a gallop,
 Hastened to his ancient smithy,
 To his home in Kalevala.

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Comes to meet him on the highway,
 Speaks these words to the magician:
 "Ilmarinen, worthy brother,
 Wherefore comest heavy-hearted
 From the dismal Sariola?
 Does Pohyola live and prosper?
 Spake the minstrel, Ilmarinen:
 "Why should not Pohyola prosper?
 There the Sampo grinds unceasing,
 Noisy rocks the lid in colors;
 Grinds one day the flour for eating,
 Grinds the second flour for selling,
 Grinds the third day flour for keeping;
 Thus it is Pohyola prospers.
 While the Sampo is in Northland,
 There is plowing, there is sowing,
 There is growth of every virtue,
 There is welfare never-ending."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Ilmarinen, artist-brother,
 Where then is the Northland-daughter,
 Far renowned and beauteous maiden,
 For whose hand thou hast been absent?
 These the words of Ilmarinen:
 "I have changed the hateful virgin
 To a sea-gull on the ocean;
 Now she calls above the waters,
 Screeches from the ocean-islands;
 On the rocks she calls and murmurs
 Vainly calling for a suitor."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XXXIX.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S SAILING.

WAINAMOINEN, old and faithful,
 Spake these words to Ilmarinen:
 "O thou wonder-working brother,
 Let us go to Sariola,
 There to gain the magic Sampo,
 There to see the lid in colors."
 Ilmarinen gave this answer:
 "Hard indeed to seize the Sampo,
 Neither can the lid be captured
 From the never-pleasant Northland,
 From the dismal Sariola.
 Louhi took away the Sampo,
 Carried off the lid in colors
 To the stone-mount of Pohyola;
 Hid it in the copper mountain,
 Where nine locks secure the treasure.
 Many young roots sprout around it,
 Grow nine fathoms deep in sand-earth,
 One great root beneath the mountain,
 In the cataract a second,
 And a third beneath the castle
 Built upon the mount of ages."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Brother mine, and wonder-worker,
 Let us go to Sariola,
 That we may secure the Sampo;
 Let us build a goodly vessel,
 Bring the Sampo to Wainola,
 Bring away the lid in colors,
 From the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 From the copper-bearing mountain.
 Where the miracle lies anchored."
 Ilmarinen thus made answer:
 "By the land the way is safer,
 Lempo travels on the ocean,
 Ghastly Death upon his shoulder;
 On the sea the waves will drift us,
 And the storm-winds wreck our vessel;
 Then our bands must do the rowing,
 And our feet must steer us homeward."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Safe indeed by land to journey,
 But the way is rough and trying,
 Long the road and full of turnings;
 Lovely is the ship on ocean,
 Beautiful to ride the billows,
 Journey easy o'er the waters,
 Sailing in a trusty vessel;
 Should the West-wind cross our pathway,
 Will the South-wind drive us northward.
 Be that as it may, my brother,
 Since thou dost not love the water,
 By the land then let us journey.
 Forge me now the sword of battle,
 Forge for me the mighty fire-sword,
 That I may destroy the wild-beasts,
 Frighten all the Northland people,
 As we journey for the Sampo
 To the cold and dismal village,
 To the never-pleasant Northland,
 To the dismal Sariola."

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal forger-artist,
 Laid the metals in the furnace,
 In the fire laid steel and iron,
 In the hot-coals, gold and silver,
 Rightful measure of the metals;
 Set the workmen at the furnace,
 Lustily they plied the bellows.
 Like the wax the iron melted,
 Like the dough the hard steel softened,
 Like the water ran the silver,
 And the liquid gold flowed after.

Then the minstrel, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal wonder-forger,
 Looks within his magic furnace,
 On the border of his oven,
 There beholds the fire-sword forming,
 Sees the blade with golden handle;
 Takes the weapon from the furnace,
 Lays it on his heavy anvil
 For the falling of the hammer;
 Forges well the blade of magic,
 Well the heavy sword be tempers,
 Ornaments the hero-weapon
 With the finest gold and silver.

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Comes to view the blade of conquest,
 Lifts admiringly the fire-sword,
 Then these words the hero utters:
 "Does the weapon match the soldier,
 Does the handle suit the bearer?
 Yea, the blade and hilt are molded
 To the wishes of the minstrel."

On the sword-point gleams the moonlight,
 On the blade the sun is shining,
 On the hilt the bright stars twinkle,
 On the edge a horse is neighing,
 On the handle plays a kitten,
 On the sheath a dog is barking.

Wainamoinen wields his fire-sword,
 Tests it on the iron-mountain,
 And these words the hero utters:
 "With this broadsword I could quickly
 Cleave in twain the mount of Pohya,
 Cut the flinty rocks asunder."
 Spake the blacksmith, Ilmarinen:
 "Wherewith shall I guard from danger,
 How protect myself from evil,
 From the ills by land and water?
 Shall I wear an iron armor,
 Belt of steel around my body?
 Stronger is a man in armor,
 Safer in a mail of copper."

Now the time has come to journey
 To the never-pleasant Northland;
 Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 And his brother, Ilmarinen,
 Hasten to the field and forest,
 Searching for their fiery coursers,
 In each shining belt a bridle,
 With a harness on their shoulders.
 In the woods they find a race;
 In the glen a steed of battle,
 Ready for his master's service.
 Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 And the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Throw the harness on the courser,
 Hitch him to the sledge of conquest,
 Hasten on their journey Northward;
 Drive along the broad-sea's margin
 Till they bear some one lamenting
 On the strand hear something wailing
 Near the landing-place of vessels.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Speaks these words in wonder, guessing,
 "This must be some maiden weeping,
 Some fair daughter thus lamenting;
 Let us journey somewhat nearer,
 To discover whence this wailing."

Drew they nearer, nearer, nearer,
 Hoping thus to find a maiden
 Weeping on the sandy sea-shore.
 It was not a maiden weeping,
 But a vessel, sad, and lonely,
 Waiting on the shore and wailing.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Why art weeping, goodly vessel,
 What the cause of thy lamenting?
 Art thou mourning for thy row-locks,
 Is thy rigging ill-adjusted?
 Dost thou weep since thou art anchored
 On the shore in times of trouble?"
 Thus the war-ship spake in answer:
 "To the waters would this vessel
 Haste upon the well-tarred rollers,
 As a happy maiden journeys
 To the cottage of her husband.
 I, alas! a goodly vessel,
 Weep because I lie at anchor,
 Weep and wail because no hero
 Sets me free upon the waters,
 Free to ride the rolling billows.
 It was said when I was fashioned,
 Often sung when I was building,
 That this bark should be for battle,
 Should become a mighty war-ship,
 Carry in my hull great treasures,
 Priceless goods across the ocean.
 Never have I sailed to conquest,
 Never have I carried booty;
 Other vessels not as worthy
 To the wars are ever sailing,
 Sailing to the songs of battle.
 Three times in the summer season
 Come they home with treasures laden,
 In their hulls bring gold and silver;
 I, alas! a worthy vessel,
 Many months have lain at anchor,
 I, a war-ship well constructed,
 Am decaying in the harbor,
 Never having sailed to conquest;
 Worms are gnawing at my vitals,
 In my hull their dwelling-places,
 And ill-omened birds of heaven
 Build their nests within my rigging;
 Frogs and lizards of the forest
 Play about my oars and rudder;
 Three times better for this vessel
 Were he but a valley birch-tree,
 Or an aspen on the heather,
 With the squirrels in his branches,
 And the dogs beneath them barking!"

Wainamoinen, old and faithfull
 Thus addressed the ship at anchor:
 "Weep no more, thou goodly vessel,
 Man-of-war, no longer murmur;
 Thou shalt sail to Sariola,
 Sing the war-songs of the Northland,
 Sail with us to deadly combat.
 Wert thou built by the Creator,
 Thou canst sail the roughest waters,
 Sidewise journey o'er the ocean;
 Dost not need the hand to touch thee,
 Dost not need the foot to turn thee,
 Needing nothing to propel thee."
 Thus the weeping boat made answer:
 "Cannot sail without assistance,
 Neither can my brother-vessels
 Sail unaided o'er the waters,
 Sail across the waves undriven."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Should I lead thee to the broad-sea,
 Wilt thou journey north unaided,
 Sail without the help of rowers,
 Sail without the aid of south-winds,
 Sail without the b elm to guide thee?
 Thus the wailing ship replying:
 Cannot sail without assistance,
 Neither can my brother-vessels
 Sail without the aid of rowers,
 Sail without the help of south-winds,
 Nor without the helm to guide them."
 These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "Wilt thou run with aid of oarsmen
 When the south-winds give assistance,
 Guided by a skillful pilot?"
 This the answer of the war-ship:
 "Quickly can I course these waters,
 When my oars are manned by rowers,
 When my sails are filled with south-winds,
 All my goodly brother-vessels
 Sail the ocean with assistance,
 When the master holds the rudder."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Left the racer on the sea-side,
 Tied him to the sacred birch-tree,
 Hung the harness on a willow,
 Rolled the vessel to the waters,
 Sang the ship upon the broad-sea,
 Asked the boat this simple question:
 "O thou vessel, well-appearing
 From the mighty oak constructed,
 Art thou strong to carry treasures
 As in view thou art commanding?
 Thus the goodly ship made answer:
 "Strong am I to carry treasures,
 In my hull a golden cargo;
 I can bear a hundred oarsmen,
 And of warriors a thousand."

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Then began his wondrous singing.
 On one side the magic vessel,
 Sang he youth with golden virtues,
 Bearded youth with strength of heroes,
 Sang them into mail of copper.
 On the other side the vessel,
 Sang he silver-tinselled maidens,
 Girded them with belts of copper,
 Golden rings upon their fingers.
 Sings again the great magician,
 Fills the magic ship with heroes,
 Ancient heroes, brave and mighty;
 Sings them into narrow limits,
 Since the young men came before them.

At the helm himself be seated,
 Near the last beam of the vessel,
 Steered his goodly boat in joyance,
 Thus addressed the willing war-ship:
 "Glide upon the trackless waters,
 Sail away, my ship of magic,
 Sail across the waves before thee,
 Speed thou like a dancing bubble,
 Like a flower upon the billows!"

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Set the young men to the rowing,
 Let the maidens sit in waiting.
 Eagerly the youthful heroes
 Bend the oars and try the row-locks,
 But the distance is not lessened.
 Then the minstrel, Wainamoinen,
 Set the maidens to the rowing,
 Let the young men rest in waiting.
 Eagerly the merry maidens
 Bend the aspen-oars in rowing,
 But the distance is not lessened.
 Then the master, Wainamoinen,
 Set the old men to the rowing,
 Let the youth remain in waiting.
 Lustily the aged heroes
 Bend and try the oars of aspen,
 But the distance is not lessened.

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Grasped the oars with master-magic,
 And the boat leaped o'er the surges,
 Swiftly sped across the billows;
 Far and wide the oars resounded,
 Quickly was the distance lessened.
 With a rush and roar of waters
 Ilmarinen sped his vessel,
 Benches, ribs, and row-locks creaking,
 Oars of aspen far resounding;
 Flap the sails like wings of moor-cocks,
 And the prow dips like a white-swan;
 In the rear it croaks like ravens,
 Loud the oars and rigging rattle.

Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Sitting by the bending rudder,
 Turns his magic vessel landward,
 To a jutting promontory,
 Where appears a Northland-village.
 On the point stands Lemminkainen,
 Kaukomieli, black magician,
 Ahti, wizard of Wainola,
 Wishing for the fish of Pohya,
 Weeping for his fated dwelling,
 For his perilous adventures,
 Hard at work upon a vessel,
 On the sail-yards of a fish-boat,
 Near the hunger-point and island,
 Near the village-home deserted.
 Good the ears of the magician,
 Good the wizard's eyes for seeing;
 Casts his vision to the South-east,
 Turns his eyes upon the sunset,
 Sees afar a wondrous rainbow,
 Farther on, a cloudlet hanging;
 But the bow was a deception,
 And the cloudlet a delusion;
 'Tis a vessel swiftly sailing,
 'Tis a war-ship flying northward,
 O'er the blue-back of the broad-sea,
 On the far-extending waters,
 At the helm the master standing,
 At the oars a mighty hero.
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Do not know this wondrous vessel,
 Not this well-constructed war-ship,
 Coming from the distant Suomi,
 Rowing for the hostile Pohya."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Called aloud in tones of thunder
 O'er the waters to the vessel;
 Made the distant hills re-echo
 With the music of his calling:
 "Whence this vessel on the waters,
 Whose the war-ship sailing hither?"

Spake the master of the vessel
 To the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Who art thou from fen or forest,
 Senseless wizard from the woodlands,
 That thou dost not know this vessel,
 Magic war-ship of Wainola?
 Dost not know him at the rudder,
 Nor the hero at the row-locks?"
 Spake the wizard, Lemminkainen:
 "Well I know the helm-director,
 And I recognize the rower;
 Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 At the helm directs the vessel;
 Ilmarinen does the rowing.
 Whither is the vessel sailing,
 Whither wandering, my heroes?
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "We are sailing to the Northland,
 There to gain the magic Sampo,
 There to get the lid in colors,
 From the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 From the copper-bearing mountain."
 Spake the evil Lemminkainen:
 "O, thou good, old Wainamoinen,
 Take me with thee to Pohyola,
 Make me third of magic heroes,
 Since thou goest for the Sampo,
 Goest for the lid in colors;
 I shall prove a valiant soldier,
 When thy wisdom calls for fighting;
 I am skilled in arts of warfare!"

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Gave assent to Ahti's wishes;
 Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Hastened to Wainola's war-ship,
 Bringing floats of aspen-timber,
 To the ships of Wainamoinen.

Thus the hero of the Northland
 Speaks to reckless Lemminkainen:
 "There is aspen on my vessel,
 Aspen-floats in great abundance,
 And the boat is heavy-laden.
 Wherefore dost thou bring the aspen
 To the vessel of Wainola?"
 Lemminkainen gave this answer:
 "Not through caution sinks a vessel,
 Nor a hay-stack by its proppings;
 Seas abound in hidden dangers,
 Heavy storms arise and threaten
 Fell destruction to the sailor
 That would brave the angry billows."
 Spake the good, old Wainamoinen:
 "Therefore is this warlike vessel
 Built of trusty steel and copper,
 Trimmed and bound in toughest iron,
 That the winds may, not destroy it,
 May not harm my ship of magic."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XL.

 

BIRTH OF THE HARP.

WAINAMOINEN, ancient minstrel,
 Onward steered his goodly vessel,
 From the isle of Lemminkainen,
 From the borders of the village;
 Steered his war-ship through the waters,
 Sang it o'er the ocean-billows,
 Joyful steered it to Pohyola.

On the banks were maidens standing,
 And the daughters spake these measures:
 "List the music on the waters!
 What this wonderful rejoicing,
 What this singing on the billows?
 Far more beautiful this singing,
 This rejoicing on the waters,
 Than our ears have heard in Northland."

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Steered his wonder-vessel onward,
 Steered one day along the sea-shore,
 Steered the next through shallow waters,
 Steered the third day through the rivers.
 Then the reckless Lemminkainen
 Suddenly some words remembered,
 He had heard along the fire-stream
 Near the cataract and whirlpool,
 And these words the hero uttered:
 "Cease, O cataract, thy roaring,
 Cease, O waterfall, thy foaming!
 Maidens of the foam and current,
 Sitting on the rocks in water,
 On the stone-blocks in the river,
 Take the foam and white-capped billows
 In your arms and still their anger,
 That our ships may pass in safety!
 Aged dame beneath the eddy,
 Thou that livest in the sea-foam,
 Swimming, rise above the waters,
 Lift thy head above the whirlpool,
 Gather well the foam and billows
 In thine arms and still their fury,
 That our ship may pass in safety!
 Ye, O rocks beneath the current,
 Underneath the angry waters,
 Lower well your heads of danger,
 Sink below our magic vessel,
 That our ship may pass in safety!

"Should this prayer prove inefficient,
 Kimmo, hero son of Kammo,
 Bore an outlet with thine auger,
 Cut a channel for this vessel
 Through the rocks beneath the waters,
 That our ship may pass in safety!
 Should all this prove unavailing,
 Hostess of the running water,
 Change to moss these rocky ledges,
 Change this vessel to an air-bag,
 That between these rocks and billows
 It may float, and pass in safety!

"Virgin of the sacred whirlpool,
 Thou whose home is in the river,
 Spin from flax of strongest fiber,
 Spin a thread of crimson color,
 Draw it gently through the water,
 That the thread our ship may follow,
 And our vessel pass in safety!
 Goddess of the helm, thou daughter
 Of the ocean-winds and sea-foam,
 Take thy helm endowed with mercy,
 Guide our vessel through these dangers,
 Hasten through these floods enchanted,
 Passing by the house of envy,
 By the gates of the enchanters,
 That our ship may pass in safety!

"Should this prayer prove inefficient,
 Ukko, Ruler of creation, .
 Guide our vessel with thy fire-sword,
 Guide it with thy blade of lightning,
 Through the dangers of these rapids,
 Through the cataract and whirlpool,
 That our ship may pass in safety!"

Thereupon old Wainamoinen
 Steered his boat through winds and waters,
 Through the rocky chinks and channels,
 Through the surges wildly tossing;
 And the vessel passed in safety
 Through the dangers of the current,
 Through the sacred stream and whirlpool.
 As it gains the open waters,
 Gains at length the broad-lake's bosom,
 Suddenly its motion ceases,
 On some object firmly anchored.
 Thereupon young Ilmarinen,
 With the aid of Lemminkainen,
 Plunges in the lake the rudder,
 Struggles with the aid of magic;
 But he cannot move the vessel,
 Cannot free it from its moorings.

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Thus addresses his companion:
 "O thou hero, Lemminkainen,
 Stoop and look beneath this war-ship,
 See on what this boat is anchored,
 See on what our craft is banging,
 In this broad expanse of water,
 In the broad-lake's deepest soundings,
 If upon some rock or tree-snag,
 Or upon some other hindrance."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Looked beneath the magic vessel,
 Peering through the crystal waters,
 Spake and these the words be uttered:
 "Does not rest upon a sand-bar,
 Nor upon a rock, nor tree-snag,
 But upon the back and shoulders
 Of the mighty pike of Northland,
 On the fin-bones of the monster."

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Spake these words to Lemminkainen:
 "Many things we find in water,
 Rocks, and trees, and fish, and sea-duck;
 Are we on the pike's broad shoulders,
 On the fin-bones of the monster,
 Pierce the waters with thy broadsword,
 Cut the monster into pieces."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen,
 Reckless wizard, filled with courage,
 Pulls his broadsword from his girdle,
 From its sheath, the bone-divider,
 Strikes with might of magic hero,
 Headlong falls into the water;
 And the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Lifts the wizard from the river,
 Speaks these words to dripping Ahti:
 "Accidents will come to mortals,
 Accidents will come to heroes,
 By the hundreds, by the thousands,
 Even to the gods above us!"

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Drew his broadsword from his girdle,
 From its sheath his blade of honor,
 Tried to slay the pike of Northland
 With the weapon of his forging;
 But he broke his sword in pieces,
 Did not harm the water-monster.

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Thus addresses his companions
 "Poor apologies for heroes!
 When occasion calls for victors,
 When we need some great magician,
 Need a hero filled with valor,
 Then the arm that comes is feeble,
 And the mind insane or witless,
 Strength and reason gone to others!"

Straightway ancient Wainamoinen,
 Miracle of strength and wisdom,
 Draws his fire-sword from his girdle,
 Wields the mighty blade of magic,
 Strikes the waters as the lightning,
 Strikes the pike beneath the vessel,
 And impales, the mighty monster;
 Raises him above the surface,
 In the air the pike he circles,
 Cuts the monster into pieces;
 To the water falls the pike-tail,
 To the ship the head and body;
 Easily the ship moves onward.

Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 To the shore directs his vessel,
 On the strand the boat he anchors,
 Looks in every nook and corner
 For the fragments of the monster;
 Gathers well the parts together,
 Speaks these words to those about him:
 "Let the oldest of the heroes
 Slice for me the pike of Northland,
 Slice the fish to fitting morsels."

Answered all the men and heroes,
 And the maidens spake, assenting:
 "Worthier the catcher's fingers,
 Wainamoinen's hands are sacred!"

Thereupon the wise magician
 Drew a fish-knife from his girdle,
 Sliced the pike to fitting morsels,
 Spake again to those about him:
 "Let the youngest of the maidens
 Cook for me the pike of Northland,
 Set for me a goodly dinner!"

All the maidens quick responded,
 All the virgins vied in cooking;
 Neither could outdo the other,
 Thus the pike was rendered toothsome.
 Feasted all the old magicians,
 Feasted all the younger heroes,
 Feasted all the men and maidens;
 On the rocks were left the fish-bones,
 Only relics of their feasting.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Looked upon the pile of fragments,
 On the fish-bones looked and pondered,
 Spake these words in meditation:
 "Wondrous things might be constructed
 From the relies of this monster,
 Were they in the blacksmith's furnace,
 In the hands of the magician,
 In the hands of Ilmarinen."
 Spake the blacksmith of Wainola:
 "Nothing fine can be constructed
 From the bones and teeth of fishes
 By the skillful forger-artist,
 By the hands of the magician."
 These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "Something wondrous might be builded
 From these jaws, and teeth, and fish-bones;
 Might a magic harp be fashioned,
 Could an artist be discovered
 That could shape them to my wishes."

But he found no fish-bone artist
 That could shape the harp of joyance
 From the relies of their feasting,
 From the jaw-bones of the monster,
 To the will of the magician.
 Thereupon wise Wainamoinen
 Set himself at work designing;
 Quick became a fish-bone artist,
 Made a harp of wondrous beauty,
 Lasting joy and pride of Suomi.
 Whence the harp's enchanting arches?
 From the jaw-bones of the monster.
 Whence the necessary harp-pins?
 From the pike-teeth firmly fastened.
 Whence the sweetly singing harp-strings?
 From the tail of Lempo's stallion.
 Thus was born the harp of magic
 From the mighty pike of Northland,
 From the relies from the feasting
 Of the heroes of Wainola.
 All the young men came to view it,
 All the aged with their children,
 Mothers with their beauteous daughters,
 Maidens with their golden tresses;
 All the people on the islands
 Came to view the harp of joyance,
 Pride and beauty of the Northland.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Let the aged try the harp-strings,
 Gave it to the young magicians,
 To the dames and to their daughters,
 To the maidens, silver-tinselled,
 To the singers of Wainola.
 When the young men touched the harp-strings,
 Then arose the notes of discord;
 When the aged played upon it,
 Dissonance their only music.
 Spake the wizard, Lemminkainen:
 "O ye witless, worthless children,
 O ye senseless, useless maidens,
 O ye wisdom-lacking heroes,
 Cannot play this harp of magic,
 Cannot touch the notes of concord!
 Give to me this thing or beauty,
 Hither bring the harp of fish-bones,
 Let me try my skillful fingers."
 Lemminkainen touched the harp-strings,
 Carefully the strings adjusted,
 Turned the harp in all directions,
 Fingered all the strings in sequence,
 Played the instrument of wonder,
 But it did not speak in concord,
 Did not sing the notes of joyance.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "There is none among these maidens,
 None among these youthful heroes,
 None among the old magicians
 That can play the harp of magic,
 Touch the notes of joy and pleasure.
 Let us take the harp to Pohya,
 There to find a skillful player
 That can touch the strings in concord."

Then they sailed to Sariola,
 To Pohyola took the wonder,
 There to find the harp a master.
 All the heroes of Pohyola,
 All the boys and all the maidens,
 Ancient dames, and bearded minstrels,
 Vainly touched the harp of beauty.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Took the harp-strings in her fingers;
 All the youth of Sariola,
 Youth of every tribe and station,
 Vainly touched the harp of fish-bone;
 Could not find the notes of joyance,
 Dissonance their only pleasure;
 Shrieked the harp-strings like the whirlwinds,
 All the tones wore harsh and frightful.

In a corner slept a blind man,
 Lay a gray-beard on the oven,
 Rousing from his couch of slumber,
 Murmured thus within his corner:
 "Cease at once this wretched playing,
 Make an end of all this discord;
 It benumbs mine ears for hearing,
 Racks my brain, despoils my senses,
 Robs me of the sweets of sleeping.
 If the harp of Suomi's people
 True delight cannot engender,
 Cannot bring the notes of pleasure,
 Cannot sing to sleep the aged,
 Cast the thing upon the waters,
 Sink it in the deeps of ocean,
 Take it back to Kalevala,
 To the home of him that made it,
 To the bands of its creator."

Thereupon the harp made answer,
 To the blind man sang these measures:
 "Shall not fall upon the waters,
 Shall not sink within the ocean;
 I will play for my creator,
 Sing in melody and concord
 In the fingers of my master."

Carefully the harp was carried
 To the artist that had made it
 To the hands of its creator,
 To the feet of Wainamoinen.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLI.

 

WAINAMOINEN'S HARP-SONGS.

WAINAMOINEN, ancient minstrel,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 Laves his hands to snowy whiteness,
 Sits upon the rock of joyance,
 On the stone of song be settles,
 On the mount of silver clearness,
 On the summit, golden colored;
 Takes the harp by him created,
 In his hands the harp of fish-bone,
 With his knee the arch supporting,
 Takes the harp-strings in his fingers,
 Speaks these words to those assembled:
 "Hither come, ye Northland people,
 Come and listen to my playing,
 To the harp's entrancing measures,
 To my songs of joy and gladness."

Then the singer of Wainola
 Took the harp of his creation,
 Quick adjusting, sweetly tuning,
 Deftly plied his skillful fingers
 To the strings that he had fashioned.
 Now was gladness rolled on gladness,
 And the harmony of pleasure
 Echoed from the hills and mountains:
 Added singing to his playing,
 Out of joy did joy come welling,
 Now resounded marvelous music,
 All of Northland stopped and listened.
 Every creature in the forest,
 All the beasts that haunt the woodlands,
 On their nimble feet came bounding,
 Came to listen to his playing,
 Came to hear his songs of joyance.
 Leaped the squirrels from the branches,
 Merrily from birch to aspen;
 Climbed the ermines on the fences,
 O'er the plains the elk-deer bounded,
 And the lynxes purred with pleasure;
 Wolves awoke in far-off swamp-lands,
 Bounded o'er the marsh and heather,
 And the bear his den deserted,
 Left his lair within the pine-wood,
 Settled by a fence to listen,
 Leaned against the listening gate-posts,
 But the gate-posts yield beneath him;
 Now he climbs the fir-tree branches
 That he may enjoy and wonder,
 Climbs and listens to the music
 Of the harp of Wainamoinen.

Tapiola's wisest senior,
 Metsola's most noble landlord,
 And of Tapio, the people,
 Young and aged, men and maidens,
 Flew like red-deer up the mountains
 There to listen to the playing,
 To the harp, of Wainamoinen.
 Tapiola's wisest mistress,
 Hostess of the glen and forest,
 Robed herself in blue and scarlet,
 Bound her limbs with silken ribbons,
 Sat upon the woodland summit,
 On the branches of a birch-tree,
 There to listen to the playing,
 To the high-born hero's harping,
 To the songs of Wainamoinen.

All the birds that fly in mid-air
 Fell like snow-flakes from the heavens,
 Flew to hear the minstrel's playing,
 Hear the harp of Wainamoinen.
 Eagles in their lofty eyrie
 Heard the songs of the enchanter;
 Swift they left their unfledged young ones,
 Flew and perched around the minstrel.
 From the heights the hawks descended,
 From the, clouds down swooped the falcon,
 Ducks arose from inland waters,
 Swans came gliding from the marshes;
 Tiny finches, green and golden,
 Flew in flocks that darkened sunlight,
 Came in myriads to listen '
 Perched upon the head and shoulders
 Of the charming Wainamoinen,
 Sweetly singing to the playing
 Of the ancient bard and minstrel.
 And the daughters of the welkin,
 Nature's well-beloved daughters,
 Listened all in rapt attention;
 Some were seated on the rainbow,
 Some upon the crimson cloudlets,
 Some upon the dome of heaven.

In their hands the Moon's fair daughters
 Held their weaving-combs of silver;
 In their hands the Sun's sweet maidens
 Grasped the handles of their distaffs,
 Weaving with their golden shuttles,
 Spinning from their silver spindles,
 On the red rims of the cloudlets,
 On the bow of many colors.
 As they hear the minstrel playing,
 Hear the harp of Wainamoinen,
 Quick they drop their combs of silver,
 Drop the spindles from their fingers,
 And the golden threads are broken,
 Broken are the threads of silver.

All the fish in Suomi-waters
 Heard the songs of the magician,
 Came on flying fins to listen
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.
 Came the trout with graceful motions,
 Water-dogs with awkward movements,
 From the water-cliffs the salmon,
 From the sea-caves came the whiting,
 From the deeper caves the bill-fish;
 Came the pike from beds of sea-fern,
 Little fish with eyes of scarlet,
 Leaning on the reeds and rushes,
 With their heads above the surface;
 Came to bear the harp of joyance,
 Hear the songs of the enchanter.

Ahto, king of all the waters,
 Ancient king with beard of sea-grass,
 Raised his head above the billows,
 In a boat of water-lilies,
 Glided to the coast in silence,
 Listened to the wondrous singing,
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.
 These the words the sea-king uttered:
 "Never have I heard such playing,
 Never heard such strains of music,
 Never since the sea was fashioned,
 As the songs of this enchanter,
 This sweet singer, Wainamoinen."

Satko's daughters from the blue-deep,
 Sisters of the wave-washed ledges,
 On the colored strands were sitting,
 Smoothing out their sea-green tresses
 With the combs of molten silver,
 With their silver-handled brushes,
 Brushes forged with golden bristles.
 When they hear the magic playing,
 Hear the harp of Wainamoinen,
 Fall their brushes on the billows,
 Fall their combs with silver handles
 To the bottom of the waters,
 Unadorned their heads remaining,
 And uncombed their sea-green tresses.

Came the hostess of the waters,
 Ancient hostess robed in flowers,
 Rising from her deep sea-castle,
 Swimming to the shore in wonder,
 Listened to the minstrel's playing,
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.
 As the magic tones re-echoed,
 As the singer's song out-circled,
 Sank the hostess into slumber,
 On the rocks of many colors,
 On her watery couch of joyance,
 Deep the sleep that settled o'er her.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Played one day and then a second,
 Played the third from morn till even.
 There was neither man nor hero,
 Neither ancient dame, nor maiden,
 Not in Metsola a daughter,
 Whom he did not touch to weeping;
 Wept the young, and wept the aged,
 Wept the mothers, wept the daughters
 Wept the warriors and heroes
 At the music of his playing,
 At the songs of the magician.

Wainamoinen's tears came flowing,
 Welling from the master's eyelids,
 Pearly tear-drops coursing downward,
 Larger than the whortle-berries,
 Finer than the pearls of ocean,
 Smoother than the eggs of moor-hens,
 Brighter than the eyes of swallows.
 From his eves the tear-drops started,
 Flowed adown his furrowed visage,
 Falling from his beard in streamlets,
 Trickled on his heaving bosom,
 Streaming o'er his golden girdle,
 Coursing to his garment's border,
 Then beneath his shoes of ermine,
 Flowing on, and flowing ever,
 Part to earth for her possession,
 Part to water for her portion.
 As the tear-drops fall and mingle,
 Form they streamlets from the eyelids
 Of the minstrel, Wainamoinen,
 To the blue-mere's sandy margin,
 To the deeps of crystal waters,
 Lost among the reeds and rushes.
 Spake at last the ancient minstrel:
 "Is there one in all this concourse,
 One in all this vast assembly
 That can gather up my tear-drops
 From the deep, pellucid waters?"

Thus the younger heroes answered,
 Answered thus the bearded seniors:
 "There is none in all this concourse,
 None in all this vast assembly,
 That can gather up thy tear-drops
 From the deep, pellucid waters."
 Spake again wise Wainamoinen:
 "He that gathers up my tear-drops
 From the deeps of crystal waters
 Shall receive a beauteous plumage."

Came a raven, flying, croaking,
 And the minstrel thus addressed him:
 "Bring, O raven, bring my tear-drops
 From the crystal lake's abysses;
 I will give thee beauteous plumage,
 Recompense for golden service."
 But the raven failed his master.

Came a duck upon the waters,
 And the hero thus addressed him:
 "Bring O water-bird, my tear-drops;
 Often thou dost dive the deep-sea,
 Sink thy bill upon the bottom
 Of the waters thou dost travel;
 Dive again my tears to gather,
 I will give thee beauteous plumage,
 Recompense for golden service."

Thereupon the duck departed,
 Hither, thither, swam, and circled,
 Dived beneath the foam and billow,
 Gathered Wainamoinen's tear-drops
 From the blue-sea's pebbly bottom,
 From the deep, pellucid waters;
 Brought them to the great magician,
 Beautifully formed and colored,
 Glistening in the silver sunshine,
 Glimmering in the golden moonlight,
 Many-colored as the rainbow,
 Fitting ornaments for heroes,
 Jewels for the maids of beauty.
 This the origin of sea-pearls,
 And the blue-duck's beauteous plumage.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLII.

 

CAPTURE OF THE SAMPO.

WAINAMOINEN, old and truthful,
 With the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 With the reckless son of Lempo,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 On the sea's smooth plain departed,
 On the far-extending waters,
 To the village, cold and dreary,
 To the never-pleasant Northland,
 Where the heroes fall and perish.
 Ilmarinen led the rowers
 On one side the magic war-ship,
 And the reckless Lemminkainen
 Led the rowers on the other.
 Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Laid his hand upon the rudder,
 Steered his vessel o'er the waters,
 Through the foam and angry billows
 To Pohyola's place of landing,
 To the cylinders of copper,
 Where the war-ships lie at anchor.

When they had arrived at Pohya,
 When their journey they had ended,
 On the land they rolled their vessel,
 On the copper-banded rollers,
 Straightway journeyed to the village,
 Hastened to the halls and hamlets
 Of the dismal Sariola.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Thus addressed the stranger-heroes:
 Magic heroes of Wainola,
 What the tidings ye are bringing
 To the people of my village?"

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel.
 Gave this answer to the hostess:
 "All the hosts of Kalevala
 Are inquiring for the Sampo,
 Asking for the lid in colors;
 Hither have these heroes journeyed
 To divide the priceless treasure.
 Thus the hostess spake in answer:
 "No one would divide a partridge,
 Nor a squirrel, with three heroes;
 Wonderful the magic Sampo,
 Plenty does it bring to Northland;
 And the colored lid re-echoes
 From the copper-bearing mountains,
 From the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 To the joy of its possessors."

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Thus addressed the ancient Louhi:
 "If thou wilt not share the Sampo,
 Give to us an equal portion,
 We will take it to Wainola,
 With its lid of many colors,
 Take by force the hope of Pohya."

Thereupon the Northland hostess
 Angry grew and sighed for vengeance;
 Called her people into council,
 Called the hosts of Sariola,
 Heroes with their trusted broadswords,
 To destroy old Wainamoinen
 With his people of the Northland.

Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 Hastened to his harp of fish-bone,
 And began his magic playing;
 All of Pohya stopped and listened,
 Every warrior was silenced
 By the notes of the magician;
 Peaceful-minded grew the soldiers,
 All the maidens danced with pleasure,
 While the heroes fell to weeping,
 And the young men looked in wonder.

Wainamoinen plays unceasing,
 Plays the maidens into slumber,
 Plays to sleep the young and aged,
 All of Northland sleeps and listens.
 Wise and wondrous Wainamoinen,
 The eternal bard and singer,
 Searches in his pouch of leather,
 Draws therefrom his slumber-arrows,
 Locks the eyelids of the sleepers,
 Of the heroes of Pohyola,
 Sings and charms to deeper slumber
 All the warriors of the Northland.
 Then the heroes of Wainola
 Hasten to obtain the Sampo,
 To procure the lid in colors
 From the copper-bearing mountains.
 From behind nine locks of copper,
 In the stone-berg of Pohyola.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Then began his wondrous singing,
 Sang in gentle tones of magic,
 At the entrance to the mountain,
 At the border of the stronghold;
 Trembled all the rocky portals,
 And the iron-banded pillars
 Fell and crumbled at his singing.

Ilmarinen, magic blacksmith,
 Well anointed all the hinges,
 All the bars and locks anointed,
 And the bolts flew back by magic,
 All the gates unlocked in silence,
 Opened for the great magician.
 Spake the minstrel Wainamoinen:
 "O thou daring Lemminkainen,
 Friend of mine in times of trouble,
 Enter thou within the mountain,
 Bring away the wondrous Sampo,
 Bring away the lid in colors!"

Quick the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Ever ready for a venture,
 Hastens to the mountain-caverns,
 There to find the famous Sampo,
 There to get the lid in colors;
 Strides along with conscious footsteps,
 Thus himself he vainly praises:
 "Great am I and full of glory,
 Wonder-hero, son of Ukko,
 I will bring away the Sampo,
 Turn about the lid in colors,
 Turn it on its magic hinges!"

Lemminkainen finds the wonder,
 Finds the Sampo in the mountain,
 Labors long with strength heroic,
 Tugs with might and main to turn it;
 Motionless remains the treasure,
 Deeper sinks the lid in colors,
 For the roots have grown about it,
 Grown nine fathoms deep in sand-earth.

Lived a mighty ox in Northland,
 Powerful in bone and sinew,
 Beautiful in form and color,
 Horns the length of seven fathoms,
 Mouth and eyes of wondrous beauty.

Lemminkainen, reckless hero,
 Harnesses the ox in pasture,
 Takes the master-plow of Pohya,
 Plows the roots about the Sampo,
 Plows around the lid in colors,
 And the sacred Sampo loosens,
 Falls the colored lid in silence.
 Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Brings the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Brings the daring Lemminkainen,
 Lastly brings the magic Sampo,
 From the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 From the copper-bearing mountain,
 Hides it in his waiting vessel,
 In the war-ship of Wainola.

Wainamoinen called his people,
 Called his crew of men and maidens,
 Called together all his heroes,
 Rolled his vessel to the water,
 Into billowy deeps and dangers.
 Spake the blacksmith, Ilmarinen:
 "Whither shall we take the Sampo,
 Whither take the lid in colors,
 From the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 From this evil spot of Northland?"

Wainamoinen, wise and faithful,
 Gave this answer to the question:
 "Thither shall we take the Sampo,
 Thither take the lid in colors,
 To the fog-point on the waters,
 To the island forest-covered;
 There the treasure may be hidden,
 May remain in peace for ages,
 Free from trouble, free from danger,
 Where the sword will not molest it."

Then the minstrel, Wainamoinen,
 Joyful, left the Pohya borders,
 Homeward sailed, and happy-hearted,
 Spake these measures on departing:
 "Turn, O man-of-war, from Pohya,
 Turn thy back upon the strangers,
 Turn thou to my distant country!
 Rock, O winds, my magic vessel,
 Homeward drive my ship, O billows,
 Lend the rowers your assistance,
 Give the oarsmen easy labor,
 On this vast expanse of waters!
 Give me of thine oars, O Ahto,
 Lend thine aid, O King of sea-waves,
 Guide as with thy helm in safety,
 Lay thy hand upon the rudder,
 And direct our war-ship homeward;
 Let the hooks of metal rattle
 O'er the surging of the billows,
 On the white-capped waves' commotion."

Then the master, Wainamoinen,
 Guided home his willing vessel;
 And the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 With the lively Lemminkainen,
 Led the mighty host of rowers,
 And the war-ship glided homeward
 O'er the sea's unruffled surface,
 O'er the mighty waste of waters.
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "Once before I rode these billows,
 There were viands for the heroes,
 There was singing for the maidens;
 But to-day I hear no singing,
 Hear no songs upon the vessel,
 Hear no music on the waters."

Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 Answered thus wild Lemminkainen:
 "Let none sing upon the blue-sea,
 On the waters, no rejoicing;
 Singing would prolong our journey,
 Songs disturb the host of rowers;
 Soon will die the silver sunlight,
 Darkness soon will overtake us,
 On this evil waste of waters,
 On this blue-sea, smooth and level."
 These the words of Lemminkainen:
 "Time will fly on equal pinions
 Whether we have songs or silence;
 Soon will disappear the daylight,
 And the night as quickly follow,
 Whether we be sad or joyous."

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 O'er the blue backs of the billows,
 Steered one day, and then a second,
 Steered the third from morn till even,
 When the wizard, Lemminkainen,
 Once again addressed the master:
 "Why wilt thou, O famous minstrel,
 Sing no longer for thy people,
 Since the Sampo thou hast captured,
 Captured too the lid in colors?"
 These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "'Tis not well to sing too early!
 Time enough for songs of joyance
 When we see our home-land mansions,
 When our journeyings have ended!"
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen:
 "At the helm, if I were sitting,
 I would sing at morn and evening,
 Though my voice has little sweetness;
 Since thy songs are not forthcoming
 Listen to my wondrous singing!"

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen,
 Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
 Raised his voice above the waters,
 O'er the sea his song resounded;
 But his measures were discordant,
 And his notes were harsh and frightful.
 Sang the wizard, Lemminkainen,
 Screeched the reckless Kaukomieli,
 Till the mighty war-ship trembled;
 Far and wide was heard his singing,
 Heard his songs upon the waters,
 Heard within the seventh village,
 Heard beyond the seven oceans.

Sat a crane within the rushes,
 On a hillock clothed in verdure,
 And the crane his toes was counting;
 Suddenly he heard the singing
 Of the wizard, Lemminkainen;
 And the bird was justly frightened
 At the songs of the magician.
 Then with horrid voice, and screeching,
 Flew the crane across the broad-sea
 To the lakes of Sariola,
 O'er Pohyola's hills and hamlets,
 Screeching, screaming, over Northland,
 Till the people of the darkness
 Were awakened from their slumbers.

Louhi hastens to her hurdles,
 Hastens to her droves of cattle,
 Hastens also to her garners,
 Counts her herds, inspects her store-house;
 Undisturbed she finds her treasures.

Quick she journeys to the entrance
 To the copper-bearing mountain,
 Speaks these words as she approaches:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated,
 Woe to Louhi, broken-hearted!
 Here the tracks of the destroyers,
 All my locks and bolts are broken
 By the hands of cruel strangers!
 Broken are my iron hinges,
 Open stand the mountain-portals
 Leading to the Northland-treasure.
 Has Pohyola lost her Sampo?"

Then she hastened to the chambers
 Where the Sampo had been grinding;
 But she found the chambers empty,
 Lid and Sampo gone to others,
 From the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 From behind nine locks of copper,
 In the copper-bearing mountain.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Angry grew and cried for vengeance;
 As she found her fame departing,
 Found her-strength fast disappearing,
 Thus addressed the sea-fog virgin:
 "Daughter of the morning-vapors,
 Sift thy fogs from distant cloud-land,
 Sift the thick air from the heavens,
 Sift thy vapors from the ether,
 On the blue-back of the broad-sea,
 On the far extending waters,
 That the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Friend of ocean-wave and billow,
 May not baffle his pursuers!

"Should this prayer prove unavailing,
 Iku-Turso, son of Old-age,
 Raise thy head above the billows,
 And destroy Wainola's heroes,
 Sink them to thy deep sea-castles,
 There devour them at thy pleasure;
 Bring thou back the golden Sampo
 To the people of Pohyola!

"Should these words be ineffective,
 Ukko, mightiest of rulers,
 Golden king beyond the welkin,
 Sitting on a throne of silver,
 Fill thy skies with heavy storm-clouds,
 Call thy fleetest winds about thee,
 Send them o'er the seven broad-seas,
 There to find the fleeing vessel,
 That the ancient Wainamoinen
 May not baffle his pursuers!"

Quick the virgin of the vapors
 Breathed a fog upon the waters,
 Made it settle on the war-ship
 Of the, heroes of the Northland,
 Held the minstrel, Wainamoinen,
 Anchored in the fog and darkness;
 Bound him one day, then a second,
 Then a third till dawn of morning,
 In the middle of the blue-sea,
 Whence he could not flee in safety
 From the wrath of his pursuers.

When the third night had departed,
 Resting in the sea, and helpless,
 Wainamoinen spake as follows,
 "Not a man of strength and courage,
 Not the weakest of the heroes,
 Who upon the sea will suffer,
 Sink and perish in the vapors,
 Perish in the fog and darkness!"

With his sword he smote the billows,
 From his magic blade flowed honey;
 Quick the vapor breaks, and rises,
 Leaves the waters clear for rowing;
 Far extend the sky and waters,
 Large the ring of the horizon,
 And the troubled sea enlarges.

Time had journeyed little distance,
 Scarce a moment had passed over,
 When they heard a mighty roaring,
 Heard a roaring and a rushing
 Near the border of the vessel,
 Where the foam was shooting skyward
 O'er the boat of Wainamoinen.
 Straightway youthful Ilmarinen
 Sank in gravest apprehension,
 From his cheeks the blood departed;
 Pulled his cap down o'er his forehead,
 Shook and trembled with emotion.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Casts his eyes upon the waters
 Near the broad rim of his war-ship;
 There perceives an ocean-wonder
 With his head above the sea-foam.

Wainamoinen, brave and mighty,
 Seizes quick the water-monster,
 Lifts him by his ears and questions:
 "Iku-Turso, son of Old-age,
 Why art rising from the blue-sea?
 Wherefore dost thou leave thy castle,
 Show thyself to mighty heroes,
 To the heroes of Wainola?"

Iku-Turso, son of Old-age,
 Ocean monster, manifested
 Neither pleasure, nor displeasure,
 Was not in the least affrighted,
 Did not give the hero answer.

Whereupon the ancient minstrel,
 Asked the second time the monster,
 Urgently inquired a third time:
 "Iku-Turso, son of Old-age,
 Why art rising from the waters,
 Wherefore dost thou leave the blue-sea?
 Iku-Turso gave this answer:
 For this cause I left my castle
 Underneath the rolling billows:
 Came I here with the intention
 To destroy the Kalew-heroes,
 And return the magic Sampo
 To the people of Pohyola.
 If thou wilt restore my freedom,
 Spare my life, from pain and sorrow,
 I will quick retrace my journey,
 Nevermore to show my visage
 To the people of Wainola,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers
 On the hills of Kalevala!"

Then the singer, Wainamoinen,
 Freed the monster, Iku-Turso,
 Sent him to his deep sea-castles,
 Spake these words to him departing:
 "Iku-Turso, son of Old-age,
 Nevermore arise from ocean,
 Nevermore let Northland-heroes
 See thy face above the waters I
 Nevermore has Iku-Turso
 Risen to the ocean-level;
 Never since have Northland sailors
 Seen the head of this sea-monster.

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Onward rowed his goodly vessel,
 Journeyed but a little distance,
 Scarce a moment had passed over,
 When the King of all creators,
 Mighty Ukko of the heavens,
 Made the winds blow full of power,
 Made the storms arise in fury,
 Made them rage upon the waters.
 From the west the winds came roaring,
 From the north-east came in anger,
 Winds came howling from the south-west,
 Came the winds from all directions,
 In their fury, rolling, roaring,
 Tearing branches from the lindens,
 Hurling needles from the pine-trees,
 Blowing flowers from the heather,
 Grasses blowing from the meadow,
 Tearing up the very bottom
 Of the deep and boundless blue-sea.
 Roared the winds and lashed the waters
 Till the waves were white with fury;
 Tossed the war-ship high in ether,
 Tossed away the harp of fish-bone,
 Magic harp of Wainamoinen,
 To the joy of King Wellamo,
 To the pleasure of his people,
 To the happiness of Ahto,
 Ahto, rising from his caverns,
 On the floods beheld his people
 Carry off the harp of magic
 To their home below the billows.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Heavy-hearted, spake these measures:
 "I have lost what I created,
 I have lost the harp of joyance;
 Now my strength has gone to others,
 All my pleasure too departed,
 All my hope and comfort vanished!
 Nevermore the harp of fish-bone
 Will enchant the hosts of Suomi!"

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Sorrow-laden, spake as follows:
 "Woe is me, my life hard-fated!
 Would that I had never journeyed
 On these waters filled with dangers,
 On the rolling waste before me,
 In this war-ship false and feeble.
 Winds and storms have I encountered,
 Wretched days of toil and trouble,
 I have witnessed in the Northland;
 Never have I met such dangers
 On the land, nor on the ocean,
 Never in my hero life-time!"

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Spake and these the words he uttered:
 "Weep no more, my goodly comrades,
 In my bark let no one murmur;
 Weeping cannot mend disaster,
 Tears can never still misfortune,
 Mourning cannot save from evil.

"Sea, command thy warring forces,
 Bid thy children cease their fury!
 Ahto, still thy surging billows!
 Sink, Wellamo, to thy slumber,
 That our boat may move in safety.
 Rise, ye storm-winds, to your kingdoms,
 Lift your heads above the waters,
 To the regions of your kindred,
 To your people and dominions;
 Cut the trees within the forest,
 Bend the lindens of the valley,
 Let our vessel sail in safety!"

Then the reckless Lemminkainen,
 Handsome wizard, Kaukomieli,
 Spake these words in supplication:
 "Come, O eagle, Turyalander,
 Bring three feathers from thy pinions,
 Three, O raven, three, O eagle,
 To protect this bark from evil!"

All the heroes of Wainola
 Call their forces to the rescue,
 And repair the sinking vessel.
 By the aid of master-magic,
 Wainamoinen saved his war-ship,
 Saved his people from destruction,
 Well repaired his ship to battle
 With the roughest seas of Northland;
 Steers his mighty boat in safety
 Through the perils of the whirlpool,
 Through the watery deeps and dangers.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLIII.

 

THE SAMPO LOST IN THE SEA.

LOUHI, hostess of Pohyola,
 Called her many tribes together,
 Gave the archers bows and arrows,
 Gave her brave men spears and broadswords;
 Fitted out her mightiest war-ship,
 In the vessel placed her army,
 With their swords a hundred heroes,
 With their bows a thousand archers;
 Quick erected masts and sail-yards,
 On the masts her sails of linen
 Hanging like the clouds of heaven,
 Like the white-clouds in the ether,
 Sailed across the seas of Pohya,
 To re-take the wondrous Sampo
 From the heroes of Wainola.

Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 Sailed across the deep, blue waters,
 Spake these words to Lemminkainen:
 "O thou daring son of Lempo,
 Best of all my friends and heroes,
 Mount the highest of the topmasts,
 Look before you into ether,
 Look behind you at the heavens,
 Well examine the horizon,
 Whether clear or filled with trouble."

Climbed the daring Lemminkainen,
 Ever ready for a venture,
 To the highest of the mastheads;
 Looked he eastward, also westward,
 Looked he northward, also southward,
 Then addressed wise Wainamoinen.
 "Clear the sky appears before me,
 But behind a dark horizon;
 In the north a cloud is rising,
 And a longer cloud at north-west."
 Wainamoinen thus made answer:
 Art thou speaking truth or fiction?
 I am fearful that the war-ships
 Of Pohyola are pursuing;
 Look again with keener vision."

Thereupon wild Lemminkainen
 Looked again and spake as follows:
 "In the distance seems a forest,
 In the south appears an island,
 Aspen-groves with falcons laden,
 Alders laden with the wood-grouse."
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Surely thou art speaking falsehood;
 'Tis no forest in the distance,
 Neither aspen, birch, nor alders,
 Laden with the grouse, or falcon;
 I am fearful that Pohyola
 Follows with her magic armies;
 Look again with keener vision."

Then the daring Lemminkainen
 Looked the third time from the topmast,
 Spake and these the words be uttered:
 "From the north a boat pursues us,
 Driven by a hundred rowers,
 Carrying a thousand heroes!"

Knew at last old Wainamoinen,
 Knew the truth of his inquiry,
 Thus addressed his fleeing people:
 "Row, O blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Row, O mighty Lemminkainen,
 Row, all ye my noble oarsmen,
 That our boat may skim the waters,
 May escape from our pursuers!"

Rowed the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Rowed the mighty Lemminkainen,
 With them rowed the other heroes;
 Heavily groaned the helm of birch-wood,
 Loudly rattled all the row-locks;
 All the vessel shook and trembled,
 Like a cataract it thundered
 As it plowed the waste of waters,
 Tossing sea-foam to the heavens.
 Strongly rowed Wainola's forces,
 Strongly were their arms united;
 But the distance did not widen
 Twixt the boat and their pursuers.

Quick the hero, Wainamoinen,
 Saw misfortune hanging over,
 Saw destruction in the distance
 Heavy-hearted, long reflecting,
 Trouble-laden, spake as follows:
 "Only is there one salvation,
 Know one miracle for safety!"

Then he grasped his box of tinder,
 From the box he took a flint-stone,
 Of the tinder took some fragments,
 Cast the fragments on the waters,
 Spake these words of master-magic.
 "Let from these arise a mountain
 From the bottom of the deep-sea,
 Let a rock arise in water,
 That the war-ship of Pohyola,
 With her thousand men and heroes,
 May be wrecked upon the summit,
 By the aid of surging billows."

Instantly a reef arises,
 In the sea springs up a mountain,
 Eastward, westward, through the waters.
 Came the war-ship of the Northland,
 Through the floods the boat came steering,
 Sailed against the mountain-ledges,
 Fastened on the rocks in water,
 Wrecked upon the Mount of Magic.
 In the deep-sea fell the topmasts,
 Fell the sails upon the billows,
 Carried by the winds and waters
 O'er the waves of toil and trouble.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Tries to free her sinking vessel,
 Tries to rescue from destruction;
 But she cannot raise the war-ship,
 Firmly fixed upon the mountain;
 Shattered are the ribs and rudder,
 Ruined is the ship of Pohya.

Then the hostess of the Northland,
 Much disheartened, spake as follows:
 "Where the force, in earth or heaven,
 That will help a soul in trouble?"

Quick she changes form and feature,
 Makes herself another body;
 Takes five sharpened scythes of iron,
 Also takes five goodly sickles,
 Shapes them into eagle-talons;
 Takes the body of the vessel,
 Makes the frame-work of an eagle;
 Takes the vessel's ribs and flooring
 Makes them into wings and breastplate;
 For the tail she shapes the rudder;
 In the wings she plants a thousand
 Seniors with their bows and arrows;
 Sets a thousand magic heroes
 In the body, armed with broadswords
 In the tail a hundred archers,
 With their deadly spears and cross-bows,
 Thus the bird is hero-feathered.
 Quick she spreads her mighty pinions,
 Rises as a monster-eagle,
 Flies on high, and soars, and circles
 With one wing she sweeps the heavens,
 While the other sweeps the waters.
 Spake the hero's ocean-mother:
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Turn thy vision to the north-east,
 Cast thine eyes upon the sunrise,
 Look behind thy fleeing vessel,
 See the eagle of misfortune!"

Wainamoinen turned as bidden,
 Turned his vision to the north-east,
 Cast his eyes upon the sunrise,
 There beheld the Northland-hostess,
 Wicked witch of Sariola,
 Flying as a monster-eagle,
 Swooping on his mighty war-ship;
 Flies and perches on the topmast,
 On the sail-yards firmly settles;
 Nearly overturns the vessel
 Of the heroes of Wainola,
 Underneath the weight of envy.

Then the hero, Ilmarinen,
 Turned to Ukko as his refuge,
 Thus entreated his Creator:
 "Ukko, thou O God in heaven,
 Thou Creator full of mercy,
 Guard us from impending danger,
 That thy children may not perish,
 May not meet with fell destruction.
 Hither bring thy magic fire-cloak,
 That thy people, thus protected,
 May resist Pohyola's forces,
 Well may fight against the hostess
 Of the dismal Sariola,
 May not fall before her weapons,
 May not in the deep-sea perish!"

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Thus addressed the ancient Louhi:
 "O thou hostess of Pohyola,
 Wilt thou now divide the Sampo,
 On the fog-point in the water,
 On the island forest-covered?
 Thus the Northland hostess answered:
 "I will not divide the Sampo,
 Not with thee, thou evil wizard,
 Not with wicked Wainamoinen!"

Quick the mighty eagle, Louhi,
 Swoops upon the lid in colors,
 Grasps the Sampo in her talons;
 But the daring Lemminkainen
 Straightway draws his blade of battle,
 Draws his broadsword from his girdle,
 Cleaves the talons of the eagle,
 One toe only is uninjured,
 Speaks these magic words of conquest:
 "Down, ye spears, and down, ye broadswords,
 Down, ye thousand witless heroes,
 Down, ye feathered hosts of Louhi!"

Spake the hostess of Pohyola,
 Calling, screeching, from the sail-yards:
 "O thou faithless Lemminkainen,
 Wicked wizard, Kaukomieli,
 To deceive thy trusting mother!
 Thou didst give to her thy promise,
 Not to go to war for ages,
 Not to war for sixty summers,
 Though desire for gold impels thee,
 Though thou wishest gold and silver!

Wainamoinen, ancient hero,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 Thinking he had met destruction,
 Snatched the rudder from the waters,
 With it smote the monster-eagle,
 Smote the, eagle's iron talons,
 Smote her countless feathered heroes.
 From her breast her hosts descended,
 Spearmen fell upon the billows,
 From the wings descend a thousand,
 From the tail, a hundred archers.
 Swoops again the bird of Pohya
 To the bottom of the vessel,
 Like the hawk from birch or aspen,
 Like the falcon from the linden;
 Grasps the Sampo with one talon,
 Drags the treasure to the waters,
 Drops the magic lid in colors
 From the red rim of the war-ship
 To the bottom of the deep-sea,
 Where the Sampo breaks in pieces,
 Scatters through the Alue-waters,
 In the mighty deeps for ages,
 To increase the ocean's treasures,
 Treasures for the hosts of Ahto.
 Nevermore will there be wanting
 Richness for the Ahto-nation,
 Never while the moonlight brightens
 On the waters of the Northland.

Many fragments of the Sampo
 Floated on the purple waters,
 On the waters deep and boundless,
 Rocked by winds and waves of Suomi,
 Carried by the rolling billows
 To the sea-sides of Wainola.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Saw the fragments of the treasure
 Floating on the billows landward,
 Fragments of the lid in colors,
 Much rejoicing, spake as follows:
 "Thence will come the sprouting seed-grain,
 The beginning of good fortune,
 The unending of resources,
 From the plowing and the sowing,
 From the glimmer of the moonlight,
 From the splendor of the sunshine,
 On the fertile plains of Suomi,
 On the meads of Kalevala."

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Thus addressed old Wainamoinen:
 "Know I other mighty measures,
 Know I means that are efficient,
 And against thy golden moonlight,
 And the splendor of thy sunshine,
 And thy plowing, and thy reaping;
 In the rocks I'll sink the moonbeams,
 Hide the sun within the mountain,
 Let the frost destroy thy sowings,
 Freeze the crops on all thy corn-fields;
 Iron-hail I'll send from heaven,
 On the richness of thine acres,
 On the barley of thy planting;
 I will drive the bear from forests,
 Send thee Otso from the thickets,
 That he may destroy thy cattle,
 May annihilate thy sheep-folds,
 May destroy thy steeds at pasture.
 I will send thee nine diseases,
 Each more fatal than the other,
 That will sicken all thy people,
 Make thy children sink and perish,
 Nevermore to visit Northland,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers
 On the plains of Kalevala!"
 Thus the ancient bard made answer:
 "Not a Laplander can banish
 Wainamoinen and his people;
 Never can a Turyalander
 Drive my tribes from Kalevala;
 God alone has power to banish,
 God controls the fate of nations,
 Never trusts the arms of evil,
 Never gives His strength to others.
 As I trust in my Creator,
 Call upon benignant Ukko,
 He will guard my crops from danger
 Drive the Frost-fiend from my corn-fields,
 Drive great Otso to his caverns.

"Wicked Louhi of Pohyola,
 Thou canst banish evil-doers,
 In the rocks canst hide the wicked,
 In thy mountains lock the guilty;
 Thou canst never hide the moonlight,
 Never bide the silver sunshine,
 In the caverns of thy kingdom.
 Freeze the crops of thine own planting,
 Freeze the barley of thy sowing,
 Send thine iron-hail from heaven
 To destroy the Lapland corn-fields,
 To annihilate thy people,
 To destroy the hosts of Pohya;
 Send great Otso from the heather,
 Send the sharp-tooth from the forest,
 To the fields of Sariola,
 On the herds and flocks of Louhi!"

Thus the wicked hostess answered:
 "All my power has departed,
 All my strength has gone to others,
 All my hope is in the deep-sea;
 In the waters lies my Sampo!"

Then the hostess of Pohyola
 Home departed, weeping, wailing,
 To the land of cold and darkness;
 Only took some worthless fragments
 Of the Sampo to her people;
 Carried she the lid to Pohya,
 In the blue-sea left the handle;
 Hence the poverty of Northland,
 And the famines of Pohyola.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Hastened to the broad-sea's margin,
 Stepped upon the shore in joyance;
 Found there fragments of the Sampo,
 Fragments of the lid in colors,
 On the borders of the waters,
 On the curving sands and sea-sides;
 Gathered well the Sampo-relics
 From the waters near the fog-point,
 On the island forest-covered.

Spake the ancient Wainamoinen,
 Spake these words in supplication:
 "Grant, O Ukko, our Creator,
 Grant to us, thy needful children,
 Peace, and happiness, and plenty,
 That our lives may be successful,
 That our days may end in honor,
 On the vales and hills of Suomi,
 On the prairies of Wainola,
 In the homes of Kalevala!

"Ukko, wise and good Creator,
 Ukko, God of love and mercy,
 Shelter and protect thy people
 From the evil-minded heroes,
 From the wiles of wicked women,
 That our country's plagues may leave us,
 That thy faithful tribes may prosper.
 Be our friend and strong protector,
 Be the helper of thy children,
 In the night a roof above them,
 In the day a shield around them,
 That the sunshine may not vanish,
 That the moonlight may not lessen,
 That the killing frosts may leave them,
 And destructive hail pass over.
 Build a metal wall around us,
 From the valleys to the heavens;
 Build of stone a mighty fortress
 On the borders of Wainola,
 Where thy people live and labor,
 As their dwelling-place forever,
 Sure protection to thy people,
 Where the wicked may not enter,
 Nor the thieves break through and pilfer,
 Never while the moonlight glistens,
 And the Sun brings golden blessings
 To the plains of Kalevala."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLIV.

 

BIRTH OF THE SECOND HARP.

WAINAMOINEN, ancient minstrel,
 Long reflecting, sang these measures:
 "It is now the time befitting
 To awaken joy and gladness,
 Time for me to touch the harp-strings,
 Time to sing the songs primeval,
 In these spacious halls and mansions,
 In these homes of Kalevala;
 But, alas! my harp lies hidden,
 Sunk upon the deep-sea's bottom,
 To the salmon's hiding-places,
 To the dwellings of the whiting,
 To the people of Wellamo,
 Where the Northland-pike assemble.
 Nevermore will I regain it,
 Ahto never will return it,
 Joy and music gone forever!

"O thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Forge for me a rake of iron,
 Thickly set the teeth of copper,
 Many fathoms long the handle;
 Make a rake to search the waters,
 Search the broad-sea to the bottom,
 Rake the weeds and reeds together,
 Rake them to the curving sea-shore,
 That I may regain my treasure,
 May regain my harp of fish-bow
 From the whiting's place of resting,
 From the caverns of the salmon,
 From the castles of Wellamo."

Thereupon young Ilmarinen,
 The eternal metal-worker,
 Forges well a rake of iron,
 Teeth in length a hundred fathoms,
 And a thousand long the handle,
 Thickly sets the teeth of copper.
 Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Takes the rake of magic metals,
 Travels but a little distance,
 To the cylinders of oak-wood,
 To the copper-banded rollers,
 Where be finds two ships awaiting,
 One was new, the other ancient.

Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 Thus addressed the new-made vessel:
 "Go, thou boat of master-magic,
 Hasten to the willing waters,
 Speed away upon the blue-sea,
 And without the hand to move thee;
 Let my will impel thee seaward."

Quick the boat rolled to the billows
 On the cylinders of oak-wood,
 Quick descended to the waters,
 Willingly obeyed his master.

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Then began to rake the sea-beds,
 Raked up all the water-flowers,
 Bits of broken reeds and rushes,
 Deep-sea shells and colored pebbles,
 Did not find his harp of fish-bone,
 Lost forever to Wainola!

Thereupon the ancient minstrel
 Left the waters, homeward hastened,
 Cap pulled clown upon his forehead,
 Sang this song with sorrow laden:
 "Nevermore shall I awaken
 With my harp-strings, joy and gladness!
 Nevermore will Wainamoinen
 Charm the people of the Northland
 With the harp of his creation!
 Nevermore my songs will echo
 O'er the hills of Kalevala!"

Thereupon the ancient singer
 Went lamenting through the forest,
 Wandered through the sighing pine-woods,
 Heard the wailing of a birch-tree,
 Heard a juniper complaining;
 Drawing nearer, waits and listens,
 Thus the birch-tree he addresses:
 "Wherefore, brother, art thou weeping,
 Merry birch enrobed in silver,
 Silver-leaved and silver-tasselled?
 Art thou shedding tears of sorrow,
 Since thou art not led to battle,
 Not enforced to war with wizards?
 Wisely does the birch make answer:
 "This the language of the many,
 Others speak as thou, unjustly,
 That I only live in pleasure,
 That my silver leaves and tassels
 Only whisper my rejoicings;
 That I have no cares, no sorrows,
 That I have no hours unhappy,
 Knowing neither pain nor trouble.
 I am weeping for my smallness,
 Am lamenting for my weakness,
 Have no sympathy, no pity,
 Stand here motionless for ages,
 Stand alone in fen and forest,
 In these woodlands vast and joyless.
 Others hope for coming summers,
 For the beauties of the spring-time;
 I, alas! a helpless birch-tree,
 Dread the changing of the seasons,
 I must give my bark to, others,
 Lose my leaves and silken tassels.
 Men come the Suomi children,
 Peel my bark and drink my life-blood:
 Wicked shepherds in the summer,
 Come and steal my belt of silver,
 Of my bark make berry-baskets,
 Dishes make, and cups for drinking.
 Oftentimes the Northland maidens
 Cut my tender limbs for birch-brooms,'
 Bind my twigs and silver tassels
 Into brooms to sweep their cabins;
 Often have the Northland heroes
 Chopped me into chips for burning;
 Three times in the summer season,
 In the pleasant days of spring-time,
 Foresters have ground their axes
 On my silver trunk and branches,
 Robbed me of my life for ages;
 This my spring-time joy and pleasure,
 This my happiness in summer,
 And my winter days no better!
 When I think of former troubles,
 Sorrow settles on my visage,
 And my face grows white with anguish;
 Often do the winds of winter
 And the hoar-frost bring me sadness,
 Blast my tender leaves and tassels,
 Bear my foliage to others,
 Rob me of my silver raiment,
 Leave me naked on the mountain,
 Lone, and helpless, and disheartened!"
 Spake the good, old Wainamoinen:
 "Weep no longer, sacred birch-tree,
 Mourn no more, my friend and brother,
 Thou shalt have a better fortune;
 I will turn thy grief to joyance,
 Make thee laugh and sing with gladness."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Made a harp from sacred birch-wood,
 Fashioned in the days of summer,
 Beautiful the harp of magic,
 By the master's hand created
 On the fog-point in the Big-Sea,
 On the island forest-covered,
 Fashioned from the birch the archings,
 And the frame-work from the aspen.
 These the words of the magician:
 "All the archings are completed,
 And the frame is fitly finished;
 Whence the hooks and pins for tuning,
 That the harp may sing in concord?"

Near the way-side grew an oak-tree,
 Skyward grew with equal branches,
 On each twig an acorn growing,
 Golden balls upon each acorn,
 On each ball a singing cuckoo.
 As each cuckoo's call resounded,
 Five the notes of song that issued
 From the songster's throat of joyance;
 From each throat came liquid music,
 Gold and silver for the master,
 Flowing to the hills and hillocks,
 To the silvery vales and mountains;
 Thence he took the merry harp-pins,
 That the harp might play in concord.
 Spake again wise Wainamoinen:
 "I the pins have well completed,
 Still the harp is yet unfinished;
 Now I need five strings for playing,
 Where shall I procure the harp-strings?"
 Then the ancient bard and minstrel
 Journeyed through the fen and forest.
 On a hillock sat a maiden,
 Sat a virgin of the valley;
 And the maiden was not weeping,
 Joyful was the sylvan daughter,
 Singing with the woodland songsters,
 That the eventide might hasten,
 In the hope that her beloved
 Would the sooner sit beside her.

Wainamoinen, old and trusted,
 Hastened, tripping to the virgin,
 Asked her for her golden ringleta,
 These the words of the magician.
 "Give me, maiden, of thy tresses,
 Give to me thy golden ringlets;
 I will weave them into harp-strings,
 To the joy of Wainamoinen,
 To the pleasure of his people."

Thereupon the forest-maiden
 Gave the singer of her tresses,
 Gave him of her golden ringlets,
 And of these he made the harp-strings.
 Sources of eternal pleasure
 To the people of Wainola.

Thus the sacred harp is finished,
 And the minstrel, Wainamoinen,
 Sits upon the rock of joyance,
 Takes the harp within his fingers,
 Turns the arch up, looking skyward;
 With his knee the arch supporting,
 Sets the strings in tuneful order,
 Runs his fingers o'er the harp-strings,
 And the notes of pleasure follow.
 Straightway ancient Wainamoinen,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 Plays upon his harp of birch-wood.
 Far away is heard the music,
 Wide the harp of joy re-echoes;
 Mountains dance and valleys listen,
 Flinty rocks are tom asunder,
 Stones are hurled upon the waters,
 Pebbles swim upon the Big-Sea,
 Pines and lindens laugh with pleasure,
 Alders skip about the heather,
 And the aspen sways in concord.

All the daughters of Wainola
 Straightway leave their shining needles,
 Hasten forward like the current,
 Speed along like rapid rivers,
 That they may enjoy and wonder.
 Laugh the younger men and maidens,
 Happy-hearted are the matrons
 Flying swift to bear the playing,
 To enjoy the common pleasure,
 Hear the harp of Wainamoinen.
 Aged men and bearded seniors,
 Gray-haired mothers with their daughters
 Stop in wonderment and listen.
 Creeps the babe in full enjoyment
 As he hears the magic singing,
 Hears the harp of Wainamoinen.
 All of Northland stops in wonder,
 Speaks in unison these measures:
 "Never have we heard such playing,
 Never heard such strains of music,
 Never since the earth was fashioned,
 As the songs of this magician,
 This sweet singer, Wainamoinen!"

Far and wide the sweet tones echo,
 Ring throughout the seven hamlets,
 O'er the seven islands echo;
 Every creature of the Northland
 Hastens forth to look and listen,
 Listen to the songs of gladness,
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.
 All the beasts that haunt the woodlands
 Fall upon their knees and wonder
 At the playing of the minstrel,
 At his miracles of concord.
 All the songsters of the forests
 Perch upon the trembling branches,
 Singing to the wondrous playing
 Of the harp of Wainamoinen.
 All the dwellers of the waters
 Leave their beds, and eaves, and grottoes,
 Swim against the shore and listen
 To the playing of the minstrel,
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.
 All the little things in nature,
 Rise from earth, and fall from ether,
 Come and listen to the music,
 To the notes of the enchanter,
 To the songs of the magician,
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.

Plays the singer of the Northland,
 Plays in miracles of sweetness,
 Plays one day, and then a second,
 Plays the third from morn till even;
 Plays within the halls and cabins,
 In the dwellings of his people,
 Till the floors and ceilings echo,
 Till resound the roofs of pine-wood,
 Till the windows speak and tremble,
 Till the portals echo joyance,
 And the hearth-stones sing in pleasure.
 As he journeys through the forest,
 As he wanders through the woodlands,
 Pine and sorb-tree bid him welcome,
 Birch and willow bend obeisance,
 Beech and aspen bow submission;
 And the linden waves her branches
 To the measure of his playing,
 To the notes of the magician.
 As the minstrel plays and wanders,
 Sings upon the mead and heather,
 Glen and hill his songs re-echo,
 Ferns and flowers laugh in pleasure,
 And the shrubs attune their voices
 To the music of the harp-strings,
 To the songs of Wainamoinen.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLV.

 

BIRTH OF THE NINE DISEASES

LOUHI, hostess of the Northland,
 Heard the word in Sariola,
 Heard the Dews with ears of envy,
 That Wainola lives and prospers,
 That Osmoinen's wealth increases,
 Through the ruins of the Sampo,
 Ruins of the lid in colors.
 Thereupon her wrath she kindled,
 Well considered, long reflected,
 How she might prepare destruction
 For the people of Wainola,
 For the tribes of Kalevala.

With this prayer she turns to Ukko,
 Thus entreats the god of thunder:
 "Ukko, thou who art in heaven,
 Help me slay Wainola's people
 With thine iron-hail of justice,
 With thine arrows tipped with lightning,
 Or from sickness let them perish,
 Let them die the death deserving;
 Let the men die in the forest,
 And the women in the hurdles!"

The blind daughter of Tuoni,
 Old and wicked witch, Lowyatar,
 Worst of all the Death-land women,
 Ugliest of Mana's children,
 Source of all the host of evils,
 All the ills and plagues of Northland,
 Black in heart, and soul, and visage,
 Evil genius of Lappala,
 Made her couch along the wayside,
 On the fields of sin and sorrow;
 Turned her back upon the East-wind,
 To the source of stormy weather,
 To the chilling winds of morning.

When the winds arose at evening,
 Heavy-laden grew Lowyatar,
 Through the east-wind's impregnation,
 On the sand-plains, vast and barren.
 Long she bore her weight of trouble,
 Many morns she suffered anguish,
 Till at last she leaves the desert,
 Makes her couch within the forest,
 On a rock upon the mountain;
 Labors long to leave her burden
 By the mountain-springs and fountains,
 By the crystal waters flowing,
 By the sacred stream and whirlpool,
 By the cataract and fire-stream;
 But her burden does not lighten.
 Blind Lowyatar, old and ugly,
 Knew not where to look for succor,
 How to lose her weight of sorrow,
 Where to lay her evil children.

Spake the Highest from the heavens,
 These, the words of mighty Ukko:
 "Is a triangle in Swamp-field,
 Near the border of the ocean,
 In the never-pleasant Northland,
 In the dismal Sariola;
 Thither go and lay thy burden,
 In Pohyola leave thine offspring;
 There the Laplanders await thee,
 There will bid thy children welcome."

Thereupon the blind Lowyatar,
 Blackest daughter of Tuoni,
 Mana's old and ugly maiden,
 Hastened on her journey northward,
 To the chambers of Pohyola,
 To the ancient halls of Louhi,
 There to lay her heavy burdens,
 There to leave her evil offspring.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Old and toothless witch of Pohya,
 Takes Lowyatar to her mansion;
 Silently she leads the stranger
 To the bath-rooms of her chamber,
 Pours the foaming beer of barley,
 Lubricates the bolts and hinges,
 That their movements may be secret,
 Speaks these measures to Lowyatar:
 "Faithful daughter of Creation,
 Thou most beautiful of women,
 First and last of ancient mothers,
 Hasten on thy feet to ocean,
 To the ocean's centre hasten,
 Take the sea-foam from the waters,
 Take the honey of the mermaids,
 And anoint thy sacred members,
 That thy labors may be lightened.

"Should all this be unavailing,
 Ukko, thou who art in heaven,
 Hasten hither, thou art needed,
 Come thou to thy child in trouble,
 Help the helpless and afflicted.
 Take thy golden-colored sceptre,
 Charm away opposing forces,
 Strike the pillars of the stronghold,
 Open all resisting portals,
 That the great and small may wander
 From their ancient hiding-places,
 Through the courts and halls of freedom."

Finally the blind Lowyatar,
 Wicked witch of Tuonela,
 Was delivered of her burden,
 Laid her offspring in the cradle,
 Underneath the golden covers.
 Thus at last were born nine children,
 In an evening of the summer,
 From Lowyatar, blind and ancient,
 Ugly daughter of Tuoni.
 Faithfully the virgin-mother
 Guards her children in affection,
 As an artist loves and nurses
 What his skillful hands have fashioned.

Thus Lowyatar named her offspring,
 Colic, Pleurisy, and Fever,
 Ulcer, Plague, and dread Consumption,
 Gout, Sterility, and Cancer.
 And the worst of these nine children
 Blind Lowyatar quickly banished,
 Drove away as an enchanter,
 To bewitch the lowland people,
 To engender strife and envy.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Banished all the other children
 To the fog-point in the ocean,
 To the island forest-covered;
 Banished all the fatal creatures,
 Gave these wicked sons of evil
 To the people of Wainola,
 To the youth of Kalevala,
 For the Kalew-tribe's destruction.
 Quick Wainola's maidens sicken,
 Young and aged, men and heroes,
 With the worst of all diseases,
 With diseases new and nameless;
 Sick and dying is Wainola.

Thereupon old Wainamoinen,
 Wise and wonderful enchanter,
 Hastens to his people's rescue,
 Hastens to a war with Mana,
 To a conflict with Tuoni,
 To destroy the evil children
 Of the evil maid, Lowyatar.
 Wainamoinen heats the bath-rooms,
 Heats the blocks of healing-sandstone
 With the magic wood of Northland,
 Gathered by the sacred river;
 Water brings in covered buckets
 From the cataract and whirlpool;
 Brooms he brings enwrapped with ermine,
 Well the bath the healer cleanses,
 Softens well the brooms of birch-wood;
 Then a honey-heat be wakens,
 Fills the rooms with healing vapors,
 From the virtue of the pebbles
 Glowing in the heat of magic,
 Thus he speaks in supplication:
 "Come, O Ukko, to my rescue,
 God of mercy, lend thy presence,
 Give these vapor-baths new virtues,
 Grant to them the powers of healing,
 And restore my dying people;
 Drive away these fell diseases,
 Banish them to the unworthy,
 Let the holy sparks enkindle,
 Keep this heat in healing limits,
 That it may not harm thy children,
 May not injure the afflicted.
 When I pour the sacred waters
 On the heated blocks of sandstone,
 May the water turn to honey
 Laden with the balm of healing.
 Let the stream of magic virtues
 Ceaseless flow to all my children,
 From this bath enrolled in sea-moss,
 That the guiltless may not suffer,
 That my tribe-folk may not perish,
 Till the Master gives permission,
 Until Ukko sends his minions,
 Sends diseases of his choosing,
 To destroy my trusting people.
 Let the hostess of Pohyola,
 Wicked witch that sent these troubles,
 Suffer from a gnawing conscience,
 Suffer for her evil doings.
 Should the Master of Wainola
 Lose his magic skill and weaken,
 Should he prove of little service
 To deliver from misfortune,
 To deliver from these evils,
 Then may Ukko be our healer,
 Be our strength and wise Physician.

"Omnipresent God of mercy,
 Thou who livest in the heavens,
 Hasten hither, thou art needed,
 Hasten to thine ailing children,
 To observe their cruel tortures,
 To dispel these fell diseases,
 Drive destruction from our borders.
 Bring with thee thy mighty fire-sword,
 Bring to me thy blade of lightning,
 That I may subdue these evils,
 That these monsters I may banish,
 Send these pains, and ills, and tortures,
 To the empire of Tuoni,
 To the kingdom of the east-winds,
 To the islands of the wicked,
 To the caverns of the demons,
 To the rocks within the mountains,
 To the hidden beds of iron,
 That the rocks may fall and sicken,
 And the beds of iron perish.
 Rocks and metals do not murmur
 At the hands of the invader.

"Torture-daughter of Tuoni,
 Sitting on the mount of anguish,
 At the junction of three rivers,
 Turning rocks of pain and torture,
 Turn away these fell diseases
 Through the virtues of the blue-stone;
 Lead them to the water-channels,
 Sink them in the deeps of ocean,
 Where the winds can never find them,
 Where the sunlight never enters.

"Should this prayer prove unavailing,
 O, Health-virgin, maid of beauty
 Come and heal my dying people,
 Still their agonies and anguish.,
 Give them consciousness and comfort,
 Give them healthful rest and slumber;
 These diseases take and banish,
 Take them in thy copper vessel,
 To thy eaves within the mountains,
 To the summit of the Pain-rock,
 Hurl them to thy boiling caldrons.
 In the mountain is a touch-stone,
 Lucky-stone of ancient story,
 With a hole bored through the centre,
 Through this pour these pains and tortures,
 Wretched feelings, thoughts of evil,
 Human ailments, days unlucky,
 Tribulations, and misfortunes,
 That they may not rise at evening,
 May not see the light of morning."

Ending thus, old Wainamoinen,
 The eternal, wise enchanter,
 Rubbed his sufferers with balsams,
 Rubbed the tissues, red and painful,
 With the balm of healing flowers,
 Balsams made of herbs enchanted,
 Sprinkled all with healing vapors,
 Spake these words in supplication.
 "Ukko, thou who art in heaven,
 God of justice, and of mercy,
 Send us from the east a rain-cloud,
 Send a dark cloud from the North-west,
 From the north let fall a third one,
 Send us mingled rain and honey,
 Balsam from the great Physician,
 To remove this plague of Northland.
 What I know of healing measures,
 Only comes from my Creator;
 Lend me, therefore, of thy wisdom,
 That I may relieve my people,
 Save them from the fell destroyer,
 If my hands should fall in virtue,
 Let the hands of Ukko follow,
 God alone can save from trouble.
 Come to us with thine enchantment,
 Speak the magic words of healing,
 That my people may not perish;
 Give to all alleviation
 From their sicknesses and sorrows;
 In the morning, in the evening,
 Let their wasting ailments vanish;
 Drive the Death-child from Wainola,
 Nevermore to visit Northland,
 Never in the course of ages,
 Never while the moonlight glimmers
 O'er the lakes of Kalevala."

Wainamoinen, the enchanter,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 Thus expelled the nine diseases,
 Evil children or Lowyatar,
 Healed the tribes of Kalevala,
 Saved his people from destruction.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLVI.

 

OTSO THE HONEY-EATER.

CAME the tidings to Pohyola,
 To the village of the Northland,
 That Wainola had recovered
 From her troubles and misfortunes,
 From her sicknesses and sorrows.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Toothless dame of Sariola,
 Envy-laden, spake these measures:
 "Know I other means of trouble,
 I have many more resources;
 I will drive the bear before me,
 From the heather and the mountain,
 Drive him from the fen and forest,
 Drive great Otso from the glen-wood
 On the cattle of Wainola,
 On the flocks of Kalevala."

Thereupon the Northland hostess
 Drove the hungry bear of Pohya
 From his cavern to the meadows,
 To Wainola's plains and pastures.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 To his brother spake as follows:
 "O thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Forge a spear from magic metals,
 Forge a lancet triple-pointed,
 Forge the handle out of copper,
 That I may destroy great Otso,
 Slay the mighty bear of Northland,
 That he may not eat my horses,
 Nor destroy my herds of cattle,
 Nor the flocks upon my pastures."

Thereupon the skillful blacksmith
 Forged a spear from magic metals,
 Forged a lancet triple-pointed,
 Not the longest, nor the shortest,
 Forged the spear in wondrous beauty.
 On one side a bear was sitting,
 Sat a wolf upon the other,
 On the blade an elk lay sleeping,
 On the shaft a colt was running,
 Near the hilt a roebuck bounding.

Snows had fallen from the heavens,
 Made the flocks as white as ermine
 Or the hare, in days of winter,
 And the minstrel sang these measures:
 "My desire impels me onward
 To the Metsola-dominions,
 To the homes of forest-maidens,
 To the courts of the white virgins;
 I will hasten to the forest,
 Labor with the woodland-forces.

"Ruler of the Tapio-forests,
 Make of me a conquering hero,
 Help me clear these boundless woodlands.
 O Mielikki, forest-hostess,
 Tapio's wife, thou fair Tellervo,
 Call thy dogs and well enchain them,
 Set in readiness thy hunters,
 Let them wait within their kennels.

"Otso, thou O Forest-apple,
 Bear of honey-paws and fur-robes,
 Learn that Wainamoinen follows,
 That the singer comes to meet thee;
 Hide thy claws within thy mittens,
 Let thy teeth remain in darkness,
 That they may not harm the minstrel,
 May be powerless in battle.
 Mighty Otso, much beloved,
 Honey-eater of the mountains,
 Settle on the rocks in slumber,
 On the turf and in thy caverns;
 Let the aspen wave above thee,
 Let the merry birch-tree rustle
 O'er thy head for thy protection.
 Rest in peace, thou much-loved Otso,
 Turn about within thy thickets,
 Like the partridge at her brooding,
 In the spring-time like the wild-goose."

When the ancient Wainamoinen
 Heard his dog bark in the forest,
 Heard his hunter's call and echo,
 He addressed the words that follow:
 "Thought it was the cuckoo calling,
 Thought the pretty bird was singing;
 It was not the sacred cuckoo,
 Not the liquid notes of songsters,
 'Twas my dog that called and murmured,
 'Twas the echo of my hunter
 At the cavern-doors of Otso,
 On the border of the woodlands."

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Finds the mighty bear in waiting,
 Lifts in joy the golden covers,
 Well inspects his shining fur-robes;
 Lifts his honey-paws in wonder,
 Then addresses his Creator:
 "Be thou praised, O mighty Ukko,
 As thou givest me great Otso,
 Givest me the Forest-apple,
 Thanks be paid to thee unending."
 To the bear he spake these measures:
 "Otso, thou my well beloved,
 Honey-eater of the woodlands,
 Let not anger swell thy bosom;
 I have not the force to slay thee,
 Willingly thy life thou givest
 As a sacrifice to Northland.
 Thou hast from the tree descended,
 Glided from the aspen branches,
 Slippery the trunks in autumn,
 In the fog-days, smooth the branches.
 Golden friend of fen and forest,
 In thy fur-robes rich and beauteous,
 Pride of woodlands, famous Light-foot,
 Leave thy cold and cheerless dwelling,
 Leave thy home within the alders,
 Leave thy couch among the willows,
 Hasten in thy purple stockings,
 Hasten from thy walks restricted,
 Come among the haunts of heroes,
 Join thy friends in Kalevala.
 We shall never treat thee evil,
 Thou shalt dwell in peace and plenty,
 Thou shalt feed on milk and honey,
 Honey is the food of strangers.
 Haste away from this thy covert,
 From the couch of the unworthy,
 To a couch beneath the rafters
 Of Wainola's ancient dwellings.
 Haste thee onward o'er the snow-plain,
 As a leaflet in the autumn;
 Skip beneath these birchen branches,
 As a squirrel in the summer,
 As a cuckoo in the spring-time."

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 O'er the snow-fields hastened homeward,
 Singing o'er the hills and mountains,
 With his guest, the ancient Otso,
 With his friend, the, famous Light-foot,
 With the Honey-paw of Northland.

Far away was heard the singing,
 Heard the playing of the hunter,
 Heard the songs of Wainamoinen;
 All the people heard and wondered,
 Men and maidens, young and aged,
 From their cabins spake as follows:
 "Hear the echoes from the woodlands,
 Hear the bugle from the forest,
 Hear the flute-notes of the songsters,
 Hear the pipes of forest-maidens!"

Wainamoinen, old and trusty,
 Soon appears within the court-yard.
 Rush the people from their cabins,
 And the heroes ask these questions:
 "Has a mine of gold been opened,
 Hast thou found a vein of silver,
 Precious jewels in thy pathway?
 Does the forest yield her treasures,
 Give to thee the Honey-eater?
 Does the hostess of the woodlands,
 Give to thee the lynx and adder,
 Since thou comest home rejoicing,
 Playing, singing, on thy snow-shoes?"

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Gave this answer to his people:
 "For his songs I caught the adder,
 Caught the serpent for his wisdom;
 Therefore do I come rejoicing,
 Singing, playing, on my snow-shoes.
 Not the mountain lynx, nor serpent,
 Comes, however, to our dwellings;
 The Illustrious is coming,
 Pride and beauty of the forest,
 'Tis the Master comes among us,
 Covered with his friendly fur-robe.
 Welcome, Otso, welcome, Light-foot,
 Welcome, Loved-one from the glenwood!
 If the mountain guest is welcome,
 Open wide the gates of entry;
 If the bear is thought unworthy,
 Bar the doors against the stranger."
 This the answer of the tribe-folk:
 "We salute thee, mighty Otso,
 Honey-paw, we bid thee welcome,
 Welcome to our courts and cabins,
 Welcome, Light-foot, to our tables
 Decorated for thy coming!
 We have wished for thee for ages,
 Waiting since the days of childhood,
 For the notes of Tapio's bugle,
 For the singing of the wood-nymphs,
 For the coming of dear Otso,
 For the forest gold and silver,
 Waiting for the year of plenty,
 Longing for it as for summer,
 As the shoe waits for the snow-fields,
 As the sledge for beaten highways,
 As the, maiden for her suitor,
 And the wife her husband's coming;
 Sat at evening by the windows,
 At the gates have, sat at morning,
 Sat for ages at the portals,
 Near the granaries in winter, Vanished,
 Till the snow-fields warmed and
 Till the sails unfurled in joyance,
 Till the earth grew green and blossomed,
 Thinking all the while as follows:
 "Where is our beloved Otso,
 Why delays our forest-treasure?
 Has he gone to distant Ehstland,
 To the upper glens of Suomi?"
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Whither shall I lead the stranger,
 Whither take the golden Light-foot?
 Shall I lead him to the garner,
 To the house of straw conduct him?"
 This the answer of his tribe-folk:
 "To the dining-hall lead Otso,
 Greatest hero of the Northland.
 Famous Light-foot, Forest-apple,
 Pride and glory of the woodlands,
 Have no fear before these maidens,
 Fear not curly-headed virgins,
 Clad in silver-tinselled raiment
 Maidens hasten to their chambers
 When dear Otso joins their number,
 When the hero comes among them."
 This the prayer of Wainamoinen:
 "Grant, O Ukko, peace and plenty
 Underneath these painted rafters,
 In this ornamented dweling;
 Thanks be paid to gracious Ukko!"
 Spake again the ancient minstrel:
 "Whither shall we lead dear Otso,
 'Whither take the fur-clad stranger?
 This the answer of his people:
 "Hither let the fur-robed Light-foot
 Be saluted on his coming;
 Let the Honey-paw be welcomed
 To the hearth-stone of the penthouse,
 Welcomed to the boiling caldrons,
 That we may admire his fur-robe,
 May behold his cloak with joyance.
 Have no care, thou much-loved Otso,
 Let not anger swell thy bosom
 As thy coat we view with pleasure;
 We thy fur shall never injure,
 Shall not make it into garments
 To protect unworthy people."

Thereupon wise Wainamoinen
 Pulled the sacred robe from Otso,
 Spread it in the open court-yard,
 Cut the, members into fragments,
 Laid them in the heating caldrons,
 In the copper-bottomed vessels-
 O'er the fire the crane was hanging,
 On the crane were hooks of copper,
 On the hooks the broiling-vessels
 Filled with bear-steak for the feasting, 
 Seasoned with the salt of Dwina,
 From the Saxon-land imported,
 From the distant Dwina-waters,
 From the salt-sea brought in shallops.

Ready is the feast of Otso;
 From the fire are swung the kettles
 On the crane of polished iron;
 In the centers of the tables
 Is the bear displayed in dishes,
 Golden dishes, decorated;
 Of the fir-tree and the linden
 Were the tables newly fashioned;
 Drinking cups were forged from copper,
 Knives of gold and spoons of silver;
 Filled the vessels to their borders
 With the choicest bits of Light-foot,
 Fragments of the Forest-apple.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen
 "Ancient one with bosom golden,
 Potent voice in Tapio's councils
 Metsola's most lovely hostess,
 Hostess of the glen and forest,
 Hero-son of Tapiola,
 Stalwart youth in cap of scarlet,
 Tapio's most beauteous virgin,
 Fair Tellervo of the woodlands,
 Metsola with all her people,
 Come, and welcome, to the feasting,
 To the marriage-feast of Otso!
 All sufficient, the provisions,
 Food to eat and drink abundant,
 Plenty for the hosts assembled,
 Plenty more to give the village."
 This the question of the people:
 "Tell us of the birth of Otso!
 Was be born within a manger,
 Was he nurtured in the bath-room
 Was his origin ignoble?"
 This is Wainamoinen's answer:
 "Otso was not born a beggar,
 Was not born among the rushes,
 Was not cradled in a manger;
 Honey-paw was born in ether,
 In the regions of the Moon-land,
 On the shoulders of Otava,
 With the daughters of creation.

"Through the ether walked a maiden,
 On the red rims of the cloudlets,
 On the border of the heavens,
 In her stockings purple-tinted,
 In her golden-colored sandals.
 In her hand she held a wool-box,
 With a hair-box on her shoulder;
 Threw the wool upon the ocean,
 And the hair upon the rivers;
 These are rocked by winds and waters,
 Water-currents bear them onward,
 Bear them to the sandy sea-shore,
 Land them near the Woods of honey,
 On an island forest-covered.

"Fair Mielikki, woodland hostess,
 Tapio's most cunning daughter,
 Took the fragments from the sea-side,
 Took the white wool from the waters,
 Sewed the hair and wool together,
 Laid the bundle in her basket,
 Basket made from bark of birch-wood,
 Bound with cords the magic bundle;
 With the chains of gold she bound it
 To the pine-tree's topmost branches.
 There she rocked the thing of magic,
 Rocked to life the tender baby,
 Mid the blossoms of the pine-tree,
 On the fir-top set with needles;
 Thus the young bear well was nurtured,
 Thus was sacred Otso cradled
 On the honey-tree of Northland,
 In the middle of the forest.

"Sacred Otso grew and flourished,
 Quickly grew with graceful movements,
 Short of feet, with crooked ankles,
 Wide of mouth and broad of forehead,
 Short his nose, his fur-robe velvet;
 But his claws were not well fashioned,
 Neither were his teeth implanted.
 Fair Mielikki, forest hostess,
 Spake these words in meditation:
 'Claws I should be pleased to give him,
 And with teeth endow the wonder,
 Would be not abuse the favor.'

"Swore the bear a promise sacred,
 On his knees before Mielikki,
 Hostess of the glen and forest,
 And before omniscient Ukko,
 First and last of all creators,
 That he would not harm the worthy,
 Never do a deed of evil.
 Then Mielikki, woodland hostess,
 Wisest maid of Tapiola,
 Sought for teeth and claws to give him,
 From the stoutest mountain-ashes,
 From the juniper and oak tree,
 From the dry knots of the alder.
 Teeth and claws of these were worthless,
 Would not render goodly service.

"Grew a fir-tree on the mountain,
 Grew a stately pine in Northland,
 And the fir had silver branches,
 Bearing golden cones abundant;
 These the sylvan maiden gathered,
 Teeth and claws of these she fashioned
 In the jaws and feet of Otso,
 Set them for the best of uses.
 Then she freed her new-made creature,
 Let the Light-foot walk and wander,
 Let him lumber through the marshes,
 Let him amble through the forest,
 Roll upon the plains and pastures;
 Taught him how to walk a hero,
 How to move with graceful motion,
 How to live in ease and pleasure,
 How to rest in full contentment,
 In the moors and in the marshes,
 On the borders of the woodlands;
 How unshod to walk in summer,
 Stockingless to run in autumn;
 How to rest and sleep in winter
 In the clumps of alder-bushes
 Underneath the sheltering fir-tree,
 Underneath the pine's protection,
 Wrapped securely in his fur-robes,
 With the juniper and willow.
 This the origin of Otso,
 Honey-eater of the Northlands,
 Whence the sacred booty cometh.
 Thus again the people questioned:
 Why became the woods so gracious,
 Why so generous and friendly?
 Why is Tapio so humored,
 That he gave his dearest treasure,
 Gave to thee his Forest-apple,
 Honey-eater of his kingdom?
 Was he startled with thine arrows,
 Frightened with the spear and broadsword?"

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Gave this answer to the question:
 "Filled with kindness was the forest,
 Glen and woodland full of greetings,
 Tapio showing greatest favor.
 Fair Mielikki, forest hostess,
 Metsola's bewitching daughter,
 Beauteous woodland maid, Tellervo,
 Gladly led me on my journey,
 Smoothed my pathway through the glen-wood.
 Marked the trees upon the, mountains,
 Pointing me to Otso's caverns,
 To the Great Bear's golden island.

"When my journeyings had ended,
 When the bear had been discovered,
 Had no need to launch my javelins,
 Did not need to aim the arrow;
 Otso tumbled in his vaulting,
 Lost his balance in his cradle,
 In the fir-tree where he slumbered;
 Tore his breast upon the branches,
 Freely gave his life to others.

"Mighty Otso, my beloved,
 Thou my golden friend and hero,
 Take thy fur-cap from thy forehead,
 Lay aside thy teeth forever,
 Hide thy fingers in the darkness,
 Close thy mouth and still thine anger,
 While thy sacred skull is breaking.

"Now I take the eyes of Otso,
 Lest he lose the sense of seeing,
 Lest their former powers shall weaken;
 Though I take not all his members,
 Not alone must these be taken.

"Now I take the ears of Otso,
 Lest he lose the sense of 'hearing,
 Lest their former powers shall weaken;
 Though I take not all his members,
 Not alone must these be taken.

"Now I take the nose of Otso,
 Lest he lose the sense of smelling,
 Lest its former powers shall weaken;
 Though I take not all his members,
 Not alone must this be taken.

"Now I take the tongue of Otso,
 Lest he lose the sense of tasting
 Lest its former powers shall weaken;
 Though I take not all his members,
 Not alone must this be taken.

"Now I take the brain of Otso,
 Lest he lose the means of thinking,
 Lest his consciousness should fail him,
 Lest his former instincts weaken;
 Though I take not all his members,
 Not alone must this be taken.

"I will reckon him a hero,
 That will count the teeth of Light-foot,
 That will loosen Otso's fingers
 From their settings firmly fastened."

None he finds with strength sufficient
 To perform the task demanded.
 Therefore ancient Wainamoinen
 Counts the teeth of sacred Otso;
 Loosens all the claws of Light-foot,
 With his fingers strong as copper,
 Slips them from their firm foundations,
 Speaking to the bear these measures:
 "Otso, thou my Honey-eater,
 Thou my Fur-ball of the woodlands,
 Onward, onward, must thou journey
 From thy low and lonely dwelling,
 To the court-rooms of the village.
 Go, my treasure, through the pathway
 Near the herds of swine and cattle,
 To the hill-tops forest covered,
 To the high and rising mountains,
 To the spruce-trees filled with needles,
 To the branches of the pine-tree;
 There remain, my Forest-apple,
 Linger there in lasting slumber,
 Where the silver bells are ringing,
 To the pleasure of the shepherd."

Thus beginning, and thus ending,
 Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Hastened from his emptied tables,
 And the children thus addressed him:
 "Whither hast thou led thy booty,
 Where hast left thy Forest-apple,
 Sacred Otso of the woodlands?
 Hast thou left him on the iceberg,
 Buried him upon the snow-field?
 Hast thou sunk him in the quicksand,
 Laid him low beneath the heather?"
 Wainamoinen spake in answer:
 "Have not left him on the iceberg,
 Have not buried him in snow-fields;
 There the dogs would soon devour him,
 Birds of prey would feast upon him;
 Have not hidden him in Swamp-land,
 Have not buried him in heather;
 There the worms would live upon him,
 Insects feed upon his body.
 Thither I have taken Otso,
 To the summit of the Gold-hill,
 To the copper-bearing mountain,
 Laid him in his silken cradle
 In the summit of a pine-tree,
 Where the winds and sacred branches
 Rock him to his lasting slumber,
 To the pleasure of the hunter,
 To the joy of man and hero.
 To the east his lips are pointing,
 While his eyes are northward looking;
 But dear Otso looks not upward,
 For the fierceness of the storm-winds
 Would destroy his sense of vision."

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Touched again his harp of joyance,
 Sang again his songs enchanting,
 To the pleasure of the evening,
 To the joy of morn arising.
 Spake the singer of Wainola:
 "Light for me a torch of pine-wood,
 For the darkness is appearing,
 That my playing may be joyous
 And my wisdom-songs find welcome."

Then the ancient sage and singer,
 Wise and worthy Wainamoinen,
 Sweetly sang and played, and chanted,
 Through the long and dreary evening,
 Ending thus his incantation:
 "Grant, O Ukko, my Creator,
 That the people of Wainola
 May enjoy another banquet
 In the company of Light-foot;
 Grant that we may long remember
 Kalevala's feast with Otso!

"Grant, O Ukko, my Creator,
 That the signs may guide our footsteps,
 That the notches in the pine-tree
 May direct my faithful people
 To the bear-dens of the woodlands;
 That great Tapio's sacred bugle
 May resound through glen and forest;
 That the wood-nymph's call may echo,
 May be heard in field and hamlet,
 To the joy of all that listen!
 Let great Tapio's horn for ages
 Ring throughout the fen and forest,
 Through the hills and dales of Northland
 O'er the meadows and the mountains,
 To awaken song and gladness
 In the forests of Wainola,
 On the snowy plains of Suomi,
 On the meads of Kalevala,
 For the coming generations."

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLVII.

 

LOUHI STEALS SUN, MOON, AND FIRE.

WAINAMOINEN, ancient minstrel,
 Touched again his magic harp-strings,
 Sang in miracles of concord,
 Filled the north with joy and gladness.
 Melodies arose to heaven,
 Songs arose to Luna's chambers,
 Echoed through the Sun's bright windows
 And the Moon has left her station,
 Drops and settles in the birch-tree;
 And the Sun comes from his castle,
 Settles in the fir-tree branches,
 Comes to share the common pleasure,
 Comes to listen to the singing,
 To the harp of Wainamoinen.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Northland's old and toothless wizard,
 Makes the Sun and Moon her captives;
 In her arms she takes fair Luna
 From her cradle in the birch-tree,
 Calls the Sun down from his station,
 From the fir-tree's bending branches,
 Carries them to upper Northland,
 To the darksome Sariola;
 Hides the Moon, no more to glimmer,
 In a rock of many colors;
 Hides the Sun, to shine no longer,
 In the iron-banded mountain;
 Thereupon these words she utters:
 "Moon of gold and Sun of silver,
 Hide your faces in the caverns
 Of Pohyola's dismal mountain;
 Shine no more to gladden Northland,
 Till I come to give ye freedom,
 Drawn by coursers nine in number,
 Sable coursers of one mother!"

When the golden Moon had vanished,
 And the silver Sun had hidden
 In the iron-banded caverns,
 Louhi stole the fire from Northland,
 From the regions of Wainola,
 Left the mansions cold and cheerless,
 And the cabins full of darkness.
 Night was king and reigned unbroken,
 Darkness ruled in Kalevala,
 Darkness in the home of Ukko.
 Hard to live without the moonlight,
 Harder still without the sunshine;
 Ukko's life is dark and dismal,
 When the Sun and Moon desert him.

Ukko, first of all creators,
 Lived in wonder at the darkness;
 Long reflected, well considered,
 Why this miracle in heaven,
 What this accident in nature
 To the Moon upon her journey;
 Why the Sun no more is shining,
 Why has disappeared the moonlight.
 Then great Ukko walked the heavens,
 To the border of the cloudlets,
 In his purple-colored vestments,
 In his silver-tinselled sandals,
 Seeking for the golden moonlight,
 Looking for the silver sunshine.
 Lightning Ukko struck in darkness
 From the edges of his fire-sword;
 Shot the flames in all directions,
 From his blade of golden color,
 Into heaven's upper spaces,
 Into Ether's starry pastures.

When a little fire had kindled,
 Ukko hid it in the cloud-space,
 In a box of gold and silver,
 In a case adorned with silver,
 Gave it to the ether-maidens,
 Called a virgin then to rock it,
 That it might become a new-moon,
 That a second sun might follow.
 On the long-cloud rocked the virgin,
 On the blue-edge of the ether,
 Rocked the fire of the Creator,
 In her copper-colored cradle,
 With her ribbons silver-studded.
 Lowly bend the bands of silver,
 Loud the golden cradle echoes,
 And the clouds of Northland thunder,
 Low descends the dome of heaven,
 At the rocking of the lightning,
 Rocking of the fire of Ukko.
 Thus the flame was gently cradled
 By the virgin of the ether.
 Long the fair and faithful maiden
 Stroked the Fire-child with her fingers,
 Tended it with care and pleasure,
 Till in an unguarded moment
 It escaped the Ether-virgin,
 Slipped the hands of her that nursed it.
 Quick the heavens are burst asunder,
 Quick the vault of Ukko opens,
 Downward drops the wayward Fire-child,
 Downward quick the red-ball rushes,
 Shoots across the arch of heaven,
 Hisses through the startled cloudlets,
 Flashes through the troubled welkin,
 Through nine starry vaults of ether.

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Spake and these the words he uttered:
 "Blacksmith brother, Ilmarinen,
 Let us haste and look together,
 What the kind of fire that falleth,
 What the form of light that shineth
 From the upper vault of heaven,
 From the lower earth and ocean.
 Has a second moon arisen,
 Can it be a ball of sunlight?

Thereupon the heroes wandered,
 Onward journeyed and reflected,
 How to gain the spot illumined,
 How to find the sacred Fire-child.
 Came a river rushing by them,
 Broad and stately as an ocean.
 Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 There began to build a vessel,
 Build a boat to cross the river.
 With the aid of Ilmarinen,
 From the oak he cut the row-locks,
 From the pine the oars be fashioned,
 From the aspen shapes the rudder.
 When the vessel they had finished,
 Quick they rolled it to the current,
 Hard they rowed and ever forward,
 On the Nawa-stream and waters,
 At the head of Nawa-river.

Ilmatar, the ether-daughter,
 Foremost daughter of creation,
 Came to meet them on their journey,
 Thus addressed the coming strangers:
 "Who are ye of Northland heroes,
 Rowing on the Nawa-waters?"
 Wainamoinen gave this answer:
 "This the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 I the ancient Wainamoinen.
 Tell us now thy name and station,
 Whither going, whence thou comest,
 Where thy tribe-folk live and linger?
 Spake the daughter of the Ether:
 "I the oldest of the women,
 Am the first of Ether's daughters,
 Am the first of ancient mothers;
 Seven times have I been wedded.
 To the heroes of creation.
 Whither do ye strangers journey?
 Answered thus old Wainamoinen:
 "Fire has left Wainola's hearth-stones,
 Light has disappeared from Northland;
 Have been sitting long in darkness,
 Cold and darkness our companions;
 Now we journey to discover
 What the fire that fell from heaven,
 Falling from the cloud's red lining,
 To the deeps of earth and ocean."
 Ilmatar returned this answer:
 "Hard the flame is to discover,
 Hard indeed to find the Fire-child;
 Has committed many mischiefs,
 Nothing good has he accomplished;
 Quick the fire-ball fell from ether,
 From the red rims of the cloudlets,
 From the plains of the Creator,
 Through the ever-moving heavens,
 Through the purple ether-spaces,
 Through the blackened flues of Turi,
 To Palwoinen's rooms uncovered.
 When the fire had reached the chambers
 Of Palwoinen, son of evil,
 He began his wicked workings,
 He engaged in lawless actions,
 Raged against the blushing maidens,
 Fired the youth to evil conduct,
 Singed the beards of men and heroes.

"Where the mother nursed her baby,
 In the cold and cheerless cradle,
 Thither flew the wicked Fire-child,
 There to perpetrate some mischief;
 In the cradle burned the infant,
 By the infant burned the mother,
 That the babe might visit Mana,
 In the kingdom of Tuoni;
 Said the child was born for dying,
 Only destined for destruction,
 Through the tortures of the Fire-child.
 Greater knowledge had the mother,
 Did not journey to Manala,
 Knew the word to check the red-flame,
 How to banish the intruder
 Through the eyelet of a needle,
 Through the death-hole of the hatchet."

Then the ancient Wainamoinen
 Questioned Ilmatar as follows:
 "Whither did the Fire-child wander,
 Whither did the red-flame hasten,
 From the border-fields of Turi,
 To the woods, or to the waters?
 Straightway Ilmatar thus answers:
 "When the fire had fled from Turi,
 From the castles of Palwoinen,
 Through the eyelet of the needle,
 Through the death-hole of the hatchet,
 First it burned the fields, and forests,
 Burned the lowlands, and the heather;
 Then it sought the mighty waters,
 Sought the Alue-sea and river,
 And the waters hissed and sputtered
 In their anger at the Fire-child,
 Fiery red the boiling Alue!

"Three times in the nights of, summer,
 Nine times in the nights of autumn,
 Boil the waters to the tree-tops,
 Roll and tumble to the mountain,
 Through the red-ball's force and fury;
 Hurls the pike upon the pastures,
 To the mountain-cliffs, the salmon,
 Where the ocean-dwellers wonder,
 Long reflect and well consider
 How to still the angry waters.
 Wept the salmon for his grotto,
 Mourned the whiting for his cavern,
 And the lake-trout for his dwelling,
 Quick the crook-necked salmon darted,
 Tried to catch the fire-intruder,
 But the red-ball quick escaped him;
 Darted then the daring whiting,
 Swallowed quick the wicked Fire-child,
 Swallowed quick the flame of evil.
 Quiet grow the Alue-waters,
 Slowly settle to their shore-lines,
 To their long-accustomed places,
 In the long and dismal evening.

"Time had gone but little distance,
 When the whiting grow affrighted,
 Fear befel the fire-devourer;
 Burning pain and writhing tortures
 Seized the eater of the Fire-child;
 Swam the fish in all directions,
 Called, and moaned, and swam, and circled,
 Swam one day, and then a second,
 Swam the third from morn till even;
 Swam she to the whiting-island,
 To the caverns of the salmon,
 Where a hundred islands cluster;
 And the islands there assembled
 Thus addressed the fire-devourer:
 'There is none within these waters,
 In this narrow Alue-lakelet,
 That will eat the fated Fire-fish
 That will swallow thee in trouble,
 In thine agonies and torture
 From the Fire-child thou hast eaten.'

"Hearing this a trout forth darting,
 Swallowed quick as light the whiting,
 Quickly ate the fire-devourer.
 Time had gone but little distance,
 When the trout became affrighted,
 Fear befel the whiting-eater;
 Burning pain and writhing torment
 Seized the eater of the Fire-fish.
 Swam the trout in all directions,
 Called, and moaned, and swam, and circled,
 Swam one day, and then a second,
 Swain the third from morn till even;
 Swam she to the salmon-island,
 Swam she to the whiting-grottoes,
 Where a thousand islands cluster,
 And the islands there assembled
 Thus addressed the tortured lake-trout:
 'There is none within this river,
 In these narrow Alue-waters,
 That will eat the wicked Fire-fish,
 That will swallow thee in trouble,
 In thine agonies and tortures,
 From the Fire-fish thou hast eaten."

Hearing this the gray-pike darted,
 Swallowed quick as light the lake-trout,
 Quickly ate the tortured Fire-fish.

"Time had gone but little distance,
 When the gray-pike grew affrighted,
 Fear befel the lake-trout-eater;
 Burning pain and writhing torment
 Seized the reckless trout-devourer;
 Swam the pike in all directions,
 Called, and moaned, and swam, and circled,
 Swam one day, and then a second,
 Swam the third from morn till even,
 To the cave of ocean-swallows,
 To the sand-hills of the sea-gull,
 Where a hundred islands cluster;
 And the islands there assembled
 Thus addressed the fire-devourer:
 'There is none within this lakelet,
 In these narrow Alue-waters,
 That will eat the fated Fire-fish,
 That will swallow thee in trouble,
 In thine agonies and tortures,
 From the Fire-fish thou hast eaten.'"

Wainamoinen, wise and ancient,
 With the aid of Ilmarinen,
 Weaves with skill a mighty fish-net
 From the juniper and sea-grass;
 Dyes the net with alder-water,
 Ties it well with thongs of willow.
 Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Called the maidens to the fish-net,
 And the sisters came as bidden.
 With the netting rowed they onward,
 Rowed they to the hundred islands,
 To the grottoes of the salmon,
 To the caverns of the whiting,
 To the reeds of sable color,
 Where the gray-pike rests and watches.
 On they hasten to the fishing,
 Drag the net in all directions,
 Drag it lengthwise, sidewise, crosswise,
 And diagonally zigzag;
 But they did not catch the Fire-fish.

Then the brothers went a-fishing,
 Dragged the net in all directions,
 Backwards, forwards, lengthwise, sidewise,
 Through the homes of ocean-dwellers,
 Through the grottoes of the salmon,
 Through the dwellings of the whiting,
 Through the reed-beds of the lake-trout,
 Where the gray-pike lies in ambush;
 But the fated Fire-fish came not,
 Came not from the lake's abysses,
 Came not from the Alue-waters.

Little fish could not be captured
 In the large nets of the masters;
 Murmured then the deep-sea-dwellers,
 Spake the salmon to the lake-trout,
 And the lake-trout to the whiting,
 And the whiting to the gray-pike:
 Have the heroes of Wainola
 Died, or have they all departed
 From these fertile shores and waters?
 Where then are the ancient weavers,
 Weavers of the nets of flax-thread,
 Those that frighten us with fish-poles,
 Drag us from our homes unwilling?"

Hearing this wise Wainamoinen
 Answered thus the deep-sea-dwellers:
 "Neither have Wainola's heroes
 Died, nor have they all departed
 From these fertile shores and waters,
 Two are born where one has perished;
 Longer poles and finer fish-nets
 Have the sons of Kalevala!"

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLVIII.

 

CAPTURE OF THE FIRE-FISH.

WAINAMOINEN, the enchanter,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 Long reflected, well considered,
 How to weave the net of flax-yarn,
 Weave the fish-net of the fathers.
 Spake the minstrel of Wainola:
 "Who will plow the field and fallow,
 Sow the flax, and spin the flax-threads,
 That I may prepare the fish-net,
 Wherewith I may catch the Fire-pike,
 May secure the thing of evil?"

Soon they found a fertile island,
 Found the fallow soil befitting,
 On the border of the heather,
 And between two stately oak-trees.
 They prepared the soil for sowing.
 Searching everywhere for flax-seed,
 Found it in Tuoni's kingdom,
 In the keeping of an insect.
 Then they found a pile of ashes,
 Where the fire had burned a vessel;
 In the ashes sowed the seedlings
 Near the Alue-lake and border,
 In the rich and loamy fallow.
 There the seed took root and flourished,
 Quickly grew to great proportions,
 In a single night in summer.
 Thus the flax was sowed at evening,
 Placed within the earth by moonlight;
 Quick it grew, and quickly ripened,
 Quick Wainola's heroes pulled it,
 Quick they broke it on the hackles,
 Hastened with it to the waters,
 Dipped it in the lake and washed it;
 Quickly brought it borne and dried it.
 Quickly broke, and combed, and smoothed it,
 Brushed it well at early morning,
 Laid it into laps for spinning
 Quick the maidens twirl the spindles,
 Spin the flaxen threads for weaving,
 In a single night in summer.
 Quick the sisters wind and reel it,
 Make it ready for the needle.
 Brothers weave it into fish-nets,
 And the fathers twist the cordage,
 While the mothers knit the meshes,
 Rapidly the mesh-stick circles;
 Soon the fish-net is completed,
 In a single night in summer.
 As the magic net is finished,
 And in length a hundred fathoms,
 On the rim three hundred fathoms.
 Rounded stones are fastened to it,
 Joined thereto are seven float-boards.

Now the young men take the fish-net,
 And the old men cheer them onward,
 Wish them good-luck at their fishing.
 Long they row and drag the flax-seine,
 Here and there the net is lowered;
 Now they drag it lengthwise, sidewise,
 Drag it through the slimy reed-beds;
 But they do not catch the Fire-pike,
 Only smelts, and luckless red-fish,
 Little fish of little value.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "O thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Let us go ourselves a-fishing,
 Let us catch the fish of evil!"

To the fishing went the brothers,
 Magic heroes of the Northland,
 Pulled the fish-net through the waters,
 Toward an island in the deep-sea
 Then they turn and drag the fish-net
 Toward a meadow jutting seaward;
 Now they drag it toward Wainola,
 Draw it lengthwise, sidewise, crosswise,
 Catching fish of every species,
 salmon, trout, and pike, and whiting,
 Do not catch the evil Fire-fish.

Then the master, Wainamoinen,
 Made additions to its borders,
 Made it many fathoms wider,
 And a hundred fathoms longer,
 Then these words the hero uttered
 "Famous blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Let us go again a-fishing,
 Row again the magic fish-net,
 Drag it well through all the waters,
 That we may obtain the Fire-pike!"

Thereupon the Northland heroes
 Go a second time a-fishing,
 Drag their nets across the rivers,
 Lakelets, seas, and bays, and inlets,
 Catching fish of many species,
 But the Fire-fish is not taken.

Wainamoinen, ancient singer,
 Long reflecting, spake these measures:
 "Dear Wellamo, water-hostess,
 Ancient mother with the reed-breast,
 Come, exchange thy water-raiment,
 Change thy coat of reeds and rushes
 For the garments I shall give thee,
 Light sea-foam, thine inner vesture,
 And thine outer, moss and sea-grass,
 Fashioned by the wind's fair daughters,
 Woven by the flood's sweet maidens;
 I will give thee linen vestments
 Spun from flax of softest fiber,
 Woven by the Moon's white virgins,
 Fashioned by the Sun's bright daughters
 Fitting raiment for Wellamo!

"Ahto, king of all the waters,
 Ruler of a thousand grottoes,
 Take a pole of seven fathoms,
 Search with this the deepest waters,
 Rummage well the lowest bottoms;
 Stir up all the reeds and sea-weeds,
 Hither drive a school of gray-pike,
 Drive them to our magic fish-net,
 From the haunts in pike abounding,
 From the caverns, and the trout-holes,
 From the whirlpools of the deep-sea,
 From the bottomless abysses,
 Where the sunshine never enters,
 Where the moonlight never visits,
 And the sands are never troubled."

Rose a pigmy from the waters,
 From the floods a little hero,
 Riding on a rolling billow,
 And the pigmy spake these measures:
 "Dost thou wish a worthy helper,
 One to use the pole and frighten
 Pike and salmon to thy fish-nets?"

Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 Answered thus the lake-born hero:
 "Yea, we need a worthy helper,
 One to hold the pole, and frighten
 Pike and salmon to our fish-nets."

Thereupon the water-pigmy
 Cut a linden from the border,
 Spake these words to Wainamoinen:
 "Shall I scare with all my powers,
 With the forces of my being,
 As thou needest shall I scare them?"
 Spake the minstrel, Wainamoinen:
 "If thou scarest as is needed,
 Thou wilt scare with all thy forces,
 With the strength of thy dominions."

Then began the pigmy-hero,
 To affright the deep-sea-dwellers;
 Drove the fish in countless numbers
 To the net of the magicians.

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Drew his net along the waters,
 Drew it with his ropes of flax-thread,
 Spake these words of magic import:
 "Come ye fish of Northland waters
 To the regions of my fish-net,
 As my hundred meshes lower."

Then the net was drawn and fastened,
 Many were the gray-pike taken
 By he master and magician.
 Wainamoinen, happy-hearted,
 Hastened to a neighboring island,
 To a blue-point in the waters,
 Near a red-bridge on the headland;
 Landed there his draught of fishes,
 Cast the pike upon the sea-shore,
 And the Fire-pike was among them,
 Cast the others to the waters.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "May I touch thee with my fingers,
 Using not my gloves of iron,
 Using not my blue-stone mittens?
 This the Sun-child hears and answers:
 "I should like to carve the Fire-fish,
 I should like this pike to handle,
 If I had the knife of good-luck."

Quick a knife falls from the heavens,
 From the clouds a magic fish-knife,
 Silver-edged and golden-headed,
 To the girdle of the Sun-child;
 Quick he grasps the copper handle,
 Quick the hero carves the Fire-pike,
 Finds therein the tortured lake-trout;
 Carves the lake-trout thus discovered.
 Finds therein the fated whiting;
 Carves the whiting, finds a blue-ball
 In the third cave of his body.
 He, the blue-ball quick unwinding,
 Finds within a ball of scarlet;
 Carefully removes the cover,
 Finds the ball of fire within it,
 Finds the flame from heaven fallen,
 From the heights of the seventh heaven,
 Through nine regions of the ether.

Wainamoinen long reflected
 How to get the magic fire-ball
 To Wainola's fireless hearth-stones,
 To his cold and cheerless dwellings.
 Quick he snatched the fire of heaven
 From the fingers of the Sun-child.
 Wainamoinen's beard it singes,
 Burns the brow of Ilmarinen,
 Burns the fingers of the blacksmith.
 Rolling forth it hastens westward,
 Hastens to the Alue shore-lines,
 Burns the juniper and alder,
 Burns the and heath and meadow,
 Rises to the lofty linden,
 Burns the firs upon the mountains;
 Hastens onward, onward, onward,
 Burns the islands of the Northland,
 Burns the Sawa fields and forests,
 Burns the dry lands of Karyala.

Straightway ancient Wainamoinen
 Hastens through the fields and fenlands,
 Tracks the ranger to the glen-wood,
 Finds the Fire-child in an elm-tree,
 Sleeping in a bed of fungus.

Thereupon wise Wainamoinen
 Wakes the child and speaks these measures:
 "Wicked fire that God created,
 Flame of Ukko from the heavens,
 Thou hast gone in vain to sea-caves,
 To the lakes without a reason;
 Better go thou to my village,
 To the hearth-stones of my people;
 Hide thyself within my chimneys,
 In mine ashes sleep and linger.
 In the day-time I will use thee
 To devour the blocks of birch-wood;
 In the evening I will hide thee
 Underneath the golden circle."

Then he took the willing Panu,
 Took the willing fire of Ukko,
 Laid it in a box of tinder,
 In the punk-wood of a birch-tree,
 In a vessel forged from copper;
 Carried it with care and pleasure
 To the fog-point in the waters,
 To the island forest covered.
 Thus returned the fire to Northland,
 To the chambers of Wainola,
 To the hearths of Kalevala.

Ilmarinen, famous blacksmith,
 Hastened to the deep-sea's margin,
 Sat upon the rock of torture,
 Feeling pain the flame had given,
 Laved his wounds with briny water,
 Thus to still the Fire-child's fury,
 Thus to end his persecutions.

Long reflecting, Ilmarinen
 Thus addressed the flame of Ukko:
 "Evil Panu from the, heavens,
 Wicked son of God from ether,
 Tell me what has made thee angry,
 Made thee burn my weary members,
 Burn my beard, and face, and fingers,
 Made me suffer death-land tortures?
 Spake again young Ilmarinen:
 "How can I wild Panu conquer,
 How shall I control his conduct,
 Make him end his evil doings?
 Come, thou daughter from Pohyola,
 Come, white virgin of the hoar-frost,
 Come on shoes of ice from Lapland,
 Icicles upon thy garments,
 In one band a cup of white-frost,
 In the other hand an ice-spoon;
 Sprinkle snow upon my members,
 Where the Fire-child has been resting,
 Let the hoar-frost fall and settle.

"Should this prayer be unavailing,
 Come, thou son of Sariola,
 Come, thou child of Frost from Pohya,
 Come, thou Long-man from the ice-plains,
 Of the height of stately pine-trees,
 Slender as the trunks of lindens,
 On thy hands the gloves of Hoar-frost,
 Cap of ice upon thy forehead,
 On thy waist a white-frost girdle;
 Bring the ice-dust from Pohyola,
 From the cold and sunless village.
 Rain is crystallized in Northland,
 Ice in Pohya is abundant,
 Lakes of ice and ice-bound rivers,
 Frozen smooth, the sea of ether.
 Bounds the hare in frosted fur-robe,
 Climbs the bear in icy raiment,
 Ambles o'er the snowy mountains.
 Swans of frost descend the rivers,
 Ducks of ice in countless numbers
 Swim upon thy freezing waters,
 Near the cataract and whirlpool.
 Bring me frost upon thy snow-sledge,
 Snow and ice in great abundance,
 From the summit of the wild-top,
 From the borders of the mountains.
 With thine ice, and snow, and hoar-frost
 Cover well mine injured members
 Where wild Panu has been resting,
 Where the child of Fire has lingered.

"Should this call be ineffective,
 Ukko, God of love and mercy,
 First and last of the creators,
 From the east send forth a snow-cloud,
 From the west despatch a second,
 Join their edges well together,
 Let there be no vacant places,
 Let these clouds bring snow and
 Lay the healing balm of Ukko
 On my burning, tortured tissues,
 Where wild Panu has been resting."
 Thus the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 Stills the pains by fire engendered,
 Stills the agonies and tortures
 Brought him by the child of evil,
 Brought him by the wicked Panu.

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE XLIX

 

RESTORATION OF THE SUN AND MOON.

THUS has Fire returned to Northland
 But the gold Moon is not shining,
 Neither gleams the silver sunlight
 In the chambers of Wainola,
 On the plains of Kalevala.
 On the crops the white-frost settled,
 And the cattle died of hunger,
 Even birds grew sick and perished.
 Men and maidens, faint and famished,
 Perished in the cold and darkness,
 From the absence of the sunshine,
 From the absence of the moonlight.
 Knew the pike his holes and hollows,
 And the eagle knew his highway,
 Knew the winds the times for sailing;
 But the wise men of the Northland
 Could not know the dawn of morning,
 On the fog-point in the ocean,
 On the islands forest-covered.

Young and aged talked and wondered,
 Well reflected, long debated,
 How to live without the moonlight,
 Live without the silver sunshine,
 In the cold and cheerless Northland,
 In the homes of Kalevala.
 Long conjectured all the maidens,
 Orphans asked the wise for counsel.

Spake a maid to Ilmarinen,
 Running to the blacksmith's furnace:
 "Rise, O artist, from thy slumbers,
 Hasten from thy couch unworthy;
 Forge from gold the Moon for Northland,
 Forge anew the Sun from silver
 Cannot live without the moonlight,
 Nor without the silver sunshine!"

From his couch arose the artist,
 From his couch of stone, the blacksmith,
 And began his work of forging,
 Forging Sun and Moon for Northland.

Came the ancient Wainamoinen,
 In the doorway sat and lingered,
 Spake, these Words to Ilmarinen:
 "Blacksmith, my beloved brother,
 Thou the only metal-worker,
 Tell me why thy magic hammer
 Falls so heavy on thine anvil?"
 Spake the youthful Ilmarinen:
 "Moon of gold and Sun of silver,
 I am forging for Wainola;
 I shall swing them into ether,
 Plant them in the starry heavens."
 Spake the wise, old Wainamoinen:
 "Senseless blacksmith of the ages,
 Vainly dost thou swing thy hammer,
 Vainly rings thy mighty anvil;
 Silver will not gleam as sunshine,
 Not of gold is born the moonlight!"

Ilmarinen, little heeding,
 Ceases not to ply his hammer,
 Sun and Moon the artist forges,
 Wings the Moon of Magic upward,
 Hurls it to the pine-tree branches;
 Does not shine without her master.
 Then the silver Sun he stations
 In an elm-tree on the mountain.
 From his forehead drip the sweat-drops,
 Perspiration from his fingers,
 Through his labors at the anvil
 While the Sun and Moon were forging;
 But the Sun shone not at morning
 From his station in the elm-tree;
 And the Moon shone not at evening
 From the pine-tree's topmost branches.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Let the Fates be now consulted,
 And the oracles examined;
 Only thus may we discover
 Where the Sun and Moon lie hidden."

Thereupon old Wainamoinen,
 Only wise and true magician,
 Cut three chips from trunks of alder,
 Laid the chips in magic order,
 Touched and turned them with his fingers,
 Spake these words of master-magic:
 "Of my Maker seek I knowledge,
 Ask in hope and faith the answer
 From the great magician, Ukko:
 Tongue of alder, tell me truly,
 Symbol of the great Creator,
 Where the Sun and Moon are sleeping;
 For the Moon shines not in season,
 Nor appears the Sun at midday,
 From their stations in the sky-vault.
 Speak the truth, O magic alder,
 Speak not words of man, nor hero,
 Hither bring but truthful measures.
 Let us form a sacred compact:
 If thou speakest me a falsehood,
 I will hurl thee to Manala,
 Let the nether fires consume thee,
 That thine evil signs may perish."

Thereupon the alder answered,
 Spake these words of truthful import:

"Verily the Sun lies hidden
 And the golden Moon is sleeping
 In the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 In the copper-bearing mountain."
 These the words of Wainamoinen:
 "I shall go at once to Northland,
 To the cold and dark Pohyola,
 Bring the Sun and Moon to gladden
 All Wainola's fields and forests."

Forth he hastens on his journey,
 To the dismal Sariola,
 To the Northland cold and dreary;
 Travels one day, then a second,
 So the third from morn till evening,
 When appear the gates of Pohya,
 With her snow-clad hills and mountains.

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 At the river of Pohyola,
 Loudly calls the ferry-maiden:
 Bring a boat, O Pohya-daughter,
 Bring a strong and trusty vessel,
 Row me o'er these chilling waters,
 O'er this rough and rapid river! "

But the Ferry-maiden heard not,
 Did not listen to his calling.
 Thereupon old Wainamoinen,
 Laid a pile of well-dried brush-wood,
 Knots and needles of the fir-tree,
 Made a fire beside the river,
 Sent the black smoke into heaven
 Curling to the home of Ukko.

Louhi, hostess of the Northland,
 Hastened to her chamber window,
 Looked upon the bay and river,
 Spake these words to her attendants:
 "Why the fire across the river
 Where the current meets the deep-sea,
 Smaller than the fires of foemen,
 Larger than the flames of hunters?"

Thereupon a Pohyalander
 Hastened from the court of Louhi
 That the cause he might discover,'
 Bring the sought-for information
 To the hostess of Pohyola;
 Saw upon the river-border
 Some great hero from Wainola.

Wainamoinen saw the stranger,
 Called again in tones of thunder:
 "Bring a skiff; thou son of Northland,
 For the minstrel, Wainamoinen!
 Thus the Pohyalander answered:
 "Here no skiffs are lying idle,
 Row thyself across the waters,
 Use thine arms, and feet, and fingers,
 To propel thee o'er the river,
 O'er the sacred stream of Pohya."

Wainamoinen, long reflecting,
 Bravely thus soliloquizes:
 "I will change my form and features,
 Will assume a second body,
 Neither man, nor ancient minstrel,
 Master of the Northland waters!"

Then the singer, Wainamoinen,
 Leaped, a pike, upon the waters,
 Quickly swam the rapid river,
 Gained the frigid Pohya-border.
 There his native form resuming,
 Walked he as a mighty hero,
 On the dismal isle of Louhi,
 Spake the wicked sons of Northland:
 Come thou to Pohyola's court-room."

To Pohyola's, court he hastened.
 Spake again the sons of evil:
 Come thou to the halls of Louhi!"

To Pohyola's halls he hastened.
 On the latch he laid his fingers,
 Set his foot within the fore-hall,
 Hastened to the inner chamber,
 Underneath the painted rafters,
 Where the Northland-heroes gather.
 There he found the Pohya-masters
 Girded with their swords of battle,
 With their spears and battle-axes,
 With their fatal bows and arrows,
 For the death of Wainamoinen,
 Ancient bard, Suwantolainen.
 Thus they asked the hero-stranger.
 "Magic swimmer of the Northland,
 Son of evil, what the message
 That thou bringest from thy people,
 What thy mission to Pohyola?"

Wainamoinen, old and truthful,
 Thus addressed the hosts of Louhi:
 "For the Sun I come to Northland,
 Come to seek the Moon in Pohya;
 Tell me where the Sun lies hidden,
 Where the golden Moon is sleeping."
 Spake the evil sons of Pohya:
 "Both the Sun and Moon are hidden
 In the rock of many colors,
 In the copper-bearing mountain,
 In a cavern iron-banded,
 In the stone-berg of Pohyola,
 Nevermore to gain their freedom,
 Nevermore to shine in Northland!"
 Spake the hero, Wainamoinen:
 "If the Sun be not uncovered,
 If the Moon leave not her dungeon,
 I will challenge all Pohyola
 To the test of spear or broadsword,
 Let us now our weapons measure!"

Quick the hero of Wainola
 Drew his mighty sword of magic;
 On its border shone the moonlight,
 On its hilt the Sun was shining,
 On its back, a neighing stallion,
 On its face a cat was mewing,
 Beautiful his magic weapon.
 Quick the hero-swords are tested,
 And the blades are rightly measured
 Wainamoinen's sword is longest
 By a single grain of barley,
 By a blade of straw, the widest.

To the court-yard rushed the heroes,
 Hastened to the deadly combat,
 On the plains of Sariola.
 Wainamoinen, the magician,
 Strikes one blow, and then a second,
 Strikes a third time, cuts and conquers.
 As the house-maids slice the turnips,
 As they lop the heads of cabbage,
 As the stalks of flax are broken,
 So the heads of Louhi's heroes
 Fall before the magic broadsword
 Of the ancient Wainamoinen.

Then victor from Wainola,
 Ancient bard and great magician,
 Went to find the Sun in slumber,
 And the golden Moon discover,
 In, the copper-bearing Mountains,
 In the cavern iron-banded,
 In the stone-berg of Pohyola.

He had gone but little distance,
 When he found a sea-green island;
 On the island stood a birch-tree,
 Near the birch-tree stood a pillar
 Carved in stone of many colors;
 In the pillar, nine large portals
 Bolted in a hundred places;
 In the rock he found a crevice
 Sending forth a gleam of sunlight.
 Quick he drew his mighty broadsword,
 From the pillar struck three colors,
 From the magic of his weapon;
 And the pillar fell asunder,
 Three the number of the fragments.
 Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 Through the crevice looked and wondered.
 In the center of the pillar,
 From a scarlet-colored basin,
 Noxious serpents beer were drinking,
 And the adders eating spices.
 Spake the ancient Wainamoinen:
 "Therefore has Pohyola's hostess
 Little drink to give to strangers,
 Since her beer is drank by serpents,
 And her spices given to adders."

Quick he draws his magic fire-blade,
 Cuts the vipers green in pieces,
 Lops the heads off all the adders,
 Speaks these words of master-magic:
 Thus, hereafter, let the serpent
 Drink the famous beer of barley,
 Feed upon the Northland-spices!"

Wainamoinen, the magician,
 The eternal wizard-singer,
 Sought to open wide the portals
 With the hands and words of magic;
 But his hands had lost their cunning,
 And his magic gone to others.

Thereupon the ancient minstrel
 Quick returning, heavy-hearted,
 To his native halls and hamlets,
 Thus addressed his brother-heroes:
 "Woman, he without his weapons,
 With no implements, a weakling!
 Sun and Moon have I discovered,
 But I could not force the Portals
 Leading to their rocky cavern 
 In the copper bearing mountain.
 Spake the reckless Lemminkainen
 "O thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Why was I not taken with thee
 To become, thy war-companion?
 Would have been of goodly service,
 Would have drawn the bolts or broken,
 All the portals to the cavern,
 Where the Sun and Moon lie hidden
 In the copper-bearing mountain!"

Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel,
 Thus replied to Lemminkainen:
 "Empty Words will break no portals,
 Draw no bolts of any moment;
 Locks and bolts are never broken.
 With the words of little wisdom!
 Greater means than thou commandest
 Must be used to free the sunshine,
 Free the moonlight from her dungeon."

Wainamoinen, not discouraged,
 Hastened to the, forge and smithy,
 Spake these words to Ilmarinen:
 "O thou famous metal-artist,
 Forge for me a magic trident,
 Forge from steel a dozen stout-rings,
 Master-keys, a goodly number,
 Iron bars and heavy hammers,
 That the Sun we may uncover
 In the copper-bearing mountain,
 In the stone-berg of Pohyola."

Then the blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal metal-worker,
 Forged the needs of Wainamoinen,
 Forged for him the magic trident,
 Forged from steel a dozen stout-rings,
 Master-keys a goodly number,
 Iron bars and heavy hammers,
 Not the largest, nor the smallest,
 Forged them of the right dimensions.

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Northland's old and toothless wizard,
 Fastened wings upon her shoulders,
 As an eagle, sailed the heavens,
 Over field, and fen, and forest,
 Over Pohya's many, waters,
 To the hamlets of Wainola,
 To the forge of Ilmarinen.

Quick the famous metal-worker
 Went to see if winds were blowing;
 Found the winds at peace and silent,
 Found an eagle, sable-colored,
 Perched upon his window-casement.
 Spake the artist, Ilmarinen:
 "Magic bird, whom art thou seeking,
 Why art sitting at my window?"
 This the answer of the eagle:
 "Art thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen,
 The eternal iron-forger,
 Master of the magic metals,
 Northland's wonder-working artist?"
 Ilmarinen gave this answer:
 "There is nothing here of wonder,
 Since I forged the dome of heaven,
 Forged the earth a concave cover!"
 Spake again the magic eagle:
 Why this ringing of thine anvil,
 Why this knocking of thy hammer,
 Tell me what thy hands are forging?"
 This the answer of the blacksmith:
 "'Tis a collar I am forging
 For the neck of wicked Louhi,
 Toothless witch of Sariola,
 Stealer of the silver sunshine,
 Stealer of the golden moonlight;
 With this collar I shall bind her
 To the iron-rock of Ehstland!"

Louhi, hostess of Pohyola,
 Saw misfortune fast approaching,
 Saw destruction flying over,
 Saw the signs of bad-luck lower;
 Quickly winged her way through ether
 To her native halls and chambers,
 To the darksome Sariola,
 There unlocked the massive portals
 Where the Sun and Moon were hidden,
 In the rock of many colors,
 In the cavern iron-banded,
 In the copper-bearing mountain.

Then again the wicked Louhi
 Changed her withered form and features,
 And became a dove of good-luck;
 Straightway winged the starry heavens,
 Over field, and fen, and forest,
 To the meadows of Wainola,
 To the plains of Kalevala,
 To the forge of Ilmarinen.
 This the question of the blacksmith
 "Wherefore comest, dove of good-luck,
 What the tidings that thou bringest?"
 Thus the magic bird made answer:
 "Wherefore come I to thy smithy?
 Come to bring the joyful tidings
 That the Sun has left his cavern,
 Left the rock of many colors,
 Left the stone-berg of Pohyola;
 That the Moon no more is hidden
 In the copper-bearing mountains,
 In the caverns iron-banded."

Straightway hastened Ilmarinen
 To the threshold of his smithy,
 Quickly scanned the far horizon,
 Saw again the silver sunshine,
 Saw once more the golden moonlight,
 Bringing peace, and joy, and plenty,
 To the homes of Kalevala.
 Thereupon the blacksmith hastened
 To his brother, Wainamoinen,
 Spake these words to the magician:
 "O thou ancient bard and minstrel,
 The eternal wizard-singer
 See, the Sun again is shining,
 And the golden Moon is beaming
 From their long-neglected places,
 From their stations in the sky-vault!"

Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 Straightway hastened to the court-yard,
 Looked upon the far horizon,
 Saw once more the silver sunshine,
 Saw again the golden moonlight,
 Bringing peace, and joy, and plenty,
 To the people of the Northland,
 And the minstrel spake these measures:
 "Greetings to thee, Sun of fortune,
 Greetings to thee, Moon of good-luck,
 Welcome sunshine, welcome moonlight,
 Golden is the dawn of morning!
 Free art thou, O Sun of silver,
 Free again, O Moon beloved,
 As the sacred cuckoo's singing,
 As the ring-dove's liquid cooings.

"Rise, thou silver Sun, each Morning,
 Source of light and life hereafter,
 Bring us, daily, joyful greetings,
 Fill our homes with peace and plenty,
 That our sowing, fishing, hunting,
 May be prospered by thy coming.
 Travel on thy daily journey,
 Let the Moon be ever with thee;
 Glide along thy way rejoicing,
 End thy journeyings in slumber;
 Rest at evening in the ocean,
 When the daily cares have ended,
 To the good of all thy people,
 To the pleasure Of Wainoloa,
 To the joy of Kalevala!"

   
 
  
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

RUNE L.

 

MARIATTA--WAINAMOINEN'S DEPARTURE.

MARIATTA, child of beauty,
 Grew to maidenhood in Northland,
 In the cabin of her father,
 In the chambers of her mother,
 Golden ringlets, silver girdles,
 Worn against the keys paternal,
 Glittering upon her bosom;
 Wore away the father's threshold
 With the long robes of her garments;
 Wore away the painted rafters
 With her beauteous silken ribbons;
 Wore away the gilded pillars
 With the touching of her fingers;
 Wore away the birchen flooring
 With the tramping of her fur-shoes.

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Magic maid of little stature,
 Guarded well her sacred virtue,
 Her sincerity and honor,
 Fed upon the dainty whiting,
 On the inner bark of birch-wood,
 On the tender flesh of lambkins.

When she hastened in the evening
 To her milking in the hurdles,
 Spake in innocence as follows:
 "Never will the snow-white virgin
 Milk the kine of one unworthy!"

When she journeyed over snow-fields,
 On the seat beside her father,
 Spake in purity as follows:
 "Not behind a steed unworthy
 Will I ever ride the snow-sledge!"

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Lived a virgin with her mother,
 As a maiden highly honored,
 Lived in innocence and beauty,
 Daily drove her flocks to pasture,
 Walking with the gentle lambkins.
 When the lambkins climbed the mountains,
 When they gamboled on the hill-tops,
 Stepped the virgin to the meadow,
 Skipping through a grove of lindens,
 At the calling of the cuckoo,
 To the songster's golden measures.

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Looked about, intently listened,
 Sat upon the berry-meadow
 Sat awhile, and meditated
 On a hillock by the forest,
 And soliloquized as follows:
 "Call to me, thou golden cuckoo,
 Sing, thou sacred bird of Northland,
 Sing, thou silver breasted songster,
 Speak, thou strawberry of Ehstland,
 Tell bow long must I unmarried,
 As a shepherdess neglected,
 Wander o'er these bills and mountains,
 Through these flowery fens and fallows.
 Tell me, cuckoo of the woodlands,
 Sing to me how many summers
 I must live without a husband,
 As a shepherdess neglected!"

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Lived a shepherd-maid for ages,
 As a virgin with her mother.
 Wretched are the lives of shepherds,
 Lives of maidens still more wretched,
 Guarding flocks upon the mountains;
 Serpents creep in bog and stubble,
 On the greensward dart the lizards;
 But it was no serpent singing,
 Nor a sacred lizard calling,
 It was but the mountain-berry
 Calling to the lonely maiden:
 "Come, O virgin, come and pluck me,
 Come and take me to thy bosom,
 Take me, tinsel-breasted virgin,
 Take me, maiden, copper-belted,
 Ere the slimy snail devours me,
 Ere the black-worm feeds upon me.
 Hundreds pass my way unmindful,
 Thousands come within my hearing,
 Berry-maidens swarm about me,
 Children come in countless numbers,
 None of these has come to gather,
 Come to pluck this ruddy berry."

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Listened to its gentle pleading,
 Ran to pick the berry, calling,
 With her fair and dainty fingers,.
 Saw it smiling near the meadow,
 Like a cranberry in feature,
 Like a strawberry in flavor;
 But be Virgin, Mariatta,
 Could not pluck the woodland-stranger,
 Thereupon she cut a charm-stick,
 Downward pressed upon the berry,
 When it rose as if by magic,
 Rose above her shoes of ermine,
 Then above her copper girdle,
 Darted upward to her bosom,
 Leaped upon the maiden's shoulder,
 On her dimpled chin it rested,
 On her lips it perched a moment,
 Hastened to her tongue expectant
 To and fro it rocked and lingered,
 Thence it hastened on its journey,
 Settled in the maiden's bosom.
 Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Thus became a bride impregnate,
 Wedded to the mountain-berry;
 Lingered in her room at morning,
 Sat at midday in the darkness,
 Hastened to her couch at evening.
 Thus the watchful mother wonders:
 "What has happened to our Mary,
 To our virgin, Mariatta,
 That she throws aside her girdle,
 Shyly slips through hall and chamber,
 Lingers in her room at morning,
 Hastens to her couch at evening,
 Sits at midday in the darkness?"

On the floor a babe was playing,
 And the young child thus made answer:
 "This has happened to our Mary,
 To our virgin, Mariatta,
 This misfortune to the maiden:
 She has lingered by the meadows,
 Played too long among the lambkins,
 Tasted of the mountain-berry."

Long the virgin watched and waited,
 Anxiously the days she counted,
 Waiting for the dawn of trouble.
 Finally she asked her mother,
 These the words of Mariatta:
 "Faithful mother, fond and tender,
 Mother whom I love and cherish,
 Make for me a place befitting,
 Where my troubles may be lessened,
 And my heavy burdens lightened."
 This the answer of the mother:
 "Woe to thee, thou Hisi-maiden,
 Since thou art a bride unworthy,
 Wedded only to dishonor!"

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Thus replied in truthful measures:
 "I am not a maid of Hisi,
 I am not a bride unworthy,
 Am not wedded to dishonor;
 As a shepherdess I wandered
 With the lambkins to the glen-wood,
 Wandered to the berry-mountain,
 Where the strawberry had ripened;
 Quick as thought I plucked the berry,
 On my tongue I gently laid it,
 To and fro it rocked and lingered,
 Settled in my heaving bosom.
 This the source of all my trouble,
 Only cause of my dishonor!"

As the mother was relentless,
 Asked the maiden of her father,
 This the virgin-mother's pleading:
 O my father, full of pity,
 Source of both my good and evil,
 Build for me a place befitting,
 Where my troubles may be lessened,
 And my heavy burdens lightened."
 This the answer of the father,
 Of the father unforgiving:
 "Go, thou evil child of Hisi,
 Go, thou child of sin and sorrow,
 Wedded only to dishonor,
 To the Great Bear's rocky chamber,
 To the stone-cave of the growler,
 There to lessen all thy troubles,
 There to cast thy heavy burdens!"

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Thus made answer to her father:
 "I am not a child of Hisi,
 I am not a bride unworthy,
 Am not wedded to dishonor;
 I shall bear a noble hero,
 I shall bear a son immortal,
 Who will rule among the mighty,
 Rule the ancient Wainamoinen."

Thereupon the virgin-mother
 Wandered hither, wandered thither,
 Seeking for a place befitting,
 Seeking for a worthy birth-place
 For her unborn son and hero;
 Finally these words she uttered
 "Piltti, thou my youngest maiden,
 Trustiest of all my servants,
 Seek a place within the village,
 Ask it of the brook of Sara,
 For the troubled Mariatta,
 Child of sorrow and misfortune."

Thereupon the little maiden,
 Piltti, spake these words in answer:
 "Whom shall I entreat for succor,
 Who will lend me his assistance?
 These the words of Mariatta:
 "Go and ask it of Ruotus,
 Where the reed-brook pours her waters."

Thereupon the servant, Piltti,
 Ever hopeful, ever willing,
 Hastened to obey her mistress,
 Needing not her exhortation;
 Hastened like the rapid river,
 Like the flying smoke of battle
 To the cabin of Ruotus.
 When she walked the hill-tops tottered,
 When she ran the mountains trembled;
 Shore-reeds danced upon the pasture,
 Sandstones skipped about the heather
 As the maiden, Piltti, hastened
 To the dwelling of Ruotus.

At his table in his cabin
 Sat Ruotus, eating, drinking,
 In his simple coat of linen.
 With his elbows on the table
 Spake the wizard in amazement:
 "Why hast thou, a maid of evil,
 Come to see me in my cavern,
 What the message thou art bringing?
 Thereupon the servant, Piltti,
 Gave this answer to the wizard:
 "Seek I for a spot befitting,
 Seek I for a worthy birth-place,
 For an unborn child and hero;
 Seek it near the Sara-streamlet,
 Where the reed-brook pours her waters.

Came the wife of old Ruotus,
 Walking with her arms akimbo,
 Thus addressed the maiden, Piltti:
 "Who is she that asks assistance,
 Who the maiden thus dishonored,
 What her name, and who her kindred?"

"I have come for Mariatta,
 For the worthy virgin-mother."
 Spake the wife of old Ruotus,
 Evil-minded, cruel-hearted:
 "Occupied are all our chambers,
 All our bath-rooms near the reed-brook;
 in the mount of fire are couches,
 is a stable in the forest,
 For the flaming horse of Hisi;
 In the stable is a manger
 Fitting birth-place for the hero
 From the wife of cold misfortune,
 Worthy couch for Mariatta!"

Thereupon the servant, Piltti,
 Hastened to her anxious mistress,
 Spake these measures, much regretting.
 "There is not a place befitting,
 on the silver brook of Sara.
 Spake the wife of old Ruotus:
 'Occupied are all the chambers,
 All the bath-rooms near the reed-brook;
 In the mount of fire are couches,
 Is a stable, in the forest,
 For the flaming horse of Hisi;
 In the stable is a manger,
 Fitting birth-place for the hero
 From the wife of cold misfortune,
 Worthy couch for Mariatta.'"

Thereupon the hapless maiden,
 Mariatta, virgin-mother,
 Fell to bitter tears and murmurs,
 Spake these words in depths of sorrow:
 "I, alas! must go an outcast,
 Wander as a wretched hireling,
 Like a servant in dishonor,
 Hasten to the burning mountain,
 To the stable in the forest,
 Make my bed within a manger,
 Near the flaming steed of Hisi!"

Quick the hapless virgin-mother,
 Outcast from her father's dwelling,
 Gathered up her flowing raiment,
 Grasped a broom of birchen branches,
 Hastened forth in pain and sorrow
 To the stable in the woodlands,
 On the heights of Tapio's mountains,
 Spake these words in supplication:
 "Come, I pray thee, my Creator,
 Only friend in times of trouble,
 Come to me and bring protection
 To thy child, the virgin-mother,
 To the maiden, Mariatta,
 In this hour of sore affliction.
 Come to me, benignant Ukko,
 Come, thou only hope and refuge,
 Lest thy guiltless child should perish,
 Die the death of the unworthy!"

When the virgin, Mariatta,
 Had arrived within the stable
 Of the flaming horse of Hisi,
 She addressed the steed as follows:
 "Breathe, O sympathizing fire-horse,
 Breathe on me, the virgin-mother,
 Let thy heated breath give moisture,
 Let thy pleasant warmth surround me,
 Like the vapor of the morning;
 Let this pure and helpless maiden
 Find a refuge in thy manger!"

Thereupon the horse, in pity,
 Breathed the moisture of his nostrils
 On the body of the virgin,
 Wrapped her in a cloud of vapor,
 Gave her warmth and needed comforts,
 Gave his aid to the afflicted,
 To the virgin, Mariatta.

There the babe was born and cradled
 Cradled in a woodland-manger,
 Of the virgin, Mariatta,
 Pure as pearly dews of morning,
 Holy as the stars in heaven.
 There the mother rocks her infant,
 In his swaddling clothes she wraps him,
 Lays him in her robes of linen;
 Carefully the babe she nurtures,
 Well she guards her much-beloved,
 Guards her golden child of beauty,
 Her beloved gem of silver.

But alas! the child has vanished,
 Vanished while the mother slumbered.
 Mariatta, lone and wretched,
 Fell to weeping, broken-hearted,
 Hastened off to seek her infant.
 Everywhere the mother sought him,
 Sought her golden child of beauty,
 Her beloved gem of silver;
 Sought him underneath the millstone,
 In the sledge she sought him vainly,
 Underneath the sieve she sought him,
 Underneath the willow-basket,
 Touched the trees, the grass she parted,
 Long she sought her golden infant,
 Sought him on the fir-tree-mountain,
 In the vale, and hill, and heather;
 Looks within the clumps of flowers,
 Well examines every thicket,
 Lifts the juniper and willow,
 Lifts the branches of the alder.

Lo! a star has come to meet her,
 And the star she thus beseeches-.
 "O, thou guiding-star of Northland,
 Star of hope, by God created,
 Dost thou know and wilt thou tell me
 Where my darling child has wandered,
 Where my holy babe lies hidden?"
 Thus the star of Northland answers:
 "If I knew, I would not tell thee;
 'Tis thy child that me created,
 Set me here to watch at evening,
 In the cold to shine forever,
 Here to twinkle in the darkness."

Comes the golden Moon to meet her,
 And the Moon she thus beseeches:
 "Golden Moon, by Ukko fashioned,
 Hope and joy of Kalevala,
 Dost thou know and wilt thou tell me
 Where my darling child has wandered,
 Where my holy babe lies hidden?
 Speaks the golden Moon in answer:
 "If I knew I would not tell thee;
 'Tis thy child that me created,
 Here to wander in the darkness,
 All alone at eve to wander
 On my cold and cheerless journey,
 Sleeping only in the daylight,
 Shining for the good of others."

Thereupon the virgin-mother
 Falls again to bitter weeping,
 Hastens on through fen and forest,
 Seeking for her babe departed.

Comes the silver Sun to meet her,
 And the Sun she thus addresses:
 "Silver Sun by Ukko fashioned,
 Source of light and life to Northland,
 Dost thou know and wilt thou tell me
 Where my darling child has wandered,
 Where my holy babe lies hidden?"
 Wisely does the Sun make answer:
 "Well I know thy babe's dominions,
 Where thy holy child is sleeping,
 Where Wainola's light lies hidden;
 'Tis thy child that me created,
 Made me king of earth and ether,
 Made the Moon and Stars attend me,
 Set me here to shine at midday,
 Makes me shine in silver raiment,
 Lets me sleep and rest at evening;
 Yonder is thy golden infant,
 There thy holy babe lies sleeping,
 Hidden to his belt in water,
 Hidden in the reeds and rushes."

Mariatta, child of beauty,
 Virgin-mother of the Northland,
 Straightway seeks her babe in Swamp-land,
 Finds him in the reeds and rushes;
 Takes the young child on her bosom
 To the dwelling of her father.

There the infant grew in beauty,
 Gathered strength, and light, and wisdom,
 All of Suomi saw and wondered.
 No one knew what name to give him;
 When the mother named him, Flower,
 Others named him, Son-of-Sorrow.

When the virgin, Mariatta,
 Sought the priesthood to baptize him,
 Came an old man, Wirokannas,
 With a cup of holy water,
 Bringing to the babe his blessing;
 And the gray-beard spake as follows:
 "I shall not baptize a wizard,
 Shall not bless a black-magician
 With the drops of holy water;
 Let the young child be examined,
 Let us know that he is worthy,
 Lest he prove the son of witchcraft."

Thereupon old Wirokannas
 Called the ancient Wainamoinen,
 The eternal wisdom-singer,
 To inspect the infant-wonder,
 To report him good or evil.

Wainamoinen, old and faithful,
 Carefully the child examined,
 Gave this answer to his people:
 "Since the child is but an outcast,
 Born and cradled in a manger,
 Since the berry is his father;
 Let him lie upon the heather,
 Let him sleep among the rushes,
 Let him live upon the mountains;
 Take the young child to the marshes,
 Dash his head against the birch-tree."

Then the child of Mariatta,
 Only two weeks old, made answer:
 "O, thou ancient Wainamoinen,
 Son of Folly and Injustice,
 Senseless hero of the Northland,
 Falsely hast thou rendered judgment.
 In thy years, for greater follies,
 Greater sins and misdemeanors,
 Thou wert not unjustly punished.
 In thy former years of trouble,
 When thou gavest thine own brother,
 For thy selfish life a ransom,
 Thus to save thee from destruction,
 Then thou wert not sent to Swamp-land
 To be murdered for thy follies.
 In thy former years of sorrow,
 When the beauteous Aino perished
 In the deep and boundless blue-sea,
 To escape thy persecutions,
 Then thou wert not evil-treated,
 Wert not banished by thy people."

Thereupon old Wirokannas,
 Of the wilderness the ruler,
 Touched the child with holy water,
 Crave the wonder-babe his blessing,
 Gave him rights of royal heirship,
 Free to live and grow a hero,
 To become a mighty ruler,
 King and Master of Karyala.

As the years passed Wainamoinen
 Recognized his waning powers,
 Empty-handed, heavy-hearted,
 Sang his farewell song to Northland,
 To the people of Wainola;
 Sang himself a boat of copper,
 Beautiful his bark of magic;
 At the helm sat the magician,
 Sat the ancient wisdom-singer.
 Westward, westward, sailed the hero
 O'er the blue-back of the waters,
 Singing as he left Wainola,
 This his plaintive song and echo:
 "Suns may rise and set in Suomi,
 Rise and set for generations,
 When the North will learn my teachings,
 Will recall my wisdom-sayings,
 Hungry for the true religion.
 Then will Suomi need my coming,
 Watch for me at dawn of morning,
 That I may bring back the Sampo,
 Bring anew the harp of joyance,
 Bring again the golden moonlight,
 Bring again the silver sunshine,
 Peace and plenty to the Northland."

Thus the ancient Wainamoinen,
 In his copper-banded vessel,
 Left his tribe in Kalevala,
 Sailing o'er the rolling billows,
 Sailing through the azure vapors,
 Sailing through the dusk of evening,
 Sailing to the fiery sunset,
 To the higher-landed regions,
 To the lower verge of heaven;
 Quickly gained the far horizon,
 Gained the purple-colored harbor.
 There his bark be firmly anchored,
 Rested in his boat of copper;
 But be left his harp of magic,
 Left his songs and wisdom-sayings,
 To the lasting joy of Suomi.

     
The Kalevala, by John Martin Crawford, [1888 , at sacred-texts.com

 

EPILOGUE.

Now I end my measured singing,
 Bid my weary tongue keep silence,
 Leave my songs to other singers.
 Horses have their times of resting
 After many hours of labor;
 Even sickles will grow weary
 When they have been long at reaping;
 Waters seek a quiet haven
 After running long in rivers;
 Fire subsides and sinks in slumber
 At the dawning of the morning
 Therefore I should end my singing,
 As my song is growing weary,
 For the pleasure of the evening,
 For the joy of morn arising.

Often I have heard it chanted,
 Often heard the words repeated:
 "Worthy cataracts and rivers
 Never empty all their waters."
 Thus the wise and worthy singer
 Sings not all his garnered wisdom;
 Better leave unsung some sayings
 Than to sing them out of season.

Thus beginning, and thus ending,
 Do I roll up all my legends,
 Roll them in a ball for safety,
 In my memory arrange them,
 In their narrow place of resting,
 Lest the songs escape unheeded,
 While the lock is still unopened,
 While the teeth remain unparted,
 And the weary tongue is silent.
 Why should I sing other legends,
 Chant them in the glen and forest,
 Sing them on the hill and heather?
 Cold and still my golden mother
 Lies beneath the meadow, sleeping,
 Hears my ancient songs no longer,
 Cannot listen to my singing;
 Only will the forest listen,
 Sacred birches, sighing pine-trees,
 Junipers endowed with kindness,
 Alder-trees that love to bear me,
 With the aspens and the willows.

When my loving mother left me,
 Young was I, and low of stature;
 Like the cuckoo of the forest,
 Like the thrush upon the heather,
 Like the lark I learned to twitter,
 Learned to sing my simple measures,
 Guided by a second mother,
 Stern and cold, without affection;
 Drove me helpless from my chamber
 To the wind-side of her dwelling,
 To the north-side of her cottage,
 Where the chilling winds in mercy
 Carried off the unprotected.
 As a lark I learned to wander,
 Wander as a lonely song-bird,
 Through the forests and the fenlands
 Quietly o'er hill and heather;
 Walked in pain about the marshes,
 Learned the songs of winds and waters,
 Learned the music of the ocean,
 And the echoes of the woodlands.

Many men that live to murmur,
 Many women live to censure,
 Many speak with evil motives;
 Many they with wretched voices
 Curse me for my wretched singing,
 Blame my tongue for speaking wisdom,
 Call my ancient songs unworthy,
 Blame the songs and curse the singer.
 Be not thus, my worthy people,
 Blame me not for singing badly,
 Unpretending as a minstrel.
 I have never had the teaching,
 Never lived with ancient heroes,
 Never learned the tongues of strangers,
 Never claimed to know much wisdom.
 Others have had language-masters,
 Nature was my only teacher,
 Woods and waters my instructors.
 Homeless, friendless, lone, and needy,
 Save in childhood with my mother,
 When beneath her painted rafters,
 Where she twirled the flying spindle,
 By the work-bench of my brother,
 By the window of my sister,
 In. the cabin of my father,
 In my early days of childhood.

Be this as it may, my people,
 This may point the way to others,
 To the singers better gifted,
 For the good of future ages,
 For the coming generations,
 For the rising folk of Suomi.

THE END.

Two Songs That Were Sung and Danced by Owl God

I.

"Fall, silver tricklings, fall . . .
Fall, golden tricklings, fall . . ."
So singing I flew
Along a stream.
As flying over the hamlet, I looked
And there I saw the people--
Those who had once been poor were now rich,
Those who had once been rich were now poor.
At the seashore,
The children were playing
With their little toy bows
And with little toy arrows.
"Fall, silver tricklings, fall . . .
Fall, golden tricklings, fall . . ."
So singing I went
Gliding over the children.
Running below my eyes,
The children said each and all:
"Beautiful little bird!
Divine little bird!
Come, now, come quickly!
Whoever would shoot that little bird first,
Whoever would fetch that divine bird first
Will be our hero!
And be our leader in the true sense!"
    
The children of those-once-poor-but-now-rich
Notched their little golden arrows
Upon their little golden bows, and
Off they shot!
But, I let those golden arrows
Go beneath my body
And above my body.
Then,
There was a boy
Among those children,
Who had an ordinary little arrow
And an ordinary little bow.
I looked at him.
From the cloth he wore
He appeared to have come from a poor family.
But--
From the looks in his eyes
He appeared to be descended from an illustrious family.
So he stood out among all other boys
Like a bird of virtue!
And, he too
Notched his little arrow
Upon his little bow.
As he drew his bow,
The children of those-once-poor-but-now-rich
Said scornfully:
"How funny!
Such a cub of a wretched tribe!
Even our golden arrows
Can’t reach
That bird--
That holy bird!
It’ll be a wonder
If that bird--
That holy bird--
Would ever take
This ordinary wooden arrow--
This arrow of rotten wood--
That this son of a wretched
Would dare to shoot!"
Abusing thus,
The children gathered around the boy
Giving him kicks and cuffs.
But--
The poor boy did not hesitate and
Drew his bow at me.
Watching at him, thus,
I felt sympathy toward him.
"Fall, silver tricklings, fall . . .
Fall, golden tricklings, fall . . ."
So singing I went slowly
Gliding over in a big circle
In the sky.
The boy stood
On one foot drawn far back
And on the other stepped foreward.
And, biting his lower lip,
He drew his bow at me.
Then--
Off he shot his arrow!
The tiny arrow glittered in the air
As it flew toward me;
And, as I saw it nearing me,
Soon I held out my hands
And took that little arrow.
And, while I was descending round and round,
The wind whistled by my ears.
Then--
The children all ran toward me,
Striving with one another,
And leaving sand storm behind.
As soon as I fell on the ground,
The poor boy reached
And grabbed me before anyone.
So, the boys of those-once-poor-but-now-rich
Who arrived late called him
With a score of bad names,
And pushed and beat this poor boy calling
With ten and a score of cursing names:
"Abonimable cub!
Son of the wretched!
How dare you would take the lead
In what we were doing!"
But, the poor boy
Covered me again and again,
Held me under his stomach,
And escaped from the crowd of those boys
Taking as long as an age.
Then, after such hubbub
His footsteps on a run
Sounded light and rhythmic.
The boys of those-once-poor-but-now-rich
Threw stones and chips of wood
After him, but he ran
Without the least attention to them,
Leaving sand storm behind,
Until he at last arrived at a little house.
Then, the boy took me in
From the window of the honour room of the house,
And he began and told the story
Of what had happened.
From the house appeared
An old man and his wife
Shading their eyes with their hands.
They seemed, the man and his wife,
To bear an air of dignity,
In spite of their poor attire.
As they looked at me,
They were so astonished,
They doubled their bodies from the waists.
The old man then tightened his belt
And bowed at me:
"Owl, our God!
Our heavy God!
In spite of our poverty,
You have come to our house.
We thank our God a thousand times!
We had once counted ourselves among the rich,
But now we are poor and worthless as you see.
So, God of the village!
Heavy God!
We have no right to beg you to stay
At our house . . . ; but,
As it is already after sunset,
We should offer our heavy God
The place to rest
And we shall perform a ceremony tomorrow
To send our Heavy God to where He belongs
At least with the sacred wooden symbols."
Thus saying, the old man
Bowed twenty times
And bowed thirty times.
The wife of the old man
Spread a "flower" matress
Over the seat of honour
Below the window I entered
And put me upon it.
Then--
They went to bed and
Soon started snoring.
I sat on my empty body
Between my ears.
But, as the night advanced,
I got up:
"Fall, silver tricklings, fall . . .
Fall, golden tricklings, fall . . ."
I sang softly and went round and round
To the left and to the right
Dancing in this small house;
And, the sound I made as I danced
Was so beautiful as a rustle of gold.
When I flapped my wings,
There was about me
A mount of precious jewelry,
The God’s treasures falling from heaven,
Making sound so beautiful as rustles of gold.
In a quick moment
I filled this tiny house
With those shining jewelries,
The God’s treasures.
"Fall, silver tricklings, fall . . .
Fall, golden tricklings, fall . . ."
While I sang,
I made this tiny house
Into a large house,
A golden house,
In a quick moment.
In the house,
I built a magnificent altar and
Quickly wove a magnificent silk robe
And decorated the house entirely.
I decorated the now great house,
Far grander than any house of other rich people.
As I finished this job,
I sat between the ears of my body,
Just as I had been placed.
Then, to the family of this house
I sent dream to their sleep
And let them know that I saw
And took sympathy of them,
For the farnily-once-rich-but-now-poor,
By an ill fortune,
Have been despised and ill-treated
By those-once-poor-but-now-rich;
And that I therefore came down
To stay at their house,
Although I was not a small god,
And thus to make them wealthy again.
In a short while
The night’s black news began to thin away;
And the people of the family awoke and got up.
Rubbing their eyes still,
They looked about and instantly
They fell down on their buttocks.
The old woman
Cried in a loud voice,
The old man
Dropped big drops of tears.
But, quickly
He got up and came
Where I was, and bowed
Scores of times,
Hundreds of times;
And spoke in the meantime:
"I thought it was
But a dream I saw in sleep!
How could we imagine
To see all this in our real life!
In spite of our poverty,
In spite of our wretched life by the ill-fortune,
You have come to our humble cot.
That only gave us honour
Beyond our words of gratitude.
But, above this all,
Our God,
Our Heavy God,
You took sympathy upon us
For being misfortuned,
And bestowed a favour of us
With the heaviest of all
The heavy gifts from Heaven!"
Saying thus in tears,
The old man bowed deeply and worshipped me.
Then--
This old man cut trees,
Began to shave them to make into a bunch
Of beautiful sacred wooden decorations
With which he decorated about me.
The old lady tightened her sash
And, with a help of the little kids,
Gathered some kindlewood,
Drew water
And prepared to make Sake.
In a short while,
Six casks of Sake
Were placed at the seat of honour.
Then--
I had a pleasure
Of speaking with the "old granny of fire"
About things in Heaven.
In two days since
The aroma of Sake,
Which the Gods favour,
Began to fill the house.
Then--
The little boy who had brought me to this house
Was clothed in a ragged kimono in purpose,
And was sent to the village on an errand
Carrying invitation to the feast
Given to all those-once-poor-but-now-rich.
As I watched after him,
The little boy
Went to each house
And delivered the message;
Then, those-once-poor-but-now-rich
Laughed hard and said:
"How strange!
How dare would those poor folks invite us!
With what sort of Sake and food
They are going to entertain us!
Let’s go and see,
Then, have a good laugh
Over their doings!"
So, they came
In a big crowd.
But, when they saw the house
From a good distance,
They were amazed:
Some went back
As they were so embarrassed;
But others still came to the house
Where they were taken aback.
Then--
As the lady of the house
Came out
And led them in the house
By taking their hands, one by one,
They all
Came in
Creeping
On knees and hands,
Not a single person being able to raise his face!
Then--
The master of the house
Got up
And spoke
With the voice so rich and resonant
Like a cuckoo singing,
And he told them all about
Such-and-such that had happened.
"Having been so poor,
We could not visit you folks;
But, the Heavy God
Took sympathy on us
And had mercy on us,
Since we had never had vicious thoughts in the past.
Therefore, from this time on,
I beg you, illustrious ones,
Do be friends with us
And visit with us,
As we are in one
And belong to one same family."
As the master of the house spoke,
All those-once-poor-but-now-rich
Apologized again and again for their wrongs
By rubbing their hands.
And, they swore among themselves
To become good friends with each other
From this time on.
I was, then, worshipped by them all.
And, then,
They became casual
And open-hearted
And held a grand feast with Sake.
I, myself, enjoyed a good talk
With the holy goddess "granny" of fire
And the god of the household
And the old goddess protecting the yard
Of the sacred woods standing;
And watched the men and women
Singing and dancing,
To my heart’s content.
The feast went on
For two days,
For three days.
Looking at everybody
Happy and friendly,
I was relieved
And thus I bade farewell
To the old goddess "granny" of fire,
To the god of the household,
And to the old goddess of the sacred wood yard.
Then--
I returned to my own home.
Before I reached,
My house had been decorated
With full of beautiful sacred wooden symbols
And with good Sake.
Then--
I sent my messenger for to invite all
The lower gods
And the higher gods,
And held a magnificent feast.
And, I told the gods
My experiences,
Giving detailed accounts
Of the circumstances,
Of the people in the village
Where I visited,
And of the happenings in consequence.
So, the gods
Praised me.
When they were leaving,
I gave them each
Beautifully decorated sacred wooden symbol
In twos and in threes.
As I look now and then towards the village,
I can see things are now in peace;
People are keeping good friendship;
And the man I made rich is now the village chief.
That little boy
Is now
A grown-up man
And has a wife
And children,
And is taking care of his father
And his mother.
Each time he makes Sake,
He worships me
With it
And with the sacred wooden symbols,
Before having the feast of Sake.
I, too,
Sit forever
Behind
These good men and women
To protect them and
Their village.
--So told the Owl God of his experiences.

II.

In old days, I used to speak in the voice so sonorous
As it rebounded at the middle of the bow . . .
But, alas! how aged and weak did I become!
"At any rate, if there is anyone
Who is fluent in speech and confident
In diplomatic negotiations, him I wish to send
To Heaven with five-and-a-half messages!"
This I said, tapping on the top of the pile of food boxes.
As I heard someone at the door, saying:
"Who else but I, do you know,
Would speak fluently and confidently
At such negotiations?"
So I looked up, and there was a man-crow.
I let him in my house,
And . . .
Tapping on the top of the food boxes in a rhythm,
I spoke, and three days went on while giving him the messages
For to send with him on the mission.
When I finished just three of the messages,
I looked up and there I saw the man-crow
Dozing by the fireplace.
At this sight
I was enraged
And beat the man-crow to death.
So, again, tapping on the top of the pile
Of food boxes, I said:
"If there is any one who is confident
In diplomacy, him I wish to send to Heaven
with five-and-a-half messages!"
As I heard again some one at the door, saying:
"Who else but I, do you know,
Would speak fluently and would be so suited
A messenger to Heaven with your messages!"
So I looked up, and there was a mountain-jay.
I let him in my house,
And, again, . . .
Tapping on the top of the food boxes in a rhythm,
I went on with the five-and-a-half messages.
On the fourth day while I was giving him
The fourth message, I looked up and there I saw
The mountain-jay dozing by the fireplace.
I was so enraged,
I beat the mountain-jay to death.
So, again, tapping on the top of the pile of food boxes,
I said:
"If there is my one who is fluent in speech
And confident in diplomatic negotiations,
Him I wish to send to Heaven
With five-and-a-half messages!"
As I thought I heard some one approaching quietly,
I looked up, and there I saw a water-ousel
Who sat by my left so graciously like a god.
And, then...
Tapping on the top of the food boxes in a rhythm,
I went on days and nights
Delivering the five-and-a-half messages.
I looked and there I saw the water-ousel listening to me,
Who didn’t appear tired in the least;
When, after days and nights,
I finished my messages on the sixth day,
Off he went through the skylight
And was gone to Heaven.
The messages in brief went as such:
In the world of man
There is a famine,
And the people are about to die of starvation.
I wondered what could be the cause and found
That there were two Gods in Heaven--
One authorizing over deer and the other, over fish--
Who between themselves conferred
And agreed not to send their deer and fish down,
And therefore they went on nonchalantly
Even when other gods entreated in any way.
Hence, the people could find no deer as they went
Up the mountain to hunt; or could they find no fish
As they went down to stream to fish.
At this I was infuriated and thus I have sent
A messenger to the deer God and to the fish God.
Many days have passed since;
And, one day, there was heard from afar in the sky
Flapping of wings; soon
Entered somebody in my house.
I looked and there was the water-ousel,
Looking even more beautiful
With the gallantry air.
He soon started delivering the return message.
The reason why the deer God and the fish God stopped
Sending their deer and fish down was such:
When men caught deer,
They beat deer’s heads with stick;
After they skinned,
They threw away deer’s heads.
When men caught fish,
They beat fish heads with rotten wood.
So, deer returned to their God,
Crying and naked;
Fish retumed to their God,
Carrying with them the rotten wood.
Such enraged their Gods
Who between themselves conferred
And agreed not to send deer and fish down.
Howsoever, if men would take good care
Of their deer and fish in future,
They would send their deer and fish down again.
Thus the water-ousel repeated what the deer God
And fish God told.
After I listened to this,
I gave the water-ousel my thanks.
Then, as I observed again with much care,
To be sure,
Men had been ill-treating deer and fish.
Therefore, I showed them in their dream in sleep
What had become of deer and fish;
And, they too realized their wrong doings.
Ever since, they would have made the stick
So lovely as the sacred wooden symbols,
With which they would have gone to fishing;
When they caught deer,
They would have decorated deer’s head for to worship.
Fish would have been pleased and return to their
God, carrying with them lovely decorated wooden stick;
Deer would have been pleased and returned
To their God with their heads newly shaven.
So pleased were the fish God and the deer God,
That they sent even more fish and more deer.
Men are now living
With no more famine to suffer.
I was eased to see it;
As I had grown aged
And physically weakened,
I had wished to resign and go back to Heaven;
But, how could I have gone leaving the people
Who had suffered with famine and almost died of hunger!
Thus I remained ‘til now
When there is nothing to worry of.
Now that I have the truly brave, young one
To take my place
To protect the world of man,
I am leaving for Heaven.

--So saying, the old Owl God, the Divine Protector of the village, went to Heaven, as the story ended.

Three Little Songs

I. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Red Cuckoo

For many a day that returned
And for still many that went away,
I did nothing but wept.
I cried and cried so as to take up
All the waters
Of rivers,
Of swamps
And of marshes.
One day,
I looked, and--
There was a small man
Dressed in a golden silk garment,
With a little golden helmet fastened tight on his head;
His face shining like the rising sun.
This divinely beautiful man yelled
Looking up at me upon a tree,
And threw at me all kinds of curses.
"Shut up!
You, good-for-nothing cuckoo!
Just as you want to know of your birth,
You have been crying from dawn to dark,
And from dark to dawn, until rivers,
Swamps
And marshes
Get all dried up.
And, all the gods, great or no,
Settled upon this land,
The land of man,
Are now falling dead in drought.
If you are so anxious to know of your birth,
I’ll let you hear: once upon a time,
When a white man from the land beyond the sea
Envied us and came to this Ainu land,
He dropped a red leathered cigarette case
While passing through this mountain deep.
A god took mercy upon this cigarette case
Which might otherwise have gone rotten and earthened,
Thus making a red cuckoo out of it.
Now, let me finish you off.
Before you become a god,
Remember what I just told you!"
Saying thus,
The small man posed with a little silver arrow
Upon a silver bow, and let off the arrow;
Then, I did not know what happened afterwards.
When I came to myself,
There was a dead body of red cuckoo,
And I was sitting between its ears.
It was this time
When I did find about my birth.
The man who had told me of it was the "God of Civilization".
Now that I know of my birth,
I can go to Heaven, to Gods.
--Thus told Red Cuckoo of his own story.

II. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Viper

Leaves above
Leaves below,
Wavy
And long--
Thrust a wooden pestle--
In full length,
Put up a wooden pestle--
In full length . . .
So singing,
I bent my body up and down
In pounding rice.
Then,
God Sammayunkur appeared
Coming down from mountain
With loads of venison on his back.
"Give me some," I said,
And he threw out a piece.
As I ate,
It tasted divine.
Leaves above
Leaves below,
Wavy
And long--
Thrust a wooden pestle--
In full length--
Put up a wooden pestle--
In full length . . .
So singing,
I bent my body up and down
In pounding rice;
And, this time,
God Okikirimuy appeared
Coming down from mountain,
With loads of venison on his back.
As I said, "give me some,"
He first threw a sharp glance at me, instead, and
In an instant showed his anger all over his face,
And cried out:
"Idiot!
How dare you ask for man’s food!
Wherever do you say you have eaten it?"
So saying,
He picked up and threw a big wooden stick at me.
Then, I did not know what happened afterwards.
When I came to myself,
There was the corpse of a viper, as big as a pestle,
And I was sitting between its ears.
I died such a foolish and ignoble death;
So, you, the vipers,
Do not ever fool man.
--Told the viper his story.

III. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Otter

I had set in a stream a fishweir.
I went and saw in the fishweir
A salmon caught in.
I took it out and was about to return
When a young man came from the upper stream;
And he said to me:
Qui-oo-oo-oo     A younger sister
Qui-oo-oo-oo     I have:
Qui-oo-oo-oo     I shall give her to you
Qui-oo-oo-oo     In exchange with
Qui-oo-oo-oo     Your salmon.
I was pleased to hear
About the girl
And gave my salmon away.
Then, the young man turned back
As he went up the stream
And said to me:
Qui-oo-oo-oo     That serves you right,
Qui-oo-oo-oo     A blockhead!
Qui-oo-oo-oo     Ugly blockhead!
Qui-oo-oo-oo     How do you know I have a sister?
Qui-oo-oo-oo     I only fooled you
Qui-oo-oo-oo     And you took it simply.
Qui-oo-oo-oo     Bah!
This the young man said and ran away.
I was all in anger and ran after him,
Ran until I came to a hole;
Then, I jumped into the hole.
There I saw a fox
Who was grinding eggs of my salmon
In a wooden bowl.
In a fit of rage,
I snatched the bowl away from him
And threw all the ground salmon eggs
Over his head.
That is why
The fox is ever red like that.
--So the Otter’s story ended.

Three Saghalien Songs

I. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Dolphine

As my little babies
Cried and fretted
Craving for food,
I went to the shore
Of the village
Of Pahlyonna. But, . . .
At the villagers
This Pahlyonna
Yelled and said:
The God of the Sea
Has been washed up here.
Ugly women,
Cover him with dust.
So,
I left the village
And went to the shore
Of the village
Of Yeiresp.
With much respect
Yeiresp bowed low
And said thus:
The God of the Sea
Has made a visit with us.
Villagers,
Bring to the God
Sake,
Sacred wooden symbols,
Dried fish, to present.
Thus,
I returned
With loads of good gifts
And good foods
To my babies,
Those gifts pleased
My kinsmen also.
Thus,
One day,
I caught and sent
An ill whale having diarrhoea
To the shore
Of the Pahlyonna’s village;
And also sent
A fat whale
To the shore
Of the Yeiresp’s village.
Pahlyonna ate with his villagers
The ill whale that gave them diarrhoea,
And they all died;
Yeiresp ate with his villagers
The fat whale,
And they are living
A happy life.

II. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Yeiresp

Hol-liphna     Dream brought him this to see . . .
Hol-liphna     Sleep brought him this to see . . .
Hol-liphna        The river stretching up
Hol-liphna     In my native village;
Hol-liphna     And, going up along the river
Hol-liphna     A little swamp there was
Hol-liphna     Between hills
Hol-liphna     Visible and invisible.
Hol-liphna     By the swamp
Hol-liphna     There was a young goddess
Hol-liphna     Mowing the grass,
Hol-liphna     Singing a love song
Hol-liphna     That went:
Hol-liphna     "How would be the looks
Hol-liphna     Of Yeiresp?
Hol-liphna     Even aroong gods were
Hol-liphna     Passed the whispering words
Hol-liphna     About him!
Hol-liphna     How do I wish
Hol-liphna     To meet him
Hol-liphna     Within this very day!"
. . . Just as in the dream I had seen,
There was a swamp
Between hills
Visible and invisible,
As I walked up along the river
In my native village.
By the swamp,
There was a young goddess
Mowing the grass.
Her face was radiating.
Stealthily I neared her
And covered her eyes with my hands from behind.
"Who’s this playing on me?"
"It’s Yeiresp."
"Now, listen!
I have six treasure houses on hillside
And six treasure houses down the beach.
I cook rice in a little bronze pot
And eat it from a golden bowl
And eat from a silver bowl."
"I too have
Six treasure houses on hillside
And six treasure houses down the beach.
I cook rice in a little bronze pot
And eat it from a golden and a silver bowls."
. . . We were evenly matched in wealth,
And so we were married.
Two boys and two girls we had.
A couple of them, boy and girl,
We let them live in our house.
The other couple
We let them establish a home
In the neighbouring village.

III. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Guide-Dog

Listen, my wife!
I am going to travel
On business.
So keep the house
And take care of
The sleigh dogs for me.
Leaving these words to his wife,
Our master went to travel
On business; nevertheless,
His wife gave us no food
And left us with no care.
I, though poor as I am,
Was the chief
Of all the guide-dogs.
Because we had nothing to eat,
We sometimes became swollen
Like little whales;
And, sometimes, we became so thin and wizened
As cow-parsnips, stripped and dried.
In the meanwhile,
One day,
A nice breeze blew hitherto.
This might be the day
That our master should return!
I opened my eyes with great effort.
Then, I saw
The master’s wife
Having taken out the treasures
Of the house, one after another,
Stamping over them and crushing with
And she ran away!
Before long
A big ship arrived.
Our master landed
With the boat’s oar on his shoulder.
The minute I saw him,
I passed out and didn’t know what after.
Suddenly,
I felt somebody over me
And opened my eyes with effort;
There, I saw my Master Yeiresp
Pouring into my mouth
Some medicinal drink he made.
There were a pillow and little things to dance with,
Of shaven wooden symbol
That he made for me.
So, now,
I recovered the vigor of my youth.
Thereafter,
My master
Lived the life of an even wealthier man;
And the vicious wife
Has now fallen
Completely.

Two Songs That Were Sung and Danced by Goddess Ermine

I.

While governing the lower heaven,
I on the other hand devoted myself to embroidery
Day in, day out.
And, one day,
There appeared a shadow upon a window
Above the higher seat;
As I looked up, there was
A great golden cup filled with Sake up to the brim,
And a pair of sticks upon the cup
Decorated with sacred shaven-wood symbols,
That sticks delivered a message
Again and again:
"Goddess of the lower heaven!
Please listen carefully to what I am going to say.
Truly speaking,
Gods and men have enjoyed big catches for long;
But, this year a severe famine hit the village
Where not a hare is found in mountains
And not even a small fish is caught in streams.
Even nuts
And berries disappeared.
Men are being thrown to starvation,
With the weaker ones to die first.
Though I entreated various gods for help,
None of them would even see to it.
Goddess!
Pray take pity on men and their land
And help them get settled with foods.
Then,
We’ll make you the highest God
And worship you forever.
Since, now, there’s scarcity of food,
We could have made but this little of Sake
To offer to you.
But, when there’ll be plenty of food brought
In the village, we’ll have more and in abundance
To offer to you.
Please do save us,
. . . So, the chief of the village Urashbitts sent me to you."
Such was told by the pair of sticks;
And, as I looked round,
Alas!
The village was under famine, indeedl
All men and women were suffering black as peat!
So I arose,
Taking up the golden cup;
And raising it high and low;
I poured Sake therefrom into six containers,
Each container being placed upon the window pane;
Then, I went fluttering down to the earth.
Two or three days later
The aroma of good Sake filled up the whole house.
There
All the gods, heavy or otherwise,
Were invited to the feast,
And, I, all dressed up, busied myself among them
Entertaining them with Sake.
Gods were very high-spirited
And chattered over reverend hearsays.
Meanwhile,
The chief wren, in the excess of mirth,
Ran out of the house and brought back
A salmon roe in his mouth;
Dancing around the Sake containers,
He dropped the salmon roe he had held in his mouth
Into a container.
Gods were amused with his doings,
And their claps and laughters
Were nearly to shake the sphere.
And next
Ran out the chief wild-jay
Who also brought back acorn
And, while dancing around the Sake containers,
Dropped the acorn into one.
Gods’ laughter and claps
Arose even more than before
As if almost cracking the house.
Then, Uncle Crow
With his mischievous eyes
Ran out of the house.
Brought back a large turd
And started dancing with it around the containers.
Gods looked rather displeased with it and became speechless.
So astounded
I was struggling with myself to say a word
When the turd was dropped into a container.
Gods arose all at once,
Beat that Uncle Crow to death,
Took him out to the rubbish heap
And poured off the Sake with turd
Thus emptying the container.
Since there was scarcity of Sake
In the Heaven,
Gods were much disappointed to lose any of it:
Some were furious and still some, railing against
Wren and wild-jay for their doings, said
That unless they had started such a thing
At the first place, Crow wouldn’t have brought turd.
Having many quick-tempered gods among them,
They finally all got up
And fell into a great tumult
Stamping and kicking and beating!
Astounded I ran up and down
Trying hard to quiet them down,
But no one would have listened to me.
As the tumult went on even worse,
I pleaded Captain Shrew, saying,
"We can do nothing at all now to calm them down.
Please go and call God Snipe.
Quickly, quickly!"
So Captain Shrew dashed out of the house.
(Monologue by the Shrew)
As the errand of Goddess Ermine,
I ran and ran through in the grass
Sometimes bumping my nose right into the grass roots,
Jumping and turning a somersault,
Lying faint as long as a potful of food might have been cooked . . .
Or sometimes even longer,
And passing away twice and thrice;
Thus, after taking so long a time,
I finally arrived at the house of God Snipe.
As I looked into the house,
I saw God Snipe sitting
Upon the higher seat busying himself to carve
Upon the sheath of a holy sword.
Although I cleared my throat as I entered,
He didn’t turn around.
I sat at his left
And spoke out the message I carried;
Then he finally looked up
And opened his mouth with a smile upon his lips:
"Huntchpijak.
When in this village, wha-ha-ha,
Good things come,
They forget me, Huntchpijak.
When in this village, wha-ha-ha,
Things nuisance come,
They remember me!
Great as they are,
They feast and have fun among themselves
And their conducts thereafter
Are indeed extravagant!
Such is no business of mine!"
After saying such words over his shoulder,
He went right back to his carving.
However hard I might have cried and asked,
He feigned ignorance.
So I gave up and started back the same way,
Bumping my nose right into the grass roots,
And passing away twice and thrice;
When, after a long time,
I finally returned,
I heard abruptly on my way
The gods dancing,
Laughing
And clapping
Just as before, long, long ago.
Thinking it strange I ran into the house,
And, lo and behold, God Snipe had long ago come here
Disguised as a party guest;
And it was after he had already pacified the gods’ wrath,
With his eloquent speech.
So very cordially the Goddess thanked me.
"The gods’ argument was all quieted down
Because of you!"
While she said so,
Other gods also thanked for my deed
And served me plentiful of good Sake.
So, I too became very cheerful.
(Back to the Goddess’ story)
Thus, the gods in great argument
Were brought down to a peaceful resolution;
And, I to my relief, got up with a smile upon my lips
And began to dance moving up and down across the room.
My white silk garment bore the golden butterfly embroidered
And little bells tied here and there tinkled
Leaving lovely sound behind as I moved about.
My beautiful singing voice was like a thunder
Echoing towards the Heaven, so I flutterd myself.
The gods were utterly marvelled
And threw yells in unison: hay! hay!
I sang in my song:
"The god of deer!
Please send your deer.
The god of fish!
Please send your fish.
Famine attacked the man’s land,
And the chief of the village Urashbitts
Came to me for help.
Sake you are having were brought for this purpose."
The god of deer and the god of fish were listening
Intensively with their eyes closed;
But in the meantime the god of deer began to talk:
"The truth is this:
Now, Goddess, please listen to me!
Once man had reverential heart
And worshipped whatever animals he killed.
At that time, our fellow animals returned
To Heaven happily with ornated arrows
And sacred tree decorations.
However,
Man’s mind grew degraded and began to use
Rotten wood to kill animals;
So they now return to me weeping and crying
Over rotten woods.
This is no joke to me,
And I cut off the supply of deer
To punish man for such deeds."
As soon as the god of deer finished,
The god of fish opened his eyes widely and began:
"Indeed, the god of deer spoke the truth!
Once man used a special stick to kill our fellow fish,
And therefore all the fish returned
To me in high spirits with brand new sticks . . .
But, now, he kills with rotten woods or stones
So, they return to me with these woods and stones,
Weeping and crying over those woods and stones.
That’s no joke to me, either,
And therefore I cut off the supply of fish!"
The god of fish told this.
Now, I knew the very cause of the famine.
The god of deer and the god of fish
Had good reasons to be angry.
But, I thought that men folks perhaps wouldn’t
Have known of this when they treated deer and fish
Badly, and, that if we could let them know
Of these circumstances,
They would certainly correct their wrong deeds;
So, dancing ever beautifully, I said:
"The god of deer!
The god of fish!
I know you are angry at man’s deeds,
But, if you keep going on like this
To make man suffer
And finally to bring all the men to death,
Then, none of us, gods, will have the Sake
And sacred tree-decorations
Which they make and present to us.
What a sad thing would it be!
If you rather warn them and thereafter forgive them,
All of us, gods, will be thanked
By them and given sacred tree-decorations
And Sake in plenty!
Pray, send deer down!
Send fish down, pray!"
As I asked smiling gently,
Other gods too said in unison:
"Goddess says it right!
If the whole village is suffering of famine
And every one of the villagers dies
Of starvation, the gods who were sent down
To the man’s land will resent us,
Up in their Heaven.
So, prithee, think it again
And send deer down,
Send fish down. Wouldn’t you?"
So, the god of deer and the god of fish seemed
Convinced; and, as if saying to themselves,
"True!", they got up.
The god of deer opened the doors of six deer-houses
From which dashed out in great flocks--
Male deer
Female deer
And young ones;
They passed through the gate of the Heaven,
Stood upon woods and fields of the man’s land,
And raced away happily.
The god of fish also opened the doors of six fish-halls,
From that dashed out in great schools--
Salmons, trouts
Amemasu and so on;
They passed through the gate of the Heaven,
Arrived down in the river and sea of the man’s land!
And swam around, laughing and merry.
Looking them down, with the gods,
At the gate of the Heaven,
I felt relieved now
And thanked the god of deer and the god of fish deeply.
Thereafter
I again devoted myself to embroidery day after day,
And, one day, there appeared a shadow upon a window
Above the higher seat;
As I looked up, again there was
A great golden cup filled with Sake up to the brim
And a pair of sticks over the cup
Decorted with sacred shaven-wood symbols,
That sticks delivered a message
Again and again:
"Goddess of the lower heaven!
The village was saved by your favour!
Though but in a small amount,
I would send to you here Sake
And sacred wood decorations.
. . . So, the chief of the village Urashbitts says."
Such words were delivered by the pair of sticks;
So I arose,
Took up the golden cup,
And, raising it high and low,
Poured the Sake therefrom into six containers.
And, lo and behold, from the upper window
Came sacred wood decoration, one after another
That stood in lines on the treasure dais;
After this came grains
And dried fish glittering like gold
In large amount so that they made big piles.
I rejoiced
And with all the gods and goddesses invited
Held even grander feast.
At the end and when the gods were to leave,
I gave them, gods, sacred wood decorations,
Twos or threes to each, and gave them, goddesses,
The grains and Sake-cakes;
They bowed and thanked me many times and went home.
Thereafter,
I communicated with the Urashbitts people
Through dreams and taught them
Not to kill fish and animals in rough manners;
Then, the Urashbitts men conveyed my message-via-dreams
On to their fellows and people of other villages;
And, thus, they treated deer with decorated sacred wood
And killed fish with the beautifully made sticks
All the time from then on.
Therefore, deer retumed to their god happily
With the decorated sacred arrows and wood symbols;
And fish returned to their god happily
With beautiful sticks.
The god of deer and the god of fish were so pleased
To see this and sent away many more deer and fish;
Therefore, there was now no short of food
At the village. The chief of the village Urashbitts
Thanked me very deeply and, as having promised,
Made me the highest god and worshipped me so
With Sake,
Sacred wood decoration,
Grains,
And whatever the gods and goddesses wish to have;
Thus, he would worship me,
And then I am living also very happily.
--So told Goddess of Ermine, as governing the lower heaven.

II.

Day in
Day out
I spent devoting myself to embroidery.
As tired,
I turned round and looked down the land of mankind,
Where,
In the spring time,
Many young girls go to the mountains
To dig out the roots of lilies and garlic,
Calling after one another
And laughing at one another;
Their voices mingle
Into merriment:
In the autumn
Again young lasses and lads
Go to the mountains
To pick grapes and pears,
Singing and laughing;
And their voices echo through the fields and hills
With happiness.
One day,
I left home as I wished so,
Came down and stood at the heart
Of the mountains behind the man’s land,
By the water source
There was a golden spruce
Whose upper branches swung high towards the sky;
Whose lower branches spread wide covering the earth.
I then sat on an upper branch
And took my silk garment off.
My naked skin beamed like the sun.
I remained thus upon the tree all day long,
Viewing with a little smile upon my lips
The lasses and lads along the stream
Or in the fields and hills,
Talking to each other
And picking berries and nuts.
How refreshing
And delightful it was!
But, soon,
As the twilight approached,
They went back to the village.
Then, but all of sudden,
Somebody’s hands reached my breast from behind
And grabbed the two lumps of my flesh
Like two bowls swelling upon my breast,
As if hooked with an anchor;
That I had never expected to happen.
So frightened,
I suddenly produced the thunder
And flew up in the sky and ran into the house.
As I turned round,
There was a mound in the thick mist
Thunder-struck,
Stretching long and stiff,
Under the spruce.
Way up from the Heaven
I looked many times trying to see through
The thing in the mist;
But, after twice or thrice,
I nearly caught a man-like form--yet,
I finally could not see through the true form.
After spending as long as an age,
I finally caught his true sight;
And at that moment my eyes were electrified.
Where had he been hiding his true form from people
So as not to be talked of by them?
But, now, he lay unconscious--
The green youth with beard not yet fully grown--
Dressed in the embroidered golden silk garments,
With the golden obi-sash tied around his waist,
His face seen beneath the golden helmet,
As beautiful and brilliant as God Himself;
He was holding a quiver fastened with rope
On his back and the bow of cherry-tree skin,
In his hand firmly.
Then I tried to seek for his ancestry
But I couldn’t get hold of it at all.
Feeling strange,
I but stared at him.
In the meantime,
He came to himself
And as soon as getting up, he walked away in fury.
As my eyes followed him all the way,
He went passing the man’s land,
Heading towards a summit, behind the man’s land,
And running into a golden house on the very top
Of the summit.
As soon as running into the golden house,
He untied his sash,
Threw his body upon the bed
In front of the altar,
And stayed in bed sulked,
With his mouth buried in the neckband of his garment
And his legs tangling with the garment.
Yet, in his mind he seemed to wonder
Where did the woman he met today come from;
And he seemed to be seeking for my birth.
But, I hung mist before his eyes using divine power
And hid my true birth as much as possible.
"Never shall I get up until I meet that woman again."
Thus, he stayed in bed eating nothing.
On my side, too,
I sought for his birth
Thinking who he may be, a man or a god,
Fully using my power that went
Through to the ancestry, seeking upon
Its second ancestor, third ancestor:
But never it was known.
Since I had grown into a mature woman,
I sought for my husband
Among various gods
But found not a single one I liked.
Even among the gods
Was found none so beautiful
As the young man who was now lying on bed here
Deeply in love with me.
Up ‘til this time
I had never let any, even the same female,
Touch the lumps of the flesh on my breast,
Even in the darkest of dark nights;
But, then, in the middle of a day,
Why had I undressed like that
Upon the tree!
So he, man or god, approached stealthily
From behind by divine power surpassing mine,
And, grabbed suddenly the lumps of my flesh on breast.
To think of such made me feel ashamed;
But, on the other hand, it made me pine for him.
So I too stayed on bed eating nothing
But kept watching the young man below on the earth.
As days went by,
The young man grew thin--
Now looking as though the empty night-cloth was spread on bed.
As I saw him like this,
I grew more and more worried.
God or man,
He loved me and grew withered;
So should he die like this,
I could not be excused--
I as a goddess to protect the lower heaven.
Thus, one day,
I thought of some trick
And got my weak body up;
I got two bamboo leaves and crumpled them in my hand;
Then, they became two big golden butterflies.
These golden butterflies went out--
Flying together and going separately--
Down to the man’s land, to the summit behind
And finally to the golden house on the summit;
Going into the house.
They kept flying together and apart,
Over the altar and over the young man, shiningly,
The young man must have felt them;
He put his head up abruptly
And watched the butterflies flying,
With a smile upon his lips,
His eyes following the butterflies as they moved about.
But after a while,
There fell two bamboo leaves upon his bed.
Then he lost colour
And covered himself up completely with his garments,
In spite of the pain he had held for me,
This time determining to die.
To watch him thus was painful for me now,
So I packed all the finest, embroidered clothes
In the golden suitcase;
Fastened silver pot and golden pot
Over the suitcase;
Put many packs of medicine in the breast of kimono;
And after locking all the windows and doors,
I then left with the packed suitcase for the earth.
Down on the earth I went and entered
That his golden house from the window
Going through quietly as wind;
And sat on his right without noise.
The divinely beautiful young man
Who, though lying as if dead,
Had such a sharp ear
That he sensed a faintest sound of my existense;
He must have peeped at me through the sleeve of his garment.
I raked the fire
And with the silver pot in hand
Went out this time from the door.
Outside the house,
There were silver well and golden well:
At the silver well was
A silver dipper;
And at the golden well was
A golden dipper.
I dipped out the water from the silver well
Into the silver pot, with the silver dipper;
Then I put the pot over the fire
And cooked miraculous medicine.
Then, as I put my face up and looked about the room,
At a cloth rack on the righthand comer I caught
A sight: there was flaring flame from the skirt
Of a thick outer garment woven with elm-tree skin,
Whose neckband was covered with wide gold
Flashing like lightning.
Also, there was a celebrated sword, so brilliant
As coming out of crystal ice,
Encased in the sheath whose end was flaring,
And hung with a golden helmet.
Then, for the first time,
It became clear to me,
That this beautiful young man
Was really the hero, God Ainurackle
With such a shock as to know his true birth,
I all of sudden became enervated
And sank like a drooped leaf of grass.
Being such a great one as to be called Ainurackle,
How marvelously divine he was!
Although I had thought that
I only could have veiled my birth in mist
To hide away from his eyes;
He had done the same.
For the first time now
I knew of his true birth.
He too seemed to know of mine now,
As he got up on his bed
That looked nearly empty with a thin undergarment on.
Then he advanced towards the fireplace--and,
Quite unexpectedly held me across the fireplace
And let me sit by him. Imagining him to be weak,
I was amazed at his strongness.
The divinely beautiful young man laughed a good laugh
And said this:
"Now, Goddess.
Your divine power even won over mine!
Although I am an off-spring of a brave hero,
I had held affection towards you
Whose birth I could not find;
And thus worn out
Almost to death,
But, fortunately
You have come and saved me.
I thank you, indeed!
After all, we were destined
To meet soon or later!
Even if you say no word,
I know now so well
What’s in your mind.
Therefore,
Let’s be a man and wife from now on
And together protect the man’s land
As to make gods and men happy!"
So speaking, he embraced me,
And calling me,
"My dear! my heart!",
He held my head with his hands and shook.
Thus,
My heart was suddenly softened
And so weeping I apologized
And at the same time confessed how painfully
I had fallen for affection towards him;
Thus I returned my greetings
By shaking with hands his knees and arms.
Then I served a cupful of miraculous medicine;
That he drank as many cups
As could regain his strength.
So
I made soup with dried fish crumpled
And torn into pieces and that we drank.
From then on--
Looking up to him, the God, as my husband,
I have been living safe and sound.
--So told Goddess of Ermine.

Two Songs by Shellfish

I. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Stream Shellfish

Our screech shook
The surface of a swamp.
Suddenly,
From the shoreside
Came cracking the sound of withered trees.
And, there approached
The young Okikirimuy accompanied
By many dogs.
He said
As he saw us:
"What are these ugly things
Screaming for?"
Then,
He tread upon us
And went away to the hillside.
When, again
We were crying hard,
Came cracking the sound of withered trees
Far from the shoreside.
And, there approached
Sammahykur accompanied
By many dogs.
As he saw us--
"What is this?
The God of Stream Shellfish!
You are crying like this on the shore . . ."
Saying thus,
He picked me
And placed me in the river.
When I got home,
Father and mother were sick in bed
Because I was missing for long.
But, as I returned to them safely,
They were at last relieved and got out of bed.
Then, as we made rice soup and ate it,
We were all revived.
We brought famine to the village of Okikirimuy;
We sent plentiful of deer and salmon to the village of Sammahykur.
--So told a Stream Shellfish.

II. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Swamp Shellfish

A long-lasting drought
Dried up
Even our swamp!
We were now
All going to die!
"Wish somebody would bring water
And would save us!
Water, water!"
As we were screaming this,
There, far from the shoreside,
Came a woman with a basket on her back.
As we were crying,
She said, walking by and
Looking down at us:
"Crazy swamp shellfish!
Hateful swamp shellfish!
What’s so sad about,
To make you cry loud?"
So saying,
She trampled down--
She kicked us
And she smashed us, the shell and all;
Then, she went away to the hillside.
"Ah, pain!
What a pain!
Water, water!"
As we were screaming,
There, far from the shoreside,
Came another woman with a basket on her back.
"How we wish
Somebody would bring water
And would save us!
Ah, pain,
What a pain!
Water, water!"
As we were crying,
This maiden,
As beautiful as a goddess,
Came and said, looking at us:
"What a pity!
Under such heat
Even the swamp bed was dried up!
You are wanting water, aren’t you?
What is this?
Seems somebody has stamped over you . . ."
Saying thus,
She picked us all
And enclosed in the butterbur leaves
And placed in a clear water,
In the cold, clear water,
We were all revived
And gained strength.
So, thereafter,
We searched for the identities
Of the two women who came across:
The first one,
A hateful, vicious woman,
Who smashed us,
Was the young sister of Summayunkur;
And the young gentle maiden
Who pitied and saved us
Was the young sister of Okikirimuy.
The sister of Summayunkur was so hateful
That we blighted all her millet;
On the contrary, we took a good care of the millets
That belonged to the sister of Okikirimuy.
At the harvest season,
The sister of Okikirimuy
Gathered crops in great abundance;
As she realized that we had done this,
She picked the millet’s ears with the shell
Of swamp shellfish,
Each year thereafter,
Women took it habit to pick the millet’s ears
With the shell of swamp shellfish.
--So told a Swamp Shellfish.

Four Märchen-like Songs

I. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Otter

One day
I went down a stream
Swimming and bathing--
Down to where Summayunkur draws water;
Then, I saw the Summayunkur’s sister,
Beautiful as a goddess,
Coming hitherto with a pail in one hand
And with a bunch of reed maces in the other.
Then, protruding my head
From the river-bank, I said:
"Have you father?
Have you mother?"
The maiden was frightened at this
And looked around with goggling eyes;
But, when she found me,
Her face flared up quickly
With anger.
"What a blockhead!
Ugly blockhead!
You, fooling of me!
Come, growling dogs, come!"
As she said,
Gigantic dogs
Ran to her
And clattered their fangs at me.
I was startled at them,
Dived into the water to the bottom,
And, along the river bed,
Came further down the stream--
Down to where Okikirimuy draws water;
Then, protruding my head
From the river-bank,
I saw the Okikirimuy’s sister,
Beautiful as a goddess,
Coming hitherto with a bunch of reed maces in a hand
Then, I said to her:
"Have you father?
Have you mother?"
The maiden was frightened at this
And looked around with goggling eyes;
But, when she found me,
Her face flared up quickly
With anger.
"What a blockhead!
Ugly blockhead!
You, fooling of me!
Come, growling dogs, come!"
As she said,
Gigantic dogs ran to her.
Being now amused at the thought of
What happened a short while ago,
I dived into the river
And was about to run away
When the dogs, whom I never imagined to do this,
Ran after me down to the river bed
Clattering their fangs--
Jumped at me--
Dragged me up on the shore
Then, bit and crunched all my head
And my body into pieces--
Into pieces they chewed . . .,
And I don’t know
What happened thereafter.
When I came to myself,
I was sitting between
The ears of a big otter.
Knowing both
Summayunkur
And Okikirimuy
Had no fathers
And no mothers,
I poked fun at them;
So, by return
I was killed by the Okikirimuy’s dogs
And died in this foolish way--
Ugly death I died.
So, you, otters,
Do not ever fool others.
--So told an Otter the consequences of his doings.

II. Song That Was Sung and Danced by the Son of Okikirimuy

One day
I went up along a stream
And there I met a young demon.
Beautiful appearance, beautiful face,
He ever had;
Clothed in black, and--
Having in his hand a little bow
And arrow of walnut tree,
He smiled at me and said:
"Son of Okikirimuy! Let us play a game!
Now, I shall smash fish altogether."
Then,
Taking his little bow of walnut
And pulling a little arrow of walnut across the bow,
He turned towards the riverhead and shot!
From the water source flowed
Muddy water of walnut tree
That met salmon swimming upstream.
Crying and weeping they turned
And went their way back.
The young demon
Smiled at this.
As I got angry at this,
I put my little silver arrow
Across the silver bow I carried about;
When I shot it off towards the riverhead,
Silvery water, crystal water flowed
Out of the water source,
And the weeping salmon were revived
With this clear water
And swam up again,
Whooping up
With noise of splashes.
The young demon flared up
Showing his lost temper upon his face.
"Indeed!
If you do such a thing against me,
I shall then root out the deer!"
So he said
And put his little arrow of walnut
Across his little bow of walnut;
As the arrow flew towards the sky,
There occurred over the forest on the hill
The wind of walnut, the whirlwind
That caught up male deer
And female deer--
Grouping them separately and
Carrying them way up to the deep sky.
The demon smiled at this.
The anger came up in me
And, then, with my little silver arrow
And my little bow, I shot towards the deer;
There occurred from the sky up above
Silvery wind, cool wind
That carried down male deer
And female deer
Grouping them separately
Down to the forest.
Then,
The young demon again flared up
Showing his lost temper upon his face.
"What an impertinence!
If you do such a thing,
Then let’s compete . . ."
So saying, he unclothed.
I too got only in a thin undergarment;
And we wrestled.
We wrestled with each other.
Wrestling--holding and
Being held by each other--
I was astounded at his strength.
However,
Gradually
I used all my strength
In hip and arms
And with it, I carried the demon on my shoulders
To the rocky mountain,
To the top of the rocky mountain
Where I threw him down.
The sound of bang
Echoed for some while--
And followed dead silence.
As I came back
To the stream,
I heard in the stream
Jolly voices of salmon
Laughing and playing
And splashing in their swimming;
And in the forest
The voices of male deer
And female deer laughing
And playing spread all over,
And hither and thither
They were seen eating grass quietly.
I was, too, relieved
And came back to home.
--So told the son of Okikirimuy of his heroic deed.

III. Song That Was Sung and Danced by the Son of a Wolf God

One day
I was roving down the shore
As feeling depressed;
And there came a little man.
Then--
As he walked down stream,
There I went and stood in his way;
And as he walked up stream.
There I went and stood in his way.
Repeating thus,
We went down six times,
And we went up six times
When the little man said with anger on his face:
"Peet-tzen-tzen, peet-tzen-tzen.
This monkey, a rascal!
stop it unless
You can give me
The old name of this point!"
So I laughed and answered:
"The names, old and new, for this point--
Who doesn’t know them?
In the old days, the mountain prospered
And this point was called, ‘The Point Where Appears God’;
Now, the prosperity declined
And it is called ‘The Point Where Is Gohei’."
Then, this little man said:
"Peet-tzen-tzen, peet-tzen-tzen.
This monkey!
If you say so,
Give me the names, old and new, of this stream!"
So I answered:
"The names, old and new, for this stream,
Who cannot tell?
Once upon a time,
When this river prospered,
It was called ‘The River Innundated’;
Now as the water decreased,
It is called ‘The River Flowing Slowly’."
Then, this little man said:
"Peet-tzen-tzen, peet-tzen-tzen.
As you say so,
Why don’t we guess each other’s birth!"
So, hearing this,
I said:
"Who wouldn’t know your birth?
Long time ago when Okikirimuy went to the mountain
And built a hunting cot,
The fireplace he made of an alder
That however was dried up
By the heat of the fire: therefore--
As Okikirimuy stood on one edge,
The other raised.
Okikirimuy got angry at this
And threw the wooden frame out
Into the river.
So, the frame went on floating
Along the stream of the river
Into the sea--afloating
Here and there, and up and down over the waves.
Seeing such, the gods thought
It was a downright sin to leave it floating
And floating like that until it would rot--
They thought such as sin
As it was made by Okikirimuy himself;
And, therefore, the gods made
A little fish out of the wooden frame
And named after that ‘fireside’ fish;
But, this ‘fireside’ fish
Still doesn’t know his own birth
And, so roaming about in the shape of man.
The very ‘fireside’ fish you are!"
Then, the little man listening to this
Changed his countenance.
"Peet-tzen-tzen, peet-tzen-tzen!
You
Are the son of a little wolf!"
Saying such, the little man jumped
Into the sea
With a splash.
As I looked,
A reddish fish
With tail and fin wagging
Went away far, far off the shore.
--So told the son of Wolf God of his heroic deed.

IV. Song That Was Sung and Danced by Frog

One day
I was jumping about in the field,
Until suddenly I found a house.
As I went up to the door and peeped,
There I saw a young man sitting
On stool before the beautiful altar
And carving upon the sheath of a sword
With all his heart and soul.
There I sat upon the threshold
With a mischievous thought.
"Toaro-ro, hanrock, hanrock!"
So I sang.
Then
The young man looked at me smiling,
With the sword held up.
"Is it your story-song?
Or, your drinking-song?
Let me hear more of it."
As he said thus,
I was pleased and sang again:
"Toaro-ro, hanrock, hanrock!"
And, the young man said:
"Is it your story-song?
Or, your drinking-song?
Let me hear it more closely."
So I was pleased and jumped into the house
And further on to the fireplace and . . .
"Toaro-ro, hanrock, hanrock!"
So I sang
And again the man said:
"Is it
Your story-song?
Or, drinking-song?
Let me hear it more closely."
I was indeed pleased and jumped across
Over the other side of the fireplace and . . .
"Toaro-ro, hanrock, hanrock!"
As I sang,
The young man stood up abruptly,
Grabbed a big, half-burned log,
And threw it upon me;
My arms were all paralysed
And I don’t know what came after.
When I came to myself,
There on a comer of the yard
Was a dead frog with the swollen belly;
And I was sitting between the ears.
As I looked closely,
The house that I thought quite ordinary
Was the house of Okikirimuy, a strong, god-like man.
Not having known that the man was Okikirimuy himself,
I made fool of him.
Now
I died a shameful death,
A dreadful death, like this.
Fellows,
Never you play on men.
--Thus saying, the frog with swollen belly died.

Song That Was Sung and Danced by Oynakamuy and His Wife

I am truly a fair lady
Married to a chief-in-true-sense,
Eat meals so fine as God’s,
Am dressed so beautifully,
And have thus lived a life so happy.
In a certain year
I bore a baby boy.
As he was so beautiful as God,
We both loved him extremely.
My husband in particular
Loved him and held him day and night,
Kissing and
Calling his name in gentle tone.
He let me have a hold of the baby
Only when I had to feed him from my breast.
Such we raised him,
And, now, he began to run about
And to speak words;
And we adored him ever more.
One day,
My husband was all prepared to go hunting,
Putting on his back a quiver with rope
Holding in his hand a bow made of cherrytree;
And out he ran towards the mountain.
Thereafter I put myself in embroidery,
Until the sun was near to set,
When I heard footsteps of many a man.
Then I saw some one entering the house;
And lo! they must be the Japanese
I never dreamed of facing in actual life
Though many rumours of them I heard!
All wearing wadded silk garments
And tying on their heads things like crow’s bill,
They were carrying swords around their waists.
They opened their mouths and said in unison:
"Look, woman of Ainu!
Ainu lady!
Listen to us carefully.
We are what you folks call ‘Japanese’
And have come here from our Lord’ s province to work.
We brought our ship to all over
This Ainu land and observed many,
Many Ainu folks,
Men and wornen, who are so very gentle,
Loving and being loved.
From what we hear,
There upon the hill of Sicilymuka upland of Ainu
Live a couple with one child
And the beauty of the wife is beyond comparison
Among so many beautiful Ainu women.
The master of our ship heard of this woman
And expreased his wish to meet her.
Not only that,
He wishes to possess her as his wife.
But, as the woman having been a married one
And mother to a child, such of his wish could not be
Attained; he has been disconsolated and almost
Sick with his body weakened.
But, today he got refreshed suddenly and said
In a great smile,
‘I hear that woman’s husband’s gone hunting
In the mountain! Fellows! Go to her
And tell her everything. If she consents to become
My wife, then tell her
I shall send for her husband and child
Rice, miso and whatever needed by loads
On the Ainu boats, by two and by three.
If she refuses,
Then abduct her and bring her by force.
If only we take her as far as to our Lord’s province
She can no longer run away from us.
And there shall be nothing
For me to fear.
Bring that woman by all means!
Then, I shall reward you in plenty.
I know you want money, don’t you?’
So we rejoiced
And landed here.
Now, woman, what do you say?
You wouldn’t say no?
You certainly will be better off to have the shipmaster
As husband than an Ainu man . . ."
Just when I heard these words,
I lost myself in fury,
And grabbed the hook hunging over the fire before me
And swaying the rope before those Japanese shouted
All kinds of abuses.
"Abominable men!
How disgusting!
Go to the devil, you cursed Japanese!
I heard so far that those called Japanese
And their lords have good souls,
But what vicious hearts you have!
Even if I had had no husband
And no child,
Never I wish to have the ship master as my husband.
We call ourselves Ainu,
But, never are we those ordinary Ainu,
The kind you can think of.
Nay I say:
Who wants to go to such a ship master!
Get away and better tell him to get away
The shore quickly!
Or else,
All your lives will be out off
By this vicious thought of such a man.
If my husband hears even the talk of
This villianous plot,
He won’t leave the matter as it is
Even if it occurs in any lord’s province.
I would rather
You make no more mess.
Run away with no fuss
Before things get worse!"
So saying, I requested these Japanese to go away quickly.
But, they only laughed at me
And said,
"You, woman of Ainu!
You dare to say such hard words against us!
What’s your husband?
Just one of those Ainus!
What to be afraid of him?
A single stroke of sword will finish him off.
Now, any word you may utter
Won’t help you.
If you still resist, you’ll see what we’ll do!"
Then, they, in twos and in threes, grabbed my arms.
My little child was then playing alone
But, as he heard me arguing with these men,
He got scared and rushed to me
Crying and calling, "Mother!"
Although I wished to hold him on my back,
I could do nothing
For my arms were caught by the men, in twos and in threes.
They tried to drag me towards the door.
I resisted standing firmly and bending my body.
In a fit of anger
I with all my strength struggled
Kicking and stamping.
They were now all in a rage
And made an attack on me.
By this a really hateful man
Grabbed my little child,
Swang him up
And flung him down on the fireside.
Poor child!
He collapsed there
Like a log!
You can’t imagine how vexed I was
To see it, unable to do anything for him!
Now, things before me became blurred
In two-fold and in three-fald.
And, my head turned round and round.
Hateful Japanese
Despised me as but any woman
And killed my poor dear child
Who had known nothing of the sort,
In such a cruel manner. They killed
The child whom my husband and I loved so dearly . . .
"Ah, how I wish my husband would come back quickly!"
So thinking in mind.
I still kicked and bit
Resisting against those hateful men;
But, there were many against me
And they finally dragged me out
And dragging me went to the shore.
There was a little boat upon the sea,
Onto which I was carried;
Thereafter these men took the oars
With which they twisted and pushed down the water.
The boat sailed fast like a dead leaf upon the water,
‘Til there upon the open sea
Was seen a famous "benzaisen" ship,
That I had thought small
But was like a mountain lying now before me.
As we approached the "benzaisen" ship,
These villains shouted at the ship.
Then,
A long ladder was let down from the ship
And the villains climbed up carrying me in their arms.
Up on the deck.
Many more Japanese men walked about.
They took me to the master’s cabin
Of this famous "benzaisen" ship.
However I might have struggled and wrestled,
All the strength of a woman went for naught.
"Ah, well!
Whatever they say,
I won’t answer and will pretend to be ignorant.
I shall leave all to the God’s will!"
As I said this to myself,
I closed my eyes
And did but cry out loudly,
"My dear child!
My heart!"
The notorious master of this "benzaisen" ship said:
"Poor thing,
Woman of the Ainu!
How roughly you fellows have treated her!
She looks terribly tired.
And, what about the child?
For she cries like this calling the child’s name!"
As he said,
The villains gave the detailed account
And said,
"We killed the child."
Then, the master got very angry at them:
"How did you ever kill the child.
Ainu folks love women and children
So dearly and take so good care of them,
That, if the chief finds his wife stolen
And moreover his child killed by you,
He won’t remain quiet.
Ainu people are God-possessed.
God guards them; so by augury
They soon can find the ruffians
And must then bring the negotiation to our Lord."
I could see him now being apparently
Afraid and repentant.
"What shall I do?
Is she but an ordinary woman of Ainu?
How were the things in the house?"
As the master asked,
They, the villains, told him as they saw
That the house, from inside to outside,
Was splendidly grand.
Since he heard of it,
He became ever more anxious.
"It is too late now
To take this woman baok.
I wish you hadn’t killed the child!"
When he said this,
The men said laughing unanimously,
"The master of the ‘benzaisen’ is a coward!
Chicken-hearted!
Merely an Ainu man!
What’s so terrifying about?
Being so cowardly,
How can you make love?
The very moment this Ainu woman opens her eyes
And looks at you,
She will fall in love with you."
As I heard their words and contemptuous laugh
I lost my head with rage!
"Hateful Japanese!
Cursed Japanese!
You insult me as a mere woman,
An ordinary woman of Ainus;
And never you admit your own wrong deeds.
If you go on like this,
You shall have before too long
A good return, I warn you.
I don’t care if I should die.
I only wish to go to my child.
I with only my force can’t avenge you;
But, after my soul leaves my body and I
Thus become Goddess,
I shall come back to you to repay!"
Then, I stood up and ran out of the cabin;
But, when I was about to jump into the sea,
Many men caught me again
And tied me on to the big center mast.
So, this time, I couldn’t move an inch.
"Damnation!
Ah me!
What wrong have I ever done?
So as to suffer like this?
What’s my husband doing now?
How will he feel
When he comes down from the mountain
And sees that dreadful sight of our beloved child?
How can he find who had done this?"
These my thoughts
Pushed my sorrow out with an endless flood of tears.
And I did but cry and cry.
In the meantime,
The sound of waves parted by my ears,
As this big "benzaisen" ship moved forward;
And, now I felt we were already far into the open sea.
(Follows the husband’s story.)
Although I had come up in the mountain for hunting,
Strangely enough
All the lairs were empty,
Where I would usually find bears.
Wherever might they go?
Why nothing today?
Little foxes,
Badgers, squirrels, hares
Sciuroids, and even birds . . .
None of them had shown up!
Since I hadn’t hunted for some time,
I really wanted something good and new for dinner.
"How my wife
And my child
Had rejoiced when they saw me off
Going to mountain for hunting!
How are they now waiting for me!
At least I wish to catch even a small hare."
When I thought these things,
I walked over hills, in two-folds and in three-folds,
But met no game at all.
In the meantime,
I somehow began to feel a flutter inside me
And suddenly became anxious about my wife and child.
Therefore, I turned around
As quickly as fish turns
And headed towards home
Leaping and running.
And, lo, what was the matter?
It was about the time
When my wife would kindle the fire to prepare supper;
But, I saw no smoke coming up from my house!
Nor did I smell burning wood!
When I finally came home, only the shadow
Was there where my wife had been sitting and sewing;
The sewing materials scattered here and there,
And all over.
Besides that
And to my utmost surprise,
There was my child dead like a log by the fireplace;
Sad cloud was hunging over his corpse,
In two-folds and in three-folds.
Just at this scene,
My heart turned black with swelling rage
Like the burned bottom of a scallop.
"Who the devil did this mess in my absence
Only to hurt my heart and make me grieve?
Why today?"
I dashed out of the house
And looked around carefully.
There were footprints of men jumbled;
And I realized
This was done not by a few;
Many men must have grabbed my wife’s hands
And dragged her out;
Then, the child clung to her in terror;
And, they took him away from his mother and threw him
Down on the floor by fireside.
It became all so clear.
It appeared that my wife had been kidnapped
To somewhere in distance.
Tracing their footprints,
I came down from the hill to the seashore.
The footprints disappeared there;
This led me to guess that they had taken her in a boat.
Now, I was so outraged and all in fury,
My fingers cracked; two purple veins
And three purple veins stood upon my face;
And my eyes set and glared like two little stars.
I drew out my sword
And stood on one foot drawn far back
And on the other stepped forward;
I looked firmly over the sword
With one eye goggling
And the other tight-closed.
Then,
As I correctly guessed,
I saw vaguely a thing like a ship
Far upon the sea,
That seemed to be moving away.
I put my sword back
And jumped up towards clouds in the sky;
Then transforming into a bird with wings,
I flew throughout the clouds in two-layers and in three-layers.
I flew the boundary between the foreign sea
And my island’s sea where,
As I looked down,
The big "benzaisen" ship was afloating to and fro,
In fear, but running in full speed.
The waves ahead crashed and splashed.
Now again I became wind and went down,
And, lo, what was this!
My wife was tied upon the mast!
She must have cried as long as an age,
As her face was smeared with snivels
And her eyes all swollen.
It must be that she had fought against men
With all her power,
As her clothes were torn in pieces hanging about her.
And her face looked pale and wearied.
Breathing or no
Her head fell back for long
Being deadly tired.
Seeing such state of her
My sympathy increased and spilled out;
Tears came up on my eyes
And blurred the things around.
After I turned about the mast,
I cut the rope into pieces with sword
And took her to embrace.
Frightened, she opened her eyes; but,
When she caught sight of my face,
Her heart’s rejoice was brought upon her face
To most extraordinary extent, crying
"My husband!"
And she held me with all her strength.
Then, I said,
"Quick! Get back to home first!"
She sprang into the sky out of my arms
Like a twig,
And headed towards home,
Accompanied by thunder,
Leaving behind roaring sound.
Now, I was relieved
And went into the water
Where, with my sword,
I shaved the bottom of the ship
And with a big stone
Hammered it. Calling the name of gods
Second and third, of our ancestry in mind
And praying for gods, I repeatedly shaved and hammered.
With all my strength in hip and arms.
Finally, on the bottom of the ship was a great big hole.
Therefore, I came up on the surface
Breathed a long breath of relief
And flew up high into air as a wind, looking down the ship.
Now it appeared the water flowed into the ship;
Men, yelling and screaming,
Climbed upon the deck.
I saw a mob of Japanese in helter-skelter
Being pale as seaweed soaked in water for long.
"What is the matter?
The sea is peacefully calm,
The weather is so beautiful,
And we have been sailing fine going through no danger;
Yet why? How can the ship
Be dilapidated like this?"
Everyone complained and shouted.
"Hay!
The Ainu woman’s gone!
Fastened so very tightly,
How could she get herself freed?
Uah!
The rope’s out into this small a piece!
There must be somebody taking her away!"
So they said to one another.
"Master, come and see, quick!"
When they said,
A man rushed up,
A man distinguishingly handsome among them all,
Who wore fine silk garments.
They said abusing unanimously;
"By the ill-willed command of our master,
We had kidnapped the Ainu woman.
She had said all sorts of things then,
But, we simply thought her an ordinary woman
And only laughed her away.
But, after all,
We shall have to meet our deaths in this shameful way,
Ugly way.
You’re to get all the blames, Master!"
Hearing them shout like this,
I, for the first time, realized how my wife
Had been taken away.
I was being even more infuriated.
And finally the words of anger slipped out of my mouth:
"You, cursed Japanese!
You never know, you bastards,
How you would be punished
For your ill-deeds.
Despising me as a mere Ainu,
You have done such a vicious, unforgivable thing.
Damnation!
Hateful bunch of bastards!
I have come just to pay you back!
After you all die, you’ll know who I am!"
When I finished,
The master and all the men
Were even more surprised
And, looking up towards the sky,
Looked at the mist that enclosed me.
The master got stiffened with terror,
Fell flat on his knees, and--
Rubbing his head against the floor, said:
"The young God of Ainu!
The young Chief of Ainu!
Whatever you said is correct.
Indeed, I was the one, the worst of all.
Pray save us.
I can repay you with whatever you demand."
He bowed twenty times, thirty times; repeating the words
And praying. But, I simply refused.
"No!
Never!
It is too late!
My dearest son was killed.
And my wife was treated almost as badly.
I cannot bring you back to life!"
While I was saying this,
The ship was being flooded rapidly
And finally sank into the sea.
The hateful Japanese struggled in the water,
For a while, appearing and disappearing upon the surface
Of the water; but, soon, all drowned
And disappeared into the sea.
I felt good at heart
And returned to home on divine wind.
My wife had, too, just arrived,
A moment earlier.
In spite of her weary body,
She was crying a bitter cry, shrieking,
"My beloved son! My heart!"
Holding the dead body of my son in my arms,
I prayed gods, calling for the names of gods,
Second and third, of our ancestry.
My voice of prayer sounded clear and far
Like a cuckoo singing.
In some time,
The face of my son gained colour.
His toes and eye-lashes wiggled.
Then, he opened his eyes wide.
"Daddy! Mommy!"
Calling us,
He rose with his hands against the floor.
Together we took him on our laps
And cried out the cry of joy
Overjoyed by his return.
Then I also cried for joy
And celebrated my wife’s safe return.
My wife told me
All the detailed account
Of how the hateful Japanese had come in
And what they had said and done.
I also told her
In every detail
How I cut a big hole on the ship of those
Hateful Japanese and sank them all into the sea.
My wife said,
"It serves them right!
It serves them right!"
Thus saying,
She danced with joy by the fireside.
Free from any fear,
We are living as usual
Loving our son even more.
And watching over the Ainu folks as ever.
--Thus told Oynakamuy and his wife their experience.

Song That Was Sung and Danced by Young Lord of Matsumae

I had father
And mother
And an elder brother
And two sisters, elder and younger.
My father served his Lord;
Since he not only excelled at reading and writing,
He was also expert at abacuses
And attained a high skill of swordsmanship;
He was favoured by his Lord.
He used to say to us, sons, preaching;
"Listen, sons.
Girls can be good and useful
As long as they are acquainted with the skills of
Needle and cookery.
But, boys are different:
They are promised to serve their lords
When grown up.
So, since their boyhood
They must endeavour
To achieve a good swordsmanship
As well as reading, writing and abacuses."
Therefore, we, brothers,
Learned and studied hard
From early days--
Day after day,
Year after year.
My brother learned quickly
Whatever taught,
He not only attained the skills of reading, writing,
And abacus; but also could he perform a sword-dance
Nimbly as wind. But, woe’s me!
I learned nothing of whatever taught!
Not of reading and writing,
Not of abacuses
And not even of sword.
Father took it seriously
And tried everything he could think of to teach me.
However hard he might have tried,
I never learned.
Finally he lost his temper
And hit me with an abacus--
With a sword smote me.
Mother and sisters
Took pity on me
And cried for me behind things.
Brother too sympathized with me
And taught me in various ways,
When without father’s supervision.
And, I myself tried
Whatever the best I could,
Endeavouring days and nights.
But, did the God forsake me?
Never I learned!
Then, one day,
Father to me said
With tears flowing:
"Listen, son,
Listen to me carefully.
You have fine body and countenance,
Far superior to others.
Yet, I don’t know why you can’t learn things.
It is a disgrace to us
To have such useless one as you with us
Forever . . . and,
It is unpardonable a thing before the Lord.
Therefore,
Under the circumstance,
I, as your father, may have to commit ‘harakiri’
For apology to the Lord; or else,
You are to leave this house.
There’s no other way we can take.
You may choose whichever way you like;
So, think it over and answer me."
When father finished his words,
I thought:
"What my father said is quite true.
Because of my existence,
All my family must feel awkward all the time;
Above this,
I can’t bear to think
Of my causing father to commit ‘harakiri’
And of throwing everyone into a great sorrow.
Only if I get away from this house,
Things will go well for all.
Besides, if I work hard
At the risk of my life
In a faraway country,
Even I may learn
Something worthwhile."
When I answered expressing my thought,
Father and mother,
Brother and sisters,
All cried and wept.
Weeping so, mother put medicine in a small bag;
Father brought a long sword and a short sword,
Put both swords upon my waist,
And put a little golden hat upon my head.
Then--
At parting,
We had a little Sake;
And mother came to the gate to see me off.
Thus I left my home and village;
And walking aimlessly and sobbing,
I came to the shore of a large unknown river.
There by the shore
A lad of my age was sitting with his package
Whose countenance was as beautiful as the God’s.
I wondered where he came from.
He also had a long sword
And a short sword on him.
As he saw me,
He bowed at me smilingly
As if he had known me already.
So I too bowed.
Then, he took something out of his front pocket
And gave it to me.
As I looked,
It was a long letter folded.
I thought:
"I had to leave my home
And village because I couldn’t read
And now I am on the way to travel.
Whoever is this fellow
Who’s making a fool of me
By showing me this letter to read!"
When such thought came up to me, I was enraged.
And suddenly pulled out my long sword
And gave a fierce thrust to him.
Before the tip of my sword reached him
At a hard thrust, he jumped as light as zephyr
And landed across this wide river like a bird.
I too jumped running after him and holding
My sword, in such manner as had never occurred to me.
And I landed near him as lightly as the wind.
He drew his long sword
And gaw a fierce thrust of his sword upon me.
As I would have dared not die in vain,
I jumped as light as zephyr
And landed across the river, back to this side
Just like a bird,
Before his sword reached me.
After I leapt back,
He slashed his sword down in vain
As deep as going into six layers of earth.
Thereafter he ran again after me,
Thrusting his sword.
As such
We fought with our swords
Tens of times.
There was no end.
So, the lad talked to me smiling:
"Say, the young Lord of Matsumae,
Wait a moment,
And listen to me, please."
So saying, he came near me
And, taking my hands smilingly,
He began to talk:
"You are the second son of a retainer to the Lord.
Who lives at the center of Matsumae;
And I am the last one of another retainer
Who lives at the far east of Matsumae.
Just as you were,
I was no good at fencing, reading and writing,
And abacus since my childhood
And I never learned these properly.
For this reason
I was turned out and thus came here.
This big river is called Sanpitarrha,
And, I met the God of Sanpitarrha
Who told me this story:
A word came to this God of Sanpitarrha
From the God’s domain,
That reads:
There is in man’s domain
A village called Apta.
There is a a big lake
That is somewhat dangerous.
Therefore,
A god to guard the lake was to be chosen;
But all gods are reluctant to take the duty.
So, at last, it was decided to choose one
From among men to do this big task.
As the God of Sanpitarrha lived long in men’s domain
And must’ve been well informed of the circumstances,
The Gods would have appointed him to choose a man.
They thus wish him to choose two strong,
Honest and wise young men:
One to guard at the center and
The other, at the upper area of the lake of Apta.
So--
The God of Sanpitarrha
Looked over the men’s land
From one edge to the other,
And finally chose you and me.
But,
If I tell you the truth,
The God made us appear by the divine power
The good-for-nothing to others’ eyes and so acted
Towards us as to be thrown out of our home,
Because he was afraid
That our parents and family
Might have refused to send us away.
The reason why we had to fight here
Was, to tell you the truth,
That the God of Sanpitarrha made us do
Because he wanted to see our true skills.
Here is the divine Sake for us to drink,
In two bottles,
Sent from the god’s domain.
First of all, read this!"
Thus he handed me the letter again.
Was his word so true!
True or otherwise,
I received it half in doubt.
Unfolding long
And unfolding short,
I read:
To my astonishment,
I could read every single word
Which I had never been able to understand;
And that was but why I had been despised, scorned
And finally been turned out of home!
Now I could read easily
And the detailed account of the circumstances was
Written in it. Then, with that young Lord,
I started up towards the lake of Apta.
After we walked
For six days
And six nights,
We came to the lake.
And, sitting there,
We drank the divine Sake together.
Then,
Strangely enough,
Suddenly we gained the divine power
And were able to see everything there
In our land
And in the Gods’ domain,
As I looked toward my village,
I could see my parents
And all the family clearly.
After I had left them,
They seemed to be crying all the time.
I threw the empty Sake bottle
Toward the middle of the lake.
Then,
There was a little mountain instantly raised.
The young Lord who stood by me
Also threw his bottle
Toward the upper lake.
Then,
There was a little mountain instantly raised.
As I went to my mountain,
There was a golden house
Shining brilliantly.
There were in the house
Full of beautiful treasures and above all
A beautiful girl, my wife-to-be,
Herself dressed in many silk kimonos
And, embroidering by the fire, was awaiting me.
As I looked at my fellow young man,
He was in the same condition as I was.
Then,
As having married the girl,
I let my parents at home know
All the circumstances in detail
In the form of dream
And eased their souls.
Then, together with that other young man,
I have since been guarding the lake of Apta.
--Thus told the young Lord of Matsumae, now a God of the Lake of Apta.


     
 

  

YANA TEXTS



  

I. CENTRAL DIALECT (Gat'a'?i)  [*3a 

  

1. FLINT BOY. [*26 

  17 

I shall commence my myth.

The Flint people were living at Djo'djanu. [*27  The Flint people quarreled with the Grizzly Bear people. All the Flint people dwelling together had a sweat-house. They used to go to hunt deer, but four were always missing when they returned home. The Grizzly Bears lay in wait for the Flint people, the Grizzly

  18 

[paragraph continues  Bears killed the Flint people. All the Flint people living together were very numerous and had a sweat-house. Some were, missing when they returned home, until the Grizzly Bears had, killed all the Flint people. There was just one that returned home. An old woman was sitting inside the sweat-house, Rock Woman, and all the Flint people living together, it is said, were her children. They did not come home from the deer hunt; indeed, they were all killed, the Grizzly Bears killed them all.

Now the old woman was weeping. "Hehe'?! Where can they all have gone?" wept that old woman, waiting for them to come back home. The Grizzly Bears had killed all the Flint people. The old woman, weeping, stayed home by herself, all alone, all her children having been killed. She had quivers hanging, many were the quivers hanging close together, with bows and arrows. Now the old woman was all alone, weeping, being the only Flint, person.

"I shall not die," had said (one of the Flint people), leaving' word behind to her. He hung up a bow, a coarse-sinewed bow up yonder on the south side, while she cried, continuing to weep, sitting inside the sweat-house. The Grizzly Bears were looking into the sweat-house. "I spit out spittle on the ground, on the south side. If I die, pray look at it, grandmother! I shall come to life again from my spittle. Pray look at it! Pray look at it!", She did so in the middle of the night, looking at it. There were no men in the sweat-house, all having been eaten up, the Grizzly Bears having eaten them up. The old woman put pitch on herself as sign of mourning. Suddenly the spittle bawled out. A person came to life again in the middle of the night. "Where is it?" she said. "Who is the child?" "Una'! una'!" it said. It was indeed the spittle that had already come to life again. The old woman arose, took the boy up in her arms, and wrapped him up in a blanket. The old woman washed him, carrying him about in her arms. She washed him in the night. "Grand-mother!" "Keep quiet! There are Grizzly Bears outside."

When it was daylight he who had come back to life was crawling about; when the sun was overhead he was already grown up. "Give me a bow," he said, being already grown up. He

  19 

looked to the south side, looking at the bow. "Grandmother! I shall go outside to play, grandmother." "No," she said, speaking to Flint Boy, "danger lies outside." "What is it, grandmother?" "All of our people were eaten up," she said, speaking to the young man. She would not let him go outside, saying, "Do not go outside! Outside lies danger." "What is it, grandmother?" "Do you not see that our people are not here in the sweat-house?" "I am not afraid, grandmother." He put out his hand for the bow and said, "I shall go outside. Whose bow is this?" he asked. He took down the quiver hanging on the south side. the bow was so long, short, a coarse-sinewed bow, an ugly bow. "I shall shoot arrows in play. I shall not go far off." "Yes, yes, yes," she said. She believed him.

He pulled out a bow from the quiver. He stretched it, and his bow broke. "He!" he said, "that was no man," for he had broken his bow. He took out another bow and stretched it also. He stretched and broke another bow, in this way breaking all the bows. "They were no men. I have broken all their bows." Now he put out his hand for the coarse-sinewed bow. He bent it to himself, it was strong. Again he bent it to himself, it was strong. It did not break, for it was strong. He laughed. "Grandmother, truly it is strong." He laughed, and bent it to himself again, put his feet down on it, pulling at it, so as to break the bow. He put the coarse-sinewed bow down on a rock. "It is strong, grandmother," he said, while the old woman kept on weeping, crying. "This one was a man. Hehe! Why did he die? Grandmother, I am not able to break it." He put the bow on a rock, and lifted up a big rock; he tried to break the bow by throwing the rock down on it. The coarse-sinewed bow bounced up. "Grandmother, I shall go outside. I shall go around to shoot small game outside. I shall take the bow along, grandmother. I shall not go far off." "Yes! Do not start to go far away. Danger lies outside. Grizzly Bears are waiting for you outside." Now he was the only one. "Yes, grandmother, give me three arrows. Look up the smoke-hole of the sweat-house at the jack-rabbit!" He went outside. Now he shot his arrows, went about shooting at jack-rabbits. (When he returned inside

  20 

he said,) "Grandmother! What might that be looking in from above?" "What does he look like? What do his eyes look like?" "His eyes are small; he is small-eyed." "So!" she said. "Perhaps that one is dangerous. Indeed, perhaps that one is a Grizzly Bear, a small-eyed Grizzly Bear." "Grandmother! What is that above?" "What is he like?" "His eyes are big." "So! Perhaps that one is a jack-rabbit, it is jack-rabbits that have big eyes.

Now Flint Boy went out. "Grandmother, I shall go to the south," he said. "I shall go about." "Yes, go about!" "Grandmother, have you any acorn bread?" "Yes." Then she gave him her acorn bread in one round lump. He put his acorn bread [*28  inside his blanket, and held it wrapped up here. Now he went off, far away to the south. He came to a halt, looking down hill to the south. There was smoke and many Grizzly Bear women were building a fire, while it was raining, as it is now. [*29  The Grizzly Bear women were twenty in number and were digging up earth-worms. Flint Boy went to the fire, built by the Grizzly Bear women. There was nobody at the fire now, as the Grizzly Bear women were occupied in digging up earth-worms. The Grizzly Bear women had stuck their teeth in the ground in a circle about the fire. [*30  Flint Boy laughed and said, as he stood near the fire, "He!" The Grizzly Bear women thereupon turned around to look. "Who is it?" they said. "Well! Come on, all of you." Flint Boy seized all the Grizzly Bear teeth that had been stuck out to dry, so that they were deprived of their teeth. Now they came back together. "Well! Give me something to eat. I am hungry," said he, lying. The Grizzly Bear women were afraid, for they did not have their teeth. They whispered among themselves: "Who is it? (aloud:) We have no food. We would give you something to eat, but we have no food." "Yes," Flint Boy said, "you are afraid, are you

  21 

not?" "We are not afraid." "Are you not hungry? I carry ground acorn bread with me." "Yes," said the Grizzly Bear women. Flint Boy intended to kill the Grizzly Bear women; they did not have their teeth. "I have some acorn bread." "Where is it?" said the Grizzly Bear women. Flint Boy put his hand inside the blanket, and drew forth his acorn bread. He gave each one of them to eat, and they ate of it. "I shall go back home," said Flint Boy. Thus he spoke to the Grizzly Bear women, bidding them adieu. Flint Boy went off back home and came back to his grandmother. "Grandmother! I have seen many women." The Grizzly Bear women were all sick now at the fire, for the acorn bread had made them sick. The women fell back and all died, as they had really eaten flint.

"I shall go to get ma'ls*unna roots, I shall go to dig up roots with a stick." She told Flint Boy, "Stay at home!" "Yes," said Flint Boy. Now she went off to dig roots with a stick. It was spring, and the ma'ls*unna roots were sprouting up out of the ground. Now the old woman dug up roots with her stick, while she carried a pack-basket on her back. Flint Boy, now all alone, stayed at home and looked all around inside. The ma'ls*unna roots were sprouting up out of the ground. The old woman saw them and dug them up. "Una'! una'! una'!" said something which was sprouting up. Indeed it was anew-born babe. The old woman was frightened and dug the child up with a stick. "Heh!" said the old woman, looking at it. "Hehe'! What am I going to do with it?" She took it up in her arms and put the child that she had found down into her pack-basket. The old woman went off home. "Grandmother! Have you come back home already?" "Yes." "Una'! una'! una'!" it said outside. "Grandmother, what is that that is coming?" "I found that one." "Where was it?" "I was digging up roots, when suddenly it cried." "Indeed, grandmother, wash it, maybe that one is a person." She did so, washing him. He also did not grow as people generally do; he grew up quickly.

Now Flint Boy went off, went outside. "Grandmother, I should like to take him along." "Yes," said the old woman, "Please do not go far away. Take care! Stay right around

  22 

here, a little ways to the east." "What is your name?" Flint Boy asked the child. "My name is Little Gray Squirrel," [*31  "Grandmother, what do you say to it? I shall take him along." "Go off to a great distance." "Grandmother, I wish to make a dog. We have no dog. What do you say to that!" "Do so! Make it, make it, make it!" "I shall go to hunt deer," said Flint Boy, asking her. She assented. Now they went off to a great distance to the east, going to hunt deer. Flint Boy sat down on a mountain. "You! What would you do?" he asked the boy. "I want to make a dog of you. What, pray, would you say if you should bark?" He did not talk. "Oh, I should talk in any way at all." "I want to hear it," said Flint Boy. "Bark!" "Hu', hu! hu!" Flint Boy was frightened as the dog barked. The earth shook while the dog barked. The sound went from there to the north, it went from there to the south, it went from there to the east, it went from there to the west. [*32  Flint Boy looked at him and said, "It is good now."

Now Flint Boy went off with his dog as far as up on the mountain here to the west. [*33  "I want a woman," said Flint Boy, talking within his heart; so he took a wife. When it was daybreak he went up on the mountain to the west, taking the woman and his dog with him. The dog lay curled up beside the house. "Listen," he said to his wife, "I shall go out to hunt deer. I think this is a good place, here on the south, is it not?" "Yes," she answered. "I shall not take the dog along with me. Tie him down to the ground, for he might run off after me.

"Pray do not play with the dog," she said to the people there, tying the dog down to the ground. "He might run off after him," said his wife, speaking to his people. "Yes, yes, we shall not play with the dog." (Before he went off) Flint. Boy played

  23 

with him. "Bark!" he said, and the dog barked "Hu', hu', hu', hu'!" The earth shook; the people were afraid while the dog barked. They in the north heard the dog barking, they in the east heard the dog barking, the south people heard it, they to the west over the mountains heard it.

Now Flint Boy went off to hunt deer to the south. He went off leaving two women behind him in the house. (When he had gone) they whispered to one another, "What do you think? Let us turn the dog loose." They did so and began to play with him. One of the women spoke to the dog, saying, "Bark!" While Flint Boy was away, the dog barked as he had done before, and his speech was like thunder. Flint Boy heard his dog barking. Now the dog ran away, looking for Flint Boy's footsteps. The women called to the dog to come back, but he kept on barking after Flint Boy. "Hu', hu'!" said the dog, crying. All at once there appeared a fog. It did not rain, but the fog just moved about. "Hu', hu'!" he kept on saying, while he ran off. The two women cried, but the dog kept on barking, "Hu', hu'!" up above; he was now heard to bark, running off up to the sky. The dog melted away into the fog, rising up; indeed he was now flying up to the sky. People hear the dog barking in the sky. [*34 


 

  

II. THE THEFT OF FIRE AND THE BURNING OF THE WORLD.  [*47 

  31 

There was no fire. It is true that people had a kind of fire, but it was not hot. The people went to hunt and kill deer, they went to get salmon, and the women went to get sunflower seeds. The people roasted deer meat, but it was never done. People fetched home salmon and cooked it over the fire, but it was never done. They ate salmon and deer meat raw. The women just slightly browned the sunflower seeds; they were never done. "Hehe'?!" said the men, "I do not like this fire. I am tired now of eating deer meat raw. Hehe'?! there must be fire somewhere around here. There may be fire off to the east, east over the mountains; there may be fire in the south; there may be fire off to the west; there may be fire in the north." The people came together to talk together in council. "Let us look for fire," they said. "Every night, when the sun has already set and it is dark, go up to the north and stay on top of the mountain," one man was told. "Yes," he said.

Every night when it was dark this one man sat there. He stayed and looked to the east. There was no fire in the east, no fire was to be seen. He looked to the north; there was no fire in

  32 

the north. He looked to the west, there was no fire, he did not see any fire. He looked to the south. There there was indeed some fire. There was a light in the south, the fire was seen coming up in sparks. Down in the south they had good fire. This one man now returned home. Many were the people gathered together. "I have seen fire," he said. "Indeed! Where is it? Where is the fire?" "In the south. It is faraway from here." "Let us go and steal it," they said. "Yes, who is the good runner?" (said the chief). "I" (said Fox). "It is I who know how to run." "Who else is a good runner?" "I" (said another). There were two who knew how to run well. "What is your name?" (asked the chief of the first). "Fox." "What is your name?" he asked of the second). "'A'iwi?auna." [*48  "Yes, it is good now."

Behold! The men went off, five of them. They walked in a circle around the village. "Where shall we go?" (they asked one another). "Let us go to the south under the ground." The five men proceeded south under the ground, went off south in the night-time. Arriving in the south, they came up from the ground at K!u'wiha. [*49  Coyote was sleeping; (on their arrival) he arose and said, "Well, where are the people all going to?" "I do not know," said the people there, talking to Coyote. Coyote talked to the rocks, talked to the cooking-basket, talked to the house. "You, tell me, Rock! where are they all going to?" "I do not know," said the rock, said the house. "Where are they all going to?" (he asked the) brush for cleaning acorn flour. "They have all gone out to hunt deer." "He!" (exclaimed Coyote), "Why didn't they tell me that?" Now Coyote went to the east, but the five men had already gone a great distance to the south. Coyote ran around the village in a circle, but did not find any tracks. Coyote asked the acorn mortar, "Mortar Woman! Where have the five men all gone to?" "They have all gone to the south." "Indeed!" "Yes." Now Coyote ran,

  33 

running off to the south after them. Coyote found their tracks as he ran after them. The five men had already traveled a great distance, but Coyote caught up with the five men. "Ha!" Coyote shouted in a whisper, "do you wait for me!" The five men looked back (and said in displeasure to one another), "Oh! Coyote has been coming after us." The five men went off to the south day and night, while Coyote came after them. "Huh!" Coyote panted, "I am tired. "Heh!" said Coyote, "Why didn't you tell me about it!" The five men did not talk, for they were angry.

They reached the fire village, arrived in the middle of the night. The light from the fire came up out of the sweat-house. They stole the fire while the people that owned it were all lying asleep on the ground. They went up on a hill to the south of the sweat-house. There lay a chunk of burning coal inside of the sweat-house. It was two of the men, Fox and 'A'iwi?auna, who stole the fire. "How are we going to manage it? You go inside," he said to Fox. He looked inside in the night, and climbed down through the smoke-hole. The people that had the fire were all asleep. Fox put his hand out for the fire, picked it up, and jumped quickly out of the sweat-house. He carried the fire out with him, having stolen it. They ran to the north. "Run! run, all of you!" (said 'A'iwi?auna). "When you are tired out, throw the fire to me." They kept running to the north, while Coyote kept running back after them. When they had run back as far as Bale'ha, [*50  Coyote said, asking Fox, "Well! Give me the fire. I shall carry the fire in my hand," said Coyote. "Look out!" said Fox, "you might drop it down on the ground, you might burn your hand." "What did I go off to the south for? I shall tell the people when I return home, I shall say that I carried fire. 'I have carried fire!' I shall tell them." They ran back home from the south, they ran back as far as K!u'wiha. "Give me the fire," said Coyote. Coyote was given the fire (as Fox called out to him), "Hold out your hand." Coyote held out his hand as he was told. Fox was still carrying his fire in

  34 

his hand. "Here it is, take it to yourself," (he said. and) gave it to him. Coyote took the fire, while Fox and 'A'iwi?auna rushed off. They have thrown their fire to Coyote, as they come running back home from the south.

Coyote burned his hand and dropped his fire. The chunk of coal burst apart into several pieces. "M'! du' du du du' du du! [*50a  said Coyote, for he had burned his hand. Everything burned all around, when the fire had been dropped. The fire burned in the south, the fire burned in the east, the fire burned off to the west, the fire burned in the north. It came burning up to this place here. The rocks burst from the heat, the water burned up. The mountain was all covered with smoke, it burned right across the Sacramento river, the people burned up. The two people (that had stolen the fire) rushed off, while the fire came burning after them. It burned and reached up to Eagles village at Ci'p!a. [*51 

"Hurry up, everybody! This place is burning, the people are burning. Whither shall we go? We can't move into the rocks, we can't move down into the round. Hurry up, all of you!" Spider was living with them. Hurry up, everybody! (Eagle said). "Have you strong rope?" (said Eagle to Spider). "Yes," said Spider. "Do you all go into my big tule basket. Stretch out!" (he said to the basket). They all went inside now, and Spider tied the tule basket on to the sky. Coyote lay down on his belly in the bottom of the tule basket. "Go ahead!" said Eagle. "Hurry up, everybody! This place is burning already." Now Spider pulled the rope up to the sky, pulled the people up. The people filled the tule basket; everybody had gone in to save themselves in the tule basket, together with their children. "Go ahead!" Spider was told. Now there was nobody left in the sweat-house. He pulled up the basket, pulled it up, way up to

  35 

the sky. The fire was crackling all over this place. He had almost pulled the people who were running away from danger clear up to the sky when Coyote said, "Well! I am going to look down, my friends. I am going to see the fire, my friends." "Look out!" (said Eagle). "I shall just tear out a little hole in the basket. I want to see how the fire is burning down there. I shall look down to the ground through a tiny little hole," (said) Coyote, desiring to see the fire. He made a little rent in the tule basket, while Spider kept pulling at his rope. Coyote looked down, the fire was seen. He enlarged the rent in the tule basket. He looked down through the hole and said, "He! I see the fire. There is much fire." "Look out! you might fall down through the hole," (said Eagle). The hole spread out a little more so that the basket was now torn a good bit. Coyote fell down through the hole, fell right back down to the ground.

Fire-Drill Woman [*52  was standing below and looked around. She looked up, saw the people falling down back to the ground. The people all burned up, burned up completely. Black Bear's eyes popped out way to the east, they popped way to the west, the eyes popped way to the north, his eyes popped to the south. He burned up, but his eyes popped off. [*53  Spider remained in the sky.


  

III. THE VISIT OF THE GEESE PEOPLE TO MOUNT SHASTA.  [*67 

  45 

Flint Rock had his sweat-house at Mount Shasta. Flint Rock was a chief and lived there at Mount Shasta. "I shall send word to people for them to come," said the chief, named Flint Rock Chief. "I intend to have a dance," said the chief. "Do you go to the south and tell the people to come, far away in the south. Who is it that can run, so as to go and tell the people in the south? Go tell them to come! Go tell the Geese people to come! Go tell the Crane people to come! Go tell the White Geese to come! Go tell the Heron People in the south to come!" "It is I who shall go to tell them. I am a good runner," said Humming-bird. "So!" said the chief, "do so! Go tell them to come!" "What is it that I shall say?" said Humming-bird. "Pray tell them people are having a dance. Pray tell them Flint Rock Chief is having a dance." Humming-bird wrapped a wildcat skin about his head and made himself all ready.

Off he flew, flew to the south. The Geese people were living in the south, the Geese people lived there in great numbers. There was a sweat-house, and Humming-bird flew about over the smoke-hole of the sweat-house. "Bu's*, bu's*, bu's*, bu's*," he said, for that was Humming-bird's way of talking. He was talking to the Geese, telling them the news. Many were the people that looked at Humming-bird, flying about at the smoke-hole. "What sort of person can that be talking? His language is not understood.

  46 

[paragraph continues  Perhaps he has come to tell us something, but we do not understand his language. "Bu's*, bu's*, bu's*, bu's*," Humming-bird kept saying, talking at the smoke-hole of the sweathouse. "What he says is unintelligible," said the Geese and White Geese, said the Herons, said the Whistling Swans.

Coyote was living with them. "Hehe'?! This language is not understood. I cannot make out what he is saying. Go and talk to Coyote. He is always saying that he understands every language. Go tell him to come." Someone was sent to tell Coyote to come. (On arriving at Coyote's house he said,) "You! You have been sent for." "What's that?" said Coyote. "Indeed, somebody has flown up to here, and nobody understands his language." "Indeed! It is I who understand the speech of far to the north." Now Coyote arose and went into the sweathouse. Coyote sat down inside, and Humming-bird kept saying, "Bu's*, bu's*, bu's*, bu's*," flying around over the smoke-hole. "We do not understand him," said the people there. Coyote sat down, bung his head down, and listened. "Ha!" said Coyote, and he lifted up his eyes. He reported the news to the Geese people. "Flint Rock Chief has sent for you to come," said Coyote. "This one says that you should peel bark off the trees, to make string. That is what this humming-bird says." [*68  "Indeed!" said the people of the south. "He sends for you. This one says that you should take bark off of ba'ni [*69 bushes so as to make string," said Coyote, reporting to them what he had heard. "He wants you to start out today," said Coyote. "That's all that humming-bird has to say."

"Bu's*, bu's*, bu's*," Humming-bird kept saying, flying about over the smoke-hole. The Geese people said, "Hehe'?! he would be flying off back home, if his language had been understood. It seems that you do not understand Humming-bird's words, that is why he does not fly off. If you had understood his language, he would have flown bock home." Coyote said no more. (The

  47 

chief said,) "Go and tell Meadow-lark Woman about it. She always says that she can understand the language of the far north." A certain man ran off to tell Meadow-lark Woman about it. "He wants you to come." "Who is it that wants me to come?" "It is Goose Chief that wants to have you come. We do not understand Humming-bird's language, and so he has sent for you." Coyote went off home, and now the woman came. She did not enter the sweat-house. Meadow-lark Woman talked with Humming-bird; Meadow-lark talked her own language in speaking outside the house with Humming-bird. They flew up together in the air, talking to each other. Now Humming-bird flew off home in the air, flew back home to the north.

The woman came down and sat in the sweat-house, the sweathouse of the Geese. "He came to tell you," she said, reporting to them what she had heard, "he came from Flint Rock Chief to tell you. He says that Flint Rock Chief is having a dance, that he has been sent after you; that is what Humming-bird says." Goose Chief said, "Indeed! Put your feather headdresses outside to give them an airing! Hang your head-bands around! Wash your necklaces of shell beads! My people, let us go there to have a dance. Her words, telling us of Hummingbird's message, are good. Look at Coyote going off home! He did not tell that to us. Coyote was lying." Many were the people that started off. Now they were all dressed up. "Put nets on your heads. Put on your white head-bands. Put beads about your necks," (said Goose Chief). Now they came from the south, and camped over night at Ci'p!a. "Let us rest here over night. Early in the morning let us practice dancing here. Let us go north dancing. Who is it that will lead the dance?" "I shall be the one to lead the dance," said Coyote. "No. It is the chief that shall lead in the dance." "No," said Coyote, "It is I who will lead the dance, for I am a chief." "Do you think that he who is not a chief leads in a dance?" (they said to him.) "He!" said Coyote, "they call me chief. Far off in the east they tell me that I am a chief," said Coyote. "They call me chief far off in the south. they call me chief far off in the west, they call me chief far off In the north. I travel all around in every

  48 

direction," said Coyote. "I have never before heard people calling me Coyote. Today for the first time I heard myself called dog," said Coyote. "Well! Go ahead, lead us in the dance."

The people started in to dance at Ci'p!a. "Ini'yaha," went Coyote's song. "We'yahina' 'ini'yahina', we'yahina' 'ini'yahina', we'yahina' 'ini'yahina'," went Coyote's song, while they all danced. Now they proceeded north as they danced. Coyote danced in company with Meadow-lark Woman. Very pretty was that woman with her apron of rodent bones strung on buck-skin tassels and with a round tule basket-cap that she had on her head. As they proceeded north the Geese filed up in a long line from the south, dancing. All the Geese people, every sort of person that was there, had wings. Coyote alone did not have wings. Coyote led the dance singing away, while the Geese people filed up from the south, dancing as they proceeded north. "'E', 'e', 'e', 'e', 'e'," whispered the people. They flew up into the air, went right up, all of them, and continued their dance northwards while flying in the air.

Coyote looked up and found himself all alone, dancing on the ground; they had all left Coyote behind and were moving northwards in the air. "What are you doing?" said Coyote, talking up to them in the air, as he found himself abandoned by all. The Geese went right on to the north. Suddenly Coyote stopped dancing and started to run. Coyote ran to the north, came running after the people to one side. Coyote ran across the river, running down the mountains, running up the mountains. He looked very ugly, his legs were bruised with thorns, he was covered with blood, his feet were swollen, his legs were cut up by the rocks and scratched by the brush. Coyote was coming running after them, running all by himself now.

Now the Geese people arrived at Mount Shasta, at Flint Rock's sweat-house. They danced around the sweat-house on the ground. Coyote had not come; indeed he was dead, having been tired out and hungry. The South people danced around, dancing around together in a circle. When it was dark they stopped dancing. Flint Rock Chief spoke out loud, "Get wood! Build a fire in the sweat-house! These people will go inside."

  49 

[paragraph continues  The South people entered, they were chuck full in the sweathouse. "Let us go outside," said the chief, talking (to his own people). "Let us make a fire outside in the night time." The sweat-house was crowded, the people filled it entirely. Those who belonged to that house all moved outside. There were the Geese people inside, all by themselves, sitting inside the sweat-house. Flint Rock Chief shut the door of the sweat-house, so the sweathouse was totally dark; there was no daylight whatever. The people outside, the owners of the sweat-house, were making much noise, having a good time. Three times it was day and three times it was night, and there was no daylight inside; it was always night. The people outside were having a good time pounding acorns and hunting deer.

"This looks bad. Daylight must have appeared long ago." The people inside felt around with their hands. There was no fire there and they were hungry and thirsty. "He has shut the door on us, he is angry at us," said they inside. "Four days and four nights have passed and there is no daylight yet. What shall we do? We are all going to be killed. Hehe'?! Would that I could get outside again! Have not any of you perchance a flint flaker? Have not any of you perchance a flaking maul?" "Yes," said Ma'ldama. [*70  "I have a pitching tool." "I also have a pitching tool," said Bop?didju's*i. [*71  "Yes," said the chief, "it is you that always say that you have supernatural power." The pitching tool was like this here, [*72  the flaking maul was like this here. [*72  Those two men, little Bop?didju's*i and Ma'ldama, had pitching tools. They arose in the sweat-house in the night that surrounded them all. The sweat-house was made entirely of flint rock, thick was the flint rock. They put out their hands inside and felt around all over. They were all like blind men. "Now! pound away!" This is how they did, pounding away at the flint rock to test for a thin spot. Now he pushed his pitching tool against the flint rock and pounded on it with his maul. This is how Ma'ldama did. [*66 

  50 

[paragraph continues  "S* s*" said the chips of flint as the), fell to the ground. The flakes made a noise as they were thrown to the ground. Thus he kept it up all day, and little Bop?didju's*i worked too. Every little while they pounded around with their hands to see flow thick it was. Now it became thin and they pounded away at that spot. "S*!" said the flint chips as they fell splintered off to the ground. They pounded with their hands to see how thick it was. "S*!" said the flakes falling down on the ground. Again they pounded with their pitching tools. Thus they did and burst right through the wall. Now they had made a hole right through. The light of day streamed in, it became daylight as soon as the hole had been burst through. The sweat-house was lit up. Now the people returned. They all came out again, returned out of the sweat-house. [*73 


 

  

IV. BLUEJAY'S JOURNEY TO THE LAND OF THE MOON. [*100 

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Many were the people that lived together with Bluejay. He had a sweat-house and used to kill deer. Bluejay had as wife Wildcat Woman. Wildcat Woman became pregnant while Bluejay was killing deer. Bluejay had good luck as hunter and had deer meat hanging around all over to dry. It rained and it snowed. The woman gave birth to a child, gave birth to it inside the sweat-house. Bluejay did not see her as she gave birth to her child. Wildcat Woman washed her boy. Bluejay came back home. "I have a baby," said Wildcat Woman, speaking to Bluejay. "Indeed!" he said, speaking only a little. He spoke very slowly as he answered her. During the night she washed her boy, and when it was daylight Bluejay stood outside the sweat-house. He shouted around to his people, waking them up. "Get up, all of you!" His voice was heard in the east, his voice was heard in the west. "Flake your flints! Warm up your bows over the fire! Let us look for deer."

The people did so, they arose while it was not yet day. The people went off to go to hunt deer. "I shall walk around beside you. My wife has given me a baby." [*101  The people went off, those people now hunted deer. But Bluejay did not hunt deer; he just walked around with them. When it was dark Bluejay returned home and sat down where he was always accustomed to sit. Bluejay had one boy. When he had been growing two days (Bluejay said to his wife,) "Give the boy to me." Wildcat Woman gave it to him in his arms and Bluejay fondled him. "He is very pretty, our boy is very pretty," and he played with his child. Young Bluejay grew older and the young man came to look just like his father.

Young Bluejay played on the side of a smooth hill south of the house, throwing a ball up hill and watching it roll down. In

  67 

the morning again Bluejay went outside the house and shouted to his people, "Wake up, all of you! Hunt for deer!" The people did so, waking up. They went off, went to hunt deer. Bluejay came home when it was dark. "Again I am pregnant," said Wildcat Woman, speaking to Bluejay. Bluejay laughed when his wife said that. When it was daybreak again, Bluejay went off, went to the east. He did not hunt deer, but merely walked around with the men.[*101  His wife gave birth to another child. She gave birth to it on the north side of the house; Bluejay lay on the south side of the house. Bluejay arrived home. Again she had a baby, and she said to Bluejay, "I have given birth to a child." "Indeed! It is good," (he said), and the woman washed it in the night-time. In the morning Bluejay did not go away. He said, "Give him to me." Young Bluejay was playing outside. He was playing ball on the hillside, making balls out of buckeyes. When it was full day, she put her child in Bluejay's arms. He took his child in his arms and looked into the baby's eyes.

Snow was falling outside. Bluejay was angry. "I do not like your child," he said to his wife. He handed it back to her and she took her baby back to herself. "This is not my child. Another man has given you that child." The woman cried as Bluejay told her that. "Go outside!" said Bluejay to the woman. "Stay outside! I do not like to have you stay in the sweat-house. Take the baby outside with you!" But the woman did not go out. Bluejay arose and said, "Give me your child." He snatched his boy away from her and threw him out of the smoke-hole towards the north, while the woman wept, cried for her child. "That child does not belong to me. His eyes are big, he is big-eyed. Look at his hands! They are not like my hands," said Bluejay, speaking, to the woman. "Your child has no crest on his head, he hasn't it." Bluejay would not recognize him as his child. "That one outside is my child. He has a crest like me." [*102  The woman went outside after her child and

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came back into the sweat-house, holding it in her arms. Again Bluejay snatched it away from her, and again he threw it out of the smoke-hole to the north. "Go out! go out! go out!" The woman took her child up into her arms again, but did not come back into the house. Weeping, she stayed outside, and built a bark house for herself.

After a while young Wildcat ran around. (Young Bluejay asked his mother,) "Why are you staying here outside, mother?" "He has driven me out of the house." "Mother, I am going to play on a hill a short distance from here to the south. I shall take this one along with me." "Take him along, take him along. Play with him, play with him." They now went off and proceeded to play. They played all day on the side of a hill to the south. Now they went to the west, playing. Young Wildcat was now grown up. Young Bluejay sat down on a rock and looked around, thinking to himself, "M'! m'!" Young Bluejay said within his heart, "You have thrown my brother out of the house, father." He arose and walked west all day. They walked till they came to Wi'tc'uman?na. [*103  They played, swimming in the water. "You will not see me again, father!" (young Bluejay said to himself). Wildcat called for her children. They did not come. The woman ran about looking for them, but she did not find her children. Bluejay likewise looked for them. Then Bluejay wept and put dirt on his face. "Wai!" said Bluejay, "come back, my son. Where can you have gone to?" Young Bluejay and young Wildcat kept going west, walked until they reached Djitc'it?t'p'a'maana. [*104  Young Bluejay sat down, while they in the east were weeping. Young Bluejay arose and walked as far as Tc!i'yu, [*105  where they sat down.

Silkworm [*106  was living all alone at Tc!i'yu. "Let us go to our uncle and rest there," he said, speaking to young Wildcat.

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[paragraph continues  "I wish that there may come to me two bows and many arrows. I wish that there may come to me an otter-skin quiver full of arrows." So it happened; the bows and arrows came to him. Now they started in to shoot, shooting their arrows in rivalry. Both of them shot with great strength. Young Bluejay shot and sent his arrow to a great distance to the south. "Now you shoot!" said young Bluejay, and young Wildcat shot his arrow, sending it off to a great distance. "It is good now," said young Bluejay. Young Bluejay slung his otter-skin quiver over his shoulder, and young Wildcat did likewise. Now, when it was dark, they walked on to the west. They looked into Silkworm's house; young Bluejay entered. He had his javelin sticking in the ground where he was accustomed to sit. Silkworm looked outside and said, "He!" as he put out his hand for his javelin. "Who are you two?" "It is I, uncle." "You call me uncle, do you? Well!" said Silkworm, "come in and sit down." The two of them sat down. "Whence do you come?" "We come from Ba'n?xa." [*107  "Indeed!" "My father threw this brother of mine here out of the house, because he thought he was another man's child." "Indeed!" said the old man. "Whither are you going?" "I intend to go to see the New Moon Chief of the West." The New Moon Chief of the West dwelt to the west on this side of the Sacramento river. "I intend to woo his daughter. I should like to have his daughter." "Indeed!" said Silkworm. "Hehe'?! That's a bad place. Many are the people whom he has killed. People go to woo his daughter, and he kills them." He had many children and people that belonged to him. "How is it that he kills people?" "He fills a pipe with the bones of dead people, he makes tobacco out of the bones of dead people. He fills his pipe with the brains of dead people," said Silkworm. "First he smokes away at his pipe; then he offers his pipe to the people. The people smoke; they who have come to woo his daughter smoke and drop back dead. Then New Moon Chief throws out to the north those whom he has caused to die. Many are the people that have died in that way."

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Young Bluejay listened to him. "Well," (he said,) "let us go to see him." "I shall go along with you, my nephews," said Silkworm. Now they went to the west, walked down the small hills toward the west. Two women were sitting on the east side of the sweat-house. Bluejay tied his hair up round into a topknot, he wrapped his hair around. "Let me sit down there in your hair," said Silkworm, and Bluejay seated him there in his hair. "I shall look down from your right side," said Silkworm. "When you enter the house, do thus. Set your back to him as you sit down," thus said Silkworm, he himself talking. Now, when it was dark, they all entered the sweat-house and sat down with the women. New Moon Chief turned to look, looked across the sweat-house to the east. "What sort of person is that yonder?" (he said to his daughter). "I do not know. He is a stranger." "Give me the pipe. I shall fill it." He rolled his tobacco in his hands, and filled his pipe. Now New Moon Chief finished smoking. "There! Give it to my son-in-law. Let my son-in-law smoke." The woman took the pipe and said to Young Bluejay: "Take it." Now Bluejay smoked. It was not really Bluejay that smoked, it was Silkworm that smoked the dead people's bones. He shook the ashes out of his pipe and handed it back to him. Again he filled the pipe. "What has he been doing, that he does not perish?" said New Moon within his heart. Again New Moon filled his pipe (and said to his daughter), "There! Give it to my son-in-law. Let my son-in-law smoke." Young Bluejay smoked. New Moon looked across the sweat-house to the east (and said to himself), "What can he have been doing, that he does not perish?" Truly it was Silkworm there that was smoking, only it looked as though young Bluejay was smoking. Young Wildcat alone did not smoke. Now New Moon became frightened, for Bluejay did not perish. He stopped filling his pipe.

In the middle of the night Bluejay unwrapped his hair and took Silkworm there out of his hair. He put him over to the north side, close to the ladder [*108  of the sweat-house. Silkworm

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slept. He wrapped himself about with a blanket while he slept at the ladder, so that New Moon did not see Silkworm, In the morning the woman said (to Bluejay), "We are without fresh meat. We have not been eating deer meat." "Indeed!" said Bluejay. "Give me a basket-pan." He had put a big round lump of deer fat in his quiver. He cut the deer fat into slices and put some into the basket-pan. He gave it to New Moon. "Give me another basket-pan," (said Bluejay). It was given to him. He sliced off some pieces of deer fat and again gave them to her. She put it over to the west side. "Give me another basket-pan," said Bluejay. He spoke to the deer fat, "Do not become less. Remain always big." At last there was no more deer fat left.

"Go over, now, across the river to the east," said the Ya'?wi [*109 people. "The people over on the east side talk as if they had a good time. One does not often hear people talking over there. Someone must have come to woo his daughter, that is why they are happy." One man went across the river to the east. He arrived on the east side and saw, this one young man, young Bluejay and Wildcat. "Heh!" said New Moon, "what are you looking in for? Do you think that I am dead?" The Ya'?wi man hastened back home; he returned, crossing the river to the west. "A suitor has come," he said to the Ya'?wi People. Many were the Ya'?wi people on the west side. "Did you see him?" said the Ya'?wi. "Yes." "Who is it?" "A Tc'uno'ya." [*109  "Indeed!" All the Ya'?wi people were angry. Fish Hawk Chief, Crane Chief, the Ya'?wi chief, Heron Chief, Salmon Trout, the Ya'?wi chief, and Big Acorn Pestle,--that many were chiefs. "What are we going to do?" said the Ya'?wi people. "Let us catch salmon." Now they started in to get salmon, speared for salmon in the river. "Hasten across the river to the east. Go and tell the people of New Moon." Some one hastened to go to tell him. "They are fishing for salmon. Fish Hawk has sent for you people to come." "Indeed!" said the New Moon people assembled together.

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New Moon's people shot and speared salmon, but the others seized them and carried them over to their side, to the west; Fish Hawk's people pulled the salmon across to, the west, not letting them have them. "Where are they?" taunted the Ya'?wi people, "where are our friends from the east?" "Do not you two go off!" said the woman to Bluejay (and Wildcat). "Do you stay right here at home!" "We are tired," said Bluejay. "Let us go and see how the people are spearing salmon. Let us go off after them." They did so, he and young Wildcat went off after them. They stood by the river. The Ya'?wi looked across the river to the east and said, "Hehe! Here are our friends from the east." The (New Moon people) were not catching any salmon, the Ya'?wi alone had many salmon. "Give me one," said Bluejay to his brothers-in-law. "Give me a salmon-spear pole. I am going to spear salmon." He was given a pole. Fish Hawk kept on doing thus, spearing salmon. There was a big salmon right in the middle of the river. Bluejay shot at the salmon and speared it, also Fish Hawk speared that same salmon. Fish Hawk pulled the salmon across to the west with strength, also Bluejay pulled the salmon across to the east with strength. Bluejay jerked the salmon over to the east side together with Fish Hawk's pole, he pulled it right out of his hand. The New Moon people and Bluejay went off home. Young Bluejay went off, carrying the salmon on his back, while the Ya'?wi said, "He! The man from the east has beaten us."

"What shall we do?" said Fish Hawk. "Let us get fish with a seine net. Let us fish with a net. Go and tell New Moon, 'Let us fish with a net for the day!'" Some one hastened across the river to the east (and said), "He sends for you to come." "Indeed!" said New Moon. New Moon with great numbers of his people went off. "Now!" said Fish Hawk, and they swam into the water to fish with seine nets. They placed a water grizzly down on the bottom of the river. "Catch hold of Bluejay," said the Ya'?wi people to this water grizzly here. Now the water grizzly stayed there in the water., deep down. "Ha!" Bluejay swain in the river, swam southwards in the water with the seine net. But the salmon did not swim into the net, for

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they themselves had swum to the south in the water. There were ten people--five were Ya'?wi, five were New Moon people. Suddenly Bluejay was dragged down into the water, the water grizzly had caught hold of him. Bluejay did not come up again from the water. All the other people came out of the river, no longer fished with their seine nets. The Ya'?wi people shouted as Bluejay was pulled down by the water grizzly. The New Moon people all wept for him and went off home to cry, "My brother-in-law is dead, as he has been pulled down by a water grizzly," (they said), while the Ya'?wi people shouted for joy and clapped their hands.

Bluejay spoke to the water grizzly, "It's I, uncle." "Indeed!" said the water grizzly, "so it's you, is it? Take off my skin." He did so, took off the water grizzly's skin. The water grizzly did not kill Bluejay. "Take my hide home with you. Go off back home," said the water grizzly to Bluejay. "Pray hang up this hide of mine outside the sweat-house. "Then Blue-jay went back home from out of the water, and, when he had arrived home, he hung up the water grizzly's hide. Young Wildcat was speaking, "Keep still, all of you! Do not weep!" he was saying to the New Moon people. "I do not think that Bluejay is dead, he will soon come back home." They wept no more, ceased to cry. "Well," said the Ya'?wi, "they have stopped crying. Do one of you go over now across the river to the east. Go and see!" said the Ya'?wi. One Ya'?wi hastened across the river to the east in order to see. The water grizzly's hide was hanging outside. The Ya'?wi hastened back home, having seen the water grizzly's bide. Then he told the news to the Ya'?wi, "The water grizzly has been killed, Bluejay has come back home." Then the Ya'?wi people wept, wept for the water grizzly.

"What shall we do?" said the Ya'?wi. "Let us hunt deer and let us make a rattlesnake. Go to tell the New Moon people." They did so, went across the Sacramento river to the west to hunt deer. A rattlesnake was put down on the trail, and the Ya'?wi people proceeded north to hunt deer. "Where are those eastern men?" (said they to New Moon). "They must be back there somewheres, coming from the south," said the New Moon

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people to the Ya'?wi. They two were indeed coming from the south on the trail. (The Ya'?wi) had placed a rattlesnake down on the trail, it was coiled around a bush. Bluejay stepped on the rattlesnake. The rattlesnake jumped up and wound himself about his legs, encircling him completely. Bluejay trampled upon him with his feet, kept stamping on the rattlesnake, and cut him all to pieces. He killed the rattlesnake. The Ya'?wi people wept again (when they saw) that the rattlesnake had been killed. Bluejay went off home. In the morning he started off to go back and said to his wife, "Tell the New Moon people that I am going back home. I am tired now of this place. Come along with us if you like," he said to his wife. "He is about to go off home," she said to New Moon, her father. "Indeed! He is right, he is right." In the morning he went back home with his wife. He went back going east, went east till he arrived at Djitc'it?t'p'a'mauna, went back till he arrived at Wi'tc'uman?na. "Get nearer, land! Do not be far off!" he said. He went back till he arrived at Ha'up!uk!aina. [*110  Now he arrived back home to where his father and mother were.


  

V. THE CREATION OF THE YANA. [*111 

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"Where is your father?" said Lizard to Cottontail Rabbit. "I have no father." "So! It seems that neither of us have any father. [*112  There are no people here. Let us make people!" They marked out a ring on the ground with a stick. "Wherewith are we going to make people?" they said to each other. (Cottontail Rabbit said,) "Put sticks down on the ground." He put small sticks down on the ground. He put twenty sticks down on the south side, he put twenty down on the west side, he put twenty down on the north side, he put twenty down on the east side. There were no sticks in the center. "It is good now," said Cottontail Rabbit and Lizard. (Lizard) took some sticks across the mountains to the east, twenty sticks he took to the north, he took sticks to the south, twenty sticks he took across the mountains to the west. Now he had placed all the sticks in every direction.

There were no sticks left for the center, there were no sticks for it. "Put down any sort of sticks in the center. The people of the far east will be very tall, they will be very handsome. The people of the far south will be very tall, they will be very handsome. So also will be the people of the far west; they will be very handsome and the men will be tall. So also will be the people of the far north, handsome and tall." Now he did it. Cottontail Rabbit took up the sticks and went off a great distance to the east. He put the sticks down and returned from the east over the mountains. Cottontail Rabbit put twenty sticks down

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in the south and again returned. He placed sticks across the mountains in the west, he placed sticks off in the north. "Let us put down bad sticks in the center. There are no more good sticks here." "Yes," said those two persons talking to each other. [*113 


 

  

VI. ORIGIN OF SEX, HANDS, AND DEATH. [*131 

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Women (were formerly men and) used to go hunting deer but came back home without having killed anything. The women, (now men), stayed at home, making acorn meal and acorn bread. Again the men went out to hunt deer, but did not succeed in killing any. The women were finished with their acorn pounding when the sun came up in the east. They killed only one deer. There were thirty men, and similarly there were thirty women. The people had no fresh meat to eat, for no deer were killed by the men. (Said Gray Squirrel and Cottontail Rabbit to one another,) "It is bad. What shall we do?" said the women. "The men have not killed any deer." "Let us make men out of these women. Yes!" The men arrived home. The men were angry, and whipped their wives. "It is bad. Let us make women out of the men, and let us make men out of the women."

At daybreak they went off to hunt deer. In the east a certain person [*132  was building a fire on the ground. Now the men came, hunting deer. The one that was building the fire sat there. He took smooth round stones and put them into the fire. Those who were hunting deer sat around the fire in a circle. That one person also sat there, but the men did not see the fire, did not see the stones. Suddenly the stones burst off from the fire. They popped about in every direction. "S*!" said those who had till then been men, who were there in great numbers. Their private parts were cleft by bursting stones.

"Let us make men of those there." So it was, and they now became men, while those who had formerly been men had now become women. Now they stayed at home, pounding acorns and

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making acorn bread. Now the men went out hunting deer and killed many deer. Cottontail Rabbit was standing there and said: "Hehehe! Yes! Now it is good. It is good," said he, looking on while they killed deer. The women made acorn bread and pounded acorns. Hehe?! The people did not die, the people were very numerous. Coyote said, "I do not wish the people to be numerous. There are too many women and too many men in every direction, there are too many children in every direction. The people do not die, they grow old. There is no poisoning by magic, there is nobody to cry in winter," thus he spoke. There was nobody that knew about death. Cottontail Rabbit knew about it, Gray Squirrel knew about it, Lizard knew about it. [*133  That many there were who knew about death.

Their hands were this way, round, not divided into fingers. "Let us cut through the hands," they said to everybody, for people did not have fingers. "I shall make fingers," said Lizard. "What are you going to make fingers for? Our hands are good as they are," said Coyote, talking to Lizard. "What are we going to do if we shoot arrows, if we go out to hunt deer, if we go out to hunt small game?" said Lizard. Coyote sat here to the north; here to the south sat Cottontail Rabbit, Lizard, and Gray Squirrel. "Bad are our hands," they said to Coyote. "What are the women going to do when they pound acorns, for the people have no fingers. They will be able to take hold of the pestle if they have fingers. Let us make fingers," said Lizard, talking to Coyote. "They will use their elbows as pestles. They will hold the acorn mortar down with their legs whenever they Pound acorns, whenever they pound sunflower seeds, whenever they pound anything," said Coyote. "M'! m'! m'! m'! This is how they will do," said Coyote. "He!" said Lizard, "it is bad. Will they not hurt themselves in that way, if they use their elbows as pestles?" "It is bad," said Cottontail Rabbit. "I shall make fingers, so that it will be good for all the people in that way, and when they go out hunting they will be able to do

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well when they shoot, if they have fingers. Why do you talk about intending to change things around?" said Coyote. "I want to change things around because I don't like them as they are. Bad are the hands, they cannot do things well in that way."

It was good weather as it is now, [*134  the sun came out shining through the clouds. Lizard went down hill for a short distance to the south, all alone. He sat down and leaned his back against the rock. He looked around on the ground and saw small fragments of flint. Lizard picked up a fragment of flint and cut through his hand, making fingers. He cut his hands up into fingers. Many were the people at the village; no one saw him sitting to the south on the side of the hill. Lizard looked back up to the north, looked at his hand. He waved his hand around, did like this. "Hi'! Look, all of you, at my hand." They looked at Lizard's hand. "Hi'! Here is my hand!" The people looked at him while Lizard quickly moved his hand back to the ground among the rocks, for he did not want the people to see his hand all at once. "Well, well! Hu'i!" whispered the women, the children, the men; everybody saw the hand. Three times he quickly raised it up in that way, three times he quickly moved his hand back to the ground. "Hu'i!" they whispered, "he has fixed it, he has fixed his hand." But Coyote did not see it, did not know anything about it.

"People will do thus," (said Lizard). "Look how they will bend their bows." "Fix mine too. Cut through my hand," said one man, and Lizard did so. He cut through them, made five fingers in the people's hands. "Look how people will kill deer, how they will kill salmon, how the women will do when they have fingers. This is how women will do when they pound. They will hold the pestle in their hand. Now we have good hands." He came back up hill from the south and cut all of their hands. Coyote saw it. "How did you manage to get fingers? M'! Do so to me also! Cut through my hands!" said he to Lizard. "No!" said Lizard. "Let your hands be as they are!" and Coyote said nothing in reply. Now the people went hunting deer, killing deer with arrows, bows, and flints, for they

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now had fingers. Lizard said, "When women will have a baby, it will be born with fingers." Now he finished working at their hands. "It is good now. Our hands are good now," said all the people. "Why should we want to say more about it, for our hands are good now." For Coyote he made no fingers. Coyote sat on the north side of the sweat-house and did like this, hung his head down.

The people were very numerous, they were like blackbirds in number. There was no one who died, there was no poisoning by magic, there was no one that wept. The men grew old, but they did not die; the women grew old, but they did not die. It rained, and all the people went in together into the sweat-house. Then it snowed. Coyote had a son. He said, "Let us cause people to die." He spoke thus to the three men who were sitting here on the south side of the sweat-house. Lizard was holding his head down; there with him were Cottontail Rabbit and Gray Squirrel. All three men held their heads down, listening to Coyote's words, "It will be good if people die." Now Cottontail Rabbit, Gray Squirrel, and Lizard spoke, "M'! ?m! ?m'!" said Lizard. "People shall not die, we do not want to cry when people die," said Lizard. "It is true that people will die, but they will come back to life again. We will bury them in the ground when they die, and they will move up out again. In burying them when they die, we shall not bury them very deep." "Why should they come back to life again?" said Coyote. "When they die, let them die. If any one dies, we shall weep. (Imitating sound of weeping): That is what people will say, people will weep. If one's brother dies he will weep; if one's sister dies, he will weep; if one's child dies, he will weep: Hu! Like this they will put pitch on their eyes, they will put on white clay, like this; they will mourn. 'Wai! Wai! Wai!' that is how people will do when they weep. What could Lizard say, for he was beaten out?

It was snowing now, and the trees were all covered with snow. Lizard, Gray Squirrel, and Cottontail Rabbit whispered to one another. The people did not go out of the house, being afraid to go out because of the snow. The people were crowded in the

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sweat-house. A certain man became sick, Lizard himself having made him so. The sick man died. Coyote said nothing. One man is dead, but the people did not weep because of his dying there. "What shall we do with this dead man?" said Cottontail Rabbit. "Let us bury him." "Where is it that we shall bury him? There is too much snow outside." "Bury him here in the sweat-house, on the south side of the floor." They dug a hole and put him down into it, but not very deep. They covered him over with earth, while the snow was still falling. [*135  After he had been buried and they had caused him to lie down in his grave, the grave moved slightly. Coyote sat there, looking at the grave. The man who had died acted in that way, he kept moving his grave. The dead man was trying to come back to life again, so he kept moving it. Coyote looked at him as he moved it about, kept looking at him intently. The dead man moved up thus much from the grave. Coyote leaped up, jumped on the dead man and pushed him down into the grave. "Die!" said Coyote. He raised his foot and did thus, trampled down upon the dead man. "What are you coming back to life for? Die! Die!" Thus he did, trampling him down with his feet. The people did not say anything. Coyote went back to where he had been sitting before, he took his seat again on the south side. He still looked at the grave, but it no longer moved. Indeed he was dead for good now. "Now!" said Coyote, "Cry! Weep! Now that person is dead. We shall never see him again. Go ahead! Mourn with pitch! Go ahead! Smear pitch all over your faces! Go ahead!"

The people finished mourning. "Well! Let us go to hunt deer," said the people. A young man, Coyote's son, went along with them to hunt deer. "What shall we do to him? Let us make Coyote cry," said the people. There was a trail that ran to the east. A short distance to the east there was a yellow pine. and the trail to the east passed close by the yellow pine. "What shall we do? Let us make a rattlesnake." "Yes," they said. So a rattlesnake was made in the east. Here he was, curled

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around a tree. They told the rattlesnake what to do, and he said "Yes." There where the yellow pine was standing they laid him down. Now young Coyote came walking from the west along that trail. Indeed there was a rattlesnake there now, they had put it down there for young Coyote. Now young Coyote came close to the rattlesnake, when suddenly the rattlesnake jumped up upon him. He curled around young Coyote's legs. He shouted while the rattlesnake pulled him about and bit him. The rattlesnake killed young Coyote, so that he died. "Your child is dead," Coyote was told by the people. "Where?" "He lies dead to the east, he has been bitten by a rattlesnake." Coyote said, "Indeed!" as he wept. Coyote was now dancing around, putting dirt on his face. He acted like crazy, while the people carried young Coyote home to his house. Coyote said, "Well, my friend!" thus he said, speaking to Lizard, dancing around with grief. "Wai! Wai! Wai! My friend, you said that you would let people come back to life again after they die. Let my son come back to life again. I do not like to cry much. Let him come back to life." "'M 'm'!" said Cottontail Rabbit. "Cry! Cry! You said that you would cry. Weep! Weep! Put white clay on your face. You said that you would weep if your brother died. That is what you told us. Cry! Cry!"


VII. COYOTE AND HIS SISTER. [*152 

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Coyote was dwelling at Ha'udulilmauna. [*153  Coyote was living there alone with his sister. His sister pounded acorns, while Coyote went out to hunt small game. When it was dark Coyote came back home from hunting. The woman soaked acorns at a small creek to the south. In the morning Coyote went out to hunt small game, and came back again when it was dark. "Take this acorn mush," said his sister, giving Coyote some acorn mush to eat. Coyote ate the acorn mush with his fingers.

Coyote was sick. "I am sick," he said to his sister. "Indeed!" said the woman. "There has arrived here a person from the west, and have you not seen him?" he said to his sister. "So?" said the woman, "who may he be?" "A Killdeer person told me, he arrived here," he said to his sister. Coyote was sick. For two days Coyote was sick, and his cheek on one side of his mouth was swollen. "I'll tell you, sister, what the Killdeer person told me." "Indeed!" said the Coyote woman to her brother, "what was it that he said, when he told you the news?" "He says that they are going to have a dance, that is what he told me, and he came to tell us about it." "Indeed!" said the woman. The woman had no husband and Coyote had no wife. They two alone, he and his sister, stayed there together by themselves.

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The door of the house was on the south side. The woman came back from the south, having gone to fetch water. She went in by the door, but Coyote was lying there sick. He had put round stones into his mouth, so that Coyote's cheek was swollen. The woman went to him, there lay Coyote. Coyote Woman had gone out to fetch water and stood right there. "He!" said the woman, "go back inside! Move away! Move away from the door! Lie down yonder on the north! You might be hurting your cheek if I step on you." "?En" groaned Coyote with (pretended) pain. "Step over me, take your water. Step over me, sister." [*154  The woman did so, stepped over him. Coyote was lying on his back and yelped (when she stepped over him). [*155  "M'!" said the woman. "You see, why did you do that, not lying away from the door? I told you that your cheek would be hurt." She pounded acorns, and soaked them in a small creek to the south. Coyote Woman came back into the house, fetching water. Coyote was lying at the door. "Lie down away from here!" (she said). "Step over me, sister." "M'!" said the woman. The woman did as he asked her, stepped over him. Coyote yelped as before. "See now, you hurt your cheek."

"I shall tell you, sister, will you go to stay over night to have a dance? They say that the Killdeer people are going to have a dance. They say that they are going to have a dance there at Wi'tc'uman?na." "Yes," said the woman. "But I shall not go off, I shall not go to see how they dance," said Coyote, "but do you go to stay over night to have a dance! I shall tell you," said Coyote. "When the eastern people come they will have their faces blackened with black pitch. All those eastern people will be that way, having their faces blackened, and all of them will have faces that are quite black. When yon see the Ya'?wi [*156  people, (you will notice that) the Ya'?wi chief will be very tall and will talk loudly as dance leader." The woman listened with lowered head. "Pray do not look at those eastern people, but do look at the Ya'?wi. When the chief shouts as leader, take him

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and dance with him. One Ya'?wi will have sucker-fish fat rubbed all over his face. That one is the chief, look at him, and when it is night, take him to yourself!"

Coyote Woman fixed herself up nice. She painted herself with red paint, put her buckskin skirt about her hips, put on her white-grass tasseled dress, and put her tule basket-cap on her head. Ah! That woman was pretty. "Well, I shall go off, it is nearly dark." "Yes," said Coyote, "I must stay right home, for I am very sick," he said to his sister. Now the woman went off to the west, all alone. The sun was down already and it was night now. "Ha+u!" They danced, filing in towards the fire. Coyote Woman stood there, held her fists pressed against her cheeks. The woman did not look at the eastern people as they danced. "Ha+u!" said the Ya'?wi in the west, as they danced. The woman looked up in the night; she was very pretty. The woman looked to the west, the chief was shouting, "Heha'u! Heha'u! Heha'u!" Three times he shouted. Coyote's sister looked all around, looked at the chief. "That yonder must be the one," she said in her heart. "That is what my brother said to me. He told me to look at the chief, when he shouts as dance leader."

When his sister had gone away, Coyote took the stones out of his mouth and threw them away. He dressed himself up nice, put sucker-fish fat on his face. "I wish there might come to me an otter-skin quiver! I wish that I were tall!" It happened thus. Coyote became tall, and an otter-skin quiver full of arrows came to him. Coyote was very handsome. In the middle of the night Coyote went around and shouted, "Hau! hau! Hau! hau!" There he was, dancing as chief. The woman had come from the east. There was Coyote dancing, and there was the woman coming dancing from the east. The woman took hold of the Ya'?wi chief, took hold of her brother. They were dancing together, dancing during the night. Coyote pulled the woman off to the east (saying), "Let us go to the east! Come on with me!" The woman did so, going off to the east with him into the brush. They lay down to sleep, sat there talking to each other. Coyote tickled the woman, the woman did likewise to the man.

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He lay on the woman and put his arms about her, copulating with her, pushing the woman about. Of goodly size was the woman, fat and very pretty. When it was nearly daylight, Coyote got up again, having finished copulating. Coyote ran off home while the woman still stayed in the brush.

Coyote hastened back home to the east, running very fast. He went back into his house, and put his smooth round stones back into his mouth. Again Coyote lay down on the ground by the door. The woman came back home from the west running quickly. The woman was angry, thinking in her heart (about what had happened). She arrived home and saw how Coyote was going back into the house. She entered inside. Coyote lay down. The woman was pregnant now. "He!" said the woman, "get up, husband!" Coyote, with swollen cheeks. whined in answer, "It was not I who did it!" "Do not bawl!" said the woman. She took a stick and whipped Coyote as he lay on the ground. "Get up! Go and hunt deer, husband! I am pregnant." "I! I did not go away. It was not I that did it" (whined Coyote). "Yes!" said the woman, "I saw you." Now she gave birth to children, gave birth to them outside the house. Coyote as usual lay right inside. "Go out!" said the woman, "I am pregnant." She gave birth to ten little coyotes. She put them into her pack-basket and went down south to the creek. She turned her basket over into the creek and they floated westwards in the water. The woman returned from the south and arrived back home. Coyote arose, took the smooth round stones out of his mouth, and threw them away. Coyote went out of the house, ran down hill to the south. He ran west along the creek, following his children. The little coyotes floated westwards in the water; he ran west, following them along the creek. They floated on till they arrived at Wi'tc'uman?na, [*157  he still running west along the creek. Coyote had run west ahead of his children. He made a fish trap, twining it out of willow. He placed it in the water. There was Coyote, while the little coyotes came floating in the water from the east. They floated past the willow fish trap. Coyote hastened back out of the water. The little

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coyotes floated west, but he ran west ahead of them with his willow fish trap in his hand. When west of them, he hastened to the creek and put it into the water. The little coyotes came floating in the water from the east, floated west past it. "He!" said Coyote, "get up out of the water, boys, and get something to eat for yourselves." They floated west, floated till they arrived there at Hama'damtc!i. [*158  "Get up out of the water, boys." They did so, came up out of the water. They were now grown up young men. "Start off south for the hills across the plain." The young coyotes did so, scampered about in every direction to look for gophers, jumping on the gopher piles to mash the gophers to death. "Ah!" said Coyote, "that is good, boys. Spread out in every direction and get food for yourselves. I shall go back home," said Coyote. Coyote now went off, leaving his boys behind him.

Coyote went north and turned east, leaving Clover creek to the north. He went east to Bagat?didja'myak!aina, [*159  that far he went. Coming up from the west, Coyote had an otter-skin quiver, and very good was the flint in his quiver. He had white feathers and put them into a net-cap, an eagle's white breast and leg feathers he put into the net-cap. [*160  Coyote did not have merely arrow shafts put under his arm, these were all provided with flint arrowheads. Frost came from the east. Frost also had a net-cap filled with white feathers, he had his feathers made of snow. Very pretty were Frost's white feathers. Frost was going west, Coyote was going east; they met each other at Ganu'mya. [*161  "Hu!" panted Coyote. Coyote sat down, Frost

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sat down. "Whither are you going?" asked Coyote. "I am going west," said Frost. "Indeed! I am going east," said Coyote. "Indeed!" said Frost. "Tell me," said Coyote, "how are the east people getting along?" "There are no people. I did not see any," said Frost. "He! Very beautiful are your bow and your arrows. Hehe'!" Coyote said, "I should like to have your white feathers," but Frost said nothing. "Let us change about," (said Coyote). "This bow of mine is bad, these arrows of mine and my white feathers are bad." "Oh, well! Let us change about." "Yes," said Frost, and he gave him his arrows, his net-cap filled with white feathers and his bow. "Let us trade good things with each other." Frost handed his net-cap filled with white feathers to Coyote. Now Coyote put white feathers made of snow on his head; just so Frost put Coyote's white feathers on his head. "Well!" said Coyote, "I am going east. Do you for your part go west."

Now he went east, while Frost on his part went west; now they departed from each other. Frost laughed. Coyote went east, and (soon) said to himself, "I am sweating." Really it was snow that was melting, the water came dripping down on Coyote's face. He looked back at his bow, he looked back at his flints and arrows. No arrows were to be seen, no bow was to be seen, they had all melted away. Coyote stood there and looked all around; Frost had gone far off to the west and was no more to be seen. Coyote put his hand on his head, felt around on his head for his white feathers, but the white feathers were no more. Coyote stood still, pondering. "Dam?nima'na!" said Coyote, "you had good sense, young Frost! I thought indeed they were real white feathers," said Coyote. "That is why I changed about with you. You had good sense." He went on east with nothing now, without bow and without white feathers. Frost's white feathers did not melt, nor his bow and arrows. Coyote now went off home, until he arrived at Ha'udulilmauna.

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VIII. COYOTE AND HIS MOTHER-IN-LAW.

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Crow said, "I shall hunt deer." The people camped out to hunt, all the women camped out. They went out till they settled down to camp at Luwa'iha; [*169  the men were out hunting deer. Coyote was married to Mountain-Quail Woman, a young woman. Coyote said, "I do not want to have you camping out with me. It shall be my mother-in-law who will camp out with me. You stay home!" said Coyote. "I do not wish to camp out with my

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son-in-law," said old Mountain-Quail Woman. "All the old women have gone camping out. Go camping out! Go camping out! Camp out with him!" said the young woman to her mother. The people did so, camping out to hunt deer. The old woman started to camp out, to camp out with Coyote, while Coyote's wife stayed right at home. The women built camping-out houses, built at Luwa'iha with ma'du grass, with dead bark of pine trees, and with bark of bottom oak; they laid ma'du grass on thick on their houses. Also Mountain-Quail Woman built a house for Coyote.

The Crow people hunted deer together with the Blue Flies. The Buzzard people were there in great numbers, and others hanging around. Now they hunted deer and many deer were killed. They packed them home to the camping-out houses. The Blue Flies, Crows, and Buzzards did not really hunt deer, they looked for deer carcasses. They found a deer that was long dead. Crow said to Blue Fly, "I have found a deer carcass." "It is I who came upon it first," said Blue Fly. "I found the deer carcass. I saw the deer," said Crow. He disputed with Blue Fly. "It is I who came upon it first," (said Blue Fly). "Look at what I have shot on it!" He had thrown his excrement way ahead of him. Crow said no more, for he was beaten. Blue Fly carried off home the deer carcass that had been found by Crow.

When it was dark every one came back from hunting deer to his camping-out house. and it was about to rain during the night. The old woman, Mountain-Quail Woman, had a big vulva. Coyote had his bed on the east, over there on the east side of the house, while the old woman lay across from him on the west. It rained during the night, the water came pouring down on where Coyote was sleeping. "O mother-in-law! I am nearly dead frozen," said Coyote. "He!" said the woman, "I put lots of straw over your place of sleeping, son-in-law! Why should it leak?" (Coyote had said to himself,) "I wish that her part of the house should not leak!" "Your place of sleeping does not leak," (said Coyote). "I should like that we sleep together with heads and bodies averted from each other, mother-in-law!" [*170 

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[paragraph continues  "Turn your head away to the south, turn your head away to the south!" (she said). "I am nearly frozen to death," said Coyote. "I never heard of son-in-law and mother-in-law sleeping together with heads and bodies averted from each other. People never have that happen to them," said the old woman. The young woman did not carry about a vulva; (the old woman) carried all of it about and Coyote had seen the vulva. "You will put a rock acorn-mortar between our feet and I shall turn my head to the south," said Coyote.

The old woman turned her head to the north, while it kept on raining during the night. He put a rock, a rock acorn-mortar, between them. "Leak, leak! sleeping place! Do not leak! Mountain Quail Woman's sleeping place!" said Coyote to the rain. It did so to Coyote's sleeping place; there was much water all over it. "Do not leak (on her bed)!" In the middle of the night he caused the old woman to fall asleep. She did so. Now the old woman was sleeping, snoring. "O, away with mere talk! Shall I go on arguing about it?" Coyote got up from his bed on the ground and spread apart her loins. Now he copulated all night with his mother-in-law, pushing her about. The old woman did not wake up.

When it was nearly daylight Coyote ran off home, having, finished copulating. She was like a frog, for all her fat had been taken away from her. Coyote arrived home, running east to his, wife. The (old) woman ran home after him. She ran ran back east after him and arrived home. "Husband! Do not call me mother-in-law!" (she said to Coyote). Mountain-Quail Woman was pregnant. "So that is why you told me to go out camping with yourself! You intended to act in that way!" Mountain Quail Woman threw the children into the water but Coyote did not follow his children. [*171 

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IX. THE ROLLING SKULL.  [*191 

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Many were the people dwelling at Unte'unaha. [*192  Wildcat's wife was pregnant and he had a child born to him. The woman gave birth to a child; Wildcat did not go to hunt deer, for his wife had a child. [*193  Wildcat said, "Let us go to get pine nuts. We can do no other work now than to go to get pine nuts. And dress up your child!"

Now they went to the east together with their child. There were many pine nuts there, the trees were loaded down with them. "I shall climb up for them here. Let us get pine nuts." "Yes," said the woman. Wildcat climbed up the tree. He threw the pine nuts down one after another, broke off the pine-cones and threw them down. The woman had put her baby in its cradle down on the ground, and pounded the nuts out of the cones as Wildcat broke them off and threw them down below. He shouted down to his wife, "Are they big nuts?" The

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woman said, "Yes. Throw them all down," said the woman; "they are big nuts." He threw the pine nuts down, and said, "Hu!" He threw some more down, saying "Hu!" "Yes," said the woman. Wildcat spoke to her within his heart, spoke down to her, "Hehe'?! I wonder what's going to happen, for my sleep is bad." The woman did not answer. "Hu" He threw pine nuts down to the south, he threw them to the north, he threw them to the east, he threw them to the west. "Last night I dreamt in my sleep. I dreamt that I was throwing myself down. I threw down my shoulder, I threw down my other shoulder, I threw down my thigh, I threw down my other thigh." The woman did not turn back to look, as she pounded the nuts out of the cones; the baby was lying in its cradle on the ground. "I dreamt that I hurled down my backbone. I dreamt that I was rolling all over with nothing but my skull. I dreamt." The woman looked east to the digger pine. Blood was dripping down from the pine tree. The woman put her hand over her mouth, as she looked at the blood. The woman was afraid, and ran off home. He bounded about up in the tree, being nothing but a skull. The woman left her child behind her, forgot her child. She arrived, running, at the house. "I don't know what he is going to do. He has thrown his own members down, and bounds about up in the tree with nothing but his skull. Blood is dripping down from the digger pine. I am afraid," said the woman.

"Indeed!" said the people. "Let us run off to save ourselves. He might cause us all to die." The people did so, and started off to run for safety, running off to the south. They all went into the sweathouse at Wama'rawi, [*194  and put a sandstone rock on the roof to keep others out. The people filled the house, children, women, and men. Wildcat was saying, "Hu!" but the woman did not answer him. Wildcat's skull came bounding down, bounded down to the ground. He lay quietly there for a short while, not seeing his wife. Then he bounded around, nothing but a skull. He saw his child and swallowed it. "Am!" said Wildcat to his wife. He bounded back home to the west, he bounded back and arrived at his house. There were no people

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there. He bounded about to every house. There were no people. "Am! Where is it that you have all gone to, running away to save yourselves? I'll find you!" He followed all their tracks, as he bounded about. He found their tracks which they had made in moving to the south. "Am! I shall find you," said he, as he bounded off to the south. He cut bottom-oaks down one after another, he cut the brush down. He bounded on to the rocks, and burst them to pieces. He bounded south to P'u'ls*u?aina, [*195  rolling along to the west, a human skull. He was like a strong wind, thus he was as he went along. [*196 

He bounded up hill to the south to 'O'djinimauna, [*197  following the people's tracks. He bounded on until he arrived at Wama'rawi. "Let me in, you people, I want to enter," said the human skull. "Don't say anything," (they whispered to one another). "Don't let him in," said the people. He was not allowed to enter. "Let me enter, you people!" "Don't you let him get in! Be quiet!" "Yes!" he now said outside within his heart. "You people won't let me in, won't you?" He bounded back a little way to the north, and came back swiftly, a human skull, on the ground from the north. He was very strong, and cut up all the bushes everywhere, cut up all the trees. He was going to burst into the house, but he could not, or it was too strong. He bounded off to the east. He came bounding back from the east, intended to burst west into the house. The sweat-house shook, but it was too strong for him to break in. He bounded off to the south. He came bounding back from the south, intended to burst into the house from the south side, but it was too strong for him. The people were heard talking inside the sweat-house. He bounded off to the west. He bounded back from the west, acted like a flint arrow-head, so strong was he, but he could not break into the house. He lay quiet a while, in order to rest. There he lay. "Hehe'?!" said the human skull. "You people were very sensible." He bounded up into the air, intended to burst into

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the house from above, through the door. He came bounding down, but could not burst through the roof, for the house was too strong for him. He bounded up again (saying to himself), "I shall try it once more. Perhaps I shall succeed in bursting through the house." He did so, bounded away up into the air. He came bounding down, but bounced back. That human skull had nearly burst into the sweat-house, for the sandstone rock was already pounded thin. The people inside were afraid. "He'! It looks as if we shall all die. It seems that he is about to burst into the house," said the people. Wildcat bounded back down hill to the north, and lay there now on the ground. "Why should I try to burst into the house? The sweat-house is too strong for me."

He bounded back to the north, rushed back as far as Old Cow creek. He arrived rushing back at what had been his house. "Whither, now, shall I go?" He bounded north and met some people. He killed the people and went on rushing to the north. He rushed down hill to the north at Djit'p'ama'uwitc'u. [*198  He killed ten people, and went rushing up hill to the north. He was heard coming by all the people, rushing along, acting like a wind, as he came rushing on. He rushed on as far as K!a's*ip!u. [*199 

Coyote was coming from the north at I'da'lmadu. [*200  Coyote had on an elk-skin belt and carried a quiver of otter-skin. Coyote stood there, listening, listened down on the ground. "That must be the human skull," said Coyote. He was coming from the north. "I am going to meet him," said Coyote in his heart. "I do not think that I shall be killed. I hear that he is killing the people." The human skull came rushing down hill from the south; Coyote on his part was coming from the north. Coyote stood still right there at Djewint'a'urik!u. [*201  "Heh! What shall I do?" He took off his belt, and hid his otter-skin quiver

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and net-cap in the brush. The human skull came rushing from the south, approaching nearer and nearer. Coyote said, "I wish there may be to me an old, ugly-looking pack-basket. I wish there may be to me an old, ugly-looking apron of shredded bark. I wish there may be to me an ugly-looking skirt." It was so. The skirt, the old pack-basket, and the apron of shredded bark came to him. "I wish there may be to me pitch, white clay." He besmeared his head with pitch, put it on thick on his face; he just managed to look through his eyes, because of the pitch. The human skull came bounding from the south. "I am going to cry," said Coyote. He carried the old pack-basket on his back, thus did Coyote as he came from the north, while the human skull approached nearer and nearer from the south. "He! he! he!" he sobbed, "he! he! he!" Coyote was walking along with the help of a stick. The human skull lay quiet a while, listening to the person crying. Coyote came up to the human skull. Coyote looked at the human skull and cried, "I hear that you were bad in the south. What are you acting that way for?" The rolling skull spoke, "I was dreaming," he said to Coyote. "My wife was having a child, and I dreamt that I threw my own body down. I dreamt that I was bounding about, merely a skull." Coyote spoke to the human skull, "Hehe'?! I should like to bake you on hot rocks, because if you continue to act that way, bounding about, merely a skull, you will surely die. I have seen a person that way before, acting like you because of a bad dream, and I have caused him to be a person again," said he, speaking to the human skull, who lay there, big-eyed, consisting of nothing but his eyes. "I put wood and rocks into a hole. I made a round hole, and packed wood." Wildcat was listening to what Coyote was telling him. "And I built a fire down in the hole. I put lots of wood on the fire, so that it burned well, and I put rocks on the fire, big rocks, and when the rocks were hot, I went to look for pitch. I mixed soft pitch with old, red pitch. Hu! I besmeared that skull of yours all around with pitch, I smeared pitch all over it, nice and smooth. Hu! And I put the skull down in the hole," he said to Wildcat. "'S*' said the pitch, as it spluttered away."

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"Do that to me, please," said the human skull. "I put hot rocks, big rocks, on top. Hu! And while the pitch said 'S*!' the skull stretched out until it became a person again, and hu! it arose out of the fire, having again become a person." (Wildcat agreed to let Coyote do thus to him. When he became heated up, he attempted to burst out, but could not.) It shook all around. Wildcat no longer moved about at all, for he was dead now. He had tried to burst up out, but in vain. "Aha'! Hehe!" said Coyote. "You can't beat me. I was never beaten in anything." He took his quiver and bow out of the brush again, threw away his pack-basket, threw away his apron of shredded bark, threw them all away. He put on his belt and tied his hair up into a top-knot. "There's no such a thing as my being beaten!" Coyote now went to the south. He went up hill to the south, came to the top of the hill, and proceeded south, went until he came to Djit'p'ama'uwitc'u. He kept going south until he arrived at Wama'rawi. Many were the people in the sweathouse. "Come out of the house, all of you," said Coyote, shouting inside to them. "I have killed the human skull. I killed him over there at Djewint'a'urik!u." The people did so, all came out of the house. They all now went off home, going back to the east, going back to the south, going back to the west, going back to the north.



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II. NORTHERN DIALECT (Gari'?i.)  [*202 

  

X. COYOTE, PINE MARTEN, AND LOON.  [*207 

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Coyote went around looking for gophers' roots by tapping with a stick at Yu'mimadu, [*208  he felt about for gophers' holes by tapping. Suddenly he heard someone coming to him singing. "Heh!" he said. "Ih!" he said. He looked all around, when suddenly he saw two girls. "Ih!" he said. He threw away his open-work carrying basket, he threw away his digging-stick. He threw away the pitch. He took off and threw off his signs of mourning. Now he put on his buckskin trousers. He put dentalia on his shirt, he put dentalia on his moccasins.

(He said to them,) "Do you go there, to my house! Yes, they said. Bull-Frog Woman, Coyote's wife, was pounding acorns. "He!" she said, "what are you going in there for? Who told you to go there? Pine Marten is dwelling yonder, up

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towards the south. Two black-bear skins are hanging up; just look at them! This is Coyote living here. Don't look at him! This is Coyote here living between the two houses. He has stolen the black-bear skins from the next house on the west. [*209  Don't go into Coyote's house! This here is Coyote. The people have gone into yonder house. They have come back home from hunting and have been staying over there.

(The elder sister said,) "I do not know about this. We see the black-bear skins. We should enter the house. Our father told us, 'You will go as far as that.'" (They argued as to whether they should go in or not, but finally they entered. When Coyote returned he said to them,) "I suppose they are going to bring back meat. It is dark already. I always distribute deer meat. I hire those fellows yonder. Everyone has been carrying home deer meat, everyone has been killing deer, and they have already come back home. I feel ashamed because I have no meat left over. I always give food to everybody, and it is my custom to distribute it. Now I shall go east to the next house." (He said to his wife,) "Make a big fire. We shall roast the meat."

Coyote looked on while Pine Marten's people were eating, but did not enter the house. Bones were thrown out of the house to him, one after the other, and he swallowed them. They were thrown out to him, and he kept swallowing the deer bones. He finished, went back west to his house, stood on the roof of his sweat-house. He cut out pieces of flesh from his hams. He went into the house (saying to his wife,) "I have no meat left over. Cook this! Feed them with it!" (To the girls he said,) "I always do so; I never have any left over. [*210  Tomorrow I shall have some left over, and you shall have plenty to eat." "Ih!" she said. "It seems to be human. It does not taste like deer meat; it tastes like human flesh. We were not told to enter here. It seems to be Coyote who lives here. Pine Marten lives in the next house on the east. I smell nothing but deer fat over there. We

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were told that Coyote lives between the two houses. You have no sense," (she said to her elder sister).

She went east to the next house when it was daylight. She entered the house. (Pine Marten's mother said to her,) "You two thought that that was somebody living over there. That is Coyote. He has stolen the black-bear skins. That is Coyote living there, those hides belong to us." (After she had been given much to eat she returned to her sister, and said to her,) "I have been given food; I have eaten much. He yonder is really the one (we are looking for). I told you so before, but you wouldn't listen. Eat this here! Much have I eaten." "Well," (her sister said,) "I shall go and bathe. We shall go east to the next house." (Pine Marten's mother) spread out a black-bear skin on the ground for them. "Do you two enter! I don't know what Pine Marten will do. Perhaps he won't turn to look at you." She roasted food and gave it to them to eat. "Do you eat this! Probably you were told to come here." (When they came back from hunting) someone said, "Hm! She smells like Coyote's divorced wife." "Sh!" (said Pine Marten's mother,) "don't say that! My son might feel ashamed. Just behave yourself! Don't talk in that way," she said.

(Coyote was very angry, and said to himself,) "You think you will go out to hunt deer! Now I shall cause it to rain." It rained and it was like winter. The water rose high. (All the people were inside Pine Marten's sweat-house, and Coyote put it on fire.) "It is I that did it," (said Coyote). They all survived together. The sweat-house burned all up. (They said,) "Let us escape. Let us all go up into the sky." Coyote said, "I shall go along with you. Oh, I shall lie on my belly in the bottom of the basket." "You will not do right," (they said to him). "I shall just lie down on my belly in the bottom of the basket," he said. "Do you all get inside now!" (said the chief. To Spider Woman he called out,) "Pull us up to you!" She pulled them up. (When they were approaching the sky, (someone noticed that Coyote was making a hole, and said,) "Oh! it's going to break apart!" "Heh!" (said Coyote to Pine Marten's people). "Now you know, do you not, that I am jealous of you." The basket broke apart and fell down to the ground.

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 [*211  (All were burnt to death except one). An old gray-haired woman, Bo''nuyaup!a, [*212  alone survived. She cried, "Whither now shall I go? I shall go far away to the north. Two who still survive there will indeed take pity on me. I shall hire them." (She went up north.) There were geese there in great numbers. Many of them were killed (by those two). "We kill many of them," (they said to her). "Have you not perchance seen her who has destroyed us all? You may have done so." "Yes," they said. "We have seen some one. Perhaps indeed it is that one whom you mean." "Perhaps she wears a bead necklace," she said. "Yes, she wears a white necklace of beads." "Would that you took pity on me!" (she said. "Kill her for me!") "I shall indeed do so this very same night." (That night he killed the Loon Woman and took off the necklace of beads. Every bead was really the heart [*212a  of one of the people that had been burnt to death. He gave the necklace to Bo''nuyaup!a).

"Now I shall be happy. Now I shall go off home." She came back home to her house. She struck the hearts, and the people came back to life. They all came back to life. "You thought concerning me, did you not, 'She has no sense.' You would have treated me in that way! But my friends are dwelling yonder, far away in the north. I suppose you said to yourself, 'I have killed them all,' did you not? But you did not kill them. You thought you were sensible. It was you who thought of killing me." [*213  Now it is ended.

  

XI. THE DROWNING OF YOUNG BUZZARD'S WIFE.  [*215 

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(Buzzard's son said to his people,) "Now dig for roots! They are ripe already. Let us climb sugar pines. We shall move tomorrow and you will settle down there. Now I shall climb for sugar-pine nuts, they are ripe already. The people will all come there, and we shall settle down there where there is a nice spring, I think the people will come here. We shall wait for them." Many were the people that came together. (The chief said,) "Now let us climb for sugar-pine nuts, and take food along." (To the women he said,) "Now you will dig for tiger-lilies. Now procure food for yourselves. Probably you will not like to climb (sugar-pines). If you finish it, they will have food for themselves."

(They all went off to Silver Lake [*216  to get sugar-pines nuts. Buzzard's son told his wife not to venture into the water, but when he was gone she said,) "I should like to go into the water there. Let me see! Let us go to drink." "Do not go to drink," (she was told). "Why should I be afraid? I shall go to drink." She saw logs bobbing up and down in the water. "Let me see!" she said. "I can swim across yonder to the west." They missed her and looked around. "Let me see!" she said, "I shall try it. I can swim out of the water." "You would not be able to swim out of the water," (she was told). She took off her skirt, (saying,) "I shall swim into the water. Just see me!" She swam to the west. They were many who saw her. Now she sank right between the logs. "I told you that before," (she was told). Her buckskin skirt and tassels beaded with pine nuts remained as she had left them. Then they cried. "Why is it that you are crying?" (Buzzard's Son asked them). "She is sinking." "I told you, 'Do not take her to the water!' It is your fault. It

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would have been good if I had been there myself. To think that I should have come here just for that! I shall stop (climbing for sugar-pine nuts). Let us look for her! Pray do so, to see if I can find her. Let us try it. She is a good girl." (He said to one,) "Run back to the people! They shall come here." He ran back, telling them to come. "Yes," they said. "Let me see!" he said, "I will try to save her." They drew off the water by means of a ditch. "You will probably not be able to draw it off, you will not draw off the water," (they said to him). "What, now, shall we do? Do you all clean out the ditch! I hardly think we shall be able to find her. We shall not find her. She must have sunk straight down, she must have sunk right between the two logs. That is a bad place."

They all went back home, parting from one another. Some stayed together right there. "No longer," (he said), "shall I procure winter food for myself. Now I have done with that. Alas! I was happy, I did not think that this would happen to me. Now I shall have done." "Why, pray," (her mother said to him,) "did you let her go off? You should have taken water while on your way. You were foolish." "I did not know. I should have gone with her, but she just rain off by herself. She should have told me, 'Let us go and drink.' She was angry. I am not good. My heart feels grieved." They all arrived home, they lay down in the ashes in the fireplace. [*217  Also the men did so. Her people, those who had climbed for (sugar-pine nuts), cried. They piled the pine-nuts into the fire. [*218 

(Before she had left, Buzzard's wife) had said, "Perhaps I shall not again enter the house. I dreamt that I was dying. Pray burn up all of these things." "I am afraid," (said her mother,) "of your speaking in that manner." "We shall probably be away two months climbing for (sugar-pine nuts)," (said her daughter,) "and I shall perhaps die. I shall not again enter my house." "I shall cry because you speak in that manner," (said her mother). "Truly, you shall indeed find it out." Her mother wept. Now she is dead. Her hair now comes flying back

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home. It comes blown back home. (She had said,) "I shall surely have died if my hair comes hither, blown back by the wind." "Take along with you," (said her mother,) "your tasseled buckskin skirt and your apron fringed with white grass. Put your beads about your neck." "Yes," she said. "Now, mother," she said, "good-bye! [*219  You shall not see me again." "I am afraid," (said her mother). "Stay at home. I am afraid for you." "Father, do not feel bad. Just cry a little bit for me. You shall grow old. Mother! pray do not cry much. If you see people eating, do not go over to the next house. If you see food over there, pray hold your head down. [*220  You were happy in raising me. I did not think before that I should take a husband."

  

XII. COYOTE, HERON, AND LIZARD.  [*240 

  153 

"Do you all come together! I intend to move north the day after tomorrow; I want to camp out for a dance in the north. Get food together! Tomorrow we shall eat before starting out. Dance! Try it now! Let us go to camp out for a dance, let us go out to camp in the north country. Let us go to eat their salmon. They must be getting salmon already." (Thus spoke the chief of the Geese people.) They danced. "Try it! You are going to have a dance. Get ready to start when it is daylight! Get ready your feathers, get ready your aprons fringed with pine-nut shells. Get ready your 'u'miyauna aprons. What shall stay over night at Ci'p!a; [*242  you will have a dance there, you will practice there, as it is a very good place. You will dig for annis roots at that place, and you will take them along as food. You will dig also for da'mna roots. There we shall remain for two nights. After that we shall start to move along ahead to Djewit?t'a'urik!u [*243  and to I'da'lmadu. [*244  There you will practice dancing and will get sunflower seeds. You will rest there and gather sunflower seeds, for the North people [*245  are very fond of sunflower seeds." Now they proceeded

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to the north. It was Lizard [*246  who had sent word for all the people to come to a dance.

(When they had come near to the north country, the chief said,) "We shall move to yonder place. Make yourselves nice and clean! Let us dance up to there! Lizard has sent word to you, 'Dance!' He has just sent for me, and has told me, 'Dance up to here!'" They started in dancing now, while Lizard shouted encouragingly to them. "It is good," said Lizard. There were all sorts of Geese people there from every place. "Be seated here!" said Lizard. "You will eat soon," he said. "Soon you will have a dance. I have killed a person, that is why I am having a good time." (The chief of the Geese people) spoke in reply, "Yes, that is why I have come hither. I like to have a good time. These children like to have a dance, and that is why I have brought them hither from the south." "It is very good," said Lizard. "I rejoice to see you," said the chief of the Geese people. (Lizard said,) "I have a large sweat-house; they will have much salmon to eat, for I am wont to catch them. Soon you will have a dance."

(Lizard said to his people,) "Go for some kindling wood, so that we may have a fire to give light. Do you people cut wood, so that these people may cook." They all went off together to get kindling wood. (The chief of the Geese said to his people,) "Give them annis roots as food, you have brought along sunflower seeds."

Lizard had sent word to every place. He had sent all over for people to come to his dance, and Heron Woman heard about it. (Coyote, her husband, said to her,) "You should go to spear salmon, I should like to eat some fresh salmon. I am always eating ma'ls*unna roots." "Yes, indeed I shall do so. I shall go to the river to look for salmon. You, for your part, will go to tap around for gophers' holes, while I go tomorrow to get salmon."

She held her salmon spear and looked into the river, waiting

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for salmon. All at once a sucker came swimming from the west. "Go on east to K!a''djade, [*247  to Cibu'p'k!aimadu." [*247  Soon another sucker came swimming from the west. "I do not like you," (she said,) "your bones might get stuck in my throat. Swim on east to Cibu'p'k!aimadu." All at once a salmon came swimming from the west. She speared the salmon. Then another one came swimming from the west and, (after spearing it she ceased. Now she built a fire and cut open the salmon. Then she put it on the fire to roast. After some time she took it off again and ate the salmon, dipping it into acorn mush. When she had finished eating she put the remains away into a basket, and cleaned everything up nice and smooth. (She said to the salmon remains,) "Pray do not smell. Coyote might smell it." She put them away, cleaning things up nice and smooth. Now she braided tassels, making a tasseled buckskin skirt. After three days of braiding she finished her apron of white ma'ha grass, and twined a tule basket-cap and a willow basket-cap.

It was already dark when Coyote came back home with bruised legs; ugly he looked, and he was all covered with mud. She, the Heron Woman, was wont to come back home when it was dark, satiated. Coyote baked his ma'ls*unna roots and his annis roots, picked out the big ones, (and said to her), "You should eat these annis roots." "I do not care to eat them," Heron Woman was wont to reply. "Eat these roots for which I have gone far off. Why is it that you do not eat raw food? [*248  What is it that you have eaten?"

Again she did so for herself. She went off early in the morning and did as before, got salmon for herself. She caught four salmon, put them down on the rocks, and dried the pounded red flesh of the salmon. She used to dry the pounded flesh and, after cleaning things up smooth, put the remains away. "Pray do not

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smell!" she said, "he might transgress your taboo." [*249  When it was dark, Coyote came back home. "I feel sick," said Heron Woman, "I have a toothache." "Indeed!" said Coyote. "When was it that you became sick?" "I dreamt something, and I am always sick." "What is it that you dreamt of?" "I was just dreaming of something," said Heron Woman. "My cheeks are swollen." "Indeed!" said Coyote. "I have a toothache. Dig up tc'i'l?awauna [*250  roots, you will pound them up and put it on my cheeks." "Yes, indeed, I shall do so. You should eat baked roots; have baked ma'ls*unna roots." Coyote was wont to kill ground squirrels, he was wont to kill gophers, he was wont to kill moles. She put raw acorns into her mouth. "My cheeks are swollen," she said. "I cannot swallow. You should put hot rocks into water, so that I may be able to drink it. My throat is swollen." "I shall come back home when it is dark," said Coyote. "Pray do not come back home when it is dark, please come home somewhat earlier." "I always run about to a great distance."

Again Heron did as before. She took her raw acorns out of her mouth and put them down on the ground, where she was accustomed to sleep. Again she caught salmon. She caught five salmon, put them on the rocks to roast, and pounded up the red flesh. She never gave him any salmon to eat, she never gave him any food. When it was dark, she returned home as before. The people were having a great dance. She said, "They say that they have been having a dance for three nights. I want my swelling to burst, I want it to burst," she said, always speaking falsely. "It will be good," (said Coyote), "if your swelling burst." "Let me see!" (said Heron Woman to herself,) "I shall go to camp out where they are having a dance." She was wont to take her skirt secretly, her buckskin skirt, tasseled with ma'ha grass. "Pray do not be seen!" (she said to her skirt). She now ran off at night to stay over night where they were having a dance. "Do not build a fire," she said (to Coyote). [*251 

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[paragraph continues  "Pray act as though sick, as I always do; groan, build a fire when it is already daylight," (she said to her acorns). Now she went off, and danced with the people while Coyote kept on sleeping. "Here comes the fine dancer," (said Lizard,) "Coyote's widow!" [*252 

When it was just about to dawn, she was wont to run back home along the river. She entered her house again, put the acorns into her mouth again, and again lay down on the ground. "Where are you now? Have you gone away already? Come and build a fire for me! I feel cold." "Heh!" said Coyote, "I have been sleeping soundly." He arose and scurried about at his work. "Do look at my cheeks!" she said, "the swelling will burst." Have you not perchance heard that the people are having a dance?" (said Coyote). Lizard was having a great dance. "Indeed!" she said, "I have not heard anything about it. They did not come here to say anything about it. I have not heard," said Heron Woman.

As was his wont, Coyote went off to tap around for gophers' roots, never staying at home. Now the woman went off again to stay over night where they were having a dance. This time Coyote found it out. "Here comes the fine dancer," (Lizard was saying,) "Coyote's widow!" "Ih! My name is being called," said Coyote. "He calls it," he said. "Yes, it is good," said Coyote. "It seems that you think that you are sensible. It is I who am a sensible person, I am a great one." Now he went off when it was daylight. "You will not throw me away. So that is why, as it turns out, you reject my food! I run about in every direction, looking for food, saying to myself, 'Let her not be hungry!', and you reject it. Perchance you think you have much sense? I am one that am superior to all, I am superior to my brother chief. I am a person that has much sense. You will not rejoice." Now Coyote went off.

"I shall go for wood," said Lizard, "I shall soon come back home. The kindling wood was very good." He went for it; Lizard split up the kindling wood very fine. Suddenly Coyote came crying down hill from the south, he was weeping. (Coyote

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was dressed up as an old woman, and pretended to carry a baby. He was really carrying his penis, wrapped up like a baby.) "It seems to be Coyote, is it not?" said Lizard. "Is it you who are chopping wood?" said Coyote. "Yes, I am the one that am giving the dance. Many are the people that have come together here," said Lizard. "I have sent word to every place for all the people to come," he said. "I am coming back here," said Coyote; "this here is my orphan child; my husband has been killed." "Indeed!" said Lizard. 'Well! I shall go down to help them,' I was saying to myself. That is why I returned to this place here. Where is it that you are accustomed to go back home?" "I always go back down hill here to the north." He tied the kindling wood with rope made of tc'ilha'imadu, with rope made of ba'ni-bark strands. "It is heavy," said Lizard. "It was never that way before," he said. (Coyote had wished to himself that the burden should be heavier than usual.) "I shall push the burden on to you. It is heavy," he said. "It is generally light. Why is it that it is that way?" he said. "Stand in front of me. Pull the burden from me on to yourself." "I might fall," said Coyote, "I shall just push it onto you." (Coyote had put down a piece of sharp flint on which Lizard would have to kneel in drawing the burden on to his shoulders.) And then Coyote pushed it on to him. "Away with all this talking!" (said Coyote to himself). Lizard did (as Coyote had intended), and the veins of his knees were cut through. Now Lizard was dead.

"Yes! I shall treat you people in that way." And then he took off Lizard's skin and put it on himself so as to resemble him. "Pray go back to our house. If she wishes to have a fire made for her, pray go and enter the house and build a fire for her. If she wishes to have a poultice put on her, put a poultice on each cheek," (said Coyote to his penis). Coyote's penis did so. It put poultices on Heron. Now Coyote took up the wood and carried it, putting Lizard's appearance on himself. Then he went back down hill to the north.

"The chief has come back home, he was out to get wood, (said the people). He stepped on top of the ladder of the sweathouse and he put down the wood, and now he entered the house. Water was poured on his face; he blinked. "That one must be

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[paragraph continues  Coyote, for he blinks," (they thought). "You will soon have a dance," he said. "I have a sore throat, because of my shouting. Soon you will all go to sleep. Dance!" he said. Just then his faithless wife came. "Amm! You will act in that way indeed, will you? Perhaps you think that you will live?" [*253  he said (to himself). "So you try to fool me when I am asleep, do you? (Aloud:) "Hehe! Here comes the fine dancer, Coyote's wife! Soon you will all go to sleep," he said. "You will dance in the daytime tomorrow; you will dance till night-fall."

Now they were all asleep, sleeping all together, snoring. Now Coyote smeared pitch around the sweat-house, smeared pitch on the feet of all of them, smeared pitch on the people. "Do not run out to save yourselves!" Now Coyote went out of the house. The people in the sweat-house burned up. "That is what I always do when I am angry. Now cook for your loved one! What I do is good," he said. "So that is how you act, is it? That is why you reject food? I go far off to get roots for you, and you reject them!"

Duck alone saved himself, and with him was Goose; Goose was burnt, burnt off on one side. Then he walked flat on his feet into a lake. Duck did likewise. "Now he has taken revenge on us. Why did he act in this way to us?" With them were also Ground Squirrel and Gray Squirrel. "Whither shall we go?" they said. "If I recover," (said Goose,) "I shall go back to the south. I should not have listened to (Lizard's invitation)." "Do not speak thus," said Duck. "Go straight north to the far north! Go still further north! I shall think it out," he said. "Let me see! Go east to the Hat Creek Indians," said (Goose), "and go east to the people dwelling across the river to the north, and go east to the people of I't'a'urik!u. [*254  Go over to the south to the S*uk!o'niya," [*255  he said, "go east to the rising sun. I also

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shall be wont to do so," said Goose and Crane, "I shall go straight north. I never thought that I should do that. I was very happy at home; I had plenty to eat. Never did I think that I would do that. A meteor will fall down and burst," he said, "and the water will boil. It will be that way also down the river to the west. [*256  People will lie down in them if they are sick in any way." (He spoke to Ground Squirrel,) "You will be he who will always look around for food," (and to Gray Squirrel,) "while you will be he who will jump about among the yellow-pines, you will get yellow-pine nuts, and you will be satiated. I shall have my place here. I shall also be north across the river from here at Wacu'p'di [*257  for that is a very good place. To that place there will be a bridge going north across the river, and the place will be called Diri'p!oha. [*258  That place will be heard about all over, and people will say, 'Let us go to bathe at Diri'p!oha.' It will be only slightly warm at Wacu'p'di; so it will be across the river from here. Wild plums will grow in that place, mut!s*u and ma'ls*unna roots will also grow there. Salmon will swim to the north, trout will swim to the north."

  

XIII. THE FINDING OF FIRE.  [*268 

(Translated from Curtin's "Creation Myths of Primitive America," pp. 365-70.)  [*259 

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In the beginning Au Mujaupa had fire very far down south on the other side of a big river. The people in this country had no real fire; they had a kind of fire, but it wasn't good. It just warmed a little; it wouldn't cook like the fire we have now. People killed deer and fished, but they had to eat fish and venison raw.

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In the west people had fire, but it wouldn't cook. In the north there were many people, and in the east; but they had no fire that would cook.

"There must be fire in some place," said the people at Pawi; "how can we find it?"

"I will go out to-night to look," said Ahalamila.

That night he went to look for fire. He went to the top of Wahkanopa, looked east and west, saw no fire in either place. Next he looked north; no fire in the north. He looked south; saw no fire anywhere.

Ahalamila came home and talked to the chief and people. "I saw no fire," said he; "I could not see any, but I will go to a better place the next time and take some one with me. I will go to-morrow night to the top of Wahkalu. Who here has a good head, who has a sharp eye to see fire? I want to look for fire to-morrow night from the top of Wahkalu; from that place I will look all around the whole world to find fire."

"We have a man here," said the chief, "who can see through a tree, who can see down through the earth to bed rock, who can see through a mountain. You can take him to-morrow night with you. He is Siwegi."

Ahalamila went to Siwegi. "Will you go to-morrow night to look for fire?" asked he.

"I will go if the way is not too long."

"Oh," said Ahalamila, "it will not be long. I will shorten it."

Siwegi agreed to go; and when the time came, they started. Ahalamila doubled up the trail and made it short; in an hour they were on the top of Wahkalu, both ready now to look for fire. The night is very dark; they can see the smallest fire easily.

They look to the east, look with great care, look a good while, see no fire; they look to the north in the same way, see no fire; they look to the west, no fire there. Now Ahalamila looks south, looks a long time, and sees nothing; he looks half an hour to the south, sees a little glimmer like a light very far away. '

"Siwegi," said he, "I see a small light down south; it seems like fire far away. I think it is fire."

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"Look again," said Siwegi, "look sharply. Maybe it is fire." "I have looked enough, I think it is fire," said Ahalamila; "but I want you to see it, I want you to look now."

Siwegi looked a little while. "Yes, that is fire," said he.

"Well," said Ahalamila, "we see fire, we know that it is far off in the south."

Ahalamila made the road short, and they were back at Pawi in an hour. "We have found fire," said Ahalamila to the chief and the people. "We know where fire is, we can have fire now."

"We must have that fire," said the people.

"There is no way to get the fire but to go for it," said Ahalamila.

"Well," said the chief, "since Ahalamila saw the fire he will go for it; but the road is long. Who will go and help him? Who will go for fire with Ahalamila?"

About fifty men offered to go, and they started next morning. The journey was long and very hard. Soon two or three men were tired and went home; not long after more were tired, and when they had gone far down to a great river, just north of where the fire was, of the fifty who started only three were left,--Ahalamila, Metsi, and old Shushu Marimi.

Just south of the great river Au Mujaupa had a very big village, and in the village a large sweat-house. In that house he kept the fire, and had a great crowd of people living in the country outside who served him, and kept every one in the world from stealing his fire. These people were Patcha, Chil Wareko, Chil Daiauna, Sabil Keyu, Juhauju, Juwaju, Jukami, Jukilauju.

The three, Ahalamila, Metsi, and old Shushu Marimi, were at the northern end of the bridge, and sat there watching till all at the sweat-house was quiet. The bridge was very narrow and slippery; so Ahalamila put pitch on his feet and hands, and on Metsi's and Shushu's feet and hands. All three crossed without slipping, and found every one asleep in the sweat-house.

The old chief, An Mujaupa, had covered the fire well with ashes. All was silent within and without. Ahalamila, Metsi, and Shushu. crept onto the sweat-house quietly, and looked in. All were asleep.

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"I will go down first," said Metsi.

"No, I will go first," said Ahalamila. "I will get the fire and reach it to you; you take it and run very fast."

Ahalamila slipped down. Metsi and Shushu remained on the roof. Ahalamila opened the fire carefully, took out a good piece and handed it to the old woman. She put it in her ear. He handed her another; she put it in her other ear, slipped down from the top of the sweat-house, ran across the bridge, and hurried away.

Ahalamila gave Metsi two pieces. He put them in his two ears and started. Ahalamila filled his own ears and followed.

The three had run over two mountains when Au Mujaupa woke up and saw that the ashes had been opened, and that fire had been taken, that a coal had fallen near the central pillar. He sprang up, went to the top of the sweat-house, shouted, called to all his people,--

"Fire has been stolen! Fire has been stolen! Go, you, and follow!"

Now Patcha, Chil Wareko, Chil Daiauna, Sabil Keyu, and all the wind people rose up and followed, raced and stormed in every direction. So much rain came that the whole country was covered with water.

Now Juwaju was ahead of all Au Mujaupa's people chasing the three robbers. Chil Wareko came too, and fell upon the three furiously; he drenched and chilled them. Next came Jukami and Patcha, who nearly froze them.

Metsi was almost dead; the fire went out in both his ears. Ahalamila lost his fire too. Chil Wareko, Juwaju, and Patcha quenched it, then he let it fall.

Old Shushu. was behind a good way, but she ran all the time. She kept her hand on one ear as she ran. She lost the fire out of her other ear, and when the piece fell out it broke in two and fell apart. Chil Wareko picked up the fire and took it back; he found six pieces, thought that he had all. He and the others stopped following.

Ahalamila and Metsi ran ahead, left old Shushu to get on the best she could, and reached home first. They were wet, very cold, and tired.

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"Where is your fire?" asked the chief.

"I have none; Chil Wareko took my fire," said Ahalamila.

"Where is your fire?" asked the chief.

"Chil Wareko took it," said Metsi.

The chief was very sorry, and all the people were sorry. The old woman did not come, and the people said, "She must be frozen dead."

At sundown old Shushu came back; she came very slowly, was terribly tired, but courageous. She reached the sweat-house, came in, said nothing, lay down wet and cold.

"Where is the fire?" asked she; "did not Ahalamila and Metsi bring fire? They are young and strong, and had plenty of fire."

After a while she stood up, drew some wood-dust together, then sat down, opened her ear and held it over the dust; a big piece of fire came out. Wood was brought quickly, and soon the whole sweat-house was warm. The people who were cold before were warm now and glad.

"Bring meat and we will try how it tastes when 'tis roasted, said the chief.

He cut some venison and roasted it. One and another tasted the meat. "It is very good," said they; a third one said, "I'll try it,", and Gagi took a taste. "Oh, it is sweet, very good," said Gagi.

Each one roasted meat and ate heartily. Next day all went to hunt, and had a great feast in the evening. A chief from another place came to the feast and got fire, and took it home with him. Soon all people had fire; every one had fire in all parts of the country.

  

XIV. INDIAN MEDICINE-MEN.  [*273 

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(The) medicine woman (said), "It is four days now that I have been doctoring her, and she is not well yet. I am afraid that perhaps she will not recover." "Do you go after him," (said the sick woman's husband,) "perhaps he will cure her. He is always saying, 'I am a great medicine-man.'"

(The medicine-man) has arrived. "Put down water on the ground!" [*274  Round white shell beads he offered him as pay, he offered him dentalia. (He thought,) "He will be glad because of these, when he sees them." "I do not like these trinkets

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here," (said the medicine-man). "I like p!ale''si shell beads." "And do you doctor her! Doctor her during the night, perhaps she will recover." "Oh, I am not afraid of my doctoring the one that is sick. Why should I be afraid? I am a medicine-man. She will not cry. She will yet eat her own food." "Go out of the house! Shout! Call upon your dream spirit So always does the medicine-man do." "She will recover, I dreamt. 'Pray speak to the spring of water!' my dream tells me. 'Pray do not eat! Go ahead and eat tomorrow when the sun is overhead! You shall go to the spring to bathe!' I dreamt. 'Pray pass the night on the mountain!' Now I shall return in the night. Wake up the people. They will help to sing. I am a good medicine-man. 'Pray ask the rocks! Ask the trees! Ask the logs! Go about twice, and the owl will talk and the yellowhammer, and pray roll tobacco between your hands and smoke it. Do not eat anything! Pick up the round luck stones!' Thus I dreamt. She will recover."

"Ho! you people wake up! He's [*275  already coming back. Do you all go into the house together and sing. I shall do likewise whenever any of you are sick; I shall do likewise, even if I do not sleep. There are still other people who have not come to my house. If I had had much to eat they would all have come, and they would all have been laughing among themselves, if I should have had food to give them. [*276  Those people do not like to assist in singing. I shall go to bring them; they shall help to sing. I suppose they raise their hands contemptuously at me. [*277  Perhaps, is it not, they are sound asleep or eating, therefore they do not come over. I suppose they do not hear. Run over to tell them to come tomorrow! 'I am a sensible person,' indeed they say. Pray do not let them say that, even if they have handsome wives. [*278  If they refuse, pray let at least one come along. Pray

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let him come the day after tomorrow." "I should like to see my brother. Do you go after him to bring him back to me!" (said the sick woman).

(The medicine-man said,) "I have dreamt of everything. 'Pray do so!' it said to me. 'Doctor her for three nights!' said my dream to me. 'She shall recover and go about, she shall go off to get roots, she shall procure food for herself,' said my dream to me. 'Shout! Run around the house, when you are about to enter the house again.' Pray do not make a noise. Pray stop the children from making a sound, stop the dogs from making a noise! I might stagger and fall down, I have not much heart." (When he returned, he said,) "There is no one here, I am the first. I am tired already. The medicine-woman is angry, is she not? therefore she does not help me in doctoring. Let her soak cu'nna roots in water. I shall eat them raw. Now I shall eat them, if I see that she [*279  is to eat her own. I shall not go off and leave her, I shall go off home only when she shall have recovered. I rejoice (that she will recover). I do not like to have my brother lose her. I always come here and I always eat here, that is why I am sorry for him. I am the only medicine-man. I go to every spring, and I am answered. It [*280  will not abandon me. Blood flows from out of my nose, I have it running out of my body; the blood flows straight out, every part of my body is covered with blood. I shall find it [*281  for you. If I die, then all the good people will die, then they will drop dead. I was possessed of supernatural power. The women are not thus. The women that are doctors I have never yet heard to cure; they merely put on style, wearing their ceremonial net-caps. I am not thus, that is why I remain alive. [*282  I am let alone, and I am good. People take pity on me, that is why it is that I am quick to take pity on them. I am seen coming and she is told, 'Hurry up and cook! he is already coining! Feed him!' he says to his wife. 'Cook!'

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he says. 'Feed him!' I dreamt, that is why I came here; I came to see what I could do for you. I would not do thus, I shall not step in that trail, if I drop dead. Now I shall have ceased. [*283  I seem to be like one who looks on, while you people are eating. I have never done thus, although my people are many in number. [*284  I seem to be like one who looks on, and as though I say, 'Would that I might enter the house!', that therefore I came."

  

XV. MARRIAGE.

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He had been bringing her food. (She said to him,) "I do not love you." (Her mother said to her,) "I like him. Take him for your husband! I want to have him as son-in-law. I will not have you in my house, you shall not again enter my house (unless you take him as husband). Let us get food!" [*286  (Then she said to him,) "We shall go together. I love you very much. To-morrow we shall get married. Let all of your people come here. All of you come and see us, and stay all night! I have nothing to say against it. I do not know what (my mother) says, but probably she will be very glad to have (you) as son-in-law.

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(Her mother said to her,) "I am glad that you have taken him as husband; I am tired of feeding you. You shall go home with him and keep house with him, and you will have children. Truly I shall come to see you, and he will come to see us. Whenever I am hungry you will give us food. He will go to hunt deer, and I shall fetch it home. He will go to get salmon, and I shall fetch it home. Do you give us food! You shall give us food, and I shall pound acorns. I shall do similarly for you. I shall fetch them to your house, and you will feel rejoiced, my daughter! Whenever you see me coming you will feel rejoiced, and you will give food to your people. Every one of them will be glad. You have always been very good, you have been sensible. Your husband is a good man and he is sensible."

(He said to her,) "And I will give you as food whatever I hunt. Surely I shall not whip you. You on your part shall not scold me." (She said to him,) "If I have a child we shall go off to your house. Stay now in my house." (He said to her,) "Yes, I will stay in your house. Now I shall go out hunting." (She said to him,) "Now we shall grow old together. Perhaps it will be I who shall die first, perhaps it will be you."



XVI. A LOVERS' QUARREL.

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"S*uwa! May I dream of him! Would that you might come. You thought that you would not love any one." (Her lover has come and says to her,) "I love you very much, that is why I have come." "Perhaps you do not love me." "I have loved you for a long time, and I shall always do so. I shall always come to see you. Pray come to our house, and I shall do likewise. After a while we shall be married." "Pray let me grow. I am not yet grown up." "My mother already knows about it, and I shall stay with you, and you shall do likewise to me." (She said,) "I am afraid that you might abandon me. They say that you are a bad fellow, and I did not know about it. You shall go off to hunt." "You talk too much to me, and it is I that speak rightly. I do not know what I shall do. You are not, it seems, a sensible person. I shall be good to you, I shall give you good clothes. Do not be afraid of me! Why, pray, do you speak thus? You should have told it to me long ago. Perchance you think that you are the only one. There are many women, and I shall take any one. Do you think about me, 'He will cry'? Perchance you say, 'I am very pretty.' Indeed, I have abandoned a pretty one. What, pray, should I do if you do not love me? I shall try another woman. Perchance you think about me, 'He will not find any women.' You do not know what I have in mind. I have many brothers and sisters who would help me [*291  if I go anywheres to woo. Many are the nephews and nieces, my sister's children."


XVII. CHILDBIRTH AND DEATH.

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"She is pregnant. Wait by my wife. She will be sick. She tells me, 'Go and bring my mother!' She is always sick in the night, and I am afraid. I shall not go about, I shall always stay at home. 'You shall not go about,' she says to me. She eats too much, perhaps her child will grow too fast." "Yes!" (said her mother). "It seems she never listens to what I tell her. Whenever she goes out of the house, I say, 'Do not look back when you go outside. Your child will imitate that. Do not eat too much. Your child might grow too quickly.'" She cried when she was told that. "You should not tell me that. I do not feel any pain in my back."

Now she said, "I am sick." Four days elapsed, and the medicine-man was sent for. (Her mother said,) "I can do no more. I am tired out now and good for nothing. You always greatly doubt what I say. You girls do not know anything. Being old, I give advice. It is I that always speak about that.

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[paragraph continues  Would that she took my advice to herself!" Now the medicine-man came. "What, pray, shall I do to her? I do not know what to do (in such cases)." She was very dry. "Hehe'?! What shall we do with her? Do you (women) press upon her belly! [*292  I am always afraid, carefully I give counsel." "Please give me some water to drink!" (said the pregnant girl).

"Let me see! Give her supporting sticks as a seat, and she shall get up. Go clear around the house!" "Alas! I shall die," she said. "Step out, do not be worried. You never take my advice to yourself. I know what I say, that is why I tell it to you." Twice she ran around her house. Now a fox gives a bad omen, a fox talks before daybreak, and she sat down again on the supporting sticks.

"Oh! What have I done to you?" (said her mother). The husband wept in the woods. (Her mother said to him,) "Now! Go up on the mountain! [*293  Build a fire, break off spruce twigs and put them down, and get pine needles!" Now he was building a fire. He flew about busily at his work, his heart being very joyful (with hope). Yonder is he, who has gone far off building the fire. He came back at midnight. "How did she get along?" "She is about to die," (said her mother). "Her mouth is all dry." Suddenly she died.

  

XVIII. DEATH AND BURIAL.

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"He is sick, he is very sick. It looks as if he is going to die. Perhaps he will not recover. If four days have elapsed and he has not recovered, you will run to get the medicine-man, and he will suck the sickness out of him. You will offer him as pay perforated white beads. Wear them around your neck. Surely he will get up and start hither, for medicine-men always like perforated white beads." He who had been sent arrived (at the medicine-man's house) and put the beads down on the ground. The medicine-man smelled them. "I shall not be able to make him recover. I shall indeed go to see him anyway. The perforated white beads already have an odor." [*296  He ran back and

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arrived home. He hung up the beads and cried, sitting down on the ground. "Do you put water down on the ground. The medicine-man has already come." The medicine-man sat down. "Well, I shall try to do what I can." He doctored him. "He will not recover. I do not understand what to do, I am beaten." [*297  After he had finished doctoring, he said, "He will die." (The sick man's father) started in to cry, and they all wept with him. "Do you run to bring them hither!" he said. "They shall all come here. I do not wish them to be ignorant about this."

On the following day, at daybreak, he had died. They all started in to cry together. "Go and dig the grave! Do you put together the perforated white beads, the dressed buckskin blanket, dentalia, wa'k'u shell beads, aprons fringed with pine-nut tassels, various pack-baskets, and trinkets. Make a burial net of coarse rope, and wrap him up in it." Then they washed him and combed his hair. The people all came, came together, dancing and weeping, women, men, and their children, while his mother cried. He was lifted down and put away in the house, while the people and his father and mother wept over him. They did not eat anything. Now they sewed together the deer-hide blanket.

"Now!" said (his father). "Amm!" [*298  Don't think that you will continue to eat. There is no sickness going about, and yet I am the only one going about that has sickness. Since the people were not sick, I thought I had a good medicine-man. Perchance you think you will not go to get wood!" [*299  (Thus he spoke to himself). "You will just go ahead and bury him tomorrow! Do you make the grave deep!" (he said to the people). There was a man from the south [*300  who said, "I do not intend to cry." He had flint arrowheads and inspired everyone with fear. "Whence is the poison that is always acting? I have no intention of eating, of eating my food with tears." It was the

|

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brave warrior that spoke thus. "You will bury him at noon. Probably nearly all have come. They say that there are many weeping for him, they say the chief weeps for him, they say that he is greatly angered. My medicine-man forgets, does he not? I shall not be the only one to cry. [*301  Do you all start!"

They took him up and carried him, all sorts of belongings being wrapped up with him-arrows, bows, and various blankets, Now they had all moved down to his grave. They brought him down to the grave and put him into it. "Now! Cry!" said he. His brother lay down in the grave, was pulled out back again. "Do not weep, you will soon follow him." [*302  The women all danced and cried, weeping for him, putting down water on the ground to the east of him. "Now it is well, is it not?" he said. "Let me see! Go ahead and fail to find the poison. [*303  In former days he said to me, 'Surely you shall have no cause to weep, and thus it will always be with you.' That is what he said to me."

The dead man's mother stayed there all night near the grave. Now the people all moved off back to his house. "I shall no longer stay in the house. Set the house on fire!" They set on fire his ropes and all his belongings. "Set the food on fire!" They set everything on fire, and moved on to another place. "You all will go to get other food. I did not think that I would ever be without his laughter when eating." They were all weeping at night, when suddenly the old woman came back. Now at night they started in to eat. "Do you all eat after weeping! Truly we shall all die; we shall not live forever, is it not so? The time of death is near at hand. [*302  Do you all procure food for yourselves! Go to the river and catch salmon. No!" he said, "I shall not hurry (to eat). 'Yes, we shall catch salmon (for you),' he used to say to me. [*304  I shall cry yet a while, if you please. I shall take food soon."

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The chief spoke. "Pray do it now!" he said (to the warrior). "Lie in wait for him on his trail. He will find out! They say he has been talking about me, that is what he has been saying. Yes, he will know! He thinks that he has sense. I have sense. the sense of a chief. I shall soon speak out my mind. Though he was my medicine-man, pray shoot him!" he said. "Take him out into the brush and kill him!"

The people brought wa'k'u beads, dentalia, and perforated white beads. "Here! Pound these," they said. He pounded them at the grave. "I did not know about it, that is why I did not come," (they said). Every summer they burn food (at the grave).


XIX. BETTY BROWN'S DREAM. [*308 

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I dreamt. I went off towards the east across a dried-up creek; the creek bed was all covered with moss, it was green with moss. Now I went to the north along the trail. Now I stood on the outside (of a house).

"Enter!" said to me a man whose hair was all white. There

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was also a woman who was blind in one eye. [*309  She offered me as a seat a chair of ice. I looked from one thing to another. Everything was made of ice, and it hung down in icicles. "It is near dinner-time," she said. "He will pull the bell," she said. "Now you will be seated, and he will pull you up." "I seated myself, Now he had pulled me up. There was a medicine-man sitting there, talking. The medicine-man was made of rock, he had on a net-cap of white down; he was all white-haired, even his eye-lashes were white. I was afraid. I sat down to eat.

(She said to me,) "Go and see your mother! She is sitting inside there yonder." So I went into the next room to the south. "So it is you, my daughter!" she said, and hugged me. "Go and eat!" she said, and I sat down. Everything was of ice. "So it is you who have come here, cousin!" (said another woman that I recognized as Mary). "We are living in a good place. The place we lived in before was bad. This place here is very good, it is all covered with flowers and it is green. It is very good." And then someone overtook me. "Let us go back!" I slipped down on the left side to the north. Then I started to go back, but I did not go back home by the way I came.



XX. SPELL SAID BY A GIRL DESIROUS OF GETTING A HUSBAND.

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S*uwa'! [*310  May you think about me to yourself! May you turn back to look! Would that I might stand before his face! I just cry to myself. Would that I might see him every day! I do just as you do. [*311  Sometimes I dream of him, and I rise when it is daylight, and I look about. Now, as I see him, my heart flutters. I look at him without raising my eyes. He gives me trinkets, and I take them, and I wear them for some time, until they are worn out.


  

XXI. CURSE ON PEOPLE THAT WISH ONE ILL.

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S*uwa'! S*e'galt!imaya! [*312  May ye speak to make me happy! May you suddenly experience that wherewith you curse me! May you suddenly drop dead without being sick! May you drop dead, you who drink my blood! May you suddenly all perish! Drink my blood! [*313  Would that I might be happy! May I not be sick in any way!


  

XXII. PRAYER ON SNEEZING.

(Said by a Woman)

S*e'galt!imaya! May I be happy! Do you people not speak about me! Do you speak for my happiness when speaking about me!

(Said by a Man)

May I be happy! May my legs feel light! May you people speak for my happiness! Would that you would let me alone! I bathe, and I go back into my house, and I rejoice in my eating.

      
 

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SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS [*314 

  

XXIII. THE ROLLING SKULL. [*315 

(Round Mountain Jack's Version)

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Wildcat had a bad dream. He climbed up a digger pine and broke off the branches, broke them all off. He wrenched off one of his arms from his shoulders, then wrenched off the other one also; he also wrenched off one of his legs, also the other leg. He broke off his backbone and threw it down; he also broke off his neck. Down he bounded, (now nothing but) a human skull, and there he lay for a while.

He bounded to the south, and, bounding, arrived at a house. All the people died. He bounded (still farther) south, to a house in the south. All the people died. He turned and bounded back, hastened back to the north. Off towards the west the people died: he hastened back to the east. He hastened off towards the north, and arrived at a house; the people died. He hastened back to the south; there were no people. There he lay for a while. He came hastening back from the south, came hastening back to this place. He hastened back as far as a hill.

Coyote was coming from the north, from Montgomery creek. The human skull was singing. Coyote heard him, and stood still. "Come to me, pack-basket!" [*318  he said. "Come to me, tasselled apron? Come to me, basket-cap! Come to me, bread! Come to me, salmon! Come to me, deer-meat! Enough now!" Now he was carrying a pack-basket on his back. "Come here, staff!"

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he said. Now he was walking along, coming from the north. Now (Wildcat) was rolling north, bounded along the ground to that one. (Coyote, now) a woman, was coming from the north, came near to him. He started in to weep. "Yes," he said, "my brother acted in that manner. I put rocks in the fire, dug a round hole in the ground, and put the hot rocks into it. I roasted him in the hole. Let me roast you in a hole: you will not die." (Wildcat agreed, and Coyote) roasted him in a hole. He kept holding on to him, kept holding him down tight. (Wildcat attempted to break out.) The earth shook all about, but he did not (succeed)--he remained there. Coyote put out his hand for him, took up the head back again, the human skull.

"I am a sensible person," he said. "It is I that have always been possessed of much sense." Now he took him up and carried him off. He went west (until) he came to a halt. "Now!" he said, "I shall throw you into the creek here. People will bathe here," he said; "they will become medicine-men." Now he threw him into the creek there. Then he went back home to the east.

  

XXIV. GRIZZLY BEAR AND DEER. [*319 

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There was a house in which dwelt Deer. Grizzly Bear was angry. "Cut off some of your flesh for me," (she said to Deer). "I am going to eat it." Then (Deer) cut some of it right off and roasted it. (Grizzly Bear) ate it. "It tastes good," (she said. Some time after this, she was lousing Deer, and scratched her. Deer protested; but Grizzly Bear said,) "I was lousing you." Now she caught hold of a louse; now she bit (Deer's) neck and killed her. Then she cut up her belly and ate her up, ate up much. All (the Deer people) she killed. She went off looking for (Deer's two children, but) did not find them. She came back home. To the south she went and killed all. She returned north. Off west she ate up all the deer, and returned east. Off north she ate up all the elks, ate them all up, killed all. She went eastwards again and killed all the deer. She stood still and looked around. "I have killed them all," she said. "Enough now!" she said, and then proceeded back home. "Let us play!" (said Deer's children to Grizzly Bear's). "Yes, yes!" they said. "Let us smoke each other outside!" They dug a hole in the ground. "Let us smoke each other!" (said Deer's children). "You go in first!" (Grizzly Bear's children said to them). "Yes, yes!" The fawns now went in. (Grizzly Bear's children) put in pine-needles, and then caused (Deer's children) to smoke. [*321  "Enough now!" they said, "I am all smoke now." "Yes," said (Grizzly Bear's children). Now they came out again. "Do you go in," they said, "Grizzly Bear children!" Then they put in pitchwood and pine-needles again, and caused (Grizzly Bear's children) to smoke. "Enough now!" they said. (Deer's children) held them down to the ground, (so that) they died. They were no more. (Deer's children) took the pitchwood out again and thrust their hands inside. They pulled out (one of Grizzly Bear's children, then) they pulled out the other one. Each one carried one in his arms. They brought them back into their house, laid them down on the ground, and put a deerhide blanket over them. "Now!" they said, "let us run away! Let us run to the south!" they said. Now they came running from the east, from Montgomery creek.

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[paragraph continues  "Where is the rock?" (said the younger brother). "Let us proceed to the mountain, where there is brush!" (said the older one). "No!" said the younger one, "she might see us at the mountain," he said, "if we stay there. Let us proceed to the rock," he said, "to where there is a rock." "Yes," said (his brother), and then they got up on it. "It is good," they said.

Grizzly-Bear Woman now hastened back and arrived home. She went inside again and said, "Wake up, you two! What are you doing? What are you sleeping for?" They did not speak. Then she picked up a stick and struck them. She put (their blanket) aside from them; they were dead. She looked at them. "Where are they?" she said, asked the poker. It said nothing. She asked the stone. It said nothing. She asked the earth. It said nothing. She asked the stick, she asked the fire, she asked the coals. "Yes," they said, "they have run to the south." "Yes," she said. She bit the stone, for she was angry; she bit the stick; she bit the fire. She went out. "Amm!" she said (threateningly). "Where will you go to?" she said. Now she came running from the east, tracked them by their footprints. For two days she ran along, came running from the east. She did not find them. She tracked them around back to the rock. She looked up, there indeed they were.

"Do you come down again!" she said, "O orphans! What are you running away for? Come to me! Are you not hungry? Let us go off home! It is nearly nightfall." "No!" (they said). "You have been killing all (of our people),--my mother, my father, my brothers, my sisters." "Amm!" said Grizzly-Bear Woman, and proceeded to gnaw the rock; she moved clear around it. "O rock!" said the fawns, singing, "go upwards! rise up!" And then it did so. It rose up while Grizzly-Bear Woman kept gnawing at it. Only a little was left of the rock. [*328  For two days she gnawed the rock, when suddenly she died, let her hands drop down on the ground.

They hastened down. And then they cut up her belly, pulled out (her) entrails and hung them up. They cut off one (of her legs) and hung it up. They cut off (her) other leg also and hung it up. They cut out her head and threw it to the west; (her) backbone they threw to the east. "Now!" they said, "be a grizzly bear! Eat people!" they said.

  

III. SUPPLEMENTARY YANA MYTHS  [*329 

  

(COLLECTED By DR. R. B. DIXON)

  

I. THE CREATION OF MEN. [*330 

Lizard, Gray Squirrel, and Coyote lived in a big sweat-house at Wama'rawi. [*331  They had no wives or children. Coyote wanted to make people, but the others thought that they themselves were enough. Finally Lizard agreed, "We'll make people, different kinds of people." So Lizard went out and cut three sticks like gambling sticks. The others wanted to know how he was going to make people out of these. Lizard said, "I'll show you." One stick he took for the Hat Creeks (Tc'uno'yana), one for the Wintun (Ya'?wi), and one for the Pit Rivers (Wa'dja'mi). [*332  When he looked at them he said, "There is something lacking." Coyote asked, "Who has been left out?" Lizard said, "The Yana." So he took any kind of a stick, broke it up into little pieces, and put them in a pile for the Yana. The

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stick for the Hat Creeks he placed in the east, the stick for the Wintun in the west, the stick for the Pit Rivers in the north.

All three, Lizard, Gray Squirrel, and Coyote, then made a big basket, heated rocks, put water in the basket, and heated the water by putting the hot rocks into the basket. Then Lizard put the sticks into the boiling water, put in more hot rocks to boil the sticks. All then went to sleep, after setting the basket outside on the roof and covering it up. Before they slept Lizard said, "Early in the morning you will hear some one when the basket turns over. That will be because there are people. You must keep still, must not move or snore."

Early in the morning they heard people falling down, heard the basket turn over. By and by they heard the people walking about outside. They got up, then covered the door with a large rock to keep the people out. They did not talk or answer those outside. For a long time the people were talking. One called out, "Where is the door?" Coyote said, "Keep still, that talk does not sound right." [*333  Others then spoke, asked also. Then Coyote said, "Now it sounds right," and then they opened the door. Then all the people came crowding in, all came into the sweat-house. Then the three said, "It is well. There are people."


  

II. THE CONTEST OF FOX AND COYOTE. [*334 

Silver Fox (Bo'k'u'ina) had a sweat-house at Di'yurik'dilla (or Di'yurimadu), in Cedar Creek valley. Coyote lived there too. Silver Fox went out to hunt deer, killed some, but did not bring them home. At night he alone would eat. A big snow came; there lay Coyote on one side of the house, he did not get up, though he was hungry. But at last he got up and went out to hunt for gophers. Whenever Coyote found a gopher, he killed him by jumping on his house; then he dug out various sorts of roots with which he filled his basket. He killed about twenty

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gophers, came home, and cooked them. Silver Fox expected to have a part, but Coyote ate them all himself.

This sort of thing went on for six days. Silver Fox did not go out, for he had all kinds of food; six kinds he had-dried deer meat, salmon, roots, cedar gum, acorn bread, and pine nuts. The snow fell for seven days. Coyote could not get out, the snow was so deep. Silver Fox said, "I'll have two moons of winter. If we had five moons we should starve whenever a snow like this came." Coyote got up, sat with his head down, thinking. He said, "No, I want five moons of winter. If there were only two moons, widows could get plenty of wood and be happy. It is better to have five moons." Now Silver Fox said, "No. I want to have two moons. Every one will be good and well off. What should we eat if there were five moons of winter?" Coyote said, "It is better that widows be hungry, that they should not have much to eat."

By and by another big snow came, Silver Fox had made it come. Silver Fox went out; he had a long stick with a crotch at the end to pull down dry branches, and he had a burden basket on his back. Every time he pulled the branches down from a cedar, sweet roots (cu'nna) came down. He carried them home, but did not let Coyote see them. The next day he went out again. There were bunches of something on the pine trees that burned. He set on fire some pine needles and put them on the end of his stick, then held it up to the bunches all about. Then he lay down face down and soon many grouse hit him all over. When they were all down he got up and put them in a brush sack (k'e'watc!i), filled it with the grouse. Coyote was not allowed to see it. After some time Silver Fox felt sorry for Coyote and let him see the food he had brought back. "Son-in-law, how did you get those roots?" said Coyote. Silver Fox said, "I took a stick, broke off cedar limbs, and down came the roots." Coyote said, "I will go and do the same." Silver Fox said, "I don't lookup when I do it." Coyote went, got hit badly, and looked up. He saw no roots, only branches. He went home sick. Fox said, "I did not look up when I was hit and hurt." Coyote saw him bring back grouse. "Son-in-law, how did you

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kill them?" he asked. Silver Fox told him. Coyote said, "I'll do that too." Silver Fox told him what to do, but Coyote did as before. When four grouse came he said, "Stop! I want to eat." They stopped, only four grouse came. Coyote cooked and ate them. Then he went to another tree and repeated what he had done. He jumped up, could not stand being hit by the grouse. He looked about--there was nothing there. He went home.

He asked Silver Fox how he managed to bring back so many always, but received Do answer. Coyote asked, "Son-in-law, how did you catch those yellow-jackets!" Silver Fox said, "I smoked them out with leaves. After smoking them out I dug them up with my penis. When the yellow-jackets came, I did not run. There is lots of meat [*335  down in the nest. When the sun rises I hold my hand over my eyes and see the yellow-jackets going into their holes." Coyote went out and did so. He saw the yellow-jackets' nest, smoked them, then dug out the nest with his penis. The yellow-jackets began to bite his penis. For a while he stood it, then could not any longer. He rolled on the ground with pain; then he went off. He said, "Son-in-law, I'm sick. The yellow-jackets bit me all over."

By and by Coyote lay down, and would not move when the snow came. Silver Fox got angry; he thought he would kill Coyote, because he did not believe him and do as he told him. Silver Fox had a wife, his shadow, and kept her in the space between the edge of the sweat-house roof and the ground. One night Coyote heard Silver Fox and his wife talking. Silver Fox went out to hunt. Coyote said, "Who is it that Silver Fox is talking to? He must have a woman somewhere." He hunted all about, asked everything. The main post said, "Here it is." Coyote tried to hold her, but suddenly she was gone, was never seen again. Silver Fox came home. He knew that his wife was gone, but did not say anything to Coyote.

Snow kept coming. Silver Fox thought that the best way to catch Coyote would be in a net. He did not know which kind of rope to use-deer-sinew or milkweed. By and by he began

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to chew milkweed string; he had pine nuts in his mouth. Coyote said, "I know that Silver Fox is eating pine nuts." Silver Fox went out. Coyote hunted for the nuts, found several baskets filled with them. He filled the sweat-house with those that came down when he pushed about under the roof with a stick. He told the nuts, "Stop! Don't all come." Silver Fox came back, and Coyote said, "This food came down. I don't know what is the matter." Silver Fox said nothing. Then he said, "You eat it up!" and Coyote did so. Then he slept. Then Silver Fox began to roll a rope on his thigh. Silver Fox slipped up as Coyote was sleeping and measured the size of his head. Then he finished the net.

In the morning Silver Fox said to Coyote, "Let us go out and catch cottontail rabbits." Coyote said, "Yes." Silver Fox said. "I'll put in a trap over there to the south. When you drive them, run fast." He did so, found many rabbits. Silver Fox told him to run right up to the net. Coyote did so, but broke out of the milkweed net easily. All the rabbits escaped. So they went home.

Silver Fox called for a deer-skin to come to him. He made a net of the sinew, again of the size of Coyote's head. Again they went out together, set traps as before. Silver Fox told Coyote to drive the rabbits and cry out, and to run very fast as he came to the net. Coyote did so, and got into the net; he could not get out. Silver Fox had a big live-oak stick and with this he hit him. Coyote said, "Son-in-law, don't hit me." Silver Fox said, "Son-in-law, you don't believe me," and he hit him again, and killed him. Silver Fox said, "You don't believe me, so I shall have the food in the trees. People were merely to stretch out a hand when they saw deer, and it would fall dead. It is not to be so now." [*326 

Silver Fox went home. He hunted all around for the places where Coyote had urinated. He went all over the country except Klamath Lake. He thought he had killed all the Coyotes. One morning he heard one yelp. Coyote was angry, came back. and made a fire start all around. Coyote came over to this side

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of Burney Valley. Silver Fox saw Coyote coming; he blew and said, "Come, grasshoppers! Come, plums! Come, cherries!" Coyote came along and saw the grasshoppers, plums, and cherries. They looked good, so he stopped to eat them. Silver Fox said, "When Coyote sees the food, he will stop and will not be angry." Coyote ate the plums and cherries, and said, "I want to eat. I'll not go and kill people." Coyote called for  a sack, filled it with the food, and came back. He said, "Son-in-law, I have good food." Silver Fox had called for   pitch. When Coyote asked him why he had put on pitch, he told Coyote that he was sorry he had lost him.  Silver Fox would not eat, though Coyote wanted him to. Silver Fox said nothing. Coyote said, "What are we going to do? It looks like spring." Silver Fox did not answer.


  

III. THE LOST BROTHER. [*339 

Pine Marten's brother Weasel was stolen by Lizard (k!uwi'lla). Pine Marten was living at Big Bend. [*340  He went out to hunt and left Weasel at home. He told him to hide under the edge of the sweat-house roof. Weasel did so. By and by something came into the house saying, "Tsa, tsa, tsa." Weasel looked and saw that it was Lizard. Weasel thought Lizard very pretty, jumped out, and played with him. He gave him fat to eat. As Lizard ate more and more, he grew bigger and bigger. Weasel was seared and began to cry. Lizard put Weasel in his quiver and went off.

Pine Marten came back. "Where are you, my brother?" he said. There was no answer. He knew he was stolen, and cried all night. He hunted for him everywhere; he asked all things where he was, but in vain. Mouse had an arrow of tules that was very long. Pine Marten took this and leaned it up against the sky. He climbed up, reached the sky, and traveled to the east. He made a fire in the trail, and saw Moon coming traveling

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to the west. He had a basket on his back and carried two daughters in it. As he walked he said, "Wahaki, wahaki." Frost came out of his nostrils. Moon came along, saw Pine Marten, and stopped. He said, "Well, son-in-law," and put down his basket. He. came up to the fire. Pine Marten said, "It's cold. Father-in-law, I'll throw you up into the sky. I came to ask you something, for you ought to see everything. Have you seen my brother?" "Yes," said Moon. "See over there, somebody is being hung up by Lizard." Pine Marten asked Moon what he should give him as a gift. Would Moon have beads? "No!" Pine Marten then asked if he would have red and blue ones; Moon said, "Yes." Pine Marten gave them to him, and we see them as a halo around the moon. Moon told Pine Marten to go back to the earth, to the place where he had seen Weasel. He did so, went back to his house.

Lizard went out of his house, went south to get pitch-wood in order to cook Weasel, whom he was going to kill. Pine Marten slipped out of his house and followed; Coyote came also. He made himself into an old woman. He called for a basket and beads; they came, and he made himself look like a woman. He wore a tasseled buckskin apron. He came up to Lizard; Lizard could not seem to split the wood well, he knew that some one was watching. Coyote began to cry out; Lizard heard and thought it was Coyote fooling him. Coyote came up and said, "I am your aunt. I hear you stole Pine Marten's brother and are going to kill him. I hear you are going to have a big dance." Lizard answered, "Coyote, you are trying to fool me." Coyote answered, "No, I'm not Coyote. I'm your old aunt." Lizard then believed him.

Coyote cried for pitch and asked for fire. He asked if Lizard wanted to eat, as he had some bread in his basket. Lizard said, "No, there is going to be a big dance." He made up a big load of wood. Pine Marten was far off, watching. He blew "hw+, hw+," toward Lizard, made it very cold. Lizard said, "I'm cold. I'll go and get warm." He tried to lift the load of wood, but it was so heavy that he could not, for Pine Marten had said as he blew, "Be heavy!" Coyote offered to push it upon his back. So he came up behind and made believe to get ready for lifting

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the load. But instead he gave the ground a great kick; it opened and Lizard and his load of wood went down out of sight. All the people at Lizard's house heard Lizard fall down into the ground. All said "i, i" and thought their chief was dead. But the Spider Woman said, "No. I made the noise by hitting the ground with my acorn pestle."

Pine Marten now came up to where Lizard was buried. He dug him up, skinned him, and put on his hide. He went to Lizard's house. The people inside said, "That must be a stranger." Another said, "No, it's our chief." Lizard had eight or nine wives, ducks. When Lizard used to come home, he used to drink three baskets of hot water. Pine Marten called for them, but drank only two. This made the people think that there was some trick. All got up and began to cry out. Pine Marten whipped them, so they all became quiet.

Night came. Weasel was hanging up close by the post of the house, and was to be killed that night. Pine Marten took him down, however, and left only a shadow of him hanging there, to fool the people. He put Weasel in his quiver. Pine Marten then asked all the people to come to a big sweat. All sweated, then sat down. Pine Marten said, "Let us dance. Then we will sleep." They did so. Then Pine Marten said, "Let us sleep," and blew "hw+, hw+." All fell at once into a deep sleep. Pine Marten then put pitch all over the house, inside and out. Then he set it afire at the smoke-hole and at the door. He jumped out himself. All the people were burned but one woman, a duck.

  

IV. THE FLINTS AND GRIZZLY BEARS [*340a 

At Bala'wi [*340b  lived Flint Woman (Djuwa'lk!aimari?mi). Eagle, Buzzard, Bluejay, and other birds lived there too. Eagle stayed outside all the while, called all the people brothers. He

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went out to hunt. The Bears had a house in Bear valley and were at enmity with the Flint people. Lizard lived with the latter. He told the young fellows to make a fire in the morning and they all went out to hunt, went up to Bala'wi. The Bears did not want them to hunt there, and came also. Lizard said, "Young people, look out. We'll have to fight today." The Bears said, "We don't want to fight." So they did not fight that day, and the young people killed deer and brought them home. Old Grizzly Bear said, "Tomorrow we'll have a fight. I'll go after more of my people."

Lizard was chief of the Flint people. He said, "Tomorrow we must fight, you must riot go hunting." Lizard called all the Bears to come to the fire where he had built it. He had a poor piece of flint. The bears came to the fire, looked as if they were going to eat up the people. Lizard had a bear-skin quiver. The Bear women said, "You can not hurt us with that little flint. (We can stick those flints into our hearts and they won't hurt us.)" Lizard said, "Let me see you do it." So the women each took one of the little flints and did so, but the flint stayed inside of them; they could not pull them out of their hearts as they had thought. Lizard told them to go off. They did so and fell dead. Lizard was much pleased.

Then the Flint people fought the Bears, fought all day. Each side killed half of its adversaries. Next day they fought again, and all the Flint people were killed except Lizard. The Grizzly Bears were all killed except two old women. Lizard hunted for these, but they caught him and killed him. The Red and Blue Flint people were dead. Striped Flint (p'a'nma?amauna) had told the old Flint Woman that his spittle would come to life again. Flint Woman was not killed; she cried all the time, put lots of pitch on her head, so much that it stuck out of the sweat-house. The two old Bear women would come in the morning and bite off some of this. They thought that there were more people left.

One morning Flint Woman heard something calling out, "Da, da!" She jumped up and picked up something. She cleaned it with warm water, washed the child. She took the best black-bear hide and put him on it. She did not sleep that

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night. After two nights and days he began to crawl about. She wanted him to lie still, and put another hide on him. After four days and nights he was nearly ready to stand up. Then he began to talk; he was called Tsawa'tdikapsu. He said, "I want to eat, grandmother." She had some deer fat and gave it to him, and he ate it. He wanted more, and he ate it. He wanted dried salmon, and he ate it.

He began to walk about. Many little animals looked into the sweat-house. Tsawa'tdikapsu saw them and told his grandmother to look at them. He asked her to make a little bow for him. She said, "No. You are too small to shoot." "Yes," he said, "make one for me. I want to shoot." She did so, made a string and bow. A mountain quail looked into the sweat-house, the boy shot it. She then took the quail and struck the boy with it on the small of his back, as was always done to a boy when he shot his first game. Presently the boy broke the bow, and asked, "Make me a big one, grandmother." She did so. Said he, "I want to go out." "No," said she, "there are bad people outside." The boy wanted to go, so she let him go. Said she, "Don't go far off." A rabbit came along, and the boy shot and killed him. He took it in; she was glad. Said he, "I saw something with big eyes and ears, small legs, and a short tail. When he eats, he keeps moving his tail." She said, "That's a deer." The boy went out again and saw an elk. He described it to his grandmother, who told him what it was. She said, "Don't shoot him, you can't kill him." The boy pulled his bow to show how he could, and broke it. The bows of the many people who had been killed were hung up all around the sweat-house. He asked his grandmother if he could try one of them. She said, "They are too strong for you. I don't think that you can pull them." The boy said, "I'll try." He started at the north, broke them; he went around to the east, south, and west, and broke them all. The last one was to the west, he could not break it. His arm doubled back. He asked, "Whose bow was this?" She said, "It belonged to one of those that were killed." Again he tried to break it, but in vain. In every way he tried to break it, but to no purpose. He tried to break it with his feet, with big rocks, but in vain. He said, "That is my bow." It was backed with deer sinew. He picked out the best flints.

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She said, "Don't go far." The boy said, "I'm going to kill that big deer for you." "I don't think you can do it. You are too small," said the old woman. He went out. The elk was still there. He shot him and brought him back to his grandmother. "I wonder if I can shoot through that oak tree," said he. She said, "You are too small. Don't talk so, my grandchild." He went and shot through the tree.

"Grandmother," he said, "I'm going to start out. Tell me where are the people who killed my brothers." She said, pointing to the north, "They live there." The boy went. He saw two bears eating clover. The boy stopped and thought; asked his flints, "Which of you is the strongest?" The striped flint said, "I am." The red one said, "I am the one. When I hit people they die at once. Do not walk far off." The boy said, "Come, feathers!" There was a little bird that the boy told to go down below and call. "When the Bears hear it, they will stand end on and listen." The bird did so. The boy shot, and the arrow went into the mouth of one and out at the anus, and the same of the other. He skinned them, carried them back in the evening. His grandmother was frightened. "Don't be afraid," he said, "it is I." She cried; he hung up the two hides outside.

Next day he went again. He told five of these same little birds to come. "Go into that brush. If you find the bears, call; if not, do not call." They did so, and called. The boy told the birds to drive the bears out. They did so, drove out four. The boy killed them, and carried the hides home. He went all around that mountain, killing bears in this way every day. By and by the two wicked Bear women were the only ones left. They jumped on the boy, held him one on each side, and said, "Don't kill us. You are our husband. I'll keep you as my husband." He asked, "How many more bears are there?" "They are all gone but us," said they. The boy asked them if they were going to kill his grandmother, and they said, "No." They said, "I'm going to keep you as my husband, take you to my father." They went back with the boy to his house. His grandmother asked, "What sort of women have you?" "Bears," said he. "Why didn't you kill them?" she said. The boy said, "No. I'm going

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to keep them as my wives, and they will show me their father."

One day he stayed, and asked the two Bears where their father lived. "In the west, where the moon sets," they said. "We will start tomorrow and go there." The boy said to his grandmother, "Where is there poison?" She said, "They will fool you, they will throw acorns into the fire and make you blind. That is the way they killed my people." The boy said, "Where is there poison?" "At Wula'uwitc'u there is poison, there is a poisonous spring that smells bad." He went there, and one can see his footprint there where he made it. He took his pipe, held it over the spring, caused the poisonous air to go into it, then stopped it up. Then he came back, and the two Bears said, "We'll start tomorrow." He told his pipe, "When I smoke you, kill all the people."

There he went, with one step he went a great distance. Four times he stepped and came close to the sweat-house. He nearly broke it in as he stepped on it. It was Moon's house, and there lived the Bears. He asked, "What is the matter? Who is out there?" The two Bears came in, and Moon asked, "Who is there?" They said, "My husband. Don't talk." Moon said, "Why not?" When the boy came in, all the people thought, "We can kill him easily." Moon called him in, and everything shook when he came in or when he moved. He had on a woven rabbit-skin robe. Moon said, "We will have a big sweat," and all his people came in. They said, "Let us throw this man into the fire." They made a big fire; all Moon's people got up and danced. The boy did not move, sat with his head down. The rest made fun of him, told him to get up and dance. By and by Moon threw salt into the fire, thought to make the boy blind. He didn't move. Moon said to him, "Get up and dance." Then Moon put sweet acorns into the fire, but could not blind the boy.

Pretty soon the boy got up; when he stepped, the ground trembled. The Moon people began to push one another about, tried to push the boy, but could not move him. Soon he took out his pipe, smoked, and all the people fell dead, and Moon too. The boy said, "I do not want you to be trying to fight or to hit me. I am ma'p'djam?aina, [*340c  I cannot die." The two women he

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did not kill, he kicked them down into the ground. He went out, and blew smoke all about, killed every one.

Then he came back, and went all around to the places where his people had been killed. He picked up an eyelash from each one. "Have you a big bucket?" he asked his grandmother. "Build a fire when it is nearly dawn and heat rocks." All the eyelashes he put into the bucket. Then he turned and lay down with his face to the ground. To his grandmother he said, "Throw the hot rocks in and lie down also." She did so. By and by they heard shouting, "Here's my bow. Here's my place," and so on. All those dead people were alive again. The boy got up and said, "You are my brothers. I told my grandmother that I would come back again when I died. I did so. I caused you dead people to come to life."

  

V. 'I'LHAT?AINA. [*341 

One day Flint Boil said to Djuwa'lk!aina [*342  "I have been dreaming, I dreamt last night. I dreamt about a woman and her father. What is his name? I want to know." Djuwa'lk!aina said, "In which direction did you dream?" Flint Boy said, "I dreamt of Yallo Bally [*343  mountain." Djuwa'lk!aina said, "I know whom you dreamt of." Flint Boy asked, "What is his name?" Said Djuwa'lk!aina, "Tcuitcuiwayu. He lives there." Flint Boy said, "I want to go there, and I want to take my nephew [*344  along." Djuwa'lk!aina said, "Yes." Flint Boy said, "I am going to marry the daughter, but I have no company on the road." Djuwa'lk!aina said, "But you are going to take your nephew." Flint Boy said, "Yes, but I want something like a bear, something that makes a noise. I don't want

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him to talk as we do. He must talk another language." Djuwa'lk!aina said, "What is he going to say?" Flint Boy said, "When he sees any one coming he will say, 'Wu, wu!' I want to make a dog." Djuwa'lk!aina said nothing. Flint Boy asked if she wanted to bear it talk now. She said, "Yes." So Flint Boy said to his nephew, "Bark, practice!" His nephew did so, said, "Wu, wu, wuuuu." It was a terrible sound, and every one heard it all over the world-north, east, south, west. Flint Boy said, "What shall I call you? You bite and bark." His nephew said, "My name is 'I'lhat?aina. I must have a big throat to bark." Flint Boy asked him to try barking again, and he did so. All the people in the world heard him, all said, "I hear a dog. That is Flint Boy's dog." 'I'lhat?aina, was small, but he made a great noise.

Flint Boy went away, went to the Sacramento valley, came to Sacramento river. He crossed with 'I'lhat?aina, and went on to the west. He came to the mountain at night, went up to the sweat-house, looked in, and saw the girl of whom he had dreamt. Many other people were there also. She sat on the east side. Flint Boy came in and sat down beside her. All looked at him, her father and mother looked, and said, "Who is that?" Flint Boy had left 'I'lhat?aina, outside, had tied him to the acorn sacks. Her father said, "Where did that man come from?" The girl said that she did not know. "It looks as if you were married," said her father, and he gave her a black-bear skin for Flint Boy to sit on.

Flint Boy had told 'I'lhat?aina not to bark or bite any one. "I am going to marry the girl. When I have done so, I shall get up early to hunt, and I shall tell her to take care of you." Early in the morning Flint Boy got up and told his wife about the dog, told her that it was vicious and that she must not touch it or talk to it. In that case it would not bite her. She agreed to care for it. Flint Boy went away. The woman went out and saw the dog. She patted it, saying, "Nice dog." The dog shook its head and tail, and said, "Where is my master?" She answered, "He has gone away." Then the dog barked, and every one was frightened, terribly frightened. Flint Boy heard it far away; he was frightened, for he knew that some one had fooled

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with the dog. "I believe I've lost my dog." Some one had really turned it loose. 'I'lhat?aina tracked Flint Boy, while the woman was frightened. 'I'lhat?aina could not find his master. Flint Boy came back, brought ten deer. The woman said, "I've fed him and turned him loose." "It's a bad dog. You ought not to have touched it."

That night it grew cloudy, while before it had been pleasant. Flint Boy went out, finally found the dog. He tied him up again, and told him to bark. He did so--"Wu, wu, wuuuu!" Djuwa'lk!aina heard it and said, "I bear Flint Boy's dog in the west at Bally mountain." All the people heard it and said, "That is Flint Boy's dog. He is married here at Bally mountain." By and by Flint Boy went out to hunt again, and gave the same instructions as before. The people made him bark as before, let him loose. Flint Boy heard him. "I know what is the matter," said he,

It grew cloudy. The dog said, "It will rain." On the top of Bally mountain there was a great cloud, black and thick. The cloud came down over the dog, it swirled and rolled, and it went up in the air. The dog was in the cloud, he had called it and made it about himself. He did not want to be tied up, but to go with Flint Boy on his hunts. So he left Flint Boy and went up above. When he got part way up he barked, and the people heard it all over the world. Flint Boy heard it and was sad, for he knew the dog was lost. He never saw his dog again. 'I'lhat?aina lives in the black clouds still. When he barks, it thunders.

  

VI. FIXING THE SUN.

Sun lived at Hi'tsiriha, three miles up from P'a'wi. There was a small hill there of red earth. The people went out to hunt, but did not stay long. Sunset came quickly, the day was short. It was a great trouble. Everyone was in trouble. "What shall we do about it? If the sun came up far off to the east and not right here near us, it would be all right." But the sun was in the center of the world, and that was the cause of the trouble.

The people all got together and talked it over. They asked Cottontail Rabbit and Blue Squirrel. "We have got to move

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the sun." Rabbit said, "Yes, we'll do it." The, people asked, "How?" Rabbit said, "We'll carry it on our backs. When I'm tired, Squirrel can take it." "Where will you put it?" "We'll put it over the mountains far off to the east." They started to carry it, carried it off to the east. When they got tired, they changed off. They carried the sun far, far away, to where he now comes up.

    

  

VII. WOODPECKER AND WOODRAT.

Red-headed Woodpecker was married to Woodrat Woman. They lived at We'yuldiyauk!aimadu. The people were nearly starving for lack of food. Only Woodpecker had any; he got his acorns at a great distance. He had ten sacks, and some acorns he had in the holes of the trees. Woodpecker came home every night, and Rat Woman had lots of soup and bread. Woodpecker and Woodrat Woman would give none to any one. Woodpecker had a brother-in-law, Woodrat. He was sick, his foot was sore, he could not walk. Formerly he had been a fisherman. Woodpecker told his wife, "Give my brother-in-law plenty to eat, he is sick." She did so.

Woodpecker came home with a big load of acorns. The woman gave her brother lots of soup. Woodpecker sat there and ate too. He saw her give her brother soup, and said, "Here! don't do that. Why do you give him that?" Then he got up, took the soup away, and set it down by his own bed. Woodrat turned his back to the fire and went to sleep. The same thing happened every night. By and by the woman dug a hole under her brother's pillow and put the acorn bread in. She put some in, so that while he pretended to be asleep he could eat. Thus Woodpecker was fooled, as she offered soup each night and Woodpecker took it away. But his brother-in-law had bread.

One night Woodpecker came home. He got up in the morning- and told his wife, "Tell my brother-in-law to wash his hands mid to come and eat soup." She did so, gave him soup, but Woodpecker took it away. The next day Woodpecker said, "How comes it that my brother-in-law is so fat?" Woodrat said, "I'll get even with you." When Woodpecker had gone off, his

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brother-in-law got up and said, "Where's my salmon spear? I'm going to get salmon at Cow creek." He saw some in the water and caught two, then took them home. "Cut them up," he said to his sister. The two ate, had a great feast. By and by he hid all the salmon. Woodpecker came back and smelt the salmon. ".What is it that smells like salmon? You people must have been eating salmon," he said. She said, "No. I don't smell it. Where should we get salmon from?" Woodpecker said he thought he had smelt it; Woodrat said nothing.

Woodrat went again, and as before caught salmon. One day Woodrat said, "Sister, we have had enough salmon. Give Woodpecker some when he comes." They had it all ready; when Woodpecker came in, the salmon was brought out. Woodpecker looked at it and said, "You people have salmon. I thought so." He was very eager to get some to eat. "My brother-in-law is very good," he said, but Woodrat did not move. Woodpecker said, "Give my brother-in-law plenty to eat. I'll not say anything again." Woodrat said to himself, "I thought you had no sense. You must give me food, but I have the best food after all." The woman gave him soup and bread, and Woodpecker did not take it away any more.

      


VIII. RABBIT WOMAN AND HER CHILD.

Jack Rabbit lived at Ba'wa at Battle creek. There were many people there. It was the spring time, the clover was growing. All went out to get clover, young girls and all. Rabbit had a baby, but no husband. She went with the rest. She had no friends to whom to give the child while she was gone. One woman said, "I can take it for you." "Yes," said Rabbit. She gave it to her, and went off for the clover. By and by she came back with the rest, and put the clover in the house. She put the roots in the ashes, and sat down to eat, ate all the roots. Some one had given her some meat, and she ate this also.

Then she remembered her baby. "I forgot my child," she said. She jumped up and went to the woman to whom she had given it. "My friend, how is my child? I want my baby." She answered, "Some one else has taken him to the next house." So Rabbit went there and asked. She was given the same answer.

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[paragraph continues  So Rabbit went on, and was answered as before. She went to house after house. Rabbit felt bad. She went to the last house and received the same answer. She went all around once more. The people had killed the child, had given some of it to Rabbit when she came back. Rabbit stopped and cried. She thought, "I ate my baby."

Rabbit had another baby. It was sick. Rabbit said, "My baby is sick. I do not know what is the matter." The people had no medicine-man. Someone told her, "There is a medicine-man living to the north." She took her baby and went after the medicine-man. Some one saw her and asked, "Where are you going?" "My baby is sick." The man said, "What is the matter?" Rabbit said, "I do not know. It has the colic (?), I guess." The man said, "I am a medicine-man." It was Coyote. She said, "What is your name? I want to go to Pale'lu, there is a medicine-man there. Ma'makalik!uwi is his name." Coyote said, "Yes. That is my name." She said, "Well, take the baby."

Coyote took it. He sat down on a rock, looked at the baby, and put his hand on him. Rabbit said she wanted to go home. "I thought that you would doctor him; now I want to go." Coyote said, "No. If I am going to doctor, I want to do it at my house." Rabbit said, "Yes." She went to Coyote's house. Coyote doctored the child, danced. When he got through, he said, "The baby is all right." That night he told Rabbit. "Go to sleep on the south side." She did so. Coyote said. "I'm going to doctor somewhere else. I shall be back soon," and he went out. By and by he came back. He looked at Rabbit, saw that she was asleep. He walked softly up, sat down, and looked at her. He thought, "I want some meat. I've had no meat for a long time." So he killed her, and the baby too.

      

IX. COYOTE AND RABBIT GAMBLE.

Coyote wanted to gamble with Cottontail Rabbit. "We must have fun," he said. Rabbit said, "How shall we have fun?" Coyote said, "I'll show you how." Coyote made five sticks for each side about two feet long of a small sized wood, and got some


ma'du grass. Coyote made a small stick four inches long (dju'p!ayauna) and put it in with the five long ones. He rolled these up in the grass and laid them down. He rolled up the other five and put in the short one. This bundle he placed beside the other. The guessers clap hands and with one or the other hand designate which bundle the short stick is in. If they fail to locate it, they lose. If they guess right, they have the sticks passed over to them and themselves roll. Coyote said, "Do not use this game in summer, use it in the fall and winter. Stop when the leaves come out on the oaks, stop playing this game. If you use it all summer, there will be no acorns."

      
 

  

X. GOPHER AND RABBIT GAMBLE.

Gopher and Cottontail Rabbit gambled. Gopher had many arrows and a bow. He told Rabbit, "We will always gamble when we meet." "Let us do so today." So they cut sticks at Big Cow creek. Gopher bet one of his arrows first, and lost. Next he bet another one, and lost. Then he bet his bow, and lost. He bet his quiver, and lost. He bet his belt, and lost. Everything he had he lost. He said, "I have nothing left to bet. I will bet my people." Rabbit said, "All right." He bet his people, and lost. He bet his wives, and lost them. He bet his children, and lost. He said, "I will bet myself." He bet his arm, and lost. He bet the other arm, and lost. He bet all his body, and lost all.



XI. COYOTE AND THE STUMP. [*345 

Coyote went to P'a'wi one day. It was early in the morning and it was very foggy. He met some one in the trail. Coyote stooped. "Whew! I'm tired. Where do you come from?" The man did not answer. Coyote sat down to rest, and said, "You came early, so did I." The man said nothing. Coyote said, "Talk! One must say something when he meets one." There was no reply. Said Coyote, "If you are angry, say so!" No

answer. Coyote said, "If you want to fight, I can fight." Coyote got up. There was no answer. Coyote said, "I'll hit." He did so, and his right hand stuck. It was no man, it was a stump. Coyote said, "Let go my hand!" with no result. Coyote hit him with his left hand; it stuck. Coyote said, "Why do you hold my hands? Let go! That is no way to fight." No reply. Coyote kicked with his right foot; it stuck. He kicked with his left foot; it stuck. He butted; his head stuck. By and by a man came along and saw Coyote. He said, "Coyote is a fool. He has been fighting that stump."
  

XII. LOON WOMAN. [*346 

At Hak!a'l?imadu, a lake near Hat creek, lived Loon Woman (Hak!a'lisimari?mi). She had no husband. Every man that came along she killed; she would tell them, "I love you." The man would stay with her, then she would cut out his heart, dry it, and tie a string on it. She had treated ten people thus, had made beads out of their hearts, and wore them as a necklace. She was a nice-looking woman, living all alone.

She thought, "I dreamed of a man last night. I dreamt that it was Eagle's son." She dressed up with her beaded apron and basket-cap, fixed herself up nicely, painted her face, and started away. Eagle lived at Ci'p!a [*347  with a great many people, he had a big sweat-house. Coyote lived there also. Loon came down, came to the sweat-house in the afternoon when the people were all dancing. They saw her coming from the east; her beaded apron made a noise "so?, so?, so?," as she walked. Meadow Lark Woman lived there also, was an old woman living alone east of the sweat-house. Loon came to her house, and called her aunt (gara'ina). Meadow Lark was in bed, but got up when she heard Loon come in. "Who is that?" she said. Meadow Lark had a long spear (lu'mi) in her bed. She seized the spear and was about to spear Loon, when Loon said, "It is I, aunt." "You must say who you are," said Meadow Lark, "or I'll spear you."


[paragraph continues  Then Meadow Lark stuck her spear up again. Loon came in and sat down, while Meadow Lark hung her head. She felt bad, was all alone, and cried. She thought that Loon was some relation. In the big sweat-house were many people sweating and dancing about the fire. Loon said to Meadow Lark, "My aunt, I am going to see what is going on." Outside were many young women dancing, dancing for fun. Meadow Lark said, "Go, but be careful. The young people may pull you about, they may not like to have a strange woman about." "I do not want men to pull me about," said Loon.

Loon went out, sneaked among the girls who were dancing. The girls saw her coming, for it was moonlight and they could see her. She was a stranger. Every one looked at her, no one knew her. The beads about her neck looked strange, looked like the hearts of people. The girls, however, took her in and let her dance with them. Loon said to one in a whisper, "Let us go and look into the sweat-house and see the men, see how they dance." The girl said, "No, we never look in when men are sweating." Loon said, "Let us look anyway." Two women there knew who Loon was, and they were afraid. One woman said, "Let her look if she wants to. Take her up to the sweathouse."

Loon looked in, saw the men dancing. Eagle would not let his son dance, he had put him away next to the wall, put him in a black-bear skin and rolled him up. The people finished their dancing, all went out to the creek to swim. They were strung all along the creek; then they all went back to the sweat-house. Loon was among the girls again. There was an old man in the sweat-house, talking. "What did you tell me a while ago? Didn't you tell me that a stranger woman had come?" "Yes, there is one outside." Said he, "Do not play with her. I know her, I saw her make trouble in five places. I know her name. It is Hak!a'lisimari?mi. Let her alone. If you do not play with her tonight, it will be well."

A vagrant man was walking about, saw Loon, and began to tease her, pull her about. Her head was hanging down. He put his hand on her shoulder, but she said "M+, m+," and shrugged her shoulders. Five stranger men were teasing her. Finally


they stopped playing with her. Loon was angry, got up, and went to the sweat-house. There were many people there. She looked in, saw that the fire was low. "O you men, one of you come out and be my husband! One of you is my husband, come out," she said. No one answered. "My husband played with me only a little while ago. Why doesn't he come out? I want to go home. Hurry up." One answered, "Was it I? Do you want me?" He went out, Loon looked at him, and said, "You are not the one." He went away. She called again, "Come out." Another answered and came out, but he was not the one. This was repeated several times. By and by Loon stopped talking, went away.

She went to the creek where the men had been swimming, looked in where each man had swum. Eagle's son had been the last one, far off all alone. She looked to see if any man had lost a hair. She found one hair, pulled out one of her own hairs, and measured the two. The man's hair was shorter, so it was not her husband's. She wanted a husband whose hair was as long as her own. She hunted all along the creek, could not find one of the same length. All were too short. Finally at the last place she found a hair, and measured it. It was of just the same length as hers. "Now I have it," she said. "I thought I would find it somewhere."

She went back to the sweat-house, and as before she called on the men to come out, and as before each one that came was rejected. All had come out, young Eagle was the only one left. She kept calling. Some of Eagle's people were in there crying. She called to them not to cry, but to send out the man. They knew what she wanted, and therefore cried. Eagle said, "Well, I will give up my son's life, for I do not want my people to die. I must give up my son." He took him out. The boy was shining like gold. Loon said, "That is my husband." He came out, and would not look at her, did not want to go home with her. She said, "I want to go home tonight. I dreamed of you." Loon seized him.

The old people cried in the sweat-house. Loon and young Eagle went home, went east toward Hat creek. She said, "I do not want daylight, I wish it to be night yet. I want to sleep

with my husband." She said to Eagle after they had gone a short distance, "I am tired, let us sleep." Eagle would not talk; Loon asked him to, but he refused. Loon fixed the bed and lay down, as did Eagle. She tried to play with him, but he did not wish to. An old man at the sweat-house had put an acorn-cup on Eagle's penis, so that he could have no connection; he had told him not to sleep. The woman wanted the young man, but he was incapacitated. Eagle blew on her and put her to sleep. She stretched out and snored. Eagle did not sleep, but watched the woman. Late in the night he got up, removing the woman's arms from him. He found a log and laid it beside the woman, put her arms about it as they had been around him. Then he ran off.

He came home and told the people that he had run away. The people said, "What shall we do? We must go to the south, we must run away." "No," said another, "Loon will catch us if we go south. Let us go to the north." "No," said another, "let us go to the east." "Let us go to the west," said another. "No, she will catch us there." "Where shall we go?" "We must go up to the sky." "How shall we go up? We must hurry before Loon gets up." "Who will take us up to the sky?" said Eagle. Spider had a rope, he [*348  was the man. The people had a great sack (p!u'gi), and they all got into this. "Hurry up," said Spider. Then Spider made the rope come down from the sky and tied it to the sack. "Who is going in first?" Coyote said, "My friend, I will be the first." "All right, but be careful." He got in, and all the rest got in after him. Spider said "Stretch!" to the sack and it did so, stretched to the north, south, east, and west, till all the people got in. Then Spider pulled the rope, pulled the sack up.

When it was half way up, Loon woke up. It was daylight. She stretched about, pulled the log about, and found out what it was. She grew angry, said "Am+! All right, you can not get away from me," said Loon to herself. "Am+, am+!" she said. She came back to the sweat-house, looked for her husband. She had a fire-drill (mi'niyauna) with fire in it. [*349  She looked

about, called into the sweat-house, but there was no answer, there was no one about. "Am+, am+!" said she to herself. She looked to the south, there was no one in sight. She looked to the east, there was no one. She looked to the west, there was no one. She looked to the north, there was no one. "You are smart, you people. I wonder where you are. You can not get away from me." She hunted all about, looking for their tracks, but she found none. She looked on the gopher piles, there were no tracks there. She began to wonder what to do. "I guess I will set fire to this place. It is the only thing to do." She broke the fire-drill, threw one-half of it to the east, and one to the south. Fire blazed up where she threw the sticks; everything burned. Loon had a big club, and stood watching the fire.

In the sack Coyote said to the people, "I want to make a peephole to see the fire down below." Spider had said that the village was burning. The people said to Coyote, "No, do not tear the sack." "Just a little," said Coyote. Coyote made up his mind to do it anyway; he did so, looked through, saw the fire. The tear began to rip, the hole grew larger, by and by the sack broke. Coyote fell out first, fell down over and over; all the rest fell after him, fell into the fire.

Loon was watching the fire. She saw a man fall into the fire. looked up, saw all the people falling. "Am+, am+!" she said, "I told you that you could not get away from me." Wildcat fell down; his eyes popped out. Loon bit the eye with her club as it popped out, knocked it back into the fire. Black Bear fell in; his eyes popped out. Loon tried to hit it back but missed it. it got away, flew far off. Lion fell in, but she missed his eye. Brown Bear fell in. Eagle fell in. The fire all burned out; all the people were burned up, except those whose eyes had escaped and who are alive today.

Loon went home. Diver, a small mud duck, did not like Loon. He lived on a lake at Ci'p!a. Diver was afraid of Loon, so he made a net, took two moons to make it. Heron (mi'mk!a) came along, came to see Diver. He said, "Why do you make a net?" "I shall use it," said Diver. Heron wanted to know, but Diver would not tell. He set a trap for Loon; Diver caught her and killed her.


XIII. PINE MARTEN'S QUEST FOR MOON'S DAUGHTER. [*350 

Moon lived in the west. Lion, Wolf, and others lived far up toward Fall river in a big sweat-house. Lion went first to Moon's house for his daughter, went in. Moon put brains in the fire, and there was a strong smoke, so that Lion could not breathe. The two women said, "You must die. There are many dead outside. My father does not want me to have a husband." Moon gave Lion a pipe to smoke. He took but two whiffs and was killed. Moon threw him out. Then Wolf went to sue for Moon's daughter, went in. The same thing occurred to him. Silver Fox went, with the same result. The women cried, told Moon he had killed enough, but he did not mind.

The last one to sue was Pine Marten. He put Weasel in his quiver which he carried with him. When he came in, Pine Marten caused the smoke to go away. Moon gave Pine Marten a strong pipe. Pine Marten smoked it, blew the smoke down into a hole in the ground, and returned the pipe to Moon unaffected. The girls warned Pine Marten. Weasel pulled out a stronger tobacco, but Pine Marten made the smoke go down into the ground as before. Moon gave Pine Marten a stronger tobacco again, but it had no effect. He threw back the pipe and broke it.

Pine Marten went for wood, brought spruce and cedar. He came back and put it all in. "That is the kind of wood one should use for sweating, not brains." The spruce wood popped, the sparks burned Moon half up. Pine Marten danced. Moon cried out to stop it, for he was nearly dead. Pine Marten stopped it, and Moon said, "You ought not to do that." Moon said, "Son-in-law, go swim." So he went, and soon a big water grizzly (ha't'enna) pulled him in, and tried to kill him. He could not do so, however. Pine Marten stayed one night with him at the bottom of the river, then went back with many presents from his nephew. He brought back his hide to Moon and said, "I hung up a salmon outside." Moon saw it and was frightened.

Moon asked him to go for wood, so he went to the north. A big snake with a horn ('e'k'u'na) came and caught Pine Marten, but Pine Marten told him that he was his uncle. Pine Marten killed him, skinned him, and brought home the skin with the wood. He told his father-in-law to go and look at the wood. He saw the hide and was frightened, did not know what to do.

"Son-in-law, go and hunt up on this mountain, kill deer," so he went to the north. Big Rain (tc'ilwa'rik!u), Hail (sabilk!e'yu), and Buzzard (ma'ts!k'ili'lla) were jealous of Pine Marten. Moon told Pine Marten to sit down, while the people circled about and drove in the animals. Pine Marten thought they were deer, but they were really grizzly bears. Pine Marten ran, and the grizzly bears ran after him and tore off his buckskin leggings. All day he ran. In the afternoon he heard a voice above, "You are nearly caught. Tell the tree to open, get in, and go through." He did so. The bear came after him but was caught by the tree as it closed. Pine Marten went back, got out the bear, and skinned him. When he returned to Moon's house, he hung up the hide. He told Moon to go out and see the squirrel. Moon did so, saw the bear-hide, and was frightened.

"Son-in-law," called Moon. Drifting Rain and Blue Racer (tci'wa) were to have a race with Pine Marten. They started, went to the south, ran a long way. Pine Marten gave out. First he killed Big Rain by pulling a log out from under him, next he killed Blue Racer. He carried home the spoils. Moon thought that Pine Marten was dead, but cried when he found what had happened.

"Son-in-law, we will play tomorrow morning." He took deer-sinew rope, and wanted Pine Marten to get on the digger pine while he pulled it down by the rope and let it snap back. Pine Marten jumped off before Moon could snap. Moon thought he had snapped him up to the sky, but he came back. Now Moon was to get up, and he did so. Pine Marten swung the tree a little, and Moon said, "Look out, my son-in-law. Be careful, do not pull too much." Pine Marten thought to himself, "I will fix him." He gave him a big swing and snapped him off into the sky, where he is the moon. Pine Marten looked and saw him. Moon said, "I shall stay here now, he gave me a good place to stay. I shall see what people do." Pine Marten went back to the house. The old woman Frog, asked, "Where is my husband?" Pine Marten said, "He wants you up there." He took them to the same place where he had snapped the old man, and snapped her up also, also the two girls. Then he went home, and told the people that he had fixed things well.


THE  
I
THE DOCTRINE HE knowledge of the Tarot, handed down to us through the ages, and as we find it at the beginning of the XXth century, can be traced in the writings of many authors. Its most perfect interpretations until now are to be found in the works of Éliphas Lévi (Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie) and Dr. Papus (Le Tarot des Bohémiens and Le Tarot Divinatoire). These may be said to represent the best results of earlier times, including Eteilla and P. Christian.
A booklet by S. L. MacGregor Mathers, an author well known for his works on subjects relating to the Kabbalah, quotes J. F. Vaillant (1857) as saying "that it (the Tarot) belongs to the beginning of our time, to the epoch of the preparation of the zodiac . . ." and ". . . The great divinity Ashtarot, As-Tarot, is no other than the Indo-Tartar Tan-tara, the Tarot, the Zodiac."
This is curious, and we wonder if one or the other ever worked out so much as a real scheme of this relationship between the Tarot system and the
zodiacal principles. If so, as far as we know, it did not appear publicly.
 
 
 
 
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Another well-known author on ancient mysteries and symbolism, Arthur Edward Waite, who revised and introduced an English edition of Papus' Tarot of the Bohemians, by A. P. Morton, has presented us with a still more precious booklet entitled The Key to the Tarot, from which we quote:
"The Tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no other signs."
And we would add that true symbolism is always the figurative rendering of cosmological truth or natural principles and laws in visual linguistic or mental image. If astrological symbolism does the same, why should we not seek for a correlation between the two systems? And if further we come to the conclusion, as we must, that both systems give a rendering of the process of creation itself, totally and definitely, then the two must practically present the same point of view, and a comparison between them must not only be instructive but may elucidate both.
In the present work, it is our ardent desire to join with Mr. Waite, "so that the effect of current charlatanism and unintelligence may be reduced to a minimum."
We shall abstain from any special criticism and pass over the more ancient literature on the subject--by such writers as Eteilla, Court de Gebelin, P. Christian, etc.--literature which has been mostly embodied in the works mentioned above, which we specially recommend to those readers who wish to study the subject exhaustively. The best Tarot cards are those drawn by Miss Pamela Colman Smith,
published in England, and issued with Mr. Waite's booklet. The designs on these cards appear to be the most pure in their symbolical details, and to be drawn with inspiration and clear vision, though in general the ancient description or traditional rendering has evidently been followed.
The symbolical system of the Tarot consists of 78 picture cards of which 22 constitute the Major Arcana or Trumps Major, 56 (4 × 14) the Minor Arcana, Trumps Minor. As far as we know the idea of analogy with the zodiacal mysteries has, until now, found no further practical realisation than a rather diffuse comparison of the four 'colours' or suits in the Lesser Arcana with the Four Elements in the Cosmos, as we find them in astrology.
 
 
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THE LESSER ARCANA
The pack of cards of the Lesser Arcana has been generally acknowledged as the origin of our ordinary playing-cards, though subsequent authorities do not wholly agree upon this point. Thus we find Dr. Papus saying:
". . . wands have become the clubs (or trèfles) of our present playing- cards, cups have become hearts, swords have become spades and pentacles have become diamonds." (Chapter I.)
Mr. Waite in his Key says:
". . . wands or sceptres . . . diamonds . . . cups correspond to hearts . . . swords answer to clubs . . ."
and finally pentacles "which are the prototype of spades." (P. 37.)
In MacGregor Mathers' booklet we find in extenso the following table:
Italian French English Answering to Bastoni Bâtons Wands, Sceptres
or Clubs
Diamonds
Coppé Coupes Cups, Chalices
or Goblets
Hearts
Spadé Epées Swords Spades Denari Deniers Money, Circles
or Pentacles
Clubs
The discrepancies are evident. Furthermore questions may arise as to how one writer could call swords, clubs, while linguistically a wand and a club originally mean the same thing, and cover the same meaning, viz. that of a detached part of a living tree; and how is it that another could see wands answering to diamonds and a third make pentacles clubs? Evidently a sword must be a 'spade' and a wand must be a 'club,' the names being virtually identical. There seems, however, some difficulty regarding the other two. I object to the usage as given by Papus and MacGregor Mathers and can easily bring forward proof against it. Important differences like these, found in the writings of the principal authors on the subject, show that something is wanting in the understanding of the doctrine itself and the 'why' has been lost, or at least partially. The quest for this doctrine must be fully worth the trouble--and we shall endeavour, in the following pages, to follow it up to its origin in general cosmological principles.
 
In a way we must regard this symbol as revealing the highest conception of Creation: Trinity pure and simple with only the rudiment of activity indicated, standing still above the circle, as far or as soon as the latter suggests Motion. So wands, clubs or trèfles are most certainly meant as the symbol of the highest element in Creation.
 
11
Now the first thing we wish to point out is this: the system of the Tarot is so important, that no explanation can be accepted as satisfactory other than that which acknowledges it as a general outline of Creation itself, which ever was, and ever continues, pervading every creature and everything with its principles as a divine immanence.
Therefore Papus is quite right in stating, that "each card of the Tarot represents a symbol, a number and an idea."
At the basis of Creation are the Four Cosmic Elements, as they were symbolically mentioned by visionaries such as Ezechiel and St. John of Patmos, and taught by astrology of old. It requires no extraordinary intuition of the occult student to recognise in the four colours of our playing-cards or the four suits of the Tarot's Lesser Arcana those four basic Elements: Fire, Earth, Air and Water. The question remains however: Which is which?
There must have been a time when knowledge about these matters was nearer at hand than is the case nowadays; the symbols speak for it. A student of Occultism has to pay attention to symbols above all. So what do they tell us?
WANDS.--As a matter of fact, curiously enough, all authors agree in naming wands or clubs in the first place. In our set of playing cards the figurative symbol for it is the trefoil (French trèfle)--tri-folio--and Mr. Ouspensky draws the wands bearing leaves which in many instances appear to be threefold--at least they should be. The trefoil or shamrock has always been considered a luck-charm, Porte-bonheur. * It is built upon the scheme of the triangle, symbol of Trinity, and the totality of the figure appears also in the masonic 'trefoil,' which is an emblem of the Divine Trinity together with the principle of activity, indicated by the staff or wand itself, eventually crossed as in the ancient emblem.
 
 
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The question has often been put as to whether, in the astrological idea of creation, Air or Fire ought to be regarded as the highest element. The answer depends upon the standpoint we take. In the highest cosmological or cosmo-philosophical sense it is Fire; in a cosmo-practical or cosmo-natural sense it is Air, as the Secret Doctrine undoubtedly makes us understand, where the dissolution of cosmos at the end of a Manvantara is treated of and it is said that the Earth is dissolved or engulfed by the Waters, Water evaporated by Fire, and finally Fire disappearing in the Air. Here Air is acting as the atmosphere of the globe or system disappearing. So for all practical uses, in astrology as well, it is Air which is able to give the highest expression of the Divine. As the atmosphere of a globe it is the link between it and the Ether of space, carrying the rays of the divine solar centre as well as those of the relatively 'demoniacal' surroundings to the other elements, constituting the existence of the globe. In a similar way the suit of wands will appear to be something of a link between the Lesser and the Greater Arcana. This will be dealt with later.
Taken in this way Air is 'the bearer of the Message' from the Divine (Ether) or Unmanifest to the terrestrial or manifested worlds. And wands are the significators of the messages in detail and of intelligences, which astrologically correspond to Air, consequently of higher thought and mental processes.
The magic wand is used to convey the divine or at least semi-divine will- power of the Self acting as a magician into the world of phenomena.
As in Macrocosm the Message goes out to the Water (the emotional element of experience in the Soul), and Metals (sensatory elements of understanding in the Body), so in microcosm, on Earth, a wand may be used to find out water and metals in the soil. This may seem curious, but is pure analogy.
From days of old a wand or staff was used to 'chastise,' i.e. to render chaste or pure, the undisciplined or disobedient, a penalty as much symbolical as corporeal, the staff being at the same time the insignum of a superior will-power or supervision.
Hermes-Mercury, Lord of the Element of Air, of Knowledge and Understanding, Bearer of the Message of the Gods, carried as his emblem, his well-known Wand encompassed by two snakes and bearing a cup on top. He was called Trismegistus, the 'threefold' Great (or the Great Trefoil which might also be translated as Lord or Magister of the register of Trefoil, King of the Wands.
 
 
13
And the pilgrim, who went to hear the word of deliverance and to gather knowledge, took up a staff, not only as a walking-stick but also as a symbol of his quest. The latter finds illustration in the legend of Tannhauser, whose 'sin' (ignorance) was so great, that its expiation could be expected as little as the budding of new leaves on his (dead) pilgrim's staff, the latter being evidently taken as an image of the principle of the 'wand' in his own soul. And when, by the force of Love, a higher understanding budded forth in himself, this fact was symbolised by the apparition of a fresh green leaf on hip staff.
The ancient Norsemen, highly susceptible to symbolism, wrote their signs of communication or messages on stafe, wands, which became the origin of the later word Buchstabe in German.
PENTACLES.--Generally cups are named in the second place but are at the same time identified with hearts. We agree that the hearts come in the second place of the hierarchy of the Tarot suits, but do not see, that they should be 'cups.' Of course we understand that the heart has been said to be the 'cup' receiving and containing the divine life, etc. But still we disagree and even think the parable rather superficial, for it leaves the mutual relation of the three remaining elements in a distorted condition. Moreover the symbolical names, as given by the different authors mentioned, do not agree.
If, taken as a whole, wands stand for the Message of the Macrocosm or Ideation, as Air transfers the message from the Ether, and if we take for granted, that the imagination of the Tarot system was meant and given for cosmo-practical or cosmo-natural usage, then we must be prepared to find in the remaining three suits the elements of (say: 'human') spirit, soul and body incarnate (i.e. as they appear in the manifested world), thus constituting together the microcosm in toto. Astrology gives for the three the symbols: Sun, Moon and Ascendant (Earth). We should rather say: the Fifth, the Ninth and the First house in the horoscopic circle. Compare our second volume on Cosmology, entitled Elements of Astrology.
If now, to indicate these three principles, we dispose of a pentacle, a cup and a sword, it is most surely the pentacle on the coin of gold or within the circle, which relates to the heart and the principle of spirit, located in the Fifth house. For here the human spirit with its fivefold nature originates and here the fivefold magic or creative force resides. It is difficult to see what other meaning the pentacle could have than the symbolising of the Fifth house in Creation, which is the heart to every living being. There is not the least shade of doubt that in the horoscope the beginning of the spiritual spiral lies in the Fifth house. Gold is the metal ruled by the Sun, lord of the Fifth sign, Leo, the heart of the solar
 
The symbol in playing-cards is drawn in the natural likeness of a heart. There is as little doubt concerning the element Fire, because, as every astrologer knows and realises, spirit, soul and body stand in the same relation as Fire, Water and Earth. Compare the Secret Doctrine, where 'a centre of Fire and Water' is the origin for a new incarnation on Earth. Curiously enough, divination never has interpreted 'hearts' in any other way than as symbolising things belonging to the heart or coming forth from it. In so far this 'colour' has been well understood. But its gold is a spiritual symbol and has as yet nothing to do with 'money.' It is in the soul and not in the spirit, that the idea of repayment is forged, though no doubt the spiritual gold may be said to be the origin of all that will later on appear as vulgar money.
CUPS.--The soul is ruled by the Moon and the element Water, as is well known in astrology. It is in the cosmic principle of Soul, or in other words: in the Cosmic Soul, that the truth of the philosophic statement, Panta Rei (everything in the world is flowing), is revealed. And there is no better symbol for the specific nature of the soul in concreto than that of a cup or chalice, which contains the Liquor of Life. The cup is really suggestive enough with regard to the element Water.
When Jesus prayed: "Lord let this chalice pass from me," He indicated something which He feared would fill his soul with bitterness. And in the Last Supper He passed along the chalice of brotherhood amongst the disciples, as a sign of soul-union, a custom still followed by the churches of Christianity and in days of old by King Arthur at the meetings of the Round Table. The Christian churches lay much stress on the mystic happenings with the Holy and Blessings. Herein we may see a demonstration of the mystery of Christ, Son of the Heart (that is, the Sun in the Solar system), Divine Soul (the 'Father' being Divine Spirit) using the persona of Jesus as Its Cup or vessel (vahana).
In one of the masonic High Grades the cup reappears with the symbolic 'supper' of brotherhood.
The quest of the Holy Graal--the legendary Holy Chalice or Cup of Felicity--shadowed forth in the ritual of the church--is well known to
 
14
system. So pentacles or golden coins are the hearts in playing-cards and correspond to the element Fire.
 
Without a shadow of doubt cups stand for diamonds or carreaux and for the element Water.
Ordinary divination correctly ascribes to cups the property of ruling money matters, because the soul is, in fact, the producer of work, which results in the production of 'money.'
The figure for diamonds in playing-cards is a square standing on one point, the opposite point reaching upwards. This symbolises the soul in its chief characteristic, standing on one end, one-pointedly directed towards Heaven or spirit and on the other hand one-pointedly directed towards Earth or matter, and squaring the Two within itself. One who really understands this may well be called a 'square man.'
 
15
represent the thirst or solicitude of the soul for the spiritual water or wine of Life Divine. The Graal itself symbolises the shape of a human or superhuman personality, a soul of human nature, filled or 'fulfilled' by this Divine Essence, by which it becomes a Holy One, a Master or Elder Brother. So it means the quest of the common human soul for the Master Soul.
Cups or beakers are used throughout the world to drink 'welcome' and friendship, i.e. to express the idea of soul-union: something like "my soul drinks from the same liquor as yours," viz. the liquor of life or of renovation of life; "my soul meets yours in the drinking of the wine divine, and so knows that we are brothers."
Among playing-cards cups cannot be anything else but diamonds--in French: carreaux--the two different names giving expression to exactly the same idea: that of the soul or persona of the spirit. The diamond is a jewel which allows the light to pass almost without any loss; the purer its 'water' the less the loss and the higher its value, which is the reason why Occultists call a perfected soul a 'Diamond-Soul.' The French and the Dutch use the same simile in a somewhat more prosaic though still very pretty way, when they compare the soul with a little window through which God is looking downstairs (Flemish: vensterke) into the lower worlds. The same is said of the human eye, which is styled the little window or vensterke of the soul in its turn. This is the origin of the French carreaux and the Dutch ruiten. Its symbolic figure is clear enough:
 
 
16
SWORDS.--Not much choice is left with regard to the fourth suit or colour. Perhaps a sword looks more like a magic instrument than a spade, but both are made of iron, which 'cleaves' the Earth or 'the body of Earth.'
When in the Bhagavad Gîtâ, the evident intention is to make it clear, that Shri Krishna did not appear in a 'body of Earth' or physical body, one of the images used to express this meaning is: "weapons cleave Him not."
Originally the sword and spade had the same meaning. Compare the Spanish espada and the French épée for sword. A later meaning of 'spade' became that of the agricultural tool.
In one way, viz. as a physical instrument, the emblem of executive power, the sword has much the same meaning as the wand or club: both are instruments of command, compelling obedience. The difference lies in the nature of the element used: wands compel by reason, intelligence, understanding, moral force; swords enforce obedience to laws of Earth, material necessity, actual resistance. This means also, that wands open moral, intellectual and reasonable possibilities, swords give material opportunities.
Both these suits start from the First house or Aries, as will be worked out further hereafter, the one leading up from the beginning of Intelligence, the other from the beginning of activity in Matter.
The swords wound or even kill, they sever the rotten limb from the otherwise healthy body, for which reason the sword became the symbol for discrimination between practical usefulness and practical uselessness. From this, practical ideas of Right and Wrong, Good and Evil spring into being.
To wound and to kill is to destroy partially or wholly a body of Earth. This must not be regretted, as Shri Krishna explains, because it is only destroying maya, misleading appearances. That which is an inner reality can never be killed; it is Life itself. So the swords may mean destruction to some form or body, formula or limited existence, they may inflict pain, detriment, loss, sorrow upon bodily existence and material possessions or conditions. On the other hand they may mean renovation, birth and rebirth, the removing of obstacles, a clearance of the way and of the field of action, as the spade clears and turns the soil of the garden for a new sowing. So Jesus might well say: "I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." And even so, where the I or Self manifests in the world of outer phenomena, it will be obliged to take either the sword or the spade in hand to kill out wrongs, illusions, obstacles or turn the soil for a new sowing. Sometimes it may have to cut away what is not wanted, in order
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to keep the rest pure and straight and healthy; just as the sculptor works on the marble. So also sorrow and pain will be inflicted upon the body of Earth so long as the hand of the Heavenly Sculptor is upon it.
The symbolic figure drawn for spades in playing-cards is the reverse of that for hearts, plus a design at the top reminding us of the cross upon the circle
in the symbol of the planet Mars: it appears also to signify something in the nature of the heart oppressed by the cross of matter.
That ordinary divination takes spades as malific as it makes hearts benefic, will be clear from the above. From an inner standpoint it is not seen in the same way; this also will be clear.
The colours of the spades and wands are always given as black, hearts and cups as red. The symbology of the Tarot is too pure for such a detail to be an accident, though the ordinary pack of playing-cards might be considered to some extent as a sort of 'profanation' of the original Tarot. These colours, however, bear an essential meaning, as does everything in the Tarot.
Wands take their black colour from the 'Black Wisdom' (compare the Secret Doctrine);
Swords or spades are black from the Earth, which has no light of its own;
Hearts are coloured red by the 'blood' and cups by the 'wine,' the liquor of life in the body and in the soul respectively, and both bearing light. So the Wine imparts the Holy Communion of the spirit to the soul, and the blood renders the same service, relatively, to the particles of the body, to which it imparts the life of the Ego or rather of its soul.
As I have explained in my previous book referred to above, Evolution may well be represented by a spiral starting from the spiritual centre and descending through the twelve houses of zodiacal ideation and formation into the 'worlds'--spiritual, psychical, physical.
 
 
 
 
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This Spiral of Evolution may be divided into at least three parts, that is, three different beginnings may be seen. There is the Divine Beginning, starting in Aries, the sign of Initiation and highest abstraction, the divine cycle being completed in Pisces, where it is handed over or 'offered' or sacrificed to the world of appearances.
The cycle of the spiritual in Man begins in the fifth sign, Leo, the individual cycle being that of the Spark or the Ego, and it runs from this sign of the heart to Cancer, the sign of memories.
Subsequently: a cycle of the personal being of the Ego, the cycle of the soul in Man, which we may call the personal cycle, starts from Sagittarius, the sign of thought and manifestation, and ends in Scorpio, the sign of death.
Then there is the cycle of the body, body of Earth, with the etheric initiative in Aries once more at the same point but lower down in the scale, and ending in Pisces as the house of the 'Universal Solvent,' applying also to the body of Earth, for here personal separateness is solved into the physical surroundings of the Universe from which it was built up.
After this the physical organs in the body of Earth will be built up and have their own cycle, starting again in Leo and building them between the heart and the stomach: Cancer.
And in Sagittarius the physical manifestations in happenings, deeds, facts, proceedings, etc., begin their cycle in co-operation with their surroundings. This cycle again ends in Scorpio, where life's lessons or experiences are drawn out of the materials.
Divine Intelligence being the beginning of all that to our conception means Evolution, the Spiral of Evolution must necessarily open with the suit of Wands, thus ruling the First to the Twelfth house. They stand for intelligence in general and 'intelligences' in Nature, for messages and communications, relations, connections, plans and ideas, for knowledge and insight. They work through the head and have to do with 'mutations.'
Then follow hearts, representing the individual cycle, from the Fifth to the Fourth house. They rule in this cycle the fiery force of the spirit and represent power, goodness, love, fixed purpose, desire, well-being, virtue, warmth and heat, generation, development, they work through the heart.
The cups rule the cycle of the soul, or personal cycle, and represent, working from the Ninth to the Eighth house, the emotions and motives,
 
 
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the activity of the soul, its experiences from the highest philosophy and religion down to the merest lust or sensation. They work through the senses and the organs of motion.
They have what may be described as an undulating movement, and they may be favourable or unfavourable. But they move and cause growth and death, rise and decline; they mould life into physical circumstances and forms; they 'influence' everything and this is their particular business.
The body of Earth is built up by the elements of Earth, represented by the suit of swords, running from the First house again up to the Twelfth. They speak of birth in matter, of facts, formations and resistance, of material good luck and bad fortune, achievements and failure in material respect; of afflictions and pain, but also of the effects produced by this suffering.
Again comes the cycle of hearts, now in the significance of the round of physical organs. This is very strict and can be absolutely relied upon. Every astrologer can tell you the relationship between the houses and the organs of the body. But it must be borne in mind that this rulership first relates to the ethereal centres or chakras, the fiery wheels in the etheric body. So the Fifth house rules the solar plexus and the heart . . . etc.
Finally the cups rule the cycle of events, happenings, movements. From the Ninth to the Eighth house again.
In a general way the cups will relate to water, as the hearts to fire, the wands to air, and the spades to earth in the practice of daily life as well as in a philosophical sense.
It appears further that each of the three cycles come twice into play: the cycle of Aries--Pisces by wands and swords; that of Leo--Cancer by hearts on two different niveaux; and that of Sagittarius-Scorpio in the same way twice by cups.
Astrologers may wonder perhaps, how and why it is that the 'mutable' suits of wands and spades start from the 'moveable' sign Aries, while the 'moveable' suit of cups starts from the 'mutable' sign Sagittarius. We can only answer that the facts are as they are, but may add, that evidently every suit has something of a particular sort of accent, which does not necessarily fall on the first sign or house, but on that in which house and suit coincide with regard to element and property (guna). Thus:
Spades, earth and mutable, will have their accent in the sign Virgo, mutable sign of earth, in which discrimination is said to be born;
 
 
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Cups, water and moveable, in the moveable sign of water Cancer, which in fact is the proper sign of the moon and in which all properties of the soul can be said to be gathered or hidden;
Hearts, fire and fixed, in the fixed and fiery sign Leo; the suit of hearts appears to be the only one out of the four to have its particular accent on the first 'card' or house, which naturally confirms the essential being of hearts as interpreting fire and the centre of things;
Wands, air and mutable, have their accent on the airy and mutable sign Gemini, the sign of the Messenger.
The subsequent cycles are so many suits of Principles in the process of Building the Cosmos, Houses in the Holy City of the Great Architect of the Universe. They represent happenings in the proceedings of Evolution and experiences on the side of Involution at the same time.
If the suits of colours in the Tarot system convey any meaning at all, it must be this, and there cannot be anything else to represent except these principles and houses, happenings and experiences. We shall see hereafter, how the Greater Arcana falls in with them, and may now proceed to explain the rôle of the Lesser Arcana.
Each suit of cards has been given as a set of fourteen, viz. ten numbered cards, ace to ten, and four 'court cards' named King, Queen, Page or Knave, and Knight. The latter has been omitted in the ordinary playing- cards. Now whereas the cosmological cycle consists of twelve houses, these sets or suits have ten or fourteen cards--just as we choose to take it. Still--if we take for granted--that the analogy exists, each principle must be represented in a card and vice versa. If it were not so, the Tarot system would be found wanting, and we have sufficient reasons not to accept this supposition beforehand, both by reason of theoretical and practical tests, the traditional renderings of the cards confirming the experience.
We need not trouble about the question why the Initiates, who presented the Western World with such an inheritance, chose to number up to ten only instead of going to Twelve. The 'Chosen People' were given only ten commandments for their guidance. They who understand astrology in its essential meaning, can perceive something of the reason; afterwards when the Preacher of Divine Life came to the same chosen people, He gave a double new commandment to complete the ancient Law: that of Brotherhood (Aquarius--eleven) and Love (Pisces--twelve).
In each suit of Tarot cards the numbering is from the one or ace up to the ten; the King is to be considered in some way as a higher octave of
 
 
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the one, the Queen or Dame as the same of the two, whereas the Page or Knave is a representative of the 'relation between the two' and consequently is a higher octave of three, while the Knight is the higher octave of the four and the other side of the same 'relation.' This absolutely covers the general and conventional meanings of Pages and Knights in the Tarot system and its divination, the Pages being said to be always something of messengers, and the Knights to be signifies of transition, conversion, transmission, changing from one condition into another. But at the same time we find the intimation, that the Page as well as the Knight 'bears a double meaning.' Now, as they stand for 'the relation between the two' they already bear an inherent 'double meaning' or significance of a double nature. But 'double meaning' implies something else and something more.
The Page and the Knight are also the figures standing for the XIth and XIIth principles, in the Eleventh and Twelfth houses, conveying the commandments of their King and Queen, as their messengers or officers, and at the same time standing as it were for the whole suit collectively, while in the former meaning, viz. as higher octaves of the 3 and 4, they are the messenger and bridge from one suit to the next one.
To give the analogy between the cards of the Tarot's Lesser Arcana and the zodiacal houses categorically:
WANDS: 1 and King Aries or I house 2 „ Queen Taurus „ II „ 3 „ Page Gemini „ III „ 4 „ Knight Cancer „ IV „ 5 Leo „ V „ 6 Virgo „ VI „ 7 Libra „ VII „ 8 Scorpio „ VIII „ 9 Sagittarius „ IX „ 10 Capricornus „ X „ Page Aquarius „ XI „ Knight Pisces „ XII „
HEARTS: 1 and King Leo or V house 2 „ Queen Virgo „ VI „ 3 „ Page Libra „ VII „ p. 34
 
 
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4 and Knight Scorpio or VIII house 5 Sagittarius „ IX „ 6 Capricornus „ X „ 7 Aquarius „ XI „ 8 Pisces „ XII „ 9 Aries „ I „ 10 Taurus „ II „ Page Gemini „ III „ Knight Cancer „ IV „
CUPS: 1 and King Sagittarius or IX house 2 „ Queen Capricornus „ X „ 3 „ Page Aquarius „ XI „ 4 „ Knight Pisces „ XII „ 5 Aries „ I „ 6 Taurus „ II „ 7 Gemini „ III „ 8 Cancer „ IV „ 9 Leo „ V „ 10 Virgo „ VI „ Page Libra „ VII „ Knight Scorpio „ VIII „
SWORDS: 1 and King Aries or I house 2 „ Queen Taurus „ II „ 3 „ Page Gemini „ III „ 4 ,, Knight Cancer „ IV „ 5 Leo „ V „ 6 Virgo „ VI „ 7 Libra „ VII „ 8 Scorpio „ VIII „ p. 35 9 Sagittarius or IX house 10 Capricornus „ X „ Page Aquarius „ XI „ Knight Pisces „ XII „
 
 
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A diagram of the Spiral of Evolution will be added with its suits of cards. It will be seen, that:
King, 1, 5, 9, fall on houses of Fire Queen, 2, 6, 10 „ „ Earth Page, 3, 7 „ „ Air Knight, 4, 8, „ „ Water
Astrologers will be able to draw immediate conclusions from these coincidences, which are absolutely natural.
One other detail may be added in this part:
The cards of the heart-suit must relate to years, to the day-time and summer, those of the cup-suit to months, to night-time and winter, the swords to days (in duration: i.e.--axial rotations of the Earth), while wands do not seem to have much relation to time and may consequently mean, that a thing will not happen at all, will remain in the realm of ideas, or is in the act of happening itself at the very moment. These particulars may be useful in the practice of divination.
Further, hearts relate to gold, cups to silver and to money in general, wands may relate to paper money and effects, shares, bonds, acts. Swords relate to material objects, and in general may indicate the cost or price of things, losses, debt, as well as the things bought by money.
In proportion to the more or less exoteric standpoint of the consulent and . . . the professor of divination, hearts will specially indicate 'good' and 'yes,' spades 'bad' and 'no,' while wands may mean 'indifferent, perhaps, doubtful, relatively, undecided as yet,' and cups do not appear to confer any special meaning with relation to these things, except that they may make the feelings pervert the facts. They also give the sentiment with which the facts will be received or encountered.
Hearts are 'sunny' and more or less venusian; cups are jovial, sometimes neptunian, and may become 'loony' in weak cases; spades are martial and, by reflex, saturnian; wands are mercurial and sometimes uranian.
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To conclude these considerations on the Lesser Arcana, it will be interesting to compare a general figure or diagram of the process of Creation with the four suits of the Tarot, and it will be seen that even the symbolic figures of our playing-cards are very distinctly to be recognised in it.
The four court-cards of each suit make together the full zodiac. When the soul reaches perfection, the oval form becomes a circle, and the nearer this state is approached, the more the two focal points of the ellipse draw together and the inscribed quadrangle approaches to the square.
 
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Footnotes
17:* In a very special way the four-bladed shamrock is considered to convey luck. This evidently means that the luck will be effective or real, practical, when "the Three fall into the Four" according to the old saying in the Stanza's of Dzyan.
THE GREATER ARCANA
In the Greater Arcana competent authors on the subject have rightly seen a system of rendering or symbolising the great cosmic principles of Creation per se. Not in relation to any special plane or element but above these, and consequently to be considered as the abstract origin of all and everything in the Lesser Arcana.
 
 
 
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Papus gives us the descriptions of the Greater Arcana from the Book of Hermes, which probably will be the source in concrete of all later descriptions up to our time. How this book has been delivered through the ages is not known to me, but the clearness and systematic accuracy of these descriptions are proof of a high origin.
Where Papus, in his book on The Tarot of the Bohemians ventures to indicate relationship between the symbols of the Greater Arcana and zodiacal and planetary principles, he is hopelessly wrong however. He does not insist on it nor does he appear to make any use at all of these relations or explain how they are to be found out. Logic is entirely absent in this particular side of his renderings.
Without any difficulty or doubt we read in the first twelve arcanas the essential natures of the twelve zodiacal houses. Thus:
Arcana I. The Magician Aries
„ II. The High Priestess Taurus „ III. The Empress Gemini „ IV. The Emperor Cancer „ V. The Hierophant Leo „ VI. The Lovers Virgo „ VII. The Chariot Libra „ VIII. The Justice Scorpio „ IX. The Hermit Sagittarius „ X. The Wheel of Fortune Capricornus „ XI. The Strength Aquarius „ XII. The Hanged Man Pisces
We do not know what sort of conclusions Dr. Papus and others may have drawn for themselves, but it seems rather astonishing that this analogy has never been stated in public. It is as easy to recognise the nine planetary principles, i.e. those at present known to astronomy and astrology, in the following arcanas. So we find:
Arcana XIII. Death Saturn
„ XIV. Temperance Mercury „ XV. The Devil Mars „ XVI. The Tower Uranus „ XVII. The Star Venus
 
 
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„ XVIII. The Moon Moon „ XIX. The Sun Sun „ XX. The Last Judgment Jupiter „ XXI. The World Neptune
while: Arcana XXII or Zero: the Fool must evidently be taken for the principle of the Earth itself, upon which we are carried away in space without being able to loose ourselves from its course. It may be as well interpreted as the Pars Fortunae, which must not be mistaken for the 'Wheel of Fortune' in the series of the arcanas. This has as much to do with the former as the cusp of the Tenth house has in the horoscope with the Pars Fortunae.
We shall treat everyone of these cards in its turn hereafter. First let us have the scheme at large.
THE METHOD OF DIVINATION
In the same way as the Chinese Book I-Ging originally was edited or taught as a book of wisdom and insight into universal principles and stages of being and becoming, happenings in the eternal process of evolution in the nature of the world and of men, so the beautiful pictures of the Tarot system are a teaching of wisdom and insight into the process of world-creation. Divination is a practice or practical use of the universal system in a particular instance. And so the universal may elucidate the particular and throw light down in the world of phenomena, darkly veiled by the maya of matter. How divination works will remain for ever a mystery to the profane. But it does. And though the unseen intermediary belongs most certainly to the angelic order, the system will work even where the visible professor or medium of divination is anything but an angel. Only . . . the interpretation given by the latter is what makes the literal divination. And this may be more or less esoteric or exoteric.
There are many different methods of laying out the cards for the purpose of divination. The aim is always to get the cards to show, by means of their universal symbolism, what the actual circumstances and other actualities in the consultant's case are. To reach this aim, the consultant is made to shuffle the cards so that they are mixed by his hands, and the way they mix will naturally condition the laying out. In doing this, the consultant himself is denoted by some or other card, and the
 
 
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surrounding cards, which are laid according to some accepted scheme, will give his relations to facts and persons in his surroundings. So it is said. And many systems work well, according to their adherents.
Now when we dispose of a system so complete and logical as that of the horoscope, how could we indicate better the relations of a given personality to his surroundings than by means of the twelve houses, which show every relation possible? Then why not use this scheme, ready for action? This was the present author's starting point. The system he worked out upon this horoscopic basis (and it works with astonishing accuracy) runs as follows:
The Greater Arcana, constituting the macrocosmic principles, must be always used entirely. The Lesser Arcana will appear only partially in every particular instance, as only twice thirteen cards are used out of fifty-six.
Divide the cards of the former into two packs: the twelve zodiacal and the ten other cards, planets and Fool.
Take the pack of zodiacal cards of the Greater Arcana and let the consultant shuffle it well and at his ease. When he has got the impression that it will do, lay them out in a circle as the twelve houses of the horoscope, starting from I by II, III . . . etc. This circle is the base for all later judgment of the figure obtained, because it contains the principal lines of the whole; the consultant's radical essentials as well as his present individual conditions. The latter predominate more or less, but when you have a consultant for the first time, you will not have to ask him for his birth date even to be able to say much about his character, temperament, etc., and about his present state of mind. These twelve houses of the Greater Arcana give you pretty well a direct impression of the nativity combined with the principal progressive features, up to date. It may be stated here, that the Intelligences, working through cards and other methods of divination, are also indicated by the suit of wands.
After having laid out the twelve houses with the cards of the Greater Arcana, let him take the pack of the Lesser Arcana and shuffle it well, taking his time over it easily, in order to impose his own will (or magnetism, as some prefer to put it) on the cards. When he gets the impression that it is enough, he may still cut them twice or thrice, as he likes. Then lay them out: beginning to take the cards from the top and following the houses as before: I, II, III, etc. . . . After the first circle is thus laid, put the thirteenth card on the centre. Then lay a second circle in the same way and again the thirteenth card on the centre. The rest of the pack is laid aside and remains out of the figure. But do not change
 
 
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their order, because in some cases there may he use for one or two more cards.
The second circle now indicates the forces or activities working in the consultant himself in connection with his surroundings and vice versa. The accent lies here on the Self and the side of his own decision. In the third circle we find rather the forces and activities working in the surroundings in connection with the consultant himself, and the accent of this circle lies rather on the Not-self and on destiny. The cards in the third circle must be read generally in the way that is called 'reversed' in card divination.
It is difficult, however, to tell exactly how each case will work out and in what way it must be read. Divination is an art, and to become an artist in it one must be born an artist first and practise well to develop one's spiritual inheritance. One cannot learn everything by reading books, nor can an author explain everything he has found by his own experience.
Cards may indicate persons in particular or certain categories of persons, they may relate to Intelligences and elementary forces, working in the karma of the consultant. As a matter of fact the cards laid out for divination have always the meaning of a picture of the effects of karma, detailed and recorded up to the actual moment, but containing at the same time much of the past and certain prognosis on the other hand. It takes a long time and serious application to draw out everything contained in a card figure.
The cards may stand for things and objects and facts, and indicate time, duration, circumstances. The less dogmatic one is with regard to the process of divination and its interpretation, the greater the chance of being truly 'illuminated' by insight or vision. These cards have to be taken as 'signs of the Heavens,' and in order to understand what Heaven has to communicate, man has to eliminate, wholly and without consideration, his own as well as other people's prejudices and preferences, bigotry and illusions. Pessimism and optimism are both false and of no use in facing the natural facts, though we shall do wisely not to disregard the free-choice (wrongly called: free-will), as in the horoscope and its interpretation. This spiritual libre arbitre, however, must equally be indicated by the cards, and will moreover always have to work with the conditions given and indicated by the rest of the cards.
When the three circles have been laid, the consultant should take and shuffle the remaining planetary cards of the Greater Arcana, including the Fool, and may now himself choose in which houses to place them. Of course it is essential that these should remain covered till all are disposed of. You may place more than one card in a house, just as there
 
 
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may be more than one planet in one house of the horoscope. So, if a matter appears to you to be of extraordinary importance, place two or three cards upon the house ruling the matter. If the consultant thinks it difficult and cannot make his choice as to the places of the planetary cards, let his hand hover over the figure and place the cards at hazard. Then generally this 'hazard' will prove remarkably accurate and well informed. For the rest, personal thinking must be as little to the fore as possible in these proceedings, as it is not so 'divine' as to help much in the act of divination proper. Everybody can learn in a few moments the way of laying out the cards whatever the system may be. But very few people succeed in the right interpretation, even with the use and profit of the formulated rendering of different authors--Papus, Waite, Mathers, etc.
The purely astrological method presented in this essay, working with the original Tarot system, offers--we dare to say--the best opportunity of reading every detail, as well as the cardinal points in the consultant's karma at the moment of judging.
If after the judgment there remain definite questions unanswered or vague, and the consultant ardently desires a 'yes' or a 'no,' he may take the remaining pack of cards of the Lesser Arcana, turn the card on top of it, lay it on the house relating to the question and consider this as the most definite answer possible for the moment.
One must not expect to have all questions answered positively at every moment. It is absolutely certain, that one does not get everything answered. There never was an oracle that answered all questions. This may be contrary to the spirit of Western scientific thought, but the fact is as I have stated. And after all why should it be contrary to real scientific thought at all, if we consider the Intelligences referred to as beings, as conscious of their duty and responsibility as, let us say, the best of us men.
The two cards on the middle represent some sort of a synthesis of karmic conditions and events at the actual moment, or something predominating.
Practising this system we have had opportunity of observing that facts that are certain and of such importance as to dominate the conditions of the consultant in some way, are always indicated more than once. Sometimes even as often as three or four times in the same figure. This after all is not strange, because in an astrological figure the houses are closely related and important things always affect more than one factor in a man's conditions. So some strong feature must necessarily appear more than once in a figure of such a familiar interdependence.
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To read a card-figure laid on this scheme some elementary knowledge of astrology is desirable. We cannot enter here into any further astrological explanation specifically, and would refer our readers to the literature on the point.
In the next part, however, we hope to explain the significance of the cards sufficiently for the use of divination.
II
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CARDS
THE GREATER ARCANA
HE significance of the cards--Greater as well as Lesser Arcana--as it has been delivered through the ages, is often remarkably accurate, as far as can be verified. In what way, however, it has come down to us, and what reasonable ground there may be for the given meanings, remain mysteries, not to be elucidated by the present author. By verification we mean theoretical consideration on the basis both of astrological systematics and of the practice of divination. The fact is, that the traditional significance is generally in accordance with the astrological explanation of the cards as we have given it here, though this explanation has not yet been offered by any author before, as far as we know. So we may conclude, that this key has been lost or has been hidden from those who kept the practice alive and left the system to us.
In the following pages we shall give the meaning of both Greater and Lesser Arcana after the astrological theory expounded by us, together with a short résumé of the traditional significance, the latter taken chiefly from Papus and from the renderings of Mr. Waite. For the sake of shortness and simplicity we shall mark our quotations with P for Papus, W for A. E. Waite, M for S. L. MacGregor Mathers.
 
 
 
I. The Magician. Aries.
The first sign or house in the Zodiac is the first step in the direction of Manifestation, and Aries is the High Priest as well as Avidya or Ignorance, standing before, c.q. above cognition. Potency and power are its attributes, because all and everything is immanent in this stage of Beginning. Power abstract, undeveloped, simple, but for that reason mightier than every detail or phenomenon, and the master of Nature. The ultra-positive, the very superior, and in the lower human sense the ultra- egotistical. Like the first note of a composition in music, it determines the tone and gives the key. From the First spring the Four, and so the symbols of the Four Elements appear on the table of the Magician, though his action, as far as action goes in this card and principle, exists in potency only and is indicated consequently in the wand in his right hand. In his superior abstractness he is eternal in relation to the phenomenal world, which is indicated by the symbols of Eternity above his head, the lemnescate, and around his waist, the serpent.
W.: "This card signifies the divine motive in man, reflecting God, the will in the liberation of its union with that which is above."
M.: "He symbolises Will."--This is exactly Aries.
P.: "The Unity principle, the origin of which is impenetrable to human conceptions, is placed at the beginning of all things." His upright attitude indicates "the will that is going to proceed into action."
The First house or Ascendant gives the key-note of the physical self, reflection of the Higher Self, and thus in the practice of divination the Magician denotes the consultant, personally. In every figuration of cards it is further the 'beginning' and initiative.
 
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II. The High Priestess. Taurus.
The second stage in macrocosmic evolution is the polarity of the omnipotent might of Self, omnipotent possibility of the field of manifestation, universal passive richness, the Kamaduk or Most Beloved Wish-Cow of the Hindus. This macrocosmic field is the Temple of the Great Magician or Architect, in potency at least. It is the Bull, Taurus, of astrology, the house of sound, art, faith and richness. To speak truly, it is not so much sound as the principle of the soundbox, sound itself having its origin in the next step. Therefore Papus may well compare this card with the hieroglyphic meaning of the Hebrew letter Beth, which relates to "the mouth of man as the organ of speech." But it is not "God the Son" as he says elsewhere. It might be called 'God the Woman,' the Divine Mother, the 'Eternal Feminine.' As the passive richness of the Universe awaiting him that will be able to see it and appreciate it, this principle may well be symbolised by the image of the High Priestess, sitting in an attitude of waiting, between the pillars of the Temple, B and J, standing for the Two, from which will spring the worlds of spirit and of matter. Being Supreme Objectivity, it is the symbol of receiving, of possessing, of cult and adoration. It symbolises womanhood in general, as the first card symbolised manhood.
 
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As far as we may ascribe siderial meanings to the cards of the Greater Arcana, the Magician should rule the month of Aries, i.e. from the 21 March to 20 April. It appears gravely doubtful, however, if this may be considered to determinate incidental occurrences in time. It will certainly relate to properties of the sign Aries in general and in particular and consequently owned by people born between those dates. But for the rest definition of time, date or hour must be sought in the cards of the Lesser Arcana, as far as we know.
 
III. The Empress. Gemini.
If the Hebrew letter Gimel means the throat (as a canal for sound) and also "the hand of man half closed in the act of prehension" (P.), then it
 
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Mr. Waite has restored in his images the original picture of Isis, reposing on the crescent moon, which indeed I should say must be regarded as the best representative of the goddess of Taurus, in which sign the moon is 'exalted,' as astrology teaches. But Isis is not so much to be regarded as representing "Science, Wisdom, Knowledge" (M.)--as the goddess "of Nature, whose veil must not be raised before the profane." (P.) and of supreme consciousness, because 'consciousness' is the faculty committed by Earth.
W. calls her "Second Marriage of the Prince" and says, that in divination she stands for the querent if female. Now I should say, this cannot be altogether true, as in the horoscope the first house indicates the personal temperament, etc., for a man as well as for a female querent. So in cards the Magician must always bear the meaning of the querent personally, but if a female she will be largely influenced by the High Priestess, as this is the representative of the feminine in general and female properties. It may be true, more or less, that for a man this card represents "the woman who interests the querent" (W.), just as on the other hand the Magician represents the man who interests the querent if this happens to be a woman.
The High Priestess symbolises constancy, fidelity, repose, stability, but also dumbness, laziness, resistance, endurance as well as passive opposition. It rules everything in connection with art and the artistic abilities, with wealth and with the masonic lodge.
 
 
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may indeed well stand for the house of Gemini as for no one else; because Gemini is the macrocosmic 'relation between the two' which is potential vibration, symbolised by 'sound,' and this sign rules the hands of man, with which he grips this relation actually. It rules the 'Word, which was with God in the beginning' and words, speech and correspondence in this world below, as above. It means cognisance, from which science may spring later, but it is not science itself. Nor is it 'action' (M.), though it is the origin of, sometimes the pretext for, activity. But it includes indecision, uncertainty, doubt, change, intercourse, reflection, appearance and everything that the sign Gemini may further communicate.
This Empress is indeed "a daughter of Heaven and Earth" (W.), for she represents the sphere of Mercury, Messenger of the Gods, and so this card always bears the meaning of messages and writing, and of news to be heard, instructions to be received.
Twelve (in older pictures nine) stars are placed around her head and this certainly means that down here on earth the messages come to us from the stars, a gentle hint at astrology. We regret that in the picture of W., the wings, with which the figure is gifted, and the shield with eagle in her right hand, as shown in older editions of this card have been omitted, for both hold a due indication of the element Air. Gemini is the first house of Air, and sound uses the air as its medium. The use of the sign of Venus is not very clear in the picture given by W. because it is not Venus but Mercury that rules the house of the Empress. One of the older editions shows the Empress holding in her left hand a wand with a heraldic lily, a sort of trefoil on its top, very suggestive of the origin of the colour or suit of Wands, which of course has a close relation with the card of Gemini.
Why this idea of the messenger is drawn as a woman, and given the name of the 'Empress' is very well explained by Mr. W. in these words: "because there is no direct message which has been given to man like that which is borne by woman." Woman rules the world. As a mother she is the 'canal' by which the human being is conducted from another world into this one, and as a female she attracts the man, in order to 'double' herself and to impart a double value to life on earth. This is indicated in the image of the Twins, originally Adam-Eve destined to be united by Knowledge. This is the card of Knowledge.
Also of 'universal fecundity' as W. has it.
 
IV. The Emperor. Cancer.
There is much more mystery buried in every symbol than words spoken can tell. Superficial consideration might make astrologers wonder at this image, which assimilates worldly power with the sign Cancer instead of with Leo, to which they are accustomed. Still there remains this to be taken into account, that originally 'emperors' got their power from the people,--China, Rome--long before they began to claim God as their private protector against eventual aggression from outside. The people are ruled by the sign of Cancer, says the astrologer. And thus originally the chosen emperor accepted vox populi as vox Dei. This chosen dignitary was nothing of a tyrant, originally, nor did he have anything to do with rulership or warfare: he was simply the highest and most pure expression of the soul of the people or nation. In China sometimes a poor but extremely virtuous old man without any other antecedents was elected to be emperor. All later usurpations of power and succession were deviations from the old and pure institution. The present position of the president in a republic comes very near to that of the original emperor.
The sign of the soul indeed is . . . Cancer. At the same time this is the sign of the breast (P.) and of the womb, as W. translates this passage about the card, which P. says is connected with the Hebrew letter Daleth. In the older pictures we see the effort to let the man make a figure 4 or something like the symbol for Jupiter with his crossed legs. There may be some meaning in it, but this seems futile with regard to the general significance of the Emperor as the representative of the past, of memory, tradition in the people and in family life, dharma and the real motives of the soul in the background of life, which actually rule life. It relates ..to every inner power of the soul from which outer activity (karma) will arise.
 
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V. The Hierophant. Leo.
The fifth step on the cosmic ladder is that of the Atma, the Spark in macrocosmos and that of childbirth and of the heart in particular on the physical plane. The latter is sanctified by the former and this fact is symbolised in the image of the Hierophant. It may also be interpreted in its turn as the sanctifying of the profane (man) by the holy (man) in general, and this fact gave the reason for the other nomination of this
 
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In different editions of the cards we find different sorts of sceptres in the hand of the Emperor. In some there appears also an eagle. We prefer the sceptre which Mr. W. puts into his hands: the crux ansata, symbol of the might of inner life, which rules matter. The planet Jupiter has only to do with this card, in so far as it is exalted in the sign Cancer, which means, that virtually hopes and expectations as well as ideals for the future take their origin in the deep-rooted attachments of the soul, which themselves are the expression of dharma or cosmic memory.
Still in a personal way the Emperor indicates the father of the querent, because it is from his father that his soul derives its elements. Compare in the horoscope the IVth house. Therefore this seemingly very feminine sign was symbolised by a male figure, while the seemingly male messenger was represented by a woman. The Empress indicates the spiritual parentage, the Emperor the physical one. The latter finds its counterpart (physical mother) in the Xth house, as is well known.
Some authors say this card means 'realisation.' That is correct so far as this word means an inner realising of the significance of outer facts: the gathering of the harvest of experience, which will become the store of memory.
 
 
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card: the pope. Of course it may equally well be called the patriarch. In the masonic lodge it is the R.W.M., the sun in the solar system and the heart in every living body, as also the solar plexus in the etheric body. And as the teaching of St. Paul--and others--has it: from the heart are the issues into life. It is the dynamic centre of every living existence.
The Hierophant "is seated between the two pillars of Hermes and of Solomon" . . . "He is symbol of mercy and beneficence." (M.) This is exact. P. says he is the principle "which attaches the material body to the divine spirit." Which is precisely that of the heart. So there remains little doubt with regard to identity. The same author identifies further the principle of the Hierophant with the Hebrew letter He, which means aspiration or breath. In fact the heart is the cause of this periodical movement, which we find in pulsation and respiration, in analogy with the Law of Periodicity in Cosmos.
In the different versions given by authors there is very little of value. The Hierophant is, in short; the heart and herein resides the motoric force for good or for evil, according to the more or less sanctifying force that comes through. In case of affliction there may be lack of courage, self- confidence, honesty, sometimes certain evil or bad character.
It is rightly asserted, that this card may denote "the man to whom the querent has recourse" (W.), also some authority or official having power to sanctify or gratify demands. Leo is the 'king,' it is said by astrologers. And in mundane evolution the king derived his power from the emperor, as in the zodiac. He was invested by the latter with a power to wield and rule a definite and concrete organisation, for which he became individually responsible. So where the emperor was chosen and came forth from the soul of the people and apparently from below, the king is appointed from above, and seems more spiritual because more actually known. There ought to be no kings, however, without an emperor over them. The king is and remains the central official, as the heart is the central organ of the organism.
The triple crown of the Hierophant and his triple crossed staff both indicate his rulership in the three worlds, which I should like to name the spiritual, the psychical and the physical.
Some say the card means marriage. This may be, but only in the inner sense of true revelation to the heart, and consequently in the same sense as Jesus meant when He said: "Marriages are contracted in Heaven."
In another way, in practical divination, the card means of course 'sanction,' be it of marriage or of something else, but always in the way of inner consent, not of outer law, which is ruled by another house.
 
VI. The Lovers. Virgo.
From the original meaning of the sign Virgo, the virgin matter of the cosmos or world-ether, to that principle which makes 'lovers' is rather a long step, but we will observe that all these Tarot symbols relate to human points of view and human life in particular, i.e. cosmic principles seen from this particular standpoint which gives more of a practical image than of abstract reasoning, the abstract cosmic significance, however, being imbedded fairly accurately in them. So in the human constitution the sign Virgo means the nervous system and everything acting as an organ as well as the relatively 'virginal matter' which is extracted from the food and will serve to build up the body. So this house is known to rule health and sickness. It is further known to relate to the principles and materials of our work. And so the card of the Lovers must in the first place symbolise these things. It does indeed. P. says it is connected with the Hebrew letter Vau in its significance of "the eye, and all that relates to light and brilliancy. The eye establishes the link between the external world and ourselves; by it light and form are revealed to us." In fact 'the eye' is a very ancient symbol for the idea of 'organ'; the Neoplatonists repeatedly used it. When saying it "establishes the link," we must be aware, however, that it is not yet this link itself but offers the elements for it. And again this card does not say 'love' but 'lovers' (in the French edition of the cards the singular is used: l’amoureux). Evidently the meaning is this: what makes man feel 'amorous' is his sensuousness, the word used in the strictly philosophical and biological meaning of receptivity of the senses for agreeable, caressing, benefic, gratifying vibrations. The same receptivity,
 
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Self-centredness and some sort of natural authority are the chief characteristics of Leo and the Hierophant.
 
VII. The Chariot. Libra.
In the Seventh house of the evolutionary cycle the relation of the Self with the Not-self or outer world is contracted and completed and the 'organism' arises as the systematic whole of organs, a lawful microcosm, which in every instance is a phenomenon of the Cosmic Law, first significance of Libra. This idea is very well illustrated by the picture of the Chariot, drawn by the White and the Black Sphinx and governed by
 
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however, exists on the other hand for disagreeable, painful, disturbing, malific vibrations. The receptivity and the condition of an organic centre in its double possibility of experience is only the phenomenal expression of the same in organic existence in general, consequently stamping the whole of manifestation with the law of duality of 'good' and 'evil.' The latter is well illustrated by the picture on the older cards where a youth is represented standing between two women, the one appearing to be benefic, the other malific. This sensuousness indeed can lead to a lower sensuality or can be the means of demonstrating love. A sort of angelic figure (Cupid?) is seen shooting an arrow: symbol of the ray of light. The card which was drawn on the authority of Mr. W. shows a man and a woman in a state of paradisical nudity, and over the two hovers the figure of an angel. It confers much the same meaning, of course. "This is in all simplicity the card of human love, here exhibited as part of the way, the truth and the life." (W.) And we shall find, that the same force which makes us love, physically, is at the back of all the work we do. Because it is the material response to the fiery and central pushing power and includes actual possibility on the basis of practical knowledge, experimental knowing. W. did well to show the Tree of Knowledge in the drawing, it being the symbol of Nature in general and of the seed or seminal elements.
 
 
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the Magician incarnate. It is the Self embodied. This card consequently means marriage, contract, body and bodily existence, organisation, achievement, co-operation.
P. says this card has to do with the Hebrew letter Zain, which "represents an arrow." Now it is very curious to see, that in Hindu astrology the sign Libra is symbolised by an arrow touching an eye, evidently meaning the principles of the organism or systematic complex of organs, and at the same time the understanding, or knowing, which is the result of the eye seeing the light.
The Magician has become the 'Conqueror'; the forces of good and of evil both drawing his chariot symbolise the fact that good and evil, agreeable as well as painful experiences, make us wiser and contain the elements of Existence, spirit and matter both.
As a matter of fact the card may have to do with our adversaries.
On the front "we see the Indian lingam," says P. we should like to add: in connection with the Indian (!) yoni, i.e. the union of the sexes, or the two in one (bond). Here the 'Fall' into matter has been completed. The sphinxes are female entities, the driver of the Chariot is a man. This not only symbolises the subjugation of Nature by will-power, but also the fact that, while inwardly 'woman rules the world' (the Empress), rulership in the outer world lies with man, and it is his duty to keep within due bonds the 'attractive' forces of woman, who, however, appears to be the personification of motoric force to him and his 'chariot.' That woman practically gives the inspirational lead and motive to man in this world is being openly recognised by psychologists in our time.
 
VIII. Justice. Scorpio.
Whosoever might hesitate before the emblems of this card and think it might as well stand in relation with Libra on account of the idea of 'justice,' generally ascribed to the latter sign, and the balance which the woman holds in her left hand, will do well to consider the systematic relationship existing between all signs of the zodiac or evolutionary cycle. The left hand derives from, while the right hand is instrumental in giving out. Scorpio derives from Libra the balance and the idea of justice, but the sword in the right hand shows, that we have not justice pure and simple, platonic so to speak, but that which has often been called 'avenging justice.' Au fond it is more vengeance than justice and Scorpio is famous for its tendency to vengeance, in every way and every form. After Libra, the stage of total manifestation, this stage is the taking-back, the first step on the way home, which explains the well-known feature of desire, thirst for experience in this sign, because it wishes to bring home something from the voyage 'westward.' So the card of justice means above all the faculty of desire, higher as well as lower, from the most spiritual or religious longing down to the most crude lust. Sexual experience is one of the most important expressions of it, and we may safely say, that one of the principal significances of the card is sex. Another, principally where sex is sublimated, is occult experience, and the psychical side of earth-life in general. Naturally it stands in close relation to the sign Virgo, on the other hand of the Balance, in which sensation was born; the faculty (or possibility) of the sensation bringing the desire to realise it. It is the sign of transmutation, which is the change of the inner composition by the experience won. The sensation realised makes one feel, actually, bodily, psychically or morally, the meaning of good and evil, and therefore the 'sword of discrimination' is the emblem in the right hand of this figure. Every mistake in the process of life will avenge itself with geometrical certainty. This house is the school of life and it is remarkable how it is concerned with 'school' in every respect. In this house the Self takes from life and from the cosmos surrounding what it wants, consequently what it does not yet possess,
 
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IX. The Hermit. Sagittarius.
P.: "Humanity fulfilling the function of God the Holy Spirit. The human creative force." Indeed this is clearly Sagittarius for every astrologer. The author might have mentioned in the same line that the Hierophant (Leo) represents God the Son.
 
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and the card of Justice becomes the index for our debts or the possessions of other people.
Meanwhile the balance in the left hand of the figure denotes, without the slightest doubt, that since Libra is on the left hand Justice must be the VIIIth card, not the XIth as some authors have it.
P. identifies this principle with that of the Hebrew letter Heth, which "expresses a field, from it springs the idea of anything that requires labour, trouble, effort." The sexual union has taken place and Adam-Eve are condemned to "earn their bread in the sweat of their face" on the field. To say it less tragically the divine gift of the senses obliges us to work with them and to suffer by them as well as to benefit by the enjoyment of their impressions.
It is the card of sorrow as well as of deeper satisfaction. In the man under this card there is always something of the 'avenger of wrongs,' and very often it has to do with the proceedings of justitia in the world. It is also the card of the secret, or hidden. Most authors are not very famous for their interpretation of this card, but P. says a very good thing about it: "The sword here is a sign of protection for the good, as well as a menace for the bad."
 
 
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The Hebrew letter "Thet represents a roof and suggests the idea of safety and protection . . . protection ensured by wisdom." The astrologer says: the Ninth house is the house of the Master--idea of wisdom and protection in one; the Master in fact shields his disciples like a roof . . . in some way.
The sign is that of thought-power, creative mind, idealism, which throw their own light on the things below, and consequently the Sagittarian is remarkable for always seeing things in his own light and trying to throw light on things in order to instruct other people. He is the eternal traveller, the indefatigable walker. And mentally he is always more or less lonely. All this is very distinctly symbolised in the card of the Hermit, which stands for ideas, perspectives, spiritual or moral influences and for light thrown upon the objects of this earth-life. In divination it stands for teachers, legal authorities, advisers and guides, and with the guiding principles in everything and questions, in relation to the querent. But above all it is his own idealism, etc. The direction in which his thoughts are running.
In the older cards the Hermit is shielding his light on one side with his mantle. This may be indicative of the habit of Sagittarians to evade and disarm contradiction beforehand, knowing by intuition the power of darkness. He is leaning on the staff of knowledge with regard to earthy matters.
W. is perfectly right in saying, that "Prudence is the least of its meanings and the most negligible." Some authors (M.) held this card to be the symbol of 'prudence,' but indeed the Sagittarian is not very famous for this virtue, though the card is truly Sagittarian and nothing else. This is again proved by the striking explanation of W.: "His beacon intimates that 'where I am, you also may be.'" This is the stereotyped way in which a Sagittarian thinks.
 
X. The Wheel of Fortune. Capricorn.
"It symbolises Fortune, good or bad." (M.) So this means happenings, facts. It is indeed in the Tenth house, that the relation between the Self and the Not-self crystallises into fact, happening, deed. Says P., identifying this card with the significance of the Hebrew letter Yod, that it indicates "the finger of man; the forefinger extended as a sign of command." This clearly has to do with the significance of the Tenth house as that of authority and authorities, who are qualified to give commandments. The commandment itself comes under the same resort. "This letter has therefore become the image of potential (?) manifestation, of spiritual duration and, lastly, of the eternity of time." In fact, the Tenth house of the zodiacal cycle, ruled by Saturn, has much to do with Time and manifestation in time, but not only potential; real as well.
The image for this idea is very characteristic, perhaps the most striking of all. "The wheel of fortune suspended upon its axis. (Leaving no doubt about the idea of circular movement in time, which we find back in the horoscope.) To the right Anubis, the genius of good ascending; to the left Typhon, the genius of evil descending . . ." (P.) See the right hand as the East and the left hand as the West, and you have the illustration of the horoscope more accurately still. As we know the East is standing for the source of spiritual force and inspiration, the West for the end of it and dying out.
What the sphinx has to do with it seems doubtful, unless it means that all mysteries will be revealed in time. The symbols of the four fixed signs are holding the four quarters of the card. The four fixed principles are indeed generally accepted as the basis of the material or concrete world. Compare the visions of Ezechiel and St. John of Patmos.
The mid-heaven in the horoscope sees the eastern half of it rising and the western half on the other hand declining.
 
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The divinatory meanings of this card are evident: it denotes the authorities to which the querent is subject, but also his own actions, deeds, manifestations and the position in the world which he occupies, his name and titles. It is the card of karma in the strict sense and that which is indicated by it in divination will come true or be realised actually. Therefrom it has been said to symbolise 'fortune.' As will be seen it must not be accepted as the 'part of fortune' in the horoscope, because this has a more specific meaning and only with regard to the moon.
It is the point where you get at the world or the world gets at you. It is 'ripe karma' above all, facts which are not to be overborne by words. The fruits of former thoughts.
XI. Strength. Aquarius.
The astrologer says, that the Eleventh house is the house of the 'friends.' This means, that it contains those who are with us, and that which we have within the limit of our power, because 'friendly,' is that which is understood. The forces of nature, which we have mastered, are friendly to us and this is very well expressed by the woman who "is closing the jaws of a lion." The latter stands for passion more particularly. She derives this force from the eternal or superhuman and this is indicated by the lemnescate above her head. In older editions of the card 4 we find half the symbol for Aquarius, as a line of vibration added to it:
. Viewed from a purely astrological standpoint it is evident, that the force to conquer Leo should be found in the opposite sign, Aquarius. Early Renaissance must have seen this in the same way, as we find exactly the same image--only with one difference: it is there a young man, not a woman--a man closing the jaws of a lion in the capital of a pillar in the church of St. Andrew-the-Less in Vienna. Which proves at the same time,
 
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XII. The Hanged Man. Pisces.
This twelfth sign of house, closing the cycle of the zodiac, means loss to the outer world, solution, handing over the results of one cycle to the following one, whence comes the meaning of treachery in common astrology. This house contains the things which we have not yet mastered and those whom we have failed to understand or who have failed to understand us. So either this remains for the next cycle, or it will tempt us to waste our last forces. In the eyes of the world it is the sign of waste, spoil, mishap. Viewed from the other side it is the sign of the Golem, in which the outer world loses its importance or even reality, and the consciousness is opened to inner truth. This is the reversing of consciousness, which makes things change their significance in such a way that they appear to turn upside down: the world is now viewed from the other side. And this is the significance of the hanged man.'
 
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that the chosen image is not of a very recent date. (Musée du Trocadéro: Paris.)
P. identifies it with the Hebrew letter Kaph, which he says "is a reinforcement of the Gimel--(Gemini)--so that we might say that it designates the hand of man in the act of grasping strongly. Ideas of strength are therefore applied to this letter." We should say it is the grip of friendship. A well-known symbol in many societies of brotherhood consisted of two hands united in a close grip of friendship.
"It is connected with the mystery of union . . . in all planes . . ." (W.), and this also is evident, because we are united with that which we have mastered and with people who are able to respond to our (electric) emanations of thought, or to whose emanations we ourselves respond.
 
 
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It is also the sign of Judas, who, as far as the outer world is able to judge, did not understand the significance of Jesus and handed Him over to His enemies, the most mysterious of the disciples and apparently the fiend within the circle. What, however, is his treason or despair when viewed from the other side? It is an act of 'perversion,' the result of human nature being too weak to carry on in this world the heavy load of spiritual revelation; or even a mystic message, which till now has never been understood and will never be understood by the profane world. However this may be, we may feel pretty sure, that none of the others who remained in this world to preach the Gospel understood or, let us say rather, underwent the Message like Judas, who hanged himself.
Well may W. say: "It is a card of profound significance, but all the significance is veiled." Perhaps we might even add: it is the symbol of the veil itself and of everything that is and remains veiled in this world, and, in divination, to the querent, ad hoc.
P. tries to identify the Hanged Man with the Hebrew letter Lamed which "designates the arm" . . . but fails utterly in his effort to explain this. We should say, if this identification be true, it may be because of the power to embrace and to execute. The arms hang, when not raised. We shall not try to explain it any further here.
The man is shown hanging in a sling on one foot. Astrology teaches that the feet are ruled by the sign Pisces. The crossing of the legs is a symbol of 'crossing' in general.
Among the other cards of the Greater Arcana, nine of which symbolise planetary principles and functions, three only are given in full as heavenly bodies: Sun, Moon and the--(eight-pointed)--'Flaming Star,' while the significance of the others is clothed in allegorical images.
Now the question why only these three and not the other planetary principles should have been given in full, is difficult to answer. In a way the 'Flaming Star' stands for the stars in general and so this trinity means: Sun, Moon and Stars. On the other hand, ancient priests and astrologer-initiates appear not to have chosen to communicate more of the significance of the planets than just a few of their apparent effects, while in 'Sun, Moon and Star' they strongly expressed the idea of a Heavenly Trinity, viz. that of the positive or masculine creative power, radiating life; that of a feminine or negative power, which rules formation, and of a uniting principle, he it under the name of Law, Love or Union. The latter was always represented as specifically benefic. It is
 
 
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evidently the idea of the planet Venus, the beautiful morning and evening star, which was known to, and adored by, all peoples in all ages.
This trinity contains more meaning than a superficial astrological consideration could reveal. From such a standpoint it might even appear more or less arbitrary. So, for instance, the question might be asked, Why has not Mercury, nearer to the Sun even than Venus, been chosen as a member of the trinity? It would take us too far from our main road if we tried to explain this in detail, but it may be stated that in some respect the Moon represents and conveys the vibrations of Mercury to the Earth. The astrological symbols for the visible sun and for the planet we know under the name of Mercury, but which could as well have been
named Vulcan, should be
respectively instead of and ☿. I have explained this in another volume. (Cosmology II, Elements of Astrology.) Further we might point out, that to the Earth and its inhabitants, the Sun, the Moon and Venus are, in fact, of some sort of primary importance; the Sun and the Moon (of the Earth) as the representatives to us of the primary polar powers of the positive and the negative in Cosmos; Venus as the planet representing the first step in evolution next to the Earth, consequently of primary importance to our evolution.
The Sun, Moon and 'Flaming Star' are not only one of the most striking and beautiful expressions of the Divine Trinity among our present-day Freemasons, as every handbook on Freemasonry shows us, but have been so for long ages. A specimen of it is to be found on a couple of border-stones or steles, put along the frontier of his territory by the Chaldean king Melichikou (1144-1130 B.C.).
*
The heads of these steles bear a representation of the king and his daughter before a goddess (of Justice?) and above these figures are the images of the Sun, the Moon and the (eight-pointed) Flaming Star, which evidently mean, that the king, eventually for the benefit of his daughter as well, invokes the Heavenly Powers of the Trinity to protect his kingdom against invasion. Another borderstone with the same figures of Sun, Moon and eight- pointed Flaming Star, even dates as far back as the year 1380 B.C., under the reign of King Nazi-Maraddach. So three thousand years ago the three Heavenly Lights appear to have been bearing the same significance and to have been used in this same mutual relation as at present in Freemasonry and in our Tarot system. We may accept this as pretty sure proof of the antiquity of both Freemasonry and Tarot.
Footnotes
68:* Musée du Louvre, Paris.
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XIII. Death. Saturn.
The picture speaks for itself--as indeed most of them do--but still there is more in it than we might suppose at first sight. Beyond all doubt it is a sort of allegorical representation of Father Chronos, Time, who, while creating, consumes his own children, and was very often pictured as a warning of death or a remembrance of mortality. But on the other hand Time marks the beginning, and birth is not less under his government than death. The ancient edition of this card shows the figure harvesting heads and limbs of human bodies upon a field. This may be an expression of an old superstition, which said that those limbs with which man sinned would grow out of his grave. Probably a distorted teaching of the Law of Karma or cosmic reaction, which is also ruled by Saturn, at least in the execution. And in this function he is the old God of Israel, whose law was "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."
But Saturn is more. He is the planet or cosmic function (let us say planet for convenience sake) of Formation, which means also determination in Place and Time, limitation, definition, etc.
Now let us see what P. says. He identifies the card with the principle of the Hebrew letter Mem, who "is a woman, the companion of man," and therefore gives rise to ideas of fertility, formation. "It is pre-eminently the material and female, the local and plastic sign, an image of external and passive action." It is really a great pity, that this occultist never realised what he was saying, astrologically or cosmically. "Mem is one of the three mother-letters."
Saturn is the ruler of the Tenth house, Capricorn, which as such is called the house of the 'married woman' in Hindu astrology.
That Saturn, the Christian Satan, has close relations with woman and even that he used her as his favourite vehicle or agent, is one of the
 
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XIV. Temperance. Mercury.
". . . the Genius of the Sun holding two cups and pouring from the one into the other the liquor which holds life." (P.)--" A winged angel with the sign of the sun upon his forehead . . . pouring the essences of life from chalice to chalice." (W.) Another version has: ". . . pours the fluid of Life from a golden vase into a silver one." (P.) This is evidently the cosmic function next to the Sun, messenger of the same: Mercury or Vulcan, lord of the sphere of Virgo, surrounding the solar Leo-sphere. Other traditional descriptions confirm this: "It is the symbol of combinations, working incessantly in all regions of Nature." (P.) On his breast this angel bears a square with inscribed triangle, reminding us of the passage of the cosmological Stanzas of Dzyan, "The Three fall into the Four," which means the beginning of Manifestation. "Entry of Spirit into Matter and reaction of Matter upon Spirit." (P.) So on the subject of this card there seems to be perfect understanding. "Incarnation of Life," P. adds. This is Mercury, who has to do with the distribution of life-currents from the Sun farther on into the solar-system and from the heart and solar-plexus
 
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Christian 'teachings,' in which we recognise distorted or perverted occult knowledge.
Death certainly is only relative and the death of the form may mean the commencement of life on another plane. Birth down here may be seen as a sort of death of a higher existence. "The veil and mask of life is perpetuated in change, transformation and passage from lower to higher . . ." (W.) Higher to lower as well. W. shows the figure on horseback, which is not inadequate for the ruler of Capricorn, which succeeds to Sagittarius: action and definition in space and time are born from thought. ". . . perpetual rebirth of the Being in the domain of Time." (P.)
 
XV. The Devil. Mars.
The goat-like figure recalls the sign Capricorn in which astrology teaches that the planet Mars has its exaltation, the name 'devil' means the evil, as is well known, and this alliteration holds good not only in English. It is the symbol of that which to exoteric human understanding is as much of a malefic nature as Venus is benefic. The counterpart of Venus: Mars, planet of pain and struggle, passion and sex-nature, but also of the energy necessary for the process of formation and generation in Nature. Allusion to sex-problems is found in the two human figures, man and
 
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farther on into our physical body. The golden vase and the silver one illustrate this distribution from higher to lower regions.
So this card signifies all sorts of distribution, from the nervous system and its workings of co-ordination to correspondence by the post office, letters and communications, and the latter not only limited to this physical world but extended to other planes of existence. The function of Mercury is that of the mind in its concrete activities and imparts knowledge, learning, which after all is the beginning or potentiality of all our further relations in this world.
P. seeks to establish relation between it and the Hebrew letter Nun, which means "the offspring of the female--(we said rightly, that Mercury has much to do with the Moon)--a son, the fruit of any kind . . . the image of the being produced or reflected. . ."Yes: reflection and above all reproduction. The name 'Temperance' appears to have been chosen because of the transposition from one plane to another, or one centre to another, which has much to do with 'time' also. The latter is the proper reason for naming this principle directly after that of Saturn.
 
XVI. The Tower. Uranus.
"Occult explanations attached to this card are meagre and mostly disconcerting." (W.) The reason for this is easily seen: the principles of Uranus and Neptune were not much known in antiquity save that they
 
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woman, chained to the pedestal on which the diabolic figure is seated. That sex-nature binds man, is a natural fact of a more or less occult order.
So it has to do with generation in Nature in every sense and kingdom, though astrology teaches that Mars has a special connection with the animal kingdom and animal passion--passion which drives to the preservation of the body as well as of the race; fighting for existence in both senses of the term. So Mars always figured as the War-lord. Not only sexual energy, but every energy in Nature chains the result to the cause and object to subject. It is unnecessary to work this out any further. We shall be safe in interpreting this card as energy, desire, lust, war, struggle, difficulties, pain, loss, etc. But also as exercise, training; tests to which the personality will be subject.
The torch in the hand of the figure denotes, of course, the fire of passion and desire, which may rise to anger, etc. So it may well be said to represent the condition of "Adam and Eve after the Fall" (W.) The struggle for existence, in short.
P. in regard to this card points to the Hebrew letter "Samech which expresses the same hieroglyphic sign as the Zain (7th arcanum) . . . etc., a weapon of any kind . . ." We can see, that this generative force has much to do with the house of marriage.
 
 
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were the general principles of the Heavens (the Air or also the atmosphere) and the Ocean, and as such we find them in the Pantheon and in the original Tarot, not yet as the much later discovered planets, which personify these general cosmic principles. Later ages added very little, if anything at all, to those original explanations. Still Ouranos and Poseidon were known in Greece as well as Dourga and Varouna in India.
And the stone tower struck by a flash of lightning is another version of the legend of Ouranos mutilating his son Chronos, which means, that Heaven is not content with a body of fixed dimensions and form, nor any heavenly force with the limitations put to it by physical authorities or architects. This may warn man, not to build upon physical existence alone or to think himself safe upon a material basis, however high and solid it may appear from a material point of view. The general meaning, however, is not incidental but essential. ". . . the ruin of the house of life, when evil has prevailed therein" (W.) is one of many possible occurrences; it may signify 'blighted ambitions and hopes,' etc. (P.), but the universal and every day significance is: the renewal of the form, or rather of embodied life, by the force of Heaven, and of microcosm by the life of macrocosm, which incidentally of course breaks up forms here and there, if they are no longer fit for survival; the house of doctrine as well as every structure made by vanity, dogmatism and separativeness.
The Hebrew letter Ayin is addicted to this card. P. utterly fails in giving any elucidation of this relationship. W. has put it very clearly in this quotation: "Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it."
So the card of the Tower signifies the relation between macro- and micro- cosm and will mean rupture, sudden disillusion, disenchantment, but also it symbolises intuition, renewal, help from above and clear insight in relation to vanity and sham projects, illusion and meaningless formalism.
 
XVII. The Star. Venus.
"The figure expresses eternal youth and beauty." No astrologer will hesitate to recognise Venus. "The Star is the étoile flamboyante, which appears in Masonic symbolism, but has been confused herein." (W.) And "gifts of the spirit," which au fond means beauty, are the gifts administered by Venus, who in the solar system hands over the vibrations or 'gifts' coming from the Sun, to our Earth. The picture on the card shows it quite clearly: a naked girl, demonstrating undoubtedly the beauty of the human body, symbol of beauty in the nature of man, pouring "the fluids of Life upon the Earth (and the sea: i.e. into soul and body--Th.) from two cups, the one of gold and the other of silver." (P.) "The genius of the Sun has now descended to Earth under the form of this young girl, the image of eternal Youth." (P.) Well, then it is the image of this planet of beauty and eternal youth, which has its place between the Sun and Mercury on one side and our Earth on the other, the third personification of the genius of the Sun. The ibis and the butterfly connect the idea 'of immortality with this figure, in perfect accord with the mystic teaching which says, that love extends beyond the grave.
"The Phe--identified with this card--expresses the same hieroglyphic value as the Beth (second card), but in a more extended sense." It is said to represent speech. (P.) Now Venus has in so far to do with the second sign, that it rules this sign. The 'more extended sense' may perhaps be thought of as this planetary rulership, as "the Word in action in Nature with all its consequences." (P.) Venus could perhaps be seen in the sense it has in the Gospel of St. John: "The Word which became the Light of men." Venus indeed is the representative of the ruler of Light on Earth and in Nature: third aspect of the Solar Logos.
"The Word in action in Nature with all its consequences," we should like to correct in this way: it is Venus, the ruler of the signs Taurus and Libra, houses of riches, art, beauty, and of the organised body. In the
 
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XVIII. The Moon.
Everything that has been said in astrology about the Moon might be repeated here, as there exists no controversy whatever on the point of identity. "The card represents life of the imagination apart from life of the spirit." (W.)
This card consequently means the life of the soul in particular, the feelings and sentiments, emotions (not only fear, etc.), changes wrought in existence by them, water and the female element in general. In the horoscopic figure it may be the mother or some other woman prominent in the life of the querent; it may signify women in general (and morally or psychically, while Saturn means physical woman). It is the sign of panta rei: everything passing, flowing or ebbing away in life, consequently uncertainty. It may relate to dreams, to exhibitions, popular plays, and games, theatres, and to the lower class of people. Physically it means the brain and the stomach.
The hieroglyphic value of the Hebrew letter Tzaddi, connected with this card, "is the same as that of Thet (ninth card) . . . which perhaps may account for the relationship of the Moon with that house, as pointed out
 
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latter it represents the Law of Harmony between the Self and the Not- self.
In divination it means of course benefit, well-doing, organisation, co- operation, love, beauty, peace, concord, etc. The reverse of the card of Mars. As the contrary of energy it may mean laziness, indolence, rest, weakness.
 
XIX. The Sun.
"The walls indicate, that we are still in the visible, or material world." (P.) This relates to the picture which shows a child on horseback--or two children as in the older editions of the card--playing beneath the bright Sun and evidently within a walled enclosure. So far so good: we are and we remain in this world. And for the rest the Sun is the Sun and this card means everything that astrology can tell about the Sun, in every respect and on all planes. It means the positive or masculine elements in general, the power and function of will and concentration, great benefit and mighty protection in spiritual as well as in mundane life and matters. It may signify the father of the querent and high authorities, king, president, ruler, etc. The spiritual centre of man and the centre of importance in everything is indicated by it. Physically it indicates the heart and the solar-plexus.
The protecting power of the Sun is well illustrated by "the hieroglyphic value of the Hebrew letter Quoph, which expresses a sharp weapon,
 
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by us before. It should mean a term, an aim, an end." (P.) But this does not make it much clearer.
P. has only one good thing on it, and after all this is only on a particular and not very high level: "Servile spirits (the dog), savage souls (the wolf), and crawling creatures (the crayfish) are all present watching the fall of the soul, hoping to aid in its destruction." That is true. And it may happen to us, that a lower current of the Moon brings our way people who have no higher aim than to 'aid in our destruction' even if we ourselves have no intention whatever of 'falling'.
 
XX. The Last Judgment. Jupiter.
If Saturn denotes 'death' and the grave, what more natural than that his counterpart Jupiter should stand for the resurrection from the grave? While Saturn, Lord of the mineral kingdom, is held to 'kill' by his crystallising effect, Jupiter, Lord of the vegetable kingdom and of all that grows and expands and evolves, leading up to sublimation and elevation, abstraction, etc., afterwards, is first the emblem and function of organic life, later on also those of psychic and spiritual life above the material existence, barren and naked, from which it consequently brings deliverance. The latter meaning is chiefly viewed when symbolising this principle in the card of the Last Judgment. "An angel sounds his trumpet per sepulchra regionum and the dead arise." (W.) Some people say "that it signifies renewal, which is obvious enough . . ." and "that it is the generative force of the earth and eternal life." (W.) The latter fairly covers our definition of Jupiter's function. Again W. further mentions, that it "is the card which registers the accomplishment of the great work of transformation." Which is also in the line of Jupiter, Io Pater, 'Our Father that is in the Heavens.' And every great work needs his co-operation; there is no important or great work done in this world without Jupiter, the planet of ideals playing a prominent rôle in it. Ideals, that "are the angel part of us," as Zanoni tells his disciple. So this card stands for ideals, religious, social or any other and for the elevating effect they have on man; for ideas and leading motives, aspirations, etc., consequently for
 
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everything that is useful to man, that defends him and makes an effort for him." (P.).
In a figure laid for divination this card indicates the centre of interest and that which is fixed, certain, assured and under protection.
 
XXI. The World. Neptune.
As in the case of Uranus we want to point out that originally the planet cannot have been appointed, astronomically, but the principle of cosmic magetism, of which it is the organ, and the universal magnetised, field, the field of the world in which we live, must have been well known to the initiates, who worshipped Poseidon and Varuna, gods of the world-ocean. The symbols of the four fixed signs are presented at the corners of the cards, and where these fixed signs are seen as the foundation stones of our physical world by such visionaries as Ezechiel and St. John of Patmos, we cannot be far wrong in assuming that originally the meaning was that of the physical world coming forth out of the magnetised etheric ocean of the universe, which itself has been represented by the oval form, be it a laurel wreath or something else. The World must have had a larger meaning, originally, than that of the world of beings moving on the
 
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generalisation, illumination, dispersion, elevation, for all that is honourable on one hand but also for illusions or vain aspirations on the other hand. It is the sign of deliverance from narrow thought and hampering conditions in the soul as well as in the body and in life.
The card is identified with the Hebrew letter Resh, which "is the head of man, and it is therefore associated with the idea of all that possesses in itself an original, determined movement. It is the absolute sign of motion, good or bad, and expresses the renewal of things with regard to their innate power of motion."--"Return to the divine world."--"Vegetable life." (P.) Yes. We might say: thought-power and the idea of motion which it implies and imparts. Jupiter was the first and chief of the Gods, Theoi, Movers.
 
 
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surface of our Earth, and the oval figure may well have stood for the form of the solar system at large, with its planets moving in oval orbs.
Appropriated to the world of men, it must mean 1 that which falls outside our will-power, cosmic conditions to which we are subject, but which at the f same time provide us with all that is wanted for our physical conditions. The latter of course became the reason for attaching to this card a generally benefic influence, especially in the domain of the senses. "It is eloquent as an image of the swirl of the sensitive life, of joy attained in the body, of the soul's intoxication--(can any word remind us more strongly of Neptune's workings than precisely this one: 'intoxication'?--Th.)--in the earthly paradise, but still guarded by the Divine Watchers . . ." (W.) Let us put it this way: it means that if we row with the cosmic tide, we shall enjoy happiness and everything we want, but on the other hand we must not neglect the implicit possibility, that when rowing against the tidal current of the world, we shall experience trouble and no end of it, or if we 'cross the stream' we shall have to stand firm on our legs. So besides the joy of the senses, this card means also the cosmic origin of life, to which the candidate for initiation returns, and which now and then appears in dreams. In fact this card has much to do with dream-life. The relations of Neptune with the Moon and the lunar body are not unknown to astrologers nowadays.
The Hebrew letter Tau is related to this card and "has the same hieroglyphic meaning as the Daleth (fourth card)--that is the womb;-- (which confirms the relationship to the Moon--Th.)--but it is chiefly the sign of reciprocity, the image of all that is mutual, reciprocal." It is further added that abundance and perfection lie in the card. (P.) Reciprocal certainly: from that we come and to that we shall return, be it the world's dust or the ether of the cosmic ocean.
Very striking is P.'s saying that "This symbol represents macrocosm and microcosm . . ." and even more so that "the empire of the world belongs to the empire of Light, and the empire of Light is the throne of God . . ." Scientifically expressed: the ethereal world, being the bearer of light, is the universal womb of the material or physical world. The nude female figure may certainly contain indications with regard to the life of the senses, but is also a symbol of the angelic state to which man will one day come after being delivered from the bonds of the lower world. It may have to do with nature spirits. It is Aphrodite rising from the sea, daughter of Neptune. Beauty and love and happiness arising from the communion of souls.
 
0. (Zero) The Fool. Our Earth.
The average stage of man in the present stage of Earth-evolution is 'human,' but not yet at the stage of wisdom, consequently that of the 'unwise man.' To us, creatures living upon the Earth, this globe cannot be observed by us in toto, and the Fool is represented as a man walking without paying attention to himself. There is something of absolute Fate about this figure, which reminds us of the old saying of astrologers: "The wise man rules his stars, the fool obeys them." On the point of this fatality all authorities agree. For the rest the explanation does not seem very satisfying. To us there appears to be no doubt regarding the nature of this Fool, presented as a final 'principle,' if we may call it that, after those of the planets. A principle, however, without a number, a principle of nothing, nothingness.
The planets give us the symbols or ideas of organs of consciousness, the zodiacal signs denote modes of substance, from which consciousness is derived. So the zero-principle is the symbol of unconsciousness. In fact he who is unconscious, of himself or of Self, will obey every intimation from without and obeys 'his stars'--his senses, stupidly, blindly.
Of course this card has much to do with foolishness, spiritual dumbness, but it bears also the meaning of that which cannot be helped and which we do best to leave altogether aside; or that which will come right of itself and need not be heeded by us: that to which we are subject, as to the Earth course in its orbit. It does not need our personal assistance. Realising the latter fact this 'fool' might after all appear to be wiser than a good many other people, who in their human vanity imagine they are greatly needed for carrying out the intentions of their God, of Whom they claim a sort of personal knowledge. A proverb says, that children and fools tell the truth. Taken as a whole, the card signifies that which will prove to contain more truth than appears; that which cannot be helped;
 
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those who are unconscious (of certain things, e.g.,) or unreasonable or foolish, disregarding logical propositions and actions. Also that part of our surroundings over which we have no control or which we do not master; that which we have to obey or which we ignore.
The Hebrew letter Shin is brought in relation with this card, and P. says it means "the Motion of relative duration," but his explanation does not throw any particular light on the card nor on the relationship. The picture seems to hint also that the fool "is hurried to his destruction unawares." (W.) And there may be a good deal in it. In divination it may hint at persons suffering under this tendency.
The question may be asked, why the planetary cards have been named in this order. When we agree that Mercury, Temperance, has been put in the place of Jupiter, which after all has been used in a higher octave, we see first named the three planets outside the place of the Earth, governing the building of the physical mould and having to do with the birth and death of it. Then follows the planet of cosmic electricity and of the birth of human spirit in the physical building, which it eventually destroys. Next come the three planetary principles functioning on the spiritual side, which have their meaning only after the birth of human spirit. The Moon takes the place of Mercury-Vulcan, and the order is that of reckoning from the Earth, consequently in a continuous line from the outside: Venus--Moon (for Mercury-Vulcan)--Sun. They have to do with the growth of body and soul. Finally the principle of deliverance from the prison of the body: Jupiter, and that of the cosmic ocean to which the particles return, Universal solvent; ocean which constitutes the real ground for our practical unity in the world. The Fool as the denial of all sense, nonsense.
There may be other explanations of course. The one offered here seems to have the advantage that it is in the line of the suggestion, made before, viz. that the whole system of the Tarot is a sort of symbolism, expressly adapting cosmic principles to human life and to man's personal interests, not always even in the highest sense.
There exists a remarkable difference between the degree of clearness with which concrete particulars of the Lesser Arcana are given, and the diffuse teaching of the Greater Arcana, which appears to have been rather covered and veiled, than divulged. It was in the first place the Lesser Arcana, with which the diseurs de bonne aventure wanted to please their clients, so it naturally had their chief attention.
It is still more remarkable that all explanation about the 'why' of the Lesser Arcana fails. We ought perhaps to take into account a meagre effort made by Papus in his Tarot of the Bohemians, (p. 235-237), where
 
 
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he tries to assign each of the cards to one of the decanates of the zodiac; but he makes no further use of the hypothesis. For the rest I venture to say that it does not hold good at all and does not in the least correspond with the traditional significances given, as the authors tell us, in respect of the Bohemians. Another equally unsuccessful effort at explanation has been made recently by a pupil of Eteilla, d’Odoucet and Papus, a Frenchman calling himself Ely Alta, in a book entitled Le Tarot Egyptien (1922), which bears a close resemblance to that of Papus or speaks of the very same source as the latter. In fact Alta reproduces a treatise of Eteilla's disciple and co-worker d’Odoucet and gives more than Papus in so far as he preludes every significance of a card in the Lesser Arcana with a sort of explanation in a would-be cosmogonical sense. The fact is, that these explanations all fall short of explaining the traditional significance. So they cannot be more than a sort of drapery of eloquence, hung over the tableaux by later commentators, perhaps by Eteilla himself. And the only thing they divulge without any doubt at all is that the key to these 'lesser' mysteries has been lost or has never been given out to those to whom this practice of divination has been presented "as a bible which would make their living at the same time," as Papus has said somewhere.
But the striking fact is, that these traditional significations cover almost exactly and in almost every card the theory expounded by us. So we may be fairly certain that this theory contains or is the very key. We shall verify it systematically and card for card.
THE LESSER ARCANA
The theory formulated in the first part of the present work must be proved by practice; and here we are in the same lucky position as with horoscopy, where we find also the most abstract world-vision combined with the natural facts of everyday life: religion, philosophy and science in one and testified to by facts, which can be verified by every serious student, as easily as the facts of any other branch of natural science.
We shall now deal with the Arcana Minor much on the same lines as we have followed with the cards of the Arcana Major, only still more abridged, if possible, in order to make the work clear and the supervision easy, and so produce a handbook, as simple and practical as possible for use in the practice of divination. We shall therefore first give the generally accepted traditional meanings of each card, and then derive the significance from the given theory.
 
 
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The qualifications which we think fully justified by the theory, will be put in italics.
We use as illustrations the pictures of the cards as they have been drawn on the authority of Mr. A. E. Waite and published by Messrs. Rider and Co., Paternoster Row, London.
Practical divination speaks of two ways in which the cards, in general, have to be or can be interpreted: right and reversed, and the professors of the art say it depends on the way the cards fall when they are laid after being shuffled; it may be the image of the card comes 'right,' i.e. facing the querent, or upside down. The latter is called 'reversed.' This appears to me to be a rather arbitrary distinction, because of course it costs you no trouble to put all cards 'right' before shuffling and to keep them right all the time. But there may be actually a stronger and a weaker side to each card of the Lesser Arcana, as it may act on the higher or on the lower side of human nature, or it may stand for ourselves or for our opponents; it may either be fortified by benefic influences of neighbouring cards and the planets, or weakened by malefics. So we shall not protest against the term 'reversed,' but use it in a different way and consider it simply as the pathological side of the genuine significance, if we may be allowed to express it thus. Nor shall we indicate it separately, but simply leave it to the consideration of the professor of divination to decide if a fall is weak or more or less pathological.
We might add one more remark, viz. regarding the nature of the Page and the Knight. We place the Knight after the Page, which makes the former fall upon the houses of Water and the Page on the houses of Air. Tradition gives first the Knight and after him the Page. Astrologers will feel the essential difference between both: the one is of the nature of Air, the other of the nature of Water. The latter is more 'essential,' working on the sentiments, while the Page is rather working on the intellectual plane of existence. The Knight brings the inner change and link, the Page the outer change and connection. Of the two the Page or Knave is the lesser or younger. Evidently the symbolic figures have been chosen so as to express a difference of this kind. The page may become a knight, after he has won experience. Now 'experience' is the typical function of the houses or signs of Water. The page-period in mediæval society was that of the disciple, of assisting, learning; of carrying messages: all this is typical of houses or signs of Air. The name of Knave, sometimes substituted for Page, is doubtlessly given to indicate the 'secondary' importance of "those people" in relation to the nobility of the other. Air-people are always more or less 'profane' in relation to water-people, and this has been evidently expressed in the mediæval denomination.
 
WANDS
Ace
TRADITION: Birth, source, principle, beginning, origin, cause, reason, creation, invention. Some say also: family, but this is probably to be taken as 'family-descent,' or parentage or origin of the family, which is a different idea. Reversed: Fall, perdition, decadence, decline, ruin, etc.
THEORY: The element of Air on the First house or ascendant has of course to do with birth and beginning, because it is the coming through of the message from above to the regions of the physical plane; the ascendant indeed is the synthesised appearance of the heavens at the beginning of . . . whatever it may be, and so this card signifies on one hand the inflow of light from above into the world of matter and fact, which can have several meanings. On the other hand, seen from the side of light itself, it is the 'fall in matter' and the decline of the higher, as well as the enlightening of the lower. The cards of the airy element have always and in every instance a double meaning and not only in the sense of right and reversed, but a meaning on two sides. And apparently this has been wrongly introduced as 'right' or 'reversed' in some cases. So the ace of wands will represent the effect of suddenness, of the incidental, even accidental, showing some appearances of the planet Uranus. It denotes something that is making its appearance all of a sudden; a sort of manifestation, creation such as the birth of a child. This, by the way, is generally considered to be a joy for the parents, etc., but may not be for the soul, which has to accept once more the limitations of life in a body of earth. And this is the two-sidedness of the significance.
CONCLUSION: Birth, beginning, innovation, creation initiative, impulse, origin, principle, source, cause reason, parentage, handing over of a message, news revelation, initiation. On the other hand come the meanings derived from fall, decline, descent, depreciation, profanation,
 
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Two of Wands
TRADITION: Melancholy, sadness, surprise, astonishment, consternation, terror, fear, enchantment, trouble, but also on the other hand riches, fortune and magnificence.
THEORY: Air on the Second house, that of Taurus, which explains at once the latter significances ascribed to the card by some authors; the other category of definitions derives from the earthy nature of the Second house, which, put into the tone of the airy element, may cause something of the oppression, which the heaviness of this fixed and earthy house exercises on the mind. It is the impression of heaviness, of a load on the back, which easily may attain the more concise form of a fear, a gloom, a feeling of being downcast, impotent, weak and not able to resist circumstances. So it may signify the pressure of material conditions, the responsibility imparted by riches, but also projects or conceptions of an economical nature and the idea of capital and capitalising. Further the combination of the principles of air with the house of Taurus must give music, and we may be sure that this card always has some significance in that way and in the sphere of art intellectually and in general. This is a very important significance.
CONCLUSION: Music, art, artistic ability in general; capital, riches, heavy responsibility, pressure, obsession, melancholy, fear, weakness, impossibility or material power (on one side and on the other), gloom, dullness, 'spleen,' impotence, subjection to material circumstances; attitude
 
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etc. But it means that which will happen once only and which cannot be taken back.
 
Three of Wands
TRADITION: Enterprise, effort, essay, trade, commerce, discovery, usurpation, daring, temerity and also imprudence, interruption, cessation and 'the end of troubles,' discontinuative.
THEORY: The rather contradictory descriptions of this card's significance are well explained by its zodiacal position: Air on the Third house, which doubles the influence of 'air' and of the mercurial vibrations and effects. This card has the accent of the suit of wands. It must consequently denote: communication, reflection and all that comes from these. This needs little explanation.
CONCLUSION: Communication, instruction, reflexion, message, writing, postage and letters, superficial knowledge, airiness, passing impressions, discontinuance, interruption, change, perhaps a certain amount of geniality, imprudence also; neglect or want of proper attention; as to 'temerity' I should say only in so far as this means an easy manner of overcoming obstacles, quick insight; effort, essay, trade are correct. Mercury being the God of merchants, and thieves, this card may relate to commerce, theft and loss. "The end of troubles" is indeed well said, because this card gives the key for their solution and shows the way of escape.
 
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of 'wait and see'; the future is for those that can (afford to) wait. Country life.
 
Four of Wands
TRADITION: Society, association, alliance, multitude and all that implies a gathering of men, even armies; mixture; country life, felicity, augmentation, prosperity, happiness, peace and concord, etc., convocation; advance.
THEORY: It is Air on the Fourth house and the mixing of mercurial and lunar influence will of course explain the idea of gathering. We cannot quite see some of the definitions (contract, pact, treaty), but generally we find the idea of that which binds together by memory and common motives, thoughts, mottos common to a certain group of people, be it family or nation, clan or army. So this leads us to see in the card the expression of the common motive, of that which binds people together. It is not the contract, but the motive which afterwards leads to contracts, or from which the contract will result. A common mistake, in astrological descriptions as well, is this mixing up of definitions relating to the cause and to the effect respectively. Mercury brooding over the house of the family and the moon, engenders homely feelings, memories, thoughts of internal service, household matters, and tends more or less to a profane and familiar or descriptive language, to joke, fun and the theatrical art, to inviting people to come together and have their share in weal and woe. It represents also common sense, which, however, remains in many cases 'common' enough. And it contains the motives, which actually govern the facts and actions in this world.
CONCLUSION: Family-spirit, clan, home, the ideas and motives which rule us, consequently that which is familiar to us; memory, reminiscences, brooding and scheming, fantasy, theatrical arts, fancy, imagination. It can be augmentation as well as decrease, it generally means change and unstable conditions, popularity and vaccillation, profanation. It may denote some group of people, a gathering or meeting, family-council. A convocation. a call and a vote. Cosiness.
 
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Five of Wands
TRADITION: Gold, riches, opulence, magnificence, brilliancy, luxury, the struggle for riches, "physical, philosophical and moral sun." (P.) But also process, trickery, contradiction, discussion, chicane, etc.
THEORY: Air on the Fifth house: that of the sun. The house of the heart and of children, of speculation and love affairs, of pride and of will- power. There is more of the richness of the heart in it than of material abundance, though generally Leo-people know how to reach the latter. It is a house of Fire, and the combination of Fire and Air makes warm air, which may be used to heat rooms, in the same way as words, that contain warm feelings of the heart, will do good to other people, and on the other hand hot speech will arouse lively contradiction. Here is the same mistake: the card is not that of contradiction, but of hot speech, very positive expression, and contentions, suggestions, rather than discussion, egocentric thought, from which we may conclude, that it will evoke contradiction, or some other effect. But we have to do with the proper meaning of a card itself. It is quite true, that the house Leo may bring gold and presents. Thought-power taken to heart, or taking its motives from love and from the desires and wishes of the heart, may very often be more selfish than reasonable, but it is a real pushing power and therefore generally is the most helpful element towards attaining the goal. This, of course, has been the reason for ascribing riches, etc., to this card.
CONCLUSION: Egotism, positive speech, contention, persuasion, suggestion, hot speech, demonstration (e.g. of love or desire); pushing power; all this may lead to trickery, to competition perhaps, and to struggle for riches certainly; it means speaking and thinking to such a self-centred way, that no notice is taken of other people's standpoint; consequently clashing of opinions; sometimes it may allude to gold and presents, but to the promise rather than to the fact. There is little or no evil
 
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Six of Wands
TRADITION: Servant, inferior, mercenary man, commissioner; interior of a house, the household; it is also said to denote great news and expectation, hope and trust, but sometimes not without some misgivings or a slight apprehension of treachery.
THEORY: It is Air on the house of Virgo, the Sixth, house of the servants and work, of exact science and the academy, of health and food, of the art of decoration and the interior of the house, as well as of the retail dealer. The element of thought (Air) on the earthy house of Virgo must naturally bring forth knowledge of every detail and reveal mistakes or shortcomings; it promotes efficiency, and the latter is one of the principal meanings of the card. Here again is a double mercurial expression, so this card must denote special abilities, capacities, technical insight; moreover food questions and medicine, medicaments and nursing; practical arrangement of details, but as Virgo "kills the prophets," this card may contain some or other discrepancy in the philosophical or logical, theoretical or strictly just side of things.
CONCLUSION: Knowledge, exact and academical, decorative art, efficiency, work, servitude and servants, practical solution of problems, but at the same time perhaps some discrepancy; food, medicine, treatment, experiment; it may relate to persons in every subordinate position and to retail tradesmen; the personal attitude under this card is rather passive
 
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in this card. At most it may denote stupid and childish persistence in one's own personal opinion, e.g. wishes. It has something sunny in it and is good for health and wealth in a general way, promoting both, but it is not 'riches' in itself.
 
Seven of Wands
TRADITION: Discussion, negotiation, conference, conversation, deliberation, dissertation; measure; correspondence, words and language; generally success, but there may be also some hesitation, uncertainty, irresolution, light-heartedness.
THEORY: All this is very strikingly typifying the element Air on the Seventh house, that of the airy Libra, house of relationship, marriage, meeting of the Self and the Not-self, which rules contracts, books and manuscripts. Here only comes 'discussion' into play. In the Fifth house the individuality was alone, and for discussion you want two persons.
CONCLUSION: Discussion, relation, negotiation, entertainment, discourse, lecture, reasonable explanation, contract, marriage proposed, society- rulership and orders given out to inferiors, arrangements, regularisation and measurement; measure, proportion, rules given for conduct. There is uncertainty or opportunism in so far as rules are given in relation to circumstances, which may change. The personal interests are brought in, in relation with those of others. Fair weather.
 
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and indeed that of expectation, attention, waiting for orders or for the result of experiments, for the answer on question or demand; solicitation.
 
Eight of Wands
TRADITION: Examination, interior disputes, misunderstanding, regrets, interior agitation, scruples, doubt, repentance, etc. But on the other hand it is brought into connection with everything that has to do with country life, the fields, gardens, woods, etc. Also: pleasure, amusement, enjoyment, recreation. Quite apart from all this: an express messenger, the arrows of love or the arrows of jealousy. "Great haste, great hope, speed towards an end, which promises assured felicity." (W.)
THEORY: The card represents Air on the Eighth house and the influence of Scorpio will make the mind acute and sharp, so as to investigate and to examine the most hidden riddles, while in this house the mind comes to the sensation or consciousness of pleasure and pain, thirst and drinking. (The chalice will begin its suit later on the Ninth house.) It is the house of hidden and 'forbidden' knowledge or rather experience. The 'arrows of love' actually mean passion, and the 'arrows of jealousy,' the common counterpart of the same. The sensation of sex is born in this house and indicated by this card. As to swift or speedy messages, this may sometimes happen, because the Scorpion is sometimes very sudden in its movements. What the card should have to do with country life is less evident. We should say rather that it must stand in relation with the sea, fishermen and sailors. The mind in this house is very critical and sharp-witted, sometimes subject to doubt and misgivings, superstition and jealousy. It is in search of truth and enjoyment. Artistic abilities will run along the line of poetry, music and sculpture. It has always to do with the hidden side of things, the interior, or the inner life.
CONCLUSION: Examination, interrogation, internal or inner conceptions, knowledge and disputes; misgivings, doubt and sometimes misunderstandings; quick response, reaction, and answer to unspoken
 
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Nine of Wands
TRADITION: Obstacle, delay, suspense, adversity, slowness, contrariety, calamity, misfortune, renvoy, trouble.
"The card signifies strength in opposition. If attacked he will meet the onslaught boldly." (W.)
THEORY: The element of Air on the Ninth house, which is opposite to that in which the particular accent of the suit of wands lies: Gemini, the third. This opposition evidently has been the chief motive for the qualifications given in respect of this card in the past.
There is a good deal in it, but not everything. Of course, if the third house is the typical expression of the 'message,' the Sagittarian is the type of the man "who is always in the opposition," but he is more. He is also . . . himself. This card seems to be queerly veiled. It is at least strange to find only malific expressions of the co-ordination of the element Air and the principle of mind with the house of Sagittarius, the thinker. This looks as if the patrons of the Tarot system did not think it wise to tell much about this sign of the prophets to the fortune-telling gypsies. How this may be does not concern. us any further. Evidently the card must have to do with prophecy, fortune-telling, teaching,
 
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words or meanings. The sensation of pleasure and pain, but at the same time the knowledge and the occasion to avoid both or to get the one and avoid the other. Life at or on the sea; sailors and fishermen. Searchers for the hidden side of things, students of occultism. Poetry, music and sculpture. Secret message; hidden meaning; sex questions. Private interview or rendez-vous. Bad weather.
 
Ten of Wands
TRADITION: Treachery, duplicity, perfidy, falsehood, disguise, imposture, conspiration, obstacle, surprise, dissimulation, contrarieties, difficulties, false-seeming, oppression. ". . . and if there is question of a lawsuit, there will be certain loss." (W.)
THEORY: Air on the house of Capricorn: the Tenth. It is well known by astrologers, that the tenth house rules the actions, deeds and attitude. Also the name and official position of the personality in the world and at the same time the superiors or authorities, met with on account of
 
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conducting, guiding and the persons of guides, teachers, masters; it must give the notion of travelling and far-reaching schemes, the faculty of speaking foreign languages and of writing, but it is true, that the persons indicated by this card find their "strength in opposition "--as W. has it--and very often therefore are in search of some convenient opponent or opposing force. It means intellectual chasing, sport, hunting, journalism and the raising of spirits, that are not easily to be got rid of afterwards. The latter fact accounts for all that has been said about obstacles, etc.
CONCLUSION: Teaching, instruction, guidance, teachers, masters, guides. Planning, travelling, sport; journalism, editors and journalists, public lecturers, orators; prophecy and predicting. On the other hand there may be unruliness, waywardness and unpractical idealism. It is certain that, where this card appears, much controversy, contradiction, antagonism, mental strife, etc., will be aroused, sometimes more than would appear necessary. There is also in it extension of thought, spreading of news, rumours, preaching, excitement of the people and revolution.
 
 
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position and activities. Actions and deeds, under the influence of the double-natured mercurial element, may easily degrade into 'double- dealing' and everything else of that nature. But once more it appears to us, that the gypsy tradition is rather too much exclusively on the lower side of things. The qualities mixed here make very often an egoistic blend and a nature which reveals several weaknesses, as soon as it comes under trial. So the card on the one hand means certainly that the attitude of mind or action will be untrustworthy and must not be relied upon. There is fear and cowardice in it. But on the other hand the combination is that of mental ability, quick perception, etc. It means also the load of the earthy responsibility laid upon the shoulders of an airy creature, consequently 'oppression' is a word very much to the point here. And this explains even why weaker natures are driven to undesirable, unreliable actions and reactions by it; they cannot stand the pressure. Strong natures, however, accept the pressure as natural necessity, karma, and carry their burden. This is symbolised by the man carrying the ten wands. It is a symbol of executive ability, production, the doing of necessary things, obedience to official order and rule; officials, 'red tape' and burdens that appear heavier than they actually are.
CONCLUSION: Karma, obedience, executive ability, production and reproduction, necessity; officials and official position. In weaker cases: Duplicity, falsehood, unreliability, disguise, double-dealing, false appearance, lies and false diplomacy, etc. Oppression and overestimating the importance of things.
 
King of Wands
TRADITION: Country gentleman, man with good intentions and yet severe, honest and conscientious; may be a peasant or agriculturist. Eteilla calls him the father. Marriage, union.
THEORY: Higher octave of the ace, lord of the suit of Air and the mind; coming on the First house. What may have led to the legend of calling him a country gentleman and bringing the whole suit of wands more or less in relation with the country, is not clear. He is the lord of the intellectual kingdom, consequently he may denote every authority or personality of primary importance in some or other intellectual, mercurial or mercenary line. It must be some one representing a high authority himself or uniting opposite interests, while he himself, on account of the same authority he represents, may not or cannot be contradicted.
Now we want to put in a remark here concerning the court or personal cards in general: in the practice of divination they are generally taken to indicate persons, and this comes out very often right enough. Still they ought first to be considered as principles; the personification of these principles in men and women comes in the second place only, but is important, of course, in our daily life. So the King of Wands must represent intellectual authority, mastership in the domain of the mind, trade and language.
CONCLUSION: A governor, director of business, high official, postmaster, solicitor, manager, independent trader, Secretary of State, and the principles or functions for which they stand. The house of Mars imparts austerity, security and generally initiative and honesty; in weak cases there may be, however, some doubt with regard to his absolute integrity. He may be the authority, who concludes a union, viz. notary, clergyman or
 
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Queen of Wands
TRADITION: Country woman, honest, economical woman, honourable and loving, virtuous, chaste, good and inclined to be friendly and interest herself in the querent. The card may also indicate love of money, economy and gifts.
THEORY: Queen of Air on the Second house of economy, money, country life and art. Some of the traditional renderings certify this remarkably well. Now what does a queen in general mean? In divination a woman simply, but in general, as the king is the head of the hierarchy or suit as the spiritual synthesis and masculine representative, so the queen may be said to be the material synthesis and the chief female representative. So the queen of wands must be, apart from all personality, the representative of banking, exchange, agriculture and of the arts in general, painting, music and dancing in particular. In W.'s picture of this card, a cat is seen before the feet of this queen: a remarkable indication of the house in which, as astrology teaches, the moon is exalted. It indicates rightly, that in weak cases there may be some falsehood in the nature of persons indicated by it. Cajolery, but apt to turn into peevishness. Taurus-people are generally good-humoured and good- natured, patient, benefic for their surroundings in material things, but also desirous of luxury and possessions, wealth, riches.
CONCLUSION: A woman of economical habits, wealthy or desiring wealth, steadily resolved to get at riches, certainly not 'cheap'; more or less artistic, may be a painter, dancer or musician; she is faithful, but may be subject to
 
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civil authority. In the church he is the High Priest, in the lodge the Grand Master.
 
Page of Wands
TRADITION: Stranger, unknown man, young man in search of somebody, extraordinary or at least uncommon man; postman, envoy, dark young man, faithful lover. Further it denotes an announcement, instruction, advice, tale, lesson, advertisement, something wonderful, unexpected, admirable, unusual. A notion as well as a miracle. News.
THEORY: We have to keep in mind, that the page of Air relates to the Third and to the Eleventh house both. Some of the indications show the mark of aquarian, i.e. uranian parentage, others are purely mercurial. The pages always cover the meaning of houses of Air, as we have seen the page of the airy element--wands--is the most airy of them all. The interpretation is easy enough, and the renderings are quite correct, with the exception of one item: we can never see this page as a 'stranger' but rather as an acquaintance, a friend, conforming to the connection with the eleventh house. That with the Third house even may bring his personal standing nearer to the querent, viz. as a brother or schoolmate.
 
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moods and changes of taste. Honesty may be certified, but not without a certain amount of egotism, e.g. materialism. She is very passive and cool, phlegmatic and not easily to be roused to passion, if ever. This of course makes the impression of 'chaste.' There is, however, a solid sort of sensuality. In strong cases there is real virtue. Banking, agriculture, art, capital, money. The latter more to be seen as 'money-matters' than as 'ready money,' and rather papers of value, shares, bonds, banknotes, than coined money.
 
Knight of Wands
TRADITION: Young man, friendly. Departure, absence, flight, emigration, change of residence, desertion, transmigration, transplantation, transmutation, separation, disunion, rupture, discontinuance, brouillerie, discord.
THEORY: The workings of Air by a special and mighty agent--for this the knight is in all cases--on the houses of water, here the Fourth and the Twelfth, causes turbulence, motion, emotion (though it must be borne in mind, that it is not emotion in itself); the action of the air on the water causes waves. In the case of the fourth house the knight relates to family matters or household conditions, eventually the father, to internal conditions in society or groups of people. It must further relate to memories and the past in general, because it means the awakening of the sentiments. The traditional conclusions have been drawn evidently in the negative for the greater part, in consideration of the fact that the sentiments generally are misleading. That they give reason for many changes is quite true. In the case of the twelfth house this is much the same. But extending its result over a much larger circle, the mercurial
 
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CONCLUSION--(From the Third house): A brother, schoolmate, messenger, postman or envoy, functionary or official of subordinate position, generally a younger man, sometimes on an errand; messages, letters, communications, teaching, instruction, lesson, advertisement, advice, announcement. News. (From the eleventh house): A friend, some one in business relation with the querent, or with whom he agrees. Telegraph, telephone and wireless. Intuitive connection, telepathy, invention. Helpful influences in general, helpful people of all sorts, tradesmen, purveyors, etc.
 
 
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knight may represent expedition and exploration, discovery, scientific or practical, emigration, estrangement, and the 'great work' of transmigration. It denotes a searching for the unknown, which in weak personal cases may appear as indiscretion or premature revelation, divulgation, profanation, etc. We do not see why this knight should be either young or friendly.
Quite the reverse: On account of the twelfth house there is something inimical about him, and a certain dissension of sentiment may find its cause in the past, in a family feud or something in the nature of a misguiding prejudice, tradition, which will have to be given up, etc.
CONCLUSION--(From the fourth house): A representative of the father, or of the family, a relative; a man visiting the house bringing new and perhaps disturbing influences into it, disturbing domestic happiness; changes in the home, house or family; memories awakened, divulgation of family secrets or private matters; an intruder in the home. A man of doubtful though not necessarily bad character. (From the twelfth house): An investigator, occultist, explorer, sailor, traveller on the high seas, wanderer, a guide through strange experiences, vagrant Bohemian type, stranger and sometimes enemy or some one with whom the querent does not agree and from whom he will be estranged, however earnest his endeavours to keep friendly, because he speaks either morally or physically a foreign tongue. Translation, export, departure, change of residence, emigration, flight, absence, rupture, etc. Transmutation. Disturbing influences and people in general, which need not be bad in itself, and may even cause a revolution in thought. It brings unrest in any case.
 
PENTACLES
Ace
TRADITION: Perfect contentment, felicity, happiness, ecstasy, perfect joy, perfect remedy, fulfilment of what has been asked in prayer. Reversed: Capital, riches, opulence, treasure. Something of principal value or valuable, dear, expensive, rare, highly esteemed.
THEORY: The element of Fire, of the nature of the Sun and Venus, on the house of the Sun, the Fifth: indeed this card has been well defined by the traditional renderings, which give it all as very benefic. How could it be anything else? The aces are all more or less a commencement, new prospects, etc. If you get the ace of pentacles or hearts on one of your houses in the horoscopic figure, you may be pretty sure that the matters to which the house in question relates will be beneficial and, on account of the fiery element, irresistible. It means the commencement of that what is wished for, desired, and this is what man calls his happiness. It is the spark of the Ego demonstrated in the practice of daily life; and this is what may well be called the note of good, which also brings good luck to other people. So there is creative energy in this card. Not yet worked out into details, but originally decided and fairly sure to work out in the future in lucky events and prosperous happenings. So there is promise in it and it is above all a card of good augury of a new and prosperous beginning. It is like a bright spark. Even among very bad cards it is the bright spark of hope and good-will, though of course in such cases it may be too weak to conquer adverse circumstances immediately. It may mean further a person or thing of first ranking. A child. A speculation.
CONCLUSION: Creative energy, fulfilment of hope, wish and desire, good luck, bright prospects, beginning of a new era in life, happiness, good
 
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Two of Pentacles
TRADITION: Embarrassment, obstacles, obstruction, emotion, confusion, difficulty, hindrance, unrest, etc. Reversed it is given as message, writing, doctrine, literature, work, book, production, composition, epistle, elements, principles; cheques. Another version gives: "A card of gaiety, recreation and its connections." (W.)
THEORY: The Fire on the Sixth house, the house of Virgo. Now here the so-called reversed meanings in the tradition seem to hold the most current significances of this house. Which once more warns us against attaching too great, if any, importance to the idea of 'reversed' position. The tradition does not give a very clear conception here, on the whole. The word 'emotion' is not in its place; as to embarrassment, this is correct: the influence of the sunny and Venusian fire on this house of infinite possibilities must naturally cause 'embarras du choix,' the difficulty of choice, and the one possibility hindering the other; giving too much force and attention to little or subordinate things and persons. There can be very little harm, however, in any card of the pentacles suit; the greatest evil done here might be that too little profit is earned in proportion to the labour given to it. On the other hand this card must necessarily mean good and conscientious work and fidelity of servants, agreeable and satisfactory work, reasonable remuneration, and consequently joy. The agreeable stimulation which it gives to the nervous
 
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augury; a child; a speculation. As to material effects it is benefic without being in itself the indication of riches or gold. It may be a present, a donation. Profit. Promise. Goodness. Favour. It may indicate the person, who is chiefly of interest, and of benefic influence.
 
Three of Pentacles
TRADITION: Nobility, noblesse, good and generous action, aristocracy, fame, glory, splendour, etc. Consideration, generous action. The reversed meanings do not appear at all to respond to a card of pentacle-nature and, as in many other cases, simply seem to imply the absence of the better qualities: weakness, humility, vile and abject action, etc. Another version gives: "Métier, trade, skilled labour." (W.)
THEORY: The Fire on the Seventh house, which rules the contact of the Self and the Not-self, the relations between both, the executive ability in man. So this must lead to the idea of well-doing and noble demeanour, owing to the Sun and Venus again. Compare horoscopes with the Sun and Venus in VII. Well-conducted relations denote civilisation, aristocracy, and the proper expression of one's relation to the world in his occupation, his métier, as W. has it; profession, marriage and employment. So this card has to do with 'workmanship,' which is well expressed by the drawing of the card in the set of W.
 
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system must cause gaiety, recreation, etc. Good health is also one of the results.
CONCLUSION: Good work, reasonable satisfaction, satisfactory results, agreeable occupations, but a warning to use economy in the display of one's forces, means, money and health; difficulty of choice; trustworthy and good servants; good treatment of same; joy, gaiety, recreation, etc. Feeling of physical well-being. It must denote also machinery, technics, abilities in these.
 
Four of Pentacles
TRADITION: A present, gratification, gift, inheritance, legacy; liberality, generosity, offerings, etc. "The surety of possessions, cleaving to that which one has." (W.) Reversed it is said to represent: A circle, circuit, and in general that which limits, encircles, holds, walls, encloses.. So it may be a convent, monastery. Further obstacles, delay, suspense.
THEORY: The Fire of the heart on the house of Scorpio, the Eighth, which is the house of secrets, of the money and possessions of other people, of death and sex, of inheritance and debt, loans and delay in all material matters, psychic activity, but much hampering in all physical activities-- all this makes clear much of what tradition has handed down. Everything falling in this house is connected with some secret, which cannot be divulged to the outer world, and consequently in relation to this world these things cannot appear in their full light or significance, are more or less handicapped, meet with obstacles and are wrongly judged. It is related to monastic life indeed. On the other hand it is the psychic and sexual expression of the love born in the heart, and it means, on this account, certainly "cleaving to that which one has" in a very personal way. It is the card of desire, attachment, secret longing for possession, which, when not being satisfied, may lead to retreat and retirement. The fire of the heart is here suffering from dissatisfaction or impossibility of realisation. It is probably the least favourable card of the
 
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CONCLUSION: Civilisation, aristocracy, good workmanship, skill, civil treatment and noblesse, agreeable relation, métier, employment, profession, marriage; good done to other people, bounty, profitable relations in business; restoration, reparation, beneficial arrangement. A marriage will do much good.
 
Five of Pentacles
TRADITION: Lover, mistress, also husband and wife, friend, beloved person. Accord, convenience, well-being, affinity. Reversed they give: Bad conduct, ruin even, confusion, disorder, discord, dissipation, chaos, profligacy. Mr. W. says: "It foretells material trouble above all."
THEORY: The latter saying of Mr. W. is probably correct in any case, but we do not agree that the different renderings "cannot be harmonised." The Fire of the heart on the Ninth house, that of Sagittarius, explains them all without difficulty. It is the emanation of love, which makes practically the lover and the mistress, e.g. husband and wife, when regularised by civil law, and friends, when between persons of the same sex, sympathy and popularity, enthusiasm, hopefulness, love of travelling, roaming about, which in weaker cases easily leads to Bohemian habits, carelessness, disorder and so on. Society will call this in many cases bad conduct, and find much to criticise. That the expansive nature indicated by this card causes 'material troubles above all,' is evident, because it means that more is given out than received,
 
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pentacles suit, at least in a material sense. It may hold much good for the future, however. Material benefit in this case will never go without some loss or sadness at the same time, as in the case of inheritance.
CONCLUSION: Desire, longing, etc., which will be probably satisfied in the future, delay, retreat, retirement, secret possession, legacy, inheritance, loan, mortgage, gift, the former not without some drawback, sadness or loss. Debt, probably going to be paid. Condition of being limited, enclosed, hampered or delayed. Some good which is not within the reach of the querent.
 
Six of Pentacles
TRADITION: The present, the actual moment, to-day; a witness, contemporary, attention, good care, vigilance. Presents, gifts, gratifications, prosperity. Reversed it is said to denote: Cupidity, jealousy, desire, passion, lust and researches.
THEORY: The Fire of the heart on the house of Capricorn, the Tenth, which is the house of the act, the deed, actuality, position and name, superiors and authorities. Moreover it denotes the actual time in the horoscope. The descriptions given by tradition are consequently correct and to the point. We may add, that here, in this combination, the heart's desire and wish, the impulses to speculate and to create, to make love and to do good, all become active and acute. So this must be a card of practical things, which for the greater part will be of a benefic nature. Good action, which may include the fulfilment of duty as well as giving presents and alms. It means putting the heart into your action, working, acting, doing with much pleasure, conviction and self-confidence. This
 
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which in matters of this material world does in fact bring troubles. But of a sort that may be easily forgiven, and helped, if not carried too far.
CONCLUSION: Emanation, expansion, love-making and the consequences: lover, mistress, husband, wife, friend; sympathy, popularity, enthusiasm, hopefulness, well-being, affinity. Expenses, material troubles, and in weak cases: disorder, vagrancy, roaming about without aim, waywardness, bad conduct, profligacy, confusion, etc. It is sure to indicate love outside the lines of a legal marriage. Strong individualism, which however is probably ruled by a strong will and a good heart. Brilliancy, but sometimes lack of the sense of responsibility. Travelling or emigration will do much good.
 
Seven of Pentacles
TRADITION: Money, riches, sums of money, also silver especially. Has to do with the moon and whiteness. Candour, innocence, purgation, purification. Business, barter. Reversed: Mental worries, suspicion, diligence, fear, mistrust, etc.
THEORY: The Fire with its sunny and Venusian character on the Eleventh house, the house of friends, in which the Self has to rely for a good deal on them or to live for them, but in which it sometimes finds it hard to give up its own desires and wishes. Still in the main it contains 'friendly' surroundings and is the house of traffic and business, of practical co-operation and interrelation. Aquarius is the house of the Angels too, and this may account perhaps for such renderings as innocence, purgation, etc., and may mean that the individualistic and egotistic elements have to be modified into something more 'brotherly.' What we have to do with the moon and its metal silver here, is less clear, unless the idea has been induced by the electric-blue colour of this house, or by the fact that it is the first house of the lunar body in the
 
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makes success almost certain. It means good-will and noble intention proved by gracious, charitable or useful action.
CONCLUSION: Good, useful, charitable action, duty well executed, even where not prescribed by written law or order; sense of moral duty; charity, well-doing; presents, gifts, prosperity, fruitfulness. Things being duly and well paid. Good selling. The seizing of opportunity. There is advantage in acting at once. The present moment, to-day. In weak cases there may be of course some sort of speculating on other people's charity or presents, consequently something like desire, cupidity, etc.
 
Eight of Pentacles
TRADITION: A dark girl, honest girl. Reversed: usury, voided ambitions, vanity, cupidity, avarice. W. says: "Work, employment, commission, craftsmanship, skill in craft and business." Another version has also: abundance, hospitality, politeness, kind reception, majority, augmentation, etc.
THEORY: It is the Fire on the Twelfth house. This has not much to do with useful work directly, nor with employment, but very much with skill and ingenuity, genial finding-out of the nature of things, so 'craftsmanship' may stand. For the rest, it is the house of offering, devotion, self-undoing, imprisonment and treason. The combination of the fire of the heart with it produces very different effects. Above all it gives skill and bravery, far above the average, outdoing the
 
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solar system. Neither can we very clearly see why it should indicate riches, money, etc. This is probably a rather coarse transmission of the idea, that friendly relations together with the person's own good intentions and good-will must produce advantages in material things. So the card must indicate good business, profitable friendship, assistance and help of friends and vice versa; reliable and agreeable surroundings outside the family circle. The advantages will probably be the outcome of what has been sown before by good action. For 'fear, mistrust,' etc., we can see no reason.
CONCLUSION: Friendship, concord, friendly relations and sympathetic, reliable and agreeable surroundings outside the family circle; profitable co- operation, advantage, good business, remuneration. Natural and rational outcome of what has been sown previously.
 
 
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commonplace, neglecting fashion, sinning against tradition but widening the views and outlook. Dexterity will ensue from it. In matters of the heart it always tends to the unusual, superhuman, exotic, wayward, strange or dreamy. The illustration of the card is to be taken more as a warning against the dangers of this house than as a direct descriptive image of its nature; as a sort of hint: keep to your work, do not let yourself be led astray or misguided. It is also the house of the sick, the hospital and the addiction of 'hospitality' may well allude to this fact. Charity comes under it. That ambitions are wrecked in this house is correct in general, still the pentacles are never strong in any evil sense, and they are apt to wreck fortunes or bubble reputations rather than ambitions. With 'avarice' it has nothing to do whatever, as far as we can see. The 'dark girl' is another question: apart from the court-cards the ace is very often taken to indicate a boy or youth, the eight a girl. The cups are generally taken to denote fair people, the pentacles dark people. Apart from this Eteilla makes the cards of wands--ace to ten--stand for young people, from one to twenty years of age. The reason for this we have not found out. If the eight always indicates a girl (which may be so because the eight always falls upon a house of water, which is entirely feminine in its nature), and the fiery pentacles must relate to dark-haired or even dark-skinned people, then the indication is right, and we shall accept it as far as it goes.
CONCLUSION: Devotion to what is not a prescribed duty, charity, skill, artistic ability, work done under inspiration, dexterity, uncommon qualities, perhaps geniality or even genius. Researches into the mysteries of Nature; nursing, work in hospitals or sanatoria, and these institutions themselves. In weak cases misleading appearances, making a useless show of activity. In very strong cases there is an artistic or genial ability, which will be only appreciated later. There will generally be sacrifice accompanying a work. Work for hospitals or prisons. Good card for a medical man or a clergyman. In weak cases there may be Bohemian love ending in degradation, depravation, waste of money, etc., though never by this card alone. On the contrary, it may indicate the conversion of a good- for-nothing to labour. Dark girl.
 
Nine of Pentacles
TRADITION: Effect, realisation, accomplishment; positive certain fulfilment of what is presaged by the neighbouring cards, succeeding. Reversed it is said to give: Deception, bad faith, vain hope, idle promise, etc.
THEORY: It is the Fire on the ascendant, First house, and consequently must be very positive in its meaning and effect. The word 'effect' is correct here and everything in the meaning of this card must be positive in its nature. There may be some conceit and self-satisfaction, but not without goodness of heart; self-centredness rather. The person indicated by this card must be a good sportsman and honest above all. So we can see no reason whatever, even in weak cases for addictions such as 'bad faith,' etc. Neither can we see 'prudence' in it, as one version has it. The force in it does not tolerate contradiction nor delay, does not reason, but acts at once.
CONCLUSION: Honesty, positive attitude, sport, self-centredness and confidence in one's self, self-reliance, certitude, accomplishment, directness, no attention paid to other people's standpoint. Means to the querent: go ahead, you will succeed. Prompt arrival of things. Strong affirmative answer on questions. The effect is certain.
 
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Ten of Pentacles
TRADITION: The house and the household, economy, gain, riches, family matters, archives. Building --a castle as well as a hut--vessel, ship, race, posterity. Fortune, game. Reversed it is said to give: Fatality, destiny, opportunity, fate, gratification, dowry, pension. Also decision.
THEORY: The element Fire on the house of Taurus, the Second, confirms again the remarkable correctness of tradition, without giving the astrological key to the significance. Naturally this card must have to do with economy, gain, riches, fortune, etc., while Taurus, as the vast field of action in the universe, actually procures that which is called 'opportunity.' The influence of Venus and the Sun on the second house is very favourable for art as well as for monetary matters. So this must be a card of a great artistic value, foretelling success in music and painting and an immense love of the beautiful. It indicates possession without drawback or danger, domains, land, estates, but more the 'possession' than the 'house' as such, and probably this has been more or less mixed up in the past, because one saw a possession consisting in a house, a castle, even a ship, etc. These very intricate constructions themselves, however, cannot be under the rule of the vast and monotonously extensive house of Taurus. The card must stand for banking or insurance house, and favour both trades: banking and insurance. It promises prosperity by means of economy, agriculture, perhaps art- dealing. Further every collective possession.
CONCLUSION: Fortune, riches, favourable chance in monetary matters, economy, agriculture, art, specially music and painting, may give a beautiful voice, advantage in worldly affairs, possessions, specially domains, land, property; banking, insurance, art-dealing. In weak cases the card may indicate laziness, idleness, dull luxury and the degenerating influence of an existence without trouble or exertion: it is like full
 
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King of Pentacles
TRADITION: Dark man, banker, trader, speculator, mathematician, master, professor. Success in mathematics and science in general. Reversed there are given: Vice, weakness, corruption, deformity, etc.
THEORY: Very often the 'reversed' meanings are nothing else but the expression of the lack of the quality given as 'right.' But this scarcely seems worth taking into account, because all qualities, which are not indicated are wanting, and moreover there are cards which decidedly indicate vices, as will be shown.
The King is the higher octave of the ace, and this particular king heads the cross of fixed signs, so has to do with economy, agriculture, art, vast business, devotional service of the church. The general effect of this card must consequently be to afford protection, and as it shows a very favourable attitude on the part of superiors or influential people, though these will be rather young, or at least, not very old. There is above all noblesse in this card, integrity, honesty above all doubt, nor is anything in it which can be turned to evil, were it thrice reversed. The only sort of faults that could be observed in people coming under it would be pride coupled with some vanity, love of pomp, gambling. The Leo-type will naturally dominate the card. Here is a man whom you must go to see and visit, because he will never come to you. He has a widespread influence, which is for the good of everybody who wishes to profit by it, and against which it is hopeless to contend. The card means further
 
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midsummer in human life. There may be some fatality in it. You cannot escape this good ripe fruit of karma, nor the fullness of Nature at its height. The attitude of the wise must be: to enjoy.
 
Queen of Pentacles
TRADITION: Dark woman, who suggests "the idea of greatness of soul; she has also the serious cast of intelligence." (W.) Opulence, riches, luxury, assurance (insurance?), security, liberty, frankness. Reversed: Doubt, indecision, uncertainty, timidity, apprehension, vacillation, etc.
THEORY: The higher octave of the two, consequently covering the Sixth house and demonstrating the features of the noble Virgo-type. So this must be a woman always inclined to help and to serve, to make herself useful, a nurse perhaps, a household woman of good standing a good hostess. There are also qualities of science in this house, as it is the house of the Academy and Minerva. So she may be as an incarnation of Minerva herself, protecting science and craftsmanship as the Dame of Wands protects the arts. She must have many qualities and above all refinement, though she may suffer more or less from the evil--so far as it can be called--of doubt, and the difficulty of choosing between many possibilities in her nature. She is generous and benefic. Her presence is a good augury and she brings always protection and material wealth or at
 
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everything in the way of sanction, agreement, consent, etc., and gives success in love-affairs and marriage.
CONCLUSION: Noble, good and honest man; generally of influential position, central power, honourable intentions, whom you may trust, but whom you cannot counteract successfully; whom you must go out to meet and whom you must not expect to come and visit you. May be banker, speculator, gambler, commander, general or manager. Benefic influence, wealth, luxury, good cheer. In weak cases vanity, pride. Success in mechanics and machinery.
 
Page of Pentacles
TRADITION: Dark young man, disciple, student, speculator, commercial man. Application, scholarship, study, reflexion, meditation, occupation, rule, management, news, message and the messenger himself. The reverse meanings are here for once even given as favourable for the greater part: Profession, luxury, sumptuousness, breadth, abundance, magnificence, liberality, generosity, well-doing. Also the crowd, multitude. Degradation, dissipation.
THEORY: The Page, always more or less of a messenger, in this case of fiery nature, on the Seventh house, as well as on the Third. The latter house is that of the disciple and the message; so here the traditional rendering is again quite correct. The seventh house explains everything that is said about application, occupation, profession, liberality, etc., this being the house of Libra, of relation. We may add, that the card will
 
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least well-being, ruling this house of earth. There may be some timidity; there is always honesty, honourable action, correctness and the right attitude to all problems of life, discretion, education, understanding, knowledge. These qualities certainly engender security in life.
CONCLUSION: A good and intelligent woman, who will render service to the querent, benefic influence, help, assistance in word, advice and action. Woman of good standing and refined type, the personification of honesty, protection, knowledge, understanding, education, culture. Discretion may sometimes lapse into timidity through sensitiveness. Material benefit, earnings, wealth, rent, products. Security, assuredness, insurance, certificate or diploma. Patronage of science and technical and industrial works.
 
Knight of Pentacles
TRADITION: Utility, advantage, serviceableness, profit, interest, gain, importance, necessity. Reversed it is said to give: Repose, tranquillity, apathy, inertia, idleness, discouragement; also recreation, etc.
THEORY: The Fire on the Eighth and on the Fourth house, personified. The traditional renderings are not bad but far from complete. The eighth house is that of our debts, money of other people and of the dead in particular. So the querent may profit by legacies or inheritance. Consequently the benefic influence on the weak point in our material conditions may be interpreted as: advantage, interest, etc. But the knight is always a personification, too, and this is not given in the traditional interpretation. We must see him as a person who is obliging, carrying out a will, coming to the aid of the querent, secretly or confidentially
 
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indicate a proposal of marriage, courting, love-making, but in a gentle, sometimes a poetical or platonic way, not without ardour however. It has also to do with all sorts of honourable offices and denominations and may indicate any official person in the civil service and commerce, a stationer, bookseller or editor, bookkeeper or director, appointed by the owner or patron.
CONCLUSION: Disciple, student, messenger, and the message, good and favourable news; a newsagent; honourable denomination, commission, news about a position or relation, contract or profession. Liberal conduct of people towards the querent. A director, directing manager, bookkeeper, assistant. Editor, bookseller. Honourable mention. Agreeable conditions in general. Application, study, reflexion, arrangement, occupation, well-doing, goodness. May denote a meeting, a committee or a board of directors.
 
 
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perhaps, at least not publicly, visiting him in his house, saving him from material and financial troubles. It may be a loan, inheritance or advance, but without any hard conditions connected with it, so it may be a present. On the other hand the houses mentioned give the tendency to retire from the outer world; this accounts for renderings such as 'inactivity, inertia,' etc. . . . We should say, it means the tendency to enjoy the good things of the heart(s) within one's own private or family circle, in repose, in some retreat, secretly. In weak cases there may be some danger of degeneration into idleness or indolence, etc. In connection with the fourth house, ruling family matters and the past, the home and the storehouse (of memory, e.g.) the card must have to do with pleasant memories, recollections, people we have known before; collections and collecting.
CONCLUSION: A good help, discreet aid in financial difficulties, paying of debts; advantage, interest, etc. And the person who brings these to the querent. Loan, inheritance, advance, present. Happy memories, collections and collecting, recollection; savings. Persons whom we have known before or who stand in a nearer relation to us than is known or announced publicly. In weak cases: indolence, secret enjoyment, idleness, stagnation, etc.
 
CUPS
Ace.
TRADITION: Table, first as the symbol of the bearer of food, alimentation, etc., then also as 'table of the law'; catalogue, tabulation; the Holy Table. Meal, feast, gala, and invitation for the same. Hotel, restaurant, etc. Picture, painting, image, description. Production, fertility, abundance. Stability, fixity, constancy, etc. Reversed: Mutation, change, transmutation, inconstancy, etc. Buying and selling. Metamorphosis, reversal, revolution, translation, interpretation. Another version says: "House of the true heart, joy, contentment . . ." (W.) Reversed: "House of the false heart . . ."
THEORY: The Cups, representing the element of Water, Jovian and lunar by nature, start their cycle on the Ninth house, the house of Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, the lawgiver. The element Water has its two polar effects in the soul, so we need not look for particular 'weak cases' to demonstrate a more or less benefic and malific effect at the same time. The house of Sagittarius, however, does not bring much evil to the soul and is generally uplifting, inviting, pushing towards progress and development, journeying and hospitable reception of strangers. There is little or no stability or fixity in it, but on the contrary always a good deal of 'mutation'; also the magic power of the true transmutation. Further we find a tendency to teach, to translate, guide, interpret. It may, too, lead to extravagance as regards dissipation or at least spending. There is sanction or even holiness in it, inspiration, idealism. The latter, of course, may lead to more or less well-directed actions.
CONCLUSION: Sanction, permission, inspiration, idealism, enthusiasm, blessing. May denote a leader, teacher, guide or any influence of this nature. Legislation, direction, instruction; hospitality and sympathetic
 
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Two of Cups
TRADITION: Love, passion, inclination, sympathy, attraction, concord, friendship, the inter-relation of the sexes; Reversed: Lust, cupidity, jealousy, wish, desire, but the card may also give, says W., "that desire which is not in nature, but by which nature is sanctified."
THEORY: The Water of the soul on the house of Capricorn, the Tenth house of the act, the deed, manifestation. The two souls find each other here in an act, which of course must be that of meeting in the body. Soul-union, ending in bodily attraction. So the traditional rendering appears once more to be fairly correct. It is the outcome of idealism, indicated by the ace, shared by two souls. It is anyhow not the sex- element as a curse, but as a blessing in practical life. The card may further denote any sort of friendly act and sympathetic encounter. We should say, as regards 'love,' it is to be rather defined as love-making, courting.
CONCLUSION: Love-making, passion, friendship, attraction, concord, good action, hospitable meeting or reception, the interrelation of the sexes, desire. In the weaker aspect: lust, cupidity, 'cupboard' love.
 
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reception. Driving, hunting, travelling; planning for the future. Invitation, convocation, appeal. Mutation and transmutation. Translation and interpretation.
 
Three of Cups
TRADITION: Success, happy issue, lucky solution, victory, accomplishment, cure, healing, fulfilment. Matter in plenty, perfection, merriment. Reversed it is said to denote: Expedition of affairs, dispatches, achievements, end, conclusion, etc.
THEORY: The Water on the house of friends, the Eleventh, must bring concord, etc. Friendship, but on this airy house more platonic than that of the foregoing card. It is the house of surroundings so far mastered by the Ego and on this account 'friendly.' So the soul-life in surroundings that have been mastered will enjoy desirable and 'good' conditions and feel 'happy.' There is no feeling whatever of being hampered or thwarted, or depressed. All goes well and the general sensation is cheerful. It is the sign of a good time, good luck and general satisfaction. As the eleventh house also rules the blood, it is very favourable for health and eventual recuperation. Moreover this house has to do with commerce and business, and the card favours them beyond a doubt, giving a good understanding of opportunity and of the character and wishes of those with whom we have to do, so that we can supply what they ask.
CONCLUSION: 'A good time,' favourable opportunities, commercial and intellectual friendship, success, good issue of everything; good health and eventual recuperation, healing. Being in good relations with people. Light- heartedness, joy, holidays.
 
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Four of Cups
TRADITION: Annoyance, aversion, disgust, affliction, discontent (with his environment), satiety; blended pleasure. Reversed: News, presage, new light on things, novelty, new acquaintances made, etc.
THEORY: The Water of the soul on the Twelfth house, which rules many changes, and adverse influences and, in general, the surroundings so far as they are not yet mastered, and therefore inimical. Indeed this house brings much affliction in matters of the world; materially it is anything but successful and in this respect will certainly bring annoyances, but on the other hand new knowledge of Nature's wonders is revealed in this house. Discontent with environment, certainly, but at the same time it shows the querent throwing his future on the waters of new adventure, leaving home and family to wander forth towards new experiences, enlarging the horizon of his views. There may be some ailment of the soul, however, in this house and in very weak cases alienation even. Sentiments not reciprocated, nor understood. A feeling of being outside one's proper environment.
There may be encounters with strangers or foreigners, and discoveries, as results of discontent or dissatisfaction with present conditions. So in relation to these conditions it may mean: failing to understand or to appreciate things as they are, estrangement of the world, which may lead to seclusion; secluded feelings.
CONCLUSION: Discontent with present conditions or environment; estrangement, unrest, aversion, troubles, disgust; discord, failing to understand people or to make oneself understood. New discoveries, researches in unknown countries or territories, meeting with strangers. Instability, changes, generally for the worse in a material sense, but having some distant aim. At war with current opinions. Better to keep
 
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Five of Cups
TRADITION: Inheritance, legacy, succession, gift, testament, transmission, tradition; all of them "not corresponding to expectations; with some it is a card of marriage, but not without bitterness or frustration." (W.) Reversed: Family, forefathers, ancestry. Liaison, alliance, affinity, acquaintance, consanguinity. Race. "It is a card of loss." (W.)
THEORY: The Water coming on the First house, the ascendant, and water having to do with the family, we may conclude, that family matters will come naturally to the querent in this case, just as they were swept from him or evaded by him in the preceeding one. Still we cannot see, that the card should denote the members of the family in particular, as mentioned by P. and others. Now 'family-matters' may include inheritance as well as marriage, but so many other things may also be included that it is difficult to enumerate them, and none of them is indicated particularly. So we do not think it wise to say anything more definitely about this. The water of the feelings coming on the ascendant indicates sensitiveness and emotion, which may bring sorrow A or pleasure, but generally mixed experiences and not without care. There may be material losses in consequence.
CONCLUSION: Family-matters, care to be taken of them, sorrow or pleasure, emotion, material difficulties; there may be some advantage and some loss at the same time. News is certain to arrive. Subject to influences from the surroundings and apt to react too quickly thereon.
 
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silent than to talk, because one will certainly be misunderstood. There may be "imaginary vexations." (W.) Seclusion; alienation.
 
Six of Cups
TRADITION: The past, memories, looking back. Antiquity, ancient things, etc. Reversed: Afterwards, regeneration, resurrection, renovation, etc. Another version says: "Happiness, enjoyment, but coming rather from the past . . ." (W.) Sometimes "new relations, new knowledge, new environment. . . ."
THEORY: The Water of the soul on the house of Taurus, the Second, house of exaltation of the Moon. The latter is no doubt responsible for the addictions concerning memory and the past. The rest of the traditional descriptions, however, are rather rudimentary. There is more to be said of this house: it is full of meaning, as we already have seen, in the line of art, economy, etc. It relates to the country, and in connection with the latter the card will indicate rustic pleasures, enjoyment of country life and restoration to health by residence on the land. Happiness is surely a characteristic of this card, but we should say particularly in a simple and country life. Further we ascribe much artistic value to it, especially in painting, love for the picturesque. It means receptivity for beautiful impressions in general. On the other hand it may denote a love of good cheer and feasting. Good health and good humour are certainly results of this combination. On account of the Taurian qualities it will impart the tendency to collect objects of art and of antiquarian value; also an instinctive understanding of the same, so it promotes dealing in such objects. Appreciation of music in the lighter style, love of the theatre, but love of Nature above all.
CONCLUSION: Happiness, feeling of riches in oneself, joy, enjoyment, love of Nature and country life; the picturesque, painting, instinctive knowledge of art and antiquarian value; love of the lighter sorts of music and theatre; good health, good cheer, feasting. Receptivity for beauty. The only drawback may be the tendency to dissipation. Taurus, the everlasting, may indeed produce impressions of the past as well as of the future.
 
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Seven of Cups
TRADITION: Thought, soul, spirit, intelligence, idea, memory, imagination, conception, meditation, contemplation, reflexion, deliberation, views, opinion. Reversed: Project, intention, desire, wish, resolution, premeditation. Another version has: "Fairy favours . . . things seen in the glass of contemplation; some attainment in these degrees but nothing permanent or substantial is suggested." (W.)
THEORY: If we eliminate 'soul . . . spirit . . . and desire,' words too far apart from the original meaning, we find in tradition a very pure rendering of the effects of the Water of the soul on the house of Gemini, the Third, the house of the changeful concrete mind and thought in which indeed nothing is permanent, and everything is passing, ephemeral. These effects must be very varied, including the most fantastic plans and conceptions, and 'fancy' is the most fitting word for this card. It will denote many intellectual proceedings and has to do with travelling for short distances, sight-seeing, considering, gathering impressions, etc. The word 'reflexion' is really quite appropriate in its place here, because the card represents the conditions of mind in which the surroundings are simply reflected in the soul. There may come seductive and suggestive images, some of which may be realised, but others will remain just fancy. The description which is given by W. is very accurate and points to the fact, that under the third house come nature- spirits and genii, who will eventually help, guide or mislead man.
CONCLUSION: Thoughts, intelligence, ideas, imagination, plans, suggestions, fancy, fantasy; reflexions and opinions, deliberations and intentions. Much in this card will not come into physical reality. Short travels, sight-seeing, impressions, views. Changefulness, unstable conditions. Promise and surprise, but always much more promise than fulfilment. 'Fairy favours.'
 
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Eight of Cups
TRADITION: Fair girl, honest, practical girl, honour, modesty, timidity, fear, sweetness, mildness. Reversed: Happiness, gaiety, great joy, feasting, public rejoicing. Also preparations and dispositions. W. says it means, "Deserting the cups of his felicity."
THEORY: On the Fourth house the Water of the soul will be in its own element, so to speak, and will consequently rejoice in its existence, swimming in agreeable sensations, the family and the memory, as far as the personal life goes, playing important rôles in the life of the querent. The lunar and Jovian element passing over this house will almost certainly cause the home and family-life to be forsaken or relinquished; this perhaps may account for the interpretation: "Deserting the cups of his felicity." We should prefer to substitute for "felicity" his family or intimate circle. Changes in home-life, be it for the better or for the worse. There cannot be much of order or rule in this combination, and disorder or chaos is threatened. The strong Cancerian peculiarities, such as shyness, timidity, prudishness, etc., may appear here, but we can see no reason for addictions like 'great joy, feasting,' etc. Feelings, sentiments, wishes have very little chance of becoming reality in this house, and this may be called the true reason for 'leaving the house.' The latter seems to us to be the proper meaning: either leaving the safe and comfortable home, or losing the chance to realise more ambitious projects. Being the eighth card of the suit, it may denote a girl, and cups are said to be related to the fair or 'blonde' type.
CONCLUSION: Leaving the house or home; changes in the family(-circle). Little chance to see one's wishes and ambitions realised. Shyness, timidity; disorder and waywardness. Despondency, despairing of success. Mixed sensations, no strongly preponderant feeling, unless it be that of dissatisfaction. May be fair-haired girl.
 
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Nine of Cups
TRADITION: Victory, success, advantage, gain, triumph, superiority, etc. "The heart's content." (W.) Reversed, the card seems even better: Sincerity, truth, loyalty, good faith, frankness, ingenuity, opening the heart, liberty, familiarity, etc. Concord, contentment, physical well-being.
THEORY: Many of the addictions are very suggestive of the influence of the Water on the house of the heart, the Fifth; and we can only say, that they are fairly exact and to the point. The card must signify the realisation of hopes and wishes lying in one's own power or destiny, making one enjoy the fulness of life, and adopting the philosophy of Epicurus. There is no evil in it. It shows goodness and a jovial disposition, not only contentment and happiness in one's self, but also, owing to Leo-influence, the love of bestowing hospitality on other people and helping them.
CONCLUSION: Happiness, contentment, the fulfilment of wishes, bestowing benefits, hospitality, the heart's content,' loyalty, liberality, the joy of life, love of children; concord, well-being; success, advantage, satisfaction, etc. Joviality.
P.S.--In the more profane branch of divination this card is called the 'nine-months-card,' owing to the belief that it means pregnancy and expectance of childbirth. The latter is significant of the fifth house, the former confirms our idea, that the cups have to do with months in time.
 
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Ten of Cups
TRADITION: The town, native land, living place, residence; also citizen(ship). Reversed: Agitation, irritation, indignation, anger. Another version gives: "Husband and wife . . ." "Contentment, repose of the entire heart"; and "A person who is taking care of the querent's interests." (W.)
THEORY: It is the Water on the Sixth house, where it meets with Virgo- influences. Now what about the town or city? Virgo is "the city which killed the prophets"--Jerusalem--and the addiction originally will have indicated the physical, sensual embodiment of the soul, in which the spirit is 'buried' or 'killed' as the mystic formula has it. This card may therefore be called, with truth, the indication of 'the city of God' which, by analogy, becomes the physical body, as well as one's residence or native land. It means the physical and sensatory possession or ownership. Consequently it has to do with the agreeable sensation of being 'at home' and 'at ease,' having possession of what is wanted. It must also mean being fully acquainted with one's work. Good health and wise living. This house rules servants, food, health.
CONCLUSION: Well-earned security, wise living, husbandry, being at ease, feeling safe; "a person who is taking care of the querent's interests" may be correct and actually present, e.g., in the shape of servants, shopmen, purveyors. The city, birthplace, physical constitution. (Tabernaculum.) Medicine of body and soul. Organic life in the body and in the community, viz. practical social conditions. In weak cases the house of Virgo may cause irritability and agitation, etc.: a weak nervous system must avoid the full sway of emotions.
 
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King of Cups
TRADITION: Fair and honest man; man of business, law or divinity; responsible, disposed to oblige the querent; probity, equity, art and science, and those who profess science, art and law. Reversed: Honest or dishonest man equally (?); thief, brigand, rogue. Vice, corruption, scandal.
THEORY: This king is the chief of the kingdom of the soul, coming on the Ninth house, and consequently must indicate the teacher, prophet, man of law and divinity; the professor, inspirer and great traveller; sometimes a hunter, a wanderer, or a sailor, a yachtsman. Honesty and probity will be generally his characteristics, but some fantasy may be mixed with it and he may be less particular in details or accuracy. He may be exuberant or even excessive, and this may cause some excitement, but we see nothing of 'scandal, vice,' thievishness or anything of that kind in this card. There is a lively sentiment of justice in it and the person indicated by it will certainly be disposed to render justice to the querent, whether he be connected with the law or not. If the querent is himself a weak or vicious individual, the card may indicate the judge before whom he has to appear. At all events it may represent the idea of judgment of the querent's actions or business. Further there is less of 'science' in this card than of philosophy, which is quite another department. There is the idea of promoting, inspiring, pushing. There lies promise for the future and likeliness of monetary advances in this Sagittarian card.
CONCLUSION: Honest man, philosophical or idealistic, doctor or professor, teacher, man of the law, traveller, promoter, inspirer, hunter, wanderer, sailor, etc. The querent's actions, business or wants will be judged and brought to light. There may be some exaggeration, fantasy or want of accuracy, but there is certainly hope and promise for the future. Perhaps travelling on the sea.
 
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Queen of Cups
TRADITION: Fair woman, good honest and devoted; virtuous and one who will do service to the querent; another version says: "Loving intelligence, and hence the gift of vision; success, happiness, pleasure, also wisdom, virtue." (W.) Reversed: Vice, corruption, scandal, etc. A rich marriage.
THEORY: The personification of the soul on the house of Capricorn, the Tenth, manifesting into the world that which it carries. As such this queen is to us the image of the married woman and the mother and of all that which woman can give to man and mankind, by her virtue both of soul and body. So the card must also mean the realisation of hopes and wishes, consequently success, etc. The 'wisdom' is here more of the practical blend, usefulness, knowing how to act with care and prudence. The card may represent a woman, or an impersonal power or authority, whom the querent has to obey, or to whom it will be to his advantage to submit. It expresses a tendency to go out into the world and make a name and position for oneself, and indicates the right moment to do so. It is fairly certain that it will ensure some publicity, renown, fame, or even glory or theatrical success, but of 'scandal' we see no indication whatever in the card itself, though of course 'publicity' connected with very evil influences might end in something like that. In such cases, however, we must not ascribe the effect to the card, which means publicity, but to that of the evil influences. It is a mistake, which we very often meet in the traditional interpretations, to ascribe effects, resulting
 
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W. rightly observes under this head: "The implicit is that the sign of the Cup naturally refers to water, which appears in all court-cards" (i.e. of this suit.)
 
Page of Cups
TRADITION: Fair young man, studious. Work, application, reflexion, occupation, observation. Profession, employment. News, message; has to do with business. Reversed: Tendency, inclination, attraction, attachment, friendship, desire, engagement, invitation, seduction. Flattery, praise, cherishing, etc.
THEORY: The Page or servant, messenger, of the cups suit comes on the Eleventh and on the Seventh house, and has to do with friendship and relations, e.g. marriage. He must be the friend who brings inviting messages, seductive proposals, if not of formal marriage, perhaps of some love-affair or jolly gathering, sportive meeting, or intellectual entertainment, lecture, etc. It is not quite impossible, that the idea of 'seduction' is connected with it or at least a strong sense of persuasion. If it relates to news, there is emotion in it, news that will affect the feelings in some way or other. Relations will be of a passing nature, but may be very pleasant. The combination of the Water with the Air generally adds much to the instruction, development or education of people So there
 
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from certain combinations of influences to one card which is only one of the composing causes.
CONCLUSION: A good, intelligent, active and practical woman (may be fair), whom the querent will do well to obey and who deserves his full esteem. Type of the married woman and mother. Careful and attentive, of much use to the querent. Loving intelligence; and practical wisdom. Success, pleasure, happiness, virtue. Natural growth, promotion in the world, position and name, fame or renown.
 
Knight of Cups
TRADITION: "The higher graces of the imagination" (W.). Arrival, approach, advances, proposition, demeanour, invitation, incitement, reception, comparison. Reversed: Trickery, fraud, duplicity, subtlety, swindle, artifice.
THEORY: The Water of the soul on the Twelfth and on the Eighth house. The double influence of water makes the emotions and feelings prominent, relates to the imagination, to deeper experiences and strong reactions of the soul, processes of psychic life, which may end in wonderful success or in less desirable phenomena. It is sure to indicate much relating to the subways of human life and the human soul. This is not always favourable or pleasant, of course, but is in almost every instance intensive, though the cups never go to anything like hatred or
 
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must be much of all this in the Page of Cups. The effects do not always bear the characteristic of reliability, nor of permanence.
CONCLUSION--(On the eleventh house): Friendly message, good news, invitation, proposal and the bringer of the same. A young man of a democratic turn of mind, brotherly feelings, international relationship. (On the seventh house): Proposal of marriage or love-affair, intellectual entertainment, lecture, demonstration. Proposal or invitation to a position or employment. Solicitation. The outcome of this card is still uncertain and must be derived from the neighbouring cards. Change of relations and connections, sympathies. Tendency to please and to make things and certain persons appear better than they are in reality, either to flatter them or to seduce the querent. It may also be that the querent will be flattered. Praise and persuasion. A man very much open to sex-influences.
 
 
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crime or real malice. Their weakness is in being unreliable or incalculable with regard to things of the exact world or matter. So in the worst cases this card may indicate everything connected with swindling from sheer mental instability. But it may also be, that the term 'swindler' (charlatan) is wrongly given to people who are standing apart from the common herd and are more or less occultists. The "higher graces of the imagination."
There may be certainly a considerable degree of falsehood expressed by this card: false interpretation, misjudgment, tendencious or fantastic narratives, exaggerated complaints, imaginary wrongs, pathos and what the world calls miscarriage. On account of the eighth house all this may be connected with sex-questions or intimate and private affairs. The card may express indiscretion committed and slanderous reports, secretly promulgated. It has to do with secrets and the divulgation of secrets. But there may be also a higher sway in the emotional realm: devotion, sacrifice, charity.
CONCLUSION--(On account of the twelfth house): A stranger, sailor or naval officer, man coming from far away. It makes one forget troubles, perhaps intoxicates. Wine or strong liquors. Merchants of same. Narcotics. Imagination, vision, dreams, poetic turn of mind. Occultism. Devotion, sacrifice, charity. (On account of the eighth house): Strong sexual tendencies, but the power to master them, and extract from them the element of happiness and health: transmutation of inner forces. The latter may also be translated as: changing his aspect of life wholly: going from one state of life into a quite different sort of existence. In some cases: falsehood, venomous reports, slander, blackmail, trickery, fraud, subtlety, swindling, artifice. The evil influences may cause the reasons for the said change of life, which in itself may well prove benefic after all. There is much occultism in this card; this Knight may be unknown or anonymous but a very important messenger (to the soul?) At its best he is Saint George, killing the dragon, the Rosicrucian brother.
 
SWORDS
Ace
TRADITION: The extreme or excessive, triumph, force. "It is a card of great force, in love as well as in hatred." (W.) Vehemence, fury, etc. Limits, extremity, frontier, confinement. Reversed: Conception, pregnancy, childbirth, fructification, production, enlarging, augmentation.
THEORY: This is the first step of the element of Earth, coming on the First house or ascendant. Of course this has to do with a beginning, a strong outpouring of force, an impulse, and a material one too. Positive activity on the material plane is typically masculine, and this is a very masculine card, perhaps the most of all. There is no negotiation possible with it. It is emphatically 'yes' or 'no.' One of the primary expressions of the masculine is fructification, and the male action is indicated by this card. For the same reason it means germ, seed. And its natural consequence is conception and childbirth, the ace indicating here also the ascendant. In everything this card means the actual beginning in material execution, which at the same time may cut short something else. It may mean decapitation, or any justiciary execution. It signifies of course a decision, the end of uncertainty or twilight. It is a fresh starting point in matter: 'alea jacta est.' And so it may as well mean a strong demand, an appeal. There is courage in it and firm initiative. It may cause pain and affliction, but annihilates doubt, the greatest torture.
CONCLUSION: Initiative, force, masculine activity, seed, germ, commencement in matter, decision, starting point, emphasis; fructification. Execution, affliction, pain, but annihilation of doubt and uncertainty. Courage, firmness, integrity. May denote great passion or intense enmity. Fury, vehemence.
 
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Two of Swords
TRADITION: Friendship, attachment, affection, intimacy, affinity, tenderness, attraction, etc. "Concord in a state of arms." (W.) Reversed: Falsity, imposture, lie, duplicity, bad faith, deception, superficiality.
THEORY: The element Earth on the Second house. By virtue of the Venusian qualities of the Taurus-house, this Saturnian and Martian element, as will easily be understood, leads up to the magnetic affinity of the sexes, consequently to intimacy, attraction, affection, etc. But the idea of 'friendship' is different and not in this card. It denotes also artistic appreciation, founded on the perfect functioning of the senses. Taste for art will be born from this and an exact knowledge of prices and values. It is the card which means quality and essential virtue. Therefore it has been rendered as 'falsehood,' etc., when reversed, i.e. when the innate virtue is wanting. Now in weak cases this card will certainly denote sensuality and lazy luxurious habits, which will be found accompanied in many instances by the desire for money. For the rest we see in such cases the possibility of stupid resistance, dullness, cruelty, relentless opposition and recreation, passive obstruction, perhaps silent, unforgiving hatred. But in another respect it means the will to cultivate the soil, in the literal as well as in the figurative sense.
CONCLUSION: Latent force, magnetism, the principle of art, artistic appreciation; quality, virtue; magnetic attraction, affinity, intimacy, affection, that force which binds by the reduction of the senses; in weak cases sensuality, laziness, dullness. When badly aspected cruelty, unforgiving hatred, passive obstruction, etc.
 
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Three of Swords
TRADITION: Departure, absence, rupture, delay, division, removal, being-far-away. Also aversion, hatred, disgust, etc. Contrarieties, opposition, unsociable qualities, gruffness, separation, etc. Reversed: Mental worries, troubles and even alienation. Error, mistake, loss. A nun.
THEORY: The element of Earth on the Third house acts in the way of the mind and mental processes, and must appear as 'troubles,' etc., because it gives the feeling of the mind being burdened, which might easily go as far as oppression. If the burden becomes too heavy, either the body or the soul may suffer severely, and pain, affliction or mental aberration may ensue. This card must generally mean bad news too, the message which brings news of the affliction. It may be a corrective to a too easy and volatile imagination. It will in most cases denote some sickness, as a result of the pressure or oppressed feeling in the mind or in circumstances in general. It may be the result of worrying. The house of Gemini also suggests some suffering on account of distance, separateness, being far from one other. And the oppressed mind, which cannot have its way, may easily denote the spiritual condition of a nun or some one who takes refuge within the precincts of a monastery. In this case, however, the motives are not of the more elevated or exalted order: there is spitefulness, vexation, bitterness on account of unrealised hopes, want of idealism. So this does not indicate the idealistic type of monasticism. The card typifies the worries of the lesser sort of mind, also small talk, evil thought, the wrestling of the inferior mind with matter and all that may be expected from it.
CONCLUSION: Oppression, worries, being burdened, baffled hopes, troubles, tendency to separateness, rupture and seclusion, pessimism. Removal, absence, delay. Small talk, bitter and evil thought, sickness; in
 
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Four of Swords
TRADITION: Solitude, retreat, hermitage, exile, isolation, inhibited condition, abandonment. Tomb and coffin. Reversed: Economy, good conduct, circumspection, precaution, wise administration, testament, avarice, household, savings, order, etc.
THEORY: The element of Earth on the Fourth house, house of the home and the sign Cancer. This immediately explains why this card has been said to stand for economy, savings, even avarice and household affairs as well as for many things in connection with the end of life, since the fourth house in the horoscope relates to the end of life, and to the inner side of life as long as this lasts. Tradition is once more very correct in this case. When it enumerates "concord, harmony, etc.," amongst the synonyms of this card, however, there is some discrepancy, because the only thing that can be meant here is 'repose' or the condition of rest, as that of the grave, in which external differences are lost. So taken in the strictly etymological sense of the words, 'concord,' etc., have nothing to do with it. If in any case this card should relate to business, it certainly does not mean that anything like accord has been or will be reached, but that one of the parties retires or takes his proposals back. It may also relate to the condition of the soul, in which one harvests the results of material life in the world, whether spiritually, by meditation, or materially, by economy. In any case it points to a stillness and heavy condition of the mind. Further, to the tendency of collecting, gathering.
 
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bad cases alienation. Error of judgment, wrong opinion, hatred, aversion, etc. In general: affliction. Scheming, but not in a good sense.
 
Five of Swords
TRADITION : Loss, dishonour, degradation, defeat, ruin, reversal of fortune, diminution, wronging, bad luck, destruction, etc. Reversed : Much the same, burial, obsequies. It is also said to represent a thief and theft, corruption, seduction, plague, and all that is hideous and horrible.
THEORY: The element of Earth with its influence of Mars and Saturn on the Fifth house, ruling the heart, cannot be very 'favourable' in the ordinary sense of the word and is certain to lead to a feeling of being wronged by the world, an inner bitterness and impotence, which hinders enterprise and business; so these will suffer. And the heart itself, being of precisely the opposite nature, will suffer and find things awkward, horrible, hideous, etc. In the same way this card must indicate affliction of honour, which is ruled by the Sun. Moreover, as "from the heart are the issues of life," the card may indicate vice and a bad use of the inner or spiritual forces. Still there is another possibility, and this is given by Mr. W. when he says that this card's image signifies a man who "is master of the field." So he may be if the inner force is great enough to conquer the afflictions which assail him. In other words, it need not be a card of absolute defeat, for there may very well be a good result, but nevertheless it denotes serious difficulty and a critical moment or period
 
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CONCLUSION: Solitude, repose, retreat, retiring from the world, "hermit's repose" (W.); gathering, collecting, taking home one's savings or impressions, meditation, economy, avarice, precaution, testament, and the place occupied at the end of life, hermitage, grave, coffin. The place of the card in the horoscopic scheme indeed suggests the idea of being buried under the earth.
 
Six of Swords
TRADITION: Route, way, path, envoy, journey by water, emigration, manner, expedient. Reversed: Proclamation, declaration, publication, avowal, knowledge, charter, constitution, bill, ordinance, discovery, vision, revelation, apparition. A proposal of love, says another rendering.
THEORY: This is the element of Earth on the Sixth house, and the Virgo- particulars expressed in 'earth' become the 'ways' that carry the message from the centre, the heart, to the parts of the system. So it is the nervous system and the arterial system in the animal and human body. Thus it must be the way or path leading out into the world from our house or living place. This explains what tradition says about envoy and emigration, though the latter is somewhat far-fetched, and not in every instance will the way lead so far as that, nor the path be trodden until we meet with a 'proposal of love.' But it is true, that the effect of that which this card represents may go far and in general signifies the message in the sphere of matter (Mercury is lord of this house), the message materialised. And this explains why tradition says it means 'apparition'--
 
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in life, in which the querent or some one to whom it relates will be threatened with the above-mentioned sad effects.
CONCLUSION: Affliction, crisis, morose disposition, bitterness, impotence, lack of self-respect, or self-confidence; it may be that self-confidence is ascertained by some struggle or conflict; difficulties, which after all may prove very useful but necessitate much self-discipline. In the same way discipline of children is necessary. Enterprise or expansion is impossible or not advisable. Things indicated by this card may indeed be bad-looking or unpromising. There will be a question of a loss in most cases.
 
Seven of Swords
TRADITION: Hope, wish, design, will, taste, fantasy. Another version says: "Also quarrelling; a plan that may fail." (W.) Reversed: Good counsel, advice, helpful warning, news, announcement, consultation, observation, reflexion, lesson, instruction, slander, babbling.
THEORY: The element Earth on the Seventh house indicates the actual and material union of the Self and the Not-self in the organism, as a material building. In this we have to see the 'accomplishment' or
 
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'publication'--'constitution' etc. It is quite correct therein. The message is conveyed by means of the way, path, canalisation, etc., and appears in some effect or other. So it may even be a vision or materialisation from the 'other side.' It may also, however, be the passing over to that side, the crossing of the Styx, which seems to be indicated by the picture of this card. The cusp of the seventh house in the horoscope is 'the end,' in the same way as the ascendant is 'the beginning.' Though tradition has not rendered it so, this card must in many instances have the significance of passing away.
CONCLUSION: Route, way, canal, conveyance, nervous system, arterial system; experiment, order of service, practical prescriptions for any service, rules and measures of internal service. It warns that care must be taken for health and the internal service of the body must be cleared, in order to avoid intestine troubles. There may be something of a course, a voyage to be made, a cure or even emigration, if other indications confirm it. If in connection with Venusian influences, sensuality and the expressions of it. If badly aspected: serious illness and probability of the passing away of the patient.
 
Eight of Swords
TRADITION: Critical position, censure, crisis, chagrin, examination, research, control, condemnation, judgment, sickness, calumny. Reversed: Difficulty, obstacle, accident, treachery, fatality, adventure, etc.
 
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attainment of the Self, that which the Self wishes to join. Since the seventh house represents 'the opponent' as well, there may be something like quarrelling in this card, attempts to reach agreement with an opponent; this will be done in a practical, business-like way. A combative spirit, ready for the defensive. Owing to the diplomatic and fox-like qualities of the house of Libra, the querent may, by this card, attempt to steal the weapons of the opponent, as the figure rightly suggests: using the arguments and fighting with the weapons of the enemy.
Tradition is rather elusive in its definitions of this card; there are some particulars of Libra indicated, curiously enough, but they are not much of the nature of 'swords'--earth. The card must indicate everything in the line of material ability, from the science of the use of tools, crafts and arts up to tricks of abuse. It may equally favour a labourer, an engineer, a dentist, a surgeon and a burglar.
CONCLUSION: Meeting the opponent, perhaps some fighting, but more probably the strategy than the fighting itself is indicated. Using the weapons of the enemy. Practical ability. Science of the arts and crafts. Tricks. Understanding of practical and material obstacles, and of the work to be done. The enemy will be disarmed, arguments undone. A person of technical ability; favours technical professions. Success by means of capability, combined with diplomacy. Good care taken. Scheme, design.
 
Nine of Swords
TRADITION: A bachelor, priest, clergyman, hermit; monastic order, monastery, church; religion or cult; devotion, rite, ritual, ceremony. Another version says: "Death, failure, miscarriage, delay, deception,
 
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THEORY: The element of Earth on the Eighth house, the house of death and of the greatest difficulties of life, the inner problems and sex. The image drawn on this card may well indicate the blindness of man amidst the dangers of this world and of his own desire-nature. It must indicate physical sex-nature above all. Further, we shall find everything relating to the revenge of matter upon spirit, the latter being bound and blinded by the former, consequently everything in the nature of obstacles and hindrances, pain and affliction. The house of 'avenging justice' may well cause a condemnation, or a sickness which is the result of sinning against nature's laws; patience is required where this card rules and endurance will save the position. In its most general sense it means the binding by the laws of matter, suffering from the lack of money, impotence by debt or material want, poverty. It may be a great strain on the feelings. As the eight of each suit is accepted as indicating some feminine influence to which we are ready to subscribe, there will be danger from an acquisitive girl or uncouth female here, or even sickness through same. As far as material laws are compelling in this world, there must of course be 'fatality' in this card, or at least something from which there will be no physical escape.
CONCLUSION: Obstacles, conflict, danger, hampering, affliction, criticism, sex-problems of a threatening nature, danger of death sometimes, fatality; revenge, debt, poverty, condemnation, sickness. Patience and endurance will be necessary or helpful. Uncouth female. Incident or accident.
 
 
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disappointment, despair." (W.) Reversed: Justified doubt, fear or mistrust, scruple, shame, imprisonment; timidity, pudor.
THEORY: On the house of Sagittarius, the Ninth, the element of Earth must of course relate to the earthy side of religion, i.e. the material expressions of it, to the more heavy, earthy, materialistic mind and its ideas about religion, ethics, etc. It is not very flattering for priesthood in general, perhaps, that from this sort of condition have come so many of those who call themselves ecclesiastics, but still it is natural, because the 'ecclesia,' which has been built upon the rock (Petrus = Capricorn,) is served by the teachers or inspirers of it, to be found in the preceding house. In lay language this means: the expression of religion, of ideals and ideas, descending into matter, taking material shape and culminating in the church or monastery, which, however, come under the tenth house, and into dogma and creed under the ninth. Under the latter's influence are the representatives of dogma and creed, viz. priest, officiant, monastic or monk. It is fairly sure, that from the essence of this card arises inquisition and every sort of intolerance, religious intolerance above all, because the materialistic mind thinks itself in possession of the only expression of Truth, and condemns every other. So this card nay also indicate all sorts of hard judgment, rigid attitudes of mind, orthodoxy. For this indeed is the meaning of materialism in religion and ethics. When the material expression of truth and ideals is at its height, it reaches the value of rite and ritual or religious ceremony, which at its best stands in relation to dogmatism as the jewel to simple stones or dry sand.
CONCLUSION: Dogma, dogmatism, ecclesiastic spirit, scholastic mind, creed, rite, ritual, ceremonial. The persons representing these. Hard judgment, orthodoxy, rigid attitude of mind, ascetism. Intolerance, inquisition. The 'fear of God' may well be turned into hatred of mankind. In weak cases there may be swearing, atheism, agnosticism, shyness, miscarriage, shame, false evidence given, error of judgment. In strong cases the mind is scrupulous, conscientious, and in strict accord with time and fashion.
 
Ten of Swords
TRADITION: Tears, affliction, plaints, complaints, sadness, desolation, sorrow. Reversed: Advantage, profit, favour. "But none of these are permanent," says W.-- Power, might, usurpation, authority.
THEORY: The element of Earth on the Tenth house: Capricorn, of course relates to authority and earthy might or power, and we do not see why this should be only in a 'reversed' position. With regard to religion this is the mother-church (compare: Capricorn the 'married woman' or the mother), the materialisation of dogma and creed in a building, a church, chapel, monastery. In the secular line it may be any official building or office and, relating to persons, any official or public authority under the civil law. The card represents material necessity and the limits and corner-stones which it erects. It is ultimately the card of inexorable karmic results, say material karma itself. To the profane this means very often affliction, etc., and the personality may be burdened by the weight of fate. The image of this card seems to suggest this specially. On the other hand tradition is certainly not wrong in stating that it may represent gain and profit, as the card of karma will bring the full measure of material things in general and not only in the way of tragedy. Profit and advantage, however, may also become oppressive and its possibility must be considered here.
CONCLUSION: Karmic results, whether benefic or malific; material limits, physical necessity; authority, official might and power, obedience to the same; official persons. The mother-church, monastery, etc. Affliction, sadness, etc. In good cases due reward and honest profit, merited position. Possession may become a curse. Fate may lay low the personality. The card is not very benefic for the parents of the querent, or he himself does not much esteem them. It relates to his position in the world.
 
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King of Swords
TRADITION: A man of the law or robe, councillor, senator, business-man, doctor, etc. "Whatsoever arises out of the idea of judgment and all its concessions, power, authority, command, militant intelligence . . ." (W.) Reversed: Bad intentions, evil, perversity, perfidy, cruelty, etc.
THEORY: The King of the suit of Earth, coming on the house of Aries, First house or ascendant. Whatsoever we may say of the 'reversed' side or weaker cases of this card, a king is a king and always denotes a higher accord, some one or something of principal value and rank. The king of the Martian and Saturnian element naturally is the king of matter and of war, i.e. also he who wins war and conducts the battle of earthy interests. It denotes the dominion and rulership of this element, consequently the military chief. This by the way we are astonished not to find mentioned by tradition, which mentions the man of the law, lawyer, advocate or judge, who rules or guides worldly strife and contention. As the ruler of the ascendant, the card may certainly mean any person heading a cycle of material activity and before all a pioneer on this plane, an independent man living on his own means. While material integrity is implicit, duplicity, doubt, double-dealing or uncertainty are definitely excluded. It indicates material certainty and severity, whether benefic or malific from a personal point of view, healthy or rude, even cruel. But we fail to see what it has to do with perversity, unless the meaning be the overruling of everything else, the higher by the material power, and the misuse of the latter. The card means an emphatic Yes.
 
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P.S.--The cards of the suit of swords, from the ace up to the ten, relate to the respective 'sins' prohibited by the Ten Commandments.
 
Queen of Swords
TRADITION: Widowhood, female sadness, privation, absence, sterility, poverty, vacancy, unemployment, mourning, separation. Reversed: Bad woman, malice, bigotry, prudishness, hypocrisy, artifice, deceit.
THEORY: The female rulership of the element of Earth on the house of Taurus, in which the Moon is exalted and 'womanhood eternal' is contained. The house of money, in worldly affairs. So this card must mean either woman ruling by matter, material or magnetic attraction, purely physical charm, or ruled by material elements herself. The latter may be seen as: ruled by the desire of luxury and money, or as: overpowered by material difficulties, weighed down under the burden of a material world. A woman of Saturnian and Martian qualities is seldom charming unless in a purely physical and sexual way; there may be higher virtues, however, which in this case will be developed by suffering, such as chastity, severity, continence--from which it will be easily seen, that sterility, privation and mourning may derive, personally. Astrologically the Martian and Saturnian qualities are seldom found to be very 'benefic' for women, being very often signs of an unpleasant character or injured reputation. On the one hand this card may be a woman under affliction and severed from her natural protector or protection--widow, divorced, separated, though not the unmarried; on the other hand we have to see in this card the woman who is paid for her 'love,' and the fact that "woman costs money," a fact of more occult significance than the world at large understands. It is indicated in the
 
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CONCLUSION: General, captain, military chief, worldly authority, chief or captain in any branch of activity, man of the law; power, command, decision, initiative, pioneering, valour, integrity, severity, material certainty; in weak cases cruelty, misuse of power, tyranny.
 
Page of Swords
TRADITION: Overseer, artist, learned man, spy, indiscreet person, who will eventually "pry into the querent's secrets." Secret service, vigilance, examination, calculation, speculation. A note, observation, remark. Reversed: "The more evil side of those qualities" (W.); the unforeseen sudden, surprising; improvisation. Acting or speaking without due preparation.
THEORY: The Martian and Saturnian element on the Third house and on the Eleventh. It is very remarkable, that the first series of meanings in this case hint at the third house, while the so-called reversed meanings bear all the characteristics of the Uranian eleventh house: suddenness, surprise, etc. This element on the house of Air, Gemini and Aquarius, must, of course, denote either intellectual facts or concrete results of
 
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commandment of JHVH that 'man' should till the soil (Taurus) after the loss of the paradisical state. So this card has to do with the material necessity of married life, with peasantry and husbandry and economical exploitation. Well aspected, it may indicate art in general and sometimes wealth after assiduous struggle and toil.
CONCLUSION: Suffering, afflicted woman, widow, divorced or separated; or woman of a lower sort of character, hateful, spiteful, paid love, deception in love; material stress, heavy expenses, burdening; also exploitation, peasantry, possibility of wealth after enduring toil. In many cases it means sterility, privation. Only strong characters can stand this card. To weak characters it is full of menace and may cause grief, mourning, failure in the face of the hardship of life and unemployment. It may mean the absence of woman where she is wished for or desired. It warns against the evil influence of (a) woman.
 
 
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intelligence. The latter may be called 'proof' or 'outcome' or exact knowledge. The knowledge of facts may be the fruit of an elementary school curriculum, of journalism, of spying, etc. But it is justly indicated by tradition, that the Martian and Saturnian Gemini-man is a specialist in unlawful knowledge or in knowledge gathered at the cost of much trouble and effort; so it may be also knowledge gathered later in life, university extension. Exact intellectual results may appear as: remarks, observations, notes, etc. When put in the negative there may be investigation, examination, etc. All these are truly the effects of Gemini. There are, moreover, the personalities representing the facts. On account of the eleventh house we shall have to note the same sort of results but more or less reciprocal and sudden, whereas Uranus, lord of this house, accelerates the energy of Mars in this element but is apt to destroy the Saturnian vibrations or at least counteract them. It is quite true, therefore, that this card may represent speaking and acting without sufficient preparation and without dogmatic or very formal outlines: improvisation. Tradition was very correct in this. It could not know, that this page, on account of its eleventh house relations, will represent the railway-, tramway- or bus-conductor as well as the constable regulating the traffic, also the warnings of the same.
CONCLUSION: Results of exact studies, knowledge, note, observation, warning, indication, examination, inspection, investigation; inspector, constable, police-officer, and their orders; spy, detective, examiner. Dilettante, one who will surprise by his daring but is not well prepared in speech or acting., The latter in weak cases. Sudden, rather unexpected, surprising events or effects.
 
Knight of Swords
TRADITION: A military man, officer, master of the sword, master of fencing, warrior. Dispute, war, duel, combat, attack as well as defence; opposition, destruction, ruin, hatred, etc. Also skill, bravery, capacity. Reversed: Incapacity, imprudence, extravagance, foolishness, impertinence, stupidity, industry, crooked tricks.
THEORY: Finally this element on the Fourth and on the Twelfth houses. On account of the former we find of course the armed man under the rule of the Emperor, the military man, soldier, etc., but rather the professional, formerly the hired, troops than the militia, which will rather fall under the same house as the police, and be indicated by the page of swords. Another significance of this card is that of painful memories, suffering by ancient wrongs. In fact war is in all cases, be it private or collective, the phenomenon of the outbreak of some ancient wrong or evil--the wrong of oppression on one side or the evil of desire, rapacity, overflowing force, etc., on the other. So the Knight of swords must bear the significance of the bearer of weapons, which avenge wrongs or serve attacks. The fourth house calls the home and the family, the father in particular, and the card may well denote something in the nature of avenging family feuds or the honour of the father or the family. Badly aspected it may mean opposition against the power of the father or the Emperor, revolution, which is quite in the line of the grumbling and malcontent nature of the Cancerian of the lower type. It is, however, to be expected that such opposition will be very much hidden, dark, in the background, not open nor very loyal. On account of its relation with the twelfth house this card may also mean a surgeon and operations performed by him, and, in lower types or weaker cases, fraud and destruction of organisms, whatever these may be. It may further relate here to all sorts of bad passions and to degrees of hatred, incapacity, etc.
 
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CONCLUSION: Military man, man of arms, one avenging family or other feuds or wrongs; wrongs avenging themselves; painful memories, distress in the family, afflictions deriving from past events. A surgeon, operation done by same; the knife in old sore. In badly aspected cases hatred, destruction, extravagance, spilling, revolt, insurrection, war, combat, fraud, impertinence, imprudence, etc.
EPILOGUE
E offer the descriptions in this work with the most humble reserve as regards completeness. We are fully aware, that on these lines the last word will not be said in the near future. On the other hand we feel sure, that the key to the mystic system, known as the TARO(T), presented here, does work, for we have used it in practical divination for some time already and it has proved to be true, apart from its theoretical value, which may be judged by those who have studied the ancient mysteries in general and astrology in particular.
We abstain from adding more concerning the practice of divination in the present volume--it will demand another one.
 
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

[p. 24][p. 25]

 

BOOK THE FIRST.

 

CHAPTER I.

 

ATLANTIS, QUEEN OF THE WAVE.

"Why not?" I asked myself, pausing amidst the snow on the mountain, there so far above the sea that the Storm King was ever supreme, even while summer reigned below. "Am I not an Atlan, a Poseid, and is not that name synonymous with freedom, honor, power? Is not this, my native land, the most glorious beneath the sun? Beneath Incal?" Again I queried:--"Why not, aye, why not strive to become one amongst the foremost in my proud country?"

"Poseid is the Queen of the Sea, yea, and of the world also, since all nations pay tribute of praise and commerce to us--all emulate us. To rule in Poseid, then, is not that virtually to rule over all the earth? Therefore will I strive to grasp thc prize, and I will do it, too! And thou, O pale, cold moon, bear witness of my resolve"--I cried aloud, raising my hands to heaven--"And ye also, ye glittering diamonds of the sky."

If resolute effort could insure success, I usually achieved whatever end I determined to attain. So there I made my vows at a great height above the ocean, and above the plain which stretched away westward two thousand miles to Caiphul, the Royal City. So high was it, that all about and below me lay peaks and mountain ranges, vast in themselves, but dwarfed beside the apex whereon I stood.

All around me lay the eternal snows; but what cared I? So filled with the new resolve was my mind--the resolve to become a power in the land of my nativity--that I heeded not the cold. Indeed, I scarce knew that the air about me was cold, was chill as that of the Arctic fields of the remote north.

Many obstacles would have to be surmounted in the accomplishment of this design--for truly, what was I at that moment?

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[paragraph continues] Only a mountaineer's son, poor, fatherless; but, the Fates be praised! not motherless! At thought of her, my mother, miles away, down where the perennial forests waved, where snow seldom fell; while I stood on the storm-kissed summit, alone with the night and my thoughts--at the thought of my mother my eyes grew moist, for I was only a boy, and often a sad enough one, when the hardships which she endured arose to mind. Such reflections were but added incentives to my ambition to do and to be.

Once more my thoughts dwelt on the difficulties I must encounter in my struggle for success, fame and power.

Atlantis, or Poseid, was an empire whose subjects enjoyed the freedom allowed by the most limited monarchical rule, The general law of official succession presented to every male subject a chance for preferment to office. Even the emperor held an elective position, as also did his ministers, the Council of Ninety, or Princes of the Realm--offices analagous to those of the Secretarial Portfolios of the American Republic--its veritable successor. If death claimed the occupant of the throne, or any of the councillors, the elective franchise came into activity, but not otherwise, barring dismissal for rnalfeasance in office, a penalty which, if incurred by him, not even the emperor was exempt from suffering.

The possession of the elective power was vested in the two great social divisions, which embraced all classes of people, of either sex. The great underlying principle of the Poseid political fabric might be said to have been "an educational measuring-rod for every ballot-holder, but the sex of the holder, no one's business."

The two major social branches were known by the distinctive names of "Incala" and "Xioqua," or, respectively, the priesthood and scientists.

Do my readers ask where that open opportunity for every subject could be in a system which excluded the artisans, tradespeople, and military, if they happened not to be of the enfranchised classes? Every person had the option of entering either the College of Sciences, or that of Incal, or both.

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[paragraph continues] Nor was race, color or sex considered, the only prerequisite being that the candidate for admission must be sixteen years of age, and the possessor of a good education obtained in the common schools, or at some of the lesser seats of collegiate learning, as the Xioquithlon in the capital city of some one of the Poseid States, as at Numea, Terna, Idosa, Corosa, or even at Marzeus' lower college, Marzeus being the principal art-manufacturing center of Atl. Seven years was the allotted term of study at the Great Xioquithlon, ten months in each year, divided into two sub-terms of five months each, devoted to active work, and one month allowed for recreation, half of it between each session. Any student might compete in the annual examination exercises, held at the end of the year or just preceding the vernal equinox. That we recognized the natural law of mental limitation will be obvious from the fact that the course of study was purely optional, the aspirant being at liberty to select as many, or as few topics as were agreeable, with this necessary proviso:--that only possessors of diplomas of the first class could be candidates for even the humblest official position. These certificates were evidence of a grade of acquirement which embraced a range of topical knowledge too great to be mentioned, otherwise than inferentially, as the reader proceeds. The second-grade diploma did mot confer political prestige, except in the matter of carrying with it the voting privilege, although if a person neither cared to be an office holder, nor to vote, the right to instruction in any educational branch was none the less a gratuitous privilege. Those, however, who only aspired to a limited education, with the purpose of more successfully pursuing a given business, as tuition in mineralogy by an intending miner, agriculture by a farmer, or botany by an ambitious gardener--had no voice in the government. While the number of those unambitious ones was not small, none the less the stimulus of obtaining political prestige was so great that not above one in a dozen of the adult population was without at least a secondary diploma, while fully one-third had first-grade certificates. It was owing to this, that the electors found no scarcity

[p. 28]

of material for filling all elective positions under the government.

Some uncertainty is possibly left in the mind of the reader as to what constituted the difference between priestly and scientific suffragists. The only essential difference was that the curriculum at the Incalithlon, or College of Priests, embraced, in addition to every high-grade feature taught at the Xioquithlon, also the study of a wide range of occult phenomena, anthropological and sociological themes, to the end that graduates in the sciences might have the opportunity of fitting themselves to minister to any want, which men of less erudition and less comprehension of the great underlying laws of life might experience, in any phase or condition. The Incalithlon was in fact the very highest, most complete institution of learning which the world knew then, or--pardon what may seem to be, but is not, Atlan conceit--has known since; and for that matter, will know for centuries to come. As such an exalted educational institution, students within its halls must needs possess extra zeal and determined willpower in order to pursue, and secure graduation certificates from its board of examiners. Few indeed had found life extended enough to enable them to acquire such a diploma; possibly not one in five hundred of those who made honorable exit from the Xioquithlon--itself an institution not second to the modern Cornell University.

As I pondered, there amidst those mountain snows, I decided not to attempt too much, but a Xioqua I determined to be, if any possible chance existed; although I scarcely hoped for the possession of the eminence conferred by the title of Incala, I vowed that I would make an opportunity to compete for the other, if no occasion presented otherwise. To obtain the proud distinction would require, in addition to arduous study, the possession of ample pecuniary means to furnish the expense of living, and the maintenance, at its highest, of an unfaltering energy of purpose. Whence could I hope to obtain all this? The gods were believed to help the needy. If I, a lad of not yet seventeen summers, who had

[p. 29]

a mother looking to me for support and the necesaries of life, with nothing that could aid me to attain my aspirations except native energy and will, might not be placed in that category, then who were the needy? Methinks there should be no more evidence of dependence necessary, and it were indeed proper in the gods to extend aid.

Filled with such reflections as these, I climbed yet higher towards the top of the sky-piercing peak, near the apex of which I stood, for the dawn was not far distant, and I must be. on the highest stone to greet Incal (the sun) when He conquered Navaz, else He--chief of all the manifest signs of the great and only true God, whose name He bore, whose shield He was--might not favorably regard my prayer. No, He must see that the supplicating youth spared no pains to do Him honor, because it was for this purpose only that I had climbed alone, amidst these solitudes, up that trackless steep of snow, beneath the starry dome of the skies.

"Is there," I asked myself, "a more glorious belief than this which my country-folk hold? Are not all Poseidi worshipers of the Great God--the one true Deity--who is typified by the blazing sun? There can be nothing more sacred and holy." So spake the boy whose maturing mind had grasped the really inspiring exoteric religion, but who knew of none other, deeper and more sublime, nor was he to learn of it in the days of Atla.

As the first glance of light from behind His shield stole through the dark abyss of night, I threw myself prone in the summit snows, where I must remain until the God of Light was entirely victorious over Navaz. Triumphant at last I Then I arose, and making a final profound obeisance, retraced my steps down that fearful declivity of ice, and snow, and barren rock, the latter black and cruelly sharp, thrusting its ridges through the icy coat, showing the ribs of the mountain which stood, one of the peerless peaks of the globe, thirteen thousand feet above the level of the sea.

For two days all my efforts had been to reach that frigid summit and cast myself, a living offering, on its lofty altar,

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thus to honor my God. I wondered if He had heard and noted me. If He had, did He care? Did He care enough to direct His vice-regent, God of the mountain, to aid me? To the latter, without knowing why, I looked, hoping in what may seem a blind fatuity, for him to reveal a treasure of some sort, or--

What is that dull metallic glint in the rock whose heart my. iron-shod alpenstock had lain bare to the rays of the morning sun? Gold! O Incal! It is so! Yellow, precious gold!

"O Incal," I cried, repeating His name, "be thou praised for returning answer so quickly to Thy humble petitioner!"

Down in the snow I knelt, uncovering my head out of gratitude to the God of All Being, the Most High, whose shield, the sun poured forth his glorious rays. Then I looked again on the treasure. Ah, what a store of wealth was there!

As the quartz rock splintered beneath my excited strokes, the precious metal held it together, so thickly did it vein its matrix. Sharp edges of the flinty stone cut my hands, so that the blood flowed from half a dozen places, and as I grasped the icy quartz which did the deed, my bleeding hands froze fast upon it-a union of blood and treasure! No matter! and I tore them loose, unheeding the pain, so much was I excited.

"O Incal," I exclaimed, "Thou are good to Thy child in so liberally bestowing the treasure which shall enable a realization of his resolution, ere the heart hath opportunity to grow faint through long-deferred hope."

I loaded into my capacious pockets all that I could stagger under, selecting the richest and most valuable pieces of the gold quartz. How should I mark the spot, how find it again? To a born mountaineer this was no hard task, and was soon accomplished. Then onward, downward, homeward, joyfully I swung, with light heart, if heavy load. Over these mountains, indeed not two miles from the base of my treasure peak, wound the emperor's highway to the great ocean, hundreds, of miles away on the other side of the Caiphalian plains. This causeway once reached, the most fatiguing part of the trip

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would be over, although but one-fifth of the entire route would yet have been traversed.

To give some idea of the difficulties encountered in scaling or descending this giant mountain, I must remark that the final five-thousand feet of the ascent could be made by only one tortuous route. A narrow gorge, a mere volcanic fissure, afforded foothold of the most precarious character, all other parts of the peak being insurmountable cliffs. This meager support existed for the first one thousand feet. Above this point the cleft ceased. Near its upper end a small cave existed, rather higher than a man's stature, and capable of holding perhaps twenty people. In the farther end of this rocky room was a hole--a crack wider horizontally than in the perpendicular. Entering this crevice by crawling, serpent-fashion, the venturesome explorer would find that for several hundred paces he must needs descend a rather sharp incline, albeit the crevice in the first dozen steps so widened, or heightened, that a more or less upright posture could be assumed. From the end of its descending course it twisted and again increased in size so as to form a tunnel, ascending by tortuous windings, its walls affording sufficient support to make the climbing safe, although pursued upward at an angle of about forty degrees, while in some parts an even greater degree of perpendicularity marked the passage. In this way an upward climb of thirty odd hundreds of feet was accomplished, the sinuosities of the route greatly increasing the distance covered in a vertical rise. This, reader, was the sole method of reaching the summit of the highest mountain of Poseid, or Atlantis, as thou callest the island-continent.

Arduous as was its passage, there was more than enough room in this dry old chimney, or water-course, whichever it was, Chimney it certainly had been, originally, though now water-worn to such an extent as to render the idea of its igneous formation, de novo, merely conjectural. At one part of its course this long hole widened into a vast cavern. This led away at right angles from the chimney, and down, down, until far in the bowels of the mountain--thousands of feet it

[p. 32]

seemed in the dread darkness--he who ventured so far found himself on the brink of a vast abyss, which had no visible side except that on which he stood; beyond this, further progress was impossible except for winged things, as bats, and bats were there none in that awful depth.

No sound came back from its frightful chasm, no brightness of torches had ever revealed its other shore--nought was there but a sea of eternal inky blackness. Yet here were no terrors for me; rather a fascination. While others may have known of the place, I had never found a companion with enough temerity to brave the unknown, and stand by my side on the horrid brink, where I had stood, not once only but several times in days gone by. Three times I had been there, impelled by curiosity. On the third occasion I had leaned over the edge to seek a possible further descent, when the stone upon which I was--a huge basaltic block--loosened from its place, fell, and I barely escaped with my life. I fell, and for several minutes sounds of its descent came echoing back to where I stood; my torch went with it, and far adown the depths its sparks gleamed like fire-flies as it struck projecting points of the rock, ere it finally disappeared. I was left in that deep darkness, weak from my great peril, to make my way up and out-if I could. If not, then to fail and die. But I succeeded. Thenceforth I had no curiosity to explore that unknown gulf. Through the chimney which led past the upper end of this abyssmal cavern--between the upper end of the outer fissure in the cliff and the summit's side, five, or six hundred feet below the apex of the mountain--I had been many times; often had I been over the spot where a chance blow of my staff revealed the golden treasure, yet never found the precious store until I had asked Incal for it, urged by the pressing burden of my necessities. Is it strange that I felt absolute faith in the religious belief of my people?

It was into the dark chimney that I had to go when I left the snowy summit--out of the sunlight and fresh air, into dense blackness, and a slightly sulphurous atmosphere, but if I left the morning brightness, I also left the fearful cold

[p. 33]

of the external air, for inside the tunnel, if dark, it was warm.

At last, I came into the small room at the head of the thousand-foot crevice which would take me to the easier slopes of the lower and middle third of the mountain. In that room I paused. Should I return for another load of auriferous rock? Or should I go directly on my homeward way? At length I turned and retraced my steps. With the noon hour I stood once more beside my treasure spot. Then down again with my second load, till the weary toil ceased almost--for I was standing then at the entrance to the great cavern, four hundred feet from the little room at the head of the outer crevice--four hundred feet of pretty steep climbing. After a moment's pause I resumed the short but sharp ascent, and was soon in the little room, with only a dozen feet at most between myself and the free air. Sinuous, the long tunnel was, considered as a whole, yet it had some passages as straight, as if cut by tools along a line. The four hundred feet, more or less, which separated the room where I stayed my steps, from the entrance proper of the cavern, was such a straight stretch, and perhaps on that account as difficult to traverse as any part of the whole tunnel. Indeed it would have been impossible, except for its rough sides affording some slight foothold. Had the place been light, instead of filled with the blackness of darkness, I could have seen directly into the cavern from the apartment in which I was resting. The warm air induced me to sit or rather lie down at this point, even though I could not see, and so, as I rested there, I ate a handful of dates and sipped a little of the melted snow-water which my water-skin contained. Then I stretched myself out to sleep in the warm air.

flow long I slept I did not know, but the awakening--ah! the terror of it! Blasts of air so hot as to almost scorch, swept over and past me, laden with stifling fumes, and sending back a hoarse murmur as they rushed up the passage to the summit. Howling, groaning noises came up on the fervid breath from the abyss, mingled with the sound of tremendous explosions and deafening reports. Above all other causes

[p. 34]

for terror was a glow of red light reflected from the walk of the cavern, into which I found I could look with unobstructed freedom, and through whose depths shone flashes of red and green and blue, and every other color and tint, gases on fire, For a time, fright held me fast, so that without power to move I remained gazing into the awful hell of the blazing elements, I knew that the light and heat, both momentarily increasing, and the stifling vapors, the noise and the quivering of the mountain, all pointed but one and the same meaning--active volcanic eruption. At last, the spell which numbed my senses was broken by my catching sight of a spurt of molten lava which dashed up the intervening passage, projected a number of feet therein by an explosion within the cavern behind, Then I rose up and fled--fled across the floor of the little room and crawled with insane energy of haste through the horizontal entrance, which seemed never so low as that moment! I had forgotten that I carried gold in my pockets, and the fact only came back when I felt the retarding weight of the precious rock. But with the exertion to escape came a certain degree of calmness, and the restored presence of mind bade me not throw away the treasure. Reflection convinced me that the danger, although impending, was probably not immediate. So that I again crawled back into the little room and taking a sack which I had left there, filled it with all the ore I could carry. I undid a leather thong from my waist--a cord forty feet long--and looping one end to a point of rock, at the upper end of the crevice, I lowered the sack to the other extremity of the small cord, and then climbed down after it. Shaking the loop from the rock above, I repeated the performance again and again as I descended. In this way I reached the bottom of the crevice with the larger portion of my two loads of ore. From this point onwards my route my along the crest of a rocky ridge, not very wide, but sufficiently so to form an easy path.

I had just started along this ridge when I looked back over the way I had come. At that instant, a shock of earthquake occurred that almost sufficed to throw me to the ground, and

[p. 35]

out of the little cave, where I had slept, shot a puff of smoke, followed by a red gleam--lava. Downwards it splashed, a fiery cascade, and a most glorious sight in the gathering darkness, for the sun was not yet set. The entire mountain was west of the ridge on which I stood, and it being near night, my position was in deep shadow.

Out along the ridge I fled, leaving my sack of gold and much that was in my pockets in the safest place that I could choose, high above the bottom of the gorge, along which the. lava must flow. At a safe distance I paused for rest arid scanned the fiery torrent leaping down the gorge, now some distance away On my right, but in plain sight. "At least," thought I, "I have as much gold-rock--more metal than rock, it appears--left in my pockets yet, as I shall find myself well able to carry, now that the strength, born of excitement, is fled. So that even if I get not that I left behind, I have a great store of wealth. Therefore, Incal be praised!" How entirely inadequate to meet the expenses of seven years at college--and that college at the capital of the nation, where expenses were higher than elsewhere--were the twenty pounds, approximately, of gold-quartz, my inexperience could not tell me. That it was a greater treasure than I had ever possessed in my life, or even seen at one time, was an undeniable fact; therefore I was content.

A belief in an overruling Providence is necessary to most, indeed to all men, the sole difference being that men of widest knowledge require a Deity of power more nearly approaching infinity than do those of lesser experience; so those who realize the boundlessness of life, recognize a God of whom their conceptions are projected almost to omnipotence, compared to the conceptions which satisfy the ordinary human mind. Whether, then, the deity worshipped be a stone or a wooden idol, some inanimate form, or a Supreme Spirit of androgynous nature, it matters little. Those Beings--who order the course of events, executing the karmic law of the Eternal God, see the faith in mortal hearts, and suffer not that that law shall ever take its course in sternness, untempered by mercy. If trust

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in the idol, or the animate "god," or in the Supreme Spirit of God, should be allowed to perish because of the withering forces of sorrow and despair, then would human goodness tremble for safety and for continuation of its being. Such a catastrophe could not harmonize with God, hence, under the law, can never be allowed.

So with my belief in Incal, a belief shared by my country-people. Incal was a purely spiritual conception, and aside from the Eternal Cause, which no mind of any age of the world can sanely doubt, was existent only in the minds of his worshippers. And the faith was a noble one, one that tended to high morality, nourishing faith, hope and charity. What then though the personal Incal, symbolized by the shield of the blazing sun, was inexistent except in the brains of men? Our Poseid concept stood for us in the place of the Spirit of Life, Parent of all. That was enough to insure observance of the principles which it was supposed pleased Him best.

Surely the angels of the Most High Uncreated God, ministering then, as now, to the children of the Father, looked on the belief as it lay enshrined in my heart, and in the hearts of my fellowmen and women, and said, as they ministered: "Be it unto thee according to thy faith." The angels, beholding the hope that was in me too excel among men, had chastened me with fear as I fled from the burning mountain, but there came no disaster.

Onward I ran, as speedily as the nature of the path would permit. I had life and gold; wherefore I praised Incal as I went. And the Spirit of Life was merciful, for I was not to know how insufficient for my needs was my treasure until the sting of disappointment was removed because of having found a more abundant provision. For several miles my course lay along the knife-edged back of the ridge. In many places awful gulfs yawned beside the path, so near that I had need of my hands to aid my feet. Sometimes these cliffs extended along both sides of the trail, forming it into a narrow parapet. I was grateful for small mercies and thanked Incal that the god of the mountain bestirred himself not in the form of

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earth-throes while I was in those perilous situations. At a distance of three miles from the starting place my, path led me along the brink of a frightful precipice, while above reared the wall of a second cliff. Only the light of the burning mountain now illumined my steps. Here it, was that, as I climbed cautiously downward towards the basaltic brink, a heavy shock threw me upon my knees and almost sent me into the gulf. An instant later a dull boom filled the air with an insistent intensity of sound, and I looked back in affright. A huge spout of fiery smoke was rushing skywards, mingled with stones large enough to be seen at the distance I was from the spot. Below the brink where I clung, an awful grinding and crashing was going on; the earth trembled fearfully, and repeated shocks caused me to grasp the rock., in desperate fear of being thrown over the edge. Off there in front, the gorge which lay at my feet once skirted other ridges and spurs of the peak. Once, for a while, these ridge., and spurs had been; now they were not! I gazed upon a scene of awful and confusing turmoil, lit by the volcanic glare just sufficiently to be perceptible. The solid hills and rocks seemed tossing and unstable as the waters of the ocean and they rose and fell in a horrid swell, grinding and crashing in genuine pandemonium. Over all, volcanic ashes sifted in a thick, ceaseless shower, while dust and volcanic vapors filled the air and hung like a funeral pall over a seemingly perishing world.

Finally the mad uproar and sickening motion ceased; only the steady glow from the still-flowing lava and an occasional throe of earthquake telling the Plutonic tale. But I remained lying on the ledge, faint and ill. Gradually the lava stopped running, and the light went out; the shocks came only at long intervals, and a peace as of death filled all the region, while the silent gray ashes sifted down, covering the stricken land. Darkness reigned. I think I must, for a time, have been unconscious, for when I stirred I was aware of a sharp pain in my head; putting up my hand I felt a warm, wet oozing from a place which smarted at the touch. I felt

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about and found a jagged stone which had fallen from the cliff above and struck me. Further motion proved the wound was not serious, and I sat up. Already the dawn was coming and, faint with pain, hunger and cold, I again lay down to await broad day.

What a different scene rising Incal shone upon, in place of that of the previous morn! When I looked at the, proud peak, the red light of the sun showed that one full half of it had been riven away and swallowed up in "some mysterious cavern." Aye, truly,

	 
		"Mountains rear to heaven their head in their bald and blackened cliffs,
		 And bow their tall heads to the plain."
		
		 Nearer by, where other ridges had been, and where the awful reeling of the cliffs had , right at my feet, indeed, no more was any rocky spire, nor peak, nor cliff there forever! Instead was a great lake of steaming water, whose thither shores were veiled by the softly settling ashes and clouds of steam condensed by the cold air a fine misty rain, the weeping of the stricken globe over its recent agony! Hushed, was all the noise; quieted, the trembling; ceased, the fervid streaming of the lava.

That part of the ridge where I had lain had escaped, for the most part, the general rending. But even it had suffered, so that the path ahead of me, which I had been accustomed to travel in my trips to the peak, was gone, a huge block of probably thousands of tons weight having slidden into the pit below, making absolute erasure of the path, which had crossed that very place. I sought another and, in climbing about in the dull light, came to a part of the ridge which lay on the far side from the sun, which, as yet, was not more than two perilously narrow ledges, lakes of hot water below, impassable steeps overhead, suddenly a dull red bar of light shone athwart my course! Looking for its source, I saw that the light streamed through a wide crack in the beetling cliff above. The bottom of this crack was not far below me and, instead of becoming narrowed out, had a floor as wide as any part of

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the fissure, as if all above that point had been forcibly slidden, or "faulted," to one side undoubtedly the real explanation. I lowered myself to the level of this floor and, finding the crevice sufficiently wide, stepped into it, heedless of the fact that at any moment fresh convulsions of the volcano might close the cleft and crush me as between the faces of a vise. I did think of this possibility but, Poseid-like, put aside fear by reflecting that I was trusting in Incal, who would do whatever was good for me.

The stricken cliff showed, here and there, veins of quartz with porphyritic sheaves, forming ledges running through the granite masses. Clear to the top, this narrow cleft extended, and though really some two or three feet wide, its height made it appear very narrow. As I paused, filled with delight at the idea that on both sides of me my eyes rested on virgin rock never exposed to the gaze of any man since earth began, I noticed that which set my pulses bounding with wild joy--right by my side, but a little in front, was a vein of yellow, ocherous-looking rock in which I saw many maculations of whitish, harder rock, which appearance was due to quartz bodies torn apart by the same shock which formed the cleft. These maculae were thickly dotted with nuggets of native gold and with argent mineral. The ductility of the precious metals was exhibited in curious effects, the gold and silver being drawn out from the smoothly fractured surface into wires, which in some cases were a number of inches long. Again the faintness of hunger left me, and the pain of my aching head-wound was temporarily forgotten, as I chanted a hymn of gratitude to my God. Gone was the towering peak; destroyed was the sole route of access to the lofty summit which man's foot might traverse; but here, after the war of the subterranean fires was over, here was a greater treasure, nearer home, easier to reach--the excitement of joy was too great a strain on my nerves, already so weak, and I fainted! But youth is elastic and the health of those who are without vices wonderfully buoyant. I soon recovered consciousness and was wise enough to make my way home without stopping

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to waste further strength, knowing that my mountaineering instinct would be an infallible guide to my subsequent return.

I felt, in taking counsel of my mother, that her belief that I could not work the mine alone was based on actuality. But whom should I trust to aid me and take an honest share of the wealth so obtained as, recompense?

Enough, is it not, that I found the necessary help? Certain professed friends entered into a co-partnership with me and, for the privilege of retaining the remainder of the proceeds, allowed me one-third of the profits, agreeing to do this without requiring any labor from me; and, with some demur, also agreeing to my demand that no part of the ownership should be vested in anybody but myself. I caused them to sign a paper to that effect and to seal it with the most inviolable sign possible in Poseid, namely, to make their signatures with their own blood. We all three did thus. So much formality I insisted upon for the reason that the suspicion was irrepressible that these men proposed to claim that they themselves were the discoverers of the treasure, and that I had, per consequence, no right to any of it. To-day I know that this was the case. I know that the proviso in the contract declaring that the whole mine which they, my partners, worked in the then current year was the inalienable property of Zailm Numinos, was all that prevented the intended robbery. This stipulation made no reference to the discoverer, as such, but did state in incontrovertible terms that in the possessor of that name was vested the title to the property. I would have had, in the event of a difference arising between us, no necessity to prove how I became owner of the mine; no claim that some person other than myself was the discoverer would avail the would-be defrauders, for whosoever was the first to find the lode, the fact remained that I was the owner, and possession in this event meant every advantage through the law. At least, so it seemed to my ignorance. My associates were not so ignorant. They knew that the contract was worthless because executed in violation of the law. The day came when I knew all. I knew in later times that the laws of Poseid made

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every mine a tithepayer to the empire, and that a mine worked without acknowledgment of this legal lien was liable to confiscation. It was apparent, also, that if my partners had not allowed themselves to be swayed by avariciousness into keeping secret the whole agreement, and also by working in the mine, thus rendering themselves participators in an infraction of the law, that they would have become the legally recognized owners, simply through furnishing information concerning my acts to the nearest governmental agent. But I did not know these things at the time and the other two thought it discretion to keep silence, for the reason that they were not aware of anything excepting the fact that they were violation statutory enactments of no seeming importance. Thus was the secret kept for a later revealment.

The means having been forthcoming, the removal of my residence from the country to the city of the Rai was next in order. Our farewell to the old mountain home and our installment in the new one in Caiphul will be passed over in silence.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER II

 

CAIPHUL

The Atlantean people lived under a government having the character of a limited monarchy. Its official system recognized an emperor (whose position was an elective one, and not in any sense hereditary) and his ministers, known by a name signifying "The Council of Ninety," and also known as "Princes of the Realm." All of these officers had a life-tenure in office, except in cases of malfeasance, which term was strictly defined and its provisions severely enforced; and from the operation of the law relating thereto, no exaltation of position was sufficient to secure exemption for offenders. No governmental positions were made elective, with the exception

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of one ecclesiastical office, and lesser positions in the public service were made appointive in all cases, the appointees being held to strict account by the appointing power, emperor or prince, who, for the use of this power was responsible to the people for the conduct of his placeholders. However, it is not the scheme of this chapter to discuss Poseid politics, but to describe the ministerial and monarchical palaces with which the nation furnished its elected officers, one for each prince, but for the emperor, three. In the main, the description of one of these buildings, both within and without, typifies that of any or all of the others, just as in the United States of America and other modern lands a governmental edifice is easily known to be such, by its general architectural features. A description therefore of one palace will serve a double purpose, that of presenting an idea of the most notable residence in the great Atlantean empire, since I will describe the main palace of the emperor; and, secondly, that of illustrating the prevailing style of governmental architecture in the period during which I resided in Poseid. Imagine, if it please thee, an elevation approximating fifteen feet in height,, ten times that figure in width, and that fifty times its height represents its length. External to the plane dimensions, on each of the four sides of the platform, which was of hewn blocks of porphyry, an easy flight of steps led from the lawns up to the top of the elevation. On the sides, these steps were divided into fifteen sections, while on the ends the divisions were only three, each being divided into lengths of fifty feet. Between the two sections nearest the corners each division consisted of a deep quadrangular recess, into and around which the stairs ran in uninterrupted continuity. The next, or third section, was separated from those on either side by a sculptured serpent of huge size, fashioned from sandstone and as faithful to life as art could make it. The heads of these immobile reptiles rested on the green sward in front of the stairs, while the bodies lay in full relief upon the staircases and reaching the top of the platform, wound about the massive columns which supported the pediments of the verandas

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of the superstructural palace erected upon the platform described, columns which formed a most imposing peristyle between the broad verandas and the steps. The succeeding division was a quadrangle in the steps, and the next, another serpent, and so around the building. It is hoped that this description is sufficiently perspicuous to give an idea of the tremendous parallelogram, encompassed with steps, guarded by monstrous ornamental, as well as useful, serpent forms, religious emblems, signifying not alone wisdom but also the appearance of a fiery serpent in the skies of the ancient earth, initiating the event of the separation of Man from God. Alternating with these forms were the recesses, relieving what would otherwise have been severely straight and wearisome lines. Surmounting this was the first story of the palace proper, its reptile-entwined peristyle holding aloft great veranda roofs, whereon were enormous vases holding earth to nourish all kinds of tropical plants, shrubs and many small varieties of trees, a luxuriant garden which perfumed the air, already cooled by numerous fountains playing in the midst. Above the first story, with its flower-filled porticos, arose another tier of apartments, surrounded by open galleries, the floors of which were formed by the roofs of those beneath. The third and highest tier of apartments had no verandas, although on all sides it had promenades, formed by the roof of the portico beneath. The same wild luxuriance of flowers and foliage rendered the stories of equal attractiveness. In all, song birds and birds of plumage were welcome guests, uncaged, but tame because they never received harm. Attendants, with blowguns to project noiseless darts, quietly destroyed all predatory species, as also they did-those which, having neither song powers, vivid coloring of plumage, nor the useful habits of insectivora to commend them, were therefore undesirable. Springing from the main roof of the palace arose graceful spires and towers, while the many jutting apartments, angles and groined arches, flying buttresses, cornices and multifarious architectural effects prevented any apparent heaviness in the design. Around the largest of the towers there extended from

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bottom to top a winding staircase, conducting to the rail-enclosed space on its summit, one hundred feet above the aluminum sheathing or roofing-plates of the palace. Agacoe palace was unique in the possession of this tower, differing thus from all other ministerial edifices. It may be explained that the tower had been erected as a memorial of the departure of a fair princess from the loving care of her imperial husband into Navazzamin, the shadowy land of departed souls, some centuries before my day. Such was the Agacoe palace. Its uppermost floor was in use as a great governmental museum; the middle was devoted to offices of the chief government officials, while the first flat was  arranged and furnished for occupancy as the emperor's private residence. As not uninteresting, it may be noted that the yawning mouths of the stone serpents recently described served as doorways (of the usual size) to certain apartments in the basement, a fact which gives an accurate idea of the enormous size of these lithic saurians. The monsters were made with an eye to artistic proportion; their bodies were of carved gray, red or yellow sandstone, their eyes of sard, carnelian, jasper or other colored silicious stone, while fangs for their yawning mouths were made from gleaming white quartz, set on each side of the entranceway.

So much sawed and hewn stone forces the modern mind to wonder if the Atlanteans obtained the finished product through the unremitting toil of slaves, in which case we must have been a barbarous people, whose political autonomy was ever menaced by the uplifting forces of the social volcano which slavery always creates, or else we possessed peculiarly efficient stone-cutting machinery. This latter is the correct assumption, for our machinery for that purpose, like an almost infinite variety of other implements for every sort of service, was our pride amongst the nations. Let me here make an assertion, not for argument but to be understood in the light of subsequent chapters, namely, that if we as Atlanteans had not possessed this wide range of mechanical inventions and the inventive talent which gave us these triumphs, then neither would

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ye of this modern day have possession of a like creative ability, nor of any of the results of such genius. It may be that thou canst not understand the connection between the two ages and races whilst conning this statement; but as thou shalt draw nearer to the close of this history thy mind will recur to it with the fullness of comprehension.

Trusting that the effort has been successful to depict by words the appearance of Atlantean governmental edifices, let us next obtain an idea of the Caiphalian promontory, whereon was enthroned Caiphul, the Royal City, the greatest of that ancient day, within the limits of which resided a population of two million souls, unencompassed by walled fortifications. Indeed, none of the cities of that age were girt about with walls, and in this respect they differed from the cities and towns known to later historical epochs. To call my records of this Poseidic age history, is not exceeding fact, since what I relate in these pages is history derived from the astral-light records. Nevertheless, it precedes the histories handed down in manuscript, papyrus rolls and rock-inscriptions by many centuries, seeing that Poseid was no longer known in the earth when history's first pages were chronicled by the earliest historian using papyrus; nay, nor even yet earlier, when the sculptors of the obelisks of Egypt and the rock-inscribers of the temples cut pictorial histories in enduring granite. No longer known was Poseid, for it is to-day approaching nine thousand years since the waters of the ocean engulfed our fair land and left no sign, not even so much as was left of those two cities hidden away beneath lava and ashes and for sixteen centuries of the Christian era thought never to have had existence. Excavators dug away the scoriae from Pompeii, but from Caiphul no man can turn aside the floods of the Atlantic and reveal what no more exists, for were every day a century it were even so nearly three months of such lengthy days since the dread fiat of GOD went forth unto the waters:

"Cover the land, so that the all-beholding sun shall see it no more in all his course."

And it was so.

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In preceding pages the promontory of Caiphul was described as reaching out into the ocean from the Caiphalian plain and as visible from a great distance at night because of the glow of light from the capital. For three hundred miles westward from Numea the peninsula projected outwards from the plain, averaging almost to its extreme cape. a breadth of fifty Miles and rising much like the chalk-cliffs of England directly from the ocean to a height of nearly one hundred feet to reach a plain almost floor-like in its evenness. On the point of this great peninsula was Caiphul or "Atlan, Queen of the Wave." Beautiful, peaceful, with its wide spreading gardens of tropical loveliness,

	 
		"Where a leaf never fades in the still, blooming bowers,
		 And the bee banquets on thro' a whole year of flowers,"
		
		 its broad avenues shaded by great trees, its artificial hills, the largest surmounted by governmental palaces, and pierced and terraced by, the avenues which radiated from the city-center like spokes in a wheel. Fifty miles these ran in one direction, while at right angles from them, traversing the breadth of the peninsula, forty miles in length, were the shortest avenues. Thus lay, like a splendid dream, this, the proudest city of that ancient world.

At no point did Caiphul approach the ocean nearer than five miles. Though it had no walls, around the whole city extended a huge moat, three-quarters of a mile broad by an average of sixty feet in depth and supplied by the waters of the Atlantic. On the north side, a great canal entered the moat-a canal in which the outflowing waters of a large river, the Nomis, created an outgoing current of considerable swiftness. A current was thus naturally made to cause suction through the entire circle of the moat, of which the ocean supply entered at an ingress on the south side. In this manner efflux into the sea of all the drainage of the artificial circular island on which stood the city was allowed. Immense pumping engines forced fresh ocean water through large stone pipes and conduits all over the city, flushing the drains, furnishing motive power for all requisite purposes, for electric

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fighting and electric services of vast variety--but enough. Electric service? Electric power? Indeed we had deepest knowledge of this motor-force of the universe; we used it in countless ways which have yet to be rediscovered in this modern world of ours, and ways, too, which are every day coming more and more into recollection as men and women of that past age reincarnate in this.

It is not strange that thou art incredulous, my friend, when I speak of these inventions which thou hast considered the special property of to-day; but I speak from a knowledge born of experience, seeing that I lived then, and live now; lived not only in Poseid twelve thousand years ago, but also in the United States of America, before, during and after the War of the Secession.

We drew our electrical energies partly from the waves beating the ocean shores, more largely from the rise and fall of the tides; from mountain torrents and from chemicals; but chiefly from what might aptly be termed the "Night-Side of Nature." High-grade explosives were known to us, but our employment of them was of much wider range than thine. If thou couldst cause them substances gradually to yield up their vast imprisoned force without fear of an explosion, thinkest thou that thy machinery would long be propelled by clumsy, because ponderous, steam or electric engines? If a great steamship could dispense with its coal-bins and boilers and, instead have dynamite in an absolutely safe compound form yielding, from what a man could carry in a handbag, force sufficient to drive the ship from England to America, or to send a train six thousand miles, how long wouldst thou see steam enginery? Yet this was a power, and a least valued, one at that, which we--possibly you; certainly I--knew in the, Atlantean life. It will be again with thee, because Our Race in coming again from devachan to earth.

But not alone this resource of power was ours; indeed, it was our forces of the Night-Side as an alcohol-vapor motor is to thy steam-engine. The Night-Side forces--what are they? At this place I will answer only by a counter-question,

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namely: The force of Nature, of gravitation, of the sun, of light, whence is it? If thou wilt answer me, "It is of God," so then will I make answer that, likewise, Man is the Heir of the Father, and whatsoever is His, is also the Son's. If Incal is impelled by God, the Son shall find how his Father doeth this thing, and shall presently do likewise again, even as Man so once in Poseid. But greater things than these which we did might ye do; ye are now, ye were then; ye are Poseid returned, and on a higher plane!

The original object for which the great moat encircling the capital was excavated, had, since long centuries, been fulfilled. That purpose was purely maritime, in the days when ships had been used as carriers, before the later general use of aerial vessels; and it had served this purpose in such stead as to win for Caiphul its proud title "Sovereign of the Seas," a name retained even when the original uses of its moat had become a matter of history. When the better means of transportation had supplanted the old, then the ships, which for ten centuries bad graced all the seas and waterways of the globe, had been suffered to decay or had been converted to other uses. Only, a few sails now roved the waters, and those were merely pleasure craft belonging to novelty-loving people of leisure, who thus indulged their taste for sport.

This radical change was, however, no reason why the masonry quays of the one hundred and forty miles, more or less, of the moat should be allowed to go to destruction. This would have entailed the loss of valuable property through the encroachment of the unchecked waters, as well as the deterioration of the sanitary system of the city, besides which such a course would have destroyed the beauty of the moat and its environments. Therefore, in all of the seven centuries since we ceased to employ marine transportation, no sign of weakness had been suffered to menace this great length of masonry.

A marked feature of Caiphul was the wealth and rare beauty of its trees and tropical shrubbery, lining the avenues, covering the multitudinous palace-crowned hills, many of which had been constructed to rise two or even three hundred feet

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above the level of the plain. Trees and shrubs and plants, vines and flowers, annuals and perennials, filled the mimic canyons, gorges, defiles and levels which it had delighted the art-loving Poseidi to create. They covered the slopes, twined the miniature cliffs, the walls of buildings, and hid even the greater part of the steps which led a wide-sweeping banks to the edges of the moat, overlaying everything like a glorious verdant garment.

Perhaps the reader is beginning to wonder where all the people lived. Truly the query is well timed, and the answer will, I trust, prove interesting.

In the work of altering the configuration of the surface of the great promontory from that of a plain to the more beautiful variations of hills and their intervening depressions, the scheme pursued had been to make keyed-shells of rock, of enormous strength, in the form of terraces, and leaving arched passages wherever the avenues intersected such elevations, to fill in the interiors then remaining with a concrete of clay, rubble and cement carefully tamped. The exteriors were thereafter covered with rich soil on the levels and. terraced for the support of vegetable life of all kinds. These elevations covered many square miles of the level once existent, leaving little that remained as plane surface except the avenues, and not all of these, inasmuch an quite a number of the thoroughfares ascended the rise between the hills or followed the ascending bed of some canyon until they reached the ridge at the head of the latter. They then penetrated the divide and debouched upon the opposite side through an arched way, wherein tubes of crystal, absolutely exhausted of air, gave a continuous light derived from the "Night-Side" forces. The vertical faces and inclinations of the terraces, as well as the sides of the canyons, were made into rooms of varied and ample size. The entrances to these, and to the windows, were concealed under mimic hedges of rock, over which clambered vines and rock-loving plants, thus removing from view the stiff ugliness of the metallic casings underneath. These apartments were arranged in artistic suites for the accommodation

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of families. The metal sheathing with which they were lined prevented moisture within, while their position under the surface insured an even degree of temperature at all at seasons of the year. As these residences were designed and built by the government, the ownership was vested in the same power and the tenants acquired leasehold from the Minister of Public Buildings. The rental was merely nominal and only sufficient to keep the property in repair, furnish the expenses of the incandescent lighting and heating service, the water supply, and the salaries of the necessary officials to attend to these duties. All of this cost not above ten or fifteen per cent of an ordinarily skilled mechanic's wages. The mention of so much detail may be pardoned. for, were it omitted, only & vague and unsatisfactory conception of life in this antediluvian age would be acquired by the reader.

The great charm of thew residences lay in the fact of their retired situations, which prevented the dismal appearance of masses of angular houses, an effect of extreme ugliness seen in our modern days, but seldom, or never, in our Atlantean, cities. The result of this arrangement was that, to a beholder, looking from any high elevation, the city would have been , to one accustomed to the modern atrocities of stone, brick or wood,. chiefly, for the absence of sky-piercing piles separated by narrow, dark, treeless and too often filthy tunnels, miscalled streets.. Here a hill, and there another and yet another until the eye counted them by score--there were, one hundred, and nineteen in all; here a lake, or there a. cliff with a lake, or wooded park at its foot; gorges of mimic grandeur, little forests, so regularly irregular; cascades and tumbling torrents, fed from the inexhaustible supply of fresh water belonging to the city, their banks and shores covered with those plants, trees, and shrubs that love contiguity to abundant water. Such, dear friends, would have been the scene presented to thine eyes, couldst thou have gazed on Caiphul with me; perchance thou didst. And yet, Caiphul was not devoid of houses built much after the modern fashion, for the city franchise to build neat mansions here and there in situations

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and styles calculated to add to the beauty of the scene was a privilege of which any one of means might avail himself, under official approval. Many did so. Museums of art, edifices for histrionic entertainment and other structures not designed for habitation were also in tasteful numbers.

I found, in going about the city, that the avenues, in certain instances, seemed to come to an abrupt termination in some grotto, whose interior was usually hung with stalactites pendent from the roof. Perhaps a slight turn occurred from the straight course, and thus prevented one from seeing through the grotto. In these places, shaded, high-tension, airless cylinder lamps cast a soft glow throughout the interior, making a moonlight effect very pleasing to one who came in from the brightness of the sunlight.

While, in the majority of cases, our people were accomplished equestrians, this mode of travel was not used except for physical culture and grace, electric transit being provided by the government. Indeed, the social reformers of these days of the Christian nineteenth century would have been in their ideal land had they been Caiphalians, and this because the government pursued the paternalistic principle so systematically as to have vested in itself the ownership of all the land, methods of public transit, and communications, in a word, all property, The system was a most beneficent one, which no Poseida wanted to see disused or supplemented by any other. Did a citizen desire, a vailx (airship) for any use, he applied to the proper officials, who were on duty at numerous vailx-yards throughout the city. Or, to cultivate the land, he applied to the department of Soils and Tillage. Perhaps it was desired to manufacture some product; the machinery was for lease at the nominal rate necessary to meet working expenses and the salary of the officers overseeing that portion of the public property. Let these samples suffice. Enough, that no political harmony exists in this modern time of the world like that which sprang from this paternalism on the part of our elected officials. Governmental

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paternalism is a thing regarded with jealousy and semi-alarm by modem republics. But it is to-day a different quality from what it was then. Ours was a paternalism closely watched and duly checked by the suffragists of the nation, and its life was essentially exponent of true socialistic principles.

I have not even now been so precise in details as to explain many of the most peculiar adjustments maintained between the political parent and its children, nor between labor and capital. But neither can I do so in these pages with any degree of propriety, because this is not a plea for readoption, in this age of the world, of methods pursued in that remote period. Yet, this much I can say, not inappropriately at this juncture, that Poseid had not in my day, the modem, yet also very ancient, annoyance of labor strikes, blocking capital and enterprise, starving the artisan, and causing more suffering on the part of the poor than such annoyances can ever bring to the doors of the rich. The secret of this immunity was not far to seek in a nation whose government was the voice of those people who possessed sufficient education to wield the power of franchise, and this, too, regardless of sex, because inborn in our national life was this principle: "An educational measuring-rod for every voter; the sex of the suffragist in immaterial." In such a nation, and under such a government, it were strange indeed if industrial inharmonies could long disturb social polity. The broad principle of equity between employer and employee governed in Poseid; it mattered not what a person did for another person, but the whole equation hinged on this question: Was some service performed by one person for another? If so, the fact that the service was or was not accomplished by physical labor counted for nothing. It might be equally a service deserving compensation whether it was a physical or a purely intellectual service; nor was it held to be important whether the employer represented (me or more individuals or the employee one or more people.

Our local enactments on the subject of industrial equity were complete and rather voluminous. While I care not to give in detail a reproduction of what may be termed labor law, a

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few excerpts are worthy of place. It will be well to preface these with a short history of their enactment, and thus show how, in that olden time, labor troubles quite similar, and fully as menacing to peace and order as any modern industrial upheaval, were finally and equitably settled.

On the "Maxin-Stone," to which legal code reference in full is made in the proper place, was found this vital seed of settlement of the fearful menace embroiling labor and capital, to wit:

"What time those who work for hire shall be oppressed, and shall rise in wrath to destroy their oppressor--lo! let their hand be stayed, that they shall obey Me. I say unto them: Harm not the person or the property of any man, not even though by that man -they be oppressed. For are not all brothers and sisters? Are not all children of one Father, even the nameless Creator? But this I command: That they destroy oppression. Shall things, which are less than man, rule over and oppress their masters? Seek diligently my meaning."

The students of ethics interpreted this command to mean that the oppressed industrial classes should not harm the oppressing capitalists nor their property. The rich classes were perhaps as much victims of circumstances as the poorer people; the remedy lay, not in blind anarchy, but in eradicating conditions. This was easy, if properly attempted. The oppressed were as a thousand to one of the oppressor. The majority of them held the elective franchise, and it was determined that, as the government was the people's servant, the proper method was to deal with the question at the polls, and not to employ violence against the rich. Therefore the call went forth amongst all the people to vote on the adoption of a code of industrial regulations and to vote its respectful submission to the Rai. Of the many articles and sections, I shall insert only those that are pertinent to modem times and troubles, so that if these selections are not articled and sectioned in consecution the reason is obvious.

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EXCERPTS FROM THE POSEID LABOR LAWS.

"No employer shall demand of any employee any service outside of legal hours of work without extra remuneration."

"Sec. 4. These hours shall not be less nor more than nine in number for physical labor in any period of twenty-four hours; nor less nor more than eight hours for sedentary employments chiefly requiring intellectual exertion."

This statute allowed the two parties to a labor contract to arrange to suit themselves when the working hours were to begin or end, with reference to the first hour of the day, namely, the modern noon hour. In regard to wage matters, the law was very clear. It held that as mankind was. selfish by nature, that is, the lower nature, that he would operate on a basis of self-aggrandizement, the modern doctrine of "laissez-nous faire." Hence if be should not be actuated by the sense of duty to his fellowman to treat that man right, when right was not dictated by might, then the law must compel him to be. fair. It is in this that the modern Anglo-Saxon world, which is Poseid (and Suern) reincarnating, shows one mark of the slow but sure upward progress begotten of time; proves that although man moves, as does all else, sensate and insensate, in a circle, yet that circle is like a screw-thread, ever progressing around and around, but each time moving on a higher plane. Poseid must be compelled by its advanced minds to do what is fair towards the weak. America and Europe are growing willing to do rightly, fairly, because it is the part of duty. Thus we behold modern employers often doing of free will what the ancient Poseid did because of law, namely, sharing profits with their employees.

The law then having gone to the lawmakers, the suffragists decreed that the government should establish a Department of Commissary, the duties of which should be to collect all statistics concerning the food products of commerce, also concerning all textile fabrics necessary for clothing and, in brief, all articles necessary for the proper social maintenance of individuals. On these statistical reports was to be founded

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an estimate of the cost of all such necessaries, amongst which books were reckoned as mental food, and the cost of these things for a year was calculated. Upon this calculation, day's wages were estimated by dividing the annual cost into the number of days. This rate was decided anew every ninety days, as the cost of the chief staples was found to fluctuate, hence the rate was not wholly stable, and the wages of any given three months' term might probably differ from those of any previous quarter.

Let me quote:

"See. VII, Art. V. Employers shall divide the gross profits of business operations upon the following plan: The wage, salary or emolument of each employee shall be paid in the sum directed by the quarterly estimate of living cost determined by the Department of Commissary. From the remainder, the amount of six parts in each hundred on the capital invested shall be set aside. This increment shall be and represent the employer's net profits. From the remaining income the running expenses shall be deducted, and of any sum thereafter remaining, one-half shall be invested to provide annuities for sick or disabled, or assurance for the dependents of deceased employees. The remaining half shall be periodically distributed amongst the employees on. the basis of their various compensations.

"See. VIII, Art. V. The whole of a body of employees is only equal to the Superintendent thereof. The Superintendent is equal to all the underlings. Hence, employers, when not themselves managers of the business, shall pay to managers a salary equal to the combined wages of the subordinates."

Truly, these labor laws and other matters have a modern sound. But civilization in all ages, among all nations, is wont to express itself in ways which, if modern language be used to describe them, will seem almost identical; so that in ancient Atl and in modem America the term "strike" may be properly used to designate a labor revolt; the same principle characterizes all other phases; for from age to age the world makes but

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slow progress, and is to-day not as far advanced in its present sub-cycle, nor as civilized, as it was in olden Poseid. This may seem a hard saying, but it will presently be understood.

Such, in the main, were the chief features of the industrial world in Poseid. The old-time strikes and riots out of which these laws were born disappeared and peace took its sway. The change was beneficent, indeed, yet always the strong looked to see how they might evade the law, and though they did not succeed to a harmful extent, still the wish on their part entered the sum of karma. So when the modem world of the Christian epoch came to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, particularly the last named, then began the reincarnation of this Poseid era, and for a time the tendency to oppression again came uppermost. But overriding this tendency now faintly appears the willingness to do right for the sake of right, which, as applied to industrial matters, has of very, very recent years been manifested--a sign of the evening afterglow of the last day, now near striking its last hour, telling of a spent age. I particularly refer to the greater willingness of man to treat his fellow rightly, without being forced thereto by legal enactments. Truly, it is, as yet, only done because it is found to pay; but it would never have been found to pay if the reincarnated rightwardness had not induced experiments in profit-sharing to be made, in hopes of exterminating the strike iniquity and with the idea of harmonizing society to be active in doing as it would be done by. Finally, strange and paradoxical as it may appear, this betterment is the direct child of the old-time rights extorted by might in Poseid, and to-day, reincarnated offspring of reincarnated oppression, as in Atlantis oppression sprang reincarnate from the grave of other ages gone before, previous to the wondrous memorial of Gizeh. But to more than mention this here would be to trench upon work given unto another by the Messiah; therefore only a hint can I give now, but more later. Suffice it then, that those were ages when man was struggling, with scarcely perceptible upward motion, from

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our fallen ancestry. Glory be to our Father that His children surely, if slowly, are by devious ways climbing His heights; many are their falls, but they shall rise again, not suffering the enemy to triumph.

It may be a seemingly inopportune intrusion, but I must here briefly describe the electro-odic transit system of Caiphul, and the other cities, towns and villages scattered throughout the empire and its colonies. The description is of the local transit-carriages only. On each side of every avenue was a broad tessellated pavement for pedestrians. A line of massive, bottomless stone vases in which throve ornamental shrubs and foliage plants stood upon the curb, and on either side of these was a metal rail, placed at a height of about nine feet, and supported upon davits similar to those from which ship-boats are swung. At regular distances other rails crossed these main runners, rails capable of being raised or lowered to form a switch-junction, a simple lever effecting this process. These rails served as cross streets, there being in comparatively few instances any paved street underneath the rails on any but the great radiate avenues. On the maps of the City Department of Transit these main and cross rails looked like the web of a garden spider. For each transit-district there were multitudes of carriages, having aut-odic mechanism, whereby they were made to speed at tremendous swiftness with their passengers; but collisions could not occur, as the conveying rods formed a double-track system.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER III

 

FAITH IS KNOWLEDGE ALSO, AND IT GIVETH TO REMOVING MOUNTAINS

There is a saying, whose origin is dim through lapse of time, to the effect that "Knowledge is power." Within well-defined limits this is a verity. If behind the knowledge lies the requisite energy to realize its benefits, then only is it a true saying.

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In order to exercise command over nature and her forces, the would-be operator must have perfect comprehension of the natural laws involved. It is the degree of attainment in this knowledge which marks the less or greater ability of the performer, and those who have acquired the profoundest understanding of the Law (Lex Magnum) are masters whose powers seem so marvelous as to be magical. Uninitiated minds are absolutely alarmed by their incomprehensible manifestations. On every side of me when I came from my mountain home to my metropolitan abode I found inexplicable wonders, but natural dignity saved me from appearing ignorant. Little by little was I to acquire familiarity with my environment, and thereby gain a knowledge of the things which have been referred to since I first mentioned the exchange of country life for urban surroundings. But these attainments of pleasing authority over nature demanded a special course. That course of study had not yet been determined upon by me, prior to my introduction to the city, for it seemed that the part of wisdom was to concentrate my energies upon specialties and not to scatter force by attempting generalities. To this end I determined to live for a more or less extended period without seeking admission to the Xioquithlon, and resolved to devote the interim to observation. I had been an extensive reader of books, which I obtained from the public library in the district where my mountain home had been. From these I had gained no inconsiderable understanding of social polity. The fact that there were but ninety-one elective offices in the gift of the people, while there were almost three hundred millions of Poseidi in Atl and her colonies, and according to a late census which I had seen, thirty-seven, nearly thirty-eight, millions of electors held First Degree diplomas, thus entitling them to hold elective offices, disposed me to think it extremely improbable that such a high preferment would ever fall to my lot. But if I could scarcely expect a ministerial office, I yet felt that I might, if I fitted myself therefor by gaining a prime diploma, attain to a high political level and hold an

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appointive position, and some of these were almost equally as honorable as a councilorship. What special subjects should I concentrate Upon? Geological research was very attractive to me, and by its numerous branches offered wide and alluring fields of opportunity. Then again, philology was almost as much so; my ability to acquire foreign languages was not inconsiderable, as I had found from studying a little volume descriptive of a land known as Suernis, a strange country, and of the language of which many examples were given; these I had without effort learned perfectly from once reading.

Several months of city residence at length found me determined to acquire all the geological knowledge that I could, for it was a study which I believed Incal had directed me to make, as also a knowledge of mines and of practical mineralogy. As co-efficients I purposed thoroughly to ground myself in synthetic and analytical literature, not alone of my native Poseid, but also that of the Suerni and Necropanic languages. Thus have I named the three greatest nations of pre-Noachian (pre-Nepthian) times. One of these nations was effaced from the earth, but the other two have, after terrible vicissitudes, survived till today; of them I will speak later.

The reasons which induced me to choose the curriculum which I have mentioned were, that as a geologist and coordinate scientist I hoped to make new discoveries of value, and to place them in book form before the world, at least before the Poseid peoples, who esteemed themselves most of the world, and end scarcely to be attained otherwise than by this course of study. The influence which I hoped to gain through such publications might lead to my becoming Superintendent-General of Mines, a political place not second to any other appointive office. There certainly would be other studies required of me if I entered the race for a prime diploma, but the ones cited were the most agreeable and would constitute my chief aspiration. As an aside, I may remark that those studies then selected, and afterwards mastered, led my nature to assume a bent which resulted, not many yews ago, in my becoming

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a mine-owner in the State of California-and a successful one, too. It so much more firmly fixed my linguistic leanings that, while a citizen of the United States of America, I was a master not alone of my native tongue, but also of thirteen other modern languages, such as French, German and Spanish, Chinese, several dialectal varieties of Hindustanie, and Sanskrit as a sort, of mental relaxation. Please not to regard this confession as due to boastfulness; it is not. I but make it in order to show thee, my friend, that thine own powers are not matters of heritage only, but recollected acquirements from some one, or it may be of all of thy past lives; also to give thee a hint of profit, to wit: that studies to-day undertaken, no matter how near to the evening of thy days, will surely bear fruit, not alone in thy present earth life, but in the experiences of subsequent incarnations also. We see with all we have seen, we do with all we have done, and we think with all we have thought. Verbum sat sapienti.

In the next chapter I purpose devoting some pages to a consideration of physical science, as understood by the Poseidi; more especially will I refer to the prime principles upon which it was based, inasmuch as neglect, to do this would necessitate the taking of many statements ex cathedra which otherwise might be clearly understood at the moment.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER IV

 

"AXTE INCAL, AXTUCE MUN"

In their consideration of natural laws, the philosophers of Poseid had come to the conclusive hypothesis and working theory that the material universe was not a complex entity but in its primality extremely simple. The glorious truth, "Incal malixetho," was clear to them, that is, that "Incal (God) is immanent in Nature." To this they appended, "Axte Incal, axtuce mun," "To know God is to know all

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worlds whatever." After centuries of experimentations, recording of phenomena, deductions, analyzing and synthetizing, these students had arrived at the final proposition that the universe--not here dwelling on their wondrous astronomical knowledge--was, with all its varied phenomena, created and continuously kept in operation by two primal force-principles. Briefly stated, these basic facts were that matter and dynamic energy (which were Incal made externally manifest) could readily account for all things else. This conception held that only One Substance existed and but One Energy, the one being Incal externalized and the other His Life in action in His Body. [*1] This One Substance assumed many forms under the action of variant degrees of dynamic force. Because it was the basic principle of all natural and a psychic, but not of spiritual, phenomena, allow here a postulate with which not a few of my friends will find themselves at least partially familiar, perhaps wholly so. Commencing with dynamic energy as first sensibly manifest in the example furnished by simple vibration, the Poseid position may be outlined as follows: A very low rate of vibration may be felt; an increase of rate heard. For example, first we feel the pulsing of a harp-string, and then if the rate of vibration be increased we hear its sound. But substances of other sorts, able to endure greater vibratory impulses, manifest under more intense action, following sound, first heat, then light. Now again, light varies in color. The first color produced is red, and thence, by a constantly augmenting vibratile energy, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, each spectrum-band being due to an exact and definite increase in the number of the vibrations. Succeeding the violet, further augmentation gives pure white, more gives a gray, then more extinguishes light, replacing it with

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electricity, and so on through an ever-increasing voltage until the realm of vital or psychic force is attained. This may truly be regarded as going inward from those manifestations of nature, of Incal or God, or the Creator, which are external; as going toward the internal from externality. A very brief study will show thee that the laws of the physical world continue inward to their spiritual source; that they are, truly, but prolongations the one of the other. But, ere entering into the realm of vibration, whose doorkeeper is sound, we find that the One Substance vibrates in variant, but definite, dynamic degree, and that thence arise each and all of the diverse forms of matter; in short, the difference between any given substances, as gold and silver, iron and lead, sugar and sand, is not one of matter, but of dynamic degree solely. Do I weary thee, my friend? Bear yet a little longer, I pray thee, for it is an important matter. In this dynamic affection the degree is no loose limitation, for if the vibratile rate be a shade variant, lower or higher than in any special material which may be under notice, the variation will be different in appearance and in its chemical nature; thus to proper substantial entities definite if enormous vibrations per second may be imparted, and the resulting substance (for light is substantial) is, say, red light, [*1] but if one-eighth greater it will be orange, and if more or less, then the resultant must inevitably be a reddish orange, or a yellowish, respectively. It thus appears that certain definite degrees exist as plainly as mileposts, and that these major degrees are absolute. In other words, the One Substance is not as readily kept between these greater definitions as upon them, a fact which explains the tendency of composites, or intermediate affections, to decompose into the

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definite or simple elements; chemical compounds are not as stable as chemical primaries. The modern "wave theory," that sound, heat, light and correlatives are but forms of force, is only half correct; they are this, but they are more also. They are, in brief, affections of the One Substance by specific degrees of the One Energy, and except that the rate of this affection is vastly greater in the case of electricity than in that of lead or gold, there is no difference between these widely diverse appearing things. This is the energy by the Rosicrucians named "Fire," that which gives entrance to that. mysterious realm of nature penetrated only by the adept thaumaturgist, magician. Call these students it whose will all nature bends obedient, by whatever name best, please, thee, only bearing ever in mind that the real Magian never speaks of self or works, and is not known by his fellows to be what he is, save an accident hath revealed the secret. To this membership belonged He at whose command the winds and the waves were stayed on tempestuous Galilee. But He spoke not of Himself. Of that sublime brotherhood I will relate much ere long. No better proof is needed that all the variant manifestations are but variants of the odic force, the Rosicrucian "Fire," than this: offer resistance to an electric current, thereby reducing or diverting it against an opposing force, and thou hast light; oppose to this (are) light a combustible obstruction, and flame results. So mightest thou go on to the discovery soon to be made by the world of science, that light, all light, of the sun, or from any source, can he made to yield sound; upon this discovery hinge some of the most astounding inventions that thine age hath even dreamed of in its visions. But the primal discovery in this wonderful link, first of the sequence, will be the greatest of all, and so heralded. And this will be warranted, for the fact that it will be but a reincarnate unfoldment will not diminish its importance to mankind, nor the credit of its rediscoverer. In brief, the truths of our Father's Kingdom are eternal; have ever been, will ever be existent, and only the discoverers themselves will be new to the fact. The fact not being a new one in itself, nor new even to the

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world, but only to this age of it. Poseid knew that light gives out sound when correctly resisted. It knew that magnetism gives rise to electricity in the same manner and for the same reason. Thus, the loadstone exhibits magnetism; revolve it in the field of a dynamo and so cut the current and pile it upon itself, so to speak, and electricity develops. So, resist this and light appears; this, and heat comes; again resisted properly, and sound results, then next energy appears as pulsing motion. But these various processes may be "short-circuited" and all of the intermediate phenomena cut out.

Have I been wearisome in this discourse? If so, and I suspect that I have, the reward is at hand.

The Poseidi found that in the realm beyond magnetism were yet other forces, superior and more intense of pulsation, forces operated by the mind. And Mind is of our Father, and is the constantly creating source of all things whatsoever. Were the perpetual vis a tergo of divine creation to cease for one instant, in that instant the Universe would cease to exist. Now wilt thou see the sublime beauty of the Atlan postulate not long since repeated: "Incal malixetho. Axte Incal, axtuce mun." For down from His heights, marking the descent by "forcefalls" as a river marks declivities fin its bed by cataracts, comes this supreme power; comes far, oh! very far, adown its course to the cascades of magnetism, electricity, light, heat, sound, motion--and far off where the bed of this Divine stream becomes nearly level, exhibits those little ripples of material differentiation which thou termest chemical elements, insisting on there being sixty-three, when there is but One. From this knowledge came all the wondrous triumphs of that old age, and one by one they are emerging to-day after their long oblivion, till to-morrow they shall awake in crowds, and press to rediscovery by threes and fours, and then by platoons and companies and legions, till all the treasures of Poseid shall be again on earth, in air, and sea. O, bright to-morrow of time, and fortunate thou who shalt open thine eyes upon it and its marvels. And yet, although so fortunate, still shalt thou find it well behooves thee to temper all things by the spirit, and

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not to let the match of physical discovery outstrip the advance of the soul. O, sad shall be found any day wherein man approacheth the arcane treasury of his Father from the side of the blind physical eye; for if by this the whole world shall be gained, what shall it profit if it lose the soul?

Having thus acquired insight into a new realm, if it be new to thee, let me ask, and answer thou me: How explainest thou these two great phenomena, heat and light? They are not easy to explain; cold and darkness are not merely the absence of heat and light.

Having given the basis thereof, now will I show a new philosophy:

I have said that the Atlans recognized Nature in its entirety to be Deity externalized. Their philosophy asserted that force moved, not in straight fines but in circles, that is, so as always to return into itself. If the dynamism operating the universe acts in circular progression, it follows that an infinity of increase in vibration possible to One Substance would be an untenable concept. There must be a point in the circle where extremes meet and run the round again, and this we find between cathodicity and magnetism. As vibration brought substance into the realm of light, it must carry it out. It does so. It conveys it into what the Poseidi termed "Navaz, the Night-Side of Nature," where duality becomes manifest, cold opposing heat, darkness light, and where positive polarity opposes negative, all things antipodal. Cold is as much a substantial entity as heat, and darkness as light. There is a prism of seven colors in each white ray of light; there is also a septuple prism of black entities in the blackest gloom--the night is as pregnant as the day.

The Poseid investigator thus became cognizant of wondrous forces of nature which he might bend to the uses of mankind. The secret was out, the discovery being that attraction of gravitation, the law of weight, had set over against it the "repulsion by levitation"; that the first belonged to the Light-Side of Nature, and the second to Navaz, the Night-Side; that vibration governed the darkness and the cold. Thus Poseid,

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like Job of old, knew the path to the. house of darkness, and the treasures of the hail (cold). Through this wisdom Atlantis found it possible to adjust weight (positiveness) to lack of weight (negativeness) so evenly that no "tug of war" was manifest. This achievement meant much. It meant aerial navigation without wings or unwieldy gas-reservoirs, through taking advantage of repulsion by levitation opposed in overmatching strength to the attraction of gravitation. That vibration of the One Substance governed and composed all realms was a discovery which solved the problem of the conveyance of images of light, pictures of forms, as well as of sound and heat, just as the telephone thou knowest so well conveys images of sound, only In Poseid no wires or other sensible material connection was required in the use, at whatever distance, of either telephones or telephotes, nor even in caloriveyance, that is, heat-conduction.

To digress a little, it is to the employment of these and the higher forces of the night-side that seemingly magic feats of occult adepts, from the Man of Nazareth down to the least Yogi, are indebted for their possibility.

And now, let me close this chapter by saying that when modern science shall have seen its way to the acceptance of the Poseidonic knowledge herein outlined, physical nature will no longer posses any hidden recess, any penetralia, for the scientific investigator. Not earth, air, the depth of the seas nor those of interstellar space will hold secrets from that man who approaches from the Godward side, as did Poseid. I do not say that Atl knew the very all; it knew more than this day has yet uncovered, but not all. Yet, the search commenced then by them might be continued now by thee, for America, my people, thou wert of Atlantis. Of either, I can sing, "My country, 'tis of thee."

Footnotes

^61:1 NOTE--As, in its outgoing impulse the Created draws away from the Creator it looks back to its origin and notes its progression-marks, that is, its multiplied realizations of its increasing separation from its Source. The greater this separateness, the greater the field (Matter) wherein these points appear, because the divine element in the Created has noted more points, or in other things, more material objects as being between it and its source. Only when we look back at these things we have sensed these thought-forms of God, do we perceive matter, for when we look forward to reunion with Him, matter disappears, giving place to Spirit.

^62:1 NOTE--Redlight is stated to occur at 395,000,000,000,000 vibrations of that "ether" which by Phylos is termed the last form of matter below where matter ceases and mind begins. And the highest visible light vibration is placed at 790,000,000,000,000. So says science. But Phylos says: "Vastly higher than the high purple range where light ceases ordinarily to be visible, the One Substance again vibrates visibly. As a synchronous harp-string that responds to key of low C, for example, struck on another harp, will also respond to every C in the whole register, be it low, or middle or high, so the One Substance responds at 831,000,000,000,000; at, again, the next octave of vibration, and again at the next, where it becomes visible as the fatal Unfed Light, called in Atla the "Maxin," and again, by the Tchin as the "Vis Mortuus."

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER V

 

LIFE IN CAIPHUL

The new life presented very many novelties to my mother and myself, coming into the midst of urban environments from the mountains, as we had so recently done.

After learning more about its conveniences, I very readily harmonized myself with the new requirements. My attire I altered to suit the city styles, while my bearing being reserved, I was enabled to appear at case, an appearance supported in continually increasing degree by the fact that I steadily gained in self command.

The indoor life of a student, when I had enrolled myself for attendance at the Xioquithlon, proved so enervating to one accustomed to unhampered freedom, that I found myself obliged to follow some scheme which would afford me needed exercise.

After some thought, together with fortuitous information which I gained, I went to the District  of the Department of Soils and Tillage, and requested that official to show me some piece of land which I might cultivate, not necessarily for profit, but for exercise, telling him that I was a student.

The Superintendent, with official indifference, laid before me a platted map of the lands adjacent to Caiphul.

In speaking of distances I have consulted the probable convenience of my readers, and used feet, yards, miles, and so on, as nominal quantities. I refer to this now, remembering that our system of measurements was founded on a principle similar to the modem Gallic or metric system. But its unit was not the ten-millionth part of the terrestrial quadrant. Instead, it originated from the great Rai of the Maxin Laws. As previously remarked, this monarch had introduced all conceivable reforms, and among others was this of replacing with a uniform system of measurements the clumsier, though not wholly unscientific, method previously in use. The circumference of the earth at the equator, as determined by astronomers, had served

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as a basis, just as the modern metric system of a fraction of the quadrature of the earth's north and south polar division does to-day. But this standard was not regarded with unfailing confidence; it was feared some error had crept into the original calculation, and while if it had the rod of gold used as a register would have served all purposes, being unchangeable, still such is the human wish to be as perfect as possible, that, as I have said, the fear of an error annihilated confidence. Every man who chose to do so set up a private standard, based on any scheme which suited himself, a condition of things which led to deplorable fraud throughout the empire.

The Rai of the Maxin instituted a system so admirable that it was immediately accepted as absolute authority, more especially as no man doubted that it came from Incal.

The Rai had a vessel constructed of material which underwent the smallest known contraction or expansion under the influence of cold or heat. This vessel was interiorly a perfect hollow cube, of the exact size of the Maxin-Stone. A massive tube was also made of the same substance, some four inches in interior diameter. Into the cubic vessel was poured precisely enough distilled water, of a temperature of 398 Fahr., to fill it, and leave no bubble of air within the hollow. This water was then drawn off through a faucet into the tubular vessel, the same low temperature being carefully maintained. The exact height of the water was then graven on a rod of the same metal of which the vessels were made. The next step was to heat the water to 211.95 degrees Fahr., both this and the other process being performed at the sea level on a uniform summer day. Under the heat, the water expanded in an appreciable degree, and the almost boiling point was marked as in the other instance, and the difference on the rod between the two graven lines was made the unit of lineal measurement, from which all other measures were derived, that of weight being the weight of the hollow cube full of water at 398 Fahr. I use the Fahrenheit thermometrical scale because to thee our Poseid scale would be

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Pardon this digression, since it reveals another of the phases of life in that long-past age.

To return to the Superintendent's office. This person, having laid before me a map of unrented areas--it will be remembered that there was no owner of land except the government--turned to other business, leaving me to study the plat at pleasure. Running my eye over the printed descriptions, I found that a tract of about five acres, on a part of which was an old orchard of various kinds of fruit trees, was to be had at a distance of some eight "vens", (nearly the same number of miles) from the city, but farther up the peninsula. Its former tenant had leased it for a period of fifty years, but by reason of his death the property was left vacant, and was consequently again for disposition.

The fact that students were often hard pressed for means on which to live was taken into account by the government, which in all of its dealings with this class allowed better terms than were accorded to any other social division.

The property under consideration attracted me from its description, viz., "An area of approximately eight ven-nines (five acres) with a dwelling of four rooms, spring water piped over the house; one ven-nine devoted to garden flowers, and six to fruit trees fifteen years of age. Terms (with all conveniences) to students-one half of the fruit crop, and all perfume flowers grown, delivered to the Agent of Soils and Tillage Department. To other persons than students, four tekas per month (ten dollars and twenty-three cents). Not leased for less than one year.

I concluded to lease the place, for I learned that "all conveniences" meant vailx transportation, telephotic (naim) service, and a caloriveyant instrument, which latter would save fuel, energy to be converted into heat for cooking and other purposes being transmitted by the "Navaza," a range of material forces denominated in these thy modem days "earth-currents," but also including those of the higher ether, a range which ye shall yet find and utilize as did Atl, for are ye not Poseid returned? I have said it. Ye lived then; ye live now.

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[paragraph continues] Ye used all these forces then; ye shall ere long use them all again.

Having decided to take the property shown me, I so stated to the official, whereupon he furnished me with a blank contract, helping me to fill it out properly. As a glimpse into that long-fled epoch, I give a copy of this leasehold:

"I, ............................. year., of age, of the ........... sex, and by occupation a ........., do covenant with the Department of Soils to lease block ............ in district ............ described as follows: ....................... And I do agree to take ..................... this for ........... years, the same being smiled upon by the Most High Incal."

I took the place for a term of eight years, expecting to he a resident of Caiphul during at least that period of time as a student of the Xioquithlon.

It seemed no small thing that I could have conveyance by vailx from my leasehold to the Xioquithlon, and thus enjoy a daily trip through the air. Vailx, like the modern cab, might be sent (or by telephone, and respond for service in a short time after the call.

It was customary with all newcomers in the city to make a visit to the Agacoe palace and gardens m early as might be convenient after their arrival. Two hours in each week the Rai (emperor) sat in the reception hall, and during these two hours visitors thronged the corridors and passed in double ranks before the throne. After this ceremony, all who chore were free to wander unrestricted through the gardens, visit the menagerie, where every known species of animal was kept, or to go through the grand museum or the royal library. With many it was a pleasurable custom frequently to spend the day at Agacoe, on which occasions lunches were brought and a quiet picnic held under the great trees beside fountain, lake or cataract.

I must now return to that time when my mother and myself were wholly unfamiliar with city usages, in order that the reader may accompany us through scenes of novelty. Let us begin with the visit to Agacoe.

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An acquaintance, at that moment gained, guided us to the palace, taking us with himself in a car into which he ushered us. At this time these cars were a novelty to me, and consequently their manipulation became a subject upon which to inform myself.

Our friend took a small coin from his purse and dropped it into an aperture in a glass-fronted box at one end of the car, The coin could not miss falling in such a way as to rest in the bottom of a glass cylinder, a very little greater in diameter than the money itself. Two metal points which projected into the lower end of the cylinder, but did not approach each other nearer than a quarter of an inch, were in the bottom of the tube. When the coin fell upon these a little bell rang, and our friend then raised a lever in the carriage, which lever had a lock-bar over it until the bell rang. This bar had, With the closing of the circuit by the coin, automatically slipped back, at the same time ringing a bell as above noted, thus releasing the lever. When the latter was raised the car moved suddenly but easily out of the station. It swung from its over head rail, only the peripheries of its large suspensory wheels being visible, for together with their axles they were mostly hidden by a long metal case which extended from one wheel to the other, and within which, a low, humming whirr could be beard, a sound produced by the mechanism of the motory apparatus. The plan of making the passenger do duty as engineer and conductor also was a good one, seeing that the processes required so little knowledge or trouble. As we left the car at the main entrance depot below Agacoe terrace, our friend replaced the lever, the bell rang again, the coin dropped from sight into a strong box underneath, and the vehicle was ready for other passengers. At the grand entrance, a gate which was a marvel of architectural beauty, our friend bade us adieu, entered a car which hung from another track, and was soon disappearing at lightning speed to some yet more distant destination. Glancing at the directory. which hung above that particular line, I saw that it bore the legend in Poseid characters, "Aagak mnoiinc sus," that is "City Front and Grand Canal," to

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make a free translation. Wishing to inform myself concerning our friendly guide, I asked some one who had interestedly watched the arrival of our little party, who the gentleman was. The reply given was:

"A, great preacher, who foretells the destruction of this continent, and bids all men so to live that they will not fear to meet One who, he says, is the Son of Incal, who shall come upon the earth in days yet very far off. He says that this Son of God shall be the Savior of mankind, but that many shall not know Him until He shall have been put to death. Twelve shall know Him, but one of them will deny Him in the hour of His last peril. Indeed, it is a subject of very exceeding interest, albeit one I do not very well understand; yet as Rai Gwauxln, In-be good to him! showeth this preacher all favor, and saith of him, 'He speaketh verities,' therefore is he attentively received by every one."

Reader, even in that far past age of the world truth was dawning, and this, in the morning of the cycle, was a first ray of the bright sun of Christianity, the orb which even yet is not arisen in the fullness of its glory. I had that morning ridden in the same car with the first prophet who announced the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, exhorting all of his hearers so to live that their souls might be turned as virgin soil to the rising Sun of Truth, and thereby be made ready to receive the Master when, after the death of their then possessed corporeal bodies, they had returned to earth from Devachan as reincarnated souls. Sowing the seed by the wayside! It fell on me when at a somewhat later period I heard the prophet speak in impassioned eloquence to the specially assembled Xioquithli (students). I know it fell on fallow soil, when I compare my life now with the lives past; yet, for long, the seed lay dormant, and while it did so the bitter experiences of sin and error arose and swept my life outward on a wave of scorching fire, which required another incarnation to heal the scars it left.

As we stood beneath the portal at the grand entrance to Agacoe, we, unsophisticated mountaineers! could not know, when a uniformed guide accosted us, that the emperor, on his

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throne half a mile distant, was in that same moment perfectly aware of our personal appearance and also of the very words we used and our tones.

To me the soldier said:

"And thou, whence comest, and what is thy name?"

"I am called Zailm Numinos, and come from Querdno Aru."

"This visit--is it thy first, or hast thou previously been here?"

"Not ere this; neither I, nor my parent here by my side."

"So! I will provide thee a conductor. Thou wilt find him at yonder gateway. One more question, an' it please thee; thy mission in Caiphul?"

"I am come to study xioq in the Inithlon; my mother doth purpose to keep our house."

"'Tis well. Thou mayest go."

This colloquy occurred at the great portal giving entrance to the terrace above. The sentry sat behind a richly wrought gate. of bronze metal and gold, very slight, but all sufficient to bar unwelcomed progress. At his back was a large mirror in the heavy arch of the portal. This reflector was suspended by two burnished copper rods in such a manner as to prevent it from touching the side of the niche at any point. Could I have looked behind it, I would have seen an arrangement of metallic cords much resembling those of a piano, together with much other mechanism which at the time would have meant nothing to my untutored mind. How was I to suspect that this brightly polished metal sheet in which, as in a calm lake, the whole interior of the archway was reflected, was an ingenious automatic messenger? That some one of the myriad wires behind it was vibrant to every possible inflection of the voice, or to any sound whatever, and that when I spoke every briefest sound I uttered was sped along the natural earth-currents which sprang from nature's Night-Side responsive to the control of man, and heard by the Rai on his throne. No more did I dream that, simultaneously with this telltale, our imaged reflection was likewise conveyed to the same august presence. But such were the facts.

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A few steps brought us to an inner gate made of fenestrated iron plates which, upon the pressing of a button at the side, arose between standards to give beneath. At this point we found the guide whom the guard had provided. I deemed his silence in indication of gruffness, not knowing that he had received orders, ere we came unto him, which directed him to conduct us to the royal presence, and needed from us no repetition of our wishes. His quiet remark, "I understand," when I began to tell him what we desired, prevented more words on my part, for I felt a sense of injured pride at his reserve, so different from the freedom of my mountain associates; and there were so many of these haughty city people! I determined to give this man a lesson, and considered how I might best let him know that I thought his manner overbearingly out of place for one in his station. That he already possessed all necessary information concerning us I did not imagine, since, if the distance from his post to the other gate was not great, it was obviously too far for our low-spoken tones to have been heard. The unsuspected mirror had done its work here also, although we knew it not.

"Come," said this haughty fellow, "I will conduct thyself and mother."

"Mother!" I thought. "How does the fellow know that, one so fair and so young looking is my mother? She might be my sister, or even my wife, for might he knows to the contrary." The supposed presumption of the man nettled me, for I was proud not only of my mother's youthful appearance, but also of my own fondly fancied mature looks; I had not infrequently been told that I looked seven or eight years older than I really was. Bad the foolishness of such a pride in my personal appearance been fairly presented to me, instead of feeling an ill-defined resentment at a seeming presumption, I would have laughed at its absurdity, and put it aside as unworthy of one having such high-aimed ambition. As it was, it merely resulted in stiffness of demeanor as a retaliation for the imagined over-bearance, and, mostly to my own detriment, caused somewhat of an obliviousness to sights and surroundings I had better

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have noted at the time. Though I did not laugh then, by reason of the obtuse view caused by my ignorance, I have laughed, since, as I looked back over the record of the past. So many thousand years as have since elapsed may make it seem laughter at long range, but, "'Tis better late than never," fitly applies here!

We seated ourselves as directed, in a car of lighter build than those used on the public avenues, and also of a different shape. It was not until we were fairly in motion that I realized how absolutely different was its construction and propulsive method. Well used as I wished to appear to all these novel things, I gave a telltale start when the conductor touched a lever and the vehicle rose into the air like a soap-bubble, steadied itself, and then darted up the incline to the edge of the level ground surrounding the palace. Here we left the cigar-shaped vehicle and entered a car which ran upon rails. When we were again in motion, we made a half circuit of the building, and then shot across the plateau directly into the dark, yawning mouth of one of the great stone serpents. Instead of ascending at the same angle as did the body of the reptile, our car glided along on a horizontal plane. As we entered, a sudden illumination lit up the gloom where an instant previous all had been darkness. From this pleasant surprise my attention was attracted to the brilliancy of the walls about us, which seemed to flame with red, blue, green, yellow and all other tinted flashes of fire, so that I can find no simile more fitting than comparison to the sunlit dews on the myriad webs of morning lawn-spiders. I forgot my own haughtiness, and asked concerning the cause of this dazzling effect, and was answered that the mansions had finished the walls with a mortar in which colored grains of glass had been incorporated.

In the midst of our admiration our horizontal progress ceased, and I saw that we were at the bottom of a sort of well, around the sides of which the track coiled in upward spirals until it seemed to cease just beneath a ceiling vaguely visible from the light cast upward by ourselves as we swiftly circled the incline. As we came directly beneath the ceiling a sweet

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toned bell rang twice, and immediately afterward the entire ceiling slid noiselessly aside, allowing our carriage to pass through. Behind us the well again closed automatically and we found ourselves in a splendid apartment, of which the size was not apparent, owing to the many swinging screens of carmine silk, the royal color, as well as to the foliage plants, which made miniature sylvan vistas. The flowers and song-birds, the fountains and perfumed air, with the cool shade after its heat outside, for we had not been long enough in the elevator-well to become cool, all made what seemed here a paradise. The ceiling of this great room was visible only here and there, being in most places hidden by petulant vines. Through all this harmony of vision, trembling in the air. over, under, around about were sounding entrancing musical cadences, to which, as to an inspiration, the birds replied in rivaling chorus. In and out, amongst this edenic scene of color, sound and scent, past choice statues and fairy, graceful fountains, our car glided with a noiseless speed which front its even motion aided the illusion that we remained still, and all the vision of delight shifted about us as about a center. And this was a marriage of art and of science; from their union sprang the fair dream, a triumph of human skill and knowledge!

In every direction cars were coming, going, or at rest, containing people dressed as for a gala day, the various distinguishing colors of their turbans denoting their social rank. Poseid, like other countries then and since, had its social castes, as the governmental, the literati and ecclesiastics, the artisans, a limited military, which served it as a police and sanitary corps, and so on through the usual familiar list. The apparel of all classes was fashioned in the same general style, until it came to the headdress--all of the people wore turbans--which article of raiment differed in color according to caste. Thus, the turban of the Sovereign was of pure carmine-hued silk; of the councilors, a wine red, and of lesser officials, a pale pink. The turbans of the soldiery were deep orange for the ranks, and lemon chrome for the officers. Pure white marked the priesthood, and gray the scientific, the literary

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and artistic classes. Blue distinguished the artisans, mechanics and laborers, while, green denoted all who, for any reason, either immaturity or educational lack, did not enjoy the right of suffrage. Notwithstanding that these caste indices were strictly adhered to, they resulted in good, rather than otherwise, for caste conceits did not find place among those who wore any color but green, since dignity of labor was a feeling of such vigor that there was no envy of one class by another. As for those who perforce wore the green, those who did so because of not. having come to their years of majority would grow out of the color, while those who lacked sufficient education to entitle them to another hue, felt the stigma attaching to their grade to be a reason for extra efforts to attain a more honorable station in life.

While I hid been studying the various topics presented for thought, our ear was deftly made to avoid collision with that of a lady who came swiftly onwards, apparently heedless of her course. while she was putting in place a loose end of her gray turban, showing as she did so the flashing rays from it ruby, a gem that only royalty might wear. Our car wheeled into an augmenting procession of carriages and presently carried its into it second apartment. But, the royal maiden of the gray turban and ruby--my thoughts were still with her! How radiant was her beauty! 'Twas my first sight of the Princess Anzimee--but I must not anticipate!

Th, apartment into which we were now come was smaller than the one we had just left, but yet of no mean extent. Everything here was of brilliant, flashing carmine, except an elevation in the center of the room. This was of circular black marble steps, or small terraces, the top, which was twelve feet across, being surmounted by a dais of some dark wood, upholstered in black velvet.

It should here be remarked that black was a representative hue and included the symbolism of all colors, thus denoting, as used on the throne, that he who sat there belonged to every class; and this was the fact, since Rai Gwauxln was not only sovereign and chief of the army, one of the high priests, a

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literate, scientist, artist and musician, but was also well acquainted with the duties of artisans and machinists.

In front of the silver railing which surrounded the throne our carriage stopped out to one side of the moving line, obedient to a gesture of the emperor. The guide bade us alight and, opening a little gate directed us to ascend the steps of the dais to the feet of the Rai. My heart beat fast as I obeyed, and though pale with causeless trepidation, I had myself well enough under control to offer the support of my arm to my mother, and I think I never walked more proudly erect in my life. At the top of the steps we knelt and waited the command to rise again, nor had we long to wait.

As we arose Rai Gwauxln said quietly:

"Zailm, thou art young for a student so ambitious as I know thee to be."

"If it please thee to have me so, I am happy," I made reply.

"Hast thou learned what the primary schools for the young have to teach? For this must be ere thou couldst gain admission to the Inithlon."

"I have done even so, Rai."

"May it please thee, Zailm, to confide to me what studies thou dost chiefly prefer?"

"Zo Rai, I count it an high honor to speak. Of my own fancy I have not chosen any studies. Yet, I do not doubt that Incal hath Himself ordered my preference, indicating geology above all else. Also He hath given me a natural disposition, which, if I consult, points that I study languages and literature. I am not yet decided, but think well of these branches of xioq. But geology He directed through a wild experience."

"Thou dost interest me, lad. Yet this is an hour of state duties, and I must not neglect my people who come before me to pay respects to their monarch. Take, therefore, this pass, and at the fourth hour come again to the portal at which thou didst enter into Agacoe. I bid thee welcome."

I took the present and on my way down the steps of the

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marble terrace saw that It bore the inscription, "Rai's presence. Permit bearer."

We had with us a packet of dates and pastries and were therefore under no necessity of leaving the gardens for luncheon. Our guide took us again in charge, and after learning that we desired to remain within the grounds about the palace, threaded our conveyance through the mazes of the building once more, letting us out of the carriage beside one of the pillars of the peristyle. From the point where we alighted, and where we parted from the guide, I looked about to ascertain the direction of the grand entrance, and seeing that it was in the east, I escorted my mother to a seat under the side of a giant deodar, or, as they were called in after centuries, "Cedars of Lebanon." On a bough over head sat a mockingbird, or, as we call them, a "nossuri," signifying "songster of the moonlight," in reference to the habit of these lovely, gray-coated birds to fill all the still, moonlit air of night with their wondrous melody. Not that they do not sing by day; indeed, the bird was even then singing, but the naming these "nossuri," from "nosses" (the moon) and "surada" (I sing), was a distinctive Poseid ornithological term.

At the appointed hour we went to the place designated and, presenting the passport, were shown into a conveyance, and after again ascending the eminence the guide ushered us, into a small apartment of most luxurious appointments. By a table almost hidden by books sat the Rai, listening to a well-modulated voice which was relating the latest news of the day, but the owner of which was not visible. The Rai turned as the usher announced us, dismissed the servitor, and bade us a fair eventide. Then he turned to a case shaped something like that pleasing instrument, the modern music box, and turned a key in it with a soft snap. On the instant the voice of the unseen speaker ceased in the middle of a word, and I knew as we complied with our sovereign's request to be seated that I had for the first time heard one of the vocal news-records of which I had so frequently read.

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During the ensuing hour I related the story of my life, its hopes, sorrows, triumphs and ambitions, in answer to the questions of the genial yet not seemingly old man to whom any living person might pay homage and suffer no loss of dignity, because his regal courtesy showed how very manly a king or how kingly a man might be.

I told how each new fact had but added to my appetite for yet greater knowledge. Then I recounted the experiences of my trip to the summit of Rhok, a recital interrupted as I made mention of the name of the mountain. "Rhok!" exclaimed the imperial listener, "dost thou mean to tell me that thou didst ascend that awful height, in the night, alone, a mountain which all our maps assert to be inaccessible except to vailx? Perchance, Zo Rai, that the only route was known to but a few of us mountaineers; I have read that it was thought inaccessible; but--" I hesitated, whereat the Rai said, quickly:

"Yea, speak-! 'Twas to judge. of thee that I have listened to thy recital, for well do I know all thou hast told me. I could have told it ere thou didst, and can tell all the rest thou wilt say; I have desired to hear thee to judge of thee; thy story I have known ever since I saw thee first. I am a Son of the Solitude," he added. I was silent, for the thought abashed me--that he already knew all. Seeing this, he said: "Go on, my son. Tell me all; I wish it from thy lips, for I am interested in thee for thyself."

Thereupon I resumed the interrupted narration, and described my rendition of homage to Incal, and the petition for His aid; His quick granting of my prayer; then of the eruption of the volcano and the peril in which it had placed me. At this the Rai remarked: "Then thou wert eye-witness to that outburst of the terrene forces? I have been told that it wrought great local changes, and that there is now a lake of extensive size where before none was, at the foot of Rhok; it is nine vens across."

I was still unsophisticated enough not only to be curious as to whether the Rai had seen the eruption, for I did not understand

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the significance of his being a Son of the Solitude, and as to his knowing about all my adventures, though I did not doubt that to be a fact, I took it to be due to, a keen judgment of possibilities that, this knowledge was his, but as an addition to my unsophistication I asked the Rai if he had seen these things.

"Artless youth!" said the Monarch, smiling, "I do not often find so frank a person! Thou art indeed a son of the mountains! But thou wilt not long remain thus, I fear me, in this thy present environment! I will answer thy question even as thou askest. Know, then, that no large convulsion of nature can occur that is not immediately automatically recorded, both as to its approximate extent, and its location, and a photic exhibition of every portion of the affected locality shown forth afresh from instant to instant. All I had in this case to do to see this depiction was to go into the proper office, which is in this building, and there the whole scene was before me quite as vividly as it could have been to thee, for I was able to see the outburst, and also to hear it, by means of the naim. Truly, what I saw lacked one element which doubtless made it a little more vivid to thee than to me, that of bodily peril; but as to me this element was nil--thou wilt some day know why--therefore the scene lacked for me no element that mere presence could have added."

I marvelled greatly to learn of such instrumentalities concerning which Rai Gwauxln had informed me, and pondered with delight the prospect that I also might some day personally know and have access to them. The Rai resumed:

"Thou saidst that thou didst find treasure of native gold in two separate places. Didst thou ever seek to recover that which thou didst obtain before the eruption occurred? No? It matters little. Zailm, it is said that ignorance of the law is not valid excuse for its infraction."

The demeanor of the Rai had become one of great gravity, and I felt a foreboding not at all agreeable.

"Still, I Pan convinced that thou didst know nothing of the

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involved violation of the statutes when thou didst fail to report the finding of the. treasure. I shall not, therefore, punish thee. "But, here the emperor paused, lost in thought, while I, not till then aware that I had done anything wrong in the view of the law, paled so visibly with apprehension that Gwauxln smiled a little, and said:

"But they who now work this mine, and they who receive the gold-dust and ore shall not so escape. With them it is conscious crime, made worse in that they not only ignore the statute but do also defraud thee. Of thee I will require only so much expiation as may be in demanding their names of thee."

This command I perforce obeyed, yet thought with regret of the wives and children of the culprits. Innocent these; must they suffer likewise with the real transgressors? The Rai seemed to know my thought; or if he did not, he at least spoke in accord, asking:

"Have then, these men wives, families?"

"Yes, it is true!" I replied, so earnestly that once again the monarch smiled and, encouraged, I begged him to be lenient for the sake of the innocent.

"Knowest thou aught of our punitive system, Zailm?"

"Very little, Zo Rai; I have heard that no malefactor ever comes from the hand of justice without being better, but I imagine the treatment to he very severe."

"As to severity, no. And as to the other, if men are made better who have erred, so they will not be apt to again err, would not that redound to the advantage of the families of the criminals? Behold I will have these men brought before the proper tribunal, and thou shalt see the process of reformation. Methinks thou wilt thereafter desire to learn anatomy and the science of reformatory punishment, as an addition to thine other studies in Xio. Furthermore, I assure thee that thou shalt in no case suffer confiscation of that mine, but shalt possess it; and if thou wilt give it to the national treasury, while thou art a student thou shalt in no wise feel a lack of money. Afterward, when the years of study have passed over

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thy head, if thou art successful as a student, lo! then will I make thee superintendent of that mine. And if thou dost so use as to prove thyself faithful over its few things, I will make thee master over many things. I have spoken."

Rai Gwauxln touched a service-button, whereupon an attendant entered, to the guidance of whom he entrusted myself and mother, bidding us: "Incal's peace be with you both."

So ended an audience which influenced the course of the years and bent life's great twig, making me feel a proud consciousness of being a repository of the trust of a revered friend, a consciousness which has ever proven most patent in this world of trials and temptations.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VI

 

NO GOOD THING CAN EVER PERISH

As antedating the reign of Rai Gwauxln, attention is called to a period of time embracing four thousand three hundred and forty years, inclusive of the main events of Poseid history. This interval, notwithstanding its long duration, had been singularly free from internecine wars, and, while not wholly unmarked by martial events, was certainly more peaceful than any subsequent world-epoch of equal length occurring within the one hundred and twenty centuries whose lapse furnishes the incidents of this history.

At the initial date of the period referred to, the Poseidi, a powerful, numerous race of mountaineers, semi-civilized at best, but of splendid physique, had swept down "like the wolf " and had, in many sanguinary contests, finally conquered the pastoral people of the plains, the Atlantides. The war was long and fierce, consuming years in its duration. The admirable valor of the hill-tribes found almost its equal in the

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desperate courage of their primitive foe; one body of combatants fought for fife and, like the Sabines, for the preservation of their women against capture by mate-seeking tribes, while the other warred for conquest and, like the Romans, for wives. It was superior strategy which finally gave victory to the Poseid hosts.

As time went on, racial coalition obliterated all distinctions, so that the union resulted in producing earth's greatest nation.  civil wars had several times made a change of political complexion, so that Poseid had seen itself governed by absolute autocrats, by oligarchic and by the theocratic rule, by masculine and by feminine rulers, and at last by a republican monarchial system, of which Rai Gwauxln was the head, when I lived as Zailm, in Atlantis.

Gwauxln was of a long line of honorable ancestors, and his house had several times furnished successful candidates whom the people had placed on the throne, during the seven centuries that the present political system had ruled.

Such is the synopsis of the history of Poseid which I gathered from a volume drawn from the Agacoe library. I might relate other scenes, other features, of that long historic period, and show how Poseid came to found great colonies in North and South America, and in those three great remnants of Lemuria, of which Australia is but the one-third left to the world by that cataclysm which sunk Atlantis; also of how Atl founded certain large colonies in eastern Europe at an age when there was no western Europe, and in parts of Asia and Africa. But I will not do so here, although by and by reference will be made to our Umauran possessions, when such reference is relevant to the subject-matter of this history.

Fatigued with late reading in the absorbing history, I arose and went out into the quiet ravine in which our abode was situated, and my tired eyes rested upon a scene which in the glorious moonlight was one of fairy-like beauty.

In the bed of the ravine, quite near, was a miniature lake, but none the less a lake in seeming, because it was in fact only

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a good-sized pond. Bits of shore, then steep banks, flower-hidden; the song of the nossuri, and the calls of various other birds and furry-folk of the night-time, intermingled with the soft plash of falling water, the voice of the cascade which fed this lacustrine gem. Somewhere out of the night came the sound of flutes and harps and viols in harmony, rising in swelling cadence or lulling with dreamy languor, as the light breeze rose or fell. Over all shimmered the silvery rays of Nosses, round as a shield in her soft brilliancy, and oh! so beautiful! Presently, I turned from the lake, and looked down the ravine along which a few people were yet moving, despite the lateness of the hour, the fourteenth since the beginning of the day at meridian. Here and there the gleaming white rays of householders' lamps were observable, shining from underneath some seeming ledge, revealing the presence of quaint windows or doorways. But not on these did I gaze over long. I could not, with the wonderful Maxt, the greatest tower of human construction in the world, rising in the perspective. In the very mouth of the canon it seemed to ascend, with nothing between itself and me to interfere with the view. Although apparently near, it was in truth over a mile away from my dwelling.

In this year A. D., 1886, chemists count the process costly which produces the metal, aluminum. In that day, forces arising from the Night-Side rendered inexpensive the production of any metal which might be found in nature, either native, or as an ore. As it might be done to-day didst thou but know how, and that day is not far off when thou wilt again uncover the knowledge, so, in that time, we transmuted clay, first raising its atomic speed so that it became white light of a pale illuminating power and then reducing it to the, so to speak, chemical "mile-post" of aluminum, and this at a cost not nearly so great as in this modern day it takes to get iron from its ores. The mines of native metals, as gold, silver, copper, and so on, were valuable then, as now, requiring no processing save smelting. But a metal which might be obtained from any ledge of slate rock, or a bed of clay, was so inexpensive as to be the chief base metal in use.

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Of aluminum was the giant tower of the Maxt constructed. I could see its base from where I stood, an enormous cube of masonry, then the superstructural round shaft of solid metal of the tower proper, a dully white, tapering column, lit by lunar rays. From base upward, my gaze traveled until it rested on the top, an apical point nearly three thousand feet in height. Entranced by this crowning triumph of the scene, I gazed at the heaven-piercing shaft; sentinel over the garden city, warding off the lightnings, when the lord of thunder was abroad; and all my thought was of its grandeur, and its majestic beauty.

	 
		"How often, oh, how often,
		 In the days that have gone by-"
		
		 I have stood and gazed on some scene of loveliness, or of sublimity--handiwork of God, or possibly of man--God in man! And, as I have looked, my soul sang with praise, and my breath was the breath of inspiration. Always in such an experience, the soul, be it that of man or beast, takes an advance step. However much a soul may be steeped in sin or misery, synonymous terms, an inspiration breaks over it, and bears away a little of its sordidness, a little of its pain and fever.

So, therefore, the glories and marvels of Atlantis the Great were not in vain. Thou and I, reader, lived then, and before then. The glories of those long-dead centuries seen by us have lived enshrined in our souls, and made us much, aye, most, of what we are, influenced our acts, soothed us with their beauty. What, then, though the forms of the dim, mysterious past are effaced from all existence save in the record of the great book of life, the soul? Their influence lives, and forever. Shall we not, then, strive that our labors may ennoble, may live in soul and in spirit, and be looked back upon by ourselves and others, even as I, here, look back upon the record of my dead, but ever-living, past? It is a great joy thus to have attained the eminences of the spirit which enable me to scan the history of lives from which I passed through the portal of the grave; lives which now I am returned to gaze upon through the eyes of a different personality, a personality strung, greatest one of a

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chain, like pearls upon a thread, teaching me I AM I! Smoky, some of these pearls; black, others, or white or pink, aye, some are even red! Could tears add to their number, I would have more.; oh! so many more, for the white ones are so few, and the smoky, the black and the red, so many. But my pearl of great price is my last life. Of white is it, and by my Master was it cut cruciform. When He gave it me, He said, "It is done." Verily so! It marks the junction of finity with infinity. So is it the period set to all time, for me, save I elect.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VII

 

CONTAIN THYSELF

It was in the time of the annual respite from study that I made my advent to the capital city. In this vacation the, Xioqua and the Incala participated, the majority seeking their homes first, for a season, but generally soon returning to the capital, in order to enjoy the special pleasures of the resting time. But some went over the ocean to Umaur, or to Incalia, that is, South or North America, respectively; others went only to the more distant provinces in Atl itself.

Thus far the reader has had to guess what sort of religion the worship of Incal was; it may even have been inferred that Poseidi were polytheists, from my reference to the various gods of this and that title, class or grade. Truly, I have said that we believed in Incal, and symbolized him as the Sun-God. But the sun itself was an emblem. To assert that we, despite our enlightenment, adored the orb of day, would he as absurd as to say that the Christians adore the cross of the crucifixion for itself; in both cases it is the attached significance that caused the sun, and causes the cross, to be held in any sort of regard.

The Atlantides were given to personification of the principles of nature and of the objects of the earth, seas and skies;

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but this was purely a result of the national love of poetry, and could be mainly traced to the favor which popular fancy had accorded to a chronological epic history of Poseid, wherein the chief men and women figured as heroes and heroines. The powers of nature, such as wind, rain, lightning, heat and cold, and all kindred phenomena were gods of various degree, while the germinal principal of life, the destroying one of death, and other of life's greater mysteries, were characterized as the greater gods; but each and all were but offspring of the Most High Incal. It was an epic related in metrical measure and rhyme, constituting a poem whose every line exhibited the master touch of genius. Its authorship was lost in the night of time. It was supposedly the work, however, of a Son of the Solitude. There was an addendum embracing later events and epochs, but it was a markedly inferior work, and was not valued as highly as the body of the poem.

As a fact, the worship of Incal never included anything other than the adoration of God as a spiritual entity, and the "gods" had no portion in the religious services held on the two Sundays of each week, that is, the eleventh and the first days, for with the Poseidi a week consisted of eleven days, just as a month comprised three weeks, and a year eleven months, with one or more "leap-year" days at its end, as the exigencies of the solar  might require, these days being a regularly recurring holiday season, as New Year's Day is now. That so many gods and goddesses seem to have been venerated was due to the national influence of the epic history spoken of, and it was but a habit of mind to speak of them at all.

In our monotheism we differed little from the religion dominating the Hebraic civilization; we recognized no divine trinity, nor any Christ-spirit, neither any savior except the endeavor to do the best we knew in the sight of Incal. We considered all mankind as the sons of God, not any one mysteriously conceived person as solely His son. Miracle was an impossible thing, for all things we deemed rationally referable to uncontravenable law. But the Poseidi did believe that Incal had once lived in human form upon the earth, and had cast

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off the gross body of the world to assume that of unfettered spirit. He had in that time created mankind and, as the Poseidi were evolutionists, that word, "mankind," embraced all the lower animals too. In course of time beings of the genus homo were evolved, one man and one woman, and then Incal had placed woman spiritually highest and above man, a position which she had lost through an attempt to enjoy a fruit which grew on the Tree of Life in the Garden of Heaven. But in doing this she had, according to the legend, disobeyed Incal, who had said that His highest, most progressed children should not enjoy this fruit, for whosoever did should surely die, because no mortal being could have immortal life and also reproduce its kind. The legend read: "I have said unto my creatures, attain perfection and study it evermore, and such is endless life. But whoso enjoyeth this tree, can not contain self."

The form of punishment meted out was the rationalistic, as the woman's attempt was to attain forbidden pleasures and she did not, uninstructed, know how. Her hand slipped from its grasp on the fruit and its side was torn out, so that its seed dropped on the earth and became flint-stones, while the fruit, still adhered to the tree, and became of the likeness of a great fiery serpent, whereof the breath scorched the hands of the culprit. Feeling the pain, she let go her hold on the Tree of Life, falling prone upon the earth and never fully recovering from the injury. Thus man became the superior being through the development of his nature by the necessity he was under of preserving his mate and himself from the cold and kindred conditions which came along with the flint-stones. (The last Glacial or Ice-age). Having fallen back into these material conditions, reproduction of species was a necessity once more, and so the law of continence supposedly commanded by Incal was broken. Death thus entered again into the sum of human reckoning and, until the Word be observed, no man could know a deathless condition. CONTAIN THYSELF! On this dependeth all knowledge; no occult law is so great as this. Use all things of this world as abusing none. (I. Cor. vii., 31).

Such was the popular belief regarding the creation of human

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kind by Incal. The higher priests held to a religion which was virtually Essenianism, although for obvious reasons the populace were not aware of this fact. The date of this fabled occurrence was theologically supposed to have been preceded at least 9 thousand centuries, and some semi-authorities set it at even a more extended period than that.

Incal, the Father of Life, was not supposed to punish His children except that He made the laws of nature self-executive, His immanent, will, and if any one transgressed these the guilt was inexorably punished by nature, it being impossible to set in motion a cause without a consequent effect; if the cause was good, so also was the consequence. And in this they were undeviatingly correct; no mediator can avert for us the results of our misdeeds. [*1] The Poseid nation believed in a heaven of good effects for those who put good causes into operation, and there was a region filled with bad effects for the wicked; the two places were adjacent, and those who were neither wholly good, nor wholly had, were supposed to live on a middle territory, so to speak. But, both of these post-vital conditions were included in the Shadow Land, as the word "Navazzamin" may be translated, literally, "A country of departed souls."

Though the religion of Incal was one based on cause. and effect, nevertheless a slight inconsistency appeared in the more or less prevalent belief that He was supposed to reward the very good.

To-day, my friend, thou standest on the threshold of a new unfoldment. The religion of to-day is even yet tinctured by this concept of an omnipotent, but man-like, Creator, heritage of a dead antiquity. But thou art living in the final years of am old Human Cycle, the Sixth. While I choose not at present to explain what this means, I will do so ere I bid thee God's peace. But I will say that humanity's new conception of the Eternal Cause will be more lofty, more sublime, purer, wider and more of an approach to boundlessness, than anything of

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which the long gone aeons of time have ever dreamed. Christ is indeed risen and cometh unto His own, who ere long shall know Him as no exoteric man hath ever known Him. And, knowing Him, they shall know the things of the Father and do them, because it is written, "I go unto my Father."

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS!

Faith shall soon be knowledge. Belief shall be twin with science, and the Word shall blaze as a sun of glorious new meaning, for true religion means "I bind together."

RESURGAM CHRISTOS

 "Close Not the Ends of My Cross."

 

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The Exoteric Church hath closed the ends of His Cross. Wherefore they are exoteric, and shall not ever be esoteric until they open the ends of that Four-Way Path. Open thine eyes and thine ears.

Footnotes

^90:1 NOTE.--Do not confuse "undoing" with "atonement." Christ atoned; we must undo, see note, page <page 236>.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VIII

 

A GRAVE PROPHECY

It was about the first hour of the first day in the fifth month which had passed since. I began attendance at the Xioquithlon, and as it was the week of Bazix, it was consequently the thirtieth week of the year, and near its close, there being but three weeks left in B. C. 11,160.

With the Poseidi, the. day, as the reader has seen, commenced at meridian, making twelve o'clock till one, the first hour. From this hour in the last day of each week until the end of the twenty-fourth hour in the following, or first day in the next week, all business was suspended, and the time devoted to religious worship, such observances being enforced by the most rigid of all laws, custom. To-day, A. D. 1886, there are those who argue that if a man is engaged all the week at sedentary labor, on Sunday he is obtaining natural recreation by going zealously into athletic sports, or upon a fatiguing excursion. But I submit, that as the body is the externality of the soul, therefore, as the soul is, so will be the body also. Ergo: if the soul is of God, then to return to the Father as often as possible is to he re-created, or rested, or refreshed. Perhaps not indoors.; no, rather amidst His works, but ever with unartificial, natural thoughts of Him uppermost. Hence, I am today not less in favor of Sabbath observance, whether it be the seventh day or any other of the seven days of the week, as now constituted, or the eleventh and first, as in Atla. Still, I shall

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not argue my preferences, and will only make a restatement of the well-known physiological law that a periodic day of rest is necessary to health, happiness and spirituality. In Atla any person was free to employ the morning hours even of the eleventh day in any manner most agreeable, whether at work or playful relaxation. With the first hour, however, an enormous and very sweet-toned bell pealed forth with an intense, reverberant boom, two strokes, paused a moment, then rang four tunes more. Thereupon all occupations ceased, and religious worship commenced. On the following day the great bell struck again, and throughout the length and breadth of a great continent other bells pealed synchronously. It was even so in the populous colonies of Umaur and Incalia, the difference in time being calculated, and one man in the great temple of Incal in Caiphul attended to this sweetly solemn duty. Then the season of worship was over, and the rest of the Inclut (first day) was devoted to recreations of every sort. This is not to be construed that the worship was of a gloomy nature, or severe; not so, nor was it continued through the night, any further than that every light allowed during that interval was rendered carmine red by blending the atomic speed of the odic force, so that it was the element of light and that of strontium combined, this being done at the odic depots.

About the third hour after the Sun-day had ceased, a peculiar event occurred in my Poseid existence. As I walked leisurely homeward, not yet having summoned a vailx, but proceeding under the dreamy calmness of the influence produced by the music of a choice concert given to the public in the Agacoe gardens, I met a stately old man, also on foot. I had often met him on former occasions and, by his wine-colored turban, knew him for a prince. Upon meeting him now, the current of my thought was altered, and I determined not to go home at once, but to remain in the city for a time, perhaps all night. Just as I came to this determination., the older man smiled, but without stopping went on his way. I then noticed that much as he resembled the prince I had in mind, he was not that person, and it must have been an illusion, for the turban of this man

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was pure white, not tinted. And somehow I felt that he had wished to speak to me, but for some reason had not. If I should happen there later in the day, I might meet him again and learn what he had to say.

Pondering these thoughts I went into a cafe in one of the grotto-tunnels, where an avenue pierced a hill, and after ordering a luncheon, waited for it to be served. During the dispatch of the refection, a xioqene, or student with whom I had become friendly, strolled in, bent on the same errand. The repast over, we proceeded to the moat, where we took a water-sailer held for hire by a poor man who made his living from the rental of these craft to those who liked this seldom-indulged pleasure; the common mode of conveyance was by vailx. The breeze being fresh, we sailed out into the ocean through the exit-flow of the Nomis river, the great river which made a complete circuit of the city, traversing the moat and then emptying into the ocean. On account of this extended trip I was unable to be again on the avenue until after nightfall. When I neared the spot where my meeting had occurred with the white-turbaned stranger, this time in a car, which I checked from running overfast, I saw his commanding figure standing in full view in the bright light of the tropic moon. It was quite a part of my expectations thus to see him, and this time I inclined my head in courteous recognition. As I did so the stranger said:

"Stop! I would speak with thee, lad, with thee alone."

Almost mechanically I nearly stopped the car, in obedience to his gesture to descend, and setting its lever so that the vehicle would move at about the pace of a slow walk, I let it go, knowing that if no one took advantage of the paid carriage, it soon would reach some station, and there be stopped automatically. When I stood before the priest, as I judged him to be, he said:

"Thy name, I understand, is Zailm Numinos?"

"truly it is."

"I have seen thee ofttimes, and am informed concerning thee. Thou hast a laudable, will to excel and to attain high

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honors among men. Thou art yet a boy, but in a fair way to succeed as a man, as success is commonly counted. A boy thou, conscientious at present, regarded with favor by thy sovereign. Thou shalt succeed, and shalt come into places of high honor and profit, and continue well thought of by all thy fellowmen. Yet thou shalt not live the full term allotted to man on earth. In thy shorter period shall come to thee a knowledge of love. Thou shalt experience the purest affection man is capable of feeling for woman. Yet, notwithstanding this, thy love shall not be a love crowned in this life period. And thou shalt love again, wherefore thou shalt weep because of it. Thou shalt work some good in the world but, alas, much evil also. And because of an  destiny, unto thee shall come much sorrow. By thee unto another shall deep misery of anguish come, and unto the uttermost shalt thou pay therefor, nor come out thence until thou hast done so. Yet, behold not in this life shall much be required of thee. When thou thinkest least to do sin, then shall thy foot stumble, and thou shalt commit a sin which shall be unto thee a pursuing fate, inexorable. Even now, in the days of thine innocence, thou art treading upon the steps of thy destiny. Alas! that it is so. Once thou earnest near to the realization of thy death, and death is but the least portion which shall overtake thee; but thou didst awake and flee out of the caverns of the burning mountain unto safety. Yet at last thou shalt pass into Navazzamin, the world of departed souls, and lo! I say unto thee thou shalt perish in a cavern. Me, even me, shalt thou behold as the last living being upon whom thy Poseid eyes shall ever rest. But I shall not seem then as now, and thou wilt not know me for the one who shall smite the evildoer who will then have enticed thee to thy doom. I have said. May peace be with thee."

Much I marveled at first to hear these words, thinking that perhaps the speaker was one escaped from the Nossinithlon (literally the "Home for Moonstruck" or crazy persons), and this despite the introductory circumstances under which we had met. But as he continued speaking I knew that this was an erroneous judgment. Finally, amazed, I gazed on the

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ground, knowing not what to think and filled with an indefinable fearsomeness. As he ceased utterance, and bade me peace, I raised my eyes to look him in the face, to find to my bewilderment that not a soul was in sight, but that I stood alone in the great plaza surrounding a fountain whose jet seemed like molten silver in the moonlight. Dumbfounded, I looked about on every side. Had I been dreaming? Certainly not. Were the words of the mysterious stranger true, or false? Time will satisfy thy curiosity, my reader, as it did mine.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER IX

 

CURING CRIME

During the subsequent four years after my strange meeting with the tall and straight, white-haired old man who had prophesied concerning me, events, one after another shaped themselves in harmony with his forecast. In all that time we never met, indeed I met him but once more before my death.

Before going further I must recall and finally dismiss from the scene the partners in my gold mine and also the one who bought the gold, knowing the act to be unlawful.

Several months had elapsed since the interview with Rai Gwauxln in his private apartments, when a youth wearing an orange-hued turban and upon its front a gold-mounted garnet pin, denoting him to be a guard in the imperial service, entered the geology room in the Xioquithlon and going to the instructor-in-chief, spoke in a low tone. Rapping on his desk for attention from the ninety or more students in session in the minerals class, the chief asked if a Xioqene named Zailm Numinos was present.

I arose in my place in response to the question.

"Come forward."

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The other Xioqeni looked interestedly on, as I went up, not without some trepidation, for I well knew what service was represented by the messenger, and there seemed to be a sternness in the tones of the instructor not at all pleasant.

"This courier desires that thou wilt go with him before the Rai, who has so commanded. He is at the Tribune, of the Criminal Court, and thou art needed as a witness."

Remembering what the Rai had said, I was considerably reassured by the import of the words addressed to me, and no longer specially apprehensive, went as required. Arrived at the Court of the Tribunes, I saw my mining partners there in custody, along with the incriminated purchaser of the gold. The judge of the court sat on the judicial divan on its raised platform, and by his side sat, in simple dignity, Gwauxln, Rai of the greatest nation of the earth; but he was nevertheless studiously observant of the fact that the judge was, as such, entitled to the place of first rank while in the hall. Several spectators were in the seats provided for the public in the auditorium.

There could be but one verdict concerning the malefactors, "Guilty as charged," This opinion was reached very quickly, and by the culprits admitted to be a just one. Immediately, an officer took the prisoners into another part of the building, where was a well-lighted apartment, fitted with various portable and stationary instruments. He was accompanied by all persons present.

A chair with a head-clasp rest, and with other rests, clasps and straps for the limbs and body of the occupant, stood in the center of the room. A guardsman seated and firmly strapped one of the prisoners in the chair. This preliminary attended to, a Xioqa approached bearing in his hands a small instrument of which, from its general appearance, I knew the nature to be magnetic. He placed the two poles of this in the hands of the condemned man, and after a brief manipulation a slight, purring sound was heard from the instrument. Immediately the prisoner's eyes closed and his every appearance indicated profound stupor; he was in fact magnetically anesthetized. Then

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the operator carefully felt all over the head of the unconscious man, and this examination concluded, ordered the attendant to shave the entire cranium. When this order had been obeyed, he made a blue mark upon the shaven surface in front and above the ears. Feeling further, he made the Poseid numeral  (or 2) above and a very little back of each ear. These operations done, he gave his attention to the spectators, but, on being spoken to by Rai Gwauxln, he paused long enough from making his proposed address to the audience to call me to his side from where I stood outside the railing. Then he spoke:

"In the prisoner I find that the predominant, most positive faculties are those which I have marked one and two; these are, number one, a grasping desire to acquire property, and his disposition is to do all things secretly, as may be seen from the exceeding prominence of the organs of secretivness. While the skull does not extend upwards very high, but at number two is very wide between the ears, I should infer that here we have a very acquisitive individual, lacking conscientiousness and spirituality, and therefore the moral nature, almost wholly. As he has also a very destructive temperament, we have withal a very dangerous character, one which I marvel has so managed as not ere this to have exposed himself to this office for correction. Why any one should hesitate, even voluntarily, to undergo corrective treatment causes me much wonder. It is something, I suppose, explicable on the theory that one on the low moral plane of this poor fellow is unable to see the advantage of being on any higher plane, but is able to see the immediate advantages due to the pursuit of nefarious methods. He is, in short, a man who would not hesitate at the commission of murder, could he see any immediate gain in it, and be wholly oblivious of after consequences. Is this true, Zo Rai?"

"It is," replied the emperor.

"My diagnosis of the case," continued the Xioqa, "having been confirmed by so high an authority, I will now apply the cure."

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He summoned an attendant, who wheeled out another magnetic apparatus contained in a heavy metal case. Having placed this in a satisfactory condition of activity, the Xioqa next applied its positive pole to that place on the head of the patient marked by the figure one, and the other pole he placed at the back of the neck. He then took out his timepiece and laid it on the metal case of the instrument, near a dial the pointer of which he adjusted. All was then still, except the low-toned conversation in various parts of the room, during the ensuing half hour. At the end of this time the Xioqa arose from his seat and changed the positive pole to the other side of the head, where the duplicate figure was marked. Then again a half-hour's quiet, broken only by the exit of some of the spectators and the entrance of others. When the half hour had again elapsed, the operator changed the pole to the place marked "two." This time only half an hour was given to both sides of the head. I had been told by the emperor to remain. He bad only stayed a few moments after the beginning of the operation which was not new to him. At the end of the work on the first man be was taken from under the influence of the magnetic anesthetizer by merely reversing the poles of the instrument at a second application. The Xioqa lectured upon the theme afforded by the operation while the first patient was being removed. To the considerable audience that had, by this time, assembled, he said:

"You have seen the treatment of those mental qualities which tended through their predominance to warp his moral nature, something but partially developed. The process has been partially to atrophy the vascular channels supplying that portion of the brain where are located the organs of greed and of destruction. But mark well this point, after all is said, the soul is superior to the physical brain, and it is in the soul, the nature of the man, in which these criminal tendencies inhere-the brain and other organs being the seat of psychic expression--the business office, so to speak. Hence, merely to have mechanically hypnotized this subject would not accomplish our purpose. Hypnotizing is an indrawing, and

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the cerebral blood-vessels contract and become partially bloodless; indeed, they may become fatally empty; this art is a very dangerous one. But the opposite effect is produced in aphaism (Poseid equivalent for the modern word "mesmerism"). The brain is filled with blood, and the reversion of the instrument cessated the hypnotic and initiated the aphaic process. It is at this moment that the mind of the operator may assume control of the mind of the subject, and suggest to the erring soul a permanent cessation of the error. This man has been so treated, doubly treated, since not only has the blood supply been partially cut off which went to those organs where was the seat of his weakness, but with my will I have impressed his soul to cease its sin, and I have supplied it with a work to execute which will have a counter action. He may be slightly ill for a few days, but his tendencies to sin will be gone. It requires a superior mind, which has gone wrong in several directions. to make a successful evil-doer, and where the lower nature, chiefly a perverted sex-nature predominates, there will be found the criminal. Atla has no debauchees, for if a person show such disposition, the State takes the wayward one in hand and operates upon the proper organs. But I need not dilate upon these subjects any further."

The first man having been taken away to receive careful nursing, the next of my whilom partners was placed in the chair. Examination of the cerebral development revealed that he was more weak than wicked; an habitual prevaricator, and of libertine tendencies: one whose skull was mostly behind and above the ears. I need not pause to describe his treatment; it was on the lines of the other; mesmeric suggestion was the chief cure.

As I went to my home that evening, I resolved to add the science of prophylactic penology to my chosen curriculum. I did so. By practice of the knowledge of men then acquired I interfered with the karma of not a few individuals but, as the result has proven, the interference was in no case injurious, so that I have not to-day to answer for any harm done. I have

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sometimes wished that I had submitted myself for treatment at the hands of the State, for it would at least have prevented the commission of errors which have wrought much misery, to me, and to others by me. That I did not, is as well, not only on the principle that in our Father's kingdom whatever is, is best, but also because no one can in any way whatever, shirk the responsibilities inbound in character by the karma of all preceding incarnations. To have so submitted myself for correction would have been an evasion of the ordeal, a sort of cowardly attempt similar to the act of the self-murderer who seeks to avoid trouble on earth by suicide, and who in every ease escapes nothing, not one jot nor tittle of the law of God. Instead, he piles his miseries and penalties mountains higher and prolongs through inexorable karma, and other earthly incarnations, his anguish. Thus it is with those who die by self-destruction; but those who die by unavoidable causes involuntarily, are not visited by such penalties. So the Poseid culprits who could in no wise avoid the treatment were benefited, whereas for me voluntary submission would have sown dragon's teeth for my pathway. Penalties, observe, concern not those who know and, knowing, do God's will.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER X

 

REALIZATION

The government was accustomed to keep systematic track of the more prominent Xioqeni to whom it gave free tuition but the supervision was never irksome, indeed, was scarcely felt to be maintained by those under this paternal surveillance. Those who, besides being bright and studious, were approaching the last years of the collegiate sep-term were admitted to those sessions of the Council of Ninety not of an executive or secret character. There were some especial favorites who, being

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bound by strict vows, were not excluded from any meetings of the. councilors. Not one of the many thousand students but esteemed even the lesser privilege most valuable, for beside the honor conferred the lessons in statecraft were of incalculable advantage.

In the latter half of my fourth year of attendance there came to me one Prince Menax, who desired to know whether I would accept the position of Secretary of Records, a position which gave opportunity to become familiar with every detail of Poseid government. He spoke:

"It is a very important trust indeed, but one which I am happy to offer thee, because that thou art capable of filling it to the satisfaction of the council. It will bring thee into close contact with the Rai and all the princes; also it will clothe thee with some degree of authority. What sayest thou?"

"Prince Menax, I am aware that, this is a very great honor. But may I ask why thou hast given so great opportunity to one who supposes himself almost a stranger to thee?"

"Because, Zailm Numinos, I have thought thee worthy; now do I give thee all chance to prove it true. Thou art no stranger to me, if I be much of one to thee; I feel a trust in thee; wilt thou not prove it well founded?"

"I will."

"Then hold up thy right hand to the blazing Incal, and by that sublime symbol declare that in no case wilt thou reveal aught that taketh place in secret session; nothing of the doings in the Hall of Laws."

This vow I took and, in taking it, was bound by an oath inviolable in the eyes of all Poseidi. Thus I became one of the seven non-official, unenfranchised secretaries, who were entrusted with the writing of special reports and the care of many important state documents. Surely this was no small distinction to confer on one out of nine thousand Xioqeni and a man, as yet, unenfranchised in a nation of three hundred million people. If, in some sort, I owed it to merit, yet I was not more worthy than a hundred other of my fellow-students.

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[paragraph continues] It was due fully as much to personal popularity with the powers that were, a popularity, however, which had not been mine had I not in all things shown the same solid determination which had governed my actions on the lone pitach of Rhok, the great mountain.

Prince Menax continued, saying:

"I would have thee attend at my palace this night, it being convenient, as I have somewhat to say unto thee. I would prove to thee thine error in believing thyself unknown to me, merely because thou art one of a large concourse of Xioqeni, each in pursuit of knowledge. I do know thee. From me, and not, as thou hast always imagined, from thy Xioql (chief preceptor) did the invitation issue to thee to attend the sessions of the councils-in-ordinary. The Astiki (princes of the realm) are always much interested in deserving Xioqeni; hence the reason of many little duties falling to thee for execution. But I will not say more at present, as I hinder thy studies. Remember then, the appointed eighth hour."

Menax held the highest ministerial office of all the Astiki, being premier and, in short, the Rai's chief adviser. My opinion of myself rose in degree when I felt that I was held in such high favor; but it rendered me full of gratitude and not self-conceit; it was true self-esteem, not vanity.

Although this was not my first visit to the palace of this prince, I could by no means claim familiarity with the interior of his astikithlon.

Winding my best green silk turban about my head and sticking in it a pin set with gray quartz, through which ran veins of green copper, thus denoting my social rank, I stepped to the naim and called for a city vailx as thou wouldst call for a cab. The vessel soon came, and though small in size was ample for the conveyance of two, or even four, passengers. Bidding my mother good night, I was soon speeding on my way, and the conductor leaving me to my own company I sat listening to the furious patter of the torrents of rain which rendered the night inclement in the extreme.

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The palace of Menax was not far distant from the inner quay of the moat where that great canal nearest approached my suburban home, not indeed, ten miles away, and therefore the aerial trip consumed only about the same number of minutes ere the bottom of the vailx grated a little upon the broad marble floor of the vailx-court, announcing arrival at my destination.

A sentry came up to demand my business and, having learned it, a servitor was summoned to escort me into the presence of Menax.

A number of officers of the prince's suite were in the great apartment, sedulously engaged in doing nothing in particular, an occupation in which they were aided by several ladies resident at the palace. Prince Menax himself was lying at length on a divan drawn up in front of a grate full of pieces of some refractory substance heated by the universal force.

As the attendant conducted me before the prince and prior to my presence being announced, I had time sufficient to enable me to notice a group of officers and ladies, gathered about a woman of such exceeding grace and beauty that even her evident sorrow and distress, together with the distance of the corner where she sat, could not wholly conceal it. Her attire, her features and complexion denoted that she was other than a daughter of Poseid, inasmuch as she had not their dark eyes, dark hair and clear, but distinctly reddish complexion. She who sorrowed, and was in distress, was the reverse of all this, as nearly as my hasty glance could discern, at the distance between us.

Menax said, in salutation:

"Thou'rt welcome. 'Tis well. Be seated. The night is tempestuous, but I know thee well; having promised, thou art come."

He was silent for several moments, and gazed steadily into the glowing grate; then said: "Zailm, wilt thou attend and take part in the competition in Xio in the nine days given to the annual examination of Xioqeni?"

"I have so intended, my Astika."

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"Thou art privileged to waive examination until the last year of the sep-term."

"Verily that is so in all Xioqeni?"

"I approve most emphatically of thy determination. i did after that way myself, when I was a student. I hope that thou wilt pass, that thou mayest be joyful at thy success, though it shall not shorten thy years of study. But after the examination, then what? Thou wilt have a month wherein to do as thou shalt fancy. Would that I had thirty-three days' respite from my duties!" Menax paused in meditation, and resumed:

"Zailm, hast thou any preferred plan for the occupation of that vacation?"

"None, my prince."

"None? 'Tis well. Would it please thee to do me a service, and go into a far country in fulfilling the kindness? The brief duty completed, thou mayest remain there such time as thou desirest, or go whither fancy may beckon."

I was not averse to doing as he desired, and as the duty took me to a land barely mentioned hitherto, the account of my long-ago vacation trip may be prefaced by a description of Suernis, now called Hindustan, and Necropan or Egypt, the most civilized nations not under Poseid supremacy.

When nations seek to make religion absolutely dominant in their affairs, the result is sure to be fraught with disaster. The theocratic policy of the Israelites was a case in point and, as the reader will ere long perceive, Suernis and Necropan were examples yet earlier in the history of the world. And the reason is, not that religion is a failure; the force of this record of my life must convey the truth that I think nothing is better than pure religion undefiled. No, the reason why a successful theocracy can not permanently thrive is that the attention of the promoters must be given to things spiritual to render the spiritual successful, and the things of God's Kingdom can never be the things of earth. Not, at least, until man is fully developed in his sixth or psychic principle, has become purified, by the fire of the Spirit, from all taint of animality.

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Suernis and Necropan were possessed of a civilization which I now perceive to have been peer with our own, though so different. But because it possessed scarcely a salient point in common with that of Poseid, therefore the people of the latter country regarded it with a sort of scorn [*1] when discussing it amongst themselves. But they were very respectful in their demeanor towards these people, for reasons that shall presently appear.

The differences in the two coeval civilizations lay in the fact, that while Poseidi tended to the cultivation of the mechanical arts, to sciences having to do with material things, and were content to accept without question the religion of their ancestors, the Suerni and Necropani paid but little heed to anything not mainly occult and of religious significance--practical. principles truly, occult laws having a bearing on materiality--but none the less were they careless of material objects except in so far as the proper maintenance of life was concerned. Their rule of life was summed in the principle of taking no heed of the life about them, but neglecting the present they strove after the future. The vital principle of Poseid was to extend her dominion over natural things. There were those who philosophized over the spirit of the times, Poseid theorists, and these drew a prognostic picture of Atlantean destiny. They pointed out the fact that our splendid physical triumphs, our arts, sciences and progress, absolutely depended on the utilization of occult power drawn from the Night-Side of nature. Then this fact was put side by side with the fact that the mysterious powers of the Suerni and Necropani owed their existence to this same occult realm, and the conclusion

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was that in time we also would grow careless of material progress and devote our energy to occult studies. Their forebodings were extremely gloomy in consequence; yet, while the people listened respectfully, the failure of these prophets to suggest a remedy rendered them in some degree objects of secret contempt. Any one who shall find fault with an existing state of affairs and be confessedly unable to substitute a better, is sure to meet with public ridicule.

We, as Poseidi, knew that the mysterious nations across the waters were possessed of abilities which virtually dwarfed our attainments, such as our power to traverse the aerial or marine depths, our swift cars, our sub-surface sea ships. No, they did not boast such conveniences, but they had no need of them to carry on the course of their lives and, therefore, as we supposed, no desire for such apparatus. Perhaps our scorn was more affected than real. for in our more sober thought we acknowledged, with no small admiration, their supremacy.

What though we could speak with, and see, and hear., and be seen by those with whom we wished to communicate, and this at any distance and without, wires, but over the magnetic currents of the globe? Truly, we never knew the pangs of separation from our friends; we could attend to the demands of commerce, and transport our armies in war times with a dispatch which could pass around the world in a day; all this as long is our mechanical and electrical contrivances were at hand. But what availed all this splendid ability? Shut one of the most learned Xioqui in a dungeon, and all his knowledge would be as naught; he could not, deprived in such a way of implements or agencies, hope to see, to hear or to escape without external aid. His marvelous capabilities were, dependent upon the creation of his intellect. Not so with Suern or with Necropan. How to hinder one of these people, no Poseida knew. Shut in a dungeon, he would arise and go forth like Saul of Tarsus; he could see to any distance, and this without a naim; hear equally without a naim; go through the midst of foes, and be seen by none of them. What, then, availed our attainments if opposed to those of Suernis and Necropan? Of

[p. 108]

what use our instruments of war even against such a people, a single man of whom, looking with eyes wherein glittered the terrible light of a will power exerted to hurl in retribution the unseen forces of the Night-Side, could cause our foemen to wither as green leaves before the hot breath of fire? Were missiles of value here? Of use, when the person at whom they were aimed could arrest them in their lightning path, and make them fall as thistle-down at his feet? What, even, was the value of explosives, more awful than nitroglycerin, dropped from vailx poised miles above in the blue vault of heaven? None whatever; for the enemy, with prescient gaze and perfect control of Night-Side forces we knew not of, could arrest the falling destroyer, and instead of suffering harm could annihilate that high ship and its living load. A burned child fears the fire, and in times past we bad sought to conquer these nations, and failed disastrously. Repulse was all they sought to effect, and successful over us in this, we had been left to go in peace.

As the years stretched into centuries, our ways likewise became those of defense only, never offensive any more, and owing to this change on the part of Poseid, friendly relations arose between the three nations.

Atla had learned at last so much of the secret as to wield magnetic forces for the destruction of its foes, and had dispensed with missiles, projectiles, and explosives as agents of defense. But the knowledge of the Suerni was still greater. Greater because our magnetic destroyers spread death only over restricted areas circumjacent to the operator; theirs operated at any desired point, however distant. Ours struck indiscriminately at all things in the fated district; at things inanimate, as well as animate; at men, whether foes or friends; at animals, at trees--all were doomed. Their agencies went out under control, and struck at the heart of the opposing force, not destroying life unnecessarily; nor even molesting any of the enemy except the generals and directors of their forces.

Of all these facts concerning the Suerni, I had long before learned. Prince Menax asked me that I oblige him by going

[p. 109]

on a mission to that people. I had never seen the land of Suern and, having a desire to do so, felt well pleased that it was to be gratified. After consenting to do as requested, I asked the prince concerning the proposed duty, saying "If Zo Astika will tell his son what is required, he will satisfy a growing curiosity.

"Even so will I do," answered the prince. "It is desired to send unto the Rai of Suern a present in acknowledgment of certain gifts sent by him to Rai Gwauxln. While there can be but small doubt that these gifts were sent to induce our acceptance of seven score women, prisoners of war, who seem to be much in the way of Rai Ernon of Suern, nevertheless we cannot regard it as necessary to throw us a sop, and while the women will be allowed to remain, or go whither they will so that they go not where forbidden by Suern, we choose to regard the gift of gems and of gold as a gift, and make due return for it. So saith the council in quorum assembled. It seems that these women are members of certain strong forces of foolish invaders whose country lies far to the west of Suern. These people very unwisely made war upon the terrible Suerni. They had never experienced, nor beheld exerted, the wrath wherewith Incal arms His children of Suern, a wrath which moweth its foes as the scythe of the reaper layeth the grass. Now, Ernon hath a fertile country, and these ignorant savages longed to possess it, wherefore they sent unto the Rai of Suern a challenge of war. To this Ernon replied that he would not make fight; that those who sought him with spears and with bows, and came arrayed in armor, would find him, and therefor be sorrowful, inasmuch as Yeovah, as the Suerni are pleased to name Him whom we called Incal, would protect him and his people of Suern, and this without strife and bloodshed. Thereupon the barbarians returned derisive language, and declared that they would come upon his land and destroy his people with the sword. So they gathered a numerous army, even ten score thousand fighting men, and many camp followers, and these, led by a dauntless Astiki, swept east by South to devastate the realm of Suern. But wait; there is in this room

[p. 110]

one who can doubtless tell more than I, and tell it better. "Mailzis!" addressing his body servant, "conduct hither yon fair stranger.'

Mailzis obeying, the foreign woman whom I had seen as I entered the apartment of the prince arose in an easy, graceful manner which commanded my admiration. Arranging her attire in a not at all hasty way--quite, in fact, the reverse of one obeying a superior--approached Menax. Arising deferentially, the prince said, "Lady art thou minded to recount to me that which thou hast told to my sovereign? I know that thy narration is vastly interesting."

During these remarks the stranger had looked not at the prince, but at me. Her eyes had been riveted on my face, not boldly, but intently, though obviously quite unaware of the fixity of her gaze. None the less there was such a magnetic power in it that I was compelled to look away, strangely abashed by the glance, but feeling that yet it followed me, although I saw it not. It occurred to me that the fact of the lady's reply being couched in the Poseid language was indicative of her possession of a good education.

"If, Astika," said she, "it be a pleasure to thee that I do this that thou askest, it is also one to me. It is also much of a pleasure to me to repeat it to the youth thou favorest. I would, however, that the maid, thy daughter, were not here," she added, sotto voce, with a glance of antagonism toward Anzimee, who sat near us, engaged in perusing a book, apparently, but, as I fancied, not in reality. This jealous undertone was not heard by Menax, though Anzimee heard it, and presently arose and left the apartment in. consequence. This action I regretted, and the cause of it I resented, as the Saldu quickly saw, and because of it bit her lip with vexation.

"It cannot be agreeable to stand; wilt thou seat thyself at my right hand, and thou, Zailm, change thy seat, also, and be at my left?" said Menax, reseating himself on the divan.

When this arrangement had been made, we were ready to listen to the recital. At this moment the valet, Mailzis, respectfully approached and, being asked his wish, said:

[p. 111]

"It is the desire of thine officers and of the ladies of the astikithlon to be also present at the narration."

"Their wish is granted; bring also the naim, and place it near us, that the editor of the Records may take account, too."

Availing themselves of his permission, the petitioners were soon grouped about us, some on low seats, others, higher officers, more familiar with their prince, stretched themselves on side and elbow in front of Menax upon the rich velvet rugs on the marble floor.

Footnotes

^106:1 It hath been ever thus; the seed sown in the Acre whereof the corners am marked by posts of which the first hath but one side, the second five sides, the third six sides, but the fourth again only five, hath ever been scorned by man. That seed groweth a tree seventeen-branched. So was Suern. In another day it would be watered by Poseid; later it must be in Poseid. Yet again this would be after it was pruned by its Sower. Then it must grow till the day's end, and become great in the next day. But greatest at the end of that day. I have spoken a riddle that whoso unfoldeth it proveth him of the Tree I have spoken, and filled with deathlessness. Hear, O Israel! Seek, O Manasseh, and Ephraim, seek! Land of the Starry Flag, open thine eyes, and thou, too, O Mother land!

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XI

 

THE RECITAL

"Mailzis," said the prince, "some spiced wine for us."

In the enjoyment of this truly refreshing, because unfermented beverage, we listened to the following thrilling narrative:

"Thou art, I think, acquainted with my native country, since thou hast had commercial intercourse with the Sald nation. All here have likewise heard of how our ruler sent a great army against the terrible Suerni. Ah! how little we knew of those people!" she exclaimed, clasping her small, patrician hands in an agony of terrified retrospection.

"Eight score thousand warriors had my father, the chief, under his command. One-half as many more were followers of the camp. Our cavalry was our pride, veterans tried and true, and ah! so lustful after blood! Such splendid armament had we, glittering spears and lances--oh! a wondrous array of valiant men!"

At this eulogy of such primitive weapons her listeners were unable to repress a shadowy smile. For a moment this seemed to disconcert the princess, but not for long, for she continued:

"In this splendid, powerful fashion, ah! how I love power! we cam, taking loot as we proceeded towards the Suern city.

[p. 112]

[paragraph continues] When we arrived near it, after many days, we could not see it, as it was in a lowland. But we felt assured of an easy victory, since captives whom we took informed us that no walls or like defenses existed and that no army was gathered to meet us. Indeed, we nowhere found walled towns in all Suern, nor met with resistance, hence had spilled no blood, but contented ourselves with torture of the captives, by way of amusement, ere we set them free."

"Horrible!" muttered Menax under his breath. "Heartless barbarians!"

"What saidst thou, my lord?" asked the girl, quickly.

"Nothing, my lady, nothing! I but thought of the splendid march of the Saldan host."

Though seemingly somewhat doubtful of the accuracy of this statement, the Saldu nevertheless continued her recital.

"Arrived, as I have said, we stayed our march on the brink of a shallow, but wide defile, wherein the Rai was so unwarlike and unwise as to have his capital, and sent a messenger to announce our errand and offer him favorable terms of war. In answer there came with our flagbearer a solitary, unarmed old man. Elderly is a better word. He was tall, erect as soldier, and had dignity of mien that made him splendid to look upon. Aye, he looked as power incarnate! I ought to hate him, but he is powerful and I cannot choose but love him! If he were younger I would woo him to be my mate."

At this unexpected remark we looked at, the fair speaker in amazement, not unmingled with other emotions, while Prince Menax asked:

"Astiku, hear I aright? Woo a man? Is it customary amongst thy people to give unto woman the lovemaking? I had thought myself versed in the customs of every nation, ancient and modern, yet knew not this fact. However, strange things are to be expected of--well, a race which has but numbers to entitle it to recognition at the hands of people like the Poseid."

"Why not be frank, Zo Astika? Why not say what thou thinkest, that civilized nations like thine consider such a

[p. 113]

race as the Saldi beneath them so far that even their customs are well nigh unknown to thee?"

Prince Menax flushed deeply in ashamed confusion, for he was unaccustomed to prevarication, and replied:

"Candor is best, I admit; but I desired to avoid wounding thy feelings, Astika."

With a ringing laugh, full of amusement, the Astiki said:

"Zo Astika, allow me to tell thee that in Sald, either sex is free to woo its chosen one. Why not? It is sensible, methinks. I shall follow our custom in this respect, if chance ever presents. My chosen one must be pleasing to look upon, and must be courageous like unto the lion of the desert, yea! even the deserts whence he came unto the continent of Suernota. Ah, me; yes, if chance offers," she reiterated, with a little sigh.

At length she resumed wearily, sadly:

"The Astika, my father, chief of our armies, said to this grand old man:

"'What saith thy ruler?'

"'He saith: "Bid this stranger depart lest my wrath awake, for lo, I shall smite him if he obey me not! Terrible is mine anger."

"'What ho! And his army; I have seen none,' said my father with the laugh of a veteran to whom despised resistance is offered.

"'Chief,' said the envoy, in a low, earnest tone, 'Thou hadst best depart. I am that Rai, and his army also. Leave this land now; soon thou canst not. Go, I implore thee!'

"'Thou the Rai? Rash man! I tell thee that when the sun hath moved one other sign, thy courage shall not save thee, unless thou wilt now return and collect thine army. Else will I then send thy head to thy people. There is but this option. After that length of time I will strike and sack thy city. Nay, fear not now for thy personal safety; I cannot hurt an unarmed foeman! Go in peace, and by the morning I will attack thee and thy army. I must have a worthy foe.'

"'In myself is a worthy foe. Hast thou never heard of the

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[paragraph continues] Suerni? Yes? And thou hast not believed! Oh, it is true! Go, I entreat thee, while yet thou canst do so in safety!'

"'Foolish man!' said the chief. 'This thine ultimatum? Then be it so! Stand aside! I go not away, but forward.' Then he called unto the captains of the legions and commanded:

"'Forward! March to conquer!'

"'Withhold that order one moment; I would ask a question,' said the Rai.

"Agreeably to this request our men, who had sprung to place at the word, were now halted with arms at rest. In the very front ranks of the Saldan army as it stood on the little eminence overlooking the Suern capital, and the great river flowing near, was the prime flower of our host. Veterans they were, tried and true, men of giant stature, two thousand strong, leaders of the men less seasoned. I shall never forget how grand looked that array, no, never. So strong; the very mane of our lion-power, every man able to carry an ox on his back. The sun was caught on their spears in a glorious blaze of light. Looking upon these men the Suerna said:

"'Astika, are not these thy best men?'

"'Aye.'

"'They are the ones of whom it hath been told me that they tortured my people, merely for amusement? And they called them cowards, saying that men who would not resist, to them should they serve death, and they did murder a few of my subjects?'

"'I deny it not,' said my father

"'Thinkest thou, Astika, that this was right? Are not men who glory in shedding blood worthy of death?'

"'Possibly; if so, what matter? Perchance thou wouldst have me punish them for such action?' said my father, scornfully.

"'Even so, Astika. And thereafter depart hence?'

"'Aye, that will I! 'Tis a good jest; yet have I not humor for jesting!'

"'And thou wilt not go, though I say to remain is death?'

[p. 115]

"'Nay! Cease thy drivel! I weary of it.'

"'Astika, I am sorrowful! But be it as thou wilt. Thou hast been warned to leave. Thou hast heard of the power of the Suern, and believed not. But now, feel it!'

"With these words the Rai swept his outpointing index-finger over the place where stood our pride--the splendid two thousand. His lips moved and I barely heard the low-spoken words:

"'Yeovah, strengthen my weakness. So dieth stubborn guilt.'

"What then befell so filled all spectators with horror, so wrought upon their superstition, that for full five minutes after, scarce a sound was heard. Of all those veteran warriors not one was left alive. At the gesture of the Suernis their heads fell forward, their grasp was loosed on their spears, and they fell as drunken men to the earth. Not a sound, save that of their precipitation; not a struggle; death had come to them as it comes to those whose hearts stop pulsing. Ah! what frightful power hast thou, Suernis!"

	 
		"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast,
		 And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed."
		
		 Sennacherib was unknown then; the Salda princess knew not of the poem; but we do, my reader, thou and I; that is enough.

While describing the action of the Rai of Suern, the princess had risen to her feet from her place by the side of Menax, simulating at the same time the fatal gesture of Ernon of Suern. So apt had been this mimicry that the group of listeners on our left had involuntarily cowered as her arm swept over their heads. The Saldu noticed them shrink, and her lip curled with scorn.

"Cowards!" she muttered. A Poseida overheard the words, and his cheek flushed, as he said:

"Nay, Astiku, not cowards! Consider our involuntary shrinking as a compliment to thy descriptive powers."

She smiled, and said: "Perhaps so." Then, overcome by her apostrophe to the dread strength of Yeovah as invoked

[p. 116]

by Ernon, a strength which even proud Atla feared, she sank back in her seat weeping.

A little wine revived her, and the narration was resumed.

"After the horrible silence that fell on all who had witnessed the awful sight, the women, wives and daughters of the higher officers, began shrieking in affright. Many of our men, as soon as they could realize that the stories they had heard and discredited were no idle tales, fell to the earth in an agony of pulling terror. Ah! then, then could ye have heard supplications to all the gods, great and small, in whom our people place trust. Ha! ha!" laughed the princess, bitterly, contemptuously, "appealing to gods of wood and metal for protection against such awful power! Faugh! Since I may not live in Suern, being banished, I would not live again in the land of my nativity! I want no more of people who idolize insentient objects and defy them. No, Astika," she said in answer to a question from Menax, "I never worshipped idols; most of our people do, but not all. I have not proved an apostate. But I do worship power. I ought to hate Ernon of Suern; but I do not. Indeed, I would, if permitted, live in his presence and idolize his wondrous strength, which works death to his enemies. Not so permitted, I would rather remain with thy people, who are a goodly race, and, if not equal to the Suerni, are yet better and more powerful than mine own, ah! far more so.

"My father knew better than to imagine this some trick of a wily people, knew now, after this bitter lesson, that the reputation accorded them by travelers was no idle fabrication of wonder-mongers. But he did not cringe before the Rai, he was too proud-spirited for that. While we gazed, stupefied, on the awful scene of death, another and not less frightful, but more ghastly thing happened. We that were alive, all our host except the two thousand stood between our dead and the river west of the city. Rai Ernon bowed his bead and prayed--what dire alarm that action caused our people!--and I heard him say:

'Lord, do this thing for thy servant, I beseech thee!'

[p. 117]

"Then, as I gazed on the victims, I saw them arise one by one, and gather up each his spear and shield and helmet. Thereafter, in little irregular squads they marched towards us, towards me, O! My God! and passed on to the river! As they passed I saw that their eyes were half-closed and glazed in death; the movement of their limbs was mechanical; they walked as if hung on wires, and their armor clanked and clanged in a horrid, mocking ring. As, one by one, the squads came to the river, they walked in, deeper and deeper, till the waters closed over their heads, and they were gone forever, gone to feed the crocodiles which already roared and snarled over their prey adown the stream of Gunja. No one to lead, none to carry; each going as if alive, and yet somehow dead, this ghastly procession to the river, a thousand paces distant, so completed the horrible sense of fear that desperate terror possessed the great army, and they fled, leaving behind all things, and soon only a few faithful soldiers were left in sight; these remained with their commander and his officers of staff, ready to share with him the death which they expected would be meted out to all who remained. The women also did not all flee. Then spoke Rai Ernon, saying:

"'Did I not tell thee to depart, ere I punished thee? Wilt thou now go? Behold thine army in flight! Its rout shall not cease, for thousands shall never more see Saldee, because they will perish by the wayside, yet not a few shall reach their homes. But thou shalt never more go home; neither thee nor thy women. But they will not stay in my land nor their own, but in a strange country.'"

"That haughty, but now humbled soldier, my father, bent on one knee before the Rai, and said:

"'Mighty Rai, what wouldst thou with innocent women? Thou saidst my warriors were guilty; I admit it, nor except myself. But these, my women, they have harmed no man. Thy words lead me to believe that justice is thy ruling principle; thine acts do likewise, for when thou mightest have struck us every one, thou didst no more than make example of

[p. 118]

a few guilty ones. I implore thee, then, have mercy on my women; perchance. on my officers also.'

"'On thy officers, yes; they are faithful unto thee, though they expect but death as their reward. Bid them depart with what still bides of thine army. They are unused to caring for the needs of the body, wherefore they will of a surety all perish, except I save them. Having power, I will use it mercifully. None shall perish by the wayside; not one shall hunger, neither thirst, nor suffer any sickness, O Yeovah! all the way home, nor lose his way, though none shall have to eat any food all the way. And about them shall wild beasts rave, and though not one have a weapon, no animal shall harm him, for the spirit of Yeovah shall go with them and be their shelter and their safeguard. Yea, more also, shall He do, for he will enter into their souls, so that they that are warriors shall be henceforth His prophets, and shall uplift their people and make of their name one which shall go down unto all ages; a famous race of educated men shall they be, and astrologers, telling of God by his works of heaven. Yet shall a further day come some six thousand years hence when the men of Chaldea shall again try to prevail over my people, and again shall fail, even as now, but thou shalt long have been with thy fathers asleep from a second life, and safe in the Name [*1] whereby I work, ere this second attempt. Callest thou innocent, women who voluntarily came in all the insolence of supposed power and invincibility to murder my people? Innocent! they who came to see the rapine of my cities and to revel in the sufferings of my people' Innocent! Nay, not so! Wherefore I shall retain with thee these wives and these maidens. Behold! I have said thou shalt not go hence; neither these women yet awhile, but thou-thou shalt never go again from this land. I will put thee in a prison which has neither bars nor gratings nor any wall; yet thou canst not hope to leave it.'

"'Dost thou mean that we are all to die, Zo Rai?' asked my father in a low, sad voice.

"'Not so; Zo Astika, thinkest. thou I condemn murder, yet

[p. 119]

would myself do it needlessly? No. Having said that thou canst not leave Suern, neither is it possible for thee thereafter, though neither bolt nor bar hindereth, nor any man watcheth or keepeth thee.'

"It was piteous to see the partings between those who were to go and those who must stay. But then, such are the fortunes of war, and the weak must obey the strong. I had rejoiced in our fancied strength, nor cared who fell by it. Power, aye, power! I think, after all, that I felt a grim satisfaction in beholding thee, Power, my god, work so swift destruction!"

----------

The princess said these last words musingly, apparently lost to her surroundings as she sat with clenched hands, admiration depicted on her beautiful face and her glorious blue eyes with their far-away look, but oh! so heartless, so cruel, after all. Queenly in figure, commanding in personality, beautiful, wonderfully beautiful, the world now, as then, would call the Princess Lolix; indeed she bore a most startling likeness to thine own fair American women. But these are not like her, really. She, lioness-like, sided ever with the triumph-power. But the real American maiden, sympathetic, true as steel, graceful as a bird, sweet as a rose just blown--like Lolix in these three last traits, but ceasing to parallel her further, for she of to-day clings to her father, her brother, her lover, come sunshine, come storm, success or adversity--faithful unto death. Such have their reward.

There came a day when Lolix: was altered to be all that the fair modem maidens are. But it was not till after years. There are some kinds of roses which, while in tender bud, seem all thorns; but what marvels of beauty are they when they have at length opened their hearts to the sun and the dew!

It appeared that Prince Menax had not heretofore heard Lolix: speak at length, but had for some reason waited this experience until I might listen. Consequently it was a revelation to him to hear one so fair, and even so sweet, reveal so heartless a nature an she exhibited in her speech, which was

[p. 120]

quite as much retrospective meditation, on her part, as recital. After some moments, Menax said:

"Astiku, thou hast related that his Majesty of Suern did not by thee and thy companions as thou didst anticipate, reasoning from the national custom of thy people to devote female prisoners of war to lust and ministrations to man's base passions."

"Astika Menax, thou'lt not esteem me disrespectful if I shall henceforth call thee friend? I will confess it to have. been very much of a surprise that Rai Ernon did not so do. I could not have complained, for such are the vicissitudes of war. Instead, however, he declared that neither he nor the Suerni had any use for us; wherefore he sent us into a foreign land. Is that our destiny here-such a hard fate?"

"No! never so!" replied Menax, his lip curling with disgust at the bare imputation. "Here thou shalt be supported by the government until perchance Poseid citizens shall choose wives of thy number; ours is a people of strange tastes, sometimes!"

"Thou art sarcastic, Astika!"

Save that the prince slightly raised his eyebrows, he vouchsafed no reply to her remark; even this notice was so faint that if I had not been closely watching his face, I should not have perceived it. After a more or less extended silence, Menax said that they were hindered from evermore returning home to Salda, because--

"No longer my home!" quickly interrupted the lady.

"Then the land of thy birth!" said Menax with some asperity, as he again lapsed into silence.

Lolix then arose and, clasping her hands, vehemently exclaimed:

"I have no wish evermore to see my native land. Henceforth I choose my lot in Poseid--to call it home!"

"As thou wilt," said Menax. "Thou art certainly a most strange woman. For love of power thou forsakest gods and home and native land. Are the others, thy captive friends--nay, hold! perchance not friends, seeing that they are fallen

[p. 121]

under misfortune!--are these as thyself, these women, forgetful of their country?"

Bending her lovely head, the princess fixed the gaze of her glorious blue eyes upon the upturned face of her critic. Two drops, tear-drops, fell from beneath the long sweeping lashes, her lips quivered, and she clasped her little hands together with the words:

"Ah! Astika, thou art cruel," then turned away and walked sobbing to the seat where first I had seen her.

Thus was the unblown rosebud mistaken for a thistle blossom.

As for me, a strange mixture of feelings possessed me, a commingling of wonder and approval. I wondered what sort of a nature it was that could be so heartless and thirst so greatly after power as to leave every natural tie for the sake of following it, and yet was so essentially feminine as to be pained at the expression of a very natural reprobation of such conduct. I pitied her because she was so ingenuous, and was so sincerely honest in and through all her soullessness, and had so artlessly narrated her later history, evidently expectant of approbation, and felt so hurt at the contrary effect produced. Finally, approval divided my emotions, because the prince had given a really merited rebuke, and one which, though its smart was keen, could not fail of a salutary effect. My reflections were interrupted at this point by Menax, saying:

"Zailm, let us go into the Xanatithlon [*1] where all is quiet and beautiful among the flowers. We shall be alone there, thou and I. I would dismiss these people of my palace, but prefer not to disturb yon Saldee maiden.

Footnotes

^118:1 Yeovah or Jehovah.--Ed.

^121:1 Building for flowers.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XII

 

THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS

A very few steps took us into the great conservatory, or Xanatithlon, where bloomed all manner and species of flowers,

[p. 122]

In the midst was a fountain whose three lofty jets sprang into the arch of the great dome and sparkled during the day in the sun-rays as they filtered through the thousands of panes of many-colored glass. Now, however, when the dull roar of the rain falling on all without mingled its tones with the dulcet plash of the fountain, that object of beauty was flashing in the rays of numerous electric images of the Day King.

Intermingled with the myriads of natural flowers were many hundreds wrought in glass so perfectly that only close examination by sense of touch might say which were produced by Flora and which by the artist. These illuminants were suited in kind to the natural flowers of, the plant, tree or vine on which they hung; on the plants there were but few, on the trees, higher above the floor, the number increased, while on the vines that clambered over arches and pillars, or swung pendent between high points overhead were a great multitude, casting throughout this floral paradise a soft, steady glow which was most delightful. '

In the midst of these pleasant environments we seated ourselves on what to the eye seemed a pile of moss-covered rocks with cosy depressions amongst them, very comfortable, since in reality they were easy springs, whereon grew moss originally furnished by silk-worms.

"Sit here, closer to me, my son," said the benign old prince, drawing me down into a hollow beside that occupied by himself.

"Zailm," he began, "I hardly know why I called thee this night; why I waited not for a time. And yet I do know, too; I had a mission to confer upon some one fitted to perform it. There are others more experienced, yet I choose to give it to thee; thou knowest what it is."

Very evident to me was it that this was not what actuated the Astika in his choice, and that it was not for this that he had asked me into the conservatory. He had relapsed into silence, which he presently broke by asking:

Hast thou ever heard that my wife gave me a son, and that both wife and son are taken by death? Aye, one son, and a daughter. Praise unto Incal, I have her yet! But my son,

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the pride of my life, is gone unto Navazzamin, the destiny of all mortality. My son, oh, my son!" he sobbed.

When his emotion had somewhat subsided, he resumed:

"Zailm, when I saw thee, at thy first speech with our beloved Rai--four years ago, was it not?--I was astonished at thy likeness to my dead boy, and I loved thee then, Zailm! Many a time have I gone to the Xioquithlon to note thee at work in thy studies. Always have the summonses thou hast received at divers times to attend at this astikithlon had for their prompting motive sight of thee! Yes, sight of thee, lad, sight of thee!" he murmured softly, gently stroking my, curls the while.

"Few days have passed that I have not at some time seen thee, either personally or by naim; yes, I have gone at night and stood by thy window, that I might gladden my heart with the sound of thy voice as thou hast sat reading to thy mother. I have watched thee and been proud of thee, Zailm, for in every way thou hast seemed as my own; thy triumphs in study have made joyful my days, as has also the skill with which thou hast performed governmental commissions, for thou wert as my son! Then come and live here, lad, for I want thee near me, in this mine old age. Together will we float down the stream of life, thou and I! Perchance I go first out across the great ocean of eternity; then will I await thee in the dim land of dreams, where is no more parting, neither pain nor sorrow. Come, Zailm, come!"

To this tender appeal I replied:

"Menax, I have often wondered, during the years of my abode in Caiphul, what meant thy favors to me. Thou hast ever been more kind to me than any other, yet have ever been reserved and distant, yea, more so than others who could not care overmuch what befell me. Now all is plain. I have looked on thee with affection and loving reverence, and treasured thy kindnesses, and acted according to thy few words of advice. Yea, Menax, we will together go hand in hand to the

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shadowy land of departed souls, thou for me or I for thee, waiting the other's coming, whichsoever the Harvester of Souls shall first garner."

We arose and tenderly embraced each other. As we parted our clasp, I beheld the only child of the prince, enframed in clustering vines that twined caressingly around her lovely form. As I looked upon her I thought of that other girl, the Saldu to whose story I had so recently listened. Nearly the .same age, neither of them more than a year my junior, but so widely different from each other as types of womanly beauty. It is difficult to describe a person in whom the deepest interest of the heart is centered, and the greater this feeling the more difficult will be the portraiture. At least, it is so in my case.

The reader is aware how the brown-haired, blue-eyed, queenly girl of far away Sald appeared, how delicate her fair complexion, how high-strung and sensitive her nature, yet withal, how cruel! But how can I picture her whom I loved, her with whom the hope of a chance meeting, even at a distance, made a great part of the pleasure I felt in going to the palace of Menax. She whom I had loved and enshrined within my heart nearly as many years as I had resided in Caiphul--how can I describe her?

If the Princess Lolix was on the threshold of womanhood, so was this fair one, the Princess Anzimee. Slight, delicate, womanly, the daughter of a long line of patrician ancestry; my senior and superior in the ranks of study at the Xioquithlon, if my junior in years; I loved her, yet carefully concealed the fact. Each of my friends who reads this will know what I feel when I avow unwillingness to describe Anzimee, and bid each to place in this Poseid life-frame the picture of his own best-loved one.

	 
		"Each heart recalled a different name,
		 But all sang 'Annie Laurie.'"
		
		 Prince Menax caught sight of his daughter at nearly the same moment as I did, and a look of mild surprise overspread his face at her presence, when he had supposed the Xanatithlon

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deserted. Seeing this expression, the Rainu came forward and, kissing her father, said:

"My father, have I intruded" I heard thee and this--this youth enter, but knew not that thou didst desire privacy, so kept my seat and continued my reading."

"Nay, my pet, thou hast no need of excuse. I am, indeed, rather glad that thou art here. But what, may I ask, wert thou reading? It will not be well for thee to study too hard, and this, I suspect, was, or is, thy meaning when thy word is 'reading.'"

With a sweet smile dancing over her face and lighting her gray eyes, she replied: "Thou wouldst make an excellent reader of the hidden mind! I was indeed studying, but the end justifies the labor. Whosoever shall acquire a deep knowledge of the science of medicine shall be in a position to relieve even, those in the agonies of mortal pain, and to cure those less gravely afflicted. Is it not a work for Incal then, as well as for His children, and is not such an act done for the least of these, something done also for Him?"

Two girls--Lolix of Sald, and Anzimee of Poseid! A wide continent separated their two countries, but a yet greater distance was between the daughters of the two lands. Lolix, with no sympathy for those in pain, no sorrow for those in mortal agony; Anzimee, at the very antipodes of such traits of character.

For a full minute there was silence, while Menax looked at the noble-hearted, dainty speaker. Then, clasping my hands with his right and those of Anzimee with his left, he said:

"My child, unto thee I give a brother, one whom I deem worthy to be such; Zailm, unto thee I give a sister more precious than rubies; and unto Thee, Incal, my God! all the song of praise which fills my breast for Thy blessings to me." Here he dropped the hands that had touched, together for the first time, and lifted his own to heaven.

How the touch of that little hand thrilled me ere it was withdrawn. Was I worthy of all this love? No sin yet stained my fair fame, and I felt at that moment entirely deserving. If

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ever it blotted my record, sin was yet to come; but with disquiet I thought of the strange prophecy on that night of long ago; for an instant only this feeling possessed me and then it fled.

I was much given to the habit of analyzing men and motives; it was a second nature, so to speak, to consider every question in every possible aspect. So, even now, I was querying myself as to the meaning of this latest experience. I knew that for Menax, who had so winningly asked me to be his son, I entertained the most profound respect and affection. My life would not have appeared to me too great a price to pay, if for it I could have bestowed commensurate benefit on him; and I loved life, too; there was nothing morbid about my nature, unless exceeding love for ray friends be a sign of morbidness. I dwelt a little upon what my adoption meant socially and politically. Thou needest not be told what it must have been to my ambition thus to be placed in so high a niche as I would thenceforth occupy in Atlan estimation as the legal son of a high councilor, who by marriage was the brother of the Rai. All this time, while considering the situation, I was reserving as a choice sensation the pleasure of examining what was the kind of love I felt for her who was my sister, by adoption only, it is true, but who, herself the pet of inner circles, and the adored of the people of Caiphul, would appear before the world as my sister the moment Rai Gwauxln should officially approve his brother's course.

Ought I to feel pleasure or vexation? I looked at her whom I had dreamed of as my wife in case Incal in His goodness should see fit to grant me exaltation to high places. Could I hope to realize the dream, after this unexpected turn of fortune? If I had come to my high place by a different manner, then I could have hoped for the hand of Anzimee. But now! My great fortune seemed like an apple of Sodom, bitterness to my mouth. For I was her brother, legally, if not by consanguineous ties. There was a chance that things were not so

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dark as they seemed, since such adoptions among the lower classes were frequent, yet did not act as a bar to marriage. So, thus again, the sun came from behind the clouds.

The characteristic most marked in the appearance of the girl before me was the simplicity of her attire. That evening, her glory of brown tresses was caught in a loose, unbraided fall at the back of her shapely head by a plain golden clasp, A long, flowing robe clothed her slender, girlish form. No costume could be more artistically, tastefully simple than this colorless, diaphanous fabric, tinged just enough with blue to seem pearly white, Shoulder-tips of pure carmine indicated the wearer's royalty. Her dress was gathered at her throat by a pill made of a golden bar whereon flashed large rubies, grouped about a center of pearls and emeralds, the whole heightening the color of her checks so as to make her seem some lovely human rosebud. Rich as it was quiet, the attire added nothing to the girl's own sweetly dignified loveliness. The pearls, emblem of her rank as a Xioqenu; the emeralds, mark of her not yet having attained political voice; the rubies, gems of royalty, worn only by the Rai, or one of his near relatives. Gwauxln's own sister was Anzimee's mother and the wife of Menax.

Poseid derived her greatness from her educational superiority, a greatness which recognized no sex in its learned ballot-holders. But if Atlantis owed all things to knowledge, it was none the less true that Atl's people of ability would not have been what they were had it not been for their wives, the sisters and the daughters, and more than all, the mothers of our proud land. Our grand social fabric was founded on and built by the efforts of sons and daughters who, for centuries, had respected the lessons inculcated by fond, true, patriotic mothers. Next to that paid to his Creator was the homage which a Poseida accorded to woman. We loved our Rai, and the Astiki; we respected them as much as ever rulers in this world have been respected; but we honored our women more, and Rai and prince, sovereign and subject, were proud to acknowledge the holy influence which made all our glorious land of freedom one great home. America, thou art beloved by me even as was

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Poseid. Foremost amongst nations, art thou so because of woman--and Christ. Thou wilt keep in the van because of them, and eclipse all the world beside when the happy karmic day shall have arrived which places woman not below, not above, but by the side of man on the rock of esoteric Christian education, the granite of knowledge and faith, which withstands the winds and storms of ignorance. Built on such foundation, the National house shall not fall; built on other, great shall be the fall of it. Here is wisdom: myriad serpents are in a man; in thee; keep them. Now ye are slaves. Be ye masters instead. But, alas! this Way is narrow; few will to find it.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XIII

 

THE LANGUAGE OF THE SOUL

"Zailm, my son, thou heardst the narration of the Saldu, Lolix. As thou knowest, it is from things arisen out of the occurrences by her related that thou goest on a mission to Suern. It is not a hard task, merely to make return of acknowledgment for the gifts presented and disavowal of our intent to keep as prisoners the people whom Rai Ernon sent hither. We will give them asylum, but Rai Ernon must not think that we permit their presence for any purpose except to do him a favor. Concerning other business, on the morrow it is Rai Gwauxln's pleasure that thou attendest at Agacoe. But wilt thou not remain here this night?"

"My father, I fain would stay; but is it not duteous that I go unto my mother this night and set her at ease? She hath an infirmity of nervousness that can not well withstand my absence at night."

"Thou art right, Zailm. Yet soon it must be arranged that thy mother be domiciled in some pleasant part of this astikithlon, so that thou shalt be under thy father's roof at night."

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I then departed from the prince and from the sweet girl who had been with us during a part of the evening, and went forth into the night. The rain had ceased, and the clouds, rolling across the sky in sullen blackness, had but one rift in their gloomy mass. In this single rent shone a great white star, which at times flashed red. As I looked at it, down close to the horizon, seeming that moment risen from old ocean's phosphorescent waters, visible from Menax Heights, I thought of the past; for this star had flashed brightly upon me while I awaited the sunrise on Pitach Rhok. So many years it seemed since that morn! To-day this star is called "Sirius," we named it "Corietos." As I looked upon it, it seemed an omen auspicious of success, past, present and to come. Raising my hands toward it, I murmured:

"Phyris, Phyrisooa Pertos!" which is: "Star, O star of my life."

It seems a little singular that the language which is translated thus should have a similar sound and import as to-day used by the people of my home planet. At that old day I raised my hands aloft and exclaimed: "Star, O star of my life!" To-day I turn awhile from precipitating this history in astral word-things, turn to my Alter Ego, and say: "Phyris, Phyrisa." This is her own dear name, and signifies "Star of my soul." Peculiar, is it not, that twelve thousand years should pass, and I, member of another race of human beings, in another mansion, find so little change in the language of the soul?

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XIV

 

THE ADOPTION OF ZAILM

When, according to request, I arrived at the Agacoe palace on the next morning, I proceeded directly to the private office there occupied by Prince Menax, expecting to find my father

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alone. But in this I was disappointed, as Rai Gwauxln was there with him. The two were in conversation when I entered, and did not cease, evidently not regarding me as an intruder. At last I heard the Rai ask:

"Should we not now go to the Incalithlon?"

"If it please thee. And thou, Zailm, accompany us."

A palace car was summoned by the Rai, and came rolling along into our presence without any person to operate it; came in at the door of the office, which opened to allow its passage precisely as if some court page had opened it. It wheeled into the room and came to a stop in front of us. All this was done exactly as if under a guiding hand. But no visible hand was there. This was the first time I had ever seen any exhibition of occult power on the part of Gwauxln; indeed I never saw many examples of his power, notwithstanding his high adeptship. Like all true adepts he was exceedingly chary of such object lessons, disliking to show his knowledge before those not possessed of sufficient common sense to know that any acts of the sort were but examples of the control of nature through an understanding of higher laws than the ordinary mind perceives in its natural surroundings; but I was not one who saw anything miraculous in the occult; if I understood not the process, I did understand that it was but the operation of some unfamiliar law. Hence Gwauxln was not averse to allowing me to witness his power at times.

The car conveyed us to the vailx-landing outside, where we found a vailx of small size, into which Rai Gwauxln courteously assisted first Menax, then myself, and himself entered last. Here was a spectacle worthy of note, the ruler of a mighty nation without the display of a single attendant, not more deferential to rank than to those of inferior station. True, as a Xio-Incali, Gwauxln had command over mechanical service which was more regal far than a retinue of menials could be.

Like father, like son. Gwauxln, who was as a father to his people, was copied by them in his demeanor. They, too, were simple in habits, courteous in manner, and, though in many

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cases wealthy and luxurious in their habits in life, were entirely unostentatious, as their Rai set them example.

The great temple of Incal was distant several miles, but a few minutes sufficed to bring us to its huge structure. Outwardly the Incalithlon was shaped like the Egyptian pyramid of Cheops, not quite so high, but covering an area of twice as great extent. No windows pierced its sides, and sunlight or that of day never entered its interior. Besides a number of small apartments, the building contained one vast hall where was space for several thousand worshipers. The Poseid habit of copying nature was followed in this sanctuary with extraordinary faithfulness. Instead of straight walls, or alcoves, or the ordinary arrangement of interiors, the enormous auditorium was in faithful semblance of a cave of stalactites and stalagmites. In placing all this calcite, utility was consulted with regard to the stalagmites so that too much floor space should not be occupied by them. But the stalactites, being pendent from the marble ceiling, had been placed as thickly as space allowed and sparkled like stars in the light from the incandescent lamps swung midway between them and the floor below. From the latter point of view these lamps were concealed by broad concave shades so that their glow was wholly invisible from beneath, but shining upwards was reflected from myriads of sparkling white needles, filling the temple with a steady and. soft, but powerful, light that seemed to emanate from no special point, but from the air itself, a light well adapted to religious meditation.

We left the vailx and entered the unimposing but ample portal, and proceeded across the hall to the Holy Seat, in the back of the sanctuary. Within it we found Mainin, the Incaliz, or high priest, a man of wondrous attainments of knowledge, second to none in fact. To him we all made courteous obeisance, and then Prince Menax said:

"Most holy Incaliz, thou knowest, in thy great wisdom, upon what errand thy sons have come before thee. Wilt thou fulfill our prayer by granting us thy blessing?"

The Incaliz arose and bade us to follow him into the triangle

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of the Maxin, or Divine Light, in front of the Holy Seat. Deferring the relation of our subsequent action, I will describe this especially sacred part of the temple. It was a raised, triangular platform of red granite, several inches higher than the floor of the auditorium, thirty-six feet between its points. In the very center of it was a large block of crystal quartz, upon the perfect cube of which rose the Maxin. This seemed aflame, in shape like a giant spearhead, and it cast a light of intense power over all things around, yet one could look at its steady, unwavering white glow without desiring shade for the eyes, even though these were not strong. Over three times the height of a tall man it stood, a mysterious manifestation of Incal, as all spectators believed. In reality it was an occult odic light, and had stood in that one spot for centuries. It had witnessed the grander development of Poseid and its capital city, and had seen the original temple of Incal (a small architectural structure, unworthy of a great people) torn down, and the present Incalithlon built around it. It made no heat, did not even warm the quartz pedestal; yet for any living being to touch it was fatal in the instant of the rash act. No oil, no fuel, no electric currents fed it; no man tended it. Its history was peculiar, and can not fail to interest thee, my friends.

Many hundred years previously there had been for four hundred and thirty-four days a ruler over the Poseidi who possessed wonderful knowledge. This wisdom was like that of Ernon of Suern. No one knew whence he came, and not a few were disposed to question his statement, while all were in doubt, as to whether his meaning was figurative or literal when he said:

"I am from Incal. Lo, I am a child of the Sun and am come to reform the religion and life of this people. Behold Incal is the Father and I am the Son, and He is in Me and I am in Him."

He was asked to prove this claim, whereupon be laid his hand upon a man born blind, and the man received his sight and saw with the doubters that his deliverer stooped to the pavement of the triangular platform, and with his finger drew a

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square five and a half feet either way. Then he stepped outside of the lines indicated, and at once the great block of quartz appeared, a perfect cube, in the place. Standing by its side he placed his finger upon the rock, and blew thereon with his breath, As he withdrew the finger the Maxin, or Fire of Incal, sprang up, and thus had cube and Unfed Fire remained during all the centuries since.

It is needless to say the proof was satisfactory, and thereafter the mysterious stranger revised the laws and provided then the code which had ever since governed the land. He had said that whosoever should add to or take from his laws, that person should not come into the Kingdom of Incal until "I am come on earth for the final judgment."

No one had ever desired to disobey, it would seem, or at least no change had ever been made. The laws which this Rai had given were written by him with his finger upon the Maxin-Stone, and no work of sculptor's chisel were better done. They were also written upon a book of parchment leaves, and this he placed under the Unfed Light itself, which thereafter sprang from the surface of the Book; this had remained ever since, unharmed, unscorched. The wonderful writer had placed it there in sight of all the people who could enter the new Temple built in place of the old one. As he did so, he said:

"Hearken unto me. This is my law. Behold it also written on the Maxin-Stone. No man shall remove it, lest he die. Yet after centuries have flown, behold! the Book shall disappear in sight of a multitude, and no man shall know its place. Then shall the Unfed Light go out, and no man be able to rekindle it. And when these things have come to pass, lo! the day is not far off when the land shall no more be. It shall perish because of its iniquity, and the waters of Atl shall roll above it! I have spoken."

Once, in the history of Poseid, a Rai had come to doubt whether a man would surely die if he tried to withdraw the Book of the Unfed Light. He conceived the idea that as the Maxin sprang from the top of the Book alone, and not from its sides, that removal might be possible. So therefore he

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forced a malefactor to attempt the deed, fearing after all to try it himself, although in the tyrannous policy which he followed, he cared not whether the man died or not. That was a day of growing darkness and wickedness, when men had somewhat forgotten the Great Rai, Son of Incal. The unhappy wretch was made to grasp the Book, and withdraw it if he could. He found it impossible to move it, but yet was not destroyed by the Maxin. Grown bolder, and urged by the Rai, he tried harder. He pulled, and then his grasp gave way, and one hand passed through the Maxin. The member was instantly destroyed, cut off, gone, while the monarch, standing many feet distant, fearful of approaching near, was stricken in that same instant by an outleaping flash of the Maxin, and no one ever saw him more!

That one example was sufficient! The error of their ways suddenly became very apparent to the evil-doers, and administration of the laws was again in accord with their spirit, as with their letter. The day of the "Dismal Prophecy" had been looked for as the decades passed into centuries, but its time was not yet come, and though many alarmists set days when it would surely come, it came not, and the Unfed Light continued. According to the law, bodies of all souls which had passed into Navazzamin were cremated. This even included some animals. Those dying at a distance from Caiphul were incinerated in some one of the multitude of Navamaxa (furnaces especially for dead bodies) which the government provided all through the provinces, and if the incinerated body was that of a human being the ashes were taken to Caiphul and cast into the Maxin, as a ceremonial act. Those of the departed from Caiphul were taken as they lay in death to the Incalithlon, and being raised to the top of the Cube, were let fall face forward into the Unfed Light. In either case, whether as incinerated ashes or unaltered forms, the result was the same; that is, while there was no flaming, no smoke, no tremor of the Maxin, nevertheless the instantaneous disappearance of the object occurred at the second of contact with the marvelous Unfed Fire.

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Hence it had been sung by poets as the "Gateway" to the country which each soul must discover for itself. To die, with out in some manner passing into the Maxin, either in corpus personae or by the ashes from prior incineration, was thought to be the most frightful calamity by the greater number of the people.

It might appear that people of such scientific erudition would not be so seemingly childish in religious conceptions as this. As a verity it was not childishness. Instead, it was an insistence upon such entire destruction of the earthly casket of the soul, as to render certain the freedom of the real person from all earthly restraint in entering into, Navazzamin.

Not that many people understood the esoteric significance of the rite; no, they but understood so much of the real meaning as the Incali had given them through comparing the earth-leaving soul to the seed which, sprouting, leaves behind it every fragment of the shell.

To return to the Incalithlon and the ceremonial of my adoption by Prince Menax.

As we stood beside the Maxin-Stone, Gwauxln bade me kneel, and then, placing his hand upon my head, spoke, saying:

"In harmony with the laws of the land, made and provided in such cases, Astika Menax, a Councilor of the land of Poseid, hath a wish to adopt thee, Zailm Numinos, for a son unto his name, in place of one departed hence into Navazzamin. Wherefore, as thy Sovereign and his, I, Gwauxln, Rai of Poseid, do declare it to be as prayed for by Astika Menax."

The Incaliz completed the ceremonies by placing his right hand upon my head and his left upon that of Menax as we knelt before him, and invoking the blessing of Incal upon us both. As he removed his hands, he addressed me thus:

"Be thou erect in the sight of Incal, that no man may accuse thee truthfully. This do, and thy days shall be long. But even as thou shalt fail, so then shall thy time be shortened. May the peace of Incal be with thee."

Not one of the three hearers, of the Incaliz understood him to mean that my days would be short because I would fail in

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rectitude, but only as a warning were the words taken. Yet I knew afterwards, all too late, what prescience guided Mainin in his words. Knew in a flood of bitter memory, which recalled how recreant I had been to the high resolve on Pitach Rhok to be successful, a, a result of being true to my divine. God-considering selfhood. But, all this came, as I thought, too late. Too late was it, when I lay in a dungeon awaiting death, from which no mortal could save me, and dreamed that my soul sat on a verdureless shore looking across a limitless ocean. and crying, "Ah! where is the hope of my years!" Bitter and fiery was the remorseful agony, but my name was still on the Book of Life; still there, and not erased as I feared. Karma is inexorable and severe, my brother, my sister; but our Savior hath said: "Follow Me." "He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear." "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only."

As we turned away, an Incala, who had been present, began playing on the great organ of the temple; then the silences of the vast auditorium responded as no human voice could make them do.

	 
		"On the winds the bells' deep tones are swelling--"
		
		 The echoes rang again and again as the thundering voices of the great organ pealed forth, thrilling the soul with its mighty harmony. Rays of many-hued lights, some brilliant, some soft-tinted as those of a spectroscopic image of the moon, played from point to point in exhausted air-tubes, and as the colors changed, so did the notes of music, for every ray of light, whatsoever its source, is a pulsing choral note, if developed rightly. Thus the stars sing.

The Rai did not go with Menax and myself, when the conclusion of our business was reached, but remained with the Incaliz Mainin. With him Gwauxln was more familiar, his friendship more deeply intimate than with any other human being. And the reason was that both be and Mainin were Sons of the Solitude and had been youths together in the days ere public favor had marked the one for Rai, the other for Incaliz, these both being elective positions, the office of High Priest being the only ecclesiastical office which could be filled by

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popular vote. And this exception was because it was considered true justice to allow the people to consult their own desires in this matter of choosing one whom all believed to be the most eminently good and perfect example of moral life, to be over them in this highest spiritual office.

But in the days of their youth neither had seemed to expect the preferment which the years had in store, and after the long course required of Xio Incali at the Xioquithlon, both had hidden the world of men adieu and had gone forth into the solitudes of the vast mountains, where only the Sons of Incal had abode, of all mankind. These men were the Theochristic or Occult Adepts of that olden age, the Yog-Vidya of their time. They were indeed chary of their wisdom, then as now; but to Gwauxln and Mainin they imparted it without stint. They had no families then, nor do these students of God, of Nature, deviate now from the same celibate principles. None who hope to achieve their deep knowledge will mate. [*1]

After years had flown, so many that men had almost forgotten them, Gwauxln and Mainin did what few had ever been known to do--returned to the haunts of ordinary humanity. My father, Menax, had been but a babe when Gwauxln went away, and the latter's sister was not then born. Yet when Gwauxln came back, the silvery threads of age already gleamed in the hair of the Prince Menax, while as for the Rai that was to be, he looked a little more mature, but otherwise unchanged from the youthful semblance of the days of yore. In the interim, his sister had come to the world, grown to womanhood, wedded Menax, and after bringing into life their son, Soris, and their daughter, Anzimee, had gone into the undiscovered country through the Maxin gateway. Mainin, too, was of a similarly youthful appearance.

Both of these "Sons of the Solitude" came back, giving as their reason for return that their presence was needed, and both were eventually chosen by the people to fill the respective positions which we have seen them occupying, positions rendered vacant by the death of the incumbents. It is only now,

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after twelve thousand years have slipped into eternity through the back door of time that I have come to know how much Mainin had to do with those events, and how wholly in the dark concerning his real character was Gwauxln and every other Son of the Solitude. Not to anticipate, is it strange that Rai-Gwauxln felt more pleasurable intimacy possible in his intercourse with Mainin than with any other person connected with his daily life? Or that he felt his finally exposed treachery more keenly than any one else could? I think not.

Footnotes

^137:1 I, Cor. vii., 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 29, 31, 32.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XV

 

A MATERNAL DESERTION

On leaving my farm home that morning, I had told my mother all that had transpired, and said that she should have an escort to the palace, whither, after my recent change of fortune, I expected her to go and live, in accordance with the instructions of Menax.

What an anomalous position was this. Here was I, son by adoption of one of the Imperial Princes, and by virtue of being recognized brother of his daughter, Anzimee, I was a nephew of my sister's uncle, Rai Gwauxln. Yet my mother. was not related to any of these royalties, and had seen none of them, except the Rai, often enough to enable her to be sure of recognition should she meet them again. But I rejoiced when I thought of the opportunities she would presently have of more intimate acquaintanceship.

Having sent the promised excort for her, what was my surprise on returning to the palace, at learning from my father that instead of coming she had sent a message in writing. I hastily broke the seal and read, in her fine Poseidic chirography, the simple command:

	 
		"Zailm, come to me.
		
		
			 
				PREZZA NUMINOS."
				
				   [p. 139]

I went. Somehow an icy feeling of apprehension was about my heart, a presentiment of something harrowing. When I arrived at the house, my mother, looking, as I thought, rather pale, said:

"My son, I cannot go to the palace. I have no desire to do so. I am overjoyed at thy success in life; live then, in thy high place. I may not go with thee. Thou art easy in the midst of noble society, I could never be so. Perhaps thou wilt say that for me thou wilt give it up and remain with me. Do not do so. Lest thou feel thus, it is best that thou shouldst endure the pain of knowledge now rather than hereafter. Listen: I have cared for thee during the years of infancy and boyhood, and seen thee arrive at man's estate. Thou needest not this care now. I will go back to the home of the mountains."

"Mother, talk not so!" I interrupted.

"Hear me through, Zailm! I will go back to the mountains with my husband, he whom thou knowest not, a good man, a lover ere I married thy father, and whom, having wedded this morning, the notice of it hath doubtless by this time been published abroad. An Incala who came past very opportunely, performed the simple ceremony. My other husband, thy father, I loved not, but did detest, for it was a marriage arranged by my parents against my will, but alas! with my consent, fool that I was to give it! Thou art the fruit of that union, and to me came unwished. For thy father was disliked, abhorred, but dying, left you heritor, not of my dislike, that were too unjust, but, must I say it?--an object of indifference. I have not been a lacking mother, for, as a matter of pride, I concealed my feelings. In a way I even love thee; I love my friends; 'tis nothing deeper. I have now to bid thee good-bye, having said which it is necessary to--"

I heard no more, for I had fallen unconscious upon the floor. Was this the mother I had idolized? For whom I had striven so hard in the earlier years and later, in Caiphul, ere a new object to work for arose and led me thenceforth with greater

[p. 140]

determination in the form of a double ideal, love of mother and love of Anzimee" O Incal! My God! O my God!

At last I came out of the horrid dream into which, without regaining consciousness after my swoon, I had passed, a heated nightmare of brain fever.

"Mother!"

As I uttered the loved word, Astika Menax, who sat by my bedside, turned away, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Nay, Zailm, be not troubled! Thou hast been ill near unto death with brain fever these two weeks. I will tell thee all, to-morrow, perhaps. Thou camest very close to going to await me in the Shadowy Land; but not long wouldst thou have had to wait, my light, for it would have been but a little while ere I rejoined thee, lad!"

The story is not long. My mother, being told that good care should aid her in nursing me, said that she would not remain at all, as she doubted not that the skilled care of Menax's private physician could do as well, or better, for me than she. Wherefore she had gone with her husband to their mountain home. From the hour in which Menax told me this, at the cost of much pain to himself, the subject was dropped, and never again referred to by any one.

Once, when I went near to the place of my birth, and sent a messenger to ask if I was welcome, he came back to my vailx and said that a man met him at the door. To him the message was given, and he said: "Say to thy master that my wife bids him come." I went, but could see that she would rather I had not come. She gave me her hand, but did not offer to kiss me, as a mother is wont to do. Her manner--but spare me details of this last meeting and last time I ever saw my Poseid mother. She acted wisely in not going to the palace, constituted as she was; it is a painful subject; let it be dropped.

---------

As soon as my health permitted me to go on my mission to Suernis, which was not until the new year had begun at the Xioquithlon, from attendance at which the Xiorain forbade

[p. 141]

me until the next year, Prince Menax took me to his private office.

"The Xiorain has ordered wisely," said Menax. "Oh! these younger minds, they are full of promise for the future! No scheme was ever better than this in which the students govern themselves, and on all questions concerning educational matters, even to the distribution and use of the educational funds provided by the government and the selection of tutors, their word is law."

On the table in Menax's office stood a lovely vase of malleable glass, into which, while fused, powder of gold, silver and other colored metals were mixed, together with certain chemicals which rendered the whole of various degrees of translucency, from nearly opaque to perfect transparency, the various range affecting the metals as well as the glass, and appearing in different parts of the same object. The beauty was not second to the value of the costly product. Menax pointed to the tall vase, and I read upon it this inscription, formed with rubies:

"To Ernon, Rai of Suern, I, Gwauxln, Rai of Poseid, return this in token of thy appreciation of the Poseidi."

If any reader desires to see a facsimile of the original legend in Poseid chirography, the desire is here granted:

Turning from the vase, I asked:

"When shall I go upon this mission, my father?"

"As early as health and convenience permit, Zailm."

"Then be it the day after the morrow."

"'Tis well. Take any company thou mayst choose. There are none who cannot get leave of absence from the Xiorain, I think, shouldst thou wish fellow students for companions; at least they can probably obtain a vacation of a month, and thou wilt scarcely care to stay longer than thirty-three days. Take also this signet ring, whereby I delegate

[p. 142]

thee my deputy, being confident of thy discretion in its use; its powers are those of Minister of Foreign Business. And take escort of courtiers, also."

To this I replied that I would not take a retinue, such as a staff of officers, since from the story of Astiku Lolix, I judged Rai Ernon to be one who would look with scorn upon such a useless appanage. This pleased Menax greatly, and he proudly said:

"Zailm, thy language pleases me! I see thou art wisely politic, and dost consider well the probable idiosyncrasies of those with whom thou hast dealings."

During my illness Anzimee had shown much solicitude, and as I learned from the regular nurses, all the while I was outside the realm of consciousness, she had permitted no one else to care for me except when she was utterly fatigued, and not long then. As I convalesced, her presence was not bestowed upon me except at intervals. I took advantage of one of these visits to let her know that I was aware of her kindness during my delirium. She flushed, then said:

"Thou knowest that I am studying the science of therapy; what better chance to experiment could an eager student have than thou didst furnish me?"

"Yea, verily," I answered, but felt that there was a deeper reason than the experimental proclivity, and that the indulgence in the latter was extremely, lovingly cautious!

To Anzimee I outlined a plan for getting the greatest possible amount of pleasure from my trip, after the state business at Ganje, the capital city of Suernis, should have been attended to. It was three years since I had been away from Caiphul to any greater distance than going to Marzeus involved. I showed her the route I purposed to take; together we scanned the map, and I pointed out that from Caiphul on the extreme western cape of Poseid, my course would be east by north across the continent, the intervening ocean beyond it and between that point and further land. Then still on east across the country of Necropan, which country, now called Egypt, Abyssinia, etc., then embraced the entire continent of Africa,

[p. 143]

one government similar to that of Suern, and was inhabited by a people of kindred powers, but not nearly so far advanced.

Africa was then not more than half its present size, while Suernis, which also embraced all of Asia, was much different from what it is to-day, but was a name more distinctive of the peninsula of Hindustan. Leaving Necropan, the route would be across the sea to India, or, as we knew the names, across the "Waters of Light" (in reference to their phosphorescence) to Suernis. From Ganje, capital of Suernis, our course was still eastward across the Pacific ocean, as it is now named, to our colonies in America, called "Incalia" by us, because in that far antipodal land, the Sun, Incal, was fabled as making his bed by that epic heretofore mentioned as the basis of Atlan folklore.

From Southern Incalia, (modern Sonora) I intended to go northwards and skim hastily over the desolate ice-fields of the arctic regions. What is now Idaho and Montana, Dakota, Minnesota, and the Dominion of Canada were then covered with vast glaciers, the rear-guard of the glacial epoch, which was slowly retreating, very slowly, even in so late a day, geologically speaking, as the days of Atl, reluctant to end its frigid reign. The trip could thus be made to afford novel and pleasing contrasts-tropical, semi-tropical, temperate and frigid.

"Would our father object to my going also, Zailm?" asked Anzimee, wistfully. "I have not been away from Caiphul in five years.

"Indeed, no, little girl. He bade me invite whomsoever should please me, and I know of no person who doth please me more than thou. I have already asked a goodly company of our common friends."

So Anzimee went also. When everything was arranged, our party consisted of nearly a score of young people congenial to, each other, a couple of officers of the staff of Menax, with

[p. 144]

the necessary servitors and conveniences for a month's absence. Our vailx was of the middle traffic-size, these vessels being made in four standard lengths: number one, about twenty-five feet; number two, eighty feet; number three, something like one hundred and fifty-five feet, while the largest was yet two hundred feet longer than the third size. These long spindles were in fact round, hollow needles of aluminum, formed of an outer and an inner shell between which were many thousands of double T braces, an arrangement productive of intense rigidity and strength. All the partitions made other braces of additional resistant force. From amidships the vessels tapered toward either end to sharp points. Most vailxi were provided with an arrangement allowing, when desired, an open promenade deck at one end. Windows of crystal, of enormous resistant strength, were in rows like portholes along the sides, a few on top, and others set in the floor, thus affording a view in all directions. I might mention that the vailx which I had selected for our vacation trip was fifteen feet and seven inches in its greatest diameter.

At the appointed time (the first hour of the third day, as agreed with Menax) my invited guests assembled at the palace, from the roof of which we were to take our departure. How careful I was of my lovely sister, and how proud of her beauty.

The princess Lolix, whom we had ever treated as a guest at Menaxithlon, came up to the platform where the ship lay, curious to see our preparations for departure. It seemed ever new to her to behold an aerial vessel leave terra firma. Not that anything of her wonder was expressed; she made it a point of pride to appear surprised at nothing, however novel or marvelous it might really be to her experience. Indeed, hers was a calm, even temperament, not easily aroused. I had not, in the five or six weeks since hearing her story, again seen her exhibit so much of any sort of emotion as she had that evening when I had observed that my attentions to Anzimee disturbed the Saldu, and I knew that the effect must be deep because of her inability to keep its appearance wholly secret.

[p. 145]

Considering that we were bound for Suernis, Lolix was not invited to go, as she otherwise might have been. But I did not forget to bid her a cordial and respectful farewell.

The current keys were set, and, just as the vailx trembled slightly ere leaving the roof, Menax sprang upon the deck, thereby considerably astonishing me, for I had no idea that he intended accompanying us. In reality he did not, but to. all questions he preserved a smiling silence.

Long as was our silver-white spindle, we had soon risen so high as to make us seem a mere speck to people on the earth beneath. Then for half an hour we flew at moderate speed through the high abyss, when a young lady called attention to an approaching vailx, following in our wake. Prince Menax, seated in a deck chair by my side, looked over the rail at the surface, more than two miles beneath, then he drew his heavy fur cape more closely about his shoulders, looked back over the hundred miles, more or less, of our course already covered in the half hour, and remarked that the other vailx was rapidly gaming on us.

"Shall I give orders to the vailx-man to increase speed, that we may enjoy a race?" I asked of the company, which clad in arctic clothing, was occupying the passing time in sightseeing round about us on the open deck.

"Nay, not so, my son," said Menax.

I said no more, for it at that moment dawned upon me that the pursuer followed us by the prince's order.

Menax now arose, bade the company good-bye and a pleasant trip, and then, Anzimee having arisen also, he put his arm about her and came back to me. As I stood up he passed his disengaged arm around me and thus we stood for some moments. Then releasing us, he ordered the two deckmen to throw grapples across to the other vessel, which at that moment grated alongside. The next instant he stepped on board the other vailx and signed to loose grapples. Thus we parted, high above the green earth, two miles beneath, he to return, we to go onwards.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

[p. 146]

 

CHAPTER XVI

 

THE VOYAGE TO SUERN

Before us lay a pleasure trip during which we should travel many thousands of miles. We proceeded slowly when we came above the base of the huge bulk of Pitach Rhok, the mighty mountain, and ascended somewhat, so that we should be on a level with its high point. When at the place, nothing would suit the company except a stop on the summit, and together we all placed foot in the snows on the pitach, which thing was done chiefly to please Anzimee, who said that the place was very interesting on account of what had there happened to me.

Then, again, we were under way, descending from the higher altitudes in order to better view the thickly inhabited, though mountainous, country beneath us, between Pitach Rhok and east Poseid.

At the approach of sunset a dull roar arose to the ear, and soon the long white shore of old ocean flashed beneath a moment, and in a little time was fax behind, with the waters, lead color in the twilight, beneath, behind, before and on both sides, no land in sight, and over one thousand miles east the country of Necropan. Without going at a full rate of speed, we could not expect to be above that land in less than two or three hours. But as it would be dark ere reaching it, we slackened speed to an hundred and fifty miles per hour, closed the deck and went into the salon, where incandescent lamps lit up the darkening night-glooms.

A trip by vailx could never prove so monotonous as a journey in even the fastest of ocean steamships so often is to-day. The variety of scenery, the wide views possible, for altitude was dependent wholly on pleasure, the external cold being unheeded by people who sat in a parlor warmed by means

[p. 147]

from Navaz and furnished with air of the proper density by the same Night-Side forces--all this tended to prevent ennui. Then too, the rapid transit changed the aspect of things beneath so fast that the spectator looking back-wards gazed upon a dissolving view. As an aside, the currents derived from the Night-Side of Nature permitted the attainment of the same speed as that of the diurnal rotation of the earth, e. g.: supposing we were at an altitude of ten miles, and the time the instant of the sun's meridian; at that  moment we could remain indefinitely, bows on, while the earth revolved beneath, at approximately seventeen miles every minute. Or, the reverse direction keys could be set, and our vailx would speed away from where it was meridian on the surface beneath, at the same almost frightful rate, frightful to one unused to it, as my reader is now, but one day will not be, if, as I hope, he or she will live to see vailxi rediscovered. Nor need the life be a very long one ere then.

While we had such preventives of ennui, we lacked not commoner means of enjoyment. We had our naima, in the mirrors and vibrators of which our friends, however distant, could appear in image of form and of voice, lifesized and with undiminished vocal volume. The salons of the great passenger vailxa had libraries, musical instruments, and potted plants, amongst the flowers of which birds similar to the modern domestic canary darted about.

At about the tenth hour it was reported that Necropan was beneath, and at this surprising information, because at the speed I had ordered, we should have been at least six hours longer in coming to that country, I enquired of the vailxman his reason for increasing speed without orders. No good reason being given, I severely reprimanded the conductor, and ordered that a descent be made to terra firma, in order that we might travel by day over the Wasted Land, as our word Sattamund may be translated, which is the Sahara desert of to-day. This great wade some of our party had never seen,

[p. 148]

and to allow them the privilege we settled down to spend the night on an elevated ridge, high enough to be above malarious influences, for we were near where modern Liberia lies.

	 
		"The proud bird--The Condor of the Andes,
		 That can sail thro' heaven's unfathomable depths,
		 Or brave the fury of the northern hurricane
		 And bathe his plumage in the Thunder's home,
		 Furls his broad wings at nightfall, and sinks down
		 To rest upon his mountain crag.
		
		 Though we called it Sattamund, or the Wasted Land, yet it was not such an and region then as it is now. Water, if not as abundant as it was in Poseid, was abundant enough to give a wealth of tropical trees of the hardier sorts, sufficient at least to hide the nakedness of the slopes and hills of that old seabed. There were even a few saline lakes there, broad and blue, and it was around these that the population was centered. But the same dread catastrophe that overtook fair Poseid laid its terrible hand upon Necropan, and its beauty of verdure went out from the land, because the geological changes withdrew all the water from the surface, and hid it so that only artesian augers could find it. The same mighty throe rent the rocks through and through in Southwest Incalia, and to-day there is in that arid region scenery most fantastic, weird past the power of my pen to describe, where flows the Rio Gila, the Colorado, and Colorado Chiquita. But I will reserve the description, and when it is given it shall be in other words than mine, so that thou and I, my friend, shall together have the pleasure of enjoying a fine word-painting.

In Poseid and Suern, and wherever civilization extended its scepter, it was the universal law, and mankind's pleasure to obey the heavenly mandate which the general accordance with the solar life spirit taught us required the planting, instead of careless rejection, of O seeds of goodly flower or fruit, for shade, for beauty, for utility, wherever it chanced that a favorable spot offered, either in the habitats of man or in the untrodden wilderness. Indeed, in such trips as our party was then taking, it was a matter of religious significance to take great quantities of seeds and to scatter them from the vailx-decks

[p. 149]

at nightfall, both as an offering to Incal, as His sublime symbol set in the west, and also that the dews of night might insure germination, and this ceremony was also held to be an acknowledgment of the Goddess of Increase, Zania. Thus the wilds came to bloom as the rose; and to-day the world is heritor of that sowing of seed; the indigenous cereals, the wheat, for the origin of which many ingenious but insufficient theories have been put forth, and the varieties of palms that make the tropics famed for the grace of their cocoas and dates, and every genera of the Chamaerops. And these things are because man, woman and child found pleasure in that olden time in "planting seed by the wayside." Go thou and do likewise, that the waste places may become full of beauty and be a joy forever. All hail to Arbor Days, which fulfill the injunction of Christ; they will surely make a return, and some an hundred fold. A small pocket now and then will hold many a seed for planting, and though thou heedest not its sort, so that it be goodly, yet the Father hath said, "It shall bring forth after its kind."

 

THE STORM

The morning dawned clear and cloudless and was altogether so delightful that we essayed scarcely any forward progress, moving slowly in order that the deck might be uncovered and the company allowed to sit out in the fresh air and warm sunshine.

Down below, a couple of thousand feet at most, we saw, through good glasses, various forms of . human, animal, bird and plant life; and sounds came up to us in drowsy, musical monotone, as our vailx hovered above. Towards evening the winds began to blow, rendering it unpleasant to remain so near the ground. The repulse-keys were set, and presently we were so high in the air that all about our now closed ship were cirrus clouds, clouds of hail held aloft by the uprushing of the winds, severe enough to have been dangerous had our vessel been propelled by wings or fans or gas reservoirs. But as we derived from Nature's Night-Side or, in Poseid phrase,

[p. 150]

from Navaz, our forces for propulsion as well m for repulsion, or levitation, therefore our long, white, aerial spindles feared no storm, however severe.

As the windows, being frosted over, obscured our view, and as the night promised furious weather, we had recourse to books, music and to conversation with one another, and, through the naim, with our friends at home in faraway Poseid. No authority had Murus (Boreas) over the currents from Navaz. The evening had not far advanced when it was suggested that the storm would most likely be heavier, and the wind wilder nearer the earth, and so the repulse-keys were set to a fixed degree, making nearer approach to the ground than was desirable impossible as an accidental occurrence. We might, if it were generally agreeable, take advantage of our privilege and enjoy the sensation of being in the midst of the storm, ourselves safe and under full speed,

	 
		"And brave the fury of the Northern hurricane."
		
		 The partial novelty might make us sleep better, when, the evening passed, we should have gone to our staterooms. I, therefore, approved the plan, and gave orders to the conductor to descend to a height of about twenty-five hundred feet. Down we dropped. Our lights were made low in order to produce a partial gloom, the better to enjoy the full fierceness of the tempest, and we sat near the windows where we could hear, if not see. To the eye, naught would have appeared outside save entire blackness; to the ear, the loud beating of the rain upon the metal shutters was plainly, delightfully apparent. Against the sharp points of prow and stem the wind howled and shrieked like an army of demons. At times when the vailx was struck, broadside by some counterblast, it would careen and tremble, but it kept on its way, determined as a thing of life. The experience was enjoyable, if not entirely novel, for it spoke to us of the power of man over matter, and taught us of the things of God, Incal to us, Master of all things and of ourselves, who by Him had this authority over the elements.

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[paragraph continues] When the sensation had become monotonous the lights were increased to proper brightness; again we turned to books and games and music, as we once more sought the upper regions of the atmosphere, which were quieter compared with those of the half-mile plane.

Anzimee and a girl companion sat apart from the rest of the company in a retreat formed of flowering vines draped across one corner of the main salon. In a short time she came from her nook to where I sat, wrapped in meditative obliviousness. Touching my shoulder as she came close, she said:

"Zailm, thou dost sing; it would please me if thou wouldst take thy lute and come to where Thirtil and myself have chosen seats, and sing to us."

She bent over my shoulder, blushing slightly, looking so altogether lovely that I simply sat and gazed in silent appreciation of her beauty.

"Come, Zailm, wilt thou?"

I arose promptly enough when I saw a shade of disappointment cross her face, as she interpreted my silence to mean unwillingness, and I said:

"Lo, Anzimee, I am but too pleased to comply, but how could I move?"

Unsuspiciously, she asked:

"Move? and why not?"

"Hast thou ever seen a bright bumming bird," I replied, "which, poised at a flower beside thee, kept thee still, almost afraid to breathe, lest it be alarmed to flight? Even so I could not move, lest--"

"There, there now! If I were not used to reading one's earnestness or other emotions in the eyes, I would say thou art a sad flatterer. But, come."

"What shall I sing, little friend?" I asked of Thirtil, a demure, sweet little maiden, an art student, half-serious, half-frivolous in temperament.

"Oh, dost ask me? Well, something, something," with a mischievous glance at Anzimee, "from thy heart!" she laughingly replied.

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Anzimee blushed, but made no other sign, merely dropping her long lashes as I looked at her, while I said, "Truly! Then from my heart-this" (a popular favorite, by the way):

	 
		"Ere the heart can know its own,
		 Ere the doubts of life are o'er,
		 Love in our hearts must have grown
		   To the heights of heaven's shore.
		 Truly, love is sought in vain
		   In other place than in the heart;
		 True love always hath its pain,
		   When from purity we part.
		 May we cease from every strife,
		   While in lovely verse enshrining
		 Incal's blessing in our life;
		   With His peace it e'er entwining.
		 So is melody divine,
		   When the music of the soul;
		 'Tis betrothing thine and mine,
		   While the centuries unroll.
		 Yet our hearts are young and gay,
		   Seeking ever fairest bowers
		 Where shall bloom from day to day,
		   All the beauty of the flowers.
		 There is one of all the rest,
		   That alone for me is blooming;
		 Deep the tendrils in my breast,
		   Find forever their entombing.
		 Shall I pluck it while in bloom,
		   Ready for the gardener's gleaning?
		 Could I take forever home
		   What, unto me, is no dreaming?
		 Yea, beloved, we shall rejoice
		   In His blessing evermore;
		 List'ning to the gentle voice,
		   That as One--we do adore."
		
		 Thus it was within the vailx, song and pleasure; without was the storm, risen up after us. Into the teeth of the furious gale plunged our long spindle, giving no sign exteriorly, even had any one been there to see, of the light and warmth, laughter and song, of the human freight and songbirds within its staunch shell, amidst the flowers, a drifting bit of the tropics, safe from boreal blasts. No sign, save only the gleam of the crimson fore and aft lights.

While the others retired for the night to their various state

[p. 153]

rooms, I remained in the vacated salon until the announcement was made to me that we were above Suernis. No landing could be made, however, in the face of a gale blowing eighty miles an hour, such an attempt would have resulted in being dashed to pieces the instant we reached the ground.

In order that we might be wholly out of the range of the influence of the storm, I gave directions to rise above the level of the disturbance, if such a region of calm existed within reach, and there set the keys so as to stop all propulsion. Receiving this order, the conductor augmented the repulsion force by means of the levers of degree, and we rose steadily up, up, up--above the clouds, above the rush of the hurricane, into a clear, calm atmosphere, intensely cold, almost thirteen miles from the earth's surface. Could we have had a view unobstructed by stormclouds, we were just about high enough to afford us a horizon of three hundred and fifty miles. Soon after this order I went to my room to bed. With the morning the storm had not decreased in fury; and occasional flurries in the air above us proved that the storm-area on the surface must be of vast extent. The cold outside was too intense to consider, even for an instant, the opening of the deck; the sky was almost black in the depth of its blueness; the sun, shorn of much of its dazzling brightness, appeared strangely dim, and the stars were visible. The steady motion of the air-dispensers as their wheels and pistons worked to maintain the interior air at a normal pressure was painfully apparent in the awful stillness, while the fizz of the air escaping through the fine crevices around the windows and edges of the deck made such a noise that I ordered the setscrews tightened and the ventilator pipes opened. Had the frost not hindered vision through the windows and, with the clouds, prevented a view of the earth's surface, a sight most peculiar would have been presented. The view toward the extended horizon would have made the apparent union of earth and sky seem almost on a level with us; but directly beneath, the fun separation from the solid globe would have seemed, not like a ball but like a huge bowl, ornamented with landscape scenes in its interior. As,

[p. 154]

however, we could not see, our songs, our reading, and our conversation went on, whilst the very faint beams of Incal, coming through the frosted glass, were supplemented by the some knowledge which gave us heat and air and position, to defy the cold and the rarefaction and gravitation--knowledge of Navaz.

At home in Poseid there was no storm, but Menax, at the naim, told us that the weather office anticipated one, the one of which we at that moment awaited the abatement. We waited until the sun set in the west and came in sight in the east twice.

Several times the Saldu appeared at the end of the salon, seeming in the mirror of the naim as real and present as if, in verity, a third of the globe did not separate us. Once, only, she spoke, and then in a whisper to me, as, I stood near the naim:

"When, my lord, wilt thou be at home? A month? 'Tis long, 'tis long!"

A report of even the smallest events of our trip was furnished the news office, and was printed upon the discs of the public vocaligraphs, to use a word of modem sound, and long before any landing was effected by us on the soil of Suernis our fellow countrymen were acquainted with the story of our enforced suspension between heaven and earth while biding the abatement of the storm. Speaking of the vocaligraph leads me to remark that the social superstructure of Poseid was maintained upon the broad basis of equitable laws laid down by the great Rai of the Maxin-time through the influence of free speech as made and molded by church and school, and expressed through the millions of vocaligraphs the three rendering secure the integral homes which, aggregated, formed the nation.

At last the storm king withdrew his forces and the time had come for our descent. Down we swept from the vault of heaven, into Ganje, capital city of Suern.

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Hast thou ever been in the ancient and long-deserted city of Petra of Seir? That very peculiar city at the foot of Mount Hor, a city hollowed from the living rock? Quite likely not, for the followers of Mahomet make it hard to visit the place. But if thou hast read thereof, then thou hast some idea of Ganje, in old Suerna, built in the cliffs of the river banks.

Such details as embrace the manner of our reception are too trivial to fill this record. Suffice it that it was suited to the friendly international relations of Suern and Poseid, and to my station and rank as a high deputy. Rai Ernon was far less interested in the vase and in the other gifts of gold and gems, than in the captive Saldani whom the tokens commemorated, particularly in the Saldu, Lolix the Rainu. I was startled at the monarch's close knowledge of the whole affair in all its details, and of my sickness and other incidents which were not matters of public note; but I betrayed no such feeling, since it was but momentary and passed as soon as recollection of Ernon's wonderful occult powers came to me.

Speaking of the Saldui, but especially of Lolix, he said:

"I did not send the Chaldeans unto Gwauxln as objects of lust, neither as a retributive punishment, that by exile from their native Chaldea they might atone to Suern for their fathers, sons, brothers, or husbands who worked harm to Suernis. No, doubtless they were not more blameable than is a tiger which hath a similarly destructive nature, but by the laws of Yeovah we find that ignorance of the law never exempts a wrongdoer from penalty. Law says in regard to sin: 'Thou shalt not.' And the penalty lies alongside, inexorably, and is dealt out unsparingly for disobedience. Law, therefore, appears not to be retributive, but educational. Having felt the punishment, no one, either man or animal, is apt to try the error twice out of curiosity. Nature makes no penalty easy, saying: 'When thou hast learned, then the punishment shall be more severe.' If a babe fell over a cliff, its death would be the result, though its innocence knew nothing of sin, just as surely as a knowing man might meet the same fate deliberately. Now the Chaldean women needed to learn that

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conquest, bloodshed and pillage is a sin. The Chaldean nation needed a lesson also. It received it, in the death of its prize soldiery. But such examples need finish; a diamond in the rough is surely a diamond, but how much doth the lapidary increase its beauty and value! Not to release unto them those women was to that nation what the faceting is to a gem. Thinkest thou not that I am right?"

"Even so, Rai," I responded.

For several days we remained in the capital, and during this time were escorted over it by no less a person than Rai Ernon himself.

It was a strange people, the Suerni. The elder people seemed never to smile, not because they were engaged in occult study, but because they were filled with wrath.

On every countenance seemed to rest a perpetual expression of anger. Why, I pondered, should this thing be? Is it a result of the magical abilities they possess? By what seems to us of Poseid mere fiat of will these people appear to transcend human powers and set at naught the immutable laws of nature, though it can not be said that Incal has not limited them as surely as He has limited our chemists and physicists. The Suerni never lift their hands in manual labor, they sit at the breakfast or the supper table without having previously put upon it anything to eat, or elsewhere prepared a repast; they bow their heads in apparent prayer, and then, lifting up their eyes, begin to eat of what has mysteriously come before them--of wholesome viands, of nuts, of all manner of fruits, and of tender, succulent vegetables! But meat they eat not, nor much that is not the finished product of its source, containing in itself the germ for future life. Hath Incal exempted them from His fiat as Creator of the world, which all men suffer, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread?" It is less onerous, certainly, on those who walk His paths, or even those who partly do so, and whose rule of life is continence. Such are more powerful, have occult powers that no eater of meats can ever hope to attain, but surely they are not wholly exempt; it must be somewhat toilsome to perform

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such magic feats as these. None ever got something for nothing. These people gaze upon the foes who come to menace them in their homes--and they are not!

	 
		                         "It passed o'er
		 The battle plain, where sword and spear and shield
		 Flashed in the light of midday--and the strength
		 Of serried hosts is shivered, and the grass,
		 Green from the soil of carnage, waves above
		 The crushed and moldering skeleton."
		
		 What Poseida could do these things? Rai Gwauxln, Incaliz Mainin, but no more, at least none known to the public even by repute. But no man of all Atl had ever witnessed much display of such power on the part of either, and with the masses it was mere repute. I was favored beyond most Atlanteans in this respect.

I noticed in our visits in and about the capital a thing which cast a shadow over me,, that his people did not love Ernon, however much they respected him and feared his power. That the Rai was aware of my knowledge of this dislike was obvious from his conversation.

"Ours is a peculiar people, prince," he said to me. "During many years, centuries even, it hath had to reign over it rulers come from the Sons of the Solitude. Each and every one hath striven to train his subjects so as to fit some future generation for initiation, as an entire people, into the mysteries of the Night-Side of Nature, deeper than thy people of Poseid have ever dreamed of going. To this end moral codes have been insisted upon as a coefficient of tuition in operative magic. But the endeavor hath never produced the end sought; only here and there hath an individual arisen and progressed; soon every one of these hath fled away from the less energetic people and gone to the solitudes, to become one of the 'Sons' of whom thou mayst have heard; generically we term these students' 'sons; specifically we would have to refer to them as 'sons' or 'daughters,' for sex is no bar to occult study."

It had long been a matter of interest to me to learn all I could of this band of Nature students, Incalenes, as they

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were sometimes called, from Incal, God, and "ene," to study. Thousands of years later, in the time of Jesus of Nazareth, these were called "Essenes." But Atla, which possessed such a wealth of literature, had, with a single exception, no books on the subject. In that exception, a little volume printed in ancient Poseidonic, the details were very meager; yet its perusal had been of great interest to me. As I now listened to Rai Ernon, my interest was reawakened, and I thought I might one day become a candidate for admission to the order, if--but that "if" was of a large size. If the study renders the student so wrathful in soul as I see the Suerni are, then I will have nothing to do with it. The seed was planted, however, and grew a little when I learned that the angry gloom was not due to occult study, except in the sense that the lower nature was rebellious against the purity of the study and cast up the mud of anger, rendering turbid the clear waters of the soul. It grew still more when the Rai remarked later on that "the girl Anzimee would one day be an Incalenu." But the growth was not great in that olden time; it was reserved for a life to come, when: decades upon decades of centuries had flown, till now!

The Rai continued: "Ye of Poseid dip a little into the Night-Side, and behold! out of it ye gather forces which open the penetralia of the sea, and of the air, and subject the earth. 'Tis well. But ye require physical apparatus; without it ye are nothing powerful. Those, versed in occult wisdom need no apparatus. That is the difference between Poseid and Suernis. The human mind is a link between the soul and the physical. Every higher force controls all those lower. The mind operates through odic force, which is higher than any speed of physical nature; hence controls all nature, nor needeth apparatus.

"Now I, and my brother 'Sons' before me, have striven to teach the Suerni the laws which govern the operation of this force. Through this knowledge Yeovah leadeth His children,

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strength. Hand in hand with this knowledge are physical acts, powers that come early in the study. So far have they gone, hut will no farther go.

"Morality aids serenity of soul; hence it is profitable to the Incalene, above all things, to be moral. But man is an animal in his corporeal self, and the passions thereof are pleasant. Love is of twofold nature: love of God and of the Spirit, pure and undefiled, and love of sex, which may likewise be pure, though if the dominion of the animal in man be over it, and so not so that of the human, it shall cause the man to sin, for then it is lust. I have sought that the Suerni may know the law,, that they maybe the masters, not the creatures, of circumstance. But because they know a few things of magic, and in the greater feats were aided by the 'Sons' dwelling amongst them, lo, they are content. And behold! they rebel against punishment on account of the lustful nature they do indulge, and curse me mightily because I exact obedience to the law, and penalty for the infraction thereof; and they curse my brother 'Sons' who do aid me, therefore is their wrath which it hath so troubled thee to witness. My people do things strange in thy sight, O Poseida, yet have no -wisdom why it is so, and work their wonders heedless of Yeovah. Wherefore they are a brood of sorcerers, and do not work white magic, which is beneficent, but black magic, which is sorcery. It shall work them exceeding woe. I would, O Zailm of Poseid, have taught these my people faith, hope, knowledge and charity, which same make pure religion undefiled. Have I not done well? Gwauxln, my brother, have I not done well?"

Rai Ernon was sitting in the salon of the vailx, and now addressed Gwauxln of Poseid, whom I saw in the naim as I looked around.

"Verily thou hast even so, my brother," said Gwauxln.

For some moments the noble ruler was silent, and I could see teardrops falling occasionally from beneath his closed eyelids. Then he opened his eyes and began a most touching apostrophe to, and in some sort against, his people.

"Oh, Suernis, Suernis! I have given up my life for thee!

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[paragraph continues] I have striven to lead thee into Espeid (Eden) to teach thee of its beauties, and thou wouldst not! I have tried to make thee van of all nations and thy name synonym with justice and mercy and love of God, and how hast thou requited me? I would be as a father to thee, and thou didst curse me in thy heart! Keener than knives is ingratitude! I would have led thee to the heights of glory, but thou wouldst rather lie in wallow of ignorance, like swine, content to do what are marvels to other people, but thyself all ignorant of their import. Thou art an infidel, ingrate race, believing not in Yeovah, content to live by the little thou knowest, too slothful to learn, more ungrateful to Yeovah than to thy Rai! O, Suernis, Suernis, thou hast cast me off and made my heart to bleed! I go. From thy midst the 'Sons' go also, a mournful band of disappointed men. And thou shalt become few where thou art many, a derision before men and a prey to the Chaldeans; yea, thou shalt dwindle and shalt wait until the centuries--even ninety centuries, are fled into eternity. And in that day thou shalt suffer until the time of him who shall be called Moses. And of them it shall be said, 'They are the seed of Abraham.' And behold, even as now the Spirit of God is abroad in the land, immanent in the Sons of the Solitude, and ye do mock It, so in a remote day shall His spirit become manifest and shall incarnate as the Christ, and so shall the perfect human glow with the Spirit, and become First of the Sons of God. Yet shalt thou even then know Him not, but shalt crucify Him; and thy punishment shall go down the ages until that Spirit comes again in the hearts of those who do follow Him, and finds thee scattered to the four winds! Thus shalt thou be punished! From now until then shalt thou earn thy bread by the sweat of thy face. Thou shalt no more have the regal power of defense, lest thou use it for offense. I will no more restrain thee. My people, oh, my people! Ungrateful! I forgive thee, for thou canst not know how I love thee! I go. Oh! Suernis, Suernis, Suernis!"

At the last word the noble ruler's voice lowered to a murmur, and he buried his tearful face in his hands and sat

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bowed in silent grief, except for a sigh of sorrow which once or twice he uttered. Several Suerni had heard his words, and these now left the vailx very quietly and went to the city.

"Rai ni Incal."

I turned to the naim as these words were uttered, and noted that a great shade of sadness rested upon the face of our own Rai, Gwauxln, as he looked upon Ernon--like himself, an Adept Son.

"Rai ni Incal, mo navazzamindi su," which being translated, is, "To Incal the Rai; to the country of departed spirits he is gone!"

Startled I looked around at the Suern Rai, who still sat silent as before, in the same position. I spoke to him, yet he gave no sign. Then I bent and gazed through his fingers into his fine gray eyes. They were set, indeed, and the breath of life was fled. Yea, verily, he had gone, even when he said "I go."

"Come unto me, Zailm," commanded Gwauxln.

I went to the naim and stood waiting.

"Are thy friends all within the vailx?"

"Even so, Zo Rai."

"Take then thy guards and seek the palace of Rai Ernon. Call upon his ministers to come before thee and tell them that their Rai is deceased. Tell them that thou wilt take his body in charge and carry it unto Poseid. Amongst the ministers are two elderly men and sedate; these are Sons. They are of that body of disappointed men who go forth from Suernis according to the words of Ernon. These two will know that thou speakest truth when thou sayest that Ernon of Suern hath left his Raina in my hands to govern as I shall decide is most wise. But the others will not know and the Sons will leave to thee the telling of the facts. Great shall be the anger of them that are not Sons, so that they shall try to destroy thee by their terrible power, disliking to be told that they are deposed from authority. Nevertheless, this do and fear not; be of good cheer, for how shall a serpent bite if it hath lost its fangs?"

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When, according to these orders, I had the court before me, I spoke as directed by the Rai. It was received with a courteous smile by the two who by their demeanor I recognized as the Sons of the Solitude. But by the others great anger was shown.

"What! and thou, Poseida, offerest us such indignity? Our Rai is dead? We are pleased! But we, not thou, will attend to the funeral rites. As to the government of Suern, we laugh with scorn! Begone! We are our own masters. Leave us our ruler, and thou, dog, leave this country!"

For reply I repeated with emphasis the assertion of my authority. I confess to having felt an inward fear when the brow of one of these never-smiling men clouded with intense anger, as he pointed his finger at me, and said:

"Then die!"

I did not outwardly shrink, though half expecting to perish on the spot. Neither did I feel any death tremor, though the menace, ever before fatal, was not withdrawn. Gradually the minister's fury gave place to surprise, and he dropped his arm, gazing at me in amazement. I ordered my guards to manacle and take him to the vailx. Then I said:

"Suern, thy power is fled. Thus said Ernon. He hath said that henceforth thou shalt earn thy bread by the sweat of thy face. Over this country Poseid shall rule. I, special envoy of Gwauxln VII, Rai of Poseid, do depose all ye that are here from rulership, except those two who offered not scorn but courtesy. While they remain, which will not be long, I will make them governors over Suern. I have spoken."

Indeed, I had spoken, and that, to so great an extent, unauthorizedly. I was in an agony of doubt lest Rai Gwauxln should rebuke me. But I would not reveal my real weakness to these ingrates. Instead, I took a roll of parchment and wrote from memory the form of commission of governors of provinces in Atla, appointing one of the Incaleni to the office. This I sealed with my name as envoy extraordinary, following that of Gwauxln as Rai, using red ink, for which I sent a messenger to Anzimee at the vailx. My reason for appointing

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one of the Sons as Governor was that only one would serve. The other chose to ask passage to Caiphul in my vailx. Then, giving the Governor his commission, a document which he received with the remark, "Thou art a man, indeed, not longer a boy;"--words which, though so kindly meant, fell on heedless ears at the time, for as I made my return to the vailx I felt actually heartsick at what I feared had been the acme of indiscretion on my part. I called for Rai Gwauxln, and when he responded I told him what I had done. He looked grave, and said merely the words:

"Come home."

Imagine now my distress. Not reprimanded, nor commended, but without any explanatory clue whatever, I was ordered home. Then it was that I sought Anzimee, and having found her in her stateroom I told her all the story. Our Rai was known to be one who could be severe in his punishments, although these took the form of disgrace meted out, as public dismissal from office for being unworthy of trust. Anzimee was very pale, but said hopeful words:

"Zailm, I see not but that thou didst right well. And yet, why was our uncle so gravely reticent? Let me give thee a potion; lie here on this couch, and take what I give thee."

She poured a few drops of some bitter drug, put in a little water, and handed the cup to me to drink from. Ten minutes later I was asleep.

Then she left the room and, as I afterwards learned, called her royal uncle to the instrument, where she laid the case before him. He was troubled at the effect of his words upon me, an effect. not intended, as he told her, and one which would never have occurred if he had not at that time been engaged in solving the very abstruse political problem presented by the new aspect of affairs through the decease of Rai Ernon. What further he said was: "Be not worried because Zailm is called home for no purpose of punishment, since I am well satisfied and called him for quite another reason."

I slept for hours, and when I at last awakened, Anzimee, sitting beside me, told me all that Gwauxln had said. As it

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was then nearly night, I concluded to go to my own room and prepare for the evening repast. On the way I met the Son who was going to Caiphul with us. To this person it seemed a great novelty to travel as he was then doing, although his remarks on the subject were few.

It was, as I reflected upon it, something of a novelty to be piercing the air at the rate of seventeen miles each minute, a mile above the earth. I tried to fancy how it would seem to one like my passenger to be doing this thing; but after five years of familiarity with it as a means of travel, I had poor success in attaining a sense of his feelings concerning the experience.

As we traveled westward the sun seemed to remain as it was when we left Ganje, for its speed, or that of the earth, rather, was the same as our own. We had been on the way for five hours and had covered considerably over half of the distance home, the whole journey being something like seven thousand miles. The remaining two thousand miles would occupy some three hours for transit, a length of time which seemed to my impatient desire so long, that I paced the floor of the salon in very fretfulness. I have seen, since the days of Poseid, a time when a vastly slower progress would have seemed swift, but then the past had a veil obscuring it so that comparison was impossible--

	 
		"Man never is, but always to be blest."
		
		 
		
		 
     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XVII

 

RAI NI INCAL--ASHES TO ASHES

On a bier in front of the Holy Seat, by the eastern face of the Maxin-Stone in the Incalithlon, lay all that was of the earth, earthy of Ernon of Suernis. In the triangle were gathered a few witnesses asked by Rai Gwauxln to be present, and

[p. 165]

over all shone the mysterious light which required no fuel, nor for its tall taper any human keeper. High above, hung the white stalactite ceiling, casting down from its many points the radiance of the lights which no one could see from below.

"Close his eyes, his work is done."

Beside the restful form stood Mainin, the Incaliz, his hand on the shoulder of the dead Rai. After the mighty organ had sounded a mournful requiem, Mainin made the funeral speech, saying:

"Once more has a most noble soul known earth. How hath it treated him who gave his life to the service of its children? Verily, Suerna, thou hast done a deed which shall clothe thee in sackcloth and ashes for aye! Ernon, my brother, Son of the Solitude, we bid thee adieu in great sorrow of soul; sorrow not for thee, for thou art at rest; but for us left behind. It shall be until many years ere we know thee again incarnate. As for this, thy poor clay, over it we will say final words, for it hath done its work and is committed to Navazzamin. Ernon, brother, peace be with thee evermore."

Again the mighty organ played in solemn sadness, and while attendants raised the bier upon the cube of the Maxin, the Incaliz raised his hands to heaven and said:

"Unto Incal this soul, unto earth this clay."

The body, bound with light bands to the bier, was raised with it to an erect posture, trembled a moment in that position, and fell forward into the Maxin. There was no flame, no smoke, not even ash left behind the instantaneous disappearance of body and bed.

The funeral was over. As we who abode in Caiphul turned to depart, we. saw that which no man then living had ever before beheld in the Incalithlon. Back of us, in the auditorium, stood groups of grey-habited men, cowled like monks of Rome. There seemed great numbers of them, collected in groups of seven or eight amongst the maze of stalagmite pillars which supported the roof. As we gazed, these men faded slowly from sight, until over four score of Caiphalians seemed indeed small in number in the vast hall where so recently had

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been hundreds of Incaleni, Sons of the Solitude in astral form, gathered at the funeral of their brother. Yea, verily, had the Sons come to witness the impressive ceremony where all that was mortal of their dead fellow was restored to the keeping of the elements of nature.

	 
		"But no man knows that sepulcher,
		     And no man saw it e'er,
		 For the angels of God upturned the sod
		     And laid the dead man there."
		
		 
		
		 
     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XVIII

 

LE GRAND VOYAGE

Rai Gwauxln directed me to attend at Agacoe ere resuming my vacation trip, although it was all arranged previously to the funeral of Ernon that my action in Suern was to his satisfaction.

When I obeyed the Rai, which was almost immediately, for we were all ready to resume our journey, Gwauxln, in the presence of his ministers of state affairs, tendered me the position of Suzerain over the land of Suern. I was vastly surprised, yet felt that I might accept and in conducting the affairs of that country render good service. But the fact that I was yet an undergraduate at the Xioquithlon made me hesitate. At last I spoke, saying:

"Zo Rai, I am sensible thou hast done thy servant a great honor. Nevertheless, my liege, feeling that I have not thus far acquired the full knowledge I desire, being yet but a Xioqene, I ask thy permission to refuse the office."

Gwauxln smiled, and said:

"Even so. But the governor thou didst appoint shall execute thy duties for the three years intervening--the four years, I would say, since I would not that thou shouldst study at all this year--and thereafter thou shalt legally assume active

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duties. I have an object in this besides mere form; I believe that that man who hath an object, a direct goal, in view, is more likely to win success than one without. It is a good stimulus. I do therefore  thee Suzerain over Suernis, and dismiss thee to thy journey of pleasureable recreation with thy friends as soon as thou shalt sign thy name to this document. That is well written, though thy hand shakes a little because of thy nervousness. Be calm." This last he said as, trembling slightly, I wrote the desired signature.

--------

Once more we were on our travels.

Anzimee, the elf, persisted in calling me "My Lord Zailm" when she had learned the story of my imminent suzerain duties.

Our course was again eastward, although now farther south, for we did not propose to visit Suernis this time, but intended to proceed instead to our American colonies, as in the original route we had planned to do after leaving Suernis.

We crossed equatorial Necropan (Africa), then the Indian Ocean and the present East Indies, but then colonies of Suern called Uz, then onward above the wide Pacific, still eastward.

"Umaur! the coast of Umaur!" was the cry that called our little company to the windows to look at a dark, serrate line that bounded the eastern horizon. It was the distant range of the Andes, appearing almost on a level with our vailx, which, two miles high above the ocean, shot towards the hazy, black line. Below was the broad mirror of the blue Pacific, apparently waveless because so far beneath us.

Umaur, land of the Incas in a far later day. Umaur, where in eight centuries more they must find a refuge who should be so fortunately fated as to escape from Poseid, ere, "Queen of the World" no more, she sank beneath the waves of the, Atlantic. Eight centuries, whose lapse would see the proud Atlantean become so corrupt that his soul no more reflected the wisdom of the Night-Side because, the calmness of morality being fled, the key to nature's Penetralia would have been lost,

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and with it his dominion over the air and the depths of the sea. Alas, poor Atl!

But Umaur lay ahead of us, and ignorant of the misdeeds-to-be of our national posterity, we in our vailx stood gazing on the coast we were so rapidly approaching, and commented upon its majestic mountain ranges as seen through the telescopes. [*1] Here we beheld a land where, after thousands of years, the conquering Castilians would come, led by Pizarro, and find a race under the rule of Incas, a name preserved through the many centuries from the day when their remotest ancestors fled from sunken Poseid, calling themselves "Children of the Sun."

Umaur was the region of the quarries of Poseid and of many of its rich mines of mineral wealth. Here, too, were vast plantations, and east of the mountains were regularly planted groves of the rubber tree, the genuine Siphonia Elastica of botany. Here also flourished the Cinchonas, as well as many other trees now indigenous to South America, colonized plants from Poseid. Until planted abroad by Atlanteans these vegetable treasures never grew outside of Poseid, and to-day the wild forests of peculiar South American trees and shrubs are the direct descendents of our regularly cultivated farm and plantation products in Umaur. In that olden time the Amazon river ran within dykes across the continent, and the trackless

 

 AERIAL-SUBMARINE VESSEL, ENTERING THE WATER

 

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sylvas of Brazil were then drained areas of tilled soil, such as the adjacent territory of the Mississippi is to-day. Some day this river, "Father of Waters," in the north, will sweep unresisted, undyked, across the lowland, which, even now, its surface is above in altitude. It will do this, because these things are certain to be in the mutations of the coming centuries. It will do this, also, because history repeats itself; think not that thou shalt inherit, reincarnate the glories of Atl, and escape its shadows. All things move in cycles, but the circle is that of the screw-thread, ever around and around on a higher plane each time. But that time when these things shall come to pass, and no man be able to say nay, is yet far away on the horizon of time future, as far as is the grand recession of the Amazon on the horizon of the past.

From the great orchards and plantations and homes of Umaur, in the north of that continent, to the desert wilds of its southern parts, where one day trouble was to overwhelm me--and thence north along the eastern coasts, we took our way, leaving the doings of the millions of our colonists, the Umauri, to the imagination of the reader.

Successively we came to the Isthmus of Panama, then over four hundred miles in breadth; to Mexico (South Incalia) and to the immense plains of the Mississippi. These latter formed the great cattle lands whence Poseid drew most of its supplies of flesh-foods, and where, when the modem world discovered it, enormous herds of wild progeny of our ancient stock roamed at will. Buffalo, elk, bear, deer and mountain sheep, all offspring of the remotest ages. I regret to see them so wantonly slaughtered as they are; surely so old a stock might be spared.

To these broad valleys were to come, in later centuries, invading hordes in boats, and over the far northern isthmus where now are only vestiges of its former existence, the Aleutian Islands. They came from Asia, then, as now, to a large extent the home of semi-barbarians, except where the sway of Suernis had extended a civilizing influence by sending out the tribes which, in a later day, were to occupy so large a niche in history under the name of the Semitic ram. But the barbarians

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who went into Incalia, occupying the North American plains and lake regions--a future age should come which would find these hordes gone from the earth forever; and, later still, curious people digging from archaeological remains would say: "Here lived the moundbuilders."

Still farther north than this, in the present "lake region," were large copper mines, whence we obtained much of our copper, and some silver and other metals. A cold region was this, far colder than it is to-day, for it lay in the edge of the retreating forces of the glacial epoch, an epoch not over until much more recently than geologists have hitherto thought and even still think.

To the west lay what in early American days were called the "great plains." But in the days of Poseid they had a far different appearance from that which they bear to-day. Not then arid, nor very sparsely inhabited, though vastly colder in winter, owing to the nearness of the vast glaciers of the north. The Nevada lakes were not then mere dried up beds of borax and soda, nor the "Great Salt Lake" of Utah a bitter, brackish body of water of its present comparatively small size. All takes were large bodies of fresh water and the "Great Salt Lake" was an inland sea of fresh floods, bearing icebergs from the glaciers on its northern shores. Arizona, that treasure-house of the geologist, had its now marvelous desert covered with the waters of "Miti," as we called the great inland sea of that region. Verdure was on all the slopes of all the hundreds of square miles not covered with lovely bodies of water. On the shores of Miti was a considerable population, and one city of no small size, colonists all, from Atl.

Reader, dost thou remember a promise given in previous pages, wherein I looked forward to a treat in scenic depiction, saying it was from another pen than mine? I redeem it now, for already the geologist is after me for having declared Arizona the scene of a lake or inland sea so vast as Miti, and so recently as twelve thousand years ago. I am reminded that he has decided from evidence afforded by erosion and weathering of the rocks in that amazing region, that while the Arizona

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desert was undoubtedly a lake or a seabed since the paleozoic time when it was the site of a shallow ocean, nevertheless that lake was certainly "of an age older than the Pliocene, being probably in the Cretaceous epoch." My friend, no. Those gorges and stupendous canons are not merely the gradual product of time and water and weather. Per contra, they are of sudden formation, the rending and cracking apart of the strata in a similar, but on a far more vast scale than the volcanic outburst at Pitach Rhok, described in the first chapter of this history. The Arizona wonders and the gorge of the "'Grand Canon of the Colorado" were the result of an awful dance of the solid crust of the globe. Even now the lava beds of the rectangle between the parallels 32 deg. and 34 deg. north latitude and 107 deg. to 110 deg. longitude west from Greenwich, in the Mt. Taylor and Mt. San Francisco region, have few parallels on earth as regards size. All over this hideous work of destruction, when the sea Miti had fled away into Ixla (Gulf of California) the rains and torrents of eleven thousand winter seasons, and the desiccating, powdering influences of as, many torrid summers have smoothed and chiseled and wrought the ruptured, ragged surfaces into yet more fantastic shapes, and claimed the whole work as its own, denying the hand of Pluto as the major worker. And the geologist seems to have admitted the claim, and placed the lake time far back, in order to allow a sufficient term for the execution of the gigantic work. And it is not so, for I saw that lake, only twelve thousand years ago. But now for the literary treat; it is taken from a very modern pen, but it is so faithfully descriptive of the appearance of the region to-day that I desire to enjoy its perusal with my readers. The words are those of Major J. W. Powell, U. S. Army:

"The canon walls are buttressed on a grand scale, and deep alcoves are excavated; rocky crags crown the cliffs, and the river rolls below. * * * The sun shone in splendor on the vermilion walls, shading into green and gray where the rocks were lichened over; the river filled the channel from wall to wall. and the canon opened like a beautiful gateway to glory.

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[paragraph continues] But at evening, when the sun was going down and the shadows were settling in the canon, the vermilion gleams and roseate hues, blended with tints of green and gray, slowly changed to brown above, and black shadows crept over below-then it seemed the shadowy portal to a region of gloom. Lying down we looked straight aloft through the canon cleft and saw that only a little of the blue heaven appeared overhead--a crescent of dark blue sky with but two or three constellations peering down upon us. I did not sleep for some time, as the excitement of the day had not worn off. Soon I saw a bright star that seemed to rest on the very verge of the cliffs overhead. Slowly it seemed to float from its resting place on the rocks, out over the canon. At first it appeared like a jewel set in the brink of the cliff, but as it moved out I almost wondered that it did not fall. In fact, it did seem to descend in a gentle curve, as though the sky, in which the stars were set, was spread across the canon, resting on either wall, and swayed down by its own weight. The star appeared to be really in the canon, so high were the battlemented walls. The morning sun was shining in splendor on their painted faces. The salient angles were as if on fire, and the retreating angles buried in shade; the rocks, red and brown, blazed from their setting of deep gloom below, but above all was vermilion fire. The light above, made more brilliant by the bright-tinted rocks, and the shadows below, made more gloomy by the somber shades of sunlessness, increased the apparent depth of the awful canons, and it seemed a long, long way up to the world of sunshine--and was a mile!"

Even the wide waters of the Miti, set about with towering peaks in the olden days, beautiful as a dream, were not more grand and glorious than these awful gorges come to take their place.

From the city of Tolta, on the shores of Miti, our vailx arose and sped away north, across the lake Ui (Great Salt) to its northwestern shore, hundreds of miles distant. On this far shore arose three lofty peaks, covered with snow, the Pitachi Ui, from which the lake at their feet took its name. On the

[p. 173]

tallest of these had stood, perhaps for five centuries, a building made of heavy slabs of granite. It had originally been erected for the double purpose of worship of Incal and astronomical calculations, but was used in my day as a monastery. There was no path up the peak, and the sole means of access was by vailx.

--------

In the neighborhood of twenty years ago, more or less, counting from this Anno Domini 1886, an intrepid American explorer discovered the famous Yellowstone region, and while on the same expedition went as far west as the Three Tetons, in Idaho. [*1] These mountain triplets were the Pitachi Ui, of Atl. Professor Hayden, having arrived at the base of these lofty peaks, succeeded, after indefatigable toil, in reaching the top of the greater peak, and made the first ascent known to modern times. On its top he found a roofless structure of granite slabs, within which, he said, "the granite detritus, was of a depth indicating that for eleven thousand years it had been undisturbed." His inference was that this period had elapsed since the construction of the granite walls. Well, the professor was right, as I happen to know. He was examining a structure made by Poseid hands one hundred and twenty-seven and a half centuries ago, and it was because Professor Hayden was once a Poseida and held a position under the Atlan Government, as an attache of the government body of scientists stationed at Pitachi Ui, that he was karmically attracted to return to the scene of his labors long ago. Perhaps knowledge of this fact would have increased the interest he felt in the Three Tetons.

Our vailx alighted upon the ledge without the temple of Ui just as nightfall came on. It was very cold there, so far north, and at such an altitude. But the priests within the heavy, well-built edifice never suffered cold, for Atla, drawing upon Navaz, had Night-Side forces at its call. The primary cause of our

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visit was our desire to pay devotion to Incal as He arose next morning. All night the brilliant beams of light from our ruby-colored lanterns flashed the tidings, to such Poseidi as might look our way, that a royal vailx was in the region. Next morning after sunrise our vessel lifted and departed for the east, that we might visit our copper mines in the present Lake Superior region. We were conducted in electric trams through the labyrinths of galleries and tunnels. When we were about to leave, the government overseer of the mines presented each of our company with various articles of tempered copper. To me he gave an instrument, similar to the modern pocket-knife, which I retained to the day of my death, and always valued highly on account of its extra fine temper, which kept a keen edge, good enough to shave with, and rarely required to be sharpened. The Poseidi were adepts in this now lost art of copper tempering. In return I gave the overseer a nugget of native gold. He asked me whence it came, and when I told him, remarked:

"Any specimen from the famous mine at Pitach Rhok will be highly prized by an old miner like thy servant, more especially as it is presented by the discoverer of the mine himself."

Thus had the mine, found by me when an obscure lad, returned riches to the pick and shovel which had rendered it famed throughout the civilized world.

After taking counsel among ourselves, we decided not to make the farther northern trip, for every one of us had seen the Arctic icefields at least once, while some of us had been there several times. Instead, we concluded to remain in Incalia for a week longer, and spend the eleven days thereof in visiting, more at our leisure, the great territory where, although of course we did not know it, the Anglo-Saxon was one day to found the glorious American Union. History is said to repeat itself; I believe it does. Certainly races follow in the track of preceding races, and as the most important and populous part of all the North American colonies of Poseid had its habitat west of the great chain now known as the Rocky Mountains,

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so also the grandeur of America will be upheld by the western and southwestern States of the American Union.

Man likes pleasant places to live in; he likes those lands where Mother Nature is amiable and laughs with abundant harvests upon slight provocation; man likes to live in a fruit-land, and where shall he find anything more to his mind than this same southwest and west of the Incalia of yore? Along the ocean shore and back to the Sierra Nevada mountains is the region where, under Poseid dominion, lay a province not second in beauty to the lake region along the shores of Miti. And it bar, retained its fair charm, while that of the other has given place to drifting sands and cactus and the mesquite, and has tenantry of the Moloch lizards, rattlesnakes and prairie dogs. It is no more the

	 
		"Union of lakes and union of lands"
		
		 that it was in that olden time.

When we finally left Incalia, that we might return home to Caiphul, the last of our colonial lands visible was the coast of Maine, for we journeyed eastward, then south.

For change we decided to forsake the realms of the air for those of the deep where the shark is king. Like all vailx of the class to which it belonged, ours was constructed for both aerial and submarine service, the plates of the sliding deck and the other movable parts of the hull being capable of very close approximation by means of setscrews and rubber washers.

To settle straight down into the ocean would be too much like a landing on terra firma. But being at a height of two miles, more or less, the conductor was directed to gradually reduce the repulsion current, thus diminishing our buoyancy so as to bring us into the water ten miles distant from where the slant commenced. He was further ordered to do this while maintaining a speed which would, though very slow for a vailx, be really swift, that is, he was to cover ten miles in as many minutes.

When we struck the water at this rate of progress the shock which the entering needle experienced was sufficiently great

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to cause its inmates to stagger, and little exclamations were made by the ladies.

As soon as we entered the water the repulsion was made nil, and its opposite, a degree of attraction greater than that of water to the terrestrial center of gravity, was set up, whereby we were enabled to sink to a considerable depth, despite the air contained in the vessel. The lights outside the windows were started, our speed modified to suit the element, and then we all gathered in the salon by the windows, darkness within and the waters lit without, enabling us to see curious tribes of Neptune which crowded about the strange illumination in their midst.

While thus engaged and while listening to the delighted words of an enthusiastic ichthyologist, I heard a familiar voice in the darkness. I knew it for that of my father Menax, and accordingly went to the naim. He could not see me because I stood in darkness, but I could see him in the great mirror, for at home he was in the light and his image was so transmitted, so that I saw not only himself, but his immediate surroundings, just as a person outside a lighted window at night beholds everybody and thing in the interior, himself unseen.

"My son," said the prince, "thou shouldst not have allowed thy love of novelty to cause thee to act so unwisely as thou didst in entering the ocean at even the slow rate of a ven (mile) per minute. I fear that thou hast a vein of reckless daring in thy nature which will some day bring thee misfortune. Incal punishes the reckless by allowing His broken laws to exact their own penalty. Be cautious, Zailm, be cautious!"

After the submarine experiences had become tedious, the opposite course of a rapid but graduated augmentation of repulsion was imparted to our vailx--a procedure not dangerous, as the other had really been--and soon our long spindle shot out of the water like some great bubble, then rose to where the raz, or repulse indicator, was set for its government, only a few hundred feet above the surface of the ocean. There, putting aside the closed deck, we sat in the bright sunshine and

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enjoyed the pleasant ocean breeze, which blew in the same southern direction in which we were going. Desiring to reach home by the next day, when the afternoon grew cool we closed the deck, arose high in the heavens so as to lessen atmospheric resistance and made the quickest speed we could towards the south. This, I should remark, was not nearly so great--as either an eastern or western course would have allowed. Thus, traveling either due east or due west, we could proceed at the rate of a degree of longitude every four minutes. But north or south we cut the earth's currents, and just in proportion as a vailx-course deviated from east to west, in that proportion was its speed lessened, until going due north or south we could only travel at the comparatively slow rate of some hundred miles each hour.

We saw that if we traveled home by the straight course, we would not reach Caiphul under two days, and, having set our desires on reaching it by the next morning, the prospective delay was so tedious that we decided to run in on an angle. That is, we would head our vailx: southeast for the Necropan coast, thence southwest for Caiphul, and though the extra distance would be several thousand miles, the increased speed attained would allow us to reach our destination in time to take our breakfast at home.

	 
		Beautiful Caiphul,
		   There's no place like thee;
		 Queen of Atlantis
		   And Queen of the Sea.
		
		 
		
		 

Footnotes

^168:1 NOTE--When thy science shall, like Poseid, approach Nature from its Godward side; when, instead of ascending to that key-force of all Nature, the Odic force, from a synthesizing of environing phenomena, thou shalt look from Odicity adown all the river of Energy, then wilt thou have all that Poseid had (being thyself Poseid returned), even its vailx, its naim, and its telescopes. Not such crude instruments as thine are, were the telescopes of Atl. Not the most remote star which sends a beam of faintest light across the depths of space, but that star could be brought so near to us in seeming, that had so minute an organism as a leaf been lying on the "ground" of the star, it were visible to our eyes. Dost thou refuse credence? Con this proposition: that light in not alone a reflection or refraction of force from a substance, but is a prolongation of every substantial form, for as much as only One Substance exists, though many are the dynamic variations thereof, these are mistaken by thee for different substances. There is but ONE SUBSTANCE: Light from Arcturus, let us say, is the prolonged substance of that star. Machine-made electricity is, per contra, unimpressed, formless force. One can be made to reinforce the other--the Formless to acquire the image of the Formed. Dost now see principle of our telescopes? Thy mind jumps far to the van, and I hear thee ask, 'Is Mars inhabited? Is Jupiter? Is Saturn, Venus?" Ah! my friend, I will not answer yea or nay, for when the Poseid view of Nature reappears on earth, thou wilt KNOW. Seek and ye shall find; but seek correctly. Walk the cruciform Way.

^173:1 The Three Tetons we situated in northwestern Wyoming, but Wyoming as a territory was not in existence at the time referred to, haying been formed in 1868 from parts of Idaho, Dakota and Utah. A small part of Yellowstone Park is in Idaho.--Kings Hand-book of United States.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XIX

 

A WELL-MET PROBLEM

Work awaited me upon my return to Caiphul, work to which I might attend without harm to my delicate health, in fact rather tending to its improvement, furnishing a proper degree

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of mental stimulus, without involving any of the severe tension of study.

On the day of my arrival home, Menax said to me in a way which set me to thinking:

"I understand that the people of Suern have lost the power which they have hitherto had of providing themselves with food by seeming magic. It must be a terrible problem to them how to meet the cravings of hunger."

Whether Menax designed these words for the purpose of arousing me to a sense of my duties in the premises or not, I had at the time no idea. But I pondered the situation very earnestly. It occurred to me that these people had few if any cultivated fields like our own; that they probably had no adequate knowledge of the arts of husbandry, tillage and like requirements, and, finally, that they were not possessed of muscles trained to effort. In fact they must be, in all matters of this sort, a kind of overgrown children. The more I dwelt on the problem, the more startling the situation seemed. I saw that they would, for at least a year, require to have provision made for them. They would also have to be taught the methods of agriculture, horticulture, and care of cattle, sheep and other useful domestic animals. Later, it would be necessary to teach them such other arts as mining, spinning and metal working. In fact, here was an entire nation of eighty-five millions of people coming to school to me for tuition in the arts of life. As the full force of the position came to my realization, it staggered me. Ah, poor me! I fell upon my knees on the greensward of the gardens and prayed to Incal. As I arose I turned and found Gwauxln regarding me with a most peculiar glance. His face was as grave as possible, but his splendid eyes were full of laughter.

"Dost thou feel equal to the task?" he queried.

"Zo Rai," I replied bravely, "thy son is hard pressed. Equal? Yea; if Incal will give me guidance."

"Well said, Zailm. Thou shalt call upon the resources of Poseid to aid thee, and they shall be at thy service."

Not to be prolix, the schools were established, the food and

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raiment stations were placed in given districts, and the people of Suern, the great peninsula of modern Hindustan, with parts of Arabia, were taught the means of comfortable self-preservation and dependence upon their knowledge. Not all of this was done, that is to say, supervised by me, but the initiation of it, and during three and a half years the practical work of it was conducted by me and my vice-suzerains. Perhaps I was not grateful to Incal; perhaps I never thought a second time, in these days of prosperity, of the prayer of the moneyless and unknown youth upon Pitach Rhok. But perhaps I did, too. I rather think that I was never for one moment forgetful of that morning and its vows. Yet, it is a strange fact that human nature may swerve aside from what it knows to be the undeviating line of right; may be keenly conscious of every infraction and still be able to feel that it has been true to its vows. Moral lapses are the most frequent, those sins which are not strictly direct infractions of communal equities but rather of the Magdalen type. Strange, also, is it that mankind is seldom lenient to the victims, though generally quite sparing of censure for the real criminal. There can be no true justice in a decision on any subject in the world until, in crimes of this sort, equal penalty is meted regardless of sex. Does my proposition seem too sweeping? Consider then this: human justice is a system; if it be faulty in only one particular it is faulty in all things, since justice means perfection, and that is not perfection which hath a blemish.

In the history of the Judaic race the later records of the deserving portion of the people of Suernis may be found. Verily, my people, we have seen glory together and long suffering. We have stood together since before the age that is, and that which passeth, was! My seed of strong, effort was sown in fallow soil, and it returned more than a hundred fold. The end is not yet; the harvest is not garnered, nor the Chosen People come yet into their reward for the Great Tribulation since Ernon of Suern ceased to strive for them. The way was long, but, they shall come at last from out the desert they entered so long ago, and Yeovah will give His children rest!

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As Rai Ernon had said, the Saldee general never returned to his native land. He wandered about the city, little noticed by the people, and made his chief abiding place at the vailx of a certain Poseid commissary stationed with others at Ganje.

One day, having become quite friendly with the latter, the Salda asked that his friend give him the pleasure of an ascent into the air; he had never experienced a ride on a vailx and was desirous of so doing. At the time the commissary was busy, and promised to do as requested on the morrow. Accordingly, after dinner next day, which meal was served on the open promenade deck of the vailx, the ascension was made. The general had taken too much strong wine and was rather unsteady in his motions. One of the party was a Suerna who had been one of Rai Ernon's counsellors. The general stalked to the taffrail of the vailx to look down into the nether air. Standing near was the Suerna. Neither liked the other, and the Salda, also excited by wine, became quarrelsome. The Suerna, the same, by the way, who had been so amazed by the failure of his occult powers when he made his attempt to kill me, gave the general a sly push, and he fell against the rail. Being heavy, his weight bent it so as to cause a still further loss of balance and he fell over the side, catching the rail with both hands in a very agile manner. Here, unable to raise himself, he hung, calling for help in an agony of terror. The Poseid captain was not a bad man, but he was somewhat stupid, as a result of a fall on his head, and while able to give satisfaction as a commissary, he was not able to rise higher than some such subordinate position. He had, previous to his injury, been a talented man, and was even yet an inventor of some small note. This was a talent that did him small service now, however, because so many others outranked him in the same direction. He had finally come to be a lunatic on the subject, and was ever seeking to utilize force or to economize power. While the captain was standing in stupid indecision, the Suerna stepped in and pushed him aside, himself grasping the terrified Salda by the arm. The next instant the ex-counselor and the Salda general were swinging, whirling towards

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the earth, over a mile below. Then the Poseida looked over at them as they fell and, his mind all occupied with his favorite mania for invention, exclaimed.

"What a waste of force! If only they could fall on some mechanism adjusted to raise a weight!" How it happened, the commissary never knew, he averred, and for lack of witnesses, together with his obvious stupidity, the court excused him.

When I learned of the event it was through the governor, whom I had appointed, who reported having relieved the captain from command of his vailx and commissarial office, and the placing of another Poseida in his place. The Salda was the father of Lolix, and I thought it well to break the news as gently as possible to her. How was I astounded, after having done, so, to hear her  say:

"Prithee, how doth this concern me?"

"Why, thy father--" I began, when she interrupted me with:

"My father! I am glad. Shall I, who love courage, feel aught but displeasure at his cowardice in the face of death, wherefore he was moved to cry out in terror like a child? Faugh! I call no coward father!"

I turned away entirely horrified, silent for lack of words to express my feelings. Perceiving my action, Lolix came to me, and resting her small, white hand on my arm, looked up into my face, so that my gaze was directly into her glorious blue eyes.

"My Lord Zailm, thou seemst offended! Is it so? Have I said aught to cause thee offense?"

"Gracious gods!" I exclaimed. Then remembering a former estimate of mine, that the Saldu was only a child in certain respects, I said:

"Offended me? Not so, Astiku."

Then she slipped her hand through the bend of my arm and walked beside me. This little experience was the beginning of a longer one which, while very sweet for a length of time, yet

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culminated in anguish there in Atlantis and, phoenix-like, arose from the ashes of the dead centuries, only a few short years ago. Verily, "the evil that men do lives after them."

Because it was so very obvious that her heartlessness was only that of undevelopment, I was not disgusted with Lolix. I reproved her, indeed, but instead of turning away in unreasoning wrath at its existence, I sought to induce a perception of the enormity of such an offense as cruelty of heart.

According to the custom of her people, Lolix wooed me to wed her. Of course I could not accede, pleasant though it -was to have this beautiful girl doing her best to win my regard. I could not, while I loved Anzimee. Of this love for my sweet, womanly little sister, I never told Lolix, disliking possible contingencies. But I did worse--I told her an untruth, for I said that the Poseid law forbade marriage with those of alien birth.

"Never an exception?" queried Lolix.

"Never one. Death is the penalty."

This was another falsehood, for in Poseid the death penalty was never inflicted, it being forbidden by the law of the Maxin book.

"Well, then, it matters nothing. Thou art young and strong, and of good courage and handsome. Wherefore I love thee. If the law forbid, it is all the same. None but ourselves need know."

The last barrier was fallen. Conscience slumbered. Thoughts of Anzimee were put aside as one would shun an accusing angel. Did I think of Pitach Rhok and my days of sinlessness? Or of the mysterious stranger whom I had heard in awe in the first of my life at Caiphul? Yea, I thought of these things. I thought of Incal, and I said:

"Incal, my God, if I am about to do wrong in thy sight, in disregarding the laws of society and marriage, smite me dead ere I sin."

But Incal smote, not then, but afterwards through the ages. He smote not then; conscience slept the sounder, but passion awoke.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

[p. 183]

 

CHAPTER XX

 

DUPLICITY

The year during which I was not permitted to study passed quickly and uneventfully, except that complications deepened on account of Lolix. My affection for Menax became almost reciprocally as great as his love for me, which was limitless. But I did not tell him that which, heavier and yet heavier, weighed upon me as time lapsed, the secret affair with Lolix. To have done so would have been best, yet I dared not, for it would have lost me all that I most prized. At least I so feared then.

As time went on I began to query my position. Did I love this beautiful girl? Not as I loved Anzimee. "O, Incal, my God, my God!" I moaned in anguish of soul. Conscience slept yet, but stirred restlessly. The fact that Anzimee was my adopted sister did not prevent her becoming my wife, for the law of consanguinity was not violated. But my own acts barred the way.

My scheme to domicile Lolix in a palace on the far side of Caiphul from Menaxithlon was successfully carried out without exciting the suspicion of any one, not even arousing the jealousy of Lolix. Duplicity, duplicity!

Then I wooed Anzimee unrestrained by the presence of her who would have been a dangerous factor had she even suspected that the daughter of Menax was not my sister by the ties of consanguinity. But my days began to be filled with fear, for I had sown dragon's teeth; the denouement of such affairs as have evil for a guide is invariably sorrow and bitterness. Suppose Lolix did not tire of me, and I had neither the heart nor the will to do anything to cause her to do so, nature-laws were ever liable to cause a revealment of the facts which would be fatal to my hopes; and though I often cried in agony of soul that I was an unhappy wretch, conscience still slept.

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But mine was not a character to be deterred from my resolves by danger. If I was engaged in a game of skill with the Evil One for opponent, I would play to the best of my ability. So I determined to be rid of Lolix, a determination that was late, for the fruit of our sin was come and a home secretly provided, for I would do no murder. These plans were carried out, all fortunately, as I thought, without any man being the wiser. But how to be rid of the really lovable woman, Lolix. Only a year remained ere I would enter examination for my diploma at the Xioquithlon. If successful, I meant to ask Anzimee, whom I knew loved me in return, to be to me all that the honored name of wife conveyed.

At evening, or of an afternoon, nothing pleased Anzimee better than to walk alone, or with Menax or myself through the palace gardens, under the spreading palms and festoons of flowering vines which canopied all the walks, forming long, cool tunnels of green, gemmed with Flora's most radiant hues. From the breaks in these verdant walls we could see the mimic lakes, hills, cliffs and streams, and beyond these could look out over palace-capped, vine-draped Caiphul and its half thousand hills, large and small. Walking amidst such scenes by the side of her who was so dear, is it strange that my soul was at such times eased of something of its burden of sin and woe?

So long did I defer action in the case of Lolix that I came to fear to take any course except to let events order their own settlement. Yea, I lost confidence in my ability to solve the dangerous problem, fearful lest I should make a bad matter worse. Thus the days slipped by and the examination ordeal was close at hand. Neglect Lolix I did not, could not, nor had I desire to do so. Very often I was with her; indeed, with a strange blindness to the wrong involved, I divided my leisure between Lolix and Anzimee. I sometimes feared that Mainin, Gwauxln, or perhaps both, knew of my secret. They did, too, for their occult vision was too keen to allow them not to know the facts. But neither made any sign, not Mainin, for he cared not how much secret evil went on, as we shall see ere long. Nor Gwauxln, not because he, like Mainin, did not care,

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hut because he was merciful and knew that karma had more dreadful punishment in store than any man could possibly inflict, and his mercy forebore to add to my penalty. So the cancer remained hidden from public gaze, and I knew not that the noble ruler was a sad spectator of my misdeeds. I do not wonder at his sad demeanor when with me as manifested in the last year of my studies.

Anzimee had postponed the time of her examination in Xio until the year in which I was to graduate, and hence the festivities which always followed the examination as a mark of rejoicing over the success of those who received diplomas, included her in the honorable list, for she had passed with high credits.

A dinner was given by the Rai to the successful contestants, and this feast inaugurated an extended season of high social dinners, balls, parties, concerts and theatrical performances, all in the same honor., Anzimee, arrayed in a robe of grayish silk, with her heavy coils of dark hair fastened apparently by a lovely rose, and upon her shoulder a pin of sapphires and rubies, was presented by Gwauxln at the state dinner to the new Xioqi as the "Ystranavu," or "Star of the Evening." This was a social distinction akin to the modem "Queen of the Ball."

Knowing that Rai Gwauxln would lead his niece to the table and be her escort, I took Lolix, as I had a right to do, for I was a graduate and the possessor of a diploma, and all such might choose a companion, who might or might not be a graduate. Lolix, for my sake, had studied hard during the last three years, and was now in her second year at the Xioquithlon, to which she went from the lower schools. I was growing proud of the girl, and felt most tenderly towards her; indeed, I would have been a most despicable person had I not, after her sacrifice for me. Several times I found Gwauxln looking intently at me--I sat not far from him--and once, as he passed me after the feast, he murmured sadly:

"Oh, Zailm, Zailm."

As may be imagined, this address did not increase my peace

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of mind. But that night passed without any further disquiet, as so many others had done.

As I walked with Lolix in the great hall of Agacoe, I remarked the many glances of admiration bestowed upon her beauty by the many gentlemen we met, nobles of high degree. She had indeed grown to have a loveliness of face and figure, and best of all, of character, which was no longer heartless, but very gentle since her sad experience of secret motherhood and consequent disbarment from its innocent joys, since the child might not be known as hers. She had had offers of honorable marriage find refused them, knowing even as she did so that the fact of their proffer was a proof of my having spoken falsely when I told her that the laws of Poseid forbade our marriage. But her love for me, if it suffered, was faithful and knew no lessening. And she kept the secret well and the more closely for my sake, wretch that I was! As I looked upon her, I felt that she was very dear to me. But Anzimee was more so, and therefore the hideous tragedy went on. I knew that from love of me Lolix had first repressed heartless remarks, then taken an interest in relieving suffering for its own sake, and so had become transformed from a beautiful thorn tree to a glorious rose of womanly loveliness, with few thorns indeed. Had I really any conscience deserving the name, that I did not come out before the world and take Lolix as my wife after all this boundless love for me? No, not in Poseid. Conscience had not slept; it had never been existent; it was yet to be born, and grow in a later time. Thus did the nemesis of judgment still withhold her stroke.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XXI

 

THE MISTAKE OF A LIFE

Comparison is good mental exercise. It is due to the reader and to myself, as well as to Anzimee and Lolix, to indulge a

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present mood prompting me to make an analytical comparison of these two women.

What was it that fixed so unalterably my desire to wed Anzimee and not Lolix? Both were gentlewomen, the first by nature, the second by--yes, by nature also. I was, however, about to ascribe the sweet charity of Lolix to the perception on her part of the misery she would feel, placed in like situation with those who suffered in very fact. But the ability to so perceive could arise only from its existence in her nature. No, it was her nature finally developed. Both women were refined, intelligent, and both were beautiful, though of types m widely variant as a blush rose and a white lily. Anzimee was a born daughter of Atl; Lolix was one by adoption. A small difference, surely, since both were in full accord and equally sensitive to, the good, the beautiful and the true, in the polished refinement of erudite Poseid. Truly, the relations between Lolix and myself were wrong, but she was not on that account less dear to me, nor was my regard for her less tender and loving. Her companionship had become a part of my life. If I had a sorrow or was despondent, she interposed her sympathy and cheered me. My anxieties were also hers; my joys her joys. In everything but name she was my wife. Then why did not I acknowledge the fact before mankind? Because karma ordered otherwise. I loved Anzimee also. Through this love, karma operated to annul its own tendencies to espouse Lolix. And the mode of this operation was exhibited in my recognition of Lolix as possessed of every requisite to make me happy except in her one lack, that of  perception of the relation of the finite to the infinite. Absurd? No. That my soul craved such an ability on her part, and found it not, but did find it in Anzimee, was evidence of the growth of the frail seedling of interest in. the occult life of the Sons of the Solitude, which had been somewhat matured by the words of Rai Ernon of Suern, years before. Sayest thou that if a little such interest worked such error in life that deep interest would make for the losing of the soul, wherefore thou wilt have none of it? Not so. It was the not being true to the

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ideal at that time gained, true with all my soul, that did the mischief, just as in the myth of Lot's wife, she had never been turned to salt had she obeyed, not curiosity, but the higher injunction.

Lolix had no dimmest perception of this psychic link between the things of earth and the things of infinity. I had; I knew Anzimee had; wherefore I ordered my life so as to include her and exclude Lolix, whereby I did both them, myself and my conception of God (which is but a redundant expression, for no one finite can injure Infinity) a fearful injustice. But karma lay in wait for the evil of my life, demanded payment--and got it, every jot; no words can paint the suffering of the expiation. I scarcely propose to try and shall rest content if a realization of some part of it shall deter others from sin through the certitude that there is no vicarious expiation for evil done, and no escape from its penalty.

The Law of the ONE reads: "Except a man overcometh, he shall not inherit of My life; I will not be his God, neither shall he be My son." There can be but one way to such overcoming, the ever-recurrent plungings into material incarnation, until the errors of the personal will are at-oned to the Divine Will. There can be no vicarious undoing, [*1] and soon will I show why. Another can not do thy breathing for thee. Reincarnation, the ever-recurrent prisoning of the soul in fleshly bodies, is but expiatory, is but penalty. If in His Name ye are become free, if in that Way ye have overcome, and in place of being slaves to are masters over desire, ye have undone sin. Then is there no more incarnation for you in the prison of this death, miscalled life. There is no other Way; the Great Master pointed none.

In expiation of my dark past I must needs return into the world, thy world of sin, sorrow, sickness and pain, and disappointed longings for the peace that passeth understanding. Is not my twelve thousand and more years of further wanderings in the far land of this world, far from my Father's house, and feeding on the husks called joy, suffering the fevers, pains and

.

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disappointment of hopes, enough of expiation? Yet for a little while longer I must and, impelled by love, willingly do serve Him. Some souls shall have even more than I, if they turn not. Which will ye? Will is the sole Way to esoteric, or occult Christian knowledge. Whosoever will, shall have Eternal Life. But the will to overcome must replace our will of desire, as the fresh air replaces the exhalations of our lung. As the atmosphere is around about us, and, inhaled, becomes our breath, so the Will of the Spirit is around us and, entering into the heart that hath determined to strangle into submission the serpent, suffers us not to know defeat. But I, and Lolix, refused this Breath, and unwilling, turned away. Oh! the horror, the pain, of those lost ages, lost with her! But refound by us both, in--overcoming. I am sorry to admit that such moral obliquity could ever have warped my character, even twelve thousand years ago! Will is the only Way to Christ.

Is it not an appalling contemplation, to think that, having determined to put Lolix away and to install Anzimee in her place by honorably wedding her before mankind, I was able to calculate upon my knowledge of Lolix and to depend upon her acquiescence in keeping my secret because of her unselfish love for me? Monstrous! I knew that Lolix did nothing by halves. Having given herself to me, she would not expose my iniquity, even though I rejected her for another; society had no reproach for a woman betrayed.

In pursuance of my plan, I proposed to obtain the spoken affirmation of the love that had long been confessed by the demeanor of Anzimee. Then I would tell Lolix all, reserving nothing, and throw myself on her mercy. Even after these many, many centuries, when--Laus Deo!--reparation is at last complete, I look at the record of this part of my life when I was Zailm, and wonder that the very confession does not scorch holes in the paper upon which it is written. Moral turpitude is a fearful thing, for, though conscious of its being sinful, I was but dimly aware of the hideous blackness of my action.

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Canst thou dissociate, reader, thy horror at the one action sufficiently to take interest in the recital of my profession of love made to Anzimee, after I had hidden from my own sight the evil of my life? It may be almost futile to try; yet it is possible to forget anything out of sight, at least to such a degree.

	 
		"That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain."
		
		 More especially is it easy to smile when the evil is in such a fax, far past tense, is atoned, and the villain is one no longer. Thou wilt pardon me if I hint the Way of at-onement. Of all my thousands of years of my many lives, to which in this history I can but briefly allude, I draw for thee one lesson that the weary pilgrimage hath taught me, and in my soul I pray thee heed it. For I am longing for my release, when I may go out into the blessed realms that mine eyes have seen, mine ears heard, and myself been amidst, with Him who openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth. So this know, and these things; so long as any that read my words turn aside, and will not to know and do His Way, so long do ye keep me out of my part in the Great Peace, until His spirit shall cease to strive with thee, or hinder thee. I am working and sacrificing that ye may know that Way; and tread it. Yet some of you will, even at the finality, be of them that, denying Him, are by Him denied. Out of all the glorious systems of worlds, only Earth denieth, for acknowledging Him by words and crying, "Lord, Lord," they yet hate one another in their serpent-dominated hearts. Think not that I use any figure of speech when I say "serpent"; microscopists know better. "He that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit have Life everlasting." They that are alive have crucified the flesh with its affections. Some will close the eye and the ear to my message I have of Him. By that shall the seed of Eternal Life be closed out of their souls, and they shall die. [*1] But so

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many as in all things turn unto the Way shall in no wise be cast out. He said it who is true. Keep thy lamps trimmed and be wise, not foolish virgins.

Footnotes

^188:1 NOTE. See foot note on page <page 236>

^190:1 NOTE--in this connection read the last age of this book, which closes the history given of a Life redeemed upon His Cross.--Ed.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XXII

 

ZAILM PROPOSES

My mind was filled with the question which I made paramount, how to phrase my proposal of marriage to Anzimee. Such occupation of thought is common to all lovers, of every race and nation, where matchmaking is not conducted by the parents.

Having set my time for the momentous inquiry, I sought Anzimee. The information that she was absent at Roxoi palace one of the three set apart for the Rai, but seldom used by him, was rather perturbing. Lolix resided at Roxoi, and had done so ever since the time when I secured her transference from Menaxithlon. But I was not altered in my purpose of seeing Anzimee; so, while journeying across the city, forty miles to Roxoi, I pondered the new situation. I knew that the two girls were friends, and this fact seemed likely to complicate matters. Arrived at Roxoi, I found Anzimee in the gardens, seated near a cascade that tumbled over a fairy-like cliff into a mammoth dewdrop of a lake. She was alone. As I came near she inquired, in a surprised tone:

"Where is Lolix?"

"Where?" I repeated. "I know not. I was told that she was with thee."

"And 'twas truth. But she took my vailx and went away, saying that she would go and get thee, that we three might have a little outing together."

I thought rapidly. To Menaxithlon was forty miles across the city due south. The vailx must therefore take nearly or

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quite as many minutes going in that direction, and the same returning. Eighty minutes. That would be long enough.

Seating myself beside Anzimee, I took her hand in mine. I had often done the same before, and even clasped her about with my arm, but in a distinctly brotherly way. Now the simple touch of the fingers was electric in effect, and she could at once detect the intensity of excitement which possessed me. The fine language I had intended to use was lost, and instead of trying to regain it I said merely:

"Anzimee, would words deepen thy certainty of my love for thee? I can not command them; but I ask thee, little girl, to be my wife!"

And for reply she answered in phrase as brief:

"Zailm, be it so!"

What followed the reader may imagine; thine own fancy will please thee best, for surely the picture is not hard to draw.

When Lolix returned, I had departed, nor this hastily, for she had been delayed in coming back, so that three hours had elapsed since her departure.

I knew that few things were more certain than that Anzimee would confide her joy to Lolix. But I had no misgivings, for I felt every confidence that Lolix would not betray our secret, however terrible the blow might be for her to bear. As I anticipated, Anzimee told the story of my avowal, and of her acceptance of me. When the whole was related, Anzimee said that her friend looked at her a moment, then fell fainting to the floor. When she had been revived, she seemed so calm that even Anzimee did not question her statement that the swoon was due to nervousness. This was at the eventide. Anzimee, filled with happy feelings, saw her friend in bed, dismissed the attendants, soothed her to sleep, and came home. These facts I did not learn until next day. I thought it best to have an interview with Lolix at once, and so experience all the pain and have done with the anguish of it. Deluded mortal!

I went to Roxoi, and going into the Xanatithlon, awaited Lolix, to whom I had sent word that I desired to see her there. She came. Fully ten years seemed to have passed over her

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since I saw her last. Worn. and pale, with great dark rings under her glorious blue eyes, into which the tears flooded as she caught my quick gaze. Poor girl! But what could I do? that was my thought. I was even a little conscience smitten but very little, for the scales of sin were thick and very numbing to the soul.

She spoke first:

"Oh, my love, my love! Why hast thou done this? Thinkest thou I shall live? I have for long known that no law existed to bar our union, and have waited for thee to do what was right, confident that the day would soon come when thou wouldst ask me to share thy proud name. But--O Incal! my God! my God! " she exclaimed, bursting into a flood of tears, that were as quickly repressed. Then in a calmer voice, full of piteous heartache, she went on:

"Zailm, I love thee too well, even now, to chide thee! I am thine to do with as thou wilt. I gave thee my life long ago. I gave thee my babe, and thou didst place it in a home where no man might suspect its parentage. Zailm, I have done more also--there was another that--that--O Incal, forgive me! I sent it in to Navazzamin, that it might not accuse thee, Zailm! And now, I, whom thou hast called thy 'blue-eyed darling,' I, who love thee more than I do life, am by thee put aside! O God! Why am I made to suffer thus? Why thus stricken?"

She broke into a storm of agonized weeping, and I sought not to stay the flood, knowing that sometimes tears are a blessed relief. Had she loved me thus? Fool! not to have known it from her actions, which spoke louder than words possibly could. My heart smote me now indeed, and I prayed, prayed to God for forgiveness, and I prayed to her. Too late! Conscience came forth at last, born to smite, sprung like Minerva, full-armed for the combat.

When Lolix had recovered calmness, she said, in such heartbroken tones as had never fallen on my ears before:

"Zailm, I forgive thee. Not even now will I betray thee, since whom I once love I will love till death; afterwards, also, if love survive the grave. If thou art come to say the parting

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word, so be it! But leave me now, for I am almost crazed! Yet remember, my darling, that if thy new life be not happy, though I pray Incal it may be, that there once beat a heart for thee warmer, more loving, perchance truer, than I fancy thou'lt find that of thy new love. I shall not live long to be a shadow over thy peace. Kiss me once as thou wouldst if I were thine own wife in the sight of the world, as I am in that of Incal, and having died, thou wert about to confide my clay to the Unfed Light."

With these words she stopped, arisen and come before where I sat, and placed her arms around me, drawing me into a embrace. A moment thus, then her lips, chill as those of one who keepeth company with Death, met mine in one long, sobbing kiss! She released her clasp, stood an instant, and was gone. So she left me. Long I sat in the midst of the flowers in the great conservatory at Roxoi.

	 
		"The blossoms blushed bright--but a worm was below,
		 The moonlight shone fair--there was blight in the beam;
		 Sweet whispered the breeze but it whispered of woe,
		 And bitterness flowed in the soft-flowing strewn."
		
		 KARMA DISPOSES

That night the banns of my coming marriage with Anzimee would be announced by the Incaliz Mainin in the great temple, for in cases of high social rank it was customary thus to add extra formality to the publication. If, during the ceremony, a death was to occur within the Incalithlon, custom decreed that one entire year must elapse before consummation of the marriage rites. In any event one month must pass after the banns, which were in consequence declared immediately following the engagement. For reasons of his own, Mainin the Incaliz desired that Anzimee should not wed any one; but as he had no authority over and but little acquaintance with her he kept silent respecting his wishes.

At the proper hour, Anzimee and myself stood before Mainin the Incaliz, within the Holy Seat. By our side was Rai Gwauxln and Menax, the five of us being the cynosure of the eyes of a great audience.

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In a clear, slow voice, the Incaliz began an invocation to Incal. But in the midst of this service, a woman glided quickly across the triangle of the Place of Life, in the center of which was the Maxin. It was Lolix. She was as faultlessly attired as it was her pride always to be. Apart from the awful blaze in her eyes I saw nothing extraordinary in her appearance. But to have stepped into the Place of Life was an impermissible thing, and the act centered all eyes upon her. It meant an appeal to the authority of the Rai.

"What wouldst thou?" asked Gwauxln. "Zo Rai, in Salda, my native land, it was the custom to allow either sex to woo the other in marriage. I wooed this man, the Astika Zailm, ignorant that he loved my friend--how could I know? And now, I pray thee, deny the banns, is thou hast a right to do."

"Woman, I am sorry for thee! But the customs of Salda are not those of Poseid. I grant not thy prayer,"

I had felt a numbing terror lest at fast my crime was to be revealed. But the fear faded as the slender, graceful figure of Lolix turned and was swallowed up in the audience. Then the interrupted banns were renewed. When Mainin said to Anzimee:

"Thou dost declare it thy wish to wed this man?" she replied:

"I do."

"And thou, dost thou declare it to be thy wish to wed this woman?" To which I said: "Even so, Incal not preventing." As I made answer the proceedings were the second time interrupted by Lolix, who again came into the Place of Life, but this time as hurriedly as if pursued. Opposite the Unfed Light she stopped, and said:

"Incal will prevent! See, I come to wed thee now, Zailm, and here! The God of departed souls shall be our Incaliz, this dagger our wedding proclamation, banns and all!

I ought to have prefaced the narration of the questions put to Anzimee and myself by explaining that after the invocation by Mainin, that person, Anzimee and myself, and the Rai with

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[paragraph continues] Menax, had left the Holy Seat and had gone into the Place of Life, so that Lolix now stood close beside me. As she spoke of the dagger her words were calm, but rapidly uttered--it was the calmness of insanity! Crazed by the course I had followed, Lolix stood there, her glorious blue eyes filled with the light of madness. With her last words still upon her lips, she struck at my breast with the keen weapon. I warded the blow with my arm, which was pierced through by the forceful stroke. As she drew it out with a wrench, blood spurted over the granite floor. At sight of this she uttered a frightful shriek, saying:

"Mad! Mad! MAD!!!" and with one bound sprang to the center of the Place of Life, where she stood by the cube of the Maxin.

Anzimee swooned; Menax stood as if petrified, gazing at my flowing blood, while Gwauxln, pale but calm, spoke to a guardsman near:

"Arrest the maniac!"

The order of the Rai attracted the attention of Lolix, who said to the approaching soldier:

"No, no, arrest not me. I was mad, but I am not. Whosoever shall touch me, him will I curse, and then die in the Maxin."

Being superstitious, the guardsman paused, for he dared not touch her, neither disobey the Rai. In his terror he turned to the latter and began to make excuse.

"Silence!" thundered Gwauxln. Then in gentle tones he said to Lolix: "Woman, come to me."

"Not so, Zo Rai! At this place beside the Maxin no one under the law may offer me violence. Here, then, I stay!"

Speaking thus, Lolix rearranged her slightly disordered turban, folded her arms, and then leaning back against the Maxin-cube, gazed calmly at the Rai. He made no motion, but looked first at her, then at me. Lolix, though still near to the Maxin, had assumed an erect position, no longer touching the cube.

Incaliz Mainin had stood quietly by during the excitement. He now said:

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"Aye, Astiku from Salda, there thou shalt stay, indeed, even longer than thou thinkest!"

He had spoken very , even softly, gazing the while at the unhappy girl. When he turned towards the Rai, he saw a look of horror on his face, and hurriedly looked away again, finishing the reading of the banns. I scarcely heard him, being engaged partly with my bleeding arm, and partly with Anzimee, who, but partially recovered, and still half fainting, leaned against me for support. When the ceremony was completed, Rai Gwauxln, placing a hand on each of our heads, said: "Not only a year must elapse ere ye may wed, but much longer! Zailm, I do forgive thee thy sins so far as it is mine to forgive, the human laws thou hast broken. As for thy partner in wrong, never mind."

Then turning to Mainin, the Incaliz, he sternly said:

"Because of thine accursed deed, thou and I are forevermore strangers! Now I know thee for what, alas. thou art."

Having spoken in this, to his hearers, enigmatical and startling language, Gwauxln left the Incalithlon. Mainin also left. Menax, become curious regarding the unhappy cause of all this trouble, spoke to her as she stood by the Unfed Light. She neither answered nor moved. I approached near to her and said gently:

"Lolix?"

Still no answer nor movement. I touched her silken bodice, but received a shock which startled me like an unexpected blow! Her corsage was as rigid as stone. I touched her hand; it, too, was cold and stiff. Her face, even her wavy brown tresses, were alike rigid. Not only was she dead, but actual rock! Like one in a dream, too much stunned to be horrified, but still possessed of a strange curiosity, I rapped with my knuckles on the various thin edges presented by folds in her robe, and heard them sound with a metallic clink. I grasped a finger; it broke off, and then in a sudden wave of awful living horror I dropped it upon the stone floor; it broke into fragments like any fragile bit of rock. Still were the golden tresses, with which I had so often caressingly played,

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of the old lovely color. Her complexion, her blue eyes, even, were of the same natural hue they had been in life, but for all that her body was stone and her soul was forever fled! Her pretty foot, showing from beneath the hem of tier robe, was not only as the rest, stone, but it was petrified fast to the stone pavement on which she stood. At last I realized all. This hideous deed was the work of 'Mainin in that instant he looked at Lolix in speaking to her. He had prostituted his occult wisdom, and for this had Gwauxln cursed him. Lolix's flesh and blood and raiment had been transmuted into solid stone. This petrification was all that remained of poor, wronged, forsaken Lolix, a perfect statue which, if suffered by man to remain, might stand during the many centuries, till even stone at last crumbled to dust.

The awful meaning of it all came home to me at last. Was I primarily responsible for it? In that moment I knew that I was, knew that the murder was on my soul, as well as on that of Mainin, who had never found that opportunity, at least except by me.

Even in her temporary insanity Lolix had been true to me. Not one word had she spoken to involve me. If Gwauxln knew, and I was aware that he did, he gave me free pardon so far as human law was concerned. For the broken laws of Incal he could not extend pardon, that was become karma, and lay a weary width of desert sands of sin to scorch my feet in the passage I must make across them ere ever I could tread the narrow way of attainment. The long atonement was before me. I gazed on the mute form of the girl I had so fondly loved, and loved yet, until Menax, who had become aware of the awful occurrence while I stood stupefied, but on whom the main effect was a desire to leave as soon as possible, pulled me by the sleeve:

"Come, Zailm; let us go home."

Giving one last remorseful look, I obeyed. Lovely Lolix. Her voice was still in death, and that through me! As remorse surged over my soul, I thought that I would now be glad to ask Anzimee to release me, confess all to her, and with

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her consent make Lolix my honored wife; but it wag forever too late in that life thus to make reparation. No more could the tender glance of love flash on me from those starry eyes of blue! No more would my weary head nestle down on tier shoulder, while with gentle caress she chased away my darker musings with a mild and gentle sympathy. Ah, ye gods! what had I lost? My life, that had seemed complete, and as a sphere like unto the full moon, was come, like that orb when it rises late at night, to seem torn and but half of itself, wrecked and ragged, careening through the night-time of existence.

Anzimee knew nothing of the awful reality; she had been too much stunned by the sudden knowledge of her friend's insanity. She must not know, if it were possible to prevent her learning of it. We went to our carriage and, solemn the one, stunned the other, and wildly remorseful the third, got in and went home to Menaxithlon. Home? I felt that the peace of hone was no more mine! Life had become a desert over which stalked the skeletons of despair, regret and sorrow; overhead a moonless sky, underfoot in the night a howling waste of sand, blown hither and thither by curbless winds. Lolix was gone, Anzimee would never be mine, as I felt in prophetic forecast of soul, and so, with bowed head, I sat in the midst of the desert of my days and let the phantoms dance about and mock me, unheeded.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XXIII

 

A WITNESS BEFORE THE CRIMINAL

States of mind, of feeling and of intuition are the only real things that exist. Jesus, although the Son of God, and John and Paul were all Sons of the Solitude; Hegel, Berkeley, Sterling, Evans; all real theosophists and all real Christians, are becoming Sons, and are in accord with those peerless nature-students

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of old when they say, "Spirit alone is real; all else is illusion."

If a man think himself ill, he will become so; if, per contra, he is cheerful under even the most adverse circumstances, he will not see that the world about is full of gloom; nor is it. 'Tis only in himself, and he can change the world all into gall and bitterness for himself, although it be all a song for others.

For weary weeks I wandered about, stupidly, a leaden load of grief weighing on my soul, a feeling of dull despair which would have crazed a less well-balanced temperament. Had Lolix felt thus for even a little while? If so, and I knew she felt worse, if that were possible, God pity the bright, sweet and beautiful girl who had so suffered through me! I was tempted to suicide, tempted to sneak out of the back door of life, and I often felt of the edge of the razor-keen knife given me by the Incalian mining superintendent--how long before? Four years, really; four years? Four centuries, for aught I knew by my feelings. I stood by the Maxin in the long afternoons when I was alone in the temple. Or did I but dream that I did this? Aye, it was a dream of tortured sleep, for no one had admittance to the Incalithlon (except the Incala) on any other occasion than on days of worship or of special ceremonies, and then the edifice was always thronged. Anzimee crossed my desert at times, but though she spoke, and caressed me, and strove to arouse me, it was in vain; all her efforts fell like a ray of sunlight on the inky lusterless pools sometimes seen in deep forests. Left all alone with my remorse, for their unavailing efforts seemed to my friends more productive of harm than of good, and therefore they ceased them, I took my private vailx, and, to shut off all possible communication with the world, removed from it the naim. Then, no one witting my intentions, I slipped away in the night-time. I wandered then through the realms of the air, sometimes so high above the earth as to be in almost entire darkness, where the Nepthian Ring was visible and where even the air generators and heat furnishing apparatus were scarcely able to keep the air in the vailx dense and warm

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enough to support my miserable life. Or, equally alone, equally in darkness, I made my vailx seek the depths of the sea where phosphorescent fish would have mistaken my craft for a larger brother, had I ever cared to light up. But my soul was dark, and of what avail was it to illuminate the vailx when, with eyes to see, I saw not? So bitterly keen was my horrible anguish of soul that at last the body of clay lost its power to hold Me, and I arose above time and earth, and remained in that state for what seemed an endless period. No light appeared to be in the awful blackness, neither any warmth, but a darkness as of death, a coldness as of the grave. No person crossed my path; no sound was heard, save dull, muttering groans. But at length flashes of red flame leaped athwart my vision, then went out, leaving the gloom more wholly black than before. Horrid hisses, as of giant serpents, assailed my ears now; awful pain seemed dissolving my very soul. At last my nerves failed to respond to the racking agony, and sensation failed. Numbness seized upon me, and I exclaimed: "Is this death?" But only echo answered. The hisses had ceased; all was silent. Suddenly I felt a deep dread of the horrible solitude, so dark and cold, vet in which, somewhere, I could see a little light, that but seemed to render the intense darkness more smothering. I called aloud; reverberating echoes alone answered. I shouted and shrieked in wild terror. But in all the vast glooms around no sound save my own replying, reflected tones came again. The knowledge that my confines were limited came to me from the fact that my voice was sounded back to me after what seemed ages between utterance and return. With this knowledge came the sense that I was free to go, and I arose from the place where(in I stood as if I was endowed with wings, and I fled faster than thought. Tall cliffs I found in the glooms, and ever and anon peaks shone out in the glare from some flaming pit, that no creature was anywhere to be found; I was in a very universe of solitude. Alone, oh, alone! The awful, horrible despair that then seized upon me caused me to wail in more than mortal pain. My eyes were dry and my soul as if crushed. Despair so frightful

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held me for its own that I longed to perish. Vain wish. Then I remembered that I had an earthly body; to find even that would he some solace. On lightning lines I sped to it, to find it cold and lifeless save for a small glow of magnetic light in the plexus of the heart nerves and another in the medulla oblongata. But beside it I found, O, Incal! I found Lolix, weeping, praying to our God to restore--me. She did not seem aware that I had come, but sought me in the cold body of earth. Then I knew that I had been reminded of my corporeal self by that fond woman's soul pleadings. Such pleading, such anguish, I could no longer endure. I stood beside her, I touched her. Then she looked up and saw me. She looked long at me; then at my body. And then: "Zailm, is it thou? My love, my love. Oh, clasp me, ere I fall!"

She fell forward upon my breast, and in that time the body of me disappeared, and also all things, save the sandy waste where we then found ourselves together. . . . Then, before our horror-stricken gaze came a little babe, so tender in age it seemed just born. It was able to come to us, however, and it could utter wailing speech, which smote our ears like cries of mortal agony! It was dripping with blood, and its eyes were as those of a dead infant. With an awful shriek of anguish Lolix cried:

"O Incal, my God, my God! Have I not suffered enough but that my dead, my murdered babe should come to smite my soul! Zailm! Zailm! See! See! See our baby girl, murdered by me, for thy sake!"

My heart seemed to stop beating in its fearful woe, and I stood paralyzed, gazing at the little one as it stretched its hands gory with the blood of untimely birth, and raised its glazed, eyes--to me! Then I stooped and took it into my arm, holding it close, trying to warm its poor, cold little body, and I wept, aye, at last I wept great tears of real value, because shed for another. With a voice choked with anguish, I said: "Lolix, thy sin is on my head, because done for me! Let Incal have mercy on me, if He will!"

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Then a glorious radiance broke over the scene, and the Cross Bearer was beside us as we stood, clasping each other and our child. He whom I had seen by the moonlit fountain, years before, stood by us again. On His breast shone a Cross of Fire, which leapt or fell again in waves of undulating, living Light. He spoke:

"Lo! Thou hast called upon the Most High for mercy. Because unto that little child thou hast shewn mercy, thou shalt receive it. Thou hast come unto Me, and I will give thee rest. Yet, it shall not abide with thee until the day of the Great Peace entereth into thy overcoming heart. Therefore, in a far day, thou shalt garner e sorrowful harvest of woe, and repay all thou art indebted. When thou art come again, also she with thee, and again are ready to go into Navazzamin, ye will find yourselves free of earth forever. Then, having received, thou shalt give. He that causeth another to sin causeth that other's and his own feet to slip and to turn from My way. He must at-one his heart to Me first, then go again into the field of woe, yet not in a body of flesh but of spirit. And he must find his victims and struggle with them till he turn them back from whence he led them. Thus taketh he on his own back their burden he made them to place there. Then shall he carry it for them until they, following his spirit-counsels to their souls, are come unto Me. And I will take that burden, that shadow, and it shall cease, for I am the Sun of Truth. Can a shade exist in sunlight? Can any pile shadows on the sun? Neither can any pile sins upon Me, and burden Me. That little one I will take unto Me; thou hast offended it, and it shall be as a millstone on thy neck, casting thee into the sea of earthly woe; yet ye shall escape, for thou hast thy name in the Book of Life. But now, rest! And My daughter, rest!"

I found myself in my body, unable to recall anything I had passed through. But I was aweary and I slept. Nature came to the rescue of my tired soul, and for days I was in fever,

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which passed into a coma, and from that I awoke, weak but well. Still, I was in a waking dream. And I dreamed that I was in the Incalithlon at Caiphul.

"O, the agony! O, sin's bitter cost!"

But at last I went back to Caiphul, after weary weeks in which I was lost to my people, aye, months, three of them. Back to my home. As I passed through the palace I met officers and ladies of the court, and attendants, to all of whom I had been a friend and who so regarded me. They now gazed blankly at me, but spoke no word of greeting. Was my life known at last to a horrified world? No. This was not the reason of the strange demeanor of the people. I was unexpected, was supposed to be dead. During the hundred days of my absence, Menax, with Anzimee, had concluded that I was dead, had perhaps taken my own life. It were happier for me had they thought aright as to the first part of the matter.

Now I was come home, resolved to be open and frank in my relations with those whom I loved best on earth. I would confess my evil ways to them, and implore forgiveness. Once again--too late! Menax, long a sufferer from an affection of the heart, thinking me dead because I had not come to him nor to Anzimee, had not survived the shock which this belief caused him. I was told that for some weeks he was gone to Navazzamin. I dreaded to ask after Anzimee lest here, too, some terrible news awaited me.

In my misery I wandered about the city, and ere long found myself by the great temple. A little door stood open and no one was near, so I entered by it, careless that admittance was denied all but Incali. I hoped to find in this sacred shade some relief. No one seemed to be within, and I wandered about until I stood in the triangle of the Place of Life. There, forgetful for the moment, I gazed reverently on the Unfed Light. Then I passed around to the other side of the quartz cube and--O God! there stood Lolix, still and cold! My very brain reeled. I went to her, and found her the same as when I looked last on her dear form, stone, only stone! How many years was it since then? A whole life may crowd into a day's length and centuries

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pass in a few weeks. O Lolix, Lolix, my accuser! In blank numbness of mind I laid my hand on her cold form, and shuddered at the chill, yet bent and looked into the eyes which saw me not, and kissed the dumb lips which made no response.

"Yet she would not speak, though he kissed in the old place the quiet cheek."

In her hand was a roll of red parchment; I ventured to remove it and look at its contents, if indeed it had any writing upon it. It had, and I read:

"Because this statue is record of a despicable crime, I, Gwauxln, Rai of Poseid, do forbid its removal until I grant permission. Let it stand a silent witness before the criminal."

With a shudder I replaced the roll in the stony grasp, and almost fainted at the hollow rattle which it made as I did so. Was I that criminal? Not The one. But I felt as if I was. I would go to Agacoe and ask permission of the Rai to remove her of whom he knew I was fondest, but had lacked the courage or decision to say so to the world. Aye, circumstances made her more precious to Zailm than Anzimee was. I turned to leave that I might go to Agacoe. But I was startled when, on turning, I found myself facing Rai Gwauxln, gazing sorrowfully upon me. Startled only, for nothing surprised me any more nor ever gave me real terror. Ere I had spoken he said: "Yes, thou hast my consent to remove her."

I felt no wonder at his anticipation of my request, although I noted the fact; indeed, it was deep gratitude which I experienced instead. I was muscular, and at once acted upon the permit. I took one long, last look into the deep blue eyes, and at the face, which seemed almost to smile as I bestowed a sobbing kiss upon the calm lips. Then I lifted her from the granite floor. The one foot that was exposed to view beneath the hem of her stony robe broke off at the ankle, just above the straps of her dainty sandal, as I lifted the slight but now heavy body. Then I raised her higher, and yet higher, to the top of the cube of the Maxin, and let her drop forward against the Quenchless Light.

"Kiss her and leave her; thy love is clay."

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As she touched the Maxin-Light site instantaneously disappeared, with no more disturbance of the tall taper than comes from the flight of darkness when the morning sun lights up the valleys. Calmly the Quenchless Light stood, unchanged as ever. As I turned away, I saw the little foot, whereon sparkled the sapphires and diamonds of the sandal strap-buckle, my gift! I succeeded in detaching the little remnant unbroken, but instead of putting it also in the Maxin-Light, I wrapped it in my mantle, glad that I had a token, even if it was only a stone foot.

I could not bring my courage to the point of asking my sovereign about Anzimee. No, I feared his possible and not unreasonable scorn. I would seek her and find if she also were dead, like Menax. If so, I resolved to take the first opportunity--the morrow might favor me, as it was the beginning of an Incalon or Sun-day of general worship--and return to the temple, where I would bathe away my physical self in the unwavering flame of the Unfed Light.

Anzimee was not dead, however, but had not yet learned of my return. I found her, the sign of her great sorrow in her fine gray eyes, which, as we met, rested on me in a bewildered stare. Then, with one long sob, she fell into my outstretched arms in an unconscious condition. Poor little girl! I held her, I clasped her close to my heart, and while I kissed her pale lips, her black-ringed eyes, her sunken cheeks, my tears fell on her face like rain, the first tears my fevered physical eyes had shed through all my agony of soul. At last she awoke from her faintness only to experience a long sickness, in which her pure spirit came near bursting its earthly casket and, after several weary weeks, finally left her to consciousness. When she was again moving about in her old quiet way, and although frail was able to endure the recital, I sat down in the Xanatithlon in the seat where Menax and I had sat so long before. Then I drew the slight form down upon my knees and, with my arm about her, told her all the sad story of Lolix and the miserable flight from Caiphul which I had made to escape the memory of it-alas! how unsuccessfully. No one can run

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away from self. The after the unrestrained confession, I asked her to forgive me. For some time she said nothing, but her arm stole around me, so that we clasped each other. At last she spoke:

"Zailm, I do forgive thee--from the depths of my soul I do! Thou art but mortal. If thou hast sinned, do so no more. I do not wonder that thou shouldst have loved that sweet woman."

At this I drew forth the memento of Lolix, which I had carried with me, despite its weight, and without a word handed it to her.

"This is her foot? O Lolix! I loved thee, also! Zailm, give me this. I would keep it in memory of my friend."

Then I spoke: "Anzimee, my wife, for thou art to be mine, the world knoweth it, thou hast forgiven me. So hath thine uncle, our Rai. But it is yet some months ere we may wed till death. Hence I will go forth into Umaur, in the region where men are not, even in the south part, for in Aixa are certainly mines, and in the sandy deserts there will I find gold. Not that I want gold, for I, have millions, aye, three million teki, and much other wealth; but all that the earth will yield it is good for Poseid to have. I go, because I fear I cannot he in Caiphul and refrain from being always with thee. In Umaur I can see thee, and bear thee, and love thee, dear, for I shall not this time remove the naim, so that it will be much as if I were here. Therefore, kiss me, sweet one, a fond farewell, and I will be gone when the evening falls. Incal be with thee, and His peace overshadow thee!"

It was two thousand miles from Caiphul to that part of the Umaur coast nearest which I desired to go inland. But, thinking of Anzimee, the distance was passed unheeded until we lay above the region where now the geographies mark the great niter-bearing desert of Atacama. It was desert then as now. We found on prospecting its deepest sands, near to the base of the Andes, that these were rich enough in gold to justify myself and men in setting up the electric generator of water. This was an instrument containing several hundred square yards of metal plate surface arranged in banks like the gills

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of a fish, the whole encased in a tight metal box. An air current entering at one end of the case had to traverse every inch on both sides of the plate ere it touched the farther end. As each plate was made and maintained very cool by Navaz forces, the result was rapid deposition of moisture from the atmosphere. In the example cited the generator was of the largest portable size, and the flow of water condensed by it was about a quart every minute, quite enough with which to do a considerable amount of mining in the economical way in which our mining machinery used water.

I had brought a horse from Poseid, and after mining arrangements were attended to, and the men placed at work, I had the animal made ready, and taking a case of mineral locators--light instruments operated by something similar to what would nowadays be called a pile la clanche--hence not Night-Side electricity--instruments used for determining the location of mineral deposits on the principle of the electrometer--and with food enough for several days, I set out to prospect for valuable minerals. I also took a small, easily portable naim, so as to maintain communication with the rest of the world. I soon left this latter instrument in a cache, intending to get it when I came back, for I had not gone above five miles ere discovering that the instrument had been rendered useless by the loss of its vibrator. Where I had lost this essential I did not know, but I concluded not to go back after it. The loss, though no small annoyance, was a relief to my horse, for it reduced his burden by a number of pounds, no small matter, considering that I had a rifle, which I will not now describe, different though its principle from any modern weapon, in that its propulsive force was electricity, my mining tools, my packages of dates and nuts for food, my polar compass, pocket photographic apparatus, and a small generator, with, lastly, my bedding and my own weight.

That night I was far away, and the next evening found me over a hundred miles from the camp. As the sun sank low I found myself riding along the bottom of a deep arroyo. [*1] At a

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little distance I saw the mouth of what appeared to be a small cavern. This might do nicely to camp in over night and provide shelter. My horse was well trained and would stay for hours within whistling distance of the place where I left him. So I dismounted and bidding him remain near, went into the cavern. It seemed like a long tunnel, and without going further, I returned to my steed and took off his saddle. Then I laid under it the food I had brought for myself; for the animal there was abundance of grass growing about. The tools I also put under the saddle and, taking my electric rifle, was about to return to the investigation of the cave, when my horse pleaded for water, and as the ravine was a dry creek I proceeded to give him drink and take some myself. The. creek bed was of smooth, cement-like rock, with numerous depressions shaped much like buckets. Beside one of these I set the generator, and soon the hole was full of water, cool and refreshing. I watered my grateful animal at this, and drank from the spout of the instrument myself. How good the fluid seemed! As I placed the generator, still running, back beside the hole, I little thought how I would need it soon, and be unable to get it.

I found the bottom of the cavern to be of the same rocky character as the bed of the arroyo. I knew it was not mineral bearing, but my curiosity was aroused and I concluded to go to the end of the tunnel. In my pocket I had a small lighting battery and incandescent bulb, and when it grew dark in the cave by reason of my distance from the entrance, I used this to illumine my pathway. For fully half a mile I found the cave to open on before me. At that point I stopped, overcome by surprise. In all that region I had not seen a sign of human presence, recent or ancient, until now. But before me, only partially exposed, stood a house, presenting its comer and part of two heavy walls of basalt. I dropped my lumen in my surprise, and it broke on the rocky floor, extinguishing the light. But it was not altogether dark about me, for daylight filtered in from some source.

Long I stood there in that gloomy cavern, gazing upon the

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ruined house. Whence had come its builders, and in what forgotten age? Where had they gone? Was this but a solitary building, or were there others hidden in the sands of the plain near by, but not uncovered? Conjecture had here full play, for in all the annals of Poseid, covering decades of centuries with concisely written records, no mention was made of any people, civilized, or even savage, having had inhabitants in this "No Man's Land." The only tenable conclusion was that I now gazed upon the relic of some people so ancient as to antedate even Poseid's forty centuries. At length I crossed the cave's short width in order more closely to examine this remnant of the dim past, a past forgotten even when Poseid was young. In the side of the building nearest to me was a doorway through the smooth, finely chiseled basalt blocks forming the wall. Partly ajar swung a door, apparently formed of a single slab of basalt about six inches thick by the proper proportions otherwise. Impelled by curiosity, I stepped into the room, which was easily done without disturbing the door from the position it had so long occupied. My reason greatly disliked the admission that even a stone structure should so long have withstood the effects of time; but it was only thus explainable, so I dismissed conjecture for the time.

I found the three dimensions of the interior apparently equal, and about sixteen feet every way. There was but the single door to give entrance. Excepting two parallel openings in the roof, formed by placing a stone of less width by a span on either side of the opening it would otherwise have filled, there was no break in the solid masonry. The floor, which was thinly covered, by I found to be made of granite, the jointure of which was as perfect as that of the walls--not a sheet of paper could have been slipped between any two blocks. After exploring thus far, I leaned against the wall, near enough to the door to touch it without change of place, and letting my gaze rest on the barred grating in the ceiling, gave myself to reflection. How cold and gloomy it seemed in that lonely room, relic of a bygone age, forgotten by even so old a race as ours. The solid construction, the simple severity of its plan, all forcibly

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brought to mind the descriptions given of prisons in Poseid in ante-Maxin days. Was it the solitary example of building skill of its constructors in which I now stood, or was it one of a collection forming a buried city? How this particular building came to be clear of sand in its interior was easy to see. The rain waters had percolated through the shallow soil above, and had run through the crack which I have mentioned as giving light to the cavern. A part of the flow had gone outside, thus exposing two sides of the corner of the house; the rest of the water, running on the flat roof, had entered through the grating. Seeping thence through the sand in the room it had carried it out of the door standing open at the side.

Satisfied with my reflective study, I began to think of returning to the open air, and to my horse. As I turned to pass out, curiosity impelled me to swing the ponderous door on its hinges, if I had strength. Expecting that much effort would he required, I gave force to the action. Alas, for my superficial examination of the slab. I had observed no sign of a lock of any sort, and did not imagine any existed. Hardly any effort was needed to swing the deceitful door, and it went to with such quickness that I lost my balance and fell against the wall, striking my head so severely as to render me unconscious. When I recovered I found the door shut and securely locked. In my cursory notice of it I had not seen that instead of a simple slab it was made of the plates of stone, separated at the edges by a segment of a third plate, forming thus a hollow space between the outer surfaces. In that space there was concealed an arrangement of bolts and bare of stone, working on the gravity-drop principle and releasing the locking-bolts when the door shut tight to place. The ends of these, four in number, then shot into recesses in the wall, and the door was securely locked.

Being of a calm disposition, given to reliance on my scientific knowledge, the discovery that I was imprisoned did not discompose me in any great degree. Instead, I sought for some means of withdrawing the bolts. But none existed. I now thought in dismay that I had, not a single tool with me with

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which to dig out of this gloomy prison. I then sat down to reflect on the situation. The longer I pondered, the more terrifying the aspect of things became. First, not a soul knew of my whereabouts. As I had no naim, my place could not be determined except by tracking me; this would prove impossible, because I had followed the beds of watercourses, long stretches of which were bare rock. I would not be missed for three days yet, as I had said that I expected to be gone for a period twice as long, and three days more than I had already been absent, ere I proposed to return. No; there was no hope of escape, and now I realized how true were the words of Rai Ernon of Suern when he told me that a Poseida depended for his very life on his being surrounded by the creations of his knowledge in the realm of natural physics.

The food which I had brought with me was with my horse and outfit, as far beyond my reach as the stars. It might be that they would finally search for me and find my horse. But no, he would not be apt to remain three or four days alone in that awful wilderness; he would wander, perhaps go back to the vailx. But he would leave no trail to give a clue to my prison, for he would go as he came, over an unyielding, rocky stream bed. Hunger pangs again suggested that I had no food; not even had I any water. Hope still remained, for was not Incal my protecting Father? How futile this, my hope! God, Incal, Brahm, call the Eternal Spirit what thou wilt--verily doth heed the needs of His children, but those needs which to the child seem to be uppermost, are not always so adjudged by the Eternal One. He operates through His children, whether human or angelic ones, making each one interdependent with all others, and thus men or angels may have for helpers each other, or perhaps only some animal brother. God noteth a drowning mariner, but unless some brother be there to rescue, he may physically perish. He tempereth the wind to the shorn lamb, but generally only through the fact that self interest, or it may be some higher emotion, as pity, is aroused in the mind of beholding man. Nay, it is only through the mainsprings of character, by our

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[paragraph continues] Heavenly Father implanted in the souls of His children, that He ever helps or saves. And this is mostly true: that the physical body must pray with muscular action if it would get an answer to its needs in physical form; the mind must pray through mental processes, and its answer, will be in mental results, while the Spirit shall pray through its spiritual nature, and receive those values which are not perceptible to the natural mind. All this; but although the mind prayeth forever, and the body doeth no work, the results, save a brother acteth, shall not be for the body. And though the Spirit pray, yet if the mind pray not also, knowledge will not come to the brain. How shall the mind pray? By being in harmony with the Spirit. And how shall it have this harmony? By control through the will of the animal body, that it infringe not the laws of that wholeness which is health.

When I sat in the cave house and prayed to Incal with my whole mind, yet, as I could not pray with my muscles, no release would come for the body, neither food nor drink. I might on the mental plane, have influenced Rai Gwauxln to understand my predicament; this, to him, would have been clairvoyance; but this I could not while the enemy who had aroused my curiosity to work my ruin intercepted all such clairvoyant messages; more especially I could not, being ignorant of the proper method. It would have been mere chance that Gwauxln would have been influenced by my mental tension of distress undirected by my knowledge. Meanwhile, unaware of how to use such powers, I dismissed thoughts of any possibility of escape in that direction. But I would pray to Incal. So I knelt on the cold, cruel floor, and prepared to invoke His aid. As I uttered His name I heard a musical laugh, albeit mocking, a sound which thrilled me with that dread terror which every man and woman has sometime felt, either in childhood days of in later life, that chill which shivers the senses when listening to some weird tale of horror, told by the fire's open grate, while the Storm King rocks the very foundations of the ground.

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Turning, and arising from my knees, I beheld the Incaliz of the Great Temple in Caiphul.

"Wherefore didst thou start at beholding me, as if thou hadst looked on a demon?"

To this question I could vouchsafe but one reply, that my sudden fright must have been from beholding him in that manner, since I was not accustomed to seeing men go about like ghosts, disembodied, yet not seeming to be so.

I felt a great joy at his coming, for I then believed that Incal had answered my yet unspoken petition for mercy by sending Mainin to my aid. And yet, why should I still be possessed by that unaccountable fear, the fear which overcame me upon first seeing him? I knew in the moment after its utterance that it did not arise from the cause attributed, his method of advent to my prison, because I knew that as a Son of the Solitude he possessed the power to lay aside the gross body of earth as one would an overcoat and project himself to any desired place. I knew as I looked upon him that his corporeal self was in a trance sleep, thousands of miles away in Poseid. I had no such power to project myself, else it had been easy for me to let Rai Gwauxln know of my danger; at least, unknowing of Mainin's interference, I thought so. But as Incal had sent the Incaliz to me all was surely well.

The priest doubtless read my thoughts, for he said that he had become aware of my unpleasant predicament through Incal, and had come to assist me to escape. He must, however, leave me until he could get aid to me by dispatching a vailx from Caiphul. It would not take long, and meanwhile I must be of good cheer. And then he disappeared as he had come, and I was again alone, awaiting his promised return with a feverish anxiety not to be expressed in words. Hours passed, and he came not, nor any other. Hours grew into days, three days, and he came not, neither came any succor. The pangs of hunger, terrible as they had become, were as nothing compared to my thirst. Once more the daylight ceased to filter through the grating overhead and the crevice leading to the upper ground. I had worn the ends of my fingers to rawness

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trying to release the bolts of the door; had sounded every inch to see if it did not contain a secret spring that would let loose some part of the prison wall. But fate had no such kindness in store for me. Seven times the light had gone out above me, marking seven nights since Mainin's visit.

Several times my torture of hunger and thirst had rendered me wildly delirious, with lucid intervals. In one of these lucid moments of comparative calm, as I lay moaning on the sandy floor, feebly calling on Incal for help, I heard the same low laugh that had heralded Mainin's first appearance. The sound fired me with temporary strength, and I sat up. I would have cursed the Incaliz for his long absence, which had meant so much suffering for me, had I not feared that in his anger he would leave me there to die. I no more felt for him the reverence I had ever felt, for I was certain now that he was not what men thought him. And I would have therefore cursed him, because of my inward sense that great as was his esoteric knowledge, and the fact of his being recognized as a Son, that none the less he was black hearted and an abomination in the sight of Incal, and that in him the Sons of the Solitude were deceived as the very elect. That I did not denounce him to his face was due to the fast-vanishing hope that he might still be induced to help me escape.

This time he came with changed manner. Now when he spoke, his first words were in mockery of my appeals to the great Father of Life.

"Hal Much good may it do thee to cry unto Incal or any helper. God! There is no God. [*1] Bah! how blind men are to pray to such empty ideals as their fancies name 'God!' Men of Poseid say Incal is God; men of Suernis say Yeovah, and they of Necropan say Osiris. What madness and idiocy!"

Here I sat more erectly, and regarded him a moment before asking if he were not afraid so to blaspheme Incal and to deny his Maker.

"Thinkest thou, Zailm, son of Menax, that I should do as I have if I thought any God existed? Is it news,--aye, it is

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news to thee that I should desire to achieve the ruin of her called Anzimee--that I came from a former life on earth, aye! many of them, filled with hatred of her who always heretofore hath caused me to be exposed to the laws of man? She can not now, for in the Book of Fate I do not find it so written, so that either it is not there, or else I have lost my power to read fate, a thing I think not likely. But I will, through thee, wring her heart to the depths, so that she shall cry out in anguish of soul! What hath Anzimee done to me? Not as Anzimee, but as a powerful woman and seeress, ere she was born in the earth as Anzimee. I follow her in vengeance. To wring her soul in agony I compassed the death of Menax, against whom personally I had no cause; I have almost done the same for thee, yet have I naught against thee. I it was that did work upon thy curiosity that thou here mightest find thy death. I had hoped to hinder thy confession of thy life-sin with Lolix unto Anzimee. Then, after thou shouldst have met thy death, and then been found by me, I would have gotten so much the greater misery for her out of the public exposure of thine iniquity, for I had all the proofs well in hand. But that scheme is foiled; I care not overmuch; thy death will occasion her much torture. For that purpose also was Lolix: led to do as she did, and thou also with her, so long ago, for I lay My plans long ahead, being gifted with vast power of forpiercing the future. For that same end shall the Rai be brought low, and at the last she who is the object of my chiefest wrath shall not know good from evil, so that her name shall be a scorn in the mouths of the people. Revenge is sweet, Zailm, sweet!"

My horror and my weakness together made it impossible for me to do aught but sit and stare in. silent helplessness, even had any corporeal body been before me upon which to act.

"Thou art aghast at my iniquity? I am too old to fear failure, and am beyond the reach of the laws of men, at last. No man, nor all the men on earth, could deprive me of life or liberty. I have long known a secret which prolongs life

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many times the common length; 'tis a secret won from the deeper Night-Side of Nature. One day shall come when a Poseid shall know these secrets. 'Twill be a sad day for it, I rejoice to think! I was old, old, when Gwauxln of Poseid thought me a boy with himself; so also thought the Sons of Solitude, for I was cunning in concealment. So think they yet. I--yes, I will tell thee, for thou art even now as one who is dead. I have worked for three centuries in this present body. Said I not that I am old? I have counteracted the good done by Ernon of Suern, so that he died of a despairing heart. I do thus that I may, if possible, wither all the hopes of humankind, turn them down from the infinite path, down to demonhood, death and destruction. Ernon worked to the exaltation of mankind; I to its depression; so we came in conflict, and I won. And why knew he not my hand? Because I have ever worked in the dark, kept my own counsel, and obtained mastery over the evil hosts which are not human, never were, and never will be. And against Workers in the dark can no Son of Light prevail, for both work on the animal nature of man, which, having no light of guidance, taketh the first offered support, thus favoring Workers in the Dark. But enough. So much would I not tell thee were it not that thou wouldst not have much power thereby over me--ME, understand--wert thou alive instead of practically dead. Thinkest thou now I can have belief in a God? Bah! If God exists, I fear not; yet let Him punish!" [*1]

And now a fearful, glorious and wonderful sight appeared. The night had come while Mainin thus confessed to me and gloried in his apical crimes, and called upon Incal to punish if He existed. In the total darkness of the prison, which, being physical gloom, could not veil the form of Mainin, there appeared that which struck terror to both our hearts, albeit terror of different sorts. A human form, which yet was not of earth, surrounded by a blinding white light, stood before us. Was this Incal? Had He of a verity accepted the rash challenge of the criminal priest? Upon His countenance rested a

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calm but awful expression, though not of anger or any human emotion. For an instant the wondrous eyes gazed upon me, then turned to Mainin. He then spoke, calmly, musically, and while I listened all my pain left me, though the words were of fearful import:

	 
		                              "To feel
		 The perfect calm o'er the agony steal."
		
		 The voice was like my conception of the tones of Incal, as He said:

"I shall not, O Mainin, enumerate thy crimes--thou knowest them every one. Thou hast been fellow with the Sons, and they taught thee all they knew, and of Me thou learnedst more than they could teach, aye, centuries agone. I knew thy way; I knew its evil, yet interfered not, for thou art thine own master, even as all men are self-masters; few, alas, are faithful! But thine altitude of wisdom, prostituted to selfishness, to sin, to crime, more utterly than any other man hath dared, is thy destruction. Thy name meaneth 'Light,' and great hath thy brilliancy been; but thou hast been as a light adrift on the seas, a lure to death of all them that follow thee, and these have been myriad. Thou hast blasphemed God, and jeered in thy soul, saying, 'Punish!' but thy day was not come. Wherefore thou wert let go unrebuked. It made thee bold, and thou wouldst go on, even now. But lo! Anzimee thou shalt not harm, for she is handmaiden of Christ, even mine own daughter in service. Thou hast well merited the penalty, and because thou hast knowingly dared it, lo! now shall it be dealt out to thee. I would it were avertible. But thine is one out of a myriad of cases, more heinous because thou art wise, not ignorant. But as thou art an ego, a ray from my Father, and now give out no more light, but darkness only, I will cut thee off for a season, for thou shalt neither destroy more of my sheep, nor be let to leave unexpiated the evil thou hast done. It were better for thee couldst thou cease to exist. But this may not be of an ego. I can but suspend thee as a human entity and cast thee into the outer darkness to serve as one of the powers of nature. Get thee behind me!"

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The High Priest had stood the picture of an awful terror, numbed beyond thought of escape, which indeed was not possible, for the Judge was Man, and more than Man finite--was MAN INFINITE, even CHRIST.

Now, however, as the Son of Light ceased to speak, Mainin uttered a howl of mingled terror and defiance. At this dread sound the Christ stretched forth His hand, and instantly Mainin was surrounded with a glowing flame which, on disappearing, revealed also the disappearance of the Demon Priest.

Thus had Mainin sinned, perverting his noble wisdom to evil and to sowing the seeds of sin, on and in the hearts of unsuspecting weaklings of humanity. He had sown and Suern was to reap, and through Suern, the world. But for this moving he himself was blasted from the Book of Life by a curse from the Son of Man.

Even those unfamiliar with any but the material aspect of nature, can find no difficulty in comprehending the destruction of the life of a man whose corporeal body was in far away Caiphul, when they consider that the earthly frame is no mom an essential of the real man than the cocoon is a part of the butterfly, although in either case these things are essential to physical life.

Terrified by the awful sight of the blasting, I sank on my face on the floor. From this position I was bidden to arise by the Christ, who said:

"Such is the fate of the wholly selfish man. Fear not for thine own safety, for I blast not thee; neither worship me, but my Father who sendeth me. I am reached unto the perfection of the Seventh Principle and am Man, also the Son of Man, yet more than any man, for I am in the Father and the Father is in me. But all men who will may follow me and be by me in the Kingdom, for are we not all children of One, our Father? I am He, Christ; that which I am, the Spirit of every man is. The penalty visited upon Mainin was not annihilation, which can not be; neither was it the death which is transition, but the death which liveth no more as human life, but is out for a season into the outer darkness of devildom. . Behold, I speak,

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yet having ears, thou hearest not, neither comprehend. But thy hearing shall come to thee, and thou shalt know, and shalt lead my people. And lo! thou shalt lead them in a day to thee yet afar off. But now thou shalt go no more to Atl to live there, neither be seen of Anzimee any more, until she hath gone from Earth twice and come again, and shall be called Phyris. Lo! I have said that these things should come to pass, and did prophesy unto thee in that city called Caiphul, and thou heardst me, yet heeded not. But now thou wilt heed me, for I speak great words of GOD,--and the world is His. Yet now no man knoweth me; but in a far day I will come again, yea! I will enter in and dwell as a perfect human soul, and make that Man first fruit of them that sleep the sleep which is change, so that by me he shall be exalted above Death. Then shall men get them up, and mock me, being unbelievers, and shall crucify me, yet shall I, that am become Jesus the Christ, not be harmed, but mine earthly house only. And they shall be forgiven, for they will not know what they do. [*1] Peace I give unto thee. Sleep!"

Footnotes

^208:1 NOTE.--A deep, narrow ravine.

^215:1 Psalms lxiii, 1

^217:1 NOTE.--"The fool hath said in his heart, 'There is no God.'"

^220:1 St. Matthew, xii, 23.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XXIV

 

DEVACHAN

Obedient to this command I slept. When I awakened I was yet in the prison, but all the suffering, all the tortures of hunger and thirst that I had endured were gone. Nothing seemed strange to me, not even when I arose and found that behind me, as a shell, remained the poor clay casket which had suffered so keenly under the pangs of starvation. All was as natural in seeming as are things in vivid dreams. I thought of Anzimee, and wondered if she, too, felt as happy as I did at that moment. I prayed that she might. Then I thought of the words of Him who called Himself the Son of Man, and

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wondered what manner of being He was. His talk had, for the most part, been unmeaning to me; yet from it I understood that I was dead; that Anzimee would see me no more until after what dimly seemed an eternity, and not then as Anzimee, nor would I then be Zailm; yet I felt no regret over this long prospective separation. And in that time this Son of Man would have come again to the world, and left work for His brethren, the children of our FATHER, who in doing this work would be following after Him, and would become as Himself, in so far as to be disenthralled from time and from earth, and have all things, life and death. Yet, dimly understanding all this, I comprehended not its perfect fullness, for my natural mind was not able to grasp its spiritual meaning.

This, then, was Navazzamin, and I was what men call dead. It was much different from my concepts, as taught me by the priests of Incal, because it apparently differed not at all from earth-life, so far as I had as yet experienced. Perhaps it would if I were now to go and pass through the Maxin-Light. To do this would not be suicide, because I was already dead. No, it would purge away the earthiness which possibly prevented my finding the real Navazzamin which had been taught me. Would Anzimee and all others of my loved ones come hither some day, and, should we meet and know each other here? Oh! it must be so, it must be so!

Filled with these reflections I stepped to the door, forgetting that its lock had previously prevented my exit. Only when it opened at my touch did I remember that it had defied every previous effort. Lightly I stepped away down the tunnel until I came to the daylight and to my saddle and tools, and yes, my horse, faithful animal! He was eating of the grasses, and evidently made the overflowing waters at the generator his headquarters. Leave him? Not if I could avoid it! I was free at last! I looked around at the dry washes lying under the open sky, with their eroded monuments of clay, capped with wild pampas plumes. How gracefully these nodded in the light breeze, seeming to say, "Free now, free!"

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Then I went to my horse, to take him, forgetful that being dead I could not need such transportation. But he seemed not to see me, or to know my presence. This was a difficulty. I was used to conquering difficulties, but this was one where I was at a low what to do. I sat down and looked at the hand. some animal. The longer I looked, the more perplexed I became. At last I got up in a sort of exasperation and talked very earnestly to the animal. No effect! Of course not! The more I talked, the more contented the horse became, as if he felt that I was near, and was satisfied. Finally I started away intending to leave him, since I could in no way influence him. This had great effect! The farther I got the more uneasy he became, as I was able to see, until at last he lifted up his head and neighed loudly. Once, twice, thrice, and then he started after me in a wild gallop! When he reached me he grew easy; but as I went rapidly onwards he followed. He was awake to a sense of my presence, though he could not see, feel or hear me. My mind was wholly occupied in getting this faithful servant to the camp. So, feeling no fatigue, nor hunger nor thirst, nor any sensation of the physical life, I walked clear into camp, all those miles, with that horse following contentedly after! When we reached the camp the vailx was there, but only two of the men, the others having gone in search of me, since I was now overdue in my arrival, thank to Mainin. These men, like the horse could not see me, but unlike him, neither could they sense my nearness. My utmost efforts were entirely unsuccessful, and although I stayed for two days, until the search was over and the men had returned to the vailx, to obtain further orders from Caiphul, I was unsuccessful still. One of the hunters was still out, and when he came back I spoke to him. He could not see me, but my presence affected him strangely. So I spoke again and again, till at last he sat down trembling by my desk in the salon of the vailx. A paper and a pen and ink were on this, and I said to the man: "Use that pen." To my partial surprise, he use it, but seemed in a deep sleep the while and mechanically wrote: "Use that pen." An idea occurred to me, and

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uttered words which had no connection of meaning, every one of which he wrote just as I spoke it. This was encouraging, so I next said: "It is I, even Zailm, who say these things; I am dead. Go home to Caiphul." Of my body and its where about I said nothing, feeling that it was properly entombed. But what I spoke in dictation was all written, not that the medium heard, but for the time I was the controlling intelligence of his body. The others took the message and hid it, and when the writer had come out of trance they asked him what he had written. But he denied having written anything. This seemed to satisfy them, the man was so obviously honest in his denial. So they went and gathered the equipage and animals into the vailx, and prepared to leave for Caiphul. Their action satisfied me, so. that I thought no more of them, but began to wish I was at home. I reflected that I had left the disability of the flesh in the cave-house, hence I ought to be able to go here or there, as had Mainin. I would try it. So I said to myself: "I would be at home, at Agacoe, where is the Rai, and he will be able to see me, and know all things of this matter."

With this utterance all things changed, and I found myself in the palace of Agacoe. But neither Gwauxln nor Anzimee, who was there also, were seemingly able to see me, more than the man in the vailx had been. What was this thing called death, this barrier? Was death indeed the threshold between two conditions, communication to and fro being impossible, as futile to attempt from my side as from the other? I had thought Gwauxln able to penetrate this barrier. But alas! I found myself not more able to obtain his recognition then that of the others. I knew he could see those who put off their fleshly shells in order to travel as Mainin had done, and resume them at will; why then not see me? Death perhaps meant more even than putting aside the body. Long I stood there, wondering at this thing called death. As I stood by Gwauxln's side, having abandoned the attempt to impress him with a knowledge of my presence, a human shape came into the apartment. Shape? It seemed as real as any of the courtiers

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sitting by the arch of the doorway. None of these latter appeared aware of the new arrival; except the Rai, no one beside myself saw him, but continued their talk regarding the sudden death of the Incaliz Mainin, and disposal of his body in the Maxin-Light on the previous afternoon. I had been dumfounded at the strange resemblance of the new arrival to myself, but I was immeasurably amazed to hear the Rai exclaim:

"What! Zailm dead! Dead?"

An attendant, hearing this exclamation, but seeing only the sovereign, hastily went to him enquiring his pleasure. As he approached he passed directly through the form which Gwauxln had addressed by my name! Neither the human shape nor the attendant seemed aware of the remarkable , but the Form, smiling, in reply said:

"Aye, Zo Rai; I am Zailm, but not dead, except in that I am free of earthly restraint."

Confused, almost stupefied by these happenings, I sank on a divan near me. Gwauxln could see what purported to be me was indeed a very image of me in looks, speech, memory of events, in fact really was the psychic counterpart of my life and self, but he could not see me. Mystery, aye mystery! How many had death to reveal to me? I had left in the Umaur prison a material image of myself; was it possible that there also existed an intermediate counterpart of both my material body and myself, which yet retained certain gross forms of life lost by me, making it visible while I was invisible? But as Gwauxln was a Son of the Solitude, why was he unable to perceive both my astral and myself? He was not unable, but would not allow me to know his ability. The reason, plain to me now, but not then, briefly is:--That a person in dying is separated into psychic elements which, not to be too detailed in the statement, are threefold, earthly, psychic and spiritual. Of these the highest is the I Am, the ego. The others are those above mentioned as spoken to by Gwauxln, and as left in the prison. Now, the ego seeks an exalted level; the "shell' stays in the earthly conditions until the body, finally dissolved,

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is "dust to dust." The exalted or egoic state is one of isolation. As spoken in Biblical records, [*1] a medium can go to it, but the ego, after a little while, cannot return to earth, nor know anything earthly save those extremely tense mental-spiritual states of one or many individuals who reach out for the things of God. And these things are not earthly. This is real mediumship. The genuine medium rises to the necessary height, but the ego can not descend to earth, can not deny the law of progress, except during a limited period after the transition called death, and then it is not retrogression. A medium is like an aneroid barometer, able to indicate the degree of ascension above the ocean of water, or of spirit. But he must be present on the level; the level cannot descend to him. Hence it is that one in dying is a traveler to that bourne whence none return. There is no return of the departed, except through physical rebirth and reincarnation. I leave thee to find out that this is not transmigration of souls, for the latter postulates rebirth in lower animal form as a punishment for sin; such a thing can not be. Retrogression is impossible, and the whole notion is but a corrupt falsity of conception, founded upon the misunderstood truth of reincarnation, whose successive rebirths are invariably progressive.

To return to the Rai and his determination not to see me. Gwauxln knew that I was not yet come into the proper state, and feared to interrupt my progress. Hence he would not allow my "shell" to influence him, so far as I could determine. Having, however, by the contact of his supersensitive nature perceived the fact of my demise, he sought further, and though his actions denied to me that he saw me, yet he put into operation forces to the end that I should presently be ready for him to come to me. But not until my mundane life was faded would he do so; not until I was gone forth into the "undiscovered country" of Navazzamin. Then he came, and the meeting was one of simple joy, of unaffected grace, between two souls equal before God, not in status of acquired wisdom, for in that Gwauxln was vastly above me, but in that equal

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brotherhood of the Spirit which I wish now reigned an earth. It shall yet do so, for the Cross Bearer said, "Ye are all Children of one Father!" Behold, it is so!

When Gwauxln was come unto me, the sphere of earth was in nowise brought with him. To have carried earthly conditions with him would have been to remand me to earth, and have rendered me palpable injustice. No ego ever is permitted, by the very laws of its being, to go back to earth except a wrong thing is thereby suffered. The selfhood of an initiate may project itself into devachan, but the dweller in devachan (heaven) can not go again to earth till it be born again therein. Indeed! why does the soul leave earth after the grave? It is because in devachan it assimilates the fruits of active earth-life. Right here is the explanation of the written Word of God: "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, no device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." [*1] True it is that in the grave is nothing done. In the following pages much will seem to indicate my "doings" between the grave and the cradle. But observe that the whole of earth was become a perfect blank to me. The soul can not return save it re-embody in rebirth. To call it back is to came revulsion of this process, and reassociation with the astral-shell which the ego left behind at the decease of the body. Such reassociation revives the astral whereupon action and reaction take place between it and the ego, much to the detriment of the latter. All I "experienced" was only the fruits of what I had done; I could do no new thing, think no new thought, experience nothing not in itself the expression of something done ere I came through the grave. And in this rearrangement and crystallizing of my past earth life, time cut no figure. The realness of it was; but the reality of vivid dreaming; time had no part in that which was already done.

It lay in the power of the Rai to recognize me, but he would not, that I might not suffer ham. It similarly lies in the power of all forceful mediumistic natures (generally) belonging

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lug to the sect called "Spiritualists" to do likewise. These media can recall the departed, but at what dread cost to the departed ego, and reacting upon the medium to the latter! I say no process of Nature as ordered by our Heavenly Father may be lightly interrupted; every such act carries penalty proportionate to the understanding of the culprit; never light, and often of fearful weight. Had I remained to see, I would have seen Gwauxln, Son of the Solitude, go forth in his own astral shape, after retiring his corporeal to his secret chamber, that no harm might come to the body while he was away. And the shell-Zailm would I have seen go with him to the Incalithlon, and there should I have seen the Rai cause it to pass into the Unfed Light. But of all men on earth only the trained eyes of a Son could have seen what then happened. The "shell" would not have emerged from the Maxin nevermore. What was this? Why destroy it? So that it might not go forth in the earth and impress sensitives such as the vailx-man whom I had impressed in Umaur, and whom my "shell" might otherwise continue to impress. Thus might have resulted much trouble, for this astral of mine was but faithfully repeating my final words ere I parted company with it, when it said to Gwauxln, there in Agacoe, "I am not dead." It was even then like all other shells, its double composite nature only holding together during the limited period it could draw sustaining magnetism from my recently closed earthly correspondence.

In some cases such sustenance in sufficient for ages, in others, centuries, years, days, or even minutes, according to the earthward-turning, or the spirit-turning sympathies of the decedent. The astral is only vivified force, bearing the image in all respects of its ego, the I AM. Even prophecies made by "returned spirits," prophecies which come true after years, perhaps are but the impressed foresight of the ego at the moment of departure. It for an instant sees into vast future depths of time. And this glimpse in imprinted on its astral-shell. It is psychic form. If the phenomena set in motion by man are of that intensely vital created by Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, then just as long as a believer of any one of these

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religious systems adheres, that long, but no longer the "shells" of these prophets will continue their derived existence. It is psychic force which is their controlling lever, formed force. It is this same force which holds the stars to their orbits, and the atoms to theirs. It is vital, and dual, being positive and negative. To separate the force or "fire element" of the ancients (ancients to thee, not to me), was to cause the focus for such an Unfed Fire as the Maxin, and in later ages, in Israel the power in the Ark of the Covenant, alike with the Maxin, fatal to life. These focus points are portals whereinto the entire concourse of lesser forces of nature are absorbed upon contact. These foci are also the sole residence of the much sought "universal solvent" of the alchemists; needless to say that as some of these alchemists have been Sons of the Solitude, that therefore they have had the wonderful "solvent" to serve them.

Equally apparent must it be why the secret has remained carefully concealed. These foci are very auricles of the heart of the Universe, hence any sort of formed force meets here its Omega. Consequently when Gwauxln caused my astral to pass into the Maxin, he returned to the sum-undivided of cosmic force a quantity no longer of use to the formed world. On a very small scale indeed the medulla oblongata of the brain is such a focus, a maxin-point, where positive and negative meet. Were it not so, life would be impossible; destroy this maxin of the body, even by a needle thrust, and vitality instantly ceases. But enough. Gwauxln came to me, who could not go to him. Those not initiates do often thus rise in their sleep to their friends, but they fail at the point of not knowing how to do so voluntarily.

As one great point of my work is to explain these mysteries, I may spare yet a little space in rendering clear, past all mistake, how it is that those on earth can acquire the power of going to their friends beyond the Divide, but never these last come back to earth.

The barometer on a calm day registers at sea level a definite degree of air pressure, and at one mile above the sea, on the

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side of a mountain, let us say, the mercury in the tube has "fallen" to another definite but less degree. This is in both cases due to air pressure. If now one desire to have the pressure existing at a mile's height, will he go up to it, or will he. bring that altitude down to himself? In storm weather the barometer "falls" also, the air is less dense, meteorological changes have taken place which in effect have brought the high aerial altitudes, i. e., the conditions prevailing in high altitudes, down to the lower level. But thus has a storm been created; superior conditions have forced one. So it is that by the exercise of superior force a medium at a "spiritualistic seance" can bring back or down a soul which had gone on through the grave; but it will give rise to a psychic storm, and these are exceedingly costly occurrences. The Witch of Endor created such a storm when she forced Samuel down to earth again. Beware, O ye mediums! If thou art, friend, a human "spirit barometer," thou mayest rise to thy friends, but never, as thou valuest soul's peace for thee, or for them, seek to bring them down to thy "circles."

Those who seek only the exciting part of this history will do well to omit perusal of the greater part of Book I, and leave it to the reader who seeks the reason and lemon of my life record, and how I am able to depict scenes past by more than twelve thousand years ago.

Through the crime of Mainin the Incaliz, I had been forced to seek my psychic plane, and because I was I, and am I, that plane is more or less one of isolation. That is to say, it was peopled with the children of my fancy, my experiences, my hopes, longings, aspirations, and my conceptions of persons, places and things. No two people see in the same way the same world. To Anzimee, with her knowledge, the world could not have seemed the same as to Lolix, who saw from another, and in some ways lower, standpoint, while to neither was it the same as to the wise minister, Menax; and with all three the view of life was different from that held by Gwauxln.

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So also the heaven, the devachan, of one person is filled with his concepts of life, while that of his neighbor on either side--so to speak, is peopled with other peculiar mental properties. Now the state after the grave, and his or her knowledge, aspirations and trusts of life is the condition of harvest, where no one acts, but where the rewards of action in the preceding life axe paid; it is the land of Lethe, where is no pain, sorrow, sickness or agony, for these earthly conditions begun on earth, and they perforce must be finished on earth. So karma decrees. Heaven is passive, not active, and results of knowledge are there assimilated by the soul; that is, made so that the new birth is like the succeeding page of a business ledger--all of the old lives, with the last added in. I hope I have not been prolix. I have not, if I have given a clear comprehension of what the relation really is between earth and heaven, and that the latter is to the former as the resting time of night is to the activity of the day. Let none suppose that the devachan of one that hath committed earth-binding errors, and must by these bonds again reincarnate, is anything like the great Life wherewith are crowned those who are faithful unto the death of that serpent in the heart, animal lusts. The words can well portray mere devachan, they are powerless to depict that Life. Finite can never compass Infinite. Then let the Infinite into thy hearts.

--------------

Even so I pondered, in the presence of Gwauxln, Anzimee, and the others, who either would not or could not see me, my earthly powers were departing. The power which I had a moment before possessed of seeing persons, places and things of the world seemed fast escaping me, while glorious sights and sounds replaced them, sights and sounds akin to the day dream of the life just left, except that these were real to my senses, tangible and mutually reactive. Ah, well! if those left on Death's first shore could not see me nor know my presence,

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nor I see them nor their presence, why not unresistingly glide into enjoyment of the peace and the new sights and things which were come in place of the old? Yea! I would. Goodbye, old life; hail to the new.

As peacefully as a dream the sight of the palace and of familiar things faded from view, and I seemed to have come into a beautiful valley, hemmed in by azure hued mountains. Before me stood a building of unpretentious exterior. Irregular in its outlines, it seemed to have been built in sections, added as more rooms became necessary. What an altogether excellent idea that was, I thought. It was formed of slabs of rock, not quarried, but naturally scaled from the ledge. In places it was three stories high, in others only two, but mainly all the rooms were on the ground floor. What sort of people lived here? Certainly people whose architectural abandon was after my own heart. I felt, ere seeing them, already friendly. Assuredly they lacked not the love of beauty, for covering the quaintly picturesque dwelling ran perennial vines, while all about lay tasteful gardens. Should I venture to intrude my presence? As I considered, a man opened a door near me and came forward. He had a very familiar appearance; where had I seen him? I had forgotten as completely as if I had never known the life which I had experienced as Zailm, the son of Menax. My senses were dominated by the feelings of boyhood, and the thoughts and ideas and simple knowledge of boyhood in the mountain home by Pitach . Rhok. As the familiar looking stranger drew close he said:

"Knowest thou me, thy father, Merin Numinos?"

While this settled the apprehension that dimly arose in my consciousness that I was alone, and therefore invisible to people, it only quenched the idea that had rapidly faded an I looked on the house of slabrock, the idea that I was dead. I no longer knew any such experience, and the knowledge of death had passed away so far as it applied to my own decease. I was

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filled with pleasure at the question of the man before me, and I now perceived that he was the father of my childhood's ideal, but not him whom my mother had always presented in disparaging light: she, thou knowest, did not like him. But this thought did not present itself then; I only knew that I looked on him whom I recognized as my father. I was overjoyed at finding him, and I replied: "Verily, I know thee well!" Then he asked: "Wilt thou rest?"

"Being fatigued, I will do so, and no doubt be much benefited."

Thereupon Merin Numinos led me within the great rambling house to what I must call a den, even though the name may seem inelegant. Den it was, cleanly, but so charmingly, delightfully confused and disorderly; books and specimens of rocks, and all things which a boy loves were scattered about in that inextricable litter which fills the trim housekeeper with despair. My pleasure was unbounded, for I felt that I was a boy, only a boy, and had yet to reach maturity, the unknown possibilities of which seemed to fill my whole being with pleasant anticipation of the future; I was a lad of exuberant spirits let loose in his own realm, and in this room free from fear of the orderly mother who had elsewhere always restrained me. On a bed, roughly smoothed up in one comer of the shaded room, lay a pack of books from the district library, each marked, "Pitach Rhok District 5," in Poseid characters. These were in my way, and I laid them carefully, for books were ever almost sacred objects in my eyes, on the floor, in order that I might rest on the bed. Then I laid me down to sleep upon the rude couch which had always seemed softer and easier to fond memory than any downy cushion in the Caiphalian life. Not that I knew this as I lay down, I only knew that I experienced a state of things just suited to my desires. I had no clear idea of any event of the old life in Poseid; no memory of death, nothing. All had gone like the events of some dream which we strive in vain to recall at breakfast next morning. And yet, when I came across things in the new state similar to those known and loved in the old, when I

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found things here such as I had been wont to dream of some day carrying to realization, then the new realities, which, after all were not new, seemed wholly satisfactory, with the added charm of achievement, though I could not recall the old.

	 
		"The whole scene which greets mine eyes,
		 In some strange mode I recognize
		 As one whose ev'ry mystic part
		 I feel prefigured in my heart."
		
		 Nature here, though presenting some novelties, was not different enough to excite special attention.

One day I arose and departed from the scenes of this reproduced boyhood's life. The curtain rose on things derived from the later life after leaving Pitach Rhok for Caiphul, and I found myself now in the midst of acquiring knowledge even to the great degree of a Xio-Incala, a degree greater than even any scientist of the modem world has achieved. But this phase of devachan soon passed, because, not having reached such a degree on earth, nor having even tried to do so, I had no real basis from which to draw devachanic scenes. Thus passed the time around me, sometimes with real egoii of deceased earthly persons who had worked with me intimately on earth, and so had with me to reap the results of the collaboration. At other times I was alone with my concepts, which, however, seemed as real as actual persons, for all seemed absolutely real. Lolix was here in her better aspects; but the sin of our day was held against our return to earth.

It seemed perfectly natural to meet Anzimee one night as I wandered by the shore of a sea adjacent to an artificial wilderness, where all things were arranged in harmony with my ideal solitude to which, in Caiphul's busy whirl, I had one day dreamed of taking her when we should be wed. It was sweet when we met to hear her call me "husband," and the peace after action was all delightful as I had imagined it would be.

But my pen is in advance of its proper place. To return to the den:

Without disrobing, for the air was warm, I lay down and slept. When I awoke I passed down the hallway into the garden.

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[paragraph continues] A change had come over. I was older; the landscape was different, and the houses were more like that which my maturer needs had painted as a necessity while I still lived near Pitach Rhok. No longer was a river in the foreground, but a broad sea with only the near shore visible. The change was correspondent with the later desires of my youth. These alterations, though startling as considered from an earthly, physical standpoint, were not startling nor even remarkable to me. What sort of life or condition was this which permitted such changes, yet did not present itself as anything extraordinary to me, the beholder? Even truth should not be told in prolix phrase, and all that can be replied now is that it wag the life after death, to be slightly paradoxical. But this is not the Great Life with God.

Was time consumed in effecting these changes, or was this an Aladdin's lamp sort of land where a rubbing out of one and an installation of another set of appearances took place instantaneously? I did not even pause to consider, for no such conjecture occurred to me. To me things were real. Is earth real? Spirit, God, is real, and the earth and universe are the fiat, or externalized ideas of God. The things of earth are words of God's great Word, speaking to us. So, too, are the things of devachan or heaven. Both are real, oppositely so, but only real within us, not without us. I sought my father, Merin Numinos, and asked: "How long have I slept?" It was no more anything but a habit of thought to ask this, for I had no other motive. That, in the process of death, habits of mind do not suffer extinction together with life's memories of events, was proven by my action on hearing my father's reply:

"Even several years hast thou slept."

"Years!" dost thou exclaim? It, was no remarkable thing to me to hear this account of a Rip Van Winklian nap. No, but my habit of mind which took pride in neatness of personal attire caused me unwittingly to glance at my raiment to see if it were not, the worse for such long wear. The allusion

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to several years attracted my attention, so that having found my attire presentable, though I still gazed at my clothes, it was is an absent-minded way. I said:

"Thou sayest years; also another thing, 'thou has slept, ever since; thou camest into this country.' Now, I pray thee,. have I ever been elsewhere?"

Receiving no reply, I looked up, only to meet a stare like that of a statue from my father. He evidently knew nothing, of any previous state, nor, by the very form of my question, did I know more than he.

Death was another thing, never referred to, because in the instant when promoted souls find it no more possible to impress their existence upon those left behind on earth, they recognize that they are in the midst of the change called death, of which they were perhaps apprehensive all their earthly days. As the exoteric religion then, aye, and now, also, taught but one death, the devachanee knew or conjectured no other. Hence, death to the disembodied soul was and is an unknown conception. Well, there is no such thing as death for a fact. Likewise pain and sorrow. Devachan the minor is like devachan the major (Nirvana), a state particularly referred to in Revelation xxi: 4. Now, my friend, I am not postulating an argument; I must refuse to argue, and though it savor of medieval methods, yet must I also refuse to reason with thee. It is the purpose of this history to state what I know by experience; I state no theoretical ideas. If thou wilt take any small matters left unexplained into the inner sanctuary of thy soul and there meditate over them, then will they become clear to thee, and be as the water which quencheth all thirst, if so gained. hast thou ears to hear? Then heed that counsel. I address only those who follow these pages for profit.

Am the devachanee knows of but one change, and, an that is so different, from what he was religiously taught to fear, therefore many souls entering heaven conceive at the moment of death that no death exists, and that the teachings received on earth from priests were but ecclesiastical fictions. Nor are

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they so far wrong, for there is no other death than the mere change from objective to subjective states of being, save the second death, spoken of in my final page. To be paradoxical, death is different because not different, so far as they can perceive, from the swift view of the life just closed, a view all souls have, however brief it be. Hence it was that I was unaware of the fiction called death when I asked the father I found there if I had not always been there.

Religion taught in that old age as it now teaches, that with death came the cessation of all earthly sorrow. This is true for a time limited by the length of the soul's sojourn in devachan. These earth-born mists do not intrude there for the reason that being earth born they must of necessity have abiding places on earth and influence only those on earth.

	 
		"The evil that men do lives after them."
		
		 Verily; and in the form of crystallized disposition to do wrong, lies in wait for their return to earth life; it is the wrongly so-called "Adamic" tendency to sin, and while the sinner is free of its power in devachan, the seed, like tares with the wheat, is ready to grow a harvest of sorrow along with the growing life of the new incarnated one; and until some good action shall atone for evil done, this evil will continue to grow. Fortunately, man hath an eternity in which to make repayment, [*1] and though following God's laws and being true to right, whatever its source, the tares are little by little uprooted. A good act is the erasure of a bad, and once performed

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is "oft interred with the bones," thus completing the philosophy of Hamlet.

All about me were those I loved. As time seemed to lapse, I became conscious of the presence of one and another of my friends. Anzimee, Menax, Gwauxln, Ernon, Lolix without the shadow, all those and thousands more who have no name to the reader were there. They did not come; no, they were with me, each as I had conceived. These were my concepts, for they were subjective, not objective; they were my ideals, not real people; and they formed my world. It occurred not to me that they were not real. Did it ever occur to thee, reader, that the world of thy senses is the only world thou hast? That, if thou hadst no sight, smell, hearing, taste or touch, that thou wouldst have no world even though thy soul were imprisoned in a body thus dead, yet alive in a vegetative way? As the soul of each living man, woman or child, is different from every other soul, so also the world is different to every person--not the same precisely in any two cases. Now it is the record of the soul, made on imperishable mental substance, which constitutes much of the life after the grave; the record merges into a reality, and all seems equally real, just as real as when the combined senses first perceived it; in verity this after life is a reconstituted and inverted earth life, subjective now, instead of objective. My supposed friend may be a real enemy, yet if I die thinking him or her my friend, that concept is the one carried into the after life, and vice versa.

Thus, all about me were my friends. The things of my sense records, and the places, were the scenes where all these friends moved. But while I had thus my world about me, a concept of me existed in the imaged world of every friend I had. Not that I was with them, but their concept of me was with them. Thus regarding the reality of all those concepts that were non-involute, simple and easily assimilable upon being remembered from the astral record, or, so to say, memory plates of the Soul, of every incident, Small or great, simple or complex, impulse or even unconscious cerebrations. But now mark a feature of vast interest, inasmuch as it affirms what I have seemed

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to deny, any real association of the soul in devachan with other individual souls. Devachan would indeed be a drear heaven if the friends of mundane life were never aught but "dream faces." Dreams they are, if the incidents created in our hopes on earth, and in devachan set forth as real to all seeming, were a simple fact. But if, per contra, it were so complex that to solve its equation required the joint efforts of two souls working in harmony, then also in devachan the results of this complex act affected both these souls, and during the assimilation of its results, that is, during the crystallization of such results into traits of character, both these souls would as actually be together as ever they were on earth. If more than two people were involved on earth, so all these souls would congregate in devachan. When the process was complete, the separation came. So it happened that in one moment of assimilative experience all my concepts were only phantasms, m the persons of one's nightly dreams; the next moment wore complex, as my associates were real egoii like myself. To me all this was unknown; all seemed real, and so, perhaps, was so. But it is pleasant to feel that one works with a loved -son, lather, daughter, mother, wife or other friend; that the consequences of the more serious events of our daily lives here will bring us again together in the heaven of our hopes; that the wife thou takest to thy heart, and to whom on thy confident loving plans for the weal of thy loved ones, to realize which both thou and she must work nobly, earnestly, will come across the chasm which death spreads for thy bodies, and be with thee or thou with her, there in Navazzamin. Pleasant, that thy mother, father or other dear friend shall sometimes really be with thee there; and that together thou shalt garner thy various records, and enjoy in a seeming real that which was not on earth aught but a hope never; materialized.

In meeting Anzimee, who yet lived on earth, I met sometimes my conception of her, sometimes her own higher self. How was the latter possible? Because she so longed from me that it developed and enabled her to project her pure soul into my plane. This was not only pleasant and beneficial to her, giving

[p. 239]

her a hold upon things unseen, of which the apostle Paul speaks, but it was a holy joy to me to meet her thus; she could come to me, but I could not go back to her. There is no retrogression.

In communion with these ideals I had my reward, for nothing occurred contrary to my wish. But in experiencing this reward, I also unconsciously assimilated the value of the previous life on earth. Thus my connection with politics in Poseid had brought me in contact with men and manners, and from this contact were born schemes in which I was to have had a leading part. These schemes were now brought into the subjective state, and as such appeared to me to be in process. From these apparent actions my capacities were developed, and tests of the worth of my conceptions made. All of this resulted in making a concrete deduction which became a part of my mental being; hence in a new incarnation I would come forth to mankind possessed of phrenological organs of increased power in the handling of political and social questions. Perhaps this power would not be actively employed, owing to other tendencies being stronger; none the less the power would be augmented and ready for use upon demand. The same thing would prove true of all these souls really associated with me, both in previous-earth-and after-heaven, the results, values and summings-up of our contemporary devachan would give them new mental traits, or increase the force of their old ones, and reincarnation would reassociate us again on earth. And it has done so, else would I never have written this history for thy profit, dear reader. My education as a geologist at Xioquithlon was tested in this same subjective heaven, and from this came added ability as a geologist; in short, an intuitive knowledge of geology and desire for that study after reincarnation. Books would then serve to educe the geological bent I might manifest. I might go on with other instances of the summing-up, and arranging process experienced by those who have both the grave and the cradle between them and

[p. 240]

earth. But this will suffice to hint to the reader that truths lie here and sweeten the

	 
		"Thoughts of the last bitter hour . . . 
		 Of stern agony, and shroud and pall."
		
		 I hope, my friend, that this effort to render death less terrifying, by relating my own experiences of it, will be fraught with success, and that these words may so sustain thee that thou shalt

	 
		                          "Approach thy grave
		 Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch
		 About him, and lies down to pleasant dream ."
		
		 Zerah Colburn, the marvelous boy mathematician, did not acquire his knowledge in the schools of this modern age, but brought it, a legacy from the dead centuries, his past lives, his latent power was educed. I will not argue with thee, friend, that if thou hadst had a past life on earth, thou couldst "not have forgotten it, but would have brought memory of it with thee." No, I argue not. I only leave it with thine own intelligence to decide if I be not right, when thou rememberest that habits of life grow from repeated actions of boyhood, the details and every recollection of which are gone. And knowing that this is so, decide, if thou thinkest it not absurd, that actions of a life experienced century times centuries agone would be possibly recollected, more especially when all the intervals was spent on a different plane of life, whereon no single memory ever intruded, could not by the laws of God. I know whereof I speak.

-------------

At length there came a time when I cared no more for the appearance of action, nor for those concepts of persons, places, or things connected with seeming activity. Chiefly now I cared to remain in some quiet spot and listen to Anzimee, the real, not the concept, as she read to or talked with me. I slept much also. One morning I did not arise; I did not care to. I was not ill; no one ever knew illness in devachan. But

[p. 241]

I had lost all desire to see or hear more of anything. I did indeed feel languor, but not weariness. So I turned over again, facing the wall, and slept. It was the last occurrence in the last chapter of a life's long rest, which, though I knew it not, had covered twelve thousand years of the actions of men of earth. Death had never appeared in that home of the soul, for my concepts did not die, they only disappeared from the view of their creator. Even the real souls of men or women did not die. No. But when they came, one after another, to the retributive awakening at the cradle, if their lives in heaven were still associated with mine, if they had not gone elsewhere in devachan, as neighbors on earth separate and put the world between them, then they disappeared, just as my concepts disappeared when I had assimilated their value. They disappeared, because all the deeds of previous earth life had crystallized as traits of character, and they were ready for earth life again. Only myself could be conscious of my own change; I could not be conscious of theirs. I was ready for activity once more. I slept, and in this sleeping died out of that life of passivity into the waking of earth, a babe in a cradle. Born to see my Master in this life, and enter the Great Rest with him!

NOTE.--But one will come after me who shall tell thee more of the Great Deep of Life than I. Await her words.--Author.

 End of Book First

  

Footnotes

^225:1 II Samuel, xii, 28.

^226:1 Eccl. ix, 10.

^236:1 Do not confuse "repayment" with "atonement." Jesus makes atonement for us with God. We can only begin to repay, when, having obtained forgiveness through Jesus, we try to Live Him. Until we consecrate ourselves to Christ, we can not have recognized that we are HIS because HE owns us. When we recognize this, then we recognize that HE owns us, and we own HIM. Then, but not until then, can we even begin to repay our karma. And if we "Go and sin no more," then HE will equalize our to karma, and we be released unto HIM, released or leased again! Karma closes for one who thus is atoned for, and his opportunity for reparation begins. For such an one no more incarnation is necessary, for hath he not the SON? And that is Eternal life. What mean I by having the Son? And by being consecrated to Christ? In this, then, only the church postulate? Nay, more, friends. The Divine is eternal, infinite. The Human is finite. When the awakened man comes to know himself, he chooses which way he shall go. The choice is the crossing of the Divine by the Human; it is ownership by the Son. which in within.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

[p. 242]

 

SEVEN SHASTA SCENES

 

INTERLUDE

 

By Frederick S. Oliver, Amanuensis

 

I

If there are "sermons in stones and books in the running brooks," then is "Tchastel's" craggy pile a noble library in veritas. In it the vastness, the grandeur and the solemnity of, nature are expressed in mystic numbers carved in the eternal granite. On those stony, stratified pages Nature's students may read the doings of the gnomes, Mother Earth's treasurers. Here, too, in characters of lava, is writ Pluto's kingly record. Aye! 'tis indeed Nature's own volume, bound between covers of snow and ice; and marking the treasures thereof is a silvery ribbon whose ends hang out of the vast tome, at the north one end, at the south the other, the name of the one "McCloud" river, and of the other the "Sacramento." Again, two lesser markers are in this sublime epic, viz.: "Pitt" and 'Shasta" rivers. A volume of poems should bear poetic title; so shall this. Can we bestow one more appropriate than the aboriginal appellation, "Ieka," a name retained and used by the earliest white mer whose eyes gazed on that land, far northern California, land of romance, of gold and of adventure; retained through that intuitive recognition of eternal fitness which pioneer and trapper have ever, in all lands, exhibited toward existent nomenclature. For years the noble mountain bore, for white as for aborigine, the name it had fetched from out the night of time, as its sister peak far to the north, Mt. Rainier, retained its primal christening of "Tacoma." But, alas, for human conceit! Alas, for man's vain discontent, unable to let well enough alone! To the one snowy mount came a Russian trapper, and thereafter "Ieka" was no more on the tongues of men, unless, indeed, it was still lovingly murmured by the dusky Modoc and his savage bride. To the other glittering peak went an egotistic Englishman. His lordship found "Tacoma" so beastly savage, "doncher know," and so over its Indian appellate he tacked his own patronymic. Time evens

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all things and "ever is justice done." The patriotic Americanism of the Northern Pacific Railroad topographers reinstated on the company maps musical "Tacoma," tossed to rubbish the imported name, and rebuked one egotist's vanity. That "Shasta Buttes" will ever know a parallel experience is problematical; if not, 'tis perhaps as well, for American gratitude willingly concedes the privilege of nomination of this proud peak to its friend, and, in the '60s, champion of our national autonomy -------- Russia. So much for a kind of mental view, past and present, of this pride of the crags and peaks.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

II

On the old wagon road which existed ere ever iron rails linked Oregon's greatest city to the metropolis of the Golden West, there still stands, as for thirty years, not many miles from the State line, a station established for stage line uses, and "run" by "Daddy Dollarhyde." A lonely place, hidden amongst towering pines, which make regal raiment for the great "Siskiyou Ridge" of the Coast Range extending in gloomy grandeur not miles, but hundreds of miles, Dollarhyde's appeals to the heart of the traveler' as Saharan oasis, to the weary caravan. "'Tis a lodge in some vast wilderness," and in the days of this second "Shasta Scene" (A. D. 1884) was the only footprint of civilization for many a long mile.

Leaving Dollarhyde's, the road wound as directly as possible up a two-mile stretch of exceedingly steep mountain. Up this steep, long before aught but hinted dawn lit those grand ridges, a youth, on foot and alone, was climbing. A tramp? Temporarily; down below, at Dollarhyde's, the rest of his party yet slept. Up, up he toiled, stopping when the love of nature prompted him to "bold communion with her visible forms," and listen to her "various language"; pausing, the better to enjoy the exhilarating freedom, the beauty of the piny slopes, the whirr of the early grouse, and the chattering of squirrel and chipmunk. Once, enchanted by the exquisite charm of a crystal spring that leapt into and across the road, he stayed his step; and again, he stood gazing afar down into the gloom of

[p. 244]

a great canyon, which became lost to view "in the dawn's early light." The summit at last! But still no sun in the sky. All beneath was yet quietly resting 'neath the sway of Morpheus. Ah! what is that? Away in the south is a huge, dim mass, dull gray below, but, where its peak holds aloft the sky, 'tis rosy, glowing pink. As the youth gazes, spellbound, Old Sol dispels the valley glooms, thrusts aside the night, and the new day is born. The rose tints are gone, but also the gray, and in their place appears a giant, pointed cone of purest white, albeit streaked at its base with black lines, each some awful gorge. It rises not like other mountain piles, from ranges rivalling its own height; no, all alone it stands forth from its high plateau, piercing heaven's blue, from base to summit, eleven thousand feet, from ocean's plane to apical peak thirty-five hundred more--Shasta, O, Mt. Shasta.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

III

Of the youth, what? A year later we find him suffering a violent fever, the "gold-fever," which yet lingers in that region of once famed mines; lingers, though it be now A. D. 1890. Away up on a mountain's side with pick, pan and shovel he has camped where a little gold may always be found; where hope whispers he may find a "pile" some time and--fortune.

All through that region forest fires have raged many weeks; all the valleys lie hidden under a pile of smoke. But the miner on the mountain is above it all, and as he labors looks out over the undulating surface of the silvery, smoky. ocean, down below. He sees a strange sight. No waves disturb this sea, which, nearly a mile deep, extends away beyond scope of vision. Two or three islands dot its expanse; these are all that is left to see of lofty mountain peaks whose bases are hidden. Perchance the words "smoke-ocean" seem figurative. Look heavenward from its bottom down in the valleys; the sun, appearing like a globe of blood, needs no colored glass to shield too sensitive eyes. Now go aloft to the miner on the mountain, looking down on, but seeing not, Yreka (town). With him again gaze at the "islands"; one only of them is not black

[p. 245]

in hue. It is the largest; sharp-summited, white, shrouded in eternal snows, Mt. Shasta rises, a noble island in the murky ocean about it, nine thousand feet.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

IV

Night. Otherwise the same scene. Our miner sits in his tent door, meditating on the novel beauty of the scene before, below him. A north breeze has rolled the smoky sea silently away and left no sign. Beneath the tent outspreads a vast abyss, dark, silent, "the night's Plutonian shore." Our miner's fancy fills it with golden phantoms. Only the stars, "night's tall tapers," lighten the gloom. But far away east, over ranges of lesser mountains, dim shapes couched in the darkness, far away, miles real as well as seeming, familiar shadowy shape of vast, uncertain size appears to shut from sight vision of some awful conflagration. Look! It grows, it brightens, till on the charmed eyes bursts a sudden, intense spark, then a full flame in Ieka's side--'tis the moon at its roundest! And now Ieka's snows glow in its ray like molten silver, the dark abyss before, beneath the tent lightens, the phantoms flee, while over all, sublime, glorious, supreme, rises Shasta's argent image.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

V

Traveling, southward, miner no more, the youth bends his course. A year agone the golden phantoms died, the mine caved in, and "no man knows that sepulcher" in the wilds of Siskiyou. Winter wet had extinguished the flames and laid the smoky sea. But the succeeding summer saw all aglow again, matched by the lightnings of heaven. Our traveler is at the very base of Ieka Butte, and he and his steed crawl along the slopes and vales in the bed of the fireborn ocean of smoke as do crustacea on the bottoms of aqueous seas. A flaw of wind decreases the denseness of the clouds, and above his head he sees an indistinct shape, lit feebly by the smoke-smothered moon, at its full now, as on that other night, a year ago. Beautiful through the murky air it is not; but when told that the point dimly seen overhead is the smoke-free, gleaming crest of Shasta, fifteen miles away as the crow flies, e'en though

[p. 246]

we gaze at it from its own base, we feel an indescribable sense of awe. And we liken the mount, with the flaming forests glowing at its feet and its own muffled form rising in obscured grandeur, to a silent sentinel by his watchfire, wrapped around with his cloak, and meditating on the trust he has kept, lo! these many ages, still keeps, and forever!

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

VI

Returned from the far south, and in camp. In camp at the timber line on Tchastel's side, awaiting the nightfall, and through the long afternoon gazing out over a wealth of scenery not in word power to paint. To the north "Goose Nest" mountain, its crater ever full of fleecy snow, rears itself aloft eleven thousand feet. Down yonder in that gemlike valley is the lovely town of Sissons; down, to our traveler, albeit on a plane seven thousand feet above the ocean. Night. But not in a tent door. No, on muleback, he and a companion are toiling upwards. There is no moon, no wind, no sound, save a few strange noises arising from the nether regions. No moon, yet plenty of light, since the snow seems self luminous, so that objects appear against it in sharp silhouette. How black the bleak rocks and ledges! And those glimmerings of light afar in the night, what are they? Lamps; lamps miles away, thousands of feet lower, yet in seeming not so far off. It is cold; oh, so frightfully cold, numbing the mind! And still-as the grave. No sounds now arise to the ear; 'tis too high for aught save silence. So cold; and yet midday sun heats reflect from the snows as from a mirror, and then the temperature if fearful to feel, yet the snow melts not. Here is a hot, sulphur spring, one-thousand feet below the apex. Warm your chilled hands in the hot mud, wipe them quickly, lest they freeze, and climb on. Your eyes, could you see them, congested as they are in the rarefied atmosphere, the color of liver, would horrify you. Your breathing pains you; your heartbeats sound like the thuds of a piledriver; your throat is afire from thirst. No matter; here is the top! Two o'clock a. m. in July, 188-. As yet no light, but faint dawn. But ere long the soul is awestricken by a weird glow in the cut, which lights nothing. The beholders

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are filled with a strange disquiet; see the waxing light, and--in a fearful wonder, almost terror---see the great sun, scarce heralded by the aerial rarity, spring from. beneath the horizon. Yet all below is in "the darkest hour before the dawn." No ridges, no hills appear, no valleys, nothing but "night's deep darkness." We seem to have lost the world, and, for the nonce, are free of time! The planet is swallowed up, leaving the mountain top's half acre sole visible spot of all the Universe, save only the fearful splendor of Helios. Understand now, for you may, the sensations of Campbell's "last man." The world all gone, and self and comrade alone on a small spot in midair, whereon the almost rayless sun casts cold beams of strange, weird brightness. Look north. Afar in the night axe four cones of light, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mt. Tacoma, and St. Helen's tall torch, all peers of our Ieka. As the Day King soars higher lesser peaks appear, then long black ridges, ranges of vast extent, begin near by, only to lose themselves in distant darkness.

Now the void of night vanishes, hills stand forth, silvery spots and streaks appear as the dawn lights lakes and rivers, and at last, no fog obscuring, in the distant west, seventy miles away, is seen a great gray plain, the Pacific's broad expanse. To the south, interrupted streaks of silver show where flow Pitt and Sacramento rivers, while over two hundred miles away behold an indentation of California's central coast, marking the Golden Gate, and San Francisco's world-famed bay.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

VII

Beside a roaring, dashing mountain torrent, failing in myriad cascades of foam white as drifted snow, interspersed with pools of quiet water, deep, trout-filled, blue, reflecting flowery banks and towering pine-crested ridges, "ribs of the planet," we pause. The day is hot, but the waters of this branch of McCloud river axe cold -as the pristine snows of Shasta from which they flow to our feet and thence away.

We recline on the brink of a deep blue crystal pool, idly casting pebbles into and shivering the image of a tall basalt cliff reflected from the mirror-calm surface.

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What secrets perchance are about us? We do not know as we lie there, our bodies resting, our souls filled with peace, nor do we know until many years are passed out through the back door of time that that tall basalt cliff conceals a doorway. We do not suspect this, nor that a long tunnel stretches away, far into the interior of majestic Shasta. Wholly unthought is it that there lie at the tunnel's far end vast apartments, the home of a mystic brotherhood, whose occult arts hollowed that tunnel and mysterious dwelling: "Sach" the name is. Are you incredulous as to these things? Go there, or suffer yourself to be taken as I was, once! See, as I saw, not with the vision of flesh, the walls, polished as by jewelers, though excavated as by giants; floors carpeted with long, fleecy gray fabric that looked like fur, but was a mineral product; ledges intersected by the builders, and in their wonderful polish exhibiting veinings of gold, of silver, of green copper ores, and maculations of precious stones. Verily, a mystic temple, made afar from the madding crowd, a refuge whereof those who, "Seeing, see not," can truly say:

	 
		"And no man knows . . .
		 "And no man saw it e'er."
		
		 Once I was there, friend, casting pebbles in the stream's deep pools; yet it was then hid, for only a few are privileged. And departing, the spot was forgotten, and to-day, unable as any one who reads this, I cannot tell its place. Curiosity will never unlock that secret. Does it truly exist? Seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you. Shasta is a true guardian and silently towers, giving no sign of that within his breast. But there is a key. The one who first conquers self, Shasta will not deny.

This is the last scene. You have viewed the proud peak both near and far; by day, by night; in the smoke, and in the clear mountain air; seen its interior, and from its apex gazed upon it and the globe stretched away 'neath your feet. 'Tis a sight of God's handiwork, sublime, awful, never to be forgotten; and as thy soul hath rated itself with admiration thereof, in that measure be now filled with His Peace.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

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BOOK SECOND

 

CHAPTER I

	 
		"I have called you friends, for all things that
		 I have of the FATHER I have made known unto you.
		
		 With Chapter Twenty-four of Book First closed the last devachanic experience of a personal life history, a history enacted over one hundred and twenty centuries ago. It has its good and its bad phases. Under the social rules and customs of a people whom the modern world regarded as pure myth until after the cruise of the "Challenger" and the "Dolphin," there existed a personality whom those who have followed this history thus far know by the name of "Zailm," an Atlantean cognomen not less euphonious than its significance is interesting, viz: "I live to love."

According to his narration, Zailm's youth was that of an obscure mountaineer. He was possessed of an overmastering ambition to make his name blaze among those of the noble of earth. He succeeded in his ambition, for his name, his wealth, his social and political position became of the highest of the aristocracy of a proud and, in myriad ways, marvelous people. If he failed in one particular, if his moral life became awry, his record in other respects was most commendable. For the one failure he paid dearly, and, if you credit his own apprehensions, the payment would not be complete for many along, long year after you would have lain

	 
		"--Down with the patriarchs of the infant world--
		 With kings, the powerful of the earth--the wise, the good,
		 Fair forms, and hoary seers of ages past"
		
		 You have a view of Zailm, that boy so obscure, that man so celebrated throughout a land not  to-day, nor ever

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matched since old ocean rolled over it and the sun saw it no more in all his proud course.

From the perusal of that record I ask you to turn to the history of another personality, that of Walter Pierson, my own humble self. If the Poseida Zailm was proud to declare himself a Poseida, I am equally proud to say, "I am an American citizen!"

---------------

While I was still so young as to be unable to understand anything concerning my parents' death, except the agony of being left alone, I was orphaned by the fell stroke of an epidemic. I cried in my childishness, and begged to be allowed to see my papa and mamma, nor could I comprehend the statement, "They are dead and gone."

My orphaned boyhood was passed under circumstances of such sharp contrast to those years of my babyhood which knew parental kindness, that my inherent tendency to rove grew stronger, until at twelve years of age I became a cabin-boy on board ship, running away to accomplish my ambition. For many years thereafter I realized that actual hardship was an unforeseen part of the dream of travel and of sailor life; but its toil and trouble had to be endured.

My ability, willingness and honesty in service told in my favor so well, that at eighteen years of age I found myself first mate on a splendid British merchantman. With this advantageous position, intervals in which to study such books as tie captain, an educated man, had on shipboard, were mine, and I used the opportunity to excellent advantage, reciting my lessons to the captain, who took much interest in me. An invention for which many a seafarer has been grateful, and to which many a man whose life has, been spent on the ocean wave has owed continuation of that life, paid me such a handsome sum, in royalties, that ere I was of age I had no small fortune, which by wise investment soon gave me a sum to put in the

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bank with the assurance of a fair support for life. I did not long continue in marine service after my money began to accumulate, but left sea life to enjoy travel on terra firma. I had seen the chief ports of every land, and now was bent upon wing the interior of my own country.

In the gold placers of California, I added immense sums to my fortune during the years 1865-6, where I drifted after my discharge from the Army of the Cumberland, having served two years in that, famous corps during the War of the secession.

I gloried in the absence of two fingers, lost by a vicious fragment of shell at the battle of Missionary Ridge. I wonder if any reader remembers the morning of the 25th of November, 1863?

"All night the flash of rifles from the outposts had gleamed through the fog; and when day dawned it had not yet been determined whether the enemy had been forced from his almost unassailable position on the mountain. The morning was clear. All eyes in the Union bivouacs were strained towards the summit. Gradually the east purpled with strengthening light, and just as the sun rose, a squad of men walked out on the rock overhanging the precipice. Then, in full view of the watching tens of thousands, they unfurled 'Old Glory.' Amid thunderous cheers an army of veterans looked long through its tears at the Stars and Stripes, mute announcement of victory."

At the close of this saddest of wan, because the hands of fathers against sons and of brothers against brothers were raised, I presently found myself in the city of my birth, Washington, D. C.

--------------

Two months, later I was in faraway California, in one of its most beautiful mountain countries, and formed one of a company of gold miners. So rich were the returns of labor that

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we soon began to feel the work onerous, and employed men to do it for us. Amongst these was a man from China. I say a man from China because he certainly appeared, from the very first, to be not one of the class sneeringly called "coolies," but a real man. "Coolies" were numerous in the town, some two or three miles from our mine, but Quong had nothing in common and did not associate with them; neither was he privately addicted to their habits of gluttony, gin-drinking or opium-smoking. His dress was that which always distinguishes the Tchin from other nationalities, but his features were not thus significant. Indeed, his high, prominent forehead, well-developed sinciput, bold eyebrows and delicate neck marked him as a man of high character, spiritual cast, splendid perceptive abilities and nervous temperament. His eyes--such eyes! calm, clear, light gray, resting upon one with so kindly, unprejudiced and dispassionate a gaze, charitable, forgiving and strictly upright and conscientious himself, but always ready to overlook faults in others. Such was the appearance of a remarkable man. His speech was intelligible to every one with whom he had dealings, yet it always seemed to me that his broken English, a commingled Chinese and Anglo-Saxon idiom, would have been wholly unintelligible gibberish in the mouth of any other Chinese. I am no Don Quixote, and do not propose to contend that it is not an evil of serious import to the white man of America, Australia and the people of the Spanish-American republics to be forced to compete with Chinese laborers or the commercial products of that nation. I think it a very real evil, and I sympathize with the Caucasian race. But in all frankness I would ask if the hordes of unskilled, uneducated, almost unassimilable laboring poor of Europe are not an even greater menace? The immigration of either is fraught with fearful peril to the free institutions which I believe in, to the extent of having at the point of the bayonet risked my life for their preservation. But far be it from me to urge a spirit of strife; rather I counsel you to follow Him whose life meant "Peace on earth," and the true brotherhood of man.

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In deference to a correct sentiment, these pages will henceforth refer to my one Chinese employee as the "Tchin," or Quong (his given name), instead of "the Chinese."

After the change of policy which gave the hard work to hired men, my partners and myself resided in town, although. one or more of us were always at the mine in the capacity of overseers. We employed two gangs of workers that worked on alternate days, each thus giving but half of the time to labor, although the wages were not reduced in consequence. These easy arrangements made the men extra faithful, for they saw that our object was not to get all the work out of them which they were able to accomplish, irrespective of their comfort or the fact that they were men not beasts of burden. That white men treated thus considerately will do more in the way of results than those who are made to work at their highest power every week-day hour has been my uniform experience. Treat your fellowman as you would like to be treated were you in his place.

None of the men felt the least objection to Quong as a fellow-worker; most of them were ready to admit, indeed, that he did not seem like a heathen. They were right, for he was not one. His demeanor towards all was respectful and manly, rather reticent, very quiet, but always so full of benevolent feeling that he won the affection of his fellow workers. They felt that he was a true man. On one occasion a new man was hired by the company, and he "didn't like pigtails." But in less than a week he fell W, and, unasked, the despised "coolie" not only worked all day, but nursed the sick man through the brief but severe fever, sitting up all night, and only taking a few hours rest next day, his "off" day. No more was heard from the shamed objector to coolies, for he was completely won over, so far as Quong was concerned. Thus he, too, was proved a real Man, when the canker of intolerance was healed.

More than once were the Tchin and I companions on his leisure days. Sometimes we went to the town, but more often we turned our horses' heads away into the wilderness of the

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mountains. Without his guidance I had surely been lost there, amid the vast gorges, with their shade of giant pines lying between the almost interminable ridges, those stem ribs of the planet. But Quong was never lost, never hesitated, though the night was upon us so dark on more than one occasion that I could not see my hand before my face, a fact I never quite comprehended at the time, though it is clear to me now. Once at such a time as this I felt the need of a light, so greatly, it was in a cavern which we had found, that he said: "Here, I give you light." I heard him break off a fragment of rock from the side of the wall of the cavern; next he put it into my hand, saying: "Have care now, it must not touch you; like lightning; would kill you." As may be imagined, I touched so little of the rock that Quong directed me to hold it tighter. Then up sprung a brilliant light from the tip of that rock, illuminating all the cave like sunlight! Had this amazing thing occurred a few years later, I should have first pronounced it an electric light, then, bethinking me that no battery was there, nor any dynamo-electric machine, I would have done as I did do, sat down and gazed at the marvelous light, forgetful of where I was. As Quong would give no other explanation than he had already given, I was, perforce, content; only I was not! But his power of keeping his course where not even the track of an animal was to be discerned, was sufficiently astonishing, and I was often amazed at the man for not losing his way amongst ranges of sierra which stretched away to where the vast snowy peaks defined the horizon and kept the blue of the sky from blending insensibly with the blue of the mountains.

When we took such trips as these we were accustomed to leave the mine as early after supper as possible, that is, at half past five in the afternoon. If the other men were fatigued, Quong never seemed to share their weariness, although there was not a fellow worker but admitted that he accomplished more than any of them.

If the night was one of Luna's own,, it was our habit to ride

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for several hours, frequently not halting before midnight, when we might be thirty or more miles from the mine.

On one of these occasions, when we and our horses were alone with nature and the night, we stopped in a remote solitude to wait for morning, to sleep or not as we felt most agreeable. Quong sat down on a rock by the edge of a roaring crystal torrent, and gazed in silent enjoyment upon the solitary grandeur of the sombre pines and moonlit peaks. I left him there and wandered up the stream, till, on looking back, I saw that my friend was hidden from view by a sharp turn in the canon. But heedless of this I wandered on, musing at the scene, "rockribbed; ancient as the sun."

It is not possible for a person alive to the beauties of nature, long to remain insensible to the more serious thoughts evolved by meditation pursued amidst the wilds, untroubled by man's sordid methods. Gradually my thoughts assumed a reflective cast, which, almost unperceived, became tinged with the dead black shadow of materialism. Many a time and oft had grim despair seized upon me while pursuing to philosophical end the mysterious questions of the soul; "Whence" and "Whither?" Unreasoning faith had never held any place in my nature, and yet mine was a deeply religious disposition. "To reason is to be lost," thundered the church of those days, and even yet does it maintain this attitude concerning reason as applied to faith. The queries which haunted others pursued me; but I lacked the Ingersollian desire to propound the question, which maddened me, to a world I doubted not had misery enough already. But the despair which arose from the hidden questioning was not less keen because hidden. Eagerly I read scientific works; studied anatomy, physiology, mechanics, the structure of cells and the essays of Darwin and Huxley, and I came to the same conclusions that have troubled the world so mercilessly in all ages. The gray matter of the brain, and the white cerebral substance, the medulla oblongata and vital magnetism, and the ---these became so much phosphorized fat, haematin, and magnetic vibration; that same "unconscious

[p. 256]

cerebration" theory in fact, which even yet disturbs certain philosophers. Thus joy and sorrow, and every other emotion, became a form of vibration, akin to sound waves, heat waves, light waves and undulation in general. I saw, in brief, my joy become a mere vibratory thrill of nerve tissue, similar, but more complex, to the throb of a violin string. My grief became a similar pulsation or wave. But neither were less keen; if my delight were mere pulsation of bundles of fibers proceeding from a cell or nucleus, principally composed of phosphorized fatty substance; if in passing, this delight but gave rise to a magnetic thrill, and a minute quantity of phosphoric acid, while any chance muscular exertion produced, ultimately, only relatively small amounts of carbonic acid and other excretory chemicals, nevertheless, it was keen joy. And my grief over a deceased friend, if it produced exactly the same chemics, having their formulas reducible to the symbols PO4 and CO2, etc., etc., was this emotion less agonizing, less painful? None the less, when all queries were finished, when all were reduced to their ultimates, ever and forever faced me a blank wall, insurmountable, and everything ceased short of God. In my despair I cried: "There is no God, no immortality, and man differs from the oyster only in having a more complex organization. Only because I, believing thus, lack incentive to crime, am I prevented from lust, from murder; what reek if I kill a man and no witness be there? When I, too, die, the clock of life is either worn out, or broken; both are irreparable, and there will be never more resuscitation, nor punishment, for death levels all, equalizes all. Perhaps I myself am only a complex vibration of atoms, not dyads, but mult-atomic arrangements of matter acted upon by--what? Force, wave force, moving ether. We are but puppets, creatures of uncontrollable circumstances. 'Kismet,' says the Arab, and I must say so, too!"

Do hideous, natural causes of fright seek those moments to appal poor, despairing man when he is already a prey to shapes of awful oppressiveness to his very soul's life? I have thought no, and even the next moment thought so; soul in peril, and

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body also, for then in my path arose a terror, a huge grizzly bear, Ursus horribilis. "Surely horrible enough," I thought, as the animal raised himself in frightful posture. I had no weapon except a clasp knife, and the remembrance emphasized the reality of my peril. Wildly I looked about for a tree, into the branches of which to climb for safety. None except giant pines were near; down the stream towards Quong were cottonwoods, but to go there was to put my friend, unwitting his peril, into extreme danger. Yet bruin was rapidly forcing me to decide on the courses of flight, or remaining to be eaten, so I turned to run and--stood face to face with the Tchin! Calm and cool himself, he bade me have no fear.

Stock still I stood, amazed to see him walk slowly up to the grizzly which, from its fierce-eyed aspect, changed to docility of looks, got down on all fours, and awaited the man's approach! Was Quong insane? I expected to see him rent in pieces; instead, he placed his hand on the head of the animal and said:

"Lie down!"

The order was obeyed at once, and then Quong sat down on the prostrate animal and fondled its great, stiff ears! Very gently, the bear licked the human hand, as gently indeed as if caressing its own cubs. What occult power was here? Was the Tchin a worker of miracles? Never before had any action betrayed to me this ability of his. True, the example of producing the light in the cave was one, but it had not then so occurred to me because I knew enough, and at the same time, not enough, to know that the production of electric light was a possibility, but not possible to any electrician or chemist in the way the Tchin performed it. It was not possible to ordinary science then, nor is it now any more so. But it would be possible to them if they would but take the proper occult method; it is one of the earliest learned and easiest feats performed by the novitiate. But I was not then a novitiate.

After a few moments Quong got up and, speaking to the

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conquered ursine, said: "Go!" As obediently as before the shaggy beast lumbered heavily off up the canon and was soon lost to view amongst the rocks and shadows of the night.

Once more the granite boulders shone silvery in the glorious summer moonlight; the dark pines swayed in the gentle breeze which, descending from its play with the whispering boughs, blew the spray of the rushing torrent over the grateful wild flowers nodding on the banks. And beside the rocks, the crags and peaks, the torrent and the pines, the moon shone down on two figures, two men. One stood wrapped in meditation; the other, not thinking at all, simply regarded the first with eyes where amazement yet lingered. Neither moved, neither spoke. But one, at least, though he thought not, yet felt. I felt how little difference existed between men, so that they were worthy men. I would have acknowledged the Tehin as my equal before the world; perhaps, indeed, as my superior. In the clearest nights some mists come over and obscure the face of things. So with the soul; in its clearest moments it knows Truth, only to forget in later moments how Truth seemed. Them, anon, the fogs clear away again. Sometimes, alas, it is after the obscured orb has set. So also the soul: death may get its darkness over it ere the clouds of prejudice have melted, or it may not.

But there in the moonlight, the sky of my soul was also clear. But neither man moved, neither spoke.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

[p. 259]

 

CHAPTER II

 

A SOUL IN PERIL

Many days I pondered that scene in the mountains, marveling over the wonderful power possessed by Quong over wild animals. Did he know how he exerted this control, or was it simply a feature of his nature, sufficiently astonishing, truly, but still not understood by its owner? At Bombay, I had seen snake charmers exercise the same dominion over serpents, but it was an inherited ability, unexplained even by the operator. To querists they would reply:

"So did my father, and my father's father, and his father. I know not, except he got it from Brahm."

But perhaps Quong knew the law which governed his phenomena; if he did, and knew one occult law, did he not know two, or more than two? I determined to ask him when opportunity presented. While in Hindustan I heard that there were certain men there, not fakirs, but learned men who lived in the Himalayan solitudes, who wrought magical feats of wonderful variety and power. Had Quong come from these; learned of them? Was he an occult adept, such as I had heard of? These were called, so I had been told, Ragi-Yogees, and to the curious person trying to learn more about them than the meager statement of their vast occult or theosophic wisdom, the native laity proved dumb as the Sphinx of Egypt.

I had an early chance presented to question my friend, who, well as I knew him, still proved more communicative than I had hoped.

It pleased me greatly to learn that not one in a hundred thousand Chinese had any occult wisdom whatever; pleased me, because I felt that if the degraded, groveling Mongol had such knowledge, then because it did not lift that benighted race it could not be of an elevating character. But all through the Orient, here and there, the magicians were to be found;

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the reasons for such secrecy, as they maintained, arose from the fact that ere such knowledge as they were custodians of could be gained, the soul must be calm with that calmness which comes best from life amidst the wilds of nature. Now this may seem strange, but it is a calm which can hardly be maintained in the habitats of those addicted to meat eating, or of persons engrossed in the selfishness of common life. You may imagine that these students could seclude themselves from disturbance; men who wish to study do so seclude themselves, even in cities. Not so the occultist. For, from the social order and communal life of the world emanates an aura, or  of its own disturbed muddiness, an aura fatal to the absolute peace required by the theosopher. I am impelled to remark at this point that what goes under the name of "theosophy" in the world to-day is an article so far removed from the genuine that the name has even thus early been laid aside by the silent nature student, who, now as ever, is a Son of the Solitude.

But to return to Quong and the question which I asked him. I append his answer verbatim:

"Yes, in this land of the Starry Flag there are students known as the 'Lothinian Brotherhood.' Their lodges, called 'Saches,' are habited throughout the western hemisphere; there is one Sach near here. No one not privileged could hope to learn where it is, or who are its members. Yet as I have led you, Mr. Pierson, to ask the question you have; as I have done this with consent of the , to every one of whom you, who, however, know none of them, are yourself well known, to what do you ascribe my action?"

I could construe it in only one way; so I told the Tchin that doubtless they knew and favored my deep desire for occult fraternization, a desire ever baffled until that hour; I felt my Sonship; I did not know it.

"It is so; thou art to be taken as a Brother Son by a class of men who seldom allow fraternity even to new affiliates, and never to any other persons whatsoever. But be this clear to thee forever; there is no order of mystic students anywhere,

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never was and never will be. The Lothins of America, the Yogis of Hindustan, do not combine for study of occult lore. It is not possible so to study. He who attains, grows; he doe's not study as collegiates study. It is not in books. Each student of God is in himself the plane he dwells on, a radiating center of God-wiseness. The very vows asked of initiates are but tests to determine if in themselves they are that which they seek to affiliate with. The Theo-Christian indeed does live with others as to body, but because similars are mutually attractive only. The Kingdom of God is within thee, or else (for thee) nonexistent elsewhere. Be that thou knowest, and then Christos will give it to thee to know and become more, which also do thou become, and thus grow, as the lilies of the field, which toil not, nor spin, but are God thoughts externalized. 'I am the Way, the Truth and the Life,' said our Great One. Thou art, Walter Pierson, of right by growth one of the Sach. And this right is because thy life for ages is known to them.

"My what? My life for ages? Am I so old?" I asked, laughing at the supposed joke.

"You will learn in time, Mr. Pierson, in time," gravely said Quong, in meditative tones. "I am not speaking humorously."

The reason assigned for the interest taken in me made nothing clearer, so I fell to studying the question.

"No, you can not guess why, sir," said Quong. "Look at me; you say I seem about thirty years of age. I am more. Multiply that figure by three and add its half, and you will be correct within one year. I have watched over you since your birth, using my psychic powers for the purpose, since until a year ago your present eyes have not beheld me. You are born with powers which you can educe so as to become wiser than I. If it please you we will go to the Sach to-night. You are surprised that I, whom you have heretofore heard speak only in pidgin-English, as it is called, now use such fluent language. I have my reasons, believe me; perchance you find them obvious."

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In the afternoon I went to town, telling Quong that I would meet him there if access to the Sach was as convenient from there as from the mine. 

On my way into town I met an acquaintance at whose very popular liquor saloon I had more than once taken refreshment, thinking it no harm, for I drank moderately. When we came near his place, on the main street, he insisted on my tying my horse and coming in to have a social glass with him. But the idea of acceptance jarred, and I felt that it disturbed the calm reflections which had filled my thoughts on parting with the Tchin. Quong never drank liquor, smoked, or was aught but  in his habits. But I entered, resolved not to take any form of spirituous liquor. The scene presented was familiar: men stupid, foolish, or excited from their potations, and public women mingling with the crowd in the place. Previoussly to the week just passed these sights were viewed by me with indifference. But now they seemed revolting in the extreme. One exemplification of the satanic influence of liquor I saw with different emotions now from those of other days: a fair, beautiful girl, a moderate user of liquor, not reached to the depths as yet, but a wanton, for all her education, culture and refinement; beginning life in the midst of the influences of school, church and home, in the far Eastern States, but fallen through a man's heartless treachery, and that cruel and equally heartless judgment of society--that whited sepulcher, outwardly stainless, but secretly worse than the victims it stones with its merciless opinions. All the worse is this pharisaical spirit in that it lets the betrayer go free.

"Let him that is without sin cast the first stone." She was already passing her days in the midst of hell. And the original cause was liquor. Liquor? Yes, I knew her history. Her parents saw no harm in the moderate use of wine, and with the taste created in the girl's nature for the use, came that for "fast" society--and then ruin! Only eighteen years old, yet her feet had stepped on the embers of Hades. Was she lost, entirely lost? I hardly thought so. I believed her story, that all the glitter of erroneous ways, wine and fast society had

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been embraced in her eastern home because not discouraged by her parents. She said she had no care for those wild ways, but rather a disgust. I felt that she spoke the truth, for tears of genuine sorrow stood in the bright brown eyes, and I knew the possessor of such eyes had trod the path of sin, not through preference, but, as she said, "Through it seeming that at home no one cared what she did, until her disgrace, and then they had put her out and locked the doors of house and hearts against her." All this she told me while she sat in her own home, the finest in the little city, known as the "Retreat." She was occupying the day in painting, for her skill as an artist was only equalled by that which she had as a pianist. Her walls were covered with pictures of her own execution--such paintings! so sad and full of pathos. One was an ideal picture representing a fair maiden, with a feverish light in her eyes and a look of defiance on her face, sitting under a great tree on a lawn. Beside her was a young man, and before them was a serving woman with a tray on which were four glasses, two full of milk, two of red wine. With a smile of ridicule the young man placed his hand on the wine, and the girl, with flushed cheeks and defiant eyes, was reaching for the other glass of liquor, although it was evident that she preferred the milk. Behind her, unperceived by any of the three, stood a shadowy form, a man with a face of divine purity, who was gently weeping over the girl's error. Behind her companion was another shadowy form, black, and with a satanic countenance, his hand on the young man's shoulder and a smile of triumph on his evil features. Below the picture was the title: "The Defeat of Purity."

After I had studied long over the picture, I turned to its painter and said:

"That represents your life and its woe, does it not, Lizzie?"

She made no reply other than to break into a storm of tears. I waited for the cessation of her anguish, and as I sat, she dried her tears and replied:

"Yes, my woe. Oh, God! that I have fallen so low, and there is no hope! No hope! If I could, I would leave this

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sort of life and go away to begin anew where no one knew anything of me or my past. But I can not, for I can not get away; I have no means of support if I could."

"Your art, Lizzie," I suggested, gently.

"Yes, my art, I know; but I fear not, for I have no means adequate to a beginning."

It was from that girl's parlor I had, gone forth when, in the evening of the same day, Quong and I went into the mountains, and the grizzly bear episode occurred. That was a week ago now, and to-day I stood in the saloon of Charles Prevost and saw, engaged in conversation with the barkeeper, over a glass of sherry, Lizzie.

The barkeeper turned away to wait upon another customer, and at the same time I went up behind the girl and bending my head close to her ear, said, almost in a whisper:

"Would you not rather that sherry was milk?"

The hard look died out of the mournfully sweet face and a tear leaped to each eye and trembled there like a dewdrop, as she said, oh, so wearily: "Yes."

"Then come with me; let us go to your house."

We went, followed by the curious, misjudging eyes of the saloon idlers. Having arrived and having entered the parlor, I offered her a chair and took another myself. Then I said, as she looked at me wonderingly:

"Lizzie, let me rather say Elizabeth, for it is more stately, dignified, and so suits you better, you said you would rather it were milk; now, I know what you meant, that your soul yearned for the better life of which we were speaking last Monday. Well, I am rich; no one in the West dreams how rich. To me the loss or mere absence from my control of twenty thousand, or even more than twenty thousand dollars, would be unfelt; the income of a couple of months would replace it. Since we talked here last week I have thought of you many times; to-day I come prepared to-to, well, smother your pride, and accept this check on the First National Bank of Washington, D. C. Will you, Elizabeth, will you take it and go there; flee from the misery of to-day and begin life there anew?"

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"But, but-how can I repay it, if I do; or how will you know that I do not waste it and abuse your confidence?"

"My girl, I do not want you to repay it ever, in any way, to me. Use it as I ask; as for me the Savior has said: 'He that giveth even a cup of cold water shall in no wise lose his reward'; and again He said: 'He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it again.' If life, Elizabeth, what of money, which is so much less? I trust you. Will you take it from me as a 'cup of cold water' to save you from perishing?"

"Yes, if you give it in that way, I will, and as God shall help me I will be true to promise!"

How she kept her faith, dear reader, you will find by and by. But ---------- City knew her no more, nor was a trace of her destination known to any one there except myself. All that was known was that her finer pictures were boxed and consigned to a firm of picture dealers in New York City, via San Francisco and the Horn. This was a blind, for while the impression was sought to be conveyed that they were sold to the consignees, such was not the case, for nothing could have induced her to part with them except dire necessity. The less valued pictures were sold at an auction, along with her house and furniture, bringing quite a sum of money. Her own ticket, I was told a month or so later by a mutual acquaintance, a Catholic Sister of charity, may God bless those sisters! who went to San Francisco with her, was purchased for the city of Melbourne, Australia. The information surprised even me, and I thought her plans were deep laid, indeed. The Catholic Sisters gave me a small painting which Elizabeth had left for me. It was a picture of the Capitol at Washington, and under it the words in quotation marks, "Home, sweet home." The sister had never been in Washington and did not know what the subject of the picture was, nor had any other person seen it, so that not a soul but myself knew through the picture or in any way else where the fair, frail, but newly born to a high purpose, artist had gone.

Dismissing further special thought about her whom I believed to be saved, I began to reflect on my next actions. I

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felt, in thinking of my proposed visit to the Sach, as if I were about to leave the world; joining their order was, according to Quong, virtually, and perhaps in fact, leaving the world of ordinary humanity. As I walked along the streets after writing out the check for Lizzie, a wind-blown sheet of paper fell on my arm and remained until I picked it off. As I was about to let it flutter away, my own name on the paper caught my eye and aroused my curiosity. Then I read the entire note, and will repeat its words for your sake:

"Give not the rest of thy fortune away; so far thou hast given well, but do not rashly throw away the rest of it. Yet, as thy mining days are practically over, as well as thy life in this community, therefore sell thy share in the mine. It is a good mine, and will bring a high figure; yet be not discouraged if thou find not a taker for it now, but wait. Offer it now, for time is an essential.

M ---------------."

Whence came this message? I could not tell, and, strange to say, my usual abundance of natural cautiousness never suggested that the whole thing was an artfully planned scheme to defraud me. So far from such an idea occurring to me, I sought my partners and asked what they would give me for my third share of our joint property. The reply was not immediate. At last, one cautiously asked:

"Pierson, wily do you sell? Do you fear the 'pay' is petering out?"

I replied that I did not, but had reasons of a private nature. Then, too, I wanted to go home. They did not know that I meant by the word "home," a figurative rendition; that home was not Washington, the city which they knew I had come from, and that instead, I meant affiliation with an occult brotherhood. They promised me an answer upon the next day. To this I agreed, but "next day" came not for more than a month; when it did, the interim had seen a "strike" at our mine, uncovering what was, in the belief of the company, millions of dollars. In the "pay dirt," lying on the "bedrock," a lode

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of gold quartz was found which, according to the assay, ran into the thousands of dollars per ton. Unconscious of this coming good fortune, I left my partners engaged in debate and went out upon the street. At the appointed place and hour of seven o'clock in the evening, now come, I met the Tchin. Our meeting place was beyond the town limits, and night had fallen when I arrived. He sat by a tall pine tree, and I did not see him until I had been there., supposing myself first arrived, some five minutes. It was the night of the full moon of that lunar period, and I sat musing on a rock by the roadside, thinking of the myth of Morpheus, who with leaden scepter wafts the many into the dim land of dreams, the only respite from woe that weary millions of sufferers ever find on earth. But Quong was not to usher me into peaceful slumber; he was not come as Morpheus, but he was to introduce me into a realm which, new to me, was old in the earth since the first flight of years began back in the aeons of dead time, a realm that has existed from the time of the creation, the spiritual, far-away land of the soul, where the vagaries of dreamland are supplanted by verities stranger yet. I was about to enter on the path of Kabala, wherein travel those whose researches into the occult  come from an antiquity of hoary seers of ages past. Would I prove worthy? Then the Tchin broke in upon my reverie with the bidding,

"Let us go."

Strange as it may seem, I was in no wise startled at his sudden appearance. Soon we were among the rock-ribbed hills, and the pine forests waved above us, around us, and adown the slopes beneath our feet. Deer roamed here, despite the comparative nearness to the habitations of men, and many a bright flower was faintly visible in the moonlight, peeping from its shy retreat, wood lilies, tiger lilies, violets. My thoughts dwelt musingly on these natural beauties and seemed to say, "How fitting that they who, in love of nature, hold communion with her visible forms should go, from listening

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to the tongues of the visible, to take note of the various language wherewith she tells of things unseen." To the thrill of feeling which swept over me at the meditation, my very soul responded.

By the time we were fairly amongst the enforested mountains and the silences of nature, the night was well advanced. The moon's round shield now shone broadly upon us, or again peeped forth between swaying pines. Scarce a cloud floated in the heavens, the air was warm and still, the entire scene seemed a most appropriate introduction to greater beauties which I felt were about to be presented.

Then, as I beheld Quong ahead with his blue Mongolian blouse, and in the act of uncoiling his queue to cool his head, the sight acted upon my deep-seated prejudice against the Chinese race and, like a ruffling breeze, swept over my placid soul and marred my enjoyment, my serenity. For a moment I forgot the superiority of manhood in Quong, and there arose within me a repugnance to investigating, in the company of a Chinese, things which impressed me as sacred. My vanity whispered that, because he was a Chinese, he was my inferior; yet for the world I would not have breathed a word of it to him. I almost felt inclined to return to town, nevertheless.

Quong's voice interrupted this disagreeable train of thought, and his words became a mirror to reflect my conceited egotism so faithfully that I was aghast, and wondered that my own sense of justice had allowed such vain ascendance of meanness. Swept away at last was every vestige of the notion that nationality was of the smallest consequence where real manhood was under consideration. Replacing the narrowness was the conviction that, while one race may have more numerous exemplifications of nobility than another, none the less the individuals of every race may leap the highest social barrier and stand equal at last, because it is the soul, not the casket, which springs aloft to God.

"What said the Tchin?" do you ask? This:

"Alas for human vanity! It is more prolific of evil than any other emotion, makes men weak when they should be strong,

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cringe to prejudice when bravery is meet, and sows the seed of Injustice, which hath the flower Intolerance and the ripe fruit Iniquity."

He then turned to me direct, saying:

"Brother, ought the penalty earned by the depravity of the Chinese race to be visited upon me, who have no part in their iniquity? Shall the good stone in the pile rejected by the masons of society be also cast aside? Perchance, it might become the head of the comer. Oppression of tyranny is rejection, for it denies a man's rights. Behold, then, what a pillar of strength is built of the rejected stones of the nations upon the rock of the American Declaration of Independence! Yet, let it not be built too high, and never of any but choice stone, whatever its source, lest it become of ill proportion and fall in ruin!"

"Indeed, indeed! I knew not that you could so easily fathom my thoughts; nor did I know how illiberal I had grown through my vanity! Forgive me, my friend!"

"Ask not my pardon. I am not offended. But I saw clearly that you were doing yourself an injustice in allowing such play to prejudice. It was to set you right, not to humble you, that I spoke."

Somehow the beauty of the scene was enhanced in my sight. Like a gladdening rain laying the dust were the words of my friend, and my soul's atmosphere was cleared, so that all things appeared more lovely.

As we walked, a doe and her fawn stepped into the path before us. Their impulse, on seeing men was to take flight. But Quong held out his hand and called them as if they were pets familiar with him. The animals stopped, and returned along the path until within reach. He stroked them gently and as we passed on they followed behind. I was wondering if Quong, in his many solitary walks in the mountains, had not made a few pets, as, for example, these deer, and even the bear, when the idea was put aside by a new occurrence. As we came under an overhanging rock a puma, or "California lion" (Felix concolor), leaped into our midst with the evident

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intention of having venison for supper, indeed, had not the deer for which he sprang been too nimble, it would have been an instant victim; but it and its companion affrightedly closed about Quong, and the latter turning to the panther, said sternly, but in a calm, low tone:

"Peace!"

And there was peace, for the carnivore slunk down for an instant, like a whipped dog, then resumed a normal catlike attitude, and, purring, walked with soft, feline tread on one side, with the deer on the other side of the human mediator, and I, lost in amazement, brought up the rear. Verily, the fable of the lion and the lamb was realized in actuality.

"See, my brother, what it is to know the law and to live it; for I myself am a vegetarian, and the perfect peace such food allows renders my soul calm, so that I see the law as in a mirror. Behold proof of the truth in this occurrence!"

As he ceased to speak we halted in front of a huge lodge of basaltic rocks, some hundreds of feet in height. The ledge was broken and twisted as if by some rending convulsion. All about the base lay huge fragments broken off the face of the wall. Against the cliff rested a giant block many tons in weight. Touching this with his hand, the Tchin said:

"Here is our Sach, our Temple, so to say; this rock is guard at the entrance to a place remarkable, to say the least, if viewed from an occidental standpoint."

I looked in vain for the doorway, or any crevice which might lead into a cavern. Meanwhile Quong laid his hand on the great cat with us and said:

"Go!"

And the lion, pausing not, went leaping along in bounds, for these animals have such a limber spinal column that they can not run or trot like other animals not of the feline tribe, leaps by which it was soon lost to sight. Then Quong said:

"As it will not return here, these gentle deer would best remain; no other spot is so safe for them. Good bye, my little friends!"

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Continuing, Quong said to me: "Have you found the doorway? It is not strange that you should fail, for it was constructed with the special purpose of baffling the curious."

Again he touched the enormous quadrangular block. Immediately it tipped on edge and leaned outward over us, causing me to spring away in terror lest it fall on me. "Be not afraid, my brother. See, it is under my control as if on hinges"; and he swung it back on its lower outer edge with wonderful ease, only keeping his own nearest hand firmly upon it. To my amazed query he replied that it worked to his will through magnetism. But I saw no magnet, and said so.

"Truth! In me is the magnet you do not see. Did it ever occur to you that the processes of all life are carried on by what for our present purpose may be called magnetism? Assimilation of food and drink, waste, excretion, all vital processes whatever? The magnet is in the cerebellum or back brain, and in the medullary substance of the corporae striatum, a veritable wound magnet. The force which causes the heart to act, the lungs to act, maintains bodily heat, and so on, is enormous; it amounts to many hundreds of thousands of foot pounds per day. He that knows occult law can make nature parallel this magnet, for the universe itself moves only because of the current, which flows from positive to negative, from one-half of matter into the other half, continuously. Here, now, is an occult secret: make a place of separation in this, the Fire of Life, and where the poles come in contact there shall force be in action. This block of stone, the door, is an armature in a natural field of force. Here on the ground. is another."

Putting the door-stone back in place, Quong drew a circle on the ground about a foot across. Then in this circle a couple of lines in a simple cross, one north and south, the, other east and west. As the four ends of the cross were contacted with the circle, a tall, steady flame sprang up, its spear-shaped cone trembling within itself, but being wholly uninfluenced by the wind, which had some time before commenced blowing in vigorous gusts. Then sad the Tchin:

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"Behold the Vis Mortuus. Of all mankind only an occult student could bring it forth; only such a one could put it out, unless by accident. Touch it not; 'twould be fatal, on the principle that the greater contains all lesser forces, and it would instantly absorb the force of life, or of wind or wave, or projectile; it exists visibly here because on a thaumaturgic symbol. You think that symbol might as well be of any other form? So think those who comprehend not. See that moth darting about the flame of the light; it will enter, but not be burnt; no, quicker--see! it touches, and disappears, and leaves no sign--yet the light is not hot, no, not even warm. I will put it out."

Suiting his action to the word, he drew a stick through beneath the dust on which the circle was described, and the light in that instant was gone. Then another circle made he, drew but one line across it, north and south, then stepped into the figure, one of his feet on each semi-circle. Immediately his whole person was covered with a brilliant flame, so that he appeared on fire. I was exceedingly terrified.

"Do not fear for me! It is well with me. The other flame was negative odicity, and would have instantly been fatal to whatever motion touched it and have disintegrated its form; yea, a rock thrown into it would at once have disintegrated, or a cannon ball discharged from the muzzle of the piece would have fared the same. But this is a positive flaming of the Vis Naturae, and preserves life. I might stand here till the centuries mounted and be not weary, nor hungry, nor sick, cat not, nor drink, yet live; for this keeps all things untouched by time, as when they enter it. No difference in symbolic figures, think you now? Indeed, yes. But my soul will not progress; so that case of living though its use offers, I care not to employ its aid, except that when weary it gives me rest; ill, it restores health."

He broke the circle with his foot, and coming away, swung back the door-stone again and stepped within the tunnel disclosed behind it. [*1] I followed, the door was replaced, and I

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found that the passage led into the mountain. I was still thinking of the biblical legend of the rolling away of the stone from the mouth of the sepulcher of Jesus the Christ, and paralleling it with this act of the Tchin, aware now that neither were miracles, but manifestations of higher natural law, when we began to walk along the hall of the tunnel I following closely in the rear of my guide, whom I could hear but not see, for since the closing of the door-stone the blackness was appalling in its intensity. Mistrusting this blind guidance, I approached the wall, that I might feel my way, when suddenly all about me shone a marvelous white light. It was not emanant from any point, but all the air was luminous, for I observed that nothing cast a shadow, either below, above or on any side. 'Twas the same marvelous light I had once before seen in the cavern we had found together. After going about two hundred feet we came to a door made apparently of bronze covered with artistic cameo and intaglio figures of men and animals ranged about a double triangle inside of a circle. This door gave entrance to a large circular chamber not less than sixty feet across, with domelike ceiling ten or a dozen feet high at its junction with the wall, but over twenty feet in the center. The same wonderful illumination was omnipresent in this great apartment as in the hall outside. But I asked no questions; I deemed observation the better way. Here it was that Quong temporarily left me, going into another room through a narrow doorway closed by a portiere. I devoted the time to looking about me, examining the surroundings. I found that the chamber, like its approach, was hollowed from the living rock, only that while the beginning of the hallway was in a basalt cliff, the room was in a different formation, being in mineral-bearing rock. The central part of the walls and ceiling cut across a wide vein of gold-bearing gray quartz of hard texture. This lode, fully twenty-five feet wide, had on one side a granite ledge, and on the other red porphyry of the variety chiefly found in the quarries of upper Egypt. Beyond the granite was another lode of metalliferous rock, and in this one side of the room was reached without cutting into other veins. The

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porphyry almost completed its side of the chamber, but not quite, as a second body of gold quartz was intersected, but not cut through. Now imagine the extreme beauty of such walls as these when polished like glass, thus enhancing the veinings of the clouded rock and brilliant beauty of silver and gold, both native and in their ores, and not a few other metals and minerals.

The makers of the wonderful room had "builded like giants and finished like jewelers." But how had such an enormous task been accomplished, and when? A town of many hundreds of people lay but a few miles distant; but the inhabitants knew nothing of all this. It did not occur to me in explanation that its builders were of the Lothinian Brotherhood, and had formed their temple by the disintegrating force of the Vis Mortuus, into which I had seen Quong cast a stone and had witnessed its instantaneous disappearance. It was long afterwards ere I, musing o'er memory's pages, thought of this solution to the puzzle of the existence of the Sach, or Sagum. But when I did, I knew it for the truth; knew that neither pick nor drill, nor any tool of human kind had been used, and that what I had thought the result of years of patient toil was but the work of a short time. Yet this was the fact, my friends!

On the floor was a carpet of oriental variety. The fabric was of long fibers woven together at one end, but loose like hair at the other; in color a quiet gray. A footfall upon it gave no sound whatever, any more than would a carpet of eider down. Around the sides of the Sagum extended a wide divan, continuous except at the three entrances. Covering it and depending from its edges was the same silky fabric as lay upon the floor. The one article of movable furniture in sight was a singular looking stand made of brass, which stood in the middle of the apartment. Its top indicated that it was used as a brazier. I would have made sure of its real use, but refrained from asking, not desiring to appear curious.

"Weed, ask questions if you wish," said Quong, who had just returned. "Have no fear of seeming inquisitive. That is, as you suppose, a censer; its use will, appear."

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I was again astonished at my friend's occult powers, for his answer proved a clear case of mind reading. I now felt an unconquerable sense of fatigue and sleepiness, and without saying anything, or asking permit as I might more courteously have done, and would but for my being so sleepily stupid, sat down on the divan, and then reclined at full length; but this act seemed to arouse me so that I could not sleep. I tried very determinedly to do so ere finally admitting to myself that it seemed impossible.

"So you can't sleep? I will aid you."

Again the Tchin had fathomed my wish, for I had hoped as a last resort that he would offer to put me to sleep, having myself no doubt of his power to do so. He leaned over me, and touched a knob in the wall; a small door flew open, disclosing a number of shelves. From one of these Quong took a peculiar looking flute of reed pipe. Placing it to his lips he began playing an air which had a very familiar sound. Like some sweet, half-forgotten memory floating back from "Lang Syne," bringing an exquisite sense of pleasure and pathetic pain, so the wild, sweet notes brought to my mind a faint, indistinct recollection of some former delight. In trying to remember where--what--remember when--ah, me--sleep, had overtaken my senses.

It matters little how long I slumbered, whether minutes or hours; yet it must have been hours.

Footnotes

^272:1 NOTE.--This was in one of the walls of one of the vast canyons which seam the sides of Mount Shasta, in Northern California.--Author.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER III

 

TAKE THEREFORE NO THOUGHT FOR THE MORROW

When I awoke, rich, delicate perfumes, and the low hum of voices greeted my still slumberous senses. On opening my eyes, I found that Quong was by my side, having either remained while I slept, or returned before I roused. In the center of the room, sitting on the floor, I saw about a dozen people,

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each clad in a long gray robe. Quong had one of these robes on his person, and to my astonishment, I found myself attired in like manner. A high caste Thibetan, two Hindoo pundits and an Egyptian were, excepting Quong, the only foreign brethren, the remaining persons being American and English. The Egyptian was to the Sakaza what the Grand Master is to a Masonic fraternity. Understand that he was not a teacher in the sense that a professor in a college is an instructor. He was in himself more of the Way, more of the Truth, more of the Life of God than any other present. And hence, as in himself the highest plane, he stood before the rest as a pinnacle each might study, and rise unto. This man alone was standing.

Perceiving that I had awakened, Quong said:

"Let us seat ourselves in the circle, brother, that the ceremonies of the evening may commence."

When seated we formed two in a circle of ten persons, arranged in a ring in the center of the chamber, our hands clasped on either side by our neighbors, and so around the circle. In its center stood the brazen censer, and beside it the Grand Master. Presently this person began to speak in the best of English, giving a clear, concise statement of the wisdom-religion of the Lothinians. He disclaimed the idea that anything which was performed under occult law could be a miracle, and declared that no miracle had ever yet taken place in the world, because a miracle would be a contravention of law, and what was a violation of law but evil? It being evil, Jesus the Christ would have been the last ever to have worked one. Not a man or woman, it was asserted, and it is true, comprehends how these laws operate, or understands anything of their nature, unless such man or woman is an occult student. The world of science is more ignorant of these mysterious forces of Nature than even the sect styled "Spiritualists," for these do comprehend a little, but so very, very little as to expose them to fearful dangers, handling as they do forces so terrible when abused that their field of operation might well give pause to the wisest ere they trod therein. Yet science soon shall know, following the Cross-Bearer.

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Beyond admitting me to free hearing of what was said and done, no notice other than salutatory courtesy was paid me; that is, I was not invested with any membership degrees; no degrees can be conferred, for each is in self the degree represented. But the Adept, as I clearly perceived, had spoken so personally direct that I knew he addressed me. This was when he said:

"There is within this sacred place of meeting one who hath studied deeply; studied as scientific modernism contemplates all life, and ever hath the study filled him with melancholy, yea, even despair. He hath questioned of the stars, 'What art thou?' and no reply hath been given beyond that which astronomy, ever returns, 'Worlds, suns, blazing orbs, mighty beyond power of mentality to conceive.' And of the grass, and it hath said, 'I am of cells aggregated and vitalized by the spirit of nature.' The animal hath replied, but in Darwinian terms: 'I am a form evolutionized, and come up from protoplasm.' Man has he seen to be at the apex of animal life, and so he says of himself: 'Lo! there is naught but at one end the simple cell; at the other a complexity of cells aggregated. But to me the world and all its forms speak of action, and eternity; but of the immortality of man, of a soul or a spirit, or of God, nay, no word! Death ends all!' O my brother! speaketh not this joy, these griefs of thine, to thee of aught but magnetic vibration? Art thou blind to the message of God that the 'vibratory' joy or grief or 'unconscious cerebral action,' where by thou comest to a given knowledge, is but the method of thy life? And the animal, saith it not: 'Lo! I am a soul, and this animal body is fit tool for my soul powers, which, if they increase beyond the power of the tool to express, force me (the ego controlling) to cast it aside and seek a fitter tool in a body suited to my progress.' And saith not man to thee: 'O brother in darkness, I am at the apex of animal life, truly; in my admirably adapted physical body is a fit tool to prose cute to the utmost any and all material processes. It brings me to the wall of all physical life, and behold! it enables me, the ego, to reach the top of this wall, and find that I am a

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spirit, not a vital stone. And because of my sight, I will leave behind the pursuit of materiality for that of spirituality, and go even unto my Father's house, where are many mansions (conditions) of spirit, but where matter breaketh not in to corrupt nor steal the treasures.' Who hath asked, let him hear me. I have spoken. May peace be with thee."

I thought my friend Quong was speaking in a humorous vein when he said that the Adept, whose name was Mendocus, had not so much as opened his lips, or used his vocal organs at all. Not so, however; I was mistaken. Quong read my thought, and said:

"Nay, my brother, not in jest! Each of us has heard Mendocus, and to each it seemed that his national tongue was used; to me, my own; to you and five others, Anglo-Saxon; to the Hindoo pundits, their tongue. Because Mendocus spoke from his soul unto ours is the reason of this seeming paradox."

I thought at once of my Bible, which was a treasure to me above all other books, and of the passage wherein it is written:

"'Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language."

In answer to the unspoken thought, Mendocus, the Adept, turned to me and said:

"Verily, they spoke unto the souls of that multitude; it was no miracle, but law. The Bible is sound occult doctrine so far as the matter in it has escaped the revisers, and worse than revisers, the Roman Catholic interpolators and twisters of its truths. Thou doest well to read it; I have read it through eighty-seven times."

Here another brother joined with the remark: "The hearers and the speakers were to each other as a perfectly attuned violin to its bow, every string ready to respond to the least master-touch."

To this Mendocus added:

"They heard the speakers as thou heardst me, not with ears, for no aerial connection is needed between souls in sympathy, but the consciousness of what was said existed as does the consciousness

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of one's own thoughts; thou needst not speak thy thoughts that thine ears may convey to thy consciousness what 'thoughts thou thinkest. Neither are thine ears of more use in comprehending me. Yet because the thoughts did not originate in thy brain, but in mine, and so were external to thine, inner consciousness, therefore thou didst suppose that thou heardst me with thine ears, when it was thy soul which understood, for my voice I used not."

I now understood in the light of the mind-reading power which these students had revealed, why no question had been put to me concerning my life, my thoughts or will in regard to affiliation with themselves; they knew these things, through this ability, without asking.

Mendocus, Master, now requested attention from all present, and then made an invocation to God and to all occult initiates in this world and elsewhere in the universe. At the conclusion of this petition, he slowly raised his right hand, whence, after half a minute, he dropped it to his side and bowed his head. The wonderful light commenced to wane and, simultaneously with its disappearance, a blinding flash of light seemed to dart from the ceiling overhead, striking the censer by his side. Then succeeded that inky blackness which follows the midnight flashing of the lightning of heaven; but it was not destined to last very long. Soon in the deep darkness there was a  lightening which continued to increase until the whole interior of the Sagum was illumined by a lurid glow which rendered every object clearly visible. Like the other, it seemed not to emanate from any particular point, but as if the entire atmosphere were like red-hot iron, self luminous. The next instant I observed that the faces of the Lothins had assumed an exceedingly ghastly hue, bloodless in appearance as are the countenances of dead men. Their pallor was soon explained, however, when my eyes fell on the brazen censer standing in our midst. The gaze of every brother was fixed with unwavering intensity upon a small globe of blue fire which rested on the firepan. I noticed also that the self-luminosity of the atmosphere was gone, and that the light

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from the blue globe cast shadows. Although in size it was not larger than a filbert, yet its intensity counteracted the luridness of the air. It was beautiful in the extreme, but not dazzling. On the contrary it was cool and calm, resting the eyes. Evidently the light was the same as the positive flaming of the Vis Naturae with which I had seen the Tchin envelop himself. It trembled and quivered like a globule of molten, boiling metal.

Such absolute silence reigned, not even a sound of breathing being audible--that I turned a quick glance on my friends. Except for the glitter in their eyes as they gazed on the blue light, every one would have seemed only a perfect but non-vital semblance of a human being. Then my gaze reverted to the! object which centered the common attention. It had been growing, and, now of a size of half a dozen inches, was gloriously beautiful. Although I had seen no human agency concerned in its creation, yet I felt that it was produced by the occult knowledge of which I had witnessed so many other manifestations. Mind over matter. Marvelous, novel, all this to me, but I knew it was not miracle, although magical. "What is magic?" do you ask? Magic is the comprehension of laws not ordinarily possible to grasp by means of physical experiment, because their phenomena in general lie higher than the physical realm, just a little lower than mental or psychic operations, and partaking of the last to a major extent.

As I watched the blue globe, I gradually became en rapport with the mental condition of the Lothins about me. Instead of wondering what were to be the perfected dimensions and what the object of this glowing ball, I contentedly watched it, with a sense of perfect knowledge of its ultimate size and use. But this intuition aroused in my mind no train of disturbing conjecture. I thought of nothing, absolutely nothing, taking no thought for the morrow, or the next moment. My intelligent friend, try this once; try to think of nothing; to have no thought, not even the one that you are not thinking. I doubt your success in the attainment of such a state of mind; but if you are, happily, successful, you will remember to the end of

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your allotted years on earth how great was the sense of rest, of peace, of perfect joy, felt, not thought of, in that moment. Could you attain and then retain such a mental state for half an hour, you would become clairvoyant and clairaudient during that time, and both see and hear across the leagues of earth; aye! and be conscious of futurity, so that a prophecy then made by you would be found to come true in every detail, though in scope was over years mounting to centuries. You must perceive, then, what a beautiful condition the Lothins enjoy: thc whole present, and each way, from the present almost to eternity, is theirs to know. These states of mind are protracted with them, and in the quiescence which is theirs at such times, they find themselves en rapport with the architect of the world, and know His ways. Like Job are they then: hearing of Him by the hearing of the ear, their eyes also behold Him. [*1] Some few of God's works they can do, many more of them they can understand, laying the line on the foundations of the earth; entering the springs of the sea, knowing where light hath its way, and the place of darkness and the bounds thereof; yea, in this still time of their souls God opens to them even the gates of death, through which they go and return. But though they know all this, and so friend, might you, too, yet it is because the Creator shows them the paths unto the place thereof; and He will show you if you enter the occult door through which Christ has gone unto the Father. Follow Him, and greater things than these shall ye do.

Mendocus, Master, now perceived that the lurid glow of the atmosphere had been neutralized by the light of the blue sphere, which, full twelve inches through, rested motionless in completion, its glorious, radiant center of entrancing loveliness. He raised his hand slightly, as if giving an unspoken command. Upon this the sphere of light rose to a height of perhaps eight feet from the floor, where it hung without visible means of support. Again the hand waved in command, and the sphere moved horizontally over our heads to a point about fifteen feet from the center of the chamber. Here it

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was permitted to remain. Although every one present was intuitively aware of all that was about to occur, I will describe every incident for the benefit of my readers. Following the pure blue light came a sphere of intense indigo color upon the brazier, its process the same as that of its predecessor, and when complete it was assigned position thirteen feet from its neighbor, on the same eight-foot plane. Next came a sphere of violet, of equally intense brilliancy, differing only in color, not size. Then followed a globe of pure red, then one of orange, another of pure yellow, and lastly one of glorious green. Every one was at the same height from the floor, and equidistant, approximately, from its neighbors. Any attempt at describing the extreme beauty of these iris-hued spheres would indeed The futile, as they hung, motionless, above our heads.

Once again the Master gave silent order, and the spheres began to move horizontally around their common center. Slowly at first, gradually the speed increased until persistence of vision presented them to the sight as a great circle of light ninety feet in circumference; nevertheless the orbital revolution did not in any degree merge the colors into becoming white light. And now an additional feature of beauty was presented: as the seeming ring sped around, from each of its compound globes a shaft colored like its parent was simultaneously projected horizontally to the center, when, from the junction a. perpendicular column of light of purest white went forth, up-ward and downward, the one to the great quartz crystal in the ceiling overhead, the other to the carpet of gray below, for the censer had been removed from underneath. Thus was presented the spectacle of an enormous wheel, axle, spokes and rim, revolving at great speed, and all formed of imponderable light. Though it rested on the carpet, there was no scorching, for this was but Viviant Fire, positive, not the negative Vis Mortuus. Buddhism symbolizes the latter element as "Siva," the destroyer; it is the Fire of Death, the one wherein I had seen the moth perish and the stone disappear. There is an esoteric Buddhism as well as an exoteric, or

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religion of the masses, and the names of Siva and Vishnu, which to the exoterist are names of personal Gods, of the Destroyer and the Preserver respectively, are to the esoterist merely the terms distinguishing the obverse and reverse aspects of Nature, that is, growth and satiety, change and destruction.

Would power like this of the Lothins ever be mine? It seemed to me that if Mendocus, Master, had come to such wisdom, he, being but a man, could not do more than I--we were both souls. The wondrous temple in the heart of the mountain; the lighting of the darkness; the lifting of the great stone at the entrance; the Vis Viva and the Vis Mortuus; all this that I had seen and was to see, was only the work of men who had, in their calmness of soul and purity of heart and body, done these things because the Christ-Spirit, in the pure of heart, is perfect human and extends unto the Father. Could I not hope to attain the power of doing likewise? I asked myself, and knew that I could, for I was then in the peace of clairvoyance. Yet I saw not all that must intervene, not all the events of the nearer future, nothing of them, in fact, but only the more distant perspective of my soul's destiny.

"Verily," said Mendocus, "but not now, not until a time of trial be past. To thee, as to all other occult neophytes, will come moments of darkest doubt. and thy very soul will weep in the agony of despair. No, thou wilt not doubt the truth of hermetic wisdom at any time, but thine ability to acquire it only. Study, then, the principles of truth, not its phenomena only. For its own sake it is more to be desired than its works, though usually less attractive to neophytes. Thy doubts will be born of an imperfect conception of thine own self, a want of perception of symmetry; giving undue proportion to certain facts, and upon finding these of less importance than thy conception of them originally painted, thy heart will fail thee, for in themselves they are great, and if comparison declares them small, what power shall grasp the greater? Then will it be that thou wilt fear thou art but finite, and these things infinite, and thou wilt say to thy soul: 'My weakness is to

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these things as packthread wherewith to draw leviathan.' But this is not so, for no creature is more than the Creator, and thou art of the Father and joint Creator with Him. What shall prevail? Only Faith like that of the Spirit who overlighteth Jesus and all them that triumph over time. Woe unto thee if thou shall faint while buffeting the billows of doubt. Miserable indeed is the lot of such a one, for, debarred from. the society of the Brothers because, of his faint heart, he is yet possessed of a knowledge of something purer, better, higher than the ordinary ambitions of humanity. After his glimpse into the greater possibilities of his being, he disdains to resume his former sense-relations with the world. He can not descend to the world's level, nor raise his fellowman to his own height. So through the rest of his life on earth he is alone. My friend, there is no solitude so drear as he hath who is in the world, but not of it. Wilt thou venture onwards, braving this peril? At this point there is yet a chance of return without incurring the danger which follows when further advanced. Set not thy hand to the plow if thou canst not go to the end of the furrow; it is long and difficult to follow. The world hath not so hard a task as this to impose in all its power. I offer thee option."

Mendocus now watched me as I pondered the proposition. I felt that I could not in any event resume the old life; within me the fire was already alight, and the Sword of the Lord had cut off the old from the new, so that I felt it was between me and the past. No; "Onward, Christian Soldier," must be my song leading to victory. I was decided in my mind, though I had not as yet said so; but I had no need to utter aloud my decision, although, forgetting this fact, I was about to do so, when Mendocus said:

"Thou hast, then, decided to go onward. I am sorrowful because of it. For though thou shalt come forth at last as gold burned in the fire, yet the ordeal confronting thee is fierce. But I will not allow that thy feet go alone; for that were unwise.

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[paragraph continues] I will so do for thee that the step be not irretrievable, lest it perchance be as I fear. O, Brother! I fear me woe is thine!"

After this decision I was required to take vows of secrecy, whereby I was bound not to reveal any part of what I should learn in any manner which might give the hearer of my words practical use of what I told him. I might drop a hint which might be followed as a clue to the Voiceless Silence where blooms the Flower of Life; but, beyond a hint, my friend, I can tell you nothing. Of hints I have given many. Nor, were I to disregard my word, and divulge secrets of immediate working value, would you thank me. No, rather would you curse me. Why? Suppose we wit an instance: Suppose I were to reveal the secret of the Vis Mortuus, would you thank me? It is, remember, that force which may be projected in all its fatal strength to any distance and which is personified in the famous poem, "The Destruction of Sennacherib," in the line:

"The Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast."

Suppose I revealed that secret? How long would it be ere the world would find that the unscrupulous amongst men were using it to work undetectable murder? And its uses are many besides, for it is the principle in nature which governs transmutation, disintegration, decay, destruction, death. All these, but never does it build anew; it is Siva, the Destroyer. Used aright, it is a beneficent force, for without it there would be no progress in nature, because no change could occur--there could not even be retrogression, but utter stagnation. Its sign is . Much as that means to me, it can be but a hint to you. Study it if you will, and one day it shall be revealed to you. In reason you can no longer ask why occult matters are so imperatively secret, for it must be evident that this fair earth would be made by the unscrupulous into a very hell of misery and crime, were they not thus secret. For a time those who chose to subvert their knowledge would seem to thrive and prosper, even though the world about them suffered. But subversion of the law is violation, and the penalty at last visited is in tenfold

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degree upon those who went most astray in their blindness and sin. It would cause them to curse the giver of such wisdom. Nine-tenths of the people of this world are unable to govern themselves well; they cannot in saneness expect to be made sharers of such awful knowledge as Siva represents. Men and women are really not following the Christ until every part of their own nature is held in an iron grasp of merciless subjection to high principles. But study, my friends, study. Christianize the money power of this world, so that capital shall not work harm to men but good, and from good thus born the karma of the world will lead to the goodness of heart which gives calmness of soul; in that calmness your study will bear fruit, and then it will not be a mockery, in seeming, of your hopes for me to say "Study!" I rejoice in those earnest workers whose motto is: "Look up, not down; look out, not in; look forward, and not back, and lend a hand." Only this: the occult student gazes in, and not out! But these are not esoterists. Their name shall one day be great in the world, and though you who desire to study and know occult truths now may not see your hopes fruit in your present incarnation, yet in coming lives you will grasp these truths which elude you at present. Follow Him.

Before me, Mendocus, Master, had opened a view of life so radically different from the old, restless existence, that my heart grew warm, regardless of his prophecy that bitter woe was perhaps to be my portion ere I could enter the haven of my desires. The fact was that my optimistic nature deceived me with a hope that somehow I could manage to avoid the threatened sorrow, and, having escaped its menace, could go happily onward. Alas, poor me! I knew nothing of karma, and in that day knew nothing of Zailm of Poseid. Else, had I known, I would have trembled when the Master expressed his fears for my sake. I saw before me a great ocean of wisdom, flashing in the light of truth, its horizon defined only by the voyager's temporary inability to go farther, its depth measurable only by that of the Universe. Free from the dogmatism of cramping creeds and of superstition, that ocean reaches out

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into the eternity which enshrouds the stars as well as the dust in mystery, that mystery which veils the Creator from the created, veils it from the joint Creator, man, too, just so long as his soul shall lean to creation instead of to the Creator, his Father. Veils it until the aeons of time shall be swallowed up in eternity--beyond the stars, Earth, Venus, and Mars, when man shall cease to be man in becoming more than man, and Life the Less be gathered into Nirvana, sum of all the, parts. I repeat it, sum of all the parts, for it is not in any wise that horrible cessation of being which Sanscrit scholars have interpreted the word "Nirvana" to mean. They have misconceived the facts; it is not the end of life, except Life the Less, any more than the statement "God is nothing" (that is, not one thing, but the sum of all things) should be construed as a denial of the being of God, the Eternal Father of Life.

A change had come over the Master. Up to the present his attention had been that of one controlling a process. Now, with his back to the shaft of the wheel of light, he stood beside the censer, looking upward, his gaze like that of one beholding a sight pleasing, yet absorbing. At last he bowed his head and said:

"Welcome Mol Lang, friend and brother!"

I saw no one, but was aware that the person addressed could not be one of the Sach. Mendocus, Master, turned to the brazier by his elbow and struck it lightly with his outspread fingers, whereupon the fire pan became red hot. Then he thrust his hand into a pouch depending from his waist and drew it out filled with a white powder, which he cast on the fire plate, producing a dense white smoke. I regarded this as a mere ceremonial offering of incense, and thought it savored of superstition, for I had now lost my intuitive perceptive power, and could only depend on conjecture. This idea was scarcely formed ere abandoned, for the cloud of smoke rapidly took the human form, into which the solid appearance of genuine personality was introduced as the incense consumed, until upon the glowing stand stood a man of commanding presence.

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Some men seem to be not of any distinctive nationality but very citizens of the world, or, even more largely, representatives of the race, and one feels that they might be of this world or of any other capable of supporting human life. Such was the man before us. He was addressed by Mendocus as, Mol Lang, of Pertoz, and though I knew no such country, I unquestioningly accepted this appellation.

His deepset eyes, under massive brows, and a head of similar contour to that of the philosopher Socrates; his snowy hair and long, white beard, together with a soldierly erectness of person, made Mol Lang, the Pertozian, the very personification of occult wisdom, from my point of view; nor was I far wrong. His turban, which in fact was blue, mottled with brown, seemed, chameleon like, to assume different colors as the varicoiored spokes of the wheel of light passed by, not through him, but he through them. He wore a long, gray robe, depending from the shoulders and belted at the waist. On his feet, of goodly, delicate shape, were sandals.

The Pertozian stooped and put his hand on the shoulder of the Master, making some remark, the import of which I did not catch, then stepped to the floor with a light bound, and with Mendocus went to the divan and sat down, engaging in an earnest conversation, which they held secret from the knowledge of the others. Do you ask where our clairaudient, mind-reading ability was, that this converse should have been unknown to any of us? Unless one who knows that mind readers present are apt to exercise their ability desires to have them share his thoughts, they can not. He preserves as an almost unconscious habit the mental desire of having his thoughts remain impenetrable, and to such a will no human power can pierce the barrier it sets.

At length they returned to our circle, and Mendocus seated himself with us. The visitor then said:

"Though the men of Lothus have known others of my fellow Pertozians, few heretofore have known me; none, indeed, but thy Master. I am come to induct one of thy number into the land of the departed, while another I take home with myself.

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To you, Lothins, I need not say that the body is like unto a coat, to be put off or on at pleasure-by those who know how. I say this only for him known in the world as Walter Pierson, but unto me is Phylos. And some day the world will bear of him as Phylos the Thibetan, yet shall he not reside in Thibet in Asia, but shall be so called because he shall for a time live on the soul plane of the occult Adepts of Thibet. Unto thee, then, Phylos, I say when thou shalt be free of thy mundane body, then if thou wouldst go to any sphere of heaven, unto Neptune, or any planet or star, thou hast but to desire such transference of thyself, and it is accomplished. Wilt thou go with me this night, which is now nearly morning"

Where was this I was asked to go? I knew not clearly whether he meant the soul realm, or in fact just where he did mean to go. But my faith was strong, and I replied:

"Whither thou goest, I go also, for I have faith in thee that thou wilt do me no hurt."

The faith inspired in that hour by the gentle dignity and kindly love I saw beaming from those deepset, calm gray eyes, has known in all these subsequent years no cause for regret; nor for the action which my faith then inspired me to make, has this heart any but a feeling of supreme thankfulness that the Christ-Spirit then put it into my soul to have that faith. I fancy I bear some reader, timid at the prospect of trying the unknown, which might for all I knew at the moment include my corporeal death, saying: "How came it that you felt so sure of Mol Lang; did you not fear he was a devil?" No, I did not, for I was under the protection of goodly men, into whose midst no demon could enter more than night can reign beneath the noonday sun. At least one of my protectors (Mendocus) had arrived at a finality so far as earth's present cyclic age can teach; the physical nature had no secrets from him; but the illimitable realms of the Father hold many "mansions" besides the universe of matter and the house of light, or the dwelling place of darkness. In this mansion of the material universe nothing remained for Mendocus to gain; he stayed but to give. Death

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had no power over him; he was supra-mundane, and until himself otherwise elected, he must live; only the word of God (the true Logos) by himself invoked could "loose the silver cord." Would you, protected by such an one, fear demoniacal influences? One other query of the multitude you may desire to ask, I will answer. You inquire how these highly favored ones of God can be certain of the truth of their intuitive perceptions, and I answer: the man who lives in his spiritual nature does not believe, but knows that his being is one with God the Father, the Great Parent. And his spirit speaks by the voice of intuition, informing him by a single flash of that which otherwise he would be long years in learning by external methods of investigation, if, indeed, externality could ever impart the knowledge. His spirit gives him from its own source, the Father, an effortless, instantaneous perception of facts, principles and things. I am reminded of the words of Mol Lang to me in this connection: "Phylos, some day thou wilt comprehend this: Earth is a letter in a seven-fold alphabet; the stellar universe is but one book; its pages truly are myriad, its chapters legion, yet, besides this book, the library of the Creator is of endless number."

It occurred to me that we were the ones who should thank our visitor, and he not thank us at the conclusion of his remarks, for it seemed to me a lecture of wonderful power. A few minutes later he turned to me and said:

"Phylos, art thou ready to go with me now?"

I replied affirmatively, as did Quong, whom the visitor called Semla, when the same question was put to him.

Gravely the Brethren arose and took the hands of the Tchin in their own, as one by one they said to him, as to one going into a far country to return not for years, and perhaps not forever, "Semla, may the peace of God attend thee evermore; fare thee well." Then Mendocus, Master, said: "Semla, my peace I give unto thee."

I noted the difference in valedictory, and at another time asked of Mol Lang and received the explanation that while the Brethren could not give peace, not yet themselves perfectly

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possessing it, Mendocus, Master, having it himself could give it, especially to one who, like Semla, was so near its attainment. To all these Semla said, quietly:

"Peace do I wish thee."

To me no such farewells were accorded, for they said, "We shall see thee here again." This to me was unpleasant, in the frame of mind I was in, but I concealed my feelings as well as I was able, and replied as kindly as they spoke. Then Mol Lang said, "Come."

He started forward to the door of the Sagum, and I should have followed without looking back, had it not seemed as it some one touched me. Imagining that some Brother wished to speak with me and had thus called my attention, I turned and saw that which will never fade from the tablets of memory! Lying on the long, soft silk of the carpet was a human form. Looking more closely I saw that this was my own physical form, my body, my materiality, in short. In the act of raising it from the recumbent position were four of the brethren, two on each side. Others were doing a similar act for the corporeal shell of Semla. It was my consciousness that something was being done to my earthly body which f had mistaken for a touch. It had not occurred to me that I was divested of my mortal casket, so easy had been my disembodiment.

"Death is, after the agony of illness for those long sick, as easy and pleasant an experience," said Mol Lang, in answer to my mental reflection. "If thou wert not to re-enter thy corporeal body again, this would be death for thee," he added.

I was so greatly amazed at this last phenomenon that I stood still, saying nothing, as I watched the bodies being removed from the main apartment and laid on couches in a smaller room. Mol Lang then remarked:

"Essentially this is death. Behold then, body death is but a casting aside of the grosser forms of life, which have served their purpose. As thou wilt return, this is not absolutely death for thee. Semla will not return. His body is therefore dead. When real death takes place, the gross body

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is cast off, and the sword of the Lord  cuts it off, and Siva  takes possession of it and distributes it to the elements, in order that Vishnu  may receive it for new uses from Brahm ###9675### the Creator. Then the soul is free for a great length of time, compared to that spent on earth. Though the astral shell can come into spiritualistic circles and manifest through mediums, yet the I AM comes not into any earthly condition until it returns for reincarnation; and then always on a higher, never on a lower plane of progress, still exists a penalty of sin, or, what is the same thing, incomplete severance of one's self from desires for earthly experiences. Will ye prefer Earth to Life?

"We go not immediately to mine own home, but into that realm where those go who have died from earth into devachan, that is, heaven, or the 'Summerland' of the 'Spiritualists,' or the 'Land of the Obb River,' or, again, to 'that bourne from whence no traveler returns.' Phylos, the sect known as 'Spiritualists' are in error when they speak of 'spirit communion' and regard it as they do, for no ego returns out of devachan except it be forced, and this is harmful and vastly unjust to the ego. [*1] The astral soul and animal principle may thus return, but the I AM never. To the latter there is no past earth state; mind, I do not say for it, but to it. That is, it has no consciousness of anything earthly or of anything occurring on the earth. We can go to them, but they can not come to us. Let us, then, go."

The mind works quickly, and ere we had reached the bronze door, my consciousness had mastered the truth that death is not in itself agony; that it brings no startling changes, and does not invest the soul born into the hereafter with any wonderful power of foresight. In fact, there is but freedom given from the earthly body, and a few concomitant powers bestowed; nothing remarkable, considering that earth has no more hold on the soul. I speak of those who in mundane decession seek disenthralment from earth, having but little love for its conditions, though much love for its children. Such as

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these have worked for their brethren and accumulated a good and high karma which takes them away from the prisoning conditions of earth.

Mol Lang here interrupted my reflections, saying:

"One thing else; let us leave thy second self, that part of thee which perceives earthly things and preserves earthly memories. This in order that no disturbing comparisons may arise between that state into which thou goest and the earth behind thee, which thou shalt not see more than they can who really die. But between thee and earth will I preserve a vital link formed of thy second natural principle, so that it shall not be death to thee."

Then he said: "I believe I have no further use for this transient form."

Had an uninitiated observer then been present, the astonishing, not to say terrible, spectacle would have been presented to him or her of a man dissolving into smoke, for Mol Lang liberated the bonds of his smoke-form and it floated away in formless cloud.

Mol Lang laid his hand on my head, and as he took it away I no more remembered anything of the world. I dimly saw before me the bronze door of the Sagum; I knew that Mol Lang opened it, and that we three stepped forth, not into the long hall of the temple, but into an open expanse of green, sunlit meadow or prairie land. But it was no surprise, for I remembered nothing of any special features of earth life: I only knew that I was I, and that I was in a pleasant land; it was much like a vivid dream; no one in viewing a dream landscape is conscious of any other belonging to and seen only in waking hours; the faces in dreams are natural, not novel, not strange, and when seen are not compared with those known during wakefulness, for knowledge of the latter state is blotted out during sleep.

Mol Lang spoke:

"Thou hast come through the portal; lo! physical nature and laws do not reign here; they reign in the objective world, but not here, for this is the subjective world, in no sense physical or

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existent, nor perceptible to senses belonging to matter. Yet it is real, for Spirit is real, and subjective states, no less than objective ones, are born of the Spirit of the. Father. This is another of the Mansions in His House. It is farther from the earth than the farthest star of the sky, because in no wise of material nature. Things of earth to the inhabitants of this world are but dreams, and vice versa. To either, the other seems unreal. This we are in is the 'Far away home of-the soul.'"

I listened to Mol Lang and had ears to hear, so that I understood. Earth, of which he spoke, was vague, and knowledge of it as an almost forgotten dream. And the vagueness was because that principle of my terrene nature which was the seat of earthly sensing, and of memories of things perceived, was left with the body, This principle might visit a spiritist medium and it would be called me. Yet it would not be me, but my shell, my link of connection between my spirit and my corporeal body. Friend, you will agree that an author is reflected in his autobiography; but that book is not the author. No more is that which has its "actions, passions, beings, use and end" in the body the MAN. Yet that book may live and guide men to action. So may the astral shell of a man or woman who is dead. And the vitality of the medium may galvanize that shell so long as its influence governs any living earthly man or woman. Hence we see the phenomena of the "circles" of believers in spirit communion. There is no return of the ego (the I AM) to circles, neither communion from their plane down, though sometimes from your plane up to theirs. And yet you persist, my spiritist friends, in saying that I am in error. You say that what I call "shells" can not be such because they tell of events after death. Yes; they do, I admit. And they do because they are but records of the ego which for a few brief moments at death is sometimes highly prophetic, and sees forward over every detail, frequently for coming centuries. Or again, the departing soul catches a glimpse of its own self-conceived devachan, and the record of this is imparted to the shell, which carries such views to the spiritist

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medium. Witness the often absurd description given of the character of the "spirit-world," and that through honest mediums, too. They give none of CHRIST, save where two or three are gathered in His name.

Mediumship is true; its ordinary explanation is false. The medium goes into a trance, his or her vital force is transferred to the "control" which is but a shell, and not the true spirit or ego. Then the hearers enjoy a "communication." Like a reader of a book of record is that medium; events of the past are retold, and more or less accurate prophecies made; the shell lives for the nonce a galvanic life, just as Poe lives anew in the person of an elocutionist rendering "The Raven," from the rostrum. Just so long as the "Commentaries" influence mankind, just that long will the "spirit" of Caesar control mediums; and while the Book of Mormon retains its hold on the deluded masses of Utah, so long will the "Prophet Joseph Smith" influence sensitives. But I grow prolix. Let us therefore turn to the world of effects, and see what it presented to our psychic perceptions. Will you come with us and see what we three saw as we went forth across the plain which confronted us at the door of the Sagum?

Footnotes

^281:1 Job xiii.--5.

^292:1 I Samuel xxviii, 14-15.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER IV

 

PAYING LIFE'S REWARDS

"Phylos," said Mol Lang, "thou shalt now presently behold a man, all in a world of his own. He may not come to us, but we will go to him, and enter into perception of those things which he sees, and because we enter into his perception, therefore we shall be fellow spirits with him, not mere images of his conceptions. Then shall his environment seem as real to us as it does to him; nevertheless his world is (except for such visitors as ourselves, and those few, or perhaps many other

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souls who are on his identical plane) merely a world of him own conception; it exists not for him who is his neighbor, who will be, as we shall see, on a different psychic plane. Both persons will be existent in the Mansion of the Father, who thus giveth His beloved rest.

"Let us enter into the state of that man; he is an inventor from the world of cause, and all about him shall we find evidences of his inventive dreams, which here seem to be real to him. On earth, he in imagination beheld multitudes of his fellow beings using his adaptations of mechanical and natural forces. He had motor railways which were free to the public, none indisposed to pay were obliged to do so. And he had designs of coin, which the mint (owned by himself, as he had desired while on earth, so that he might correct abuses) minted free for use by the people. So also with all other things which he had hoped to see realized on earth. Yet he died without it, and coming to the world of effects, finds it all (to him only) a fact. We will walk across this plain to the grove yonder, a mile."

For some time after this we walked in silence, each content to note the beauty of the scenery. Gurgling brooks meandered through flowery meadows, groves dotted the perspective, while far away on the horizon was a line of blue hills. When we came to the grove designated by Mol Lang I saw that we were at a station, where cars of strange appearance stood on a network of tracks. People were coming and going past this central point in all directions. The cars had immense spidery wheels, many yards across. A light flight of metal stairs led to the top of a tower; the tower was also an elevator, so that while some people walked up, others were hoisted to the top, where, several rods from the ground, they stepped into the body of the car; then an engineer on the car manipulated certain machinery, and the immense wheels began to revolve, swifter, swifter, and yet swifter, until the great, light vehicle could be seen moving at an amazing speed across the country, up and down hill or around curves with equal facility.

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"Let us take a ride," quoth Semla. So we walked up the spiral stairs, and there found a pleasant man in uniform, who asked if we would pay or not.

"Yes," said Mol Lang, "I will, but my friends will not." Thereupon he produced a coin of gold, and while the official was making the entry in his book, Mol Lang handed the coin to me to look at, and I saw that it bore a face of a man, and around the edge the superscription:

"MERTON FOWLER, THE PEOPLE'S FRIEND."

"What conceit!" thought I, whereupon Mol Lang smiled slightly, took the coin from me and paid it over. The official asked where we would go, and for answer Mol Lang said: "To the Falls." The official knew of no such place, but said that he would put us on a car, the engineer of which would know. He conducted us to a car on the other side of his platform, and having entered, we were soon speeding away like an arrow for swiftness. The stops which we made were numerous, all for the purpose, so the engineer explained, of complying with Merton Fowler's rule that all who rode on his cars must inspect his many inventions. The variety of these was bewildering to me, and so many of them seemed to be in operation solely for the purpose of demonstrating peculiar mechanical principles, that I will not consume space for description. At length, after traveling across half a world as it seemed, though not taking a tedious amount of time, we arrived at a splendid group of buildings. Then the engineer confessed that he knew nothing of the Falls, except that he had heard his master speak of them as existing. He would go to him. Accordingly the car ran up before an edifice which looked like an office, and there he put us in charge of another person with directions to take us to Merton Fowler.

That gentleman we found in a palatial environment, where things were of great beauty, but where all seemed to be mechanical contrivances, and to exist for that great underlying principle of the designer, the systematization of his knowledge, and the putting of it to more or less utilitarian uses. It was a very paradise for a machinist, but I was not a machinist,

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and it fatigued me. The number of people was amazing. Mol Lang said that not all of these were mere ideals of that prolific mind, Fowler, but that on the contrary, many of them were real personifications, a few of whom were media like ourselves, but the majority "dead," that is, disembodied souls who were on the same plane of invention and realization as the real mind in control, Merton Fowler. He was the chief here, the others similars. I asked where the Falls were situated, and the inventor, Fowler, replied that a certain author of his acquaintance lived there, and had the pleasure of listening to a mammoth pipe organ made for him by the inventor, "By myself! All men whatever," said this egotist, "are beneficiaries of mine, and recognize me as the chiefest of human kind, and greatest of all living people!"

I turned away in contempt of such mammoth conceit and vanity, and as we left Mol Lang said:

"That man is arranging his concepts of a Christless life as gained on earth. When all is assimilated, he will recarnify on earth, and from his early childhood self-conceit and self-admiration will be his ruling characteristics. In his last life on earth he sowed the seeds of the one to come. Here, he enjoys the growth of those seeds. Here, too, will the harvest mature, and when all gather, he will take it to earth again to replant. Thou mightest ask what good cometh of perpetuating such vanity. I would reply: 'First, 'tis the law of God. Secondly, out of his future egotism will arise self-confidence.' His spirituality of temperament is large, his animal qualities well balanced and strong, and the good of all his conceit will manifest itself next as a governor of those forces which will lead men forward. Ere he died on earth he was a retiring man, timid, feeling himself never appreciated. When he next appears there will be a strong soul, and a leader of men to higher levels of life."

"Truly," I said, "all things under the hand of God work together for good!"

The Falls were in the devachanic realm of an author, who, while on earth, was a very pleasing writer, albeit extravagantly

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hopeful in his imaginative excursions and thought plays. This was, indeed, doubtless the reason of his popularity as an author. His mind dwelt on the sublime in nature, and on the good, the true, and the beautiful. Here in his heaven he lived his books, and found all about him the characters, the emotions, the delicate imagery and the sublime beauty which made his pages seem real to their readers, and over which tears of sympathy were shed by most perusers. To him also, these things, figments of his imagination when penned, were here become what his desire had always painted, realities, and he enjoyed the seeming actuality, nor knew it but as a dream of his life's nighttime. "Of what use, since it was only a dream?" I answer: these glorious creations of the imagination all make for that high spirituality, that keen sympathy of soul which shall soon bring about the universal Brotherhood of Mankind; it shall dawn with the dawning of the new century, creedless, boundless, asking nothing of any affiliate except high, unfaltering aspiration and action. And this author, who has been in his soul-home these many centuries, shall be one of its prophets, recarnified.

We found the Falls in a vast gorge, deep as the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas river. It connected two great lakes of rare loveliness; not the Scottish lakes or Lake Champlain are more beautiful, though either were as great as Nyanza. Over a cliff half a mile high, and in the form of a double horseshoe, each more than a mile wide, were two magnificent falls of the river, separated in the center where the middle points of the two curves met, by an island. From this cliff rose three tall conical needles of rock, up, up, up into the air, over a thousand feet each one. Around each was a spiral stairway chiseled in the enduring granite of the stream, and from top to top of each swung a suspension bridge. From the one overhanging the falls run two suspension bridges swung on great cables, miles long, reaching as they did the shores on either side of the river by a diagonal course. I felt sure that the inventor, Merton Fowler--would have conceived no such bridge, because his mechanical training would have told him such lengthy bridge-cables

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would break from their own weight. But this author, who was no engineer, saw no such difficulty, and consequently his concept found no bar to execution in his imagination. As it was not objective, but subjective, it existed for him, and as we were temporarily on his plane, and perceiving through. his senses, we also saw them and found them real; and to all on his plane they were real, subjectively real. But earthly eyes could not have seen them, for they see nothing except objective realities. And both states are real, but to those on the respective planes only. If the things of the spiritual are foolishness to the natural man, so are the things of the natural world too the devachanee. But I digress. The myriads of people, creations of the author's mind, used his bridge; they lived in a Utopia of his creation, and the whole was a very heaven. It all nurtured his spirituality, his reverence for God, his constructive sense even, as well as his sense of sublimity. His soul has almost assimilated the whole of these "steps toward God" and it is almost ready to recarnify as one of the deeply artistic, constructive, reverential souls of earth; one of the nobly beautiful, Godward turning leaders of the race. Is he not a worker for the Father? "By their works ye shall know them." And while and because he leads, he himself will draw nearer, with every passing hour to God; nearer to Nirvana, that glorious resting time of all the lives, out of which the spirit of man shall wake to find itself more than Man, find itself one of these sublime World-Spirits whose glittering forms fill the skies of night! Or servers of the Father in some other untellable way.

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The fact must be sufficiently obvious that the life between the grave and the cradle, life in the world of effects, is a life of assimilation of results due to causes set in operation while on earth, the world of causality. It is the character-forming realm, where effects are so arranged as to present them as causes in the succeeding earth life; not in the shape of segregate influences, but as traits of character, giving rise to well-defined policies in life on the part of individuals. Like attracts

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like, and if parents have certain influences governing their lives at critical times, the soul in devachan, which is perforce seeking rebirth on earth, will seize the opportunity presented of finding Its similars, similars at that time, though perhaps at that time only, like itself, but never so before, possibly never to be so again; suffice it if there be a concordant trinity at the time. There is no accident, no chance, in the Universe; all is immutable law, cause and effect. Zerah Colburn, whose precocity in mathematics whilehe was yet a little boy amazed the world, did not inherit his powers of calculation. Mozart did not inherit what neither of his parents possessed, though it is true that the maternal mind did provide attractive mental similarity by her own love for music, prenatally experienced. Atavism has been invoked to explain these cases of infantile precocity when it has been well known that neither parent had the traits which seem to have been passed to the offspring. But atavism will not wholly suffice. The question of heredity is a deep one; parents are moved by special influences, and children of that time are souls attracted from devachan to their mental similars. Such was the young Zerah Colburn: such the infant prodigy, Mozart. Zailm Numinos might have told you that Colburn was a noted Atlantean mathematician had he not neglected it in his history of Atl. And Mozart was Aleman the poet and lyrist of Spartan Greece.

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Night seemed to be coming on; the air was pleasantly cool, and we found ourselves, after a long sail on a lovely body of water, standing on a shore whose sands and pebbles were of agate. Bamboo fringed the lake margin, and many graceful houses in quiet nooks dotted the varied landscape. The country bore some resemblance to the land of Japan, and indeed we found that we were in the concepts of an American who had resided for many years in Japan ere his entrance to devachan.

We went into a spacious veranda of a house of fine appearance, which in architectural style was a general combination of things, most comfortable. Contrary to Japanese customs,

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we found easy chairs instead of mate or rugs, and in these chairs we took seats, Mol Lang saying we would be welcome to do so. Ere long a servitor in Japanese costume appeared and placed a table before us, and upon it laid covers for five persons. Presently a handsome, elderly man, with a young girl, who, I judged, was his daughter, came out of the residence, and exchanged salutations with us, after the manner of true gentlefolk. This was as Mol Lang afterward explained, the real ego about whose imagery all things in this place clustered. The lake, the tropical vegetation, the remodeled Japanese people whom we met, in short, all effects here, were arranged in accord with this man's ideals. In them he saw realized his dreams of a quiet, care-free, hospitable life, and because he saw them, we also saw them, for Mol Lang had insinuated our perceptions into this man's soul plane. With him we partook of a generous supper. Liquors were not on his table, nor could any have been found in all that soul land, for the man was a total abstainer. Of course, the people whom he believed he saw, and who, for him, resided in this, his country, used no liquors more than he, for they were either his imagination's concepts, or, if real individuals, were in sympathy with the master mind, else they had not been there with him. But all this he knew not any more than one who in slumber dreams, knows at the time that the vivid dream personages and places exist solely for himself. Sometimes, truly, a night dreamer really goes away with another harmonious soul, the two being real souls on a psychic journey, it being no dream, but a fact.

This man, in all of his princely extravagance, his artistically beautiful buildings, the richness of raiment of the people whom he conceived, the statues, fountains, groves, all, things, was but quaffing imagined joys, wholly unconscious the while that they were subjective creations. They were all conceived for a single purpose, pursuit of which formed his chief joy, that of caring for the happiness of his daughter. She was his idol, his joy, the reason for being, he would have said. And she was a pretty girl, though not to my mind beautiful. She was engaging, witty, well educated, and accomplished. But I have seen many

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such, and thought of her as only one of hundreds I had known. We were invited to stay indefinitely in this home, and, upon Mol Lang's suggestion, accepted the offer. Days passed rapidly in this paradise, of which our host's home was the central attraction. He had great parks, and gave splendid entertainments to scores of happy people. His house was a palace in itself. The libraries, the art gallery, with thousands of fine paintings, all this, and more, made life so pleasant that several months bad elapsed ere our party of three bade him adieu. In it all we saw that the gay life was for the sake of the daughter, and held little pleasure for the father. The art gallery, too, was added to his home for her sake. The libraries were for both, and, as he said, he thought he took more pleasure in books than she did; to him books were sacred treasures. But it was in music that his soul found ecstatic rest. Such divine melodies and such exquisite technique and feeling as he exhibited in his rendition of fine music I had never even dreamed of, much excellent music as I had heard. It was as the fable of Orpheus come true. Hour after hour he played for me, while Semla was away with Mol Lang, and my soul responded in a thrill which swept it with sublime joy, until it seemed as if my being had become a personless, throbbing, sobbing stress of harmony, that could flee on the winds and set the souls of men pulsing, beating in unison! I knew that the player was a companion to me in it all. We were two souls on the same plane, reaping identical experiences.

At last a day came when Mol Lang said: "My friends, let us go hence, for other things claim our attention. A few hours here must suffice us. We will go where the daughter of this man really is."

My friend had, I thought, spoken of the months of our tarrying in this paradise in a figurative sense when he said "a few hours." But he had not; it was really only a few hours as the people on earth had counted the same interval through which we had so recently passed. Time is, after all, only R measure of so much done by or to him who experiences its lapse; myriads of people have lived a whole century during ten minutes

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of other people's time. Mol Lang's remark about our being ready to go where the daughter really was I could not comprehend at the time, nor did I know for years, all because my own astral had been left behind in the Sakaza on earth; I had no means of comparison of ideas. The place I was in was the only place existent for me; that is, it and the country of the author and that of the inventor, Fowler. These I knew of, and for them a memory shell had been formed by me as I went through them; not that I was conscious of such a process of creation; I was only aware of the memories which were retained for me, and which seemed part of myself. But Mol Lang explained only that the American really had not his daughter with him, but only his ideal of her ever before him.

On our departure we went down to the lake and got into a boat, and as we traveled, somehow it seemed as if, without my knowing just how or when, we had left the boat and the lake, and were in a garden, walking amidst a profusion of flowers. It was unaccountable, but did not particularly surprise me nor long occupy my attention. No one is ever astonished at anything in the psychic realm.

It was a city garden, and, situated on an eminence, the residence of the owner commanded the view of a great city, extending in all directions. The house was evidently the home of a person of refinement, and while evidences of wealth were numerous, these seemed to be adjuncts of comfort, instead of a display of riches. No person could long be amidst the influences of that home, to which Mol Lang admitted us, without feeling that the owner believed herself to have a great and sacred mission in life.

"This is the daughter,, said Mol Lang. "The girl whom we saw in the other home was the daughter, as the father imagined her to be when he died, leaving her at that age. See how different is the woman from his conception of her. I bring thee here that thou mayest see what difference exists between the devachanic concepts of the soul and the objects conceived of. It illustrates the saying that 'heaven is what we make it.'

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At that moment a lady entered the room, evidently on business; her manner was full of power. She seemed not to perceive us, and after a little I coughed slightly to attract her attention. Mol Lang smiled in amusement, as he! said:

"Phylos, thou mightest cough long, and she would not know of thy presence. Why? Because we are temporarily on the earth, and I have given thee power to see earthly conditions, that is, while we are on the earth, for it might be all about us yet if we were in a different psychic condition, the earth would not be near, but vastly remote from us. This lady has not yet come to the change called death. She is one who labors to place woman on the proud basis of independence, proud, because rightfully hers. But woman will never attain to it until she does so by self-effort; nothing is won worth the having except by self-effort. When she so wins it, she will be by the side of man, not above him, for woman is not man's superior; neither below him, for she is not his inferior; but beside him, for man and woman are equal in all things. It will be a blessed day for humanity when this time comes. This lady and her sister workers are now guiding those dwellers of the earth who have not such clear understanding of the needs of the times; and they will succeed, more or less, during this century, but not brilliantly, since no great reform, nor anything greatly good, can succeed in any century, decade or year nominated by the number nine. Hence, human hopes will wax on wane, will seem to go forth to victory, but will meet only failure until the new century. Darkest of all the years will that be which is just before the dawn. This brave leader we see here will see Hope set in that last year like a star in the west, and she will die then, despairing, though hoping, with prophetic Mackay, that 'Ever the truth comes uppermost, and ever is justice done.'"

For a considerable time after this we were silent, for Mol Lang seldom spoke without definite cause, and it now served his purpose better to be silent. I spoke next:

"What good can it be, what good can be achieved through such bitter disappointment? Such heartache?"

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"That which cometh ever from all things. 'Man never is, but always to be blest,' is wholly true. And it is not from the hopes we are able to bring to realization in earth life that our devachan, our heaven, is made; but from those hopes, longings, aspirations and determinations which through life are our dearest desires because we have never been able to satisfy them. They have the most happy heaven whose high-soaring souls have ever been forced to be content with the mere view of Caanan from their mountain lookouts. Let no poor, disappointed soul on earth mourn because of life's unsatisfied longings, for we do not know to-day whether we are busy or idle. In times when we have thought ourselves indolent, we have afterward discovered that much was accomplished and much was begun in us. These beginnings are fruitful, indeed, for they bestow upon us our longed-for aspirations, 'over there' if we will, in His way."

During this discourse of Mol Lang I had glimpses of the whole, both of earth and of heaven. A thing which struck me with a feeling of peculiar anguish was that that gentle soul who thought he lived for his daughter, really had not that daughter with him, but only his self-created image of her. I had not thought of the fact that even on earth we do not have our friends, but only our concepts of them; that our supposed friend may really be our secret enemy, but if we know it not we remain happy in our ignorance. Mol Lang observed the feeling on my part and said, as he turned and placed an arm around me as we walked onwards:

"Phylos, beloved son, feel not so! When the day cometh when this lady shall enter the devachanic life, then whenever and wherever she has ideals and concepts like those of her father, or he like hers, then will they two be really together, 'two souls with but a single thought.' It is the same on earth; only identity of thought makes nearness of souls. As the grand march of souls following after Christ draw nearer unto God, those planes where all souls are together in the thought and concept will be the planes mainly occupied by humanity, till at

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the glorious last, none shall be apart from any other, or from the Father."

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The room and its earnest worker had faded from view. Instead of it we found that in front of us was a monastic edifice, set on a lofty mountain peak which arose from a lake. Dim vistas of water, of wooded shores and silvery, shadowy isles were in perspective, Over the tower which rose from the monastery was a flashing crescent of purple light. I asked what place we were now come to. The answer was:

"The Lunar Temple, a part of devachan, but having nothing to do with the moon. Here, where many occult students come after laying aside the earthly body, is a holy place of rest. Here are many theosophic adepts and neophytes; they saw then with eyes of spirit, hence had then, as now, much the same concepts of life; devachan to them is not, therefore, on the same plane as with other mortals, any more than their objective life was. Here Semla takes leave of us, to appear no more on earth until after fifty centuries of mundane time. He will then incarnate, not as a Tchin, but as a member of the American Nation of that far distant day, because his life has been mostly spent in that land this time. But now he enters into rest he has earned; this is his devachan."

There, under the flashing purple light from the monastic tower, Semla took his leave, invoking upon us the peace of the Father.

Through ability conferred by Mol Lang, I had seen the nature of the life after death. For a few moments my soul was able to compare the newly gained knowledge with my old time ideals of nature. I thought, "If all this is but a dream, what is a dream? If this which seems real matter is not such--"

"Nay, my son," interjected Mol Lang, as I thought upon the nature of matter, "this is real matter. Why, what is matter, dost thou think? Matter is a One Substantiality, having not a single quality which any human sense can cognize. But

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force also is one of the creations of the Father. And force hath two polarities, the positive and the negative, absolute opposites. Now man on earth hath certain senses; seven are these senses: sight, hearing, feeling, smelling, tasting, intuition, and one innominate. These last are not yet evolved, for the fullness of days is not come; the Fifth Day is; but the Sixth and the Seventh are not. With the last, man becometh greater than he hath ever been. Only they that have ears that hear shall solve this saying. Five senses cognize the positive dynamic affections of matter by Force, and behold, man senseth the earth and some of the stellar bodies. But all these are of the positive, and hence are in the Father's Mansion of Cause. These five senses are what the Apostle Paul called the 'Natural mind.' But 'In my Father's house are many mansions.' And this, which is the briefer life after the grave, is His Mansion of effects, and it is the result of matter affected by negative force. Here the first five senses call all things pertaining to devachan 'mere dreams'; even wise Hamlet asks, 'What dreams may come?' But I say unto thee, both earth (cause) and devachan (effect) are material; both due in their every phenomena to force, but either state is cognizable only by senses special to it. Man in one hath five special senses, and these know the earth, but call heaven a dream; and Man in the other hath other seven special senses, and these know of devachan, but call earth a dream. Yet both states are really material, and similarly, both are unreal except to the Father. So Man is constantly dying from the one state and being born in the other, back and forth, and only that state where he is is real to him at any time. Myriad times does he repeat the process, incarnifying and discarnifying, and each time of rebirth on the earth finds him ever on a higher plane, until at last the concrete condition miscalled life is over, and the conditionless 'long devachan' (Nirvana) is attained. Then man and his Father are together and at-one. Man came from God; unto Him must he go. But only a few have done this as yet, and of these Jesus Christ of Beth-le-hem is so far the only One who can truly say, 'I and my Father are one.'"

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Mol Lang had no desire that I should continuously retain the memories of the experiences just passed through; the separate facts were to become quite as unknown as if never observed. All was solely for the purpose of surrounding my soul with influences calculated to force me upward and onward, out of earth life, or desire for it, until at last I would come to realize that I had known something higher, and must return to the plane of the spiritual nature. Yes, the word is MUST.

After leaving Semla, with the new life open to him, Mol Lang and myself sought the lake, and after taking our seats on a bit of sandy shore, I asked questions as to the appearance of the scheme of creation to occult perceptions. It seemed to me that life must have a wider significance to him than to me.

"Phylos, it hath. Grand as the vision of life seemeth to the ordinary man, made up, as it is, of his few years on earth supposedly followed by unending existence in heaven, to me it is infinitely more sublime than even earth's loftiest vision can present it! Man's ideas are full of error; they involve the childishness of admitting that in the life on earth the multitudes who 'make in their dwellings a transient abode' are in the course of such a finite time, able to set in motion infinite causes which shall be carried out in psychic effects eternally. Only through the Great Master are any so able.

"I have so willed, my son, that the features of this visit to devachan shall be withdrawn from thee, and thou wilt remember them only as a vague, delightful dream, which shall have influence in leading thee to the pinnacles of the Father and the summits of the soul. It is easy to erase these memories; I have but to disassociate the astral body here formed by thine experiences, and thou wilt thereafter know this state only when that astral shall control thee as its medium. I will take thee to mine own home in Hesper, and there thou wilt come to know my son, whose name is Sohma, and my daughter Phyris. Yet that knowledge also will I dissociate, after the time of it, and thou wilt forget it all; yea, even me wilt thou forget, and know only through the same mediumship, because thy karma orders for thee long years yet to come on earth, and atonement for

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evil works which have cried unto God for redress, lo! a century of centuries, and longer. Christ hath said: 'One jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.' Save thou be re-leased to Him.

"But thou hast asked a question. Hear the answer: I sow a seed, and it shall grow, and blossom and fruit, and though the sower be forgotten, the plant will not be. Thou wilt remember my words forever, nor forget them for one hour, for such is my will, yet forget me wholly.

"Besides the heavenly world, there are many more which are imperceptible to men. Yet matter and force compose them all. Many of them are worlds of Cause, but no merely human being is in them, nor can any earthly sense cognize them or know of them. They are peopled, but by beings of whom some are good, and some are evil; in the sight of the Eternal Cause, relatively good or evil. That which exists under laws inimical to man is evil to man, though not in itself evil. But these 'mansions' are set apart from one another that they may not interfere. There is that which is astray, but in itself not evil, for in all the creation there is no evil eternal, for God is perfect.

"The worlds of human life are seven in number; yet four of them are invisible, unknowable to earthly senses, and this not because of remoteness, but the kind of force-affection of their constituent matter. Mankind occupies but one planet at a time, for like its present dwelling place (earth) the human race is but a letter in the Divine Library of Being. To be exact, the more advanced, occult souls do inhabit Venus, which I have called Hesper, and which was by the ancients of the Earth termed 'The Garden of the Hesperides.'

"Yes, Phylos, life does mean more to me than to thee. I look at its stately march, and I see the battalion of being wherein I am but a corporal, progressing around its appointed seven spheres, whereof only Mars, the Earth and Venus are matters which terrene perception can know; I see the human race progressively incarnating on each of its peculiar planets as it goes, every individual ego about eight hundred times, approximately,

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on each world each time the race comes to it, which is seven times also, making forty-nine world-carnate epochs. Each ego thus hath incarnation and discarnation periods to the number, more or less, of forty thousand. It is in these, that beginning as an irresponsible creation, far from human, as thou wouldst define the word 'human,' and ending as a Perfect Man entering into Nirvanic rest, that the scheme of the Eternal Uncreated Father is perfected. Yea, verily, man sins, but as his incarnations progress, he atones for every jot, every tittle. Karma is penalty for evil doing, and it is the law of God; it knows no abatement of payment, accepts no vicarious price, but is faithful gaoler over that prison which is life-action; whoso is cast therein shall not come out till every farthing is paid. Beware, then, of doing wrong, for thou must bear the penalty, only thou. Verily, life is long enough to make payment; 'tis better to have none to make! [*1]

"We go now to a view of the truth that the spirit came from the Father, and returneth to Him after it hath fulfilled the law and the prophets; it liveth in the worlds of cause a short span, but in those of effect a long span, for passivity is to activity as about eighty to one, and the lives are many, strung like beads on the one cord of the individual ego.

"Lastly, the ego coming from the Father hath no sex; it is not man, neither woman, but sexless. When it entereth upon life it becometh double, so that in the earth there is a man, and there is a woman, and though the bodies and the animal souls and the human souls be different in the twain, yet behold, their spirit is one and the same. Now sometimes the two, being of one spirit, are also husband and wife. Yet more often, they are not, for the age of harmony is not yet at hand. But it is of such singleness of spirit that the Bible saith, 'What God hath joined, let no man put asunder.' There is no man who could, if he would, so sunder. But that saying is not of the carnal marriage, but of the spirit unit only. And the latter hath no lust. But when the twain shall, after the millions of years which lie between the non-esoteric Christian and Nirvana, come

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to know all the law of life, then will the union be as it was before the separation. Thou canst not really comprehend the truth now, but when thou shalt at last be done with earth life, thou wilt then recall it and know. And knowing it, thou wilt then tell the world of it. But not now. Now is this true: Mates in the Lord can not know each other as such, until they both will to live after the rule of His Highway. And the latter hath nothing carnal. 'Straight is the Gate and narrow is the Way that leadeth unto Life, and few there be that find it.' Until they find it they find not each other; neither release from incarnation in the flesh."

Mol Lang arose after this long discourse, wherein he had briefly described the works of God. He said:

"I have answered thee. Come, let us go hence, and thou shalt know my son, and my daughter, and my home."

He laid his hand upon my brow, and I seemed to sleep; when I was again conscious we were in an immense garden, and before us I saw a house which at once impressed me as being a real home. This I say because somehow occult study had seemed foreign to home life and influences. How entirely compatible the two are will appear nearer the end of this history.

I found on acquaintance with it that it bore out my first impressions perfectly, for it was the most genuine home that could well exist, and typified all human life in this world of Cause, Hesper. It was a home of human glorified beings, of occult students incarnate in exalted causal life.

Do you ask me how any portion of the human race came to be so far in the van as the Hesperian contingent? The answer is that their septune natures had been so far perfected by the trials to which the study of occult adeptism subjects its initiates, that they had become enlightened, responsible beings; they had drunk of the cup concerning which Jesus inquired of the children of Zebedee if they had the ability to drink it. and in consequence there had come to them the keys to that realm of spirit which no natural mind can understand. They had learned the sevenfold character of their natures, that man is a composite being, having seven principles, viz. the I AM,

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or ego; the body of the spirit, or spirit-body; the human soul; the animal soul; the astral reflection of the two lowest principles, by name, vital force and the earthly body thereby animated. Thus far, I regret to say, the mass of mankind is not developed much beyond its animal soul; a minority have the human soul shining forth; but only occult adepts have the Sixth or spirit-body developed, while none of whom the world knows except Jesus and Buddha are perfect in the Spirit of the Father.

With Mol Lang I stood, looking upon his home in Venus, the world to which Terre's children will come, leaving it deserted until another round shall return them, although on a higher plane, that of perfect love, "the greatest thing in the world." But now Hesper is the planet of this Christlike love, its home in the course of nature and man's development. Ye will not all come, alas!

"Phylos," said Mol Lang, "my son is of nearly thine own number of years; my daughter Phyris is of the same age as thyself. Both will tell thee of occult truths, as I have done, yet they nor I, nor aught but the intuitions from thine own Godgiven Spirit can teach thee. If a soul hath not in itself perception of God and His works, no man can teach it, for having ears to hear and eyes to see, he heareth and seeth, but comprehendeth not. To me it is given of God to show thee and tell thee of those things which many prophets and righteous men have desired to see and to hear, but have not. Blessed are thine eyes, for they see, and thine cars, for they hear. Yet, nevertheless, thou wilt go again to earth and wilt forget, and restlessly long for a better state, yet shalt not find it again for long years. O Phylos, my son, would that thou couldst even now know! But karma pursueth thee, seeking repayment. And karma shalt have its dues, and thou wilt then go free. Let us pray unto God now, for I speak no more of these things; I have spoken already. Hereafter Phyris shall tell thee and show thee in my place."

Then, in that Hesperian garden, we knelt together, and Mol Lang repeated that eloquent voice of the ages, so old,

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yet ever new, the prayer of our Savior. I think tears were in our eyes when we arose. Turning, I beheld a lovely woman.

"Phyris, my child, he is come! Phylos, this is my daughter, of whom I told thee."

It had so surprised me to hear a man who had so much of what untaught fancy calls Godlike power speak of his children, that Mol Lang had said to me in comment:

"Phylos, thinkest thou that because I have wisdom which thou bast conceived only God to possess, that I am not human? My son, I am more wholly and truly human because thus near unto God. But the mass of people on earth are not fully developed even yet in the human principle; their lives, actions, passions, are centered in the Fourth or animal soul, and only the more exalted are come to the development of the human within them. When mankind shall come fully into its humanity, then Earth can no more be its planet; they must come here. Bear in mind ever, that all thou seest in Hesper is but human, and so thou wilt know more of what Man is, how glorious a being he is. Man is only partially human, and not filled with the Father, nor come into his Spirit body, and he must therefore marry and live in marriage, else the race would cease to reincarnate. Each ego must pay its debts. But many will die debtors to Him."

We three, father, daughter, and myself, went into one of the wide porticos of the brown Parthenon like mansion, and sat down, being where we could see over the profusion of flowers in the great gardens. So beautiful was the scene, both near and far, that I was content thus to remain, unmoving. Here was no devachan, no scene of effects, but an active life in a world of cause.

This life differed from that upon earth in being broader, more perfect, more glorious than terrene conditions can produce in the present round. Ordinary life in Hesperus is all that the highest form of life can be on earth; and thus has all the wonderful development which exists in the midst of the secret occult brotherhoods of Earth. It is impossible to express adequately what perfection of physical life exists

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in Hesperus. But it is a perfection of the physical nature, amid ideal surroundings, all of which prepare the animal man to work for the human man, and he for the Spirit man, the I AM, or ego. Thus does the ego progress through matter. Is it not a sublime thought that reincarnation does not mean transmigration of souls? The first leads man ever up; the other, which is false, even in theory, merely a perverted notion of the first, might mean progress, but more often would mean retrogression, and in all this Universe there is no retrogression. Reincarnation is but a chance to expiate the errors of life, chiefest of which is not overcoming and containing self. Will ye not pay? Then are ye doomed!

Footnotes

^311:1 See note page <page 236>.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER V

 

HUMAN LIFE ON VENUS

"It is good to be at home again," said Mol Lang. "I love my home because here are  my friends, and here is the congenial atmosphere of spirituality. I see about me the environs of my last objective incarnation, this present. For me there is no more birth, and no death of the body except through transition of the Logos. Here I passed the ordeal of the crisis and am become androgynous, for in me now are the feminine and the masculine; I am whole, not half, and I and my egoic mate are one individual We twain are one, and have come unto the Spirit in the sense uttered by the Savior when He said, 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as thy Father is perfect.' And thou, my son Phylos, wilt surely come into this same glory, for by thy karma it is so fixed. Yes," said he, reverting to his first thought, "it is good to be at home."

The old man arose from his seat and paced with stately erectness up and down the veranda. "Old?" Yes, as earth counts age; for Pertoz he was just in early prime, not yet come

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to his two hundredth year by some forty-eight months. And age could never affect him more, for he was come to deathlessness; to bodily immortality. Of him, as of many, are the words of the beloved apostle, John. [*1] At that moment he was in his astral form, his physical body being in his sleeping-room, where he left it, in order to cross interplanetary space for me. Curious thought! An inhabitant of Venus able to visit earth at will! Yet it is not really difficult. It merely involves the leaving of the physical body and plane at one point, and entrance to the astral, or psychic plane. From this latter it is as easy to return to the state of cause at any point, be it Alcyone, chief of the "Pleiads, glittering in their eternal depths," or even further, beyond ken of the telescope, as it is to return to the place departed from. The whole difficulty is in leaving the physical plane at all, and for the advanced esoterist this is as nothing, because the normal state of his soul is always in the astral or psychic instead of the physical. The difficulty with a student is in the repugnance he feels to the thought of returning to an inferior state of being, like life on earth. But the Life of Love is: "I serve." So we return.

That we were in the astral, disembodied state was no hindrance to Phyris' perception of us, for like all Hesperians she had the sight of the soul as you have ordinary sight, a mere commonplace power. Her eyes, as indeed those of all souls on this high plane of being, have psychic clairvoyance as a normal possession, though not the less endowed with ordinary physical vision on this account. As in the long ago of Earth, her eyes were still the same clear, calm gray, the kind possessed by Jesus of Nazareth. They were windows for her pure soul, which seemed to be just behind them, gazing out. This slender, graceful girl was no devachanic ideal, although not gross enough to be visible to eyes used only to perception of objective, earthly states of matter; her sweet, grave demeanor, her light laugh at something said by Mol Lang, her perfection of physical life, all breathed the fact

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of her objective being, and bore evidence to the truth that her rule of life was obedience to the law. And yet I doubt if your eyes, my friends, could have seen her at all. No telescope will ever reveal human life on Venus; not that it is not there, but its forms are of the One Substance effected by a range of force rendering them imperceptible to earthly eyes. You will not think the air any less material, or electricity any less real, because your eyes cannot perceive them. Your eyes are very limited in their visual range; if the One Substance vibrates more or less rapidly than an exceedingly small length of time, producing correspondingly minute force wavelengths, your eyes cannot cognize such vibrations. It is the same with your ears and hearing. If your eyes and ears were not thus limited, you would see every sound and hear every sunbeam. Every rainbow would be vocal, while heat, which now you only feel, would furnish amazing wealth of sound and vision. So it is with the Hesperian people, their persons you could not see, their voices you could not hear, yet they would not be similarly limited in regard to your persons and voices. But so long as you fancy that because you have eyes you can see all that there is to be seen, and that your ears hear all that is worth hearing, so long will you depend on these organs, and gain that sort of false ideas of the Universe which must arise from entire ignorance of all except the tiny bit of creation you occupy. So long, too, will you depend on the telescope to reveal truths about other worlds; you will hunt for evidences of human life on the nearer planets, but you will never find any until you cease to expect that matter will reveal soul; it can not do it, for the finite can not reveal infinity. Turn it about; ask of the soul revealment of itself and of matter also, and all worlds will draw near to you, show their teeming vitality of life, and all nature will uncover such treasures as the hungry soul of science has never found before.

Phyris was able to look over all my past, over the other lives which I had yet to attain the power of re-collecting. She knew every deed, thought and motive of it all. Had she

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oared to examine this history? No fear existed in my mind, for I did not know of such a past myself, and my ignorance preserved my peace of mind. I did not try to analyze the reason for my eager desire to win this maiden's good opinion. If I had, I should have railed at myself for a presumptuous fool. As it was, I was happy in the knowledge of my purity of purpose.

Though dissociated from earth life, my soul development was but little more than before. Therefore, to me, Phyris seemed a sort of goddess; and to have estimated only as perfect human herself and her wondrous occult powers, would have been an impossibility with me. To have found that I was in love with her would have frightened me. I am glad that I was then prevented that thought. But deep in my soul it was true, nevertheless, and the leaven was working. Closer knowledge was not to have the effect of detracting from her exalted position; but it was to raise me to the understanding that these psychic powers were attributes of human nature, for in itself human nature is essentially godlike.

By the way, what is the mundane idea of God? You say that God is, omnipotent, omnipresent, eternal. Very good. But the earthly idea of these things is very narrow. Conceptions can never rise higher than their source, hence God is, although a noble ideal, not nearly so great to the world as He is to Hesperus. Do you say that I am inconsistent, denying my own high claims for Man, and that I am virtually negativing the statement that conceptions can rise to the level of their source? I reply that the Father limits the height of the source. "What do I mean?" I mean that He speaks to the but partially developed human soul on the earth plane from the level of human principle in Himself, but from no higher plane. Hence, the terrene conception of Him is that of a perfect Person, all-powerful, ubiquitous, eternal, but a person; whereas He is impersonal. But to the Hesperian, God speaks of Himself and His works from the level of Spirit, which is above soul; it is the level of the Over-Soul of Emerson. I hope you will study that statement, for nothing

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[paragraph continues] I have said means more, is more important in all this book.

I have said that the earthly conceptions of omnipotence, omnipresence and eternity are narrow. It is true. The first means only the most extravagant exercise or suspension of known laws, but scouts the existence of fearful, wonderful, unknown laws. Omnipresence means to the non-occult mind a variety of vague, impracticable ideas, only the few recognizing it as immanency and constant self insertion and creation. Finally, eternity; the mind readily agrees to unlimited, endless time, yet is aghast at a mere decillion, almost refusing credence. Yet one is to the other as all to nothing. '

At the time I first met Phyris my ideas of God were similarly limited, and when I saw her exercise powers which no terrestrial man ever dreamed that even God could possess, I was truly aghast. Love her? Not then. Respect her, adore her, as a Hindoo does an image of his God, yes. But the seed was sown; its growth sure.

Mol Lang left me in the large parlor of his home, whither we three had gone, and when only Phyris was here besides myself, I immediately was constrained by a diffident fear of my gentle hostess. Although she soon dispelled this feeling, I nevertheless felt relieved when a young man entered and she introduced me to--

"My brother, Sohma."

As I looked upon the two, and remembered Mol Lang's appearance, I thought: "What splendid physique these people have, how graceful and perfect every line; it is as if the body were moulded upon the soul, and perfect in its every physical contact."

"Yes, thou art right in thy thoughts," said Sohma. He had replied to my thought, as Mol Lang and Phyris had: "Thou art right. We make our physical lives correspond to our rigid adherence to law, though that adherence is to us a second nature, not onerous, nor even in its exercise consciously applied. Excesses, intemperance, indulgence of that nature so pleasant to the animal senses, these have no attraction, but instead are utterly repugnant. Vegetarians strictly,

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never taking life for any selfish purpose, is it wonderful that our material frames conform to our soul shapes?"

"Truly not," I replied, "but in my case how could conformity to law change the appearance of an unhandsome maturity? My body is already grown, completed in obedience to laws not wisely nor very closely kept. I see you possessed of occult wisdom, but I am not, and find it hard to remember what I have heard of it; as for making the knowledge practical, impossible!"

"Phylos, my brother, the occult adept is born, not made. His or her knowledge. is from within, not from without. Unto thee shall be given the key of the Spirit, and behold, the All-Knowing will enter into thy soul, and though no man shall teach thee, neither any book, yet shalt thou become aware of all things, for all things are of our Father, and that is the Spirit. [*1] But ere the Spirit come in, the house must be swept, and, my brother Phylos, I would that thou wert not destined to endure this ordeal. Yet the occult that knoweth all things is born of many lives, and in these has been evil. Thou art so born; it is karma."

Mol Lang had now returned clothed in his material body, and I alone was in the astral, yet not solitary in the sense of loneliness, for my friends were not separated from me as a result of our diverse physical conditions. True, I could not array myself in material form, for I was in Venus, and my body was in a distant planet. This condition was the reverse of disability, however, for in going from place to place I had but to desire to be in the more distant, and I was there, though this power enabled me to have such freedom only in Hesper, and a sense of restriction consequently arose. Discontent was growing in my soul; I felt already a stranger on this high soul plane whereto my friends were born. Though I knew nothing of earth because my earthly self was in the Sach in the care of Mendocus, yet I had a most uncomfortable feeling

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of foreignness; a feeling that some other and previous condition, somewhere, was not strange, and I had a longing to be again in its familiar environment. Poor me!

Footnotes

^316:1 NOTE.--Kindly see St. John xvii; 21-26.

^320:1 St. John xvi; 13.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VI

 

AN INDIRECT ANSWER

An eminent author has said that "literary themes are necessarily limited; that authors can not create as a fiction that which has no counterpart in fact." And this is absolutely true. Literature is restricted to ringing the changes on love, hatred, hope, despair, greed, indifference, envy, the gamut of our human emotions, in short. When these are presented in their threefold aspects, tragedy, comedy, or serio-comic, the scale is run, and the only further variations possible are the lights or shadows of faintness or intensity of emotion.

Perhaps the thought arises that in this history some new phase will appear, that Theo-Christianity has some new phases to present. Such an idea is doomed to disappointment. Indeed, the occult will be found to exclude even certain potent earthly factors of literature, all those of the lower animal nature, because these have no place in human life. Envy, greed, hatred, have no place in a nature which is close kin to that soul of love, Jesus. Indifference, sloth, despair, these can have no room in a soul which scans so absorbing a vista as that open to Mol Lang, yet so loving a soul that, like Jesus and Gautama, perfect willingness existed to turn from such sublime reward in order that they might lead their least  thither also. You may say that such love as this is not animal when I say it is not human. Right. But it is spiritual; it is that love which only those know who have begun to tread the Path, knowing within the soul the advent of the Spirit. If any of you come to feel that You will not shrink, though karma demand you also to show

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that "greater love hath no man" than that he "give up his life for a friend," then brother, sister, you have known the birth of the Spirit within you. Blessed are you then.

No one can rightfully expect that by the relation of weird things I shall give him a half-hour's amusement; such is not my aim. This book is a work of love, done for a sacred purpose. The second coming of Christ is upon the world, not only as a time simultaneously arriving for all, but also unto each human soul as it becomes ready to receive Him in the heart, and do His work. [*1] He is at hand now in the sense that if you will open your soul to receive His spirit, He is there to enter in. Truly, of the moment He comes to His own no man can tell the day or the hour; yet I say, tarry not for Him as a man or an external spirit, but as the Christ Spirit entering into your very being. And He shall not wait to come an a man, but come as the Spirit of Divine Love, just so soon as you are ready to make that your rule of life; and as the Christ and Father are One, so therefore shall you that hear and attend be glorified, and presently arise, depart from tide world, and go unto the Life. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Likewise He shall come as a person at the last. [*2]

I certainly have strange things to relate, but nothing weird, unreal or sensational. That which I say is from my Father, and can lead the earnest hearer into the Path whither the Christ led the way. What I say concerns a larger measure of life, Hesper, the planet of Divine Love. I hope to reveal some further idea than I have hitherto of the extent, kind and duration of occult life. Heretofore I have given only rules; now I give the result of faithfulness to them. I hope to show what a glorious being man becomes through heeding occult law, the law of the Spirit whereof I testify. Upward through all the ages, with never any descent, Man pursues still the glorious march which shall eventuate in making him one with the Father--more than man finite, Man infinite! Angelic!

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But my pen is years ahead of my visit to Hesper. I must return to that time lest my words become merely words, erected like modem buildings, fourteen stories high.

My desire to investigate the occult truth did not diminish because of the rapid growth of my desire for a life more familiar. Yet ever and again I caught myself studying whether psychic truth might not be pursued where, ah! amidst--well, some set of conditions less rigorous to the animal instincts struggling within me, and setting me so far below my friends. As well hope to mix oil and water as to study the occult amidst unspiritual, earthly influence!

As preceptor, Sohma contented himself with telling me of principles, and not of marvels, lest in pursuing wonders I should lose sight of causes; the fruit of a tree is apt always to be more attractive to the ignorant than is the tree itself. Here is a chief truth in guidance to occult study: pay small heed to the marvels, or to magic, and all heed to laws, for the laws are the tree. The marvel worker is the least of the brethren, understanding not the laws of the rather to any profitable extent. Know the law, know the marvels incident; know not the law, but only the marvel, and you are not following Him, nor shall you inherit His kingdom, though you could do more magic then the Tchin, Mendocus, or even Mol Lang. It was their possession of least value; may you regard it likewise.

During a stroll in the garden, I asked Sohma concerning his remark that though I should be given the key to occult wisdom, I should not be taught details. "Sohma, you say details are omitted, and effects also, and only general laws are to he taught me. Now, my nature seems incapable of learning much in that way. I seem to feel a different method necessary, a method born of--of--" here I passed my hand across my brow in perplexity, for earth memories were not supporting me. "Well, I know not exactly what; I seem to have some vague idea of a past life, somewhere, in which other methods of learning were in use. I do not know now, brother. I am lost."

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"No, not lost, Phylos; misplaced, ahead of thy common place in life. But thou makest reference to the analytical philosophy, which reasons from effects back to a common cause. It is not a sure process, as witness the status of chemical science in that vaguely remembered life of thine. Chemistry is a proud science, though handicapped by clumsy analytical processes. It cannot tell what a grain of sand is."

Suddenly my chemical learning returned to me, in obedience to Sohma's will, although the environing circumstances of its acquirement were prevented. But with the return of the knowledge itself I became immediately argumentative, and I replied to Sohma:

"Pardon me, but chemistry can tell that. Sand is silica, silicic acid, and it is composed of the element silicon and the oxygen of the air, in the proportion of two of the latter to one of the former."

"Precisely. But thou hast not really told anything; thou art as far from a finality as before. Thou sayest sand is composed of two primary elements?"

"Certainly."

"And being primary, cannot he reduced farther?"

"No, they cannot," I said, yet, remembering certain wonderful things I had already witnessed, I was beginning to he nervous.

"No! Art thou sure?" he queried, persistently; and I, both from a feeling of stubbornness which his manner aroused and a determination to be true to my science at, all hazards, replied:

"Assuredly!"

"Phylos, if it were not that thy stubbornness were tempered with an admirable fidelity to principle, I should say that wisdom will die with thee. But, my friend, thy system of chemistry, with its sixty-odd 'primal elements' and its 'monads, dyads, triads' and so on; its simples, binaries, tertiaries and the like numerous compounds, is nothing but a fine working hypothesis, well adapted to producing the result it has produced, but because it is not the whole chemical

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truth, not capable of ever attaining that wholeness of results which marks the sublime constitution of nature. So far from conducting to the truth these theories have just the opposite effect; they teach the multiformity of matter, whereas its unity is the truth. As I said, though, the chemists of the earth have a good working hypothesis, one which will do until the better method of truth is found."

Sohma paused, whereupon I asked what the better method was. He did not answer me in direct words, but instead he put before my mental vision a workshop, wherein were many kinds of instruments and machines in states either of completion or approaching completion, lying upon tables and benches. I saw here a clock, there watches, there again an old style typewriter; there were time locks and combination tools, besides many intricate mechanisms that even the sight of suggested no use for. At a little distance upon a table lay a confused mass of parts of machinery not put together. He said:

"Phylos, canst thou put these things together? In this pile are portions of clocks, typewriters, locks and so forth. Thou sayest thou art not a machinist, hence cannot deal with these things. These things are not unfamiliar to me, who am a machinist. With all the parts before thee thou couldst not construct a clock or other mechanism. But suppose thou shouldst take carefully apart a clock now in running' order, and study carefully all its relations, and do so by not one only, but by several of these instruments, then the whole would become familiar to thee, and while merely taking one clock apart would not be apt to teach thee, doing so by many would enable thee to put them all together again as they were. That is the process of analysis, deduction and synthesis; it is the same, practically, in physics, or in mechanics or chemics."

"But my friend," I said in dismay, "I cannot do these acts, not having opportunity to thus experiment."

"That is my point, Phylos. I will show thee the better method of which I spoke. Here before us is an invention of

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my own; practically I am its creator, and therefore do I understand it. Here also is another identical machine, but it is in separate state; its parts are a confused pile. Now thou knowest nothing of constructive mechanics; I do, and I will point out to thee the principal parts of the machine, which is in running order. Observe!"

Sohma went up to the machine, which stood, a marvel of mechanical beauty, its burnished brass and silver wheels, springs, cogs, chain belts, etc., showing through the quadrangular glass case. He spoke into the mouthpiece, explaining the machine to me the while. He said that he would remain near the mouthpiece, so that his words should be reported and printed and bound in book form. As he spoke he loosened a set screw. Then he said:

"A microphonic diaphragm sets strong currents of electricity in operation. These act only as my tones impinge on that vocal diaphragm, whereby, as thou seest, carbon discs close other circuits, and operate levers carrying type upon their extremities. Observe that this vocal diaphragm is made of sonant steel cords, like those of a piano, and there are of these just as many as experience has demonstrated that there are vocal tones and octaves. Hence there is in one alphabet just that number of letters, and our written language consists in the proper sequential arrangement of these letters, either type, if printed, or symbolic chirography, if written. Along with our spoken tones, then, if near such an instrument as this, we can 'utter' a printed volume. The congregate tones affect each its own chord; this in vibration compresses the carbon discs, sets going the instant electric current, the type lever does its work, the paper is carried a space forward and the next type strikes, and so on till the voice ceases utterance. The spacing between words, even, is automatically done, for, so long as one is talking connectedly there is a utilization made of the return of the carbon disc from its compressed active state, whereby a spring moves the paper carriage one space for every minor pause in the voice, and two for periods, but it is not sufficient for more than a double

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spacing motion. I am done speaking, nearly, and will move this lever up, thus releasing the stored force which arose from the motion of the parts, especially of the heavy balance wheel. No more printing will be done, but the reserve force will fold, cut and bind my speech, and when this is done, the last of the force stored, equal in all cases to the special work, is exhausted entirely by the ringing of a bell which signifies the end."

Though Sohma ceased to speak, the instrument still worked, and almost quicker than this sentence will be put in type, the bell rang and behold! Sohma's words in book form dropped into a little box at the end of the case. The instrument stood motionless in its case, and for the first time its compactness struck me; it was but eighteen inches high, by two feet in width and three in length, yet it had done all that marvelous work.

"Couldst thou take apart this instrument and put it together properly again?"--was the startling question, startling because I thought he intended me to do it! "No, my brother; but as its creator, knowing all its most obscure points, my comprehension of it and of other machinery, and of truths not mechanical as well, but scientific psychics, is a veritable spirit of knowledge, and observe-this spirit I will to enter into thy mind, at least so far as concerns this mechanism. Behold it and know it."

Strange to relate, I, who previously knew almost nothing of such things, seemed on the instant to understand the whole of the delicate apparatus, as a watchmaker does a watch. Sohma, perceiving this, said:

"Such, Phylos, is that key to all wisdom whereof I spoke. God, creator of all things whatever, shall one day enter into thee. Then thy spirit, which is a ray of His Spirit, shed into the darkness of life by Him, shall reunite with Him. And because He creates by constant Logos all things and states of Being, and is immanent in it all, knowing it all, so when He entereth thy soul, thou shalt know all things likewise, and, in less measure, truly, create also. Thou shalt know that, in

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chemical sense, only one element exists, operated upon by Force. Then all 'elements,' as thou knowest them, shall be seen to be but different speeds of the molecular formation of the One Element by varying degrees of the One Force, and light, heat, sound and all solid, liquid and gaseous substances will be seen to be different not in material, but in speed only.

"That knowledge underlies all life, physics, chemics, sonants, calories, chromatics, electrics and all and every possible aspect of nature. Such is the supreme law of God, and He is nature, though nature is not conversely God. Another law is that of compensation; may I tell thee of it?"

I replied that I should be but too glad to listen, for his words revealed God in all things, whether high or low. So he continued:

"This law, then, not only governs all matter, but that of which matter is the reflection, Spirit, and the soul realm. I need state but a single brief instance in material nature, the screw plane. As the plane of a screw is greater or less in its inclination, so will its action be either rapid or powerful, but never both at once. If the thread be slight in pitch, the screw bar will progress through its nut very slowly, but, as exerted in a screw press, the crushing force will be enormous. Vice versa; if the pitch be steep, the screw bar will progress rapidly, as to wit, the screw nail, which may be driven into wood with a hammer, and revolve as it goes in.

"Now, in the soul realm, if a human being is content with the gradual, easy pitch of the Godward ascending plane of pure daily life, daily temptations to work in error, and too often fall, progress upward will be slow, but very sure. But, on the contrary, if eager to learn rapidly, it must meet in a few hours all the crushing force of temptations to err and to sin which the ordinary man meets distributed through many, many incarnations, covering ages, aye, aeonian time. In the one case the Father giveth sufficient of the daily bread of strength unto men to enable them to progress very slowly, but with certitude. In the other, all the splendid reserve of  force of a

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very God is needed, for all the power of Lucifer, that high nature spirit who was incarnate in the planet which disrupted into the solar asteroidal belt, upon the lapse, the failure of its Soul, all of his glorious power sufficed not to carry him to victory, so he fell. God-Christ in thee can alone win this struggle. Truly, no mere human, so long as he remains Man, can have such a temptation; not thyself, not Mol Lang, my father, hardly Gautama were subjected to such a severe test as was that sublime world soul, Lucifer, except relatively. I say relatively, for consider this: that if a fly or an ant be subjected to all it can endure, then its pain at that, point is as severe as that of a man at his breaking strain. But as Jesus and Gautama were tempted to the utmost and did not fail, therefore their victory was greater than Lucifer's failure, and when thou shalt come to a trial like his, thou'lt doubtless succeed; though, again, thou mayest fail. There is but one Guide; follow and win; follow not, and fail. [*1] It is a new conception to thee to learn there is an animating ego, a world spirit, inmateriated in each star, each planet, every stellar body, just as there is an individual soul in each human, animal or plant body. Yet this is true. True also it is that the spirits of men will progress; will face the supreme ordeal, and, if they pass victorious, will enter that long rest, heaven, devachan, call it as thou wilt, Nirvana. But that is not the end, for life had a beginning--it hath also an end. And the perfect human ego emerging eventually from Nirvana, that long devachan of all the incarnations, emerges not as Man; it does not live, but It Is, and Its post-viviant existence is a state of Being which no human mind could understand, except inferentially it do so through the knowledge that that state is to Life as the senior to the junior. But ere then is the trial of transfiguration; to it my father hath come, I have not. If we fail, then that is the second death, [*2] but meet it we must, humanity must. But it is long ere then, for it cometh not until the essaying soul be perfect, and be ready to leave the pupaceous state of Human Life,

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to be judged according to (its) works for Him who made it. Do I weary thee, Phylos?"

I replied that he did not, though it did seem that I grasped his meaning only to lose it again. None the less I was eager to have him go on, fancying I understood, just as every Person you or I know is fond of thinking his or her comprehension of abstruse subjects perfect. Sohma smiled and said in reply that, when he was done, all that I would have gained would be the  bent favoring my progress, for I was destined to forget the very ideas I fancied I was gaining. But he continued, observing that a favorable prejudice was a worthy thing, calling for his best effort for me.

"I wish thee to observe also this: that if thou thinkest the judgment day, when according to its works thy soul is arraigned by thy spirit, which is God in thee, if thou thinkest that because that day may be in remote aeons ere it come, and therefore thou hast ample time to lag, to err, I counsel thee it is a fatal mistake. For if at the great trial any man fail it is because day by day, as the lives were run, he neglected his chances, either by omission or commission. Then shall such suffer the second death, be cast into the 'lake of fire,' in other words, their Spirit will depart from the soul and go unto the Father, while the soul will be gathered into the sum of force, the 'Fire' element, that which is sum of all lesser force forms, out of which springeth life, heat and vibration. But this will not be until the erring one hath passed from his soul into his spirit. So the 'second death' [*1] is not of the sinner; it is the cutting off of all his, or her, spoiled work, and a chance to begin again, to build better; our Father damneth not His child, but only the imperfect work, the sinning soul. In our library thou canst see a book brought here to Hesper from the Earth, a book which speaketh of the order of the Rosicrux, wherein this supreme Fire is written of. 'Tis also that Fire once called in the Earth the Maxin.

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"Phylos, thou wilt suffer the ordeal of the Crisis before other men; whether thou shalt succeed or fail no man knoweth save those who have passed heretofore."

When Sohma ceased speaking, I looked around me, and found that while the clocks and typewriters, and locks and various instruments, were gone, the vocal printer was not gone; it was an actuality, the rest only concepts which Sohma had willed me to see. My mind was not trained sufficiently well to continue on a special line of thought so long, and while I fancied that I possessed a clear idea of all my companion had said, and was pleased by the notion, yet had I tried at that moment to recollect his meanings, I should have been chagrined to find that I had nothing beyond vague ideas. Still, I did not try the experiment, but, content with the supposition of possession, my mind wandered to a new theme, and I asked Sohma if Hesperians had not found aerial vessels possible among so many triumphs. He turned toward me and looking behind me, smiled as he answered:

"I will leave Phyris to tell thee that; I must go elsewhere."

I was pleased at this new event, yet shyness at once asserted itself, and though vexed at this fact, my vexation seemed only to increase my diffidence. Taking, as I supposed, no notice of this diffidence, she said:

"We rarely go, except we go astrally. We care but seldom to avail ourselves of our aerial vessels; but we have them. It may be that thou, or shall I say 'you' to lessen thy--your--shyness of me?" and Phyris bent a pair of laughing eyes upon me, a gaze that, while it gave most delicious pleasure, effectually confused me, past recovery, I feared.

"Perhaps," she continued, after gently laughing at my piteous abashment, "perhaps you think we Hesperians can transport our physical bodies here and there by some occult process, or other. For instance, as all forms of matter are but divine ideas clothed in the One Substance, it is possible to disintegrate the material form, but preserve the psychic idea and transport that as other thoughts move, by effort of will, then rehabilitate it in matter. Thus it is, articles can be brought

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from the earth here to us. But if you think we can do this by our own bodies you err, for ourselves are the ideas embodied. Truly we can emerge from these bodies, and travel in one brief instant from one to any other star. But we can not have two corporeal bodies at once. If we leave the one we have, we can, by putting it in a cataleptic trance, leave it in fit state to reoccupy upon our return. But if we leave it and make around ourselves a new one, like in all respects to the other, and abide in it, the deserted temple will perish. We could do it; but we have no need to, and consequently do not. All about you is matter, every breath is matter, differing only from iron in its molecular speed. The air is matter; electricity is matter. I will show you. See, I wish a plate, several plates, cups, saucers, knives and forks, so I image them (imagio, I create) in the mental or psychic form. Do you see them? Eyes of Earth could not; thou hast for a time Hesperian vision."

Before me was a pile of delicate tableware, with the pattern upon each piece of a different kind.

"These articles are really only thought forms; no eye unable to perceive a thought could see them. But now look, I gather to myself the higher rate of speed, the extra force which makes air of the One Substance, and the force which I leave is just that of the various minerals of which I desire my ware to be 'made,' observe that one plate is a ruby, the real crystal aluminum; and another is a pearl, others are of various gem stones, as that cup and saucer, crystal carbon, diamond each one. On the Earth those dishes would be valued into the millions of dollars, yet here they are valued for their uses and their beauty only. Do you see, Phylos, I know the terms of your language and what ideas are conveyed by your words. But now I, like Sohma, must go, for I have a dinner to get, a use for my plates, cups and saucers, which I have made, as well as more yet to make. Quite like an ordinary mortal, you say? Indeed, and why not? Do you think an occultist is always rapt in abstruse speculations? You err, Phylos, you err, indeed. You may go into the library, where you may find something to interest you."

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To the library, therefore, I went, and if you will, you may go with me, in a mental way, and see something of it. Do not object that these Hesperian objects were unreal, just because I have said that no one with ordinary terrestrial eyes could see any evidences of life on Venus. Reality does not necessarily imply terrene solidity.

At least forty thousand volumes lined the shelves; many of them were plainly, but some richly, bound. On my first introduction to this apartment I had found that the books on the shelves were all in the phonetic print of Hesper. But I saw on a table one whose cover bore in Anglo-Saxon in gilt letters the title and name of the publishers, and as I looked, for a brief time the memory power of Earth returned. The inscription was:

"A THOUSAND MILES UP THE NILE"
 By Miss A. B. Edwards
 Published by
 Longmans & Co.
 1876

That volume had been brought all the many millions of miles across inter-planetary space along the "currents," just as Phyris had done when she "made" the tableware, only in the case of this book she had not created the thoughts in the book, but had disintegrated the matter, preserving the astral, the only reality about an object, and after bringing it from Earth to Hesper, had reclothed it in matter after its journey. I looked about, and found other volumes, one entitled:

"THE ROSICRUCIANS"
 By
 Hargrave Jennings.

I found copies of Milton's works, of Tennyson's earlier poems, of Moore, and a pile several feet high of other standard works; on top of all lay the "Essays of Emerson," upon which, as I gazed, appeared a piece of white paper, and as I looked, the words seemed to form as if precipitated from the air,

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"Phylos, these books I have brought for you from the distant earth. I did so that you might contrast them with our Hesperian works. Finally, consider this: that we who are illumined by the Spirit of the Creator do little with books or such crude methods of learning, caring only for them as specimens of the work of souls on certain planes. To read them we have no need, no desire, they serve only as texts, for when we would learn, we retire within our souls and listen to the All Knowing Spirit."

That message was signed by Phyris. It was written in English. Written? No, precipitated, and as soon as I had read it, it disappeared as it had appeared, with no hand to remove it, no person save myself in the room. With its disappearance I also ceased to retain memories of the world whence I came. As I stood, considering what next to do, Phyris came in and said:

"Here is an invention by Sohma which will render thy delight greater; I know it is always great where books abound."

She picked up a book from Earth, Shakespeare, and placed it in an instrument which turned the pages automatically, and a strong electric light being cast on the visible pages, its beams reflected upon a metallic plate. Unseen wheels revolved within a case, and a voice issued from a funnel-shaped mouthpiece. To my pleasure I heard the reading of page after page of the great English literary gem, in appropriate tones for the various characters. While I listened, absorbed, Phyris withdrew, and it was some time ere I noticed her absence. I think I should then have gone in search of her, or of Sohma--Mol Lang had gone to a distance, on duty bent, leaving his body asleep in his room--but as I was about to go out of the library, a hand--a woman's hand, reached over my shoulder, and a soft voice said:

"Put these over your eyes."

It was Phyris, who gave me a seeming pair of spectacles. They were indeed spectacles which all the fortunes of earth could not obtain. How thoughtful she was of my pleasure! As I put them on, all the shelves of books disappeared, and a book being pieced in my hand, as I know from retrospection,

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for I did not know then, I found myself seemingly amid scenes of most familiar aspect. All the mental pictures conjured up by vivid perusal of Scott's famous poem, "The Lady of the Lake," all the voices of its characters became seen and heard, as if I were on the spot where all was said to have transpired. For the time I was transported by means of those magical eyespieces into the mental world of Walter Scott, which, while he wrote,

	 
		"Lay around him like a cloud,
		 A world he could not see."
		
		 except with the vision of the creative imagination.

The whole was presented in a few moments, for thought is swifter than the senses, and when the King threw his golden fetters over Malcom's neck and laid the chain in fair Ellen's hand, without waiting for the rest Phyris withdrew the wonderful spectacles from my eyes and said:

"These would banish material surroundings, and let the reader directly into the author's realms of imagery, whatever the book, but not whoever the reader, for only fine, developing human senses, none that are controlled by the animal, can enjoy the use of them. And this because they are a species of sensitive magnet, linking psychic facts but not material things. But there, I do not know much more about them, and you must ask father of them if you would learn more. I am only a girl, and must learn to be more ere I can assume to teach. And I should dislike to fail in offering you an explanation. Your good opinion of me would lessen, and that would be mortifying, for I treasure it--I, well, never mind," she said, as a delicate flush spread over her face, "come with me; I think it is well not to be too long a time amidst any one set of influences, as literary environs."

Much, aye, most that I saw in Hesper had been unfamiliar. But that delicate blush--it set me thinking, my own ideas meantime in a confused, ecstatic whirl. What did it mean? Did it denote reciprocal affection?

"It does in truth," she said, in reply to my unspoken query. "But the significance of it is beyond my knowledge. Thou,

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nay, you, see me a maid of not many years. Your love shall behold me a woman. Do I speak a riddle? Only time can solve it. You are with me, and I with you, and our ages differ not greatly. You have little understanding; I have more; both are imperfect, yet the Spirit shall make us whole. If I asked you now, 'What is will power?' you could not answer it truly. Yet I tell you, and my words shall sink deep, and guide you to me. I said erroneously that you are with me, and behold, you are so only in the sight of our Father in the beginning, but not now. Yet one day shall come, and when I shall ask, 'What is will?' you shall say of your own knowledge: 'Will is the fiat of consciousness.' If it be will of the animal soul, its result will be only a subjective thought which shall energize muscles to do an objective reality conforming to the subjective plan. If it be of the human soul, it will be of greater intensity and nobler, but still the brain, and through it the muscles, must render its fiat into material form. But if the will be the fiat of our Spirits, and trained, we shall say to any material force, 'Obey me,' and it shall obey. Because our Spirits are of our Father and one with Him, and the Will of the Spirit shall need no mediate brain nor muscle, but shall find every natural power its direct servant, and this is the faith whereof Jesus spoke. So, Phylos, my own, I have told you, and yet you, hearing, hear not. Why not? Because our Father is not yet manifest in you. But when you, having heard, understand, then shall we twain be one, for it is so written in the Book of Life."

As she ceased speaking we came into a plot of ground wherein grew the fruits for table use. Of these she gathered some, but of others desired, none were growing. Stooping, she drew on the soil a figure which looked familiar, although I could not tell where I had seen it previously. It was this ; and the reader will remember that it is the same that I described the Tchin as making when he caused the Vita Mundi to flame as he stood within it. It was also creative fire in Phyris hands, though it had not been so as exhibited by Quong. In the space Phyris

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planted seeds, and then, completing the symbol, the flames rose above the area sown.

"Behold, Phylos! If I have but the seed, the herb shall come forth after its kind. [*1] But if I have not the seed, my poor, human soul wisdom could not make that herb grow. Mol Lang could, being transfigured. Having seed, I can bring God's Viviant Fire to aid its germination--see! it sprouts; and again watch it--it grows visibly."

I was astonished to see, mounting up as fast as evening shadows lengthen, green tendrils, and buds unfolding even as the flowers of primula spring forth, flowers, blossoming, blossomed; seed scarps forming, formed; and the matured fruit hanging in clusters in the radiant flame of the Vita Mundi, as high as my head from the ground, where erst there had been but vacant soil. And this girl, who declared herself not a grown woman, exercising such magic as this and thinking it only ordinary! This was an inherent power of the Human Principle, my friends, and will be common to you also when you become developed in the Human. Earthly man is yet only in the initial of his humanity in a few favored cases, but is very largely in his animality. Most of mankind is merely animal, not human, save by courtesy. Yet the dawn of the glorious new era is at hand, and in its fullness of days Christ shall come again to it and enter into the hearts of his own; and it shall be the Father that shall enter, and by Messias. Be ye then prepared for the coming of the Spirit, for no man knoweth the day nor hour thereof.

Footnotes

^322:1 Luke xxi; 34, 35, 36.

^322:2 Mark xiii, 26.

^329:1 John xvi; 13.

^329:2 Rev. xx; 13, 15.

^330:1 Rev. xx, 13-15.

^337:1 Genesis, i, 12.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VII

 

"THE DESERT IS BEFORE THY FEET"

So the days passed. It was over two weeks of the local time that I had been in Hesperian environs. And during this interval the longing for the past life grew; the few occasions when

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Mol Lang, Sohma or Phyris had recalled the vivid memories of Earth had been seized upon by my Pertozian astral, and thus each such event renewed the certitude of my having had a put in which all my surroundings had been familiar. It saddened Phyris to know that every time I was left alone my thoughts yearned with increased longing for that past. At times a strong effort of my own will would successfully bring it before me, bring, in fact, my earthly astral from Earth to me, that astral which was the sum of my experiences and memories of Earth. Then, being in Venus, I yet knew myself a man of Earth, and a stranger, and my yearning grew strong for America, my "ain countree." That was home to me, oh! so much more home, although I had no relatives living, all gone to devachan's rest, and no friends comparable to those I had so strangely found in Hesper. My friend, it is the soul that is chained, not the body of man. Unchain thy souls, oh, brethren, and seek to know the things of heaven, of the high life with God, and all things else shall be added unto you, yea, even to the ability to explore the stars in person. Mine was bound to Earth by love of home and native land. Then these moments of knowledge of Earth would cease, because my will power was not strong enough to hold the astral summoned, and it gravitated to its own level, which was the world. Again I would be left unconscious of the Earth life and brooding over the puzzle, until some of the family banished the mental state producing it! No, I was a soul not at home except on Earth; I was here on a higher plane; I might be born after devachan into the level of the Hesperian, but the fact ever obtruded with increased emphasis that as yet I had not been so born.

It was a pleasure to me to sit at table when my friends took their simple repasts, for though I could not eat, nor indeed did I need food, it was agreeable to be with them when they collected thus together.

The next day after I had seen Phyris grow the fruits to eat, I was at supper with the family when Mol Lang, speaking to his son, said:

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"Sohma, is it wise to tell our guest so much philosophy as thou said sister have done and contemplate doing?"

"Wherefore keep secret the truth, my father?"

"Because, son, Phylos must return to Earth; it is so fated. He can not know these things, for hearing is not knowing, nor is seeing. He hath no faculties developed whereby to know them, and thou nor I can not permanently enter our knowledge into his soul. Jesus of Nazareth, except He entered into the souls of His hearers as into a temple, could tell them nothing. Caiaphas, the High Priest, and all the Israelites heard the Savior with their ears and saw His doings, yet were blind and deaf and comprehended not. But unto those who were His disciples and followers He entered, and they saw and heard and profited. That was the Spirit which the Master awakened in them and they followed the Word, even as Jesus followed it. But the world has had to read the printed Word for these many centuries, and though many have believed, yet none, no, not one, has been illuminated by the Spirit like unto Paul. What thou wouldst say to Phylos will come to him in astral form when he begins to yearn for Hesperus, even as his astral of Earth now comes to him as he yearns for Earth. And, having forgotten Pertoz, forgotten us, yet will he utter these bits of occult lore, and will suffer therefor. Suffer, because some hearers will by mystified, others scornful, and none, himself included, able to explain or understand."

"Yes, my parent, thou speakest wisely. Yet let me say, he will utter truth. Truth is mighty and will prevail. If, at the time, it be misunderstood, not less must it cause some act in both speaker and hearer. I need not say thoughts are things, for all things are thoughts. Even a stone is a thought concept of the Eternal Spirit, and the stone seen by ordinary eyes is but the externalization of the idea. If, then, Phylos shall think, and his hearers think on his utterances, that is an action, Making the actor responsible. If a small thought, then a small hot; it will doubtless finish its karma in the life of its utterance. But if a great thought, or deed, it will make its doer his or her own legatee, and then? I speak to thee also now, Phylos

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[paragraph continues] --the inheritor of his own actions shall find the deed become part of the great karma of the human race, and himself responsible for its fruition, because, 'Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle hall in no wise pass from the law till all be fulfilled.' [*1] Only thus can Phylos ever come to us again."

"Well spoken, my son!" was Mol Lang's sole comment.

Sohma then said to me: "Phylos, my brother, there is no man or woman but hath in some past as well as present life done grievous evil to one or more fellowbeings, man or animal. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap. And our Father hath ordained that in life, subsequent to the one witnessing the greater sins, he that did them must also requite them. Must do so by setting against the evil counter-balancing good. Not else shall any one come into the Kingdom. This is the law of karma."

On leaving the table I went with Sohma, into his own rooms to see a painting which adorned his wall. Its size was three and a half feet by six feet, and it was framed with rubies, sapphires, diamonds, pearls and other gems set in cement, precious stones which on Earth would be each valued into three period of figures. Not so in Hesperus, for they were produced as Phyris produced the jewel-dishes. But the picture exceeded the frame, a production of art magic which all the wealth of the world could not buy.

I saw a view of a boundless ocean, the billows lashed in tempestuous fury, seabirds skimming the crests or flitting through the air above. It seemed a sunset on the great waters, for the red beams shone through breaking clouds, lighting the aftermath of the storm with a great glory. Close at hand, so close that one could see the anxious intensity of mingling emotions on their faces, two men and a boy clung to a floating spar. One of the men was held by his mates as he wildly waved his arms to a ship that lay, an acute silhouette against the monstrous disc, right in the very middle of the vermilion sun.

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"Such a scene could not be worth so great a sum as I named?"

Truly, it were idle to attach a figure to what no money could buy. But what think you when I say that the pictured billows rose and fell as does real water? And the wind scudding along caught the combing, breaking billows and hurled spray and spume for what seemed hundreds of feet. The petrels and gulls dipping their feet in the water left a momentary ripple as they rose again. Clouds flitted across the horizon, and coming athwart the great sun were lit by its crimson, while, even as I looked, the blazing orb sank its lower edge beneath the waters. The tall ship had sailed to the edge of the shield and, looking, I saw a flag raised and lowered as if in answer to the men on the spar. Then a boat, a mere dot at the distance, was launched. But the castaways were too near the level to see these things and, as the sun sank wholly from view, one of them raised his arms in wild despair and slipped from the spar to his grave in the depths. After a time the light of the full moon replaced that of the set sun, the clouds cleared away, and in the pale, silvery light I saw the approaching boat, seeking the castaways. I saw them, now floated to one side of the canvas, but the searchers at first did not. They rowed here and there, and finally were successful. Lifting the perishing man and the boy into the boat, they pulled away to where the lights of their ship gleamed in the night. Then the watery waste was left lifeless as the boat disappeared in the gloom towards the ship, which, as I looked, sailed out at one side of the picture, as if the whole scene was one beheld through an open window, and the vessel had sailed behind the window casement. The canvas slowly whitened, and presently was perfectly blank of color or figures.

While I yet gazed, out from the side on the right of the frame appeared a black point, coming slowly into view, and tossing up and down. Waves grew in green sullenness across the whole canvas, and Sohma said:

"See, it is about to repeat itself. By watching thou shalt am the whole again. It is a, scene of a shipwreck on the Atlantic

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[paragraph continues] Ocean, on the distant Earth. As often as it is all completed it turns white, and then is repeated. It is another example of the power of an occult mind over matter; the artist's will changes the speed of the color, and either reduces or raises it so that the vibrations making red are increased and range up through all degrees of color-force, always exactly in harmony with the astral image put on the canvas by the creative power of the occult artist. 'Who painted this, dost thou ask?' Phyris. She painted it ere thou camest to Hesperus, when thou didst rescue a woman from a life of shame. This scene is prophetic. It is that of a time coming on Earth, when that rescued woman shall be lost at sea, years hence. But look at the picture."

I looked, and saw that though the storm was yet only a menace, it was surely coming and would overtake the proud vessel that now had appeared in full perspective, half a mile over the waters from me, as it seemed. At the mainmast floated the Stars and Stripes, Flag of the Union. The sight brought my astral to me, and memories of Earth and homeland filled my eyes with tears. But Sohma put away the sad feeling, leaving me but partially conscious of the past. I could see a sailor go to the ship's bell and ring "eight bells," see, but of course not hear, four o'clock in the afternoon. The sailor had hardly struck the time ere a man came on deck and seemed to give orders to "close reef." The men swarmed into the rigging and obeyed; it was from their actions that I knew what the orders had been. Then coming back on deck, they battened down the hatches and put all safe for storm. Not a moment too soon. First a cloud overcast the sun; then a black pall in the north, obscuring the view. I could dimly see that things on shipboard began to flap in the wind, and soon the noble vessel careened far over to starboard under the white-topped rush of frightful billows. Then the fugitive craft, with its mainmast hanging over the side, began to flee before the demon of the storm. I could see it as it rose and sank in the maddened swirl, while it seemed as if the vessel was in rapid motion, giving the

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effect of flight. Presently a squad of seamen made a rush across the decks for the pumps, at which they worked with the energy of despair. A woman came from the one hatch left open for passage below decks, and winding the cordage of the stump of the mainmast about her slight form, cheered the men in their desperate toil. The foremast now snapped, and was cut adrift. The vessel was filling faster than the men could pump out the leakage, and a jump for the boats was made. One by one these were lost, swamped as they touched the water, till only one remained. Into this the captain ordered his men. Two more men than there was possible room for in the boat; and the captain with his mate and the woman, whom he held in his arms, stayed. The boat was not seemingly a hundred feet distant when the gallant ship pitched forward, prow first, and went down. A spar floating by the lone boat was the salvation of some of those in the frail shell, which I saw overturned by the heavy waves. A moment I saw white faces, for the boat was near in the foreground. I saw the woman's face as she sank, and she was near enough so that I saw, not terror, but a peaceful smile depicted on her features. Then I saw two men and a boy, clinging to a spar, and the scene was come to the repetition, for on that spar, when two days had elapsed (in seeming), I saw them as at the beginning of this description. "In seeming?" Yes, because the canvas depicted that night's blackness, the next day's sombre light, another night and the second day. The whole scene took about two actual hours for its rendition.

Sohma said no more concerning occult wisdom. He knew that my mind, ignorant of the philosophy of this higher life, was not in touch with its significance, and that I wearied of it as a child does of studies at school; abstruse occupations presenting to its limited comprehension no actual connection with the facts of its little world.

Mol Lang taught me yet one thing more there in Hesper, saying it was for my guidance, and that I would not forget it at any time. We were beside the great river which flowed past his abode at a few hundred yards distant. I sat on the

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gravel of the shore; Mol Lang sat above me on the bank, close enough to touch me. He planted a seed, and over it held his hands, palms downward. It grew fast, and soon stood mature at the height of his head. Banana-like fruit hung amongst its broad leaves. He plucked some of the fruit and ate it.

"See, Phylos, such is plant life. Thou hast said: 'Why not take animal life to nourish our bodies,' and 'If it be wrong to take life of animals is it not wrong to take that of vegetable growths?' My son, where any form, mineral, plant or animal, exists, there also is an entity created by the Spirit; the matter-form is nothing but clothing to the astral, and this to the soul. Now there are plant souls, animal souls, human souls, all children of our Father, but not evolutionable one into the other in any given period of planetary activity; but all progress towards the Creator as plants draw sunward. No man can make even a plant soul exist; but if he know the law, he can find a plant soul and give it a body of plant shape, if the body be a higher type than it had before. He can--I can incarnate such a plant soul. It is a simple experience; it begins by sprouting of seed, by growth of the young plant body, by maturity, budding, flowering, fruiting and ripening more seeds, seven simple actions. I can hasten these, and crowd them all into a few minutes. Then have I given the plant soul its little experience. Left alone it would have no others, but would die, the last experience in its incarnation. Very well; I take its body, but cut off no needed process. It is m virtually my body as my own flesh, for I made it and loaned it to the plant soul. Out of me went strength to do it. Reverse the process, eat the plant, into me returns my strength. But no man could forsee the experiences which each day, hour and minute bring to an animal soul, each and every one necessary, for it is growing toward the Eternal, and each experience is a responsible link, making it a karma which shall bring its animal soul into a next incarnate life. Kill it, and thou canst not compensate it for its opportunities; but to a plant thou mayest. Compensation is God's law. If thou doest a thing and can not compensate for it, that is sin; but if thou

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art able to make proper balance, it is no sin. Hence the Master of Nazareth did no sin in the matter of filling the fisherman's net; but thou wouldst have sinned in doing likewise, for in thee the manifest Spirit is not made One with thee. As thou canst not compensate an animal soul for its bodily life, thou sinnest in killing. And the flesh is accursed by reason of that sin. Behold, I say truly, if thou shalt do such sin, thou shalt reap the penalty; no butcher can see God in His Kingdom: he must cease to be a butcher ere he can have hope of knowing the occult realm which is His Kingdom."

Mol Lang arose, and I did also. He put his arm about me and said:

"My son, the desert is before thy feet. Its hot sands will scorch their soles, yet heed thine own intuition [*1] which reveals God unto thy soul, and thou shalt come out of that desert. Be thou faithful unto death, and thou shalt have a crown of life from our Father. God be with thee and keep thee; I, also, will guard thee."

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My friends, years elapsed ere I again saw Mol Lang, weary years of sorrow and trial. He left me there by the river, and there Phyris found me not long after.

Soon gathered about us other people, mostly young persons, even some children. In Hesper, the Seventh Principle has a fair beginning of growth, while as for their physical perfection, any Hesperian has an almost godlike beauty and grace. But to illustrate how great is the height of that plane above anything earthly, and how many seemingly miraculous powers have there become characteristic of humanity, so as to be common inheritance of every ego theron incarnate, instance this: A little child, only four years of age, but very mature in demeanor, while essentially childlike in many things, came and stood beside me. Though the little one laughed and chatted with me, if I had at first been disposed to think her babyish, I soon regarded her differently. Young as she was, and of course unacquainted with any deep occult laws, yet as

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child of a branch of humanity advanced to the perfect human plane, and upon the threshold of the spiritual, she herself was fitted to be there by untold. previous incarnations. As heritage of these many lives the little maid possessed astonishing powers which earthly men and women must acquire by the slow process of study through years.

Study first to conquer the animal nature, then meditate on the principles which, for those who have the will to know, are in these pages. Do only as they teach. Follow the Way. One shall guide all who earnestly ask Him, even before the Day of Man.

Apparently satisfied regarding my appearance, remember that I should have been invisible to non-clairvoyant eyes, but was not so to her inherited psychic sight, the little one remarked in sweet confidence:

"My father hath often told me of a numerous branch of the human race, compared to which we Pertozians are as the leaves of a single tree to those of a forest. He hath pointed out the planet where these dwell; I have never seen any of these lower human beings until now I see thee. Is it not strange? And they tell me, too, that neither thou, nor the mass of people are yet come to have knowledge of the karma, nor other occult powers, do foolishly scoff at it, indeed. It is strange. Still thou, and they also, will grow in knowledge. God demands it. Then thy personal appearance will become more pleasing." (!)

I was wholly abashed. To hear a mere child talk thus, and conclude with the remark that I would grow, well, grow to grace, was most astonishing. It was pleasing, too, for though it exhibited the vast gap between the Earthly man and the spirituality of Hesper, yet it showed the vista of human possibilities with a clearness which nothing else had done. Man needs comparisons to enable him to judge of relative values. St. Peter's Church at Rome is the greatest building the world now knows. But these vast buildings must be set about with others, themselves large, to enable the human mind to comprehend how vast they are. So with spiritual truths: until

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this little child revealed it, I had not had anything but a vague conception of the exalted truths I had heard. Mol Lang's marvelous actions, those of Sohma and Phyris even, had impressed me as acts of a superior being, whose side I could never gain as an equal. Truly, Mol Lang said he came there by study and, further, faith in the Father. But my eyes saw not his progress; they but saw his attainment; neither had I seen this child acquire her position, but my soul could recognize the fact of her growth being still in progress. In place of vague desires, I began to feel the thrill of hope and a knowledge that I also might grow. Until that moment I had accepted the statements of my friends that I could grow up to them. Faith was now replaced by knowledge. Through this little one my life was lifted and linked to the higher life of Pertoz, that of man perfect. I was ready to say in earnestness, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven."

The dozen or more friends present asked me to tell my life story, in order that hearing the living voice, they might study me as I spoke. I complied. At last I finished. I had told of my hopes in life, and they were lofty, noble hopes, like those which throng the breast, subduing the animal nature, when one listens to music whose chords thrill the soul to do and dare for the high reward of hearing Him say: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

To me then spoke Phyris, slowly, but how sweetly only one can know who puts away all that sullies the human soul. I noted that she no longer used the ordinary personal pronouns, but in this last conversation reverted to the solemn style though using the familiar English language.

"Phylos, thou hast related of thy life all that thou knowest. I know much more, and I will tell thee also, though thou goest to Earth, forgetting us, forgetting me."

"Phyris, say not so, I can never forget you!" I said sadly.

"Yea, Phylos, thou wilt forget me, because only thy Hesperian memory knoweth me, and it must yield to thine Earthly astral when thou hast returned thither. Yet it will but sleep, not perish, until the time again cometh for it to govern thy

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life. When the years of karma are flown, thou wilt once more come hither, and then thou wilt no more yearn for Earth, as now. My. twin, I fain would keep thee here; I can not, for karma is set against me, and karma is the Christ law, saying, 'Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.' Though forgetting Hesper, yet thou shalt have an astral record, and it will at times come to thee, even as thine earthly record cometh here, disturbing thee, and it will be a strange thing, for it will seem as thyself, yet thou shalt not recognize its words as thine own history, so it shall seem also some one else.

"Thou hast told thy life so far as thou knowest it; but back of it thou hast heard that thou hast had myriad other lives. And in these I have been involved. Naturally so, for my spirit is also thy spirit, though our souls are not now near together as they have been in other times. I could tell thee much concerning this eternity past, which thou hast had and known, but forgotten page by page as the Angel of Death turned the leaves of thy book of life. But I will not tell thee, Phylos, though I could remember it from that living, eternal record of cause and effect, of the mutual action and reaction of the forms of life and of matter; 'tis the astral record, the Father's 'Book of Life.' Memory is but the power of the soul to read this great astral record. I have that power; thou hast it not; but I will not tell thee, but leave thee to find all this thyself; to know this past from thine own coming wisdom. Then thou shalt know me as one with thyself. And I will in that time write the long history of our lives from the remote days when thou and I lived in old Lemuria, days ere the Earth had known the continent of Atlantis, or the glacial epoch of geologists--'twas the golden age. But we will know farther back than that, even to the time when Earth did not exist, nor Venus nor Mars, neither the sun nor any star. But of this I will not try to tell the world all, not that it might not be told, but no reader could comprehend that state wherein Man that is, was a race not become Man as yet. When I say Man I say also all associate animals, for every sort of being that lives on the Earth is Man, there being men and animals, lesser men. No,

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they who heard the words could in nowise comprehend beings neither animal, plant nor mineral, which nevertheless lived. I will therefore deal solely with the later time which came ere the last glacial epoch, and still later with the time of Zailm, and when of him, of thyself, for my Phylos is but Zailm reincarnate, returned from devachan."

I raised my head, which I had kept bowed while Phyris talked. We were alone, the others of our party having withdrawn. Phyris continued:

"I will write of Anzimee, and so of myself; and I will write of others also. But now I speak of ourselves.

"When Man was born into the earth from Mars, as he is eventually to be born from the Earth into Hesper, that was the basis of the allegory of Adam and Eve, but back of them came all their lesser brethren, the animals of land, sea and air. And back of the race birth were the race lives on Man, and ere then lives on two other planets, neither of which are of matter which the Earthly eye could perceive. There is in them now no life process, for these world souls are resting, and so also is Mars. Thus have I spoken of four of the seven planets of which the human race makes cyclic visits, going from One to Two, to Three, to Four (which is the Earth), to Five (Hesper), to the one to which Man will go after his years on Hesper, and thence to the Seventh or Sabbatic world. These two last, like the two first, are imperceptible to the eyes of man on Earth. Seven are the worlds, and seven times the race of Man circles them; three times already hath Man circled the series and arrived en masse at the fourth of the number in this, his fourth round. So, Phylos, I speak of all these many race-lives; of Earth, of Hesper, of Mars, and all other human planets, after the ordinary sense. But whosoever wills may go with our Great Master, escaping the Rounds, and of that Life, no words can tell. But such will is rare, and few there be that find that Way. Yet here are some of the signs along that Path; hear them, heed, and thus find--me. Use all things as

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abusing none. Drugs, as drugs; food, as not gluttonously; drinks, as not bibulously; society, as a study; marriage [*1] as a Way, but continency as His Highway. The most of our race must go by the lower path, for the Cliff-brow Way is too dizzy; none can walk it, save He holds their hands, and few there be that will to let Him, for desires tempt them. But they that refuse that Life now, how shall they find it again? They will not, and so shall cease with the world. Then will have come true that which is written, 'There shall be time, and times and half a time.' Alas that it should be so. A message of this judgment shalt thou render in a day not afar off. Being in the middle of its sojourn upon the Earth, the race is half through an experience of life that hath engaged it for a period of time too vast for thy real comprehension."

"Will you not tell me?" I inquired. "I am curious."

"Tell thee? Yes, and in words thou canst understand, yet the figures can convey but vaguely to thee, who know not what all the period hath seen transpire. These are the figures," and Phyris solemnly counted a period of time which my mind confronted as one helpless, lost in thought. "But see thou convey to none other this knowledge, until our atonement hath recurred. Such is the lapse of Time since the Universe was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Each man we see, except those who have been transfigured, is but a semi-ego, and each woman the same, two of these having one spirit. When the perfection time cometh, all the halves shall unite, each with its own, and lo! this is the marriage made in heaven. But first comes the Trial, the Crisis of Transfiguration."

"And if," I asked, "if a soul pass not, why not, and what will happen, and if one half, one mate, shall fall, shall the other also?"

"Oh, my twin! If a soul pass not, it will be because the waywardness of its many lives hath clipped the wings of its strength so that it can not fly above the concentrated temptations of that trial. Such a fate is the portion of all failures

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in this supremest trial. And lastly, personally, if thou dost fail? Thy soul shall go into the Second Death, and because of that, so also shall mine, for we, and all egoic mates fight this last fight with our combined strength. On me thy eternal life depends; on thee my hope rests; but upon the Spirit rests all our hope. And we can not find It if we follow not the Path shown us by Christ; if we seek It not, It will not seek us. Save Christ is ours and in us we must fail in that fearful trial. But come, Phylos, and see the Earth as it was in the days of Zailm. and Anzimee, and seeing that time, behold it now."

Thus speaking, she arose and touched me, and I perceived for the first time that she, like myself, was in astral form. I seemed to sleep momentarily, yet was conscious of motion, the sort of motion that one experiences when passing from deep sleep to full wakefulness at once. This was the passage from Hesperus to Earth. The sensation was due to the fact that my present astral was in some sort material; as I had not even an astral when coming from the Earth, and so nothing material, therefore I could not be conscious of that transition. The sleeping unconsciousness was now due to Phyris, who wished to draw my attention from her words and--herself.

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Once more all the scenes of Earth appeared. I saw the broad waters of the Atlantic. Phyris said:

"Names are appropriate; see here is the Atlantic Ocean where was the Atlantean Continent. And now we descend into it; above are its waters, and around us. They harm us not, for our psychicality is superior to their psychicality. Behold the psychic record of the past, the concrete history of the world, imperishable until time shall be no more. Wouldst thou read of a first destruction of Poseid? Seek it in thy Bible, and find it as the Noachian deluge. This was before the age of Zailm, or of history which they knew, many thousands of years. Wouldst learn of the destruction of Lemorus, that great people who were in the Earth before the Age of Ice, when the world knew no cold, nor snow, nor frost; who antedated Poseid by countless ages? Turn to the book of Job and

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read of how the 'deep boiled like a pot,' and reading, thou shalt learn that Lemuria perished of fire from out the interplanetary depths. So one cycle of mankind dieth of fire, and the next of water. And again, the next dieth of fire. The races of Earth to-day shall come, afar off as is yet that day, to perish of fire, and the Earth be blasted and rolled together as a scroll, find thou its prophecy in the second Book of Peter III:10. Yet knowledge of all this is not from my telling. I have spoken. And now, my other self, I take thee yet awhile to fulfill the law and the prophets and thy karma. And I will abide thy coming again unto me; we part, see, here is the Sagum, there Mendocus. Aye, beloved, we part, but it is for a little while, and then for eternity we shall be one together. Let some dim perception of me awaken in thy mind, and sweeten thy life, and lead thee ever upward. My peace, so much as it is such, be with thee, and keep thee!"

She put her arms about me, and held me long, while our eyes looked into each others souls. Then her lips met mine in one ecstatic throb, and---she was gone!

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Footnotes

^340:1 Matthew, v. 18.

^345:1 St. John, xvi, 13.

^350:1 Cor. vii; 1 to 9; also 29, 31, 32, 36, 37 and 38.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VIII

 

OLD TEACHERS TAUGHT OF GOD

I awoke. The place was in one of the smallest rooms of the Sagum; it seemed not unfamiliar, although I had theretofore been only in the greater apartment. Mendocus sat by my side. There was a sense of having lost something; I knew not what, but the loss made me inexpressibly sad. I felt hampered, as if my freedom had contracted. Otherwise, too, I felt weak, as if long ill. But Mendocus put his hand over my eyes, and I slept.

The next conscious moment came, and the weariness was gone, but not wholly so the sense of loss, of restricted freedom. It was one thing to lose prehension of memory and

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events; to have entirely forgotten Hesperus and Phyris, and Mol Lang and Sohma, as I had done; but it was a wholly different and impossible thing to forget or in any wise put away the growth of my soul during my five weeks of absence from the Earth. Yes, five weeks, for despite the seeming months in devachan, and the time in Pertoz, all but one part in a thousand of my time of absence had been spent in Hesperus. Five weeks of Earth time.

It would have been impossible for me to have remained in Pertoz and been happy. It would be impossible for you, my friends. Why? Because it was a plane of soul life so exalted above our familiar Earth that only growth can introduce the soul there, long, slow, ofttimes painful, but growth. To me, then, or to you now, irrevocable transference to such a high plane of life would be fearful punishment; all our ordinary powers of life, all our present selves put away, and an entirely different set of sensibilities and a new, unknown, untried self in their place, knowledge in the use of all which, amidst wholly strange phenomena and unlearned laws, the misplaced soul would have to acquire through long, unhappy years. It is a divine blessing to humanity that sudden transition from one plane to a higher is as impossible as is any real retrogression.

I sat up, and then stood up, Mendocus assisting me, for I was weak and dizzy I remained at the Sach until several days had elapsed, learning of various occurrences and making various decisions and resolutions. Asking for Quong, I was told he was dead, and knowing now nothing of the past five weeks, I accepted the news with keen regret.

Mendocus told me that I was a man yet possessed of earthly appetites and passions, although I had lately been where humanity was of the heavenly order, as measured by terrestrial standards, where no sensuality ever invaded, although the people were not austere, nor was life there devoid of pleasure.

I assented for the sake of courtesy, without knowing anything of whom or what he spoke, more than an untraveled commoner

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of a great city knows of interior Africa, He saw my ignorance and became silent.

His remarks about social sin I felt inapplicable to myself, for although I mingled with the people of this world, I did not sin in the meaning of the term as he applied it. Perhaps from environment I was not free, but free of these errors I was, and without any pharisaical self-praise.

Speaking of the fallen, however, where was the really sweet noble girl I had tried to raise, and who, seconding my efforts, had gone to Melbourne? Life interests were again claiming me. The animal soul was reasserting itself, and warring as strongly as its feeble selfhood allowed with the human soul and the stirring spirit which cannot sin nor err, because it is one with the Over Soul, and so ever draws the human soul upward, whilst the animal pulls it downward.

Then said Mendocus to me:

"Mr. Pierson, the sins thou dost condemn in thy fellow-creatures were once thine, and, if thou shalt condemn the doer, may become thine again. That thou judgest, thou art not past danger of committing.

"Judge not, lest thou be judged. But in thine inner soul these past five weeks have placed a light, a lamp from God. Hide it not, but let it so shine that it give light to the Sinful who have no light. Pity them, deplore their error, but if thou condemn them thou wilt not follow Him who said 'neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more.'"

Mol Lang had set a proper estimate on my powers in refusing to make irrevocable my ascent to the Hesperian plane. I had stood ready with the torch of desire to fire my earthly ships. If I could have known of my escape I would have felt thankful. As it was, Hesper was become an unmeaning name, and the ships were not burned. Pleased as a child I had gone to the devachanic plane, where all things that the child in experience desired, although it wished never so foolishly, seemed to occur. Now the child having confronted the sober fact that inexorable laws govern all the reign of being, had become stricken, broken-hearted at his failure; had returned to his

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own sphere, and, blessed mercy, was enabled to forget it all until such time as the five weeks' leaven had leavened the whole, and return was possible in the circumstances of one coming to his own. Friend, never assume the attitude of childishness toward the sublime--you may not escape as lightly as I did. Count the cost, or else plod along with the commonplace masses. Both roads lead to the goal, one short but inexpressibly severe, the other long, and, alas! quite severe enough. It is no paradox to say that the shortest road is the longest; life is not always measured by years--some lives are but a few short years--but oh, the bitternesses and not impossibly, sweets, too, crowded in them would require a thousand years of other and less marked lives to essay.

Before I left the Sagum, Mendocus laid down esoteric rules for my guidance in the days to come, days when sole dependence must be stayed on my knowledge of these rules, since no esoterist would be near to counsel me,

"Mr. Pierson," said the grand old sage, "I have here a Bible. Lo! I have read it, the Old Testament, eighty-seven times; the New, even more times. Yet I see ever now beauties in the Book. I have here the Books of Manu, and also the Vedas. All are authorized by the Christ-Spirit, under different human names, truly, and in different ages. All are more or less allegorical; all require His Light to interpret; without it, serious errors may arise as they have arisen heretofore in the world with sad frequency and fearfully long lived persistency.

"I will therefore declare unto thee a guidance from them. Knock, and it shall be opened unto thee. But see thou knockest with the will of the Spirit, for although the mind knock, forever, the Way shall not be opened.

"Ask, and it shall be given. But although the animal man ask ever, no answer shall be given, for this meaneth also except the request be made by the Spirit in thee for the Truths of God, and not for earthly things; these last follow as shade the sun.

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"Whatsoever is asked of the Father in the Christ's name, that shall He grant. But consider that asking in the name of the Christ is asking for the things of His Kingdom. With the gift of these things all lesser things shall be added, food, raiment and all else the body bath need for. This is hard for the natural mind to comprehend. He will not let thee perish though thou die of hunger.

"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. This is karma and the law, and every jot of it must be fulfilled. Man is a creature of many incarnations, each earth life one personality, strung on the unbreakable string of his egoic individuality, which reacheth from everlasting to everlasting, from the East unto the West.

"No demand of karma may be ignored; all must be paid in the course of the lives.

"Then 'do unto others as thou wouldst be done by,' and remember, as thou doest unto the least of thy fellow creatures, in that manner and measure is it done unto our Savior, and unto the Father, and shall be done unto thee again.

"Keep all the commandments; thou shalt so come to everlasting, where is all wisdom."

That evening I went out of the sacred precincts and back to the town.

There I learned of things various. My mining partners were now willing to buy my share without further parley. From that sale I received approaching three hundred thousand dollars, paid in installments, seven quarterly payments of nearly forty-three thousand dollars gold coin, each one.

The arrangement having been made for depositing these sums, as they fell due, with my bankers in Washington, D. C., I was overcome with a desire to travel; this and my ability to gratify it took me to nearly every civilized land. Yet no object except unrest prompted this nomadism.

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Almost two years had passed since I left ------------ City, the scene of my esoteric experiences. I was in Norway, away from the wide, wide world, in a little hamlet close to a celebrated

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fjord, where I had arrived the previous day. My guide and general utility man spoke English sufficiently well to make himself readily intelligible. He proved to have been a sailor on the ship in which I took my first voyage, and had returned to his native land to minister to the wants of travelers, in which service his knowledge of Anglo-Saxon did him good stead. He was delighted to see me, a feeling which I reciprocated. His name? Certainly, Hans Christison.

Hans said that four or five other summer travelers were staying in the village, "One ish ein young leddy; she haf a crazy for paint und brushes--ish ein nardist, I think so."

A week elapsed before I met this "purty leddy," and meantime Hans guided me, equipped with gun and fish rod, he rowing our light skiff. One afternoon I took the skiff and went off alone to a rock jutting out of the fjord, whereon grew several birch trees of graceful beauty. I tied the skiff, and then climbed out and sat down to read the letters forwarded to me from New York.

While reading these I heard a little sound behind me as of some person else on the tiny island. Turning my head I saw a woman, and then I laid down my paper and sprang to my feet. I was too much surprised to raise my cap or even to speak, and she seemed equally astonished. Then I said the one word:

"Lizzie!"

"Mr. Pierson!" she replied.

"How came you here?" was our next exchange. I told her of my aimless wanderings, and she related her life since we parted in ------------ City. From Melbourne she had gone to New York and thence to Washington. There she bought a residence and established an art studio, assuming the name of Harland. People were told little and learned less of her antecedents, and were allowed to suppose that she was a young Australian widow of moderate wealth. Each of the two summers after her advent to life at the capital had been spent abroad, and this, the third summer, she was spending in Norway. Her pictures had sold well, and she had made up the

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entire sum which she had used from what she called my "loan." This she insisted on giving back to me, but I laughed, and tentatively agreed, saying, "Before I leave, if you insist." I stayed four weeks, there, stayed until I learned from a chance remark that she was going away in a few days for a little stay among the Scottish lakes. Then without saying anything to Mrs. Harland, I bade Hans take me by night to the steamer which visited the little port once a fortnight, and was then due, and going on board, paid Hans, adding a douceur. As the ropes were being cast off, I said:

"Hans, let the 'young leddy' know that I am gone; tell her, if she asks, I am going to St. Petersburg. Good bye, Hans."

To the Capital of the Czar I went, and was there a week.

Then back to Paris, then to London, and in another week I sailed for New York, thence to Washington.

A year passed. One afternoon as I strolled up Pennsylvania Avenue, I carne face to face with Elizabeth Harland. We stopped, spoke, and then I turned and walked with her. The old surged over us; I remembered the days in California; then more tenderly, the peaceful month in Norway, when I had come to really believe I loved this girl, not only for her radiant beauty and sedately sweet womanhood, but for her tremendous effort to triumph over error, and her success, wherefore she was come forth from the fire, pure gold.

Before we parted I learned her address, and resolved to call as soon as an opportunity offered.

Next evening a bank messenger came to my apartments, and left a packet. It held two hundred bank notes of the value of one hundred dollars each, and a letter. This I opened hastily and read:

Sept. 3rd, 1869.

"Mr. Walter Pierson:

"Enclosed find the sum of my indebtedness to you, and accept my heartfelt gratitude for the same. And we will be friends; you are ever welcome to come to the home of

Your sincere friend,

Elizabeth Harland."

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I pondered the situation, and when the moment of decision came made up my mind very suddenly. The money which she had returned I put into my pocketbook, took my hat and, being in proper attire, went down the street until I found a cab. Entering this, I gave directions to the driver to take me to No. --, -------- Street.

It was a pretty place. When I rang the bell it was answered by Mrs. Harland herself. Her manner was cordial, but I fancied somewhat constrained.

On the wall of the parlor hung a picture of rare merit. A man whose face and mien was as expressive of divinity as it lies in the power of paint and brush to depict, stood looking on a woman whose face was hidden by her hands. In the dust at his feet were characters written. The environment was that of the architecture of the Holy Land. Under the painting, which was half life size, were the words, "St. John, VII:11."

I sat down in a proffered chair, and for a moment silence reigned. My hostess broke this, saying:

"You received the money, Mr. Pierson?"

"Yes." I drew it out of my pocket and following my resolve, and waiving all prefatory remarks, I said:

"Except you give me yourself with this money, I will not take it out of the house. Will you be my wife, Elizabeth?" I asked as I knelt by her side.

Her eyes gazed into mine a moment, and she said.

"For myself, because you love me, and veil the past with the success of the present?" tears in her eyes, tears in her voice as she spoke.

"Yes, darling!"

With a convulsive sob she rested in my arms, and cried as if her heart would break. At length she said, tremulously.

"All the world is less worth than this true love."

Our wedding was quiet, and after it we went for a brief trip abroad, going only to England, and in a short time returned home.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

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CHAPTER IX

 

THEY WHO HEED HAVE PEACE

Once during the wanderings before my marriage, and while I was in Hindustan, I met an old man of unprepossessing figure, whose faded eyes no sooner rested on me than he said:

"You are he of whom Mendocus told me, and charged me concerning, saying 'tell him certain things for me.' This I will do. Young man, your life shall be sad and bitter on Earth, but sweet after that. Things will transpire because of which your animal soul shall embrace itself and say, 'This is joy.' But immediately the still voice of the human soul in you shall say, 'This joy is but a Sodom apple,' and in that moment you will know that it is so. Hence you will have ever a war between your animal soul, which is innate depravity, and. your spirit, which is of God, Brahma, the One. See in it the allegory of Adam and original sin; it pulls your human soul down to death; the other, the Spirit, draws the human upward. Attend then its sayings; I will render them for you:

"Before your eyes can see God they must be incapable of shedding tears for any suffering of your own. Before your ears can hear, they must have lost sensitiveness. Your voice may not speak eternal wisdom until it has no power to wound. Before your self can stand in the presence of the Eternal, its feet must have been bathed in the blood of suffering, penance, restitution. Then kill the ambition to excel in the poor paths of Fame. Cease to regard this life as your best possession.

"Then work for God as earnestly as others work for Mammon; and respect thy life as those respect life who treasure it most, and be happy as those who live for happiness. In the hearts of all is the source of all error, in disciple as well as in the man of desire. Study a plant of mustard, witness it grow and bud. But if thou shalt hew it down so that it never beareth seed, behold a strange thing, it will sprout again

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and grow through the years, if it never beareth. And this although it is only a material form. Now, therefore, if a human soul shall not be cut down, yet shall not enter into life as a creator by reason that it wills not, then the Spirit of life everlasting shall go into it, and it shall contain itself, and therefore live forever. Study the truth of mustard life. Only the strong in God can act upon this teaching and hold the lower nature. The weak must wait its maturity and then will come their struggle. It will strive to keep the feet from the Path; and may succeed. But if once all its power be wiped out; if once thou doest the will of the Father earnestly, is His obedient child, that is the atonement, for it shall give strength to do every work of the Creator of Being. It will seem to take the very life. That is because it takes the animal soul and throttles it. But the human soul will recover, and the Spirit come into it. This is the time of the Silence of the Soul. Then it shall be clear to you how dark are the lives of those who are around you and have no goal of union with the Spirit towards which to race. And you will see and know karma. Also you will. see that because of your past incarnations your karma is inextricably interwoven with the karma of the world. This is that saying which the Nazarene answered when it was asked of Him, 'Who is my neighbor?' If, Walter Pierson, you shall once be able to know the Peace of Silence, you shall then learn of all things about you, for the Earth is Brahm's, and all in it teaches His works."

I was surprised at being called by name, and also of being told of Mendocus. The old man said further:

"If your soul once knows this Peace, no storm of sin or of sorrow can ever more ward you far aside from the Path, for its knowledge is an abiding wisdom. Heed also the words of Mendocus, read your Bible, read the Vedas, read Manu; and study. It shall all be a staff to your hand and a lamp to your feet. Peace be with you."

"And to you, peace," I replied as he turned and walked away into the crowd, for we had stood by a public drinking fountain.

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Now that Elizabeth was found and was my wife, I pondered deeply these things I had heard of the occult lore. Not that she had connection with it. But because, as the years went by, I found she knew and cared little about these abstruse studies, which I did. So our lives drew apart. But she was oblivious of this fact, and I was glad because she was. She had her churchwork and I aided her in all her sweet charities. To us came two lovely little daughters, the greatest treasures of our lives, and oh, so carefully taught regarding life and shielded from its dangers. So long as these little ones were with us, I was content. And yet I felt, in an ill-defined sorrow, that Earth's experiences were but Sodom apples.

Sometimes I found my lonelier hours disturbed by a strange voice which whispered to my inner consciousness. As time passed it grew stronger, and one day it appeared before my sight as a wraith. The Shape talked. What it said made me eager to hear more, so I cultivated it. It became thenceforth a regular visitor, and from that to being always present when I was otherwise alone was but a step. It spoke of having been on a distant planet which it called "Pertoz," sometimes "Hesperus," again "Venus." It spoke of persons whose names were strange, calling one "Mol Lang", another "Sohma" and a third "Phyris." Then it described these people, and I listened eagerly. Who were they, and what human soul was this which had gone to Venus? The ghost looked marvelously like myself. But my slumbers at night were as sound as if it visited me not.

I called it my ghost. How unconsciously true It told of everything related to my being with Mol Lang, and in Venus; it drew my mind's eye to the psychic scene in the bed of the Atlantic. It told of a visit to the sun with Sohma, of which I neglected mention in sequence. Briefly, Sohma went with me to the sun, and showed me that it was a vibrant body of less size than astronomers believe, but of enormous density. I saw its oceans--they were heavier than Mercury. But it had no life forms which I took as such. Yet life of some

[p. 363]

sort there is everywhere. Perhaps, indeed, not animal, nor vegetable, but from the high standpoint of those who know much of the works of the All-Father, forms that no earthly man would call life are such, nevertheless. But the sun is a force of such fearful vibrative pulsing that even my subtle astral body was not unaffected. Sohma said of it:

"See the immediate center of our solar system. Thou wouldst call it a dynamo, the great dynamo of the system. Right wouldst thou be, and wrong also. The attempt to define the sun as an analogue to a dynamo-electric machine has much to support it. But to define it as identical is erroneous. The trouble with that theory is the trouble which lies at the root of and weakens all other theories to account for sun-heat and sun-light. It is that science does not assign a sufficiently high value to the sun. The combustion theory is invalid; the solar mass contraction theory is but partially tenable and meteoric showers do not account better than the first two. Neither does the electric-dynamo theory. Truly, the latter explains how sun-heat and sun-light may coexist and not be inharmonious with the awful degree of cold between earth, the planets and the sun. It explains that which denies the simple combustion theory so completely, viz. that the farther one goes from the earth center, either in a balloon or on a high mountain, the colder and darker the air gets, so that inter-stellar space is several hundred degrees below zero, and black as midnight, with the sun a luminous disc, without rays. But the dynamo theory does not explain the solar spectrum, nor the bands of spectra, nor coronal 'flames,' nor 'sun spots,' nor solar nor lunar eclipses."

The above statements were made by Sohma, as will be remembered by the reader, while I was still-in the Hesperian astral state and for the time was unconscious of a previous terrene existence. I had therefore no memory of the mundane knowledge and was unbiased in my judgment of the remarks of my friend. He had ceased to speak after uttering the word "eclipses." I waited for him to continue, but as be

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did not, I finally interrogated, "Well, what does explain all? What is the truth?" Thus questioned, he resumed:

"I have said that the value accorded by astronomers is too small. Seeing a fire, they would seek to explain by its means the sun. Finding this untenable, and aware that a contracting mass gives off heat, they next essay explanation on that hypothesis. But this will not do, nor will meteoric showers, nor any hypothesis based on facts now known, all are too low in aim; the Infinite cannot be explained by the finite, nor will less explain greater; fire is energy, and electricity is energy, and God is energy. But fire will not solve the query, 'What is electricity?' nor will electricity answer 'What is God?' but God will explain both the others, for the sum of the parts is equal to the whole. But a man does not know the full number of the parts, the partial sum he does know will not explain God."

Sohma ceased again. But I, filled with some vagrant earth memory, allowed no time of pause; I was too eager to wait, and I said:

"But this does not tell me what the solar puzzle is."

"Thou art impatient, my brother; know then, what was at one time known upon the earth, but is now for ages forgotten; that Nature has a dual aspect, is double, is positive and negative; that the great positive side is the side known to mundane science, while the other or negative, or 'Night Side,' or, as it was once known in the earth by the men of Atla, 'Navaz,' is a side all unknown, and scarcely guessed in the most exceeding flights of speculation, left unbroached, secretly kept by a few, who know not that they entertain an angel, an angelic wisdom that in a century more, yea, less time! shall overturn much of the face of terrene things, shall bestow aerial vessels, and all else once known to those men of Atl of whom I spoke. Thou. dost not yet understand?"

I said that I did not; that I thought he referred to some domain of the physical forces not yet known; but what had this to do with the sun?

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"This: the suns of systems are centers of forces of the Night Side of Nature whereof I spoke, and are force, and matter of a higher value than are planets and satellites, just as water above a cataract is water, truly, but being above and mobile, flows over and down, developing energy. In other words, out of the cold, dark, negative side, or 'night side,' force emerges, drawn to the positive polarity which constitutes in its outgoing flow that termed Nature, and develops in its fall, magnetism, electricity, light, color, heat and sound, in order of descent, and lastly solid matter, for this latter is a child of energy, not its parent. When the Navaz forces drop to light, if the light waves enter a spectroscope, they will emerge as colors; these correspond to the various spectrum bands, and will, as the descent progresses, give the noted fines of the solar spectrum, as the great 'B' line of oxygen, the conspicuous '1474' line, and the brilliant 'H' and 'K' violet bands."

I thought I now saw the truth; but I saw only a part; a grand vista was yet to open. I saw it when my companion resumed:

"Thus the evidence of flames, and metals on fire, and all that leads astronomers to think sun and stars flaming hells. But their 'fires' will not decrease, for the Father is immanent, and the forces of 'Navaz' are perpetually fed by Him. The graphic picture of a 'burned-out sun' is a dream, never to be fulfilled. A day will come again in the earth when instruments will be made which Atlantis once well knew, when the prismatic rays from a spectroscope will be found to be a source of heat, and of sound, so that the so-called 'flames' of the sun, and of the stars will produce music, harmonies divine. [*1] Yea, further, for going on down, the dark green solar spectrum of iron will be made to yield iron for use in the arts, and so with the other bands and lines, the intense greens, blues, and blue-greens give copper, lead, antimony and so on. It is by these Navaz currents that the circulation in the universe is kept up, as blood in a man's arteries. The suns are the systemic hearts. But thou art tired, my brother, or I would

[p. 366]

explain yet more, that the planets which receive all these currents must return their equivalent. And thus would another vast field open before thy sight. This last would explain that which so worries science on earth, the molten terrene interior. That also is something of an error. All the phenomena which seem to declare the earth to be in a melted condition inside do not prove it so in truth; all point to the return currents, the positive; all exhibit the venous currents of our universe, back to its hearts."

Sohma concluded with an apostrophe to the leading minds of the Earth which was beautiful indeed:

"O Science of Earth, in thee is the hope of the world, when thou shalt become handmaiden of God. Look up, value His works highly, and thou shalt read clearly many things which now puzzle thee sadly. Thou art the Joseph, and Religion the Mary, and ye twain shall show forth the Light of Life. Blessed art thou."

When my "ghost" retold me this conversation I seized my hat and went out to look sunwards and marvel if all were true, and astounded, reflect again, "Who is this Sohma?"

The puzzle grew, and my discontent with life grew; the lump was becoming leavened. The more I studied the truth of the mustard plant, the clearer grew my perceptions, and I knew that never in my present body could I attain much progress, for in our union Elizabeth and I had passed by the mustard unheeding, writing another karmic chapter.

For a time my "ghost" was amenable to my will as regarded its comings and goings; but it now seemed to have entered in and coalesced with me. I no longer heard or saw it, but instead was often one with it, and saw and heard its visions and perceptions as if they were my own; and indeed, as you know, this was a fact. It was in verity the record of my visit to Pertoz, and was a true cast in all ways of my life there.

Ofttimes my soul was torn by steadfastness to the duty of life as pointed out by Mendocus. And then my only escape from trouble was to allow myself to rest in the Hesperian astral to the exclusion of that of Earth. At such times I was

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living again the life with Phyris and the loved ones of Pertoz. Elizabeth sorrowed over this aberration, as she thought it; and my blessed little daughters grew to regard "papa" as "funny" and I was held in awe. Not a pleasant experience, my friends. My wife would look at me sadly and I know she wept when alone because I often absently called her "Phyris." Indeed, Elizabeth was my closest realization of the Phyris of whom I knew but could not find on Earth. Under all this I grew thin and pale, and aimlessly wandered about possessed of a huge disgust for worldly interests or amusements, filled with sorrow for the sorrow I saw the world held, and yearning for the high plane which I at last knew was not a fantasy, and where Phyris was, and Sohma, and Mol Lang. But I could not get there; and they came not to me, therefore I studied the rules of the Path, because torn with crazed regret when the lower nature triumphed and I fell in sinful error, but although I fell, I rose again. Then the effect this had on my sweet, loving wife came home to me. Was this doing as I would be done by? No. So I set my will in firm resolve and subdued my own sorrows, and made my nature a tool for my soul, not a master over me.

Then once again I smiled, and the color and flesh came back to me. So Elizabeth was happy once more; and I? I had found the true Path at last. Service. I no longer wept for myself; my ears were no more sensitive, my tongue no longer wounded any one with its morose utterances; chiefest triumph of all, my feet were bathed in the life blood of the animal nature, so that I lived unselfishly, my whole being bent on doing my best, living as happily as if solely for happiness, as earnestly as if for ambitious motives. Then it was that the Peace of the Silence came, and I waited for the Savior to take me and fight in me and do His work with my hands. The Paraclete was come into my life.

It was a sad blow when my little daughters died of epidemic scarlatina in the year 1878. Thereafter I used my life to comfort the sweet woman whose vital breath nearly died in that cruel loss. I think Elizabeth never cared for anything in life

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after that, except my loving devotion. And I gave it, for I knew Phyris would have me do so, and I waited on Earth now only to make it tolerable for the woman I had sworn to cherish. She waited in anticipation of rejoining her children in heaven, and meanwhile devoted all her time and energy, with feverish application, to doing all the good she could, using our unlimited money for the purpose. How exultant I was that the money was drawn from the gravel of the mines, and not come to me from harassed debtors.

It was less than two years after Dora and Maydie, our two little girls, had gone to the Summerland, ere Elizabeth followed after them.

I felt the need of a radical change in living methods for the sake of my health, and so, under an assumed name, secured a situation as mate on an American sailer, a splendid vessel. My purpose was to expose myself to the toil of a sea life for a season in the idea of recuperation coming from active duty.

Nothing would satisfy Elizabeth, except going as a passenger on the same vessel; she refused to leave me out of her care. The captain knew her relation to me, so did the crew, so that her being a passenger was natural.

Near the Bermudas a terrible storm came up, and I ordered the sails close reefed; then the squall struck, the mainmast went over, the vessel sprang a leak, the pumps were inadequate, and the boats were swamped, all but one, as fast as they were lowered. Into that went the crew, and I would have put Elizabeth in, but the men, seeing the boat full, pushed off and left her, Captain Washburne and me to our fate. Hardly five minutes elapsed when our noble vessel pitched bows on under the engulfing waves, carrying us with it.

I had lashed myself to the deck cleats to avoid being washed overboard. So now I was doomed to die--and was glad. As the waters swept overhead, I called out in my soul: "Phyris! at last! at last I come!" I saw Mendocus as I lost consciousness, and when I next came to knowledge, I found myself in the Sagum in California. Yet my body drowned off Bermuda's .coast! Here was Phyris, and--yes! Mol Lang. It was not long

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ere I again bade Mendocus farewell, and with Phyris and Mol Lang went home to Pertoz, home now, my own attained plane, and "Earth with its dark and dreadful ills" left behind forever, but not Earth with its mighty secrets of life. Yes, Terre, is. if insignificant, a point whence the Human soul reaches out into the boundless sidereal universe and formulates its laws, knows them, and is greater than all. I was come to leave the Earth where so many incarnations had known me.

	 
		                            'Twas a time
		 For memory and for tears. Within the deep
		 Still chambers of the heart a specter dim,
		 Whose voice was like the wizard tones of Time
		 Heard from the Tomb of Ages, points its cold
		 And solemn finger to the beautiful
		 And holy visions that have passed away,
		 And left no shadow of their loveliness
		 On the dead waste of life. That specter lifts
		 The coffin lid of Hope and Joy and Love."
		
		 O Earth! point in the heavens, yet type of all the stellar universe.

Shall I descend a moment to figures? Shall I speak numbers almost inconceivable? I will. Just for a moment think of what we have come to know in the schools of Earth, think of our human civilization that permits us new comprehensions, see the parallel of how we measure time and distance compared to the Indian, who measures one by "moons" and the other by "looks," one being the interval between one full, or new moon and the next; the other being how far he can look and distinguish a man. Civilized man measures by years and by miles, and science by "light-years." "How much is a light-year? In the time of one second light travels one hundred and ninety-two thousand miles, approximately. In one year there are thirty-one million, five hundred and fifty-six thousand, nine hundred and twenty-nine seconds; hence the distance of a light-year is the multiplied product of one figure by the other, briefly, the inconceivable distance of sixty trillion, five hundred and fifty-three billion, ten hundred and fifty thousand miles. All that, and yet we see a star in the northern heavens said to be one hundred and eighty-one light-years distant from

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the earth around which our own sun revolves, one of its satellites, as the moon is satellite to the earth. Such is the material universe, an infinitude, one of God's Works, but only one, and yet it is comprehensible mechanism, not, from the material point of view, comparable to the value of one soul of Man. Why do I thus digress? Friends, to let you know what proud place Man occupies. Think of all that nearly interminable distance to Arcturus, and then reflect that that bright member of the constellation Bootes is only a little way out in the boundless universe! That vast bulk of matter, capable of being seen nearly one hundred and twenty million times farther than the distance between the earth and the sun. How great is that bulk? Estimated by comparison it is more than half a thousand million times larger than the combined mass of the Earth, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Neptune and Mercury. And yet the human mind reaches into this almost infinite thing called the universe and grapples understandingly with its problems of matter, force, time, space, eternity, infinity! Laus Deo! Thus Arcturus is our yardstick in the sidereal universe, which in itself is in the House of our Father only one mansion! Besides it are "many mansions," and, friends, there is one mansion of the many to which I have called your attention, that of the Soul. The Soul is not material, and one loved one who shall go away out of your home into the "Unknown Country" is farther away from you than Arcturus, for it is in another condition of being. Wondrous privilege. You stand on the threshold, for you are embodied children of the Creator. You can learn His Ways, and go unto the loved ones gone before; or you can leave matter behind and go into the psychic mansion, and reenter matter wheresoever you will; be in the World one instant, in the astral the next and in Arcturus the next I speak no idle tales--who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

-------------------

Now I had left the world for a new life, a new vantage point. So far I had lived a life purely one of sacrifice to duty sad that duty one to Elizabeth, all the later while knowing

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myself, through my other astral, to be far from home and Phyris and knowledge. And now the release had come; my sacrifice to Elizabeth was completed, my charity had covered a multitude of sins, oh! many more than I knew at the time of the completed sacrifice. And yet, I had not quite atoned for all the weary errors of past incarnations. Almost free, however, almost free!

While yet living with Elizabeth, my obedience to the rules of which I have spoken and others of which I have not spoken, all from Mol Lang and Mendocus, had given me insight into somewhat of the past. Thus I had learned a little of the dead personality known to the reader as Zailm of Poseid. I knew that Zailm's spirit, human soul, his individuality, were also mine; that I, Pierson, had been Zailm. I was able to form a fair remembering of Zailm's life, and of its events and his friends. I knew that the acts he did and the sins he committed were my  and that I was responsible for them, because though his personality was not my personality, his individuality was, and is, mine. Although I knew not who Lolix was, or that she lived, yet for Zailm's (my) sin with her and for her tragic death, I must atone. To whom? Anybody in the Earth whom I could serve as CHRIST had said in declaring, "Even unto the least of these." I served with the sacrifice of my living happiness the duty I contracted to Elizabeth, by living for her, and dying on my ship that she might have the chance to escape. I had rescued her from a nameless sin of life in ---------- City, and brought her to saving faith in JESUS, THE CHRIST. If as Zailm, I, the Me, had tripped with Lolix, I, as Walter Pierson, had arisen with another (?) soul to salvation. So karma balanced there. Karma, self-made fate, binds the soul to make reparation in some life or lives for its sins in others. It bound me; I paid the debt. It binds you for debts contracted sometime, somewhere, and will you not follow the Path, and after paying the debt, be with the free forever more? Charity is great: its

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least worthy aspect alms giving, for although I give all my goods to feed the poor, and have not (that) charity (which is love) it profiteth me nothing."

---------------------

I have said that my wife, Elizabeth, cared little for my esoteric studies. But to infer that she cared nothing would be wrong. She once found me in my library, using an occult needle. This was a steel bar seven inches long, square, and one-third of an inch thick, pointed quadramidally, with gold tips. It swung in a glass case suspended by a hair over the symbol.

Could you have been gifted with clairvoyant sight, and have looked upon me as Elizabeth found me, you would have seen that needle hanging motionless, and all about it a golden light or aura. From either end went a beam of this odic luminosity -one to me, and one to a distance. Looking along the latter you could have seen at its end a man, standing beside a dining room sideboard; in his hand a glass of brandy. That man was a dear friend of mine, with but one grave fault, inebriety. As he poised the cup to drink I said firmly:

"No! 'Touch not, taste not, handle not!' Neither now nor henceforth! Heed my voice, or you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven."

Willis Murchison, the would-be drinker, let the glass fall to the floor, where it broke to fragments. A day or so later I met him, and he related that he had had a vision, and heard a voice from God, saying that he should no more drink lest he lose his chance of heaven. He never did touch liquor again. He heard the mysterious voice and heeded; yet he had not heeded his friends. By the occult secret of that aurant tipped needle whose power enlisted the service of spirits not human, I held mesmeric power over him. Herein is the peril of letting the masses know these things, for had I been unscrupulous, lawless, a sorcerer, I could as easily have moved Murchison to any crime.

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Elizabeth asked what I was doing there in the dark. Having achieved my purpose with my friend, I said to my wife, "Let me tell you certain things." I told her of the law of karma, and much besides. When nearly through, I willed the gold pointed needle to connect her mind psychically with mine. Between us the line of light was established. I whispered then:

"Look! See your past life on earth, and know it. Then tell me, nor forget what you learn."

She was silent for a few moments, then her breath came as in sleep. Presently she said:

"A noble, wonderful man is guiding me. I see him seemingly uncover a remote age of the world; it is the day of a mighty nation, who sail the air in what they call 'Vailx.' A splendid city is about me. Now I am in a vast temple; the interior of it is ornamented with real stalactites. I stand by a large cube of crystal quartz, and on this is a strange flame which burns without fuel. I see a young couple whom a grave, priestly man is uniting in marriage. Ah, it seems as if I loved the one to be wed better than I love life! I implore the one in the assemblage who seems to be a ruler of the nation to prohibit the wedding. Then the priest turns to me, now he looks at me, and, oh! my God! his look chills me in death! I seem to rise above the scene and yet my body still stands in a stony, petrified .--------Now it seems some time elapses, and I see the young man who was to be wed. I see the Monarch, too, and they are both in the temple. Now the young man lifts the--my body of stone, and lets it drop into the Light on the great quartz cube, and it disappears instantly. But a foot was broken off, and this the young man hides in his mantle and carries away. It seems all this was due to some evil done by him, and by me through love of him. I--ah-h-h!"

Elizabeth sighed and then awoke to her surroundings. I lighted the study-lamp, and she watched me curiously. Suddenly she said:

"Why, husband, that young man I saw was--was you! Oh, I believe now in all these things you have told, but which I never believed till now I have seen this."

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This experience had a great effect on her, so that she looked more and more into the strange learning, and as a result redoubled her efforts to do good in the world. Thus did she observe the Scripture, "Be ye doers of the word, not hearers only," for strange though this learning seemeth, it is not so to Christian Esoterists, but only to mere bearers, and in a less measure to doers on the exterior plane of Christian service. Thus had I, who led Lolix astray, led Elizabeth back into His deeper Path. But I first had to travel in it somewhat myself, ere I could guide her. This occurred only a few months before her last voyage with me, the Bermuda trip. But she had learned enough to know we were both doomed on the occasion of the wreck, and when I would have placed her in the boat, she said:

"Husband! Walter! I will not go into that boat, for out of the past I know that now we change. I have come to know that in esoterically doing His word, and not hearing it only, is there alone Life. Now I see again into a past age. And you and I are together, and a little babe is before us, wailing to us. You take it bleeding, into your arms, and me also you clasp. Then you ask God for mercy. Generously you took all the blame; yet I, too, having broken the law, had to share the penalty. Then said One who was verily the Christ, although then we knew it not, Therefore in a far day thou shalt gather a sorrowful harvest of woe, and repay all thou art, indebted. When thou art come again, also she with thee, and again are ready to go into Navazzamin, thou wilt find thyselves free of Earth forever: My dear, dear friend, it must be that we both die now; I fear not, for we will of necessity meet again. Farewell, my love, till then; kiss me. Is not my karma paid in full, so far as Lolix's error is? More even, possibly? And Christ, shall He not receive me now?"

And I said: "Yes, dear wife, it must be! Good-by, and God bless you, for we will truly meet again, beyond the great deep River, with Him." And so in death I held her close.

Do you longer marvel at her contented smile in the photographically true picture of the death scene executed by

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[paragraph continues] Phyris? And I, friend? Was not the special crime of Zailm atoned for, in that I brought her to know God's law, karma, and in making my life a living sacrifice for, and at the last dying in an effort to save her to happiness and enlightenment, was that score not requited, fulfilled, and Jesus the Christ obeyed? Sins, evil deeds, lies, thefts, adulteries, murders even, axe in themselves only the shadows of lives turned to face away from God into outer darkness; they are weak places in the chain of character; unsymmetrical places in what Christ our Lord would have perfect, even as He is perfect. For in Him, the Perfect One, are none of these things, nor shadow of turning. He beseeches us, saying, "Be ye likewise perfect." "Come unto Me, all ye weary, and I will give you rest." So, in His divine love He proposes Himself to take all these (to Him) shadows that to us are so horribly real. Of ourselves we can do nothing, for as we undo through the lapse of ages, we also do fresh evil. Not shadows to us. But He is the Light of the world. So the glooms we see while we look from His way, will cease to be if we turn to His following. If we have kept a the laws from youth upwards, yet, that is but doing no sin of commission. Behind is an unrequited eternity. And, brethren, friends, the time is short (Cor. vii: 29.) He will take these sins, and it shall be to us as if we took a boxful of shadow from a cellar and opened it out in the noontide rays of the sun. But while the sins are all by Him atoned; while when the days mount to years, the one robbed or tied about, or otherwise injured, finds the Father's laws have made it a up to him, if he only also knows that Father too, still we have a work. Jesus, the Great Master, took all when we, aweary, asked him. But we, while doing these crimes, walked in darkness. The tree of our lives could grow nothing but sickly growths, pale leaves, dwarfed buds, blighted fruits, in that darkness of the soul. We may have ever seemed righteous to others; may have even cried "Lord, Lord" with our lips. But if our deeds knew Him not we were growing our life-tree with fair bark, but decayed wood. So, after He has taken on Himself our sins, and they are ceased, yet with our faces

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to Himwards, we see our tree of character, pale, sickly, with few leaves, and no fruit, standing in God's karmic light. Will we work to make green leaves, and fruit in plenty? If we follow Him, yes. For He always said in language unmistakable to those having ears to hear, that only those who obeyed the Father's law, God's Will, could hope to win salvation. He will remove our burdens; will mediate and atone, but we must undo the errors with the strength He gives; we must take each our cross and follow Him, and He, the Good Shepherd, will lead us Home, to the immortal heights, where is no more death, nor sin, nor suffering, neither parting. In Him we have, all of us, time, strength, opportunity to undo, after He has atoned and shown us the way. He is that Way. And we, letting Him dwell in us, make our life the Path. Them can be no homegoing till, in Him, we become our own Path. If there was another way, I would tell you. For I am come before His second coming. It is near. Beware, lest night find you idle. Say not I knew Him not, either as Zailm, or as Pierson. To know Him by lip service is one; to know Him by life lived as He bade us, is another. Having lived, now I speak. Be ye doers of the Word, not hearers only.

Footnotes

^365:1 Job xxxviii, 7.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER X

 

AFTER THE YEARS, RETURN

Sparing details, what was the appearance of Phyris after the flight of the years? When I left she was a bright, beautiful maiden, in the budding days of womanhood, having the divine, spiritual glory which characterizes the higher race of the perfect Human grade. How looked she now? Different only in the maturity of rounded womanhood, the prime which in Venus withers not with age, because there the animal is subdued, and there are no excesses, indulgences, nor any of that feverish grasping after unattainable things which

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the "children of a larger growth" who dwell in the human-animal plane of Earth to-day. Phyris, the dark-haired, starry-eyed girl who was yet more than a girl, was a woman divinely fair, was again before me. Again I beheld the sweetly natural, dignified mien that reminded me of the first time I ever saw Mol Lang, that air of quiet, but marvelous power. Enhanced by this appearance, as is a gem by its setting, her sweet, pure selfhood shone forth, that sweet spirit which in Phyris was divine, yet had lost none of the human characteristics which have rendered Jesus so dear to mankind. The spirit was there, the perfect human, also, but the animal, the nature of Man on Earth, was reduced to its place of servitude. When I met the fair, beautiful woman I was abashed. At that moment the tide of the years overflowed my soul and awed me. Sometimes I had known of Phyris when the Hesperian astral controlled me. But far oftener of later years, the years of duty, this astral did not come, and then I knew Phyris only as an ideal, and with the attributes of that ideal I tried to endue Elizabeth, and the failure was agony to me.

Wonderingly, wholly delighted, I looked on Phyris now, nor deemed it lack of propriety that she should kiss me and 'whisper, "Home again," her eyes lighted with the peaceful joy reflected from my gaze.

No passion was in me, no prompting to be sentimental--no, that was gone with Earth's feverish dream.

How familiar all things appeared when at last I was come home. For six Hesperian months [*1] I did nothing but wander in my psychic form in this Elysium, this stellar garden of the Hesperides. In the other time most of my visit was spent in the company of Sohma or Mol Lang. But now Sohma was otherwise engaged. Mol Lang, too, was occupied in the work that attracted him, that of guiding, teaching and helping mankind, en masse, as well as individually; that portion of our race yet on Earth. Unconscious of his agency, or of how, with others equally great, Mol Lang was influencing the affairs of men, these men on Earth went on with their doings, fondly

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thinking that themselves were doing all. How little humanity on Earth knows that it is thus guided. Yet our Father gives it to His occult children to lead their lesser brethren, just as He gave it to Jesus, one of the Sons of Light, higher than any other, who was an incarnation of the Christ. Perhaps human acts were not, are not, guided individually, as a rule, although exceptions exist. But just as shot, running in grooves, is checked by the leaden pellets before and behind, so the acts of one man depend on the acts of others; these on others still, until finally it appears that the mass is influenced in the whole, and every individual in the mass has his or her acts unconsciously controlled by what are termed circumstances, fates, adverse or propitious, inexorable, the grooves in which they run. That is to say, humanity is ordered in its action by what may be named the Universal Karma. So long as men grope in the dark, ignorant of occult laws, so long must they produce this inexorable karma. It is fate, self-made, running from life to life, incarnation after incarnation, unavoidable, for it is horn of the infraction of the laws of the Creator. Even Mol Lang, before he passed and triumphed at the Crisis, to which I was soon to come, and which he experienced a century ago, was controlled by the great, Universal Karma. But in passing that ordeal he passed from finite life to everlasting, and became a law unto himself. And then, free of karma, he returned to minister to those bound by circumstances. Mol, Lang was become more than man. He had taken of the Tree of Knowledge, also of the Tree of Life. [*1] Such as he utilize the elementals, those non-human, non-embodied powers of the air. They find in mankind the tendency to sin, and use it, so that the erring ones mount the ladder on rungs, each of which is a conquered fault. The great religious movements, wars, and the fields of commerce, all furnish experiences for mankind. Do some seem cruel, evil? Yet each is a part of the scheme of the Creator, each is a tool in the hands of His ministers, and all teach that except a man, as part of the Eternal Whole, works for that Whole, subduing the

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selfish animal in himself, he can in no wise come to the Father.

"Except by My Path," says the Savior.

If Sohma and Mol Lang could no longer be with me as companions, who then could? Phyris. She became my tutor, my guide, and led me farther on towards the point where soon I must take the Key and enter alone on the dread struggle, with only my faith in God to sustain me.

One day Mol Lang said, "Phylos, come with me."

I went to his special apartments. There he said:

"Hitherto thou hast but an astral body, but now thou needest a physical body as a base of action, for now must thou learn of thine own self. Sleep, that I may gather material atoms about thine astral."

I immediately slept, as I lay on the couch where he had bidden me recline. When I awoke be was regarding me, and, for a moment forgetful, I sat up.

"Arise," said Mol Lang. I obeyed, and found myself clothed in flesh. Thus I became a Hesperite. I was now of the same apparent age as Phyris, and was thereby seemingly dispossessed of some twenty-five years. Before any lengthy period there came to shine in me somewhat of the Spirit-nature, and as the same ego shone in Phyris, so therefore we grew into similitude of each other. Because of this indwelling Spirit, Nature was become an open book, and occult wisdom addressed me from all sides. Soon I could leave the body at will. Other steps succeeded, and I grew with marvelous rapidity to know many of the minor things reserved by our Father for His aspiring children.

With me now was abiding a Voice, [*1] and as it demanded of me, I answered and knew. It said:

"What is heredity?"

And I answered from my spirit, knowing this thing:

"Heredity is the sum of experience which the souls of men carry from one life through devachan into reincarnation. It is in nowise transmitted from parent to child, but its leading trait is attracted by the like trait in the parents. The lesser

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traits are educed by cultivation, or else lie dormant, according to environment."

Again the Voice said:

"It is not well; thou who hast reaped, must now saw. I am the Eternal Spirit in thee; obey me. Thou art now able to stand in my presence; able to see; able to hear; able to speak; conqueror of desire, attainer of self-knowledge. Thou hast seen thy soul in its bloom, heard the voice of Peace. Go thou and read my writing in the Hall of Learning, which is My Works. Read.

"To stand--is to have confidence. To hear--is to have opened the door of thy soul. To see is to have attained perception of My Works. To speak--is to have gotten the power of helping others. To have conquered desire-is to have acquired control of self. To have self-knowledge-is to have come unto Me, whence thou art able impartially to view the personal man that was thyself. To have seen thy soul in its bloom-is to have had a momentary glimpse of that transfiguration which shall eventually make thee more than Man.

"Stand aside in the coming battle, and though thou fightest, be not thou the warrior. Look for Me, and let Me fight in thee. Obey My orders for battle. Obey Me as if I were thyself. My orders thy desires--for I am thyself, yet infinitely more than thee. Look for Me, lest in the fever of battle thou pass Me. I will not know thee if thou knowest not Me. If thy cry come to Me, lo! I will fight in thee and will fill the void in thee. Then shalt thou be unwearied. Without Me thou shalt fall; with Me thou canst not fall, for I am the Spirit.

"Listen now to the song of life in thy heart. Say not, 'It is not there.' Listen deeper. This song is in every breast; it may be obscure, yet it is there. Not the most wretched outcast but it is in him, for all are children of the Father, which is I. Listen to My Song, for while thou art yet but man, I shall not speak continually, and thy strength must sometimes be in memory of Me. Inquire now of the Earth-matter; of the

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air, of the water, the wind; and seek the treasurers of the snow. My Peace I give unto thee."

At last I saw; I heard; and, my friend who readeth this, I speak. My words go to the multiplication by types, and then by myriad copies through the world, to be known by those that "seeing, see and comprehend." And with each copy shall go my love and greater, mine eye shall note each hungered seeker for the truth, and, be it in the palace, or cottage, there, too, will I be, not figuratively, but my Spirit.

I had gone into a lonely mountain spot to hear this Voice, and now as I walked, a Being not Man joined me. Its presence was one of light and glory and goodness. With it came Mol Lang, saying:

"This is one of the Beings of Good. Behold, Phylos, our Father's House hath many Mansions, and in these are Beings created by Him, and endowed with volition like as Man, yet they are not human, never were, nor ever will be. Man shall be perfect when the Spirit of the Father entereth him. Then shall he know all things, and be perfect. What is perfection? Absolute harmony with His Infinite Creation. So there may be perfect men; also perfect Beings which are not Men, as this one with us. This is a Good Being. But there is an opposite in the Things of the Creation. There are perfect Evil Beings, which likewise are not, never were, nor ever will be human. What are these? They are in perfect harmony with the laws of their existence, but those laws and their conditions are absolutely opposed to ours, and to good. Hence such are inimical to our life and so, evil. Yet this sort seek us not, nor we them. In the scheme of Creation evil and good are evenly balanced. What disturbs, harmony with us, therefore, disturbs them by disadjustment of balance. Hence they seek not our harm. But Satan, know ye him? He was an Angel of Light, fallen, and come to so much the greater fall in that his height was so lofty. [*1] He is a rebel, and out of harmony.

"Life, Phylos, is limited, for it is but the action in the Mansion of Human environment. But existence is not limited.

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Hence this Good Being with us is not Life, but of Existence. See, It goes. This is Its symbol, and the name of Its Mansion tri. And when thy trials are thickest, draw about thee on the ground that figure and stand in it; go not out, but call on the Father. He will send His tri Beings to aid thee. Peace go with thee."

Mol Lang disappeared, and I was alone.

Men dread most those insidious diseases, which attack not openly, but the weakest and most unguarded point. So, in the last, final Trial of the Crisis, I should be likewise insidiously attacked by the Satanic hosts. Earth has tried me during many lives; now was to come a trial greater than Earth. The attacks of mere human error differ from that of the well-organized, intelligent assault of those to whom evil has become natural, to Lucifer and his fellow-rebels.

Of what nature is this Trial of the Crisis? [*1] It is the deciding whether in the long series of incarnate lives the soul has improved its opportunities for good; if it, in the main, followed the Path which Jesus pointed. If so, it has or will have strength to cope with the best efforts of the Satanic foe. If not, it must fall and die the second death. [*2] His incarnate life made the soul forgiving of all wrongs, forgetful of selfish interests, helpful to those having less light, more gloom, misery and sin to encounter, a self-contained nature? Has it become like the Man of Sorrows, full of faith, hope and charity? Then it hath beard the Voice, and will not fail. But if the soul is not like that, then, although it have the prophetic sight, and knoweth all things, though it have faith to removing mountains, yet shall it be only the more like Satan, and the worse its fate.

"Go into the Holy Place." [*3]

And I, knowing obedience, went into a room built of stone, apart from the house. Then was I in the Presence where I had been as Zailm when Priest Mainin was blasted: It was the Presence of the living Christ. It was Man, yet more, for it

 SYMBOLIC PICTURE IN THE "HOLY PLACE"

 

 

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was the Spirit; as much more than Man as the sun is more than a glow-worm. Then a wondrous Voice said:

"Be not afraid; it is I."

Around that Holy Place were forms of fire. Ink and paper can give little idea of the semblance. Yet look at the picture and try, with my aid, to see. The bolt blazed as a thing of flame, so also the Great Star and all the lesser ones. The Leaf was as life, and the cross the open Way, to the House thereof, while the Ring, I knew, symbolized the Eternal One, endless, beginningless. The Book was the Word, and it blazed with scintillant, crimson flame. But over all, a Personified Presence, was the Eye, the Eternal, sleepless, omnipotent omniscient Supervisor. So stood I in the presence of the Father, made manifest for me. As I remained, I knew all things of His Works, for the Spirit entered in. But not to abide, for as yet the Trial was not come to pass.

For weeks I stayed in the Holy Place, and came not out to eat or drink, for I was wholly sustained by the Spirit. At the day of the Great Peace this Spirit must enter in and I be in It and It be in me forever more. But no guide could exist, no law for the Trial, except my strength of ages. Even the Spirit would be veiled in that ordeal.

Footnotes

^377:1 About 112 terrestrial days. The solar you of Venus is 224.7 earthly days.

^378:1 Revelations xxii; 14.

^379:1 St. John xvi; 13.

^381:1 St. Lake xii; 48.

^382:1 St. Luke: xx. 35-36.

^382:2 Rev.: xx. 15.

^382:3 St. Luke: iv, 2.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER XI

 

TEXT: ST. MATTHEW IV

"To be, or not to be: that in the question."
                                                      --HAMLET.

That was indeed the question when I arose one morning, and knew that the event of the Crisis would that day decide whether or not I had Eternal Life, whether I was for the Spirit, or the Second Death.

I arose and went forth into the wilderness of the mountains, accompanied only by a pet animal, somewhat resembling a fawn, which went with me everywhere. In a woodland mountain

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meadow I traced with my staff the symbol tri, and it instantly became crimson fire, which leaped and rose and fell, unbroken, continuously. I was inside, the pet animal grazed on the meadow. After making the symbol tri, the Good Being introduced to my knowledge by Mol Lang was with me, and it spake much to me, and I to It. It said.

"Lo! Thy time cometh when I tri must leave thee, although I tri would do for thee, but it is so that no being can endure for another the fierce Trial, neither help them in its midst. Yet I tri say unto thee, I tri believe thou wilt win, for have I not known thee, lo! many ages? But now is that Trial come for thee, when thy past, in all days and lives thou hast ever had, shall rise tip and thou shalt be judged thereby, whether thou shalt become perfect, and thy name be Phylos , or whether thou shalt fail, and have again all the bitterness of life to go through during ages to come. The Father saith through the Spirit, 'Every idle word that men speak, they shall give an account thereof.' How much more then of their actions?"

I listened mutely, for what record was against me? It might be evil, or good, or, worse, that lukewarmness which the Spirit will not entertain, but rather heat or coldness of nature.

"Fear not," said Ovias, tri "for not in vain hast thou lived. Neither expect a record written concerning thee. For know this that the principles inculcated by the Christ-Spirit which overshone Buddha and all the mightiest of the Earth, incarnating in each, and Itself being Son of God, not they, until by union of It they became Sons of God--know that if thou hast made these principles both warp and woof of thy character, thou hast no need to fear. For this sort of fabric is strong, and was that which Jesus meant when He said, and says ever, Timeless One that He is, "Lo, I am with you always even until the end of the world." Not one individual act shall be brought forth to accuse thee, but each, all and every greatest thought, and least, and word or deed, in all thy many incarnations--these have formed thy character. Is

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that character, then, woven of the woof provided by Christ, and shown forth in the Divine personality of Jesus, and illuminating Buddha, and Zoroaster, Moses, Manu and other Salvators? If that be the cloth, then indeed shalt thou prevail, though no one sustain thine arm. But if not that weaving, lo! thou shalt fail, and not even I tri could save thee. I tri go. Be thou brave, and may the Comforter be in thee. Peace."

All that day I stood there, and was not weary. Night came About the midnight hour my pet cried out in terror, and came leaping toward me. As it came I warded it from the tri flame, and it stood outside, trembling. But I saw nothing to alarm it, save Mol Lang, approaching over the level around me. He hesitated not, but seemed about to cross the line of fire, as he could, but mindful of my perilous position I said:

"Stop! If thou art Mol Lang, then come. But if only a tempting shape, woe unto thee if thou shalt cross that line, for tri It shall punish thee as only an immortal can punish."

He came not; instead he ceased to appear as Mol Lang, and was another sort. This tempter said:

"If thou art proof against me, who so seemed thy loved preceptor that thou really knew not, then thou art conqueror over death and sin. I have no power over thee, and thou art free to enter eternal life, wherein shall no more incarnations occur. I go."

This Shape withdrew, but the Voice in my soul whispered:

"Beware yet awhile."

I stayed on unmolested until I caught myself napping, and knowing this to be the fatigue of the flesh, I regretted that I had not met the Trial in astral form.

"Not so," whispered the Voice, "all thine elements, both physical and psychic, must attend thee here."

But again I dozed, and quickly aroused myself, for the scene all about me was changed. The mountain meadow was gone, and in place of night seemed day. I gazed, seemingly, on a scene where all the races of men and immortals were gathered under the sweep of my prescient eye. I seemed to be taken

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over this realm, and a fair, godlike being in appearance was my guide. Yet in caution, I sheathed myself from head to foot in the tri flame as in an armor, at which my guide smiled, but said nothing. He took me with the speed of thought, so that we seemed to go from star to star, now crossing vast interstellar spaces, now come on fresh realms. All these realms were inhabited by creatures of human shape, or at least they had human attributes. Before me they all bowed and worshipped, for my guide said to them: "See thy master." Otherwise they were all engaged in pursuit of pleasure. The multiplex passions of man on Earth were indulged without fear of penalty. My fair guide said:

"These are souls in whom I created certain passions and appetites, and shall I punish them for indulging, without stint, traits I have given? Now, tell me, why should all creation not have free license to get pleasure as it may? My creatures do. There is no sort of restraint placed by me on their free pursuit of carnal things, lusts, appetites. See, they are happy! For a time I am giving thee control of them. Through indulgence of their passions they beget a sort of vital magnetism, and as their present ruler, it thrills thee like new wine."

As my guide said, the sight and sensing of all this license did thrill me ecstatically, and was affecting me with a delirious, carnal joy. I put it away and refused to feel. Whereat the beautiful Being said:

"Oh! thou art blind! Behold, thou shalt have these realms for thine, and have absolute authority, so thy word shall be life or death to these people, if thou wilt. Here, too, into this eternal joy, thou mayest bring Phyris, and lo! forever thou shalt with her do thy will, and hers, and no penalty be exacted. Wilt thou take this gift of supremacy? It is free; I ask no return for it all. Only take it."

Oh! where was my knowledge, gained from the many lives, and from the Voice? Gone! Gone, else I had known at once not to accept the alluring gift. I was offered all this free, thereby violating the divine law, which never allows something for nothing. But I gathered my tri armor about me,

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lest this Being, who seemed so fair and good, were not so, and if not good, its touch might be fatal. Then I said:

"It must be that thou art arrayed in the livery of heaven to serve Satan better. Demon, thou offerest that which subordinates all other beings in these realms to my will. This realm is governed by pleasure, passion, appetite, lust, all selfish; and no penalty set upon wild license. These carnalities would conquer me, too, if I accepted-me, who am otherwise about to become immortal, more than Man, karmaless. These are selfish. Pleasure so gotten is the essence of selfishness. Truly, thou must be creator of it all, since it is selfish. It is thine. It could be mine? Yea, but only because over me thou wouldst reign. I am not now thy subject; nor will I be. Only the Unknown God is my Master. Get thee hence, behind me!"

The scene slowly faded, like mist in the sunlight. There came a lull, and I hoped the battle was over, for I was weary. But I stood on the meadow again, with the tri fire leaping, quivering in crimson pulses around the lines. Nothing could break that guardian flame, for it was a symbol of the perfect state of being of another, but non-human, race. Only perfection could avail against it. Perfection of good might; so, too, perfection of evil might; but the latter had not yet come against it. I even doubted the existence of any perfection of evil. What offer, after all, had been made but of the things which were mine by reason of the divine Sonship? God giveth his children control over each other for good, and for evil also, through mental influence. What more absolute sovereignty is there than love, exercised as He hath ordained. None. While I reflected, a soft and lovely vision came, and lo, Phyris stood before me.

"Art thou Phyris?" I asked.

"Could any but Phyris disregard the tri flame about thee?" she replied, penetrating the barrier, and sinking by my side. This seemed truth, for Ovias tri was perfect being of Its own condition. Only perfection can stand with perfection.

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At last I heard her sigh softly, sadly. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Why this sorrow, Phyris?"

"Phylos, thou enquirest? I reply. Because of my confession to make. I, too, am on trial as thyself. A sad story of sin is mine. Woe is me if thou shouldst spurn me for it." She hesitated.

"Speak," I answered, apprehensively.

"This, then. In a far Poseid day, when I had a personality called Anzimee, and thou hadst one called Zailm, thou knowst the day? Aye, and with sorrow e'en yet! When thou hadst gone in thy vailx, fugitive from memory of Lolix, I sorrowed intensely. And I knew not thine abode then. When thou returned not, crazed, I went to Mainin the Incalix. He marveled at my frenzy; then said:

"'Lovest thou Zailm, Rainu?'

"'As my own soul, Incalix.'

"'I marvel thereat. But never mind. Aid thee to find him? What if I love thee, I who am a vowed celibate? What if, in my ability, I say Zailm shall no more come back?'

"Then, Phylos, I begged for thee as for my own life! I implored his mercy. At last the stern lines of his face relaxed, and he kindly said: 'I would not keep thee apart; I was but testing thy love for him. Yet my aid must receive compensation. Not money, nor jewels, nor power; these have I in abundance. One only thing in thy gift will I have; listen: in other days, when I came to knowledge of Nature's deeper secrets, I was curious to experiment, and I sought the aid, all confident of my power to subdue my servant, of the host of Satan, one demon. But my power I overestimated, and I was subdued, a victim. So one day coming my soul is forfeit to Lucifer to pay my debt and its ever growing size. One only way can I avert this, by delivering another, although less experienced soul, in place of mine. Ere this night a maiden and her lover will seek me at the hour of worship, that I may solemnize their marriage already long published. But I shall be gone,

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purposely. Thou wilt be there, and except thee, only those two. Now, they are weak, but have never sinned.

"Their natures incline to error. All I ask of thee is that when they ask for me, tell thou them I am gone, but say, 'Thou art come to be wed?' then smile and say, again, 'Only the simple folk publish their matings; the wise are never wedded, yet are wedded in verity.' Say no more. If they take that mild hint, they will sin, and lose their souls, but I, the great Incalix, shall be saved. I will in any event bring thee Zailm again, for perchance thy hint will not be acted upon.'

"Mainin ceased speaking. I recoiled in horror. Yet even as I was about to refuse, he said, 'Remember, only thou canst save Zailm.'

"I thought him a fiend. Then I thought, it is but natural for him to wish to save his own soul, even at another's cost. And oh! I so desired the return of my Zailm! Tearfully Bobbing, my soul whispering the wrong of it, but my heart pleading me to be blind for that once to wrong or right, I yielded and said, 'Even as thou requirest, so will I do.'

"I did so. But false to Incal, Mainin was false to me, and he brought not Zailm back. When Rai Gwauxln told me of Zailm's death, I, too, died of shame and a broken heart. The man and woman took my hint, and died after years of well-concealed, direful crime. But I Phylos? In my consent to Mainin's will, I sold my soul to the Arch Fiend, Mainin's master. So my life is forfeit unless I can be helped. Forfeit, much though I know, and hard as I have striven to do right and atone, all in vain! Yet, my twin soul, thou art able to save me. If thou savest me not, then shall the Eternal Law cause me to die the second death. My soul will be annihilated, my Spirit, which was unable to unite with my soul, shall go back to the Source, our Father. And then, being a soul, but thy Spirit also my Spirit, thou must also perish. Save thyself then as well as me."

"How?" I queried, soul-sick to the depths, and suffering such intensity of misery as almost of itself to cut off my life. Sick, because I felt Phyris, my other self, my pure angel, to be

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in mortal danger, herself in a fatal mire, and threatened with soul death. And because she was, I was also, for our Spirit was the same.

"How?" I again queried, whispered.

"Thus! The man whom, as Anzimee, I led astray, hath incarnated several times since then, each time worse and worse, until now, a man on Earth, he is about to confront a temptation which, if he fall, will aim his course ever henceforth for evil, and final death of his soul. If he yield not now, he may or may not at last escape, but the delay will put him beyond use to us, and we shall surely die, whether he does or not. Aye! we shall if thou actest not now. If his soul is now made forfeit, we shall surely escape; so saith Mainin, who is blasted and in outer darkness, yet owneth me; 'tis an only, though slender hope. O Phylos, think! think!! On the one hand eternal life, brightness, and a chance to atone for all our sins, perhaps even rescue this man at last, but on the other, death, blasting into outer darkness and eternal demonhood."

In the calm night she stood before me and besought me to act for her, her hands clasped, her eyes streaming, her agony fearful to see. Act for her whom I loved better than life, and for myself; save our lives that all might be well. How? By using my occult power to whisper to a man, already sin-sodden, on a distant planet, a man who might not conquer his temper even though I withheld my influence. Do what? Influence him to sign his name as Governor of a great state to a denial of pardon to two men about to die for murder. Yet they were innocent. I knew it; the Governor knew it, because he had already sinned horribly in using his office, money and power to weave a net of circumstantial evidence which would hang his two enemies for a murder committed by his own hand. He would, in an hour more, sign or not sign the fateful paper, for at the last his courage was faltering. All I needed to do was to occultly encourage him. Already so sinful, was it likely he ever would turn from evil ways to good? Barely possible. But I was to psychologize him to pass this opportunity and complete his double murder, in order to save Phyris,

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whom I so loved, whose Spirit was my Spirit, whose soul's destruction meant my soul's destruction also. It was so easy to do!

All crimes are easy. But while the agony of despair numbed me, a ray of hope came, and the question arose, would this act save us? Had not God said, "Thou shalt not kill"; and would not the double murder be on me as much as on the Governor? Then I arose, and said, calmly,--Oh! how frightfully, despairingly calm!

"Lo, then. If we shall both die into outer darkness, yet will I never do this thing. Thou, who art more precious than mine own life, must not ask this! Saith not our Father: 'Whoso shall do evil, of him will be exacted the penalty, of some thirty, some sixty, some an hundredfold'? And if I, we, shall consign a soul to darkness, thinkest thou, oh! my spirit mate, we shall not the more surely go thither ourselves? Then, although these words seal thy death, and mine, yet will I refuse to sin. I will not do thy will. I have not erred so but that I can put fort h my hand and, by the aid of the Christ-Spirit, cut off the progress of thy sin, and thou mayest go back to the time, place, where thy soul was ere thine error, and recarnify on Earth so often as needful to expunge and atone this sinful act. And I will await thee where my soul is now progressed, during the years, though they be tens of thousands, until pure, thou mayest rejoin me. I will guide thee, so that thou wilt sin no more during expiation. Aye, except that I must stay to so guide, I would go again into the life of Earth with thee; but I must stay that my light be clear. All this will I do, or if vicarious atonement were a possibility in the Universe, I would go for thee, and let thee stay. But condemn the man on Earth, and ourselves with him, no! I can not so sin."

With a convulsive shudder, and a despair in her starry eyes that smote me so that I cried aloud to God in my agony, Phyris said in a mournful wail, as of a lost soul:

"O Phylos, think well; for it might be that thou art hedged about with that sort of righteousness that maketh the Angels

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to weep and the Fiend to smile!"

"Phyris, beloved, I have spoken! I alter not."

She moved away with her hands covering her agonized face, sobbing in her intensity of despair. When she came to the tri fire she said:

"Phylos, I could enter. My power is fled, and I can not go out; put it aside."

I looked from where I lay almost dying in my pain of an immortal hurt, and found that I too was too weak to lower the barrier. Then I looked within my being, and I saw that no more was the Light of the Spirit within me, but gone forth. And then I knew what that awful appeal of Jesus of Nazareth meant, that He, too, in the fearful strain of his Human trial of the Crisis had beheld the Spirit in Him wane, when He cried out: "Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabacthani." Like Him I cried out to the Father, and in that instant the Light returned, and with a roll as of mighty thunder the darkness broke, and the night which had been around me fled, so I saw that the sun was high in the heavens, and I alone had been in a local gloom. The tri flame paled, and "Phyris" knelt before me and implored mercy. Then I knew that Phyris, had not been near. I knew that God the Father was entered in me to dwell forever, and that the perfection of evil had failed in its last, most subtle, horrible and insidious attack, its last attempt to open the door to downwardness for me. My strength out of all the lives had withstood, and, all fainting, I was come unto Christ. All the weary way of woe I had journeyed, atoning as I came. And now my karma I had blotted out, and in me was Life Everlasting. Gloria in Excelsis! Laus Deo! The song I heard was the song of the starry hosts of God.

Then the Voice spoke: "Thy trial is over; I am well pleased. It is written in sacred Scripture, 'Ye must be born again, of water and of the Spirit.' Even so hast thou been born now. Of water, which is the world of matter. And of the Spirit, which is I entered in. But the death of the carnal body, and rebirth in the new, is but night after day, and day after night. To these successive days and nights of the soul, that Scripture

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refers not. Thou hast been born in the Earth many times, and each time thy carnal body hath died. But the rebirth was not that rebirth of the waters and of me. Those incarnations did but prepare thee out of the waters of materiality for Me. But now thou art born of that and of Me, and become a Son of Light, and at one with the All-Father, and like unto the Nazarene. Carry thou My Word unto all men, that all may come likewise unto Me who will, even as thou, following the first Man who came unto Me, have thyself also come."

Now when I saw Phyris come, I knew that it was she in verity. She, too, had had her Trial, and equal temptations had been offered her, and been withstood, ninety centuries of years before, however. How say ye: "I thought twin souls must fight the final fight together, and now you say nine thousand years were between?" Behold, friend, time is but measure of energy exerted. We wrought the same work, so were together. Is Paul more saved than the latest regenerated soul? Yet Paul knew Jesus Christ near two thousand years earlier. It had seemed to us both that the Great Crisis had occupied centuries. Unto us, as we stood clasping each other, came a glorious vision, and the Voice spoke, saying:

"Behold. Look back over the mighty past. And when thou hast so done, look on Earth, and see how there to effect the work of giving the people of Earth thy life history. That shall take but a moment for thee, but that moment shall seem years to thine agents on Earth. Then again, look; I am thy Voice and thy Spirit. Thy souls shall unite. Behold, thou shalt presently hereafter have no more two bodies, but one only, and it thy Spirit body. Mine, for without Me thou art nothing. Peace is thine forevermore."

Friend, thou mayest have trouble in understanding this strange union. Yet, ponder it deeply, for it is to be thy experience some day if thou art true to thy Savior and follow Him, drinking of the cup which He drank, and triumphing at the Critical Ordeal.

 End of Book Second.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

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BOOK THE THIRD

 

CHAPTER I

 

YE SHALL REAP AS YE HAVE SOWN. THE PERCEPTION

Suppose the struggle had proven me wanting, and the verdict had been, "Mene Mene Tekel Upharsin"? 'Then my--our--fate would have been that of Mainin of Caiphul. To me who know the dread meaning of this fate, it is more utterly frightful to contemplate than it can be to thee. It means being a brother to devils, and subjection to Satan, who could so cunningly, awfully tempt as we were tempted, and when successful, make a servant of the victim, ever to pile up fresh karma. And such karma as Satan's service makes is worse in a moment than the wickedest man could pile up in a long lifetime. It means such servitude until--when? Forever? Until the end of material things. Then, when the heavens are rolled as a scroll and melt in fervent heat, Satan (Lucifer) shall, with his minions, be cast into that lake of fire which is the second death: which meaneth that the force, the energy of the rebels, that which has made them distinct, potent souls through all the past, shall become depersonalized, and disindividualized, cast into the sum of the Fire of Elements, which form the forces of Nature, the winds, odic and magnetic and electric forces. But annihilation there is not, death there is not, though there be such a change as constitutes the destruction of the union between soul and Spirit, the return of the ]first to the great impersonal Vis Natura, the return of the other to Him who created life. Then, after millions of years the Father will gather the fervid elements into nebulae, star-plasm, worlds, suns, systems, and a "new heaven and a new earth" shall come forth. Then will the depersonalized rebel host begin to reincarnate

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in protoplasmic life, and thence evolutionize up, up, up along the myriad incarnations until, after an eternity of matter, they come once more to human conditions, to another Crisis, to win or fail, and either, like Sisyphus, run again the weary course, or else inherit hard-won entrance to unconditional being. There is not nor can be, any death of the Spirit, but of the individuality only. Study this well, my friend, for such is the fate of evildoers who sell to Satan, because such is Satan's portion. Our Father hath provided a Way. It is the sharp, knife-edge Path, whereon all things so evenly balance that there is turning neither to the right nor left, but steady, even pursuit of the Path, wherein all who travel that way, contain themselves in all things, in eating and drinking, in sleeping and all those things which cause the cares of this world. Those who shall be accounted worthy, without further incarnation, to obtain the resurrection from the body of materiality neither marry nor are given in marriage, but must receive the Kingdom of God even as if still little children. Yet whoso doeth not so, it shall not be eternally counted against them, but only till another incarnation. It must be that the things of sensation which are an offense unto the Spirit occur, but karmic woe will attend the offender until he finds the Path and travels therein. Hear, if hearing and understanding be in thee, for these are the words of the Master.

----------------

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER II

 

JOB xxxviii:7

Contemplating the victory in us of the Father, we chanted a song in answer to that of the Sons of God who were our fellows. Perfect at last, in rapport with all the law fulfilled, karmaless, immortal, beside Jesus, no more need to incarnate, Life was ended, but Being just commenced. Paradoxical? In all the aeons of time we had Life, but Being, which hath no

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beginning, neither end, and is not under the dominion of Time, every ego hath ever from the Father. But Life hath beginning, so also it must have end; it hath end. If its conditions are strong enough to enchain for aye, then the soul is diverted from its ego to the tracks of Life, and is then heritor of death. Only if a soul forfeit not to Life its hold on Being-on its ego-shall it not die. Sin is the error of turning from Being unto Life, whereof the shadow is death. The soul that sinneth and turneth not away from finite life and the conditions thereof, it shall die.

Down all the realms of light echoed the paeans of praise, as when the "Morning stars sang together and the Sons of God shouted for joy."

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER III

 

"Fair forms and hoary seers of ages put, an in one mighty sepulcher."

For a little while yet Phyris and I were not wholly one entity. But we were come to retrospection. With arms clasping each other, we walked slowly onward, till by the banks of the babbling brook we seated ourselves. Then I said:

"My twin, let us scan the past; let us draw aside the curtain of bygone ages, and see the record of the Book of Life, mirror of all events, sights, sounds, shapes, all things. We can do this, because we are karmaless, deathless, and are at one with the Father of Being, seeing, knowing as he knows, because He is in us."

We pondered the scenes of our Atlantean life, lives, and I saw ill-fated, sweet Princess Lolix, to whom I had been her ideal. Where had her sad soul gone when Mainin petrified its clay? In the imperishable record we saw where her life-line crossed ours. In her Poseid devachan she had found her dream of life seem realized. Reborn into activity, again her life-line crossed mine, her heritage pursued her, and she conquered it, for Lolix's individuality was Elizabeth's

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(my wife). Her crime in Poseid was expiated, and so, too, was mine. Karma was fulfilled there. [*1]

Man's course upward to God is so blind, so untaught, instinctively like the sunward turning vine. I had so confidently, in the Sagum, taken a step irrevocable, except for Mendocus; and then had fallen again into blind darkness, despair, but instinctively true to law and to Elizabeth, the object of my efforts--so upward, till at last I had gained the immortal heights. So had my alter ago, Phyris. Down below were the deserts of life, and fair appearing fruits, apples of Sodom. These ashes are good, for they cause the soul to essay the heights.

Poseid, and all the lives, had meted us a large share of gall fruit, but our errors required it, and Karma is a sure paymaster.

Sin begot karma and karma had exacted pay. Thus had I, for I am not relating Phyris' history, given up hopes, happiness, as one gives his open veins in the Sahara to quench the thirst of his friend. [*2] By this abdication I had lost my life and found it again. Karma, as the long record showed, was not always requiring pay; for every good act I had ever done I saw that I had been fully paid in kind my every jot. These were providences and benefices of life. There is no accident in life; allow that a man may die "by accident" and no man could be sure whether the ensuing night might not find the earth dropping into, or else away from, the sun; or, seeing the sun set, could feel sure it would rise again. All things, small or great, are ordered. Not always from any pre-existent incarnation; sometimes from one's last year's or yesterday's action the fruit springs. In short, I, we, saw that the lesson of life was, "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," cause and effect. There are those who will make cavilling argument, contend that "accident does exist, and all is not order." I argue not, for "they that have ears to hear" will understand. One cannot see over a mountain range save he stand on a taller peak. To the greater vision, accident is but an are of design, and disorder is but an arc of order.

Footnotes

^397:1 St. Matthew v: 17-18.

^397:2 St. John xv: 13.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

[p. 398]

 

CHAPTER IV

 

THE FALL OF ATLANTIS

Again we looked over Atlantis, and saw many things else. The Zailm time possessed a peculiar interest. I saw that dim, distant past, a past old in the earth and ancient when Earth was yet a babe in the cradle of time. Atl, chiefest of the prehistoric races, numbering at home in Poseid, and abroad in the colonies, almost three hundred millions of souls; Atl, known through the olden earth as Atlan, Queen of the Seas," and her people as "Children of Incal," i. e., "Of the Sun," and as the "Sons of God." How are the mighty fallen! For now I behold her ancient site as part of the bed of the restless sea, covered with ocean ooze and slime, and to be known as the haunt of man only through the clear vision of the perfected eyes which scan astral records. Again the scene was presented so that we saw it as the eyes of my poor, weak, and pitifully mortal personality of Zailm had seen it. There was stately Caiphul, the Royal; and there, far away, and not so stately, Marzeus, its towers and turrets and chimneystacks and lofty buildings marking where had stood the greatest of Atlan manufacturing centers, where the machine shops and the mills had been which supplied Poseid with vailx, and naims, and all sorts of machines and instruments; with the products of the looms, the cereals and endless articles of use, and of art. Over a million artisans there by day, but by night scarce fifty thousand, all gone by car or vailx to their homes anywhere from fifty to a hundred miles away, a few minutes' ride. And all this to perish because of man's iniquity, a few short hundreds of years later. Here and there I caught glimpses of canals, distributing either natural rivers or streams, or the product of aqua-aerial generators, such as Zailm had a small model of in his last days in Umaur.

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We saw the world as Zailm. saw it: Suern, with its millions of people; Necropan, with its ninety-odd millions; Europe, then a barbarian land, only about one-sixth its present area; and Asia, not so large in extent then as now, but containing over a half million of souls. But the sparkling, brilliant civilization which was more than peer of even proud to-day, that was glorious Atl! Eleven hundred millions of people, civilized or but semi-civilized, and as many more scattered over the continent and islands of the seas who were utter barbarians--such was the world of Zailm, generally viewed. The numbers of the human race, and especially their increase during several generations, has appalled the pessimists. But the greatest of pessimists, Malthus, need have felt no alarm had he but known. Because:

	 
		"The world goes up and the world goes down,
		 And the sunshine follows he rain."
		
		 There are a varying number of people always in the world; now more, now less; for as a soul comes to Earth (having been in devachan) a soul passes from Earth into devachan. But now two come while one goes, or two go while one comes, relatively. Wherefore the world is apparently encroaching upon the sources of supply, or again the supply of all things exceeds demand. But only a fixed number of Human Rays went forth from the Father, and only so many have Life, or ever will have. But these come and go as the tides ebb and flow, now on Earth, now in Heaven. Malthusians need not fear.

Zailm had been my personality.

Thirty centuries later, approximately, we saw again this land. But how changed. Now had Caiphul lost something. Not the tangible matter visible to earthly men-no, this was not gone. But the men we saw were not the high, lofty, noble-souled men known to Zailm and to Anzimee. And when manhood suffers decadence, degradation, all nature with which he has to do also sensibly alters for the worse. Marzeus, the city of manufacturing arts, was no more; it had gone down before corruption. Art had not suffered so much as had science. But the science which drew upon the mysterious forces of Nature

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the "navaz"--this had so far disappeared that airships were forgotten, or at most were semi-mythical history. So were many other instruments which Zailm. had known--the naima, those wonderful, wireless, combined telephonic and photographic image transmitters. And the vocaligrapha, the caloriveyant instruments and the water-generators-all were lost in the night of time. But the men of the twentieth century shall find them all again. Twenty-eight decades of centuries hath Day now here continued, and soon it shall be proclaimed,

"The evening and the morning are the seventh day." Ye who hear all my message are the men and the women of this new day, and shall inherit all things from our Father forever. And the full eventide of that day which cometh shall behold you caught up "into the heavens" to escape the end of all things, when the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be burned up. [*1]

But I should deal with the past, not with the future. The seeds of corruption sown in the hearts of men by the Evil One, master over Mainin, germinated and throve, and then began, some centuries after the time of Gwauxln and Zailm, a long, steadily downward course which weakened the self-respect, manhood and womanhood of Poseid, a loss revealed in countless ways, culminating in national depravity and ruin.

It was upon one of these phases of ruin that we next gazed. We saw a woman upon whose face rested a light almost divine in the power of its transfiguring beauty. Her slight figure seemed not so much of Earth as of Heaven. The loose robe of gray which she wore fluttered in the breeze, the long tresses of brown hair, unrestrained, swept back from the glorious face, on which sat pity and despair, yet mingled with a wonderful radiance of appealing, entreating, agonized hope that some might hear and turn away from the course they were following. Her appeal assumed that most perilous form, for the champion, which an appeal can assume, that of sharp denunciation. She denounced the hideous system of blood-sacrifice in religion as being in diametrical opposition to right, to God, to

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man, and m responsible for the corruption of the people. At this, the priests among the crowd uttered hoarse cries of rage. In a voice, the astral record of which rings yet, and forever, for those who have ears to hear such psychic tones, she cried, from her high place on the pedestal of the monument, twenty feet from the ground and the upturned faces below:

"Oh, ye! Think ye that Incal will accept the blood of innocent animals for your crimes? Whose sayeth this doth lie! Incal, God, will never take blood of anything, nor symbol of any sort which placeth an innocent in a guilty one's stead! And the Incalithlon, and the Holy Seat, and the Maxin Light axe dishonored whenever a priest layeth an animal on the Teo Stone, and striketh a knife to its heart, tears it out and tosses it as sacrifice into the Unfed Light. Yea, the Unfed Light doth truly destroy it instantly. But think ye because of this that merciful Incal is pleased. O ye brood of vipers, ye priests that are charlatans and sorcerers?'

An angry Incali stooped as she uttered this, and picked up a jagged bit of stoneware. In front of him was a litter borne by sad-visaged slaves. On this, reclining amidst soft silken cushions, was a woman of languorous beauty, the very impersonation of shameless abandon. In the warm, tropical atmosphere she lay, innocent of any covering, except that the heavy waves of the hair of her beautiful, if wicked, head partially concealed her nakedness. The shameless sight did not attract notice because of its shamelessness; the only attention bestowed by the dense and wrathful crowd around her was that of sensual admiration from one or another. Such sights were all too common in these last days of Atl. Seeing the priest pick up the sherd, this woman said:

"What wouldst thou with it?"

`Naught," answered the priest.

"Naught, forsooth! I know thou wouldst throw it at yon blasphemer, if thou hadst courage!"

"Courage, I lack not," was the sullen reply.

A voice in the surging crowd now called out that the blasphemer of religion ought to be sacrificed on the Teo, Stone, and her heart given to the Maxin.

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"Listen to that! The people and the Incali would be with thee," said the wanton. "Throw the piece, and see if perchance thou mightest not reach the game."

The ecclesiastic raised his hand back, and poised the missile, while the crowd nearest him gazed with eager eyes. Then the cruel bit of pottery hurtled through the air towards the fair speaker overhead. Her temple was presented, and the missile she might have avoided had she noted its coming, struck full on the dainty mark. With a cry of pain she threw up her hands, reeled, and then fell outwards, downwards, the twenty feet to the hard pavement below. The crowd, which had hushed an instant, now uttered fierce growls, and those nearest ran to the victim of the coward priest. Several of the sacerdotal caste picked the poor body up, and carrying it by the feet, arms and hair, quite as if the assault had been preconcerted, instead of being the work of one miserable fiend, started off to the Incalithlon, whose vast pyramid loomed not far away.

"See!" said Phyris, "the first human sacrifice in Caiphul! Me, even me, they slew, for trying to stem the tide of depravity and ecclesiastical criminality. I repeated to them the prophecy of the Maxin, and they heeded not, but slew me. For that woman was my personality when I reincarnated, three thousand years after thou, as Zailm, did leave me, as Anzimee."

With a strange ecstacy of crime, the priests, scarce an instant pausing, placed the still unconscious victim on the Teo. Then the chief priest, still called the Incalix, stepped from the Holy Seat, as it once had truly been. By the side of the victim he stopped and profaned not God, but Man, by a prayer to God; for no man can injure God except through injuring Man. Then he threw open the gray robe and bared the white breast. Swiftly he raised aloft the keen edged knife, then smote. A shudder shook the reviving victim, who was about recovering consciousness. The murderer then tore out the quivering heart and cast it into the Unfed Light, where it disappeared and made no sign. Then the flesh was divided piecemeal amongst the murderous crowd, together with the bloodstained garments. But the most of the blood had run into a depression

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in the Teo, made for sacrificial blood. To this the priests added liquor, and in maddened frenzy quaffed the mixture from golden goblets. The scene was sickening, and I felt my very being revolt! And that poor murdered woman, a virgin--who had given her life to rescue her nation from sin--that was she, who had long centuries before been Anzimee, and now was Phyris, part of myself, and I part of her being, for our Spirit was one reunited. I could forgive the crime I looked back upon, for the criminals knew not what they did. And they have suffered for it, and yet shall suffer, for it is their karma. When Death, the conqueror of all mortals, garnered his harvest in Atl, these souls, which had sown sin and grown tares. were reaped by the Great Reaper, and the tares were sown with the good wheat when next those souls reincarnated. And they have had to glean and uproot as they could, and so must continue to tear up the evil weeds till every one be uprooted. Then will they have atoned unto God. There is time enough, lives enough, but O friends, none to waste!

After this human sacrifice the thirst for blood which the people manifested became unappeasable. They demanded the life of the priest who struck down the woman, for they were not yet accustomed to the rights the Incali had so newly arrogated, those of human sacrifice. They claimed that he had really murdered the woman, that they were unprepared to go so far, that therefore he who threw the missile must die. The tumult became so violent, and insurrection seemed so imminent, that the wretched priest was dragged out and offered by his fellows as the woman had been. But now came the denouement. When the high priest turned to cast the heart of the last victim into the Maxin, he staggered as if struck, his hand fell by his side, the heart dropped on the pavement, and the stricken man fell forward unconscious! The tall taper of the Unfed Light was gone; the Maxin book was gone! In its place stood a human form, that of a Son of the Solitude. In his left hand was a sword, in his right a pen.

"Behold, the day of destruction is at hand which was foretold ages age! Atlan shall won be no more beheld by the sun

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in his whole course for the sea shall swallow you all! Attend ye!"

Then the dread apparition vanished. But the Unfed Light came not again. The people fled, shrieking, leaving the priest who had fainted lying on the floor. It was as well, for when venturesome ones came into the Incalithlon many days later he still lay as he fell, for he was dead. In his greater knowledge, for wicked as he was he yet was chief, he knew, sorcerer that he was, that there really was a power of right which was destined to bring the corruption of Poseid low and uproot the hideous mockery of sin enslaving the nation. And in his knowledge his soul had gone forth from his body in desperate fear, to return no more.

But the stupid sensualism of the masses, finding that after a few years nothing terrible occurred, gradually lapsed till worse than before, for human sacrifices became common, lust, gluttony and drunkenness ran riot, and the moral night's deep darkness closed in yet more blackly.

One man and his family who lived apart partook not of the general wickedness. True, he and his mate, like the ordinary people about him, were not married, save as the higher animals monogamize. Nor were his sons and their wives any better. But blood sacrifice he nor they would do. And when the monarch proclaimed that all must worship according to the new standard, and sacrifice babes and women, these men, giants in stature, and far superior, any one of them, to a dozen of the corrupt slaves of the Rai, refused to obey the mandate. Fruits and treasure they offered, but not blood. In his seclusion the father, Nepth, had a revelation. It came from the Sons of the Solitude, who were nowise altered from the ancient high standard, but Nepth thought it direct from God. The revelation was but a repetition of the prophecy of doom, but the knowledge of that prophecy having been centuries neglected, bore to Nepth all the force of a new revelation. So he came to know of the coming destruction of Atl, he and his sons. And they considered how to escape. Vailx were unknown. Nepth and his sons were unskilled builders. But they received instructions

[p. 405]

from the befriending Sons of the Solitude, who came to them in astral shape. And so these better men of Atlantis began to build a great vessel. It was clumsy, but secure, and had room to receive several of all kinds of useful animals found in Atl, and to simple ignorant Nepth these constituted every animal on earth, for he knew nothing of other lands across seas, scarce knew of the provinces in Incalia or Umaur, for in these last days communication was not closely kept up. His neighbors and friends jeered and reviled him as a blasphemer, and he and his sons as men crazed. But the years lapsed, and the great ark of refuge grew, until one day it was complete. Then Nepth and his sons provided it with ample stores, and they took the animals from the pens wherein they had placed them as they captured them in years past. Indeed, most of these animals had been born in captivity and were tame, so long had Nepth carried on all works together, not knowing just when the dread prophecy was to be fulfilled. The final preparations were none too soon completed. Only a few days elapsed ere the earth shook and trembled in a frightful manner. Rivers left their beds, or sank through vast crevices in the earth; mountains shook till they were left as hills, and

	 
		"Bowed their tall heads to the plain."
		
		 A crevice opened close by the vessel of refuge, and the river which, half a mile wide, had flowed past to the ocean, fifty miles away, now poured with a mighty roar into the opening. For three days this awful turmoil continued. A man came, beseeching for admittance. But Nepth said: "Nay, thou wouldst never believe in other days. I told thee then this land should sink under the seas, and thou didst revile me. Now go thy way and tell all thou dost meet that 'Nepth spake truly.'"

Three days of horror, and three nights. Death stalked through the land, for the mountains fell on the plains and floods swept unrestrained. But the worst was to come. On the morning of the fourth day it seemed as if the rains of heaven would drown all, yet the thundering and turmoil was not lessened.

[p. 406]

[paragraph continues] The gates of heaven and of the great deep were yet to be broken, and the continent, yea, much also of the world to be drowned. The people not yet destroyed were myriad, and were gathered in the high places. Suddenly it seemed as if the foundations of the world were withdrawn, for by one frightful, universal motion the lands left unflooded began to sink. With never a pause to the hideous, sickening sensation, all things sank, down, down, down--one, two, a dozen feet! Then a period of rest. The rains, which came in sheets, instead of drops; the wild blasts of furious wind; the sinking motion-all ceased while men might count a score. One score, two, three, yet no resumption. The wretched people, hidden in such poor shelter as they could find and dared avail themselves of, began to breathe easier--perhaps the fearful ruin was at last stayed! But, no! A slight tremble, scarcely noticeable after the mad three days, and then with one swift leap down to death the great continent of Atlantis sank as a stone sinks in water! Not a paltry dozen feet, nor even a hundred, but almost a mile it sunk at one horrible bound!

Nepth? In the middle of the third day his vessel of refuge had floated to the ocean on an outgoing rush of the floods, and there the winds had carried him until, when Atl sped down to death, he and his storm-beaten ark were a couple of hundred miles away. A very few other people had been similarly forced seawards, and these, after weary weeks, at last came around the southern promontory of Africa, and drifted northeasterly, to land on the west coast of Umaur. Here, too, the destruction had left but a few miserable survivors. But the few hundreds thus left founded the race which, repopulating that land, was found by Pizarro after many centuries upon centuries had elapsed. And a few thus became many. They would not permit blood sacrifice, but yet, like Nepth, offered fruits to Incal, and retained the name, slightly modified, so as to be Inca, a name bestowed upon their rulers. A few survivors landed further north, and repopulated the land conquered by Cortez, the Spaniard, a few short centuries ago. But these heeded not the lesson, for no sooner were they landed on the desolated

[p. 407]

shores than they slew a woman as a thanksgiving for their escape. But Nepth? For many days his vessel drifted over the silent seas, with only the ceaseless roar of rain upon the roof to break the stillness. At last the vessel grounded. He knew not where he was, for he was an ignorant man. But the aspect of things was changed wholly. When at last he descended, and let loose his living freight, though he knew it not, he was in Asia. This land had not suffered as other lands, but yet floods had covered all the western part of Asia. The eastern portions, and what there was of Europe and America, had not remained inundated after the quick subsidence of the enormous tidal-wave, which, thirteen hundred feet in height, swept outward from Atlantis' site upon the recoil of the engulfing ocean. Thus closed the scene for us; the great deluge was over.

Then Phyris and I turned to other phases of the mysterious, past. These, though not less interesting, may not enter these pages. Rai Gwauxln was come to be Mendocus, while Rai Ernon of Suern was with us now, Mol Lang. Sohma was that, Son of the Solitude whom I took on my vailx when I was Zailm, away from Suern. So we saw the interweaving of the life lines. Then we saw the course of the lost soul, Mainin, from remote ages when Atlantis was not known in the earth, a sin-laden man then, until we found him, serving Satan, an outcast from human ranks, blasted thence by that Son of God, "first fruit of them that (had reincarnated) slept."

Looking, we saw that early Rai of Poseid, him of the Maxin Stone and the Unfed Light, the Lawgiver. We knew him for the Christ, illumining man then, and later as Buddha, and again overshining that greater than Buddha, the Nazarene. "Before Abraham was, I am." Whosoever the Christ-Spirit entereth into and abideth in, becometh a Son of God, and equal with Gautama; but into no one will it enter who doth not travel the Path. That mighty One blasted Mainin. Yet we saw that because Mainin had crossed our life then, I was thereby made the instrument of mercy to him by Christ, and that occasion was yet to come.

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Back of the time of Zailm we gazed upon a scene on the great continent of Lemuria, or Lemorus. We saw a great house built of stone, standing on a grassy sward, a plain, over which roamed herds of cattle, and queer little horses, having three toes to each foot and high shoulders. Far to the east was a blue mountain range, beyond that a great ocean. But between the manse and mountains flashed a silvery lake. Within the house were many people, servitors all to two people, a woman and her son. Gloom overspread all faces, the gloom of blood. To a chief among subordinates the son gave orders. This slave, grim, ferocious, a very incarnation of cruelty, attracted my notice. His brown skin was swarthy, his hands talon-like. Only a breech-cloth apparelled him. Receiving his orders, he disappeared, but soon came again, pushing two manacled people, plainly of a different race from any there. One was a youth, lithe, erect, rather haughty of mien, his hair brown, his features symmetrical; that individuality of twenty-three thousand years ago is now Sohma. The other captive was a fair girl, sister to the youth, it seemed. Her beauty was delicate, but voluptuous. The fierce, cruel eyes, gleaming like live coals from under the shaggy brows of the master of the house, lighted with admiration as he saw the girl. His heavy-set figure, his coarse jaw, thick neck, and round, shaven head, all fitted him to be master of the brutish crowd around him. This man extended his hand as if to touch the captive maiden. She shrank away, and drew her figure erect in a queenly scorn.

"Ha! Unyielding as ever!" quoth the master. "We shall see."

He nodded to the chief slave, who threw the captive boy on a sort of altar beside him. He bound him. But the victim said firmly: "Sister, yield not; die first." Her eyes shone with an awful light of horror.

"Stop his voice," exclaimed the master; and the slave, nothing loath, cut out the poor boy's tongue!

"Beast!" hissed the girl to the master.

"Ha!" he replied, "I will prove that true," and he struck the bared breast of the tongueless lad with his own dagger,

 

 FIRST SACRIFICE OF SELF FOR LOVE OF ANOTHER

 

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and tearing out the heart, threw it at the sister's feet. A goblet of the blood was caught and the master's mother, a priestess, who stood by the block, took it and gazed into it. Then she said:

"The gods say that the girl also must die."

"Say they so? By all the powers I will not obey," shouted the master. "Not though my troops of war fail, and the King fails!"

"My son," said the priestess, "thou mayest not avoid this sacrifice and live, say the gods."

"No? Then the gods be served. Give me that knife." He felt its keen edge, and then asked, without taking his eyes from the weapon, "Say the gods yet so?"

"Even yet," said the priestess.

"Bind the maid," and his orders were obeyed, though the girl had fainted. The executioner laid his ear to her breast; a faint smile relaxed his features, and he said in his soul, "She is dead." He laid his hand on her breast, stood erect and said:

"Accept, ye gods, this sacrifice."

An instant the knife glittered overhead, the next he had buried it in his own heart. So had the heart that knew no mercy yielded to love; the stern warrior was dead. The gods must have blood, he thought, but he gave his own. What personality was he, was the girl, dead from horror? Myself! and Phyris!

Footnotes

^400:1 II. Peter iii: 10.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER V

 

"MAN'S INHUMANITY TO MAN"

Again the dead past revealed another scene. I saw myself in the person of an ill-fed, ill-treated slave, ever hungry, wretched, too much so to feel resentment. I died hungry, and then had a devachan of seeming realization of my wants. 'Then again rebirth, and through a karma not here to be explained, the new man had ease, wealth, plenty. But a physical karma

[p. 410]

pursued, and he was ever hungry in the midst of plentitude, and lazy when action was necessary. This state begot disease, and the product of (in his previous life) "man's inhumanity to man," was afflicted with cancer of the stomach. This killed the ferocious appetite, and the sybarite, free of this, set to work to cure himself. Finding he must fail, he sought comfort in religion, and went forth to the wilderness to become a religious hermit. Now, a hermit's life is one of uselessness to mankind. In that lone state my individuality lost opportunities to cultivate moral strength by worldly contact, and behold me after death come again to life as Zailm, weak enough to sin with Lolix and beget then a karma that lasted, with newly got vigor, till only a few years ago, punishing me more bitterly than death, as thou, knowest. If Zailm, had sorrow, thou knowest he had also joy. So every life-karma is made up of sunshine and shadow. "A tooth for a tooth?" Yea! But also "for a kiss a kiss."

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VI

 

WHY ATLANTIS PERISHED

Looking along the line of life's yesterdays the reason became apparent why all the wondrous attainments of Poseid had ceased and left no sign, why Atla, which metaphorically held aloft the world into the light of science, had sunk beneath the waters and gone down into deep, mysterious caverns, to be hidden in an ignorance greater than that which shadowed Pompeii and Herculaneum from subsequent centuries.

Natural decadence tells the story. As the centuries succeeding the time of the great Rai Gwauxln lapsed, ten, fifteen, twenty and more, the nation came to a greater glory of mechanics, of science, and of Physical condition than even Gwauxln's time had known. One by one the scholars found that those things which had always been possible only through mechanical

[p. 411]

contrivance were more easily accomplished by purely psychic means; they learned it was possible to divest themselves of the flesh, and in astral body go whither they would and appear, instant as the electric current, at any distance. They learned that they could perform material actions when they had thus projected themselves. Then it was that the cruder methods, vailx and naim, and all else similar, were suffered to lapse into that semi-forgetfulness of the Suerni; and exactly as they, so the mass of Poseidi depended on the priesthood for all these things. For only the few exalted minds could thus reach out into the deeper night-side of Nature; the many must remain in the lesser places. Inevitably then came corruption of power; the few were masters, and the many had no recourse, because the master of psychics is invulnerable to the laws of physicality when wielded by men less than he.

Then, indeed, was the day come when ripeness was on the land and on the people. The ripe pear can not keep perfect, but at the heart begins a decay that spreads from core to cortex, and lo, the end. So in Poseid, at the core began the outward-spreading rot. That core was the education of the people. Whenever earth's nations shall cease to educate the coming generation, decay shall begin for the people. In Poseid the few had attained such exalted knowledge of natural forces that the many could not hope to overtake them. Then, discontented with the comparatively poor education themselves had, they suffered all its marvels to wane. Thus, ere thirty centuries after Gwauxln the Poseid race was as Suern, but more corrupt, and lust, appetite, passion and power had laid fatal grasp on the proudest people the earth has ever known. How little dost thou realize when thou readest in Hebrew Scriptures of the destruction of the cities of the Plain it is the account, of the doom of Marzeus and Terna, destroyed by the Navaz forces they had forgotten how to control That destruction heralded that of the continent, nine centuries later. A, ye! Poseid arose to an altitude which the wildest dreams of science have not predicted for the modem world; arose, flourished and decayed, in the fullness of cyclic times. And America is Poseid come again,

[p. 412]

reincarnated, and shall see its scientific people repeat, but on a higher plane, the attainments of Atla. As the centuries pass it shall see the successive enfleshment of those souls which in Atla, made that land proud, prouder, proudest. But it shall do more, for America hath developed that soul-element which, when her people were Poseidi, was first faintly traced. So, though repeating, it shall do more--it shall have all Atla's marvels wedded to the glorious soul foreseen for mankind by Him of Nazareth. It shall flourish so, and then, in the fullness of its time, decay. But that shall not be for four and a half centurial decades.

     
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

 

CHAPTER VII

 

THE TRANSFIGURATION

I might give many more life scenes. Let these suffice. Turn now to our present.

The reunion of the semi-egoii is one in which, after the mighty ordeal of the Great Crisis, the souls of the feminine and masculine elements become on the same plane; both are perfect. This is the marriage made in heaven. Become so that each thinks, wills and expresses itself the same in all ways simultaneously, the two alter egoii are then one, having a feminine, negative, and a masculine, positive, aspect. Then these two potentials unite and receive the Spirit, or I AM, which was always undivided, and which illumined each soul of its pair equally. So is this last union. Thus Phyris is me, living, being, immanent, and speaks this message with me; is I, and yet, mysterious truth, is herself! Likewise I am her and yet again, myself. I speak, and it is she; she speaks and it is I; for we are one being, one spirit, androgyne, perfect. Yet not perfect as our Father is, for He is perfect as Conditionless Being, but our perfection is that of a part, because we are all of God, but not He of any one of us. Indeed, were this not true, then our attainment of perfection, Jesus' attainment of it, or any child of the Father, would find in its realization annihilation.

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[paragraph continues] But only the soul that sins is cast into the second death, fated to the Sisyphic round till it does succeed. Perfection may be conditionless in all respects save that it is not that of the whole. And because we each axe parts, therefore are we forever attracted to the Father, who is sum of all parts, and this attraction is to onward Being. And we are ever attracted to the other parts, both those which are peer and those which are less. It is because the part is forever drawn to the sum that there is no death, save in defying and abandoning all hold on the Whole. Perfection of a part but draws it nearer to the Whole, and perfection of the Whole compels It to depend on each of Its parts. There may be change; there is no death. And there may be extinction of personality, the erring soul may perish, and itself and deeds he annihilated, but the Spirit from the Father dieth not. If for thy soul thou wouldst have eternal life; if thou wouldst not see thy soul, that product of untold ages of time, lost in the second Death, and thyself, oh Spirit, child of our Father, doomed to recreate another soul to lay as acceptable offering before our Lord, then subdue it, subdue thy soul, at--one it to God through Jesus Christ our Lord, by recognizing that it is His, given Him by God, made by thee to serve the Creator. If thou make thy soul serve thee in His service, thou hast it eternally. But if thou serve it thou shalt lose it and have to make another during coming aeons.

Wilt thou follow the Path. even as I have pointed out to thee that it leadeth to the Kingdom? Be sure of thyself ere thou dost embrace occult learning, lest it prove a veritable Bridge of Mirzah, full of fatal pitfalls for thy feet. Better shun the Secret Wisdom than fail, for strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto Being, and few there be that find it.

Knowest thou me? A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, but a corrupt tree. Wilt thou hew me down and cast me into the fire, who testifieth concerning the Spirit? "Not every one that sayeth Lord, Lord, shall enter into Heaven," but he that doeth the will of my Father in Heaven. The time is brief.

I have spoken. Peace be with thee.

 The End.

 

    
A Dweller on Two Planets, by by Phylos the Thibetan (Frederick S. Oliver), [1894], at sacred-texts.com

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NOTE BY THE AUTHOR

Friends, thirteen years have become past time since the words of this book were dictated; purposely hath publication been delayed unto the end that statements then made might acquire weight through the coming to pass of many of the predictions to be found within these covers; predictions which at that time were wholly unverified, and were, moreover, regarded by science as chimerical. Prophecy would be impossible in a Godless universe; and were it not that vibration is the law of laws, no mind could come into unison with the Creator or any of His ministers; each living being is minister to the creature immediately inferior. To-day witnesseth the faith of those who have believed in my words swallowed up in knowledge: the predictions have numerously been realized; all will be. So it is that to-day, in the middle of the final year of the century I add

THE MIGHTY CAP-STONE:

The Division of the Way Hath Come; the Midnight Hour of the Cycle Which, More Than Any Other, Formed Life's Great Divide, Hath Struck. When first I dictated for this book there lacked, as it were, yet a few seconds to the closing of the Sixth Day. But now for some seconds hath been fulfilled the initiation of that saying of Him who sitteth upon the throne: "Behold! I make all things new." The Hour hath struck. And now presently "the one overcoming shall inherit all things and I will he his God, and he shall be my son." This is for those who did set their hands to the Plow and their feet to Furrow, and looked not back, while yet the Sixth Cycle was. "But as for the cowards (a halt between two opinions) and the unbelievers (in aught above earthly, finite things) and the abominable, and takers of life, and passion and lust-servers, sorcerers, idolaters and swervers from truth, their portion is the (Great Karma of the World) second death." While the foolish ones were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and they who were prepared entered in with him to the feast,

[p. 415]

and the door was shut. When the foolish returned the door was not opened unto then. Beloved, remember these words which were spoken by the apostles of the Christ; that they said that in the Last Time before the end of the Age "there will be mockers walking after their own impious lusts (10). These indeed blaspheme what things they do not understand; but that which they know naturally, as do the irrational animals, in these things they are corrupt (19). These are they who separate at the Dividing of the Way, going in the finite direction, not having the Spirit (7), and are placed as an example, to endure the retributive justice of an age-ending fire."

Many have been my references to America as being Atlantis come again; much hath in a general way been said of the beginning, rise, growth and destruction of that ancient prototype; a hint hath been here and there given, rather by inference than by specific statement, that while America should be peer and even more than Atl, just because she is Atl returned on a higher plane, she must endure the woes as well as retrace her precarnate glories. The penalty visited upon Poseid was the crowning sentence of that Age. Century after century in the majestic march of Time hath passed since the sun looked down upon a wild waste of ocean waters where but a few days before had been the regal Island-Continent. Another cycle hath reached its end, and its last hour hath chimed. All that which is imperfect in the now-closed Sixth Day is come, in stately, measured but inexorable way to face judgment by the standard, Truth. Spot nor blemish can not hope to stand nor continue before it. Neither can aught be amended so as now to escape its karmic penalty, for the seal of its full time is set upon it. "The one acting unjustly, let him be unjust still; and the filthy one, let him be filthy still; and the righteous one, let him righteousness do still, and the holy one, let him be holy still. Lo, I come speedily, and the reward of me is with me, to give back unto each one as the work of him shall be found." The Great Karma unfailingly setteth each evildoer back to the point attained ere the animal forces in riot obtained control over the human. Wherefore those who in the Sixth Cycle

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lost  over their lower selves won no place in the Seventh. In the closing years of the spent cycle one deserted his helpless wife; verily, he really deserted his birthright in the New Age. Another sought, being weak-willed, to drown worries in wine; be but drowned his soul's advanced merits. A wife was faithless to her wedding vows; the Door of the New Time is fast against her. A thief stole, what? His own life's rewards. One there was who deprived another of physical life; he also erased his own name from TO-DAY'S roll-call. One swore to keep a vow, but broke it often; in this New Day, after the grave shall claim his physical being, be shall not again awaken, having lacked will to live. A man was buried with high honors who at merciless cost to his fellowmen enriched his bank account; a gravestone near as costly as pure gold rears above his mortal, aye, and under it is also the dead hopes of resurrection. She sold her body; purchased and purchaser form an unhallowed company in Yesterday's catacombs, whence they shall not emerge to see the light of To-day until, cycles afar hence "death and hell give up" their inhabitants. Such is a brief glimpse into a Closed Record. Turn the page. Another did deeds of love; love and doers thereof live through all the days, forever. One smiled when a smile was heroic and cheered faint souls; one visited the sick and prisoners; one clothed a naked stranger; and one gave half of her last crust, though only to a starving dog. Verily, all these shall receive their reward in the Day now dawning. The bad are not all bad, neither the good wholly good. She who lived a life of shame, yet ever kept hope of better things burning in her inmost heart, and longed for death to release her, since man would not:

	 
		"Looked beyond the shadow of the late unhallowed years,
		 To the far, far distant upland, where yon glimmering light appears."
		
		 Verily, she shall be chastened, and made new, in the glory of To-day; but the chastening is a weary ordeal, and slow. As the Great Karma handles her, so handleth it all others, for it is Christ's mercy, which healeth every soul's-hurt.

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During many,  centuries prophecy hath looked forward to. the end of the Age as a time of awful woe, and has pictured dread  of terminal horror. Am I come to say that all these predictions shall fail? Is the book of the Apocalypse, mere allegory? Would it were! But as the Poseid age was stricken, this one must also be which has just passed. Shall

America, the Glorious, together with the rest of the world, meet similar woe? Alas, worse, though not by water but by fire. Shall all be wiped out of existence, leaving a planet in ruins? Unto the end of full obedience and the coming into harmony with divine law shall the lash be applied; words may not portray the scenes. This is the Message of the End of the Age:

"The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come nigh"-Isaiah. "Behold, the day . . . that burneth as an oven."--Malachi.

The Hour hath struck. And yet in all of this there is no mystery, no supernatural penalty, no capricious infliction by an offended personal God, and nothing of "man's necessity, God's opportunity." It is all of Man's own doing. He hath wandered from the Way, and hath for the God-nature in him, which he should have revered and nourished, substituted worship of Self and of Mammon; hath cast out Love, and placed violence, lust, greed and all the riotous animalism in him in command of his life. Man is his own judge and executioner. Man is the type and the universe is the print; Nature patterns after Man, not Man after Nature. He, a being, of free-will, hath brought all coming woes of judgment to be inevitable; he must endure; as he hath sown, so must he reap. O Man, forgetter of Love, of Mercy, of Right; breeder of Hate, of Cruelty, and of the inhumanity that hath and still doth make countless millions mourn, is it possible that thou hast been blind to the handwriting on the wall? Alas, yes, thou hast! Rampant is the Spirit of selfishness, of greed, of merciless gain; its hand guides the trains and steamers, clicks the telegraph keys, operates the telephone and cables, makes a mockery of free speech, shackles the press so that it dares to

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utter only that which cannot offend its master; every human enterprise, all national policies and international comities, all things, even the churches, are willing vassals to this fiend, SELF. What then? Ruin is on all sides, the human race and all lower creatures its victims. Masons at work on a high wan shout as a brick falls: "Stand from under!"

Aye, stand from under! A world is falling! Pile no higher the racial and individual misdeeds now biding expiation; weary enough the awful reckoning of the Great Karma without additions to its terrible length that even now stretches ahead, a seeming eternity. Frenzied millions of men and women, boys and girls, no longer free save in name, are menaced with starvation. Hungry, cold, half-clad, shelterless only too often, denied the chance to work, however willing they may be, corporation-owned machinery their competitor;  and trust-ridden, sleeping or waking. This inhuman picture is the rule, not the exception. Thou knowest this full well. I state nothing new in this regard, and the awful facts are under drawn instead of exaggerated. All of this, although in far, far less degree, has been so at the ending of every age, was so in Poseid and is therefore now repeated. But it can never be so again after this, for HERE THE WAY DIVIDES. Poseid survived; so also shall they of the Sixth Age. In the full time by fire the Reaper shall reap, and no place be found for physical safety by the unchanged of heart. But the time of it shall be foreshortened, else no flesh could remain alive. Stand from under! The roar of armed hosts must succeed the thunderous mutterings of the times. No more is there any chance to prevent the coming retribution (albeit it may seem unduly deferred), for the causes have had their way. Too late is it to even modify the result of the misguidance of that Spirit whose hand sways the helm. A short but sharp conflict, Sanguinary past belief, even now reddens on the horizon. The trained armies, millions of men active or in reserve, that are now engaged in conquest, fevered with war, will but little longer, comparatively, submit to having themselves and loved ones ground under the heel and strangled by the hand of that organized

[p. 419]

thing, Capital, which, itself merely the natural fruit of selfishness, none the less is a riotous animal principle, compelling the few to be masters of the many, denying the God-born declaration that all men are created free and equal, and warping it to seem a giant lie. Soon millions of trained soldiers will turn upon the visible representatives, the wealthy and worldly prosperous, who in reality are not more responsible than will be their assailants, of that Relentless Force behind all human enterprise. Later they will break up into lawless bands bent on satisfying Ishmaelitish tendencies, each self-server's hand weaponed against his fellow creatures. Then will the pentup hate, the savagery and selfishness begotten by ages of selfishness ruled by unbridled animalism break in a storm such as the world hath never yet seen, no, not during all the ages I scan, ages forgotten for untold thousands of years. That loveless conflict will initiate that which, Nature completing, will leave living but one where now are many. Hard and fast after the human conflict will come pestilences unparalleled, sweeping the wide earth over, for in that day none will pause to bury the slain until the evil is wrought, nor then, for the dead of the plagues will be as thousands for every one by violence. And all this because the love that should grace and soften men's hearts, each for all and all for each, dried up and became a mockery in the close of the ended cycle, leaving but scattered oases, few and far between. Nature follows Man. Wherefore the waters of Earth will dry out, rains be withheld, cyclones sweep, and an earthquake come such as was not since a man was on the earth; aye, I am mindful of Poseid! But all of this will occur only through natural causes, and in consonance with the selfishness, lust, greed, anger and general depravity of the Type. As these blaze in the human breast, so shall the air, dry and vaporless under brazen skies, develop solar heats more fierce than history ever knew. A parched earth, furnace-like, Piling all flesh mountains high; pestilences stalking unchecked. O ye! Blind to the Handwriting on the wall, which flickers Still, though writ for a spent cycle. Turn now and read, while yet the last midnight stroke reverberates.

[p. 420]

The disciples asked the Great Master, saying: "Teacher, when will these things be?" And He said: ". . . When you see surrounded by encampments the Jerusalem, then you may know that has come near the desolation . . . For days of vengeance these axe, to be fulfilled of all the judgments."

Friends, know ye the meaning of the name Jerusalem? That it meaneth "Vision of Peace?" Verily, so it doth. One by one during the years all the signs of the end of the Age but one were fulfilled; but these were "only the beginning of sorrows," for still the Spirit of Liberty abode here and there in the breasts of lovers of their fellowmen. That Spirit wrapped itself in the glorious folds of the Stars and Stripes and proclaimed the imperishable declaration, of human equality, granting unto all that freedom which Americans for themselves demanded. But now the "Vision of Peace" is finally encompassed by armies, the last gap being filled with blue-coated soldiers forcing Mammon's commercial shackles upon alien peoples in tropical islands. Ah, the Starry Flag droops mourn fully low above the freedom-birthright sold for a mess of pottage. My People, O my People! As ye have sown, so must ye reap. The Vision of Spiritual Peace is wholly clouded by the dust of armed camps, and no gap is left unobscured. "Then shall the end come." A Son hath continually called from on High:

	 
		"Stand from under! Get into the shelter of that Cross."
		
		 In all the expiatory time must indeed those who thought no wrong suffer? Ah, thought no wrong. In every life, whether theist's, atheist's or merely one ignorant of any doctrine of belief, there comes a time when the inward Spirit beseeches the soul to go up higher. It pleads again and again and yet again so -long as faintest hope remains. Omission too, hath its penalty: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?" echoed throughout the past Age. Fire burns a babe's fingers as badly as it does an adult's. There were and are those who lived and live the Cross. These shall not suffer,

[p. 421]

not even though bodily death overtake them; they have no Karma to expiate.

What is the Cross? What is Christ? I have said, long ago, but I will re-state it: the Divine stream of Life, the Indefinable God, that is, the long arm of the Living Cross. Directed, purposed Human Will is the short arm. This will power is our call upon His Name that is never denied. Jesus, the Man of Nazareth, gave us pattern. He sacrificed self for us. He said: "Follow me." Also: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me." This self is the lower self; it is the animal. All animals are in man concreted. No hyena is so treacherous, no tiger so ferocious, no hog so brutish, no weasel so destructive; no animal creature of any sort is so perfect in its own peculiar nature as is the man who suffers any or all of these animal characteristics within him to run riot; and this is because his human soul is enslaved to the animal. Animal is only force undirected, whether it exist in a body or not. Directed, guided by will, it ceaseth to be animal. But in yielding to that guidance it must give up its free lawlessness, something never pleasant and often painful. It is sacrifice, always. Its symbol is the Cross. He sacrificed self for us on this same cross of the Causeless, Divine Stream which containeth all things and floweth no man knoweth whence nor whither. I would not minimize Calvary; it is very, very real and the one great fact forever! "Follow me." On that same Cross, day by day, aye, moment by moment, employing our wills, as He directed, that we may grow unto His likeness, we also, following, must sacrifice self, sacrifice the animal in us, that is, in God's service we must never cease to direct those vagrant forces which in running riot turn Earth into a veritable hell and supplant Love with Self. It is written that "a little child shall lead them." Verily the "little child" of the Spirit in the New Time shall be ruler over the menagerie within the man, and that man shall therefore be able, even as Quong, the Tchin, to rule any animal outside of himself. A vast power, this. And because of it in the New Time no longer shall any beast, whether in human form, or in

[p. 422]

lower animal body, or merely apparent as a raging tempest or a disease, be free to do evil.

When the Spirit in Man cometh fully to its own, "he shall rule them as with a rod of iron,", this riotous throng. Rule them to their own good; cut them off suddenly, even as Quong cut off the puma from furthering its own will. He shall destroy that theretofore unbridled animal, by the Cross converting it. into a servitor to the Father. All things must become new TO-DAY, because conditions will soon so differ that they who would hold fast to the old will, find nothing either in Nature or elsewhere that will longer yield to the old powers.

And now here, of all places, I would indeed not be vague in expression. The Seventh Cycle is that of the Spirit. TO-DAY existence will demand a spiritual eye, and ear, and that every sense be raised to the Heights. The very means of dealing with Nature will be no longer gross, but become as in Hesperus, manageable only by those who, using the Cross in their every life-act, swerve never to either side of the way, never, either in least or greatest deed doing. error, even that good may come, knowing it can not bring aught but pain and penalty. Not one can be lost, finally, of the evildoers, for God wastes nothing. He converts all things from lower into higher, inexorably, surely. Some must endure the retributive justice of the Great Karma, aye., the majority must experience more or less of this fire of transfiguration; the wrath of God is Love's severity.

Then will be those times when "all things are made new." What now, think ye? Shall not America, and the rest of the world, be mote glorious than ever thou hast dreamt. Aye, truly. She shall not indeed have the great population census-takers imagine. There shall be few where were many; tens replacing thousands. But not in numbers is there greatness or ; remember the Saldans and Rai Ernon; which was greater, he or that ill-fated host? Yet never shall a soul be lost; God hath place for everyone.

It is written that after a thousand years Satan shall be loosed for a little season. That is well. For the Race possessing

[p. 423]

such amazing powers, though few, will be the people, yet will there be some who will have attained these powers through mere intellect; they will abuse their privileges, having not the Spirit, and these sinful ones will the Perfect in Evil assail, that karma shall overtake them. Having had much given unto them, of them shall much be demanded, wherefore their karmic atonement will be more intense than words can depict.

The wrath of God is love's severity. All shall be converted from lower into higher.

	 
		"A glory shines across the coming years,
		 The glory of a race grown great and free. 
		 'Twas seen by poets, sages, saints and seers,
		 Whose vision glimpsed the dawn that is to be.
		 A shining shore is by the Future's sea,
		 Whereon each man all stand among his peers
		 As equal; and to none shall bend the knee.
		 Awake, my soul, shake off your doubts and fears;
		 Behold the hosts of darkness fade and flee
		 Before the magic of the Morning's face;
		 And hear the sweet and wondrous melody
		 That floats to us from far-off golden days--
		 It is the choral song of liberty
		 It is the anthem of the coming Race".
		
THE ASSIGNATION

Fame singing in the highways, and trifling as she sang, with sordid adventurers, passed the poet by.

And still the poet made for her little chaplets of song, to deck her forehead in the courts of Time: and still she wore instead the worthless garlands, that boisterous citizens flung to her in the ways, made out of perishable things.

And after a while whenever these garlands died the poet came to her with his chaplets of song; and still she laughed at him and wore the worthless wreaths, though they always died at evening.

And one day in his bitterness the poet rebuked her, and said to her: "Lovely Fame, even in the highways and the byways you have not foreborne to laugh and shout and jest with worthless men, and I have toiled for you and dreamed of you and you mock me and pass me by."

And Fame turned her back on him and walked away, but in departing she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him as she had not smiled before, and, almost speaking in a whisper, said:

"I will meet you in the graveyard at the back of the Workhouse in a hundred years."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f02]

CHARON

Charon leaned forward and rowed. All things were one with his weariness.

It was not with him a matter of years or of centuries, but of wide floods of time, and an old heaviness and a pain in the arms that had become for him part of the scheme that the gods had made and was of a piece with Eternity.

If the gods had even sent him a contrary wind it would have divided all time in his memory into two equal slabs.

So grey were all things always where he was that if any radiance lingered a moment among the dead, on the face of such a queen perhaps as Cleopatra, his eyes could not have perceived it.

It was strange that the dead nowadays were coming in such numbers. They were coming in thousands where they used to come in fifties. It was neither Charon's duty nor his wont to ponder in his grey soul why these things might be. Charon leaned forward and rowed.

Then no one came for a while. It was not usual for the gods to send no one down from Earth for such a space. But the gods knew best.

Then one man came alone. And the little shade sat shivering on a lonely bench and the great boat pushed off. Only one passenger: the gods knew best. And great and weary Charon rowed on and on beside the little, silent, shivering ghost.

And the sound of the river was like a mighty sigh that Grief in the beginning had sighed among her sisters, and that could not die like the echoes of human sorrow failing on earthly hills, but was as old as time and the pain in Charon's arms.

Then the boat from the slow, grey river loomed up to the coast of Dis and the little, silent shade still shivering stepped ashore, and Charon turned the boat to go wearily back to the world. Then the little shadow spoke, that had been a man.

"I am the last," he said.

No one had ever made Charon smile before, no one before had ever made him weep.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f03]

THE DEATH OF PAN

When travellers from London entered Arcady they lamented one to another the death of Pan.

And anon they saw him lying stiff and still.

Horned Pan was still and the dew was on his fur; he had not the look of a live animal. And then they said, "It is true that Pan is dead."

And, standing melancholy by that huge prone body, they looked for long at memorable Pan.

And evening came and a small star appeared.

And presently from a hamlet of some Arcadian valley, with a sound of idle song, Arcadian maidens came.

And, when they saw there, suddenly in the twilight, that old recumbent god, they stopped in their running and whispered among themselves. "How silly he looks," they said, and thereat they laughed a little.

And at the sound of their laughter Pan leaped up and the gravel flew from his hooves.

And, for as long as the travellers stood and listened, the crags and the hill-tops of Arcady rang with the sounds of pursuit.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f04]

THE SPHINX AT GIZEH

I saw the other day the Sphinx's painted face.

She had painted her face in order to ogle Time.

And he has spared no other painted face in all the world but hers.

Delilah was younger than she, and Delilah is dust. Time hath loved nothing but this worthless painted face.

I do not care that she is ugly, nor that she has painted her face, so that she only lure his secret from Time.

Time dallies like a fool at her feet when he should be smiting cities.

Time never wearies of her silly smile.

There are temples all about her that he has forgotten to spoil.

I saw an old man go by, and Time never touched him.

Time that has carried away the seven gates of Thebes!

She has tried to bind him with ropes of eternal sand, she had hoped to oppress him with the Pyramids.

He lies there in the sand with his foolish hair all spread about her paws.

If she ever finds his secret we will put out his eyes, so that he shall find no more our beautiful things--there are lovely gates in Florence that I fear he will carry away.

We have tried to bind him with song and with old customs, but they only held him for a little while, and he has always smitten us and mocked us.

When he is blind he shall dance to us and make sport.

Great clumsy time shall stumble and dance, who liked to kill little children, and can hurt even the daisies no longer.

Then shall our children laugh at him who slew Babylon's winged bulls, and smote great numbers of the gods and fairies--when he is shorn of his hours and his years.

We will shut him up in the Pyramid of Cheops, in the great chamber where the sarcophagus is. Thence we will lead him out when we give our feasts. He shall ripen our corn for us and do menial work.

We will kiss they painted face, O Sphinx, if thou wilt betray to us Time.

And yet I fear that in his ultimate anguish he may take hold blindly of the world and the moon, and slowly pull down upon him the House of Man.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f05]

THE HEN

All along the farmyard gables the swallows sat a-row, twittering uneasily to one another, telling of many things, but thinking only of Summer and the South, for Autumn was afoot and the North wind waiting.

And suddenly one day they were all quite gone. And everyone spoke of the swallows and the South.

"I think I shall go South myself next year," said a hen.

And the year wore on and the swallows came again, and the year wore on and they sat again on the gables, and all the poultry discussed the departure of the hen.

And very early one morning, the wind being from the North, the swallows all soared suddenly and felt the wind in their wings; and a strength came upon them and a strange old knowledge and a more than human faith, and flying high they left the smoke of our cities and small remembered eaves, and saw at last the huge and homeless sea, and steering by grey sea-currents went southward with the wind. And going South they went by glittering fog-banks and saw old islands lifting their heads above them; they saw the slow quests of the wandering ships, and divers seeking pearls, and lands at war, till there came in view the mountains that they sought and the sight of the peaks they knew; and they descended into an austral valley, and saw Summer sometimes sleeping and sometimes singing song.

"I think the wind is about right," said the hen; and she spread her wings and ran out of the poultry-yard. And she ran fluttering out on to the road and some way down it until she came to a garden.

At evening she came back panting.

And in the poultry-yard she told the poultry how she had gone South as far as the high road, and saw the great world's traffic going by, and came to lands where the potato grew, and saw the stubble upon which men live, and at the end of the road had found a garden, and there were roses in it--beautiful roses!--and the gardener himself was there with his braces on.

"How extremely interesting," the poultry said, "and what a really beautiful description!"

And the Winter wore away, and the bitter months went by, and the Spring of the year appeared, and the swallows came again.

"We have been to the South," they said, "and the valleys beyond the sea."

But the poultry would not agree that there was a sea in the South: "You should hear our hen," they said.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f06]

WIND AND FOG

"Way for us," said the North Wind as he came down the sea on an errand of old Winter.

And he saw before him the grey silent fog that lay along the tides.

"Way for us," said the North Wind, "O ineffectual fog, for I am Winter's leader in his age-old war with the ships. I overwhelm them suddenly in my strength, or drive upon them the huge seafaring bergs. I cross an ocean while you move a mile. There is mourning in inland places when I have met the ships. I drive them upon the rocks and feed the sea. Wherever I appear they bow to our lord the Winter."

And to his arrogant boasting nothing said the fog. Only he rose up slowly and trailed away from the sea and, crawling up long valleys, took refuge among the hills; and night came down and everything was still, and the fog began to mumble in the stillness. And I hear him telling infamously to himself the tale of his horrible spoils. "A hundred and fifteen galleons of old Spain, a certain argosy that went from Tyre, eight fisher-fleets and ninety ships of the line, twelve warships under sail, with their carronades, three hundred and eighty-seven river-craft, forty-two merchantmen that carried spice, thirty yachts, twenty-one battleships of the modern time, nine thousand admirals...." he mumbled and chuckled on, till I suddenly rose and fled from his fearful contamination.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f07]

THE RAFT-BUILDERS

All we who write put me in mind of sailors hastily making rafts upon doomed ships.

When we break up under the heavy years and go down into eternity with all that is ours our thoughts like small lost rafts float on awhile upon Oblivion's sea. They will not carry much over those tides, our names and a phrase or two and little else.

They that write as a trade to please the whim of the day, they are like sailors that work at the rafts only to warm their hands and to distract their thoughts from their certain doom; their rafts go all to pieces before the ship breaks up.

See now Oblivion shimmering all around us, its very tranquility deadlier than tempest. How little all our keels have troubled it. Time in its deeps swims like a monstrous whale; and, like a whale, feeds on the littlest things--small tunes and little unskilled songs of the olden, golden evenings--and anon turneth whale-like to overthrow whole ships.

See now the wreckage of Babylon floating idly, and something there that once was Nineveh; already their kings and queens are in the deeps among the weedy masses of old centuries that hide the sodden bulk of sunken Tyre and make a darkness round Persepolis.

For the rest I dimly see the forms of foundered ships on the sea-floor strewn with crowns.

Our ships were all unseaworthy from the first.

There goes the raft that Homer made for Helen.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f08]

THE WORKMAN

I saw a workman fall with his scaffolding right from the summit of some vast hotel. And as he came down I saw him holding a knife and trying to cut his name on the scaffolding. He had time to try and do this for he must have had nearly three hundred feet to fall. And I could think of nothing but his folly in doing this futile thing, for not only would the man be unrecognizably dead in three seconds, but the very pole on which he tried to scratch whatever of his name he had time for was certain to be burnt in a few weeks for firewood.

Then I went home for I had work to do. And all that evening I thought of the man's folly, till the thought hindered me from serious work.

And late that night while I was still at work, the ghost of the workman floated through my wall and stood before me laughing.

I heard no sound until after I spoke to it; but I could see the grey diaphanous form standing before me shuddering with laughter.

I spoke at last and asked what it was laughing at, and then the ghost spoke. It said: "I'm a laughin' at you sittin' and workin' there."

"And why," I asked, "do you laugh at serious work?"

"Why, yer bloomin' life 'ull go by like a wind," he said, "and yer 'ole silly civilization 'ull be tidied up in a few centuries."

Then he fell to laughing again and this time audibly; and, laughing still, faded back through the wall again and into the eternity from which he had come.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f09]

THE GUEST

A young man came into an ornate restaurant at eight o'clock in London.

He was alone, but two places had been laid at the table which was reserved for him. He had chosen the dinner very carefully, by letter a week before.

A waiter asked him about the other guest.

"You probably won't see him till the coffee comes," the young man told him; so he was served alone.

Those at adjacent tables might have noticed the young man continually addressing the empty chair and carrying on a monologue with it throughout his elaborate dinner.

"I think you knew my father," he said to it over the soup.

"I sent for you this evening," he continued, "because I want you to do me a good turn; in fact I must insist on it."

There was nothing eccentric about the man except for this habit of addressing an empty chair, certainly he was eating as good a dinner as any sane man could wish for.

After the Burgundy had been served he became more voluble in his monologue, not that he spoiled his wine by drinking excessively.

"We have several acquaintances in common," he said. "I met King Seti a year ago in Thebes. I think he has altered very little since you knew him. I thought his forehead a little low for a king's. Cheops has left the house that he built for your reception, he must have prepared for you for years and years. I suppose you have seldom been entertained like that. I ordered this dinner over a week ago. I thought then that a lady might have come with me, but as she wouldn't I've asked you. She may not after all be as lovely as Helen of Troy. Was Helen very lovely? Not when you knew her, perhaps. You were lucky in Cleopatra, you must have known her when she was in her prime.

"You never knew the mermaids nor the fairies nor the lovely goddesses of long ago, that's where we have the best of you."

He was silent when the waiters came to his table, but rambled merrily on as soon as they left, still turned to the empty chair.

"You know I saw you here in London only the other day. You were on a motor bus going down Ludgate Hill. It was going much too fast. London is a good place. But I shall be glad enough to leave it. It was in London that I met the lady I that was speaking about. If it hadn't been for London I probably shouldn't have met her, and if it hadn't been for London she probably wouldn't have had so much besides me to amuse her. It cuts both ways."

He paused once to order coffee, gazing earnestly at the waiter and putting a sovereign in his hand. "Don't let it be chicory," said he.

The waiter brought the coffee, and the young man dropped a tabloid of some sort into his cup.

"I don't suppose you come here very often," he went on. "Well, you probably want to be going. I haven't taken you much out of your way, there is plenty for you to do in London."

Then having drunk his coffee he fell on the floor by a foot of the empty chair, and a doctor who was dining in the room bent over him and announced to the anxious manager the visible presence of the young man's guest.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f10]

DEATH AND ODYSSEUS

In the Olympian courts Love laughed at Death, because he was unsightly, and because She couldn't help it, and because he never did anything worth doing, and because She would.

And Death hated being laughed at, and used to brood apart thinking only of his wrongs and of what he could do to end this intolerable treatment.

But one day Death appeared in the courts with an air and They all noticed it. "What are you up to now?" said Love. And Death with some solemnity said to Her: "I am going to frighten Odysseus"; and drawing about him his grey traveller's cloak went out through the windy door with his jowl turned earthwards.

And he came soon to Ithaca and the hall that Athene knew, and opened the door and saw there famous Odysseus, with his white locks bending close over the fire, trying to warm his hands.

And the wind through the open door blew bitterly on Odysseus.

And Death came up behind him, and suddenly shouted.

And Odysseus went on warming his pale hands.

Then Death came close and began to mouth at him. And after a while Odysseus turned and spoke. And "Well, old servant," he said, "have your masters been kind to you since I made you work for me round Ilion?"

And Death for some while stood mute, for the thought of the laughter of Love.

Then "Come now," said Odysseus, "lend me your shoulder," and he leaning heavily on that bony joint, they went together through the open door.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f11]

DEATH AND THE ORANGE

Two dark young men in a foreign southern land sat at a restaurant table with one woman.

And on the woman's plate was a small orange which had an evil laughter in its heart.

And both of the men would be looking at the woman all the time, and they ate little and they drank much.

And the woman was smiling equally at each.

Then the small orange that had the laughter in its heart rolled slowly off the plate on to the floor. And the dark young men both sought for it at once, and they met suddenly beneath the table, and soon they were speaking swift words to one another, and a horror and an impotence came over the Reason of each as she sat helpless at the back of the mind, and the heart of the orange laughed and the woman went on smiling; and Death, who was sitting at another table, tete-a-tete with an old man, rose and came over to listen to the quarrel.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f12]

THE PRAYER OF THE FLOWERS

It was the voice of the flowers on the West wind, the lovable, the old, the lazy West wind, blowing ceaselessly, blowing sleepily, going Greecewards.

"The woods have gone away, they have fallen and left us; men love us no longer, we are lonely by moonlight. Great engines rush over the beautiful fields, their ways lie hard and terrible up and down the land.

"The cancrous cities spread over the grass, they clatter in their lairs continually, they glitter about us blemishing the night.

"The woods are gone, O Pan, the woods, the woods. And thou art far, O Pan, and far away."

I was standing by night between two railway embankments on the edge of a Midland city. On one of them I saw the trains go by, once in every two minutes, and on the other, the trains went by twice in every five.

Quite close were the glaring factories, and the sky above them wore the fearful look that it wears in dreams of fever.

The flowers were right in the stride of that advancing city, and thence I heard them sending up their cry. And then I heard, beating musically up wind, the voice of Pan reproving them from Arcady--

"Be patient a little, these things are not for long."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f13]

TIME AND THE TRADESMAN

Once Time as he prowled the world, his hair grey not with weakness but with dust of the ruin of cities, came to a furniture shop and entered the Antique department. And there he saw a man darkening the wood of a chair with dye and beating it with chains and making imitation wormholes in it.

And when Time saw another doing his work he stood by him awhile and looked on critically.

And at last he said: "That is not how I work," and he turned the man's hair white and bent his back and put some furrows in his little cunning face; then turned and strode away, for a mighty city that was weary and sick and too long had troubled the fields was sore in need of him.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f14]

THE LITTLE CITY

I was in the pre-destined 11.8 from Goraghwood to Drogheda, when I suddenly saw the city. It was a little city in a valley, and only seemed to have a little smoke, and the sun caught the smoke and turned it golden, so that it looked like an old Italian picture where angels walk in the foreground and the rest is a blaze of gold. And beyond, as one could tell by the lie of land although one could not see through the golden smoke, I knew that there lay the paths of the roving ships.

All round there lay a patchwork of small fields all over the slopes of the hills, and the snow had come upon them tentatively, but already the birds of the waste had moved to the sheltered places for every omen boded more to fall. Far away some little hills blazed like an aureate bulwark broken off by age and fallen from the earthward rampart of Paradise. And aloof and dark the mountains stared unconcernedly seawards.

And when I saw those grey and watchful mountains sitting where they sat while the cities of the civilization of Araby and Asia arose like crocuses, and like crocuses fell, I wondered for how long there would be smoke in the valley and little fields on the hills.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f15]

THE UNPASTURABLE FIELDS

Thus spake the mountains: "Behold us, even us; the old ones, the grey ones, that wear the feet of Time. Time on our rocks shall break his staff and stumble: and still we shall sit majestic, even as now, hearing the sound of the sea, our old coeval sister, who nurses the bones of her children and weeps for the things she has done.

"Far, far, we stand above all things; befriending the little cities until they grow old and leave us to go among the myths.

"We are the most imperishable mountains."

And softly the clouds foregathered from far places, and crag on crag and mountain upon mountain in the likeness of Caucasus upon Himalaya came riding past the sunlight upon the backs of storms and looked down idly from their golden heights upon the crests of the mountains.

"Ye pass away," said the mountains.

And the clouds answered, as I dreamed or fancied,

"We pass away, indeed we pass away, but upon our unpasturable fields Pegasus prances. Here Pegasus gallops and browses upon song which the larks bring to him every morning from far terrestrial fields. His hoof-beats ring upon our slopes at sunrise as though our fields were of silver. And breathing the dawn-wind in dilated nostrils, with head tossed upwards and with quivering wings, he stands and stares from our tremendous heights, and snorts and sees far-future wonderful wars rage in the creases and the folds of the togas that cover the knees of the gods."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f16]

THE WORM AND THE ANGEL

As he crawled from the tombs of the fallen a worm met with an angel.

And together they looked upon the kings and kingdoms, and youths and maidens and the cities of men. They saw the old men heavy in their chairs and heard the children singing in the fields. They saw far wars and warriors and walled towns, wisdom and wickedness, and the pomp of kings, and the people of all the lands that the sunlight knew.

And the worm spake to the angel saying: "Behold my food."

"Be dakeon para Thina poluphloisboio Thalassaes," murmured the angel, for they walked by the sea, "and can you destroy that too?"

And the worm paled in his anger to a greyness ill to behold, for for three thousand years he had tried to destroy that line and still its melody was ringing in his head.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f17]

THE SONGLESS COUNTRY

The poet came unto a great country in which there were no songs. And he lamented gently for the nation that had not any little foolish songs to sing to itself at evening.

And at last he said: "I will make for them myself some little foolish songs so that they may be merry in the lanes and happy by the fireside." And for some days he made for them aimless songs such as maidens sing on the hills in the older happier countries.

Then he went to some of that nation as they sat weary with the work of the day and said to them: "I have made you some aimless songs out of the small unreasonable legends, that are somewhat akin to the wind in the vales of my childhood; and you may care to sing them in your disconsolate evenings."

And they said to him:

"If you think we have time for that sort of nonsense nowadays you cannot know much of the progress of modern commerce."

And the poet wept for he said: "Alas! They are damned."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f18]

THE LATEST THING

I saw an unclean-feeder by the banks of the river of Time. He crouched by orchards numerous with apples in a happy land of flowers; colossal barns stood near which the ancients had stored with grain, and the sun was golden on serene far hills behind the level lands. But his back was to all these things. He crouched and watched the river. And whatever the river chanced to send him down the unclean-feeder clutched at greedily with his arms, wading out into the water.

Now there were in those days, and indeed still are, certain uncleanly cities upon the river of Time; and from them fearfully nameless things came floating shapelessly by. And whenever the odor of these came down the river before them the unclean-feeder plunged into the dirty water and stood far out, expectant. And if he opened his mouth one saw these things on his lips.

Indeed from the upper reaches there came down sometimes the fallen rhododendron's petal, sometimes a rose; but they were useless to the unclean-feeder, and when he saw them he growled.

A poet walked beside the river's bank; his head was lifted and his look was afar; I think he saw the sea, and the hills of Fate from which the river ran. I saw the unclean-feeder standing voracious, up to his waist in that evil-smelling river.

"Look," I said to the poet.

"The current will sweep him away," the poet said.

"But those cities that poison the river," I said to him.

He answered: "Whenever the centuries melt on the hills of Fate the river terribly floods."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f19]

THE DEMAGOGUE AND THE DEMI-MONDE

A demagogue and a demi-mondaine chanced to arrive together at the gate of Paradise. And the Saint looked sorrowfully at them both.

"Why were you a demagogue?" he said to the first.

"Because," said the demagogue, "I stood for those principles that have made us what we are and have endeared our Party to the great heart of the people. In a word I stood unflinchingly on the plank of popular representation."

"And you?" said the Saint to her of the demi-monde.

"I wanted money," said the demi-mondaine.

And after some moments' thought the Saint said: "Well, come in; though you don't deserve to."

But to the demagogue he said: "We genuinely regret that the limited space at our disposal and our unfortunate lack of interest in those Questions that you have gone so far to inculate and have so ably upheld in the past, prevent us from giving you the support for which you seek."

And he shut the golden door.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f20]

THE GIANT POPPY

I dreamt that I went back to the hills I knew, whence on a clear day you can see the walls of Ilion and the plains of Roncesvalles. There used to be woods along the tops of those hills with clearings in them where the moonlight fell, and there when no one watched the fairies danced.

But there were no woods when I went back, no fairies nor distant glimpse of Ilion or plains of Roncesvalles, only one giant poppy waved in the wind, and as it waved it hummed "Remember not." And by its oak-like stem a poet sat, dressed like a shepherd and playing an ancient tune softly upon a pipe. I asked him if the fairies had passed that way or anything olden.

He said: "The poppy has grown apace and is killing gods and fairies. Its fumes are suffocating the world, and its roots drain it of its beautiful strength." And I asked him why he sat on the hills I knew, playing an olden tune.

And he answered: "Because the tune is bad for the poppy, which would otherwise grow more swiftly; and because if the brotherhood of which I am one were to cease to pipe on the hills men would stray over the world and be lost or come to terrible ends. We think we have saved Agamemnon."

Then he fell to piping again that olden tune, while the wind among the poppy's sleepy petals murmured "Remember not. Remember not."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f21]

ROSES

I know a roadside where the wild rose blooms with a strange abundance. There is a beauty in the blossoms too of an almost exotic kind, a taint of deeper pink that shocks the Puritan flowers. Two hundred generations ago (generations, I mean, of roses) this was a village street; there was a floral decadence when they left their simple life and the roses came from the wilderness to clamber round houses of men.

Of all the memories of that little village, of all the cottages that stood there, of all the men and women whose homes they were, nothing remains but a more beautiful blush on the faces of the roses.

I hope that when London is clean passed away and the defeated fields come back again, like an exiled people returning after a war, they may find some beautiful thing to remind them of it all; because we have loved a little that swart old city.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f22]

THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN EAR-RINGS

It may be that I dreamed this. So much at least is certain--that I turned one day from the traffic of a city, and came to its docks and saw its slimy wharves going down green and steep into the water, and saw the huge grey river slipping by and the lost things that went with it turning over and over, and I thought of the nations and unpitying Time, and saw and marvelled at the queenly ships come newly from the sea.

It was then, if I mistake not, that I saw leaning against a wall, with his face to the ships, a man with golden ear-rings. His skin had the dark tint of the southern men: the deep black hairs of his moustache were whitened a little with salt; he wore a dark blue jacket such as sailors wear, and the long boots of seafarers, but the look in his eyes was further afield than the ships, he seemed to be beholding the farthest things.

Even when I spoke to him he did not call home that look, but answered me dreamily with that same fixed stare as though his thoughts were heaving on far and lonely seas. I asked him what ship he had come by, for there were many there. The sailing ships were there with their sails all furled and their masts straight and still like a wintry forest; the steamers were there, and great liners, puffing up idle smoke into the twilight. He answered he had come by none of them. I asked him what line he worked on, for he was clearly a sailor; I mentioned well-known lines, but he did not know them. Then I asked him where he worked and what he was. And he said: "I work in the Sargasso Sea, and I am the last of the pirates, the last left alive." And I shook him by the hand I do not know how many times. I said: "We feared you were dead. We feared you were dead." And he answered sadly: "No. No. I have sinned too deeply on the Spanish seas: I am not allowed to die."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f23]

THE DREAM OF KING KARNA-VOOTRA

King Karna-Vootra sitting on his throne commanding all things said: "I very clearly saw last night the queenly Vava-Nyria. Though partly she was hidden by great clouds that swept continually by her, rolling over and over, yet her face was unhidden and shone, being full of moonlight.

"I said to her:

"'Walk with me by the great pools in many-gardened, beautiful Istrakhan where the lilies float that give delectable dreams; or, drawing aside the curtain of hanging orchids, pass with me thence from the pools by a secret path through the else impassable jungle that fills the only way between the mountains that shut in Istrakhan. They shut it in and look on it with joy at morning and at evening when the pools are strange with light, till in their gladness sometimes there melts the deadly snow that kills upon lonely heights the mountaineer. They have valleys among them older than the wrinkles in the moon.

"'Come with me thence or linger with me there and either we shall come to romantic lands which the men of the caravans only speak of in song; or else we shall listlessly walk in a land so lovely that even the butterflies that float about it when they see their images flash in the sacred pools are terrified by their beauty, and each night we shall hear the myriad nightingales all in one chorus sing the stars to death. Do this and I will send heralds far from here with tidings of thy beauty; and they shall run and come to Sendara and men shall know it there who herd brown sheep; and from Sendara the rumour shall spread on, down either bank of the holy river of Zoth, till the people that make wattles in the plains shall hear of it and sing; but the heralds shall go northward along the hills until they come to Sooma. And in that golden city they shall tell the kings, that sit in their lofty alabaster house, of thy strange and sudden smiles. And often in distant markets shall thy story be told by merchants out from Sooma as they sit telling careless tales to lure men to their wares.

"'And the heralds passing thence shall come even to Ingra, to Ingra where they dance. And there they shall tell of thee, so that thy name long hence shall be sung in that joyous city. And there they shall borrow camels and pass over the sands and go by desert ways to distant Nirid to tell of thee to the lonely men in the mountain monasteries.

"'Come with me even now for it is Spring.'"

"And as I said this she faintly yet perceptibly shook her head. And it was only then I remembered my youth was gone, and she dead forty years."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f24]

THE STORM

They saw a little ship that was far at sea and that went by the name of the Petite Esperance. And because of its uncouth rig and its lonely air and the look that it had of coming from strangers' lands they said: "It is neither a ship to greet nor desire, nor yet to succor when in the hands of the sea."

And the sea rose up as is the wont of the sea and the little ship from afar was in his hands, and frailer than ever seemed its feeble masts with their sails of fantastic cut and their alien flags. And the sea made a great and very triumphing voice, as the sea doth. And then there arose a wave that was very strong, even the ninth-born son of the hurricane and the tide, and hid the little ship and hid the whole of the far parts of the sea. Thereat said those who stood on the good dry land:

"'Twas but a little, worthless alien ship and it is sunk at sea, and it is good and right that the storm have spoil." And they turned and watched the course of the merchant-men, laden with silver and appeasing spice; year after year they cheered them into port and praised their goods and their familiar sails. And many years went by.

And at last with decks and bulwarks covered with cloth of gold; with age-old parrots that had known the troubadours, singing illustrious songs and preening their feathers of gold; with a hold full of emeralds and rubies; all silken with Indian loot; furling as it came in its way-worn alien sails, a galleon glided into port, shutting the sunlight from the merchantmen: and lo! it loomed the equal of the cliffs.

"Who are you?" they asked, "far-travelled wonderful ship?"

And they said: "The Petite Esperance."

"O," said the people on shore. "We thought you were sunk at sea."

"Sunk at sea?" sang the sailors. "We could not be sunk at sea--we had the gods on board."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f25]

A MISTAKEN IDENTITY

Fame as she walked at evening in a city saw the painted face of Notoriety flaunting beneath a gas-lamp, and many kneeled unto her in the dirt of the road.

"Who are you?" Fame said to her.

"I am Fame," said Notoriety.

Then Fame stole softly away so that no one knew she had gone.

And Notoriety presently went forth and all her worshippers rose and followed after, and she led them, as was most meet, to her native Pit.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f26]

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

For a long time there was doubt with acrimony among the beasts as to whether the Hare or the Tortoise could run the swifter. Some said the Hare was the swifter of the two because he had such long ears, and others said the Tortoise was the swifter because anyone whose shell was so hard as that should be able to run hard too. And lo, the forces of estrangement and disorder perpetually postponed a decisive contest.

But when there was nearly war among the beasts, at last an arrangement was come to and it was decided that the Hare and the Tortoise should run a race of five hundred yards so that all should see who was right.

"Ridiculous nonsense!" said the Hare, and it was all his backers could do to get him to run.

"The contest is most welcome to me," said the Tortoise, "I shall not shirk it."

O, how his backers cheered.

Feeling ran high on the day of the race; the goose rushed at the fox and nearly pecked him. Both sides spoke loudly of the approaching victory up to the very moment of the race.

"I am absolutely confident of success," said the Tortoise. But the Hare said nothing, he looked bored and cross. Some of his supporters deserted him then and went to the other side, who were loudly cheering the Tortoise's inspiriting words. But many remained with the Hare. "We shall not be disappointed in him," they said. "A beast with such long ears is bound to win."

"Run hard," said the supporters of the Tortoise.

And "run hard" became a kind of catch-phrase which everybody repeated to one another. "Hard shell and hard living. That's what the country wants. Run hard," they said. And these words were never uttered but multitudes cheered from their hearts.

Then they were off, and suddenly there was a hush.

The Hare dashed off for about a hundred yards, then he looked round to see where his rival was.

"It is rather absurd," he said, "to race with a Tortoise." And he sat down and scratched himself. "Run hard! Run hard!" shouted some.

"Let him rest," shouted others. And "let him rest" became a catch-phrase too.

And after a while his rival drew near to him.

"There comes that damned Tortoise," said the Hare, and he got up and ran as hard as could be so that he should not let the Tortoise beat him.

"Those ears will win," said his friends. "Those ears will win; and establish upon an incontestable footing the truth of what we have said." And some of them turned to the backers of the Tortoise and said: "What about your beast now?"

"Run hard," they replied. "Run hard."

The Hare ran on for nearly three hundred yards, nearly in fact as far as the winning-post, when it suddenly struck him what a fool he looked running races with a Tortoise who was nowhere in sight, and he sat down again and scratched.

"Run hard. Run hard," said the crowd, and "Let him rest."

"Whatever is the use of it?" said the Hare, and this time he stopped for good. Some say he slept.

There was desperate excitement for an hour or two, and then the Tortoise won.

"Run hard. Run hard," shouted his backers. "Hard shell and hard living: that's what has done it." And then they asked the Tortoise what his achievement signified, and he went and asked the Turtle. And the Turtle said, "It is a glorious victory for the forces of swiftness." And then the Tortoise repeated it to his friends. And all the beasts said nothing else for years. And even to this day, "a glorious victory for the forces of swiftness" is a catch-phrase in the house of the snail.

And the reason that this version of the race is not widely known is that very few of those that witnessed it survived the great forest-fire that happened shortly after. It came up over the weald by night with a great wind. The Hare and the Tortoise and a very few of the beasts saw it far off from a high bare hill that was at the edge of the trees, and they hurriedly called a meeting to decide what messenger they should send to warn the beasts in the forest.

They sent the Tortoise.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f27]

ALONE THE IMMORTALS

I heard it said that very far away from here, on the wrong side of the deserts of Cathay and in a country dedicate to winter, are all the years that are dead. And there a certain valley shuts them in and hides them, as rumor has it, from the world, but not from the sight of the moon nor from those that dream in his rays.

And I said: I will go from here by ways of dream and I will come to that valley and enter in and mourn there for the good years that are dead. And I said: I will take a wreath, a wreath of mourning, and lay it at their feet in token of my sorrow for their dooms.

And when I sought about among the flowers, among the flowers for my wreath of mourning, the lily looked too large and the laurel looked too solemn and I found nothing frail enough nor slender to serve as an offering to the years that were dead. And at last I made a slender wreath of daisies in the manner that I had seen them made in one of the years that is dead.

"This," said I, "is scarce less fragile or less frail than one of those delicate forgotten years." Then I took my wreath in my hand and went from here. And when I had come by paths of mystery to that romantic land, where the valley that rumour told of lies close to the mountainous moon, I searched among the grass for those poor slight years for whom I bought my sorrow and my wreath. And when I found there nothing in the grass I said: "Time has shattered them and swept them away and left not even any faint remains."

But looking upwards in the blaze of the moon I suddenly saw colossi sitting near, and towering up and blotting out the stars and filling the night with blackness; and at those idols' feet I saw praying and making obeisance kings and the days that are and all times and all cities and all nations and all their gods. Neither the smoke of incense nor of the sacrifice burning reached those colossal heads, they sat there not to be measured, not to be over-thrown, not to be worn away.

I said: "Who are those?"

One answered: "Alone the Immortals."

And I said sadly: "I came not to see dread gods, but I came to shed my tears and to offer flowers at the feet of certain little years that are dead and may not come again."

He answered me: "These are the years that are dead, alone the immortals; all years to be are Their children--They fashioned their smiles and their laughter; all earthly kings They have crowned, all gods They have created; all the events to be flow down from their feet like a river, the worlds are flying pebbles that They have already thrown, and Time and all his centuries behind him kneel there with bended crests in token of vassalage at Their potent feet."

And when I heard this I turned away with my wreath, and went back to my own land comforted.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f28]

A MORAL LITTLE TALE

There was once an earnest Puritan who held it wrong to dance. And for his principles he labored hard, his was a zealous life. And there loved him all of those who hated the dance; and those that loved the dance respected him too; they said "He is a pure, good man and acts according to his lights."

He did much to discourage dancing and helped to close several Sunday entertainments. Some kinds of poetry, he said, he liked, but not the fanciful kind as that might corrupt the thoughts of the very young. He always dressed in black.

He was quite interested in morality and was quite sincere and there grew to be much respect on Earth for his honest face and his flowing pure-white beard.

One night the Devil appeared unto him in a dream and said "Well done."

"Avaunt," said that earnest man.

"No, no, friend," said the Devil.

"Dare not to call me 'friend,'" he answered bravely.

"Come, come, friend," said the Devil. "Have you not put apart the couples that would dance? Have you not checked their laughter and their accursed mirth? Have you not worn my livery of black? O friend, friend, you do not know what a detestable thing it is to sit in hell and hear people being happy, and singing in theatres and singing in the fields, and whispering after dances under the moon," and he fell to cursing fearfully.

"It is you," said the Puritan, "that put into their hearts the evil desire to dance; and black is God's own livery, not yours."

And the Devil laughed contemptuously and spoke.

"He only made the silly colors," he said, "and useless dawns on hill-slopes facing South, and butterflies flapping along them as soon as the sun rose high, and foolish maidens coming out to dance, and the warm mad West wind, and worst of all that pernicious influence Love."

And when the Devil said that God made Love that earnest man sat up in bed and shouted "Blasphemy! Blasphemy!"

"It's true," said the Devil. "It isn't I that send the village fools muttering and whispering two by two in the woods when the harvest moon is high, it's as much as I can bear even to see them dancing."

"Then," said the man, "I have mistaken right for wrong; but as soon as I wake I will fight you yet."

"O, no you don't," said the Devil. "You don't wake up out of this sleep."

And somewhere far away Hell's black steel doors were opened, and arm in arm those two were drawn within, and the doors shut behind them and still they went arm in arm, trudging further and further into the deeps of Hell, and it was that Puritan's punishment to know that those that he cared for on Earth would do evil as he had done.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f29]

THE RETURN OF SONG

"The swans are singing again," said to one another the gods. And looking downwards, for my dreams had taken me to some fair and far Valhalla, I saw below me an iridescent bubble not greatly larger than a star shine beautifully but faintly, and up and up from it looking larger and larger came a flock of white, innumerable swans, singing and singing and singing, till it seemed as though even the gods were wild ships swimming in music.

"What is it?" I said to one that was humble among the gods.

"Only a world has ended," he said to me, "and the swans are coming back to the gods returning the gift of song."

"A whole world dead!" I said.

"Dead," said he that was humble among the gods. "The worlds are not for ever; only song is immortal."

"Look! Look!" he said. "There will be a new one soon."

And I looked and saw the larks, going down from the gods.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f30]

SPRING IN TOWN

At a street corner sat, and played with a wind, Winter disconsolate.

Still tingled the fingers of the passers-by and still their breath was visible, and still they huddled their chins into their coats when turning a corner they met with a new wind, still windows lighted sent out into the street the thought of romantic comfort by evening fires; these things still were, yet the throne of Winter tottered, and every breeze brought tidings of further fortresses lost on lakes or boreal hill-slopes. And not any longer as a king did Winter appear in those streets, as when the city was decked with gleaming white to greet him as a conqueror and he rode in with his glittering icicles and haughty retinue of prancing winds, but he sat there with a little wind at the corner of the street like some old blind beggar with his hungry dog. And as to some old blind beggar Death approaches, and the alert ears of the sightless man prophetically hear his far-off footfall, so there came suddenly to Winter's ears the sound, from some neighbouring garden, of Spring approaching as she walked on daisies. And Spring approaching looked at huddled inglorious Winter.

"Begone," said Spring.

"There is nothing for you to do here," said Winter to her. Nevertheless he drew about him his grey and battered cloak and rose and called to his little bitter wind and up a side street that led northward strode away.

Pieces of paper and tall clouds of dust went with him as far as the city's outer gate. He turned then and called to Spring: "You can do nothing in this city," he said; then he marched homeward over plains and sea and heard his old winds howling as he marched. The ice broke up behind him and foundered like navies. To left and to right of him flew the flocks of the sea-birds, and far before him the geese's triumphant cry went like a clarion. Greater and greater grew his stature as he went northwards and ever more kingly his mien. Now he took baronies at a stride and now counties and came again to the snow-white frozen lands where the wolves came out to meet him and, draping himself anew with old grey clouds, strode through the gates of his invincible home, two old ice barriers swinging on pillars of ice that had never known the sun.

So the town was left to Spring. And she peered about to see what she could do with it. Presently she saw a dejected dog coming prowling down the road, so she sang to him and he gambolled. I saw him next day strutting by with something of an air. Where there were trees she went to them and whispered, and they sang the arboreal song that only trees can hear, and the green buds came peeping out as stars while yet it is twilight, secretly one by one. She went to gardens and awaked from dreaming the warm maternal earth. In little patches bare and desolate she called up like a flame the golden crocus, or its purple brother like an emperor's ghost. She gladdened the graceless backs of untidy houses, here with a weed, there with a little grass. She said to the air, "Be joyous."

Children began to know that daisies blew in unfrequented corners. Buttonholes began to appear in the coats of the young men. The work of Spring was accomplished.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f31]

HOW THE ENEMY CAME TO THLUNRANA

It had been prophesied of old and foreseen from the ancient days that its enemy would come upon Thlunrana. And the date of its doom was known and the gate by which it would enter, yet none had prophesied of the enemy who he was save that he was of the gods though he dwelt with men. Meanwhile Thlunrana, that secret lamaserai, that chief cathedral of wizardry, was the terror of the valley in which it stood and of all lands round about it. So narrow and high were the windows and so strange when lighted at night that they seemed to regard men with the demoniac leer of something that had a secret in the dark. Who were the magicians and the deputy-magicians and the great arch-wizard of that furtive place nobody knew, for they went veiled and hooded and cloaked completely in black.

Though her doom was close upon her and the enemy of prophecy should come that very night through the open, southward door that was named the Gate of the Doom, yet that rocky edifice Thlunrana remained mysterious still, venerable, terrible, dark, and dreadfully crowned with her doom. It was not often that anyone dared wander near to Thlunrana by night when the moan of the magicians invoking we know not Whom rose faintly from inner chambers, scaring the drifting bats: but on the last night of all the man from the black-thatched cottage by the five pine-trees came, because he would see Thlunrana once again before the enemy that was divine, but that dwelt with men, should come against it and it should be no more. Up the dark valley he went like a bold man, but his fears were thick upon him; his bravery bore their weight but stooped a little beneath them. He went in at the southward gate that is named the Gate of the Doom. He came into a dark hall, and up a marble stairway passed to see the last of Thlunrana. At the top a curtain of black velvet hung and he passed into a chamber heavily hung with curtains, with a gloom in it that was blacker than anything they could account for. In a sombre chamber beyond, seen through a vacant archway, magicians with lighted tapers plied their wizardry and whispered incantations. All the rats in the place were passing away, going whimpering down the stairway. The man from the black-thatched cottage passed through that second chamber: the magicians did not look at him and did not cease to whisper. He passed from them through heavy curtains still of black velvet and came into a chamber of black marble where nothing stirred. Only one taper burned in the third chamber; there were no windows. On the smooth floor and under the smooth wall a silk pavilion stood with its curtains drawn close together: this was the holy of holies of that ominous place, its inner mystery. One on each side of it dark figures crouched, either of men or women or cloaked stone, or of beasts trained to be silent. When the awful stillness of the mystery was more than he could bear the man from the black-thatched cottage by the five pine-trees went up to the silk pavilion, and with a bold and nervous clutch of the hand drew one of the curtains aside, and saw the inner mystery, and laughed. And the prophecy was fulfilled, and Thlunrana was never more a terror to the valley, but the magicians passed away from their terrific halls and fled through the open fields wailing and beating their breasts, for laughter was the enemy that was doomed to come against Thlunrana through her southward gate (that was named the Gate of the Doom), and it is of the gods but dwells with man.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f32]

A LOSING GAME

Once in a tavern Man met face to skull with Death. Man entered gaily but Death gave no greeting, he sat with his jowl morosely over an ominous wine.

"Come, come," said Man, "we have been antagonists long, and if I were losing yet I should not be surly."

But Death remained unfriendly watching his bowl of wine and gave no word in answer.

Then Man solicitously moved nearer to him and, speaking cheerily still, "Come, come," he said again, "you must not resent defeat."

And still Death was gloomy and cross and sipped at his infamous wine and would not look up at Man and would not be companionable.

But Man hated gloom either in beast or god, and it made him unhappy to see his adversary's discomfort, all the more because he was the cause, and still he tried to cheer him.

"Have you not slain the Dinatherium?" he said. "Have you not put out the Moon? Why! you will beat me yet."

And with a dry and barking sound Death wept and nothing said; and presently Man arose and went wondering away; for he knew not if Death wept out of pity for his opponent, or because he knew that he should not have such sport again when the old game was over and Man was gone, or whether because perhaps, for some hidden reason, he could never repeat on Earth his triumph over the Moon.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f33]

TAKING UP PICADILLY

Going down Picadilly one day and nearing Grosvenor Place I saw, if my memory is not at fault, some workmen with their coats off--or so they seemed. They had pickaxes in their hands and wore corduroy trousers and that little leather band below the knee that goes by the astonishing name of "York-to-London."

They seemed to be working with peculiar vehemence, so that I stopped and asked one what they were doing.

"We are taking up Picadilly," he said to me.

"But at this time of year?" I said. "Is it usual in June?"

"We are not what we seem," said he.

"Oh, I see," I said, "you are doing it for a joke."

"Well, not exactly that," he answered me.

"For a bet?" I said.

"Not precisely," said he.

And then I looked at the bit that they had already picked, and though it was broad daylight over my head it was darkness down there, all full of the southern stars.

"It was noisy and bad and we grew aweary of it," said he that wore corduroy trousers. "We are not what we appear."

They were taking up Picadilly altogether.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f34]

AFTER THE FIRE

When that happened which had been so long in happening and the world hit a black, uncharted star, certain tremendous creatures out of some other world came peering among the cinders to see if there were anything there that it were worth while to remember. They spoke of the great things that the world was known to have had; they mentioned the mammoth. And presently they saw man's temples, silent and windowless, staring like empty skulls.

"Some great thing has been here," one said, "in these huge places." "It was the mammoth," said one. "Something greater than he," said another.

And then they found that the greatest thing in the world had been the dreams of man.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f35]

THE CITY

In time as well as space my fancy roams far from here. It led me once to the edge of certain cliffs that were low and red and rose up out of a desert: a little way off in the desert there was a city. It was evening, and I sat and watched the city.

Presently I saw men by threes and fours come softly stealing out of that city's gate to the number of about twenty. I heard the hum of men's voices speaking at evening.

"It is well they are gone," they said. "It is well they are gone. We can do business now. It is well they are gone." And the men that had left the city sped away over the sand and so passed into the twilight.

"Who are these men?" I said to my glittering leader.

"The poets," my fancy answered. "The poets and artists."

"Why do they steal away?" I said to him. "And why are the people glad that they have gone?"

He said: "It must be some doom that is going to fall on the city, something has warned them and they have stolen away. Nothing may warn the people."

I heard the wrangling voices, glad with commerce, rise up from the city. And then I also departed, for there was an ominous look on the face of the sky.

And only a thousand years later I passed that way, and there was nothing, even among the weeds, of what had been that city.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f36]

THE FOOD OF DEATH

Death was sick. But they brought him bread that the modern bakers make, whitened with alum, and the tinned meats of Chicago, with a pinch of our modern substitute for salt. They carried him into the dining-room of a great hotel (in that close atmosphere Death breathed more freely), and there they gave him their cheap Indian tea. They brought him a bottle of wine that they called champagne. Death drank it up. They brought a newspaper and looked up the patent medicines; they gave him the foods that it recommended for invalids, and a little medicine as prescribed in the paper. They gave him some milk and borax, such as children drink in England.

Death arose ravening, strong, and strode again through the cities.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f37]

THE LONELY IDOL

I had from a friend an old outlandish stone, a little swine-faced idol to whom no one prayed.

And when I saw his melancholy case as he sat cross-legged at receipt of prayer, holding a little scourge that the years had broken (and no one heeded the scourge and no one prayed and no one came with squealing sacrifice; and he had been a god), then I took pity on the little forgotten thing and prayed to it as perhaps they prayed long since, before the coming of the strange dark ships, and humbled myself and said:

"O idol, idol of the hard pale stone, invincible to the years, O scourge-holder, give ear for behold I pray.

"O little pale-green image whose wanderings are from far, know thou that here in Europe and in other lands near by, too soon there pass from us the sweets and song and the lion strength of youth: too soon do their cheeks fade, their hair grow grey and our beloved die; too brittle is beauty, too far off is fame and the years are gathered too soon; there are leaves, leaves falling, everywhere falling; there is autumn among men, autumn and reaping; failure there is, struggle, dying and weeping, and all that is beautiful hath not remained but is even as the glory of morning upon the water.

"Even our memories are gathered too with the sound of the ancient voices, the pleasant ancient voices that come to our ears no more; the very gardens of our childhood fade, and there dims with the speed of the years even the mind's own eye.

"O be not any more the friend of Time, for the silent hurry of his malevolent feet have trodden down what's fairest; I almost hear the whimper of the years running behind him hound-like, and it takes few to tear us.

"All that is beautiful he crushes down as a big man tramples daises, all that is fairest. How very fair are the little children of men. It is autumn with all the world, and the stars weep to see it.

"Therefore no longer be the friend of Time, who will not let us be, and be not good to him but pity us, and let lovely things live on for the sake of our tears."

Thus prayed I out of compassion one windy day to the snout-faced idol to whom no one kneeled.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f38]

THE SPHINX IN THEBES (MASSACHUSETTS)

There was a woman in a steel-built city who had all that money could buy, she had gold and dividends and trains and houses, and she had pets to play with, but she had no sphinx.

So she besought them to bring her a live sphinx; and therefore they went to the menageries, and then to the forests and the desert places, and yet could find no sphinx.

And she would have been content with a little lion but that one was already owned by a woman she knew; so they had to search the world again for a sphinx.

And still there was none.

But they were not men that it is easy to baffle, and at last they found a sphinx in a desert at evening watching a ruined temple whose gods she had eaten hundreds of years ago when her hunger was on her. And they cast chains on her, who was still with an ominous stillness, and took her westwards with them and brought her home.

And so the sphinx came to the steel-built city.

And the woman was very glad that she owned a sphinx: but the sphinx stared long into her eyes one day, and softly asked a riddle of the woman.

And the woman could not answer, and she died.

And the sphinx is silent again and none knows what she will do.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f39]

THE REWARD

One's spirit goes further in dreams than it does by day. Wandering once by night from a factory city I came to the edge of Hell.

The place was foul with cinders and cast-off things, and jagged, half-buried things with shapeless edges, and there was a huge angel with a hammer building in plaster and steel. I wondered what he did in that dreadful place. I hesitated, then asked him what he was building. "We are adding to Hell," he said, "to keep pace with the times." "Don't be too hard on them," I said, for I had just come out of a compromising age and a weakening country. The angel did not answer. "It won't be as bad as the old hell, will it?" I said. "Worse," said the angel.

"How can you reconcile it with your conscience as a Minister of Grace," I said, "to inflict such a punishment?" (They talked like this in the city whence I had come and I could not avoid the habit of it.)

"They have invented a new cheap yeast," said the angel.

I looked at the legend on the walls of the hell that the angel was building, the words were written in flame, every fifteen seconds they changed their color, "Yeasto, the great new yeast, it builds up body and brain, and something more."

"They shall look at it for ever," the angel said.

"But they drove a perfectly legitimate trade," I said, "the law allowed it."

The angel went on hammering into place the huge steel uprights.

"You are very revengeful," I said. "Do you never rest from doing this terrible work?"

"I rested one Christmas Day," the angel said, "and looked and saw little children dying of cancer. I shall go on now until the fires are lit."

"It is very hard to prove," I said, "that the yeast is as bad as you think."

"After all," I said, "they must live."

And the angel made no answer but went on building his hell.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f40]

THE TROUBLE IN LEAFY GREEN STREET

She went to the idol-shop in Moleshill Street, where the old man mumbles, and said: "I want a god to worship when it is wet."

The old man reminded her of the heavy penalties that rightly attach to idolatry and, when he had enumerated all, she answered him as was meet: "Give me a god to worship when it is wet."

And he went to the back places of his shop and sought out and brought her a god. The same was carved of grey stone and wore a propitious look and was named, as the old man mumbled, The God of Rainy Cheerfulness.

Now it may be that long confinement to the house affects adversely the liver, or these things may be of the soul, but certain it is that on a rainy day her spirits so far descended that those cheerful creatures came within sight of the Pit, and, having tried cigarettes to no good end, she bethought her of Moleshill Street and the mumbling man.

He brought the grey idol forth and mumbled of guarantees, although he put nothing on paper, and she paid him there and then his preposterous price and took the idol away.

And on the next wet day that there ever was she prayed to the grey-stone idol that she had bought, the God of Rainy Cheerfulness (who knows with what ceremony or what lack of it?), and so brought down on her in Leafy Green Street, in the preposterous house at the corner, that doom of which all men speak.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f41]

THE MIST

The mist said unto the mist: "Let us go up into the Downs." And the mist came up weeping.

And the mist went into the high places and the hollows.

And clumps of trees in the distance stood ghostly in the haze.

But I went to a prophet, one who loved the Downs, and I said to him: "Why does the mist come up weeping into the Downs when it goes into the high places and the hollows?"

And he answered: "The mist is the company of a multitude of souls who never saw the Downs, and now are dead. Therefore they come up weeping into the Downs, who are dead and never saw them."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f42]

FURROW-MAKER

He was all in black, but his friend was dressed in brown, members of two old families.

"Is there any change in the way you build your houses?" said he in black.

"No change," said the other. "And you?"

"We change not," he said.

A man went by in the distance riding a bicycle.

"He is always changing," said the one in black, "of late almost every century. He is uneasy. Always changing."

"He changes the way he builds his house, does he not?" said the brown one.

"So my family say," said the other. "They say he has changed of late."

"They say he takes much to cities?" the brown one said.

"My cousin who lives in belfries tells me so," said the black one. "He says he is much in cities."

"And there he grows lean?" said the brown one.

"Yes, he grows lean."

"Is it true what they say?" said the brown one.

"Caw," said the black one.

"Is it true that he cannot live many centuries?"

"No, no," said the black one. "Furrow-maker will not die. We must not lose furrow-maker. He has been foolish of late, he has played with smoke and is sick. His engines have wearied him and his cities are evil. Yes, he is very sick. But in a few centuries he will forget his folly and we shall not lose furrow-maker. Time out of mind he has delved and my family have got their food from the raw earth behind him. He will not die."

"But they say, do they not?" said the brown one, "his cities are noisome, and that he grows sick in them and can run no longer, and that it is with him as it is with us when we grow too many, and the grass has the bitter taste in the rainy season, and our young grow bloated and die."

"Who says it?" replied the black one.

"Pigeon," the brown one answered. "He came back all dirty. And Hare went down to the edge of the cities once. He says it too. Man was too sick to chase him. He thinks that Man will die, and his wicked friend Dog with him. Dog, he will die. That nasty fellow Dog. He will die too, the dirty fellow!"

"Pigeon and Hare!" said the black one. "We shall not lose furrow-maker."

"Who told you he will not die?" his brown friend said.

"Who told me!" the black one said. "My family and his have understood each other times out of mind. We know what follies will kill each other and what each may survive, and I say that furrow-maker will not die."

"He will die," said the brown one.

"Caw," said the other.

And Man said in his heart: "Just one invention more. There is something I want to do with petrol yet, and then I will give it all up and go back to the woods."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f43]

LOBSTER SALAD

I was climbing round the perilous outside of the Palace of Colquonhombros. So far below me that in the tranquil twilight and clear air of those lands I could only barely see them lay the craggy tops of the mountains.

It was along no battlements or terrace edge I was climbing, but on the sheer face of the wall itself, getting what foothold I could where the boulders joined.

Had my feet been bare I was done, but though I was in my night-shirt I had on stout leather boots, and their edges somehow held in those narrow cracks. My fingers and wrists were aching.

Had it been possible to stop for a moment I might have been lured to give a second look at the fearful peaks of the mountains down there in the twilight, and this must have been fatal.  That the thing was all a dream is beside the point. We have fallen in dreams before, but it is well known that if in one of those falls you ever hit the ground--you die: I had looked at those menacing mountaintops and knew well that such a fall as the one I feared must have such a termination. Then I went on.

It is strange what different sensations there can be in different boulders--every one gleaming with the same white light and every one chosen to match the rest by minions of ancient kings--when your life depends on the edges of every one you come to. Those edges seemed strangely different. It was of no avail to overcome the terror of one, for the next would give you a hold in quite a different way or hand you over to death in a different manner. Some were too sharp to hold and some too flush with the wall, those whose hold was the best crumbled the soonest; each rock had its different terror: and then there were those things that followed behind me.

And at last I came to a breach made long ago by earthquake, lightning or war: I should have had to go down a thousand feet to get round it and they would come up with me while I was doing that, for certain sable apes that I have not mentioned as yet, things that had tigerish teeth and were born and bred on that wall, had pursued me all the evening. In any case I could have gone no farther, nor did I know what the king would do along whose wall I was climbing. It was time to drop and be done with it or stop and await those apes.

And then it was that I remembered a pin, thrown carelessly down out of an evening-tie in another world to the one where grew that glittering wall, and lying now if no evil chance had removed it on a chest of drawers by my bed. The apes were very close, and hurrying, for they knew my fingers were slipping, and the cruel peaks of those infernal mountains seemed surer of me than the apes. I reached out with a desperate effort of will towards where the pin lay on the chest of drawers. I groped about. I found it! I ran it into my arm. Saved!

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f44]

THE RETURN OF THE EXILES

The old man with a hammer and the one-eyed man with a spear were seated by the roadside talking as I came up the hill.

"It isn't as though they hadn't asked us," the one with the hammer said.

"There ain't no more than twenty as knows about it," said the other.

"Twenty's twenty," said the first.

"After all these years," said the one-eyed man with the spear. "After all these years. We might go back just once."

"O' course we might," said the other.

Their clothes were old even for laborers, the one with the hammer had a leather apron full of holes and blackened, and their hands looked like leather. But whatever they were they were English, and this was pleasant to see after all the motors that had passed me that day with their burden of mixed and doubtful nationalities.

When they saw me the one with the hammer touched his greasy cap.

"Might we make so bold, sir," he said, "as the ask the way to Stonehenge?"

"We never ought to go," mumbled the other plaintively. "There's not more than twenty as knows, but...."

I was bicycling there myself to see the place so I pointed out the way and rode on at once, for there was something so utterly servile about them both that I did not care for their company. They seemed by their wretched mien to have been persecuted or utterly neglected for many years, I thought that very likely they had done long terms of penal servitude.

When I came to Stonehenge I saw a group of about a score of men standing among the stones. They asked me with some solemnity if I was expecting anyone, and when I said No they spoke to me no more. It was three miles back where I left those strange old men, but I had not been in the stone circle long when they appeared, coming with great strides along the road. When they saw them all the people took off their hats and acted very strangely, and I saw that they had a goat which they led up then to the old altar stone. And the two old men came up with their hammer and spear and began apologizing plaintively for the liberty they had taken in coming back to that place, and all the people knelt on the grass before them. And then still kneeling they killed the goat by the altar, and when the two old men saw this they came up with many excuses and eagerly sniffed the blood. And at first this made them happy. But soon the one with the spear began to whimper. "It used to be men," he lamented. "It used to be men."

And the twenty men began looking uneasily at each other, and the plaint of the one-eyed man went on in that tearful voice, and all of a sudden they all looked at me. I do not know who the two old men were or what any of them were doing, but there are moments when it is clearly time to go, and I left them there and then. And just as I got up on to my bicycle I heard the plaintive voice of the one with the hammer apologizing for the liberty he had taken in coming back to Stonehenge.

"But after all these years," I heard him crying, "After all these years...."

And the one with the spear said: "Yes, after three thousand years...."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f45]

NATURE AND TIME

Through the streets of Coventry one winter's night strode a triumphant spirit. Behind him stooping, unkempt, utterly ragged, wearing the clothes and look that outcasts have, whining, weeping, reproaching, an ill-used spirit tried to keep pace with him. Continually she plucked him by the sleeve and cried out to him as she panted after and he strode resolute on.

It was a bitter night, yet it did not seem to be the cold that she feared, ill-clad though she was, but the trams and the ugly shops and the glare of the factories, from which she continually winced as she hobbled on, and the pavement hurt her feet.

He that strode on in front seemed to care for nothing, it might be hot or cold, silent or noisy, pavement or open fields, he merely had the air of striding on.

And she caught up and clutched him by the elbow. I heard her speak in her unhappy voice, you scarcely heard it for the noise of the traffic.

"You have forgotten me," she complained to him. "You have forsaken me here."

She pointed to Coventry with a wide wave of her arm and seemed to indicate other cities beyond. And he gruffly told her to keep pace with him and that he did not forsake her. And she went on with her pitiful lamentation.

"My anemones are dead for miles," she said, "all my woods are fallen and still the cities grow. My child Man is unhappy and my other children are dying, and still the cities grow and you have forgotten me!"

And then he turned angrily on her, almost stopping in that stride of his that began when the stars were made.

"When have I ever forgotten you?" he said, "or when forsaken you ever? Did I not throw down Babylon for you? And is not Nineveh gone? Where is Persepolis that troubled you? Where Tarshish and Tyre? And you have said I forget you."

And at this she seemed to take a little comfort. I heard her speak once more, looking wistfully at her companion. "When will the fields come back and the grass for my children?"

"Soon, soon," he said: then they were silent. And he strode away, she limping along behind him, and all the clocks in the towers chimed as he passed.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f46]

THE SONG OF THE BLACKBIRD

As the poet passed the thorn-tree the blackbird sang.

"How ever do you do it?" the poet said, for he knew bird language.

"It was like this," said the blackbird. "It really was the most extraordinary thing. I made that song last Spring, it came to me all of a sudden. There was the most beautiful she-blackbird that the world has ever seen. Her eyes were blacker than lakes are at night, her feathers were blacker than the night itself, and nothing was as yellow as her beak; she could fly much faster than the lightning. She was not an ordinary she-blackbird, there has never been any other like her at all. I did not dare go near her because she was so wonderful. One day last Spring when it got warm again--it had been cold, we ate berries, things were quite different then, but Spring came and it got warm--one day I was thinking how wonderful she was and it seemed so extraordinary to think that I should ever have seen her, the only really wonderful she-blackbird in the world, that I opened my beak to give a shout, and then this song came, and there had never been anything like it before, and luckily I remembered it, the very song that I sang just now. But what is so extraordinary, the most amazing occurence of that marvellous day, was that no sooner had I sung the song than that very bird, the most wonderful she-blackbird in the world, flew right up to me and sat quite close to me on the same tree. I never remember such wonderful times as those.

"Yes, the song came in a moment, and as I was saying...."

And an old wanderer walking with a stick came by and the blackbird flew away, and the poet told the old man the blackbird's wonderful story.

"That song new?" said the wanderer. "Not a bit of it. God made it years ago. All the blackbirds used to sing it when I was young. It was new then."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f47]

THE MESSENGERS

One wandering nigh Parnassus chasing hares heard the high Muses.

"Take us a message to the Golden Town."

Thus sang the Muses.

But the man said: "They do not call to me. Not to such as me speak the Muses."

And the Muses called him by name.

"Take us a message," they said, "to the Golden Town."

And the man was downcast for he would have chased hares.

And the Muses called again.

And when whether in valleys or on high crags of the hills he still heard the Muses he went at last to them and heard their message, though he would fain have left it to other men and chased the fleet hares still in happy valleys.

And they gave him a wreath of laurels carved out of emeralds as only the Muses can carve. "By this," they said, "they shall know that you come from the Muses."

And the man went from that place and dressed in scarlet silks as befitted one that came from the high Muses. And through the gateway of the Golden Town he ran and cried his message, and his cloak floated behind him. All silent sat the wise men and the aged, they of the Golden Town; cross-legged they sat before their houses reading from parchments a message of the Muses that they sent long before.

And the young man cried his message from the Muses.

And they rose up and said: "Thou art not from the Muses. Otherwise spake they." And they stoned him and he died.

And afterwards they carved his message upon gold; and read it in their temples on holy days.

When will the Muses rest? When are they weary? They sent another messenger to the Golden Town. And they gave him a wand of ivory to carry in his hand with all the beautiful stories of the world wondrously carved thereon. And only the Muses could have carved it. "By this," they said, "they shall know that you come from the Muses."

And he came through the gateway of the Golden Town with the message he had for its people. And they rose up at once in the Golden street, they rose from reading the message that they had carved upon gold. "The last who came," they said, "came with a wreath of laurels carved out of emeralds, as only the Muses can carve. You are not from the Muses." And even as they had stoned the last so also they stoned him. And afterwards they carved his message on gold and laid it up in their temples.

When will the Muses rest? When are they weary? Even yet once again they sent a messenger under the gateway into the Golden Town. And for all that he wore a garland of gold that the high Muses gave him, a garland of kingcups soft and yellow on his head, yet fashioned of pure gold and by whom but the Muses, yet did they stone him in the Golden Town. But they had the message, and what care the Muses?

And yet they will not rest, for some while since I heard them call to me.

"Go take our message," they said, "unto the Golden Town."

But I would not go. And they spake a second time. "Go take our message," they said.

And still I would not go, and they cried out a third time: "Go take our message."

And though they cried a third time I would not go. But morning and night they cried and through long evenings.

When will the Muses rest? When are they weary? And when they would not cease to call to me I went to them and I said: "The Golden Town is the Golden Town no longer. They have sold their pillars for brass and their temples for money, they have made coins out of their golden doors. It is become a dark town full of trouble, there is no ease in its streets, beauty has left it and the old songs are gone."

"Go take our message," they cried.

And I said to the high Muses: "You do not understand. You have no message for the Golden Town, the holy city no longer."

"Go take our message," they cried.

"What is your message?" I said to the high Muses.

And when I heard their message I made excuses, dreading to speak such things in the Golden Town; and again they bade me go.

And I said: "I will not go. None will believe me."

And still the Muses cry to me all night long.

They do not understand. How should they know?

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f48]

THE THREE TALL SONS

And at last Man raised on high the final glory of his civilization, the towering edifice of the ultimate city.

Softly beneath him in the deeps of the earth purred his machinery fulfilling all his needs, there was no more toil for man. There he sat at ease discussing the Sex Problem.

And sometimes painfully out of forgotten fields, there came to his outer door, came to the furthest rampart of the final glory of Man, a poor old woman begging. And always they turned her away. This glory of Man's achievement, this city was not for her.

It was Nature that came thus begging in from the fields, whom they always turned away.

And away she went again alone to her fields.

And one day she came again, and again they sent her hence. But her three tall sons came too.

"These shall go in," she said. "Even these my sons to your city."

And the three tall sons went in.

And these are Nature's sons, the forlorn one's terrible children, War, Famine and Plague.

Yea and they went in there and found Man unawares in his city still poring over his Problems, obsessed with his civilization, and never hearing their tread as those three came up behind.

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f49]

COMPROMISE

They built their gorgeous home, their city of glory, above the lair of the earthquake. They built it of marble and gold in the shining youth of the world. There they feasted and fought and called their city immortal, and danced and sang songs to the gods. None heeded the earthquake in all those joyous streets. And down in the deeps of the earth, on the black feet of the abyss, they that would conquer Man mumbled long in the darkness, mumbled and goaded the earthquake to try his strength with that city, to go forth blithely at night and to gnaw its pillars like bones. And down in those grimy deeps the earthquake answered them, and would not do their pleasure and would not stir from thence, for who knew who they were who danced all day where he rumbled, and what if the lords of that city that had no fear of his anger were haply even the gods!

And the centuries plodded by, on and on round the world, and one day they that had danced, they that had sung in that city, remembered the lair of the earthquake in the deeps down under their feet, and made plans one with another and sought to avert the danger, sought to appease the earthquake and turn his anger away.

They sent down singing girls, and priests with oats and wine, they sent down garlands and propitious berries, down by dark steps to the black depths of the earth, they sent peacocks newly slain, and boys with burning spices, and their thin white sacred cats with collars of pearls all newly drawn from sea, they sent huge diamonds down in coffers of teak, and ointment and strange oriental dyes, arrows and armor and the rings of their queen.

"Oho," said the earthquake in the coolth of the earth, "so they are not the gods."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f50]

WHAT WE HAVE COME TO

When the advertiser saw the cathedral spires over the downs in the distance, he looked at them and wept.

"If only," he said, "this were an advertisement of Beefo, so nice, so nutritious, try it in your soup, ladies like it."

Fifty-one Tales, by Lord Dunsany, [1915], at sacred-texts.com

[f51]

THE TOMB OF PAN

"Seeing," they said, "that old-time Pan is dead, let us now make a tomb for him and a monument, that the dreadful worship of long ago may be remembered and avoided by all."

So said the people of the enlightened lands. And they built a white and mighty tomb of marble. Slowly it rose under the hands of the builders and longer every evening after sunset it gleamed with rays of the departed sun.

And many mourned for Pan while the builders built; many reviled him. Some called the builders to cease and to weep for Pan and others called them to leave no memorial at all of so infamous a god. But the builders built on steadily.

And one day all was finished, and the tomb stood there like a steep sea-cliff. And Pan was carved thereon with humbled head and the feet of angels pressed upon his neck. And when the tomb was finished the sun had already set, but the afterglow was rosy on the huge bulk of Pan.

And presently all the enlightened people came, and saw the tomb and remembered Pan who was dead, and all deplored him and his wicked age. But a few wept apart because of the death of Pan.

But at evening as he stole out of the forest, and slipped like a shadow softly along the hills, Pan saw the tomb and laughed.

 CHAPTER I

  

THE HERMETIC PHILOSOPHY

    "The lips of wisdom are closed, except to the ears
     of Understanding"--The Kybalion.

From old Egypt have come the fundamental esoteric and occult teachings which have so strongly influenced the philosophies of all races, nations and peoples, for several thousand years. Egypt, the home of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, was the birthplace of the Hidden Wisdom and Mystic Teachings. From her Secret Doctrine all nations have borrowed. India, Persia, Chaldea, Medea, China, Japan, Assyria, ancient Greece and Rome, and other ancient countries partook liberally at the feast of knowledge which the Hierophants and Masters of the Land of Isis so freely provided for those who came prepared to partake of the great store of Mystic and Occult Lore which the masterminds of that ancient land had gathered together.

In ancient Egypt dwelt the great Adepts and Masters who have never been surpassed, and who seldom have been equaled, during the centuries that have taken their processional flight since the days of the Great Hermes. In Egypt was located the Great Lodge of Lodges of the Mystics. At the doors of her Temples entered the Neophytes who afterward, as Hierophants, Adepts, and Masters, traveled to the four corners of the earth, carrying with them the precious knowledge which they were ready, anxious, and willing to pass on to those who were ready to receive the same. All students of the Occult recognize the debt that they owe to these venerable Masters of that ancient land.

But among these great Masters of Ancient Egypt there once dwelt one of whom Masters hailed as "The Master of Masters." This man, if "man" indeed he was, dwelt in Egypt in the earliest days. He was known as Hermes Trismegistus. He was the father of the Occult Wisdom; the founder of Astrology; the discoverer of Alchemy. The details of his life story are lost to history, owing to the lapse of the years, though several of the ancient countries disputed with each other in their claims to the honor of having furnished his birthplace--and this thousands of years ago. The date of his sojourn in Egypt, in that his last incarnation on this planet, is not now known, but it has been fixed at the early days of the oldest dynasties of Egypt--long before the days of Moses. The best authorities regard him as a contemporary of Abraham, and some of the Jewish traditions go so far as to claim that Abraham acquired a portion of his mystic knowledge from Hermes himself.

As the years rolled by after his passing from this plane of life (tradition recording that he lived three hundred years in the flesh), the Egyptians deified Hermes, and made him one of their gods, under the name of Thoth. Years after, the people of Ancient Greece also made him one of their many gods--calling him "Hermes, the god of Wisdom." The Egyptians revered his memory for many centuries-yes, tens of centuries-- calling him "the Scribe of the Gods," and bestowing upon him, distinctively, his ancient title, "Trismegistus," which means "the thrice-great"; "the great-great"; "the greatest-great"; etc. In all the ancient lands, the name of Hermes Trismegistus was revered, the name being synonymous with the "Fount of Wisdom."

Even to this day, we use the term "hermetic" in the sense of "secret"; "sealed so that nothing can escape"; etc., and this by reason of the fact that the followers of Hermes always observed the principle of secrecy in their teachings. They did not believe in "casting pearls before swine," but rather held to the teaching "milk for babes"; "meat for strong men," both of which maxims are familiar to readers of the Christian scriptures, but both of which had been used by the Egyptians for centuries before the Christian era.

And this policy of careful dissemination of the truth has always characterized the Hermetics, even unto the present day. The Hermetic Teachings are to be found in all lands, among all religions, but never identified with any particular country, nor with any particular religious sect. This because of the warning of the ancient teachers against allowing the Secret Doctrine to become crystallized into a creed. The wisdom of this caution is apparent to all students of history. The ancient occultism of India and Persia degenerated, and was largely lost, owing to the fact that the teachers became priests, and so mixed theology with the philosophy, the result being that the occultism of India and Persia has been gradually lost amidst the mass of religious superstition, cults, creeds and "gods." So it was with Ancient Greece and Rome. So it was with the Hermetic Teachings of the Gnostics and Early Christians, which were lost at the time of Constantine, whose iron hand smothered philosophy with the blanket of theology, losing to the Christian Church that which was its very essence and spirit, and causing it to grope throughout several centuries before it found the way back to its ancient faith, the indications apparent to all careful observers in this Twentieth Century being that the Church is now struggling to get back to its ancient mystic teachings.

But there were always a few faithful souls who kept alive the Flame, tending it carefully, and not allowing its light to become extinguished. And thanks to these staunch hearts, and fearless minds, we have the truth still with us. But it is not found in books, to any great extent. It has been passed along from Master to Student; from Initiate to Hierophant; from lip to ear. When it was written down at all, its meaning was veiled in terms of alchemy and astrology so that only those possessing the key could read it aright. This was made necessary in order to avoid the persecutions of the theologians of the Middle Ages, who fought the Secret Doctrine with fire and sword; stake, gibbet and cross. Even to this day there will be found but few reliable books on the Hermetic Philosophy, although there are countless references to it in many books written on various phases of Occultism. And yet, the Hermetic Philosophy is the only Master Key which will open all the doors of the Occult Teachings!

In the early days, there was a compilation of certain Basic Hermetic Doctrines, passed on from teacher to student, which was known as "THE KYBALION," the exact significance and meaning of the term having been lost for several centuries. This teaching, however, is known to many to whom it has descended, from mouth to ear, on and on throughout the centuries. Its precepts have never been written down, or printed, so far as we know. It was merely a collection of maxims, axioms, and precepts, which were non-understandable to outsiders, but which were readily understood by students, after the axioms, maxims, and precepts had been explained and exemplified by the Hermetic Initiates to their Neophytes. These teachings really constituted the basic principles of "The Art of Hermetic Alchemy," which, contrary to the general belief, dealt in the mastery of Mental Forces, rather than Material Elements-the Transmutation of one kind of Mental Vibrations into others, instead of the changing of one kind of metal into another. The legends of the "Philosopher's Stone" which would turn base metal into Gold, was an allegory relating to Hermetic Philosophy, readily understood by all students of true Hermeticism.

In this little book, of which this is the First Lesson, we invite our students to examine into the Hermetic Teachings, as set forth in THE KYBALION, and as explained by ourselves, humble students of the Teachings, who, while bearing the title of Initiates, are still students at the feet of HERMES, the Master. We herein give you many of the maxims, axioms and precepts of THE KYBALION, accompanied by explanations and illustrations which we deem likely to render the teachings more easily comprehended by the modern student, particularly as the original text is purposely veiled in obscure terms.

The original maxims, axioms, and precepts of THE KYBALION are printed herein, in italics, the proper credit being given. Our own work is printed in the regular way, in the body of the work. We trust that the many students to whom we now offer this little work will derive as much benefit from the study of its pages as have the many who have gone on before, treading the same Path to Mastery throughout the centuries that have passed since the times of HERMES TRISMEGISTUS--the Master of Masters--the Great-Great. In the words of "THE KYBALION":

    "Where fall the footsteps of the Master, the ears of those
     ready for his Teaching open wide."--The Kybalion.

    "When the ears of the student are ready to hear, then cometh
     the lips to fill them with Wisdom."--The Kybalion.

So that according to the Teachings, the passage of this book to those ready for the instruction will attract the attention of such as are prepared to receive the Teaching. And, likewise, when the pupil is ready to receive the truth, then will this little book come to him, or her. Such is The Law. The Hermetic Principle of Cause and Effect, in its aspect of The Law of Attraction, will bring lips and ear together--pupil and book in company. So mote it be!

     
 

  

CHAPTER II

  

THE SEVEN HERMETIC PRINCIPLES

    "The Principles of Truth are Seven; he who knows these,
     understandingly, possesses the Magic Key before whose
     touch all the Doors of the Temple fly open."--The Kybalion.

The Seven Hermetic Principles, upon which the entire Hermetic Philosophy is based, are as follows:

    1. The Principle of Mentalism.
     2. The Principle of Correspondence.
     3. The Principle of Vibration.
     4. The Principle of Polarity.
     5. The Principle of Rhythm.
     6. The Principle of Cause and Effect.
     7. The Principle of Gender.

These Seven Principles will be discussed and explained as we proceed with these lessons. A short explanation of each, however, may as well be given at this point.

1. The Principle of Mentalism

    "THE ALL IS MIND; The Universe is Mental."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that "All is Mind." It explains that THE ALL (which is the Substantial Reality underlying all the outward manifestations and appearances which we know under the terms of "The Material Universe"; the "Phenomena of Life"; "Matter"; "Energy"; and, in short, all that is apparent to our material senses) is SPIRIT which in itself is UNKNOWABLE and UNDEFINABLE, but which may be considered and thought of as AN UNIVERSAL, INFINITE, LIVING MIND. It also explains that all the phenomenal world or universe is simply a Mental Creation of THE ALL, subject to the Laws of Created Things, and that the universe, as a whole, and in its parts or units, has its existence in the Mind of THE ALL, in which Mind we "live and move and have our being." This Principle, by establishing the Mental Nature of the Universe, easily explains all of the varied mental and psychic phenomena that occupy such a large portion of the public attention, and which, without such explanation, are non-understandable and defy scientific treatment. An understanding of this great Hermetic Principle of Mentalism enables the individual to readily grasp the laws of the Mental Universe, and to apply the same to his well-being and advancement. The Hermetic Student is enabled to apply intelligently the great Mental Laws, instead of using them in a haphazard manner. With the Master-Key in his possession, the student may unlock the many doors of the mental and psychic temple of knowledge, and enter the same freely and intelligently. This Principle explains the true nature of "Energy," "Power," and "Matter," and why and how all these are subordinate to the Mastery of Mind. One of the old Hermetic Masters wrote, long ages ago: "He who grasps the truth of the Mental Nature of the Universe is well advanced on The Path to Mastery." And these words are as true today as at the time they were first written. Without this Master-Key, Mastery is impossible, and the student knocks in vain at the many doors of The Temple.

2. The Principle of Correspondence

    "As above, so below; as below, so above."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that there is always a Correspondence between the laws and phenomena of the various planes of Being and Life. The old Hermetic axiom ran in these words: "As above, so below; as below, so above." And the grasping of this Principle gives one the means of solving many a dark paradox, and hidden secret of Nature. There are planes beyond our knowing, but when we apply the Principle of Correspondence to them we are able to understand much that would otherwise be unknowable to us. This Principle is of universal application and manifestation, on the various planes of the material, mental, and spiritual universe--it is an Universal Law. The ancient Hermetists considered this Principle as one of the most important mental instruments by which man was able to pry aside the obstacles which hid from view the Unknown. Its use even tore aside the Veil of Isis to the extent that a glimpse of the face of the goddess might be caught. Just as a knowledge of the Principles of Geometry enables man to measure distant suns and their movements, while seated in his observatory, so a knowledge of the Principle of Correspondence enables Man to reason intelligently from the Known to the Unknown. Studying the monad, he understands the archangel.

3. The Principle of Vibration

    "Nothing rests; everything moves; everything vibrates."--The
     Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is in motion"; "everything vibrates"; "nothing is at rest"; facts which Modern Science endorses, and which each new scientific discovery tends to verify. And yet this Hermetic Principle was enunciated thousands of years ago, by the Masters of Ancient Egypt. This Principle explains that the differences between different manifestations of Matter, Energy, Mind, and even Spirit, result largely from varying rates of Vibration. From THE ALL, which is Pure Spirit, down to the grossest form of Matter, all is in vibration--the higher the vibration, the higher the position in the scale. The vibration of Spirit is at such an infinite rate of intensity and rapidity that it is practically at rest--just as a rapidly moving wheel seems to be motionless. And at the other end of the scale, there are gross forms of matter whose vibrations are so low as to seem at rest. Between these poles, there are millions upon millions of varying degrees of vibration. From corpuscle and electron, atom and molecule, to worlds and universes, everything is in vibratory motion. This is also true on the planes of energy and force (which are but varying degrees of vibration); and also on the mental planes (whose states depend upon vibrations); and even on to the spiritual planes. An understanding of this Principle, with the appropriate formulas, enables Hermetic students to control their own mental vibrations as well as those of others. The Masters also apply this Principle to the conquering of Natural phenomena, in various ways. "He who understands the Principle of Vibration, has grasped the scepter of power," says one of the old writers.

4. The Principle of Polarity

    "Everything is Dual; everything has poles; everything has its
     pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are
     identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet;
     all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be
     reconciled."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that "everything is dual"; "everything has two poles"; "everything has its pair of opposites," all of which were old Hermetic axioms. It explains the old paradoxes, that have perplexed so many, which have been stated as follows: "Thesis and antithesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; "opposites are the same, differing only in degree"; "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled"; "extremes meet"; "everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "all truths are but half-truths"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything," etc., etc., etc. It explains that in everything there are two poles, or opposite aspects, and that "opposites" are really only the two extremes of the same thing, with many varying degrees between them. To illustrate: Heat and Cold, although "opposites," are really the same thing, the differences consisting merely of degrees of the same thing. Look at your thermometer and see if you can discover where "heat" terminates and "cold" begins! There is no such thing as "absolute heat" or "absolute cold"--the two terms "heat" and "cold" simply indicate varying degrees of the same thing, and that "same thing" which manifests as "heat" and "cold" is merely a form, variety, and rate of Vibration. So "heat" and "cold" are simply the "two poles" of that which we call "Heat"--and the phenomena attendant thereupon are manifestations of the Principle of Polarity. The same Principle manifests in the case of "Light and Darkness," which are the same thing, the difference consisting of varying degrees between the two poles of the phenomena. Where does "darkness" leave off, and "light" begin? What is the difference between "Large and Small"? Between "Hard and Soft"? Between "Black and White"? Between "Sharp and Dull"? Between "Noise and Quiet"? Between "High and Low"? Between "Positive and Negative"? The Principle of Polarity explains these paradoxes, and no other Principle can supersede it. The same Principle operates on the Mental Plane. Let us take a radical and extreme example--that of "Love and Hate," two mental states apparently totally different. And yet there are degrees of Hate and degrees of Love, and a middle point in which we use the terms "Like or Dislike," which shade into each other so gradually that sometimes we are at a loss to know whether we "like" or "dislike" or "neither." And all are simply degrees of the same thing, as you will see if you will but think a moment. And, more than this (and considered of more importance by the Hermetists), it is possible to change the vibrations of Hate to the vibrations of Love, in one's own mind, and in the minds of others. Many of you, who read these lines, have had personal experiences of the involuntary rapid transition from Love to Hate, and the reverse, in your own case and that of others. And you will therefore realize the possibility of this being accomplished by the use of the Will, by means of the Hermetic formulas. "Good and Evil" are but the poles of the same thing, and the Hermetist understands the art of transmuting Evil into Good, by means of an application of the Principle of Polarity. In short, the "Art of Polarization" becomes a phase of "Mental Alchemy" known and practiced by the ancient and modern Hermetic Masters. An understanding of the Principle will enable one to change his own Polarity, as well as that of others, if he will devote the time and study necessary to master the art.

5. The Principle of Rhythm

    "Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides;
     all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests in
     everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the
     measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates."--The
     Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion, to and fro; a flow and inflow; a swing backward and forward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and low-tide; between the two poles which exist in accordance with the Principle of Polarity described a moment ago. There is always an action and a reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking. This is in the affairs of the Universe, suns, worlds, men, animals, mind, energy, and matter. This law is manifest in the creation and destruction of worlds; in the rise and fall of nations; in the life of all things; and finally in the mental states of Man (and it is with this latter that the Hermetists find the understanding of the Principle most important). The Hermetists have grasped this Principle, finding its universal application, and have also discovered certain means to overcome its effects in themselves by the use of the appropriate formulas and methods. They apply the Mental Law of Neutralization. They cannot annul the Principle, or cause it to cease its operation, but they have learned how to escape its effects upon themselves to a certain degree depending upon the Mastery of the Principle. They have learned how to USE it, instead of being USED BY it. In this and similar methods, consist the Art of the Hermetists. The Master of Hermetics polarizes himself at the point at which he desires to rest, and then neutralizes the Rhythmic swing of the pendulum which would tend to carry him to the other pole. All individuals who have attained any degree of Self-Mastery do this to a certain degree, more or less unconsciously, but the Master does this consciously, and by the use of his Will, and attains a degree of Poise and Mental Firmness almost impossible of belief on the part of the masses who are swung backward and forward like a pendulum. This Principle and that of Polarity have been closely studied by the Hermetists, and the methods of counteracting, neutralizing, and USING them form an important part of the Hermetic Mental Alchemy.

6. The Principle of Cause and Effect

    "Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause;
     everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a name
     for Law not recognized; there are many planes of causation,
     but nothing escapes the Law."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the fact that there is a Cause for every Effect; an Effect from every Cause. It explains that: "Everything Happens according to Law"; that nothing ever "merely happens"; that there is no such thing as Chance; that while there are various planes of Cause and Effect, the higher dominating the lower planes, still nothing ever entirely escapes the Law. The Hermetists understand the art and methods of rising above the ordinary plane of Cause and Effect, to a certain degree, and by mentally rising to a higher plane they become Causers instead of Effects. The masses of people are carried along, obedient to environment; the wills and desires of others stronger than themselves; heredity; suggestion; and other outward causes moving them about like pawns on the Chessboard of Life. But the Masters, rising to the plane above, dominate their moods, characters, qualities, and powers, as well as the environment surrounding them, and become Movers instead of pawns. They help to PLAY THE GAME OF LIFE, instead of being played and moved about by other wills and environment. They USE the Principle instead of being its tools. The Masters obey the Causation of the higher planes, but they help to RULE on their own plane. In this statement there is condensed a wealth of Hermetic knowledge--let him read who can.

7. The Principle of Gender

    "Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine
     and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all
     planes."--The Kybalion.

This Principle embodies the truth that there is GENDER manifested in everything--the Masculine and Feminine Principles ever at work. This is true not only of the Physical Plane, but of the Mental and even the Spiritual Planes. On the Physical Plane, the Principle manifests as SEX, on the higher planes it takes higher forms, but the Principle is ever the same. No creation, physical, mental or spiritual, is possible without this Principle. An understanding of its laws will throw light on many a subject that has perplexed the minds of men. The Principle of Gender works ever in the direction of generation, regeneration, and creation. Everything, and every person, contains the two Elements or Principles, or this great Principle, within it, him or her. Every Male thing has the Female Element also; every Female contains also the Male Principle. If you would understand the philosophy of Mental and Spiritual Creation, Generation, and Re-generation, you must understand and study this Hermetic Principle. It contains the solution of many mysteries of Life. We caution you that this Principle has no reference to the many base, pernicious and degrading lustful theories, teachings and practices, which are taught under fanciful titles, and which are a prostitution of the great natural principle of Gender. Such base revivals of the ancient infamous forms of Phallicism tend to ruin mind, body and soul, and the Hermetic Philosophy has ever sounded the warning note against these degraded teachings which tend toward lust, licentiousness, and perversion of Nature's principles. If you seek such teachings, you must go elsewhere for them--Hermeticism contains nothing for you along these lines. To the pure, all things are pure; to the base, all things are base.

     
 

  

CHAPTER III

  

MENTAL TRANSMUTATION

    "Mind (as well as metals and elements) may be transmuted,
     from state to state; degree to degree; condition to condition;
     pole to pole; vibration to vibration. True Hermetic Transmutation
     is a Mental Art."--The Kybalion.

As we have stated, the Hermetists were the original alchemists, astrologers, and psychologists, Hermes having been the founder of these schools of thought. From astrology has grown modern astronomy; from alchemy has grown modern chemistry; from the mystic psychology has grown the modern psychology of the schools. But it must not be supposed that the ancients were ignorant of that which the modern schools suppose to be their exclusive and special property. The records engraved on the stones of Ancient Egypt show conclusively that the ancients had a full comprehensive knowledge of astronomy, the very building of the Pyramids showing the connection between their design and the study of astronomical science. Nor were they ignorant of Chemistry, for the fragments of the ancient writings show that they were acquainted with the chemical properties of things; in fact, the ancient theories regarding physics are being slowly verified by the latest discoveries of modern science, notably those relating to the constitution of matter. Nor must it be supposed that they were ignorant of the so-called modern discoveries in psychology--on the contrary, the Egyptians were especially skilled in the science of Psychology, particularly in the branches that the modern schools ignore, but which, nevertheless, are being uncovered under the name of "psychic science" which is perplexing the psychologists of to-day, and making them reluctantly admit that "there may be something in it after all."

The truth is, that beneath the material chemistry, astronomy and psychology (that is, the psychology in its phase of "brain-action") the ancients possessed a knowledge of transcendental astronomy, called astrology; of transcendental chemistry, called alchemy; of transcendental psychology, called mystic psychology. They possessed the Inner Knowledge as well as the Outer Knowledge, the latter alone being possessed by modern scientists. Among the many secret branches of knowledge possessed by the Hermetists, was that known as Mental Transmutation, which forms the subject matter of this lesson.

"Transmutation" is a term usually employed to designate the ancient art of the transmutation of metals--particularly of the base metals into gold. The word "Transmute" means "to change from one nature, form, or substance, into another; to transform" (Webster). And accordingly, "Mental Transmutation" means the art of changing and transforming mental states, forms, and conditions, into others. So you may see that Mental Transmutation is the "Art of Mental Chemistry," if you like the term--a form of practical Mystic Psychology.

But this means far more than appears on the surface. Transmutation, Alchemy, or Chemistry on the Mental Plane is important enough in its effects, to be sure, and if the art stopped there it would still be one of the most important branches of study known to man. But this is only the beginning. Let us see why!

The first of the Seven Hermetic Principles is the Principle of Mentalism, the axiom of which is "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental," which means that the Underlying Reality of the Universe is Mind; and the Universe itself is Mental--that is, "existing in the Mind of THE ALL." We shall consider this Principle in succeeding lessons, but let us see the effect of the principle if it be assumed to be true.

If the Universe is Mental in its nature, then Mental Transmutation must be the art of CHANGING THE CONDITIONS OF THE UNIVERSE, along the lines of Matter, Force and mind. So you see, therefore, that Mental Transmutation is really the "Magic" of which the ancient; writers had so much to say in their mystical works, and about which they gave so few practical instructions. If All be Mental, then the art which enables one to transmute mental conditions must render the Master the controller of material conditions as well as those ordinarily called "mental."

As a matter of fact, none but advanced Mental Alchemists have been able to attain the degree of power necessary to control the grosser physical conditions, such as the control of the elements of Nature; the production or cessation of tempests; the production and cessation of earthquakes and other great physical phenomena. But that such men have existed, and do exist today, is a matter of earnest belief to all advanced occultists of all schools. That the Masters exist, and have these powers, the best teachers assure their students, having had experiences which justify them in such belief and statements. These Masters do not make public exhibitions of their powers, but seek seclusion from the crowds of men, in order to better work their may along the Path of Attainment. We mention their existence, at this point, merely to call your attention to the fact that their power is entirely Mental, and operates along the lines of the higher Mental Transmutation, under the Hermetic Principle of Mentalism.

    "The Universe is Mental"--The Kybalion.

But students and Hermetists of lesser degree than Masters--the Initiates and Teachers--are able to freely work along the Mental Plane, in Mental Transmutation. In fact all that we call "psychic phenomena,"; "mental influence"; "mental science"; "new-thought phenomena," etc., operates along the same general lines, for there is but one principle involved, no matter by what name the phenomena be called.

The student and practitioner of Mental Transmutation works among the Mental Plane, transmuting mental conditions, states, etc., into others, according to various formulas, more or less efficacious. The various "treatments," "affirmations," "denials" etc., of the schools of mental science are but formulas, often quite imperfect and unscientific, of The Hermetic Art. The majority of modern practitioners are quite ignorant compared to the ancient masters, for they lack the fundamental knowledge upon which the work is based.

Not only may the mental states, etc., of one's self be changed or transmuted by Hermetic Methods; but also the states of others may be, and are, constantly transmuted in the same way, usually unconsciously, but often consciously by some understanding the laws and principles, in cases where the people affected are not informed of the principles of self-protection. And more than this, as many students and practitioners of modern mental science know, every material condition depending upon the minds of other people may be changed or transmuted in accordance with the earnest desire, will, and "treatments" of person desiring changed conditions of life. The public are so generally informed regarding these things at present, that we do not deem it necessary to mention the same at length, our purpose at this point being merely to show the Hermetic Principle and Art underlying all of these various forms of practice, good and evil, for the force can be used in opposite directions according to the Hermetic Principles of Polarity.

In this little book we shall state the basic principles of Mental Transmutation, that all who read may grasp the Underlying Principles, and thus possess the Master-Key that will unlock the many doors of the Principle of Polarity.

We shall now proceed to a consideration of the first of the Hermetic Seven Principles--the Principle of Mentalism, in which is explained the truth that "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental," in the words of The Kybalion. We ask the close attention, and careful study of this great Principle, on the part of our students, for it is really the Basic Principle of the whole Hermetic Philosophy, and of the Hermetic Art of Mental Transmutation.

     
 

  

CHAPTER IV

  

THE ALL

    "Under, and back of, the Universe of Time, Space and Change,
     is ever to be found The Substantial Reality--the Fundamental
     Truth."--The Kybalion.

"Substance" means: "that which underlies all outward manifestations; the essence; the essential reality; the thing in itself," etc. "Substantial" means: "actually existing; being the essential element; being real," etc. "Reality" means: "the state of being real; true, enduring; valid; fixed; permanent; actual," etc.

Under and behind all outward appearances or manifestations, there must always be a Substantial Reality. This is the Law. Man considering the Universe, of which he is a unit, sees nothing but change in matter, forces, and mental states. He sees that nothing really IS, but that everything is BECOMING and CHANGING. Nothing stands still-everything is being born, growing, dying-the very instant a thing reaches its height, it begins to decline--the law of rhythm is in constant operation--there is no reality, enduring quality, fixity, or substantiality in anything-- nothing is permanent but Change. He sees all things evolving from other things, and resolving into other things--constant action and reaction; inflow and outflow; building up and tearing down; creation and destruction; birth, growth and death. Nothing endures but Change. And if he be a thinking man, he realizes that all of these changing things must be but outward appearances or manifestations of some Underlying Power--some Substantial Reality.

All thinkers, in all lands and in all times, have assumed the necessity for postulating the existence of this Substantial Reality. All philosophies worthy of the name have been based upon this thought. Men have given to this Substantial Reality many names-some have called it by the term of Deity (under many titles). Others have called it "The Infinite and Eternal Energy" others have tried to call it "Matter"--but all have acknowledged its existence. It is self-evident it needs no argument.

In these lessons we have followed the example of some of the world's greatest thinkers, both ancient and modern--the Hermetic. Masters--and have called this Underlying Power--this Substantial Reality--by the Hermetic name of "THE ALL," which term we consider the most comprehensive of the many terms applied by Man to THAT which transcends names and terms.

We accept and teach the view of the great Hermetic thinkers of all times, as well as of those illumined souls who have reached higher planes of being, both of whom assert that the inner nature of THE ALL is UNKNOWABLE. This must be so, for naught by THE ALL itself can comprehend its own nature and being.

The Hermetists believe and teach that THE ALL, "in itself," is and must ever be UNKNOWABLE. They regard all the theories, guesses and speculations of the theologians and metaphysicians regarding the inner nature of THE ALL, as but the childish efforts of mortal minds to grasp the secret of the Infinite. Such efforts have always failed and will always fail, from the very nature of the task. One pursuing such inquiries travels around and around in the labyrinth of thought, until he is lost to all sane reasoning, action or conduct, and is utterly unfitted for the work of life. He is like the squirrel which frantically runs around and around the circling treadmill wheel of his cage, traveling ever and yet reaching nowhere--at the end a prisoner still, and standing just where he started.

And still more presumptuous are those who attempt to ascribe to THE ALL the personality, qualities, properties, characteristics and attributes of themselves, ascribing to THE ALL the human emotions, feelings, and characteristics, even down to the pettiest qualities of mankind, such as jealousy, susceptibility to flattery and praise, desire for offerings and worship, and all the other survivals from the days of the childhood of the race. Such ideas are not worthy of grown men and women, and are rapidly being discarded.

(At this point, it may be proper for me to state that we make a distinction between Religion and Theology--between Philosophy and Metaphysics. Religion, to us, means that intuitional realization of the existence of THE ALL, and one's relationship to it; while Theology means the attempts of men to ascribe personality, qualities, and characteristics to it; their theories regarding its affairs, will, desires, plans, and designs, and their assumption of the office of '' middle-men'' between THE ALL and the people. Philosophy, to us, means the inquiry after knowledge of things knowable and thinkable; while Metaphysics means the attempt to carry the inquiry over and beyond the boundaries and into regions unknowable and unthinkable, and with the same tendency as that of Theology. And consequently, both Religion and Philosophy mean to us things having roots in Reality, while Theology and Metaphysics seem like broken reeds, rooted in the quicksands of ignorance, and affording naught but the most insecure support for the mind or soul of Man. we do not insist upon our students accepting these definitions--we mention them merely to show our position. At any rate, you shall hear very little about Theology and Metaphysics in these lessons.)

But while the essential nature of THE ALL is Unknowable, there are certain truths connected with its existence which the human mind finds itself compelled to accept. And an examination of these reports form a proper subject of inquiry, particularly as they agree with the reports of the Illumined on higher planes. And to this inquiry we now invite you.

    "THAT which is the Fundamental Truth--the Substantial
     Reality--is beyond true naming, but the Wise Men call
     it THE ALL."--The Kybalion.

    "In its Essence, THE ALL is UNKNOWABLE."--The Kybalion.

    "But, the report of Reason must be hospitably received,
     and treated with respect."--The Kybalion.

The human reason, whose reports we must accept so long as we think at all, informs us as follows regarding THE ALL, and that without attempting to remove the veil of the Unknowable:

    (1) THE ALL must be ALL that REALLY IS. There can be
     nothing existing outside of THE ALL, else THE ALL would
     not be THE ALL.

    (2) THE ALL must be INFINITE, for there is nothing else
     to define, confine, bound, limit; or restrict THE ALL.
     It must be Infinite in Time, or ETERNAL,--it must have
     always continuously existed, for there is nothing else to
     have ever created it, and something can never evolve from
     nothing, and if it had ever "not been," even for a moment,
     it would not "be" now,--it must continuously exist forever,
     for there is nothing to destroy it, and it can never
     "not-be," even for a moment, because something can never
     become nothing. It must be Infinite in Space--it must be
     Everywhere, for there is no place outside of THE ALL--it
     cannot be otherwise than continuous in Space, without break,
     cessation, separation, or interruption, for there is nothing
     to break, separate, or interrupt its continuity, and nothing
     with which to "fill in the gaps." It must be Infinite in
     Power, or Absolute, for there is nothing to limit, restrict,
     restrain, confine, disturb or condition it--it is subject to
     no other Power, for there is no other Power.

    (3) THE ALL must be IMMUTABLE, or not subject to change in
     its real nature, for there is nothing to work changes upon it
     nothing into which it could change, nor from which it could
     have changed. It cannot be added to nor subtracted from;
     increased nor diminished; nor become greater or lesser in any
     respect whatsoever. It must have always been, and must always
     remain, just what it is now--THE ALL--there has never been,
     is not now, and never will be, anything else into which it
     can change.

THE ALL being Infinite, Absolute, Eternal and Unchangeable it must follow that anything finite, changeable, fleeting, and conditioned cannot be THE ALL. And as there is Nothing outside of THE ALL, in Reality, then any and all such finite things must be as Nothing in Reality. Now do not become befogged, nor frightened--we are not trying to lead you into the Christian Science field under cover of Hermetic Philosophy. There is a Reconciliation of this apparently contradictory state of affairs. Be patient, we will reach it in time.

We see around us that which is called "Matter," which forms the physical foundation for all forms. Is THE ALL merely Matter? Not at all! Matter cannot manifest Life or Mind, and as Life and Mind are manifested in the Universe, THE ALL cannot be Matter, for nothing rises higher than its own source--nothing is ever manifested in an effect that is not in the cause--nothing is evolved as a consequent that is not involved as an antecedent. And then Modern Science informs us that there is really no such thing as Matter--that what we call Matter is merely "interrupted energy or force," that is, energy or force at a low rate of vibration. As a recent writer has said "Matter has melted into Mystery." Even Material Science has abandoned the theory of Matter, and now rests on the basis of "Energy."

Then is THE ALL mere Energy or Force? Not Energy or Force as the materialists use the terms, for their energy and force are blind, mechanical things, devoid of Life or Mind. Life and Mind can never evolve from blind Energy or Force, for the reason given a moment ago: "Nothing can rise higher than its source--nothing is evolved unless it is involved--nothing manifests in the effect, unless it is in the cause. " And so THE ALL cannot be mere Energy or Force, for, if it were, then there would be no such things as Life and Mind in existence, and we know better than that, for we are Alive and using Mind to consider this very question, and so are those who claim that Energy or Force is Everything.

What is there then higher than Matter or Energy that we know to be existent in the Universe? LIFE AND MIND! Life and Mind in all their varying degrees of unfoldment! "Then," you ask, "do you mean to tell us that THE ALL is LIFE and MIND?" Yes! and No! is our answer. If you mean Life and Mind as we poor petty mortals know them, we say No! THE ALL is not that! "But what kind of Life and Mind do you mean?" you ask.

The answer is "LIVING MIND," as far above that which mortals know by those words, as Life and Mind are higher than mechanical forces, or matter--INFINITE LIVING MIND as compared to finite "Life and Mind." We mean that which the illumined souls mean when they reverently pronounce the word: "SPIRIT!"

"THE ALL" is Infinite Living Mind--the Illumined call it SPIRIT!

     
 

  

CHAPTER V

  

THE MENTAL UNIVERSE

    "The Universe is Mental--held in the Mind of THE
     ALL."--The Kybalion.

THE ALL is SPIRIT! But what is Spirit? This question cannot be answered, for the reason that its definition is practically that of THE ALL, which cannot be explained or defined. Spirit is simply a name that men give to the highest conception of Infinite Living Mind--it means "the Real Essence"--it means Living Mind, as much superior to Life and Mind as we know them, as the latter are superior to mechanical Energy and Matter. Spirit transcends our understanding, and we use the term merely that we may think or speak of THE ALL. For the purposes of thought and understanding, we are justified in thinking of Spirit as Infinite Living Mind, at the same time acknowledging that we cannot fully understand it. We must either do this or stop thinking of the matter at all.

Let us now proceed to a consideration of the nature of the Universe, as a whole and in its parts. What is the Universe? We have seen that there can be nothing outside of THE ALL. Then is the Universe THE ALL? No, this cannot be, because the Universe seems to be made up of MANY, and is constantly changing, and in other ways it does not measure up to the ideas that we are compelled to accept regarding THE ALL, as stated in our last lesson. Then if the Universe be not THE ALL, then it must be Nothing--such is the inevitable conclusion of the mind at first thought. But this will not satisfy the question, for we are sensible of the existence of the Universe. Then if the Universe is neither THE ALL, nor Nothing, what Can it be? Let us examine this question.

If the Universe exists at all, or seems to exist, it must proceed in some way from THE ALL--it must be a creation of THE ALL. But as something can never come from nothing, from what could THE ALL have created it. Some philosophers have answered this question by saying that THE ALL created the Universe from ITSELF--that is, from the being and substance of THE ALL. But this will not do, for THE ALL cannot be subtracted from, nor divided, as we have seen, and then again if this be so, would not each particle in the Universe be aware of its being THE ALL--THE ALL could not lose its knowledge of itself, nor actually BECOME an atom, or blind force, or lowly living thing. Some men, indeed, realizing that THE ALL is indeed ALL, and also recognizing that they, the men, existed, have jumped to the conclusion that they and THE ALL were identical, and they have filled the air with shouts of "I AM GOD," to the amusement of the multitude and the sorrow of sages. The claim of the corpuscle that: "I am Man!" would be modest in comparison.

But, what indeed is the Universe, if it be not THE ALL, not yet created by THE ALL having separated itself into fragments? What else can it be-- of what else can it be made? This is the great question. Let us examine it carefully. We find here that the "Principle of Correspondence" (see Lesson I.) comes to our aid here. The old Hermetic axiom, "As above so below," may be pressed into service at this point. Let us endeavor to get a glimpse of the workings on higher planes by examining those on our own. The Principle of Correspondence must apply to this as well as to other problems.

Let us see! On his own plane of being, how does Man create? Well, first, he may create by making something out of outside materials. But this will not do, for there are no materials outside of THE ALL with which it may create. Well, then, secondly, Man pro-creates or reproduces his kind by the process of begetting, which is self-multiplication accomplished by transferring a portion of his substance to his offspring. But this will not do, because THE ALL cannot transfer or subtract a portion of itself, nor can it reproduce or multiply itself--in the first place there would be a taking away, and in the second case a multiplication or addition to THE ALL, both thoughts being an absurdity. Is there no third way in which MAN creates? Yes, there is--he CREATES MENTALLY! And in so doing he uses no outside materials, nor does he reproduce himself, and yet his Spirit pervades the Mental Creation.

Following the Principle of Correspondence, we are justified in considering that THE ALL creates the Universe MENTALLY, in a manner akin to the process whereby Man creates Mental Images. And, here is where the report of Reason tallies precisely with the report of the Illumined, as shown by their teachings and writings. Such are the teachings of the Wise Men. Such was the Teaching of Hermes.

THE ALL can create in no other way except mentally, without either using material (and there is none to use), or else reproducing itself (which is also impossible). There is no escape from this conclusion of the Reason, which, as we have said, agrees with the highest teachings of the Illumined. Just as you, student, may create a Universe of your own in your mentality, so does THE ALL create Universes in its own Mentality. But your Universe is the mental creation of a Finite Mind, whereas that of THE ALL is the creation of an Infinite. The two are similar in kind, but infinitely different in degree. We shall examine more closely into the process of creation and manifestation as we proceed. But this is the point to fix in your minds at this stage: THE UNIVERSE, AND ALL IT CONTAINS, IS A MENTAL CREATION OF THE ALL. Verily indeed, ALL IS MIND!

    "THE ALL creates in its Infinite Mind countless Universes,
     which exist for aeons of Time--and yet, to THE ALL, the
     creation, development, decline and death of a million Universes
     is as the time of the twinkling of an eye."--The Kybalion.

    "The Infinite Mind of THE ALL is the womb of Universes."--The
     Kybalion.

The Principle of Gender (see Lesson I. and other lessons to follow) is manifested on all planes of life, material mental and spiritual. But, as we have said before, "Gender" does not mean "Sex" sex is merely a material manifestation of gender. "Gender" means "relating to generation or creation." And whenever anything is generated or created, on any plane, the Principle of Gender must be manifested. And this is true even in the creation of Universes.

Now do not jump to the conclusion that we are teaching that there is a male and female God, or Creator. That idea is merely a distortion of the ancient teachings on the subject. The true teaching is that THE ALL, in itself, is above Gender, as it is above every other Law, including those of Time and Space. It is the Law, from which the Laws proceed, and it is not subject to them. But when THE ALL manifests on the plane of generation or creation, then it acts according to Law and Principle, for it is moving on a lower plane of Being. And consequently it manifests the Principle of Gender, in its Masculine and Feminine aspects, on the Mental Plane, of course.

This idea may seem startling to some of you who hear it for the first time, but you have all really passively accepted it in your everyday conceptions. You speak of the Fatherhood of God, and the Motherhood of Nature--of God, the Divine Father, and Nature the Universal Mother--and have thus instinctively acknowledged the Principle of Gender in the Universe. Is this not so?

But, the Hermetic teaching does not imply a real duality--THE ALL is ONE--the Two Aspects are merely aspects of manifestation. The teaching is that The Masculine Principle manifested by THE ALL stands, in a way, apart from the actual mental creation of the Universe. It projects its Will toward the Feminine Principle (which may be called "Nature") whereupon the latter begins the actual work of the evolution of the Universe, from simple "centers of activity" on to man, and then on and on still higher, all according to well-established and firmly enforced Laws of Nature. If you prefer the old figures of thought, you may think of the Masculine Principle as GOD, the Father, and of the Feminine Principle as NATURE, the Universal Mother, from whose womb all things have been born. This is more than a mere poetic figure of speech--it is an idea of the actual process of the creation of the Universe. But always remember, that THE ALL is but One, and that in its Infinite Mind the Universe is generated, created and exists.

It may help you to get the proper idea, if you will apply the Law of Correspondence to yourself, and your own mind. You know that the part of You which you call "I," in a sense, stands apart and witnesses the creation of mental Images in your own mind. The part of your mind in which the mental generation is accomplished may be called the "Me" in distinction from the "I" which stands apart and witnesses and examines the thoughts, ideas and images of the "Me." "As above, so below," remember, and the phenomena of one plane may be employed to solve the riddles of higher or lower planes.

Is it any wonder that You, the child, feel that instinctive reverence for THE ALL, which feeling we call "religion"--that respect, and reverence for THE FATHER MIND? Is it any wonder that, when you consider the works and wonders of Nature, you are overcome with a mighty feeling which has its roots away down in your inmost being? It is the MOTHER MIND that you are pressing close up to, like a babe to the breast.

Do not make the mistake of supposing that the little world you see around you--the Earth, which is a mere grain of dust in the Universe--is the Universe itself. There are millions upon millions of such worlds, and greater. And there are millions of millions of such Universes in existence within the Infinite Mind of THE ALL. And even in our own little solar system there are regions and planes of life far higher than ours, and beings compared to which we earth-bound mortals are as the slimy life-forms that dwell on the ocean's bed when compared to Man. There are beings with powers and attributes higher than Man has ever dreamed of the gods' possessing. And yet these beings were once as you, and still lower--and you will be even as they, and still higher, in time, for such is the Destiny of Man as reported by the Illumined.

And Death is not real, even in the Relative sense--it is but Birth to a new life--and You shall go on, and on, and on, to higher and still higher planes of life, for aeons upon aeons of time. The Universe is your home, and you shall explore its farthest recesses before the end of Time. You are dwelling in the Infinite Mind of THE ALL, and your possibilities and opportunities are infinite, both in time and space. And at the end of the Grand Cycle of Aeons, when THE ALL shall draw back into itself all of its creations--you will go gladly for you will then be able to know the Whole Truth of being At One with THE ALL. Such is the report of the Illumined--those who have advanced well along The Path.

And, in the meantime, rest calm and serene--you are safe and protected by the Infinite Power of the FATHER-MOTHER MIND.

    "Within the Father-Mother Mind, mortal children are at
     home."--The Kybalion.

    "There is not one who is Fatherless, nor Motherless in the
     Universe."--The Kybalion.

     
 

  

CHAPTER VI

  

THE DIVINE PARADOX

    "The half-wise, recognizing the comparative unreality of
     the Universe, imagine that they may defy its Laws--such
     are vain and presumptuous fools, and they are broken against
     the rocks and torn asunder by the elements by reason of
     their folly. The truly wise, knowing the nature of the Universe,
     use Law against laws; the higher against the lower; and by
     the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into
     that which is worthy, and thus triumph. Mastery consists not
     in abnormal dreams, visions and fantastic imaginings or
     living, but in using the higher forces against the lower--escaping
     the pains of the lower planes by vibrating on the higher.
     Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the
     Master."--The Kybalion.

This is the Paradox of the Universe, resulting from the Principle of Polarity which manifests when THE ALL begins to Create--hearken to it for it points the difference between half-wisdom and wisdom. While to THE INFINITE ALL, the Universe, its Laws, its Powers, its life, its Phenomena, are as things witnessed in the state of Meditation or Dream; yet to all that is Finite, the Universe must be treated as Real, and life, and action, and thought, must be based thereupon, accordingly, although with an ever understanding of the Higher Truth. Each according to its own Plane and Laws. Were THE ALL to imagine that the Universe were indeed Reality, then woe to the Universe, for there would be then no escape from lower to higher, divineward--then would the Universe become a fixity and progress would become impossible. And if Man, owing to half-wisdom, acts and lives and thinks of the Universe as merely a dream (akin to his own finite dreams) then indeed does it so become for him, and like a sleep-walker he stumbles ever around and around in a circle, making no progress, and being forced into an awakening at last by his falling bruised and bleeding over the Natural Laws which he ignored. Keep your mind ever on the Star, but let your eyes watch over your footsteps, lest you fall into the mire by reason of your upward gaze. Remember the Divine Paradox, that while the Universe IS NOT, still IT IS. Remember ever the Two Poles of Truth the Absolute and the Relative. Beware of Half-Truths.

What Hermetists know as "the Law of Paradox" is an aspect of the Principle of Polarity. The Hermetic writings are filled with references to the appearance of the Paradox in the consideration of the problems of Life and Being. The Teachers are constantly warning their students against the error of omitting the "other side" of any question. And their warnings are particularly directed to the problems of the Absolute and the Relative, which perplex all students of philosophy, and which cause so many to think and act contrary to what is generally known as "common sense." And we caution all students to be sure to grasp the Divine Paradox of the Absolute and Relative, lest they become entangled in the mire of the Half-Truth. With this in view this particular lesson has been written. Read it carefully!

The first thought that comes to the thinking man after he realizes the truth that the Universe is a Mental Creation of THE ALL, is that the Universe and all that it contains is a mere illusion; an unreality; against which idea his instincts revolt. But this, like all other great truths, must be considered both from the Absolute and the Relative points of view. From the Absolute viewpoint, of course, the Universe is in the nature of an illusion, a dream, a phantasmagoria, as compared to THE ALL in itself. We recognize this even in our ordinary view, for we speak of the world as "a fleeting show" that comes and goes, is born and dies--for the element of impermanence and change, finiteness and unsubstantiality, must ever be connected with the idea of a created Universe when it is contrasted with the idea of THE ALL, no matter what may be our beliefs concerning the nature of both. Philosopher, metaphysician, scientist and theologian all agree upon this idea, and the thought is found in all forms of philosophical thought and religious conceptions, as well as in the theories of the respective schools of metaphysics and theology.

So, the Hermetic Teachings do not preach the unsubstantiality of the Universe in any stronger terms than those more familiar to you, although their presentation of the subject may seem somewhat more startling. Anything that has a beginning and an ending must be, in a sense, unreal and untrue, and the Universe comes under the rule, in all schools of thought. From the Absolute point of view, there is nothing Real except THE ALL, no matter what terms we may use in thinking of, or discussing the subject. Whether the Universe be created of Matter, or whether it be a Mental Creation in the Mind of THE ALL--it is unsubstantial, non-enduring, a thing of time, space and change. We want you to realize this fact thoroughly, before you pass judgment on the Hermetic conception of the Mental nature of the Universe. Think over any and all of the other conceptions, and see whether this be not true of them.

But the Absolute point of view shows merely one side of the picture--the other side is the Relative one. Absolute Truth has been defined as "Things as the mind of God knows them," while Relative Truth is "Things as the highest reason of Man understands them." And so while to THE ALL the Universe must be unreal and illusionary, a mere dream or result of meditation,--nevertheless, to the finite minds forming a part of that Universe, and viewing it through mortal faculties, the Universe is very real indeed, and must be so considered. In recognizing the Absolute view, we must not make the mistake of ignoring or denying the facts and phenomena of the Universe as they present themselves to our mortal faculties--we are not THE ALL, remember.

To take familiar illustrations, we all recognize the fact that matter "exists" to our senses--we will fare badly if we do not. And yet, even our finite minds understand the scientific dictum that there is no such thing as Matter from a scientific point of view--that which we call Matter is held to be merely an aggregation of atoms, which atoms themselves are merely a grouping of units of force, called electrons or "ions," vibrating and in constant circular motion. We kick a stone and we feel the impact--it seems to be real, notwithstanding that we know it to be merely what we have stated above. But remember that our foot, which feels the impact by means of our brains, is likewise Matter, so constituted of electrons, and for that matter so are our brains. And, at the best, if it were not by reason of our Mind, we would not know the foot or stone at all.

Then again, the ideal of the artist or sculptor, which he is endeavoring to reproduce in stone or on canvas, seems very real to him. So do the characters in the mind of the author; or dramatist, which he seeks to express so that others may recognize them. And if this be true in the case of our finite minds, what must be the degree of Reality in the Mental Images created in the Mind of the Infinite? Oh, friends, to mortals this Universe of Mentality is very real indeed--it is the only one we can ever know, though we rise from plane to plane, higher and higher in it. To know it otherwise, but actual experience, we must be THE ALL itself. It is true that the higher we rise in the scale--the nearer to "the mind of the Father" we reach--the more apparent becomes the illusory nature of finite things, but not until THE ALL finally withdraws us into itself does the vision actually vanish.

So, we need not dwell upon the feature of illusion. Rather let us, recognizing the real nature of the Universe, seek to understand its mental laws, and endeavor to use them to the best effect in our upward progress through life, as we travel from plane to plane of being. The Laws of the Universe are none the less "Iron Laws" because of the mental nature. All, except THE ALL, are bound by them. What is IN THE INFINITE MIND OF THE ALL is REAL in a degree second only to that Reality itself which is vested in the nature of THE ALL.

So, do not feel insecure or afraid--we are all HELD FIRMLY IN THE INFINITE MIND OF THE ALL, and there is naught to hurt us or for us to fear. There is no Power outside of THE ALL to affect us. So we may rest calm and secure. There is a world of comfort and security in this realization when once attained. Then "calm and peaceful do we sleep, rocked in the Cradle of the Deep"--resting safely on the bosom of the Ocean of Infinite Mind, which is THE ALL. In THE ALL, indeed, do "we live and move and have our being."

Matter is none the less Matter to us, while we dwell on the plane of Matter, although we know it to be merely an aggregation of "electrons," or particles of Force, vibrating rapidly and gyrating around each other in the formations of atoms; the atoms in turn vibrating and gyrating, forming molecules, which latter in turn form larger masses of Matter. Nor does Matter become less Matter, when we follow the inquiry still further, and learn from the Hermetic Teachings, that the "Force" of which the electrons are but units is merely a manifestation of the Mind of THE ALL, and like all else in the Universe is purely Mental in its nature. While on the Plane of matter, we must recognize its phenomena-- we may control Matter (as all Masters of higher or lesser degree do), but we do so by applying the higher forces. We commit a folly when we attempt to deny the existence of Matter in the relative aspect. We may deny its mastery over us--and rightly so--but we should not attempt to ignore it in its relative aspect, at least so long as we dwell upon its plane.

Nor do the Laws of Nature become less constant or effective, when we know them, likewise, to be merely mental creations. They are in full effect on the various planes. We overcome the lower laws, by applying still higher ones--and in this way only. But we cannot escape Law or rise above it entirely. Nothing but THE ALL can escape Law--and that because THE ALL is LAW itself, from which all Laws emerge. The most advanced Masters may acquire the powers usually attributed to the gods of men; and there are countless ranks of being, in the great hierarchy of life, whose being and power transcends even that of the highest Masters among men to a degree unthinkable by mortals, but even the highest Master, and the highest Being, must bow to the Law, and be as Nothing in the eye of THE ALL. So that if even these highest Beings, whose powers exceed even those attributed by men to their gods--if even these are bound by and are subservient to Law, then imagine the presumption of mortal man, of our race and grade, when he dares to consider the Laws of Nature as "unreal!" visionary and illusory, because he happens to be able to grasp the truth that the Laws are Mental in nature, and simply Mental Creations of THE ALL. Those Laws which THE ALL intends to be governing Laws are not to be defied or argued away. So long as the Universe endures, will they endure--for the Universe exists by virtue of these Laws which form its framework and which hold it together.

The Hermetic Principle of Mentalism, while explaining the true nature of the Universe upon the principle that all is Mental, does not change the scientific conceptions of the Universe, Life, or Evolution. In fact, science merely corroborates the Hermetic Teachings. The latter merely teaches that the nature of the Universe is "Mental," while modern science has taught that it is "Material"; or (of late) that it is "Energy" at the last analysis. The Hermetic Teachings have no fault to find with Herbert Spencer's basic principle which postulates the existence of an "Infinite and Eternal Energy, from which all things proceed." In fact, the Hermetics recognize in Spencer's philosophy the highest outside statement of the workings of the Natural Laws that have ever been promulgated, and they believe Spencer to have been a reincarnation of an ancient philosopher who dwelt in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago, and who later incarnated as Heraclitus, the Grecian philosopher who lived B. C. 500. And they regard his statement of the "Infinite and Eternal Energy" as directly in the line of the Hermetic Teachings, always with the addition of their own doctrine that his "Energy" is the Energy of the Mind of THE ALL. With the Master-Key of the Hermetic Philosophy, the student of Spencer will be able to unlock many doors of the inner philosophical conceptions of the great English philosopher, whose work shows the results of the preparation of his previous incarnations. His teachings regarding Evolution and Rhythm are in almost perfect agreement with the Hermetic Teachings regarding the Principle of Rhythm.

So, the student of Hermetics need not lay aside any of his cherished scientific views regarding the Universe. All he is asked to do is to grasp the underlying principle of "THE ALL is Mind; the Universe is Mental--held in the mind of THE ALL." He will find that the other six of the Seven Principles will "fit into" his scientific knowledge, and will serve to bring out obscure points and to throw light in dark corners. This is not to be wondered at, when we realize the influence of the Hermetic thought of the early philosophers of Greece, upon whose foundations of thought the theories of modern science largely rest. The acceptance of the First Hermetic Principle (Mentalism) is the only great point of difference between Modern Science and Hermetic students, and Science is gradually moving toward the Hermetic position in its groping in the dark for a way out of the Labyrinth into which it has wandered in its search for Reality.

The purpose of this lesson is to impress upon the minds of our students the fact that, to all intents and purposes, the Universe and its laws, and its phenomena, are just as REAL, so far as Man is concerned, as they would be under the hypotheses of Materialism or Energism. Under any hypothesis the Universe in its outer aspect is changing, ever-flowing, and transitory--and therefore devoid of substantiality and reality. But (note the other pole of the truth) under the same hypotheses, we are compelled to ACT AND LIVE as if the fleeting things were real and substantial. With this difference, always, between the various hypotheses--that under the old views Mental Power was ignored as a Natural Force, while under Mentalism it becomes the Greatest Natural Force. And this one difference revolutionizes Life, to those who understand the Principle and its resulting laws and practice.

So, finally, students all, grasp the advantage of Mentalism, and learn to know, use and apply the laws resulting therefrom. But do not yield to the temptation which, as The Kybalion states, overcomes the half-wise and which causes them to be hypnotized by the apparent unreality of things, the consequence being that they wander about like dream-people dwelling in a world of dreams, ignoring the practical work and life of man, the end being that "they are broken against the rocks and torn asunder by the elements, by reason of their folly." Rather follow the example of the wise, which the same authority states, "use Law against Laws; the higher against the lower; and by the Art of Alchemy transmute that which is undesirable into that which is worthy, and thus triumph." Following the authority, let us avoid the half-wisdom (which is folly) which ignores the truth that: "Mastery consists not in abnormal dreams, visions, and fantastic imaginings or living, but in using the higher forces against the lower--escaping the pains of the lower planes by vibrating on the higher." Remember always, student, that "Transmutation, not presumptuous denial, is the weapon of the Master." The above quotations are from The Kybalion, and are worthy of being committed to memory by the student.

We do not live in a world of dreams, but in an Universe which while relative, is real so far as our lives and actions are concerned. Our business in the Universe is not to deny its existence, but to LIVE, using the Laws to rise from lower to higher--living on, doing the best that we can under the circumstances arising each day, and living, so far as is possible, to our biggest ideas and ideals. The true Meaning of Life is not known to men on this plane .if, indeed, to any--but the highest authorities, and our own intuitions, teach us that we will make no mistake in living up to the best that is in us, so far as is possible, and realising the Universal tendency in the same direction in spite of apparent evidence to the contrary. We are all on The Path--and the road leads upward ever, with frequent resting places.

Read the message of The Kybalion--and follow the example of "the wise"--avoiding the mistake of "the half-wise" who perish by reason of their folly.

     
 

  

CHAPTER VII

  

"THE ALL" IN ALL

    "While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE
     ALL is in ALL. To him who truly understands this
     truth hath come great knowledge."--The Kybalion.

How often have the majority of people heard repeated the statement that their Deity (called by many names) was "All in All" and how little have they suspected the inner occult truth concealed by these carelessly uttered words? The commonly used expression is a survival of the ancient Hermetic Maxim quoted above. As the Kybalion says: "To him who truly understands this truth, hath come great knowledge." And, this being so, let us seek this truth, the understanding of which means so much. In this statement of truth--this Hermetic Maxim--is concealed one of the greatest philosophical, scientific and religious truths.

We have given you the Hermetic Teaching regarding the Mental Nature of the Universe--the truth that "the Universe is Mental--held in the Mind of THE ALL." As the Kybalion says, in the passage quoted above: "All is in THE ALL." But note also the co-related statement, that: "It is equally true that THE ALL is in ALL." This apparently contradictory statement is reconcilable under the Law of Paradox. It is, moreover, an exact Hermetic statement of the relations existing between THE ALL and its Mental Universe. We have seen how "All is in THE ALL"--now let us examine the other aspect of the subject.

The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that THE ALL is Imminent in ("remaining within; inherent; abiding within") its Universe, and in every part, particle, unit, or combination, within the Universe. This statement is usually illustrated by the Teachers by a reference to the Principle of Correspondence. The Teacher instructs the student to form a Mental Image of something, a person, an idea, something having a mental form, the favorite example being that of the author or dramatist forming an idea of his characters; or a painter or sculptor forming an image of an ideal that he wishes to express by his art. In each case, the student will find that while the image has its existence, and being, solely within his own mind, yet he, the student, author, dramatist, painter, or sculptor, is, in a sense, immanent in; remaining within; or abiding within, the mental image also. In other words, the entire virtue, life, spirit, of reality in the mental image is derived from the "immanent mind" of the thinker. Consider this for a moment, until the idea is grasped.

To take a modern example, let us say that Othello, Iago, Hamlet, Lear, Richard III, existed merely in the mind of Shakespeare, at the time of their conception or creation. And yet, Shakespeare also existed within each of these characters, giving them their vitality, spirit, and action. Whose is the "spirit" of the characters that we know as Micawber, Oliver Twist, Uriah Heep--is it Dickens, or have each of these characters a personal spirit, independent of their creator? Have the Venus of Medici, the Sistine Madonna, the Apollo Belvidere, spirits and reality of their own, or do they represent the spiritual and mental power of their creators? The Law of Paradox explains that both propositions are true, viewed from the proper viewpoints. Micawber is both Micawber, and yet Dickens. And, again, while Micawber may be said to be Dickens, yet Dickens is not identical with Micawber. Man, like Micawber, may exclaim: "The Spirit of my Creator is inherent within me-- and yet I am not HE!" How different this from the shocking half-truth so vociferously announced by certain of the half-wise, who fill the air with their raucous cries of: "I am God!" Imagine poor Micawber, or the sneaky Uriah Heep, crying: "I Am Dickens"; or some of the lowly clods in one of Shakespeare's plays, eloquently announcing that: "I Am Shakespeare!" THE ALL is in the earthworm, and yet the earth-worm is far from being THE ALL. And still the wonder remains, that though the earth-worm exists merely as a lowly thing, created and having its being solely within the Mind of THE ALL--yet THE ALL is immanent in the earthworm, and in the particles that go to make up the earth-worm. Can there be any greater mystery than this of "All in THE ALL; and THE ALL in All?"

The student will, of course, realize that the illustrations given above are necessarily imperfect and inadequate, for they represent the creation of mental images in finite minds, while the Universe is a creation of Infinite Mind--and the difference between the two poles separates them. And yet it is merely a matter of degree--the same Principle is in operation--the Principle of Correspondence manifests in each--"As above, so Below; as Below, so above."

And, in the degree that Man realizes the existence of the Indwelling Spirit immanent within his being, so will he rise in the spiritual scale of life. This is what spiritual development means--the recognition, realization, and manifestation of the Spirit within us. Try to remember this last definition--that of spiritual development. It contains the Truth of True Religion.

There are many planes of Being--many sub-planes of Life--many degrees of existence in the Universe. And all depend upon the advancement of beings in the scale, of which scale the lowest point is the grossest matter, the highest being separated only by the thinnest division from the SPIRIT of THE ALL. And, upward and onward along this Scale of Life, everything is moving. All are on the Path, whose end is THE ALL. All progress is a Returning Home. All is Upward and Onward, in spite of all seemingly contradictory appearances. Such is the message of the Illumined.

The Hermetic Teachings concerning the process of the Mental Creation of the Universe, are that at the beginning of the Creative Cycle, THE ALL, in its aspect of Being, projects its Will toward its aspect of "Becoming" and the process of creation begins. It is taught that the process consists of the lowering of Vibration until a very low degree of vibratory energy is reached, at which point the grossest possible form of Matter is manifested. This process is called the stage of Involution, in which THE ALL becomes "involved," or "wrapped up," in its creation. This process is believed by the Hermetists to have a Correspondence to the mental process of an artist, writer, or inventor, who becomes so wrapped up in his mental creation as to almost forget his own existence and who, for the time being, almost "lives in his creation," If instead of "wrapped" we use the word "rapt," perhaps we will give a better idea of what is meant.

This Involuntary stage of Creation is sometimes called the "Outpouring" of the Divine Energy, just as the Evolutionary state is called the "Indrawing." The extreme pole of the Creative process is considered to be the furthest removed from THE ALL, while the beginning of the Evolutionary stage is regarded as the beginning of the return swing of the pendulum of Rhythm--a "coming home" idea being held in all of the Hermetic Teachings.

The Teachings are that during the "Outpouring," the vibrations become lower and lower until finally the urge ceases, and the return swing begins. But there is this difference, that while in the "Outpouring" the creative forces manifest compactly and as a whole, yet from the beginning of the Evolutionary or "Indrawing" stage, there is manifested the Law of Individualization--that is, the tendency to separate into Units of Force, so that finally that which left THE ALL as unindividualized energy returns to its source as countless highly developed Units of Life, having risen higher and higher in the scale by means of Physical, Mental and Spiritual Evolution.

The ancient Hermetists use the word "Meditation" in describing the process of the mental creation of the Universe in the Mind of THE ALL, the word "Contemplation" also being frequently employed. But the idea intended seems to be that of the employment of the Divine Attention. "Attention" is a word derived from the Latin root, meaning "to reach out; to stretch out," and so the act of Attention is really a mental "reaching out; extension" of mental energy, so that the underlying idea is readily understood when we examine into the real meaning of "Attention."

The Hermetic Teachings regarding the process of Evolution are that, THE ALL, having meditated upon the beginning of the Creation--having thus established the material foundations of the Universe--having thought it into existence--then gradually awakens or rouses from its Meditation and in so doing starts into manifestation the process of Evolution, on the material mental and spiritual planes, successively and in order. Thus the upward movement begins--and all begins to move Spiritward. Matter becomes less gross; the Units spring into being; the combinations begin to form; Life appears and manifests in higher and higher forms; and Mind becomes more and more in evidence--the vibrations constantly becoming higher. In short, the entire process of Evolution, in all of its phases, begins, and proceeds according to the established "Laws of the Indrawing" process. All of this occupies aeons upon aeons of Man's time, each aeon containing countless millions of years, but yet the Illumined inform us that the entire creation, including Involution and Evolution, of an Universe, is but "as the twinkle of the eye" to THE ALL. At the end of countless cycles of aeons of time, THE ALL withdraws its Attention--its Contemplation and Meditation--of the Universe, for the Great Work is finished--and All is withdrawn into THE ALL from which it emerged. But Mystery of Mysteries--the Spirit of each soul is not annihilated, but is infinitely expanded--the Created and the Creator are merged. Such is the report of the Illumined!

The above illustration of the "meditation," and subsequent "awakening from meditation," of THE ALL, is of course but an attempt of the teachers to describe the Infinite process by a finite example. And, yet: "As Below, so Above." The difference is merely in degree. And just as THE ALL arouses itself from the meditation upon the Universe, so does Man (in time) cease from manifesting upon the Material Plane, and withdraws himself more and more into the Indwelling Spirit, which is indeed "The Divine Ego."

There is one more matter of which we desire to speak in this lesson, and that comes very near to an invasion of the Metaphysical field of speculation, although our purpose is merely to show the futility of such speculation. We allude to the question which inevitably comes to the mind of all thinkers who have ventured to seek the Truth. The question is: "WHY does THE ALL create Universes" The question may be asked in different forms, but the above is the gist of the inquiry.

Men have striven hard to answer this question, but still there is no answer worthy of the name. Some have imagined that THE ALL had something to gain by it, but this is absurd, for what could THE ALL gain that it did not already possess? Others have sought the answer in the idea that THE ALL "wished something to love" and others that it created for pleasure, or amusement; or because it "was lonely" or to manifest its power;--all puerile explanations and ideas, belonging to the childish period of thought.

Others have sought to explain the mystery by assuming that THE ALL found itself "compelled" to create, by reason of its own "internal nature"--its "creative instinct." This idea is in advance of the others, but its weak point lies in the idea of THE ALL being "compelled" by anything, internal or external. If its "internal nature," or "creative instinct," compelled it to do anything, then the "internal nature" or "creative instinct" would be the Absolute, instead of THE ALL, and so accordingly that part of the proposition falls. And, yet, THE ALL does create and manifest, and seems to find some kind of satisfaction in so doing. And it is difficult to escape the conclusion that in some infinite degree it must have what would correspond to an "inner nature," or "creative instinct," in man, with correspondingly infinite Desire and Will. It could not act unless it Willed to Act; and it would not Will to Act, unless it Desired to Act and it would not Desire to Act unless it obtained some Satisfaction thereby. And all of these things would belong to an "Inner Nature," and might be postulated as existing according to the Law of Correspondence. But, still, we prefer to think of THE ALL as acting entirely FREE from any influence, internal as well as external. That is the problem which lies at the root of difficulty--and the difficulty that lies at the root of the problem.

Strictly speaking, there cannot be said to be any "Reason" whatsoever for THE ALL to act, for a "reason" implies a "cause," and THE ALL is above Cause and Effect, except when it Wills to become a Cause, at which time the Principle is set into motion. So, you see, the matter is Unthinkable, just as THE ALL is Unknowable. Just as we say THE ALL merely "IS"--so we are compelled to say that "THE ALL ACTS BECAUSE IT ACTS." At the last, THE ALL is All Reason in Itself; All Law in Itself; All Action in Itself--and it may be said, truthfully, that THE ALL is Its Own Reason; its own Law; its own Act--or still further, that THE ALL; Its Reason; Its Act; is Law; are ONE, all being names for the same thing. In the opinion of those who are giving you these present lessons, the answer is locked up in the INNER SELF of THE ALL, along with its Secret of Being. The Law of Correspondence, in our opinion, reaches only to that aspect of THE ALL, which may be spoken of as "The Aspect of BECOMING." Back of that Aspect is "The Aspect of BEING" in which all Laws are lost in LAW; all Principles merge into PRINCIPLE--and THE ALL; PRINCIPLE; and BEING; are IDENTICAL, ONE AND THE SAME. Therefore, Metaphysical speculation on this point is futile. We go into the matter here, merely to show that we recognize the question, and also the absurdity of the ordinary answers of metaphysics and theology.

In conclusion, it may be of interest to our students to learn that while some of the ancient, and modern, Hermetic Teachers have rather inclined in the direction of applying the Principle of Correspondence to the question, with the result of the "Inner Nature" conclusion,--still the legends have it that HERMES, the Great, when asked this question by his advanced students, answered them by PRESSING HIS LIPS TIGHTLY TOGETHER and saying not a word, indicating that there WAS NO ANSWER. But, then, he may have intended to apply the axiom of his philosophy, that: "The lips of Wisdom are closed, except to the ears of Understanding," believing that even his advanced students did not possess the Understanding which entitled them to the Teaching. At any rate, if Hermes possessed the Secret, he failed to impart it, and so far as the world is concerned THE LIPS OF HERMES ARE CLOSED regarding it. And where the Great Hermes hesitated to speak, what mortal may dare to teach?

But, remember, that whatever be the answer to this problem, if indeed there be an answer the truth remains that: "While All is in THE ALL, it is equally true that THE ALL is in All." The Teaching on this point is emphatic. And, we may add the concluding words of the quotation: "To him who truly understands this truth, hath come great knowledge."

     
 

  

CHAPTER VIII

  

PLANES OF CORRESPONDENCE

    "As above, so below; as below, so above."--The Kybalion.

The great Second Hermetic Principle embodies the truth that there is a harmony, agreement, and correspondence between the several planes of Manifestation, Life and Being. This truth is a truth because all that is included in the Universe emanates from the same source, and the same laws, principles, and characteristics apply to each unit, or combination of units, of activity, as each manifests its own phenomena upon its own plane.

For the purpose of convenience of thought and study, the Hermetic Philosophy considers that the Universe may be divided into three great classes of phenomena, known as the Three Great Planes, namely:

    1. The Great Physical Plane.
     2. The Great Mental Plane.
     3. The Great Spiritual Plane.

These divisions are more or less artificial and arbitrary, for the truth is that all of the three divisions are but ascending degrees of the great scale of Life, the lowest point of which is undifferentiated Matter, and the highest point that of Spirit. And, moreover, the different Planes shade into each other, so that no hard and fast division may be made between the higher phenomena of the Physical and the lower of the Mental; or between the higher of the Mental and the lower of the Physical.

In short, the Three Great Planes may be regarded as three great groups of degrees of Life Manifestation. While the purposes of this little book do not allow us to enter into an extended discussion of, or explanation of, the subject of these different planes, still we think it well to give a general description of the same at this point.

At the beginning we may as well consider the question so often asked by the neophyte, who desires to be informed regarding the meaning of the word "Plane", which term has been very freely used, and very poorly explained, in many recent works upon the subject of occultism. The question is generally about as follows: "Is a Plane a place having dimensions, or is it merely a condition or state?" We answer: "No, not a place, nor ordinary dimension of space; and yet more than a state or condition. It may be considered as a state or condition, and yet the state or condition is a degree of dimension, in a scale subject to measurement." Somewhat paradoxical, is it not? But let us examine the matter. A "dimension," you know, is "a measure in a straight line, relating to measure," etc. The ordinary dimensions of space are length, breadth, and height, or perhaps length, breadth, height, thickness or circumference. But there is another dimension of "created things" or "measure in a straight line," known to occultists, and to scientists as well, although the latter have not as yet applied the term "dimension" to it--and this new dimension, which, by the way, is the much speculated -about "Fourth Dimension," is the standard used in determining the degrees or "planes."

This Fourth Dimension may be called "The Dimension of Vibration" It is a fact well known to modern science, as well as to the Hermetists who have embodied the truth in their "Third Hermetic Principle," that "everything is in motion; everything vibrates; nothing is at rest." From the highest manifestation, to the lowest, everything and all things Vibrate. Not only do they vibrate at different rates of motion, but as in different directions and in a different manner. The degrees of the rate of vibrations constitute the degrees of measurement on the Scale of Vibrations--in other words the degrees of the Fourth Dimension. And these degrees form what occultists call "Planes" The higher the degree of rate of vibration, the higher the plane, and the higher the manifestation of Life occupying that plane. So that while a plane is not "a place," nor yet "a state or condition," yet it possesses qualities common to both. We shall have more to say regarding the subject of the scale of Vibrations in our next lessons, in which we shall consider the Hermetic Principle of Vibration.

You will kindly remember, however, that the Three Great Planes are not actual divisions of the phenomena of the Universe, but merely arbitrary terms used by the Hermetists in order to aid in the thought and study of the various degrees and Forms of universal activity and life. The atom of matter, the unit of force, the mind of man, and the being of the arch -angel are all but degrees in one scale, and all fundamentally the same, the difference between solely a matter of degree, and rate of vibration--all are creations of THE ALL, and have their existence solely within the Infinite Mind of THE ALL.

The Hermetists sub-divide each of the Three Great Planes into Seven Minor Planes, and each of these latter are also sub-divided into seven sub-planes, all divisions being more or less arbitrary, shading into each other, and adopted merely for convenience of scientific study and thought.

The Great Physical Plane, and its Seven Minor Planes, is that division of the phenomena of the Universe which includes all that relates to physics, or material things, forces, and manifestations. It includes all forms of that which we call Matter, and all forms of that which we call Energy or Force. But you must remember that the Hermetic Philosophy does not recognize Matter as a thing in itself, or as having a separate existence even in the Mind of THE ALL. The Teachings are that Matter is but a form of Energy--.that is, Energy at a low rate of vibrations of a certain kind. And accordingly the Hermetists classify Matter under the head of Energy, and give to it three of the Seven Minor Planes of the Great Physical Plane.

These Seven Minor Physical Planes are as follows:

    1. The Plane of Matter (A)
     2. The Plane of Matter (B)
     3. The Plane of Matter (C)
     4. The Plane of Ethereal Substance
     5. The Plane of Energy (A)
     6. The Plane of Energy (B)
     7. The Plane of Energy (C)

The Plane of Matter (A) comprises the forms of Matter in its form of solids, liquids, and gases, as generally recognized by the text-books on physics. The Plane of Matter (B) comprises certain higher and more subtle forms of Matter of the existence of which modern science is but now recognizing, the phenomena of Radiant Matter, in its phases of radium, etc., belonging to the lower sub-division of this Minor Plane. The Plane of Matter (C) comprises forms of the most subtle and tenuous Matter, the existence of which is not suspected by ordinary scientists. The Plane of Ethereal Substance comprises that which science speaks of as "The Ether", a substance of extreme tenuity and elasticity, pervading all Universal Space, and acting as a medium for the transmission of waves of energy, such as light, heat, electricity, etc. This Ethereal Substance forms a connecting link between Matter (so-called) and Energy, and partakes of the nature of each. The Hermetic Teachings, however, instruct that this plane has seven sub-divisions (as have all of the Minor Planes), and that in fact there are seven ethers, instead of but one.

Next above the Plane of Ethereal Substance comes the Plane of Energy (A), which comprises the ordinary forms of Energy known to science, its seven sub-planes being, respectively, Heat; Light; Magnetism; Electricity, and Attraction (including Gravitation, Cohesion, Chemical Affinity, etc.) and several other forms of energy indicated by scientific experiments but not as yet named or classified. The Plane of Energy (B) comprises seven subplanes of higher forms of energy not as yet discovered by science, but which have been called "Nature's Finer Forces" and which are called into operation in manifestations of certain forms of mental phenomena, and by which such phenomena becomes possible. The Plane of Energy (C) comprises seven sub-planes of energy so highly organized that it bears many of the characteristics of "life," but which is not recognized by the minds of men on the ordinary plane of development, being available for the use on beings of the Spiritual Plane alone--such energy is unthinkable to ordinary man, and may be considered almost as "the divine power." The beings employing the same are as "gods" compared even to the highest human types known to us.

The Great Mental Plane comprises those forms of "living things" known to us in ordinary life, as well as certain other forms not so well known except to the occultist. The classification of the Seven Minor Mental Planes is more or less satisfactory and arbitrary (unless accompanied by elaborate explanations which are foreign to the purpose of this particular work), but we may as well mention them. They are as follows:

    1. The Plane of Mineral Mind
     2. The Plane of Elemental Mind (A)
     3. The Plane of Plant Mind
     4. The Plane of Elemental Mind (B)
     5. The Plane of Animal Mind
     6. The Plane of Elemental Mind (C)
     7. The Plane of Human Mind

The Plane of Mineral Mind comprises the "states or conditions" of the units or entities, or groups and combinations of the same, which animate the forms known to us as "minerals, chemicals, etc." These entities must not be confounded with the molecules, atoms and corpuscles themselves, the latter being merely the material bodies or forms of these entities, just as a man's body is but his material form and not "himself." These entities may be called "souls" in one sense, and are living beings of a low degree of development, life, and mind--just a little more than the units of "living energy" which comprise the higher sub-divisions of the highest Physical Plane. The average mind does not generally attribute the possession of mind, soul, or life, to the mineral kingdom, but all occultists recognize the existence of the same, and modern science is rapidly moving forward to the point-of-view of the Hermetic, in this respect. The molecules, atoms and corpuscles have their "loves and hates"; "likes and dislikes"; "attractions and repulsions". "affinities and non-affinities," etc., and some of the more daring of modern scientific minds have expressed the opinion that the desire and will, emotions and feelings, of the atoms differ only in degree from those of men. We have no time or space to argue this matter here. All occultists know it to be a fact, and others are referred to some of the more recent scientific works for outside corroboration. There are the usual seven sub-divisions to this plane.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (A) comprises the state or condition, and degree of mental and vital development of a class of entities unknown to the average man, but recognized to occultists. They are invisible to the ordinary senses of man, but, nevertheless, exist and play their part of the Drama of the Universe. Their degree of intelligence is between that of the mineral and chemical entities on the one hand, and of the entities of the plant kingdom on the other. There are seven subdivisions to this plane, also.

The Plane of Plant Mind, in its seven sub-divisions, comprises the states or conditions of the entities comprising the kingdoms of the Plant World, the vital and mental phenomena of which is fairly well understood by the average intelligent person, many new and interesting scientific works regarding "Mind and Life in Plants" having been published during the last decade. Plants have life, mind and "souls," as well as have the animals, man, and super-man.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (B), in its seven sub-divisions, comprises the states and conditions of a higher form of "elemental" or unseen entities, playing their part in the general work of the Universe, the mind and life of which form a part of the scale between the Plane of Plant Mind and the Plane of Animal Mind, the entities partaking of the nature of both.

The Plane of Animal Mind, in its seven sub-divisions, comprises the states and conditions of the entities, beings, or souls, animating the animal forms of life, familiar to us all. It is not necessary to go into details regarding this kingdom or plane of life, for the animal world is as familiar to us as is our own.

The Plane of Elemental Mind (C), in its seven sub-divisions, comprises those entities or beings, invisible as are all such elemental forms, which partake of the nature of both animal and human life in a degree and in certain combinations. The highest forms are semi-human in intelligence.

The Plane of Human Mind, in its seven sub-divisions, comprises those manifestations of life and mentality which are common to Man, in his various grades, degrees, and divisions. In this connection, we wish to point out the fact that the average man of today occupies but the fourth sub-division of the Plane of Human Mind, and only the most intelligent have crossed the borders of the Fifth Sub-Division. It has taken the race millions of years to reach this stage, and it will take many more years for the race to move on to the sixth and seventh sub-divisions, and beyond. But, remember, that there have been races before us which have passed through these degrees, and then on to higher planes. Our own race is the fifth (with stragglers from the fourth) which has set foot upon The Path. And, then there are a few advanced souls of our own race who have outstripped the masses, and who have passed on to the sixth and seventh sub-division, and some few being still further on. The man of the Sixth Sub-Division will be "The Super-Man"; he of the Seventh will be "The Over-Man."

In our consideration of the Seven Minor Mental Planes, we have merely referred to the Three Elementary Planes in a general way. We do not wish to go into this subject in detail in this work, for it does not belong to this part of the general philosophy and teachings. But we may say this much, in order to give you a little clearer idea, of the relations of these planes to the more familiar ones--the Elementary Planes bear the same relation to the Planes of Mineral, Plant, Animal and Human Mentality and Life, that the black keys on the piano do to the white keys. The white keys are sufficient to produce music, but there are certain scales, melodies, and harmonies, in which the black keys play their part, and in which their presence is necessary. They are also necessary as "connecting links" of soul-condition; entity states, etc., between the several other planes, certain forms of development being attained therein--this last fact giving to the reader who can "read between the lines" a new light upon the processes of Evolution, and a new key to the secret door of the "leaps of life" between kingdom and kingdom. The great kingdoms of Elementals are fully recognized by all occultists, and the esoteric writings are full of mention of them. The readers of Bulwer's "Sanoni" and similar tales will recognize the entities inhabiting these planes of life.

Passing on from the Great Mental Plane to the Great Spiritual Plane, what shall we say? How can we explain these higher states of Being, Life and Mind, to minds as yet unable to grasp and understand the higher subdivisions of the Plane of Human Mind? The task is impossible. We can speak only in the most general terms. How may Light be described to a man born blind--how sugar, to a man who has never tasted anything sweet--how harmony, to one born deaf?

All that we can say is that the Seven Minor Planes of the Great Spiritual Plane (each Minor Plane having its seven sub-divisions) comprise Beings possessing Life, Mind and Form as far above that of Man of to-day as the latter is above the earth-worm, mineral or even certain forms of Energy or Matter. The Life of these Beings so far transcends ours, that we cannot even think of the details of the same; their minds so far transcend ours, that to them we scarcely seem to "think," and our mental processes seem almost akin to material processes; the Matter of which their forms are composed is of the highest Planes of Matter, nay, some are even said to be "clothed in Pure Energy." What may be said of such Beings?

On the Seven Minor Planes of the Great Spiritual Plane exist Beings of whom we may speak as Angels; Archangels; Demi-Gods. On the lower Minor Planes dwell those great souls whom we call Masters and Adepts. Above them come the Great Hierarchies of the Angelic Hosts, unthinkable to man; and above those come those who may without irreverence be called "The Gods," so high in the scale of Being are they, their being, intelligence and power being akin to those attributed by the races of men to their conceptions of Deity. These Beings are beyond even the highest flights of the human imagination, the word "Divine" being the only one applicable to them. Many of these Beings, as well as the Angelic Host, take the greatest interest in the affairs of the Universe and play an important part in its affairs. These Unseen Divinities and Angelic Helpers extend their influence freely and powerfully, in the process of Evolution, and Cosmic Progress. Their occasional intervention and assistance in human affairs have led to the many legends, beliefs, religions and traditions of the race, past and present. They have superimposed their knowledge and power upon the world, again and again, all under the Law of THE ALL, of course.

But, yet, even the highest of these advanced Beings exist merely as creations of, and in, the Mind of THE ALL, and are subject to the Cosmic Processes and Universal Laws. They are still Mortal. We may call them "gods" if we like, but still they are but the Elder Brethren of the Race,--the advanced souls who have outstripped their brethren, and who have foregone the ecstasy of Absorption by THE ALL, in order to help the race on its upward journey along The Path. But, they belong to the Universe, and are subject to its conditions--they are mortal--and their plane is below that of Absolute Spirit.

Only the most advanced Hermetists are able to grasp the Inner Teachings regarding the state of existence, and the powers manifested on the Spiritual Planes. The phenomena is so much higher than that of the Mental Planes that a confusion of ideas would surely result from an attempt to describe the same. Only those whose minds have been carefully trained along the lines of the Hermetic Philosophy for years--yes, those who have brought with them from other incarnations the knowledge acquired previously--can comprehend just what is meant by the Teaching regarding these Spiritual Planes. And much of these Inner Teachings is held by the Hermetists as being too sacred, important and even dangerous for general public dissemination. The intelligent student may recognize what we mean by this when we state that the meaning of "Spirit" as used by the Hermetists is akin to "Living Power"; "Animated Force;" "Inner Essence;" "Essence of Life," etc., which meaning must not be confounded with that usually and commonly employed in connection with the term, i.e., "religious; ecclesiastical; spiritual; ethereal; holy," etc., etc. To occultists the word "Spirit" is used in the sense of "The Animating Principle," carrying with it the idea of Power, Living Energy, Mystic Force, etc. And occultists know that that which is known to them as "Spiritual Power" may be employed for evil as well as good ends (in accordance with the Principle of Polarity), a fact which has been recognized by the majority of religions in their conceptions of Satan, Beelzebub, the Devil, Lucifer, Fallen Angels, etc. And so the knowledge regarding these Planes has been kept in the Holy of Holies in all Esoteric Fraternities and Occult Orders,--in the Secret Chamber of the Temple. But this may be said here, that those who have attained high spiritual powers and have misused them, have a terrible fate in store for them, and the swing of the pendulum of Rhythm will inevitably swing them back to the furthest extreme of Material existence, from which point they must retrace their steps Spiritward, along the weary rounds of The Path, but always with the added torture of having always with them a lingering memory of the heights from which they fell owing to their evil actions. The legends of the Fallen Angels have a basis in actual facts, as all advanced occultists know. The striving for selfish power on the Spiritual Planes inevitably results in the selfish soul losing its spiritual balance and falling back as far as it had previously risen. But to even such a soul, the opportunity of a return is given--and such souls make the return journey, paying the terrible penalty according to the invariable Law.

In conclusion we would again remind you that according to the Principle of Correspondence, which embodies the truth: "As Above so Below; as Below, so Above," all of the Seven Hermetic Principles are in full operation on all of the many planes, Physical Mental and Spiritual. The Principle of Mental Substance of course applies to all the planes, for all are held in the Mind of THE ALL. The Principle of Correspondence manifests in all, for there is a correspondence, harmony and agreement between the several planes. The Principle of Vibration manifests on all planes, in fact the very differences that go to make the "planes" arise from Vibration, as we have explained. The Principle of Polarity manifests on each plane, the extremes of the Poles being apparently opposite and contradictory. The Principle of Rhythm manifests on each Plane, the movement of the phenomena having its ebb and flow, rise and flow, incoming and outgoing. The Principle of Cause and Effect manifests on each Plane, every Effect having its Cause and every Cause having its effect. The Principle of Gender manifests on each Plane, the Creative Energy being always manifest, and operating along the lines of its Masculine and Feminine Aspects.

"As Above so Below; as Below, so Above." This centuries old Hermetic axiom embodies one of the great Principles of Universal Phenomena. As we proceed with our consideration of the remaining Principles, we will see even more clearly the truth of the universal nature of this great Principle of Correspondence.

     
 

  

CHAPTER IX

  

VIBRATION

    "Nothing rests; everything moves; everything
     vibrates."--The Kybalion.

The great Third Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Vibration--embodies the truth that Motion is manifest in everything in the Universe--that nothing is at rest--that everything moves, vibrates, and circles. This Hermetic Principle was recognized by some of the early Greek philosophers who embodied it in their systems. But, then, for centuries it was lost sight of by the thinkers outside of the Hermetic ranks. But in the Nineteenth Century physical science re-discovered the truth and the Twentieth Century scientific discoveries have added additional proof of the correctness and truth of this centuries-old Hermetic doctrine.

The Hermetic Teachings are that not only is everything in constant movement and vibration, but that the "differences" between the various manifestations of the universal power are due entirely to the varying rate and mode of vibrations. Not only this, but that even THE ALL, in itself, manifests a constant vibration of such an infinite degree of intensity and rapid motion that it may be practically considered as at rest, the teachers directing the attention of the students to the fact that even on the physical plane a rapidly moving object (such as a revolving wheel) seems to be at rest. The Teachings are to the effect that Spirit is at one end of the Pole of Vibration, the other Pole being certain extremely gross forms of Matter. Between these two poles are millions upon millions of different rates and modes of vibration.

Modern Science has proven that all that we call Matter and Energy are but "modes of vibratory motion," and some of the more advanced scientists are rapidly moving toward the positions of the occultists who hold that the phenomena of Mind are likewise modes of vibration or motion. Let us see what science has to say regarding the question of vibrations in matter and energy.

In the first place, science teaches that all matter manifests, in some degree, the vibrations arising from temperature or heat. Be an object cold or hot--both being but degrees of the same things--it manifests certain heat vibrations, and in that sense is in motion and vibration. Then all particles of Matter are in circular movement, from corpuscle to suns. The planets revolve around suns, and many of them turn on their axes. The suns move around greater central points, and these are believed to move around still greater, and so on, ad infinitum. The molecules of which the particular kinds of Matter are composed are in a state of constant vibration and movement around each other and against each other. The molecules are composed of Atoms, which, likewise, are in a state of constant movement and vibration. The atoms are composed of Corpuscles, sometimes called "electrons," "ions," etc., which also are in a state of rapid motion, revolving around each other, and which manifest a very rapid state and mode of vibration. And, so we see that all forms of Matter manifest Vibration, in accordance with the Hermetic Principle of Vibration.

And so it is with the various forms of Energy. Science teaches that Light, Heat, Magnetism and Electricity are but forms of vibratory motion connected in some way with, and probably emanating from the Ether. Science does not as yet attempt to explain the nature of the phenomena known as Cohesion, which is the principle of Molecular Attraction; nor Chemical Affinity, which is the principle of Atomic Attraction; nor Gravitation (the greatest mystery of the three), which is the principle of attraction by which every particle or mass of Matter is bound to every other particle or mass. These three forms of Energy are not as yet understood by science, yet the writers incline to the opinion that these too are manifestations of some form of vibratory energy, a fact which the Hermetists have held and taught for ages past.

The Universal Ether, which is postulated by science without its nature being understood clearly, is held by the Hermetists to be but a higher manifestation of that which is erroneously called matter--that is to say, Matter at a higher degree of vibration--and is called by them "The Ethereal Substance." The Hermetists teach that this Ethereal Substance is of extreme tenuity and elasticity, and pervades universal space, serving as a medium of transmission of waves of vibratory energy, such as heat, light, electricity, magnetism, etc. The Teachings are that The Ethereal Substance is a connecting link between the forms of vibratory energy known as "Matter" on the one hand, and "Energy or Force" on the other; and also that it manifests a degree of vibration, in rate and mode, entirely its own.

Scientists have offered the illustration of a rapidly moving wheel, top, or cylinder, to show the effects of increasing rates of vibration. The illustration supposes a wheel, top, or revolving cylinder, running at a low rate of speed--we will call this revolving thing "the object" in following out the illustration. Let us suppose the object moving slowly. It may be seen readily, but no sound of its movement reaches the ear. The speed is gradually increased. In a few moments its movement becomes so rapid that a deep growl or low note may be heard. Then as the rate is increased the note rises one in the musical scale. Then, the motion being still further increased, the next highest note is distinguished. Then, one after another, all the notes of the musical scale appear, rising higher and higher as the motion is increased. Finally when the motions have reached a certain rate the final note perceptible to human ears is reached and the shrill, piercing shriek dies away, and silence follows. No sound is heard from the revolving object, the rate of motion being so high that the human ear cannot register the vibrations. Then comes the perception of rising degrees of Heat. Then after quite a time the eye catches a glimpse of the object becoming a dull dark reddish color. As the rate increases, the red becomes brighter. Then as the speed is increased, the red melts into an orange. Then the orange melts into a yellow. Then follow, successively, the shades of green, blue, indigo, and finally violet, as the rate of sped increases. Then the violet shades away, and all color disappears, the human eye not being able to register them. But there are invisible rays emanating from the revolving object, the rays that are used in photographing, and other subtle rays of light. Then begin to manifest the peculiar rays known as the "X Rays," etc., as the constitution of the object changes. Electricity and Magnetism are emitted when the appropriate rate of vibration is attained.

When the object reaches a certain rate of vibration its molecules disintegrate, and resolve themselves into the original elements or atoms. Then the atoms, following the Principle of Vibration, are separated into the countless corpuscles of which they are composed. And finally, even the corpuscles disappear and the object may be said to Be composed of The Ethereal Substance. Science does not dare to follow the illustration further, but the Hermetists teach that if the vibrations be continually increased the object would mount up the successive states of manifestation and would in turn manifest the various mental stages, and then on Spiritward, until it would finally re-enter THE ALL, which is Absolute Spirit. The "object," however, would have ceased to be an "object" long before the stage of Ethereal Substance was reached, but otherwise the illustration is correct inasmuch as it shows the effect of constantly increased rates and modes of vibration. It must be remembered, in the above illustration, that at the stages at which the "object" throws off vibrations of light, heat, etc., it is not actually "resolved" into those forms of energy (which are much higher in the scale), but simply that it reaches a degree of vibration in which those forms of energy are liberated, in a degree, from the confining influences of its molecules, atoms and corpuscles, as the case may be. These forms of energy, although much higher in the scale than matter, are imprisoned and confined in the material combinations, by reason of the energies manifesting through, and using material forms, but thus becoming entangled and confined in their creations of material forms, which, to an extent, is true of all creations, the creating force becoming involved in its creation.

But the Hermetic Teachings go much further than do those of modern science. They teach that all manifestation of thought, emotion, reason, will or desire, or any mental state or condition, are accompanied by vibrations, a portion of which are thrown off and which tend to affect the minds of other persons by "induction." This is the principle which produces the phenomena of "telepathy"; mental influence, and other forms of the action and power of mind over mind, with which the general public is rapidly becoming acquainted, owing to the wide dissemination of occult knowledge by the various schools, cults and teachers along these lines at this time.

Every thought, emotion or mental state has its corresponding rate and mode of vibration. And by an effort of the will of the person, or of other persons, these mental states may be reproduced, just as a musical tone may be reproduced by causing an instrument to vibrate at a certain rate--just as color may be reproduced in the same may. By a knowledge of the Principle of Vibration, as applied to Mental Phenomena, one may polarize his mind at any degree he wishes, thus gaining a perfect control over his mental states, moods, etc. In the same way he may affect the minds of others, producing the desired mental states in them. In short, he may be able to produce on the Mental Plane that which science produces on the Physical Plane--namely, "Vibrations at Will." This power of course may be acquired only by the proper instruction, exercises, practice, etc., the science being that of Mental Transmutation, one of the branches of the Hermetic Art.

A little reflection on what we have said will show the student that the Principle of Vibration underlies the wonderful phenomena of the power manifested by the Masters and Adepts, who are able to apparently set aside the Laws of Nature, but who, in reality, are simply using one law against another; one principle against others; and who accomplish their results by changing the vibrations of material objects, or forms of energy, and thus perform what are commonly called "miracles."

As one of the old Hermetic writers has truly said: "He who understands the Principle of Vibration, has grasped the scepter of Power."

     
 

  

CHAPTER X

  

POLARITY

    "Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything
     has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same;
     opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree;
     extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes
     may be reconciled."--The Kybalion.

The great Fourth Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Polarity embodies the truth that all manifested things have "two sides"; "two aspects"; "two poles"; a "pair of opposites," with manifold degrees between the two extremes. The old paradoxes, which have ever perplexed the mind of men, are explained by an understanding of this Principle. Man has always recognized something akin to this Principle, and has endeavored to express it by such sayings, maxims and aphorisms as the following: "Everything is and isn't, at the same time"; "all truths are but half-truths"; "every truth is half-false"; "there are two sides to everything"--"there is a reverse side to every shield," etc., etc.

The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that the difference between things seemingly diametrically opposed to each other is merely a matter of degree. It teaches that "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled," and that "thesis and anti-thesis are identical in nature, but different in degree"; and that the "universal reconciliation of opposites" is effected by a recognition of this Principle of Polarity. The teachers claim that illustrations of this Principle may be had on every hand, and from an examination into the real nature of anything. They begin by showing that Spirit and Matter are but the two poles of the same thing, the intermediate planes being merely degrees of vibration. They show that THE ALL and The Many are the same, the difference being merely a matter of degree of Mental Manifestation. Thus the LAW and Laws are the two opposite poles of one thing. Likewise, PRINCIPLE and Principles. Infinite Mind and finite minds.

Then passing on to the Physical Plane, they illustrate the Principle by showing that Heat and Cold are identical in nature, the differences being merely a matter of degrees. The thermometer shows many degrees of temperature, the lowest pole being called "cold," and the highest "heat." Between these two poles are many degrees of "heat" or "cold," call them either and you are equally correct. The higher of two degrees is always "warmer," while the lower is always "colder." There is no absolute standard-all is a matter of degree. There is no place on the thermometer where heat ceases and cold begins. It is all a matter of higher or lower vibrations. The very terms "high" and "low," which we are compelled to use, are but poles of the same thing-the terms are relative. So with "East and West"--travel around the world in an eastward direction, and you reach a point which is called west at your starting point, and you return from that westward point. Travel far enough North, and you will find yourself traveling South, or vice versa.

Light and Darkness are poles of the same thing, with many degrees between them. The musical scale is the same--starting with "C" you move upward until you reach another "C" and so on, the differences between the two ends of the board being the same, with many degrees between the two extremes. The scale of color is the same-higher and lower vibrations being the only difference between high violet and low red. Large and Small are relative. So are Noise and Quiet; Hard and Soft follow the rule. Likewise Sharp and Dull. Positive and Negative are two poles of the same thing, with countless degrees between them.

Good and Bad are not absolute--we call one end of the scale Good and the other Bad, or one end Good and the other Evil, according to the use of the terms. A thing is "less good" than the thing higher in the scale; but that "less good" thing, in turn, is "more good" than the thing next below it--and so on, the "more or less" being regulated by the position on the scale.

And so it is on the Mental Plane. "Love and. Hate" are generally regarded as being things diametrically opposed to each other; entirely different; unreconcilable. But we apply the Principle of Polarity; we find that there is no such thing as Absolute Love or Absolute Hate, as distinguished from each other. The two are merely terms applied to the two poles of the same thing. Beginning at any point of the scale we find "more love," or "less hate," as we ascend the scale; and "more hate" or "less love" as we descend this being true no matter from what point, high or low, we may start. There are degrees of Love and Hate, and there is a middle point where "Like and Dislike" become so faint that it is difficult to distinguish between them. Courage and Fear come under the same rule. The Pairs of Opposites exist everywhere. Where you find one thing you find its opposite-the two poles.

And it is this fact that enables the Hermetist to transmute one mental state into another, along the lines of Polarization. Things belonging to different classes cannot be transmuted into each other, but things of the same class may be changed, that is, may have their polarity changed. Thus Love never becomes East or West, or Red or Violet-but it may and often does turn into Hate and likewise Hate may be transformed into Love, by changing its polarity. Courage may be transmuted into Fear, and the reverse. Hard things may be rendered Soft. Dull things become Sharp. Hot things become Cold. And so on, the transmutation always being between things of the same kind of different degrees. Take the case of a Fearful man. By raising his mental vibrations along the line of Fear- Courage, he can be filled with the highest degree of Courage and Fearlessness. And, likewise, the Slothful man may change himself into an Active, Energetic individual simply by polarizing along the lines of the desired quality.

The student who is familiar with the processes by which the various schools of Mental Science, etc., produce changes in the mental states of those following their teachings, may not readily understand the principle underlying many of these changes. When, however, the Principle of Polarity is once grasped, and it is seen that the mental changes are occasioned by a change of polarity-a sliding along the same scale-the hatter is readily understood. The change is not in the nature of a transmutation of one thing into another thing entirely different-but is merely a change of degree in the same things, a vastly important difference. For instance, borrowing an analogy from the Physical Plane, it is impossible to change Heat into Sharpness, Loudness, Highness, etc., but Heat may readily be transmuted into Cold, simply by lowering the vibrations. In the same way Hate and Love are mutually transmutable; so are Fear and Courage. But Fear cannot be transformed into Love, nor can Courage be transmuted into Hate. The mental states belong to innumerable classes, each class of which has its opposite poles, along which transmutation is possible.

The student will readily recognize that in the mental states, as well as in the phenomena of the Physical Plane, the two poles may be classified as Positive and Negative, respectively. Thus Love is Positive to Hate; Courage to Fear; Activity to Non-Activity, etc., etc. And it will also be noticed that even to those unfamiliar with the Principle of Vibration, the Positive pole seems to be of a higher degree than the Negative, and readily dominates it. The tendency of Nature is in the direction of the dominant activity of the Positive pole.

In addition to the changing of the poles of one's own mental states by the operation of the art of Polarization, the phenomena of Mental Influence, in its manifold phases, shows us that the principle may be extended so as to embrace the phenomena of the influence of one mind over that of another, of which so much has been written and taught of late years. When it is understood that Mental Induction is possible, that is that mental states may be produced by "induction" from others, then we can readily see how a certain rate of vibration, or polarization of a certain mental state, may be communicated to another person, and his polarity in that class of mental states thus changed. It is along this principle that the results of many of the "mental treatments" are obtained. For instance, a person is "blue," melancholy and full of fear. A mental scientist bringing his own mind up to the desired vibration by his trained will, and thus obtaining the desired polarization in his own case, then produces a similar mental state in the other by induction, the result being that the vibrations are raised and the person polarizes toward the Positive end of the scale instead toward the Negative, and his Fear and other negative emotions are transmuted to Courage and similar positive mental states. A little study will show you that these mental changes are nearly all along the line of Polarization, the change being one of degree rather than of kind.

A knowledge of the existence of this great Hermetic Principle will enable the student to better understand his own mental states, and those of other people. He will see that these states are all matters of degree, and seeing thus, he will be able to raise or lower the vibration at will--to change his mental poles, and thus be Master of his mental states, instead of being their servant and slave. And by his knowledge he will be able to aid his fellows intelligently and by the appropriate methods change the polarity when the same is desirable. We advise all students to familiarize themselves with this Principle of Polarity, for a correct understanding of the same will throw light on many difficult subjects.

     
 

  

CHAPTER XI

  

RHYTHM

    "Everything flows out and in; everything has its tides;
     all things rise and fall; the pendulum-swing manifests
     in everything; the measure of the swing to the right,
     is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm
     compensates"--The Kybalion.

The great Fifth Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Rhythm-embodies the truth that in everything there is manifested a measured motion; a to-and-from movement; a flow and inflow; a swing forward and backward; a pendulum-like movement; a tide-like ebb and flow; a high-tide and a low- tide; between the two-poles manifest on the physical, mental or spiritual planes. The Principle of rhythm is closely connected with the Principle of Polarity described in the preceding chapter. Rhythm manifests between the two poles established by the Principle of Polarity. This does not mean, however, that the pendulum of Rhythm swings to the extreme poles, for this rarely happens; in fact, it is difficult to establish the extreme polar opposites in the majority of cases. But the swing is ever "toward" first one pole and then the other.

There is always an action and reaction; an advance and a retreat; a rising and a sinking; manifested in all of the airs and phenomena of the Universe. Suns, worlds, men, animals, plants, minerals, forces, energy, mind and matter, yes, even Spirit, manifests this Principle. The Principle manifests in the creation and destruction of worlds; in the rise and fall of nations; in the life history of all things; and finally in the mental states of Man.

Beginning with the manifestations of Spirit--of THE ALL--it will be noticed that there is ever the Outpouring and the Indrawing; the "Outbreathing and Inbreathing of Brahm," as the Brahmans word it. Universes are created; reach their extreme low point of materiality; and then begin in their upward swing. Suns spring into being, and then their height of power being reached, the process of retrogression begins, and after aeons they become dead masses of matter, awaiting another impulse which starts again their inner energies into activity and a new solar life cycle is begun. And thus it is with all the worlds; they are born, grow and die; only to be reborn. And thus it is with all the things of shape and form; they swing from action to reaction; from birth to death; from activity to inactivity--and then back again. Thus it is with all living things; they are born, grow, and die--and then are reborn. So it is with all great movements, philosophies, creeds, fashions, governments, nations, and all else-birth, growth, maturity, decadence, death-and then new-birth. The swing of the pendulum is ever in evidence.

Night follows day; and day night. The pendulum swings from Summer to Winter, and then back again. The corpuscles, atoms, molecules, and all masses of matter, swing around the circle of their nature. There is no such thing as absolute rest, or cessation from movement, and all movement partakes of rhythm. The principle is of universal application. It may be applied to any question, or phenomena of any of the many planes of life. It may be applied to all phases of human activity. There is always the Rhythmic swing from one pole to the other. The Universal Pendulum is ever in motion. The Tides of Life flow in and out, according to Law.

The Principle of rhythm is well understood by modern science, and is considered a universal law as applied to material things. But the Hermetists carry the principle much further, and know that its manifestations and influence extend to the mental activities of Man, and that it accounts for the bewildering succession of moods, feelings and other annoying and perplexing changes that we notice in ourselves. But the Hermetists by studying the operations of this Principle have learned to escape some of its activities by Transmutation.

The Hermetic Masters long since discovered that while the Principle of Rhythm was invariable, and ever in evidence in mental phenomena, still there were two planes of its manifestation so far as mental phenomena are concerned. They discovered that there were two general planes of Consciousness, the Lower and the Higher, the understanding of which fact enabled them to rise to the higher plane and thus escape the swing of the Rhythmic pendulum which manifested on the lower plane. In other words, the swing of the pendulum occurred on the Unconscious Plane, and the Consciousness was not affected. This they call the Law of Neutralization. Its operations consist in the raising of the Ego above the vibrations of the Unconscious Plane of mental activity, so that the negative-swing of the pendulum is not manifested in consciousness, and therefore they are not affected. It is akin to rising above a thing and letting it pass beneath you. The Hermetic Master, or advanced student, polarizes himself at the desired pole, and by a process akin to "refusing" to participate in the backward swing or, if you prefer, a "denial" of its influence over him, he stands firm in his polarized position, and allows the mental pendulum to swing back along the unconscious plane. All individuals who have attained any degree of self- mastery, accomplish this, more or less unknowingly, and by refusing to allow their moods and negative mental states to affect them, they apply the Law of Neutralization. The Master, however, carries this to a much higher degree of proficiency, and by the use of his Will he attains a degree of Poise and Mental Firmness almost impossible of belief on the part of those who allow themselves to be swung backward and forward by the mental pendulum of moods and feelings.

The importance of this will be appreciated by any thinking person who realizes what creatures of moods, feelings and emotion the majority of people are, and how little mastery of themselves they manifest. If you will stop and consider a moment, you will realize how much these swings of Rhythm have affected you in your life--how a period of Enthusiasm has been invariably followed by an opposite feeling and mood of Depression. Likewise, your moods and periods of Courage have been succeeded by equal moods of Fear. And so it has ever been with the majority of persons--tides of feeling have ever risen and fallen with them, but they have never suspected the cause or reason of the mental phenomena. An understanding of the workings of this Principle will give one the key to the Mastery of these rhythmic swings of feeling, and will enable him to know himself better and to avoid being carried away by these inflows and outflows. The Will is superior to the conscious manifestation of this Principle, although the Principle itself can never be destroyed. We may escape its effects, but the Principle operates, nevertheless. The pendulum ever swings, although we may escape being carried along with it.

There are other features of the operation of this Principle of Rhythm of which we wish to speak at this point. There comes into its operations that which is known as the Law of Compensation. One of the definitions or meanings of the word "Compensate" is, "to counterbalance" which is the sense in which the Hermetists use the term. It is this Law of Compensation to which the Kybalion refers when it says: "The measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates."

The Law of Compensation is that the swing in one direction determines the swing in the opposite direction, or to the opposite pole-the one balances, or counterbalances, the other. On the Physical Plane we see many examples of this Law. The pendulum of the clock swings a certain distance to the right, and then an equal distance to the left. The seasons balance each other in the same way. The tides follow the same Law. And the same Law is manifested in all the phenomena of Rhythm. The pendulum, with a short swing in one direction, has but a short swing in the other; while the long swing to the right invariably means the long swing to the left. An object hurled upward to a certain height has an equal distance to traverse on its return. The force with which a projectile is sent upward a mile is reproduced when the projectile returns to the earth on its return journey. This Law is constant on the Physical Plane, as reference to the standard authorities will show you.

But the Hermetists carry it still further. They teach that a man's mental states are subject to the same Law. The man who enjoys keenly, is subject to keen suffering; while he who feels but little pain is capable of feeling but little joy. The pig suffers but little mentally, and enjoys but little--he is compensated. And on the other hand, there are other animals who enjoy keenly, but whose nervous organism and temperament cause them to suffer exquisite degrees of pain and so it is with Man. There are temperaments which permit of but low degrees of enjoyment, and equally low degrees of suffering; while there are others which permit the most intense enjoyment, but also the most intense suffering. The rule is that the capacity for pain and pleasure, in each individual, are balanced. The Law of Compensation is in full operation here.

But the Hermetists go still further in this matter. They teach that before one is able to enjoy a certain degree of pleasure, he must have swung as far, proportionately, toward the other pole of feeling. They hold, however, that the Negative is precedent to the Positive in this matter, that is to say that in experiencing a certain degree of pleasure it does not follow that he will have to "pay up for it" with a corresponding degree of pain; on the contrary, the pleasure is the Rhythmic swing, according to the Law of Compensation, for a degree of pain previously experienced either in the present life, or in a previous incarnation. This throws a new light on the Problem of Pain.

The Hermetists regard the chain of lives as continuous, and as forming a part of one life of the individual, so that in consequence the rhythmic swing is understood in this way, while it would be without meaning unless the truth of reincarnation is admitted.

But the Hermetists claim that the Master or advanced student is able, to a great degree, to escape the swing toward Pain, by the process of Neutralization before mentioned. By rising on to the higher plane of the Ego, much of the experience that comes to those dwelling on the lower plane is avoided and escaped.

The Law of Compensation plays an important part in the lives of men and women. It will be noticed that one generally "pays the price" of anything he possesses or lacks. If he has one thing, he lacks another--the balance is struck. No one can "keep his penny and have the bit of cake" at the same time Everything has its pleasant and unpleasant sides. The things that one gains are always paid for by the things that one loses. The rich possess much that the poor lack, while the poor often possess things that are beyond the reach of the rich. The millionaire may have the inclination toward feasting, and the wealth wherewith to secure all the dainties and luxuries of the table, while he lacks the appetite to enjoy the same; he envies the appetite and digestion of the laborer who lacks the wealth and inclinations of the millionaire, and who gets more pleasure from his plain food than the millionaire could obtain even if his appetite were not jaded, nor his digestion ruined, for the wants, habits and inclinations differ. And so it is through life. The Law of Compensation is ever in operation, striving to balance and counter-balance, and always succeeding in time, even though several lives may be required for the return swing of the Pendulum of Rhythm.

     
 

  

CHAPTER XII

  

CAUSATION

    "Every Cause has its Effect; every Effect has its Cause;
     everything happens according to Law; Chance is but a
     name for Law not recognized; there are many planes of
     causation, but nothing escapes the Law."--The Kybalion.

The great Sixth Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Cause and Effect--embodies the truth that Law pervades the Universe; that nothing happens by Chance; that Chance is merely a term indicating cause existing but not recognized or perceived; that phenomena is continuous, without break or exception.

The Principle of Cause and Effect underlies all scientific thought, ancient and modern, and was enunciated by the Hermetic Teachers in the earliest days. While many and varied disputes between the many schools of thought have since arisen, these disputes have been principally upon the details of the operations of the Principle, and still more often upon the meaning of certain words. The underlying Principle of Cause and Effect has been accepted as correct by practically all the thinkers of the world worthy of the name. To think otherwise would be to take the phenomena of the universe from the domain of Law and Order, and to relegate it; to the control of the imaginary something which men have called "Chance."

A little consideration will show anyone that there is in reality no such thing as pure chance. Webster defines the word "Chance" as follows: "A supposed agent or mode of activity other than a force, law or purpose; the operation or activity of such agent; the supposed effect of such an agent; a happening; fortuity; casualty, etc." But a little consideration will show you that there can be no such agent as "Chance," in the sense of something outside of Law-something outside of Cause and Effect. How could there be a something acting in the phenomenal universe, independent of the laws, order, and continuity of the latter? Such a something would be entirely independent of the orderly trend of the universe, and therefore superior to it. We can imagine nothing outside of THE ALL being outside of the Law, and that only because THE ALL is the LAW in itself. There is no room in the universe for a something outside of and independent of Law. The existence of such a Something would render all Natural Laws ineffective, and would plunge the universe into chaotic disorder and lawlessness.

A careful examination will show that what we call "Chance" is merely an expression relating to obscure causes; causes that we cannot perceive; causes that we cannot understand. The word Chance is derived from a word Meaning "to fall" (as the falling of dice), the idea being that the fall of the dice (and many other happenings) are merely a "happening" unrelated to any cause. And this is the sense in which the term is generally employed. But when the matter is closely examined, it is seen that there is no chance whatsoever about the fall of the dice. Each time a die falls, and displays a certain number, it obeys a law as infallible as that which governs the revolution of the planets around the sun. Back of the fall of the die are causes, or chains of causes, running back further than the mind can follow. The position of the die in the box; the amount of muscular energy expended in the throw; the condition of the table, etc., etc., all are causes, the effect of which may be seen. But back of these seen causes there are chains of unseen preceding causes, all of which had a bearing upon the number of the die which fell uppermost.

If a die be cast a great number of times, it will be found that the numbers shown will be about equal, that is, there will be an equal number of one-spot, two-spot, etc., coming uppermost. Toss a penny in the air, and it may come down either "heads" or "tails"; but make a sufficient number of tosses, and the heads and tails will about even up. This is the operation of the law of average. But both the average and the single toss come under the Law of Cause and Effect, and if we were able to examine into the preceding causes, it would be clearly seen that it was simply impossible for the die to fall other than it did, under the same circumstances and at the same time. Given the same causes, the same results will follow. There is always a "cause" and a "because" to every event. Nothing ever "happens" without a cause, or rather a chain of causes.

Some confusion has arisen in the minds of persons considering this Principle, from the fact that they were unable to explain how one thing could cause another thing--that is, be the "creator" of the second thing. As a matter of fact, no "thing" ever causes or "creates" another "thing." Cause and Effect deals merely with "events." An "event" is "that which comes, arrives or happens, as a result or consequent of some preceding event." No event "creates" another event, but is merely a preceding link in the great orderly chain of events flowing from the creative energy of THE ALL. There is a continuity between all events precedent, consequent and subsequent. There is a relation existing between everything that has gone before, and everything that follows. A stone is dislodged from a mountain side and crashes through a roof of a cottage in the valley below. At first sight we regard this as a chance effect, but when we examine the matter we find a great chain of causes behind it. In the first place there was the rain which softened the earth supporting the stone and which allowed it to fall; then back of that was the influence of the sun, other rains, etc., which gradually disintegrated the piece of rock from a larger piece; then there were the causes which led to the formation of the mountain, and its upheaval by convulsions of nature, and so on ad infinitum. Then we might follow up the causes behind the rain, etc. Then we might consider the existence of the roof In short, we would soon find ourselves involved in a mesh of cause and effect, from which we would soon strive to extricate ourselves.

Just as a man has two parents, and four grandparents, and eight great-grandparents, and sixteen great-great-grandparents, and so on until when, say, forty generations are calculated the numbers of ancestors run into many millions--so it is with the number of causes behind even the most trifling event or phenomena, such as the passage of a tiny speck of soot before your eye. It is not an easy matter to trace the bit of soot hack to the early period of the world's history when it formed a part of a massive tree-trunk, which was afterward converted into coal, and so on, until as the speck of soot it now passes before your vision on its way to other adventures. And a mighty chain of events, causes and effects, brought it to its present condition, and the later is but one of the chain of events which will go to produce other events hundreds of years from now. One of the series of events arising from the tiny bit of soot was the writing of these lines, which caused the typesetter to perform certain work; the proofreader to do likewise; and which will arouse certain thoughts in your mind, and that of others, which in turn will affect others, and so on, and on, and on, beyond the ability of man to think further-and all from the passage of a tiny bit of soot, all of which shows the relativity and association of things, and the further fact that "there is no great; there is no small, in the mind that causeth all."

Stop to think a moment. If a certain man had not met a certain maid, away back in the dim period of the Stone Age--you who are now reading these lines would not now be here. And if, perhaps, the same couple had failed to meet, we who now write these lines would not now be here. And the very act of writing, on our part, and the act of reading, on yours, will affect not only the respective lives of yourself and ourselves, but will also have a direct, or indirect, affect upon many other people now living and who will live in the ages to come. Every thought we think, every act we perform, has its direct and indirect results which fit into the great chain of Cause and Effect.

We do not wish to enter into a consideration of Free Will, or Determinism, in this work, for various reasons. Among the many reasons, is the principal one that neither side of the controversy is entirely right-in fact, both sides are partially right, according to the Hermetic Teachings. The Principle of Polarity shows that both are but Half-Truths the opposing poles of Truth. The Teachings are that a man may be both Free and yet bound by Necessity, depending upon the meaning of the terms, and the height of Truth from which the matter is examined. The ancient writers express the matter thus: "The further the creation is from the Centre, the more it is bound; the nearer the Centre it reaches, the nearer Free is it."

The majority of people are more or less the slaves of heredity, environment, etc., and manifest very little Freedom. They are swayed by the opinions, customs and thoughts of the outside world, and also by their emotions, feelings, moods, etc. They manifest no Mastery, worthy of the name. They indignantly repudiate this assertion, saying, "Why, I certainly am free to act and do as I please--I do just what I want to do," but they fail to explain whence arise the "want to" and "as I please." What makes them "want to" do one thing in preference to another; what makes them "please" to do this, and not do that? Is there no "because" to their "pleasing" and "Wanting"? The Master can change these "pleases" and "wants" into others at the opposite end of the mental pole. He is able to "Will to will," instead of to will because some feeling, mood, emotion, or environmental suggestion arouses a tendency or desire within him so to do.

The majority of people are carried along like the falling stone, obedient to environment, outside influences and internal moods, desires, etc., not to speak of the desires and wills of others stronger than themselves, heredity, environment, and suggestion, carrying them along without resistance on their part, or the exercise of the Will. Moved like the pawns on the checkerboard of life, they play their parts and are laid aside after the game is over. But the Masters, knowing the rules of the game, rise above the plane of material life, and placing themselves in touch with the higher powers of their nature, dominate their own moods, characters, qualities, and polarity, as well as the environment surrounding them and thus become Movers in the game, instead of Pawns-Causes instead of Effects. The Masters do not escape the Causation of the higher planes, but fall in with the higher laws, and thus master circumstances on the lower plane. They thus form a conscious part of the Law, instead of being mere blind instruments. While they Serve on the Higher Planes, they Rule on the Material Plane.

But, on higher and on lower, the Law is always in operation. There is no such thing as Chance. The blind goddess has been abolished by Reason. We are able to see now, with eyes made clear by knowledge, that everything is governed by Universal Law-that the infinite number of laws are but manifestations of the One Great Law-the LAW which is THE ALL. It is true indeed that not a sparrow drops unnoticed by the Mind of THE AL--that even the hairs on our head are numbered--as the scriptures have said There is nothing outside of Law; nothing that happens contrary to it. And yet, do not make the mistake of supposing that Man is but a blind automaton-far from that. The Hermetic Teachings are that Man may use Law to overcome laws, and that the higher will always prevail against the lower, until at last he has reached the stage in which he seeks refuge in the LAW itself, and laughs the phenomenal laws to scorn. Are you able to grasp the inner meaning of this?

     
 

  

CHAPTER XIII

  

GENDER

    "Gender is in everything; everything has its Masculine
     and Feminine Principles; Gender manifests on all
     planes."--The Kybalion.

The great Seventh Hermetic Principle--the Principle of Gender--embodies the truth that there is Gender manifested in everything--that the Masculine and Feminine principles are ever present and active in all phases of phenomena, on each and every plane of life. At this point we think it well to call your attention to the fact that Gender, in its Hermetic sense, and Sex in the ordinarily accepted use of the term, are not the same.

The word "Gender" is derived from the Latin root meaning "to beget; to procreate; to generate; to create; to produce." A moment's consideration will show you that the word has a much broader and more general meaning than the term "Sex," the latter referring to the physical distinctions between male and female living things. Sex is merely a manifestation of Gender on a certain plane of the Great Physical Plane--the plane of organic life. We wish to impress this distinction upon your minds, for the reason that certain writers, who have acquired a smattering of the Hermetic Philosophy, have sought to identify this Seventh Hermetic Principle with wild and fanciful, and often reprehensible, theories and teachings regarding Sex.

The office of Gender is solely that of creating, producing, generating, etc., and its manifestations are visible on every plane of phenomena. It is somewhat difficult to produce proofs of this along scientific lines, for the reason that science has not as yet recognized this Principle as of universal application. But still some proofs are forthcoming from scientific sources. In the first place, we find a distinct manifestation of the Principle of Gender among the corpuscles, ions, or electrons, which constitute the basis of Matter as science now knows the latter, and which by forming certain combinations form the Atom, which until lately was regarded as final and indivisible.

The latest word of science is that the atom is composed of a multitude of corpuscles, electrons, or ions (the various names being applied by different authorities) revolving around each other and vibrating at a high degree and intensity. But the accompanying statement is made that the formation of the atom is really due to the clustering of negative corpuscles around a positive one---the positive corpuscles seeming to exert a certain influence upon the negative corpuscles, causing the latter to assume certain combinations and thus "create" or "generate" an atom. This is in line with the most ancient Hermetic Teachings, which have always identified the Masculine principle of Gender with the "Positive," and the Feminine with the "Negative" Poles of Electricity (so called).

Now a word at this point regarding this identification. The public mind has formed an entirely erroneous impression regarding the qualities of the so-called "Negative" pole of electrified or magnetized Matter. The terms Positive and Negative are very wrongly applied to this phenomenon by science. The word Positive means something real and strong, as compared with a Negative unreality or weakness. Nothing is further from the real facts of electrical phenomenon. The so-called Negative pole of the battery is really the pole in and by which the generation or production of new forms and energies is manifested. There is nothing "negative" about it. The best scientific authorities now use the word "Cathode" in place of "Negative," the word Cathode coming from the Greek root meaning "descent; the path of generation, etc," From the Cathode pole emerge the swarm of electrons or corpuscles; from the same pole emerge those wonderful "rays" which have revolutionized scientific conceptions during the past decade. The Cathode pole is the Mother of all of the strange phenomena which have rendered useless the old textbooks, and which have caused many long accepted theories to be relegated to the scrap-pile of scientific speculation. The Cathode, or Negative Pole, is the Mother Principle of Electrical Phenomena, and of the finest forms of matter as yet known to science. So you see we are justified in refusing to use the term "Negative" in our consideration of the subject, and in insisting upon substituting the word "Feminine" for the old term. The facts of the case bear us out in this, without taking the Hermetic Teachings into consideration. And so we shall use the word "Feminine" in the place of "Negative" in speaking of that pole of activity.

The latest scientific teachings are that the creative corpuscles or electrons are Feminine (science says "they are composed of negative electricity"-we say they are composed of Feminine energy). A Feminine corpuscle becomes detached from, or rather leaves, a Masculine corpuscle, and starts on a new career. It actively seeks a union with a Masculine corpuscle, being urged thereto by the natural impulse to create new forms of Matter or Energy. One writer goes so far as to use the term "it at once seeks, of its own volition, a union," etc. This detachment and uniting form the basis of the greater part of the activities of the chemical world. When the Feminine corpuscle unites with a Masculine corpuscle, a certain process is begun. The Feminine particles vibrate rapidly under the influence of the Masculine energy, and circle rapidly around the latter. The result is the birth of a new atom. This new atom is really composed of a union of the Masculine and Feminine electrons, or corpuscles, but when the union is formed the atom is a separate thing, having certain properties, but no longer manifesting the property of free electricity. The process of detachment or separation of the Feminine electrons is called "ionization." These electrons, or corpuscles, are the most active workers in Nature's field. Arising from their unions, or combinations, manifest the varied phenomena of light, heat, electricity, magnetism, attraction, repulsion, chemical affinity and the reverse, and similar phenomena. And all this arises from the operation of the Principle of Gender on the plane of Energy.

The part of the Masculine principle seems to be that of directing a certain inherent energy toward the Feminine principle, and thus starting into activity the creative processes. But the Feminine principle is the one always doing the active creative work-and this is so on all planes. And yet, each principle is incapable of operative energy without the assistance of the other. In some of the forms of life, the two principles are combined in one organism. For that matter, everything in the organic world manifests both genders--there is always the Masculine present in the Feminine form, and the Feminine form. The Hermetic Teachings include much regarding the operation of the two principles of Gender in the production and manifestation of various forms of energy, etc., but we do not deem it expedient to go into detail regarding the same at this point, because we are unable to back up the same with scientific proof, for the reason that science has not as yet progressed thus far. But the example we have given you of the phenomena of the electrons or corpuscles will show you that science is on the right path, and will also give you a general idea of the underlying principles.

Some leading scientific investigators have announced their belief that in the formation of crystals there was to be found something that corresponded to "sex-activity" which is another straw showing the direction the scientific winds are blowing. And each year will bring other facts to corroborate the correctness of the Hermetic Principle of Gender. It will be found that Gender is in constant operation and manifestation in the field of inorganic matter, and in the field of Energy or Force. Electricity is now generally regarded as the "Something" into which all other forms of energy seem to melt or dissolve. The "Electrical Theory of the Universe" is the latest scientific doctrine, and is growing rapidly in popularity and general acceptance. And it thus follows that if we are able to discover in the phenomena of electricity-even at the very root and source of its manifestations a clear and unmistakable evidence of the presence of Gender and its activities, we are justified in asking you to believe that science at last has offered proofs of the existence in all universal phenomena of that great Hermetic Principle-the Principle of Gender.

It is not necessary to take up your time with the well known phenomena of the "attraction and repulsion" of the atoms; chemical affinity; the "loves and hates" of the atomic particles; the attraction or cohesion between the molecules of matter. These facts are too well known to need extended comment from us. But, have you ever considered that all of these things are manifestations of the Gender Principle? Can you not see that the phenomena is "on all fours" with that of the corpuscles or electrons? And more than this, can you not see the reasonableness of the Hermetic Teachings which assert that the very Law of Gravitation-that strange attraction by reason of which all particles and bodies of matter in the universe tend toward each other is but another manifestation of the Principle of Gender, which operates in the direction of attracting the Masculine to the Feminine energies, and vice versa? We cannot offer you scientific proof of this at this time-but examine the phenomena in the light of the Hermetic Teachings on the subject, and see if you have not a better working hypothesis than any offered by physical science. Submit all physical phenomena to the test, and you will discern the Principle of Gender ever in evidence.

Let us now pass on to a consideration of the operation of the Principle on the Mental Plane. Many interesting features are there awaiting examination.

     
 

  

CHAPTER XIV

  

MENTAL GENDER

Students of psychology who have followed the modern trend of thought along the lines of mental phenomena are struck by the persistence of the dual-mind idea which has manifested itself so strongly during the past ten or fifteen years, and which has given rise to a number of plausible theories regarding the nature and constitution of these "two minds." The late Thomson J. Hudson attained great popularity in 1893 by advancing his well-known theory of the "objective and subjective minds" which he held existed in every individual. Other writers have attracted almost equal attention by the theories regarding the "conscious and subconscious minds"; the "voluntary and involuntary minds"; "the active and passive minds," etc., etc. The theories of the various writers differ from each other, but there remains the underlying principle of "the duality of mind."

The student of the Hermetic Philosophy is tempted to smile when he reads and hears of these many "new theories" regarding the duality of mind, each school adhering tenaciously to its own pet theories, and each claiming to have "discovered the truth." The student turns back the pages of occult history, and away back in the dim beginnings of occult teachings he finds references to the ancient Hermetic doctrine of the Principle of Gender on the Mental Plane-the manifestation of Mental Gender. And examining further he finds that the ancient philosophy took cognizance of the phenomenon of the "dual mind," and accounted for it by the theory of Mental Gender. This idea of Mental Gender may be explained in a few words to students who are familiar with the modern theories just alluded to. The Masculine Principle of Mind corresponds to the so-called Objective Mind; Conscious Mind; Voluntary Mind; Active Mind, etc. And the Feminine Principle of Mind corresponds to the so-called Subjective Mind; Sub-conscious Mind; Involuntary Mind; Passive Mind, etc. Of course the Hermetic Teachings do not agree with the many modern theories regarding the nature of the two phases of mind, nor does it admit many of the facts claimed for the two respective aspects--some of the said theories and claims being very far-fetched and incapable of standing the test of experiment and demonstration. We point to the phases of agreement merely for the purpose of helping the student to assimilate his previously acquired knowledge with the teachings of the Hermetic Philosophy. Students of Hudson will notice the statement at the beginning of his second chapter of "The Law of Psychic Phenomena," that: "The mystic jargon of the Hermetic philosophers discloses the same general idea" i.e., the duality of mind. If Dr. Hudson had taken the time and trouble to decipher a little of "the mystic jargon of the Hermetic Philosophy," he might have received much light upon the subject of "the dual mind"--but then, perhaps, his most interesting work might not have been written. Let us now consider the Hermetic Teachings regarding Mental Gender.

The Hermetic Teachers impart their instruction regarding this subject by bidding their students examine the report of their consciousness regarding their Self. The students are bidden to turn their attention inward upon the Self dwelling within each. Each student is led to see that his consciousness gives him first a report of the existence of his Self-the report is "I Am." This at first seems to be the final words from the consciousness, but a little further examination discloses the fact that this "I Am" may be separated or split into two distinct parts, or aspects, which while working in unison and in conjunction, yet, nevertheless, may be separated in consciousness.

While at first there seems to be only an "I" existing, a more careful and closer examination reveals the fact that there exists an "I" and a "Me." These mental twins differ in their characteristics and nature, and an examination of their nature and the phenomena arising from the same will throw much light upon many of the problems of mental influence.

Let us begin with a consideration of the Me, which is usually mistaken for the I by the student, until he presses the inquiry a little further back into the recesses of consciousness. A man thinks of his Self (in its aspect of Me) as being composed of certain feelings, tastes likes, dislikes, habits, peculiar ties, characteristics, etc., all of which go to make up his personality, or the "Self" known to himself and others. He knows that these emotions and feelings change; are born and die away; are subject to the Principle of Rhythm, and the Principle of Polarity, which take him from one extreme of feeling to another. He also thinks of the "Me" as being certain knowledge gathered together in his mind, and thus forming a part of himself. This is the "Me" of a man.

But we have proceeded too hastily. The "Me" of many men may be said to consist largely of their consciousness of the body and their physical appetites, etc. Their consciousness being largely bound up with their bodily nature, they practically "live there." Some men even go so far as to regard their personal apparel as a part of their "Me" and actually seem to consider it a part of themselves. A writer has humorously said that "men consist of three parts--soul, body and clothes." These "clothes conscious" people would lose their personality if divested of their clothing by savages upon the occasion of a shipwreck. But even many who are not so closely bound up with the idea of personal raiment stick closely to the consciousness of their bodies being their "Me" They cannot conceive of a Self independent of the body. Their mind seems to them to be practically "a something belonging to" their body-which in many cases it is indeed.

But as man rises in the scale of consciousness he is able to disentangle his "Me" from his idea of body, and is able to think of his body as "belonging to" the mental part of him. But even then he is very apt to identify the "Me" entirely with the mental states, feelings, etc., which he feels to exist within him. He is very apt to consider these internal states as identical with himself, instead of their being simply "things" produced by some part of his mentality, and existing within him--of him, and in him, but still not "himself." He sees that he may change these internal states of feelings by all effort of will, and that he may produce a feeling or state of an exactly opposite nature, in the same way, and yet the same "Me" exists. And so after a while he is able to set aside these various mental states, emotions, feelings, habits, qualities, characteristics, and other personal mental belongings--he is able to set them aside in the "not-me" collection of curiosities and encumbrances, as well as valuable possessions. This requires much mental concentration and power of mental analysis on the part of the student. But still the task is possible for the advanced student, and even those not so far advanced are able to see, in the imagination, how the process may be performed.

After this laying-aside process has been performed, the student will find himself in conscious possession of a "Self" which may be considered in its "I" and "Me" dual aspects. The "Me" will be felt to be a Something mental in which thoughts, ideas, emotions, feelings, and other mental states may be produced. It may be considered as the "mental womb," as the ancients styled it-capable of generating mental offspring. It reports to the consciousness as a "Me" with latent powers of creation and generation of mental progeny of all sorts and kinds. Its powers of creative energy are felt to be enormous. But still it seems to be conscious that it must receive some form of energy from either its "I" companion, or else from some other "I" ere it is able to bring into being its mental creations. This consciousness brings with it a realization of an enormous capacity for mental work and creative ability.

But the student soon finds that this is not all that he finds within his inner consciousness. He finds that there exists a mental Something which is able to Will that the "Me" act along certain creative lines, and which is also able to stand aside and witness the mental creation. This part of himself he is taught to call his "I." He is able to rest in its consciousness at will. He finds there not a consciousness of an ability to generate and actively create, in the sense of the gradual process attendant upon mental operations, but rather a sense and consciousness of an ability to project an energy from the "I" to the "Me"--a process of "willing" that the mental creation begin and proceed. He also finds that the "I" is able to stand aside and witness the operations of the "Me's" mental creation and generation. There is this dual aspect in the mind of every person. The "I" represents the Masculine Principle of Mental Gender-the "Me" represents the Female Principle. The "I" represents the Aspect of Being; the "Me" the Aspect of Becoming. You will notice that the Principle of Correspondence operates on this plane just as it does upon the great plane upon which the creation of Universes is performed. The two are similar in kind, although vastly different in degree. "As above, so below; as below, so above."

These aspects of mind-the Masculine and Feminine Principles-the "I" and the "Me"-considered in connection with the well-known mental and psychic phenomena, give the master-key to these dimly known regions of mental operation and manifestation. The principle of Mental Gender gives the truth underlying the whole field of the phenomena of mental influence, etc.

The tendency of the Feminine Principle is always in the direction of receiving impressions, while the tendency of the Masculine Principle is always in the direction of giving, out or expressing. The Feminine Principle has much more varied field of operation than has the Masculine Principle. The Feminine Principle conducts the work of generating new thoughts, concepts, ideas, including the work of the imagination. The Masculine Principle contents itself with the work of the "Will" in its varied phases. And yet, without the active aid of the Will of the Masculine Principle, the Feminine Principle is apt to rest content with generating mental images which are the result of impressions received from outside, instead of producing original mental creations.

Persons who can give continued attention and thought to a subject actively employ both of the Mental Principles-the Feminine in the work of the mental generation, and the Masculine Will in stimulating and energizing the creative portion of the mind. The majority of persons really employ the Masculine Principle but little, and are content to live according to the thoughts and ideas instilled into the "Me" from the "I" of other minds. But it is not our purpose to dwell upon this phase of the subject, which may be studied from any good text-book upon psychology, with the key that we have given you regarding Mental Gender.

The student of Psychic Phenomena is aware of the wonderful phenomena classified under the head of Telepathy; Thought Transference; Mental Influence; Suggestion; Hypnotism, etc. Many have sought for an explanation of these varied phases of phenomena under the theories of the various "dual mind" teachers. And in a measure they are right, for there is clearly a manifestation of two distinct phases of mental activity. But if such students will consider these "dual minds" in the light of the Hermetic Teachings regarding Vibrations and Mental Gender, they will see that the long sought for key is at hand.

In the phenomena of Telepathy it is seen how the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine Principle is projected toward the Feminine Principle of another person, and the latter takes the seed-thought and allows it to develop into maturity. In the same way Suggestion and Hypnotism operates. The Masculine Principle of the person giving the suggestions directs a stream of Vibratory Energy or Will-Power toward the Feminine Principle of the other person, and the latter accepting it makes it its own and acts and thinks accordingly. An idea thus lodged in the mind of another person grows and develops, and in time is regarded as the rightful mental offspring of the individual, whereas it is in reality like the cuckoo egg placed in the sparrows nest, where it destroys the rightful offspring and makes itself at home. The normal method is for the Masculine and Feminine Principles in a person's mind to co-ordinate and act harmoniously in conjunction with each other, but, unfortunately, the Masculine Principle in the average person is too lazy to act-the display of Will-Power is too slight-and the consequence is that such persons are ruled almost entirely by the minds and wills of other persons, whom they allow to do their thinking and willing for them. How few original thoughts or original actions are performed by the average person? Are not the majority of persons mere shadows and echoes of others having stronger wills or minds than themselves? The trouble is that the average person dwells almost altogether in his "Me" consciousness and does not realize that he has such a thing as an "I." He is polarized in his Feminine Principle of Mind, and the Masculine Principle, in which is lodged the Will, is allowed to remain inactive and not employed.

The strong men and women of the world invariably manifest the Masculine Principle of Will, and their strength depends materially upon this fact. Instead of living upon the impressions made upon their minds by others, they dominate their own minds by their Will, obtaining the kind of mental images desired, and moreover dominate the minds of others likewise, in the same manner. Look at the strong people, how they manage to implant their seed-thoughts in the minds of the masses of the people, thus causing the latter to think thoughts in accordance with the desires and wills of the strong individuals. This is why the masses of people are such sheeplike creatures, never originating an idea of their own, nor using their own powers of mental activity.

The manifestation of Mental Gender may be noticed all around us in everyday life. The magnetic persons are those who are able to use the Masculine Principle in the way of impressing their ideas upon others. The actor who makes people weep or cry as he wills, is employing this principle. And so is the successful orator, statesman, preacher, writer or other people who are before the public attention. The peculiar influence exerted by some people over others is due to the manifestation of Mental Gender, along the Vibrational lines above indicated. In this principle lies the secret of personal magnetism, personal influence, fascination, etc., as well as the phenomena generally grouped under the name of Hypnotism.

The student who has familiarized himself with the phenomena generally spoken of as "psychic" will have discovered the important part played in the said phenomena by that force which science has styled "Suggestion," by which term is meant the process or method whereby an idea is transferred to, or "impressed upon" the mind of another, causing the second mind to act in accordance therewith. A correct understanding of Suggestion is necessary in order to intelligently comprehend the varied psychical phenomena which Suggestion underlies. But, still more is a knowledge of Vibration and Mental Gender necessary for the student of Suggestion. For the whole principle of Suggestion depends upon the principle of Mental Gender and Vibration.

It is customary for the writers and teachers of Suggestion to explain that it is the "objective or voluntary" mind which make the mental impression, or suggestion, upon the "subjective or involuntary" mind. But they do not describe the process or give us any analogy in nature whereby we may more readily comprehend the idea. But if you will think of the matter in the light of the Hermetic Teachings you will be able to see that the energizing of the Feminine Principle by the Vibratory Energy of the Masculine Principle Is in accordance to the universal laws of nature, and that the natural world affords countless analogies whereby the principle may be understood. In fact, the Hermetic Teachings show that the very creation of the Universe follows the same law, and that in all creative manifestations, upon the planes of the spiritual, the mental, and the physical, there is always in operation this principle of Gender-this manifestation of the Masculine and the Feminine Principles. "As above, so below; as below, so above." And more than this, when the principle of Mental Gender is once grasped and understood, the varied phenomena of psychology at once becomes capable of intelligent classification and study, instead of being very much in the dark. The principle "works out" in practice, because it is based upon the immutable universal laws of life.

We shall not enter into an extended discussion of, or description of, the varied phenomena of mental influence or psychic activity. There are many books, many of them quite good, which have been written and published on this subject of late years. The main facts stated in these various books are correct, although the several writers have attempted to explain the phenomena by various pet theories of their own. The student may acquaint himself with these matters, and by using the theory of Mental Gender he will be able to bring order out of the chaos of conflicting theory and teachings, and may, moreover, readily make himself a master of the subject if he be so inclined. The purpose of this work is not to give an extended account of psychic phenomena but rather to give to the student a master-key whereby He may unlock the many doors leading into the parts of the Temple of Knowledge which he may wish to explore. We feel that in this consideration of the teachings of The Kybalion, one may find an explanation which will serve to clear away many perplexing difficulties--a key that will unlock many doors. What is the use of going into detail regarding all of the many features of psychic phenomena and mental science, provided we place in the hands of the student the means whereby he may acquaint himself fully regarding any phase of the subject which may interest him. With the aid of The Kybalion one may go through any occult library anew, the old Light from Egypt illuminating many dark pages, and obscure subjects. That is the purpose of this book. We do not come expounding a new philosophy, but rather furnishing the outlines of a great world-old teaching which will make clear the teachings of others-which will serve as a Great Reconciler of differing: theories, and opposing doctrines.

    
 

  

CHAPTER XV

  

HERMETIC AXIOMS

    "The possession of Knowledge, unless accompanied by a
     manifestation and expression in Action, is like the
     hoarding of precious metals-a vain and foolish thing.
     Knowledge, like wealth, is intended for Use. The Law of
     Use is Universal, and he who violates it suffers by
     reason of his conflict with natural forces."--The Kybalion.

The Hermetic Teachings, while always having been kept securely locked up in the minds of the fortunate possessors thereof, for reasons which we have already stated, were never intended to be merely stored away and secreted. The Law of Use is dwelt upon in the Teachings, as you may see by reference to the above quotation from The Kybalion, which states it forcibly. Knowledge without Use and Expression is a vain thing, bringing no good to its possessor, or to the race. Beware of Mental Miserliness, and express into Action that which you have learned. Study the Axioms and Aphorisms, but practice them also.

We give below some of the more important Hermetic Axioms, from The Kybalion, with a few comments added to each. Make these your own, and practice and use them, for they are not really your own until you have Used them.

    "To change your mood or mental state--change your
     vibration."--The Kybalion.

One may change his mental vibrations by an effort of Will, in the direction of deliberately fixing the Attention upon a more desirable state. Will directs the Attention, and Attention changes the Vibration. Cultivate the Art of Attention, by means of the Will, and you have solved the secret of the Mastery of Moods and Mental States.

    "To destroy an undesirable rate of mental vibration,
     put into operation the principle of Polarity and
     concentrate upon the opposite pole to that which
     you desire to suppress. Kill out the undesirable by
     changing its polarity."--The Kybalion.

This is one of the most important of the Hermetic Formulas. It is based upon true scientific principles. We have shown you that a mental state and its opposite were merely the two poles of one thing, and that by Mental Transmutation the polarity might be reversed. This Principle is known to modern psychologists, who apply it to the breaking up of undesirable habits by bidding their students concentrate upon the opposite quality. If you are possessed of Fear, do not waste time trying to "kill out" Fear, but instead cultivate the quality of Courage, and the Fear will disappear. Some writers have expressed this idea most forcibly by using the illustration of the dark room. You do not have to shovel out or sweep out the Darkness, but by merely opening the shutters and letting in the Light the Darkness has disappeared. To kill out a Negative quality, concentrate upon the Positive Pole of that same quality, and the vibrations will gradually change from Negative to Positive, until finally you will become polarized on the Positive pole instead of the Negative. The reverse is also true, as many have found out to their sorrow, when they have allowed themselves to vibrate too constantly on the Negative pole of things. By changing your polarity you may master your moods, change your mental states, remake your disposition, and build up character. Much of the Mental Mastery of the advanced Hermetics is due to this application of Polarity, which is one of the important aspects of Mental Transmutation. Remember the Hermetic Axiom (quoted previously), which says:

    "Mind (as well as metals and elements) may be transmuted
     from state to state; degree to degree, condition to
     condition; pole to pole; vibration to vibration."--The Kybalion.

The mastery of Polarization is the mastery of the fundamental principles of Mental Transmutation or Mental Alchemy, for unless one acquires the art of changing his own polarity, he will be unable to affect his environment. An understanding of this principle will enable one to change his own Polarity, as well as that of others, if he will but devote the time, care, study and practice necessary to master the art. The principle is true, but the results obtained depend upon the persistent patience and practice of the student.

    "Rhythm may be neutralized by an application of the Art
     of Polarization."--The Kybalion.

As we have explained in previous chapters, the Hermetists hold that the Principle of Rhythm manifests on the Mental Plane as well as on the Physical Plane, and that the bewildering succession of moods, feelings, emotions, and other mental states, are due to the backward and forward swing of the mental pendulum, which carries us from one extreme of feeling to the other. The Hermetists also teach that the Law of Neutralization enables one, to a great extent, to overcome the operation of Rhythm in consciousness. As we have explained, there is a Higher Plane of Consciousness, as well as the ordinary Lower Plane, and the Master by rising mentally to the Higher Plane causes the swing of the mental pendulum to manifest on the Lower Plane, and he, dwelling on his Higher Plane, escapes the consciousness of the swing backward. This is effected by polarizing on the Higher Self, and thus raising the mental vibrations of the Ego above those of the ordinary plane of consciousness. It is akin to rising above a thing and allowing it to pass beneath you. The advanced Hermetist polarizes himself at the Positive Pole of his Being-the "I Am" pole rather than the pole of personality and by "refusing" and "denying" the operation of Rhythm, raises himself above its plane of consciousness, and standing firm in his Statement of Being he allows the pendulum to swing back on the Lower Plane without changing his Polarity. This is accomplished by all individuals who have attained any degree of self-mastery, whether they understand the law or not. Such persons simply "refuse" to allow themselves to be swung back by the pendulum of mood and emotion, and by steadfastly affirming the superiority they remain polarized on the Positive pole. The Master, of course, attains a far greater degree of proficiency, because he understands the law which he is overcoming by a higher law, and by the use of his Will he attains a degree of Poise and Mental Steadfastness almost impossible of belief on the part of those who allow themselves to be swung backward and forward by the mental pendulum of moods and feelings.

Remember always, however, that you do not really destroy the Principle of Rhythm, for that is indestructible. You simply overcome one law by counter-balancing it with another and thus maintain an equilibrium. The laws of balance and counter-balance are in operation on the mental as well as on the physical planes, and an understanding of these laws enables one to seem to overthrow laws, whereas he is merely exerting a counterbalance.

    "Nothing escapes the Principle of Cause and Effect,
     but there are many Planes of Causation, and one may use
     the laws of the higher to overcome the laws of the
     lower."--The Kybalion.

By an understanding of the practice of Polarization, the Hermetists rise to a higher plane of Causation and thus counter-balance the laws of the lower planes of Causation. By rising above the plane of ordinary Causes they become themselves, in a degree, Causes instead of being merely Caused. By being able to master their own moods and feelings, and by being able to neutralize Rhythm, as we have already explained, they are able to escape a great part of the operations of Cause and Effect on the ordinary plane. The masses of people are carried along, obedient to their environment; the wills and desires of others stronger than themselves; the effects of inherited tendencies; the suggestions of those about them; and other outward causes; which tend to move them about on the chess-board of life like mere pawns. By rising above these influencing causes, the advanced Hermetists seek a higher plane of mental action, and by dominating their moods, emotions, impulses and feelings, they create for themselves new characters, qualities and powers, by which they overcome their ordinary environment, and thus become practically players instead of mere Pawns. Such people help to play the game of life understandingly, instead of being moved about this way and that way by stronger influences and powers and wills. They use the Principle of Cause and Effect, instead of being used by it. Of course, even the highest are subject to the Principle as it manifests on the higher planes, but on the lower planes of activity, they are Masters instead of Slaves. As The Kybalion says:

    "The wise ones serve on the higher, but rule on the lower.
     They obey the laws coming from above them, But on their
     own plane, and those below them they rule and give orders.
     And, yet, in so doing, they form a part of the Principle,
     instead of opposing it. The wise man falls in with the Law,
     and by understanding its movements he operates it instead
     of being its blind slave. Just as does the skilled swimmer
     turn this way and that way, going and coming as he will,
     instead of being as the log which is carried here and
     there--so is the wise man as compared to the ordinary
     man--and yet both swimmer and log; wise man and fool,
     are subject to Law. He who understands this is well on
     the road to Mastery."--The Kybalion.

In conclusion let us again call your attention to the Hermetic Axiom:

    "True Hermetic Transmutation is a Mental Art."--The Kybalion.

In the above axiom, the Hermetists teach that the great work of influencing one's environment is accomplished by Mental Power. The Universe being wholly mental, it follows that it may be ruled only by Mentality. And in this truth is to be found an explanation of all the phenomena and manifestations of the various mental powers which are attracting so much attention and study in these earlier years of the Twentieth Century. Back of and under the teachings of the various cults and schools, remains ever constant the Principle of the Mental Substance of the Universe. If the Universe be Mental in its substantial nature, then it follows that Mental Transmutation must change the conditions and phenomena of the Universe. If the Universe is Mental, then Mind must be the highest power affecting its phenomena. If this be understood then all the so-called "miracles" and "wonder-workings" are seen plainly for what they are.

    "THE ALL is MIND; The Universe is Mental."--The Kybalion.

                                       FINIS